Monday, august 29, 2016 binder1 by Newtelegraphonline

Inflation raises $3.2bn Mambilla power contract to $6bn Adeola Yusuf

he contract for expansion of largest single hydropower station in Nigeria, the $3.2 billion Mambilla Hydropower project, signed in

2007, has risen to $6 billion due to inflationary trends. The 34-year-old hydroelectric power project in Taraba State has also suffered a major threat

buoyed by massive landslide, which has also put the 3,050 megawatts generation capacity from the plant in jeopardy. The Mambilla hydro-

electric power project in Taraba State, initiated in 1982 to serve as the largest single hydropower station in Nigeria, is also, according to the Economic Con-

Nigeria generated N8.1trn from tax in 2015 – Fowler

fidential, being faced with "several other threats" including "bad roads." The contract for expansion of the plant was awarded on May 28, 2007, at $3.2 billion to China Gezhouba Group Com-

pany Limited (CGGC) and another Chinese consortium, Sinohydro. The Chinese firms are expected to provide 70 per cent of the sum, while 30 per cent would be providCONTINUED ON PAGE 4

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Monday, August 29, 2016

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Kanu

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Emefiele

Buhari: I'll treat N'Delta militants like Boko Haram …says FG ready to swap terrorists for Chibok schoolgirls }3 Agege motor road

Ikeja

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Victoria Garden city

Scenes of flooding in some areas of Lagos after the rain… yesterday. PHOTO: SULEIMAN HUSAINI

Budget padding: Security agencies probe Jibrin’s assets in US, UK, Dubai, others }2

Bad lenses could cause loss of vision

}10

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MonDAY, AUGUST 29, 2016 NEW TELEGRAPH

FG probes Jibrin’s assets in US, UK, Dubai, others

Philip Nyam Abuja

ecurity agencies have begun investigations and profiling of assets both in Nigeria and abroad allegedly owned by former chairman of the House of Representatives’ Committee on Appropriation, Hon. Abdulmumin Jibrin. New Telegraph gathered that the embattled lawmaker-turned anti-

corruption crusader is said to have multi-billion naira assets in Nigeria, Dubai, United Kingdom, United States, Switzerland and Liechtenstein. The assets are mostly houses. The lawmaker is also said to be maintaining bank accounts in these countries. Jibrin had, at the weekend, confessed being a beneficiary of a questionable office maintenance allowance for members of the House to the tune of N650

million. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) is already investigating him. This revelation came barely a day after he accused the 10 principal officers of sharing more than N10 billion in fraudulent proceeds. The Kano-born lawmaker, who regretted taking the loot, however promised that he would explain how he used his ill-gotten N650 million. “I have records and ac-

count of how I spent every penny that I have taken. In fact, it has been published in a 150-page book. “However, I have never been comfortable with the money! Thank God the wasteful allowances regime has reached its Waterloo! The country and House will be better off!” Jibrin had confirmed. But a reliable source in the National Assembly close to the Presidency told New Telegraph yesterday that President Muham-

President Muhammadu Buhari (left) with former President Olusegun Obasanjo, at the 6th Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD VI) in Nairobi, Kenya … yesterday.

madu Buhari had directed security agencies to do a thorough background checks on Jibrin. According to the source, it was discovered that Jibrin owns multi-billion naira assets scattered both in Nigeria and abroad, adding that the security agencies, including the EFCC, have made appreciable success and are still working. "I want to let you know that because of the series of allegations being churned out by the former appropriation chairman, the Presidency had directed security agencies to do background checks on him and the report revealed damning things about him. "The preliminary report shows that he has properties worth billions of naira here in Nigeria, Dubai, US, UK, Switzerland and Liechtenstein. In fact, by what I gathered, Jibrin is far richer than imagined." According to the source, the president was shocked at the revelations so far made. "His assets are stupendous and the presidency is still shocked at how he made such wealth. Although, it is understood

Nigeria generated N8.1trn from tax in 2015 –Fowler Sunday Ojeme

he series of reforms put in place by the Federal Government to block tax evasion and other leakages have started yielding results as the Federal Government raked in $27 billion (N8.1 trillion) from tax last year. Disclosing this last week in Accra, Ghana at the Annual Tax Conference of the Chartered Institute of Taxation, Ghana (CITG), the Executive Chairman of Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), Mr. Tunde Fowler, however, lamented that Nigeria, with its oil wealth and population of over 140 million people and about 60 million taxable citizens, only collected $27 billion while South Africa, with less resources, collected $57 billion. Fowler, who delivered the lead paper at the Conference: “Strategies For Revenue Mobilisation, in Contemporary Times: Challenges in Tax Legislation,” said his success in establishing a connect between tax contribution of as little as N5,000 and the life of a child who might die from malaria, touched the hearts of some taxpayers in Lagos who turned a new leaf and became compliant taxpayers. The FIRS chairman noted that it was curious that no member of the Organ-

isation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) with all their wealth is in the league of developed countries, stressing that even Venezuelans queue for food. He decried the fact that in Nigeria, oil, gas and mining sectors (6.48 per cent) were not the biggest contributor to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of $422.59 billion as they maintain the third place position after trade (19.15 per cent) and agriculture (19.0 per cent). “It can be argued that the extent to which an economy is able to grow sustainably and develop depends, to a large extent, on its ability to generate tax revenue to finance its expenditure and the efficiency of its tax system,” he noted. While acknowledging that governments fund budget either by levying taxes or borrowing, he noted that taxmen must still perform their duties within the ambit of the law. He observed that though it was tasking, it was still possible to collect taxes with existing laws, adding that obsolete laws and challenging law amendment processes were some of the challenges to tax legislation in Africa. He said the situation was hopeless as tax administrators must be innova-

tive, purposeful, dedicated and result oriented, saying that with their conduct, tax administrators could convince legislators and elected office holders of the direction tax legislation should go. The chairman, who was given an award as an Honourary Fellow of CITG for his contributions to the tax institute, told tax practitioners and administrators from Ghana, Sierra Leone, Nigeria, Cote D’Ivoire and other parts of West African sub-region, that beyond deploying the law, enforcement, technology and mobilisation, tax administrators must deploy a medley of psychology, persuasion and being firm to convince their fellow countrymen to pay tax and fund their country’s development. He noted: “When you ask people to pay tax, they ask you why. But when you tell them that a tax of N5,000 is enough to save a child from dying from malaria, their attitude about tax begins to change gradually. As a tax administrator, you have to become a teacher to save the life of a child. “The point is that as tax administrators, we must see the work that we do, not just as another job, but as nation building. Tax collection is nation building. It is serving your nation. It is serving God. When you

convince a taxpayer that the tax he pays could save the life of a child who has malaria from death, you could begin to touch the taxpayer’s heart. “We can still do a lot with the laws we have now. Before the law changes, tax administrators need to wear the hat of a teacher, a psychologist, a friendly person and a firm upholder of the law. “I urge all of us stakeholders to be conscious of our roles in ensuring that Africa catches up with the rest of the world in moving away from dependence on resource revenue towards dependence on taxation as the primary source of funding for our development. “Once this is clear and lawmakers and power holders are convinced that tax administrators are pushing for those changes for collective good, changes in tax legislation will not be difficult to advocate.” He identified other routes to overcoming tax collection challenges as collaboration with stakeholders, robust taxpayer education, simplifying tax laws, review of waivers and exemptions, discouragement of impunity and flouting of tax laws. “One issue that is clear is that there can be no successful revenue mobilisation without a sound tax law regime as a platform

for implementing the strategy. Strategies which are implemented without a sound legal footing usually fail or do not stand the test of time,” he added. While conferring Fowler with the award, CITG President, Nii Ayii Aryeetey, and Secretary, Fred Teeteh, described the FIRS Chairman as being of tremendous help to the CITG in the past years both at FIRS and Lagos Inland Revenue Service (LIRS) where he consistently mobilised Nigerian tax experts, who have contributed actively to paper presentations and discussions and helped to enrich CITG conferences. “Those expert opinions on various tax issues have impacted positively on communiques issued after each tax conference. This has gone a long way to shape some tax policies of our country and improved revenue mobilisation,” he said.

£3.73m

The amount of money received by Newcastle United as merit payment for the 2015/2016 season. Source: Goal.com

27m

The estimated number of people in countries in transition suffer from undernourishment. Source: Unesco.org

that he was into business, the source of his assets is being tracked by the security agencies," the source stated. He said the security apparatus have also compiled list of his activities when he was chairman of the House Committee on Appropriation during the 7th Assembly. The source explained that it was because of these investigations that Jibrin has not been allowed access to President Buhari since the budget padding scandal broke out. "This must have informed the decision of the Villa not to grant him access to the president. Buhari was said to have been irked by the amount of stupendous wealth he has garnered at a youthful age," the lawmaker disclosed. It will be recalled that Jibrin had, at the beginning of his allegations against Speaker Yakubu Dogara and other members of the House, cried foul over deliberate efforts to stall his access to Mr. President. According to the source, Jibrin's decision to confess that he also benefited from the alleged illegal allowances to members of the House was taken after news got to him that the Presidency had ordered a secret investigation into his assets. "You know, he's very smart and intelligent. When he accused the 10 principal officers of sharing over N10 billion in illegal allowances, he didn't mention his own. But as soon as he got wind of the news of background checks on him, he offered to explain how he expended what he was paid. "He has, all along, denied that he was not part of budget padding but in this case, he also implicated himself," the source stated. Jibrin had, last Friday, said Dogara allegedly got the lion’s share of N1.5 billion out of the N10 billion with deputy speaker, Yusuf Lasun, benefitting N800 million; Majority Leader, Femi Gbajabiamila, N1.2 billion; his deputy, Buba Jibril, N1.2 billion; House Whip, Alhassan Doguwa, N1.2 billion; and his deputy, Pally Iriase, N700 million. Others were Minority Leader, Leo Ogor, N1.2 billion, his deputy, Chukwuka Onyema, N800 million; Minority Whip, Yakubu Barde, N700 million and his deputy, Binta Bello, N700 million. All attempts to get Jibrin react to this latest development were unsuccessful, as calls to his phone number could not go through.

NEWS

MonDAY, AUGUST 29, 2016 NEW TELEGRAPH

Buhari: I'll treat N'Delta militants like Boko Haram Anule Emmanuel Abuja

resident Muhammadu Buhari has, once again, vowed to deal with Niger Delta militants the same way his administration dealt with Boko Haram if they fail to negotiate with the Federal Government. Buhari said the attention of his administration is now focused on stopping the destruction of the country's economic assets by militants in the oil-rich region. Also, the president expressed readiness to release Boko Haram members in various prisons across the country in exchange for the over 200 schoolgirls kidnapped by the sect two years ago. The president spoke yesterday on the sidelines at the sixth Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD VI) in Nairobi, Kenya. He assured existing and prospective foreign investors that their investments in Nigeria would be fully secured and protected.

The president noted that the militants must dialogue with the Federal Government or be dealt with in the same way like Boko Haram. "We are talking to some of their leaders. We will deal with them as we dealt with Boko Haram if they refuse to talk to us. “As a government, we know our responsibility, which is to secure the environment. It is clear to us that lenders won't fund projects in insecure environments. “We realise that we have to secure the country before we can efficiently manage it," the president said. The military has sustained operations in the North-East to rout the Boko Haram terrorists with many insurgents killed. The president said the Federal Government is open to dialogue to resolve all contending issues in the Niger Delta. “We do not believe that they (the militants) have announced ceasefire. We are trying to understand them more. Who are their

leaders and which areas do they operate and other relevant issues,” he said. Buhari also told the Japanese Prime Minister, Shinzo Abe, that security in the Gulf of Guinea, which is greatly affected by piracy and armed robbery at sea, was a priority for the Nigerian government. “We have provided funds to our Navy to buy new platforms, train and effectively organise the personnel to protect the area. We are looking forward to support from developed nations for satellite surveillance covering the Gulf,” the President said. Meanwhile, the president said that the Federal Government would only begin negotiations with Boko Haram if their original leaders were identified. According to the president, the sect can proceed in getting the involvement of international organisation in any planned negotiation if they do not trust the sincerity of government. He said: "The Nigerian

government is ready to dialogue with bona fide leaders of the terror group who know the whereabouts of the girls. "If they do not want to talk to us directly, let them pick an internationally recognised non-governmental organisation (NGO), convince them that they are holding the girls and that they want Nigeria to release a number of Boko Haram leaders in detention, which they are supposed to know." The terrorist group had, in a recent video, demanded the release of its commanders in detention as condition for the release of the schoolgirls who have remained in captivity since April 14, 2014, when they were abducted. In the video, one of the Chibok girls, Maida Yakubu, called on parents to appeal to the Federal Government, to accede to the request to free detained fighters, for their (the Chibok girls') rescue. Buhari lamented that much of his comments

about Boko Harm were already being politicised. “If they do it through the ‘modified leadership’ of Boko Haram and they talk with an internationally recognised NGO, then Nigeria will be prepared to discuss for their release,” Buhari said. He also warned that the Federal Government would not waste time and resources with "doubtful sources,” claiming to know the whereabouts of the girls. “We want those girls out and safe. The faster we can recover them and hand them over to their parents, the better for us,” he said. Buhari also stressed that the terror group, which pledged allegiance to ISIS, has been largely decimated by the Nigerian military with the support of immediate neighbours from Chad, Cameroon, Niger and Benin. “Some of the information about the division in Boko Haram is already in the press and I have read in the papers about the

conflict in their leadership. “The person known in Nigeria as their leader, we understand was edged out and the Nigerian members of Boko Haram started turning themselves to the Nigerian military. “We learnt that in an air strike by the Nigeria Air Force he (Abubakar Shekau) was wounded. Indeed, their top hierarchy and lower cadre have a problem and we know this because when we came into power, they were holding 14 out of the 774 local governments in Nigeria. But now they are not holding any territory and they have split to small groups attacking soft targets,” Buhari stated. While recalling his audience with G7 leaders in Germany, which was attended by the Prime Minister, Buhari thanked Japan for responding positively to the requests by Nigeria for the rehabilitation of victims of Boko Haram and rebuilding of infrastructure in the North Eastern part of the country. CONTINUED ON PAGE 4

Troops establish school for IDPs in Bama

n a bid to assist the internally displaced persons and enhance civilmilitary relations, troops of 21 Brigade, 7 Division, Nigerian Army, have established a temporary school for the children at the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) camp located in Bama town, Bama Local Government Area of Borno State, using military tents. The school comprised six military tents in which soldiers not on essential duty served as teachers. In addition, some of the IDPs, who were teachers before their displacement, also teach in the school. Presently, the school has a population of over 3,000 children. The Brigade has also established a section of adult education for women. Impressed with the laudable initiative, the United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF) also assisted the Brigade with two additional tents and school bags for the pupils, while Borno State Urban Education deployed a Principal

15,000

The number of pregnant women living with HIV receiving the most effective antiretroviral regiments (excluding single-dose nevirapine) for preventing mother-to-child transmission of Latin America and the Caribbean in 2010. Source: Who.int

to assist in running of the school. The United Nations Assistant SecretaryGeneral and the Regional Humanitarian Coordinator for the Sahel, Mr. Toby Lanzer, and Borno State Government celebrated the recently held World Humanitarian Day with the IDPs in the school and commended the efforts of the Nigerian Army for establishing the school.

Troops of 21 Brigade, 7 Division, Nigerian Army, teaching children of the internally displaced in Bama town, Bama Local Government Area of Borno State

Ghost workers: FG directs military, paramilitary, MDAs to key into TSA Taiwo Hassan

o reduce the huge recurrent expenditure in the country, the Federal Government has ordered the military, paramilitary outfits and other government agencies to key into the Treasury Single Account (TSA) and the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS) electronic platform. The action is basically to eliminate ghost workers in the affected institutions and agencies. It is also in line with government’s rigorous process to clean up the huge finances being gulped by the military, paramilitary and thousands of ghost workers scattered across the public sector. Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo, who revealed

this to New Telegraph, said that the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari was seriously worried over the high number of ghost workers in the public sector. According to him, the payroll of workers is the biggest problem facing the current administration, as there are still thousands of ghost workers in agencies of government and military. He said that government had resolved not to sack workers in the public sector in spite of economic meltdown, but would rather merge various agencies of government as part of the policy to save cost. The vice president, however, said that the discovery of thousands of ghost workers was growing daily and, regrettably, distorting recurrent expenditure.

His words: “The most obvious and largest portions of the recurrent expenditure are the payroll, overheads and others; but the payroll is the largest component. Now, we promised over time not to lay off workers even where we have tried to merge ministries and in some cases merge the Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs). “The several thousands of ghost workers we have seen is one sure way of reducing the recurrent expenditure. We are confident that once we are able to get the military, all of the services into the IPPIS, we would be able to clean up their payrolls as well. “But just like the other agencies that are not currently on the electronic platform, we are going to enroll them and we think

that a lot can be done in terms of reducing the recurrent expenditure.” The vice president also explained that in order to safeguard jobs and prevent further increases in unemployment, the Federal Government paid priority attention to assisting the states and local governments to enable them pay the salaries of their workers. He said: “We have had three such interventions, including the latest loan of N90 billion as part of a fiscal responsibility plan for states. In order to access these funds, states are required to comply with a fiscal responsibility plan, which includes cleaning up their payrolls, the use of TSA and showing clear plans for improving IGR. “These interventions have helped to boost

household and social spending, which are key steps to preventing the economy from falling into deep recession. “One of the first areas in which we brought about change is in public finance management. This has had a consequential effect of saving jobs as well as money. The reality is that every ghost worker eliminated at the federal level is a job saved. “Other policy instruments used in this regard include the TSA, which has brought transparency into inflows and outflows of government monies. “The ongoing implementation of the IPPIS is bringing about monthly savings of N8 billion, while the creation of the Efficiency Unit is projected to save N14 billion in 2016 fiscal year.”

NEWS

MonDAY, AUGUST 29, 2016 NEW TELEGRAPH

PDP’ll resolve its internal crisis amicably – BoT chairman

hairman, Board of Trustee (BoT) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Senator Walid Jibrin, has assured members and Nigerians that the party will soon resolve its internal crisis amicably. Jibrin gave the assurance yesterday in Nasarawa Local Government Area of Nasarawa State while addressing party supporters at a rally organised in his honour. The BoT chairman said that the party would resolve its differences without fighting so as to make the party stronger. He said that BoT and other stakeholders in the party were working tirelessly to bring back aggrieved members with a view to mending fences.

According to him, this will make the party stronger and position it to win future elections. “First and foremost, I want to thank you for organising this rally in my honour and for passing a vote of confidence on my leadership. “I want to assure you that the party is doing everything humanly possible to unite its aggrieved members in the interest of the party and Nigeria at large. “Both Senators Ahmed Makarfi and Ali Modi Sheriff are PDP members and all members of the party are one and united. “If Sheriff is aggrieved, we are trying to listen, look at his issues and by God’s grace, we are going to address his issues or problem

without fighting. “But I want to advice that all of us in PDP must know that nobody is above the party, we must respect the law and constitution of PDP, and we must all stop court cases and see ourselves as one in the interest of the party and

Nigeria at large. “I want to assure members of our great party and Nigerians that the party will soon resolve its internal crisis amicably without fighting and quarrelling so as to make the party stronger and win all future elections,” he said.

Anule Emmanuel Abuja

resident Muhammadu Buhari has assured that his government will work towards making Nigeria one of the most attractive and easiest places of doing business in the world by 2019. The president stated

this yesterday in Nairobi, Kenya, at a plenary session on "Dialogue with the Private Sector" at the sixth Tokyo International Conference for African Development (TICAD VI). He said his administration was implementing policies and measures to create right and enabling environment for business and investors in Nigeria.

Inflation raises $3.2bn Mambilla hydro-power contract to $6bn CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

would not continue the journey on dangerous paths. A source at the Federal Ministry of Works, Power and Housing was quoted as saying that: “The minister, Mr. Raji Fashola, has shown keen interest in ensuring the completion of the project because of its potential to add 3000MW to the grid through hydroelectric project, rather than expensive gas plants. “The ministry is working towards assessing the condition of the roads for immediate solutions. We are all aware that the project would provide employment opportunities and is expected to boost national economic growth.” Also concerned about the development, former President Olusegun Obasanjo urged Buhari to immediately complete the hydropower project to increase the energy potential of Nigeria and pave the way for more development. Obasanjo, who was speaking with newsmen in Jalingo, the Taraba State capital, said that the project would be of great benefit to the region and to Nigeria, and as such, must be quick-

party would provide a level playing ground to all candidates aspiring for positions in future elections in order to win all positions. Jibrin assured them that the period of impunity and godfatherism was over in the party.

Buhari: I'll make Nigeria best business destination by 2019

Chairman/Vice President, Shell Downstream (South Africa), Mr. Bonang Mohale (left), with Chairman, Seplat Petroleum Development Company, Dr. ABC Orjiako, at the Africa Singapore Business Forum in Singapore … recently

ed by the Federal Government of Nigeria. The current six biggest thermal stations in the country have a total capacity of 3,030 megawatts, which is still far less than Mambilla’s 3,050 megawatts. Due to various factors, the project was suspended during the previous administrations. In an effort to ensure the speedy completion of the project, President Muhammadu Buhari was in China this year to seek the assistance of Chinese government, the major financier for the power station. Recently some foreign engineers, in company of government officials on an inspection visit to Taraba State, refused to proceed further to Barup, the project site due to bad roads damaged by massive landslide. Other access roads are bushy that is only accessible by bikes while the rivers have no functional bridges. All entreaties by officials and members of the local community were not heeded by the foreigners who insisted that they

According to him, from all indications, PDP will win Edo and Ondo gubernatorial elections with clear margin. He urged party supporters not to be deterred by the challenges facing the party at the moment. He also said that the

ly completed. He added that the cost of completing the project was rising by the day, stressing that it would be better to complete it now than wait for when it would be more expensive. A community leader and Chairman of Mambilla Plateau Legacies Forum (MPLF), Mallam Ibrahim Ismail Sadiq, appealed to the federal and state governments to take urgent measures at addressing the problems of the roads and open up the potential of the plateau. He said that the surrounding communities that are borders to Cameroon Republic are on the verge of being cut off from Nigeria as a result of the landslide that occurred on the only road linking Mambilla Plateau with Taraba State and Nigeria as a nation. He said: “Many foreign investors are reluctant to ply the dangerous roads that are dilapidated by landslides while the rivers could not be accessed by vehicles due to lack of functional bridges. “Apart from the potential to generate power

supply, Mambilla Plateau offers attractive settings worth of massive investments than anywhere in Nigeria because of its unique physical and conducive climatic conditions for human settlement and cattle breeding.” The Mambilla Plateau is high grassland with an average elevation of 2419m (5249ft) above sea level, making it the highest Plateau in Nigeria, which occupies an area 9389km. It has cattle ranches, tea plantation and rolling glassy hills. It is a home to some rare species of birds and animals. The highland is also home to Nigeria and West Africa's only highland tea plantation and production.

$64.48m The amount of the market capitalization of Supranational bonds of Nigeria as of December 31, 2014. Source: Nigerian Stock Exchange

18.4×

The average PE ratio of the Nigerian Stock Exchange’s listed equities for Q4 2014. Source: Nigerian Stock Exchange

Nigeria, he said, was currently ranked 169 out of 189 countries by the World Bank, according to its 2016 Ease of Doing Business report. Buhari told the session attended by several African leaders, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and international business executives that his administration’s vision and objective is to make Nigeria one of the top investment destinations in the world, within the shortest possible time. “We believe government has a particular responsibility to create right and attractive environment for businesses and economic activities to thrive. “In furtherance of this vision, we have launched the Presidential Enabling Environment Council (PEEC) and Inter-Ministerial Council to oversee the efforts of government to remove various bottlenecks that stifle businesses and economic activities and thereby create economic activities and the right enabling environment and investment climate in Nigeria. “The secretariat will include strong private sector representation that would be led by experienced business professionals from the private sector.

“We are committed to moving up the ranking of the World Bank’s ease of doing business index 20 places in first year and be in the top 100 within the next three years,” the president said. Buhari said African countries had a lot to learn from Japan on developing agriculture. “This year, in Nigeria, we started an aggressive farming programme that entails organising farmers into cooperatives in the second and third tier of government. “We intend to put more resources in our 2017 budget, especially in the procurement of machinery for land clearing, fertilizers, pesticides and training of less-educated farmers, as farm extension instructors. “We have already registered some success this year in a number of states, we identified some 13 states that will be self-sufficient in rice, wheat and grains before the end of 2018. “We are very positive that soon we will be able to export these food products. We are also lucky that the farming season in the northern part of the country has been very good and we are expecting a bumper harvest this year,” the president said.

Buhari: FG ready to swap terrorists for Chibok schoolgirls CONTINUED FROM PAGE 3

The president, however, said there was still more to do on education, health and other infrastructure to ensure quick and voluntary return of displaced persons to their native communities. On the United Nations Security Council reform, Buhari agreed to work with Japan for the reforms, stressing that the case for a permanent seat for Africa on the Council was a moral one. He equally expressed Nigeria's support for Japan in their bid for a UN resolution on the problems in East China and South China as well as the "uncontrolled nuclear tests by North Korea." “The UN system is sufficient for the resolutions of all disputes and no nation should be above the United

Nations. “This has to be made absolutely clear and I assure the Prime Minister that I will meet as many leaders as possible at the forthcoming UN General Assembly concerning the issues," he said. In his remarks, Prime Minister Abe congratulated Buhari “for courageously tackling Boko Haram terrorism." He said Nigeria and Japan must work together to improve the investment climate in view of the many Japanese companies wishing to invest in Nigeria. He reaffirmed Japan’s commitment to rapid development in Nigeria through quality delivery of ongoing projects in the country, including Jebba hydropower scheme and the Lagos railway project.

MonDAY, AUGUST 29, 2016 NEW TELEGRAPH

NEWS

MonDAY, AUGUST 29, 2016 NEW TELEGRAPH

Forex: CBN's suspension of nine banks bad for economy – LCCI Taiwo Hassan

he Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) has faulted the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) for suspending nine banks from foreign exchange operations, saying the move is already fuelling uncertainties and impacting negatively on investors. Director-General, LCCI, Muda Yusuf, in a statement issued in Lagos yesterday, said it was shocking that the nation's economy had drained due to inconsistent policies in foreign exchange management by the apex bank. He lamented that the situation had also led to poor inflow of foreign direct investment (FDI) into the country. Yusuf said the apex bank should have managed the situation carefully bearing in mind the multiplier effect on the nation's economy. He said the major challenge facing the economy at this time was the inability to regain the confidence of investors, both local and foreign, adding the instability and inconsistency in foreign exchange management policy had also been complicating matters. According to him, the

economy has a major structural defect of being heavily import dependent that cannot be fixed in the short term. He, therefore, pointed out that the shocks arising from the collapse of oil price and the corresponding depreciation in the naira exchange rate were inevitable. Yusuf stressed that the policy responses could make a whole lot of difference in the profundity of the impacts of the shocks on the economy and the citizens. His words: "Historically, autonomous supply of foreign exchange had been higher than the CBN supply. But this has virtually dried up because of the collapse of investor confidence. Of course, the plunge in crude oil price was a major causal factor. "But perhaps the bigger issue is the unstable and inconsistent foreign exchange policy, which has continued to create uncertainty in the forex market, thus deepening the liquidity problems. "For an economy that is in fragile mode; and for an economy that is highly exchange rate sensitive, policy actions and pronouncements that could impact the market should be done with utmost caution and care.”

He continued: "This is imperative to avoid unintended consequences, which may hurt the economy in very profound ways. Such is the recent suspension of nine banks from the forex market. These are shocks that the economy can ill afford at this time. "It is right to penalise banks for proven infractions, but this should be done in a way to minimise collateral effects on investors and the larger economy, given the high sensitivity of the economy to developments in the foreign exchange market. "This is even more so at a time when the economy is grappling with a major confidence issue in the forex market.” He pointed out that there should be more creative and less disruptive ways of imposing such sanctions as innocent investors and citizens were already bearing the brunt of this action given the unprecedented hike in naira exchange rate. The finance expert explained that the ongoing forex transactions in the affected banks had been stalled with serious consequences for investors. On the recent allocation of 60 per cent forex to the manufacturing industry, he noted that this major policy development could

President, Chartered Institute of Taxation Ghana (CITG), Nii Ayi Aryeetey, FCIT (left) presenting a certificate of Honorary Fellow of CITG to Executive Chairman, Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), Mr. Tunde Fowler, at the 6th Annual International Tax Conference in Accra, Ghana…at the weekend

pose a risk to the stability and transparency of the foreign exchange market, especially the recent policy on sectoral allocation of foreign exchange. According to him, the allocation of the 60 per cent forex to the real sector will raise uncertainty in other sectors of the economy since these sectors too need forex to survive in their legitimate operations. He, however, stressed that other sectors outside the manufacturing industry accounted for 80 per cent of the country's Gross Domestic Product (GDP), adding that starving other sectors of the economy may not be the best policy at this period of economic woes.

His words: "The CBN circular did not indicate any HS Code to properly define what would qualify as raw materials and machineries. The first concern will be that of definition. "The result of this will be discretionary interpretation by the banks as what qualifies as raw materials and machineries. "The second major concern is the potential crowding out of other sectors in the forex market. Sectors outside manufacturing account for over 85 per cent of the country’s GDP and jobs in the economy. They all have varying import contents in their operations. "Therefore, if a minimum of 60 per cent of all forex allocation go into

manufacturing for raw materials and machineries, what happens to other sectors?” He said currently, petroleum products imports were priority and could take another 25 per cent of foreign exchange. "This implies that the rest of the sectors would settle for the balance of 15 per cent. This is clearly not a sustainable framework. It is important to recognise the interdependence of sectors and the integrated nature of the economy. All sectors complement one another for the economy to function properly. "This is not to diminish the critical importance of the manufacturing in the economy," he noted.

MonDAY, AUGUST 29, 2016 NEW TELEGRAPH

monDAY, AUGUST 29, 2016 NEW TELEGRAPH

METRO

ABIODUN BELLO abiodun.bello@newtelegraphonline.com 08023938212

...CRIME, CITY WATCH, COURTS

I’m Lagos pickpockets’ chairman, suspect boasts

Camillus Nnaji

suspected thief, Ibrahim Kasali, has told officials of the Rapid Responds Squad (RRS) that he was the chairman of pickpockets in Oshodi area of Lagos State. Kasali was arrested alongside 20 other suspects. The police said some of the suspects were armed robbers and pickpockets. The suspect, who is referred to as “Ibrahim Babangida of Oshodi,” was arrested moments after stealing from a victim. Kasali, pretending he wanted to board a commercial bus, picked the pocket of a passenger, the victim immediately noticed and shouted. The suspect jumped off the bus while some passengers went after when RRS men grabbed him. It was gathered that Kasali is feared by his colleagues for his ruthlessness. The police said: “Some of his colleagues said he is their leader. He is the one that goes around collecting items stolen or snatched from passers-by to sell and share the proceeds to all of them.” Kasali was arrested after

RRS men raided Mosafejo, Bolade, Oshodi-Oke and Oshodi-Under Bridge areas. The raid was carried out between 4:30a.m. and 6:35a.m. on Friday. The police said that the suspects were arrested while waiting for early hours’ rush, in order to pick pockets of passers-by and passengers. Some of those arrested are Bello Fatai, Oladimeji Ajisafe, Hassan Adeyemi, Jubril Olamilekan and Babalola Ahmed. Others are Junior Vincent, Rilwan Oyinsola, Sadiq Taofeek, Kazeem Taiwo, Mutiu Rasheed, Ayodele Adeeko and Sola Omonije. Kasali, the police noted, has been in prison four times while one of his accomplices also arrested, Ibrahim Yusuf (18), from Ogun State, was just out of prison for the eighth time. Upon completion of preliminary screening, four out of 21 arrested suspects, who could provide satisfactory information about their identity, were released. The state Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Superintendent of Police (SP), Dolapo Badmos, while confirming the arrest of the suspects, reassured residents of Lagos of maximum security.

City Briefs

10 die, nine injured in Ibadan auto crash

Sola Adeyemo Ibadan

t least, 10 people lost their lives while nine others were seriously injured when an accident occurred at Itose area of Oyo-Ibadan Expressway at the weekend. The accident, which involved a Toyota Hiace bus with registration number LS D 191 XK, the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) said, coming from Sango-Ota in Ogun State. A witness said the driver of the bus, en route Ilorin-Ogbomoso, ‎ran into a ditch beside a filling station. “While trying to manoeuvre his way after sighting FRSC officials on a routine check at a nearby spot, the bus driver

swerved off the road, lost control and skidded into a big ditch,” the witness said. When contacted, the state FRSC Public Relations Officer (PRO), Oluwaseun Onijala, confirmed the incident. Onijala said that 10 people lost their lives with nine persons were injured in the accident. He said: “The bus had 19 passengers on board with nine persons injured, while 10 persons were confirmed dead.” The PRO disclosed that the injured were currently receiving treatment at the Akinlolu and St Patricks hospitals in Ibadan. Onijala, however, said that the remains of those who died had been deposited at Adeoyo Hospital morgue, Ibadan.

Two of the suspects

Kwara records 1,000 rape cases annually –Ministry Biodun Oyeleye Ilorin

wara State government raised the alarm at the weekend that cases of rape were on the increase across the state. The Director (Child) in the state Ministry of Women Affairs, Hajia Bilkis Sidiq, said the state recorded more than 1,000 rape cases annually. “There is a booklet where such cases are recorded and the number keeps rising on the list,” she said. Sidiq gave the figure while taking part in a ‘Walk Against Rape,’ organised by an Ilorin-based group, Saab Foundation, which is seeking death penalty for rapists. The director, who represented the Commissioner for Women Affairs, Alhaja Ayinke Saka, regretted that rapes cases being recorded in the ministry feature more elderly people than young adults as perpetrators. The founder of Saab Foundation, Miss Bibire Sa’adat, a 21-year-old graduate of Mass Communication, expressed concern that there was no effective law yet against rape while the police and society still stigmatised survivors. Sa’adat, who started the campaign against rape in January, said she had so far been involved with eight survivors, among them three young girls one of who was raped repeatedly by the maid in their house. The other two, she said, were raped by their uncles.

Task force impounds 98 motorcycles Muritala Ayinla

agos State Environmental Sanitation and Special Offences Unit has impounded 98 motorcycles including tricycles at Rainbow bus stop on ApapaOshodi Expressway. This came on the heels of petitions from residents of FESTAC and Mile 2 area about criminal activities perpetrated by operators of both motorcycles and tricycles. The task force Chairman, SP Olayinka Egbeyemi, who led the operation, said residents living around the areas complained that criminals use both motorcycles and tricycles to dispossess them of their valuables any time of the day. He said the residents complained that they could no longer sleep with their eyes closed. A resident, Alhaji Wasiu Olaniran, said “some people use motorcycles and tricycles to perpetrate

Some of the impounded motorcycles

criminal activities”. According to him, the criminals usually rob people of their valuables such as wallets, necklace and telephones. Olaniran, however, commended the task force for its prompt intervention. A victim, who also refused to give her residential address, Mrs. Ngosi Akpan, said these criminals had used motorcycles to cut her

necklace and snatched her Samsung Galaxy phone while she was going home from work. Egbeyemi said the task force would continue to impound and arrest violators of government’s policy on restricted routes across the state until owners and operators of both motorcycles and tricycles complied with the order as enshrined in the Traffic Laws of 2012.

