Thursday, july 7, 2016 binder1 by Newtelegraphonline

Experts: Nigeria lost N1.12trn to holiday extension Tony Chukwunyem, Bayo Akomolafe, Chris Ugwu, Taiwo Hassan and Isah Abdulwahab

igeria lost about N1.12 trillion ($4 billion) of her total Gross Domestic Product (GDP) to the additional

one-day holiday declared by the Federal Government to mark the Eid-elFitr holiday, experts have said.

After earlier declaring Tuesday and Wednesday as public holidays to mark the Muslim festival, the Federal Government

CBN: No nigerian bank is in distress }37

extended the holidays to Thursday because the moon was not sighted last Tuesday. Commenting on this development, frontline economist and Manag-

ing Director of Financial Derivatives Limited, Mr. Bismarck Rewane, put the estimated cost of the additional holiday at 1.5 per cent of Nigeria’s GDP. CONTINUED ON PAGE 2

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Ex-presidential candidate, }6 Shinkafi, dies in London hospital

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FG moves to avert PENGASSAN strike }5

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Buhari to looters: Come and negotiate with us Messi

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Some children praying during the Eid-el-Fitr prayer at Dodan Barack, Ikoyi Obalende, Lagos…yesterday. PHOTO: SULEIMAN HUSAINI Muslim faithful observing the Eid-el-Fitr prayer in Ikeja, Lagos…yesterday.

PHOTO: NAN

Again, militants bomb NNPC pipeline in Rivers …vow to attack Bayelsa Gov over unpaid salaries, blow up flow stations TENS to offer drug-free pain relief }6

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WednESDAY, July 6, 2016 NEW TELEGRAPH

Buhari to looters: Come and negotiate with us Anule Emmanuel Abuja

resident Muhammadu Buhari has provided a soft landing platform of negotiation for all treasury looters, insisting that they must quickly return stolen public funds in their possession or face the consequences. Buhari appealed to those in possession of Nigeria’s stolen funds to return them peacefully and negotiate with the government. The implication of the president's decision is that those who have looted the nation's treasury can now explore the opportunity of a negotiation process with relevant government agencies and quietly return such funds. Buhari spoke yesterday while receiving a delegation of Muslim residents in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) who paid him Sallah homage at the presidential villa, Abuja. They were led by the FCT Minister, Bello Mohammed. He said: "Please, tell those with plenty of money which do not belong to them to try and negotiate and return it in peace so that both they and us will be in peace. Otherwise, we will continue to look for it." According to him, Nigeria is seriously in need of the stolen funds to uplift the quality of life of its citizens. This is the second time Buhari is adopting a soft approach in the anti-corruption war, especially with regards to recovery of stolen funds. The president, while addressing the All Progressives Congress (APC) supporters and youths at the first edition of Kaduna Annual Music Festival in December last year, appealed to treasury looters that his government was not fighting any one. "We are not fighting anybody but we are appealing to them to return the stolen funds so that we can develop electricity, roads and create jobs,” he said. The Federal Government, in June, disclosed that it has made a number of recoveries of looted funds between May 29, 2015 and May 25, 2016. Minister of Information, Culture and Tourism, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, had given the breakdown of the loot as N78,325,354,631.82; $185,119,584.61; £3,508,355.46 and €11, 250. The assets and cash seized under interim forfeiture totalled: $9 billion, N126 billion, £2.4 million and €303,399. The government added that funds awaiting return from foreign jurisdic-

tions total $321,316,726.1; £6,900,000 and €11,826.11. While addressing Muslims at the presidential villa yesterday, Buhari also appealed to Niger Delta militants to give Nigeria a chance and desist from sabotaging oil and gas facilities in the region. He assured that justice would be done in terms of what was due to the region. Citing a quote from former Head of State, General Yakubu Gowon that "to keep Nigeria one is a task that must be done," he, however, warned that the militants should be told that the unity of Nigeria was not negotiable. Buhari said: "On security, we have made a lot of improvement. Boko Haram, militants, there is improvement. "We are now concentrating on the militants to know how many of them in terms of groupings, leadership and plead with them to try and give Nigeria a chance. "I assure them that the saying by General Gowon that to keep Nigeria is a task that must be done. "In those days, we never thought of oil. All we were concerned of was one Nigeria. So, please pass this to the militants that one Nigeria is not negotiable and they had better accept. "Nigerian constitution is clear as to what they should get and I assure them there will be justice.”

The president noted the problems that have continued to beset the country and expressed confidence that the agricultural sector would soon bounce back to enable the country to feed itself. According to him, "I know that there are a lot of problems in the country, but it is unfortunate the Minister of Agriculture is not here, he is working very hard. "The governor of Central Bank is helping him, borrowing him money outside the budget so that he can assist states, especially those states, about 13 of them, that can produce rice. "That programmes is good. It is giving us confidence, it is getting the farmers into the field."

The president admitted the power challenge in the country. "Those who watch television are at the mercy of what is used to be called NEPA. Whichever form it (NEPA) has taken now, it has maintained the tradition of unreliability. It is not everyday that the people get the news," the president said. In his remark earlier, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo observed that the president had lost weight and expressed confidence that now that the Ramadan fast was over, he would regain the lost weight. He prayed for good health for the president to enable him to continue the task of rebuilding the county. Osinbajo noted that the past one year had been

257

The total number of listed securities of Nigeria as of December 31, 2015. Source: Nigerian Stock Exchange

£1,332

The daily salary of Cuauhtemoc Blanco of Lobos BUAP in 2014/2015. Source: Paywizard.co.uk

tough for the government and Nigerians because the Buhari-led administration had been busy clearing up the mess it met on ground. He, however, stressed the administration’s commitment to placing the country on a sound footing, saying, “Things are already looking up.” Minister of FCT, Mu-

hammed Bello and the leadership of the Presidential Villa Chapel presented Sallah greeting cards to the president. Buhari had earlier performed the 2-Raka’at Eid-elFitr prayers at the Mogadishu Mosque in Abuja. Prominent among the delegation on the homage visit were the National Security Adviser (NSA), Maj.-Gen. Babagana Mongunu (rtd); CBN Governor, Mr. Godwin Emiefele; Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Engr. Babachir Lawal; a few members of the Federal Executive Council (FEC), Service Chiefs; the acting Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris; traditional rulers; religious leaders; and some residents of the FCT.

L-R: VicePresident Yemi Osinbajo; President Muhammadu Buhari and Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Mohammed Bello, during the presentation of Sallah greeting card to the president at the Presidential Villa, Abuja … yesterday. PHOTO: NAN

Experts: Nigeria lost N1.12trn to holiday extension CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

Currently, the nation’s GDP is $500 billion and it represents 0.79 per cent of the world economy. He, however, noted that the one day extension cannot be regarded as a total shut down of Nigeria’s economy, stressing that it is assumed that half of the working class would work today. The GDP, which measures of national income and output for a given country's economy, is equal to the total expenditures for all final goods and services produced within the country in a stipulated period of time. Similarly, the Organised Private Sector (OPS) said the three-day public holidays had resulted in the economy losing billions of naira. The OPS, which is the umbrella body of the private sector operators in the country, comprises of Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA), Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI), Manufacturers

Association of Nigeria (MAN) and Nigerian Economic Consultative Association (NECA). They berated the Federal Government for extending the public holiday, saying that the banking, manufacturing, Small and Medium scale Enterprises (SMEs), shipping, construction and service sectors were the biggest losers. Speaking with New Telegraph, the Chairman, Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI), Small and Medium scale Enterprise Group (SMEG), John Kachikwu, said that the public holidays have deprived the nation’s economy of its daily revenue. He explained that Federal Government’s decision to extend the public holidays was not in the best interest of the private sector operators because the OPS is the custodian of the country’s economy. He said that the SMEs operators in Lagos, the commercial nerve centre, may have lost about N50 billion as revenue, while in the entire country, may

have lost several billions. Kachikwu explained that most of the SME owners and private sector operators are not happy with the long public holidays because of the effects on the economy, adding that there is need for the government to, henceforth, liaise with the OPS before embarking on future public holidays in order to streamline the country’s business activities. Contacted on phone, the National President, MAN, Dr. Frank Jacobs, acknowledged that the private sector operators always lost money during public holidays, adding that the norm is always two-day holiday. In the same vein, National President, NACCIMA, Chief Bassey Edem, who noted that private operators are groaning under harsh business environment, faulted the government for the way it is handling the nation’s economy. Edem explained that the body language of the present administration showed that OPS’ input is not needed in driving the nation’s economy.

On the three-day public holiday, Edem said: “What is wrong with the public holidays? Does government need to consult anybody before it declares public holidays? Truly, the economy is going to suffer but this government does what it wants?” Likewise the Managing Director, Crane Securities Limited, Mr. Mike Eze said the economy was going to lose billions of naira. He also noted that the stock market, which is the bastion of the economy, will also be affected negatively by the additional holiday, which according to him, was not necessary at the period Nigeria is facing economic crisis. He advised the government to ensure that the economy does not hang in the balance by initiating clear policy directions for the economy. Also, the Chairman of Progressive Shareholders Association of Nigeria (PSAN), Mr. Boniface Okezie, expressed concern over the additional public holiday, stressing that it will cost the country billions of naira.

“Two-day holiday should be enough, our economy is in danger and begging for rescue. So, there is no need calling for additional public holiday. Let us not use religion to destroy the economy,” he said. Okezie advised the authorities to do more in area of power to enable most Nigerians especially entrepreneurs get more empowerment to create jobs. However, the Acting Managing Director of Ports and Cargo Handling Services Limited (PCHS), Alhaji Mohammed Bulangu, said the additional holiday would not have much negative impact on the port industry. He explained that there was no way the holiday would affect businesses much at the ports, noting that his terminal at Tin Can Island Port was opened for business 24 hours in a day. Also expressing support for the holiday extension, Developmental Economist, Odilim Enwagbara, said: “Since the economy is all about the people and CONTINUED ON PAGE 5

WednESDAY, July 6, 2016 NEW TELEGRAPH

CENTRAL BANK OF NIGERIA

P R E S S R E L E AS E

No Nigerian Bank is in Distress The attention of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has been drawn to malicious rumours and unfounded speculations that some banks in the country may have gone or may be going into distress. The CBN wishes to reiterate in the strongest terms that these rumours and speculations are untrue and do not reflect the actual health of the individual banks and, indeed, the entire banking industry. For the avoidance of doubt, the infusion of a new Board and Management for Skye Bank PLC is a proactive regulatory action meant to ensure that the bank does not continue to fail in its relevant prudential ratios. Neither Skye Bank nor any other bank in the industry is in distress. Therefore, the CBN would like to request the general public to ignore speculations or rumours to the contrary as they could only be the handiwork of mischief makers who do not mean well for the Nigerian banking system and its economy. As the regulator of the industry, the CBN hereby reassures the banking and general public that their deposits remain safe in any Nigerian bank. There is, therefore, no need for panic withdrawals from any bank. Going by both the CBN's Examination Reports as well as analysis from market watchers, International Credit Rating Agencies, and Development Finance Institutions, the Nigerian banking industry remains strong in spite of the global economic challenges emanating from the collapse of global commodity prices. We therefore urge the banking public to remain calm and go about their normal businesses without panic. It is important that we do not create problems when none exists.

Isaac Okorafor Ag. Director, Corporate Communications

NEWS

Eid-el-Fitr

WednESDAY, July 6, 2016 NEW TELEGRAPH

Sokoto State Governor, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal (left), with the Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammad Sa'ad Abubakar III, during the Eid-el-Fitr prayer in Sokoto...yesterday.

L-R: Oba of Lagos, Alhaji Rilwan Akinolu; Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Alhaji Fatai Owoseni; Majority Leader, House of Representatives, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila and Baba Adini of Lagos, Sheikh AbdulHafeez Abou, in Ikoyi, Lagos…yesterday. PHOTO: SULEIMAN HUSAINI

L-R: Alhaji Lateef Oyelade; Alhaji Lamidi Ajadi; Oyo State Governor, Abiola Ajimobi and Secretary to the State Government, Alhaji Ismail Alli, in Ibadan …yesterday. PHOTO: NAN

A cross section of senior officers of the Nigerian Army in Maiduguri…yesterday

L-R: Member, Lagos State House of Assembly, Hon. Olusegun Olulade; Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode and his wife, Bolanle, in Lagos …yesterday.

Thursday holiday sparks confusion

he late declaration of Thursday as a public holiday sparked confusion across the country, especially in Lagos State. Our correspondent reliably learnt that the sudden declaration of Thursday on Tuesday by the Federal Government threw some workers in both private and public sectors into a state of confusion since they left the office on Monday with the hope of returning on Thursday. A lady working in a private outfit in Ogba, Bisola Oyewole, told our correspondent that her boss called her yesterday and insisted she must be at work today.

“We normally observed public holidays, but the three-day holiday was too much for my boss to bear and so we are going to be at work on Thursday,” she said. Another respondent, Lawrence John, who works in a bank, told New Telegraph that if he failed to be at work today, he would be unable to finish his normal weekly routine on Friday. “When we left on Monday, we thought we would be at work on Thursday, but with this development, my boss only told me to be wise and I got the message. What I have to do is to be at work, even if it’s for four

to five hours in my own interest. Banks won’t open, but there are many things we do at the background in our operations,” he explained. Civil servants are expected to observe the holiday, but many private outfits have decided to shun the ‘emergency’ holiday. The United States Embassy in Nigeria said it would open for business today. “We are just too wasteful in this country. The Thursday holiday is uncalled for. It will affect production and many other things nationwide,” Tunde Olaoye, an undergraduate, noted.

Speaker, Lagos State House of Assembly, Hon. Mudashiru Obasa (right) and other Muslim faithful, during a prayer led by Chief Imam, Papa Ashafa Central Mosque, Alhaji Ali Sheriff, in Lagos…yesterday. PHOTO: GODWIN IREKHE

L-R: Special Adviser to Kogi State Governor on SDG, Alhaji AbdulMuminu Okara; Governor Yahaya Bello and the Ohinoyi of Ebira land, Alhaji Ado Ibrahim in Lokoja…yesterday

NEWS

WednESDAY, July 6, 2016 NEW TELEGRAPH

Again, militants bomb NNPC pipeline in Rivers

Onwuka Nzeshi, Adeola Yusuf, Emmanuel Onani and Emmanuel Marsha

fter sustained attacks on oil and gas facilities in Delta and Bayelsa states, the Niger Delta Avengers (NDA) yesterday claimed that it blew up a Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) pipeline at Eleme leading to the Nigeria Liquefied National Gas (NLNG) in Rivers State. The Avengers, on its Facebook page, maintained that it used the bombing of the NNPC pipeline to mark its shift of operations to Rivers State. “By 3a.m., yesterday

(Wednesday), strike team 2, carried out a major strike, bombing NNPC pipeline at Eleme leading to NLNG. You won’t stop us,” the group wrote on its Facebook page, NDavengers: Before the Rivers attack, NDA posted at about 8:12p.m. on its Facebook page on Tuesday: “Another major pipe about to go up in flames! Brass, LNG, Boom.” It said any attack by the Nigerian Army might result to human casualties. “For every life you take, we take two. We have our reason, we play cool, we are ready, and we must cripple the economy. Boom, Share,” the group added. The claim of the latest attack could not be confirmed by NNPC and se-

curity sources in the state. An official of the stateowned firm said that they were yet to detect the bombing of any pipeline in Eleme. But a source, who resides in Nchia, Eleme, said that there was actually an attack on NNPC pipeline in the border between Eleme and Okrika Local Government Area in the state, adding that the people of Okrika and Eleme lay claim to the area. The Minister of State for Petroleum, Dr. Ibe Kachikwu, recently re-inaugurated the Port Harcourt/ Bonny Crude Supply Line at the Port Harcourt Refining Company (PHRC), Eleme. The NDA had, between Friday and Sunday, blew

Former Head of State, General Abdulsalami Abubakar (left) and former President Ibrahim Babangida, during a visit to Babangida in Minna… yesterday.

five oil facilities belonging to the NNPC and Chevron Nigeria Limited in Delta State. Meanwhile, militants under the aegis of the Joint Revolutionary Council (JRC) have threatened to carry out more attacks on pipelines and flow stations in the coming days, to further drive their campaign for justice. The agitators, who are championing the cause for resource control, also threatened to attack the Bayelsa State Government House, should Governor Seriake Dickson fail to settle the backlog of salaries owed workers. The group's statement was signed by ‘General’ Torunanaowei Latei (Creek Network Coordinator); ‘General’ Agbakakuro Owei-Tauro (Pipeline Bleeding Expert); ‘General’ Akotebe Darikoro (Commander, General Duties) and ‘General’ Pulokiri Ebikade (Intelligence Bureau). The fresh threat to attack strategic oil facilities came after a meeting the group held in Yenagoa, the capital of Bayelsa State. The group named the specific facilities slated to be attacked to include the oil and gas pipelines running from Ogboinbiri in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of Bayelsa State to Obrinkon in Ikwerre LGA of Rivers State as well as the flow stations located at Ogboinbiri, Oporoma, Peremabiri, Tabidaba, Nembe, Brass, Chevron platform in Koluama, Okordia-Zarama and Biseni including Gbarain-Ubie gas gathering plant.

FG moves to avert PENGASSAN strike

Sunday Ojeme and Yekeen Nurudeen

he Federal Government has initiated moves to avert a looming fuel scarcity in the country following threats by Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) and the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) to go on strike over the retrenchment of their members by oil companies. However, the leadership of the oil workers' association denied knowledge of any arrangement to meet with the Federal Government, stressing that the strike would go ahead as planned. The association is said to be aggrieved over Federal Government's failure to redeem its financial obligation in the Joint Venture agreement with oil companies.

A statement by the Deputy Director of Press at the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment, Samuel Olowokere, said yesterday that the Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige, and Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Dr. Ibe Kachikwu, have scheduled a meeting for today with the leadership of PENGASSAN and NUPENG. The statement said the meeting would deliberate on the lingering crisis in the oil and gas sector with a view to putting a lasting solution to it. The meeting is scheduled to hold at Ministry of Petroleum Resources, Minister’s Board Room, 11th Floor, NNPC Towers, Abuja by 10a.m. The planned strike is likely to be more complicated for the government to handle as workers in other major petroleum agencies such as the Department

of Petroleum Resources (DPR) and the Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency (PPPRA), have also signified their plans to join the strike. PENGASSAN had issued a statement earlier in the week where it claimed to have met with all the zones to fine-tune the strategies and modalities for the strike. The statement pointed out that during the meeting, the gradual method of shutdown was critically examined and adopted by the members. According to the statement, “the action, which will cripple all activities and operations in the oil and gas sector, will affect all the sub-sectors as our members in the DPR, PPPRA, Petroleum Equalisation Fund (PEF), Pipelines and Products Marketing Company (PPMC), National Petroleum Investment Management Services (NAPIMS),

oil majors, labour and contract services companies and petroleum products marketing companies will join in the action.” When contacted, the Public Relations Officer of PENGASSAN, Mr. Emmanuel Ojugbana, said the association was not aware of any plan by the Federal Government to meet with the association towards resolving the issue. He told our correspondent that there was no going back on the planned strike since the Federal Government had rebuffed their entreaties to resolve the issues in the past. He said: "As at this moment, I am not aware of any arrangement to meet with the government over the issue. "We are going on strike as planned if that is what it will take to resolve the issue that has drastically affected our members and other operations in the oil and gas sector."

According to the group, these installations would be set ablaze because the oil companies were major hindrances to the development of the region. The group warned persons staying within its target areas to vacate such places to avoid any loss of lives, insisting that its mission was not to kill anybody, but to cripple the economy of the country. “The Nigerian security agencies who are claiming they are securing the oil facilities in the region should stay in their dwelling places and see whether their safety will be guaranteed by the music on those days. “We thank the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources for the bold steps he personally took to resolve the injustice created and sponsored by the wicked companies and government in Nigeria. “Our struggle is beyond monetary gains and we cannot be bribed by the Nigerian government to the detriment of our suffering people and the struggle is unstoppable until justice is done to the region. “Our Field Commanders have been instructed what to do and those who are on standby in Rivers, Akwa Ibom, Edo, Delta Cross River await after Bayelsa State operations. “We further warn that, henceforth, any attack on Ijaw communities or person(s) by the military or para-military bodies in the region, we will not hesitate to order our shootat-sight squad of any uniformed personnel in the region. “For the records, Niger Delta Avengers (NDA) are not in Delta State, we only go there to strike and returns back safely to the struggle base, Bayelsa State," the group said. The JRC has also vowed

to attack the Bayelsa State Government House and the state governor, Seriake Dickson, over the continued inability of his government to pay workers’ salaries. The group said it was unacceptable for Dickson to owe civil servants and pensioners for several months without taking into cognizance the hardship these citizens were passing through during these periods. They accused the state government of diverting public funds to personal projects, alleging that the Ministry of Works has been paying for all supply contracts awarded to relatives of the governor while ignoring others. They warned the government not to delay the payment of workers’ salaries any further as that could spell doom for the state. In a related development, the Egbesu Boys of Niger Delta, a militant group, has said that the ongoing warfare in the Niger Delta was an Ijaw fight for self-determination and not Niger Delta struggle as generally assumed by many, The Egbesu Boys claimed in a statement signed by General Tony Alagbakereowei and Commander Ebi Abakoromor, GOC (Intelligence) and Logistics and Admin that the Federal Government allowed miscreants and meddlesome interlopers seeking relevance in Abuja to gain pipeline contracts and appointments to deceive key actors of the government. The group also accused the Secretary to the Government of Federation (SGF) of making statements that are not only preposterous, but smacks of a predetermined mindset.

'Nigeria lost N1.12trn to holiday extension' CONTINUED FROM PAGE 2

their happiness, a threeday Eid-el Fitr celebration is good for the economy. Nigerians would be afforded opportunity to rest, visit friends and family members. Also, because people will spend a lot more this time, it's good for the economy since the more people are buying, the more goods and services are produced, which grows the economy and creates jobs even if these jobs are temporary.” His views were echoed by an economist and public administrator, Mallam Adamu Umar, who said that the three-day holiday would have a positive impact on the economy. He said: “The workers – both those engaged by private and public sectors

– would have relaxed and refreshed well within the three days short holiday. The equipment will also gain lot of relief that will ultimately elongate its life span. If you are looking at the loss to the government, one day loss of revenue is too inconsequential to have notable impact on the economy.”

0.12%

The capital importation percentage share of Drilling of Nigeria in 2008. Source: National Bureau of Statistics

€41m

The estimated transfer value of Oliver Giroud of Arsenal in 2016. Source: Paywizard.co.uk

News|NATIONAL

THURSDAY, JULY 7, 2016 NEW TELEGRAPH

Umaru Shinkafi dies in London lBuhari, Kalu, Dogara, Tambuwal mourn

he curtains fell yesterday for a former Minister of Internal Affairs and popular politician, Senator Umaru Shinkafi, in the United Kingdom. According to reports, the former Vice Presidential candidate of the Alliance for Democracy in the 1999 presidential election, died at the Harefield Hospital, Middlesex, UK, yesterday. He was said to have been battling multiple diseases that affected his internal organs. According to the Online newspaper, the Cable, he was initially treated in Lagos but was flown abroad six months ago when his

health did not improve. He was the Vice-Presidential candidate of Olu Falae in the APP/AD alliance in 1999 but lost to the Olusegun Obasanjo/Atiku Abubakar PDP ticket. He was also once the Director-General of the defunct Nigeria Security Organisation (NSO) from 1999 to 1983, which gave birth to the now the Department of State Services (DSS). He also ran for the presidential ticket of the National Republican Convention (NRC) in 1992 before the military government cancelled the primary. Yesterday, tributes poured in for the late politician. Those who paid

tribute included President Muhammadu Buhari; a former Governor of Abia State, Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu; Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Yakubu Dogara and the Governor of Sokoto State, Hon. Aminu Tambuwal. Buhari, in a statement by his media office commiserated with the government and people of Sokoto State on the passing away of one of their illustrious sons. He described the departed politician, administrator and technocrat, as an expert, whose contributions to the development of the security architecture of Nigeria remained indelible, adding that others carried

on where he left off. The President recalled that the late politician played frontline roles in the activities leading to the eventual return and enthronement of democracy in the country. The Presiden prayed that Almighty Allah will grant the soul of the departed eternal rest. Kalu expressed shock over the demise of frontline politician and philanthropist. According to the former governor, the late Marafan Sokoto, was a perfect gentleman and a patriotic statesman, who was committed to the cause of a just and fair society. In a statement signed by his Special Adviser, Kunle Oyewumi, Kalu said, “the demise of Alhaji Umaru L-R: Supervising Archdeacon, Oshodi Archeaconry, Ven. Kolawole Ariire; Mr. Bayo Olarewaju; celebrant’s husband, Mr. Samuel Idowu; celebrant, Mrs. Victoria Olayinka Idowu; Lord Bishop, Diocese of Lagos West, The Rt. Revd Olusola James Odedeji; Vicar, Archbishop Abiodun Adetiloye Memorial Anglican Church, Ajao Estate (AAAMAC, Ajao) and Ven. Adelowo Adesina, at the 50th birthday celebration of Mrs. Victoria Olayinka Idowu in Lagos… recently

TENS to offer drug-free pain relief Appolonia Adeyemi and Eleazar Nwanti

cientists are developing a new generation of drug-free solution, the transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS), to deal with the problem of chronic pain in ways that are safer and more effective than medication. According to an online publication in the newsmaxhealth, the new solution, TENS, is a current therapy

that uses low-voltage electrical current for pain relief. This procedure uses a small, battery-powered device, which is attached using electrodes to the skin. The electrodes are often placed on the area of pain or at a pressure point, creating a circuit of electrical impulses that travels along nerve fibres. When the current is delivered, some people experience less pain. The alternative medicine is coming against the background where millions of

people worldwide who suffer from chronic pain take opioid drugs that carry significant risks of addiction and can often do more harm than good. However, the United States (U.S) Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently raised an alarm over opioid overuse and dependence. Common legal opioids include Percocet and Vicodin, but also fentanyl, which was blamed for death of the legendary singer Prince.

In 2014 alone, U.S. doctors wrote nearly 200 million prescriptions for opioid painkillers, while deaths linked to the drugs climbed to roughly 19,000 — the highest number on record, the CDC said. A new report by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration also noted noted that U.S. deaths tied to heroin use have tripled over the last decade, while deaths from prescription painkillers have nearly doubled since 2013.

Shinkafi is a huge loss to the nation, considering his contributions to the social, economic and political development of Nigeria. “Alhaji Shinkafi was a detribalized Nigerian and he built friendships and relationships beyond the boundaries of the North. “The demise of the Marafan Sokoto has created a big vacuum in the political circle. “The memories of the late police officer will linger forever in the minds of many in the society. “However, we take solace in the fact that he left behind good legacies”. The former governor commiserated with the government and people of Zamfara State and the entire Shinkafi family. Also, Dogara commiserated with the government and people of Zamfara State and all Nigerians over the death. Dogara, in a statement issued by his spokesman, Turaki Hassan, in Lagos, described the death of the elder statesman as a huge loss to the nation. He said Shinkafi was a true democrat who contributed immensely towards the restoration of democracy in Nigeria in 1999. "In all his years in the public service, Shinkafi distinguished himself as

a patriot, committed and dedicated Nigerian," the speaker said. "He served the nation with distinction as a lawyer, Police officer, federal commissioner of Internal Affairs and intelligence chief in the National Security Organisation before joining politics." Tambuwal in a message of condolence issued in Sokoto by his spokesman, Malam Imam Imam, described Shinkafi as a distinguished legal luminary, security expert, politician with conscience and great community leader and mobiliser. "Marafa's death has closed a chapter in the life of one Nigeria's most valuable public officers who made his mark in both public and private sectors. He was a truly passionate Nigerian whose invaluable contributions to issues of national interest will be greatly missed. "His law office served as training ground for many aspiring lawyers in Sokoto State and beyond.” While condoling with his immediate family, the people and government of Zamfara State and the Sultanate Council of Sokoto, Tambuwal prayed to God to grant the deceased eternal rest.

UNHCR partners NILS on financial support Philip Nyam Abuja

he United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has assured the National Institute for Legislative Studies (NILS) of both technical and financial support for the Institute and the National Assembly. This assurance was given during a courtesy call on the Director General by the UNHCR Representative for Nigeria and ECOWAS, Angele Dikongue-Atang ana, during the week in Abuja. The Director General,

NILS, Dr. Ladi Hamalai, while commending UNHCR for the humanitarian activities in Nigeria, stated that it has become imperative to join forces with the UNHCR to address the plight of the internally displaced persons. The Director General further thanked the UNHCR for the motivation it gave to NILS, which led to the establishment of the House of Representatives Committee on IDPs, Refugees and Initiatives of the North East and the launching of the handbook for parliamentarians on Internal Displacement, Responsibility and Action.

Buhari using corrupt EFCC to fight corruption, says Fayose

NRC explains fare disparity between North, South

kiti State Governor, Mr Ayodele Fayose, has declared that President Mohammadu Buhari was using a corrupt Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to stamp out corruption in Nigeria. He insisted that the President must start the corruption fight from his party and immediate aides since charity begins from home. The governor said; “EFCC opinions remain their opinions and if they are so sure of whatever information they have, they should go to court and stop subjecting Nigerians to

media trial. No amount of media trial from the same elements that orchestrated my removal in 2006 can erode my popularity among Ekiti people.” He said any property that was be linked to him or his company was bought legitimately and his properties were duly declared in his assets declaration form and sources of such funds were not illicit. In a release issued on Wednesday by the Special Assistant to the Governor on Public Communications and New Media, Lere Olayinka, Fayose maintained

that his election was funded by Zenith Bank as well asdonations from friends and associates, adding that; "As a promising candidate of my party, I cannot stop Nigerians from supporting my election like every other candidates of other political, including President Buhari." He said since the money he got for his election was from legitimate sources and not from the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) as being concocted, how the money was spent remained his ownbusiness and not that of anyone.

he Nigeria Railway Corporation (NRC) has explained the disparity in train fares in the northern and southern parts of the country. It said that some northern states subsidized cost. The NRC Lagos District Manager, Mr Jerry Ochei, gave the explanation yesterday in Lagos while reacting to passengers’ claim that there was preferential treatment in the charges. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Ogun/Lagos passengers had questioned the man-

agement’s criteria in fixing fares for its services in both regions of the country. The NRC had on June 22, commenced its maiden free trial run aboard the AbujaKaduna standard gauge rail track. NAN reports that the corporation took delivery of three 80-passenger capacity standard gauge coaches, one 56-passenger capacity executive coach and one Parcel/Guard van coach on March 2. The trial ride which took off from the corporation’s Idu Station in Abuja at 8.27

a.m. traversed the NRC stations at Kuchibon, Asham, Jere, Gidan, Rijauna, Dutse, Kakau and arrived in Rigasa in Kaduna at 12.42 p.m. The passengers grouse was that the corporation charged N900 and N600 for its business and standard classes respectively on its newly-introduced Abuja/ Kaduna train services. According to the passengers, if fares for 172km Abuja/Kaduna could be so low, why charge N750 for 35km in the Ogun/Lagos Diesel Multiple Units (DMU) and N230 for locomotive services.

national | news

thursday, july 7, 2016 NEW TELEGRAPH

Youths tell Kaigama to avoid Buhari’s govt Yekeen Nurudeen Abuja

group of Christians under the aegis of Patriotic Christian Youths of Nigeria, (PCYN) has warned that the closeness of the President of Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria and the Archbishop of Jos, Ignatius Kaigama to President Muhammadu Buhari, has been sending a wrong signal about Christianity in Nigeria. The organisation advised the Catholic Priest to detach himself from the President in the interest of Christianity in the country. President of PCYN, Evang. Simon Timothy Nasso, conveyed this tense demand in a letter to Kaigama, dated July 2 ,2016, which was made available to journalists in Abuja yesterday. The group tabled three demands, which Kaigama should meet for the church and Nigerians, who have so much hope, trust and confidence in him. It said the demands followed the highly suspicious planned Islamisation of Nigeria by the present administration, noting that" the signs are all over and threatening"; ensuring that Nigeria were treated fairly and equally and respecting and supporting the Christian Association of Nigeria. "Let’s hear our brothers in the North testify that change has truly brought freedom of religion and worship. It is only when we hear Nigerians testify about the change in their churches and mosques that we will join you in praising the change", the PCYN stressed. Several calls and SMS to Kaigama for response to the demands were not replied, as at the time of this report.

Candidates to pay N2,500 for Post-UTME screening –Ministry

Dabiri-Erewa condemns killing of Nigerian in London

Abuja

Yekeen Nurudeen

ollowing the scrapping of Post-Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (PostUTME) by the Federal Government, candidates seeking admission into tertiary institutions in the country are now to undergo screening instead of the computer based Post-UTME. This followed an agreement reached by Federal Ministry of Education and other stake-

holders in the tertiary education sub-sector after a meeting held in Abuja during which it was also decided that the sum of N2,500 should be the maximum fee for the screening . The agreement was contained in a statement issued by Prof. Michael Faborode, the SecretaryGeneral, Association of Vice-Chancellors of Nigerian Universities (AVCNU) issued in Abuja yesterday. Faborode said the agreement was reached after a deliberation of officials of the minis-

try, federal universities, polytechnics and colleges of education. He said that it was agreed that the Post-UTME screening should be sustained following the scrapping of the Computer Based Test (CBT). “From the statement made by the Permanent Secretary, Dr Folashade Yemi-Esan at the meeting, there is no objection to screening by universi-

£48,600

The weekly salary of Dirk Kuyt of Fernerbache in 2014/2015. Source: Paywizard.co.uk

ties as long as it is not another CBT. “She agreed that universities should advertise and the maximum fee that should be charged for the screening should be N2,500 bank charges inclusive.’’ According to the statement, the association will formally convey its stance to the Minister of Education, Malam Adamu Adamu. It would be recalled that the Minister of Education had last week warned against the violation of the ban on the conduct of Post-UTME.

Fun seekers at Ndubisi Kanu Park, during the celebration of Eid-el fitri in Lagos… yesterday. PHOTO: GODWIN IREKHE

CAN election: I don’t have authority to summon meeting –Onaiyekan Yekeen Nurudeen Abuja

former President of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) Most Rev. Peter Akinola and many other religious leaders have declined to attend the meeting of Christian elders scheduled for Uyo, Akwa Ibom State today (Thursday), investigations have revealed. The meeting was convened by the Catholic Archbishop of Abuja

We completed 46 road projects in one year, says Bindow A damawa State government completed 46 road projects within one year in office, the state Governor, Jibrilla Bindow, has said. Bindow made the disclosure yesterday in Yola during the celebration of Eid-el-fitr in Government House. “The state government will embark on massive road construction projects outside the state capital while the Kiri-Shelleng road construction will be flagged off after the Sallah celebration.

“Adamawa people should support the government with prayers and words of encouragement to enable this administration achieve its mandate. “Within one year in office, we have been able to complete 46 road projects. “The challenge is enormous due to economic crisis but we thank God for giving us the wisdom to achieve this feat,’’ he said. Bindow said that the e-payment system of paying salaries to local government workers was sacrosanct.

