Tuesday, 03 february, 2015 binder1 by Newtelegraphonline

A media partner of Sanctity Of Truth

NIGERIA’S MOST AUTHORITATIVE NEWSPAPER IN POLITICS AND BUSINESS /newtelegraph

Vol. 2 No. 349

Tuesday, February 3, 2015

@newtelegraph1 www.newtelegraphonline.com

N150

Businessman, Molade Okoya-Thomas, dies at 79 }8

FG cuts $5.4bn off JV oil capital expenditures

11 days to go...

Adeola Yusuf

Nigeria votes

lSouth Africa oil firm mulls assets' exit from Nigeria

he Federal Government has cut its 2015 capital budget

for Joint Venture (JV) oil operations by $5.4 billion (N918 billion) from $13.5 billion to $8.1 billion, indicating some 40 per cent

slash not seen for over a decade ago. The government, which through the Nigerian National Petroleum Corpo-

ration (NNPC), operates oil joint ventures with multinational companies, including Shell, ExxonMobil, Chevron, Total

and Eni, was, according to Platts, forced to slash the Capital Expenditures (capex) due to the price rout CONTINUED ON PAGE 6

2015

ria Nige

s vote

2015

}14 & 15

Buhari: I'll revive comatose economy

lSule Lamido: APC should forget 2015 presidency

Quick Read Editorial

State of the Nigerian economy }19

L-R: Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola; All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential candidate, Major General Muhammadu Buhari and Managing Director, Leadway Assurance, Mr. Oye Hasssan-Odukale, at a meeting Buhari held with the organised private sector in Lagos…yesterday.

Blast rocks Jonathan's rally in Gombe Anule Emmanuel and Ben Ngwakwe

Rivers courts Goodluck bombed }2 President Jonathan campaign GOMBE

in Gombe, the Gombe State capital, was yesterday marred by explosions that occurred as he was departing after addressing his supporters and members of the ruling Peoples

Democratic Party (PDP). It was learnt that two suicide bombers, suspected to be females, had detonated the explosives, hidden in a car parked outside the stadium, venue of the

presidential rally, barely five minutes after the presidential convoy passed the route. “We have evacuated two bodies of females we CONTINUED ON PAGE 7

Travel Advisory

Your guide to local and international flights }4

News

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2015 NEW TELEGRAPH

Buhari: I'll revive comatose economy Geoffrey Ekenna and Muritala Ayinla

ll Progressives Congress (APC) presidential candidate, Major General Muhammadu Buhari, yesterday gave an insight into how he will run the economy, should he win the February 14 presidential election. Buhari, at a meeting in Lagos with the Organised Private Sector (OPS) to herald his town hall meeting with critical stakeholders in the country, said his administration would strive to ensure that all its economic policies would be geared towards job creation. He spoke on a day Jigawa State Governor, Alhaji Sule Lamido, dismissed Buhari's chances of winning the presidency, saying the opposition party lacks what it takes to defeat the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, President Goodluck Jonathan, in the forthcoming presidential race. Buhari, at the meeting, tagged ‘GMB Means Business’, stated that he would create conducive environment for industries to operate efficiently. He also promised to revive the textile mills and other industries that were major sources of employment to Nigerians. He said: "As practical as it is possible to do so, our policies for implementing our commitments will be governed by the highest consideration of how they create jobs. "Equipping and resourcing our security personnel, for example, will not be limited to provision of arms alone, but uniforms, boots and accoutrements, are enormous opportunities for textile production, garment making and shoemaking. "Power supply is the minimum that we can seriously commit to in order to quickly galvanise the economy back to productivity. "We agree with the privatisation of the power utilities but we believe it must go further to transmission. "After the signing and handing-over ceremonies of the power assets the real work of producing, transmitting and distributing power is really just beginning. "The reason why the success seems elusive is that apart from the signing ceremony and handing over of the power assets, the hard work to connect the various parts of the power chain, supply gas, install transformers, com-

plete substations has not been done. "Our studies show that we will require no less than 200,000 trained personnel to support the initiative to provide power and light up Nigeria. "Apart from the inherent direct employment that this will give, the reduction in cost of production, the savings from self-generation by Nigerians, who currently spend a lot of their income on purchase of diesel and petrol to generate their own electricity, will reduce the burden on their disposable

income. "These savings to Nigerians from reliable electricity will help the average Nigerian spend their money on other basic necessities of life and reduce poverty." Buhari also expressed his support for the initiative to build a refinery in Lagos, saying his administration will support the bid because of the job-creation potential of the venture and its ability to save Nigeria from needless spending of its foreign exchange earnings. Besides, he said his

administration would also concentrate efforts on building roads and highways to link up the 36 states of the federation with the partnership of state governments which will be expected to connect their states to the highways by building the last mile connections. "Road construction alone will unlock a value chain of opportunities in the built industry for construction companies, builders, engineers, architects, quarry operators, cement and iron rod production and supply.

"The successful opening up of Nigeria by the construction of new roads and highways will revive road transportation, truck manufacture, tyre manufacture, engine oil, brake pad production on one hand. "It will also create a demand for jobs for mechanics, drivers and those engaged in transport support business," he added. However, he told the gathering, comprising captains of industry and other key players in different sectors of the economy that his administration

will meet regularly with the private sector to get their views on government economic policy formulation and implementation. "So, apart from sharing our plans with you, the other purpose of this meeting is to afford me the opportunity to listen to you. To hear your own side of the problems. We shall collate your views and proposals in policy formation. "I wish to invite you to sit with my economic team to look at our proposals and develop workable policies and implementaCONTINUED ON PAGE 7

L-R: Emir of Gombe, Alhaji Abubakar Shehu Abubakar III, President Goodluck Jonathan, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) National Chairman, Alhaji Adamu Mu'azu and Gombe State Governor, Alhaji Ibrahim Dankwambo, during the president's visit to the emir while on campaign in Gombe…yesterday.

Bomb explosions rock Rivers High Courts Emmanuel Masha Port Harcourt

coordinated bomb attacks on three High Courts’ premises in Degema, Isiokpo and Port Harcourt yesterday unsettled Rivers State and prevented the Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN) from resuming work after calling off their eight-month-old strike on Saturday. The bombings, according to the state’s police command, were carried out with explosive devices suspected to be dynamite by “unpatriotic assailants. According to the command’s spokesman, Ahmad Mohammad, about five explosions occurred around the premises of the High Court in Port Harcourt, a few metres

away from the Government House, and the state secretariat. Mohammad said that no life was lost in the attacks, and that the damages caused by the bombings were minimal, except that of Degema, which building he said was razed and documents burnt. He also said that the command’s bomb disposal team had taken over the premises for investigation, just as he said that the Commissioner of Police, Dan Bature, was saddened over the development, and has maintained his position that violence won’t solve any problem. He said: “The Commissioner of Police is deeply saddened by the tragic and senseless attacks on the temples of justice. We must realise that violence is never and will never be a

solution to problem(s). “The command has already put in place efforts that will lead to the arrest of the actors and sponsors of the attacks while soliciting for the usual cooperation from members of the public to assist the police in this regard,” the statement said. The spokesman disclosed that the fire at the High Courts in Isiokpo and Port Harcourt was extinguished by policemen, adding that it could have spread beyond the attack points. Some lawyers and members of JUSUN, who had gone to resume work at the Port Harcourt High Court, were prevented from entering the court’s premises by security operatives. The workers had been on strike since July 9, 2014

after crisis erupted in the state’s judiciary following the leadership crisis that engulfed the Rivers State House of Assembly, which was followed shortly by the January 6, 2014 bombing of the state High Court in Ahoada, as well as the bombing of the secretariat of Obio/Akpor local government area, following the suspension of the former chairman, Hon. Timothy Nsirim by the state’s lawmakers. Efforts to get the state’s government’s reaction on the bombings were unsuccessful. But the state’s chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) described the bombings as barbaric, and urged the police to fish out the culprits. APC state chairman, Dr. Davies Ikanya, urged the perpetrators to desist from

such acts, which he noted cast the state in bad light. Ikanya, who reacted in a text message through his media adviser, Chief Eze Chulwuemeka Eze said: “The bombing of the High Courts at Isiokpo, Degema and Port Harcourt is most unfortunate. Those of us in APC condemn such barbaric act and we pray that those behind this will desist from such act that puts our state in bad light. “We ask the police and the security organs in the state to fish out the culprits and punish them accordingly.” It will be recalled that the CP, recently invited the political parties in the state to a meeting, urging them to emulate President Goodluck Jonathan and Major General Muhammadu Buhari who signed a non-violence treaty.

NEW TELEGRAPH TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2015

Travel Advisory

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2015 NEW TELEGRAPH

International Flight Schedule Air France

Destination Abuja- Paris Paris-Lagos Paris-PHC PHC-Paris Paris –Abuja Lagos –Paris

Flight No. AF 513 AF 3822 AF514 AF513 AF514 AF3849

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

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

Amsterdam-Lagos Lagos-Amsterdam

KL587 KL588

13:15hrs 23:05hrs

20:00hrs 05:50hrs

KLM

ARIK AIRLINES

Lagos-London London-Lagos Lagos-New York

W3 101 W3 102 W3 107 (Mon, Wed , Fri) New York-Lagos W3 108 (Tues,Thurs, Fri) Lagos-Johannesburg W3 103 Johannesburg-Lagos W3 104 Lagos-Douala - (Tues, Wed ,Thur) Douala-Lagos - (Tues, Wed, Thur) Lagos-Accra -

VIRGIN ATLANTIC

Lagos-London London-Lagos

VS 652 VS 651

11:00hrs 22:40hrs

17:00hrs 4:40hrs

Lagos- Abu Dhabi

Abu Dhabi-Lagos

EY 0672 (Sunday) (Monday) (Saturday) EY 955

20.45hrs 09:50hrs 09.20 hrs 06:30hrs

07:00hrs 20:05hrs 20:10hrs 11:45hrs

Lagos-Cairo Cairo-Lagos

MS 876 MS 875

14:25hrs 08:30hrs

22:20hrs 13:30hrs

ETIHAD AIRWAYS

EGYPT AIR

KENYA AIRWAYS

12:00hrs 21:30hrs 23:50hrs

18:30hrs 05:15hrs 05:30hrs

Lagos-Nairobi Nairobi-Lagos

KQ 533 KQ 534

12:30hrs 18:00hrs

19:35hrs 23:45hrs

12:30hrs

16:00hrs

Lagos-Kigali

11:15hrs

16:45hrs

10:45hrs 09:35hrs 11:10hrs 13:25hrs 07:20hrs 17:00hrs 08:05hrs 13:35hrs 18:00hrs

hrs 14:44hrs hrs hrs hrs hrs hrs hrs hrs

AWB 201 (Mon, Wed, Fri, Sun) AWB 202 (Tue, Thur, Sat, Sun)

14:00hrs

17:30hrs

22:35hrs 15:10hrs

06:00hrs 21:20hrs

17:00hrs 06:00hrs 08:00hrs 17:00hrs 08:00hrs 15:20hrs 21:00hrs

hrs hrs hrs hrs hrs hrs hrs

01:00hrs

hrs

BA075 BA074 BA 082 BA 083

17:55hrs 00:00hrs 09:00hrs 22:40hrs

11:55hrs 5:50hrs 14:35hrs 06:00hrs

Lebanon-Lagos Lagos-Lebanon

MEA 571 MEA 572

3:00hrs 14:00hrs

8:00hrs 19:00hrs

Lagos-Dubai Lagos-Dubai Dubai-Lagos Dubai-Lagos Abuja-Dubai

EK 7821 (Sun-Sat) EK 7822 EK 7831 EK 7811 EK 761

21:30hrs 14:40hrs 07:35hrs 14:20hrs 23:55hrs

07:40hrs 01:05hrs 12:50hrs 19:45hrs 10:30hrs

Lagos-Doha Flight Doha-Lagos Flight

QR 1414 (daily) QR 1415

14:55hrs 07:20hrs

23:45hrs 13:35hrs

Lagos-Atlanta Atlanta-Lagos

DL053 DL 054

22:15hrs 5:15hrs

05:32hrs 16:15hrs

Accra-Lagos

Abuja-Accra Accra-Abuja Lagos-Freetown Freetown-Lagos Lagos-Banjul Banjul-Lagos Lagos-Dakar Dakar-Lagos

-(Tue, Thur, Sat, Sun) -(Mon, Wed, Fri) -(Daily) - (Wed, Fri, Sun) -(Wed, Fri, Sun) -(Wed, Fri, Sun) -(Wed, Fri, Sun) -(Mon, Tue, Thur, Fri,Sat) -(Tue,Wed, Fri,Sat,Sun)

BRITISH AIRWAYS

London-Lagos Lagos-London Abuja-London Abuja-London

Middle East Airlines (Two flights weekly (Tues & Friday) to Lagos)

EMIRATES AIRLINES

QATAR AIRWAYS DELTA AIRLINES

UNITED AIRLINES

Lagos-Houston Houston-Lagos

UA 143 UA 142

10:10hrs 19:10hrs

6:05hrs 15.15hrs

Lagos - Addis Ababa ET900 Addis Ababa - Lagos ET901 Abuja - Addis Ababa ET910 Addis Ababa - Abuja ET911 Enugu - Addis Ababa ET930 Addis Ababa - Enugu ET931 Kano - Addis Ababa ET930 Addis Ababa - Kano ET931

13:15hrs 09:00hrs 13:40hrs 09:40hrs 12:00hrs 09:20hrs 14:05hrs 09:20hrs

20:25hrs 12:15hr 20:10hrs 12:20hrs 20:50hrs 11:15hrs 20:50hrs 13:20hrs

Lagos-Madrid Madrid-Lagos

IB 3337 IB 3336

22:55hrs 16:00hrs

5:25+1hrs 20:20hrs

Lagos-Casablanca Casablanca-Lagos

AT738 AT 737

06:25hrs 02:15hrs

09:55hrs 6:00hrs

ETHIOPIAN AIRLINES

IBERIA

air maroc

RwandAir

Kigali-Lagos

Turkish Airlines

Lagos-Istanbul Nairobi-Lagos

332 333

Air Côte d'Ivoire Lagos to Abidjan Abidjan to Lagos

HF 851 (Tues, Thurs, Fri, Sun) HF 852 (Mon,Wed, Thurs, Sat)

ASKY AIRLINES

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

10:10hrs

10:50hrs

19:20hrs

21.50hrs

Flight No. KP 032 (Tue-Fri) KP 032 ( Tue-Fri)

Departure Arrival 14:00hrs 15:55hrs 16:30hrs 18:15hrs

KP 033 (Wed-Sat) KP O33 (Wed-Sat) KP O40 (Sun-Sat) KP 040 (Sun-Sat) KP 040 (Sun-Sat) KP041 (Tue-Sat) KP 041 (Tue-Sat) KP 041 (Tue-Sat) KP O44 (Tue-Fri) KP 044 (Tue-Fri) KP 044 (Tue-Fri) KP O45 (Wed-Sat) KP 045 (Wed-Sat) KP 045 (Wed-Sat)

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

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

Local FLIGHT SCHEDULE ARIK AIR LAGOS-ABUJA (MON-FRI) 07:00; 08:00; 09:00; 11:00 13:00; 15:00; 17:00; 19:00 (SAT) 07:00; 09:00; 11:00; 13:00; 15:00; 17:00; 19:00 (SUN) 11:00; 13:00; 15:00; 17:00; 19:00 ABUJA-LAGOS (MON-FRI) 07:00; 09:00; 11:00; 13:00; 15:00; 17:00; 19:00; 20:00 (SAT) 07:00; 09:00; 11:00; 13:00; 15:00; 17:00; 19:00 (SUN) 09:00; 13:00; 15:00; 17:00; 19:00 LAGOS-PORT-HARCOURT (MON-FRI)07:00; 09:30; 11:00; 13:30; 15:00; 17:30 (SAT) 07:00; 11:00; 15:00 (SUN) 09:30; 11:00; 13:30; 15:00; 17:30 PORT-HARCOURT-LAGOS (MON-FRI) 07:30; 09:00; 11:30; 13:00; 15:30; 17:00 (SAT) 07:30; 11:30; 09:00; 13:00; 17:00 (SUN) 11:30; 13:00; 15:30; 17:00 ABUJA-PORT-HARCOURT (MON-FRI) 06:45; 10:10; 13:30; 16:50 (SAT/SUN) 06:45; 10:10; 13:30 PORT-HARCOURT-ABUJA (MON-FRI) 08:30; 11:50; 15:10; 18:30 (SAT/SUN) 08:30; 11:50; 15:10 AZMAN FLIGHT SCHEDULE WEEKLY SCHEDULE Kano-Lagos 8:00am Lagos-Abuja 10:30am Abuja-Lagos 12:40pm Lagos-Abuja/Kano 4:00pm Abuja-Kano 5:45pm Kaduna-Lagos 8:00am Lagos-Kan 10:10am Kano-Abuja/Lagos 12:40pm Abuja-Lagos 1:00pm Abuja-Lagos 2:40pm Lagos-Kaduna 5:00pm WEEKEND SCHEDULE SATURDAY Kano-Lagos 8:00am Lagos-Abuja 10:30am Abuja-Lagos 1:00pm Lagos-Kano 4:00pm Kaduna-Lagos 8:00am Lagos-Kano 4:00pm Sunday Kano-Lagos 8:00am Lagos-Kano 10:30am Kano-Abuja/Lagos 1:20pm Abuja-Lagos 2:40pm Lagos-Kaduna 5:00pm FIRST NATION AIRWAYS LAGOS-ABUJA (MON-FRI) 06.50; 09:30; 11:45; 16:00 (SAT) 06:50; 11:45 (SUN) 11:45; 16:00 ABUJA-LAGOS (MON-FRI) 09:00; 11:30; 13:40;18:30 (SAT) 09:00; 13:40 (SUN) 13:40; 18:30 LAGOS-PORT-HARCOURT (MON-FRI) 14:45

(SAT) 16:15 (SUN) 14:45 PORT-HARCOURT-LAGOS (MON-FRI) 16:50 (SAT) 18:20 (SUN) 16:50 AEROCONTRACTORS LAGOS-ABUJA (MON-FRI) 06:50; 13:30; 16:30; 19:45 (SAT/SUN) 12:30; 16:45 ABUJA-LAGOS (MON-FRI) 07:30; 13:00; 19:00 (SAT) 12:30 (SUN) 15:30

MEDVIEW AIRLINES LAGOS-ABUJA (MON-FRI) 07:00; 08:50; 12:00; 15:30 (SAT) 10:00; 15:00 (SUN) 17:30; 18:30 ABUJA-LAGOS (MON-FRI) 09:00; 14:00, 15:00; 18:30 OVERLAND AIRWAYS LAGOS-ILORIN (MON-FRI) 07:15 LAGOS-IBADAN (MON-FRI) 7:00

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

NEW TELEGRAPH TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2015

News

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2015 NEW TELEGRAPH

Abdulsalami, Sultan, Onaiyekan, ICC campaign against election violence Ayodele Aminu and Onwuka Nzeshi

rominent Nigerians and the International Criminal Court (ICC) yesterday stepped up efforts to ensure violence-free polls in Nigeria. Former Head of State, General Abdulsalami Abubakar, met with service chiefs, the Inspector General of Police, representatives of different political parties and religious leaders to brainstorm on how to tackle the challenge of electoral violence threatening the forthcoming general elections. The Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa'ad Abubakar III and the Catholic Bishop of Abuja Diocese, Cardinal John Onaiyekan, expressed concern about the trend of events in the polity, particularly the violence accompanying campaigns and called on politicians and political parties to avoid acts that could lead to violence during and after the polls. The ICC prosecutor, on its part, urged all parties in the upcoming elections, to refrain from violence before, during and after the vote.

Abdulsalami, at the meeting attended by the Chief of Defence Staff, Air Chief Marshal Alex Badeh; Chief of Army Staff, Lt. General Kenneth Minimah; Chief of Air Staff, Air Vice Marshal Adesola Amosu and the Inspector General of Police, Mr. Suleiman Abbah, which held behind closed doors, urged politicians to play by the rule. The Sultan, Onaiyekan, Bishop of Sokoto Catholic Diocese, Rev. Fr. Matthew Hassan Kukah as well as the publisher of Vanguard Newspapers, Mr. Sam Pemu Amuka, also attended the meeting, held under the auspices of the National Peace Committee for the 2015 Elections. In the opening remarks

before the meeting went into an executive session, the former military ruler said the meeting was meant to send a strong signal to politicians on the need for them to act responsibly in their campaigns and ensure that the next elections were held under a peaceful atmosphere. Abdulsalami, who lamented the carnage that had accompanied elections in many African countries, said Nigeria could not afford a repeat of the carnage that followed the 2011 general elections in Nigeria. Badeh said that though members of the Nigeria Armed Forces were not directly involved in election duties, the military

was prepared to assist the police and other security agencies to provide needed security before, during and after the polls. Addressing the media after the three-hour meeting, Abdulsalami said the committee met with the security agencies and was briefed on the measures put in place to ensure peace during and after the elections. Earlier, the sultan and Onaiyekan had at a press conference held under the auspices of the Interfaith Initiative for Peace (IIP), warned that while people were free to belong to any political party and hold different opinions on the election, they must remember that they are Nigerians and should place

the interest of the country above every other interest. The Sultan who addressed the gathering first said that as religious leaders, they were the moral conscience of the nation and the voices of the voiceless. According to him, their coming together to speak on issues affecting the country must be seen to be coming at the right time and with the right message which should be carried to all nooks and crannies of Nigeria. He advised Nigerians to vote according to their conscience instead of bringing religious, ethnic and other primordial sentiments into politics. Onaiyekan who also spoke in the same vein,

called on all the contestants in the forthcoming elections to respect the Abuja Peace Accord signed by the leaders of the 14 political parties last month. He charged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to ensure that the elections are free, fair and transparent. Also, the ICC prosecutor, Fatou Bensouda, in a statement yesterday, urged all parties the upcoming elections to refrain from violence before, during and after the vote. She said would send a team to Nigeria before the February 14 election to "further engage with the authorities and encourage the prevention of crimes."

TODAYâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S WEATHER FORECAST LAGOS

32o C 26oC Isolated Storms

ABUJA

38oC

23oC

Partially Cloudy

PORT HARCOURT

27oC

18oC

Storm

KANO

36oC

15oC

Partially Cloudy

ENUGU

38oC

25oC

Partially Cloudy

IBADAN

35o C 24oC Very Cloudy

CALABAR

31oC

23oC

Storm

MAIDUGURI

ONITSHA

38oC 15oC Partially Cloudy

37oC

25oC

Partially Cloudy

L-R: Catholic Bishop of Sokoto Diocese, Rev. Father Hassan Mathew Kukah; Etsu Nupe, Alhaji Yahya Abubakar; Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa'ad Abubakar III and the Catholic Bishop, Abuja Diocese, John Cardinal Onaiyekan, at a press conference in Abuja...yesterday. PHOTO: TIMOTHY IKUOMENISAN.

South Africa oil firm mulls assets' exit from Nigeria CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

rocking the global oil and gas industry. Nigeria, Africa's biggest crude exporter, depends largely on proceeds from crude, which has fallen by over 50 per cent since last June, to service over 70 per cent of its budget. As at the close of business yesterday, the price of oil at the international market averaged $50 per barrel. Quoting sources at the NNPC, Platts said the corporation had already informed the JV partners, which accounts for around half of Nigeria's oil output. "The NNPC has informed the joint venture partners that this year's capital expenditures will be cut down by 40 per cent from the initial proposed budget of $13.5 billion. "The $13.5 billion has been the level that has

been maintained in the past three years, but because of the drastic decline in oil prices that level cannot be sustained this year," the report quoted a source at NNPC as saying. NNPC did not comment officially. Under Nigeria's joint venture arrangements, NNPC contributes about 60 per cent of the funding requirement while the foreign firms provide the 40 per cent balance. Initially, the Federal Government had proposed $7.5 billion to fund its share of the oil joint venture operations this year, with the foreign oil firms providing the balance of $6 billion. "But since this budget was agreed in the last quarter of 2014, there have been drastic changes in the parameters considered by the partners. "Oil prices have falling

sharply to around $40 per barrel from $80/b when the joint venture budget was prepared, while general growth in the Nigerian economy has declined below 6 per cent from 6.3 per cent," another NNPC source said. Officials of the Western oil companies confirmed receiving NNPC directives on the budget cut. "Even though the directive is for joint venture operations, it is generally expected. Oil companies have themselves been revising down their budgets in the light of the oil price slump," an official said. NNPC Group Managing Director, Mr. Joseph Dawha, had last month hinted that three deepwater offshore oil projects and one shallow-water one were at risk of being delayed or canceled outright because of the decline in oil prices.

Meanwhile, Nigeria's oil output declined to 2.15 million b/d at the end of 2014 from 2.26 million b/d at the beginning of the year, according to data released last Sunday by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS). Oil revenues also declined to N2.3 trillion ($13 billion) from N2.6 trillion, as the decline in oil prices took its toll on export earnings, the agency said. In another development, South Africa's oil and gas explorer, SacOil Holdings, yesterday said it planned to exit all its assets in Nigeria. The company, which gave this hint in a statement, said it might cancel an agreement to complete an appraisal on a prospective oil asset in Nigeria and could exit other assets as the price of oil tumbles. SacOil had earlier said last August that it had ac-

quired 20 per cent stake in a prospective Nigerian oil licence, and later said in November it had completed research of the site. But in a statement yesterday, the South Africa's oil and gas explorer, however, said it might cancel the agreement to complete an appraisal on the prospective oil asset and could exit other assets. It added that it would also make a decision on whether to continue exploration on similar assets in Malawi, Mozambique and the Democratic Republic of Congo as the price of oil dips to six-year-lows on oversupply concerns. The company had previously said it would focus on more cash generative assets. SacOil reported a 23 per cent decline in profit after tax in the six months to August due to higher operating costs.

News

NEW TELEGRAPH TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2015

Court asked to stop February elections Tunde Oyesina ABUJA

he Federal High Court sitting in Abuja was yesterday asked to stop the general elections scheduled for February 14 and 28. The plaintiffs in the suit, Asogo Torkuma Venatius, Ola Solomon Oluwasanmi, Sunday Attah and Philip Agbese in suit number FHC/ABJ/CS/DW/2015 are praying the court to postpone the elections until all eligible voters have

collected their permanent voters’ cards (PVCs). Listed as first and second defendants are Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and Attorney General of the Federation (AGF). In the suit, filed through their counsel, Amobi Nzelu, they are also asking the court to order the use of Temporary Voters’ Cards for those who are unable to collect their PVCs. The plaintiffs also want the court to order the postponement of the general elections pending the pro-

vision of the PVCs since INEC is under statutory obligation to provide same to the plaintiffs. In the statement of claim, the plaintiffs said that contrary to the announcement by the electoral umpire in 2014 that it will issue all eligible voters with PVC for the February 2015 elections, about half of eligible voters are yet to collect their PVC. They further argued that few days to the elections, INEC is yet to produce and distribute voters’ cards to them and other eli-

gible voters. They said: "Till date, over 40 per cent of eligible voters who were registered by INEC for the upcoming general elections were yet to receive their PVCs. "There have been several protest all over the country against the decision of INEC to go on with the conduct of the general elections without distributing the PVCs to millions of registered voters all over the country." The plaintiffs, however, contended that if the election is allowed to go on,

L-R: Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr. Olusegun Aganga; Minister of Communications Technology, Mrs. Omobola Johnson and Chairmam, Board of Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC), Chief Funsho Lawal, during the launch of CAC Registration Portal in Abuja…yesterday.

Sule Lamido: APC should forget 2015 presidency CONTINUED FROM PAGE 2

tion options. In particular we would like, in consultation with you, to explore options of reducing taxes and customs duties without too much disruption to Government finances and private sector business plans," Buhari said. He also said that the APC was developed from a survey that spanned six months to develop involving over 20,000 Nigerians across the 36 states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). He added that in their responses to the questionnaires issued to those who participated in the survey and the interviews conducted, it showed that insecurity, corruption and the economy were the biggest worries among the electorate. "This is why I have been talking about insecurity and corruption on the one hand; and mining, agriculture, infrastructure and jobs on the economic side. "They are so inter-connected and the Nigerian

people are right in their identification of these problems. We cannot build an economy in an insecure environment. We cannot build an economy when the playing field is not level. We cannot build an economy where corruption is the working capital. Corruption affects our ability to secure ourselves, and it also undermines the performance of the economy," he stated. However, Jigawa State governor has expressed optimism that Buhari cannot defeat Jonathan in the presidential election to implement his economic agenda. Lamido, in an interview yesterday with New Telegraph, lashed out at the APC, describing the party as media hype. Lamido, who was reacting to a visit to him by the Director-General of the APC Presidential Campaign Council and Governor of Rivers State, Mr. Chibuike Amaechi, also said it was inconceivable that he (Lamido) would

join the APC. Amaechi had visited the governor in Dutse, the Jigawa State capital, on Sunday, fuelling speculations in the media that Lamido, who was part of the G7 aggrieved governors, might be on his way to the APC. Five of the seven aggrieved governors, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso of Kano; Abdulfatah Ahmed of Kwara; Aliyu Wamakko of Sokoto; Amaechi and former Governor Murtala Nyako of Adamawa State, later defected to the APC in the heat of the disagreement with the leadership of the ruling party. But Lamido and Governor of Niger State, Dr. Mu'azu Babangida Aliyu remained in the PDP. But Lamido said in a telephone interview that it was mischievous to link his meeting with Amaechi to his planned defection to APC. The governor was sure that the APC would not win the presidential election; hence there was no need to even contemplate

any such move. He said: “The Nigerian presidency is not won by popularity. It is by consensus. Has there been any popular person who won the presidency? If popularity could win election, Obafemi Awolowo could have won it. But it is not so. The APC is a party that thrives on media hype. It is a media creation and they like noise making. If you go to the social media, they have flooded it with Buhari is this, Buhari is that! They make a lot of noise so that when they lose election, they say they won it and it was rigged. Quote me; mark the date of today that I told you, Buhari can never win the presidency.” On the visit by Amaechi, Lamido said the Rivers governor came in from Bauchi, where the APC had just gone for a campaign and decided to visit him. He said the meeting was important as there was the need to build confidence in the masses, who are already panicking over the expected violence that might follow the election.

millions of eligible voters stand the risk of being disenfranchised. "The Electoral Act does not make the PVC a condition precedent for

registered voters to cast their votes at the general elections. No date has, however, been fixed for the hearing of the case.

Jonathan promises more jobs for youths CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

believe were suicide bombers behind the blast. “One of them was blown to pieces… Eighteen people were injured in the blast and have been taken to hospital,” a rescue worker who asked not to be identified because he was not authorised to speak on the matter, said. “Two bodies have been brought to the hospital along with 18 people wounded in the stadium explosion. The dead bodies were females,” the source added. A police officer attached to the presidential antibomb detective unit also confirmed that security agencies had prior information of plans by terrorists to cause confusion during the president's visit to the state. He said the presidential bomb unit had ensured that during the rally, only persons well screened were allowed access into the stadium. "I am sure the Gombe State Police Command would have to investigate the incident because for us, we were interested in providing maximum protection for the president and his delegation which we succeeded," the source said. Two separate explosions had earlier on Sunday hit the Gombe State capital killing some persons. One of the Sunday explosions occurred close to Tsowar Kasuwa and killed two men bearing the bomb on a motorcycle. The location is near the Gombe State Government House and opposite the grain market. The second bomb on Sunday went off in another part of the town at Kasuwa Katako (Timber market). Inside the main bowl of the Stadium, supporters were restricted to specific areas away from the state box and metres away from the podium, which was used by officials who spoke at the event including the president. On the streets of Gombe, police and armed soldiers also cordoned off all areas that served as routes leading to the stadium and back to the Gombe airport. The state Police Pub-

lic Relations Officer, Mr. Fwaji Atajiri, a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), said only the female bomber and one person were killed in the explosion while eight people were receiving treatment at the Gombe Specialist Hospital Gombe. Earlier, Jonathan had told the gathering that if given another opportunity in the next election, his administration would speed up development in the country. He promised among others that the administration will also provide opportunities for the youth, especially in the education sector, by giving them the best so that "they can take us to the moon." He said the establishment of 12 universities by the administration and support through TETFUND was a clear indication that the administration was determined to give the youth the best to succeed. In addition, he reiterated the desire of his administration to create at least two million jobs annually if he is re-elected. According to him, about 1.8 million people enter the labour market every year a situation which needs to be urgently solved. He said: "If you work with PDP, the party is focusing on the young people. We have programmes like YouWin and others that are designed to help the young people; those interested in technical training will be given technical training, those interested in entertainment industry will be assisted, the one interested in soccer and sports will be assisted, the one interested to make us to the moon will be given the best universities." President Jonathan noted that through the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), his administration has intervened in more than 600 projects in Gombe state. The president who also visited the Emir of Gombe, Alhaji Shehu Abubakar III, to seek royal blessings, assured him of his administration's commitment to transform the state and Nigeria. He told the emir that if re-elected, his administration will work in supporting the Gombe emirate.

News

Yekeen Nurudeen Abuja

espite fears among Nigerians about the safety of students during the general elections, Minister of Education, Mallam Ibrahim Shekarau yesterday directed that all public and private schools in the country must remain in session during the polls. Shekarau, who gave the directive at the end of a meeting with Commissioners of Education from the 36 states of the federation and the FCT and executive secretaries

1bn

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2015 NEW TELEGRAPH

NATIONAL

Schools must remain in session during elections –FG

of regulatory agencies under the Federal Ministry of Education, said a lot of time were wasted by many schools during the Ebola crisis, which would not make government to close down schools for elections. He said government has no reason that would compel it to shutdown all the institutions during the elections. The Minister, who reiterated that elections

were held in the past without schools closed, maintained that all schools in the country would remain open during the February 14 and 28 polls, urging parents to disregard any rumour or unfounded statement that can make them to insist that the schools be closed and their children released to them. He also directed all schools on mid-term break to suspend such and

50%

resume immediately, even as he ordered those planning to go on mid-term break to put it on hold. Reading the resolutions reached at the meeting, Shekarau said: “ At the end of our meeting; all the commissioners of education from the 36 states of federation and FCT, management of National Universities Commission (NUC); the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE)

The estimated number of people without ac- The projected percentage increase of Americans above The life expectancy of men at age 60 years in Australia in 2010-2015. cess to improved water supply in the world. 65 years with Alzheimer’s in Montana in 2014-2025. Source: Alz.org Source: Un.org Source: Unesco.org

and the National Commission for Colleges of Education (NCCE) and other stakeholders in education. After consultations and due deliberation in respect of whether or not schools and all institutions should close for the period of election, we resolved as follows: all schools and institutions should remain in session while elections take place over the weekend as INEC timetable.

The number matches played by France at Brazil 2014 World Cup. Source: Fifa.com

L-R: Country President, Schneider Electric, Walid Sheta; Director General, National Power Training Institute of Nigeria ( NAPTIN), Engr. Reuben Okeke and Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Power, Dr. Godknows Igali, at the commissioning of Schneider Electric Laboratory in Lagos

2015 Polls: Diplomat canvasses for peaceful co-existence Wale Elegbede

s the 2015 general elections draw closer, the Nigerian High Commissioner to Singapore, Nonye Rajis-Okpara, has called for a peaceful co-habitation among the different tribes in the country, saying that the absorption of peaceful conducts is the antidote to winning the war against insurgency that is currently bedevilling the nation. Speaking at the Infinity Africa Magazine Awards 2015 held in Abuja, the High Commissioner who spoke on the theme, “The Importance of Peace”, said the peace and unity of Nigeria was non-negotiable, adding that Nigeria will not be divided by extremism or terrorism despite the security challenges facing her. While emphasising the importance of peace in all endeavours, she appealed to those with proclivity for violence to adopt peace, stating that the threats being experienced in the society must be addressed with urgency through peaceful means. “We must change our perception of Nigeria and, inevitably, accept the principle of peaceful coexistence. No nation can prosper without peace. All Nigerians, irrespective of our religion and tribe should align with each other and country to achieve good relations and stability in our personal lives and country.

‘Buhari’s boycott of debate, Business mogul, Molade Okoya-Thomas, dies at 79 Hospital in Victoria Island, briefly early November business mogul at his Viccontemptuous of Nigeria’ Dapo Sotuminu Lagos from his home at 139, before he requested his toria Island home, told our

Onyekachi Eze ABUJA

he Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has said that the decision by the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), General Muhammadu Buhari not to participate in yet another live television debates with President Goodluck Jonathan is a contempt on Nigerians he is seeking their votes. Director, Media and Publicity, PDP Presidential Campaign Organisation (PDPPCO), Chief Femi Fani-Kayode, said yesterday that the decision by Buhari to shun the debate organised by the Newspaper Proprietors Association of Nigeria (NPAN) and Channels Television was despicable and has called on Nigerians to ensure the rejection of

Buhari at the poll as a just recompense for his action. According to the PDPPCO, “We have been informed that General Buhari and the APC have decided not to participate in the NPAN-CHANNELS Television-organised debate after they had earlier agreed to take part in it. “We had thought that having withdrawn from participating in the debate organised by Broadcasting Organisation of Nigeria (BON), they would have availed themselves this second platform. “Now that they have also turned their back on this, it is now very clear that General Buhari is incapable of engaging in rigorous live television debates on the issues of governance. It speaks about his intellectual laziness and his loss of touch with reality.

ne of Nigeria’s many business moguls and foremost sports philanthropist, Chief Molade Okoya-Thomas, died in the early hours of yesterday in Lagos after a protracted battle with Insulin-Induced Diabetes. Okoya-Thomas, who has been Chairman of CFAO since 1987, according to family sources, was rushed to the Reddington

Sinari Daranijo Street, Victoria Island, at about 9pm on Sunday night when his condition worsened. He gave up the ghost in the early hours of Monday morning. The Asoju Oba of Lagos had been down with acute Insulin-Induced Diabetes since November 2014, when it reached a crisis level. He was at the Reddington Hospital

family members to take him home where he received treatments before his demise yesterday. Our sources noted that, Chief Okoya-Thomas had been bed-ridden since the end of November 2014, but his poor health condition was kept out of public glare on the request of the family. One of the doctors detailed to attend to the late

reporter that, over time, Chief Okoya-Thomas did not comply one hundred percent with the diabetic diet. “Chief still wanted to eat his normal delicacies and drink his favourite wines. It does not work that way. And in most cases, it was frustrating treating him at home, because whenever I get to the house, the usual story was that chief was still in bed.

N6.87trn stolen from Nigeria yearly –AU Report N igeria, the world’s seventh largest producer of hydrocarbon, accounts for about 68.1 per cent of the total revenue Africa is losing annually as a result of illegal transfer of revenues abroad. According to online medium, Premium Times, the report of the

Thabo Mbeki High Level Panel on Illicit Financial Flows from Africa adopted on Sunday by African Union Heads of State and Government at their summit in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia said about $40.9billion (about N6.87trillion) of an estimated $60billion (about N10.08trillion) lost

through such transfers from Africa are traced to Nigeria. The funds are stolen through corruption, tax evasion and illegal transfer of profits by multinationals, the AU said. Nigeria, which produces an average of 2.3million barrels of oil daily as the leading hy-

drocarbon producer in Africa, is being ravaged by poverty and underdevelopment. The report also identified Egypt and Morocco as the other countries with the largest estimates of illicit financial flows statistics of $28.2billion and $20.3billion respectively.

NEW TELEGRAPH TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2015

News

NATIONAL

Jonathan receives forensic report on NNPC Anule Emmanuel

resident Goodluck Jonathan has finally received the report on the

Agriculture: APC’s distorting fact — PDP Onyekachi Eze ABUJA

forensic audit of the accounts of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC. The presidency had on March 22, 2014 commissioned an international firm to carry out the forensic audit of the accounts of the Corporation, following allegations of impropriety and missing oil revenues. Speaking after receiving the report from the country's senior partner

of Price Waterhouse of Nigeria, Mr. Uyi Akpata at the Presidential Villa, Jonathan said that there has been so much of controversy over NNPC and leakages or no leakages of oil revenues. According to him, the probe became necessary because what appeared in the papers and the speculations were very high, saying that the figures he cannot imagine that the country would make

was being bandied in the newspapers. The President, who noted that everybody knows that the petroleum sector needs to be reformed, stressed that by the time the petroleum industry bill is passed into a law, most of the lapses would be corrected and the misconception would be properly addressed. "There has been so much of controversy over this NNPC and leakages

or no leakages. I remember the Senate have also looked into it. It is also good that you professionals have also looked into it" Former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi (now Emir of Kano) had alleged that there were missing oil revenues from the NNPC amounting to about $20billion, forcing the need for the audit.

he Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has accused the All Progressives Congress (APC) of attempting to distort the facts on verifiable achievements of President Goodluck Jonathan in agriculture. PDP, in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Olisa Metuh yesterday, described as unfortunate, that the APC has deliberately refused to accept the unprecedented successes recorded in agriculture under President Jonathan, which it said is demonstrated in the quantum leap in domestic food production for which the nation has received international applause. “That President Goodluck Jonathan has repositioned the agricultural sector, repositioned agriculture from the traditional subsistence occupation to an investment-driven, wealth and job-creating sector that guarantees food security remains incontrovertible and no amount of lies from APC propaganda machine can distort this fact", the statement said. It wondered why APC should seek to distort the fact that under President Jonathan, Nigeria has expanded domestic production by additional 21 metric tonnes to exceed its 20 million metric ton target set for 2015, a feat, it said, has earned the nation a special award by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. The party also wondered what APC would say to the fact that under Jonathan, over 2.7 million farm jobs have been created, boosting production in various agricultural sub-sectors to rank Nigeria as one of the biggest food producers in Africa.

L-R: Business Manager, LUTH Branch, UBA Plc, Mrs. Henrietta Mbanu; Mrs. Olukorede Arigbabu; special guest of honour, Prof. Oladele Arigbabu and Chairman of the occasion, Prof. Tolu Odugbemi, at the formal launch of Dele Arigbabu Neurosurgical Foundation (DANF) in Lagos …yesterday. PHOTO: SULEIMAN HUSAINI

Certificate saga: Court okays service of process on Buhari, INEC Tunde Oyesina ABUJA

he Federal High Court sitting Abuja yesterday ordered the service of court process on the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Major General Muhammadu Buhari, and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in a suit seeking to stop the former from participating in the February 14 presidential election. The court's order was premised on a motion exparte marked, FHC/ABJ/ CS/14/2015, filed by Max Ozoaka. The instant suit is the third in number of suits seeking the disqualification of Buhari. The plaintiff joined Buhari and INEC as first

and second defendants respectively. The plaintiff in the suit raised eight questions for the court’s determination, praying for an order disqualifying Buhari from contesting or participating in the election. The plaintiff had submitted that INEC FORM CF 001 which Buhari submitted to INEC was incomplete because he allegedly failed to accompany the form with all relevant academic credentials. The plaintiff also raised objections as regards some of the information contained in other documents submitted by Buhari, which includes his voter’s card. New Telegraph recalls that two other cases seeking to stop Buhari from contesting are still pending before the courts.

Troops liberate 10 Adamawa towns Emmanuel Onani

he Federal Government has disclosed, that troops prosecuting the ongoing counter-insurgency war, have successfully recaptured ten towns that were hitherto under the control of Boko

Haram. The Coordinator of the National Information Centre (NIC) and Director General of National Orientation Agency (NOA), Mr. Mike Omeri, made the disclosure in Abuja yesterday, at the regular security briefing.

Omeri listed the towns as: Hong, Mubi North, Mubi South, Maiha, Michika, Shuwa, Wuro Gyambi, Gombi, Vimtim, Uba and Bazza. He further noted that parts of Gujba and Gulani, have been recaptured.

2015 elections can only be fairly credible, says don Mojeed Alabi

ne of Nigeria’s leading political scholars and Professor of Political Science at the Covenant University, Ota, Ogun State, Kunle Amuwo, has suggested that the 2015 general elections cannot be free and fair as being advocated by the people. Rather, he said it could only be fairly credible. Amuwo, who stated this at the weekend while delivering the university’s 39th public lecture, based his position on the various happenings before the poll especially the alleged shoddy way the permanent voters’ cards, PVC, are being distributed, ongoing insurgency in the northern region, and what he described as Nigerian politicians’ morbid love for power. Speaking on the topic; Bullet Versus Ballot: Interrogating Nigeria’s 4th Republic’s Electoral Consultations, the don lamented the poor leadership system in the country, arguing that for peace to reign, after the forthcoming elections, Nigerians must be contented with the fairly credible results that may be declared by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC.

APC: Nigerians still await FG's explanations on NIS saga Johnchuks Onuanyim ABUJA

he APC Presidential Campaign Organisation (APCPCO) yesterday stated that Nigerians are still awaiting the explanation of Federal Government on the Nigeria Immigration Service job recruitment saga. The statement from Director of Media and Publicity of the Campaign Organization,

Mallam Garba Shehu said it was regrettable that almost six months after some hapless job applicants were assembled at the National Stadium for enlistment into non existing jobs at the Nigeria Immigration Service, which led to a stampede and deaths, the Federal Government is yet to bring the culprits to book or provide succour to the victims of the scam. The campaign organization stated that it was

even more confounding that the Minister of Interior, Comrade Abba Moro under whose watch thousands of Nigerian youths were compelled to pay N1000 for the job application, and which proceeds run into hundreds of millions of Naira, is busy campaigning for PDP and President Jonathan’s re-election, whereas the applicants who lost their lives have been forgotten, and their parents and relations left to bemoan their fate.

Health workers suspend three-month-old strike Appolonia Adeyemi and Obinna Odoh

he three-month-old strike by health workers under the auspices of the Joint Health Sector Unions (JOHESU) has been suspended. National Chairperson of JOHESU, Dr. Ayuba Wabba, yesterday called on members of the union to resume at their duty posts today, Tuesday “This development followed an appeal by President Goodluck Jonathan to suspend the strike, which has crippled health service provision in public hospitals across the na-

tion, resulting in the death of patients most of which are preventable. In a statement, Wabba said, "As people that are very responsible, we had a meeting this morning to review the issues and the plea of Mr. President and we came to a conclusion that having reached that level and having shown enough commitment and demonstration of his goodwill, we then have no option than to suspend the strike action. He added that Jonathan also “made a commitment that as a result this action no member of the union

will be victimised in anyway arising from this legitimate action.” Sources at the meeting said President Jonathan claimed he was completely oblivious of issues JOHESU members raised as their grievances. Before the meeting with Jonathan, executives of JOHESU had clamoured to have direct access to the president to lay their grievances on the table considering the insensitivity of the Federal Ministry of Health (FMOH) towards the strike and lukewarm attitude of the ministry to resolve the crisis.

