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Vol. 2 No. 372

Thursday, February 26, 2015

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Jonathan, Obasanjo, Kalu celebrate Shagari at 90

2015 budget: Senate adopts MTEF lReps give FG one-week ultimatum for submission of forensic audit report Chukwu David and Philip Nyam Abuja

T

he Senate yesterday finally adopted the 2015-2017 Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) to end months of speculations

over the document.

In doing so, it raised the capital vote from N666.5 billion to N700.78 billion and slashed the recurrent component of the 2015 budget.

It also fixed the exchange rate at N190 to $1 and as reported yesterday, the Senate settled for $52 per barrel as oil benchmark as against the N165

to $1 and $65 per barrel proposed by the Federal Government for the 2015 fiscal year.

All these came as House CONTINUED ON PAGE 5

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PDP, APC Reps fight over use of army for elections }5

Quick Read Editorial L-R: Former Head of Interim National Government, Chief Ernest Shonekan; former military president, General Ibrahim Babangida; former President Shehu Shagari; President Goodluck Jonathan; former Heads of State, General Yakubu Gowon and General Abdulsalami Abubakar, at a ceremony to mark Shagari's 90th birthday in Sokoto...yesterday.

Chad kills 207 Boko Haram fighters lOpposition unhappy with gains of war against terror, says presidency Anule Emmanuel ABUJA

B

oko Haram has continued to suffer

heavy losses in the hands of the new regional alliance to end insurgency in Nigeria as 207 militants of the terror group have been killed by Chad-

ian troops.

Chadian army said in a report yesterday by Reuters that soldiers on Tuesday killed the sect fighters during clashes

in Garambu, Borno State, that is close to Nigeria's border with Cameroon.

One Chadian soldier was killed and nine others were wounded in the

clashes near Garambu, the scene of regular attacks by the Boko Haram in recent months.

However, the country's CONTINUED ON PAGE 8

Curbing pre-election }19 violence General elections must hold March 28, says }8 Onaiyekan

Travel Advisory

Your guide to local and international flights }41

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NEW TELEGRAPH THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2015

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PDP, APC Reps fight over troops' deployment for polls Philip Nyam Abuja

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awmakers from the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) yesterday turned the House of Representatives' chamber into a battleground as they squabbled over the legality or otherwise of deployment of troops for elections.

The resumption of the consideration of a motion earlier sponsored by the House Minority Leader, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, divided the lawmakers along party line as APC members kicked against the handling of the matter by Deputy Speaker, Hon. Emeka Ihedioha, who presided over the plenary session of the House.

Consideration of the proposed motion titled: "Unconstitutional deployment of military personnel for election purposes," was suspended last Thursday when House Speaker, Hon. Aminu Tambuwal, ruled that the joint committees should study the matter and advise the House accordingly.

The opposition lawmakers who flayed Ihedioha's decision to declare as constitutional the powers of the president to deploy military for general elections, later staged a walkout.

The stage for a rowdy session was set when Ihedioha asked Chairman of the House Committee on Rules and Business, Hon. Albert Sam-Tsokwa (PDP, Taraba), who heads a joint committee on Rules and Business, Justice and Judiciary, to present the report of their findings on the constitutionality or otherwise of deploying the military for elections.

Half way into SamTsokwa's presentation, Gbajabiamila interjected; raising a point of order challenging the content of the report, but Ihedioha ruled him out of order.

Sam-Tsokwa submitted that “the president’s power to determine the operational use of the armed forces in Nigeria for the purpose of maintaining and securing public order is a constitutional mandate donated by the constitution and the Armed Forces Act.” “In a clime of constitutional supremacy, the National Assembly cannot by an Act derogate from this let alone through a resolution without running afoul of section 1(1) and (3) of the constitution. Good enough, the Act reinforces the constitutional provision in its section 8(1) which cannot be amended by a resolution as the motion seeks,” he added.

He said since the matter was a subject of litigation in some courts, the House should not entertain it.

Ihedioha upheld SamTsokwa's submission to signify an approval of the report.

But Gbajabiamila rejected the report and relying on section 88 and 89 of the 1999 Constitution, advised the deputy speaker against ruling in favour of the report, saying that “this matter will not die.”

The atmosphere on the floor became rowdy as several points of order and counter points of order were being moved.

The Deputy Majority Leader, Hon. Leo Ogor (PDP, Delta), drew the attention of the APC leader to Order 9 (7) of the House Rules, warning him against undermining the authority of the speaker.

Ogor argued that the

authority of the speaker is unassailable and must be respected and "no questions can be asked after his ruling."

To calm frayed nerves, Ihedioha said: "I don't want this matter to be politicised. But I believe Sam-Tsokwa's decision captures the decision of the joint committee."

His ruling instead drew the ire of the APC members who responded with loud shouts of "no". The chamber was thrown into disorderliness.

Ihedioha's attempt to get the Minority Whip, Hon. Samson Osagie (Edo, APC), to reason with him and calm frayed nerves was unsuccessful.

Out of seeming frustration, Ihedioha declared that "after a second round of democratic exercise, my decision stands."

His attempt to proceed was greeted by a deafening

"nay" followed by a point of order by Gbajabiamila which was ruled out.

It was after this that the APC lawmakers staged a walkout on the chambers.

Addressing the media outside the chambers, Gbajabiamila said: "Today, we saw a situation where a motion that was supposed to be moved by myself and other members of the House was brought to a halt by the chairman, Rules and Business who was actually debating my motion for me; who claimed and who said that there was no evidence that there was a court case, but yet he felt that the motion should die a natural death and of course the deputy speaker in a typical fashion, partisan at best as they can, upheld that verdict.

"You heard when a leader of the House, Hon. Samson Osagie, attempted

to raise a point of order which he is entitled to, not just as a member, but as a leader, but he was shouted down. Well, enough is enough.

"First of all, that motion is not going to die. This is a situation where the majority party in the House is being shut out because there is a presiding officer who is in the minority party. That is all that has happened.

"But where a presiding officer will not respect himself and respect members, the members will not respect him because respect begets respect.

"We will go back to the House and we will raise our motion again because this thing will not die. No matter how they attempt to do, it will not die.

"It is unfortunate that we have a deputy speaker who sees himself as a deputy speaker of a party compared to the speaker

who sees himself as a speaker of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. It is unfortunate."

But the PDP lawmakers, led by the Majority Leader, Hon. Mulikat Akande- fired back at their APC colleagues.

They condemned the action of the APC members, describing it as “unparliamentary, uncomplimentary and an attempt to undermine the position of speaker."

Akande-Adeola, at a press briefing, said: "What happened was unparliamentary. The decision of the committee was very objective because two of the chairmen are APC members, who are lawyers."

She chided the APC lawmakers, saying "it is not every day that you have your way in the House. What happened today was uncomplimentary of to our APC colleagues."

L-R: General Manager, Corporate Affairs, MTN Nigeria, Ms. Funmi Onajide; General Manager, Consumer Marketing, Mr. Richard Iweanoge; Chief Marketing Officer, Mr. Bayo Adekanmbi and General Manager, Mobile Money, Mr. Usoro Usoro, at the re-launch of MTN TruTalk tariff plan in Lafgos…yesterday.

PHOTO: SULEIMAN HUSAINI

2015 budget: Senate adopts MTEF CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

of Representatives Committee on Public Accounts gave a one-week ultimatum to the Coordinating Minister for the Economy and Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala and the Auditor General of the Federation (AGF), Mr. Samuel Tokura, to forward the report of the forensic audit on the alleged missing $20 billion oil funds by PriceWaterHouseCoopers to the House or risk sanctions.

However, senators frowned on the provision of N360.94 billion allocated for Service Wide Vote, requesting that details be made available to the National Assembly to enable members to make reductions where necessary.

In approving the MTEF,

the Senate adopted the recommendations of the Senate Joint Committee on Finance and National Planning; Economic Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, which suggested that the capital expenditure be increased from N666.5 billion to N700.78 billion while the recurrent be slashed from N2.616 trillion to N2.574 trillion.

A breakdown of the capital vote indicates that N535.58 billion is allocated to ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) of government, N144.42 billion goes for statutory transfers and the Subsidy Re-investment and Empowerment Programme (SURE-P) is allocated N20.78 billion.

All these adjustments, according to the Chairman

of the Joint Committee, Senator Ahmed Makarfi, who presented the report to the Senate, became necessary to place the budget in line with the current economic realities in the country precipitated by the falling price of crude oil in the international market.

The Senate further approved a cut in subsidy payment for petrol from N200 billion to N100 billion and kerosene from N91.08 billion to N45.52 billion.

It also upheld the projected crude oil production figures of 2.278 million per day (mbpd), 2.327mbpd and 2.406mbpd for 2015, 2016 and 2017 respectively.

The Senate also resolved that the details of SURE-P projects to be executed in the current year be attached by the executive

to the annual budget estimates and submitted to the National Assembly for approval.

Besides, it approved the recommendation of its joint committee that the executive should strengthen and consolidate its fiscal strategy to narrow the gap between projected and annual revenue for the period 2015-2017, by curtailing oil theft and diversifying the economy through increase in the tax base.

The Senate also increased the non-oil revenue projection for 2015 from N3.539 trillion to N4.024 trillion, while stating that the current government policy restricting government-owned enterprises expenditure to a maximum of 75 per cent of their gross revenue and

automatically converts 25 per cent of such revenue to government revenue is commendable and should be pursued with vigour.

It also advised the Federal Government to make more efforts to match tax collection with the new rebased Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

Commenting further on the Service Wide Vote, which was heavily criticised by the lawmakers as an avenue for corruption, the Senate observed that there was no reason to include N63 billion for Presidential Amnesty Programme under Service Wide Vote when there is Ministry for Niger Delta Development. It therefore mandated the executive to move this sum to the approCONTINUED ON PAGE 6

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THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2015 NEW TELEGRAPH

Power investors commit N300bn to upgrade facilities –BPE boss Abdulwahab Isa Abuja

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nvestors that bought into power distribution (Discos) and generating (Gencos) companies have committed over N300 billion worth of investment in the sector.

The investments are for upgrade of power infrastructure which had become obsolete over the decades.

Director-General of the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE), Mr. Benjamin Ezra Dikki, said this when he featured on Good Morning Nigeria, a live programme on the Nigeria Television Authority (NTA).

Dikki, who appealed to Nigerians to be patient with the evolving electric market in the country, said the gains in the sector would not manifest overnight.

According to the BPE boss, unlike reforms in other sectors which brought immediate results, the power sector reform requires time as

investment in the sector is capital intensive.

For instance, he said, power equipment like turbines and other ancillary products “cannot be bought off the shelf. The investors have to place orders after which it will take between three to four months to manufacture the equipment before shipment. This takes time. Before Nigerians will begin to see dramatic changes in the power sector, it will take between two to three years. But already, significant impact has been made.”

Citing the Egbin Power

Plant where the investor had invested over N50 billion to rehabilitate Line 6 of the plant to generate extra 240 megawatts, the DG said the cumulative effect of the investment is that power supply in Lagos and its environment would be greatly enhanced for the benefit of all consumers.

He said due to the infrastructural development by the investors, power interruptions in the country had reduced to the barest minimum while over 2, 000 engineers and technicians have been employed since takeover of the sector by the private investors.

The DG noted with regret that for over 16 years as a public monopoly, Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) neither employed nor brought in new investments into the sector.

On complaints of nonavailability of electric meters to consumers, the DG attributed it to the complex technology used in producing Smart Metres which are currently being used the world over.

He said the new Smart Metres have information on the consumers, level of power input and other statistics germane to the

electricity market.

“The level of investment in these metres is huge. Importantly, not many are manufactured locally so it will take time before consumers will begin to get them. Let them be patient,” he added.

He regretted that gas vandalism was impacting negatively on the plans to privatise the Nigeria Independent Power Projects (NIPP) in the country.

Dikki, however, expressed optimism that with the new initiative put in place by the Goodluck Jonathan administration to safeguard the

pipelines through technological devices; the challenge would soon be surmounted.

On PHCN labour issues, he said only a small fraction of the 47,913 bonafide staff of the defunct PHCN had not been paid but that the bureau in conjunction with other relevant government agencies had embarked on the last round of verification to sort things out.

“This is the last verification exercise. After this exercise, all staff that don’t come for verification will be declared ghost workers,” he added.

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L-R: Member, Senate Committee on Housing, Senator Aishat Al-Hassan; Chairman, Senator Bukar Abba; Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Mrs. Akon Eyakenyi and Vice Chairman of the committee, Senator Gbenga Ashafa, after the budget defence of the ministry in Abuja…yesterday.

PHOTO: ELIJAH OLALUYI

Reps give FG one-week ultimatum to submit forensic audit report CONTINUED FROM PAGE 5

priate ministry.

Similarly, the senators asked the executive to move the N22 billion provided for internal operations of the Armed Forces in the Service Wide Vote to the Ministry of Defence for onward application as required by the law.

The Senate also directed that all sums provided as arrears of pension and gratuity should be reclassified from Service Wide Votes to relevant heads, cautioning that henceforth, this general provision should be discontinued by the executive in subsequent budget proposals.

To ensure efficient utilisation of resources in the face of crashing crude price, the Senate called for drastic reduction in the cost of governance and improved revenue collection, with a view to attaining a healthy recurrent-capital expenditure ratio.

On kerosene subsidy, the Senate resolved that committees of the National Assembly should oversight

the subsidy provision to ensure its full implementation, availability and accessibility.

It threatened to do away with the subsidy if this objective became difficult to attain.

Most of the senators, who contributed to the debate, emphasised the need for the Federal Government to explore and develop the non-oil sector in order to diversify the economy for enhanced revenue generation.

They all agreed that the economic woes facing Nigeria was as a result of its dependence on oil earnings to fund national budget, adding that some countries such as the United States, South Africa and Israel, which do not depend on oil, are doing better than Nigeria.

Contributing, Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu, said: "We all agreed to present this report in the interest of the nation and I thank the Joint Committee for demonstrating patriotism in

passing the MTEF. "In the past, we tried to increase the benchmark marginally and for the first time, we are cutting the benchmark by about $13 and it is commendable.

I believe that with the reduction in the benchmark, the MTEF will shrink and it means all will need to make sacrifice in order to move the country forward.

We are suffering because we refused to save in the past. We have behaved like Father Christmas in the past."

In his closing remarks, Senate President David Mark reiterated the need for the Federal Government and Nigerians to make sacrifices to save the economy.

He said: "We all have to tighten our belts across the entire sectors of this government. We have, for the last several years, relied on oil as the main source of our revenue and I know that budget after budget we say we will diversify the economy.

"Every time this budget

comes, we are still repeating the same thing; the impression I get from it is that those who are responsible for producing the draft merely go there and reproduce what they have been bringing up. I think they need to do a little more even though they may not be able to forecast accurately.

"There are a few things I think we must get right.

The first thing is let there be a cut across board, the executive, the judiciary and the legislature and we are prepared to lead in this."

On the day the senators passed the MTEF, the House Committee on Public Accounts warned Okonjo-Iweala and Tokura against any delay in forwarding the report of forensic audit into the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) accounts.

Chairman of the committee, Hon. Solomon Olamilekan Adeola, told reporters yesterday in Abuja that the committee would not hesitate to sanction them if within one week

the House did not get the report.

Adeola lamented that despite several demands and a House resolution, the executive had failed to give the legislature a copy of the report.

Citing Section 85 of the 1999 Constitution, he said the House needed the report to work and since the auditor general had already put the report in the public domain, he should lay it before the National Assembly.

According to him, “the full report on the forensic audit by PWC, which must include the initial draft report, the Executive Summary, Management/ Internal Control Letters, should be forwarded to the National Assembly not later than one week from today (yesterday).”

Adeola, who described the report as "curious," said by virtue of section 85(6) of the constitution, the auditor general ought not to be directed by the president to deal with the report “in a particular manner."

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FG approves nine new private varsities Anule Emmanuel Abuja

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he Federal Government has approved the establishment of nine additional private universities in the country.

Minister of Aviation, Mr. Osita Chidoka, disclosed this yesterday while briefing State House correspondents after the weekly Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting chaired by Vice-President Namadi Sambo.

He was accompanied at the briefing by the Minister of State for Finance, Ambassador Bashir Yuguda; Minister of Water Resources, Mrs. Sarah Ochekpe; and the Minister of Education, Mallam Ibrahim Shekarau.

Sambo presided over the Council meeting as President Goodluck Jonathan travelled to Sokoto where he attended the 90th birthday of former President Shehu Shagari.

Chidoka listed the new universities as Augustine University, Ilara, Lagos State; Chrisland University, Owode, Ogun State; Christopher University, Mowe, Ogun State; Hallmark University, Ijebu Itele, Ogun State; Kings University, Ode Omu, Osun State; Michael and Cecilia Ibru University, Orode, Delta State; Mountain Top University, Ogun

State, Ritman University, Ikot Ekpene, Akwa Ibom State and Summit University, Offa, Kwara State.

When asked what the Federal Government is doing on some private universities who charge exorbitant fees that are beyond the reach of average Nigerian students, Shekarau said the government was helpless.

The education minister, who explained the rationale for the approvals, said like private hospitals

Abuja

T

he Catholic Archbishop of Abuja, John Cardinal Onaiyekan, has said that the March 28 and April 11 general elections must hold whether or not the military rout the Boko Haram insurgents of the North-East within the designated six weeks.

Cardinal Onaiyekan, who spoke in Abuja yesterday, said though he had no clear idea of how far the troops have gone against the Boko Haram, his prayers and best wishes were with them.

He, however, cautioned that there would be no reason for the elections not to hold on the scheduled dates regardless of whether the military accomplishes the task of sweeping the terrorists or not before the election dates.

"Unless you have more information than me, I don't have a clear idea of how far the troops are going with regards to sweeping away the terrorists.

“Government said

ernment is concerned, all Federal Government universities are tuition-free.

Whatever the universities are charging are so minimal for some day-to-day activities: games fees, union fees and some other fees.

"Of recent, I had cause to ask the National Universities Commission (NUC) to regulate the fees being charged by the Federal Government-owned universities because there is a university that is charging as low as N20,000, N15,000.

Some charge N30,000 to N80,000 or so which is a composition of a number of different kinds of fees.

But basically, no university owned by government is charging tuition fee.

"But the private universities are like any other private institutions: private primary school, private secondary school. All that is the responsibility of government is to ensure that the standards are maintained.

"We are to ensure that

they are operating within the minimum required standard, and that is the responsibility of the NUC in terms of their facilities, staffing and so on.

"The accreditation of any universities or courses has nothing to do with the fees they charge just like the private hospitals.

"Government really does not have anything to do as far as what the private institutions are charging. Tuition is free in public schools."

L-R: Commissioner, Legal Licensing and Enforcement, Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), Mr. Stephen Azinge; Vice Chairman, Mr. Muhammed Bello and Chairman, Dr. Sam Amadi, at a forum in Abuja…yesterday

Elections must hold on March 28, says Onaiyekan Yekeen Nurudeen

or nursery schools, owners of private universities are free to charge fees that will give returns to their investments.

He said the only concern of government was to ensure that the schools are of standard in terms of facilities and staffing among others.

Shekarau said the saving grace was that all Federal Government-owned universities are tuitionfree.

He said: "As far as gov-

they are going to do it in six weeks they have my prayers and best wishes.

But whether they finish it or not our election will hold," he said.

He spoke at the second and third convocation ceremony of Veritas University, Abuja. He said Muslim and Christian communities in the country must join hands to promote good values among their people.

The Cardinal, who is also the Chancellor of the university, argued that both Islam and Christianity agreed almost completely on good values.

His words: "As you know, the job of the Church is precisely to maintain good values, not only religious value but values in general so that human beings, people would live a life that is more in tune with peaceful and mutual coexistence.

“And you know when we talk about promoting God's laws: God's laws are for the good of everybody and values simply means those things which make us who we should be and who we ought to be.”

Chad kills 207 Boko Haram fighters CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

claim could not be independently verified due to the nature of the insurgency war.

Chad's military also claimed to have seized large quantities of small arms and ammunition and two pick-up trucks.

Niger, Cameroon and Chad have launched a regional military campaign to help Nigeria defeat the Boko Haram insurgency, which aims to carve an Islamic emirate out of north-eastern Nigeria.

Chad deployed troops last month in support of Cameroonian efforts to stop repeated cross-border raids by Boko Haram, whose operations increasingly threaten Nigeria's neighbours.

The African Union last month authorised the creation of the regional force, which will also include Benin, and is pushing for a United Nations Security Council mandate for the operation.

Members of the re-

gional alliance have also lost troops to the insurgents as a Cameroonian soldier and an officer were killed yesterday when their vehicle ran over a roadside bomb in the Far North region, where the army is battling Boko Haram militants.

"Unfortunately we lost two men. One was a captain," an officer told Reuters in a phone interview from Maroua.

Boko Haram has started using landmines and roadside bombs as the armies of the four nations step up the fight to contain them.

The Cameroonian officer said the explosives probably came from a stock that Boko Haram stole last May when they attacked a Chinese workers' camp in Waza. The insurgents kidnapped 10 Chinese citizens and seized a large amount of explosives.

Meanwhile, the presidency has attacked the All Progressives Congress (APC) over its al-

legation that President Goodluck Jonathan may have deliberately push the military to go hard on Boko Haram now to score cheap political points.

Senior Special Assistant to the President on Public Affairs, Dr. Doyin Okupe, at a news conference yesterday in Abuja, accused the APC of playing politics with the current war against terrorism.

He said contrary to the claim by the opposition party, there was never a time that Jonathan said he underrated the capacity of the Boko Haram when the insurgency in the North-East started.

APC in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, had said Jonathan waited for this long to rout out the insurgents as a political trump card.

But Okupe disputed his claim, saying: "There was never a time that this administration shirked its responsibili-

ties in the fight against terror in spite of the obvious challenges resulting from decades of failure to procure essential equipment to modernise and enhance the fighting power of our military.

"What President Goodluck Jonathan said in the interview which has been mischievously twisted by the APC was that at the outset of the Boko Haram activities, the group was treated as a local insurgent group in view of the fact that there was scanty information on its global network in training, funding and supply of arms."

Okupe said the recent success of the military in the war against terror was made possible by the deployment of specially trained anti-terrorism combat squad whose members were recently trained by Nigeria's international partners as well as the acquisition and deployment of more sophisticated, adequate and appropriate military hardware.

News

NEW TELEGRAPH THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2015

Jonathan, ex-heads of state, Kalu eulogise Shagari at 90

IBRAHIM BADAMASI BABANGIDA UNIVERSITY, LAPAI

lTambuwal: He symbolises democracy in Nigeria Umar Abdullahi Sokoto

A

ll living Nigeria’s presidents and Heads of State, except Major General Muhammadu Buhari, yesterday eulogised former President Shehu Shagari in Sokoto during his 90th birthday celebration.

Speaker of the House of Representatives, Aminu Tambuwal, and former governor of Abia State, Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu, applauded Shagari’s contributions to the national development.

President Goodluck Jonathan led four former Heads of State – Chief Ernest Shonekan and Generals Yakubu Gowon, Ibrahim Babangida and Abdulsalami Abubakar to pay homage to Shagari.

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo was also in Sokoto to celebrate with Shagari.

Obasanjo breezed into Sokoto after Jonathan and the former rulers have left the Seat of Caliphate.

Buhari is in Britain to advance his presidential aspiration ahead of the March 28 election.

At the event, President Jonathan described Shagari as a role model to Nigerian leaders, especially the members of the National Council of State.

His words: "He is a role model, always very calm and always want Nigeria to grow and be united.”

According to the president, ''Shagari has been diligently serving Nigeria in many capacities since his youthful age. ''He has been working diligently and tirelessly to keep Nigeria one and peaceful, and he has never stopped.”

Speaking on behalf of the former rulers, Abubakar said: “Nigerians have a lot to learn from Shagari as he has served the nation with humility, piety, patriotism and dedication.

“This visit is a historic one and it is a token appreciation of the tremendous contributions of Shagari to the socio-economic development, peace and unity of

Nigeria.”

Gowon presented a birthday card signed by all the former Heads of State to the celebrant.

Shagari cut his birthday cake with the support of Jonathan and the former Heads of State.

The former president commended Jonathan and the four other former Heads of state for the gesture, saying that, it will spur him to do more for the nation.

On his part, Obasanjo described Shagari as the doyen of the former Heads of State in the country.

His words: “You have become a doyen of all of us who have had the opportunity by an act of God to be at the helm of affairs of Nigeria.

“Shagari has seen it all; the good, the bad and the not-to-so good and I have learnt a lot from him.

“When we are in power we have a lot of people who called themselves friends, but when we are out of power is when we know our true friends.”

Shagari commended Obasanjo for the gesture, saying that, it is a very good morale booster for him to continue to work selflessly for the development of Nigeria.

Also, former governor of Abia State, Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu has described former President Shagari as a rare leader who has contributed positively to the social, economic and political development of the nation.

Kalu noted that the elder statesman is a detribalised Nigerian who has built goodwill across the country and he is well known for his forthrightness and humility.

In a goodwill message, Kalu said: "It is with joy that I extend my goodwill message to you on your glorious 90th birthday. Your fatherly advice to government at all levels is well cherished owing to your vast experience in leadership from the colonial days. As I join millions of your well-wishers, friends and family to celebrate with you, it is my prayer that God Almighty will continue to bless you with robust health, long life and

prosperity in your service to humanity. Again, I say happy birthday."

The former governor admonished leaders to emulate Shagari especially his disposition to national issues.

The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Aminu Tambuwal, said Shagari symbolises democracy in Nigeria.

Addressing journalists during the former president’s 90th birthday anniversary, Tambuwal described Shagari as "an epitome of humility, piety, patience, patriotism, honesty, kindness and humaneness.”

Tambuwal, who is also the gubernatorial candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Sokoto State, eulogised Shagari for his high sense of national service.

Also speaking, the gubernatorial candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Senator Abdallah Wali, maintained that the people of the state and Nigerians in general were proud to have an elder statesman like Shagari. ''He has served Nigeria with an utmost sense of integrity and he showcased the values of hard work and moral rejuvenation. We will cherish these values for Nigeria to move forward as a united, peaceful and prosperous nation.

“Integrity is the cornerstone of good leadership. I intend to emulate him when elected during the forthcoming general elections,''Wali said.

The former governor of Sokoto State, Alhaji Attahiru Bafarawa, also eulogised Shagari, saying, “he is committed, patient and patriotic.''

In his comments, one of the sons of Shagari, Alhaji Aminu Shagari, who represents Yabo/ Shagari federal constituency in the House of Representatives (APCSokoto), expressed happiness with the outpouring of encomiums for the former president.

“He is the best father anybody can ever hope to get as he is firm, honest, dedicated and yet humble,” he averred.

A special prayers were later offered for the former president.

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OFFICE OF THE REGISTRAR Ref: R/EXT/37

INVITATION FOR PRE-QUALIFICATION AND TENDER FOR YEAR 2014 TERTIARY EDUCATION TRUST FUND SPECIAL INTERVENTION 1.

The Management of Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida University Lapai invites interested, competent and reputable contractors/suppliers to make submissions for the Prequalifications and Tender for year 2014 Tertiary Education Trust Fund Special Intervention.

2.

Description and Code Lot (i) Supply and Installation of Laboratory Equipment and Farm Requirements to the Department of Animal Production.

Lot (ii) Supply and Installation of Office Equipment for the Centre for Educational Technology.

Lot (iii) Supply and Installation of Laboratory Equipment to Crop Production Department.

3.

The pre-qualification requirements to be provided by interested contractors are as follows: (i) Evidence of Incorporation or Registration of Business with the Corporate Affairs Commission. (ii) Evidence of Company Audited Accounts for three (3) years (iii) Evidence of Financial capability and Banking support. (iv) Technical capabilities of the Firm or Company in terms of equipment, staff strength including the profile of the key officers. (v) Verifiable evidence of similar and other jobs successfully executed with their locations. (vi) Evidence of Equipment and Technical capacity. (vii) Annual Turnover (viii) Evidence of three (3) years Tax clearance. (ix) VAT Registration and evidence of past VAT Remittances. (x) Office Registration. (xi) Evidence of Compliance with Pensions Reform Act 2007. (xii) Evidence of Compliance with Industrial Training Fund (ITF) contributions requirement. (xiii) Original documents should be available for sighting on demand during or after opening of pre-qualification documents.

4.

Collection of Bid Documents Interested Contractors/firms should collect Standard Bid Documents as from Monday, 02nd March, 2015 from the office of the Registrar Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida University Main Campus, Lapai upon the presentation of a Bank draft of a nonrefundable processing fee of Twenty Thousand Naira (N20,000:00) only for each lot.

5.

Submission of Tender Documents Prequalification documents (Technical bids) together with the financial Bids with all the required supporting documents should be neatly packaged in two (2) separate sealed envelopes and appropriately marked “Technical” and “Financial” respectively.

Each envelope should be clearly marked on the right top corner stating the Project Lot number and title as well as Company’s name. Both envelopes should be placed in a third bigger envelop marked with the appropriate project title and Lot number as well as Company’s name and addressed to the Registrar, Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida University Lapai, PMB 11 not later than the date indicated for the opening of bids in this publication.

6.

Opening of Bids The Technical Bids (i.e the prequalification bids) shall be opened on Monday 16th March, 2015 at the Management Committee Room, Administrative Block, Main Campus, Lapai at 12noon. Bidders or their representatives are invited to witness the Public opening exercise accordingly. Opening of Financial Bids of Tenders adjudged technically competent shall be done at a later date that will be communicated to successful (prequalified) Contractors/Firms.

7.

Please note: (a) Due Diligence/verification of facts visits, which will be weighted for prequalification shall be undertaken to determine competent contractors to tender for the contract. (b) Only bidders that have been pre-qualified and found capable of executing the projects will be contacted for the opening of financial bids.

SIGNED

Samaila Muhammad Registrar

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2015 NEW TELEGRAPH

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Metro Ex-prison top brass jailed three years for theft

Emmanuel Onani

Hubby flees as wife delivers armless baby

A

Delta State High Court sitting in Sapele has sentenced a former Deputy Comptroller of Prisons (DCP), Mr Diete Wure Wisdom, and a Senior Inspector of Prisons, Mr Ayamede Peter, to a prison term of three years, for stealing 27,200 litres of Automotive Gas Oil (AGO) also known as diesel.

The Head, Media and Publicity of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mr Wilson Uwujaren, said in a statement that the men were sentenced after the trial judge, Justice C. O. Ogisi, found them guilty of stealing the said product, which was said to have been stored in exhibit trucks, left in the custody of the Ogwashi-Uku Prison.

According to him, Diete and Ayamede faced a four-count charge.

The EFCC spokesman said the men conspired to sell products in three exhibits trucks: Mack tanker with registration number XD 605 JJT and Man Diesel lorries with registration numbers, XD 789 ENU and XD 620 FGG, filled with AGO. He said: “The petitioner had alleged that after the sale of the products, the drums and the tankers were refilled with water on the directives of DCP Diete.

“Upon their arraignment on November 1, 2013, the convicts had pleaded not guilty to all the charges.”

One of the counts reads: “That you Wisdom Wure Diete and Peter Ayamede while being a Deputy Comptroller of Prisons in charge of Ogwashi-Uku Prison and a Senior Inspector of Prison respectively on or about April 2012 at Ogwashi-Uku Judicial Division did steal 27,200 litres of Automotive Gas Oil (AGO) being the content of the 134 drums of 200 litres each loaded in a truck with registration number: XN 789 ENU, valued at about N402,000 property of the Federal Republic of Nigeria kept for safe keeping with the Nigerian Prison Service.

ABIODUN BELLO FEATURES Editor

abiodun.bello@newtelegraphonline.com

© Daily Telegraph Publishing Company Limited

The armless baby

Kunle Olayeni Abeokuta

A

dejected housewife has called on the administration of Governor Ibikunle Amosun in Ogun State to come to her rescue.

The young mother, Mrs Taiwo Sheriffdeen, of Bosun Street, Ifo in Ifo Local Govern-

ment Area of the state, delivered a baby boy without arms.

But everybody has disowned her and her baby.

Her husband, a commercial bus driver, Mr Mudashiru Sheriffdeen, took to his heels after his wife delivered the baby with deformity. The landlord asked her not to bring the baby home while the hospital also asked her to leave.

Depressed and confused, the woman described the baby as “calamity.”

Mrs Sheriffdeen had about 2pm on Monday given birth to the baby.

It was learnt that the baby, who weighed 3.25kg at birth, was delivered at a private hospital, Majotal Medical Clinic, Ilogbo area of Ado-Odo/Ota Local Government Area.

The residents of the area

had been trooping to the hospital to catch a glimpse of the baby.

Speaking with our correspondent, Mrs Sheriffdeen expressed regret that her husband fled on hearing that her baby was born without arms.

The woman claimed that her husband and their landlord had warned her not to bring the baby home.

She said: “This is my first child and I do not know why I had to give birth to this kind of a baby.

“Immediately my husband was informed that his son had deformity, he had not come to see me. He is a commercial bus driver and we had married for almost two years before God decided to answer our prayer.

“When I was pregnant, we took every step that the doctor directed us to take but we did not know why we came about this calamity.”

The woman, therefore, pleaded with well-meaning Nigerians to come to her aid as the hospital authorities had allegedly asked her to leave the clinic.

“The hospital management has asked us to leave the hospital. Now my baby and I have nowhere to go; I don’t need this baby, I want government to come and adopt him,” she added.

The woman’s husband could not be reached for comments as his mobile phone was switched off.

Customs seize truck, poultry products Camillus Nnaji

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he monitoring team of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) at Seme said it had intercepted a Mercedes Benz truck with smuggled poultry products on Oshodi-Apapa Expressway.

The truck with registration No AGB 217 ZD was impounded on February 17 with the products.

The Controller, Federal Operations Unit (FOU), Zone ‘A’, Turaki Usman Adamu, said his men trailed the truck from an unapproved route in the axis.

Adamu added that the

vehicle was taken to the FOU ‘A’ where a physical examination was conducted on it.

Upon inspection, 1,071 cartons of assorted frozen products with Duty Paid Value (DPV) of N5,783,400 were discovered. Also, 40 cartons of ceramic tiles valued at N62,400 and eight bath tubs with a DPV of N240,000, were discovered.

These two items, according to the comptroller, were used as camouflage to conceal the poultry products.

Adamu commended the monitoring team for deploying effective intelligence in effecting the

seizure.

He also urged the team to remain focused and resilient in its anti-smuggling mandate.

The comptroller added that the synergy between FOU and Customs Headquarters made it possible for the achievement recorded.

He said: “NCS operation is a compendium of teams that are interwoven and whose operations are targeted towards achieving a common goal.

FOU ‘A’ and the teams are working harmoniously in ensuring that all flanks and suspected areas used by smugglers are completed blocked.”

The seized contraband

METRO 11

NEW TELEGRAPH THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2015

Five killed, 30 vehicles damaged in NURTW members’ clash Taiwo Jimoh, Camillus Nnaji and Shola Adefuwa

F

ive people were feared killed while more than 30 vehicles were either burnt or damaged yesterday when transport union members clashed at Oshodi in Lagos.

Two factions of the National Union of Transport Workers (NURTW), according to investigation, were engaged in supremacy battle.

Witnesses said the fight between the two factions, which started on Tuesday and continued yesterday, was over who should be in charge of Mosafejo Saudi Motor Park.

The police, however, said that one person was killed in the fracas, while nine persons had been arrested.

The rampaging union members grounded commercial activities at Oshodi. Shops were quickly shutdown, commercial

The scene of the clash.

bus riders fled while parked vehicles were destroyed.

A faction of the warring parties stormed the motor park about 1:30am yesterday and set parked buses on fire. The hoodlums also manhandled traders and passersby till about 10am.

A member of the NURTW, who craved anonymity, explained that two factions were loyal to differ-

ent chairmen at the motor park, adding that they had been a lingering crisis which came to a head last Thursday. The factions renewed the fight on Tuesday which spread till yesterday.

He said: “After Thursday’s incident, the various branch chairmen at the motor park were invited by the state NURTW Chairman, Alhaji Tajudeen Ag-

bede, to reach an amicable resolution.”

The chairmen were made to sign an undertaking, promising there would be no longer crisis at both motor parks.

He added: “I was surprised to receive a phone call that the same thugs who invaded the park last Thursday came to burn and destroy shops and vehicles parked there in the middle of the night.

I heard that they started shooting sporadically when they invaded the motor park. I also heard that some traders were hit by stray bullets.”

A trader, who gave her name simply as Remilekun, said she noticed that on Tuesday after some of the thugs returned from a political campaign, they started shouting that there would be war.

She said: “I was at home when someone called me this morning that my shop had been burnt by some of the hoodlums. When I rushed to the market, I found that all my new stock and my refrig-

erator had been burnt to ashes.

Some of my neighbours’ shops were also affected.

“We are tired of these hoodlums at Oshodi, especially those residing under the bridge where they sell Indian hemp. We want the Lagos State Government to come to our rescue.”

Another trader, Mr Akinbode Taiwo, said that the crisis had been on since last Thursday when those who were selling Indian hemp were chased away from under the bridge by the police.

He said: “After the policemen chased the hoodlums away, we did not know they would come back.

“To our surprise, we just saw them yesterday when they were coming from a political campaign. They came into the park and started threatening everybody. This morning they came into the motor park after everybody had left and set shops on fire.

Policemen alone cannot chase these boys away. Police need the support of the Army.”

Fake banker with 44 ATM cards steals customer’s N6m Juliana Francis

A

fake First Bank employee, who allegedly stole N6 million from a customer, has been arrested by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

The commission also recovered 44 ATM cards from the suspect, Akpere Ovine Desmond.

The EFCC yesterday arraigned Desmond before Justice Abubakar Shitu of the Federal High Court, Warri, Delta State, on a two-count charge bordering on conspiracy and money laundering.

When the charges were read

to him, the accused pleaded not guilty.

The Head, Media and Publicity, EFCC, Wilson Uwujaren, said the account owner, who petitioned the commission, had alleged that on May 29, 2012, he received a phone call from one Mr Taiwo Ogunsanyo who claimed to be an employee of First Bank Nigeria Plc. According to the petitioner, Ogunsanyo claimed the bank was updating customers’ security information and requested for his token number, phone number and corporate identity number.

The petitioner sent all the details as requested and, to his

Desmond

surprise, he received a debit alert of the withdrawal of N6,000,000 from his company, First Ambition Investment

Robbery suspect dies in gun duel Babatope Okeowo Akure

A

suspected armed robber was yesterday killed while four others were wounded during an exchange of gunfire between the police and a robbery gang in Akure, Ondo State.

The gun duel between the five-man robbery gang and the police, according to sources, lasted one hour at

Oba-Ile on the outskirts of the state capital. It also woke the residents abruptly from their sleep.

The state Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Mr Wole Ogodo, said the incident happened about 3:30am when the police mobilised to the scene after they received a distress call from a woman.

The woman, Ogodo said, suspected armed robbers had entered into her apartment at Ala, Oba-Ile, making the police

to rush to the area.

The PPRO explained that during the ensuing shootout, one of the suspects was killed while others escaped with bullet wounds.

He said one locally-made pistol, a cutlass and other dangerous weapons were recovered from the scene.

Ogodo said the suspects had been terrorising members of Oba-Ile community in Akure North Local Government Area before they met their waterloo.

Limited’s account with First Bank.

Uwujaren said: “A trail of the funds led investigators to an account number 2060211484 at the United Bank for Africa Plc (UBA) belonging to one Frank Asemota, from where the money was transferred to different accounts and consequently withdrawn at various ATM terminals.

“Akpere Ovine Desmond, whose account was flagged, was arrested in Access Bank, Benin, Edo State, with 44 ATM cards.”

Investigation showed that the accused conspired with others to launder N6 million proceeds of the scam.

The police image maker urged the people to cooperate with the police by providing adequate information that could lead to the arrest of criminals.

He promised that the police are ready to take the war against crime to the doorsteps of criminals.

The victim, whom did not want her name in print, said the robbers entered her house after cutting the burglary with an iron cutter.

She said the timely intervention of the police saved her and her family.

Nigerian woman gang-raped in India

P

olice in Delhi, India has arrested four men in connection with the alleged gang rape of a Nigerian woman in a moving car, the latest in a series of sex attacks in the Indian capital.

The 35-year-old, who has been staying in India on a tourist visa, told police the men kidnapped her after midnight on Friday morning outside a popular shop-

ping mall in New Delhi’s Saket area before bundling her into a car.

They then drove for around half an hour, during which time the alleged gang rape took place, before pushing her out of the vehicle.

The woman, who cannot be named, was finally rescued after a passer-by spotted her on the side of the road in Mayur Vihar,

around 20kms (12 miles) away in east Delhi.

“We have received a complaint from the woman and investigations are ongoing. We have filed a case under relevant sections,” Delhi police spokesman Rajan Bhagat told AFP. Bhagat said the four men arrested were Indians and the car allegedly used had been impounded.

Local media, quoting police sources, said the victim was in an inebriated condition at the time of her rescue and had suffered minor injuries but was released from hospital by Friday afternoon.

Nigerian embassy officials in New Delhi were not available for comment.

The city sealed its reputation as India’s “rape capital” two

Count one reads: “That you, Akpere Ovine Desmond, on or about the 29th day of May, 2013 at Sapele, Delta State, within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, did convert the sum of N6,000,000 belonging to one Taiwo Aremu Waheed, which you derived from the money illegally transferred into the account of one Frank Asemota domiciled at United Bank for Africa (UBA) with account number 2060211484 with the aim of disguising the origin of the money and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 15 (2) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 (as amended) and punishable under Section 15 (3) of the same Act”.

He pleaded not guilty to the charge.