Diocese and former President of CAN, Cardinal John Onaiyekan, at the residence of a former President of CAN and exPrimate of the Methodist Church, Sunday Mbang. Onaiyekan, in his invitation letter, however, admitted that he has "no authority" to summon any national meeting of CAN. Apart from Akinola, it was learnt that most of the senior religious leaders and elders of the association have vowed never to attend the meeting because of its illegality. In a letter to Onaiyekan, which was obtained by journalists on yesterday in Abuja, Akinola said he would not attend the meeting because the information got to him very late. "I waited to hear from you the response of others to our proposals; your mail arrived my inbox late midnight in Nairobi. I am very sorry to have to say that I might not be able to attend the Uyo consultation. I have been travelling rather extensively within and outside these shores in the last few weeks. In point of fact, I just came back from Nairobi exhausted, having spent two sleepless nights due to flight delays. "My two knees are wob-

bling. My doctor suggests that I take at least, the next one week to rest because as of this moment, I am physically unfit to undertake any further travels in the next few weeks." Although it is not part of its constitution, the usual practice and tradition is that the Vice President of CAN automatically takes over (through election) from the President whenever the tenure of the latter expired. The National Director of Christ Redeemers Union, Dr. Ebenezer Olusola Abednego, had faulted its legality, alleging that the meeting which had also invited the outgoing President of CAN, Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor, was aimed at scuttling the inauguration of CAN's President-Elect, Supo Samson Ayokunle. But both Onaiyekan and Mbang, have however denied the allegation. "When Primate Akinola, from the Anglican Church, ran for a second tenure as CAN President, he was defeated by Onaiyekan following a gang-up against him by the Catholics. When Onaiyekan ran for a second tenure in CAN Presidency, he was defeated by Ayo Oritsejafor from the Pentecostal Fellowship

of Nigeria. Oritsejafor has stabilised CAN and his Vice President, Ayokunle won the election. You can see the selfishness there in the meeting", a source said. It would be recalled that while Ayokunle, President of the Nigerian Baptist Convention, contested the CAN presidential election on the platform of the Christian Council of Nigeria, his Vice-PresidentElect, Prof. Joseph Otubu, of the Motailatu Church Cherubim and Seraphim Movement, contested un-

Philip Nyam

he Senior Special Assistant to the President on Foreign Affairs and Diaspora, Hon. Abike DabiriErewa, has condemned the gruesome stabbing to death of another Nigerian teenager in London. In a statement by her Special Assistant on Media, Abdur-Rahman Balogun, in Abuja, DabiriErewa said the killing of 17-year old Fola Orebiyi, was unacceptable to the government and people of Nigeria. Dabiri-Erewa said the killing of Orebiyi and other extra judicial killing of Nigeria citizens in UK was becoming worrisome. She called for full investigation of the incident and urged the UK government to make sure that justice prevailed. While condoling with the family of the deceased on the ugly incident, she prayed unto God to give the bereaved family the fortitude to bear the painful loss. She added that while Nigeria would not condone crime and criminal tendencies, it takes exception to the harassment, killing and execution of her nationals abroad unjustifiably. Dabiri-Erewa urged Nigerians to support President Muhammadu Buhari administration in making Nigeria a better place, urging them to support the administration’s war against corruption. Orebiyi was reportedly stabbed to death in a street clash on Sunday July 3, in Notting Hill, London, by a gang of youths. He was reportedly involved in a fight on a nearby estate with a gang of youths, who chased him into the busy road where he was stabbed in the neck in front of shocked passersby and tourists.

We won’t stop asking for Biafra, say MASSOB,BIM

Okegwo Kenechukwu onitsha

embers of the Movement for the Actualization of Sovereign State of Biafra, MASSOB, and Biafra Independent Movement, BIM, have said that the coup rumour in Nigeria cannot stop their agitation for the realisation of the Biafran republic. The groups also reiterated their determination to continue with its non violent struggle to actualize Biafra whether the army takes over

the government or not. In a press statement issued on Tuesday after the inspection of MASSOB, BIM’s Information Office at Umuaka, in Njaba Local Government Area of Imo State, the BIM spokesman, Mazi Chris Mocha, stated that the founder of MASSOB and Biafra leader, Chief Ralph Uwazuruike, started the current agitations in 1997 during the Abacha military regime and would continue the agitation until it was actualized even if it would cost the last drop of blood of the agitators.

THURSDAY, JULY 7, 2016 NEW TELEGRAPH

METRO

ABIODUN BELLO

...CRIME, CITY WATCH, COURTS

Five die as container falls on bus, motorcycles

Scene of the accident

Muritala Ayinla and Camillus Nnaji

ive people were killed yesterday while several others were injured when a 40ft container fell on a commercial minibus at Alakija Bus Stop on OshodiApapa Expressway, Lagos. Most of the victims were the passengers of a commercial mini-bus and seven commercial motorcycles popularly called Okada, as well as their passengers while the vehicle and motorcycles were badly damaged. But some witnesses claimed that over 10 people lost their lives in the accident. It was gathered that the ac-

Victor Mba Aba

en of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) in Abia State have arrested members of a three-man kidnap gang, Ogbonaya Onyekachi aka Nwa (25), Chibuzo Nwankwo and Uba Friday. On June 30, Onyekachi, Nwankwo and Friday reportedly kidnapped Mr. Ukpai Ukairo (a lawyer), Emby Emeri and Innocent Orji in the Aba axis of Enugu-Port Harcourt Expressway. The victims were said to be travelling in a Toyota Venza vehicle with registration on number

cident occurred about 8a.m. when the truck, with registration number KRD 526 XP conveying the 40ft container, lost control and rammed into the motorcycles and commercial bus. For a few hours, sympathisers watched helplessly as the victims were trapped under the fallen container. Officials of the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) Emergency Response Team (ERT) at Cappa, Oshodi in conjunction with the Lagos State Fire Service, the police, Lagos State Transport Management Authority (LASTMA), Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC), Lagos State Ambulance Service (LA-

SAMBUS) and CCEC Construction Company had a hectic time trying to save the lives of the injured victims. A witness said the mini-bus and seven commercial motorcycles were badly damaged. Speaking on the accident, the General Manager, LASEMA, Mr. Michael Akindele, said five persons were involved in the accident comprising three dead (all male, adult) while two persons sustained severe injuries and had been taken to the hospital for treatment. He said: “The agency received a distress call via the CRM today (yesterday) regarding an accident at Alakija about 8a.m. Investigation conducted by the ERT at the scene of the

incident revealed that a 40ft container with registration number KRD 526 XP lost control and ran into a commercial mini-bus with registration number EPE 972 XH, thereafter the container fell on okada riders at the bus stop.” Akindele also said that the electricity distribution company in Alakija was alerted to switch off the power supply in order to prevent any form of electrocution. The accident also damaged some electric poles while the agency’s heavy-duty equipment (Goliath) and other heavy-duty equipment from CCCE Construction Company were used for the recovery process. Akindele advised trailer

Police arrest kidnappers, rescue victims AKD 681 DG when the suspects abducted them and took them to their hideout. Following a tip-off, SARS men trailed them and arrested two of the suspected kidnappers. The leader of the gang, Onyekachi, escaped and relocated to Uturu where he started to terrorise the people. Luck, however, ran out on Onyekachi when the SARS team led by the Superintendent of Police (SP) Godfery Victor traced him to Uturu town. On noticing the policemen, he fled on his motorcycle but he was arrested after a

Some suspected kidnappers

hot chase. The victims were rescued and reunited with their families. The police also arrested suspected armed robbers who had

been terrorising the commercial city of Aba. Police recovered various arms and ammunition from the suspects.

abiodun.bello@newtelegraphonline.com 08023938212

owners and drivers to ensure proper checks and roadworthiness of their trucks and also drive within the approved speed limits. He urged motorcyclists to adhere to the traffic law of the state in order to avoid loss of lives and property. The LASEMA boss also promised that the police would conduct further investigation into the accident. Chairman of the FestacIjesha Motor Park, where the accident occurred, Mr. Amos Ibadun, thanked God that the casualty figure was low. He also confirmed that five persons died in the accident. According to him, the park is always a beehive of activities. He said: “We thank God many people have not come out for the day’s business. The trailer driver had an issue with some security agencies at First Gate. He was trying to escape on speed, not knowing that at Alakija, there is a road diversion. That is how he killed people, two okada riders, a woman selling banana and another two persons. “Police have taken the remains of the victims while some park officials apprehended the driver and handed him over to the police.” The state Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), SP Dolapo Badmos, also confirmed that five people died in the accident. Badmos added that the police were investigating the incident. In a related development, Badmos said that one Felix Oyeleye, a police corporal, attached to Operations at the command headquarters, lost his life on Monday after his patrol motorcycle was knocked down by a vehicle. The PPRO said that a hitand-run driver hit the motorcycle carrying Oyeleye and Corporal Macaulay Esimiye while on patrol on OshodiApapa Expressway about 5p.m. on Monday. She said: “They were knocked down while on patrol on their motorcycle on Oshodi-Apapa Expressway, inward Mile 2 by one LT bus, with registration number AKD 949 XF, driven by yetto-be identified driver. “They were rushed to Save World Health Centre, Oshodi for medical treatment, where the rider, Oyeleye later died. “The corpse of the officer has been deposited at Mainland General Hospital mortuary, Yaba for autopsy. “Meanwhile, the vehicle has been impounded. There are efforts to arrest the driver.’’

METRO

THURSDAY, JULY 7, 2016 NEW TELEGRAPH

Gunmen storm palace, abduct Eid el-Fitr: One killed, Ondo monarch three injured in Kwara Babatope Okeowo Akure

Biodun Oyeleye Ilorin

man identified simply as ‘Pastor’ was shot dead yesterday at Jebba in Moro Local Government Area of Kwara State over the traditional leadership tussle. Three others were wounded while property and other valuables which value was yet to be estimated were also burnt. Eyewitnesses claimed that eruption of violence yesterday was a renewal of an age-long disagreement between factions loyal to the traditional ruler of Jebba, Oba Abdulkadir Adebara and members of an opposing camp identified simply as the Okedares. The decade-old conflict has polarised the twon between those who pledge allegiance to the leadership of the Emir of Ilorin and those who oppose it. It was gathered that violence broke out moments after the Eid el-Fitir prayers when some indigenes believed to belong to the Okedare group allegedly started to make some sinister displays in front of Adebara’s palace. As efforts to stop the display were allegedly rebuffed, it was learnt that one popular man in the town identified as Baale Osogun also decided to stage his own version of display at the same venue. Irked by the developments, some loyalists of the monarch were said to have attempted to disperse the crowd by force which was violently resisted. “It was just at that moment that we started hearing the sounds of gunshots at Oke-Oja where the palace is sited. Bullets hit three people who were rushed to a nearby hospital. One of them died moments later. We called the man ‘Pastor.’ The other two are in critical conditions. Besides, a vehicle and a motorcycle at the scene were burnt,” said a witness, who refused to give his name. The state Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), ASP Ajayi Okasanmi, said he was yet to be officially briefed on the incident. However, the residents said policemen from Bode Sa'adu, headquarters of the local government area had been drafted to the town, in order to douse further tension.

n what looked like a scene from the Hollywood movie, gunmen stormed the palace of a foremost monarch in Irele Local Government Area of Ondo State, the Laragunsin of Iyasan, Oba Abiodun Oyewumi, and took him away. Sources in the town said the unspecified number of kidnappers stormed the Iyasan about 10:30p.m. on Monday night and headed straight to the palace where they operated for about 30 minutes. A resident of the commu-

nity, who pleaded anonymity, said the gunmen invaded the town through Owena River which serves as boundary between Ondo and Edo states. The river also links Irele Local Government with coastal community of Eseodo Local Government. According to the man, there are three links through which Iyasan could be accessed and the kidnappers suspected to be Niger Delta militants invaded the town through the river. The Chairman of Irele Local Government Area, Hon Sanmi Elumaro, confirmed

Gov. Mimiko

the kidnapping. He said the kidnappers, numbering about 10, came into the town through the waterways and headed to the palace. According to him, the kidnappers were armed to the teeth and no resident could challenge them until they concluded their operations and took the monarch away. Elumaro said he could not say whether or not the kidnapping had to do with the chieftaincy dispute in the town as the monarch was properly installed despite the legal tussle over the throne. The chairman said since the abduction, the Navy and the police in the coastal areas had been on the trail of the suspected kidnappers. Elumaro added that the kidnappers had not contacted the family members or the local government to demand ransom. Similarly, the state Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Mr. Femi Joseph, confirmed the abduction. He, however, said investigation had begun to unravel the circumstances surrounding the incident.

I wanted to circulate N25m counterfeit notes –Fake lawyer Victor Mba Aba

or parading himself as a lawyer and duping unsuspecting members of the public, a graduate of University of Jos (UNIJOS), Mba Akachukwu, is now cooling his heels in police custody. Akachukwu, who hails from Igbere in Bende Local Government Area of Abia State, works for a legal practitioner in Aba. The suspect said he used to dress as a lawyer and go to police stations to secure bail for criminals. According to him, he also used to prepare legal docu-

ments for people and charge fees ranging from N10,000 to N25,000. He said: “I have made a fortune from parading myself as a legal practitioner. I know everything in legal practice even though I did not study Law. I did all that because after graduation I could not secure a job. I had to work as office assistant in a law firm where I learnt all about law profession.” Akachukwu said he used the money he made from being a fake lawyer to purchase counterfeit currency papers in N500 and N1,000 denominations. He also said he was plan-

ning to print the currency papers worth N25 million and circulate to the public before he was arrested. The police recovered two identity cards one as a litigation officer, the other as member of Aba North Local Government Area Task Force. Also recovered from him are several deeds of agreement and various letterheads. The suspect said he intended to use the money to marry a wife, build houses both in Aba and in his country home in Igbere. According to the state command, Akachukwu is still under investigation and will soon be charged to court.

Travellers protest withdrawal of Minna – Kaduna train Dan Atori MINNA

assengers in Minna, Niger State have accused the Nigeria Railway Corporation (NRC) of dismantling the engine of a train plying the Minna-Kaduna route. It was learnt that the engine was taken to Lagos at the instance of the national headquarters of the corporation for repairs, while the coaches were taken to Zaria for another purpose. The passengers, who besieged the Minna railway station yesterday, described the situation as unfortunate. The passengers said that the train was no longer in operation as the engine of the MTT train was in Lagos. They decried the absence of the train which they blamed on political interference and plot to close down the route completely. Farmers who don't have access to roads to transport their farm produce are the worst affected. The passengers appealed to the Minna District of the NRC, the Niger State and the Federal Government to, as a matter of urgency, intervene by ensuring the return of the train services. In Niger State, the train operates on Mondays, Thursdays and Sundays from Minna to Kaduna and has contributed to the socio-economic and political development of the state. The travellers, however, appealed to the NRC to hasten up the repairs on the grounded mass transit train.

Train

City Briefs

Abductors free immigration officer Mob attacks masquerader tagged kidnapper Juliana Francis

idnappers yesterday freed an official of the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS), Mr. Peter Ofulue, attached to the Immigration Passport Office, Ikoyi, Lagos. Ofulue was released three days after his abduction. The immigration officer was said to have been released about 4:30p.m. without payment of ransom. The kidnappers had earlier demanded N30 million ransom. It was gathered that Ofulue was released after the kidnappers re-

alised that no ransom was forthcoming. They collected his phone and the cash he had on him, then allowed him to go. Ofulue was abducted by armed men on his way to the office on Monday, as he was trying to board a boat. The gunmen stormed the jetty in an unregistered car and whisked him away. The victim’s captors got in touch with his family on Tuesday, demanding N30 million ransom. The state police command was said to be already making efforts to rescue the victim, when news of his release filtered out yesterday.

Biodun Oyeleye Ilorin

n angry mob yesterday attacked a middle-aged man, who dressed like a masquerader at Adewole area, off Agbo Oba in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital. While residents said they suspected the man to be a kidnapper, the suspect, who gave his name as Akeem Ibraheem, however, said he actually dressed like a masquerader in celebration of his family's masquerade festival. Residents of the area had raised the alarm over the presence of the suspect

in the neighbourhood particularly given the mode of his dressing like a mentally retarded person. They queried the source of a phone they found on him. The residents argued that it was one of his tools but Ibraheem claimed he found the phone by the roadside. The suspect, who claimed to reside in Aiyetoro area on Asa Dam Road, was later handed over to ‘B’ Police Division. When contacted on the development, the state Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Ajayi Okasanmi, said the issue would be investigated. He, however, appealed to residents not to take the laws into their hands as it could jeopardise investigation.

NEWS | national

Pray for Nigeria’s democracy, Secondus tells Muslims Onyekachi Eze ABUJA

ormer Deputy National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Prince Uche Secondus, said the present state of affairs in the country calls for intense prayers. In his Sallah message to Nigerian Muslims on yesterday, the former PDP Deputy National Chairman noted that at no time was the nation's democracy under stress since 1999 than now. According to him: "One year after the nation's democracy was handed to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) indicators are apparent that it is under such pressure that need prayers and commitment of Nigerians for its sustenance." He urged Muslims to use the period of Eid elFitr to reflect on the situations in the country and pray specially for the survival of democracy, adding that all hands need to be on deck for its survival. Secondus however, called on the APC-led Federal Government to imbibe the spirit of tolerance

and shun all undemocratic tendencies. He expressed concerns over several acts of intimidation, harassment and bullying of the opposition by operatives of Federal Government agencies, noting that that was a very dangerous trend that cannot be allowed to continue because it has grave consequences on our democracy. He added that the end of the Holy month of Ramadan should provide ample period for positive attitude from those in position of authority to underline the lessons of sacrifice and brotherly love,

Sultan urges Nigerians to embrace farming at Eid el-Fitr

he Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa'ad Abubakar III, yesterday tasked Nigerians on agriculture, asking the nation to embrace farming in order to produce adequate food for local consumption and export. Abubakar gave the advice in Sokoto while delivering his Eid el-Fitr message to the Muslim Ummah to mark the end of the holy month of Ramadan.

He said: ``Nigerians are really facing difficult times occasioned by the global financial crunch, due to the falling prices of oil. ``But happily, God, in His infinite mercy has endowed Nigeria with vast fertile land with each region having its own peculiar comparative advantage. ``We should, therefore, collectively go back to farming and engage in both rain-fed and dry season farming. ``With this, we can pro-

Igboji

David

I, formerly known as Miss AsibongAnwan Eyo Aki now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. AsibongAnwan Gabriel David. All former documents remain valid. The general public should please take note.

Ali

I, formerly known as Raphael Ali now wish to be known as Raphael Nweke Ali. All former documents remain valid. The general public should please take note.

Paris

I, formerly known as Ayibadeinyefa Eperenwei now wish to be known and addressed as Paris Queen Ayibadeinyefa. All former documents remain valid. The general public should please take note.

Irongate

Irongate: I, formerly known as Godswill Esegi now wish to be known as Irongate Esegi. All former documents remain valid. UBA Plc, Zenith bank Plc and the general public should please take note.

Iyanuoluwa

I, formerly known as Gbolagade Deborah Abiola now wish to be known and addressed as Daniel Iyanuoluwa. All former documents remain valid. General public should take note.

Nweze

I, formerly known as Chukwu Juliet Ezinne now wish to be known as Nweze Juliet Ezinne. All former documents remain valid. Access bank Plc and general public should take note.

duce adequate food to be locally self-sufficient and even export the surplus.’’ Abubakar, who said Nigeria had no business importing food, appealed to Nigerians to be patient and continue to pray fervently for the country’s unity and progress. The Sultan also appealed to Muslims to sustain the virtues of Ramadan, namely: patience, piety, and assisting the needy. He condemned the

Emir of Kano, Muhammad Lamido Sanusi 11 rides a horse after attending the Eid el-Fitr prayers at Kofa Mata praying ground to mark the end of holy month of Ramadan in Nigeria's northern city of Kano… yesterday

CONFIRMATION/ change OF NAME I, formerly known as Miss Patricia Igwe Nwokpoku now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Patricia Igboji. All former documents remain valid. Federal College of Agriculture Isiagu and the general public should take note.

thursday, july 7, 2016 NEW TELEGRAPH

Eid el-Fitr

PDP urges unity, tolerance

Taraba workers celebrate Sallah in style

ABUJA

JALINGO

Onyekachi Eze

he Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has cautioned the ruling class to desist from actions and inactions capable of dividing the nation and its unity. In its Eid El-Fitr message to Nigerian Muslims, PDP said only in oneness would Nigeria surmount its differences and move on to greater heights. PDP, in the statement signed by its National Caretaker Committee’s

spokesman, Prince Dayo Adeyeye, urged on Muslims to use the occasion of the holy Eid el-Fitr festival to reflect on various sermons received during the Ramadan to pray for peace and unity in Nigeria. "As a party, we wish all our Muslim brothers and sisters happy Eid el-Fitr and urged them to use this period to reflect on the virtue of faith, service and total submission to the will of the Almighty God as exemplified by the Holy Prophet Mohammed," the statement added.

Ugwuanyi charges Muslims to dwell in Ramadan lessons G overnor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State has called on Muslim faithful and Nigerians to take advantage of the spiritual rebirth that Ramadan represents to promote love, peace and justice as well as reflect on the importance of unity in the country. While felicitating with President Muhammadu Buhari and other Muslim faithful on this year’s Eid el-Fitr celebration, Governor Ugwuanyi in a statement signed by his Senior Special Assistant on Media, Mr. Louis Amoke, noted that the sig-

nificance of the Muslim festival was enormous and compelling for all Nigerians to embrace one another and affirm the trust of our founding fathers towards a peaceful, united and prosperous nation. The governor said that it was only when Nigerians live in peace and harmony to appreciate one another that we can strengthen the bond that brought us together as a nation and make rapid progress, irrespective of our socio-cultural, ethnic and political differences.

Sabiu Mustapha

orkers in Taraba State yesterday celebrated the Sallah in style as the state government ensured prompt payment of their salaries in order to mark Eid el-Fitr. Speaking with journalists yesterday, the Permanent Secretary of the Bureau for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Alhaji Bello Yero, said the commitments of Governor Darius Ishaku, on matters affecting

speedy progress of the state especially workers’ salary was of paramount importance as payment of workers’ salary was behind the peaceful celebration in the state. Yero said: "It's obvious that what accrued to the local governments as allocation from the federation account nowadays is meager to an extent that it can't even pay workers' salaries but governor’s effort to go extra mile in ensuring prompt payment of salary has been behind the serene peace we have in the state.

Jibrilla, Speaker, Lamido, others mark Eid el-Fitr Ibrahim Abdul Yola

amido of Adamawa, Alhaji Barkindo Mustapha, Governor Muhammadu Jibrilla, Speaker Kabiru Mijinyawa and other Muslim faithful, yesterday thronged Lamido’s praying ground amidst tight security to mark this year’s Eid el-Fitr while cultural display took the centre stage. The celebration which was peaceful had in attendance prominent indigenes of the state, who had gathered at the Eid el-Fitr

prayer ground and the Lamido’s palace amidst heavy security. Major towns and villages such as Yola, Mubi, Ganye and Shelleng experienced peaceful celebration as flow of human and vehicular movements went unrestricted. In Yola, the Lamido of Adamawa, Alhaji Barkindo Mustapha, Gov. Muhammadu Jibrilla and the Speaker of Adamawa Assembly, Alhaji Kabiru Mijinyawa joined other Muslims to observed the prayer and cultural display at the Eid prayer ground and the Lamido's Palace.

recent blast in the Holy Mosque of Prophet Muhammad (SAW) in Medinah. `Ìslam is a religion of peace and it preaches peace and unity. Violence breeds only violence and underdevelopment. `Ìt is only the bad eggs among the Muslims who are perpetrating such heinous act, and Muslims are not fundamentalists.'' The Sultan lauded Governor Aminu Tambuwal for spending more than N250 million on the Ramadan Feeding Programme, specially thanking him for revamping the state’s education sector. Abubakar called on parents to enroll their children in school to enable them acquire both Western and religious education. `Èducation is the only key to success and no nation can fully develop without giving it the priority attention it deserves,’’ he said. In Zaria, Kaduna State, the Emir of Zazzau, Alhaji Shehu Idris, described religious tolerance as a critical element necessary for national integration. Idris, who is also the Chairman, Kaduna State Council of Emirs and Chiefs, said ``no nation has ever witnessed development in an atmosphere of rancour, acrimony, disunity, and war. ``We, therefore, call on our subjects in particular, and Nigerians in general, to shun all forms of rumour peddling as it will certainly breach the prevailing peace.’’

Akpabio felicitates with Muslims

ormer Governor of Akwa Ibom State and Senate Minority Leader, Godswill Akpabio, has charged Muslim faithful not to forget the very tenets of the religion, which are love, obedience and perseverance as they celebrate the end of the Ramadan fast. Akpabio, whose goodwill message was contained in a release by his Special Assistant on Media, Mr Jackson Udom, urged Muslims to close ranks and work for the peace, unity and development of the country. It reads: "It is only in a state of peace and tranquility that governments at all levels would be able to deliver dividends of democracy. “Let me on behalf of my senatorial district rejoice with our brothers and sisters of the Islamic faith."

THURSDAY, JUly 7, 2016 NEW TELEGRAPH

Interview Restructuring Nigeria has become imperative – Onumah

Politics National Publicity Secretary of the Yoruba Unity Forum (YUF), Dr. Kunle Olajide, served as Secretary of the Yoruba delegation to the 2014 National Conference. In this interview with TEMITOPE OGUNBANKE, he speaks on the Muhammadu Buhari administration, Nigeria’s restructuring and the anticorruption war What is your take on the state of the nation vis-a-vis the Muhammadu Buhari administration’s one year in office? I think Nigerians must thank God for what happened last year during the 2015 general elections that we had a change of government. What is happening presently is that we are going through labour pains but I am very optimistic that we will rejoice at the end of the day. We had it so good in the past but we got overwhelmed by the oil boom and the cash and we neglected other natural resources. In fact, we neglected development for consumption and luxury. Our leaders were living in opulence far above developed countries of the world without thinking. And now we have been brought down to our knees. This is the moment to think. The current president has what it takes to take us through this difficult period if he does not allow himself to be influenced by ethnic consideration. What do you mean by the president not allowing himself to be influenced by ethnic consideration? What I have witnessed in the last one year does not make me happy considering the appointments President Buhari had made. They are largely from North-West, his zone. In fact the entire security apparatus is headed by north westerners; the Hausa-Fulani, in a country that has over 300 different ethnic groups. This does not indicate a president who is willing to unite and weave all of us together. And this is what has been lacking in Nigeria since independence. We have not really been lucky to have a leader who

FELIX NWANERI

GROUP PoLITICAL EDITOR nwanerif@yahoo.com

Equity Abba: Nigerian elites working against federal character

13 14

Nigeria’s political structure not sustainable – Olajide system of government gives so much power to the president, governors and chairmen of local governments. In other words our constitution creates an imperial president, imperial governor and imperial chairman of local governments. This is the misfortune of Nigeria. So, if we say we are waging war against corruption and we do not correct the anomalies in the structure and system, we will just take a step forward and 10 steps backward.

Olajide

will lead national integration; bringing all the disparity groups together so that they can have confidence in him. Why has it been difficult for Nigeria to have a president that can weave all disparity groups together? I think initially it was the hand work of colonial masters but I hate to say that now after about 60 years of independence. They left us in 1960 and I expected us to have taken full charge of our affairs but unfortunately they laid the foundation of an imbalance federation, which negates the basic principle of federalism that no one part of that federation should be much more than two of the other parts put together. So, they distorted the configuration of Nigeria and falsified the census figure to create the impression that the massive land space in the northern part of the country is inhabited by human beings and as such they were more populous than we were which is not true. That is the foundation of the Nigerian crisis. Unfortunately, when Nigerians took over from the colonial masters, they did not have enough courage and patriotism to lay a solid foundation for the building of a nation. Nigeria is not yet a nation and nobody in my humble opinion out of the leadership that we have had, has

There is no single Nigerian that I know now, except perhaps Mr. President who is happy with Nigeria as it is

commenced the true process of nation building. The true process of nation building will start with sincerity of purpose by the leader; a leader with vision and who is determined that he will not allow mundane consideration to distract his attention, which we are yet to see. When President Buhari took over and made his memorable speech that ‘I belong to everybody, I belong to no one,’ I thought we had gotten there but the series of appointments he had made so far tells me that he is being influenced or he himself has some passion for his ethnic group to the disadvantages of others. You have attributed Nigeria’s problem to structural deficit. In that context, do you support the agitation for restructuring of the country? Absolutely; I have been part of the call for restructuring of Nigeria for over 20 years. This country will not move forward if it is not restructured. And that is why sometimes I laugh over the war against corruption. It is the structure and system of this country that are responsible for corruption. In other words, if a saint becomes the president of Nigeria today, if he is not determined in his commitment to lead this nation in the right direction, within six months, he will almost become a devil because the

Some people are of the view that implementing the report of the 2014 National Conference would have resolved some of Nigeria’s foundational problems but President Buhari is of the view that it is unnecessary. It is unfortunate that Mr. President made that statement and that is why I am getting a little bit apprehensive about his kitchen cabinet and advisers. His advisers are not telling him what he needs to hear; they are probably telling him what he wants to hear. I think it is insensitive to the Nigerian people for anybody whatsoever to say that the resolutions of that conference had been put in the archives; that he has not read it and he has not even received briefing on it. In my own opinion, it is a great disservice to people who voted you into power. You do not throw away the baby with the bath water no matter your feelings about who convoked the conference and when it was convoked. If over 500 bright minds were assembled for almost five months to work day and night and produced a document; if only for its ‘nuisance value,’ you need to read it. I was the Secretary of the Yoruba delegation to that conference and I know the amount of work we did. I am convinced beyond doubt that whether this president does it or not, we have to make a recourse to that report because we have never had that kind of conference in Nigeria since independence. All the conferences we had before independence were under colonial masters. The conferences we have had since independence were under military rule. The only one we had under former President Olusegun Obasanjo was just a political reform conference; it was not a national conference. The 2014 National Conference is the most comprehensive conference that we have had in the history of Nigeria and for a president who was elected from across the length and breadth of Nigeria to say he has thrown it in the archives, I think something is fundamentally wrong and that is the problem I see in this presidency. But there are several past conferCONTINUED ON PAGE 12

POLITICS

THURSDAY, JUly 7, 2016 NEW TELEGRAPH

Olajide: Corruption will return once Buhari leaves office if ... C O N T I N U E D F R O M PA G E 1 1

ences reports, which are yet to be implemented I can assure you that some of the recommendations of the 2014 National Conference will be implemented because it touches on the very foundation of Nigeria. Yes, the reports of some conferences have been thrown into the trash can because at that time, perhaps the situation was not this desperate. I can assure you that Nigeria is in a very critical situation. This nation is been brought down to its knees and we have no other option than to go back to the report of the National Conference. The treasury base of Nigeria, which is the Niger Delta, is burning presently and we are exporting by far less crude than we use to export. I am told that our income has dropped to a little over $1 billion from $4.8 billion a day and you know what that means for Nigeria. Twenty-seven states cannot pay salaries now. The Niger Delta Avengers have said that government must make recourse to the report of the National Conference. That is the only thing that can unleash the potential of this country for the benefits of Nigeria and Africa. It will also move the country forward in terms of development and also ensure the stability of Nigeria. Without recourse to the national conference report, we are not going anywhere. At present, there are agitations in different parts of Nigeria. What is the way out of these crises? The Nigeria project has dragged Yoruba down as a nation. Yoruba nation has been dragged down by the Nigeria project because of the type of leadership we continued to have and because of the structure of the country and the system of government we operate. So, in the South-West, we are only acquiescing now; we are very absolutely unhappy with Nigeria because it has retarded our progress. We also see the present president marginalising us completely. The South-West is unhappy perhaps as the South-East and SouthSouth but because of our nature and our natural endowment, we are only acquiescing. There is restiveness all over the country. There is no single Nigeria that I know now, except perhaps Mr. President who is happy with Nigeria as it is. North-East is ravaged by insurgency and it is Kanuri protesting. North-West is also ravaged and there is religious crisis in Kaduna and many parts of the country. In North-Central, the Hausa-Fulani cattle rearers are massively invading their farmland, so they are unhappy. South-East and South-South are craving for autonomy. In South-West, we want self determination and autonomy. So, what are you left with? We have to make recourse and I believe that it is not only by talking to the Niger Delta people. We need to sit down, look into the resolutions of the 2014 National Conference and begin the implementation. If we do not restructure, we are not moving an inch. Many people believe that corruption is the major problem in Nigeria. Are you in support of the anti-corruption war of the Buhari administration?

world before. So, if the opposition get its house together properly too, they can vote out the All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2019, and when they get there let them beam their searchlight on APC. Do you support the view of some Nigerians that the situation of the country might have gotten worse than it is presently if the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) had won last year’s elections? The country would have been lying on its belly by now. If the massive corruption that we have heard about in the last one year had continues, I cannot imagine what would have been the state of the nation today. As an indigene of Ekiti State, what is your take on the freezing of the account Governor Ayo Fayose, over corruption related issues? My personal take is that ‘if they say illicit money’ was traced into anybody’s account, I think the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) or whatever body that is in charge of investigation can secure a court order to freeze the account pending investigation. It is not that they have taken over the account but they are keeping it on hold so that it is not operated until they complete their investigation. So, I don’t think there is anything wrong with that as far as I am concerned. I don’t think immunity precludes investigation.

Olajide

I am in absolute support of the anti-corruption war. In fact, nobody could ever imagine that the revelations we have been hearing in the past one year took place in Nigeria. I never imagined that it was possible for somebody to take billions of dollars outside our treasury without this country quacking. We cannot continue with that. But my worry is that if we don’t thinker and radically restructure the system and structure of Nigeria, once Buhari leaves office, corruption will come back. As you can see, corruption is already fighting back. We will just be moving in a circle if we don’t restructure Nigeria and reform the system that made it possible for people to steal so much money. But some people are of the view that the anti-corruption war is selective and it is being used to witch-hunt members of the opposition. I don’t believe in that and I have my reasons. You cannot prosecute all corrupt people in one day; you must start from somewhere. And in any case, if you look at the revenue allocation of Nigeria, the Federal Government controls about 54 per cent, while the 36 states and Federal Capital Territory control less than 40 per cent. The Federal Government has the chunk of the money, chasing few things. That is why people have opportunity to steal and that is why the new government is sitting on. So, they can see what went wrong quickly at the federal level than what happened at the state level. The state and local governments are equally corrupt but the new government must start from somewhere. And in any case, I am encouraged by what happened last year that Nigerians voted out an incumbent government. Nigerians did something right during the 2015 general elections by proving that they can remove an incumbent government, which has never happened in this part of the

If we don’t tinker and radically restructure the system ... once Buhari leaves office, corruption will come back

Don’t you see freezing of the governor’s account was as a result of his opposition to President Buhari and the Federal Government as being speculated in some quarters? I don’t want to share that view because if they didn’t find money in the account, I don’t think EFCC will just freeze the account. I don’t think so because sometimes when you come to equity, you come with clean hands. As far as I am concerned, if I were in the PDP or a political party, all I will do is to go and beam my searchlight on the APC governors in the last administration, collect facts of corruption, bring them to public domain, publish them, write a petition to the EFCC and see whether they will investigate it or not. But there is no way you can fight corruption by prosecuting everybody at the same time; you must start from somewhere. Let us imagine, if PDP wins in 2019, then they will start investigating the opposition as well and by the time the investigation goes down, this country will be better for it. So, I will advice our leaders to ensure that at all times they come to equity with cleans. How would you assess the Fayose administration? The people get the type of government they deserve. We voted for the governor; he is our governor. That was the wisdom of people at that time. Whether that remains their wisdom now, I do not know. It is only elections that can tell. And in any case, we must not forget that the leadership of both parties has conspired to impoverish the masses of Nigeria. And where you have massive poverty, democracy hardly count because the poor man is looking for what he can eat; he does not

think of posterity and future. So, I think we need a lot of prayers to enable our people to be able to decide between shadow and reality in future elections. Are you satisfied with present state of things in Ekiti State? I am not satisfied with the present state of things anywhere in Nigeria. If you can’t pay salaries for six months, how can I be happy with you? It is affecting my business. Whyhasitbeendifficultforstategovernmentstopaysalaries? It is because they did not plan ahead and they did not save for the rainy day. I think it is a measure of myopia on the side of governors because we know that our revenue in this country comes essentially from crude oil and we do not control its price. So, I think it would have been wisdom for any government during the oil boom days to have put some money aside. In this instance, I want to recall Donald Duke, young as he was when he became the governor of Cross Rivers State in 1999, he was saving N100 million monthly, which he call emergency fund and he did not take anything from it. He constituted a committee, which he headed to determine before anything could be withdrawn from it and he left a lot of money there even when he left office. That is vision and foresight. So, for anybody to live as if it will continue to be rosy forever at both the national and state levels, I think it is myopic and short-sight. Wouldyousupportdiversificationof Nigeria’seconomyfromoilforthecountry tobeabletosurvive? We need to have diversified our economy over 30 to 40 years ago. This is not the first time we are having oil doom. There was a time, crude oil sold for about $80 per barrel about 20 years ago, yet we refused to learn. When money comes again, we get drunk with it. But I think this is likely to be protracted and we have to actively diversify. We must change our consumption habit, particularly the leadership. They are not showing example. The leadership is not giving us the right signal. They still continue to live in opulence. Till today, we don’t know how much National Assembly members earn. Till today, the executive and ministers go in convoy of cars and so on and so forth. That is not a good example of leadership. There has to be massive, not slight reduction in cost of governance and that is why we are clamouring for restructuring. Our economy cannot sustain 38 governments as we are doing. We have 36 states, Federal Capital Territory and federal government, and we are repeating bureaucracy at every level. It is absolutely unsustainable. Despiteseveralbailoutsgiventosome ofthestates,theystillowebacklogof salaries... It will continue until the constitution is amended to enable the states to explore their resources and pay tax to the Federal Government. As long as you continue to live on this bailout and begging federalism that states go to Abuja every month for money, I am afraid and I don’t know how we are going to get out of it. Many states are not up till date in payment of salaries and allowances. We are approaching a situation of failed states. Any state in my humble opinion that cannot pay salaries for about eight to nine months should be regarded as a failed state. In international finance, any nation that cannot have in its reserves enough money to pay import for three months is almost a bankrupt state.

