New tuesday, july 28, 2015 vol 2 no 524 by Newtelegraphonline

I won’t resign, says deputy speaker, Lasun

Crude falls below $54, threatens oil savings lNigeria's output to exceed 2.3m barrels daily Adeola Yusuf

he global benchmark Brent crude hit a four-month

low yesterday, threatening the expected accretion to the Excess Crude Account (ECA) this year. The steep decline in oil

prices had forced the National Assembly to settle for $53 per barrel as the oil benchmark price for this year’s budget, down

from $65 proposed by the executive, which had to adjust it twice, from $78 to $73, and later to $65. The ECA, into which

the country saves the difference between the market price of oil and the budget benchmark to CONTINUED ON PAGE 5

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Vol. 2 No. 524

WAEC threatens to withhold results of 19 states over N4bn debt }9

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N150

Court rejects bid to stop Senate Rules forgery probe Akpabio

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Buhari: Qualities my ministers must have

}2, 5 lWarns APC lawmakers not to let PDP return lPresident fails to broker truce in House leadership crisis

L-R: Chief Executive Officer, Global Entrepreneurship Network, Mr. Jonathan Ortmans; United States President Barack Obama; Founder, Tony Elumelu Foundation, Mr. Tony Elumelu and Chairman, Africa Growth Initiative, Mr. Sriram Bharatam, during the Global Entrepreneurship Summit in Nairobi, Kenya...at the weekend.

Jonathan’s minister stole $6bn oil fund –Oshiomhole}6

News

TUESDAY, JULY 28, 2015 NEW TELEGRAPH

Buhari: Qualities my ministers must have Anule Emmanuel and Onyekachi Eze Abuja

resident Muhammadu Buhari yesterday listed qualities he would consider in choosing his ministers. He said nobody of questionable character would make the list. Buhari, while featuring on breakfast programme on the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA), 'Good Morning Nigeria,' also reiterated his position that he would not interfere in the leadership crisis that has

forced the National Assembly to adjourn twice since its inauguration on June 9. Buhari, who in an opinion article published in Washington Post last week revealed that his cabinet would not be ready before September, said he would take time to appoint persons with proven integrity as ministers. "From what I have seen so far, we need very patriotic Nigerians, Nigerians that can work very hard with knowledgeable experience, committed Nigerians to be in charge of ministries. A lot of institutions in Nigeria are compromised, everybody for

himself and God for all of us. It is most unfortunate. "We have people, educated and experienced people, but everybody seems to be working for himself on how much they could get away with as soon as possible. "We have to look for technocrats and politicians. We have to look out for decent people in this class to give them the responsibility of being in charge of ministries and important parastatals," the president added. The president warned feuding members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the National As-

sembly against the dire consequences of the festering leadership crisis rocking the federal legislature. The president told them that they should set aside their differences and close ranks so as not to give room for the return of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) that was ousted in the last general elections after 16 years in power. According to the president, rather than putting personal ambitions at the fore front, the lawmakers should consider the interest of the party and Nigerians and resolve the leadership crisis while supporting his administration

Speaker, House of Representatives, Hon. Yakubu Dogara (left) with the leader of the Gbajabiamila Group, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, during a meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari and All Progressives Congress (APC) House caucus in Abuja...yesterday PHOTO: TIMOTHY IKUOMENISAN

to succeed. He said he was not interested in interfering in the leadership crisis since the National Assembly was an independent arm of government. He said: "I have to be very sensitive to the constitution of the country. I do not like to be told by anybody, especially the legislators, that I am interfering in their matter. There are three arms of government: executive, legislature and the judiciary. Over the last 16 years, they have developed the system of choosing their leaders. "There is no way I can directly interfere. All I can do through the party is to appeal to their conscience that what I already observed, we should go over it as soon as possible. When I say we, I mean the APC. "We cannot win the battle and lose the war. We must not allow individual personal ambitions to succeed in dividing us and allow PDP to deal with us. "This is what the National Assembly has allowed so far, the APC is giving the PDP the allowance to take over the government again. This is extremely disheartening, I am very worried." The president also expressed concern that crude oil theft was still going on in the Niger Delta. According to him, the relevant shipping documents are being compiled for onward submission to countries of destination of stolen Nigerian crude oil. “The search continues; up to the third of this month, our crude was still being illegally lifted by people who are in government. “We are trying to get

States to get N300bn bailout in ‘matter of weeks' Anule Emmanuel Abuja

he 36 states of the federation would soon start to drawn down on the N300 billion bailout promised by the Federal Government. The presidency said yesterday the Federal Government was finalising the process for the full implementation of the three-pronged financial intervention programme to save the states from a financial crisis. A statement by the Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity to the Vice-President, Mr. Laolu Akande, said the state governments would start benefiting from the special intervention fund of between N250 billion to N300 billion in a "matter of weeks".

He said planning meetings were being held between members of the Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) and Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) on one hand as well as the CBN and commercial banks on the other hand. According to Akande, “Such meetings are reviewing loan profiles of the states, issues around restructuring of existing loans, including time span, and reconciling the figures. “Already, it has been agreed that existing state loans be restructured for 20 years, and regarding the bond option, the rates to be applied would be marketbased but with a cap to make it affordable. Within weeks from now, the states are expected to start benefiting from this two other parts of the presidential

intervention. "The presidential intervention, which is in three parts, shows that there will be sharing of about $2.1 billion in fresh allocation between the states and the Federal Government. "The money was sourced from recent LNG proceeds to the Federation Account and its release okayed by the president. "There is also a central bank-packaged special intervention fund to the tune of about N250 billion to N300 billion that will offer financing to the states. "This would be a soft loan available to states. A debt relief programme by the CBN and Debt Management Office (DMO), which will help states convert their commercial bank loans into bonds, and restructuring such loans by extending their life span thereby reducing the debt-

servicing expenditures of the states is now in place.” Akande said by extending the commercial loans of the states, the third part of the presidential intervention would therefore make available more funds to the state governments which otherwise would have been removed at source by the banks. “To be able to offer this option to the states, President Muhammadu Buhari brought the financial muscle of the Federal Government to bear on behalf of the states guaranteeing the elongation of the loans. “Besides, the availability of the $2.1 billion from the Nigerian Liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG) which has now been shared to the states was made possible because President Buhari set a new fiscal standard and tone that all monies gen-

erated should go to the Federation Account. Before that constitutional standard was upheld by the president, LNG dividends were going to other Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) designated accounts. “None of the three parts of this intervention would have been possible without the creativity and approval of President Buhari. It should be noted that the backlog of the salaries in some of the states went back several months before the president took office. “To date, the states have now drawn from the LNG taxes and dividends totalling $2.1 billion, besides a second sharing from the Federation Account, that is, the regular monthly allocations, a sum of over N518 billion last week,” he added.

these documents. We are getting the cooperation of the international community. “We are going to make sure that those who perpetrated this theft against Nigeria are faced with facts very soon and are taken to our courts. “We’ve got the cooperation of some of the countries of the destinations of our crude and we are discussing with them. “We have to maintain high confidentiality so that we don’t risk some of the loyal Nigerians that are helping us to trace the destinations of this stolen crude and then the accounts into which the monies are being paid instead of the Federal Government account,” the president said. He described his recent trip to the United States as successful as he was able to extract the commitment of Washington to assist and support Nigeria toward tackling the economic and security challenges it was facing. He said that the US and other European countries had also pledged to assist Nigeria by putting in place necessary security mechanism in the Gulf of Guinea to help check the theft of the country’s crude. Meanwhile, the PDP has said the resort to insult and abuse by the APC whenever issues of governance are raised is due to its lack of experience and direction. In a statement yesterday by its National Publicity Secretary, Mr. Olisa Metuh, PDP said insults and abuse could not be the solution but a confirmation of the insincerity and emptiness of the APC as a ruling party. It said APC failed to provide answers to burning national issues that bordered on the government's lack of transparency, abuse of power, dwindling economy, escalating insecurity and apparent failure of governance since it assumed power. "Furthermore, the nation is still waiting for the APC and the presidency to address the issue of the divisive and tendentious statement by President Buhari who declared to the world that he would run a discriminatory government based on voting pattern in the last general elections, in clear violation of his oath of office and the provisions of the constitution," the statement added. It said the APC failed to address the issue of the recent harassment of former First Lady, Mrs. Patience Jonathan, at the Port Harcourt Airport.

News

NEW TELEGRAPH TUESDAY, JULY 28, 2015

I won’t resign, says deputy speaker, Lasun lHouse warns Gbajabiamila group against violence Philip Nyam Abuja

ouse of Repr e s e n t a t ive s Deputy Speaker, Hon. Yusuf Lasun, yesterday vowed not to step down for anybody amid calls for his resignation to pave the way for the emergence of former Minority Leader, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, as House leader. Lasun, while receiving members of his constituency, under the auspices of Ilobu Development Association, Abuja chapter, that paid him a courtesy call, described calls for his resignation as laughable. The deputy speaker has been under pressure to resign so that Gbajabiamila, who is from the South-West like him, would emerge the House leader as proposed by the leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC). House Speaker, Hon. Yakubu Dogara, has rejected the APC's recommendation for Gbajabiamila to be majority leader on the grounds that it would be unfair for the South-West that produced Lasun to also fill the majority leader's post. Rather, he proposed that the Gbajabiamila group should nominate another person to fill the post. However, the APC leadership has mounted pressure on Lasun to quit to weaken Dogara's stance. It was gathered that the party at the weekend met with Dogara and Lasun with a view to persuade the deputy speaker to resign. But Lasun told his kinsmen that asking him to resign amounts to injustice. He said: “If an Ilobu man is the deputy speaker of the House of Representatives in Nigeria today, we have made our own mark and we have contributed to APC. So, anybody talking about Yusuf Lasun's resignation only want to cheat the Ilobu people who have toiled all day and night, having contributed to what APC is in Nigeria today. “When I look at that angle alone, I laugh. On this note I'm assuring you that not only that my colleagues on June 9 elected me on the floor of the House; it was not an appointment, it was an election that was beamed live, and it was watched all over the world, and don't forget that there were 358 members of that House that were present and inaugurated that day. “Having gone through all that, it will be difficult for anybody to want to say that part of the solution, part of options opened to

APC now is to allow the deputy speaker to resign so that there can be peace in the House.” He spoke just as the Dogara-led leadership warned members opposed to the speaker to desist from fomenting trouble and indulging in unruly behaviour. The House was forced to adjourn on June 25 after a fight broke out between supporters of Dogara and that of Gbajabiamila over disagreement in the choice of principal officers. The warning was contained in separate statements issued by both the ad hoc Committee on Code of Conduct and the ad hoc Committee on Media and Public Affairs. The committees also denied allegations by Gbajabiamila group that the House leadership was planning to prevent some of its members from gaining entrance to the chambers. The Code of Conduct Committee in a statement yesterday by its Chairman, Hon. Aminu Shehu Shagari, said: “The committee will no longer tolerate any unruly behaviour by any member of the House, no matter how highly placed. Members who have grievances are advised to explore peaceful avenues of seeking redress instead of resorting to violence on the floor of the House, or the precincts of the National Assembly. “There are adequate sanctions in place to penalise any member who may want to disrupt the peace during plenary, committee meetings or other legislative functions of the House. “The House will deal decisively with any member who violates the rules, disrupts plenary, or is found wanting of misconduct and other sundry offences.” In another statement by a member of the Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Hon. Abdulrazak Namdas, the leadership denied any plot to bar members from the chambers It said: “We wish to state that the 8th House of Representatives under the able leadership of our Speaker, Rt. Hon. Yakubu Dogara, is a responsible parliament that would never contemplate anything like that. It is the right and freedom of every member to attend plenary, committee meetings and even access their offices without any hindrance. “There was never a time the leadership considered blocking members from the National Assembly. The allegations can best be described as baseless, unfounded and figment of their imagination.

“Members are hereby advised to, in accordance with relevant provisions of the House Rules, Legislative Houses Powers and Privileges Act, and the Code of Conduct of the House, conduct themselves with decorum and in a manner deserving of honourable members of the House, during plenary, committee meetings and other legislative engagements in the House." Namdas also dismissed insinuation that the leadership was trying to truncate President Muhammadu Buhari`s anti-corruption crusade. “We find this allegation as uncharitable and unbecoming of a House member. The Speaker Yakubu Dogara`s record of incorruptibility endeared him to the members which cul-

minated in his election as Speaker on June 9. “We advise the members who lost out in the election of presiding and principal officers to emulate those who have accepted the olive branch extended to them by Mr. Speaker in the interest of peace, and stability of the House. Nigerians should ignore the allegations by members who lost out in the leadership election as it is both baseless and unfortunate,” he said. The Gbajabiamila-led Loyalists Group at the weekend had alleged that the speaker had planned to bar its members from the chambers because of their loyalty to the party and Gbajabiamila. Also yesterday, one of Gbajabiamila’s major supporters, Hon. Alhassan

Ado Doguwa (APC, Kano), who has been tipped to emerge as the majority leader, has justified his decision to support Dogara. Doguwa, who along with some members of the Loyalists Group at the weekend dumped Gbajabiamila to team up with the speaker, said they took the decision in the interest of peace and unity of the country. He added that they have nothing personal against the party’s candidate but have to work in national interest to deliver good governance to the electorate. Doguwa, in an interview monitored on TVC News, said he had worked for Gbajabiamila to be speaker as a loyal member of the party but since the party had accepted the election of Dogara, he did

not have any justifiable reasons to continue fighting the speaker. Reacting to the question that he betrayed Gbajabiamila, the Kano lawmaker said: “No, I very much disagree with that because Femi has been a very good friend of mine after being in that political arrangement. I speak with Femi every 24 hours, even this morning I spoke with him. We have also exchanged ideas and views based on the nature I see this crisis and based on the nature he looks at it. My view has always been consistently about the position of the party. I was with Gbajabiamila and was fighting Dogara because he defied the position of the party to become the speaker of the House of Representatives.”

L-R: Acting Director General, Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Mr. Haruna Baba Jauro and Executive Director, Maritime Labour and Cabotage Services, Mr. Calistus Nwabueze Obi, during the handover ceremony in Lagos…yesterday.

Buhari fails to broker truce in House leadership crisis lPro-Lawan senators boycott peace talks Anule Emmanuel and Chukwu David Abuja

he peace meeting convened by President Muhammadu Buhari with members of the House of Representatives elected on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to end the leadership crisis in the National Assembly yesterday did not yield positive result. Members emerged from the meeting, which lasted for just about 20 minutes, singing discordant tunes; signifying that no concrete agreement was reached to

resolve the crisis as the National Assembly reconvenes today. The meeting was attended by House Speaker, Hon. Yakubu Dogara and his group. The other faction of the House, led by Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila also attended the meeting. However, leaders of both factions stood their grounds. Buhari, at the meeting, had urged the lawmakers to meet with the leadership of the APC to fashion out ways of resolving the dispute. While speaking with State House Correspondents on the outcome of

the meeting, Gbajabiamila described it as a "family meeting." "I believe that by this night (yesterday) there will be compromise," Gbajabiamila who contested against Dogara for the speakership said. He said the meeting deliberated on the need to uphold party supremacy, adding that before the end of the day, Nigerians would be briefed on the decision reached. He said: "We are still talking. But I think this is the first time everybody is coming together in a cordial atmosphere. "It is not about magic, this is a family that has

come together and we are here to resolve the problem and we shall move ahead to resolve the issue this evening. "The important thing is that the country wants to move ahead. The House wants to move ahead and the party wants to move ahead. Move ahead, we shall." APC National Chairman, Chief John OdigieOyegun, who also spoke on the outcome, said: "You will be very surprised that a lot was achieved in 20 minutes." He said there was a compromise as everybody came out smiling. CONTINUED ON PAGE 5

Travel Advisory

TUESDAY, JULY 28, 2015 NEW TELEGRAPH

International Flight Schedule Air France Destination Abuja- Paris Paris-Lagos Paris-PHC PHC-Paris Paris –Abuja Lagos –Paris

KLM

air maroc Flight No. AF 513 AF 3822 AF514 AF513 AF514 AF3849

Departure 23.55hrs 10.55hrs 11:00hrs 21:20hrs 11:00hrs 23:55hrs

Arrival 6:05hrs 17:15hrs 19:15hrs 6:05hrs 17:00hrs 6:20hrs

Amsterdam-Lagos KL587 Lagos-Amsterdam KL588

13:15hrs 20:00hrs 23:05hrs 05:50hrs

Lagos-London London-Lagos Lagos-New York New York-Lagos Lagos-Johannesburg Johannesburg-Lagos Lagos-Douala Douala-Lagos Lagos-Accra

W3 101 W3 102 W3 107 (Wed, Fri, Sun) W3 108 (Thurs, Sat, Mon) W3 103 W3 104 W3 380 (Mon, Tue, Thurs, Sat) W3 381 (Mon, Tue, Thurs, Sat) W3 300 W3 304 W3 301 W3 305 W3 386 (Wed, Fri, Sun) W3 387 (Thurs, Sat, Mon) W3 386 (Wed, Fri, Sun) W3 388 (Tue, Thurs, Sat) W3 387 (Thurs, Sat, Mon) W3 389 (Wed, Fri, Sun) W3 362 (Tue, Thurs, Sat) W3 363 (Wed, Fri, Sun) W3 390 (Mon, Wed, Fri, Sun) W3 391 (Mon, Wed, Fri, Sun) W3 380/390 (Daily) W3 381 (Mon, Tue, Thurs, Sat) W3 391 (Wed, Fri, Sun)

12:00hrs 21:30hrs 23:30hrs 12:25hrs 13:30hrs 23:15hrs 11:15hrs 14:45hrs 07:20hrs 07:00hrs 08:05hrs 17:45hrs 19:49hrs 01:50hrs 19:40hrs 20:30hrs 00:25hrs 03:00hrs 21:30hrs 02:00hrs 11:15hrs 13:35hrs 11:15hrs 17:00hrs

18:45hrs 04:15hrs 05:30hrs 04:00hrs 20:40hrs 04:30hrs 14:00hrs 17:30hrs 07:20hrs 17:00hrs 10:05hrs 19:45hrs 22:15hrs 06:25hrs 22:15hrs 00:30hrs 06:25hrs 09:00hrs 00:30hrs 05:hrs 12:50hrs 17:10hrs 11:45hrs 17:30hrs

16:40hrs

17:10hrs

W3 363 (Wed, Fri, Sun) W3 390 (Mon, Wed, Fri, Sun) W3 391 (Mon, Wed, Fri, Sun) W3 380/390 (Daily)

02:00hrs 05:hrs 11:15hrs 12:50hrs

ARIK AIR

Accra-Lagos Lagos-Banjul Banjul-Lagos Lagos-Dakar Dakar-Lagos Lagos-Luanda Luanda-Lagos Lagos-Abidjan Abidjan-Lagos Lagos-Cotonou Cotonou-Lagos

16:40hrs 17:10hrs Abidjan-Lagos Lagos-Cotonou

13:35hrs

17:10hrs

11:15hrs

11:45hrs

17:00hrs

21:30hrs

00:30hrs

W3 363 (Wed, Fri, Sun)

02:00hrs 05:hrs

Cotonou-Lagos W3 391 (Wed, Fri, Sun)

16:40hrs

W3 391 (Mon, Wed, Fri, Sun) W3 380/390 (Daily) W3 381 (Mon, Tue, Thurs, Sat) 17:00hrs

13:35hrs

17:10hrs

11:15hrs 07:35hrs

11:45hrs 12:50hrs

14:20hrs

19:45hrs

EK 761

23:55hrs 10:30hrs

17:10hrs

QR 1414 (daily) QR 1415

14:55hrs 23:45hrs 07:20hrs 13:35hrs

Lagos-Atlanta Atlanta-Lagos

DL053 DL 054

22:15hrs 5:15hrs

05:32hrs 16:15hrs

Lagos-Houston Houston-Lagos

UA 143 UA 142

10:10hrs 19:10hrs

6:05hrs 15.15hrs

Lagos - Addis Ababa Addis Ababa - Lagos Abuja - Addis Ababa Addis Ababa - Abuja Enugu - Addis Ababa Addis Ababa Enugu Kano - Addis Ababa Addis Ababa - Kano

ET900 ET901 ET910 ET911 ET930

13:15hrs 09:00hrs 13:40hrs 09:40hrs 12:00hrs

20:25hrs 12:15hr 20:10hrs 12:20hrs 20:50hrs

ET931

09:20hrs 11:15hrs

ET930 ET931

14:05hrs 20:50hrs 09:20hrs 13:20hrs

Lagos-Madrid Madrid-Lagos

IB 3337 IB 3336

22:55hrs 5:25+1hrs 16:00hrs 20:20hrs

17:10hrs Cotonou-Lagos W3 391 (Wed, Fri, Sun)

16:40hrs

DELTA AIRLINES

UNITED AIRLINES

ETHIOPIAN AIRLINES

IBERIA

Lagos-Casablanca AT738 Casablanca-Lagos AT 737

06:25hrs 09:55hrs 02:15hrs 6:00hrs

Lagos-London London-Lagos

VS 652 VS 651

11:00hrs 17:00hrs 22:40hrs 4:40hrs

Lagos- Abu Dhabi

EY 0672 (Sunday) (Monday) (Saturday)

20.45hrs 07:00hrs 09:50hrs 20:05hrs 09.20 hrs 20:10hrs

Abu Dhabi-Lagos

EY 955

06:30hrs 11:45hrs

Lagos-Cairo Cairo-Lagos

MS 876 MS 875

14:25hrs 22:20hrs 08:30hrs 13:30hrs

Lagos-Nairobi Nairobi-Lagos

KQ 533 KQ 534

12:30hrs 18:00hrs

19:35hrs 23:45hrs

Lagos-Kigali

AWB 201 11:15hrs (Mon, Wed, Fri, Sun) AWB 202 (Tue, Thur, Sat, 14:00hrs Sun)

16:45hrs

VIRGIN ATLANTIC ETIHAD AIRWAYS

EGYPT AIR

KENYA AIRWAYS RwandAir Kigali-Lagos

17:30hrs

Turkish Airlines Lagos-Istanbul Nairobi-Lagos

332 333

22:35hrs 06:00hrs 15:10hrs 21:20hrs

Lagos to Abidjan Abidjan to Lagos

HF 851 (Tues, Thurs, Fri, Sun) 10:10hrs HF 852 (Mon,Wed, Thurs, Sat) 19:20hrs

10:50hrs 21.50hrs

Destination Lome to Abuja Abuja-Lome- Kinshasa Kinshasa-Abuja Abuja-Lome Lome-Lagos Lagos-Libreville Libreville-Kinshasa Kinshasa-Libreville Libreville-Lagos Lagos-Lome Lome-Lagos Lagos-Libreville Libreville-Brazaville Brazaville-Libreville Brazzaville-Lagos Lagos-Lome

Flight No. KP 032 (Tue-Fri) KP 032 ( Tue-Fri) KP 033 (Wed-Sat) KP O33 (Wed-Sat) KP O40 (Sun-Sat) KP 040 (Sun-Sat) KP 040 (Sun-Sat) KP041 (Tue-Sat) KP 041 (Tue-Sat) KP 041 (Tue-Sat) KP O44 (Tue-Fri) KP 044 (Tue-Fri) KP 044 (Tue-Fri) KP O45 (Wed-Sat) KP 045 (Wed-Sat) KP 045 (Wed-Sat)

Arrival 15:55hrs 18:15hrs 10:00hrs 12:20hrs 14:00hrs 16:30hrs 18:45hrs 08:55hrs 11:25hrs 12:45hrs 14:10hrs 16:40hrs 18:50hrs 08:40hrs 11:10hrs 12:30hrs

Air Côte d'Ivoire ASKY AIRLINES

Departure 14:00hrs 16:30hrs 8:20hrs 10:35hrs 13:00hr 14:40hrs 17:00hrs 7:15hrs 9:35hrs 11:55hrs 13:10hrs 14:50hrs 17:10hrs 07:00hrs 09:20hrs 11:40hrs

Local FLIGHT SCHEDULE ARIK AIR

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

AZMAN FLIGHT SCHEDULE

WEEKLY SCHEDULE Kano-Lagos 8:00am Lagos-Abuja 10:30am Abuja-Lagos 12:40pm

Lagos-Abuja/Kano 4:00pm Abuja-Kano 5:45pm Kaduna-Lagos 8:00am Lagos-Kan 10:10am Kano-Abuja/Lagos 12:40pm Abuja-Lagos 1:00pm Abuja-Lagos 2:40pm Lagos-Kaduna 5:00pm WEEKEND SCHEDULE SATURDAY Kano-Lagos 8:00am Lagos-Abuja 10:30am Abuja-Lagos 1:00pm Lagos-Kano 4:00pm Kaduna-Lagos 8:00am Lagos-Kano 4:00pm Sunday Kano-Lagos 8:00am Lagos-Kano 10:30am Kano-Abuja/Lagos 1:20pm Abuja-Lagos 2:40pm Lagos-Kaduna 5:00pm

FIRST NATION AIRWAYS

LAGOS-ABUJA (MON-FRI) 06.50; 09:30; 11:45; 16:00 (SAT) 06:50; 11:45 (SUN) 11:45; 16:00 ABUJA-LAGOS (MON-FRI) 09:00; 11:30; 13:40;18:30 (SAT) 09:00; 13:40 (SUN) 13:40; 18:30 LAGOS-PORT-HARCOURT (MON-FRI) 14:45

(SAT) 16:15 (SUN) 14:45 PORT-HARCOURT-LAGOS (MON-FRI) 16:50 (SAT) 18:20 (SUN) 16:50

AEROCONTRACTORS

LAGOS-ABUJA (MON-FRI) 06:50; 13:30; 16:30; 19:45 (SAT/SUN) 12:30; 16:45 ABUJA-LAGOS (MON-FRI) 07:30; 13:00; 19:00 (SAT) 12:30 (SUN) 15:30

MEDVIEW AIRLINES

LAGOS-ABUJA (MON-FRI) 07:00; 08:50; 12:00; 15:30 (SAT) 10:00; 15:00 (SUN) 17:30; 18:30 ABUJA-LAGOS (MON-FRI) 09:00; 14:00, 15:00; 18:30

OVERLAND AIRWAYS LAGOS-ILORIN (MON-FRI) 07:15 LAGOS-IBADAN (MON-FRI) 7:00 IBADAN-ABUJA (MON-FRI) 08:00 IBADAN-LAGOS (MON-FRI) 16:30 ILORIN –ABUJA (MON-FRI) 08:30 ILORIN –LAGOS (MON-FRI) 17:00 ABUJA-ASABA (MON-FRI) 10:00 ASABA-ABUJA (MON-FRI) 14:15 ASABA-LAGOS (MON-FRI) 11:30 LAGOS-ASABA (MON-FRI) 13:00 ABUJA-ILORIN 16:00 ABUJA-IBADAN 15:00

News

NEW TELEGRAPH TUESDAY, JULY 28, 2015

Court rejects bid to stop Senate Rules forgery probe Tunde Oyesina ABUJA

he Federal High Court, sitting in Abuja, yesterday

rejected an ex-parte application by Senator Gilbert Nnaji to restrain the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Mr. Solomon Arase and the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF)

Nigeria's crude output to exceed 2.3m daily CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

provide a cushion when oil prices fall or extra cash is needed for spending on infrastructure, was rapidly depleted in the fourth quarter of last year as oil revenues plunged. The account, which stood at about $4.11billion in October 2014, dropped to $2.45 billion in December, down from about $3.11billion in November. The balance of the ECA as at May 2015 is $2.07 billion, according to the Ministry of Finance. Oil prices have recently shown signs of stabilising, with Brent trading at $68 per barrel in May, after losing about 60 per cent of its value between June 2014 and January. It reached a peak of $115 per barrel in June last year. Brent, against which Nigeria’s oil is priced, hit $53.33 per barrel on yesterday, its lowest level since late March. The fall came after a steep drop in China's stock markets spread concerns about the economic health of the

world's biggest energy consumer, amid evidence of a growing crude glut. Oil was also pressured by the sharp increase in the United States drilling activity last week, after data on Friday showed producers adding 21 rigs, the most in over a year, suggesting a ramp up in output as crude futures recovered from six-year lows seen in the first quarter, according to Reuters. Meanwhile, Nigeria's crude output is set to receive additional 330, 000 barrels monthly boost from Oil Mining Lease (OML) 113 – a development that will lift the nation’s total daily production to above its current 2.3 million barrels. MX Oil, which is working on the field, announced this yesterday, saying that drilling that had commenced on the Aje 5 production well would be completed in 70 days. The country's output got the additional 330, 000 barrels of crude oil monthly surge from the Aje field, operated by CONTINUED ON PAGE 6

from investigating the allegation that the Senate Standing Order 2015 was forged. Justice Gabriel Kolawole, in declining the request, however, ordered the IGP and the AGF to appear in court on August 4 to show cause why the court should not grant the request contained in the plaintiff ’s ex-parte motion. The allegedly forged Senate Standing Rules was used for the conduct of the elections that produced Senator Bukola

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 3

"As the chairman of the party, I can say that there are no discordant tunes. You can see the Speaker of the House standing firmly beside me. I have a feeling that in another three to four hours and by tomorrow (today), we would have come to a compromise and have good news for the nation," Oyegun said. Dogara, in his reaction, said he had always stood by the party. “I have always stood firmly by the party and like my chairman has just explained, we will do consultations with the party and I am sure sooner than later, we will have good news for Nigerian," he said. While addressing reporters, Deputy Chairman of the House Committee on Media, Hon. Abdulrazak Namdas, said the president appealed to the lawmakers to meet with the party leadership and revert back to him (Buhari) last night. It was, however, gathered yesterday that the leadership crisis rocking the Senate may persist as

The IGP and the AGF are the two respondents to the suit. Ruling on the ex-parte application, Justice Kolawole held that he could not grant the restraining order at the level of ex-parte hearing since it was the same issue the plaintiff canvassed in his substantive suit. He further held that he needed to afford both the IGP and the AGF the opportunity to be heard before taking a decision on the ex-parte prayers. The court also refused

to grant the prayer for accelerated hearing on the grounds that it lacked the power to abridge the 30 days which the defendants were entitled to without their consent. It, however, ordered the plaintiff to serve the court processes on the defendants. The court later adjourned till August 4 for the respondents to come and show cause why the prayers sought by the plaintiff in his ex-parte application should not be granted.

