Tuesday, august 23, 2016 binder1 by Newtelegraphonline

Fuel marketers fret as banks move to recover N350bn debt lCBN to banks: Dedicate 60 of forex to manufacturers }5

Adeola Yusuf

anks and other lenders have begun a recovery programme to recoup loans and debts

from the downstream sector of the oil industry, a move that has set jitters down the spines of market-

ers and importers of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), otherwise known as petrol. While the debts differ

from bank to bank and from one marketing company to another, a banker source told New Telegraph

that the cumulative loan and debts for recovery are over N350 billion. New Telegraph gath-

Presidency confirms seeking emergency plan to reflate economy

ered at weekend that some banks have conveyed the recovery plans to marketers, while others have begun the compilation of the collateral that are likely to be confiscated from the CONTINUED ON PAGE 6

Sanctity Of Truth

NIGERIA’S MOST AUTHORITATIVE NEWSPAPER IN POLITICS AND BUSINESS

Vol. 3 No. 916

Tuesday, August 23, 2016

DSS foils planned attacks on Edo, Kaduna, Kogi }6

Delta quarantines 32 as Lassa fever kills resident doctor }42

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Man who named dog ‘Buhari’ gets N50,000 bail }40

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Lagos pastor chains teenage son, 27 others }8

Militancy: Soyinka to lead Avengers' dialogue group Daura

Okowa

Chinakwe

The victims

More groups back ceasefire NDA lists conditions for peace Demand re-opening of Maritime University }5 1. Chairperson, Strategic Team of the Bring Back Our Girls (BBOG), Aisha Yesufu (left) and former Minister of Education, Dr. Oby Ezekwesili, at a rally held at the main entrance to the Presidential Villa, Abuja … yesterday.

2. Mother of one of the Chibok schoolgirls, Mrs. Easter Yakubu, at the rally… yesterday. PHOTOS: YEKINI NURUDEEN and TIMOTHY IKUOMENISAN

19 Chibok girls' parents die of trauma

Community: We regret voting Buhari Police stop BBOG march on Aso Villa New molecule raises hope of organ repair –Report }7

TUESday, AUGUST 23, 2016 NEW TELEGRAPH

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TUESday, AUGUST 23, 2016 NEW TELEGRAPH

19 Chibok girls' parents die of trauma Yekeen Nurudeen Abuja

t least 19 parents of abducted Chibok schoolgirls have died as a result of post-abduction trauma-induced sicknesses since April 14, 2014 when the girls were kidnapped by Boko Haram terrorists. A mother of one of the abducted girls, Mrs. Esther Yakubu, revealed this yesterday. “As it is now, we have lost 19 of the parents mostly associated with such post abduction stress-induced sickness. We want our daughters back and now,” she said. The revelation is coming barely two weeks after Boko Haram claimed in a video clip that some of the abducted girls may have also been killed or wounded by the Nigerian military during operations in the Sambisa Forest through aerial bombardment. According to Mrs. Yakubu, whose daughter, Dorcas, was among the girls recently paraded by the Boko Haram terrorists in a video clip, the Federal Government should, by now, have enough facts and credible evidence to get the girls back. Speaking in Abuja yesterday on behalf of other parents whose daughters are in Boko Haram captivity at a march organised by the BringBackOurGirls (BBOG), Mrs. Yakubu said that with three released videos, the government ought to have swung into action. "It is with deepest sense of grief that we address you again today, Day 861 of the abduction of our daughters who went in search of education in GSS Chibok, Borno State since April 14, 2014. “Sadly, today we have to be here again at the seat of power to drum our pains to Mr. President and his team, that we are tired and are not ready to view another video again from the abductors of our daughters, pains and agony which is so traumatising and killing to us all. "We want the government of Nigeria and the entire world to know that

€37.8m

The estimated transfer value of David De Gea of Manchester United in 2016. Source: 101greatgoals.com

N455.96bn The total import value of vegetable products of Nigeria in 2014. Source: National Bureau of Statistics

we are ready to receive our daughters in whichever form and shape they would be released; we are ready to reshape them back to what we all would be proud of. “We are not happy with the Federal Government and its agencies for not telling us the parents anything pertaining the situation with our daughters. We are poor people, but we are citizens of the global community. As such, we deserve better treatments and our daughters deserve rights to freedom from their captors. “We have been dealing with much emotional stresses and we want a way out which Mr. President and his team knows very well the way out. From day one, our position has been; do everything within your powers to get our daughters home. Now, there's window for negotiation and it is from the position of strength since the Federal Government, through its various agencies, have reported that the war on terror has been won," she said. She also urged Buhari to stop giving excuses and rescue the girls, noting that there is now credible intelligence both from Amina Ali, who escaped