In view of his plea, the prosecution counsel, Adebayo Soares, asked for a date for trial but the defence counsel, D. O. Afure, presented an application for bail of the accused before the court.

Abubakar granted the accused bail in the sum of N3,000,000 and two sureties in like sum, who must be resident within the jurisdiction of the court.

years ago when a medical student died after being gang-raped on a moving bus, prompting mass protests and triggering a series of policing and legal reforms.

Last year, a driver for USbased online taxi service, Uber, allegedly sexually assaulted a woman passenger in New Delhi while driving her home from a dinner.

Police figures released earlier this year said 2,069 rape cases were registered in New Delhi during 2014, a 31 per cent jump compared to the previous year.

12 News

thursday, FEBRUARY 26, 2015 NEW TELEGRAPH

national

APC manifesto deceitful, unrealisable — PDP Onyekachi Eze ABUJA

T

L-R: Minister of Finance, Dr. (Mrs.) Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala; Minister of Interior, Mr. Abbah Moro; Minister of State for Finance, Ambassador Bashru Yuguda and Minister of Water Resources, Mrs. Sarah Ochekpe, at the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting in Abuja…yesterday.

PHOTO: TIMOTHY IKUOMENISAN

goodwill

FG gives four states nod to borrow Anule Emmanuel

T

he Federal Executive Council, FEC presided over by Vice President Namadi Sambo yesterday guaranteed the receipt of foreign loans worth over $400 million for Lagos, Rivers, Osun and Ogun states.

The loans are to assist in the implementation of infrastructure projects in the states.

Minister of State for Finance, Bashir Yuguda, disclosed this at the presidential Villa after the weekly FEC meeting.

A breakdown of the loans shows that Lagos will collect a total of $100 million credit from the French Development Agency in support of Lagos Integrated Urban Development Project (EkoUP), towards improving living conditions of the most vulnerable urban population of metropolitan Lagos, improve management and treatment of solid waste, strengthen the capacity of Lagos state and implement urban development projects in the state.

Rivers state will get African Development Bank (AfDB) credit facility of $200 million for the pro-

Wole Shadare

T

he last has not been heard over the payment of pensioners of ex-Nigeria Airways workers, who have once again found their voices to claim some of their entitlements before they die.

Rising from a meeting yesterday, the pensioners numbering over 6, 000 decried the deaths of over 700 of their mem-

FG approves $400m loans for Lagos, Rivers, Osun, Ogun l Another $1.5bn to establish Dev Bank

posed Port Harcourt water supply and sanitation project and an African Development Fund (ADF) credit of $5million to support Urban Water Sector Reform Project towards providing sustainable access to safe drinking water and sanitation to the residents of Port Harcourt.

Ogun state is expected to obtain $33.174million credit from the French Development Agency in support of the Ogun State Water supply project to increase the coverage, continuity and quality of service in the state capital, increase the financial viability of existing water utility through increase in revenue collection, providing financing to rehabilitate and build infrastructure needed to increase access to water supply services in the state capital.

FEC approved for Osun state, to receive an Islamic Development Bank Loan of $65 million - under the Manufacturing/Financing (IStisna'a) - to finance water supply and sanitation projects in Osun state.

Other loans were approved by the FEC, including the Multi-Donor cred-

its from the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development of World Bank, Africa Development Bank, Germany and French Development Agency, in the sums of $500 million; $450 million; $200 million and $130 million, respectively.

The loans total about $1.45billion and is for the establishment the proposed Development Bank of Nigeria.

Another loan of $70 million credit facility is from the International Development Association for the proposed Africa Higher Education Centre of Excellence project, which is meant to build on the efforts made under the previous World Bank Assisted science and technology education school projects.

The FEC also approved the President's anticipatory approval to obtain additional financing of $140million credit from the international Development Association in support of the community and social development project being implemented in the 36 states of the federation and the FCT. Yuguda pointed out that President Goodluck Jonathan would not di-

minish his office with tribal or political sentiments.

He said Jonathan has not barred any minister from facilitating or assisting any state government in the processing of any development loans, which is why the latest credit facilities to the states were brought to FEC for deliberations and approval.

Mr. President is saying over and over again that he is the president of Nigerians. There is a distinction between governance and politics and Mr president does not bring issues where they are not supposed to be situated.

"He will not trivialize his office by neglecting one part of Nigeria because they don’t belong to PDP. That is not President Goodluck Jonathan. That is not what the President intends to do and it is not what he is going to do if re-elected come March 28.

"What we are trying to say is that some of the opposition had been talking differently about this kind of approach.

I can remember two weeks ago, the governor of Oyo was attacking the Minister of State for FCT.

he Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) yesterday took the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC) to task over its manifesto, describing it as phantom, deceitful, bogus and unrealisable.

PDP National Publicity Secretary, Olisa Metuh, at a press conference noted that since its formation about two years ago, APC has introduced and sustained political streak of lies, character assassination, false alarm and wild allegations, all in the desperation to deceive and

Buhari’s supporters threaten to return attacks

F

or the alleged series of attacks against the All Progressives Congress Presidential candidate, General Mohammadu Buhari, the support group, Buhari Support Organisation (BSO) has threatened to back out of the Abuja peace accord entered by all political parties and the presidential candidates on January 10.

BSO made the threat in reaction to the alleged attacks from the ruling party, Peoples Democratic Party.

The BSO in its briefing in Abuja stated that should the political allies of President Goodluck

the government in power after the five years paid by the late Umaru Musa Yar'Adua’s government had met opposition, as the government was not ready to dialogue with them.

Yar Adua paid the pensioners their five years arrears of pension and it was expected that this

would continue but the ex-workers lamented, alleging that they had been ignored.

Some of the pensioners told reporters that they regrouped as a result of maltreatment and continued neglect by government, adding that over 700 former workers of the airline have died as

Jonathan continue with their insults and verbal attacks on Buhari, they would retaliate.

Also, a source from APC entourage to United Kingdom, yesterday told New Telegraph that the party has uncovered the plot of the PDP to disrupt the speech of its presidential candidate, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari at the Royal Institute of International Affairs (RIIA) better known as Chatham House.

Buhari is to deliver his speech today on "Prospects for Democratic Consolidation in Africa: Nigeria's Transition."

Ebola drug: U.S. company takes blood sample from Nigerian survivor Appolonia Adeyemi

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s the world community intensifies effort to produce medication for the treatment of the Ebola Virus Disease (EVD), the blood sample of a Nigerian doctor, who survived the disease has been taken by researchers.

According to an agency report, Dr. Akiniyi Akindipe, a staff of the First Consultant Medical Centre (FCMC), that survived Ebola, travelled to San Antonio in

6,000 ex-Airways workers decry seven-year unpaid pension bers and have vowed to boycott the 2015 general elections, stating that government for seven years, has turned a blind eye to their plight; calling government insensitive and blamed them of neglect.

The pensioners, in their thousands, regretted that all attempts to get their money paid by

misdirect the judgement of the electorate.

According to Metuh, the opposition has promised to pay a stipend of N5, 000 each to 25 million poor Nigerians monthly, which he calculated to amount to N125 billion each month and N1.5 trillion every year.

"The APC knows full well that this is not only unrealistic but also impracticable in a nation with an estimated budget of N4.69 trillion comprising recurrent and capital expenditures yet they continue to dish it out to unsuspecting citizens in a clear bid to mislead," Metuh said.

a result of incapacitation which resulted to various ailments.

They lamented that neither the National Assembly nor the executive was ready to listen to them, adding that the five years paid them was not in the interest of the pensioners but money paid to deceased workers.

the United States (U.S) on Tuesday, where researchers took a sample of his blood.

The South Texas Blood and Tissue Centre (STBTC) is behind the research aimed at addressing Ebola, which currently has no known drug for cure nor vaccination to prevent the ailment.

Presently, Ebola has ravaged populations in Sierra Leone, Liberia, and Guinea, Nigeria, among others, killing over 9,000 people.

They stressed that it was for this neglect that they vowed never to participate in all the rescheduled elections.

"We have resolved with our families throughout the country not to vote in this election because our people are dying every day.

Our children have stopped going to school, our wives have abandoned us and most of us are very ill without shelter."

NEW TELEGRAPH THURSDAY, February 26, 2015

Campaign

General elections

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14

Buhari absent at APC rally in London

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Ogboru advocates reordering of elections

Politics CHUKWU DAVID presents a detailed account of what transpired between the chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Attahiru Jega and members of the Senate when he appeared before the legislators over the postponement of the general elections

The heat on Jega lINEC chair says poll postponement, blessing in disguise

W

ednesday February 18, 2015 was a very hectic day for the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Attahiru Jega.

That was the day he appeared before the Senate to respond to queries from the federal lawmakers on the circumstances leading to the postponement of the 2015 general elections earlier scheduled for February 14 and 28.

He was also summoned to brief the Chamber on the preparedness of the commission to hold the rescheduled polls on March 28 and April 11 without any further interruptions or hindrances. The INEC boss was further put to task to explain to senators the comprehensive workings of the Card Reader, its challenges and also to furnish the Upper Chamber with any information that would facilitate the successful conduct of the elections.

He also gave detailed explanation on the use of the Permanent Voters’ Cards (PVCs) in the coming polls.

The former university lecturer and unionist was drilled for more than four hours, where he made frantic efforts to provide answers to the sundry issues raised by the legislators. He, however, consistently

AYODELE OJO

DEPUTY EDITOR, PoLITICS ayodele.ojo@newtelegraphonline.com

© Daily Telegraph Publishing Company Limited

Jega declined to make categorical statements on the issue of security as it affects the sanctity of the new dates, insisting that the matter was beyond the jurisdiction of the commission and could only be properly addressed by the security agencies, which have the primary responsibility to do so.

Ike Ekweremadu’s posers There are concerns that we still have outstanding production of the Permanent Voters’ Cards (PVCs); do you have custody of all the PVCs ordered for or are you still producing, and have you deployed them to the states?

The second one is the issue of the Card Readers. How do you guarantee a uniform procedure all over the country? Supposing the voting is taking place where there is no network, will the Card Readers work?

The issue of the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs). What is your plan to ensure that those who are displaced will vote in accordance

with the Electoral Act? Will the constituencies experiencing security challenges vote to elect their representatives?

Our politicians who want to win by hook or crook... are interfering in the process, stealing ballot boxes, destroying ballot papers

Jega’s response Thank you very much Your Excellency, the Senate President, Distinguished Senators. First and foremost, I must place on record our appreciation; INEC is appreciative of all the support and encouragements we have gotten from the Senate and the House of Representatives. It has motivated and encouraged us to keep on doing our best for our country.

With regards to the question you asked about the outstanding production of PVCs, I don’t lie, and I acknowledge that as I speak with you, there are 800,000 to one million cards yet to be produced. But over 66 million of the 68 million registered voters, the cards have been produced and they are in the states already for collection. And we have been saying, the problem is not production, the problem is collection.

People are not coming out to collect cards for one reason or the other. We have done our best to decentralise.

So, in a sense, the postponement is a blessing in disguise because at least all those cards will now be produced and distributed before March 28.

But our argument has been, what is the acceptable level of collection of cards for an election to take place?

And we have always argued, we did election in Ekiti, we did election in Osun State. In none of those places has the collection rate gone to 70 per cent. But in this case, we are approaching 76 per cent of collection nationwide. But at least, now there are four more weeks within which people will be collecting. And we are doing our best to address some of the problems.

We have said consistently that it is never perfect. Although any time I say it is not perfect, there is a headline, “Jega says it is not perfect”.

But the fact of the matter is, it is never perfect but we do our best and our best is showing results. And people can be patient; we will keep on improving the process.

About how do we guarantee a uniform procedure for the use of the Card Reader? Our staff are trained to use the Card Readers; security officials are expected to be at the polling unit. And obviously, it is an offense for anybody not to use this Card Reader. And if it is not used, it is like disruption of the electoral process. There are always procedures about how to handle electoral processes that are wilfully and deliberately disrupted. Really, we do not envisage; we know there are devils out there, somebody will try in one polling unit to disrupt it and to ensure that it is not used but we do not envisage that our staff will succumb, the security agents will succumb and all the party agents and observers at the polling unit will succumb and allow that to happen.

You can’t rule it out, but if it happens at all, it will be very isolated case and we will deal with it as an electoral offence and wilful deliberate effort to undermine the process.

On failure of Card Readers The Card Reader saves the information and we will need the information to get to us as quickly as possible. Then if the service fails, then the Card Reader should be brought to the collation centre CONTINUED ON PAGE 16

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Politics

Johnchuks Onuanyim Abuja

T

he All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential candidate, General Muhammed Buhari, on Tuesday failed to attend the presidential rally organised by APC Diaspora community, United Kingdom (UK).

Buhari arrived in London last Thursday and scheduled to meet with the Nigerian community, APC supporters in UK and give a talk later in the week at Chatham House, the Royal Institute of Public Affairs.

However, APC supporters across the UK who converged at the Everlasting Arms Ministries Church in East London for the presidential rally were disappointed when the party flag bearer did not turn up.

Although no reason was given for his absence, the party’s spokesman, Mr Lai Mohammed, debunked rumours that Buhari was ill, adding that the rally was not part of Buhari’s itinerary.

He said since the APC

THURSDAY, February 26, 2015 NEW TELEGRAPH

Buhari absent at APC rally in London lIt was an interactive session, says party candidate arrived in the UK, he had been meeting and consulting with political leaders while also having some rest after his energy-sapping nationwide campaign.

He, however, assured that Buhari would be at the Chatham House event billed for February 28.

According to Mohammed, the APC UK held an interactive session with the party leadership and not a rally as has been reported.

Mohammed stated that what was held in the UK was an interactive session organised for the party to brief members on its manifesto and why elections were postponed.

He said, for this reason himself (Lai Mohammed), the APC governorship candidate in Kaduna State, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai and the National Chairman of APC, Chief John OdigieOyegun were at the interactive session.

INDEP ELECT ENDENT NAT ORAL C IO OMMIS NAL SION

“Why are they not talking about the former governor of Lagos State, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu and the Director General of APC presidential campaign, Governor Rotimi Amaechi who were also in UK and did not attend the programme?” he asked.

When asked if Buhari was aware of the rally, he said: “No, he was not aware and nobody was going to persuade him to do attend.

“I was there, El-Rufai was there and the APC National Chairman, Chief Oyegun was there.

So, do you hold a rally at night in the church?

There was no rally what-

soever, there was interactive session between the leadership of the party and the APC in the UK. It was a party affair and not a rally.”

“He was not and even if he was invited, he wouldn’t have gone because that was not why he was in London.

Asiwaju, Amaechi were there, they didn’t come.

I don’t know why they are using the word rally in something that happened at 8p.m. We were there to tell them about our manifesto, explain the postponement and all they were supposed to know as the APC chapter in UK. That was all.”

While speaking on the party’s manifesto, Mohammed said APC would tackle corruption, generate employment and introduce a nine year free compulsory education to eradicate illiteracy.

“APC is committed to fighting corruption in the country by ensuring discipline, honesty, hard work and merit,” he said.

Also speaking, the APC governorship candidate for Kaduna State, Mallam Nasir El -Rufai, tasked the Diaspora to take advantage of the upcoming election to move Nigeria in the right direction.

El-rufai who fielded questions on the engagement of the Diaspora in nation building urged the people to encourage their families and associates in Nigeria to vote APC into power.

The former Federal Capital Territory (FCT) minister who also dispelled rumours of Buhari’s ill health said the APC presidential flag bearer had the requisite experience, given his age at 73, to serve Nigeria.

“When nations go through trauma they normally go for older leaders who are more tol-

erant, focused and prepare to create a younger generation of leaders,” he said.

“That was the case in South Africa and China, for Nigeria, Buhari will bring about stability and peace we yearn for,’’ El Rufai said.

Also speaking, the APC National Chairman, Chief Odigie-Oyegun, told supporters that Buhari’s strength was in his desire to change Nigeria.

While appealing for the Diaspora support in the upcoming polls, he called on the international community to assist Nigeria sustain democracy.

“We are calling on our foreign friends not to help APC but to ensure that the right thing is done in Nigeria,” Oyegun said.

CAN counsels politicians

T

he Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Oyo State branch, has urged politicians to make the fear of God their priority in their political activities.

The state Chairman of the association, Ayo Olabisi, made the plea on Wednesday while speaking with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Ibadan.

The cleric called on politicians to observe the rules guiding the electoral processes while exhibiting the fear of God. “We need to let our politicians know that

coming into office is not a do-or-die. It is whatever God says that will come to manifestation,” he said.

Olabisi also said that the ongoing 40-day fasting period for Christians, which started on February 18, was an appropriate time for Nigerians to seek the face of God. “The period has come up at the time we need prayers as a nation, especially with the elections around the corner.

“It should be seen as a time for sober reflection; a time to seek the Lord’s face, repent and ask for forgiveness,” he said.

NNSG to INEC: Use TVC, PVC for general elections Wale Elegbede Asiwaju Bola Tinubu and executives of the All Progressives Congress (APC) UK chapter, at his residence in London…yesterday.

Ogboru advocates reordering of elections Wale Elegbede

G

overnorship candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in Delta State, Chief Great Ogboru, has called for a reversal in the order of the forthcoming general elections, stating that the governorship and state House of Assembly polls should be conducted before the presidential election.

Fielding questions from newsmen in Lagos, yesterday, Ogboru said the reordering of the election will assuage the heighten political tension in the country, adding that the sequence of the election as it presently stands may

prove chaotic for the nation.

Ogboru, who contested the governorship seat in the state in 2003 on the platform of Alliance for Democracy (AD) and in 2007 on Democratic People’s Party (DPP) platform, said the tension pervading the country could only be brought down by first holding the governorship poll before the presidential election.

He said: “The sequence of elections should be reversed. The tension of having the presidential election first before others is high. It is already even being assumed that a particular party had won the poll and if otherwise,

then there is rigging. Let us conduct the presidential election first.”

Ogboru, who had declared his support for the re-election of President Goodluck Jonathan, said he resolved to back the president because of the need to demonstrate the virtue of good neighbourliness as almost 70 per cent of people in his Delta constituency are Ijaws like Jonathan.

On the preparedness of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Ogboru said he still did not believe that the electoral body was ready for the elections, recalling that for the commission’s chairman,

Prof. Attahiru Jega, to have told the Senate that the electoral body was better prepared now showed that it was not prepared before the postponement of the exercise.

The LP governorship candidate said he doubted the functionality of the Card Readers that INEC wants to use, which he said had not been put to test in any form of pilot project to assess their durability, warning that the INEC should avoid using the country as guinea pigs for experimental purpose.

On his chances, Ogboru maintained that he remained the candidate to beat.

A

s the general elections approach, the Nigerian National Summit Group (NNSG) has tasked the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on the usage of both the Permanent Voters’ Cards (PVCs) and the Temporary Voters’ Card (TVCs) for the election.

In a statement issued yesterday in Lagos by its Executive Secretary, Mr. Tony Uranta, the NNSG urged the commission for the sake of peace and seamless electioneering process to allow the electorate to make use of both the PVCs and TVCs in the March 28 and April 11 polls.

The statement read: “We salute the gallantry of our military who have successfully taken the battle to Boko Haram enough to guarantee the

security of the 2015 general elections beginning March 28.

“We, however, regret that INEC may still be unable to get PVCs to all registered voters who refuse to be disenfranchised from voting in these critically pivotal 2015 general elections!

“It is with a great sense of responsibility, that we add our voices to those of millions of Nigerians in demanding that, rather than disenfranchise even one voter, INEC must ensure voting is done by both PVCs and TVCs. “We are aware of the uproar some people may orchestrate against this very tenable option for INEC, but the NNSG is of the conviction that, in order that the gains of our democracy be consolidated, INEC must do what is in the interest of the greater good.”

NEW TELEGRAPH THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2015

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16 Politics | Interview

THURSDAY, February 26, 2015 NEW TELEGRAPH

Only military can determine sanctity of election dates – Jega

C O N T I N U E D F R O M PA G E 1 3

where there is likely to be service.

We may get it late at the worst case but it is saved on the Card Reader.

We know that in this country there is no 100% GSM coverage but it is safe, if you press the Card Reader button you can send it to our database.

Burden of IDPs On the IDPs sir, we have done our best to cater for the need of the IDPs but it is virtually impossible to cater for all the IDPs. In general, Nigerians want all the IDPs to be catered for. So, we have concentrated on the three North-East states which have massive displacement of people internally. Initially, we had hesitations as to whether the Electoral Act would allow us cater for the needs of the IDPs, and after taking a careful look at the Electoral Act and getting competent legal advice, it is clear that there are provisions in the Act which will give us the power to create voting places for the IDPs and to allow them to collect their cards and vote in those designated centres. So, that is what we have done with regards to Borno, Adamawa and Yobe.

Now, in Borno, the challenges are more because only a small fraction of the total number of the local government areas are safe for the conduct of the elections. Obviously, the challenges there are such that we are only doing our best to return as many places as is humanly possible because in some places, in some constituencies particularly constituencies where the Boko Haram insurgents are still in control, there is nothing we can do to make a return unless there are sufficient votes in some of the internally displaced locations for that to happen.

So, we are managing a very difficult situation and we are doing our best under very difficult circumstances.

Our point of view is that it is better to do something than to do nothing at all. And we feel confident that what we are trying to do will go somewhere in minimising the challenges if all the IDPs are not allowed to vote. Basically, our proposal for IDPs voting has been endorsed, and we are planning and preparing to proceed with it.

We hope and pray that what the Service Chiefs said will come to pass, which is that by the end of these six weeks, a substantial area in the North-East would have been returned to normalcy and many of the IDPs would have gone back to their places. If that happens, it is going to be much easier for us to be able to arrange voting normally.

Gbenga Kaka’s inquiry Mr. Chairman, I don’t envy you at all because you happen to be the most important Nigerian as at today. But talking about the collection of the PVC, when the registration was to be conducted, they did it at the polling unit, making it easier for people to get to the point of registration but by the time it is time for collection, you are now asking them to go to the local government

headquarters. Those who cannot afford one single meal a day, you want them to look for money, go there to collect, granted that by now you must have trained all your ad hoc staff assuming we had election that Saturday. One would have expected that with the window of opportunity till March 28 we can further decentralise to make sure that all those ad hoc staff are deployed for some days if only on experimental, so that all those that are yet to collect their PVC can do it within few days. It will make it easier when we decentralise the polling units and that will make everything to be easier and it will cost less. Those who are juxtaposing between the voters and your staff, can easily be fished out because it is happening but you may not know.

They are making life difficult for those who want to collect their PVCs. There are those who wouldn’t want to, but those who want to collect, the ad hoc staff are making things difficult for them. That’s why they keep on reporting to the stations three to five times without being able to collect the PVC. So, how are you addressing these issues?

Jega’s response to Kaka Senator Kaka raised the issue of decentralisation of the collection of PVCs. Let me explain that when we submitted our budget to the National Assembly, we based it on the methodology that we will take back the cards for distribution to the polling units where we did the registration for three days. And our calculation was that if everybody who registered at the polling units came out within those three days, they would have collected those cards. But after those three days, we had no resources again to keep people and materials at the polling unit level. So, that was why we decided to take the remaining PVCs to the local government offices. Now, for the past eight weeks, I think six weeks to be more specific, we had now decentralised further from the local government level to the ward level, and this has really improved the rate of collection. But there were places we did continuous voter registration; places which have less than 50 registered voters, whose fingerprints were captured. So, we said in those places we would go back to recapture again. So, for distributing those cards from those polling units, we would go back and recapture again since we didn’t go back to distribute initially at that level. In Lagos and Kano, distribution is taking place in those places at the polling unit level. Frankly, we are doing our best to decentralise and we have seen remarkable improvement, and within the remaining four weeks, if we see the need in particular areas, where it will be necessary to do so, I assure you that we will give serious consideration to that.

With regards to ad hoc staff making it very difficult, we have received a lot of complaints and we have been doing our best wherever we received complaints to investigate and if we find people culpable, we always discipline them, and I think in the last two weeks it has

Mark

Ekweremadu

Ndoma-Egba

Abaribe

INDEP ELECT ENDENT NAT ORAL C IO OMMIS NAL SION

On whether PVCs can be bought, yes, politicians can buy PVCs, but we have demonstrated here that you cannot be verified and authenticated if it is not your card. So, it is useless

improved remarkably. But part of the problem is that many people have left it until very late to come out. So, there is always congestion particularly in places like Abuja municipal but we are doing our best to increase staffing to ensure that things are made easier when they come out to collect.

read the fingerprint of a genuine voter; and if there is no immediate replacement of the Card Reader, there will be postponement of the election. Please clarify further on this, I want to get it right. Lastly, in what way do you think that human being can scuttle the use of the Card Reader during accreditation?

Nenandi Usman takes on INEC chair You said you have carried out 13 tests in which the durability and versatility of the card was used. But you didn’t tell us a little bit more on the extent of the tests carried out.

I am interested, I want to know how you arrived at the fact that it was durable and versatile. That is number one. Number two, you said you were planning to conduct mock elections with the Card Reader, which means the extension of the election is giving you time within which to use the Card Readers for mock elections so that on the day of the elections, we are going to have people who have used it in other places, who now have experience; I think it is going to reduce a number of problems. Now in the few of the tests you have carried out, what is the percentage of the successes and failures you noticed? You just said that in general, you were satisfied. Did you notice any failure or it was 100 per cent success? Again, you said that there will be a replacement where the Card Reader fails to

Jega functionality, durability and versatility of Card Readers Senator Nenadi, I will be conservative and I will say that from the test we have done and I have admitted that the more the test the better but we couldn’t do many tests.

We have done functionality and durability test on the card readers with a local partner, a company that does FRID with their technical partner in Texas, and there were 13 specific tests that were done about functionality, durability and versatility and the Card Reader has passed all the tests. We have done some few field test and the result we have is over 90 per cent success. But because we have not done as much as we wish to do, we will use this period of extension to do additional tests. We feel comfortable that the Card Readers can be used and add value to the electoral process. It cannot be perfect. It may not be able to read every finger and that is why we agree with political parties; if it does not read a finger, what do we do? We bought 182, 000 Card Read-

Politics | Interview 17

NEW TELEGRAPH THURSDAY, February 26, 2015

Usman ers. Some of them did not work, that is what we call dead on arrival. Of the total number of Card Readers that we ordered and configured, only 503 have failed to work. That is 0.03 percent of the total. So, it is within acceptable margins. The agreement is that if a Card Reader fails during accreditation, then we will try and repair it within the time of accreditation which is between 8a.m. and 1p.m. If a Card Reader fails at 10a.m., before 1p.m., we will see everything possible to replace it. Then if we are able to replace it by 11a.m., then the time lost will be added to the accreditation period and extended till we finish. Instead of finishing 1p.m. in that polling unit, it will now be 2p.m.

We have also decentralised redundancies to ward level. In every ward there will be redundancies and there will be technical people who can quickly reconfigure failed Card Readers if it is necessary to replace them. So, we believe that within that window, we will be able to replace. Even if some fail, they will be statistically insignificant. And for those, it is better to say come back the following day and do it with a new Card Reader than say revert to manual because once people know you can revert to manual, then they will make sure all the Card Readers fail because we know people don’t want the Card Readers to be used.

Certainly, the Card Reader will give us a lot of opportunity to do a lot of statistical analysis. And we are very excited about that.

Ali Ndume on IDPs, security Professor, as my colleagues have been calling me, I am one of the IDPs. We have been working together on the issue of the voting of the IDPs, and I remember that at our stakeholders’ meeting at Sheraton, one of our major concerns was the issue of security. And at that meeting, we sought for clarification on the issue of security, your task force having gone to Maiduguri and other two states to ascertain the possibility of conducting elections for the IDPs. The representatives of the Service Chiefs at that time guaranteed and assured us of security. I am surprised that later on, after the National Council of States meeting, the same security now said that they are not ready for the election. Well, that is history now because the election has been postponed. Supposed after six weeks the security chiefs say that there is no guarantee for the election, what will happen? Two, the security agencies have made efforts to recapture some towns

Ndume or local governments occupied by the insurgents; but people are not going back there. Instead they are running to Maiduguri, thereby increasing the number of IDPs in the Borno State capital. Are you still going to go ahead with the plan to allow us to vote in the designated IDP centres so that we will not be disenfranchised?

Jega to Ndume: The military has the final say The question of security, I will leave it. I don’t think I am competent to answer it sufficiently but I must say that every Nigerian knows that we want elections to hold within the constitutional timeframe. We should be fair also to the military. Soldiers are also patriotic Nigerians. Let us give them the benefit of doubt. I don’t see how anybody will contemplate any extension beyond these six weeks. There is no constitutional grounds upon which you can do that. It will only have to be unconstitutional. I don’t see how anybody will contemplate any unconstitutional means. For us, we work by the constitution, by the law and as far as we are concerned, that is what is guiding us, and we should all put the interest of the nation at heart.

The human factor is always significant, it is always important but we believe that working together with security and other stakeholders, we should be able to prevent negative human intervention that can create problems. I keep saying consistently that INEC is not a security organisation. We are an election management body; so we rely a lot on security to be able to

Jega addresing journalists

INDEP ELECT ENDENT NAT ORAL C IO OMMIS NAL SION

In Yobe, only two local governments are under emergency rule... So, if the rate of collection has gone very high, I don’t see why that should be seen as a problem

ensure that things are done well and that there is no disruption of the electoral process. We have been working very closely with the Inter-agencies Consultative Committee on Election Security. And that is why for us, if the service chiefs say that we can’t guarantee security, give us more time, what is the alternative security arrangements and if we consulted with the stakeholders and we cannot find an answer; we are going to use close to 700, 000 ad hoc staff, we can’t send people to the field in that kind of a situation. Our hope and prayer is that in the next six weeks, there will be significant improvement in the security situation for us to conduct the elections all over this country in a very secured environment. There are certain questions that we are not really competent to answer. Certain questions should be directed to the military, they can answer it better. I am sure.

So, the human factor is there; it is a matter of attitude. And I regret to say a lot of it is induced by our politicians who want to win by hook or crook, because a lot of people who are interfering in the process, stealing ballot boxes, destroying ballot papers are actually people who are doing it for others, who don’t know the value of that.

So, we all have a role to play in order to minimise these negative impacts of human factor.

Victor Ndoma-Egba’s queries INEC Chairman, my first question is this: Is it possible to do accreditation and vote at the same time and go away? If it is possible, why are we not adopting that approach? If people do accreditation at 8a.m., you go and wait till 1p.m. before you come back to vote, it will result in voter apathy. Why did you choose this option when the other option is possible?

Question number two, we read in the papers rumours of politicians buying PVCs; is there any likely benefit for those who are purchasing these PVCs? Thirdly, on the average, how long does it take a Card Reader to read a card? Finally, did you say it was an offence not to use the Card Reader Jega on voting process and buying of PVCs It is possible to do accreditation and voting simultaneously but the commission ruled that out. When we came in in 2010, we discovered that one of the major areas of electoral fraud is the abuse of the conventional system. Under that conventional system before the end of that period on the election day, there are people who can move here and there and vote and will vote almost 15 to 20 times. Also it was allowed for people to come out very early and vote, and most of the people would have voted. Then the party agents will connive with electoral officials because there is nobody around to share ballot papers and book them. That is also when the party thugs will move around, snatching the remaining ballot papers and stuffing them.

And that was why during the June 12 election, the then electoral Commission introduced the system of separating accreditation from voting, and we saw it was a very good system and we retained it.

It’s a bit inconveniencing for the elite because it is like you are wasting a lot of time on a day and people would want to do something. But to us, people should be able to bear

that inconvenience for one day in four years, if it is to help deepen our democracy and add credibility to the electoral process. And when you separate accreditation from voting, on average, in about 85-90 per cent if not more of the polling units, accreditation will take place simultaneously and voting will take place simultaneously. So, there is no chance for people to move from one place to another to participate either in accreditation or in voting.

On whether PVCs can be bought, yes, politicians can buy PVCs but we have demonstrated here that you cannot be verified and authenticated if it is not your card. So, it is useless. But people out there still think that if they buy the cards they will be able to use them, and that is why they are losing. So, if there is anybody disenfranchising anybody, it is those who are buying the cards because they will not be able to use and the owners will be disenfranchised. Sometimes they waylay our officials and steal the cards from them. The latest one was in Ebonyi where about 3,000 cards were collected and our staff assaulted. It has happened all over the country with small quantities but Ebonyi was where a large number was snatched recently. If it happened earlier in December, we would have factored it into our production but now it is too late, there is no way we can produce cards that are snatched by this time.

Ahmed Lawan on admissibility of Card Readers in court First, I want to know if the reader is admissible by law in court, and if it is not, I can see cases demanding Card Readers be made available at courts and the Electoral Act be amended to ensure the card reader is admissible in court.

If I heard you well, you said you signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) to deliver electoral materials. I’m afraid they might delay delivery in favour or against some parties. I want to be sure they are non-partisan so that they don’t sabotage INEC in this very important exercise.

INEC chair on MoU with NURTW We signed an MoU with the National Union of Road Transport Workers. The union is non-partisan of course like any union but individual members may be partisan. In the past, we were hiring vehicles from individual members of the union, and they will show their partisanship because it is a contractual obligation between us and them. So, they may either delay taking the materials or delay the process and so on. The involvement of the union in our view will minimise this because they are helping us to ensure that nobody who is outrightly partisan is involved in the hiring or renting of vehicles. They also have sanctions which they can impose on those who have done so.

Therefore, it will be a tremendous value added, and it will minimise the partisanship of individuals, which in the past, affected our electoral processes.

Enyinnaya Abaribe You said that the device is programmed to work for five hours daily. Let’s assume that you commenced accreditation by 8a.m., you will finish by 1p.m., like you said.

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THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2015 NEW TELEGRAPH

Opinion Lagos doesn’t need a CEO Kunle Aderemi

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sides all the politics, propaganda and jokes, there are serious issues in Lagos that need to be addressed; the rich are getting more comfortable while the poor are living in circumstances that are becoming more unbearable by the day. As we approach the elections, it’s imperative that we know just what the candidates are offering as their agendas and policies to change these dire circumstances. Only upon such knowledge should we cast our votes. Don’t vote for someone whose policies are actually voting against you. It’s like selling your soul and forgetting to collect the payment.

The cries are getting louder but it seems no one’s really listening. Are you there? Do you see the countless number of people waiting to get into the BRT buses?

Are you possibly one of them? The countless number of low income earners displaced by ‘burned markets’?

The forcefully retired okada drivers not empowered to work in other economic spheres? Are you there at all?

The neglected Ocean Economy? Do you even know what an Ocean Economy is?

There are a number of things the Lagos State Government can do to make life better for the ordinary man.

The only reason they haven’t done so is because they don’t care about the ordinary man. The government can invest in efficient transportation since there’s no cheaper alternative and majority of our population are low income earners. Efficient transportation doesn’t just mean new buses, it means a system that works. It means a timed schedule, convenient routes that are well spread across the state - a system good enough for the

Lagos is not a Company, it needs a Leader not a CEO. While a number of people boast of credentials, let’s make sure our next leader’s heart is also boasting of concern for the ordinary man’s difficulties. Akinwunmi Ambode has demonstrated tremendous qualifications suitable for world leading companies, but a government should not be about making money or raising profits man with a car to decide to leave his car at home and take the bus. Don’t just say “It starts from somewhere”, yes it does, but we’ve been at that somewhere for quite a while now and the state is cosmetically looking better but the living conditions of the people are getting worse.

The Lagos State Government can invest in extending development further down the mainland, away from the Island to relieve congestion so people don’t have to wake up by 4am to travel across the bridge for

three hours before they get to work. The Lagos State Government can localise developments across the mainland so that certain geographical areas on the “Island” aren’t tremendously more important than others on the mainland. They can sieve and monitor extra taxes so low income earners don’t suffer the consequences while high income earners reap the benefits. The government can invest and expand it’s Ocean Economy. But if we don’t know these things are possible, we won’t ask for them, and we might just end up giving to someone who intends to take everything from us.

Lagos is not a Company, it needs a Leader not a CEO. While a number of people boast of credentials, let’s make sure our next leader’s heart is also boasting of concern for the ordinary man’s difficulties.

Akinwunmi Ambode has demonstrated tremendous qualifications suitable for world leading companies, but a government should not be about making money or raising profits; it should be about executive administration and changing lives. If that’s the case, take a good look at both of the fore running candidates; one called Lagos a company, called himself a CEO and is well qualified to be termed as such while the other has over the past eight years demonstrated executive ability in running his own company and businesses to be called a Leader and more importantly has been actively involved in affecting lives - years before the elections.

Remember Lagos is not a company. If you’re not opposed to that notion, remember if it becomes one we certainly can’t all be partners.

• Aderemi, a public commentator lives in Lagos

Obasanjo, a comedian in politics Mike Arayuwa Wilkie

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lusegun Obasanjo, a retired Army General, is constantly in the news. It is therefore not my intent to introduce and write his profile. It is on record that in the past, he handed-over the reign of power twice. First, as a military Head of State, he handed-over to Alhaji Shehu Shagari in 1979 and second, as a civilian President, to the Late Alhaji Umaru Yar’ Adu in 2007.

Both were democratically elected Presidents. While Shehu Shagari was overthrown on December 31, 1983 by Muhammadu Buhari in a Military coup, Alhaji Umaru Yar’ Adua died in office vide a terminal ill-health.

The ugly circumstances of the death of Umaru Yar’ Adua led to the emergence of Goodluck Ebele Azikiwe Jonathan, his erstwhile Vice, as President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, in accordance with the Nation’s Constitution. Chief Olusegun Obasanjo was obviously instrumental to the rise of Umaru Yar’ Adua as president and the choice of Goodluck Ebele Azikiwe Jonathan as his Vice.

Consequent upon this action, some Northerners are still of the view that Obasanjo was fully aware of Umaru Yar’ Adua’s terminal illness before he foisted him on Nigeria as President.

This opinion is however contentious and debatable.

Jonathan as President, has had serial problems with the retired General. From what is being canvassed by the inner caucus of the Jona-

Obasanjo, at the peak of his political comedy, tore his PDP’s membership card to the astonishment of Nigerians and the Comity of Nations. How then can such a man be a respected statesman? than’s administration, the General’s inability to take charge, control and manipulate him is a major factor for his meandering political conduct. It is my sincere opinion that the faceoff between the duo, perhaps, led to Obasanjo’s resignation as Chairman, Board of Trustees of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP).

Obasanjo’s acidic critique of Jonathan till date motivated the top echelon of the PDP to virtually beg him to slow-down and to ensure that he is still an active participant and a mover of events within the party.

It is a resounding observation by Nigerians that Obasanjo became a pet and a bride of the PDP, still, he did not want to be pacified as a political father and statesman. At a time, it was alleged that one of the General’s legs was drifting towards the All Progressives’ Congress (APC) while he

bombarded his President almost on a monthly basis. As at today, Obasanjo has only identified with the APC through the endorsement of Muhammadu Buhari as a candidate to beat.

Yet, the 76-year-old retired General (who does not seem to know his age) insisted that he was still a member of the PDP until recently, when the center could no longer hold.

It will be recalled that when Obasanjo was released from prison, the power brokers of the PDP made him the party’s presidential candidate in 1999 and he won. His choice by the PDP oligarchs, was a compensation for the Yoruba in view of the bizarre and criminal manner Chief Moshood Abiola was treated by the military Government. He was adjudged to have won the June 12, 1993 presidential election which was annulled by Ibrahim Babangida, the then Military Head of State. Abiola, whose arrest and detention was done by the military, later died of circumstantial suspicion. Many Nigerians believed that he was poisoned by the military government.

Obasanjo’s ascension to power was necessitated by these circumstances.

He was president for a two-tenure of eightyears and prior to the expiration of his presidency, he attempted to embark on a failed mission of a third tenure which was roundly rejected by the National Assembly and some political actors. After his exit from power, why can’t he allow Jonathan to run the Nation State? Is Obasanjo aware that Mr. President has the constitutional right to exercise power and authority without his input whatsoever?

The old General, in my view, is certainly not happy that Jonathan may spend eight years in office in order to complete the slot of the SouthSouth geo-political region. Why is he against Mr. President’s ambition and the right to contest for a second tenure in office? I have reasoned that if the presidency is allowed to move to the other geo-political zones, it will take another 40 years before it will be back to the South South. If this assertion is given a credit, it will be wrong not to allow Jonathan to exhaust the number of years by his haters including Olusegun Obasanjo.

This scenario, when viewed from the perspective of the General’s intention to stop Jonathan from further contesting for the office of President, in my strong opinion, translates to returning power to the Northern over-powerful Lords who, in the past, ruled Nigeria for 38 years. Let it be told to the Born-To rule enclave that the country belongs to us all and governance should not be restricted to one ethnic Nationality.

Obasanjo, at the peak of his political comedy, tore his PDP’s membership card to the astonishment of Nigerians and the Comity of Nations. How then can such a man be a respected statesman? The unpredictable General had only displayed some juvenile characteristic traits which is unparalleled in the history of an ex-president.

His action is therefore a direct equivalent of crass opportunism. Only God can play God and not humans.

• Wilkie can be reached at pmikky1950@yahoo.com (08023097251)

NEW TELEGRAPH THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2015

19

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Curbing pre-election violence

t is worrisome that the lives of Nigerians mean nothing to the political class in the countdown to the general election.

Almost on a daily basis, innocent citizens are killed needlessly because of political differences.

A few days ago, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) released a report on politicallymotivated killings in parts of the country in the last couple of weeks.

The NHRC said in the report that at least 58 Nigerians had so far died in election-related violence ahead of the polls now rescheduled for March 28 and April 11.

The report said that in the “past 50 days,” 61 incidences of election violence occurred in 22 states. According to the commission, 58 people were killed in the incidences.