L-R: Acting Head, Testing Administration, West African Examination Council (WAEC) National Office, Lagos, Dr. Olusanya Dacosta; Director of Finance, Mrs. Bola Ojeleye; Head of National Office, Mr. Charles Eguridu and Acting Director of Computer, Mr. Magnus Omoregie, during a press briefing in Lagos…yesterday. PHOTO: TONY EGUAYE

Buhari fails to broker truce in House leadership crisis it reconvenes today. This signal arose as the meeting of Governor Adams Oshiomhole committee with APC senators held Sunday night in Abuja failed to pacify the feuding lawmakers. The meeting was expected to serve as a forum for the final resolution of the lingering crisis since the election of Senator Bukola Saraki as Senate President on June 9, contrary to the dictates of the party. New Telegraph learnt that members of the Senate Unity Forum (SUF) which projected and pursed the failed ambition of Senator Ahmad Lawan for Senate presidency boycotted the meeting, following claims that the meeting violated earlier agreement between SUF and Saraki's group, Like Mind Senators. A member of SUF confided in our correspondent that the group believed that discussions should have been held only between the Oshiomhole committee and Saraki and Lawan. According to him, the group would only wait for the recommendations of

Saraki as Senate president and Senator Ike Ekweremadu as his deputy on June 9. Nnaji, through his counsel, P. J Nwokolo, yesterday urged the court to, among others, restrain further investigation into the allegation that the Senate Standing Rules was forged. The suit was filed before the release and sending of the police report to the AGF's Office, reportedly on the order of President Muhammadu Buhari, for further action.

the committee which he said were expected to be submitted to the APC Governors' Forum. He also said that the APC Governors' Forum was expected to forward the committee's findings to both the party and Buhari. The senator, however, pointed out that the Forum had resolved to abide by the President's position. New Telegraph further learnt that the Sunday meeting could not achieve the desire of the party which insisted on the emergence of Lawan and Senator George Akume as Senate Leader and Deputy Senate Leader respectively. It was also learnt that the crisis has become a hard nut to crack because it would be difficult to persuade those who have already been chosen by their various zonal caucuses to step down for the party's choices. The signal emanating from the scenario is that the status quo will be maintained, with all the concomitant bickering, even as the Senate resumes plenary today.

PDP caucuses endorse Akpabio, Ogor as minority leaders Chukwu David and Philip Nyam Abuja

efying the barrier of ranking rule in the Senate, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Caucuses yesterday endorsed Senator Godswill Akpabio (PDP, Akwa Ibom North West) as the Senate Minority Leader. New Telegraph learnt that one of the caucuses endorsed Akpabio for the position at the official residence of the Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Ike Ekweremadu. The 15 Senators from the South-East unanimously endorsed the former governor of Akwa Ibom State when they met at the residence of Ekweremadu at Apo legislators' quarters, Abuja. Our correspondent gathered that prior to the South-East PDP caucus endorsement of Akpabio, 15 out of the 17 PDP senators from the South-

South, his geo-political zone, had also endorsed him. The same thing went for the entire five PDP Senators from the SouthWest as reliably informed by one of the female senators from Ekiti State. Apart from Akpabio, other minority principal officers of the Senate set to emerge today as approved by the various PDP caucuses in the Upper Chamber are, Emmanuel Bwacha (Taraba South), Senate Deputy Minority Leader; Philip Aduda (FCT), Senate Minority Whip and Abiodun Olujimi (Ekiti South) as Deputy Minority Whip. Also, in the House of Representatives, former Deputy House Leader, Hon. Leo Ogor (Delta), emerged as the Minority Leader. Other minority leaders expected to be announced today are: Yakubu Umar Barde as Minority Whip (Kaduna); Binta Bello (Gombe) as the Deputy

Minority Whip while Hon. ChukwuKa Onyema (Anambra) is Deputy Minority Whip. New Telegraph gathered that the principal officers, who are all of PDP were announced by the chairman of the PDP media and public affairs committee, Hon. Rima Shawulu (PDP, Taraba) after a marathon meeting held at Sheraton Hotels and Towers, Abuja. The lawmakers’ meeting, which began yesterday afternoon ended at about 7p.m. A lawmaker, who was at the meeting, told our correspondent that "though we had our election some weeks past, the principal officers were confirmed today and they were officially announced by Hon. Rima Shawulu. "We are therefore appealing to the APC to put its House in order so that full legislative activities will kick off in the House," the member stated.

News

TUESDAY, JULY 28, 2015 NEW TELEGRAPH

Wike loses bid to stop tribunal on jurisdiction Tunde Oyesina ABUJA

he Rivers State Gover norship Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Abuja yesterday threw out the motion of Governor Nyesome Wike challenging the power of the tribunal to sit in Abuja instead of Port Harcourt. The tribunal headed by Justice Muazu Pindiga ruled that the motion by Wike and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) lacked merit and substance. Wike and PDP had filed an application challenging the powers of the President of the Court of Appeal to allow the tribunal to sit in Abuja instead of the state where the election in dispute was conducted. They claimed that the sitting of the tribunal in Abuja was in breach of section 285 (2) of the 1999 Constitution and provisions of the Electoral Act 2010. In the motion argued through their counsel, Godwin Obla (SAN), the applicants asked the tribunal to relocate to Port Harcourt in compliance

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with provisions of section 258. However, in his ruling, Justice Pindiga held that the tribunal has not violated any provision of the law since the relocation to Abuja was based on security reasons. The tribunal disagreed with the claim of the governor on proximity and accessibility as the two major factors that ought to have determined the venue of the sitting. Pindiga added that proximity and accessibility cannot be determined in the absence of security of the tribunal members and litigants. He held that the President of the Appeal Court acted within the ambit of the law, which he said, laid emphasis on conducive atmosphere for the tribunal to hold proceedings. The All Progressive Congress (APC) governorship candidate in the last gubernatorial election, Dr. Dakuku Peterside, had dragged Gov-

ernor Wike and the PDP before the tribunal challenging his declaration as the elected governor.

Peterside, who joined the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as a co-defendant,

alleged that the election was marred with irregularities, fraud, violence and malpractices.

He then sought for the cancellation of the poll for a fresh one to be conducted by INEC.

L-R: Deputy High Commissioner, British High Commission, Mr. Simion Shercliff; outgoing British High Commissioner to Nigeria, Andrew Pocock and President Muhammadu Buhari, during a farewell visit to the president in Abuja…yesterday. PHOTO: TIMOTHY IKUOMENISAN.

Jonathan’s minister stole $6bn oil fund –Oshiomhole Anule Emmanuel Abuja

do State Governor, Mr. Adams Oshiomhole, yesterday stirred another controversy as he accused a former minister in the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan of stealing about $6 billion of oil funds. Oshiomhole, who was a member of President Muhammadu Buhari's delegation to the United States last week, said US officials gave the information to the Nigerian delegation during the trip. But the governor, who has been locked in a raging war of words with former Coordinating Minister for the Economy and Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, over the management of the nation's resources by the last administration, did not identify who was the "thieving" minister. Speaking to State House correspondents after a meeting with the president, Oshiomhole

expressed delight that Nigeria now has a president who talks with confidence unlike "a president that is blabbing and is not sure of what the issues are." Reacting to criticism from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on the president's visit to Washington, Oshiomhole said he did not expect the opposition party to be praising a government doing better than it did while the opposition party was in government. Oshiomhole said so bad was the situation under Jonathan that members of the Buhari delegation were told in the US how the former minister stole $6 billion. He said the PDP succeeded in supervising Nigeria's liquidation. "The PDP destroyed the country. Senior officials of the State Department said one minister under PDP cornered as much as $6 billion in oil fund," he added. Oshiomhole, who visited the president alongside his Kebbi State counterpart, Senator Atiku

Bagudu, also spoke on the leadership crisis in the National Assembly. He said the crisis would soon be over as the All Progressives Congress (APC) and other stakeholders were making efforts to resolve the power tussle. Oshiomhole and Bagudu were chosen by the APC leadership to mediate in the leadership crisis rocking the Senate as a result of the emergence of Senator Bukola Saraki as Senate president against the party's choice, Senator Ahmed Lawan. Oshiomhole said after meeting with the warring senators on Sunday, he and Bagudu decided to brief the president on the outcome of their meetings ahead of the Senate resumption today. He said with the emergence of the principal officers of the Senate, their intervention was just to ensure that there would be an all-inclusive leadership in the National Assembly. "I feel the position now is: how do you ensure

that having elected this two (Senate president and his deputy), that the remaining positions that are within the discretion of the APC caucus in the Senate are distributed in a way as to give the other group that were shut out of the process a sense of belonging? "We are convinced that a winner-takes-all approach in this case won't work and building peace is making concession and power works better when it acknowledges that even the person who is powerless has a right to exist. "My brother (Bagudu) and I spent some time with the senators last night (Sunday) and we had what I think was a useful conversation. We have come today to report to the president what transpired at the meeting and make few suggestions to him and I think for me there is light, as they say, at the end of the tunnel. "One thing is clear, we are all APC family; we are all committed to change. We recognise that there are few issues; people may

not be comfortable, but we have what it takes to resolve the issues so that in the National Assembly we will have an APC Senate caucus that is united, that is ready to support the change agenda as the president is committed to and work along with PDP. "Nobody is suggesting that we shouldn't work with PDP. PDP exists in the House, just as APC had existed in the House under the PDP government. So, at some point there has to be a way to engage bipartisan. So, that is basically why we are here," Oshiomhole said. Shedding more light on their discussion with the president, Bagudu said the issue at stake was not about what should be done or what should be left undone. The governor said the important thing was that the APC caucus members in the Senate were desirous of evolving a solution that would bring inclusiveness so that the Senate to make it serve the interest of Nigeria as promised by APC.

Nigeria's crude output to exceed 2.3m daily CONTINUED FROM PAGE 5

Yinka Folawiyo Petroleum (YFP), located some nautical miles of Lagos offshore Nigeria. While the phase 1 of the project, which is to

be put on stream in the next 70 days represents 11, 000 barrels per day, Phase two of the scheme is targeting an increase in gross production to 19,000 barrels per day

from an additional two well development. Once drilling operations at Aje 5 are completed, the Scarabeo 3 (mid-water semisub) used to drill the well will

complete the Aje 4 well. "These two wells represent the first of a threephase development programme for Aje. Phase one is targeting first oil in December 2015 and peak

gross production from these two wells is expected to reach 11,000 barrels of oil per day, as stated in the June 2015 Competent Persons Report (CPR)," the statement added.

NEW TELEGRAPH tuesday, july 28, 2015

News

national

IPMAN backs Buhari on bid to split NNPC Biodun Oyeleye Ilorin

ndependent petroleum marketers yesterday threw their weight behind President Muhammadu Buhari’s plans to probe the oil sector and split the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) into two. The probe, according to officials of the marketers, should also extend to NNPC Depots nationwide where they claimed to have paid over N1.4 billion for the renewal of lifting licences without seeing anything after more than one year. Western Zone Chairman, Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN), Alhaji Debo Ahmed, while speaking with newsmen in Ilorin, Kwara State , said the current structure of the NNPC has been affecting its decision-making process, making it to be extremely slow. Asked about calls for the complete deregulation of the oil sector, Ahmed said it should only be done when the infrastructure to support such move are firmly on ground adding that there should be no importation of fuel products to ensure that such policy does not backfire against Nigerians. Ahmed said: “NNPC is an octopus. They have to split it to work effectively."

Wife of the Lagos State Governor, Mrs. Bolanle Ambode, (fifth left); the Convener, Activate Youth Camp, Mrs. Kikelomo Omooba; Rev. Margaret Olateju (middle) and others, at the opening of the camp at Reagan Memorial Baptist Girls Secondary School, Sabo, Yaba, Lagos…yesterday.

Forgery case against Senate, a ruse — Senators Chukwu David Abuja

head of today's Senate resumption, some Senators yesterday described the much reported forgery case against the leadership of the 8th senate and top management of the National Assembly as a ruse. The Senators who, at separate interviews with journalists in Abuja reacted to the alleged forgery case leveled against Senate President Bukola Saraki and his camp by senators belonging to the Senate Unity Forum ( SUF), said that there was nothing like forgery in the 2015 senate standing order but amendments. The SUF is the umbrella body of the All Progressives Congress, APC senators who supported

Ahmad Lawan (Yobe North) for the position of senate president against Bukola Saraki. Since the camp lost its bid to produce the President of the 8th Senate, the members have been doing everything to unseat Saraki and his deputy, Ike Ekweremadu. However, one of the senators, Abiodun Olujimi (PDP Ekiti South) said the amendments made in the 2015 senate standing orders being referred to as forgery by the Ahmad Lawan group was carried out by the management of the National Assembly for the inauguration of the 8th Senate. She said the senators alleging forgery as a result of slight amendments effected on the 2011 Senate Standing Order used by the 7th Senate as reflected in the 2015 Standing Order, were just playing

politics with a strictly internal matter of the Senate. She regretted that the action of the aggrieved lawmakers had negated the legislative immunity on such matter, which prevents both the police and the court of law to meddle in the internal affairs of the Parliament. She said: "As far as majority of the senators are concerned, the alleged forgery being bandied about by Ahmad Lawan and his group, is a ruse because for every new senate, a new standing order must be provided which was what was given to senators at the inauguration of the 8th Senate on the 9th of last month. "Lawan and the other senators are crying wolf where there is none. They were not the only senators who were in the 7th senate and besides, the 7th sen-

ate ended with its standing order of 2011 on the 4th of June 2015. The 2015 senate standing order is a fresh document meant for the 8th senate and not 7th senate, so where lies the forgery they are talking about?" She added that appropriate sanction might later be meted out to those dragging the institution of the senate in the mud on matters that were strictly internal. "I think there are reprimands for those who go outside the line and I am sure that the senate will apply appropriate sanction at the appropriate when to those that may be found culpable on this matter at the end of the day," she stressed. Senators Hope Uzodinma (PDP Imo West), Shehu Sani (APC Kaduna Central) and George Sekibo (PDP Rivers East) in their

Business cabals mounting pressure on Buhari — Falana Yekeen Nurudeen Abuja

uman rights lawyer, Mr. Femi Falana (SAN), has raised the alarm that President Muhammadu Buhari has been under pressure by some political forces to dictate his economic policies. He argued that those forces have been working to ensure that the president continue with the neo-liberal economic policies which were under the control of a few hands. Falana spoke yesterday in Abuja at the public presentation of a book, Economic Diplomacy and Nigeria's Foreign Policy authored by the Chairman, Board of Trustees, Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETfund), Dr. Musa Babayo. He said these developments may have accounted for why Buhari has not

been forthcoming with his economic agenda two months after his inauguration. He said the president has been inundated with numerous suggestions on how to handle the nation's cash cow, the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), especially on issues bothering on corruption against the agency. His words: "The national planning has been abandoned for market forces by those who control our country. What is going on now, even from the All Progressives Congress (APC), there are people that are mounting pressure on President Buhari to continue to run the economy of Nigeria in the interest of a few people and in the personal minority interest of captains of industry without industry. "But I think the president answered them last

week. You know their campaign now is that ‘you must remove fuel subsidy, you must devalue the currency, you must privatise NNPC of all institutions’ and the President said; ‘I am not going to privatise NNPC, I will break it into two for effective performance,’ which I think is the best for our country." He also wrote-off those accusing Buhari administration of lacking clear focus and direction, saying the new government has activated a constitutional provision which would ensure that all cases of corruption emanating from the anti-graft agencies would be dispensed in the law court within a maximum of six months’ time frame. While stressing that government has a duty to cut cost of governance by first pruning down the number of embassies in other countries, he lamented that the number

of embassies maintained by the Federal Government across African continent is too enormous. "There's an area that we need to develop now that the government is trying to cut cost. We have too many embassies all over the world. I got to a country in Africa

recently and discover that the country has a population of about 300,000 and we have an embassy there. "We have embassies in the 16 member state of West Africa and in all African countries. I think we have to do something about that," he said.

separate reactions also said that what was reflected on the 2015 senate standing orders in comparison to similar provisions in the 2011 document used by the 7th Senate, were amendments and not forgery as alleged by some of their colleagues.

BPP hails Odusile, NUJ president

he Director-General of the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP) Engr. Emeka M. Ezeh, has felicitated with Mr. Waheed Odusile on his election as the President of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) at the union’s recent 5th triennial delegates’ conference in Abuja. In his message acknowledging the successful career in journalism of Mr. Odusile, who is the Managing Editor of Vintage Press Limited, publishers of The Nation Newspapers, Ezeh urged him to use his experience “to improve the image of journalists and turn around the journalism profession in Nigeria.” He looked forward to sustained collaboration between NUJ and BPP under the tenure of the new NUJ president to promote these ideals of transparency and accountability of the procurement process in the best interest of the nation.

Kogi: PDP begins sale of guber nomination forms this week Onyekachi Eze ABUJA

he Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is set to commence the sale of nomination forms for Kogi State governorship election this week. According to the timetable released by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the governorship election hold on November 25. Last week, the party conducted ward prima-

ries for nomination of delegates to the local government representatives for the nomination of the party's flag bearer. Though PDP is in control of Kogi State, it is facing a serious challenge from the All Progressives Congress (APC) which won all the National Assembly seats in the last general elections. PDP was, however, to redeem its image during the state Assembly poll, securing the majority in the House.

Kogi's state governor, Captain Idris Wada, is seeking a re-election. His ambition is facing a lot of challenges by some party members who feel that he may not enjoy the support of electorate in the state going by his performance as governor in the last four years. PDP National Working Committee (NWC) has promised level playing field for all aspirants to the party's sole ticket in the gubernatorial election.

News

New Telegraph, Skye Bank, others mourn Dele Alao Mojeed Alabi

he management and staff of the Daily Telegraph Publishing Limited, publishers of New Telegraph titles and some corporate organisations including Skye and Enterprise Banks have continued to extol the virtues of the newspaper’s late Brand and Industry Editor, Mr. Dele Alao. Alao died last Thursday after a brief illness. The newspaper’s management, which had since paid a condolence visit to the late Alao’s family, described his death as shocking and devastating. In her brief remark, the company’s Managing

tuesday, july 28, 2015 NEW TELEGRAPH

national

Director and Editor-inChief, Mrs. Funke Egbemode, said Alao’s life was short but very eventful, adding that it was sad to say goodnight to an industrious and committed journalist. Similarly, the Daily Editor and his Deputy in charge of Business Desk, Mr. Yemi Ajayi and Ayo Aminu respectively, said Alao would be sorely missed. According to Aminu,

who supervised Alao’s works till his death, the late journalist was not only hardworking but also very humble and diligent. Aminu had written in the condolence register, “What a great loss! Humble, hardworking. He couldn’t even hurt a fly. May his soul rest in perfect peace.” New Telegraph’s Administration Manager, Mr. Robinson Eze, who led the management team

to Alao’s family, said his death was unexpected particularly at a time the family was expecting more from him. The News Editor, Geoffrey Ekenna described the death as sad. He wrote; “My brother, it is sad to say good night so early in the morning. It breaks my heart to hear you are gone. God Almighty knows best. Rest in the Lord’s until we meet to part no more.”

Meanwhile, in his message on behalf of the Skye Bank, the Head of Corporate Communications, Mr. Rasheed Bolarinwa condoled with both Alao’s family and the management of the newspaper, praying to God to grant him eternal rest. The statement said: “On behalf of the team, I would like to express our condolence on the passing of one of your Senior Writers, Dele Alao, who was more or less like a friend and brother. We pray Allah to grant his soul, eternal rest.” On behalf of Enterprise Bank, Ogbonna Uche, described Alao’s exit as painful, and prayed for the repose of his soul.

Health workers at loggerheads over FMC Ebute Metta strike Appolonia Adeyemi

he Medical and Health Workers Union of Nigeria (MHWUN), Federal Area Council, has suspended former Chairman and Secretary, Federal Medical Centre Ebute Metta Branch for their failure to suspend a six-week strike which has paralysed work at the hospital. To this end, The Chairman of MHWUN, Federal Area Concil, Ibe Stephen Nwokenta, who announced the suspension of both Julius Achunwa and Chijioke Ejiofor yesterday, has also directed all members of MHWUN, FMC Ebute Metta Branch to return to work with immediate effect. “Whoever does not return to work from Tuesday(today) does so at his own risk,” he added. However, in a swift reaction, the purportedly suspended Achunwa and Ejiofor have cried out over discrimination and the sabotage of their efforts in seeking the rights of MHWUN members at the FMC, Ebute Metta, They could not suspend the strike which was declared under the umbrella of the Joint Health Sector Unions (HOHESU), FMC Ebute Metta branch. MHWUN, the Nigerian Union of Allied Health Workers Professionals (NUAHP) and other unions comprise JOHESU.

L-R: Members, House of Representatives, Hon. Ayo Omidiran; Hon. Phillip Shuaibu; Hon. Nasiru Sani and Hon. Aliyu Madaru, at a press conference by the Gbajabiamila group on the leadership tussle rocking the House of Representatives in Abuja …yesterday.

Lawyer sues former minister, Wali for payment default Muhammad Kabir Kano

ar rister Nelson Nwaeze has dragged a former Foreign affairs Minister, Alhaji Aminu Wali to court, demanding the court to compel him to pay him his N25million legal fee. He claimed to have stood in for the immediate past Foreign Minister and one other Musa Umar in a case of no confidence against them by a faction of Peoples Democratic Party in the state. The case before Justice Muhammad Yahya of a Gezawa High Court in Kano was slated for Judgment July 27, but was adjourned to September 29 , following the filing of notice of motion seeking a stay of action by the defendant’s Counsel, Kabiru Isa. The Plaintiff Lawyer,

Muhammad Abdrruhman, while arguing that he has served the defendant by means of substitution, both at their locations at ABH Maiduguri road and Hotoro GRA, and that he only received notice of stay of Judgment from the defendant’s Lawyer late Friday. He prayed that the court should grant judgment in their favour. However, the defendant’s Lawyer said he has served the plaintiff ’s Lawyer at his office, putting it to him that they are not aware of the whole case and they were not been notified. Speaking to newsmen shortly after the Court sitting, Lawyer to Nelson Nwaeze, Abdurrahman, explained that sometime in 2014, Wali and one Musa Muhammad approached Nwaeze seeking his legal services on an agreed fee of N25

million in a case filed by a faction of PDP against Wali. He said one year after, Aminu Wali and Musa Muhammad dishonoured the agreement by refusing to pay the legal fee compelling Nelson to seek legal redress and make the defendant pay his money. Abdurrahman noted that since last year when they served the defendant through means of substituted service at their respective places but they had no appearance in persons or in representation until last Friday when one Barrister Kabiru G Isa served them with a motion of stay for the Judgment and it was even done very late for them to respond to. Meanwhile Justice Muhammad Yahya adjourned the case to September 29 for hearing of motion on notice.

PHOTO: ELIJAH OLALUYI

Murder of NURTW leader: RTEAN boss charged to court Adesina Wahab Ado-Ekiti

ormer Ekiti State Chairman, Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria (RTEAN), Rotimi Olabiwonnu, has been charged to court over the killing of a former State Chairman of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), Omolafe Aderiye, in September last year. Olanbiwonnu, popularly called 'Mentillo', was on yesterday arraigned before a Magistrate's Court in Ado-Ekiti. He was brought before Magistrate Idowu Aiyenimon and was subsequently remanded in prison custody till Friday this week when the court would hear the application for bail by his counsel. The defence counsel, Niran Owoseni, said his client was brought to the court before proper investigation of the matter was concluded. Owoseni said the action of government was an attempt to incarcerate his client and put him out of circulation. He noted that what the state was trying to do was an abuse of court processes, adding that some people had been charged to court on the matter and the legal advice was out.

Kwara PDP disowns statement on petition against Saraki’s wife Biodun Oyeleye Ilorin

eaders of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Kwara State chapter, yesterday denied being authors of a statement which cited a petition purportedly written by the party, as the source of the invitation of Mrs Toyin Saraki, wife of the Senate President by the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC). Mrs Saraki is billed to appear before the investigative body today in what has become a controversial invitation with allegations by supporters of the Senate President that the development was a political vendetta following his role in the leadership crisis that has engulfed the senate since June 9, 2015. Yesterday, the media was awash with a statement credited to Publicity Secretary of the PDP in Kwara, Chief Rex Olawoye,

claiming responsibility for the invitation based on a petition the party had purportedly written against the former Kwara State First Lady. But in a statement jointly signed by the state chairman, Akogun Iyiola Oyedepo and Olawoye, the duo dissociated themselves and the party from the statement and explained that the party had not written any petition against Mrs Saraki to the EFCC. Copies of the statement were made available to newsmen in Ilorin, Kwara State. A similar development had occurred a week earlier when a statement purportedly issued by the party, accusing the state government of not releasing its share of the bailout money to workers. Olawoye, whose name was appended to the statement had disowned it and warned newsmen against falling victim of those he claimed were using the party for selfish reasons.

NEW TELEGRAPH TUESDAY,JULY 28, 2015

Mojeed Alabi

he West African E x a m i n at i o n s Council (WAEC) has revealed that a total of 19 states of the federation are owing it more than N4 billion as registration fees for their states’ candidates for May/June 2014 and 2015 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE). The Head of Nigeria’s National Office of WAEC, Mr. Charles Eguridu, who disclosed this yesterday at a media briefing held in Lagos, said the development has caused the examination body inability to fulfill its financial obligations including the payment of its supervi-

News

NATIONAL

WAEC threatens to withhold results of 19 states over N4bn debt sors, contractors among others. Eguridu, who hinted that only one of the 19 defaulting states replied to the Council’s letter addressed to them as a reminder, warned that if these monies are not paid within the next two weeks, he could not guarantee if their candidates would have access to their results when released by the exam body in the next few weeks. Meanwhile, WAEC has

many indigent students the opportunity to sit our examinations and relieved many poor parents of this financial burden. “However, this obviously good gesture has come at a price to the Council. As I speak to you now, we are cash-strapped as a result of the delay in off-setting the registration fees owed the Council by some states. As a result, we are finding it difficult in meeting our financial obligations, particularly to our supervi-

refused to give the details of the defaulting states, saying it would be better to grant them the benefits of the doubt till the results will be released before giving their debt profile. He said: “As you are aware, many of the states of the federation, as part of their education policy, pay the registration fees of candidates for the WASSCE, particularly in their public schools. This is quite commendable as it has afforded

sors, examiners and service providers.” Meanwhile, the examination body has expressed its satisfaction with the measures currently being taken to address the challenge of examination mal-

practices, insisting that as the foremost examination body on the continent of Africa, it has made life more difficult for those found guilty of engaging in shady deals in connection with its examinations.

Anti-corruption: Reform Judiciary now, UPP urges Buhari Yekeen Nurudeen ABUJA

he United Progressive Party (UPP) has urged President Muhammadu Buhari to beam his searchlight into the Judicial arm of government if his efforts at fighting corruption in the country would yield any result. The party specifically told the President to investigate immediate and past Judicial officers on whose judicial pronouncements by way of judgments and orders smack of travesty of justice and whose lifestyle and acquisitions do not conform with the legitimate earnings of such officers. It said Nigerian Judiciary is so corrupt that it

would frustrate his efforts as it has always done in any attempt to bring corrupt public officers, companies and other citizens to justice. National Chairman of the party, Chief Chekwas Okorie, in a statement issued in Abuja yesterday, said, “We observed with frustration how the efforts of the EFCC, ICPC, the Nigeria Police, and the Department of Security Service (DSS) have been rendered ineffective by the Judicial arm of government”. This, according to him, will go a long way to serve as a punitive measure against corruption in the Judiciary and make Judicial misconduct unattractive, unprofitable and disgraceful.

FSS 2020, EPPAN hold 2015 e-government summit

L-R: Vice-Chairman, Ilobu Development Union, Abuja chapter (IDU), Alhaji Olaitan Hammed; Chairman, Alhaji Isola Mustapha and Deputy Speaker, House of Representatives, Hon. Lasun Yusuf, during a courtesy visit to Yusuf in Abuja…yesterday.

PHOTO: ELIJAH OLALUYI

Admission crisis: SERAP sues JAMB, UNILAG, others Akeem Nafiu

human rights group, the SocioEconomic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has dragged the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) and the University of Lagos to the Federal High Court in Lagos over what it described as “outrageous cut off marks decisions”. The suit, marked FHC/L/CS/1139/2015, was filed yesterday by SERAP and three applicants affected by the cutoff marks decision. The three other applicants are: Adeola Hammed Ayobami, Abass Ololade and Abass Ajibola. They are the 2nd-4th applicants. The respondents in the suit, apart from JAMB and UNILAG, are the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Justice and the Permanent Secretary, Min-

istry of Education. In the suit, the applicants are contending that “the provisions of Section 5(1)(c)(iii) of the JAMB Act are very clear and unambiguous. The letter and spirit of the provisions is to ensure that the preferences of candidates in terms of the university they choose to attend are sacrosanct. Even a contrary or adverse decision by individual university

cannot override decision made pursuant to the provisions of Section (5)1)(c)(iii)”. It was argued that the interpretation of Section 5(1)(c)(iii) warrants an assessment of the principle of the best interests of the candidates affected and this principle should be taken as a primary consideration when different interests are being considered in order to reach a deci-

sion whether to change the preferences of the candidates. The applicants argued further that, “If a legal provision such as Section 5(1)(c)(iii) is open to more than one interpretation, the interpretation which most effectively serves the child’s best interests should be chosen and that in this case will be to fully respect their preferences of universities.

Amadi Nnamdi ABUJA

he Financial System Strategy (FSS2020) Programme Management Office (PMO) in collaboration with Electronic Payment System Providers Association of Nigeria (EPPAN) host the 2015 Annual e-Government Summit today. The two-day summit with the theme, “e-Government: Key to Sustainable Development”, is aimed at influencing the development of standards for the common benefit of electronic payment indus-

try, end-users, consumers and regulatory authorities, and to provide forum for cutting–edge interactions on issues surrounding epayment and self-service amongst others. According to the organizers, the FSS2020 PMO is poised to key into the e-Governance as a major strategy to provide a veritable platform for the implementation of its 25 transformational programmes with a view to developing the nation’s financial services industry and ultimately help in realizing the nation’s aspiration to be one of the top 20 economies by the year 2020.

Alleged forgery: South-South, South-East group backs Ekweremadu Wale Elegbede

group, the Eastern Region Assembly (TERA), yesterday threw its support behind the Deputy Senate President, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, stating that the election of Ekweremadu, a PDP Senator, in a Senate with APC majority, should not have

raised any legal or constitutional eyebrows because it is not a new occurrence. In a statement issued at the end of its meeting in Lagos by its Protem Secretary, Mr. Tony Uranta, the group which represents law-abiding citizens of Nigeria from the South-South and South-Eastern zones, said it wondered if there really could be an issue

of forgery or any offence whatsoever for any police to investigate regarding the June 9, 2015 Senate poll. While insisting that the election of Ekeremadu was not new in such a setting, TERA stated that the law was quite clear that Senators would elect among themselves, irrespective of political party, a Senate President and a Deputy

Senate President. “Without prejudice to any legal position taken by the FGN, any purported investigation of Senate Procedures/Proceedings by any Body/Agency other than the said Senate could, at best, be seen only as undue political interference in the internal process of the Senate,” the group stated.

The group equally wondered how the common cliche, “Democracy in Action”, bandied about during Hon. Aminu Tambuwal as Speaker, House of Representatives, had since developed new definitions because some powerful interest groups were not comfortable with the person or zonal background of Senator Ekweremadu.

TUESDAY,JULY 28, 2015 NEW TELEGRAPH

Metro Why I removed four-year-old boy’s kidney, intestines –Teenager TEENAGE KILLER A teenager is in police net for allegedly killing a child and removing his intestines for ritual purposes Taiwo Jimoh

16-year-old boy arrested for allegedly killing a four-yearold boy and removing his intestines at Ijanikin Oto town area of Lagos State has told homicide detectives attached to the Ijanikin Police Station that someone instructed him to get human parts. The deceased, Ibrahim Jamiu, was killed yesterday allegedly by Tajudeen Azeez, a furniture apprentice, behind Anglican Primary School, Deeper Life bus stop, Ijanikin. The suspect would have got away with the crime, but for the neighbours who saw him and raised the alarm. The mother of the deceased is said to have gone to the hospital to deliver a baby when Azeez picked Jamiu and killed him. Azeez said: “It’s Osan who lives behind Oto Awori palace that asked

me to get human parts for him. Sincerely, Ibrahim did not offend me neither did his parents. I have known him since we moved into the area. I used to play with him and bought biscuits and confectionaries for him. “I removed his kidney and intestines. I buried the body at a nearby bush. It was residents who saw me that raised the alarm. I was later arrested.” A team of policemen, led by the Divisional Police Officer (DPO), SP Robinson Egagare, visited the site and exhumed the remains of the boy. Azeez added: “I’ve not committed this kind of crime before. It was Osan who instructed me to help him get human parts. It was this morning that I lured Ibrahim to Anglican Primary School area, where I used a knife to kill him. I removed some of his organs.” Confirming the incident, the new state Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), DSP Patricia Amadin, said the police received a distress call and raced to the scene. She said: “Police went to the scene and removed the corpse of the deceased. The corpse was bloody. The corpse has been deposited at a mortuary and the suspect is assisting us in our investigation.”

