Friday, july 22, 2016

Nigeria technically in recession –Finance Minister Chukwu David Abuja

T

he Minister of Finance, Mrs. Kemi Adeosun, has con-

firmed that the Nigerian economy has gone into recession.

The minister, while appearing before the Senate

yesterday, also said that the Muhammadu Buhari administration inherited negative reserve from the immediate past adminis-

tration, alleging that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) government owed contractors N390 billion, while outstanding cash call

debt was $5 billion.

This was as the President of the Senate, Bukola Saraki, lamented the lack of synergy between the

Investors jittery over half-year financial results

executive and the legislative arms of government in governance in the present administration.

Adeosun made the confirmation yesterday while

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Sanctity Of Truth

NIGERIA’S MOST AUTHORITATIVE NEWSPAPER IN POLITICS AND BUSINESS

Friday, July 22, 2016

FG, 14 firms sign $1.75bn solar power agreements }7

/newtelegraph /newtelegraph

Vol. 3 No. 884

Fashola

Sex scandal: US didn't present video evidence }5 –Foreign Minister

Onyema

11 die as Danfo bus crashes in Lagos }9

@newtelegraph1 www.newtelegraphonline.com @newtelegraph1 www.newtelegraphonline.com

Troops kill 45 Boko Haram suspects, rescue 80 hostages –Army }10

N150

Buratai

Avengers: Oil workers must leave Niger Delta now }2

...blow Qua Iboe export pipeline We’re talking with militants –Buhari

‘I rent out my three-week-old baby to beggars for N1,500 daily’}9

Aregbesola

From left: (Front row): Former Deputy National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Nze Ozichukwu Chukwu; Mrs. Ifunanya Uzor Kalu; former Governor of Abia State, Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu and a presidential candidate for the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA) election, Chief Joe Kyari Gadzama. (Back row): Catholic Bishop of Oyo Diocese, Most Rev. Dr. Emmanuel Badejo and Catholic Bishop of Abuja Diocese, John Cardinal Onaiyekan, after a thanksgiving mass in Kalu's residence in Abuja...recently.

Scandal: How Dogara injected N20bn into budget –Jibrin Saraki placates Tinubu, opponents with juicy committees Chicken odour prevents malaria –Research }7

}3 & 4

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NEWS

FRIDAY, July 22, 2016 NEW TELEGRAPH

Avengers: Oil workers must leave Niger Delta now Anule Emmanuel and Ola James

T

he Niger Delta Avengers (NDA) yesterday told oil workers and foreigners to vacate all oil fields and terminals in the Niger Delta as soon as possible.

This is as the group claimed that it has attacked the Qua Iboe export pipeline.

The group said the warning became apparent to avoid collateral dam-

age that may result from its next phase of action in the war which it said would get dirty soon.

But, President Muhammadu Buhari said his government had opened discussions with the militants to halt further attacks on oil and gas installations in the area.

Militants in the oil-rich area, including the Avengers, have continued to attack oil installations, forcing the nation's crude oil production level to nosedive from about 2.3 million barrels per day to less than

1.3 million barrels per day.

The militant group has claimed responsibility for recent attacks on oil and gas installations in Bayelsa and Delta states.

It described as “the biggest joke of the 21st century” the reports of arrest of the group’s logistics supplier by the Nigerian Navy.

The group accused the Nigerian Navy of losing its sense of professionalism.

Spokesperson of NDA, Brig.-Gen. Mudoch Agbinibo, in a statement yesterday, recalled that the

military arrested school students in Oporoza and called them the Niger Delta Avengers, stressing that, "Any criminal caught is NDA, even their business partners (illegal oil bunkers) with which things went sour are NDA. Sea pirates are now NDA.” "We want to make this clear, that Niger Delta Avengers operatives are intact, our intelligence agencies are all intact and our team are in high spirit because we are winning the war. Nigerian Navy can’t arrest any of our

Outgoing Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Germany to Nigeria, Michael Zenner (left) with President Muhammadu Buhari, during Zenner's farewell visit to the president in Abuja…yesterday.

Investors jittery over half-year financial results …as stock market sheds N473bn

Chris Ugwu

W

orried by market watchers’ projection that most quoted companies might turn in poor results for the half-year of 2016, investors in the equities market have taken a flight to safety, leaving the market with a loss of N473 billion between June 30 and July 20.

Data available to New Telegraph showed a decrease in market capitalisation by N473 billion during the period under review, translating to 4.65 per cent loss from N10.165 trillion it closed the half year ended June 30, to close yesterday at N9.692 trillion.

The decrease is contrary to expectations that reforms in the nation’s economy, which saw the deregulation of the downstream sector and introduction of flexible exchange policy by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), would facilitate stock market recovery.

At the early stage of the policies, the stock market had risen from a downturn in first quarter of the year to close the half-year with a gain of N315 billion from a loss of N1.146 trillion.

The market defied drop in crude oil price, depressed consumer purchasing power, expected weak corporate earnings and flight to safety by foreign investors to earn some gains According to market analysts, trading on equities had sustained a bullish rally as traders and investors leveraged on the new policy measures by the Federal Government to take positions.

The market had also reacted positively to the Federal Government's removal of subsidy and increase in petroleum price from N86.50 to N145 per litre.

Also, the bullish activities were stimulated by CBN’s clarification on its flexible foreign exchange policy, which reduced uncertainty in the financial market.

However, in spite of the new policies, the expected weak outings for the half-year had driven investors, especially institutional and foreign ones who mainly determine the movement of the local bourse.

Financial analysts had predicted lower profits in

the second quarter of this year in various reports linked to lower national imports due to foreign exchange challenges, lull in economic activities and slow implementation of the 2016 budget, among others.

The Managing Director, Cowry Assets Management Limited, Mr. Johnson Chukwu, said banks would make higher provisions for bad loans in their second quarter results due to lull in the economy, slow implementation of the budget and reduction in their income lines and profits.

Chukwu noted that banks’ income lines had reduced due to foreign exchange challenges in the country, adding that many banks could not engage in trade finance, as they should have done, due to scarcity of foreign exchange.

According to him, lending that should go to Federal Government contractors could not happen due to the late passage and implementation of the budget.

“And more importantly, they will experience higher provisions for bad loans due to the lull in economic activities,” he said.

In the same vein, analysts at ARM Research believe that over the rest of first half of 2016, while oil prices show signs of finding a bottom, current foreign exchange market illiquidity should continue to stymie foreign interest on the domestic bourse.

Thus, they advised that domestic investor considerations should play a pivotal role in charting equity market outlook in the second quarter 2016.

They noted that the recent twist in monetary policy and resultant rise in interest rates raised the hurdles for quoted companies while driving heightened domestic investor sensitivity to stock fundamentals.

On balance, they see lagged economic policy response to the tepid economic landscape as driving a bearish market outlook in the Q2 2016.

“Our base case was for a weak macroeconomic landscape on account of the oil price shocks to combine with current foreign exchange restrictions to temper foreign participation in Nigerian equities, leaving domestic considerations to exert greater influence on market outlook,” they noted.

members until we bring down the economy of this country.”

The militant group warned the National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) to leave all oil field and terminals in the Niger Delta.

"We are warning NUPENG and PENGASSAN to leave all oil field and terminals in the Niger Delta region because it is going to be dirty very soon. Foreigners are to leave too," Agbinibo said.

According to him, "When Niger Delta Avengers carry out any major attack, they (Nigeria Military) will deny it. First was the NNPC pipeline that was blown, second the 48-inches Exxonmobil pipeline that was blown by the NDA. Mobil and the government denied it. Only for Exxonmobil to declare force majeure few days after the attack. We want the general public to know that the Qua Iboe export pipeline is down right now.

"Let me give a little brief about the Qua Iboe Export terminal, because this is a subsidiary of Mobil and it is the biggest export stream in Nigeria.

They export one million barrel every two days.

“I, Brig.-Gen. Agbinibo personally led this operation. Unlike the Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Ibok Ibas, that sits in the comfort of his office to pass orders.”

He warned that the Nigerian Military should stop deceiving the general public and the president, adding, "They should come out with the truth in Akwa Ibom issue, instead of saying that the Niger Delta Avengers did not blow up the line, but system anomaly.

"Reports from our intelligence agents, the only way funds can be allocated to various department of the military is only when they (Nigeria Military) arrest the Niger Delta Avengers operatives. But soonest, the Nigerian public and their Commanderin-Chief will know that the military is not capable to handle the Niger Delta Avengers.

"How do you explain a military officer having a house in choice areas in Nigeria and outside the country? Nigeria’s serving and retired top officers are the richest people in Nigeria. How did they get such wealth? Right now, they are using Niger

81

The life expectancy of women at birth of French Guiana in 2010-2015.

Source: Un.org

Delta Avengers to defraud the Nigerian government and taxpayers of their money," the statement further added.

On the ongoing talks with the Niger Delta militants, Buhari said government was presently talking with the militants through oil companies and law enforcement agencies to find a lasting solution to insecurity in the region.

Government has expressed concern that the situation is threatening the realisation of projected oil revenues needed from the sector to fund the 2016 budget.

Speaking at a farewell audience with Mr. Michael Zinner, the outgoing Ambassador of Germany to Nigeria at the State House, Buhari said that government is studying the instruments of the Amnesty Programme inherited from the previous administration with a view to carrying out commitments made that were undelivered.

A statement by the Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity to the President, Garba Shehu, quoted Buhari as saying: "We understand their feelings. We are studying the instruments. We have to secure the environment, otherwise investment will not come. We will do our best for the country."

He used the opportunity to thank the government of Germany for its continuing support to Nigeria in the efforts to tackle insecurity and the on-going rehabilitation and resettlement of displaced citizens in crisis areas in the North-East.

Buhari also thanked Nigeria’s neighbours for their firm and unflinching support in the war against terror.

The outgoing German Ambassador noted that bilateral relations between Nigeria and Germany “had improved very much in the last 12 months of this administration.”

He expressed Germany’s readiness to assist Nigeria in the rehabilitation process in the North-East to help displaced persons return to their villages.

The president also expressed the eagerness of German businesses to invest in the country, now that “conditions for investment have been put in place.”

The German Ambassador reiterated the standing invitation of Chancellor Angela Merkel to Buhari to visit Germany.

73

The life expectancy of men at birth of French Guiana in 2010-2015.

Source: Un.org

NEWS

FRIDAY, July 22, 2016 NEW TELEGRAPH

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Scandal: How Dogara injected N20bn into budget –Jibrin Philip Nyam Abuja

T

here is uneasy calm in the House of Representatives as the former chairman of the Committee on Appropriation, Hon. Abdulmumin Jibrin, has called on Speaker Yakubu Dogara, his deputy, Yussuff Lasun, minority leader, Leo Ogor and chief whip, Alhassan Ado Doguwa to resign for alleged budget padding.

Jibrin accused Dogara and the other principal officers of illegally inserting and allocating projects worth over N20 billion to their constituencies in the 2016 Budget.

He explained that his refusal to inject another N30 billion into the budget for the speaker earned him the removal.

In a statement issued yesterday in Abuja, the former appropriation chair-

man said: “I strongly believe with every conviction that in cleaning up the budget system and considering what transpired during 2016 budget, which I have all the facts documented, Speaker Dogara, Deputy Speaker Lasun, Whip Doguwa and Minority Leader Leo Ogor should resign.

“These members of the body of principal officers were not comfortable with my independent disposition and my refusal to cover up their unilateral decision to allocate to themselves N40 billion out of the N100 billion allocated to the entire National Assembly. The four of them met and took that decision. In addition to billions of wasteful projects running to over N20 billion they allocated to their constituencies. They must come out clean.

“My inability to admit into the budget almost N30 billion personal requests from Mr. Speaker and the three other principal offi-

Buhari: We'll explore gas, technology to revive economy Anule Emmanuel Abuja

P

resident Muhammadu Buhari has expressed confidence that additional investment in gas production and improved technology will assist in reviving the nation's dwindling economy.

The president said his administration would continue to welcome innovative ideas in these sectors and agriculture.

Buhari stated this yesterday while receiving the new High Commissioner of the Republic of India, Mr. Nagabhushana Reddy, at the presidential villa, Abuja.

He said Nigeria would strengthen cooperation with the Asian country on education, technology transfer and military training.

“The relationship between Nigeria and India is a long one. The relationship pre-dates Nigeria's independence and, as soon as we got our independence, we opened a mission in New Delhi.

“Our relationship cuts across education, military, trade manufacturing and technology. I recall schooling at the Defence Services Staff College in Wellington from 1970 to 1973 and the significant role India played in establishing the Nigerian Defence Academy.

“Certainly, you are also the biggest buyer of Nigeria's crude oil today. We need more of that partnership as Nigeria tries to be

more innovative in education, manufacturing and agriculture to diversify the economy,'' he said.

The president said the strong relationship that had been established between Nigeria and India over the years could be further explored in creating a competitive edge, and mutual advantage for both countries in agriculture, trade and skills transfer.

In his remarks, Reddy said the Indian government was looking forward to consolidating its relationship with the Ministries of Petroleum, Agriculture, Trade and Investment and Power, Housing and Urban Development for various projects.

He said the Indian Chamber of Commerce had already created a Nigerian Chapter, with a view to promoting trade, especially in the energy sector.

Buhari also received Letters of Credence from Ambassador of the Republic of Gambia, Mr. Famara Kassy Gaye; Ambassador of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, Mr. Thambirajah Reveenthiran and Ambassador of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Mr. Morteza Rahimi Zarchi.

27.62

The average age of football players in Italy in the 2010-2011 season.

Source: Football-observatory.com

7

The total number of goals conceded

by Portugal at Brazil 2014 World Cup. Source: Fifa.com

cers also became an issue.

I wish I could, but where will I get such money in a tight budget year like this?

I have every documented evidence to this effect.”

Jibrin threatened: “I will be releasing a more detailed statement in due course.”

“Meanwhile, I intend to explore all internal avenues of the house to brief my colleagues in details and testify against Speaker Dogara, Deputy Lasun, Whip Doguwa and Minority Leader Leo Ogor on why they should resign.

“If I am not allowed to exercise my privilege, I shall consider legal options. I can no longer bear the brunt of abuses and baseless allegations keeping quiet all in the name of "confidentiality" expected of an appropriation chair-

man. I will not allow anybody, no matter how highly placed, to destroy my life.”

According to Jibrin, “After the submission of the first version of the budget, which was returned by Mr. President, I briefed members in executive session and told them as agreed at our pre-budget meeting with chairmen and deputy chairmen of standing committees. We simply adopted their reports with little amendments. Nobody faulted my submission.

Members insisted they must know how the N100 billion was allocated. I told them the truth.

“Since after that meeting, Mr. Speaker, with the support of the three other principal officers, effectively blocked me from briefing members, ensured I was not at the last executive ses-

sion and refused to investigate issues I raised that I believe must be addressed, if we intend to build a better budget system for the House. I gave Mr. Speaker statistics of 2000 new projects introduced into the budget by less than 10 committee chairmen without the knowledge of their committee members. He did nothing about it because he was part of the mess, yet he is talking about improving the budget system.

“I did nothing wrong. I worked within the rules of the House and instructions of Mr. Speaker. During the budget period, Mr. President graciously granted myself and Senator Goje audience. It was a very good meeting. Speaker Dogara took it extremely personal that we saw the president

without his knowledge and went on to scuttle all our efforts to help the president during the budget process because he wants to be seen by the president as the only good man.

“He forgot that he sees heads of MDAs, which he enjoys doing more than his job as speaker for reasons best known to him anyway, daily without Mr. President's knowledge. That is how petty and narrowminded Dogara can be. A coward, hypocrite and pretender of the highest order.

Mr. President must be very careful with him. He wines with Mr. President and dines with Mr. President’s enemies.”

The lawmaker said he was “obliged to make further statement after listening to the full statement of CONTINUED ON PAGE 5

L-R: Governors Abdul’aziz Yari (Zamfara), Abubakar Sani Bello (Niger), Aminu Tambuwal (Sokoto), Ibikunle Amosun (Ogun), and Yahaya Bello (Kogi), during the National Executive Council meeting in Abuja… yesterday.

PHOTO: TIMOTHY IKUOMENISAN

Nigeria technically in recession –Finance Minister CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

appearing before the Senate in plenary, to brief the chamber on the state of the economy, with respect to the monetary and fiscal policies adopted by the Federal Government to salvage the current economic situation in the country.

The Senate had invited Adeosun and the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mr. Godwin Emefiele, to come and brief the lawmakers on the state of the economy.

However, the CBN Governor appeared before the apex chamber on Tuesday, where he opened up to the Senate that the economy was in deep trouble, with virtually no solution in sight.

Corroborating the submissions by Emefiele, the Finance Minister admitted the worrisome state of the economy, but expressed optimism that Nigeria would get out of the predicament and make positive advancement.

Her words: "Nigeria is in one of the toughest economic times we have faced in living memory.

We are very confident that

the strategies that we are deploying will get us out of the problems that we have inherited; and those fiscal strategies are around: being very disciplined about government spending, to reduce wastage and leakage; to ensure that we invest in infrastructure that is needed to create jobs and growth in this economy.

"Technically, in economic terms, if you have two periods of negative growth, you are technically in a recession. But I don’t think we should spend too much times on liable. Whether you call it recession or not, we are in a tough place, but the most important thing is that we are going to get out of it.

"Everything we are doing is moving outside of it; our social intervention programmes have been funded, those of providing reliefs to the very poorest, right down to every single local government would be touched by that programme. We have started and we will continue with it.”

She said that the government had galvanized its think-tank to come up with

viable economic ideas and strategies to reverse the current negative trend and reposition the economy to a sustainable boom.

According to her, "We are not the only country in recession, many countries are doing far worse than us. But for Nigeria, what Nigerians want to know is ‘how’s that going to affect me?’ and I want to assure everybody that what we are doing is going to work and it’s going to turn this economy around.

"I believe the speed and the extent of our releases shows that the government intends seriousness around reviving this economy and we are very confident that the work we are doing will bear fruits.

"We have already begun to see increase in food production in our agriculture; we are expecting a bumper harvest. How are we going to store to make sure that prices don’t plummet? All the things we are doing are consistent with what we said we would do.

"We have done a painful adjustment, but we want to assure Nigerians that we are on a right track; we are

in right hands. No money is being wasted; no money is leaking, every naira is being accounted for fully.”

She discarded insinuations that the Federal Government had no formidable economic team to drive the economy and lead the country out of the present doldrums, pointing out that the team was actively working towards surmounting the persistent economic quagmire.

The minister also disagreed with the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Mr. Babachir Lawal, who told the Senate last week that the Federal Government would not be able to fully implement the constituency projects due the dwindling revenue profile currently being witnessed in the country.

"I am surprised to hear that some directors in Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) instructed bidders to contracts not to bid for constituency projects because they were not going to be implemented.

"But I want to assure you that everything in the CONTINUED ON PAGE 4

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NEWS

FRIDAY, July 22, 2016 NEW TELEGRAPH

Saraki placates Tinubu, opponents with juicy committees lRemoves Omoworare from Rules and Business Chukwu David Abuja

I

n a reconciliatory move, the President of the Senate, Bukola Saraki, yesterday carried out a minor committee reshuffle to placate members of the Senate Unity Forum (SUF) who have been antagonising him since he was inaugurated on June 9, 2015, as well as reward his ardent loyalists.

In the new arrangement, his arch antagonists, Senators Kabir Marafa and Suleiman Hunkuyi got Committees on Petroleum (Downstream) and National Identity, respectively.

Marafa was formerly appointed the Chairman, Senate Committee on National Identity, which he rejected at the peak of the crisis in the Red Chamber.

Both Senators initiated the petition, which culminated in the current prosecution of Saraki and his deputy, Ike Ekweremadu, for alleged forgery of 2015 Senate Standing Rules.

Also, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, who was former chairman, Senate Committee on Women Affairs, is now chairman Committee on Environment.

Other changes include:

Customs – Hope Uzodinma; Aviation – Adamu Aliero. Uzodimma was formerly in aviation while Aliero was in Customs.

Others are: Tertiary Institutions – Jubrin Barau, who was Acting Chairman, Downstream, after Senator Uche Ekwunife was sacked from the Senate by the court.

Women Affairs is manned by Binta Garba Masi, who earlier chaired Tertiary Institutions, while former chairman, Solid Minerals, Joshua Dariye, is now heading Public Procurement.

Senator James Manager was moved from Committee on Power to Committee on Solid Minerals while Senator Enyinnaya Abariba, who was in Information is now in Power.

Other appointments are: Information and National Orientation – Adokwe Suleiman; Legislative Compliance – Babajide Omoworare; Rules and Business – Baba Kaka Garbai; and Federal Character – Tijani Kaura.

It will be recalled that Omoworare was the Chairman, Rules and Business, but it was learnt that he was removed for being perceived as anti-leadership in his actions.

New Telegraph learnt

that Omoworare's problem with Saraki started last year, when the former distanced himself from a vote of confidence passed in the leadership of the Senate when the SUF was doing everything to sack the leadership.

Omoworare was also seen to have played anti-

leadership script, when he told the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF), Abubakar Malami, last week that he had unfettered powers to prosecute anybody in the country, when the AGF appeared before the Senate Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters,

in respect of the forgery case.

Garbai, who replaced him, is a first timer from Borno Central, where late Senator Ahmad Zanah represented.

Saraki also made some adjustments in the Vice Chairmanship positions to comprise; Marine Transport, Ahmed Ogembe; Land Transport, Ovie

Omo-Agege and Downstream Petroleum, Philip Aduda, who is also the Minority Whip.

He appealed to chairmen of various committees to ensure that they use the period of the recess to complete all pending committee assignments and get them ready before the September 13 resumption deadline.

Nigeria technically in recession –Finance Minister CONTINUED FROM PAGE 3

budget needs to be implemented. We take constituency projects very seriously because they have direct impact on the people.

We will prioritise and cash back them," she promised.

She further revealed that the Federal Government had so far, in the last two months, released N247.9 billion for implementation of capital projects, pointing out that another N60 billion would soon be released.

Adeosun explained that out of the releases made so far, the Ministry of Works received the sum of N74 billion, the Ministry of Agriculture got N21.9 billion and Transport received N22 billion.

She said: "Concerning the capital releases that we have done so far, N247.9 billion has been released

so far, with another N60 billion to be released imminently. The Ministry of Works has received N74 billion in the last two months compared to the N19 billion for the whole of last year.

"Agriculture, which is a strategic focus of this government has received N21.9 billion, compared to just N4 billion for the whole of last year; and transport has received N22 billion compared to just N6 billion for the whole of last year.”

While stating that she inherited some debts from the past administration, the minister advised that politicians should stop playing blame game because that would not solve the problem facing the country.

"I think at a time like this, blaming who was responsible doesn't actu-

ally take us anywhere, but I will tell you what I inherited. I inherited very little by way of reserves; I inherited significant debt, and contractors’ debt.

"Cash calls of $5 billion outstanding to the oil companies was also inherited.

I mentioned the cash calls of $5 billion outstanding to the oil companies, I equally mentioned the fact that many of the contractors, even though we have paid them N107 billion, find it very difficult to work because they are owed and some of them have not been paid since 2012.

"Their claims are over N390 billion. So, I didn't inherit reserves that are positive, I inherited reserves that tend to be more negative than positive because the economy is actually in very good hands and we are doing

absolutely our best to get through this difficult period, and I explained how we are doing that, we have been extremely disciplined around our spending," she explained.

President of the Senate, who reacted to some of the issues raised by the minister, regretted that there was no synergy between the executive and the legislative arms of government, urging that the gap must be closed to enable government make meaningful progress.

Saraki particularly reacted to Adeosun's request that the National Assembly should amend the Procurement Act, to ease the encumbrances militating against procurement processes in the country, whereas the amendment bill was passed early last month.

NEWS

FRIDAY, July 22, 2016 NEW TELEGRAPH

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Sex scandal: US didn't present video evidence –Minister Philip Nyam Abuja

T

he investigation into allegations of sexual misconduct against three members of the House of Representatives yesterday took a different dimension as the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Geoffrey Onyeama, disclosed that the United States Ambassador, Mr. James Entwistle, had no video evidence to present to the House.

Onyeama, who appeared before the House joint committee on ethics and privileges and foreign relations, also disclosed

that the house keeper who accused Hon. Mohammed Gololo of grabbing her also refused to testify or substantiate the allegations.

He also informed that the ambassador confirmed to him that the affected lawmakers whose visas have already been revoked were barred from visiting the US for three years.

The minister while relaying his interface with the ambassador, who was absent at the investigation hearing, informed the panel that the confirmation of the allegations is “a bit ambiguous and weak” since the principal complainant in the matter refused to give evidence.

Lasun, Ogor, Doguwa should resign, ex-appropriation chair insists CONTINUED FROM PAGE 3

Speaker Dogara on why I had to leave as Chairman Appropriation.”

“It is a fact I went up to the Speaker and told him clearly I want to leave.

Thereafter, I proceeded to my office. I was, therefore, not surprised when an aide of mine walked into my office to inform me that the Speaker had announced my departure. I was relieved and went straight to address the press and released a statement. It was only later in the night while monitoring the news that I understood the full statement he made on the floor.

“The plan is to execute it just before the recess, so that by the time we return, I would have been buried and the issue forgotten.

Mr. Speaker, this issue will never be swept under the carpet. We are closing for recess with it and we shall commence the next session with this issue. This was the last option they have after every attempt to find something to nail me failed.

“My offence was asserting my independence and insisting we do the right thing at all times and expose corrupt people in the House. Lately, I openly disagreed with some principal officers on the issue of immunity and budget issues. I still maintained I will never support immunity,” Jibrin stated.

However, the leadership of the House has dismissed allegations of budget padding and the calls for the resignation of Dogara and some principal officers by the former appropriation committee chairman as non-issue.

In his response to allegations raised by Jibrin, House spokesman, Hon. Abdulrazaq Namdas, said: "Most of the allegations on the 2016 budget process and his opposition to immunity of presiding officers are non-issues and mere afterthought manufactured

simply because the House relieved him of his position.

"We wish to say that it is the prerogative of the Selection Committee of the House to appoint and remove Committee Chairmen. That power has been so exercised in the case of Hon. Abdulmumin Jibrin as chairman of Appropriation Committee.

"If he had all these 'facts' before, why didn’t he make them public? Why is he doing that now?"

According to the spokesman, "Jibrin, like any other member of the House, knows that there are conventions and precedents as it relates to budgets and projects for principal officers of the National Assembly. Why is he making it an issue now? In any case, he is entitled to his opinion as a Nigerian and as a legislator while acting within the laws of Nigeria and rules of the House.

"We must make it abundantly clear that he was not removed because of his support or otherwise on immunity bill. After all, he is not the only one who opposed the bill."

He reiterated that: "The bill is still pending before committee on review of constitution and it has to be voted upon by each and every member of the House, get Senate concurrence, endorsed by two-thirds of the 36 State Houses of Assembly and be assented to by the president. It is a cheap blackmail on the part of Hon. Jibrin to even insinuate that he was removed because he opposed immunity bill."

Namdas advised Jibrin "not to distract the House from giving legislative support on important issues facing the government concerning the revival of the economy, insecurity in the country, pursuit of anti-corruption measures, poverty alleviation, infrastructural development etc. "

He said the allegations were defamatory and those accused of misconduct could seek redress due to the gravity of the allegations and the damage it has done to their reputations and integrity if they were not substantiated.

According to the minister, “The first point I made to him was that he had not at any stage briefed the foreign affairs ministry about the allegations, he acknowledged that that was a failing on his side and apologised.

“The first thing he said was that he wrote what he believed was a confidential letter to the speaker of the House. That he felt obliged to write the letter because of the framework of the visit – government to government agreement and it was merely information that there were allegations against three members of the Nigerian delegation.

He didn’t say anything about the position of the American government.”

The minister informed the panel that the US government did not intend to pursue the matter either through the legal authorities or beyond what the ambassador did. “He only intended to bring to the attention of the House that there were allegations.

Nothing else was included

in that letter. He pointed out that as far as they were concerned, the matter was closed,” he said.

On how the letter, which was supposed to be a confidential document leaked to the press, the minister said: “He did not know how it got into the public domain. It was never intended for public consumption. He made no judgement, the US government pointed out that it will not make judgement in any case that it is not in a position to do so.”

Addressing the issue of evidence to prove the allegations, the minister stated: “I asked him, what evidence they manage to obtain to embolden him to write such a letter because I pointed out that without evidence, the letter could be defamatory and legal action could justifiably be taken. So, I would assume that before communicating such an allegation there was basis for it.

“He stressed that it was factually mentioned in the sense that he was just informing that there was an allegation without making any judgement as to the veracity or otherwise of those allegations.

“I asked him, so what were the allegations? Who made the allegations and on what basis were they made? He said to me that

there were some allegations by a hotel maid, a cleaner that one of the representatives had made an inappropriate approach request to her. So, I was very surprised at the time. He said that she made it clear, when they sought for her to testify that she will not testify when asked to do so.

“So, when they wanted to carry out further investigation into the matter, she made it clear that she will not testify. I was very surprised by this. The person on whom the allegations was based was not willing to give any testimony in respect of those allegations.”

Onyeama told the committee that the accused lawmakers were identified through group photograph and no video or audio evidence was used in ascertaining their identities.

Asked to give his opinion on the turn of events, the minister submitted that: “In my opinion, there may be need for legal proceedings for defamation.

I thought there may be a stronger evidence than that, but there was none.

“The allegations; we

don’t know if they were true or not. The confirmation of these allegations is a bit ambiguous.”

According to him, only a court of law could confirm the veracity of the allegations but as it is “what the accused lawmakers have gone through is trial by the media” because they have not been convicted or charged to any court in the US. Briefing the media after the minister’s presentation, one of the accused lawmakers, Hon. Mark Gbillah declared that he must get to the root of the matter. He said: “My pursuit of legal action against related parties is at a very advanced stage and has only been suspended because of my desire not to preempt the outcome of the investigation.

“I am sure James F. Entwistle, his deputy chief of mission and other embassy officials will tow the cowardly path of claiming diplomatic immunity under the Geneva Convention to avoid public revelation of their despicable racist and lawless actions.”

N298.76bn 103.91 The total import value of live animals; animal products of Nigeria in 2012.

Source: National Bureau of Statistics

The mobile teledensity of Nigeria in April 2015.

Source: Ncc.gov.ng

L-R: Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Communications, Mr. Sunny Echono; Minister of Communications, Adebayo Shittu; Executive Vice Chairman, Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Prof. Umar Danbatta and Executive Commissioner (Technical Services), Mr. Ubale Maska, during the minister's working visit to the commission in Abuja...recently

Nigeria’s economy, 2016 budget under threat – NNPC Adeola Yusuf

T

he Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) said yesterday that the Nigeria’s economy and the 2016 budget are under threat from crude pipeline hacking and oil theft.

Group Managing Director of the NNPC, Dr. Maikanti Baru, disclosed this when he led a delegation of NNPC top management on a courtesy call on the Chief of Defence Staff, General Gabriel Olonishakin at the Defence Headquarters, Abuja.

He made a passionate appeal to the Nigerian mili-

tary to help secure critical oil and gas infrastructure and curb the losses incurred by the corporation due to the nefarious activities of pipeline vandals and oil thieves.

Almost 1,447 cases of pipeline hacking were recorded during the period, he said, according to a statement by the NNPC yesterday.

Nigeria, Baru continued, lost N51.3 billion to pipeline vandalism in 2015, calling for military back-up to re-enter Chad basin and Benue Trough for oil exploration.

The statement, signed

by NNPC Group General Manager, Group Public

Affairs, Garba Deen Muhammad, noted that General Olonishakin said that the Defence Headquarters and the armed forces are duty bound to provide the NNPC with all necessary security support because of its strategic role in ensuring the economic survival of the nation.

Throwing more light on the episodes of pipeline vandalism, the NNPC GMD stated that over 3000 vandalism incidents were recorded every year from 2010-2015. In 2015 alone, pipeline losses of PMS volume of over 643 million litres, valued at over N51.28 billion, was incurred.

“The 2016 national bud-

get plan was based on 2.2 million barrels per day of crude oil production.

However, the budget plan is now grossly impacted due to renewed militancy: with about 700, 000 bpd of oil production curtailed due to pipeline vandalism,” he said.

The NNPC GMD noted that domestic natural gas supply to power is equally impacted with estimated drop of about 50 per cent from 1400 million standard cubic feet of gas per day, mmscfd to barely 700mmscfd resulting to significant power outage exposure of between 2500MW to 3000 MW as a result of direct and indirect impact.

6

NEWS | national

friday, july 22, 2016 NEW TELEGRAPH

Touts on prowl as fares on domestic routes soar Wole Shadare

T

outs are having a field day at most of the nation’s airports especially at the Lagos, Port-Harcourt and Abuja airports, as they are capitalising on the hike in fares on domestic routes to perpetrate their acts.

Although, the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has declared their activities as unlawful, but curiously, they have continued to thrive, as they have become a ring or power syndicate.

The touts hang around the old domestic airport terminal popularly called General Aviation Terminal (GAT) because of lax security in the area and monitor passengers who are desperate to get on board departing aircraft.

Immediately they sense the uneasiness or desperation of intending travellers, they accost them; giving them assurance of getting seats on aircraft that the airline officials at the counters said is full.

After convincing the desperate passenger of getting seats, the bargaining begins and they usually get seats at least N5, 000 more than one already quoted by the airline. The touts take advantage of huge network provided by a leading Nigerian airline to carry out this nefarious activity.

At times, the tout surfaces with a valid ticket and most times; they collect the money and disappear into thin air.

This is coming as all the airlines in the country have ‘clandestinely’ raised air fares by between 30 and 40 per cent.

The affected services include fares, rates, addon charges or terms and conditions of service.

The raise in air fares is compounded by shortage of aircraft, thereby increasing the pressure on the existing airlines and capacity.

Nigeria’s oldest airline, Aero Contractors has many of its airplanes ferried out of the shores of Nigeria for maintenance and about four of the airplanes are yet to return.

New Telegraph learnt that Medview, Dana and Arik among others, also

have some of their airplanes out for maintenance. The implication is that demand is outweighs supply, leading to full flights by many of the carriers for the few passengers they airlift.

An hour flight from Lagos to Abuja for instance, has jumped from between N16, 000 and N17, 000 to between N23, 000 and N28, 000 depending on time of ticket purchase. The fare could be more if tickets are bought shortly before a trip and that could be as

82

The life expectancy of women at birth of Faroe Islands in 2008.

Source: Un.org

high as N30, 000 and N32, 000 depending on availability of seats for just a one way flight.

The carriers told this newspaper that two factors such as depreciation of local currency against the United States dollars made them to increase the air fare by over 40 per cent.

A dollar, which now exchanges for about N300 and N375 per dollar at the official and parallel markets, for long, was pegged at $1 to N197 officially. Recently, the Nigerian economy had been hit by unprecedented financial instability. First was the falling oil price, which resulted in reduced government income.

The airline fares are

A Chairman, Independent National Electoral Commission, Prof.

Mahmood Yakubu (right) with the British High Commissioner to Nigeria, Mr Paul Thomas Arkwright, after Arkwright’s visit …on Wednesday.

Abuja

D

espite revelations by the Minister of Finance, Mrs. Kemi Adeosun, that the country's economy was presently in recession, the Federal Government has assured Nigerians that marginal growth would be achieved beginning in the Third Quarter (Q3) of the year.

Minister of Budget and National Planning, Udoma Udo Udoma, while briefing State House Correspondents yesterday after the National Economic Council (NEC) meeting at the presidential villa, Abuja, said 2016 has been a very difficult year.

He said although the economy recorded a negative growth in Q1, official figures of the growth performance for the Q2 which ended in June were yet to be released by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS).

"We are expecting the economy to begin to grow

again from the third quarter unto the fourth quarter.

We are focusing on non oil; we are focusing agriculture, solid mineral and manufacturing. So, basically we see what we are going through as an opportunity in some ways to finally move away from total dependence on the single commodity crude oil.

"Recession is basically when you have two quarters of negative growth. We had a first quarter of negative growth and we are still waiting to get all the figures for the second quarter which has just ended in June.

"The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) will be giving us all the figures but if as we suspect, the second quarter is also negative, then of course, technically, you could say that we are in recession if those figures turned out to be so," Udoma noted.

Udoma, who was joined at the briefing by the Governor of Taraba State, Darius Ishiaku and the Governor of Niger State, Sani Bello, explained that

the dwindling state of the economy was giving government serious concerns with positive steps being taken to address it.

"But even if we are not, the situation in the economy right now is one that of course, we are addressing. Some of it was expected some of it was not," he added.

The Budget minister

said that "we did expect the low oil price but we did not expect the level of disruption that we got in the Niger Delta, such that oil production went down and we are not likely to achieve the 2.2 million barrel per day because it went down to 1.2 million barrel per day, and now a little over at about 1.3 million barrel per day. "

n Abuja High Court, yesterday, admitted an aide of Governor Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti State, Abiodun Agbele, to bail in the sum of N50 million .