POLITICS \ INTERVIEW

THURSDAY, JUly 7, 2016 NEW TELEGRAPH

Chido Onumah, a journalist and rights activist, is the authour of We Are All Biafrans. In this interview with TEMITOPE OGUNBANKE, he speaks on restructuring of Nigeria, anti-corruption war and agitations by ethnic nationalities

What was the motivated your recent book titled “We are all Biafrans?” We are all Biafrans is the third book I have written in the last five years as a way of adding my voice to the need to redefine Nigeria; to come to terms with the reality of Nigeria of the 21st century. My first book five years ago was titled “Time to reclaim Nigeria” and the second one published two years after was “Nigeria is Negotiable.” The basic idea is to draw attention to the clear and present danger of the Nigeria situation. That we have come to a stage in our national life, where Nigerians as a people have to come to terms with the current reality. The reality is that there is an existential crisis in Nigeria. We need to realise that more than any other issue, the existential confidence in this country have weaned down considerable; so, we are in a crisis and Nigerians must urgently rise to the occasion to address the problem. What are the major challenges that you think Nigerians need to tackle urgently? For me, first and foremost is the structure of Nigeria. Within that contest, there are so many other things we can deal with. My attitude is that restructuring Nigeria has become a categorical imperative. It is either we restructure or we perish. That is the stage we are as a people. Restructuring has become a categorical imperative for Nigeria considering the serious lack of existential confidence. People in leadership positions wish to make progress but that feeling of ownership is seriously lacking. So, more than anything less, that for me is the fundamental issue. Forget about fighting corruption, providing infrastructure, the poor state of health services in this country, the collapse of education and the poor economy we are experiencing now. All of these, I think are as a result of crisis of nationhood. You can only begin to deal with these issues once we have been able to settle that crisis of nationhood. Of course, most of these things, including corruption are as a result of the corrupt nature of the Nigerian state and Nigerian like somebody put it, is corruption. So, you can’t build something on nothing as the lawyers would say. But some people are of the view that the demand for restructuring is based on ethnic agitations, while others see it as an elitist idea... It depends on how people look at it. There are different dimensions to the problem; that is why I mentioned earlier that the issue is not whether to restructure but how to restructure. It goes beyond the eth-

Restructuring Nigeria has become imperative – Onumah

Nigerians. The British did what they had to do with the creation of Nigeria. But unfortunately, six years after the independence of Nigeria, when the country was struggling to find its balance, the military came and distorted everything that was in place. They distorted the agreement on which the nation was created, which was federal system of government and they imposed a military command, unitary system of government, which has negated everything; whether democracy, the rights of people, economic prosperity. It has negated all of that and the result of that is shown in the kind of crises we are experiencing today.

Onumah

nic issue. Of course, people have the right to self determination; it is a fundamental human right and we have seen what happened with the poll in Britain; whether they should remain in European Union or not. And that is going to lead to series of other debates even within United Kingdom itself; whether it will remain one entity and so on. I don’t buy the argument that restructuring is an elitist concept because beyond the way our elites used it for their own personal interest, deep down you can also experience the feelings of ordinary Nigerians across the country and either they don’t feel involve and ownership of Nigeria. We just got a revelation that our own Chief of Army Staff has property in Dubai. Does that give a sense of elite that believes in this country? No, he doesn’t. Whether he built or bought those houses through corrupt mean or saved money to build or buy those houses as the Army has come out to claim, what does it say to Nigerians that the Chief of Army Staff has some fanciful property in far away land? How many army chiefs around the world are able to save enough money to own luxury property not to talk of buying luxury property in another country? The issue is not limited to the Chief of Army Staff alone because as it is for him is also for ministers and governors. It therefore means that that is where their hearts are, not this country that they purport to govern. They send their children to schools in Dubai, Europe and America. The president, governors and ministers when they are sick, go outside the country for treatments. No country can survive and function effectively when you have elites and leadership that doesn’t believe in the country they run.

No country can survive and function effectively when you have elites and leadership that doesn’t believe in the country they run

No matter how people look at it whether it is an elitist concept or not, of course when it works for them, they use it but the consequences are things they cannot even control. The consequences can be seen on ground like the agitation for Biafra, Niger Delta Avengers, Boko Haram crisis, herdsmen crisis and so many other crises. So, this destruction of Nigeria has created tension and contradictions at all level, whether economic, social or political. And I can take each one after the other. The economic crisis in Nigeria can be ascribed to bad leadership, which for me is also in a way caused by our attitude to Nigeria, which itself is a reflection of the structure of Nigeria, where people do not feel serious ownership about this country. It is reflected politically looking at agitation if one person is a president from one part of the country and the other side of the country don’t feel that this country belong to all of us. A lot of people feel alienated; they feel that they are not being protected in the country and so on. So, I think we should forget about the concept or the theory and look at what is happening practically. Does Nigeria look like a country that is working or that is safe for people? Why do you think Nigeria is not working? Nigeria cannot function effectively the way it is structured now. The present structure is flawed. The structure of Nigeria is flawed in the sense that the country was created in the image and for the interest of the British colonialists over 100 years ago. As Nigeria, what we need to do now is to recreate Nigeria in the image and for the interest of the Nigerian people. We have to recreate Nigeria to benefit

Do you really believe that restructuring can solve the crises in different parts of the country? I think restructuring can if there is understanding and agreement, may be whether we want to do a referendum or people come together just like the 2014 National Conference. The meeting will provide opportunity for people to table issues, worry and concern to express their minds on what they want. There can be an agreement in which people will say let us have a federal system where states can control their resources. The other aspect, which I think is more important, is that, I don’t delude myself that restructuring will solve Nigeria’s problems. No! Restructuring for me is the beginning of the problem. We need to have a nation first. As a people, we need to first of all define and redefine Nigeria and come to an agreement. So, when I talk about restructuring, I am not thinking that once you restructure, education would be free and all the problems of Nigeria would be solved. You have to restructure and agree that this is how this country will function. That is when we can start dealing with education, health, infrastructural problems. Trying to tackle the problems without restructuring is like putting the cart before the horse. People need to have belief and confidence that Nigeria belongs to them. Some people have attribute corruption as Nigeria’s basic problem. Do you think Nigeria can be restructured effectively without first tackling corruption? My argument is that it is the system that people respond to. It is not as if there no corruption in Europe or America; it is because they have a structure that when people are arrested for corruption, they are dealt with. What I am saying is that the system we operate in Nigeria does not create room for rule of law to thrive. So, people don’t get punish for been corrupt. The system itself is built on corruption. For example, look at the National Assembly and see what is going on there. Many of them are wealthy people, yet they are collecting millions for wardrobes allowance. Nobody is questioning them and they are collecting billions for car allowance. So, we can even ask ourselves, do we need that kind of bogus National Assembly in the process of restructuring Nigeria?

POLITICS \ INTERVIEW

THURSDAY, JUly 7, 2016 NEW TELEGRAPH

Abba: Nigerian elites working against federal character An agitation that is prevalent since the inception of the present administration is the demand for strict compliance to the Federal Character Principle due to alleged lopsidedness in employments to government agencies. But the Acting Chairman of the Federal Character Commission (FCC), Dr. Shettima Bukar Abba, in this interview, provides explanations to the alleged violations. Johnchuks Onuanyim reports How do you hope to impact on the nation through the activities of the Federal Character Commission? Nigeria is a federation and Federal Character Commission is one of the strong pillars to promote the interest of the country’s cohesion, togetherness and unity without compromising procedures. At the same time, we also want to strengthen the federation through complying directly with the rule of law and through respecting what the law has provided for in the constitution and the Act of the National Assembly, which gives certain powers to the commission to run its affairs. So, l hope to make the commission to be fully compliant with Federal Character Principle by adhering strictly to the rule of law. That is what l expect to achieve. Now that it is alleged that some Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) don’t adhere to the Federal Character Principle in employment or distribution of infrastructures, are there punishments for these MDAs? I assume that you are asking about two issues. One you are talking about the MDAs on employment and adhering to the Federal Character Principle and also you are asking about the MDAs in terms of infrastructure. In terms of employment, perhaps the lack of proper enlightenment or neglect by the chief executives of the MDAs is responsible for the neglect of some aspects of Federal Character Principle as they relate to employment. For example, the mandate of the federal character intends that no part of Nigeria should be sidelined or neglected in whatever form in employment. In that area, some MDAs are ac-

Abba

tually not complying with what they are supposed to do but these things can be historical. Prior to perhaps the establishment of Federal Character Commission, you find certain MDAs or certain chief executives trying to favour their own areas or where they come from. For example if you were chief executive of a College of Education or chief executive of an MDA and you belong to a particular state, your intention would be to bring your people because of the pressure on you by your community and therefore you are bound to take more. So, you will find in an organisation more of staff of a particular geopolitical zone or particular state than the generality of Nigerians. This was prevalent prior to the establishment of the commission. So, the Federal Character Commission is saying that is not right and we now came up with a formula, which says you can’t employ more than three percent of the total number of people in an organisation from a state and less than 2.5 per cent from a state, so that when you look at it, no organisation should have

The mandate of the federal character intends that no part of Nigeria should be sidelined or neglected in whatever form in employment

less than 2.5 per cent of staff of a particular state or more than three per cent of staff from a particular state. But in reality you find more in some states because as l explained, it is historical. So, what we do now is that when you are recruiting, we look at your own nominal roll and then analyse it. If we discover that Taraba State, for instance has less and Kaduna State has more, then we are going to tell you that if you are recruiting, you have to take more from Taraba State and less from Kaduna State. The wisdom is that over time with retirement and death and other factors, it will balance and we will now establish an equilibrium. So, that was why we provided a formula and such formula has been approved by Mr. President because the constitution says you develop a formula to be approved by Mr. President. The formula was developed and it was approved by Mr. President some few years ago and we are working with it and you can hardly find any organisation being solely dominated by one or two zones of the country. You can

expect three, four or five of the zones and we are now trying to stabilise this thing. I am not saying that there are no problems; the problems are being addressed gradually. What penalties are there for the violation of the Federal Character Principle? In terms of infrastructure, we have not developed any formula yet but in terms of employment, the law provides penalties for MDAs that deliberately violate the Federal Character Principle. We can take such MDAs to court. It is provided for under the law but one thing we have to understand is that our interest is to get Nigerians employed and to get the MDAs to comply to the Federal Character Principle. So, if the MDAs comply, then we don’t need to take them to court but if they refuse to comply or refuse to release the list of candidates interviewed for employment over a given period of time then we can now take such MDAs responsible to court Has there been an instance where the Federal Character Commission took any MDA to court?

POLITICS \ INTERVIEW

THURSDAY, JUly 7, 2016 NEW TELEGRAPH

Previously, yes but l was not there at the time when it happened. From the records, l have seen some litigation made against certain MDAs like the Debt Management Office (DMO), Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) etc, but like I said, our intention is for them to comply but not to find faults or to prosecute. So, immediately we take them to court and they comply the case would be over but some of them would refuse to comply. One other thing about going to court is that we have powers to do that but we have no lawyers to go to court to adjudicate on these cases. We have to go to the Attorney-General’s Office and we could be advised to do certain things. If we are advised to settle out of court or certain other things which are not directly in compliance with court issue, we will abide by it. So, as l said, ours is not essentially to prosecute but to ensure that there is compliance and it is a last resort for us to take MDAs to court. Many people have accused the commission of being ineffective in carrying out its functions. How would you react to that? It is not possible for the commission or the commissioner to encourage violation of the Federal Character Principle. What obtains actually is that some MDAs come with the request for the recruitment of specific number of persons into some specific positions. Such positions that are important to their organisations that if they leave it they are not going to get what they want. For example, if you are recruiting in the Central Bank and they are looking for somebody with some qualifications and they only got one, may be somebody who is an expert in ICT or financial management and if you allow that individual person to go, you may not have the person again. So, what they do is that they quickly come and ask for a waiver. A waiver not to advertise, but they must follow due process. What we say is that in our regulations, if you want to employ any Nigerian, you have to advertise for whatever number you want to do and then if you advertise, the advertisement will remain for six weeks and that MDA, perhaps may not have the privilege or the patience to wait for six weeks, so they will now ask for waiver not to advertise but all other due processes would be followed. What are the due processes? You must first of all identify your vacancies and when you identify your vacancies, you must advertise and you must get the list of all Nigerians who have applied. After this, you do your short-listing before coming to the commission for it to look at the list of those who applied and compare it with those shortlisted and with your criteria so that nobody who is qualified is been left out. You will follow these processes before you will set a day for interview and your criteria for marks and other things that you have to follow. But we can remove the advertisement because you have some challenges and you want to get rid of those challenges. So, it

is here you are given a waiver not to advertise but you have to follow the remaining due processes. However, l want to agree with you that these waivers are being abused in certain sense. But in most cases, if you follow strictly the guidelines you cannot get these things done. In the case of the Central Bank that you mentioned, I came in 2013 and I can remember that on August 16, Central Bank recruited some special staff as you said. They are few – four or five staff comprising of doctors, nurses and nonfinancial related staff. Yes, I agree that there are certain things which have been done, like given of waiver but they have not violated the processes. I told people that I was going to investigate it, which I did. In the course of my investigation, I discovered that all the processes except those of advertisement were followed. For the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), they came saying they want to recruit a large number of people but we said they have to go and advertise but already they have put in place a process of recruiting about 100 or 200 people, and I said okay, complete those ones you have started which you have approval for but for the remaining one thousand or so, which you are going to do in June, you must advertise, we are not going to allow you to do it without advertisement. So they agreed that by the beginning of June, they are going to advertise to recruit a larger number for all Nigerians will participate in that recruitment exercise. How do you intend to manage a situation where 50 slots are given to a state and it happens that 30 go to one local government? I absolutely agree with you that certain kinds of abuses exist and it is not the principle of federal character. Some chief

Abba

Some senior members of the political class also tend to influence employments to favour their people

executives and members of staff in some organisations tend to favour their own localities but it is bad. Some senior members of the political class also tend to influence employments to favour their people. So, we are appealing to them to ensure that whatever number of people we give to a state let that state also reflect the state character. That is obvious, but if it comes to our knowledge, and when they come to receive the certificate of compliance, we will go through it, and look at the spread to ensure that all the local governments are carried along because before you issue employment letters, you will bring to us, the list of all the people you employed with their names, their states and their local governments and we normally query if one local government is occurring in sequence. We query that and then we ask you to go and rectify it. If you are not given a certificate of compliance, you will not release the result. Is there anything like state character? Well, you have it but that is to the knowledge of the commissioners. We have 37 commissioners here. So, the commissioners should know the state characters of their various states. We are coming with committees and in each committee; you have one person from the six geo-political zones. There are six persons in each committee as there are six geo-political zones. So, someone from the South-East for example must liaise with his zonal caucus to ensure that all people recruited from the zone reflect the state character. That is the essence of forming a committee and the committee is made up of people from each zone and each zone have their zonal caucus meetings, so that when this type of thing comes up, they bring it and then

we look at it. For example, when Industrial Training Fund (ITF) recruited recently, they sent the list for the caucuses to look at them. I could remember the Nasarawa State commissioner complaining. So, we had to look at it and call the man in charge to rectify the issues raised. These are some of the things that we are doing and that is the reason why we have commissioners from all the states. Not only commissioners, even the composition of our staff is based on equality of states so there is no dominance of any state. What is the role of the commission concerning the appointment of chief executives the various government agencies and parastatals, and when will it start to implement the second leg of its mandate, which is infrastructural distribution? l want Nigerians to thoroughly understand the position of the Federal Character Commission viz-a-viz the employment of chief executives. We look at these things in totality; we don’t look at it in one or two appointments. If you begin to look at it in one, two or three appointments, then you are not going to get the right thing. Let me give you an example, recently there was a crisis where people talked about Vice Chancellors recruited from 13 states or there about. What l expected Nigerians to look at was how many universities we have in Nigeria. There are 40 and above universities in Nigeria and how many Vice Chancellors are there. Equate the Vice Chancellors and see the spread, you will find out that there is no dominance. There is equity and there is fair representation. We investigated it and that was why we did not talk. We don’t talk on individual appointments or one or two appointments. Secondly, if you look at the present appointments, we have over 500 parastatals and you have to look at it in terms of this. We are operating a federation; we are not looking at individual appointments or North/South appointments in this case. We are looking at the total number of chief executives and then look at the equity of the distribution of these chief executives and if there is any lopsidedness, we will definitely talk about it. That is what the law has empowered us to do and that is the reason why the law says nobody should question our judgment on this kind of thing. So, that is the reason why l am yet to look at these things ad compare it. We are waiting for all the appointments to come out and if the appointments are lopsided, we will now tell Nigerians that look the appointments are lopsided. This is what we are investigating in the civil service directorates. We want to look at how directors are appointed but we will not narrow this on two or three appointments but we will look at it in the totality of the entire appointments. On infrastructure, the law empowers us to look at infrastructures, social amenities and economic facilities in the country. What we are now doing is that we are now studying the five years budget from 2011 to 2016; we will look at it on what is the position of Nigerians in relation to capital budget.

THURSDAY, JULY 7, 2016 NEW TELEGRAPH

Opinion Emulating the Eagle and Slok since 1987 (1) Orji Uzor Kalu

find it really interesting whenever I encounter young bright minds who always seem to be inquisitive of business and entrepreneurial growth process. They tend to be highly aggressive towards acquiring knowledge necessary for success with the youthful energy they possess. Such bright minds will most likely have a whole lot of questions for God on the last day. Questions concerning his mystery and things that have baffled the human mind, and even confused science. However, I recently encountered one of such who continuously flooded my email with questions that would require several pages for a satisfactory response, and which I consider worthy of sharing. Actually, this is not the first time I am getting various questions through mail, ranging from the secret of the success of my business empire, to my advice, and requests for business tips for a successful and exceptional business growth. The numerous questions have prompted me to dedicate some columns in my weekly leadership series to business and entrepreneurship affairs. This particular mail from one Mr Johnson Chukwu reads: “Good day Your Excellency, I am your fan and admire you mostly for your business acumen. I learnt that you started business at a very young age and that in 1979, you were the only Nigerian who had same car with the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Can you tell me your motivation and secret of successful business? Which year did you exactly build your conglomerate? And what was your earlier drive? How did you make it happen and is such obtainable now considering the current economic situation of our country? I want to be an entrepreneur and I want to know if there is any hope for us, the youths. Do you think that you could have

made such youthful wave in this current dispensation in Nigeria? When establishing your company, did you truly envisage it will turn to a conglomerate years later. Do you think...? The questions were actually very much, but through it, I saw the sincerity of purpose in it. I saw his genuine desire to learn, one I would give full attention to, and satisfy his inquisition. In the past, I always tried to respond to all such questions mailed to me, especially that which concerns the youths. The youths are the future of our great nation and teaching them the right attitudes, skills and proper orientation is an investment into the future that can never be too expensive to make. This singular question reminds me of my days as a young entrepreneur: I was highly inspired and determined to succeed. Hence, I have taken upon myself the responsibility to direct many Nigerian youths in particular, as well as African and global young enterprising minds in general. Prior to my gaining international recognition as a businessman, I had this uncommon curiosity towards knowledge and business growth. In the cause of my career pursuit, I had been friends with many global reputable figures and was privileged to romance ideas with them. George W. Bush (Sr) remains a towering figure in the US and was among the nearest person I had in those days to someone you would call a mentor today. He was a successful businessman who joined politics to become the 41st US President. He invested in the oil business and was a dollar millionaire by the age of 40. He would often say to me, “Emulate the Eagle. Live to add value to humanity because it is the primary objective of man.” I recall how deeply those words moved me, especially for its vast and rich content. I kept on pondering why I should emulate the Eagle? Can I really add value to humanity with nothing? I also recall his kind responses to issues which

Emulate the Eagle. Live to add value to humanity because it is the primary objective of man

were always measured and significant. Today, the eagle he said I should emulate is the same eagle I urge Johnson and all youths to emulate. An understanding of the eagle’s lifestyle and attitude will help one to survive in every situation, be it business, one’s career, or any other area of personal endeavour. The Eagle is a visionary bird, it connotes strength. Little wonder it’s on the coat of arms of many countries. An Eagle’s vision is said to be eight times stronger than the human vision, as an eagle is able to sight its prey from more than one mile away. It is able to see very far ahead to be able to take the appropriate sites on objects that lie ahead. The growth of an eagle is quite interesting as every eagle begins its journey as an eaglet. The father eagle goes to hunt for food, while the mother eagle stays in the nest to watch over the eaglets. When food is brought, mother eagle tears up the food for the eaglets to eat, and this practice continues only for three weeks. After the third week, the eaglet is expected to tear up the food by itself when it is brought in. Also, within the first three months of an eaglet’s life, it undertakes the first flight and is expected within six months to be able to go out by itself and hunt for its own food. In the Eagles growth cycle, no matter the condition or environment, it has to meet up with the expectations of its growth stages if it hopes to survive in the wild. Therefore, your primary goal should always be to conquer any environment you find yourself. The eagle’s lifestyle holds that change is constant. As an individual and youth, you need establish yourself gradually such that, on each stage, you are already equipped , even if not financially, but with creative ideas that will change your life and hopefully change your earlier situation, and also extend it to the world. • Dr. Kalu is Chairman Slok Conglomerate.

Pope Francis’ in-flight interview Turning Point MIKE ARAYUWA WILKIE pmikky1950@yahoo.com 0802-309-7251 (sms only)

ope Francis 1 is the 266th and current Pope of the Roman Catholic Church. He was an ex-officio as Bishop of Rome, and a Sovereign of the Vatican City. He chose Francis as his Papal name in honour of Saint Francis of Assisi. The Pope was born on December 17, 1936, in Flores, Buenos Aires, Argentina. Francis 1 is the first non-European Pope in the history of the Catholic Church and he needs no further introduction. On July 28, 2013, Pope Francis granted an interview to journalists who were onboard the Papal flight for about 90 minutes. The questions and answers session was anchored on the place of women in the church, the church’s attitude towards those with same-sex attraction, as well as the “gay lobby” at the Vatican, including other issues which, perhaps, needed clarifications from the Pope. The VOX and AFP media were also represented, and specifically, Max

Fisher represented the VOX. I am to add that the VOX media Incorporated is an American digital media company that currently has eight editorial brands. The media outfit was founded in 2003, while its website was launched in 2004 by Ezra Klein. During the said press interview, the Pope was asked about his opinion of the United States airstrikes against the Moslem militants of the Islamic State (ISIS), who have captured swaths of the Northern and Western Iraqi, the North Eastern Syria, and forced majority Christians and others to accept Islam or flee their homes? Pope Francis 1 responded inter alia: “In these cases, when there is an unjust aggression, I can only say that it is licit to stop the unjust aggressor. I underscore the word “stop”. I am not saying that “bomb” or make “war,” just stop”. And the means of that can be used to stop an unjust aggression have been used by world powers to justify a “war of conquest”, in which an entire people have been taken over. One nation alone cannot judge how you stop this, how you stop an aggressor? It seems so, how should we stop. “Just this, Nothing more”? He added that it is the United Nations who must discuss and fashion-out the way forward. It was the above response of the Pope that has been interpreted as a declaration of an equivalent of a crusade be-

tween the Christians and Moslems by Max Fisher and the VOX media organization. Even VOX twisted the Pope’s opinion about ISIS. It regarded the Pope’s statement as an equivalent of a new crusade. VOX had also suggested it, without bothering to quote or even link-up with what the Pope actually said. VOX had turned and converted the Pope’s beautiful position into the following headline: “New from 1096 AD: Pope endorses military force to destroy Middle Eastern caliphate”. In fact, the Pope even went out of his way to make a criticism of the United States bombing campaign against ISIS. What was striking about Max Fisher’s post, besides the dishonest headline, was that, he did not feel the need to parse the Pope’s actual words at all. He also did not quote the Pope and use it as a jumping-off point. Afterall, during the Middle Ages (10961272) AD, Popes endorsed the use of Western military action to destroy the Middle Eastern caliphates. The crusades have been identified as nine, and there is no other one which is being fought for now. The past historical narration suggests, though, that crusades were usually not endorsed from the comfort of jet propelled airplanes, nor were they announced via Twitter. For the purpose of clarity, Pope Urban 11’s speech endorsing military action happened in 1095. Also, it is probably

worth pointing out that Pope Francis 1 did not endorse any specific military action, nor did he appeal to Christians to go to war against the Islamic State (ISIS). It ought to be what leaders of duly elected governments might say in the circumstance. Again, these details did not seem to interest Max Fisher. He has failed to appreciate that Christians have been targets of ISIS since the inception of the militant group. For instance, children are being forced to drink the blood of their parents to enable them stay alive. The Pope has however indicated that this maybe a case where stopping the aggressor is valid, while in the wisdom of Max Fisher, it must be the 10th crusade in its infant stages, which the Pope has declared. Perhaps, it is essential to pin-point the fact that when Pope Urban 11 made the first call for a crusade in 1096, it was a response to real death, devastation and total destruction. At this stage, it is pertinent to ask: whose interest does Max Fisher and the VOX media serve in this pathological journalistic outing? Max Fisher ought to have desisted from unnecessary sensation in journalism. I strongly believe that his overall intent was merely to embrace mischief making, play to the gallery and stamp his footprints on the sands of intellectual deceit and the misrepresentation of ugly facts.

THURSDAY, JULY 7, 2016 NEW TELEGRAPH

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Stemming killer herdsmen in Benue

hen will the massacre of innocent people stop in Benue State? Is the government of Governor Samuel Ortom helpless? Why has the state become a fertile ground for attack by the killer herdsmen? These are the one million questions begging for answers as herdsmen are on the loose in the area. No fewer than 1000 lives had been cut short by the herdsmen between April and June this year. In May, more than 500 Agatu people were killed. Penultimate week, at least 59 persons were allegedly killed following renewed hostilities between suspected Fulani herdsmen and the farmers at Turan Council ward of Logo Local Government Area. Suspected Fulani herdsmen had invaded Ugondo in Logo LGA of the state, killing no fewer than 15 persons penultimate Saturday alone, leaving many members of the community with varying degrees of injuries while several others were still reported missing and property worth millions of naira destroyed. Yet the federal Government looks elsewhere. Is the grazing bill the panacea for the incessant killing of the Benue people? This senseless killing must stop. Governor Ortom must restore people’s hope and confidence that their lives are in safe hands. Where were the security operatives when suspected armed herdsmen allegedly stormed the Gabo Nenzev community in large numbers from neighbouring Nasarawa State, shooting sporadically and burning down houses as the attackers were said to be over 3000 spread across the

council ward as they allegedly moved round, destroying houses and farms? Security operatives allegedly drafted to the areas watched helplessly as the herdsmen were massacring innocent people. Children were not spared in what has become a systematic plan by the herdsmen to forcefully occupy Benue State and turn it into a theatre of bloodbath. Already, residents while lamenting constant attacks by the herdsmen, displacement of Tiv settlements and destruction of their livelihood, have begun to resort to self-help, having lost hope in the government especially as the massacre of Benue people by the herdsmen

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There is indeed the need to halt the planned takeover of land across the country

had caused untold economic hardship for the state of the nation’s ‘Food Basket.’ They said: “Recent turn of events in Buruku, Tarka, Logo, Kwande and Guma Local Government Areas of Benue State conspicuously suggests another systemic strategy by Fulani herdsmen to turn Benue state and Tiv land into an endless blood theatre and an occupied territory. “These sudden raids, killing, maiming and destruction have become a recurring decimal in the last decade. “Over the course of the years, our people have been lamenting endlessly over the quest to take over our cherished heritage by the Fulani herdsmen whom we

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accommodated out of goodwill and gave our ancestral land free for grazing, yet all we receive from them is the direct opposite of our benevolence and no one seems to hearken to our perennial cry while the willful destruction of our people’s lives and property prevails unabated thus rendering countless of them homeless and also leading to total collapse of cultural and socio-economic activities in Tiv land.” The attack which left 15 people dead came days after the government had sent an executive bill to the state House of Assembly to make a law that would prevent opening grazing reserves in the state. With this

constant and unending herdsmen attack on the state, there is indeed the need to halt the planned takeover of land across the country in the name of Grazing Bill in the state. This must be resisted by the Benue Assembly as the bill if it becomes law, would serve as a potent tool to rescue the state from incessant attacks by the herdsmen. The National Assembly is about to pass the bill that is set to kill whatever is left of the socalled over - centralized federal system. The bill if passed will be a rape on the nation’s nascent democracy. The Fulani National Grazing Reserve is presently before the National Assembly. The bill has

successfully scaled through second reading in both the Senate and the House of Representatives. For it to become law it is to pass through the third reading. The Bill seeks to provide for the establishment of national grazing reserves and stock routes. It is sponsored by Senator Zainab Kure. The Bill proposes to establish a National Grazing Reserve Commission (NGRC) for the country. The NGRC will be charged with the responsibility of using funds received from the Federal Government to forcefully acquire farmlands from Nigerians in all the 36 States of the country, develop same at government expense through the provision of bore holes, water reservoirs, etc; for the exclusive use of nomadic cattle rearers. Governor Ortom must not leave any stone unturned until the state is rescued from the herdsmen even if the Federal Government saddled with the responsibility of curbing the unending herdsmen activities looks elsewhere. One wonders what the Federal Government is doing to curtail the menace of these Fulani herdsmen. Are they the new face of a terror gang in the making? Stakeholders too are worried that despite various legislations, their offensive activities are on the rise. Their unending wanton destruction of lives and property in the name of grazing on farmlands, attacking farmers who resisted such violent attacks must be stopped as this threat to national security may balloon into another phase of insurgency.

THURSDAY, JULY 7, 2016 NEW TELEGRAPH

SouthEastFocus South South Focus Looming war over Maritime Varsity

21 News A thought for widows, orphans

efore now, donkey was regarded as a ‘forbidding’ meat in many places in Ebonyi State. That led to low consumption of the meat by consumers and low patronage by the dealers. That negative perception of the meat is beginning to change, as there are high demands from both consumers and the dealers. This is as a result of the usefulness of the skin as discovered by Chinese, who use it for many purposes including construction of shoes, waist belt, wrist watch, hand bags among others. These Chinese are always found in Ezzamgbo market in Ohaukwu Local Government Area of the state, loading the donkey skins in large quantity to their places, where they convert them to raw materials for production of different goods. A special part of the meat known as Gelatin is obtained from the skin of the donkey by soaking and stewing. It is also used as an ingredient in traditional Chinese medicine called Ejiao. More than 20 trailer loads of donkeys at the minimum are brought in at the Ohaukwu depot on daily basis from Maiduguri, Kastina and Kano as this business apparently proves to be the highest source of revenue to the people of the state. Chairman of the donkey sellers, Abdullahi Oladipo Yinusa, said the donkey business has provided job opportunity to numerous people in the area, including selling of water and grasses, even as he boasted that it stands as the highest job creator in the local government and the state in general.

Do you want donkey meat, skin?

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Some of the animals on display

Some call it Jaki, while some call it fine boy. The fact is that donkey meat business has remained lucrative for the people of Ohaukwu Local Government Area of Ebonyi State and a hot cake for Chinese, who have continued to troop to donkey markets in the area to buy off the skin, UCHENNA INYA, in Abakaliki writes.

According to him, Chinese agents are scattered around Ohaukwu Local Government Area to buy the skin of a donkeys, which is sold at the rate of N24, 000 per unit. He disclosed that people throng the market from Port Harcourt and Owerri to buy donkeys, describing the patronage as vibrant. Abdullahi appealed to the state government to provide them with residential area, where they can call their own, adding that elsewhere where such depot exits, the operators of the market were provided with befitting residence since their business is a blessing to their host communities. He, however, commended the government for providing them with adequate security in the market. “The market came to be on the 28th of June, 1997. When we came down here, there was nothing like these houses. It was all thatch. “Luckily, we are inside the depot because these donkeys you see come from Maiduguri, Kastina, Kano and other border towns in the north. “This market has been the greatest revenue earner for the

Even the skin is costlier than the meat proper. The skin is sold between N30, 000 and N35, 000 while the meat is sold between N20, 000 and N25, 000

state and local government. It is the greatest job creator for the state and local government. “The challenge we have is that they have refused to provide for us a place that we can call our own as the case is in other places where they have Hausa community. The market here is our residence. Apart from that, we have been living peacefully with our host. “You can find out that we are a blessing to them. You can see the people selling grasses and others water. It is a source of revenue to them. This is because we do not have the means and access to these facilities. “It is a money spinner. The skin, not only the meat, generates revenue for the state and local government. It is on a higher demand now. I do not know what the Chinese use it for. “It is a daily market. The sales we make depend on the demand for it. We have two major market days here which is Orie and Eke. Those days, we sell highest because people come as far as from Port Harcourt, and Imo. If you look at these vehicles they come from far,” he said. One of the dealers, Ebenyi Mathew, said the business has assisted him in big measures. His words: ‘’I have used this

business and got married. Also, I was able to build my house with the proceeds from the business and it is still moving on fine. “We have high demand of the meat now than before. Even in the consumption which was very low, people prefer it now to other meat because it is not costly. If you have like N200 0r N300, you will buy enough meat that can serve you. But in other meats like cow and goat, you cannot. You must have at least, N500 before you can buy goat or cow meat that can serve you. “The skin is where we make our gains because some Chinese always come here to buy them off and even stay by the side waiting for buyers to buy the meat to enable them buy the skin. ‘’Even the skin is costlier than the meat proper. The skin is sold between N30, 000 and N35, 000 while the meat is sold between N20, 000 and N25, 000’’. On the amount required to join the business, Mathew explained that one can use between N250,000 and N300,000. “It is a business that if you start it, within three to six months, you will cover the amount you used to start it. You can see that the market is expanding unlike before and it is because the business is moving fine.’’