Azeez

DSS, police arrest abductors of cleric, others

The suspected kidnappers

Adesina Wahab Ado-Ekiti

ABIODUN BELLO FEATURES Editor

abiodun.bello@newtelegraphonline.com

hirteen persons, including two women, were yesterday paraded by the Department of State Services (DSS) and the police in Ekiti State for a series of abductions in the last three months. The police said the suspects were responsible for the ab-

duction of a Catholic priest, Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Akingbade, former Chief Medical Director of the Ekiti State University Teaching Hospital, Ado-Ekiti, Dr Patrick Adegun and others. Among the suspects is a selfacclaimed pastor, Babatunde Balogun. While parading the suspects in Ado-Ekiti, an event attended by Governor Ayo Fayose, the state Director, DSS, Mr Duke Fubara, and the Com-

missioner of Police, Mr Etop James, said the suspects had given confessional statements about their involvement in the criminal activities. Fubara added that one Gbenga David aka Oruma was accosted by his men in Osun State during the investigation and was shot while trying to escape. According to him, the suspect is now receiving treatment at an undisclosed hospital. The DSS boss said their efforts became fruitful following synergy between the DSS and the police with the intention to rid the state of crimes and miscreants. He said: “We could all attest to the fact that the kidnappers terrorised the state from the first week of May this year. Their activities brought a lot of trauma to the people.

“Though some of the victims have been released, we did not give in. We did investigation and we increased our network and the result is what you are seeing today. “What we found with the composition of these suspects was that some of them were members of the inmates that escaped during the November 30, 2014 jailbreak in Ado-Ekiti.” ”Fubara said. Also speaking, James said the anti-kidnapping squad of the command was working round the clock to prevent the resurgence of kidnapping in the state. Fayose appealed to the opposition to stop politicising kidnapping and other criminal acts. He said: “It is a collective fight. We have to fight this together, so that all of us can sleep with two eyes closed.”.

Metro 11

NEW TELEGRAPH TUESDAY,JULY 28, 2015

City Briefs Kidnappers demand N20m for septuagenarian’s freedom

Baby stolen as ritual killers’ den is uncovered in Ogun

Cephas Iorhemen MAKURDI

unmen have kidnapped the 72-year-old Pa Ikyausu, who is the father of a renowned oil magnate in Benue State, Atser Ikyausu, popularly known as Kyabiz. Pa Ikyausu was kidnapped from his residence at Mbagbera district of Vandeikya Local Government Area of the state. It was gathered that the gunmen stormed the businessman’s residence about 9pm and started shooting sporadically to scare away neighbours before they kidnapped the old man. The assassins allegedly demanded N20 million ransom from the family of the victim as a condition for his release. When contacted, the Commissioner of Police, Mr Hyacinth Dagala, confirmed the incident. He said the police were investigating the abduction.

Group wants proposed LG secretariat at Ogijo Tony Okuyeme

socio-cultural organisation, Sagamu South Development Congress (SSDC), has appealed to the Ogun State government to ensure that the secretariat of the proposed Sagamu South Local Government Area is located in Ogijo town. The organisation noted that despite its economic and political contribution to the state, there has been no meaningful government presence in Ogijo town. It said in a statement by its Publicity Secretary, Prince Adejuwon Olukoga, that Ogijo had the largest land mass and the highest concentration of firms and technocrats in Sagamu Local Government, with well-defined sources of Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) with high rate of commercial activities and over 200 approved schools. Olukoga said SSDC evolved as a result of the proposed local government creation across the 20 local government areas of Ogun State. He said: “It was as a matter of exigency that an association must be in place to discuss and deliberate the location of the proposed Sagamu South LGA secretariat, the choice of chairmanship and councillors of the proposed Sagamu South LGA.” According to him, Ogun State generates huge funds from Ogijo through approval fees from the over 200 approved private schools, renewal fees from the schools, approval fees for several streets, personal income tax, monthly shop extension fees and land use act fee.

Fetish objects at the shrine

Opeyemi

Kunle Olayeni Abeokuta

here was pandemonium at Inukosegba village, near Akorede Estate, Mile II in Abeokuta North Local Government Area of Ogun State on Sunday when a toddler was stolen at a christening ceremony. Opeyemi Ogundele, who is 20-months-old, was kidnapped about 1:30pm at the naming organised by the family of Mr Olusola Osunleke for their new-born daughter. The disappearance of the child brought the scheduled naming ceremony to an abrupt end and later re-

sulted in the discovery of a suspected ritual killers’ den in the area. The den, which is a newly completed bungalow located adjacent Osunleke’s house, was allegedly owned by an Ifa priest and Jagunmolu Elegun of Egba, Chief Olasile Ifayemi. Angry residents, who stormed the area yesterday and vandalised the building, said severed human body parts, including hands, a woman’s breast, intestines, human effigy, fetish objects and masquerade regalia, were discovered at the den which also houses a shrine. When our correspondent visited the scene yesterday, youths, who displayed on

their mobile phones some of the human parts recovered from the building, threatened to set the house ablaze. There were women under wears, kiddies’ clothing and bags, among others, which were said to belong to victims used for rituals. Names of persons such as Seun, Damilola, Bose, Dupe, Esther and Toyin, were written with white chalk on the outer wall of the two rooms housing a shrine in the building. However, the owner of the house, Ifayemi, who reportedly relocated to the area about two months ago, was said to be on the run since the discovery. A detachment of armed

policemen, men of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) and personnel of Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) were stationed at the scene, apparently to forestall breakdown of law and order as residents continued to troop to the area to catch a glimpse of the den. Narrating her ordeal, the mother of the missing child, Mrs Elizabeth Ogundele, said she had gone to the area on Sunday to celebrate the birth of a new-born baby with her brother, Olusola Osunleke, when the incident occurred. Elizabeth, a 26-year-old fashion designer, added that she discovered amid preparations for the ceremony that her son had disappeared, prompting her to raise the alarm. She said: “I was helping my brother’s wife to get ready for the ceremony when I noticed that my son has disappeared. I searched for him everywhere inside and around the house because some tenants said they saw him earlier playing football. But all our efforts proved abortive as he was nowhere to be found. “I then ran outside the house into the streets, still searching and that was when I encountered two persons at Chief Ifayemi’s house. I asked if they had seen my son; they denied and started giggling. So, I left them and continued to search for him.”

Two die in Lagos explosion, market fire Muritala Ayinla

The scene of the market fire

t least two persons were killed yesterday while scores of others were injured following an explosion that rocked the complex occupied by Golden Penny Flour Mill at Eric More, Surulere, and a fire incident at Jakande Market, IbejuLekki area of Lagos. A 35-year-old woman identified as Mama John was found dead in the burnt market which destroyed property worth

millions of naira. Although the cause of the explosion at Surulere, which occurred early yesterday morning, is still unknown, it was gathered that the incident occurred just as workers were resuming for work after the weekend. The incident, suspected to be a gas explosion, caused panic in the Eric Moore axis as many people reasoned that it was probably the handiwork of members of the radical Islamic Sect, Boko Haram.

‘Teachers, neighbours guilty of child defilement’ Muritala Ayinla

agos State Government yesterday raised the alarm over increasing cases of child defilement and urged parents and guardians to desist from exposing their children to danger. The Coordinator of the state Domestic and Sexual Violence Response Team, Mrs Titilola Vivor-Adeniyi, who spoke with our correspondent, said the government had recorded over 150

convicted rapists in the Sex Offender Register. According to her, about 200 alleged offenders of Sexual and Gender Based Violence (SGBV) crimes, yet to be prosecuted, are under watch. Vivor-Adeniyi said findings had shown that most of the perpetrators of defilement of children of ages of two and 10 were teachers from their schools, male house helps and close relations, who, in most cases, the parents entrusted with their wards.

According to her, most parents carelessly expose their children to sexual assault by sending them on errands where they are defiled. Vivor-Adeniyi added that on the average, the team received three cases of child defilement and sexual and gender based violence. The coordinator called on school proprietors, parents and guardians to properly screen whoever they want to employ as teachers or male house help.

She said: “Our findings have revealed that most of the alarming cases of child defilement are from schools, the male teachers who take advantage of the children unknown to their parents. Unsuspecting relations too are guilty of child defilement, an offence punishable under the Lagos Criminal Law. “It is very unfortunate that some parents send their fouryear-old kids on errands to buy recharge cards from their neighbours.”

The Director of Lagos Fire Service, Mr Rasaq Fadipe, confirmed the incident via a text message. He said: “There was tragedy this morning (yesterday) as explosion occurred at Golden Penny Flour Mill at Eric Moore. It claimed the life of a young man of about 35 years old.” The Public Relations Officer, National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) South-West Zone, Mr Ibrahim Farinloye, confirmed that one person died while three others were injured. He said: “We can’t confirm the nature of the explosion. We are not sure whether it is gas explosion or that of improvised explosive device (IED) until investigation is concluded.” Farinloye added that the case had been transferred to Apapa Police Station for investigation and that preliminary investigation had revealed that it was a boiler that exploded. Meanwhile, fire destroyed several shops in the Jakande Market which occurred at 3.30am.

News

Group chides EFCC, ICPC’s failure to investigate Aregbesola Adeolu Adeyemo Osogbo

he Civil Societies Coalition for the Emancipation of Osun State (CSCEO) yesterday accused the Economic And Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corruption and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), of foot-dragging on the allegation of a serving High judge in the state, justice Folahanmi Oloyede, against Governor Rauf Aregbesola over misap-

TUESDAY,JULY 28, 2015 NEW TELEGRAPH

SOUTH-WEST

propriation of the state resources. The coalition which raised the alarm against the anti-corruption agencies at a press conference in Osogbo, frowned at what it described as the non-challant attitude of the two bodies, said the agencies had pretended all along as if they were not aware of the development. Speaking through its Chairman, Comrade Adeniyi Alimi Sulaiman, the group argued that the delay by the agencies to commence investigations into the allegations of criminal mismanagement of public

funds by the governor was a deliberate plan to shield him from prosecution. “We are surprised that despite the fact that Justice Oloyede’s petition was sent to the EFCC and ICPC about two months ago, these agencies of the Federal Government, under president Mohammadu Buhari , have refused to respond to this matter of urgent public interest which has led to the death of many citizens occasioned by the governor’s failure to pay their salaries, pensions and cooperative deductions.” Sulaimon who also alleged that Aregbesola’s,

response to Oloyede’s petition was uncultured, noted that “all he Aregbesola has done as response to the weighty allegations was the exhibition of his usual manner of grandstanding and showing disregard for due process and trivializing matters of public interest.’’ According to him, “his response to the many serious and verifiable allegations of criminal mismanagement of the state’s economy contained in Oloyede’s petition was so trivial and devoid of any substance except abuse of the person of the judge.”

Ekiti PDP faction removes Fayose’s man Adesina Wahab Ado-Ekiti

he crisis rocking the Ekiti State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) took another twist yesterday, as a faction led by Tunde Olatunde, claimed it has removed the State Publicity Secretary, Jackson Adebayo, from office. The Olatunde-led group, which met in Ado-Ekiti, also announced the appointment of Dapo Adebisi, as the State Deputy Chairman. Olatunde, regarded as the acting State Chairman by his faction, said ten other members of the State Working Committee, attended the meeting where the decisions were taken. Asked for his reaction, Adebayo, seen as one of the arrowheads of Governor Ayo Fayose, in the PDP in the state said he had no comment on his purported

removal. When asked to state his position on the development, Adebayo said events would eventually showed who is in control. However, Olatunde, named Michael Oladipo, as the new spokesman of the party in the state. According to Olatunde, the appointments of Adebayo, did not follow due process laid down by the PDP. His group had earlier faulted the appointment of Idowu Faleye, as the acting State Chairman of the party. To the group, Faleye, who replaced Chief Makanjuola Ogundipe, who was elevated to the position of National Vice-Chairman, South-West, did not emerge in accordance with the constitution of the party. Speaking shortly after the SWC meeting where the decisions were arrived at, Olatunde, said the new appointees were recommended from their wards to fill the vacancies.

Osun cocoa association distributes chemicals to farmers

L-R: Immediate past Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola; Chief Executiove Officer, Kausar Abdulsalam Hassan Establishment, Abdulwaheed AbdulRaheem; former Commissioner for Home Affairs and Culture, Mr. Oyinlomo Danmole and state’s Deputy Governor, Dr. Oluranti Adebule, during the presentation of Award of Excellence to Fashola as best governor on pilgrims welfare in Nigeria (2007-2015) , at a Tafsir programme and special prayers for Nigeria held in Mecca, Saudi Arabia at this year’s Lesser Hajj (Umrah) …recently.

Muritala Ayinla

Ambode inaugurates pilgrims’ committee

overnor Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos State has inaugurated the state pilgrims committee for the 2015 holy pilgrimage to Mecca, just as he named the Chief of Imam of Lagos State House of Assembly, Alhaji AbdulLateef AbdulHakeem, as the leader (Amirul Hajj), of the Lagos pilgrims. The governor, who also inaugurated committee for the 2015 hajj at the Lagos House, Alausa Ikeja, said that he has approved the immediate commencement of a decentralized weekly orientation programme in all the local government areas which commenced on Saturday 25 July. According to him, “My administration shall ensure an improvement in the welfare of Lagos Pilgrims in the holy land. I have approved the immediate commencement of a

decentralized weekly orientation programme in all the local government areas which commenced on Saturday 25th July and it is aimed at developing the right attitude and character worthy of ambassadors of Lagos State in the holy land. The governor also said that the spiritual orientation will also be held at the state level before August 18, stating that since the hajj, the fifth pillar of Islam is held tenaciously by Muslims, the exercise should be handled with all seriousness that it required, hence the need to appoint the Amirul Hajj and interim committee to coordinate the activities of the exercise. Governor Ambode also reiterated his administration’s resolve to ensure peaceful and harmonious co-existence among Lagosians just as he promised

to strengthen the institutions and agencies saddled with In his remarks, Alhaji AbdulHakeem, expressed appreciation to the governor, promising that he and his team would not let the state down. He assured that the committee would work as-

siduously and would represent the state well at the holy land. Members of the committee include Mr. Danmole AbdulHameed Ademola, Dr. Paramole Abdul Kabir, Alhaja Gawat Fatimat Folashade, Alhaja Latifat Adewale Omolara, among others.

sun State chapter of the Cocoa Association of Nigeria in its bid to match the production of other cocoa growing states in Nigeria, has commenced the distribution of chemicals worth millions of naira to boost cocoa production across the state. The association, in a release signed by its Deputy Chairman Board of Trustees and Zonal Secretary Oyo/Osun zones, Dr. Bola Otunla and Hon. John Alalade, respectively directed the procurement and the distribution of chemicals to cocoa farmers. Otunla noted that the gesture was borne out of the association’s support for the government of Governor Rauf Aregbesola, who has been rendering yearly support to cocoa farmers in the state. He stressed that the body felt that the time to reciprocate the governor’s yearly gesture, was by coming to the aid of the state by ensuring that its

assistance to farmers continue unabated in the face of the financial challenges of the state. According to him, “It gives me great pleasure to inform you that the state chapter of the Cocoa Association of Nigeria, has started the distribution of fungicide and insecticide to cocoa farmers in Osun with effect from the first week of July. The initial consignment has come and is being distributed and it will continue until the end of the rainy season. “This is to ensure that we match up with other cocoa growing states in the South-West, especially our competitor in Ondo State”. He urged farmers in the state to put in their best in the area of cocoa production, saying all hands must be on deck for the state to realise it’s full potential in agriculture and specifically in the area of cocoa production in Nigeria.

Group warns against victimisation of Saraki’s S’West supporters Babatope Okeowo Akure

political group within the All Progressives Congress (APC), Ondo Network Group, yesterday warned against the victimisation of supporters of Senator Bukola Saraki, in the southwest geo-political zone for their support for the emergence of Saraki as the Senate President. The group through its

Chairman, Gbenga Ajayi, also alleged that those perceived as Saraki’s supporters especially Senator Omotayo Alasoadura, representing Ondo central senatorial district were marked for persecution. Ajayi said the statements of some leaders of the party both in the state and the zone against Saraki and Alasoadura, were uncalled for as the duo have not committed any offence against the law

of the land or violated any section of the constitution. A leader of the party in Ondo State, Ifedayo Abegunde, had chided Alasoadura, for supporting the emergence of Saraki as Senate President, saying such action was against the directive of the party in the zone and in the country. He also chided the state Chairman of the party, Hon Isaacs Kekemeke, for not sanctioning Ala-

sadura, for his support for Saraki’s emergence as the Senate President. However, the group said, “Senator Alasoadura made appropriate and adequate consultation with the people that matter in the party in the senatorial district, the state, and national levels before taking his decision in the Senate leadership issue by boldly and openly lending support to Saraki’s bid for the Senate Presidency.”

NEW TELEGRAPH TUESDAY, JULY 28, 2015

Parliament

Confirmation, committees top Senate’s agenda

Governance

LG reforms: The Ugwuanyi’s imperatives

NLNG

Dividends of controversy

Politics Speaker, House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, recently voiced out his frustration over unending crisis in the appointment of principal officers of the House. PHILIP NYAM enumerates the failed reconciliation moves

Dogara’s headache

adopted was to appoint Hon. Mohammed Monguno, a strategic partner of Gbajabiamila as chairman of the committee. This has paid off to some extent but not completely.

ince emerging as speaker of the House of Representatives against the directive of his party, All Progressives Congress (APC), Hon. Yakubu Dogara has not known peace. The House has only sat in plenary five times since after inauguration and had one of the most embarrassing moments on the floor in the last 16 years. On June 25, hell was let loose on the floor of the chambers as members engaged in a free for all and struggled with Sergeant-atarms to snatch the mace. It took the gallantry of the Sergeant-atarms to ferry away the mace to avoid a worse scenario. The genesis of the lingering crisis is the refusal of Dogara to buy wholesale, the directive of his party to appoint his main challenger, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila (South-West) as Majority Leader of the House. The party also want Hon. Alhassan Ado Doguwa (North-West) as deputy Leader, Pally Iriase (South-South) as Chief Whip and Mohammed Monguno (North-East) as Deputy Whip. While the party insists on its directive, Dogara’s position is anchored on the principle of federal character as enshrined in the constitution. Even after several efforts to reconcile the APC Loyalty Group led by Gbajabiamila and the Consolidation Group led

AYODELE OJO

DEPUTY Editor, POLITICS ayodele.ojo@newtelegraphonline.com

Dogara

by the speaker, attaining truce is a far cry. Despite the claim by the Dogara’s group that the crisis is over, the Gbajabiamila group, though currently decimated, maintains that the speaker must comply with the party’s directive or no peace. In pursuing reconciliation and unity, both camps have made concessions. The party has reversed its earlier decision not to recognise Dogara as speaker and now accepted the result of the election that returned him as speaker. However, the APC acceptance of Dogara came with a caveat that Dogara should obey the party and appoint Gbajabiamila as leader. Meanwhile, Dogara has also conceded two out of the four positions on the condition that the leader should go to the NorthWest and not to Gbajabiamila or the South-West

It is time to get on to the job for which we were elected

Dogara’s frustration While inaugurating the House Committee on Law Reform last week, Dogara could not hide his feelings over the protracted crisis. According to him, “The 8th Assembly has had a few distractions, but it is time to get on to the job for which we were elected. Apart from reviewing existing laws, law reform involves introduction of new laws where necessary.” The speaker stressed that: “The good news, however, is that the 8th House of Representatives is resolutely committed to expeditious passing all major bills before it or submitted to it that will impact positively on the lives and well-being of Nigerians. This is the irrevocable undertaking enshrined in our legislative agenda,” Dogara said. The strategy the speaker

Purported truce As part of his efforts to achieve peace and forge ahead, Dogara has been able to break the ranks of the Gbajabiamila camp, winning over key members. Hence, the Gbajabiaila’s camp is now factionalised. While the faction led by Ado Doguwa has accepted Dogara’s sharing formula, the other faction led by Hon. Nasiru Zangon Daura is averse to the development and maintains that anything short of the party’s anointed list is null and void. Over the weekend, the opposing groups: the Consolidation Group led by Dogara and the APC Loyalists Group led by Gbajabiamila in a reconciliatory agreement tagged “Equity Team” announced their decision to adopt the zoning formula proposed by the speaker. At a joint press conference on Saturday, the Gbajabiamila Group, represented by Hon. Alhassan Ado Doguwa, Hon. Pally Iriase and Hon. Mohammed Monguno, and the Consolidation Group represented by Hon. Abdulmumin Jibrin, announced that the crisis has been resolved in the interest of peace and national unity. Speaking on behalf of the Loyalists, Iriase said: “We looked at it and used it to assess Speaker’s proposal that Doguwa (NorthWest) be made House Leader, Pally Iriase (South-South), the Chief Whip, Buba Jubrin (NorthCentral) be made Deputy Leader and Chike Okafor (South-East) be made Deputy Whip. “We reflected on it and made consultations and I hereby let you know that majority of the APC caucus in the House has accepted this position. This position was accepted because it reflects inclusiveness, equity, fairness and justice. This position was accepted because Nigerians’ patience has been overtasked and our sense of responsibility will be called to question if this crisis lingers further. “In doing this, we are very indebted and salute the maturity and sense of responsibility, fairness and justice of the Speaker, CONTINUED ON PAGE 16

Politics

TUESDAY, JULY 28, 2015 NEW TELEGRAPH

Confirmation, committees top Senate’s agenda

Saraki

CHUKWU DAVID highlights the challenges awaiting the Senate as it resumes from its fiveweek recess today

Leadership crisis The National Assembly as an arm of government has not known peace since its inauguration on June 9. Although there is no physical warfare going on there, the disagreement between the two factional groups in the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) is destabilising enough. In the Senate, just as in the House of Representatives, the bone of contention is the leadership positions in the two chambers. The President of the Senate, Senator Bukola Saraki, has been under pressure since his emergence as members of the Senate Unity Forum (SUF), who worked for Senator Ahmad Lawan’s presidency project are yet to sheath their swords. As a result of this conflict situation, there is virtually a stalemate in the Senate, and there is apprehension that the resumption of the upper legislative chamber might be greeted by opposition from the anti-Saraki forces. To have a harmonious legislative session, the Senate, particularly the leadership has a very challenging task to reconcile and pacify all aggrieved interests. Until this harmony is achieved, the Chamber might be reduced to a battlefield for as long as the acrimony lasts. Minority leadership positions The Caucus of the Peoples

Committee reports Before the Senate went on recess, the President of the Senate, Saraki, inaugurated two ad hoc committees. They are Committees on Finance and Legislative Budget. The committees were given one week each to submit its report. Therefore, the Senate might receive and consider the reports on resumption. The Committee on Legislative Agenda was mandated to chart a course for the eighth Senate by providing a blueprint for its legislative work for the next four years. The Senate Leader, Senator Ali Ndume is the Chairman of the committee. On the other hand, the Committee on Finance was mandated to carry out thorough fiscal examination on the Senate finances, with a view to coming up with the best cost-effective regime in the Senate. The Chairman of the Committee is Senator James Manager.

Ekweremadu

Democratic Party (PDP) in the Senate is yet to appoint its members to fill the four positions of the minority leader, deputy minority leader, minority whip and the deputy minority whip. This has to be done when Senate resumes so that the party could be in position to provide the required opposition to the APC leadership in the chamber. For the office of minority leader, the speculation is that the former Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Senator Godswill Akpabio, is being considered for adoption by the South-South PDP Senate Caucus. This is however contentious because of the ranking rule. Some senators, particularly from the SUF are insisting that it is a violation of the rule. However, some senators have reacted to the development and argued that, as long as the decision was the wish of the people, it would not pose any problem to the caucus. The SUF had issued a statement condemning the development, threatening to move against the attempt by the eighth Senate to disregard the ranking rule in the emergence of leaders either from the ruling party itself or from the opposition party. Confirmation of Service Chiefs President Muhammadu Buhari had earlier sent a letter to the Senate on July 16, requesting for the confirmation of the Service Chiefs. It was gathered that the president wrote the letter in anticipation that the National Assembly would resume on July 21 as earlier scheduled. The new Service Chiefs appointed by the President are: Maj.-Gen. Abayomi Gabriel Olonisakin – Chief of Defence Staff; Maj.-Gen. T.Y. Buratai – Chief of Army Staff; Rear Admiral Ibok-

Akume

To have a harmonious legislative session, the Senate... has a very challenging task to reconcile and pacify all aggrieved interests

mittee has the responsibility to set up the standing committees and appoint their chairmen and members. The last Senate had 57 Standing committees; six of which were special committees. These committees, in their capacities, represent the Senate in carrying out either oversight functions or other functions as may be prescribed and assigned by the Senate. The Senate is expected to quickly set up at least the Selection Committee and the special committees to begin to carry out some fundamental functions, pending when the whole committees will be put in place.

Ete Ekwe Ibas – Chief of Naval Staff; Air Vice Marshal Sadique Abubakar – Chief of Air Staff; Air Vice Marshal Monday Riku Morgan – Chief of Defence Intelligence and Maj.-Gen. Babagana Monguno (rtd.) – National Security Adviser. As the Senate resumes, it is expected that the Red Chamber will not hesitate to consider and approve the appointments in order to legitimise the operations of the new service chiefs. Setting up of committees One of the setbacks being witnessed in the Senate as a result of the lingering crisis over the leadership tussle is the failure to set up relevant committees that will pilot the affairs of the chamber in the next four years. The first and perhaps the most important committee, which is among the special committees in the Upper Chamber is the Selection Committee. The com-

Petition and sanctions The Senate may also look into the petition of the SUF to the police over the alleged forgery of the 2015 Senate Standing Orders. The former President of the Senate, Senator David Mark; his deputy, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, the former Senate Leader, Senator Victor Ndoma-Egba and the former Chairman, Senate Committee on Rules and Business, Senator Ita Enang, were all joined in the petition. However, some senators are of the opinion that the petition was unnecessary because the Senate has an internal mechanism to resolve its internal crisis. They are arguing that the police presence in the Senate crisis amounts to external interference in the internal affairs of the legislature. So, when Senate resumes, it is expected that some senators might come up with a motion to address the matter. Since there are no standing committees in place, the Upper Chamber may set up a special or ad hoc committee to deal with the matter. EFCC’s invitation to Saraki’s wife The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) recently invited the wife of the President of the Senate, Mrs Toyin Saraki, to appear before it in connection with an investigation today, Tuesday, July 28. This has caused disquiet in the Senate as some senators loyal to Saraki have insinuated a plot by the APC-led government to CONTINUED ON PAGE 15

Politics 15

NEW TELEGRAPH TUESDAY, JULY 28, 2015

Louis Amoke

ecently, Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State inaugurated an 11-man committee on Local Government Staff Audit and Biometrics Data Capturing exercise, basically to enable his administration address the chronic irregularities that have long bedevilled the progress of the local government system in the state. The committee is also targeted to nip in the bud the problems associated with the local government administration and institutionalise an enduring legacy that would guarantee transparency, accountability, probity and prudent management of the lean resources accruable from the federation account and LGAs’ Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) for the overall benefits of the masses, especially those at the grassroots. The associated problems include: the endemic existence of ghost workers, impunity, laxity, non-payment of local government workers’ salaries and pensions, fraud and other corrupt practices that serve as avenues for leakages and wastages, which have hindered progress in the local government councils. It was in view of the foregoing and the yearning desire of the governor to institute a new order and put an end to these cankerworms eating deep into the fabrics of the affairs of the local government administration in the state that instigated the constitution of the 11-man committee headed by the Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Hon. Edward Ubosi. The decision was also borne out of the need to reorganise the style of governance at the grassroots to be able to adapt with the current economic reality in the nation due to the drastic drop in the revenue allocation from the federation account, which has made it impossible for most states to meet up with their responsibilities of paying salaries of workers, talk less of embarking on capital projects. In a bid to actualise this vision and engineer a driving force towards a stable, decent, efficient, transparent and result-oriented local government administration, the governor while inaugurating the committee, handed down to its members a comprehensive and apt terms of reference, carefully itemised to guide them achieve the expected result. According to the governor, the committee is to: ascertain the staff strength of each local government council; determine the financial implication of the staff in respect of monthly salaries of each local government council, State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) and Pension Board; ascertain the outstanding salaries and allowances of each local government council, SUBEB, Local Government Service Commission and Pension Board; determine the number of political appointees in each of the local government councils. Other terms of reference include: verify the total number of primary school teachers in each local government councils and pensioners of the Local Government Pension Board; identify factors responsible for delay or

LG reforms: The Ugwuanyi’s imperatives

Ugwuanyi

non-payment of salaries and allowances of staff of local government councils and pensioners of Local Government Pensions Board; ascertain the number of local government pensioners and outstanding pensions and gratuities; take appropriate actions to capture particulars of all staff of the local government areas; and inquire into any other matters incidental to the terms of reference and local government administration and make recommendations to government as it deems fit. From the above terms, it becomes clear that the governor is poised to institute detailed and far-reaching reforms that will restore sanity to the third tier of government in order to save the local government staff administration in the state from imminent collapse and help the government tackle the challenges that had trudged the wheels of governance at the grassroots. As a technocrat and an agent of prudent management of resources, the governor emphasised that “the staff audit is also intended to help the government identify and flush out ghost work-

Ubosi

The staff audit is also intended to help the government identify and flush out ghost workers and plug all avenues of leakages and wastages

ers and plug all avenues of leakages and wastages that have hitherto weighed down the finances of local government councils” in the state. While acknowledging the fact that the task before the committee is quite onerous, Governor Ugwuanyi however charged the committee members to tackle their new assignment “promptly, zealously and dispassionately” and bring their wealth of experience, competence and personal integrity to bear in the discharge of their duties as “failure is certainly not an option.” To the local government chairmen, relevant agencies and officials of government as well as the staff of the local government councils in the state, the governor did not leave them out amongst the critical stakeholders that will ensure that the exercise succeeds. He equally charged them to give the committee which has three months to complete its assignment “all necessary assistance; cooperation and support to enable them discharge their duties successfully and satisfactorily.” From all indications, it is

widely believed that the on-going reform is a round peg in a round hole which has once again offered the state the opportunity and space to chart a new course for the future of the local government system to be able to play its dominant role as the platform for delivery of democratic dividends to the grassroots. It is a worthwhile exercise that requires the support and cooperation of all stakeholders in particular and the public in general. It is also an exercise that should supersede all other interests concerning the local government administration in the state, so that its aims and objectives will be fully achieved. As the committee chairman, Hon. Ubosi rightly said “the assignment is a sensitive and tasking one.” The public can only but wish them God’s grace and wisdom to succeed, for the state to navigate through the ugly experience of impunity and sabotage in the local government councils. •Amoke is the Senior Special Assistant to Governor Ugwuanyi on Media and Publicity

Confirmation, committees top Senate’s agenda C O N T I N U E D F R O M PA G E 1 4

use the anti-graft agency to witch-hunt political enemies. Again, it is expected that concerned senators, particularly members of the Like Minds group might come up with a motion to condemn the development and perhaps make some resolutions to salvage the situation.