in May 2016, and the recent video released by the sect through a journalist who also offered to mediate their release. "The recently released video should provoke the Federal Government and its security apparatus to action to rescue the remaining 218 girls and not interviews of a traumatized girl recovering from abuses and trauma from the abductors. “We view this media engagement as diversionary, unnecessary and sheer exploitation for emotional and political mileage following the outrage that greeted the

recently released Boko Haram video and should not be repeated until she is fully recovered and reunited with her family and integrated into her community," she said. Meanwhile, members of Chibok community in Borno State have expressed regrets for voting Buhari into power in the 2015 general elections. The members of the community who lamented that they never voted for an opposition party before gave their votes to Buhari based on his promise to rescue their girls from the stronghold of Boko Haram terrorists.

Chairman of Chibok community in Abuja, Tsambido Hosea, also asked the president to declare Chibok community a place outside Nigeria if he was not ready to rescue the girls. His words: "If this government is not willing to rescue our girls, they should let others do. Some of us identified the girl in the last video as Dorcas Yakubu and they are saying it is an arrangement. “If they are not ready to help us, they should declare we are not Nigerians. We are tired of all this inaction. We regret

our votes for President Buhari. He campaigned to us that he would rescue our girls and we voted for him. “We have never voted for opposition in Chibok and we gave our votes to the president, hoping that he will rescue our girls. Nobody has done anything since the video came out. Presidency has done nothing." A visibly angry Hosea said the parents of the girls were ready to go and rescue their children, saying "the government should give us chance to go for these girls, if we perish, we perish."

Some of the protesters during the Bring Back Our Girls protest in Abuja… yesterday. PHOTO: TIMOTHY IKUOMENISAN.

Drama as Police, NSDC stop BBOG march on Villa lEzekwezili, Policeman engage in shouting match

Yekeen Nurudeen and Emmanuel Anule Abuja

he planned march of the BringBackOurGirls (BBOG) advocacy group to the Presidential Villa, Abuja yesterday to demand actions from President Muhammadu Buhari to rescue the abducted Chibok schoolgirls was stopped by a combined team of men of the Nigeria Police and Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC). BBOG had declared a 14-day line-up of activities to compel Buhari and his government to take immediate action in rescuing the 218 Chibok schoolgirls kidnapped in Borno State two years ago. Security at the two main gates of the presidential villa was beefed up to prevent members of the BBOG from entrance into the seat of power. Heavily armed officers and men of the Department of State

Security Services (DSS), NSCDC as well as the Police were dispatched to the gate located close to the Supreme Court to stop the group. Workers and visitors at the State House had difficulties gaining access to the Villa as they were put under unusual thorough security checks. The procession, which took off at the Unity Fountain at about 10a.m., got to the Head of Service office Complex opposite the National Assembly’s main entrance, was, however, stopped at the popular Bullet Bus Stop which is the entrance to the Presidential Villa where armed Mobile Policemen and women formed a barricade preventing the protesters from going further. The protesters carried placards with inscriptions such as "Mr. President, we want results", "Will our girls be ever rescued?" "Mr. President, decide now, act now", “Mr. President, go to Borno and lead from

the front", among others. The BBOG members who were also joined in the march by applicants in the 2014 Immigration recruitment exercise, were dismissed after training were stopped, by the security operatives on the order of Chief Superintendent of Police (CSP) Chuks Obasi. However, a shouting bout ensued between CSP Obasi and former Minister of Education, Dr. Oby Ezekwezili, who led the protest over the blockade of the road to the Presidential Villa. This argument ensued between the duo: Ezekwezili: Officer, don't point your finger at me, put your finger down. Don't point your finger at me. Obasi: Madam I will point finger at you. Ezekwezili: They can't possibly stop us here and don't they have anyone in charge? We want the officer in Charge. Obasi: I'm in charge of the operation here. We are here to ensure that this march does not

lead to breakdown of law and order. We are here to ensure that this march does not assume violent dimension. Ezekwezili: If I heard you well sir, you are here not to stop us from engaging Mr. President. Can I make a demand? That you have us make it to the Villa’s first gate and the President meets us there. We wrote to ask for this. We are law-abiding citizens. Can you ask your people to remove the cordon to enable us engage our democratically elected president? However, at end of the argument, the BBOG leadership asked its members to occupy the road where they eventually conducted their sit out while Police and men of NSDC watched on. Addressing the protesters, the former minister explained that the march was organised after the failure of Federal Government to take action on the video of Chibok girls released by their abductors on August 14. At the sit out, chair-