METRO

monDAY, AUGUST 29, 2016 NEW TELEGRAPH

Man, 37, dies in lover’s house Taiwo Jimoh

omicide section of the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), Panti, Yaba, has begun investigation into the death of a 37-year-old man, Sikiru Olanrewaju, whose body was found in his girlfriend’s apartment at Abule-Egba area of Lagos. It was learnt that the deceased had gone to his girlfriend’s house to spend the night on Tuesday last week. However, the next day, efforts to wake him up proved abortive, as he was discovered to be stone dead.

The state Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), SP Dolapo Badmos, who confirmed the incident, said the exact cause for his death could not be immediately ascertained as there was no report of gunshot wounds on him or marks of violence to suggest that he could have been stabbed or shot. Badmos, however, said policemen from OkeOdo Division visited the scene, examined and photographed the deceased but discovered no trace of violence on his body. She added that Olanrewaju’s body had been removed and deposited at the mortuary.

Tension as two monarchs emerge in Ogun community

Cult leader, five robbers killed in shootout

Ag. IG, Ibrahim

Emmanuel Masha Port Harcourt

notorious cult leader, identified as General Igbudu, who had been terrorising Ahoada East and its environs in Rivers State, has been killed during a shootout with the police in Rivers State. Igbudu and five mem-

bers of his gang were killed during the encounter while robbing some victims on the East-West Road. The cult leader had been fingered as the mastermind of the recent abduction of 14 passengers being conveyed in a bus from Port Harcourt to Omoku in Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Area. His men also

set the bus ablaze but the 14 passengers regained freedom a few days later. The police had declared him wanted three weeks ago for some killings in Ahoada East and for the abduction of the 14 passengers. According to sources, despite telling friends of his readiness to accept the state government’s amnesty programme, Igbudu refused to embrace it and surrender his weapons. The state Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Nnamdi Omoni, confirmed the death of Igbudu and his men. Omoni said the police received a distress call about 8:40p.m. on Saturday of an armed robbery attack at Ihuike axis of the East-West Road in Ahoada East. The PPRO said that policemen at Ahoada Division led by the DPO immediately mobilised to the scene and the armed

robbers on sighting the police patrol van, opened fire on the police. He said: “While an 18-seater bus heading from Benin to Port Harcourt was under attack, the driver lost control and the vehicle somersaulted. Three persons were feared dead. “The remaining passengers were rescued. In the ensuing gun battle, the police overpowered the armed robbers. Six of the armed robbers were fatally wounded and died on their way to the hospital.” Omoni listed weapons recovered from the suspects to include four AK47 rifles, 30 rounds of 7.62mm ammunition, one Tokarev pistol with one round of 9.mm Ammunition, one Brownie pistol and two military faze caps. He said some of those injured in the accident were receiving treatment in the hospital.

Soldiers kill four robbers, nab 10 kidnappers Nankpah Bwakan Bauchi

Gov. Amosun

Taiwo Jimoh

ension has gripped residents of Ibafo in Obafemi Owode Local Government Area of Ogun State, following the emergence of two obas-elect with each of them claiming to be the rightful owner of the throne. The Ibafo Traditional Council has petitioned the Ogun State government and the Alake of Egba land, Oba Adedotun Gbadebo, to prevent a possible bloodbath in the community. Addressing journalists at the weekend, the Obain-Council said Otunba of Ibafo, Solomon Ajileja, was in 2012 appointed as the oba-elect by the Alake of Egbaland, while some people were supporting Kazeem Alayande, who was allegedly imposed on the community by the state government. The Ibafo Oba-in-Council said in a letter dated August 3, sent to the Alake of Egbaland and copied to the commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, expressed determination to resist any attempt by government to impose a monarch on the town. The letter reads in part: “It is with disbelief and utter consternation that we want to inform you of the information, spreading round the entire Ibafo and beyond of the intension of the Executive governor of Ogun State, Senator Ibikunle Amosun that he has perfected his plan to

impose Mr Kazeem Kasimawo Alayande as the obaelect on the good people and residents of the sprawling town, any moment from now (God forbid).” Ajileja told our correspondent that he had since 2012 gone through all the necessary screening, including from the security agencies and the Igbeyin Ogboni Council, which is responsible for the selection of monarchs in Ibafo, and was waiting for coronation, until the latest development. According to Ajileja, the Alake of Egbaland had in a letter dated December 5, 2012, introduced him to the Ogun State commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs as the oba-elect of Ibafoland. He said: “What I heard was that the introduction of Alayande was compensation to the Ogun State government.” On his part, Alayande said: “Those peddling rumour that I am not from Ibafo, that I am from Adewolu and another place called Imo, at the appropriate time, I will call a press conference and all of these issues shall be addressed. “I want to implore the good people of Ibafo to support the government on its selection of an oba. I want people to maintain peace and order. Let us all support someone with good intention, someone who really has the love of Ibafo at heart so that great changes can come to Ibafo community.”

oldiers of the 33 Artillery Brigade, Bauchi, yesterday killed four suspected armed robbers and arrested 10 suspected kidnappers in the ongoing operation “FOREST KUNAMA” launched in notorious forests across the state. The Assistant Director, Army Public Relations of the brigade, Major Joseph Afolashade, disclosed this while briefing journalists on the development, at the Shadawanka Army Barracks, Bauchi. He said the special operation, which was directed by the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), General Tukur Buratai, was aimed at flushing out all criminals hiding in thick forests and other places in the state. The army spokesman added that the brigade

Gen. Buratai

had mobilised adequate troops for the exercise and equipped them with sufficient weapons and vehicles, so as to enable the troops penetrate every nook and cranny of forests to trap the bandits. He disclosed that the gallant soldiers had, in the last couple of weeks of the operations, succeeded in killing four bandits at Burra forest in Ningi

Local Government and recovered over 100 stolen cows, which had since been handed over to the owners through the village head of the area. Afolashade added that the troops had also apprehended three suspected armed robbers - Mohammed Idris, Musa Bature and Ibrahim Adamu - at Rimin Zayam and Mai Turare villages.

He gave the names of some of the suspected kidnappers as Muhammadu Idris, Dayyabu Abdullahi and Nasiru Adamu all in Toro Local Government. The spokesman said four others (names withheld) were captured at Dogon Ruwa, Kwange and Dutsen Mai Rama villages in Ningi Local Government where 19 cows, six sheep and two horses were also recovered from them. He said: “The troops also recovered a bag containing N439,000 and some personal items from the suspects. The ongoing operation FOREST KUNAMA will continue till the last criminal in Bauchi State is wiped out. The second phase of the exercise to other forests in Bauchi State such as Balmo forest, Buzu forest and Yankari forest will commence.”

I harbour no‘Catholic priest rapist’–Deputy gov Cephas Iorhemen MAKURDI

enue State Deputy Governor, Benson Abounu (an engineer) yesterday denied reports that he is harbouring a Catholic priest accused of raping a 10-year-old girl in Abuja at the weekend. Abounu, who was reacting to a report published in an online medium which linked him to the alleged sex scandal, described it as a falsehood and a campaign of calumny sponsored by “failed politicians out to tarnish the credibility of prominent members of

the Samuel Ortom-led All Progressives Congress (APC) government in the state”. He said: “This campaign of falsehood and calumny, which is been powered by a failed and discredited politician, has surprisingly taken a new turn with this attack now on a priest of the Catholic Church.” The deputy governor said in a statement issued by his Chief Press Secretary (CPS), Mr. Ogaba Ede, that the mercenary, ‘whose stock in trade seems to be centred only on Benue State,’ talked of an Abuja-based Cath-

olic priest who allegedly raped a 10 year-old girl. The statement reads in part: “To flavour the story and achieve its aim of soiling the names of those in the Ortom government, the hired character assassin decided to bring in the personality of the state Deputy Governor, Benson Abounu, and tie him with the priest, stating that the man is his spiritualist. “First, let it be known here that the Deputy Governor, Benson Abounu, is a knight of John Wesley in the Methodist Church. He neither knows nor has any dealing with

the said Catholic priest who is said to be based in Abuja neither does he have a spiritualist of any kind as he is an orthodox Christian with the fear of God only. “He does not deal with spiritualists and herbalists as he does not need them. This fact could be seen from the report which could not provide any evidence to back the assertion which is a blatant lie.” Abounu added that he was not aware of any priest being held for rape not to talk of making arrangements to free him from detention.

NEWS | national

Power outage disrupts flight at Lagos airport Wole Shadare

igeria’s busiest airport, the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos again witnessed power outage at the aerodrome. The problem caused major disruption of flight services to airlines. Arik, Air Maroc, Lufthansa, Delta, Virgin Atlantic Airways, Air France, Delta, British Airways, South African Airways among others, expressed disappointment over the problem that has lingered for more than four years. Power outage at the Lagos airport is a recurring problem and one that has brought shame to the country. The problem was said to have gone on for two days, that is, Saturday

•FAAN apologises

and Sunday. The power outage was yet to be restored, thereby causing serious problems to carriers with many of them finding it extremely difficult to profile passengers, leading to late departure of virtually all the airlines. Many were seen using flashlights to check in passengers and for security profiling. Many of them who spoke to New Telegraph decried the appalling situation, calling on the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) to quickly look for a solution to the incessant power outage at the airport. Spokesman for FAAN, Yakubu Dati, said that there was a power outage from PHCN and the

airport was on their independent power supply. “However, when power was restored, the surge adversely affected the K16 transformer that serves the Air-bridges and rendered them unserviceable. This adversely affected operations of departing flights. The heavy rainfall further delayed attempts by engineers to effect repairs immediately.” He said It was gathered that as result of the serious power outage, chaos took over as many carriers warned of security consequences

£13.27m

The amount of money received by Newcastle United as facility fees for the 2015/2016 season. Source: Goal.com

over the issue as some of the equipment could not be powered by the generator set provided by FAAN. Meanwhile, FAAN has apologised to passengers, airlines and the general public for the inconvenience caused by this development , adding that efforts were being made to find a lasting solution. The recent embarrassing power outage at the MMA is one too many. In 2010, the Senate directed its Committee on Aviation to thoroughly investigate the circumstances leading to incessant power outage at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, MMIA, Lagos and recommend appropriate sanction against those found to have been culpable for the prolonged power outage.

L-R: Commissioner for the Environment, Dr. Babatunde Adejare; Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode; Commissioner for Works & Infrastructure, Engr. Ganiyu Johnson and Special Adviser on Transportation, Prince Anofi Elegushi, during the governor’s inspection of the ongoing construction of multifaceted expansion projects at Oworosonki, Lagos… at the weekend.

1.2m youths register for FG's social scheme Yekeen Nurudeen Abuja

inister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige, has disclosed that about 1.2million unemployed youths have so far registered for the Federal Government social intervention scheme. The Minister, who disclosed this in Calabar, Cross Rivers State at the weekend, while flagging off the National Directorate of Employment (NDE) School-to-Work Programme, maintained that any unemployed youths that would benefit from the scheme must register at the online job portal of the Social Intervention Scheme of the Federal Government. “Unfortunately as we speak, by last week, the portal has only recorded about 1.2 million persons. We expect more persons to have been registered in the portal before our screening exercise."

monday, august 29, 2016 NEW TELEGRAPH

INEC: We're not affected by absence of board Onyekachi Eze ABUJA

he Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has denied that its inability to conclude some elections at first ballot was because of non-constitution of the board of the commission. INEC has come under attack of recent for series of inconclusive polls recorded since Professor Mahmood Yakubu assumed office as commission's chairman in November last year. Yakubu and six National Commissioners were sworn in by President Muhammadu Buhari on November 9 last year to replace Professor Attahiru Jega and about eight National Commissioners whose tenure had expired. About 21 Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs) whose tenure had expired have not been replaced. The Electoral Act pro-

vides for a National Chairman, 12 National Commissioners and 37 RECs, to constitute the INEC board. But Nick Dazang, Deputy Director, Voter Education and Publicity (VEP) in the commission, in an interview yesterday said the void in the constitution of the INEC board has nothing to do with the inconclusive elections. "We have always said (and) it is true that 99 per cent of the inconclusive elections in the country, since November, 2015 to the present date, have been caused by violence," Dazang said. He admitted that the commission did not have the full compliment of national commissioners, and that 21 RECs whose tenure have elapsed have not been replaced. "INEC has made representations to the President to nominate and appoint the outstanding national commissioners and resident electoral commissioners."

Parade of suspects unconstitutional, say lawyers

Bad lenses could cause loss of vision Appolonia Adeyemi

cientists have raised the alarm about people using sunglasses beyond two years, saying it exposes them to the risk of vision loss. To this end, they advised that sunglasses should be replaced at least every two years. These are the findings of a study published in the journal ‘Biomedical Engineering OnLine’. According to the researcher, rays from the sun damage lenses over time meaning they gradually let more ultra-violet (UV)rays through and provide less protection. “Without adequate UV filters, the eye is exposed and the damage can cause long-term, irreversible harm to vision,” the scientists asserted. Brazilian researchers have now called for standards that test the quality of sunglasses to be revised, so that safe limits for the filters can be established.

They said a new test would guarantee sunglasses were safe to wear for a period of two years. Exposure to sunlight varies across the world, but tropical countries have the highest amounts as UV levels are extremely high in summer and remain high in the winter. Therefore, sunglasses worn in the southern hemisphere may need replacing more often than in those worn in the northern half. Lenses may also break more easily a result of consistent exposure to sunlight, experts said. Besides, according to medical experts, wearing sunglasses which don't offer proper protection can cause oedema - distorted vision from a swollen eye. Oedema is a build up of fluid in the body which causes the affected tissue to become swollen. The swelling can occur in one particular part of the body or may be more general, depending on the cause. Wearing lenses well

beyond two years can also result in cataracts where the lens of the eye becomes cloudy, affecting vision - and pterygium the growth of pink, fleshy tissue on the white of the eye which can interfere with sight. Furthermore, prolonged UV exposure on lenses can also damage the macula - the part of the retina responsible for the majority of vision. Reacting to the development, Professor Liliane Ventura, of Sao Paulo University, Brazil, said: “Ocular health is a serious concern worldwide, but particularly in tropical countries where UV indexes are extremely high in summer. “In most countries in the southern hemisphere... sunglasses standards are not quite appropriate for the ultraviolet conditions. “Sunglasses play an important role in providing safety, and their lenses should provide adequate UV filters.”

ome Lagos-based lawyers have condemned the frequent parade of arrested suspects by the police, saying it was unconstitutional and damaging to the persons involved. They said that often those paraded were innocent and in the event of their being pronounced innocent by the courts of competent jurisdiction, the police never reparaded them. Mr Olawale Apanisile, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that parading suspects undergoing investigation was illegal and could not be justified. Apanisile said that parading suspects before the public and media as criminals was damaging to the reputation and personality of the individual. He said that it was a violation of Section 34 (1) and 36 (1) of the Con-

stitution. According to Apanisile, Section 34 states that every individual is entitled to respect for the dignity of his person and (1) (a) no person shall be subject to torture or to inhuman or degrading treatment. “In a bid to show to the public that the police are working and are up to the task of safeguarding the country, they display suspects like medals and trophies to the media,’’ he said. The lawyer said that during arrest, investigation and arraignment, the accused should be treated with respect as they were presumed innocent until proven guilty. “The police and other law enforcement agents should treat an accused the same way they would treat any other law abiding citizens."

Enang: Budgets in 17 years illegal Chukwu David Abuja

he Senior Special Assistant (SSA) to the President on National Assembly Matters (Senate), Senator Ita Enang has said that the nation's budgets in the last 17 years of democracy were passed in breach of the Constitution. Enang stated this in a position paper he presented at the Legislative Lawyers Forum during the just concluded 2016

Nigeria Bar Association's (NBA) annual general conference in Port Harcourt. Enang, who was a member of the House of Representatives from 1999 to 2011, and a member of the Senate from 2011 to 2015, said that he observed that all the national budgets passed by the apex assembly within these years, including the 2016 Appropriation Act, did not follow the due legislative process as specified in the Constitution.

MONDAY, august 29, 2016 NEW TELEGRAPH

Edo decides Group to INEC: Suspend planned e-collation of results

Politics

Interview Strong parties’ve made elections more competitive – Yakubu

12 14

G-34: A depleted power bloc

The number of founding fathers of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), otherwise known as G-34, who are still with the party is not up to a handful as many have either left for other parties or quit partisan politics. ONYEKACHI EZE reports

nybody who knows former Minister of Information, Prof. Jerry Gana, will attest to his passion for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). Apart from being one of few founding fathers who are committed to ensuring the continued existence of the party, Gana wastes no opportunity, whenever occasion calls to tell the story of the party, which was one of the three political parties that midwifed the present democratic dispensation. On two occasions during the search for peace in the troubled party by the Board of Trustees (BoT), the former university don, narrated with nostalgia, the sacrifices made by the founding fathers not only in the formation of PDP but to rescue Nigeria from military dictatorship. The first was at Mallam Adamu Ciroma's house when members of the board visited him. The former Information Minister reminded the elder statesman and others present of how G-18 members (the initial group that started the journey) first met at Ciroma's house in Kaduna and begged him to talk to former Vice President, Dr. Alex Ekwueme, so that they could also meet in his (Ekwueme) house in Lagos for an expanded meeting. Gana, recalled that Ekwueme explained that the Northern elements in the Nigerian Institute for Civil Society (which is later to become G-34) were told to first make the move against General

FELIX NWANERI

GROUP PoLITICAL EDITOR nwanerif@newtelegraphonline.com

Ekwueme

Lar

Ciroma

Ige

Gana

Rimi

Sani Abacha's ambition because it was widely assumed that they were supporting the late dictator because he was from the North. “So, we agreed that they would make the first move, telling Abacha that what he was doing was not acceptable,” he said. About a week later, at a reconciliatory meeting with the former national chairman of the party, Senator Ali Modu Sheriff, Gana, while recognising the presence of former Jigawa State governor, Alhaji Sule Lamido who was a member of the PDP Reconciliation Committee, said, apparently in a tone full of regret: "We are only about five of us in the G-34, who are still around (in the party). The rest are either dead or no longer active in politics.” It is no longer a secret that what is today known as PDP began way back in early 1998 when a group of 34 politicians met somewhere in Lagos to prepare a memorandum, which was presented to the military leader, General Abacha. Ekwueme who was leader of the group, recalled in an interview: "… So, we met in Kaduna and drafted a memorandum which Solomon Lar delivered to him (Abacha) by a group of 18. Then after that

For the 16 years the PDP bestrode the nation's political landscape ...only few members of the G-34 came close to the seat of government

I called a full meeting at Glover Hotel in Yaba, where 34 of us met and I prepared a memorandum which we gave to him, which was G-34 Memorandum.” The G-34 members were Ekwueme; Ciroma; Prof. Gana; Lamido; Lar; former Kano State governor, Ahaji Abubakar Rimi; former governor of old Anambra State, Chief Jim Nwobodo; Majority Leader of the Senate in the Second Republic, Dr. Olusola Saraki; former National Chairman of the defunct Social Democratic Party (SDP), Chief Tony Anenih and his National Republican Convention (NRC) counterpart, Chief Tom Ikimi as well as third Republic President of the Senate, Dr. Iyorchia Ayu; former Oyo State governor, Chief Bola Ige; former SDP presidential aspirant, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar; former governor of defunct Gongola State, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur and former Federal Commissioner for Education, Dr. Ahmadu Ali. Others were first civilian governor of Anambra State, Dr. Chukwuemeka Ezeife; former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Chief Olu Falae, Alhaji Yahaya Kwande,

Alhaji Lawal Kaita, Prof. Ango Abduallahi, Alhaji Tanko Yakasai, Alhaji Ilo Abubakar Dan Musa, Chief Sunday Awoniyi, Dr. Barnabas Gemade, Professors Jibril Aminu, Iya Abubakar and Daniel Saro, Ambassador Aminu Wali, Alhaji Garba Nadama, Senator Walid Jibrin, Alhaji Musa Musawa and Sani Zango Daura, Dr. Tunji Otegbeye, Senator Onyeka Okoroafor and Chief Silas Daniyan. Even before the registration of PDP as a political party, the number G-34 members had started to deplete. Differences in the role expected of the group to play in post-military politics, and ideological belief, quickened the depletion of the number. A cursory look at the above names shows a coalition of strange political bedfellows. A chunk, however, belong to the conservative former National Party of Nigeria (NPN). For instance, Ekwueme in the interview explained that “after Abacha’s death and General Abdulsalami (Abubakar) came and we were allowed to start partisan politics. It was G-34 that CONTINUED ON PAGE 13

POLITICS

MONDAY, august 29, 2016 NEW TELEGRAPH

Group to INEC: Suspend planned e-collation of results

group, Coalition in Defence of Nigerian Democracy and Constitution (CDNDC) has advised the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) against e-collation of results in the forthcoming governorship elections in Edo and Ondo states. The group, in a statement issued yesterday in Abuja by its co-convener, Mr. Ariyo-Dare Atoye, said the process could be manipulated to undermine the integrity of the elections. The group said: “We wish to urgently alert Nigerians and all stake-

holders in our electoral process to the fact that the planned application of e-collation of results is not backed by the Electoral Act, and that it has not been tested in smaller elections to ascertain its effectiveness. “Consequently, we fear that it may be hijacked, manipulated and used to undermine the credibility of results in the forthcoming Edo and Ondo states governorship elections.” The group recalled how the INEC had against genuine concerns, deployed an untested Smart Card Readers (SCR) technology on a large scale for the

Edo DECIDES

conduct of the 2015 general elections, saying: “It was an innovation never before tested in any local or smaller election to ascertain its efficiency and reliability. It was hurriedly deployed against the rule of science and technology,

and the end result for voters' accreditation was a monumental failure.” On the planned e-collation of results of the Edo and Ondo polls, the group said: “We are worried by the current plan of INEC to consolidate and expand the function of the SCR for the purpose of electronic collation and electronic transmission of results, while ignoring previous constraints. This proposed e-platform is even the most sensitive aspect of any election and it is the stage at which elections are seriously manipulated. It is therefore curious that the INEC intends to introduce

another ‘technologicalexpansion’ without considering the laws guiding this process.” According to the group, “as registered voters and concerned Nigerians, we are therefore compelled to ask the INEC if it is logical, reasonable and acceptable to contemplate the introduction of another electronic platform at this juncture when it is yet to perfect the strict use of the SCR, both in law and as sole instrument for accreditation to become a standard practice as well as come clean and give the

SDP loses more members Cajetan Mmuta BENIN

A Edo State Governor, Adams Oshiomhole (left) with leader of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) in Edo State, Alhaji Usman Shagadi, during the defection of members of the party to the All Progressives Congress (APC)… at the weekend.

Tension as thugs attack APC campaign team Cajetan Mmuta BENIN

ension heightened in Edo State at the weekend after thugs believed to be loyal to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) attacked the campaign train of the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Mr. Godwin Obaseki at Illushi, near Ubiaja, in Esan South East Local Government Area of the state. Five members of the Obaseki campaign team were abducted in the process, while 10 others were wounded. The supporters were abducted with two campaign vehicles belonging to the APC after a governorship rally.

Among the injured were a popular Benin musician, Maleke Idowu and a Senior Special Adviser to Governor Adams Oshiomhole, Jonathan Orukpe. They are presently hospitalized. It was learnt that the incident occurred at about 9.pm Saturday immediately after the rally. The victims were packing sound equipment used for the rally when the armed thugs arrived. According to Maleke, “we were beaten, molested and almost thrown into the River Niger by some of the thugs, who repeatedly shouted at us for daring to come to the area, which they claim have been secured for the PDP governorship candidate.” He added: “One of

them referred to as Lucky took away our phones and asked us to sit on the floor. It was when they heard that security agencies have been mobilized that they left and a woman from the community assisted us to escape. We are looking for five of our boys right now and even their vehicles, a Hilux van and a bus.” Obaseki, who reacted on the incident, described it as shocking and desperation of the PDP and urged security operatives to fish out the perpetrators. He said the matter have been reported at the Divisional Police Headquarters at Ubiaja. He said: “There was an earlier threat that we should not come to IIushi to campaign but we said

we must go to llushi. We got there, had a peaceful rally but part of my convoy was waylaid and my supporters abducted, taken into the bush, beaten, molested and some of them have been gravely hurt. We do not expect this level of violence from the PDP supporters at Illushi. “I have always believed in peaceful campaign and despite this, I have appealed to our supporters to be calm, we are law abiding people. But the PDP must produce those abducted, that is criminal and wicked. We cannot be intimidated and you know what, they should not take our calmness for foolishness, it is a warning, Osagie Ize-Iyamu and others must know that.”

Ize-Iyamu asks Ekpoma people to reject ruling party Cajetan Mmuta BENIN

he Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate in the September 10 election in Edo State, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, yesterday, called on the people of Ekpon in Igueben Local Government Area to reject the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the

election. Speaking at the palace of the Onogie of Ekpon, Zaiki George Edobor II, Ize-Iyamu said the ruling party ploy is to deceive them by making Hon. Justin Okonoboh, Speaker of Edo State House of Assembly. He said the last minute decision of Governor Adams Oshiomhole was designed to give the impression to Edo Central

or Esan people that the APC value their support. “The outgoing governor is from Etsako in Edo North and decided that the next deputy governor must come from Etsako, in the same way he picked the Edo North senator from Etsako. He said Edo Central had no one that could be a deputy governor,” he said. He pledged that a PDP governor would re-

verse the neglect of Edo Central, especially the Ekpoma axis which has no passable road at the moment. He added that the APC has failed in Edo and does not deserve to continue in government, urging voters in the state to hold on to their Permanent Voters Cards, so that on September 10, they will end the tenure of the APC government in the state.

account of performance of the SCR in the last general elections.” It added: “We strongly disagree with INEC that Edo and Ondo states governorship polls should be used to test this new expansion. From our own fair assessment, we could deduce from the statements and body language of the INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, that he is not fully convinced of this new innovation, while the commission appears ill-prepared to do the necessary expansion of the SCR.”

head of the September 10 governorship election in Edo State, thousands Social Democratic Party (SDP) members in the state, including the 192 Ward chairmen of the party have renounced their membership of the party and joined the All Progressives Congress (APC). Speaking at a rally in Auchi at the weekend, an SDP chieftain in the state, Alhaji Usman Shagadi, who led the decampees said they defected to ruling party because Governor Adams Oshiomhole’s performance in office. His words: “For the past two years, I have stayed in a house which is not my home.. I have now come to my home. I want to announce for the purpose of publication, that henceforth, I drop the name of SDP. I am no more a member of SDP. I have now returned to my party, APC.” Responding while receiving the defectors,

Governor Oshiomhole commended all the SDP members that followed Shagadi to APC. He said: “I am happy that we are reuniting particularly at this time. Nobody is going to say you returned because the elections are over. You are coming at a planting season. We are going to plant together so that we may harvest together. For me, I am happy, and I pray to God almighty to give us victory. “Don’t go home and say we have already won. Go and vote. Obaseki will provide quality of leadership that Edo people will say, we thought Adams was great, this one is even better. That is my prayer, and by the grace of God, he will not fail us. “The referendum we are going to do on September 10 is to choose between light and darkness; between a school without a roof and the one with the red roof, between Benin City that is flooded every day and the way it is now. So, I believe it is a simple message. Edo cannot return to Egypt.”

Obaseki to participate in debate Cajetan Mmuta BENIN

he Godwin Obaseki Campaign Organisation (GOCO), yesterday, confirmed that the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Mr. Godwin Obaseki, will take part in the debate. The debate is being packaged by the Nigeria Election Debate Group (NEDG) on September 3, to allow the governorship candidates to share their programmes and ideas on various issues on government and governance with the media, civil society groups and members of the public. In a statement made available to New Telegraph, GOCO’s Director of Communications, Hon. Abass Brahimah,

stated: “Democracy is a government of the people, by the people and for the people. This is why persons who aspire to lead are expected to share their programmes and policies with the people they seek to govern. As a true progressive, Godwin Obaseki understands this, and will take advantage of credible platforms such as the NEDG to present his development agenda to Edo people. “Already, while opposition candidates are going about chasing shadows, Godwin Obaseki is taking his message of hope to people and groups across the state, discussing real economic issues and practical development plans, as clearly articulated in his manifesto - Road to Prosperity.”

Politics

MONDAY, august 29, 2016 NEW TELEGRAPH

Atiku

Lamido

Anenih

Ali

Depletion of PDP’s founding fathers C O N T I N U E D F R O M PA G E 1 1

called the associations we had in Lagos and eventually decided to get political associations … “We believed that we must forget our differences and come together; so the associations that were in existence came together – ANC, ADP, PDN, PCS and PNS. So that was how PDP emerged formally on August 21 at the National Conference Centre in Abuja.” A crack in the group was first noticed at its meeting at the Federal Palace Hotel, Lagos on August 5. That was where members were said to have divided between those who want G-34 to metamorphose into a political party and those who wanted it to remain as a conscience of the nation, where every politician, no matter his or her political affiliation, can come together to resolve political differences when such arises. The former was in majority and therefore, had their way. But some progressives like Ige, Falae, amongst others, floated other political parties. In fact, Ige traversed the three political parties that were eventually registered by the General Abubakar regime to participate in the transition programme before he finally berthed at the Alliance for Democracy (AD). Another member of the group – Saraki – was among the founders of the All Peoples Party (APP), which in 2002 became All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) though he later returned to the PDP. Though the G-34 members were the original founders of PDP, the party later attracted hordes of Nigerians, who saw it as a panNigerian political party. The military oligarchy then seemed to have had sympathy for the party as they drafted one of their own, General Olusegun Obasanjo, a former head of state to contest the 1999 presidency on the PDP platform. This sympathy was further justified when General Ibrahim Babangida (a former military president) and General Aliyu Gusau (a former National Security Adviser) sought to fly the party's flag in subsequent presidential elections.

But for the 16 years the PDP bestrode the nation's political landscape like a colossus, only few members of the G-34 came close to the seat of government except Atiku who became vice president under Obasanjo. And census of former G-34 members who are still in politics will show that Gana's observation was not entirely wrong. Apart from few members of the group who are now late - Lar, Rimi, Awoniyi, Saraki and Ige, a number of them are no longer active in politics. For instance, Ekwueme is no longer strong enough to participate in party politics, so also Ciroma, Prof. Aminu and Alhaji Tukur. But the greatest cause of depletion of the famous G-34 is defection. A number of the members, who are still active in politics, have left PDP to other parties, the greatest beneficiary being the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). Those who dumped PDP for APC include Atiku, Nwobodo, Ayu and Barnabas Gemade, who at a time served as PDP national chairman. The reasons most of the defectors cited were lack of internal democracy and impunity on the part of PDP leaders. Ekwueme disclosed that of the cardinal principles of PDP, which were agreed by members at its formation, are the zoning of offices and the second being the promotion of democratic ethos. He recalled how at a meeting, Alhaji Lawal Kaita said that he (Ekwueme) should be the presidential candidate but according to him, he turned down the proposal on principle. His words: “I said no, that wasn't the way it should be and that if we had set out to set up democratic norms, we should do things differently and that we should be different from the military we were trying to oust. I said we shouldn't let people conclude that all we did at the constitutional conference, to the all politicians' summit which I chaired, to the Institute of Civil Society which I chaired, the G-34 which I chaired and the party which I was then

The greatest cause of depletion of the famous G-34 is defection

chairing was merely calculated to make me presidential candidate of the party by fiat without going through any democratic process. “So, I didn't want a precedent to be set whereby democratic ethos would not be followed in the party and that was why I didn't want to encourage that decision at that occasion. It wasn't more a matter of humility but a matter of being a stickler for democracy.” Unfortunately, those who were beneficiaries of the sacrifices the G-34 members made, cared less about this. Ekwueme, a stoic politician, saved PDP from what would have been its first factionalisation after the 1999 convention in Jos, Plateau State where Obasanjo emerged as the presidential candidate. Though Obasanjo was not qualified to contest the presidential primary as the screening committee was about to disqualify him because he failed to win neither his local government nor his ward in the December 5, 1998 local government election, Ekwueme accepted the outcome of the convention and embraced Obasanjo. Ekwueme explained: “After the election of December 5, the next National Executive Council (NEC) meeting, which was chaired by late Afolabi because Lar was not present that day, approved and confirmed this decision of the NEC. Now in my pocket in Jos, I had a copy of the decision and also the constitution of the party. The chairman of the party was like the chairman of the board and secretary of the party was like the managing director, so it was the secretary, who had executive powers not the chairman. “When the result was announced in Jos and they said Obasanjo won, I had the option of saying I didn’t accept it or say I accept it, embrace it and work together to make sure the party wins. I could have said that of all the candidates that contested, it was only six that were eligible and of those six, I had the highest number of votes so I expected the party to send my name to INEC and having said that and read the minutes of the NEC meeting it was incontrovertible that a

person who did not win his local government area, he didn’t win his ward, he didn’t even win the polling station in front of his house so with the NEC decision he couldn’t be the party’s candidate. “And this decision was mentioned at the screening committee when we applied to contest. When the screening committee read the letter and its implications, Solomon Lar (may his soul rest in peace) wrote to them to plead that they should give Obasanjo provisional clearance to contest. That provision turned out to be solid but then I could have made a point that out of six of us who won our local governments, I had the highest votes among those who qualified to contest and I expected the party to nominate me. “The next day the secretary who had executive powers could have sent my name and letter to INEC as party candidate while Solomon Lar would have sent Obasanjo’s name and letter to the same INEC. So there would have been confusion in the house of PDP. Secondly, it could have given the military the chance to prolong their stay which would defeat all the efforts we made and the risk we took to place our lives on the line during Abacha. “My own personal ambition was not worth putting Nigeria at risk and that was why I embraced Obasanjo and went on to campaign for him. Few days after, fund raising was done at the congress hall and I chaired that fund raising ceremony.” The sacrifice by the former vice president, notwithstanding, he and others, who made similar sacrifice for the PDP, were treated shabbily by “political hawks,” who later hijacked the party. No doubt, this contributed to the turn-around in the fortune of the party which dominated Nigeria’s political landscape between 1999 and 2015. The party which prides itself as Africa’s largest political party was until its defeat in the 2015 general elections, had won four consecutive presidential elections in the current dispensation – 1999, 2003, 2007 and 2011.