Bailout fund One other issue that might attract the attention of the Senate as it resumes is the issue of the bailout fund, which President Muhammadu Buhari directed to be released to the states to be able to pay workers’ salaries. Some people are saying that, in line with the provisions of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), the President has no powers to release such money without

getting approval from the National Assembly. It is most likely that the Senate will discuss the matter on resumption. With these numerous responsibilities waiting for attention, Nigerians expect that the Senate will settle down and begin to give the electorate value for their money by making good laws for the good governance of the country. Anything short of this might provoke public outcry.

Politics

Gbajabiamila

TUESDAY, JULY 28, 2015 NEW TELEGRAPH

Doguwa

Jibrin

House leadership: Dogara’s headache C O N T I N U E D F R O M PA G E 1 3

who ceded the major substantive positions to our group, the Loyalists. This is because other offices are to deputise the House Leader and the Chief Whip occupied by our members. The Speaker can’t be fairer than that. I and House Leader designate, Doguwa hold ourselves loyal enough to the party and the caucus of Loyalists group to ensure that their interests are protected in the affairs of the House. “We urged all those who, might have wished that this crisis ought to be resolved in a different way to think Nigeria first and embrace peace for the sake of having a respectable and enduring institution of legislature in Nigeria. The three of us, known to be key members and leading lights of the Loyalists group have stepped forward on behalf of our members to accept the position as indicated in the Speaker’s proposal.” Also supporting the peace move, Doguwa, who is the adopted House leader and a member of the Gbajabiamila’s Loyalists Group said: “In my opinion, we have taken enough to entrench what we think is expected of us in the House. “Of course, there will be a few members that may have contrary opinion but majority of us have accepted the arrangement and have accepted to work in complete harmony with the two presiding officers to move the House forward. “It is my opinion that if it was disagreement, we have disagreed enough, if it was misunderstanding, we have misunderstood enough. It is time to understand ourselves and forge ahead and work for the collective interest of Nigerians who sent us here.” Confirming the reconciliation, Monguno, who had lost in the race for deputy speaker against Dogara’s deputy, Yusuff Lasun said: “Ordinarily I should be the last person to be part of this meeting because both Iriase and Doguwa have maintained their positions under our platform but

I am losing out. “I decided to accept the Dogara proposal and consequently lose out just because it is in the interest of Nigeria and peace and unity in the House. “Initially, the reason behind the party nominating us as principal officers was to take care of the interests of members of the Loyalists group, but right now Doguwa and Iriase, our members being chosen as Leader and Chief Whip, I think they are capable and well positioned to take care of the interest of the Loyalists group in the House as enunciated by the party. “I also decided to follow suit because the new arrangement also reflects equity, fairness and justice as every segment are provided for in the Dogara formula.” Dogara’s consolidation In his presentation, the representative of the Dogara camp, Jibrin said: “We have commenced collection of signatures which has reached advanced stage to affirm the Dogara formula. All other interests, including those excluded from the principal officers specifically Hon. Gbajabiamila and Hon. Monguno will be duly accommodated with commensurate responsibility to serve. Since the Speaker has about 200 positions to share out, many members will have the opportunity to serve the country.” According to him, “it is heartwarming to announce to you that the disagreement in the House, which many have erroneously labelled as crisis, has finally come to an end. We hereby express our deep appreciation to Mr. President for his fatherly disposition during this disagreement. We also commend our party for its patience and understanding and re-affirm our continued support for the realisation of its objectives. We thank our other colleagues who disagreed with us for their willingness to dialogue and accept our compromise position for the peace and stability of the House and overall national interest.

“We will make a particular mention of Hons. Monguno, Doguwa and Iriase for their patience, maturity and understanding. Finally, we thank Nigerians and once again pledge that this House will now get down to work for the Nigerian people.”

To have a genuine agreement... the Dogara group will have to, first of all, cut off the umbilical cord between it and the PDP

The counter-claim In spite of the assurances from these groups, peace is still an essential commodity because a faction of the Loyalty Group does not believe in the Equity Team. Kicking against the purported reconciliation, other members of the Loyalists group led by Hon. Nasiru Zangon-Daura (APC, Katsina) on Sunday announced that no truce has been reached between the two groups and advised the speaker to seek for genuine peace. Zangon-Daura in company of 17 other lawmakers alleged that Speaker Dogara and his supporters have perfected plans to lock out some of their members from the chambers and announce the principal officers not endorsed by the party. The lawmaker warned the speaker against taking law into his hands and harassing any of his opponents. He said: “To the Speaker Dogara’s group and their PDP allies we are aware of your attempt to deny entry into the House of Representative Chambers to members of the Loyalist Group especially the likes of Hon. Aliyu Madaki, Hon. Rufai Chanchangi, Hon. Philip Shaibu, Hon. Mohamed Soba, Hon. Isa Aliyu Zuru, Hon. Ahmed Babba Kaita, Hon. Ismaila Sulaiman, Hon. James Faleke, Hon. Yusuf Ikara, Hon. Abdullahi Salame and Hon. Abubakar Chika. “We strongly warn Speaker Dogara that we will not take any breach of our members’ privileges lightly and we will hold you, Speaker Dogara personally responsible. Honour is earned through honourable actions. A word is enough for the wise” The group also accused Dogara of an unholy alliance with

the PDP to forestall the anti-corruption campaign of President Muhammadu Buhari. “We also note that in the elections of the Speaker and Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, there was an unsanctioned and unholy alliance between the members of the opposition parties in the House and the 39 disloyal members of the APC in the House that connived to produce the Dogara Speakership. “We are also aware that this unholy alliance is a bid to truncate President Buhari’s agenda, which include his anti-corruption stance by using the National Assembly to, at the very minimum, slow it down if they cannot stop this presidential initiative dead cold,” Zangon-Daura said. The group noted that “to have a genuine agreement that is not tainted by the PDP, the Dogara group will have to first of all cut off the umbilical cord between it and the PDP and secondly engage in candid reconciliatory discussions with our group as a whole through our approved members under the leadership of Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila. “We are however aware of the trojan offers of party principal officers positions being made to individuals in our group in their individual capacities in order to lure them from our group. “We hereby restate for the avoidance of any doubt that this struggle is not about Femi Gbajabiamila, Yakubu Dogara, Alhassan Ado Doguwa, Mohammed Monguno or Pally Iriase; this is about being loyal and committed to party’s manifesto which amongst others includes the fight against corruption by President Muhammadu Buhari.” It is clear that without genuine peace, the House cannot function effectively and for Dogara to secure the needed peace, he needs the support of the hub of the party. This is the knotty issue as the House once again attempts to reopen for business. What becomes of the House should the speaker announce his choice of principal officers on resumption?

Politics 17

NEW TELEGRAPH TUESDAY, JULY 28, 2015

Dividends of controversy TEMITOPE OGUNBANKE writes on the bickering between the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) over the source of the $2.1billion shared among the three tiers of government

he governing All Progressives Congress (APC) and the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have been engaged in a war of words over the recent sharing of a special fund among the three tiers of government. While the PDP insists that the shared fund came from savings left behind by former President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration in the Excess Crude Account (ECA), the Presidency said the shared fund was proceeds of the dividends paid by the Nigerian Liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG) to the Federation Account. Prior to the swearing-in of President Muhammadu Buhari on May 29, many states owed backlog of unpaid workers’ salaries, just as many projects are already abandoned over paucity of funds. As at that time, no fewer than 15 of the 36 states of the federation owed workers’ salaries. With this reality on ground, what seemed to be the priority of the Buhari’s administration immediately he assumed office was to rescue the ‘troubled states.’ But upon assumption of office, the hope of the governors appeared shattered following Buhari’s disclosure that the PDP government left an empty treasury. While the argument over ‘empty treasury’ and ‘bailout’ for states lingered, President Buhari and the 36 states governors met in Abuja on June 23 to brainstorm on how to ‘rescue the troubled states’. The president during the meeting was reported to have assured the governors of a special relief package. And less than two weeks after the meeting, Buhari directed the release of special funds to assuage the plight of thousands of Nigerian workers in the service of federal and state governments. The disbursement, pegged at about $2.1 billion (N413.7 billion) sourced from the NLNG proceeds to the Federation Account was reported to have been authorised to be shared among the federal, states and local governments. While the disbursement of the special fund elicited much joy in many quarters, the sharing of the NLNG proceeds stirred up controversy between the ruling party and the PDP. The PDP insisted that the shared money was taken from ECA account, while the Presidency claimed that the shared fund was raised from NLNG dividends. The sharing of the NLNG dividends by Buhari’s government also generated accusation and

Buhari

Metuh

counter-accusation between the APC and PDP over whereabouts of about $4 billion taxes and dividends paid by the NLNG to Federal Government in the last 10 years. The exchange of words between the two parties was based on the claim by the NLNG Managing Director, Babs Omotowa, that the company had paid over $30 billion to its shareholders in the past 10 years. PDP lays claim to relief credit In an attempt to fault President Buhari’s claim that he met an empty treasury when he assumed office, the national leadership of the PDP on July 7 took a swipe at the Presidency, noting that a significant amount of the ‘bailout’ came from savings accumulated in the ECA handed over to incumbent government by the past PDP-led administration. The PDP in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Chief Olisa Metuh, claimed that the financial prudence of ex-President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration and his plan to save for the rainy days ensured financial succour for state governors and therefore urged Buhari administration to give credit to the immediate past administration. The party spokesman also de-

is completely false and deliberately intended to mislead the public. “The funds approved by President Buhari for sharing to the three tiers of government came entirely from dividends and taxes paid to the Federation Account by the NLNG, not from the ECA. “The disbursed NLNG dividends and taxes were paid into the Federation Account in June this year and confirmed by the Central Bank’s statement to the Federal Government on July 7, 2015. The funds cannot, therefore, be considered ‘savings’ by the Jonathan administration which left office in May, 2015, as disingenuously claimed by Mr. Metuh,” he said. Adesina stressed further that President Buhari should be commended for his openness, transparency and accountability, which he brought to the management of national funds.

Jonathan

Mohammed

The funds cannot, therefore, be considered ‘savings’ by the Jonathan administration which left office in May, 2015, as disingenuously claimed by Mr. Metuh

manded an apology from President Buhari over his earlier claim that he met an empty treasury. “We want to believe that given the President’s release of such huge amount, he may have realised that he was earlier misdirected on the actual financial state of the nation at the time he took over. In this regard, we expect the President, as a respected statesman to do the needful to correct that erroneous impression. “Furthermore, we expect President Buhari’s APC administration as direct beneficiary of these savings initiated by past PDP administrations to appreciate the strategic importance of always saving for rainy days and as such guarantee prudent and transparent management of the nation’s resources now under its care,” Metuh stated. Presidency faults PDP’s claim In a swift reaction to PDP’s claim, the Presidency in a statement issued by the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Mr. Femi Adesina on July 8, described PDP’s claim as ‘banal and ludicrous.’ “Mr. Metuh’s claim that a significant amount of the funds came from savings accumulated in the Excess Crude Account and handed over to the Buhari administration

PDP states’ chairmen kick In a swift reaction to the claim by the presidency that the disbursement was taken from NLNG and not ECA, the chairmen of state branches of the PDP on July 12 accused President Buhari of not telling the truth on the source of the fund. The PDP state chairmen in a statement by their chairman, Dr. Emmanuel Agbo (Benue State), said: “The media adviser to President Buhari is economical with the truth. By denying release of funds from the ECA, he is being economical with the facts regarding the bailout by Mr. President. “There is no way that only $2 billion from LNGN will equal N804 billion released for sharing by the three tiers of government. The bank loan arrangements are not physical cash on the table for direct disbursements to the tiers of government. Therefore, the media adviser’s claim of the ECA being intact is misleading and deliberate distortion of facts.” Bickering over NLNG payments The exchange of words between APC and the PDP got more intense and took another dimension few days ago following the revelation by the NLNG Managing Director, Omotowa, that the company had paid over $30 billion to its shareholders in the past 10 years. Based on Omotowa’s revelation on NLNG dividends, APC asked President Buhari to probe ex-President Jonathan’s administration over $5.5 billion dividends said to have been paid to the Federal Government by the NLNG Company. The party in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, also called on the Federal Government to urgently unravel what happened to the past Company Income Tax/ Education tax as well as dividends paid to the Nigerian government by the NLNG, against the background of published reports that the funds were never paid into the Federation Account as they should have been. “We can tell Nigerians that apart from the said $1.6 billionn NLNG payment for 2015, NLNG CONTINUED ON PAGE 20

TUESDAY, JULY 28, 2015 NEW TELEGRAPH

Opinion Leahy: With friends like this Femi Fani-Kayode

he United States government helped Boko Haram immensly by refusing to classify them as a terrorist organisation until 2014 and by refusing to sell us arms to fight them. Worst still, they imposed an international arms embargo on us so that we could not buy arms from anyone else in the international community. When asked why they are doing this to us they tell us that it is because of the Leahy Act which prohibits them from selling arms to governments that violate the human rights of their own citizens. They forget that we are in the middle of a bitter war and that our enemies are being sponsored and supported by both ISIL and Al Qaeda. They forget that over 50,000 innocent Nigerians have been slaughtered in cold blood and thousands more raped and abducted during the course of that war over the last 5 years. They disregard the fact that every day Nigerians are bleeding more and more and that our gallant Armed Forces, through no fault of their own, have not been able to get the necessary weapons to fight back effectively. Some things are above partisan politics and this is one of them. Regardless of whichever political party we belong to we must all join forces and support the fight against Boko Haram. We must do this regardless of party affiliation because if we don't Boko Haram will consumme us all, whether we are PDP, APC or anything else. We love and admire the Americans and we regard their country as a bastion of good governance, justice, equity and decency. We also recognise the fact that they have brought an immense amount of good into the world over the last 100 years and that

they continue to do so. However in this matter of arms supply to our country it appears to me that a double standard is being applied. It is almost as if they want Nigeria to be brought to her knees and that they want us to be humiliated and destroyed. All the territory that was recovered from Boko Haram by the Jonathan administration is now being threatened again or has been retaken by Boko Haram in the last few weeks. This comes as a direct consequence of the fact that the Americans have refused to sell us arms and the new allies and friends that the Jonathan administration reached out to in their stead just a few months before leaving power together with the military assistance contracts that they entered into at the time for help in the war against Boko Haram have been terminated. This is very sad because the immediate consequence of it is the fact that over 1000 Nigerians have been killed by Boko Haram in the last two months alone. That means over 100 people per week have been murdered by the terrorists since May 29th. This must stop and something has to give. We must support the new government in their efforts to stem the tide and to fight terror. This is all the more important when one considers the fact that there seems to be some hidden agenda on the part of the western powers, led by America, to ensure that we do not acquire the necessary weapons to take on Boko Haram effectively. When one considers the position of the American government one is forced to ask the following question: w hy did they not invoke the Leahy Act against Israel, Saudi Arabia, Afghanistan, Somalia, Qatar, Egypt, Turkey, Ukraine, Pakistan, Yemen, Kenya

and Iraq for human rights violations? Why do they continue to supply arms to the governments of all those countries despite what they have done to many of their own citizens and those that they oppose just outside their borders? Why is it only Nigeria that they have refused to sell arms to and that they have imposed an international arms embargo on even though we are fighting a civil war against a barbaric, relentless and evil enemy that is being sponsored by ISIL and Al Qaeda? Given all this, I believe that it is time for us as a country to begin to reconsider who our friends really are? They say that a friend in need is a friend indeed. You cannot say that you are our friends whilst you sit by idly and watch the blood of our people being shed on a daily basis yet you refuse to do anything about it. We are not asking you to send troops to fight for us or to give us free arms. We are not cowards or beggars. We are simply asking to buy sophisticated arms and modern weapons from you so that we can defend our people yet you keep saying no and you are urging others not to sell to us either. This is not the act of a friend. It is unacceptable, it is unfair and, if sustained, it will prove to be counter-productive to the interests of the Americans in our country and in the west African sub-region. The truth is that given the attitude of the United States government I believe that it is time for us to rely far more on our Chinese and Russian friends in our collective war against terror. I say this because it appears that the western powers and our traditional allies like the United Kingdom, France and America have left us in the lurch. Whichever way we can be rest assured of one thing: Nigeria will never be brought to her knees and ultimately we will win this war because God is with us.

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Ochendo, leave Kalu alone SINCE the turn of this week when the petition written by a group of patriotic Abians, Save Abia Initiative for Change (SAIC) to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) was made public, hacks of the former maximum ruler in Abia State in their idiotic mannerism are characteristically accusing the former governor of the state, Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu of instigating and or being behind the petition which to all intents and purposes spoke the minds of Abians who would want Chief Theodore Ahamefula Orji to account for the monies he received while in office as governor of Abia State. This is not the first time that OUK would falsely be accused by the hacks of the former governor who would ascribe anything that befalls their pay master to his former godfather. When billionaire businessman and philanthropist, Prince Arthur Eze came to Umuahia last year and told TA to his face of his administration’s failure, these writers of small minds blamed it on OUK. Today, some patriotic Abians who in their collective wisdom thought it wise that the EFCC should be alerted on how ExGov Orji balkanized their common patrimony which led to non payment of workers salary for months and the general backwardness of the state in general,

these enemies of the state are at it again, accusing OUK of being behind the petition. In as much as I am not trying to hold forth for the former governor, but suffice it to say that it is an insult on the collective sensibilities of Abians to always think that it is only OUK that can look TA in the face and tell him how he is? The identity of those who wrote the petition are not hidden, they are men of integrity who do not need to be induced in whatever form before taken action that would be beneficial to the good people of the state. Everybody knows that ExGov Orji had a case with EFCC before he became a governor with the attendant immunity. Since he is no longer a governor, neither is he now enjoying any form of immunity, what is the fuss about a petition that has been lauded by Abians from all works of life? We all live in Abia State and know how bad things were. The petition should not be swept under the carpet, OUK should be left alone and out of this, it is diversionary. The best for the hacks is to advise their master to brace up as Abians are waiting on EFCC to act accordingly. • Johnbull Ugwu, Aba.

Before Diezani goes to prison THE name, Diezani K. AlisonMadueke, has been making waves in the media since 2013, but in the wrong direction, especially in the social media. Anyone who does not review an issue before buying into it, would take the criminalisation of the immediate past Minister of Petroleum Resources, to be true. One does not read in-between lines these days on the name, Diezani K. AlisonMadueke, without seeing a mention of this stolen billion dollars or that laundered billion naira associated to it. Her issue had kept some of us in the media thinking. The irony of it was that you would also read that she left for the London or USA or Germany to plead with the international community to beseech on her behalf, so that Major General Muhammadu Buhari, would not imprison her. The recent nuisance making the rounds on her name was that she was begging to refund a certain billion dollars to Buhari, in order to allow her be. Then, one is flummoxed to ask, why the criminalisation of Diezani K. Alison-Madueke who until her tenure as Minister of Petroleum Resources, never plunged the country into fuel scarcity, especially during the

season of yuletide. This scintillating beauty called Diezani K. Alison-Madueke (Nee Abiye-Agama) born 6 December 1960, had always distanced herself from such devious accusing fingers on her. One is not sure if it is only in Nigeria that this woman is a ‘criminal’ because as the first female President of OPEC, elected at the 166th OPEC Ordinary meeting in Vienna on 27 November 2014 and sundry, this international body is not accusing Diezani K. AlisonMadueke of pilfering into its coffers as the president. As once Nigeria's minister of transportation on 26 July 2007 and was later moved to Mines and Steel Development in 2008, until her appointment as Minister of Petroleum Resources on April 2010, Diezani K. Alison-Madueke was the perfect minister of all. It is on quote that Propaganda is to a democracy what the bludgeon is to a totalitarian state. What might be working this far against Alison-Madueke was propaganda. But in Nigeria, one is forced to say that tribal ulcer and cancer are the worst. There is yet to be democratic civilisation in Nigeria. As if he was the Auditor General of the Federation, the first person to cast the dye

against Alison-Madueke, was the loquacious former Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor Lamido Sanusi. Sanusi was saying that there was missing $20 billion oil money, without giving recourse to how the Nigerian state had explored crude oil from the South-East and SouthSouth zones, since 1956 and the north benefitting from the proceeds since 1967 it bounced on superintending Nigerian affairs, without any commensurable development in these zones. Rather, the Northern accomplice, West, started deafening our ears through its propaganda media, of how the north had been impoverished during Dr. Goodluck Jonathan’s presidency, as if Northerners have not ruled Nigeria for nearly 40yrs, and the outcome of their rule is the poverty we can see around the country till date. Sanusi did not care to tell Nigerians and the international community of how his fellow Northerners have grown fat with the oil proceeds in the Niger Delta. It’s obvious that 90% of oil blocs in the Niger Delta, are controlled by northerners. • Odimegwu Onwumere, Port Hartcourt

NEW TELEGRAPH TUESDAY, JULY 28, 2015

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In the shackles of cultism

radually, Nigeria is slipping into the abyss. On a daily basis, the media – print, electronic and social – is awash with stories of killing and maiming by cult groups. Cultism, traditionally regarded as the exclusive preserve of the institutions of higher learning, is spreading into the larger society like wild fire. Everyone, young and old, men and women, seem to be catching the bug of cultism. And whether it is cultism in school or drawing its membership from the adult population, the effects are usually deadly. From the North to the South, East to West, no part of the country is spared. The ripple generated by the killing of scores of people in Nasarawa State two years ago by Ombatse cult group, which extracts loyalty from its members through blood oaths, has not settled down. In May of 2013, the Ombatse cult group ambushed, dispossessed and killed more than 55 police officers and 10 operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS). The deadly group also burnt the victims’ bodies. Since March, about 10 people have been killed in cultrelated clashes in Benin and other parts of Edo State. In April, about five persons were killed during a clash between members of Eiye Confraternity and Mafiate group at Second East Circular area of Benin.

A member of the latter group was reportedly hacked to death during a disagreement at a polling centre in Benin during the March 11 state House of Assembly election. Four others were said to have been killed in a reprisal attack. Also in May, four persons, two students and two women, were reportedly killed by cultists in parts of Benin. The women were said to be the mothers of two men, who were targeted by cultists. The women were murdered at Virginia Junction and New Benin, when the killers did not find their targets. The two students were said to be on their way to attend lectures at the Edo State College of Ag riculture, Iguoriakhi in Ovia South West Local Government Area when they walked into an ambush set by the cult members.

On June 13, suspected members of a cult group snapped a man’s neck and dumped his body inside a swimming pool at Isheri area of Lagos State

In June, a man identified as Agu was shot dead by suspected cultists in his shop at Oroke-Onuoha Market in Oroke Onuoha community in Ebonyi Local Government Area of Ebonyi State. The middle-aged man, who hailed from Oriuzor community, Ezza North Local Government Area of the state, was shot dead just as he was going about the day's sales. Also in June, the police in Imo State said they had arrested some notorious cultists terrorising members of Egbu community in Owerri following a tip off. The police said the cultists were arrested based on information that 15 of them terrorising members of Egbu community near Egbu Girls Secondary School were holding a meeting. On June 13, suspected members of a cult group snapped a man’s neck and dumped his body inside a swimming pool at Isheri area of Lagos State. The offence of the victim was that he asked the girlfriend of one of the cult members for a dance at a birthday party. Although the lady declined the invitation, it annoyed cult members who had been urging him to join them and had tagged him an enemy after he refused. On July 14, gunmen wearing black clothes and suspected to be cult members shot dead a 32-year-old businessman at Shimawa in Sagamu Local Government Area of Ogun State. The businessman was said to be a member of a rival cult group.

The list of killings by cult g roups across the country is endless. But the annoying thing is that the society seems to be complacent while this is going. Efforts need to be made by government at all levels and religious bodies to work in concert with the police and other security agencies to check the spread of the deadly vice. This is where the National Orientation Agency (NOA) should come in. The agency must immediately embark on enlightening campaigns across the country in schools, private and public, on the dangers of cultism. Motor parks, communities and organisations must not be left out of the campaign against this deadly social vice. If NOA is able to do this, it would be fulfilling its vision which is: “to develop a Nigerian society that is orderly, responsible and disciplined; where citizens demonstrate core values of honesty, hard work and patriotism; where democratic principles and ideals are upheld; and where peace and social harmony reign”. There are indications that some of these young cultists also go into armed robbery due to their ability to purchase arms at will. Government must see this as a frightening dimension. We are a nation in need of the best of human resources to galvanise our economy. Allowing killers in the name of cultists to take control of our schools and cities will further retard our collective drive for change.

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Politics

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 17

also paid $1.4 billion as Income Tax/Education Tax in May 2014, paid $0.3 billion as Education Tax to the Federal Government in 2011, 2012 and 2013 and $1.2 billion in VAT and Withholding Tax to the Federal Government since 2009. These payments are just those made in the past six years alone, hence there were other payments before then. “In addition, dividend payments totalling $4,728,136,946 was paid to the Federal Government between 2004 and 2009, out of which only $127,851,348.19 was credited to the Federal Government’s account with JP

TUESDAY, JULY 28, 2015 NEW TELEGRAPH

Dividends of controversy Morgan, leaving a balance of over $4 billion. The questions to ask, therefore, are why were all the past taxes and dividends neither fully paid into the Federation Account nor shared by the three tiers of government and what happened to the funds? “We didn’t see the $5.5bn in the system. Let them show Nigerians where it is,” APC stated. But the PDP in a statement signed by Metuh described APC statement as “misleading and outright falsehood,” claiming that its government saved the

money for reinvestment. “The truth is that the NLNG had been on a 10year tax haven until 2014. Within this period, successive governments, right from President Olusegun Obasanjo never shared nor tampered with the cumulative dividends. Whatever taxes paid from the NLNG go through the Federal Inland Revenue Services (FIRS) and recorded as part of the income of the Federal Government. “It is imperative to note that by the end of the tenure of President Goodluck Jonathan, NLNG divi-

dends had risen to a cumulative $5.6 billion and not a single cent was ever taken from the funds.” NNPC withdraws $1.2bn from banks In a move that seem to be related to the alleged missing NLNG dividends, New Telegraph had exclusively reported that the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) withdrew $1.2 billion (N240 billion) from banks, triggering more dollar liquidity squeeze in the money market and causing the value of the naira

to depreciate further at the parallel market. New Telegraph gathered that NNPC wrote the lenders three weeks ago, intimating them of its intention to transfer its domiciliary accounts to the CBN. A top NNPC official, who pleaded anonymity, confirmed the withdrawal to New Telegraph, saying that the decision to move the accounts to the CBN stemmed from the ongoing probe of the corporation, adding that the move was to harmonise all “their accounts.”

APC kicks over withdrawal of $1.2bn Penultimate Thursday, the ruling APC renewed its call on the Federal Government to probe the whereabouts of the dividends paid to the NNPC by the NLNG, as well as the taxes paid to the FIRS Federation Account prior to the latest payment in June 2015. The party in a statement signed by Mohammed, said the fresh call for the probe has become more urgent against the backdrop of published reports that the NNPC has withdrawn $1.2 billion from banks so it could place the money with the CBN. APC said the move by the oil corporation is a panic reaction to the expose by the party that over $4 billion are missing in past dividends paid to the NNPC by the NLNG. The party said any delay in calling the officials to account for the dividends may give them enough time to cover their tracks, in addition to the dangers posed to the banks – and by extension the economy – by the sudden withdrawal of such a huge fund from the NNPC accounts with them. “Whereas NLNG’s dividends are paid to NNPC’s account with JP Morgan, from where they are supposed to be paid into the Federation Account in accordance with the law, some unscrupulous officials of the corporation have apparently been moving such funds to local banks so they can collect huge commissions on them. “Now that the cat has been let out of the bag, they have started moving the funds from the banks to the CBN. We believe what we are seeing now is just a tip of the iceberg, hence the need for the authorities to call the NNPC officials to give accounts of the paid NLNG dividends to date. “The top officials of the NNPC and others who met on Monday and decided to withdraw the $1.2 billion from the corporation’s account to the CBN must be asked a number of questions, including their motive for the decision and the whereabouts of the commissions paid on such funds,” it said. APC also insisted that despite the attempt to pull the wool over the eyes of Nigerians, the Federal Government must remain undaunted in unravelling what happened to the dividends as well as previous taxes paid by the NLNG, as part of ongoing efforts to plug all financial leakages, ensure the payment into the Federation Account of all relevant funds and stop the looting of the treasury by unscrupulous public officials who have opted to abuse their offices.

NEW TELEGRAPH TUESDAY JULY 28, 2015

Arts

CULTURE

Why I produced Tempting Fate – Nwankwo Tony Okuyeme

ays after its premiere at Silverbird Galleria, Victoria Island, Lagos, the highly talked about and “must see” film Tempting Fate has set cinemas alive, drawing acclaim. This film, which is running at major cinemas across the country, tells a soul touching story that revolves around hope for the hopeless, and the union of families. It is produced and directed by Kevin Nkem Nwankwor (KNN), and starring Nollywood star Ramsey Nouah, who plays the part of Ugo, one of two brothers who are portrayed in the film following two very different paths in life. Ugo finds the life of crime appealing and is encouraged to do so by Scorpion, the gang leader characterised by the acclaimed Hollywood actor Dan Davies. Edu, portrayed by debuting upcoming Hollywood actor Andrew Onochie, is the calm devoted Christian brother of Ugo, who is afflicted with a life threatening illness. Also starring in the film is John Vogel who provides an amazing performance as Detective Travis. The star-studded cast consists of Tiffany Denise Turner as Tracey, Edu’s girlfriend, along with many other exceptional actors and actresses. Nwankwo said the movie, released on Friday July 17TH, 2015 by Silverbird Film Distribution (W.A.) Ltd. and currently running at major cinemas across the country, was inspired by the need to bring about change in the world through his passion for media, as he strives to develop his skills through riveting storytelling supported with exceptional audio-visuals. “My reason for making the film Tempting Fate is tied to my vision. I was inspired to

TONY OKUYEME Arts Editor tony.okuyeme@newtelegraphonline.com

write this story based on current situations in our society, brothers no longer look out for each other, many people have given up on God and given up on life by making some dangerous decisions that will not only hurt them but people around them,” Nwankwor. “There is no doubt that Tempting Fate will touch all of those who see it in a positive way.” It will surely bring Nwankwo to the forefront as a new director, who can have a major impact on the lives of others through the entertainment media. When the success of Tempting Fate comes to its conclusion he will most likely attribute the success of the film to reaching its goal of showing that love must exist between man and his creator. It touches on the renewal of the spirit of forgiveness, nurturing the love in relationships, and most importantly that when man takes the wrong path in life; he only needs to turn to God for a new beginning.” With this film, Mr. Nwankwor has boldly announced his presence in the scene. He has “become a much sought after director by casting members, because of his skills in communicating of what he wants and expects, and providing very clear direction. These attributes work for the better of all those who come under his directorship”. Nwankwor’s success is partly due to the talent and skills he displayed in the writing, directing and producing of two internationally awarded short films: “Mothers Love” and “Enemy Within”.