The court also awarded the sum of N5 million as damages against the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

Agbele had through his counsel, Mike Ozekhome, SAN, dragged the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to court to challenge the legality of his detention without trial since last month by the agency.

Agbele claimed that he had been dumped into the EFCC Custody since June 27, 2016 in respect of an alleged N1.3billion reportedly traced to the personal account of Fayose.

Ruling in the suit, the trial judge, Justice Kayo-

Abuja

T

he chairmen of Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN ) in the 19 Northern states of the federation have denied rumours making the round that they have pulled out of the national body of the association following the election and inauguration of Dr. Samson Ayokunle as its President.

The 19 Northern states and the Federal Capital

Territory (FCT) reiterated that the election, which produced the current CAN President, was all inclusive and peaceful, adding that they stand by the election and the new leadership of CAN. Speaking on behalf of other Northern State CAN Chairmen, the Borno State Chairman of CAN, Bishop Mohammed Abubakar Naga, told Journalists in an interview in Abuja that those who peddled such rumours were agents of disunity.

de Adeniyi, held that the detention of Agbele since July 1, 2016 till date in Abuja was wrongful, unlawful unconstitutional and a gross violation of the fundamental rights of the applicant.

The Judge, however condemned Agbele's detention by the EFCC without trial or lawful court order.

The court agreed with counsel to the applicant that the detention of the applicant beyond the period stipulate under Section 35 of the 1999 constitution was a gross violation of the rights of the applicant to freedom of liberty, dignity and right to own properties.

Justice Adeniyi condemned the action of the EFCC for brazenly violating fundamental rights of individuals under the guise of performance of its statutory functions and said that the fine was imposed to make it learn on how to operate within the ambits of the law.

Mimiko, Aborisade, Musa harp on true federalism Babatope Okeowo Akure

Northern Christians deny pulling G out of CAN Yekeen Nurudeen

Aside that, Tukur also pointed at the spiraling cost of aviation fuel, otherwise known as Jet A1, which he said has jumped to N170 per litre and above.

Before now, it used to be between N85 and N90 per litre depending on place of purchase. Aviation fuel takes over 35 per cent of airline revenue.

Tukur, who was also the Assistant Secretary-General of Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON) said the carriers are in dire strait, stressing that the average fare on economy class should not be less than N35, 000 if airlines are to break-even.

EFCC kicks as court admits Fayose's aide to N50m bail Tunde Oyesina and Emmanuel Onani

Nigeria's economy will pick up next year – FG Anule Emmanuel

quoted in US dollars and Nigerians pay the equivalent naira at the previous exchange rate of N197.

After the devaluation, the payment is now calculated at an exchange rate of N300.

That is an enormous 45 per cent increase and the consequence is a huge reduction in travellers, as most people cannot afford the fare.

A former manager of defunct Chanchangi Airlines, Mohammed Tukur said the carriers have no option thank to raise air fares because of prevailing situation in the country that has affected the situation airlines have found themselves.

overnor Olusegun Mimiko of Ondo State, former governor of Kaduna State, Alhaji Balarabe Musa and human rights activist, Dr Femi Aborisade, yesterday took a critical look at the state of the economy and advised the Federal Government to reject the economic blue print suggested by International Monetary Fund (IMF) and other imperialist agencies.

The trio spoke at the colloquium held in Akure, the Ondo State capital, to celebrate the founder and pioneer chairman of National Conscience Party

(NCP) and human rights activist, the Chief Gani Fawehinmi, SAN. Mimiko, who said the Federal Government lacked the capacity to manage the nation's economy, asked for the restructuring of the country, in such a way that would guarantee true and fiscal federalism.

The governor said many governors could not pay salary of workers because of the dwindling revenue from the federation account. He said if the states were allowed to manage their mineral resources and pay taxes to the Federal Government, most of the financial problems confronting the country would be a thing of the past.

national | news

friday, july 22, 2016 NEW TELEGRAPH

7

Couple remanded for impersonating Tinubu Akeem Nafiu

A

41 year-old man, Abioye Junaid and his wife, Fausat, were yesterday remanded in prison custody by Magistrate A. O Sholadoye of an Igbosere Magistrate’s Court. The couple were sent to prison for allegedly impersonating the National Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Ahmed

Tinubu and his daughter, Chief Folashade Ojo Tinubu. They both posed as Tinubu to swindle two politicians of N85milllion.

They are facing an eightcount charge bordering on conspiracy, stealing and impersonation preferred against them by the police.

The duo were alleged to have impersonated Tinubu and Chief Mrs Folashade Tinubu Ojo, the Iyaloja General of Nigeria, allegedly in their bid

to carry out their nefarious activities.

They were also alleged to have defrauded two people to the tune of N85million by promising them positions of a Commissioner in Lagos State and Vice President of Nigeria respectively.

Police prosecutor, DSP Charles Odii, told the court that the couple and others, who are still being sought, allegedly conspired to commit the offence sometimes

in October 2014.

He said that the incident took place at the couple’s residence at 7, Ayeola Street Oke Balogun in Epe area of Lagos State.

Odii revealed that Junaid was a security guard with an electricity company at Sangotedo Epe, while his wife is a civil servant at Epe Local Government Area.

He further alleged that the couple obtained N15million from Ambali

Some Soldiers attending to some of the rescued women and children at Garere village in Kukawa Local Government Area of Borno State…on Wednesday

Abiodun under the pretence that they were going to make him a Commissioner in Lagos State.

He also alleged that the duo between September 1, 2015 and December 31, 2015 at the above address, did obtained the sum of N70million, from one, Otuniyi Adeniyi, under the guise of making him the Vice President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

The prosecutor disclosed further that the defendants stole the money from their victims after falsely representing themselves as Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Chief Mrs Folashade Tinubu Ojo, the Iyaloja General of Nigeria.

The offences were said to be punishable under Sections 409, 312 (2), 285 (5) (a) and 378 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State 2011.

The defendants, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge when it was read to them.

Defence lawyer, Emmanuel Bayen, urged the court to grant them bail in the most liberal term.

They were later granted bail by Magistrate Sholadoye, in the sum of N2million with two sureties each in like sum.

The Magistrate said one of the sureties must be a level 16 or above in the Lagos State civil service while the other must be a landed property owner whose property certificate is to be verified at the Lagos State land registry.

The Magistrate also ordered that the defendants be remanded in prison custody pending when they are able to perfect their bail conditions.

104.69

The mobile teledensity of Nigeria in May 2015.

Source: Ncc.gov.ng

Chicken odour prevents malaria –Research

T

he smell from a live chicken could help protect against malaria, researchers have found.

Ethiopian and Swedish scientists discovered that malarial mosquitoes tend to avoid chickens and other birds.

The experiments, con-

ducted in western Ethiopia, included suspending a live chicken in a cage near a volunteer sleeping under a bed net. Last year malaria killed nearly 400,000 people in Africa, the UN says.

Infection and death rates are declining but health officials are continuing to look for new ways to pre-

FG, 14 companies sign $1.75bn solar power agreements T he Federal Government yesterday in Abuja signed a FrontRunner Solar Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) worth $1.75 billion with 14 companies to build 1,125 Megawatts (MW) capacity of renewable power in the country.

Mr Babatunde Fashola, Minister of Power, Works and Housing, who signed the documents on behalf of government, said the agreement was to demonstrate government’s commitment to diversifying Nigeria’s power industry.

The minister listed the companies as Pan Africa Solar with 75mw of electricity to be located in Kankia Local Government in Katsina and Nigerian Solar Capital Partners, 100mw located in Ganjuwa, Bauchi State.

Others are Afrinergia Power Limited, 50mw located in Kokowa, Nasarawa State; Motir Dusable Limited, 100 mw in Udi, Enugu State and Nova Solar 5 Farm Limited, 100mw located in Katsina State.

Also Kvk Power Nigeria Pvt Limited, 100mw located in Yabo of Sokoto State; Middle Band Solar One Limited, 100mw in Lokoja West in Kogi and LR Aaron Power Limited, 100mw in FCT Nova Scotia Power Development Limited, 80mw located in Dutse; CT Cosmos, 70 mw located in Kaduna West in Kaduna State and Oriental Renewable Solutions, 50mw in Kakowa, Jigawa.

Quaint Abiba Power Limited, 50mw located in Manchor Local Government of Kaduna State and Anjeed Innova Group, 100mw located in Kafanchan, also in Kaduna State.

According to Fashola, the PPAs are the heart and soul of financing the power industry.

Fashola disclosed that before the year 2030, Nigeria would have achieved 30 per cent capacity in renewable energy, adding that Nigeria would invest in renewable power in areas such as Biomass and coal.

vent the spread of the disease. The malaria parasite, which initially hides in the liver before going into the bloodstream, is carried from person to person by mosquitoes when they drink blood. The scientists, whose research was published in the Malaria Journal, concluded that as mosquitoes use their sense of smell to locate an animal they can bite there must be something in a chicken's odour that puts the insects off.

Addis Ababa University's Habte Tekie, who worked on the research, said that the compounds from the smell of the chicken can be extracted and could work as a repellent.

Field trials for this stage of the research are now "in the pipeline", he told the BBC. Researchers from the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences were also involved in the project.

Compounds extracted from chicken feathers were also used in the experiments, as well as live chickens. Researchers discovered that the use of the chicken and the compounds "significantly reduced" the number of mosquitoes that were found in the trap nearby. The scientists say that with reports that some mosquitoes are developing resistance to insecticide "novel control methods" need to be embraced.

ExxonMobil extends force majeure on Nigeria’s oil export Adeola Yusuf

T

he exports of 250, 000 barrels per day Nigeria's largest crude oil stream, Qua Iboe, will remain under force majeure, legal permission for inability to carry out contractual agreement, till August.

Operator of the Qua Iboe export line, ExxonMobil, Reuters reported yesterday, is still going on with the repairs of a leak on the pipeline feeding the terminal and the company will not lift the force majeure for at least one month.

The last ship to load

crude at the Qua Iboe terminal was the Ottoman Nobility on July 9, according to Reuters vessel tracking, adding that typically, a vessel would load a million-barrel lot of Qua every three to four days.

‘Exports of 250,000 bpd aboard eight vessels were scheduled for July. Three other ships scheduled to load Qua were near the terminal, one since July 12,” the tracking showed.

The damage is the latest setback to Nigerian oil production, which has been hobbled this spring by militant attacks and another accident at the Qua Iboe terminal earlier this year.

Nigeria needs to stave off economic depression –Ekpo Tony Chukwunyem

W

ith consensus growing in financial circles that the country is already in a recession, Director-General of the West African Institute for Financial and Economic Management (WAIFEM), Professor Akpan Ekpo, has called for steps to be taken to avoid the situation from developing into a full blown economic depression.

Ekpo made this call at the media launch of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development’s (UNCTAD) Economic Development in Africa Report for 2016 in Lagos yesterday.

He said, “If the recession becomes a depression, then monetary policy will become ineffective.”

Economists commonly

define a depression as an extreme recession that lasts two or more years which is characterized by economic factors such as significant increases in unemployment, a decline in available credit, sustained volatility in currency values, diminishing output, bankruptcies and sovereign debt defaults.

The WAIFEM boss who said that the government has been “slow” in tackling the economic crisis, blamed the delay in the passage of the 2016 budget as well as what he described as ill timed responses of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) for the current economic crisis.

He contended that the new flexible exchange rate introduced by the CBN was not, “helping matters”, pointing out that the naira is not a convertible currency.

Impeachment: Zamfara APC wants peaceful resolution

Idris Salisu Gusau

T

he All Progressives Congress, (APC) Zamfara State chapter, has dismissed the alleged moves by the members of the state House of Assembly to impeach Governor Abdulaziz Yari over alleged gross misconduct in the running of the state affairs.

Briefing newsmen yesterday at the government house Gusau, the state party Chairman, Alhaji Lawali Abubakar Kaura,

said the party has decided to invite all its members to amicably resolve the misunderstanding that occurred between the legislative arm and the executive arm of government.

"The APC is calling for its members to come to a table for resolution and to become one again, because the honorable members of the state House of Assembly and the state government are all bonafide members of the party, who were identified as peaceloving and progressives", Lawali Kaura said."

8

FRIDAY, July 22, 2016 NEW TELEGRAPH

METRO

ABIODUN BELLO abiodun.bello@newtelegraphonline.com 08023938212

...CRIME, CITY WATCH, COURTS

I smoke six wraps of Indian hemp daily, says girl, 15

The suspects

Muritala Ayinla

A

15-year-old girl, Gift David, has told police in Lagos that she was a lover of Cannabis sativa, otherwise called Indian hemp.

The teenager was part of suspected kid robbers arrested by officials of the Rapid Response Squad (RRS) at Abattoir area of Agege, Lagos.

But Gift, who hails from Cross Rivers State, denied being a robber.

According to her, she came with a relative to Lagos about six years ago, but was abandoned later.

She said: “I am not a thief, I don’t rob. It was one of the

boys that we sleep together, who stole a phone at Computer Village. I smoke between five and six wraps of Indian hemp daily. I don’t take cocaine, but I take Chinese cigarette, if I cannot get Indian hemp.”

Gift also denied engaging in prostitution, but said her husband, who lived in the abattoir, had been arrested by the police.

Some of the ‘kid robbers,’ who were all products of broken homes, said they were initiated into smoking Indian hemp as early as 11 years old when circumstances made them to become vagabonds.

The RRS officials, who pleaded anonymity, the suspects usually pickpocket,

steal and rob after taking several wraps of Indian hemp and disappeared into the shanties within around abattoir where they pay between N500 and N1,000 daily, depending on the sizes of the room and the availability of ceiling fans and television sets.

The suspects are 22 while only four of them are female.

Also, about eight of them belong to Eye confraternity. On their bodies were tattoos of different types. The female among them take to prostitution when there is no crime to commit.

According to the RRS officials, they were arrested for allegedly involving in separate incidents of robbery, stealing and cultism at Agege and its

City Briefs

Army urges warring communities to embrace peace Flora Onwudiwe

T

lay down their arms and embrace peace.

“The Army and other security agencies in conjunction with the state government have strategized means to ensure

he Commander, 13 Brigade Nigerian Army, Brig. Gen. Bulama Biu, has called on warring communities in Cross River State to embrace peace.

During a visit to the state, Biu said it was highly regrettable that communities which had co-existed for centuries would take up arms and destroy the progress and development they had built over the years.

He said: “The traditional leaders and youth leaders should warn their subjects to Biu

that this wanton destruction of property is brought to an end.

“Any community in possession of firearms or any form of weapon should submit such to the security agencies as anyone caught in possession of firearm or any dangerous weapon would be treated as a criminal and will be made to face the full wrath of the law.

The commander also advised residents of the warring communities to report any suspicious character or activity to the security agencies with the assurance that all reports would be treated confidentially and promptly.

environs.

The two leaders of the first gang, which consist of eight members, Babatunde (15) and Tayo (15), were arrested on Thursday last week, about 11:30p.m. at Mulero, Agege for assaulting and robbing Aladegbo Abidemi (26) with an axe and snatching her Blackberry Z10.

The suspects were reported to have given out other members of the gang the following day.

Other members of the gang are Matthew (18), Sakiru, (16), Ganiyu (13), Reliwan (15), Ibrahim (15) and Kudus (15).

Also, Ayorinde Olashina (15) told our correspondent that they usually contribute money to pay for room where they lodge daily after daily operation.

Olashina, who said that she started smoking at the age of 13, confessed that she smokes four wraps of Indian hemp daily, before eating.

One of the boys, who identified himself as Johnson (16), said they were initiated into cultism recently.

Their victim, Abidemi, said she was coming from work on the day she was attacked.

She said: ‘I decided to pass through Mulero to link the closest bus stop around 10p.m.

I sensed my phone ringing and I picked it. While on the call, I noticed some young boys about 12 swarming like bees towards me.

“I ran but I fell down. They rough-handled me, threatened

me with an axe and took my phone. They retreated and abandoned me inside the gutter.

“A couple of minutes after standing up, I saw RRS patrol vehicle. I reported the incident and showed the RRS officials the direction they went. They gave them a hot chase and arrested them with my phone.”

Members of the second gang, consisting of 10 male and four female, were picked-up at abattoir on Monday about 02:35a.m., after three of them had earlier been arrested in Computer Village, Ikeja, for stealing mobile phones.

It was gathered that Sulaimon (13), Godwin (19) and Sunkanmi (15), entered a phone stall and pretended they wanted to buy a phone.

They walked out again after inspecting the phone only for the stall owner to realise that two phones were missing. They were, however, caught on their way.

It was learnt that during interrogation at the RRS’ headquarters, three of them owned up to be members of Eiye confraternity.

The names of other gang members are Taiwo (17), Rotimi (17), Lateef (19), Tunde (17), Bolawatife (15), Kayode (15) and Olamide (15), all male.

Others are Olamide (19), Agnes (14), Ayo (15) and Ope 16, all female.

All the suspects have been transferred to the State Police Command, Ikeja, for further investigation.

The state Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), SP Dolapo Badmos, confirmed the arrest of the teenagers.

She said that the Commissioner of Police, Fatai Owoseni, summoned the parents of the children and he had ordered that the teenagers be sent for rehabilitation.

Oloolu supporters brutalise The Sun photojournalist Sola Adeyemo Ibadan

S

upporters of the popular but dreadful Ibadan masquerader, Oloolu, yesterday almost beat to death a photojournalist of The Sun newspaper, Taiwo Oluwadare.

Oluwadare was accused of taking the picture of the masquerader which the followers considered abominable.

However, the photojournalist was trying to take snap shots of a chaotic scene caused by the masquerader near Agodi Gate.

He was beaten to a pulp before he was rescued through the

intervention of the police who were nearby.

Women are, for ages, not allowed to see Oloolu whenever it comes out on its annual festival. The masquerades and its vicious and armed followers had been traversing the city of Ibadan since Tuesday. Yesterday was its last outing for the annual Egungun festival in the Oyo State capital.

While Oluwadare was trying to take pictures of the chaotic scene created by the supporters of the masquerader at the Agodi Gate area, as women were running heater-shelter in order not to see the Oloolu, youths swooped on the photojournalist.

METRO

FRIDAY, July 22, 2016 NEW TELEGRAPH

‘I rent out my three-week-old baby to beggars for N1,500 daily’

Divorce court

Muritala Ayinla

M

rs. Tawakalitu Aregbesola looks dejected, worried and disappointed perhaps for betraying her son and womanhood.

Aregbesola (40) is one of the women arrested by the officials of the Lagos State government for using their children to beg for alms in return for stipends.

According to her, the person who hires her child always pays her between N1,000 and N1,500 daily.

The woman claimed she had four other children. According to her, the first two children attend school somewhere in Ikotun area.

She said: “I stay at Ijora Olopa though I am from Ibadan in Oyo State.

I work with a food vendor, who pays me N300 daily. The eldest of my children is 11 years old.”

Aregbeshola is now being detained in Alausa Police Station alongside other four women. Two of the women are biological mothers of the rescued infants, while two others were commercial beggars from northern part

‘My husband denied me sex for 10 years’ lSays: My body yearns for sex Aregbesola flanked by other women

of the country.

Aregbesola, who was the only Yoruba woman among the suspects, interpreted for others, who spoke in Hausa and couldn’t explain why they ventured into the illegal business.

She claimed that she and other women only release their babies around 5p.m. and get them back with money by 7p.m. daily.

But when asked if it was possible for the beggars to pay her N1,500 daily for using the baby for two hours, she kept mum.

Two of the women, Hadiza Nosiru and Salamotu Salisu, hail from Jigawa

Three Enugu hospital workers ‘forge’ gov’s signature

The suspected forgers

Charles Onyekwere ENUGU

T

hree persons are now in police custody for allegedly forging the signature of Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State.

The suspects, two women and a man, were said to be specialised in forging documents for people to gain employment into government establishments in the state.

The state Public Relations Officer (PPRO), DSP Ebere Amaraizu, said that a full-scale investigation had commenced into the alleged case of conspiracy and forgery against the suspects.

Amaraizu gave the suspects’ names as Gloria Onuoha, Roseline Onwuameze and Thomas Nwigwe believed to be working in one of the Enugu-based hospitals.

The PPRO said the suspects had forged a letter purported to have emanated from the office of the governor and signed by Ugwuanyi himself.

The suspects reportedly used the letter to gain employment at the Enugu State Teaching Hospital, Parklane, as Account Grade 11, Level 7, Higher Executive Officer (HEO), Level 8 as well as Chief Typist CONTISS 8, Step 13, respectively.

It was learnt that Chijioke Nzegwu, now at large, facilitated the alleged illegal deal for Onuoha and Onwuameze having received a huge amount of money from Nwigwe on

9

their behalf.

This came barely four months after Ugwuanyi’s personal phone number was hacked as fraudsters have devised to another methods.

A reliable source said that government

State.

The infants were taken to the Rehabilitation and Training Centre at Majidun, Ikorodu for shelter as the government vowed to immediately commence investigation and possibly prosecute the women.

Speaking on the development, the Commissioner for Youth and Social Development, Uzamat Akinbile-Yussuf, said the government would not condone such heartless attitude.

The commissioner said that efforts would be intensified to get rid of street begging in the state. officials were now forging the governor’s official letterheads as well as his signature which they use to get people employed into some of the parastatals in the state civil service.

In March, the Chief Press Secretary (CPS) to the governor, Mr. Uwakwe Abugu, had said in a statement that “the Airtel cell phone number of His Excellency, Rt. Hon. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, Governor of Enugu State, was hacked into by unknown persons for suspected fraudulent activities.

“This announcement is to, hereby, draw the attention of members of the public, especially those who have been reached or contacted by the suspected fraudsters and to urge them to totally disregard any communication extended to them through that cell phone number purporting to have emanated from His Excellency, the Governor.”

A few days ago, reports emerged that fraudsters, suspected to be in the government circles, were now getting people employed into the state civil service using faked the governor’s letterhead and signature.

11 die as ‘Danfo’ bus crashes in Lagos Muritala Ayinla

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t least 11 passengers of a commercial bus popularly called Danfo were burnt to death yesterday in an auto crash at Otedola Bridge on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway.

Three others were critically injured and were rushed to the hospital for emergency medical attention.

The accident occurred about 6:10p.m. on the dreaded bridge linking Alausa with Berger. The bus was

heading towards Berger bus Stop when the driver lost control of the vehicle and crashed.

It was learnt that some of the passengers were workers returning home after the day’s work. The 11 people included three women and eight men.

It was also learnt that the bus had a burst tyre which made the driver to lose control.

“The bus that was heading to Mowe on the LagosIbadan Expressway somersaulted before busting into

The burnt bus

flames. Bodies of the burnt three female and eight male were taken away from the scene,” a witness said.

The incident led to gridlock while the emergency agencies such as the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), the Lagos State Fire Service, Lagos State Transport Management Authority (LASTMA) and the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) had a hectic time trying to manage the situation.

Speaking on the incident, the General Manager, LASEMA, Mr. Michael Akindele, said the 14-passenger Volkswagen commercial bus with Lagos colour somersaulted and burst into fire.

The state Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), SP Dolapo Badmos, told our correspondent that the bus somersaulted three times before bursting in flames.

A

46-year-old businesswoman, Mrs. Funmilayo Adedeji, yesterday told an Igando Customary Court in Lagos that her husband had denied her sex for 10 years.

Funmilayo said this while responding to a divorce suit filed by her husband, Omotayo.

The respondent added that Omotayo gave no reason for starving her of sex.

She said: “My husband refused to make love to me since 2006, I don’t know his reason. I have called members of my family and those of his family to intervene but he refused to change.

“My body yearns for sex but I don’t just want to commit adultery because I want all the children to be fathered by one man.”

The mother of two, according to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), said that she accused her husband of using their son for ritual because he started making money immediately the boy was born.

She said: “My husband’s wealth came and money started booming after the birth of our baby. Our son is now 12 years old, but he can neither walk nor talk.

“He wanted to divorce me so that I will no longer persuade him to take the boy to the hospital for treatment. He had always rejected medical treatment and had refused me approaching a church for deliverance.

“I always curse him because he used to beat me; he once beat me to pulp and I landed in the hospital.”

Funmilayo, however, begged the court not to grant her husband’s wish.

She said she was still in love with Omotayo.

Sexagenarian gets divorce following wife’s hot temper n Igando Customary Court in Lagos A State yesterday dissolved a six-yearold marriage between Mr. Odion Wilson,

60, and his wife, Rashidat.

Delivering his judgement, President of the court, Mr. Adegboyega Omilola, said that Wilson, the petitioner, was adamant despite all mediations from the court and family intervention.

He said: “Since the petitioner insists on divorce after several interventions, the court has no choice than to dissolve the union despite the fact that the wife still claims she loves her husband.

“The court hereby pronounces the marriage between Odion Wilson and Rashidat Wilson dissolved today; both parties, henceforth, cease to be husband and wife.

“Both are free to go their separate ways without hindrance and molestation.”

Earlier, the petitioner, Odion, a businessman, had sought the dissolution of the six-year-old-childless marriage, claiming that his wife was hot tempered.

Wilson, according to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), alleged that Rashidat had become hot tempered because of her constant complaints over his alleged “randy behaviour”.

He said: “My wife is hot tempered; she always fights or beats-up any woman she sees with me. Rashidat is always frustrating my life, fighting and accusing me of dating every woman she sees with me.

“She once hit me with a plank and tore my clothes in public because she saw me talking to a woman.”

10 News|NATIONAL

FRIDAY, JULY 22, 2016 NEW TELEGRAPH

Troops kill 45 Boko Haram suspects, rescue 80 hostages – Army Emmanuel Onani Abuja

T

he Nigerian Army yesterday said 42 Boko Haram suspects were killed by troops of Operation Tiger Claw, as the insurgents tried to regroup at Garere village in Borno State.

Three other fighters were killed by troops on

Ebakata

a separate routine patrol.

A statement by the Acting Director, Army Public Relations (DAPR), Col. Sani Usman, said 80 hostages, including women and children, were rescued during the fighting patrol that resulted in the killing of the 42 suspects.

“Following confirmed intelligence report on the convergence and massing up of dislodged Boko Haram terrorists at Garere

village in Kukawa Local Government Area of Borno State, with intent of carrying out attack on some isolated communities, troops on fighting and clearance patrol Codenamed “Operation Tiger Claw” ...Tuesday 19th July 2016 swooped on the terrorists.

“During the ensuing operation, 42 Boko Haram terrorists were killed, while unconfirmed number of

CONFIRMATION/change OF NAME

Ononibe

Biliyaminu

I, formerly known and addressed as Awatefe Dede Peace, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Ebakata Dede Peace. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

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Banks and general public take note.

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Adegbe

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OFORKANSI

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JAFARU

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Abba

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This is to confirm that the names Abba Godwin Obinna, Abba Benjamin and Abba Godwin refer to one and the same person. Henceforth, I wish to be known and addressed as Abba Godwin Obinna. All former documents remain valid. Zenith bank Plc, FCMB Plc and the general public please take note.

Ayibaebinmo

Ondotimi

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PUBLIC NOTICE

FESTUS IYAYI FOUNDATION

The general public is hereby notified that the above name has applied to the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) Abuja for registration under Part C of the Companies and Allied Matters Act. The Trustees are: 1. Prof. Omotoye Olorode - Chairman 2. Mrs. Grace Iyayi 3. Prof. S. Olatunde Oduleye 4. Prof. Idowu Awopetu 5. Prof. J. Adepoju Akinyanju - Secretary THE AIMS AND OBJECTIVES OF THE FOUNDATION INCLUDE 1. Promote through ideas and mobilization work, the relevance of progressive ideology as the basis on which society should be organized.

2. Provide support for the articulation and development of progressive ideas in the theory and practice.

3. Provide for discussions and debates on socio political, economic and cultural issues worldwide.

4. Promote collaboration among progressive organisations, working class organizations, civil society organisations, progressive intellectuals and individuals.

5. Support organisations who have the promotion and practice of progressive ideology as their goal.

Any objection to the registration should be forwarded to the Registrar-General, Corporate Affairs Commission, plot 420 Tigris Crescent, off Aguiyi Ironsi Street, Maitama, Abuja within 28 days of this publication.

SIGNED: Femi Aborisade, Esq., Solicitor to Festus Iyayi Foundation (FIF)

PUBLIC NOTICE

SEPERATE WORLD FOUNDATION FOR THE LESS PRIVILEGED

The public is hereby notified that the above named Foundation has applied to the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) for registration under Part “C” of the Companies and Allied Matters Act, Cap. C20, LFN, 2004.

The Trustees are: 1. Ukamaka Joy Onuoha (Chairman) 2. Chika EL Martins (Member) 3. Uchechukwu Chidozie Onuoha (Member) AIMS AND OBJECTIVES 1. To attend to the needs of the less privileged.

2. To rehabilitate the abused vulnerable persons.

3. To provide skills through vocational training.

4. To provide Christian spiritual support Any objection to the registration should be forwarded to the RegistrarGeneral, Corporate Affairs Commission, plot 420 Tigris Crescent, off Aguiyi Ironsi Street, Maitama, Abuja within 28 days of this publication.

SIGNED: Jude K. Ukanwa, Esq. Solicitor

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Pension Board and the general public note.

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Obika

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Eze

This is to confirm that the names Nnenna Onu Eze, Onu Nnenna and Eze Nnenna refer to one and the same person. Henceforth, I wish to be known and addressed as Nnenna Onu Eze. Also, my date of birth was wrongly written in my voters’ card as November 18, 1982 instead of November 18, 1986 which is the correct date. All former documents remain valid. Fidelity bank Plc and the general public please take note.

Ogisi

This is to confirm that the names Ogisi Godwin, Ogisi Godwin N, Ogisi G. N, Ogisi Godwin Nats, Godwin Enepu Ogis and Ogisi Godwin Nathan refer to one and the same person. Henceforth, I wish to be known and addressed as Ogisi Godwin Nathan. All former documents remain valid.

The general public should please take note.

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the insurgents escaped with gunshot wounds.

“Similarly, 38 women and 42 children held captives were rescued from the insurgents. The women and children were taken to the military medical facility in Baga for checks.

They were further assisted with food and clothing.

“The patrol team also recovered 504 rounds of 7.62mm (NATO) ammunition, 162 rounds of 7.62mm (Special) ammunition, 1 Land Cruiser Jeep, 34 Jerry cans of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) and Automated Gas Oil (AGO), while 55 Motorcycles were demobi-

lized during the operation,” the statement said.

It further noted that the troops were intensifying vigilance and making concerted efforts at clearing the remnants of the insurgent element in their area of responsibilities (AOR).

On the killing of three other fighters, the Army noted that “troops on routine patrol in order to secure and make KumsheBanki road open, were ambushed by 4 suspected Boko Haram terrorists.

“The troops engaged them and three of them died as a result of gunshot wounds. The lone

survivor is currently being interrogated. It is heart-warming to state that he has been making very useful statements that are very revealing.”

It added that “suspected elements of Boko Haram terrorists at the early hours of today attacked Bakin Dutse community in which they killed one person and injured 4 other persons.

“Unfortunately, they took to their heels on arrival of troops. The troops have continued to patrol the general area with the hope of finding and apprehending the attackers.”

Non-oil revenue pushes up July allocation to N559.032bn Abdulwahab Isa Abuja

T

he three tiers of government, comprising the federal, states and Local government councils will share the sum of N559.032 billion as allocation for the

month of July as disbursement from federation account recorded significant improvement.

The figure confirmed yesterday by Chairperson of Federation Account Allocation Committee( FAAC) and Minister of Finance, Mrs. Kemi Adeosun, was an

Dogara mourns as Reps lose member Philip Nyam Abuja

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member of the House of Representatives representing Ifako/Ijaye federal constituency of Lagos State on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Hon. Adewale Elijah Oluwatayo, has lost his life.

Oluwatayo, who died on Wednesday in Abuja, attended plenary same day and his colleagues, who spoke with him, confirmed that he did not show signs of ailment.

Meanwhile, the Speaker of the House, Hon. Yakubu Dogara, yesterday described the sudden death of Hon. Adewale Elijah Oluwatayo, as a shock to him.

change OF NAME

Onah

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Brabomotei

I, formerly known and addressed as Jane Taritei now wish to be known and addressed as Brabomotei Taritei Jeniph. All former documents remain valid.

The general public should please take note.

MissiNg PeRsoN osaghae Felicia iguehiduwa ‘F’ The above named person has been declared missing since 2015.

She is a Nigerian, small mouth, medium built, oval face, thick lips, brown eyes, 1.78m tall, fair in complexion and has curly hair.

If seen, please report to the nearest police station or the Commissioner of Police, General Investigation Section ‘D’ Department (Force C.I.D) Area K, Ijede, Lagos or call 0805-663-6913 or the undersigned.

Signed: Rita Nwaogu (Sister)

Oluwatayo obtained his West African School Certificate in 1968 at Ilesha Grammar School and a Bachelors’ Degree in Education from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka in 1979. He also obtained a Master’s Degree in 2005 from the Lagos State University (LASU).

Before coming to the House, he served as a special adviser to the governor of Lagos State between 2009 and 2011. He was also chairman of the state electricity board.

The speaker in a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Media and Public Affairs, Turaki Hassan, Dogara, said he was deeply affected by the news of the sudden demise of his colleague, who he described as hardworking, committed and a patriotic lawmaker.

improvement over previous disbursements. She attributed the buoyant allocation to performance by Federal Inland Revenue Service and Nigerian Customs .

The federal, states and local governments shared N305.128 billion for May 2016 and N281.5 billion in April.

Addressing the media yesterday night in Abuja, the minister said the increase in amount was recorded in the face of hitches in the economy. A breakdown of the disbursements showed that from statutory allocation, the Federal Government received N199.754 billion, state governments N101.318 billion, local governments N78.112 billion and N17.124 billion was given to the oil producing states as 13 per cent mineral revenue derivation.

For Value Added Tax (VAT) the Federal Government received N9.706 billion, states N32.353 billion and local governments N22.647 billion.

According to her, the improved performance from the non-oil revenue generating agencies, “shows that some of the reforms in revenue collection is improving significantly.”

ACF slams proponents of restructuring Ibraheem Musa Kaduna

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rewa Consultative Forum (ACF) yesterday warned southern groups like Afenifere that have been clamouring for true federalism that they cannot blackmail the Federal Government to restructure the country.

In a communiqué issued yesterday, ACF said restructuring Nigeria is a serious business that must take account of the views of all its citizens, and not just those that shout the loudest or issue threats, intimidation or blackmail.

It will be recalled that Afenifere has been in the forefront of the call for restructuring of Nigeria in order to

pave way for true federalism or resource control and the establishment of state police, among other demands.

The northern sociopolitical group, however, reiterated the fact that the present democratic structure in the country provides ample opportunity for groups and individuals to present their agitations through their representatives in the national and states assemblies.

According to the communiqué, which was signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Muhammad Ibrahim, “ACF observed with regret that most of those discussions are taking place without regard to decorum or civility, as the issues are often presented as ‘demands’ by one group or the other.

11

FRIDAY, JUly 22, 2016 NEW TELEGRAPH

Lagos Ambode shifts focus

Politics

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Intrigues festering PDP crisis ONYEKACHI EZE reports that personal interest and political relevance are the main reasons for the leadership crisis in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)

N

otwithstanding the statement issued by former National Vice Chairman (South-South), Dr. Cairo Ojougboh recently, perhaps, peace will soon return to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) after nearly two months of leadership crisis.

Ojougboh, who was made Deputy National Chairman by the party’s former National Chairman, Senator Ali Modu Sheriff in his failed attempt to reconstitute the PDP National Working Committee (NWC) after it was dissolved on May 21 by the National Convention in Port Harcourt, was quoted to have dismissed the peace moves by the National Caretaker Committee led by Senator Ahmed Makarfi towards resolving the leadership crisis.

According to him, “Sheriff has not reached agreement with anybody, neither has he permitted anybody to conclude on any process on his behalf. We are continuing with our cases in court; we respect the rule of law... Our goal remains to return the party to the people and stamp out impunity.”

The statement might have been borne out of the fact the Senator Buruji Kashamu, who has been with Sheriff since the crisis started, was present at last week's expanded PDP stakeholders' meeting convened by the caretaker committee and where a new date was chosen for another national convention for the election of the party's national officers.

Kashamu, a backbone of Sheriff's camp, was able to reach a bargain, probably only for himself.

The meeting, according to Makarfi, agreed to set up a special

FELIX NWANERI

GROUP PoLITICAL EDITOR nwanerif@newtelegraphonline.com

© Daily Telegraph Publishing Company Limited

Makarfi

committee headed by the Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Ike Ekweremadu "to further cement the reconciliation within the South-West so that all issues that must have led to the division in the South West would be resolved accordingly."

Kashamu was fighting for the South-West structure of the party.

He was made PDP leader in the region by former President Goodluck Jonathan, a position that made former President Olusegun Obasanjo to fall out with Jonathan. Obasanjo eventually tore his PDP membership card and announced his retirement from partisan politics.