POLITICS \ MONDAY INTERVIEW

MONDAY, august 29, 2016 NEW TELEGRAPH

Strong parties’ve made elections Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, believes that Nigeria’s elections are getting better, but insists that the commission would not be stampeded into concluding polls outside provisions of the law due to criticisms over inconclusive elections. He speaks in this interview on a wide range of issues affecting the electoral body. Felix Nwnaeri reports How do you react to the spate of inconclusive elections, which have compelled many to believe the new management at the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is yet to find its feet? There is no tradition of inconclusive elections in the Independent National electoral Commission (INEC). What is an inconclusive election? It is an election in which a winner did not emerged from the first ballot. Therefore, what do you do? You conduct supplementary elections to conclude the elections. Is it strange? It is not. Is it happening for the first time? No, it is not happening for the first time. In fact, take a head count, perhaps maybe few people can tell you when Nigeria recorded its first inconclusive election in recent democracy. You will recall that the first inconclusive election was in 1979, the election that brought Alhaji Shehu Shagari as president. Have you forgotten the mathematics of 19? What is two-third of 19? Is it twelve and two-third or thirteen? Eventually that election was decided not by the then Federal Electoral Commission (FEDECO). The court eventually determined the mathematics of twothird of 19. I have heard some of the generalisations that all elections conducted by this INEC ended up inconclusively. Then I asked how many elections have we conducted that you are saying all are inconclusive. It may interest you to know that so far, this INEC has conducted 137 elections and it is the highest number of elections conducted by any electoral commission before now outside the context of general elections. We had no honeymoon shortly after we were sworn in. The first election came up barely two weeks after we were sworn in and it came with its own peculiar challenges. It challenged our electoral jurisprudence; there was no guidance under the constitution, no guidance under the Electoral Act, no guidance under any guideline. The law never envisaged where a candidate dies before the announcement or the declaration of results. What the Electoral Act envisaged is a candidate dying before the commencement of poll. In this case, INEC has the powers under the law to suspend the election, allow the party of the deceased candidate to substitute and then conduct the elections within two weeks. But people are complaining that the rate of inconclusive elections is getting higher since the new INEC management came on board… In 2011, two governorship elections were inconclusive – my own state Bauchi because of post-election violence and Imo and they were concluded after two weeks. Have we also forgotten Imo in 2015? Taraba governorship was also inconclusive in 2015, but concluded thereafter. How about Anambra in 2013? I can also recall Chris Ngige and the late Dora

Akunyili in the senatorial election of 2011. It was inconclusive but concluded later. So, there have been inconclusive elections but at the time they occurred, they were not in the context of the general elections, so we hardly noticed that the elections were inconclusive. I also wish to say that something happened in 2015 but was not taken into cognisance. Number one, we have strong political parties that have evolved but were not decreed by the government of the day. When you have two strong political parties fielding strong candidates, you are unlikely to have landslide in an election. Check the results of the last presidential election, the person declared winner won by the closest margin since 1999 – 2.5 million votes. So, we have strong parties fielding strong candidates. In Kogi, it was a contest between an incumbent governor and a former governor. In Bayelsa, it was a contest between an incumbent governor and a former governor. Secondly, the elections are getting better. Are we where we all hope for? Not yet, but we are itching closer. Are the votes counting because this has also been the kind prayers by Nigerians that God takes us to the place where the votes we actually cast at the polling units will determine who wins or who loses in an election. The votes are increasingly counting. In one of the states, which had its governorship election long time ago, four years earlier; the margin of victory between the candidate declared winner and the runner up was over 400,000 votes. When we conducted the supplementary election to conclude the governorship election in January this year, that margin shrank with a little about 40,000. So, it is 10 per cent of the previous margin. This means that the votes are really counting. During the FCT council elections, because some of the chairmanship elections were inconclusive, some people said: ‘Oh INEC! They couldn’t even conduct conclusive elections in the FCT local government election.’ But look at the figures and the statistics. Take Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC), where most of the big men in this country live – Maitama, Asokoro, Wuse, Garki, the core Abuja for example. We conducted elections, actually thirteen elections; chairmanship and twelve area councillorship. The election was inconclusive, why? Two factors - one, the booths are scanty. Secondly, low turnout of voters. AMAC has over half a million registered voters out of the 1.1 million registered voters in the FCT. What is the percentage turnout under 11 per cent? 8.6 per cent or so. So in that case, any small disruption of the process in any constituency will affect the outcome of the election and the declaration of winners. In fact, the best example

Yakubu

When you have two strong political parties fielding strong candidates, you are unlikely to have a landslide in an election

is Gwagwalada where the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) candidate won the chairmanship election and they took 50 per cent of the councillorship seats. In some of the elections verified by the tribunals, we were asked to conduct rerun elections in one polling unit in a whole constituency and here we have examples of Pankshin North and Pankshin South in Plateau State and Ida in Kogi State. In Pankshin North and Pankshin South, after conducting the election in one polling unit, the constituencies changed hands. One polling unit in Nigeria today may determine who win or loses an election. This is how competitive our elections have become. And look at the pattern worldwide, the percentage of turnout in Nigeria is actually like the percentage of turnout globally. So, we are taking a giant step in the consolidation of our democracy. But in doing that, we are not going to, as I keep saying, press the panic button. How do you mean by panic button? We will never conclude elections outside the provisions of the constitution, the Electoral Act and our guidelines. If we are going to be criticised for that, we will take it because sacrifice has to be made for our democratic systems to work and we are committed to making the sacrifice. In all the inconclusive elections, the major cause is violence. And the level of violence determines the speed with which we are able to mobilise to go back and conclude the elections. In places like Ife Central, where some people targeted two highly populated polling units, stole the ballot boxes, broke the plastic boxes and as they were running away with the boxes, they poured ink into the containers, shook the ballot boxes

and dropped them. We recovered the boxes later but couldn’t use the ballot papers but we were able to remobilize the following day to conclude the election. It is not right for the commission not to conclude elections but it is only important to protect the sanctity of the ballot. Let me give you an example of what we have seen and ask if you were chairman of INEC whether you would declare a winner on the basis of that kind of result. In Nasarawa/Toto Federal Constituency of Nasarawa State, we declared the elections inconclusive on the first ballot and some people said: ‘Ah INEC again! But why did we do so? Section 53 of the Electoral Act says where you have over voting in a polling unit and INEC were to cancel the results, declare it null and void, and then while that will affect the outcome of the election, appoint another day to conduct the elections. That was what affected the election. We saw after the collation of results that in a polling unit called Akum BB, with code 001, the total number of registered voters was 1,181; total numbers of accredited voters on the election day was 200 but the total number of valid votes was 779. What happened? 200 people were accredited on election day but 779 voted. There was also Agamu PP with total number of registered voters at 1,114. On the election day, the number of accredited voters was nil. Nobody was accredited but the number of valid votes cast was 1,005. There was also Alfura 1 with total number of accredited voters at 48 but total number of valid votes cast was 788. What do you call an electoral commission that can afford this kind of result? If we can’t accept this kind of result, what then do we do? We

POLITICS \ MONDAY INTERVIEW

MONDAY, august 29, 2016 NEW TELEGRAPH

more competitive – Yakubu appoint another day to conduct real election so that the people’s votes can count. This is what this INEC has been doing and we are committed to it. We will never declare a winner just for the sake of concluding elections. We will continue to ensure that we protect the sanctity of the votes. The responsibility to uphold our democracy belongs to all of us, so let us not assume that it is only the electoral commission. It is our collective responsibility as a people and as a nation. Party responsibilities are outside the powers of the commission. The commission cannot secure the environment for free and fair elections. So, we also need the integrity of all, including the political actors to make sure we play by the rules and not this do or die politics. For as long as that is the case, elections will be disrupted. And once elections are disrupted, we apply the laws. When we apply the laws, it may lead to inconclusiveness because we need to make sure that Nigerians get value for our democracy. This commission wishes to assure the nation that we will never conclude an election for its own sake and by all means. We will only conclude elections according to the constitution, the laws of this country and the guidelines. The constitution is very clear as to the threshold for the declaration of winner. In a presidential election, it is he who scores the majority of votes and a quarter of the votes in two-third of the states. In governorship election, it is he who scores the majority of votes and a quarter of the votes in two-third of the local governments. In the Federal Capital Territory council areas, it is majority of votes and two-third of the votes in the wards and each ward is a constituency for the election of a councilor and then there are other conditions under the electoral law. Section 26 is very clear. Where there is a threat of violence, actual outbreak of violence or natural disaster, INEC has the power to suspend the election. Section 53 also makes it clear that where there is over voting, INEC should suspend the election in the polling units involved and declare the results null and void and fix another time to conduct the election. In the discussion so far, no one has accused the commission of concluding any election outside the law. Are you not worried about the cost implication of having so many inconclusive elections? Some have said that these elections are expensive; you are repeating and repeating elections and spending money. You see, anybody who goes to the tribunal with the kind of result that I described will have the entire elections in the constituency nullified and INEC would be asked to go and do a rerun. Which one is relatively cheaper? Go and conduct elections in the affected polling units or to repeat the election in the entire constituency? Again, the elections we have conducted from 2015 have been based on four officials per polling unit but international best practice requires between six and 10 officials. In 2015, INEC engaged over 700,000 ad-hoc staff for the election. If in 2019, we go to six per polling unit, we will end up with over a million young Nigerians as election

day workers. But we have visited other countries and we have seen how they have conducted their elections. In many countries, if not all, why they use between six and 10 staff per polling unit, these staff are not paid for from their treasuries; in almost all cases they are volunteers. But I want to ask: Have we ever conducted elections in Nigeria with volunteers? I had the privilege of observing presidential elections in one of the poorest countries in the world and that country is our neighbour – Niger Republic. In Niger in February, the chairman of the electoral commission invited me to visit the office ahead of their elections but that day my phone kept ringing and I keep calling Nigeria because we had 20 or 22 rerun elections in six states on February 20, and he kept asking: Are you holding another election? You have finished your elections since last year, what elections again are you holding? I said no we have court-ordered rerun elections, bye-elections caused by deaths or resignation of members. He was surprised. Then he said, what is rerun election? I said to him: ‘If a member of your assembly dies, how do you replace him? He said on election day, each party presenting a candidate also presents a supplementary candidate, like President and Vice President. So in the event of resignation or death, or removal, the supplementary candidate will step in to complete the tenure of the main candidate. Can that be possible here? Your guess is as good as mine. If you say that Niger is one of the poorest countries in the world and that explains why they adopted that method, what about the United States – the richest country in the whole world? That is what they do in the United States as well with the exception of four states. To the best of my knowledge, if a senator dies, removed or resigns, they will ask the governor of the state where the senator came from to nominate someone of the party of the deceased senator to replace him. No special election. But here, we are perpetually conducting elections until the next general elections.

establishing the electoral offences commission but nothing came out of it. However, we are trying despite the constraints. In Kano for instance, where we suspended a bye-election as a result of violence, INEC worked with the police to prosecute 42 electoral offenders successfully. That is the largest number of electoral offenders prosecuted in any given time in the history of the commission. But we need to go beyond ballot box snatchers because the ballot box snatchers are in all probability, not candidates in the election. The question is: Who are the sponsors of ballot box snatchers?

We will never conclude elections outside the provisions of the constitution

Why is INEC finding it difficult to prosecute election offenders? One of the areas that we need help is the prosecution of electoral offenders because people violate the law of the land and they get away with it. Under the Electoral Act, INEC is saddled with the responsibility to prosecute electoral offenders but there are issues and challenges. The first step towards successful prosecution is arrest. INEC has no police, so we can’t arrest. Secondly, you have to investigate, so that you have enough evidence to tender in court. We have no capacity for investigation. So, how do you successfully prosecute? Even worst, some of the electoral offenders may be staff of INEC; how does INEC prosecute itself ? That was why the Justice Mohammed Uwais-led Electoral Reform Committee recommended the establishment of the Electoral Offences Commission way back in 2008 but it wasn’t implemented. In 2011, we had a major post-election violence; a committee was set up and it made the same recommendation. Accepting the White Paper of that committee, the Attorney-General directed that steps be taken towards Yakubu

INEC is looking at consolidating the gains of 2015 election through deployment of technology in future elections. How does the commission intend to do this taking into consideration the judgement of the Supreme Court on the issue of card reader? We are looking at the possibility of making use of the card reader to facilitate e-collation and e-transmission of results from the polling units. We have recognised that this is one of the weakest links now in our electoral process. What happens to the results after the ballots have been cast and counted and the result travels from the polling units to the collation centres? What actually transpires at the polling unit is what is eventually used for the declaration of result. Secondly, we want to make the process easy, faster and accurate. Elsewhere, when they conduct election, you see it on television and by sunset or midnight; you will see much of the results in. We are not there yet but there is some hope that one day we will get there and we are itching closer to that. Every ballot in this country must count. This is the commitment of this INEC. Every ballot in Nigeria must count and every polling unit must be accountable. The most important unit on election day is the polling unit; that is the place where voters go and cast their votes. So, what they do at the polling units must be recognised, respected and must determine the final outcome of elections. So many Nigerians have reached the voting age since the last general elec-

tions. What is INEC doing to make sure they are registered on time ahead of the next polls? The law says we should conduct continuous voters' registration. There are so many people who have come of age and the question is: When is INEC going to commence the continuous voters' registration. Very soon, we will roll out the national continuous voters' registration exercise. You may have also noticed that for state elections in Kogi, Bayelsa and most recently Edo and Ondo states coming up on September 10 and November 26, respectively, we rolled out and conducted continuous voters' registration in these states and the FCT as well when we conducted the area council elections. But for the one involving the general country, we will roll it out soon because it is supposed to be continuous. Are we going to start from the local government or are we going to go down to the level of wards or the polling units? Funds available will determine the level which we will go. Remember we engage ad hoc staff for these responsibilities and we have to pay them and it is a very expensive exercise. In Edo and the FCT for instance, there was clamour that we should extend the period and actually because of pressure we extended the period by one day in the FCT. It cost the commission over N8 million just for one day extension. And then you know, sometimes when you announce and engage and say that we are going to start the continuous voters' registration exercise for this number of days, people won’t troop to the registration point until the last but one day and then, they will demand for extension of time. Unfortunately, you can’t extend it. Part of our thinking is that, we should make it possible for registration to take place seamlessly and continuously at the local government level. But we appreciate the constraints. You and I living in big cities can go to a local government and register but it is not that easy for those who are living in the rural areas. But there is also an issue arising from the 2015 general elections. The uncollected Permanent Voters Cards (PVCs) for which we have over a million uncollected nationwide. We had a meeting with the Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs) and we said they should find means of distributing the uncollected cards and they have been doing so at the local governments as we speak. We also requested all RECs nationwide to be submitting monthly reports to the commission but the reports of the collection are not encouraging. For instance, Ondo State, which is a state facing governorship election in November, only 162 cards were collected as at August 11. In fact, in some local governments none at all was collected. But we have directed the Director of ICT to look at the details captured at the point of registration; you know that each PVC has a pin number and the voter identification number and at the point of registration, the voters indicated their telephone numbers. So, we said they should use the telephone numbers provided and send bulk SMS and tell people where they can collect their cards, so that at least, we can put the last exercise behind us when we face the exercise ahead of us.

MONDAY, AUGUST 29, 2016 NEW TELEGRAPH

Opinion The panic before emergency Dominik Umosen

ot even the involuntary panic demonstrated by the Akwa Ibom State Government in its refusal to condemn and demand prosecution of some rogue policemen in the state who assaulted law-abiding citizens justifies the madness that militants appear determined to visit on the long-suffering Niger Delta with their ill-advised threat to secede from the country by October 1, 2016. Even if the country’s federalism is founded on fraud, the threat is hare-brained because it provides fresh excuse to expand and intensify the foundation of injustice by the administration to accommodate indiscriminate bombardments of oil-bearing communities in the already shell-shocked Niger Delta. Consider that when no secession was threatened, these communities suffered terrible injustice garnished with indiscriminate bombing by the Federal Government, allegedly in pursuit of militants and pipe line vandals even as the administration lobbies insurgents for negotiation, and gyrates in feigned lack of capacity to stop restrain Fulani herdsmen who have over-run the country in an alarming orgy of criminalities, including rape, regicide and genocide. The legacy of injustice against the minority nationalities in the ravaged Niger Delta, including forced relocation of Bakasi indigenes from their ancestral homeland by the Obasanjo administration, would be upgraded to further mock the Federal Government. The heritage of injustice that inspired the involuntary frigidity which prevented the AKSG from discharging its responsibility by not condemning the assault on President Mu-

hammadu Buhari’s war against corruption by some policemen at Ikot Osong Police Post in Etinan would be reinforced. The bizarre incident that occurred at the Ikot Osong Police Post in Etinan Police Division continues to mock the administration. A teenager asked a commercial motor cyclist to carry her to church for choir practice but instead, the monster took her elsewhere and mercilessly raped the teenager for hours. Enraged, her relations went to the Police post to report but some policemen insisted on a N10,000 bribe before the crime could be incidented in the crime register. The insistence by the rogue policemen subsists and the AKSG remains blank-eyed and helpless, two months after the irreverent cops spat on the cardinal programme of the administration. The incident sparked sustainable excitement in the media, including this platform but the indifference of the state government is curious. Almost simultaneously, another rogue cop, who apparently hid behind the radar and rose to become an inspector, accosted a minor on her way back from school and demanded to know why her breasts should be full at her age. At gun point, he ordered the confused girl to walk to a point where he started to rape her in the middle of the road- but not before firing some shots into the air. After the brazen act, he warned the girl not to report the crime or there would be dire consequences, like the abduction of Dr Ime Stephen, an Uyo-based human rights activist who has been pursuing what the state government failed to secure for the violated minor. Stephen was abducted from his home by gun men who visited after some pastors went to plead on the inspector’s behalf. But neither the involuntary abdication of responsibility nor the aggregate of injustice, especially Obasanjo’s crime against human-

Selective sanctioning of criminality signposts the triumph of mischief

ity in Bakasi, justifies the madness of secession which will certainly intensify intimidation but not positive rage to secure freedom for the abducted Chibok girls. State governments in the region would relapse into further frigidity and rape by rogue law-enforcement agents would be institutionalized while audacious herdsmen will demand your garden to graze livestock, as a matter of right. Selective sanctioning of criminality signposts the triumph of mischief, especially nepotism, over reason. Especially when juxtaposed with the counsel by the Emir of Ilorin, Alhaji Sulu Gambari that so-called Fulani herdsmen committing atrocities across the country are actually fugitives from the sub-region, the curious indifference by security agents in the country to this refocuses attention on the grim prophecy that hostility to wise counsel is an eternal affliction from providence for the country. According to the respected traditional ruler, fugitives from sundry conflicts in West and North Africa and armed with sophisticated weapons of war took advantage of enduring nepotism that has complicated the security situation in the country and committed atrocities unmolested in the mistaken presumption that as the president’s kinsmen, they would be patronized. The duplicitous response to criminality explains why most Nigerians are cautious regarding the bill for emergency powers for the president to reflate the economy. For an unpredictable regime, it amounts to tempting a hungry lion with a fat cow. Panic generated by the bill is based on the fear that the country is unprepared for the consequences of blundering into a mischief-powered tragedy . Many are not convinced that emergency power is an alternative to creativity and capacity which the rooky economic management team does not possess. •Umosen (dominik.umosen@gmail.com) wrote in from Lagos.

Security, Wike and police bias Morris Nwako

he prevailing security and increasing tourism business in the oil-rich Rivers State should not be allowed to be thwarted by what Governor Nyesom Wike describes as the security agencies’ partisanship in the state. Wike’s swipe is particularly directed at the Nigeria Police Force and the Department of State Services, whose partisanship in the discharge of their duties is no longer hidden. The governor who spoke at the opening ceremony of the Nigerian Bar Association’s annual conference in Port Harcourt recently decried that the police elected to execute an interim injunction on the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) national convention and disregarded a judgement that ordered it and the Department of State Services to provide security for the August 17, 2016 convention of the party in Port Harcourt. Wike had succinctly argued that there was no reason for the police to execute the interim order of Justice Okon Abang in a suit where it was neither a party nor served with the order delivered late on August 16, 2016. Apart from describing the action of the police as scandalous and undemocratic, the governor ac-

cused the police of obeying orders from ‘above.’ The Police authorities should not dismiss Wike’s reservations on their men’s unbecoming conducts in Rivers State, especially their penchant for partisanship. Wike’s observation that while a large contingent of policemen was at the Sharks Stadium to prevent the PDP convention from holding, the protection of lives and property of the people of the state, should not be overlooked by the police and DSS high commands. Another bias alleged by Wike that the security agencies should be worried about is the fact that “in Rivers State, politics and partisan considerations now determine the posting of senior security officers to the state.” He further alleges: “Having signed onto an unholy conspiracy to undermine our administration, the security high command in Abuja prefers to make deployments that are intended to shore up the political fortunes of a degraded political opposition at the expense of providing effective security cover to the state and its people.” The governor also expressly illustrates such insensitivity and perfidy with the frequent change of the police head in the state since May 29, 2015. In his words, “With an average turnover of less than three months, the present Commissioner of Police is the fifth police chief they

have posted to Rivers State since we assumed office.” These accusations should not only worry the head of the security agencies in question but also the All Progressives Congress (APC) leadership and the presidency that promised Nigerians change and other mouthwatering goodies. Nigerians had thought that the change will signpost the end to impunity, discrimination, divisions, perfidy, partisanship, nepotism, tribalism and other ills associated with our nation. They had erroneously thought that a change regime will not muzzle the opposition and not interfere with the judiciary. Public spirited Nigerians should rise up and condemn the alleged partisanship of the security agents. The entire security of a state should not be compromised on the altar of partisan politics. Those in power today should realize that the survival of this nation and consequently this democracy lies in a multi-party democracy and not in one-party system or dictatorship. The descent to a one-party state or dictatorship will not only spell doom to this democracy, it will also kill the nation. While the government is fighting corruption, it should also not tolerate impunity of its security agencies. All political parties and all Nigerians must be allowed to be. They should not be muzzled out of existence because of their political beliefs, aspirations and

affiliations. Despite these diversions, Governor Wike is working round the clock to make Rivers State a tourist hub in West Africa. This can be attested in the number of national conferences being held in the state in recent times. All Nigeria Editors finished theirs, some weeks ago. The Nigerian Bar Association is about concluding theirs. Many of such conferences are still going to hold. Most of the visitors to the state are convinced that the governor has started on a good note and done well in road construction and other projects. Some of them are, the Law Centre, the Civic Centre, the Federal High Court being constructed by the Rivers State Government, the Garrison-Akpajo-East West Road, Second Nkpogu Bridge and Dr. Peter Odili Road. Others include the Abuluoma-Woji Road, Woji-Akpajo Road, ElelenwoAkpajo Road, Sakpenwa-Bori Road, Rumukwurusi Eneka Road, Igwuruta-Okehi Road, Rukpokwu-Eneka and Oroigwe Road. And to ensure that the security of lives and property in the state is not compromised at all, Wike has marshaled out some pragmatic measures to sustain it. He started this with the recent inauguration of the Peace and Security Committee of the state. • Nwako wrote in from Abuja.

MONDAY, AUGUST 29, 2016 NEW TELEGRAPH

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Between Uzoamaka and Umahi

buru , one of the towns in Ebonyi state blessed with enough natural resources to boost the nations economy in this period of diversification is in the news for the very wrong reason. Teenager, Uzoamaka Chukwu, became the object of ridicule in the hands of a group of men old enough to be her guardian. T he 14-year-old Junior Secondary School [JSS] Two student was stripped of decency, dragged on a muddy turf like a common criminal and forced to confess to acts she never perfor med while her tormentors recorded the scene and uploaded it for the world to watch. Uzoamaka named her persecutors as Ogbonnaya Ene Odi, Coordinator of Ohaozara Development Center, his younger brother, Enekwachi and some policemen hired by the politician. These beasts in the form of men tortured this kid and posted the drama claiming it was done to her by the father who met the minor sleeping with a man in the family house. The evil becomes hurting when one realizes that the poor little girl is indeed an orphan living in the village with her grandmother. Her uncle, Uchechukwu Agwu, while lamenting the inhumanity said he sent Uzoamaka to Uburu to keep his mother company. Uzoamaka’s elder sister, Ukamaka Edna Chukwu, wept uncontrollably insisting that contrary to the reasons given by the men, her sibling was not wayward. “ She could not have done what they said she

did. They are deliberately telling lies against her just to damage her image. I know that God will punish them but I also want justice for my sister,” Ukamaka said. The trumped up charges included sleeping with different shades of men from within and outside the community thereby disturbing public peace. There were many other girls who were adjudged guilty even without trial and would have suffered similar fate. They ran away from the town and the rabid panelists, before they could be apprehended. Justice will definitely come. Ebonyi state governor, David Umahi has swung into action . After condemning the act through his Chief Press

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though the girl was far away from Ebonyi when the governor visited, representatives of the family promised to bring her back to continue with her education. Before the governor’s visit, Uzoamaka had found home and scholarship elsewhere. According to Okorie: “Uzoamaka has settled into the home of Ms Rita Nnenna Anoh, Group Managing Dirctor [GMD] , Veroz Group. She is her benefactor. Accordingly, her full scholarship to university level has been activated. In addition, Uzoamaka

Where some other governors would have played politics, the Ebonyi governor chose the path of justice

Secretary, Emma Anya, the governor visited the home of the Chukwus in Uburu.” Governor Umahi will not, in anyway, condone the violation of the rights of any Ebonyi resident, especially minors, by anyone, be he in government or the private sector,” the statement said. Member of the Federal House of Representatives for Ohaozara, Onicha, Ivo, Linus Okorie, also joined in condemning the despicable act. Like many all over the globe he got to know through the social media. Umahi has since matched his word with action by awarding scholarship to Uzoamaka. Al-

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is now a bona fide member of the peaceful and blessed home of Ms Anoh, who recently emerged the Most Celebrated Female Personality of the

Year during this year’s Nigeria Role Models Award in Lagos.” The traumatized girl will have to live with this humiliation at least for now. Her reaction to the governor’s gesture did not come as a surprise. She said she was happy with her new home and would not like to go back to Uburu. Only time will heal her wounds, if we take into consideration the shame she was put through.” The coordinator asked them to strip me inside his sitting room. Thereafter, he brought a bottle of Rock hot drink and started pouring it all over my body, after which they thoroughly beat me. The

content of the hot drink made the flogging worse, it was just like my entire body was laced with pepper, “ Uzoamaka said. The Odis and the policemen who violated this girl have not only been arrested, they have been charged to court. It shows that Umahi believes in the rule of law and has no intention of standing in the way of justice simply because a government official is involved. And like he promised, the law will take its course. We commend the governor for rising to condemn the dastardly act. By visiting Uzoamaka’s family, it shows that he is concerned about the people he governs no matter their position. Where some other governors would have played politics, the Ebonyi governor chose the path of justice. There must be a middle way between the governor’s gesture and her new found home. That will be the job of Uzoamaka’s family especially, her maternal uncle who became her guardian following the parents’ death. She is still a baby in the realm of psychology and it is this same weapon that should be applied in shaping her future. For those who made Uzoamaka go through hell, a more painful verdict awaits them. There is no power from the government to protect them. Governor Umahi has rightly shamed their action, an act which in itself rubbishes their alleged boast that nothing would happen to them while they assaulted the girl. Simply put, no one is above the law.

MONDAY, AUGUST 29, 2016 NEW TELEGRAPH

monDAY, AUGUST 29, 2016 NEW TELEGRAPH

Interview

Law AKEEM NAFIU examines Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) 2015 and its impacts on the nation’s justice system one year after it was signed into law

he Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) was signed into law in May 2015 by former President Goodluck Jonathan. The legislation which became operational the following month is aimed at introducing new mechanisms in the Nigeria’s criminal justice system. Essentially, its purpose as enumerated in Section 1 of the Act is “to ensure that the system of administration of criminal justice promotes efficient management of criminal justice institutions, speedy dispensation of justice, protection of the society from crime and protection of the rights and interests of the suspect, the defendant and the victim”. A full implementation of the Act is expected to redeem the criminal justice from the tiny grip of rich and powerful suspects and assist the anti-graft agencies in the prosecution of corruption cases. Prior to the introduction of ACJA, Section 36 of the Constitution, Section 40 of the EFCC Act as well as the 2013 Practice Directions of the Federal High Courts which provide for the expeditious trial of criminal cases had been rendered ineffective owing to a series of delays usually experienced in both civil and criminal trials. The fundamental human right to fair hearing within a ‘reasonable time’ is enshrined in Section 36 of the 1999 Constitution while Section 40 of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) Act, forecloses an accused person from appealing against an interlocutory order in a criminal charge brought by the commission against such a person. But tardiness in the nation’s justice system had been a clog in the wheel of justice as cases were no longer decided within a ‘reasonable time’ while creating loopholes for interlocutory orders. Notably, in order to ensure a strict compliance with the law, the ACJA 2015 established the Administration of Criminal Justice Monitoring Committee. The Committee comprises nine members

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Otteh: Special court for corruption cases unnecessary

News Brazil-based Nigerian jailed 2 years for drug trafficking

20 23

Flaws in ACJA 2015

Mohammed

with the Chief Judge of the FCT as the Chairman. As provided for in Section 470 of the ACJA, the Committee has the responsibility of ensuring effective and efficient application of the Act by the relevant agencies. The Committee among others was to ensure that criminal matters were speedily dealt with, reduction in congestion of criminal cases in courts, prison congestion and persons awaiting trial were not detained endlessly in prison custody. Its provisions were applicable to criminal trials for offences established by an Act of the National Assembly and other offences punishable in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. Section 494 of the ACJA explains ‘court’ in the Act to include Federal Courts, the Magistrate Courts and Federal Capital Territory Area Courts to the exclusion of State High Courts. It is also applicable to the Code of Conduct Tribunal. This is evident in the light of the provisions of Section 490 of the Act which says “only the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court or the Federal Capital Territory or the President of the National Industrial Court has the power to make rules of court generally for carrying into effect the purposes of the ACJA.” ACJA may have achieved huge success if it envisaged states Chief Judge. Nevertheless, Attorneys-General and Commissioners for Jus-

Bulkachuwa

Unfortunately, some judges continue to tolerate the dilatory tactics of lawyers rather than enforce the spirit of the law fully

tice in the 36 states had agreed to domesticate the law in their various domains. They were said to have taken the decision to replicate the ACJA in their states at the meeting of the Body of State Attorneys-General (BSAG) held in Abuja. For instance, a spokesman for the Minister of Justice and Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF), Abubakar Malami (SAN), Salihu Isah said after a review of the law, the states’ law officers agreed on the need for them to domesticate the law in view of its importance at ensuring a quick dispensation of justice in criminal trials. However, despite its lofty aims and objectives, lawyers believe ACJA 2015 has remained a thorn in the justice system it was promulgated to rescue. To some of them, ACJA 2015 was nothing but a ‘constitutional conflict’. Four of the lawyers, Chief Mike Ozhekome (SAN), Chief Niyi Akintola (SAN), Malachi Ugwumadu and Wale Ogunade, said there had been an unresolved clash between the Constitution and the Act. This, they said had impeded its effectiveness since its enactment last year. But others differed. Prof. Bolaji Owasanoye, Wahab Shittu, Fred Agbaje and Olu Awolowo blamed stakeholders for the Act’s ineffectiveness. Ozhekome said the provisions of the ACJA with regards to the

issue of holding charge and abrogation of stay of proceedings was against the provisions of the Constitution. He said: “A holding charge is a charge brought by the police or other law enforcement officers against an accused person in inferior court that lacks jurisdiction to try the offence charged, pending the receipt of legal advice from the office of the DPP to recommend the accused person’s trial in a court of competent jurisdiction or tribunal, set up to try the particular offence. But Nigerian courts have consistently declared this “arrest-before-investigation” rather than “investigation-before-arrest” as done in civilized criminal jurisprudences of the world as anomalous, unconstitutional and illegal. “The Administration of Criminal Justice Act, 2015, (ACJA), particularly Sections 293-299, gives an open cheque to Magistrates to order the remand without trial of anybody who is the subject of investigation. So far, these sections to the best of my knowledge have not been tested at the appellate courts. Presently, law enforcement agents and the Magistrate’s Court have been hiding behind these sections to hold an accused forever in the name of ‘investigation.’ “Aside the fact that Sections 293-299 of the ACJA violently violate the clear provisions of Section 35(4) and (5) of the Constitution , they presumptuously also create or constitute a “holding charge”, which has been declared by the highest courts of the land, to patently illegal, unconstitutional, null and void. “It is my view that it is inconceivable, and is, indeed, sacrilegious, for the ACJA, to purport to empower a Magistrate’s Court to detain a Nigerian citizen for 28 days where the very supreme law of the land, the grundnorm, which is the Constitution, has specifically provided for 48 hours (2days) maximum period of detention. May such judicial hara-kiri never occur in Nigeria. “The law, as robustly enshrined in the Constitution, remains that an accused person’s right of appeal is a constitutional right, which cannot be abated, compromised whittled down or nimble at. “Section 233 (2) (a) of the 1999 Constitution provides that an appeal shall lie from the decisions of the Court of Appeal to CONTINUED ON PAGE 23

20 Law|INTERVIEW

Otteh: Special court for corruption cases unnecessary Mr. Joseph Otteh is the executive director of Access to Justice (AJ), an advocacy group. In this interview with JOHN CHIKEZIE, he speaks on Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), special court for corruption cases and sundry issues

Would you share the view by the EFCC’s chairman, Ibrahim Magu that lawyers are frustrating the commission’s effort on corruption cases through delay tactics in courts? Our system of criminal justice is an adversarial system. This means that it is antagonistic and bears an oppositive tendency. The interests of the prosecution are diametrically opposed to the interests of the accused person and each side will oftentimes seek to outdo or outwit the other. So, you do not expect the prosecution to make it smooth for the accused and vice versa, although the bluntness of this reality is sometimes tempered by maxims of professional responsibility, one of which says that lawyers are Ministers in the Temple of Justice whose role is to assist the court to arrive at justice. Hence, the EFCC should not expect the defence counsel to make its work of securing convictions easy. Meanwhile, the causes of delays in corruption as well as other cases are manifold and contributed by all the criminal justice constituencies courts (judges), prosecuting counsel and defence counsel- and it will be parochial distortion of truth to say it is caused by one party or actor. If you recall, many judges have had reasons to complain about anti-corruption agencies to have lost cases in their courts because of the manner the prosecution was conducted. Therefore, I don’t agree with the EFCC if it asserts that we can reduce the problem to one singular attribution. It is not that simplistic. Many suspects languish in EFCC custody in the name of ‘ongoing investigation’. for how long can a suspect be detained in custody or any security agencies even without valid court orders? I’m not sure I know how to justify that. But I presume it should have been a scenario where law enforcement agencies should first conclude investigations before clamping down on anyone, in order to only make an arrest when the evidence has a perspective and has been collated and the case is ready to be filed in court. But we reverse this order in most cases in Nigeria, go backwards - we first arrest and then begin the investigations. This charge is not just against the EFCC alone; it resonates across the broad spectrum. This process is quite oppressive to accused persons, and arguably infringes their constitutional rights. Thus, we cannot focus on the EFCC alone, and should broaden the frame of reference for this discussion a little more, because, as someone once pointed out, there is something invidiously and selectively discriminatory about crying out loud with respect to long detentions in the EFCC and condoling the excessive pre-trial detentions commonplace with other criminal justice institutions, such as the police. The question is this; why only the EFCC and not the others? And that is a legitimate interposition. Many peo-

Otteh

ple have lost their lives in the course of being detained by the police and there are no hues and cries about this. People have been detained over longer periods by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), by the military, and even by the SSS. More so, this is why we must, in principle and without fixation, condemn excessive detentions everywhere and anywhere as well as agencies that practice them. Unfortunately our courts have not been quite as spirited and resolute as they could have been in protecting against unwarranted detentions. Disobedience to court orders undermines the authority of courts, and whenever the oversight power of the court is undermined systematically, you drift towards anarchy. I think the EFCC needs the authority of the court just as the nation needs the authority of the EFCC. They are both intertwined. If Nigerian courts are defied and delegitimized, the rule of law suffers, and we all, including the EFCC will suffer its consequences. I have read in one case where the EFCC says it will not obey the orders of a court because it is appealing the decision of the court ordering it to release the applicant/accused person. When fundamental rights are in question, this is a difficult proposition and, as

Our courts have not been quite as spirited and resolute as they could have been in protecting against unwarranted detentions

well, a dangerous precedent. It will strengthen our democracy and democratic institutions when we fight the war against corruption within, and not outside the boundaries of the rule of law. As the saying goes; if we do not preserve the law, the law will not preserve us. What is your view on a bill for special court for economic and financial crimes, narcotics, kidnapping and money laundering? I am totally not convinced regarding the need of special courts, rather, than the advocacy of a “well-functioning” courts but I stand to be corrected. This is simply because there are already special courts handling corruption cases. There are “special courts” handling narcotics cases. The EFCC and the NDLEA have, in a number of jurisdictions, some arrangements with the Judiciary where certain courts/judges are designated as “corruption courts” or “narcotics courts” but the problems of delays have not gone away in spite of this arrangement. If you look at some special courts - like the Code of Conduct Tribunal and its history of performance, you could also find that even special courts may draw blank and return negative dividends if there is no system for making these courts and their judges perform up to scratch. But there are special courts which are exemplary models. For instance, The National Industrial Court: The court is quite organized and there is a marked level of efficiency in its bureaucracy. I suspect the difference is accounted for by a leadership committed to making the court an effective model. We may not just rationalize this simply by saying it’s a special court. It’s better to call it a special court all right, but the management of the court has been up to par. But if you have special courts, and Judges still write in long hand or manually, or are transferred out of one jurisdiction arbitrarily, and cases have to be begun de novo (afresh), or judges do not sit because they have gone on “official assignments”, it will be difficult for such a court to make a credible difference. The alleged killings of civilians by soldiers on the December 12, 2015 in Zaria has a similar contention which reflects the same crisis that took place in Odi, Bayelsa on November 20, 1999 during former president Olusegun Obasanjo’s tenure. How would you reconcile these killings as against violation of the fundamental human right to life and property? This is so true, and not just with Odi. Against the Niger Delta Gbaramatu community in 2009, against the Gbemi people in Benue State in 2001; against numerous other villages, kingdoms, communities and towns... The Zaria incidents are not isolated or unusual in the least. What makes Zaria more unfortunate is that even Children were not spared. How those who act in the name and authority of the State can shoot at places where

monDAY, AUGUST 29, 2016 NEW TELEGRAPH

persons including children have gathered beggars belief. Hence, what is the response of a democratic government? The federal government basically gives the Army a ‘thumbs up’, and goes further to detain the leaders of the sect, without trial till this time. The Kaduna State government on its part arraigned hundreds of the surviving members of that sect for the murder of one soldier and does nothing to the soldiers who killed more than 350 people. The bigotry and bare-faced injustice here is incomparably horrendous. How can a government say it is fighting impunity and insisting that public officers be held accountable for their actions, while turn a blind eye to the impunity of its military that is using state security resources to kill its citizens wantonly and unaccountably? Where is the accountability here? Why would it only the Shiites who are singled out for prosecution? Unfortunately, no government has been willing or bold enough to say to the military “you must live under the law, not above it, just as it is in those other countries we like to visit for our trainings or vacations”. Nigeria must break from this legacy of impunity if we must earn some respect for Nigerian citizens. Indeed, I would say that persons who have no regard for human life and use brute, wanton force to kill defenseless people arbitrarily should not be part of a government that preaches a morality of change. Nigerian lives matter! How would you evaluate the modus operandi of the Judiciary and its efforts to stamp out corruption in justice system? I do not think that the Nigerian Judiciary’s approach to fighting corruption is strategic and the best way forward. For one, it is almost entirely a post-dated intervention. By the time the National Judicial Council (NJC) gets in, the damage is done already both with respect to the case in which the corruption has happened, and in relation to the Judiciary’s standing in the eyes of the public. However, I doubt this approach has altered the paradigm, if we look back to where we are coming from. We need something bolder, something fresh, something that is prophylactic that can possibly prevent corruption before it happens; something that can alter the status quo. We are yet to arrive. The NJC is making some effort, but the road ahead is still tough and long. We can begin with a whistle blower policy for the Judiciary and offer protection to a host of stakeholders to come forward with information. We can also establish strategic relationships with anticorruption institutions, so that where complaints come in, these units can themselves follow the leads that complainants offer, and complainants do not have to “establish” corruption because, in many cases, they are simply unable to reach the nooks and crannies where the information they need can be accessed. The FBI, in the United States, sometimes comes in to investigate judges suspected of corruption and can use their investigatory powers to follow trails and access relevant information. Maybe we can do the same thing.