A scene in Temting Fate

Plateau International Film Festival calls for entries Tony Okuyeme

he organisers of Plateau International Film Festival (PIFF) have announced its call for entries for 2015 edition scheduled to hold in October in Jos, the Plateau State capital. To celebrate its 5th anniversary the festival is also considering relationships that would extend beyond the three-day event as it seeks partnership with reputable organizations, other film makers

and film festivals in order to favour its winning films and artists, the organisers stated in a release. The previous edition, which was declared open by Steve Gukas, the Festival Ambassador and a welcome address by Fred Amata, featured activities such as film screening, workshop, panel discussion, exhibition, theatre performance among others. According to Anne Abok, the International Director of two partner-

organizations, Media Village and MeCHAT, this year’s festival will be more of interest and participation because of the theme and the work that has gone into the planning. “We will be having an international jury to ensure that winning the films also reflect an international edge. We truly want to celebrate quality films that are instrumentals to the positive developments of our society,” Abok said. “This is our chance to redefine PIFF for the next

ears,” said Project Coordinator of PIFF, Deborah Ododo noting that so ‘much energy and excitement go into creating a three-day event that we are confident the creative community can extend to the entire country and beyond. “Film directors, producers, writers, cinematographers, editors, actors are therefore called to send in their films, documentaries, public service announcements and animation productions.”

Arts

Tony Okuyeme

he events marking the grand celebration of the new Department of Creative Arts of the Universiy of Lagos, which began on Tuesday July 21, continues today with with the stage production of Wole Soyinka’s Kong’s Harvest by Crown Troupe of Africa as directed by Segun Adefila. Holding at the new complex of the Department of Creative Arts, located near the Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Lagos, these events coming at the end of the tenure of the Ag Head of Department, Dr Peju Layiwola celebrate the home coming of several persons who have served in the Department of Creative Arts and others who contributed immensely to the old Centre for Cultural Studies from which the Department evolved in 1997. The performance of Kongi’s Harvest is coming days after its brilliant staging at the amphitheatre of Ojegba Forest in Abeokuta, Ogun State, for this year’s edition of Wole Soyinka International Culture Exchange, WSICE, project, which is the core project of the The Open Door Series promoted by Alhaji Teju-Kareem-led Zmirage and Professor Segun Ojewuyi-led GlobalNewHaven. In play, the issue of tyranny, bad leadership, a phenomenon in many countries across the African continent, is brought to the fore. Kongi’s Harvest tells the story of Kongi, the president of Isma. He has the spiritual leader King Danlola under ‘preventive detention’ (PD). He also insists that Danlola should be seen by the people at the festival to bring him the New Yam with his own hands. Kongi plans to use the New Yam festival, a festival highly respected by the people, to make Danlola relinquish

TUESDAY, JULY 28, 2015 NEW TELEGRAPH

Kongi’s Harvest returns to Lagos for grand celebration his kingship to him. It is also meant to launder his image. But he does not want to raise any dust over it; he wants to make it appear as if Oba Danlola relinquished power without compulsion. If Danlola hands Kongi the new yam during the festival it would mean Kongi would not only be the political leader of the people, but also the spiritual one. Kongi has been increasingly involved in image building, before the festival comes to a shattering climax. The action of the play takes place on the eve and the day of the national celebration of Isma. The play begins on a palpable somber and pessimistic mood. The king is endangered. What follows in the narrative depicts that nothing good will come out of Kongi’s leadership over the land of Isma. In the words of the Superintendent, one of Kongi’s right-hand men, Danlola’s supporters have been gathering to desecrate the national anthem of the land. Consequently, Kongi puts Sarumi and Danlola in detention. By so detaining them, the king has been deprived of his traditional power and sovereignty, hence conflicting with the president. To make things work in his favour, Kongi engages the services of a fraternity of Aweris and the ubiquitous organising secretary supported by a brutal Carpenters’ Brigade. However, despite efforts to achieve his ill-conceived plans, his former mistress Segi challenges him both privately and openly. Danlola gets to know of

A scene in Kongi’s Harvest

the plan; he then resolves not to relinquish his religious functions to anyone. Knowing his stand Segi and Daodu persuade him to play along to draw Kongi to the public celebration where he would be humiliated and assassinated. Meanwhile, the celebration continues tomorrow with the awards of excellence to individuals who had contributed immensely to the development and growth of the Centre for Cultural Studies which meta-

morphorsed in the Department of Creative Arts. The recipients of the awards include, Professor E.J Alagoa, Professor Laz Ekwueme, Professor Akin Euba, Professor Abayomi Barber, Professor dele jegede, Professor Sherifdeen Adetoro, Professor A.V.E Mereni, Late Professor Bode Osanyin, Professor Ebun Clark and Professor Duro Oni. Some served as Director of the Centre and others as Head of Department. Demola Olayiwola would be

honoured for his meritorious service to both the Centre and the Department. Engr Yemisi Shyllon, Dr Bruce Onobrakpeya and the General Overseer of the Mountain of Fire and Miracle Ministries would also be honoured for their immense contributions and assistance to the growth of the Department. The Press category of awards goes to Jahman Anikulapo, Chioma Okpara, Ozolua Uhakheme, Tajudeen Sowole and Tolu Lamidi.

South Africa, Art Kingdom celebrate Mandela in Lagos John Edu

The late Mandela

ecently, the Consulate General of South Africa in Lagos in collaboration with the Art Kingdom International Foundation, in celebration of this year’s edition of United Nation International Day honoured the late Nelson Mandela. The event was to also mark the 67 years he served his nation before his demise. The event which was held at the Silverbird Galleria in Lagos titled “What do I do to make everyday a Mandela Day”, kicked off on Friday the July 17, with a symposium organised for the youths’ followed by a visit to the orphanage home. It was concluded with an honorary celebration for the late Nelson Mandella, aimed at bringing people of different tribes and cultures to unite as one. According to the ambassador of South Africa to Nige-

ria, Mr. Samuel Monaisa, the objectives of the event was to bring to remembrance the effort of the late icon. He said, “This day has been declared by the united nation to honor the life and time of Nelson Mandela all over the world” he then added that as a way of carrying out the exercise, sixty seven minutes is specifically set aside to celebrate the late Icon all over the world at this period of every year, he added. Dr. Newton Jibunoh, who chaired the event, stated that Africa as a whole is blessed to have Nelson Mandela. He implored every good citizen of Africa and the world to emulate the late Mandela for selfless fight for freedom. “Let us take time to ask ourselves the question, what can I do to make everyday a Mandela day? Let us look for ways to fight injustice, help people no matter how seemingly intangible it appears, give back our time and re-

sources to our communities and practice reconciliation. As Nelson Mandela said, ‘it is in our hand to create a better world for all who live in it’”. Also speaking at the event, the resident and founder of the Art Kingdom international foundation, Prince Yomi Otukoya stated that the event took a different shape this as it was been held in Nigeria with all the various activities that were put in place which according to him was to make the Africans know and to value its culture. He said “The organization is aimed at creating a platform whereby youth and upcoming generations will be proud of its cultural inheritance and to embrace its value”. Yomi further added that the Art kingdom international found partners with the Nelson Mandela foundation in South Africa in training and mentoring people in the area of art.

NEW TELEGRAPH TUESDAY, july 28, 2015

Technology FUTA don charts path to technological growth

Education ADMISSION POLICY

Candidates seeking admission to the University of Lagos (UNILAG) for the 2015/2016 academic session that protested the new admission policy, last week have headed to court to challenge the action.

Mojeed Alabi

heir dream is to acquire tertiary education at the University of Lagos (UNILAG), the university of their choice and one of the best higher institutions in the country. But, that dream seemed to have been dashed due to a new admission policy introduced by the key stakeholders in the nation’s education sector during the 2015 Combined Policy Meeting, which held penultimate week in Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory. This new policy, to the candidates and their parents was introduced apparently to shut the university’s admission door against them. This is the plight of some 21,000 candidates, who chose UNILAG as their university of first choice in the forthcoming 2015/2016 academic session. The candidates and the parents are now at loggerheads with both the management of the university and the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB), just as they are accusing the university of raising the cut-off marks required to partake in its postUnified Tertiary Matriculation Examination test to 250 and above. The increase of the cut-off marks, they claimed, is in contrary to the JAMB’s earlier announcement which had pegged same at 180 for universities and 150 for polytechnics and colleges of education. JAMB is the organ charged with the responsibility of conducting qualifying examinations and admissions into tertiary institutions in the country (university, polytechnic and colleges of education).

kayode olanrewaju Editor, education

kayode olanrewaju@ newtelegraphonline.com

The candidates and their parents during the protest

Furore over UNILAG’s new admission policy l Candidates: JAMB is fronting for private varsities l JAMB: Decision in their best interest Faced with this development, hundreds of the candidates with their parents, as well as operators of some tutorial centres stormed the Akoka main campus of the 63-year-old university last week, to protest what they described as the new ‘draconian’ admission policy introduced by the institution in connivance with JAMB. The protesting candidates and their parents, who vowed to seek legal action against UNILAG and JAMB, and carried placards with various inscriptions such as “Don’t turn us to prostitutes,” “Give our children admission” and “JAMB cannot dictate to UNILAG,” among others, blocked the university’s main gate for several hours, disrupting human and vehicular movement in and out of the ivory tower. Some of the candidates, who spoke to New Telegraph on condition of anonymity, accused the

So, all complaints should be directed to JAMB and not UNILAG

management, led by the ViceChancellor, Prof. Rahman Bello of attempting to frustrate their ambition to acquire university education in the institution of their choice, and urged the ivory tower to allow every candidate that scored 180 and above and who chose UNILAG to be eligible to sit for the university’s post-UTME screening. One of the aggrieved parents, Mr. Seye Ogunjobi, said JAMB was arbitrarily redistributing students to other universities they never chose, and accused the examination body of fronting for private universities in order to increase their enrolment for financial gains. Ogunjobi, who vowed that the affected candidates and parents were prepared for the battle that might follow the decision, advised JAMB and UNILAG to rescind the decision and allow all candidates

who scored 180 and above and who are qualified by the provision of the admission regulations, to write the post-UTME and that the aggregate score should be used to determine who eventually meets the admission requirements. Addressing the protesting candidates and their parents, the Registrar of the university, Dr. Taiwo Ipaye, however, explained that the institution was helpless over the development, saying JAMB had pegged the number of those eligible to write its post-UTME to 9,000 out of about 32,000 candidates it claimed chose the university as their institutions of first choice in their UTME forms. But in an exclusive interview with the Vice-Chancellor (Bello), he told New Telegraph that JAMB had sent a circular to the university on Tuesday July 14, containCONTINUED ON PAGE 24

24 Education

TUESDAY, july 28, 2015 NEW TELEGRAPH

CO N T I N U E D F RO M PA G E 2 3

ing the list of the candidates eligible to write the university’s post-UTME. He argued: “UNILAG does not know the candidates who chose it in the last UTME, it is only JAMB that is privileged to tell us this, and now JAMB has come up with a new policy on how the universities should admit students which we do not have power to change. So, all complaints should be directed to JAMB and not UNILAG.” As part of the evidence to back its claim, the university’s Public Relations Department alluded to a copy of the letter from JAMB, which reads in part: “The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) at its 2015 Combined Policy Meeting held on July 14, 2015 in Abuja, announced the adoption of a policy whereby candidates of universities with surplus applicants for the Unified Matriculation Examinations (UTME) are reassigned to other universities with lower number of candidates than their carrying capacities.” However, in a swift reaction to the protest, JAMB described the denial by UNILAG that “it does not know anything about the new policy” as hypocritical, saying the decision was jointly taken at the 2015 Combined Policy Meeting of the education stakeholders held in Abuja on July 14, which it claimed was attended by the representatives of all the universities, the National Universities Commission (NUC), JAMB and the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Education, Dr. MacJohn Nwaobiala. JAMB, while explaining the rationale behind the decision in a memo addressed to the university and signed by its Registrar and Chief Executive Officer, Prof. Dibu Ojerinde, pointed out that the policy would be beneficial to ‘needy universities,’ that is, universities with lower number of candidates than their capacities, “as this will ensure that these universities have more candidates to admit.” He added: “And indeed, the candidates will have better chances for admission in the universities they are re-assigned to, contrary to a situation where they would await admission in the universities of their first choices until the admission exercise closes and they forfeit their admission that session.” Also, in an exclusive interview with New Telegraph, the Head of JAMB office in Lagos, Dr. Beatrice Okorie, said the action was only geared towards assisting candidates of those she described as over-subscribed institutions to secure admission to other federal or state universities rather than wasting their scores seeking admission to UNILAG, which was already over-subscribed. She said: “We are only trying to help the candidates because the universities are only using the post-UTME to make money. Look at UNILAG for instance, its carrying capacities cannot accommodate more than 5,000 students, and yet has about 32,000 candidates struggling for the slots. But, what we have done is to look at those who have not met the cutoff points of UNILAG based on merit, catchment areas and the educationally less disadvantaged areas, but who have chances of securing admission in other federal and state universities and push them there to write post-UTME tests. “If we have not done that, many of these candidates would have only fallen prey of the universities’ money-making machine, that is, the post-UTME without securing admission even with their high scores. What is the essence of post-UTME being conducted on English, Mathematics and General Paper? They are fraudulent and that is what the stakeholders have stepped in to address.” She queried the rationale behind

Ojerinde

Bello

Okojie, NUC scribe

Candidates, parents berate UNILAG over admission policy UNILAG’s decision to conduct post-UTME screening test on Mathematics for candidates seeking admission in courses not related to Mathematics such as Religious Studies, History and Dramatic Arts, among others. Okorie, therefore, advised all candidates for the 2015 UTME to check the JAMB website on Monday, August 3, for the list and universities they have been redistributed, adding that the development is not peculiar to UNILAG, but other universities that are over-subscribed, while those that were less-subscribed including the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB); Olabisi Onabanjo University (OOU), Ago-Iwoye, Ogun State; Tai Solarin University of Education (TASUED), Ijagun Ogun State might receive the spillover from UNILAG.” Okorie insisted that JAMB had reformed its examination, especially with the adoption of the Computer-Based Test (CBT) mode and that the post-UTME tests were no longer necessary.

However, rather than being assuaged by the explanation offered by the concerned authorities, the aggrieved candidates have dragged JAMB and UNILAG managements to court, seeking an order to reverse or rescind the decision. The candidates, in their hundreds, who were conveyed in two BRT buses and led by one of their lawyers, Mr. Alex Ogedengbe, had last Friday stormed the Federal High Court, Ikoyi, to file the suit. According to Ogunjobi, the latest step was aimed at securing an injunction from the court to bar the university from conducting the post-UTME test until all the candidates, who scored 180 and above in the UTME were allowed to write the test as earlier announced by JAMB. Meanwhile, UNILAG has announced the details of the post-UTME tests for its allotted 9,000 candidates, urging the candidates whose details are available on the university’s portal to pay N4,000 for registration to qualify them to sit for the screening.

Face future challenges with courage, principal tells pupils Emmanuel Masha Port-Harcourt

s graduating pupils of Catoky International Secondary School, Port-Harcourt, Rivers State celebrated their graduation, the Principal, Mrs. Ijeoma Gozie, urged them to confront the challenges ahead of them in their education pursuit and live with courage. This set goal, according to her, could only be achieved through prayer and hard work in their entire endeavour. Addressing the pupils and their parents during the school’s graduation and prize-giving ceremony, tagged: “Victors’ Feat,” the principal said that goals are only achieved through hard work and prayer, even as she advised the students to set goals for themselves and put in their very best to achieve them. She said: “You have to see the world as a challenge in which we all have

a role to play. There is nothing out there that you cannot achieve provided you work very hard, and pray fervently to achieve them. This time requires dogged Christians since there is a war path which we all have to go through. And, we do not need any Ajebo or ‘popcorn’ Christians. You have distinguished yourselves in your academic pursuits here as we know what you are capable of doing, yet you all need hard work and prayer to succeed in life.” In her parting words, Mrs. Gozie noted that management and staff would greatly miss the graduating pupils, whom she pointed out had in the last few years worked hard towards accomplishing their academic pursuit. The principal, who assured the parents that the school would continue to provide the quality teaching and learning, as well as enhance moral upbringing of the pupils, however wished the graduating ones well in their future endeavour and as they go into the larger world.

According to a statement credited to the Registrar (Ipaye), the registration, which had since commenced on Tuesday July 21, will close on Friday August 7, saying the registration fee had included an optional N2,000 for practical kits. Meanwhile, investigations by New Telegraph have revealed that other universities including the Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), which has distanced itself from such arrangements, claimed that it was not affected by the new policy. The university, which spoke through its Public Relations Officer, Mr. Abiodun Olarewaju in a telephone interview, said any candidate who scored 200 and above are eligible to take part in the post-UTME. Though, the university is charging N3,500 as registration fee for the screening exercise, the fee still ranks the cheapest in the country, he added that the post-UTME screening test was the true test to determine the candidates’ capacities. She urged them to be good ambassadors of the school wherever they go by projecting the image of the school in a good light. Determined to reward excellent academic performance in the school, Mrs. Gozie declared that a JSS I pupil, Treasure Chukwuma, who scored 92 per cent in her third-term results, will not pay school fees for next term. The principal, who stressed that the gesture was aimed at rewarding the pupil for her brilliance, said: “She had the highest average score in the school above 85 percent.” The ceremony was climaxed with the cutting of the graduating cake by the outgoing SS III pupils and a song rendition. The Head Girl of the school, Ipirinye Ogolo, in her valedictory speech thanked the management, parents and guardians for making the event a success, and urged her fellow graduating pupils to face their studies with prayer and hard work. “As for you our parents, guardians and my fellow students, I know you may not value your coming, yet I would like to say that in these days of self-seeking, hustle and bustle, we learn to appreciate even a little kindness or support and not to take them for granted,” she said.

Education 25

NEW TELEGRAPH TUESDAY, july 28, 2015

FUTA don charts path to technological growth Mojeed Alabi

n appeal has gone to the Federal Government to fund the equipment needed for research, while universities should introduce space physics as a course of study at the Bachelor Degree level. Such move, it was said, would go a long way in stimulating improvement in stable energy and advancement of development in all spheres of life in the country. A Professor of Space Physics, Akeem Babatunde Rabiu, gave the advice while delivering the 70th inaugural lecture of the Federal University of Technology, Akure (FUTA), which was entitled: “Terrestrials and Extra-

NGO, bank take sexual violence campaign to schools Chinyere Onah

orried by the rising cases of sexual violence, especially among teenagers, a non-governmental organisation (NGO), the Project Alert in conjunction with Access Bank Plc have taken the campaign against sexual violence to schools in Lagos. The campaign organised for senior secondary schools is aimed towards a collective effortsat curbing sexual violence in the society. The sensitisation programme was kicked off in some public secondary schools in the state Education District VI including Oke-Ira Senior Grammar School, where no fewer than 47 students and the school Counselor were sensitised. Talks on: “Sexual Violence - Children and Youths in Nigeria,” were presented by the duo of Samuel Osifuye and Opeyemi Adesanya, who are on internship at Project Alert. In his presentation, Osifuye described sexual violence as an act performed on an individual without the person’s consent or approval. He defined youth as someone between 15 and 24 years old based on the United Nations definition and who is between the age of 15 and 35 according to the African Youth Charter. Osifuye, who listed the various forms of sexual violence to include offensive words, unwanted sexual advances, use of coercion and threat or blackmail for sexual favour, however, enumerated some facts about sexual violence, which he added are what to do when violated, how girls can reduce the risks of sexual violation and what the boys need to know about sexual violence. As part of moves to nip in the bud the alarming rate of sexual violence in the country, he recalled: “The Senate has passed the ‘Sexual Offensive Bill 2015,’ which provides that perpetrators are liable to life imprisonment.” The question and answer session was anchored by Adesanya, who took time to explain some certain concepts to the students.

l As VC becomes AVCNU chair terrestrials: Divine Nexus for Man’s Comfort.” Rabiu, emphasised that for sustainable national development to be attained, tertiary institutions, must increasingly redirect their curricula and research agendas towards issues that address basic human and societal needs. He added that government should back effective legislation that mandates industries to support scientific research conducted in universities in their respective operational areas. Rabiu, who is the current Director and Chief Executive of the Centre for Atmospheric Research (CAR), of the National Space Research and Development Agency (NASRDA), explained that the nexus between the terrestrials and extra-terrestrials manifest in forms of natural and man-induced interactions between them. While disclosing that spacebased technologies have found indispensable applications in almost all facets of human endeavour, he said this nexus include “the transmission of high

frequency radio waves from the earth through the space environment and its reception on earth, the solar radiation with its enormous potential energy within the reach of human beings in the terrestrial environment; space-earth communication as facilitated by satellite technology; and the ultimate effort of terrestrial man to optimize the extraterrestrial for its comfort.” He declared that the recent advances in space technology have made the earth a better and more comfortable place to live, particularly with myriads of operational satellites domiciled in the extra-terrestrial environment. Today, according to him, spacebased technologies have eased the burden of terrestrial men in almost all human endeavour and virtually every system has gone electronic and space-dependent such as the e-commerce, e-agriculture, auto-piloting, e-banking, automated teller machine system (ATM), global system for mobile communication (GSM), among others.

He credited man’s comfort today over his ancestors to his ability to harness the divine nexus between the terrestrials and extra-terrestrials, and therefore proposed that policies favourable to solar energy generation be encouraged and formulated such that the establishment of an inter-university cooporation for atmospheric and space environment research is realisable. In his remarks, the ViceChancellor, Prof. Adebiyi Daramola said the choice of the lecture was apt, considering the current energy challenge, atmospheric and space-related issues confronting the nation. He noted that the lecturer showed erudition, scholarship and prodigious contribution to knowledge. In another development, Daramola has been appointed the Chairman of the Committee of Vice-Chancellors (CVC) of Nigerian universities, comprising vice-chancellors of federal, state and private universities in the country and the Association of ViceChancellors of Nigerian Universities (AVCNU).

L-R: Former Chairman, Nigerian Bar Association, Chief Wole Olanipekun; VC, Federal University of Technology, Akure, Prof. Adebiyi Daramola and the Registrar, Dr. (Mrs.) Modupe Ajayi shortly after Olanipekun delivered the 7th FUTA’s registry’s annual lecture last week.

Peaklane College director counsels pupils Mojeed Alabi

he founder and Director of Peaklane College, Agbole, Ogun State, Mrs. Ifeyinwa Nwachukwu, has advised pupils and particularly graduating pupils of the college to avoid procrastination, saying such attitude is usually the beginning of failure. Nwachukwu, who gave the admonition during the college’s sixth graduation ceremony, urged the 114 graduating pupils to continue to soar higher and insisted that the school has laid the foundation on moral, social and career paths for them to follow in life. According to the former staff of Lagos State Education Ministry, the best preparation for what anyone may

aspire to become in future is by offering to do the best today. She thanked the parents for their support and trust in the school management, saying the school has become an envious brand among the leading private schools in the country. Nwachukwu said: “Develop the routine of adding diligence, innovativeness and visionary anticipation to everything you do in all the golden moments in time called today, because the aggregate of your daily routine is what would determine how far you go on the journey to the pinnacle of your chosen fields of human endeavour.” The Chairman of the College’s Parent Teachers’ Association (PTA), Mr. Gboyega

Oloniyo, who expressed delight over the performance of the graduating class, however linked the well-attended celebration to the need to give glory to God for keeping the pupils sound and safe throughout their academic sojourn in the college. He said the senior school certificate may really not command much respect in the country today, but insisted that it still serves as the foundation for the future growth of the pupils. Oloniyo added that the sound and qualitative education offered the pupils has distinguished them from their peers, even as he advised parents to see education as the best legacy that could be bequeathed to the younger generation.

Dr. Ladipo

YABATECH warns fresh students against indiscipline Kayode Olanrewaju

he Rector of the Yaba College of Technology (YABATECH), Lagos, Dr. Margaret Kudirat Ladipo, has spoken of plans of the polytechnic to increase access to the institution through provision of additional facilities and structures. She said concerted efforts to improve the college’s carrying capacity were being frantically made by the management to create more space for students. The rector, who spoke against the backdrop of the limited admission spaces in the college, hinted that out of over 110,000 candidates that applied to the college as their preferred polytechnic of choice, only 2,416 were admitted into the Higher National Diploma (HND), while 3,035 candidates could only be enrolled for the National Diploma (ND). The rector disclosed this during the matriculation ceremony of the college for the 2014/2015 academic session, where she told the matriculating students that the polytechnic adheres strictly to the government’s 70 to 30 ratio in favour of science and technology courses. While urging the students to rededicate their energies to their primary assignment in the college which is academic activities, Ladipo warned: “In YABATECH, it is illegal to operate a secret society or belong to a banned society, as any contravention of the regulation will lead to expulsion and possible criminal prosecution. According to her, the management has taken far-reaching measures to curtail the menace of cultism, examination malpractice, indecent dressing as the management has zero tolerance for all these menace. Towards engaging the students positively, the rector said the college offered entrepreneurial studies, and has established a full-fledged Centre for Entrepreneurship Development with strong linkage with the world of commerce and industry, which equips the students to be self-reliant before their graduation.

26 Education

TUESDAY, july 28, 2015 NEW TELEGRAPH

JFO High School: Producing total child Kayode Olanrewaju

wners of JFO International High School, Agbado Station, Ogun State, are happy that the school established five years ago, to provide qualitative secondary school education has continued to wax stronger despite the various challenges confronting private school operations in the country. The school, which began as a free coaching class for secondary school pupils with 83 participants, three teaching and three non-teaching staff, took off as a full-fledged high school on Monday September 9, 2011, with seven students and additional four members of teaching and non-teaching staff. With the vision: “To be a leading, internationally acclaimed school built on the solid rock of Christ transforming lives and producing the needed human capacity for nation building,” founder and proprietor of the school, Mr. Johnson Femi Ojolola, described the school as a centre of academic excellence and epitome of discipline. Tracing the journey of the school located in a serene learning environment at Agbado Station, a suburb of Ogun State, he said despite the challenges including funding as a result of harsh economic situation in the country as well as the unfavourable government policies towards private schools, the school has continued to overcome these challenges through proper planning and facilities provided to ensure quality teaching and learning process. According to the educationist and philanthropists, “JFO International High School, a school of international standard per excellence, offers a functional education that will position the students as global scholars, who will compete favourably with their peers anywhere in the world in terms of

Some of the pupils during their graduation ceremony

the quality of knowledge imparted on them. To facilitate the provision of quality secondary school education, the school could boast of adequate qualified teachers, functional laboratories for Physics, Chemistry, Biology and well-equipped library, as well as music and arts room designed to harness the ability of the students in other areas of their development apart from academic activities. In its drive for quality education, Ojolola, however, recalled that the school enrolment rose to 23 students in 2012, while the first set of nine Junior Secondary School (JSS III) presented for the 2012 Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) passed with excellent results with one of them scoring five As and seven Credits. As part of activities to enhance quality education and expand the horizon of the teaching, under the school’s capacity building programme, the school, according to Ojolola, organised its maiden staff development seminar for all teaching staff in collaboration with the Faculty of Education,

University of Lagos. He explained that the school has dedicated and committed teachers, which he attributed to their enhanced welfare package introduced for them by the management in a view to improving their level of productivity and quality service delivery. Towards this end, the proprietor hinted: “The management undertook the upward review of the staff salaries in 2013 as a way of encouraging and boosting the morale of the entire workforce, and this has since become a regular phenomenon in the school.” Determined to expose the students to other extracurricular activities and improve their knowledge base, the school, he noted, had embarked on series of excursion programmes, including those to the Whispering Palm Resort in Badagry; the first storey building in Nigeria, also located in Badagry; Coca Cola Bottling Company at Ikeja; University of Ibadan (UI) Zoological Garden and Law Faculty and LASU Museum at Agege, among others, say-

ing such visits had gone a long way in exposing the students to new knowledge outside their classrooms. The school, which places high premium on the upbringing of the students as well as their value system, also visited St. Monica’s Motherless Home at Iju-Ishaga and Modupe Cole School for the Mentally and Physically Challenged Students at Akoka, Lagos, where the students and teachers extended their hands of love to the lessprivileged in the society. The school, which Ojolola pointed out has continued to excel and win laurels in various competitions, recalled how it was selected on May 27, 2014 during the Children’s Day by Zonal Education Officer of Ifo Local Government Area of the state, to represent the LGA at the MKO Abiola Stadium in Abeokuta for a prayer session for the 276 abducted Chibok school girls kidnapped by the Boko Haram insurgents in April that year, where the head boy led the prayer session and the head girl, the praise and worship during the programme chaired by Gover-

UN Global Forum hailed for sustainable development in education

or sustainable development in education, over 400 participants from higher institutions of learning, business, government and civil society at the 2015 Global Forum, which held in the New York, United States, have lauded the initiative for the ongoing work of the PRME community. Global Forum is a UN initiative for Responsible Management Education – 6th PRME Assembly, New York. The forum, which was designed to carve a path for management education and business, however, charged participants to take a leading role in shaping and achieving the global sustainable development agenda.

The central theme of this year’s Global Forum highlighted the prospect of business and business education, and their roles in achieving the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Meanwhile, the forum encouraged participants to take a leading role in shaping and achieving the global sustainable development agenda. Speaking on behalf of UN Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon, the Chef de Cabinet, Susana Malcorra said: “I am encouraged to see the progress you have made - individually, at your academic institutions, and as a community.” She noted that as educators, researchers and lead-

ers of thought, the role of participants in achieving the SDGs is critical and essential to the forum. The Head of the PRME Secretariat, Jonas Haertle in his remarks, noted that the eight years of PRME have grown the initiative into “a thriving network and a truly global platform for learning and action with over 600 institutions in over 80 countries, all of which have heeded the call to place sustainability at the heart of management of education.” According to him, over the last one and a half years, 18 PRME Chapters and Regional Meetings have been held with PRME Chapters reaching over 12 around the world.

nor Ibikunle Amosu. With the mission statement: “To provide sound, qualitative and morally impactive education for all future leaders,” the proprietor noted that the management introduced a reward system, in which some staff members who were outstanding and remarkable in their performance in 2013/2014 West African School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) in subjects such as Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry and Biology were rewarded with cash incentive to boost their morale. Ojolola, who said that the school held its maiden valedictory ceremony in July 2013, expressed delight that all the students presented for the examination, performed credibly well with outstanding results. Basking in the sterling achievements and progress recorded by the school so far, he said: “The school held its second valedictory ceremony and the third graduation/prizegiving day for the Senior Secondary School (SS III) students in July 2014, in its permanent site at Ope-Ilu, Agbado, Ogun State, where it had relocated.” The school, which celebrated the maiden edition of its founder’s day on January 22, this year, according to him, was a worthy celebration in view of the God’s faithfulness to the management, staff and students. He said the school, which has continued to keep faith with its core value, anchored on: “Our philosophy is defined and hinged on core value such as integrity, excellence, spiritual leverage, customers’ satisfaction and self discovery/independence thereby becoming a total child being above board in all ramifications of life,” will not rest on its oars in the provision of qualitative education and training of the total child. Therefore, he lauded the parents for their support to the school, saying efforts were being invigorated by the management to position the school for the challenges of the 21st Century.