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THURSDAY, JULY 7, 2016 NEW TELEGRAPH

A mum, son’s passion

Igbeaku orji umuahia

t a time when most young people, especially graduates, walk the streets in search of jobs, a time when the unemployment situation in the country has overwhelmed the government and the private sector, a 24-year-old 2014 graduate of Mass Communication from the Abia State University (ABSU) Uturu, Mr Chukwukadibia Ihendu Iheaka, with his mother, Mrs Ezinne Ugwudiya Kate Iheaka, have not only lifted and changed the family fortune but also put joblessness behind them with dressmaking. Chukwukadibia’s three siblings are also university graduates. He shares the same one room shop with his mother in Umuahia, Abia State capital. The interest in the duo and what they are doing arose out of discovering that such high class dressmaking business thrives outside the commercial city of Aba, the natural home of dressmakers. Chukwukadibia’s mum actually started dress making for women in 1989 after her youth service. She opted for dressmaking after graduating as a computer scientist at the University of Ibadan and along the line, her son caught the passion that seems to run in the family blood. Mrs Iheaka said she took to the trade since she was in Owerri, Imo State capital, perhaps before the creation of Abia State, when most people considered dressmaking a business for drop outs and illiterates but she has proved them wrong. According to her, many young people including Youth Corps members have passed through her creative tutelage “and they are all doing well.”

“Many people think that the fashion designing thing is for drop outs. But this time around, when I started in that 1989, so many of them were surprised and it gave people the view that graduates could delve into self employment and it will reduce the rate of employment because you are able to empower people. So many graduates in their own respective fields decided to follow suit and they are doing fine. No regrets at all, not even one percent. “It has also lifted my family because with the help of my husband, we have been able to train so many people even my children. I have four of them and they are all graduates. I want to encourage other graduates to delve into self employment. Look for a trade and a

They make cloth from me and for them to be encouraged to trust their wears for me to make them

skill and learn because the way the country is going, I don’t think government will be able to employ everybody that wants employment. So, sometimes we have to help ourselves.” Chukwukadibia explained how he acquired the skill of dressmaking for men to complement his mother’s female designs. “I finished my West African School Certificate Examination (WASCE) and those periods, I was actually bored at home because I didn’t gain admission immediately. So, each time my mum comes to the shop, I will join her to this place. But then, I didn’t really pick interest. There was a day when I was sleeping here, a man came, Dr Nkem, and then I had to take him to somewhere and while I was in his car, he asked me what I wanted to study. I said I wanted to study law. He now said I could still

Chukwukadibia and his mum, Ezinne

Think home, develop home Charles Onyekwere ENUGU

he Ofemmiri Community Development Union, Akpugoeze town, is under Oji River Local Government Area of Enugu State. The community holds her Annual General meeting every June, for all Ofemmiri indigenes residing in Nigeria and abroad. The annual general meeting was often used as a forum to discuss the development of the community in terms of education, health, security, rural roads and streets in the community, youth development, sports, culture, assistance to widows and indigents in the community among other things. Speaking at this year’s 2016 AGM meeting, held at the community primary school Ofemmiri, with the theme”think home,develop home”, the President General of the development union, Livinus Onuigwe, a Surveyor, enumerated some of the achievements for this year which included the building and donation of a shopping centre to community from one of their illustrious sons. According to the president gen-

eral, the indigents students also got scholarship awards from one of their illustrious sons, who provided free medical services to the people in the community. He emphasized the importance of the meeting and urged everyone to endeavour to attend regularly as he stated that interacting among indigenes, who may not have seen or known each other over time would help more for the development of the area. He further informed the meeting of some of the achievements such as provision of electricity, purchase and installation of the new community electric transformer, including the provision of learning materials to schools in the community and so many other things. The community, at this year’s AGM had good attendance and gave employment to more teachers in the community primary school that had only two teachers and took over payment of salaries of those employed by the community. During the AGM, a set of computers and other leaning educational material were donated and presented, as those attended were reminded that the community mass return often holds every

three years while this year’s holds in December, 2016. Other key decisions and approvals in respect of the development of the community were taken including lectures on youth development

OCDU members donating computers to the school

maximize my stay here by learning how to do this so that perhaps if I become a lawyer, I could still be doing their gown and their wigs. Then I picked interest, but before then, my mum had been telling me to learn this but I didn’t really see the necessity in doing it. I now said instead of staying here to learn how to sow for ladies, I would rather go out to learn how to sow for men. So, my mum knew one Yoruba man, Kolade by name. She paid for everything. Then, I went there to learn the trade. That was in 2009 here in Umuahia. It wasn’t up to a year then, I gained admission in 2010. There in the school, I continued with the passion. It didn’t affect my study in school. Most times on weekends, I come back to do some jobs I got from school from my fellow students and my lecturers. And it’s been all wonderful. We had our first photo shoot in 2012. The idea of that photo shoot was to show the students the samples. They make cloth from me and for them to be encouraged to trust their wears for me to make them. “ Today, they can hardly meet the demand for their service. Orders are coming from London, Dubai, Abuja, Lagos, though little known within the city of Umuahia for both male and female dresses. The only kind of wear they do not make is under wears. Interestingly, there is no class barrier in their service. They can make for anyone who wants- individuals and boutiques. Customers have a choice of either coming with their materials or choosing from the Iheaka’s cloth samples on display. They have brought panache and creativity to the trade. From their perspective, it is no longer an all comers affair. It requires dynamism and innovation which Ihendu has given with youthful energy and exposure. Hei! That dress from your boutique could be one of the Iheaka’s creations. They are on facebook and other social media platforms. and empowerment was organised for youths in the community. The community also used the opportunity to pass vote of confidence on Livinus Onuigwe, Ichie Austin Nwokezuike, Dr. Joe Okoli, Chief Gbazuoagu Nweke Gbazuoagu, Dr.Ugo Okoli, Levi Madubuike and many others for their contributions in the development of the area.

THURSDAY, JULY 7, 2016 NEW TELEGRAPH

SouthSouthFocus

The Ijaw of the Niger Delta are angry over the plans of the Federal Government to move the Maritime University from Warri to Ibusa in Delta State. They warn that if the move comes to light, there would be serious show of anger against both the state and Federal Governments. Dominic Adewole reports from ASABA

he philosophical saying that says, “Happiness is not a station you arrive at but a manner of travelling” has taught the people of Okerenkoko at Gbaramatu Kingdom in Warri South-West Local Government Area of Delta state a big lesson. The town’s project of joy – the ‘controversial’ Nigerian Maritime University (NMU) has just been relocated from the locality, which is a riverine area of Delta South Senatorial District to Ibusa, an upland axis of Oshimili North Local Government Area of Delta North Senatorial District. The people of the community received the news with great ecstasy in 2014 when the immediate past government of President Goodluck Jonathan announced that the Federal Government has considered the town to host the institution. With heartfelt gratitude, the area and its people thanked the Federal Government for remembering them after decades of oil exploration and degradation of the ethnic nationality. The community’s hope was however dashed after several hectares of land, worth estimated at N13 billion sold to the Federal Government to execute the project, and billions of naira was appropriated in the 2015 budget for the University to begin session became objects of controversy. Although, the failure of former President Jonathan and his party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) then at the national level to win the second term bid was listed to have contributed to the dwindling fortune of the project, the posture of President Muhammadu Buhari of the All Progressives Congress (APC) on enforcing continuity on the project was one of the reasons why the Niger Delta Avengers (NDA) had to take up arms again in the region. Now, the people are spoiling for a fresh ‘war’ with both the Federal, the Delta State Government and top government functionaries that are directly and indirectly involved in the planned relocation. The new militia group, the SouthSouth Focus gathered, was formed, to among other reasons, enforce commencement of full academic programmes at the University in Okerenkoko. No wonder the former leader of the Movement for the Emancipation of

Former President Jonathan arriving for the flag-off, of the university

Looming war over Maritime Varsity the Niger Delta (MEND), Government Ekpemupolo, a.k.a Tompolo, in his appeal letter to President Muhammadu Buhari, urged him to urgently address the region’s questions and especially, allow the University to be. In the letter, Tompolo expressed dismay that the only developmental project in the coastal area of the Niger Delta region to meet the yearnings and the aspiration of the people - the Nigerian Maritime University, was yet to take off. “Your Excellency Sir, as they say, I am still in a great shock as the only developmental project, which is the Nigerian Maritime University, Okerenkoko, that was established by the previous administration in 2014, in the coastal area of the Niger Delta region to meet the yearnings and the aspiration of the people is yet to commence academic session, even though all is set for the University to take off. “For instance, there are over 20 gigantic buildings of various sizes with complete furniture in the temporary site, Kurutie Town, which some mischievous people have given different narrations”, the letter read. The former militant warned the President against sycophants and appealed to him to send his loyalists to the kingdom to evaluate the extent of pollution and devastation of the land. “Let them come and see things for you, and I bet you, you will discover that some of your ministers are not fit to work with you, because such ones are a clog in the wheel of progress as against your change mantra upon which you rode into power. That is not all. There is a Governing Council and Senate properly constituted and a Management Council headed by a

very qualified Professor of Engineering. What is more, even money was duly appropriated in the 2015 budget for the University to take off but was withheld for no reason. This is pure injustice of the highest order.” To the chargrin of the people of the area and the militants’ axis in the state, the Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Ibok Ete-Ibas, on Wednesday, June 29, announced that the budding Navy College at Ibusa, would be converted and upgraded to take the place of the University, initially billed for Okerenkoko. The Naval Chief, who was on inspection of facilities across the naval formations in the state, maintained that when fully operational, the University would serve both the military and the general public, as well as assist Nigeria from spending exorbitantly on the training of officers abroad. Ibas did not stop at that. He said the Nigerian Navy Engineering College, Sapele, would be upgraded to run concurrently with a Greece Foundation. “Once we get the Federal Executive Council’s approval, the University (Maritime) will become operational.”, he emphasized. But suspecting a foul play, the people are now set for a showdown with the Federal Government because they are viewing the step as coup-de-tat against the Ijaw ethnic nationality of Nigeria. “The move is cruel, bias and unjustifiable”, said Comrade Sheriff Mulade, the chairman of Kokodiagbene community in Gbaramatu Kingdom. A member of the elders’ forum in Okerenkoko, who spoke under anonymity, wondered why the Federal Government was insensitive to plights of the riverine dwellers. “The attendant crisis, war of words,

intimidation, harassment and threat to live and property, later left some persons dead and properties worth millions of naira destroyed. The President (Jonathan) on two occasions, cancelled the planned ground-breaking ceremony of the project because the youths, elders and women wing of the affected towns were threatening fire and brimstone against the Federal Government. “It soon after took the deft strategy deployed by former Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan before the rampaging youths sheathed their swords and allowed the ceremony to hold. The rest today as become history.” The source, who insisted that “this is what the politics the Federal Government is out to play in the case of the Maritime University” listed what triggered the anger of Okerenkoko people to include, what he described as “Okowa – Kachikwu (the Minister of State Petroleum) influence” wondering why the governor and the minister, that both hail from Delta North Senatorial District of the state wanted the University sited within their ethnic nationality at all cost. Moreso, the source expressed dismay that the Federal Government was visiting the ‘sin’ of Tompolo, who has refused to appear in court to answer to the corruption charges proffered against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). The source finally accused the Federal Government of deploying divide and rule tactics to cause disunity among the Niger Deltans and the various ethnic nationalities in the state. Corroborating the source, the chairman of Kokodiagbene community in Gbaramatu Kingdom and the initiator of the Centre for Peace and Environmental Justice (CEPEJ), Comrade Sheriff Mulade, who spoke on the feelings of the people of Gbaramatu Kingdom on the proposed relocation, said the people are spoiling for war with the Federal Government, the Delta State Government and any government official in support of the plan. According to him, unless the Federal Government and the government of the state have a rethink over the plan, law and order may be breached in the area. He said, “The plan by the Federal and state governments is highly disappointing. It is an ethic bias against the Ijaw people of Nigeria. No responsible government would adopt such a proposal. This is an institution that was duly established, ground-breaking performed, governing council put in place and several billions of naira spent on the construction work but because an opposition government took over government, they say what their predecessor had done was rubbish. “No, this is cruel. We totally disagree with the Federal Government. We also consider the move as a slap on our face. The area that has been laying the golden egg is being deprived, marginalized and neglected.” He continued, “We appeal to the Federal Government to quickly have a rethink. Our agitation should not be misconstrued to be that we are enemies of Nigeria. They should stop intimidating us with that plan because we will not agree to it.”

south-south

THURSDAY, JULY 7, 2016 NEW TELEGRAPH

Clement James Calabar

here are so many problems confronting widows in the country. After losing the bread winner of the family to the cold hands of death in whatever circumstance, many widows, who depended solely on such bread winners often find it very difficult to face life without their husbands. To compound matters for such widows, stories have been told of how many of them have been victims of rebuke, persecution, taunt, disdain and victimization in the hands of their in-laws after the exit of their husbands. In some cases, the moment a man dies, his family members move in to evacuate his properties, scavenge for vital documents that could help them secure all that he had while alive, leaving his wife and children to fend for their future without recourse to his property. Sometimes, such actions by in-laws become subjects of litigation in the courts. Perhaps, it is the realization that widows are objects of ridicule in the society that governments, some wealthy individuals and a few corporate bodies have sometimes looked the way of these unfortunate humans with the aim of giving a helping hand. It was therefore, a sight to behold last week Saturday, when widows from the 18 Local Government Areas of Cross River State gathered at a hall in the premises of the Ministry of Women Affairs, just a stone’s throw to the Governor’s office in Calabar to celebrate one of such moments where an individual chose to visit them with various food items worth millions of naira. The occasion was the celebration of the 69th birthday of the General Overseer of Christ for the World Mission, Rev. (Dr.) Nick Eze. The Commissioner for Women Affairs, Hon. Stella Odey, had invited only chairwomen and secretaries of widows association in the 18 local government areas to gather at the hall, only expecting Rev. Eze to come with a few cartons of food items, but was surprised to see more than that. Items such as rice, tomatoes, maggi, salt, soap, milk, groundnut oil and Milo drinks were brought in bags and cartons in two buses to be distributed to each local government area. As the Commissioner put it, the large quantity of food items was a surprise to her because she had expected just a few bags of rice and some cartons of beverages. What she saw, she said, was something that beat her imagination, especially when juxtaposed with the current situation in the country. Her words: “I am surprised that Dr. Nick Eze could singlehandedly buy this large quantity of food items for widows in the state. I am even more

Some participants at the event

A thought for widows, orphans surprised that he is undertaking this effort at a time the economy of the country and that of the state is undergoing some crisis. I must confess that this beats my imagination and shows that there are people with good hearts in this country and this state.” Assuring the people that the governor, Senator Ben Ayade, was doing everything to improve the lot of widows in the state, the commissioner explained that this informed the establishment of the garment factory which, according to her, will accommodate the interest of widows. “As you know, the governor has established the garment factory and has promised that 85 per cent of workers in the factory will be widows. In fact, many widows have already been engaged and that shows the passion the governor has for widows in the state. I must however, note that government cannot do it alone and that is why I am happy that our father, Rev. Nick Eze has undertaken to do this. I must thank him immensely and appeal to other well meaning individuals and groups to assist the government in providing for the widows.” Explaining why he decided to fete the widows on his birthday, Eze said he was born in the month of July but he was always very sick in that month until 1971 when he gave his life to Christ. “After I was born again, in July 1972, I said to the month that I have been born again and July, you must be born again. Since then, I have never been sick again.”

I must thank him immensely and appeal to other well, meaning individuals and groups to assist the government in providing for the widows

He said his passion to assist widows, stems from the fact that having been a Pastor for many years, he had seen the plight of widows and he had agreed with his wife that they must focus on assisting widows in their ministry. According to him, many widows have been abandoned and left to go through traumatic experiences which they ordinarily wouldn’t go through if their husbands were alive. He noted that widows were the responsibility of everybody and assured them that their situation would not consume them. It was indeed an emotional scene when the widows decided to sing a birthday song for him. He was moved to add physical cash and assured them that the gesture would be sustained in the years to come. One of the widows interviewed said what widows go through cannot be explained with words of mouth. She said she was made to drink water used in washing the corpse of her husband by her in-laws just to prove her innocence in his death. The mother of four, who preferred to remain anonymous said; “My husband died in 2012, leaving me with four children. Before his death, we were married for about 12 years. While he was alive, none of his family members assisted us. We struggled through life and built a three bedroom flat in his village, because I came from a different village. But as soon as my husband died, his brothers came and asked me for his cheque books, documents

for the building and that of a plot of land we bought in Calabar. When I told them that it was too early to think of those things, especially as the corpse of my husband was still lying at the General Hospital Calabar, they accused me of killing him to own the properties. I went through hell, including drinking water used in bathing his body just to prove my innocence. I cannot tell you what I passed through during the period. They succeeded in taking the house in the village because I was not from there but I went to court to prevent them from taking the land in Calabar and the court eventually granted me the land.” After celebrating his birthday with widows, Eze and his entourage moved to the Orphanage home at Uwanse, in Calabar South Local Government Area. There, various items were also donated. However, the sight of a barely two-month-old girl abandoned in the bush and that of fourmonth-old boy abandoned in a church drew the attention of the entourage. As the children smiled at the visitors, innocently playing in their cots, many wandered how beastly their mothers could have been to abandon those children in very unlikely places. Their sight and innocence drew emotions from the visitors, some of who silently voiced curses on their biological mothers. However, Journalists were barred from taking pictures at the Home, “so that you won’t expose the children to ridicule.”

THURSDAY, JUly 7, 2016 NEW TELEGRAPH

Insight

White elephant airports All over the world, airports are regarded as economic and social infrastructure and expected to be catalyst for accelerated development of the areas they are sited. But in Nigeria, the reverse is the case. Aerodrome construction, more less, serves as conduit pipe for siphoning money, writes WOLE SHADARE

he rate at which states are embarking on airport projects makes one to think that there is more to building airports than meets the eye. In the next five years, virtually all the states in Nigeria will have at least an aerodrome. Never mind that many of them might not be completed while others could become abandoned projects. The signs that the facilities are already turning to abandoned projects are visible following the financial woes states have found themselves. Nigeria’s financial crisis, which affected all the three tiers of government – federal, states and local governments – has led to the suspension and in some cases abandonment of airport projects embarked upon by states. The nation’s financial woes were triggered by the slump in the price of oil at the international markets, where Nigeria earns about 70 per cent of her revenues and 80 per cent of her foreign exchange earnings. Oil which earlier traded for as high as $100 per barrel more than a year ago, has just recovered to $50 per barrel. This development has swept virtually all the states off their feet financially. Most of them have backlog of unpaid salaries and can neither embark on any capital project nor continue with the existing ones. People are concerned. Also worried about the development is the Minister of Transportation, Mr. Rotimi Amaechi, who early this year warned governors against embarking on “economically unviable airport projects”. The minister, who was in Abeokuta, Ogun State, said the construction of airports by governors must rather be supported and driven by the economic demand of their states. According to him, the country is already filled with many airports that are not economically viable.

Port Harcourt International airport

Under utilised Dutse International airport, Jigawa

He said: “I believe that the construction of airport should be backed by the growth of the economy. There are some airports that are constructed just for the governors to land and take off. That won’t be the idea for me as Minister of Transportation. I would prefer that all airports that are constructed would be backed by economic demand. And when we look at the numbers, if the numbers add up, we would not discourage Ogun State if you like to construct an airport. The minister restated the commitment of the Federal Government towards the completion of new terminals at four interna-

Nigeria’s financial crisis... led to the suspension and in some cases abandonment of airport projects

tional airports - Abuja, Lagos, Port Harcourt and Kano. New Telegraph reported recently that by the time airports in states like Bayelsa, Ekiti, Abia, Osun and Ogun are completed; some states would have invested over N150 billion on aerodromes that may not significantly improve their economies. Some of the airports that have been inaugurated are currently unviable as they witness little traffic. The Nigerian aviation industry statistically contributed nearly N120 billion to the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in 2013 alone, while N59 billion directly came from the airlines, airports and ground services. Also, N34

billion was realised from supply chain, N26 billion from employees’ consumption and supply chain and N78 billion in catalytic benefits through tour operations. However, the recent trend in Nigeria points to the proliferation of airports without a corresponding rise in traffic-enhance disposable income, economic/ social activities dwindling resources to the states and competing demand of governance. A passenger cannot be so sure of flying until the aircraft is on ground. These factors make planning difficult. A regular traveller to Birnin-Kebbi, Dutse could attest to this. A flight once a week and return could barely sustain the route. Investigations revealed that most of these airports are not viable. It is worthy to note that for a country with over 160 million people, it is quite unacceptable, that both domestic and international traffic for 2014 was about 15 million. The Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has also been financially handicapped to run these airports, build new ones, retool or expand and modify them, whereas several states are currently in a “rat race” to build their own airports, which is being used as a ‘status symbol”. Experts point out that the craze to build airports by states is definitely a “misplaced priority”. According to them, China, a country of 1.3 billion people, has 101 existing airports and recently announced it would build 82 new CONTINUED ON PAGE 24

INSIGHT

THURSDAY, JUly 7, 2016 NEW TELEGRAPH

Airport proliferation amid low traffic CONTINUED FROM PAGE 23

airports under the 12th five-year plan, ending 2017. By then, China would have had 230 airports as compared to Nigeria with merely 24 and about 13 airstrips. By China’s plan of action, most of these new airports envisaged would serve as feeder airports in Central/Western portion of China. In addition, 80 per cent of the population will be within 100 kilometre radius of an airport. Beijing has indeed justified the ambitious building programme to drive growth to double digit, spur economic development and increase the speed of doing business. The United States, in comparison to China, has 14,000 airports. It is a prosperous nation. Only last year, China earned 4.6 billion Yuan and not a few people reasoned that they need these airports in view of its 1.3 billion population and high per capita income. The airport with the highest traffic in 2015 is Lagos (7.6 million) followed by Kano (327,267) and the least of the first 10 airports, Kaduna (160,469). Only three airports are viable for now. Most of the states said: They also stated that some of the aerodromes serve as cargo airports as a hub for exports of agricultural products, enhance movement of agricultural products and passengers. Although some of the justifications are plausible, most of them are ridiculous. States with airports on the drawing board The states conceptualising building airports as at 2014 included Ekiti, Nasarawa, Osun, Ogun, Taraba, Zamfara, Abia, Lagos and Anambra. States with befitting airports Minna airport in Niger State has one of the best ‘runways but largely unused, underutilised and unviable. Minna airport was established over 25 years ago; Ilorin, Kwara State, only one airline operates there and mostly used for Hajj operations; Akure, Ondo State, barely used except for charter operations; Katsina, Katsina State, barely used except for charter operations; Makurdi, Benue State, used mainly for military operations; Ibadan, Oyo State, idle for nearly 30 years, in view of the proximity to Lagos and lack of economic activities; Sokoto, Sokoto State and Bernin-Kebbi in Kebbi State, lack of economic and business activities; Jos, Plateau State, lack of business activities owing to security challenge since 2001. The viable state airports Viable airports are the busiest airports by passenger traffic, starting from Lagos (7.6 million) and Kaduna as number 10 in ranking with (324,267). Former Secretary General of Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON), Captain Mohammed Joji, said the total passenger traffic in 2013 in Nigeria was barely 12/13 million for a whole 365 days and population of 170 million. According to him, out of the states which currently operate

Site of the proposed Osun State Cargo airport

their own airports, only about two – Uyo and Asaba - are viable investments, considering the passenger traffic and income. Aero, Arik and Dana Air are the airlines plying the routes. Surprisingly, Imo (267,532) and Delta (238, 463) ranked among the first 10 with passenger traffic in 2013. Joji regretted that most of the state airports are tools to siphon funds with over-bloated and ambitious projects. He said: “For example, Ahmadu Bello Airport in Birnin-Kebbi was built with N17/N18 billion, while the Jigawa airport was built with N19/N20 billion. The belief of most of these states at the project inception was that the Federal Government would contribute and partner with them. “In the same vein, Nasarawa and Ekiti states with monthly revenue, both from Federation Account and Internally-Generated Revenue (IGR) of barely N3 billion but now less than N800 million embarked on airport projects which could not be constructed below N10 billion despite their inability to pay workers’ salaries, meet other demands and in the face of health, education and other infrastructure yawning for development. “In most cases, apart from ‘pride and ‘status symbols,’ lure to award big contracts, launder and siphon funds, most governors are pushed to construct airports to join the so-called elite governors who can fly directly to and from their states to Abuja and Lagos, instead of by rough/distant roads, charter aircraft at a moment notice, buy or lease private aircraft and helicopters despite the lean resources with attendant huge cost to lean treasuries and mainly to service their extravagant and opulent lifestyle. “Though we all agreed that airports open up states for great opportunities, we are also all convinced that should not be priority for now. Most of these states already have airports close to them. “For example, Ekiti-Akure is about 50 kilometres to Ado-Ekiti and this airport is idle. With good and motorable road, 30 minutes is too long to connect the capital cities of the two states.” According to him, the distance between Lagos and Ado-Ekiti is nearly 300 kilometres and from Ibadan is less than 150 kilometres,

Clearing of airport in Ekiti

A distance which can barely take maximum of one to two hours from Lagos/Ibadan with good roads

a distance which can barely take maximum of one to two hours from Lagos/Ibadan with good roads. He added: “The economic activities in Ekiti State, which is more or less a teacher/civil service state, do not augur well for an airport. The journey from Lagos/Ibadan to Ado-Ekiti is not more than three hours, and maximum of N1,000 fare with a dual carriage road, whereas a flight from Lagos to AdoEkiti cannot be less than N10,000. The time for waiting for flight, cancelled flight, re-scheduled flights, distance to and from airport, with additional car hire cost, you would have been at Ado-Ekiti from Lagos. “The same applies to Osun State. The time lag from Lagos to Osogbo (the state capital) is just two hours and 30 minutes after take-off with good roads. While from Abuja/Kaduna to both Ekiti/ Osun states’ capitals by road could barely take five hours, even with our bad roads and less than N3,000 as fare.” Joji noted that the way out for all the states in the South-West was to harness their resources, to develop a well-befitting road/rail transport within the region or alternatively utilise Ibadan/Akure airports situated within the region but underutilised. Airports in the North The viable airport in the North, besides Abuja which is currently under-utilised, is Kano. Kano is active; Maiduguri is active but security challenges are hampering operations; Yola/Jos airports are back but are partially active; Sokoto is poor owing to lack of economic activities. Inactive airports in the North Minna, lack of activities; Taraba, lack of activities; Bauchi, hajj operations only; Jigawa, lack of activities; Birnin-Kebbi, lack of activities and Zamfar, lack of activities. Former President, Aviation Round Table (ART), Capt. Dele Ore, said the latest airport-building-binge with most states also paying staff salaries of those working at the airports was a colossal waste of resources that are even not enough. He said: “Let us learn to walk before we crawl and then run. Please, states should not go to capi-

tal market or issue bonds to build airports.” Ore challenged the governors to conduct a bankable feasibility/ viability analysis before they could embark on airport construction. “Let us see how many of them could pass viability tests. None, not even Lagos and Ogun that generate N22 billion and N7 billion IGR monthly. The Managing Director of OmiBlu Aviation Services Limited, Mr. Akin Olateru, said there was no airport in the world which could not be made viable.” According to him, activities around airports can drive traffic and make them very viable. Olateru cited Frankfurt-Hahn Airport as a case of how Nigeria could make over 90 per cent of her aerodromes attractive. The MD added that the airport was about equidistant between Frankfurt and Luxembourg – about 120 km (75 mi) to each city by road. He said: “Frankfurt-Hahn was once a dead airport. When the airport opened, the operators went to Ryanair Air to operate to the place. They made everything available to them to open up the airport and to bring investments. “Why did they do that? They wanted to create jobs. They gave them two years tax holiday that attracted people to the facilities. After that, they invited FEDEX to come and build their warehouse. There is no airport that cannot make money where there is light and water.” Olateru noted that the so-called unviable airports will become Strategic Business Units (SBUs), once they are commercialised and the airports will now be challenged to raise benchmarks and operational standard for efficiency. He said: “We need to now begin to make the rest of the nation’s airports viable by investing in non-aeronautical activities. Out the 44,000 airports across the globe, 1,000 handles less than one million passengers annually. The challenge is therefore obvious. “This does not require our or your personal funds. We need to encourage private investments to cone into the airports and develop it in terms of non-aeronautical activities, so that the unviable airports will become Strategic Business Units (SBUs).”

THURSDAY, july 7, 2016 NEW TELEGRAPH

Industry Infrastructure failure, policy turbulence mar real sector

Business What's news OPS to CBN: Intervene in remittances’ saga

eWorld Telecoms’ high and low points

27 29

Rates Dashboard INFLATION RATE May 2016...............................15.6% April 2016............................13.7% March 2016..............................12.8%

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

EXCHANGE RATE

(BDC as at July 1)

(Interbank as at July 1)

USD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . N353 Pounds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . N469 Euro . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . N385

l Foreign Reserves – $26.363bn as at 30/6/2016

USD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . N282.25 Pounds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . N376 Euro . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . N314

Source: CBN

L-R: Director, Aerodrome & Airspace Standards, Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Mr. Joyce Nkemakolam; Chairman, Bristow Helicopters Nigeria Ltd, Mr. Lawrence Fubara-Anga; President/Chief Executive Officer, Bristow Group, Mr. Jonathan Baliff; Managing Director, Bristow Nigeria and Interim Regional Director, Africa Capt. Akin Oni and Capt. Alex Oshomah, at the launch of the Bristow Helicopters Rescue and Recovery Service (RRS) Nigeria, in Lagos.

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NNPC, IOCs net $2.4 bn as Nigeria’s crude exports hit 47.4m barrels p.26

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Asst Production Editor

Kunle Azeez

he operating licences of 13 of the 244 Value Added Service (VAS) providers in the nation’s telecoms sector including those of VConnect and MTech Communications will expire this year, New Telegraph understands. While VConnect’s operating licence will expire on July 30, 2016, MTech’s will expire by October 30, 2016. Other affected VAS licences include Gistme Communications Ltd, Communication Technologies Ltd, Elcomserve Nig Ltd 55E, Foneworx Global Communications Ltd, Starfish Mobile Nig Ltd, Text Nig Ltd, Rancard Mobility Nig Ltd, Infocallcom Nig Ltd, PBM Network Nig Ltd

and Microfone Telecom Nig Ltd. Apart from Gistme Communications, whose licence had expired since June 30, other affected VAS players will have their licences expired at different months in the second half of this year. This implies that unless they take proactive steps to renew their licences as stipulated telecoms laws, they will not be able to continue service provision for their customers again. According to the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), licensed VAS providers in the nation’s telecoms industry are classified into five categories, which include the content services using short code (SNC), call centre services (CCS), call directory services (CDS), special numbering services (SNS) and prepaid calling card services (PPC). According to data obtained from the regulator, so far, 212 SNC VAS players have been licensed in Nigeria; 14 CCS VAS providers; eight CDS VAS providers; six SNS VAS providers and four PPC VAS licensees. For the licence renewal for a fiveyear period, affected VAS operators in the PPC category will pay N1 million each; those in the CDS are to pay

N40 billion Being the value of the country’s telecoms VAS market

N500, 000; players in the SNS will pay N3 million; CSS players will pay N500,000 while those in CSS category are to pay N1 million as licence fee. Mobile payment service providers or mobile money operators were initially created to be licensed by the NCC but the task of licensing this category of VAS players was transferred to the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) with N1 million as licensing fee. Till date, the CBN has issued over 20 mobile payment service licences while NCC, on the other hand, has issued 244 VAS licences, according to data obtained from the telecoms regulator. Meanwhile, the NCC is on the verge of developing a regulatory policy for regulating the country’s telecoms VAS market currently valued at over N40 billion. The NCC recently organised an industry consultative forum with stakeholders to discuss an alreadydrafted regulatory framework on VAS. Making a presentation during the forum in Lagos, an NCC consulCONTINUED ON PAGE 26

business |NEWS

VConnect, Mtech, 11 others’ licences expire CONTINUED FROM PAGE 25

tant, Mr. Stephen Bello, said going forward the VAS industry has been restructured into VAS and content developers; VAS hosting and service providers; and Mobile network Operators (MNOs). He said the Commission was proposing a new licensing fee of N10 million for the aggregators renewable after five years. However, VAS providers under the auspices of WASPAN have expressed reservation to some sections of the policy draft, which they argued could stifle competition, disrupt the current market structure and work against national interest of local content policy. National Coordinator of WASPAN, Mr. Chijioke Ezeh, told New Telegraph that efforts by the NCC to change the market for positive results would be welcomed, noting that extant VAS model has been in place since 2001 with periodic changes at various stages of the market expansion. He, however, warned that NCC should ensure that the new policy draft is not allowed to hinder competition, lead to loss of jobs and be against local content policy, breed collapse of Nigeria VAS companies, create unnecessary decimation of the digital industry, result in dearth of innovation, work against market evolution and constitute potential risk to national security. In the same vein, President, Association of Licensed Telecoms Operators of Nigeria (ALTON), Mr. Gbenga Adebayo said by phone that some provisions in the draft policy have implications for threat to new investments, market upheaval, impacts on job creation and economic growth, national security concerns and legal liability issues. Meanwhile, the Executive Vice Chairman of the NCC, Prof Umar Danbatta, has given assurance to the market that the purpose of developing the VAS policy was in demonstration of the Commission’s commitment to its auspicious Eight-Point Agenda unveiled early in the year to further develop the industry. He said the Commission had noted that, except it was determined to develop and encourage quality local content in Nigeria by rewarding content developers, who are the major players in the VAS segment of the industry, the NCC’s vision would be obstructed.

THURSDAY, july 7, 2016 NEW TELEGRAPH

OPS to CBN: Intervene in remittances’ saga PAUCITY Less than 20% of the operators in the economy have access to forex

Taiwo Hassan

he organised private sector (OPS) has urged the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to wade into the looming remittance issue in the country, which is running into billions of naira among investing companies that had earlier concluded business transactions at N197 per dollar. Following announcement of the newly-introduced flexible foreign ex-

change policy by the apex bank, investors who had concluded business transactions at N197 per dollar and awaiting remittance from abroad based on the former N197 official exchange rate are currently experiencing shock in their businesses, as the transactions are now to be finance at either N280 or N285 per dollar. D i re c t o r- G e n e r a l , LCCI, Muda Yusuf, in a chat with New Telegraph on the new forex regime, said that there was need for the apex bank to see how this shock can be mitigated. He said that CBN needs to give these companies good atmosphere to allow them renegotiate their debts with the banks and also longer time to repay their facility but based on concessionary interest rate.

“The flexible exchange rate will have a positive impact on the real sector of the economy and the larger economy for a number of reasons. It is likely to improve the liquidity in the foreign exchange market, which is one of the biggest issues we have had under the X,Y policy of fixed exchange rate because at that time it was very difficult to have access to foreign exchange. He however, said: “It has some challenges because every policy has its own cause. You know investors that had ongoing transactions that have immature obligations, which were waiting for remittance based on the N197 and were caught-off in the policy change, of course, are experiencing a very serious shock at the moment because

transactions that have been concluded at N197 are now to be finance at N280/ N285, so that is a major source of dislocation and shock for many of this enterprises. “My appeal to the CBN is to see how this shock can be mitigated not necessarily by giving any subsidise rate but by seeing how to refinance and restructure those facility can be put in place so that those companies that are affected can have a better room to renegotiate their debts with the banks and perhaps giving them longer time to repay and also giving them a concessionary interest rate that is important to mitigate the shock that those companies have experienced.” On the effect of the CBN rigid forex policy, the LCCI DG said that

the policy affected the nation’s economy severely as many manufacturers groaned under forex scarcity and this affected their businesses and production capacity. His words: “Less than 20 per cent of the operators in the economy were having access and even when they have access only 20 per cent or less of their demand were met at that time. So, that policy regime actually crippled the real sector and virtually the entire economy. It affected the confidence of investors and Nigerian people. But with the new policy, liquidity is likely to improve. Investors’ confidence is also likely to improve. It will be easier for businesses to be able to plan for the future and the uncertainty in the economy will now be much more reduced.