The NHRC Chairman, Chidi Odinkalu, who presented the report, said the incidences of violence were captured from all the country’s six geopolitical zones.

“The world believes that Nigeria is going to eat itself up because we are going for an election, we must show we can do things differently.

We do not want our election administrators killed, we do not want our voters killed, and we do not want our politicians killed,” he added.

The NHRC chairman said the scale of the 2015 pre-election violence was alarming.

According to him, Nigeria has

It is also surprising that the killings are going on despite the peace pact signed by the presidential candidates of all the political parties recently in the country’s seat of power, Abuja never experienced such.

It is also surprising that the killings are going on despite the peace pact signed by the presidential candidates of all the political parties recently in the country’s seat of power, Abuja.

Almost all the states of the federation have also organised ceremonies where party chieftains and flag bearers signed peace accord and made pledges to ensure violence-free polls.

The figure of 58 deaths by NHRC, though high and alarming, is conservative given the fact that most incidents are usually underreported in the country.

If properly documented, the number of deaths would be in the region of hundreds.

In some developed climes, people are voted for into office based on party manifestoes and leadership

capabilities of candidates, but not on sentiments.

Politicians are taken to task on what they have for the citizenry.

But in the Nigerian environment, politicking has been reduced by political actors to mundane issues.

Many politicians, knowing they have no electoral value, try to force themselves into the consciousness of the Nigerian electorate through violence. They breed violence, nurture violence, sponsor violence and live violence.

Anyone who wants to genuinely serve the people will not encourage anything that will hurt let alone kill those he wants to serve.

In the days of yore, electioneering in Nigeria was issue-based.

Though there were outbreaks of violence, they mostly emanated from frustrations by the electorate who believed the process had been short-changed.

Politicians were not in the habit of sponsoring violence.

But today, the story is different.

Many of the politicians believe the only way they can wrest power or remain in power is to unleash terror on their opponents as well as the helpless and hapless electorate.

Despite the peace accord, campaign train of the President has been stoned in some states.

Also, a few days ago, a policeman was reportedly killed when bombs went off at a campaign rally

of one of the political parties.

It was reported that gunmen also had a field day after the bomb explosions.

A governor in the South-West is being investigated by the NHRC for alleged state-sponsored violence.

The Executive Secretary of the commission, Prof Bem Angwe, while reacting to the petition on the said governor, said Africa ought to have moved away from the era Idi Amin Dada of Uganda where people’s rights were trampled upon with impunity.

Angwe pledged that the commission would ensure that anybody found culpable of promoting violence and hate speech was prosecuted, no matter how highly placed.

According to him, the NHRC is home for all Nigerians irrespective of religion, ethnicity and political affiliation.

He said: “Your allegations are against a sitting governor which have consequences, because if they are false, they portend serious consequences, and if they are true they still have consequences.

“We at the commission are saddened by these allegations; we are determined to ensure that people get remedy whenever their rights are abused. It will be sad if the allegations are proven against an executive governor, who has sworn an oath to protect lives and properties.”

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20 Politics | Interview

THURSDAY, February 26, 2015 NEW TELEGRAPH

Jega: Nobody’ll contemplate another poll shift CONTINUED FROM PAGE 17

If that is the case and from what we have seen here today, it means that you will only accredit 60 voters in one hour by one person per minute. It also means that only 300 voters will be accredited between the accreditation hours of 8 a.m. and 1 p.m. We all know that most polling booths have more than 300 registered voters. Now, if this is the case, the rest of the registered voters would be disenfranchised for the election. Chairman, what do you do in this kind of

scenario?

Jega on accreditation time It takes 10 to 30 seconds to accredit a voter. The reason it took long here is because if you give us your card we have to configure it to your polling unit; so it takes time to configure it to your polling unit for it to be read. But for every polling unit we will configure the cards specific, so if you come, it will take less time to read the card. Therefore, it doesn’t take long to read the card.

Abdul Ningi’s question Can a voter vote without PVC? Jega’s response Only PVC bearers can vote; Temporary Voters’ Card (TVC) is not allowed.

It is not possible for anybody to vote without his Permanent Voter’s Card. I have cited earlier the section of the Electoral Act that says a voter having presented himself or herself at the polling unit, the first thing they are required to do is to present their cards to the presiding officer, and

if you don’t have a card to present you can’t be allowed to vote. So, presentation of your PVC is a requirement for commencement of accreditation.

Maybe, I should address a question many people have been raising including members of this distinguished Chamber, whether we should allow temporary voter’s card (TVC) to be used for the election.

There are over four million people who did double registration and electoral offences that we removed from the regis-

ter. All these people have TVCs; if we allow the use of TVCs, those people will come with their TVCs and want to vote and will disrupt the election if their names are not found in the register of voters. This is what happened in Anambra, I am sorry to go back to Anambra. So, we have not seen why we should go back to the TVC, we have already made progress.

And by March 28, everybody would have had his card produced, collected it and use it for the election.

So, only people with PVCs

will be able to vote.

Jega: Why PVC collection rate high in Boko Haram controlled areas Why should anyone blame me for that? There is need for us to have clarity on this matter. In Yobe, only two local governments are under emergency rule and the state is among the second phase in the distribution of the PVCs. In Yobe, along with about 11 other states, we distributed cards as long as July 2014.

So, if the rate of collection has gone very high, I don’t see why that should be seen as a problem. The same thing in Adamawa, only four local government areas are inaccessible and we devised a system where cards can be distributed in IDPs camps. So, as many as had been displaced but who had registered have been able to collect their cards. But when you look at the way newspapers do their analysis, they tend to project as if there is regional slant in the distribution of the cards. When we designed the distribution of cards, we did it in such a manner that the we took two states each from each geo-political zone to make a phase and we did it in three phases just to avoid being accused of this regional slant in the distribution of PVCs. It will be wrong to assume that Yobe or any other state has higher rate of collection. If people come out to collect and other people did not, why should we be blamed for that?

Mark’s parting shot In his concluding statement, the President of the Senate, Senator David Mark, who presided over the session noted that the Senate has a constitutional responsibility to assist INEC to conduct a free, fair and credible elections that would facilitate smooth transition to another democratic government and sustenance of democracy in Nigeria.

He urged INEC to bring to the knowledge of the parliament, anything within its powers that could help the commission to succeed.

“It is for us to assist you to conduct a free, fair and credible elections and whatever we can do between now and the date that you have chosen for us to go for the elections, please don’t hesitate to come back to us. I believe that you benefited from this interaction; we have also benefited. A number of issues have been raised and they are pointers to the way you want to look at the administrative and technical issues that have also been raised,” he stated.

NEW TELEGRAPH THURSDAY, february 26, 2015

21

Interview

News

Kalu: Jega not to blame for shift in polls

Funsho Williams: Court orders substituted service on Tinubu, others

24

26

Law

Another poll shift will trigger anarchy, say lawyers

Abayomi

Adegboruwa

Days after the Chairman of the nation’s electoral umpire, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Attahiru Jega gave a verdict that only the military and not the commission would determine whether the March 28 and April 11 dates for the elections would hold, lawyers at the weekend insisted that they would resist another attempt to shift the general elections. TUNDE OYESINA and AKEEM NAFIU report

I FOLUSO OGUNMODEDE JUDICIARY Editor

foluso.ogunmodede@ newtelegraphonline.com

© Daily Telegraph Publishing Company Limited

s the doctrine of necessity the requisite alternative should the security challenge in the north-east persist? No, say lawyers at the weekend.

They were unanimous that the new dates fixed for the 2015 general elections remain sacrosanct as any attempt to further shift the elections would lead to anarchy.

Apparently carpeting the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Attahiru Jega that only the security challenge in the north-east would determine the March 28 elections, the lawyers,

Raji

A further shift beyond the 28th of March and April 11, 2015, will encroach on the Constitution and the Electoral Act. This will create a constitutional anarchy.

including Inner members of the Bar said not even the doctrine of necessity could be invoked as alternative to March 28 and April 11 elections.

Although one of them said should there be a genuine reason to canvass a new date, the doctrine of necessity should be invoked, they insisted that ‘on March 28 we stand’.

Jega had last week told the National Assembly that the conduct of the elections on March 28 would depend on the security situation in the country and not the INEC as the commission had done the needful, hence INEC could not guarantee whether elections would hold since it had no control over the nation’s security challenge.

He said: “The question of security, I will leave it. I don’t think I am competent to answer it sufficiently but I must say that every Nigerian knows that we want elections to hold within the constitutional timeframe. We should also be fair also to the military.

But his position elicited controversy as many believe Jega was playing the Ostrich by given a reliance on the military to de-

termine the possibility of holding the March 28 elections.

To lawyers, Jega should intimate Nigerians on the challenges bedeviling the commission rather than hiding under the pretence of security to announce another date for the elections.

Besides, the lawyers insisted that the military had no role to play during elections especially as a superior court in the country had ruled otherwise.

According to them, only seven of the 774 local governments in the country could no longer be used as reasons under whatever guise to again shift the poll, hence Jega must stick to the scheduled dates as further postponement would trigger constitutional crisis .

For instance, an activist lawyer and former governorship aspirant in 2012 election in Ondo State, Dr. Tunji Abayomi believes Jega was merely playing the Ostrich as the security situation in the north-east could not propel the commission to further shift the March 28 elections since the nation could afford to go ahead CONTINUED ON PAGE 25

22 Law | News

THURSDAY, february 26, 2015 NEW TELEGRAPH

Women seek N100m damages for discrimination Harassment

Women ask ECOWAS court to enter judgement in their favour Tunde Oyesina Abuja

F

our Nigerian women who sued the Abuja Environment Protection Board, AEPB, the Nigerian Police, the Nigerian Army and other government security agencies working for AEPB at the ECOWAS Community Court of Justice, have asked the court to give judgement in their favour.

The women: Dorothy Njemanze, Edu Oroko, Justina Etim and Amarachi Jessyford, are seeking N100 million in damages over allegations of harassment and discrimination they suffered in the hands of security agents between July 2012 and April 2013.

Their lawyer, Dr B.A.M. Ajibade, SAN, is asking the court to enter judgement in favour of the plaintiffs for failure or refusal by the Federal Government to file any defence.

When the case came up, the court noted that the case was filed in September 2014 and that

despite the fact that the Federal Government had been served, it had failed to enter appearance.

While adjourning the case to March 11, the court said that justice demanded that a further adjournment be granted to enable the defendant to enter appearance and file its defence.

The women said they were picked up at different times and different venues in Abuja, between the period of July 2012 and April 2013 by agents of the Abuja Environment Protection Board (AEPB) supported by the Nigerian Police Force and Nigerian Army on

claims of carrying out their function of keeping Abuja environment clean and by extension getting rid of prostitutes and destitute persons on the streets of Abuja.

They contended that the gender-based violence and discrimination they suffered in the hands of these agents impacted negatively on their fundamental human rights.

The plaintiffs were all residents of Abuja during the nine months period when they suffered these attacks, thus, base their claims on international law, including the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights,

ACHPR, the protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ rights on the Rights of Women in Africa (Women’s Protocol).

They said the treatment they suffered at the hands of the government agencies constituted Gender-Based Violence, GBV; unequal and gender-based discrimination because they were specifically targeted as women.

In a statement, they said a favourable outcome would benefit hundreds of women who are subjected to similar treatment.

“It is hoped that this suit will generate change in government policy

and practice with regard to the gender- based violence and gender-based discrimination in Nigeria,” they stated.

The women said they were harassed physically, psychologically and sexually by AEPB officers as well as the police officers and soldiers because they were considered prostitutes.

Reports indicate women and girls, deemed prostitutes by security agents, are picked up daily on the streets of Abuja and these include innocent ones going about their legitimate businesses.

The applicants are represented by Alliances for

Calabar dredging: Court to hear FG, NPA, others’ N20bn suit March 24 Clement James Calabar

F

L-R: NBA President, Mr. Augustine Alegeh, President, Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN), Chidi Onyenkwu and his Chartered Institute of Stockbrokers’ counterpart, Albert E. Okumagba during the signing of a collaboration agreement among professionl assoications at the ICAN secretariat, Victoria Island, Lagos

Court orders FAAN to pay ex-GM three-year salary arrears Foluso Ogunmodede

F

Africa, AfA, the Institute for Human Rights and Development in Africa, IHRDA, and SPA Ajibade & Co, a leading Nigerian law firm. The legal team is assisted with advocacy by the Nigerian Women Trust Fund, NWTF. AfA is coordinating this action with the support of the Open Society Initiative for West Africa, OSIWA.

or relieving him of his post as a General Manager (Legal), Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Mr. Mahmud Bayo Alabidun will receive his full salary and allowances from October 4, 2011 to April 29, 2015, a Lagos High Court has ruled.

Alabidun had approached the court for a declaration that the termination of his appointment was without recourse to due process, insisting that he remained an employee of FAAN until a due process was followed in the termination of his employment.

Sued were the Federal Government and the Minister of Aviation.

However, Alabidun asked the court to order FAAN to pay him N1bn in damages.

Specifically, he sought for the following reliefs; *A declaration that the defendants’ letter Ref. No. FAAN.

CA/CPF 4949/I/15 dated 4th October 2011 purporting to ‘disengage’ the plaintiff from his public service position or as a public servant is unconstitutional, unlawful, null, void and of no effect whatsoever. *A declaration that the plaintiff is and continues to be in the public service, a n d in particular, in the office of General Manager (Legal) of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria until his appointment ceases by due process of law and in accordance with the staff conditions of service governing his contract of employment i n the said Federal Airports Authority of Niger i a. *Damages in the sum of N1billion for abuse of power by the defendants in unlawfully interfering with plaintiff ’s employment as a public servant.

Although his reliefs succeeded in part, the court ordered FAAN to pay him all arrears from 2011 till April

this year.

In an enrolment of order, dated January 30, Justice B.B. Kanyip said although Alabidun’s termination by FAAN was wrongful, the embattled manager was equally due for retirement as he had been caught up by the eight-year tenure under Rule 020810 (iv) (a) of the Public Service Rules.

Justice Kanyip said: “For the avoidance of doubt, and for the reasons given, I find and hold as followsThe claimant did not succeed in proving to the Court that he is a statutory employee.

“Section 171 of the 1999 Constitution, as amended, is irrelevant in the determination of whether the defenda nts have the power to disengage the claimant from the service of FAAN. “The disengagement of the claimant from the service of FAAN was wrongful for the following reasons: nonobservance of the provisions of Exhibit MBA4; the reasons

given by the defendants for the disengagement were not justified; and the signatory of Exhibit MBA5 (the disengagement letter) has not been shown to the Board or Managing Director of FAAN, the employer of the claimant.

Though the disengagement of the claimant by the defendants was wrongful, the claimant’s employment, nevertheless has come to an end.

The claimant as General Manager (Legal) on Grade Level 17 is equivalent to a Director and so is caught up by the 8-year tenure under Rule 020810 (iv) (a) of the Public Service Rules and so must retire after serving 8 years on the post of General Manager (Legal).

For the wrongful disengagement of the claimant from the service of FAA N, the defendants (as well as FAAN itself) are to pay to the claimant within 30 days of this judgement his full salary and allowances for the period 4th October 2011 to 29th April 2015; and I so order”.

or the umpteenth time, a Federal High Court sitting in Calabar yesterday adjourned a N20bn suit initiated against the Federal Government over the dredging of Calabar to March 24 to enable the plaintiff to serve all the defendants in the matter.

Sued alongside the Federal Government are the Attorney-General and Minister for Justice and the Minister of Transport.

Others are the Nigerian Port Authority, Bureau of Public Procurement and Calabar Channels Management Ltd. The suit initiated by Reginald Osere of Greenfield on behalf Mr. Sam Meje, is before Justice Obilo Emmanuel.

However, when the case came up yesterday, Meje’s lawyers, Monjok Agom and O. Nwachukwu urged the court to grant them the following reliefs; an order to grant the plaintiff leave to serve the originating processes in the suit on 1st to 5th defendants outside the jurisdiction of the court and an order directing that the 6th defendant to be served by substituted means by publishing same on one national newspaper on the grounds that the bailiff of the court could not effect service after multiple trials.

While granting the first prayer, Justice Obilo Emmanuel ordered the lawyers to the plaintiff to serve the 1st to 5th defendants as request but declined to grant the second prayer, saying the court bailiff, John Okon was yet to exhaust all the avenues to serve the 6th defendant. He however adjourned further hearing in the matter to March 24.

Law | File

NEW TELEGRAPH THURSDAY, february 26, 2015

Kwon: Nigerians, not PDP, seek Buhari’s disqualification

H

e is the Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP) national legal adviser.

Victor Yusuf Kwon in this interview with TUNDE OYESINA speaks on a series of litigations in the party, Obasanjo’s exit, APC’s presidential candidate and sundry issues.

For about 45 minutes, Victor Yusuf Kwon, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) national legal adviser analysed why his party should be exonerated in a series of cases in court against the All Progressives Congress’ (APC) presidential candidate, General Muhammadu Buhari and concluded that cases were in court because Nigerians never in Buhari’s candidacy.

According to him, there was the need to unearth why Buhari allegedly gave some false information in a form he submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), hence the suits became inevitable especially as guaranteed by Section 31 of the Electoral Act. Kwon said: “The case against General Buhari as you know, was filed by concerned Nigerians acting under Section 31 of the Electoral Act, which gives any Nigerian right to file an action, to challenge any declarations made by a candidate of a political party in the INEC forms if they believe that those declarations are not correct. So, PDP as a political party has not joined in the case. It is a case by concerned Nigerians, who have the view that the candidate for APC had made statements in the INEC forms that were not true”.

Although he denied insinuations that the PDP was a lawless party if the series of cases against it were anything to go by, Kwon said the party had never taken its members to court but became a defendant in some of the litigated matter.

His words: “Generally, you find that it’s not usual for the PDP as a party to file any suit in court, but in many cases what happens is that PDP is joined as a defendant, maybe, suits relating to the nomination process of the party or suits relating to the general elections. So, if you say suits that PDP has won, if you have a case involving the party by which two members of the party tussle over the party’s ticket, is an intra-party matter.

However it goes, it is still victory for the party because the tussle is for the party’s nomination and all the parties are members of the PDP. But of course as you know, not too long ago we got judgment in the petition brought by the APC challenging the election of Gov. Fayose. This is one of the serious cases involving the PDP, but many of the cases involving the party usually relate to the nomination processes.

On whether he was bothered by gale of litigation, he said “no, you see the matter of litigation is part and parcel of the political process and the electoral process because it is only natural that people who lose nominations will be aggrieved, you know it is natural and we do expect that they

2015 elections: Legal implications of postponement Wahab Shittu

T

Kwon

express or ventilate their grievances within the party. But by and large, the Electoral Act gives all aspirants the right to challenge the nomination process if the nomination was done in breach of the party’s guidelines or the Electoral Act or the party’s constitution. So, its part and parcel of the political process; we’ll sort them out at the appropriate time.

On the wind of defection ravaging the party especially at election period, Kwon said “well you see, PDP is a large party and it is also natural following every nomination process, the unfortunate thing is that we have members who are aggrieved, who would want to try and get nomination from other party in case they lose in PDP. A few people have left the party but you’ve also gained a few people too, so it’s like more or less a give and take situation. But yes, we would rather keep our members all intact but some of these things are inevitable because they will try to seek alternative platforms to realize their political ambitions. It happens to every large party not just PDP. He, however described the exit of former president, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo from the party as something to be worried about.

According to Kwon, the former president’s decision to abandon the party at this critical period was worrisome, urging party chieftains to intervene in the matter.

“Chief Obasanjo is a much respected leader of the party and indeed it is a matter of worry that such a respected leader in the party can make a comment accredited to him. We expect that where there are problems, there are ways and means of addressing it at the level of leadership and that is what we expected he would have done. So, it’s a matter that I think all lovers of the country and the party will express some concern that a respected leader of the party with the rank of a former president under the platform of the PDP will expect that he’ll do everything to build the party, to support the party and not the kind of statements accredited to him”, Kwon said.

23

he sudden postponement of the upcoming elections from the dates initially scheduled for the exercise to new dates in March and April respectively, understandably has generated a lot of controversies within and outside the country.

They are those who contend that the postponement may have dimmed public confidence apart from the possibility of such shift capable of overheating the polity. Proponents of the shift however argue that the postponement was inevitable in the light of serious security challenges particularly in the north-east and general lack of access to permanent voter’s cards by majority of Nigerians who may be disenfranchised gravely if the initial dates for the elections were upheld. The merit of each of these positions arguably is debatable.

Notwithstanding, the essence of this intervention is to examine critically the legal implications of the postponement in the light of available constitutional and statutory provisions on the subject matter.

Duties and responsibilities of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Section 15 of the Third Schedule Part 1 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria listed the power of INEC as including, organizing, undertaking and supervising all elections to the offices of the President and Vice-President, the Governor and Deputy Governor of a State, and to the membership of the Senate, the House of Representatives and the House of Assembly of each state of the Federation.

Section 30 of the Electoral Act 2010 as amended gives INEC the prerogative of fixing the date of the election. There is therefore no ambiguity on the prerogative available to INEC to determine the dates of elections as part of its responsibilities. The question that arises is when an election date may be postponed once fixed by INEC. The power to postpone an election is set out in Section 26 of the Electoral Act 2010 as amended.

It reads: “Where a date has been appointed for the holding of an election, and there is reason to believe that a serious breach of the peace is likely to occur if the election is proceeded with on that date or it is impossible to conduct the elections as a result of natural disasters or other emergencies, the Commission may postpone the election and shall in respect of the area, or areas concerned, appoint another date for the holding of the postponed election provided that such reason for the postponement is cogent and verifiable.”

The wording of the foregoing position appears restricted as opposed to being elastic compared to similar provision stipulated in Section 121(1) of the Decree No. 50 of 1991. The said Section 121(1) of Decree 50 provides: “Where a date has been appointed for the holding of an election and there is reason to apprehend that a serious breach of the peace is likely to occur if the election is proceeded with on the date, the holding of the election may be postponed by the National Electoral Commission until some other convenient date to be appointed by it.”

In interpreting the wordings of Decree 50 above, his Lordship Akanbi JCA in the case of Alhaji Ali Sa’ad Birnin Kudu vs. Alhaji Buba Aliyu & 3 Ors and National Electoral Commission and 2 ors vs. Alhaji Buba Aliyu and Anor (1992) 2 LRECN pg. 43 held as follows:

“It is clear to me that once a date for an election is fixed, it may only be postponed if there is fear of a serious breach of the peace. Section 10 of the Interpretation Act does not alter the situation…”

If one were to embark on the comparative analysis of the two provisions i.e. Section 121(1) of Decree 50 of 1991 and Section 26 of the Electoral Act 2010 as amended, one can say without any fear of contradiction that while Decree 50 envisage a valid postponement of an election when “…there is reason to apprehend that a serious breach of the peace is likely to occur if the election is proceeded with on the date…” without restricting such likely breach of peace to any specific area /areas, section 26 of the Electoral Act 2010 as amended stipulates that “…the commission may postpone the election and shall in respect of the area or areas concerned, appoint another date for the holding of the postponed election provided that such reason for postponement is cogent and verifiable.”

The legality of the present postponement may well lies in the disparity in the provisions between Decree 50 of 1991 and Section 26 of the Electoral Act 2010 as amended.

It can be said that if we were to operate under the regime of Decree 50 of 1991 then it will be difficult to fault INEC for a postponement based on security challenges in the North-East because the said Decree 50 was elastic enough to cover incidence of alleged breach of peace within aspect of the country or in all parts of the country given the general wordings of Decree 50 of 1991. Unfortunately, the law on this subject may have changed dramatically given the restrictiveness in application of Section 26(1) of the Electoral Act 2010 as amended.

It would seem that given the restrictiveness of the present law i.e. the Electoral Act 2010 as amended the power of INEC to postpone elections even if acknowledged and recognized is limited to postponement of such elections in areas where breach of peace is envisaged and not the entire country where there is relative peace and stability conducive for the conduct of elections.

Again, the application of Section 26 as a ground for postponement of any election may not be automatic even in the area affected by breach of peace and security as same is dependent on the ability of INEC to furnish reasons for such postponement that is “cogent and verifiable”. The question remains, what is cogent and verifiable in the circumstances?

In interpreting similar wordings as it relates to Section 34 (2) of the Electoral Act 2006 in the case of Amaechi v. INEC (2008) 1 LRECN pg 1 particularly on pg 9 the Supreme Court said: “It is manifest that the requirement under section 34(20 of the 2006 Act that “cogent and verifiable reason” be given in order to effect a change of candidates was a deliberate and poignant attempt to reverse the 2002 Act which led to a situation where disputes arose even after elections had been concluded as to which particular candidates had been put up by parties to stand elections. The meaning of the word ‘cogent’ as given in the Shorter Oxford English Dictionary is stated to be “constraining, powerful, forcible, having power to compel assent, convincing.” The same dictionary defines “verifiable” as “that can be verified or proved to be true, authentic, accurate or real; capable of verification.” to be continued

24

Law | Interview

THURSDAY, february 26, 2015 NEW TELEGRAPH

Kalu: Jega not to blame for shift in polls Awa Kalu is a Senior Advocate of Nigeria.

In this interview Kalu speaks on the controversial shift in poll, readiness of the judiciary for the elections, CJN and his predecessor, security challenge and sundry issues.

TUNDE OYESINA met him.

How would you rate the judiciary ahead of the next month general elections in comparison with what we had in 2011?

Judiciary Staff Union were on a nation-wide strike and only recently resumed with regard to the Federal courts alone apart from Lagos State. I think all other courts were under lock and key, so it is difficult to say what would or what would have happened had all the courts been functional. So, for now, we are seeing limited actions, most of the matters that would probably have been determined during the period of the strike are just warming up and I can confidently speculate that there would certainly be some injunctions here and there.

What is your view on the postponement of the election?

I watched that interview or conference held by the chairman of the Independent National Elector-

Kalu

al Commissions (INEC). I listened to him carefully, listened to the answers he gave to the questions which he feels that and having anchored the postponement on security issues and security concerns. I don’t think anybody can blame the Commission. The Chairman said clearly that there will be at least 700 thousand ad-hoc staff deployed all over the federation and on account of security concerns, those who are to provide security for the election said categorically to INEC that they needed six weeks to be able to guarantee their security so I think that should be reasonable.

The immediate past CJN came with a promise to cleanse the judiciary;

she played her role which was commended by major stakeholders, do you think her successor is following in her footsteps?

Well, the present Chief Justice of Nigeria Justice Mahmud Mohammed resumed office recently and we will judge him when he leaves because it is difficult to begin now to compare him to somebody who occupied that office for a period of time. It takes time to settle within an office. He has to appraise the totality of problems confronting the judiciary including, noting the fact that he came in when the judicial apparatus were paralysed by the strike we have talked about. So, it is too early in my view to begin to compare his tenure.

To what extent do you think the peace accord signed by President Jonathan, General Muhammadu Buhari and other presidential candidates would go to curb electoral violence in the country?

You can see that the understanding and accommodation which President Jonathan and Gen. Mohammadu Buhari reached through the peace accord is now spreading to the states at gubernatorial level which means it is a good omen for a peaceful election. If we have pacts now in the 36 States plus the presidential election, every Nigerian will feel that an enabling environment have been created for a peaceful election.

N4bn suit: Lagos AG, ex-police boss, Akpoyibo know fate March 9

Justice Atilade

Akeem Nafiu

J

ustice Oyindamola Ogala of a Lagos High Court in Igbosere will on March 9, deliver judgement in a N4billion violation of human rights suit filed by the Ekwulobia Youths

against the Inspector General of Police, Attorney General of the Federation and two others.

The Lagos State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, former Lagos police boss, Marvell Akpoyibo and the Aguda Division-

al Police Station were joined as co-defendants in the suit.

Four traders of the Ladipo market, namely: Anthony Ezenwafor, Chukwuemika Ezeofor, Aloysius Osigwe and Izuchukwu Ezeama, who were also members of the Ekwulobia Youths Association, were alleged to have been killed by some policemen from the Aguda Police Station, Surulere, on July 1, 2001.

Subsequently, some members of the association led by Akaraka Chinweke, Chris Opara, Remigus Ezenwane and Ifeanyi Okoye, in 2011, dragged the respondents before the court for the violation of the human rights of the deceased.

At the last hearing of the matter, applicants’

lawyer, Abioye Akerele, who held the brief of Justy Osas Erhabor, informed the court that he had filed a further written address.

He urged the court to do justice to the case of the deceased.

The youths are seeking ‘for an order for payment of the sum of N4 billion as damages and compensations to the families of the said four victims for their alleged unlawful killing.’

They are also asking ‘for an order directing the first and the fourth defendants or any other persons or body of persons to conduct full and unbiased investigation into the incident and punitive measures taken against those found to have hands in the das-

tardly act.’

In a 21-paragraph affidavit in support of a motion deposed to by one of the plaintiffs, Akaraka Chinweke, it was claimed that the deceased persons were killed in their apartment at 48, Olaitan Street, Surulere, Lagos on July 21, 2001.

It was further claimed that they were apprentice traders under one, Jude Okoli, a businessman at Ladipo International Market, and were living in a two-bedroom flat in the boys quarters “The information I got was that robbers went to the house of the deceased on July 1, 2001 and began shouting “Alloy, Alloy”, the name of one of the deceased persons used for the payment of

the rent for the apartment”, the deponent said.

He added that, “The deceased realising that the people shouting were robbers removed their window glass and escaped out of the building through the window”.

“After the robbers had gone, the deceased went back to their house and not long after the police arrived and immediately shot three (Ezenwafor, Ezeofor and Ezeama) without any effort at arresting or telling them whatever offences they were alleged to have committed, “ he also added.

He further deposed that, ‘the police later said they shot the deceased on mere suspicion without proof that they were armed robbers.’

Law

NEW TELEGRAPH THURSDAY, february 26, 2015

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

with the elections without the troubled Adamawa, Borno and Yobe states.

Abayomi said: “If it is about the conduct of the elections in the troubled zone, we can do without such zones and base the calculation on the number of local government councils where elections were conducted.

“Democracy is based purely on elections. It is possible that in some areas, elections may not be possible but the Constitution makes provision for such uncertainties.

“What will happen is that elections will still have to be conducted. The two-thirds as well as the majority of votes which the Constitution provides will be that of the states where elections had taken place.

“It is also likely that elections will be conducted in such states, but it may not get the required number of votes because of the security situation but constitutionally, elections must hold because there is no provision for transitional government.

“The tenure of the President will cease and there will be no basis for him to continue in office”.

He was corroborated by Ahmed Raji, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, who simply said nothing could warrant the further shift in the elections if the Constitution and the Electoral Act must be respected.

Raji said: “Of course, when an election becomes impossible due to genuine reason under the Constitution and the Doctrine of Necessity, any arrangement can be made. The Constitution has a solution to it and the Doctrine of Necessity is always there to fill in the vacuum as there can never be a vacuum in governance.

“And it will be within the constitutional framework for us to have some other arrangements for the society to move on”.

To Godwin Obla, another Senior Advocate, while insisting that elections must hold as scheduled,Jega’s conclusion that only the nation’s security challenge would determine the success of the scheduled elections was unacceptable as the military had no role to play in the election, hence there was no way their opinion could decide whether or not election should hold on March 28.

He said: “Let us compare the number of Local Governments we have with those being ravaged by insurgency; it is so minute that such should not in any way stop the conduct of the elections.

“The security of an election is provided for by civil security personnel and not the military. In other words, there is nothing the military is expected to do during the elections.

“Recently, the Court of Appeal re-emphasised it that the military has no role to play in elections”.

To Terma Ivhorie, a further postponement of the elections will be a breach of the Constitution and the Electoral Act. He said: “We have seen other countries where there are security challenges and they still went ahead with their elections.

“There is no doubt that Nigeria is at war, but that is not enough to stop an election. Only about seven local governments are being affected out of about 774 local

25

‘Military has no role in election’

Jonathan

governments in the country.

“It will rather be an injustice to shift elections for 774 local governments because of just seven local governments. INEC should come out clearly to tell Nigerians if it is having logistic problems and not hide under the insecurity to again postpone the elections.

“And fortunately, going by the news we are hearing, the military seems to be achieving success in the fight against insurgents. So, let us hope for the better”.

Wale Ogunade said: “That tenure determines the life span of a government and by virtue of the Constitution, particularly in Section 135(2) (a) (b) which talks about taking of oath of office, your clock begins to count from that day you took the oath and the term is for a period of four years. So, if the term is for a period of four years as provided for by the Constitution, it means that if you took oath on the 29th day of May, it would expire on the 28th day of May, which is four years after.

The term and tenure of the present administration ends on the 28th day of May, 2015. There is no other way in the constitution’’.

“The other subterranean way in the Constitution is the provision of the state of emergency which is provided for in Section 135(3). When there is a state of emergency, then, the tenure of the President can be extended by six months in the first instance.

So, if for any reason, the country is at war, the tenure of the President may be extended by six months. Of course, it is not just automatic. It must be by the concurrence of both chambers of the National Assembly. Unfortunately, that is where they are going, but it can’t work. This is because the provision in Section 132 is clear as to the constituency of the President and that is twothirds of Nigeria. That is, scoring one-quarter vote in two-thirds of Nigeria.

So, if that is the provisions of the law, let’s even assume that we want to stretch it that instead of 24

Jega

The security of an election is provided for by civil security personnel and not the military. In other words, there is nothing the military is expected to do during the elections

states which is the two-thirds of Nigeria, let’s make it 30 but we know we only have 3 states under the threat of the insurgents, so what is the stress?

But again, the issue of the state of war as provided for in the Constitution is a full blown war all over the country like we have during the civil war. But, that is not the situation we have now and that is my problem.

“If elections were held leaving out the troubled north-east, it cannot be inconclusive. This is because it is possible that those areas are left out and elections are conducted generally in other parts of the country and if need be later they can go there and concentrate all the securities there for the purpose of an election. This has happened in this country before.

Sometimes, I can’t remember the year now, there were crisis in Bayelsa State and elections were not held there when the other parts of the country were having their elections. Elections were conducted in Bayelsa, a week after it was held in other parts of the country.

So, if Jega is saying leaving out those areas will make elections inconclusive, that is his own understanding, but I am talking as a constitutional lawyer.

I believe those who are not in the danger zone should have elections while those who are in the danger zone can have theirs later.

It is as simple as that. There can’t be any window for a further postponement of the elections except that of the state of emergency which is not applicable because the country is not in a state of war at the moment. The most important thing is that any further shift in the election dates will cause constitutional crisis which may affect the government. So, it is better for the government to work out how legitimacy can come through this electoral process as anything out of that will lead to constitutional crisis.”

Monday Ubani said ‘’the Constitution is clear as to the tenure of the present government which

will end on the 29th of May, 2015 and the Electoral Act says elections must be concluded at least 30 days before the hand-over date.

He went on: “So, a further shift beyond the 28th of March and April 11, 2015, will encroach on the Constitution and the Electoral Act. This will create a constitutional anarchy. So, I don’t think there will be any room for any postponement.

Jega is saying security is key and the security operatives are also saying that they hope to achieve what they set out to do before that time by ensuring safety of lives and properties. So, I want to see the postponement as only being speculative because there are grave implications if the election dates are further shifted’’.

Adetokunbo Mumuni said “the circumstance will be when the nation is at war and not when there are problem of insurgents in some parts of the country. The nation will be at war if there has been a declaration of such by the President even before we start to talk about election postponement.

“So, unless one would start speculating about the postponement, if anything of such happens, there will be constitutional crisis. This is because by the Constitution, the hand-over date should be 29th of May, 2015, while the Electoral Act stated that elections must be conducted at least three months before the hand-over date. So, let’s just hope that we wouldn’t get to that situation where the election will be further postponed otherwise we will be having a monumental constitutional crisis on our hand’’.

But Mr. Ebun-olu Adegboruwa differ, saying the elections would be inconclusive should the troubled region be left out on the grounds of insurgency.

He said: “At the moment, Nigeria seems to be at a standstill, economic decisions are being shifted, investment decisions are being postponed and indeed a lot of other things are being shifted because of elections.”

26 Law | News

THURSDAY, february 26, 2015 NEW TELEGRAPH

Funsho Williams: Court orders substituted service on Tinubu, others Justice Ibarahim Auta

Folusho Ogunmodede

B

arely two months after he approached a Federal High Court,

Lagos for an order of mandamus, compelling a fresh investigation into how a frontline politician and former Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship aspirant in the 2007 election in Lagos State, Engineer Anthony Olufunsho Williams was murdered, an initial suspect, Mr. Bashir Junaid has got the court’s nod to put defendants on notice.

The court had ordered a substituted service on

six of the 11 defendants following the inability of the bailiff to serve processes on them with a view to making them aware that the matter had been brought to court.

Besides, the court has fixed March 19 as definite hearing in the matter.

Junaid, who was one of the suspects named in the murder of the frontline politicians, was left off the hook by a Lagos High Court after he was

found innocent of the alleged murder. Although Junaid was released having spent four months in detention, he approached the Federal High Court to seek redress, asking the court to compel the police to commence a fresh investigation into matter.

Specifically, he is asking Justice Rita N. OfiliAjumogobia to make an order of Mandamus directing the Inspector General of Police to re-

open investigations into the murder of Engineer Funsho Williams, citing members of “Team Lagos” killer squad hit as suspects due for arrest and interrogation.

Williams, the engineer turned politician, was gruesomely murdered in his Ikoyi home on July 27, 2006.

Scores of suspects including Junaid were arrested in connection with his death.

However, those arrested, detained and accused for killing Williams were discharged and acquitted by a Lagos High Court which found them innocent of the alleged murder of the frontline politicians.

Specifically, they were on June 31, last year freed by Justice Ebenezer Adebajo of a Lagos High Court, Igbosere, who discharged and acquitted all the six persons accused of killing the PDP bigwig in Lagos State.

They walked away from court as free men, after the judge had dismissed the charge, pronouncing that the evidence adduced by the prosecution to prove the two-count charge of conspiracy and murder was “weak and superficial; they amount to speculation when given consideration”.

But apparently aggrieved, Junaid headed for the Federal High Court, Lagos asked it to compelmake the Inspector General of Police to re-open investigations into the murder of Engineer Funsho Williams, citing members of “Team Lagos” killer squad hit as suspects due for arrest and interrogation.

In the suit No: FHC/L/ CS/1371/14 before Justice R.N. Ofili-Ajumogobia billed for March 19, has 11 co-defendants.

They are the Inspector-General of Police, Commissioner of Police, Lagos State, Mr. Sunday Ehindero (a former I.G.P & I.P.O. of Funsho Williams’ murder case) and the Attorney-General of the Federation.

Others include Mrs Modupe Shasore, Peoples Democratic Party, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Dr. Muiz Banire, Mr. Babatunde Edu, Mr Dele Alake and Menry Oladele Ajomale.

Of the 11 defendants, only five had been properly served with the court processes.

However, a reprieve came the way of Junaid when the court granted his request that the other six defendants 2nd, 5th, 7th, 9th, 10th and 11th the court who, according to the bailiff could not be served, should be reached through a substituted service.

According to the court, the processes must be transmitted through a reputable Courier service firm to their usual or last known places of abode or business premises save the eight defendant, Dr. Muiz Banire.

NEW TELEGRAPH THURSDAY FEBRUARY 26, 2015

Health Living

27 Health News

Chronic heartburn may be fatal

Abali: With right personnel, Nigerian care services, will match international standards

28

29

Health Position of the liver in the body

PHOTO: konsioas.com

Nature Power

Many uses of plantain

30

Ugu vegetables protect the body

PHOTO: www.wealthresult.com

Liver as body’s protector Appolonia Adeyemi

A

natural medicine expert has highlighted the important role of the liver in the prevention of cancer and other noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) presently ravaging African population including Nigerians According to the Alternative Medicine expert, Godwin Ihezie who also urged the three tiers of government to ban tobacco smoking, the most important thing about cancer prevention is to keep the liver in good state to enable it function optimally.

“If it is functioning very well it will not allow any cancerous growth including fibroids to develop in the human body.”

To this end, he advocated taking care of the liver by keeping

Appolonia Adeyemi appolonia.adeyemi@newtelegraphonline.com

© Daily Telegraph Publishing Company Limited

off cigarette smoking and other tobacco products. Similarly, he advised Nigerians to consume more healthy diet.

Describing tobacco as the root cause of cancer, he noted that tobacco hampers many organs in infants and children.

“Tobacco prevents the functions of the liver.

“If the liver functions optimally, it will eradicate any cell that misbehaves in the body.”

According to Ihezie even at foundation, “everybody is already susceptible to cancer but only waiting for things that will trigger it.”

While describing tobacco smoking as being worse than cocaine addiction because of the singular effect it has on the liver, Ihezie said things that trigger cancer include: “our emotional state, the kind of things we eat and the things we apply on our body.”

Speaking further, he urged Nigerians to eat foods that are natural and foods that come from natural sources.

The liver is a vital organ of vertebrates it is located in the upper right quadrant of the abdomen, below the diaphragm.

The liver has a wide range of functions, including detoxification of various metabolites, protein synthesis, and the production of biochemicals neces-

He advocated taking care of the liver by keeping off cigarette smoking and other tobacco products

sary for digestion. There is currently no way to compensate for the absence of liver function in the long term, although liver dialysis liver techniques can be used in the short term.

Ihezie listed needed food to include protective food that protects against illnesses, bodybuilding and energy-building food.

For instance, he said energybuilding foods are the carbohydrates which man needs on a daily bases to work.

“We also have body-building food–proteins used to replace dead tissues. These ones are needed on a constant basis.

“In addition, we also need protective food including fruits and vegetables which come seasonally. These boost our immune system, strengthen our psychic immunity and some of the organs that help to protect us.”