Don counsels African women to be agents of change

Mafuyai, VC

Musa Pam Jos

Professor of African Literature and Women’s Studies at the Department of English, Faculty of Arts, University of Jos (UNIJOS), Prof. Maureen Amaka Azuike, has restated the need for African women to serve as committed agents of

change and should be willing to assist the younger generation. This was as she noted that this has become necessary in order for the younger ones to embrace value orientation, moral rectitude and peaceful society. The don, while alluding to the “New Feminism Postulation,” said: “I, therefore, recommend that both men and women should make wise and sexually relevant decisions in their lives because the younger ones are watching and emulating their every step.” This was part of the views of Azuike in the 73rd inaugural lecture of the university, which was entitled: “Transcending Moral Boundaries in Contemporary African Women’s Writings, “Feminism and the Disillusionment of the Sexual Autonomous,” held at the university’s main auditorium.”

NEW TELEGRAPH TUESDAY, july 28, 2015

Campus Eddy Uwoghiren and Enake Richard UNIBEN

ow could the rising unemployment trend in the country be reduced, and the need for undergraduates to look beyond the white collar jobs by developing and acquiring entrepreneurship skills before graduation? These were the main thrust of a one-day conference organised by KJ Royal Consults & Save the Future Initiative in collaboration with the office of the Director of Finance of the Students’ Union, University of Benin (UNIBEN), which took place at the Akin Deko Main Auditorium of the institution. Tagged: “Project YES (Youths Empowered with Skills), the major objective of the programme, is to sentisise the students on the need to develop entrepreneurship skills that will make them self-reliant after graduation. Welcoming participants to the conference, the Director of Finance of the union, Mascott Ogbe, said the event was organised out of the desire of the students’ union to ensure that undergraduates of the university are equipped with necessary entrepreneurship skills in order to be self-employed. His words: “Over the years, there has been a steady rise in the rate of unemployment in the country. We must realize that government only cannot provide jobs for everyone. Therefore, there is the need for undergraduates to acquire one entrepreneurship skill or the other while in school. Also, the government and private sector should invest hugely in various entrepreneurship programmes which should be organised across all the universities in the

Partnership

Struggle

UNN, CBAAC partner to promote African culture

he fresh students admitted to the Ekiti State University (EKSU) Sandwich Postgraduate programme for the 2013/2014 Contact Session, have undertaken the matriculation oath of the institution to be of good behaviour and project the image of the university in good light. The matriculation of students into the College of Postgraduate Studies was presided over by the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Oladipo Aina, who was represented by his Deputy in charge of Academic, Prof. Ibiyinka Ogunlade. Aina, who described the ceremony as symbolic, said this was because it was the first after the name of the school of postgraduate studies was changed to College of Postgraduate Studies. The vice-chancellor warned the students against untoward behaviour and advised them

‘We begged for money to survive LASU’s fee hike struggle’

Consult harps on need for entrepreneurship programme country.” In his paper on: “Being a Superman in your Career,” Mr. Victor Otegbe, the Human Resource Manager of Vanguard Newspaper Nigeria, one of the rescourse persons at the conference, noted that there is a sharp difference between a job and a career. According to him, while a job is the activity a person engaged in for a short time to earn salary, a career is a lifetime trade. He, however, advised the participants to as a matter of

necessity look beyond the government employment or white collar jobs, saying there is need for undergraduates to work hard to distinguish themselves in their chosen career. Otegbe, who noted that everyone has the potential required to do great exploit in their career, but only need to develop such, stressed: “If you aspire to be a superman in your career, you have to avail yourself of the opportunity to become a better person by networking with people, reading books and attending

relevant programmes.” According to him, success is determined by the nature of people and fora one attends and the ability to develop one’s capacity. The founder of Save the Future Initiative (STFI), Charles Osagie, however, insisted that before Nigerian youth could be globally competent, there was need to purge the higher institutions of learning in the country of such vices as examination malpractice, prostitution, cultism, rape and armed

robbery. He noted that the organisation had risen up to the challenge through its entrepreneurship seminars and capacity building workshops aimed at keeping the minds of undergraduates busy with a view to reducing vices in the system. To this end, Osagie called on undergraduates to avail themselves of opportunities open at STFI to equip themselves with necessary entrepreneurship skills that will position them to be self-employed.

Participants in a group photograph shortly after the event

Don counsels men, women on infection

EKSU admits fresh sandwich postgraduate students

to face their studies in order to achieve their goal of achieving higher degrees in the university. He explained that the university would not lower its standard or water down its admission requirements because of low number of candidates, even as he congratulated the matriculating students for their determination to invest in self-development. In a related development, the management of the university has screened more than 500 professionals and skilled artisans as trainers and instructors for the institution’s entrepreneurial programmes and vocations. The screening exercise was conducted for the centre, is in line with the directive of the National Universities Commission (NUC), the agency supervising university education in the country, which recommended entrepreneurship training for undergraduates.

Ozumba, VC

Oladele Oge UNN

Senior Lecturer at the Department of Biochemistry, University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), Prof. Henry Onwubiko, has reaffirmed that if a young girl contacts prion infectious disease, no matter her age will immediately enter into her menopause.

Onwubiko, a Professor of Biochemistry, disclosed this while delivering the university’s 96th inaugural lecture, which was chaired by the ViceChancellor of the institution, Prof. Benjamin Ozumba. Prion is the latest fatal infectious disease in the world that has no known cure; it could infect both human beings and animals. His words: “When a young girl is infected no matter her age, prion will force her to enter the stage of menopause, while when a boy is infected he will become infertile for life. Loss of weight, lack of brain coordination, convulsion and inability to sleep at night are some signs and symptoms of infected person or animal.” According to Onwubiko, the prion infection had been detected in some parts of Europe and New Guinea in Africa, where

about four million infected cattle had been destroyed. Against this background, the don urged the government to ensure that cows and other animals that were capable of transferring this virus to human being were properly screened by veterinary doctors before they were killed for public consumption. “Prion infection could be contacted by eating meat of infected animals or coming in contact with infected human beings,” Onwubiko stressed, adding that every human being or animal has prion in the body, but when infected or corrupted it becomes abnormal and deadly to the body. He noted that abnormal prion causes mad cow disease in cattle, scrapie disease in sheep and kuru or Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD) in human beings.

28 Education | Campus

TUESDAY, july 28, 2015 NEW TELEGRAPH

UNN, CBAAC partner to promote African culture

‘We begged for money to survive LASU’s fee hike struggle’

Oladele Oge UNN

In this interview with Moses Adeyemi, 500-Level Law student and immediate past president of the Lagos State University (LASU) Students’ Union, Nurudeen Yusuf Temilola speaks about why he is the best to lead the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) in the South-West. You have just completed your tenure as President of LASU Students’ Union, why do you want to coordinate the affairs of the union in the South-West? You will agree with me that our great union - NANS is at crossroads. We pride ourselves as the most ideological zone. Yes! It is a beacon of hope for the entire body of Nigerian students, but in recent times, we have not lived up to the expectations. The dream of our founding fathers that inspired the best of the unionism has been smothered. Today, thousands of students have looked away in disillusionment and frustration. Our leaders have failed to provide an enabling environment for the best in us to thrive. The minimum acceptable standard of leadership should be for the need to improve the general level of intellectual culture of the Nigerian society, starting from the most basic form of education to the higher institutions, as well as guard jealously the charter of demands and protect against victimisation of an average Nigerian student. With the invaluable experience that I have garnered as the president of LASU Students’ Union, the best students’ movement in sub-sahara Africa, my intention is to restore the dignity of the union, as well as meet the yearnings and aspirations of Nigerian students. To achieve this, we must return NANS to the campuses. I intend to offer a responsible and responsive leadership, having satisfied the requirements of the association and the electoral laws. NANS used to be ideologically inclined, especially in the South-West, but over the years, such thinking has derailed, what do you think could have caused this and can it be addressed? NANS was a superstructure erected on leftist ideology to serve as an alternative to the Nigerian people. The foundation was not by accident, but as a result of exposure of the founding fathers as intelligentsia of the society and members of the ivory tower. Just as the late Chief Obafemi Awolowo and others were spurred to fight for Nigerian independence, they also secured liberty for the students’ movement and laid the foundations for the best students’ union practices. They built the most vibrant students’ movement, created the institutions and defended their ideologies. But, it is sad that such aspirations have been smothered by some kleptomaniacs, who were bereft of ideas, and thus, the wheat has mixed with the chaffs. However, change is inevitable if we can sort the saints from sinners, the hideous from hero and patriots from pawns. This can be made possible if we maintain absolute neutrality on partisan issues that border on political party affiliations as provided in article 2, paragraph 9 of the NANS constitution. What are you coming to correct if elected as

Nurudeen

Zone D coordinator? I am coming to restore the hope, yearning and aspirations of the Nigerian students in the South West by reinforcing the tenet of unionism, which is, activism. To retrace our steps and to re-orientate our shared values into restoring the foundations of our union, ours is a case of res ipsa loquitor meaning, the fact speaks for itself. Now that there is change at the centre, what do you like the administration of Muhammadu Buhari to do concerning education, Nigerian youth and students? Nelson Mandela said “education is the most powerful weapon you can use to change the world.” Lee Quan Yew led Singapore to prosperity through human capital development. In fact, Bola Tinubu, National leader of the ruling party said “... A core element of our mission is to make all levels of education, from primary to university level accessible to all people, regardless of economic circumstances.” To survive in the modern economy, education is a must. As such, responsible leadership must view education as a public right. Therefore, we are averse to a situation where only eight per cent of the national budget is be allocated to education. We want President Muhammadu Buhari to go back to the era when 41 per cent is allocated to education such as Kenya, if any meaningful change will happen in this country. The reasons for this are not farfetched, the campus is the venue for the cross fertilisation of ideas that transform the society. By so doing, a larger percent of country predicament would have been solved. Is it insurgency, kidnapping, ethno-religious crisis, militancy, brain drain, unemployment? You were so determined during the LASU fees hike, were you sponsored by the opposition? Let me quickly clear the fact that LASU fees hike struggle was never sponsored by anybody. If there is one person or group of persons laying claim to the glory of that generational struggle other than LASU students, I challenge them to a public debate. The struggle was self-financed by LASUites. We took to the road to beg money from motorist to print banners, hire DJ, cook our meals, to mention a few. At that time, we were just like a conduit pipe to give direction to the will of the people. And, we thank God not to have failed in that regard. That was why the seemingly impossibility was achieved, that is, the total reversal from more than 1,000 per cent increment. The union under my leadership worked with the principle of optimal determination to ensure that injustice was fought to the finish. Though we were persecuted but decided to fulfill the generational task rather than betray it.

etermined to enhance the promotion of African arts and culture, the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN) and the Centre for Black African Arts and Civilisation (CBAAC) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to use the university’s Institute of African Studies to promote cultural values and civilisation. The Director-General of CBAAC, Chief Ferdinand Anikwe, while signing the document at a ceremony, which took place at the Vice-Chancellor’s Office, said the Centre had noted with satisfaction efforts of the institute in promoting African arts, languages and culture. According to him, the MoU is to assist as well as encourage the institute to carry out more research on African cultures that would showcase the rich cultural heritage of Africa and its people. The director-general noted that African continent has rich cultural heritage that is globally accepted in every part of the world, explaining that the Festival of Arts and Culture (FESTAC) held in 1977 in Lagos, xrayed the rich culture of Africa from various African countries.

The centre (CBAAC), therefore, applauded the efforts of the university through the Institute of African Studies in promoting African arts and culture, even as it urged other universities in Africa to emulate UNN. Anikwe said: “The centre is partnering the university in order to assist the institution in research on African arts and culture. CBAAC was an off-shoot of FASTAC 77, while the aim of the centre is to promote arts and culture through African language, dance and food, as well as ensure the promotion of African native attire. “We cannot say we are independent if we still wear the attires of our colonial masters, speak their languages and make their delicacies our staple food on our tables in the continent. As Africans we must be proud of our culture, language and mode of dressing.” While explaining that the idea is to make people develop interest in African dances and dramas, the director-general added: “We also encourage the teaching of African native languages in secondary schools and universities in order to ensure that our languages did not go into extinction as well as to produce people who will continue the teaching of our mother tongues in schools.”

L-R: The university’s spokesman, Mr. Micheal Osasuyi; Efeobhokhan; Prof. Orumwense and Uwoghiren.

UNIBEN VC praises New Telegraph for developing students Edigberhi Emmanuel UNIBEN

he University of Benin (UNIBEN) Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Faraday Orumwense, has lauded New Telegraph newspaper over its contribution towards the development of the students’ journalism skills by offering them a platform to practice campus journalism. He made the remarks penultimate week in his office, while receiving some campus journalists in the university, who were in the office on a courtesy visit. The campus journalists were led on the visit by Eddy Uwoghiren, a 300-Level Medicine and Surgery student and his counterpart, Ezekiel Efeobhokhan, a 400-Level Pharmacy undergraduate. According to the head of the team, Uwoghiren, the visit was to

congratulate the vice-chancellor on his appointment and to acquaint him with their activities as campus journalists. While commending the vicechancellor for sustaining the tempo of infrastructural development initiated by the former ViceChancellor, Prof. Osayuki Oshodin, the students pledged their commitment towards ensuring that in their reports, the university would be accorded due regard by projecting its good public image. Orumwense, while responding, praised the students for making public the events and activities of the university by regularly publishing such in the newspaper. His words: “I always marvel at how far you have gone in reporting activities in the university. I am also amazed at how you combined professional courses such as medicine and pharmacy with the strenuous business of journalism.”

Education | Campus 29

NEW TELEGRAPH TUESDAY, july 28, 2015

Ado Poly students elect leaders Temitope Yakubu Ado Poly

he students of the Federal Polytechnic, Ado-Ekiti (Ado Poly) last week elected students’ union leaders to steer the affairs of the union for the next academic session. The election came three months after the expiration of the tenure of the immediate past students’ union executive, led by Ajibola Oladapo, as the President. The election, which ought to have been conducted last semester, according to the students, was postponed due to unstable academic calendar during the semester and failure of the Students’ Senatorial Council to con-

EKSU, college ink MoU on award of degree

he management of the College of Education, Ilemona, a private college of education in Kwara State has endorsed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Ekiti State University (EKSU), Ado-Ekiti to run approved Bachelor’s Degree programmes in Education. The document, however, specified and made it mandatory that the qualifications of the teaching staff for the degree programme, should be in accordance with the National Universities Commission (NUC) Minimum Academic Standard (MAS). Part of its recommendations is that the college should provide the necessary and adequate physical facilities as well as a conducive learning environment that will facilitate effective delivery of degree programme. The university ViceChancellor, Prof. Patrick Oladipo Aina, while endorsing the document, which he described as the first in the history of the university with a private college of education, thanked the management of the college for recognising that the EKSU is one of the best institutions in the country. He stressed that some colleges of education and other tertiary institutions in the country have continued to show interest in partnering with the university, but which the EKSU has been careful enough to partner only those that will key into its vision and academic best practices.

stitute the electoral committee for the conduct of the election. A visit to all the four Faculties which served as polling units by Telegraph Campus revealed that the institution’s security officers were on patrols to maintain a peaceful atmosphere and ensured a hitch-free election. Despite their large turnout at the polling centres to cast their votes, the students were applauded for comporting themselves in a more civil manner by displaying commendable level of

orderliness and discipline. At the end of the exercise, Jacob Oluwatuyi, a student of Building Technology Department emerged as the President. While announcing the results at the polytechnic’s Multipurpose Hall, venue of the election collation centre, the Ado Poly Electoral Commission (APECO), declared Oluwatuyi as the President with 824 votes to defeat his closest opponent, Alao Olalekan, an undergradute of Science Technology Department, who had 409 votes. Aborisade Pelumi from

Business Management Department had 371 votes to place third, while Lawal Taofeek of Computer Science came fourth with 172 votes. Other elected officers are Grace Emupene (General Secretary), Sunshine Tunde (Financial Secretary), Olayinka Johnson (Treasurer), Owoyemi Akinwale Desmond (Social Director) and Adeboboye Kunle (Welfare Director), while Oluwafemi Arowosafe is to seve as the Public Relations Officer and Lubi Judge as the Sports Director.

Some of the electoral officers during the election

30 Education

TUESDAY, july 28, 2015 NEW TELEGRAPH

Council develops library curriculum for schools Yekeen Nurudeen Abuja

new curriculum in Library and Information Science programme for schools in the country, has been developed by the Librarians’ Registration Council of Nigeria (LRCN). Rising from a Curriculum Review Summit at Lokoja, Kogi State capital, last week, the Registrar/CEO of the Council, Dr. Victoria Okojie, disclosed that major review was carried out in the core and elective course arrangements. This, according to her, has become necessary considering the fact that the curriculum used in Nigerian institutions needed to be reviewed in order to make it more technology-driven. She explained that the review was aimed at harmonising the course contents of the different library curricula and enhance the integration of information and communication technology components into the curricula. “More technology courses were introduced as well as management courses with emphasis on project management; finance and budgets; communication skills; information literacy; library architecture; knowledge management and business

skills such as advocacy, marketing and entrepreneurship, among others,” she said. According to Okojie, the new curriculum was developed to align with international best practices in the sector and that the document would be made public when it is finally ratified by key stakeholders. While frowning about the activities of some organisations towards the council, the registrar debunked the allegation of non-performance and inefficiency leveled against it by one of the national dailies (not New Telegraph) newspaper, and reaffirmed that the Council was effectively carrying out its mandate. She noted that LRCN, which was established in 1995, as a parastatal under the Federal Ministry of Education, became operational in 2009, with the key mandate of regulating the practice of librarianship in the country. Her words: “In pursuance of this mandate, the LRCN has organised series of national workshops for re-tooling, re-skilling and upscalling of librarians, especially in the use of Information Communication Technology (ICT). Under this, more than 75 per cent of librarians in the country have been trained and re-trained, while the draft of minimum standards for academic, public and government libraries as well as school library manuals have been developed.”

Some of the award winners of the awards at the ceremony

Thumps up for ECOBA for rewarding outstanding pupils

he management, staff, parents and pupils of Edo College, Benin City have given kudos to the Edo College Old Boys Association (ECOBA), Lagos branch for rewarding outstanding pupils and staff members of the school. The association, last week rolled out the drums to celebrate the 2015 ECOBA, Lagos prize-day ceremony, which took place on the college’s premises, where no fewer than 15 students and a teacher were honoured. They were rewarded for their outstanding performance in the 2014/2015 school year with various prizes endowed by prominent members of the association in different subjects. The gesture, according to Mr. Godwin Ize Iyamu, the Chairman of the asso-

ciation, is to recognise and reward the pupils’ academic excellence and the teacher’s dedication to duty. In the senior secondary (SS III) category, Shanomi Emmanuel won the Senator David Dafinone Foundation Prize for Mathematics, while the foundation’s prize for Economics went to Osayande David and Irhekpono Tevin won the Edward E. Iyamu’s Prize for Physics. Michael I. Omo-Osagie Prize for Visual Arts went to Omere Victor; Madam Ofure Akpata’s Prize for Biology was won by Ugeokhe Osiga; while Omaha Endowment Fund Prize for Geography went to Adonis Eugene. Sunday Airrue Uaboi prize for English Language was received by Efunnuga Adeyemi, while Senator David Dafinone Founda-

tion prize for Accounts was awarded to Enogheghase Osamudiamen and the Osazenaya Osarenkhoe prize for Agricultural Science was awarded to Oni Ogbemudia. Meanwhile, in the Senior Secondary (SS II) category, Atavwoda Dennis won the Engineer Emmanuel Aguele’s Prize for Mathematics. Also, in the Junior Secondary (JSS II) category, Mrs. Omokhuwe Alegeh Prize for English Language and Godwin Ize-Iyamu Prize for Mathematics were won by Ikegwuonu Emmanuel. In the area of Sports, the B.A.A Guobadia Prize for Athletics went to Iyenoma Glory, while the Uyi Akpata Prize for the Best Sportsperson of the Year was won by Ekhorutomen Osaro.

EDUPEACE

with Mahfouz A. Adedimeji (08066372516, sms only)  Dr Adedimeji is a Senior Lecturer and Director, Centre for Peace and Strategic Studies, Unilorin

Adieu, ex-LAUTECH VC Salau!

“L

ife is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breaths away.” – George Carlin The news of the death of the former Vice-Chancellor of Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH), Ogbomoso, Prof. Akinola Muritala Salau, hit me like a thunderbolt last Saturday night (July 25, 2015). I felt a personal sense of loss because Prof. Salau’s impact on people remains phenomenal. A native of Ibadan, Prof. Salau was a global citizen of extraordinary dimension. A versatile scholar, an astute administrator, a community leader, a bridge builder, a family man, a perfect gentleman and a devout Muslim, the late former Vice-Chancellor was striking in his intellectual depth, academic humility and simple lifestyle. Easy going, soft-spoken and impeccable in character, the late Professor of Physics was a model scholar in all its ramifications. Prof. Salau was one of the longest serving Nigerian ViceChancellors and his place in the annals of LAUTECH is permanently assured. He was first appointed the Sole Administrator of the University on June 15, 1997, a position he held till July 5, 1999 when he became the acting Vice-Chancellor. He served in that capacity till May 22, 2000, after which he served his full tenure as a substantive Vice-Chancellor till May 22, 2005. Altogether, he spent eight years setting LAUTECH on the path of glory. It was shortly before he was appointed substantive ViceChancellor in April, 2000 that I first met this amiable manager of people and resources at his residence. In 2000, I was job hunting to support myself and my postgraduate studies, having lost my father a year before then. I strayed to Ogbomoso to try my luck and I submitted an unsolicited application. I was told the University was on transition and the acting Vice-Chancellor was contesting. He hosted a prayer session as part of the measures of actualizing his ambition and I attended it, after which I was briefly introduced to him by Prof. Abdul Wahab Tijani. Though the response was perfunctory, I found him warm and kind. By the time I learnt he was appointed as Vice-Chancellor, I followed up on the application. By October, my job application had sailed through. Even before then, the Department of General Studies under the headship of the then Dr (now Prof.) Dele Afolabi, had kept me busy with the pre-degree programme of the University. Though I hardly spent a year in LAUTECH, the University had a tremendous influence on

As Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Salau led LAUTECH to the pinnacle of eyepopping success me as everything about it was beautiful. I was happy to belong to a community of scholars, who were largely men and women of learning and integrity, based on the environment created by Prof. Salau. I still have fond memories of LAUTECH. As Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Salau led LAUTECH to the pinnacle of eye-popping success. For two consecutive years, (2003 and 2004), LAUTECH was awarded the prize of the best State University in Nigeria. In 2005, the year he completed his tenure, the National Universities Commission (NUC) acknowledged Prof. Salau as the Best State University Vice-Chancellor in Nigeria. He would later become the Executive Chairman of the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), Oyo State. It was after he left office that things turned sour for the University for some time. I am referring to the period when the politics of Oyo and Osun States, joint owners of the University but controlled then by two mutually acrimonious political parties, tore the campus apart with brothers seeing one another as strangers. In February 2011, I was happy to see Prof. Salau at the University of Ilorin as the Chairman of an eight-man Visitation Panel of the Federal Government to the University. Prof. Salau did the assignment with uncommon passion and commitment, meeting virtually everyday with all stakeholders with a view to obtaining information on his panel’s assignment. I told him how he was my benefactor and expressed my appreciation. How many beneficiaries could a man like him ever know? The success of this year’s elections was anchored on the integrity of people like the late University don and administrator. As a National Commissioner of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Salau worked tirelessly with the accomplished former Chairman, Prof. Attahiru Jega, and his colleagues in INEC, to make the elections a reference point in our electoral history. Prof. Salau could have lived longer than 67 years but it is not the number that really matters, it is “the moments that take our breaths away,” as George Carlin said. May God bless his soul and admit him to Paradise. Adieu!

NEW TELEGRAPH TUESDAY, JULY 28, 2015

Energy

The cost of Arepo explosion

Property

Aviation

Construction firms broke, seek bail-out

Intermodal transport system: Nigeria’s aviation burden

Business What's news

Marketers’ bickering stalls N1.3bn fuel lifting The backbiting among some marketers of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) in Nigeria has stalled N1.3 billion fuel lifting in Apapa, New Telegraph has learnt.

p.32

Construction firms lament N900bn debt L-R: Deputy Managing Director, Chemstar Paints Industry, Mr. Adedayo Paseda; Group Managing Director/CEO, Dr. Emmanuel Awode; Head, Admin/Human Resources, Mrs. Toyin Roberts and General Manager, Marketing/Sales, Mr. Fola Laguda, at the company’s mid-year sales review forum at Sango-ota, Ogun State. PHOTO: GODWIN IREKHE

The umbrella body for all the big construction companies in Nigeria, the Federation of Construction Industry (FOCI), has called on the three tiers of government to bail its members out of their present dilemma by paying its over N900 billion debts.

p.32

Nigeria to save N3trn on planned Air Force maintenance hangar

n a bid to bridge the gap and ensure that the huge amount spent on aircraft maintenance offshore is curtailed, the Nigerian Air Force said that it is planning to float a Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul facility (MRO), which would save the nation $15 billion (N3 trillion) yearly.

Chief of Air Staff (COAS, Air Vice Marshal Sadique Abubakar, disclosed this at the weekend on the sideline of a summit held by the National Association of Aircraft Pilots and Engineers (NAAPE). The absence of aircraft maintenance facilities in Nigeria may have cost the country over $150 billion in the last 10 years. A comprehensive (C) Check on B737 classic and maintenance in Europe, the United States or in Cairo, Egypt, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, costs $1 million every 18 months. For Next Gen aircraft such as the B737-700/800, the airlines pay $2 million for maintenance. Abubakar was represented at the occasion by the Commander, 401 Aircraft Maintenance

INFLATION RATE May 2015.................................9% April 2015................................8.7% March 2015.............................8.5%

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

CAPITAL FLIGHT

The Business Desk Ayodele Aminu

Deputy Editor (Business)

Bayo Akomolafe

Asst. Editor (Maritime)

Sunday Ojeme

The fact that such maintenance is executed with foreign currencies makes things more difficult for the airlines

Asst. Editor (Insurance)

Tony Chukwunyem

Asst. Editor (Money Market)

Dele Alao

Industry & Agric Editor

Dayo Ayeyemi Property Editor

Adeola Yusuf Energy Editor

Wole Shadare Aviation Editor

Chris Ugwu

Capital Market Editor

Abdulwahab Isa

Wole Shadare

Finance Editor

Kunle Azeez

Senior Correspondent

Chuks Onuanyin Energy

Nnamdi Amadi Reporter

Johnson Adebayo

Asst Production Editor

Depot, Ikeja, Air Commodore Emmanuel Eze. Abubakar said that on completion of the maintenance hangar, the air force would commercialise it and make it available to Nigerian carriers, both commercial and military. This would enable them to carry out maintenance of their aircraft in the country. He told the gathering that the essence of the hangar was to ensure reduction in the cost

N30trillion Total amount of money spent by operators and government on MRO facilities in the last 10 years

of money spent on maintaining aircraft by airline owners and operators in the country. Abubakar also disclosed that the air force had set up international helicopter training school that had graduated two sets of students, adding that the school was not restricted to NAF personnel, but the public as well. He added that soon, NAF would set up the fixed wing training school in the country. Besides, he said that work was on-going on the establishment of a directorate of regulations and airworthiness in the air force, which he believed would further ensure provision of competent professionals for CONTINUED ON PAGE 32

Rates Dashboard EXCHANGE RATE (BDC as at July 24)

USD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . N242 Pounds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . N365 Euro . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . N262

l Foreign Reserves – $30.773bn as at 23/07/2015

Source: CBN

EXCHANGE RATE (Interbank as at July 24)

USD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . N199.00 Pounds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . N307.65 Euro . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . N223.50

Business | News

DENIAL

IPMAN refutes fuel diversion allegation leveled against it

TUESDAY, JULY 28, 2015 NEW TELEGRAPH

Marketers’ bickering stalls N1.3bn fuel lifting

Adeola Yusuf

Group demands recognision for 500 tickets at Capital Oil

he backbiting among some marketers of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) in Nigeria has stalled N1.3 billion fuel lifting in Apapa, New Telegraph has learnt. The stalled product, which is about 500 tickets of 33,000 litres each of petol, belong to members of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association (IPMAN). The tickets, which are for lifting of products imported by NNPC at the capital oil depot in Apapa by members of the Chief Chinedu Okoronkwo-led faction, are stalled. The affected marketers have also demanded immediate honouring of their tickets. Chief Chinedu Okoronkwoled executive committee of the association had engaged in serious bickering with Chief Obasi Lawson, another factional leader of the group.

“In fact, Okoronkwo has once said that he expelled Obasi for allegedly engaging in acts that violated the association’s constitution. But to his surprise and to the surprise of members of his faction, the government of former President Goodluck Jonathan recognised the Obasi faction. Despite the recognision, the Okoronkwo group has been overwhelmingly recognised by the group in the Southwest,” the source said. “The issue on ground now

is that 700 tickets belonging to members of Okoronkwo faction were taken to Capital Oil and, up till now, none of them has been loaded. Out of this, 200 tickets that have not gulped so much money were withdrawn for onward transfer to six other depots that have Bulk Purchase Agreement (BPA) license. But these 500 tickets are still there unattended to. “We held a meeting over this on Friday (last Friday) but up till this moment, nothing concrete has been done on

it. The value of one ticket is N2.6 million and 500 tickets are lying unattended to,” the source added. Meanwhile, treasurer, IPMAN, Dibu Aderibigbe, has denied allegation by NNPC that members of IPMAN were involved in product diversion. The Pipelines and Products Marketing Company (PPMC), a subsidiary of the NNPC, had announced that it had revoked the licences of three marketers allegedly involved in products’ diversion.

The PPMC said that product diversion by independent marketers had contributed to the scarcity being experienced in many cities across the country. NNPC also warned that henceforth, dealers found to be guilty would have their Bulk Purchase Agreement revoked. Aderibigbe said that the independent marketers must not be blamed for the current fuel scarcity, stressing that up till Tuesday, July 21, 2015, government had yet to pay their subsidy claims despite efforts put in by IPMAN to ensure smooth distribution of petroleum products across the country. He dared the NNPC to sanction any marketer found wanting, but expressed confidence that no member of the association would be found to be involved in product diversion.

Nigeria to save N3trn from maintenance hangar CONTINUED FROM PAGE 31

the country’s aviation industry. He said: “We are assiduously working to see that the capacity of NAF personnel is well developed. We are working with NCAA to ensure that we develop the civil aviation sector in Nigeria.” Speaking in the same vein, Managing Director of Finum Aviation, Sheri Kyari, said: “The next facility that is of dire need today is a maintenance centre capable of handling all the commercial airliners in the country that require heavy maintenance.” The absence of this asset, he said, is encouraging capital flight. Some aircraft maintenance engineers claimed that lack of MRO facilities had cost the operators and the government over $150billion since the essence of a hangar project was highlighted over two decades ago. The fact that such maintenance is done in foreign exchange makes things more difficult for the airlines. What had been the situation is the enrichment of such countries such as Ethiopia, Morocco and South Africa, where airlines in the country take their aircraft for comprehensive checks. Nigerian airlines are said to be bleeding. Maintenance of their planes in the country would cost them less than half of the humongous amount of ferrying aircraft abroad for repairs in Europe, United States, Asia, Ethiopia, Kenya, Egypt and South Africa regarded as countries in Africa with world class aircraft maintenance facilities.