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2015 NEW TELEGRAPH

Metro

Seven killed, 15 injured in Lagos shootout INSECURITY Again, political thugs go on the rampage in parts of Lagos and kill at least six persons in the process

Juliana Francis and Taiwo Jimoh

t least six people were feared killed while 12 others were injured when political thugs clashed yesterday at Amukoko area of Ajegunle, Lagos State. Earlier on Friday, one person was killed while three others were injured after hoodlums loyal to two political parties clashed at the Teslim Balogun Stadium. Witnesses said that the thugs, who were on a door-todoor campaign yesterday, had a dispute which resulted in shooting. One Raimi was shot in the eye and died. As the fight snowballed, five more were alleged to have been killed, with 12 others seriously injured. A female trader was also shot in the buttocks. A witness said supporters of the political party were on a campaign train on Apasa Street, when all hell was let loose. A resident said: “Some boys on Apasa Street opened fire on a man. The man’s name is Raimi. For reasons we could not understand, the issue degenerated into a street war. It was a reprisal attack that led to the death of the five other men. Twelve people were wounded. “Raimi was shot in the eye. One of the men, who shot him, drew closer to his body which was writhing on the ground and pumped more bullets into his chest. They apparently wanted to make sure he was dead.” The resident noted that some boys, known as Campus Boys, who were aggrieved by Raimi’s death, took it upon themselves to avenge his death. As the men opened fire on one another, the residents scampered in different directions. Shop

ABIODUN BELLO FEATURES Editor

abiodun.bello@newtelegraphonline.com

The late Ahmed being tortured before he was shot

owners closed their shops while motorists deserted the area. A woman was said to have been shot in the buttocks as she attempted to quickly lock her shop. A witness, who gave his name simply as Akeem, said: “There is an ongoing feud between Campus Boys and Apasa youths. The Campus Boys always seem to be ready to fight at any time, just as Apasa youths.” Akeem said that Raimi’s elder brother, a personal assis-

tant to a popular musician in the area, was in Ibadan when he heard about his death. He said: “When the man was called on the phone that his brother had been killed, he said the body should not be buried until his arrival. Raimi was his only brother and the last born of their late parents.” The state Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Kenneth Nwosu, who confirmed the clash, denied that six people were killed. He said: “It is not true that

six people were killed. But unconfirmed report says two. We, however, do not have official report to that effect. Maybe they evacuated the bodies before police arrived at the scene. “We did not see any corpse and cannot confirm what we have not seen. There was a clash between supporters of the same political party during a houseto-house campaign. Two people have been arrested in connection with the incident.” Meanwhile, one person was killed during the All Progres-

sives Congress (APC) campaign at the Teslim Balogun Stadium on Friday. The victim, identified as Ahmed alias Igbagbo, was shot dead at the campaign ground. Those injured are identified as Monsuru, Sodiq Emo and Shola. It was gathered that the clash started at the palace of Oba of Lagos, Rilwan Akiolu, when the presidential candidate of APC, General Muhammadu Buhari, paid a courtesy visit to the monarch. Immediately Buhari and his entourage left the palace, the thugs, who had allegedly laid ambush, rushed out and pounced on the APC supporters. After the first clash at IsaleEko, the battle ground shifted to Surulere, the campaign venue, where Ahmed was killed. One of the injured victims, Monsuru, said: “My colleagues and I went to the palace of Oba of Lagos as supporters to cheer our presidential candidate, only for us to be attacked by thugs who had been waiting for the campaign train to leave the Island. “We are tired of incessant attacks by these people. We cannot even wear our party clothes because we are scared of being attacked.” A trader in the area said: “We are only coming to Island for our daily bread and simply tired of political thugs. We no longer have rest of mind and our businesses are suffering. My co-traders have agreed to stop coming to Island until after the elections. We believe our lives are more precious to us than what we are selling here.”

Bird flu: Lagos tasks residents on hygiene Appolonia Adeyemi

he Lagos State Government has called on the public to maintain adequate personal and environmental hygiene as part of measures to halt the spread of the avian influenza virus otherwise called bird flu. The Commissioner for Health, Dr Jide Idris, who disclosed this in a statement in Lagos yesterday, also advised the public to avoid contact with chicken, ducks or other birds, including their feathers, faeces and other wastes in areas where the disease is known to exist. The statement was signed by an Assistant Director, Press & Public Relations, Ministry of Health, Mr Tubosun Ogunbanwo. Idris listed other measures that could help halt the spread of the disease to include washing of hands with soap and water frequently and thoroughly,

particularly after touching any poultry, eggs or bird meat and keeping children away from sick or dead poultry and birds. He said: “Please, avoid slaughtering and cooking of sick or already dead poultry or birds, ensure that poultry products and eggs are thoroughly cooked before eating, ensure rearing of poultry far from dwellings and sleeping areas and make sure cooking surfaces are well-cleaned before and after preparation of poultry products.” The commissioner explained that the H5N1 strain of the avian influenza virus presently circulating among chicken and other birds in the state was very infectious and had caused deaths of millions of chicken and other birds. According to him, the strain killed 166 people in 11 countries during the 2007 outbreak. He said: “Avian influenza

is spread by direct and indirect contact with sick or dead chicken, eggs, and also through handling and slaughtering of live infected poultry. “For now, there is no case of human infection in the state, only loss of chicken and other birds have been reported. Human death has, however, been recorded with this present outbreak in some African countries.” Idris listed initial symptoms of the disease to include high body temperature and fever above 37.5Oc, cough, sore throat, runny nose, difficulty in breathing, diarrhoea, vomiting, abdominal pain, chest pain, bleeding from nose and gum, hoarseness of voice and bloody sputum. While urging the public to report any suspected case of the disease to the nearest health facility, the commissioner said the following

Idris

numbers: 08023169485 and 08023213333 could be reached for more information about bird flu.

Metro 11

NEW TELEGRAPH TUESDAY FEBRUARY 3, 2015

Akeem Nafiu

ustice Chukwujekwu Aneke of a Federal High Court, Lagos has sentenced a 50-year-old widow, Nwakpa Nwore, to three years’ imprisonment for illegal possession of cannabis sativa. The judge handed down the sentence after the accused pleaded guilty to a onecount charge on possession of illegal drug. The convict was arrested by the operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) on September 11, 2014 at Isiu village in the Ikorodu area of Lagos State. The NDLEA prosecutor, Orji Kalu, while reviewing the facts of the casetold the court how the woman was caught in possession of nine sacks of cannabis sativa weighing 59.15 kilogrammes. He added that the offence contravened Section 11 (c) of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency Act Cap. 30, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004. The widow, upon her arraignment on October 10, 2014, pleaded guilty to the one-count charge. However, on resumption of

Widow jailed three years for possessing marijuana

her trial, a prosecution witness and a Superintendent of Narcotics with the NDLEA, Odede Lawrence, told the court that the convict was arrested by two operatives of the NDLEA who brought her to his office with nine sacks of weed suspected to be cannabis sativa. Odede said after he conducted a preliminary test on the substance, which proved positive for cannabis

sativa, he also weighed the substance and found it to be 59.15kg. After tendering the nine sacks and other exhibits in court as evidence, the prosecutor urged the court to convict Nwore and sentence her accordingly. He said: “My Lord, in view of the plea of the accused person and all the exhibits tendered by the prosecution in this matter, we pray this

honourable court to convict the accused person as charged and in line with sections 218 and 285(2) of the Criminal Procedural Act.” Aneke thereafter convicted the accused as charged. However, while sentencing Nwore, the judge said he was inclined to temper justice with mercy because she had pleaded guilty without wasting the time of the court and considering that she was a first offender. The judge also said he believed the widow, who has been in detention since her arrest in September last year, would have learnt her lessons and was deserving of a second chance. He said: “This court is not unmindful of the evil effect of a hard drug like cannabis sativa on the society, especially the young and innocent members of the society, consequently, the convict is hereby sentenced to three years’ imprisonment starting from the day of her arrest.”

NSCDC prepares officials, stakeholders for polls

Juliana Francis

ricycle operators in Lagos State will today converge on the Lagos Television (LTV) ground at Alausa, Ikeja to celebrate ‘Keke Day’. The event is part of the first anniversary when the two sister bodies - Three-Wheeler Beneficiaries and Operators Association of Nigeria (TWOBAN) and the Keke Owners and Riders’ Association of Nigeria (KORAN) – merged to become a body called Tricycle Owners and Operators’ Association of Nigeria (TOOAN). The body is an affiliate of Nigeria Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW). The synergy was in accordance with government’s request for the noble purpose of speaking with one united voice on issues affecting activities and operations of the operators in the state. The Chairman of the association, Comrade Joseph Odusanya, said: “The last year reconciliation calls for celebration; the unity knows no bounds. “The ‘Keke Day’ is also meant to showcase love, unity among all the stakeholders and will serve as a forum to commend the present administration of Governor Babatunde Fashola for his immense contributions to the growth of the association in recent years.”

Fayemi condoles with Ekundayo, over wife’s death

John Edu and Gbemisola Oyedepo

he Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Lagos State Command, has trained its officers and stakeholders on the Corps Code of Conduct for this month’s elections. In his opening speech at the training, the state NSCDC Commandant, Mr Gabriel Abafi, said the corps was mandated to carry out a general security duty position during national assignments, such as general election. He said: “Thus, the corps shall deploy various techniques in order to ensure effective monitoring during the elections.” The commandant added that part of the conduct of the NSCDC officials was that they should not identify with any political party or members. He said: “Our men are also not supposed to handle any electoral material. They are to ensure that electoral ma-

Tricycle operators mark Keke Day

Participants at the training

terials are escorted to only authorised or designated centres and must not be involved in collation of votes.” Abafi said to achieve these objectives every member of the corps would be given a tag and a secret sign, which would be used to identify NSCDC personnel. He noted that anybody could impersonate NSCDC officer,

but the secret sign, known only to genuine officers, would give impersonators away. “Uniform is just a material sewn and worn by anybody,” Abafi added. The Chairman, School of Management and Security (CFE), who is also President of Association of Industrial Security and Safety Operators of Nigeria (PAISSN), Dr Ona

Ekhomu, commended the initiative of the NSCDC in coming up with such an event. Ekhomu, who is the chairman of the occasion, said: “For an election to be credible, it has to be free and fair. Nigeria plays a very important role in the world and the freedom and signage of the election will send a signal to the world that we are indeed responsible people.”

ormer Governor of Ekiti State, Dr Kayode Fayemi, has condoled with the former Commissioner for Information and Civic Orientation, Mr Tayo Ekundayo, over the death of his wife, Mrs Funke Ekundayo. Mrs Ekundayo died in AdoEkiti on Saturday. Fayemi, who paid a condolence visit to the Ekundayos’ Lagos residence yesterday, bemoaned the sudden death of Mrs Ekundayo whom he described as a pillar of support to the family and a woman with a caring heart who showed kindness to everyone that came her way. The former governor, who was received by Mr Ekundayo, three of the children and family members, urged them to take solace in God at this difficult time, stressing that no amount of counselling by friends, relations and well-wishers could heal the pains of the irreparable loss.

Customs impound 579 used vehicles Camillus Nnaji

ederal Operations Unit (FOU), Zone ‘A’ Ikeja of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), said it seized 579 illegally imported vehicles otherwise called Tokunbo last year. The Acting Comptroller of the unit, DC U. A. Turaki, disclosed this yesterday in Lagos. Turaki, who spoke through Public Relations Officer (PRO) of the unit, Uche Ejesieme,

said that 445 fairly-used imported vehicles were seized. According to him, 579 are Tokunbo vehicles while 95 of them are scraps with Duty Paid Value (DPV) of N405,143,570. Compared to vehicles seized in 2013, Turaki said that the difference represented over 50 per cent increase. He said: “When compared to 2013, when FOU seized 215 vehicles with a DPV of N187,954,900, there is more

than 50 per cent difference.” This, he said, was made possible through compliance with intelligence and information gathering and automated operational modalities. He said: “The NCS is taking positive steps in the area of compliance with physical policy through intelligence and information sourcing and use of automated operational modalities. The results are positive such as the statis-

tics we have shown.” While warning there is no hiding place for smugglers of vehicles and other contraband products, he also advised Nigerians not to patronise touts and illegal import agents. He added: “Most Nigerians are vulnerable to these touts and go ahead and purchase vehicles without paid duty in the name of auctioning. The truth is Customs do not auction cars on the internet.”

The late Ekundayo

News

Appolonia Adeyemi

he Lagos State government yesterday stressed the need for members of the public to ensure adequate personal and environmental hygiene as part of measures taken to halt the spread of bird flu disease in the state. The advice became necessary following the outbreak of avian influenza virus, popularly called bird flu, about three weeks ago. Commissioner for Health, Dr. Jide Idris, who disclosed this in a

€72m

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2015 NEW TELEGRAPH

SOUTH-WEST

Lagos alerts public on measures against bird flu statement in Lagos also advised members of the public to avoid contact with chickens, ducks or other birds, including their feathers, faeces and other wastes in areas where the disease is known to exist. The statement was signed by the Assistant Director, Press and Public Relations in the Ministry of Health, Mr. Tu-

The estimated transfer cost of Paul Pogba of Juventus FC in 2015. Source: Finance.yahoo.com

bosun Ogunbanwo. Idris listed other measures that could help halt the spread of the disease to include washing hands with soap and water frequently and thoroughly, particularly after touching any poultry product - eggs or bird meat - and keeping children away from sick or dead poultry products. The statement reads

458

The total area (in sq. km) of Palau. Source: Worldfactsandfigures. com

in part: “Please, avoid slaughtering and cooking of sick or already dead poultry or birds, ensure that poultry products and eggs are thoroughly cooked before eating, also ensure rearing of poultry far from dwellings and sleeping areas and make sure cooking surfaces are well cleaned before and after preparation of poultry

The life expectancy of women at birth in Australia in 2010-2015. Source: Un.org

products,” Idris advised. According to the commissioner, the H5N1 strain of the avian influenza virus presently circulating among chicken and other birds is very infectious and has caused the death of millions of chicken and other birds. He added that the strain had previously killed 166 humans in 11 countries during the 2007 outbreak.

139,936

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

L-R: Aboke of Ibadanland, Chief Ifasola Ifamapowa; Chairman Oke’badan Festival Committee, Chief Lekan Alabi; Ekerin Olubadan, Chief Eddy Oyewole and Zonal Business Coordinator, Globacom Limited, Mr. Dare Oyewole, at a news conference on Oke’badan Festival in Ibadan…on Monday PHOTO-NAN

Ogundipe: Lagos PDP on course to victory Adesina Wahab Ado-Ekiti

he National ViceChairman, SouthWest, of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Makanjuola Ogundipe, yesterday said the imminent re-appointment of Senator Musiliu Obanikoro as minister by President Goodluck Jonathan is a boost to the chances of the PDP in Lagos State in the coming elections. Speaking in a chat in Ado-Ekiti yesterday, he said Obanikoro’s appointment had shown that the party was firmly on course in the political calculation of winning the state. He also lauded President Jonathan for the apponitment, saying the President could be relied upon concerning any promise made by him. “When the PDP held its primaries in Lagos State

and as with anything human, some people protested, our detractors said the PDP is dead in Lagos State. To them, they thought there was no way the matter would be resolved. “The issue was resolved and the President made a promise of compensating those concerned and I can say that Obanikoro is a true party man who believes in the corporate progress of the party. “With this, the chances of the PDP in Lagos State have been given a boost. Already, our candidates for the various offices have been on the streets canvassing for votes from the electorate. “The people of Lagos State, the South-West and Nigeria as a whole, have seen the deceit in the opposition All Progressives Congress and are going to vote PDP in the polls,” Ogundipe said.

Adesina Wahab Ado-Ekiti

he Ekiti State government yesterday cautioned potential beneficiaries of the N2 billion Central Bank of Nigeria, Small and Medium Scale Enterprises (CBN-SMSE) loan to be wary of fraudsters parading themselves as government’s partners in disbursing the loans. The Commissioner for Finance, Chief Toyin Ojo, who gave the warn-

Ondo disburses N1bn micro credit loan Babatope Okeowo Akure

t least N1 billion has been disbursed to beneficiaries of the Ondo State micro-credit loan scheme of the state government. Governor Olusegun Mimiko disclosed this yesterday during the flagoff ceremony of the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Development Fund (MSMEDF) and the presentation of cheques to beneficiaries in Akure, the state capital. He said the target of his administration is to develop all the business sectors, stressing that empowering small scale businesses will translate to the development and growth of the society. Mimiko, who said access to low interest credit by traders and the artisans would boost the economy of the state, assured the people that he would continue to use the instrumentality of government to develop the state. He said he embraced all sorts of microcredit schemes such as SMILES, STARS, WIRES, YES, SIP, MELS among others, as a way of appreciating the importance of traders and artisans in the state. The governor also expressed deep appreciation to President Goodluck Jonathan for MSMEDF, which he said, will contribute significantly to the growth of the nation’s economy.

Ekiti warns against fraudsters ing in Ado-Ekiti, said the only body authorised to coordinate the disbursement of the funds is the State Special Purpose Vehicle (SSPV) that was recently inaugurated by the government. Ojo, who is also the Chairman of the SSPV, explained that the loans would be disbursed through accredited micro-finance banks, emphasising that the process, which includes

the collation of beneficiaries, screening, disbursement, monitoring and debt collection, were within the purview of his committee. Describing the form to access the loan as having the logo of the state and that of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Ojo advised interested beneficiaries to shun any form that is without the logo or any form costing more than N1, 000 for individu-

als and N3, 000 for groups. The commissioner also warned those attempting to dupe innocent people to desist from what he called the ignoble act, saying culprits would be made to face the wrath of the law if apprehended. Ekiti is among the states listed by the CBN to benefit from the N200 billion earmarked for the promotion and growth of SMEs in the country.

Two LG bosses accused of vandalising Jonathan’s billboards Sola Adeyemo Ibadan

wo caretaker chairmen in Oyo town, Oyo State, have been accused of willfully supervising the vandalisation of some campaign billboards of President Goodluck Jonathan in the area. Caretaker Chairman of Oyo East, Mutairu Ad-

ekunle and that of Oyo West, Soji Ojoawo, were said to have supervised the demolition of the billboards erected at their council secretariat on Sunday, according to a Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) House of Representatives candidate in the town, Hon. Saheed Arowosaye. Arowosaye, who said that upon making a re-

port of the incident, the police swung into action, trailing the council bosses and their foot soldiers. When contacted on phone, he said the two council chairmen had mobilised some party thugs who, he said, were wielding guns, cutlasses and other dangerous weapons to the site of the billboards, where the men erecting

them had just rounded off their work. He said: “It was around 7.30am when someone called to inform me that some people were demolishing President Jonathan’s billboards around Oyo West. I rushed there only to meet some operatives of the DSS, who also received the same information.”

NEW TELEGRAPH TUESDAY, February 3, 2015

Presidency

Jonathan doesn’t deserve re-election, says APC

Governance

General elections

Tinubu advocates revolution, berates Jonathan’s leadership

Interview

IGP assures of maximum security during polls

N5bn bond not for election, says Ajimobi

Politics

Afenifere’s politics of adoption What must have informed the decision of the pan-Yoruba sociocultural group, Afenifere, to endorse President Goodluck Jonathan as its presidential candidate for the February 14 election? BABATOPE OKEOWO asks

matters that affect our country. We therefore want to say it loud and clear that after considering so many things, the Nigerian constitution inclusive, we see you as the best option for now to continue as the president of our dear country, and consequently call on well-meaning Nigerians to join us.”

n 1999, Afenifere, the pan Yoruba socio-political group was the only voice of the Yoruba people, as its political party, the Alliance for Democracy (AD) produced all the governors in the South-West geo-political zone, virtually all the senators, House of Representative and Assembly members and chairmen of local governments. But in 2003, it lost its grip of the politics of the zone, no thanks to the political tsunami of the year, and the deliberate efforts by the Federal Government and some elements within the zone to weaken its powers. Twelve years after, the group has pitched its tent with President Goodluck Jonathan in the battle for the soul of the region between the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the All Progressives Congress (APC). In reaching the decision, which cast doubts on the ability of the group mostly made up of octogenarian politicians to deliver the zone to their newly adopted baby, the PDP and President Jonathan, the mainstream Yoruba association said the pronouncement to adopt Jonathan as its candidate was predicated on the convocation of a National Conference where the decisions to rework the warped Nigeria system and the 1999 Constitution were taken.

AYODELE OJO

DEPUTY Editor, POLITICS ayodele.ojo@newtelegraphonline.com

Jonathan

The APC boycotted the conference, saying it was a waste of government fund. Rather than convoke another conference, the major opposition party said the reports by previous conferences should be implemented. The leader of the group, Chief Reuben Fasoranti, in his speech read by Afenifere secretary general, Bashorun Seinde Arogbofa when the president paid a courtesy visit on the leader of the group in his house, said the 2014 National Conference where vital decisions that would end the imbalance in the country were taken, was the fulcrum of their action. They said if the president is re-elected, he would be able to fully implement the reports unlike those who boycotted the confab because they did not believe in it. He said: “We salute your (Jonathan) courage in setting up the 2014 National Conference to restructure the country. It was also statesmanly that you did not only provide the conducive atmosphere for the members to operate but did not teleguide or influence their decisions. “The report divided into three parts for implementation by the executive, the legislature and the judiciary has been submitted to you. We are convinced that if those that need the attention

Fasoranti

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I was a victim of his (Buhari’s) regime; I cannot feel comfortable with him. I was put in detention for 20 months for nothing

of the executive are quickly implemented, most of the nagging problems facing the nation will easily be resolved. “We implore you to ginger the committee you set up to release its report so that in line with your recent Lagos presidential flag-off campaign, the implementation will be one of the very first things your government will handle immediately after the election. We in Afenifere have always been in the vanguard for re-structuring the country and since you have embarked on it, we cannot but support you to carry it to its logical conclusion.” The group consisting of mostly of elder statesmen between 76 and 90 years of age commended the Jonathan-led administration for the equal spread of amenities and balancing of key national officers. Fasoranti noted: “We note that even though the immediate past administration failed to balance and we have a fair spread of amenities over the country, you have been trying to redress this through for example the construction of roads all over the country, the sighting of universities and polytechnics to those earlier on denied. “As you know, Afenifere is a socio-political association. We have always spoken out our minds on

Why the endorsement Although the group said their major reason for backing President Jonathan for a second term in office was the convocation of the National Conference, many people were however of the opinion that the hatred for a national leader of APC, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu who many of the octogenarian leaders believe has betrayed the cause of Yoruba race was the major reason. Another reason that was touted was the need to take their pound of flesh on the presidential candidate of the APC, Major General Muhammadu Buhari, who clamped many leaders of the group into detention when he was military Head of State. Fasoranti, who was the Commissioner for Finance, during the Adekunle Ajasin administration in the old Ondo State, has an axe to grind with Buhari. The APC presidential candidate terminated the civilian administration and clamped them into detention for months. It was further learnt that Governor Olusegun Mimiko facilitated the endorsement. The Ondo State governor is the South-West coordinator of Goodluck Jonathan Campaign Organisation. The appointment of Brig.-Gen. Jones Arogbofa as the Chief of Staff to President Jonathan is another factor that influenced the decision. The principal staff of the president is the younger brother of Afenifere’s Secretary General, Arogbofa. Afenifere leader speaks Fasoranti, who did not hide his disdain for Buhari in an interview with New Telegraph said: “I was a victim of his (Buhari’s) regime; I cannot feel comfortable with him. I was put in detention for 20 months for nothing. I was Commissioner for Finance, I was sent to tribunal, I went to Lagos and appeared before the tribunal. At the end of the day, I was left free. I feel very aggrieved and he CONTINUED ON PAGE 16

Politics

TUESDAY, February 3, 2015 NEW TELEGRAPH

Jonathan doesn’t deserve re-election, says APC Johnchuks Onuanyim Abuja

he All Progressives Congress (APC) yesterday stated that President Goodluck Jonathan does not deserve another four years in office as president due to his bad governance in the last six years. According to the party, Jonathan administration has run the economy aground with a combination of incompetence, massive corruption and unparalleled profligacy, hence Nigerians cannot afford to reward the president with another four years. The party’s National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, said: “The only reason the Jonathan administration and the PDP have been engaging in a campaign of mudslinging rather than of issues is to distract the attention of Nigerians from the very serious state of the nation’s economy, but we have decided to redirect the ongoing electioneering to issues.” The party, faulting policies of President

Jonathan, said: “Whereas President Jonathan has been promising that he will create two million jobs annually if re-elected, the reality on ground does not support that promise, especially because his administration failed to create meaningful jobs when oil prices were higher than $100 per barrel, instead extorting hapless job seekers and giving them deaths instead. “The Jonathan administration has been lying to Nigerians on the issue of employment. The Minister of Works said Nigeria is like one huge construction site, with many people employed in this sector. But the truth of the matter is that the biggest construction firms in Nigeria have been retrenching, rather than employing. “Last year, Julius Berger retrenched 6,000 people while Dantata Sawoe laid off 2,800. If indeed Nigeria is one huge construction site, will these big construction firms be sacking workers?” The party also said the Federal Government has pauperized most states

and made it impossible for them to pay the salaries of their workers by refusing to refund the huge funds they spent on federal projects. It said more than anything else, unprecedented corruption under the Jonathan administration has dealt a death blow to the economy. APC said, for example, crude oil stealing has become so legalised that there is now what is known as ‘Bayelsa diesel’ in the market, a fallout of the 400,000 barrels per day of crude oil that is stolen in Nigeria, under the very nose of the Jonathan administration. It also said the government has not been able to

account for huge sums of money, including the $20 billion missing oil fund that should have accrued to the Excess Crude Account (ECA). The party also reminded Nigerians that Ifeanyi Uba, who is the face of the Transformation Ambassadors of Nigeria (TAN) that has spent over N25 billion campaigning for President Jonathan, is one of those accused of kerosene subsidy fraud. “But instead of prosecuting him diligently, the Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON) has settled the matter out of court and returned all his seized assets to him. How else can a government encourage

corruption and impunity?” it queried. But the PDP has described the APC’s claims on the state of the nation’s economy as “wild and baseless allegations shamelessly anchored on tissues of lies and unreliable posts copied from the social media.” PDP National Publicity Secretary, Olisa Metuh, in a statement yesterday said: “Nobody can deny the fact that we have made improvements in our economy in the last four years under President Goodluck Jonathan. The APC cannot detract from the fact that under President Jonathan, our economy has grown to become the largest in Africa

INDEP ELECT ENDENT NAT ORAL C IO OMMIS NAL SION

and the third fastest growing in the world. “This feat, which did not come by accident but through meticulous application of policies by President Jonathan has been attested to by renowned economic experts and leading international rating agencies,” the party said.

Tinubu advocates revolution, berates Jonathan’s leadership Temitope Ogunbanke and Muritala Ayinla

ormer Governor of Lagos State and National Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Tinubu yesterday called on Nigerians to embark on revolution to free themselves from the shackle of poverty and visionless leadership. Tinubu, who also warned Lagosians to be wary of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state, said Bode George and his stooges cannot be trusted with power, adding that a vote for the party would amount to an invitation to poverty. Speaking at a rally in Ojo, along Badagry Expressway, Tinubu said Nigeria needs visionary leadership. He said: “In the last 16 years of the incumbent administration, the government has mismanaged the economy and they fielded Nigerians with false figures. I remember that Jonathan came to Lagos and admitted that he failed. For instance, the Lagos-Badagry Expressway should have been fixed by a smart Federal Government because of its importance. “At the moment, we need common sense revolution. And the revolution is contained in three Rs.

The first R is to Rescue the country from scoundrels. The second R is Relief from cooperation and individual and the third R is to Reform our institution to work for the development of the country.” Tinubu said the emergence of the PDP gubernatorial candidate was a fraud masterminded by George. He berated President Jonathan for the nation’s economic woes. “The present administration has failed to develop any of the sectors successfully. There are several drivers behind the wheel. And some of them have deficiencies. “Jonathan is one of those ordinary captains and that was why when he came to Lagos recently, he admitted that he has failed. It is not my generation that failed but Jonathan’s generation failed.” Also speaking, the APC governorship candidate in Lagos State, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode appealed to Lagos residents to vote for him, assuring them that he would take the state to the next level if elected. He promised that his government will implement laudable projects in Lagos and provide adequate jobs for the youth by giving them the opportunity to have access to an Employment Trust Fund.

L-R: Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Lagos State governorship running mate, Alhaja Safurat Abdul Kareem; governorship candidate, Mr. Jimi Agbaje; state chairman, Captain Tunji Shelle (rtd); PDP stalwart, Chief Olabode George and former Minister of State for Defence, Senator Musiliu Obanikoro, at a rally on the Lagos Island…yesterday

Buhari pledges to fight corruption, Boko Haram Ibrahim Abdul Yola

residential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Major General Muhammadu Buhari, yesterday in Yola, the Adamawa State capital, pledged to fight corruption and end Boko Haram insurgency if elected on February 14. Buhari told party supporters during a presidential rally that there was so much desperation in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) camp to win

the election and urged the people not to allow the party to have its way. According to him, any vote for PDP is ruining the future of the country. “We should not allow PDP to ride on our back again. PDP has failed us in its 16 years’ rule; people are in dire need of change,” he said. “The most important thing is that you should vote. Make sure you get your permanent voters’ cards (PVCs) and on the Election Day you come out and make sure you vote and that your vote counts. “If you allow the PDP

any chance to continue to run this country, you are ruining yourselves and you are ruining your country.” He pledged to address the problems of corruption, unemployment and insecurity if voted into office. “Our government will bring to an end, the menace of Boko Haram terrors plaguing the society. Nigerians have become refugees in their country,” Buhari noted. “What we save from the fight against corruption and leakages we will invest heavily in education, infrastructure,

equipment, and teachers. The best we can do for our generation and future generation is to give them qualitative and quantitative education. An APC government throughout the country definitely will do that.” Speaking earlier, former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar described the PDP-led government in the country as wicked and callous, alleging that it destroyed the country. “PDP days are numbered, people want change and it has come with APC on board,” he pointed out.

George, Obanikoro rally support for Jonathan, Agbaje rominent leaders of Speaking during a presidential candidate, to vote for President JonaP the Peoples Democrat- rally in Campos area of Muhammadu Buhari, than and Agbaje based on ic Party (PDP), including Lagos Island, Obanikoro had allowed the project their pedigree. Chief Bode George and Senator Musiliu Obanikoro, yesterday asked Lagosians to vote for President Goodluck Jonathan and the party’s governorship candidate, Mr. Jimi Agbaje in the forthcoming general elections.

asked Lagosians not to be deceived by the antics of the All Progressives Congress (APC). Obanikoro observed that the gridlock been experienced in Lagos would have been a thing of the past if the APC

to succeed. He added that Lagos needs a rebirth to free it from the clutches of the APC, adding that Lagosians suffer more today in terms of basic amenities, after 16 years of the party, calling on residents

On his part, George described the coming polls as an avenue for Lagosians to free themselves from APC’s tyranny. Agbaje lamented that Bola Tinubu is working against Lagosians’ interest.

Politics 15

NEW TELEGRAPH TUESDAY, February 3, 2015

IGP promises maximum security during polls Emmanuel Onani Abuja

he Inspector General of Police (IGP), Mr. Suleiman Abba, has reassured the public of the readiness of the police, to provide adequate security for the electorate, before, during and after the forthcoming polls. Abba, who gave the assurance during a conference with senior police officers in Abuja yesterday, also assured that officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and election materials, will be adequately protected against all forms of violence. As part of strategies to achieve a violence-free election, the IGP said he has directed zonal Assistant Inspectors General (AIGs) to lead command Commissioners of Police

in their areas and bring political actors and contestants from the parties together. This, he noted, is with a view to getting them to sign peace accords, and help reduce the palpable tension that has enveloped the polity. His words: “I want to say without any reservation, that the police is prepared and will continue to be prepared further to make sure that on the days of the elections, we will provide that maximum security required for them to go and cast their votes. “We also want to restate that we will make adequate arrangement to INEC staff, who are the managers of the conduct of the elections, including the materials they will be using for the conduct of the elections, so that they are not only well protected, but they discharge their responsibilities efficiently.

“We acknowledge the fact that incidents threatening the security, particularly with the conduct of the campaigns we witnessed. It is also noted that arrests have been made. “We are going to concentrate in preventing violence; a lot have been said for violence-free election. For us, it is not about saying it. “We appreciate what is being said and we appreciate the concerns of all, we also take note of the report that some people are even relocating, but we want to assure everyone that this is not the first time we are sitting, we have been sitting and a lot of instructions have been issued out and the commissioners of police, I must say, have done their best in following those directives,” Abba stated. He added: “In our effort to prevent violence further, either during or after the polls, Assistant Inspec-

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tors General of Police will lead the Commissioners of Police in their zones so that in each state commands, they will bring together as partners in the prevention of crime and violence in this election; they will bring together all the contestants to discuss how best to work together and perhaps come out with peace accord. “Each command will issue out their social media platforms to members of the public, so that they can call them to report incidents when they are about to happen, or report on time when the incidents starts happening.”

Election violence: Group demands Buhari’s prosecution Wale Elegbede

group, Northern Coalition For Democracy and Justice yesterday urged the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) to commence prosecution of the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Major General Muhammadu Buhari, over the role he played in the 2011 post-election violence which claimed many lives in the North. The group which staged a peaceful protest at the premises of the Rights Commission in Abuja, said there is nobody that is above the law, adding that the killing was as a result of the incendiary statement credited to the presidential candidate of APC. Speaking to reporters, Yunana Shibkau, the Director of Publicity of the group, said that they will not stop until Buhari

Akpabio urges electorate to vote Jonathan, Udom Tony Anichebe Uyo

Governor Godswill Akpabio of Akwa Ibom State (fourth left), Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate, Mr. Udom Emmanuel (third right) and others at the governorship rally in Etinan Local Government Area.

ECOWAS Parliament urges restraint on acrimonious campaigns Philip Nyam and Chukwu David Abuja

he ECOWAS Parliament yesterday urged all political parties in the forthcoming general elections to avoid acrimonious campaigns and concentrate on issues affecting the core welfare of the people. The Parliament, which made the call at the opening of its 2015 Extraordinary Session of the Third Legislature in Abuja, expressed its support for the conduct of peaceful and transparent elections in Nigeria and urged all parties to accept the outcome of the elections in

lAppeals to parties to accept result of elections the interest of unity and development of the country and the region. This was sequel to the unanimous adoption of a motion moved by the 4th Deputy Speaker, Hon. Simon Osei-Mensah from Ghana. The regional Parliament also called for peace before, during and after the elections, urging the international community to support all initiatives that would lead to free and peaceful elections in the country. It consequently requested the Speaker and Deputy Senate President of the Nigerian Senate, Senator Ike Ekwerema-

du, to forward the resolution to the government and people of Nigeria. Addressing the regional parliament, Ekweremadu reassured the international community that the forthcoming elections in Nigeria would be free, fair and peaceful. He said that Nigeria and the ECOWAS subregion were committed to a successful general elections in the country this year. According to him, “although the primary thrust of this Extraordinary Session is to discuss the way forward, towards strengthening the parliament to effectively handle

the new roles bestowed on it by the Supplementary Act on the Enhancement of the Powers of the ECOWAS Parliament, it is important that we address the issue of the forthcoming general elections in Nigeria. “We have no doubt that Nigeria will be peaceful before, during, and after the elections and that the country and her democracy will come out of the elections stronger. We want to call on the international community to continue to support us, even as we express gratitude to them for the assistances rendered to us so far.”

is brought to book to answer for the atrocity he had committed through his utterances in 2011. He said that his group is not partisan but fights for the rights of the downtrodden especially in the northern part of the country. “Based on our commitment to pursue the promotion of good governance, sanctity of the electoral process, peace and unity which our country also stands for, we have resolved to visit your office with a petition and substantial indicting evidence on the 2011 post-election violence in Nigeria against certain political actors,” the letter read. Responding, Hajia Memuna Lawal, who received the petition on behalf of the chairman of the commission, assured the protesters that their letter would be treated with utmost urgency.

he people of Etinan and Nsit Ibom local government areas in Akwa Ibom State have been charged to obtain their Permanent Voters’ Cards (PVCs) and turn out en masse to vote for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) during the general elections. Governor Godswill Akpabio, who gave the charge at the weekend during the PDP governorship campaign rally at Etinan and Nsit Ibom said: “I call on the people to obtain their PVCs and turn out en masse to support President Goddluck

Jonathan for a second term, Mr. Udom Emmanuel as the next governor and also vote for all PDP candidates in the February elections.” At Etinan Local Government Area, Akpabio gave the assurance that Udom would industrialise Etinan, carry the people along during his administration and continue with the Uncommon Transformation agenda by bringing sustainable development to Etinan. He said Udom would complete on-going roads projects in the state. The PDP governorship candidate said that he would sustain the Uncommon Transformation of the state.

Nkire advocates violence-free polls

member of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Board of Trustees (BOT), Chief Sam Nkire, has called on the military, the police and all other security agencies to respect the will of the people during the February elections. He counselled that they should not allow themselves to be used as errand boys by politicians. Speaking in Abuja yesterday, Nkire reminded the security agencies of their role as defenders of the people first, before government officials and politicians in high places. He said: “Nigeria at this period needs a disciplined army, police and other security agencies and not in-

stitutions that obeyed unlawful orders from above.” Nkire said Nigeria would be better for it, if law enforcement agents obeyed the rule of law and not unlawful orders from political office holders. According to him, any attempt to allow politicians politicise any arm of the security agencies will compromise the integrity of the agency and spell doom for Nigeria’s democracy. He appealed to the Nigerian electorate to give APC a chance to bring the country back to path of development and integrity by voting Major General Muhammadu Buhari for president and all APC candidates.

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

did that for many people, people have written about it, the scar is still there. He has said he is going to jail people, that is not what we want. Justice should have very keen eye, not mass people together. “Those who commit crime should be punished but people who are not corrupt should be let off the hook. Papa Ajasin was sent to detention, he was tried twice but at the end of the day, he was set free. I was his Commissioner for Finance. I knew that Papa was very honest, he did not spend his security vote at all and he was very stingy. But this man put him in jail in spite of all the pleas, he kept him there and sent him back for the second time. I think that is very ruthless. He said he will jail corrupt people, who is corrupt? Who is not corrupt? They should be given fair trial, if found guilty, they should be punished. People like Ebenezer Babatope wrote about it and there are many others who were unjustly punished for no reason just because you are a military man. We are not in military regime now; he is going to carry his military mentality to civilian rule and that will be unfair.” On the group’s grouse with Tinubu, Fasoranti said: “We have made offers. Chief Olu Falae has made offers, he has gone to Lagos to make offers, I have met him, I have made offers but it seems they have their own agenda. I don’t know what it is all about, but we can now see these destructive elements, they want to take over, they want to be in charge. But that is not democracy, Papa Ajasin describes democracy as you talk, I talk, listen to me, I listen to you then the idea will crystallise, but in his own case, he wants to have it alone and that is not too fine, that is why we have problems in the South-West.” No love lost The crisis between the leaders of Afenifere and Tinubu could be traced to the selection of a presidential candidate of AD/All Peoples Party (APP) in 1999 when late Bola Ige who was the deputy to the late leader of Afenifere, Chief Abraham Adesanya, believed that he would get the ticket since seniority takes precedence in the association. Ige, who was out of the country when the primary was planned retuned to find out that the ticket had been given to Falae who was a new comer to the association. In annoyance, Ige moved against the association and teamed up with the PDP government, which offered him Minister of Power and Steel from where he moved to the Ministry of Justice. He took these appointments without the permission of the group. While the crisis among the leaders festered, some AD governors including Tinubu and Chief Bisi Akande who was the Osun State governor teamed up with Ige to fight Afenifere, while others supported Pa Adesanya. But some deputy governors including Kofoworola Bucknor-Akerele and Senator Iyiola Omisore did not join their governors in the rebellion. Both deputy governors did not complete their tenure as they were impeached. Omisore went to prison over the death of Ige while Akerele was disgraced out of office. However, the seed for future crisis had been sown. Before the crisis in the AD which was the dominant party in the SouthWest geo-political zone, all the Afenifere leaders and the South-West governors including Tinubu, Akande, Chief Adebayo Adefarati of Ondo State, Alhaji Lam Adesina of Oyo, Chief Segun Osoba and Niyi Adebayo of Ekiti were members of the group. In fact, there was no how you could be governor in the zone if you were not a member of Afenifere.

TUESDAY, February 3, 2015 NEW TELEGRAPH

‘Why Afenifere endorsed Jonathan’

Buhari

Tinubu

When Adesanya was the leader of Afenifere, all decisions regarding the AD were taken in his Ijebu-Igbo home. In fact, the decision of who became the candidates of the party in any given election was taken in the Afenifere meeting. The slogan then was “AD is Afenifere and Afenifere is AD”. All efforts to separate the two were rebuffed by the elders who shunned anybody who was not a member of AD. When crisis started in AD, it automatically affected Afenifere which was the father of the party. The political tsunami of 2003 that swept out all the AD governors from office with the exception of Lagos State changed the tide as the Afenifere had to undergo reform in order to accommodate those who were not members of AD. Before the death of Pa Adesanya, there was a deliberate effort by the PDP-led Federal Government to weaken the Afenifere which was the voice of the Yoruba. Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, who was the president, in conjunction with late Ige formed the Yoruba Council of Elders (YCE) led by Pa Alayande to play alternative role with that of the Afenifere. The YCE said it would not discriminate on the basis of politics as the group would be opened to all Yorubas. Those who were not comfortable with Afenifere found shelter in YCE, which was called’ Igbimo agba Yoruba’. Expectedly, the YCE got patronage of the Federal Government but the idea soon collapsed like a pack of cards as Yoruba people were already used to Afenifere. Similarly, the death of Ige who was the link between YCE and the Federal Government hastened the death of the alternate Yoruba association. But

the political tsunami of 2003 that swept the AD governors out of office dealt a heavy blow on the fortune of Afenifere as the association had no option than to open its doors to all Yoruba sons and daughters, as long as they believed in the Afenifere philosophy. This development made Otunba Gbenga Daniel, who was a PDP governor join the association. After the 2003 elections that removed five of six governors from office, Tinubu who was the only AD governor became a rallying point for four of his former colleagues. The former Ondo State governor, Adebayo Adefarati was the only person who chose to be different in ideology to his former colleagues. In

The APC only has the power to manipulate the media, but has lost the backing of the people of the South-West

fact, when other former AD governors formed Action Congress (AC), the late Adefarati remained in AD and was its presidential candidate in 2007 election. Since Tinubu survived the onslaught of the PDP in 2003, he automatically became the political leader of the zone. And since he was in the camp of Ige, he did not want to have anything to do with Afenifere leaders. Since Tinubu who is the national leader of APC has nothing to do with the Afenifere leaders, he has sought political relevance outside the group. The question agitating the minds of the people, is whether or not the group’s endorsement of President Jonathan would translate to votes. The group had in the past formed Democratic People’s Alliance (DPA), Social Democratic Mega Party (SDMP) and lately Social Democratic Party (SDP) in order to revive its political fortune. Since these political parties with the exception of SDP, which has not been tested in the polls, have fizzled out, does the endorsement of President Jonathan have any political relevance? ‘We’ll deliver South-West for Jonathan’ The Secretary General and spokesman of the association, Arogbofa and Mr. Yinka Odumakin respectively said the endorsement would give President Jonathan an edge in the zone. According to Odumakin, Afenifere is the moral voice in Yorubaland and if not the APC leader would not have used the Afenifere Renewal Group (ARG) to issue counter statement. He said there have been three elections in the zone since 2011 general election in which APC lost two and won one which is subject of litigation at the Election Petition Tribunal. Odumakin said: “In Ogun State, the APC has only the governor as other elective positions are shared between SDP and PDP; in Oyo State, the APC is the most hated political party, Lagos State is an open game between PDP and APC. The APC only has the power to manipulate the media but has lost the backing of the people of the South-West.” Arogbofa said the group has electoral value and will join hands with other political parties outside the APC to deliver the zone to President Jonathan. He added that in the NADECO days, there were few members but they were able to change the political tide against the military. With the present reality, Afenifere has lost the influence it had before 1999. The fall of the group before the 2003 elections has greatly affected its influence. Prominent members of the group lean towards the PDP while age is not on the side of its leader. They may only speak but do not have the strength to canvass for votes for the president.

Ekiti Afenifere dissociates self from Jonathan’s endorsement Wale Elegbede

he Ekiti State chapter of Afenifere, the panYoruba socio-political association, said it is not a party to the endorsement of President Goodluck Jonathan for second term by the Chief Reuben Fasoranti-led group. Afenifere had hinged its support for President Jonathan on his commitment to the restructuring of the country through the convocation of the national conference last year. But the Ekiti State chapter of the association in a state-

ment signed by its chairman, Chief Ibidapo Awojolu, in Ado-Ekiti yesterday, said that it was not part of the decision to endorse President Jonathan for the February 14 election, adding that the purported endorsement was hastily done and was merely the reflection of the mindset of a few leaders of the group that attended the Akure meeting with the president. Awojolu said in spite of the fact that the Ekiti State chapter of Afenifere has a tremendous respect for Fasoranti’s leadership of the group, it

however differed with him on the issue of endorsement of the President. He insisted that the Afenifere has yet to take a decision on the February 14 presidential election, stressing that it was embarrassing for a few leaders of the group to attempt to impose their personal views as the official position of the pan-Yoruba group. “It was wrong for Afenifere leaders to admit that the Jonathan administration is committed to the restructuring of the polity simply because it convoked a national confer-

ence when the generality of Nigerians are of the opinion that the confab was a mere window dressing,” Awojolu said. Insisting that the Ekiti State chapter of Afenifere and a few other state chapters of the group are not part of the decision, Awojolu said the position of the generality of Afenifere as a body would be made known shortly before the election. “For now, we are still studying the programmes of the various political parties and their candidates. Our position would be made known later,” he said.