person of BBOG Strategic Team, Aisha Yesufu, asked the Federal Government to seek help from the international community in the pursuit of options of rescue of the girls. "We call on President Barack Obama of the United States, Prime Minister Theresa May of the United Kingdom, President Hollande of France, Prime Minister Trudeau of Canada and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel, in particular to support Nigeria with all their military and intelligence assets to rescue or secure the release of OUR #ChibokGirls," she said. The BBOG requested that Mr. President should swiftly make a firm decision for their immediate rescue based on the three available options. The options, according to the group included military operation, negotiation with the terrorists and the combination of both military action and negotiation, noting that the president must pursue the lowest risk option of these three.

NEWS

TUESday, AUGUST 23, 2016 NEW TELEGRAPH

Militancy: Soyinka to lead Avengers' dialogue group

Onwuka Nzeshi ABUJA

obel Laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka, may play a key role in resolving the current conflict between the Federal Government and the Niger Delta Avengers (NDA), the militant group which has claimed responsibility for the renewed militancy and bombing of oil and gas facilities in the Niger Delta. Barring any last minute twists, Soyinka is expected to lead the dialogue team comprising about six other eminent Nigerians nominated by the NDA to meet with the Federal Government to explore ways of securing a ceasefire and restoring lasting peace in the region. The resolve to dialogue with the Federal Government came after months of sustained violent campaign and economic sabotage, which has impacted negatively on oil production and revenue accruing

to the federation. Spokesman for the Dialogue Group, Mr. Ballantyne Agiri, who disclosed this in an exclusive chat with New Telegraph, confirmed that the NDA had constituted a contact and dialogue group to engage the Federal Government in meaningful dialogue as part of the initiatives to resolve the crisis. Agiri, who declined to mention the names of the other members of the dialogue team, said Soyinka was chosen because of track records as a freedom fighter as well as a credible and detribalised personality. The move to select a dialogue team, Agiri said, has been going on for months, but was delayed due to the fact that the leadership of the NDA was looking for credible personalities who are capable of presenting their grievances before the central government and insist on extracting useful commitments from the other side. "I was on my own when

they invited me to work for them. But I told them that one person cannot hold dialogue with the government, that we should look for eminent Nigerians who have the pedigree to do a good job. The moment I mentioned Professor Wole Soyinka, they became interested because, according to them, he is somebody who is not from the Niger Delta, but has a credible and detribalised personality. The militants said they were looking for about five or, at most, seven persons to lead the negotiation on their behalf. "Right now, we are constituting the dialogue team, we are putting logistics in place. Some of the members of the team are coming from outside the country. When you see some of them, you will even be shocked. Some of them are people who have served this country in different capacities," he said. Agiri disclosed that at a certain stage, there were some elements of disagreement among the leaders of

the NDA on the proposed dialogue. A section of them, he said, believed that there was no need to dialogue with the Federal Government because of the perception that the current administration was not favourably disposed to listening to the cries of marginalisation of the Niger Delta people. "There have been differences among the militants in terms of approach to ending the crisis. The Central Niger Delta is Bayelsa, then the East comprises Akwa Ibom, Rivers and Cross River states. These two groups have agreed to work together towards the dialogue and they constitute about 70 per cent of the total fighting force now. Those from the Western Niger Delta that is Delta, Edo and Ondo constitute about 30 per cent of the fighting force of the NDA. They were not too keen on dialogue because they felt that the body language of President Muhammadu Buhari does not suggest

L-R: Minister of Finance, Mrs. Kemi Adeosun; Vice President, Islamic Development Bank (IDB), Mr. Mansur Muhtar; Ambassador of Saudi Arabia, Mr. Fahad Sufiyan; President of IDB, Mr. Ahmad MohamedAli; and Chairman of Jaiz Bank, Alhaji Umar Mutallab, during the inauguration of IDB's new office in Abuja…yesterday.

he was open to any dialogue. So the Central and Eastern blocks said that if the others were not ready for dialogue, we are ready for dialogue; go ahead and open talks with the Federal Government on our behalf," he said. On how far the dialogue process had gone, Agiri said: "We are in the process. You know, this thing is not one man's business. Most of those we have contacted do not want us to disclose their names yet. I only mentioned Soyinka to you because you remember that recently he went to Aso Rock to meet with Mr. President to brief him and he said that Mr. President was happy with our proposal for peace." Meanwhile, another militant group, Iduwini Volunteer Force (IVF), has embraced the proposed dialogue with government, saying it was in the best interest of the oil-bearing communities and the national economy. Leader of the group, Commander Johnson Biboye, said it was heartwarming that the Federal Government has expressed readiness to listen to the agitators across the Niger Delta, but warned that government must remain committed and sincere during and after the dialogue. In a statement mailed to New Telegraph, Biboye disclosed that the leadership of IVF decided to embrace peace and dialogue after it held a crucial stakeholders’ meeting with all its unit commanders and zonal commanders to review the security situation in the Niger Delta vis-a-vis the attacks on oil and gas