L-R: Principal Dentist, SS Dental Clinic, Dr. Iyabo Sofoluwe; Managing Director, PAL Pensions, Mr. Dave Uduanu and Oral Consultant, Colgate Palmolive, Dr. Oge Mac Johnson, during the MBN 2015 SME Empowerment Seminar in Lagos. PHOTO: SULEIMAN HUSAINI.

Construction firms lament N900bn debt DOWNTURN

The construction sector is the worse hit by plunge in oil revenues Dayo Ayeyemi

he umbrella body for all the big construction companies in Nigeria, the Federation of Construction Industry (FOCI), has called on the three tiers of government to bail its members out of their present dilemma by paying its over N900 billion debts. President of FOCI, Mr. Solomon Ogunbusola, told New Telegraph exclusively that the condition of his members are getting worse by the day over the unpaid money. He pointing out that the Federal Ministry of Works

alone owes the construction industry over N600 billion. The FOCI President said that everything has become extremely tough for his members, adding that nobody is even talking to them about the debts owed by the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA). He said: What we are thinking about now is the strategy for survival. Everything is deteriorating; banks are not relenting in getting their money back from us – in fact, they have threatened to publish the names of our members that borrowed money; interest rates are going up and companies are closing shops.” He said that many construction companies that could no longer cope with the situation had sacked their workers due to inability to pay their wages. “As I am talking to you now, some are even contemplating

closure,” he said. Besides, he raised the alarm that the cost of ongoing projects might double if naira’s devaluation continues, urging that something critical must be done to arrest the situation. Asked if President Muhammadu Buhari was aware of their plight, the FOCI boss said that the president had invited the permanent secretary in the Ministry of Works to ascertain the status quo. He stated that the response they got was that “he has promised to look into the matter.” Ogunbusola said that there was no positive story coming from the FCDA yet. Just last week, the China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC) sacked about 50 of its workers. This eventually led to protest by the workers over what

they said was unlawful sack and poor wage by the management of the company. Over 100 workers barricaded the Iganmu office of the company in Lagos to protest their sack by the CCECC management. Penultimate week also, construction workers at the site of Eko Atlantic City project embarked on indefinite strike over non-payment of salary. Furthermore, New Telegraph’s investigation showed that contractors handling the Lagos-Ibadan road’s expansion project, Messrs Julius Berger Plc and RCC have stopped work. In Abuja recently, Julius Berger had stopped construction works of the Abuja centenary city project. Also, the company has pulled out of the construction site of Second Niger Bridge in Onithsa, Anambra State.

NEW TELEGRAPH TUESDAY, JULY 28, 2015

FG concludes 4,000 MW nuclear sites’ evaluation p.34

Energy The cost of Arepo explosion Adeola Yusuf examines the economic implications of the recurrent pipeline explosion at Arepo where millions of naira worth of fuel went up in flames

he Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) announced the shut down of production on System 2B after an explosion rocked a section of the pipeline in the earlier hours of last Wednesday in Arepo, a border town between Lagos and Ogun states, killing scores of people. This is not the first time that this crucial pipeline has been impaired at Arepo. On Monday, May 24, 2014, four police officers and two pipeline vandals were feared dead following an attack on the oil installation at Owode Obafemi Local Government Area of Ogun State. Two years ago, Arepo was also in the news after vandals shot dead three NNPC engineers who had gone there to repair vandalised pipes. The pipeline, which takes petroleum products out of Lagos to NNPC depots in Mosimi, Ibadan, Ilorin and Ore exploded, sending thick black smoke billowing into the sky. Production shut The NNPC came out through its subsidiary, the Pipelines and Products Marketing Company (PPMC), last Wednesday and plied the old path of being forced to shut down thousands of litres on the pipeline. As usual, the company said that it shut down the System 2B to starve the fire of combustible material. Spokesperson for the PPMC, Mr. Nasir Imodagbe, who confirmed that the pipeline was shut down after the explosion, said that this action was taken to mitigate the loss of more lives and properties. “Vandals broke into our line at Arepo this morning and in the process of scooping our product, the line caught fire. We have swiftly shut production to mitigate the effect of this fire,” he said by telephone in an interview with New Telegraph. Prodded further, he said: “All I can tell you is that we have shut production on that line and we shall resume the production once the fire is extinguished and the damaged section of the line is fixed. “That place is a very difficult terrain, so, our men will wait till the fire is extinguished before they can now get into the scene of the fire.” The system shut down of System 2B, which supplies petroleum

The Arepo pipeline fire

products from Atlas Cove to depots in Mosimi, Ejigbo, Ibadan, Ore and Ilorin, may lead to shortage in product supply.

place on their own not to do so – you think of your life first – we can only go in there when security is guaranteed.”

Casualty controversy While online media reported that the casualty figure was over 100, a resident of Arepo, Tunde Sanni, told this newspaper that the number of casualty was more than 32. The vandals, he said, were more than 30 and the explosion consumed them all. “By the time the raging fire is extinguished, we may discover more casualty,” he said. The Ogun State Police Public Relations Officer, Muyiwa Adejobi, neither responded to telephone calls on his mobile nor Short Messaging System (SMS). Spokesman, National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) in Southwest, Mr. Farinloye, however, said that the agency had not been able to gain access to the site as at last Wednesday. Lamenting the situation, he said: “Although we thank God that the fire went out yesterday, as I’m speaking with you, NEMA has not been able to gain access to the site, and, therefore, we can’t give an accurate casualty figure. Any figure given by anybody is mere speculation.” Asked why it has been impossible for NEMA to access site, Farinloye said: “Do you want me to commit suicide? Anybody going there on his own without escort is walking into lions’ den. For us, we think about safety first, that is why we have always been advising those who want to go into the

OPC blames NNPC The Oodua Peoples’ Congress (OPC) blamed the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) for the explosion on the major pipeline in Arepo. President Muhammadu Buhari had terminated the pipeline surveillance contracts, which his predecessor, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, signed with the group a few months before the country’s last general election. Consequently, the OPC, in a statement signed by its Director of Media and Publicity, Yinka Oguntimehin, said that the activities of the vandals were permanently restricted for the period of three months that its men protected the pipelines. It said that it was regrettable that in a little more than one month after its men quit the surveillance job on the pipeline, more than 200 deaths had been recorded as a result of the activities of pipeline vandals. “We sympathise with the people of Arepo community in Ogun State, and, indeed, Nigerians, on Wednesday’s pipeline fire, which killed more than 100 people. The loss of lives of any number is indeed very sad. For us, this is yet another national disaster to befall our nation. In the last one month, similar deaths were recorded in Ikorodu and Ijedodo, both in Lagos, and in Bayelsa State, all as a result of the activities of pipeline vandals,” OPC said. “While we commiserate with

Two years ago, Arepo was also in the news after vandals shot dead three NNPC engineers

the nation over the loss of lives in these places, it must be noted that the activities of the vandals were permanently restricted for the period of three months that our men protected the pipelines. “It is no doubt regrettable that in a little more than one month after our men quit the job, more than 200 deaths have been recorded as a result of the activities of pipeline vandals. Besides, the group noted: “While some people condemned our men and called us names, it is on record that nothing of this magnitude happened during the period of the three months that our operatives secured the pipelines. Of particular interest was the comment of the spokesperson of the Lagos chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Mr. Joe Igbokwe, in which he referred to our members as hoodlums and outlaws. “The lesson to be learnt in the latest incident by Nigerians and our government is that government should encourage Nigerians with good ideas to be part of governance. All over the world, citizens are encouraged to be partners in progress with government in order to move the country forward. This is what our organisation tried to represent by presenting ourselves as partners in progress with government.” OPC recalled: “While our men worked at the site of the pipeline in Arepo, even the people of the community had a sense of safety, obviously because of the presence of our men in the area. But all that CONTINUED ON PAGE 33

Business | Energy

ExxonMobil tasks Nigeria on coal for power generation Adeola Yusuf

oal is to remain an important source of electricity generation for Nigeria and other countries of the world, Nigeria’s second biggest oil company, ExxonMobil has said. The company, which said this in its latest report, projected that the global electricity demand will rise by about 85 per cent, as living standards rise, economies expand and the need for electrification of society continues. The report entitled: “The Outlook for Energy: A view to 2040,” noted that about half of the projected global growth in electricity demand through 2040 will be from the industrial sector. The study showed that increased need for manufactured goods that accompanies economic growth and a rising middle class industryis expected to derive a greater share of its energy from electricity as advanced manufacturing, automation and control technologies will continue to transform the sector. Besides, it noted that strong growth also will be seen in the residential/commercial sector, as rising living standards reflect greater electricity consumption by individuals through the wider use of products like air conditioning, water heaters, appliances, computers and smart devices. “The electricity to charge smartphones shows up predominantly in the residential/commercial sector. Electricity used to manufacture smartphones and other consumer goods is in the industrial sector, along with the electricity to operate the data centers and networks that provide the content accessed by smartphones”, the report said. Coal is expected to remain an important source of electricity generation, but its share of delivered electricity is expected to drop from 40 per cent to about 25 per cent over. CONTINUED FROM PAGE 33

sense of safety is gone with the wind once again, with the return of the vandals. “Security operatives can work to protect the pipelines, but the issue of pipeline protection is much more complex than mere protecting the pipelines. It involves intelligence gathering, which ultimately should involve the people. For sure, this was the strategy that we employed during our time protecting the pipelines. The result of that strategy was our ability to curtail the activities of the vandals. “Unfortunately, because we have placed politics above matters of national importance, the vandals have resumed their nefarious activities, killing and maiming our people, while at the same time denying the nation of huge sum of income that can be used to develop the country. “With the unfortunate upsurge in the activities of pipeline

TUESDAY, JULY 28, 2015 NEW TELEGRAPH

FG concludes 4,000 MW nuclear sites’ evaluation PROPOSALS The team made 42 recommendations for an operational nuclear power environment Adeola Yusuf

he Federal Government has concluded the detailed evaluation on the sites of its nuclear plants. The Nigerian Atomic Energy Commission (NAEC) said this on its website at the weekend, explaining that the detailed evaluation was done based on the requirement by

the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). The two sites, Geregu in Kogi State and Itu in Akwa Ibom State, were recently announced by NAEC as the sites for the country’s ambitious nuclear power plants projects. NAEC Chairman, Erepamo Osaisai, said that IAEA has asked NAEC to conduct standard surveys, including Environmental Impact Assessments (EIAs), on the two sites selected by the country to host its proposed 4,000 megawatts (mw) nuclear power projects. The commissions next step would, according to Osaisai, will be to conduct detailed evaluation and characterisation on preferred sites on the approval

of government in Geregu, Ajaokuta Local Government Area of Kogi State and Itu in Itu Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State. “The 10-member Integrated Nuclear Infrastructure Review (INIR) team had, after their two weeks session in Nigeria, given the nod for the EIA and site characterisation,” the statement said, referring to the preliminary draft INIR mission report presented after concluding its assessment recently. According to the report, the team made 42 recommendations requisite for an operational nuclear power environment. Included in the reference are enacting a comprehensive nuclear law, creating an inde-

pendent nuclear power regulatory body with clear authority and functions separated from promotional bodies and functions and ensuring a waste and fuel cycle management.  In addition, IAEA wants NAEC to coordinate the site characterisation, EIA, conclusion of national specification and a grid expansion to accommodate nuclear generated power in the national electricity grid. It further recommended that while NAEC must work only as the nuclear project developer, the Nigerian Nuclear Regulatory Authority (NNRA) should play the role of licensing and oversight of constructing and commissioning the plants.

L-R: Chairman of sponsorship committee, Nigeria Annual International Conference and Exhibition (NAICE 2015), Debo Fagbami; Chairman, Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE) Nigeria Council, Emeka Ene and Event Manager, SPE Nigeria Council, lnnocent Ohimor, during a press conference on the forth coming 39th edition of SPE NAICE 2015 in Lagos.

The cost of Arepo explosion vandals across the country, let all those antagonists who viewed our men as thugs and hoodlums cover their faces in shame. Let them come out now to offer their apologies to Nigerians for this avoidable loss of lives. “However, having said that, it is high time that all hands are put on the deck to find a lasting solution to the incessant and ugly activities of the vandals. Their actions are ill winds that will blow nobody any good.” Meanwhile, about a week after the incident, the Pipeline and Products Marketing Company (PPMC) engineers are yet to access the place to fix the pipeline, thus leading to a continued shutdown of production on the line. As much as this is a big clog in the wheel of smooth supply of products, the PPMC engineers cannot be blamed for

declining initial order to enter the Arepo creek to fix the impaired point. This is because three of their colleagues were killed by vandals at the same spot in 2012. Many battles The PPMC, a subsidiary of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), which had been battling with marketers to ensure that the queues for products at filling stations across the country are nipped in the bud, recently revoked the Bulk Purchase Agreement (BPA) licenses from three marketers. The affected marketers are Funo Alfa, Organiser West Africa, and Rich Oil. The sanction was “with immediate effect.” The NNPC, which revealed this in a statement, threatened

to clamp down on any oil marketer found to be involved in products diversion. Group General Manager, Group Public affairs division of the NNPC, Mr. Ohi Alegbe said, the caution was issued in the face of persistent tightness of supply being experienced in the country despite huge load-outs from the PPMC depots by both major and independent marketers. This development, he said, had been traced to diversion. “In a bid to sanitise the fuel distribution and supply system and eliminate the queues at filling stations across some cities in Nigeria, the NNPC has warned that henceforth any oil marketer found to be involved in products diversion will have its Bulk Purchase Agreement

with its mid-stream subsidiary, the PPMC, revoked,” the statement said. The PPMC warned marketers to desist from products diversion, hoarding, and any other form of sharp practices, as it would not hesitate to wield the big stick against any marketer found wanting. It added that it is closely monitoring the market and that the withdrawal of lifting licenses of erring marketers is a continuous exercise. Conclusion President Buhari had, for the umpteenth time, declared his readiness to stop pipeline vandalism and oil theft. The security agents need to work together in order to ensure protection of lives and property in Arepo as well as other communities in the country that are strategic in ensuring that leakages in oil production, distribution and exports are blocked.

NEW TELEGRAPH TUESDAY, JULY 28, 2015

Falana to surveyors: Eliminate quacks p.36

Property&Environment

Construction firms broke, seek bail-out Construction firms in the country have, in the last three months, vent their anger on workers, insisting that they are broke due to refusal of government to pay its N900 billion debt. DAYO AYEYEMI writes

is no money to pay their staff and service their debts.” Some even retrenched their staff and as I talk to you now, we are working below 30 per cent operation,” he said. He urged President Muhammadu Buhari to bail them out by declaring a state of emergency in the construction industry.

f latest news filtering from the construction sector are anything to go by, the country may not witness major infrastructural development in the area of road projects if nothing is done urgently to address the situation. Within the last two months, some major construction companies have sacked over 200 of their field workers due to their inability to pay salaries as alleged by the workers. The recent downturn in the sector might not be unconnected with the plunge in oil revenue, which has drastically reduced government’s spending in all sectors of the economy. Others include harsh operating environment, high interest rates on loan, naira devaluation and uncertainties concerning the new government’s policy. Findings Construction giant, Julius Berger Nigeria Ltd., has stopped work on the on-going second Niger Bridge project. The company had, in the last one month, sacked over 50 workers due to financial constraint. New Telegraph’s investigation showed that the construction company had earlier stopped work on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway due to paucity of funds. Our correspondent, who visited one of the project sites at the Asaba and Ogbaru end of the bridge, reported that some of the heavy duty equipment used for working on the site have disappeared, while only a few security personnel and some foreign nationals were seen loitering at the site. The plant house along the expressway had also been shut. Also, workers at the China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC) took to the streets, protesting what they described as “unlawful sack and poor wage” by the management of the company. Over 100 construction workers barricaded the Iganmu, Lagos, office of the company, last week, to protest their sack by the CCECC management. Some of the workers said that they were disenchanted with the manner of their disengagement by the management. One of the workers, Mr. Si-

Construction sites of Messrs. Julius Berger

mon Uje, said that workers were aggrieved because they were sacked without notice. “We came to work on Monday and today we resumed for duty only to be told that our services are no longer needed,” he said. But the General Secretary, National Union of Civil Engineering, Construction, Furniture and Wood Workers, Mr. Babatunde Liadi, gave an assurance that officials from the state council of the union would visit the CCECC office to intervene in the matter. Penultimate week also, construction workers at the Eko Atlantic City project in Victoria Island, Lagos, embarked on an indefinite strike over non- payment of salary. Every attempt to plead for calm by the management fell on deaf ears, as workers disrupted free flow of traffic in the neighbourhood, to register their grievances. Genesis The general downturn in the economy, experts said, was responsible for the job cuts. Some of the construction firms have blamed the inability of both the state and the Federal Government to pay them for the works already completed for their predicaments. It is in the public domain that some state governments are facing challenges of payment of workers’ salary, no thanks to the global crisis arising from the oil rout, which has affected the nation’s revenue negatively. Besides, the Federal Govern-

ment owes some of these construction firms over N900 billion for completed projects due to the present economic realities.

We have retrenched a lot of people and we are still retrenching

FOCI’s concern Worried over the money owed his members by the Federal Ministry of Works, President of the Federation of Construction Industry (FOCI), an umbrella body for about 125 major construction companies operating in Nigeria, Mr. Solomon Ogunbusola, told New Telegraph that most of the management of the construction firms are in debt. According to him, most of the projects executed by members were done with funds borrowed at very high interest rates from banks, adding that the Federal Ministry of Works owe contractors over N600 billion for projects already executed and delivered. He said that it was true that some of the firms have retrenched some workers, adding that more staff would still have to go if the situation persists. He said: “We have retrenched a lot of people and we are still retrenching people and the process will continue until when we get a stable place.” Ogunbusola, a builder, said that the country may not witness major development if the construction sector is pushed to the background. “Construction sector is a major employment of labour in the country. Right now, most of the firms have left their sites because there

Experts’ view Third Vice President, Nigerian Institute of Building (NIOB), Mr. Kunle Awobodu, said that the construction sector was broke, blaming the indebtedness of government to contractors for inactivity in the sector. According to him, the dwindling oil money, which government relied on as a major spending for capital project was a major issue. Besides, he pointed out that the uncertainties, coupled with mudslinging between political parties during the 2015 electioneering campaigns, created anxieties among investors and fund providers, who later technically withdrew their investments. All these, he said, were among other contributing factors for low activity in the construction sector. Awobodu, therefore, enjoined government to grant financial bail-out to the sector, noting that the construction sector is the highest employer of labour in any country. But, Chairman, H.O.B. Estates Limited, Chief Olusegun Bamgbade, said that the construction sector is not broke, describing it as “the best of all sectors comparatively.” His argument was that cement factories in the country would have closed shop if the construction sector is broke. He said: “If the construction sector is broke, Dangote cement factory and other cement manufacturers would have closed down for long. As at today, all the cement manufacturers in Nigeria are still running on maximum production capacity. “The fact that a few companies are not liquid enough to carry on with their construction business vis a vis the payment of their workers’ salaries do not ascribe insolvency on the construction sector. Therefore, the construction industry is not broke.” He is optimistic that government contractors would soon smile, saying that the present government is poised to sanitise the system by blocking all the loopholes wherein the nation’s resources were being siphoned by the “unscrupulous people in the corridors of power.” Once this is successfully achieved, he gave an assurance that every sector would bounce back to productivity. 2015 works ministry’s budget It would be recalled that the former Minister of Works, Mike Onolememen, revealed that CONTINUED ON PAGE 36

Business | Property & Environment

TUESDAY, JULY 28, 2015 NEW TELEGRAPH

Falana to surveyors: Eliminate quacks AGENDA Experts seek quality control of professionals Stories by Dayo Ayeyemi

uman rights lawyer, Mr. Femi Falana, has called on the built environment professionals, especially quantity surveyors, to tackle head-long, the challenge posed by quacks in the industry. He made this call during the 7th Annual Distinguished Lecture of the Nigerian Institute of Quantity Surveyors (NIQS), Lagos chapter. Falana said that professionals must rid the industry of quacks, who are the major cause of building collapse in the country. He said: “You must insist that anybody practicing the profession without the necessary training is prosecuted. When building collapses, you must conduct your own enquiries and deal with the culprit legally.” Falana emphasised the need for partnership between the states and the Federal Government in the area of mineral resources for investment’s purpose. He said, such investment in mineral resources and agriculture would allow state authorities to generate enough funds to pay workers’ salaries in their respective states rather

igerian Institute of Building (NIOB) has concluded plans to improve the skills of all artisans, craftsmen and professionals in the built environment through trainings. To kick-start this initiative, the body is deliberately staging its 45th Annual General Meeting/Conference in Ibadan, next week, with the theme: “Skills development and entrepreneurship in the construction industry.” The proposed training, NIOB President, Mr. Tunde Lasabi, said, was in line with Section 13:12.4 National Building Code (NBC, 2006), which maintains that the management of the execution of building works, including the supervision of artisans and tradesmen, shall be carried out by a registered builder. He called on all professionals and stakeholders, including the general public, to take advantage of the training in order to help chart a future course for tackling current, socio-economic issues and entrench national harmony in driving the country forward. Justifying the hosting of the event, Lasabi said that it was aimed at focusing on craftsmen and artisans’ training, construction skills

than waiting for a bail-out. Although, he noted that there was nothing wrong about the bail-out granted to the states, Falana warned that it should be the last exercise. He urged the Federal Government to shun the temptation of fuel subsidy removal in the interim, saying that such an act would serve as political landmine for the new government. The legal luminary also stressed the need to fix the na-

tion’s refineries for local production of petroleum products. He pointed out that $5 billion has been spent for the Turn Around Maintenance (TAM) of the refineries in the last five years, noting that the facility was only producing at 10 per cent capacity. Rather than depending solely on importation, Falana urged government to established modular refineries of 20,000 and 25,000 barrels capacity per day in different lo-

cations in the country to ease importation. On the agitation for the scrapping of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC), the erudite lawyer said that it would not solve the problem of corruption in the system. He suggested the need for the interpretation of the Bureau of Public Enterprise Act and the NNPC Act to understand where the corruption lies. Falana urged Nigerians to be committed to the rule of

law, saying with that they can fix the nation’s infrastructure challenges. The workshop was themed: “Leadership, socio-economic impasse and shortage of infrastructural development in Nigeria.” Chairman of NIQS, Lagos chapter, Mrs. Adenike Ayanda, said that the theme was chosen so as to examine the past leadership, with a view to setting agenda for the incoming administration.

L-R Past President and Fellow of the Nigerian Institute of Quantity Surveyors (NIQS) Mr. Francis Adetola; Keynote Speaker, Mr. Femi Falana (SAN); Former Special Adviser to President on Due Process, Prof. Kunle Ade Wahab (FNIQS); Chairman of NIQS Lagos chapter, Mrs. Adenike Ayanda (FNIQS); President, Building Collapse Prevention Guild, Mr. Kunle Awobodu and a member, Mr. Lanre Farotimi, at a conference in Lagos.

NIOB mulls skills devt for artisans, others development, policy issues in the Nigerian economy and business skills development among construction professionals. He added that builders would be taught skills in starting up their business and becoming employers of labour. According to him, the event was to create more awareness in National Vocational Qualification Framework, an initiative of National Board for Technical Education that was approved by the Federal Executive Council. This framework, he said, has provided a structure for the management, administration and accreditation of qualifications, adding that a national system of ordering National Vocational Qualifications (NVQS), according to progressive levels of attainment and areas of certified skills competence. Besides, Lasabi said that the event would also provide opportunity for peer review in global best practices. He said: “As builders, our foremost concern is that the construction of buildings will not be left in the hands

of quacks, but that builders in Nigeria will continue to play their roles effectively as the critical link in production management.” Lasabi pointed out that builders are more apt in imbibing professional technicalities in order to forge professional competences and interface with other building industry practitioners in joint efforts to harness resources for the future.

Expert tasks Africans on infrastructure

losing Africa’s infrastructure gap is a top priority in order to put the continent on a path for double digit growth and sustainable development, Special Advisor to UN SecretaryGeneral, Ban Ki-moon, on the Millennium Development Goals, Professor Jeffrey Sachs, has said. Sachs, a world-renowned economics, who noted this during the Third Financing for Development Conference in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, said that Africa would need 10 per cent per year of economic growth in the next 15 years. He added that the only way

Construction firms seek bail-out CO N TI N U ED F RO M PAGE 35

the ministry’s N100 billion proposed budget for 2015 was slashed to N11 billion by the Ministry of Finance. Onolememen stated that the finance ministry took the drastic action due to the economic realities on ground. He also expressed concerns that only 33 out of the 210 ongoing road projects had been provided for in view of the lean allocation to the ministry. He added that the budget was insufficient to encourage contractors to sustain significant progress on their respective work sites.

Conclusion Buoyancy of the construction sector is a barometer for measuring economic development globally. Consequently, it is pertinent for government to brace the challenges of good governance at all levels. Experts have argued that the ‘unprintable’ proportion of the state funds set aside as security votes should be divested into governance in other productive areas. They are also of the opinion that bail-out should be given to construction firms in the interim to pay their debt and finish all the abandoned projects in the country.

to achieve this target was to focus on large-scale investment in trans-national infrastructure projects in power, roads, broadband and other core regional infrastructure needs. The event themed “Unlocking public and private capital for African infrastructure” was organised by the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) Agency and Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN). Thousands of delegates descended on Addis Ababa to set the new financing architecture for a new global partnership. Its outcome will also address the issue of means of implementation, referring to the ‘how’ the goals set out in the post-2015 development agenda can be achieved. For Africa to realise the 2030 timeframe, Sachs in a report by Environews, urged the global community to rally around the NEPAD agenda, as the continent’s strategy for implementing cross-border infrastructure projects. “We need to help support NEPAD achieve its goals,” he said. He encouraged African economies to forge partnerships with East Asia, tap into capital markets and strengthen continental bodies such as the NEPAD Agency and African Development Bank.

NEW TELEGRAPH TUESDAY, JULY 28, 2015

‘Outright merger for airlines needless now’ p.38 Nigerian airports, especially the Lagos airfield, needs total upgrade in facilities to make movement easier. WOLE SHADARE writes on the need to have a modal split to share the total number of person’s trip by different means of travel to reduce traffic congestion at airports

Aviation Intermodal transport system: Nigeria’s aviation burden

n Nigeria, the promotion of inter-modalism envisages among others, the connection of all state capitals, seaports, airports and river ports with rail lines to complement the existing road transportation. Mobility- that is, the movement of passengers and goods through the transportation system - is critical to the nation’s economic vitality and the quality of life of its citizens. Growing congestion However, increasing passenger and freight travel has led to growing congestion in the nation’s transportation system, and projections of future passenger travel and freight movement suggest that this trend is likely to continue. For example, the number of airplane passengers using United States airports is expected to grow from over 746 million in 2005 to almost one billion by 2015 and, since most travelers use cars, whether privately owned or taxis, to get to the airport, local cities and communities will face increased congestion on their airport access roads and highways. For Nigeria, it is embarrassing that most of Nigeria’s airports do not have interconnectivity in terms of connecting one terminal with the other. It is even worrisome that there is no rail system to connect travellers out of congested airports to inner cities. By international standards, the size of Nigeria’s aviation sector is modest. At present, there are 22 airports under the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), but approximately 78 airfields exist in Nigeria out of which 30 are privately-owned and operated. Four of these airports namely, Lagos, Abuja, Kano and Port Harcourt are of international standards and serve intercontinental, international and domestic destinations. Taken together, Lagos, Abuja and Kano account for between 77 - 90 per cent of passenger movements and 64 - 89 per cent of aircraft movements in Nigeria, while Lagos alone accounts for slightly over half of the international and domestic passengers carried. Uncoordinated transport mode The challenges connecting the foregoing issues already highlighted are woven around

A DART light rail vehicle sits at airport station

complete absence of intermodal transport system within the country. In addition, there is little or no coordination among the various modes of transportation. The essence of developed inter-modality and effectively coordinated transport system is to ensure that transport modes complement one another, especially in strategic areas, including our industrial zones and economic corridors. Also, the airports need to be well connected by the rail system to the main cities and connection of the Northeast, Northwest, Southeast and Southwest by rail, including the effective use of the inland waterways from the Delta region to the Northwest and North Eastern part of Nigeria. These requires effective coordination through the instrumentality of national transport policy and state transport policy such that the state transport policy will take a general cue from that of general transport policy. It would be recalled that many cities have extended subway or rail service to major urban airports. This provides travellers with an inexpensive, frequent and reliable way to get to their flights as opposed to driving or being driven, and contending with full up parking or taking taxis and getting caught in traffic jams on the way to the airport. Many airports now have some mass transit link, including London, Sydney, Munich, Hong Kong, Vancouver and New York City. Poor land connection From an intermodal perspective, the major airports are willing to integrate with road infrastructure and all access roads to airport have federal status. Land transport connections

are, however, poor. Trips to airports are by cars, taxis or hotel shuttle transport. There is no access to the airport by the conventional mode of public transport, namely, bus or rail. The air transport sector is largely deregulated with domestic airlines competing in the market, but it is not clear how much economic regulation of the sector the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), whose main focus appears to be primarily on aviation safety. The reform in the sector should include as well the unbundling of the Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) to reflect the countervailing structure needed to guarantee autonomy or financial independence and to promote competition and fair trading among domestic airports.

Approximately 78 airfields exist in Nigeria out of which 30 are privately owned and operated

Remodelling without sense One would have thought that former Minister of Aviation, Stella Oduah, would have done a sensible thing by focusing on light rail transport system to connect the domestic wing of the Lagos airport to the international wing of same airport with extension to Ikeja rather than what some stakeholders referred to as ‘senseless’ airport remodelling projects that she embarked on, which gave no value for money. Yet, the Federal Government continuously pumped 100s of millions of dollars into renovation, remodelling, expansion of existing facilities and infrastructure in 20 airports across the country, without commensurate dimension and measure for hub development coming up to play a vital role. The huge expenditure has not and could not return the value of investment, simply because the

business model being adopted in the country is not developed or designed to recoup any meaningful revenue from the airport remodelling projects. In addition, there are challenges of aging of existing infrastructure without any robust maintenance programme, inadequate equipment to meet very high international standard, inadequate security and safety programmes and dearth of seasoned aviation professionals due to early retirement of the highly competent ones and persistent political intervention through the infusion of non-professionals who occupy high level offices in all aviation agencies. Aviation analyst, Olumide Ohunayo, said that upgrading of infrastructure must be modified to include public private partnership scheme that will minimise excessive public investment and encourage infusion of private investment. His words: “In addition, the agencies must be seen to work together and support FAAN and other relevant agencies in improving international standards and the development of infrastructure like light trains to make accessibility of the airports seamless. Conclusion It is disheartening that over the years, government is yet to take a cue from Heathrow Airport, JFK and Frankfurt airports, among others, that have good rail system linking cities with aerodromes, by making available funds to provide such facilities. Inter-modal transport is rapidly gaining acceptance as an integral component of system approach to conducting business in an increasingly competitive and interdependent global economy.