Politics 17

NEW TELEGRAPH TUESDAY, February 3, 2015

Governor Abiola Ajimobi is confident that he will be re-elected on February 28. In this interview, he said the participation of his predecessors in the race won’t stop him from breaking the second term myth in Oyo State. He spoke with AYODELE OJO What has been your experience so far as governor of Oyo State? My experience has been quite fulfilling, challenging and that of a mixed bag, in the sense that we have had our successes in all the areas of performance indicators. Similarly, we have had political distractions in the sense that even when you have done well, you still see people who will look for fault in what you have done. I give an example; we belief that Oyo State having been tagged the dirtiest city in Africa or in West Africa, should be cleaned up. First, for environmental sanitation; second for health reason; third for security reason and lastly for welfare and investment reasons. These four areas informed our decision to clean up the dirty parts of the state, which was regarded as the dirtiest, at least in Nigeria. In the process of doing that, we had to remove street traders who were disturbing the flow of traffic. So, for safety reasons, we had to remove those people. The beauty of it is that we provided alternative. We are not the first government to remove people from the streets. The previous governments between 2007 and 2011, removed people from Iwo Road; between 2003 and 2007, Rashidi Ladoja’s government removed people from Apeni, Elekuro and some other areas but none of them built shops for them. None of them provided alternative. We are the only government that removed people from trading on the streets and provided alternatives. We provided shops to accommodate close to about seven thousand traders. We also gave them money to trade with, yet the opposition almost turned our good intentions, our good programmes against us. One of your predecessors, Senator Rashidi Ladoja said some leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) came to beg him to join the party so that he would be given the governorship ticket. Was it that your party lost confidence in you or what? Ladoja is lying. The man sometimes tells stories that are not true. Our leaders; Senator Ahmed Bola Tinubu, Chief Pius Akinyelure, former Governor Segun Oni, they all met at Baba Obasanjo’s place and the purpose of the meeting was to get all Yoruba together and to appeal to some competing Yoruba to work together. My understanding of the meeting, which I was not present but confirmed by different people, was to appeal to Ladoja and some others like him who are in their 70s, who have been governors or senators before to play the role of elders statesmen; to step down for the younger ones and that all Yoruba must be one. That was the purpose of the meeting. At no time did anyone

N5bn bond not for election, says Ajimobi offer him gubernatorial slot of the APC and it will be crazy to do so. He has been there before, he didn’t perform well. I defeated him and I’m performing better. So, does it make sense to you to take an incumbent who is performing well and beg somebody who didn’t perform well and was defeated by that same incumbent to have the party ticket? Though I have told some of our elders to denounce him but they said there is no need to waste time arrogating to him what he does not have. So, if he has anybody let him confirm. And subsequently, one of the elders that was at the meeting came to me and said we should go and visit him that he should come and join us and play the role of an elder statesman. Then we went to his house and at no time did anybody talk about him becoming a candidate. How can somebody who when he was younger could not do four rounds of boxing now say he want to do eight rounds when he is older. Will the people believe him? So, I think that is my answer to Ladoja. The Ibadan factor has always been crucial in every election. Won’t the large number of Ibaban indigenes affect your chances? I think if you know Ibadan very well, we are very republican. We enjoy competition and we have always been many whenever we are contesting. If you remember the last time, we had many Ibadan people that contested; I think about four or five and I still won. The beauty is that, that time I didn’t have the track record that I have now. It is no longer I will do this, they have seen what I have done, people are wiser and they know there are two main major parties and those parties have presidential candidates in Abuja And lastly is the fact that when you look at the political scenario, you will see that like Bola Ige once said, five fingers of a leprous hand, PDP is there, you have Accord from PDP and Accord is romancing the presidency and you have SDP they are romancing the presidency. In fact, all of them were people who got dissatisfied with the PDP. So, they are just the offspring of PDP and for me I see them as one and I belief that with the record that we have now, we are in a very good position to defeat them. Ladoja had accused your government of inflating road contracts, saying the contracts are on the high side under your administration. I think those who are well-informed and educated will know that the contract we have done in Oyo State are extremely cost conscious and cost effective. Comparatively speaking, anybody who knows anything about Economics will not say the price of cement in 2003 is the same price now. So also are the different materials used and there is what we call replacement cost in Economics.

Ajimobi

INDEP ELECT ENDENT NAT ORAL C IO OMMIS NAL SION

When did we apply for the bond?... We won’t take money that are allocated for doing roads, for building hospitals, and all others and then start spending it for election

There is what we call called inflation in Economics, those who are saying that should learn Economics. The issue is that did we go through due process? Did people tender for the contract? What was the price people quoted for the contract? Are we saying that if all contractors quoted N100 per kilometre, we have made it N150? No! When contractors quote they go through tenders, then we have engineers who will look at them and everybody can go out and cost the prices. In our system, we have prevailing market prices for all products. And lastly, let me say this, when you are comparing price, you must do comparative checks and look at how much they are doing the same project in Ogun, Osun, Lagos; in Nigeria as a whole. When you compare prices, you look at the element in those cost build up. What are the factors that you think, will determine your re-election, considering that there is the second term bid jinx in Oyo State? There is always a first person to lose something. I’m the first person who will break the supposedly jinx in Oyo State. And there is actually no jinx anywhere. Before, in some states, I think Kano, they never had the second term, Ibrahim Shekarau did it. In Borno, Senator AliModu Sheriff did it. So, if in Oyo State we have never had it, Ajimobi will do it. So, there is always a first time in anything. I believe there is no jinx and I believe my chances are very high. What are your chances in the Febru-

ary 28 governorship election? Oyo State like all states in the federation, is getting wiser. People are smarter and people are no longer easily deceived as it used to be. People now ask for your track record and once people see your track record, they vote for you. And more and more, you will see that many things that have never happened before are happening in Oyo State. I will give an example. I went to the labour union recently and they told me that in the history of Oyo State, there has never been any government that did not have problems with labour union before the elections. We have never had problem with them. That is something. So, with labour, we have a very good relationship. We have worked for them. The teachers, two days ago, they came, they gave me an award. They endorsed me. So, that I have formidable opponents, I have defeated them – Ladoja and Adebayo Alao-Akala – before. They were formidable – they were even more formidable when I defeated them as sitting governor. Some critics of the APC have said that the party’s presidential candidate is too old to rule Nigeria. Don’t you share their views? I think my honest position is that it depends on individuals. I have heard presidents in America that were older than Muhammadu Buhari and they did very well. And the Supreme Court Judges in America are in their seventies. So, it depends on the individual. There CONTINUED ON PAGE 20

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2015 NEW TELEGRAPH

Opinion

T.B. Joshua: Time to discover the truth

Oye Ogunwale

t the peak of the late General Sanni Abacha’s iron –cast rule and his plan to elongate his administration as Nigeria Head of State, when the then five political parties adopted him as the sole presidential candidate, Prophet T.B Joshua was reportedly approached. T.B Joshua revealed to Abacha that God did not approve the tenure elongation and advised him to hand over power to another person elected by Nigerians. Late General Abacha was said to have felt very disappointed, but pleaded passionately to Joshua to help him out because he believed Joshua could do it. But T.B Joshua told him there was nothing he as a prophet, could do because God had spoken. Abacha allegedly made several efforts to call Joshua thereafter, to no avail. If Joshua had wanted to make money from Abacha’s request, he could have done so, but he didn’t. What happened to Abacha to quit is now history. When President FredrickChiluba of Zambia visited synagogue, this reporter was one of other media men that covered the five–day visit. During the occasion, Chiluba was invited by Joshua to the healing session. When Chiluba witnessed the healing of hundreds of people with various diseases, he, out of excitement, burst into tears, seeing that those things were happening in Nigeria, an African country. Since then Chiluba had being coming to the Synagogue to worship God because of his belief in what he saw. Sometimes ago, Prof. Evans Mills from Ghana, seeking to contest a presidential election came to the Synagogue Church. Joshua prayed for him and predicted that the politician would win the election. And it came to pass. About fifteen years ago, a wealthy South African, who was terribly sick, flew to Nigeria to meet Joshua for healing. He came to the Synagogue Church along with his personal doctor. One Saturday when the South African was inside one of the guest rooms, the man died while his personal doctor was attending to him. The doctor called some of the church disciples and there was confusion. Joshua was hurriedly in-

formed and he rushed to the place, finding the man dead. He ordered his disciples to prepare a bed and lay him there. Joshua laid on the man and after about 10 minutes, the South African was raised alive. During testimony time, the man’s personal doctor testified that medically his patient was dead because he had confirmed him dead. But he expressed surprise how Joshua could raise him to life. The doctor believed that what happened to his patient was purely a miracle from God. In year 2000 or thereabout, an Army General from Ghana came to the Synagogue Church on wheel-chair for healing. When interviewed, the man stated that he was paralyzed and had remained on the wheel-chair for over 10 years. T.B Joshua touched the Army General’s two legs with his own leg and commanded the man to get up and walk in the name of Jesus Christ. The man obeyed, stood up and staggered. Joshua touched his two legs again with his own leg, and commanded the man to walk. And he walked. Suddenly, the Army General ran inside the church and there was excitement and jubilation by the Ghanaians and the entire congregation who witnessed the event. Sometime in1996, a woman of about 50 years old with kidney problem was brought to the Synagogue Church during a Sunday service. She told Joshua that she needed N8 million for kidney transplant and begged for financial assistance. Joshua told her he had no money to give her but God would heal her. Joshua pointed his hand towards the woman, she fell and rolled on the ground and that was the end of kidney problem. If all those top Nigerians that died of cancer or kidney problems had approached the man of God, their problems could have been solved and they would been alive today. Also in 1999, I personally benefitted from Joshua’s spiritual gifts when I used a sticker he gave me to revive my 29 years old first son who was at the point of death. All these were some of the happenings I personally witnessed during the few occasions I visited the Synagogue Church either to cover events or for other personal purposes. There are many of our leaders in government or politicians visiting the Synagogue Church in the night to solve their problems. There are over two thousand sick people all over the world being healed by the church every month. Yet here is a man being hated and persecuted by his own people, particularly some

pastors and prophets are in the fight to condemn this man of God. Some even labeled T.B Joshua as Satan reincarnate. Late Prophet Adewole of the Celestial church of Christ, who predicated that the late Bashorun M.K.O Abiola would win the 1993 presidential election and the military, would not hand over power to him, had earlier revealed to Nigerians and the entire world that God sent Joshua to destroy the works of the devil. Having witnessed many of Joshua’s healing and prediction, I prayed and fasted for seven days and God revealed to me in 1995, who Joshua is. And since this revelation came to me, I have always feared what would be the repercussion of those castigating, persecuting and doing all manner of wrongs to Joshua. One day, a young man sneaked into the Synagogue Church auditorium with charms when the service was not on. Joshua was inside his office attending to some visitors. Suddenly he rushed out to find the man inside the Church. Immediately the young man of about 35 years saw TB Joshua, he attempted to run away, but Joshua stressed his right hand towards his direction and the man fell down, rolling on the ground. He confessed that a group of herbalists who were protesting that they could not get customers again because of Joshua’s healing of people, gave him N120,000.00 and sent him to come and dump charms inside the church to scare away the people. All these events were recorded in the church’s archive. If world leaders and personalities like former president Fredrick Chiluba of Zambia, Pascal Lissouba, former president of Congo, the late president of Gabon, Omar Bongo, Andre Kolingba, ex-president of the Central African Republic, Zulu King of South Africa, Goodwill Zwelithini Kabhekuzulu and hundreds of others could recognize and embrace T.B. Joshua, why should Nigerian pastors continue to deride him. I think TB Joshua is a spiritual asset to Nigerians of this generation. If Christians and other men of God are doubting Joshua’s healing power, they should pray to God to reveal if truly he was sent by God. • Ogunwale, a veteran journalist and media Consultant wrote from Lagos

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Afenifere and its adoption of Jonathan THE pan Yoruba socio-political group, Afenifere's recent adoption of Goodluck Jonathan as its Presidential candidate for the forthcoming presidential election, has sent jitters down the nervous spine of the APC in the South-West. The group’s major reason for endorsing President Jonathan is as a result of his unflinching commitment in implementing the recommendations of National Conference which Afenifere participated actively to restructure the political and economical landscape of Nigerian state. Afenifere based its argument on the fact that the APC as a political party rejected the National Conference and refused to participate in its proceedings while it lasted. This endorsement is coming simultaneously with the adoption of President Jonathan for the forthcom-

ing presidential election by another Pan Yoruba group, Oodua People’s Congress (OPC). With the adoption of President Jonathan by the Afenifere group, the OPC, South-West PDP, SDP, Labour Party, Igbo communities in South-West, and others pan Yoruba groups and non-indigenes in the zone; President Jonathan is already cruising to victory in the South-west geopolitical in the forthcoming presidential election. With a strong grip on South-East/ South-South/North-Central zones; in addition to some states in the North-West and North-East zones; and lately South-West zone, President Jonathan has won 2015 Presidential election in advance even if INEC decides to hold the election today. •Chidiebere Nwobodo writes from Abuja. chidieberenwobodo@yahoo.com

Saving Nigeria’s future THAT Nigeria’s political trend is heading for the worst moment is not as frightening as the fact that all hope of correcting such is apparently vanishing. And if it would have a better system the present disconnect must be addressed. Dreary exemplars abound; provocative statements, politicians who want to force their way and leaders who feel that if it is not their way, there will not be peace; low motivation of civil servants; failure on the side of religious leaders. And in the absence of excellent ideas that ought to reshape the hope and future of Nigeria, no way for heydays. Not in the spirit of the next elections, but the next generation, the leaders and the led must make concerted efforts to save Nigeria’s future. There is a need for political office holders, candidates and elites to use any platform they may think is healthy to sensitize their

followers and supporters on the need to ensure peace and stability in Nigeria. This is because there would not be a feasible future if the present is destroyed in the name of a lone political office. Nigerians should stop responding to the skewing of the 2015 elections as that between the “Christians” and “Muslims”. Irresponsible utterances claiming that the country “will burn” if certain candidates do not win the elections should not be attended to. Ethnoreligious sentiments, negative campaigns and rumourmongering by unscrupulous individuals to achieve their ulterior motives, are not in the interest of Nigeria’s future. The aspiring candidates alongside their so-called godfathers have to slow down and take stock or reexamine their utterances and actions, knowing that there must be a country for

them to govern if they win the elections. Let a stern warning be given to all and sundry that those who ignite the furies of ethnic, religious and political parties conflagration may be first to be consumed by its raging flame. Violence begets violence. All would be casualties. Let decency prevail, and let Nigerians re-humanize the Nigerian society. All hate campaigns, meetings or networks must stop for the anticipated future we can all be proud of. A wobbly development would not bring about a desired future that the unborn generations will appreciate, thus dubious hunters of wealth masquerading as good citizens must refrain from their activities. The spirit of sincerity of purpose must be adhered to as the only alternative to save Nigeria’s future. • Falusi Jemima 300L IBB University, Lapai.

NEW TELEGRAPH TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2015

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State of the Nigerian economy

he recent rebasing exercise is not unconnected with the administration’s desire to make Nigeria one of the biggest global economies by 2020. The task is herculean in the light of prevailing realities and it is in light of this development that it is germane to benchmark the Nigerian economy to really ascertain its true status. One of the major hurdles of the economy is the reversal of the import- export ratio. Minister of Agriculture, Dr. Akinwumi Adesina recently lamented that Nigeria spends over N356 billion yearly on the importation of rice, over N100 billion for fish, and N1.6 trillion on wheat and sugar. Despite being a major oil producer, most of the country’s fuel is imported. Thus Nigeria’s import and export ratio has remained at 92 percent import and 8 percent export. The United Nation’s Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) ascribed Nigeria’s slow industrialization to underfunding of the industrial sector and lack of detailed industrial policy planning with little or no clear integrated investment and trade policies. The four oil refineries are underperforming and building new ones remains on hold. Gas that ought to be a major revenue earner for the country is being flared with reckless abandon. The national economy remains mono-cultural, dependent and highly indebted.

Critical sectors of the national economy are in tatters without any concrete solution and game-plan in sight. The education, health, and electricity sectors are problematic, roads are in a state of disrepair, and security is deteriorating. The GDP is disappointingly low, the GNP is nothing to write home about, the capacity utilization of industry is abysmally low as well as the per capita income and the foreign reserve has been depleted. There is glaring infrastructural deficits and the cost of doing business is very high. The Manufacturing Association of Nigeria (MAN) has revealed that about 800 companies have closed shop in Nigeria and moved to Ghana and South Africa. This is coupled with very high unemployment rate, and poverty is ubiquitous with over 74 percent of the entire population living on less than $1.25 per day. It must also be pointed out that, Public debt stock is much higher than at any time since the Paris Club debt exit of 2006. In 2007, total public debt fell to N2.678 trillion ($3.56billion external debt from $36b, and N2.2trillion domestic debt). But as of end 2013, public debt has increased by more than 300 percent to N8.423trillion ($8.2b external, and N7.1 trillion domestic). If AMCON debt and other agencies are included, the total debt burden is now over N10 trillion. By end of 2014, Nigeria’s total debt should easily approach over $100b,

most of which were accumulated in the past six years. Given the wellestablished negative correlation of debt and economic growth, how has growth been so strong? Furthermore, government’s policy of accumulating debt at average interest rates of 13-15 percent when the same government is receiving less than three per cent on its savings (foreign reserves) beats economic logic. Moreover, life expectancy is just 54 years, eight years lower than in Ghana and 20 years lower than in Brazil. The rate of childhood malnutrition is 24 percent, more than eight times the rate in Mexico. Basic literacy among 15- to 24-yearolds is just 66 per cent, compared with 99 per cent in South Africa. Infrastructure continues to be a major challenge: electric power, transportation infrastructure, telecommunications infrastructure and Internet and broadband access are limited. Water and wastewater systems are non-existent outside a few cities. Reputation for widespread corruption remains high, ranking at 139th out of the 176 countries on Transparency International’s 2014 Corruption Perception Index. World Bank governance and business environment indicators are much weaker than for oil exporting or African peers. Nigeria ranks 158th out of 189 economies for trading across borders. Global Competitiveness Report of the World Economic Forum for 2013-2014, ranked Nige-

ria 120th out of 148 countries in the Global Competitiveness Index, also, Nigeria’s budgetary process is now adjudged one of the weakest in the world. In the annual “Open Budget” Survey, Nigeria’s ranking has declined progressively since 2006, and in the latest ranking for 2012, Nigeria scored 16 per cent. This does not compare favourably with the performance of South Africa (90%), Uganda (65%), Ghana (50%) and Angola (28%). Similarly, though Nigeria’s per capita income rises in line with nominal GDP, it remains well below peer group medians as well as those of oil-producing Angola and Gabon. Foreign Direct Investment now falls to less than one per cent of GDP, which shows that Nigeria has one of the lowest levels of FDI inflow in the Africa region. Where will Nigeria be by the magical year 2020? There should be nexus between what the government claims to be doing and its transformation agenda. Nigeria requires a purpose-driven leadership as well as stimulating national agenda that is sincere, honest and credible which would inspire confidence in the people and help galvanize the economy to greater heights. No country can thrive by not developing its productive capacity, and not taking into cognisance the potential benefits that will accrue to the majority of the citizens rather than a privileged minority.

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Politics

TUESDAY, February 3, 2015 NEW TELEGRAPH

Ajimobi: I’ll defeat Ladoja, Akala CONTINUED FROM PAGE 17

are even some young ones who are not as aggressive and as agile, intelligent as older guys. But for me, the issue of age is only part of consideration but is not the consideration. Like me, when I was younger, there were things I could do, but now there are things I cannot do but I have more wisdom. So, age could be an advantage in some cases and or disadvantages in some cases. What is really the issue over the N500 million alleg-

edly seized from Ladoja and returned to the state by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC)? Any money you have taken and you are refunding has become your personal money. You have government car with you; it has become your personal car. If you didn’t return it when you are going and they now come to say bring it back, who has that one? Is it personal or government? For me, it is straight forward. The fact is ask

Ladoja why was he arrested by EFCC? Why did they detain him? What is the position of the court, has the court exonerated him? And the fact remains, I have made my statement. You have read our publications. Make your decision. Read what we have said, are we lying or the documents lying? They even went behind us to go to Fidelity Bank to check whether we opened an account there. We did. We put it there as repatriated fund. I don’t know the exact amount but it was

nothing less than N500 million. So, the issue is this: When you are the governor, you take responsibilities. They are telling people that the contract is high. Am I the one giving the contract? But I have taken responsibilities for whatever the price of the contract is. The engineers in the Ministry of Works are not politicians; they are the one who make recommendation. So, let him answer the question. Did he and others not refund money to EFCC? Yes or no?

He said it is not his personal money? What is personal money? Why did you refund it when it is not personal money? If they have taken money from the Ministry of Finance, are they going to arrest Ladoja for that? He said he will take me to court, let him take me to court. There have been allegations against your government that you obtained bond for electioneering purposes. What is your take on this? When did we apply for the bond? We applied for

the bond three years ago and it was not approved. They kept asking for this and that. But at the time we applied, we could not get approval and we kept pushing and pushing and don’t forget we asked for about N30 billion and recently they are releasing to us N5 billion out of N30 billion. So, I like to believe that they are being mischievous as far as the bond is concerned and we are giving the Security and Exchange Commission (SEC) all the details required. When you want to take the bond, they will ask what you want to do with it and you must do them. So I don’t know why they will say it is for election. We won’t take money that are allocated for doing roads, for building hospitals, and all others and then start spending it for election. No! We will not. It has been approved and we hope that in the next one week, we will get it and we will ensure that we apply it to all those areas that we have indicated before approval was given. If SEC was not satisfied, it will not give us the bond. I believe that all countries and states, they go through economy meltdown and those who are smarter will just readjust themselves and in our own case, we intend to restructure our Internally Generated Revenue (IGR). How do we do that? In fact, we have envisaged the economy meltdown right from the time we took office because we knew, that oil will not continue like that. It’ll crash somewhere and we anticipated this by ensuring that we provided conducive atmosphere for business to thrive and we started by providing a clean environment. We provide an environmentally friendly state. The first thing was to have peace and security in the state. They are the first requirements for development in any state. The next level after making the state attractive to investors is that we must provide infrastructure; physical infrastructure and social infrastructure. In providing the physical infrastructure, we started modernising our roads. We are doing urban renewal. We dualised all major entries into major cities. We are the first government to do that. We are doing these to bring in investors to the state. Today, the National Bureau of Statistics said the investment flow into Nigeria grew by 200 per cent whereas the investment flow into Oyo State grew by 697 per cent. That for us is how to cope with dwindling oil prices and today I’m happy to tell you that we have recorded at least eight largest companies establishing in Oyo State.

NEW TELEGRAPH TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2015

Culture

Culture, ceremony as Mbisiogu receives tusk, Igbo person of the year

Arts

Tony Okuyeme

he Artistic Director/CEO of the National Troupe of Nigeria, Mr. Akin Adejuwon has stressed the need for Children theatre to have its own department, with a director in charge. He assured that other major programmes of the Troupe, such as the Children Creative Station, play reading and Dramatized Storytelling Competition will not only be sustained but will also be improved upon, and be made more specialised and worthy to be called programme of the National Troupe of Nigeria. Mr. Akin Adejuwon stated this in an interview with New Telegraph in his office at the National Theatre, Iganmu, Lagos. He said he is optimistic that this year will be a vibrant and robust one for the troupe, despite the challenge of funding, noting that 2014, the last quarter of which he resumed as the Artistic Director and CEO of the Troupe, was quite an eventful one. “By the grace of God, I was able to put in place some of the things I have interacted and engaged with over the years, like I said when I called for the stakeholders meeting. And from that stakeholders meeting quite a few things came up in terms of the kind of brand I had for a performing arts pinnacle of the federal government. “We were able to take the troupe out from their cozy environment to a few places. I had the opportunity to interact with the military, the armed forces, and we got an opportunity to perform for the armed forces at the Banquet Hall of the Presidential Villa, Abuja. The event was the launching of the emblem of the veteran remembrance. Therefore, I must say that I thank God for the opportunities. We also had the chance to do some of the traditional things we are known for, one of which was to perform at the gala dinner of the Abuja Carnival,” he said. The Artistic Director added that aside from that performance, they were able to go on a tour, the first leg of which took them to Kongi, Ekiti and Kwara States respectively. “We rounded off the tour at the University of Ilorin. It was interesting, it was the highpoint of our tour, we had wonderful interactions with the students, the youths. Outside taking our performances to the communities, which were what we did in

TONY OKUYEME tony.okuyeme@newtelegraphonline.com

CULTURE

Children theatre should have its own department, says Adejuwon

Some of the participants in the 2014 edition of Children Creative Station rehearsing Atilogwu dance

Adejuwon

four previous performances, we had a workshop where we had interactions with the students on drama, dance and so on. Another wonderful part or fall out of that is that the University of Ilorin offered us the opportunity to be host of the first Performing Arts Festival, which I also spoke about at the stakeholders meeting. “So, I must say that on various levels, I have reasons to thank God for having achieved quite a number of things within three months last year.” He added that for 2015, “we intend to continue in that volume by having a second phase of which we hope to tour places like Akwa Ibom, Cross River and Ebonyi States, respectively. The ‘good fortune’, I call it, to realize that so much of what we have planned to do, we will even have funds from our parent – the federal government – to do them. I say good fortune because, like I said at the stakeholders meeting, I have not had the opportunity to get used to the comfort, the goodwill, the large funding

that my predecessors got used to. So, I am now saddled with the nature of convenience or comfort. According to him, this will, however, not slow them down, as he has started sourcing for fund from the private sector. “Whether the funding comes or not, the Children Creative Station will be sustained. That is part of the reasons I am touring, because as I tour I do so with the message of what National Troupe stands for. By the time we are having the Children Creative Station, we would have gone to at least three zones of the country. So, even if I am still going to do it in Lagos, we will not be surprised because the participation would be different. It will be, naturally, because the visibility, the knowledge about the National Troupe would have become something else, everywhere we go we are rekindling, we are repositioning the Troupe for more visibility as a national troupe.” He noted that the tour which he embarked upon had spurred prospective sponsors on to say that they want to be a part of what the Troupe is doing. “Because they have seen us on television, as a matter of fact, at one of the big companies I went to, I must say, I was pleasantly surprised because their director in charge of entertainment, public relations and events, was the one telling me how we went, our travel route, the problems we had, how we got so much reception, and the places where we got big crowd. He was the one at a meeting telling me. “If I had waited by now I would have been incapacitated. But, like the Yoruba would say, ‘the person is as bold as

The Children Creative Station will be sustained. That is part of the reasons I am touring, because as I tour, I do so with the message of what National Troupe stands for

the small masquerade. You know that a small masquerade doesn’t have experience, he has not fallen before, so he can do three somersaults. He would even try six,” he also said, thanking God that he embarked on the tour. Adejuwon also expressed his commitment to revive the music department as well as ensure documentation of the Troupes activities and programmes. One of the biggest income earners in the non-oil sector, particularly, art and culture area of the economy, is music. Nigerian music generally is making waves all over the world. So, if for no other reason, I thought that that sector should be playing a very high visible part in this National Troupe. I have spoken to the president of MUSON, we are collaborating. And I can assure you of that. “On documentation, my training is in the media, so I say I am an ‘inforgraphics’ consultant. I know the importance of documentation. One of the first things I said when I got here was that I wanted to see everything that they have. Unfortunately, there is nothing. By the time they brought tapes – VHS tapes out, they were very bad. I wanted films from the time of Ogunde in the 70s, but there is nothing. I wanted films from the 80s and 90s, but nothing. The few films I found that were usable were those of the Children’s theatre and play reading past performances. And that was mainly because there was collaboration with Goge Africa on those programmes, and Goge Africa was mandated to cover them. Outside that, you can’t believe it, in it’s over 20 years of existence, there is little documentation. “So, I have also gone into documenting our programmes. Everywhere I went to I carried my own documentation. It costs me a lot, but I would rather spend money on documentation than to do things that are not documented. It is like somebody, as the popular saying goes, the person who does not read but has a lot of books, is not much different from the person who cannot read at all. To me, the person who does a lot of performances without documentation is the person who has a lot of books and does not read. But the one who has few books and reads them is priceless. That is the one I want to be. Everything, even my rehearsals now are being covered, documented.”

Arts

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2015 NEW TELEGRAPH

Culture, ceremony as Mbisiogu receives tusk, Igbo person of the year

Chairman of the occasion, Chief Goddy Uwazurike presenting the Tusk to Mbisiogu

Ebere Ameh

t was celebration galore and rich cultural display as Mr Festus Mbisiogu was presented with a tusk as the Igbo person of the year. The event, organised by Igbo Amaka Cultural Association, witnessed the traditional breaking of kola-nuts, by His Royal Highness, Eze Hyacinth Nwabueze Ohazulike, the Ezeigbo Lagos State. Cultural dances created a native ambience, adding colour to the occasion and getting the atmosphere culturally charged. The annual award is in recognition of the contributions of the people towards the development of their community and fatherland, a feat Mbisiogu has done tremendously.

After coming home to bury his mother, Mbisiogu observed that people in his village, in this age and time, still went long distances to fetch water from the stream. Touched by that, he vowed to give water to his community. Seeing how much that single deed ameliorated the suffering of his people and the call from other Ezes to come to their assistance, he also provided pipe borne water to even more communities in his local government area and beyond. “I’m doing it out of the love I have for my people in Ideato south Local Government Area of Imo State. Since I started it, God has been blessing me more and more. I started with five boreholes in my community but with the request

from other Ezes, around my community, I have kept on expanding and God has kept on blessing me. Come this Friday, we are going to commission another borehole in Ugbele in same Ideato south and we are not looking back until all the villages and communities in Ideato South, Ideato North and beyond have gotten water. I am excited that God has found me worthy to carry out this task. This award will spur me to do even more,” he said. With his numerous contributions and having succeeded in putting smiles on the faces of many, Mbisiogu who is the CEO of Blue Diamond Ltd, China and Shanghai Engineering Work and Industrial Ltd, is however sad that in this age and time, Nigeria, the giant of Africa, which is so

richly blessed with both human and natural resources, is still battling with electricity supply. Disclosing that Nigerian economy will overtake that of China and many other countries, if the power problem is tackled, he vowed to continue in his advocacy for power until something is done. “The availability of light has made it possible for China to be among the largest economy in the world. They invent because of the conducive atmosphere they have. The Igbo are creative and hardworking people. With constant power and a little incentive, our economy shall overtake that of China. In china, every loan you get has only a single digit interest on it and any good you export, you get 10 per cent rebate. The conducive environment for business there is very both encouraging and amazing. “I met Professor Bart Nnaji when he was the Power Minister, I met Professor Chinedu Nebo in Beijing last year and I have told them the positive ripple effects of constant and affordable power supply. Chinese captains of industry have discovered the potential in Nigeria but can’t come because of epileptic and expensive power supply. 70 percent of the problems we have in this country are because of power. When we talk about corruption and insecurity, with CCTV cameras, crimes are unravelled. In china it is impossible for you to do bad things with impunity as is done here in Nigeria because digital cameras are everywhere watching. Once there is power, Nigeria will overtake other

economies even in the west. I wish our president will focus and deal with our power problem. “I own a company in Owerri. I bought the land, I fenced it, I spent about 30 million naira to buy generator and connect power from the high tension. What kind of incentive do I get from my government? And from the report I get, all the profit goes into fuel and maintaining of the generator. All I want is good governance; let them give us good power supply.” An alumnus of the University of Lagos, where he graduated with a degree in Business Management in 2007, Mbisiogu, who is also the CEO of Uzotex International Nigeria Ltd, is currently a masters student at the Guang Wai Foreign University, Guangzhou, China. According to a former chairman of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, Chief Audu Ogbeh, who was the chief guest of honour at the event, “Festus is one young man with an excellent personality. He is out to help his community and I am here to encourage him.” Eze Ohazulike on his part, extolled the virtues of the awardee, calling on all to emulate his onye ayana nwanne ya (assist your neighbour) stance. Other recipients of various awards include Mr Osita Okafor, aka Ultimate Commander, African Heavyweight Wrestling Champion, who receive Life-Time Achievement Award – Sport; Amaka Igwe, who bagged Life-Time Achievement Award – Motion Picture, albeit posthumously; African Independent Television, AIT, for promoting Igbo language and culture through her Ojemba in AIT, Yakpotuba in RayPower 100.5 FM and Ogene Nd’igbo on Daarsat; Kanu Nwankwo, is the AllTime Igbo Personality – Sports among others.

Unleash Ur Creativity will empower rising actors, says Eyaba Tony Okuyeme

head of the auditions for the first season of the talent hunt show, Unleash Ur Creativity, Emmanuel Eyaba whose 2et media Network Limited, is organizing the show, explained that the programme was born out of the need to create a platform to put rising artistes in the mainstream of filmmaking in Nigeria. He noted that over the years, reality shows have filled the airwaves in Africa and Nigeria; they have become a major source of content provision for our TV stations and have also helped to change the economic status of many people. “The need to create a platform where many people will be empowered through the movies has given rise to Unleash Ur Creativity. Going by Unleash Ur Creativity’s concept, two groups of 25 artistes will be selected and camped for one month during

which they will learn the rudiments of filmmaking and then shoot a short film. They will be required to conceptualise a story, produce and premiere it within the period,” he said, adding that the movie will be premiered to an audience on live TV and the winning group will receive N10,000,000 (ten million naira) to produce a feature film. “This programme is geared towards empowering rising actors who have never had the opportunity of playing in the big league. The artistes selected will comprise storytellers, actors, cameramen, editors, musicians and songwriters. While they are working, the audience will watch their efforts and get to know how things are done behind the camera from the scripting stage, casting, down to choosing of locations, rehearsals, principal photography, and editing of the movie. “Unleash Ur Creativity is different from other reality shows because it is concerned with

Eyaba

transforming the total movie industry and not just picking an individual and rewarding him for eating, sleeping and abusing people. Unleash Ur Creativity rewards hard work, creativity and team work. An individual is not given the price money but the money will be invested in

a movie project by the winning team which will at the end make all the participants famous.” According to a statement by the producers of the show, seven locations are being considered for the camping, they include Obudu Ranch Resort in Cross River State, Federal Capi-

tal Territory, Akwa Ibom, Edo, Bayelsa, Kogi and Lagos States, respectively. Seasoned filmmakers will visit the artistes from time to time to give them practical tips on the art and science of filmmaking. Eyaba produced and directed for the Nigeria Customs Service the first action series in Nigeria titled “The Frontiers”. He was the Project Director, Face of Peace Africa Pageant and the COO of Blumoon Imaginationz before setting up 2ET Media Network Limited. He runs a youth outreach programme in Abuja known as RAW IMPACT which is aimed at empowering the African youth through knowledge. He is also the founder of The Playhouse, a platform for rising and aspiring actors to empower themselves through movies. “The audition for the show is scheduled to come up in Calabar, Abuja and Lagos. Interested artistes are to register online at www.2etmedia.com.”

NEW TELEGRAPH TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2015

Interview

Relocation

LASU took off on wrong footing, says ex-VC

Reps to relocate pupils of Boko Haram attacks

25,26&27

Education South-South’s new agenda for education

Amaechi

NEW POLICY

Faced with numerous challenges facing the delivery of qualitative education in the geopolitical zone, governments of South-South states, under the BRACED Commission, are set to redress the situation. Biyi Adegoroye

t was supposed to be one of their several meetings, but the last week meeting, turned out to be a platform that ushered in a rescue mis-

KAYODE OLANREWAJU EDITOR, EDUCATION

kayode olanrewaju@ newtelegraphonline.com

Uduaghan sion aimed at revolutionising the sliding education fortune of the South-South states, comprising Bayelsa, Rivers, Akwa Ibom, Cross River, Edo and Delta States, otherwise known as the BRACED states. The meeting of the states’ Education Commissioners, which took place at Uyo, the Akwa lbom State capital, indeed provided a forum for the commissioners and other key players in the BRACED states’ education project to deliberate extensively on the several challenges confronting the region’s education sector and how to rescue the sector from further collapse. To them, if education of their people continues to fail, or if they fail to provide functional and qualitative education and make same accessible to every child irrespective of his or her socio-economic status, they too, have failed. With these challenges in mind, the education players had in the past few years brainstorming on how to fashion out an encompassing policy that is potent enough to rescue the ailing sector and put quality education provision in the front burner of the regional agenda. Indeed, the main thrust of the meeting was the adoption

Akpabio

The new policy will not only put valve back to education sector but also close the gaps in the system...

of a common education policy, which will be strategised to harmonise, standardise, improve and institute qualitative education across the six-member states. The common education policy, the Commissioners emphasised, was in line with the objectives of the region in its quest to foster regional cooperation and integration in the area of all round education delivery. However, the education framework adopted by the Commissioners is expected to be transmitted to the BRACED Governors’ Forum for approval and implementation. Tracing the efforts at developing an education policy that will embrace the six-member states to 2012, during the maiden BRACED education summit, the Director-General of BRACED commission, Ambassador Joe Keshi, said the formulation of the education policy was an offshoot of the summit’s recommendations. According to him, the summit as part of its communiqué, had recommended the establishment of a common education policy for the collective improvement and advancement of quality education in the region. Under the new arrangement, a South Korean electronics gi-

ant, Samsung, Keshi said is partnering the BRACED commission towards establishing Engineering Academy to be located in each of the six-member states before the end of the year. Specifically, he explained that two schools in each of the states would be selected for the pilot phase of the smart school project already proposed by Samsung. Going by the 2012 summit, the Director-General explained that it was agreed that the BRACED states would lead the battle in the transformation of the nation’s education sector through cutting-edge innovations and by accelerating the creation of excellence and skills. Besides, it is believed that the new policy will not only put valve back to education sector, but also close the gaps in the system in terms of providing unfettered access to education and the socio-economic development between the region and the rest of the country. The policy, therefore, stressed the need for the government of the states to make human capital development not just a priority, but the most important element in the development of the region. CONTINUED ON PAGE 24

Education

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2015 NEW TELEGRAPH

South-South charts new direction for education CO NTINUED FROM PAG E 23

Part of the objectives of the policy, when finally approved and implemented by the state governments is to promote and entrench quality education throughout the six BRACED states. The guideline emphasises the standardisation of education across the region with strong bias for early-child and girl-child education, intensified focus on technical and vocational education, teachers’ education, development and professionalism with greater attention to training, re-training of teachers, as well as teachers’ recertification and in addition invigoration of Information Communication Technology (ICT). More importantly, the common education policy is expected to deal with issues of students’ performance and conducts in particular, discipline tone, curriculum and examination malpractices, the roles of parents in the educational development of their children, funding and management of the education sector. However, the policy also calls for the payment of a uniform school fees across the six-member states, abolition of automatic promotion in the school system, paying of greater attention to some school subjects including English Language, Mathematics, Sciences and Civic Education, while it stressed the introduction of Guidance and Counseling units in schools; rapid infrastructural development and rehabilitation of classroom blocks, lecture halls, libraries, laboratories, Information and Communication Technology (ICT) centres and workshops, among others.

It also called attention of the BRACED governors to regular provision of educational facilities and instructional materials according to the school needs; regular recruitment of qualified manpower in the areas of teaching and non-teaching staff at all levels of the education system, and provision of equal opportunities and access to quality education irrespective of geographical location, sex, ethnic background, religious affiliation and socio-economic status of the children. For effective implementation, the policy sought among others, that the member states should strive to achieve gender parity in education; provide enabling environment for technical and vocational skills acquisition; ensure a child-friendly school environment; reward high performing schools, teachers and students; institution of comprehensive and compulsorily reading programmes to ensure that every child can read by the third year of elementary school; establishment of special secondary schools for gifted children in the sciences as well as developing standardised means of identifying and admitting qualified pupils into such schools, and on the other hand partnering the private sector to establish community technology centres for after school activities. The meeting, which was convened under the auspices of the BRACED Commission, was also attended by senior officials of the states’ ministries of education as well as Chairmen and representatives of the states’ Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB). As part of moves to consolidate the collaboration with Samsung, the Com-

Reps to relocate pupils of Boko Haram attacks Mojeed Alabi

he Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Education, Aminu Suleiman, has pledged the commitment of the Federal Government to relocate pupils displaced by the dreaded Boko Haram sect members in the troubled North Eastern part of the country, comprising Adamawa, Borno and Yobe States. This was coming on the heels of over 120,000 pupils displaced as a result of the destruction of their schools by the insurgents. Suleiman, who lamented the rate of the damage the insurgency has done to the country’s socio-economic, political and educational fabrics, said the government at all levels have responded to the suggestion of the National Assembly by relocating about 3,400 pupils affected between September and December last year. The National Emergency Management Agency, had recently given a figure of 120,077 pupils that were out of school as at the end of 2014 due to insurgency in the three states, adding that the Safe School Initiative of the Federal Government was initiated to absorb the affected pupils in schools outside the troubled states. The agency’s Principal Relief Officer, Mr. Awal Abubakar, while making a presentation to officials from the United States Agency for

International Development, said 276 schools had been affected by the insurgency, with 73 schools in Adamawa, 171 in Borno and 56 in Yobe. Abubakar said: “So far, 7,135 school children have been out of school as a result of the Boko Haram insurgency in Adamawa, 113,635 in Borno and 73,894 in Yobe. In the figure released, shared that 115 schools had been completely destroyed with Borno State having the highest number of damaged schools which stands at 101 schools, while 139 others were partially destroyed.” Worried by the development, Suleiman said: “As the Presidency and the Nigerian Army are doing their best to resolve the menace, the little efforts we are making by recommending to the executive is to give special provision to the displaced pupils and what we are going to continue to do in this case is to ensure that pupils in all the schools closed down are relocated to nearby states based on their choice to continue their education at the expense of the state government. “This is because it is not a circumstance they created for themselves, but as a consequence of the general insecurity problem in the country. But I want to assure you that the little we were able to do between September and December 2014 forced the states to relocate about 3,400 pupils in the basic education. However, we believe that very soon normalcy will return to the areas.”

Oshiomhole

missioners, led by the BRACED Commission was said to have held a high power meeting with the officials of the South Korean giant technology company (Samsung) with a view to exploring and deepening the partnership. According to the Commission, the meeting with Samsung officials focused on building the partnership and the utilization of technology to drive education in the BRACED states. Keshi, while applauding the edu-

cation policy, urged the government of the member states to support and embrace the partnership with the technology giant, stressing that as such collaboration and cooperation would go a long way to benefit the region in its avowed commitment to develop the education sector. Meanwhile, the Director-General noted that in an age in which technology is rapidly changing the world, Nigeria and the South-South states in particular cannot afford to lag behind the rest of the world. Hence, Keshi pointed out the need to explore and embrace all available opportunities that would pave the way for acquisition of technological knowledge and skills required to survive in a world constantly driving by technology and innovation. According to him, it has therefore become imperative that “the current and future school pupils and students should be adequately equipped with the necessary knowledge and skills in order to be competitive in the 21st Century. Even more critical to the implementation of the education policy, to Keshi is the need to utilise technology in improving the competence and performance of teachers through the proposed train-the-teachers resource centres to be established in all primary and secondary schools in the region. Towards this end, the Director-General in his clarion call to the states, spoke of urgent need to make education topmost priority in their scheme of national development, as this would help tremendously to accelerate development in other sectors and as well create an enlightened citizenry.

LASPOTECH rector restates commitment to reposition poly

The matriculating students taking their polytechnic oath

Kayode Olanrewaju

he Rector of the Lagos State Polytechnic (LASPOTECH), Dr. Abdulazeez Lawal has reiterated the determination of the management to position the polytechnic among the world’s top academic institutions providing exceptional technological education and cutting-edge research. This was as he said that the polytechnic, since its establishment, has continued to contribute meaningfully to the nation’s socio-economic development through its array of products, who are doing exceptionally well in all spheres of national development, such as banking, oil and gas and insurance, among others. While saying that LASPOTECH is rated as one of the foremost polytechnics in the country, the Rector said the institu-

tion’s teaching and research that focused in the various areas of engineering, science and technology, environmental studies, mass communication, finance, management and business studies are geared towards the rapid socio-economic development of the country and the world at large. “This further explains our emphasis on experimentation and academic research,” Lawal said, adding that since the establishment of LASPOTECH, the polytechnic has consciously and systematically worked towards the provision of skilled high level and middle level manpower of the nation’s economy. To achieve this mandate, the Rector noted that the management was committed to constant improvement of available physical infrastructure and expansion of academic programmes run by the polytechnic.

Education | Interview

NEW TELEGRAPH TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2015

LASU took off on wrong footing, says ex-VC PhD in Marketing, whereas the university has no Department of Marketing. That is an anomaly and I admire the courage of the Vice-Chancellor for pointing this out so that he wouldn’t appear to be isolating a particular case by casting a broad net over the whole matter in order to review all the recent PhD awards that were faulty. Of course, what he needs to do is just to reclassify the certificates and he is not withdrawing the certificates. You cannot award a PhD degree in a specialty that you do not have a Department. I do not see why that should become an issue for the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) because its member was involved. That union as important as it is will have to tread the matter softly. The union doesn’t have to tear the entire university down because of that. I believe the executive of ASUU and all members including the Vice-Chancellor, who is also a member of ASUU, are working for the same purpose. It is not to embarrass the system; it is not to tear down the system, but to make sure that whatever comes out of that has the blessing and honour to represent LASU.

As the Chairman of Special Technical Committee on the Establishment of the Lagos State University (LASU) in 1982, and later the Vice-Chancellor of the university between 2001 and 2005, Abisogun Olabode Leigh, a retired Professor of Quantitative Genetics, has seen it all at LASU. In this interview with KAYODE OLANREWAJU, he speaks about the various crises rocking the university, his tenure among other issues.