L-R: Chairman, Light Level Limited, Mr. Yemi Osilaja; Managing Director/CEO, Mr. Uwamai Igein and Managing Director /CEO, LSDPC, Mr. Jide Sanwoolu, at the official inuaguration of Light Level Business office in Lagos.

OPPORTUNITY The ceasefire with rebel forces had allowed the Nigerian government to repair the damaged oil pipelines

Adeola Yusuf

igeria exported 47.43 million barrels of crude oil in June, raising the oil revenues by the country and oil companies to $2.3billion. The crude export from the Africa’s biggest crude producer, which stood at a daily average export of 1.53 million barrels in June, was 90,000 barrels a day export increase from May. At an average crude price of $50 per barrel, the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporate (NNPC), which holds and control Nigeria’s stakes in production and International Oil Compa-

NNPC, IOCs net $2.4 bn as Nigeria’s crude exports hit 47.4m barrels nies (IOCs) raked in $2.3715 from a cumulative export of 47.43 million barrels from the country in June, according to Bloomberg. Meanwhile, oil prices retreated in Asia last Tuesday, with Brent easing below $50 on news of increased production from Nigeria following the repair of infrastructure damaged in militant attacks. Bloomberg News said last Tuesday Nigeria, Africa’s biggest oil producer, pumped an average 1.53 million barrels a day last month, Minister of state for petroleum resources, Dr. Emmanuel Kachikwu, had last month said that a ceasefire with rebel forces had allowed the Nigerian government to repair the damaged oil pipelines. The Twitter also confirmed that it had shut down the handle of the Niger Delta Avengers, a militant group that has claimed

responsibilities for series of attacks on oil installations. At around 0325 GMT on Tuesday, United States (US) benchmark West Texas Intermediate for August delivery was down 67 cents, or 1.37 per cent, to $48.32 and Brent crude for September eased 42 cents, or 0.84 per cent, to $49.68 a barrel. “Oil prices are pulling back on easing supply disruption concerns, as markets reacted to news that Nigerian production has increased last month,” IG Markets analyst Bernard Aw told AFP. “Nonetheless, oil prices remained relatively stable around the $50 mark. This will be welcomed by the oil sector.” Despite the increase in production, a recent resumption of attacks on Nigerian oil pipelines has underscored the volatility of the situation in the country.

Crude prices had edged up on Monday after Nigerian oil militant group Niger Delta Avengers on Sunday claimed five attacks on the country’s oil and gas infrastructure in a revival of their sabotage campaign after a recent lull. The Avengers are fighting in the Niger delta region for a bigger share of crude revenue and greater political autonomy. British bank Barclays said prices would also remain under pressure from the impact of Britain’s vote to leave the European Union, which is yet to fully unfold. “The dire warnings about the effect on global financial markets and risk appetite from a UK vote to leave the EU are yet to manifest themselves in commodity markets, which in general have performed robustly over the past week,” it said in a market analysis.

tions vities in ctor of the n the first year havedeviled hallenges. an reports

THURSDAY, JULY 7, 2016 NEW TELEGRAPH

Q2 2016

InDUSTRY

Mixed reactions trailed activities in the real sector of the economy in the first half of the year having been bedeviled by lots of challenges. Taiwo Hassan reports

he first half of the year can well be described as a turbulent year for manufacturers, private sector operators and Small and Medium scale Enterprises (SMEs) owners as they groan under harsh government policies and other economic challenges which affected their ca- Buhari pacity utilisation and production value chain. As a measure of relief, the introduction of the flexible foreign exchange and its guidelines approval by the Central Bank of Niger (CBN) towards the end of the half year, however, injected some confidence in the sector and the economy in general as the Organised Private Sector (OPS) commended the apex bank for instill- ects in order to stimulate growth ing sanity into the economy. and development in some key sectors of the economy. 2016 Budget impasse While speaking at the end of the a While presenting the 2016 two-day National Economic Council budget to the National Assembly, (NEC) retreat held at the PresidenPresident Muhammadu Buhari tial Villa, Abuja, the Minister of had acknowledged that the cur- Finance, Mrs Kemi Adeosun, disrent state of the nation’s economy closed that the Federal Government should be a source of concern to was keen at using the 2016 budget to many Nigerians. fast-track economic diversification. Specifically, the president highAdeosun said that efforts had lighted that one of the key sectors been put in place to ensure that the of the economy, the manufactur- spending on the capital projects ing sector, was the most affected trickled down to all Nigerians. However, the OPS disclosed that due to CBN policies and following the urgent need to salvage the the full disbursement of the funds economy from going into reces- would not only boost the country’s sion. infrastructure but also impact on However, the first drama was the nation’s real sector growth. thrown up at the NASS when the lawmakers announced to the Recession fears entire world that the 2016 budWithin the period, however, the get document was doctored and CBN Governor, Godwin Emefiele, Nigerians should not expect the revealed that the nation’s economy passage of the Appropriation bill would probably slip into recession soon. after a five-month delay in the naThis development led to vari- tion’s budget stalled economic stimous criticisms in many quarters ulus programmes. The news by the apex bank was especially among the private sector operators who saw the delay of received amidst fears among stakeholders in the nation’s manufacturthe budget as sabotage. The OPS said that the delay in ing sector, who felt that truly the the budget passage was sending country’s economy was heading wrong economic signals to the in- into recession because of the variternational community and would ous declines in the nation’s economfurther worsen the economic. ic indices. Expressing his concern then, For the manufacturing sector, the Chairman, Export Group and which is supposed to be the engine member of the Governing Council room of the nation’s economy, esof Lagos Chamber of Commerce pecially on industrialisation, the and Industry, LCCI, Dr. Obiora reverse has been the case since the Madu, disclosed that there was no sharp drop in oil prices began in time to waste on the part of gov- 2014. ernment because of the budget’s The country has been relying sensitivity to country’s economic heavily on oil exports to boost govdevelopment. ernment’s revenue, and production cuts due to attacks on oil facilities N350b capital injection by militants has come as an addiHowever, after much controver- tional headache for an economy that sies and criticisms, the lawmakers already suffers from a prolonged peeventually passed the budget into riod of low oil prices. law. Speaking at the end of the MonApparently, in order to jump- etary Policy Committee (MPC) start the country’s economy, the meeting in Abuja, the CBN goverFederal Government announced nor disclosed that with the current that it would inject N350 billion direction of the economy, recession into the economy for capital proj- was imminent in the country.

Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr. Okechuwu Enelamah

Infrastructure failure, others mar real sector “A recession, which we signaled in July 2015, now appears imminent,” Emefiele said, adding that “even after the delayed budgetary passage in May 2016, the initial monetary injection approved by the Federal Government may not impact the economy soon.”

CBN’s decision to replace the fixed forex regime with the flexible forex regime was a game changer

Job losses Also within the period, the country witnessed massive job losses following the harsh economic situation. Consequently, the OPS urged the Federal Government to fix the country’s economy and save the industrial sector from further declining. The private sector operators expressed worries over the rising job losses in the country’s industrial sector, which fuelled increase in the nation’s unemployment rate. Speaking with the New Telegraph on the rising job losses, the Chairman, Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI), Small and Medium scale Enterprise Group (SMEG), Jon Kachikwu, said private sector operators and SMEs owners had recorded about 57 per cent in job cuts. He noted: “At our group’s meeting in Lagos, we discovered that our members have reduced about 57 per cent in their workforce to be able to remain in business. So this 57 per cent in job cuts will further heighten unemployment rate in the country at long run.” Similarly, the President, Abuja Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ACCI), Tony Ejinkeonye, said that the current situation had remained worrisome to the OPS as it has been at the receiving end of the harsh economic situation. “If proper investigations should be carried out, the industrial sector would have lost close to N200 billion in the last one year as some businesses that could not continue with operation laid-off their workers which practically contributed to increase in unemployment rate to about 46 per cent, which is not healthy for the country’s economic growth.”

27 Fuel crisis It is also on record that the country witnessed another round of fuel scarcity and power blackout within the period and even up till this moment. The OPS attributed the fuel scarcity and epileptic power supply in the country to the inability of the administration to put in place functional economic policies in managing the country’s economy at a critical period. According to the OPS, the recent happenings have shown that the Federal Government had failed majority of Nigerians and the investing public in its inability to manage the country’s economy at a critical period. Specifically, the private sector operators believe that lack of economic direction and misplaced priorities in government’s economic agenda led to the fuel scarcity and epileptic power supply in the country. According to the DirectorGeneral, Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI), Muda Yusuf, the average spending by private sector operator on Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) otherwise known as petrol and Automotive Gas Oil (Diesel) on household and company’s generating set has gone up by 40 per cent in the country. He said that there were a lot of confusion and contradictions currently trailing the country’s downstream sector because of government’s failure to address the lacunas that have been hindering the sector’s performance for years. LCCI position One of the foremost voices in the country’s OPS, the LCCI, however, commended the decision of the CBN to adopt a flexible exchange rate regime. The Director-General, LCCI, said that the Chamber welcomed the decision of the apex bank to refrain from further tightening of monetary policy at this time the country’s economy was passing through challenges. He said that CBN’s move to replace the fixed forex regime with the flexible forex regime was a game changer that will bring succour and stabilise the naira exchange rate in the parallel market. “We welcome the decision of the CBN to refrain from further tightening of monetary policy at this time. The current context is that the economy has been declining. The Gross Domestic Product (GDP) has contracted for the first time in 12 years; unemployment is on the rise; manufacturing capacity utilisation has been weakening; and investor confidence has been at its lowest ebb. The decision not to tighten monetary policy is therefore appropriate,” he said. The DG noted that the chamber believed that this policy choice would offer some benefits to the economy. Conclusion No doubt, half-year activities in the manufacturing industry remain critical in deciding the direction which the remaining part of the year will go. Despite the perceived shocks, the OPS operators are, however, hopeful that the flexible forex regime will retune the economy for good.

business \ industry

CAPACITY BUILDING The Federal Government is fully committed to reviving the CTG sector and support all parts of its value chain

Stories: Taiwo Hassan

ey stakeholders in the manufacturing sector and operators have identified improved access to finance, capacity building and creation of a network of manufacturing hubs, constant electricity supply and other factors as enablers that will unlock the growth potential of Nigeria’s ailing Cotton, Textile and Garment (CTG) sector. These were their submission at the inaugural edition of the Africa Fashion Week Textile and Garment manufacturing conference in Lagos recently. In his welcome address, Chairman of the conference and President, Nigerian-British Chamber of Commerce (NBBC), Mr. Dapo Adelegan, said that the textile industry was the second largest industry in any industrialised nations of the economy. Adelegan, while speaking on the theme of the conference, ‘Making Nigeria the Fashion Hub of Africa’, noted that the future of the industry in Nigeria is bright. He urged participants to use the event as a platform to encourage investment in the CTG sector, which will ultimately boost the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP). Declaring the conference open, the Minister of State for Industry, Trade and Investment, Mrs. Aisha Abubakar, said the Federal Government is fully committed to reviving the CTG sector and will also support all parts of its value chain of which fashion is one. This process, she said, is in line with the core economic mandate of President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration to create jobs. The minister outlined some of the steps taken by the Federal Government in reviving the CTG sector. These include the creation of an enabling business environment, the repositioning of government agencies such as the Small and Medium Enterprise Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN) and

THURSDAY, JULY 7, 2016 NEW TELEGRAPH

Stakeholders chart way forward for textile industry

Bank of Industry (BOI), appropriation of funds to the CTG industry and resolution of the issue of multiple taxation. She said: “Government is creating an enabling environment by improving the ease of doing business for which a presidential committee driven by the private sector will be set up. SMEDAN industrial training fund and Bank of Industry are being repositioned to address the MSMES. “They are core to the implementation of the National

Enterprise Development Programme (NEDEP), which is aimed at generating about five million jobs. “Funds are being set aside to refinance the CTG sector and address legacy problems including power. Tax incentives and changes in regulations do affect employment. Proposals are being discussed on how the issue of multiple tax can be addressed,” Abubakar said. The minister also announced that the government will soon create Information and Com-

munications Technology (ICT) and garment production hubs and urged members of the fashion industry to take advantage of the project to develop the value chain of the sector. “Government is also looking into setting up ICT and garment production hubs which will offer opportunities across the value chain. I’d like to implore the fashion industry to look at these areas in the value chain, especially the currently underdeveloped and look for collaborative ways of moving

L-R: Financial Controller, Mr. Ayodeji Aboderin; MD/CEO, Mr. Nnamdi Okafor; Head, Corporate Planning & Development, Mr. Eugene Olewuenyi; Head, Internal Control & Compliance, Godwin Obiakor, and Executive Director, Pharma Manufacturing Operations, Mr. Ezekiel Ibidapo, all of May & Baker Nigeria Plc receiving the 2016 Nigeria Healthcare Excellence Award for Pharmaceutical Research & Development, in Lagos.

Insurance adds below 1% to nation’s GDP –LCCI T he Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) has said that the insurance sector’s contribution to the nation’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) is still less than one per cent in spite of the enormous activities in the sector by the insurance players. LCCI’s President, Chief Nike Akande, made this revelation at the inauguration of the LCCI Insurance Group in Lagos. She said that low penetration in the insurance industry is not commendable at all, as Nigeria is the largest economy in Sub-Sahara Africa.

Akande said that the role of the insurance sector in the growth and development of the economy cannot be over-emphasised, adding that all hands must be on deck to intensify aggressive development in the industry. She said the sector is supposed to represent the backbone of risk management systems in the nation’s economy, but it is alarming to note that less than one per cent of Nigerians have life insurance policy till date. The LCCI president revealed that there was a near zero-informal sector penetration in the industry,

adding that insurance density still stands at 0.225 per cent in the country. She added that the sector should “ensure financial security, serve as an important component in the financial intermediation chain and offer a ready source of long-term capital for public sector projects.” On the inauguration of the LCCI Insurance Sector Group, Akande said that the group was inaugurated to bring more industry penetrations into the economy. She added, “Given the challenges in Nigeria’s insurance sector, the decision of the Chamber to form this

SON impounds 500 expired tyres in Calabar

he Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) has seized 500 expired tyres and suspended the sale of 1,000 suspected substandard steel bars in Calabar, the Cross River capital. The State Coordinator of SON, Mr. Udeme Udom, disclosed this during a market surveillance carried out by the organisation in some building material shops in Calabar between May and June. In a statement, he said that the items were seized from the shop owners in order to pre-

this forward. This will bring in more people into the industry which has the potential to generate employment,” Abubakar stated. In his keynote address, the Lagos State Commissioner for Finance, Dr. Mustapha Akinkunmi, said the importation of foreign fabrics and clothing, which is as a result of Nigerians preference for foreign goods, is hampering the growth and development of the textile industry and the fashion value chain.

vent them from being sold to consumers. Udom explained that the sale of the steel bars was put on hold, pending the completion of laboratory test on the samples of the bars to determine their quality. “On June 16, men of SON embarked on market surveillance and in the process chained over 1,000 steel bars. Five shops were found to be selling iron bars not conforming standards. “These iron rods failed the diameter test conducted by us. Samples of 8mm, 10mm, 12mm

and 16mm iron rods were taken and all the products in the shops chained. “The clampdown of the suspected defective iron rods is temporary. We are waiting for the final result from SON laboratory as well as management decision on the defective products,’’ he said. The coordinator said that apart from tyres and iron rods, the organisation seized substandard automobile parts, consumable products and electrical appliances. Udom, who decried the in-

cessant rate of building collapse in the country, said that it was necessary to stop dealers from selling such materials. He added: “Expired tyres are responsible for some road crashes in the country. SON will ensure that this menace of selling expired tyres is checked.” Udom said that SON had organised several workshops for the dealers to enlighten them on the dangers of building collapse and the need to desist from selling substandard building materials.

group is timely. The group is expected to play a strategic role in advancing possibilities in the sector through market innovation, better technology, improved business strategies, micro-insurance/informal sector opportunities, increased awareness, investment, valuation creation and employment generation. “I implore you all to take advantage of this opportunity to promote the growth of the insurance sector and enhance the prosperity of your individual businesses.” In his goodwill message, the Chairman, Insurance Group, Gboyega Olabiwoninu, decried the low insurance penetration in the country, adding that it is alarming to see that out of the 160 million population in the country, only 800,000 people have life insurance policy, which represents 0.8 per cent. He said his group would look at ways to re-engineer insurance operations in the country by leveraging on key potential sectors of the economy such as agriculture, solid minerals and Small and Medium scale Enterprises (SMEs). In addition, he noted that the group would also take advantage of the Federal Government’s advocacy programme on compulsory vehicle licence.

THURSDAY, JULY 7, 2016 NEW TELEGRAPH

Nigeria’s $38 billion telecoms industry has recorded some high and low points in the first half of this year. KUNLE AZEEZ reports

Q2 2016

eWORLD

Telecoms’ high and low points cense InfraCos was borne out of its Open Access Model of creating operators that will further boost broadband infrastructure deployment in all the six geo-political zones of the country and Abuja.

igeria’s telecom industry in the first six months of this year has witnessed a mix of some outstanding performances, which present great prospects for further growth of the industry, and other developments adjudged to be low points for the industry. Such headline issues in the telecoms industry, which is currently valued at $38 billion, include the issue of MTN fine, the NCC’s eight-point agenda, operators’ apathy towards 2.6Ghz spectrum auction, declining subscriber base and data price war among operators. Other such issues that characterised the telecoms landscape in the first half of the year centered around the delay in licensing the remaining Infrastructure Companies (InfraCos), challenges of access to foreign exchange by telcos, compulsory compliance to code of corporate governance by telecoms players, policy draft on Value-Added Service segment of the market, among others. MTN sanction resolution Instructively, the N1.04 trillion fine imposed on MTN Nigeria for violating the country’s subscriber registration rules lingered from last year till this year. Though dotted with many intrigues and series of high-level negotiations between MTN’s management and Nigerian authorities, the issue was finally resolved. The fine was eventually slashed by the regulator to N330 billion on June 10, ending an eight-month of negotiations with the government on the issue that has kicked some MTN officials out of jobs. Meanwhile, MTN announced plan to spend $726.13 million (N143 billion) in upgrading its Nigeria network in the 2016 fiscal year and a plan to list on the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE), following the lifting of uncertainty surrounding the fine. NCC’s Eight-Point Agenda Perhaps, one of the elixirs to the nation’s telecoms sector was the unveiling of a strategic eightpoint agenda by the Executive Vice Chairman of the NCC, Prof. Umar Danbatta. The agenda, which has now become a roadmap for the industry for the next four years, include facilitating broadband penetration through provision and optimisation access to and use of affordable fixed and mobile broadband in Nigeria; improving quality of service; optimising usage and benefits of spectrum; and promoting ICT innovation and investment opportunities. Others include facilitating

Danbatta

Adebayo

strategic collaboration and partnership with relevant stakeholders; promoting and empowering consumers from unfair practices; promoting fair competition and inclusive growth; as well as ensuring regulatory excellence and operational efficiency. Unveiling the agenda in Lagos last February, Danbatta said the agenda was in line with the current administration’s change mantra “to promote innovation, investment, competition and consumer empowerment in and on top of communications platform of today and the future-maximising the power of Information and Communications Technology to grow or economy, create jobs and enhance national competitiveness.” Code of governance The first half of this year in the telecoms sector also witnessed a decision by the regulatory authority to give a final signal that the honey moon over the two years of voluntary compliance to the Corporate Governance Code for the industry is over. The Code comprises12 principles and was developed to protect the interest of investors and stakeholders in the industry, as well promote time-valued principles of accountability, responsibility, transparency, integrity and ethical conduct. Speaking at a forum for the review of the Code, which came into force in 2014, the NCC boss said, to curb anti-competitive practices and protect the $38 billion telecoms industry, compulsory compliance to the provisions of the Code would be applied henceforth.

The industry lost over four million subscribers, as subscriber base dropped from 152 million to 148 in the first two quarters of the year

VAS regulation Another milestone recorded in the industry in the last six months was the plan by the NCC, working with the stakeholders in the value added service (VAS) segment of the telecoms industry, to unleash the VAS segment of the industry, whose potential worth is put at N40 billion. Though, there were still some grey areas that needed to be looked into by the regulator in collaboration with stakeholders before the draft policy goes to implementation stage, analysts say by the time the policy is ready, it would spur innovation and unlock wealth in the economy. 2.6Ghz spectrum auction The auction of the 2.6 gigahertz (Ghz) spectrum by the NCC, as part of its strategy to increase broadband penetration from 10 per cent to 30 per cent in 2018, was greeted with apathy on the part of telecoms operators. In the auction, only MTN Nigeria bid for six slots of the available 14 slots in the spectrum band and had paid N18.96 billion for the slots licences. In the meantime, the Commission said it was looking into why other prospective investors and operators did not participate in the auction, as it also plans to relax the spectrum licensing conditions to encourage operators to forward for the remaining eight lots. The half-year assessment also showed that the industry witnessed a lull in the activities of the Commission with regards to the licensing of the remaining five InfraCos, as two licences, of the seven licences, had already been issued to MainOne for South-West and IHS for the NorthEast. According to NCC, the plan to li-

Declining subscribers, forex challenge Another low point of the industry in the first six months of the year was the decline in active mobile subscriptions, signaling a distress in the purchasing power of the consumers. The decline in active mobile subscriptions is made worse by the negative impact of MTN’s SIM deactivation directive from the industry umpire. Cumulatively, the industry lost over four million subscribers, as subscriber base dropped from 152 million to 148 during the period. Mobile Internet users also fell from 97 million to 93 million porting activities went down by almost 17 per cent monthly during the period. Clamour for the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to make access to foreign exchange (forex) available to telecoms companies ricocheted from different quarters during the period. Chairman, Association of Telecoms Operators of Nigeria (ALTON), Mr. Gbenga Adebayo particularly lamented that lack of forex access to telcos has been making it difficult for them to import equipment for network expansion. Price war, revenue losses With the rise in over-the-top (OTT) platforms such as WhatsApp, BBM, Viber, Facebook and so on and the attendant growth in inactive phone lines in the country, telcos were said to be losing an average of N70 billion monthly in voice revenue. The revenue loss, consequently, dragged the operators into igniting data price war, as they are currently crashing cost of their data offers in order to attract more Internet subscribers to their networks. Conclusion Though, the industry recorded some milestones in the first half of the year, dotted with other challenges, industry analysts say the regulator needed to accelerate measures on the enforcement of existing policies and develop more investor-friendly policies for the growth of the industry.

Trisat’s online platform drives school operations Kunle Azeez

risat Communications Limited, a software development company, has launched an online platform, Nortify.com.ng, to provide digital tools to simplify school management through a comprehensive management solution. The platform offers a complete suite of online-based school management system, which comprises of smart payment system, smart testing

system (CBT for Admission & Internal Exam), smart messaging system, students’ and data management systems as well as a digital tool to analyse students’ performance. Speaking on the solution, Chief Executive Officer, Trisat Communications Limited, Mr. Oseni Abiola, said the platform, which targets primary and secondary school owners, already boasts more than 10,000 student users in over 50 schools across Nigeria, driving efficiency in

their management through Nortify’s several digital tools. He said Nortify features smart admission system that facilitates admission process, making it easy, seamless and convenient as parents can register and enrol their kids from the comfort of their homes. “This is facilitated through a smart admission module that also has the capability to offer instant or selective admission by leveraging Nortify’s smart technology that utilises auto-

mated results to automatically shortlist successful candidates thereby saving school owners time and money, including the hassles that come with manual admission processes. “It also features a smart payment system, a finance module equipped with a smart fee collection device, enabling all transactions to be automatically reconciled and reported accurately.” The smart finance module is also integrated with a debt tracking feature.

business \ eWORLD

HOPE Despite current challenges and the not-so-buoyant state of the Nigerian economy, businesses owners express hope of huge potential growth for organisations

Stories: Kunle Azeez

takeholders in the Information and Communications Technology industry and other business owners in the nation’s economy have advocated the need for a much friendlier operating environment in order to boost investors’ confidence in the nation’s economy. They made the call during their presentations at the CEO’s Forum organised by foremost ICT distributors, Technology Distributions Ltd. (TD) in Lagos. The event, with the theme: ‘The Economy and You: A Multi-dimensional Appraisal’ had a rich panel of resource persons including the Chairman, Zinox Group, Mr. Leo Stan Ekeh; Chairman, Board of TD, Prof. Anya Anya; Head of Sales, Global Markets (Nigeria), Stanbic IBTC, Yomi Balogun and Mr. Punfa Emelonye, who represented the youthful population. In attendance were over 80 Chief Executive Officers and business owners in the ICT sector drawn from TD’s partner

THURSDAY, JULY 7, 2016 NEW TELEGRAPH

L-R: Chief Executive Officer, Association of Business Executives (ABE), United Kingdom, Mr. Gareth Robinson; Executive Secretary, National Universities Commission (NUC), Prof. Julius Okojie and Vice Chairman, WiniGroup, Mr. Tim Akano, during the signing of a business deal in Abuja.

ICT stakeholders advocate better business milieu base. Also participating were Country Managers/representatives of Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) and brands such as Hewlett Packard (HP Inc.), Microsoft, IBM, Dell, Lenovo, EMC, among many others as well as Executive Management staff of respective companies in the Zinox Group and Yudala. The participants at the event were, however, on accord that

despite the current challenges and the not-so-buoyant state of the Nigerian economy with its attendant effects on businesses, there is hope of huge potential growth for organisations that find creative ways to navigate the prevailing head-winds in a much friendly environment. Speaking at the forum on “The Economy and You: Tales of the unexpected”, Prof. Anya noted that one of the challenges

being faced at the moment was how to restore confidence in the system, noting that this requires a multi-pronged approach. Urging the participants to leverage on an understanding of the particular business environment they operate in, Prof. Anya harped on the importance of liquidity management as a vital tool for business sustenance in these trying times. He said: “It is obvious that one

Nigeria, UAE collaborate on Investment Forum at Gitex

he National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) will be co-managing the Africa Investment Forum (AIF) with the Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC) as part of major conference highlights around the major themes of this year’s Gulf Information Technology Exhibition (Gitex) Show scheduled to hold in Dubai 17th October 2016. The Africa Investment Forum will focus on technology investments and how the continent could leverage on increasing value to GDP of ICT in most developing economies. Speakers across different verticals will be speaking on ICT diffusion across different sectors that include education, cybersecurity, startups, retail, energy, healthcare, and finance. More than 20 African countries are expected to participate and provide groundwork for driving further investments in the ICT sector of the participating countries. Announcing the new development, the acting DirectorGeneral of NITDA, Dr. Vincent Olatunji, said: “It is with great pleasure, we announce comanaging ‘Africa Investment Forum’ on 17th October 2016 in Dubai, UAE. The Africa Investment Forum will be strategically located in Dubai World Trade Centre during the second day of Gitex Technology Week.” Stressing that the ICT sector is no longer marginal in Nigeria and many African countries,

Olatunji said: “Investment in ICT has in the last decade become profound in both social and economic terms. In the context of the ‘information economy,’ Africa has gained significantly as ICT virtually drives a huge portion of national economies.” According to him, “The Africa Investment Forum will be bringing together major economic and technology influencers from across the continent; business leaders and political decision makers to help put in achievable context,

what’s next for the continent in terms of more investments for ICT sector. In Nigeria, this sector is already deemed the most viable non-oil sector and the Nigerian government is further energizing this sector to bring more benefits.” GITEX Technology Week is the fastest growing Information and Communications Technology (ICT) show in the world this year and the largest, most specialised digital event across Middle East, Africa, and South-East Asia. Gitex Tech Week this year

will focus even more attention on entrepreneurship and immersive tech theme of ‘Reimagining Realities’, which will be featuring Gitex Startup programme – the most global startup movement with startups from over 35 countries. NITDA is facilitating Nigeria’s participation at the Gitex Startup Movement. About 16 startups from the country will join over 400 startups and more than 1,000 entrepreneurs, investors and mentors from the global startup ecosystem.

NCS confab to tackle national security, others

he 26th annual national conference of the Nigeria Computer Society (NCS) will focus on how government should deploy Information Technology (IT) to address national insecurity and safety issues in the country. Speaking at press conference in Lagos, to unveil the preparation for the Society’s conference, President of NCS, Prof. Adesola Aderounmu, said IT offers huge potential as a catalyst to improve the security of the country. On NCS’s preparations towards successful hosting of the event from Tuesday 19th to Thursday 21st this month, Aderounmu said the conference with the theme: “Information Technology

for National Safety and Security,” will be attended by high profile dignitaries from government, private and educational sectors, as well as from the international and global IT environment. Already, he said the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) Babachir David Lawal, is guest of honour while Minister of Communications, Mr. Adebayo Shittu has been confirmed as the keynote speaker. “The Defence Headquarters, Director General of Nigeria Communication satellite Limited (NIGCOMSAT); Director General, National Identity Management Commission (NIMC); Executive Vice Chairman, Nigerian Communications

Commission (NCC); Director General, Galaxy Backbone; Acting Director General, National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), amongst many others in the public and private sectors have all confirmed their participation,” he said. Elaborating on the theme of the confab, Aderounmu said: “Security is one of the most critical issues in Nigeria. In the 21st century, nations invest in Information Technology as the key enabler for National Security. NCS has always advocated that the usage of IT in Security needs to be improved through more widespread adoption of IT professionalism in the private and public sectors.”

of the challenges to the economy is how to restore confidence in the system. Trust and confidence is the fundamental basis of all business transactions. We need to restore the confidence of business to invest in growth and innovation while the people will have their confidence restored to spend on their needs. “What needs to be done has to be at two levels. There is the need at the social level to project a new message of inclusiveness in the effort to rebuild the economy and the nation. The projection will have to come from all levels but most importantly at the highest level of governance.”

Oracle improves tech efficiency

lobal Information Technology Company, Oracle, has announced major new additions to the scalable processor architecture (SPARC) platform that, for the first time, bring the advanced security, efficiency and simplicity of SPARC to the cloud. Built on the new SPARC S7 microprocessor, the latest additions to the SPARC platform include new cloud services, engineered systems and servers. While the business benefits of the public cloud are increasingly clear, Oracle said many organisations have yet to move enterprise workloads to the cloud due to performance, security and management concerns. The IT giant said to help eliminate those concerns and enable organisations to confidently move enterprise workloads to the cloud, the new SPARC platform is designed from the ground up to economically improve on cloud computing delivery of the most critical business applications and scale-out application environments. Commenting, Executive Vice President, Systems, Oracle, Mr. John Fowler, said: “We are still in the early phases of cloud computing adoption and as the market matures, organisations will increasingly move critical enterprise workloads to the cloud.” He said, “To enable our customers to take advantage of this next stage of cloud computing to speed innovation, reduce costs and drive business growth.”

THURSday, JULY 7, 2016 NEW TELEGRAPH

Interview 'Mental health problems have risen by 60%'

Health

Healthy Living Smoking, lung disease increase risk of uterine, pelvic organ prolapse

33 34

Eleazar Nwanti

n a daily basis, some patients and people who bring them to hospitals recount their ordeal to secure bed spaces in the hands of health care workers. The issue of bed scarcity in the nation’s hospitals has overtime cost some people their lives especially in emergency units of hospitals. Patients and those rushing them to hospitals are not ignorant of the fact that immediate hospitalisation of emergency cases helps to save lives. To this end, relations of patients that do not get bed spaces resort to influencing some staff of the hospitals to get bed space immediately on arrival at the hospital. A man who identified himself simply as Mr. Precious said he applied unusual means before he could get a bed space for his sick brother at the Medical Emergency Unit at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH), Ikeja recently. He expressed shock at the manner in which patients who were rushed to the emergency unit were left unattended to for several hours because there was no bed space. "When we came here there were too many emergency cases waiting to be attended to and I was told that there were no bed spaces in the emergency unit. Fortunately for me, a woman who helped me bring my brother to the hospital spoke to one of the hospital staff and we lobbied our way through. We were immediately given a bed space even before people who were there before us," he said. Precious said they had to do something fast to get a bed space for his sick brother because a woman who was brought to the emergency ward died in the car while she was waiting to be admitted. She could not be admitted immediately she was brought to the hospital because there was no bed space. "I became afraid when I saw that a woman that was rushed to the emergency unit died right inside the car that conveyed her to the facility, while waiting for her relations to secure a bed space,” he said, adding, “I had to do something different to get a bed space fast for my sick brother."

Patients recieving treatment on the floor due to lack of adequate bed space

Prompt responses as live savers

man to the emergency unit and advised that the patient be taken to another hospital because there was no bed space in the emergency unit to accommodate him. The effectiveness of emergency units in the hospitals has a lot to offer the general public and prompt response to emergency cases to a large extent saves lives. It would be recalled that frontline politician and former Governor of old Kano State, Alhaji Abubakar Rimi, allegedly died after delay in getting emergency care. Rimi, his brother, Alhaji Sule Sa’a and his security aide, Sani Mainasara during a journey from Bauchi to Kano, ran into a local terror group called ‘Kwanta-Kwanta at Gadon Janna, a village about 70 kilometres from Kano. They were disposed of their valuables includNot long ago, a medical doctor ing bags and some telephones. attached to the emergency unit of Although, Rimi was not harmed Alimosho General Hospital, Igando, during the attack, minutes after declined admitting an unconscious they drove off from the scene of the attack, he started gasping intermittently for breath His driver, Alhaji Haruna Adullahi, in April 2010, said Rimi was first driven to his private doctor at Classic Hospitals in Nassarawa Quarters, Kano. On arrival, the doctor discovered that Rimi’s health condition was critical and promptly refered Appolonia Adeyemi him to Aminu Kano Teaching HoHealth Editor sipital (AKTH), Kano. appolonia.adeyemi@newtelegraphonline.com According to the driver, Rimi could probably have survived if © Daily Telegraph Publishing officials of the AKTH had not deCompany Limited layed in providing him with emer-

Adewole

When we have emergency cases, the facility must be able to take them and respond promptly

PHOTO: guardian.ng Idris

gency care. At the hospital, Abdullahi said Rimi who was gasping for breath was borne by hand into the emergency ward of the hospital after 15 minutes of waiting. He said: “We spent more than 15 minutes without being provided with a wheelchair to move him into the emergency ward.” Wiping off tears intermittently, the driver lamented that Rimi who was also a former minister of communications, gave up the ghost three minutes after he was taken into the emergency ward of the hospital. However, highlighting the importance of getting prompt care in emergency situation during his first working visit to the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), Idiaraba, Lagos in February, 2016, the Minister of Health, Prof. Isaac Adewole, expressed dissatisfaction over congestion in the Emergency unit of the hospital.