73,300

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

installations in the oil-rich region. According to him, “the meeting, which started on Sunday, August 21, lasted till the early hours of Monday, August 22, in one of our creek locations, deliberated extensively on the current security situation in the Niger Delta and the efforts of notable leaders to seek peace and dialogue in resolving the crisis.” The militant group resolved that for peace to reign in the region, all freedom fighting groups in the Niger Delta should cease fire as a mark of honour to the concerted efforts of the leaders who have been working on the peace process. They urged the Federal Government to show sincerity in the peace process and enhance its credibility by urgently re-opening the Nigeria Maritime University at Okerenekoko in Gbaramatu Kingdom of Warri South West Local Government Council of Delta State. The group also demanded the immediate release of all those arrested by security agencies in the course of the crisis while the list of all ex-militants already submitted to the Special Adviser on Presidential Amnesty Programme, Brig.-Gen. Paul Boroh (rtd) should be attended to without any further delay.

CBN to banks: Give 60% of forex to manufacturers CCT fixes October 5 for lWarns lenders against banned deals Tony Chukwunyem

he Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has directed banks and other authorised foreign exchange dealers to dedicate 60 per cent of their foreign exchange purchases to the manufacturing sector. The apex bank also warned banks against dealing in foreign exchange without appropriate documentation. In a circular posted on its website yesterday, the banking watchdog said the directive on dedicating forex sales to manufacturers became imperative after it observed that only a small proportion of forex sales were getting to the sector. The circular, which was signed by the CBN’s Acting Director, Trade and Exchange Department,

W.D. Gotring, stated that: “Following the review of returns on the disbursement of foreign exchange to end users, it has been observed that negligible proportion of foreign exchange sales are being channelled towards the importation of raw materials for the manufacturing sector. “Against this background and in order to address the observed imbalance, Authorised Dealers are hereby directed to henceforth dedicate at least 60 per cent of their total foreign exchange purchases from all sources (interbank inclusive) to end users strictly for the purposes of importation of raw materials, plant and machinery. The balance of 40 per cent should be used to meet other trade obligations, visible and invisible transactions.” The regulator reminded

authorised dealers that they should continue to publish weekly sales of foreign exchange to end users in national newspapers as well as rendering statutory returns. In another circular also issued yesterday, entitled: “Re: Transactions in ‘Free Funds’ by authorised dealers”, the CBN warned authorised dealers that: “Dealing in foreign exchange without appropriate documentation, which includes relevant entries, blotters, physical documents and non-disclosure to the regulatory authorities is a breach of extant regulations.” The regulator said it had observed that some authorised dealers had continued to buy and sell foreign exchange referred to as "free funds" despite the provision of the circular it issued on the subject on March 4, 2004.

It reiterated that authorised dealers should not sell foreign exchange: “Without appropriate documentation and disclosure to the regulatory authorities irrespective of the source of such funds. “Accordingly, authorised dealers shall deal in eligible transactions only and not to engage in any foreign exchange transactions on terms inconsistent with the extant laws and/or regulations.” Nigeria had introduced a currency peg at N197 per dollar last year, but left the Nigerian currency to float on July 20 and this has sent the exchange rate to N308 per dollar on the interbank, while it hovered between N385 and N400 at the parallel market. Nigeria is facing a revenue squeeze, as price of crude oil in the international market that was over $100 per barrel several months ago, had fallen to $50 per barrel.

ruling in Saraki's application lSeptember 21 for judgement in Orubebe's case

Tunde Oyesina ABUJA

he Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) sitting in Abuja yesterday fixed October 5 for ruling in an application filed by Senate President Bukola Saraki seeking to disqualify the tribunal chairman, Mr. Danladi Umar, from sitting over his trial. The Federal Government is prosecuting Saraki over a 13-count charge bothering on false/anticipatory declaration of assets. Similarly, the tribunal also fixed September 21 to deliver judgement in the case filed by the Federal Government against a former Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Elder Godsday Orubebe.