The Lagos State University (LASU) is embroiled in incessant crises, and as the former Vice-Chancellor, does it mean that something is fundamentally wrong with the university? Well, let me start by saying that the problem with LASU has to do with foundational problem. The irony is that the people are looking at the crises, without actually looking at the foundation of the university. It all has to do with difficulty of fact of LASU itself as an institution. Don’t forget that when Alhaji Lateef Kayode Jakande, the then Civilian Governor of Lagos State inaugurated the university in 1983, and the university took off in 1984, almost immediately, within nine months or one year there was a military coup. And indeed, that coup almost swept everything off so that the originator of the idea did not spend sufficient time to consolidate on the ethos and plans we had for the university. No, he didn’t have the time to consolidate. For instance, we chose to make LASU a nonresidential institution for many reasons and all these reasons were discussed exhaustively at committee meetings before we all agreed. Could you shed more light on this? First, we wanted to do away with all domestic matters surrounding the administration of a university. We didn’t want to be bogged down by lack of water, electricity, bad food and what have you. We wanted just to provide sound and robust education first for the products of free education system of the government of that time so that they could serve the government and people of Lagos State. Secondly, we wanted to use the multi-campus system to foster the development for the different divisions of Lagos State. That was why we located strategic faculties in different parts of the state. Under the arrangement, Ojo campus was mainly meant to be the administrative centre, and of course, it will house the Faculty of Humanities. The College of Medicine was to be located at Ogombo; while Engineering was supposed to be sited at Ikeja, and Agricultural Science at Ejinrin in Epe Division. We had the buildings at that time. I mean the buildings that were constructed under the Second Commissioner of Education in Lagos State, the late Chief Adeniran Ogunsanya, who constructed outstanding structures in each division of the state. Of course, those were the buildings that we wanted to use, although they were built for secondary schools, we discovered that they were too much and that we could

appropriate them for at least the take-off of the university. So, that was the plan. Now, we also had the intention of having a very elaborate Students’ Arcade system. This system were to be copied from the University of Yaoundé in Cameroun, an African university that was running by the time we started LASU the largest nonresidential university system in Africa. We visited the institution with a delegation, led by Dr. Idowu Sobowale, now a Professor. All those were things we planned to implement in the original LASU before everything was truncated. The Students’ Arcade would have facilities for resting for the students between lectures, where they could go and let out stress and energy, and did some physical exercises. In all, we wanted a nonresidential university. This was because we saw the problems of some already established universities where students would easily go on the rampage because there was no electricity or water. The Vice-Chancellor cannot pump water and he has no control over government agencies that are responsible for all these. How many generators are we going to operate? So, all domestic issues were to be set aside. Are you inferring that LASU’s problems originated from faulty implementation of original plans? Yes, don’t forget that I said things were wrong abnitio, whether by deliberate action or inaction but it was very unfortunate that the man who established the university did not have sufficient time to consolidate all his ideas and run it. The military government that came turned everything upside down. That was part of the crises LASU is facing today. Another major fundamental issue that I think is wrong with the university is that you have too much internal wranglings by some vocal groups. And, if I am to be very frank with you, the battle of Lagos indigenes and non-indigenes is at the root of all these crises. People may want to deny it, but I can say it openly and confidently that it is a major factor in the Lagos State University crisis. Another factor is that we have some individuals that prosper under crisis. It is when they create wahala in the system that they prosper. Finally, the other major issue is lack of adequate funding. Once the vision of the man who had the dream was aborted and plans truncated, the whole thing was wrongly footed, and subse-

Prof Leigh

You cannot award a PhD degree in a specialty that you do not have a Department

quent government did not give sufficient thought to how to fund the institution. Yet, they were shouting free education at all levels, mimicking the idea the late Chief Obefemi Awolowo passed down to Alhaji Jakande without really doing the home work about how to fund the policy. That is why we have all these crises since the government failed to develop the university at the normal time. Meanwhile, why they were not doing that, the population started increasing and now we have large population that they could no longer cope with. Few months ago, the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Oladapo Obafunwa came out with a shocking revelation that the university awarded some PhD certificates in error. Is your administration not affected in this and what is your reaction to this? Quite frankly and without mincing words, somebody dropped the ball in the School of Postgraduate Studies because the fundamental job of that faculty is to ensure that it grants a higher degree appropriately in the class or in the field that it has designed or certified for the potential candidate. Secondly, it is the job of that school to ensure that the final product that is transmitted for approval by the university Senate is beyond reproach. Somebody, whether by error of omission or commission, did not do his or her job well. That is why you can have an award in a particular case where a PhD degree was awarded in Business Administration with emphasis in Marketing. I mean a

..Cultism was the major challenge of your administration, but if you reminiscence on your tenure as LASU Vice-Chancellor, how were you able to nip in the bud industrial crisis? I took it as a personal responsibility to at least allow the public and members of the university community to see what I was doing if that could be copied or looked at, and maybe it will provide some leeway on how to handle some critical issues in the system. First and foremost, let me make two general statements. First, the university is not a military cantonment, where you don’t say you are going to rule with iron fist or where you want to clamp down on everybody. Secondly, the clear idea of a university means that it is a place where different shades of opinions have to be canvassed. And, we have to do the canvassing or dialoguing in a very decorous way without bitterness and anger such that the leader should settle down by democratic means on the best opinion they will all implement. Was the money coming from subventions from the state government or the School of Part-Time programme? Of course, the money was coming mainly at that time from the School of Part-Time Studies. Through this, we were able to set our priorities right. I didn’t rule by malice. That is another fundamental issue. No administrator or no chief executive should use malice as a means of administration. I could recall vividly also that members of staff who I had intelligence report that were working against me, once they were due for promotion, I promoted them. If they needed to go on study leave I granted it. But to now say that based on rumour that a professor is working against me and I decided to mount CONTINUED ON PAGE 26

Education

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2015 NEW TELEGRAPH

I left N664m in LASU, says ex-VC CO NTINUED FROM PAG E 25

a manhunt, setting one committee after another to nail the professor is wrong approach. So, those two things I did and I followed them to the letter, and of course, I know that social skills are not the same for everybody and that’s what makes for individual difference. I was able to learn from other senior people how to handle human matters and I thank God that I did that in most cases and I was successful. That is why I was the only Vice-Chancellor, so far that was sent forth with fanfare by the university community, even though I am yet to be paid all my benefits. This is what I think leaders must learn; there must be mutual respect. Well, that brings me to another fundamental philosophy that I have for myself in public life. As a Chairman of Senate, I always remembered that there two words in the word Chairman: there is the ‘chair’ and there is the ‘man’. One day the two will be separated and you will be known by what you have done as a man and by then the chair would have been removed. Are you blaming LASU crisis on the leadership style? Yes, we must begin to pay attention to leadership trait of who leads the institution. It should no longer be purely on academic qualifications. It is not enough just to say; well he or she is a Professor of Genetics or Professor of that. Even, if he or she has international laurels and has won all kinds of awards, or if he is an inventor, we should not just give the position to just anyone based on academic status alone. He may have all the academic standing but without human social skills to manage people and co-habit with them peacefully, there cannot be stability and progress in the system. That is exactly what is happening at LASU. The issue of no vacancy, no promotion is one of the causes of industrial dispute at LASU currently, how did you go about the policy during your tenure? No, no. I don’t know the way they implement that nowadays. What I know is that there are some faculties like the Faculty of Education, which may have been saturated with professors, or in the Faculty of Arts. Take the Department of Religious Studies, for instance, where there are only six students who are studying Arabic or Islamic Studies, another 12 studying Christian Religious Studies, and you have about six professors. Enh..that is too many, and indeed you have vacancies to appoint another professors because they are due for promotion. I think it is still part of skillful management to be able to say no there is no way such promotion could be carried out because what would the professors be doing. It used to be like that in the older universities. But now, things must change; there must be productivity and a way to measure the productivity of a professor, associate professor, senior lecturer, or of a department and even a faculty before appointing all these. We have to give this to a Council of the university because the Vice-

Prof Leigh

Chancellor cannot implement that policy alone. It must have been a directive of the council, but the Vice-Chancellor must apply wisdom. Again, that also comes down to the leadership skills. There is no way one can implement that policy and satisfy the immediate constituency or the people you are superintending over. The council may however be right, because if you have too many professors and there is no vacancy it will be very difficult to create one, except in a very novel or handshaking department which has a beautiful idea or where someone or foundation has endowed a chair. Some people are saying that when you were the Vice-Chancellor, LASU did not grow in terms of infrastructural development despite the money accruing to the university through the School of Part-Time programme. What went wrong? Well, let me begin by saying that this needs a lot of clarifications. And the record must be set straight. When I took over as the Acting ViceChancellor in 2001, up to 2003, the school fee of every LASU student was N250. That was what each student was paying. Under this erroneous and misleading philosophy that was given too much publicity that the government was running a free education. By then the university had about 15,000 students and even with 15,000 students multiplied by N250, it didn’t amount to anything. But thank goodness, the Federal Government through the Federal Ministry of Education came with a policy, the import of which was to limit every university to its geographical zone. I took tremendous advantage of that in 2003 to establish the LASU School of Part-Time Studies. LASU was not interested

Yes, we must begin to pay attention to leadership trait of who leads the institution

in having an outreach centre outside Lagos, even at Sango, a closer neighbouring community; talk less of going to Ibadan. Other universities are in Lagos and everywhere making millions of naira. But, I must thank God that the government at that time, under Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu agreed that we could go a long that line. And out of more than 50 applications for consideration for affiliation, we were only able to settle with four centres – Anthony, Jibowu, Isolo and the one at Ikoyi. I set up a strong team of professors under the late Prof. Fapohunda to visit all the centres and submit its recommendations. We started with those four and the number was increasing. But then we had the problem of payment of workers’ salary. Don’t forget that all Nigerian universities at a point had only the department of bursary responsible for receiving and paying money. At a point I was embarrassed. You would see large number of students but at the end of the day, where were the fees paid by the students, you couldn’t find it. Now, that I am out of the system as a retired person; I can say clearly two reasons that we were not seeing those monies. First, there were leakages and the two major sources of this, was that there were syndicates of staff who were conniving under the guise of assisting the part-time students to pay their fees, but in the process they cornered the money by issuing fake receipts to them. The other source was in the Bursary Department. I have a case of a staff who is now late, who was collecting the money and making away with the cash only to keep the payment drafts. The bubble burst when a bank, Societe Generale Bank ran into problem and all depositors were asked to submit their papers. It was in Ghana Must Go bags that we discovered where the staff stuffed the bank drafts. He didn’t declare the money which ran to several millions of naira in addition to the ones given to him to save. The people were actually printing their fake receipts. When we discovered this, the management arrested about 50 members of staff in connection with the scam. We took them to Panti Police station. Again, this shows how the unions sometime could be very frivolous because of the majority of those arrested in the syndicate were NASU members. The union rose against me, complaining that I was deliberately terrorizing their members. Whereas we all saw their action was injurious to the overall wellbeing of the system. Thank God that between 2003/2004 the idea of e-payment came up and I want to declare and claim it that in LASU, I was the first to initiate e-payment and in fact, e-management. Then, we started collecting the students’ fees through direct payment to the banks. The money that was finally collected was saved in the university’s bank accounts. I will need to ask those who came after me what they did with all that money. When I was leaving, I left N664 million in cash in different accounts in the banks. One other thing I did was to decentralise the payment of school fees. Somebody has to account for

how much was collected from the banks when I left. I want to say categorically and the records are there for anyone to verify that I used the School of Part-Time Studies funds to upgrade the salary of LASU staff from HATISS 3 to HATISS 4. This was another cause of crisis in LASU at that time. All universities are subjected to the directive of the National Universities Commission (NUC) despite we are a state university. The national body of ASUU would have crisis with the Federal Government but the implementation of their negotiation will devolve on the state universities, which are not part of the negotiation. Under this situation, the Council will say they can’t pay. But, the argument is that LASU workers go to the same market and hold the same qualifications with their counterparts at the federal universities. And, because of this we have to pay. During my time, that crisis was looming when the Federal Government changed the university salary structure from HATISS 3 to HATISS 4 and Lagos State Government refused to pay and yet the students were paying N250. I was saddled with that responsibility and I had to find a way of paying this money since the state government was not ready to pay and yet I needed to satisfy the yearnings of my staff so that I could have peace. So, the School of Part-Time Studies was one leg of doing this. I paid over N360 million on HATISS 3 to HATISS 4 to override the 36-month of arrears. Indeed, all the unions were happy and praised me for that and without taking a kobo from the state government. It is there on record that I did that. Do you mean that LASU crisis has to do with the leadership style? Let me say this, what I think is wrong is that all sides of the university have a share in the fault; the ruler and those being led. During my administration, some people perhaps thought I was a stupid man or too gentle, but it has been part of my own internal culture to allow everybody, even including a fool to have his or her say in every matter. After all, a fool may have a point of view. I recall vividly during some Senate meetings, which is the highest academic policymaking organ of a university, as the Chairman, I would have different opinions on a particular debate. But during the discussion and exchanges, and interaction, my points of view would be swayed one way or the other. And, if I wanted to insist on an opinion, there were diplomatic ways of doing it. You cannot ram it through the heads of all those professors either they are old or young, or even students. You must call them and canvass your points or opinion. Remember that I mentioned that there is problem with the followership and the leadership. Some leaders believe that might is right and that after all they hold the pen they can write what they like about their subordinates or rather could agree on whom to promote or not to promote. This is wrong. One fundamental thing is that a university is not a military camp, where an order is given and everybody must fall in line. There must be noise and there must be shifting of ground. Of course, some of the difficulties we see with LASU are normal. CONTINUED ON PAGE 27

Education

NEW TELEGRAPH TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2015

Proprietor seeks adequate funding of education Kayode Olanrewaju

he Administrator of Grace High School, Gbagada, Lagos, Mrs. Tokunboh Edun has attributed the woes besetting the education sector to the poor funding of the sector by the government. She noted that inadequate funding has been a major challenge confronting the system, saying that has continued to raise the agitation among stakeholders that government at all levels should increase funding to education sector. Mrs. Edun said: “I believe that we can do more for education in this country. So, my suggestion is that the Federal Government should lead the way by improving funding of education at primary, secondary and tertiary levels. “If we want meaningful development the country must increase funding for education. While Singapore is spending about 20 per cent of its yearly budget on education, Nigeria is spending a meager eight per cent on education.” While explaining the rationale for the introduction of teaching and learning of Chinese Language in the school, the Administration said the decision was informed by the international recognition given to Chinese Language in Europe and America, due to the growing importance of China in world trade and politics. She explained: “It is in line with international standard that we decided to introduce Chinese Language. Some people have been wondering how many foreign languages our children will have to learn. But I do not think the children will lose anything if they learn English, French and Chinese. It does not prevent them from learn-

Mrs. Edun

ing our indigenous languages. All we want is a situation where our pupils could compete favourably with their peers all over the world. This is part of views that education should promote global peace.” On how the school will recruit teachers for the teaching of the language, Mrs. Edun, who noted that the school already has four Chinese teachers on its pay roll, added that the school management is collaborating with the Confucius Institute at the University of Lagos (UNILAG) in that direction. In fact, she specifically mentioned that the school during its graduation ceremony invited as one of its special guests Prof. Lirong Jiang, Co-Director of the Confucing Institute, who has been working with the school towards

promoting the teaching of Chinese Language at high school arm of the group of schools. Mrs. Edun, while restating the commitment of the management to provide qualitative education, said the school has acquired new information technology facilities, adding that efforts were being geared towards increasing the number of scholarship opportunities for indigent students during this school year. Her words: “As we prepare for our entrance examination in March, we will ensure that indigent but brilliant pupils from public primary schools across the country securing admission into the school have the opportunity to take part in this year’s entrance examination. We are calling on the various state governments to partner with us so that their students can enjoy the high quality services we provide in the school.” On the football competition oragnised by the school, Mrs. Edun said the annual Deaconess Grace Osinowo Football competition organised for colleges in Lagos, is to honour her late mother, who founded the Grace Schools over 40 years ago. According her, the management of the school at a point looked for a way to remember the legacies of Deaconess Osinowo as well as to keep the pupil positively engaged and so it instituted the competition. She said: “That was why we thought of a popular thing among the children. And we discovered that children love football. And besides, the late Deaconess Osinowo was a lover of sports in her life time and so right from the beginning, sports development had been very prominent in the school and the competition is a confirmation of that.”

Fayose pledges adequate funding of medical college

kiti State Governor, Dr. Peter Ayodele Fayose has reiterated the determination of the state government to adequately fund the Ekiti State University (EKSU) College of Medicine towards developing it to its full capacity. This was just as he assured the management of the university that his administration would take necessary measures toward achieving full accreditation of academic programmes of the college. The governor restated the government’s pledge while receiving the accreditation team from the National Universities Commission (NUC) who visited the college to assess its readiness for accreditation. Fayose, who extolled the leadership virtues of the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Patrick Oladipo Aina, described the college as a worthwhile initiative, saying his administration would leave no stone unturned to ensure adequate funding of the college. Fayose, the Visitor to the university, also praised the Provost of the College, Prof. Mathew Araoye for his hard work and doggedness

in taking the college of its loftier heights. The Vice-Chancellor, while introducing members of the NUC accreditation team to the governor, added that the College so far has the best medical library in the country, even as Aina stressed that the College could boost of ultramodern infrastructure, including well-equipped laboratories, as well as quality academic staff and a newly constructed medical student’s hostel. The leader of the NUC team, Prof. James Odiah from the University of Port-Harcourt told the governor that the College was adequately prepared for accreditation, but added that there is the need for increased funding to the college by the state government. Other top government officials at the reception included the Deputy Governor, Kolapo Olusola Eleka; the Secretary to State Government (SSG), Modupe Alade; Messrs. Dipo Anisulowo and Owoseni Ajayi. The Vice-Chancellor, who pointed out that the NUC team, was at the institution to assess the facilities on ground towards the full ac-

Gov. Fayose

creditation of the College of Medicine, noted that this would be the second accreditation visit in the past two weeks, including that of the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN) team to the university for on-the-spot assessment of the facilities and human resources required for the accreditation of the college. Receiving the NUC team at the university Council Chamber, Aina, however, informed the NUC team that the people of the state were anxious to have their own College of Medicine.

‘I left N664m in LASU’ CONT INU E D FROM PAGE 26

It is the management of such crises that is wrong. Some of my predecessors or even those who took over from me have not done certain things that I think they ought to have done. For instance, during my own time the financial position of the university were made known. So, all key stakeholders were all aware of the financial position of the university and we would all agree on what to do and such that outrageous demands would not be made. And, through such understanding we could then prioritise how to meet such demands from different groups. There are different republics in the university. For instance, the ASUU for the academics; SSANU for the senior administrative and the NASU for the junior workers and the students, who were all, making competing demands on the limited recourses available to the university. It is incumbent on the Vice-Chancellor to bring all these people on board so that he would not have acrimony all the time. This was what I did and I want to cite an example; the Bursar by 4 pm every Friday without failing for once since 2003 (all the records are there) would generate for me the financial status of the university for that week. I would take the report home, studied it and by Monday morning reproduced same for the management meeting. There, we would agree on what surplus has come in and where we have spent the money on. Two hours after that I would call the leaders of the three major unions – ASUU, SSANU and NASU. They would meet in my office where I would distribute the paper to them under the caution that it should be for their consumption only. Then, I would ask them which of their projects they wanted the management to tackle within the framework of what the university had.

LG boss lifts schools, tasks pupils, teachers on maintenance

he dearth of school furniture confronting some public primary schools in Ojokoro Local Council Development Area (LCDA) of Lagos State is now a thing of the past. Thanks to a number of school projects executed and inaugurated by the Executive Secretary of the Council including pupils’ desks, benches and toilet facilities. The project is to enhance the well-being of the pupils and their teachers, as well as improve the quality of teaching and learning environment in the public primary schools in the area. While distributing facilities which comprised 40 desks and benches to each of the selected public primary schools, the Executive Secretary, Alhaja Fausat Hassan-Olajoku, said the gesture is was to alleviate the sufferings of the pupils, develop primary school education and enhance manpower development of the LCDA. According to her, “we are committed to ensuring that our children have very conducive learning environment that will facilitate quality education delivery and the all-round development of the pupils.” Hassan-Olajoku, who noted that education was critical to the transformation of the state and self-actualisation of the pupils, however assured them of her commitment to eradicating poverty, illiteracy and disease in the area. She added that the council would seek further development of the area in other areas of social and infrastructural needs of the people, such as health, roads, drainages and market, even as she urged the pupils and other younger ones in the Council to shun anti-social vices such as drug abuse, teenage pregnancy and truancy. Hassan-Olajoku also assured members of Council’s management team, workers and other stakeholders of her commitment to team work, transparency and welfare, while calling on teachers in the council to imbibe the good spirit of selfless service and kindness to their pupils and colleagues with a view to creating a conducive atmosphere for effective teaching and learning process.

Education

Pay our bursary, Ondo students tell Mimiko

Gov. Mimiko

Hameed Opeyemi, UNILORIN

igher institution students of Ondo State origin, under the aegis of the National Association of Ondo State Students (NAOSS) have appealed to the state government to pay their 2013/2014 bursary award. The students accused the state governor, Dr. Olusegun Mimiko of neglecting and leaving them unduly to suffer, adding that they have written several letters to the Governor’s Office about non-payment of their bursary, without response. But in a swift reaction, the Chairman of Ondo State Scholarship Board, Mr. Dayo Awude, described as untrue the students’ claim, saying: “Payment for the 2013 bursary allowance was completed in April last year, while payment for the 2014 would begin in the first week of February.” He, however, added that the state government would do everything within its powers to assist the students by ameliorating the education burden. The students, who spoke through some of the association’s Senators, alleged that the yearly bursary allowance was the only direct benefit they get from the state government. Meanwhile, they expressed dissatisfaction over the leadership of the state, saying the refusal of the governor not to pay the allowance in the last two years called for concern. The students in a statement signed by their leaders, lamented that the further delay in bursary payment was greatly affecting the progress of the association and the education of the students. Due to the failure of the government to pay the allowance, the leaders complained that members (students) have since stopped attending the association’s weekly meetings on various campuses across the country. One of the Senators and President of UNILORIN chapter of NAOSS, Falusi Fisayo, threatened that the students would be mobilised against the state government in the forthcoming election, if the bursary award is not paid within the next two weeks.

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2015 NEW TELEGRAPH

Women group honours AUN President

he Vice-Chancellor/President of the American University of Nigeria (AUN), Prof. Margee Ensign, has been honoured by the women’s wing of an Islamic aid group, the Jama’atul Nasril Islam (JNI), for her selfless service to society. Towards this end, the National Director of the group, Hajia Hadiza Mohammed, last week presented a certificate of merit and a plaque award to Prof. Ensign in recognition of her community development and humanitarian activities in Adamawa State, the host state of the university located in Yola, the state capital. The award presentation, however climaxed a two-day seminar on: “Strengthening the Capacity of Muslim Women Participation for Peace and Development towards Nation Building,” organised by JNI at Capital Primary School, Jimeta, Yola. President Ensign, an American, was described by the organisers as a native of Bole, the university’s host community, which conferred on her the status of an honorary citizen in 2012. The President was also honoured in recognition of her initiative in the establishment of Adamawa Peace Initiative (API), which has become a leading, non-profit organisation, determined to ensure peace and community development in North East part

of the country. A statement by the Executive Director, Communications and Public Relations, Mr. Daniel Okereke, said Prof. Ensign was also recognised for her astute management of the university as an institution, which is committed to partner the community towards ensuring sustainable development and security. Presenting the award, the Deputy Amira (leader) of JNI women’s wing in Adamawa State, Hajiya Sa’adatu Abdullahi, said: “It is significant for the people in the state and the international community to understand that JNI holds Dr. Ensign in high esteem and appreciates her total commitment to the education and empowerment of women in the region.” President Ensign, while responding reflected on the theme of the seminar, saying: “As you look around the world, peaceful societies are those that have empowered and educated women and encouraged them to be leaders. At this moment in our history, when we are surrounded by violence, it is more important than ever to recognise the key role that women play in society. Women are the foundation of a society.” Therefore, she appealed to Islamic leaders to make sure that the world understands that Islam represents cooperation, compassion and generosity at this critical time in the history of

the country. The State Secretary of the Islamic aid group and who chaired the seminar, Mallam Gambo Jika, a member of Adamawa Peace Initiative, noted that the presence of Dr. Ensign as the Vice-Chancellor of AUN has drawn the university to be actively involved in maintaining peace and development in the community. Also, in his remarks, Dr. Muhammed Ajuji, who represented the state Chairman of Jama’atul Nasril Islam, Alhaji Ibrahim Babbawa, noted that “Dr. Margee Ensign has shown to them what an institution can do for society.” The two-day seminar featured a paper presentation on: “Challenges Facing the Nation on Good Governance for Peace and Development,” delivered by Malam Tahir Abubakar, a lecturer at the Modibbo Adama University of Technology, Yola. Other award recipients at the event were Hajiya Aishatu Dahiru, a member of the House of the Representatives; Hajiya Aisha Barkindo, wife of the Lamido Adamawa; Hajiya Halima M. Hayatu, a former Commissioner for Women Affairs in Adamawa State, and Dr. Halilu Hamma. They were honoured in recognition of their dedication and commitment to the development of humanity, Adamawa State and the country in particular.

Ozioma, pharmacy graduate emerges UNN best graduating student

kiriuka Ozioma Ibeanu, a Pharmacy graduate of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN) was the cynosure of all eyes last week at the 44th graduation ceremony of the institution for 2012/2013, where she was the best graduating student. Ozioma led the pack of 85 graduating students who obtained First Class Honours degrees of the university. In the breakdown of the First Class graduates, Faculty of Education had 45; Engineering produced 14; Agricultural Science had five; while Faculties of Social Sciences (five); Biological Sciences (four); Arts (three); Health Sciences and Technology (three); Physical Sciences had two; Environmental Science also produced two graduates, while Law and Business Administration produced one each respectively. In her valedictory speech, Ozioma urged her fellow graduating students to always strive to change the world for the better by pursuing their callings with selfless dedication. She also encouraged them to identify with the alumni association of the university, saying such would go a long way in helping their alma mater. Besides, she implored them to be good ambassadors of their institution in their various places of work, adding that that is how they could promote the good image of the university that has in the past few years shape the destiny. Meanwhile, the President and Visitor to the university, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, who was represented by the Education Minister, Mallam Ibrahim Shekarau, charged public tertiary institutions in the country to generate their own resources and supplement government’s efforts towards improving the state of infrastructure and condition of learning in the universities. According to the President, the Federal Government has injected several billions of naira into education sector, especially tertiary institution, through the Tertiary Education Trust Fund

Miss Nkiriuka Ozioma Ibeanu, Overall Best Graduating Student of the UNN in the 2012 /2013 Session

(TETFund) intervention. The President, however, said the government alone could not provide all the funds needed to solve all the problems in the system, noted: “The university itself must make concrete efforts to supplement government funding by generating its own resources.” While expressing satisfaction over the administration of the university, led by its Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Benjamin Ozumba for its prudent management of resources and its pursuit of a structured strategic plan to develop the institution, he added: “It is expected that universities should ensure that funds accruing to it are prudently and meticulously managed.” He, however, urged universities to enlarge their scopes of concern by creating innovations in teaching and research, as well as accelerate scientific and technological progress and ensure

the overall mechanization and automation of production in all areas. “This is the only way we can join the comity of nations in the inevitable march to distinctive progress”, the President said. However, the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of Governing Council, Mr. Emmanuel Ukala (SAN), reminded the graduating students that the institution was conferring its certificates on them having found them worthy in character and learning. He lauded the spirit of excellence in the university as demonstrated by the Vice-Chancellor, especially for initiating innovative activities designed to take the institution to a higher level. Ukala particularly praised Ozumba and his management team for articulating and pursuing a strategic plan for the development of the university. In his remarks, the Vice-Chancellor said the university was only graduating students who had been found to have worked extremely hard to deserve the degrees and certificates of the institution. Giving the breakdown of the graduating students, Ozumba pointed out that no fewer than 14,015 graduates received their scrolls for the award of first degrees, which according to him, comprised 3,717 Second Class Upper Division; 7,275 Second Class Lower Division; 2,294 in Third Class and 227 graduates in Pass category. Meanwhile, Deputy Senate President, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, one of the recipients of the university’s Honorary Doctorate Degree awardees, thanked the university for finding him and others worthy of honour. He said of the honour: “I have had several of similar awards in the past, but I cherish this particular award because it is coming from a first indigenous university,” even as he promised to work with the university administration to upgrade infrastructure in the institution.

Education

NEW TELEGRAPH TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2015

Fashola, Aregbesola restate support for free education Ogunjobi Gabriel OAU

agos State Governor, Babatunde Fashola and his Osun State counterpart, Rauf Aregbesola are seeking the support of Nigerians, particularly the privileged ones, to support the government at all levels to make education affordable to the citizenry. They made the call at the fourth Faculty of Education Lecture Series of the Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), where other dignitaries including the immediate past Deputy Governor of Ekiti State, Prof. Modupe Adelabu; Vice-Chancellor of Tai Solarin University of Education, Ijagun to Ogun State, Prof. Oluyemisi Obilade; and the Gover ning Council Chairman of Lead City University, Prof. Jide Owoeye, among others, also pledged their support for quality and affordable education for Nigerians. Fashola, the guest lecturer, spoke on the theme of the lecture: “Protecting the Nigerian Child’s Rights - A Catalyst to Socio-Political Emancipation.” While giving insight into the meaning and nature of education as proposed by the late sage, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, the governor explained that literacy, numeracy (reading, writing and cognitive capacity) is clearly what education means. Fashola, who recalled that Chief Awolowo, the former Premier of Western Region, advocated the noble ideals of freedom from ignorance and the possession of knowledge and the right to know, however drew boundaries between ‘education’ and ‘specialization’ or ‘professionalism,’ saying it would be too pedestrian to ask whether a child needs basic education or not. The guest lecturer said: “It, therefore, could be inferred that basic education is a right but specialization or professionalism which is acquired at the tertiary level is more of choice than right. For this, an approval was gotten - “Is free education (specialization inclusive) possible at all levels? I will say yes, if we so agree.” The governor challenged all citizens to pay pivotal role in the funding of education as the government alone should not be left in the funding of education, even as he stressed that “scholarship and bursaries are only complement to what the government provides.”

IMOPOLY embarks on ICT revolution, launches new website Steve Uzoechi OWERRI

s part of moves to key into the global Information Communication Technology (ICT) revolution, the Imo State Polytechnic (IMOPOLY), Umuagwo, has upgraded its website in order to capture and better manage information on the institution, members of staff and students. This was disclosed in a statement by the Lead Consultant for the institution on Information Communication and

Technology (ICT), Mr. Chukwuemeka Okereke of Netpro International Limited. According to Okereke, the development places the polytechnic ahead of other institutions as it has become the only educational facility in the South-East with a comprehensive database of institution’s history, activities and programmes, achievements, students’ educational history, character traits, and extra-curricular indulgences, staff enrolment figure, staff profile including work history and terminal dates.

Rev. Madu, Rector

“Due to our ICT-driven performance, IMOPOLY has become one of the earliest accredited institutions in the geo-polit-

ical zone for the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) Computer-Based-Test (CBT) mode conducted by the Joint Admissions and Examination Board (JAMB),” he added. Corroborating Okereke’s position, the Assistant Consultant, Mr. Obinna Chukwuma, noted that the achievements recorded in recent times in the institution would not have been possible without the vision and foresightedness of the polytechnic’s Rector, Rev. Fr. Wence Madu, who he described as a ‘passionate

transformer’. While listing ICT facilities put in place by the polytechnic including the e-library, a 250-seater ICT auditorium equipped with internet-based computers and the institutions staff re-training programme, Odunukwe hinted that the institution has made giant stride in enhancing e-learning and e-administration. He said: “As we are talking to you, four of our staff members are currently in the United Kingdom for training and two others are ready to join them soon.”

Education

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2015 NEW TELEGRAPH

Don harps on pharmacologists’ role in drug administration

CAMPUS OPINION

Technical education as panacea to unemployment Chikwendu Chukwunonso Isidore

Ogbemudia Uwoghiren UNIBEN

University of Benin (UNIBEN) lecturer, Prof Ambrose Isah, a Consultant in Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics, has described the role of the Clinical Pharmacologist as very critical for safe drug administration in the society. The don disclosed this at the 149th inaugural lecture of the university, entitled: “The Clinical Pharmacologist: Sentry, Ombudsman, Arbiter, and Custodian of Therapeutic Care in Health Care System.” The lecture, which was delivered at the Akin Deko Auditorium of the university, was chaired by the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Friday Orumwense, who was represented by his Deputy in charge of Administration, Prof. Lawrence Ezemwonye. Welcoming guests to the lecture, the Vice-Chancellor said over the years, the inaugural lecture had become an avenue in the university where scholars educate members of the university community on their achievements in the field of research. Orumwense, while congratulating the inaugural lecturer for delivering the first inaugural lecture for the 2015 academic session, commended the gathering for finding time to attend the lecture despite the protest by students over the alleged demolition of the university quarters by the Edo State Government. Isah, who recalled that his interest in Clinical Pharmacology was spurred after reading a journal titled: “Adverse Drug Reaction Bulletin,” at the Prof. Latunde Odeku Memorial library at the University of Ibadan in 1977, however noted that as an arbiter, the Clinical Pharmacologist serves as a judge to all kinds of drugs

Prof. Ambrose

entering the market. He said: “if we must have safe drugs in the society,” as a custodian, the clinical pharmacologist plays a critical role as the caretaker of drugs and who monitors drug lifecycle. In his recommendations, the lecturer, who also added that the clinical pharmacologist act as an Ombudsman by regulating movement of drugs in the society, called on the government to immediately address the cost drugs, taxes and tariffs on medicine. While insisting that the government should make drug information available to people, Isah, said there was the need for the government to urgently support the National Agency for Drugs Administration and Control (NAFDAC) with fund to carry out its function and proper legislation regarding use of medicine. Isah, who hinted that his involvement in drug research led to the establishment of the Pharmaco- Vigilance Centre at the University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH), the first if its kind in any university in the South-South geo-political zone of the federation, was however decorated and presented with a medal for the lecture. The President of the UNIBEN Medical Students Association (UBEMSA), Oge Nwaobi and the National Vice President, External Affairs of the Nigerian Medical Students Association (NiMSA), Louis Aikorogie, applauded Prof. Isah for what the duo described as stimulating lecture.

Group, NYSC partner to fight poverty Zainab Balogun LASPOTECH

he curtains have been lowered on a five-day training organised by the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) in partnership with the Voluntary Service Overseas, an international-based nongovernmental organisation on poverty alleviation for the Nigerian youth. The Programme Manager, Kingsley Udo, who said that fighting poverty in all its ramifications was one of the main objectives of the organisation, noted that the programme was borne out of such need. Udo, who has been part of the programme for two years, said the organisation focused on three thematic areas including education, secured livelihood and youth participation in government and its activities. He noted: “It brings people together to fight poverty. It has been very supportive to the country in terms of bringing voluntary manpower from abroad and other parts of the world to Nigeria. It is a large voluntary-based group and we do a lot of youth programmes.” He explained that the organisation bring youths between the ages of 18 and 25 from United Kingdom to develop poor communities especially in the North West, North Central and South West geo-political zones of the federation.

Meanwhile, Udo stressed that the ICS programme is primarily organised to help the citizens around Ikorodu, Lagos especially the young people to share their problems and proffer possible solutions to those problems. Some of the participating corps members in the programme, which took place in Lagos, described it as interesting and exciting, expressing their strong belief that the programme would be very useful and relevant to them even after their service year. Ngururwem Emeka, one of the corps members, said the training was more about making good governance, precisely in Ikorodu, stressing that he plans to become a member of the organisation after his NYSC programme. Corroborating Emeka’s position, Akpeshin John described the programme as very educative, saying it was an eye opener as this would go a long way to imbue in him the spirit of giving back to the society. “VSO is giving youth the platform to have their identity, and discover their God given talent,” he said. According to Diya Adeola, a member of the organisation, one of the focus of the programme is good governance that is aimed at increasing awareness of the younger ones and make them active participants in the vision that concerns them starting from their communities.

ix years after graduation without employment, the only viable option for Igwe Odo was to start up a business, but there was no start-up capital to pursue his alternative to employment. The plight of Igwe, a B.Sc holder in one of the management courses, is similar to millions of other Nigerian graduates whose courses of study have rendered them unemployable, not because they are incapable of defending their profession but because they lack the requisite skill set as demanded by the prevailing socioeconomic situation in the country. Despite the growing level of unemployability of Nigerian graduates, it is disturbing to observe that many youth still scramble to acquire those skill sets that are already saturated in the labour market. The dream of many secondary school leavers is to go to the university and study one of those popular courses which they feel will confer a sense of pride on them and their families. They do not bother to analyse economic and social variables in the society to find out if their choice profession is still relevant to the society. All they want to be is a graduate of this and that, as if the title of their course of study is a guarantee of employment on graduation. The reality of the situation dawns on them after graduation, when they seek for job without finding and they discover, rather pitiably, that their courses of study had not equipped them with skills that would make employers court their services. Many of them would consider a different vocational line if given a second chance as undergraduates. The world of work is changing in line with technological advancement. There are changes in the work content of most occupations as a result of the application of technology and rapid economic growth. Nigeria’s transition towards a market economy is placing demands for new skills and trades, making it difficult for people with obsolete knowledge, skills and work attitudes to retain their jobs. Rapid technological changes make skills obsolete very quickly and demands higher levels of initiative and more frequent retraining. As technological changes occur at unprecedented speeds, it becomes increasingly important to develop mechanisms that can foster skills highly demanded in emerging careers. There is no gainsaying that Technical and Vocational Education is what Nigerians need to keep pace with employment demand in a technologically-driven economy. Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) is a comprehensive term referring to those aspects of the educational process involving, in addition to general education, the study of technologies and related sciences, the acquisition of practical skills, attitudes, understanding and knowledge relating to occupations in various sectors of economic and social life.

Chikwendu

The world of work is changing in line with technological advancement

The curriculum of TVET is designed to help people develop their talents, interests and skills which would help them secure employment in various sectors of the economy. The scope of TVET is not only limited to preparing people for employment and equipping them with skills that would make them self-reliant, it stretches to retraining people that are already employed, helping them acquire the latest skills introduced by technological advancement in their career, and providing them with the trainings needed for easy occupational mobility. TVET is borderless in its approach; it offers everybody opportunity to earn a living and contribute to societal growth. It provides formal and informal trainings to people of different status in the society, including the physically challenged, rural and urban women as well as young people. Despite the great importance and prospects of TVET in developing manpower for the growth of Nigeria’s economy, it is disappointing to observe that very little is done to encourage its growth and popularity in the country. Educational system in the country is skewed to favour conventional formal education. Secondary schools that offer technical education in the country do not get the attention they deserve, very few of them exist, where they exist, they suffer acute lack of equipment needed to make their education really technical. The awareness level of the place of technical education in the country is so low that even parents dissuade their children from acquiring TVET, even when a child has the natural ability to become a technician. In the tertiary institutions, students of TVET are often seen by their peers as second class students whose course of study is not worthy of reckoning. l Chukwunonso is a PG student in the Dept. of VTE, UNN

NEW TELEGRAPH TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2015

Energy

Property

Aviation

N200bn fuel subsidy endangers 2015 budget, say analysts

Developer defies downturn, targets delivery of 1,000 housing units

Boeing 787, Airbus A350: Tale of two planes

Business Shell, ConocoPhillips, others What's news

Ghana gas: Nigeria risks $30m fine as supply worsens

The Federal Government is at the risk of having the fine imposed on it by Ghana to accumulate to $30 million as failure to meet the contractual gas supply to West Africa neigbour worsens.

trim $25bn off 2015 CAPEX AUSTERITY

Oil firm’s income plummets further as crude price rout lingers

 Mull staff earnings’ cut slashed exploration spending plans for this year, as the third and fourth-largest US oil companies attempt to cope with a

steep slide in crude prices. Rising supplies of oil from sources including North American shale basins and weaken-

ing demand have flooded global markets with crude, sending prices plummeting almost 60 percent since last June. Last Thursday, crude traded in CONTINUED ON PAGE 32

Adeola Yusuf

p.32

FG targets N10bn for Tech Innovation Fund Nigeria’s Technology Innovation Fund (TIF) is expected to increase to $50 (about N10 billion) this year, Minister of Communication Technology, Mrs Omobola Johnson, has said.

p.32

The Business Desk Ayodele Aminu

Deputy Editor (Business)

Bayo Akomolafe

Asst. Editor (Maritime)

Sunday Ojeme

Asst. Editor (Insurance)

Godson Ikoro

Asst. Editor (Money Market)

Dele Alao

Industry & Agric Editor

Dayo Ayeyemi Property Editor

Adeola Yusuf Energy Editor

Wole Shadare Aviation Editor

Chris Ugwu

Capital Market Editor

Abdulwahab Isa

hell, ConocoPhillips and two other international oil companies (IOCs) have trimmed over $25 billion off their 2015 capital expenditure (CAPEX) due to crude price rout that has slashed over 60 per cent off the price of crude at the international market since last June. The companies disclosed this at different fora. Oil giant, Royal Dutch Shell Plc, said it was reducing potential capital investment by over $15 billion in the next three years due to the declining crude oil prices. The company has also recorded an eight per cent drop in yearly net profits, stressing that it would accelerate spending cuts. Chevron Corporation also halted its 2015 share repurchase programme last weekend, a move designed to conserve cash amid tumbling oil prices and its latest cost-cutting step after slashing capital spending. The buyback decision took Wall Street by surprise, with shares of the No. 2 US oil producer falling as much as four per cent after the announcement on a conference call with investors. Last Friday, Chevron said it would cut 2015 capital expenditures by 13 per cent. Just like Shell and Chevron, ConocoPhillips and Occidental Petroleum Corporation also

Finance Editor

Kunle Azeez

Senior Correspondent

Chuks Onuanyin Energy

Nnamdi Amadi Reporter

Johnson Adebayo

Asst Production Editor

L-R: Director, USAID Mission, Nigeria, Mr. Michael Harvey; Deputy Director, Laboratory Services, National Agency for Food and Drug Laboratory, Administration and Control(NAFDAC),Mr. Victor Abiola; Head, Yaba Laboratory, Mrs. Abimbola Olotu; Director, Laboratory Services ,Mrs. Stella Adenloye and Director- General, NAFDAC, Dr. Paul Orhii during the inspection of NAFDAC laboratory facilities at Yaba, Lagos. PHOTO:GODWIN IREKHE

Two ministries delay Cocoa Corporation’s take off Dele Alao

he bickering between the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment and the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, has been blamed for the delay in the take off of the Cocoa Corporation, New Telegraph

has learnt. The corporation, which was billed to replace the scrapped Cocoa Board, was scheduled to take off last year. Team leader, Cocoa Value Chain Development of the Agricultural Transformation Agenda (ATA), Dr. Peter Aikpokpodion, noted in a an inter-

view last year that the Federal Government had a target of doubling cocoa production in the country from 250,000 metric tons in 2011 to 500,000 metric tons by this year through the establishment of the Cocoa Corporation. CONTINUED ON PAGE 32

Rates Dashboard INFLATION RATE December 2014.........................8% November 2014........................7.9% October 2014............................8.1%

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

EXCHANGE RATE (Parallel as at Jan. 30)

USD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . N205 Pounds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . N298 Euro . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . N229

l Foreign Reserves – $34.337bn as at 29/01/2015

Source: CBN

EXCHANGE RATE (Official as at Jan. 30)

USD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . N169 Pounds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . N254.46 Euro . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . N195.57

Business | News

COMMITMENT

NNPC reiterates JV’s commitment on gas supply to W’African region

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2015 NEW TELEGRAPH

Ghana gas: Nigeria risks $30m fine as supply worsens

Adeola Yusuf

 Trans-Forcados shut down heightens pressure

he Federal Government is at the risk of having the fine imposed on it by Ghana to accumulate to $30 million as failure to meet the contractual gas supply to West Africa neigbour worsens. New Telegraph gathered last weekend that the hope of ending the $10 million per contractual year fine, which accumulated to $20 million

last year, was dashed with the incessant shut down of key gas facilities in Nigeria. These installations such as the Trans-Forcados, which suffered three attacks this year, occurring within a space of 17 days, are mounting pressure on local supply of gas and this has, according to a source at the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), “con-

Ministries delay Cocoa Corporation’s take off CONTINUED FROM PAGE 31

Aikpokpodion, therefore, said that the corporation would be set up to meet the 500,000 metric tons target. He added that the organisation would be saddled with the responsibility of addressing all issues relating to the production and marketing of the commodity in the country. “Once the Cocoa Corporation becomes operational this year (2014), it is expected to facilitate the increase of production to the targeted 500,000 metric tons by 2015,” he had said. On his part, the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Dr. Akinwunmi Adesina, said: “The cocoa corporation of Nigeria will

position us among more robust global economies and improve the quality of lives of our processors. The corporation will be independent to grow and win back at least 20 per cent of the global cocoa market by 2020. This is achievable because we have the proper political will and capacity to make it happen.” Our correspondent gathered that “lack of proper synergies and apparent show of power between the two ministries” are causing the delay in the take off of the corporation. Though, this could not be confirmed from the ministries as at press time. Already, Chief Executive, Centre for Cocoa Initiative, Mr. Robo Adhuze, has said that the country might not meet its target.

Oil firms shave $25bn off CAPEX CONTINUED FROM PAGE 31

New York at around $44 a barrel, much lower than many oil and gas projects require to make money. In response to the price collapse, oil and gas companies have made drastic cuts to budgets, idled drilling rigs and, in some cases, cut jobs. ConocoPhillips is to cut $5.375 billion capex while Occidental has also disclosed plans to shave off $2.857 billion from expenditure this year. Shell said in its full year 2014 update released last weekend that 2015 organic capital investment would be lower than 2014 levels. “Shell is considering further reductions to capital spending should the evolving market outlook warrant that step, but is aiming to retain growth potential for the medium term,” it added. The company stressed

that it would continue to defer spending in many areas, without compromising on Health, Safety, Security and Environment (HSSE), exiting selective growth positions and driving costs down in the supply chain. Shell assured investors that it was taking a “prudent approach” amid a volatile time for the industry and said it is deferring spending in many areas without compromising on growth opportunities. Shell’s Chief Executive Officer, Ben van Beurden, stated: “Our strategy is delivering, but we’re not complacent. Weaker oil prices underline that there’s a lot more to do. The three themes of financial performance, capital efficiency and project delivery will remain as Shell’s priorities in 2015.

tinued to make the fulfillment of obligations to the Benin Republic, Togo and Ghana in the contractual agreement to be more difficult.” The Group Executive Director, Gas and Power of the NNPC, Dr. David Ige, has, however, insisted that many of the disruptions in gas supply to Ghana and other West Africa countries are being addressed. “Where net shortages existed as in 2013, these were remedied according

to terms of the agreement through penalty payment of $10 million,” he said. “Nigerian suppliers (NNPC, Chevron and NPDC) have a contractual obligation to supply about 130mmcf/d of gas to customers across West Africa. This transaction is governed by a supply agreement, which recognises various operational and commercial situations. “Since 2013, there have been some unfortunate supply disruptions affecting gas shipped

through the West African Gas Pipeline. These have been largely due to Force Majeure events like the outage of the EscravosLagos pipeline and other secondary pipelines such as the Trans-Forcados pipeline,” he said in a statement on the NNPC website. Stating that many of the disruptions have been addressed, the NNPC GED maintained that where “net shortages existed as in 2013, these were remedied according

to terms of the agreement through penalty payment of $10 million. According to him, Nigeria “remains committed to supplying the West African region. The current supply challenge is being addressed aggressively and full contractual supply should be attained within a few months. “In addition, new independent suppliers are also looking to develop supplies to WAGP beyond the base volume. The medium term projection is very positive.”

L-R: Deputy Managing Director, Chemstar Paints Industry Nigeria Limited, Mr. Adedayo Paseda, with Group Managing Director, Mr. Aderemi Emmanuel, during the National Fourth Quarter Sales Conference of the company in Lagos.

BOOST

Nigeria to witness increased young players in the IT entrepreneurship ecosystem Kunle Azeez

igeria’s Technology Innovation Fund (TIF) is expected to increase to $50 (about N10 billion) this year, Minister of Communication Technology, Mrs Omobola Johnson, has said. The minister, who disclosed this during an interactive session with newsmen in Lagos last weekend, said the Fund currently stands at $16.5 million (N3.3 billion). The Fund, which is first of its kind in the Information and Communication Technology industry, is aimed at supporting the technological innovations of young Nigerian IT entrepreneurs. Through the Fund, government is able to provide necessary facilities and support to young Nigerians with brilliant ideas to develop novel

FG targets N10bn for Tech Innovation Fund and commercially viable technology solutions such as software application. According to the minister, “the Fund is the first of its kind in the country; we recently closed the Fund at $16.2 billion and we believe that further rounds will aim to reach target of $50 million. “The Fund will help to grow the still very nascent venture capital industry in Nigeria and will fill the gap that exists where high risk capital is needed by entrepreneurs.” Johnson particularly stated that the Fund would target disruptive and innovative technology startups in Nigeria that have the potential to grow to become category leaders. “This action will create opportunities currently unavailable to the ever-growing ecosystem of young Nigerian IT entrepreneurs,” she added. According to her, it is es-

timated that by knock on effect, the Fund will create 35, 000 jobs. “Basically, we are using the Fund to support the growing space of young IT entrepreneurs through financial supports, mentoring to build a very large ecosystem of these young technopreneurs. Collaboration with other technology labs or incubation centres around the country is making us do this,” she said. Speaking on successes already achieved by the country in developing young IT entrepreneurs, Johnson stated that 19 Nigerians tech startups have been supported at most recent DEMO Africa events in 2013 and 2014 respectively. According to her, of the five that attended DEMO Africa 2013, four, including SacePointe, Nerve, Hutbay and Connect Finance, have since raised over $200, 000 locally and internationally.