So, if we learn to eat vegetabless and fruits when they are in season, Ihezie said people will be protected from illnesses.

Although, the liver has so many functions, the most important being its detoxification role, Ihezie lamented that human activities these days ruin the main functions of the liver.

Beginning with unhealthy diet, Ihezie said, “we eat a lot of fatty food. We eat a lot of junk

Ihezie

(fast) foods that are loaded with high calories.

“We eat a lot of things that have been polluted with colourants.”

Similarly, many of the foods including fruits that Nigerians eat are loaded with a lot of chemicals and additives.

A good example of such chemical is carbide which is used to lace plantains and bananas in order to facilitate their ripening process.

In the open market for instance, some unscrupulous CONTINUED ON PAGE 28

28

Health Features

THURSDAY FEBRUARY 26, 2015 NEW TELEGRAPH

Natural foods, key to fighting diseases

Healthy Living Dr. Ihuoma Uko-Ndukwe

CO NTINUED FROM PAG E 28

ada.ndukwe@yahoo.com

Chronic heartburn may be fatal

A man suffering from heartburn

Fruits are protective foods

Beans are body building foods

traders add chemicals to palm oil, ground-nut oil, among others to gain volume and increase profit margin.

In addition, colourants are added to fresh crayfish while being smoked for preservation, an action which is claimed boosts their quality but truly make them harmful to the liver and general health.

Furthermore, the alternative Medicine expert said humans are exposed to all sorts of environmental hazards and pollution.

He added, “We apply a lot of things on our body. We also have several chemicals within our environment.

In addition, Ihezie said, we go through a lot of stress which releases high voltage chemicals into the body. He added, “These high voltage chemicals ruin the activities of the liver.”

Listing the source of emotions he said humans habour all kinds of emotions – failures in mar-

PHOTO: konsioas.com.jpg

PHOTO: www.bbc.co.uk

riage, failures in businesses, all of which result to stress almost everyday. All these things have their chemical components. The body (interprets) them and produces dangerous chemical that affect the liver.

According to him cancer prevention is not a rocket science.

All that we need to prevent is all around us. “First, we must eliminate what is ruining our livers.

“Secondly, we must also learn key into nature because there are seasons when we need to nourish your liver. There are seasons when you need to nourish the kidneys and the bladders.

“There are seasons when we need to strengthen your immunity.”

All these things have been arranged according to how it is needed in nature.

“Our duty is to study our geographical zone and know what to do to prevent illnesses including cancers.”

A

lmost everyone has had heartburn. Sometimes, it happens when stomach acid backs up into the esophagus, the tube that carries food from the mouth to the stomach.

Heartburn is a painful burning feeling in the chest or throat.

If anyone experiences heartburn more than two times weekly, the person may have developed a more serious form of heartburn called GERD (Gastro esophegeal reflux) which is when the muscles at the end of the esophagus do not close tightly enough. This allows contents of the stomach to back up or reflux which can damage the esophagus.

Over the counter medications may help but if it persists an affected person might need to see a doctor.

GERD is a common chronic relapsing condition that is associated with a significant morbidity and can cause death from complications if not treated.

Many patients self-diagnose and self-treat and do not seek medical attention. Some of the risk factors may include certain medications, tobacco use, pregnancy, very hot spicy food.

Other risk factors include drinking alcohol and consumption of fatty or acidic food.

Some of the classic symptoms may be chronic cough, hoarse voice, belching, bloating, wheezing mouth odour, and some signs might be yellow discolouration of the teeth from too much acid and recurrent sore throat.

Others are acid regurgitation provoked by lying flat on the back or leaning forward, and regurgitation of digested food or clear burning fluid. Undigested food regurgitation is not acid reflux. There is no clear cut way to diagnose GERD but checking the acid content in your mouth over a 24 hour with a probe will help. Red flags that complications are developing include difficulty swallowing, weight loss, early fullness when eating and

PHOTO: www.cnn.com

vomiting.

Complications Persistent chest pain especially after eating, cough that will not go away even with cough medication, developing asthma and laryngeal cancer.

Management General measures Drink eight ounce of water (1250ml), non-caffeinated fluid every day, decrease or eliminate caffeine, spicy food and milk products towards the end of the day. Also, avoid chocolate as well as fatty foods. Stop smoking; stop eating two to three hours before bedtime.

Sit upright 45 minutes to one hour after meals. If there is no relief, an affected person might try over-the-counter anti-acid medications like maalox, tums and rolaids but if symptoms persists, a prescription like the ones that stop too much acid from being made in the body in the first place and the ones that soothe the stomach walls containing the acid for backing up into the throat, should be tried.

Similarly, an anti-acid chewing gum can be used immediately.

Anti-acid medications Anti-acid medications increase the barrier to acid penetration in the esophagus. It has been shown to effectively relieve symptoms and lower acid regurgitation.

Some people may be able to predict when they will have reflux symptoms.

They may benefit for premedication with an antiacid drugs or medications that prevent production of acid in the body. But in patients with long term complicated GERD, there is potential benefits from long term treatment.

Similarly, in very severe cases where the esophagus has been completely washed off by acid, anti reflux surgery can be considered but success has not been 100 percent. Also post surgical complications might be severe difficulty swallowing solid foods, nausea and vomiting.

Health Interview 29

NEW TELEGRAPH THURSDAY FEBRUARY 26, 2015

Abali: With right personnel, care services will match international standards Dr. Abali Chuku is the Medical Director of the Federal Medical Center (FMC) Umuahia. In this interview with IGBEAKU ORJI, he discusses what gave rise to transformation in the hospital and proffers the way forward

What prompted the transformation of the Federal Medical Center (FMC) Umuahia?

I would say it is a vision I had since 2003 when I became head of clinical services and training. This is a vision that was further developed during a trip to Israel at the Galilee College where I and others on the team were taught health system management and strategic planning. It is a vision that was further fine tuned following an incident in 2011 in which I was shot in an attempted assassination and I spent five months in a British hospital. So, all that had actually helped to fine tune this vision that we have for the Federal Medical Center Umuahia.

This is not just Dr. Chuku, or the medical director’s vision but a vision of the entire Federal Medical Center Umuahia and it is a vision to position this hospital as one of the best if not the best federal tertiary hospital in the country.

One would expect that the transformation has also touched other areas of the hospital administration, like personnel, patients and customer care You know before we came in, in 2011, the perception of the public about this hospital was very poor. We had challenges with power; there was no regular power supply. There were situations where we would use pen touch to see patients in the ward. We had very poor consumables; we didn’t even have enough for patients and a lot were being procured by patients. The quality of care was very dismal. What we want to achieve with this vision is to make patients feel the need for the health care that the government encapsulated in the transformation agenda. We are providing patients with the kind of health care that I enjoyed in the United Kingdom (UK) and that is really what is driving it.

Similarly, we have also tried to change the public perception, not just for them to change but to see what the Federal Medical Center Umuahia is and arrive at a new conclusion of what the reality is now on ground.

This is a vision that cuts across not just the infrastructure. Not too long ago we brought in what we call AIDET, which is actually the protocol that is operated in the United States (U.S.)

by TABOK. They had problem with customer care and they brought consultants and asked them to look into the situation and they came up with AIDET. We at the Federal Medical Center adopted it.

We are probably the only hospital in Nigeria that has done so. We are the only hospital that has a customer care unit because we pay attention to how our patients feel.

We are also doing patient centered care. You will not be surprised to find a patient at the FMC Umuahia has every right including right to information on the health situation, right to be treated courteously, among others.

It is common now to find that when

you get to a doctor the doctor will politely ask to get you through. The transformation is not just about infrastructure.

The changes cut across other areas.

Are you saying that with the best facilities and care found here, foreign medical trips are not necessary?

Well, we are not saying that we have arrived. What we are saying is that the level of care in FMC Umuahia as of date, is far better than the level of care in 2010.

There are quite a few things we are doing now which we were not doing then. I can tell you that the care of diabetics in FMC Umuahia is one of the best in the country. I can also tell you that the ICU (Intensive Care Unit) of FMC Umuahia is one of the best in the country. The West African College of Surgeons and the Ohio Medical College testified that we have one of the best. In a recent accreditation exercise here in FMC for the Department of Pediatrics we scored 4.3 over 5 and 4.3 over 5 is really very high.

In Family Medicine we have also done very well. We have been accorded one of the highest ratings in our Family Medicine Department. We have one of the best equipped endocrinology and metabolic team in this country. We also believe in team care. We believe that no patient should be left at the mercy of a single consultant, so we operate in teams.

There seems to be a lot of challenges in the sector care services. What’s the way forward?

One of the problems is that, the Federal Ministry of Health (FMOH) monitors federal health. It is not like it is monitoring the entire health of the country.

How many of the general hospitals are working? Not too long ago we were approached to take over the Uzuakoli General Hospital. I am sure the governor would not have asked us to take over if the management is able to run it.

A good portion of the health of this nation fell on the blind spot of our country and so they are not really captured even if the federal government is going to do anything, it may have to go through the state commissioner of health. That system is not really working. It should be looked into again because it is like you have a cake and a good portion of that cake is not under your control.

Of course, it is going to affect the performance of the indices we have.

If we are going to do anything about that in creating good mortality rate, or reducing under five mortality as well as reducing maternal mortality, then those areas that are outside the purview of the ministry have to be probed somehow. They have to look at it and re-strategise. What is the weakness?

What are the strengths? What are the opportunities?

We can analyse these and find what can be done to address all so that we can

Abali

move on. That is one. Another thing is that we now run small experiment in FMC Umuahia. We have found that under SAFE (Seek an Area for Excellence), we were able to identify consultants champions who are very willing to excel in certain areas, but they lack the training and equipment. Look at our doctors in the UK and in the U.S., they are doing perfectly well. So, what needs to be done is to do an audit, a NEEDS assessment of what is required in order to bring us to a certain baseline. And then find out how much it will require bringing us to that level. Then, vote fund towards bringing us all to that baseline. Once everybody has attained that baseline, if you want other hospitals to attain another level, then budget again to bring those hospitals to that level. But unless enough is invested into it there would still be a problem. I feel that the solution is to vote a little bit more into health but you can only do so when you are sure that there will not be any wastage. If you map out 10 percent of your GDP or five percent and invests in health as along as the investment is well supervised it will achieve result, but if you bring five percent and you waste it, it will be the wastage of five percent of GDP. Similarly, the problem of disharmony in the sector is a very big issue. Disharmony in the sector arises because professionals and non professional staff do not quite appreciate their roles. The doctors or the optometrists would want to be an ophthalmologist; and the bone setters want to behave like doctors, the orthopedic surgeon. So, people do not respect the rules. Why do they not respect the rules? It is because there is no regulation. So, existing regulatory authorities have to be strengthened to operate like the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC).

If the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN) is operating like NAFDAC, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) or operating like

the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC), things would change.

If the existing regulatory agencies are not enough, establish more institutions.

Imagine the Nursing and Midwifery Council acting like EFCC or acting like NAFDAC, that is standing up to do their job, things will be fine.

Although, the laws are there but control of regulatory authorities are very weak. If the right people are in the right places things will change. If I see something that is not right and I say my pen will not sign this, the effect will ripple all through. I cannot compel another person to do the right thing but I can at least do the right thing and by doing the right thing, since I am in charge, everybody will fall in line. So the only anti-corruption fight that will ever succeed in this country is the one you have agreed to do.

Concerning the disharmony, one way of looking at it is for everyone to come to the round table and talk. If the thing is for us to agree that we want to have a health sector that is harmonious, yes, that is our desire; that is the objective.

We should be able to come up with a strategic plan to achieve it. In addressing the problems, we should look at the strengths we have to achieve this: what are the weaknesses that would deprive us from getting it and follow the plan.

Sometimes, you wonder why the health sector is not moving in the right direction, even though one may have the answers it is difficult to address because you might not get the opportunity to do it unless you are asked to come and do it.

So, for every opportunity that anybody who really wants to make a change gets, get into the enclave, be the change that you want others to be, and you will get there. That is what I think in a nutshell is the problem with the health sector and I want to say also that it can be changed. It needs training, massive fund to train doctors and equip them like we have done for this FMC in Umuahia.

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Health News

THURSDAY FEBRUARY 26, 2015 NEW TELEGRAPH

Teenager needs N5m for brain, hips surgery

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Chibuzo

avid Sopuruchi Chibuzo, 17, is not a happy teen. He dreams of being not just a pastor but an evangelist who would traverse the nooks and crannies of the world, breaking strongholds and converting souls. But today, his dreams seem to be going down the drains.

David is inflicted with cerebral palsy (CP); he is also at present constantly in anguish as a result of a fall he had during one of the numerous seizure attacks that left him with a dislocated hip and some shattered bones. Thus,

he needs N5 million for brain and hips surgery at Vikian Specialist Hospital, India.

Should you want to support David in his battle for survival, you may render your support through this bank account: Onuegbe Chibuzor N. Account No: 2018357079; First Bank of Nig. Plc. Or call any of these mobile numbers: 08033284171, 08035137845 or 08085853139.

CP is a disorder that affects muscle tone, movement and motor skills.

It is usually caused by brain damage that occurs before or during a child’s

‘High maternal, child mortality rates to reduce in 2018’ Flora Onwudiwe

A

n advocate on health related issues has said that the high mortality rate for both women and children can be reduced in the next three years if all the consumables are put in place.

Ayo Adebusoye, the health care advocate, made this assertion in his presentation titled, “Improving Access to Maternal Health Care: Challenges and Way Forward’ delivered at a seminar organised by Development Communications, (DEVCOMS) in Lagos recently.

Reeling out the data, Adebusoye stated that the data is alarming and that after India which has the highest maternal mortality rate worldwide, Nige-

ria is second.

Going by the World Health Organisation (WHO) live births charts, 40,000 maternal deaths occurred in Nigeria in 2013.

He said that Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) statistics on death is as follows in the year 2000 that we had 1000 in 2003; 800 in 2008; 545 in 2013 and 576 in 2015; adding, “Nigeria needs to do something drastic to meet the MDGs.” He said stakeholders are looking for how they can reduce death on maternal health care act by bringing those concerned to formulate politics on how to tackle the issues seriously. He gave reason why Nigeria has not made any positive impact, blaming it on non-chalant attitude of the government to-

wards health care services and under funding.

The project was aimed at improving the maternal health care for both women and children in Nigeria as highlighted in the course of the lecture dwelt on many challenges to access health services.

For instance, he displayed film slides on the screen where the pictures of a crowded women with their children and some standing because there no sufficient chairs, the clients waiting for hours to be attended to. Some of the clients were compelled to stand as there were no sufficient chairs. On sighting the crowd, the health workers may not give proper attention and it may increase risks or adverse effects on the life of the clients.

birth, or during the first three to five years of a child’s life. According to studies, about 50 per cent of children with CP have seizures, where abnormal nerve activity disturbs the functioning of the brain.

David’s ordeal started in 1999, when he was just nine months old. He and his two siblings were diagnosed of cerebral malaria

in three days but David’s case proved more severe. He was in coma for eight days after which he was resuscitated but at that point things had gone awry; he had lost every single memory and since then, living has been a sort of struggle for him.

At 17, David cannot live a normal life like his peers; he still lives like a baby under age one.

Ogun targets 200,000 enrollees in health scheme

O

gun State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Olaokun Soyinka has said the Community Based Health Insurance Scheme (CBHRS) also known as ‘Araya’, an initiative of the state government, is expected to capture 200,000 enrollees this year.

The commissioner, speaking in Abeokuta said over 40, 000 people have enrolled as at this month in the six pilot Local Government Areas, Abeokuta North, Abeokuta South, Ifo, Ado-Odo/Ota, Ijebu – Ode, Sagamu and Yewa South, stating that accredited health management officials are available at the Primary Health Centres and other designated places for registration.

“With the renovation of our health facilities alongside provision of equipment , drugs and capacity-building of our health workers, ‘Araya’ has come to stay and the State is capable of enrolling 200,000 people this year, but presently a total number of 42,200 have registered while efforts are being intensified to scale up State-wide soon, ” he said.

Soyinka also noted that

the commitment of the state government on the scheme has exposed the state to international communities which has brought about several commendations, financial, material and expertise support for the successful, implementation and sustainability of the scheme.

He then charged the accredited Health Management Organisations (HMOs) on the scheme to brace – up and engage expertise ideas, reach out more to the Board of Trustees (BOT) and communities for a clear understanding of the scheme.

The commissioner also implored the residents of the state to embrace the Community Based Health Insurance Scheme, saying that it is the surest way to access qualitative health care services.

Soyinka emphasised that the enrolled pregnant mothers, children under the age of five years and elderly above 70 years still stand to enjoy free health care while others needed to pay a premium of Four Thousand (N4,000) per annum under the scheme.

Many uses of plantain CONTINUED FROM LAST WEEK

The juice of plantain can be used for the following illnesses: 4. ULCER: For intestinal ulcer, drink two tablespoons of PS twice daily. For chronic external ulcers, use cotton wool to apply PS to the wound twice daily.

5. SKIN INFECTIONS: Apply PS to the skin in cases of burns, skin rashes and insect bites.

The uses of plantain root Plantain root is very useful for a number of illnesses. Cut some plantain roots into pieces, and then pound in a mortar. Press out the juice and throw the chaff away. Mix half bottle of honey with one bottle of the juice. Once again, what you have left is a potent herbal solution, henceforth referred to as PRJ [plantain root juice]. PRJ is effective for the following complaints: 1. PROSTRITIS: Prostrate cancer is on the increase every day. Orthodox medicine has nothing to offer except surgical operation, which is of little value. Does it mean that there is no hope? Well, there is always hope. There is no

Nature Power Fr. Anselm Adodo, OSB

naturepower@paxherbals.net; twitter: @anselmadodo hopelessness in nature. PRJ is of great help in reducing prostrate tumour, retention of urine and other related ailments. Drink three dessertspoons of PRJ thrice daily.

2. KIDNEY PROBLEMS: For all forms of kidney problems, PRJ offers great hope. It promotes the flow of urine and helps in metabolism.

3. DIABETES: PRJ has proved helpful to diabetics who are lucky enough to know about it. The dosage is two dessertspoons thrice daily.

4. GONORRHOEA/SYPHILIS: If you are one of those many people who suffer from any or all of the various forms of venereal diseases, such as staphylococcus, gonorrhea or syphilis, then I have good news for you. PRJ is the hidden solution to your problem.

Drinking three dessertspoon-

ful of PRJ for two months will eradicate chronic gonorrhea and staphylococcus. For Syphilis, continue the medication for four months. Venereal diseases take time to cure, so don’t expect that you can eradicate them overnight. And beware of herbalists who claim that they can cure gonorrhea or syphilis in a week or two. Never hurry nature. Allow the body to repair itself. That is the natural way.

OTHER USES OF PLANTAIN 1. THE LEAVES: Plantain leaf is useful against skin rashes and burns as well as convulsions.

Grind some plantain leaves into powder. Mix four dessertspoons of the powder with half CocaCola bottle of palm-kernel oil or vegetable run and apply to the affected parts. In cases of convulsion, apply to the whole body.

Plantains

For all forms of kidney problems, plantain root juice (PRJ) offers great hope. It promotes the flow of urine and helps in metabolism

PHOTO: imgarcade.com

2. THE PEEL: The peel of both ripe and unripe plantain is cure for stomach ulcer. Dry the peels and grind to ashes.

Mix one teaspoon of the powder with some honey, then lick. Do this twice daily.

3. THE FRUIT: Roasted plantain fruit is good for men with weak erection and low sperm count. Make a habit of eating one or two roasted plantain daily. If you wish, you can eat it with vegetable soup. Enjoy yourself while you improve your health the natural way. The ripe plantain fruit can be used to treat indigestion. Mash some ripe plantain to make a paste. Add three dessertspoons of honey to eight dessertspoons of the paste. Take one dessertspoon twice daily.

NEW TELEGRAPH THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2015

Industry

31

ICT

Doubt over N116.5bn non-oil export target

InfraCos: Unwraping blueprint to achieving 30% broadband access

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35

Business Telecoms services cost Nigerians What's news

Dearth of artisans hit construction industry

Dearth of artisans/craftsmen has hit the construction/building sector, New Telegraph has learnt.

N1.8trn in 2014 – Investigation SERVICE QUALITY Subscribers demand increased quality of service (QoS)

p.32

Cashew: Nigeria misses out on new jobs, $8m revenue

Kunle Azeez

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elecoms subscribers in Nigeria may have spent an estimated N1.8 trillion on the consumption of telecoms services last year, according to fresh investi-

gations by New Telegraph.

This figure is arrived at based on the official monthly subscriber data for 2014 released by the telecoms industry umpire, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) and the prevailing Average Revenue Per User (ARPU) in

Nigeria has missed out from the over 2,000 new jobs and additional $8 million income expected for rural communities through the new grant from the African Development Bank’s Africa Trade Fund (AfTra).

p.32

L-R: Chief Operating Officer, Sona Group, Mr. Ashok Manghnani; Managing Director/CEO, Keystone Bank, Mr. Philip Ikeazor; Chairman, Sona Group, Mr. A. K. Mirchandani and Executive Director Operations and Technology, Keystone Bank, Mrs. Yvonne Isichei, during a business meeting at the Keystone Bank Head Office, recently.

The Business Desk Ayodele Aminu

Deputy Editor (Business)

Bayo Akomolafe

Asst. Editor (Maritime)

Sunday Ojeme

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

FG frustrates Norwegian fish exporters, snubs new licenses orwegian exporters are finding it tough to ship their mackerel fish to Nigeria since the beginning of the year as the Federal Government has kept mum on the new import quota licenses.

In the last quarter of 2014 when government raised im-

port quotas for fish by 750,000 tons, extra volumes were shipped before December 31, 2014.

It was learnt that it cost $1,200 per ton to ferry the frozen foods to port of destinations.

However, after the quota expired, a report by Undercurrent revealed that the Federal

INFLATION RATE January 2015...........................8.2% December 2014.........................8% November 2014........................7.9%

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

Bayo Akomolafe

N

Finance Editor

Kunle Azeez

Senior Correspondent

Chuks Onuanyin Energy

Nnamdi Amadi Reporter

Johnson Adebayo

Asst Production Editor

Government was reluctant to accept imports for some particular fish.

It was also learnt that some shipments on old licenses, were returned to Europe a few weeks ago.

In the fourth quarter of last year, Norwegian fish exportCONTINUED ON PAGE 32

the country.

ARPU on telecoms networks in the country stood at $6 (about N1,194) throughout 2014 and this continues to subsist into the current year, according to the Country Manager of Ericsson, Mr Abbas Kamar.

ARPU is a financial performance benchmark in the telecoms industry that measures the average monthly revenue generated by operators from each customer.

During the year under review, investigations showed that the subscribers’ expenditure conservatively valued at N1.8 trillion represents the aggregate outgoings of individual Nigerians, who subscribed to voice and data services on the three segments of the nation’s telecoms sector.

The telecoms players are in the Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM), the Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) and fixed line segments of the telecoms industry.

According to investigation, in January 2014, when active subscriptions in the country stood at 127.9 million, subscriber expenditure was estimated at N152.7 billion; N154 billion in February when active subscriptions stood at 129 million, while in March, when there were 127 million active telephone lines on the networks, the cost of telecoms services consumptions was N151.6 billion.

In April, May, June and July, when active telephone subscriptions stood at 129.3 million; 131.1 million, 132.7 million and 132.1 million respectively, telecoms consumers’ expenditure were N154.3 billion, N156.5 billion, N158.4 billion and N157.7 billion in that order.

Also, with the total active mobile subscriptions standing CONTINUED ON PAGE 32

Rates Dashboard EXCHANGE RATE (Parallel as at Feb. 20)

USD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . N219 Pounds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . N316 Euro . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . N247

l Foreign Reserves – $31.36bn as at 19/02/2015

Source: CBN

EXCHANGE RATE (Interbank as at Feb. 20)

USD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . N197 Pounds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . N300 Euro . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . N256

32

Business | News

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2015 NEW TELEGRAPH

Dearth of artisans hit construction industry CAPITAL FLIGHT Nigeria spends over N9 billion yearly on hiring foreign artisans Dayo Ayeyemi

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earth of artisans/craftsmen has hit the construction/ building sector, New Telegraph has learnt.

The huge numbers of foreign artisans and craftsmen that have taken over the Nigerian construction sector further heightens the skills’ gap in the industry.

President, Nigerian Institute of Building (NIOB), Mr. Tunde Lasabi, disclosed this in a chat with our correspondent.

He said that the for-

eign artisans are from China, Korea and neighboring countries such as Ghana, Togo and Republic of Benin, among others.

Lasabi explained that investigation by his institute showed that most of the best bricklayers, carpenters, iron benders, painters, electricians and tillers in most of the big construction sites in Lagos, Port Harcourt, Abuja and other Nigerian cities are foreigners.

If the situation persists, Lasabi expressed the fear that youth unemployment would escalate in Nigeria beyond government’s control.

This, he said, would give more room to criminals and insecurity in the country.

It is estimated that Nigeria’s youth unemployment is as high as 50 per cent, according to the report from the World

Economic Forum.

The forum had also said that over 500,000 Chinese artisans currently work in various countries on the African continent, including Nigeria.

Nigeria with an estimated population of over 170 million and huge housing deficit put at about 17 million requires a good number of competent building artisans and craftsmen.

Lamenting about the skills’ deficit, Lasabi stated that the nation spent about N9 billion annually on hiring foreign artisans to work in the country, adding that artisans were paid to work on various con-

struction sites in Lagos.

He alleged that the situation grew worse because most contractors and building professionals preferred the services of artisans and craftsmen from neighbouring countries because of the quality of their work.

To salvage the situation, the NIOB boss said that adequate training of indigenous artisans and craftsmen would help to curb the menace of building collapses that have led to loss of lives and properties.

To this end, he said that NIOB has decided to train and retrain indigenous artisans and craftsmen by registering them under an umbrella

and giving them certificate after the training.

With the training and certification, he said that it would be difficult for foreigners to take jobs that belong to Nigerian artisans and craftsmen. The training, he said, would help to put the work of Nigerian artisans and craftsmen at par with those of their colleagues outside the country.

He explained that the NIOB has been given the status of awarding the National Vocational Qualification Framework, which will be instituted by the National Board of Technical Education.

Lasabi added that by this, artisans would now

have to do exams of the NIOB and collect certificates.

He said that the capacity building programme would also ensure employment for Nigerian artisans and craftsmen on construction sites, adding that it would encourage youths and help them to imbibe a love for construction work so that they could do it better.

Recent survey by Nigerian Bureau of Statistics (NBS) revealed that the construction sector’s total employee compensation (wages and salaries) and other personnel benefits stood at N633 billion (US$3 billion) in two years.

FG frustrates Norwegian fish exporters CO NTINUED FROM PAG E 3 1

ers deliberately reduced the price of the specie in a bid to flood the Nigerian and Japanese markets with their catches.

The exporters claimed that they had been experiencing queues in the Netherlands and Nigeria.

Also, Lagos and Onne ports took delivery of 750,000 metric tons of mackerel fish from Netherlands.

It was further learnt that shipments to Nigeria was on the high demand, leading to sudden increase in Nigeria’s fish import quotas.

Telecoms services cost Nigerians N1.8trn in 2014 CO NTINUED FROM PAG E 3 1

at 133.2 million in August, 2014, the consumer expenditure on telecoms services was estimated at N159 billion. This increased to N160.5 billion in September, when active mobile subscriptions stood at 134.5 million.

Also, in October, November and December, 2014, when monthly active mobile subscriptions stood at 135.6 million, 136.6 million and 139 million, Nigerians’ expenditures were estimated at N161.9 billion, N163.1 billion and N165.9 billion respectively.

New Telegraph learnt that Nigeria continues to record increase in the number of telecoms consumers in the country as they expand their networks to other areas not yet covered.

For instance, from 127.9 million active mobile subscriptions in January 2014, the figure increased to over 139

million at the end of December, representing an impressive growth of 8.6 per cent.

However, the 2014 subscriber base growth was slower when compared with the 12.3 per cent growth recorded in the preceding year of 2013, when active subscriptions grew from 113 million in January to 127 million in December of that year.

When contacted, President, National Association of Telecoms Subscribers (NATCOMS), Mr. Deolu Ogunbanjo, said that telecoms services have assumed more priority position in the daily needs of Nigerians.

“Though, your estimated amount may be higher or lower, what is clear is that we spend a lot of money making calls and getting other data services from the mobile networks.

In fact, as Nigerians, we spend a sizeable chunk of our incomes on telecoms services,” he said.

L-R: Chairman, Heirs Holdings, Mr. Tony Elumelu; Executive Secretary, Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission, Mrs. Saratu Umar and Director, National Competitiveness, Policy Advocacy (NIPC), Mr. Emeka Offor, during the Advocacy’s media roundtable in Lagos.

LOST

Top-rated country excluded from beneficiary countries

Dele Alao

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igeria has missed out from the over 2,000 new jobs and additional $8 million income expected for rural communities through the new grant from the African Development Bank’s Africa Trade Fund (AfTra).

At least, about 70 per cent of the new jobs are expected to be for women.

AfTra is to implement an extensive technical assistance programme for cashew processors in eight countries in East and West Africa.

Surprisingly, Nigeria, being rated among the top five cashew producing nations in the world, is not among the beneficiary countries.

The project also aims at

Cashew: Nigeria misses out on new jobs, $8m revenue developing best practices of environmentally sustainable processing and promotes the equitable and beneficial usage of a workforce, which is predominantly female. The project will be implemented over three years in Benin, Burkina Faso, Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Guinea Bissau, Kenya, Mozambique and Tanzania.

According to the African Cashew Alliance (ACA), which received the grant, cashew supports the livelihoods of about 10 million people in rural Africa.

ACA, which noted that almost half of the world’s cashew was grown in Africa, lamented that only around 10 per cent of Africa’s cashew harvest was processed in the continent.

ACA’s Managing Director, Roger Brou, said that the young African cashew industry was constantly improving

its expertise and was increasingly discovering innovative ways to overcome challenges in providing buyers with nuts, which meet international quality standards.

“Cashew processing in Africa has grown significantly over the past decade and the industry as a whole is steadily getting closer to achieving its full potential. We are delighted that the African Development Bank has recognised the importance of this industry, and its potential to provide secure and sustainable employment for millions of people,” Brou said.

It would be recalled that the National Cashew Association of Nigeria (NCAN) stated that Nigeria would generate a turnover of about N1 trillion in the next 10 years, if N50 billion is committed to the production, processing and marketing of the commodity.

NEW TELEGRAPH THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2015

SON frets over proliferation of fake electrical imports p.34

33

Industry

Nigeria, Britain assure on trade relations p.34

Doubt over N116.5bn non-oil export target DISAPPOINTING Decline dampens Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth for the fourth quarter of 2014 to 5.94 per cent.

Stories by Dele Alao

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here are strong indications that the country may not meet the N116.5 billion non-oil target for the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) this year.

The recent release by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) that the country’s nonoil exports have dropped further cast a doubt on the 2015 target.

The decline has also dampened the nation’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth for the fourth quarter of 2014, to 5.94 per cent.

Data from the NBS indicated that the non-oil sector, which has been the mainstay of the economy in terms of growth, recorded 6.44 per cent growth in real terms, lower than both the 8.78 per cent recorded in the corresponding period in 2013, and the 7.51 per cent recorded in the third quarter of 2014.

It would be recalled that a report released by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) last December stated that the total earnings from non-oil exports also dropped by 34 per cent in just one month.

It put the revenue from the non-oil exports in the month of July 2014, the last month so far assessed, at $867.12m.

The report noted that the revenue fell by 34.8 per cent and 4.5 per cent below the levels in the preceding month and the corresponding month of 2013,

respectively.

Over the years, there have been clamour for the country to diversify her revenue base to the non-oil sector, most especially the agricultural sector. However, the call has now become more necessary than ever before as a result of the global fall in the price of crude oil.

The Federal Government, for a start, has also expressed its determination to increase non-oil exports by N116.5 billion this year to the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).

The Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Mr. Olusegun Aganga, who spoke during the 7th National Council on Industry, Trade and Investment, in Markurdi, Benue State, said that the ministry had completed a new National Trade Policy and Strategy which would integrate Nigeria’s industrial, trade and investment priorities.

The minister said, “In the area of trade, I am glad to inform that we have just completed a new National Trade Policy and Strategy, which will soon be presented to the Federal Executive Council for approval. This is the first time in over 10 years that the country’s trade policy has been reviewed. For the first time in Nigeria’s history, we will have a trade policy that integrates with the industrial and investment priorities of the Nigerian people. Nigeria’s priorities for trade will facilitate job creation in Nigeria, and boost exports on non-oil products to new markets.

“Some objectives of our trade agenda include: to achieve nonoil exports to ECOWAS from the present nine per cent to 20 per cent by 2015, with the ultimate goal of increasing the value of Nigeria’s recorded export to

ECOWAS from $276.5 million in 2011 to $706.1 million in 2015; increase recorded non-oil export to other African countries from current three per cent of global export to 10 per cent by 2015, and to increase Nigeria’s non-oil as a proportion of total export from current five per cent in 2011 to 20 per cent by 2015, and 40 per cent in 2020. Also, we are putting structures in place to enable us penetrate the non-traditional markets with high valued-added export products.”

The minister stressed that the Federal Government was committed to diversifying the nation’s economy through policies that will boost domestic and foreign trade, attract more investments across all sectors of the economy and increase manufacturing sector’s contribution to the Gross Domestic Product.

The minister said, “We are committed to ensuring our trade commitments work for the Nige-

rian people, and we have begun to see remarkable progress. The value of non-oil products from Nigeria rose to $2.97 billion in 2013, as compared to $2.561 billion in 2012. The trends this year continue to be strong as well. Increasingly we have also begun to see a pivot in Nigeria’s trade links, towards the Eastern Hemisphere, as Asia plays an increasing role in Nigeria’s economic dynamics.

“The Nigerian government has initiated an aggressive diversification through an action plan for accelerated implementation of the Nigerian National Export Strategy and Women in Export Development programme (2012-2015), and Nigeria’s first Diaspora Export Programme, which taps into the vast network of Nigerians around the world.”

Also, the Executive Director, Nigeria Export Promotion Council (NEPC), Mr. Olusegun

Awolowo, who stressed the importance of exports as a means of generating foreign exchange, said that NEPC had launched series of initiatives towards fast-tracking growth of non-oil exports in Nigeria as a means of reviving the national economy.

The NEPC boss said this recently in Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory, when his organization received the World Customs Organisation’s Merit Award for Exports Promotion.

As it were, since growth in the non-oil sector is driven by growth in the crop production, electricity supply, trade, textile, apparel and footwear, and real estate sectors, experts are of the strong opinion that the devaluation of the nation’s currency, low budget to agriculture, epileptic power supply, comatose state of the textile sector among others are factors that will inhibit the further growth of the non-oil sector.

L-R: Head, Strategy & Business Development, Etisalat Nigeria, Seun Oshitade, Group Chief Commercial Officer, IHS Africa, Philip Rhys, and Head, Legal Services, Etisalat Nigeria, Vincent Eromosele at the IJGlobal (Euromoney) Europe & Africa Awards 2014 where the Etisalat/IHS Tower sale and Leaseback was named ‘Africa Deal of the Year’ in London.

Sugar production hits 175m tons as Nigeria’s imports drop Bayo Akomolafe

W

orld sugar production is to hit 175 million tons this year as against the consumption of 168 million tons in 2014. The Financial Derivatives Company (FDC) in its latest economic analysis and report has said.

It was learnt that only about 45per cent of total sugarcane is expected to be utilised for sugar production this year.

The report explained that sugar market had witnessed a surplus of production over consumption during the last four years.

Already, importation of the commodity by Nigeria from Brazil has dropped, following the Federal Government steps to encourage local production.

The Executive Secretary of NSDC, Dr. Latif Busari, recently said Nigeria was targeting production of 1.7 million tons by 2018.

He said production in excess of national consumption would go to the export market.

A study by the National Sugar Development Council has revealed that Nigeria will need $1.238 billion to meet 49 per cent or 860,000 metric tons of the total sugar demand by 2020.

Although, the country still depends on refined imported raw brown sugar from Brazil worth over $500 million annually, the government has, however, taken some measures in 2013 to encourage local production by introducing a new sugar tariff regime, making raw sugar imports to attract a

10 per cent import duty, and a 50 per cent levy.

Nigeria total sugar production stands at 30,000 metric tons while annual demand is 1,994,175.

Other incentives are the zero per cent import duty on machinery and spare parts for local sugar manufacturing industries; five-year tax holiday for sugar investors, the sugar value chain and 20 per cent duty and 60 per cent levy for imported refined sugar.

Busari added that the Federal Government’s Nigeria Sugar Master Plan (NSMP) would require massive private sector investment of more than $3.1 billion over the next 10 years.

The report explained that since 2012/13 there had been a decline in the surplus due to

slower growth in production, leading to a fall in prices.

It said: “Overall exports are expected to fall by 3.7 million tons in 2014-15 to 53.7 million tons compared to 57.4 million tons at present. Brazil and Mexico account for nearly 69 per cent of the reduction in export numbers in 2014-15.

“The largest sugar exporter, Brazil, will export 2.2 million tons less in 2014-15 compared to 2013/14, due to lower production and rising national domestic consumption leading to a lower exportable surplus.

Mexico, the fourth largest exporter, is also expected to reduce its exports by 0.3 million tons in 2014-15.”

It explained that sugar prices hit a three-decade high in 2011, saying that since, the

sugar market had been bearish and prices had trended downwards.

The report noted that Brazil, which ranked number one in sugar production, would experience a drop of two million tons in production to 35.8 million tons in 2014/15 compared to 37.8 million tons in 2013/14.

It said: “The surplus for 2014/15 is expected to decline to 0.5 million tons from 6.7 million tons in 2013/14. Adverse weather conditions have weighed negatively on production, and may lead to a deficit by the third quarter of 2015.

“The two largest exporters, Brazil and Thailand, are experiencing a fall in their output to the extent of 3.1 million tons in 2014/15 from the production levels in 2013/14.”

34

Business | Industry

SON frets over proliferation of fake electrical imports

ALERT Strategies evolve to check the influx of fake products Stories by Dele Alao

T

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2015 NEW TELEGRAPH

he Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) has lamented the continued proliferation of fake electronics and electrical products imported into the country.

The Director-General, Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON), Dr. Joseph Odumodu, while on a recent visit to the headquarters of the Association of Nigerian Licenced

Customs Agents (ANLCA) in Lagos, said that SON’s greatest challenge at the moment was the proliferation of fake electronics and electrical products import.

Odumodu, who noted that strategies were being evolved to check the influx of the fake products, lauded ANLCA for its engaging approach to issues by employing constructive dialogue with relevant stakeholders in the maritime

industry.

He assured that a list of standard products would soon be published on the website of the organisation to guide the discerning public in their purchases and further noted that generally the rate at which substandard goods came into Nigeria had drastically reduced.

He said that the worry now was how to make made-in Nigeria products acceptable worldwide.

It would be recalled that Minister of State for Power, Hon Mohammed Wakil, at the commissioning of the EMSL National Meter Testing Stations in Lagos, said that the Federal Government was set to enforce quality control and standard of electricity installations.

“We are resolved to enhance consumers and investors’ confidence and satisfaction through sustained inspection, testing and certification of electrical

materials and equipment. Electricity materials should be of the right quality and specifications,” the minister said.

The minister, who stressed the need for all categories of electrical installations, power systems and networks to be properly planned, designed and executed before use, also affirmed that gone were the days of sub- standard equipment and installations which compromised safety of Nigerians.

Nigeria, Britain assure on trade relations

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L-R: Director-General, National Mathematical Centre; Professor Adewale Solarin, Managing Director, Promasidor Nigeria Limited; Mr. Olivier Thiry and Head of Marketing, Promasidor; Mr. Festus Tettey, at the media briefing held on 2015 Cowbell National Secondary Schools Mathematics Competition in Lagos.

Institute decries non-use of professionals in procurement deals

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he Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supply Management of Nigeria (CIPSMN) has expressed regret over non-engagement of professionals in government’s procurement deals.

The new President of the Institute, Alhaji Diekola Oyewo, said that the non-engagement of professionals in government’s purchasing and supply deals had been having serious impact on governance process.

“Many of us are professionals and we know that some of the challenges we are facing today, especially

as they pertain to economics, emanate from poor procurement and supply chain.

So, we are advocating that a government establishment such as the Bureau of Public Procurements (BPP) is allowed to be run by professonals,” Oyewo said.

The CIPSMN president added that the institute had already put in place enough strategies to aid professionalism.

He listed part of such measures as composition of education and certification committee and think tank committee.

Also speaking, the immediate past president of the Institute, Alhaji M.J Aliyu, said the establishment of BPP is not enough, without having in place a regulatory body.

“The establishment of BPP was not enough. A council that will be monitoring its works should be put in place. It is like having a child without parents. Until the country is able to put in place a regulatory body that will regulate BPP, we may continue to have the same challenge in procurement and supply,” Aliyu said.

Nigeria, Bangladesh set to deepens trade ties

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fforts are ongoing by Nigeria and Bangladesh to deepen the existing trade relations.

Bangladeshi pharmaceuticals, knitwear, cement, jute and jute goods, ceramics, ocean-going vessels, light engineering, leather and plastic goods have been identified as products with huge potential in the Nigerian market.

According to the president, Bangladesh, Abdul Hamid, during a farewell visit by the High Commissioner of Nigeria to Bangla-

desh (non-resident), Ndubuisi Amaku, Nigeria can consider importing medicines from Bangladesh at a competitive price.

The president said that Bangladesh now had a thriving pharmaceutical industry and exporting quality drugs to a number of countries in the world.

“Bangladesh has a thriving pharmaceutical industry and is now exporting quality medicines to about 73 countries,” the president said.