Kashamu sees his towering political influence in the South-West being stunted by the two remaining PDP governors in the region - Olusegun Mimiko (Ondo) and Ayodele Fayose (Ekiti). Incidentally, Mimiko and Fayose's tenure as governor will end in 2017 and 2018 respectively. If the outcome of PDP congresses in the South-West is allowed to stand, Kashamu may go into political oblivion by 2019, and that probably explained why he joined Sheriff's faction.

Perhaps, the Ekweremadu's committee might help him regain the lost structure, and if the struggle for PDP’s leadership ends on that note, Kashamu could be the most beneficiary among members of Sheriff's faction. Sheriff is most likely going to gain something to his favour. He has given the negotiators his term, which will make him remain politically relevant in 2019.

A source revealed that the former chairman is demanding to

Sheriff

What we want is an all inclusive PDP, an equitable, fair and just system in the party

be allowed to conduct the next national convention, and possibly anoint the national officers of the party. Whether this request will be met is left in the womb of time, but suffice it to say that Sheriff will not be left empty handed.

However, the greatest loser may be Dr. Ojougboh and others who are yet to be factored in the reconciliation effort. One could therefore, see why he wants the crisis to continue, at least for now.

Ojougboh who served as National Vice Chairman (South-South), had nursed the ambition of becoming PDP deputy national chairman, which was zoned to South-South in the ill-fated zoning arrangement that had made Sheriff sole chairmanship candidate.

To actualise his dream, he began a subtle campaign for the position to be re-zoned to Edo/Delta axis of the South-South where he comes from. But unfortunately, Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State maintained that Prince Uche Secondus, the former Deputy National Chairman, would be returned to his former position.

The former National Vice Chairman thereafter broke rank with Sheriff's group and aligned with the PDP Concern Stakeholders' Forum led by former Information Minister, Prof. Jerry Gana. He attended the parallel convention held in Abuja by the Gana group.

It was surprise to members of the group that Ojougboh made a uturn shortly after the convention and lent his support to Sheriff ’s faction.

Prince Dayo Adeyeye, a member of the national caretaker committee, described Ojougboh

as a "rabble rouser who is trying to hold on to the last straw for relevance” Despite the resolution of major court decisions in the favour of the caretaker committee, Makarfi believes the path to peace and reconciliation still remain best option to resolve the leadership crisis.

He told a delegation of PDP North-Central that "though all legal interventions have been determined in favour of the decisions of the Port Harcourt national convention, the job has not yet finished.

“In the past I have said severally that the path of peace and reconciliation is the best path. We will never foreclose that window, even if the legal issue terminates at this stage,” he said.

Again, at an expanded caucus meeting last Thursday, Makarfi said the meeting received the report of the reconciliation committee, noting that the present of Senator Kashamu was a clear evidence of the reconciliation effort.

His words: "That is reconciliation making progress and I can assure you that we will never foreclose full reconciliation with Senator Ali Modu Sheriff and every other person that may still be associated with him.

"What we want is an all inclusive PDP, an equitable, fair and just system in the party, where the right of everyone commensurate with their own level is protected and preserved."

Prince Adeyeye disclosed that both factions, at a meeting with former Inspector General of CONTINUED ON PAGE 12

12

POLITICS

FRIDAY, JUly 22, 2016 NEW TELEGRAPH

PDP vows to probe N1bn school rehabilitation project Cajetan Mmuta Benin

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L-R: Governor Adams Oshiomhole; All Progressives Congress (APC) gubernatorial candidate, Mr. Godwin Obaseki and his runnining mate, Hon. Philip Shaibu at the party's campaign flag-off in Edo North.

Auchi monarch assures Oshiomhole on Obaseki Cajetan Mmuta Benin

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he Otaru of Auchi, His Royal Highness, Haliru Momoh, Ikelebe III, yesterday, affirmed that he is with Edo State governor, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole on the choice of the All Progressives Congress (APC) gubernatorial candidate, Mr. Godwin Obaseki as the next governor of the state.

Speaking when he received Obaseki and his running mate, Hon. Felix Shaibu, who were led to his palace by Governor Oshiomhole, the monarch said: “Wherever he, the governor, asks me to go, that is where I am going.”

The royal father, who commended Governor Oshiomhole for his sterling performance further said: “Today, I testify that our son has done wonderfully well in navigating what is good for man, for his people in Edo State and Nigeria. That is service to humanity.”

He thanked the governor for his intervention in ending the gully erosion that had ravaged Auchi before he came to power,

noting that people of the area will never forget him for his good gesture to the community.

Speaking earlier, Governor Oshiomhole commended the monarch for his cooperation with the state government, which made the urban renewal drive in Auchi a success and assured him that Obaseki will excel.

His words: “We have enjoyed your robust support. You got your community to cooperate even when we had to pull down some buildings in order to make this urban renewal possible. I want to thank you for the support and your prayers.

“With all humility, we pray that our candidate will win the next election.

And I stand to guarantee your highness that Obaseki will do even better because having been part of the team, chairing the Economic Team, there is nothing we have done that he is not a party to and he understands the issues.”

Oshiomhole also took a swipe at the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu.

He said: “The money voted by their own gov-

Edo DECIDES

ernment to secure the people of Nigeria from terrorists at a time when terrorists became very emboldened were hanging flags in several local government areas in parts of the North, and moving close to Okenne was mismanaged.

“The government appropriated money to fight the scourge but the man who visited you, it is not about accusation now, IzeIyamu in his own hand writing in the office of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission in Port Harcourt, not only confessed how he collected N700 million.

“He has also been confessing how they shared the money meant for the security of Nigeria and then turned around to blame someone for

the activities of terrorists. People like that who should be prosecuted, having confessed to the crime, are the ones going round the state asking for votes.

When they have the key to the treasury of the state, they will take everything.”

He called on traditional rulers to always scrutinize the activities of politicians who seek to govern Edo State. “I think that traditional rulers have a duty to scrutinize the activities of all those who want to govern. If you want to run a private business, we don’t need to go through all this, but if you want to govern the state; if you want to be entrusted with public treasury, certainly, it can’t be those who already have a history of stealing shamelessly.

Obaseki, on his part said: “What we have come here to do today, myself and my running mate, Felix Shuaibu is to ask for your prayers and blessings as we embark on the gubernatorial race. I want to assure you sir that we will not disappoint you and the people of Edo State. Interestingly, we will need you and the traditional institutions even more than ever before.”

Intrigues festering PDP crisis C O N T I N U E D F R O M PA G E 1 1

Police, Solomon Arase, agreed to sheath the sword after the July 4, Port Harcourt judgement, no matter whose side the court rules.

It was on the basis of the Port Harcourt judgement that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) recognised Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, who was produced by Makarfi’s faction, as PDP candidate for the September 10 governorship election in Edo State.

Nick Dazang, INEC Deputy Director, Voter Education and Publicity said in a statement: "We received

the candidate of the Makarfi-led faction because of the Port Harcourt Court judgement plus the fact that we monitored its primaries."

Ojougboh however, described IzeIyamu's adoption as a rumour. "We hear a rumour making rounds that INEC has accepted another person as candidate of PDP for Edo State governorship election. I hereby dispel the rumour and categorically state that INEC has not yet communicated to us," he said.

He also stated that INEC was still considering all judgements and orders of the court on the PDP leadership crisis, adding that the orders of

Federal High Court Abuja specifically asked INEC to recognise only candidates presented by Ali Modu Sheriff as national chairman of the party.

"The court in Port Harcourt is not superior to the court in Abuja, and as such cannot reverse the specific orders of the Abuja court ruling that INEC can only accept PDP candidates from Sheriff ’s leadership for purposes of Edo and Ondo governorship elections," he argued.

As the legal fireworks and intrigues continue, only the future will decide how the game plays out, and who would be the gainers and losers at end.

he Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has vowed to ensure that All Progressives Congress (APC) government in Edo State account for the N1billion meant for the reconstruction of Pilgrim Baptist High School, Ewohinmi in Esan SouthEast Local Government Area of the state.

Mr. John Yakubu, a former council chairman for Esan Northeast and running mate to PDP gubernatorial candidate, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, revealed this during the party’s campaign in the area.

He said it was common knowledge that the state government rather than spend the money for the purpose it was meant for, diverted it to the pocket of a contractor.

Yakubu, who deplored the attitude of the state government, said it is embarrassing for a governor to delight himself in accusing others of stealing public funds.

His words: “What I am saying is that the school contract was awarded for N1 billion but if you go to the school, you will find that the work done is not up to 20 per cent of the to-

tal amount.

“With a PDP government, we will investigate the contractor and retrieve the money from him so that it can be better utilised for the rebuilding of the Pilgrims Baptist High School, Ewohinmi, which has been abandoned.”

The ex-council boss assured party supporters and residents who thronged the campaign venue that a PDP government with Pastor Ize-Iyamu at the helm of affairs will fulfill all its campaign promises unlike the APC government led

by Governor Oshiomhole.

The PDP deputy governorship candidate also promised to be a better son in-law when compared with Governor Oshiomhole who is also an in-law to the area.

Pastor Ize Iyamu, who also spoke at the rally, said his government will provide all the schools in the state with science laboratories, boarding facilities as well as sport centers.

“Schools are not about red roofs alone, what is important is that the schools should have teachers, science laboratories, boarding house and sporting facilities. In addition, students in higher institutions will get bursaries and scholarships,” he promised.

LP accuses PDP of fraud

T

he leadership of Edo State chapter of the Labour Party (LP) has accused the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its governorship candidate, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu of fraudulent misrepresentation that the Edo North chapter of the party has endorsed the PDP governorship candidate.

The party in a statement made available to journalists and jointly signed by the state chairman and publicity secretary, Comrade Kelly Ogbeloi and Hon. Sam Uruopa respectively, cautioned the PDP and its gubernatorial candidate to desist from anti- democratic antics and face its battered images of short-changing Edo people.

The statement reads in part: “Our attention has been drawn to a rally held in Edo North by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its candidate Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu on Friday July 19 in which a banner bearing the logo of our party with the inscription ‘Labour Party for Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu forward Ever Backward Never.’

“We hereby state categorically that our party is not in any discussion, alliances nor has it any in-

tention to either be in any alliance or support any political party and its candidates for the September 10 governorship election.

“The whole world is aware of our primaries held on July 4, where our members elected Barr.

Cyril Odiboh as our flag bearer and we hereby make a clear and unambiguous statement that our party will run and contest the election come September 10.”

The party further stressed that it takes exception to a situation whereby PDP members carried a banner with the logo of their party in a PDP’s rally.

“Our party is taken aback at the fraud perpetuated by the PDP aimed at earning cheap popularity especially at this time where Edo people are trying to forget and forgive them of their past misrule fraud and under development of Edo State.

“A party desirous of victory in the scheduled Edo State governorship election must be above board and show its sincerity, commitment, honesty and integrity to Edo people in order to earn their trust and confidence. This is more so for the PDP,” the statement further said.

FRIDAY, JUly 22, 2016 NEW TELEGRAPH

Muritala Ayinla reports on the recent town hall meeting held by the state government in Badagry, which afforded Governor Akinwunmi Ambode the opportunity to interact with the people of Lagos Central Senatorial District of the state

POLITICS

Ambode shifts focus

13

I

n fulfillment of his commitment to run an inclusive government in which no one is left behind, Lagos State governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode, was in Badagry recently for the fourth in the series of the Quarterly Town Hall Meeting of his administration.

The town hall meeting, which had previously held in Iyana Ipaja (Lagos West), City Hall (Lagos Central), and Ikorodu (Lagos East), took place at the Muslim Community Praying Ground in Badagry, where the governor for the first time in the history of the meeting, spent more than four hours interacting with various groups and individuals, including corporate organisations, religious leaders, youths, physically challenged, market men and women, Non-Governmental Organisations, political leaders and the general public.

From experience garnered over time, the Badagry town hall meeting was organised in a unique fashion as Governor Ambode met personally with all the groups in four different sessions, as against the previous meetings, where he met with all the groups at a go. The format not only afforded the governor the opportunity of more time to interact with as many groups as possible, it also served as a veritable platform to provide instantaneous answers to pressing concerns and issues raised by Lagosians.

While setting the tone for the discussion, Governor Ambode first reeled out his achievements in the last quarter, and intimated the people of his future plans to make life more comfortable, simpler and safer for them.

In the area of security, the governor said his administration procured and donated additional equipment to security agencies in the last quarter with agencies such as the Nigeria Police, Customs, Immigration Services, the Army, Airforce, Navy, Department of State Services, Civil Defence Corps, Federal Road Safety Corps, Lagos State Traffic Management Authority, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, Lagos State Task Force and the Nigeria Prison Services benefitting.

He said the government also commissioned the Lagos State Emergency Management Authority (LASEMA) Rescue Unit facility with a specially designed dispatch centre to respond to emergency cases across the state.

On infrastructure, Governor Ambode recalled that within the quarter under review, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for the construction of the 38kilomtre Fourth Mainland Bridge was signed and it is expected that the bridge, which will connect Ikorodu

Governor Ambode (right) exchanging pleasantries with Ajomale (left) while Bello (middle) looks on at the event.

to Ajah, would be executed through a Public Private Partnership (PPP) arrangement and would to be delivered within the next three years.

His added: "The Iyana-Oworo Bus park project embarked upon by our administration to decongest traffic on the Third Mainland Bridge is nearing completion and is already yielding fruitful results.

Work has commenced on the UltraModern Oshodi Interchange in line with our vision to transform Oshodi into a world class transport hub. Several road projects were completed in the last quarter while others are at various stages of completion.

The governor also said that the Oko-Oba Housing Scheme comprising a total of 108 Units located on a land area of 15,785.632 sq.m was completed and offered for sale, while the government has also commenced the process of completing the Ibereko Housing project in Badagry.

In the area of job creation, he recalled that an MoU for the Lagos Smart City was signed with the operators of the Dubai Smart City, while the agreement is expected to bring multi-billion dollar investments to the State, create employment opportunities and transform the Ibeju-Lekki axis and the entire Lagos State.

He also revealed that another MoU was signed for the Lagos State Medical Park, adding that the initiative would bring more investment which in turn will create jobs and make Lagos a destination for medical tourism.

The governor also disclosed that the government officially launched the Lagos At 50 celebration designed to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the creation of the state, while the events calendar for the celebration will be unveiled soon.

In the area of social welfare and rule of law, he said that in line with provisions of Section 12 of the Special People’s Law, his administration launched the Lagos State Persons Living with Disability Fund with N500 million, while the fund

We will continue to ensure judicious utilisation of the resources of the state

will be for the advancement of the cause of persons living with disabilities.

He further said that in response to the disturbing menace of land grabbing in the state, his administration set up a Special Task Force to curb the excesses of land grabbers under the office of the Attorney General/Commissioner for Justice, while government since pursued zero tolerance for issues relating to domestic violence and child abuse.

Speaking on his outlook for the next quarter, the governor said his administration has concluded plans to massively revamp the health sector and to that effect, the sum of N10 billion has been earmarked to upgrade health facilities across the state.

"We have commenced a comprehensive action to rehabilitate and upgrade the facilities in all our hospitals. Modern equipment will be procured to facilitate treatment and we will invest in capacity building of our medical staff. We intend to spend over N10 billion on our hospitals across the state before December this year," Ambode said.

Speaking on the half year 2016 budget, he said the overall performance of the budget stood at 70 percent, which according to him, was an improvement over the corresponding period in 2015 when the performance stood at 63 percent.

He said: "Revenue recorded 73 per cent performance for the half year 2016 despite the challenging economic environment.

Your Government spent a total of N115.624bn on Capital projects during the half year 2016 leading to the Capital/Recurrent ratio of 50:50 with the plan to improve this ratio to 58:42 provided for in 2016 Appropriation Law in the remaining half of the year."

Going into specifics of the outlook for the next quarter, the governor said the Employment Trust Fund would commence disbursement of funds to various artisans, entrepreneurs and unemployed

youths to make life better for all, while all the critical sectors of the economy would feel the massive impact of government.

For instance, on education, he said his administration will establish a technical and vocational school in Badagry before September, while government will also embark on the upgrade of the infrastructure in all public schools starting from July. According to him, "all our primary and secondary schools would be upgraded to create conducive learning environment for students and teachers. Another N10 billion has been earmarked for this facelift of our secondary and primary schools across the state."

The governor, who recalled the recruitment of a total of 1,300 teachers for primary schools, said in the next two weeks, the state government will start the recruitment another 1,000 teachers for secondary schools across the state. Speaking on his plans for Youth and Sports for the quarter, he said government would embark on upgrade of sports facilities and promote age-group competitions.

Governor Ambode also disclosed that his administration would pay greater attention to the issues concerning the elderly especially by establishing three Elderly Care Centres across the state.

The governor said as a follow up to the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) Response Unit in Cappa, Oshodi, an outpost unit would be situated between Ojo and Badagry in this quarter with two other outposts in Fadeyi and Lekki.

While responding to questions on neglect of Badagry over the years, Ambode revealed his plans to revive the tourism potentials of the area. According to him, the long term plan includes the establishment of a university of hospitality in the ancient town as his administration is working round the clock to build the economy of CONTINUED ON PAGE 16

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FRIDAY, JULY 22, 2016 NEW TELEGRAPH

Opinion Marshal Buhari’s marching boots Emissary EMEKA OBASI emobas2003@yahoo.com 0809-445-7557 (sms only)

F

ield Marshal Muhammadu Buhari.

President and Commander-in- Chief ,Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. I could not miss that.

Mr. President wore the Five –Star general rank at the Army Day Celebration in Dansadau ,Zamfara state recently. Accompanied by some of his Service Chiefs , he also wore jungle boots, same colour as his Aide De Camp but different from what the ThreeStar generals put on.

The import is that for the very first time in our history a Leader of Military background emerged wearing the Field Marshal rank. And give it to Buhari, he became President in 1983 as a Major General [Two-Star general] and left in 1985 wearing the same rank. Others before and after him, excluding Maj. General Johnson Aguiyi Ironsi, elevated themselves to General [Four Star].

Perhaps if Ironsi had ruled for more than six months, he could have also promoted himself. However, he remains the first Nigerian General. It did not come easy, having being so promoted by the United Nations as Force Commander in the Congo only to drop the rank back home in Nigeria before gaining promotion to attain the same height.

However, Buhari only equaled the record of ‘bloody civilian’, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan.

GEJ was so much in love with military fatigue that he adorned the ranks of Field Marshal, Admiral of the Fleet and Marshal of the Nigeria Air Force respectively while performing ceremonial duties as Commander-in- Chief.

Bloody me! Dr. Jonathan was not a full ‘Bloody Civilian’. He was indeed a Customs Officer in the days of Board of Customs and Excise. That means that of all our past pres-

idents, only Alhaji Umaru Musa Ya’radua did not undergo military or para- military training.

Oh, this argument may also not stand.

Ya’radua’s elder brother was a general and when he died, a younger brother was a Lt. Col. Let us also not forget that Ya’radua spent one month in the NYSC orientation Camp in Lagos and wore Khaki for a full year.

For those who have forgotten, Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe was a policeman. That could explain his turning out in Police Ceremonial uniform as Governor-Genaral of Nigeria. I do know that Zik played football, tennis, was a good boxer as well as referee and owned the Zik Athletic Club, which at a time had three football clubs in Lagos.

President Shehu Shagari also wore military uniform during his tenure. He did not have to go for the Field Marshal’s dress since none of his Service Chiefs was a Four-Star General.

And because Generals Yakubu Gowon, Murtala Mohammed, Olusegun Obasanjo, Ibrahim Babangida, Sani Abacha and Abdusalam Abubakar did not go beyond the Four –Star rank, there was no need for them to dress like Field Marshals.

Obasanjo could have done what Buhari did in Dansadau but he did not feel like it. As civilian president, he rarely wore military camouflage. When he did , there was no rank attached to his uniform. OBJ became a Four –Star General following the death of Murtala in 1976.

Well, he remains the only Head of State that moved from the rank of Lt. General [ThreeStar] to General.

Gowon’s case was different. He jumped from Lt.Col. to Maj. Gen. and General. However, he was Adjutant- General, Chief of Army Staff and fought in the Congo. Gowon was also Parade Commander, the day our country became a Republic in 1963.

Murtala did not waste time in moving himself from Brigadier to General, skipping the ranks of Maj. General and Lt. General. He also promoted Obasanjo to the rank of Lt.Gen. from Brigadier. Murtala fought in the Congo and was a General Officer Commanding [GOC] an Army division just like Obasanjo who also

I want our president to kill poverty, I want PMB to bomb unemployment, murder hunger, behead nepotism

fought and escaped death in the Congo.

Babangida had his way. He came as President wearing the rank of Maj. Gen. On October 1, 1986, he appeared in Abuja wearing the uniform of a Navy Rear Admiral. That was the day he made up his mind to sack his Second in Command, Commodore Ebitu Okoh Ukiwe. He remains the only military leader who changed uniform from Army to Navy to the Air Force during military ceremonies. IBB was Army Chief under Buhari.

The special place Abacha holds is that he was the first Nigerian Army officer not to skip rank, from Second Lieutenant to General. Abacha was GOC, Army Chief and like Babangida ,loved soccer. Gowon played hockey.

Abdusalam started with the Airforce and ended up in the Army. Like Babangida, he was never a Three-Star General. Like Obasanjo he promoted himself to Four –Star General the day he assumed office as Head –of –State. Abdusalam was GOC and much later, Chief of Defence Staff.

Buhari as Field Marshal is significant. He is a brave man no doubt. He was also a GOC and passed through the United States War College.

That one is not in any field of controversy. It is to his credit that he led our troops to shake Ndjamena, Chad during the reign of President Shagari. That is why some of us feel bad that Chadian army commanders will come up today to say our soldiers ran away from Boko Haram fighters. Under Buhari, ‘who born Chad’.

My expectations are high. President Buhari looked good in the Field Marshal’s uniform. I am sure he needs to fight now like a Five-Star General. There is no Chad anymore. I am not even talking about Biafrans, Avengers or Boko Haram. Yes, we have seen the war on Corruption.

I want our president to kill poverty, I want PMB to bomb unemployment, murder hunger, behead nepotism and round up all the political witches and wizards who have held our economy to ransom. Nigerians are ready to surrender to him if we see real change. When things start moving, those Boys in the Creeks will come over to Lagos, Abuja and Port Harcourt to mingle and make merry. The Biafrans will chill and the herdsmen shall kill no more.

Umeh: Celebrating a Lion @ 54 Michael Jegede

F

ormer national chairman of All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Chief Victor Umeh, clocked 54 years on Tuesday, July 19, 2016. Umeh, an estate surveyor by profession is an astute politician that can be said to have made significant impact in the sustenance of Nigeria’s democracy.

Widely known for his philanthropic initiatives, the benevolent politician with sundry traditional titles for his enormous contributions towards the advancement of the course of humanity, started his voyage in politics in 1998 as a founding member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), before joining forces with other progressive minds to form APGA in 2002.

As APGA national chairman for over a decade, Umeh, an unwavering fighter and warrior, recorded landmark achievements, winning several political and legal battles for his party. For three years be-

tween 2003 and 2006, Umeh, a consistent, loyal and dependable politician, stood solidly behind former Governor of Anambra State, Peter Obi to regain the stolen mandate of APGA from the then Governor Chris Ngige of PDP. His role in the case instituted for the reversal of the purported impeachment of Obi soon after he assumed office by the then PDP-controlled Anambra House of Assembly on November 2, 2006 and the celebrated tenure interpretation suit in 2007 was quite momentous, such that he was hailed

by Obi himself.

A successful estate surveyor turned politician, Umeh was seen by his admirers as the most vocal, vibrant and outspoken party national chairman in the country during his time. The late Ikemba Nnewi and great leader of APGA, Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu admired him so much that he could not hide his feelings about the stuff Umeh is made of after the triumphant outing in the polls that

brought in Obi for a second term as Governor of Anambra State in 2010.

That was the first time such was happening in the history of Anambra politics. Ojukwu, the highly respected Igbo leader, in a congratulatory message in the Daily Sun of March 17, 2010 described Umeh in glowing terms saying: “The might of a warrior is tested only in battle.

On this historic occasion of the inauguration of Governor Peter Obi for a record second term of office, I salute your tenacity, your courage and resilience, APGA has always known what has now become widely acknowledged… kudos.”

Umeh’s indefatigable spirit was likewise seen in the protracted leadership crisis of APGA. He doggedly fought and won Chekwas Okorie, the ousted founding national chairman in various suits up to Supreme Court to remain the authentic national chairman of APGA. Okorie was left with no choice than to go and form a new party after Umeh knocked him out at the apex court on March 25,

2011.

While Umeh was still basking in the euphoria of his triumph from the over six-year legal wrangle with Okorie, Obi, for reasons only known to him, decided to open another round of leadership tussle by pitching tent with a clique in APGA to send him packing. That led to the emergence of Barrister Maxi Okwu as a factional national chairman of the party.

Nonetheless, the Ohamadike Ndigbo recently conferred with an honorary doctorate degree by Tansian University, Umunya, Anambra State, in his usual approach, rose up to the challenge and wrestle Obi even as the incumbent governor. The Court of Appeal on July 15, 2013 ruled in Umeh’s favour in one of the different cases instituted to kick him out by the Maxi Okwu-led faction with the full backing of Obi. All other such cases equally went in favour of Umeh up to the Supreme Court.

• Jegede, a media professional wrote in from Abuja.

FRIDAY, JULY 22, 2016 NEW TELEGRAPH

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No selective war on corruption

resident Muhammadu Buhari left no one in doubt on his will to combat corruption head-on as soon as he was sworn in on May 29, 2015. The monumental graft of the immediate past administration was unearthed few months into the lifespan of his administration. He promised that no stone would be left unturned in returning stolen Nigerian Commonwealth back to the till.

First to be arrested was the former National Security Adviser (NSA), Col. Sambo Dasuki for diversion of $2.1 billion and N45 billions arms deal money. Several military officers were later arraigned for sleaze totaling N94.7 billion! Even the former customs boss – Inde Dikko is being probed over N40bn fund unaccounted for.

Politicians, especially of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP’s) stock were also rounded up by the anti-graft agency, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). Prominent among those arrested were the party’s former publicity secretary, Olisah Metuh, former Aviation minister and the Director of Media and Publicity of PDP’s presidential campaign, Femi Fani-Kayode as well as former finance minister, Esther Nenadi Usman. The two former ministers were docked over an alleged N4.6 billion fraud.

The money was part of the campaign funds for their party’s presidential election last year.

Former governors were not left out in the astonishing corruption perpetuated by the immediate past administration. A serving governor was also fingered in the slush fund. He, with former Defence Minister, Musiliu Obanikoro, were alleged to be involved in the sharing of N4.7 billion re-

leased by the Jonathan’s administration for the 2014 governorship elections in Ekiti and Osun states.

A governorship aspirant in the Osun election is also telling the EFCC what he knows about the money.

The list is endless. But the opposition PDP has come out to accuse the Buhari administration of fighting a selective anti-graft war, alleging that all of them (APC and PDP politicians) have sinned, but Buhari is just fighting a selective battle. They claimed that many of his ministers and party leaders are also corrupt. Governor Ayo Fayose even claimed that the president is one a revenge mission against perceived opponents.

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Amidst this ding-dong was when an online medium broke the news that the Chief of Army staff, Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai owns some choice properties worth $1.5m in Dubai which were alleged to have been acquired illegally.

While responding to the allegations, Lt. Gen. Buratai said that those behind the write up were defeated insurgents and terrorists who have migrated to the cyber space.

The army was quick to come to Buratai’s defence. In a statement, Acting Director, Army Public Rela-

PDP has come out to accuse the Buhari administration of fighting a selective anti-graft war

But the Speaker of the House of Representatives who is an All Progressives Congress’ chieftain, Hon. Yakubu Dogara, was quick to defend those arrested so far. He said the roll call tilted towards the PDP chiefs because they had been in power for 16 years before their party was defeated last year.

The APC politicians, he said were in opposition all the years the PDP ruled and were not exposed to slush money. “If we are talking about corruption, naturally it will relate to those that had opportunity to serve in government… if you were to weigh members of opposition that are in government now and had the opportunity to serve, those that would have tendencies to engage in pilfering of resources, majority will come from PDP”, Dogara had said.

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

tions, Colonel Sani Usman, while not denying that the COAS owns the properties, said that they “were paid for in instalments through personal savings”. $1.5 million

paid for in personal savings. This has got Nigerians reacting, wondering how an Army General could manage to save $1.5 million. Lawyer, Femi Falana (SAN) while commending Buratai’s feat of leading the Nigerian Army to defeat Boko Haram in the North East called on the COAS to resign honourably or be kicked out

by President Buhari, adding that the war on corruption is a must-win for the administration.

Second republic House of Representatives member, Dr. Junaid Mohammed lamented that it defied logic that Buratai had not been asked to give account of his stewardship while his predecessors from other parts of the country were currently facing trial over their roles in embezzling funds meant for arms procurement.

“Nobody with any sense of decency or

justice can leave Buratai in service,” the medical practitioner concluded.

Publicity Secretary of Afenifere, the pan-Yoruba cultural association, Yinka Odumakin argued that the posture of the Buhari administration, which has cleared Buratai, cast a serious doubt on the genuineness of the anti-corruption war of the administration. “It is preposterous to ask the Federal Government that cleared him to now fire him… but he is obviously a blight on the anti-corruption war.

Catholic Archbishop of Abuja, John cardinal Onaiyekan also echoed this view. “Proven allegation of corruption against the Army Chief would seriously pollute the anti-graft war of the present administration if not addressed.

The Federal Government should have advised Buratai to defend himself before the EFCC and the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) to show transparency instead of stoutly rising to his defence.

The allegations are weighty.

One wonders how a serving officer would be able to save millions of dollars to invest in choice offshore properties and other businesses.

The Chief of Army Staff needs to clear the nagging questions urgently with the relevant agencies.

Federal Government, in this case should remain neutral as this matter casts a large shadow on this administration’s anti-corruption stand.

The goodwill that the Buhari administration has enjoyed will be eroded and its credibility will suffer a big blow if this issue is swept under the carpet.

President Buhari sincerely must subject Buratai and other perceived corrupt aides to corruption probe if this war is to be taken seriously.

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POLITICS

FRIDAY, JUly 22, 2016 NEW TELEGRAPH

Effective leadership and Anambra dream Oliver Okpala

T

he recent award of Zik’s Leadership Prize for good Governance on the Executive Governor of Anambra State, Governor Willie Obiano, is another testimony to his superlative performance in government.

The governor of Anambra State had hitherto been a beneficiary of such awards and honours from various institutions, organisations and bodies.

These recognitions reflect so much on the way and manner Governor Obiano has taken the arduous task of governance and leadership to another level in Anambra State.

Before his election, Chief Obiano had stood out and distinguished himself as a frontline banker, a world-class management and financial expert, and a distinguished First-class economist. His intimidating pedigree in financial management and banking was a ready asset to be applied in tackling the plethora of economic and management issues in Anambra State.

Hitherto, Anambra State had never had it so good in vacuum dearth of committed leaders and patriots in government. Most of the past leaders in the state lacked vision, focus and commitment.

Some of them were neck-deep in vain glory and unnecessary ego trips which did virtually nothing to move the state forward. White elephant projects dotted round the state. Some of the leaders were only interested in playing politics of survival. In the result, real governance took a back seat.

This was the scenario before Chief Obiano came on board. He came with a vision, a mission and the wisdom to transform Anambra State, to effect service delivery, to reflect the economy, to move the state forward in every sense of the word and to create dividends of democracy.

It is no longer news today that in Nigeria most states are literary failed states. Some of them cannot meet the needs of the people. They cannot pay salaries or fulfill other obligations constitutionally imposed upon them. Notwithstanding the fact that revenue coming to the state has noose-dived considerably, Gov. Obiano has maximized the use of available resources.

His management of scarce resources is particularly excellent.

It can safely be said that Governor Obiano was the man who saw tomorrow. With the eagle eyes of an

Obiano

economic expert, he foresaw the impending drop in the price of crude oil and the danger it would portend for the whole economy in Nigeria.

In line with this vision, he prepared for tomorrow. He had a ready plan on how to cushion the harsh effect of dwindling revenue. Today, the result is there for all to see.

Whilst his counterparts are unable to pay workers’ salaries. Obiano is increasing salaries in Anambra State and embarking on gigantic projects which impact the lives of the people.

The thrust of the Obiano Administration is founded on the four pillars of development including agriculture, industrialization, trade and commerce, and oil and gas. These pillars are supported by twelve enablers. The enablers give vent to the pillars or else the pillars would crumble like a pack of cards.

These enablers include critical aspects of governance such as security, education, healthcare, power generation, finance, social and civil infrastructure, water, sanitation, environment, hospitality and tourism, transportation, water and sanitation and of course, youth and sports.

It is not an overstatement to say that the identification of these critical ingredients or bullets of governance by Governor Obiano is highly cerebral and his in-depth conversion of these ideals to reality is the reason why Obiano is being honoured, celebrated and recognized within and outside Nigeria.

There is a silver lining in the cloud in Anambra State under Governor Obiano

Drawing from his wealth of experience in banking, auditing, Chief Obiano desired to completely industrialize Anambra State. In this wise, he created an enabling environment for Nigerians and foreigners to come to the state to cite industries, create jobs and by extension, create wealth.

The governments’ blue-print for creation of jobs in Anambra State is analyzing. In agriculture, industry, trade and commerce, real estate and hospitality and the like, direct and indirect jobs being created.

The job-creation plan also applies to other sectors of the economy.

On the whole, forty-two thousand, five hundred direct jobs and two hundred thousand indirect jobs are on the pipeline. About five hundred youths have been trained in various skills and crafts at the technology incubation centre in Nnewi. In the Agricultural training centre Mgbakwu, hundreds of youths have received training.

Governor Obiano’s investment in agriculture is matchless. He has attracted $150million from coaschans farm project situate at Anaku. The sum of $50m was attracted from Novtec Farms Limited in Ndikeli onwu, $160m from Joseph Agro Limited Rice Project in Omoru and $220m from Ekcel Farms, Tomato Production Farm in Omasi. There is also the $50m from Songhai/Delfarms Integrated Organic Farm project in Igbariam.

Other sort of investments include grans and silos with $40 million in storage facilities, Iynden farms with the $61m poutry farm in Igbariam, and Tricity Integrated farms with $11.4m ultra modern abattoir in Awka.

In the management sector, there is total success to report. Over $140 million investment has been attracted to the manufacturing sector. The Obiano Administration also plans to have a fully developed oil and gas sector by 2018.

Other sectors such as education, health and environmental have been given priority.

In transportation, government has put in place the modern mass transit scheme which takes charge of the three major cities in the state: two hundred brand new taxi and fifty luxury buses were purchased. Modern bus stops and terminals have been put in place in many parts of the state. In marine transportation, government have purchased twenty-four speed boat, water ambulance and a gun brat for the Nigerian Navy.

The Obiano administration compassed forty-seven solar-powered bore holes which will serves twenty-seven communities in Aguata and Anambra East Local Government Areas. Transformers are being installed in various locations in the state. Workers’ welfare is of utmost paramountcy in the reckoning of government. Hence, in 2015, government increased workers salaries by fifteen per cent. Arrears of salaries over some category of workers and arrears of pension owed retired local government staff were cleared by the Obiano Government.

It will be impossible to capture all that Governor Obiano has done in Anambra State in this short space. How be it, the governor’s achievements speak for themselves and they are there for everybody to see. As the lawyers would put it, it is res ipsa loquitur.

No wonder, the government has been mandated with series of awards bordering on good governance, good conduct and excellent performance.

Governor Obiano is, no doubt, a divine gift to the people of Anambra who had thirsted and lingered for good and charismatic leadership for long. In a short period of two years, Governor Obiano has surpassed all expectations. In just two years, Akpokuodike has done what some of his detractors could not do in eight years.

Surely, there is a silver lining in the cloud in Anambra State under Governor Obiano. All hands should, therefore, be on deck and all and sundry should give their unalloyed support to his wonderful performance so that he can transform Anambra and make it the dream State it has always yearned to be.

Furthermore, as 2017 beckons in Anambra State, there is no vacancy. All the pretenders to the office of Governor and their principals should save their breadth. Anambrarians are rooting for Obiano because of what he has done and will continue to do. This winning governor will win again. You do not change a winning team.

To the wonderful governor of Anambra State, congratulations on this award. More grease to your elbows. The work has just started.

It has been done for two years with six more years to go. Obiano is the man of the moment.

•Prince Okpala is a political analyst

Ambode shifts focus to education, health sectors C O N T I N U E D F R O M PA G E 1 3

the state beyond the dependence on oil.

"The future of Lagos is about tourism and services," he averred.

The governor said aside the N500 million disability fund aimed at advancing the cause of persons living with disabilities, his administration will decentralize the Lagos State Office of Disability (LASODA) and absolve 200 physically challenged persons to manage their affairs in all the local government areas and Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs) in the state.

He also said the state government has perfect plans on seamless waste collection

in the state to ensure a clean environment, while enjoining the pay people play the part. "I implore you to take ownership of all government properties located in your area because they are our common wealth.