The Federal Government had slammed a onecount charge on Orubebe over alleged non-declaration of a landed property belonging to him. The new dates were contained in the rescheduled list approved by Umar. The notice of tribunal’s sittings was signed by Principal Registrar I, Victor Isibor. Another case scheduled for hearing within the period is that of a former councillor from Kogi State, Musa Mubeen, fixed for September 28. Similarly, the case against three serving Permanent Secretaries, Zakari Umar, Muhammad Musa O, and Muhammad B. Mu’azu from Jigawa State was scheduled for September 29.

NEWS

TUESday, AUGUST 23, 2016 NEW TELEGRAPH

DSS foils planned attacks on Edo, Kaduna, Kogi ...arrests Boko Haram’s spiritual leader, others

Emmanuel Onani

he Department of State Services (DSS) yesterday said it had foiled attempts by suspected Boko Haram elements to launch attacks on targeted locations in Edo, Kaduna and Kogi states. Also, the spiritual leader of Boko Haram cell in Kano, who masterminded the shooting of some students at Government Secondary School (GSS), Mamudo village near Potiskum, Yobe State, in 2013, has been arrested.

The Service further disclosed that it apprehended one Aikhoje Moses, who had threatened to attack the Consular-Generals of Switzerland and Denmark, and their respective Embassies in Nigeria. The disclosures were made in a statement by Mr. Tony Opuiyo. According to the DSS, the successes followed ongoing tactical and counterterrorism operations, to degrade the capabilities of criminal elements across the country. "On July 8, at Kinkinau area in Unguwar Mu’azu of Kaduna metropolis, the Ser-

Presidency confirms seeking emergency plan to reflate economy Anule Emmanuel Abuja

he presidency yesterday confirmed that it was considering option of seeking legislative approval to take emergency steps to reflate the country's dwindling economy. New Telegraph had exclusively reported on Monday that President Muhammadu Buhari was already seeking emergency powers from the National Assembly to get the economy back on track in delivering quality services to the citizens. Nigeria's economy has officially been said to be technically in recession. Recent reports indicate that the country's economy has fallen slightly below that of South Africa which has taken over the lead as the largest in the continent. A statement by Laolu Akande, the Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity to the Vice President, said that the Economic Management Team has indeed been considering several policy options and measures to urgently reform and revitalise the economy. According to Akande, "Some of these measures may well require legislative amendments and presidential orders that will enable the executive arm of government move quickly in implementing the economic reform plans. "As far as I know, this has not been passed on to the President, the Federal Executive Council or the Legislative arm of government. So at this point, there are no further details to share." Impeccable sources had told New Telegraph that the president will submit

an executive bill to the National Assembly this week for consideration. The bill, titled: Emergency Economic Stabilisation Bill 2016, is in three parts: Objectives and application; Timeliness, thresholds and other limitations; The objectives of the emergency powers are to reflate the economy by creating more jobs, boost foreign reserves, ensure inflow of foreign exchange, strengthens the naira, resuscitate the manufacturing sector and get contractors back to site. A source in the Presidency confirmed to New Telegraph that the radical reforms are in the executive bill, which will be tabled before the National Assembly this week.

vice arrested one Mukhtar Tijani, a notorious Boko Haram fighter and three of his accomplices namely, Isiaku Salihu, Abdullahi Isah and Hindu Isah. The four suspects were apprehended while perfecting arrangements for major coordinated attacks on selected targets and locations in Kaduna State. "On August 12, at Auchi in Edo State, three members of the Ansaru terrorist group hibernating in Kogi State were apprehended by the Service. Usman Abdullahi, Abdulmumuni Sadiq and Ahmad Salihu were arrested while making arrangements to launch attacks on some selected targets in Edo and Kogi States, before escaping to join ISIS in Libya," the secret service said. On the arrest of the suspect, who had threatened attacks on the Embassies, the statement noted: "Following threat messages

against some members of the Diplomatic Corps in Abuja and Lagos, this Service responded and subsequently apprehended one Aikhoje Moses, on August 19, at Azagha by-pass off the Benin–Asaba Expressway in Edo State. “Before his arrest, Moses had threatened the diplomatic community in Nigeria, particularly the Consular-Generals of Switzerland and Denmark and their Embassies in Nigeria, warning them to leave the country." In the same light, the Service disclosed the arrest on July 17, of one Mudasiru Jibrin at Sauna quarters, Yankaba area in Kano. It said Jibrin was the spiritual leader to a newly uncovered Boko Haram cell in Kano. "Preliminary investigation so far conducted revealed that he was also the mastermind of the shooting of some students

at the Government Secondary School (GSS), Mamudo village near Potiskum, Yobe State, in 2013," it noted. The statement further noted the arrest of suspected members of a kidnap gang in Benue State. Specifically, the Service said it apprehended the second-in-command to the leader of the kidnap gang, who it said negotiated the payment of N4 million ransom by two Indian nationals and staff of the Dangote Cement Company in Gboko. "Following the spate of gruesome killing and kidnap incidents in Benue State, on August 8, the Service arrested one Terfa Jirgba and two of his accomplices, namely Terzungee Kwaghaondo and Mathias Aende, at Badagry Street off Esther Aka road in Makurdi, Benue State. Jirgba is an active ally and gang member of Terwase Agwaza aka Ghana, a notorious kidnapper who runs a kidnapping and criminal network in Benue State.