NEW TELEGRAPH TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2015

FG boosts power distribution with 395 sub-stations p.34

Energy

Africa lags behind in smart metering deployment –Report p.34

Oil tankers

N200bn fuel subsidy endangers 2015 budget, say analysts NO SUBSIDY

LCCI advocates for fuel subsidy removal Stories by Adeola Yusuf

he N200 billion appropriated for fuel subsidy in the 2015 budget will worsen pressure on the federal government’s finances and endanger the budget, analysts at the First Bank Nigeria (FBN) Capital hinted at the weekend. The analysts, who said this in a report made available to New Telegraph called on the federal government to remove the fuel subsidy in the interest of the 2015 budget. Citing the falling oil prices as “a cogent reason” for the subsidy removal, the FBN Capital maintained that government, which in 2012 failed to effect the removal of fuel subsidy, have enough justification to withdraw the subsidy given the crude oil prices, which have continued to hover below $50 per barrel at the international market. According to a report, the federal government’s directive on a 10 per cent cut in the pump price of PMS may signpost the final movement towards the removal of the controversial petroleum subsidy regime. Meanwhile, President, LCCI, Remi Bello, corrobo-

rated the FBN capital’s view, noting that the biggest burden on government treasury in the country was the appropriation for petroleum subsidy. He said the provision of subsidy in 2015 budget is difficult to justify. “Besides the global oil price dropping to below $50 per barrel, there is no longer any justification for budgetary provi-

sions for petroleum products subsidy,” Bello said. He added that in the 2015 budget, N200 billion was proposed as subsidy for petrol, in 2014, it was N971 billion, saying N91 billion was budgeted for kerosene subsidy in 2015. For analysts at the FBN Capital, the cut in the pump price clearly reduces the profits of the downstream oil and gas

MUM

The TCN has declined comments on the repair of burnt 330/132kV transmission

otal electricity blackout in Maiduguri and other parts of Borno State has hit six months, New Telegraph has learnt as the Boko Haram insurgency continued to take a its toll on the energy needs of the state. The insurgents set a 330/132kV transmission substation in Damboa area of the state ablaze in June, 2014. A resident of Maiduguri, Dawud Muhammad Robiu, told this newspaper that the situation has yet to be addressed. The Transmission Com-

companies. The research firm noted that in the past, delays in subsidy payments have resulted in cash flow problems for petroleum marketers. However, relatively high diesel prices have compensated in part. “In both 2013 and 2014 the FGN’s subsidy payments for PMS were projected at N970 billion. Notes on the 2015 bud-

get proposals by the Budget Office of the Federation put the bill at N200 billion. Since these proposals in December were based on an average oil price of $65/b, the actual cost may prove lower,” FBN Capital said. The financial institution said in the report that based on estimated national daily consumption of about 30 million/l per day, the annual subsidy bill, assuming N2.84/l, translates into N31 billion. It said, “We recall that the bill for 2011, before the increase in the pump price to N97/l the following January, reached N2.2 trillion.” It is believed that the reduction of the pump will provide some comfort to the battered consumer, have a small positive impact on the January inflation report and probably feature in the current election campaign. The analysts said, “Regardless of the election results, we would expect deregulation later this year. The FGN would do well to remove the subsidy while international prices remain low. “The inevitable protest would be more subdued than otherwise and it would be saving itself from fiscal pain when the prices do recover. Our thinking is that Q2 will see the floor, and that UK Brent/Bonny Light will close 2015 at $65/b. “The FGN would be able to channel any fiscal savings from deregulation into capital expenditure including some measures to sugar the pill for the consumer for the loss of the subsidy. We would hope that such steps would be of a one-off capital nature, and not a further addition to the mountain of recurrent spending.”

Power blackout in Maiduguri, others hit six months pany of Nigeria (TCN), which had in September, 2014, promised to fix the problem by November, 2014, however, declined to comment on the issue. “Please talk to the Special Adviser to the minister on that, I have no comment on it my brother,” one of the spokesperson for the TCN, Mr. Dave Ifabiyi, said when New Telegraph sought his comment on the issue during a conversation by phone last weekend. His company had earlier confirmed that the then 90 days of power blackout in the state would be a thing of the past by November 2014, blaming the blackout on the 330/132kV transmission substation set ablaze in Damboa.

But Muhammad Robiu said: “The power situation here is worse and we have been facing this since June last year. We have not seen electricity since that time. As I am talking to you now, we do not know our fate on this.” Meanwhile, an earlier statement by the TCN Management in September 2014, confirmed that the company had, with the necessary security and logistic support from the Federal Government, organised materials and mobilised manpower to carry out necessary repairs on the transmission line as well as the reconstruction of the burnt transmission substation. “However, due to the magnitude of the repairs

required, work on the transmission line and substation may take up to eight weeks to be completed,” the statement made available to New Telegraph at the weekend stated. The TCN, however, assured the people of Maiduguri, Damboa, Biu and the environs in Borno State, North Eastern Nigeria, that it is taking measures to remedy the power outage being experienced there since mid-July, 2014. “The outage was caused by a cut conductor on the 132kV transmission line from Damboa to Maiduguri as well as a 330/132kV transmission substation in Damboa, which was set ablaze in June, 2014,” the company said.

Business | Energy

EVACUATION

The government said it had constructed 3,500km of transmission lines Stories by Adeola Yusuf

he Federal Government, at the weekend, disclosed that it had completed the construction of 395 substation to boost power distribution across the country. Vice President, Nnamadi Sambo, said this at a campaign in Ondo State. He added that 100 of the installations are new sub-stations, while over 295 injection substations were also completed. Stating that government has also successfully constructed 3,500 kilometres of transmission lines, Sambo said that this is to ensure effective evacuation of the additional power being generated by the 10 new power plants built across the country. He frowned at a media report, which claimed that Nigeria did not have the capacity to transmit additional power being generated by the new power plants.

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2015 NEW TELEGRAPH

FG boosts power distribution with 395 sub-stations The vice president explained that the Federal Government has successfully constructed 3,500 ki-

lometres of transmission lines to ensure effective evacuation of the additional power being gen-

China has deployed over 150million smart meters

frica is the least continent in the world with smallest numbers of smart meters, a report by Accenture has revealed. The report, which centred on recent utilities executive survey, conducted as part of Accenture’s Digitally Enabled Grid programme on insights from smart grid and smart metering, confirmed that Africa performed woefully in the deployment of the equipment, which helps to end crazy billing and other metering inequalities. Said the report: “Across the global electricity market, a growing number of utilities are implementing and leveraging smart metering technology. “In many cases, the planned timeliness for roll-out are highly aggressive for example Italy has deployed over 34 smart meters as at 2013; corresponding with the pace dictated by govern-

we are generating over 4,500mw,” he said. “Yesterday, I was watching the television

Power installation

Africa lags behind in smart metering deployment –Report LEADER

erated in the country. “The power generation in Nigeria was about 2,000mw. Today,

ment regulations and emissions targets. UK has only deployed close to one million smart meters with a plan to install another 34 million smart meters by year 2020. “In the Northern part of America, USA has deployed over 40million smart meters but still has close to 90million smart meters to be deployed before 2020, while in Asia, China has deployed over 150million smart meters with plan to deploy another 250million smart meters by year 2020. “In Africa, the continent is still behind in the deployment of Smart Meters. Accenture is working with the likes of Eskom in South Africa on proof of concept for limited number of smart meters while it has successfully completed a phased implementation of Advanced Metering Infrastructure at same client and at other municipalities in South Africa. “Smart metering is a major transformation changing the way energy and utility companies engage with their customers.” The report added: “Through new technological solutions, energy

consumption information will be available in real time, allowing customers to benefit from different tariffs and improve energy management in the home. Utilities are also able to improve on outage management and outage restoration, reduce meter reading costs, improved grid reliability, enhance network planning and asset management, drive energy efficiency and demand response through new tariffs, meet regulatory mandate, reduce energy theft and enable beyond-the-meter load applications etc. “Utilities face a broad set of challenges to confirm effective deployment of smart metering. Accenture’s research and insight to smart metering deployment reveals that some of the major challenges to deployment of Smart Metering are lack of supporting policy/regulation by government, lack of consumer acceptance, undefined business model and business case, lack of clarity regarding deployment approach, concerns about scalability of the solution and a host of other challenges.

and somebody, I think, on Channels Television, who called himself an expert, said we did not have the capacity to transmit power from the 10 new power plants we constructed. “That is a lie, he has no information. We have constructed 3,500km of transmission lines in this country. We have constructed over 100 new sub-stations, we have constructed over 295 injection sub-stations. “Every town in Nigeria has a new sub-station that will transmit and distribute the additional power being generated.” Sambo added that President Goodluck Jonathan had approved the construction of hydroelectric power projects that would produce more than 4,000megawatts of electricity. “Mr. President, we thank you very much. So, let’s get the correct information that the transformation of the power (sector) is being done globally,” he said.

ERA confronts Agip on Bayelsa oil spill, cleanup

nvironment Rights Action (ERA), at the weekend, challenged Italian oil major, Nigeria Agip Oil Company (NAOC) over the oil spill from the company’s facility in Kalaba community, one of the six communities of Okordia clan in Yenagoa Local Government Area of Bayelsa State. Disturbed by the impact of the spill on the environment, ERA’s Field Coordinator in Bayelsa State, Alagoa Morris, according to a statement on the group’s website, led a team on an assessment tour. He urged the company to take immediate steps to stop the spill by going to site and commencing immediate clean up of the impacted environment. The community has also reportedly suffered a similar fate last September, when it recorded two spills within three weeks. Paramount ruler of the community, Chief Roman Orukali, who spoke to ERA team led by Morris Alagoa, lamented the spill, which he described as unfortunate. “The spill occurred on January 12 and Agip was promptly informed same day. The company came to see the spill point the next day, January 13, but it is surprising that Agip has failed to return and stop the spill while crude oil has continued to spread in the environment. “Agip should know that the environment is our life, health and wealth. In this regard, I wish to urge Agip to help us protect our

environment by stopping the spill and carrying our immediate clean-up. This, the company should do, to ensure a safe environment for our people.” Also, the community youth president, Samuel Oburu, while lamenting the effect of the spill on the environment, called on Agip to mobilise its men to site and make necessary repairs so as to stop further spread of crude oil and related pollution in the environment. “We informed some management and staff of Agip when the spill was noticed and pleaded with the company to promptly mobilise to site for clamping before more harm is done. Even though Agip responded that information had been received earlier about the spill, it was surprising that Agip failed to take any positive remedial action until the spill point increased and crude oil spewed into the environment,” he lamented. Also, ERA/FoEN Executive Director, Godwin Ojo, has described the N16.6 billion compensation, which Shell agreed to pay Ogoni community as paltry. Ojo said on the group’s facebook account: “While we see this agreement as a victory for the Bodo community folks who have suffered ecocide and loss of livelihoods, it is also a glimmer of hope for communities that have endured massive degradation from Shell’s leaking and ill-maintained facilities in the Ogoni and elsewhere in the Niger Delta.”

NEW TELEGRAPH TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2015

NITP mulls mandatory Land Use report p.36 DEFICIT Planned to work with companies’ cooperatives to reduce housing stock in 2015

Property&Environment

Agbaje assures 150,000 housing units delivery by 2018 p.36

Developer defies downturn, targets delivery of 1,000 housing units

Dayo Ayeyemi

uoyed by 100 percent occupancy rate its numerous housing projects enjoyed last year, the developer of brand of ‘Essential homes’, Grand Imperio Group, has set a new goal. The developer is targeting to successfully deliver between 1000 and 1,500 housing units in 2015. Defying the present economic downturn, the real estate developer has mapped out strategies to ensure the provision of standard housing units for the mediumincome earners in need of luxury but pocket-friendly homes in choice locations in Lagos. Land bank On ways to achieve the target, Chief Executive Officer, Gran Imperio Group, Mr. Adeyeye Ogunwusi, explained that the company has succeeded in creating a land bank and constructed road infrastructure to open up some of the project sites in Lekki axis of Lagos. Besides, he disclosed the company has carried out its research and development, while working in partnership with some companies such as British-American Tobacco Company (BATC), MTN and Exxonmobil to produce some housing units for their staff. He explained that Grand Imperio Group (GIG) has entered into aggrement with some Primary Mortgage Banks (PMBs) such as Imperial Homes Mortgage Bank and Trustbond Mortgage Bank to expedite the construction of the housing units and facilitate access to affordable mortgage for wouldbe homeowners. Ogunwusi said: “We target to deliver 1,000 homes this year. We have built capacity on what we achieved last year so that we can deliver 1,000 homes this year.” Local support He explained that though, the problems of Omo oniles, dearth of finance and prevailing foreign exchange rate have always posed challenges but that his management is looking positively to overcome them by looking inward for the sourcing of building materials. The prices of low and medium brand of essential homes range between N7million and N22million in the estates. Leveraging on the success story of delivering different residential estates it embarked on recently, the Gran Imperio Group boss explained that the project has been divided into different zones for ease of execution with plan to deliver the very first set of houses in few months time. Other projects Already, the developer has de-

Units of duplexes in NorthPointe Estate, Lekki, Lagos.

livered Jacob Mews, NorthPointe I, II III and SouthPointe Phase I, consisting of 299 housing units, aside from units located on the developer’s Inagbe Grand Resort, a unique tourist centre being developed in partnership with the Esinmikan family in Lagos. Lakeview Park 1, II, Mid-Land Court, SouthPointe II, Golden Leaf Estate, and Y’hello Estate, that are being promoted are in different construction stages. The infrastructure development of Lake View Park 1, which its site and service scheme is strategically located along Lekki-Epe Expressway adjacent Victoria Garden City (VGC) with 194 residential plots and over 30,000sqms commercial plots, Ogunwusi said has been completed. Also, he explained that the construction of 20 buildings in phase two of Lake View Park, a gated residential community along Lafiaji Road, Lekki, designed with a natural lake, 160 residential plots of different sizes and an area earmarked for commercial activities is ongoing. Under construction are 24 units of terraced town houses in Midland Court, located on Northern Foreshore road off Chevron Drive, Lekki Peninsula, Lagos, a premium gated residential community offering spectacular ambience, detailed finishing, security and recreational facilities in an appealing environment. This, according to the managing director of Gran Imperio, would be delivered on or before April 30, 2015 “Delivery date for SouthPointe II and Lakeview Park II, which

comprises of 79 units including 32, 30 and 17 units of three, four bedrooms and town houses, is 30th April 2015,” he said. Upon completion of BritishAmerica Tobacco Company, (BATC), a 1.9 hectare in Golden Leaf Estate, located along Lafiaji Road, the estate will provide 380 of different house types, including detached houses, terraced bungalows and detached duplexes.

Y’hello Estate, within the same corridor, is a residential community offering that would make available 800 units of exquisitely finished terraced bungalows, town houses and flats with air conditioning, good quality finishes, fitted kitchen, recreational facilities and a commercial area. Like the Golden Leave Estate, this project is a joint venture between GIG and MTN.

‘Why there’s apathy towards modern building’

A Defying the present economic downturn, the real estate developer has mapped out strategies to ensure the provision of standard housing units

nywhere in the world where housing needs of the populace have been largely met, it has been through the use of alternative building technologies in large housing projects. In Sub-Saharan Africa, South Africa has been in the forefront of employing new technologies in the development of low income housing. Also, emerging economies such as China, Brazil, South Africa and Singapore have adopted these technologies to produce high rise buildings on a large scale for their citizens. Popular among these technologies include Structural Insulated Panels, Insulated Concrete Forms, Radiant Wall System, Hydra Foam, Timber-Frame, Cob, Stabilised Mud Blocks, Straw-bale, Log, Adobe, Rammed Earth, Plastic Forms and Earth Ships among others. Equipped with this information, some built environment experts have been canvassing for the introduction of alternative construction methods such as dry construction and building system

to fast track the housing production process in Nigeria. But experts who spoke with New Telegraph have blamed apathy toward these innovative building technologies on many factors ranging between huge capital outlay and cultural perspective. Speaking, Chief Executive Officer of HOB Estate Limited, Chief Segun Bamgbade, blamed low acceptance of modern building technologies in Nigeria on sociological perception, adding that most of the materials were not open to adjustment and readjustment. According to him, once a house is built without an opening for air conditioner, people would find it difficult to break the wall in order to fix other home appliances. He said: “Building pattern in any given society is majorly centered on some sociological perceptions of the people within. The fact that modern building techniques are successfully deployed in certain environments does not mean that those areas who have not fully imbibed the idea lag behind in any form.”

Business | Property & Environment

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2015 NEW TELEGRAPH

NITP mulls mandatory Land Use report NOVEL Local response to physical planning approaches Stories by Dayo Ayeyemi

f the current initiative by the Nigerian Institute of Town Planners (NITP) scales through, it will become mandatory for anyone or organisation seeking building plan approval/permits, Certificate of Occupancy (C of O), opening of corporate accounts with banks, and registration of new companies with the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC), to attach with its application a Land Use Planning Report.

To this end, the Nigerian Institute of Town Planners (NITP), the umbrella body for all settlements experts in the country, has set up a Seven-Man committee, last Friday in Lagos, with a robust Term of Reference (TOR) to come out with a model copy of the report. The committee comprises selected stakeholders from the public, academia and private sectors. Committee members are Mr. Badejo Olatunji as chairman, Mrs. Cladius Akinyemi as secretary, and Michael Simire, Bisi Adedire, Oyebanji Toba, Hakeem RoyLarinde and Adewale Alade as members respectively. Explaining the rationale behind the new initiative, NITP President, Mr. Femi Olomola,

said the creation of the omnibus Land Use Planning Report became imperative in order to address the pressing issues of security and fraud in the country. He noted that most of the time security operatives and bank officials find it difficult to track down fraudsters and criminals due to incoherent nature of their addresses, but that with the land use planning report, which takes into cognizance details of applicants for development permit, opening of corporate bank’s account and company’s registration purposes, their activities could be curtailed. In the report, which he described as “Indigenous response to the reality of physical plan-

Makoko, one of the waterfront comminuties in Lagos State.

Agbaje assures 150,000 housing units delivery by 2018

eady to take the bull by the horn, the gubernatorial candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Lagos State Mr. Jimi Agbaje, has made bold his plans to revolutionalise the housing sector if voted into power in the February 28, 2015 election. In the proposed development agenda entitled: “Bold Ideas, New Opportunities,” the politician said his administration would deliver 150,000 housing units by 2018, adding that he would foster partnership with the private sector and promote sustainable and effective building methods to achieve the target. The agenda covers security, health, education and youth empowerment, leadership and governance, transportation, economic empowerment and residential housing (S.H.E.L.T.E.R.) Under residential housing framework, he pointed out that the goal was to effectively deliver sustainable housing units to address the

problems of inadequate and unaffordable housing while creating create jobs for the people. To achieve the target of 150,000 houses in three years, he promised to enter into partnerships to reduce the gap of housing stock estimated to be two million in Lagos State, adding that he would consider polity shift from direct provision of houses. Agbaje said further that he would embark on reform by removing the bureaucratic and regulatory bottlenecks associated with registration of property title and land availability. Besides, he promised to create a legal and regulatory framework to facilitate the establishment of a housing market in Lagos. This, he said would liberalise the process of creating charges on property in the state, shorten the enforcement process of mortgage and credit defaulters, ease the process of obtaining consent for land transaction, and create sectional interest

in real estate by providing site and services for developers and individuals. He vowed to increase housing supply by ensuring partnership with the Nigerian Mortgage Refinance Corporation, state housing agencies, Primary Mortgage Banks(PMBs) and private developers to invest heavily in housing development and mortgage provision.

Agbaje

ning approaches” Olomola maintained that its evolution was envisaged to accompany building plan approval, issuance of C of O, opening of corporate accounts with banks and registration of new companies with CAC. Besides, he pointed out that the document would create jobs for town planners and also serve as a source of data for government, private and public institutions. Explaining to the committee what is expected from it considering its Terms of Reference, Olomola said: “Your TOR is best contextualised in this scenario of our imagination of a plot of land measuring say 648 square metres (60 feet x 120 feet). The plot can either be developed or vacant. Imagine a minimum of 1,000 metres radius (say 55 plots) drawn round the plot thus giving a minimum area of 3,142,000 square metres.” The NITP boss explained to the committee that a thorough land use analysis survey of the land must be carried out followed with the land use analysis map with all identified land uses coded in the NITP- approved professional colour code. He said: “The 15-page report must come with the name of the owner of the plot, information on title to the land, type of existing development or proposed on the plot, building plan approval number and detailed location plan of the site.

Olomola

“Statement of current government approved or proposed town planning development plan covering the area where the plot is located - regional/ master/district/local plans as applicable. Report on the land use survey/analysis, professional opinion on the proposed use of the plot in question.” Some group of senior town planner also brainstormed to expand the scope of the Term of Reference given to the committee. Mr. Raimi Adeleke and Ogbodo Alex represented the Chairman of Town Planners Registration Council (TOPREC) and President of Association of Town Planning consultants of Nigeria (ATOPCON), at the event.

Mortgage bankers lament low housing stock

orried by the seemingly low turnout of housing units, appeal has gone to real estate developers in the country to increase their housing stock to enhance creation of mortgages. Mortgage banks’ officials said more supply of housing by developers, would encourage them to create the required mortgages to enhance home ownership among Nigerians. Speaking to journalists in Lagos, an official of Imperial Homes Mortgage Bank, Mrs Ronke Akinleye, said there was no way to create mortgages when houses supplied are inadequate, enjoining developers to roll out more housing schemes to be backed by mortgages. According to her, the mortgage sector needs the housing stock to survive, adding that his bank was ready to partner real estate developers in order to create mortgages for people looking for accommodation of their own. “If the housing stock is not there, mortgage sector cannot survive,’ he said. She pointed out that affordable houses with long-term backed mortgages would help the real estate sector and the country to survive the downturn by helping accommoda-

tion seekers who are starters to get home. Presently, she said her bank is giving out mortgages with 15 years tenor at 19 percent interest, stressing that by the time the Nigerian Mortgage Refinance Company (NMRC) comes on board, the tenor could be increased to 20 years. She added that the bank has been working assiduously on how to further reduce the burden of repayment plan by increasing its tenor to 20 years. Akinleye disclosed that present foreign exchange rate has been affecting mortgage in the country due to downturn occasioned by plunge in oil prices. She expressed hope in NMRC, saying the coming up of the institution, will bail the mortgage sector out of scarcity of fund. His counterpart from Trustbond Mortgage Bank, who identified himself as Mark, said the mortgage industry needed housing stock to function effectively, noting that mortgage bank cannot survive without housing supply. To this end, he disclosed that his bank and two other mortgage banks are partnering three other developers to create the necessary stock of housing in order to create mortgages.

NEW TELEGRAPH TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2015

Dubai is world’s top international airport p.38

Aviation

Boeing 787, Airbus A350: Tale of two planes Having had the fortune of being on a Dreamliner and taking a closer look at Airbus company on plans to counter Boeing with A350, the two biggest aircraft manufacturers are not letting down on the fierce battle to outdo each other, writes Aviation Editor, WOLE SHADARE

Boeing 787 aircraft

he two biggies of aviation, Boeing and Airbus, are always trying to outdo each other in the battle of innovation. Their rivalry has been so aggressive that it has even led to a nasty war of words. One such epic clash involves the revolutionary Boeing 787 and the groundbreaking Airbus A350. These aircraft are the companies’ built-from-scratch models -a point of both pride and trouble for the two. Here’s the story of the evolution of these iconic jets, and a look into their future prospects. Sowing the seeds Boeing warmed up to the idea of building an innovative aircraft with bleeding-edge technology in the early 1990s when it was looking to replace the aging B767. Ideas included making a “Sonic Cruiser” that would feature enhanced cruising speed, or engineering a larger version of the B747. But neither materialised - there was lukewarm response for an upgraded B747, and after fuel prices began escalating, airlines shifted focus from higher speed to greater fuel efficiency. Finally in 2003, the American major initiated talks about developing a carbon-composite plane that would consume less fuel. In 2004, Boeing took the wraps off the B787 Dreamliner, and ended the year with an order for 50 of the aircraft from launch customer All Nippon Airways of Japan. A350, B787 comparison One of the biggest differences between the B787 Dreamliner and the A350 is that the B787 is what is known as a MEA - a More Electric Aircraft. In the olden days, the control surfaces on the wings (such as the flaps, slats, ailerons, elevators, rudder, among others) were directly connected to the pilot’s yoke with cables and pulleys. The pilots had to use considerable physical force to steer their aircraft. Somewhere along the line, someone decided to change this system to one involving hydraulics. This was a sort of power steer-

Airbus A350 aircraft

ing for planes. Planes have three hydraulic systems, of which one is in use at any time. It’s a triple-redundant system, which means even if two of the hydraulic systems fail, the third can still be used to safely continue flying. But at the core of all three systems are pipes, which carry hydraulic fluid under pressure. And all three systems must physically be present at the control surfaces that they are supposed to move. On July 19, 1989, United Airlines flight 232, a McDonnel Douglas DC10 carrying 285 passengers and 11 crewmembers from Denver Stapleton to Chicago O’Hare, had an uncontained engine failure on the number 2 engine. On the DC-10, which was a tri-jet, the number two engine was mounted on the base of the tailplane. When the engine’s fan disc exploded, shrapnel shot out and punctured the horizontal stabiliser (the elevator) and the rudder. As luck would have it, pipes belonging to all three hydraulic systems were punctured. Fluid leaked out. Because all three of the systems lost pressure, the planes was left with no way to move its control surfaces, and hence, no way to steer. The pilots, who were experienced and adventurous lot, used differential thrust - differing the amount of thrust being produced by each of the wing engines - to bring the plane around for a landing at Sioux City in Iowa, but the crash landing still killed 111 people. As a result of this crash, planes with hydraulic systems (which is pretty much every plane flying today) have valves in their pipes, which automatically close off if they discover a loss in fluid pressure, which can localise fluid losses to the area of puncture.

On November 4, 2010, Quantas Flight 32, an Airbus A380 flying from Singapore Changi to Sydney Kingsford had another uncontained engine failure, which punctured hydraulic lines on its left wing. Valves automatically closed and stopped fluid from the rest of the areas of the aircraft from leaking out.

The aerodynamic improvements and other fine-tuning should make the A350 more efficient than the Boeing 777, which is the A350’s other competitor

Problems of planes with hydraulic But this isn’t the only problem with hydraulics. Hydraulic fluid has to be incompressible. So it’s dense, which means it’s heavy. They’re also petroleum based, which means they’re flammable. And to maintain pressure, compressors have to be used. These are not electric compressors but pneumatic ones, and they run off “bleed air” - air taken out from after the compressor stage in the engines. It was air that could have been used to provide valuable thrust. Incidentally, bleed air is also used to provide heated compressed air to run the aircraft’s air-conditioning system, so that when the TAT is -32 degrees Celsius outside, you’re still sitting in a comfortable 24 degrees Celsius inside. And bleed air is also used to spin up the engine before it can start. A small turbine in the tail of the aircraft (known as an APU - an Auxiliary Power Unit) is used to produce this compressed air. The Dreamliner wanted to change all of that. They mainly wanted to have a bleed-less engine system, but that meant the aircraft would not have any pneumatic pressure systems available to them. So they’d have to make everything electrical. The Dreamliner can fly with two engines - the Rolls-Royce Trent 1000, and the General Electric GEnx. Both of them are modular,

all-electric bleedless engines with massive electric motor-generators inside of them. The APU on the Dreamliner produces only electrical power, no compressed air. It’s also flight-certified, that is, it can be kept turned on in-flight for additional power. The total electrical power available in a Dreamliner is 1.45 Megawatts, which is five times as much as is available in a conventional airliner. It’s enough powerto-power two average American households for a month. Like all aircraft, the Dreamliner has a triple-redundant system to move its control surfaces. Unlike other aircraft, two of them are electric, using motors in the wings to move the control surfaces. The third is a hydraulic system, compartmentalised with valves, and pressure is maintained using electrical compressors. The air-conditioners use electrical heaters and electrical compressors. Electricity from the airport’s ground power supply, or the aircraft’s new massive Lithium-Ion battery banks is used to electrically spin up the engines before they can be started. Innovation The fancy expensive looking “mood lighting” and the “Boeing Sky Interior” all use LED lighting, which means it’s actually much more energy efficient than conventional airliners. The Dreamliner is also built from composite materials, which literally saves hundreds of tons of weight. With all the electricity available on board, the aircraft uses super-sophisticated avionics to make flying the aircraft easier for pilots. Indeed, one of the systems the aircraft has actively senses aircraft movement during turbulence and automatically steers the aircraft to minimise passenger discomfort. The electric compressors are able to maintain a higher level of air-pressure inside the cabin, so the effective altitude inside the aircraft is 2,000 - 3,000ft lower than in other aircraft. It has higher air-humidity than other aircraft, all for greater passenger comfort. And the windows in the Dreamliner don’t have shutters, but Twisted-Nematic LCD panels, which darken or lighten to vary the amount of light being let in. Even with so many gizmos on board, Boeing claims the Dreamliner’s engines have to produce about 35per cent less power than conventional airliners to maintain the same amount of performance. Thirty-five per cent is a huge amount of savings for airlines. So why is the A350, which came after the 787, a conventional pneumatic-hydraulic aircraft? The answer is two-fold Firstly, while the B787 is an all-new design (it only shares a cockpit layout with the 777), the A350 is an evolution of the A330. CONTINUED ON PAGE 38

Business | Aviation

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2015 NEW TELEGRAPH

Dubai is world’s top international airport DISTINCTION Aircraft movements in December rose four per cent to 34,136

ubai Airport has released its year-end traffic reports, which confirms that it has secured its position as the number one airport for international passenger numbers. Full year passenger numbers totalled 70,475,636, up 6.1 per cent from the 66,431,533 recorded in 2013. This followed robust pas-

senger traffic growth of 7.5 per cent in December with 6,498,573 passengers passing through the facility compared to 6,047,126 recorded in the corresponding month last year. “This historic milestone is the culmination of over five decades of double-digit average growth that were inspired by the vision of the late Sheikh Rashid Bin Saeed Al Maktoum. “It is a vision that has been carried forward strongly by our leader, Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, ruler of Dubai,” said Sheikh Ahmed Bin Saeed Al

Maktoum, chairman of Dubai Airports in a statement to the media. “The shared goal is to make Dubai a global centre of aviation and we are nearing that goal thanks to an open skies policy, a friendly business environment, Dubai’s growing attractiveness as a centre for trade, commerce and tourism, growing network connectivity due to the rapid expansion of Emirates and flydubai and timely investment in aviation infrastructure.” Aircraft movements in December rose four per cent to 34,136, up marginally from the 32,832 recorded during Decem-

ber 2013. Full year aircraft movements totalled 357,339 compared to 369,953 versus 2013, a contraction of 3.4 per cent, primarily due to the temporary reduction of flights experienced during the 80 day runway refurbishment project during the summer, and the shift of freighter operators and general aviation to Al Maktoum International at Dubai World Central earlier this year. Spurred by an ongoing increase in the number of wide bodied aircraft servicing the airport, the numbers of passengers per flight increased 5.1

per cent to 208.3 passengers for the full year. “Much like 2014, 2015 promises to be another eventful year featuring more record passenger numbers and facility upgrades including the opening of Concourse D which will boost Dubai International’s capacity to 90 million,” said Paul Griffiths, chief executive of Dubai Airports. “Today we are also releasing our projections for 2015 traffic at Dubai International which forecast 79 million passengers. “We will have more flights connecting more people to more destinations.”

Boeing, Airbus: Tale of two planes CO N TI N U E D FROM PAGE 37

L-R: Sales Executive, Africa World Airlines, Olubukunola Olugbemi; Creative Director/CEO of FAME Productions, Bukola Smart; 1st Runner up (Fashion Category), 2014 FAME Concert and Talent Hunt Awards, Jumoke Ademilua; Sales & Ticketing Supervisor, Africa World Airlines (AWA), Genevieve Fiewor, presenting a free return ticket to Accra, Ghana and other gift items to the winner; and Dr. (Mrs.) Tonia Smart, Chairperson, FAME Productions.

NAHCO donates to charity A viation ground handling company, nahco aviance has donated items and cash worth several hundreds of thousands to two charity homes in Enugu, capital of Enugu State. The two charities, which received the kind gesture are Little Sisters of the Poor Home for the Elderly, Awkunanaw and the Guardian Angels Motherless Babies Home, Emene. While making the donation on behalf of nahco aviance, the Manager, Stakeholders & Corporate Governance, Uche Maduemesi, said the company has a habit of positively impacting on the people in all its areas of operations and beyond. He pointed out that nahco aviance just recently started service in Enugu and that notwithstanding the short time it had started service, it had, as a priority, chosen to associate with the less privileged to assure them that they have a partner in

nahco aviance. Responding on behalf of the management of the Little Sisters of the Poor, which houses elderly men and women, the officer in charge of Charities, Sister Sylvia Blanshard, thanked the company for its support. She said: “We are extremely grateful to nahco aviance. You can see how the residents of the Home have come alive since you came in to visit us and spend time with us.” She explained that the Home has approximately 60 per cent of its food as donations from individuals and organisations such as nahco aviance. She said certain people, “especially some of our Lagos friends have tried to assist us, but the money they gave us is what we have been using to rent tanker until we would be able to get ours. So, whatever companies could do for us as part of their corporate social responsibility programme, we would be extremely grateful.”

At the Guardian Angels Motherless Babies Home, the Sister – in – Charge, Sister Lucy Ohadomere, while thanking nahco aviance for their kind gesture, also urged other corporate organisations to follow suit. According to Ohadomere, 28 girls and boys are in the house. Some of them had gone to school when nahco aviance’ team visited. She said the Home, which was founded in 1999 by the Catholic Diocese, had been succour to so many children. Pointing out that the Home needs cash as it spends so much on drugs and treatment for the children, the Sister thanked nahco aviance for coming to the aid of the motherless children. Uche said they had to look around to find those who really need the money and that the company found that the Guardian Angels Motherless Babies Home deserved all the help it can get.

It has an all-new fuselage, an all-new wing, an all-new undercarriage (wheels), and all-new engines (the Rolls-Royce Trent XWB, which is basically just a Trent 1000 from the 787, but with a bleed-air system), but the internal systems are all borrowed, from the A330 and the A380. Secondly, and most importantly, the conventional system is more reliable. The 787 is a giant leap into uncharted territory. This is the first time such a large MEA has been designed for passenger use. The electrical systems support everything inside the aircraft and are under a lot of pressure. Boeing developed Lithium-Ion batteries for the Dreamliner because they can store more energy. But they also have a proclivity for pyrotechnics, which led to all the 787s in the world being grounded for half a year until Boeing re-designed and fire-proofed their batteries. The A350 simply switched to older Nickel-Cadmium batteries. Then we’ve had body panels

falling off mid-flight, cracked windshields, cockpit blackouts, transponder failures, and even cracked engine fan blades. It’s a miracle the aircraft has survived so many incidents without a single hull-loss. The 787 is just not reliable. A350 to avoid B787 pitfalls This is where the A350 hopes to succeed. Featuring technology that has been proven for decades, the A350 promises to be reliable. And while not as efficient as the 787, the aerodynamic improvements and other fine-tuning should make the A350 more efficient than the Boeing 777, which is the A350’s other competitor. Summary I believe the future belongs to MEA. While Airbus chose to stick with proven technology, Boeing took the audacious first step to developing MEA technology. Boeing hedged its bets on the Dreamliner, and it seems to be slowly paying off. Slowly, but surely, the issues with the Dreamliner are being ironed out.

BA faces backlash over ‘Frequent Flyer’ points changes ritish Airways (BA) is fac“@Virgin Atlantic, you B ing a backlash from cus- single?” one twitter user, @ tomers after making changes AimeeColleen, asked after the to the way passengers can earn and spend miles under its Avios frequent flyer programme, with some threatening to switch to rival airlines such as Virgin Atlantic, Ryanair and easyJet. Following the example of US carriers, British Airways, owned by IAG, is tying the number of points awarded to pricing tiers within cabins, rather than the number of miles flown. Those paying for fully-flexible first-class and business tickets will earn more points under the new scheme, while economy class passengers buying the cheapest, non-flexible, fares will see the number of points they earn slashed to a quarter of previous levels. That prompted howls of protest on Twitter, with some threatening to dump British Airways and switch allegiance.

changes. “It just makes me want to fly with the low cost companies,” another user, @Virginia_Bag tweeted. Aviation analyst, Damian Brewer, in a statement, said it was a brave move that could pay off financially for IAG, but could also push some customers to budget rivals easyJet and Ryanair on short-haul routes. “We think that overall, this is likely a net positive as higher ticket spend is encouraged,” he wrote in a note to clients. This is not the first time changes to points gathering and spending has stirred debate in the industry. In the United States, United, Delta and Southwest have all altered programmes in recent years to base points earned on dollars spent, drawing ire from travellers on social media.

NEW TELEGRAPH TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2015

L-R: General Secretary, Christian Welfare Initiative (CWI), Mr. Chima Nnadi, President, Archbishop Magnus Atilade and member, Mrs. Veronica Agbaje, at a press conference on the state of the nation/ forthcoming election, in Lagos.

L-R: Sales Executive, Airtel, Tunmi Aderemi; carnival coordinator, Mr. Dapo Sotuminu and Nollywood star, Desmond Elliot, during the Airtel Obele Odan annual carnival in Surulere, Lagos.

L-R: Chairman, Ondo State Micro Credit Agency, Banke Sutton; wife of Ondo State Governor, Olukemi Mimiko and President, Ondo State Artisan and Traders Union (OSATU), Mrs. Victoria Adedotun, at the official flag-off of N1 billion Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) development fund in Akure.

L-R: President, Ndigbo Lagos, Prof. Anya O. Anya; President-General, South East and South South United Assembly (SESSUA), Sir Oliver Akubueze; Chairman of the occasion, Gen. Ovadje Oviemo and deputy president of SESSUA, Dr. Charles Ogodo, during a rally to endorse President Goodluck Jonathan by SESSUA in Lagos

Photo | News

L-R: Guv’nor of Niteshift Colisuem, Ken Calebs Olumese, Lagos Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) deputy governorship candidate, Alhaja Safurat Abdulkarim; governorship candidate, Mr. Jimi Agbaje and Minister of State for Works, Dayo Adeyeye, at the ground house reception in honour of Agbaje in Lagos.

FCT senatorial candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), Dr. Olubunmi Usim-Wilson (middle), and supporters during the flag-off of the party’s rally in Abuja.

L-R: Wife of the first civilian governor of Imo State, Lady Victoria Mbakwe; Imo State Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate/Deputy Speaker, House of Representatives, Hon. Emeka Ihedioha and first son of late Mbakwe, Alex Mbakwe, when the family of late Mbakwe organised a reception for the party during the PDP governorship campaign rally at Umuriam Primary School, Obowo, Imo State.

L-R: Deputy State Chairman, All Progressives Congress (APC), Edo State, Mr. Chaty Mogaji; House of Assembly candidate, Etsako Central Local Government Area, Mr. Damian Lawani; Governor Adams Oshiomhole and APC senatorial candidate, Edo North, Francis Alimikheba, at the party’s rally in Udaba-Ekperi, Etsako Central Local Governmnet Area.

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2015 NEW TELEGRAPH

Leisure Arcade NUTS

By Kaycee

MAMA LASISI

By Aliu Eroje

MOYIN & FRIENDS

By Ayo Oyerinde

SUDOKU - Answer to No 41

SUDOKU - No 42 6 5

6 1

5 9

1 2

How to play

SUDOKU

ALIU EROJE

CHIEF CARTOONIST aliu.eroje@newtelegraphonline.com

NTPuzzle

The objective is to fill a 9x9 grid so that each column, each row, and each of the nine 3x3 boxes (also called blocks or regions) contains the digits from 1 to 9. A cell is the smallest block in the game. A row , column and region consists of 9 cells and the whole game consists of 81 cells. A region has thicker lines surrounding it. This simply makes it easier to play the game.

NTJokes PRIESTS ON VACATION Two priests decided to go to Hawaii on vacation. They were determined to make this a real vacation by not wearing anything that would identify them as clergy. As soon as the plane had landed, they headed for a store and bought some really outrageous shorts, shirts, sandals, sunglasses, etc. The next morning they went to the beach, dressed in their “tourist” garb. They were sitting on beach chairs, enjoying a drink, the sunshine and the scenery when a drop-dead gorgeous topless blonde in a thong bikini came walking straight towards them. They couldn’t help but stare. As the blonde passed them, she smiled and said, “Good morning, Father, good morning, Father,” nodding and addressing each of them individually, then passed on by. They were both stunned. How in the world did she know they were priests? So the next day, they went back to the store and bought even more outrageous outfits. Once again, the two priests settled on the beach in their chairs to enjoy the sunshine. After a while, the same gorgeous topless blonde, wearing a string, taking her sweet time, came walking towards them. Again, she nodded at each of them, said, “Good morning, Father,” and started to walk away. One of the priests couldn’t stand it any longer and said, “Just a minute, young lady.” “Yes?” she replied. “We are priests, and proud of it, but I have to know, how in the world did you know we are priests, dressed as we are?” “Father, it’s me, Sister Angela”

Business | Money Line

NEW TELEGRAPH TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2015

CBN releases N18.26bn loan to five power firms Warns against misuse

IMPROVEMENT

The funds will ensure that the sector delivers improvement in power supply Abdulwahab Isa Abuja

n a bid to tackle the liquidity challenges in the power sector, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) yesterday disbursed N18.261 billion loan to five electricity firms from the Nigerian Electricity Stabilisation Facility Fund, warning beneficiaries of to utilise the fund appropriately. Governor CBN, Mr. Godwin Emefiele gave the warning yesterday in Abuja at the Nigerian Electricity Market Stabilisation (NEMS) signing ceremony where N18.261 billion was disbursed to two electricity distribution companies and three electricity generation companies. Amongst the firms that received the facility are Eko Electricity Distribution Company Plc N5, 164,365,623.88; Ibadan Electricity Distribution Plc N11, 367,311,028.00;

Jeba Hydroelectric Plc N816, 831,881.50; Kainji Hydroelectric Plc N234,815,594.62 and Shiroro Hydroelectric Plc N678,650,019.72. They are expected to pay 10 percent interest on the facility of which 2 percent is meant for administrative cost, another 2 percent to the banks and the balance of 6 percent to the apex bank. Emefiele said the funds, “Will not allow electricity distributors to go home with obscene profits but with time and the introduction of right assets, electricity tariff will come down and since they have ten years repayment period consumers will not feel the impact.” He tasked the beneficiaries to utilise the funds for the purpose it was meant for, adding that the funds was meant to clear huddles and purchase MD metres to improve on distribution and also improve the revenues for Gencos for spare parts and maintenance, so that they can be more effective. “I see this N213 billion Nigerian Electric-

ity Stabilisation Facility as a way to kick-start the electricity market in a way that ensures that the sector can deliver tangible improvement in power supply for all Nigerians. We see this facility as a major initiative to reset the economics of the power sector”, he said. Emefiele said the apex bank was working in partnership with the banking sector to provide the facility to address recent shortfalls in power sector revenues caused

by needed adjustments in the electricity tariff and legacy gas debts. The facility he explained would be paid back over the lifetime of a reset electricity tariff that is within the next 10 years. On what is expected of firms that collected the funds, he said: “I expect parties that are collecting these funds today to ensure that the funds are repaid as and when due; ensure that all inputs into the generation of power are ramped up in a con-

oreign investors sold off Nigerian stocks valued at 846.5 billion naira ($4.5 billion) last year, stock exchange data showed yesterday, 65 percent more than in 2013 as falls in oil prices and the naira currency depressed sentiment. With an Islamist insurgency raging in the country’s north and political risk added to the mix in the rum-up to national elections later this month, the exodus has extended into 2015, Reuters reported yesterday. Nigeria’s main share index, which was up 1.1 percent yester-

As at N14,737,618.7m N16,509,472.5m 8 0.0000 12 10.899 7.96 17.01 US$109.9 US$42,604,781,796.6

Description

TTM

4.00% 23-Apr-2015 13.05% 16-Aug-2016 15.10% 27-Apr-2017 16.00% 29-Jun-2019 16.39% 27-Jan-2022 10.00% 23-Jul-2030

1.21 2.53 3.22 5.39 7.98 16.47

Tenor (Days) Call 7 30 60 90 180 365

Rate (%) 11.9167 12.3333 12.6667 12.9167 13.2167 13.5000 13.7500

NIBOR

Bid Price 90.20 99.25 104.10 109.35 114.15 76.60

Offer Yield 13.01 13.40 13.47 13.49 13.44 13.59

Price 90.35 99.40 104.40 109.65 114.45 76.90

Tenor (Months) 1 2 3 6 9 12

Rate (%) 12.1827 12.2737 12.3744 12.8521 12.8535 13.8443

Treasury Bills Maturity Date 08-May-14 07-Aug-14 22-Jan-15

Bid 12.10 12.10 12.05

Bid Spot ($/N) 163.28 THE FIXINGS –NIBOR,NITTY and NIFEX of February 6,2014

NITTY

Yield 12.86 13.33 13.35 13.42 13.38 13.53

Offer 163.38

Open-Buy-Back (OBB) Overnight (O/N)

Rate (%) 11.33 11.63

NIFEX Spot ($/N)

Bid 163.4000

Offer 163.5000 Source: FMDQ

benchmark against which Nigeria’s oil is priced, slumped. Nigeria is Africa’s biggest economy and chief oil exporter. The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has regularly intervened to try to prop up the naira, doing so yesterday when the currency fell to N190.50 to the dollar. Nigeria’s foreign reserves dropped to $34 billion by January 28, down 20 percent from a year ago.

CBN to conduct auction as naira eases ll is now set for the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to conduct a primary market auction worth N192.4 billion for 90days, 182 days and 264 days this week. The same volume of bills will mature during the week. With the volatility in the foreign exchange market, fixed income seems to be the way to go. Joining CNBC Africa to review more auctions and maturities in the fixed income space in Nigeria is Adebayo Adeyemo, Market Head and Country Treasurer at Citi Nigeria.

Meanwhile, the nation’s currency, the naira, shed almost one per cent yesterday despite a CBN intervention meant to lift the currency and dollar sales from oil firm, Shell, dealers said. The currency, which opened at N188.70 to the dollar, firmed after the dollar sale. But it then dipped following a surge in demand to close at N189.25. The naira closed at N187.50 last Friday. The apex bank asked commercial lenders to bid for $500,000 each while Shell sold an undisclosed amount of dollars, dealers told Reuters.