Remember to pay your taxes as and when due in order to enjoy more dividends of democracy. On our part, we will continue to ensure judicious utilization of the resources of the state by executing projects that will outlive us and affirm our position as a Centre of Excellence," he said.

Speaking at the event, National Women Leader (SouthWest) of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief (Mrs.) Kemi Nelson, said the event was a laudable initiative aimed at bringing

governance to the people.

On his part, APC Leader in Lagos West Senatorial District, Prince Rabiu Wasiu said the town hall meeting was s veritable tool to engage the people and feel their pulse. He added that the initiative would also afford the governor the opportunity to reel out his achievements as well as clarify issues about the governance of the State.

Among those who graced the meeting include Lagos State Deputy Governor, Dr. Idiat Oluranti Adebule; Secretary to the State Government, Mr. Tunji Bello; Chief of Staff to the Governor, Mr. Olukunle Ojo; Senator representing Lagos West Senatorial District, Solomon Adeola Olamilekan, members of the Lagos State

Executive Council and Chairman of Lagos State APC, Otunba Henry Ajomale.

Others are former Lagos State First Lady, Mrs. Abimbola Jakande; former Secretary to Lagos State Government, Mrs. Adenrele Adeniran-Ogunsanya; former Lagos State Head of Service, Mr. Sunny Ajose; Akran of Badagry, Aholu Menu Toyi; Ayangburen of Ikorodu, Oba Kabiru Shotebi, among many other traditional rulers and dignitaries.

No doubt, given the number of dignitaries who witnessed the meeting, it is becoming increasingly clear that the governor has democratised governance and the state and its future under him can only get better.

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FRIDAY, JULY 22, 2016 NEW TELEGRAPH

Arts

Etisalat rules out cutting prize money for literature awards

CULTURE

18

Expert: Badagry, goldmine for cultural festival

National Troupe of Nigeria in performance

Tony Okuyeme

A

University don and Director of the Centre for Black Culture and International Understanding (CBCIU), Osogbo, Dr. Olufunmi ’Wale Adeniran, has called on the Lagos State government to institute an annual or biennial cross-border festivals between Badagry and Porto-Novo, saying that these two towns can be considered twin cities because they have a lot in common.

He said that since the Egun and the other smaller groups believe that the more authentic versions of the rituals and practices they share in common are to be found in Porto-Novo, such festivals will serve to make them develop greater sense of pride in their heritage and their ethnolinguistic identity.

He also advised the Lagos State Government to get the Federal Government of Nigeria to work towards getting Zangbeto listed as an intangible cultural heritage of humanity by UNESCO (Paris).

Dr. Adeniran, who was the guest lecturer at the second colloquium of the Lagos @ 50 yearlong celebration, held on Saturday at

TONY OKUYEME Arts Editor tony.okuyeme@newtelegraphonline.com

© Daily Telegraph Publishing Company Limited

Dr Adeniran

Ikeja Airport Hotel, Lagos, stated this in his lecture titled “Hidden Cultures and Multiple Identities in Lagos”.

Highlights of the colloquium include breathtaking performances by the acclaimed National Troupe of Nigeria as well as The Foot Print of David among others.

In the lecture, Adeniran highlights the fact that there are hidden cultures in Badagry and the surrounding areas in Lagos West.

He identified some of the lesser-known indigenous cultural festivals and rituals of the Egun and some smaller Egun-related sociocultural groups such as the Allada, Defi, Seto, Tofin and Tori, who are in contact with the Yoruba in the Badagry zone of Lagos.

This, according to him, makes the area a multilingual and multicultural society in the NigerianBenin border zone.

He therefore called for the process of ‘crossover’ to Yoruba by the non-Yoruba people of the zone could threaten the future existence of their culture if not

The government must go a step further by encouraging regular and constant cultural performances

checked.

Dr. Adeniran then concluded by making a case for the preservation and promotion of the intangible cultural heritage of the various sociocultural groups in the zone.

On measures to protect and promote the cultural heritage of Badagry, Adeniran noted that the super highway and light rail being constructed from Lagos to Badagry by the Lagos State Government is already a step in the right direction, adding that it will ease and encourage movement towards that zone from various parts of the state and open up the area to local and foreign tourists.

“However, the Government must go a step further by encouraging regular and constant cultural performances in situ; because as pointed out earlier, some of these rituals and performances can hardly be taken out to be staged outside of their specific habitat. It is this that actually makes these performances unique and gives them that exotic touch which tourists are always in search of.

“The State Government should also consider organising regular workshops for practitioners of the various cultural performances in the area of improving their skills.

This would be one way of creating employment in the zone since the rural folks would be involved as festival managers and guides.

“Finally, the Lagos State Government is advised to get the Federal Government of Nigeria to work towards getting Zangbeto listed as an intangible cultural heritage of humanity by UNESCO (Paris). This will go a long way in improving the self-esteem

of the people of that zone and in preserving the identities of the various ethnolinguistic groups of that area as well as their invaluable cultural heritage,” Adeniran said.

In attendance at the event include the Governor of Lagos State, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode, who was represented by his Special Adviser on Housing, Mrs. Olamide Giwason; Chief (DR.) Michael Olawale-Cole, who was the chairman of the occasion; Senator Ganiyu Solomon, Special Adviser to the Governor on Arts and Culture, Mrs. Adebimpe Akinsola; Royal Fathers, Commissioner of Police (CP), Lagos State, who was represented by the Area Commander, Area Commander, Area F, A.C.P, Joseph Eyibo; the Artistic Director/Chief Executive Officer of the National Troupe of Nigeria, Akin Adejuwon, among others.

Earlier, Olawale-Cole, in his address said: The theme for the festival’s second colloquium: Hidden Culture and Multiple Identities in Lagos”, is a “clear signal that Lagos State recognizes the fact that people and cultures could not be separated hence seize the opportunity in marking the golden jubilee of our dear state in grand style having taken note of the cosmopolitan nature of the ‘State of Excellence’”.

The Artistic Director/Chief Executive Officer of the National Troupe of Nigeria, Akin Adejuwon, described the Lagos at 50 celebration as a very worthy one, “particularly for a state as rich and as divergent and multi-ethnic state like Lagos State”.

He said: “And in my mandate at National Troupe, if you go on historical level, you will find out that the creation of the National Troupe itself developed from the kind of thing that was generated in Lagos State. So Lagos State, really is the main state that we should interface with, that we should celebrate and join in any way that we can in playing up the role of performing art, particularly in this season of its celebration. Also, Lagos is the base of our abode, the iconic National Theatre.

“There are few segments of the festival; there are the celebrations of the five different divisions of Lagos State of which Ikeja is one.

And the IBILE (Ikeja, Badagry, Ikorodu, Lagos Island and Epe divisions) celebration of Ikeja happens to be the first one; that is why we got in at that level to be able to heighten the cultural content of the indigenous part of the celebration.”

18

ART

FRIDAY, JULY 22, 2016 NEW TELEGRAPH

L-R: Patron, Etisalat Prize for Literature, Kole Omotoso; Chair of Judges, 2016 Etisalat Prize for Literature, Helon Habila, and Chief Executive Officer, Etisalat Nigeria, Matthew Willsher, at a press conference to announce the call for entry for the 2016 Etisalat Prize for Literature in Lagos recently.

Etisalat rules out cutting prize money for literature awards A

midst growing concerns over the economic safety of businesses in the country, Etisalat Nigeria, owners of the renowned Etisalat Prize for Literature Awards, has assured that it will not cut down on the £15, 000 winning money.

The Chief Executive Officer, Etisalat Nigeria, Matthew Willsher gave this assurance while speaking recently on the 2016 edition of the Prize for which submission of en-

tries is still open to debutant writers of African origin.

According to him, Etisalat as a company built on values does not go back renege on commitments, but rather fulfils any that it enters into.

“Many might expect that we will cut down the Prize money for Etisalat Prize for Literature because of the prevalent economic conditions, but we are a company that is built on integrity, trust, loyalty and other values and so we will not renege on our

commitment to helping develop the literary community in Africa,”he said.

Willsher also expressed satisfaction over the unique and exemplary role the Etisalat Prize for Literature platform is playing in the discovery and encouraging of creative writing talents as well as the recognition and celebration of literary arts by African writers.

“We are delighted to champion the cause for celebrating the rich-

ness and strength of African literature. Etisalat Prize for Literature is about discovering and bringing to the world stage the many creative talents this continent boasts of; it is about creativity, excellence, empowerment and reward; it is about celebrating our African diversities in very innovative ways such as literature offers us,” he said.

Only books by debutant writers published not later than 24 months before submission will qualify for entry. They must be by registered publishing houses not less than four years as incorporated publishers with registered ISBN Number or equivalent, and who must have published a minimum of six authors. All entry should be accompanied by seven copies of the book entered for along with acceptance of publicity term. A publisher may submit a maximum of three books.

Rules and guidelines for entry are available at prize.etisalat.com.ng The judging panel for the 2016 edition of the Prize will be chaired

by Nigeria’s Helon Habila while South Africa’s Elinor Sisulu and Edwige Rene Dro from Cote D’Voire will serve as members.

The Etisalat Prize for Literature is a pan-Africa prize that celebrates debut African writers of published fiction. Previous winners include Zimbabwe’s NoViolet Bulawayo, South Africa’s Songeziwe Mahlangu and Democratic Republic of Congo’s Fiston Mwanza Mujila who won the 2015 edition with his first novel, Tram 83.

The winner receives a cash prize of £15,000 in addition to a fellowship at the prestigious University of East Anglia, U.K. under the mentorship of Professor Giles Foden, the award-winning author of The Last King of England.

Campbell-Fatoki reads Bury Me Come Sunday Afternoon

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igerian-American author, Nike Campbell-Fatoki is set to present her new book “Bury Me Come Sunday Afternoon”, to the arts and literary community.

The presentation which will see her read from the book, holds at Quintessence, Ikoyi, Lagos, on Saturday August 6.

In “Bury Me Come Sunday Afternoon”, a short story collection, Campbell-Fatoki filters the lives of contemporary Nigerians through a colourful and vivid prism, where past sins come to upset settled lives, where lost lives fuel a campaign for a better future and nothing is as it seems. She explores wellknown themes but delves a little deeper, questioning our ideas about people, our impressions and prejudices.

The book depicts the struggles of a young

ambitious and hardworking Nigerian abroad with the same insightful candour as it does the tale of a brilliant but broken woman struggling with mental illness.

The collection of short stories has been described as a book that elevates the author as “a masterful storyteller.

Each of the stories is eloquently crafted without the condescension to readers that comes with a ribbon-wrapped ending. By turns amusing, sad and painful, each of the stories in this collection moved me to some deep emotion, and they will do the same for you too whether reading about religion, mental illness, gender roles or open marriages,” according to Zukiswa Wanner, Men of the South, shortlisted, Commonwealth Writers’ Prize.

For E.C. Osondu, winner, The Caine

Prize for Africa, “These are stories worth telling from a writer worth reading”.

Campbell-Fatoki was born in Lvov, Ukraine and grew up in Lagos, Nigeria.

She is the author of the historical fiction novel, Thread of Gold Beads, published in 2012 and adapted to a stage play in 2014.

The novel was translated into French and published by Worldreader in 2015.

She was a guest author at the Ake Arts and Book Festival in 2014, the largest book festival in Africa. Her short story, The Appointment, has been published in Brittle Paper, an online literary magazine. Her poem, Rapture, has also been published in the Ake Review.

Campbell-Fatoki lives in the Washington DC area with her family where she is presently writing her next historical fiction novel.

Onobrakpeya’s solo exhibition My Art My Environment holds in Lagos

M

y Art My Environment is the theme of a solo exhibition of work by artist Ufuoma Onobrakpeya. The exhibition holds at the Yaba College of Technology Gallery from August 1 to 5, 2016.

Onobrakpeya is a painter, printmaker and teacher of art. He is a 3rd generation artist, whose grandfather Obi Omonedo Onobrakpeya was a carver. While growing up he was also art apprentice to his father Bruce Onobrakpeya for a period of two decades.

He graduated from the University of Benin in 1995 with a degree in fine Art, specializing in painting with Prof. Irein Wangboje as one of his tutors. In 2002 he obtained a masters degree in art, specializing in

Printmaking, from the Camberwell College of Arts, University of Arts London, England 2002, where the legendary Nigerian artist Ben Osawe had also attended in the 60s. While studying and creating art in London, Prof. Paul Coldwell described his works as “reminiscent of the work of British Pop artists who were so much part of presenting Images of swinging London in the 1960s”. In 2005 his print titled Health care Immunisation was one of the 12 artworks selected to adorn the Guinness 2005 Corporate Calendar. Onobrakpeya has been a frequent participant at the yearly Harmattan Retreat arranged by the Bruce Onobrakpeya Foundation, in Agbarha-Otor, Delta State, where he was a facilitator in

printmaking in 2005. He has participated in several group exhibitions at home and abroad. These include 1998 New Trends in Nigerian Art; Texaco Overseas (Nig.) Petroleum Unlimited, 1999 Promoter of Nigerian Art: Bruce Onobrakpeya, Goethe-Institut Lagos, Nigeria, 1999 Amos Tutuola Show – Folklore inspired art in Honour of the novelist – Aina Onabolu House, National Gallery of Art, National Theatre, Iganmu, Lagos, 2000, Exhibition of paintings, prints sculptures, installations etc. by Otu-Ewena Artists, Aina Onabolu, Building National Theatre Complex, Iganmu, Lagos, May 2004, Art and Democracy, a group exhibition mounted during 5th anniversary of Democracy in Delta State; held at Nelrose Hotel, Asaba, 2004.

Work by Ufuoma Onobrakpeya

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FRIday, JULY 22, 2016 NEW TELEGRAPH

Sex and Marriage Counselor

Feminique

20

7 reasons men get sleepy after sex

Diary of a dating mom Florida, here we come!

20

Attamah: Why God made me failed Igbo Language in my WASCE Amarachi Calista Attamah is an author, a broadcaster and an ardent propagator of the Igbo Language. She founded the OJA Cultural Development Initiative, and through it, she is ceaselessly educating and entertaining the people, while encouraging the speaking of the language. In this interview, she told EBERE AMEH that her interest in the language started when she failed it in her West African School Certificate Examination

Attamah

A

writer once wrote that ‘If Henry Ford had given up, we would still be riding on horseback’. No wonder, Ford, in describing his numerous failures before he succeeded, said that ‘failure is only the opportunity to begin again, only this time, more wisely.’

Many iconic people achieved success not because they never failed but because they took success as a feedback that showed them what was not working so they could find what could work.

Amarachi Calista Attamah is one young lady that understood the wisdom in failure as it has rattled the success gene in her and positioned her conspicuously on the road to fame and success.

“My interest first of all, was on improving in Igbo language and using it more. It started after I received my WAEC result and noticed Igbo language was the only subject I failed with an E8. That was in 2006. In 2007,

EBERE AMEH ebere.ameh@newtelegraphonline.com

© Daily Telegraph Publishing Company Limited

I published my first literary piece and took a complimentary copy to Prof.

Anezi Okoro. He was so pleased with my effort and encouraged me to try and send same message in Igbo. I outrightly told him I do not think I could write a line in Igbo language. But he challenged me to promise him I would and that I should. I reluctantly did, although with very faint faith. That was the strings that struck the chord,” Amarachi explained.

Nwadioramma (a child that the people are pleased with) as she is popularly called, Amarachi never realized she had developed interest in not just learning but prompting the Igbo culture until she started battling with her time to learn and time to do educative others to do same.

“Just like my writing, it came with this inexplicable spark. I loved to show my improvement in my Igbo language speaking and writing. In doing that, I found that I was also exposing myself to the Igbo cultural heritage and I realised how beautiful it was. The need to let other persons know about it, and encourage other young persons to do same gave birth to the promotion I do today,” she said.

Though a native of Nsukka in Enugu State, Amarachi was born and bred in Bauchi State, northeast Nigeria. Her homecoming to complete her education exposed the harsh realities of the fact that she is disconnected from her language and culture. She has established OJA, named after the traditional Igbo flute, to help others who may be

We are going somewhere and we would get there, we should be proud of our Identity

suffering a similar fate as she had.

“OJA, I would say is more of divine than physical. I think God made me fail Igbo Language in my WAEC for OJA. I was born in the North (Bauchi State) I had more to do with Hausa language than Igbo. When I returned home to start my SS1, even before I wrote my WAEC, I got an encounter with the OJA sound during an event.

The flute player played so well that I almost started speaking in tongue. I felt like I was hearing spiritual voices.

It made me vibrate and communicated with me in a way no other sound had ever done. Although in choosing a name for what I do, I never considered it. I thought of Ikoro instead, because pronouncing the Ikoro instrument pleased my ears more. I was told by a friend that Ikoro was already used for a journal and he suggested OJA, and immediately, I loved it. So we registered the organization as OJA Cultural Development Initiative.”

Talking about the modus operandi of the organization, Amarachi, who is also a staff of the Enugu Broadcasting Service said that her main focus is the younger generation so as to catch them young.

“The activities of OJA circulate around anything and everything that promotes our language, and cultural heritage. We state for the Culture and Tradition that binds us together and promote peace. Again I love growing with other young persons and that was what gave rise to our activities with schools. We started an annual festival for secondary school students last year and getting set for that of this year which is proposed to take place on 22nd October, 2016. Although, funding for the project is a major challenge. We have other activities on the pipe line like “An Evening with the Flute,” We also organise workshops both for secondary school students and youth, all in an attempt to help them garner more talent that showcase us as a people.”

Despite the progress she has made and the numerous successes she has recorded, Amarachi still has some challenges that hinders the smooth operation of her noble organization.

“One of the major challenges I encounter is that of funding. Most of our activities are self sponsored with few individual supports. I love what I do and I love it even more when I am en-

couraged. If I have lots of individuals, companies and organisations shining their lights of supports on this course, we would build castles of realities from these fine plans.

“I also encounter the challenge of perception. It is ridiculous that most of our people have been brainwashed to perceive our culture as evil. I just don’t understand that. I grew up amongst a people (Northerners) that valued their culture and would first expose their children to it before ever considering any foreign way of life.

Most of my people exhibit the ‘holier than thou’ attitude and let it swallow their identity and thinking ability. It’s a pity. So naturally, they tend to see anyone who is cultural oriented as evil. Yes! Most people perceive me as evil or insane.

“Again, some persons seem very confused when they see a single lady striving to create a niche for herself in a society that focuses more on the male folks. I meet people who practically ask me to stop all these so that men won’t run away from me. They don’t understand why a female, a single one at that, would be promoting indigenous culture. Well, I love this part of the challenge and meeting such persons only leaves me doing more. I love to overcome challenges.

I just love doing my beat,” the pretty lady said, adding that she wants to live a life of impact and knows that challenges are part of it.

No wonder Confucius the great Chinese Philosopher said that “the will to win, the desire to succeed, the urge to reach your full potential, are the keys that will unlock the door to personal excellence. Despite the challenges facing the actualization of the noble goals of OJA, Amarachi has the will to win and the desire to succeed and so vowed that it is forward ever and backward never.

“Now that we are registered as OJA Cultural Development Initiative, it has finally stirred me in the face that I can’t stop even when I want to. Not that I would have stopped even if I am not officially registered, but the registration has given it a legal backing and looking at the certificate is telling me ‘no going back’. I am on a progressive path to success. We are going somewhere and we would get there, we should be proud of our Identity.”

20 FEMINIQUE

FRIday, JULY 22, 2016 NEW TELEGRAPH

7 reasons men get sleepy after sex

T

his actually came up from a round table discussion I was having with my membership health club about better sex.

The actual question was this?

Why do men get very weak, sleep off and start snoring almost immediately after sex? We had a real good time dissecting the whys and wherefores. Some of the reasons were uncomplimentary about we men. Unfortunately, I was the moderator and the only man around. But I tried my best to defend us. Did I really have any choice? Anyway, here are some of the reasons.

Selfishness: I tried very hard to debunk this, but the evidence was too overwhelming. It is true that some men don't care at all about their partners. They just want to have their way. Although we all agreed on this, the problem was the number.

Most gave a statistics of 80%. I think that is too high. What do you think? Send me an email as usual. I will appreciate it.

Bedroom stamina: This I do agree with intoto. A lot of men cannot go more than once. Even

Sex and Marriage Counselor drtaiwofadeyi@gmail.com

08033148899

Dr. Taiwo Fadeyi that one time is like 5 minutes and weak. I am not talking about weak erection or quick ejaculation alone here. You must have bedroom stamina in order to last 15 minutes or even longer.

There are various techniques for this. Bedroom satisfaction must be mutual. Gone are those days when we believed that only men must enjoy sex.

Stress: Most men don't know how to manage stress. Yes, life is very stressful, especially in this era of change here, there and everywhere. Buhari don try.

Change in the bedroom should be positive not negative. Try not to bring the stress of work and life generally into the bedroom.

Hang it by the door immediately you come in. Stress is terrible. Makes people fall asleep

at the wrong time and place. As in when driving. I know men do fall asleep even on top of their partners immediately after sex. But I have never heard of anybody sleeping during sex.

Or have you? Don't be shy, tell me if you have. Your privacy is guaranteed.

Evolution. Some scientists believe this. Sex in the prehistoric days had only one purpose. Reproduction. Yes reproduction, not enjoyment. So the man was to give and the woman to receive. So after ejaculation, mission accomplished and he could go back to sleep. The man's body had been wired for this since the beginning of time. We now find it difficult to change. But change we must.

Wiring: Scientists have dis-

We just don't know what to do after we ejaculate. So the next thing is to fall asleep

covered that men's hormones are wired for the morning period. Full details about this in my next article.

Absence of Sexual knowledge. Most Nigerian men do not have adequate knowledge about sex. They know little or nothing about the various stages. I'm always surprised at the number of us that know little or nothing about foreplay and afterplay. We just don't know what to do after we ejaculate. So the next thing is to fall asleep.

Environment: Peaceful home environment and time makes us fall asleep sometimes after sex. After all we wouldn't do so if sex was done hurriedly as with a call girl or in an hotel.

Physiological: This is also verified by statistics. After sex, some hormones such as oxytocin, serotonin, prolactin etc are released by the brain. Amongst other things they give a sense of achievement, relaxation and induce sleep.

So that's it for this week. See you later. Don't forget to send me feedbacks or questions as sms or preferably my email.

Ego: Diary of a happening mom Ebere Ameh

T

here has been no dull moment since we arrived Florida for our two-week vacation. Yes, vacation. I refuse to call it honey moon because in the strict sense of the word, it is not one. First we are here on a short vacation, before going to Cleveland for a surgical procedure. Besides, we have had a fabulous honeymoon at the Maldives after our traditional wedding.

We had a well-planned honeymoon at the beautiful island country because left for Danny, the traditional marriage would have sufficed, if I had not pestered him for a solemnization of the marriage in the church. Thank God we did, because if we didn’t, it would have deprived me of communion in the church.

So why should I embark on another honeymoon when I have many things bothering me? Going into the theatre is one, getting pregnant and going through all those tedious nine months is another.

I fear the anaesthesia more than surgery itself. In all the surgical procedures I have done, three now and warming up for the fourth, I always asked to see the Anaesthetist to get an assurance that I would wake after the surgery. As stupid as that sounds, it gave me a lot of comfort. Despite the frequency of my surgeries, I am yet to get used to anaesthesia and the theatre.

Anyways, being a holiday period for the children, a long vacation as we call it, I begged Danny so we could go along with the children.

It was a herculean task convincing him but thank God he saw reason with me eventually and agreed.

How could I vacation in Florida and come back to tell them about our experiences in Walt Disney and Universal Studios? About Everglades National Park, Miami Beach

Florida, here we come! and all the numerous tourist sites we all hear about? Let us vacation together as a family and relish the experience together was my point.

But I could also connect with Danny’s fears, travelling with a battalion such as ours is not a tea party. But should we leave them perpetually at home because they are many? Is it their fault that they found themselves in a large family like ours? I felt that leaving them behind, when we can afford a vacation to any place together, would not give God the glory He deserves in our union. If Angelina Jolie and her husband Brad Pitt could go on vacation with their children, who am I not to manage my four on a two weeks trip to the US?

It was against that backdrop that Danny suggested that we also go with Blessing, so she could help with the children. Well I agreed, because it was an opportunity for the poor girl to see the world. But the challenges we had with processing her travel document wouldn’t let us. As a matter of fact, it would have been more responsibility on us because she has never been in an aircraft, let alone travel overseas.

But I think Lilly and Ron, who were born and bred in the UK and Tobi and Tosin who have been to a number of countries, are big enough to behave themselves.

To say that it was a huge surprise to the children would be an understatement. ‘All of us…, going to Florida?’

‘Mom please tell us the truth, are we

travelling to the village?’ were some of the questions the excited children asked when I broke the news to them.

Even while processing our travel documents, they still could not believe and said until we board the plane and the Air Hostess announce that we are heading to Florida.

They became extraordinarily good children overnight, doing their chores without hesitation. Do I blame them?

We have always left them behind, as we travelled from one place to the other, with promises of taking them along one day. We only come back with sweet stories while they looked and longed for that day it would be their turn to travel. Thank God the day finally came and here we are, happy together, in Florida, the sunshine state.

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friday, july 22, 2016 NEW TELEGRAPH

Kim Kardashian records Melania Trump confessing to RNC speech cribbing

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Apology

Lady Gaga’s emotional plea to fans after split

Entertainment Praiz

Marriage is not by force, Yvonne Jegede tells fans

Regina Askia tasks Buhari over religious killings

Subzilla out with Salome

LANRE ODUKOYA COORDINATOR

lanreodukoya@gmail.com

© Daily Telegraph Publishing Company Limited

I’ll be remembered like Martin Luther King in Minnesota Praise Adejo, popularly known as Praiz, remains a delight to lovers of good music, and that’s because of his vocal prowess. In this interview with LANRE ODUKOYA, he shares the story of his musical journey and what makes him thick, among sundry issues So far, how has the year been for you?

It has been a great year for me and I’m grateful to God. My year started on a good note and

by God’s grace, I believe it will get even better. It started with a major achievement – I was honoured by the Governor of Minnesota, United States ‘on my own day’.

Usually when people are honoured on their ‘day’, it’s a big deal. But you were given that honour and most people didn’t notice or appreciate it....

I think it’s just too big for them to comprehend. Honestly, I didn’t see

it coming. Every day I wake up and stare at the plaque, wondering if it’s real. When I started, I never knew I would achieve this. I just wanted to win awards, make money and be comfortable. I didn’t think I would be honoured in a different way in a different continent altogether. I think it’s a lesson for Nigerians to learn to appreciate their own. We celebrate foreigners we don’t know in our own country, and look down on our own.

So a particular day of the year is dedicated to you?

Yes, even when I’m dead and gone, 6th of February will remain Praiz Adejo Day in America.

Just the way you have Martin Luther King Day. If you go to the government website in Minnesota, you’ll see it. The only individual who has gotten that recognition is the great Rollingstone

in the UK who was the greatest rock band at the time. I am honoured to be the first African to be honoured that way.

What did you do to deserve that honour?

I think it’s just God’s blessing. I guess God rewarded me for those good deeds I do that I don’t broadcast. You can’t buy or lobby for such proclamations. I tell people to keep being the best at what they do because you never know who is watching.

What should your fans except from you soon?

I’m about to drop another album, and also an extended playlist (EP) before the album. The EP will give a platform to upcoming artistes who are really good at what they do, especially my genre of music, R&B. They’ll sing with me and this will let people out there know that there are people who are even better than me.

I’ll drop the EP to encourage upcoming artistes and also the album this year.

You’ve been stuck to doing R&B songs even though it’s not really appreciated in Nigeria, how has it been?

The genre of music C O N T I N U E D O N PA G E 2 2

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entertainment

friday, july 22, 2016 NEW TELEGRAPH

Hope for gospel singers as new platform births

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Okorocha

new television reality show aimed at providing platform for talented young singers in Africa, Gospel Music Africa, has been unveiled.

While speaking at Oriental Hotel, Lekki, Lagos, MFI Xquisite Koncepts, the organisers of the event, stated that 30 contestants would be selected through auditions.

The project director, Matthew Obono, said, “The selected people will be trained by a team of seasoned gospel music ministers to compete for the top position.”

He added that the project is basically to ensure that those who venture into gospel music are properly groomed and encouraged.

“GMA will undoubtedly give young people an opportunity to hone their skills and realize their dreams, as the conveners are committed to making it a yearly event,” he said.

The Governor of Imo State, Rochas Okorocha, who was represented by his Deputy, Prince Eze Madumere, described the effort as a well thought-out piece of creative work. He maintained that the programme will serve as a vehicle through which message of hope, unity and good morals will be communicated to the people.

The Governor of Plateau State, Bar. Simon Lalong was the Guest of Honour and was equally represented at the memorable outing, while the President-Elect of the Christian Association of Nigeria, Rev. Supo Ayokunle, was the Father of the Day. The overall winner of the competition is expected to go home with N5,000,000, a brand new car and an international record deal.

Praiz

‘I surround myself with those who help me’ C O N T I N U E D F R O M PA G E 2 1

we love is influenced by the economic situation. We have so much hardship and most people would not want to just sit down and listen to slow music.

People want to forget their problems, but that doesn’t mean that there are no persons out there who appreciate R&B music. I got my endorsement deal with an R&B song, and when I was about to get signed, they told me that the reason they were signing me up is because I’m different. I’m doing good

by God’s grace. I do shows, I travel to places and people love my songs. I travel to Kenya and do shows in East Africa and I do my R&B; they love it and want me to come back. I just want to be true to myself. Recently, I released ‘Oshe’, ‘Mercy’ and ‘Sisi’, and

Lola Alao dumps Christianity for Islam

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t is fast becoming a fad in the Nigerian entertainment industry, particularly the Yoruba movie sector for mostly notable actresses to begin to swap faith - mostly from Christianity to Islam.

The industry has seen the likes of Liz Anjorin, Fathia Balogun, Dayo Amusa, F u n k e Etti, Laide Bakare, Moji Olaiya and the latest in the game is Lola Alao.

The actress, who just buried

her father over the weekend, surprised many of her fans when the news of her conversion to Islam surfaced.

An Islamic scholar, Yusuf Adepoju, who was said to have introduced her to the religion shared a congratulatory message.

these are not your typical R&B songs.

They are Afrobeat sounds. I believe in being versatile. R. Kelly is the king of R&B but he does other genres as well.

Has the economic situation affected your brand?

I don’t think it has affected me because I have remained true to my art, even though I try to be versatile sometimes, and it is paying off. I was on my own when famous International rapper, Obie Trice, who is associated with Eminem heard my ‘rich and famous song’ and said he wanted me to feature in his album. I didn’t feature Obie Trice, he featured me. People out there recognise the talent in this country more than we do.

What keeps you going?

I surround myself with real people.

I try not to allow fame get into my head. I don’t have a lot of friends.

The friends I have are my childhood friends. They grew up with me and if I’m messing up, they can easily call me to order. I like to surround myself with people who can push me to be better. My family has been very supportive and I also have a good management team. I’ve just been blessed to have the right people around me.

What would you have been doing if you weren’t into music?

I would have been playing football. I actually wanted to become a footballer.

I played club soccer. Celestine Babayaro was my senior. I played for the Islanders FC in Kaduna as a striker.

Alao

What influences the kind of songs you do?

My environment and experiences either personal experience or someone else’s. I like to do songs that people can really relate to. I rather write or sing songs that are inspired by life’s situations.

You didn’t win Project Fame, but you don’t seem to be struggling...

I feel blessed not to be struggling.

But the fact is that the hustling continues. I always tell people that my hustling story is a lesson for me. It teaches me that you need to be humble, consistent, persistent and prayerful.

You did a song ‘Rich and Famous’. How rich and famous are you after the song?

Right now, I’m confident to say I’m rich and famous because I impact lives.

I drive a benz; I did not borrow money to buy it, and I pay my bills. I also take care of my family and friends.

How soon will you be tying the knots?

We’re in the era when marriages crash incessantly. It’s crazy. I never knew marriage to be this way. So I just try to take my eyes off these marriage break ups and focus on my parents. I don’t want to rush into marriage; inasmuch as I know that time is running out.

What are those qualities you look out for in a woman?

She has to be ambitious, understanding, patient, and I also like someone who can engage me in a conversation. A lot of people do not know I’m a quiet person. I can be here and not just say anything. I love someone who really loves God, who can pull me back on track when I get distracted.

You’ve not really done much collaborations, why is that so?

Personally, I’m very selective of the kind of collaborations I do. It has to be a high quality song. I don’t water down my standards. This year, I’ll be doing more African collaborations though. I have collaborations with Sarkodie from Ghana, Vanessi Mdee from Tanzania, just to name a few.

What do you think about the bickering and conflict among colleagues in the industry?

I don’t encourage it. Over time, I’ve come to realise that there’s no real love in the industry. But I don’t encourage bad blood.

Who is Praiz outside music?

Praiz is a very playful individual.

I play a lot. I’m a simple person and I trust easily. Once you mess up, the trust is gone.

What’s your most annoying routine?

I’m a night person. I can work all through the night. I hate doing things in the morning.

Couple of years from now, where do you hope to see yourself?

I see myself at least as a Grammy nominee. When the time is right, I’ll also like to start my own family and have properties.

entertainment

friday, july 22, 2016 NEW TELEGRAPH

L-R: Wasiu Abiola, Head of Media, Nigerian Breweries Plc; Emmanuel Agu, Portfolio Manager, Regional Mainstream brands; Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi III; Funso Ayeni, Senior Brand Manager, Mainstream brands; and Tayo Adelaja, Public Affairs Manager, NB Plc (West and Mid-west) during the visit by the Goldberg Team to the monarch in his Palace. The visit preceded the Goldberg Fuji t’o Bam quarter final held in Durbar Stadium.

Alaafin endorses Goldberg in Oyo

Royal Majesty, Oba ount ruler of Oyo, His as he palace of the param ipation and excitement tic an th mi III was lit wi ji eye ‘Fu Ad ht ug ola bro yiw Plc Ola es di eri mi La of Nigerian Brew ble sta the m fro nd bra Goldberg, a Friday. to the ancient city last yo t’o Bam’ quarter final gerian Breweries Plc, Ta Ni , est d-W Mi d an st We , do t ger no na can Ma rs The Public Affai t’o Bam’ to Oyo, and we brought ‘Goldberg Fuji e come Adelaja said: “We have this regard that we hav in is It t. biyesi’s consen anything without the Ka me one.” with prayers and welco to pay homage to the thr s ushered into the palace prostrate before the The Goldberg team wa to ns efs before they took tur chants by the palace chi tors for bringing the Kabiyesi. gave thanks to the ances to Oyo town. r fte rea the her fat al The roy portantly the palace and most im Goldberg team safely to r Stadium, assuring rba Du at t cer con ji the Fu . He commended the He gave his support for y cit nt cie e time in the an the visiting team of a saf pany’s diverse and es delegate for the com iety. entire Nigerian Breweri soc the to k ed at giving bac t’o Bam’ as an relentless efforts target ji Fu erg ldb ‘Go to ed err Alaafin particularly ref young Fuji talents in king and empowering initiative targeted at see Oyo. local communities like ect corporate organkind of scheme we exp His words: “This is the on the street is easple t on the young peo pac im Its . ise of unemployment an org to isations iety to reduce the rate soc the ps hel y ctl ire ind ily feasible. And it country.” the sociularly in this part of the programme as it helps among the youth partic the n tai sus to m tea the that the d red an plo s p on the street Oba Adeyemi im dding talents seeking hel their chosen career. bu se tho to pe ho ing ety in giv e stars in ir aspiration to becom r to the bottles of the Lager bee initiative could ignite the ted sen pre r fte rea the m e. tea tiv tia nd ini bra m’ erg Ba ldb t’o The Go well as ‘Fuji endorsed the brand as Alaafin, who officially

23

T Askia

Regina Askia tasks Buhari over religious killings

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.S. based Nollywood actress, Regina Askia, has expressed concern over President Muhammadu Buhari silence over the religious killings in Nigeria.

In a post she shared via her Facebook page, the ex-Nollywood star turned nurse suggests that Buhari’s silence may indicate silent approval.

Sharing a photo collage of President Buhari as well as the female RCCG pastor, hacked to death by religious extremists in Abuja while she preached, Askia stated: “Dear Mr. President, Yet another open letter on murders. Why are you so silent, Mr. President Sir? “Your deafening silence is looking like tacit approval.

“We are very worried Mr. President Sir.” So far, the presidency has remained silent over deaths of Christians in the country. Recently Nollywood actress Halima Abubakar had also faulted the president with her post that read; “Buhari please, make things happen for us so that other people can eat. As for me, I can eat. But then, will I say I won’t give another person food? Let’s be realistic about it. Buhari should stop saying he understands how we feel.

He doesn’t understand how we feel at all. No one can understand how you feel more than yourself. There’re so many people who go home hungry, and they don’t know what they will eat the following day. But he keeps flying up and down and keeps saying he understands how we feel. The change we voted for, where is it? We need Nigeria stabilised.”