"In a follow-up operation, one Terungwa Abur was trailed to Port Harcourt City in Rivers State. He was eventually picked up on August 16. Abur is the second in command to Agwaza and a key member of the kidnapping gang of Terwase Agwaza, aka Ghana, which operates from Benue State. "He acts as a courier for the underworld gang and was the negotiator of the N4 million ransom paid to the gang for the release of two Indian national staff of Dangote Cement Company, Yander-Gboko, who were kidnapped on July 29, in Makurdi. He also participated in the killing of one Ortin in Gboko township on August 1st." The DSS extended its operations to Calabar, the Cross River State capital, as well as some parts of Akwa Ibom State, where it said some suspected criminals had "terrorized residents." It said its operation paidoff with the arrest of seven suspects.

L-R: Senator Muniru Muse; Senator Oluremi Tinubu; Oba of Lagos, Alhaji Rilwan Akiolu and Captain of Doulab FC, Obalende, Bimbo, during the closing ceremony of Muniru Muse Cup 2016, at Campos Mini Stadium, Ajele, in Lagos.

Fuel marketers fret as banks move to recover N350bn debt CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

marketers as their plan B in the recovery process. The major marketers and depot owners also confirmed that the lenders are on their neck for loans and accumulated debts from subsidy payment, which has remained unpaid by the Federal Government. Executive Secretary of the Major Oil Marketers Association of Nigeria (MOMAN), Thomas Olawore, confirmed this on the sideline of a conference in Lagos. He disclosed that part of

$778.92m

The amount of the market capitalization of Corporate bonds of Nigeria as of December 31, 2014. Source: Nigerian Stock Exchange

182,643

The total number of Fixed/Fixed Wireless subscribers as at June 2015. Source: Ncc.gov.ng

the debts they owe banks are still with the government in form of foreign exchange differential and taxes on subsidy debts of 2014 and 2015. He said that the government needs to pay the debts to help importers fulfill their debt obligations to banks and other lenders. But the Minister of Finance, Mrs. Kemi Adeosun, had said that the Federal Government had fully paid the N48.2 billion outstanding subsidy arrears owed oil marketers in 2015. She said that oil marketers without tax liabilities were paid in full, while oil marketers with net subsidy claims and Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) liabilities were paid net claim after deduction of tax liabilities. “Oil marketers that were indebted to FIRS and the seven oil marketers that are indebted to the Asset Management

Company (AMCON) were not paid until they settled their debts with the two agencies,” Adeosun said. Olawore, however, renewed demand for the government to pay foreign exchange differential and taxes on subsidy debts of 2014 and 2015. The government, he said, needed to pay the debts to help importers fulfill their obligations to banks and other lenders. "As we speak, we are being owed backlog of foreign exchange differential as well as taxes on subsidy regime of 2014 and 2015," Olawore had said at a panel session christened, "Attracting Investments in Nigeria's oil and gas sector," attended by investors. Olawore, however, declined inquiry by this newspaper to know how much the government owes the marketers, but confirmed that the banks were pressuring marketers to pay their debts.

Meanwhile, fuel loading in Apapa, Lagos hub of private depots and loading gantries in Nigeria, has touched the lowest ebb. Investigation showed that buyers' apathy has reduced fuel consumption by over 50 per cent. While an average of 350 tankers were, according to claims by marketers, being loaded at the private depots daily, checks by this newspaper showed that the number had reduced to about 150 trucks daily. Big private depots such as Capital Oil, NIPCO, Folawiyo, Aiteo, Integrated oil and MRS were the worse hit by the buyers’ apathy. Loadings at these depots have crashed by over 50 per cent starting from May 1, when the Federal Government removed subsidy on fuel. One of depots belonging to NIPCO Plc., which, according to New Telegraph’s checks, loads

about 120 trucks daily before, now loads between 50 and 60 trucks. This depot, despite the over 50 per cent dip in loading, still does better than many depots. "Depot owners now labour hard to get trucks loaded," a management staff of one of the big private depots said after his anonymity was guaranteed. This bearish sale, he continued, started from filling stations and other retail outlets. "Unlike before, filling stations that were selling between two and three truck-loads of fuel hardly sell one truck now. "In fact, I want anyone to show me any station that sells one truck in a day nowadays. Nobody has been able to. No mega filling station finishes one truckload in a day in Lagos. The problem is that people are not buying fuel again," he lamented.