Law 21

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Participants at the occasion

NIALS, CBN fine-tune laws to enhance ailing economy Against the backdrop of scores of Nigerians being excluded from access to any form of financial or credit scheme, the Nigerian Institute of Advanced Legal Studies had proposed an appropriate legal framework for financial inclusion. TUNDE OYESINA reports

fficials of the nation’s apex bank, the Central Bank of Nigeria, the Global Centre for Human Empowerment and Entrepreneurship Development and the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN), at the weekend brainstormed on National Financial Inclusion Strategy, Financial Inclusion and Micro Credit Banking System in Nigeria and Overcoming the Challenges of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises through Financial Inclusion with a view to proffering solutions to Nigeria’s ailing economy. It was at a talk shop held in Abuja where participants agreed that there was the need to make no fewer than 40 million Nigerians have access to some form of financial or credit scheme if the country’s economy must grow. Although while welcoming participants, the Director-General of the Nigerian Institute of Advanced Legal Studies (NIALS), Professor Deji Adekunle lamented inability of over 40 million Nigerians to access any form of financial or credit scheme, he said NIALS had considered it urgent to develop a legal framework that would enhance access to finance by those left behind. Besides, Adekunle said that the institute would examine extant legislation to identify those that required amendments or outright repeal so as to remove legal and administrative impediments inhibiting access to financial and credit schemes by the masses. The round table observed that the key barriers to financial inclusion included lack of income, long distance to access points, inadequate knowledge about financial services, high cost of services and cumbersome requirements. NIALS’ Director of Commercial Laws, Professor Paul Idornigie, SAN noted that financial inclusion played a key role in the stability of any economies and financial system as well as reducing poverty in

a sustainable manner. According to him, it was more pertinent in the case of Nigeria as a developing nation to use financial inclusion as a platform not just for growing the financial sector but to drive an inclusive economic growth. Idornigie noted that small scales enterprises remained the backbone of the Nigerian economy, making up of 96 per cent of all businesses in the country and employing 58 million people. “It is critical, therefore that those in this group should be financially included,” but regretted that, “their main challenges are access to finance and land”, he stated. He noted that even though the financial sector had witnessed significant developments in recent years in terms of strategies and policies aimed at expanding the Nigerian financial sector, the fact that Nigeria was ranked 169 out of 189 countries surveyed in ‘Doing Business 2016’ implied there were enough obstacles to make access to finance a tough challenge for many. In his view, factors making financial inclusion difficult were largely legal, regulatory and supervisory just as there were no inadequate laws addressing the challenges of bringing everyone under one financial scheme or the other, there are a long list of institutions addressing the challenges. They are the Central Bank of Nigeria Act 2007, the Banks and Other Financial Institutions Act, 2004, Pension Reform Act, 2014, National Insurance Commission Act, 2004, Small and Medium Scale Industries Development Agency, Act, 2004, Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation Act, 2004, Mortgage Institutions Act, the Investments & Securities Act 2007 as amended in 2015, among others. Also, there are several strategies, policies and regulations

Factors making financial inclusion difficult were largely legal, regulatory and supervisory

– the Financial Inclusion Strategy, 2012, the Cashless Economy Policy, the Micro finance Policy, 2005, Non-Interest Banking Policy, Agent Banking, among others. But the problem according to him was often lack of synergy among these institutions. This, Idornigie said would require the need to avoid overlapping of functions for strategic partnership among these agencies, regulators and supervisors. He also identified some provisions of the Company and Allied Matters Act that were nothing but stumbling blocks in the way when it came to doing business. For instance, why should CAMA require that unless you are two, you cannot incorporate a small business? The stipulation of a minimum share capital

in Section 27(2)(a) of CAMA is also no longer of a requirement in countries that had achieved greater financial inclusion. The CBN Head of Financial Inclusion Secretariat, Mrs Temitope Akin-Fadeyi while presenting an overview of the National Financial Inclusion Strategy said it was heartwarming to see NIALS getting involved in how to ensure more Nigerians had access to finance. According to her, 39.2 million Nigerian adults are financially excluded as at 2010, saying the CBN had planned to reduce that drastically by 2020 in accordance with the federal government’s commitment to make Nigeria one of the top 20 economies by 2020. She further noted that the strategy provided the country with opportunity to expand business into the untapped potential market of the unbanked and undeserved people. She however identified many initiatives and policies introduced to widen the financial inclusion net and address implementation challenges. Akin-Fadeyi also recognised the efforts of other stakeholders including the National Pension Commission, National Insurance Commission, Securities and Exchange Commission, Nigerian Identity Management Commission, Nigerian Deposit Insurance Corporation, Ministries of Finance, Education, Communications, Youth and Sport and Women Affairs among others. Going by the statistics she provided, these initiatives are paying off as about 45.4 million people in 2008 were financially excluded. Six years later, the number dropped to 36.9 million. All however recommended the need for major stakeholders such as banks, insurance and technology firms to offer products and services as well as infrastructure and technology required for the implementation of the National Financial Inclusion Strategy (NFIS) and create opportunity to expand businesses into the untapped, potential market of the unbanked and undeserved.

Alegeh okays more branches for NBA Emmanuel Masha Port Harcourt

he immediate past president of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Mr. Augustine Alegeh, has said that lawyers wishing to form their own branch of the association had every right to do so in the areas where they practice. Speaking while inaugurating three new branches of the association in Rivers, Alegeh said that it was historic that the new branches - Okehi, Okrika and Omoku in addition to the existing five branches, Port Harcourt, Degema, Bori, Ahoada, and Isiokpo had increased the state’s NBA branches to eight. He said: “We are to make history by inaugurating three branches of the NBA in Rivers State during our ongoing conference. We are entitled to form a branch of the association wherever there is a juris-

Alegeh

diction. “We will be happier if the chairmen can relocate to their branches. Ensure that you work tirelessly for your people, fight for them. “All branches election must be held in June. Those that will be inaugurated today will operate from September to February and then handover to a new caretaker committee. “We also seek more support for the incoming president of

the association.” Alegeh however charged them to work tirelessly in the area they represented just as he informed them that their tenure would end in February 2017 when they would handover to new constituted caretaker committee. In her speech, the Chief Judge of the State, Hon Justice I A. Iyaye-Lamikanra, congratulated the new branches and expressed the Judiciary’s gratitude to the national leadership of the Bar. She noted that the creation of the new branches will strengthen and decentralize the association. Justice Iyaye-Lamikanra advised the leadership of the branches to perform their duty according to the NBA rules and regulations, advising against a situation where members would embrace acrimony to the detriment of the profession’s ethics.

22 Law|File Bolaji Owasanoye

“A

Mafia Godfather finds out that his bookkeeper, Guido, has cheated him out of $10,000,000. His bookkeeper is deaf. That was the reason he got the job in the first place. It was assumed that Guido would hear nothing so he would never have to testify in court. When the Godfather goes to confront Guido about his missing $10 million, he takes along his lawyer who knows sign language. The Godfather tells the lawyer, “ask him where the money is!” The lawyer, using sign language, asks Guido, Where’s the money? Guido signs back, “I don’t know what you are talking about.” The lawyer tells the Godfather, “He says he doesn’t know what you’re talking about.” The Godfather pulls out a pistol, puts it to Guido’s head and says, “ask him again or I’ll kill him!” The lawyer signs to Guido, “He’ll kill you if you don’t tell him.” Guido trembles and signs, “OK! You win! The money is in a brown briefcase, buried behind the shed at my cousin Bruno’s house.” The Godfather asks the lawyer, “What did he say?” The lawyer replies, “He says you don’t have the guts to pull the trigger!” Introduction The role of all professionals in fighting any social ill is well recognized. The level of expectation of a particular profession depends on the nature of the social ill. A few years ago, the Ebola scourge was on the rampage and the West Africa region was put on the spotlight but most notably Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone. When the virus was imported to Nigeria by a desperate ECOWAS diplomat, Nigeria got a taste of the challenge. The whole nation was on red alert and a higher level of hygiene. Hand shaking, hugging and body contact became threatened modes of greeting. The medical profession comprising doctors and other support service distinguished itself. Indeed, the first Nigerian victim and martyr of the times was a medical doctor who sacrificed her life to ensure the ebola virus imported by late Ambassador Patrick Sawyer and brought to her hospital was contained within the four walls of that hospital. Had late Dr Ameyo Adadevoh due to personal considerations alone allowed Patrick Sawyer to leave her hospital and spread his virus beyond its four walls perhaps Nigeria’s story and history would be different today. It is no longer disputable that corruption holds the ace for the current sorry state of the Nigerian state. Like cancer or the ebola virus, it has eaten deep into the organs of national physiology emaciating its victim to near coma until the election of President Muhammadu Buhari about 15 months ago. Buhari’s surgical procedures have however so far been resisted by a vocal

Role of lawyers in fight against corruption minority of “native doctors” suggesting somewhat hypocritically to themselves that the patient is not ill. And if ill, the sickness is not terminal nor life threatening or if life threatening, the treatment regime of asset recovery and prosecution of high profile cases and politically exposed persons is not the preferred treatment regime. Let’s take a primer of the symptoms – 24 out of 36 states are technically insolvent due to the same malady; one geo-political zone was almost lost to insurgency fuelled and escalated by the same malady; dilapidated and non-existent key infrastructure in spite of increased revenue over the past 15 years; depleted foreign reserves in spite of providential increase in revenue in the past 5 years, high youth unemployment and destruction of social safety nets etc. Recent revelations of mind boggling cases of corruption emanating from only two sectors of the economy so far has however kept most, but not all, ardent cynics and most probably collaborators of corruption, spell bound and grudgingly admitting that the role of corruption in Nigeria’s sorry state is not exaggerated but in fact understated. However, like all cynics and selffulfilling prophets, once cynicism and prophecy fly in the face of reality, the cynical prophet shifts to the next absurd conclusion that nothing will change and socio-legal chemotherapy will not work. Such a conclusion is fatalistic because if nothing changes the patient, the society, as we know i t cannot and will not survive.

It is no longer disputable that corruption holds the ace for the current sorry state of the Nigerian state

Fighting corruption is not known to be a tea party because corruption by its nature plays true to type. It refuses to accept noble values and strategies set to displace it because those values are antithetical to its character. Thus, corruption fights back using different collaborators and strategies. Where it is systemic as in the case of Nigeria, it pushes back through passivity or activity of various frontiers – corrupt politicians, collaborating businesses and professional groups, insensitive and selfish elites etc. all indicating that there are more traitors in this powerful minority than patriots, more back stabbers than supporters. The strongest indicator of such push back is in the contradictory desire of those who wish to eat omelet without breaking eggs or go to heaven without tasting death. Such people say they wish to see corruption diminished but not by punishing looters. Bearing in mind such a confounding dilemma, fighting corruption demands stamina and resilience. A strategy and determination to go the long haul claiming victory in silos of short, medium and long term impact, sector by sector focus and by separating the wheat from the chaff and isolating what works from what does not or will not. Nigeria’s experience reflects that of other countries which have in recent times, fought corruption most notably Singapore, Botswana, Hong Kong, South Korea, Estonia, Georgia, Qatar, Chile, Uruguay, etc. just to mention a few as in each of these cases political will and leadership example ranked first in the factors that changed the matrix. Next was pressure from citizens and the civil society on the leadership to continue to do what was right in the context of the society. In this group are professionals bodies especially role actors in the administration of justice especially lawyers and judges. Finally is the role of the international community typified by Liberia as an example of a positive outcome in anti-corruption campaign in post war effort. Our focus today is focus on lawyers. However, I want to look at what has worked and what has not worked. What has worked? • Developing and implementing a credible strategy to guide the anticorruption agenda in a way that articulates the objective of the state and its ability to realistically achieve its goals and objectives using short, medium and long term milestones. Such a strategy may select priority sectors or outcomes. In Nigeria, return of stolen assets is clear priority for the government given the dismal level of state finances. This is not just by taking back from prebendal looters but also by blocking leakages in the system that hitherto enable illicit outflow of capital viz. elimiOwasanoye nating ghost workers; avoiding double

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or over budgeting; reducing the cost of governance by reducing the size of government without sacking workers etc. • Securing the cooperation of all arms and all levels of government is important. This should not be assumed in systems where one or more arms or levels of government prefers the status quo and will actively or passively hinder the fight either due to fear of the searchlight coming its way or due to chronic insensitivity to the effect of corruption to the polity. Given present economic realities in Nigeria we must accept that unless there is a paradigm shift there will be a catastrophe. • To communicate the negative impact of corruption in a graphic and sobering manner to underscore the inevitability of a final outcome of the state failing if it does not fight corruption. • Unequivocal leadership examples to lead the fight upfront and by personal examples. • Independence of anti-corruption agencies from political interference and manipulation. What ACAs need is information about illegality. Thereafter they are left to use best effort and judgment to prosecute the anti-corruption war. • Transparency and oversight of work of ACAs especially in the absence of a Governing Board or management framework. Improving the sanctions and enforcement regime in anti-corruption campaigns is crucial. It involves the commitment of all players in the administration of criminal justice viz. Prosecution, defence, Judiciary, prison authorities. In this regard however, the judiciary ranks far above other players in importance. In Botswana, the judiciary played a salutary role in improving the ranking of the country in anticorruption initiatives. In Estonia, the judiciary was completely overhauled with new court systems created and all judges appointed anew. a. Note the reported cases of drug convicts who negotiate their way out of prison sentences right from court premises with the collusion of the prosecutors, defence and prison warders who were supposed to take them into custody; b. Prevalent use of restraining orders by judges to tie the hands of ACAs from investigating, arresting or prosecuting suspects is tantamount to giving judicial immunity to criminals. Until the heat was increased in the current fight against corruption, the prevailing assumption was that suspects could procure judicial immunity where the price was right. c. Effective oversight of ACAs to avoid abuse of power and witch hunting • Effective legal framework to tackle all aspects of the anti-corruption campaign including the sanctions and enforcement regime to a. Investigate and prosecute offenders. Weak investigation and prosecution undoubtedly leads to poor results. However, a sensitized adjudicatory and justice system also recognizes the effect of impunity in the medium to long term. Therefore, the courts strike a balance not to tolerate manipulation of the criminal justice system by any segment no matter how influential; b. Effective sentencing regime to punish offenders and assuage the society since every crime of corruption is against society; c. Recover stolen assets. Hitting criminals in the pocket is important in the reform process. Having a robust NCB process with lower standard of proof alongside the full criminal process is also fundamental.

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Court reverses takeover of oil firm’s products

Akeem Nafiu

ustice Abdulazeez Anka of the Federal High Court in Lagos has granted leave to an oil marketing company, Chukelad Nigeria Limited, to evacuate its 2,804,735 litres of Automotive Gas Oil (AGO) and 1,927,727 litres of Dual Purpose Kerosene (DPK) stored in a tank farm belonging to an oil firm, Zone 4 Energy Limited. The tank farm, which is under a receiver appointed by First Bank of Nigeria Limited, is within the Calabar Free Trade Zone (CFTZ). The judge in a ruling on an application by Zone 4 Energy’s lawyer, Lanre Ogunlesi (SAN) held that the products should be evacuated with immediate effect. Another judge of the court, Justice Saliu Saidu, had on July 1, empowered the bank’s receiver to take over the entire assets of Zone 4 Energy at the CFTZ over an alleged debt owed the bank. But in a supporting affidavit, Zone 4 Energy said it had a prior agreement

with Chukelad Nigeria to use the tank farm to store its AGO and DPK before Justice Saidu made the order. Zone 4 Energy said Chukelad Nigeria allegedly paid it N7million to use the tank farm, as that the bank’s receiver took over the assets while Chukelad Nigeria was loading its trucks at the depot. The applicant said it had “substantial quantity” of Chukelad Nigeria’s products in its storage when the bank’s receiver took over the tank farm. “In view of the fact that this matter in court might take time to resolve, it would be in the interest of justice to grant this application. “The products are susceptible to market forces and if the prices drop, it would be a colossal loss to Chukelad Nigeria and we would be held liable,” Zone 4 Energy prayed. The receiver, Mr Emmanuel Oyebanji, who is also First Bank’s lawyer, had opposed the application, contending that both the tank farm and the products stored in it were among the “charged

assets” under receivership. Justice Abdulazeez Anka, in his ruling, held that the application had merit and was properly before the court. “The application succeeds and the

Brazil-based Nigerian jailed 2 years for drug trafficking

Man remanded over attempted rape of 51-yr old woman Akeem Nafiu

35-year old man, David Victor, has been remanded in prison custody by Magistrate Helen Omisore of an Ebute-Metta Magistrate’s Court over an alleged plan to rape a 51-year old woman, Yetunde Giwa. The remand order was sequel to his arraignment before the court by the police on the alleged offence. The accused person, also known as Badoo, was docked on a 3-counts charge of attempt to rape, conduct likely to cause breach of public peace and inflicting injuries on the victim. The offence according to the prosecutor, Inspector Cousin Adams contravened Sections 404, 243 and 166(d) of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State of Nigeria, 2011. The defendant however pleaded not guilty to the charge upon his arraignment.

Akintola C O N T I N U E D F R O M PA G E 1 9

Supreme Court as of right where the grounds of appeal involve questions of law alone on decisions in any civil or criminal proceedings before the Court of Appeal. Section 241 (1) (a) provides for similar provisions in respect of appeal from the Federal High Court, National Industrial Court, High Court of a State, High Court of the FCT, Abuja, Sharia Court of Appeal, etc. an appeal under the Constitution could therefore be interlocutory or substantive. “Since Section 4(8) of the 1999 Con-

He was subsequently admitted to bail by the magistrate in the sum of N100, 000 with two sureties in like sum. Further hearing in the matter has been adjourned till September 5. The Magistrate however ordered that the defendant be remanded in prison custody pending the perfection of his bail conditions. The police had alleged in the charge that the accused person commited the offence on March 13, at about 2a.m, at Oremetta Estate, Ibeshe, Ikorodu, Lagos. Police further alleged that the suspect in an attempt to rape the woman threw a 9 inches block on her, which caused her grievous bodily harm. He was said to have been arrested by the victim’s neighbours while crying for help, as the accused person attempted to rape her.

objection is accordingly overruled. The products lying in the tank farm is accordingly ordered to be evacuated in the presence of the registrar monitoring same with immediate effect,” the judge held.

Auta

Akeem Nafiu

Brazil-based Nigerian, Okeh Desmond Simon has been sentenced to two years imprisonment for trafficking in cocaine by Justice Abdulazeez Anka of a Federal High Court in Lagos. He was convicted and sentenced after he pleaded guilty to a one count charge of trafficking in 1.806 kilogramms of cocaine slammed on him by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA). Okeh was arraigned by the agency on August 10. NDLEA lawyer, Abu Ibrahim had informed the court that Okeh was

arrested on May 27 at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, during an emergency landing of an Emirates Airline Ek 262, which departed from Sao Paulo, Brazil, enroute Dubai, United Arab Emirate. Abu further informed the court that the convict, who had complications due to the ingestion of the banned substances, forced the airline to have an emergency landing and that upon a medical test conducted on him, it was discovered was having cocaine in his body system. The agency, in a charge marked FHC/C/313c/2016, alleged that the accused person, without lawful authority, imported 1.805 kilograms of cocaine into the country. The offence, according to the prosecutor, was contrary to and punishable under Section 11(c) of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency Act (NDLEA) Cap N30 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004. Upon his guilty plea, Okeh’s lawyer, Bayo Onifade, pleaded with the court to be lenient in sentencing his client. Consequently, the accused person was sentenced to two years imprisonment by the judge. The sentence is to commence from August 18, 2016. The judge also ordered that the seized drug should be destroyed if there was no any appeal against the judgement.

Lawyers score ACJA 2015 low

stitution as altered, specifically provides that “the National Assembly or a House of Assembly shall not enact any law that ousts or purports to oust the jurisdiction of a court of law or of a judicial tribunal established by law to an extent that Section 306 of the ACJA purports to oust the jurisdiction of the court from entertaining interlocutory appeals, such as stay of proceedings, it is to that extent void” Akintola said although the enactment of the ACJA, aimed at ensuring quick dispensation of justice was laudable, there were so many unconstitutional sections in the law. He also advised states planning to domesticate the law to ensure it is fine-tuned in line with their peculiarities. He said: “There were so many unconstitutional sections in the law. Besides, we must appreciate the fact that Nigeria is a federation and all of us needs not follow the same path. As a matter of fact, I will not encourage the situation whereby states are domesticating the law. All of us cannot sleep and put our heads in one place. However, if the law is to be domesticated by states, it has to be fine-tuned in line with the peculiarities of each state. It should not be adopted wholesale. Each state should get all the stakeholders to look at the law and see which part of the law will suit their environment.” Ugwumadu highlighted some of the

constraints hampering the effectiveness of the ACJA 2015 as situated within the context of the clash between some of its provisions and the Constitution. He said: “I think the first point to make is that like the Fundamental Rights Enforcement Procedure Rules 2009, this Administration of Criminal Justice Act, which was passed into law on May 16, 2015, is a revolution in the general administration of justice whether criminal or civil in Nigeria. “Now, the global objective of the Act is to ensure speedy dispensation of justice in Nigeria. I need to emphasize that under the new law, defence or prosecuting counsel are not expected to seek adjournment for more than five times throughout the duration of trial. In which case, once the lifeline is exhausted, they are stuck by the Act which regulates the trial from making further application under any circumstance. Besides, the Act also seeks to protect the rights and privileges of accused persons by ensuring that they were given sufficient attention by law enforcement agencies including the judiciary. “For instance, the Chief Judge of every state is expected to constitute a panel of magistrates who are expected to visit prison and other detention facilities to ascertain the status of people detained in those facilities so that no one is kept there perpetually. All of these provisions are targeted towards

a speedy dispensation of justice. “However, there have been constrains hampering the effectiveness of the law. These constraints can be situated within the context of what the Constitution also expects. If you say you want speedy dispensation of justice and you are also boxed to a corner owing to the dictates of Section 36 of the Constitution which talks on fair hearing, this can become a ground of appeal, particularly, if I am able to establish that the trial judge merely took advantage of an Act of the National Assembly which cannot override the Constitution. The Act says you cannot take adjournment for more than five times while the Constitution is talking about an accused person’s right to be given fair hearing and fair representation with respect to his case. When there is a clash between the Constitution and an Act of the National Assembly, the Constitution will prevail over such other Act. This is one of the constraints hampering the effectiveness of the law. “The other constraint is that many people are not even familiar with the express provisions of the law, particularly, at its early stage. By people, I mean those on the Bench and the Bar. At those early stages, you get to some magistrate’s courts and you are quoting the Administration of Criminal Justice Act and they are wondering what you are talking about. C O N T I N U E D O N PA G E 2 4

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Malami C O N T I N U E D F R O M PA G E 2 3

“Let states not be lazy. I hope you are aware that a lot of the provisions of the Act are a reflection of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act 2011 of Lagos State. So, we need to be progressive, pro-active and dynamic. Many states took a cue from Lagos when the law was enacted by Lagos State. I think it will help those states that are planning to domesticate the law. In any event, the concept of federalism does not recognize the juxtaposition of state powers at every tiers of government. By this, I mean the real concept of federalism will be undermined when there is an insistence that federal laws must be domesticated by states. Each state is expected to have its own legal regime to regulate and deal with its own peculiarities. So, federal Acts are there and if states like them, those Acts can be adopted but the ideal thing is for them to come up with their own legislations.” Ogunade was not different. He said the ACJA cannot be effective until there is a holistic amendment to all laws and legislations that has to do with achieving quick dispensation of justice in Nigeria. He said: “The Act is only a subsidiary law and the principal law is the 1999 Constitution which allows for the principle of fair hearing. The Constitution, which is the grundnorm has not been amended and of course, there are other subsidiary laws too. These include the court procedure rules which allows for one form of adjournment or the other. These are what have been preventing the full implementation of the ACJA 2015. “You also saw it in the Saraki’s case where his counsel did not allow the matter to be heard by the day as provided for in the ACJA. They were fond of bringing one form of application or the other. We can see that the matter could not go on as prescribed by the Act. So, until we have a holistic amendment to all laws and legislations that has to do with quick dispensation of justice in Nigeria, the ACJA cannot work. At the moment, there is a clash between the Act and the Consti-

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Ozekhome

Mahmoud

Fred-Agbaje

Haunted by holding charge tution. “The issue is not about states domesticating the law. But, since the Constitution has given room for people to pursue their interests in terms of fair hearing and the rules of courts also allow for the filing of applications to protect an accused person’s rights, then, it is not possible to have a strait jacket access to justice.” Professor of Law, Bolaji Owasanoye blamed his colleagues for partly success of the Act. According to him, lawyers were the ‘singular biggest’ threat to the success of the ACJA because of their rigid attitude to the letter and spirit of the law. He said: “The passage of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act 2015 reflects society’s concern at the delay in the administration of criminal justice. As a result, a number of provisions in the statute are designed to eliminate delay. Unfortunately, the singular biggest threat to the success of the legislation is the unchanging attitude of lawyers to the letter and spirit of the law. “Lawyers appear oblivious of the intent of the law. Unfortunately, some judges continue to tolerate the dilatory tactics of lawyers rather than enforce the spirit of the law fully. Refusal to recognize the import and impact of the legislation and continued attempts to delay progress of criminal cases, especially corruption cases is a gross violation of Rule 30 of the rules of Professional Conduct and ought to be severely sanctioned without equivocation.” Shittu believes the inactions of stakeholders were responsible for the ineffectiveness of the ACJA. He said: “I think the law is there for application, particularly, with respect to federal offences at the federal level. At the moment, I think the law is not being sufficiently applied the way it ought to. It is important that everyone concerned must insist on its application. The law is there and all courts, particularly, at the federal level are bound to enforce its pro-

The singular biggest threat to ACJA’s success is the unchanging attitude of lawyers

visions. That should be the center of advocacy and whosoever is not applying the law is breaching the law. All the stakeholders are the culprits. “Those on the Bench, the Bar and other law enforcement agencies who are supposed to enforce the law are the stakeholders. It is a holistic provision that deals with all actors in the administration of justice system. “So, I think we need a better sensitization of the stakeholders about the law, so that it can be applied the way it ought to. “I think what we need is a reenactment of the law in various states. I think this should be the focus of advocacy. So that, the more states we have keyed into its usage, the more it will translate into effective and diligent prosecution. A major limitation is that states have not re-enacted the law in their domestic legal framework.” Agbaje noted that if there was any success with regards to the application of the law, it had been infinitesimal. He said: “It is a good law for the purposes for which it is made. Its purpose is for the enhancement of the dispensation of the criminal justice system in Nigeria. However, despite the lofty objectives, the law has suffered setbacks because many states are yet to adopt it. Even though the states were planning to domesticate the law, but until that is done, we can’t say bravo. The acceptability of the law at the moment is limited to the federal courts. Also, if there is any success with regards to the application of the law, it has been infinitesimal. Nothing much has been achieved. “Since the passage of the law, how many accused person have been convicted of corruption by the court? I want to put the blame on the courts and legal practitioners. Lawyers are still fond of asking for adjournment contrary to the dictates of the law. If according to the law, lawyers are not permitted to seek adjournment beyond certain limits and they are

doing so with the permission of the court, how can the law be effective? I don’t want to be seen as a pessimist, otherwise I would have said the law was dead on arrival. This is because of the mentality of the practitioners. I hope to see an improvement in the application of the law by the time the law is domesticated by the states. Then, the backlog of cases being handled by the Federal High Courts will be reduced. I expect the law to be more effective when it is domesticated by the state.” Awolowo also blamed the ineffectiveness of the ACJA on the attitude of those on the Bench and members of the Bar. He said: “The law was enacted to cover the obvious lacuna in the Criminal Procedure Act (CPA) and the Criminal Procedure Code (CPC). If you look at the objective of the Act, it was meant to enhance the speedy dispensation of justice. But, to some extent, it seems that the objective is not being achieved. This is because lawyers are still bringing all sorts of applications before the court. “It’s for all stakeholders to ensure a strict interpretation of the law. An instance is in the case of the Senate President, Bukola Saraki at the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT). Under the ACJA 2015, courts are not allowed to grant any stay in criminal proceedings, but in Saraki’s case, a stay was granted by the court. This is against the spirit of the ACJA 2015. It could be seen that human efforts are frustrating the effectiveness of the law. “But that notwithstanding, what I know is that laws are made for men and not otherwise. The courts should wake up and give the necessary bite to the Act to make it effective. This is because it is the judiciary that is expected to interpret the laws for the attainment of the objectives of the law. By and large, I think the law has affected the way courts’ proceedings are being conducted. “Its domestication by states will go a long way in achieving speedy dispensation of justice at the various states.”

MONDAY, august 29, 2016 NEW TELEGRAPH

Interview ‘Govt needs agents to sanitise Nigeria Customs Service’

Business

Money Line Analysts: Data scarcity threatens N500bn social intervention projects

34 36

SURVIVAL The collapse of airlines is as a result of the inability to evaluate business

Wole Shadare

s the operating environment gets tougher for airlines and businesses, experts have suggested that airlines should pool resources together to form strong airlines group to save them from bankruptcy. President, Aviation Round Table (ART), Mr. Gbenga Olowo, who shared this view, said that the systematic operational merger would be the only way for the airlines to remain in business in a short while from now. “This is the only way to rescue market share from foreign airlines that must repatriate up to 95 per cent of their income back to their home countries in dollars and continue the weakening of the naira.” “Truth be told, the airlines, as we have it today, cannot be described as strong schedule players. All the existing seven operators should pool their resources together, operate under one AOC, harmonise their schedule and stop the ongoing unhealthy competition among themselves. Then we will be having two near-strong players,” Olowo advised in a chat with New Telegraph in Lagos. A managing Director of one of the extinct airlines who spoke on condition of anonymity, said with a declining fleet size, route expansion would be limited, robust schedule very difficult and

The Business Desk Ayodele Aminu

Deputy Editor (Business)

Bayo Akomolafe

Asst. Editor (Maritime)

Sunday Ojeme

Asst. Editor (Insurance)

Tony Chukwunyem

L-R: Chief Operating Partner, Pricewaterhousecoopers (PwC) Nigeria, Pedro Omontuemhen, receiving a gift from ICAN President, Deacon Titus Soetan, during a courtesy visit by Soetan to PwC.