Marriage is not by force

Subzilla out with Salome

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– Yvonne Jegede admonishes Y

vonne Jegede in a post shared on July 20, on Instagram says she doesn’t think marriage is mandatory.

She wrote: “Marriage is not by force, I repeat… marriage is not by force.

If you cannot see yourself submitting totally to your husband, please let him just find the woman that would, no need to marry.

I don’t think it’s mandatory… Peace is good for everyone.

“But if you choose to marry then respect him

Subzilla

completely and submit totally. If you don’t want to marry that’s very very okay and if you cannot love the woman totally, Nwanne I repeat… Marriage is not by force…

Stop wasting each other’s time Biko!!! Do you agree with her?”

Yvonne Jegede who first became known when she featured on the TV

series ‘Everyday People’ as well as an appearance in Tuface Idibia’s African Queen video, once left the country and the Nigerian movie industry for a while.

In 2012, she returned to the country after taking time off to travel to the US. And since returning, she has made several moves at working her way back into the movie industry.

hortly after collaborating with ‘Baba Hafusa’ singer, Reminisce and Tekno on the remix of his hit single ‘Sisi Eko’ which stirred a lot of buzz in top radio stations, there’s no resting for this songster.

Lam records frontline act, Boboye Emmanuel, otherwise known as Subzilla, is out with yet another club hit and he calls this ‘Salome’ with both audio and visual ready to hit television stations across the country.

Subzilla is a Christian singer, songwriter and performing artiste, who kicked off his music career professionally in 2012, after dropping his debut single, ‘Nghelu’, with a video credit to talented director, Unlimited LA. With ‘Salome’ visual shot by the talking drum pictures (Avalon Okpe), Subzilla might just be the next big act to watch out for in the fledgling entertainment industry.

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entertainment

friday, july 22, 2016 NEW TELEGRAPH

Plagiarism: Kim Kardashian records Melania Trump’s confession Melania and Donald Trump

Kardashian displaying one of her album for Melania

Lady Gaga’s emotional plea to fans after split

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t may not be over forever between Lady Gaga and Taylor Kinney. The singer has finally broken her silence on the breakup and revealed to fans why there’s still hope for the once-engaged couple. “Taylor [Kinney] and I have always believed we are soul-mates,” Lady Gaga, 30, wrote on Instagram.

“Just like all couples we have ups and downs, and we have been taking a break. We are both ambitious artists, hoping to work through long-distance and complicated schedules to continue the simple love we have always shared. Please root us on. We’re just like everybody else and we really love each other.”

Along with the heartbreaking message, the 30-year-old shared a sweet photo of her and Taylor from behind, with their arms wrapped around one another. Huge followers are definitely rooting for them to get back to that happy time in their lives.

As previously reported, the singer split from her hunky fiance earlier this month, and has recently been spotted without the massive engagement ring he gave her in Feb. 2015. HollywoodLife. com told you exclusively that Gaga is absolutely devastated over the breakup, and has been “struggling to cope” with being alone after five years with the Chicago Fire star.

Taylor and Gaga got together in 2011 after he starred in her music video for “You And I,” and were going great as recently as March, when he helped her celebrate her 30th birthday with a huge bash. The 35-year-old was by his gal’s side all winter long, too, as she made her rounds through the major award shows —many really didn’t see this split coming at all! Hopefully enough fans will send their love and give these two the positive vibes they need to work it out.

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hat can’t Kim Kardashian accomplish? ‘The Daily Show’ imagined that Kim secretly recorded Melania Trump confessing to ‘borrowing’ Michelle Obama’s speech, and releasing it on Snapchat.

Add another layer to Speech-

Gate! Trevor Noah revealed on the July 19th episode of The Daily Show that there was finally proof that Melania Trump, 46, plagiarised parts of her RNC speech from First Lady Michelle Obama, 52. Kim Kardashian, 35, secretly recorded a phone conversation in which Melania tells Kanye West, 38, something pretty damning — just like she did with Taylor Swift, 26.

“I wrote the whole speech myself, except for the parts I intentionally plagiarised from Michelle Obama,” Melania says on the phone to Kanye, in a made-up conversation.

“No one will ever know. If they catch me, I will say it was remix.”

This is too good. Trevor kept pressing on, bashing Mela-

Elizabeth Hurley’s son, 14, joins ‘The Royals’ Season 3 in TV debut I

f you’re going to make your TV debut anywhere, why not make it alongside your mother?! That’s exactly what Damian Hurley is doing.

Damian Hurley, 14, is set to appear in season three of The Royals as Hansel, the Crown Prince of Lichtenstein.

Damian Hurley was born in April 2002, and his father is Steve Bing, who dated Elizabeth briefly in 2001 and Hugh Grant is actually his godfather!

He is the latest new character to join the show. Max Brown has joined season three as Prince Robert and Jules Knight will play Spen-

cer, the new Lord Chamberlain.

Season three of E!’s soap is currently in production in London and set to premiere this December. It will pick up two weeks after the execution of King Simon’s (Vincent Regan) murderer who had plagued the royal family for months.

While we don’t know much about season three, we know that there may be a new love story for the Queen.

“There’s a lot of intrigue, there’s a lot of scandal, there’s a lot of drama going on,” Elizabeth told E! News at the Up-fronts. “There’s

nia’s plagiarised speech about becoming an American citizen.

“Unfortunately, the American citizen she became was somehow Michelle Obama,” he joked.

“God damn, Melania Trump just did something a black woman did first and passed it off as her own. Or as Iggy Azalea calls it, her new hit!”

But Trevor said that we should stop bashing Melania for plagiarizing; “we should be encouraging her.” He’s hoping that her audacity will rub off on her husband, Donald Trump, 70, and influence his own actions. “If she feels comfortable stealing Michelle Obama speeches, then maybe Donald Trump will feel OK stealing Barack Obama’s policies,” Trevor said, actually not joking this time around.

He’s 100% serious, and we’re kind of on board with this idea, too! And if you think you shouldn’t be plagiarizing the president, according to Trevor, then listen to his immortal words: “Yes we can.”

Damian Hurley and son

definitely some big twists coming up, some of which I’ve been told about… I think the Queen may fall in love in season three. My fingers are crossed for her.”

When the show was picked up for season three, we couldn’t have been more excited for the loud, outspoken, and super sexy drama to return. With a stellar cast — William Moseley as Prince Liam, Alexandra Park as Princess Eleanor, Jake Maskall as King Cyrus, Tom Austen as Jasper, Genevieve Gaunt as Willow and Rocky Marshall as James Hill will all be returning.

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FRIDAY, july 22, 2016 NEW TELEGRAPH

Agric

Business What's news 67,000 sqm office completion to crash VI, Ikoyi rents

Tumult over Nigeria’s approval of Monsanto GMO

Environment Vision 2020: Nigeria banks on sustainable energy supply

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Rates Dashboard INFLATION RATE May 2016...........................15.6% April 2016.............................13.7% March 2016........................12.8%

LENDING RATE Interbank Rate....................12.57% Prime Lending Rate...........17.93% Maximum Lending Rate...26.83%

EXCHANGE RATE (BDC as at July 15)

USD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . N365 Pounds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . N471 Euro . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . N398

l Foreign Reserves – $45.62 as at 14/7/2016

EXCHANGE RATE (Interbank as at July 15)

USD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . N290 Pounds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . N380 Euro . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . N317

Source: CBN

p.26 L-R: Group Head, Communications and Marketing, Smile Communications Nigeria Limited, Nicolene Van Zyl; Group Managing Director, Godfrey Efeurhobo; Chief Corporate Services Officer, Tobe Okigbo and Head, Programme and Strategy, Management Office, Ogor Chukudebelu, at the unveiling of the Lowest 4G LTE Voice Call Rate in Nigeria in Lagos.

Minister decries shortage of farm inputs

p.26

LOW UTILISATION Only about 10 per cent bandwidth capacity is being utilised on the undersea cables in the country

Kunle Azeez

The Business Desk Ayodele Aminu

Deputy Editor (Business)

Bayo Akomolafe

Asst. Editor (Maritime)

Sunday Ojeme

Asst. Editor (Insurance)

Tony Chukwunyem

Asst. Editor (Money Market)

Dayo Ayeyemi Property Editor

Adeola Yusuf Energy Editor

Wole Shadare Aviation Editor

Chris Ugwu

Capital Market Editor

Abdulwahab Isa Finance Editor

Taiwo Hassan

Industry, Agric & Brands Editor

Kunle Azeez

Senior Correspondent

Chuks Onuanyin Energy

Nnamdi Amadi Reporter

Johnson Adebayo

Asst Production Editor

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elecoms operators in Nigeria have recorded a growth in their Internet subscriptions by five per cent yearon-year to 92.3 million in May, according to the latest data released by the telecoms umpire, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC).

This represents a density of 50 per cent, placing Nigeria well above the African average of around 16 per cent as estimated

by McKinsey, a global ICT-focused research firm.

In developed countries, increased Internet penetration has driven businesses via e-commerce and bolstered economic growth.

Already, a World Bank study has revealed that a 10 percentage point increase in fixed broadband penetration would increase Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth by 1.38 per cent in developing economies.

The latest subscriber statistics from the regulator show MTN and Globacom accounting for 36 per cent and 29 per cent of active Internet subscriptions respectively, but the country has huge subma-

Telcos grow Internet subscriptions by 5% rine cable capacity bringing huge bandwidth into the country.

However, Nigeria’s submarine cable market currently valued at over $7 billion (over N1.4 trillion) is experiencing low utilisation of the broadband infrastructure, occasioned by the lingering transmission challenges, which have continued to dog its spread across the country.

According to this newspaper’s findings, while the country currently boasts of different international submarine cables’ landing points at its shore, the challenge of transmitting the over 19 terabytes bandwidth capacity on them to hinterland has been a challenge.

According to experts, the development, if not checked puts the 30 per cent broadband target of the country by 2018 at greatest risk.

Broadband penetration in the country currently stands at 10 per cent while the coming on board of various submarine cables such as MainOne, Glo 1, SAT-3, WACS, ACE and their proper transmission across the nooks and crannies of the country has been identified as essential to achieving broadband.

N1.4 trillion Being the value of Nigeria’s submarine cable market

In specifics, the submarine cables included the $300 million 7,000-kilometre MainOne cable, which landed in Nigeria in June 2010; the 10,000 kilometres Globacom’s $800 million Glo 1 cable.

It landed in October of the same year.

Also, the worth of NITEL’s South Atlantic 3 (SAT 3), now owned by NatCom Investment company, the parent body of ntel, is put at over $600 million and the MTN’s West African Cable System (WACS) cost about $650 million.

ACE cable, which was landed in Nigeria by Dolphin Telecoms, cost about $700 million.

However, less than 10 per cent of the total bandwidth capacity on the various submarine cables is being utilised, according to Chief Executive Officer, MainOne, Mrs. Funke Opeke.

She identified high cost of Right of Way (RoW), lack of collaborations among players, as well as low patronage of locallyestablished cable system as challenges to last-mile connectivity.

“While we are still facing a lot of challenges regarding the CONTINUED ON PAGE 26

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BUSINESS |news

Telcos grow Internet subscriptions by 5% CONTINUED FROM PAGE 25

transmission of the Internet capacity on our cable system to the hinterlands, we are also facing low patronage from Nigerian companies, which prefer to still go outside the country for capacity to run their businesses,” Opeke said.

She said: “Though, MainOne has built 400 kilometer of fibe optic cables in Lagos, challenges still remain in the area of last-mile transmission to other parts of the country and this is where I think the government can wade in to assist because our business has greater potential for economic development.”

Opeke said years into the landing of submarine cables in Nigeria from separate cable operators, the country was yet to make maximum use of the cable capacities towards deepening Internet penetration.

President, Association of Telecoms Companies of Nigeria (ATCON), Mr. Lanre Ajayi, said the challenges telecoms companies are facing in the area of transmission as a result of high cost RoW and delay in granting RoW permits could hamper broadband growth.

Broadband services continue to impact on increased access to the Internet in the country with Internet users in the country standing at 97 million as at December last year but witnessed decline to about 93 million currently.

He also identified the need for the telecoms regulator to release more spectrums while putting idle spectrum band into the secondary spectrum market to ensure effective utilisation of the spectrum resources for deepening access to telecoms services.

While the Federal Government had set the target of a five-fold increase in broadband penetration, in consonance with the National Broadband Plan (NBP) by 2018, the submarine cable systems have been virtually stranded on the coastline, unable to deliver service to the hinterland, due to the under-developed distribution networks, including national long distance fibre, metro fibre and last mile connectivity, required to push Internet services in-land.

McKinsey & Company, a research firm, estimates that bringing broadband penetration levels in emerging markets, such as Nigeria to today’s Western European levels could potentially add $300 billion to $420 billion in Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and generate 10 million to 14 million jobs in the coming years.

As at 2014, investments in submarine cable system across Africa was put at over $20 billion, with Nigeria accounting for about $7 billion including the logistics.

In Nigeria, with 97 million mobile Internet users in the country, it is estimated that about 50 per cent of the country’s population still lack access to the Internet.

FRIDAY, july 22, 2016 NEW TELEGRAPH

67,000 sqm office completion to crash VI, Ikoyi rents PROMISING Analysts foresee opportunities for landlords when market improves Dayo Ayeyemi

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ompletion of some 67,000 square metres (sqm) of new office spaces, which spread across various schemes in Victoria Island and Ikoyi, Lagos, may fuel a slight fall in prevailing rents of office space, New Telegraph has learnt.

These schemes include The Wings, Lakepoint Towers, Madina Tower, Alliance Place and Kingsway Tower; all which are due for completion within the next eight to 14 months.

According to analysts at Cluttons Nigeria, a slight fall in prevailing rents in prime submarkets such as Victoria Island from $750 per meter square (psm) to $700 psm by the end of 2016 is anticipated.

Besides, they also anticipated a decrease from $850 psm to $750 psm in Ikoyi.

The experts said: “In prime submarkets such as Victoria Island, we anticipate a slight fall in prevailing rents from $750 per meter square (psm) to $700 psm by the end of 2016 and a decrease from $850 psm to $750 psm in Ikoyi.

The study noted that the slower pace of economic expansion has impacted on a number of new businesses entering the market, which, according to the analysts, would further shrink

the pool of active occupiers.

The analysts pointed out that the current situation has provided opportunities for landlords to position themselves favourably for when the market does recover.

According to the report, occupiers would continue to place high value on good building management and well maintained facilities, “which is an area that landlords may consider as an alternative to reducing rents in order to entice demand.”

Perturbed by the economic downturn, this newspaper learnt that landlords of vacant

properties in high-end Ikoyi and Lekki are now opting for letting/ lease.

Many of the empty houses in Ikoyi and Lekki axes now have estate agents’ signposts on them, beckoning home and office seeking tenants to contact them through their addresses and phone numbers.

It was gathered that the let/ for lease ratio in these exclusive quarters is expected to increase as macroeconomic headwinds continue to shrink cash flow.

Managing Director, Financial Derivatives Company (FDC), Mr. Bismarck Rewane,

confirmed that landlords have decided to hedge the financial risk by letting their properties.

Some of them, he said have even spread their rents over a longer time span.

According to him, Lagos Vacancy Factor Index (LVFI) inched up to 166 recently, being a sluggish deterioration of the Lekki, Victoria Island and Ikoyi housing.

The FDC boss said the number of vacant properties have increased by 66 per cent in 16 months, while housing supply has remained high despite increasing costs of building materials

President, Association of Forensic and Investigation Auditors, Victoria Enape (left), with Acting Chairman, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ibrahim Magu, during a visit to Magu in Abuja.

Minister decries shortage of farm inputs ABSURD There are less than 30,000 tractors in Nigeria when the country ought to have at least a million Taiwo Hassan

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he Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Chief Audu Ogbeh, has raised the alarm over continued shortage of farming inputs in the country, saying that Nigeria has less than 30,000 tractors to cater for her huge farmers’ population and size of farm operations.

Ogbeh, while inaugurating the committees for the implementation of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Federal Government, participating state governments and the China-Africa Machinery Corporation (CAMACO)

on agricultural mechanisation system in Abuja, said dearth of farming input in the country was causing instability among farmers.

CAMACO is a venture funded by the China-African Development Fund (CADFund) as a strategic partnership built and developed between China and Africa, with the purpose of encouraging and supporting Chinese enterprises to invest in Africa.

He said it was alarming to note that with Nigeria’s 180 million population, millions of farmers in the country are still struggling to get farm equipment, especially tractors, to work on their farms.

Ogbeh lamented the shortage of tractors in Nigeria when compared with farmers’ population and size of farm operations.

His words: “There are less than 30,000 tractors in Nigeria and we should, at least, as at today, have a million. This partnership with CAMACO is an attempt to catch up with

our shortfalls in tractors and increase our mechanisation to make it easier for agriculture to take place. Increased mechanisation is even more important now that we are trying to encourage the youth to embrace agriculture. This is a very important programme that has been on the drawing board.”

The programme, designed to increase Nigeria’s stock of tractors and improve on mechanisation through the supply of tractors to be assembled locally, will be implemented in Adamawa, Ebonyi, Jigawa, Katsina, Niger, Sokoto, Taraba and Zamfara states.

The partnership will involve credit partnership with farmers to obtain and pay over a period of seven to eight years at a single digit interest rate.

Ogbeh expressed concern about the hardship Nigerians are currently going through, but expressed the hope that allyear-round agriculture through irrigation and increased mechanisation, would put Nigeria’s agricultural output on the path

of self-sufficiency. “Coming from China, you know what it takes to feed a large population, you have succeeded. “We can succeed here too,” he told the CAMACO delegation.

He urged them to consider the climatic conditions of the states in the design of the tractors, noting that, in some parts of the country, temperatures could rise to as high as 40 degrees.

He, therefore, advised the company to take a good look at their engine cooling systems.

“Some parts of the north are very dusty, so your air filters must be designed to fit appropriately. You must also build these tractors, bearing in mind that we need them to last 15 to 20 years at the very least. We don’t have money to repeat purchases of machinery every two years. We need solid machinery, very well designed machines to cope with the climatic conditions and the nature of our soil. We are also intending to keep after-sales services in top gear,” he added.

FRIDAY, JULY 22, 2016 NEW TELEGRAPH

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labour

NEGOTIATION Affected staff demand retraction of statement on poor performance and adequate compensation from the organisation

L-R: President, Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Comrade Ayuba Wabba; President, Trade Union Congress (TUC), Comrade Bobboi Kaigama and Coordinator General, Edo Civil Society, Omobude Agbo, during a briefing on the victorious judgement in respect of the suit against Nigeria Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) and Discos, in Lagos.

Sunday Ojeme

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ollowing the mass termination of appointment of 400 workers by management of Diamond Bank Plc, a coalition of civil society groups in the country have expressed dismay over the development.

They said that the circumstances negated the principles of fairness and justice and ran counter to both domestic and internationally acceptable standards.

Spokesperson for the coalition and National Coordinator, Citizens Rights and Leadership Awareness Initiative, Mr Peter Nwokolo, insisted that their disengagement did not follow due process as required by extant labour laws and international best practices.

He said that contrary to insinuations by the management of the bank that their sack was purely a normal part of their performance management process in which poor performers are laid off, it has since been established after exhaustive investigation, that most of the sacked workers had indeed obtained appraisal scores in excess of the recommended score of 50 per cent and above, going by the bank’s last performance index concluded in February 2016.

He said: “Most of the staff had well over 70 per cent to 90 per cent scores and could not have turned so intolerably poor in performance within a period of less than one year.”

The coalition is therefore calling on the management to immediately engage the sacked workers in negotiations with a view to reaching an agreement on the terms of settlement, so that the affected staff can move on with their careers, which has been damaged by the negative reports of their sack, which the bank had deliberately and erroneously presented as a result of lack of productivity.

The group added that the bank must now do the needful and retrace their statements, which were aimed at circumventing the rules in order to bypass deserved and unavoidable payoff as some of the workers who had put in more than a decade in the service of the bank lamented the negative effect the statements have wrought to their otherwise illustrious career.

According to the CSO, the blatant and unilateral deductions of already agreed long term loan tenures from

CSOs flay Diamond Bank workers’ sack •Insist it’s short of justice, fairness the bank account of the affected workers is another sore point in the disengagement saga, which the sacked workers want immediately redressed.

“A month before this mass

sack, a set of middle management staff had earlier been walked out of a presentation meeting attended by the group managing director on flimsy excuses not related to their performance and

thereafter asked to resign in what has been described as a sinister and premeditated attempt to downsize by subterfuge, a case of giving the dog a bad name in order to hang it.

“It therefore appeals to diamond bank to retrace its steps and engage all the sacked workers in a negotiated settlement to enable them move on with their careers,” the coalition added.

NLC attack: Why NECA invited police

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he leadership of Nigerian Employers Consultative Association (NECA) has cleared the air on the invitation of police during the invasion of its premises by the Joe Ajaero-led faction of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC).

The Director-Genetal, NECA, Olusegun Oshinowo, while decrying the invasion, said since his association was law abiding, it was unnecessary to have engaged the thugs in disrupting the peace of the environment.

Oshinowo said that NECA would not resort to lawlessness to dislodge lawlessness, saying, that was the reason that informed the association’s decision to invite the police and the Directorate of State Security (DSS) for protection when they got wind of the planned picketing.

He pointed out that investigation showed that those who came later to engage the initial group in a free for all were all ‘members’ of the group who only disagreed on certain issues.

“The first possibility is the infighting among hoodlums and thugs, hired by Ajaero, over distribution of money paid them to carry out the illegal picket.

He said: “Another group who were left out of the largesse, after an initial mobilisation, then decided to undermine the illegal picketing and a counter action by the legal and recognised NLC to stop Ajaero from further acting in the name of NLC and parading himself as its President.”

“These are all possible leads, as we welcome the appropriate authority to investigate the cause of this mayhem, which ordinarily would not have occurred if Ajaero had respected the industrial relations laws of Nigeria and the law enforcement agencies present in NECA have acted decisively by dispersing the picketers who were very unruly and in fact paralyzed vehicular and human movement in the entire Ikeja neighbourhood.

“We again affirm that trade unionism and union immunity is not a li-

cense for anyone to brazenly trample on the rights of other economic actors and breach public order.”

While pointing out that NECA did not deploy the use of thugs to disrupt the annual general meeting, he noted that the cracks and lack of coordination within the industrial space was a show of the urgent need for social partners in the sector to initiate enduring reform.

He also said that the disagreement over the leadership of NLC had made negotiation of labour issues difficult for employers.

He said: “In the light of the current decadent state of Industrial Relations practice in Nigeria as evidenced by the kind of action perpetrated against NECA by the Joe Ajaero’s illegal faction of the union, NECA would once again want to call on the Federal Government of Nigeria as a matter of urgency to summon a summit of the social partners for the purpose of setting in motion the much-needed reform of our industrial relations System.”

Foundation trains physically challenged persons

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nambra Statebased foundation, BINA, has opened up a training programme for over 500 physically challenged persons in Nnewi.

According to the organisers in a statement, the training include computer literacy for the blind, catering services and hotel management, shoe and bag making, bead making, computer

and electronics training, soap and cosmetology and fashion designing, among others.

The free training runs between three months and two years, depending on the choice of the beneficiary.

Addressing the beneficiaries, a former executive chairman of Nnewi North Local Government Area, Amobi Chikwendu, said BINA was poised to

ensure that people with disabilities lived their dreams through empowerment training.

He said the foundation, established six years ago, had positively impacted on a lot of people in its Enugu chapter and decided to extend the gesture to Nnewi.

Chikwendu maintained that the foundation, through its vast contacts, was able to get jobs

for vulnerable youths while those in need of medical attention are treated at no cost.

On her part, the project facilitator, Mrs Chioma Chikwendu, said the beneficiaries would be given a starter package at the completion of the training, adding that the foundation would monitor the graduands and their progress so as to support them where necessary.

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GM corn plantation

Controversy is brewing over the approval of Monsanto Genetically Modified Organism (GMO) and Biotechnology in Nigeria by the Federal Government. Taiwo Hassan reports GMO dispute he Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development said that Nigeria had approved the introduction of Monsanto GMO crops in the nation’s food and farming system, which fuelled mass protests from over 100 groups representing over five million Nigerians opposing the move.

The groups had written various protest letters to the National Bio-safety Management Agency over the adoption of the Monsanto GMO crops, citing numerous health, safety and environmental concerns, according to a statement by Home for Mother Earth Foundation.

Shortly before he left office, former President Goodluck Jonathan hastily signed the National Bio-safety Management Bill into law, despite opposition to the legislation.

It was learnt that some foreign concerns in conjunction with the National Bio-safety Management Agency worked assiduously to ensure that Monsanto GMO crops existed in Nigeria based on the fact that credible findings of various scientific and regulatory agencies around the world showed that crops and foods improved with biotechnology.

In addition, they also argued that crops grown under Monsanto GMO are safer for both human and animal consumption and should be respected.

Similarly, some experts from reputable Universities, both from within and outside the shores

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FRIDAY, JULY 22, 2016 NEW TELEGRAPH

agric

Tumult over Nigeria’s approval of Monsanto GMO of Nigeria have risen in defense of Genetically Modified (GM) crops in anticipation of rumours sponsored by some anti GMO organisations to discredit agricultural biotechnology in Nigeria and the African Continent at large.

The rumours sponsored by these organisations that genetically modified crops cause cancer and are therefore risky to human health, had been debunked by these experts, who also described the rumour as cheap propaganda employed by misinformed and selfish imperialists who want to exploit the opportunities that abound in Nigeria’s agriculture, and are also bent on having their way at all cost, even at the detriment of already impoverished farmers.

FG’s stance As the controversy on GMO gathered momentum, the Federal Government urged Nigerians not to panic, saying that no GMO crops are currently being grown in the country.

The Minister of Environment, Mrs Amina Mohammed, in a statement on the Monsanto GMO, issued by the Director of Press in the ministry, Alhaji Isiaka Yusuf, in Abuja few days ago, clarified that all the GMOs in Nigeria officially approved are under experimental fields.

“What we have approval for are field trials,’’ the minister said.

She said this included the insect resistant cotton for commercial release, which would still be subjected to further processes for the next two years.

The minister described concerns being expressed by the public on GMOs as “legitimate.’’

She said the ministry in collaboration with the National Biosafety Management Agency (NBMA) would organise a meeting, involving Civil Society groups, national agencies and international organisations to address all concerns expressed.

The minister said the aim was to clarify Nigeria’s position on the use

The concern amongst stakeholders is to ensure that Nigeria has abundant food and agricultural produce

of GMOs. Mohammed said National Bio-safety Management Agency (NBMA), established in 2015, under the ministry was charged with ensuring proper regulation of modern biotechnological activities and genetically modified organisms.

The minister said that this was to protect the lives of Nigerians.

According to her, with the Act in place, Nigeria has taken laudable strides to adopt the necessary legal bio-safety framework and policy.

She said that was done, bearing in mind that, “if Nigeria gets it right, it will guide other African countries.”

Besides, she said, “The quest for Nigeria’s biotechnological advancement dates back to 2001 when the country adopted a National Biotechnology Policy and subsequently established the National Biotechnology Development Agency.”

Divergent views The opposition groups pointed out that there is a clear conflict of interest involved in the public support of Monsanto GMO crops by Nigerian regulatory authorities.

The opposition is alarmed that this latest application by Monsanto for the environmental release and placing in the market in Zaria and surrounding towns of GM cotton (Bt cotton, event MON 15985) comes so close on the heels of the failure of Bt cotton in Burkina Faso.

The Bt cotton is being phased out in Burkina Faso because of the inferior lint quality of the cultivar.

Monsanto also has another application before the National Biosafety Management Agency.

It’s the company’s application for confined field trials of two GMO maize varieties (NK603 and stacked event MON 89034 x NK603) in multiple locations in Nigeria.

The Director of the Health of Mother Earth Foundation, Nnimmo Bassey, said in statement, “We

are totally shocked that it should come so soon after peer-reviewed studies have showed that the technology has failed dismally in Burkina Faso.

It has brought nothing but economic misery to the cotton sector there and is being phased out in that country where compensation is being sought from Monsanto.”

Bassey also pointed out that because the Bio-safety Act didn’t come into service until very recently, what legislation was used to “authorise and regulate the field trials in the past in accordance with international law and best bio-safety practices? “ He said Nigeria’s opposition to GMO crops is because of the herbicide-tolerant traits of Monsanto’s seeds that make them tolerant to glyphosate. “People have heeded the World Health organisation’s conclusion, written in March 2015 that glyphosate is a “probable” carcinogen” he added.

There is also the concern that the GMO seeds will contaminate local varieties, and more importantly, affect the health of the 170 million Nigerians that depend on maize as a staple in their diets.

Aside this, EcoWatch reports the groups say that Nigeria does not have the infrastructure in place to adequately control and monitor the environmental and human risks of GMO crops and glyphosate.

Recent studies have linked glyphosate to health effects such as degeneration of the liver and kidney, and non-Hodgkin lymphoma.

Conclusion The approval of the Mosanto GMO by the Federal Government may have caused uproar in the agric sector but the concern amongst stakeholders is to ensure that Nigeria has abundant food and agricultural produce.

businesS \ agric

FRIDAY, JULY 22, 2016 NEW TELEGRAPH

29

FG signs 1.9m Euro deal to tackle N’East’s water issues Solution The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) would go a long way in addressing water and land resources issues in the basin.

Consulate General of the Federal Republic of Germany, Lagos, Ingo Herbert; delegate, Delegation of German Industry and Commerce in Nigeria [DGIC], Dr Marc Lucassen; President, Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry [LCCI] Dr. (Mrs) Nike Akande and Director General LCCI, Muda Yusuf, during the signing of Memorandum of Understanding between the DGIC and the LCCI on a partnership on fostering and increasing Nigerian-German business relations, in Lagos.

Caleb Onwe

Abuja

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o address the social and economic problems of the North- East region of the country, the Federal Government has signed a contract agreement with SMEC International PTY Limited for the preparation of a Strategic Action Plan for the Development of Water Resources in the Komadugu Yobe Basin in Nigeria.

The pact according to a statement, was signed in the office of the Executive Director of Nigeria Integrated Water Resources Management Commission.

Administrative Secretary of Hadejia Jama’are Komadugu Yobe Basin Trust Fund, Dr. Hassan Bdliya said that the project will address water resources management issues in the basin by applying the integrated

water resources management approach with the river basin and costing of viable physical interventions that will enhance livelihoods and ecosystems in the basin.

Dr. Hassan said: “The project of about 1.9 million Euros is supported by the grant from the African Water Facility and managed by the African Development Bank. It would cut across six states in the North

West and North East Zones of the country.”

He added that the agreement between the Federal Government and SMEC is a positive milestone in resolving the lingering economic crisis of the region in particular and Nigeria in general.

While reacting to the Administrative Secretary of the Trust Fund’s address, the Regional Manager- West Africa

of SMEC, Mr. Jose Fernandes, commended the Federal Government for the boldness in signing the agreement. He said this would go a long way in addressing the many challenges occasioned by degradation of the water and land resources in the basin.

Fernandes stated that the specific objectives of Project are include formulation of the Komadugu-Yobe Basin

Water Resources Development Strategic Action Plan (SAP), development of a modified reservoir operation rules for the re-operations of Tiga and Challawa Gorge Dams that optimise water resources allocation and use. It would also enable the preparation of water resources development projects for implementation over the short term period of the Strategic Action Plan.

Master Bakers to Ambode: Empower us to feed Lagosians Muritala Ayinla

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he Masters Bakers Association, Lagos State chapter has called on the State Governor, Mr Akinwunmi Ambode, to factor in bread bakers in the N25 billion Employment Trust Fund.

This call came hours after the Lagos State government appealed to Master Bakers in the state to step up strategies to reduce air pollution, stressing that the bakers emit 12 per cent of the air pollution in the state.

Chairman, Master Bakers Association, Mr Jacob

Adejorin made this call at a workshop organised by the Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency (LASEPA).

Adejorin said the association needs empowerment from government in order to meets its numerous challenges.

He said: “If we decide to go on strike for a week, Lagosians will feel the impact, but we won’t do that now. If the state government could empower vulcanizers, mechanics and other artisans, then why not master bakers who are employers of labour?”

Harping on the petitions sent to LASEPA on the siting of bakery in some areas, Adejorin said some of the bakeries had been sited long before building owners built their buildings, urging the agency to investigate the issue thoroughly before embarking on sanctions.

He said: “Please endeavour to investigate whenever you receive petition against us. Some of us have sited our bakeries before some houses were built. Some people chose to hate use because we don’t give them free bread and that’s why they pick up the pen to write petitions

Foundation trains African farmers in Akure Babatope Okeowo Akure

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armers and agric experts from five countries in Africa have converged on Federal College of Agriculture, Akure (FECA) in Akure, Ondo state, to brainstorm on new methods of processing cassava in order to address the challenges of food shortages in the continent.

At a capacity building programme under the auspices of Bill and Melina Gates Foundation’s Cassava Adding Value for Africa (CAVA11) in Akure, the Ondo State capital, the participants agreed that there was need to train African

farmers on the new methods of growing cassava in order to produce high yields and process it into finished products using modern methods.

The participants, who were drawn from Malawi, Tanzania, Uganda, Nigeria and Ghana, were at the four-day training to learn mass production of foods particularly cassava that is predominantly grown in the continent.

However, the Federal Government has also showed interest into the CAVA 11 programme in order to diversify from oil, which is the mainstay of the country’s foreign exchange earner and provide employment to youths in the coun-

try using instrumentality of agriculture.

The Provost of FECA, Dr Samson Odedina identified training as result-oriented measures for the drive by the Federal Government to diversify the economy and save the nation from the crunches of global oil fall.

Odedina, who spoke on the theme:‘International Farmers’ Field Day on Cassava Production Enterprise,’ disclosed that training would help to maximise outputs in agriculture.

He explained that the government’s interest in agriculture is geared towards employment generation, food security, poverty alleviation, and raw materials for industries amongst others.

against us. If Oyo and Osun States could empower bakers why can’t Lagos?”

Meanwhile, the LASEPA General Manager, Adebola Shabi, said gov-

ernment would continue to regulate the activities of the bakers to prevent circulation of unwholesome breads, pollution of the environment.

Agricultural Commodity Prices – Grains Commodity Wheat Corn Soybeans Soybean Meal Soybean Oil Oats Rough Rice Hard Red Wheat Spring Wheat

Price 419-2 344-2 1047-0 361.3 30.71 205-6 10.820 411-0 489-2

Change -5-0 -4-2 -17-0 -7.3 +0.05 +1-4 -0.0256 -3-6 +3-0

Contract Mar 15 Mar 15 Jan 15 Jan 15 Jan 15 Mar 15 Jan 15 Dec 14 Dec 14

Price 73.39 182.85 146.10 19.46 3000 24.35 1.9505 0.1600 2824.00 0.5931 326.70

Change -0.92 -0.55 +0.45 -0.08 -29 +0.04 +0.0455 unch -42.00 +0.0050 +2.00

Contract Dec 14 Jan 15 Dec 14 Mar 15 Dec 14 Jan 15 Mar 15 Mar 15 Mar 15 Mar 15 Jan 15

Price 110.000 138.900 77.450 16.50

Change -1.375 -1.700 -1.225 -0.13

Contract Dec 14 Jan 15 Dec 14 Dec 14

Time(ET) 07/20/16 07/20/16 07/20/16 07/20/16 07/20/16 07/20/16 07/20/16 07/20/16 07/20/16

Softs Commodity Cotton #2 Orange Juice Coffee Sugar #11 Cocoa Sugar #16 CME Coffee CME Sugar #11 CME Cocoa CME Cotton #2 Lumber

Time(ET) 07/20/16 07/20/16 07/20/16 07/20/16 07/20/16 08:14 11/25/14 11/25/14 11/25/14 11/25/14 14:04

Meats Commodity Live Cattle Feeder Cattle Lean Hogs Class III Milk

Time(ET) 13:04 13:04 13:04 14:03

Commodities trade on different exchanges with different trading sessions. Change always shows from the previous close price.

Quotes delayed, except where indicated otherwise. All prices in local currency.

Time is ET. Source: Bloomberg

30

Environment Watch

FRIDAY, JULY 22, 2016 NEW TELEGRAPH

CUTTING EDGE Group seeks transformation of the nation’s economy from fossil fuel to a low carbon based renewable energy

Dayo Ayeyemi

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or Nigeria to be among 20 top economies by 2020, an environmentally sustainable energy supply must be addressed, Minister of Science and Technology, Dr Ogbonnaya Onu, has said.

He spoke during the opening of the Validation Workshop Sustainable Energy for All (SE4ALL) Action Agenda in Abuja.

The minister stressed that energy supply ventures should be secured, equitable and create employment opportunities.

He noted that the role of energy as a commodity for foreign exchange earnings and an instrument for growing other sub-sectors of the domestic economy as well as an instrument for international politics cannot be over emphasised.