national | news

tuesday, august 23, 2016 NEW TELEGRAPH

NBA upbraids NHRC over names of political offenders

Foluso Ogunmodede

ays after it unveiled names of electoral officials, politicians, security personnel and others indicted in the 2007 and 2011 general elections, the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) yesterday carpeted the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), describing the indicted officials' list as illegal, null and void. It accused NHRC of taking over the role and duties of the police. Apparently worried that the Commission which should limit itself to rights abuse had taken over the role of the police and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), NBA asked the nation’s Justice Minister and Attorney-General, Malam Abubakar Malami, SAN to urgently put NHRC to where it belonged as it had no requisite powers to take-over the constitutionally guaranteed duties and responsibilities of INEC and the police. Its outgoing President, Mr Augustine Alegeh, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, SAN, said it was time Malami streamlined the responsibility and functions of NHRC to enable it

continue its fight against human right abuses in the country. Alegeh said this yesterday in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital, at the ongoing 56th Annual General Conference of the association. NHRC had last week reeled out names of electoral officials, politicians, security personnel and others indicted for electoral offences during the 2007 and 2011 general elections in the country. The commission, which released the names under its “Electoral Accountability Project/End Electoral Impunity Project”, indicted

66 individuals and organisations allegedly involved in the electoral offences between 2007 and 2015. According to the rights commission, the indicted persons were allegedly involved in either criminal offences or administrative, judicial and professional misconduct. NHRC while presenting a 284-page report on the 2007 and 2011 elections in Abuja, urged Malami, Inspector-General of Police, INEC and other relevant institutions to ‘punish’ those indicted. But Alegeh said it was overstepping its bounds as NHRC had no power to

assume the powers and responsibilities of the police and the INEC. He appealed to the Attorney-General of the Federation, to, as a matter of urgency, streamline the responsibility and functions of NHRC, to enable it continue its fight against human right abuses in the country. Also, the outgoing NBA President decried the high rate of inconclusive elections in the country. “We want to tell INEC that elections can be easily conducted as the NBA has done, so that we don’t have 136 inconclusive elections in the country in two

Chukwu David

with Babangida but with a modification to allow the greater number of the lawmakers to be on part time while only one-third should be on full time service. The politician said that subjecting the greater number of the legislators to part time legislation would reduce cost for the Federal Government in the midst of the prevailing harsh economic situation in the country. Egwu also suggested that other political appointees of the executive arm of government should be reduced drastically in or-

der to reduce the cost of running government. "He said: "I agree with Gen. Babangida but with modification. Let one-third of members of the National Assembly be full time while two-thirds be on part time basis. This will drastically reduce cost. "I also suggest to the Federal Government to reduce the number of political appointees of the Executive, so that every arm of government and indeed all Nigerians should make sacrifices in the current effort to reposition Nigeria and make it better."

Lawmakers oppose IBB's part time idea Abuja

enator Sam Egwu has suggested that two-thirds members of the National Assembly should be on part time service while only one-third should be on full time. Egwu made the suggestion while reacting to the recent comment by the former military President, Gen. Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida, advocating for part time service for members of the National Assembly. He said that, he agreed

years,” he said. On President Muhammadu Buhari’s corruption war, Alegeh said that the NBA would not tolerate a situation where what was unlawfully acquired by one man was recovered and handed over to another. He said: “We restate our commitment to zero tolerance to corruption. As, lawyers, we recognise

that our country is stagnated by corruption. At the risk of sounding out loud, the war against corruption can be fought mostly and be won within the ambit of the law." “The war against corruption must be fought within the ambit of the law. Any attempt to fight corruption through other means is corruption itself."

Nigeria's supply outlook cuts oil prices Adeola Yusuf

he Nigeria's crude supply outlook on Monday ended the longest run of gains for crude oil in four years. This was also supported by Iraq's plan to increase exports amid a global oversupply. The Niger Delta Avengers, in a statement on a website, had declared an end to attacks on oil infrastructure and promised to conduct talks with the government and analysts believed that this would change the production and exports from Nigeria. Oil had entered a bull market on Thursday, having climbed more than 20 per cent since dipping below $40 a barrel earlier in the month.