PHOTO: theeagleonline.com.ng

He said: “We believe that the Accident and Emergency Unit is the face of the hospital and no one will give you credit if you fail to respond to emergencies on time. What I saw this morning was congestion. “When the Accident and Emergency room is congested that facility cannot absorb new cases, if you have a casualty. We don’t pray for it, but when we do emergency cases, the facility must be able to take them and respond promptly, but what I saw this morning reminded me of a situation whereby if I have accident LUTH, will not be able to respond,” he added. In a bid to reduce the scarcity of bed space in emergency units in the hospitals, health minister gave some directives that could help make bed spaces available in the emergency units. He advised that LUTH should operate a system that would lead to evacuation within 24 hours, in other words, once you give first treatment, CONT INU E D ON PAGE 32

Health\News

THURSday, JULY 7, 2016 NEW TELEGRAPH

Infertility: When ‘doctors’ interchange IUI for IVF With the number of Nigerians who need fertility services rising, some doctors engaging in sharp practices now sell Intrauterine Insemination (IUI) service as Invitro Fertilisation (IVF) to unsuspecting public, reports APPOLONIA ADEYEMI

he high prevalence of infertility globally is taking its toll on some Nigerians as some couples affected by this problem now fall victims to some medical doctors allegedly engaging in sharp practices. Going by the huge cost of procuring InVitro Fertilisation (IVF), some unscrupulous doctors claiming to be ‘fertility’ experts now take advantage of the low knowledge of the public to sell to them the far cheaper Intrauterine insemination (IUI) as IVF. A top fertility expert, Dr. Abayomi Ajayi, who is a consultant obstetrics and gynaecologist raised the alarm in Lagos recently, while calling on people with fertility challenge to upgrade their knowledge on the value of available fertility services so as to avoid falling victims to dubious care personnel. While addressing journalists in Lagos recently, Ajayi who is the managing director of Nordica Fertility Centre in Victoria Island, Lagos lamented that sometimes, people did not really know the difference between IVF and IUI. Hence, they tend to use them interchangeably and that is why some care personnel now offer the IUI service for some of their patients while claiming that they had provided an IVF service. IVF is the process of fertilisation by manually combining an egg and sperm in a laboratory dish, and then transferring the embryo to the uterus. Similarly, the IUI is a fertility

treatment that involves placing sperm inside a woman's uterus to facilitate fertilisation. The goal of IUI is to increase the number of sperms that reach the fallopian tubes and subsequently increase the chance of fertilisation. One in every four couples in developing countries had been found to be affected by infertility. With most couples in Nigeria seeking IVF service paying between N800,000 and over N1 million for this procedure, it is a far more expensive fertility treatment than IUI. According to Ajayi, the IVF and IUI are cousins but not interchangeable. “They all belong to the group we call Assisted Reproductive Technique (ART) or technology, but the most basic form of that family or the least developed is the IUI which any doctor could do. “You do not need any particular equipment to do that except to prepare sperm because we know that when semen comes, there is sperm and there is seminal fluid. What you just need to do is to be able to separate the two and concentrate on the sperm and that’s all you need for IUI and you are able to introduce it back into the woman.” According to Ajayi, “For a woman to be able to do IUI, her fallopian tubes must be open and the sperm count of her male partner must be good.” However, the consultant obstetric and gynaecologist lamented that the most common problems

Muscle tissue burns calories than fat

uscle tissue is three times more efficient at burning calories than fat.This is why possessing more muscle should be a training goal for most people. More muscle = more calories burned = less fat = being more fit looking.

IVF raises hope of achieving conception among infertile couples, its affordability is a problem. PHOTO: www.eatingdisorderhope.com

facing infertile couples in the country were those two problems - blocked fallopian tubes and poor sperm quality. Although, the IUI has very limited use in this environment, there were some people who would benefit from it, Ajayi said, adding that those accessing the treatment should ensure that their fallopian tubes were not blocked, the quality of the sperm and the tools to be used were fine as well. Speaking further, he said: “For you to do IVF you have to bring out the eggs, the sperm and make the two of them come together and thereafter, have an embryo before you can transfer it back to the female patient. “For you to do this, of course you have to start with the use of drugs which makes the woman to be able to produce eggs. This can bring out the eggs before you can transfer back the embryo into the woman.

“That is why it is called IVF and it involves embryo transfer. But now because some affected Nigerians were not patient to procure the right fertility service especially now that it is so hard to raise money, some people seeking fertility services allow themselves to be deceived by some charlatans in the medical profession.” While these victims would claim that they had procured IVF treatment, Ajayi said what was done for them was IUI. “These can never give them the result they want,” he added. While regulation may be low presently in tracking these impostors involved in these shady deals, the managing director of Nordica Fertility Centre, urged those seeking these services to beware and educate themselves. “Let the buyers shine their eyes; once you know what you are buying, then you are not going to waste your money.”

Onions reduce risk of Parkinson's, cardiovascular diseases (2) Oluwatosin Omoniyi

nion is found in every kitchen, but its curative powers make it an important medicinal plant too. Like garlic, it is a member of the lily family. Studies have shown that they may help reduce the risk of Parkinson's disease, cardiovascular disease and stroke, according

to Victoria Jarzabkowski, a nutritionist with the Fitness Institute of Texas at the University of Texas at Austin in the United States (U.S). Cancer Quercetin may be a powerful anti-cancer agent, according to Jarzabkowski. The University of Maryland Medical Center said that quercetin may especially inhibit cancer cells in "breast, colon,

prostate, ovarian, endometrial, and lung tumours." The National Onion Association said a recent study from the Netherlands showed that people who ate onions absorbed twice as much quercetin as those who drank tea, and more than three times as much quercetin as those who ate apples, which are other high quercetin sources. Red onions are espe-

cially high in quercetin, according to the association. Shallots and yellow onions are also good options. White onions contain the least amount of quercetin and other antioxidants. Digestion The fiber in onions promotes good digestion. Additionally, onions contain a special type of soluble fiber called oligofructose,

which promotes good bacteria growth in the intestines. One 2005 study in ‘Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology’ found that oligofructose may help prevent and treat types of diarrhoea. The phytochemicals in onions that scavenge free radicals may also reduce the risk of developing gastric ulcers, according to the National Onion Association.

Prompt responses save lives CONTINUED FROM PAGE 31

move them out of the ward or discharge them if they are stable in order to create spaces for new cases that we do not pray for but could happen, he said. Commissioner for Health Lagos State, Dr. Jide Idris attributed lack of bed space sometimes experienced at LASUTH to the influx of patients from other states and cases that would have been handled at the primary health care level but prefer coming to LASUTH.

He said: “A lot of people who go to that facility (LASUTH) should not be there, because there are cases facilities should handle at the PHC level and at the secondary health care level (general hospitals), but our patients again would want to go to next system without a proper referral system. About 30 per cent of patients who access care in LASUTH come from Ogun State and from outside Lagos State. A Consultant Paediatric Physician, Dr. Jerome Elu-

siyan said although, there was enough bed space to accommodate patients at the Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospital (OAUTH), Ile-Ife, Osun State, occasionally, patients that were transferred to the wards but could not pay the charges remained in the Emergency Unit. According to him, affecting such transfer to the wards would create spaces for new patients. However, he said financial empowerment of patients could help to salvage

this problem. Similarly, Elusiyan said expanding services for the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) would check patients paying out-of-pocket for care services. “Patients who are on NHIS will just present their cards and they will be transferred to the wards,” he added. On his part, Dr. Iheukwumere Nwaiwu, a medical officer with the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Bayelsa State, told the ‘New Telegraph

HEALTH’ that the challenges of inadequate bed spaces in public hospitals would make patients lose confidence and trust in the healthcare system. Also, they would resort to self-medications and other debilitating options that worsen their medical conditions. Similarly, he said it could increase patients’ failure to seek medical attention even on out-patient basis and raise their rate to abandon treatment, among others.

Humans taller in the morning When you crawl out of the sack in the morning you are at your tallest. On average, you are approximately one half inch taller when you wake in the morning, thanks to excess fluid between within your spinal discs. While you are sleeping, these fluids replenish. During the day your body has to deal with the stress of standing, so the discs become compressed and the fluid seeps out. This results in you losing a small amount of extra height. Bones strong as granite Human bone is as strong as granite, relative to supporting resistance. Would you believe a matchbox-size chunk of bone can support 18,000 pounds? Compared to concrete, human bone is four times greater in support strength. How muscles fuse into bones There are more than 600 individual skeletal muscles and 206 bones in your body. If all 600+ muscles contracted and pulled in the same direction, you could lift over twenty tons of resistance. Additionally, the adult skeleton is composed of 206 bones, but at birth an infant skeleton contains approximately 350 bones. Over time, some of the 350 bones fuse together and eventually grow to the 206 adult figure. Number of heartbeat in a man’s life You need to consume a quart of water each day for four months to equate to the amount of blood your heart pumps in one hour. A quart consists of two pints, and each pint is two cups. Additionally, over a lifetime, at your normal (resting) heart rate you will have pumped enough blood to fill thirteen oil super tankers. To further expound on this fact, on average, your heart beats 40,000,000 times per year. Doing the math, over your lifetime (both men and women averaged), that results in 2,600,000,000 heartbeats (two billion, six hundred million).

Health\INTERVIEW

THURSday, JULY 7, 2016 NEW TELEGRAPH

'Mental health problems have risen by 60%' Dr. Grace Ijarogbe is a consultant psychiatrist. In this interview with APPOLONIA ADEYEMI, she highlights measures to achieve good mental health to aid development in children How to start It can be done by educating people on child mental health; there must be active planning from the point that the woman conceives, but it is known that a lot of people in our environment just get pregnant without knowing. There must be active planning; people should stop using drugs that they don’t know where it is made. Stop taking drugs and caffeine. Give the body good nutrition and prepare the body to carry pregnancy. During pregnancy, if the mother does not take folic acid then the child’s brain may not develop well and that means that the template has been laid up for problems in the future for that child. During pregnancy, if the mother is ill for any reason, or if she sees any spot of blood she must go to the hospital to ensure that the child is not threatened or aborted. She must also ensure that the child’s blood supply is not compromised. Impact/abuse of drugs If a pregnant woman has a fever she must go to the hospital and get herself treated urgently. It is not something that she can just go and buy any drug overthe-counter or just continue to be sick at home because every sickness in her body is dangerous to the baby. Sometimes, it is not that the child would die; the child would survive but at what consequence? However, if the child survives with damaged brain, what joy does that child bring to the family at the end of the day? So, preventing child mental health is very important. Mental health problems is on the rise In the last five years, we have seen 40 to 60 per cent increase in mental health problems, depending on what the case is in both adults and in children. Planning delivery The pregnant woman must know where she would be delivered of the baby four months before the delivery. That is not the time to pack bags and start travelling to a far distance. If she is far from the hospital she has to relocate to a place that is closer so that when labour comes she would have adequate care for the delivery. If not she would have complications. What will happen in the hospital is that if she is to deliver the baby through cesarean operation they will know on time so that the baby would be delivered before its brain is damaged.

So to prevent this, everything has to be set in place rather than keeping money for the ‘Owambe’ (celebration) after the baby is delivered. It is important to keep money for the safety of the baby first instead of buying yam tubers and clothes for the naming ceremony. It is better to keep money in case of emergency care; there will be money for adequate medical care. Using immunisation to achieve a healthy baby It is better to name your baby in the hospital and carry a healthy baby home than having a baby who cannot speak or do well. So, we can do everything to prevent it even after the baby has been delivered care has not ended; we have to ensure that the baby has all the complement of immunisations. It is suggested that mothers should access recommended immunisation, not every one that says come and immunise here; come and immunise there, that mothers should respond to. Mothers should go to a certified place and get the baby immunised and as the child is growing, the child is ill or has any problem, let him /her be treated. If it is malaria, get the child properly treated. Let the child have a wholesome life; let him have good nutrition and the child would continue to grow until the child is ten years.

It is suggested that mothers should access recommended immunisations

to do everything possible to make sure that the child is protected. If there is food that they say is contaminated or poisonous, like a time they said cassava, yam flour and chicken were poisonous, you have to make sure that you prevent your child from eating it. We should tell our children not to eat food like crunches; we have to give them information that will equip them at every point in time so that they are not destroyed. Jobs raising health risk in children There are certain jobs that your children should not come near. There are certain things called led. In the mining industry, they send children into mine fields because they are small enough to enter into the holes but those things have chemicals that can damage the brain. Part of the impact of that in children is that the child may be shaking and may not be controlled or the child may not think well in school. He may be convulsing

Nourishing children’ brain aids development You have to feed that brain because every kind of starvation the child goes through will limit the capacity of the brain. It limits the capacity of the brain in the sense that if this is a brain that should be flying rocket in America it would be riding bicycle in Nigeria. I don’t mean people who ride bicycles don’t have a good brain. I mean if it is a brain that should have been able to fly a rocket he would not be able to do that. The child should be well nourished at all times. Keep children away from danger Children fall all the time and a lot of parents take it that children must fall but sometimes you meet children who fall dangerously and when a child falls dangerously and injures the head, the brain damages, then the child would not be able to perform everything that he needs to perform as a child while growing and the child may become a problem or a burden to the family. Such a child could become disabled because now the child cannot walk, talk or do other things. So it is very painful when a child’s brain is damaged so to speak. Sickness can damage the brain of a child. Hence, mothers must treat every fever in children. Falls can also cause it, so if you buy a bicycle for your child, buy a crash helmet because that is the purpose of crash helmet. When the child falls, the head is protected. If you have to travel with your child on a bike, make sure that your child also wears a helmet so that the child is protected. Remember that we are talking about prevention; you have

because of exposure to some of this chemicals that they use in mining and dying. So, we should try as much as possible to ensure that our children are not exposed to things that are dangerous. There are things we don’t understand whether they are safe or not. It is better to err on the side of safety and keep the child away from those things. Role of government The government can help because a lot of things need to be in the community to help the child to survive. Good jobs should be provided for the parents so that they can feed the children; good schools should also be provided for the children. We should make our neighbourhood and environment safe. There is so much crime now, kidnapping, bombing and all that. People are so afraid where their children will end up. So, the three tiers of government should make the community safe so that children can go out safely and come back safely. Many centres for internally displaced persons (IDPs) are filled with children. Some of them have lost their parents and loved ones; you can imagine the kind of emotional trauma they are going through. These are the things that can make children feeble and tender – it makes their minds break down, and they may start misbehaving. In every way that the government can assist in this kind of things; it should be done. Improving care services in hospital facilities Our health care services in hospitals should be improved. Maternal services, in terms of the objectives and the care for pregnant women should be taken to the grass root. Such services should not be available only in cities. Government should take services to the grass root so that women that want to deliver their children will have access to specialised care through trained birth attendants who will make sure that the delivery of the child is safe and that the care of the child is safe. We need to take health care to the grass root because that is where many women are. If we are taking care of just 10 per cent of the women in the city, what about the 80 per cent that are living in the communal areas, riverine areas and other such places. Health conditions must reach far and wide so that more children can be saved from mental health problems.

Ijarogbe

Are there places pregnant women should not work? Yes, like this mining industry that I talked about. A pregnant woman should not go into minefields because the body absorbs those metals and it goes into the woman’s bloodstream. She should also watch what she eats; even some of these bleaching creams and agents such as mercury enter the bloodstream. The baby takes what is in its mother’s bloodstream too. Mercury can seriously damage the brain of a an unborn child.

Health\News

THURSday, JULY 7, 2016 NEW TELEGRAPH

Smoking, lung disease increase risk of uterine, pelvic organ prolapse

Healthy Living

Ihuoma Uko-Ndukwe ada.ndukwe@yahoo.com

D L-R: Product Manager, OTC, Mr. Femi Ajala; Astymin School Programme Coordinator, Mrs. Yetunde Adesola; Marketing Manager, Fidson Healthcare Plc, Mr. Friday Enaholo and Corporate Services Manager, Fidson Healthcare Plc, Oladimeji Oduyebo, during the launching of the 2016 edition of Astymin Brilliance Reward (ABR) at the Fidson's corporate head office in Lagos, recently

Cochlear implants tackles hearing impairment Oreoluwa Aboderin

earing loss is a big handicap that secludes an affected individual from the society. To ensure that some Lagosians with hearing impairment get succour, the Lagos State Governor, Akinwunmi Ambode sponsored the implantation of cochlear implants for 10 people at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH) recently. The procedure cost the government the sum of #70 million. A cochlear implant is an electronic medical device that replaces the function

of damaged parts of the inner ear (cochlea) to provide sound signals to the brain while hearing aids only makes sounds clearer. LASUTH collaborated with the Cochlear Foundation in Germany in 2014 to carry out the first cochlear implantation in the country which was initiated by the state government to improve the quality of lives of people with hearing impairment. Ambode, who was represented at the implantation programme by the Chief Medical Director LASUTH, Prof. Adewale Oke said that the Lagos State Government was

committed to taking as many patients as possible out of the deaf community. "So far in LASUTH, we have done 16 cases of cochlear implants of which six was sponsored by the affected victims, while the state government sponsored 10 residents. Out of these beneficiaries, four were adults while six are children, five males and five females, Ambode said." The beneficiaries have been successfully re-integrated back into the society and it is a thing of joy that our own grown experts carried out these surgeries successfully in LASUTH, said the governor.

efined as the descent of one of more pelvic structures (bladder, uterus, vagina) from the normal location forward through the vagina opening, uterine prolapse/pelvic organ prolapse may affect women of all ages. It is however seen more in older women that have had multiple births when the muscles that normally support the vagina in the face of increased intra-abdominal pressure weakens and losses tone allowing pelvic organs to be prolapsed.

Also, pregnancy and the weight of babies like those weighing over 8LBS, are risk factors. A total hysterectomy removes the whole uterus and cervix. In a radical hysterectomy, a surgeon removes the whole uterus, tissue on the sides of the uterus, the cervix, and the top part of the vagina. Radical hysterectomy is generally only done when cancer is present. Furthermore, excessive standing, lifting, coughing and physical exertion which may increase patient awareness Pelvic organ Signs and symptoms of discomfort in the pelPersistent pelvic pressure vic and vaginal discharge prolapse may provoked by straining, spotting may be present in complete progress in or bleeding through vagina, uterine prolapse. and uterine prolapsed with Pelvic organ prolapse increasing provocative maneuvers like may progress in increasing weight gain standing and pushing down weight gain but does not reverse with weight loss. during bowel movement. Women may have difficulty urinating or Risk factors defecating; some women may not have Some of the risk factors are decreased any symptoms. support of the pelvic organs seen in There are different stages, from stage women with multiple births especially one - pressing on the vaginal area to vaginal deliveries, prolonged labour and stage three where the entire uterus is instrument-aided deliveries and with outside the vagina. episiotomy. Treatment: It is recommended that Advanced age as in menopause and affected persons should treat constipaprior hysterectomy, increased intra-ab- tion so the fellow does not strain with dominal pressures like overweight, con- defecation, work to lose weight in obese stipation, heavy lifting, swollen stomach women to avoid progression and engage seen in liver failure long-term coughing in Kegal exercises for pelvic floor traincaused by smoking and long-term lung ing. Kegal exercise is the systematic disease could expose an individual to de- contraction of the muscles of the pelvelop the conditions. vic floor.

Sweet potato: The super food I Nature like to describe sweet potatoes as the underrated super food in Nigeria and Africa. I spend a lot of my time giving dietary instructions and recommendations to sick people. The prevalence of cancer in our society is especially alarming and sad. Even more unfortunate is the uncaring attitude of our government to this menace of cancer. As I keep telling all those who care to listen, each of us need to take charge of our health care and look after our health. Money is not the most important factor in staying healthy. The most important factor is knowledge. I mean health knowledge, not just health information. For example, many people know that smoking is bad for their health, but that does not stop them from smoking. A medical doctor may know that excessive drinking of alcohol is bad for health, yet that may not stop him from drinking. Such a doctor can be said to be rich in health information, but poor in health knowledge. The reason why people eat poor diet is not always because they lack money. Rather, it is because they lack knowledge. Rich people often spend their money to buy food that will kill them! In fact, nature is so kind that the most nourishing and health sustaining foods are cheap and easy to grow. One of them is the sweet potato, which is the subject of our discussion today. Sweet potato is one of the

Power

Anselm Adodo

naturepower@paxherbals.net twitter: @anselmadodo

high calorie starch foods. It contains no saturated fats or cholesterol, and is rich source of dietary fibre, anti-oxidants, vitamins, and minerals than Irish potatoes. Sweet potato’s calorie content mainly comes from starch, a complex carbohydrate. This is a very vital information for diabetics. I have heard many diabetic patients say that they do not eat sweet potato because it is sweet and may raise their sugar levels. Nothing could be further from the truth. S weet potato has higher amylose to the amylopectin ratio than that in Irish or white potatoes. Amylose raises the blood sugar levels rather slowly on comparison to simple fruit sugars (fructose, glucose etc.) and therefore, it is recommended as a healthy food item even in diabetes.

As a nutrition expert, I have recommended sweet potato for thousands of diabetic patients with positive results. Sweet potatoes do not cause blood sugar spikes. Sweet potatoes are naturally sweet-tasting but their natural sugars are slowly released into the bloodstream, helping to ensure a balanced and regular source of energy, without the

Sweet potatoes do not cause blood sugar spikes Sweet potato

blood sugar spikes linked to fatigue and weight gain. Sweet potato is an excellent source of flavonoid phenolic compounds such as beta-carotene and Vitamin-A. 100 g tuber provides 14,187 IU of vitamin A and 8,509 µg of ß-carotene, a value which is the highest for any root-vegetables categories. These compounds are powerful natural antioxidants. Vitamin A is also required for the human body to maintain integrity of mucus membranes and skin. It is a vital nutrient for healthy vision. Consumption of natural vegetables and fruits rich in flavonoids helps protect from lung and oral cavity cancers.

High triglyceride raises women's fracture risk

omen around the age of menopause with elevated blood fats known as triglycerides may also have elevated risk of breaking a bone. This is the findings of a study published in the ‘Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism’. To this end, the study suggested that women entering the midlife should take action to lower elevated triglycerides. The study doesn't prove that high triglycerides cause fractures, it "supports this possibility," said senior study author, Dr. Jennifer Lee, a researcher at Stanford University and Palo Alto Veterans Affairs Medical Center in California. Triglycerides are a type of fat found in human blood. The body uses them for energy. Human beings need some triglycerides for good health, but high triglycerides might raise the risk of heart disease and may be a sign of metabolic syndrome. A report in the newsmaxhealth, stated that researchers followed more than 2,000 premenopausal women with no history of bone fractures for nearly 15 years.

THURSday, JULY 7, 2016 NEW TELEGRAPH

Parenting

Mom&Parenting

Tricks in getting your toddler to listen

Mom's Alert Cycle of domestic violence: balancing the issues

34 34

With Sicillian grandma photo:www.popsugarphotography

being a nanny that this type of sacrificial love comes naturally to me, and I'm so grateful for that.

Grandma with grandchildren

photo: www.grandparents.about.com

Parenting advice from my grandmother

y "nonna" â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Italian for grandmother didn't go to school past the fifth grade, but she's the smartest woman I know. She's beautiful inside and out, she shows her emotions without fear, she laughs at herself, and she's not afraid to tell it like it is. I am proud to say that I have turned out quite a bit like her, we Sicilian women are tough as nails when we need to be especially in the sense that I will do anything for the people that I love, something she does without a second thought and with a full heart. My grandma is one of my favorite people in the world, and as I've gotten older, I've

City Editor

1. A clean house is a happy house. The woman is nearly 87, and she's always trying to clean something. She thinks my house is a pigsty (it's not that bad), she's constantly judging me for my lack of diligence when it comes to dusting (OK, that gets bad), and she'll tell someone that their house is messy without batting a single eyelash (as she begins to clean it herself). Whenever I spend a day cleaning my house sometimes it comes over me, and I go on a cleaning rampage, I always look around at it after and feel insane happiness. Maybe she's onto something.

ÂŠ Daily Telegraph Publishing Company Limited

2. If you want to talk to someone, pick up the damn phone. There's nothing my grandmother hates more than when she catches me and my

Mom&Parenting

learned to really appreciate everything that comes out of her mouth in broken English, accent, and all whether it's ridiculous or brilliant (sometimes both). They don't make them like her anymore, and they probably never will again, so I feel like it's my duty to enlighten the world. These are seven of the infinite unsolicited but everappreciated pieces of life and parenting advice I've gotten from my Sicilian grandmother.

Oluwatosin Omoniyi

four younger cousins on our phones. She's a huge advocate of the telephone in general, as it's how she stays in effortless touch with all of her friends, but she can't stand the way texting has taken over the world. If you want to talk to someone you can't be in person with, call them up so you can hear their voice and make a real connection. 3. Never marry a man from Abruzzo, they're thick-headed. Clearly this one is biased as my grandfather was from Abruzzo, Italy. She loved my nonno something fierce, but he was a stubborn man for sure, and it drove her nuts. I know she doesn't regret it though,

so maybe this piece of advice could be discarded should I meet a nice boy from Abruzzo. Stay tuned. 4. Make sure your kids have eaten before you do. Though this can actually be taken literally from her there's never a day you won't find her in the kitchen cooking enough for at least 20 people, it's her passion her meaning is so much deeper. She would do anything for her kids (my mom and her two brothers) and would never let them go without, even if that means that she would have to instead. She raised my mom to be the same way, and that's how my mom has tried to raise me. I'm not a mom yet, but I know from

A happy moment with grandma photo:www.huffingtonpost.com

5. If you don't smoke or drink, you'll have more brains. This sounds ridiculous, though it's probably rooted in some loose scientific fact. She's never smoked and rarely drank when she was younger, and she 100 percent attributes her insane mental capabilities to this fact. 6. If you get kidnapped by the mafia put on a suit while they're sleeping and run away. Hopefully you'll never need this one, but it's based on a true story yes, seriously. 7. Family is the most important thing in the world. My grandmother thinks of family in a very modern sense anyone she loves is welcomed into the fold, and for our family, that has been a lot of people over the years, her friendships run deep and their ties to our family are unbreakable. I have grown up treating my closest friends like my family because of her, and as an only child, being able to accept that my family doesn't have to be related by blood has been a blessing. She believes that sacrificing everything for your family holding her blood relatives no higher in the rankings than her friends is all that matters, and she's never shown me how to be any other way. My grandma always says, "I'm going to die poor, but I'm rich in my heart." Never has a statement been truer she's the richest woman to ever live and if I could emulate her even 10 percent of the way, I'd consider it one of my greatest personal accomplishments. â&#x20AC;˘ By Alessia Santoro, from POPSUGAR of www.circle of moms

36 MOM&PARENTING

THURSday, JULY 7, 2016 NEW TELEGRAPH

i-Protect

Childhood Protection & preservation culture

with

Taiwo Akinlami principal@taiwoakinlami.com

Parents should live up to their responsibilities and be wary of the custodians of their children

MOM’S ALERT with

Grace Essen

grace.essen@gmail.com

Tricks in getting your toddler to listen Cycle of domestic violence: balancing the issues

here’s a good reason they’re called the “terrible twos.” Any mom can attest that kids at this stage are highly energetic and often temperamental. At times they’re the cutest charmers in the world, but why do they save their meltdowns for the grocery store line or the dinner table with your in-laws? It’s challenging to maintain control and set limits, but there are ways to tame your toddler’s tantrums and get her to listen to you and cooperate.

Remember that meltdowns are normal When your toddler loses it, it can be a terrible, nasty experience, but temper tantrums are a fact of childhood, says Katherine C. “Toddlers have very compulsive behaviors,” she says. “They may listen the first time and then go and do the same thing two seconds later.” When they are in the middle of a meltdown, remember, “It is hard for them to meet any more demands, so be patient.” Stay calm “Explaining, making up stories, threats, and stern tones don’t always work on my daughter,” says Regina P. “A calm voice with an explanation gets her to move eventually. I’d take the extra time compared to tantrums and whining any day.”

Create a reward system Though her toddler was particularly prone to meltdowns at bedtime, Jaiy N. says she’s discovered that the antidote is a reward system. “When it’s time for bed, we take him outside to look at the moon and then he gets six fruit snacks (we call them moon snacks) while I read him his bedtime story. He’ll get really excited about them (the snacks) and so we also use that to encourage cleaning, ‘You want a moon snack? Okay, let’s clean up so we can go look at the moon and have our moon snacks!’ He’s all about cleaning and getting his pajamas on, because he knows there’s something at the end.” Give attention and positive reinforcement Suzi M. says that toddlers act out or ignore what you want them to do because they’re seeking attention, and “they quickly figure out they get attention faster if they are bad. So try to praise them for little things so they feel the attention and hopefully that will make them want to do more good thing. “ In a similar vein, Casey C. advises against yelling, instead recommending positive reinforcement: “It’s a really tough age, but you’ll probably find that positive reinforcement is better than yelling because they usually don’t listen to yelling.”

THE VIRTUOUS MOM with

Hameed Opeyemi abdulvirtuepen@gmail.com

Love in old days Young birds in love but witness shy On their way to the stream the love does the tie Pretty Orekelewa receives a wink as a call sign Road narrow, market day is here shows another hi At the village square, the moon light play is here Both now smiles at will, pretty queen seem shy Cheerful hearted, they appear under the orange tree Exchanging romantic chant, love things now on they feel She says, but you know Mama sent me on a market trip Only to fall at the palm of this young handsome dude His calling signal I remembered since the last yam festival Love at first sight my heart

falls deeply for interest. Now to Maami advice, never meet a man in hide and seek This I tried to avoid, now I fell flat for love and I’m sick At the village square, he winks at me with smiles in arouse In his eyes, reading love, reading care, reading trust Gradually the heart of mine falling, crawling, calling Until Ajani shows up as Alarina (intermediary) Now I perceive true love coming... Angel of the world, the one with majestic foot-steps Her love I seek, her love I wish, her love I want Through the forest hide and seek I search and search… Searching for the one with a soft skin like the Swedish mattress

Dark skin like Koroshin, called the one in town African queen Her legs touch on as the tower of the town of Irish I’m a king, hunting for the naturally creamy in flesh queen Her plated suku shows the flourish land of her lovely hair Her two chest balls stand firm like roe set out in twins Thin eyes she possess like the fish pools rise in Greece She robs the Saturday night powder that prettifies her beauty Body gesture like jewels made perfect by the brilliant handyman Smooth and soft skin, she displayed like a day old baby Buttocks rolls at the back, intact like goldmine in the bag All I see in her catch me out in great delight!

hile I wrote the series abuse. For some men, being called on domestic violence a coward, impotent or a failure can and abuse against be quite devastating and will have a women which I titled very different psychological impact When Silence Is Not Golden, a male than it would on a woman. reader patiently waited for me to A man may easily tolerate or round off and called my attention even "brush off" a physical assault to the fact that women contribute by a woman in front of other men to domestic violence in many ways as a way of saying he is strong and including provocations and con- also demonstrate to other men that stant nagging, and how men are he can live up to the code of never also victims of domestic abuse, I hitting a woman. But humiliating saw the need to balance the issue. the man verbally or emotionally For so long, domestic violence has in front of other men can be more been perceived and talked about devastating. Verbal, emotional exclusively as women’s issue. In- abuse and sexual deprivation are cidentally, the reality is a lot of areas where women are often more men, just like women, are made to "brutal" than men. Men on the other endure physical, verbal, economi- hand are quicker to resort to physical, emotional and psychological cal abuse and are more capable of abuse in silence; their self-esteem physical assaults that can lead to seslowly but gradually eroding away rious injuries, disabilities or death. as the abuse continues. Are women fighting back? Imagine your While it might boss appeared seem that women in the office one are fighting back, morning with many disagree and a bruise on his there are studies to The dynamics of back this up. Studforehead, a black domestic abuse eye and bloodies show that most stained shirt, domestic violence is and violence is wouldn’t you asreciprocal, meaning different between sume he had been both men and womin a fight with men and women so en are violent with another man, or each other. When the also the impact had some form violence is only oneof accident? But sided, over 70% of what if you found the time the female out he had been beaten by this wife is the aggressor. Also, studies show that morning and he had no access that lesbian relationships have the to the house to change his shirt? highest rate of domestic violence Wouldn’t you just laugh and call while gay male relationships have him a weakling? the lowest with straight couples in For men who go through domes- the middle...now isn’t that shocktic abuse it is rather not an issue ing? for discussion as it is shameful and Do women encourage culture embarrassing for a man to have a of violence? wife that can beat him up or hurt A Glasgow doctor who had some him. The idea that men could be female patients admit to him that victims of domestic abuse and vio- they batter their husbands in front lence is so unthinkable that many of their children said mothers men will never mention let alone and wives should be held accountattempt to report the situation. able for perpetuating violence in Women who get beaten easily get society. While he accepts that the help and shelter while being coun- majority of domestic violence is seled that she has a right to a peace- carried out by men, he argues that ful marriage or a relationship that blaming men for all the violence in is free from violence from her part- society is ignoring the truth, and ner, the man is often on his own. therefore unhelpful in rooting out The dynamics of domestic abuse aggression. Unless we face up to the and violence is different between fact that women also play a part, we men and women so also the impact. will only be paying lip service to the In most cases, the actual physi- issue and will not be able to tackle cal damage inflicted by men is so the spate of violence in our society. much greater than the actual physiWe mothers bring up our sons – cal harm inflected by women. For the men, and so we should take some men or women, domestic violence responsibility for encouraging maincludes pushing, slapping, hitting, cho behavior and violent tendencies throwing objects, forcing or slam- in them. Do we consciously or unming a door or striking the other consciously condition our children person with an object, or using a to be violent? How can we help our weapon. However, what will hurt a children learn to express emotions man mentally and emotionally, can in more positive ways? Should camin some cases be very different from paigns be solely focused on male viowhat hurts a woman. Unkind and lence against women or violence as cruel words hurt, but to men and a whole, irrespective of gender? To women they hurt in different ways tackle abusive behaviour in the soand linger in different ways. Men ciety we must start by breaking the are more likely to be deeply affected silence over abusive behaviour by by emotional abuse than physical men as well as women.

thursDAY, JUly 7, 2016 NEW TELEGRAPH

BUSINESS | Money Line

CBN: No Nigerian bank is in distress Healthy Depositors’ funds are safe

Stories Tony Chukwunyem

gainst the backdrop of the recent changes it made to the board and management of Skye Bank Plc, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has reiterated that

no lender in the country is in distress. In a statement issued last night, signed by the Acting Director, Corporate Communications Department, Mr. Isaac Okorafor, the apex bank dismissed as false speculations that have arisen in some quarters about the health of the banking industry in the aftermath of its intervention in Skye Bank. The banking watchdog said: “The attention of the CBN has been drawn to malicious ru-

mours and unfounded speculations that some banks in the country may have gone or may be going into distress. The CBN wishes to reiterate in the strongest terms that these rumours and speculations are untrue and do not reflect the actual health of the individual banks and, indeed, the entire banking industry. For the avoidance of doubt, the infusion of a new Board and Management for Skye Bank PLC is a proactive regulatory action meant

to ensure that the bank does not continue to fail in its relevant prudential ratios. “Neither Skye Bank nor any other bank in the industry is in distress. Therefore, the CBN would like to request the general public to ignore speculations or rumours to the contrary, as they could only be the handiwork of mischief makers who do not mean well for the Nigerian banking system and its economy.” The apex bank stressed that as the regu-

This newspaper gathered that most banks were caught unawares by the development, as they had loaded their ATMs in readiness for a two-day public holiday. An Assistant Manager with a mid-sized bank, who asked not to be named, said that although his branch officials had made adequate arrangements to ensure that none of its three ATMs ran out of the cash during the Eid-el-fitr, celebrations, the announcement that the holidays had been extended by an additional day led to them reviewing the measures

they had earlier taken. He said, “We initially loaded the ATMs with cash that would last for two days, but we were already under pressure by yesterday evening, as we were getting calls that most of the ATMs had run out of cash. So, you can imagine what would have happened if we don’t load the machines today.” He disclosed that the bank’s staff in charge of loading the ATMs during the holidays had been warned that on no account should a machine be without cash for a particular period. According to him, de-

pending on the location of a branch, the N6million that the bank usually loads in its ATMs can last a day. He, however, explained that for ATMs that are located in markets and shopping malls, the bank always ensures that the machines are loaded at least twice a day. “Most customers now have ATM cards so we expect that during long holidays like this, we will be under a lot of pressure to ensure that our machines don’t run out of cash. In fact, staff are required to work shifts during this period,” he stated.

lator of the industry, it was reassuring the banking and general public that their deposits remain safe in all Nigerian banks, adding that there is, therefore, no need for panic withdrawals from any bank. It pointed out that going by both the its examination reports as well as analysis from market watchers, International credit rating agencies, and Development Fi-

nance Institutions, “the Nigerian banking industry remains strong in spite of the global economic challenges emanating from the collapse of global commodity prices. “We therefore urge the banking public to remain calm and go about their normal businesses without panic. It is important that we do not create problems when none exists.”