Onu stressed that Nigeria has poor access to clean and modern energy services needed for development, hence the need for the country to focus on science and technology, which is emphasised in the global choice of renewable energy and energy efficiency as the main pillar on which the whole world can achieve sustainable energy for all by the year 2030.

The minister, however, suggested the transformation of the nation’s economy from fossil fuel to a low carbon based around renewable

Environmental pollution: Scene of oil spill in Niger-Delta community.

Vision 2020: Nigeria banks on sustainable energy supply energy and energy efficiency.

The forum was organised by the Energy Commission of Nigeria (ECN) in collaboration with The Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) Nigeria and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

Onu gave assurance that the Nigerian government is committed to accelerating the development of renewable energy and energy efficiency in the country as set out in the National Energy Policy, Renewable Energy Master Plan (REMP) and Vision 2020/20.

Justifying the action of the government, the min-

Ogun to farmers: Stop erecting structures in forest reserves

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gun State government has cautioned farmers and other people residing in its forest reserves across the state to desist from erecting any permanent structure in them, in compliance with the state’s forestry law.

Commissioner for Forestry, Chief Kolawole Lawal, said this while addressing baales and representatives of farmers residing within the forest reserves, in Abeokuta.

He said government was not unmindful of the fact that it had legitimately allocated parcels of land to farmers for agro-forestry purposes in the reserves, but was averse to the erection of permanent structure by anyone that could be inimical to forestry activities.

The commissioner noted that some farmers were

fond of destroying economic trees to tend cash crops that they had planted illegally. The commissioner warned that government would not tolerate any form of encroachment in any of its reserves. He added that any enclave not authorised by the government would be demolished.

He said: “Ogun State government will not tolerate erection of permanent structures in the state forest reserves, as it is against the law of forestry in the state, any permanent structure found in the reserves will be destroyed.”

Lawal enjoined the communities’ leaders in the reserves to bring their instruments of appointments to the ministry for confirmation of any illegal allocation of lands by un-constituted authority.

ister stated that renewable energy would reduce sole dependence on fossil fuels, improve security of energy supply, reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, create environmental and social benefits, and deliver green jobs to the economy.

The objective of the forum was also to domesticate the SE4ALL Initiative in the country, engage all stakeholders in the development of the SE4ALL Action Plan, and promote dialogue and discourse among policy makers on SE4ALL. The minister congratulated the Energy Commission of Nigeria (ECN) and all stakeholders, which encompassed ministries, departments and agencies

(MDAs), media, civil society organisations, international donor and development partners for drafting the Action Plan.

He also thanked the UNDP and NEPAD leadership in the country for the support granted to uplift sustainable energy development.

Director-General and Chief Executive Officer of the ECN, Professor Eli Jidere Bala, said the initiative was formally unveiled in September 2011 by the UN Secretary General with the view of bringing all sectors of the society to support the three interlinked objectives of ensuring universal access to modern energy services; doubling the share of renewable energy in the global en-

ergy mix; and doubling the global rate of improvement in energy efficiency, all by 2030.

In the discharge of its statutory responsibility for strategic planning and coordination of national energy policies in all its ramifications, he said that ECN supported by the UNDP would work with other stakeholders, including MDAs, in domesticating the UN initiative in the country.

UNDP Resident Representative and Country Director, Pa Lamin Beyai, represented

by Mr. Muyiwa Odele, posited that SE4ALL is an articulation of strategies and activities for the promotion of sustainable energy, which Nigeria really needs now.

Green finance: Developing countries top list

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eveloping countries such as Kenya, Bangladesh and Jordan are leading the world on green finance, which is essential to meet the world’s sustainable development aspirations, a new report on Inquiry into the Design of a Sustainable Financial System, has said.

Released to coincide with the high-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development in New York, the report, Green Finance and Non-G20 Developing Countries, captures progress being made by 13 countries across Africa, Asia and Central America.

Executive Director of UN Environment, Erik Solheim, stated that numerous examples of developing countries are show-

ing strong leadership on green finance.

“This is extremely positive, as private capital will be a major contributor to delivering on the Sustainable Development Goals and climate commitments,” Solheim said.

In order to reach the $5$7 trillion a year needed to implement the Sustainable Development Goals, it was pointed out that the financial system must mobilise finance for specific sustainable development priorities and ensure sustainable development factors are included in financial decision-making.

The report shows how developing countries are leading the world in taking these steps, highlighting the lessons that can be

drawn from their leadership in aligning financial market development with national priorities and sustainable development.

The countries surveyed, as part of their innovative approaches, are implementing new models inspired by developments in fintech (the use of technology to make financial services more efficient).

Director of Communications for the Kenya Bankers Association, Nuru Mugambi, said: “Green finance is burgeoning; it has reached the point of spontaneous combustion. But it needs to be aligned. It needs to go beyond the leadership of a few champions and be coordinated across regional trading blocks.”

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FRIDAY, JuLY 22, 2016 NEW TELEGRAPH

AutoBeat

Coscharis unveils all-new Jaguar SUV Interior view

Paul Ogbuokiri

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he all-new Jaguar FPACE has arrived Africa, thanks to Coscharis Jagur Land Rover on Thursday in Lagos organised a media launch to mark the formal entry of the performance SUV into the the Nigerian market.

Designed and engineered to offer the agility, responsiveness and refinement that all Jaguars are renowned for, it combines with unrivalled dynamics with everyday versatility.

Developed using Jaguar’s Lightweight Aluminium Architecture, the All-New F-PACE combines purity of line, surface and proportion with F-TYPEinspired features such as the powerful rear haunches, fender vents and distinctive tail light graphics.

The bold front grille and the muscular bonnet hint at the performance potential from the supercharged V6 engines.

Elements such as slender fullLED headlights, forged 22-inch wheels and short front overhang carry the design vision of the C-X17 concept through to production.

The all-new F-PACE seats five occupants in absolute comfort.

The interior is a perfect blend of premium materials and finishes, exquisite detailing, luxuries such as heated, electrically reclining rear seats, and cutting-edge technologies including the InControl Touch Pro infotainment system and 12.3-inch HD virtual instrument cluster.

“By remaining absolutely true to our design principles the All-New F-PACE is immediately recognisable as a Jaguar,” says Ian Callum, Director of Design, Jaguar. “It offers all of the interior space you would expect – and more – but because of our disciplined approach to surfaces, proportions, and purity of line, we have designed what I consider to be the most balanced, most attractive vehicle in its class” The light, stiff body structure comprises 80 per cent aluminum, and is the only aluminum intensive monocoque in

Jaguar F-PACE

the segment. Additional weight savings come from the composite tailgate and magnesium for parts such as the cross-car beam.

With the 280kW supercharged V6 petrol engine from the F-TYPE under its sculpted aluminum bonnet, the F-PACE can accelerate from 0-100km/h in just 5.5 seconds before reaching an electronically limited top speed of 250km/h. F-PACE is lightweight, too, weighing as little as 1,820kg.

The body’s high torsional stiffness enables the F-TYPEderived double wishbone front suspension and sophisticated Integral Link rear suspension to perform even better. Togeth-

er with Torque Vectoring as standard and an Electric Power Assisted Steering system tuned to give the best possible feel and response, the F-PACE sets the benchmark for ride and handling.

Even the entry-level model benefits from monotube dampers as standard, but for even better ride and handling the electronically-controlled adaptive dynamics system measures body and wheel movement 100 and 500 times a second respectively, ensuring optimum damping forces in all conditions.

Using state-of-the-art computational fluid dynamics simulations and applying les-

sons learnt from the XE and allnew XF, the F-PACE has a drag coefficient of only 0.34, helping to reduce fuel consumption and improve refinement. The vehicle is also engineered for exceptionally low lift and excellent lift balance front-to-rear, resulting in better steering feel and stability at higher speeds.

The F-PACE’s torque ondemand all-wheel drive (AWD) system is Jaguar’s most sophisticated yet, and has the highest torque capacity. It features the advanced, in-house control system first developed for F-TYPE AWD: Intelligent Driveline Dynamics (IDD). IDD preserves rear-wheel drive agility and handling character but can

seamlessly transfer torque to the front wheels to exploit the performance benefits of extra traction, on all surfaces and in all weathers.

Adaptive Surface Response (ASR), developed from Land Rover’s patented, award-winning Terrain Response technology, makes the AWD system even more effective in challenging conditions. Integrated into Jaguar Drive Control, ASR identifies the type of surface and optimises the mapping of the powertrain and Dynamic Stability Control system. First launched in the all-new XF, ASR has been enhanced by a third mode designed for deep snow and gravel.

Accident vehicle importation soars in Nigeria

F

ollowing new foreign exchange policy recently announced by the Central bank of Nigeria (CBN), more car importers are switching over to importation of accident vehicles, mostly from United States of America (USA).

New Telegraph learnt that between March 30 and June 30, 2016, accident vehicles importation through the nation’s seaports increased by over 30 per cent, as non-accident ones reduce by over 50 per cent.

This line of business is now more attractive, because dealers get to buy the accident vehi-

cles cheaper in the US and pay lower import duties on them.

A Lagos-based accident vehicle importer, who spoke to Motoring World correspondent in anonymity, said the recent forex policy of the Federal Government has made importation of normal used vehicle more expensive and so unprofitable.

“For an accident vehicle in the US, you could pay less than 20 per cent of what you could have paid for a non-accident used vehicle,” he explained.

“And at the point of entry (port) you pay far less duty.”

On how he manages to sell

the vehicles, the respondent said he has a body repair shop, where the vehicles are taken straight to for repair before being displayed for sale.

“When we finish repairing the vehicles and repaint them,” he pointed out, “they look like new vehicles and so we make more profit. Mind you, most of the accident vehicles we import only have damaged body, but their engines are still virtually new.”

Another shipper of America-used brands, Mr. Idowu Adesulumi said the cost, year of manufacture and degree of

damage is the three cardinal things that the dealers look out for.

However, New Telegraph revealed that many of the accident vehicles imported may look good after passing through body repair shop, they are technically not roadworthy. Essentially safety standard and features of many of the vehicles would have been compromised.

For instance, chassis of many of such vehicles would have become weak after accidents and so destined for scrap yards, where they would have been grinded and recycled.

32

FRIDAY, JULY 22, 2016 NEW TELEGRAPH

EXHORTATION “THE KNOLLS OF SAFA AND MARWAH ARE AMONG THE RITES DECREED BY GOD. ANYONE WHO OBSERVES HAJJ OR `UMRAH COMMITS NO ERROR BY TRAVERSING THE DISTANCE BETWEEN THEM. IF ONE VOLUNTEERS MORE RIGHTEOUS WORKS, THEN GOD IS APPRECIATIVE, OMNISCIENT” (QURAN 2:158)

Islam

17 Shawwal, 1437

UNDERSTAND YOUR FAITH

8 ways to prepare for Hajj QUESTION

How can a Muslim prepare for Hajj?

ANSWER

Any Muslim who can afford it and is in good health must perform Hajj. it’s an obligation not an option.

This once-in-a-lifetime experience for most Muslims requires the utmost preparation and planning beforehand.

Below are some tips to help you start preparing today.

1. Ask Allah Say Bismillah (In the Name of Allah) and make Dua (supplication) to Allah to help you find the resources and time to perform Hajj this coming year.

Only He can make it happen.

2. Discuss vacation time If you work or have other obligations, you must ensure you get the three weeks to one month off needed to perform Hajj. Check the exact dates of Hajj in the coming year, find out exactly what days you need off (once again, you can talk to your travel agent) and talk to your employer or anyone else who needs to be informed about your plans to give you time off.

3. Start saving up and shopping around Hajj is an investment. You need to shop around to find a travel agent who can give you the best deal. This is where your meetings with others who have performed Hajj can help.

Look for a Hajj package through a travel agent who offers a wide selection of “packages” for Hajj and who can help you with other details relating to Hajj (i.e. immigration, leading a group through the Hajj, etc.).

4. Start asking about the legal requirements You need a number of legal documents to perform Hajj.

You will need a visa to go to Saudi Arabia. Find out how long before you have to apply for this, what documents to prepare for it, etc.

CONTINUE Next WEEK

Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubaker III (right), condoling with Gbong Gwom Jos, Da Jacob Gyang-Buba, during his visit over the death of the paramount ruler of Bokkos and Chairman, Bokkos Traditional Council in Plateau, Mr Lazarus Agai, in Jos. PHOTO: NAN

Govs reject sponsorship requests for Hajj from politicians CONTRABAND Kingdom of Saudi Arabia releases list of contraband items for pilgrims Adeola Yusuf

G

overnors of states considered bankrupt in Nigeria have begun to turn down requests of sponsorship by politicians and associates for the forth-coming Hajj operations as the on-going cash crunch rocking the country takes a toll on the religious rites.

lNAHCON captures 15, 531 pilgrims, A source at the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) told New Telegraph that the reports from states hajj boards showed that the number of states-sponsored pilgrims has been drastically reduced.

A national hajj committee led by the Oba of Lagos, Rilwanu Akiolu, had in a report submitted to former President Goodluck Jonathan, recommended that the government at all levels should hand of sponsorship of pilgrims.

“While little or nothing is done on this since 2014 when

the report was submitted, the state of the economy in many states is forcing their governors to willingly or unwilling comply with the recommendation,” the source said.

NAHCON in less than three months to the Hajj rites, the source added, has only been able to capture 15,531 intending pilgrims so far for issuance of 2016 Hajj vis out of an expected quota of about 80, 000 intending pilgrims.

He, however, expressed confidence that the quota given to Nigeria by Saudi Arabia would

MURIC: Why we support judges’ compulsory retirement

T

he Muslim Right Concerns (MURIC) has thrown its weight behind the National Judicial Council (NJC) compulsory retirement of judges over corruption cases.

Justice Olamide Folahanmi Oloyede of the High Court of the State of Osun has been recommended for compulsory retirement by the National Judicial Council (NJC). Equally recommended for compulsory retirement by NJC is Justice Muhammed Nasiru Yunusa of the Federal High Court, Lagos Division.

MURIC, however said, it warmly welcomed the recommendations of NJC concerning the two erring judges. “It is good riddance to bad rubbish,” the group said in a statement.

Nigerians were, according to the statement signed by Direc-

tor of MURIC, Professor Ishaq Akintola, “totally flabbergasted when Justice Oloyede wrote a politically motivated petition against Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola and his deputy. Yet she could not substantiate her claims when the state’s House of Assembly investigated the matter. Her action contradicted her status as an unbiased umpire. Nigerians would do better with illiterate carpenters as high court judges than learned people of her mean disposition.”

The group continued: “Whereas corruption is the bane of life more abundant for the people of Nigeria and whereas the masses have resolved to tackle this hydra-headed monster headlong by bringing corrupt politicians to book, Justice Muhammed Nasiru Yunusa, in an undisguised attempt to frustrate the course of justice, aided and abetted looters

by granting frivolous injunctions in favour of kleptomaniacs.”

MURIC said that it commended NJC for this bold and forthright decision.

“The judiciary will earn its deserved respect if all the bad eggs can be fished out and severely dealt with. We warn that the war against corruption cannot succeed if the judiciary constitutes itself into a clog in the wheel of progress. It is sad to see looters sharing less than 10% of their loot with corrupt judges and unprincipled lawyers for the purpose of frustrating the prosecution while they spend the rest 90% living flambouyant lives in the midst of wretched citizens.

“We remind judges that the judiciary is the last hope of the common man. Nigeria is on the brink of economic dehydration unless all leakages can be plugged.

be met for this year’s Hajj.

“This is because Hajj is a religious rite, one of the important pillars of Islam and all able Muslims who have the wherewithal to do so are under obligation to perform Hajj,” he added.

Meanwhile, the NAHCON has insisted that five airline operators, including three airlines and two cargo carries, stood disqualified for the 2016 Hajj operations.

This came as the government also subjected accommodation providers in Makkah and Madinah, food caterers, transport providers, tent providers, zamzam providers, amongst others to rigorous screening exercise.

A statistics of NAHCON obtained by New Telegraph showed that three out of the nine airlines screened for airlifting of pilgrims and two airline operators screened for cargoes services failed to meet the requirement set by the government.

The list of those who were disqualified in the pilgrims airlifting category includes Chanchangi airlines; Kabo Air Limited; and Skypower Express Airways Limited. The Cargo Zeal Technologies Limited and Evergreen and White airline could not meet up in the cargo lifting screening category.

A statement issued by Head of Media of the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON), Alhaji Uba Mana, has earlier revealed the Azman Air Services, Chanchangi Airlines, Dornier AIEP, Fly-Nas, Kabo Air Limited, Max Air Limited, MedView Airlines, Skypower Express Airways Limited and Top Brass were screened.

According to the statement, applicants as excess luggage carriers were, Cargo Zeal Technologies Limited, Evergreen and White, Med-View International Travels and Cargo and NAHCOH Aviance.

NAHCON however said in a new statement published on its website six airline operators who were approved included a Saudidesignated airline.

33

FRIDAY, JULY 22, 2016 NEW TELEGRAPH

Fraud ‘I became a fraudster to save my pregnant wife’

Crime

Outrage Police detain complainants, free suspected thief

Pride My cult group is deadlier than Aiye confraternity, suspect brags

Ezekiel

Negedu

34

35 36

Sule

Howkidnappersambushedpolicemen Juliana Francis

S

ergeant Ohizua Francis and Sergeant Odubanjo Christopher are no novice when it comes to hunting criminals and engaging in gun duel with hardened armed robbers.

They have battled a lot of armed robbers and most times, left the battle field bloodied, but smiling triumphantly in victory.

These men, attached to the Intelligence Response Team of the IGP’s Monitoring Unit, under the leadership of a Chief Superintendent of Police (CSP), Mr. Abba Kyarri, have witnessed a lot of battles in their lives.

JULIANA FRANCIS CRIME Editor

juliana.francis@newtelegraphonline.com

© Daily Telegraph Publishing Company Limited

But recently, they had to battle the mother of all battles. These gallant policemen, while in the line of duty, with four others, were ambushed by desperate and blood thirsty kidnappers.

The six policemen were in a police decoy operational vehicle, with some arrested suspected kidnappers, when bullets started raining on them.

The scene was like one straight out of an American movie. The policemen jumped out of the moving vehicle, scampering in different directions. In their determination to escape and be alive, they didn’t remember to take their suspects.

Incidentally, it was the same suspects that led the policemen, into, what they later called, ‘valley of death.’

The policemen, who were hunters, suddenly became the hunted.

They ran until they couldn’t run anymore. At that point, images of their wives and kids must have flashed through their minds as they wondered if that fateful day would be their last on earth.

When the smoke from the kidnappers guns cleared and the booming guns became silent, the police took head counts and discovered that Francis and Christopher were nowhere to be found.

The four policemen stared coldly into one another's eyes and did what they often do not remember

Immediately the policemen drove into the bush, bullets started flying from every corner

to do. They prayed.

A police source said: “The fact that the policemen survived was nothing, but sheer miracle! Our policemen were gallant. They used to experience hell in the line of duty.

The fact of the case is that a victim was kidnapped and the policemen, attached to IRT Unit, started tracking the kidnappers, hoping to rescue the victim. They tracked the kidnappers to Kogi State. They got one of the kidnappers. He led the policemen to their den, where three other kidnappers were arrested.

In the course of interrogating them, the policemen learned that there was another kidnappers', den, where some victims were being held. The policemen told the suspects to take them to their second camp.

The suspects, however ,failed to tell the policemen that there were hidden gunmen everywhere in the bush, guarding that particular camp. They also failed to tell the policemen that vehicles were not allowed within an inch of the camp.

“Immediately the policemen drove into the bush, bullets started flying from every corner. The windscreens of the vehicle were shattered to smithereens. It was like walking into the valley of death. The bullets

kept coming and the men had to run. Some of the bullets hit the suspects, who were in the car with the policemen. The policemen ran in different directions.

They were in a strange village.

The village was already having clashes with another village, thus the residents are always suspicious of everyone. Four of the policemen later found themselves, but Francis and Christopher couldn’t be found.”

While the four policemen were thanking God that they escaped death by a whisker, they also prayed that their missing colleagues would be found alive.

They alerted their boss, Kyarri. He immediately made a beeline for Kogi State.

Meanwhile, Christopher, who was running from the hail of bullets, found himself outside the forest. He had allegedly sustained bullet wound and was all bloodied. He had unwittingly run into a village. The suspicious villagers grabbed him and wouldn’t listen to his introduction that he was an officer of the law. They brutalised and tied him. They later handed him over to some local vigilante men.

Francis, who also scampered in another direction, had sustained injury. He found himself in the midst of some stern faced CONTINUED ON PAGE 34

34

CRIME

FRIDAY, JULY 22, 2016 NEW TELEGRAPH

‘I became a fraudster to save my pregnant wife’ Camillus Nnaji

A

31-year-old suspect, Mr. Azeez Ajose, has told policemen that he decided to become a fraudster in order to save the life of his pregnant wife and unborn baby.

Ajose said that if he had had money, to meet his wife’s medical bills, she wouldn’t have died and his baby might have lived.

According to him, it was because he couldn’t pay the hospital bills that he had to watch his wife die, along with their unborn baby.

He said: “ I used to be a cobbler.

My wife was pregnant and when it was time for delivery, the doctor said it would be through caesarian section(CS), which would cost N80,000. I didn’t have N80,000. I had to start running around to look for ways to raise the money. I ran to my friend Wasiu, who told me that he would teach me how to make money.

He told me he would teach me how to become a fraudster (419). He said my financial problems would soon be over.”

Ajose said he was yet to get the money before news of his wife’s death came.

The suspect was arrested after members of his syndicate, defrauded a young lady, identified as Barakat Owolabi of N503,000.

Owolabi said they were able to convince Owolabi to submit her sister’s Automatic Teller Machine(ATM) card, which they used to withdraw money.

Ajose said that he and two others, Wasiu and Friday, defrauded Owolabi, of N503,000.

According to him, they met Owolabi on the road and convinced her they wanted her to become their cashier. They told her that they used to bring in goods from overseas and

needed a cashier, whom they would pay N100,000.

He told policemen that he and his partners in crime were able to convince the lady to follow them to a hotel, where they started the job of fooling her into believing that papers could be turned into naira notes.

But the police insisted that Ajose was lying. The police said Owolabi was waylaid on her way to work by members of the syndicate at IyanaIpaja, Lagos. They allegedly persuaded her to board a motorbike, which took her to their hideout at Ile-Epo, Abule-Oke-Odo, Lagos State.

According to the police, Owolabi was dispossessed of N10,000 cash and her sister’s ATM. Recounting how they duped Owolabi, Ajose said: “On that fateful day, we met Owolabi at IyanaIpaja. We convinced her to come and count money for us. We told her we had just sold some goods.

We enticed her with promises of N100,000 and offer of a brand new Blackberry Phone.”

It was further gathered that after leaving Ile-Epo, the men took Owolabi to a hotel somewhere in Isolo, Lagos, where they further pulled the wool over her eyes.

Right before her eyes, Owolabi witnessed wands of ordinary papers, turned into naira notes. She fell hook, line and sinker for the scam.

Ajose said: “ We didn’t use charm on her. We brought out a paper. And within minutes, we dipped the paper into a substance. It turned into naira notes. She became visibly excited. She asked how we did it. That was how we whet her interest.”

Owolabi was asked to bring money to purchase the chemical, which could turn papers into naira notes.

Ajose

They told her that if she could get her own chemical, she could start turning papers into naira notes. She allegedly accepted.

Ajose recounted: “We told her to bring her mother’s ATM card. The next day, she came with the ATM card and gave us the Personal Identification Number (PIN). We withdrew N100,000 and later N400,000. It was because ATM has limited withdrawal, that we decided to use it to pay for three bags of rice, three water dispensers, one kiddies’ bicycle, three standing fans, three sets of cooking pots and other items.”

The police further said: “ The sus-

pects took the ATM card to LE Taiwo Supermarket at Isolo and used the card to buy different items. Later, they released Owolabi to go home, without returning the ATM card.

When the owner of the ATM card, her sister, Nurat Kehinde Banire, couldn’t find Owolabi, she reported the case at Gowon Estate Police Station. After regaining her freedom, Owolabi saw alerts of bank transactions made by the suspects and went to report at the police station.”

The case was handled by Gowon Estate Police Station. Detectives attached to the station, tracked down Ajose, and arrested him.

Valley of death: How kidnappers CONTINUED FROM PAGE 33

men. These were another set of the local vigilantes.

These men listened to Francis'. While they were listening to Francis’s story, calls came from the men, who had

Damaged police car

grabbed Christopher. Thus, the two policemen were reunited.

The vigilante men would later call Kyarri and other policemen. There was back slapping of joy as the policemen, who earlier feared the worst, realised that God had given them another

change to live.

Kyarri radioed for re-enforcement, and, together with his men, they once again stormed the dreaded valley of death. This time, they knew what would be waiting for them and couldn’t be taken by surprise.

Another police source said: “On July 3, 2016, in response to series of kidnappings within Ankpa, Egume and Anyingba areas of Kogi State, the IGP deployed IRT operatives to go after the kidnappers. Eventually, three suspected kidnappers, Tony Aka Baba, the gang leader, Ibrahim Nasarawa, who is second in charge of the gang and a third suspect, Kingsley, were tracked and arrested in a shrine at the outskirts of Egume and Ayinba towns respectively.

The suspects confessed to several kidnappings within Egume, Ankpa and Anyingba towns. They further confessed that a victim was still in their custody, hence they led IRT operatives to their camp, where they kept the victim, Mr Edward Abutu Amedu. Upon approaching the camp, IRT operatives were ambushed and shot at by several armed men guarding the kidnappers’ camp. Two IRT operatives, Christopher and Francis were seriously injured; The IRT decoy jeep was damaged by bullets. All the kidnapping suspects were later arrested, including the CONTINUED ON PAGE 35

CRIME

FRIDAY, JULY 22, 2016 NEW TELEGRAPH

Camillus Nnaji

R

esidents of No. 79 Bajulaye Street, Somolu, Lagos State, have recounted with shock and disgust, how the former Divisional Police Officer (DPO), in charge of Alade Police Station, bullied them into paying for the medical bill of a suspected thief, who was attempting to steal from them.

The young thief, Ismahim Timiriyu 23, was said to have sustained injury on May 7, 2016, while attempting to scale the fence of a building to steal.

Timiriyu was caught by residents and handed over to Alade Police Station. The DPO, identified as Ajimuda, however, detained some of the residents, insisting that others should go and take care of the injury Timiriyu sustained while attempting to scale the walls of the building to steal.

One of the residents, Mariam Shittu, said: “I was forced to stay with the suspect in hospital all through the night at the National Orthopedic Hospital, Igbobi, Lagos.”

Shittu, daughter of the owner of the house the suspect targeted, said Timiriyu, on that fateful day, around 1: am, scaled the fence of their building and got injured by broken bottles placed as security measure on the fence. While Timiriyu was busy working his way into the compound, through the fence, he didn’t know that some residents were sleeping at the open space in the compound. Immediately he jumped down, the residents were upon him like fleas over a dog.

While fielding questions from the outraged residents, Timiriyu said that he came only to steal food to eat.

He said he was hungry. He told them that his father abandoned him when he was just 12-year-old to fend for himself.

Shittu said: “We reported the matter at Alade Police Station. The DPO, Mr. Ajimuda, dispatched some policemen to our compound. The thief was picked. But the DPO, rather than detained the thief, detained my brother, Taiwo and one of our tenants, called Niyi. Ajimuda ordered that I should stay with the thief in any hospital

Police detain complainants, free suspected thief

…order victims to pay bills of injured suspect

Lagos CP, Owoseni

he was taken to. He further said we should pay the suspect’s medical bill.

The DPO said unless these conditions were met, those arrested wouldn’t be granted bail.”

Shittu wondered why she should be made to look after a thief in the hospital, who was attempting to break into her compound, to steal. She also wasn’t happy that she had to leave her three-month-old baby at home, to stay

with Timiriyu.

According to her, residents had to cough up N25, 500.00 to pay Timiriyu’s medical bill.

Taiwo, who was detained, said he couldn’t believe it when the DPO ordered his men to detain him, instead of the suspect. He described the situation as “travesty of justice.”

He said he was further stunned when police, rather than investigate

ambushed policemen CONTINUED FROM PAGE 34

gang leader, Baba. The victim, Mr. Edward Abutu Amedu, was rescued.

The two injured IRT operatives are receiving treatment in hospital.”

The Force Public Relations Officer (FPRO), Don Awunah, who confirmed the attack on the policemen, said: “Three members of a notorious kidnap gang, who had, for a while, operated in major cities in Kogi and neighbouring states, were trailed and arrested at their hideouts on the outskirt of Egume and Anyimgba towns in Kogi State.

"The leader of the gang, led IRT operatives to their den, where Amedu, was held hostage. On sighting the operatives, the armed guards who were stationed to keep watch over their victims, opened fire on the policemen. The operatives responded and overpowered them. Their victim was rescued unhurt. Sadly, two of our men sustained gunshot injuries and are currently responding to treatment in the hospital while other members of the gang escaped with bullet wounds.”

35

Awunah added that in another coordinated operation, based on credible intelligence generated by operatives of the IRT, three members of a dare-devil kidnap gang that abducted one Mrs. Mayo Ohemi, Nichodemus Kadiri and Miss Victoria Abdul, from Acharu Egume area of Kogi State, were arrested.

The suspects, Ojonimi Negedu, 32, Awodi Ezekiel 26 and Michael Sule 21 were arrested.

According to Awunah, the confessions of the suspects, led to the rescue of the victims. The image maker said the suspects were already demanding for N20 million ransom before IRT operatives stormed the camp.

His words: “The policemen rescued the victims, who sustained various degrees of injuries in the hands of their abductors.”

Awunah added: “This renewed onslaught on criminal elements in Kogi State is designed by the IGP to stem the tide of kidnapping for ransom, armed robbery and other criminal activities. It shall be sustained until all the criminal elements are flushed out of the state.”

Rescued victim

Timiriyu after treatment, allowed him to go.

Taiwo said: “This is how innocent people suffer in this country. Timiriyu went home free, while we spent a night in police detention. We were also made to spend money on his treatment. That’s total injustice!”

Another resident, who craved anonymity, said the DPO was disliked by most of the residents. He added that most residents had repeatedly called for his removal from Alade Police Station, before the demand was granted.

The resident added: “The residents of the area were tired of the DPO and his station officer. The DPO turned the police station into Funsho William Avenue, where he displays and sells cars.

He had even once released a rape suspect, who was duly identified by his victim. These are some of his many deeds.”

Our correspondent however gathered that the DPO ordered the residents to pay the suspect’s medical bill, because he didn’t want Timiriyu to die from the injury he sustained.

A source alleged that the DPO also discovered that Timiriyu’s father truly threw him out of the house when he was just 12-year-old. He had since been fending for himself.

The source said: “Timiriyu’s father admitted it. What Timiriyu needs is rehabilitation. The DPO's order that residents should foot the bill for his treatment was not in bad faith, or to upturn justice.”

The Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Dolapo Badmus, reacting to the incident said: “There had been pockets of complaints about the former DPO of Alade Police Station, but his transfer was as a result of routine change of posting, which is normal within the Nigeria Police Force.”

36

CRIME

FRIDAY, JULY 22, 2016 NEW TELEGRAPH

The suspected cultists

Taiwo Jimoh

D

etectives attached to the Lagos State Police Command were shocked to their bone marrows, when a 23-year-old man, who was arrested for armed robbery, rather than be remorseful or pretend to be, started bragging of how deadly and feared his cult group is.

The suspect, Bright Ogogo, was arrested alongside his cronies, Sodiq Arolu 19 and Akeem Isiaka 32.

While others were speaking with tears filled eyes, confessing and regretting their past actions, Ogogo appeared to look at them with scorn.

The suspects said they were heading to Badagry, a suburb of Lagos State, to carry out a robbery operation when policemen on ‘Stop and Search’ duty, arrested them.

The police were said to have carried out a thorough search of their bags and retrieved two axes, two locally made pistols, three live cartridges and assorted charms.

While others introduced themselves as members of Aiye Confraternity, Ogogo appeared to be angry that people assumed he was also a member of Aiye.

He quickly corrected that notion with pride ringing in his voice.

His words: “I don’t belong to Aiye Confraternity! I’m only helping these members of Aiye in their operations. I belong to the Black Movement of Africa. It’s another cult group and quite deadlier than Aiye. It was because Aiye members knew the stuff Black Movement of Africa members are made off, that they invited me to join them during

My cult group is deadlier than Aiye confraternity, suspect brags operations.”

According to him, he joined the Black Movement of Africa cult in December last year after some of the members promised him a job.

Ogogo said: “They promised to secure a job for me. The cult has members in different fields, across Nigeria. It was basically because of that, that I joined them. But after becoming their member, my situation didn’t change. They didn’t get employment for me. In fact, since I joined, it has been one operation after another across the country.”

Ogogo, who refused to speak about his parents and family, said he thought that if he joined the Black Movement of Africa Cult, they would get him a job, so that he could go back to school.

He said he was already targeting the National Open University of Nigeria. He said he knew he would have to sponsor himself through his education. He however couldn’t sponsor himself without a job.

The Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Fatai Owoseni, who confirmed the arrest of the suspects, said they were arrested at Oko-Afo, along Badagry Express Way, during a ‘Stop and Search’ by policemen, on July 9, 2016.

Owoseni said: “The suspects were apprehended on their way to attack a rival cult group at Badagry. During the search of their bags, two axes, two locally made pistols, three live cartridges and

assorted charms were recovered from them.”

The youngest among the suspects, Arolu, who said he was a freight forwarder, said he wouldn’t have been arrested if he had just gone home to be with his mother.

He said: “ I was preparing to visit my mother at Oko-Afo, to celebrate the Sallah with her, when I received a phone call from my friend Akeem. Akeem said we would be going for operation that day. Fortunately, the place of the operation was along my way. We were already on our way, when we saw policemen. They were on ‘Stop and Search’ duty on the expressway. They flagged down our commercial bus. All passengers were ordered to step out of the bus for a search.”

Arolu continued: “Before the policemen could open the bag of our leader, Afeez, he ran away, leaving the bag with the policemen. He also left the three of us behind. We couldn’t escape. We were immediately arrested.”

Recalling how he was initiated into cultism, finally leading him into becoming an armed robber, Arolu said: “I was initiated into the cult group last year, by a friend whom I met at a joint where we used to smoke India hemp, at Ajegunle.”

He further said: “Whenever we meet at the joint, he always buys me India hemp. Sometimes, I also

buy for him. It was through that way we became friends. One fateful day, he invited me to a party and I got drunk. Before I knew what was happening, I found myself inside a forest. They beat and gave me something to drink. My clothes and shoes were torn before I was set free. They told me that I had become their member from that day.”

The third suspect, Akeem, said, he joined Aiye Confraternity out of frustration.

His words: “I was introduced into the cult group by one Afeez after I lost my job as a cleaner in a bank in 2012. Initially, I was not told by the group that they were cultists. It took a while before I realised I had been initiated into Aiye Confraternity. At that stage, there was no way I could pull out.

“I couldn’t pull out because I have dined and wined with them.

They also threatened to kill me if I dared to leave. I didn’t want to die.

Since I joined, I have never killed someone. But I used to follow them to operations.”

Akeem further lamented: “I regret my actions. I don’t know how my parents would feel when they see me in a situation like this. I know they wouldn’t be pleased. My parents should forgive me because I have brought disgrace upon them.

I’m ready to work with the police to trace and arrest Afeez. I don’t want to die alone because he’s the one leading us to Badagry.”

friDAY, JUly 22, 2016 NEW TELEGRAPH

BUSINESS | Money Line

37

Nigeria to start int’l borrowing in Q3 –Finance minister •Naira plunges to N310.43 per dollar •Parallel market rate hits N377/$

Depreciation CBN refrains from intervention

Finance Minister Kemi Adeosun said yesterday, in the wake of the Central Bank of Nigeria’s (CBN’s) decision to float the naira last month.

Announcement of the external borrowing came on a day the naira fell to its lowest level since the launch of the new flexible foreign

Tony Chukwunyem

N

igeria will start borrowing abroad in the third quarter,

exchange policy about a month ago, dropping below the N300-mark to close at N310.43 to the dollar.

The Federal Government had said it plans to borrow up to $10 billion, with about half of that coming from foreign sources, to help make up a budget shortfall exac-

erbated by a slump in oil prices.

Nigeria had initially planned to hold Eurobonds road shows in March but postponed sales, as investors complained about the overvalued naira, according to bankers.

In June, the apex bank floated the naira.

Yesterday, the currency hit a record low of N330.50 in off-market transactions, after just one trade was made during regular interbank hours at a rate of N309 to the dollar, Bloomberg news reported yesterday.

“We have been borrowing largely from the domestic market because we needed to get the exchange rate

sorted out to enable us to borrow from the international market. The international borrowings will begin to come in Q3,” Adeosun told reporters.