Experts seek new business strategy for airlines’ •Advocate mergers to stay afloat down time for maintenance would impact negatively on schedule. Attributing the local airlines’ problems to lack of policy focus and hostile operating environment, he decried the high charges indiscriminately levelled on the airlines. Charges on domestic airlines include those on Common User Terminal Equipment, landing and parking charges, passenger service charge, avio-bridge charge, rent and service recovery charge. There are also on-duty card charge, toll access payments, airside operator vehicle permit and electricity charge. The source explained that the Nigerian aviation industry has contributed immensely to the so-

cio-economic development of the country, as it is central to global aviation business in Africa. He added that only a vibrant Air Navigation Service Provider (ANSP) that is run as business concern would be able to tap into the potentials. It would be recalled that deregulation of the airline industry worked well initially. The natural tendency of companies to seek monopoly power took over, and nobody tried to stop it until now, when it is really too late. Everybody seemed to be starting up an airline. Many of the carriers expanded into dozens of new markets. The number of people who flew increased geometrically.

N660 million Both local and foreign airlines in the country use three million litres of aviation fuel daily, amounting to N660 million daily.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 26

Asst. Editor (Money Market)

Dayo Ayeyemi Property Editor

Adeola Yusuf Energy Editor

Wole Shadare Aviation Editor

Chris Ugwu

Indeed, with the rise of discount tickets, flying became something many Nigerians could afford, at least once in a while. Supporters of deregulation could proudly say that it had worked as envisioned: It had brought about lower prices and greater consumer choice. With shrinking revenue, high cost of Jet A1, hostile investment environment and the absence of industry developmental policies, among other challenges, the airlines are in dire strait. The Nigerian airspace presents itself as a shorter route for aircraft traveling to the American continent from Asia. It is often the bride of most international airlines. However, Nigeria aviation sector is full of bottlenecks and

What's new

Capital Market Editor

Fuel supply glut worsens as refineries’ production hits 60%

Indian’s drug exports to Nigeria, others drop by N272bn

p.26

Abdulwahab Isa Finance Editor

p.26

Taiwo Hassan

Industry, Agric & Brands Editor

Kunle Azeez

Senior Correspondent

Chuks Onuanyin Energy

Nnamdi Amadi Reporter

Johnson Adebayo

Asst Production Editor

Rates Dashboard INFLATION RATE June 2016 ..............................16.5% May 2016...............................15.6% April 2016............................13.7%

LENDING RATE Interbank Rate....................12.57% Prime Lending Rate...........17.93% Maximum Lending Rate...26.83%

EXCHANGE RATE (Parallel Market as at August 26)

USD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . N412 Pounds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . N530 Euro . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . N454

l Foreign Reserves – $25.600bn as at 24/8/2016

Source: CBN

EXCHANGE RATE (Interbank as at August 26)

USD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . N314.95 Pounds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . N403 Euro . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . N345

BUSINESS |news

MONDAY, august 29, 2016 NEW TELEGRAPH

Fuel supply glut worsens as refineries’ production hits 60% CRASH Glut ground fuel diversion to Cotonou, Cameroun to zero per cent

Adeola Yusuf

he glut in supply of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) also known as petrol worsened last weekend as production by refineries in Nigeria hits 227,000 barrels, a 60 per cent of the 445,000 barrels allocation to the installations. New Telegraph gathered that the fall in demand, which has made the market to be saturated with fuel, has also grounded diversion by marketers to Republic of Benin, Cameroun and other neighbouring countries to zero per cent. Memos exchanged between the Ministry of Petroleum Resources, the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and management of the refineries in Port Harcourt, Warri and Kaduna seen by this newspaper, showed that the facilities are now cumulatively refining 227,000 barrels daily. Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Dr. Ibe Kachikwu, also confirmed the new production figures by the refineries to our correspondent on the side-line of a conference in Lagos. With the production increase and low demand for PMS and other petroleum product, Nigeria may not need 445,000 crude allotments to refineries again, Kachikwu had said. “Refineries, today, still work at 60 per cent, but we need them to work at opti-

Experts seek new business strategy for airlines’ CONTINUED FROM PAGE 25

delays that are designed to exploit and strangle the growth of the industry. The airports suffer from poor reputation of operational efficiency and safety. Over the years, the Nigeria aviation industry has experienced several accidents, making safety an issue in the industry. The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) revealed that the collapse of airlines is as a result of the inability to evaluate business plans as well as the weakness of the business environment and lack of forecast for manpower development. Both local and foreign airlines in the country use three million litres of aviation fuel daily, amounting to N660 million daily.

mum capacity,” he added. A marketer with fleet of filling stations in Owode, a border town between Nigeria and Republic of Benin, also said: “A number of factors have made the diversion to be uneconomic,” after his anonymity was guaranteed. “The removal of subsidy is key among them, while the scarcity of foreign exchange and N145 per liter price of fuel have also contributed to the crash in diversion. As we speak, nobody that I know engages in such act again because it no longer makes business sense to divert products.” NNPC had earlier announced that the nation’s three refineries in Kaduna,

Port Harcourt and Warri have attained a combined daily production of over 6.76 million litres of petrol. In a statement by the corporation, it noted that petrol production is projected to increase to over 10 million litres per day by the end of this month. According to a breakdown given by NNPC, the Port Harcourt refinery is producing 4.09 million litres while Kaduna refinery is contributing 1.29 million litres and Warri refinery, which was re-streamed two months ago, is producing 1.38 million litres. The PMS volume from the refineries will help stabilise the fuel supply and distribu-

tion situation in the country, the Corporation said. Meanwhile, the letter written by Pipeline and Products Marketing Company (PPMC) to NNPC showed that the consumption of petroleum products by Nigerians slid to 882.13 million litres in April compared to 1,115.61 million litres in March, 2016. The letter obtained from a source at the NNPC noted that the fuel scarcity, which, on May 1, culminated in the new pricing regime, was partly responsible for the slide in fuel usage. “Before arriving at the new price regime, a comprehensive study of the costs of importation was under-taken,” the memo stated.

All stakeholders, including marketing companies and independent experts, it continued, were “consulted in arriving at the appropriate cost reflective regime. This is in furtherance of the Price Modulation Framework rolled out in January 2016, which entails modulating prices down or up on a periodic basis to reflect actual prevailing costs.” In April 2016, 882.13 million litres of PMS was sold compared with 1,115.61 million litres in March 2016. On the reason for a new price regime, NNPC noted that the rise in crude oil price and prevailing high cost of importation brought back subsidy regime.

L-R: Executive Director, North, Keystone Bank Limited, Mr. Shehu Abubakar; Governor, Central Bank of Liberia, Mr. Milton Weeks and MD/CEO, Keystone Bank Limited, Mr. Philip Ikeazor, during weeks’ visit to the bank in Lagos.

Indian’s drug exports to Nigeria, others drop by N272bn DOWTURN India plans to grow pharmaceutical sector at a compound annual growth rate of $55 billion by 2020 are being threatened by weak demand

Bayo Akomolafe

he N272 billion ($850 million) drop in Indian pharmaceutical products exports since the beginning of the year has been linked to the foreign exchange shortages in Nigeria, Venezuela and Angola. It was learnt that importers in Nigeria have not been placing order for pharmaceutical products due to dearth of forex. According to a report by the Pharmaceutical Export Promotion Council of India (Pharmexcil), drug exports to the three countries had declined since the beginning of fiscal 2016-17 by five per cent, causing concern among the exporters and government.

The council report noted that Nigeria had become the largest export destination of India’s pharmaceutical exports with a growth rate of 12.72 per cent last year. Besides, the council was worried that some European countries had delayed in renewal of written confirmations from the Indian regulator required to export Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (APIs) to the European market. The report noted that during 2015-16, the Indian pharma industry achieved about 10 per cent growth in exports with the value touching $17 billion, but this year it said that pharmaceutical products export was not rosy as usual, especially in Nigeria. India’s total pharmaceutical exports to Nigeria increased to $610million in 2015 from $161.7 million in 2014 and $139.2 million in 2013. It was learnt that Indian pharmaceuticals market, which increased at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 17.46 per cent in 2015 from $6 billion in 2005, is expected to expand at a CAGR of 15.92 per cent to $55 billion by 2020, However, the report said that the projection may be al-

tered due to the decline growth in India export markets. Prior to Nigeria’s weak currency, India had maintained its lead over China in pharmaceutical exports with a year-onyear growth of 7.55 per cent to $12.54 billion in 2015, according to data from the Ministry of Commerce and Industry. The Pharmexcil’s Director General, A P. V. Appaji, who was disturbed by the turn down in export, said that the pharma exports had not been doing fine since the beginning of the year. Appaji said: “Fifty per cent or more of India’s pharma exports are going to highly regulated markets. When you look into Drug Master Files (DMFs), Abbreviated New Drug Application (ANDAs) approved by United States Food and Drug Administration (USFDA), we are almost second after US. Out of top 20 generic global players, six to seven are Indian. “Five to six global players also have presence in India, using the country as a hub. We are trying to improve our position particularly with relation to Japan, which is second or third largest pharma market for us. “Our threat from China is fast growing not only in APIs but it is entering into generics.

That is why it is very big challenge you have to be on your toes and government has to be extremely careful.” Realising this challenge, the report said that the India was coming out with policy of forming clusters with common infrastructure and enabling environment to lower the cost of production. Meanwhile, a data by PwC had indicated that Nigeria and other African countries would be the emerging market for pharmaceutical products due to critically low levels of human resources and weak health infrastructure. It forecast that Nigeria would import some pharmaceuticals worth $660million in 2016, $720 million in 2017 and $789million in 2018. Also, a study by a research firm, Business Monitor International (BMI) has revealed in the first quarter of 2016 that low government’s health spending would dampen pharmaceutical products import growth for 2016. “Medical device exports are very low and fell sharply in 2013 and 2014. For Q116, Nigeria scores 26.0 out of 100 in Pharmaceutical Risk/Reward Index (RRI), the report noted.

BUSINESS | Movers, Shakers and Appointments

MONDAY, august 29, 2016 NEW TELEGRAPH

AfDB appoints Nigerian as secretary-general

frican Development Bank (AfDB) has appointed a Nigerian, Professor Vincent Nmehielle, as the new secretary general of the group. The appointment, which starts from September, 2016, according to a statement made available to New Telegraph, will position Nmehielle, who is also a South African national, in the senior management team of the bank. He holds bachelor of law degree from the Rivers State University of Science and Technology and later master of law in international law from the University of Notre Dame Law School in the United States and a doctorate of juridical

science in international law from George Washington University in the United States. He is an advisory board member with the African Law Institute, Ottawa in Canada and has also served as chair of the board, Human Rights Institute of South Africa. According to the statement, Nmehielle has over 26 years experience in corporate legal practice, university lecturing and scholarship in international law and international civil service with a focus on international rule of law, policy, justice, governance and development in Africa. Also, he served as the head of the University of Witwatersrand programme on law,

justice and development in Africa advertisement Nmehielle said: “I am excited to join the dynamic senior leadership team being put together at the AFDB to help accelerate the transformation of the African continent.” The President of the AfDB, Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, said: “I am delighted to welcome Vincent Nmehielle to the AFDB Group. “The bank will greatly benefit from Vincent’s extensive experience in International Law, corporate governance, ability to manage highly diverse stakeholders and strengthen institutional governance to drive accountability and results.”

FBN Holdings names CFO for First Bank

he Board of First Bank of Nigeria Limited has approved the appointment of Mr. Patrick Iyamabo as the Chief Financial Officer (CFO) subject to the approval of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN). A statement from the lender explained that Iyamabo would be assuming the CFO role, which was hitherto held by Dr. Kazeem Adeduntan, before his appointment as the managing director of the bank. He has over 20 years’ experience spanning various industries both within and outside the country, the statement said. Also, Iyamabo has functional exposures covering areas such as audit, strategic management, mergers and acquisition and finance. Prior to his appointment, Iyamabo served as the CFO for the First city Monument bank (FCMB) Group with oversight responsibility for accounting & finance, capital and liquidity management, mergers & acquisition,

portfolio management and investor relations. He also led the restructuring and merger of FinBank Plc into FCMB in 2012.

Iyamao

Nmehielle

Firm gets new sales manager

nesfly Africa Limited has appointed David Afugani, as a sales manager The company, which is a total insecticides solution company and also manufacturers of Inesfly Insecticide paints, said this in a statement made available to New Telegraph. The firm said it believes the appointment of the experienced Afugani would boost sales as well widen its scope of business. He has managed the re-structuring of Rlg Ghana from local business into an international brand with the setting up of operations in Nigeria, The Gambia, Kenya, Senegal and Uganda before his latest appointment. The company said that Afugani’s appointment was to help translate the business objectives into commercial strategy and lead key innovative projects to domi-

Champion Breweries announces new MD

Oseni

hampion Breweries Plc. has appointed Mr. Patrick Anyibuofu Ejidoh as the new managing director. Ejido, according to the statement made available to New Telegraph,

took over from Mr. Sharm Ganesh Kulkarni. He holds a Master of Business Administration (MBA) and was the public affairs manager (East) of Nigeria Breweries Plc before this ap-

pointment. Ejiro joined Nigerian Breweries Plc in 1987 as a senior sales representative and has served in various management capacities within the sales and Corporate Affairs Departments. Until his new appointment, he had served in the company as the field sales manager, Lagos; district sales manager, Warri, area sales manager, East; regional accounts manager, Lagos; regional accounts manager, Kaduna; sales training and operations manager headquarter and regional business manager, North. He was also public affairs manager, South and public affairs manager, East. Ejidoh said that he would prioritise the issues of safety and welfare always in the operation of the company to ensure that the staff performs optimally. The company’s Board of Directors chairman, Dr. Elijah Akpan, who unveiled the appointment of Ejidoh, following the ratification of his appoint by the Board of Directors, thanked the outgone Managing Director, Mr. Kulkarni, for his immense contributions to the company.

nate and expand aggressively in the next few years. The company specialises in Public Health, Hospitality and Agriculture products. Afugani joins Inesfly Africa from Labara Ghana where he was Head of Commercial. He has also held senior management roles with Blue-Chip multinationals companies including Kickstart International, Rlg Group, Airtel Ghana, GGBL and BAT Ghana. Commenting on the appointment, the Chief Executive Officer of Inesfly Africa, Mr Michael Sjodin, expressed his joy for having Afugani on board and was very optimistic that this appointment will help drive the business to the next level. Afugani according to the statement, holds a bachelor of management studies degree from the University of Cape Coast, a postgraduate diploma from the University of Leicester and currently pursuing an Master of Business Administration (MBA) at the Global Business School, Oxford.

Afugani

BUSINESS |Stock Watch

MONDAY, august 29, 2016 NEW TELEGRAPH

PZ Cussons: Inflation, forex choke earnings The manufacturing industry has continued to struggle with operational and environmental challenges, which have slashed the earnings of PZ Cussons Nigeria Plc. CHRIS UGWU reports

hile Nigeria’s infrastructure deficit, particularly electricity supply and bad road networks, continue to hurt manufacturers, at times forcing some of them to fold up, the prevailing macro-economic indicators also point to a sector, which is headed for collapse if adequate measures are not taken to arrest the situation. This is because the cumulative effect of the scarcity of forex, fallin oil prices, security challenges in Northern part of the country with the attendance consequences of loss of lives and properties, the resurgence of restiveness in the Niger Delta and the continued depletion of foreign reserves have continued to pose serious threats to businesses and social activities in the country. Apart from rising cost of raw materials, driven by the challenging macro environment, coupled with fiscal and monetary headwinds, which have resulted in marked reduction in domestic output, some manufacturers, especially multinational consumer goods firms who have taken up foreign currency liabilities are also groaning under the pressure of the increased cost of the dollar. Market analysts believe the lingering weak inflow of U.S Dollars into the economy and the consequent CBN forex rationing measures, suggests that there appears no near term respite to the forex induced pressure. Given headwinds such as weak demand on the back of a squeeze on household wallets, most consumer goods companies in Nigerian have continued to find it difficult to weather the storm. One of the companies adversely affected is PZ Cussons Nigeria Plc, which have seen continuous decline in profits. The company began the year in an unimpressive note attributed to weak consumer demands, stiffer competition and lack of accessibility to key markets in the Northern part of the country coupled with increased financing cost, which have resulted in slow growth of many fast moving consumer goods companies. Market sentiments for the shares of PZ Cussons Nigeria, one of the Nigeria’s leading personal and household companies listed on the floor of the Nigeria Stock Exchange (NSE) has also dwindled relatively due to challenging environment, just like other quoted firms in Nigeria facing depression in share prices. The share price, which closed

at N26.20 per share in September 2015, has recorded a dip in growth. At the close of business last Friday, the company’s share price stood at N18.20, a decline of N8.00 or 30.53 per cent year-to-date. Financials The company began the financial year in the red, as the Q1 2016 (ended August 2015) numbers released showed 37.32 per cent decline in profit before tax, from N872.291 million the previous year to N546.792 million during the period under review. Profit after tax was N427.851 million during the first quarter as against N641.698 million posted a year earlier, representing a drop of 33.33 per cent. The company’s revenue also fell by 0.44 per cent to N14.953 billion as against N15.049 billion reported the previous year. The trend of decline in profit continued during the second quarter, as PZ Cussons posted a 46 per cent decline in profit after tax for the second quarter 2016 ended November 2015. In a filing with the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE), the unaudited consolidated statement of profit or loss and other comprehensive income for the period ended showed profit after tax of N779.452 million as against N1.441 billion recorded in 2014. This depicts a drop of 45.92 per cent. Profit before tax equally was down by 40.64 per cent from N1.941 billion posted the previous year in contrast to N1.152 billion recorded during the period under review. The company’s revenue declined by 3.29 per cent to N30.619 billion as against N31.659 billion in 2015. PZ Cussons posted a 40.89 per cent decline in profit after tax for the third quarter 2016 ended February 27 2016. The profit after tax stood at N1.647 billion as against N2.787 billion recorded in 2014, indicating for a drop of 40.89 per cent. Profit before tax equally was down by 46.39 per cent from N3.991 billion posted the previous year in contrast to N2.139 billion recorded during the period under review. PZ Cussons ended the financial year also with a decline in bottom line, as it posted a 53.4 per cent drop in profit after tax for the full year ended May 2016. The unaudited consolidated statement of profit or loss and other comprehensive income for the period ended showed profit after tax of N2.129 billion as against N4.570 billion recorded in 2015, accounting for a drop of 53.4 per cent. Profit before tax equally was down by 51.1 per cent from N6.651 billion posted the previous year in contrast to N3.249 billion recorded during the period under review. The company’s revenue was down by 4.9 per cent to N69.527 billion as against N73.126 billion in 2015. Profit deflators PZ Cussons Group UK, the parent company of PZ Cussons Nigeria in a trading update it issued, which covered the period 27 January 2016 to 13 April 2016, said, “Increasingly difficult trading conditions in Africa, particularly in its main market Nigeria, wherein a

risk free rate to 15.2 per cent (from 12 per cent),” analysts noted.

Jamodu

PZ Cussons Nigeria Plc 2015

The persistent pressure on consumer’s disposable income remains a major challenge

September 30

N26.20

October 31

N24.00

November 30

N25.46

December 31

N25.70

January 2016

N21.00

February 29

N21.00

March 31

N22.71

April 30

N21.36

May 31

N21.66

June 30

N23.00

July 31

N18.60

August 29

N18.20

lack of availability of the U.S Dollar at the official exchange rate is resulting in the majority of purchases passing through (the parallel market, according to management of PZ Nigeria) at a premium of 50-70 per cent”. The Group stated that though the resultant cost impact is being managed through changes to relative pricing, the persistent pressure on consumer’s disposable income remains a major challenge. Analysts at Cordros Capital, while assessing the result, said that PZ’s 2016FY revenue was below their forecast by two per cent, while PAT (-24 per cent) came in much lower. “Compared to 2015FY, revenue and PAT both declined by 5 per cent and 53 per cent respectively. Weak revenue (on account of low sales volume) and lower margins (driven by forex-induced cost inflation) primarily accounted for the poor performance. The fourth quarter, rounded up a very challenging year for PZ — the most difficult the company had experienced in recent trading history, as acknowledged by management. “Going forward from 2017FY, our earnings forecasts changed slightly from the last update, meanwhile TP has been revised lower to N10.57 (from N11.02) to account for the surge in

Future outlook The Chairman of the company, Chief Kola Jamodu, speaking at the 2015 Annual General Meeting (AGM), said the events and developments post-election period have strengthened the company’s confidence and increased its level of optimism. He said: “We are geared towards meeting our stakeholders’ expectations by deploying the right strategic and tactical plans to deliver a strong performance in the coming years. “The optimisation of our supply chain processes will continue leading to improvement in operational efficiencies. We will also continue to invest in core brands and growth categories through our planned extension into new routes to market, ensuring a minimisation of our cost base. “Additionally, as we are part of a global business, we are adapting our management structure to reflect a consumer-led organisation. “The impact of this is that brands, which have a global presence will be managed centrally, thus reducing the cost of implementing consumer relevant product innovations and offerings, and a similar approach will be adopted for regional brands. “The supply chain is being integrated into a single structure across the globe and the sales function will align across defined route to market strategies with consistent ways of working. Although we are ‘centralising’, local insights will have a significant bearing on the New Product Developments (NPDs) to ensure that our consumer needs in local markets are the driving force of our investments.” However according to Cordros Research report, the outlook for 2017FY remains largely challenging, given that a host of the pressures the company faced in 2016 remain unresolved. The research firm said: “While we expect a slight recovery in top line following price increase by management at the beginning of the 2017 fiscal year, we are concerned about volume performance given the less defensive nature of PZ’s product portfolio, especially the discretionary durable electrical goods, which constitute 34 per cent of sales revenue. PZ’s management has adjusted relative pricing from the beginning of the 2017FY following the forexinduced cost inflation experienced in 2016FY (Q4 especially where gross margin fell to historical low 22 per cent). While the move is expected to positively impact margins in the immediate, concern is that the company’s significant dollar requirement renders margins vulnerable to cost pressures amid the continued depreciation of the NGN value post the liberalisation of the forex market. Conclusion Though high cost of operations have adversely affected the real sector, it is important for the company to continue to manage its cost base tightly to deliver moderate operating margins for growth and profitability.

MONDAY, august 29, 2016 NEW TELEGRAPH

BUSINESS | Capital Market

The Nigerian Stock Market Exchange as at August 22, 2016

30 CAPITALISATION Insurance companies should hold sufficient capital to cover risks and liabilities when they arise

MONDAY, august 29, 2016 NEW TELEGRAPH

Insurance

NAICOM tasks stakeholders on ethics, professionalism

he National Insurance Commission (NAICOM) has again tasked insurance industry operators to conduct their businesses within the ambit of the guidelines made available by law. Commissioner for Insurance, Mohammed Kari gave this advice during a public forum in Lagos. He pointed out that the reputation of an organisation was its greatest asset and must be protected at all costs. Kari averred that any organisation that does not respect the ethics of its business was prone to ridicule and would have limited integrity in the eyes of its customers. He said: “As leaders and followers, we must always bear this in mind. It goes without saying that NAICOM expects high standard of professionalism and ethical behavior in the insurance industry so as to gain and maintain the confidence of all stakeholders. “Having been exempted and directed by my leader to make other remarks, it is expedient for me to use this occasion to provide some clarifications on issues that have been discussed, repeated and clarified at quieter fora. I hope the questions would

L-R: Relationship Officer, North East, Sterling Bank Plc, Michael Nwachukwu; Branch Manager, Sterling Bank Plc Jos, Augustine Okwuagwu; Plateau State Commissioner for Agriculture, Lynda Shekinah Barau and Business Executive, Commercial, North East Region, Sterling Bank Plc, Abbas Yerima, at the tree planting exercise sponsored by the bank, in Jos, Plateau State, at the weekend.

now be rested finally on these matters. “We are not unmindful of certain challenges the industry is exposed to on daily basis, but we trust that with the current drive and the collaborative approach between the Regulator and the Regulated, these challenges can be overcome to the benefit of the consumer in particular and the Nigeria economy in

NIA moves to promote insurance education

he Chairman, Nigerian Insurers’ Association (NIA), Mr. Eddie Efekoha, has proposed the establishment of an Educational Endowment Fund aimed at promoting insurance education in the country. Efekoha, who was formally decorated a fortnight ago as the 22nd chairman of the association, said the proposal would be presented to the Governing Council early during his tenure. “This is in line with our commitment to promote insurance education in Nigeria by encouraging research and hard work in our tertiary institutions of learning. “I want to restate that the NIA has and will continue to remain true to its legacy as an institution that exists to champion the cause of the insurance industry and the policyholders. We will ensure that the founders’ sense of purpose will be upheld by us at all times by joining hands with other stakeholders to build an insurance industry that is consumer-centric,” he said. The chairman had earlier advised underwriters to brace the challenges in the economy by responding to the changing dynamics. He said: “Premium income is declining whilst claims cost and

operational expenses are on the rise, thus margins are shrinking. The performance of most insurance stocks on the Nigerian Stock Exchange have been so flat that financial analysts have stopped including most insurance companies in their forecasts. “The times we are in demand internal cohesion and collaborative action. It therefore behoves on all of us as industry players to respond quickly to the changing dynamics of the market space so that we can remain relevant and betroth a worthy legacy to the future generation of insurers. “It is in the light of these developments in our local market that I have decided to commit the period of my chairmanship to address four critical areas in line with the theme of my administration, which is “Sustainable Market Development through Stakeholder Engagement.” He pledged the need to enter into constructive engagement with relevant stakeholders as this would include the need to share knowledge with judicial officers, magistrates and judges on the workings of insurance business and to fully equip them to respond adequately to the rising cases of fraudulent claims in the market, among other adjudication issues.

general.” Speaking on the proposed rates for Third Party motor insurance, Kari revealed that the commission had reviewed the submission of joint Committee of Nigerian Council of Registered Insurance Brokers (NCRIB) and Nigerian Insurers’ Association (NIA) in respect of the rates and had recently communicated its observations

to NIA and awaiting their response to enable further consideration. He also recalled the Ministers of Finance’s position on the need to recapitalise the industry, saying there was nothing to panic about, as it is the expectation of any business to have adequate capital to meet its liabilities. Kari noted: “We have quiet a number of companies that

have either eroded capital base or have mismatched their assets/liabilities cover, mostly arising from wrong investment decisions. “Our concern is for insurance companies to hold sufficient capital to cover their risk and liabilities when they arise at all times. This is very crucial in turbulent times like the ones we are currently going through.”

Africa Re deplores low insurance penetration •To launch awareness campaign

iffed by the low penetration in Nigeria’s insurance sector, the management of Africa’s biggest reinsurance company, Africa Re, has finalised arrangement to launch a massive public awareness campaign to reverse the situation. Speaking in Lagos yesterday, the Deputy Managing Director/Chief Operating Officer of the firm, Mr. Ken Aghoghovbia, decried the revelation by the Nigerian Insurers Association (NIA) that only 4.3 million vehicles in the country had genuine motor insurance out of about 12 million vehicles on the roads. He said the situation was partly responsible for the number of fights between drivers in the events of vehicle accidents “All these could have been avoided if the individuals were aware of the benefits of insurance. The extremely low insurance penetration rate of 0.3 per cent is not healthy for the growth of the Nigerian economy,” he noted. Aghoghovbia pointed out that the corporation continued to renew its commitment to foster the development of the insurance and reinsurance industry in Africa through one of its corporate social responsibility

initiatives, The Insurance Awareness Campaign. According to him, the campaign aims at developing an integrated behavioural change to enhance the effort made by the National Insurance Commission (NAICOM) and the Nigerian Insurers Association (NIA) to bridge the knowledge, experience and perception gaps in the Nigerian insurance market. The campaign is set to correct the negative and prevalent perceptions plaguing the industry, drive penetration and density as well as grow insurance culture across the country, and enlighten the public on credible insurance partners on how to get and enjoy the benefits of insurance in Nigeria. “Africa Re has decided to invest in creating awareness insurance because we realise that there is a dearth of knowledge among the general populace. This is in spite of the fact that as a reinsurance company, we only deal with insurers/reinsurers and not with the individual beneficiaries of insurance policies. “Our ultimate aim is to deepen the knowledge about insurance and the advantages therein,” he added.

BUSINESS | Insurance

MONDAY, august 29, 2016 NEW TELEGRAPH

‘CPS is potential tool for development’ OBSTACLES Acceptability, transition, harnessing the informal sector and the economy are some of the challenges to be dealt with

Sunday Ojeme

ontributory Pension Scheme (CPS) is a tool for potential development, Managing Director/ Chief Executive Officer, IEI Anchor Pensions Managers Limited, Mr Glory Etaduovia, has said. He said the government, being a partner in progress, was aware of the role the industry would play in cause of developing the economy. In a statement, he stressed that the scheme was cautiously positioning for collaborative activities, as there is a serious gap in infrastructure that affects other growths and developments. Etaduovia said: “Contributory

pension activities are relatively new. It presents its own challenges. But the collaborative style of the industry makes responses better put together. It is getting stronger and stronger. “It is going to be a critical tool for development shortly. It is positioning. The government is aware of this and seeing it as a partner in progress. It is thus cautiously positioning for collaborative activities. There is a serious gap in infrastructure. This affects other growths and developments. On the immediate challenges confronting the sector, the managing director identified acceptability, transition, harnessing the informal sector and the economy as those to be dealt with. He said that some persons of the old scheme were yet to come to terms with the contributory scheme. “Such stand in the way of implementation. Another thing is transition challenges for states

because of the old scheme and backlogs. In other instances it is the bureaucracy of domesticating the Pension Reform Act in the states. “The poor business environment is also affecting private sector adoption and implementation. Some who do not remit the staff deductions nor theirs as well. This is immoral and they risk penalty from the regulatory body,” he added. He, however, said that all of these challenges and others were constantly being reviewed by the industry as the director general of National Pension Commission (PenCom) and her team were keeping close eyes on details, as the industry matures. Speaking on his one-year sojourn in IEI Anchor, he revealed the he met a company with larger potential than was being utilised, a team willing to work but needed someone to grow their confidence and courageously take on the market.

He noted: “We are adding true meaning to good service culture. Remember I came from insurance. It is slightly a tougher terrain there because the products are largely perceived as abstract. Pension is a near certain market. Each new person you signed on is a long term contract of about 35 years relationship, if not a lifetime. “I saw this as a great impetus, unlike the annual renewals of insurance. Every year was a rat race. I thus infused this confidence in them. The spirit and vision has been reinvigorated. We are agog with our new song and rhythm. The human factor was the most critical factor I needed to get it right. So, I worked on gaining their trust and confidence. Jointly we looked at a new vision after x-raying where we stood.” He said although competing with bigger Pension Fund Administrators (PFAs) was no child’s play, it has, however, led

to deeper soul searching. “One thing stands out; the customer remains the ultimate and determinant of direction. Our size makes us nimble and smartly responsive. This is one advantage we wield. Everyone gets deserved attention. This we pursue to achieve through training and retraining of staff. An informed and engaged staff is a real asset. “We have good presence in many states. The market presently has two major strata – private and public sectors. The public sector includes the states and federal. Not many states have latched on to the Contributory Pension Scheme though. We are also positioning in areas with strong potential. Our RSA client size is over 90,000 contributors. “Our asset under management is about N55 billion and our growth pace is faster now, as we gain more ground,” he added.

PFAs move ahead insurers in pension benefit mgt

ife insurance operators have continued to trail behind Pension Fund Administrators (PFAs) in retirement benefits business, as retirees under Programmed Withdrawal (PW) stood at 132,405 and annuity 29,620 as at the end of March 2016. The National Pension Commission (PenCom), in a statement, said the total of retirees on PW increased from 126,775 in the fourth quarter, 2015 to 132,405 in the first quarter 2016, adding that the 5630 increase represented 4.44 per cent from the figure recorded in the previous quarter. It noted that a sectoral breakdown of those retired under the PW showed that the public sector accounted for 71.74 per cent (4,039) of the total retirees on PW during the quarter, while the private sector recorded 28.28 per cent totaling 1,591 retirees. PenCom noted that the lump sum withdrawals within the quarter stood at N12.63 billion, which cumulatively amounted to N329.38 billion from inception. It said an average of N4.36 billion was paid monthly to the retirees of the scheme as monthly PW as at the end of the reporting period. The commission said it approved a total of 3,288 applications for annuity retirement plan during the quarter, bringing the total number of retirees receiving their retirement benefits through annuity plan to 29,620. PenCom maintained that the 3,288 retirees received N3.96 billion as lump sum payment and paid annuity premium of N15.44 billion, indicating to a total of N41.85 billion and N145.05 billion as lump sum payment and annuity premium respectively.

L-R: Managing Director, IEI-Anchor Pension Managers Limited, Glory Etaduovie; Head, Business Development and Strategy, Jolaade Oduntan and Zonal Manager, Lagos, Cyril Ojo, at an event in Lagos

Expert tackles FG on execution of PRA 2014

former board member, National Pension Commission (PenCom), Ivor Takor, has charged the Federal Government to show moral and political will towards the implementation of the Pension Reform Act (PRA) 2014. Takor made this call at the 2015 Nigerian Insurance and Pension Awards organised by Inspenonline in Lagos. He said that government’s inability to fund pension accrued rights was seriously affecting the payment of pensions as at when due. He said: “FG should show moral and political will in complying with the provisions of the Pension Reforms Act 2014.They should also commence the implementation of the increase in pension contribution from 15 per cent to 18 per cent.”

He expressed misgivings over some states’ failure to embrace the Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS), stressing that presently it was only Lagos State that is faithfully remitting employees’ contributions as stipulated by law. “The greatest problem lies with the state. PenCom said only 10 states have keyed into the CPS, but if you look critically, it is only Lagos that is somehow implementing the new pension scheme. Yes, the states have commissions, bureaus and laws, but are they contributing as and when due? “That is the situation. Then majority of the states don’t have laws. This means the workers have no form of pensions. If they can’t set out fund, they can’t pay salaries, how will they pay pensioners? That is the situation that needs to be addressed holistically.