First Bank, Zenith, GTB listed in FT’s top brands

Money Market Offer 11.85 11.85 11.80

day, has fallen 14.7 percent so far this year. It shed 16 percent in 2014. Top decliners this year include Dangote Cement, which accounts for a third of market capitalisation, down 22 percent, and Transcorp down 13 percent. Foreign investors increased the pace of stock market outflows from September, selling out of the relatively liquid banking, consumer and oil sectors as the price of Brent crude, the

Dec, 2013 Dec, 2013 Dec, 2013 2/5/2014 1/20/2014 11/6/2013 Dec, 2013 Dec, 2013 1/20/2014 2/5/2014 Source:CBN

FGN Bonds

is a national assignment and all energy should be geared towards achieving stable power supply for our people.” In his remarks, Minister of power Professor Chinedu Nebo urged the power firms to regard the funds as loan and “not a grant by any means. He said the funds are needed to cushion the effects of the miscalculations of the power firms that entered a market without a robust tariff structure including technical and commercial issues as well as collection losses beyond what was originally conceived.

2014: Foreign investors pull N846.5bn from Nigeria’s stock market

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

sistent manner; invest the funds in the necessary improvements in generation plant maintenance, transmission upgrades and distribution networks including transformers and better metering for end consumers.” Explaining the structure of the facility, the CBN governor said: “This has been structured as a 10-year facility so that the burden of the repayment will not be too much on you (electricity companies), so that it does not affect your cash flow even though the assets are yours, this

irst Bank of Nigeria Plc has been ranked number one banking brand in Nigeria by The Banker magazine of Financial Times and Brand Finance, London, United Kingdom in their annual 2015 Top 500 Banking Brands. A statement from the Country Representative of The Banker magazine - Nigeria, Mr. Kunle Ogedengbe, said First Bank moves from being number 382 in 2014 to 336 this year. Other Nigerian banks that made the ranking are Zenith

Bank, Guaranty Trust Bank and Access Bank. Zenith Bank moves to number 388 from 453 in 2014, Guaranty Trust Bank moves to 417 from 422 while Access Bank made first entry into the ranking. Brand value of First Bank according to the statement, increased to $300 million in 2015 from $228 in 2014. According to the Economics Editor of the magazine, Silvia Pavoni, the brand value is “the licensing rate that a third-party would need to pay to use that company’s brand.”

Business | Financial Market News

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2015 NEW TELEGRAPH

FMDQ Daily Quotations List

2-Feb-15

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

Bonds FGN Bonds

Price

Rating/Agency

Issuer

Description 4.00 23-APR-2015 13.05 16-AUG-2016 15.10 27-APR-2017 9.85 27-JUL-2017 9.35 31-AUG-2017 10.70 30-MAY-2018 16.00 29-JUN-2019 7.00 23-OCT-2019 16.39 27-JAN-2022 14.20 14-MAR-2024 15.00 28-NOV-2028 12.49 22-MAY-2029 8.50 20-NOV-2029 10.00 23-JUL-2030 12.1493 18-JUL-2034

Issue Date

Coupon (%)

Outstanding Value (N'bn)

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

4.00 13.05 15.10 9.85 9.35 10.70 16.00 7.00 16.39 14.20 15.00 12.49 8.50 10.00 12.1493

535.00 581.39 476.80 20.00 100.00 300.00 351.30 233.90 600.00 434.68 75.00 150.00 200.00 591.57 206.00

TOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUE

4,855.63

TOTAL MARKET CAPITALISATION

4,390.76

Rating/Agency

Issuer

Description

Maturity Date

TTM (Yrs)

23-Apr-15 16-Aug-16 27-Apr-17 27-Jul-17 31-Aug-17 30-May-18 29-Jun-19 23-Oct-19 27-Jan-22 14-Mar-24 28-Nov-28 22-May-29 20-Nov-29 23-Jul-30 18-Jul-34

0.22 1.53 2.23 2.48 2.58 3.32 4.40 4.72 6.98 9.11 13.82 14.30 14.80 15.47 19.46

Bid Yield (%)

Offer Yield (%)

Bid Price

Offer Price

12.07 15.07 15.28 15.28 15.28 15.27 15.25 15.25 15.26 15.10 15.98 16.11 16.25 15.63 15.51

11.36 14.95 15.20 15.20 15.20 15.14 15.16 15.14 15.19 15.03 15.92 16.04 16.17 15.55 15.45

98.24 97.30 99.60 89.11 87.74 88.39 102.30 72.91 104.75 95.60 94.55 79.94 57.00 67.50 79.50

98.39 97.45 99.75 89.26 87.89 88.69 102.60 73.21 105.05 95.90 94.85 80.24 57.30 67.80 79.80

Issue Date

Coupon (%)

Outstanding Value (N'bn)

Maturity Date

Avg. Life/TTM (Yrs)

Risk Premium (%)

Valuation Yield (%)

Indicative Price

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

0.00 17.25 0.00/16.00 0.00/16.50 0.00/16.50

24.56 2.70 112.22 116.70 66.49

24-May-15 03-Apr-17 08-Dec-16 19-Apr-17 06-Jul-17

0.30 1.16 1.85 2.21 2.42

0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00

2.63 2.27 2.00 1.00 1.00

95.51 99.51 98.14 97.21 93.91

Agency Bonds FMBN ***LCRM

0.00 FMB 24-MAY-2015 17.25 FMB II 03-APR-2017 0.00/16.00 LCRM 08-DEC-2016 0.00/16.50 LCRM II 19-APR-2017 0.00/16.50 LCRM III 06-JUL-2017

TOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUE

322.68

TOTAL MARKET CAPITALISATION

312.17

Sub-National Bonds A/Agusto

KADUNA

12.50 KADUNA 31-AUG-2015

31-Aug-10

12.50

8.50

31-Aug-15

0.58

0.00

4.44

96.37

A-/Agusto

*EBONYI

13.00 EBONYI 30-SEP-2015

30-Sep-10

13.00

4.18

30-Sep-15

0.41

0.00

3.23

98.43

BBB+/Agusto

*BENUE

14.00 BENUE 30-JUN-2016

30-Jun-11

14.00

4.86

30-Jun-16

0.93

0.00

4.46

95.11

‡ /Agusto

*IMO

15.50 IMO 30-JUN-2016

30-Jun-09

15.50

5.73

30-Jun-16

0.93

0.00

3.48

97.06

‡ /Agusto; ‡ /GCR

LAGOS

10.00 LAGOS 19-APR-2017

19-Apr-10

10.00

57.00

19-Apr-17

2.21

0.00

1.00

88.75

‡ /Agusto

*BAYELSA

13.75 BAYELSA 30-JUN-2017

30-Jun-10

13.75

25.73

30-Jun-17

1.48

0.00

1.00

97.02

‡ /Agusto

EDO

14.00 EDO 31-DEC-2017

30-Dec-10

14.00

25.00

31-Dec-17

2.91

0.00

1.79

93.15

‡ /Agusto; A+/GCR

*DELTA

14.00 DELTA 30-SEP-2018

30-Sep-11

14.00

34.14

30-Sep-18

2.08

0.00

1.80

95.05

‡ /Agusto; A-/GCR

NIGER

14.00 NIGER II 4-OCT-2018

04-Oct-11

14.00

9.00

04-Oct-18

2.09

0.00

1.00

96.30

14.50

13.73

09-Dec-18

2.28

0.00

1.00

96.83 89.76

‡ /Agusto; A-/GCR†

*EKITI

14.50 EKITI 09-DEC-2018

09-Dec-11

‡ /Agusto

*NIGER

14.00 NIGER III 12-DEC-2018

12-Dec-13

14.00

10.20

12-Dec-18

2.28

0.00

4.78

‡ /Agusto; A-/GCR

*ONDO

15.50 ONDO 14-FEB-2019

14-Feb-12

15.50

27.00

14-Feb-19

2.48

0.00

1.00

98.49

BBB+/Agusto; A-/GCR ‡ /Agusto; ‡ /GCR

*GOMBE LAGOS

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

BBB-/Agusto; A-/GCR

*OSUN

14.75 OSUN 12-DEC-2019

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

15.50 14.50 14.75

16.23 80.00 26.62

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

2.72 4.80 2.78

0.00 0.00 0.00

1.00 1.00 2.74

98.37 94.25 93.32

‡ /Agusto

*OSUN

14.75 OSUN II 10-OCT-2020

10-Oct-13

14.75

11.10

10-Oct-20

3.33

0.00

1.00

96.33

‡ /Agusto; ‡ /GCR

LAGOS

13.50 LAGOS IV 27-NOV-2020

27-Nov-13

13.50

87.50

27-Nov-20

5.82

0.00

1.00

89.82

A-/Agusto; BBB+/DataPro

KOGI

15.00 KOGI 31-DEC-2020

31-Dec-13

15.00

5.00

31-Dec-20

5.91

0.00

1.94

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

31-Dec-13

14.50

4.55

31-Dec-20

3.57

0.00

1.44

94.49

06-Jan-14

15.00

4.56

06-Jan-21

3.60

0.00

1.95

94.49

98.04

‡ /Agusto A-/GCR

*EKITI *NASARAWA

TOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUE TOTAL MARKET CAPITALISATION

92.00

460.61 430.17

Corporate Bonds *UPDC

10.00 UPDC 17-AUG-2015

17-Aug-10

10.00

5.00

17-Aug-15

0.29

0.00

4.88

*FLOURMILLS

12.00 FLOURMILLS 9-DEC-2015

09-Dec-10

12.00

18.75

09-Dec-15

0.60

0.00

1.00

97.78

*CHELLARAMS

14.00 CHELLARAMS 06-JAN-2016

06-Jan-11

14.00

0.42

06-Jan-16

0.68

0.00

2.63

97.72

A+/Agusto; A-/GCR

NAHCO

13.00 NAHCO 29-SEP-2016

A-/Agusto

‡ /Agusto BBB-/Agusto BB/GCR

29-Sep-16

1.66

0.00

1.00

95.56

FSDH

14.25 FSDH 25-OCT-2016

25-Oct-13

14.25

5.53

25-Oct-16

1.73

0.00

1.34

96.69

A/GCR

UBA

13.00 UBA 30-SEP-2017

30-Sep-10

29-Sep-11

13.00

20.00

15.00

30-Sep-17

2.66

0.00

1.00

93.09

BBB-/GCR

*C & I LEASING *DANA#{r}

18.00 C&I LEASING 30-NOV-2017

30-Nov-12

18.00

0.64

30-Nov-17

1.68

0.00

1.88

102.06

Nil

MPR+7.00 DANA 9-APR-2018

09-Apr-11

16.00

6.30

09-Apr-18

1.68

0.00

3.48

96.49

A-/DataPro†; B+/GCR

*TOWER#

MPR+7.00 TOWER 9-SEP-2018

09-Sep-11

18.00

2.90

09-Sep-18

1.85

0.00

5.20

96.70

AAA/DataPro†; A/GCR

*TOWER#

MPR+5.25 TOWER 9-SEP-2018

09-Sep-11

16.00

0.80

09-Sep-18

1.85

0.00

5.06

94.10

A/Agusto; A/GCR

UBA

14.00 UBA II 22-SEP-2018

22-Sep-11

14.00

35.00

22-Sep-18

3.64

0.00

1.35

93.03

Bbb+/Agusto; BBB+/GCR

15.75 LA CASERA 18-OCT-2018

18-Oct-13

15.75

2.40

18-Oct-18

1.96

0.00

2.29

97.30

BBB-/DataPro†; BB/GCR

*LA CASERA *CHELLARAMS#

MPR+5.00 CHELLARAMS II 17-FEB-2019

17-Feb-12

18.00

0.41

17-Feb-19

2.04

0.00

6.11

95.04

Nil

*DANA#{r}

16.00 DANA II 1-APR-2019

01-Apr-14

16.00

4.50

01-Apr-19

2.91

0.00

2.16

96.81

A+/Agusto; A-/GCR

NAHCO

15.25 NAHCO II 14-NOV-2020

14-Nov-13

15.25

2.05

14-Nov-20

5.78

0.00

2.76

90.24

A/GCR

STANBIC IBTC

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

30-Sep-14

11.93

0.10

30-Sep-24

9.66

0.00

1.00

79.97

A/GCR

STANBIC IBTC

13.25 STANBIC IB 30-SEP-2024

30-Sep-14

13.25

15.44

30-Sep-24

9.66

0.00

1.00

86.35

TOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUE

135.24

TOTAL MARKET CAPITALISATION

127.14

Supranational Bond AAA/S&P

IFC

10.20 IFC 11-FEB-2018

11-Feb-13

10.20

12.00

11-Feb-18

3.03

0.00

1.00

85.92

Aaa/Moody's; AAA/S&P

AfDB

11.25 AFDB 1-FEB-2021

10-Jul-14

11.25

12.95

01-Feb-21

4.75

0.00

1.00

84.74

Bid Price

Offer Price

TOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUE

24.95 21.28

TOTAL MARKET CAPITALISATION Rating/Agency

Issuer

Description

Issue Date

Coupon (%)

Outstanding Value ($mm)

Maturity Date

Bid Yield (%)

Offer Yield (%)

6.75 JAN 28, 2021

07-Oct-11

6.75

500.00

28-Jan-21

7.36

7.11

97.11

98.28

5.13 JUL 12, 2018

12-Jul-13

5.13

500.00

12-Jul-18

6.15

5.79

96.87

97.95

6.38 JUL 12, 2023

12-Jul-13

6.38

500.00

12-Jul-23

7.64

7.44

92.22

93.39

FGN Eurobonds

Prices & Yields

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

FGN

BB-/Fitch; BB-/S&P

TOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUE

1,500.00

TOTAL MARKET CAPITALISATION

1,430.99

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

AFREN PLC I

11.50 FEB 01, 2016

01-Feb-11

11.50

450.00

01-Feb-16

174.91

33.50

B+/Fitch; B+/S&P

GTBANK PLC I

7.50 MAY 19, 2016

19-May-11

7.50

500.00

19-May-16

6.97

100.63

B+/S&P

ACCESS BANK PLC

7.25 JUL 25, 2017

25-Jul-12

7.25

350.00

25-Jul-17

11.28

91.50

B/Fitch; B/S&P

FIDELITY BANK PLC

6.88 MAY 09, 2018

09-May-13

6.88

300.00

02-May-18

13.70

12.69

82.50

84.83

B+/Fitch; B+/S&P

GTBANK PLC

6.00 NOV 08, 2018

08-Nov-13

6.00

400.00

08-Nov-18

10.98

9.55

84.96

88.99

B/Fitch

AFREN PLC II

10.25 APR 08, 2019

08-Apr-12

10.25

300.00

08-Apr-19

41.19

40.50

B+/Fitch; BB-/S&P

ZENITH BANK PLC

6.25 APR 22, 2019

22-Apr-14

6.25

500.00

22-Apr-19

11.48

82.88

B/Fitch; B/S&P

DIAMOND BANK PLC

8.75 May 21, 2019

21-May-14

8.75

200.00

21-May-19

14.76

13.76

81.32

84.10

B-/Fitch; B/S&P

FIRST BANK PLC

8.25 AUG 07, 2020

07-Aug-13

8.25

300.00

07-Aug-20

12.70

82.00

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

AFREN PLC III ACCESS BANK PLC II FIRST BANK LTD

6.63 DEC 09, 2020 9.25/6M USD LIBOR+7.677 JUN 24, 2021 8.00/2Y USD SWAP+6.488 JUL 23 2021

09-Dec-13 24-Jun-14 23-Jul-14

6.63 9.25 8.00

360.00 400.00 450.00

09-Dec-20 24-Jun-21 23-Jul-21

30.74 13.29 12.67

30.74 12.86 12.67

36.25 82.75 78.99

36.25 84.38 78.99

B-/S&P

ECOBANK NIG. LTD

8.75 AUG 14, 2021

14-Aug-14

8.75

250.00

14-Aug-21

10.74

10.52

89.94

90.90

TOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUE

4,760.00

TOTAL MARKET CAPITALISATION

3,547.79

**Treasury Bills DTM 10 17 24 31 38 45 52 59

FIXINGS Maturity 12-Feb-15 19-Feb-15 26-Feb-15 5-Mar-15 12-Mar-15 19-Mar-15 26-Mar-15 2-Apr-15

Bid Discount (%) 11.10 11.55 11.45 12.50 12.54 11.98 12.77 13.50

Offer Discount (%) 10.85 11.30 11.20 12.25 12.29 11.73 12.52 13.25

Bid Yield (%) 11.13 11.61 11.54 12.63 12.71 12.16 13.01 13.80

Money Market Tenor

NIBOR Tenor O/N 1M 3M 6M

Rate (%) 10.2917 13.5143 14.7865 15.8640

Rate (%)

OBB

9.17

O/N

9.50

Tenor Call 1M

REPO

Rate (%) 9.50 13.00

Foreign Exchange (Spot & Forwards) Tenor

Bid ($/N)

Offer ($/N)

Spot 7D 14D 1M 2M 3M

189.10 188.29 188.58 189.28 190.55 191.83

189.20 188.40 188.73 189.74 191.56 193.33

0.00/16.50 LCRM III 06-JUL-2017

06-Jul-12

0.00/16.50

66.49

TOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUE

322.68

TOTAL MARKET CAPITALISATION

312.17

06-Jul-17

2.42

1.00

16.27

93.91

Sub-National Bonds A/Agusto

KADUNA

12.50 KADUNA 31-AUG-2015

31-Aug-10

12.50

8.50

31-Aug-15

0.58

4.44

19.39

96.37

A-/Agusto

*EBONYI

13.00 EBONYI 30-SEP-2015

30-Sep-10

13.00

4.18

30-Sep-15

0.41

3.23

17.03

98.43

BBB+/Agusto

*BENUE

14.00 BENUE 30-JUN-2016

30-Jun-11

14.00

4.86

30-Jun-16

0.93

4.46

20.05

95.11

‡ /Agusto

*IMO

15.50 IMO 30-JUN-2016

30-Jun-09

15.50

5.73

30-Jun-16

0.93

3.48

19.07

97.06

10.00 LAGOS 19-APR-2017

19-Apr-10

10.00

57.00

19-Apr-17

2.21

1.00

16.24

88.75

‡ /Agusto; ‡ /GCR NEW TELEGRAPH TUESDAY,LAGOS FEBRUARY 3, 2015

Business | Financial Market News

‡ /Agusto

*BAYELSA

13.75 BAYELSA 30-JUN-2017

30-Jun-10

13.75

25.73

30-Jun-17

1.48

1.00

16.12

97.02

‡ /Agusto

EDO

14.00 EDO 31-DEC-2017

30-Dec-10

14.00

25.00

31-Dec-17

2.91

1.79

17.07

93.15

‡ /Agusto; A+/GCR

*DELTA

14.00 DELTA 30-SEP-2018

30-Sep-11

14.00

34.14

30-Sep-18

2.08

1.80

17.02

95.05

‡ /Agusto; A-/GCR

NIGER

14.00 NIGER II 4-OCT-2018

04-Oct-11

14.00

9.00

04-Oct-18

2.09

1.00

16.22

96.30

‡ /Agusto; A-/GCR†

*EKITI

14.50 EKITI 09-DEC-2018

09-Dec-11

14.50

13.73

09-Dec-18

2.28

1.00

16.25

96.83

‡ /Agusto

*NIGER

14.00 NIGER III 12-DEC-2018

12-Dec-13

14.00

10.20

12-Dec-18

2.28

4.78

20.03

89.76

‡ /Agusto; A-/GCR

*ONDO

15.50 ONDO 14-FEB-2019

14-Feb-12

15.50

27.00

14-Feb-19

2.48

1.00

16.28

98.49

BBB+/Agusto; A-/GCR ‡ /Agusto; ‡ /GCR

*GOMBE LAGOS

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

BBB-/Agusto; A-/GCR

*OSUN

14.75 OSUN 12-DEC-2019

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

15.50 14.50 14.75

16.23 80.00 26.62

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

2.72 4.80 2.78

1.00 1.00 2.74

16.28 16.25 18.02

98.37 94.25 93.32

10-Oct-13

14.75

11.10

10-Oct-20

3.33

1.00

16.27

96.33

10.74

10.52

89.94

90.90

Guinness reports 27% pre-tax profit drop

‡ /Agusto

African equity markets raised $11bn in 2014 –Report

*OSUN OSUN II 10-OCT-2020 uinness Nigeria The N3.2014.75 kobo pro27-Nov-13 13.50 87.50 27-Nov-20 5.82 1.00 16.25 89.82 ‡ /Agusto; ‡ /GCR LAGOS 13.50 LAGOS IV 27-NOV-2020 Plc,BBB+/DataPro one of the top posed dividend payout 31-Dec-13 15.00 5.00 31-Dec-20 5.91 1.94 17.20 92.00 A-/Agusto; KOGI 15.00 KOGI 31-DEC-2020 31-Dec-13 14.50 31-Dec-20 16.70 Nigerian brewers, to shareholders ofII 31-DEC-2020 the was raised in 20144.55 in the markets was 3.57 strong in1.44 departure from94.49 its more ‡ /Agusto *EKITI 14.50 EKITI MOST ACTIVE 06-Jan-14 African 15.00 equity markets 4.56 06-Jan-21 17.21 94.49 *NASARAWA 15.00aNASARAWA 06-JAN-2021 2014 with an3.60increase1.95 prominent position in hasA-/GCR recorded a 27 per company was drop of TOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUE 460.61 across the continent, cent drop in profit be- 54.28 per cent compared in equity capital market prior years. The JSE retained TOTAL MARKET 430.17 almost equal to the com- activity of 40 per cent in PwC South Africa Capifore tax for the CAPITALISATION half year with N7.00 paid in the its position in 2014 bined money raised in terms of volume of of- tal Markets Partner, Coenended December previous year. Corporate Bonds 31, 2014. the whole of 2012 fers and 100 per noted a The company, in a filThe company’s as the most active 10.00 UPDCresult 17-AUG-2015 17-Aug-10 10.00 5.00 and 17-Aug-15 0.29 cent in 4.88 raad Richardson, 17.25 98.04 ‡ /Agusto *UPDC FLOURMILLS 09-Dec-10 12.00 18.75 09-Dec-15of capital 0.60 raised 1.00 counterpoint 15.98 97.78 *FLOURMILLS 2013, which totalled terms in respect of ingBBB-/Agusto with the Nigerian for the year 12.00 ended June9-DEC-2015 African market 06-Jan-11 14.00 CHELLARAMS 06-JAN-2016 BB/GCR 14.00 0.42 06-Jan-16 0.68 17.76 97.72 *CHELLARAMS when compared with2.63 further $11.1billion. offers (FOs). Stock Exchange, said the 30, 2013 had shown a 13.00 NAHCO 29-SEP-2016 A+/Agusto; A-/GCR 29-Sep-11 13.00 15.00 29-Sep-16 1.66 1.00 16.13 95.56 NAHCO year activity . We1.34 During 2014, IPO ac- prior “While IPO 96.69 activity first-half pretax profit considerable14.25 dip in key FSDH 25-OCT-2016 A-/Agusto 25-Oct-13 14.25 5.53 25-Oct-16 1.73 16.48 FSDH tivities also increased noted a few instances of across the continent infellA/GCR to N4.65 billion, down profitability indices, 13.00 UBA 30-SEP-2017 30-Sep-10 13.00 20.00 30-Sep-17 2.66 1.00 16.28 93.09 UBA Stories by Chris Ugwu overall from management following1.88 creased its share102.06 vis-à-vis 27.4BBB-/GCR per cent from N6.41 though the revenue and30-NOV-2017 18.00 C&I LEASING 30-Nov-12 18.00in number 0.64 30-Nov-17 1.68 17.01 *C & I LEASING MPR+7.00 DANA 9-APR-2018 09-Apr-11 16.00 6.30 18.61 FOs remained 96.49 Nil *DANA net assets grew a 09-Apr-18 dual-track 1.68 approach3.48 the JSE, 20 to 24 IPOs, and doubled billion a year ago. by four TOWER 9-SEP-2018 09-Sep-11 18.00 of capital 2.90 09-Sep-18 at maximising 1.85 5.20 dominated 20.37 A-/DataPro†; B+/GCRturnover *TOWER per cent andMPR+7.00 by96.70 capital ear 2014 saw the in terms raised aimed However, 19 per cent MPR+5.25 TOWER 9-SEP-2018 09-Sep-11 16.00 0.80 09-Sep-18 1.85 5.06 20.23 94.10 AAA/DataPro†; A/GCR *TOWER highest level to $1.7billion from $0.8bilvalue for existing shareraising in South Africa, rose to N55.26 billion in each to N131.4 billion and 14.00 UBA II 22-SEP-2018 A/Agusto; A/GCR 22-Sep-11 14.00 35.00 22-Sep-18 3.64 1.35 16.61 93.03 UBA of activities in lion in 2013. holders, and consistent accounted theBbb+/Agusto; six-month period*LA toCASERA N46.03 billion compared 15.75 LA CASERA 18-OCT-2018 BBB+/GCR 18-Oct-13 15.75 2.40 18-Oct-18 1.96 2.29 which 17.48 97.30 for 87 in The report analysed with the growth December with N126.3 MPR+5.00 billion and II 17-FEB-2019 African equity CHELLARAMS 17-Feb-12 18.00 0.41 17-Feb-19 2.04 in other 6.11 per cent 21.32 of proceeds 95.04 BBB-/DataPro†;from BB/GCR N52.75 *CHELLARAMS DANA II 1-APR-2019 capital markets over 01-Apr-14 16.00capital market 4.50 01-Apr-19of capital 2.91 raising 2.16 2014. This 17.44 96.81 Nil the equity forms is a reflection billion a year earlier. *DANA N38.6 billion16.00 respective15.25 NAHCO II 14-NOV-2020 14-Nov-20 across5.78 90.24stabilA+/Agusto; A-/GCRhad report14-Nov-13 15.25 NAHCO ly recorded same previous five years, and transactions that2.05took activity Africa.” 2.76 of the18.01 depth and Guinness period 182D T.bills+1.20 STANBIC IA 30-SEP-2024 30-Sep-14 11.93 0.10 30-Sep-24 9.66 1.00 16.07 79.97 STANBIC IBTC a significant increase in in 2012. Profit before tax place between 2010-2014 The report showed a ity of the South African ed aA/GCR 31 per cent decline in 13.25 STANBIC IB 30-SEP-2024 A/GCR 30-Sep-14 13.25 15.44 30-Sep-24 9.66 1.00 16.07 86.35 STANBIC IBTC both transaction volume on Exchanges throughsignificant share of capilisted company and inpre-tax profit for the year however, dropped by 17 TOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUE 135.24 per cent to N17.008 bil- and capital raised during out Africa as well as tal was raised in markets vestor base, underpinned ended June 30, 2014. TOTAL MARKET CAPITALISATION 127.14 In a financial state- lion as against N20.383 2014 compared to the prior transactions by African outside of South Africa, by a securities exchange Supranational Bond year, according to a report companies on interna- with Johannesburg list- regulatory framework ment released to the Ni- billion recorded in 2012. 10.20 after IFC 11-FEB-2018 AAA/S&PStock Exchange IFC 11-Feb-13 11-Feb-18 3.03 for only 1.00 ranked 16.27number 85.92 one in . tional10.20 Exchanges.12.00 ings accounting gerian Also, profit tax issued by PwC yesterday Aaa/Moody's; AfDB 11.25 Africa Capital 12.95 4.75 44 per 1.00 the world 16.25 84.74World by the declined by 11.25 17 AFDB per1-FEB-2021 cent PwC’s inaugural10-Jul-14 pubPwC 3201-Feb-21 per cent and (NSE), the AAA/S&P company said TOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUE to N11.8 billion from lication entitled, IPO Markets Leader, 24.95 Nicho- cent of total IPO capital Economic Forum’s 2014its profit before tax (PBT) MARKET CAPITALISATION “The raised in 2013 and 2014, 2015 Global Competitivefor TOTAL the year dropped by 31 N14.2 billion it recorded Watch Africa 2014, re- las Ganz, said:21.28 respectively, a notable ness Report,” he said. vealed that $11 billion performance of African per cent from N17.0 bil- in 2012. Outstanding Value Description Rating/Agency Issuer Issue Date Coupon (%) Maturity Date Bid Yield (%) Offer Yield (%) Bid Price Offer Price lion in 2013 to N11.68 bil($mm) lionFGN inEurobonds the review period Also, other financial subPrices & Yields of 2014. sector, boosted by activities 6.75 JAN 28, 2021 BB-/Fitch; B+/S&Palso report07-Oct-11 6.75 500.00 28-Jan-21 7.36 7.11 97.11 98.28 in the shares of FBNH Plc, Guinness followed with a turnover of market performance meaed BB-/Fitch; a decline in its postrading activities on the Meanwhile, a turnover FGN 5.13 JUL 12, 2018 12-Jul-13 5.13 500.00 12-Jul-18 6.15 5.79 96.87 97.95 taxBB-/S&P profit of 19 per cent floor of the Nigerian sures, the NSE All Share of 254.8 billion shares 51.3 million shares valued at BB-/Fitch; 6.38 JUL 12, 2023 12-Jul-13 6.38 12-Jul-23 7.645,501 7.44 92.22 93.39deals. to BB-/S&P N9.573 billion from Stock Exchange (NSE) Index and market capitalisa-500.00worth N3.2 billion in N238.5 million in 755 N11.863 billion in its year opened the week yesterday tion, rose by 1.07 per cent as deals was recorded during The number of gainers at TOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUE 1,500.00 the day’s trading. 2014 audited year. on a positive note, as the bulls market sentiments beamed the close of trading was 21, TOTAL MARKET CAPITALISATION 1,430.99 while decliners closed at 22. Revenues also deregain their stronghold, fol- green light to trade up on a Banking sub-sector of Corporate Eurobondsbillion clined to N109.20 lowing gains recorded by positive note. the financial services secDangote Sugar Plc led 11.50 FEB 01, 2016 B/Fitch; B-/S&P 01-Feb-11 11.50 the All-450.00tor was01-Feb-16 33.50 33.50 with the gainers’ table in the 12-month periodAFREN to PLC I some blue chip companies. Consequently, the most 174.91 active 174.91 7.50 MAY 19, 2016had overB+/Fitch; GTBANK PLC I 19-May-11Index gained 7.50 19-May-16 6.97 6.97 10.12 per100.63 cent to 100.63 close at Low sentiments June 30,B+/S&P compared with Share 320.21500.00during the day (measured JUL 25, 2017 B+/S&P ACCESS BANK PLC 25-Jul-12points or 7.25 1.07 per350.00by turnover 25-Jul-17volume); 11.28with 11.28 91.50 GSK shadowed7.25the market due to basis N122.46 billion during N7.51 per91.50 share, while 6.88 MAY 09, B/S&P FIDELITY BANK PLC 09-May-13 02-May-18 82.50 84.83 theB/Fitch; same period last year. current upset in2018the finan- cent to close at 6.88 29,882.28 as300.00103 million shares 13.70 worth 12.69 Plc and Honeywell Plc fol6.00 NOV 08, 2018 B+/Fitch; B+/S&P GTBANK PLC 08-Nov-13 6.00 08-Nov-18 10.98 9.55 84.96 exchanged Also, in a corporate accial market arising from against 29,562.07 recorded400.00N769.5 million lowed with a gain88.99 of five 10.25 APR 08, 2019 B/Fitch AFREN PLC II 08-Apr-12 10.25 300.00 08-Apr-19 41.19 41.19 40.50 40.50 per cent each to close at tion to the Exchange, the drop in oil prices, insecurity , the previous day, while the by investors in 2,772 deals. 6.25 APR 22, 2019 B+/Fitch; BB-/S&P ZENITH BANK PLC 22-Apr-14 6.25 500.00 22-Apr-19 11.48 11.48 82.88 82.88 brewer declared a divibuild up to 2015 elections, remarket capitalisation of eqVolume in the sub-sector N42.00 and N3.15 per share 8.75 May 21, 2019 B/Fitch; B/S&P DIAMOND BANK PLC 21-May-14 8.75 200.00 21-May-19 14.76 13.76 81.32 84.10 dend of B/S&P N3.20 per share capitalisation fever, among uities appreciated was largely driven by12.70 activi- 12.70 respectively. Ikeja82.00Hotels 8.25 AUG 07, 2020 B-/Fitch; FIRST BANK PLC 07-Aug-13 8.25 by N107300.00 07-Aug-20 82.00 Plc trailed growth to investors others, that have billion cent as360.00ties in the shares of 30.74 Access 30.74 6.63 DEC 09, 2020kept barB-/Fitch; B/S&P of the comAFREN PLC III 09-Dec-13 or 1.07 per 6.63 09-Dec-20 36.25 with a36.25 9.25/6M USD LIBOR+7.677 JUN B-/Fitch; ACCESS BANK PLC II 24-Jun-14 sentiment 9.25 returned400.00 13.29 82.75 cent to84.38 of 4.93 per close at pany inB/S&P its 2014 audited gain hunters at bay . 24, 2021 market Bank Plc24-Jun-21 and Sterling Bank 12.86 8.00/2Y USD SWAP+6.488 JUL 23 2021 B-/Fitch; B/S&P FIRST BANK LTD 8.00 450.00 23-Jul-21 12.67 12.67 year end, Consequently, the key to23-Jul-14 the green territory. Plc. N3.19 per78.99 share. 78.99

#{r}

Equities market gains N107bn

B-/S&P

8.75 AUG 14, 2021

ECOBANK NIG. LTD

TOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUE

14-Aug-14

8.75

250.00

FMDQ Daily Quotations List

TOTAL MARKET CAPITALISATION

14-Aug-21

4,760.00

2-Feb-15

3,547.79

The DQL contains data relating to, amongst other things, market and model prices, rates of foreign exchange products, fixed income securities and instruments in the financial market (the “Information”). The Information does not constitute **Treasury Bills FIXINGS Money Market Foreign & Forwards) professional, financial or investment advice. We attempt to ensure the Information is accurate; however, the Information is provided “AS IS” and on an “AS AVAILABLE” basis and may not be accurate or upExchange to date. (Spot We do not guarantee DTM Maturity Bid Discount (%) Offer Discount (%) Bid Yield (%) Tenor Rate (%) NIBORfor the results of any action taken on the basis of the Information. the accuracy, timeliness, completeness, performance or fitness for a particular purpose of any of the Information, neither do we accept liability 10 12-Feb-15 11.10 10.85 11.13 17 24 FGN Bonds 31 38 45 Rating/Agency 52 59 66 73 80 87 94 101 108 122 NA 129 143 150 164 171 178 185 213 304 TOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUE 318 339 TOTAL MARKET CAPITALISATION 353

19-Feb-15 26-Feb-15 5-Mar-15 12-Mar-15 19-Mar-15 Issuer 26-Mar-15 2-Apr-15 9-Apr-15 16-Apr-15 23-Apr-15 30-Apr-15 7-May-15 14-May-15 21-May-15 4-Jun-15 NA 11-Jun-15 25-Jun-15 2-Jul-15 16-Jul-15 23-Jul-15 30-Jul-15 6-Aug-15 3-Sep-15 3-Dec-15 17-Dec-15 7-Jan-16 21-Jan-16

11.55 11.45 12.50 12.54 11.98 Description 12.77 13.50 4.00 23-APR-2015 13.30 13.30 13.05 16-AUG-2016 13.35 15.10 27-APR-2017 13.55 9.85 27-JUL-2017 11.30 9.35 31-AUG-2017 12.90 10.70 30-MAY-2018 13.70 16.00 29-JUN-2019 14.00 7.00 23-OCT-2019 14.20 16.39 27-JAN-2022 14.35 14.20 14-MAR-2024 14.40 15.00 28-NOV-2028 13.36 12.49 22-MAY-2029 14.15 13.00 8.50 20-NOV-2029 13.90 10.00 23-JUL-2030 13.85 12.1493 18-JUL-2034 13.75 13.70 13.90 14.10

*for the Amortising bonds, the average life is calculated and not the duration

Risk Rating/Agency Premium is a combination of credit riskIssuer and liquidity risk premiums **Exclusive of non-trading t.bills #

11.30 11.20 12.25 12.29 11.73 Issue Date 12.52 13.25 23-Apr-10 13.05 13.05 16-Aug-13 13.10 27-Apr-12 13.30 27-Jul-07 11.05 31-Aug-07 12.65 30-May-08 13.45 29-Jun-12 13.75 23-Oct-09 13.95 27-Jan-12 14.10 14-Mar-14 14.15 28-Nov-08 13.11 22-May-09 13.90 12.75 20-Nov-09 13.65 23-Jul-10 13.60 18-Jul-14 13.50 13.45 13.65 13.85

Description

Bonds

11.61 11.54 12.63 12.71 12.16 Coupon 13.01 (%) 13.80 4.00 13.63 13.66 13.05 13.75 15.10 14.00 9.85 11.64 9.35 13.38 10.70 14.28 16.00 14.69 7.00 14.95 16.39 15.20 14.20 15.31 15.00 14.21 12.49 15.15 13.88 8.50 14.95 10.00 15.07 12.1493 15.53 15.56 15.96 16.33

Tenor O/N 1M 3M 6M Outstanding

(N'bn)

Value

Rate (%) 10.2917 13.5143 14.7865 15.8640

OBB

9.17

O/N

9.50

REPO

Tenor TTM Call (Yrs) 1M 3M0.22 6M1.53

Maturity Date

535.00 23-Apr-15 NITTY 581.39 16-Aug-16 Tenor Rate (%) 476.80 27-Apr-17 1M 12.2179 20.00 27-Jul-17 2M 14.0240 100.00 31-Aug-17 3M 14.0301 300.00 30-May-18 6M 14.4273 351.30 29-Jun-19 9M 15.3230 233.90 23-Oct-19 12M 16.3746 600.00 27-Jan-22 434.68 14-Mar-24 75.00 28-Nov-28 NIFEX 150.00 22-May-29 Current Price ($/N)20-Nov-29 200.00 BID($/N) 591.57 189.4000 23-Jul-30 OFFER ($/N) 189.5000 206.00 18-Jul-34

4,855.63

Rate (%) Bid Yield 9.50 13.00 12.07 13.50 14.00 15.07

Tenor

(%)

Bid ($/N)

Spot 7D 14D 1M Yield Offer 2M (%) 3M 6M11.36 1Y14.95

2.23 15.28 15.20 2.48 15.28 15.20 2.58 15.28 15.20 :Benchmarks 3.32 15.27 15.14 * :Amortising Bond 4.40 15.25 15.16 µ :Convertible Bond 4.72Management Corporation 15.25 15.14 AMCON: Asset of Nigeria 6.98 15.26 15.19 FGN: Federal Government of Nigeria 9.11Mortgage Bank of 15.10 15.03 FMBN: Federal Nigeria 13.82 Finance Corporation 15.98 15.92 IFC: International 14.30 16.11 Management 16.04 LCRM: Local Contractors Receivables NAHCO: Nigerian 14.80 Aviation Handling 16.25Company 16.17 O/N: Overnight 15.47 15.63 15.55 UPDC: UAC19.46 Property Development Company 15.51 15.45 NOTE:

WAPCO:West Africa Portland Cement Company

Offer ($/N)

189.10 189.20 188.29 188.40 Price 188.58 188.73 189.28 189.74 Bid Price Offer Price 190.55 191.56 191.83 193.33 98.24 98.39 196.20 199.17 205.53 211.11 97.30 97.45

99.60 99.75 89.11 89.26 87.74 87.89 NA :Not Applicable 88.39 88.69 # :Floating Rate Bond 102.30 102.60 ***: Deferred coupon bonds 72.91 73.21 104.75under review105.05 ‡ : Bond rating 95.60expired 95.90 †: Bond rating 94.55 94.85 N/A :Not Available {r} :Issuer 79.94 in receivership 80.24 57.00 57.30 NGC: Nigeria-German Company 67.50 67.80 UBA: United Bank for Africa 79.80 79.50

4,390.76

Issue Date

Coupon (%)

Outstanding Value (N'bn)

Maturity Date

Avg. Life/TTM (Yrs)

# Risk Premium (%)

Valuation Yield (%)

Indicative Price

24-May-15 03-Apr-17 08-Dec-16 19-Apr-17 06-Jul-17

0.30 1.16 1.85 2.21 2.42

2.63 2.27 2.00 1.00 1.00

15.24 17.78 17.17 16.24 16.27

95.51 99.51 98.14 97.21 93.91

Agency Bonds

FMBN ***LCRM

TOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUEModified Duration Buckets TOTAL MARKET CAPITALISATION Sub-National Bonds A/Agusto

KADUNA

A-/Agusto

*EBONYI

BBB+/Agusto

*BENUE

‡ /Agusto

*IMO

‡ /Agusto; ‡ /GCR

LAGOS

‡ /Agusto

*BAYELSA

‡ /Agusto

EDO

‡ /Agusto; A+/GCR

*DELTA

‡ /Agusto; A-/GCR

NIGER

‡ /Agusto; A-/GCR†

*EKITI

0.00 FMB 24-MAY-2015 17.25 FMB II 03-APR-2017 0.00/16.00 LCRM 08-DEC-2016 0.00/16.50 LCRM II 19-APR-2017 0.00/16.50 LCRM III 06-JUL-2017 Porfolio Market Value(Bn)

Total Outstanding Volume(Bn)

24-May-12 03-Apr-12 09-Dec-11FMDQ 20-Apr-12 06-Jul-12

Weighting by Outstanding Vol

0.00 17.25 0.00/16.00 FGN BOND 0.00/16.50 0.00/16.50

Weighting by Mkt Value

24.56 2.70 INDEX 112.22 116.70 66.49 Bucket322.68 Weighting

% Exposure_ Mod_Duration

Implied Yield

Implied Portfolio Price

INDEX

YTD Return (%)

1,040.58

1,058.18

32.64

34.60

312.170.33

13.06

15.18

118.2674

1,123.30

1.3946

3<5

1,403.43

1,385.98

42.75

46.67

0.43

46.01

15.20

121.1479

1,025.83

1.3098

797.57

24.60 31-Aug-10 100.00 30-Sep-10 30-Jun-11 30-Jun-09 19-Apr-10 30-Jun-10 30-Dec-10 30-Sep-11 04-Oct-11 09-Dec-11

18.73 12.50 100.00 13.00 14.00 15.50 10.00 13.75 14.00 14.00 14.00 14.50

0.25

40.93 31-Aug-15 100.00 30-Sep-15 30-Jun-16 30-Jun-16 19-Apr-17 30-Jun-17 31-Dec-17 30-Sep-18 04-Oct-18 09-Dec-18

15.59 0.58 15.36 0.41 0.93 0.93 2.21 1.48 2.91 2.08 2.09 2.28

84.1718 4.44 111.1103 3.23 4.46 3.48 1.00 1.00 1.79 1.80 1.00 1.00

984.12 19.39 1,061.01 17.03 20.05 19.07 16.24 16.12 17.07 17.02 16.22 16.25

2.2740 96.37 0.5518 98.43 95.11 97.06 88.75 97.02 93.15 95.05 96.30 96.83

>5 Market

563.08 12.50 KADUNA 31-AUG-2015 3,007.09 13.00 EBONYI 30-SEP-2015 14.00 BENUE 30-JUN-2016 15.50 IMO 30-JUN-2016 10.00 LAGOS 19-APR-2017 13.75 BAYELSA 30-JUN-2017 14.00 EDO 31-DEC-2017 14.00 DELTA 30-SEP-2018 14.00 NIGER II 4-OCT-2018 14.50 EKITI 09-DEC-2018

3,241.73

8.50 4.18 4.86 5.73 57.00 25.73 25.00 34.14 9.00 13.73

1.00

Daily Summary as of 02/02/2015

Business | Capital Market

Printed 02/02/2015 15:03:44.044

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2015 NEW TELEGRAPH

Daily Summary as of 02/02/2015 Printed 02/02/2015 15:03:44.044

Daily Summary (Bonds)

The Nigerian Stock Market Exchange as at February 2, 2015

No Debt Trading Activity

Daily Summary (Equities)

Activity Summary on Board EQTY

Activity Summary on Board EQTY AGRICULTURE Crop Production OKOMU OIL PALM PLC. PRESCO PLC Crop Production Totals

Symbol OKOMUOIL PRESCO

No. of Deals 34 18 52

Current Price 27.45 31.04

Quantity Traded 351,063 188,009 539,072

Value Traded 9,637,433.49 5,846,631.95 15,484,065.44

Fishing/Hunting/Trapping ELLAH LAKES PLC. Fishing/Hunting/Trapping Totals

Symbol ELLAHLAKES

No. of Deals 1 1

Current Price 4.26

Quantity Traded 100 100

Value Traded 405.00 405.00

Livestock/Animal Specialties LIVESTOCK FEEDS PLC. Livestock/Animal Specialties Totals

Symbol LIVESTOCK

No. of Deals 13 13

Current Price 2.20

Quantity Traded 59,314 59,314

Value Traded 126,401.94 126,401.94

598,486

15,610,872.38

Quantity Traded 108 10,316,010 350,326 10,666,444

Value Traded 455.76 29,998,107.75 12,983,425.85 42,981,989.36

Daily Summary as of 02/02/2015 AGRICULTURE Totals Printed 02/02/2015 15:03:44.044 CONGLOMERATES Diversified Industries S C O A NIG. PLC. TRANSNATIONAL CORPORATION OF NIGERIA PLC U A C N PLC. Diversified Industries Totals

66 Symbol SCOA DailyTRANSCORP Summary UACN

Activity Summary on Board EQTY

No. of Deals 1 177 (Equities) 42 220

CONGLOMERATES Published by The Nigerian Stock Exchange © CONGLOMERATES Totals CONSTRUCTION/REAL ESTATE Building Structure/Completion/Other COSTAIN (W A) PLC. Building Structure/Completion/Other Totals

Current Price 4.44 2.90 37.00

Page 10,666,444

220 No. of Deals 18 18

Current Price 0.75

Quantity Traded 719,435 719,435

Value Traded 527,532.45 527,532.45

Infrastructure/Heavy Construction JULIUS BERGER NIG. PLC. Infrastructure/Heavy Construction Totals

Symbol JBERGER

No. of Deals 13 13

Current Price 44.89

Quantity Traded 17,465 17,465

Value Traded 791,505.40 791,505.40

Real Estate Development UACN PROPERTY DEVELOPMENT CO. LIMITED Real Estate Development Totals

Symbol UAC-PROP

No. of Deals 11 11

Current Price 9.13

Quantity Traded 29,808 29,808

Value Traded 271,340.95 271,340.95

Symbol SKYESHELT

No. of Deals 1 1

Current Price 100.00

Quantity Traded 1,500 1,500

Value Traded 150,000.00 150,000.00

768,208

1,740,378.80

Quantity Traded 820,000 820,000

Value Traded 410,000.00 410,000.00

CONSTRUCTION/REAL ESTATE Totals CONSUMER GOODS Automobiles/Auto Parts DN TYRE & RUBBER PLC Automobiles/Auto Parts Totals Activity Summary on Board EQTY CONSUMER GOODS Beverages--Brewers/Distillers Published by The Nigerian Stock Exchange CHAMPION BREW. PLC. © GOLDEN GUINEA BREW. PLC. GUINNESS NIG PLC INTERNATIONAL BREWERIES PLC. NIGERIAN BREW. PLC. Beverages--Brewers/Distillers Totals Beverages--Non-Alcoholic 7-UP BOTTLING COMP. PLC. Beverages--Non-Alcoholic Totals Food Products DANGOTE FLOUR MILLS PLC DANGOTE SUGAR REFINERY PLC FLOUR MILLS NIG. PLC. HONEYWELL FLOUR MILL PLC Daily Summary as of 02/02/2015 NATIONAL SALT CO. NIG. PLC Printed 02/02/2015 15:03:44.044 UTC NIG. PLC. Food Products Totals Food Products--Diversified CADBURY NIGERIA PLC. NESTLE NIGERIA PLC. Food Products--Diversified Totals Activity Summary on Board EQTY CONSUMER GOODS Published Household by The Nigerian Stock Exchange © Durables VITAFOAM NIG PLC. VONO PRODUCTS PLC. Household Durables Totals Personal/Household Products P Z CUSSONS NIGERIA PLC. UNILEVER NIGERIA PLC. Personal/Household Products Totals