On the other hand, Nigeria has urged Bangladeshi

investors to invest in agriculture, food-processing, pharmaceuticals, medical equipments, ICT and education sectors.

Trade between the two countries stood at $14 million in 2012.

In 2014, Bangladesh Tariff Commission prepared a feasibility study for the benefits of signing new Free/ Preferential trade agreements with African states and recommended that Nigeria along with Mali were the most promising countries for signing such agreements.

igeria and Britain have given an assurance on the need to sustain and improve upon the trade relationship between both countries.

Indication to this emerged recently as the British Prime Minister, Mr. David Cameron, reiterated Britain’s commitment to further enhance the subsisting bilateral trade agreement with the country.

Cameron made the pledge of giving the bilateral trade agreement between the two countries a special attention at the annual British Chamber of Commerce conference held at the Queen Elizabeth Conference Centre in London.

Reacting, the President, Nigerian-British Chamber of Commerce (NBCC), Mr. Adeyemi Adefulu, noted that Cameron canvassed the need to foster a strong economic relationship with Nigeria, describing the country as an important and strong trading partner.

“The basis of Cameron’s assertion was the 2010 agreement between President Goodluck Jonathan and the British Prime Minister to double bi-

lateral trade from four to eight billion pounds between 2010 and 2014. Unfortunately, we get the feeling of a pullback rather than a push forward in the relationship. Certainly growing the business between the two countries further will not be achieved without a special attention and determination,’’ the NBCC president said.

Adefulu, who expressed delight that the target agreed upon in 2010 was met, noted that the target was inspired by the shared conviction that the relationship could yield a lot more than the two countries were getting.

“Cameron identified offering special attention to trading ties with Nigeria, improved relationship with Nigerians in Diaspora and improved government to government relationship, as part of the strategy for enhanced trade and benefits.

The chamber had since inception in 1977 actively promoted trade and investment between Nigeria and the U.K. The chamber currently promotes the export of Nigeria initiatives for the introduction of Nigerian non-oil exports to the U.K. market,” Adefulu said.

SMEDAN updates data on 2010 MSMEs survey

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he Director-General, Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN), Alhaji Bature Masari, has said that the agency has begun to update data on 2010 Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) survey.

To this end, the DirectorGeneral said that the groups charged with this responsibility were still on the field collecting data.

The survey is intended to update the 2010 report which showed that there are over 17 million of such enterprises with a cumulative employment of over 32 million in the country.

The DG said that the need to assess the contribution of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) sub-sector to the Nigerian economy

partially led to the national MSME survey conducted in 2010.

Masari, who described MSMEs as the driver of the economy, said: “I am very confident that this figure would have significantly increased and that explains why the agency plans to conduct another survey.”

He added that MSMEs had the potential to place Nigeria as one of the top 20 economies of the world by 2020.

Masari, therefore, urged stakeholders to jointly work to create an enabling environment to help tap the MSMEs potential to bolster the nation’s economy.

“The MSMEs space is large and demands the unflinching commitment of stakeholders and practitioners,” he said.

NEW TELEGRAPH THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2015

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ICT

DNS: NiRA releases 1,851 names from premium list p.36 With the issuing of Infrastructure Company (InfraCo) licences to two telecoms companies, the licensees have unveiled their roadmaps for pervasive broadband penetration, writes KUNLE AZEEZ

New Horizons, varsity open N50m ICT centre p.37

InfraCos: Unwraping blueprint to achieving 30% broadband access cent mark up on their capital expenditure (CAPEX) and employee tax holidays as well.

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ollowing the licensing of MainOne Consortium and IHS Consortium, as two fibre infrastructure companies (InfraCos) for Lagos and North Central zones respectively by the Nigeria Communications Commission (NCC), the country may have begun its auspicious journey to achieving pervasive broadband in the next few years.

The announcement of the successful winners, in the first phase of the InfraCo licensing exercise, was made at a January 29, 2014, stakeholder forum in Lagos by the Executive Vice Chairman of the NCC, Dr. Eugene Juwah.

Juwah said: “After about six months of paper work and rigorous evaluation process for the selection of the licensees for the country’s improved broadband provisioning, MainOne Consortium and IHS Consortium have been selected as InfraCos for Lagos and North Central, respectively, after due consultations and evaluations in the first phase.”

He assured that the licensing of other five InfraCos for North West, North East, South South, South West and South East zones would be completed before the end of the year.

Though, the country increased its broadband penetration from six per cent to eight per cent by the end of 2014, the national target is to achieve 30 per cent penetration by 2018, according to a five-year National Broadband Plan (NBP) approved by President Goodluck Jonathan in 2013.

Consequently, Juwah said that the InfraCo policy has been designed to fast-track the NBP target, adding that necessary spectrum auctions, such as the 2.3 gigahertz spectrum licensed to Bitflux in February 2014, would be carried out to accelerate ubiquitous broadband access.

The country currently boasts of over 11 terabytes of Internet bandwidth in-country brought about by the landings of several high capacity submarine cable systems that have slashed wholesale international bandwidth cost by well over 42 per cent in the past years.

However, ineffective distribution and transmission of the available bandwidth inland have continued to make accelerated expansion of broadband Internet access at more affordable end-user price - a major challenge and a barrier to faster realisation of the desired broadband boom in Nigeria.

According to the NCC boss, the need to bridge this capacity

MainOne CEO, Funke Opeke

Juwah

IHS CEO, Issam Darwish

distribution gap has, among others, informed the decision by the Commission to come up with the open access model for broadband deployment.

“We believe that the InfraCos and the ongoing plans to auction the 2.6 gigahertz spectrum this year and other spectrum bands being arranged for auctions, would help in unleashing the real broadband revolution in the country.

The InfraCos will operate to make their infrastructure affordable to businesses and end users,” Juwah said.

Expectations The InfraCo licensees, according to the regulator, are expected to deploy Metropolitan Optic Fibre Infrastructure and Associated Transmission Equipment on an open access, non-discriminatory price-regulated basis in the state and region respectively.

Juwah had stated that the open access model has been considered as a strategic means for the deployment of optic fibre backbone transmission infrastructure network in Nigeria.

This, he said, is expected to bridge the current broadband gap in the country, facilitate the development of local content and deliver cost effective services to households and businesses.

As such, the success of the process would address the challenges of fibre deployment in towns and cities, promote infrastructure sharing, reduce right of way issues and transform the beneficiary states to smart states, among others.

The activities of the InfraCos shall be complimentary to the existing integrated operators that offer end-to-end services and long distance operators offering whole sale services, even as the licensees are also expected to specifically bridge market gaps in the metropolitan and regional fibre segment

as well as provide end-to-end transmission services, to be available at point of access (PoAs), to access seekers.

Strictly, the InfaCos shall deal with wholesale wireless last mile operators, retail service providers (RSP), independent operators/ wholesale operators who require leasing transmission services and other access seekers such as vertically-integrated operators.

The commercial principles for InfraCos were deliberated upon by industry stakeholders at a forum, where the commission allayed the concerns expressed by stakeholders on market monopoly and unfair competition that might arise with InfraCo model.

Basically, our roadmap is to achieve pervasive build and rollout; drive affordability, accessibility and availability

Incentives The InfraCo regime is being supported by government in order to support the licensees to accelerate the country’s drive towards pervasive broadband access.

“As part of Nigeria’s drive for more investors into the blossoming Information and Communication Technology sector and based on the open access model, which has been adopted for the licensing round, beneficiaries of the licences shall get adequate incentives to operate in Nigeria,” Minister of Communication Technology, Mrs. Omobola Johnson, has said.

Consequently, the minister said that InfraCos shall be given tax holidays of between five and seven years to cushion the burden of their capital investments, stressing that this will also encourage them to invest in areas where many consider being less commerciallyrewarding.

She also said that the licensees will also be granted pioneer status as part of the incentives to boost their interest in investing in such areas or zones that may look unattractive. This is in addition to other incentives that can be up to 30 per

Roadmaps Meanwhile, the MainOne Consortium and IHS have explained what their roadmaps will look like as Infraco licensees.

Speaking on MainOne’s blueprint as InfraCo licensee, the company’s spokesperson, Mr. Kazeem Oladepo, said: “Fundamentally, our roadmap is more of building pervasive infrastructure on an open access level to make broadband infrastructure more available and accessible to Nigerians.”

He said that MainOne Consortium “is also coming up with a strategy to provide the infrastructure to our customers at more competitive rate than what used to obtain during the regime, when some companies used to engage in predatory pricing, which is not helping the industry.”

Through this, Oladepo said that his company would be able to support sustainable broadband business case for the users of the infrastructure. “So, basically, our roadmap is to achieve pervasive build and rollout; drive affordability, accessibility and availability,” he said.

Oladepo, however, stated that MainOne hopes to achieve this, together with other members of the consortium. “For us, we understand perfectly that the open access model of the NCC is a good approach to unleashing the economic potentials of broadband in the country and we are committed to driving this vision,” he added.

Company Secretary at IHS, Mr Jimoh Umoru, has also succinctly captured his company’s roadmap as an InfraCo licensee.

“We would focus on putting smiles on the faces of businesses and end users of broadband services. We would provide affordable and resilient broadband infrastructures to our customers to deliver on our mandate: bridge market gap in broadband provisioning,” he said.

Stakeholders’ views While early criticisms have trailed the process leading to the birth of InfraCo licensing, especially by key advocacy groups such as the Association of Telecoms Companies of Nigeria (ATCON) and the Nigeria Internet Group (NIG), that felt that InfraCo model could lead to monopoly, the NCC has allayed the fears of such stakeholders, saying, “InfraCos are going to compete just like other existing players.”

The NCC has also disclosed that it would come up with new rules that will guide the operations of existing fibre companies and the new InfraCos to ensure healthy competition and eschew all forms of anti-competitive practices.

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Business | ICT

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2015 NEW TELEGRAPH

DNS: NiRA releases 1,851 names from premium list LOW ADOPTION Action aimed at boosting uptake of Nigerian domain names from its current low adoption Stories by Kunle Azeez

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igeria’s Domain Names System (DNS) space is getting more democratised as Nigeria’s administrator of the country code Top Level Domain (ccTLD), .ng, Nigeria Internet Registration Association (NiRA), has released 1, 851 domain names from premium list.

President, NiRA, Mrs. Mary Uduma, said the decision was in a bid to democratise use of Nigeria’s domain name through cost reduction with a view to accelerating economic prosperity for the country.

She stated this while giving

an update on the monthly activities of NIRA for January, 2015.

“We have announced the release of some .ng country code Top Level Domain (ccTLD) premium domain names at the price of second level domain names. This was a total of 1, 851 domain names released from the list. This was in fulfilment of our promise to prune down the number of premium domain names,” she said.

Meanwhile, DNS space suffered setback last year as NiRA missed its target in terms of domain names planned for uptake in 2014.

NiRA sold about 60,000 domain names in 2013 and had promised in early 2014 that it would encourage an increased uptake of .ng domain names to reach 250,000 by the year end.

This means that the country had a target of 190,000 domain names planned to be registered by individuals, corporate and government agencies both

within and outside Nigeria in 2014 alone.

However, reports show that NiRA failed to meet the auspicious target despite some initiatives put in place to accelerate take-up by over four-folds.

According to official data, only 18,870 domain names were registered by NiRA’s over 40 registrars, as against the targeted 190,000.

Uduma, who had earlier confirmed this poor show, however, stated that NiRA achieved increased awareness on .ng.

She said: “Despite not meeting our set target in 2014 in terms of domain name regis-

trations, we can honestly say that we had a good year with increase in awareness of .ng domain names and domain business in Nigeria, growth in the number of registrars and domain names and setting the stage for more growth in all spheres of the domain name business in Nigeria.”

Uduma, who listed major activities that boosted .ng awareness in 2014, said NiRA participated in many awareness programmes and events, geared at boosting awareness of .ng domain names and .ng ccTLD. According to her, NIRA hosted the Nigeria Internet

Governance Forum (NIGF) in June 2014 and had the opportunity of hosting Africa in Abuja in July 2014 during the “Africa DNS Forum,” among several others it participated in both locally and globally last year.

Meanwhile, Uduma said the future growth of NiRA and domain names were very paramount to Nigeria’s economy.

“With the commitment and efforts of NiRA Board of Trustees, Executive Board members, staff, registrars and registrants, targets would be set to increase the number of domain names and accredited registrars,” she said.

‘17% subscribers produce 78% of Etisalat revenue’

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nly 17 per cent of the over 20 million telecoms subscribers on Etisalat Nigeria’s network is responsible for producing 78 per cent of the telco’s revenue.

This was disclosed by a source privy to the operations of the fourth largest telecoms company in the nation’s telecoms market.

“Today, there are over 40 million 2G and 3G users in Nigeria.

Data is expected to grow significantly in the coming years beyond voice services. Today, we now have heavy users of data on mobile network,” the source said.

It further stated: “A company such as Etisalat, for instance, is making 78 per cent of its revenue from about 17 per cent of its total subscribers. The subscribers that constitute the 17 per cent are the heavy users of Etisalat network and this service demand by this category of subscribers would still increase as we enter into the broadband era.”

Meanwhile, the telecommunications operator has emerged winner of the ‘African Telecoms Deal of the Year 2014’ at the IJGlobal Europe & Africa Aard (Euromoney/Project Finance Magazine Awards) in London.

This deal, the first by a major GSM operator in Nigeria, was announced in August 2014 and is part of Etisalat’s broader strategy to drive improvements in the quality of its network and to accelerate the roll out of 2G and 3G coverage and new services to its customers.

Responding after receiving the award at the presentation dinner, Head of Strategy and Business Development, Etisalat Nigeria, Mr. Seun Oshitade, expressed appreciation to the organisers of the IJ Global Awards as well as the partners to the deal.

He said: “This award recog-

nises our continuous strategy to increase the coverage and capacity of our network which is already rated number one for quality of service by the Nigerian Communication Commission (NCC).

“Our partnership with IHS for the transaction which is being celebrated at this award ceremony is designed to promote network sharing, ensure higher quality, sustain reliable mobile services, lower overall costs and also promote a cleaner environment through reduced diesel usage and increased investments in alternative energy solutions.”

Other key stakeholders, who contributed to the success of the deal, include financial advisers, Stanbic Bank and legal advisers, Norton Rose.

Representatives from these organisations were at the event to join Etisalat in receiving the award at the ceremony held at the Natural History Museum, Cromwell Road, London.

IJGlobal Editor, Sarah Tame, and Deputy Editor, Jon Whiteaker, while presenting the awards, commended all the winners for the market-leading transactions in their different sectors.

The IJGlobal Awards is organised by the Infrastructure Journal and Project Finance Magazine, a publication of Euromoney Institutional Investor PLC. Over 500 market professionals attended the ceremony, which recognises excellence, achievement and innovation in energy and infrastructure finance.

The ‘African Telecoms deal of the year’ award complements other titles that Etisalat Nigeria has won in just six years of operations in Nigeria.

L-R: General Manager, SuperSport West Africa, Mr Felix Awogu; General Manager, GOtv, Mrs. Elizabeth Amkpa and General Manager, Marketing, MultiChoice Nigeria, Mr Martin Mabutho, during a press conference in Lagos.

Airtel to deepen partnership with NACA N

igeria’s telecoms services provider, Airtel, has expressed the company’s resolve to strengthen its partnership with the National Agency for Control of Aids (NACA), to deepen fight against the dreaded HIV/AIDS. Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director, Airtel Nigeria, Segun Ogunsanya, stated this during the signing ceremony of a memorandum of understanding between UNAIDS and Airtel to eliminate Mother-to-Child transmission of HIV in Nigeria.

He said that the partnership will provide Airtel with a new opportunity to deepen its commitment to touching the lives of Nigerians positively, especially in the area of quality healthcare services delivery.

“At Airtel, we have a track record of supporting and empowering young people, who are the future leaders of our country. We have adopted and built schools for children; provided several interventions in the area of healthcare for hundreds of kids while our Touching Lives programme has even

offered us a more elaborate platform to reach and connect with underprivileged children,” he said.

Ogunsanya stated that Airtel was interested in impacting society positively, saying this underscores the telco’s corporate philosophy of becoming the most-loved brand in the daily lives of Nigerians.

Also speaking, Director General of NACA, Prof.

John Idoko, commended the telecoms services provider for its leading role in providing practical, relevant and continuous assistance in the fight against the HIV/AIDS.

Glo’s premium customers get new postpaid plan

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igeria’s national telecommunications carrier, Globacom, has launched a new tariff plan for its premium customers to enable them enjoy more hours of talk time, data usage and text messages.

The new tariff plan, tagged ‘Glo Smart Postpaid Plan’, offers four different packages, depending on the usage pattern of individual subscribers.

Speaking at the launch of the service, Globacom’s Regional Chief Marketing Officer, Mr. Ashok Israni,

described the offer as the best for postpaid subscribers in Nigeria as it gives more value for money.

While commending the company’s postpaid customers for their patronage over the years, Israni promised that Glo would continue to innovate in order to excite and delight them.

“This time around, we are focusing on our clientele on the postpaid platform whom we are giving a unique and unprecedented combo of extra data and talk time in addition to

gilt-edged goodies they currently enjoy. We are further increasing the value our high-networth customers get from their investment on our network and nobody does it better,” he said.

Israni further stated that the postpaid plan was a one-off bundle, which does not charge subscribers extra. “You do not have to dial any code to savour the benefits. All you have to do is just recharge normally and the benefits would roll in without much ado,” he added.

Business | ICT

NEW TELEGRAPH THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2015

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New Horizons, varsity open N50m ICT centre EDGE The facility provides digital opportunity for students to be competitive in the labour market Stories by Kunle Azeez

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global private Information Technology (IT) training institute in Nigeria has delivered a N50 million Information and Communication Technology (ICT) resource centre at the Adeleke University, Ede, Osun State.

The facility will allow students of the institution to join their counterparts in other

private universities across the country by benefiting from international certifications in ICT and e-business.

The IT resource centre, which has over 100 HP CPUMonitor combined computers, intelligent boards, multimedia projectors, networking, software, international IT-E Biz courses/curricula, furniture, Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS), certified instructors, international exams centre, students courseware, will help students escape the pervasive graduate unemployment syndrome, which is ravaging job market.

Speaking at the inauguration of the project, Vice Chancelor of the university, Prof. Oluwole Amusan, said that the centre would enable every student, irrespective of

his or her academic discipline, have minimum of four international skills certifications at 90 per cent subsidised rate, before graduation from the university.

He said that it will position them in global software development industry, e-banking, e-medical/telemedicine, egovernment, e-legal administration, oil and gas as well as telecoms sector with attendant employment and self employment opportunities.

“It will provide skills that make our students more marketable and relevant to the demands of the job market.

Today, ICT has made scholars to redefine literacy. Man will return to the Stone Age if ICT is removed from learning.

Adeleke University deems it fit that all our students should have certifications in CCNA,

Oracle, Java, Microsoft and other globally acclaimed IT and e-business professionals courses,” he said.

Managing Director, New Horizons Nigeria, Mr. Tim Akano, said the company had extended globally-recognised IT certifications, which were sought-after by employers across all sectors to almost all the private universities in the last 10 years, having trained over 50,000 students nationwide.

He urged the students to avail themselves of the opportunity presented by the resource centre by taking serious their coursework and strive to get the certification.

He said that the world previously was ruled by the agrarian revolution, industrial revolution but in the 21st century, it is dominated by the information

age, which relies on ICT skills.

“For any person to make great impact, he or she must have ICT skills. Whether you are studying whether Nursing, Business Administration, Accounting, Medicine, Biology, Law, and so on, you need ICT skills.

“We felt that Adeleke University should not be left behind because the Internet has turned the world to a global village. You will compete for employment with people from China, India, USA, etc even as the job market is looking for people with the requisite skills irrespective of where they come from. You owe it a duty to put Nigeria on the global stage.

With your IT and e-business certification you can be a millionaire as well as an employer of labour,” he said.

E-PPAN to boost e-Government in Nigeria

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L-R: Thomas Ayodele of Complete Sport and Board Chairman, Mobofree’s, Mr. Cristobal Alonso, at the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding to make Mobofree exclusive classifieds partner to newspaper in Lagos.

IT firm deploys app for drivers

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technology company that connects riders with drivers through a smartphone application, Uber, has launched its low-cost option, uberX as a safe, reliable and flexible alternative to urban transportation in Lagos.

The company said to book an Uber ride, users only need to download the free application available on Android, iPhone and Blackberry 7 mobile devices, or register with the company on its official website.

With the app, the rider sees their driver’s photo, name, registration plate and rating before the car arrives, providing them with all the information they need to ensure a safe and secure ride.

“The uberX ride is typically a Toyota Camry, Kia Cerato, Hyundai Elantra or Honda Accord with a base fare of N500, N10 per minute and N110 per kilometer. Uber is a completely cashless system, meaning an Uber rider’s

fare is charged automatically and electronically to their credit or debit card, protecting both riders and drivers, and ensuring that all payments are traceable,” the company said.

Uber rides have a Geographic Positioning System (GPS) tracking system, which sees where the rider is on the map, making pickup more efficient than alternate means of transportation.

Riders also have access to a live GPS-enabled map throughout their journey and can share this with a third party, such as family, partners or friends, who can track their progress to their destination.

Commenting on the service, General Manager, Uber Lagos, Ebi Atawodi, stated “People are changing the way they connect with their cities and get around, and we feel Uber is a big part of this revolution. We believe Nigerians should be allowed more choice in the way they travel and with uberX, we

now offer unrivalled value for getting around Lagos safely and securely, at the touch of a button.”

She stated that “to ensure that Uber riders receive the highest quality rides and reliability, all partner drivers have to have a driver institute card and commercial insurance before they are allowed to drive on the Uber system.”

Atawodi further stated that “all our drivers are vetted by the Uber team, making Uber the safest way to get around.”

The introduction of the service to the Nigerian market has created a positive impact in the job market as an avenue for potential drivers to partner with Uber thus creating flexibility in their schedule and earnings.

“Also available in Lagos is UberBlack; the high-end luxury Uber, riders in Nigeria can also use the Uber application when they travel to any other city in the world that Uber operates in,” Atawodi.

s part of moves to deepen e-governments in the country, the E-Payment Providers Association of Nigeria (E-PPAN) has concluded plans to host Nigeria’s premier edition of the e-Government Summit with the theme ‘E-government: Key to Sustainable Development,’ The international conference, scheduled to take place in Abuja will hold in July this year. It will address issues such as access, efficiency, transparency, cooperation and sustainable development in the area of e-government.

The Committee of E-Banking Industry Heads (CeBIH), First Bank Nigeria Plc and SecureID Nigeria Limited, which are members of the E-PPAN Governing Board, will work with the E-PPAN’s secretariat, as planning committee, for the event.

Executive Secretary and Chief Executive Officer, EPPAN, Mrs. Onajite Regha, said in a statement that the objective of the summit is to create a platform for developing outstanding models and formulate winning strategies, which will enhance government administrative productivity, efficiency and transparency.

This, she said, will be centred on improving efficiency in government service delivery and moving away from a ‘silo approach’ to greater collaboration between the private and public sector for sustainable development and economic growth.

“Other objective includes exploring how government can manage the process of innovation in the context of public finance and how technology can improve the process of governance itself.

According to Regha, “the 2015 e-government summit will provide an exciting opportunity for public sector to learn from and network with

private sector experts as we identify common challenges and share useful solutions. As part of our strategy, we will be collaborating with major government agencies and state governments.”

She explained that the summit formerly called the “E-Payment for government summit” was borne out of the desire to be a driver of a new generation of e-services in public sector, providing a platform where decision makers and top government officials meet with the best and brightest of the e-payment industry on a single platform. This has been successfully achieved in three consecutive conferences.

She maintained that the e-government summit will proffer strategies and solutions for identified issues, which will propel new steps towards the changing needs and challenges of the public sector in terms of achieving excellence in service delivery, infrastructure and attaining both organisational and national transformation.

“It will also provide an exciting platform for industry experts, key government representatives and professionals from various MDAs at the three tiers of government to discuss the latest issues and trends related to e-government,” she added.

Also, Business and Strategy Development Manager, EPPAN, Ms Ntia Sylvia, noted that today, governments are looking for powerful tools to reinvent themselves.

“They are being encouraged to transform from the traditional bureaucratic paradigm, which emphasises standardisation, departmentalisation, and operational cost-efficiency, to the “e-government” paradigm, which emphasises coordinated network building, external collaboration and citizen oriented service.”

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Photo | News

L-R: Head, Consumer Channels and Services, Interswitch, Ibrahim Aminu; Marketing Manager, DSTV, Chioma Afe; winner of Quickteller/ DSTV promo, Bamidele Micheal; Marketing Manager, Quickteller and Agency Network, Adetayo Teluwo, at the Quickteller/DSTV promo prize presentation in Lagos.

PHOTO: SULEIMAN HUSAINI

Minister of State for Works, Prince Adebayo Adeyeye (right), with the Executive Director, Regional Centre for Training in Aerospace Survey, Dr. Adewale Akingbade, during his visit to the Ministry in Abuja.

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2015 NEW TELEGRAPH

L-R: Secretary to the Oyo State Government, Mr. Ismail Olalekan Alli; Director of Cabinet, Mr. Samuel Kolawole; new Head of Service, Mr. Soji Eniade and Governor Abiola Ajimobi, shortly after Eniade’s swearing-in at the Executive Chambers of the Governor’s Office in Ibadan.

Permanent Secretary, Niger State Ministry of Health, Dr. Ibrahim Umar Tiffin (right), administering vaccine to a child, at the flag-off of the Maternal, Newborn and Child Health Week in Minna.

PHOTO: DAN ATORI

PHOTO-NAN

Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Women Affairs, Dr. Ezekiel Oyemomi; Director, Women Affairs, Mrs. Iran Ajufo and Representative of UN Women, Kemi Ndieli, at the National stakeholders’ consultative meeting on the 59th session of the UN Commission on the status of women in Abuja. PHOTO-NAN

L-R: Representative of NACA’s Director-General, Mr. Abel Ehijiator; Executive Secretary, Benue AIDS Control Agency, Mrs. Grace Ashi-Wendi and NACA’s Programme Coordinator, Dr. Daniel Ndukwe, at the NACA/Sure-P free medical outreach, at Akpagher Mbatiav Community, Gboko, Benue State.

Kwara State Governor, Dr. Abdulfatah Ahmed (right), receiving a customized Nigeria National League, (NNL) football from the Chairman, NNL Board, Chief Emeka Inyeama, during a courtesy visit to the governor in Ilorin.

L-R: General-Secretary, Federation of Oyo State Students Union, Mr. Olaniyan Daramola; First VicePresident, Mr. Yussuf Imran; Second Vice-President, Hassan Fatimat and Treasurer, Adekunle Yussuf, at a news conference on the forthcoming elections in Ibadan.

39

NEW TELEGRAPH THURSDAY FEBRUARY 26, 2015

Mom&Parenting When mom’s office is home

There is always a big question about whose lifestyle is easier: stay at home moms or working moms? It is certain that both types of mothers work very hard, but what is better for a woman; to stay at home with kids, or to work is very hard to determine. While some mothers prefer to stay at home and take care of the home, some prefer to be working mothers for reasons best known to them, Oluwatosin Omoniyi looks at the pluses and minuses of staying at home or working while being a mom.

F

or Sarah Ajulowo, mother of four, says it doesn’t make her a better mom. She says she has worked and stayed home for nine years, “I can say that working full time does not make me a better mom because by the time I come back from work, I was always too stressed,” she said. Ajulowo explained further that she was very exhausted to the extent that she wasn’t able to give enough attention to her children and husband. There was constant friction in the home and always something that is not done and it frustrates me. I’m better when I work only few hours a week, because, but I’m happier, rested and less stressed,” she said.

Foluke Uguru-mother of three- I believe that a working mom just makes a more ‘affordable’ and independent mom. Meaning she’s financially apt. Now, when she begins working, the child eventually begins to get left behind because depending on the nature of the job, the demands increase. Then you have the mothers that begin to appreciate themselves more and want more and greed settles in. You’re now buying your child (ren)’s love because you’re no longer there for them. No a working mom is not a good idea unless it’s a job that includes bring the child with you. Like a daycare center or opening one in your home.

Maria Babatope, mother of two says it is hard but for her it’s worth it! I would really miss working and being out of the house, housework isn’t too bad, and as kids get older you can slowly have them help. Also, even a stay at home parent can’t and shouldn’t be expected to get all the house work done. I am bold to say that I am a work-at- home mom, enjoying fulfilling all the responsibilities of motherhood and taking good care of my kids and providing them proper nourishment.

Foluke Okeowo, mother of two- I prefer to be a working mom because I believe in it lies my pride. Being a working Mom and having a life out-

Mom&Parenting Team

Oluwatosin Omoniyi Coordinator

© Daily Telegraph Publishing Company Limited

Working and getting distracted by her child

Working-at-home mom

side the house helps in keeping a priority of what needs to be done at home.When I was out of work and my husband would return from office; I would be grumpy and hard to get along. He begged me to go back to work because I was better company. Again my children went to school with me as I am a teacher so I was never far away from them.

Magaret Jones, mother of three-being a mother for three kids and working all that time I can say very clear that for me it works, I feel better mom and most of it is because I am a working woman and an example for my kids on how to run my life and family Taiwo Oriyomi- Mother of three- As a working mom, I truly believe that I am a saner person.

I work as a hospital attendant and most days were not always pleasant at my job. But whatever, I passed through at work; it makes me appreciate my family so much more.

I work full time 12 hour straight nights. So at the end of my stretch I am tired, exhausted, but I work three days every week.

I have learned to care less about what my house looks like and more about

PHOTO: atlantablackstar.com

my family being happy. When I am gone at work, I miss my kids and husband. So when I get home, no matter how tired I am, I make the best of the time I have with them. And I am fortunate enough to have family (my parents and my grandmother) who watch my kids while I am working. My kids love their quality time with their grandparents but it also makes them appreciate their time with mom more too. For me, I believe if you have a good system it can be beneficial but if you don’t, it can be very detrimental.

Aisha Isah-mother of two- Being a working mom gives me the feeling that I have given something to my family as well as given something to myself.

Anita Garba- mother of fourIf I have to leave my job, to ensure my children live in a respectful environment and are decently brought, then no problem doing that. It is helpful to be independent and have more choices to stay in the relationship or not, but I am not sure it makes one a better mom. In my own experience, it doesn’t make me a better mom, because my husband disre-

PHOTO: www.theblackhomeschool.com

A mother trying to strike the balance between home and work PHOTO:hala-hi-org

spects me in front of the kids regardless of my profession. My kids do not understand their mom works for their future, to help them with savings for college, etc. So, for me, it depends on how the spouse treats us.

Alice Ogbeche- mother of one- my husband is a stay at home dad because it actually is cheaper for him to stay at home rather than take up a job. It also gives him a chance to work towards getting his degree. I on the other hand could never be a stay at home parent, I would miss my work too much, not to mention it would hurt my career. My husband hasn’t graduated yet Thresa Pam-mother of five- I disagree with the idea of a working mom.

Why, because women start to take that ‘I don’t need you’, develop this ‘I have my own life to live now’ attitude, once they start making their own money, which in turns starts the picking, bickering, and unresolved issues because the husband is feeling left out because the wife is now fusll of herself because she’s getting her life back and being neglectful towards her family. Actually it overloads you and you’ll be stressed and losing your temper faster at home and with your kids, so working has an opposite action, but it didn’t make me a better mom.

40 Mom&Parenting

THURSDAY FEBRUARY 26, 2015 NEW TELEGRAPH

Why lovemaking is better than dieting

MOM’S ALERT with

Grace Essen

grace.essen@gmail.com

Should You Spank Your Child?

A

Having a blissful moment together

PHOTO: atlantablackstar.com

Laura Lifshitz

M

ost people will resolve to eat better, exercise, and stay health conscious for 2015. It’s pretty much the same spiel each year. Most of us know that going to McDonald’s for a Big Mac is not a great choice for our bodies and that we would be better off eating veggies and lean proteins, so there’s no need to beat a dead horse.

What most people don’t think about though is how important it is to have more sex with their partners. Why? Some people may think that if someone is open to sexual conversation, perhaps that woman or man is “loose,” but truth is that those people are missing out.

You don’t have to be one inch kinky and could even prefer sex in the missionary position each time, and having more sex would still be crucial for you and your relationship in 2015. Here’s why: Closeness Begets Closeness: You may be too tired tonight to “do it,” but chances are since you’re a parent, you will be tired again tomorrow. You will be tired, burnt-out, and stressed for potentially quite a long time. If you keep pushing off until you’re more awake to have sex with your partner, you may not have someone to have sex with. It sounds crazy, but I’ve seen it happen. The more intimacy in your relationship and the more touching, the more the two of you are reinforcing your bond and commitment to one another.

Think about when you first had your child/children. All the bonding – snuggling, bottle feeds, nursing, co-sleeping, or just rocking that little one to sleep – helped you to form a bond with that child. Sex does the same thing for your relationship. It is a reminder of why you chose this person. It is a connection you have with no one else. When you have sex with your partner you’re reminding that person, “Hey, I love you still.” When one partner keeps rejecting the other partner sexually, it can be incredibly damaging to the partner’s self-esteem and ultimately, the partnership. Do not become roommates because constant separateness and platonic activities create space between two people. This doesn’t mean you have to be up each other’s butts in order to stay together but that getting physical keeps the love alive.

The First Relationship: Without this marriage or partnership, you wouldn’t have the title of mom (in most cases – obviously you may have had kids with another partner).

And while being a mother is an extremely honorable and important role, you were also at one time just a partner. Don’t forget the first relationship because if you do — which you probably will at some point during these early childhood years – your marriage or partnership will suffer. If the parents are not OK, the children will not be OK. You two are both setting the stage for what your children’s future relationships will look like in so many ways. Take time for each other and don’t feel like a bad mother when you do so. Being a good wife or partner is just part of your new job description as mom.

Don’t ever feel bad for wanting time alone with your partner. If you start to feel like you could care less if you ever spend a single minute with your main squeeze, it’s time to start thinking about why you feel this way, and perhaps maybe it’s time to separate or see a counselor together.

It’s Good For You: Sex is good for you, as long as you’re not doing it with everyone on the planet or making the nasty with a toxic person.

It helps you sleep better – what mom couldn’t use that? – relaxes you, burns some calories (how about that, 2015 diet?), and is fun! We often admire children because they’re capable of finding joy and fun in small things. Each day consists of play. Just because you pay taxes, make lunches, and probably help wipe someone’s butt, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t play.

Sex is the adult playground. It’s fun!

With sex, you can reverse your everyday life roles. Are you a type-A person? Perhaps sexually, you can be submissive. Are you an introvert by day? Maybe you can get your freak on during role-play, dirty talk, or a wee bit of S&M at night. Fifty Shades, perhaps? When you have a partner you love and trust, sex is a safe place to let loose and have fun, and having fun keeps you younger and healthier.

People Evolve: While for the most part people don’t change, as much as we think we know everything about our partners, we really don’t know every detail. Having sex together is a moment to learn something new about each other, and that’s a good thing!

Our Self-Esteem: Having more sex will help you feel better about yourself– even sexier. All of the hormones involved in sex won’t just make you feel more bonded to your mate, but they will also flood your body with those positive feelings. It’s why people often call love a “drug.” It feels good and comes without side effects!

Culled from popsugar of www.circle of moms

few days ago, I heard a cry from my neighbour’s house; a child was being spanked by the mum for a bad behaviour, most likely. I remembered in a communal setting, when a child was being disciplined, neighbors would come round for two reasons: to reinforce the discipline, and then to ‘save’ the child from the angry parent. Nowadays when we hear such cries we all just mind our businesses.

If you are like most parents, you would have at one time or the other administered a quick slap or a knock to a child, as a fast way to get him to behave.

And when a more serious misbehavior needs to be addressed, we mete out a commensurate discipline, even as far as whacking the child with a belt. And on some occasions, exhausted or exasperated parents like myself would feel both guilty and confused that we lost control.

In these very busy times, fewer children receive adequate time and attention from their parents, who are often too distracted or overwhelmed by their own problems to deal with their children’s misbehaviours with patience and empathy. Many of us learnt in our childhood that spanking was the way to discipline a child because that was what our parents did, and since most parents are unaware of alternative methods, it continues.

Today, groups and individuals around the world are pushing to make it illegal for a parent, teacher, or anyone else to spank a child, and this has been adopted in 37 countries. Here are some reasons they have put forward: Hitting children teaches them to become hitters themselves.

Punishment distracts the child from learning how to resolve conflict in an effective and humane way.

Punishment interferes with the bond between parent and child, as it is not human nature to feel loving toward someone who hurts us.

Anger and frustration which cannot be safely expressed by a child become stored inside.

Spanking on the buttocks, an erogenous zone in childhood, can create in the child’s mind an association between pain and sexual pleasure, and lead to difficulties in adulthood.

Research shows that children who are spanked are more likely to exhibit criminal and delinquent behaviour later on, and have their mental health destroyed.

Marjorie Gunnoe, a psychology professor at Calvin College in Grand Rapids, Michigan, dealt a serious blow to the anti-spanking lobby with her research into 179 teenagers, which revealed that smacking under the age of six is likely to make children

more successful in their teens.

Cassandra Jardine, reacting to this finding in an article titled “There Is No Need To Smack Children” wrote: “…No doubt some of the parents who have given up physical punishment, have abandoned all attempts to set boundaries. As a result their children may be more likely to go off the rails. It is likely, too, that some of those who smacked their young children were also fierce about bedtimes, good diet and homework.”

Sometime this month, Pope Francis was speaking to a general audience when he said it was okay to smack children to discipline them as long as their dignity is maintained. He outlined the traits of a good father (parent) as one who forgives but is able to “correct with firmness” while not discouraging the child. His statement received huge criticism from all over the world. Many said there is no way of hitting children with dignity, others said His “holiness” just invented a new category: ‘dignified violence.’

A Vatican spokesman Fr Federico Lombardi reacting to the criticisms said: “I wish only to point out that the pope was speaking about the responsibility of parents to ‘correct without humiliating’, or rather, to assume the responsibility of keeping their children on the right track and to help them to grow up well, but always to do so with love and with respect for their dignity.”

The debate is pretty fierce, and parents are caught right in the middle, totally confused.

Many have adopted ‘no spanking’, but clueless as to alternative measures for discipline. Some do not spank, but their words are more hurting than the strokes of a cane. Others prefer to stay on the ‘safe’ side by choosing to ‘spank moderately’, which the experts say is equally damaging.

But what does the Bible have to say about this? “Foolishness is bound in the heart of a child; but the rod of correction shall drive it far from him” Pr.22:15 KJV. Many have argued over what ‘rod’ in that text could possibly mean. Here is another translation: “Children just naturally do silly, careless things, but a good spanking will teach them to behave.”GNT. Parenting is challenging no doubt, and as with any other job, it requires a variety of “tools” to be effective. Choosing to spank or not to spank a child does not make one a better parent than the other. It’s not so much the tool, but the way it is used that is the issue.

Grace Essen is the author of ‘Successful Working Mom’, president and founder Mum To Mum Support Initiative.