PFAs UNIT RATE FOR RSA FUND AS AT 19th August, 2016 S/No PFA

Unit Value

DATE

Premium Pension

3.0616

19-Aug-16

Crusader Sterling

3.0212

19-Aug-16

ARM Pension

2.9925

18-Aug-16

Stanbic IBTC

2.9119

19-Aug-16

Legacy Pension

2.8525

19-Aug-16

NLPC Pension

2.6986

19-Aug-16

Pension Alliance

2.6373

19-Aug-16

Trust Fund Pensions

2.6031

19-Aug-16

First Guarantee Pension

2.5274

19-Aug-16

Sigma Pension

2.5140

19-Aug-16

Leadway Pensure

2.4420

19-Aug-16

AIICO pension

2.3440

19-Aug-16

Fidelity Pension

2.1511

19-Aug-16

FUG Pension

2.1212

19-Aug-16

Apt Pension Managers Limited

2.0737

16-Aug-16

AXA Mansard

2.0586

19-Aug-16

OAK Pension

2.0528

19-Aug-16

Investment One Pension Managers Limited

1.8821

19-Aug-16

IEI Anchor Pension Managers Limited

1.8711

19-Aug-16

IGI Pension Fund Managers Limited

1.5219

8-Mar-16

NPF Pensions Limited

1.1693

18-Aug-16

BUSINESS | Financial Market News

MONDAY, august 29, 2016 NEW TELEGRAPH

BUSINESS | Financial Market News

MONDAY, august 29, 2016 NEW TELEGRAPH

Weak naira: ‘NSE may witness foreign portfolio inflows’ OUTLOOK Investors are expected to move to safer assets classes with guaranteed returns Stories by Chris Ugwu

s stocks are re-priced lower and naira continues to weaken, the Chief Executive Officer, Financial Derivatives Companies (FDC) Limited, Mr. Bismark Rewane, has said that the stock market might witness an uptick in foreign portfolio inflows, which could offer some support for the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE)

in coming weeks, the expert stated in a FDC’s Bi-monthly Economic & Business Update. He noted that the depreciation of the naira in the foreign exchange market offers attractive valuations for foreign investors who have however, remained indifferent, citing uncertainties surrounding Nigeria’s foreign revenue and the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN)’s continued intervention in the foreign exchange primary market as reasons for lethargy. He said: “As equity risk premium rises and dividend yield falls, we expect investors to move to safer assets classes with guaranteed returns”. Rewane, while assessing the state of the market, ex-

plained that half-year results of listed companies were lackluster across board with just a few firms posting impressive reports and outperforming analysts’ expectations. “Trends are beginning to form across sectors as the effect of disruptions in the production of crude oil weighs down the oil and gas sector. This is in spite of the partial recovery of crude oil prices in the international market. “Whilst the agricultural sector is beginning to witness recovery as the ban in the importation of crude palm oil creates an opportunity for sustainable growth and increase in market share for the listed companies in the sector, the NSE ASI closed at

IOSCO unveils report on good practice for CIS

he Board of the International Organisation of Securities Commission (IOSCO) has published final report on good practice for fees and expenses of Collective Investment Schemes (CIS), which aims to identify common international examples of good practice that could be applied to CIS fees and expenses. IOSCO said in a report obtained by New Telegraph that regulators had long been concerned about the impact of CIS fees and expenses on the investment decisions taken by investors. The international regulator, which Nigeria is a member, added that fee arrangements, even when fully disclosed, could give rise to conflicts of interest that are best addressed by rules of conduct. “High standards of transparency and conduct in this area should help encourage competition among CIS operators and lead to a more efficient market, thereby eventually benefitting investors,” it noted. In 2004, IOSCO reviewed existing practices with respect to CIS fees and expenses and published a set of standards to be regarded as good or best practice. It was envisaged that these practices would evolve over time, as the natural evolution of the industry resulted in new product structures, investment strategies and distribution models, leading

regulators to adapt their approach. IOSCO, therefore, carried out a second review in 2015, which reflected a wider range of regulatory approaches towards markets at differing stages of maturity, and took into account recent developments in its member jurisdictions. According to IOSCO, the examples of good practice set out in the report, which reflect approaches to issues identified by regulators in some key areas, include permitted or prohibited costs for a CIS; disclosure of fees and expenses to the investor, including use of electronic media; remuneration of the CIS operator; performance-related fees; and transaction costs. Others include hard and soft commissions on transactions; fees associated with CIS that invest in other funds; fee differentiation in multi-class CIS; and changes to the fees and expenses of a CIS. “These are, however, not intended to serve as comprehensive requirements for the regulation of fees and expenses. Markets will continue to evolve and change, raising the possibility of the need for further revisions or enhancements to these examples of good practice. IOSCO hopes these examples will promote greater fairness and transparency in an industry that helps manage the long-term savings of millions of people around the world,” the regulator noted.

27,420.99 at the close of trading, shedding 2.10 per cent in the first three weeks of August. “Market capitalisation also reduced from N9.62 trillion to N9.42 trillion, shedding over N200 billion in the period review. Consequently, the year-to-date (YTD) return on the market was -4.26 per cent even as the Central Bank adopted several measures to woo foreign portfolio investors. “All sectors recorded negative performance in the first half of the month. Oil and Gas sector led the losers chart shedding 6.43 per cent, as the share price of Seplat fell by over 19 per cent due to the suspension of oil exports from the Forcados terminal.

Consumer goods sector didn’t fare any better, as it lost 3.26 per cent during the period under review. Dangote Flour (-9.68 per cent), Guinness (-4.77 per cent), Nestle (-2.94 per cent) and Champion Breweries (-22.13 per cent) were also sold off by portfolio investors concerned over weakening market fundamentals,” he said. He noted that during the period, financial services sector dominated activities on the Exchange, accounting for 69.09 per cent of total value traded, while consumer goods sector accounted for 13.99 per cent and industrial goods, oil and gas and conglomerates accounted for: 8.65 per cent, 6.50 per cent and 0.93 per cent respectively.

Cutix reports 28% growth in FY net earnings

utix Plc has posted 27.71 per cent growth in net earnings for the full year ended April 30, 2016. According the company’s filing with the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE), its full year profit after tax increased from N149.209 million in 2015 to N190.551 million, indicating for a growth of 27.71 per cent. The company’s profit before tax equally grew by 37.61 per cent to N278.114 million in 2016 as against N202.107 million in 2015, while revenue also increased by 20.24 per cent to N2.835 billion during the financial year ended April 2016, from N2.358 billion recorded during the comparable period of 2015. Cutix posted 69.66 per cent growth in net earnings for the third quarter ended January 31, 2016. Its Q3 profit after tax increased from N79.098 million in 2015 to N134.198 million, depicting for a growth of 69.66 per cent. The company’s profit before tax equally grew by 69.66 per cent to N206.459 million in 2016 as against N121.689 million in 2015, while revenue also increased by 21.96 per cent to N2.099 billion during the nine months ended January 2016 from N1.721 billion recorded during the comparable period of 2015.

The Chairman of Cutix Plc, David Ifezulike, had called on the National Assembly to review the local content Act to cover other segments such as power, building, construction and automobiles for better result. Ifezulike who made this call in a an interview in Lagos, enjoined the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) and the Cable Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (CAMAN) to work as a team to ensure that the cable manufacturing companies benefit from the local content Act in the oil and gas sector as intended. The chairman noted that despite the political and economic activities in the country in 2015, which impacted negatively on cable manufacturing sector, the company recorded a five per cent growth in revenue. He appealed to the officials’ of Standard Organisation of Nigeria (SON) to ensure effective control of the influx of substandard products and cables in particular into the country. Show original message He said that product counterfeiting was the company’s major setback, urging the SON to increase her surveillance to curtail counterfeiters and also reduce the influx of substandard cables into the country.

BUSINESS | Interview

MONDAY, august 29, 2016 NEW TELEGRAPH

‘Govt needs agents to sanitise Nigeria Customs Service’

National President, Association of Nigeria Licensed Customs Agents, Prince Olayiwola Shittu, has stressed the need to put agricultural machinery on zero duty in order to boost food production and exports. In this interview with BAYO AKOMOLAFE, he narrates the harrowing experiences Customs’ brokers have been passing through at the ports How can agriculture boost exports in the country? The job of the Customs Service is not only revenue generation, prevention of illegality in imports or anti-smuggling alone. Also, it is not restricted to only trade facilitation but must be equally an agency of government that contributes to the good planning of the nation. This is why the comptroller general is a member of the economic council and also a member of the Security Council. Consequently, I should be expecting the comptroller general to tell government that machineries are on zero duty, but by the time you pay your Value Added Tax (VAT) of five per cent, Comprehensive Import Supervision Scheme (CISS) of 1per cent, this means it is no longer on zero per cent. Why don’t we have zero duty and taxes for machineries for our agricultural products to enable people process agricultural products, especially, where cashew nut rots away. All we need to do is to process the cashew nuts halfway and preserve them because we do not have the capacity of building juice-making factories in the country. Then, we can now take the product to those who need it and there will be less wastage. The same thing can be done for orange and banana. That’s why you see the South Americans live on their agriculture. The fresh banana you see in London streets are flown in everyday from Peru to Ricoh fresh. Why can’t we do it here? Even the planting of flowers is a revenue generator. So, why should we import tooth pick when we have abundant trees? We are cutting our trees for Chinese people to take and make chairs and table for us to import. As for deforestation, we are going to suffer it one day. There is consistency in illegal movement of wood. Go to Sagamu area by the Expressway, you’ll see containers and trailers busy, moving out woods that the government is not making

Shittu

different names, so that if one group talks like this, the other group can thereafter talk the other way. At the WCO in China, we were told that Nigeria has become the Regional Head of Customs brokers in West Africa and this is not unconnected with our modest contributions to the cause of Customs growth and recognition. But here at home, we may not be genuinely recognised, let alone appreciated. Some people even see us as mere freight forwarders.

any revenue from. What are the challenges your Customs brokers face at the ports? People are crying that their goods are disappearing from the ports. Some people have ran away with importers’ money. How do we track them? We have the list of all the operational licenses of Customs brokers with us. We realised that those who have been defrauded have gone to wrong persons or loafers who are not registered Customs brokers. We also help them to check among the Customs list and if they are not there, we advice them go to the police and explain how they know the man. That is what Customs cannot appreciate. I know one day, somebody who would appreciate it will come. So, why are Customs brokers in other countries doing better than their Nigerian counterparts? It is only in Nigeria that the Customs doesn’t not have any regard for brokers. When we went to China, Customs showed the great regard they have for the Customs brokers. All the African Customs brokers’ representatives at the World Customs Organisation (WCO) were all sponsored by the Customs of their countries, except Nigeria. We went with our money. Angola, Liberia, Mozambique and Jamaica were all sponsored by their Customs services because they appreciated them as revenue generators. Customs officers engineered the proliferation of associations you see in Nigerian today because they don’t want a united, strong and single-soul Customs agents body and that’s why we have come with

There is consistency in illegal movement of wood.

What is your opinion on assets declaration by Customs officials? If you are asking Customs officers to come and declare assets, why will an officer report a fellow officer’s assets? It is the agents who can tell you the owner of this hotel or that property built by Customs officials. How do police crack cases? They go to the underworld, that’s how they crack cases. So, if you want to sanitise the Customs, you need the Customs agents. What is the relationship between the Customs brokers and the International Federation of Freight Forwarders Association? International Federation of Freight Forwarders Association (FIATA) is the headship of freight forwarders all over the world. It is a member of the Policy and Strategic Group (PSG) of the World Customs Organisation (WCO). This shows the relevance of the Customs brokers. It is a must that Customs agents must receive all circulars from the WCO to the Customs Service But in Nigeria, they hoard it. Our Customs Service officials hide a circular that is supposed to enlighten you and then when your jobs get to them, they will now tell you, we have a circular. They will now search under their tables. Why would you CONTINUED ON PAGE 35

BUSINESS | Interview

MONDAY, august 29, 2016 NEW TELEGRAPH CONTINUED FROM PAGE 34

be a Customs agent and yet you don’t know the benchmark for a vehicle? These are the changes we expect the current Comptroller General to help us address. We strongly believe he can still do it and such a gesture can dramatically uplift the cargo facilitation job in Nigeria. It would end the growing waves of accusations that agents and Customs officers are sharing money. If the importer already knows how much he is supposed to pay; won’t he just pay it, collect his goods and walk away? But why is it that such simple thing cannot be done in Nigeria? Do we need to first report to the WCO through the international federation of customs brokers, that the Nigeria Customs has been creating some man-made challenges for us? Must we first appeal to WCO to help us beg the NCS to assist us do the job better? For us, we feel we should not be exposing our ineptitude; we feel we should not expose ourselves. That is why we seek dialogue. What has been your experience under the new Customs comptroller general? Just a few weeks ago, five containers of wind screen that were to be delivered to Warri from Onne were held by one officer called Jack. Jack is a man we have had problems with because of his high handedness. He has over than 15 years on the same seat in the federal operations, people clamoured for his removal since. So, the next thing was: ‘so, this is the job of the president of ANLCA? Take it to Owerri. So, we went to Owerri. I didn’t call the Customs Area Controller, so that it would not be seen as if I want to seek some undue influence. Those containers were in Owerri for five days. My National Publicity Secretary who had something to do in Owerri went there and saw them, only for those containers to be examined and found out that we had even paid unwarranted Debit note (DN) of N600,000 that was not necessary. But, because somebody was not happy on the level of the compliance of that cargo, he referred it to valuation section. After re-examination, they now discovered that we have even paid N600,000 above what it should be and this is a Letter of Credit (LC) job, where everything was meticulously done. By the time they finally released containers without any infraction, we had lost money, including the trailers that was stuck with the containers.

The greatest means of defrauding a nation is the presidential system of government that does not have room for total accountability

Also, container deposit was stuck and by the time the consignments got to the yard of the owner, he was angry. He said that was the last job we were going to do for him and that we should go and take responsibility for the delay. This is one of our experiences, just because an officer is saying he wants to use his discretion. Jack is just one, out of many officers behaving in this manner.

as demurrage, the officer will pay for it. He also said that if an officer put a document in his drawer on Thursday and travel and an agent has to wait for him till Tuesday when he arrives without allowing his subordinate to do his job, the officer would pay for the demurrage. It was a remarkable innovation and it has changed the attitude to good performance in the command.

Do you think that an officer staying in one command for a long time can induce corruption? There are officers who have been roaming around Lagos areas for the past 20 years. When Col Hameed Ali (rtd) became the comptroller general, he said that no officer would stay in a place for more than three years. But now, we have had of the excuse that they are saying, that if they are going to transfer their officers, it is going to cost some billions of naira for their transfer expenses. So, what do you expect us to do? That’s why I said it is the blame game now. How do you look at that issue of blame? Who is to be blame? What comes first, the egg or the chicken? Who starts the issue of corrupting the other? Is it the agent or the officers? Neither the Customs officer, nor the agent, nor any of the security agencies followed the importer abroad. None of us is part of the documentation. But not all the Customs officers are bad; I will give you an example of Edike, who is now the zonal coordinator and a former controller in Apapa. At the Lagos Port, he introduced something that his colleagues have never been happy with. For instance, he said that if an officer delays or purposefully contributes to an agent suffering any loss of money, such

What is your perception of Nigerian economy in the past and now? I was a young man in the fifties, I was born in 1950 and 10 years after, I was beginning to see how life is, because I was staying with my parents. Though I was in school, I knew what government was then about. I knew the setup of the country while growing up. But I may never understood what informed Nigeria’s jumping away from parliamentary system into presidential system, a presidential system that is not even taken holistically. The greatest means of defrauding a nation is the presidential system of government that does not have room for total accountability. For instance, what is the meaning of security vote for an individual that the constitution says he’s not accountable to anybody? What have you done? You have simply legalised corruption in this regard. Since, we have been hearing about Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC), have you heard about any former governor being asked to come and account for security vote? That is why the former Oyo State Governor, Omololu Olunloyo, said that if you are a governor for three months, you can never be poor in your life! It is because of the security vote.

CV The company: Skelas Group Founded: 1984 Assest: Nil Membership: Customs brokerage and freight forwarding, communications, hotel and tourism and marine transportation CEO: Prince Olayiwola Shittu, Born: Nil Career: Shipping Total pay: Nil Training: Local and international training Education: Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma Work experience: Nigerian Postal Service, Lever Brothers, Nigeria Port Authority in 1973. Membership: President, Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs agents, International Federation of Freight Forwarders Association (FIATA), Board Member of the International Federation of Customs Brokers Associations, a Fellow of the Nigerian Institute of Shipping and the Nigerian Institute of Chattered Management Accountants Shittu

BUSINESS | MONEYLINE

MONDAY, august 29, 2016 NEW TELEGRAPH

Analysts: Data scarcity threatens N500bn social intervention projects Challenge Programme targets 8.5m Nigerians

Tony Chukwunyem

it h pr e s su r e mounting on the Federal Government to address the increasing economic hardship in the country, analysts at FBN Quest have stated that the lack of reliable data in the system could hinder the implementation of the government’s N500 billion social intervention programmes. In a note obtained by New Telegraph, the experts noted that while social intervention programmes could bring relief to society if well implemented, the scarcity of data in Nigeria will pose a major risk to the Federal Government’s social plans. The analysts said: “Social intervention programmes can have a positive impact on society if implemented well, but the availability of reliable data is crucial. The dearth of data in Nigeria could pose a major problem.” The experts pointed out that in this year’s budget,

the Federal Government allocated N500 billion to social intervention projects, adding that government estimates that 8.4 million (five per cent of the country’s population) will benefit from this special intervention vehicle, which is split into five categoriesjob creation, school feeding, conditional cash transfers, an enterprise programme and education grants for science

and technology. Specifically, they stated that the creation of jobs for 500,000 school teachers and 100,000 artisans accounted for 38 per cent of the total cost. They noted that the conditional cash transfer arm of the programme is expected to result in a monthly payment of N5, 000 to one million poor Nigerians for one year; N68.7 billion has been earmarked

CSR: Governors laud Sterling Bank’s initiative on environment

he Executive Governors of Plateau, Bauchi and Gombe states, Simon Lalong, Mohammed Abdullahi Abubakar and Ibrahim Hassan Dankwambo respectively have commended Sterling Bank Plc for its role in checkmating desertification experienced in some Northern parts of the country through its tree planting initiative. Desertification, according to them, has caused a lot of damage to the local economy, as it has made farming impossible in affected areas, leading to high cost of food items and poor standard of living for the people. According to a statement from the lender, the governors

made these remarks during the tree planting exercise organised by the lender in in the three pilot states at the weekend. They said the initiative would sustain the environment and checkmate the rising challenges posed by desertification as well as generate the much needed awareness on desertification at local, national and global levels. The bank, last week, commenced the pilot stage of the tree planting initiative in three states in Northern Nigeria. The initiative, according to the lender became imperative as one of the solutions to cushion the effects of desertification in the country, as Nigeria is faced with rapid desert encroachment af-

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

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

N19,142,526.05m N18,579,219.49m 16.5

Mar, 2015 Mar, 2015 June, 2016

14 10.77 US$48.29 US$25,600,746,725

26/07/2016 Mar 2015 26/8/2016 24/8/2016 Source:CBN

FGN Bonds

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

Offer 199.24

Change (%) 0.57 ▲

NIFEX

Spot($/N)

Bid 199.0000

CBN Clearing Rates of January 7, 2016 Spot($/N)

196.00

for this, adding that the job creation aspect of the project intends to grant soft loans worth N140 bilion in total to about 1.8 million traders and artisans. Furthermore, they pointed out that the Federal Government’s Homegrown School Feeding Pprogramme (HGSFP) would cater to 5.5 million primary school pupils; N93 billion ($286 million) has been allocated for this programme.

197.00

0.00 ↔

Offer 199.1000

Change (%) -1.75 ▼ -2.08 ▼

Change (%) 0.00 ↔

fecting 15 northern states with various degree of impact. The Plateau State governor who was represented by the state’s Commissioner for Agriculture, Mrs. Lynda Shekinah Barau commended the bank for coming up with the initiative, which, according to her, remains the most tested solution to stemming the tide of desertification and is in line with the United Nation’s Sustainable Developmental Goals for environmental preservation. Similarly, Dr. Audu Bogoro, Bauchi State Commissioner for Power, Mines and Environment, who represented the Bauchi State governor at the tree planting exercise, noted that the bank, with the initiative, has raised the bar in Corporate Social Responsibility. He therefore called on other private institutions to support the initiative as desertification impacts negatively on all aspects of human life and the environment including the ecological, health, geo-chemical, hydrological and socioeconomic facets. In Gombe, the Commissioner for Environment, Abubakar Usman who represented the governor commended the bank for coming up with the initiative to support state governments’ effort to fight desertification. He added that the state government would also continue to protect indigenous trees and shrub species considered as other veritable solutions. Earlier, in a statement, Sterling Bank’s Group Head, Strategy and Communications, Mr. Shina Atilola, emphasised the need for the private sector to support the governments at all levels to checkmate the rising challenges posed by desertification in the country. He disclosed that from statistics, a quarter of the earth’s surface was threatened by desertification and out of the 909,890 km2 of the country’s land area, about 580,841 km2 accounting for 63.83per cent of total land was impinged on by desertification. He added that extensive cultivation, deforestation, overgrasing, cultivation of marginal land and bush burning were identified as major causes of desertification.

CBN to sell N213bn in treasury bills

he Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has said it plans to offer N212.85 billion in Treasury bills maturing between 91-days and 1-year on August 31. The apex bank said it will sell N45.85 billion worth of the 91-day bills, N62 billion of the 182-day paper and N105 billion of the 1-year debt. Payment for the purchase will be effected on Thursday, the bank said in a public notice. Nigeria, A frica’s top crude producer, issues treasury bills to raise cash to fund the government budget deficit, help manage banking system liquidity and curb rising inflation.

Skye Bank raises daily card spending limit for travellers

s part of its efforts to enhance travelers’ holiday experience and make financial transactions seamless, Skye Bank Plc., has increased customers’ daily international spend limit from $100 to $300 on MasterCard debit cards and $500 daily and $3,000 monthly for Platinum Master Card debit card users. The upward review of the daily international spend limit on MasterCard is aimed at granting customers spending freedom and more purchasing choices while on holiday abroad. A statement issued by the bank said the positive development would not only provide convenience and comfort to its customers but will also ensure that Skye Bank customers on vacation or on a business trip outside the shores of the country do not easily run into difficulties on account of the limits of their financial transactions. Skye Bank has won numerous awards through its investment in, and deployment of best in class information technology solutions which have delivered more value and satisfaction to their customers. The bank has developed and issued debit and credit cards both for domestic and international use. It has also partnered with international card companies like MasterCard, Visa, amongst others, to make financial transactions convenient for its customers. It would be recalled Skye Bank and Chams Mobile were both recently awarded the ‘Best Mobile money/Card combination in Nigeria’ for their joint development and activation of the Kegow Visa virtual card. The award was presented to the winning organisations at the Kalahari Awards 2016 during the 6th Remittance and Mobile Money Conference, which took place in Lagos

national | news

monday, august 29, 2016 NEW TELEGRAPH

Budget: Reps seek accelerated implementation Philip Nyam Abuja

he House of Representatives has called on the Federal Govern-

ment to accelerate the implementation of the 2016 budget as it plans to forward the 2017-2019 Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) to the parliament. Chairman of the

Dokpesi: PDP national chairmanship not zoned to South-West ational chairmanship general elections, so was N aspirant of the Peoples the national chairmanship Democratic Party (PDP), zoned to the three geo-poChief Raymond Dokpesi, yesterday said the party did not zone the position to the South-West part of the country, but to the South. Similarly, he said the presidency slot of the party had been zoned to the North. Dokpesi stated this yesterday while speaking with newsmen in Nasarawa, Nasarawa State. “I think the media are helping in confusing the matter regarding the national chairmanship position of our party, the PDP, as there was no time that the leadership of the party at the national level zoned the chairmanship position to anybody. “The chairman of the caretaker committee made it clear that as the presidency was zoned to the three geo-political zones in the North for the 2019

litical zones in the South. “That is the position that will be sustained and maintained up till the convention in Port Harcourt. “I am contesting for this chairmanship position so as to unite all members of the party, so that the party can come out stronger and victorious in 2019,” he said. Dokpesi said PDP was the only party that would provide support as well as make Nigeria’s economy stable and great. He urged Nigerians to support the party for the overall development of the country. “I believe the PDP is the only party that can provide support, really deal with the challenges of unity and stability of the country as the past PDP successive government kept the country together."

House Committee on Legislative Budget and Research, Hon. Timothy Golu, who gave the advice in Abuja, said if this was not done, there may be chaos. He said: "Let's know where revenue challenges are making implementation unlikely. Now, the 2017 MTEF is about to be, there will be chaos, and it seems we are having the same overly optimistic revenue projections for

295.1m

The estimated total population of Eastern Europe in 1980. Source: Un.org

2017." He said the Fiscal Responsibility Act compels the executive arm of government to report on the implementation of the budget, both revenue and expenditure, to the National Assembly and Nigerians generally. "The executive must understand that the entire budget process is equally important. Not just to present the MTEF and the budget and then forget about it till the next year. "The precarious revenue situation has forced the Federal Government to raise funds from issu-

ing treasury bills up to 18 per cent. Most of this money, as we hear, is just to cover recurrent expenditure. According to him, "These are things the Federal Government should be engaging the National Assembly and stakeholders with now, so that we do not just keep passing budgets that will not be implemented." He noted that “the House of Representatives, as we speak, is working on a new and more efficient way of handling the entire budget process. Once the recess is over, Nigerians

will begin to see a smarter framework by the National Assembly." Golu added that: "It is basically impossible for the N500 billion social intervention fund to be implemented as contained in the budget." According to him, only N20 billion of it had been released as at August. "The Federal Government should implement the five components in phases as funds are mobilised for effective implementation, and if not implemented, what will the Federal Government going to budget for in 2017?"he queried.

L-R: Chairman of the occasion, Dr. Akinkunmi Mustapha; New District Governor, International Association of Lions Club District 404B-2 Nigeria; Lion Taiwo Adewunmi; his wife, Lolade; and out-going District Governor, Dr. Funke Adebajo during the Presentation of Lion Adewunmi as the District Governor 2016-2017,404B-2 Nigeria in Lagos…yesterday. PHOTO: GODWIN IREKHE

C’River takes delivery of 20mw Change comes with pains, says Nkire power generating equipment A

ross River State government, at the weekend, took delivery of equipment for the building of a 20 megawatts power plant with a view to ensuring 24-hour power supply in Calabar, the state capital. On hand to receive the equipment along Parliamentary Extension, Calabar, was the state governor, Prof. Ben Ayade, accompanied by some government officials. An excited Ayade told journalists that the delivery showed that the Memorandum of Understandings (MoUs) he had signed signing were coming into action. He said the equipment were designed to run economically and will aid the state to arrest the issue of power supply to drive an industrialised local economy. “This is one of the outcome of those of my trips in my first year in office when we were still trying to do agenda setting for the government. It will generate 20 megawatts of embedded power for Cross River State. I am happy to announce to you today that we are taking delivery of 20 megawatts equipment for embedded power generation for the city of Calabar."

member of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief Sam Nkire, at the weekend said the change Nigerians clamoured for during the last general elections would not come without some forms of pains. Nkire, who was reacting to comments that the APC led Federal Government was inflicting pain on the citizenry, said no administration would achieve the desired change without confronting old habits such as cutting of corners, bribery and corruption.

According to the stakeholder, who is also the leader of Abia State APC caucus, there was no way any country would be redeemed from Nigeria's level of corruption without its citizens feeling the "pain of change" in the process. He said the APC government of President Muhammadu Buhari would not derive joy in seeing Nigerians suffer, not even the treasury looters, adding that the pain of the moment would only last for a time while before Nigerians

begin to enjoy life to the full again. Meanwhile, the APC caucus leader has called on all APC political appointees in the state to redouble their efforts towards the growth of the party in Abia State. Nkire told them to see their appointments as a call to more work, adding that President Muhammadu Buhari, saw them as his representatives of Abia State, who must make honest commitments towards a better living condition of the people of Abia State.

The governor assured residents of the city that electricity tariff would be affordable to all. The governor, who also disclosed that five more containers laden with equipment were scheduled to arrive soon after the initial delivery of the first five, highlighting how the project will enhance security in Calabar, especially as the Calabar festival was fast approaching. He also said his administration had commenced the

process of strengthening the distribution network in Calabar by replacing obsolete and non-functioning transformers across the city. "The whole street lights are going to be connected to this grid and we are going to pick up the diesel engines from the streets and then link all the street lights to this plant so that Calabar South, up to Anantigha, Atimbo and all those areas including 8 Miles, Nassarawa, will be lit up,” he said.

Johnchuks Onaunyim

Allow Sheriff conduct PDP’s national convention, says Okomiso

Abuja

chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Patrick Okomiso, has advised members of the party to allow the factional National Chairman, Senator Ali Modu Sheriff, to organise and conduct the party’s national convention in the interest of peace. Okomiso gave the advice at the weekend in an interview in Abuja. According to the party chieftain, who is in Sheriff’s faction, the governors were responsible for the present state of the party.

He condemned the activities of the governors, especially the manner they planned to push Sheriff out as National Chairman, saying all the past national chairmen of the party were pushed out by the governors. The former governorship candidate of the defunct All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) in Cross River State, said the PDP governors brought Sheriff into the party with impunity and wanted to remove him with the same impunity, this is wrong, he said. While he exonerated the All Progressives Congress (APC) from the crisis

in the PDP, he lambasted the judiciary for its alleged role in the crisis. Okomiso said those fingering APC members as responsible for the crisis in the party were not sincere, as he stated that if every member of the PDP should drop his or her ego, the crisis would end and the party would be united again. He said: "Let me say this, Ali Modu Sheriff did not demand to be the National Chairman of the PDP. He was in his house doing his things and accepting responsibilities of his family when a few governors cornered him

in Port Harcourt and Yenegoa and said he must be chairman. “Indeed, they traced him back to Abuja and forced him to accept the responsibility of becoming the PDP national chairman. When he accepted, he did well. The governors brought him in with impunity and would it be right for them to throw him out with impunity. All the national chairmen that we have had in PDP were all thrown out by the governors. "So, for this one, we should stand by him to throw out the governors. Ali Modu Sheriff is not the

problem of the party, the problem of the party is the governors. "Let everybody drop his ego and let us allow Ali Modu Sheriff for the next four or five months organise a proper convention - all the congresses in the country revisited - and people who want to come into the party can come and then convention is organised in Abuja and let the people elect their national officers on zoning, but don't limit it to one person," he said. On the judiciary and its alleged role in the crisis, he said: "Not just the PDP crisis."

News|SOUTH-WEST

Rainfall: Lagos allays residents’ fears, appeals for calm

he Lagos State Government has allayed the fears of residents over torrential rainfall witnessed in the state yesterday, saying that necessary steps had been taken to avert any incidence of flood disaster. Commissioner for the Environment, Dr. Babatunde Adejare, in a statement on Sunday said that the state government had in recent times carried out intensive tour of some flood prone communities in the state to clear up blocked drainages and canals. The commissioner wondered why any right thinking person would dump refuse on water courses and drainages created for free flow of storm water, saying the numerous campaigns

against such practice was for the interest of the residents. “Canal is a storm water channel for the conveyance of storm runoffs, they are God’s natural protection for holding water during massive flood and it is not a place for anybody to build a house or dump refuse. Those in the habit of doing such must stop henceforth,” Adejare said. Allaying fears of teeming Lagosians, who were apprehensive of the rain, Adejare said that indiscriminate dumping of refuse in the gutters had caused a lot of environmental disasters, warning that government would no longer tolerate building of illegal structure along channel right of ways in the state.

Ambode gives contractor December deadline for Berger project

agos Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode has directed contractors handling Berger expansion project to expedite action on the project to ensure its completion before December. Ambode, who at the weekend carried out extensive inspection of ongoing projects across the State, ordered contractors to work day and night on the projects. According to him, his directive became imperative in view of the strategic importance of the axis being the major gateway to the state. The Berger projects include the construction

of about 700 meters slip road through which traffic outward Lagos-Ibadan Expressway can connect Omole Phase Two, Magodo Phase One and Olowoora. The road, which was designed with drainage channels, side-walks and street light, is about 6 meters wide and can conveniently accommodate two vehicles at a time. Apart from the Pedestrian Bridge which has been completed, there are also expanded lay-bys and reservation areas at both sides of the Berger Bus Stop to facilitate easy pulling off of commercial and private vehicles from the

monDAY, AUGUST 29, 2016 NEW TELEGRAPH

Chairman, Board of Trustees, Motailatu Organisation Worldwide, Senior Superintendent Gabriel Akinadewo (Omo Jesu II) (middle), with members of Good Women Society of Restoration Parish, Motailatu Church of God, during their annual anniversary in Akute, Ogun State...yesterday

12 foreign investors to leave Ogun over $10bn deal Taiwo Jimoh

here are strong indications that 12 foreign enterprises are presently threatening to pull out of the Ogun Gungdong Free Trade Zone (OGFTZ) as $10 billion investment deals gone awry in Igbesa, Ogun state. Speaking with journalists at the weekend, Mr Qianmy Dalu, the Administrative Manager of the Zone said the state government and Mr. Wilfred Odega, NEPZA representative attached to the Zone forcefully ejected Zhongfu International Investment Nigeria from the Zone. Some Ogun officials

were said to have invited former investors, China Africa investment, with a new name called New South Group to take over the zone after Zhongfu International had invested heavily in the Zone. New Telegraph gathered that the China Africa Investment was dismissed initially over an alleged involvement in smuggling, corruption and inefficiency by the state government and Nigeria Export Processing Zones Authority [NEPZA] four years ago. Dalu said: “Since then the zone has been thrown into confusion as all business activities in the zone have been grounded to a halt, thereby threatening the jobs of more than 5000

Nigerians still working in the various companies in the zone.” The officials of Zhongfu International Investment Nigeria further averred that the company, which was one of the tenants in the zone in 2012, was contracted by the state government to manage the zone for three months, after which the contract

The age (in years) Warren Buffet in 2016. Source: Forbes.com

The percentage of the population of women above 60 years of Liberia in 2012. Source: Un.org

Ogun LG poll: Kashamu, PDP leaders sue Finance Minister Kunle Olayeni Abeokuta

eaders of the Ogun State Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) loyal to Senator Buruji Kashamu have dragged the Minister of Finance, Mrs Kemi Adeosun to court, seeking stoppage of allocations accruing to the local government in the state. The leaders also joined

the state Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Dr Olumide Ayeni and the Ogun State Independent Electoral Commission (OGSIEC) as defendants in a suit filed before a Federal High Court, Abuja. At an emergency stakeholders meeting held yesterday in Ijebu-Igbo, the PDP state executive headed by Chief Adebayo Dayo said the party will

fight its exclusion from the October 8 local government elections in the state. They vowed to challenge the decision of OGSIEC’s refusal of their chairmanship and councillorship candidates’ list for the poll in court. OGSIEC had last week adopted the list of candidates forwarded by the Sikirulai Ogundele-led faction of the PDP, saying the

Ondo guber race: Group drums support for Abraham Sola Adeyemo Ibadan

head of the Wednesday’s governorship congress of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ondo State, the Oyo State chapter of a pressure group, “The Ondo State Frontliners, yesterday urged delegates to vote en masse for Dr. Segun Abraham as its gubernatorial candidate. The group took the decision to support Abraham following an emergency meeting held on Saturday in Ibadan, where it endorsed his

candidature “because of his consistency, humane, collaborative and participatory principles which he has demonstrated over time ever before he was drafted to the governorship race.” The group President, Prof. Adekaye Olomola noted that unlike some of the other contestants that had jumped from one political party to the other, Segun Abraham had remained with the party from inception. He said: “We would like to remind the delegates that such political leaders that are unstable when pursuing their am-

bitions, always ended up as emperor when eventually they get the position. We cannot replace an emperor with another emperor because that will definitely spell doom for Ondo State.” However, the group said it endorsed Abraham “based on his antecedent as a successful international private investor, industrialist, philanthropist, a truthful person, who is imbued with the fear of God. It is such antecedents that are needed at this critical time to lead Ondo State back as a shining light among all other states in Nigeria.”

decision was informed by an order of an Abeokuta High Court delivered by Justice Mobolaji Ojo on May 26. Dayo faction is supported by Kashamu, representing Ogun East Senatorial District, while Ogundele’s group is backed by the lawmaker representing Remo Federal Constituency, Hon. Oladipupo Adebutu. Speaking with report-

ers after the Ijebu-Igbo meeting, Dayo said he had filed a case on behalf of the state executive committee to challenge the electoral body’s action. The factional chairman said the party was familiar with what he described as “OGSIEC’s antics,” adding that it was not the first time the commission “will be involved in this kind of illegality and injustice.”

was renewed for another three months. He said: “Zhongfu is disappointed to see that Ogun state government with the cooperation of NEPZA administrator at the zone plotted to install New South Group to manage the zone after about $60 million has been invested in the zone by Zhongfu International Investment. “For several years, Zhongfu has worked tirelessly to promote the interest of the zone and invited long term investments into the free zone. The company has also brought international recognition to the state and Nigeria in general.” In his reaction, the Secretary to Ogun state government, Taiwo Adeoluwa said “as a government, we don’t have problem with anybody, it was what the People’s Republic of China sent to us that we are acting on. “We want the zone to grow; we cannot disregard the diplomatic letter they sent to us in March 11, 2016. We are people’s friendly state, we want investors. The best person to resolve the problem is the consulate that sent the letter to us.”