The federal government has said it wants to change the balance of its debt portfolio so that 40 per cent of its borrowing comes from abroad, compared with 16 per cent now. It also wants to extend the average maturity of its debt profile.

bank raises CBN affirms confidence in Skye Apex N204.9bn in treasury Bank, institutes guarantee line bills at higher yields T T he Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), has affirmed confidence in Skye Bank Plc., through a guarantee line, which ensures that withdrawals it suffered in the wake of the undue panic of last week does not adversely affect its operations.

This development analysts believe, lends credence to the regulator’s earlier assertion that Skye Bank is a Strategically Important Bank (SIB), with substantial market share, interconnectedness and significant relevance to the nation’s financial systems

Okoroafor said.

In addition, “The CBN issued guarantees to depositors and creditors of Skye Bank as a demonstration of the bank’s health”, Okoroafor further explained.

The guarantee line is coming on the heels of CBN’s recent intervention in the bank following the voluntary resignation of the Board of Directors of the bank and the consequent re-constitution of the Board with a new management team led by Mr. M.K. Ahmad and Mr. Adetokunbo Abiru, who emerged as Chairman

stability.

Bloomberg reported yesterday that the apex bank confirmed this development through a statement by the CBN spokesman, Isaac Okoroafor, who said that the undisclosed guarantee sum would assist the bank to shore up its liquidity and maintain its level of operations.

“The short-ter m lending facility will allow the management of the bank to ensure that some withdrawals it suffered in the wake of the undue panic of last week do not adversely affect its operations”,

and Group Managing Director respectively.

The CBN guarantee will not only enhance Skye Bank’s interbank trading and activities; but will also provide assurance to the other banks to continue to deal with and trade with the bank’s instruments in the interbank market.

The CBN had similarly introduced a bank credit guarantee package for some banks in 2009 in the wake of the global economic crisis, which affected both the local and global financial markets.

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

N19,142,526.05m N18,579,219.49m 16.5 12 10.77 US$46.45 US$26,348,670,304

Mar, 2015 Mar, 2015 June, 2016 23/03/2016 Mar 2015 21/7/2016 20/7/2016

Description 15.10 27-APR-2017 16.00 29-JUN-2019 15.54 13-FEB-2020 16.39 27-JAN-2022 14.20 14-MAR-2024 12.50 22-JAN-2026 10.00 23-JUL-2030 12.1493 18-JUL-2034 Tenor (Days) Call 30 90 180

TTM

Price 104.65 114.59 111.96 120.58 109.60 100.54 83.82 97.56

1.07 3.24 3.87 5.82 7.95 9.81 14.31 18.29

NIBOR

Rate (%) 4.4583 9.1071 11.0102 12.3790

Bid Yield 10.38 10.55 11.60 11.44 12.27 12.40 12.44 12.49

Change (%) -2.50 ▼ -0.74 ▼ -0.65 ▼ -0.68 ▼

Change (%) -0.02 ▼ -0.01 ▼ 0.00 ↔ 0.00 ↔ -0.07 ▼ -0.08 ▼ -0.03 ▼ 0.02 ▲

Price 104.80 114.89 112.26 120.88 109.90 100.84 84.12 97.86

Tenor (Months)

Change (%) -0.02 ▼ -0.01 ▼ 0.00 ↔ 0.00 ↔ -0.07 ▼ -0.08 ▼ -0.03 ▼ 0.02 ▲

NITTY

Rate (%) 6.9949 7.2368 8.0819 9.2061 9.5872 10.5042

1 2 3 6 9 12

Treasury Bills

Offer Yield 10.24 10.45 11.51 11.38 12.22 12.34 12.39 12.44

Change (%) 1.12 ▲ -0.27 ▼ -0.17 ▼ -0.11 ▼ 0.03 ▲ 0.42 ▲

Money Market

Maturity Date Discount Bid Yield Change (%) Discount Offer Yield Change (%) Rate (%) 7.67 7.82 -0.51 ▼ Open-Buy-Back (OBB) 3.83 30-Jun-16 7.92 8.08 -0.51 ▼ 6-Oct-16 8.59 8.34 8.71 -0.31 ▼ Overnight (O/N) 4.33 8.99 -0.31 ▼ 16-Mar-17 9.36 10.28 -0.07 ▼ 9.11 9.98 -0.07 ▼

Spot($/N)

Bid 199.14

FX

Offer 199.24

Change (%) 0.57 ▲

NIFEX

Spot($/N)

Bid 199.0000

CBN Clearing Rates of January 7, 2016 Spot($/N)

196.00

197.00

0.00 ↔

Offer 199.1000

Change (%) -1.75 ▼ -2.08 ▼

Change (%) 0.00 ↔

The banking watchdog sold N129 billion worth of the one-year paper at 16.48 per cent, up from 14.99 at the last auction.

The CBN had wanted to raise N127.9 billion though demand stood at N392.38 billion. Bid rates were as low as 9.5 per cent and as high as 21 per cent.

The CBN issues treasury bills as part of its measures to finance the government budget deficit and also to help manage liquidity in the banking system.

‘Banking watchdog’s intervention in forex market ‘ll protect naira’

A

Source:CBN

FGN Bonds

he Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) yesterday raised a total of N204.9 billion in treasury bills with maturities ranging from three months to one year at higher yields, fixed income dealers said.

The apex bank sold N36.7 billion of the 3-month treasury bills at 14.14 per cent, compared with 9.98 per cent at the July 8 auction, and N39.1 billion worth of the 6-month bill at 15.48 per cent, against 12.24 per cent previously.

Chartered Accountant and the Principal Partner /CEO of Victor Owonifari & Co., Mr. Victor Owonifari, has described the intervention of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) in the interbank forex as a right step in the right direction that will go a long way in putting the naira in a vantage position when compared with other currencies of the world.

Owonifari, who said this at Ikeja, Lagos during an interactive session with newsmen, noted that the market should be allowed to operate freely and find its equilibrium, but as the regulatory body, the CBN should intervene once in a while to curb excesses and supply shortfalls, thereby protecting the naira.

He noted that the apex bank had repeatedly informed Nigerians that it allowed flexibility to come into play and was prepared to intervene only when necessary to prevent volatility in the forex market; the new system was expected to operate as a single market structure through the interbank

and autonomous methods.

The financial expert, however, added that the recent devaluation of the naira to the US dollar increased the cost of imported goods, thereby making Nigerians to pay more for imported goods without a corresponding increase in quality and quantity.

Owonifari also noted that the increase in the pump price of petroleum products and prices of household commodities in the early part of the year was partly responsible for the sudden rise in inflation rate by 15.10 per cent, which was above what it was same period in 2015.

He urged the government to checkmate the trend of inflation in the country by not only ensuring the reduction of the people’s dependence on imported goods, but by also creating an enabling environment that will be attractive to investors and small scale business owners in order to have positive effects on the naira, provide job opportunities for Nigerians, reduce capital flight and bring down inflation to an acceptable limit.

38

BUSINESS |Financial Market News

friDAY, JUly 22, 2016 NEW TELEGRAPH

friDAY, JUly 22, 2016 NEW TELEGRAPH

LOW CONFIDENCE Sustained sell pressure depletes equities by N77bn

Stories by Chris Ugwu

T

he bears sustained their grip on the activities of Nigerian equity market following the sell- off that had pervaded the stock market in recent times.

Equities market losses widened to fourth trading day, as investors remained on the sideline in anticipation of poor second quarter results.

The local bourse recorded only six gainers against 34 losers. The NSE Banking Index, Consumer Goods Index

BUSINESS |Financial Market News

Stock market extends decline by 0.79% and the NSE Oil and Gas Index dipped by 2.56 per cent, 0.24 per cent and 0.92 per cent respectively.

Consequently, the AllShare Index dipped 223.89 basis points or 0.79 per cent to close at 27.997.29 basis points as against 28,715.18 recorded the previous day, while market capitalisation of equities depreciated by N77 billion from N9.692 trillion the previous day to N9.615 trillion.

Meanwhile, a turnover of 227.1 million shares exchanged in 3,426 deals was recorded in the day’s trading.

The banking sub-sector of the financial services segment was the most active during the day (measured by

Cadbury bounces to profit, posts N147m HY

C

adbury Nigeria Plc has recorded a profit after tax of N147.147 million for the half-year ended June 30, 2016. This is against a loss after tax of N250.716 million a year earlier.

Key extracts of the accounts statement for the halfyear submitted to the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) showed growth in key performance indices.

The food and confectionery maker also reported a profit before tax of N216.393 million during the period under review from a loss before tax of N250.716 million in 2015.

However, gross earnings dropped marginally to N13.917 billion during the half year, against N14.137 billion a year ago, accounting for a drop of 1.56 per cent.

Cadbury Nigeria had ended the full year ended December 31, 2015 with 46 per cent drop in profit after tax.

The company recorded a profit after tax of N1.153 bil-

39

lion during the full year, from N2.137 billion in 2014, accounting for a percentage decline of 46 per cent.

Similarly, it posted a profit before tax of N1.577 billion during the full year from N2.385 billion reported in the same period of 2014, representing a decline of 34 per cent.

Gross ear nings also dropped to N27.825 billion during the full year, against N30.518 billion a year ago, accounting for a drop of 9 per cent.

Analysts at FBN Capital have attributed the volatility in performance of Cadbury Nigeria to the squeeze on consumer disposable incomes.

According to the analysts in an equity research on Cadbury, after a string of losses from 2006 to 2009, exacerbated by an internal crisis and financial misappropriations, which led to the suspension of its shares, Cadbury recovered to record profitability in 2010.

turnover volume); with 127.9 million shares exchanged by investors in 1.042 deals.

Volume in the sub-sector was largely driven by activities in the shares of Skye Bank Plc and UBA Plc. Also, Premium sub-sector, boosted by activities in the shares of FBNH Plc and Zenith Bank Plc followed with

a turnover of 36.8 million shares in 608 deals.

Further analysis of the day’s trading showed that Skye Bank Plc topped the day’s gainers’ table with 8.97 per cent to close at 85 kobo per share, while Wema Bank Plc followed with 6.85 per cent to close at 78 kobo per share. AG Leventis Plc

F

lour Mills of Nigeria Plc has reported 71.42 per cent growth in profit after tax for the full year ended March 31, 2016.

The group’s unaudited result for the period, showed that the nation’s biggest miller by market value posted a profit after tax of N14.4 billion during the period under review as against N8.4 billion reported a year earlier. This accounted for a growth of 71.42 per cent.

Profit before tax stood at N11.5 billion in contrast to N7.7 billion reported during corresponding period of 2015, representing an increase of 49 per cent.

The group’s revenue grew by 10.95 per cent to N342.586 billion in 2016 from N308.756 billion in

added 4.30 per cent to close at 97 kobo per share.

On the flip side, Oando Plc led the losers’ with a drop of 8.72 per cent to close at N4.92 per share, while Diamond Bank Plc shed 8.62 per cent to close at N1.59 per share.

Transcorp Plc plunged by 8.51per cent to close at N1.29 per share.

Flour Mills reports 71% FY earnings growth 2015.

Flour Mills of Nigeria reported 476.89 per cent growth in profit after tax for the nine months ended December 2015.

The group’s unaudited result for the period ended December 31, showed a profit after tax of N19.003 billion during the period under review as against N3.294 billion reported a year earlier, accounting for a growth of 476.89 per cent.

Profit before tax stood at N19.785 billion in contrast to N3.696 billion reported during corresponding period of 2014, representing an increase of 435.3 per cent.

The group’s revenue grew by 7.94 per cent, from N244.279 billion in 2014 to N263.679 billion during the review period of 2015.

The company’s management in an explanatory note to the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) said despite the pressure on top line sales, coupled with operational and logistics issues in Apapa, the Group and Company succeeded in growing revenues by 8 per cent year-on-year.

It noted that the improved top line growth was impacted by devaluation of the Naira, which led to rising input costs.

Emerging market rally stalls on ECB stimulus plans

lus this year once they have a clearer picture of the economic impact from the UK’s vote to leave the European Union.

That disappointed some investors who had been looking for a more forceful signal from the bank and cooled prospects for a rally that Goldman Sachs Group Inc. says has attracted more than $18 billion into developing-nation assets in the past month.

“I fear that the markets have way too high hopes for how much easing the central banks can do this summer,” said Anders Svendsen, an analyst at Nordea Bank A/S in Copenhagen. “The market had a tiny bit of hope that the ECB would do something.”

E

merging market stocks and currencies paused a rally that’s taken them to 11-month highs, as European Central Bank President Mario Draghi dented hopes of an acceleration in stimulus. Turkish shares and bonds extended losses.

According to Bloomberg News, the MSCI Emerging Markets Index was little changed after a 4.4 per cent advance this month. The Borsa Istanbul 100 Index headed for its worst week since 2008

and Turkey’s 10-year yields climbed to their highest since May after S&P Global Ratings downgraded the country’s credit grade and the president imposed a state of emergency.

Indonesian stocks fell after the country’s central bank unexpectedly held interest rates unchanged. The South African rand rose more than 1 per cent after policy makers in Pretoria left borrowing costs steady, in line with forecasts.

Draghi said policy makers would only add fresh stimu-

40

NEWS | south-west

friday, july 22, 2016 NEW TELEGRAPH

Appeal Court okays hijab in Lagos schools OAU picks Elujoba as Akeem Nafiu

T

he Court of Appeal, Lagos division has okayed Muslim students' bid in Lagos State public schools to wear hijab.

This followed a unanimous judgement by a special panel of the appellate court which set aside the judgement of Justice Modupe Onyeabor of an Ikeja High Court barring students in public primary and secondary schools in the state from putting on hijab (Muslims headscarf) on their school uniforms.

The suit was instituted against the Lagos State Government by two 12 year-old girls under the aegis of the Muslim Students Society of Nigeria (MSSN), Lagos State Area Unit.

Delivering judgement yesterday, a special panel of the court presided over

by Justice A. B. Gumel held that the appeal was meritorious and same should be allowed.

In his lead judgement, Justice Gumel held that the use of hijab was an Islamic injunction and also an act of worship, hence, it will constitute a violation of the appellants' rights to stop them from wearing hijab in publics schools.

Resolving all the five issues raised in favour of the appellants, the appellate

court held that the lower court erred in law when it held that ban of hijab was a policy of the Lagos State Government.

The court noted that no circular was presented before the lower court to show that it was a policy of Lagos State adding that "he who asserts must prove."

The court further held that if there was a policy, such policy ought to have emanated from the State House of Assembly and not the executive arm of government.

Consequently, the court held that the fundamental human rights of female Muslim students as enshrined in Section 38 (1) of the 1999 Constitution was violated by the respondent.

The court dismissed the argument of Lagos State Government that it made exception by allowing female Muslim students to wear hijab during prayers.

Other Justices in the five-man panel are M. Fasanmi, A. Jauro, J.S. Ikyegh and I. Jombo Ofor.

The Lagos State Government had banned the use of hijab on the argument that it was not part of the approved school uniform for pupils.

Following the ban, the students filed the suit on May 27, 2015, asking the court to declare the ban as a violation of their rights to freedom of thought, religion and education.

Justice Onyeabor had on October 17, 2014, held

that the prohibition of the wearing of hijab over school uniforms within and outside the premises of public schools was not discriminatory.

According to her, the ban was not a violation of Sections 38 and 42 of the 1999 Constitution as claimed by the plaintiffs.

The judge said Section 10 of the Constitution made Nigeria a secular state and that government must maintain neutrality at all times.

Onyeabor said the government therefore had a duty to preserve the secular nature of the institutions concerned as argued by the Lagos State Solicitor-General, Mr Lawal Pedro (SAN).

acting vc

Adeolu Adeyemo Osogbo

A

n Acting Vice Chancellor for the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Osun state yesterday emerged.

He is a 68 year-old Professor Anthony Elujoba.

His emergence came yesterday barely 72 hours after President Muhammadu Buhari directed the institution’s Senate to recommend a suitable person to be appointed as the Acting Vice Chancellor pending the selection of a substantive VC. Elujoba, who hails from Ife was picked L-R: Guest Speaker, Mr. J.K Randle; Honorary Treasurer, International Chamber of Commerce,Nigeria (ICC), Mrs. Dorothy Ufot; Chairman Emeritus, Chief Olusegun Oshunkeye and Chairman, Mr. Babatunde Savage at the Chamber’s 2016 Annual General Meeting in Lagos…yesterday.

PHOTO: GODWIN IREKHE

Osun pensioners lament death of 1,130 without gratuity Adeolu Adeyemo Osogbo

P

ensioners in Osun state yesterday said that over 1,130 of their colleagues had died due to non-payment of their gratuities and pension by the Aregbesola led administration in the state.

The pensioners under the aegis of "Forum of

2011/2012 Retirees" made this known in a press conference addressed by their Chairman, Comrade Omoniyi Ilesanmi in Osogbo.

The chairman stated that Aregbesola government owed nine months pension and gratuities from 2009 to 2012, describing it as inhuman.

He said: "We have sent a series of letters of appeal to the governor while

APC debunks Fayose’s acquittal claim on N1.3bn poultry fraud

Sulaiman Salawudeen Ado-Ekiti

T

he All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ekiti State yesterday debunked claims by Governor Ayodele Fayose that he has been discharged and acquitted by the Federal High Court on the alleged N1.3billion poultry project fraud.

The case was instituted against him in 2005 by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

The party's Publicity Secretary, Taiwo Olatunbosun said in a statement that the governor had the

case, saying the case was still fresh in court.

Fayose had claimed in several fora that the court had acquitted him on the matter which still pending before a Federal High Court, Lagos division before he contested the court’s jurisdiction, prompting the case's transfer to Ekiti upon arguing that the alleged crime was committed in the state.

Olatubosun explained that the Federal High Court, Ado-Ekiti had heard the case many times without delivering judgment as opposed to claims by the governor that the court had cleared him.

all our visits concerning the matter to the state House of Assembly had been futile.

"We are using this medium to call for the intervention of the international community to prevail on Rauf Aregbesola to pay all our outstanding gratuities and pension."

"Some of us have been living in darkness for more than five months due to inability to reconnect our electricity while our children are being sent out of schools for non-payment of school fees."

"We are facing a lot of predicaments ranging from ill-health, avoidable

death, our children are out of school, ejection of our members from rented apartments, disconnection of electricity and so on.

"With the death of one of our leaders on Wednesday July 20, 2016, Pa Ajibade, 1,130 of our members among 2011/2012 retirees have died in the state due to non-payment of our gratuities and pension.”

ahead of the Deputy Vice Chancellor Administration, Prof. Omolayo Ajayi, who pundits believe was the right candidate in view of his position in the university.

Omolayo did not indicate interest in the position.

However, Elujoba's emergence have been applauded by workers of the institution who had for days protested against the choice being foisted on them by a section of the institution.

Elujoba defeated his opponent, Professor Adebayo Lamikanran having polled 205 votes to clinch the coveted position of the institution’s Vice Chancellorship.

Both Elujoba and Lamikanran are from the institution’s Faculty of Pharmacy.

Speaking on Ejujoba's emergence, a member of the OAU Senate, who preferred anonymity, told our reporter that, with his age, he would not have time to vie for the substantive position any longer.

He said: "The Acting Vice-Chancellorship position was in his favour because he is from Ile-Ife and 70 per cent of the nonAcademic Staff Union workers of the institution are from the town.

"NASU staff are one of the leading unions that determine who becomes the Vice-Chancellor of the institution.”

NASU chairman, Comrade Wole Odewunmi described the development as excellent and charged the new acting VC to work round the clock to ensure that the institution maintains brilliance status on the continent of Africa.

$170m

The net worth of Julia Roberts in 2016.

Source: Fropky.com

Halliburton: Buhari’s wife, yet to serve me court papers, says Fayose SDP raises the alarm over plot Tunde Oyesina Abuja

E

kiti State Governor, Ayodele Fayose, yesterday said that the wife of President Muhammadu Buhari, Aisha, is yet to serve him with the court papers with which she allegedly sued him.

An online medium had on Wednesday reported that Aisha has filed a suit against Fayose for alleging that she was one of those indicted in the Halliburton multi-million dollar scandal.

Efforts to get the lawyer and the court in which the suit was filed proved abortive.

However, in a telephone chat with Fayose’s

counsel, Chief Mike Ozekhome, SAN, he said his client is yet to be served with the court papers.

According to him, “We have not yet been served with Mrs. Aisha Buhari’s writ against Governor Fayose. We are waiting for this legally and jurisprudentially scintillating and ground breaking suit that will open up new vistas and rip open yet undiscovered entrails of Section 308 of the 1999 Constitution, which grants immunity to President, VicePresident, Governors and Deputy Governors.”

Reports yesterday, however, said an Abuja High Court has granted Aisha an order of substituted service of the court process on Fayose.

to arrest Falae Johnchuks Onuanyim

Abuja

T

he Social Democratic Party (SDP) has raised the alarm over the plot to arrest its National Chairman, Chief Olu Falae on the directive of some members of the opposition political parties in Ondo State.

The party called on President Muhammadu Buhari to intervene and avert such plot.

SDP National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Alfa Mohammed, who made the allegation yesterday, while briefing journalists in Abuja, also reiterated

that the N100 million collected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the 2015 general elections, was for the party and not Chief Falae as being insinuated in many quarters.

He said: "regrettably, political enemies of our party have continued to plant distorted, malicious and misleading stories in the media in order to tarnish the name of the national chairman and our party.”

“This is despicable and it is condemnable for politicians to use government organs and agencies to intimidate and blackmail opponents."

News|SOUTH-EAST

FRIDAY, JULY 22, 2016 NEW TELEGRAPH

We are qualified, poised for Biafra liberation –IPOB Charles Onyekwere

ENUGU

T

he leadership of pro-Biafra group, the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has re-iterated its resolve and commitment to the actualisation of Biafra Republic.

Media and Publicity Secretary of the group, Emma Powerful, who stressed this in a statement, pointed out that Biafrans are God’s own people, who must eventually achieve their objective.

The statement noted that the liberation hour is at hand and assured the agitators not to lose faith.

“The IPOB worldwide

proves to the entire world that they are matured, civilised and qualified for the pursuit of Biafra freedom. We urge them to keep it up because the freedom is near.

“Biafrans should stop seeing ourselves as nothing in the face of our enemies. You are kings and queens of the land of the rising sun, you are all heroes of Biafraland because Chukwuokike Abiama (God Almighty) used our leader Mazi Nnamdi Kanu and IPOB members to fight for the total liberation of Biafra people.

“They thought we are dead, but they don’t know that we are like seeds in the river side; they try to break our souls with

lies and insults, called us warriors of Facebook but today IPOB and Biafra are everywhere in the world.

“Otherwise, they don’t know that IPOB has entered the Guinness book of record in the world because IPOB is the only freedom fighting organisation that organised first of its kind and conducted peaceful protests worldwide at the same time and hour since the creation of this universe because we are selected and called for

$37m

The pay of Zlatan Ibrahimovic of PSG in 2016.

Source: Goal.com

this noble project.

“The people and millions that were killed in Biafraland during the genocidal civil war of 1966 to-70 and since the amalgamation in 1914 by the Hausa, Fulani oligarchy was because there was no information reaching out to the world from Biafraland; therefore, we thank Mazi Nnamdi Kanu and those operating radio Biafra and those who are in every department of the media outfits.”

15

The life expectancy of men at age 60 years of Equatorial Guinea in 2010-2015.

Source: Un.org

41

Education Minister urges students to embrace entrepreneurship Uchenna Inya ABAKALIKI

M

inister of Education, Malam Adamu Adamu, yesterday described entrepreneurship as a critical key to survival in the present knowledge-based economy.

Speaking at the National Conference on Entrepreneurship Education at Akanu Ibiam Federal Polytechnic, Uwanna Afikpo, Ebonyi State, Adamu urged students, graduates and unemployed youths to embrace entrepreneurship as a way out of unemployment.

According to the Minister, who was represented by a Director in the Ministry, Dr. Chimezie Aguiyi, in an effort to combat youth unemployment and eradication of poverty, the National Council on Education (NCE) approved the mainstreaming of entrepre-

neurial education into the Senior Secondary Schools Curriculum in 2012.

“The NCE also made it compulsory for students to offer at least one trade and entrepreneurial subject at the senior secondary education level.

“Some states have challenges with the implementation of the Trade and Entrepreneurship component of Senior Secondary Education Curriculum,” he said.

He explained that the concept of education stems from the realisation that education is not only a tool of impacting knowledge, ability to read and write and investment in human capital or an index towards economic development of the nation, but also an avenue for the acquisition of values, attitude, skill and knowledge needed in impacting positive change in the immediate and larger society.

Community alleges police harassment Uchenna Inya Enugu State Governor, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi (right) with the state Commissioner of Police, Emmanuel Ojukwu, at a book launch on policing at the Universal Hotel, Independence Layout, Enugu, … yesterday.

Abia PDP denies crack in its fold, warns splinter group Igbeaku Orji UMUAHIA

T

he leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Abia State has said that there is no division in its membership, even as it warned the breakaway group to retrace its step or face sanction.

This is against the claim by a splinter group within its fold, comprising immediate past members of the Abia State House of Assembly led by former member representing Umuahia South, Mr.

Chidi Nwosu, that described the state congress of May 10, 2016, which produced the present leadership, as a sham.

Other members of the group including Emeka Ejiogu, former representative of Umuahia North state constituency, and his Ikwuano state constituency counterpart, Chukwuemeka Osoagbaka had aligned with the Ali Modu Sheriff– led national leadership of the party as the “authentic Abia PDP leadership”.

But in its resolution after yesterday’s meeting of the

state executive committee of the party, the PDP described the activities of the splinter group as “illegal and unacceptable recalcitrance of a group of political dissidents and rascals,” and warned them to retrace their steps or face constitutional sanction.

The meeting presided over by the chairman, Chief Johnson Onuigbo, also noted that the groups utterance that the May 10 Congress in the state was a sham, smacks of “irresponsibility, disloyalty and an afterthought.

That their misdirected and illegal visit to the erstwhile

Ugwuanyi: Enugu remains safest state Kenneth Ofoma ENUGU

G

overnor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State yesterday said that the state remains one of the safest states in the country that had ensured the peace and security of lives and property of the populace.

He stated this at the public presentation of

two books written by the Commissioner of Police, Enugu State, Mr. Emmanuel Ojukwu.

The books are entitled, “Discovering the Police” and “Sugar Cane Receipts”.

Ugwuanyi commended the Police force in Enugu for their support and cooperation in the efforts of his administration to maintain peace and security in the state.

He noted that the police

had continued to play their part in the attainment and sustenance of the status of the state as one of the safest states in the country and deserve to be encouraged to do more.

The governor equally hailed Ojukwu for his wisdom, courage and diligence in x-raying his knowledge and experience in the police for the benefit of both officers and men of the Force in particular

National Chairman of Peoples Democratic Party, Senator Ali Modu Sheriff is a further display of indiscipline, gross misconduct and disloyalty of extreme order.”

The executive committee meeting reiterated that the state congress that produced Chief Johnson Onuigbo remained the authentic executive committee, saying that in compliance with the national convention of May 21, 2016, the state PDP owes its support and loyalty to the Senator Ahmed Makarfi-led National Caretaker Committee.

and the public in general.

While expressing his confidence that the books would “offer a deeper insight into the principles and procedures that guide the operations and activities of the Police, vis-a-vis their mandate to secure the lives and property of citizens”, Ugwuanyi stated that the books would also serve to enlighten the people more on the need to cooperate with the Police in the fight against crime and other social ills.

ABAKALIKI

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here is tension in Ndufu Umota village in EkaAwoke community, Ikwo local government area of Ebonyi State following protracted land dispute between members of the community and a 70-years -old man in the area, Martin Nweke Ajah, which resulted in alleged demolition of the septuagenarian’s four residential houses by irate youths.

The situation has forced many people to leave the area for fear of police arrest.

Briefing reporters in Abakaliki yesterday, a youth leader in the area, Sunday Ekechi alleged that Ajah has been using police to harass and intimidate members of the community.

“We want police to stop harassing us. They should allow us to do our farming activities. If you go there now, you see the nature of hunger there. People are suffering because they are not allowed to go for their farming activities, which is the only thing they do.

“There is high tension there because the people are still running every day.

There is confusion in that place. They are calling on the government to intervene in the matter because if the people are not allowed to go for their farming activities there will be famine in the land,” he said.

Earlier in a release signed by the President of the youth, Oluchi Ajah and the Secretary, Azubuike Oketa, they accused Ajah of killing more than eleven members of the community with witchcraft.

Enugu Assembly passes PPP Bill into law Kenneth Ofoma

ENUGU

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nugu State House of Assembly yesterday passed into law the bill seeking to facilitate joint partnership with the government and private individuals in the running of government ventures.

The bill tagged, “A bill for a law to provide for Public Private Partnerships businesses in Enugu State, established the office of Public Private Partnership Businesses, Enhanced Infrastructure and Service Development and other Connected Purposes, House Bill No. 5,2016”, was an executive bill brought before the House in April, 2016.

The bill was first read

on April 5, 2016 while the second reading took place on April 21, 2016 before it was referred to joint House Committees on Finance and Appropriation and other committees to organise a public hearing on the bill and report back to the House.

Acting on the report of the joint committees on the bill submitted last week by the Chairman, House Committee on Finance and Appropriation, Mr. Chuka Eneh, the House passed the bill.

With the establishment of the law, government business ventures could now be done in partnership with private individuals as well as corporate organisations for efficiency and for enhanced productivity.

42 News|south-South

ASUU upbraids NUC’s accreditation of institutions Cajetan Mmuta BENIN

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he Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Benin Zone, yesterday queried the rationale behind the National Universities Commission’s action of approving Ondo Stateowned universities for accreditation, which it believes fall short of the required standard.

ASUU Benin Zonal Coordinator, Dr. Anthony Monye-Emina, urged the state government to, as a matter of urgency, pay all arrears of salaries owed its members in Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba Akoko and Ondo State University, Okitipupa, without delay, noting that the Benin Zone was in solidarity with its members in the state.

Monye-Emina decried what he called the dearth of infrastructure and the gross under funding of tertiary institutions in the state, especially, state-owned universities which in-

clude the Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba Akoko, Ondo State University of Science and Technology, Okitikpupa and Ondo State University of Medical Sciences, the Ondo, respectively.

He said Adekunle Ajasin University and the Ondo State University of Science and Technology, have been shut down for several months because of unpaid salaries.

The ASUU chairman also faulted the National Universities Commission for aiding and abetting the state government by approving the state universities.

According to him, “The National Universities Commission (NUC) should not be complicit in the attempt by the Ondo State government to reduce university education to a ridiculous level. The commission should pay investigative visits to these socalled universities to ascertain their true state and take necessary action.”

Group passes confidence vote on NAPIMS boss Gabriel Efeduku Ughelli

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political group, the Niger Delta Indigenous Movement for Radical Change (NDIMRC), yesterday passed a vote of confidence on the Group General Manager of the National Petroleum Investment Management Services (NAPIMS), Mr. Dafe Sejebor, over allegation of corruption and marginalisation of contractors from the region.

The group urged security operatives in the state to fish out those it said were after the life of the NAPIMS boss.

One Terry, who claimed to be writing

FRIDAY, JULY 22, 2016 NEW TELEGRAPH

Wike accuses INEC , police of plots to rig rerun election Emmanuel Masha Port Harcourt

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ivers State Governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike, has alleged that the National Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Professor Mahmud Yakubu, was working with the Acting Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, to rig the forthcoming National Assembly rerun elections in the state.

He alleged that while Yakubu has secretly met with the state leaders of the All Progressives Congress, APC, on how to rig the election, Idris has reposted Mr Akin Fakorede, the former head of the Special AntiRobbery Squad, who he alleged distributed fake SARS uniforms to APC thugs during the March rerun elections.

Wike, however, said that no amount of planning by the duo and the leadership of the state’s APC can hand them victory, because the PDP remains on ground in Rivers, pointing out that only the party that cam-

Uyo

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he Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul Hangar (MRO) Unit of the Ibom International Airport, Akwa Ibom State, will soon become operational.

Akwa Ibom State Governor, Mr. Udom Emmanuel, announced this while interacting with correspondents shortly on arrival at the airport

State because of one man, who sponsored elections for APC. They have posted electoral officers from APC states to rig elections and they want to accede to the request of the Rivers State APC to post out the Resident Electoral Commissioner.

“But the truth is that nobody can rig elections in Rivers State. The INEC National Chairman only has the power to postpone elections but he has no power to rig elections here.

“As I speak to you, on 19th of July, 2016, the APC chairman, Davies Ikanya, Senator Magnus Abe and others between 7.30 to 8pm were with the INEC National Chairman in his office.

“Rivers State is key to the development of this country. Will they continue to deny us representation at the Senate and majority of the constituencies of the House of Representatives?”

He urged the people of the state to continue to resist every attempt by INEC to rig elections because power resides with them, noting that APC are not campaigning for the rerun elections because of the assurances they have received that the elections would be rigged in

on behalf of the Urhobo Youth Council Worldwide, had in an online report, accused NAPIMS boss of fraudulent practices and obtaining money from contractors.

The said Terry also accused the NAPIMS boss of being behind the demobilisation of the vessel of one Chief Henry Ojogho from Mobil, claiming the development was causing a lot of problems in Delta State.

He had warned the NAPIMS boss to tell Mobil to remobilise the vessel of the said Chief Henry Ojogho and had added that the marginalisation of Delta people in NAPIMS by Sejebor will no longer be tolerated.

from an official trip outside the country.

Governor Emmanuel, who said he had useful talks with foreign investors that would bring about positive impact in the industrialisation programme of his administration, said the MRO project was pivotal in his business interactions with foreign partners.

He emphasised his administration’s determination to stimulate the industrial sector of

their favour.

According to him: “You saw what happened in Turkey, where the people effectively resisted the Army, who plotted a coup to dethrone an elected government. Here in Rivers State, the people will resist any attempt to use compromised security personnel to rig the polls”.

He said that he has written four letters to the new Inspector General of Police on the reposting of the policemen and made 45 calls to him without getting a response.

The governor added that the Police High Command has also reposted one Stephen Asin, former Officer in Charge of Special AntiRobbery Squad, back to the state after the same officer publicly declared that he will destroy the security network in the state.

“My interest is for the security of the state to be sustained. We are enjoying relative security in the state and I will not fold my arms and allow anyone destroy the security of the state through the posting of politicians, who hide under police uniforms” , he said.

Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike addressing the Rivers East PDP Senatorial Campaign Rally at Okehi, Etche Local Government Area yesterday.

Emmanuel restates commitment to stimulate industrial sector Tony Anichebe

paigns and connects with the people can win elections.

He also warned that anyone posted to Rivers State with the aim of rigging the elections, should inform his family of the location of his hidden wealth as he will face the treatment reserved for armed robbers.

Wike, who made the allegations while addressing supporters of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP at the Rivers East Senatorial Campaign Rally at Okehi, Etche Local Government Area on yesterday, alleged that the IGP also posted to the state one Mustapha, who testified against him at the tribunal.

He said that Mustapha, who now heads Mopol 56 in Bori, one of the major locations of the rerun elections, and Fakorede were reposted to the state to primarily damage the existing security network ahead of the rerun elections.

According to the governor, the INEC chairman has finalized plans to postpone the July 30 , 2016 rerun elections because of the fear by APC leaders in the state.

He said:”They are frustrating elections in Rivers

the economy to enable it generate employment and improve the living standard of the citizens.

The governor dismissed as false, insinuations that he was trapped in Turkey by the failed military putsch in that country, stressing that no amount of blackmail would deter him from looking for investors to explore the abundant resources in the state for the benefit of every Akwa Ibom man.

Buhari asks Senate to approve NDDC nominees Chukwu David Abuja

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resident Muhammadu Buhari yesterday asked the Senate to approve the nomination of 19 members of the Niger Delta Development Commission’s management board.

Besides the President requested the Senate to confirm a list of two nominees as justices of the Supreme Court.

Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki, read the letter from the President,

informing the apex chamber of the nomination of 19 persons to serve on the board of the NDDC. Former Senate Leader, Senator Victor Ndoma-Egba, from Cross River State, is named the chairman of the commission, while a former deputy governor of Akwa Ibom State, Nsima Udo Ekere, is to serve as the managing director of the commission.

Other nominees are Adjogba Samuel, from Delta State, who has been penciled down as Executive Director (Project),

Mene Derek from River State as Executive Director (Finance and Administration), Hon. Donatus Enyinna as Abia State representative, Frank Samuel George Akwa-Ibom State, Prof. Brambaifa Nelson, Bayelsa State, Sylvester Effefiom Nsa, Cross River State, Dr. Ogaga Ifowodo, Delta State, Hon. Uwuilekhue Saturday, Edo State, Senator Osita Izunaso, Imo State, Olatokunbo Ajasin, Ondo State and Harry Iboroma Dabibi as Rivers State representative.

50-year-old man in NSCDC’s net for impersonating Tambuwal Umar Abdullahi Sokoto

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50-year old man, Bello Abdullahi, is currently cooling his feet in the custody of the Nigeria Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Sokoto State Command for impersonating the state governor, Aminu Tambuwal.