GCR affirms BBB+, Extended holiday: Banks load ATMs with more cash stable rating for Union Bank

ollowing the unexpected extension of the Eid-el-fitr holidays by an additional day, banks in Lagos are today scrambling to load their Automated Teller Machines (ATMs) to prevent their machines from running out of cash, New Telegraph has learnt. After earlier declaring Tuesday and Wednesday as public holiday to mark the Muslim festival of Eid-el-fitr, the Federal Government on Tuesday reversed itself and said the public holidays should be observed on Wednesday and Thursday (today).

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

N19,142,526.05m N18,579,219.49m 15.6 11 10.77 US$48.04 US$26,363,435,289

Mar, 2015 Mar, 2015 May, 2016 24/01/2016 Mar 2015 5/7/2016 30/6/2016

Source:CBN

Description 15.10 27-APR-2017 16.00 29-JUN-2019 15.54 13-FEB-2020 16.39 27-JAN-2022 14.20 14-MAR-2024 12.50 22-JAN-2026 10.00 23-JUL-2030 12.1493 18-JUL-2034 Tenor (Days) Call 30 90 180

FGN Bonds

TTM

Price 104.64 114.05 112.32 119.31 108.93 99.86 83.38 97.33

1.09 3.27 3.89 5.85 7.97 9.83 14.33 18.32

NIBOR

Rate (%) 7.4258 9.2145 10.4716 11.7736

Bid Yield 10.48 10.77 11.51 11.72 12.40 12.52 12.52 12.52

Change (%) 2.62 ▲ 1.78 ▲ 1.47 ▲ 1.27 ▲

Change (%) 0.95 ▲ 0.25 ▲ 0.33 ▲ 0.23 ▲ 0.43 ▲ 0.44 ▲ 0.35 ▲ 0.27 ▲

Price 104.79 114.35 112.62 119.61 109.23 100.16 83.68 97.63

Tenor (Months)

Change (%) 0.95 ▲ 0.25 ▲ 0.33 ▲ 0.23 ▲ 0.43 ▲ 0.44 ▲ 0.35 ▲ 0.27 ▲

NITTY

Rate (%) 6.1053 6.2267 6.5457 8.0756 8.1908 8.6748

1 2 3 6 9 12

Treasury Bills

Offer Yield 10.34 10.67 11.42 11.66 12.35 12.46 12.47 12.48

Change (%) 0.96 ▲ 0.68 ▲ 0.44▲ 0.82 ▲ 0.00 ↔ -0.35 ▼

Money Market

Maturity Date Discount Bid Yield Change (%) Discount Offer Yield Change (%) Rate (%) 6.89 7.02 1.25 ▲ Open-Buy-Back (OBB) 6.75 23-Jun-16 7.14 7.28 1.25 ▲ 22-Sep-16 8.59 8.34 8.70 1.00 ▲ Overnight (O/N) 7.33 8.97 1.00 ▲ 16-Mar-17 9.11 10.01 0.73 ▲ 8.86 9.71 0.72 ▲

Spot($/N)

Bid 198.45

Offer 198.55

Change (%) -0.14 ▼

NIFEX

Spot($/N)

Bid 199.0000

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

196.00

197.00

0.00 ↔

Offer 199.1000

Change (%) 2.42 ▲ 2.50 ▲

Change (%) 0.00 ↔

lobal Credit Ratings Co. (GCR) has affirmed Union Bank of Nigeria’s credit ratings of BBB+ and A2 for long and short term respectively, and a stable outlook through June 2017. According to GCR, the ratings take into consideration the Bank’s improved market position in Nigeria’s highly competitive banking industry following its recapitalisation in 2012, and improved Non Performing Loan ( NPL) ratio and profitability metrics in subsequent years. In 2013, Union Bank embarked on a transformation programme to reposition the bank and once again become a respected provider of quality banking services in Nigeria. In that time the Bank had executed critical initiatives around infrastructure, technology and human capital in line with its strategic objectives. In October 2015, Union Bank unveiled a new brand identity, sig-

nalling readiness to operate more competitively in the Nigerian financial industry. Commenting on the ratings, Mr. Emeka Emuwa, Chief Executive of Union Bank, in a statement, said, “The affirmation of the bank’s credit ratings from the previous year is a result of the management’s focus on rebuilding fundamentals and positioning Union Bank for sustainable long-term growth. We are pleased that GCR’s review highlights some of the key successes of the Bank’s robust transformation programme over the past three years. Going forward, the Bank will continue to focus on delivering consistent growth to all its stakeholders in the short and medium term.” Established in 1917 and listed on the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) in 1971, Union Bank of Nigeria Plc. is one of Nigeria’s longstanding and most respected financial institutions.

S&P: Oil slump won’t boost sukuk issuance in 2016

lobal sukuk issuance is unlikely to pick up pace this year despite expectations that revenue shortfall from plummeting oil prices would prompt a barrage of issuance in oil exporting countries, according to rating agency Standard & Poor’s (S&P). While some commentators believed low oil prices would spur governments in oil-exporting countries to tap the sukuk market for funding to maintain current and capital spending, total issuance actually dropped in 2015 com-

pared with the previous year. “We believe issuance will remain muted over the next 6-18 months, with total issuance of $50 billion-$55 billion in 2016. The complexity of sukuk issuance, uncertainty regarding US Federal Reserves’ policy revisions, and the government’s efforts to reduce financing needs in response to weak oil prices have and will continue to weigh on sukuk market activity, in our view,” said Mohammad Damak, Global Head of Islamic Finance, S&P Global Ratings.

BUSINESS |Financial Market News

thursDAY, JUly 7, 2016 NEW TELEGRAPH

BUSINESS |Financial Market News

thursDAY, JUly 7, 2016 NEW TELEGRAPH

INNOVATION The central counterpart clearing house will be a market-wide initiative encompassing various stakeholders in the financial system

Stories by Chris Ugwu

n a bid to reinforce its business to take advantage of fluctuations in market cycles, the Nigerian Stock

NSE to develop frameworks for derivatives Exchange (NSE) would be intensify efforts to develop the necessary infrastructure and frameworks to launch derivative products in the market. The Chief Executive Officer, NSE, Mr. Oscar Onyema, stated this in a document obtained by New Telegraph. He said derivatives will empower investors to create stronger portfolios of uncorrelated products. The NSE boss said that building the framework for launching derivatives is ex-

Infinity Trust records 29% rise in half year net earnings

nfinity Trust Mortgage Bank (ITMB) Plc has recorded 29.49 per cent growth in profit after tax for the half year ended June 30, 2016. According to a notice from the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE), the statement of financial position as at the period under review showed profit after tax rose to N134.668 million in 2016 as against N103.996 million recorded a year earlier, indicating a growth of 29.49 per cent. The company’s profit before tax also firmed up by 29.49 per cent from N116.850 million in 2015 to N151.312 million recorded in 2016. Revenue equally rose to N401.082 million in contrast to N333.703 million during the comparable period of 2015, while the company’s earnings per share also leapt by 29.46 per cent from 4.99 kobo to 6.46 kobo. Infinity Trust on recently announced that it recorded a profit after tax of N232.147 million for the year ended 2015. According to the company, it also maintained a rating status of short-term A3 and longterm BB+ positive outlook by the Global Credit Ratings for

the third successive time. The Managing Director/ Chief Operating Officer, ITMB Plc, Mr. Olabanjo Obaleye, who disclosed this at the bank’s third Annual General Meeting (AGM) in Abuja, stated that the feat achieved by the bank was not without challenges. He noted that despite the challenges in the mortgage sub sector, the bank would continue to grow and impact the populace by providing more Nigerians with shelter. Obaleye said the company proposed to pay a cash dividend of three kobo per share to shareholders whose names appeared on its register by April 22, 2016. He said, “If approved, this will translate to a total of N125million. With this dividend, the mortgage bank has declared dividend for the third year running as a listed company and the 10th consecutive time since 2006. “The bank is the only mortgage bank in Nigeria to achieve this feat.” The bank’s annual report for 2015 showed that its loan and advances rose from N1.24 billion in 2014 to N1.67 billion in 2015, an increase of 34.5 per cent.

pected to enhance the value offering of the capital markets, by creating hedging opportunities for the investment community. Onyema said: “Ingrained within the establishment of the derivatives market is the need to create a central counterparty clearing house (CCP), which is primarily responsible for providing efficiency and stability in the derivative clearing and settlements process, while ultimately reducing systemic risk in the market. “The CCP will be a marketwide initiative encompassing various stakeholders in the financial system ranging from deposit money financial institutions to other securities exchanges. “This approach ensures critical stakeholder buy-in pertinent to the overall success of the derivatives business, as

well as inherently spreading manageable risks to the relevant parties who are better positioned to mitigate appropriately,” he said. Onyema noted that the Exchange operates in an increasingly global environment and 2015 proved to be an exciting period for global financial markets continuing the bearish sentiments experienced in the previous year. He explained that the Group illustrated its resilience during the year, in generating an operating surplus before tax of N1.86 billion amidst prolonged economic uncertainty, diminishing commodity prices and volatile securities markets. “This was driven by a business model that focused on budgetary prudence, complimented by heightened focus on strategy execution. Top line revenues, primarily com-

posed of transaction fees (39 per cent) and listing income (21 per cent), fell due to continued sluggish market conditions, with total income declining by 17 per cent from the previous year to N6.61 billion. “Our operating surplus before taxes declined by 53 per cent from 2014’s record breaking performance of N3.95 billion. Despite declines in our core income streams, alternative sources of income continued to play an important role in supporting the financial performance of our business. In 2015, revenues excluding transaction fees and listing income grew by 15 per cent, contributing 40 per cent to total revenue. The greatest drivers of this growth were revenues from our proactive investment strategy and income generated from our market services business,” he said.

Emerging markets extend losses as concern over Brexit resurfaces

merging-market stocks fell for a second day and currencies headed for the longest streak of losses in three weeks, as investors switched to haven assets on concern the Brexit contagion is spreading. According to Bloomberg News, the MSCI Emerging markets Index dropped 1.4 per cent to 820.19 in New York, paring its gains this year to 3.3 per cent. A gauge of currencies slid for a third day after Bank of England Governor Mark Carney said last Tuesday the risks from Britain’s decision to leave the European Union have started to crystallise. Yesterday, Chinese shares traded in Hong Kong posted the biggest two-day retreat since June 13, Taiwanese and South African equity benchmarks dropped at least 1.6 per cent, Russia’s

ruble swung between losses and gains with oil, Indonesia’s Eurobonds fell, sending yields up by the most in almost seven weeks while Many markets in Asia and the Middle East were closed for Eid holiday. Three asset managers froze withdrawals from real estate funds, as expectations that UK property values could plunge 20 per cent in the next three years led to a rush for redemptions. Their action evoked memories of the 2008 financial crisis, pushing investors to park funds in safer assets such as gold, and ending a post-Brexit rally in emerging markets fueled by bets the Federal Reserve will further delay interest-rate increases. “The aftershocks of the Brexit vote are being felt,” said Julian Mayo, who

helps oversee $2 billion as co-chief investment officer at Charlemagne Capital Limited in London. “The suspension of redemptions in the three property funds has led to the perception that risk is being taken off the table.” Equities in the developing world are beating advanced-nation peers by the most in seven years. That outperformance will continue as the outlook for growth picks up while political risks from the US to the UK escalate, according to Mayo. He favors Indian and Brazilian stocks on grounds they may benefit from a revival in the consumer economy. The Hong Kong Stock Exchange Hang Seng China Enterprises Index slid 1.6 per cent, for a two-day loss of 3.4 per cent.

NEWS News|SOUTH-WEST

THURSDAY, JULY 7, 2016 NEW TELEGRAPH

Rain of tributes as Bukky Ajayi bows out at 82 Lanre Odukoya

conic actress, Bukky Zainab Ajayi, died yesterday at 82. Since the story broke early on Sallah day, torrents of tributes have continued to pour in for the late octogenarian. The Actors Guild of Nigeria (AGN) and the Performing Musicians Association of Nigeria (PMAN) have described the death of Ajayi as the loss of an entertainment icon.

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Reacting to the sad news yesterday, AGN and PMAN described her demise as a big loss to the entertainment industry. Chairman of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) chapter of the AGN, Mr. Agility Onwura, told NAN that Ajayi died at a time when the young generation of actors was still drawing from her wealth of experience. “The news of her death came to us as a surprise. She died when her wealth of experience and guidance were most needed by

The number of fatalities in terrorists’ violence involving terrorists in 2011. Source: Satp.org

the younger generation of movie stars. Though at 82, one can say she was quite old, but we in the entertainment industry were still learning from her,” he said. In the same vein, the National President of PMAN, Mr. Pretty Okafor, mourned the late actress, extolling her contributions to the growth of Nollywood and the entertainment industry in Nigeria. “She was an enviable professional, who inspired us with her outstanding roles in many

10.37m

The number of fixed-telephone subscriptions of Australia in 2004. Source: Itu.int

home movies. “Her exit will leave an indelible footprint on the entertainment industry generally,” he said. Okafor, however, added that solace should be drawn from the fact that the late actress lived a fulfilled life as a professional and role model to many. Her life and achievements should be celebrated, because 82 years is quite a feat to celebrate.” “I wish I could stand up, but if I stand up, I will fall down. Are you all

£27,740

The monthly salary of Cuauhtemoc Blanco of Lobos BUAP in 2014/2015. Source: F

Adeolu Adeyemo Osogbo

ASUU: JAMB acts ultra vires on universities’ autonomy Ibadan

he Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) yesterday lashed out at the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) for acting beyond its powers by releasing admission guidelines for Nigerian universities. The union’s Chairman, Dr. Deji Omole, in a chat with New Telegraph in Ibadan said it was the mandate of the Senate of Nigerian universities through their autonomy to regulate

Adeolu Adeyemo Osogbo

sun State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) yesterday accused Governor Rauf Aregbesola of using his free train services to transport people to the state during festivities to swindle the state. The party’s Director of publicity, Prince Diran Odeyemi, who made the accusation in a statement in Osogbo, alleged that ‘each time the governor

presentation assistant at the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) in 1966. She was in the cast of the old TV series, Village Headmaster in the 70s and 80s and some of her famous works include; Mother of George, Indecent Girl, Diamond Ring, Thunderbolt, Critical Assignment, Iya Oko Bournvita, to mention but a few. She’d said in an old interview that most of those she started acting with were dead, an indication she was the last ‘lady’ standing, before her passage. Having noticed how old and frail she’d become, a few weeks back, some Nollywood actors like Kate Henshaw, Rita Dominic, Joke Silva, among others, stormed her house to spend time with her and shared photographs they had together. She was buried yesterday at Atan Cementry, Lagos.

Aregbesola charges Muslims not to go back to sin

Soun of Ogbomosoland, Alayeluwa Oba Oladunni Oyewumi Ajagungbade III, with his son, Prince Kunle Oyewumi, during the Eid el-Fitri prayer in Ogbomoso … yesterday

Sola Adeyemo

standing for me? Thank you. I am very grateful to you,” was the last popular quote of the accomplished broadcaster and iconoclastic actress, who passed on two days after she clocked 82 on July 6.” In one of the most emotive sounds in recent times, late Ajayi, wheeled to the podium, tearfully said these words at the last Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards, where she was decorated with a Lifetime Achievement Award. Incidentally, she died on the 55th birthday of her Critical Assignment costar, Richard Mofe-Damijo, who had also recently posted a photo of fond memory with her. Born into a Christian family, she adopted the Muslim name, Zainab, in the 1980s’. After winning a government scholarship, she was abroad to study for six years before returning to Nigeria to pick up a job as

admission modalities and determine what best suits the vision of each institution. On the release of guidelines for admission for universities by JAMB, Omole said both the Minister and the JAMB Registrar seemed confused and inconsistent by first going against collection of administrative charges under Post-UTME by universities, but now preaching payment of screening fees in ‘its illegal guidelines which is designed to favour the children of the rich against the poor.’ JAMB Registrar, Prof.

Dibu Ojerinde and Minister of Education, Malam Adamu Adamu, according to Omole, seemed unaware about happenings in Nigeria universities. Omole noted that the newly released point-based scoring system is not new as it was innovated and used at the University of Ibadan for five years before being abandoned. To him, the University of Ibadan had moved beyond such model of admitting students, adding that the question of admission was not about the introduction of screening charges. He said that the union

would resist any attempt to trample upon university autonomy and the supremacy of the Senate of universities to regulate its admission. While alleging that the ‘illegal guidelines’ will shortchange the children of the poor, who cannot ‘purchase’ awarded scores from JAMB as against the children of the high and mighty, Omole further faulted the jettisoning of double sittings (at WAEC) and awaiting results candidates, who he said will be shortchanged if the muddled-up illegal guideline was allowed.

Osun PDP accuses Aregbesola of spending N100m on free train organises free train services to transport people to the state during festivities, a sum of N100 million goes to a private account.’ “What could be the interest of Mr. Aregbesola to, rather than pay workers’ full salaries, be spending huge sums of money on those coming to the state to celebrate Eid-el-Fitri and leave the state after three days holiday?

“Of what economic importance are those that would rely on free train to come to the state for festivals be for its economy? Who does the governor want to please with the programme that is largely resourcesdraining with no positive economic effect? “We have it on good authority that each time such ‘freebies’ is declared, N100 million is paid into a private ac-

count. Osun has been raped into coma already, feeding its carcass to the god that eats only money should be prevented by all stakeholders. “For government that is cringing under huge financial burden to continue its spendthrift style in the face of lean resources is a solid confirmation of our claims that wrong people are at the helms of affairs of the state at the moment.”

sun State Governor, Rauf Aregbesola, yesterday observed his Eidel-Fitri prayer at the OkeBaale praying ground, Osogbo with a charge to Muslims in the state not to detract from the part of virtue and righteousness that they observed during the 30 days of Ramadan. The governor noted

that the best thing for Muslims to do after the fasting is not to go back to the old ways of sin. He said: “Today marks the end of Ramadan. It is without doubt that for 30 days we endured hunger, thirst and obedience. “These are what Allah commands us to do. During this month, we came together as one. We shared together; we loved ourselves and pray to God for forgiveness.

Rotary Club gets new president ewly elected Presi- communities, stressing N dent of Rotary Club, that it was high time othAkowonjo, Lagos, Sola er charity organisations Abidakun, has tasked voluntary organisations in the country to collaborate with the communities towards enunciating development projects. Abidakun, who took over the baton of leadership from Mr. Gbenga Ojo, said members of the Rotary Club had been known for contributing their quota to the development of their various

emulated the gesture in practical terms. “For instance, Rotary Club of Akowonjo has consistently been donating to public hospitals and digging boreholes for deprived communities and what we are doing is to tell all that government alone cannot meet all our needs. We need other charity, voluntary organisations to follow this path,” he prodded.

Return to work, Ajimobi tells striking workers

yo State Governor, Abiola Ajimobi, has again appealed to striking workers in the state to suspend their one-month-old industrial action, calling on their leaders to meet with government representatives to share the available fund in the state’s coffers. The governor, who invoked the spirit of peace and dialogue, made the appeal in an interview with journalists shortly after

observing prayers at the Eid ground on the occasion of the Eid-el-Fitr in Ibadan, yesterday. The governor also stressed the need for labour to show understanding by coming to a roundtable to discuss the way forward on how the outstanding salaries of workers could be paid as well as the new education initiative of the state government.

News|south-EAST

THURSDAY, JULY 7, 2016 NEW TELEGRAPH

Kalu, Obi command great Igbo respect – Group Uchenna Inya ABAKALIKI

group in the south east, Concerned Igbo Citizens (CIC), yesterday described former Governor of Abia State and business mogul, Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu and former Governor of Anambra State, Mr. Peter Obi as Igbo sons that command great respect in Igbo land. The group said Kalu and Obi command good followership in the south east zone and the country in general. The Concerned Igbo Citizens through a statement by its National Chairman in Abakaliki, Chief Okechukwu Nnogu, was reacting to the allegation against Obi by some IPOB lead-

ers that he threatened to kill Mazi Nnamdi Kanu the leader of IPOB. “Obi and Orji Uzor Kalu are two former Igbo Governors that command the respect of Igbo masses. Ndigbo knows and follow their real leaders; selfrespect and public honour can never be bought with money or influence. CIC enjoined Ndi Anambra State to ignore the malicious work of mischief makers. “CIC totally condemned this grave allegation against the person of Peter Obi which the sole aim is to tarnish his image, records as the best Igbo Governor since 1999. This calculated and systematic antics of uncomfortable political foes of Okwute Ndigbo must stop now.

ESUT alumni lauds Ugwuanyi’s governance Charles Onyekwere ENUGU

lumni of the Enugu State University of Science and Technology (ESUT) have commended Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State for his development initiatives anchored on good governance and employment generation, among others. Speaking during a courtesy visit to one of its members who is, incidentally, the Commissioner for Science and Technology in Enugu State, Engr. Greg Nnaji, the ESUT Alumni through the president of their National Association, Engr. Larry Mba, expressed satisfaction with the significant im-

pact Governor Ugwuanyi has made in the lives of the citizens in spite of the present economic challenges in the country. Mba stated this when the Alumni donated 12 units of Lenovo (Laptop) computers to the ministry for the promotion of science and technologybased programmes, noting that the governor’s interest in good governance and employment generation would go a long way in advancing meaningful development in the State. He stated that ESUT, if given the right support and attention, has the capacity to recreate the Silicon Valley experience in the country, considering its high standards of learning and quality of graduates.

Kumuyi prays for economic boom in Ebonyi Uchenna Inya ABAKALIKI

he General Superintendent of Deeper Life Church, Pastor William Kumuyi, has declared that the wealth hidden in the land of Ebonyi State would henceforth flow out for the economic well-being of the people. Kumuyi, who was in Abakaliki for a one-day Bible Study/ prayer programme organised by the church, yesterday, described Ebonyi as a state bestowed with abundant natural resources. He admonished the people of the state to refrain from sin, in order to overcome their economic

challenges as it was only through this way that the blessings of God would be made manifest to them. In his remarks, Governor Dave Umahi said: “By your coming here sir, our suffering has ended. I thank God Almighty who brought you at a time we needed you most. “We don’t have much to say but we want you to know that we are very expectant. We have faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. The Bible tells us that when God calls a man, he enables him. And we are confident that you are going to bring huge blessing to each and every one of us. “I know that our state is going to be richly blessed through you.”

Umahi: I’ll fulfill my campaign promises within three years Uchenna Inya ABAKALIKI

bonyi State Gover nor, Chief Dave Umahi yesterday said his administration will fulfill all its campaign promises to the people of the State within three years. He gave the assurance during the flag-off campaign against female genital mutilation by his wife, Rachael in Abakaliki. Umahi said he will continue to work hard

£896m

to meet the target. He assured of continued payment of workers’ salaries every 15th of the month despite economic challenges. He also announced that the government will give N500,000 each to farmers in the State, who have good plan; and that after one year N1million will be given to any farmer that performs well. He noted that 2,600 women and youths will be empowered within this week. “Within three years of our administration we

The total value of Juventus in 2016. Source: Goal.com

will fulfill all our campaign promises made to Ebonyi people. In the next two days, we will assemble about 2,600 of our youths and women for empowerment, and half of it is our women. We are going to launch operation one hectare per person. “We will assemble 500 of our women and it is ongoing; three women in each ward. What we want to do is to give empowerment of minimum of N500,000 each to farmers, but we won’t give it to somebody who has no plan,” he said.

£6,658

The weekly salary of Cuauhtemoc Blanco of Lobos BUAP in 2014/2015. Source: Paywizard.co.uk

On the female genital mutilation, Umahi condemned it and said that the law against it will be looked into to provide severe sanction for the offenders. “Our women are gift to us; our women are important to us. We must support them, and whatever that pains them, we must fight against it. I challenge all the women especially those in positions of authority to rise up and fight against this female genital mutilation because we want to have complete eradication of that.

The total number of matches played by Ecuador at Brazil 2014 World Cup. Source: Fifa.com

L-R: Mr. Kingley Nnah Ekadigbo; Director General, Abia Interest Group, Mr. Eze Chikamnayo; Mr.Dannic Ubani and Mrs. Edith Nnah, at a press briefing on the recent happenings in Abia State in Abuja.....

IPOB cries out over incessant arrests, harassment of members Charles Onyekwere ENUGU

ro-Biafra group, the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) worldwide, under the leadership of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, has cried out over constant harassment and kidnapping of innocent people in the guise of arresting the members of IPOB.

The IPOB spokesman, Emma Powerful, who disclosed this in a release, wondered why the security agents would not let Biafra agitators be. The release noted that since May 30, 2016, when Biafrans commemorated their 49th anniversary, security personnel have always been arresting and harassing IPOB members. “We the IPOB family

members wonder why the Nigeria security service will not allow members of pro-Biafra group IPOB sleep in their homes again. “Since 29th and 30th of May 2016 massacre of our people in cold blood inside a church at Nkpor in Anambra state, the DSS and other security agents have devised methods by going round and kidnapping every suspected

members of IPOB who were sleeping in their respective houses by late hours of midnight and dump them in their custodies without trial. “The security agents are causing much harm and injuries on our people by going round the cities of Biafra land kidnapping and arresting those innocent people they believe to be members of IPOB.

Group wants Ikpeazu investigated over NDA allegation Onyekachi Eze ABUJA

group, Abiazurumee, has called on security agencies to investigate the connection of Abia State Governor, Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu with Niger Delta Avengers (NDA) so as “to unmask those sponsoring the group in its avowed terrorist plots

to destabilise the Niger Delta and destroy the Nigerian economy.” NDA, on Tuesday, alleged that the All Progressives Congress (APC) is plotting Ikpeazu’s removal to pave way for the installation of Dr. Uche Ogah as Abia State governor. But Abiazurumee, in a statement by its chairman, Okey Nwachukwu,

on Wednesday, defended the oil magnet, describing him as a committed and loyal member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). It also condemned the position of a section of Abia elders and Ohaneze Igbo Youths for their negative comments on the Federal High Court ruling and the issuance of a

certificate of return to Dr. Ugah by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). According to the group, “Ikpeazu appears to enjoy the support and confidence of the terrorist organisation that is so vehement in aiding his case by spreading false, fallacious and ridiculous propaganda.”

News|SOUTh-SOUTH

THURSDAY, JULY 7, 2016 NEW TELEGRAPH

Obaseki promises youth, women empowerment Cajetan Mmuta BENIN

ntertainer and university don, Don Pedro Obaseki, yesterday emerged the sole candidate of Accord Party (AP) with a promise to empower youths and women in the state. He emerged in a violentfree, fair and credible party primary held in the state. He scored 180 votes to

emerge the candidate of the party in a primary poll involving 206 accredited party delegates, who cast their votes at the party secretariat in Benin, the state capital. Obaseki’s emergence put to rest the controversy over his nomination, which was sealed by the national leadership of the party under Alhaji Mohammed Nanado, but was kicked against by a faction of the party led by its Chairman,

N57.96bn

The total amount of Imports from Italy for the 2014 Q4. Source: National Bureau of Statistics

Dr. Samson Isibor. Speaking on his emergence, Obaseki said there is no other Accord Party but one party and that any contrary claim by Isibor is a misrepresentation. Obaseki said he wants to run for the governorship seat, not as APC man or PDP man, but as an Edo man and therefore has to pick a platform that will make Edo people decide. My programmes are native to me that I was customis-

The sex ratio of international migrants of women to 100 men of Cook Islands in 2010. Source: Un.org

ing to sooth the general APC agenda. That is what I am also doing with the Accord Party, so we entered into negotiation but my principal cardinal programme must change; it is my Edo agenda to empower my people, develop the state and create an enabling environment and opportunities for business to thrive. “Accord Party is a progressive party and it cares a lot about the welfare of

90,000

The official capacity of Wembley Stadium, London, UK. Source: Businessinsider.in

Commander, Joint Military Force in the Niger Delta, Operation Delta Safe, Rear Adm. Joseph Okogie (right), inspecting guard of honour, during a familiarization visit to Bayelsa Command, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps in Yenagoa. PHOTO: NAN

Gabriel Efeduku Ughelli

ondemnations have continued to trail the weekend bombing of five oil and gas installations by the Niger Delta Avengers (NDA) after a lull in their activities in the region. A Non-Governmental Organisation, Centre for Peace and Environmental Justice (CEPEJ), yesterday joined the league of Nigerians and organisations to condemn the dastardly acts of the NDA, which have overturned the gains recorded in recent weeks. This recent condemnation is contained in a statement signed by CEPEJ Coordinator, Sheriff Mulade, saying that the continued bombing of oil and gas fa-

Group condemns Avengers’ attacks on oil facilities cilities in the Niger Delta was an ill-wind that blows no one any good; rather it was adversely affecting the environment and slowing down the economy. The NGO reiterated its appeal to the Avengers to sheathe its swords and allow peace to reign as no development can take place in an environment engulfed in conflicts. The group appealed to the Federal Government to go ahead with the proposed peace talks, but cautioned against engaging the militants in the peace parley, suggesting rather that critical stakeholders should be identified and engaged by the

government; otherwise government would create more rooms for other pseudo groups to emerge. “If the government wants to truly resolve the issue, it should involve critical leaders and not political stakeholders; otherwise it will be another jamboree and failed attempts. The fundamental issues are clear: the people of the Niger Delta need development and remediation of their environment, which has been devastated by years of oil and gas exploration and exploitative activities. “The politicians are the beneficiaries of the

A’Ibom transition committee chairman harps on peace, development Tony Anichebe Uyo

besikpo Asutan Transition Committee Chairman in Akwa Ibom State, Ukana Udofia, has sued for peace, unity and cooperation between the two clans in the local government.

Udofia urged indigenes of the council area to pay attention to issues that will bring development and harmony to the local government, saying that he was appointed to serve the local government and not a particular clan. He said it was the responsibility of both indigenes and residents of

the local government to build bridges of peace and brotherhood. “It is our collective responsibility to ensure that there is peace in Ibesikpo Asutan Local Government and this we will do. My duty is to serve the people of this local government, thus I will be fair to everyone irrespective of clan.”

system. When they are fraternising with the militants on one hand, they want to end militancy on the other. That is why we said the government should not make it a political talk; rather Niger Delta stakeholders at the grassroots, should be involved,” Mulade said. The group warned that the Dialogue Committee constituted by the Federal Government should not be seen as a diversionary ploy, explaining that weeks after President Muhammadu Buhari announced the composition of the committee, nothing concrete has happened.

the people. I don’t have any problem with the APC, but a party does not make itself; I have a problem with the leadership towards the conduction of a primary that I knew was going to be electronically rigged and I made that allegation. “I told the other aspirants to please join me by

not submitting their forms so as to call into question the veracity of the process that is there to take place. But they thought it was hair raiser. So, when they were now screaming later, they were screaming as losers. I couldn’t have failed an exam I did not write,” Obaseki said.

APC chieftain tasks Oshiomhole on genuine reconciliation Cajetan Mmuta BENIN

chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Edo State, Mathew Emiohe, yesterday appealed to Governor Adams Oshiomhole, to constitute a peace and reconciliation committee to meet all the aggrieved aspirants who participated in the June 18 governorship primaries of the party. Emiohe made the appeal while briefing newsmen in Benin, the state capital. He spoke against the backdrop of last week’s campaign flag-off of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate, Osagie Ize-Iyamu, at the Baptist Convention ground, which attracted thousands of the party faithful from across the three senatorial districts of the state.

Emiohe, who is a strong supporter of the Deputy Governor, Dr. Pius Odubu, said the call became urgent because of the level of disaffection among members of the APC in the state, particularly after the party’s primary election. He said: “Regardless of the fact that APC controls political structures in the state and at the centre, it must approach the September 10 governorship election as a united and indivisible family if it must come out victorious.” The APC chieftain regretted that a situation where some proxies of the governor were sent to meet with some of these aspirants, who are still very aggrieved, does not speak well in healing the wounds the aggrieved members and aspirants experienced due to the outcome of the party primaries.

Edo Muslims observe Eid prayers under tight security

uslims in Benin City, Edo State, yesterday observed Eid prayers to mark the end of the holy month of Ramadan under tight security. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that security was provided by officers of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), the police and the Nigerian Army. The security personnel were particularly visible inside and around prayer grounds located at Ikpoba Slope and the Nigeria Air Force Base along the Airport Road. NAN reports that

those who observed their prayers at the Air Force base prayer ground were thoroughly screened before they were allowed into the prayerground. It was also observed that aside the massive deployment of personnel at prayer grounds, the security agencies also had their patrol vehicles stationed at and patrolling strategic areas in the city. The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) of the command, Mr. Steven Onwuchei, said such security presence was to ensure hitch-free Sallah celebration across the state.

Group denies membership of Niger Delta Avengers Pauline Onyibe Yenagoa

resident, Isoko Youths Dynamic Association, Mr. Blessing Jamnogo, has debunked the report by a United Kingdom-based magazine, The Economist, that he and members of his group are part of the Niger Delta Avengers (NDA), a militant group

that has been blowing up oil facilities in the Niger Delta region. According to Jamnogo, the article published by the magazine on June 23, 2016, with the caption Avengers unite, which described him as a gang leader, who came to procure arms for the militants in Bayelsa State with a threat to attack oil facilities in his

own community, Idheze in Delta State, is malicious, misconstrued and an attempt to pitch him and his group not only against the Federal Government, but his community and the Delta State government. He described the reporter who filed the report as lacking the knowledge of what transpires in the Niger Delta.

News|NORTH

THURSDAY, JULY 7, 2016 NEW TELEGRAPH

Tight security at Ilorin Eid praying ground Biodun Oyeleye Ilorin

here was tight security yesterday at the Ilorin Central Eid Praying Ground following speculations that some people had perfected plans to attack prominent personalities. Those allegedly pencilled down for attack are the Emir of Ilorin, Alhaji Ibrahim Sulu Gambari and other dignitaries during the prayers. The two Rakaats prayers, which usually take place at about 10.00am was, however, held at about 8.30am with stern looking riot policemen manning various entry points to the praying ground, as well as kepting surveillance around the praying ground. Following the development, there was large turn-out of worshippers at other mosques in the state capital, who had missed the Eid prayer session. However, two days before the prayers, the monarch had in a statement promised to attend the prayer session with the

Chief Imam of Ilorin, Alhaji Muhammad Bashir Soliu, but this was said to have come after the rumour that a Ramadan lecture organised at the Emir’s palace was disrupted, a development which the Palace spokesman, Mallam Abdulazeez Arowona, who is National Secretary of the Shehu Alimi Foundation for Peace and Development

had vehemently debunked in a statement issued on behalf of the monarch. The Emir, who also doubles as Chairman of the Kwara State Traditional Council, during the prayer session enjoined Muslims to continue to exemplify the worthy life of Prophet Muhammad and extend such to adherents of other religions. He also admonished re-

ligious leaders to discharge their obligations in line with the dictates of Allah and his Prophet in order to inject the message of unity, peace and harmony into the society. While felicitating with the entire Muslim Ummah for the successful completion of the Spiritual exercise passed during the month of Ramadan, the monarch urged residents to

continue to live in peace and always shun violence, even as he warned miscreants to have a re-think for the sake and Spirit of brotherhood binding everyone together. In his sermon, the Chief Imam of Ilorin, Alhaji Soliu implored Muslims who have the resources to extend hand of generosity to the poor in order to promote equity, fairness and justice

MINNA

or mer Military President, General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida and Former Head of State, Gen. Abdulsalam Abubakar have called on Nigerians to seek continuous peace across the country. In their various goodwill messages to mark the Eid el-Fitr yesterday in Minna, the Gen-

MINNA

espite the inability of the state to pay the workers’ full salary owing to its dwindling resources, the Niger State Governor, Abubakar Sani Bello has expressed optimism that the present economic hardship in the country would soon be a thing of the past. The governor expressed the optimism yesterday shortly after the two Rakaat prayers marking the end of Ramadan and to commemorate this year's Eid-El-Fitr at Minna Eid Praying Ground.