…As PDP faction shifts primary to Ibadan Babatope Okeowo Akure

he Ali Modu Sheriff faction of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ondo State has shifted its governorship primary to Ibadan, Oyo State capital. This according to a factional member, Mr Ebenezer Alabi was to prevent a situation where the primary would be distrupted by suspected agents of the opposition in the state. Before now, Mr Eyitayo Jegede SAN, has emerged as the candidate of the mainstream PDP in a pri-

mary election conducted in Akure and witnessed by the electoral umpire, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), security agencies and observers. Jegede defeated his opponent, Mr Saka Lawal in the primary. But five aspirants including Mr Jimoh Ibrahim, Chief Sola Ebiseeni, Prince Bamiduro Dada, Hon Niran Sule-Akinsuyi and Mrs Abiye Ademoyegun had taken their forms from Sheriff ’s faction of the PDP. The faction headed by Prince Biyi Poroye, according to Alabi would

not want to run foul of the law as there was a pending injunction restraining the Sheriff ’s faction from carrying out any activity in the state. In fact, an order given by Justice Olaseinde Kumuyi has barred Poroye from parading himself as the PDP factional chairman in the state. Similarly, INEC has said it would not attend the faction’s primary initially slated for Akure, the State capital. According to the State Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Mr Segun Agbaje, there was no faction in Ondo PDP.

News|south-EAST

monDAY, AUGUST 29, 2016 NEW TELEGRAPH

IPOB raises the alarm over arrests, killing of members Charles Onyekwere ENUGU

he Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has raised the alarm over what it described as the incessant arrest and silent killing of its members by agents of federal government. The group in a press statement signed by its spokesperson, Emma Powerful, alleged that security agents had been going from house to house arresting suspected IPOB members and killing some of

them in the process. They however maintained that no matter the intimidation and harassment, their quest of actualizing Biafra must be achieved. The statement reads “The security agents and the Nigeria secret police, the DSS, have started going round the cities of Biafra land arresting those suspected to be members of the indigenous people of Biafra (IPOB)”. “We wonder why the federal gover nment will be calling for negotiation and still sending the security agents to be going from house to

house searching for the members of IPOB and killing them secretly without traces. “The DSS and other security agents went to the house of one of the IPOB members and arrested one, Mr. Chukwu Obasi Sunday who is living in Nnewi Ichi in Nnewi North LGA. The security agents went to his house in the odd hour of the midnight arrested and shot him on his legs. He is now being detained with bullet wounds in DSS cell”. “We accused the DSS of the death of Mazi Chidiebere Onwudiwe, the National Coordina-

tor of IPOB in Biafra land and Mazi Justice O. Ude who was arrested three months ago. They were not charged to court and no one has ever seen or heard from them. We are sure they have been killed by the DSS because if they are still alive, the DSS would have charge them to court or release them on bail. “We are crying to the entire world to come to our rescue because the Nigerian government and her security agencies are determined to kill us and we also use this medium to inform the whole world about

the torture and intimidation our members are going through in the hands of the Nigerian government and her security agents that prompted the untimely death of our members. “The Nigerian government and security agents have refused to charge all IPOB members arrested to court and also the security agents refused their friends and family members who wish to visit them see them in their custody”. “Above all, IPOB family members worldwide under the leadership of Prophet Nnamdi Kanu,

will not renounce or succumb to the intimidation by the federal government and its agents who are on a mission to kill and harm peaceful members of IPOB. “IPOB family members worldwide and the Directorate of State (DOS) can only accept to go into any negotiation with the federal government upon the release of our leader, Prophet Nnamdi Kanu and other members of IPOB members in detention in all the prisons and security cells all over Nigeria unconditionally.”

Umahi drags firm to EFCC over N5bn contract violation Uchenna Inya ABAKALIKI L-R: Former Vice President, Dr. Alex Ekwueme; Anambra State Governor, Chief Willie Obiano and his deputy, Dr. Nkem Okeke, at the Silver Jubilee dinner held at the Governor’s Lodge, Amawbia…at the

Forgery: Ebonyi probes teachers’ certificates Uchenna Inya ABAKALIKI

bonyi State Chairman of Universal Basic Education Board (UBEB) Chief Hycinth Ikpor, has disclosed that government had commenced verification of teachers’ certificates with a view to ascertaining those with fake ones. He made the disclo-

sure at the weekend while inaugurating the committees for the three senatorial zones of the state to screen the credentials of all teachers. The UBEB boss, in his speech, said the exercise became necessary in order to sanitize the school system and rid it of fake teachers. Ikpor while insisting that the present administration in the state would not tolerate teachers with

fake certificates, urged the committee to ensure thorough job in the exercise. He explained that the board decided to carry out the exercise now that school had not re-opened to ensure that academic activities were not disrupted. In his remarks, Ebonyi State Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), Comrade Joseph Nweke, ex-

pressed the readiness of his members to submit their certificates for screening. He said possession of fake certificate by anyone was criminal and must not be condoned. “Fake certificate is academic 419. It is a crime against the society, our children, our pupils and students and as such, we cannot stand with anybody who possesses a fake certificate”, he said.

Herdsmen attacks: I was the man that saw tomorrow –Obiano Pamela Eboh AWKA

nambra State Governor, Chief Willie Obiano, has declared himself as the man that saw tomorrow, following the stance he took to prevent any herdsmen attack in the wake of the bloody attack in Enugu State and other parts of the country. He made the statement at a press conference to mark the “Light of the Nation” state at 25,

saying that tension was doused in the state due to the manner in which the state government handled the issue. While cases of herdsmen attacks were reported in some parts of the country, there was palpable tension at Umungbo community in Ayamelum Local Government Area, Alor and Oraukwu communities both in Idemili North Local Government Area of the state as about 15 Fulani herdsmen armed with AK47 rifles, machetes and daggers stormed the area. Also,

residents of Agbo, Okebunoye and Umunambu villages in Alor community; and its neighbouring Ohokwu deserted their homes for fear of being attacked at night by the armed herdsmen sighted in the communities. The first step taken by Governor Obiano to solve the problem was to set up a joint security outfit headed by the then state Commissioner of Police, Hoesa Karma, to liaise with the affected communities and the herdsmen. Traditional rulers from such communities

and leaders of Fulani, especially those who have lived in the state for long, were made members of the committee. “The committee met several times and eventually agreed with the Fulani herdsmen on modalities for compensating for loses when the need arose. For instance, it was agreed that in a situation where there were loss of cattle due to clash between the herdsmen and the communities, the community would pay N50000 for each cattle.”

bonyi State Governor, Chief Dave Umahi, has dragged a firm, Callifico Turbine Company, to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for allegedly breaching about N5billion contract given to it by the state government. The governor alleged that the firm which supplies electricity generating sets known as turbine allegedly deceived the government in the contract. Receiving reports of committees set up by the government to look into projects in the state at the Exco chambers government house, Abakaliki, Umahi said “we have taken only callifco to EFCC, we have not taken any other contractor to EFCC. “The major reason we are angry with the man that is handling the project is that we gave him a contract of $12m dollars which is close to N5bn now to supply brand new turbine and he bought second hand, refurbished and to worsen the matter, he said each turbine will take N500million to run every month on diesel. So, where do we see N500million? It is either he doesn’t know what he is talking about or he is very deceitful because there should

216

The number of fatalities in terrorists’ violence involving security force personnel in 1993. Source: Satp.org

1,328

The number of fatalities in terrorists’ violence involving terrorists in 1993. Source: Satp.org

have been total disclosure before selling us the turbines. No man goes to buy bicycle without knowing the cost of vulcanizer” he further added. Governor Umahi also gave a week’s ultimatum to all council chairmen in the past administration to return the sum of N1.7billion they allegedly misappropriated during their stay in office or face prosecution. He alleged that the council chairmen and some civil servants indicted by the state House of Assembly in the embezzlement of public fund were fighting to stop the state’s monthly federal allocation. He said: “It benefits me nothing to destroy somebody’s political image. It doesn’t benefit me anything. But because the House of Assembly has probed them and directed us to do this, it becomes another corruption on the side of the governor and the government if nothing is done. “So if they come to negotiate and bring this money, we are not like the EFCC that will say you will bring all at the same time. Let’s agree on how much you will be paying because you must refund the money. I was told by somebody that there is a new system of stealing government money. I told him I don’t want to learn the system. But you see, honesty is honesty. But, since they did not apply that during their stay, it means they are dancing naked and they have to refund the money. So we ask them to come and negotiate with government. We have told them that before. But if after one week and nothing is done, then, we will take some legal actions to recover the money.

40 News|SOUTH-SOUTH Ijaw youths query exclusion of Bayelsa from federal appointments Chris Ejim YENAGOA

jaw youths from the nine states of the Niger Delta region, at the weekend, sent a letter to President Muhammadu Buhari over the continued exclusion of indigenes of Bayelsa State and members of the political class from recent appointments under the present administration. The youths under the umbrella of the Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) worldwide, said though the President reserves the right to appoint anyone deemed qualified for the jobs available, the refusal to nominate indigenes of the region into the Governing Board of Nige-

rian Ports Authority (NPA) and the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) and politician as required by the Federal Character laws is a deliberate show of disdain to the state and the people of the region. President of the Council, Udengs Eradiri, while commenting on the recent composition of the Governing Board of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) and the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), said the exclusion of Bayelsa and some Niger Delta states has confirmed the fears that the present administration is engaged in sustained marginalisation and neglect of the people of the region.

Delta enrolls Ibori, Uduaghan, Ibru, Clark, others into hall of fame Dominic Adewole ASABA

elta State Government at the weekend, enrolled 30 distinguished indigenes of the state into its Delta @25 honours list. Those that made the list include past military administrators and governors of the state, captains of industry, academia, entertainment industry, arts, and community leaders. Among them are Air Commodore Luke Ochulor [rtd], Navy Captain Walter Feghabo (rtd), Air Commodore Ibrahim Kefas (rtd), Olorogun Felix Ibru, Chief Onanefe Ibori and Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan.

Others are Mr. Jim Ovia, Mr Tony Elumelu, Mr. Godwin Emefiele, Senator Stella Omu, E.K Clark, Prof. Bruce Onobrakpeya, Mr. Austin Avuru, Mr. Peter Igho and Chief Eddie Ugbomah. The governor of the state, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa, urged the people of the state to emulate their shining example, embrace peace, love and cooperation to build a greater Delta State. Speaking at the Grand Gala and Award Night, which climaxed the activities marking the state’s silver jubilee celebration in Asaba, Okowa called on the people, especially those in the diaspora, to invest in the development of the new Delta State.

MDCAN to Okowa: Save DELSUTH from collapse Ola James WARRI

he Medical and Dental Consultants’ Association of Nigeria (MDCAN), DELSUTH chapter has appealed to the Delta State Governor, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa, to save the Delta State University Teaching Hospital, Oghara, from its comatose condition, just as the body rejected the planned imposition of a foreign medical consultant as the substantive Chief Medical Director of the hospital. The group noted that since the experiment of appointing the Diaspora personnel as Chief Medical Directors has failed on three consecutive occasions, the governor should, as a mark of fairness, kindly respect the result of the last election for the appointment of the next substantive Chief Medical Director for DELSUTH. They, however, appealed

to Governor Okowa to kindly uphold the results of the election conducted at the instance of the Board of the institution. The group also pointed out that other teaching hospitals in the country appoint Nigerian trained consultants, sometimes their own products as CMDs, and they are doing excellently well. They wondered why DELSUTH case should be different by continuing the wasteful experiment. They wondered how long they were going to be told that they qualify to work in a place but they do not qualify to head it, adding that they can no longer be slaves in their own land. The association posited that there is need to put an end to the situation of neocolonisation, apartheid and impunity against its members as well as halting the wasteful government spending on Diaspora personnel project of questionable value.

monDAY, AUGUST 29, 2016 NEW TELEGRAPH

JUSUN criticises Oshiomhole on workers’ welfare Yekeen Nurudeen ABUJA

udiciary workers in Edo State have accused Governor Adams Oshiomhole of using legal provisions to protect himself and fight the poor workers. The workers under the aegis of Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN) specifically lamented a situation where governors won’t pay salaries as stipulated by law, and invoke no work, no pay policy when workers embark on strike, noting that such attitude would not promote industrial harmony in the country. Speaking at the third National Delegates Conference of the union, held in Katsina, the National President of JUSUN, Comrade Marwan Mustapha Adamu, advocated

that no work no pay be expunged from the Trade Dispute Act. He explained that the provision negates the whole essence of collective bargaining, social dialogue and increased productivity. “I read in the dailies where a state governor, who owes my members seven months salaries, on the pretense of no work no pay, 18 months for local government workers, 42 months arrears of pension and gratuities, is saying it is a criminal breach of contract for employer not to pay workers’ salaries, what a hypocrisy. “It is sad that Oshiomhole who is a product of court himself will go against a court order instructing him to respect the provision of the constitution, even when he did not appeal against the judgment,” he said. Adamu said the union

is determined to continue fighting to ensure independence of the judiciary in accordance with the judgement of Federal High Court, Abuja. He further said the union would approach the same court to apply for garnishee of accounts of defaulted state governors. According to him, both government and private sector employers are breaching the labour law, regulation and order, while ignoring section 15 of the Labour Act, CAP L1, Law of Federation, 2014. The Act says “wages shall become due and is payable at the end of each period for which the contract is expected to subsist, that is to say daily, weekly or at such other period as may be agreed upon provided that where the period is more than one month, the wages shall become due and payable

at intervals not exceeding one month.” Meanwhile, the union has elected new executives to pilot its affairs for the next four years. The newly executives who were returned unopposed are Marwan Mustapha Adamu as President, Olasami Toye Dido as Deputy President, Babaguri Abbo as National Financial Secretary, Ezeh Chinnedu as National Organising secretary, Abioye Emmanuel Vice president South West, Abdul Nasir A. Mohammed vice president North West, Ahmadu Bello Vice President North East. Others are Musa Jimoh National treasurer, Saidu Magaji National Assistant Secretary. Also Ahmed A. Ahmed was returned as Assistant Financial Secretary, Mahmud A. Amin as legal adviser, Ochia Friday as National Auditor and Mark Ifezue as Vice President South East.

Cross River State Governor, Prof. Ben Ayade (right), with his Special Assistant on Public Utility, Mr. Iyadim Iyadim, shortly after taking delivery of power equipment for the generation of 20mega watt of electricity for the city of Calabar…at the weekend

Adeosun, Soludo task Okowa on Delta’s development Dominic Adewole ASABA

inister of Finance, Mrs. Kemi Adeosun, has urged the Delta State Governor, Ifeanyi Okowa, to cast his worries about making the state the economic and investment hub of Nigeria on the business technocrats who are from the state. The business technocrats, Adeosun stated, include, the current CBN Governor, Godwin Emiefele, the Chairman of the United Bank of Africa (UBA), Tony Elumelu, and his counterpart in Zenith Bank, Jim Ovia,

World Bank’s OkonjoIewala and the Minister of State for Petroleum, Ibe Kachukwu. Supporting Adeosun was the former governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, who advised Governor Okowa to engage the tycoons in a closed-door meeting, if his prosperity agenda must succeed. The duo of Adeosun and Soludo spoke as special guests of honour at the Economic Summit, marking the 25th anniversary celebration of the creation of Delta State in Asaba. While Adeosun main-

tained that Emiefele, Elumelu, Ovia, and Kachukwu, have each carved a niche for themselves in their chosen careers and excelled in the business world, Soludo said the need for the Governor to urgently tap from their wealth of experiences cannot be over-emphasised. Adeosun, who maintained that it was not by accident that God arranged the likes of Ovia, Elumelu, Kachukwu, Emiefele and other captains of industries to come from the state, urged the Governor to fight the security chal-

lenges bedeviling the state. Soludo specifically asked the Governor to pursue the dream of upgrading the standard of the budding Asaba Airport to assume its international status to accommodate cargo aircrafts. He opined that the 2nd Niger Bridge and the ongoing work on the dualisation of the AsabaUghelli-Warri Federal road by the Delta state government should be completed to boost the vision of linking business opportunities between the South East and South South states. “That is one of the ways Delta state can emerge as an alternative to Lagos state in terms of business and investment opportunities,” he said.

News|nORTH

monDAY, AUGUST 29, 2016 NEW TELEGRAPH

Bello blames past leaders for Kogi’s woes Zacchaeus Ozovehe Lokoja

ogi State Governor, Alhaji Yahaya Bello, has attributed the present economic woes of the country and the state to lack of developmental foresight on the part of past leaders at various levels. The governor spoke in Lokoja at the 25th anniversary of the creation of the state. Bello, who admitted that Kogi State had not attained a level befitting of a 25-yearold state, lamented that despite the huge natural and human resources, the state had been underdeveloped as a result of lack of visionary leaders. “The painful thing is that Kogi State did not join the league of visionary states. We seemed unable to find leaders who love Kogi above self, family and friends. Thus successive administrations posted lackluster performances, leading to severe underdevelopment of the state and increased poverty among our people. “If they had been merely incompetent, their failures would not have been so terrible. Instead, they added corruption and criminality to the mix. Simply put, some of our past leaders were utterly godless. They stole us blind,” he stressed. According to him, he in-

herited a state on the verge of collapse, a condition he likened to the whole country which was on ‘Intensive Care Unit,’ until President Muhammadu Buhari was elected to salvage the situation. He averred that the ‘Change,’ which swept the nation with the election of President Buhari had presented Kogi State with an opportunity to reinvent itself and make great strides, adding that Mr. President’s commitment to the ‘Change Agenda’ in Nigeria has provided a model for positive development with probity and

accountability as driving principles. The governor emphasised that the people-centred New Direction Agenda of his administration anchored on five thematic areas of Education, Health, Job Creation and New Ventures, Infrastructure and Utilities, and Productive Public Service and Pension Reforms, were meant to have direct positive bearing on people of the state. In a related development, the governor donated about 140 patrol vans and more than 1,000 motorcycles to various security agencies in the state in or-

Sokoto

okoto State government yesterday said it will soon commence the production of Ready to Use Therapeutic Food (RUTF), a nutrient used for treating malnutrition. Commissioner for Health, Dr. Shehu Balarabe, who disclosed this in Sokoto, said the state government would no longer afford to continue to spend on the importation of RUTF, which being produced from groundnut paste. “In the past, we used to import Ready to Use Therapeutic Food from South Africa and the United States. However, we’re now work-

Niger commissioner doles out 50 ipads, others to journalists Dan Atori MINNA

he Niger State government at the weekend gave out ipad tablets and other items to journalists practicing in the state as part of an effort to enhance their reportage. Commissioner for Information, Culture and Tourism, Mr. Jonathan Vatsa, speaking at a two-day workshop for Information Officers attached to Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) in the state, said it was necessary to give these items to journalists to enhance their performance.

Sokoto State Governor, Aminu Tambuwal, with Chairman, Sokoto State Committee for the Revival of Agriculture, Chiso Abdullahi Dattijo, during a meeting with bankers and rice anchor farmers in Sokoto…at the weekend

Sokoto to commence production of anti-malnutrition supplements Umar Abdullahi

der to boost their operational efficiency in the task of maintaining security. While receiving the vehicles on behalf of other security outfits, the Acting Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Idris Ibrahim, described the gesture as unprecedented in the history of the state. Idris, who noted that activities of criminal elements had been reduced drastically since the inception of the present administration, said the feat was achieved as a result of collaboration and renewed commitment of the state government.

ing to stop that. We would soon start producing it right here in Sokoto. “RUTF is highly nutritious and is made from groundnut paste. We also thank God that Dangote is investing in the production of the drug here in Nigeria, so we commend him for that. “This is the first step of boosting nutrition to have intelligent children. Balarabe said if proper measures were taken, all that was needed in Nigeria for proper nutrition was available and will cost nothing. He added that “breastfeeding can save Nigeria in excess of N300 billion every year. Breastfeeding is part of nutrition and it’s free.” Earlier, UNICEF Nutrition Specialist, Sokoto Field

Office, Paul Mudzongo, charged the media to wakeup to their responsibilities by holding public officials accountable as they discharge their duties, so as to ensure transparency in the way they utilise funds allocated to children-related issues. He also urged the media to be in the fore front through their reportage in getting government committed to the fight against malnutrition in the country. Mudzongo advocated for a renewed commitment and immediate attention by governments at all levels to curb the trend of malnutrition by adopting a comprehensive state, multisectoral nutrition strategic action.

NSCDC: 40 fake NGOs feeding on IDPs’ plight in Borno T he Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), at the weekend, said it has discovered no fewer than 40 fake NonGovernmental Organisations (NGOs) currently feeding fat on the plight of the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in Borno State. Commandant of the NSCDC in the state, Mr. Ibrahim Abdullahi, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Maiduguri. Abdullahi said the NGOs were running nothing more than a certified scam by their actions. He said: “We discovered that many of them who were individuals with offices, were only interested

in posing with IDPs going through hardship to access funds from donors. “We discovered also that some of them, currently occupying most of the big hotels in town, are only interested in defrauding their donors by sending fake data, messages and pictures via Internet so as to access funds. “When we interrogated some of them, they said they just came into the town and were trying to figure out the problems to enable them bring in their intervention. “The command urged the government to be wary of such elements parading themselves as NGOs while the agency will go after all the bad elements.”

According to him, “as part of efforts to forestall the seeming possibility of becoming Information Officers with obsolete brains and working equipment, my ministry has acquired some ipads, recorders and even cameras for distribution to deserving officers. “In all, we are giving 50 ipads, photo camera and recorders to journalists and we have the first batch for those covering MDAs and the second batch will be for the 25 Local Government Information Officers.” Vatsa said further that the government will work towards ensuring that all media outfits in the state, both electronic and print media, become fully operational as government was working round the clock to enhance journalists’ performance.

Kebbi pilgrims duped in Saudi Arabia Abubakar Abdul Birnin Kebbi

ne of the pilgrims from Kebbi State to this year’s hajj in Saudi Arabia, at the weekend, fell into the hands of fraudsters in Medina, who duped her of her belongings. The victim, Rekiya Usman, a female, who hails from Jega Local Government Area of the state, lost all her BTA to fraudsters. Confirming the incident to newsmen on phone, Acting Secretary of the State Media Committee of the 2016 Hajj exercise, Alhaji Aliyu Jajirma Kanya, said the fraudsters collected Usman’s Basic Travelling Allowance in the name of changing the money and was left with only $4.00. Kanya, who further said the woman was almost rendered useless as the amount left for her cannot cover for her daily needs. “All efforts to track down the culprit proved abortive,” he added. He further revealed that similar episodes occurred few days ago, where a woman’s BTA was removed by one of her roommates by replacing $1, 000, with few Riyals. Kanya also confirmed that a man was also duped by an unknown pilgrim.

N913.6m Niger raises the alarm on invasion of armed herdsmen The total capital importation value of the Telecommunication sector in 2013. Source: National Bureau of Statistics.

181.07

The average height of football players in Spain in the 20112012 season. Source: Football-observatory. com.

Dan Atori MINNA

he Niger State government yesterday raised the alarm that Fulani herdsmen, armed to the teeth, were still on the prowl in several villages in the Niger East

senatorial district. This was coming from the Special Adviser to the state Governor on Niger East Matters and a former state House of Assembly member, Mr. Pius Wakili, who contradicted a claim by the police that it had been able to send the

Fulani herdsmen away from the various forests where they operated indiscriminately early in the year. According to him, “we have reports from most villages that these cattle rustlers carrying AK 47 rifles are moving freely in forests in Alla-

wa, Galadima Kogo, Erena and other villages. “Although, these herdsmen are not attacking people, it is feared that they may soon return to their old habits. “You know that not less than 37 people had been killed in several attacks in these villag-

es by these herdsmen while property worth millions of naira was destroyed.” He said further that a large number of cattle were also rustled, though security agents were able to return some and handed them over to their owners.

WORLD \ NEWS

upporters of Gabon’s President Ali Bongo and his chief rival both said yesterday they were set to win an election that has proved to be the most serious challenge yet to the Bongo family’s half-century rule over the tiny, oil-rich nation. The rival sides also traded accusations of fraud allegedly committed during Saturday’s vote, raising the prospect of increased tension in the wake of an uncharacteristically bitter campaign. Despite the interior minister warning candidates against giving results ahead of their official announcement, Jean Ping, 73, the president’s

MONDAY, AUGUST 29, 2016 NEW TELEGRAPH

Gabonese leader, top rival claim presidential victory, allege fraud chief challenger, distributed figures showing him easily beating Bongo. “The general trends indicate we’re the winner of this important presidential election,” Ping told reporters and a large crowd of cheering supporters gathered at his campaign headquarters in the capital Libreville. “Despite numerous irregularities ... you have managed to thwart this regime’s congenital traps of fraud.”

Bongo, 57, who first won election after his father Omar died in 2009 after 42 years in power, has benefited from the power of incumbency as well as a patronage system lubricated by oil largesse. Gabon’s oneround electoral system means the winner simply requires more votes than any other candidate. In 2009, Bongo won with 41.73 percent of the vote. Hours before Ping’s announcement, Bon-

go’s spokesman Alain Claude Bilie By Nzé made a similar declaration, claiming that the president was poised to win another term in office. “Even if no figure can or should be given at this stage, we are, in light of information we are receiving, able to say that our candidate ... will claim victory,” he said in comments broadcast overnight on state-owned television. He also said “massive fraud” had been observed during the

vote, particularly in polling stations located in opposition strongholds. A statement released by the interior ministry yesterday acknowledged irregularities but offered little detail. “The elections were calm and without major conflict ... In spite of fraud noted in some polling stations, the process is satisfactory and positive for all of the observers,” it said, adding that official results would be announced on Tuesday.

Failed suicide bomber stopped in Indonesian Church

17-year-old suicide bomber failed in his attempt to blow up a Roman Catholic Church in North Sumatra yesterday morning, leaving a priest with only minor injuries. The bomber, who also sustained minor injuries, is in custody, thanks to the quick action of the congregation, Jakarta Globe reported. Father Albert S. Pandingan was conducting the Sunday service at Medan’s St. Yoseph Church when the teen, strapped with a bomb, ran toward the pulpit and tried to stab the priest. The bomb, tucked inside the suspect’s vest, failed to detonate. It created only sparks that injured the attacker, identified as I.A.H. The priest received some

minor scratches to his arm. “We have seized a backpack from the perpetrator,” said National Police spokesman Insp. Gen. Boy Rafli Amar. “The perpetrator is alive and injured and there are no casualties in this incident.” Amar also said police found what appeared to be a drawing of the Islamic State flag, but it is unclear whether the student from Setia Budi in Medan Selayang, North Sumatra, is affiliated with a terror cell. Police are investigating any potential terrorist links. Photos have shown the attacker lying bloody on the floor in the church after parishioners held him for police, Sky News reported.

Syrian war: Turkey kills 25 people in latest round of air strikes

t least 25 people have been killed as Turkey continues to target Kurdish-held areas in Syria, near the border city of Jarablus. The Turkish military said those killed in yesterday’s air strikes were Kurdish militants. Separately, a monitoring group said at least 35 civilians and four militants were killed by a wave of Turkish strikes in the same area. It is not yet clear whether the two reports relate to the same incident. The strikes came on the fifth day of Turkey’s military operation to target so-called

Islamic State (IS) militants and Kurdish militia inside Syria, dubbed Operation Euphrates Shield. Speaking in Gaziantep, where IS militants killed 54 people at a Kurdish wedding last week, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said “operations against terrorist organisations will continue until the end”. Turkish tanks and troops backed by Syrian rebels have captured territory from IS and clashed with the Kurdish People’s Protection Units (YPG), a Kurdish militia supported by the United States, which is itself fighting IS.

Singapore confirms 41 cases of locally-transmitted Zika virus

ingapore has confirmed 41 cases of locallytransmitted Zika virus, mostly among foreign construction workers, and said it expected more cases to be identified. All but seven of those infected have fully recovered, the health ministry and the National Environment Agency (NEA) said in a joint statement yesterday. Those seven remain in hospital. Two days ago, authorities had confirmed a 47-year-old Malaysian woman living in southeastern Singapore as the city-state’s first case of a

local transmission of the virus - which in Brazil has been linked to a rare birth defect. The authorities said they tested 124 people, primarily foreign construction workers employed on a site in the same part of Singapore. That site has been ordered to halt work, and workers’ dormitories are being inspected. Seventy-eight people tested negative and five cases were pending. Thirty-four patients had fully recovered. Four Singaporean men had developed symptoms of the virus in the past week and were hospitalized on Saturday.

Performers in custume parade on the first day of the Notting Hill Carnival in West London yesterday

Last BHS stores to close for final time after 88 years

he last BHS stores are closing their doors for the final time, ending an 88-year presence on the High Street. The closure of the final 22 shops around the UK came after the retailer was placed into administration in March but failed to find a buyer. Previous owners Dominic Chappell and Sir Philip Green have been criticised for mismanaging the chain and failing to protect the company pension scheme. Administrators have already made 141 store closures over recent weeks. These included its flagship store on Oxford Street in London’s West End. British Homes Stores, a name that was a fixture on most UK High Streets, will disappear nearly a century after first opening in Brixton, south London. Simon Prager, who worked for BHS for 16 years and has helped

to oversee the closure of Bristol’s Cribbs Causeway branch, said: “I don’t think even a year ago anyone would have thought it would come to this. “I think there probably was anger at some point in the last three months. But I think everyone’s well beyond that. And I think it is now just sadness that it’s come to this.” Scattered clothes rails, empty hangers and a few dwindling piles of stock are all that’s left at BHS Walthamstow in north London. “Last days!” the large red and yellow signs on the door proclaim. “Everything 70 percent off”. A crowd has turned up for the closing day of this British High Street stalwart, scouring the shelves for one final bargain. The long queue for the till stretches across the gutted shop. The refrigerators in the food hall are on but empty. Even the fixtures and fittings are up for

grabs. One staff member, wearing a pink feathery party head-dress but also holding a tissue, pauses to hug a colleague. “It’s really sad talking to the customer services people who are out of a job and will be signing on,” says local shopper Keisha Cook, who’s here with her mum Carmen. “But I can’t say I normally came here. It was too pricey. Honestly, for us, it’s just another shop front changing.” Years of under-investment and failing to react effectively to intense competition led to the slow demise of BHS over the past two decades. Its most recent owners have also been blamed following an investigation by a joint committee of MPs last month. They described billionaire retailer Sir Philip Green, who owned BHS from 2000 to 2015, as the “unacceptable face of capitalism”.

South Africa’s Finance Minister to be charged for graft

outh Africa Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan may be charged this week for graft, the City Press newspaper reported yesterday, citing senior sources in the police, the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), and the tax service. Thirty witnesses had been lined up to testify against Gordhan and three former officials from the South African Revenue Service (SARS), the paper said. Officials at the NPA did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Police summoned Gordhan this week in connection with an investigation into a “rogue spy unit” set up in the revenue service

when he headed the organization, rattling South African markets and sending the rand down 5 percent. The investigation first came to light in February and political pundits have said Gordhan is being undermined by a faction in the government and ruling African National Congress (ANC) allied to President Jacob Zuma. The newspaper said Gordhan faced a graft charge for granting early retirement to Ivan Pillay, a former commissioner of the South African Revenue Service who is also under investigation. Zuma said on Thursday he backed Gordhan but was powerless to stop a police investigation into him, signaling

a prolonged tussle that could add to market volatility. South Africa’s credit rating is set to be cut to junk status this year, according to a Reuters poll this week, with economists surveyed citing the heightened political risk around the Gordhan saga. Gordhan commands huge respect in the markets and his departure would be a serious blow to Africa’s most industrialized country, teetering as it is on the brink of recession. The Sunday Times said Gordhan had told a meeting of Treasury staff on Friday that he and his deputy Mcebisi Jonas could be removed in a cabinet shuffle. Treasury officials did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

MONDAY, AUGUST 31, 2016 NEW TELEGRAPH

Sport

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Eagles will rise again – Olanrewaju

That after three matches, all the English Premier League clubs have recorded atleast one point each

International Confidence high at Chelsea – Conte

44 45

Again,Siasia demands five months' salaries ...explains Akpeyi's bench role in Rio Adekunle Salami

ational U-23 Head Coach to the Rio 2016 Olympic Games football event, Samson

Siasia, has again cried out over the outstanding five-month salaries being owed him by the authorities. Siasia who led the country’s Olympics football team to clinch a bronze medal at the games urged to Nigeria Football Federation and the ministry of sports to pay him as he is set to embark on another journey in his coaching career. The former international stressed that it was not a big deal throwing in the towel after the games since his contract with the football federation

Nigeria's Mikel Obi (right) and Ndifreke Udo battling for the ball with a Colombian player during the Rio Olympics

expired after the Olympics. “All I want now is my outstanding five-month salaries. I have to move on with my life and since I worked for that money, they should just pay me. “This issue came up when we were in Atlanta and they promised to pay. The competition is over, I need my money.” On his status with the federation, Siasia said his contract with the NFF expired after the Olympic Games and it was not

a case of resignation. “My contract expired and I have to move on. I have done my best possible for this country no matter what people say. I am happy to have served the country as player and coach to the best of my ability and achieved results too,” he added. Siasia however explained that the bench role of keeper Daniel Akpeyi was due to the lack of understanding between him and the defenders.