Travel Advisory

NEW TELEGRAPH THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2015

41

International Flight Schedule Air France

Destination Abuja- Paris Paris-Lagos Paris-PHC PHC-Paris Paris –Abuja Lagos –Paris

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 Lagos-Amsterdam

KL587 KL588

13:15hrs 23:05hrs

20:00hrs 05:50hrs

KLM

ARIK AIRLINES

Lagos-London London-Lagos Lagos-New York

W3 101 W3 102 W3 107 (Mon, Wed , Fri) New York-Lagos W3 108 (Tues,Thurs, Fri) Lagos-Johannesburg W3 103 Johannesburg-Lagos W3 104 Lagos-Douala - (Tues, Wed ,Thur) Douala-Lagos - (Tues, Wed, Thur) Lagos-Accra Accra-Lagos

Abuja-Accra Accra-Abuja Lagos-Freetown Freetown-Lagos Lagos-Banjul Banjul-Lagos Lagos-Dakar Dakar-Lagos

-(Tue, Thur, Sat, Sun) -(Mon, Wed, Fri) -(Daily) - (Wed, Fri, Sun) -(Wed, Fri, Sun) -(Wed, Fri, Sun) -(Wed, Fri, Sun) -(Mon, Tue, Thur, Fri,Sat) -(Tue,Wed, Fri,Sat,Sun)

BRITISH AIRWAYS

London-Lagos Lagos-London Abuja-London Abuja-London

07:00hrs 20:05hrs 20:10hrs 11:45hrs

Lagos-Cairo Cairo-Lagos

MS 876 MS 875

14:25hrs 08:30hrs

22:20hrs 13:30hrs

EGYPT AIR

KENYA AIRWAYS

16:00hrs

Lagos-Kigali

11:15hrs

16:45hrs

10:45hrs 09:35hrs 11:10hrs 13:25hrs 07:20hrs 17:00hrs 08:05hrs 13:35hrs 18:00hrs

hrs 14:44hrs hrs hrs hrs hrs hrs hrs hrs

AWB 201 (Mon, Wed, Fri, Sun) AWB 202 (Tue, Thur, Sat, Sun)

14:00hrs

17:30hrs

22:35hrs 15:10hrs

06:00hrs 21:20hrs

17:00hrs 06:00hrs 08:00hrs 17:00hrs 08:00hrs 15:20hrs 21:00hrs

hrs hrs hrs hrs hrs hrs hrs

01:00hrs

hrs

3:00hrs 14:00hrs

8:00hrs 19:00hrs

EK 7821 (Sun-Sat) EK 7822 EK 7831 EK 7811 EK 761

21:30hrs 14:40hrs 07:35hrs 14:20hrs 23:55hrs

07:40hrs 01:05hrs 12:50hrs 19:45hrs 10:30hrs

Lagos-Doha Flight Doha-Lagos Flight

QR 1414 (daily) QR 1415

14:55hrs 07:20hrs

23:45hrs 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 ET900 Addis Ababa - Lagos ET901 Abuja - Addis Ababa ET910 Addis Ababa - Abuja ET911 Enugu - Addis Ababa ET930 Addis Ababa - Enugu ET931 Kano - Addis Ababa ET930 Addis Ababa - Kano ET931

13:15hrs 09:00hrs 13:40hrs 09:40hrs 12:00hrs 09:20hrs 14:05hrs 09:20hrs

20:25hrs 12:15hr 20:10hrs 12:20hrs 20:50hrs 11:15hrs 20:50hrs 13:20hrs

Lagos-Madrid Madrid-Lagos

IB 3337 IB 3336

22:55hrs 16:00hrs

5:25+1hrs 20:20hrs

Lagos-Casablanca Casablanca-Lagos

AT738 AT 737

06:25hrs 02:15hrs

09:55hrs 6:00hrs

air maroc

20.45hrs 09:50hrs 09.20 hrs 06:30hrs

12:30hrs

Lagos-Dubai Lagos-Dubai Dubai-Lagos Dubai-Lagos Abuja-Dubai

IBERIA

Abu Dhabi-Lagos

EY 0672 (Sunday) (Monday) (Saturday) EY 955

19:35hrs 23:45hrs

MEA 571 MEA 572

ETHIOPIAN AIRLINES

Lagos- Abu Dhabi

ETIHAD AIRWAYS

12:30hrs 18:00hrs

to Lagos)

UNITED AIRLINES

17:00hrs 4:40hrs

KQ 533 KQ 534

11:55hrs 5:50hrs 14:35hrs 06:00hrs

DELTA AIRLINES

11:00hrs 22:40hrs

Lagos-Nairobi Nairobi-Lagos

17:55hrs 00:00hrs 09:00hrs 22:40hrs

QATAR AIRWAYS

VS 652 VS 651

18:30hrs 05:15hrs 05:30hrs

BA075 BA074 BA 082 BA 083

EMIRATES AIRLINES

Lagos-London London-Lagos

12:00hrs 21:30hrs 23:50hrs

Middle East Airlines (Two flights weekly (Tues & Friday)

Lebanon-Lagos Lagos-Lebanon

VIRGIN ATLANTIC

RwandAir

Kigali-Lagos

Turkish Airlines

Lagos-Istanbul Nairobi-Lagos

332 333

Air Côte d'Ivoire Lagos to Abidjan Abidjan to Lagos

HF 851 (Tues, Thurs, Fri, Sun) HF 852 (Mon,Wed, Thurs, Sat)

ASKY AIRLINES

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

10:10hrs

10:50hrs

19:20hrs

21.50hrs

Flight No. KP 032 (Tue-Fri) KP 032 ( Tue-Fri)

Departure Arrival 14:00hrs 15:55hrs 16:30hrs 18:15hrs

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)

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

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

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

42

Business | Money Line

MASS MARKETING

Some banks are sending out teams to organisations with large number of employees to carry out the staff enrollment on the companies’ premises Stories by Tony Chukwunyem

A

s the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) June deadline for bank customers to register for the Bank Verification Number (BVN) scheme draws closer, lenders are introducing new ways to encourage their customers to enroll on the platform.

Apart from increased publicity for the scheme by way of adverts/commercials in the print and electronic media, some banks are sending out teams to organisations with large number of employees to carry out the staff enrollment on the companies’ premises.

For instance, a first generation bank recently sent one of such teams to the head office of a Lagosbased conglomerate to carry out the enrollment exercise. The company,

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2015 NEW TELEGRAPH

Banks devise novel ways to drive BVN registration which has over 200 employees had set aside the morning hours for the event and had put up a notice informing staff that had not yet done their registration to ensure that they show up.

BVN involves the registration of customers in the financial system using biometric technology, which makes accounts more secure using unique identifiers such as fingerprint.

The scheme, which is an initiative of the CBN in conjunction with the Bankers’ Committee, is aimed at protecting bank customers and further strengthening the Nigerian banking system. It is also meant to address the safety of customers’ funds, avoids losses through compromise of personal identification numbers and other criminal activities in the industry.

Analysts believe that the BVN will boost financial inclusion because those who have typically stayed away from mainstream banking due to low literacy levels will be able to open and ac-

cess their bank accounts using their biometric information rather than traditional identification methods.

According to them, the BVN could be described as a ‘silver-bullet solution’ to many of the current challenges in the banking

industry.

The analysts pointed out that the scheme is a unique identifier for each bank customer across the financial industry, making it possible to build and track customer financial history and activity. This will allow banks access

T

he naira remained steady at N198 to the United States dollar at the interbank market yesterday, the same rate it closed at the previous day.

The naira has oscillated between N197 and N199 to the dollar since the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) closed the Retail Dutch Auction System (RDAS) foreign exchange window last Wednesday.

Last Friday, the naira depreciated by N5 to the dollar at the Bureau de Change (BDC) segment of the foreign exchange market as it traded N215. Dealers said that the closure of the RDAS window which was meant to control speculations, had made forex scarce.

Total Nigeria asked lenders to bid for $107 million, which it auctioned within a range of N201.90 to N204 to the dollar, dealers said.

Three sales were carried out last Wednesday at N198

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

N16,833,244.57 N16,509,472.5m 8.2 0.0000 13 10.899 7.96 17.01 US$61.39 US$32,306,782,665

Description

TTM

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

1.21 2.53 3.22 5.39 7.98 16.47

Tenor (Days) Call 7 30 60 90 180 365

Rate (%) 11.9167 12.3333 12.6667 12.9167 13.2167 13.5000 13.7500

NIBOR

Dec, 2014 Dec, 2013 Feb, 2015 2/5/2014 24/2/2015 11/6/2013 Dec, 2013 Dec, 2013 24/2/2015 19/5/2015 Source:CBN

FGN Bonds Bid Price 90.20 99.25 104.10 109.35 114.15 76.60

Offer Yield 13.01 13.40 13.47 13.49 13.44 13.59

Price 90.35 99.40 104.40 109.65 114.45 76.90

Tenor (Months) 1 2 3 6 9 12

Rate (%) 12.1827 12.2737 12.3744 12.8521 12.8535 13.8443

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

Bid 12.10 12.10 12.05

FX

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

NITTY

Yield 12.86 13.33 13.35 13.42 13.38 13.53

Offer 163.38

Open-Buy-Back (OBB) Overnight (O/N)

Spot ($/N)

Bid 163.4000

naira for a total of $23.76 million, just before the interbank market closed, Thomson Reuters data showed, with dealers attributing trades to a Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) dollar sale.

The apex bank last week scrapped its bi-weekly currency auctions and a market body said it would sell dollars only at N198, a move that amounts to a de facto devaluation of the currency of Africa’s biggest economy.

Dealers said the CBN was

not selling dollars to fill dollar demand it described as “ineligible orders”, including payment for credit cards, leaving lenders to source for hard currency elsewhere.

After the forex auctions were scrapped, FMDQ, a group comprising Nigeria’s main lenders and the CBN, said dealers will only be able to buy dollars from the CBN if they have a prior order from a corporate customer, in order to curb speculation.

Fidelity Bank cuts jobs, promotes 963

O

ver 150 junior, middle level and senior staff of Fidelity Bank Plc, have been relieved of their appointments.

According to information, they were asked to resign ostensibly to stave off termination of their appointments.

The job cuts, which is said to be ongoing, was said to have taken the staff unawares as they couldn’t not log on the lender’s Internet system when they resumed in their respective offices.

A statement by Fidelity Bank, however announced the elevation of 963 employees.

The statement said the promotion was part of efforts to reward and motivate “hardworking, committed and efficient staff members for higher productivity.”

The statement quoted the

C

Rate (%) 11.33 11.63

NIFEX

Naira stabilises at interbank as oil firm sells dollars

bank’s Managing Director and Chief Executive, Nnamdi Okonkwo, as saying the promotion exercise was in line with its avowed commitment to reward excellence and exceptional individual performance.

He said: “In line with our commitment to ensuring people happiness and rewarding good performance, the names of our colleagues who qualified for promotion under the earlier advised criteria have now been released.

“Fidelity maintains high professional culture, where exceptional performance, innovativeness and hard work are recognised and rewarded.

He pointed out that the employees who were promoted and rewarded were selected through an enhanced performance management system.”

Fitch report: Bank vows to boost economic growth

Money Market Offer 11.85 11.85 11.80

to more reliable information that could inform decisions on customer loan and credit applications and other complex transactions. In addition, banks are also now able to reduce identity fraud within the financial industry and increase ac-

countability levels.

As part of efforts to encourage enrolment on the BVN, the CBN recently directed banks to only honour transactions over N100 million from customers with BVN from March 2015.

The apex bank also urged all bank customers to register for their BVN

by June 2015, warning that any bank customer without a BVN would be deemed to have inadequate know-your-customers by that date.

Offer 163.5000 Source: FMDQ

hief Executive Officer of Stanbic IBTC Holdings, Mrs. Sola David-Borha, has reacted to last Monday’s Fitch Ratings report on the company.

She gave an assurance that, “Stanbic IBTC will continue to leverage on the rich heritage and know-how of the Standard Bank Group to build a strong and reliable financial institution that will support the developmental goals of the economy.”

In a statement, David-Borha

further said that the ratings reflect the bank’s “strength, strong leadership and the continued support of its parent company, the Standard Bank Group.”

Fitch Ratings last Monday re-affirmed the AAA(nga)’ national ratings of Stanbic IBTC Bank PLC and Stanbic IBTC Holdings PLC. The two institutions were also assigned ‘F1+(nga)’National Short-term rating, to reflect the their ability to meet their financial commitments as they fall due.

Business | Financial Market News

NEW TELEGRAPH THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2015

FMDQ Daily Quotations List

43

25-Feb-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

Bonds FGN Bonds

Price

Rating/Agency

Issuer

NA

NA

Description

Issue Date

Coupon (%)

Outstanding Value (N'bn)

Maturity Date

TTM (Yrs)

Bid Yield (%)

Offer Yield (%)

Bid Price

Offer Price

23-Apr-10 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

4.00 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

535.00 581.39 476.80 20.00 100.00 300.00 351.30 233.90 34.00 600.00 459.68 75.00 150.00 200.00 591.57 223.50

23-Apr-15 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

0.16 1.47 2.17 2.42 2.51 3.26 4.34 4.66 4.97 6.92 9.05 13.76 14.24 14.73 15.41 19.39

14.67 16.12 16.37 16.39 16.39 16.24 16.06 16.00 15.98 15.90 15.91 16.99 17.14 17.31 16.49 16.70

13.69 16.00 16.28 16.31 16.30 16.11 15.96 15.89 15.89 15.82 15.84 16.92 17.07 17.21 16.41 16.64

98.34 96.09 97.69 87.33 85.98 86.34 99.75 71.18 98.52 101.99 91.91 89.47 75.42 53.48 64.05 73.91

98.49 96.24 97.84 87.48 86.13 86.64 100.05 71.48 98.82 102.29 92.21 89.77 75.72 53.78 64.35 74.21

4.00 23-APR-2015 13.05 16-AUG-2016 15.10 27-APR-2017 9.85 27-JUL-2017 9.35 31-AUG-2017 10.70 30-MAY-2018 16.00 29-JUN-2019 7.00 23-OCT-2019 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

TOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUE

4,932.13

TOTAL MARKET CAPITALISATION

4,341.35

Rating/Agency

Issuer

Description

Coupon (%)

Outstanding Value (N'bn)

Maturity Date

Avg. Life/TTM (Yrs)

Risk Premium (%)

Valuation Yield (%)

Indicative Price

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

0.00 17.25 0.00/16.00 0.00/16.50 0.00/16.50

24.56 2.70 112.22 116.70 66.49

24-May-15 03-Apr-17 08-Dec-16 19-Apr-17 06-Jul-17

0.24 1.10 1.78 2.15 2.36

2.63 2.27 2.00 1.00 1.00

17.22 17.95 18.31 17.39 17.39

95.95 99.37 96.53 96.18 92.78

31-Aug-15 30-Sep-15 30-Jun-16 30-Jun-16 19-Apr-17 30-Jun-17 31-Dec-17 30-Sep-18 04-Oct-18 09-Dec-18 12-Dec-18 14-Feb-19 02-Oct-19 22-Nov-19 12-Dec-19 10-Oct-20 27-Nov-20 31-Dec-20 31-Dec-20 06-Jan-21

0.51 0.35 0.87 0.87 2.15 1.41 2.85 2.02 2.03 2.22 2.22 2.41 2.65 4.74 2.72 3.27 5.75 5.85 3.51 3.54

4.44 3.23 4.46 3.48 1.00 1.00 1.79 1.80 1.00 1.00 4.78 1.00 1.00 1.00 2.74 1.00 1.00 1.94 1.44 1.95

19.13 17.84 19.77 18.79 17.39 17.09 18.11 18.19 17.39 17.39 21.17 17.39 17.36 17.00 19.09 17.24 16.91 17.84 17.63 18.14

96.90 98.42 95.60 97.43 87.17 96.01 91.10 93.45 94.62 95.00 88.29 96.51 96.34 92.02 91.46 94.19 87.70 89.88 92.41 92.42

Agency Bonds FMBN ***LCRM

0.00 FMB 24-MAY-2015 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

#

Issue Date

TOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUE

322.68

TOTAL MARKET CAPITALISATION

308.51

Sub-National Bonds A/Agusto A-/Agusto BBB+/Agusto ‡ /Agusto ‡ /Agusto; ‡ /GCR ‡ /Agusto ‡ /Agusto ‡ /Agusto; A+/GCR ‡ /Agusto; A-/GCR ‡ /Agusto; A-/GCR† ‡ /Agusto ‡ /Agusto; A-/GCR BBB+/Agusto; A-/GCR ‡ /Agusto; ‡ /GCR BBB-/Agusto; A-/GCR ‡ /Agusto ‡ /Agusto; ‡ /GCR A-/Agusto; BBB+/DataPro ‡ /Agusto A-/GCR

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

12.50 KADUNA 31-AUG-2015 13.00 EBONYI 30-SEP-2015 14.00 BENUE 30-JUN-2016 15.50 IMO 30-JUN-2016 10.00 LAGOS 19-APR-2017 13.75 BAYELSA 30-JUN-2017 14.00 EDO 31-DEC-2017 14.00 DELTA 30-SEP-2018 14.00 NIGER II 4-OCT-2018 14.50 EKITI 09-DEC-2018 14.00 NIGER III 12-DEC-2018 15.50 ONDO 14-FEB-2019 15.50 GOMBE 02-OCT-2019 14.50 LAGOS 22-NOV-2019 14.75 OSUN 12-DEC-2019 14.75 OSUN II 10-OCT-2020 13.50 LAGOS 27-NOV-2020 15.00 KOGI 31-DEC-2020 14.50 EKITI II 31-DEC-2020 15.00 NASARAWA 06-JAN-2021

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

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

8.50 4.18 4.86 5.73 57.00 25.73 25.00 34.14 9.00 13.73 10.20 27.00 16.23 80.00 26.62 11.10 87.50 5.00 4.55 4.56

TOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUE TOTAL MARKET CAPITALISATION

460.61 421.96

Corporate Bonds ‡ /Agusto BBB-/Agusto

*UPDC *FLOURMILLS

BB/GCR

*CHELLARAMS

10.00 UPDC 17-AUG-2015

17-Aug-10

10.00

2.50

17-Aug-15

12.00 FLOURMILLS 9-DEC-2015

09-Dec-10

12.00

18.75

09-Dec-15

0.54

1.00

15.72

98.12

14.00 CHELLARAMS 06-JAN-2016

06-Jan-11

14.00

0.42

06-Jan-16

0.62

2.63

17.49

98.05

13.00 NAHCO 29-SEP-2016

29-Sep-11

13.00

15.00

29-Sep-16

1.59

1.00

17.24

94.28

14.25 FSDH 25-OCT-2016

25-Oct-13

14.25

5.53

25-Oct-16

1.66

1.34

17.61

95.27

0.48

1.00

15.65

97.48

A+/Agusto; A-/GCR

NAHCO

A-/Agusto

FSDH

A/GCR

UBA

13.00 UBA 30-SEP-2017

30-Sep-10

13.00

20.00

30-Sep-17

2.59

1.00

17.37

91.13

BBB-/GCR

*C & I LEASING *DANA#{r}

18.00 C&I LEASING 30-NOV-2017

30-Nov-12

18.00

0.64

30-Nov-17

1.61

1.88

18.13

100.52

MPR+7.00 DANA 9-APR-2018

09-Apr-11

16.00

6.30

09-Apr-18

1.62

3.48

19.73

95.25

MPR+7.00 TOWER 9-SEP-2018

09-Sep-11

18.00

2.90

09-Sep-18

1.78

5.20

21.51

95.36

Nil A-/DataPro†; B+/GCR

*TOWER #

AAA/DataPro†; A/GCR

*TOWER #

MPR+5.25 TOWER 9-SEP-2018

09-Sep-11

16.00

0.80

09-Sep-18

1.78

5.06

21.37

92.87

A/Agusto; A/GCR

UBA

14.00 UBA II 22-SEP-2018

22-Sep-11

14.00

35.00

22-Sep-18

3.57

1.00

17.18

91.74

Bbb+/Agusto; BBB+/GCR

*LA CASERA *CHELLARAMS#

15.75 LA CASERA 18-OCT-2018

18-Oct-13

15.75

2.40

18-Oct-18

1.89

2.29

18.64

95.74

MPR+5.00 CHELLARAMS II 17-FEB-2019

17-Feb-12

18.00

0.36

17-Feb-19

2.22

6.11

22.50

92.86

BBB-/DataPro†; BB/GCR Nil

*DANA#{r}

16.00 DANA II 1-APR-2019

01-Apr-14

16.00

4.50

01-Apr-19

2.85

2.16

18.48

94.73

A+/Agusto; A-/GCR

NAHCO

15.25 NAHCO II 14-NOV-2020

14-Nov-13

15.25

2.05

14-Nov-20

5.72

2.76

18.67

88.20

A/GCR

STANBIC IBTC STANBIC IBTC

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

30-Sep-14

11.93

0.10

30-Sep-24

9.59

1.00

16.96

76.51

13.25 STANBIC IB 30-SEP-2024

30-Sep-14

13.25

15.44

30-Sep-24

9.59

1.00

16.96

82.67

A/GCR

TOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUE

132.70

TOTAL MARKET CAPITALISATION

122.69

Supranational Bond AAA/S&P

IFC

10.20 IFC 11-FEB-2018

11-Feb-13

10.20

12.00

11-Feb-18

2.96

1.00

17.30

84.06

Aaa/Moody's; AAA/S&P

AfDB

11.25 AFDB 1-FEB-2021

10-Jul-14

11.25

12.95

01-Feb-21

4.75

1.00

17.00

81.94

Bid Price

Offer Price

TOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUE TOTAL MARKET CAPITALISATION Rating/Agency

Issuer

24.95 20.70 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

6.84

6.65

99.55

100.47

5.13 JUL 12, 2018

12-Jul-13

5.13

500.00

12-Jul-18

6.14

5.84

96.93

97.84

6.38 JUL 12, 2023

12-Jul-13

6.38

500.00

12-Jul-23

7.08

6.92

95.60

96.57

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

1,460.38

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

AFREN PLC I

11.50 FEB 01, 2016

01-Feb-11

11.50

450.00

01-Feb-16

134.77

134.77

45.00

45.00

B+/Fitch; B+/S&P

GTBANK PLC I

7.50 MAY 19, 2016

19-May-11

7.50

500.00

19-May-16

6.94

6.94

100.63

100.63

B+/S&P

ACCESS BANK PLC

7.25 JUL 25, 2017

25-Jul-12

7.25

350.00

25-Jul-17

13.61

13.61

87.28

87.28

B/Fitch; B/S&P

FIDELITY BANK PLC

6.88 MAY 09, 2018

09-May-13

6.88

300.00

02-May-18

13.67

13.23

82.88

83.88

B+/Fitch; B+/S&P

GTBANK PLC

6.00 NOV 08, 2018

08-Nov-13

6.00

400.00

08-Nov-18

11.00

9.90

85.12

88.15

B/Fitch

AFREN PLC II

10.25 APR 08, 2019

08-Apr-12

10.25

300.00

08-Apr-19

41.66

41.66

40.50

40.50

B+/Fitch; BB-/S&P

ZENITH BANK PLC

6.25 APR 22, 2019

22-Apr-14

6.25

500.00

22-Apr-19

9.91

9.91

87.78

87.78

B/Fitch; B/S&P

DIAMOND BANK PLC

8.75 May 21, 2019

21-May-14

8.75

200.00

21-May-19

15.94

14.89

78.41

81.18

B-/Fitch; B/S&P

FIRST BANK PLC

8.25 AUG 07, 2020

07-Aug-13

8.25

300.00

07-Aug-20

14.01

14.01

78.00

78.00

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

AFREN PLC III ACCESS BANK PLC II FIRST BANK LTD

6.63 DEC 09, 2020 9.25/6M USD LIBOR+7.677 JUN 24, 2021 8.00/2Y USD SWAP+6.488 JUL 23 2021

09-Dec-13 24-Jun-14 23-Jul-14

6.63 9.25 8.00

360.00 400.00 450.00

09-Dec-20 24-Jun-21 23-Jul-21

28.13 14.58 14.15

28.13 14.15 14.15

40.25 78.50 74.00

40.25 80.00 74.00

B-/S&P

ECOBANK NIG. LTD

8.75 AUG 14, 2021

14-Aug-14

8.75

250.00

14-Aug-21

10.92

10.14

89.38

92.75

TOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUE TOTAL MARKET CAPITALISATION

4,760.00 3,566.77

**Treasury Bills DTM 8 15 22 29 36 43 50 57

FIXINGS Maturity 5-Mar-15 12-Mar-15 19-Mar-15 26-Mar-15 2-Apr-15 9-Apr-15 16-Apr-15 23-Apr-15

Bid Discount (%) 15.15 14.01 14.00 14.15 14.35 15.33 14.32 14.60

Offer Discount (%) 14.90 13.76 13.75 13.90 14.10 15.08 14.07 14.35

Bid Yield (%) 15.21 14.09 14.12 14.31 14.55 15.61 14.61 14.95

Money Market

NIBOR Tenor O/N 1M 3M 6M

Rate (%) 35.9583 15.4071 16.4797 17.3581

Tenor

Rate (%)

OBB

45.83

O/N Tenor Call 1M

48.42

REPO

Rate (%) 40.00 42.00

Foreign Exchange (Spot & Forwards) Tenor

Bid ($/N)

Offer ($/N)

Spot 7D 14D 1M 2M 3M

201.74 201.81 202.13 202.87 204.24 205.60

201.84 201.93 202.28 203.37 205.31 207.21

A/Agusto A-/Agusto BBB+/Agusto ‡ /Agusto ‡ /Agusto; ‡ /GCR ‡ /Agusto ‡ /Agusto ‡ /Agusto; A+/GCR ‡ /Agusto; A-/GCR ‡ /Agusto; A-/GCR† ‡ /Agusto ‡ /Agusto; A-/GCR BBB+/Agusto; A-/GCR ‡ /Agusto; ‡ /GCR BBB-/Agusto; A-/GCR ‡ /Agusto ‡ /Agusto; ‡ /GCR A-/Agusto; BBB+/DataPro ‡ /Agusto A-/GCR

44

31-Aug-10 KADUNA 12.50 KADUNA 31-AUG-2015 30-Sep-10 *EBONYI 13.00 EBONYI 30-SEP-2015 30-Jun-11 *BENUE 14.00 BENUE 30-JUN-2016 30-Jun-09 15.50 IMO 30-JUN-2016 *IMO 19-Apr-10 10.00 LAGOS 19-APR-2017 LAGOS 30-Jun-10 13.75 BAYELSA 30-JUN-2017 *BAYELSA 30-Dec-10 14.00 EDO 31-DEC-2017 EDO 30-Sep-11 14.00 DELTA 30-SEP-2018 *DELTA 04-Oct-11 14.00 NIGER II 4-OCT-2018 NIGER 09-Dec-11 *EKITI 14.50 EKITI 09-DEC-2018 12-Dec-13 *NIGER 14.00 NIGER III 12-DEC-2018 14-Feb-12 *ONDO 15.50 ONDO 14-FEB-2019 02-Oct-12 *GOMBE 15.50 GOMBE 02-OCT-2019 LAGOS 22-Nov-12 14.50 LAGOS 22-NOV-2019 12-Dec-12 *OSUN 14.75 OSUN 12-DEC-2019 10-Oct-13 *OSUN 14.75 OSUN II 10-OCT-2020 27-Nov-13 LAGOS 13.50 LAGOS 27-NOV-2020 31-Dec-13 KOGI 15.00 KOGI 31-DEC-2020 performance indicators as against 30,145.60 re31-Dec-13 *EKITI 14.50 EKITI II 31-DEC-2020 the Nigerian Stock Excorded the previous day 06-Jan-14, *NASARAWA 15.00 NASARAWA 06-JAN-2021

Business | Financial Market News

12.50 8.50 13.00 4.18 14.00 4.86 15.50 5.73 10.00 57.00 13.75 25.73 14.00 25.00 14.00 34.14 14.00 9.00 14.50 13.73 14.00 10.20 15.50 27.00 15.50 16.23 14.50 80.00 14.75 26.62 14.75 11.10 13.50 87.50 15.00 5.00 most 14.50 active (measured 4.55 by turnover volume) with 15.00 4.56

31-Aug-15 0.51 4.44 19.13 96.90 30-Sep-15 0.35 3.23 17.84 98.42 30-Jun-16 0.87 4.46 19.77 95.60 30-Jun-16 0.87 3.48 18.79 97.43 19-Apr-17 2.15 1.00 17.39 87.17 30-Jun-17 1.41 1.00 17.09 96.01 31-Dec-17 2.85 1.79 18.11 91.10 30-Sep-18 2.02 1.80 18.19 93.45 04-Oct-18 2.03 1.00 17.39 94.62 09-Dec-18 2.22 1.00 17.39NEW TELEGRAPH 95.00 THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2015 12-Dec-18 2.22 4.78 21.17 88.29 14-Feb-19 2.41 1.00 17.39 96.51 02-Oct-19 2.65 1.00 17.36 96.34 22-Nov-19 4.74 1.00 17.00 92.02 12-Dec-19 2.72 2.74 19.09 91.46 10-Oct-20 3.27 1.00 17.24 94.19 27-Nov-20 5.75 1.00 16.91 87.70 31-Dec-20 5.85 1.94 17.84 89.88 tion sub-sector also of the ers closed at 17.

31-Dec-20 3.51 1.44 17.63 92.41 financial Julius Berger Nigeria 06-Jan-21 services 3.54 sector, 1.95 18.14 92.42

Stock market maintains rising bands for eighth day POSITIVE PATH

Investors gained N17 change (NSE) All Share while the market capiTOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUE talisation of equities apbillion as market TOTAL MARKET CAPITALISATIONIndex and market capitalisation rose by 0.17 per preciated by N17 billion sustained bullish Corporate Bonds cent. or 0.17 per cent to close 10.00 UPDC 17-AUG-2015 ‡ /Agusto *UPDC from The bulls continued at N10.075 trillion17-Aug-10 trends

FLOURMILLS 9-DEC-2015 to maintain12.00 their grip on N10.058 trillion. 09-Dec-10 14.00 CHELLARAMS 06-JAN-2016 06-Jan-11 the market activities as Meanwhile, a turnover 13.00 NAHCO 29-SEP-2016 A+/Agusto; A-/GCR 29-Sep-11 NAHCO Chris Ugwu bargain hunters 14.25 FSDHjostled 25-OCT-2016 of 369.8 million shares A-/Agusto 25-Oct-13 FSDH for shares 13.00 of blue chip worth N4.5 billion in 4,507 UBA 30-SEP-2017 A/GCR 30-Sep-10 UBA BBB-/GCR he Nigerian *Ceqcompanies.18.00 C&I LEASING 30-NOV-2017 deals was recorded30-Nov-12 in the & I LEASING MPR+7.00 DANAAll9-APR-2018 09-Apr-11 Nil *DANA#{r} Consequently , the day’s trading. uities market # TOWER 9-SEP-2018 The A-/DataPro†; B+/GCR gained 49.96 banking 09-Sep-11 subadvanced for*TOWER the # Share IndexMPR+7.00 MPR+5.25 TOWER 9-SEP-2018 09-Sep-11 AAA/DataPro†; A/GCR *TOWER basis points or 017 per sector of the financial eighth consecu14.00 UBA II 22-SEP-2018 A/Agusto; A/GCR 22-Sep-11 UBA the cent to close at 30,195.56 services sector was tive day as overall market 15.75 LA CASERA 18-OCT-2018 Bbb+/Agusto; BBB+/GCR 18-Oct-13 *LA CASERA BBB-/Agusto

*FLOURMILLS

BB/GCR

*CHELLARAMS

T

BBB-/DataPro†; BB/GCR Nil

Abdulwahab A+/Agusto; A-/GCR Isa A/GCR Abuja A/GCR

T

*CHELLARAMS# *DANA#{r} NAHCO

18.00 18.00 16.00 14.00 15.75

MPR+5.00 CHELLARAMS II 17-FEB-2019

17-Feb-12

18.00

16.00 DANA II 1-APR-2019

01-Apr-14

16.00

15.25 NAHCO II 14-NOV-2020

14-Nov-13

15.25

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

30-Sep-14

11.93

13.25 STANBIC IB 30-SEP-2024

30-Sep-14

13.25

operations through the Exchange’s the Nigeria Com- through the NCX elec- trading floors.

Supranational Bond modity Exchange (NCX) tronic Warehouse Receipt As part of the e-WRS AAA/S&P IFC 10.20 IFC 11-FEB-2018 11-Feb-13 operational modalities, isAaa/Moody's; set to AAA/S&P kick off with System (e-WRS).

AfDB 11.25 AFDB 1-FEB-2021 10-Jul-14 It shall also enable the the commodities would signing of Memorandum TOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUE of Understanding ( MoU) company reduce its over- be subjected to rigorous TOTAL MARKET CAPITALISATION between the NCX and head costs in the procure- quality testing by NCX Grand Cereals Limited ment of needed inputs by upon delivery to the liIssuer Issue Date (GCL)Rating/Agency in Jos, Plateau sourcing them from theDescription censed warehouses to state.

NCX network of licensed ensure that they meet the FGN Eurobonds The pact, according to a warehouses around the specified quality param6.75 JAN 28, 2021 as detailed by BB-/Fitch; B+/S&P 07-Oct-11 statement issued by NCX country. eters the Head, Trading & MemFollowing the signing buyer before being traded.

BB-/Fitch; FGN 12-Jul-13 5.13 JUL 12, 2018 BB-/S&P bership, Chris Echikwu, of the technical agreeIt will be recalled that isBB-/Fitch; for the procurement of ment, NCX Dealing Memthe Minister of Industry 6.38 JUL 12, 2023 12-Jul-13, BB-/S&P various agricultural com- bers have commenced Trade and Investment, TOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUE processing the supply Mr. Olusegun Aganga, modities.

TOTAL MARKET CAPITALISATION Acting Managing Di- of five thousand metric recently launched the rector of NCX, Mrs. Za- tonnes of soya beans NCX’s e-WRS programme Corporate Eurobonds heera Baba-Ari signed for valued at N600 million11.50 to FEB under, which large-scale 01, 2016 B/Fitch; B-/S&P AFREN PLC I 01-Feb-11 NCX, while the Managing Grand Cereals Limited. consumers could effi7.50 MAY 19, 2016 B+/Fitch; B+/S&P GTBANK PLC I 19-May-11 Director of GCL, Mr. Layi Under the terms of ciently procure high qual7.25 JUL 25, 2017 B+/S&P ACCESS BANK PLC 25-Jul-12 Oyatoki signed for GCL. the MoU, according to the ity and traceable volumes 6.88 MAY 09, 2018 B/Fitch; B/S&P FIDELITY BANK PLC 09-May-13 According to the statestatement, agricultural of agro-commodities such 6.00 NOV 08, 2018 B+/Fitch; B+/S&P GTBANK PLC 08-Nov-13 commodities of interest ment, the exercise was as soya beans, sorghum, 10.25 APR 08, 2019 B/Fitch AFREN PLC II 08-Apr-12 to PLC food processing comaimed providing GCL maize, sesame seed and 6.25 APR 22, 2019 B+/Fitch; at BB-/S&P ZENITH BANK 22-Apr-14 cocoa, among 21-May-14 other efficient access to high panies ce-May 21, 2019 B/Fitch; B/S&P DIAMOND BANK PLC such as Grand 8.75 through quality, all-year-round reals byAUG commodities, 07, 2020 B-/Fitch; B/S&P FIRST BANK PLC shall be deposited8.25 07-Aug-13 a 2020 network of licensed supply of soya beans, in NCX licensed 6.63 DEC 09, B-/Fitch; B/S&P AFREN PLCfarmers III 09-Dec-13 9.25/6M USD LIBOR+7.677 JUN 24, 2021 around B-/Fitch; B/S&P ACCESS BANK PLC II 24-Jun-14 warehouses the maize, sorghum and warehouses around the 8.00/2Y USD SWAP+6.488 JUL 23 2021 B-/Fitch; B/S&P FIRST BANK LTD 23-Jul-14 ground nuts for its mancountry for procurement country.

8.75 AUG 14, 2021

ECOBANK NIG. LTD

TOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUE TOTAL MARKET CAPITALISATION

10.20 11.25

Coupon (%)

6.75 5.13 6.38

11.50 7.50 7.25 6.88 6.00 10.25 6.25 8.75 8.25 6.63 9.25 8.00

14-Aug-14

0.64

30-Nov-17

1.61

1.88

18.13

6.30

09-Apr-18

1.62

3.48

19.73

100.52 95.25

2.90

09-Sep-18

1.78

5.20

21.51

95.36

0.80

09-Sep-18

1.78

5.06

21.37

92.87

35.00

22-Sep-18

3.57

1.00

17.18

91.74

14-Aug-21

10.92

10.14

89.38

92.75

and 2.29 payment of a final dividend Chris2.40 Ugwu 18-Oct-18 1.89 18.64 95.74 of N17.50 (2013:N24.00) per share 0.36 17-Feb-19 2.22 6.11 22.50 92.86 estle Nigeria Plc has postamounting to a18.48 total final dividend 4.50 01-Apr-19 2.85 2.16 94.73 ed 6 per cent decrease5.72 in of N13, from88.20 the pio2.05 14-Nov-20 2.76 871,484,410.00 18.67 0.10 30-Sep-24 9.59 76.51 neer1.00 profits of 16.96 the company . profit before tax for the 15.44 9.59 1.00 final dividend 16.96 full year ended30-Sep-24 December 31, “The per82.67 share is 132.70 2014. payable on the issued share capi122.69 The company in a filing with tal of 792,656,252 (2013:792,656,252) the Nigerian Stock Exchange ordinary shares of 50k each held (NSE) posted a profit before tax by each member of the compa12.00 11-Feb-18 2.96 1.00 17.30 84.06 of N24.44 billion01-Feb-21 compared with ny registered in the books as at 12.95 4.75 1.00 17.00 81.94 N26.04 billion a year earlier, indi- close of business on Friday, 24 24.95 cating a drop of 6 per cent.

April 2015. This will make a to20.70 Revenue however, rose to tal dividend payment of N27.50k N143.32 from N133.06 bil- per share for the year ended 31 Outstandingbillion, Value Date Yield (%) Offer Yield (%) Bid Price Offer Price lion ($mm) in the sameMaturity period lastBid year, December 2014.

The proposed fiof N17.50k from the representing an increase of 8 per nal dividend Prices & Yields cent. pioneer profits will be paid on 500.00 28-Jan-21 6.84 6.65 , 12 May 99.552015 and 100.47 The Company’s Secretary/LeTuesday is not gal Adviser, Mr. Bode Ayeku in a subject to deduction of withhold500.00 12-Jul-18 6.14 5.84 96.93 97.84 statement said: “We are pleased ing tax,” he said.

Analysts at FBN Capital with500.00 the turnover12-Jul-23 growth despite 7.08 6.92 95.60 96.57said: the challenging macroeconomic “Although Nestle’s topline growth 1,500.00 environment.

It is encouraging of 8 per cent missed management 1,460.38 that we sustained almost the double-digit target for the full year same level of Profit After Tax and Q4, we expect this growth in 2013 notwithstanding the de- figure to be among the highest 450.00 01-Feb-16 134.77 134.77 45.00 45.00 valuation of the Naira, which of the consumer names during 500.00 19-May-16 6.94 6.94 100.63 100.63 increased our net finance costs. this earnings season, in line with 350.00 25-Jul-17 13.61 13.61 87.28 87.28 We will continue to increase our past trends. At current levels, on 300.00 02-May-18 13.67 13.23 82.88 83.88 marketing investments, accelerour 9.90 published85.12 estimates,88.15 Nestle 400.00 08-Nov-18 11.00 ate innovation and ensure that shares are trading on a 2015E P/E 300.00 08-Apr-19 41.66 41.66 40.50 40.50 our pricing is always sensitive to multiple of 27.5x for 13 per cent 500.00 22-Apr-19 9.91 9.91 87.78 87.78 consumer needs.”

EPS14.89 growth in 78.41 2016E. Year81.18 to date, 200.00 21-May-19 15.94 Ayeku the directors Nestle 300.00 noted that 07-Aug-20 14.01 14.01shares have 78.00 declined 78.00 -13.8 percent have360.00 resolved to recommend to the 09-Dec-20 28.13 28.13 compared 40.25 with the 40.25NSE 400.00 at the Annual 24-Jun-21 General 14.58 80.00 the members ASI14.15 (-11.0 per 78.50 cent). We rate 450.00 (AGM) 23-Jul-21 14.15 14.15 74.00 74.00 Meeting the declaration stock underperform”.

N

TOTAL MARKET CAPITALISATION tural produce at ufacturing

B-/S&P

boosted by activities in Plc led the gainers’ table the shares of FBNH Plc with 10.06 per cent to followed with a turnover close at N44.00 per share, of 77.9 million shares val- while Eterna Oil Plc fol17-Aug-15 0.48 15.65 a gain97.48 ued at N498.8 million in 1.00 lowed with of 7.17 0.54 1.00 98.12 per cent15.72 to close at N2.69.

86909-Dec-15 deals.

06-Jan-16 0.62 2.63 17.49 98.05 The number of gainers 1.00 UACN Plc added 94.28 4.97 per 29-Sep-16 1.59 17.24 at 25-Oct-16 the close of trading ses- 1.34 cent to close at N38.84 1.66 17.61 95.27 per sion was 21, while 30-Sep-17 2.59 declin- 1.00 share. 17.37 91.13

Nestlé’s profit drops by 6%

16.00

Trading to begin at Nigeria Commodity Exchange

STANBIC IBTC STANBIC IBTC

TOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUE rading in agricul-

226.8 million shares worth 460.61 N2.5 billion exchanged 421.96by investors in 1,883 deals.

Volume in the sub-sec10.00 2.50 by tor was largely driven 12.00 18.75 activities in the shares of 14.00 0.42 Access Bank Plc and UBA 13.00 15.00 Plc. 14.25 5.53 Other 13.00financial Institu20.00

8.75

250.00

4,760.00 3,566.77

FMDQ Daily Quotations List

25-Feb-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 **Treasury Bills FIXINGS Money Market Foreign Exchange Forwards) 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(Spot may&not be DTM Maturity Bid Discount (%) Offer Discount (%) Bid Yield (%) Tenor Rate (%) NIBOR of any of the Information, neither do we accept liability for the results of any action accurate or up to date.