Al-Makura: No going back on new salary scale

LAFIA L-R: Chief of Army Staff, Tukur Buratai; Borno state Governor, Kashim Shettima and Shehu of Borno, Abubakar Ibn Umar Garbai El-Kanemi, during the Eid-el-Fitri sallah prayers in in Maiduguri… yesterday

erals charged Nigerians to continually pray for the country. Babangida said that when the Niger State Gover nor Abubakar Sani Bello, who was accompanied by Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar led members of his administration to feliciate with him and to wish him happy Eid-el-Fitr celebrations at his Hill Top residence. He said that, "I hope Nigerians will imbibe the teachings of the Holy month,

and continue to pray for peace." Abubakar also prayed for continued peace in the country while hoping Nigerians would take advantage of the teachings of the Ramadan which is hinged on peace and sacrifice. Several Muslim clerics took turn to offer prayers for the good health of the elder statesman as well as the posterity and peaceful existence of the country.

Niger: Bello predicts quick recovery of economy Dan Atori

just as he tasked Muslims to complete the Ramadan fast by discharging their responsibility of giving out Zakatul Fitri to the lessprivileged. According to him, "life is vanity upon vanity and must be taken as such. The rich should extend hand of generosity to the poor in order to promote equity, fairness and justice. Let us also know that death is inevitable and resurrection is not a lie as enshrined in the Quran and Sunnah. "

Cheke Emmanuel

IBB, Abdulsalami tasks Nigerians on peace Kogi monarch tasks Muslims Dan Atori

He said: "The present economic situation in the country is a phase that will soon be a history. Our leaders at various levels are committed to finding the lasting solution to the on-going economic hardship caused by global economic recession. "For us in Niger State, we are meticulously fashioning out programmes and policies that will bail us out of the economic woods, set the state on a threshold of economic buoyancy and put the state on sound economic pedestal. Currently, we are re-tooling all avenues for increased internally generated revenue (IGR)

to reduce the state’s dependence on federation allocation. Sooner than expected, the state’s economy will bounce back." Bello, therefore, urged Nigerians to remain prayerful and always commit the leaders to God's guidance and wisdom so that they could proffer enduring solutions to the nation's economic hardship. More importantly, the governor enjoined the people of the state to always be vigilant and security conscious, even as he challenged them on the need to continue to exemplify the lessons learnt during the holy month of Ramadan.

on Ramadan virtues

Zacchaeus Ozovehe Lokoja

aramount ruler of Ebiraland, Dr. Ado Ibrahim has charged Muslims in Kogi State to apply the lessons learnt from the one-month Ramadan fast in their day-to-day activities to enable the society become a better place for all. The monarch also called on the people to join hands with the present administration in the quest to collectively develop the state. The monarch, who made the call yesterday in Okene, the headquarters of Central Senatorial District of the state during the Eid-El-Fitr celebration, said there

were enough lessons from the holy month capable of shaping people’s lives if duly applied. He, therefore, admonished the people of the state, especially the youth to shun vices capable of tarnishing the image of the state, saying "God has given us a governor, who is ever ready to develop the state, and we should not involve in behaviour that would distract him from achieving his dreams for the state." Speaking at the palace of the paramount ruler, Governor Yahaya Bello charged the people, who had refused to join hand with him and his administration in order to move the state forward to have a rethink in the interest of the state.

asarawa State Governor, Tanko AlMakura yesterday said that there was no going back on the implementation of the new salary scale in the state. He stated this when members of the State Executive Council and other top government functionaries, led by the Deputy Governor, Mr. Silas Agara, paid him Sallah Homage at the Government House, Lafia, the state capital. According to him, it was immoral to take the chunk of the state’s resources to pay the salary of civil servants, who constituted insignificant number of population of the state at the detriment of the majority of the citizens. The gover nor explained that the cut in salary of civil servants in the state was carried out in good faith and called on civil servants to resume work without further delay. Al-Makura disclosed that 1,500 youths had been employed in recent times, adding that the government would carry out employment on quarterly basis to reduce the high number of unemployed youths in the state.

Adamawa Muslims observe prayers peacefully Ibrahim Abdul Yola

uslims in Adamawa State yesterday observed the Eid-El-Fitr prayer and cultural display peacefully amidst tight security in major cities and towns in the state. Our Correspondent, who monitored the prayer session during the celebration in Yola, the state capital, as well as Mubi, Ganye and Shelleng noted that the prayer and cultural dis-

play were observed peacefully without restriction of vehicular movements unlike the situation in the previous years. At Yola, the Lamido of Adamawa, Alhaji Barkindo Mustapha; the state governor, Muhammadu Jibrilla and the Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Alhaji Kabiru Mijinyawa joined other Muslims to observe the prayer and cultural display at the Eid praying ground and the Lamido's Palace respectively.

In his Sallah message to the people of the state, the Lamido of Adamawa called for sustainable peace and peaceful co-existence among the diverse people of the state. Alhaji Mustapha lauded the security agencies in the state for their role in maintaining peace and order, as well as ensuring security in the state, which he said had provided the required atmosphere for the state government to deliver the dividends of democracy to the people.

WORLD \ NEWS

uslims around the world celebrated thereligious holiday yesterday, marking the end of Islam’s

Muslims celebrate Eid-el-Fitr holy month of Ramadan. Like the start of Ramadan, during which believ-

ers abstain from eating and drinking during daylight hours, Eid-al-Fitr depends

on the sighting of the moon and its celebration varies in different countries.

THURSDAY, JULY 7, 2016 NEW TELEGRAPH

The day begins with early morning prayers and then family visits and feasts.

African Union launches allAfrica passport

s the European Union threatens to unravel in the wake of Britain’s vote to leave, the African Union is pursuing a path of closer integration through the launch of a common passport that will grant visafree access to all 54 member states. The electronic passports will be unveiled at the AU summit in Kigali, Rwanda, later this month, where they will be issued to heads of state and senior officials. The Union aims to distribute them to all African citizens by 2018. “This flagship project has the specific aim of facilitating free movement of persons,

goods and services around the continent - in order to foster intra-Africa trade, integration and socio-economic development,” the Union announced in a statement. The passports represent a key plank of the Agenda 2063 action plan, which emphasizes the need for greater continental integration, drawing on the popular vision of Pan-African unity. Freedom of movement has been a longstanding priority among member states, as enshrined in previous agreements such as the 1991 Abuja Treaty. Common passports have already been adopted for several regions, such as the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).

US sanctions North Korean leader over rights abuses

he United States yesterday sanctioned North Korean leader Kim Jong Un for the first time, citing “notorious abuses of human rights,” in a move that diplomats say will incense the nuclear-armed country. The sanctions, the first to target any North Koreans for rights abuses, affect property and other assets within US jurisdiction and extend to 10 other individuals and five government ministries and departments, the U.S. Treasury Department said in a statement. “Under Kim Jong Un, North Korea continues to inflict intolerable cruelty and hardship on millions of its own people,

including extrajudicial killings, forced labor, and torture,” Acting Undersecretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence Adam J. Szubin said in the statement. In North Korea, the leader is the subject of stateencouraged adulation and considered infallible. In a report by the U.S. State Department to Congress, Kim Jong Un topped a list of those responsible for serious human rights abuses and censorship in North Korea. The Treasury statement said he had “engaged in, facilitated, or been responsible for an abuse or violation of human rights by the Government of North Korea or the Workers’ Party of Korea.”

Shares slide as Brexit fears take hold

lobal stock markets have fallen and the pound has hit a fresh 31-year low as worries over the UK’s vote to leave the EU continue to rattle markets. The UK’s FTSE 100 share index closed 1.3 per cent lower, while US stocks got off to a choppy start on Wall Street. Earlier, the pound fell to $1.2798, its lowest since 1985, before rebounding. Analysts blamed warnings from the Bank of England that Brexit risks were “crystallising” and fears about the UK commercial property market. In afternoon trade, the pound was at about $1.29. Sterling has dropped by about 14 percent against the dollar since hitting $1.50 ahead of the referendum result. Against the euro, the pound was down 0.9 per cent at 1.1656, having earlier hit its lowest level since 2013. “Pessimistic predictions for sterling are coming true,” said Andrew Edwards, chief executive of ETX Capital. “The pound is the

chief proxy for the post-Brexit mood in the markets.” Wall Street opened lower before making modest gains, with the Dow Jones, Nasdaq and S&P 500 indexes all rising by less than 1 per cent in morning trade. In the UK, shares in domestic companies, such as supermarkets, housebuilders and banks, took the biggest hit on Wednesday. Tesco and Morrisons were two of the biggest losers, with their shares dropping more than 7 percent after analysts warned of a potential price war among supermarkets. Laith Khalaf, an analyst at Hargreaves Lansdown, said further discounting would squeeze supermarkets’ margins at a time when the falling pound is set to make food imports more expensive. The FTSE 100 finished 82 points lower at 6,463.59, while the FTSE 250 - which contains more UK-focused companies was 65 points, or 0.4 percent, lower at 15,669.71.

Pakistani Muslims offering Eid el-Fitr prayers at a ground in Karachi, Pakistan yesterday

Syrian conflict: Army declares 72-hour truce

he Syrian military has unilaterally declared a 72-hour truce covering the whole country, state media report. The “regime of calm” began at 01:00 yesterday (22:00 GMT on Tuesday) and will last until midnight on Friday. A number of rebel groups have said they will respect the truce, which covers the Islamic festival of Eid al-Fitr. Earlier, President Bashar al-Assad made a rare public appearance outside the capital, Damascus, attending Eid prayers in the devastated city of Homs. Large parts of Homs were once controlled by rebel forces, but for the past two years they have been confined to one besieged suburb. There was no indication in the military’s announcement that the “regime of calm”, which came at the end of the holy month of Ramadan and the start of Eid al-Fitr, had been discussed with its opponents. However, the Westernbacked Free Syrian Army and allied rebel factions said they would abide by the truce “so long as the other side does the same”. “Until now, [the government] has not abided by what it has announced, in that it has launched a number of attacks in various areas today,” said a statement posted on Twitter by Mohammed Alloush, the opposition’s

former chief peace negotiator. A spokesman for the rebel group Jaysh al-Islam earlier told the Associated Press that it was battling government forces around the village of Mayda, in the rural eastern Ghouta region outside Damascus. The state-run Sana news agency said government forces had gained control of large parts of the Mayda, making it a “launching point” to expand operations. A rescue worker in the divided northern city of Aleppo also said barrel bombs dropped by government aircraft had struck the rebel-held Hraitan area.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a UK-based monitoring group, meanwhile said two children had been killed by missiles fired by rebel groups at the pro-government, predominantly Shia village of Zahraa, north-west of Aleppo. US Secretary of State John Kerry welcomed the temporary truce. “We are trying very hard to grow these current discussions in a longer-lasting, real, enforceable, cessation of hostilities,” he said during a visit to Georgia. “We hope that the 72 hours could perhaps be a harbinger of possibilities to come.”

Zimbabwe‘shut down’over economic collapse

he streets of Zimbabwe’s main cities are deserted during a nationwide stay away to protest at the lack of jobs and unpaid wages. The protests were organised through the messaging site WhatsApp but it is not clear which group is behind it. The internet was often unavailable yesterday morning but the government has denied blocking it. The BBC’s Brian Hungwe in the capital Harare says it is one of the biggest protests in many years. Protesters also set up burning barricades in Harare.

Some of the messages calling for a stay away also urged President Robert Mugabe to step down. The 92 year old has governed the country since independence in 1980. On Twitter, activists have been using the hashtag #ShutDownZimbabwe2016 to mobilise support. Many civil servants have not been paid in more than a month - they went on strike on Tuesday. Monday, taxi drivers complaining about police extortion clashed with the security forces in parts of Harare. The economy has also been hit by currency shortages and a severe drought.

China flooding: Wuhan on red alert for further rain

he Chinese city of Wuhan is on red alert for more heavy rainfall, after torrential downpours overnight left parts of the city submerged. Transport links and water and power supplies in the city of 10 million are severely affected, and some residents are trapped in their homes. Flooding has killed more than 180 people and caused chaos across China. Police in neighbouring

Anhui province even warned that alligators from a farm there had escaped due to the flooding. China floods in numbers • 32 million people in 26 provinces across China have been affected by severe flooding • 186 people died and 45 are missing • 1.4 million people have been relocated • 56,000 houses have collapsed Wuhan’s meteorological

office released the red alert yesterday. It said to expect wind and rain, and flooding in both urban and rural areas. Chinese media is reporting that more than 560mm (1.8ft) of rain has fallen over the past week, the heaviest ever in the history of the city, which is on the Yangtze River. Roads and metro stations were inundated with water, and trains cancelled.

THURSDAY, JULY 7, 2016 NEW TELEGRAPH

Did you know?

Sport

Siasia: Nigeria can’t win medal without funds

That Federer on Wednesday came back from two sets to love to beat Marin Cilic 3-2 in the Wimbledon quarterfinal. It was the 10th time of achieving such feat in his career

International Sport Euro: Germany, France battle for place

46 47

Tax fraud: Messi, father guilty, bag jail term I knew nothing, Barca star insists Gets team’s support

Messi (left) and his father

Sport News

rgentina and Barcelona footballer Lionel Messi has been sentenced to 21 months in prison for tax fraud. His father, Jorge Messi, was also given a jail term for defrauding Spain of 4.1m (£3.5m; $4.5m) between 2007 and 2009. They also face millions of euros in fines for using tax havens in Belize and Uruguay to conceal earnings from image rights. However, neither man is expected to serve time in jail. Under the Spanish system, prison terms of under two years can be served under probation. The footballer and his father were found guilty of three counts of tax fraud in Wednesday’s ruling by the court in Barcelona. As well as the jail terms, Messi

was fined about 2m and his father 1.5m. They made a voluntary 5m “corrective payment”, equal to the alleged unpaid tax plus interest, in August 2013. The sentence can be appealed through the Spanish supreme court. During the trial, Lionel Messi insisted he “knew nothing” about the management of his financial affairs, saying his father dealt with them while he was “playing football”. For his part, Jorge Messi claimed he did not have enough knowledge to orchestrate such a fraud, blaming his tax consultants instead. Lionel Messi retired from international football late last month. He has won the FIFA World Player of the Year five times and is one of the richest athletes in the world.

The good news for Messi is that he won’t be going to jail for defrauding the Spanish tax authorities. The bad news is that he’s been fined $2.3 million. After the court delivered its verdict, Barcelona issued a statement “giving all its support to Leo Messi and his father.” The statement added: “The Club, in agreement with the Government prosecution service, considers that the player, who has corrected his position with the Spanish Tax Office, is in no way criminally responsible with regards to the facts underlined in this case. “FC Barcelona continues to be at the disposal of Leo Messi and his family to support him in whatever action he decides to take in

defense of his honesty and his legal interests.” The Argentine’s legal representatives argued their client had no knowledge of his tax affairs. The sentence also reflects that Messi has no previous criminal record and that he has already paid back the money he owes - minus $23,600, which he now has to pay. Messi is widely regarded as the best footballer on the planet and is Barca’s all-time leading goalscorer. During his time with the club, Messi has won the European Champions League on four occasions and eight Spanish league titles. Forbes ranked Messi as the second-highest paid athlete on the planet, earning an estimated $81.4 million through his salary and various endorsement deals.

National trials: All eyes on Okagbare The Sport Team Adekunle Salami Group Sport Editor

Emmanuel Tobi Assistant Sport Editor

Ajibade Olusesan Sport Correspondent

Charles Ogundiya Sport Correspondent

Charles Ogundiya

recently concluded African Senior Athletic Championships in Durban, South Africa, due to the host country’s inability to issue her entry visa. The 2008 Olympic Games silver medallist in long jump

ll eyes will be on the country’s topmost athlete, Blessing Okagbare, as the All Nigeria Athletics Championships take centre stage in Sapele, Delta State, the home town of the Africa’s queen of the tracks. Okagbare will be fired up to reclaim her national title which she lost to Gloria Asumnu during the national trials in Warri last year. She was absent at the trials. She also missed out of the Okagbare

already ran a Personal Best of 11.09secs in 100m while posting 22.58secs in 200m just last week in Sweden. She will however be the athlete to beat in the women’s 100m. The three-day trials will see athletes who are yet to qualify for the Olympics strive to meet the standards for the games scheduled for August 5 to 21 in Rio, Brazil. Some of the top athletes for the US arrived the country on Monday and will be contending with the home-based stars for national titles.

There was upsets in the men and women’s 200m during last year’s trials when unknown Odele Tega and Praise Idamadudu won the titles respectively. Men’s 100m defending champion Seye Ogunlewe, who already had a season best of 10.18secs, will be up against Ogho-Oghene Egwero, Nicholas Imhoaperamhe, Divine Oduduru and others while the likes of Chidi Okezie (400m men), Tosin Oke (triple jump men), Patience Okon-George (400m women) will all be hoping to defend their titles.

Pistorius sentenced six years for girlfriend’s murder

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THURSDAY, JULY 7, 2016 NEW TELEGRAPH

Siasia: Nigeria can’t win medal without funds Begs Buhari to rescue Olympics team

EURO 2016 SEMIFINAL Germany

France 8pm

USA’s Kobe Bryant (middle) keeping pressure on Nigeria’s Alade Aminu

D’Tigers beat China 79-71 in Stankovic Cup opener Ajibade Olusesan

igeria’s senior national male basketball team, D’Tigers, defeated China 79-71 in their opening match at the FIBA Stankovic Continental Champions’ Cup in Beijing, China on Tuesday. D’Tigers were still able to beat the host nation despite being without key players including Al-Farouq Aminu,

who just concluded his basketball camp in Ibadan at the weekend, his brother Alade, NBA star, Victor Ezeli, and injured Mike Gbinije. Speaking after the encounter, America-bor n D’Tigers coach, Will Voigt, admitted it was a hardfought victory. “It was a really hardfought game. It was a great test. Both teams played hard. Down the stretch you had to execute,” Voigt said.

Lagos to host Flying Eagles, Sudan return leg

agos soccer fans will enjoy the privilege of watching national team football, as the Nigeria Football Federation have confirmed the Flying Eagles African Cup of Nations U-20 qualifier against their Sudanese counterpart, July 23, at the Teslim Balogun Stadium, in Lagos. The team had earlier hosted Burundi in Calabar, in what was their second leg second round clash. Nigeria are the defending U-20 AFCON champions following their 1-0 final win over Senegal at the 2015 edition and the overall winners between Sudan and Nigeria will qualify for the next edition in Zambia in February.

The four semi-finalists from the tournament in Zambia will qualify for the FIFA U-20 World Cup in South Korea.

Amunike

he started out playing with the reserve team and managed five goals in his first season. He made his senior debut for Safi in 2014, when the team was third from bottom on the log, but established himself in the centre of the park to help them avoid relegation. Arrows have been one of the busiest clubs in this transfer window, and Nworah will now add to the long list of new signings the club have snapped up thus far.

U-23 Eagles midfielder, Oghenekaro Etebo (right)

Emmanuel Tobi

igeria U-23 Eagles coach, Samson Siasia, has expressed disappointment on the team’s shoddy preparations ahead of the 2016 Rio Olympics while stating that the country cannot win any medal

Ujah: I couldn’t reject Chinese deal Emmanuel Tobi

Golden Arrows signs Nworah

outh African club, Golden Arrows, have acquired the services of Nigerian midfielder Ifeanyi Nworah from Moroccan side Olympic Safi. The 21-year-old central midfielder is a former Nigerian youth international, having represented the Golden Eagles at under-17 level in 2011, while turning out for Glo Premier League side Gabros FC. Nworah joined Olympic Safi in Morocco in 2012, where

Nigeria will play Argentina in their next game of the 4-Nation tournament while China plays France who also beat Argentina 6457 on Tuesday. The competition is part of the training programme to prepare the African Champions for the Olympic Games which commences on August 5 in the Brazilian city of Rio de Janeiro. The Stankovic Cup is an international basketball tournament for men’s national teams anunual by the International Basketball Federation.

uper Eagles forward, Anthony Ujah, has revealed the offer from Chinese club Liaoning FC was too tempting to reject. Ujah’s deal with the Chinese club was announced by Werder Bremen on Tuesday but still subject to a medical. “It was a very difficult decision for me because I’ve become very fond of the city, the club and, above all, the fans in the past year. That’s why a possible transfer didn’t come into question in winter. “Now there is a new opportunity, which I can’t reject. I’m lucky that I could contribute to the happy ending of last season and wish SVW all the best,”

Ujah (left)

Ujah explained. Speaking on the deal, Werder Bremen Sporting Director, Frank Bauman, revealed that Ujah made a special request to join the chinese club. “It was not actually our intention to sell Tony because he was set to play an important role in our plans for next season. “But he told us a few days ago that he would like to accept the offer from China. In the end, we have come to a satisfactory solution for both parties so that we could agree to his request.” Ujah joined Werder from Bundesliga side FC Cologne in 2015, and has scored 11 goals in his over 30 appearances in the colours of The Green-Whites.

at the competition without funding. New Telegraph on Tuesday reported that the team activities had been crippled by acute shortage of funds and kits with just a paltry sum of $1,000 on ground for the whole team. Speaking from the team’s training base in Atlanta, United States of America, a frustrated Siasia said, “We don’t have money. We are in the (United States of) America now without any money. So, it is a big problem. How are we going to win gold, if we keep begging for money to take care of our athletes? “When you have players who are not motivated and encouraged, but you want them to come and do a miracle. Everybody needs to be encouraged at one time or the other,” he said. Speaking further, Siasia appealed to the Federal Government for a quick intervention. “We just want to appeal to President Muhammadu Buhari to come to the rescue of sports in the country as our father and sports-loving President. “The sports sector is dying and it is adversely affecting the teams that have qualified to represent Nigeria at the Rio Olympics Games, not just football, but the other (seven) sports that Nigeria will feature in Rio. “The reason is well known which is the Sports Ministry needs to be funded adequately. This has adversely affected the Nigeria Football Federation too. Everybody is borrowing. “This has to stop. President Buhari has to help us by approving some funds for our Olympic teams to prepare well.”

THURSDAY, JULY 7, 2016 NEW TELEGRAPH

The Muyiwa Daniel Column

Pistorius sentenced six years for girlfriend’s murder

md_muyiwa@yahoo.com 08023525087 (sms only)

Pinnick and Things Fall Apart!

had resolved that I wanted to keep the Nigeria Football Federation under Amaju Pinnick in the back-burner just like that of the unsavoury treatment of the country’s sports ministry’s preparations for summer’s waiting disaster at Rio, Brazil so as to concentrate on the reason behind the success of Wales and Iceland at the Euro Nations Cup. Population of Iceland is about 10 percent of that of Alimosho Local Government in Lagos. The Wimbledon tennis Championships have been washed away by rain and saw the exit of Novak Djokovic while Serena Williams is still aiming at that Steffi Graf record of Grand Slam wins forgetting her historic number of win on all surfaces while the world has gone on its knees pleading with Lionel Messi not to quit the “Albercetes” third straight failure to clinch the COPA America and the loss of a penalty that could have changed fortunes. However, the NFF glass house keep hitting the headlines for the wrong reasons if not changing its own goalposts by either naming a coach for the Super Eagles or in another breath asking for applications for the job without convincing Minister Solomon Dalung that the Nigerians over-burdened already with taxes will pick the bill as a private sector saddled with challenges will not touch Pinnick’s Board with a toothcomb just as laughable as its decision to “postpone” the Federation’s cup matches for Ramadan celebration as if it does not realise that the two days would brought fans to the stands just like the Premiership it apes plays football at Christmas/boxing and New Year days. I n c i d e n t a l l y, I don’t “think P i n n i ck and Board members have read Chinua Achebe’s -”Things Fall Apart” considering the setting up of the Ibrahim Galadima Committee to “resolve” the leadership crisis. Smart people who have thinking caps on will simply have concluded that like in that book it is time Pinnick up just l i k e Okonkwo. Dalung with that Committee had turned the clock back to 2011 when Galadima got to that seat now occupied by Pinnick. I should know because I was a member of the Electoral Committee headed by now “in-Heaven” Pa John Chukwuma Ojidoh constituted by then and late Sports Minister-Steven Ibn Akiga who gave his word that Decree 101 of 1992 will become an Act of the National Assembly after our process through our report that will become an Executive pursued by the President Olusegun Obasanjo’s administration. I believed Akiga because I had to step on the toes of my friends- Dr Amos Adamu and Tijani Yussufwho served on the Galadima Committee alongside former international and a man with a passion for the job-Segun Odegbami. Adamu as Director of Sports Development in the NSC wanted Yussuf who had served as Director of the National Institute for Sports and Secretary-General of the NFF. Yussuf as at the period was the deputy-director of the sports development department and by his brief ALL Associations report to his table. It was on that premise of TJ likely to preside over his own case assuming he became NFA President and retain his office just like Adamu did as Sole Administrator under Chief Alex Akinyele as Executive Chairman that knocked my friend off on my insisted when the Committee faced Akiga. In order to maintain the status quo-ante, Galadima was “drafted in and like ALL his predecessors who were Government nominees won. The tradition has not changed and Pinnick is also a beneficiary and he does not need a sun watcher, dibia, babalawo or priest to explain to him that Dalung is taking a short-cut to his exit of the “Glass House” in a matter of time. That is the man who pays the piper dictating the tune.

Pistorius

Payet: West Ham wary of Barca, Real

est Ham United admit it would be “difficult” to keep Dimitri Payet from joining Barcelona or Real Madrid this summer should either of the La Liga giants submit an offer for the France international. The 29-year-old has backed up an impressive debut Premier League season by leading France into the semi-finals at the European Championships with three goals in five matches – leading to him being linked with Chelsea. “We’ll fight tooth and nail to make sure Dimitri pulls on a claret and blue shirt next season,” Gold told The Sun.

Chelsea eye £12m move for Pelle

outh African Olympian and Paralympian Oscar Pistorius has been sentenced to six years in prison for the murder of his girlfriend in 2013, potentially bringing an end to a legal saga that saw the man dubbed “blade runner” initially convicted of manslaughter for the killing of Reeva Steenkamp. In 2014, a court found Pistorius guilty of shooting Steenkamp dead through a locked toilet door on February 14, 2013. He argued he thought she was an intruder, and the court convicted him of manslaughter, the equivalent of culpable homicide, and sentenced him to five years in prison.

Euro: Germany, France battle for place in final F

helsea are we i g h i n g up a £12 million move for Southampton striker Graziano Pellè if they fail i n their attempts to sign Álvaro Morata this summer, according to the Daily Mail. Incoming Blues boss Antonio Conte is expected to deploy the 3-5-2 formation he has used successfully with both Juventus and Italy in the Premier League next season. In order to do so Chelsea need to strengthen their options up front following the departures of Radamel Falcao and Alexandre Pato this summer after their loan spells didn’t prove fruitful. The West London club have already splashed out £33 million on Michy Batshuayi from Marseille but their manager still needs to bring in one more top class striker to support Diego Costa.

Pelle

But he was released a year into his sentence, and allowed to spend the rest of his term under house arrest—until last December. That’s when a South African court overturned the Olympian’s manslaughter conviction, a n d convicted him of murdering Steenkamp.

Ozil (left) and Pogba

Federer rallies to beat Cilic at Wimbledon

oger Federer looked like he would lose badly at Wimbledon on Wednesday. A little later, he looked like he would lose nobly. Then he looked like he would lose a heartbreaker. But somehow, Federer did everything except lose against Marin Cilic. He dropped the first two sets. He faced strings of break points. He saved three match points. He even made a timely instant replay challenge, in the fourth-set tiebreaker. It all added up to a 6-7(4), 4-6, 6-3, 7-6(9) 6-3 victory for Federer, and an 11th trip to the Wimbledon semifinals, tied with Jimmy Connors for the most since 1968, when Open era tennis began. “A lot happened out there,” Federer told the BBC after his victory. “I feel sorry for him, but for me obviously the dream continues.”

rance will look to beat Germany in a competitive fixture for the first time in 58 years when they face off in the semi-final of Euro 2016 on Thursday night. The hopes of a nation rest firmly on France’s shoulders as they look to avenge their 2014 World Cup quarter-final heartbreak at the hands of Germany in Brazil. And it is France who come into the tie in better form, following their 5-2 thrashing of Iceland in the quarter-final. Olivier Giroud, Paul Pogba, Dimitri Payet and Antoine Griezmann were all on the scoresheet at the Stade de France, and the home nation will book a return to the national stadium on Sunday night if they can overcome the world champions in the last four. Germany themselves have not had an easy run to the final, battling past Italy by the finest of margins in a quarter-final penalty shootout. Germany will be without striker Mario Gomez after the forward was ruled out of the rest of the tournament with a hamstring injury. Germany are also sweating on the fitness of midfield pair Bastian Schweinsteiger and Sami Khedira, while Mats Hummels is suspended after picking up one yellow card too many in the quarter-final. France, meanwhile, have no suspensions and welcome back both N’Golo Kante and Adil Rami from their bans.

On Marble

Laughter is the sun that drives winter from the human face.

– Victor Hugo

Sanctity of Truth

Mike A. Wilkie Pope Francis’ in-flight interview

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Ndigbo, let not your heart be troubled (1) A.B.C. Nwosu

became greatly rattled after reading Mr. Ike Abonyis excellent write-up titled: “South East,. PDP, and matters Arising”, on the back page of the “New Telegraph” Newspaper of Thursday May 5, 2016. It was an incisive and illuminating piece that contained plenty of food for thought for Ndigbo, the PDP, the APC and Nigeria. He began with a quote that reminds us that “one cannot cross a sea by merely standing and staring at the water” and then posed the allimportant question: “should the SouthEast remain in the Peoples Democratic Party?” This burning life or death question has been, since 2015, the subject of enlightened Igbo political discourse since the emergence of the APC – controlled Federal government under President Muhammadu Buhari. This is not surprising as the South–East voted massively against APC in the 2015 elections, and has no regrets about its action. Personally the write-up has provoked me into very serious thinking about my politics, Ndigbo and Nigeria. However for me the central issue is whether the South East and Ndigbo have at this moment any alternative to the Peoples Democratic Party PDP). Put differently, Is it in their best interests for Ndigbo to embrace the APC and the President Buhari led Federal Government which has in one year clearly demonstrated an intense dislike for Ndigbo and the SouthEast like no other Federal Government in recent history? Even the post Nigeria – Biafra war Supreme Military Councils (the highest decision-making organs of the Federal Government at the time) included at least one member from the then East Central State. It was from this precarious post– 1970 position of the then East Central State that Ndigbo rebounded, armed only with their God-given “Igbo DNA” and faith in Nigeria; the punitive and wicked “Banking Obligations (Eastern States) Decree of 1970” that is the £20 ex-gratia nonsense notwithstanding. Inspite of the celebrated but not implemented 3Rs policy of the Federal Government there was no East Central State Reconstruction Commission. Yet Ndigbo survived and rebuilt their destroyed homes and social institutions at such a rate that by 1979 when the Second Republic was ushered in Dr. Alex Ekwueme was the Vice-President and the South-East had a viable “Voice” and “influence” at the center because of the NPN – NPP accord. Since the advent of the Third Republic in 1999, especially from the post-Obasanjo era, Igbo voice and South-East influence at the center has been on the decline. President Olusegun Obasanjo whatever his short-comings, had laboured to build truly Nigerian decision-making organs and institutions. For example the choice of the Vice President, the zoning of the offices of Senate President and Deputy Senate President, Speaker and Deputy Speaker of House of Representatives, the appointments of Chief of Staff, Secretary of Government, National Security Adviser etc re-

Political Musings IKE ABONYI igwebuike2001@yahoo.com 0802-402-4029 (sms only)

Igbo Hero: Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu

flected “National Character” without compromising competence. Even in the initiation and composition of the Board of EFCC under Nuhu Ribadu, President Obasanjo ensured that the six geopolitical zone structure of the country was not violated. The PDP–Presidents had been made by the Party to realize that for effective government and harmonious sociopolitical and economic discourse in Nigeria, ethnic groups, big and notso-big, should be given a say in the exercise of “Federal power”. This is to say that no group should be excluded in organs, caucuses, and bodies where key “Federal” decisions affecting all zones are taken. Not to do this is VERY BAD POLITICS which always generates tensions and is antithetical to good governance. Put simply BAD POLITICS and GOOD GOVERNANCE can not co-exist because bad politics always begets bad policies and bad governance. Therefore the continued existence and stability of our dear country depends to a large extent on how Presidents and our political leaders accept this matter of “inclusive politics” as an imperative. Today there is a very bad feeling by Ndigbo (a significant ethic group comprised in Nigeria) that as a people they are being deliberately excluded in the exercise of political power in Nigeria. This bad feeling is very widespread among Igbo Youths, exacerbated by unemployment and hopelessness regarding their future as Nigerians. As presently configured, the political influence of the South-East geopolitical zone in the APC and the President Buhari-led Federal Government of Nigeria is zero. Zip!. Any Igbo person, and indeed any Nigerian, who does not see this is either an appointee of the Federal Government, or is politically blind, or a plain political opportunist. And any Igbo person who is happy

with the situation needs to have his “Igbo DNA” reanalyzed. Ike Abonyi’s write-up reminds us that group politics is not like a singles tennis game because any geo-political zone whose group negotiating power is weak in the major political parties becomes weak and effete and marginalized and remains confined to the fringes in the exercise of Federal power in Nigeria. Even the very existence of that ethnic group in the polity becomes threatened. So with this as background should the South-East remain in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)? My

position is that Ndigbo should look at recent happenings and use their tongues to count their teeth. Two very recent examples will suffice to bring the South-East situation in today’s Nigeria home to every Igbo person. The first is the brutal murder of Mrs. Bridget Agbaheme in Kano, and the second is the Nimbo massacre in Uzo-Uwani in Enugu State. The intense and bestial nature of the two incidents are troubling to the extreme – a criminal brutal, beating to death in Kano of Septuagenarian Mrs. Bridget Agbaheme, in front of her husband whilst the public watched and did nothing; (reminiscent of the beheading of Gideon Akaluka followed by a victory dance with his head in the same Kano, decades ago); and the Nimbo early morning massacre where the perpetrator Fulani herdsmen delighted in taking macabre pictures of the death throes of their victims who were slaughtered in their God-given village. Terrible. Absolutely terrible. With these two horrid incidents at the back of my mind I analysed the reported closed-door meeting of the national Security Council on Thursday 30th June 2016. THE PUNCH Newspaper of Friday 1st July 2016 (p.15) listed Security Chiefs and officials of the Federal government who attended the meeting. Neither Security Chiefs nor officials of the Federal government present at the meeting was from the South East. It was not so with the other five geopolitical zones of the country. For the South-East and Ndigbo this meeting stands out as a clear demonstration of their exclusion from Nigeria. There is no other way of looking at it. •Prof. Nwosu was former political Adviser to President Obasanjo

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