The ‘fake Governor,’ who was arrested by the NSCDC operatives, was yesterday paraded before newsmen in Sokoto by the Commandant of the corps in the state, Alhaji Babangida Dutsin-Ma. Dutsin-Ma noted that the suspect was arrested on Wednesday after extorting N 20,000 from an unsuspecting Islamic cleric in the state, saying: “The suspect, who resides

in the Gobirare area of Sokoto metropolis had called the unsuspecting cleric that he would be included in a high-powered proposed state Committee on Religious Affairs.”

He added: “The suspect, who used a telephone number and claimed to be Governor Tambuwal, also used a third party voice, asking the victim to provide N20,000 for the provision of a certificate to qualify him for the membership of the proposed committee.

“He also called his victim, asking for another N 5,000 for registration and eventual inclusion in the proposed bogus committee.”

According to DutsinMa, it was at that time that the victim became suspicious and reported the matter to us and we swung into action.

Dutsin-Ma stated further that the suspect had sent another person to collect the initial N 20,000 and that was when he was arrested.

He said: “It was after the arrest of the man that he led us to where the fake Governor Tambuwal resides. We immediately arrested him and we will charge him to court after the conclusion of our investigations.”

In a related development, the Command said that it has arrested two teenage burglars at the Sokoto Central Market, and the adult receiver of the stolen items.

“They are part of the notorious syndicate that have been terrorising and breaking shops at the market, and we will soon charge them to court,” the Commandant added,

recalling that “the command penultimate week arrested 13 teenage burglars and two receivers at the same market.

“The first set of the suspects had since been charged to court and they are currently being remanded at the Sokoto Central Prison.”

While commending the state government and the authorities of the market for their sustained support and cooperation to the Command, he lauded the Director-General of the market, Alhaji Abdullahi Bafarawa, as well as the officers of the Command attached to the market for what he described as their great feat in fighting crimes in the market.

Bafarawa, however, promised to make trading activities at the market safer and more secured.

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here is palpable fear and anxiety ahead of the July 23 repeated Senate and state Assembly rerun election in Kogi East Senatorial District of the state, following the exclusion of All Progressives Party (APC) from the election.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had said that the ruling APC would not participate in the repeat rerun election in Ofu and Dekina Local Government Areas of the district.

A competent source in the district, however,

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here appeared to be no end in sight in the crisis rocking the Benue State House of Assembly over alleged mis-appropriation of N750 million leveled against the House as the operatives of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) yesterday seized the Assembly complex.

The deployment of the SARS to strategic positions in the Assembly complex heralded the plot by members of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) lawmakers to suspend the member rep-

resenting Logo Constituency, Hon. Kester Ikyenge, a PDP member, over what the lawmakers described as “his unruly behavior” and dishing out falsehood against the leadership of the House with the intention to tarnish the image of the entire Assembly.

Our correspondent, who was at the Assembly complex to cover proceedings of the House Assembly discovered that the entire Assembly complex was cordoned off by uniformed and plain clothed security men, who carried out thorough check on vehicles entering and leaving the complex.

Strike: I bear no grudge against workers – Bello Dan Atori MINNA

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ollowing the suspension of their job boycott, the Niger State Governor, Alhaji Abubakar Sani Bello, has said that he bore no grudge against the leadership of the labour unions and the entire state’s workforce.

According to the governor, the four-day industrial action embarked upon by the state’s chapters of the Nigeria Labour Congress

Sokoto

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3

The total number of goals conceded by Ecuador at Brazil 2014 World Cup. Source: Fifa.com

16

The life expectancy of women at age 60 years of Equatorial Guinea in 2010-2015.

Source: Un.org

Tension in Kogi over rerun election Lokoja

MAKURDI

Umar Abdullahi

The capital importation percentage share of Oil and Gas of Nigeria in 2008.

Source: National Bureau of Statistics

Zacchaeus Ozovehe

Cephas Iorhemen

(NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC) is one of the beauties of democracy.

Bello, who spoke yesterday, however, commended the maturity exhibited by the workers while the action lasted, noting: “For me as the governor and for the government, we bear no grudge against the organised labour, its leadership and the entire workforce in the state.

What happened was purely democracy at work. People have the right to express their grievances, especially when it is done peacefully.”

Sokoto to empower women, youths with N2bn soft loans

A cross-section of women having a peaceful protest to show their grievances over the gruesome killing of their traditional ruler. Sir Lazarus Agai in Bokkos LGA, Plateau State…on Wednesday

5.74%

43 SARS takes over Benue Assembly as lawmakers suspend colleague News|NORTH

FRIDAY, JULY 22, 2016 NEW TELEGRAPH

told New Telegraph that the exclusion of APC and its candidates in the coming election by INEC is not only illegal, but an attempt to steer unnecessary crises in the area.

According to the source, there was no court judgment baring or restraining APC from participating in the election.

The source said: “The judgement was very clear.

The Justice James Shehu Abiriyi of the Court of Appeal ordered that INEC should conduct fresh election for the Ofu Constituency of Kogi State within 90 days. The judgement did not exclude APC and it candidates for the elec-

tion. So, where did INEC get its judgement.”

But, INEC in its reaction, however, insisted that the commission’s decision to exclude APC was based on the Appellate Court order, arguing that the commission has no power to exclude any party and its candidates.

Meanwhile, an official of INEC working in the Legal Department confirmed that there was straight order by the appellate court excluding APC from participation in the election.

The legal officer said: “It is true that the Appeal Court ordered INEC to conduct fresh election,

as the previous was nullified based on the fact that the APC did not conduct any primaries in Ofu Local Government Area.

We went through the judgment and concluded with interpretation by the legal department of the commission to exclude the APC from the rerun election.”

“This is based on the Supreme Court judgement in 2009 barring a political party from participating in the then rerun election for not conducting a primary election.”

The officer, who did not want his name in print, however, noted that the commission will always abide by the rule of law.

o boost the entrepreneurial skills and empower the women and youth of the state, the Sokoto State Government in collaboration with the Federal Government has secured over N2 billion loans for empowerment of women and youths in Small and Medium Entrepreneurship scheme across the 23 council area of the state.

The Commissioner for Women and Children Affairs, Hajiya Kulu Abdullahi, who

disclosed this yesterday during a ministerial press conference at the NUJ Press Centre, Sokoto, the state capital, said the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), which is the custodian of thefunds,wouldalsoensure its disbursement to the beneficiaries as soft loans.

According to the commissioner, Governor Aminu Waziri Tambuwal’s administration had initiated various skills acquisition programmes aimed at addressing access to finance as well as entrepreneurial skills and encourage saving culture among the women.

Plateau killing: DIG deployed to arrest suspects Emmanuel Onani Abuja

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he Acting InspectorGeneral of Police (IGP), Mr. Ibrahim Idris, has directed the Deputy Inspector-General (DIG) of Police in charge of Operations, Mr. Joshack Habilla, to relocate to Plateau State, with a view to unveiling and apprehending suspected killers of a first class monarch and the Chairman of Bokkos Traditional Council in the state, Chief Lazarus Agai.

The first class monarch was killed alongside his wife, son and orderly by yetto-be identified gunmen, on his way back from his farm, on Monday.

InastatementbytheForce Public Relations Officer (FPRO), Mr. Don Awunah, a Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP), the police said the IG’s directive was intended to facilitate the prompt arrest of the monarch’s killers.

While promising to fishout the perpetrators of the heinous act in record time, Idris, nonetheless, advised against acts of reprisals.

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WORLD \ NEWS

FRIDAY, JULY 22, 2016 NEW TELEGRAPH

UN demands release of political prisoners in Congo

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he UN High Commissioner for Human Rights called yesterday for the release of people he considers political prisoners in Democratic Republic of Congo as the government cracks down on dissent ahead of a contentious electoral period.

Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein said in an interview in the capital Kinshasa he would submit to the government in the coming days

a list of people he believes should be released immediately. Political tensions are high in Congo before a scheduled November presidential election. President Joseph Kabila, in power since 2001, is required by the constitution to step down this year but the government says logistical and budgetary constraints make it unrealistic to hold the election on time.

"Until we are convinced that there are merits for their deten-

tion, we believe that they need to be released promptly," Zeid said.

The government spokesman and justice minister were not immediately available for comment but have denied in the past that there are any political prisoners in Congo. Zeid declined to say how many people or what names would be on the list but added that he would consider making the names public if the government did not make swift progress. In a report last Decem-

ber, the UN human rights office in Congo said dozens of political opposition leaders, pro-democracy activists and human rights advocates have been arbitrarily detained for political reasons.

Among the names mentioned in the report were Fred Bauma, a young activist arrested in March 2015 at a workshop to encourage youth political participation, on charges of participating in an insurrection. It also includes opposition leader Jean-Claude

Muyambo, who was arrested in January 2015 for alleged real estate fraud. Both are still in prison awaiting court judgments.

Opponents of Kabila accuse him of purposely blocking the election in order to cling to power, but Kabila has repeatedly said delays are owing to financial and logistical challenges. UN experts have warned delays could lead to widespread instability in a country where millions died in regional wars from 1996-2003.

Oscar Pistorius: Prosecution to appeal over 'shockingly lenient' sentence

S Family and members of the Cenestra Male Choir of South Africa, paying their respects at a makeshift memorial to the victims of the truck attack along the Promenade des Anglais in Nice, France, yesterday.

Nice attack: France orders inquiry

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rance's government said yesterday it had ordered an inquiry into policing on the night of last week's deadly truck attack in Nice in a bid to dispel mounting criticism of security arrangements.

President Francois Hollande, whose personal ratings have plunged since the attack, said the investigation by the national police inspectorate and its report due next week would clear the air after days of accusations from local politicians.

"We will see proof that the preparations were from the start of the required serious standard," the Socialist leader, who is facing elections next year, said during a visit to Ireland. "If there were any shortcomings they will come to light." Tunisian delivery man

Mohamed Lahouaiej Bouhlel was able to drive a 19-tonne truck along a packed sea-front promenade that was cordoned off and mow down dozens of locals and foreigners, killing at least 84 people before police shot him dead.

Much of the criticism, beyond the system of road blocks easily breached by the truck, centers a complex command structure where some units of police answer to local government and others to central government.

The inquiry will look into the detail of how the area was cordoned off for the traditional Bastille Day festivities and how the area was patrolled.

"I welcome the interior minister's decision to order an inquiry of the Nice attack by the police of police," tweeted Christian Estrosi, the head of

the regional government in the southeast Riviera coast area who has led the criticism.

The right-wing politician has accused the Socialist administration of misleading the public on the details of the policing arrangements and of not doing enough to protect the public.

Nice police department chief Adolphe Colrat, who answers to central government rather than the regional politicians who are leading the criticism, said the authorities had "at no time" lied or misled people on policing arrangements.

Polls in the wake of the attack showed Hollande's rating as a leader capable of fighting terrorism plunged to 33 percent from upwards of 50 percent after two previous attacks

by Islamist militants.

No return to past repression, Turkey assures citizens

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urkey sought to assure its citizens and the outside world yesterday that there would be no return to the deep repression of the past, even as President Tayyip Erdogan imposed the first nationwide state of emergency since the 1980s.

With authorities cracking down on tens of thousands of people in the judiciary, education, military and civil service after last weekend's failed military coup, a lawmaker from the main opposition party said the state of emergency created "a way of ruling that paves the way for abuse".

Germany called for the measure

to be ended as quickly as possible, while an international lawyers' group warned Turkey against using it to subvert the rule of law and human rights, pointing to allegations of torture and illtreatment of people held in the mass roundup.

Announcing the state of emergency late Wednesday, Erdogan said it would last at least three months and allow his government to take swift measures against supporters of the coup, in which 246 people were killed and hundreds wounded.

It will permit the president and cabinet to bypass parliament

in enacting new laws and to limit or suspend rights and freedoms as they deem necessary.

For some Turks, the move raised fears of a return to the days of martial law after a 1980 military coup, or the height of a Kurdish insurgency in the 1990s when much of the largely Kurdish southeast was under a state of emergency declared by the previous government.

About 60,000 soldiers, police, judges, civil servants and teachers have been suspended, detained or have been placed under investigation since the coup was put down.

outh African prosecutors say they will appeal against Oscar Pistorius's six-year sentence for murder, calling it "shockingly too lenient". The National Prosecuting Authority said the sentence was "disproportionate to the crime" and could bring the justice system "into disrepute".

The Olympic athlete was jailed earlier this month for murdering his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp in 2013. He admits killing her but says he mistook her for an intruder.

The 29-year-old was initially given a five-year term for manslaughter, but was found guilty of murder on appeal last December. A statement released by the National Prosecuting Authority said that an ap-

plication for leave to appeal against Pistorius's sentence was submitted yesterday. "We hope that this appeal will also clarify further the principles of sentencing, particularly in crime categories for which there are prescribed minimum sentences ordained by legislation," it says.

Prosecutors point out that Pistorius' jail term was less than half the 15 years sought by them and that he has shown inadequate remorse for the murder.

In explaining her decision to give him six years, Judge Thokozile Masipa said mitigating circumstances, such as rehabilitation and remorse, had outweighed aggravating factors, such as his failure to fire a warning shot.

22 dead, 209 saved in Mediterranean

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wenty-two bodies have been recovered from the Mediterranean, along with 209 survivors, in a naval rescue mission run

by Doctors without Borders, the medical charity said yesterday.

The head of the group in Italy, Dr Loris De Filippi, said that the migrants were intercepted on Wednesday while travelling in two dinghies. Filippi said that there were 21 women and one man among the dead. ``Twenty-two people fleeing from violence and poverty died at sea trying to give a future to their children,’’ Filippi said, urging the European Union to

open legal migration channels.

The Italian coastguard said in a separate statement that a total of 567 migrants were plucked from the sea Wednesday in five separate rescue operations.

The coastguard said that the rescue also involved the Italian navy and the Maltese charity, MOAS. Report says that the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) estimates 2,954 migrants have died or gone missing in the Mediterranean since the start of the year. ``This compares with just fewer than 2,000 in January to July, 2015,’’IOM said.

US lawsuits link Malaysian leader to stolen money

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alaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak said yesterday judgment should be withheld until all the facts are known after the US government filed lawsuits seeking to seize $1 billion in assets bought with money stolen from a state fund he oversaw.

The US Justice Department lawsuits filed in a federal court Wednesday did not name Najib, instead referring to "Malaysian Official 1." Some of the allegations against this official were the same as those in a Malaysian investigation into a $681 million transfer to the premier's personal bank account.

The lawsuits said $681 million from a 2013 bond sale by sovereign wealth fund 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) was transferred to the account of "Malaysian Official 1". A source familiar with the investigation confirmed that "Malaysian Official 1" was Najib.

In Malaysia, the hashtag #MalaysianOfficial1 was trending yesterday. The civil lawsuits said that a total of $3.5 billion was misappropriated from 1MDB, a fund Najib established in 2009 and whose advisory board he chaired. No criminal charges have been filed.

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FRIDAY, JULY 22, 2016 NEW TELEGRAPH

Sport News

Did you know?

Sport

That Nigerian athletes have won a total of 23 medals so far in the Olympic Games mostly from Athletics and Boxing.

International Gotze returns to Dortmund on $28m deal

Pinnick escapes impeachment

…as Le Guen splits NFF

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Chukwu: Technical committee did nothing wrong

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Pinnick

Super Eagles defender, William Troost-Ekong celebrating Le Guen

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resident of the Nigeria Football Federation Amaju Pinnick narrowly escaped being impeached by his fellow executive committee members in the wake of the scandalous handling of botched appointment of French coach Paul Le Guen.

Wednesday’s executive committee meeting in Abuja was so stormy that at the height of the disagreement, board members threatened to impeach Pinnick after they demanded to know the

The Sport Team Adekunle Salami Group Sport Editor

Emmanuel Tobi Assistant Sport Editor

Ajibade Olusesan Sport Correspondent

Charles Ogundiya Sport Correspondent

© Daily Telegraph Publishing Company Limited

full details of the sponsorship deal he secured to cover the contract of a foreign coach.

An official, who gave AfricanFootball.com a graphic picture of the faceoff, said Pinnick was “less than presidential” after his fellow board members threatened to impeach him.

“Pinnick cut a very, very pathetic picture when he was faced with impeachment as board members told him in clear terms they wanted to have all the details of the financials regarding the

foreign coach the NFF plan to hire,” the official added.

“He was humiliated, thoroughly humiliated. You wouldn’t believe it that he had to beg and beg they should not disgrace him and it was only after he promised to divulge all the details of the sponsorship that he was let off the hook.”

It was further learnt that Pinnick was badly ruffled and really shaken up after the meeting.

This latest row further underlines

the serious cracks in the NFF executive committee and the ongoing power play there.

And it comes only days before the much-advertised visit of FIFA president Gianni Infantino to Nigeria.

Infantino is due in Abuja on Sunday on a two-working visit during which he will pay a courtesy call on Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari.

Mikel, Akpeyi lead U-23 Eagles to Rio …as Siasia picks 22 players Emmanuel Tobi

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helsea midfielder Mikel Obi and Chippa United keeper Daniel Akpeyi top the list of players as Nigeria U-23 Eagles manager Samson Siasia named a 22- man roster for the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro.

Other top players include Oghenekaro Etebo (CD Feirense), Kingsley Madu (AS Trencin) and William Troost-Ekong (FK Haugesund ).

Liverpool striker Taiwo Awoniyi has a chance to put himself in the shop window in Brazil, having made the roster along with CS Sfaxien star Junior Ajayi and ex-Standard Liege sensation Imoh Ezekiel.

Nigeria face Japan, Sweden and Colombia in Group B of the Olympic Games.

FULL LIST Goalkeepers: Daniel Akpeyi, Emmanuel Daniel, Yusuf Bala Defenders: Sincere Seth, Kingsley Madu, Abdullahi Shehu, Saturday Erimuya, William Troost-Ekong, Ndifreke Udo, Stanley Amuzie.

Midfielders: Oghenekaro Etebo, Popoola Saliu, Mikel Obi, Azubuike Okechukwu, Usman Mohammed Strikers: Aminu Umar, Imoh Ezekiel, Junior Ajayi, Stanley Dimgba, Taiwo Awoniyi, Sadiq Umar, Saviour Godwin

Mikel

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SPORT NEWS

FRIDAY, JULY 22, 2016 NEW TELEGRAPH

Chukwu: Technical committee did nothing wrong Onigbinde slams federation

Adekunle Salami

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former Super Eagles coach, Christian Chukwu, has said it is unfair for anybody to blame the technical committee of the Nigeria Football Federation over the recent saga of Paul Le Guen who rejected the coaching of the senior national team.

Chukwu stressed that the committee headed by Chris Green only recommended Le Guen while the federation’s top shots took charge of the negotiations with the Frenchman.

He noted that it was important for the Eagles coach to reside in Nigeria and to be given a target but stressed that the choice was left for the manager to accept or not.

The former international who is also a member of the committee said: “People jump into conclusions without knowing details of the operations in the football house. The job of the technical committee is to recommend and it is the duty of the board or some other top officials to negotiate with the coach.

“I really don’t want to say much on Le Guen but the fact is we recommended him as the best candidate among those who applied.”

On the seven-day ultimatum given to the committee to get another foreign coach, Chukwu said it was no big deal since files of applicants were still with the committee.

“We have to start all over again. We will evaluate them and inform the board about our decision within the time frame given to us,” Meanwhile, another former coach of the Eagles, Chief Adegboye Onigbinde, has blamed the NFF for the delay and the entire coaching issue.

“It is the confusion that drove Le Guen away. Why will anyone be talking about a technical adviser and a chief coach. Who is the boss? I believe our problem is not that technical in football, rather is that of poor administration,” he said The NFF has been in search of a substantive coach for the Super Federation Cup: Eagles since February 25 when former coach, Sunday Oliseh, shocking resigned.

The seven-day ultimatum will Nigeria’s Stanley Amuzie (right) strugling for the ball with an Egyptian player Emmanuel Tobi pions opted out of Umuahia, which elapse on July 28. was their temporary base as their AF Champions League hopefuls homeground in Aba is undergoing Enyimba FC will battle high –fly- renovation. ing Rivers United in the quarter final Also in the men’s quarter –finals, match of the 2016 Federation Cup. Akwa United will tackle Nasarawa Enyimba on Wednesday strug- United while Warri Wolves clash gled against hard –fighting J. Atete with FC IfeanyiUbah in another FC of Delta in their delayed Round all-NPFL clash. he President of companied by the Sec- that too part in the Zenith of 16 clash at the Confluence StaWikki Tourists have their work the Federation retary General of FIFA, Bank Sponsored Future dium, Lokoja but eventually pre- cut out against the only non-NPFL of International Fatma Samba Diouf Eagles competition. vailed 1-0 to set up a battle with the team remaining in the race, Crown Football Association, Samoura of Senegal.

Zenith bank is alPort Harcourt giants.

FC of Ogbomosho.

Gianni Infantino, is The FIFA team will ready making plans Incidentally, both Enyimba and In the women’s race, Rivers due to arrive in Abuja meet President Muham- with the NFF to make Rivers United play their home Angels will confront Nasarawa on Sunday for a two-day madu Buhari while they the match a good specmatches in the Nigeria Professional Amazons while Delta Queens go visit to Nigeria. will also be special guest of tacle for the Infatiano Football League in Port Harcourt, up against Bayelsa Queens in the Infantino will be ac- a match between two teams and Samoura. after the two –time African cham- semifinals.

Rivers Utd battle Enyimba in quarterfinals

C

Infantino arrives Abuja Sunday To meet Buhari, watch Zenith Future Eagles match

T

SuperSport dedicates seven channels to Rio Olympics

C

New Telegraph Strikers getting ready for the 2016 SWAN Cup after their training on Thursday at the Nigeria Institute of Journalism, Ogba, Lagos.

SWAN Veterans, LSSC to light-up National Stadium

T

he opening ceremony of the Winners Golden Bet/Lagos SWAN Cup will flag off on Friday with veterans from the Lagos SWAN team taking on the Lagos State Sports Commission at the main bowl of the National Stadium, Surulere, Lagos as part of the activities highlighting the tournament.

The game is scheduled for 3pm with Deji Tinubu, Chairman of Lagos State Sports Commission, Ayo Agbesanwa, Director General Anthony Adeboye (Senior Special Assistant to the Lagos State Governor on Sports), Bolaji Yusuf (Senior Special Assistant to the Lagos State Governor on facilities) expected to be on parade for the Lagos team.

Similarly, retired Nigeria Television Authority’s legend, Paul Ogazi, will lead the SWAN veterans All-Stars team, alongside, Deji Balogun (General Manager, Lagos Television), Tony Nezianya (Managing Editor/ Head of Sports

Desk NAN), Fred Edoreh (incumbent Chairman, Lagos SWAN), Wale Joseph (Deputy National Secretary, SWAN) with others who have confirmed their participation.

ustomers of DStv and GOtv are expected to enjoy a worthwhile experience as SuperSports is dedicating 24-hour channels for the coverage of the Rio 2016 Olympics billed for August 5 till August 23.

According to a statement issued on Thursday, “With 306 medal sets available, SuperSport will broadcast live every goldmedal event, ensuring unprecedented coverage of the sport spectacle. There will be more than 2,500 hours of the Olympics broadcast over 15 days.”

The statement added that, “Four channels, SS4, SS5, SS6, SS7 plus three additional channels, SS12, SS13 and SS14, will be dedicated to the Rio Games, while other channels like SS1 and SS3 will, where available, carry overflow content, chiefly sevens rugby, golf and soccer.

“SS12 will be a dedicated 24-hour Olympic news channel which will be produced by the International Olympic Commit-

We won’t disrupt league season – Sam Jaja C

hairman of the Nigeria Football League Limited, Dr. Sam Sam Jaja, has assured that his board will not disrupt the ongoing 2016 Premier League season, stressing that the change of mantle will be at the end of this current term.

Speaking to journalists after the inaugural meeting in Abuja, Dr Jaja revealed that his board would not also go into the probing of the League Management Company or the legality of the organisation, arguing that his board is appointed by the legally recognised body to run Nigerian football.

While revealing that he would meet with the Club owners to discuss modalities of running the league, the former Chairman of Nigeria Referee Associa-

tion said he had no regret accepting to serve fatherland in any capacity.

Asked if his board will take over the running of the current league season, he said: “I want to assure Nigerians that nobody is disrupting the league season, they can go ahead.”

“The important thing is that we should have a very robust league in this country. It is our place to organise the league with every legal instrument that we have but we cannot jump into it.

“We want to respect the spectatorship, the clubs themselves and the sentiment of Nigerians. We will certainly come in at the appropriate time but for now we will give them all the support to ensure that nothing affects the league.”

tee.”

Similarly, GOgetters will experience the Olympics on three pop-up channels, SS5, SS7 and SS12, for the duration of the sporting event. Coverage will include Olympics news, boxing, basketball, football, gymnastics and weightlifting.

No foreign coach for Eagles, Giwa reiterates elf-acclaimed President of Nigeria S Football Federation, Chris Giwa, has said no to any foreign coach for

the Eagles while throwing its weight behind Salisu Yusuf.

Giwa said he had appointed Yusuf as the new coach along side Imama Amakapabo (assistant coach, Ike Shorumu (goal keeper trainer) while Emeka Ezeugo is the team coordinator.

“We have said it before now that the Nigeria Football Federation led by my very self does not have the plan to hire any foreign coach to manage the Super Eagles. We said we believe in the ability of our local coaches to handle the team if given enough encouragement and support. And in view of that we have employed Salisu Yusuf as the new Super Eagles coach.

“Our coaches have done so well in the discovering, nurturing and development of our players to the level they are now. How do we now suddenly begin to believe that they do not have what it takes to handle the Super Eagles?

“They only need for us to provide them with the same support and condition that we would ordinarily give a foreign coach,” he said.

INTERNATIONAL SPORT

FRIDAY, JULY 22, 2016 NEW TELEGRAPH

Gotze returns to Dortmund on $28m deal

Sane

Countdown to

Gotze

Guardiola confirms City’s interest in Schalke’s Sane

Spain appoints Lopetegui as new coach

J

ulian Lopetegui has been appointed the as the new coach of the Spanish national team, taking over from Vicente del Bosque.

Del Bosque left the role following a disappointing Euro 2016 campaign and now Lopetegui, the former Porto head coach, will guide the country towards the 2018 World Cup. Lopetegui has managed Spain at Under-19, Under-20 and Under-21 level - winning the European Championships with the Under19s and Under-21s - and has now made the step up to the senior side, following his two-year reign with the Portuguese side.

Porto finished second in 201415 and third the season after, with Lopetegui failing to win any silverware with the club, though he guided them to the Champions League in both of his campaigns in charge.

Lopetegui was ultimately sacked in January and replaced

by Rui Barros The 49-year-old former goalkeeper, who was on the books at both Real Madrid and Barcelona during his player career, will take

G

erman midfielder Mario Gotze has signed a €26 million ($28.7 million) contract to return to Borussia Dortmund from Bayern Munich, according to The Guardian.

Gotze wrote on his Facebook page that he regretted deciding to leave Dortmund in 2013.

“Today, three years later and at 24, I look at that decision in a different light,” he said. “I can understand that many fans could not accept my decision. I wouldn’t reach it today either.”

Gotze came up in the Dortmund academy and called Signal Iduna Park his “home.”

Gotze, 24, played three years with Bayern Munich and Pep Guardiola, helping his squad win three Bundesliga titles, two German cups, the FIFA Club World Cup and the UEFA Super Cup. He gained additional international fame when he scored the winning goal for Germany in the 2014 World Cup final.

M

anchester City are interested in signing Schalke winger Leroy Sane, manager Pep Guardiola has confirmed.

Guardiola said contact has been made about the Germany international but the clubs have not agreed a fee.

Schalke reportedly want

Japan’s striker, Yuyu Kubo (right) in action

first match against U-23 Eagles would determine their quest in winning a medal at the tournament.

“We’ll be at our peak for the first game,” Teguramori said at Haneda airport, referring to the August 4 Group B match in Manaus. “That game will make or break our medal chances.”

Japan warms up for the Nigeria game with a friendly versus Brazil on July 30.

“The mission we’ve taken on is a huge one. Hopefully we can bring back a medal to add a new chapter in Japanese soccer) history.”

Bolt backs Russian athletics team’s ban

U

sain Bolt has given a “thumbs up” to the decision to ban the Russian athletics team from the Rio Olympics because of widespread doping.

The IAAF, world athletics’ governing body, banned the Russian team last month and today that decision was rubber-stamped by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).

The Swiss-based body rejected an appeal against the hard-line IAAF

stance by the Russian Olympic Committee and 68 individual athletes.

Speaking ahead of Friday’s Muller Anniversary Games in London, the 29-year-old Bolt said the situation was “sad” but the decision would send a powerful message about clean sport.

“For me, if you have the proof and you catch somebody, I definitely feel you should take action,” Jamaica’s six-time Olympic sprint champion said.

“If you feel like banning the whole

team is the right action, then I’m all for it.

“Rules are rules and doping violations in track and field (are) getting really bad, so if you feel like you need to make a statement, and this is how you feel like you need to make a statement, then thumbs up.”

Double Olympic pole vault champion Yelena Isinbayeva told the TASS news agency that the verdict was “the funeral of track and field” and dismissed it as politically motivated.

ternational debut last year, scored eight goals in 33 Bundesliga appearances for Schalke last season.

“There is a difference [in opinion] between Manchester City and Schalke and it is quite big. I do not know what is going to happen but right now he is with Schalke,” Guardiola added.

12

Team departs for Brazil

J

Lopetegui

Days to Go

Japan ready for Nigeria, says coach apan men’s Olympic soccer coach Makoto Teguramori has declared his team’s readiness to battle Nigeria in the first match as the young Samurai Blue left for Brazil on Thursday for the 2016 Olympics.

Japan will launch the Rio Olympic campaign against Nigeria on August 4, followed by a game versus Colombia three days later, and then another against Sweden to close out the first round on August 10.

Teguramori added that the

control of his first game in September, in a friendly against Belgium.

£45m for the 20-year-old, with Bayern Munich and Real Madrid said to be interested.

“Of course we talk to him - Schalke know we are interested but at this moment we don’t have many possibilities to get him,” Guardiola said.

Sane, who made his in-

Olympics

Emmanuel Tobi

47

Bolt

On Marble

"Love is an untamed force. When we try to control it, it destroys us. When we try to imprison it, it enslaves us.

When we try to understand it, it leaves us feeling lost and confused."

— Paulo Coelho

Sanctity of Truth

Emeka Obasi Marshal Buhari’s marching boots

NIGERIA’S MOST AUTHORITATIVE NEWSPAPER IN POLITICS AND BUSINESS

FRIDAY, JULY 22, 2016

N150

}14

Dear Domitila

W

e all know why prostitution will be around here for a long time to come, don’t we? Too many men are fond of the street girls even if they are married to beauty queens. Only goodness knows what the attraction is. A man who would throw his wife out (after beating the living daylight out of her) for being unfaithful, patronizes prostitutes who sleep with so many other men and talks, boasts about it.

Can you rationalize that? I can’t. But then, who can understand men! For as long as men continue to buy what those bad girls offer for sale from Ayilara in Lagos to Zone 4 in Abuja, there will be vice girls on our streets. It’s sad reality because it is men who make the loudest castigating noises about prostitution.

Now, all the above is not to absolve prostitutes of all blames. In fact, they get the lion share. It’s their entire bloody fault that sex is being hawked in the first place and they are the ones who let the men have a choice. Men probably would have contented themselves with their wives and occasional girlfriends, were it not for these so-called commercial sex workers.

Casual sex is bad, so is sex on a first date but to actually put a price tag on your body on a daily basis? It is sickening. I insist that prostitutes are the scum of the society. Their chosen career is inexhaustibly abominable, disgraceful and yes, insane. I am of the opinion that there is something psychiatrically wrong with a woman who goes to bed with strangers as a means of living. And men who patronize them aren’t sane either.

There are grades of prostitutes, do you know? There are those we call residential prostitutes. They are in class ‘A’.

They are the big girls of that industry.

They don’t have scruffy rooms in backof-the-town hotels. Neither can you tell, unless you are really close to them, that they are whores. They are groomed to an inch of their lives and dress up to the nines. There is nothing too expensive for them to wear and oh dear, they feed well, use the best doctors and hardly ever get pregnant.

There are also the condom carriers.

They are not as established as the residential ones but they are career prostitutes alright.

This is where the undergraduates and law school girls fall. And don’t for a second think it is because they are from poor backgrounds. In fact, there are girls on the campuses who are poorer and yet are not prostitutes. They are just bad girls whom greed and evil spirit has pushed on to the streets.

They display their wares on those streets (red-light districts) men know so well, armed with their condoms and change of clothes for the next day’s lectures. They prefer expatriates who can pay hard currency. But that does not rule out the occasional gateman as a customer as long as he’s willing to pay.

Let’s put the rest in the class of scums and dregs of the society. They are your everyday prostitutes who carry telltale badges of their profession, badly bleached skin, smelly bodies in secondhand clothes, eyes with bags under

Adam’s Apple

FUNKE EGBEMODE egbemode3@gmail.com 0805-506-9066 (sms only) them, very b-a-a-d English, gutter-dirty slangs. Yes, these ones look very hungry, unkempt and pitiable. They look disease-ridden and feed poorly. Their jobs obviously can’t feed, clothe or keep them healthy but they go on receiving paltry sums like N1,000 per customer to endanger their own lives.

They’ve heard of the goodness of condoms but because they need the money badly, they still open their legs when some customers decline condoms.

They are in and out of hospitals and sometimes give birth to ‘fatherless’ children in their N500-a-day hotel rooms.

Prostitutes are demon-possessed. Or what other reason can you think of ? No, don’t give me economic reason stuff.

So bloody what if there are no jobs and things are generally bad!

What will the society be if all unemployed girls turn to prostitution? Why haven’t all jobless men turned to armed robbery?

These bad girls are plain lazy bums who want the easiest way out. They have no respect for themselves or what womanhood stands for. No self-respect, no dignity.

They are stupidly carefree, mortgaging their lives, future for a few morsels of food and fake jewelry. They expose themselves to life-endangering moments doing a job they cannot even boast of. Like armed robbers, they pretend to be what they are not during the day.

An 18-year-old girl hears that there is money to be made in Abuja, for instance.

Armed with a primary school leaving certificate that she cannot even defend,

Hey sis, keep on rocking, 'ashawo no be work' PHOT: www. africametro.com

she heads out there. She has a choice of being a house-help, petrol attendant, baby-minder at day-care centres or caterer’s assistant.

She can go from house to house as a laundry girl. She can help people dispose their refuse. Or aren’t there girls who beckon to women who want to fix their hair under the city bridges? There are also porters in major markets. But she prefers to hawk her body. That way she can sleep all day and sleep all night, with men of course.

With prostitution, she does not have to work hard. She can afford to spend all she made last night because she’ll make more tonight. She’ll never plan for the future.

The snag is prostitution has a early retirement age. If a prostitute is not sick or dead by 35, she looks 50 and scraggy. She will have to move over for the incoming

generation. And where does that leave a prostitute? Worse than the people of Sodom and Gomorrah.

I understand that some women turn to prostitution to raise money to see them through school or start a business. But those ones do it just for a brief period and retire into something more dignifying.

A lot of rich women in this society have such murky past but at least they know when to stop. They didn’t take prostitution as a life-time career just because of the easy cash. It’s bad enough that a woman has to descend that low to get on, to now refuse to stop out of greed, is awful.

If university graduates are not finding it easy to get jobs, primary school leavers or even school certificate holders should not pretend to be in the same class with them (graduates). There is a long list of jobs to choose from.

Go to construction sites and see the number of females who are doing one thing or the other.

It may be hard work but if a girl knows where she’s going, she’d plan towards it.She’d put money aside to start a business. She could work in the mornings and go to part-time school. She could learn fashion designing, hairdressing and barbing, etc in the evenings and work part-time. Hard times don’t last but hard girls do. My maid is a trained hairdresser who is doing this job to raise money to start her own salon. She could have turned to prostitution but didn’t.

Most millionaires have humble beginnings, remember?

If you are considering prostitution, forget it. If you are already into it, you need a rethink. Think of how many crates of soft drinks you can buy with the same amount you bought that flimsy evening dress.

The hair extension you just fixed will buy up to 10 bags of pure water. Don’t you think you can do better for yourself than being used by total strangers? Your body is worth a lot more than you are auctioning it right now. It may be hard combining part-time work with learning a trade or evening lessons but it’s a worthy investment.

Hard work won’t kill you and keep telling yourself “prostitution is a deadend job”, until you quit.

Printed and Published by Daily Telegraph Publishing Company Ltd: Head Office: No. 1A, Ajumobi Street, Off ACME Road, Agidingbi, Ikeja-Lagos. Tel: +234 1-2219496, 2219498. Abuja Office: Orji Kalu House, Plot 322, by Banex Junction, Mabushi, Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. Advert Hotlines: (Lagos 0902 928 1425), (Abuja 0805 5118488) Email: info@newtelegraphonline.com Website: www.newtelegraphonline.com ISSN 2354-4317 Editor: AYODELE OJO.