Daily Summary (Equities) Symbol No. of Deals Current Price DUNLOP

1 1

0.50

No. of Deals 14 1 63 15 148 241

Current Price 5.67 0.93 129.90 21.09 149.00

Symbol 7UP

No. of Deals 65 65

Current Price 150.70

Quantity Traded 264,869 264,869

Value Traded 40,147,266.81 40,147,266.81

Symbol DANGFLOUR DANGSUGAR FLOURMILL HONYFLOUR NASCON UTC

No. of Deals 52 239 36 11 51 1 390

Current Price 3.00 7.51 37.05 3.15 6.50 0.50

Quantity Traded 2,382,910 19,153,370 125,531 322,385 1,511,541 2,375,000 25,870,737

Value Traded 7,240,520.00 135,493,154.33 4,772,951.43 1,000,433.50 9,878,234.05 1,187,500.00 159,572,793.31

Symbol

No. of Deals 23 107 130

Current Price 40.25 804.00

Quantity Traded 43,221 169,147 212,368

Value Traded 1,753,388.97 135,821,496.47 137,574,885.44

Symbol CHAMPION GOLDBREW GUINNESS INTBREW NB

DailyCADBURY Summary (Equities) NESTLE

Activity Summary on Board EQTY

No. of Deals 57 1 58

Current Price 3.49 1.17

Quantity TradedPage 3,238,037 27,748 3,265,785

Symbol PZ UNILEVER

No. of Deals 56 47 103

Current Price 29.57 34.40

Quantity Traded 7,161,698 525,450 7,687,148

Value Traded 232,099,830.87 18,060,646.84 250,160,477.71

49,665,817

1,986,716,112.27

Quantity Traded 23,080,306 5,391,616 1,540,897 2,382,738 12,699,208 9,468,661 18,340,239 11,098,434 143,484 2,980,948

Value Traded 118,892,850.41 19,208,452.06 24,803,381.26 3,030,483.99 256,741,469.34 18,932,316.98 42,578,607.63 38,873,829.39 1,330,230.05 1,490,474.00

988 Symbol ACCESS DIAMONDBNK ETI FIDELITYBK GUARANTY SKYEBANK STERLNBANK Daily UBA UBN UNITYBNK

FINANCIAL SERVICES Banking WEMA BANK PLC. ZENITH INTERNATIONAL BANK PLC Banking Totals

Insurance Carriers, Brokers and Services AIICO INSURANCE PLC. CONTINENTAL REINSURANCE PLC GUINEA INSURANCE PLC. INTERNATIONAL ENERGY INSURANCE COMPANY PLC LASACO ASSURANCE PLC. MANSARD INSURANCE PLC N.E.M INSURANCE CO (NIG) PLC. NIGER INSURANCE CO. PLC. PRESTIGE ASSURANCE CO. PLC. REGENCY ALLIANCE INSURANCE COMPANY PLC SOVEREIGN TRUST INSURANCE PLC Daily Summary as STANDARD of 02/02/2015 TRUST ASSURANCE PLC Printed 02/02/2015 UNIVERSAL 15:03:44.044 INSURANCE COMPANY PLC WAPIC INSURANCE PLC Insurance Carriers, Brokers and Services Totals Micro-Finance Banks NPF MICROFINANCE BANK PLC Micro-Finance Banks Totals

Activity Summary on Board EQTY

FINANCIAL SERVICES Mortgage Carriers, Brokers and Services

UNION HOMES SAVINGS AND LOANS PLC. Mortgage Carriers, Brokers and Services Totals

Other Financial Institutions AFRICA PRUDENTIAL REGISTRARS PLC CUSTODIAN AND ALLIED PLC FBN HOLDINGS PLC FCMB GROUP PLC. ROYAL EXCHANGE PLC. STANBIC IBTC HOLDINGS PLC UBA CAPITAL PLC Other Financial Institutions Totals

Pharmaceuticals EVANS MEDICAL PLC. FIDSON HEALTHCARE PLC GLAXO SMITHKLINE CONSUMER NIG. PLC. Published by The Nigerian Stock Exchange ©

No. of Deals Current Price 139 5.13 68 3.48 75 16.00 36 1.27 250 20.49 112 1.99 1,577 2.40 Summary (Equities) 199 3.49 39 9.50 1 0.50

Computers and Peripherals OMATEK VENTURES PLC Computers and Peripherals Totals IT Services COMPUTER WAREHOUSE GROUP PLC NCR (NIGERIA) PLC. IT Services Totals Daily Summary as of 02/02/2015 Printed 02/02/2015 15:03:44.044 Processing Systems CHAMS PLC Processing Systems Totals

ICT Totals

Activity Summary on Board EQTY INDUSTRIAL GOODS Building Materials CEMENT CO. OF NORTH.NIG. PLC DANGOTE CEMENT PLC FIRST ALUMINIUM NIGERIA PLC PAINTS AND COATINGS MANUFACTURES PLC PORTLAND PAINTS & PRODUCTS NIGERIA PLC LAFARGE AFRICA PLC. Building Materials Totals Electronic and Electrical Products AUSTIN LAZ & COMPANY PLC CUTIX PLC. Electronic and Electrical Products Totals

B.O.C. GASES PLC. Chemicals Totals

ALUMINIUM EXTRUSION IND. PLC. MetalsSummary Totals Activity on Board EQTY NATURAL RESOURCES Mining Services

OIL AND GAS Energy Equipment and Services JAPAUL OIL & MARITIME SERVICES PLC Energy Equipment and Services Totals Integrated Oil and Gas Services OANDO PLC Integrated Oil and Gas Services Totals Petroleum and Petroleum Products Distributors BECO PETROLEUM PRODUCT PLC

CONOIL PLC Daily Summary as of 02/02/2015 ETERNA PLC. Printed 02/02/2015 15:03:44.044 FORTE OIL PLC. MOBIL OIL NIG PLC. MRS OIL NIGERIA PLC. TOTAL NIGERIA PLC. Petroleum and Petroleum Products Distributors Totals

OIL AND GAS Exploration and Production Published by The Nigerian Stock Exchange © SEPLAT PETROLEUM DEVELOPMENT COMPANY LTD Exploration and Production Totals

SERVICES Automobile/Auto Part Retailers R T BRISCOE PLC. Automobile/Auto Part Retailers Totals Courier/Freight/Delivery RED STAR EXPRESS PLC TRANS-NATIONWIDE EXPRESS PLC. Courier/Freight/Delivery Totals

Value Traded Employment Solutions C & I LEASING PLC. 675,958.40 Employment Solutions Totals Daily Summary as of 02/02/2015 243,025,780.97 Printed 02/02/2015 15:03:44.044 769,583,834.48 Hospitality

Current Price 0.76 0.90 0.50 0.50 0.50 2.97 0.55 0.50 0.50 0.50 0.50 0.50 0.50 0.50

Quantity Traded 373,386 520 1,022,580 1,324,146 5,750,412 514,000 1,600,031 490,597 100 2,000 2,040 35,000 398,100 14,692,917 26,205,829

Value Traded Hospitality Totals 291,908.76 488.80 Hotels/Lodging IKEJA HOTEL PLC 511,290.00 Activity Summary on Board EQTY 662,073.00 SERVICES 2,875,206.00 Published by The Nigerian Stock Exchange © 1,525,838.00 Hotels/Lodging 879,016.74 Hotels/Lodging Totals 245,298.50 Printing/Publishing 50.00 ACADEMY PRESS PLC. 1,000.00 LEARN AFRICA PLC UNIVERSITY PRESS PLC. 1,020.00 17,500.00 Printing/Publishing Totals 199,050.00 Specialty 7,412,094.51 SECURE ELECTRONIC TECHNOLOGY PLC 14,621,834.31 Specialty Totals

No. of Deals 4 4

Current Price 0.87

Quantity Traded 18,149 18,149

Value Traded 15,260.16 15,260.16

Symbol AFRIPRUD CUSTODYINS FBNH FCMB ROYALEX STANBIC UBCAP

No. of Deals 17 13 535 129 3 22 36 755

Current Price 2.80 3.91 7.07 2.05 0.50 26.00 1.44

Quantity Traded 1,394,649 141,392 24,039,690 22,709,839 10,590 556,469 2,469,210 51,321,839

Value Traded 3,891,653.47 551,756.76 170,121,932.48 45,591,543.78 5,506.80 14,820,827.90 3,586,370.12 238,569,591.31

182,327,156

1,023,674,563.76

3,654

Value Traded Page 500,000.00 384,043.50 884,043.50

Symbol UNIONDAC

No. of Deals 1 1

Current Price 0.50

Quantity Traded 590,000 590,000

Value Traded 295,000.00 295,000.00

Symbol EVANSMED FIDSON GLAXOSMITH

No. of Deals 6 6 17

Current Price 2.16 3.26 42.00

Quantity Traded 110,000 23,004 116,985

Value Traded 237,600.00 74,966.96 4,860,276.40

Page

Quantity Traded 197,846 197,846

Value Traded 98,923.00 98,923.00

Symbol OMATEK

No. of Deals 1 1

Current Price 0.50

Quantity Traded 2,000 2,000

Value Traded 1,000.00 1,000.00

Symbol CWG NCR

No. of Deals 1 2 3

Current Price 4.13 12.83

Quantity Traded 120 34,350 34,470

Value Traded 471.60 418,726.50 419,198.10

Symbol CHAMS

No. of Deals 1 1

Current Price 0.50

Quantity Traded 550,000 550,000

Value Traded 275,000.00 275,000.00

784,316

794,121.10

Page Symbol No. of Deals ASHAKACEM 15 Daily Summary (Equities) BERGER 2 CAP 12

Current Price 21.30 9.00 38.75

Quantity Traded 105,899 2,500 48,074

Value Traded 2,202,907.76 21,375.00 1,778,330.66

Symbol CCNN DANGCEM FIRSTALUM PAINTCOM PORTPAINT WAPCO

No. of Deals 11 62 1 1 1 39 144

Current Price 9.20 157.70 0.50 1.50 3.89 83.99

Quantity Traded 29,295 487,328 123,100 330 903 141,351 938,780

Value Traded 269,205.35 76,201,032.75 61,550.00 495.00 3,386.25 11,750,926.26 92,289,209.03

Symbol AUSTINLAZ CUTIX

No. of Deals 1 3 4

Current Price 2.09 1.58

Quantity Traded 30 80,000 80,030

Value Traded 64.50 125,600.00 125,664.50

1,018,810

92,414,873.53

Quantity Traded 200 200

Value Traded 1,042.00 1,042.00

148 Symbol BOCGAS

No. of Deals 1 1

Current Price 5.48

Daily Summary (Equities) Symbol No. of Deals Current Price ALEX

Symbol MULTIVERSE

1 1

No. of Deals 1 1

10.43

Current Price 0.50

Page Quantity Traded 40 40

Quantity Traded 20 Page 20

of 13 Value Traded 416.80 416.80

Value Traded of 10.0013 10.00

260

1,468.80

Symbol JAPAULOIL

No. of Deals 1 1

Current Price 0.50

Quantity Traded 100 100

Value Traded 50.00 50.00

Symbol OANDO

No. of Deals 133 133

Current Price 15.60

Quantity Traded 2,442,807 2,442,807

Value Traded 37,881,286.12 37,881,286.12

Symbol No. of Deals BECOPETRO 1 CONOIL 5 ETERNA 8 FO 40 MOBIL 10 MRS 1 Daily Summary (Equities) TOTAL 12 77

Current Price 0.50 36.21 2.67 223.05 150.00 50.54 144.00

Quantity Traded 3,000 12,616 16,680 89,080 6,089 1,000 6,492 134,957

Value Traded 1,500.00 412,316.68 44,830.60 19,877,055.58 930,100.15 48,020.00 943,028.50 22,256,851.51

Current Price 318.00

Quantity Traded Page 31,450 31,450

Symbol SEPLAT

No. of Deals 10 10

OIL AND GAS Totals

No. of Deals 19 2 1 1 2 6 14 2 1 1 3 2 1 65 120

Quantity Traded 1,000,000 768,087 1,768,087

5,506,350.71

Activity Summary on Board EQTY

Symbol AIICO CONTINSURE GUINEAINS INTENEGINS LASACO MANSARD NEM NIGERINS PRESTIGE REGALINS SOVRENINS STACO UNIVINSURE WAPIC

Current Price 0.50 0.50

871,554 Current Price 0.50

NATURAL RESOURCES Totals

Current Price Quantity Traded Page 4 of 13 0.91 741,240 16.00 15,145,481 103,013,252

No. of Deals 1 2 3

Value Traded 32,232.51 6,274.84 5,211,350.71

No. of Deals 7 7

INDUSTRIAL GOODS Totals Daily Summary of 02/02/2015 NATURALasRESOURCES Printed 02/02/2015 15:03:44.044 Chemicals

3 of 13 Value Traded 11,081,346.73 31,077.76 11,112,424.49

Symbol ASOSAVINGS UNHOMES

Quantity Traded 22,811 8,754 281,554

Symbol COURTVILLE

Daily Summary (Equities)

INDUSTRIAL GOODS Building Materials ASHAKA CEM PLC BERGER PAINTS PLC CAP PLC

No. of Deals 17 259 2,772

Daily Summary (Equities) Symbol NPFMCRFBK

Current Price 1.44 0.74

Daily Summary as of 02/02/2015 Activity Summary on Board EQTY Published by The Nigerian Stock Exchange © Printed 02/02/2015 15:03:44.044

Symbol WEMABANK ZENITHBANK

FINANCIAL SERVICES Totals HEALTHCARE Healthcare Providers UNION DIAGNOSTIC & CLINICAL SERVICES PLC Healthcare Providers Totals

80,432 139,686 489,014 9,490,145 11,544,910

No. of Deals 8 4 41 42

ICT Computer Based Systems COURTEVILLE BUSINESS SOLUTIONS PLC Computer Based Systems Totals

Value Traded 2 7,555,285.84 of 13 74,801.76 17,756,570.86 10,314,405.26 1,352,037,200.79 1,387,738,264.51

Symbol VITAFOAM VONO

CONSUMER GOODS Totals FINANCIAL SERVICES Banking ACCESS BANK PLC. DIAMOND PLC Daily Summary asBANK of 02/02/2015 ECOBANK TRANSNATIONAL INCORPORATED Printed 02/02/2015 15:03:44.044 FIDELITY BANK PLC GUARANTY TRUST BANK PLC. SKYE BANK PLC STERLING BANK PLC. UNITED BANK FOR AFRICA PLC UNION BANK NIG.PLC. UNITY BANK PLC

Quantity Traded Page 1,345,633

Symbol MAYBAKER NEIMETH

HEALTHCARE Totals

1 of 13 42,981,989.36

Symbol COSTAIN

Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) SKYE SHELTER FUND PLC Daily Summary as of 02/02/2015 Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) Totals Printed 02/02/2015 15:03:44.044

HEALTHCARE Pharmaceuticals MAY & BAKER NIGERIA PLC. NEIMETH INTERNATIONAL PHARMACEUTICALS PLC Pharmaceuticals Totals

TANTALIZERS PLC

221

Value Traded 10 of 13 9,877,825.00 9,877,825.00

2,609,314

70,016,012.63

Symbol RTBRISCOE

No. of Deals 15 15

Current Price 0.64

Quantity Traded 2,012,769 2,012,769

Value Traded 1,178,882.19 1,178,882.19

Symbol REDSTAREX TRANSEXPR

No. of Deals 4 2 6

Current Price 3.70 1.00

Quantity Traded 20,500 10,000 30,500

Value Traded 79,524.75 10,500.00 90,024.75

Symbol CILEASING

No. of Deals 2 2

Current Price 0.50

Quantity Traded 252,000 252,000

Value Traded 126,000.00 126,000.00

Symbol TANTALIZER

No. of Deals 1 1

Current Price 0.50

Quantity Traded 1,100,000 1,100,000

Value Traded 550,000.00 550,000.00

Quantity Traded 591,000

Value Traded 1,857,890.00

Daily Summary (Equities) Symbol No. of Deals Current Price 18

3.19

Symbol

No. of Deals 18

Current Price

Quantity Traded 591,000

Symbol ACADEMY LEARNAFRCA UPL

No. of Deals 2 4 25 31

Current Price 1.18 1.27 3.96

Quantity Traded 579 44,943 1,063,537 1,109,059

Value Traded 659.27 57,363.49 4,014,075.50 4,072,098.26

Symbol NSLTECH

No. of Deals 2 2

Current Price 0.50

Quantity Traded 40 40

Value Traded 20.00 20.00

Transport-Related Services NIGERIAN AVIATION HANDLING COMPANY PLC Transport-Related Services Totals

Symbol NAHCO

No. of Deals 20 20

Current Price 4.66

Quantity Traded 226,727 226,727

Value Traded 1,063,660.89 1,063,660.89

Support and Logistics CAVERTON OFFSHORE SUPPORT GRP PLC Support and Logistics Totals

Symbol CAVERTON

No. of Deals 9 9

Current Price 3.00

Quantity Traded 210,676 210,676

Value Traded 602,679.36 602,679.36

104

5,532,771

9,541,255.45

5,501

254,843,136

3,248,997,998.79

IKEJAHOTEL

SERVICES Daily Summary asTotals of 02/02/2015 Printed 02/02/2015 15:03:44.044

EQTY Board Totals

Equity Activity Totals

Page

5,501

254,843,136

Page

Value Traded 1,857,890.00

3,248,997,998.79 12

Daily Summary (ETP) Exchange Traded Fund

Name LOTUS HALAL EQUITY ETF NEWGOLD EXCHANGE TRADED FUND (ETF) VETIVA GRIFFIN 30 ETF Exchange Traded Fund Totals

Symbol LOTUSHAL15 NEWGOLD VETGRIF30

No. of Deals 2 1 1 4

Current Price 9.34 2,338.00 13.51

Quantity Traded 201 6 5 212

Value Traded 1,869.34 14,028.00 67.55 15,964.89

ETF Board Totals

212

15,964.89

ETP Activity Totals

212

15,964.89

NEW TELEGRAPH TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2015

Features

Immunisation programme and challenges of funding

igeria’s immunisation proNigeria may lose grants from donor agencies for gramme against the childhood killer diseases such as immunisation based on discrepancies in GAVI report, writes measles, polio, chicken pox, among others, has recorded a measure YEKEEN NURUDEEN of success in the health sector. The focus and pursuit of the programme have attracted commendations and support from some of the donor agencies, including the Geneva-based Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunisation (GAVI) which appraised and scored Nigeria 80 per cent in terms of commitment to immunisation in its 2013 Country report. The rating encouraged the Bill and Melinda-Gates Foundation, the European Union (EU), Dangote Group, Japan, Canada, Germany and Norway to support the immunisation programme in Nigeria. GAVI is one of the organisations involved in bringing together public and private sectors with shared goal of creating equal access to new and underused vaccines for children living in poor countries. It comes with a model designed to leverage financial resources and expertise to make vaccines more affordable, available as well as make provision more sustainable, by working towards a point where developing countries can pay for those vaccines themselves. One of the beneficiary countries Children suffering from polio GAVI is working with is Nigeria whose programme is being managed by the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA). The programme is supervised by the Federal Ministry of Health where professionals that are strategically placed to carry out the programme, considered vital and critical in the health sector. Interestingly, since July 2012, when Nigeria signed the Aide Memoire (AM) establishing the terms and conditions of cash grants to it from GAVI and a Partnership Framework Agreement (PFA) in December 2013, the programme has been running smoothly in accordance with laid down rules drawn up by agency. As part of its policy, last June, GAVI sent a team of auditors to examine the accounting records of its funds to Nigeria being managed by PHCDA. In October, the agency released a 46page audit report on the country on its cash support programmes for a number of mechanisms that include the Health Systems Strengthening (HSS), Immunisation System Support (ISS), operational cost for vaccine campaigns (Measles PHOTOS: ONLINE SIA, Meningitis and Yellow Fever) and Children being immunised Vaccine Introduction Grants (VIG). gramme in Nigeria is high. The donor GAVI audit report queried the procurement method adopted by NPHCDA, agency did not make reference to PFA, insisting it did not comply with interwhich ought to be the guide in its dealnational competitive bidding process. It ing with NPHCDA. added that the specification standards However, records available at the Fedand civil works on some of the incineraeral Ministry of Health and the Ministor sites constructed by NPHCDA did not try of Finance fault GAVI’s position. meet up with designed standards. The Ministry of Health faulted the But in a swift response, the Federal audit methodology adopted by GAVI, Ministry of Health said there was a mindset of the type of report GAVI saying it deviated from all known auditing procedures and processes as well wanted even before the audit team commenced work which led it to ignore due as its own terms of reference. process and procedure of auditing. The ministry is particularly conIt argued that the audit team failed to cerned over the reason GAVI team had follow the PFA provisions was signed by in visiting some of the sites unaccomABIODUN BELLO both GAVI and Nigeria. panied and in the process went to the FEATURES Editor wrong places. Consequent upon the audit report, abiodun. bello@newtelegraphonline.com GAVI announced a suspension of its It cited the case with the Federal Capfunding to the country on the pretext ital Territory (FCT) where it mistook © Daily Telegraph Publishing Company Limited the Territory’s cold room for NPHCDA’s that the overall level of risk of its pro-

project. The two projects are different in size and capacity, yet the team recorded that of the FCT for NPHCDA. It was found out also that the GAVI auditors also went to areas that have no connection whatsoever with the agency’s support funding thus made no attempt for in-depth verification and double checks as expected in such an important report. Similarly, it was gathered that the GAVI team did not meet with the relevant people in key positions that were prepared with detailed situation reports and explanations on various projects and expected to give explanations to questions that might be raised by the team. This lack of adherence to laid down procedure might have led to the discrepancies in its report. For instance, the response to the GAVI query was given within the stipulated deadline of June 30, 2014 with attached evidence that captured all details that the agency needed to know and verify. In its response, Nigeria stated that contrary to the CPA report which alleged that about $8.077 million was unaccounted for, authenticated record showed that it was only $233,000 that was yet to be verified but being compiled. To this, GAVI team of auditors indicated that they were coming back to Nigeria for reconciliation and verification on three different occasions between June 30, and September 19, 2014 but later gave reasons for postponing the visit on each occasion. Also, on September 19, 2014, the CPA requested for information pertaining to 2014 accounts which was outside the audit year and this led the Nigerian team to seek clarification if the CPA intended to open a new audit for 2014 and on October 25, the CPA team responded by saying that there was no new audit and the available requested materials were forwarded to the team. After this, officials from GAVI met with the NPHCDA Chief Executive Officer during which it was agreed that a team from the agency would stay back in Nigeria to reconcile and verify the NPHCDA finance, but nobody showed up. Interestingly, at another meeting with the former Minister of Health, Professor Christian Chukwu, GAVI officials notified the Nigerian team that a larger audit was being planned to create an opportunity to verify the country’s performance and therefore requested that a joint statement be issued to enable it enter its funding cycle and accordingly, a letter of understanding dated October 17, 2014 was subsequently signed jointly by GAVI and the former minister. But GAVI later sent a report without Nigeria’s comments claiming that $2.2 million was unaccounted for, using the joint statement as basis. According to GAVI, the $2.2 million was meant for advances to staff, printing contracts, incinerators, motor vehicle procurement, tax remittance to FIRS and disbursement to UNICEF. The initial CPA report had alleged that $4.22 million was unaccounted for but when Nigeria responded in its June report with evidence of expenditure and retirements under staff advances, GAVI refused to take note of it even though it did not complain of any imbalance relating to Nigeria’s responses in that regard.

FEATURES

As the world celebrated the international Hug Day on January 21, scientists say hugging lowers blood pressure and keep doctors at bay, writes EBERE AMEH

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2015 NEW TELEGRAPH

The other side of hugging

tudies have shown that the power of a simple hug cannot be overemphasised. Hugging a loved one is not just a great way to bond but another way to improve one’s general health and well-being. From improving both psychological and physical development, building a good immune system, boosting memory, combating fatigue to decreasing the risk of heart disease, and levels of the stress hormone in women; the power of a hug is simply unimaginable. The idea of a National Hug Day as proposed by Rev. Kevin Zaborney is to encourage everyone to hug family and friends to hug often and freely with one another. Knowing the importance of a simple hug and considering that the “American society was embarrassed to show feelings in public” and so, not hugging enough, Zaborney devised the idea of a national day for hugging and creating awareness about its importance. It is an annual unofficial event that was launched on January 21, 1986 in Clio, Michigan, United States. January 21 was reportedly chosen because ‘it fell between the Christmas/New Year’s holidays and Valentine’s Day, when he thought people are generally in low spirits’. Although Zaborney thought his idea would fail, other countries are marking the day, turning it into an international celebration. According to scientists, a brief hug or 10 minutes of handholding with a friend or romantic partner increases the levels of feel-good hormones such as oxytocin, while the amounts of stress chemicals, including cortisol, drop. They found that oxytocin was released into the blood stream when one holds a friend close. This lowers blood pressure, reduces stress and anxiety, fights infection and can even improve memory. In the city of Los Angeles, David Bresler, the former director at UCLA’s Pain Control Clinic, instructed a female patient who had reoccurring pains to have her husband give her four hugs a day. Within weeks, she reported her pain had subsided substantially. A team of researchers, led by psychologist, Dr. Karen Grewen, also carried out a study in the University of North Carolina and found that hugging couples experience a reduced level of cortisol. Also known as the stress hormone, cortisol increases blood pressure and slows metabolism. It can also promote weight gain. On the other hand, they found that couples that hug experience an increased level of oxytocin, a “bonding” hormone. Oxytocin is usually released during labour in women and is connected to social recognition, bonding, and building trust. By the study, one is actually speeding one’s metabolism, reducing one’s blood pressure, suppressing weight gain and reducing stress, when one hugs.

Different styles of hugging

Writing in the Psychosomatic Medicine Journal, the researchers explained that though both men and women record higher levels of oxytocin, women record greater reductions in cortisol and blood pressure than men after their hugs. People in loving relationships were found to have higher levels of oxytocin than others. “The importance of oxytocin and its potentially cardio-protective effects may be greater for women. “A loving contact before a tough day at work could carry over and protect you throughout the day,” Grewen said. Scientists explain that if you hug a loved one regularly, it can help produce serotonin and dopamine. These two hormones can make you feel happy and enhance your mood. As a result, you will be more in harmony with your partner, which will lead to better overall health. Writing on the need for people to embrace the practice of hugging, Roger Dobson of the Daily Mail explains that the skin contains a network of tiny, egg-shaped pressure centres called Pacinian corpuscles that can sense touch and which are in contact with the brain through the vagus nerve. The vagus nerve winds its way through the body and is connected to a number of organs, including the heart. It is also connected to oxytocin receptors. The stimulation of the vagus triggers an increase in oxytocin, which in turn leads to the cascade of health benefits. Putting it succinctly, a family therapist, Virginia Satir, explained that “we need four hugs a day for survival. We need eight hugs a day for maintenance. We need 12 hugs a day for growth”. There are different types of hug and different ways to hug. Accord-

Hugging has no side effects neither does it require a trip to the doctor

ing to Kathleen Keating, author of the bestselling Hug Therapy Book, the following are types and tips to hug better, depending on what you want to communicate. They are: The Bear Hug - Ideal for two individuals of disproportionate sizes and for saying, “You’re terrific,” or “You can count on me”. The A-Frame - Brief embrace, ideal for little-known relatives and situations requiring a bit of formality. All of the hugging takes place above the neck. This hug communicates polite caring or detached warmth. It is great for new huggers. The Cheek Hug – A tender hug that can be executed sitting or standing. This hug says “I’m sorry you’re disappointed,” or is ideal to share joy or greet an elderly relative. The Group Hug – Great for good friends sharing an activity or project. Group hugs communicate support, security, affection, unity and universal belonging. As easy as a hug may sound, it is good to note that a hug must be properly done to enjoy its benefits. According to Dr Sidney Simon, author of Caring, Feeling and Touching, you must hug correctly with your full body if you want to take advantage of the health benefits. The following are examples of how not to hug. • The A-frame hug in which nothing but the huggers’ heads touch. • The half-hug, where the huggers’ upper bodies touch-while the other half twists away. • The chest-to-chest burp, in which the huggers pat each other on the back, defusing the physical contact by treating each other like infants being burped. • The wallet-rub, in which two people stand side-by-side and touch hips. • The jock-twirl, in which the hugger, who is stronger or bigger, lifts

the other person off the ground and twirls him. As good as the benefits of hugging may be, a Consultant Psychiatrist and Clinical Psychologist, Dr Richard Adebayo, explained that it is still controversial. “We have not done a study here in Nigeria that shows all those benefits. It can lower anxiety level, and probably, your blood pressure comes down as a result, but that hugging is directly linked to the lowering of blood pressure is very controversial and we have not done a research to prove it,” he said. Adebayo observed that hugging is not acceptable to a lot of people. He said: “For hugging to be said to be therapeutic, so many factors have to be considered. It must be based on the presumption that the person you are hugging wants to be hugged; is not a stranger, but somebody that has shown some love to you. So the existing relationship you have with that person, your own religious and cultural perspective, the personality of the individual, among others play a huge part.” A hug not only helps you, it improves the lives of those you hug. The gift of a hug has been proven to be the most powerful healing you can offer another, and the most wonderful healing you can give yourself. Best of all, hugging has no side effects neither does it require a trip to the doctor. In a society where communal living is fast becoming old fashioned and minding one’s own business seems to be the order of the day; where technology is endangering face to face contacts and engendering touch deprivation; where fierce demands are made upon times and hearts; the only free and powerful gift left out for people is hugging. Who knows, a hug or two a day may be as helpful as the clichéd apple in keeping the doctors away.

NEW TELEGRAPH TUESDAY FEBRUARY 3, 2015

Charles Onyekwere ABAKALIKI

s the campaign train of the gover norship candidate of Peoples Democratic Party(PDP), in Ebonyi, Dave Umahi tours the thirteen local government areas of the state, former Minister of State for Power and Steel, Chief Goddy Ogbaga, has predicted victory

News 47

SOUTH-EAST

Ogbaga predicts Jonathan, Umahi’s victory for President Goodluck Jonathan and the PDP’s governorship candidate, in the February polls. Ogbaga, contended that with the massive turn out of supporters and PDP loyalists, the PDP stands a better chance than any other political party in the state. Ogbaga, who is the Coor-

dinator of Umahi’s Divine Mandate Campaign Organization in Ebonyi Local government area advised aggrieved members to sheath their sword in the interest of the PDP, and jettison the idea of cross carpeting to another party. He noted that the stake-

holders in the state were still deeply committed to delivering all the PDP candidates. He said, “I advise all aggrieved PDP members to be consistent in the Party. How can somebody leave his house because the roof is leak-

ing?. Its better you join and build the party. And let me stress that no matter what people say or do against PDP, we are deeply committed to deliver President Goodluck Jonathan, Umahi and all the candidates in the state”. “I want to reiterate my

loyalty to the PDP, Umahi and former governor of the state, Dr. Sam Egwu It was a show of respect and growth of the party and decision of the stakeholders that I back down my senatorial ambition so that Egwu will be delivered”.

Group seeks Igbo support for Jonathan Peter Osondu Aba

head of the February 14 presidential election, a group, the Jonathan –Sambo Grassroots Ambassadors of Nigeria, (JOSGAN) has declared support for the re-election of President Goodluck Jonathan taking its awareness message to Aba, the commercial hub of Abia State. Speaking during a rally in the commercial city, the national secretary of (JOSGAN), Ogolo Alexander Ifeanyi said JOSGAN, a non-governmental organization, formed in 2012 from another group, Jonathan Goodluck Ambassadors of Nigerian (JOGAN) had the aim to mobilise people for Jonathan. Ogolo, who represented the founder of the organization, Chief Festus Bestman, said after Jonathan became the president of Nigeria, there arose the need to change the name and structure of the organization to be in tandem with the time. The scribe said the aim of the organisation was to sensitize people across the country to re-elect Jonathan and Sambo. He listed some of Jonathan’s achievements to

include the second Niger bridge, the reconstruction and upgrading of the Akanu Ibiam Airport in Enugu to international status as among others that should make people from the sout-East part of the country vote for Jonathan at the polls. “Apart from the 2nd Niger bridge which is under construction and the Akanu Ibiam Airport, let’s go beyond the South-East, look at the issue of security which he is seriously fighting, look at the economy he is trying to rescue from final collapse, he needs to tidy up those things and he can only do that if he is reelected,” Igbo added. The JOSGAN national scribe alleged that Jonathan’s major opponent, General Mahammadu Buhari was not a democrat as military blood still runs in his veins, stressing that he was not going to deliver the needed dividends of democracy to Nigerians. “General Mohammadu Buhari who is Jonathan’s major opponent is not aa democrat, the military blood still runs in his veins, so, he has nothing to give the people of Nigeria because he is not a democrat and he has no experience in the democratic setting”.

Udensi may topple Ukeje Peter Osondu Aba

olitical stakeholders in the Bende Local government of Abia State, have endorsed the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) candidate for the House of Representatives, Nnamdi Udensi. Udensi, is vying against Nnenna Ukeje of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) for the seat in the Bende Federal Constituency for the third time. Udensi’s endorsement followed a meeting between him and leaders from the thirteen political wards of the federal constituency held in Aba. The spokesman of the stakeholders, Chief P.W

Eke, expressed regret that Bende federal constituency as one of the largest council areas in the country has been poorly represented. He said it was for that reason that someone who would champion the cause of the people at the federal level, was being sought in the candidacy of Udensi, having been satisfied with his political antecedents. “We have no doubt that if you win the election, Bende’s numerous problems would not only be brought on the front burner, but we will also have the opportunity of interacting with our representative which is not the case presently”, he said.

Students of Imo State University, Owerri, blocking the gate to the Enugu Electricity Distribution Company during their protest over power outage in their hostel PHOTO-NAN

Umahi tasked on youth employment Charles Onyekwere ABAKALIKI

socio-cultural organization for the interest of Ohaozara elderly people known as Ezumezu Ohanivo comprising Ohaozara, Onicha and Ivo local government areas, has charged the Peoples Democratic governorship candidate Dave

Umahi, to tackle the perennial unemployment situation in the state, if elected into power. The group said that people of the state who formed 90 percent of all Igbo hawking wares in vehicular traffic areas in Lagos, Abuja and other major cities across the country, including wheel barrow pushers in Onitsha, Anambra, were not provided suit-

Ihedioha gets more support Steve Uzoechi

chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Njaba Local Government Area of the state, Chief John Agbasi, has assured the people that a people sensitive era reminiscent of former governor, Achike Udenwa’s admknistration would be witnessed in the state, if Chief Emeka Ihedioha, the party’s governorship candidate was elected in the February 28 election in the state. Speaking with journalists yesterday in Owerri, the Imo State capital, Agbasi, said that if PDP takes over the governance of the state, the local govern-

ment system would work again in addition to the development areas which lead to huge provision of food and jobs, stating that this would give the economy of the state a new lease of life. He maintained that any vote for the APC and Rochas Okorocha, would mean continuity of impoverishment of the people, who have suffered untold hardship under the administration. He hailed the choice of the former Deputy Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Hon. Chuma Nnaji, an Njaba son, as the running mate to Chief Emeka Ihedioha.

able employments’by successive government in Ebonyi State. According to the group, the trend was unacceptable and damaging to the image of the state as the unemployment statistics in Ebonyi were too high compared to other states within the South- East geopolitical zone of the country. President General of

the group, Chief Emeka Ani,, who made the observation during the maiden festival/rally of the association at the Central Primary School, Uburu, in Ohaozara local government area of the state, enjoined politicians seeking elective positions to take urgent steps and address the anomaly, if elected during next month’s general election in the state.

Udensi builds 8km roads Norman Obinna

he Progressive Peoples Alliance (PPA) gubernatorial candidate in Abia State, Sir Chikwe Udensi, has commenced the construction of an eight kilometre road and cleaning of refuse and debris in Aba, with his personal funds. The reconstruction which is being undertaken by Chomen Construction Company include the Old Express Road, along slaughter House Road, St. Peters Catholic Church Road, Eziukwu Road, Ohanku Road and St. Johns Catholic Church Road. Speaking on the development, Udensi said the

state of the roads and the degrading living condition of people spurred him to action, to alleviate to a large extent, the people’s sufferings now and the anticipated problems associated with the rainy season. His words, “I went to do some sensitization at Eziukwu Aba and I was shocked beyond reproach to see where people live and the roads that lead to their houses. “I felt that before I become the governor that rain would have started and I said to myself I will not leave these people the way I met them. That was why I felt there was the need to start some level of road work.”

News

Edo council workers on strike over non-payment of salaries STRIKE

Local government workers kick over casualisation, unpaid wages

Cajetan Mmuta BENIN

ocal gover nment workers under the auspices of the National Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) Edo State chapter yesterday commenced an indefinite strike over the non-payment of their salaries. The workers said the strike is to press home

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2015 NEW TELEGRAPH

SOUTH - SOUTH

their demand for the payment of all outstanding salaries owed their members in some local government councils. They also kicked against the casualisation of workers in the 18 local government areas of the state. President of NULGE in the state, Comrade Edward Ilenikhena, told newsmen that the workers in 11 of the 18 councils were owed salaries of one to four months, but that their respective local government chairmen were paid as at December last year while the number of councils not paid had increased to 15 in January. Ilenikhena said some of the workers were yet

to be formally employed by the local government authorities and that they had remained as casual workers even against international labour laws and standard. He vowed that the strike would persist until both the Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs and the council chairmen respond to their plights. According to him, the workers would not allow themselves to be treated as ‘second class citizens in their country.’ He said the state government should stop casualisation of workers and pay without delay all the outstanding salaries owed the workers.

He said: “Owan East has 122 and Esan Central has 180. It's indefinite, because it is a question of when somebody goes to work and at the end of the month, you don't get a salary. We are the only functional establishment in the state that is being owed salaries.” The state Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Chief Lucky James, in his reaction, blamed the dwindling federal allocation to the inability of the councils to update workers’ salaries. He said the council could not take care of the remuneration of workers, including local government teachers.

PDP rallies support for Jonathan in Edo Cajetan Mmuta BENIN

eaders and members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Edo State yesterday rallied support for President Goodluck Jonathan ahead of the February 14 presidential election. The party leaders came together to launch what they called “Operation total votes for President Goodluck Jonathan and other candidates of the party” in the February elections. They said the country cannot afford to be dragged backwards with the perceived antics and insensitivity of forces within the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC). They also harped on the need for people across the six geo-political zones to support the reelection bid of President Jonathan as denying the oil-rich zone the opportunity would spell imbalance and total marginalisation of ‘the goose that lays the golden eggs.’ The PDP leaders stated this on Sunday during a campaign rally in Auchi, headquarters of Etsako West council area of Edo State. Speakers at the rally said ‘aggrieved and fraudulent individuals have infiltrated the

ranks of the opposition and are out to mislead Nigerians with their false gospel of change, pointing out that they have nothing to offer the nation than corruption, and other vices that is likely to keep the people in endless regrets and lamentation.’ Former Chief of Staff to the President, Chief Mike Ogiadomhe, tasked the electorate not to allow themselves to be intimidated, but to go out and vote and ensure victory for President Jonathan and others at the polls. Ogiadomhe carpeted the over six years of APC administration in Edo State, accusing the party of defacing parts of the north senatorial district without viable infrastructure. He said: “The PDP is the party of the people. In 1998, we voted for the PDP and all of us enjoyed the party. Some days ago, I was in Akoko Edo, I could not access anywhere. It is so bad; it is dilapidated. I went to Owan to see my friend in Ovbiomu, but the area was deserted. “The tenancy at Dennis Osadebay is over. We want to claim our house and the tenant is about to go. Thumbprint the umbrella when you vote and stand to defend your votes,” he said.

Urhobo group endorses Ogboru as sole candidate Gabriel Choba UGHELLI

A cross-section of pensioners protesting the non-payment of their pension in Port Harcourt…yesterday

‘Probe Danjuma, others for illegal oil blocs’ Cajetan Mmuta BENIN

political group, the Niger Delta Indigenous Movement for Radical Change, yesterday asked the Federal Government to urgently begin an investigation into the allocation of oil wells to some highly placed Nigerians, including the former Defence Minister, General Theophilus Yakubu Danjuma. The group, with headquarters in Warri, Delta State, in a statement signed by its President, Nelly Emma; Secretary, John Sailor and Public Relations Officer, Stanley Mukoro respectively, said such enquiry would help unearth the circumstances under which many of

the oil magnates parading the country illegally acquired the oil wells. The body noted that most of the top shots, who own the said oil wells, did not pass through due process in their acquisition. The leadership of the group descended heavily on the former Defence Minister over his recent comments on Chief Government Ekpemupolo (a.k.a Tompolo) and other militants in the Niger Delta, describing the attacks as uncalled for, saying it should be retracted. According to them, “General Danjuma has benefitted so much from the wealth of the Niger Delta region with his numerous oil blocs, yet he has been very insensitive to the suffering of the people of the region.” They also condemned

in very strong terms, the recent stoning of President Goodluck Jonathan in Nasarawa and Bauchi States during his campaign rallies in those state and wondered why Danjuma failed to condemn such unpatriotic action of some northern elements. Members of the body, therefore, warned Nigerians who are disposed to making highly inflammable comments about the unity of the country to desist from them. They urged the freedom fighters of the Niger Delta such as Chief Tompolo and others adding that "We say enough is enough.” The group asked the Federal Government to appreciate the efforts of the Ijaw people by appointing one of them

as the Group Managing Director of the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC). “We want the Petroleum Minister, Mrs. Alison-Madueke, to continue to protect Niger Deltans, especially the Ijaw working in NNPC, but are being deprived in many ways. “Ijaw working in NNPC are being threatened on a daily basis, they are being marginalised. Former President Olusegun Obasanjo appointed from the West a GMD of NNPC, just as the late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua appointed a northerner as GMD of NNPC.” The group also canvassed that “President Jonathan should move now to appoint an Ijaw man as the GMD of the NNPC.”

s the struggle for who succeeds Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan in Delta State continued to heat up yesterday, Urhobo apex body, the Urhobo Progress Union (UPU) has finally endorsed Chief Great Ogboru of the Labour Party as the sole candidate of Urhobo people in the February 28 governorship election in the state. Ogboru’s candidacy is coming up against that of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa. The endorsement, according to UPU President-General, Chief Joe Omene, came after series of meetings with the 24 kingdom president-generals, the women (Egweya), youths, elders and traditional rulers in Urhobo nation. Addressing journalists after a crucial meeting that lasted eight hours at Mosogar on Sunday,

Omene said 14 out of the 15 members of the UPU executive were present at the meeting and 10 members decided that a decision should be taken through secret ballot, following the response from the defferent groups that supported the candidature of Ogboru. The UPU presidentgeneral, however, said four members who were in support of Olorogun O’tega Emerhor of the All Progressives Congress (APC) walked out of the meeting, noting that when it was put to voting, eight members voted for Ogboru. He further said: “By this voting process, which followed the response from the kingdom’s president generals, youths, women and elders in combination with the voting pattern of the executive members of UPU, we therefore decided that majority carries the vote and therefore Chief Great Ovedje Ogboru is our sole candidate to contend with the PDP governorship flag bearer.”

NEW TELEGRAPH TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2015

News 49

NORTH

Masari Campaign Organisation blames police over attacks Ibraheem Musa KADUNA

he Katsina State chapter of All P ro g re s s ive s Congress (APC), has said that the various

attacks by suspected thugs of the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) on the offices of its gubernatorial candidate and the party supporters, was an indication of the ruling party’s desperation to save its face from the imminent defeat

Jime vows to seek justice against Ortom's imposition Cephas Iorhemen MAKURDI

here appears to be no end in sight in the crisis rocking the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Benue State, as its embattled governorship aspirant, Hon. Emmanuel Jime has vowed not to withdraw the case he and three other governorship aspirants instituted against the party over the alleged imposition of the party's governorship candidate . Besides, the federal lawmaker berated leaders of the party in the state and Senate minority leader, Senator George Akume, for not allowing the will of the party's delegates to prevail, with the arbitrary decision that

has plunged the party into chaos. Jime, a former Speaker of the Benue State House of Assembly, along three others including Prof. Steve Ugbah, Sen. JKN. Waku and Mike Iordye, all gubernatorial aspirants of the APC in the state, had approached a Federal High Court in Abuja, challenging the alleged unilateral imposition of Chief Samuel Ortom, a former PDP gubernatorial aspirant as APC standard bearer in the state. Addressing his expanded campaign directorate yesterday in Makurdi, Jime accused Senator Akume of ignoring the party's guidelines by imposing a "stranger" on the party, describing the action as an infamy that must not be allowed to stand.

awaiting it at the polls. Speaking at a press conference yesterday, the Director General of the Aminu Masari’s Campaign Organisation, AlhajiMuntari Lawal Katsina, criticised the inability of the police to either protect the supporters or apprehend those who attacked them. According to the spokesperson of the Masari’s campaign organisation, PDP has now devised a new method of attacking APC supporters by using ‘’armed thugs disguised as innocent pas-

sengers moving in buses owned by the Katsina State Transport Authority (KSTA) attacking APC supporters, campaign offices and vehicles.’’ Lawal alleged that three days ago, a PDP supporter had attacked a member of the APC, Malam Adda'u Dalha of Gidan Gyada ward, Sabuwar Kasa, in Kafur Loca Government Area, resulting in the death of the victim, as a result of the knife wounds he sustained from the attack. The attacker is known as a protégé of a chieftain

of the PDP and ranking official of the National Campaign Organisation,’’ he alleged. “The next day after the Kafur incident, Muntari’s vehicle was also attacked at Faskari, as the convoy was leaving the town after a successful campaign tour to the area. ‘’On the same day, thugs accompanying the PDP Senatorial candidate for Funtua attacked and vandalised APC offices in most of the places visited by the campaigning team’’, the campaign spokesperson said.

Continuing he said, ‘’Two week earlier, we were attacked in similar fashion in Sukuntuni, home town to the Chairman of Kankia Local Government Council and the Publicity Secretary of the PDP’’, he added. According to the DG, the PDP is allegedly undertaking all these attacks in order to ‘’ entice our members into a free for all in the hope that the resultant chaos might at best lead to the postponement of the general elections or the outright military take over in the country.’’