We do not guarantee the accuracy, timeliness, completeness, performance or fitness for a particular purpose 8 5-Mar-15 15.15 14.90 15.21 15 12-Mar-15 22 19-Mar-15 FGN Bonds29 26-Mar-15 36 2-Apr-15 43 9-Apr-15 Rating/Agency Issuer 50 16-Apr-15 57 23-Apr-15 64 30-Apr-15 71 7-May-15 78 14-May-15 85 21-May-15 99 4-Jun-15 106 11-Jun-15 120 25-Jun-15 127 2-Jul-15 NA NA 141 16-Jul-15 148 23-Jul-15 155 30-Jul-15 162 6-Aug-15 169 13-Aug-15 190 3-Sep-15 281 3-Dec-15 295 17-Dec-15 316 7-Jan-16 330 TOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUE 21-Jan-16 344 4-Feb-16 358 18-Feb-16 TOTAL MARKET CAPITALISATION

14.01 14.00 14.15 14.35 15.33 Description 14.32 14.60 4.00 23-APR-2015 14.51 13.05 16-AUG-2016 15.13 15.10 27-APR-2017 12.61 9.85 27-JUL-2017 13.84 9.35 31-AUG-2017 14.44 14.24 10.70 30-MAY-2018 14.29 16.00 29-JUN-2019 15.57 7.00 23-OCT-2019 14.80 15.54 13-FEB-2020 14.17 16.39 27-JAN-2022 14.32 14.20 14-MAR-2024 14.82 15.00 28-NOV-2028 14.50 12.49 22-MAY-2029 13.64 8.50 20-NOV-2029 13.48 10.00 23-JUL-2030 13.61 12.1493 18-JUL-2034 14.01 13.93 14.14 13.90

13.76 13.75 13.90 14.10 15.08 Issue Date 14.07 14.35 23-Apr-10 14.26 16-Aug-13 14.88 27-Apr-12 12.36 27-Jul-07 13.59 31-Aug-07 14.19 13.99 30-May-08 14.04 29-Jun-12 15.32 23-Oct-09 14.55 13-Feb-15 13.92 27-Jan-12 14.07 14-Mar-14 14.57 28-Nov-08 14.25 22-May-09 13.39 20-Nov-09 13.23 23-Jul-10 13.36 18-Jul-14 13.76 13.68 13.89 13.65

Bonds

14.09 14.12 14.31 14.55 15.61 Coupon (%) 14.61 14.95 4.00 14.88 13.05 15.59 15.10 12.96 9.85 14.31 9.35 15.03 14.85 10.70 14.99 16.00 16.47 7.00 15.70 15.54 15.03 16.39 15.25 14.20 15.86 15.00 15.54 12.49 14.68 8.50 15.05 10.00 15.29 12.1493 15.95 15.93 16.32 16.09

Tenor O/N 1M 3M Outstanding 6M

Value (N'bn)

Risk Premium is a combination of credit risk and liquidity risk premiums Rating/Agency Issuer **Exclusive of non-trading t.bills

Description

Issue Date

45.83

O/N

Maturity Date

535.00 23-Apr-15 581.39 NITTY 16-Aug-16 476.80 27-Apr-17 Tenor Rate (%) 20.00 27-Jul-17 1M 13.4295 100.00 31-Aug-17 2M 14.6774 3M 14.9159 300.00 30-May-18 6M 15.0282 351.30 29-Jun-19 9M 15.8490 233.90 23-Oct-19 12M 16.0037 34.00 13-Feb-20 600.00 27-Jan-22 459.68 14-Mar-24 NIFEX 28-Nov-28 75.00 150.00 22-May-29 Current Price ($/N) 20-Nov-29 BID($/N)200.00 201.1000 591.57 23-Jul-30 OFFER ($/N) 201.2000 223.50 18-Jul-34

4,932.13

Tenor Call 1M 0.16 3M 1.47 6M

48.42

REPO

TTM (Yrs)

Rate (%) 40.00 42.00 14.67 43.00 16.12 44.00

Bid Yield (%)

***LCRM Modified Duration Buckets

TOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUE

TOTAL MARKET CAPITALISATION<3 Sub-National Bonds A/Agusto A-/Agusto BBB+/Agusto ‡ /Agusto ‡ /Agusto; ‡ /GCR ‡ /Agusto ‡ /Agusto ‡ /Agusto; A+/GCR

3<5 >5

KADUNA Market *EBONYI *BENUE *IMO LAGOS *BAYELSA EDO *DELTA

0.00 FMB 24-MAY-2015 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 III 06-JUL-2017 PorfolioLCRM Market Total Outstanding Value(Bn)

1,374.86 1,011.46 531.15

12.50 KADUNA 31-AUG-2015 2,917.47 13.00 EBONYI 30-SEP-2015 14.00 BENUE 30-JUN-2016 15.50 IMO 30-JUN-2016 10.00 LAGOS 19-APR-2017 13.75 BAYELSA 30-JUN-2017 14.00 EDO 31-DEC-2017 14.00 DELTA 30-SEP-2018

Volume(Bn)

Coupon (%)

1,409.48 1,034.68 797.57 3,241.73

24-May-12 0.00 03-Apr-12 17.25 FMDQ FGN BOND 09-Dec-11 0.00/16.00 20-Apr-12 0.00/16.50 06-Jul-12 0.00/16.50 Weighting by Weighting

by Mkt

Outstanding Vol

43.48 31.92 24.60

31-Aug-10 100.00 30-Sep-10 30-Jun-11 30-Jun-09 19-Apr-10 30-Jun-10 30-Dec-10 30-Sep-11

Spot 7D 14D Offer 1M Yield 2M (%) 3M 13.69 6M 16.00 1Y

2.17 16.37 16.28 2.42 16.39 16.31 2.51 16.39 16.30 :Benchmarks 3.26 16.24 16.11 * :Amortising Bond 4.34 16.06 15.96 µ :Convertible 4.66 Bond 16.00 15.89 AMCON: Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria 4.97 15.98 15.89 FGN: Federal Government of Nigeria 6.92 15.90 15.82 FMBN: Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria 9.05 15.91 15.84 IFC: International Finance Corporation 13.76 16.99 16.92 LCRM: Local Contractors Receivables Management 14.24 17.14 17.07 NAHCO: Nigerian Aviation Handling Company 14.73 17.31 17.21 O/N: Overnight 15.41 16.49 Company 16.41 UPDC: UAC Property Development 19.39Africa Portland 16.70 16.64 WAPCO:West Cement Company NOTE:

Outstanding Value (N'bn)

Maturity Date

Avg. Life/TTM (Yrs)

Agency Bonds FMBN

Tenor

Bid ($/N)

Offer ($/N)

201.74 201.84 Price 201.93 201.81 202.13 202.28 202.87 203.37 Bid Price Offer Price 204.24 205.31 205.60 207.21 98.34 98.49 206.28 213.47 96.09 96.24 220.29 226.27

97.69 97.84 87.33 87.48 85.98 86.13 NA :Not86.34 Applicable 86.64 # :Floating Rate Bond 99.75 100.05 ***: Deferred 71.18 coupon bonds 71.48 98.52 98.82 ‡ : Bond rating under review 101.99 102.29 †: Bond rating expired 91.91 92.21 N/A :Not Available 89.47 89.77 {r} :Issuer in receivership 75.42 75.72 53.48 53.78 NGC: Nigeria-German Company 64.05 Bank for Africa 64.35 UBA: United 73.91 74.21

4,341.35

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

OBB

Rate (%) 35.9583 15.4071 16.4797 17.3581

Value

47.13 34.67 18.21

12.50 100.00 13.00 14.00 15.50 10.00 13.75 14.00 14.00

24.56 2.70

INDEX 112.22 116.70 66.49

Bucket Weighting

322.68

308.510.43 0.32 0.25

8.50 1.00 4.18 4.86 5.73 57.00 25.73 25.00 34.14

24-May-15 03-Apr-17 08-Dec-16 19-Apr-17 06-Jul-17 % Exposure_

Mod_Duration

22.36 37.39 40.25

31-Aug-15 100.00 30-Sep-15 30-Jun-16 30-Jun-16 19-Apr-17 30-Jun-17 31-Dec-17 30-Sep-18

0.24 1.10 1.78 2.15 2.36

Implied Yield

16.17 15.90 16.55

0.51 16.22 0.35 0.87 0.87 2.15 1.41 2.85 2.02

# Risk Premium (%)

2.63 2.27 2.00 1.00 1.00 Implied

Portfolio Price

Valuation Yield (%) 17.22 17.95 18.31 17.39 17.39

INDEX

118.1947 119.5499 81.0573

1,122.61 1,012.30 947.70 -

109.4903

1,045.54 -

4.44 3.23 4.46 3.48 1.00 1.00 1.79 1.80

19.13 17.84 19.77 18.79 17.39 17.09 18.11 18.19

Indicative Price 95.95 99.37 96.53 96.18 YTD 92.78 Return (%)

1.3323 0.0264 5.8900

96.90 0.9143 98.42 95.60 97.43 87.17 96.01 91.10 93.45

NEW TELEGRAPH THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2015

45

Features A journalist as victim of trafficking Many Nigerian youths end up being victims of trafficking in the United States. But a survivor, Bukola Oriola, recalls her ordeal and offers to help others, writes KAYODE OLANREWAJU

H

ers was pathetic but she lives to tell her story.

She had gone to the United States for a greener pasture on the invitation of her husband, but ended up a victim of labour trafficking.

Now, the former Education reporter with the defunct NewAge newspaper, Bukola Oriola, is joining forces with the National Agency for The Prohibition of Traffic in Persons and Other Related Matters (NAPTIP) to educate Nigerians at home about the ordeals of human trafficking.

Towards this end, Oriola has concluded plans under her pet project, to return home this year for a tour of public and private colleges to educate the young ones, especially women about the ordeal of human trafficking, just as she expressed optimism that such campaign would save many people.

Tagged: “Bringing The Story Back Home,” Oriola during the tour of the schools hopes to enlighten higher institution students, who she described as the armour bearers and most vulnerable group in the society.

“The event is planned to help the students to understand that travelling abroad does not necessarily mean a better life or greener pasture, but that they should be aware of the challenges they or their loved ones may face in search of a better life.

“The reason I have chosen this audience is because they are the youth and they are armour bearers in the community. They form the perfect niche to spread the message to the younger generation and also leverage it to the older folks in the community. More so, they are passionate and are talented, and always looking for opportunities within and outside the country.

“It will be of immense help to this sub-group to understand the fact that going abroad by visa lottery, marriage, further education, or other means can be a potential trafficking trap.”

ABIODUN BELLO FEATURES Editor

abiodun. bello@newtelegraphonline.com

© Daily Telegraph Publishing Company Limited

Oriola

Oriola has chronicled her experiences in form of a book entitled; “Imprisoned: The Travails of a Trafficked Victim,” to expose one of the ways that a person could become a victim and how victims could reach out for help.

This tour, which according to her, is scheduled for September 2015, is not set out to discourage the Nigerian youth from pursuing their dreams of finding opportunities abroad, but to equip them with adequate knowledge that will prevent them from becoming victims or finding help if they become victims of human trafficking.

Oriola, the founder of “The Enitan Story/Producer, Imprisoned Show,” said The Enitan Story was a local non-profit organisation established in Minnesota, United States with a mission to advocate for victims and empower survivors of human trafficking.

She said: “Imprisoned Show is one of the organisation’s programmes dedicated to educating the public about human trafficking around the world. Since the launch of ‘Imprisoned Show’ at one of the local TV stations in Minnesota, I have produced over 20 episodes featuring expert opinions, events, public presentations, students, members of the local law enforcement, non-profit organisations, attorneys and advocates to help victims reach out for help.

“I believe that education is the greatest tool for preventing this heinous crime in our communities.”

One of the episodes on Imprisoned Show featured the Hubert Humphreys

fellows at the University of Minnesota from Malaysia, Vietnam, and Nepal.

Evaluating and discussing various forms of providing services, in addition to advocacy, will further help both government and non-governmental efforts to effectively combat the crime. It was also documented as President Barak Obama’s accomplishments in fighting human trafficking in the United States in 2013.

Oriola is a consultant for the Office of Victims of Crime (OVC) and was among the 20 survivors’ forum at the White House in January 2014, which was the National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention month in the United States.

The event, which she noted was put together by the Office For Victims of Crime Training and Technical Assistance Center (OVCTTAC), was the first of its kind by the government to effectively engage the voices of survivors in its programme to provide a better life for victims and survivors of human trafficking in the United States.

Through this, Oriola recalled that the government has rolled out a five-year strategic plan, which was made public on January 14, last year, at the Forum and Listening Session.

Besides, she hinted that a documentary featuring Oriola among other survivors had recently been completed and would be used to train service providers, federal and state agencies, as well as non-governmental organisations and the general public about the issue, using

real life people and not actors to pass the message across in a way that will fully engage everybody.

“You can learn more about Oriola’s by watching some of the episodes of Imprisoned Show online at www.imprisonedshow.com. The Enitan Story’s website is www.enitan.org, and my official website is www.bukolaoriola.com,” she said.

Recounting her ordeal in the hands of her husband, also a Nigerian, Oriola said she became a victim of human trafficking as a result of fraud, while she was isolated for two years; endured all forms of torture, hunger, physical, psychological and emotional abuse.

She said she was traumatised, became depressed and was diagnosed for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder.

Oriola has dedicated her life to helping others by sharing her story through public presentations.

The Minnesota Women’s Press gave her the Change Maker 2009 award for her courage.

The Imprisoned Show was born as a result of Oriola’s feeling that there is a dire need to fight human trafficking in every community by educating the public through the broadcast, and campaign which she is bringing to Nigeria, her home country in September.

Born in 1976, Oriola, a Nigerian American journalist, lives in Anoka County, Minnesota and has a son named Samuel Jacobs.

She spent six years as a journalist covering education in Nigeria. In 2005, she went to the United States from Nigeria on a two-month work permit in order to cover a New York City meeting of the United Nations General Assembly.

She was tricked and married by a Nigerian-US citizen who prevented her from establishing interpersonal relationships with anyone other than himself, and then forced into slavery in Minnesota.

He subjugated her to a life of un-free labour, confiscating all of her earnings and imprisoned her in his home in this manner for two years.

“My goal is not to have public sympathy, but for those who need help to be able to reach out,” Oriola said.

Her passion for helping others, specifically raising awareness on human trafficking, is clear, as she has turned her life around to advocate for victims and empower survivors of human trafficking.

Oriola said anyone could be trafficked.

She said: “Immigrants are particularly vulnerable because they can be having a hard time navigating the changes of living in a different country with a different culture.

“I want people to have an open mind – there is more than one kind of trafficking, referencing labour, sex, and human organ trafficking. In my own experience, all kinds of trafficking are bad.”

According to her, she is now living as a helper, believing that prevention is far more effective, and less expensive, than a cure.

She added: “I was able to get out, and get help with local support services, but I know what it is like to not even be able to trust a person who wants to help.

This can make it difficult for victims to access, or follow through, with getting help.”

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APC, Fayose trade words over ‘fake soldiers in Ekiti Adesina Wahab Ado-Ekiti

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kiti State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the state Governor, Ayo Fayose, yesterday traded words over the allega-

tion of importation of fake soldiers to the state, barely four weeks to the conduct of the general elections.

The party’s state Publicity Secretary, Mr. Taiwo Olatubosun, in a statement in Ado-Ekiti, accused the governor of importing thugs, dis-

guised as soldiers to his hometown, Afao-Ekiti, ahead of the polls.

Olatubosun, added that the party had earlier raised the alarm over the sewing of fake military uniforms for thugs to impersonate as security personnel was being done to enable PDP rig elections in the state.

He said the governor’s alleged rigging plan was being manifested in some Odua Peoples Congress (OPC) members clad in military uniforms and operating as task force officials that had been terrorising the opposition in recent times.

“Last night’s importation of young men in six

18-seater buses transported to Afao-Ekiti home of the governor was a clear confirmation of our fear that Fayose, means business as he has been boasting around that the presidential election will be ‘do or die’.

“We were monitoring these young men from Ibadan yesterday eve-

L-R: Oyo State Commissioner for Transport, Prof. Nurain Tanimowo; Zonal Commander, FRSC Zone 11, Assistant Corps Marshal, Luka Kinya and Sector Commander, Oyo State, Sir Luka Ikpi, displaying the maximum speed limiter at the sensitisation campaign on maximum speed limit in Ibadan …yesterday

PDP stalwart lists 10 reasons for Lagosians to reject APC

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former Peoples Democratic Party governorship aspirant and leader of Free Lagos for Good Movement Mr. Akitoye Branco-Rhodes, has called on the people of Lagos, to reject the ruling All Progress Congress (APC) during the March 28 and April 11 general elections.

Branco-Rhodes, who hinged his position on 10 reasons in a statement yesterday, said that there was need to free Lagos from the interest an over bearing vested interest in the political affairs of the state.

He said: ‘How do you describe a government that imposes multiple taxes on the people.

How do you describe a government that takes sadistic pleasure in harassing petty traders, using its agency, like the KAI to extort money from helpless citizens.

The former governorship aspirant pointed out that despite the cosmetic projects like the planting of flowers in few urban centres, undertaken by APC gover nment, decay and delapidations were

prevalent in most parts of the state, reflected in bad road, structure like schools, hospitals, health centres, stating that the trend could be felt in both remote and urban areas of the state.

Houses that were constructed which APC government described as low-cost houses were being sold for millions of naira, which were not affordable to the masses, he said.

‘Chibok girls more important than Shekau’ Adeolu Adeyemo Osogbo

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he Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, (APC) in Osun State, Prince Gboyega Famoodun, yesterday said that the lives of the over 200 Chibok girls abducted by the Boko Haram insurgents since last year were more important than the clamour for the arrest of the leader of the insurgents’, Abubakar Shekau alive.

Famoodun, who made

the assertion while speaking at the Osun State NUJ Correspondent Chapel Programme tagged “News Point” held in Osogbo, said, “Instead of telling them to bring the Chibok Girls back alive, the president said they should bring Shekau back alive.

Which one was important to Nigerians, Chibok Girls or Shekau?, he asked.

“Of what use was that to Nigerians, all we are saying is bring back our girls alive. They think Nigerians are fools by bring-

Ex-PHCN staff protest in Ibadan Sola Adeyemo Ibadan

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isengaged employees of the defunct Power Holding Corporation of Nigeria, numbering about 2,000 yesterday in Ibadan protested the non-payment of their housing allowance, put at N400 million since their disengagement over two years ago.

Describing the delay in the payment of the allowance as unusual and uncalled for, the ex-staff besieged the secretariat of the Oyo State Correspondents’ chapel

ning. They were brought in a luxury bus parked under the bridge at Iwo Road, Ibadan, where the men in charge were looking for smaller buses to convey these young men to Ekiti. The conditions for their hiring included that they must know Ekiti State terrain and Afao-Ekiti in particular, ‘’ Olatubosun said.

But in a swift reaction, Fayose’s Chief Press Secretary, Mr Idowu Adelusi, said APC’s allegation was unfounded.

“Ekiti APC is raising unnecessary alarm because there is no soldier being kept at Afao as the party alleged.

Election has not come, we have about 34 days to the election. What will that number of soldiers be doing in Ekiti when we are not in election period.

“Beside that, only Mr President can deploy military to provide security during election. I think the APC is already throwing in the towel for an election that has not taken place.

Rather than raising unnecessary alarm, the Ekiti APC should think of a way of helping General Buhari to overcome his credibility crisis which is more fundamental.

at Mokola Ibadan, where they displayed placards with various inscriptions.

Some the placards read; “President Jonathan, please help us locate where our money is hanging; Hey! There is God o o o”, “Why delay payment of our housing allowances since 2013?” and many others.

Led by their spokespersons, Mrs. Oyedele Edna Owesiri, Julius Adeleke Taiwo, Adesina Olayinka, they demanded why some of their colleagues had been paid, while their entitlements were still being unduly delayed

several years.

They disclosed that the bulk rent for the year 2013 had been paid to batches 1 to 10 but for reasons best known to those concerned, they were yet to pay batches 11 and 12 since 2013, that the privatisation of PHCN, commenced, leaving many of them, with some already dead to their fate.

They were disengaged during the privatisation of the power sector which infor med changing the name from PHCN to Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company.

ing fake Shekau to blackmail General Buhari” He further querried” How do you justify a government that could not curb insurgency in six years now saying it would be done in six weeks. How will you assess a government that has told the whole world that the leader of Boko Haram, Shekau had died twice now coming out, telling our soldiers to bring him back alive?”

On the postponement of the elections, the

APC stalwart said that the essence of the postponement was to create constitutional crisis and plung the country into another round of 1993 election debacle.”

“Nigerians should ask the president and PDP why the election was postponed in the first instance. The reason of security not justifiable, but to us in APC we are ready for the election anytime, anyday , knowing fully that Nigerians want change this time around.”

Jonathan: Accord party’s support not negotiable – Adewusi

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he immediate past Chairman of WEMABOD, a subsidiary of Odu’a Investment Company Ltd, Dr. Ismail Adebayo Adeyemi, yesterday said that it was certain that Accord party in Oyo State, would support the the reelection bid of President Goodluck Jonathan in the March 28 election.

Adewusi, who was appointed Chairman of WEMABOD by the administration of Governor Abiola Ajimobi, gave the assurance during a chat with journalists after addressing a group of students, who staged a rally in support of the reelection bid of President Jonathan.

He explained that the Accord Party, which he had defected to had adopted the PDP presidential candidate ahead of the election since it had no presidential candidate of its own.

“I have no problem identifying with the aspiration of Accord in seeing to the re-election of President Jonathan in view of what he had done in the last four years in office,” he said.

Adewusi told the students under the aegis of ‘Students Integrity Group’ that the return of Jonathan for another four years “means continuity of the good works embarked upon in the last four years”.

NEW TELEGRAPH THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2015

Ebonyi Assembly workers commence warning strike Uchenna Inya Abakaliki

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embers of staff of Ebonyi State House of Assembly under the auspices of Parliamentary Staff Association (PASA) yesterday commenced a three-day warning strike to protest the withdrawal of Legislative Duty Allowance by the state government in 2012.

In a statement signed by the President and Secretary of the association, Comrades Nwinya Anayo and Emmanuel Mbam and made available to newsmen, the association said it had given the state government a three-week ultimatum to restore the duty allowance, which elapsed on January 21, 2015.

According to the statement, members of staff of Ebonyi State House of Assembly during their last emergency general meeting held on Tuesday, February 24, 2015, unanimously declare a threeday warning strike from Wednesday, February 25 to Friday, February 28, 2015.

“One could recall that the legislative duty allowance, a peculiar allowance for House of Assembly workers, was removed in 2012 without any official letter backing such removal. All efforts by the parliamentary staff association for its restoration failed,” the statement said.

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Ikpeazu, Otti, Orji shun Abia peace pact Igbeaku Orji Umuahia

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he Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidates in Abia State, Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu, his counterpart in the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Dr. Alex Otti and Governor Theodore Orji, who is the Abia Central senatorial candidate of the PDP were yesterday absent from the peace pact initiated by the police in Umuahia.

They were all, however, represented by their depu-

ties and aides.

The candidates of the Progressive Peoples Alliance (PPA), Sir Chikwe Udensi, his APC counterpart, Chief Nyerere Ayim, were present. The meeting was also attended by the representative of INEC’s Resident Electoral Commissioner in the state, the NSCDC, DSS, the Prisons and the Nigerian Immigration Service.

Addressing candidates of the various political parties, the Assistant Inspector-General of Police (AIG) Zone 9, Usman Gwari, said the purpose

of the meeting was to inform the candidates of the conduct required of them before, during and after the elections.

He said to ensure that the rules were kept; the command has established an anti-political team to handle complaints from aggrieved candidates on the election.

“We asked you to come here purposely to brief you to conduct yourself in accordance with the law in the conduct of the election,” he said.

He directed the Abia State Commissioner of

103

The sex ratio of men to 100 women in the 60+ age group of Montserrat in 2011 Source: Un.org

37.61%

The percentage of individuals using the internet in Andorra in 2005 Source: Itu.int

Group tasks security agents on Ebonyi Assembly arson Abakaliki

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social-political organisation, the Ebonyi Patriots Coalition (EPC) has called on security agents in Ebonyi State to investigate the fire outbreak that gutted a section of the House of Assembly with a view to unraveling the circumstances surrounding the incident.

In a release signed by

the National Coordinator, Dr. Godwin Elebe Nwankwo and made available to newsmen, the group said: “While we do not want to preempt the law enforcement agencies, it is our considered view that a full scale inquiry should be made into the arson on the accounts department of the Assembly as this may be a pointer to a more grievous plot yet to be unfolded in the battle to colonise Ebonyi State and

its people.

“Recalling that certain calibre of staff of the Assembly were sacked for gross misconduct and acts inimical to good governance and probity, it therefore leaves every sane observer with the idea that these officers that were recalled through the magnanimity of the governor must have decided to destroy evidence of financial misdeeds.

“The situation becomes

disturbing when viewed against the background of ongoing plan to ridicule Governor Martin Elechi, through the non-passage of the 2015 appropriation bill and the politically motivated attempt to probe his government.”

The group called on the people to remain calm saying; “we believe in the victory of good over evil and no matter how long it takes, these wicked acts shall not go unpunished.”

Anambra has 110 cases of leprosy, says commissioner Tony Okafor Awka

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nambra State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Joe Akabuike, yesterday said the state currently has 110 cases of leprosy, which were identified in diverse locations in the state.

Akabuike stated this at a press briefing held to mark the World Leprosy Day.

Police, Mr. Habila Joshak, to read the articles of the accord to the candidates before the signing ceremony.

Responding after signing the document, candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief Nyerere Anyim, urged security agencies in the state to ensure a level playing field for the candidates. He decried a situation where other parties were denied the use of public facilities, including the stadium and the state radio station, BCA, for campaigns.

L-R: Director General, Imo State Sports Council, Mr. Christian Ibekwe; newly elected Chairman of Imo Football Association, Mr. Amanze Uchegbulam; Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Sports, Mr. Geoffery Nwosu and NFF official, Mr. Tunde Aderibigbe, at the Imo Football Association election in Owerri …yesterday

The total area (in sq. km) of Wallis and Futuna Source: Worldfactsandfigures.com

Uchenna Inya

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He said the state last year registered a total case of 95 leprosy cases, whose victims were confined and given treatments in two rehabilitation centres in the state.

Fresh cases of the disease, he added, have also been identified among 15 others, making it a total of 110 cases that are currently suffering from the disease and being catered for in the

rehabilitation centres.

“Leprosy is one of the oldest diseases known to man. It is also known as Hansens disease, as it is named after a Norwegian doctor, Gerhard Henrik Hansen, who debunked the prevailing notion then that the disease was hereditary.

“It is caused by bacteria and mainly affects the skin, peripheral nerves and mucus membrane of the upper

respiratory tract. And transmission is through droplets of coughing and sneezing and it has an incubation period of two years before it fully manifests.

“What we are doing today is to create awareness and let the people know that leprosy has not totally disappeared.

Through this, people will be conscious of it and also help to prevent the disease.” Akabuike said.

15 hospitalised as gastro enteritis hits Ebonyi schools Uchenna Inya Abakaliki

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t least 15 students of Girls’ High School, Azuiyiokwu, Abakaliki in Ebonyi State have been hospitalised following the outbreak of gastro enteritis in the school. The victims are currently receiving treatment at the Federal Teaching Hospital, Abakaliki (FETHA).

Already, the Commissioner for Health, Dr. Sunday Nwangele, has visited the school and the hospital, donating cartons of hand sanitizers, Oral Rehydration Solution (ORS) and other preventive items for prevention and control.

Nwangele said the essence of the donation was to ensure proper care of the affected students and prevent further spread by providing the caregivers and others around them with the hand sanitisers and other preventive items.

He made it clear that the disease was not cholera as speculated, considering the symptoms so far shown by the victims and advised the students to always wash their hands and keep their environment clean.

The victims were said to have vomited and defecated uncontrollably and were immediately taken to the hospital for medical attention.

Ogbuewu: Elechi not Jonathan’s supporter

Charles Onyekwere Abakaliki

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he Deputy Coordinator, Goodluck Jonathan Presidential Campaign Organisation in Ebonyi State, Ambassador Frank Ogbuewu, yesterday said there was no iota of truth in the claim that Chief Martin Elechi is supporting the president in the race to the March 28 presidential election.

Ogbuewu, a former Minister of Culture and Tourism, was reacting to a statement credited to Governor Elechi’s Chief Press Secretary, Dr. Onyekachi Eni, challenging the governor to prove such deceptive support.

In a statement he issued in Abakakiki yesterday, the former Ambassador to Greece, dismissed insinuations that the governor has never organised a rally in support of Jonathan’s re-election bid in Ebonyi State.

He said Elechi cannot be drumming such fake support in his bedroom

as a PDP governor since he has never participated in any rally, including the flag-off held by the party in Ikwo Local Government, his country home.

Continuing, the exminister said the governor cannot claim to be behind the president while his son, Nnanna Elechi, was being sponsored as the Labour Party (LP) senatorial candidate for Ebonyi Central and his in-law, Edward Nkwegu, as the Labour Party governorship flag bearer in the state.

Ogbuewu said all Elechi’s commissioners and other appointees, including local government caretaker chairmen, have been drafted into the Labour Party, which continues to campaign for him.

He explained that the governor, who rose to power through the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has decided to battle both President Goodluck Jonathan and other parties’ candidates in the state.

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Tension in Ogoniland as Shell hands over Belema Oil Emmanuel Masha Port Harcourt

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he planned handing over of an indigenous Oil Company, Belema Oil Producing Ltd, by the Dutch petroleum giant, Shell Petroleum Development Company, SPDC, in Ogoniland, has heigthened tension in the area, as the

Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People (MOSOP), traditional rulers and other stakeholders have disagreed on the modalities for the arrangement.

It was gathered that despite Belema Oil Producing Ltd, getting the support of traditional rulers in Ogoniland to resume oil exploration and exploitation,

Delta varsity seeks NDDC assistance on facility Dominic Adewole ASABA

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he management of the Delta State University (DELSU), Abraka, has sent a save-our-soul (SOS) message to the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) for its assistance in the overall development of the institution’s infrastructural facilities.

The institution specifically appealed to the commission to come to its aid in the provision of basic facilities and utilities.

The Vice Chancellor of the institution, Prof. Victor Peretemode, who visited the state’s representative on the Board of the commission, Sir Tom Amioku, in Warri, yesterday said government alone cannot provide the needs of the University.

Peretemode, who listed construction of link roads with direct access to the

MOSOP, youth leaders and others have kicked against the planned take-over, arguing that it is not in the best interest of the people of the area.

It would be recalled that the Supreme Council of Ogoni Traditional Rulers (SCOTR), had given Belema the nod to explore oil in a communiqué recently issued by the council of the traditional rulers.

“We hereby, present, endorse and declare Belema Oil Producing Limited to all Ogoni People, Shell Africa, Shell Investor Group, the Federal Government of Nigeria, World Investors Finance Groups, United Nations, all Human Rights Support Groups, European Union, EU. “Ogoni oil is now open for exploration and production for Belema Oil

N3.16bn

The total capital importation value of the Shares sector in 2010 Source: National Bureau of Statistics

Producing Ltd Shell, the federal government and all groups should kindly give all necessary support to making this historic event successful.”

MOSOP, had argued that due process was not followed in the handing over process, there was no adequate consultation, and therefore, it was hasty to give Belema, the nod to commence oil exploration

360,893 The total number of connected fixed wired or wireless lines of Nigeria in July 2014

in Ogoniland.

“Our position remains that whilst we are not opposed to prospective companies indicating interest in the Ogoni oil concession, and recognising the sensitivity and peculiar circumstance of our people in relation to oil matters, due process has to be followed to foster genuine participation and collective decision.

26%

The percentage of the population of men above 60 years old in Monaco in 2000 Source: Un.org

University, building of Source: Ncc.gov.ng hostels and water scheme, among others for the students, urged the agency to accord priority to uncompleted projects being undertaking by school authority.

He said, “NDDC commissioned three roads in the university. We are appealing to the commission to complete those roads. Since we cannot leave the funding of a University for the state government alone, we are in partnership with other local and international agencies. The commission should come and complete all its ongoing projects in the school and hand them over to us for proper use.”

The VC who was the pioneer Delta state representative on the Board of the commission lauded the commission for delivering on its social, human-capital and infrastructural devel- L-R: Wife of Akwa Ibom State Governor, Mrs. Ekaette Godswill Akpabio; First Lady, Dame Patience Goodluck Jonathan; wife of the Cross opment of the Niger Delta River State Governor, Obioma Liyel Imoke and Governor Liyel Imoke, during the commissioning of the 6,000 capacity ultra-modern region.

Ikom Township Stadium prior to the PDP National Women Rally in Ikom, Cross River…yesterday

Uduaghan: Military will be used for elections Dominic Adewole ASABA

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elta State Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan has decried attempts by some politicians to criminalise the idea of using the military for the provision of adequate security in the forthcoming elections.

The governor specifically described the proponents of such call as people that were insincere, warning them to desist from clamouring for such position, which he said was capable of dragging the country’s democracy into disrepute as well as create anarchy.

Uduaghan, stated this when he received

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the General Officer Commanding 2nd Division, Nigeria Army, Ibadan, Major General Sanusi Nasiru Muazu, who paid him a courtesy visit in Warri, stating that such calls should be ignored.

He observed that some desperate politicians, through their comments and actions were determined to

drag the military into the murky political waters, stating that such politicians were not only enemies of democracy, but Nigeria as well.

“The army has a big role to play in providing security and ensuring the smooth conduct of free and fair election, and as such, they cannot be done away with at the moment. We should not

drag the military into politics, anyone who questions their relevance during election is not being sincere at all”, Uduaghan said.

The governor commended the military for its successes in the current war against the Boko Haram insurgency in the North-Eastern part of the country.

He said, “I want to,

Edo CP urges youths to resist politicians Cajetan Mmuta BENIN

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he new Edo State Police Commissioner, Mr. Samuel Adegbuyi, yesterday urged youths in the state to resist the temptation of being used by desperate politicians to unleash violence before, during and after the March 28 and April 11 polls in the state.

Adegbuyi stated this when he paid a courtesy call on the state chapter of the Nigerian

Union of Journalists (NUJ), in Benin, the state capital.

He blamed electoral violence on the undue influence and attitude of some desperate politicians, who were bent on emerging winners in elective contests, stating that his visit was part of his familiarization tour of agencies and to meet relevant stakeholders ahead of the general elections in the state.

According to him, “Politics should be devoid of thuggery and

the youths shouldn’t allow themselves to be used by anybody; elections are meant to be conducted under a peaceful atmosphere.”

In his remarks, the State Chairman of the NUJ, Comrade Desmond Agbama appealed to the police boss and officers of the command for adequate protection of media practitioners before, during and after the polls across the state, particularly in the discharge of their constitutional roles.

on behalf of the greater majority of politicians, thank you for the successes you have achieved in curbing the activities of the Boko Haram in the NorthEast, I know that insurgency would soon be a thing of the past with the successes so far attained.

“Let me use this opportunity to also thank you for your role during the Niger-Delta crisis, I want to appeal to you to sustain your activities in checking kidnapping and other related crimes in the zone.”

Earlier, Muazu said the military for mations were prepared to ensure free and fair general elections next month and in April, saying, “We are nonpartisan, but we will provide an enabling environment for all politicians to campaign during this electioneering period and ensure that the elections are free and fair.”

NEW TELEGRAPH THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2015

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Council chairmen tackle Ngilari over plot to remove them Police arrest Ibrahim Abdul Yola

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he feud in the Adamawa State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) seems not to have been over with local government chairmen yesterday accusing Governor Bala James Ngilari of hypocrisy in his purported support for the governorship candidacy of Mallam Nuhu Ribadu.

Reacting to Ngillari’s

recent threat, some of the chairmen, who did not want their names in print over the governor’s plan to probe them for anti-party activities, said he has no moral ground to investigate them as he was also involved in antiparty activities.

“Following the way PDP primaries were conducted in a manner that looked more like imposition of candidates, many members were angry with the party, including the governor who lost to

Ribadu.

“Everybody knows about the speculation making the rounds that the governor is working for the candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) after losing to Ribadu. That’s why we are surprised that the governor and the state chairman of our party, Chief Joel Madaki, who recently served a two-month suspension for kicking against the emergence of Ribadu, would now turn around to accuse us

of anti-party activities,” one of the council chairman said.

Another chairman, who spoke under similar condition, said they were disturbed that the government and the party were trying to give them a bad name just to crucify them.

“We did not create the problem in the PDP and wonder why they wanted to sacrifice us.

“This plan to sack us, if executed, will do more harm than good to PDP,”

the chairman warned.

But Governor Ngilari denied working for another party. Ngilari who said hypocrisy was not in his character, insisted that he was a complete PDP man and that was why as a deputy governor to Nyako, he did not follow his boss to the APC. “I am already a governor, what else do I need,” Ngilari queried while reiterating his support and commitment to PDP victory in the state.

APC boycotts guber debate in Niger Dan Atori MINNA

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he All Progressives Congress (APC) gubernatorial candidate in Niger State, Alhaji Abubakar Sani Bello, yesterday boycotted the Niger State gubernatorial debate thereby denying the citizens the opportunity to assess their manifestos.

The debate, which was organised by the Niger State Coalition of Business and Professional Associations (NICOBPA) in collaboration with the Nigerian Election Debate Group (NEDG) and the International Republican Institute (IRI), had the AA, ADC, APGA, PDP, PPA, SDP and UPP in attendance.

It was, however, gathered that the APC candidate, Abubakar Sani Bello and the PDP candidate Umar Mohammed Nasko, were away to perform the lesser hajj.

A cross-section of the chairmen, caretaker committees of eleven local government councils, taking their oath of office in Gombe… yesterday.

PHOTO-NAN

Yola

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he Lamido of Adamawa, Barkindo Aliyu Musdafa, has charged Adamawa State citizens to ensure that they sustain the peaceful coexistence and cultural affinity that the people are known for and not allow minor skirmishes to hamper that.

The traditional ruler, who is the chairman of the Adamawa State Council of Chiefs and Emirs, harped on peaceful existence, shortly after he inspected the ongoing construction of the Jimeta Main Central Mosque in Yola.

He reminded the Mus-

Muhammad Kabir Kano

T

he police in Kano State yesterday arrested 23 armed thugs believed to be hired by the opposition to allegedly attack APC campaign train at Warawa Local Government, warning that any politician arrested will bear the brunt of whatever their thugs did.

Parading the thugs with their weapons and the woman who allegedly hired them, the Kano State police command said it decided to parade the leader of the gang and those who hired them to clearly show that nobody is above the law when it comes to political banditry.

The thugs, who were wearing Senator Lado’s campaign T-Shirts, who is campaigning for re-election into the senate, looked unperturbed as they even quarreled with the police officers who were parading them.

Speaking at the occasion, the state Police Commissioner, Ibrahim K. Idiris, said politicians sponsoring thuggery should be mindful of the consequences of the actions as anybody who hired thugs to kill others would be charged with murder case when apprehended.

Ortom seeks N3bn damages from Radio Benue, others Cephas Iorhemen Makurdi

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he All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate in Benue State, Chief Samuel Ortom, has

Lamido of Adamawa harps on peaceful coexistence Ibrahim Abdul

23 thugs in Kano

lim faithful and other citizens of the cordial relationship existing between them all these years, which he said should be sustained.

The royal father also charged Nigerians on the need to avoid any act capable of truncating the nation’s democracy, saying the citizens have to work assiduously for democracy to be sustained.

Musdafa also harped on the need for Adamawa citizens to be security conscious and to report suspicious movements to security agencies, adding that the citizens have the responsibility to secure their environment and to assist security agencies in their work.

dragged the state-owned Radio Benue, Ashiwaves FM owned by Governor Gabriel Suswam’s elder brother, Global Media Mirror Limited, publishers of National Mirror newspapers and the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) to the Federal High Court in Makurdi, claiming N3 billion from them for defamation and libel.

When the case, suit number FHC/MKD/ CS/26/2015 came up yesterday, the presiding judge, Justice Binta Nyako, granted the motion brought by Ortom’s lawyers for service out of

jurisdiction on Global Media Mirror Limited and the National Broadcasting Commission.

In his statement of claim filed by Samuel Irabor of Synergy Chambers, Makurdi, Ortom averred that on Thursday, December 25, 2014 the first, second and third defendants caused the publication and broadcast of his purported disqualification as APC governorship candidate in Benue State by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

According to the statement, the aggregate of the publication and broadcasts

was that he was in consequence ineligible to contest the Benue State gubernatorial election by reason of the alleged disqualification.

It said the publication and broadcasts were false, unsubstantiated, unethical, malicious, mischievous and unfounded, in bad taste and faith as well as a figment of the imagination of the defendants.

The former Minister of State, Industry, Trade, and Investment, said the publication and broadcasts have seriously reduced his standing in the eyes of the misinformed members of the public and caused him great

psychological and physical distress and trauma, owing to the measures he took to counter them throughout the festive period.

He seeks a declaration that the publication and broadcasts are false, mischievous, unsubstantiated, defamatory and libelous, an order for the first, second and third defendants to publish a retraction and apology in two national dailies, as well as orders directing the National Broadcasting Commission to withdraw the licences of Radio Benue and Ashiwaves as well as for the payment of N3 billion as damages.

Yero promises security in southern Kaduna Ibraheem Musa Kaduna

K

aduna State governor, Mukhtar Ramalan Yero, has assured the people of southern Kaduna of improved security in a bid to end the incessant attacks by gunmen in the area just as he promised to complete all ongoing projects in all parts of the state.

The governor, who

made the pledge while on a campaign tour of Zangon Kataf Local Government, said his administration has been collaborating with security agencies with the aim of preventing attacks on communities.

Yero, however, lamented that “unfortunately some people are bent on creating chaos, but we shall not relent until our people are safe.” He called on people in the area to

support government’s peace initiatives.

The governor also called on them to assist security agencies with relevant information to prevent criminals from carrying out deadly attacks.

He commiserated with the people over the recent attack by gunmen that resulted in loss of lives.

In his remarks, the Agwam Bajju, Malam Nuhu Bature, cautioned politi-

cians against making unguarded utterances that may lead to crisis.

Bature spoke on behalf of two other traditional rulers, the Chiefs of Ikulu and Kamanta, emphasising that peace is the bedrock of any development.

He called on those seeking to lead the people to demonstrate responsible attitude to issues affecting their communities at all times.

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WORLD | News

Insurgency: Six-week deadline achievable –COAS Ahmed Miringa MAIDUGURI

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he Chief of Army Staff, Lt General Keneth Minamah, has said that the six weeks deadline to curtail Boko Haram activities in the North-East was achievable.

He said that the army will try everything humanly possible to liberate the captured territories from the Boko Haram before the general elections.

The Chief of Army Staff, disclosed this in Baga yesterday, when he visited the area to encour-

age the troops of the Nigerian Army in Baga town, recently recaptured by the Nigerian Army from the hands the Boko Haram terrorists.

He said very soon, the army will liberate all towns and villages from the Boko Haram terrorists, so that people will go back to their houses.

While addressing the troops of the Nigerian Army in Baga, the COAS, told them that all those that participated in recapturing the town will be promoted to the next level including those that lost their lives.

“Never again should

Boko Haram capture any territory in this nation.

We call on all Nigerians to support the army in its fight against the insurgency” Minimah stated.