“Emmanuel had better understanding with the defenders and maybe because Akpeyi joined us late, it was difficult to blend and anytime we use him, we concede unnecessary goals,” he said. Siasia led Nigeria to win a silver medal at the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games while he was also in charge when the country placed second at the FIFA U-20 World Cup in Holland in 2005.

2017 AFCON: Ighalo, Echiejile hit Eagles' camp

Siasia

…Ekong, Alimi also in, Mikel arrives Tuesday Emmanuel Tobi

Adekunle Salami Group Sport Editor

Emmanuel Tobi Assistant Sport Editor

Ajibade Olusesan Sport Correspondent

Charles Ogundiya Sport Correspondent

layers and officials of Super Eagles resumes camp today at Le Meridien Hotel camp in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State for Saturday’s 2017 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying match against Tanzania. Top on the list of early arrivals is Watford striker, Odion Ighalo, who fell with this team 3-1 to Arsenal on Saturday. Others are FK Haugesund captain William TroostEkong, who was on target in his side’s derby win

over Brann on Saturday, Nigeria Olympic team winger Imoh Ezekiel, AS Monaco defender Elderson Echiejile and home –boys trio of Emmanuel Daniel, Ikechukwu Ezenwa (goalkeepers) and Jamiu Alimi (defender). Team captain Mikel John Obi, fresh from leading the Nigeria U23 to Olympic bronze in Brazil, is expected to arrive at the team’s Le Meridien Hotel on Tuesday. Meanwhile, NFF Deputy General Secretary, Dr. Emmanuel Ikpeme, arrived in the Akwa Ibom

State capital on Friday as a one-man advance party, ahead of the team’s assistant coaches and backroom staff due in town on Monday morning. The Super Eagles and Taifa Stars will play for pride in this fixture as Egypt’s Pharaohs have already picked the lone ticket from the group to Gabon. But the Eagles and their new Technical Adviser Gernot Rohr will use the match as a rehearsal for the 2018 FIFA World Cup Qualifying Series Matchday 1 clash with Zambia in Ndola on 8th October. Team officials confirmed to thenff.com on Sunday that Franco-German Rohr, who keenly followed Nige-

ria’s campaign at the Rio 2016 Olympics and travelled to Spain to see the country’s domestic stars in a couple of friendly matches against Spanish La Liga sides, will also be in Uyo on Monday.

Nadal relishes US Open challenge

Ekong

}47

SPORT NEWS

MONDAY, AUGUST 29, 2016 NEW TELEGRAPH

Galatasaray want Watford’s Success on loan T

urkish Super Lig team Galatasaray are exploring ways to sign Nigeria youth international Isaac Success before the close of the summer transfer window, allnigeriasoccer.com can exclusively report. A representative of the Istanbul club has opened a line of communication with the intermediary handling the affairs of the Watford striker regarding a loan move.

Success (right)

Eagles will rise again – Olanrewaju F Charles Ogundiya

ormer junior international, Kayode Olanrewaju, has said there is light at the end of the tunnel for the Super Eagles after the current low the team find themselves. The Super Eagles will be missing at the next Africa Cup of Nations in Gabon after failing to qualify from their group, Olanrewaju however said the team will qualify for the World Cup to erase the memory of their failure to qualify for two AFCON back-to-back. “The first step has been taken and that is having a

new coach,” the Austria Wien striker said. “Nigerians should continue to support the team because we have the players to take the team back to the top again. “We must work hard to start the qualifiers on a good note by defeating Zambia in October. Beating them will boost confidence in the team.” The player who has been in good form for his club since the beginning of the season added that he will contribute his part if the German coach, Gernot Rohr, invites him to the national team. According to him, he

has been enjoying his game for Wien and can bring his goal scoring form to bear in the national team. He said: “I have not met with the coach but if I am invited to the national team, of course I will be happy to contribute my quota. “Every players’ dream is to play for his country, I will continue to work hard for my club and maybe someday, I will be opportune to play for Eagles.” He has scored two goals for his club in the new season, one in the league and another in the Europa League.

World Scrabble: Jighere, others secure French visa Emmanuel Tobi

orld Scrabble champion, Wellington Jighere, and the other players representing Nigeria at the 2016 MSI World Scrabble Championships in Lille, France, has been granted entry visas by the French Embassy after series of disappointments. Jighere who took to facebook to announce the frustration Friday morning, a move that got the attention of the media officials who later contacted top government functionaries as the players were asked to pick up their visas on Monday. “This is to say a big thank you to everyone for the solidarity shown for our plight. Earlier this evening (Friday), we got word that the visas for the entire team will be ready for collection

am very happy that our members were able to travel to Brazil where we liaised with the Brazilian branch of the club which I inaugurated in 2014 to cheer the U-23 team to victory in their third place match. “We did not only limit ourselves to supporting the football team, we made sure we visited all the venues where our presence was highly felt to the admiration of Brazilians,”Ladipo noted.

he was happy for the medal which he described as a golden bronze just as he assured that his club will continue to support all sports in the country. “It is true we won only a bronze medal which was an improvement from the London 2012 Olympics but we have to celebrate it because it is better than nothing and that is why I describe it as a golden bronze,” he added.

Jighere

by Monday. We will hope to be able to make it to Lille, France before the commencement of games on Wednesday. “Once again, I, on behalf of the Scrabble family in Nigeria say thank you everybody! If it weren't for you guys, especially the journalists amongst us, this great injustice would have gone unchallenged,” the World Scrabble champion wrote on his facebook account on Sunday.

Man-of-the-Match award, goal thrill Troost-Ekong igeria international Wil- the match after his goal helped N liam Troost-Ekong has said Norwegian club FK Haugesund he is excited to win the man of beat Brann 3-2.

Rio 2016: Supporters' club receive warm reception in Lagos contingent of Nigeria Speaking at the event, He said that although NiA Football Supporters Club President General of the geria only won a Bronze at who travelled to Brazil to sup- Club, Rafiu Ladipo, said: “I the global world event but port U-23 Olympic team at the Rio de Janeiro Olympics came back to the country on Saturday. The club led by its President General Rafiu Ladipo and Secretary General, Samuel Ikpea, arrived the Murtala Muhammed International airport aboard a South Africa Airways at exactly 7.30pm to a warm reception by other members of the club and a cross section of Nigerians.

At this moment, the Hornets chiefs want to hold onto Success as he is in the plans of first-team coach Walter Mazzarri. The 20-year-old Nigerian made his competitive debut on Saturday afternoon, playing the last 13 minutes of Watford’s 3-1 loss to Arsenal at home. Success is under contract with Watford until the summer of 2021, having penned a five-year deal in July.

Troost-Ekong

The former Dutch youth international saluted the fans after his man-of-the-match display. "Back with a bang! 3 points, a goal and MOTM. So proud of the boys! Thanks to our great fans. We are #FKH !!!!," he tweeted. Haugesund have now shot to third place on the table with 38 points from 22 matches. Troost-Ekong is fresh from the Rio 2016 Olympics football event, where Nigeria won a bronze medal. He will also be on international duty this coming weekend for the Super Eagles in a final AFCON qualifier against Tanzania in Uyo.

Flamingoes in good form for World Cup T

Nikyu

he U-17 Women National Team, Flamingoes have shown a rich vein of form as preparations hit new gear for the 5th FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup starting in Jordan on September 30. Coach Bala Nikyu’s girls displayed ferocious form with three wins in three successive friendly matches in Abuja between Tuesday and Saturday. On Tuesday, Sure Babes FC

of Ilorin were the victims as Captain Rasheedat Ajibade, the team’s top scorer, hit two goals in a 4-0 win at the NFF/ FIFA Goal Project pitch. On Thursday, the Flamingoes pipped Confluence Queens of Kogi 1-0 at the same venue, thanks to Cynthia Aku who slotted in after the Queens’ goaltender failed to deal appropriately with a fierce shot by Captain Ajibade.

Against QFL (Queens Football League) All-Stars on Saturday, the Flamingoes went goal-wire, hitting the opposition 8-1. Ajibade was on song with a hat –trick, while Folashade Ijamilusi and Chidinma Okeke hit a brace each, and Cynthia Aku scored once. “These matches have shown us exactly where we are, and we will continue to work on our weak areas. Our target is

to ensure that the girls play as a team, have good control of the ball and achieve better coordination on the field. Nigeria will tackle Brazil, England and 2008 champions Korea DPR in the group stage at the 5th FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup, taking place in Jordan 30th September – 21st October 2016. The Flamingoes’ first match is against Brazil on 1st October – Nigeria’s Independence Day.

INTERNATIONAL SPORT

MONDAY, AUGUST 31, 2016 NEW TELEGRAPH

Confidence high at Chelsea – Conte

ntonio Conte has admitted that he is delighted to have hit the ground running after winning all four of his opening games as Chelsea manager. The Blues have taken nine points from a possible nine in the Premier League, includ-

Conte

EPL TABLE Team

Pts

1 Man City

2 Chelsea

3 Man United

4 Everton

5 Hull City

6 M'brough

6 Tottenham

8 Arsenal

9 Leicester

10 West Brom

11 Liverpool

12 West Ham

13 Burnley

13 Swansea

15 S'thampton

16 Sunderland

17 C' Palace

18 Watford

19 B'mouth

20 Stoke City

RESULTS EPL West Brom

0-0

M'brough

Man City

3-1

West Ham

Tottenham

1-1

Liverpool

Chelsea

3-0

Burnley

C'Palace

1-1

B'mouth

Everton

1-0

Stoke City

Leicester

2-1

Swansea

S'thampton

1-1

S'derland

Watford

1-3

Arsenal

0-1

Man United

Hull City

SERIE A Inter

1-1

Palermo

Lazio

0-1

Juventus

Napoli

4-2

AC Milan

LA LIGA Alaves

0-0

S' Gijon

Las Palmas

5-1

Granada

Real Betis

0-0

Deportivo

Espanyol

2-2

Malaga

Eibar

1-0

Valencia

Osasuna

0-2

Sociedad

Real Madrid

2-1

Celta Vigo

0-0

Atletico M

Leganes

BUNDESLIGA Hertha

2-1

Freiburg

Hoffenheim

2-2

RB Leipzig

Bayern

6-0

Bremen

Augsburg

0-2

Wolfsburg

Dortmund

2-1

Mainz 05

Frankfurt

1-0

Schalke 04

Cologne

2-0

Darmstadt

Hamburg

1-1

Ingolstadt

M'gladbach

2-1

Leverkusen

ing a comfortable 3-0 win over Burnley on Saturday, while also seeing off Bristol Rovers in the EFL Cup. Conte has looked to instil new ideas at Stamford Bridge since being brought in by owner Roman Abramovich, but says that winning games

is the most important factor when taking over at a new club. "To start the season with three wins and a win in the cup is good for all, for the confidence of the players and the fans," he told the Blues' official website. "When we start in this way you can work better, and

Tottenham make move for Isco

Isco

ottenham Hotspur are reportedly planning to swoop for Real Madrid attacker Isco before the transfer window closes on Wednesday. The 24-year-old, who moved to the Bernabeu from Malaga for £25m three years ago, was heavily pursued by Manchester City last season

but Madrid manager Zinedine Zidane put a halt to the potential transfer. Now Los Blancos are keen to trim down their squad and, according to The Mirror, it has come down to "a straight choice" between Isco and his £60m-rated teammate James Rodriguez. Isco is the more likely

Zidane confirms Rodriguez will stay at Real

eal Madrid star James Rodriguez has been linked with a move away from the club in recent weeks but his performance in the 2-1 win over Celta Vigo on Saturday has prompted manager Zinedine Zidane to reconsider. The Colombian midfielder only came on as a substitute with 21 minutes of the second half to be played but the French boss was impressed with Rodriguez. The win was Los Blancos’ 14th consecutive win in the Spanish La Liga under Zidane, stretching back to last season. Rodriguez, who had made the starting lineup only 17 times in the league last season (coming on nine times as a substitute), was not named in the XI last night either. In all, he has only played 52 minutes in three games this season – including the UEFA Super Cup win over Sevilla. James had come on when the scoreline was 1-1 after Fabian Orellana had cancelled out Alvaro Morata’s goal. But Toni Kroos had the final say with a long-range shot that

of the pair to depart, with Spurs thought to be keen to take him on loan for the rest of the season with a view to a permanent signing next summer. Chelsea have also been credited with an interest in the Spaniard, who has 15 goals in 98 league appearances for Madrid to date.

also the players can trust the work more. "Usually when a new manager arrives his brings his football methodology and new ideas. You can have good ideas but it's important to have good results to increase the players' confidence in you."

Pogba rejected Madrid to return home, says agent

aul Pogba snubbed a move to Real Madrid because he wanted to return “home” by joining Manchester United, according to his representative Mino Raiola. Pogba, 23, was strongly linked with a switch to the Spanish giants before completing a world record transfer to United from Juventus earlier this month. And speaking for the first time since the deal, Raiola has confirmed Madrid boss Zinedine Zidane was keen to land his compatriot alongside “five or six” others clubs. However, the super-agent says Pogba made him aware after his Euro 2016 exploits with France that he always had his heart set on rejoining United, who he left in 2012 after emerging through their youth system.

Pogba (right)

Fabinho snubs Man United for Champions League M

gave the defending European champions all three points. “I have seen good things from James and, as you say, yes he will be staying,” Zidane said at the post-match press conference. J a m e s had come on and almost earned his side a penalt y w h i c h w a s rejected by the referee before he tested Sergio Alvarez with an effort that was on target late in the game.

Rodriguez

onaco defender Fabinho says Champions League football will likely be enough to convince him to stay at the French club, despite links with Manchester United. The 22-year-old scored a late penalty in the club's second leg clash with Villarreal to seal a 3-1 aggregate win and book Monaco's spot in the group stage, where they will face Tottenham, CSKA Moscow and Bayer Leverkusen. Reports in England have claimed that Jose Mourinho wants to sign Fabinho before Wednesday's transfer deadline, but while the Brazilian would not rule out a move away from Stade Louis II, he expects to stay. "With the Champions League, it's not bad staying at Monaco," he told L'Equipe. "I'm not certain of staying, but at the same time, there's more of a chance of me staying than leaving."

Fabinho has been buoyed

Fabinho

SPORTS

MONDAY, AUGUST 29, 2016 NEW TELEGRAPH

Okocha is a magician – Kanu

Rohr waits on NFF over accommodation

Emmanuel Tobi

Inter national Soccer Camp said poor administration was the bane of football in Africa. “Okocha is a magician and it’s good to play with players like that. He was gifted and in Nigeria we had many gifted players. players from other African countries are also talented. Even with all these gifted players in Africa, we are yet to win the World Cup so there must be something missing (infrastructure and organization). If we put those things together then the football will come out brighter and we can win the World Cup.”

ormer Super Eagles captain, Nwankwo Kanu, has described for mer teammates, and midfield maestro Austin Okocha as a magician considering his football artistry while ruling out the chances of any African team to win the World Cup despite the avalanche of talents in the continent. The former Arsenal striker while speaking in Ontario, Canada where he is hosting the Kanu

Kanu also urged Arsenal coach, Arsene Wenger, to shop for top quality players if the team wants to be in contention for trophies. “If you look at the team you see a lot of youth which is not bad, it’s good, but you have to mix it up. We know things have changed and everyone is going to the market. Sometimes in life you have to take risks and buy. I’m an Arsenal fan now and I want us to win trophies, the more we can spend, the more we can get quality players which will help us out.”

ewly-appointed coach of the Super Eagles Genort Rohr is yet to be given the accommodation he was promised by the Nigeria Football Federation as contained in his contract. Rohr expected to arrive in Nigeria Sunday night, ahead of his first training session on Tuesday with the Nigeria senior national team, in preparation for the dead rubber AFCON 2017

Baribote blames Abdulahi, Maigari for football woes

ootball critic and former chairman of the Nigeria Professional Football League, Chief Runsom Baribote, has taken a swipe at former sports minister and chairman, National Sports Commission Bolaji Abdullahi and erstwhile Nigeria Football Federation president Alhaji Aminu Maigari as architects of the crisis that has beclouded Nigeria’s football in the last two years. The Nembe FC of Bayelsa boss says the duo concocted the League Management Company without an enabling law to back it so as to fraudulently benefit from the Nigerian league even when they were removed from

Kanu (left) and Okocha

NPFL Table Team

Pts

1 Wikki

2 Rivers Utd

3 IfeanyiUbah

4 Rangers

5 Nasarawa

6 Lobi Stars

7 Enyimba

8 Sunshine

9 Akwa Utd

10 Kano Pillars

11 Plateau Utd

12 Shooting

13 El-Kanemi

14 Tornadoes

15 Heartland

16 A’ Warriors

17 W’ Wolves

18 MFM FC

19 Ikorodu Utd

20 Giwa FC

NPFL RESULTS Enyimba

2-1 Akwa Utd

Ikorodu Utd

1-1

3SC

4-0 Kano Pillars

Rivers Utd

2-0 Plateau Utd

Nasarawa Utd 1-0

El-Kanemi

Rangers

IfeanyiUbah

1-0 Wikki

Tornadoes

2-0 Lobi

office. Speaking on the backdrop of the recent partnership deal between the LMC and Star Larger, Baribote said that the LMC refused to disclose the value of the deal so as to continue to swindle the clubs in the league. “I have said it for the umpteenth time that LMC is fraudulently concocted by Bolaji and Maigari after I was illegally removed from office as NPFL chairman,” Baribote said. “Abdulahi and Maigari are still benefiting from the LMC. That is why they can’t account for all the sponsorship deals they have entered into. “LMC is illegal and until

they address the injustice they have done to me, there can never be peace in Nigeria football. There is no way the NFF and LMC can get it right. They are cursed and they will continue to make one mistake after the other. Do they really need a soothsayer to tell them that the game is up after all these catalogues of failures? Baribote added that the club chairmen in 2013 declared the LMC illegal through a letter to the NFF Congress in Warri but today Shehu Dikko has settled all of these so-called club managers and they are singing another tune. "But that does not make LMC a legal entity."

NIGERIAN PREMIER LEAGUE ROUND-UP

Shooting trash Kano Pillars 4-0

tie against Tanzania in Uyo. However, it appears he will head back to France after the game instead of staying behind to prosecute his plans of scouting local talents from the league in preparation for the first World Cup 2018 qualifiers tie against Zambia. The reason why he could be heading back is according to him, the accommodation he was promised when he signed his two year deal to coach Nigeria is not yet ready. BBC’s Osasu Obayiuwana who has been keeping in touch with the German, posted on twitter said the manager made it known that he is ready to reside in Nigeria once the accommodation is ready. “I am looking forward to settling down in Abuja, as soon as my apartment, as promised by the NFF is arranged,” he told Osasu. “I will be watching league matches across Nigeria to search for talents, in addition to using the players in Europe”.

Stories by Charles Ogundiya

Wikki, Rangers lose

t was a revenge mission for Shooting Stars of Ibadan after thrashing former league champion, Kano Pillars 4-0 in Ibadan on Sunday. It would be recalled that during the first stanza of the season, Kano Pillars handed the Oluyole Warriors their biggest defeat of the season in a 6-0 beating in Kano. Former Ikorodu United striker, Ifegwu Ojukwu, started the onslaught with the first goal as early as the 10th minute of the game with Ajani Ibrahim doubling the lead 20 minutes later. With the home team going into the break with the two goals lead, Sunday Adetunji returned in the second half to score a brace to end the game 4-0 in favour of the home team. The two top teams in the league, Wikki Tourists and Rangers, both lost their games away to IfeanyiUbah and Nasarawa United respectively, with Rangers dropping to the fourth position on the table. Two goals in each half by Bernard Ovoke and Daniel Israel gave Rivers United a 2-0 victory against Plateau United as they climbed joint top with Wikki Tourists on 53 points.

Niger Tornadoes defeated Lobi Stars 2-0 while the game involving Ikorodu United and El-kanemi Warriors ended 1-1. Meanwhile, there was report of fans unrest in the game between Sunshine Stars and Heartland played in Akure. The media officer of Heartland told New Telegraph on the telephone that there was crisis after the game ended 1-1. He however failed to mention the cause of the crisis.

Nasarawa's Ichull Lordson in action against Rangers.

Emmanuel visits Akwa United fans in hospital

kwa Ibom State Governor, Udom Emmanuel, on Sunday visited Akwa United Football Club supporters who had an accident on Saturday. The accident occurred when the supporters’ club members were on their way to Port Harcourt along UyoPort Harcourt road to support their team in Saturday’s Nigeria Professional Football League Matchday 33 fixture against Enyimba at the Yakubu Gowon Stadium. The accident left one dead, and several others injured and are currently in the hospital

receiving treatment. The governor ordered that those whose cases were serious be transferred to the state specialist hospital and insisted that their case should be treated with utmost priority. "They were on state duty as it were and we must accord them that honour. I came to cheer them up and to tell them that government will make sure they get the best of treatment until they recover fully," he said. The state Sports Commissioner, Monday Ukoh, told journalists that he was grateful to the governor for the

prompt reaction and interest for the well-being of his fellow statesmen. Akwa United Club Chairman Paul Bassey said it was a sad day for Akwa Ibom Sports and thanked the Governor for alleviating the pains of the injured. "There were signs of relief on their faces as the governor spoke to them individually. I do not think they believed he would come around, but he did, shelving other state engagements. It is a big psychological boost that will quicken their recovery"

US OPEN

MONDAY, AUGUST 31, 2016 NEW TELEGRAPH

Nadal relishes US Open challenge

afael Nadal is looking forward to competing at the US Open after enduring another injuryravaged campaign. The 14-time major champion has been plagued by a wrist injury over recent months, with the problem forcing him to withdraw from the French Open and missed Wimbledon. The 30-year-old's only grand slam experience of the season was a surprise first-round exit at the Australian Open in January, and he admits he is excited by the prospect of competing at Flushing Meadows for the final major of the year. "If you're not excited

Nadal

about the US Open, you're not a tennis player," he said. The world number five did compete at the Rio Olympics earlier this month, reaching the semi-finals in the men's singles, and winning gold in men's doubles alongside Marc Lopez. Nadal went straight

from Rio to compete at the Cincinnati Masters, where he was beaten in the third round by Borna Coric of Croatia, and he concedes that he is still working his way back to full fitness. "I am better, I am a little bit better," he continued. "It's true that the wrist bothers me a little bit less every day. I need to understand again to hit my normal forehand. During the wrist injury, always you try to find movements to avoid the pain." The Spaniard will take on Uzbekistan's Denis Istomin in the first round of the US Open, as he bids to replicate the successes he achieved in the competition in 2010 and 2013.

Serena

Serena keeps things in perspective

...seeks Grand Slam singles record

espite everything Serena Williams has won and done, her sense of self can still fluctuate based on the outcome of a particular match. Doesn’t always seem to matter that she owns a record-tying 22 major singles titles heading into the U.S. Open, and not necessarily a big deal to her that she’s spent the past 3½ years entrenched at No. 1.

And there are times when the 34-year-old American basically forgets that she transcends her sport and has become a cultural icon away from the tennis court. “Unfortunately, I definitely do, which I don’t think is normal. I definitely feel like when I lose, I don’t feel as good about myself,” she said. “But then I have to, like, remind myself that: ‘You

are Serena Williams!’ You know? Like, ‘Are you kidding me?’ ” Williams continued. “And it’s those moments that I have to just, like, come off and be like, ‘Serena, do you know what you’ve done? Who you are? What you continue to do, not only in tennis, (but also) off the court? Like, you’re awesome.’ That really just shows the human side of me. I’m not a robot.”

Murray unconcerned by duo's woes

urray arrives in New York as the man in form and arguably favourite to lift a fourth grand slam title on the back of a superb summer that has already included winning Wimbledon and an Olympic gold medal. The Scot's case was further strengthened on Friday when Djokovic, his chief rival, announced the wrist problem that hampered him at the Olympics had still not healed and "private issues", now resolved, had festered behind his summer slump. With Roger Federer ab-

sent from Flushing Meadows while he recovers from a back problem and Nadal still suffering from a wrist injury of his own, the year's final major tournament suddenly appears there for Murray's taking. The world number two, however, is unconvinced. "To be honest, Novak and Rafa, they're both in the top half. Them having wrist problems doesn't affect my chances of getting to the final as I wouldn't have to play them in that stage anyway," Murray said. "I think Rafa pretty much

Murray

proved his fitness in Rio, playing a lot of tennis, winning the doubles and also playing as many matches as anyone there. And in singles as well.

SPORT

Pat Ekeji’s Corner patrick.ekeji@yahoo.com 08159364282 (sms only)

Ignorance is certainly not bliss I was surfing online sat morning of August 20, trying to decide on my next subject for my column on Monday 21st when my eyes caught a story titled “NO BLUE PRINT FOR SPORTS DEVELOPMENT IN NIGERIA”. This story was signed-off by Agabu Pwanagba, on Monday, 19th August in which he profusely quoted the current President of Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN). Well it was either the subject of the speech or, it was an inference. Promptly I chose to treat as a subject worthy of discussion. While in office, I chose to ignore a whole lot of comments on sports development by the sports press, many of who showed knowledge ignorance in their supposed area of competence. Some years ago the refrain used to be that “Nigeria had no sports policy”. In 2009, the existing sports policy before then was reviewed, in which a time frame of five years was proposed for another review. To the best of my knowledge, 2009 policy is yet to be reviewed. My good friend Mr Tayo Balogun, a seasoned sports journalist now in retirement, used to be quite frustrated with my decision to ignore almost all the uncomplimentary comments about my office and person while I was the DG. He kept reminding me of what his late dad, who was a politician, used to say about inappropriate comments made about a public officer, especially if carried in the dailies and the concerned person remained mute or does not insist on a rebuttal. My response to him then was that public officers were not permitted to join in public debates of any nature except if the political head so directs, and besides, I would not honor such commentators with a response. He would remind me further that the press shapes the perception of stakeholders about an office or an officer. While in agreement, I still insisted on remaining silent even though I knew how to execute appropriate responses. But as a matter of fact, just how many of such uncomplimentary remarks can a public officer (especially one like myself whose name has been in the sports arena for like ever) respond to? If I had that kind of time, then I must have been an idle officer. Now I have the time, the space and the language. I therefore desire, not just to correct the SWAN President, but to inform the reading public as well as educate many sports writers who still wallow in ignorance. Policies are statements of intent made by governments, corporate bodies, individuals or groups that share common interests. In the

instant matter the Sports sector was established by government with clear mandate in that sector. Those mandates are policies which the Ministries,Departments and Agencies fine-tune into operational modules, called “Implementation guidelines”. It is therefore inconceivable that there would be “no sports policy” according to the SWAN President. This is crass show of ignorance of a fundamental understanding of the word and its essence in governance. From my brief expose, it is clear that all MDAs have policies that guide them. I should suggest to the SWAN President to rather convene a discussion on issues that hinder sports development in our country and thereafter vociferously put same across for appropriate attention and action. Going by the reasoning of the SWAN President it might well be said that all MDAs of the Federal Republic of Nigeria have no policies? Of course not! I have read various commentaries from all and sundry, in prints and electronic media, on why TEAM NIGERIA did not done well, it’s the same old chorus of “start now to prepare for Tokyo 2020”. Let me say bluntly that it will amount to a colossal waste of time and effort to embark on “finding out why TEAM NIGERIA again “failed” in Rio. There have been many of such reports, one of which is that of the Presidential Retreat on Sports convened in October, 2012. Now an archival document,all that need be done are contained therein. The Hon Minister is advised to institute an IMPLEMENTATION body and be bold enough to defend it in the Federal Executive Council. Hon Minister this is your legacyin-waiting. Given my experience, the body would require a legislation to give it strength, meaning and purpose. This can be worked out and expeditiously too. I should also re-state that the National Sports Commission needs be returned and firmly established by an Act. I should further advice that we MUST rise beyond the usual blame game. In reality, the results we posted in Rio and London are consequences of weakened administrative systems arising from inconsistent political leadership in the sports sector and unless this is addressed, we shall continue to end up as minnows. 2012 and 2016 would not be the first time Nigeria did poorly at the Olympics. In sports, good results depend on the quality of investments and management, from the bottom to the apex. I remain optimistic in the belief that the willingness to do the right things towards the anticipated Gold ‘rush’ in Tokyo 2020 starts now.

On Marble

A rumour that has fulfilled its aim would always have one more battle to fulfill against the truth.

World Record

Sanctity of Truth

The heaviest person in medical history was Jon Brower Minnoch (USA)(1941–83), who had suffered from obesity since childhood. He was 185 cm (6 ft 1 in) tall and weighed 178 kg (392 lb or 28 st) in 1963, 317 kg (700 lb or 50 st) in 1966 and 442 kg (975 lb or 69 st 9 lb) in September 1976.

NIGERIA’S MOST AUTHORITATIVE NEWSPAPER IN POLITICS AND BUSINESS

– Kingsley Ogbeide-Ihama

MONDAY, AUGUST 29, 2016

N150

Public arena T he column you write

Civil Service: From profession to professionalism Tunji Olaopa

he structural, political-economic injustice and general cynicism about reform which stifle development and nation building in Nigeria will not stop us from innovative experimentation. Indeed, one of the significant efforts which have been directed at reawakening the consciousness of Nigerians to the potentials inherent in Nigeria is the massive efforts at rebranding Nigeria, a strategy I thought is worth considering within framework of a civil service change agenda. Under the indefatigable energy and the charismatic forcefulness of the late Prof. Dora Akunyili, the rebranding was targeted at rethinking the Nigeria brand that has taken a massive battering since independence in 1960 to date. What made rebranding critical and urgent? Simple: Nigeria has an unarguably terrible image problem that requires critical reversal. The image problem however goes beyond a mere attempt at transforming the way the world sees us. According to Akunyili, “if we do not make any concrete effort to address our image problem, the situation will continue to get worse, and Nigerians will not only be ridiculed as a people, but investors will also be discouraged from coming to invest in Nigeria.” Thus, Nigeria’s image problem is intrinsically connected to Nigeria’s development malaise. Thus, “good people; great nation” became a powerful brand slogan that flew with the power of technology across Nigeria. It became truly a catchphrase that caught the fancy of the people. There were jingles and adverts. But then, it gradually fizzled out. Why? Simple: The power of a strong brand is not its advertorial beauty but its authenticity. Jeff Bezos puts it well: “A brand for a company is like a reputation for a person. You earn reputation by trying to do hard things well.” Nigeria’s current reality is not enough to force the rebranding slogan into the very hearts of Nigerians. So, while the slogan has a sonorous quality in the mouth, the heart recoils at its shallowness. It is clear to ordinary Nigerians that Nigeria lacks a development reputation that makes a rebranding slogan authentic. Which raises the question, what is the new identity that the Nigerian civil service wants to create in the minds of the public as customers, the politicians as partners in progress, the international community as keen observer with stake in the Nigerian Project, the press as interlocutor, the youth as leaders in the now and in the future, PMB as an integrity brand, and other stakeholders? Two, can the civil service choose a rebranding track without getting into the trenches to do a deep-seated reengineering to get the basics of the profession and its administrative system right? Three, is basic housekeeping in the MDAs enough without the launch of a strategy or a civil service change

Akunyili

Mrs. Oyo-Ita, Head of Service

agenda that has a robust culture change component? How long will it take to create the right work culture, performancerooted accountability praxis including a social compact with the Nigerian public that is the brand to build on in order to transform the civil service into an intelligent, information-rich, professional, entrepreneurial service that is sufficiently inspired to uphold the vision of a transformed Nigeria as evidence that system inadequacies and those malpractices with which the service is associated have been eliminated? What is needed to ground a real reputation that can be sold to Nigerians therefore, is another kind of rebranding which is germane to Nigeria’s real image in the sight of her citizens and in the perception of the world. Essentially, Nigeria’s development profile and democratic status are unflattering. This is starkly demonstrated in the existential agonies of her citizens—pandemic poverty, pervasive unemployment, decreasing income, infrastructural decay, galloping inflation, etc. The rhetorical strength of the rebranding slogan is not sufficient to suppress these realities. Something else is required; something that stands at the heart of the institutional renewal that could transform the governance dynamics of Nigeria and give her a new brand that sells without much effort. Why I’m I suggesting in this piece that what needs

a rigorous and committed rebranding first is the Nigerian civil service system? Why is the civil service necessary for rethinking the governance dynamics in Nigeria? I can readily think of seven solid reasons: (a) there is the service presence throughout the country and its strong binding character; and therefore, the difference that would be made to the Nigeria brand with (b) the civil service enhanced administrative and managerial capacity; (c) effective policy-making and regulation; (d) effective coordination between institutions of governance; (e) creative leadership at different levels of administration; (f) transformed service delivery at the cutting edge and frontline level; and (g) strategic intelligence in the ‘continuity and change’ the civil service provides to the successive administration, can only be imagined. Yet, all these are compromised by Nigeria’s current development troubles because there is a directly proportional relationship between democratic governance in Nigeria and the institutional capacity of the civil service. Nigeria’s governance woe is the function of its politics, its decision making processes and implementation inadequacies and it would be ‘technicist’ to reform one and not the other though when public administration fails, Nigeria’s image suffers. It is therefore impossible to rebrand Nigeria without a prior rebranding of her civil service system. And with the civil service, rebranding transcends advertising a mere slogan. Rebranding is inherently reforming! It would require much more than paying lip service to reform. It would require deep-seated rethinking and change in the profession and the management system in a process that must be seen by all stakeholders to be managed without any iota of politicization, as just a bit of perceived politicization will sure discredit such a change initiative. Take two examples. In ancient pharaonic Egypt and modern Germany, the civil service began its life as a vocation, a spe-

Nigeria lacks a development reputation that makes a rebranding slogan authentic

cific and peculiar calling that is not just available to all. At a specific point in the expansion of ancient Egypt, the pharaoh realized the need for an administrative class that will help in coordinating the task of governing the state. The task of tax collection, for instance, would pose a huge administrative challenge requiring centralisation. And centralisation would also later give rise to specialisation, especially represented by the gigantic administrative headache posed by the building of the pyramids. The governance genius of the pharaoh however consisted in the realisation that such an administrative class must be properly trained and capacitated to carry out its national responsibility. This was the origin of a special scribal class that was not only professional or educated but also essentially patriotic. The civil service eventually evolved from a primitive administrative necessity to a full-fledged vocation in modern times. When we talk of the civil service, we refer to an institution that has at its centre a specific idea of a unique bureaucratic persona defined by some unique sets of attributes and mentalities. In this sense, a profession becomes a calling or a vocation when it becomes integrated within an ethical framework and is attached to larger vision and purpose beyond itself. It is in this sense that a bureaucrat is ‘called’ to serve the state and a purpose beyond him/herself. Thus, what the priesthood is to God, the civil service is to a nation. According to Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr., the US judge, “every calling is great when greatly pursued.” The civil service in Nigeria has suffered terrible reversal since the postcolonial realities in Nigeria de-professionalised it as a calling. The civil service has thus lost its honour. • Dr. Olaopa (tolaopa2003@yahoo.com), Executive Vice Chairman, Ibadan School of Government and Public, Policy (ISGPP), Ibadan.

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