Business | Aviation

Aviation analyst, Olumide Ohunayo, spoke to WOLE SHADARE on the myriads of problems affecting aviation in Nigeria and how to get out of the woods. Excerpts The Ahmed Joda committee has asked government to merge all domestic airlines, how feasible is that? I do not agree with that submission because the debt to asset ratio of Arik Air is obviously higher than its liabilities binding it with other carriers. So, Arik’s level of indebtedness will not be appropriate. Also, I am not impressed with the management of Aero. The airline, rather than improve on its services, has been reducing in operations and fleet with abysmal staff strength. The resuscitating medication is not working; therefore, the Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON) should look out for other options such as advertising for buyers or shop for turnaround airline experts, not unemployed expatriates to help the recovery process before a merger. An outright merger now will be counterproductive and a subtle subsidy for families who mismanaged their airlines using funds from banks owned by Nigerians. The committee also want government to address the under -utilisation of routes. What is your take on this? This is a good initiative if we can address this problem. The airlines are fixated on the trunk routes, leaving other domestic routes to a flight or two per day. These famished routes can be improved upon if the airport facilities are tweaked to extend operational hours, by drastically reducing charges and fees at such airports and by also giving interested airlines some incentives. It is the joint responsibility of the federal and state governments to attract flights to those airports, with the Federal Government taking the lead. If we improve facilities and increase operational hours, it will benefit our airlines, passengers and the economy at large. What do you make of the request that the NCAA should enforce the capitalisation requirement of N2.5 billion and N5 billion respectively, for domestic and international operators? I totally disagree. We will continue to progress in error if the emphasis is on capitalisation. We should use fleet as the barometer of measurement by moving it from the ridiculous minimum of two aircraft to 10 aircraft for domestic/west coast and 12 for international routes. An airline with two aircraft will have commercial integrity challenge that cannot attract partners, financial institutions or schedule integrity. Capitalisation is mere documentation in Nigeria. They will all recapitalise on paper while the rot increases in reality.

TUESDAY, JULY 28, 2015 NEW TELEGRAPH

‘Outright merger for airlines needless now’

Ohunayo

What about recommendation on upgrade of airports’ facilities? I totally agree with this position, provided public funds will not be used because of the indebtedness of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) and the multiple unfinished projects in our airports spread across the country. The transformation ship hit a financial iceberg when the BASA funds were completely extinguished; taking 22 airports at a go was a political decision, not economic. Therefore, government should rather get a reputable airport management organisation to manage and restructure FAAN for a minimum of 10 years. They should be given a free and an uninterrupted environment to work, while efforts will be geared towards reducing the debts accrued from the uncompleted or is it failed transformation agenda. To digress a bit, I am taken aback by the conflicting position

We will continue to progress in error if the emphasis is on capitalisation

of government with respect to the presidential fleet during the campaign period. The change team promised to dispose aircraft in the presidential fleet, which will be used to start a national carrier project after the inauguration, the situation changed. My simple take on it is that aircraft in the presidential fleet are divided into civil and military registration, those with the military registration should not be touched but remain with the air force to be used to support and protect the country and the presidency in particular. Those with the civil registration should be disposed off. Mr. President and vice president’s aircraft should be retained; a third aircraft can be on standby for a year or two to ascertain its relevance. Are you bothered by multiple entries by government to foreign airlines? How can we remedy the

situation? Government should urgently look at our bilateral agreements and multiple entries. If Ethiopian Airlines commences the Port-Harcourt route as planned, that will be the fifth entry point into Nigeria. Here is an airline that has chosen to invest in other countries in Africa by-passing Nigeria that has given them the highest number of passengers. I also will want us to address the issue of Saudi-owned carriers lifting pilgrims from seven Nigerian states, how they arm- twisted government to partake in lifting Nigerian pilgrims are quite baffling. The issue of reciprocity has to do with scheduled passenger and cargo flights, which at the moment, are being operated by the Saudi national carrier alone unchallenged. Our airlines and passengers pay the requite duties and taxes on each passenger taken to Jeddah, which should be enough for their government.

NAHCO begins full cargo operations at Enugu Airport

oremost ground handling operator, nahco aviance, has commenced full cargo operations at the Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu. This, according to a statement from the company, was said by Managing Director of the firm, Mr. Norbert Bielderman, at the opening of the two warehouses in Enugu. One is within the airport and the other a few metres from the airport, would further en-

hance the development of the air cargo business in the south east, and the country as a whole. Bielderman, was represented by the Chief Financial Officer of the company, Mrs. Chinwe Chiji-Nnorom. He had a few weeks ago inspected the warehouses where he directed that it must start full operations before he embarked on his vacation. Bielderman, according to the statement, also used

the visit to meet with the Customs hierarchy at the Enugu Area Command where the modalities for effective cargo operations were agreed. But speaking in Lagos at the weekend, Chiji-Nnorom said that the opening of the Enugu warehouses is a major milestone for the company in its determination to ensure that the economy of Nigeria is further developed through the development of other airports in the country

outside of Lagos Airport. She assured that the same excellent services nahco aviance is known for in Lagos would be available to all users of the company’s services at the Enugu Airport. She said, “nahco aviance would not rest on its oars in its continued efforts at providing excellent services to its clients whether in Lagos, which is our West Africa hub, Port Harcourt, Abuja, Kano, Kaduna, Owerri or Enugu.”

NEW TELEGRAPH TUESday, JULY 28, 2015

Photo | News

L-R: Executive Secretary, Nigerian Christian Pilgrims Commission (NCPC), Mr. Johnkennedy Opara; Director-General, National Transformation Institute, Prof. Vincent Anigbogu and Speaker, House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, during the inauguration of the maiden Youth Pilgrimage to Israel in Abuja. PHOTO: NAN

L-R: State Team Leader, Education Sector Support Programme in Nigeria, Mr. James Fadokun; Regional Coordinator, Department for International Development (DFID), Nigeria, South West, Mr. Adeshina Fagbenro Byron;Kwara State Governor, Dr. Abdulfatah Ahmed and Regional Programme Officer, DFID, Mrs. Magret Fagboyo, during courtesy visit to to the governor, in Ilorin.

L-R: Akwa Ibom State Secretary to the State Government, Sir Etekamba Umoren; Governor Udom Emmanuel and General-Overseer, Goodnews Community International, Bishop Elijah Mboho, at a service at Goodnews Community International Church, Abak.

Graduating Pupils of Ronnie Schools Primary, Lagos: Arungwa Favour, Treasure Nwachukwu, Mohammed Alimat, Nwachukwu Precious and Badru Zainab, during their graduation ceremony in Lagos.

TUESDAY, JULY 28, 2015 NEW TELEGRAPH

Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode (right), presenting a state plaque to the Acting United States Consulate General in Nigeria, Ms. Dehab Ghebreab, during a courtesy visit to the governor in Lagos.

L-R: Ondo State Governor, Dr. Olusegun Mimiko; Permanent Secretary, Office of the Secretary to the Government of Federation, Mrs. Ibukun Odusote; Commissioner for Information, Kayode Akinmade and Commissioner for Natural Resources, Tunde Atere, at the 77th Divine Agenda Praise Night, in Akure.

L-R: Guest speaker, Christ Apostolic Church (CAC), Sunday Superintendent Worldwide, Pastor Stephen Aluko; Guest Pastor, Samuel Babayeni; Managing Director/CEO, Excel Chris Nigeria Limited, Mrs. Christianah Tope Dada; Host/Senior Pastor, CAC, New Covenant Assembly, Pastor Tope Dada and General Overseer, Great Commission, Prophet David Sodeke, during the Grand finale of 2015 Festival of Champion on Mantle of the Champion in Lagos. PHOTO: TONY EGUAYE

Managing Director, Arik Air, Mr. Chris Ndulue (left) with President, National Association of Air Traffic Engineers, Engr. Makanjuola Ebenezer, during Ebenezer’s visit to Arik Air in Lagos.

Business | Money Line

NEW TELEGRAPH TUESDAY, JULY 28, 2015

SLEAZE CURB

FG’s gross revenue rises for second month to N485.95bn

Crackdown on official corruption buoys country’s revenue

igeria’s gross gover nment revenues rose in June for the second month in a row

to reach N485.95 billion ($2.44 billion), the Finance Ministry said, partly due to a crackdown on official corrup-

tion. The total of N518.542 billion, up 33 per cent from May, included a N6.33 billion refund by

Financial analyst offers tips for bolstering naira lars for speculative and legitimate reasons to sell their dollar and acquire naira. There will also be dollar inflows by fixed income portfolio investors and Nigerians in the Diaspora. Coupon rates on government bonds should rise to at least 20 per cent and those selling dollars to purchase the bonds will be given first priority. The government will also assure investors of a fixed exchange rate (within a narrow band of 2 per cent) when they decide to exit the bond. There will be a 25 per cent penalty on accrued interest for any investor that exits their position less than 12 months after purchase.” This he said will attract huge dollar inflows to take advantage of the high coupon rates in con-

Tony Chukwunyem

gainst the background of increasing concern over the dwindling fortunes of the naira, respected financial analyst, Mr. Jude Fejokwu, has offered tips on how the monetary authorities can halt the local currency’s decline. In a note made available to the New Telegraph, Fejokwu, who isthe Founder, Managing Director and Principal Analyst at ThaddeusInvestment Advisors and Research Limited, said, “The naira has to be made more attractive as a currency to hold.” He said such a move “will encourage those who are hoarding dol-

junction with the assured stability on exchange rate conversion. “A form of this is already being practiced in Malawi since last year and has made Malawi Africa’s best performing currency so far in 2015. The Malawian Kwacha has appreciated against the dollar by about 5 per cent in 2015,” the expert noted. He further stated that the top 75 companies by market capitalisation on the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) must have American Depository Receipts (ADR) on them at the New York Stock Exchange with a market maker in place, adding that fungibility of shares must be allowed. “I can buy Zenith Bank in Nigeria and sell my position as an ADR in New

the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Value-Added Tax (VAT) of N64.99 billion and an exchange rate York City and vice versa. This becomes a veritable way for people to source dollar and boost demand for Nigerian stocks at the same time. This second option creates a secondary outlet for dollar demand independent of the Central Bank of Nigeria CBN),” he stated. The Thaddeus Investment Advisors boss noted that the naira has limited use because of Nigerians’ heavy dependence on imported goods. It would be recalled that the about 50 per cent drop in the price of oil between June last year and January 2015, resulted in the depletion of the country’s foreign exchange reserves, leading to a slide in the value of the naira. Despite various measures by the CBN to stem its decline, the local currency has continued to plummet against the dollar on the black market where it currently exchanges at about N242 to the dollar.

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

N19,142,526.05m N18,579,219.49m 9.2 13 10.77 US$56.51 US$30,845,668,318

As at Mar, 2015 Mar, 2015 June, 2015 4/6/2015 Mar 2015 27/7/2015 24/7/2015

Source:CBN

Description 13.05 16-AUG-2016 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 10.00 23-JUL-2030 12.1493 18-JUL-2034

FGN Bonds

TTM

Price 98.18 100.41 103.09 102.65 105.87 96.32 68.00 84.16

1.06 1.75 3.92 4.55 6.51 8.63 14.99 18.98

NIBOR

Tenor (Days) Call 30 90 180

Rate (%) 12.2500 15.4717 16.5989 17.5475

Bid Yield 14.96 14.78 14.92 14.71 14.95 14.96 15.57 14.64

Change (%) -6.96 ▼ 0.04▲ -0.04 ▼ 0.02 ▲

Change (%) -0.09 ▼ 0.16▲ 0.17 ▲ 0.26 ▲ 0.18 ▲ 0.16 ▲ 0.00 ↔ 0.32 ▲

Price 98.33 100.56 103.39 102.95 106.17 96.62 68.30 84.46

Tenor (Months)

Offer Yield 14.80 14.68 14.82 14.62 14.88 14.90 15.50 14.58

NITTY

1 2 3 6 9 12

Treasury Bills

Rate (%) 11.9462 12.8075 13.6507 13.7016 14.2693 14.3783

Spot($/N)

Offer 197.77

Change (%) 0.13 ▲ -0.40 ▼ -0.51 ▼ -0.48 ▼ -0.33 ▼ -0.25 ▼

Money Market

Maturity Date Discount Bid Yield Change (%) Discount Offer Yield Change (%) Rate (%) Open-Buy-Back (OBB) 10.00 13.21 13.68 -0.32 ▼ 29-Oct-15 13.46 13.95 -0.33 ▼ Overnight (O/N) 10.58 28-Jan-16 13.72 13.47 14.45 1.09 ▲ 14.74 1.09 ▲ 02-Jun-16 12.82 12.57 14.07 0.00 ↔ 14.39 0.00 ↔ Bid 197.67

Change (%) -0.09 ▼ 0.16 ▲ 0.16▲ 0.25 ▲ 0.18 ▲ 0.16 ▲ 0.00 ↔ 0.31 ▲

Change (%) -0.04 ▼

NIFEX

Spot($/N)

Bid 199.0000

Offer 199.1000

Change (%) -4.17 ▼ -4.08 ▼

Change (%) 0.00 ↔

CBN Clearing Rates of July 27, 2015 Spot($/N)

196.00

197.00

0.00 ↔ Source: FMDQ

gain of N6.69 billion. In May, the Federal Government received N324.06 billion in revenues and distributed N409.35 billion between the three tiers of government. The balance of the Excess Crude Account (ECA) stood at $2.207 billion, up from $2.078 billion on June 23. International oil prices rose at the end of April and benchmark Brent futures were sustained in the $60s a barrel range before falling again into the $50s a barrel range at the start of July. Nigeran depends on oil sales for about 70 per cent of its government revenues. Permanent Secretary of the Finance Ministry, Anastasia Daniel-Nwoa-

bia, said revenues were hit by a shutdown of pipelines feeding the Nembe and Forcados crude export terminals. Shell declared force majeure on exports of the Forcados crude stream in early May due to leaks on the main pipeline. The force majeure was lifted in mid-July. “A price increase in crude of 9.8 per cent, recorded between April and May, was not enough to cancel the effect of a revenue drop due to a decline in the volume of crude oil sold, but the noticeable increase in revenue was as a result of blockage of some leakage in revenue sources,” Daniel-Nwoabia said. President Muhammadu Buhari, inaugurated at the end of May, has delayed appointing his cabinet until September in order to flush out corrupt practices and plug “financial leakages” that went unchecked under the previous administration.

AMCON to publish list of bad debtors Tony Chukwunyem

he Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON) has asked loan defaulters to immediately square their accounts or it would publish their names in line with a directive by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN). The apex bank had last April directed lenders to give bad debtors three months to square their accounts, otherwise they would be named in the media and barred from taking part in the foreign exchange and bond markets. In a statement yesterday, AMCON warned bad debtors that if loans re-

mained unpaid, it would take steps to recover the debts including by legal means. It advised debtors not to assume it will forgive their indebtedness. It also asked bad debtors to present restructuring plans. AMCON was set up in 2010 to absorb nonperforming loans in exchange for government bonds, after the banking watchdog injected $4 billion to rescue nine lenders from collapse six years ago. The CBN has since set an upper limit of 5 per cent for non-performing loan ratio for the industry. Before the 2009 bailout, non-performing loans ratio stood in double digits.

ACCA boosts access to accounting skills Kunle Azeez

he Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA), the global body for professional accountants, has strengthened its efforts in boosting the skills for practitioners in the accounting profession through its new online and open access courses tagged ‘ACCA-X.’ Already, registration according to a statement from the association, is open for three of ACCAX’s online and open access courses, especially designed to support Nigerians, who are interested in accountancy and business, as a career or to help

them in their current and future roles. Speaking on the development, Head of ACCA Nigeria, Mrs. Toyin Ademola, said the registration, which is open until 18 October this year, would help in sharpening accounting skills in the country. “With finance so high on the business agenda here in Nigeria, regardless of the sector, ACCAX has been designed to provide a route into a career as a professional accountant, or for those who need to brush-up their skills in finance. ACCA-X really can help it all add up for career development,” she said.

Business | Financial Market News

TUESDAY, JULY 28, 2015 NEW TELEGRAPH

FMDQ Daily Quotations List

27-Jul-15

The DQL contains data relating to, amongst other things, market and model prices, rates of foreign exchange products, fixed income securities and instruments in the financial market (the “Information”). The Information does not constitute professional, financial or investment advice. We attempt to ensure the Information is accurate; however, the Information is provided “AS IS” and on an “AS AVAILABLE” basis and may not be accurate or up to date. We do not guarantee the accuracy, timeliness, completeness, performance or fitness for a particular purpose of any of the Information, neither do we accept liability for the results of any action taken on the basis of the Information.

Bonds FGN Bonds

Price

Rating/Agency

Issuer

Description ^13.05 16-AUG-2016 ^15.10 27-APR-2017 9.85 27-JUL-2017 9.35 31-AUG-2017 10.70 30-MAY-2018 ^16.00 29-JUN-2019 7.00 23-OCT-2019 ^15.54 13-FEB-2020 ^16.39 27-JAN-2022 ^14.20 14-MAR-2024 15.00 28-NOV-2028 12.49 22-MAY-2029 8.50 20-NOV-2029 ^10.00 23-JUL-2030 ^12.1493 18-JUL-2034

Issue Date

Coupon (%)

Outstanding Value (N'bn)

Maturity Date

TTM (Yrs)

Bid Yield (%)

Offer Yield (%)

Bid Price

Offer Price

16-Aug-13 27-Apr-12 27-Jul-07 31-Aug-07 30-May-08 29-Jun-12 23-Oct-09 13-Feb-15 27-Jan-12 14-Mar-14 28-Nov-08 22-May-09 20-Nov-09 23-Jul-10 18-Jul-14

13.05 15.10 9.85 9.35 10.70 16.00 7.00 15.54 16.39 14.20 15.00 12.49 8.50 10.00 12.1493

581.39 480.13 20.00 100.00 300.00 351.30 233.90 261.73 605.31 599.99 75.00 150.00 200.00 591.57 340.50

16-Aug-16 27-Apr-17 27-Jul-17 31-Aug-17 30-May-18 29-Jun-19 23-Oct-19 13-Feb-20 27-Jan-22 14-Mar-24 28-Nov-28 22-May-29 20-Nov-29 23-Jul-30 18-Jul-34

1.06 1.75 2.00 2.10 2.84 3.92 4.24 4.55 6.51 8.63 13.34 13.82 14.32 14.99 18.98

14.96 14.78 14.80 14.81 14.86 14.92 14.80 14.71 14.95 14.96 16.08 16.22 16.37 15.57 14.64

14.80 14.68 14.70 14.71 14.79 14.82 14.69 14.62 14.88 14.90 16.02 16.15 16.29 15.50 14.58

98.18 100.41 91.69 90.44 90.59 103.09 76.02 102.65 105.87 96.32 94.08 79.61 56.93 68.00 84.16

98.33 100.56 91.84 90.59 90.74 103.39 76.32 102.95 106.17 96.62 94.38 79.91 57.23 68.30 84.46

TOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUE

4,890.82

TOTAL MARKET CAPITALISATION

4,465.85

Rating/Agency

Issuer

Description

Issue Date

Coupon (%)

Outstanding Value (N'bn)

Maturity Date

Avg. Life/TTM (Yrs)

# Risk Premium (%)

Valuation Yield (%)

Modelled Price

03-Apr-12 09-Dec-11 20-Apr-12 06-Jul-12

17.25 0.00/16.00 0.00/16.50 0.00/16.50

2.10 112.22 116.70 66.49

03-Apr-17 08-Dec-16 19-Apr-17 06-Jul-17

0.94 1.37 1.73 1.94

2.94 1.00 2.66 3.13

17.65 15.82 17.49 17.94

99.65 100.16 102.95 98.64

Agency Bonds FMBN ***LCRM

17.25 FMB II 03-APR-2017 0.00/16.00 LCRM 08-DEC-2016 0.00/16.50 LCRM II 19-APR-2017 0.00/16.50 LCRM III 06-JUL-2017

TOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUE

297.52

TOTAL MARKET CAPITALISATION

300.23

Sub-National Bonds A/Agusto

KADUNA

12.50 KADUNA 31-AUG-2015

31-Aug-10

12.50

8.50

31-Aug-15

0.10

4.44

16.87

99.53

A-/Agusto

*EBONYI

13.00 EBONYI 30-SEP-2015

30-Sep-10

13.00

2.16

30-Sep-15

0.18

3.23

16.57

99.32

BBB+/Agusto

*BENUE

14.00 BENUE 30-JUN-2016

30-Jun-11

14.00

2.60

30-Jun-16

0.68

4.46

19.18

96.84

‡ /Agusto

*IMO

15.50 IMO 30-JUN-2016

30-Jun-09

15.50

3.96

30-Jun-16

0.69

3.48

18.20

98.30

A+/Agusto; ‡ /GCR

LAGOS

10.00 LAGOS 19-APR-2017

19-Apr-10

10.00

57.00

19-Apr-17

1.73

1.00

15.83

91.42

‡ /Agusto

*BAYELSA

13.75 BAYELSA 30-JUN-2017

30-Jun-10

13.75

21.24

30-Jun-17

1.22

1.00

15.77

97.84

‡ /Agusto

EDO

14.00 EDO 31-DEC-2017

30-Dec-10

14.00

25.00

31-Dec-17

2.43

1.79

16.62

‡ /Agusto; A+/GCR

*DELTA

14.00 DELTA 30-SEP-2018

30-Sep-11

14.00

30.81

30-Sep-18

1.81

1.00

15.82

97.27

14.00 NIGER II 4-OCT-2018

04-Oct-11

14.00

9.00

04-Oct-18

1.82

1.00

15.82

97.23

14.50

12.40

09-Dec-18

2.01

1.00

15.80

97.85 91.36

Bb-/Agusto; A-/GCR

NIGER

94.90

‡ /Agusto; A-/GCR†

*EKITI

14.50 EKITI 09-DEC-2018

09-Dec-11

Bb-/Agusto

*NIGER

14.00 NIGER III 12-DEC-2018

12-Dec-13

14.00

9.21

12-Dec-18

2.01

4.78

19.58

‡ /Agusto; A-/GCR

*ONDO

15.50 ONDO 14-FEB-2019

14-Feb-12

15.50

27.00

14-Feb-19

1.99

1.00

15.80

99.50

BBB+/Agusto; A-/GCR Aa-/Agusto; ‡ /GCR

*GOMBE LAGOS

15.50 GOMBE 02-OCT-2019 14.50 LAGOS 22-NOV-2019

BBB-/Agusto; BBB+/GCR

*OSUN

14.75 OSUN 12-DEC-2019

02-Oct-12 22-Nov-12 12-Dec-12

15.50 14.50 14.75

15.09 80.00 24.74

02-Oct-19 22-Nov-19 12-Dec-19

2.43 4.32 2.49

2.02 1.00 1.00

16.85 15.77 15.84

97.42 96.07 97.88

BBB-/Agusto

*OSUN

14.75 OSUN II 10-OCT-2020

10-Oct-13

14.75

10.46

10-Oct-20

3.03

1.82

16.70

95.65

Aa-/Agusto; ‡ /GCR

LAGOS

13.50 LAGOS 27-NOV-2020

27-Nov-13

13.50

87.50

27-Nov-20

5.34

1.00

15.80

91.84

A-/Agusto; BBB+/DataPro

KOGI

15.00 KOGI 31-DEC-2020

31-Dec-13

15.00

5.00

31-Dec-20

5.43

1.00

15.82

97.05

‡ /Agusto A-/GCR

*EKITI *NASARAWA

14.50 EKITI II 31-DEC-2020 15.00 NASARAWA 06-JAN-2021

31-Dec-13

14.50

4.30

31-Dec-20

3.27

1.00

15.89

96.67

06-Jan-14

15.00

4.31

06-Jan-21

3.30

1.00

15.90

97.84

99.81

TOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUE TOTAL MARKET CAPITALISATION

440.27 419.11

Corporate Bonds BBB+/Agusto BBB-/Agusto

*UPDC

10.00 UPDC 17-AUG-2015

17-Aug-10

10.00

2.50

17-Aug-15

0.06

1.00

13.03

*FLOURMILLS

12.00 FLOURMILLS 9-DEC-2015

09-Dec-10

12.00

9.38

09-Dec-15

0.37

1.00

15.41

98.78

BB/GCR

*CHELLARAMS

14.00 CHELLARAMS 06-JAN-2016

06-Jan-11

14.00

0.22

06-Jan-16

0.45

2.63

17.23

98.58

A+/Agusto; A-/GCR

NAHCO

13.00 NAHCO 29-SEP-2016

29-Sep-11

13.00

15.00

29-Sep-16

1.18

1.00

15.76

97.09

A-/Agusto

FSDH

14.25 FSDH 25-OCT-2016

25-Oct-13

14.25

5.53

25-Oct-16

1.25

1.34

16.12

97.89

A/GCR

UBA

13.00 UBA 30-SEP-2017

30-Sep-10

13.00

20.00

30-Sep-17

2.18

1.00

15.81

94.93

BBB-/GCR

18.00 C&I LEASING 30-NOV-2017

30-Nov-12

18.00

0.56

30-Nov-17

1.41

1.88

16.71

102.24

Nil

*C & I LEASING *DANA#{r}

MPR+7.00 DANA 9-APR-2018

09-Apr-11

16.00

5.40

09-Apr-18

1.45

1.00

15.84

100.14

A-/DataPro†; B+/GCR

*TOWER#

MPR+7.00 TOWER 9-SEP-2018

09-Sep-11

18.00

2.54

09-Sep-18

1.62

1.00

15.84

102.80

AAA/DataPro†; A/GCR

*TOWER#

MPR+5.25 TOWER 9-SEP-2018

09-Sep-11

16.00

0.70

09-Sep-18

1.62

1.00

15.84

100.16

A+/Agusto; A/GCR

UBA

14.00 UBA II 30-SEP-2018

30-Sep-11

14.00

35.00

30-Sep-18

3.18

3.00

17.89

90.81

BBB+/Agusto; BBB+/GCR

15.75 LA CASERA 18-OCT-2018

18-Oct-13

15.75

2.10

18-Oct-18

1.73

2.29

17.12

98.00

BBB-/DataPro†; BB/GCR

*LA CASERA *CHELLARAMS#

MPR+5.00 CHELLARAMS II 17-FEB-2019

17-Feb-12

18.00

0.36

17-Feb-19

1.81

6.11

20.93

96.04

Nil

*DANA#{r}

16.00 DANA II 1-APR-2019

01-Apr-14

16.00

4.50

01-Apr-19

2.43

2.16

16.99

98.06

A+/Agusto; A-/GCR

NAHCO

15.25 NAHCO II 14-NOV-2020

14-Nov-13

15.25

2.05

14-Nov-20

5.30

2.76

17.56

92.17

BBB/GCR

FCMB

14.25 FCMB I 20-NOV-2021

20-Nov-14

14.25

26.00

20-Nov-21

6.32

1.80

16.78

90.29

A/GCR

UBA

16.45 UBA I 30-DEC-2021

30-Dec-14

16.45

30.50

30-Dec-21

6.43

1.00

16.00

101.71

A/GCR

STANBIC IBTC

182D T.bills+1.20 STANBIC IA 30-SEP-2024

30-Sep-14

16.29

0.10

30-Sep-24

9.18

1.00

16.13

100.68

A/GCR

STANBIC IBTC

13.25 STANBIC IB 30-SEP-2024

30-Sep-14

13.25

15.44

30-Sep-24

9.18

1.00

16.13

86.39

TOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUE

177.87

TOTAL MARKET CAPITALISATION

168.65

Supranational Bond AAA/S&P

IFC

10.20 IFC 11-FEB-2018

11-Feb-13

10.20

12.00

11-Feb-18

2.55

1.00

15.84

88.55

Aaa/Moody's; AAA/S&P

AfDB

11.25 AFDB 1-FEB-2021

10-Jul-14

11.25

12.95

01-Feb-21

3.76

1.00

15.91

87.39

Bid Price

Offer Price

TOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUE

24.95 21.94

TOTAL MARKET CAPITALISATION Rating/Agency

Issuer

Description

Issue Date

Coupon (%)

Outstanding Value ($mm)

Maturity Date

Bid Yield (%)

Offer Yield (%)

6.75 JAN 28, 2021

07-Oct-11

6.75

500.00

28-Jan-21

6.51

6.27

101.10

102.22

5.13 JUL 12, 2018

12-Jul-13

5.13

500.00

12-Jul-18

5.47

5.08

99.07

100.13

6.38 JUL 12, 2023

12-Jul-13

6.38

500.00

12-Jul-23

6.76

6.58

97.67

98.74

FGN Eurobonds

Prices & Yields

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

FGN

BB-/Fitch; BB-/S&P

TOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUE

1,500.00

TOTAL MARKET CAPITALISATION

1,489.16

Corporate Eurobonds B+/Fitch; B+/S&P

GTBANK PLC I

7.50 MAY 19, 2016

19-May-11

7.50

500.00

19-May-16

4.76

102.13

B+/S&P

ACCESS BANK PLC

7.25 JUL 25, 2017

25-Jul-12

7.25

350.00

25-Jul-17

8.36

98.00

B/Fitch; B/S&P

FIDELITY BANK PLC

6.88 MAY 09, 2018

09-May-13

6.88

300.00

02-May-18

12.72

11.03

86.65

90.27

B+/Fitch; B+/S&P

GTBANK PLC

6.00 NOV 08, 2018

08-Nov-13

6.00

400.00

08-Nov-18

7.68

7.25

95.21

96.41

B+/Fitch; BB-/S&P

ZENITH BANK PLC

6.25 APR 22, 2019

22-Apr-14

6.25

500.00

22-Apr-19

7.34

96.50

B/Fitch; B/S&P

DIAMOND BANK PLC

8.75 May 21, 2019

21-May-14

8.75

200.00

21-May-19

10.71

10.09

93.97

95.81

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

FIRST BANK PLC ACCESS BANK PLC II FIRST BANK LTD

8.25 AUG 07, 2020 9.25/6M USD LIBOR+7.677 JUN 24, 2021 8.00/2Y USD SWAP+6.488 JUL 23 2021

07-Aug-13 24-Jun-14 23-Jul-14

8.25 9.25 8.00

300.00 400.00 450.00

07-Aug-20 24-Jun-21 23-Jul-21

9.71 10.71 10.11

9.71 10.37 10.11

93.70 93.87 90.00

93.70 95.30 90.00

B-/S&P

ECOBANK NIG. LTD

8.75 AUG 14, 2021

14-Aug-14

8.75

250.00

14-Aug-21

10.76

10.16

90.50

93.00

TOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUE

3,650.00

TOTAL MARKET CAPITALISATION

3,452.68

**Treasury Bills^ DTM 10 17 31 38 45 59 66 80

FIXINGS Maturity 6-Aug-15 13-Aug-15 27-Aug-15 3-Sep-15 10-Sep-15 24-Sep-15 1-Oct-15 15-Oct-15

Bid Discount (%) 9.76 11.79 11.88 11.99 12.69 12.41 13.20 13.48

Offer Discount (%) 9.51 11.54 11.63 11.74 12.44 12.16 12.95 13.23

Bid Yield (%) 9.78 11.86 12.00 12.14 12.89 12.66 13.53 13.89

Money Market Tenor

NIBOR Tenor O/N 1M 3M 6M

Rate (%) 12.2500 15.4717 16.5989 17.5475

Rate (%)

OBB

10.00

O/N

10.58

Tenor Call 1M

REPO

Rate (%) 9.25 9.50

Foreign Exchange (Spot & Forwards) Tenor

Bid ($/N)

Offer ($/N)

Spot 7D 14D 1M 2M 3M

197.67 199.39 199.79 200.78 202.98 205.59

197.77 199.91 200.35 201.41 203.82 206.73