He said “My visit is to build confidence in you and also to tell you that Nigerians are proud of you, singing praises for you and are cheering and hailing your gallantry efforts. I, therefore, urge you to maintain the tempo”” He told the troops that there is also the possibility that President Goodluck Jonathan would visit them and also encourage them for fighting to defend their fatherland.

Buhari condemns Kano, Yobe bombings, calls for vigilance Johnchuks Onuanyim Abuja

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he All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential candidate, General Muhammadu Buhari has condemned the latest bombings in Yobe and Kano states in which scores of innocent people were killed and many more injured.

According to statement issued by the Directorate of Media and Publicity of the APC Presidential Campaign Organisation (APCPCO), Malam Garba

Shehu, Buhari was quoted as regretting that the latest Yobe bomb blast comes on the eve of the first anniversary of the Buni Yadi terrorist attack, which killed dozens of innocent students of a Federal Government College in their sleep.

He also stated that a situation where terrorists get bolder with every passing day calls for serious reflection and concern.

The statement said, while the party's presidential campaign commends the efforts and sacrifices of our counter-terrorism forces, there was the need

for greater vigilance and new strategies.

While recognising the complexity of terrorism and its peculiar challenges, APC Presidential Campaign called for more and tougher strategies, adding that a situation where the criminals outsmart the system was disturbing.

It called on the Federal Government to take proactive steps to stem the frequency with which the terrorists or suicide bombers penetrate security cordon and checkpoints with maximum ease and strike their targets with extreme cruelty.

Court adjourns Fani-Kayode's trial for money laundering to March 26 Akeem Nafiu

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earing continued yesterday in the trial of a former Minister of Aviation, Femi Fani-Kayode, over an alleged money laundering charges, with a defence witness, Kola Olapoju, admitting that the transactions that led to the accused trial were "unusual and exceptional."

The witness stated this while being cross-examined by the EFCC lawyer, Festus Keyamo.

The EFCC is prosecuting Fani-Kayode before Justice Rita Ofili-Ajumogobia of a Federal High Court in Lagos over alleged money laundering offences he committed while serving as Culture and Tourism Minister and later Aviation Minister.

It would be recalled that the witness, who claimed to be a lawyer and co-administrator of the estate of the accused’s late father, had in his evidence in chief, told the court that while the accused was in

public service in 2006, he requested for funds from the said estate of his father to pay artisans, who effected repairs on their property.

Olapoju, under cross-examination, recalled that he had known Fani-Kayode for over 20 years and that he has been managing the properties of the estate for about 14 years.

He also added that the beneficiaries to the estate have been reduced from five to four.

Marketers justify N100 per litre for petrol in Kwara Biodun Oyeleye Ilorin

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ome independent petroleum sellers yesterday defended the hike in the cost of fuel to N100 per litre in Kwara State as the scarcity of the product continued to bite harder.

Although they asked not to be named, the marketers said the landing cost

of fuel to Ilorin, the state capital had increased to N98 per litre as against the former official price.

“I bought from a private depot in Lagos and the landing cost is N98. So, how much do you expect me to sell?” one operator with a filling station around Sobi Barracks, told our reporter on the telephone, saying he was not even sure of when to get the next consign-

ment.

Motorists continued to struggle in queues at the few stations selling the product yesterday although two of the NNPC Mega stations dispensed at the official price. A few stations operated by the major marketers also sold at the official price very early in the morning before closing their gates later in the day.

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2015 NEW TELEGRAPH

Libya could be next Syria, foreign minister warns

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ibya’s Foreign Minister Mohamed Dayri has called for Western military support, saying the growing threat from jihadist groups threatened to turn his country into another Syria.

“Time is running out,” Dayri told AFP in an interview yesterday.

“Terrorism amounts to a danger not just for Libya and its neighbours. It is an intensifying threat to Europe. “Without a political solution, the country could get trapped in a full-blown civil war like in Syria,” he said. The North African country has collapsed into a bitter struggle between rival

governments and militias since dictator Moamer Khadafi was overthrown and killed with Western help in 2011. Two parliaments compete for legitimacy in different parts of the country. Islamist militants control the capital Tripoli, while an internationally-recognised government has been relegated to the eastern city of Tobruk.

There are also fears that the conflict is attracting an increasing amount of foreign jihadists, and a number of attacks have been claimed by the Islamic State group. The minister, a member of the Tobruk government, underlined that his government is not asking for

a new Western military intervention as in 2011, but only for “the reinforcement of the Libyan army’s capabilities”. “The creation of a national unity government is a priority for Libya, not just an international demand,” said Dayri. “But even if we achieved that tomorrow, we would still need help with our army.

“Yet I have had no convincing response from the United States or Europe.”

He appealed to the UN Security Council last week to remove the arms embargo that has been in place since 2011, but the request has met with resistance, particularly from Russia, over concerns the weapons may end up in the wrong hands.

Islamic State militants are purportedly seen parading in a street in Libya’s coastal city of Sirte.

Tough road for Greece as Merkel hails ‘starting point’

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erman Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble voiced doubts yesterday on whether indebted Greece can live up to its fiscal promises, underlining the problems facing Athens on both the domestic and EU fronts.

His comments came on the day that the hard work for Greece’s new anti-austerity government began; with German Chancellor Angela Merkel saying an agreement on a four-month extension of Athens’ bailout was merely a

“starting point”. “I’m under no illusion that the way ahead will remain challenging,” Merkel, whose country’s taxpayers have stumped up more money than any other to keep Greece financially afloat in recent years, told reporters in Berlin.

Her Finance Minister Schaeuble said there is a “lot of doubt in Germany” about whether Greece, which has been fighting to stay in the single currency since 2010, will live up to its commitments. “The question now is whether one

can believe the assurances of the Greek government or not,” Schaeuble said.

Despite such misgivings, Greece, Tuesday secured a four-month extension to its 240-billion-euro ($270 billion) bailout, averting a potentially calamitous expiry on Saturday that could have seen Athens leave the euro. Greek stocks soared almost 10 percent Tuesday falling back only slightly yesterday and yields on its 10-year bonds fell back to levels last seen before elections were called in December.

Ukraine’s PM decries ban on currency trade

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krainian Prime Minister Arseny Yatseniuk denounced the central bank yesterday for banning most foreign currency trading for the rest of the week, saying the move was taken without consultation with the government and would harm the economy. Yatseniuk said he and Finance Minister Natalia Yaresko would seek an urgent meeting

with President Petro Poroshenko and ask him to summon Central Bank head Valeria Gontareva to explain. “This morning I found out on the Internet that the central bank had independently and without consultation taken the decision to close the interbank market, which does not add to stability in the national currency,” Yatseniuk told a televised cabinet meeting.

“This situation has a very complicated and negative effect on the economy of Ukraine, the balance of the financial system and the currency exchange rate.”

The central bank announced a ban until the end of the week on banks trading foreign currency on behalf of clients, which accounts for nearly all of the officially registered trade.

NEW TELEGRAPH THURSDAY FEBRUARY 26, 2015

International Sport

Track and Field

Interview

Pacquiao to stick with basics against Mayweather

Team Nigeria targets nine gold medals in Ethiopia

Onazi: Eagles must win back fans

South Africa edge out Eaglets

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Sport

51

News

Did you know?

That Manchester City have recorded just one clean sheet in their last 14 European games

Eagles need a good foreign coach –Esin Charles Ogundiya

A Super Eagles players...after scoring a goal

The Sport Team Adekunle Salami Group Sport Editor

Emmanuel Tobi Assistant Editor, Sport

Ifeanyi Ibeh Sport Correspondent

Ajibade Olusesan Sport Correspondent

Charles Ogundiya Sport Correspondent

© Daily Telegraph Publishing Company Limited

Injured Alonso still in hospital M

cLaren driver Fernando Alonso remains in hospital in Barcelona following Sunday’s accident in pre-season testing that left him with concussion.

McLaren initially said the incident was a “normal accident” but the length of the two-time world champion’s stay has raised questions about his condition.

The Spaniard, 33, has spent three nights in hospital and there has been no information on his likely

release.

McLaren had not said whether he could drive in this week’s final test.

With that four-day test session starting at Barcelona’s Circuit de Catalunya on Thursday, it looks extremely unlikely that Alonso will take part, given the length of his stay in hospital.

A McLaren statement on Monday said Alonso had been given body and brain scans in hospital, the results of which were “completely normal”.

A photo of a smiling Alonso sitting up in his hospital bed was also posted on social media by his manager on Monday.

Alonso suffered concussion after hitting the wall on the exit of a right-hand turn at the Circuit de Catalunya.

McLaren dismissed as “simply not true” speculation in some media that the accident had been caused by Alonso suffering an electric shock from a malfunction of the car’s hybrid system.

Burkina Faso dump Keshi for Genort Rohr

former Super Eaglesmidfielder, Etim Esin, has said that the way forward for the Super Eagles, is the hiring of a top-class foreign technical adviser for the team.

Esin said no other Nigerian coach could surpass the achievements of out of contract national team boss, Stephen Keshi.

Speaking with our correspondent on the telephone on Tuesday, the former AA Gent player said with what Keshi achieved during his reign the target for the new coach must be bigger than that of the ‘Big Boss’.

“If we have to get another coach for the Super Eagles, then we should go for a foreign coach that will perform better than Keshi,” he said.

“A coach that will win the Africa Cup of Nations, qualify Super Eagles for the World Cup and also be able to get to the last four of the competition. Nothing short of that, otherwise the person will be tagged a failure. Because I don’t really see other targets we will give the coach.”

The former Flash Flamingoes midfielder however added that Nigerians had not been fair to Keshi despite what he had achieved for the country.

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THURSDAY FEBRUARY 26, 2015 NEW TELEGRAPH

For Uyo, Olu, Harriet and Ralph!

r. Adidi Uyo would not have been your preferred lecturer but from hindsight, you will now be grateful for all he did in that journalism class. Also Dr Bimbo Awofeso, who you cannot forget in a hurry. Is it from that towering height or the aroma of “Captain Black” from his pipe or that “Baba” who through his mien took us through the harrowing experience of psychology? They were all there in those formative stages. However, we who were working students had a challenge.

Can you forget in a hurry, Professor Ralph Akinfeleye (we re-cristened him Raufu) and once punitively deflated two out of four tyres, of his Volvo on Akin Adesola Street when we marched. He had wanted to persuade us to jettison the idea raised by Press law lecturer – Dr Olu Onagoruwa – yes the same frontline jurisprudent lawyer who later was vilified for accepting the job of General Sanni Abacha as Attorney- General.

Akinfeleye made popular the theory of the four principles – Journalism of cocktail, next of kin, Government Order and Investigative.

Bimbo was more practical.

He sent you out on assignment with the principle of the four Ws and H. You had to get it right or your weekly ratings are affected. Lati Odusanya, DemolaFetuga, Helen Kitson and I competed. Uyo

Muyiwa Daniel on Thursday

md_muyiwa@yahoo.com 08023525087 (sms only) was also not sparing.

However, our “Awero” Harriet Lawrence – the Black American who came to Nigeria as spouse of Daily Times Group Editor –Ben –was on the fore-front in her broadcasting class. I lived not too far in Kilo Hotel area of Surulere – not too far from their Ore Close residence.

That didn’t give Awero any goose pimples or sympathy.

The tenses were the priority while we were in the studios at NTA, Victoria Island . That was the power.

Then , Onagoruwa did what was weird or imaginable. He wrote the Chairman of the Nigeria Institute of Journalism – Chief Femi Pearce and Director – Michael Ogunsekan – that after three months of learning, his class was ready to march on the National Assembly, then at the Race Course area of Lagos and challenge Senate President- Joseph Wayas and his colleagues plus the House of Representatives led by Chief Ume Ezeoke on the 1979 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

To Race Course, we

marched. The security, despite the menacing nature of Inspector-general Sunday Adewusi’s new anti-protesters Personnel Carriers, was shocked that these “young boys and girls” could defy their orders right in front of the Lagos Lawn Tennis Club. Words came that Wayas had succumbed to pressures from his colleagues to allow those “next generation of journalists” address the National Assembly. We were prepared and within one hour of presentation – both arms of the Assembly went on a three- week recess to “master” the Constitution on the motion of Senator Adebiyi of the United Party of Nigeria – the Party of Chief Obafemi Awolowo.

Triumphant, we celebrated all the way to school.

What is the message?

Courage. From Adidi Uyo, Olu Onagoruwa to Harriet Lawrence and Ralph Akinfeleye ,Professor Opubor got that set in the level of the Mass

Communications department of the University of Lagos and Professor Azinge –immediate past boss of the Institute of International Legal Affairs of the same Institution recalled his involvement when we met as immediate past National Sports Commission, Director, former international, coach and my senior in Saint Gregory’s College, Obalende, Lagos – Chief Patrick Ekeji delivered a lecture.

From that background, we were able to challenge the propriety of the Decree 11 of 1971 and as amended in 1979 setting up the NSC to still be in existence since the democratic governance of President Olusegun Obasanjo in 1999. Why should our country, consistently be conning the football fraternity pretending that Decree 101 of 1992 has been abrogated by an Act of Parliament without relevant “public assent” of President Goodluck Jonathan. Those laws, extraneous as they are, remain the impediment to the growth of sports in this country and why the private sector still remain with “public relations” for the sports sector that has the potential of employing forty-million Nigerians and expatriates in that sector.

I am disgusted that the campaign organisations in the two leading Parties – PDP and APC -are so much interested in the mundane than snap up the sport opportunity.

On the macro level ,which is Lagos, I have not heard from any of the two ”leading “ candidates – Akinwunmi Ambode and Jimi Agbaje seeking to get the over 5milliion youth engaged through sports by insisting on the enforcement of the 1980 Sports Lagos State Sports Council Board Edict.

I am more miffed that incumbent GovernorRaji Fashola- whom late discovery of talents – Evening Times- Joe Audu-used to refer as “baby lawyer” with the All-Stars then at Eagle Club but later rose to become an SAN, can run without a Board..

For good measure, Agbaje’s dad – Chief John Kosebinu, was Chairman of the Lagos State Sports Council when that Edict came to effect.

In the same vein, the dream of marrying secondary education with soccer through the Junior League is fast threatened by the withdrawal of the 57 LGs and LCDAs from the “Article of Faith” for funding. I dare ask: Can we as Sportswriters march on Alausa for Reprieve? … I wait!

Burkina Faso dump Keshi for Kohr

•As Big Boss slams Pinnick Emmanuel Tobi

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erman trainer Gernot Rohr has been named coach of the Burkina Faso national team, thereby ruling out erswhile Super Eagles coach, Stephen Keshi.

A statement from the Federation Burkinabe de Football released on February 24, said the federation had settled for the 61-year old as the best option as he replace Belgian Paul Put, who

Musa Pam Jos

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risis is rocking the Plateau State Football Association election as 17 Local government chairmen of the Football Association in the state on Wednesday rejected the election that produced Mr Sunday Longbap as chairman.

The 17 FA chairmen in a press briefing on wednesday in Jos urged the Nigeria Football Fed-

Keshi

parted ways with ‘Les Etalons’ after the Africa Cup of Nations, Equatorial Guinea 2015.

Prior to that, the FBF had named a three-man shortlist including Rohr,

Nigerian Stephen Keshi and Milovan Rajevac of Serbia from 38 applications received for the vacant post.

Meanwhile, Keshi has carpeted Nigeria Football Federation boss, Amaju Pinnick, for giving a wrong impression to Nigerians on his contract talk delay.

“The NFF thinks without Nigerian football there is no other place to coach. This is a very wrong assumption,” Keshi said on a radio programme in Abuja

on Wednesday.

“I love to coach Nigeria, but they think they are doing us a favour because that is the message - that they are doing us a favour to appoint a Nigeria coach. But that is not true, if they don’t want us, we would go somewhere else and coach,” he said.

He added that, “I will let Nigerians know what is happening. I don’t understand, how Amaju, who says he is the president of Nigerian football, can be lying to Nigerians?

Is that how he wants to run Nigerian football?

Crisis rocks Plateau FA elections eration to disregard the outcome of the purported election. They also advised the indigenes of the state and sports enthusiasts to shun the result of the election saying an authentic poll will be conducted soon.

Speaking on behalf of the FA chairmen, Dennis Isa Sangyen accused Longbap of acting alone by constituting the electoral committee, the appeal com-

mittee as well as the 24-man list of delegates that produced him as the chairman instead of the 22 delegates.

“Mr. Longbap forwarded the purported list of electoral committee, Appeal Committee and the 24 man delegates to the NFF and the NFF approved the list and gave him the go ahead to conduct the illegal election. When we learned of this development, we promptly and

diligently reacted by writing a complain letter to the NFF on the 16th February 2015 and to our dismay NFF did not respond to our complaint,” Sangyen said.

They alleged that Longbap in a brazen display of power and perpetuation of illegality geared towards getting re-elected at all cost, substituted nine LG FA chairmen and replaced them with persons known to him.

Sunderlands’ Wes Brown battling with West Brom’s Brown Ideye

Ideye’s form excites Amokachi

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ssistant Nigeria manager Daniel Amokachi says he is not surprised by how long it took Brown Ideye to settle into life at West Bromwich Albion, but expects him to continue his recent scoring streak.

The Nigerian striker struggled to adapt to English football after signing for Albion for a club record fee in the summer.

Amokachi, who turned out for Everton during his playing career, said: “I am not surprised

that it took him this long (to settle), but I believe he will be successful in the Premier League.

“What people don’t understand is that the Premier League is different from other league in the world.

“You know he is coming from Ukraine and the league in the country is not as fast as the Premier League. But after about four months or thereabout he has picked steam and I think he will continue this way.”

Intertional Sport 53

NEW TELEGRAPH THURSDAY FEBRUARY 26, 2015

Cannavaro sentenced to 10 months jail

Cannavaro

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orld Cup-winning captain Fabio Cannavaro has been sentenced to 10 months in jail for breaching orders to keep out of his property after it was seized by authorities.

Cannavaro, 41, has been under investigation for tax evasion and in October authorities in Naples seized almost 1m (£732,737) of

goods linked to the former Real Madrid and Juventus star and his wife.

Cannavaro’s brother Paolo, 33, who plays for the Italian Serie A team Sassuolo, was sentenced to six months and his wife Daniela Arenoso, 40, to four months in jail.

All three have appealed and the sentences have been suspended until the appeals court considers the cases again.

Cannavaro made a bigmoney move to Real Madrid and won La Liga twice in his time at the club According to an investigation led by prosecutor Luigi Cannavale in the southern Italian city of Naples, the three went to the villa for a dip in the pool - ignoring the fact the property had been seized and they were banned from entering.

Man City’s Gael Clichy trailing Barcelona’s Lionel Messi during their Champions League game on Tuesday

Pellegrini hopeful despite Barca domination

Pacquiao to stick with basics against Mayweather U

nderdog Pacquiao will bid to end Mayweather’s run of 47 straight wins, 26 via knockout, when the pair finally meets in a ring after years of wrangling.

Pacquiao has 57-5-2 (38 KOs) and has a simple tactic to upset the odds against the American favourite in Las Vegas.

“Use my left and right (fists),” the Filipino answered when asked how he planned to deal with his rival’s height and reach advantage, as well as famed defensive skills.

“If I hurt him (Mayweather), I expect him to run. Otherwise he might fight me toe-to-toe.”

Before flying out to his US training camp, Pacquiao is currently preparing for his third game as a basketball player in the Philippines’ top professional league.

His determination to play for his Kia Carnival team has raised fears he might get injured before the fight, which US media report could net him an

$80m pay cheque.

The devout Christian, however, brushed away injury fears.

“I know what I’m doing,” said the 5-foot 6-inch Pacquiao, who is the shortest and oldest player in the Philippine Basketball Association.

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espite defeat by Barcelona, Manchester City manager Manuel Pellegrini said his side would take confidence from their second-half reaction into the return leg of their Champions League last-16 tie.

A first-half brace from Luis Suarez helped Barcelona to a 2-1 win in Tuesday’s first leg at the Etihad Stadium, but Sergio Aguero’s 69th-minute goal and a stoppage-time penalty blunder by Lionel Messi

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gypt table tennis star, Dina Meshref, has expressed confidence leading the 14-man Egyptian to medal hauls at the International Table Tennis Federation World Tour, Lagos Open billed for next month.

With the absence of defending champion, Egypt’s Nadeen El-Dawlatly, the 20-year-old believes Nigerian players are beatable in front of their fans in Lagos.

El-Dawlatly defeated Meshref in the final of the championship in 2014 to win her first World Tour title and for this year, she will not be available following a knee injury.

However, Pellegrini was not happy with the way that the penalty was awarded to Barcelona.

“It was a very unnecessary penalty. We must control our emotion inside the box and try not to give away such meagre chances in such big games.”

Messi won Barcelona’s late penalty after he was felled by Argentina teammate Zabaleta, but his spot-kick was parried

by City goalkeeper Joe Hart and he headed the rebound wide of the left-hand post.

Standard Chartered launches ‘Road to Anfield 2015’ S

Mayweather

tandard Chartered Bank Nigeria Limited has launched a football tournament dubbed ‘Standard Chartered Trophy: Road to Anfield 2015’.

‘Standard Chartered Trophy’ is an international 5-aside football tournament organised by the Bank in partnership with Liverpool FC that offers football fans a once in a lifetime ‘Money Can’t Buy’ opportunity of playing at an English Premier League football pitch.

The tournament will consist of three phases. The first

Meshref eyes Egypt’s dominance at Lagos ITTF Tour Ifeanyi Ibeh

gave City hope.

City lost Gael Clichy to a red card — echoing the dismissals of Martin Demichelis and Pablo Zabaleta during last season’s 4-1 aggregate loss to Barcelona at the same stage of the competition — but Pellegrini expressed belief that they would turn the tie around at Camp Nou next month.

“I think we can do it,” said Pellegrini. “We demonstrated in the second half that we are not a worse team than Barcelona.”

“Of course Nadeen’s absence will definitely make a difference, as she is very well experienced against the Nigerian opponents. However, I believe that the four other girls accompanying me are

capable of beating Nigerians too,” she boasted.

Being her second visit to Nigeria, Meshref believes the title would not elude her but she admitted that she has to fight over challenge.

Meshref

is the national qualifiers which will take place over two days on March 7 and 8 in Lagos, Nigeria. The second phase is the regional finals which will take place in Ghana on March 13 and 14 where the winner of Nigeria’s national finals will battle the winners of the national finals of Ghana and the Gambia.

The winner of the regional finals will proceed to represent West Africa at the all expense paid global finals taking place at Anfield, Liverpool FC Home ground

where a total of 10 teams from across Standard Chartered’s global footprints will compete for the ultimate trophy on the May 7 and 8. The winners of the ‘Finals’ will be crowned Overall Champions of ‘Standard Chartered Trophy 2015’.

Head of Brand and Sponsorship, West Africa of Standard Chartered Bank, Mr. Diran Olojo, said, “We want to give our customers and clients an exceptional once in a lifetime experience and one can really not afford to miss out on it.”

UCL: Why we “Champion The Match”–Heineken Ajibade Olusesan

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igerian Breweries PLC has said that the quest to create innovative and more engaging ways to bring the world’s most prestigious club football tournament to Nigerians has necessitated a new campaign tagged “Champion The Match”.

The company, through one of its brands, Heineken, is sponsoring the UEFA Champions League for the ninth year since 2006 and has sponsored fans to all-expense trips to final games venues for the sponsorship years.

“We want to encourage fans to create a truly memorable match night for themselves and their fans,” Corporate Affairs Adviser, Mr. Kufre Ekanem, said

in Lagos yesterday.

“So, we are telling the fans, ‘don’t just watch the match, champion it’,” he added.

Ekanem said the premium viewing experience that had seen many fans hosted at the Heineken House in Lagos with attendant celebrities had also gained what he called a reputation for the world’s enjoyed football competition.

“We now have a platform that will constantly surprise fans with unexpected guests at matches while enabling fans to win fabulous prizes,” further said, even as he disclosed that football journalists would be selected through a raffle to witness the 2014-15 Champions League final on June 6 in Berlin, Germany.

54 Sport

THURSDAY FEBRUARY 26, 2015 NEW TELEGRAPH

TRACK & FIELD WITH CHARLES OGUNDIYA

Abolaji sets target in 100m

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ne of the youngest athletes in the Sagamu camp of the Team Nigeria preparing for the African Junior Championship in Ethiopia, Omotayo Abolaji, has said she is targeting 11.5secs finish in the women’s 100m.

Speaking with our correspondent in Sagamu on Wednesday, Abolaji said she had been training hard to achieve her goal.

“During the World Junior Championship in the USA before the Commonwealth Games, I failed to win a medal but this time around I have learnt a lot and I am looking forward to winning the gold medal in Ethiopia,” she said.

“I have been exposed to some of the best coaches in the country since I came into camp, and I am raring to go in Ethiopia.”

Abolaji who finished secondary school in 2014 however said she would be concentrating on her studies immediately she returns from Ethiopia as she intends to sit for JAMB this year.

She missed admission last year due to the Africa Youth Championship in Botswana where she represented Nigeria in the 100m.

Abolaji said: “In as much as

I want to excel in my chosen career as an athlete, I need to concentrate on my studies too and achieve something with my life as an individual.

“I missed my JAMB last year because I was in Botswana, but I want to sit for the exams this year and hopefully gain admission into the university at the end of the year.”

Team Nigeria targets nine gold medals in Ethiopia

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oaches Coordinator, Seigha Porbeni, has said they are targeting nine gold medals in Ethiopia as Team Nigeria attempts to defend the title they won two years ago in Mauritius.

According to Porbeni, the enthusiasm and attitude to work by the athletes have given the coaches such hope ahead of the African Junior Athletics Championship in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

“The way the athletes have been responding to training, we are sure of getting good results in Ethiopia,” Porbeni said.

“I think we can surely win between nine and 10 gold medals which can earn us victory at the championship. Besides,

we have about six other events where we are in doubt of getting gold medals, but if we work on the athletes, we can still get gold from those events.

“In total we are looking at between 13 and 14 gold medals.

We look good in the women’s 4x100metres and 4x400metres relays, same applies the sprints.”

He however expressed doubt over the boys’ 4x100 metres but he added that the coaches would work on the boys to achieve results.

He said: “We are fully focused on what we are doing here and I am sure we can get the needed results.

“We have exposed the athletes to the latest level of training

compare to what they have been experiencing in their localities.”

One of the junior athletes, Divine Oduduru

Cape Town marathon aspires to reach gold standard

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Abolaji

ast-growing Sanlam Cape Town Marathon looks on course to become the first road race in Africa to gain IAAF Gold Label status.

The 2015 Sanlam Cape Town Marathon will be held over the weekend of September 19 to 20, and entries are set to open on March 1.

The organisers made the announcement at a media conference on Tuesday given by the organisers and headline spon-

sor, Sanlam.

The media briefing also announced that the Sanlam Cape Town Marathon has been awarded Silver Label status by the International Association of Athletics Federations – the first marathon on the continent to be awarded this classification.

“The Silver Label status puts the Sanlam Cape Town Marathon on the race calendar for the top tier international run-

ners in 2015. We are excited to be planning a spectator-orientated event over the Heritage Day weekend,” said event ambassador Elana Meyer, the 1992 Olympic 10,000m silver medallist.

By no means prepared to rest on these laurels though, the marathon’s next immediate goal is to become the first road-race in Africa held over any distance to gain coveted IAAF Gold Label Road Race status.

Onazi: Eagles must win back fans Lazio of Italy midfielder, Ogenyi Onazi, in this interview with AfricanFootball.com, hopes the Super Eagles will soon win back the confidence of fans after Nigeria failed to qualify for the 2015 AFCON. Super Eagles have a friendly game against Bolivia in March, how are you looking forward to the game?

Playing for Nigeria always comes with a unique feeling for me. Nothing beats wearing the green jersey and singing the national anthem once it comes on.

So, I’m definitely looking forward to the game.

Eagles missed the 2015 AFCON, what is your next target with the national team?

We know we have to start off on a positive note and try to win back the support of our loyal fans.

We let them down last time out by not making it to the AFCON 2015 to defend our title and we have to win back their trust and support starting with good results in friendly games. We also want to get the 2017 AFCON ticket followed by a World Cup ticket.

What are your targets with Lazio this season?

I know we may not be the best team in the league but we have shown with some of our performances that we are building something solid. Hopefully we can build some consistency and qualify for Europe, as well as win the Italian Cup for our lovely fans.

You rewarded a lucky fan with cash prize and university education scholarship, what motivated you to do this?

God has been great in my life and I don’t ever feel like I can do enough to thank Him for His grace upon my life. I know where I started from, so I am always keen to make people happy. It’s all God. You were strongly linked with a move to Liverpool, what really happened?

Well, I know I’ve been ‘strongly’ linked with a number of teams. I read and heard about them like you did so it doesn’t bother me one bit. I am happy with Lazio. I love Rome and the fans and they love me in return.

When was your most memorable moment as a player?

I have had some lovely moments in my career. The day I made my debut for Nigeria and Lazio were great days, when I won the AFCON and Coppa Italia as well as when I played at the World Cup were all memorable moments for me. These memories have stayed remained with me and I want more.

When was your darkest day as a national team player?

God has been great in my life and I don’t ever feel I can do enough to thank Him for His grace upon my life

Ogenyi Onazi (right) in contention for the ball with France’s Olivier Giroud

That has to be the day we failed to qualify for the 2015 AFCON. I am also a football fan, so I know how it feels. Knowing how well Nigerians love football and the Eagles, I did feel very bad about it all. But we’ve got another opportunity to correct our failure, I hope we have all learnt valuable

lessons from that sad experience.

What do you do in your leisure time?

I find nothing more enjoyable than resting and sleeping. Also, I am beginning to fancy photography lately. I have been using the ActiveOn action camera for a while and I could say I am hooked on it.

Sport 55

NEW TELEGRAPH THURSDAY FEBRUARY 26, 2015

South Africa edge out Eaglets Ajibade Olusesan

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igeria’s Golden Eaglets, were yesterday, edged out of the CAF U-17 Championship after succumbing to a 1-0 defeat to the Amajimbos of South Africa in the semifinal of the tournament.

The world champions were the favourites going into the contest but were stunned in the 26th min-

ute when Khanyisa Mayo netted with a fine strike at the Stade Général Seyni Kountché.

The E m m a nu e l Amuneke –led side was the second best side throughout the first half and their spirited efforts to come back into the match in the second half yielded no result as the South Africans held tenaciously to their slender lead.

Although Amuneke

had said that the team had reached its goal after picking one of the tickets to the FIFA U-17 World Cup slated to hold in Chile in October, many Nigerians still expected the lads to advance into the final of the African tourney.

Nigeria will on Saturday face the loser of the second semi-final match between Guinea and Mali. The match comes up today (Thursday).

Eagles job not Keshi’s birthright –Chukwu

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ormer Super Eagles coach, Christian Chukwu, has said that the side’s coaching job is not a birthright or preserve for former handler, Stephen Keshi.

The Amaju Pinnickled Nigeria Football Federation executive board has not been firm on whether or not to offer the former Mali and Togo gaffer a new contract.

Chukwu said the NFF should be firm and prompt on the Eagles job and stop the hide and seek game with the for-

Ighalo

mer Nigerian defender.

“NFF should stop using Keshi as excuse for their indecision on Super Eagles coaching job.

“It’s wrong for the NFF to be waiting for Burkina Faso to name a coach before deciding whether or not to hand Keshi a new contract.

“Super Eagles job is not an exclusive or permanent work place for Stephen Keshi or any other coach.

“I don’t think Keshi is really too heavy a burden for the football house to

deal with rather they’re just trying to make something out of nothing.

“If truly they want Keshi they should go ahead and hand him a new contract and if they don’t want him they should forthwith tell Keshi ‘we don’t want you’.

“If they offer Keshi a new contract all good and fine, at least, the side will have focus and the job at hand can get off the ground immediately,” said the former Harambee Stars coach to supersport.com.

Ighalo prefers EPL promotion Edo FA election: Ilaboya promises development to highest scorer’s award Ifeanyi Ibeh

F

ormer Flying Eagles captain, Odion Ighalo, has revealed that his immediate target is to help Watford gain promotion to the English Premier League while playing down the chase for the Championship highest goal scorer award.

Ighalo who scored two goals in his side’s 3-0 win over Rotherham United on Tuesday, is second in the Championship’s goal scoring charts, behind Ipswich Town’s Daryl Murphy, who has notched 21 goals.

“Actually, I didn’t give myself a target before the season started. I won’t give myself a target of goals because I am scoring now, I don’t want any pressure, he told SL10.ng.

“For me, I won’t target anybody

to become the top scorer in the league, I am not going to do that.

“The most important thing is to win and gain promotion, that’s what I’m after.’’

The 25 year old has admitted that he had to contend with a different football culture when he arrived England last summer from Spain, which contributed to his failure to get off the starting blocks quickly.

“When you just come to a different league, it takes you time to adapt to the way they play.

The way they play football in England is different from what I experienced in Spain,’’ he said.

“In Spain, they like the ball on the ground, but here in England it’s very hard, you have to run hard. The Championship is one of the hardest leagues in the world, it is very physical.”

Ajibade Olusesan

L

eading candidate in the race for the chairmanship position of the Edo Football Association, Frank Ilaboya, has promised a sustainable development in football in the state if he wins despite mounting schemes against his candidacy by top politicians in the state.

The election holds today in Benin City but Ilaboya faces stiff opposition to his ambition as political stalwarts in the state are scheming against him.

He confirmed in a press briefing yesterday. Ilaboya who is the out- going vice chairman of the FA, and who is widely tipped to win, said the involvement of the Secretary to the Edo State government, Prof Julius Ihonvbhere, in the electoral system

was regrettable.

He said: “Yes, it is true that the SSG and I had political misunderstanding during the last December APC Primaries, that should not be brought to a football election that has nothing to do with politics.

“The SSG is holding me and my supporters responsible for his failure in the senatorial primaries, I find this funny because he is aware why he lost.

“My appeal to the electorates is to vote for football and politics, Edo football has suffered enough and this is time

for revival.”

Mr. Ilaboya also used the well-attended briefing to share with audience how he will revive the football fortunes of the state if elected.

“I promise to run an all-inclusive administration where the stakeholders will be actively involved. We will come up with a blue print within 30 days of election and all the stake holders will be involved in this process.”

Three contestants are in the race for the chairmanship position.

GTBank Masters Cup: St. Gregory’s battles King’s College Emmanuel Tobi

S

t. Gregory’s College, Ikoyi and King’s College, Lagos are expected to revive their long-time football rivalry as the quarter finals of the GTBank Masters Cup begins on Thursday February 26 at the Onikan Stadium, Lagos.

Both schools are in contention to lift the GTBank Masters Cup which was formerly christened GTBank Heritage Cup. The competition which is being competed for by old generation schools is organised in partnership

with Lagos State First Generation Colleges Association.

In the first quarterfinal match on Thursday, Western College, Yaba will battle C.M.S Grammar School, Bariga by 10.00am while Grace High School, Gbagada play Jibril Martin Grammar School, Iponri by 12.00pm.

It will be a battle of wits and pride on Friday as St. Gregory’s College confronts King’s College by 3.00pm while the match between St. Finbarr’s College, Akoka

and Federal Science and Tech College, Yaba billed for 4.30pm completes the last quarterfinal match of the tournament.

Guaranty Trust Bank Plc is one of the few Nigerian financial institutions that have maintained a defined Corporate Social Responsibility strategy, most especially in sports education. The GTBank Masters Cup, as well as the Principals Cup tournament sponsored by GTBank, has over the years helped in talent discovery amongst students.

L-R: Rector of Cowbell Football Academy, Godwin Dudu-Orumen, receiving sporting equipment from Coordinator, Corporate Communications, Promasidor Nigeria Limited, Isiaka Lawal at the National Stadium, Lagos recently.

Nigeria chase Liverpool’s Jordan Ibe

L

iverpool’s teenage sensation Jordan Ibe is wanted by Nigeria as they hope to persuade him to turn his back on playing internationally for England, according to The Express.

Ibe has caught the eye of many following his recent excellent displays for Liverpool after he was recalled from a loan spell at Championship side Derby County following an

impressive spell in East Midlands.

Ibe was born in Bermondsey, South London, and is expected to be called up

by Gareth Southgate to the England U-21s having already represented the Three Lions at U-18, U-19 and U-20s level.

The 19-year-old is also eligible to play internationally for the Super Eagles through his father who is from the African country.

On Marble

When it is obvious that the goals cannot be reached, don’t adjust the goals, adjust the action steps.

World Record

Sanctity of Truth

NIGERIA’S MOST AUTHORITATIVE NEWSPAPER IN POLITICS AND BUSINESS

– Confucius

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2015

N150

First pregnant man delivered a baby girl in June 2008, Thomas Trace Beatie. He chose to become pregnant because his wife Nancy was infertile, doing so with cryogenic donated sperm.

Chatham House, the new colonial master?

I

t would be difficult to ignore the impact of Chatham House in the nation’s 2015 general electoral process.

When this country was trying to gain independence from our colonial masters Britain in the 50s, there were series of conferences held in the United Kingdom to usher in the historic moment. History books recorded constitutional conferences of 1954, 1956, 1957 and 1958.

Then it was understandable because Nigeria was a colony of the UK and needed to go to London the capital of the colonial masters to put finishing touches to the anticipated independence. But this time, ahead of the country’s general election next month after 16 years of democratic governance, there is another kind of rush to London, not necessarily for a constitutional conference but equally for an intellectual discourse aimed at deepening our polity.

This morning, All Progressive Congress (APC) Presidential Candidate in this year’s election, General Muhammadu Buhari, a former military Head of State who 31 years ago as a junta leader breached British immigration rule by attempting to crate home runaway late Umaru Dikko, Second Republic Minister of Transport and former President Shehu Shagari’s Man Friday, would be guest speaker at Chatham House.

According to a statement from Garba Shehu, Media Director in Buhari’s campaign Organisation, the Royal Institute of International Affairs (RIIA) better known as Chatam House has confirmed that presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), General Buhari will be speaking at its event billed for Thursday, February 26, 2015 in London.

A post on the website of Chatham House on Monday disclosed that General Buhari who is on a controversial working visit to the United Kingdom will be speaking on the topic “Prospects for Democratic Consolidation in Africa: Nigeria’s Transition.” The statement noted that “The postponement of Nigeria’s fifth election since its return to civilian rule in 1999, together with fierce political competition, a security crisis and severe economic challenges linked to the drop in oil price, have thrown into sharp relief the challenges of conducting this essential process in such a complex environment.”

But it was really not Gen. Buhari who popularized Chatham House to Nigerians this time, it was actually the National Security Adviser retired Col. Sambo Dasuki who had on Thursday January 22, 2015 as guest speaker ignited the fire when he flew the kite of election postponement in a response to a question on the poor distribution of Permanent Voters Card PVC to the extent that the foremost traditional ruler and the leader of the Muslim communities in Nigeria, the Sultan of Sokoto was yet to collect his PVC. According to the NSA, “our concern with INEC just as I was discussing upstairs, the law provides that election must be conducted not more than 90 days before and not less than 30 days to the end of the administration. February 14th is closer to the 90 days before the end of the

Political Musings IKE ABONYI

igwebuike2001@yahoo.com 08024024029 (sms only)

Buhari

Dikko

tenure. And we raised it with INEC and we said look there is a problem, if you’ve had a year plus and all you’ve been able to do is to distribute about 50% of the cards.

We still have about 30 million cards. According to them, we have about 30 million cards to distribute. Look at the possibility of shifting this thing and doing it when everybody else has a card because it doesn’t cost you anything. It is still within the law and is safer for all of us. So that is what we are encouraging. They keep

assuring us that everybody would have his card but I doubt it. You’ve a year and you have distributed 30 million. I don’t see how you would distribute another 30 million in two weeks. It doesn’t make sense but that is where we are” All that followed that innocuous statement is now history but the election got a shift for six weeks and the blame was heaped on the military, not INEC. Before we go into the analysis of this rush to Chatham House, we need to find

But it was really not Gen. Buhari who popularized Chatham House to Nigerians this time, it was actually the National Security Adviser retired Col. Sambo Dasuki out what is Chatham House? It is an independent policy institute based in London and founded in 1920. It has a basic mission of helping build a sustainably secure, prosperous and just world. It engages governments, the private sector, civil society and its members in open debate and confidential discussion on the most significant developments in international affairs.

Each year, the institute runs more than 300 private and public events – conferences, workshops and roundtables – in London and internationally with partners. Its convening power attracts world leaders and the best analysts in their respective fields from across the globe.

As General Buhari joins this class of prominent alumni this morning amidst unnecessary controversy over health and interview, he is also launching his apparent clearance from the breach of immigration rules 31 years ago.

Our leaders are infected with the disease of colonial mentality which Wikipedia defined as “a conceptual theory around feelings of inferiority within some societies post-European colonialism, relative to the values of the foreign powers which they became aware of through the contact period of colonization. The concept essentially refers to the acceptance, by the colonized, of the culture or doctrines of the colonizer as intrinsically more worthy or superior” If not colonial mentality that is still hanging on us 54 plus years after independence, why should the NSA who is not known to have spoken in any intellectual forum in Nigeria find a private institute in UK, the better place to raise such controversial issues? Our universities and the Nigeria Institute of International Affairs that could have easily organized intellectual discourse over the election, remained literarily abandoned.

Even Gen. Buhari who has shunned all public functions here except campaign rallies, including Presidential debate, found Chatham House a home. Thank God this election would be won and lost in Nigeria for Nigeria and by Nigerians.

There are so many things to be ashamed of in this country. Even the controversy over medical check-ups for Nigerian leaders has become embarrassing that 54 years of our nationhood there is no health facility that can attend to our leaders. Every time we fill the media space with nauseating stories of health jamborees of our leaders and nobody is apparently feeling concerned.

What a shame!

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