Katsina civil servants decry retirement policy Ahmed Sani Mohammed KATSINA

ollowing the retirement of over 170 directors in the State civil service, the Association of Senior Civil Servants, Katsina State Chapter, has called on Governor Ibrahim Shetima to review the state's tenure policy to save the civil service from collapse. It also demanded the extension of directors' privileges, saying directors who were retired prematurely lost huge percentages of their fi-

nancial benefits. The state chairman of the Association, Comrade Lawal Bosa disclosed this at a press conference on Monday in Katsina. According to him, the present policy in the state is creating serious gap in various sectors and cadres within the state civil servants. He said, even the Federal Government that introduced the tenure policy did it on the premise that only substantive directors on Grade Level 17 are appointed permanent secretaries which is not so in the state.

Mark launches re-election campaign Cephas Iorhemen MAKURDI

enate President, David Mark, yesterday flagged off his re-election campaign in Oju and Obi local government areas of Benue State. At the commencement of the campaign rally yesterday, Senator Mark implored the people to be cautious about the antics of the opposition in the state which he described as wolves in sheep's clothing. He said, "These an-

gels that are coming to you, you don't even know whether they are devils or angels and you don't have to take chances with what you don't know". Mark, commended the people for conferring on him the title of "Omaga 1 of Igede land", urging them to vote for President Goodluck Jonathan, himself, governorship candidate of the party in the state, Prince Terhemen Tarzoor and other PDP candidates since they have not betrayed the confidence the people reposed in them.

L-R: Public Affairs Manager, North, Nigeria Breweries Plc, Danjuma John-Ekele; Corporate Affairs Adviser, Kufre Ekanem; Emir of Zaria, Dr. Shehu Idris; Brewery Manager, Kaduna, NB Plc, Titus Ezema and Head, Government Relations, Vivian Ikem, during the company’s courtesy visit to the emir in Zaria, Kaduna State

Jonathan has not disappointed Nigerians, says Jang

CAMPAIGN

The president has performed well, he has transformed Nigeria, gov says

Musa Pam JOS

lateau State Governor Jonah Jang has risen in the defence of the President Goodluck Jonathan-led administration, saying that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has not, in anyway, disappointed Nigerians. Jang stated this yesterday during the PDP campaign rally held in the Jos North local government area of the state. According to him " President Goodluck Jonathan has performed credibly well in transforming the nation saying, " he has not let Nigerians down " He also said the PDP, has performed well in Plateau State during his administration and would

continue to do so. The governor called on the People of the state to cast their votes for President Jonathan in the February 14 presidential election, as well vote the party’s governorship candidate, Senator Gyang Pwajok, in the governorship elections along other PDP candidates. He said," The guber candidate of the PDP is a young and vibrant person representing a symbol of the young generation committed to improving the standard of living in the Plateau. On his part, the PDP gubernatorial candidate in the state, Gyang Pwajok, called on people to vote massively for the PDP in the forthcoming elections He assured the people of his readiness to move the state to greater heights if voted into power, stating, "This election is about the people and we need to come together as one so that we can break the barriers of religion; so that we can break the barriers of ethnicity and geography."

Taraba Ag. Gov drums support for Jonathan Sabiu Mustapha JALINGO

araba State Acting Governor, Alhaji Abubakar Danladi, has urged the people of the state to vote massively for President GoodLuck Jonathan in the February 14 presidential election for continuation of the administration's developmental policies. Danladi, who stated this yesterday, in Lau, while addressing a PDP governorshipp rally,

said Jonathan had established a Federal University in Wukari, and was constructing the Multipurpose Kashimbilla Dam for the benefit of the people of the State. "I urge you all to vote for President Jonathan, Mr. Darius Ishaku for Taraba governorship and all PDP candidates for continuous development of the state. "Jonathan has done what no other president has ever done for Taraba. He deserves a second term," he said.

Benue APC members defect to PDP Cephas Iorhemen MAKURDI

head of the February general elections, the All Progressive Congress (APC) yesterday lost a handful of its members to the ruling People's Democratic Party (PDP),in Makurdi local government area of the state. Receiving the defectors at Pages Park and Gardens in Makurdi

, PDP’s governorship candidate, Mr. Terhemen Tarzoor said, the action has further brightened the chances of the PDP in the area as the general elections approaches. Tarzoor, who commended the defectors for the confidence reposed in the party, promised to provide a purposeful leadership that can translate into democracy dividends if elected as governor of the state.

50 News

WORLD | News

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2015 NEW TELEGRAPH

Breach of contract: Broker sues Egypt sentences 183 Brotherhood Oyedepo, others seeks N1bn damages supporters to death Akeem Nafiu

licensed stock brokerage firm, Valueline Securities and Investment Limited has slammed a N1.8billion charge on the Nigerian Stock Exchange(NSE) and the founder of Living Faith Church, also known as Winners Chapel, Bishop David Oyedepo, over an alleged breach of agreement on multi-billion naira investment within the Nigerian stock market. The suit before Justice Mohammed Yunusa of aFederal High Court in Lagos has the firm and its Managing Director, Samuel Enyin-

naya as the first and second plaintiffs. Apart from Oyedepo, Living Faith Church and the NSE, others listed as defendants in the suit are: World Mission Agency Inc (the overall ruling organ of the church), Covenant University, David Oyedepo Foundation, Mrs Faith Abiola Oyedepo (Oyedepo's wife), Joys Priscillia Oyedepo, Love Jesutobi Oyedepo, David Makinde Oyedepo Isaac Oyedepo (all Oyedepo's children and blood relatives). The plaintiffs, in their statement of claim, averred that Oyedepo, his relatives and organisa-

tions, who are the first to tenth defendants in the suit, had approached them and indicated intention to make investment in the Nigerian stock market and eventually appointed the plaintiffs as the portfolio managers of the said investments. The plaintiffs added that an Investment Portfolio Management Agreement (IPMA) was subsequently signed between them and the first to 10th defendants which gave them far reaching powers to exercise discretion and do everything within the ambit of the law to ensure profitability of investment and equally give periodic reports.

n Egyptian court sentenced 183 supporters of the outlawed Muslim Brotherhood to death yesterday on charges of killing police officers, part of a sustained crackdown by authorities on Islamists. The men were convicted of playing a role in the killings of 16 policemen in the town of Kardasa in August, 2013 during the upheaval that followed the army's ouster of Islamist president Mohamed Mursi. Thirty-four were sentenced in absentia. Egypt has mounted

one of the biggest crackdowns in its modern history on the Brotherhood since the political demise of Mursi, the country's first democratically-elected president. Thousands of Brotherhood supporters have been arrested and put on mass trials in a campaign which human rights groups say shows the government is systematically repressing opponents. "Today’s death sentences are yet another example of the bias of the Egyptian criminal justice system," said Hassiba Hadj Sahraoui, Deputy Middle

East and North Africa Programme Director at Amnesty International. These verdicts and sentences must be quashed and all of those convicted should be given a trial that meets international standards of fairness and excludes the death penalty." Yesterday's sentences came a day after Al Jazeera journalist Peter Greste was freed after serving 400 days in Egyptian jail on charges that included aiding a terrorist group - a reference to the Brotherhood.

MASSOB warns Abia over harassment, killing of members Igbeaku Orji Umuahia

he Movement for the Actualization of Sovereign State of Biafra, (MASSOB) has decried what it called the incessant harassment and killing of its members by agents of Peoples Democratic Party-led Government in Abia State, warning that if the situation was not checked, it was capable of causing a breach of the peace in the state. The National Assistant Information Officer

of MASSOB, Mr Sunday Okereafor, expressed the worry in Umuahia. He also alleged that the PDP Government in Abia State, has been attacking their offices and sponsoring thugs to kill their members at Asa Nnentu Area of Aba in Abia State. Okereafor further alleged that the government agents sporadically come to their offices with machetes and guns to attack them and dispossess them of their goods and money, saying they should be called to order. He said that MASSOB was not a violent move-

ment, but might be forced to defend its members if the activities of the agents were not checked. “The energy they apply in attacking our members could have been directed towards the payment of hordes of salaries they owe civil servants, teachers, pensioners, contractors and many other people that the state owes. Abia State, which is referred to as God’s Own State has been turned into debt owned state by the government. They are indebted to everybody that has one thing or the other to do with them,” Okereafor alleged.

tended that Jonathan had done a lot in transforming the country in the past three and half years. The event was held at the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Legacy House in Onikolobo area of Abeokuta, the state capital. He said that Jonathan's administration had done a lot in transforming the country. Members of the committee included Hon. Segun Seriki, who was

appointed as State Coordinator; former House of Assembly Speaker, Mrs. Titi Oseni (Deputy Coordinator); former Minister of Mines and Steel Development, Alhaji Sarafa Isola, Senator Lekan Mustapha, Senator Ayodeji Otegbola, Hon. Dave Salako and Dr Remilekun Bakare. Others are former PDP chairman in the state, Elder Joju Fadairo, Mrs. Gloria Shoda,and Alhaji Lamidi Odulawa.

Supporters of the Muslim Brotherhood and ousted Egyptian President Mohamed Mursi holding a copy of the Koran and Mursi's picture at Talaat Harb Square.

Saudi prince's news channel halts Why Jonathan deserves Nigerians' votes broadcasting after day one new pan-Arab air soon. It went live on to the official Bahrain again, by Daniel news channel Sunday afternoon. News Agency. He did not Kunle Olayeni Abeokuta

ormer Governor of Ogun State, Otunba Gbenga Daniel, yesterday said President Goodluck Jonathan deserved to be re-elected because of his sterling performance in office. Daniel, who spoke at the inauguration of the Ogun State Presidential Campaign Advisory Committee in Abeokuta, con-

backed by a billionaire Saudi prince was suspended from broadcasting from its home in Bahrain yesterday, just hours after it went on air and carried an interview with a prominent opposition activist. The Alarab television station said on its official Twitter feed that coverage was halted for "technical and administrative reasons," and that it hopes to be back on the

The unexpected stoppage, apparently on the order of Bahraini authorities, came just hours after Alarab surprised many viewers by featuring Bahraini opposition activist Khalil al-Marzooq as one of its first guests. Yusuf Mohammed, the media director at Bahrain's Information Affairs Authority, cited similar reasons as the channel for its being "temporarily suspended" in comments

give further details. He said the authorities are working with Alarab management "to swiftly resolve the matter," and he expected the channel will resume broadcasting soon. A brief front-page article in the pro-government Akhbar al-Khaleej newspaper said the channel's broadcasts had been suspended because they did not conform to Gulf norms. It did not cite its sources.

Bird Flu: FG raises the alarm over spread

Obama reviews lethal assistance to Ukraine

Obinna Odoh

Abuja

he Federal Government has raised an alarm over the rapid spread of Avian Influenza which started from two commercial states of the federation(Kano and Lagos states):and has now spread to 16 states. The Supervising Minister of Health and Min-

ister of State for Health, Dr. Khaliru Alhassan, disclosed this yesterday in Abuja during a Ministerial Press briefing on the update on Avian Influenza. He said that since January 16, 2015 that Avian Influenza was confirmed in both Lagos and Kano States respectively, the epidemic has since within that shortest period, spread like wildfire to 16 other states as was an-

nounced by Federal Ministry of Agriculture . It could be recalled that prior to this outbreak, the last case of Avian Influenza was confirmed in August 2008 and since then, no case has been reported until this recent one. Alhassan called on the general public to maintan calm as government has put up proactive measures to bring it under control.

resident Barack Obama is reconsidering sending lethal assistance to Ukraine, a senior administration official said yesterday, but continues to have concerns about the effectiveness of that step and the risks of a proxy war between the US and Russia. The official said Obama is specifi-

cally concerned about the besieged Ukrainian military's capacity for using high-powered, American-supplied weaponry. The president has also argued that no amount of arming the Ukrainians would put them on par with Russia's military prowess. The official requested anonymity to speak because the per-

son was not authorized to talk publicly about internal deliberations. The US accuses Russia of supplying the proKremlin separatists that are stirring instability in eastern Ukraine. The US has limited its supplies to the Ukrainian military to non-lethal aid, such as gas masks and radar technology to detect incoming fire.

NEW TELEGRAPH TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2015

Sport News

International Sport

No rift with Mourinho – Lampard

Renard: We beat the best, Algeria

Adamu, Oshodi, Popoola mourn Okoya –Thomas

AFCON 2015

Sport

Did you know? That Kevin Keegan’s quote “I would love it if we beat them. Love it!”, still fondly remembered in football.

Super Bowl MVP, Brady, hails victorious Patriots

om Brady praised the mental toughness of his New England Patriots team-mates after their Super Bowl XLIX win over the Seattle Seahawks. The defending champions had the momentum heading into the final quarter, but Brady masterminded two touchdown drives to lead the Patriots to a tense 28-24 victory.

Brady was named Most Valuable Player after throwing four touchdown passes, taking him past Joe Montana to a total of 13 in the sport’s showpiece game. He admitted things hadn’t gone according to plan but was full of praise for the whole Patriots team, saving special words for rookie Malcolm Butler, whose late interception on the goal-line secured their victory.

“It wasn’t the way we drew it up,” said Brady, who was taking home his third Super Bowl MVP award. “It certainly didn’t help, me throwing a couple of picks. It took a lot of mental toughness, and that we’ve had all year. “We never doubted each other so that’s what it took. That’s a great football team we beat and I am just so happy for our team.

“We knew they had a good defence and they take advantage of any bad offensive football. For the most part we played pretty good. Our defence, well what can you say about them, making the play at the end of the game. It was a great team win. “Thanks to my friends and my family who have supported me, and to all my team-mates.

Mikel (right), with South Africa player

Pinto

The Sport Team Adekunle Salami Group Sport Editor

Emmanuel Tobi Assistant Editor, Sport

Ifeanyi Ibeh Sport Correspondent

Ajibade Olusesan Sport Correspondent

Charles Ogundiya Sport Correspondent

NFF opts for foreign coach

l Halilhodzic tops list, Pinto says no

There is a lot of politics going on about Keshi’s job, I can confirm to you that the NFF officials met with the coach a few days ago but nothing concrete has been achieved

Ajibade Olusesan

ormer Algeria coach, Vahid Halilhodzic, has emerged the top candidate as the Nigeria Football Federation continues the search for new Super Eagles coach. There are strong indications that Coach Stephen Keshi may not return to his duty post as negotiations between the coach and the NFF appeared to have stalled. New Telegraph has authoritatively learnt that officials of the soccer body have approached a number of foreign coaches and top on the list is Halilhodzic.

This is for you guys. “It’s been a long journey. I’ve been at it for 15 years and I’ve had a couple of tough losses in this game but this one came out good in the end. “I thought I might need to get out on the field for another drive (at the end) but Malcolm – what a play, for a rookie to do that for us and win us the Super Bowl.” A source in the Glass House says the Bosniaborn tactician is keen to take over as Eagles coach and he is ready to start negotiations with the federation. The source says although there are other candidates on NFF’s radar, the former Cote d’Ivoire handler is a leading candidate. His deep knowledge of African football having coached the Cote d’ Ivoire, Algeria and Raja Casablanca of Morocco count in his favour. “There is a lot of politics going on about Keshi’s job, I can confirm to you that the NFF officials met with the coach a few days ago but nothing concrete has been achieved as far as I know. NFF has continued to pursue the alternative which is to get a foreign coach. “I know that former Algeria coach, Halilhodzic, who guided the country to the last World Cup where they reached the round of 16 is one of them and he seems to be highly favoured. I know they contacted the coach that took Costa Rica to the quarterfinal of 2014 World Cup, Jorge Luis Pinto, that was last year but he later took another job when NFF did not solidify their interest. I can tell you that NFF is really working and in a matter of days a clearer picture of where we are going will appear,” the source said. Halilhodzic who quit his position at Tranzaspor of Turkey last November has had stints at Lille, PSG and Rennes in the French league; he has also handled Dinamo Zagreb.

SPORT

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2015 NEW TELEGRAPH

Adamu, Oshodi, Popoola mourn Okoya –Thomas

Dapo Sotuminu

he Nigeria sports family has expressed shock on the death of the country’s number sports philanthropist, Chief Molade Okoya-Thomas, who died in the early hours of Monday, February 2 after a losing the battle against Insulin-Induced Diabetes. Okoya-Thomas, who gave his life to the service of sports in Nigeria, died at the Reddington Hospital, Victoria Island at the age of 79 years. He is survived by wife and children. Prominent sports personalities have been reacting to the shocking news of the Asoju Oba of Lagos. Dr. Amos Adamu, former DG NSC It is a shame death took this good man away from us, especially now that Nigeria needs all the

Nigeria’s Elderson Echiejile battling South Africa’s Sibusiso Vilakazi during the 2015 Afcon qualifiers

Super Eagles get new kit sponsor in April Emmanuel Tobi

he Nigeria Football Federation director of marketing, Idris Adama, has revealed that the Super Eagles will secure a new kit sponsor by April. Adama informed Journalists in Abuja on Monday that adequate planning was being made to ensure that other national teams were captured in the deal. “We have a lot of companies across the globe that have ex-

pressed their readiness to take over the Nigeria Super Eagles as kit suppliers, but we are weighing the options. At least before the end of March-April, we should be able to launch something new into the market,” he said. Adama added that, “We are looking at the best way of getting the best out of what we have at hand at the moment. What we need is quality brand and for us to be partnering with any quality brand in the world, it’s also an advantage to that kit partner because we are the best thing that has hap-

pened to football in Africa.” He however stressed that other national teams will benefit from the proposed deal. “We need kits for all the 10 national teams; not every team in Africa has the number of teams that we have, so you should understand that the volume of kits we require from one single kit company is big.“ The director said Nigeria had qualified for all the major competitions in the last one decade and as such was considering a deal with a sponsor that could meet NFA’s kit requirement volume.

Awoniyi wins Super 4 MVP IfeanyiIbeh

lying Eagles striker, Taiwo Awoniyi, has been voted the Most Valuable Player of the just concluded Super Four pre-season invitational tournament in Abuja. The award carries a N200,000 prize money. The 17-year-old Awoniyi featured in all of the Flying Eagles’ matches at the sixteam tournament, scoring twice. TheFlyingEagles,whoare preparingforthe2015African Youth Championship in Sen-

egal in March, won the tournament in style with13points from five matches. But it wasn’t his goal scoringabilitythatearnedhimthe tournament’s MVP honours, buthisallroundperformance fortheFlyingEagleswhowon all but one of their five matches at the tournament. Manu Garba’s side won the competition with a game to spare, scoring 12 goals in the process – the highest at the competition. Awoniyi, who has a precontract with Swedish club Kalmar, is expected to sign a

professionalcontractwiththe SwedishclubinAugust,when he turns 18. The Flying Eagles began their quest at the Super Four with an impressive 2-0 win over Enyimba on January 24 beforefollowingitupwitha2-1 win over league champions Kano Pillars two days later. On January 28 they edged WarriWolves1-0inanencounter they missed a plethora of chances before rediscovering their scoring form two days later in a 4-1 drubbing of Federation Cup runners-up Dolphins.

My People battle Yobo FC at Multi sports pre-season Charles Ogundiya

y People FC and Yobo FC, both of Lagos will today, Tuesday, February 3, kick start the third edition of the annual Multi Sports International pre-season tournament. According to the fixture made available to our correspondent, four matches would be played daily starting from 7am in the morning at the Lekan Salami Stadium,

Adamasingba, Ibadan. Dolphins who finished bottom of the log at the just concluded Super 4 organised by the League Management Company in Abuja will be looking to make amends at the championship. Dolphins are drawn in Group A alongside host team, 3SC of Ibadan, Yobo FC and My People FC. Another Nigeria’s CAF Confederation Cup campaigners, Warri Wolves, will play

in Group B alongside defending champion Sharks FC of Port Harcourt, El-Kanemi Warriors of Maiduguri and Non-League side, Freestan FC. On match day one, El Kanemi Warriors will take on Freestan in the second match of the day by 9am. Afternoon session starting by 2pm will see Sharks taking on Warri Wolves while 3SC and Dolphins will play the final match of the day.

experts in sports to give advice on how to rebuild the country’s sports which is at its lowest ebb. Unknown to many people, Chief Okoya-Thomas loved football very much and he was always calling me on phone whenever Nigeria played international football when I was in office as the DirectorGeneral of the National Sports Commission. He took the sponsorship of his table tennis competition very serious and he never failed to hold it in Lagos. I attended sometimes when he invited me personally. His commitment to sports development was second to none. Enitan Oshodi, NTTF President Late Chief MoladeOkoya-Thomas was as a great mentor, uncle and friend. He was a true gentleman whose commitment to youth and sports development was in a league of its own. He set himself apart with his eagerness and unflinching commitment to give back to society, thereby creating a benchmark that we can all aspire to emulate. Personally, I owe a huge debt of gratitude to the late Chief Okoya-Thomas, whose support, encouragement and advice will never be forgotten. My deepest condolences to the entire Okoya-Thomas family, and prays that Almighty God will console them at this difficult time.

Chief Solomon Ogba, AFN President: Oh my God, I am shocked. You mean that good man has died? May the soul of the departed one

Okoya –Thomas

rest in peace. I remember working with him at the Algiers 2007 All African Games when he served as Chairman Board of Trustees for Team Nigeria. He had vast knowledge in sports administration, and was always ahead of everyone on issues of the athletes’ welfare. I also remembered that he kept his prestige and honour when he quickly sent in his resignation from the Team Nigeria and avoided being stained by the series of allegations of funds mismanagement immediately after the Algiers Games. Tunde Popoola, NOC Secretary General: The death of Chief OkoyaThomas is the saddest news this year. I am lost for words right now; the man was like a father to us in sports. He was a typical example of a true philanthropist and we have lost one great man. He was a consistent man, since he started the sponsorship of the table tennis championship over 40 years ago; he never stopped until death took him away on Monday morning.

Flying Eagles can cope without Iheanacho, says Ezeh

orto U-19 striker Chidera Ezeh has opined that the Flying Eagles can cope with the absence of Kelechi Iheanacho and Isaac Success at the African Youth Championship. Golden Ball winner at the last FIFA U-17 championship, Iheanacho, is sidelined until March with an ankle injury while Granada chiefs looked the other way when contacted by the Nigeria Federation, as the date for the tournament is outside the Fifa calendar. One of the players expected to step up in the absence of both players is Chidera Ezeh, and he

Iheanacho (right) in action for Man City

showed a glimmer of his potential after scoring two goals at the recently concluded Super 6 tourney. ‘’Yes we will miss Iheanacho and Success but Nigeria has a lot of talents, so we will work very hard with the players we have now,’’ Ezeh said. ‘’By His grace we will get there. Our aim is to win every match as it comes, that’s the tradition here. ‘’I’m working very hard to be scoring with every opportunity that comes in a game, it only takes hard work and atom of luck to get there.’’

INTERNATIONAL SPORT 53

NEW TELEGRAPH TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2015

No rift with Mourinho – Lampard

club Reading on a deal until the end of the season. The 32-year-old, who has not played in England since leaving Blackburn in 2012, was a free agent after playing for Qatari club Al Rayyan. He has a total of 114 league goals across spells at five English clubs – Portsmouth, Everton, Middlesbrough, Leicester and Blackburn. Yakubu left Blackburn to join Chinese side Guangzhou in 2012.

Ideye leaves West Brom for Qatari club

Ideye has left West BromBjustrown wich Albion for the Middle East a few months after moving to

Suspension will only make Costa better – Ivanovic

Costa

dia. “This is his way to play. For me there is nothing wrong with that. “The ban I cannot speak about but for me this has happened a lot of times. During the one game, sometimes, someone is touched, sometimes not.”

I left Arsenal because of Wenger – Henry guys left and I did not know if Arsene [Wenger] would be staying,” he told BeIn Sports. “It was not easy and when I left I cried. I’m not ashamed to say it. I’m a competitor and I had to leave. When I arrived at Barcelona, Guardiola told me that I was the fourth-choice striker and I would not be starter. “I accepted the challenge and I fought, and competition makes you increase your level. People talk about luck, but you need to create your own. When you work, you got the reward at the end.”

Henry

hierry Henry has revealed that he left Arsenal in 2007 because of Arsene Wenger’s uncertain future at the club. The Frenchman joined Barcelona in a £16m deal after eight successful years with the Gunners, despite being told by Pep Guardiola that he would not be a regular starter at Camp Nou. Henry has revealed that he did not want to leave Arsenal and cried when his time at the club came to an end. “I never considered leaving Arsenal. But I was 29 years old and in form, I thought all the

Djokovic, Serena stay atop world rankings

ovak Djokovic is now 3800 points clear atop the ATP world rankings following his Australian Open triumph on Sunday while Serena Williams bolstered her position atop the WTA world rankings. The Serb is in clear water well ahead of second-placed Roger Federer who lost ground with a third-round exit in Melbourne. In the women’s final of the Australian Open, the 33-year-old American defeated Maria Sharapova in straight sets for her sixth Grand Slam title in Melbourne and 19th in all. Big movers in the men’s top 10 were Andy Murray whose run into the Australian Open final saw him move up two places to fourth with Milos Raonic also climbing two spots to sixth. They both moved past Stan Wawrinka, who failed to defend his title in Australia and dropped five places to ninth. One of the biggest movers among the women was Serena’s older sister, Venus.

helsea have signed Colombian winger Juan Cuadrado from Fiorentina for a fee of £26.8million. The Stamford Bridge club made the 26-year-old their primary target for the January transfer window. Cuadrado flew into London on Saturday and has now completed his move. Chelsea had been negotiating with the Florence club for more than a week before agreeing terms. The clubs also

the Hawthorns in what was a record deal for the Baggies, who have sold the Nigerian to Qatar’s Al Gharafa. Ideye netted two goals in 17 appearances after a £8.8 million move from Dynamo Kiev last summer - one was in the Carling Cup when he got injured in the process and the other was whilst he was looking the other way whilst standing on the goal line as the ball hit him on the back of the head. Al Gharafa completed the move for £3.77 million with Albion losing around £4 million on their outlay for the striker.

Watford reject new Ighalo bids

atfordhaverejectedbidsfromHullCity W and West Brom for their striker Odion Ighalo, according to Sky sources.

The Hornets reportedly turned down two recent offers which were understood to be around £5m. IthasalsobeensuggestedthatWatford would accept £6m for the 25-year-old Nigerian forward. Ighalo,whomovedtoVicarageRoadfromItalianclubUdineselast July, has scored 11 goals this season including eight since Christmas.

Giovinco dumps Juve for Toronto FC

uventusforwardSebastianGiovincohasjoined Jclub TorontoFCearlierthanexpectedwiththeItalian on Monday announcing his departure to

Major League Soccer. The28-year-oldhasmovedtotheCanadian outfit ahead of the start of the MLS season in March. Giovinco,whohaswon21capsforItaly,madehis last appearance for Juve as a late substitute against Hellas Verona on January 18. A statement from Juve read: “Giovinco leaves Juventus after a long adventure with the club lasting 19 years. Now the doors of the MLS open up for him.”

Anderson leaves United for Brazil

anchester United midfielder Juan Mata M has revealed that Anderson has left the club to return to his native Brazil.

Djokovic (left) and Serena

Chelsea sign Cuadrado for £27m C

Yakubu back in England, joins Reading

ormer Portsmouth, Middlesbrough F and Nigeria striker Aiyegbeni Yakubu has joined English Championship

rank Lampard does not believe Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho holds a grudge against him as a result of his move to Manchester City. Lampard played a major role in Chelsea’s success in Mourinho’s first spell as manager of the Premier League leaders, but did not speak to the Portuguese after the 1-1 draw at the weekend. Mourinho did shake hands with the former West Ham man, though, and Lampard says there is no rift between the pair. He said: “I don’t want to try to say that there’s any issue at all. I got a text at Christmas, I texted him back. We spoke in the dressing room, ‘How’s the family?,’ the usual. “We are grown men, you know what I mean? We are at different football clubs. I’m sure we are big enough that none of this is going to get in the way of our relationship and how we are personally. “We remain close. This is football, it’s sport and I haven’t spoken to him that much recently. I don’t think there’s room for bitterness and if there is then I’ll deal Lampard with that down the line.”

uspended Chelsea striker Diego Costa will be even better when in the spotlight, according to teammate Branislav Ivanovic. Costa missed his side’s 1-1 draw against Manchester City on Saturday after being handed a threematch ban for stamping on Liverpool’s Emre Can. Costa has scored 17 Premier League goals this season, and Ivanovic insists his attention-loving team-mate will be even better with the focus on him. “Diego likes attention, he likes for people to speak about him, this makes him a better player,” the Serbian defender told the British me-

Transfer news

agreed a five per cent sell on to Cuadrado’s former club Independiente Medellin. The winger wrote a heartfelt message to Fiorentina supporters as his switch to Chelsea moves closer to completion. The Colombian winger said: “Florence will always be in my heart. “The people are extraordinary. The fans full of passion. The Viola launched my career and gave me the opportunity to grow also thanks to a great club and exceptional teammates.

The 26-year-old, who moved to Old Trafford in 2007, has struggled to hold down a regular first-team place in recent seasons. Mata has used his weekly blog to announce that Anderson has moved on to pastures new, although the details of the transfer have not been made clear yet. After writing on his blog, Mata added: “I want to wish good luck to my friend Anderson, who is back to football in his native Brazil.

Schurrle joins Wolfsburg

olfsburg have completed the W signing of Andre Schurrle from Chelsea for a reported transfer fee

in excess of 30 million euros. Schurrle, 24, will return to the Bundesliga some 18 months after joining Chelsea from Bayer Leverkusen for a reported transfer fee of 25 million euros and put pen to paper on a contract until 2019 according to the club’s website. Only minutes before the closure of the German transfer window at 6 p.m. Nigerian time on Monday, the Blues and Wolfsburg finally struck a deal for the international winger.

SPORT

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2015 NEW TELEGRAPH

Equatorial Guinea 2015 AFCON

Renard: We beat the best, Algeria

ote d’Ivoire’s tactician, Herve Renard, admits that Algeria is the best team in the tournament and his side did well to eliminate the best. The French-man was speaking after his side thumped the Desert Foxes by 3-1 in their 2015 CAF Africa Cup of Nations quarter-final clash at Estadio de Malabo in Equatorial Guinea on Sunday night. A brace from Manchester City new signing Wilfried Bony inspired the Elephants into the semi-finals, whilst AS Roma’s star Gervinho netted the third goal to set up a semifinal date against the Democratic Republic of Congo on Wednesday. “I think we have beaten the

Bony (left)

best team in the tournament,” said Renard. “We needed to be very wellorganised and try to counter a team that is very strong individually.” Renard will undoubtedly set his eyes on the Afcon trophy having tasted the continental glory with Zambia’s Chipolopolo three years ago beating the Ivoirians on penalties. “When I was with Zambia, the Ivory Coast were better than us but we won on penalties in the 2012 final,” added Renard.

igerian officials continued to make good impression at the 30th Africa Cup of Nations, with NFF President Amaju Melvin Pinnick and two others already selected to play key roles in Thursday’s second semifinal of Africa’s flagship championship on-going in Equatorial Guinea. Designations released on

Monday showed that the Confederation of African Football, which rated the NFF President as number one among all the Match Commissioners that were on duty for the 28 matches of the group phase and quarter finals, has again named Pinnick as the Match Commissioner for the tie between Ghana and host Equatorial Guinea on Thursday

against Equatorial Guinea after picking up an injury against

Semi-final fixtures Wednesday Gyan

DR Congo vs Ivory Coast Thursday Ghana vs E/l Guinea

Pinnick, Bassey, Falode on semifinal duty N

Gyan a huge doubt to face E. Guinea hana captain Asamoah Guinea. Gyan is a huge doubt for G Gyan came out worst after Thursday’s semi-final clash Guinea Moussa Naby Yattara

evening. Nigerians Etubom Paul Bassey and Aisha Falode will be Security Officer and Media Officer respectively. The Black Stars, whose last triumph at the Africa Cup of Nations was in 1982, dismissed Guinea’s Syli Nationale 3-0 in one of the quarter finals on Sunday – a match also superintended by Pinnick.

lunged into the lower abdomen of the Al Ain striker. Yattara was sent off as a result and Guinea played the remainder of regulation time with 10 men. Gyan was unable to walk on his own and had to require the help of team officials to cover distance. It is still unclear the extent of the damage but coach Avram Grant will hope that his talisman recovers in time to play a part in the semi-final clash against Equatorial Guinea. He recovered from Malaria to score the all import goal in their 1-0 win against favourites Algeria in the group stages.

Bougherra retires from Algeria duty

lgeria captain Madjid Bougherra has reconfirmed that he is retiring from the international game. The 32-year-old had announced last October that he would retire from international football after the 2015 Nations Cup. Bougherra Played his last game for Algeria on February 1 in their 3-1 quarterfinal loss to Cote d’Ivoire in Malabo. “I would like to thank the coach and especially the national team for

all the marvellous moments spent with ‘les Verts’. I am proud and happy to have been able to wear this jersey during all these years,” Bougherra said. Bougherra added that he was sad to be bowing out without Nations Cup title after the continent’s highest ranked side came into the tournament as one of the favourites. “This elimination in the quarterfinals of the AFCON is very painful. We have a lot of regrets as we dominated the encounter.”

Odedina expects tough GTBank/Lagos Principal Cup Emmanuel Tobi

ola Odedina, GTBank General Manager, Communication and External Affairs has expressed confidence that the Lagos Principal’s Cup Season 6 competition will spring surprises as teams battle for the quarterfinal ticket. In the state draws held on Thursday 29th January, 2015 at the Bank’s corporate Head office, 24 schools were drawn into eight groups of three teams in the male category while 18 teams were placed into six groups of three teams in the female category

According to Odedina, “the Principals Cup Competition paves the way for youths to cultivate their sporting talents and aptitudes, while fostering and building a healthier lifestyle at a critical stage in their lives.” She enjoined the students to imbibe the spirit of fair play, hard work, and rigur, which are some of the core values of GTBank, adding that, “We witnessed such a great passion for football amongst the teams of the Season 5 tournament and I am certain that more talent will emerge as the tournament progresses this year.” At the end of the tournament, cash prizes of N1million, N750,000,

N500,000 and N250,000 will be presented to the 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th place winners in the male and female categories. GTBank will also provide sports infrastructure upgrade and sporting equipment such as balls, goal post nets and corner flags for schools throughout the duration of the competition. The most valuable players who led their schools to emerge champions, last year Sunday Adeoye of Dairy Farm Senior Secondary School Agege and Yetunde Fajobi of Government Girls College, were rewarded with tickets to watch the 2014 Brazil World Cup.

Grey House lifts Chemstar Paints football trophy Kayode Olanrewaju

rey House has won the 2015 edition of the annual football competition instituted by the management of the Chemstar Paints Industry Nigeria Limited, manufacturers of Finecoat and Shield Paints, for the workers to mark this year’s Staff Week. Grey House defeated Gossamer 5-3 on penalties to lift the coveted trophy after a 1-1 draw at full time with Grey House’s Daniel Adebari voted the best player, while Akinsanmi

Oluwasina of Gossamer House won the Best Goalkeeper award. Four houses comprising Jasmine (Yellow), Grey (Grey), Gossamer (Green) and Pacific (Blue) featured in the football match played at the company’s corporate headquarters in Lagos. Over 700 workers participated in the competition which also included Scrabble, Table Tennis, Ayo game, Four-In-Roll and Computer game. Group Managing Director of the company, Mr. Aderemi Awode revealed

that the competition was instituted for the workers to have fun and ease stress as well all prepare for the 2015 business activities. He added that the houses were named after the prominent colours of paint produced by the company. Speaking on the competition, the AGM Strategic and Business Development, Dr. Tunde Olaniya, said the weeklong events, was introduced to highlight to the health needs of the workers as well as create time for them within the year to have fun and interact.

GTBank Senior Manager, Communications and External Affairs, Mrs Oyinade Adegite; member, Technical Committee, Lagos State Sports Council, Mr Bisi Osunneye; Director, Co-Curricular Services, Lagos state Ministry of Education, Mrs Marion Babs-Akinyeye and GTBank Deputy Manager, Communications and External Affairs, Mrs Abimbola Meshinoye during the GTBank-Lagos State Principals Cup 2015 draws in Lagos recently.

1000 athletes for Olukoya Athletics Championship

ver 1000 athletes from 26 states and athletics clubs across the country have entered for the 2015 Dr. D K Olukoya Athletics Championships slated for Teslim Balogun Stadium, Lagos this weekend. The 2015 edition of the Championships will serve as trial for the Africa Youth Athletics championships in Mauritius from April 23 to 26, 2015 and the IAAF World Youth Champions in Cali, Columbia from July 15 to 19, 2015. The Meet Manager of the 2015 Olukoya Athletics Championships Yussuf Alli said entry for the championships would close at 12 noon February 3, 2015, “We shall not entertain any late entry and we will not allow any state or

athletics club to submit entry at the venue’’. Alli a former captain of Team Nigeria who still holds the national record 8.37m in long jump set at Auckland 1990 Commonwealth Games expect tough competition from junior athletes from Kwara, Delta and Cross River States. “These states have been consistent in producing young athletes in the last few years, I expect athletes from the states to dominate the sprints, jumps, quarter-mile and hurdles. Alli urged other states to emulate these states, adding that, “the National Sports Commission (NSC) and the Athletic Federation of Nigeria cannot do it alone.”

NEW TELEGRAPH TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2015

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tial candidate, Major General Muhammadu Buhari, to call his supporters to orCONTINUED ON PAGE 5

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Afromedia: Incapacitated adverse regulation by

Food price drops in index December

Interview

Okonjo Iweala, a mismatch economy, says Enwegbara for Nigerian

Dayo Ayeyemi

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lDSS' story on hacking senseless, says Lai Mohammed Temitope Ogunbanke

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port of the Department of State Services (DSS) that it planned to inflate its membership data as well as hack into the Independent

National Electoral Commission (INEC) database through the creation of party membership forms and cards to match INEC's

voters register across the country. Addressing a press conference yesterday in Lagos, CONTINUED ON PAGE 2

QuicK reaD

Editorial

Managing a depressing economy }19 Female suicide bombers kill five in Yobe }7

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Front row: L-R: European Commission President, Jean-Claude Juncker; Israel's Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu; former French President, Nicolas Sarkozy; Mali's President, Ibrahim Boubacar Keita; French President, Francois Hollande; Germany's Chancellor, Angela Merkel; Palestinian President, Mahmoud Abbas and Italy's Prime Minister, Matteo Renzi, at a solidarity march against terrorism in Paris...yesterday. PHOTO: ReuTeRs

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No. 33

DEGRADATION

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Vol. 1

42-43

Bodo spill: N16 billion Group faults Shell’s compensati on

Communities in the NigerDelta have been drastically affected by activities of oil companies

p.22

Insurance

Claims: Policyholder’s Leadway conflict with deepens

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12, 2015

Naira walks knocks CBN tight rope as ICAN

Business

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Ebonyi in jeopardy for Jonathan

seldom, if ever, deploy this column to articulate, propagate, advance or promote a cause closely aligned to my personal interests or the affairs of my immediate constituency. I have a deep respect for the journalistic principle that abhors self-promotion and crusading for a narrow interest that may redound to the sole benefit of a public commentator. However, the narrative that I shall set out in this piece is of such public interest that although it emanates from my immediate constituency, I stand to gain nothing, on a personal level, by giving ventilation to it. And I have, of course asked myself the question: if a similar subject matter were to occur in, for example, Adamawa or Zamfara, would I put my pen to work in its examination and analysis? The answer is a resounding yes. Ebonyi State has remained a safe PDP state since 1999. But that dominant command might be threatened today by an unusual set of circumstances, borne out of subterfuge, duplicity and fraud. Across the length and breadth of the state, the posters and billboards of Jonathan/Sambo are being torn down; some have been set on fire; others defaced. The campaign strategy of the Labour Party, the unfortunate orphan and malnourished child adopted by the government of Ebonyi State, is to vote Labour across board, including the presidential ballot, even though the party has not presented a presidential candidate in 2015. Having appreciated the grave risk inherent in attempting to educate a rural and illiterate population on the niceties of vote-splitting, the agents of Ebonyi State Government have chosen to err on the side of caution for themselves but on the side of harm to the Jonathan/Sambo ticket. I make this point because Labour’s trumpeted support for President Jonathan is a complete and manifest sham. The background to this outrageous state of affairs is directly traceable not to the primary elections that saw the emergence of the incumbent Deputy Governor, Dave Umahi as the PDP flag bearer. This is exactly what the illogical promoters of Labour would have the world believe. Rather, it is the consequence of the inordinate ambition of a misguided band of Commissioners in the administration of Chief Martin Elechi, led by the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy matters, Celestine Nwali (the would-be kingmaker whose fellow Commissioners and SAs refer to as “the Governor we see and know”). When Elechi nominated and supported the erstwhile Minister of Health, Professor Onyebuchi Chukwu, as his preferred candidate for the gubernatorial ticket in Ebonyi State, Nwali quickly unfolded his own parallel political agenda. He neither supported his boss’s crusade for the transition of the gubernatorial position from Ebonyi Central Senatorial District to Ebonyi South Senatorial District, nor Elechi’s preferment of Chukwu as the PDP candidate. Nwali had sealed a longstanding deal with some elements from Izzi clan in Ebonyi North

Broadside EMMANUEL ONWE agubata@aol.com

Elechi

Senatorial District which had governed Ebonyi for eight years (1999-2007), with considerable wads of cash exchanging hands, to thwart Elechi’s noble ambition of handing over the governorship to the minority South under the principles established in a famous Charter of Equity (whether it was a signed document or not is quite immaterial here – the very notion of such a principle is perfectly compelling to all fair-minded citizens). Elechi’s grave error was to play into the hands of Nwali. He did so by, first, handing over the control, distribution, collation and general administration of the congress processes leading to the election of delegates to nominate candidates to be fielded by the PDP in Ebonyi State. Nwali seized the moment and unleashed confusion and underhanded politics in equal measure. He distributed the delegates’ forms to only three individuals across the entire state, excluding the incumbent Deputy Governor who was himself a candidate. He deceived Elechi into believing that he had gone to Abuja to submit the delegates’ results that emanated from the field to the National Organising Secretary of PDP at Wadata Plaza. He never did. Secondly, Elechi relied on Nwali to restructure the state party leadership, believing that to do so would obstruct Umahi and enhance his own agenda. Big mistake. Nwali embarked on the outlandish plot to single-handedly nominate and install the State Chairman of the PDP in Ebonyi. He pushed for the humiliating dethronement of the incumbent State Party Chairman, Prince Ugorji Amaoti, whom he accused

of being loyal to Umahi and therefore a threat to his own interests. He proceeded to nominate as Prince Amaoti’s replacement a man, Chief James Aroh Nweke, who hails from the same community as the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator Anyim Pius Anyim, without as much as a hint to the SGF, a major stakeholder in the party and in whose political flesh Nweke had been a toxic thorn for over a decade. Anyim got wind of the development and travelled to Abakaliki to remonstrate against the choice with Elechi. Nweke was dropped and one Mazi Ben Akpa was crowned the Chairman. But in a determined effort to rile Anyim, Nweke was slated to pick the House of Representatives seat for Ohaozara, Onicha and Ivo Federal Constituency, to represent the same Anyim at the Federal House. Anyim finally picked the provocative challenge and intensified his opposition to Elechi’s nominee for governorship, believing, erroneously of course, that it was Elechi that was out to publicly embarrass and humiliate him. Nwali was thrilled because by provoking Anyim against Elechi, he effectively mobilised one more big gun against Elechi’s succession preference. On 17th November, 2014, the State Executive Committee was dissolved as a punitive measure for publishing the delegates list which it was the duty of the National Working Committee to publish. That same night, Nwali held a celebratory party at his mansion at Onwe Road. His joy at the dissolution knew no bounds; he claimed that it was the Abakaliki ancestors that were at work; that Abakaliki forebears were agitating in their graves against “Elechi’s determination to send Abakaliki people to slavery in the hands of our southern brethren”. He declared that the time had come to lead Unwu Ekumenyi in protest against power shift and that by the next morning, the 18th of November, a national press conference should be held to nullify Elechi’s southern agenda and announce an Abakaliki candidate under a different political platform. Bear in mind that this was several weeks before the PDP primaries to nominate gubernatorial candidates. Present in that meeting were Senator Chris Nwankwo, Edward Nkwegu, Chief Okeagu Ogada, Hon Peter Oge Ali, Hon Nwasum, Celestine Nwali (the chief host and chief celebrant), my humble self and a few others. Contributions for the press conference were as follows: Edward Nkwegu N1m; Senator Nwankwo N1m; Hon Ali N0.5m; Celestine Nwali N1M, et cetera.

I insisted on reporting this matter to Elechi the very next day because I found odious the grand plot to slander his reputation, destroy Prof Chukwu and engender a selfish, immoral, narrowminded and backward agenda. Once it was brought to his attention, Elechi opposed such a move with a vehemence and resolution that impressed me. He went forward to battle for his original intention but everything he did was sabotaged by those he trusted to execute his plan. When finally they broke Elechi’s resistance through lying to him, manipulating him, threatening him, blackmailing him, they successfully imposed an Izzi man as their gubernatorial flag bearer under Labour and an Ezza man as the running mate. Then they had the guts to lie to the world that they had offered Prof Onyebuchi Chukwu the option of carrying the Labour flag but that he declined the offer. Not only did they not do so, but they overlooked at least seven or eight other candidates from the South who had thrown their hats in the gubernatorial contest. The entire project was executed in exactly the same fashion as buccaneers whose only interests are money and power – the rest of the population may rot in hell (Nwali’s manifesto). The excision of the southern component from the political map of Ebonyi State is their second agenda. Throughout all the deviousness and distractions that were going on, Umahi remained resolutely focused until he snagged the PDP gubernatorial ticket. The tragedy of course is that some simple-minded Ebonyi people are made to believe that by pursuing a legitimate democratic ambition, Umahi is a renegade and a despoiler of power-shift to the South. This is arrant nonsense and offensive to all known principles of democracy. Umahi expressed an ambition and played the political game to the extent of his abilities and won. To hang him out to dry while ignoring those doing real harm to our society is disgraceful. It was in this heat of manipulative and sleight-of-hand politics that Labour emerged, forged on duplicity, deception and fraud. Umahi’s emergence does not enjoy the support of Elechi – who continues to profess his membership of and loyalty to the PDP. I understand that Umahi’s numerous gestures at reconciliation have been rebuffed. That is rather unfortunate. Being the only man standing from the South, Umahi represents the only avenue to enthrone equity and fair-play in Ebonyi politics and reconcile the old suspicions and banish the orchestrated fears amongst an essentially one people with one indivisible destiny. Ebonyi has thus become a political heterodoxy. The flame of the crises was ignited by one man’s ambition to become a king-maker and a rent-collector. Under the circumstance, the maximization of the votes for Jonathan/Sambo is imperilled. Umahi stands alone as a bulwark against the onslaught from government apparati. He needs solidarity and unconditional support to deliver the maximum vote yield. And he needs it now.

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