Speculation that informal OPEC talks next month might lead to action to stabilize the market had pushed prices higher, yet some oil-producing nations may be reluctant to cap output as crude’s twoyear slump continues to erode revenue. Futures dropped as much as two per cent in New York after climbing 16 per cent the previous seven sessions. Iraq will boost crude shipments by about 5 per cent in the next few days following an agreement to resume exports from three oil fields in Kirkuk. A meeting of the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) in Doha in April between the world’s biggest producers ended with no agreement.

New molecule raises hope of organ repair Eleazar Nwanti

gainst the backdrop of global organ shortages resulting in preventable deaths, Scientists from China have raised hope that human organs could be repaired in the future. The findings were published in the latest edition of ‘Science Translational Medicine’. According to reports, the Chinese scientists have discovered a molecule that can regenerate tissues, which would in effect reduce the need of organ transplants.

The research was led by Professor Zhou Dawang and Deng Xianming of the School of Life Sciences, Xiamen University, and Prof. Yun Caihong of Peking University. The number of living organ donors is on the decline, according to a new study the result of which shows that overall, living kidney, liver, and lung donations has decreased over the last five years, going from about 7,000 in 2004 to 6,219 in 2008. In addition, organs from deceased donors went down for the first time 2008. Until then, the number of

deceased donors had always increased compared to the previous year. Study author, Andrew S. Klein, M.D., director of Cedars-Sinai Medical Center's Comprehensive Transplant Center in Los Angeles, said, "This decline has resulted in a widening gap between the number of organs available for transplant, and the number of patients, who are awaiting a donor organ." However, the discovery by the Chinese researchers would ultimately reduce the need for organ transplants.

Journalists barred as Kerry visits Aso Rock Anule Emmanuel Abuja

he United States Secretary of State, John Kerry, will, this afternoon, meet with President Muhammadu Buhari at the presidential villa, Abuja. Kerry is expected to meet behind closed doors with President Buhari where the two leaders would hold bilateral discussion bothering on building stronger ties between Nigeria and the United States.

As security is beefed up in the presidency ahead of the visit, reporters have been barred from covering the activities with exception of cameramen who would only take establishment shots. According to the schedule, the American scribe will also meet with five governors from the northern part of the country at the end of his bilateral talks with President Buhari. Our correspondents gathered that all reporters throughout the period of Kerry's stay in the

villa will be confined to the briefing room of the council chambers. Aside from establishing the arrival of the visiting Secretary of state at the forecourt of the presidential villa by about 2:55pm, only photographers and videographers will also be allowed to establish the bilateral meeting at the Grey room of the President's office. New Telegraph also learnt that the American scribe will not speak to reporters on the conclusion of his visit to Aso Rock.

Central Bank of Nigeria www.cbn.gov.ng

TENDER NOTICE CENTRAL BANK OF NIGERIA ON BEHALF OF DMO OFFERS NIGERIAN TREASURY BILLS Notice is hereby given by the Central Bank of Nigeria on behalf of DMO that the Federal Government of Nigeria Treasury Bills of 91, 182 and 364-day tenors amounting to N45,850,150,000 N62,000,000,000 and N105,000,000,000, respectively would be issued by Dutch auction on Thursday, September 01, 2016. All Money Market Dealers should submit bids through the CBN S4 WEB INTERFACE between 9.00 a.m. and 11.00 a.m. on Wednesday, August 31, 2016. Each bid must be in multiple of N1, 000 subject to a minimum of N10, 000. Authorized Money Market Dealers are allowed to submit multiple bids. A bid may be for authorized Money Market Dealers own account, Non – Money Market Dealers or interested members of the public. The result of the auction would be announced by 11.30 a.m. on Wednesday, August 31, 2016. The Bank reserves the right to reject any bid. Allotment letters would be issued for successful bids on Thursday, September 01, 2016, while payment for the successful bids should be made to your account with Central Bank of Nigeria not later than 11.00 a.m. on Thursday, September 01, 2016. The Bank reserves the right to vary the amount on offer in line with market realities prevailing as at the period of auction of the Nigerian Treasury Bills. GOVERNMENT SECURITIES OFFICE CENTRAL BANK OF NIGERIA ABUJA.

tuesday, august 23, 2016 NEW TELEGRAPH

METRO Juliana Francis

olice have arrested a Lagos-based pastor, Mr. Emmanuel Adeyemi, for allegedly chaining his son, 12 children and 15 adults at the OkeIra at Ojodu of the metropolis. The police said they acted on a tipoff about the chained and locked up victims. When police raced to the scene, they discovered that the suspect’s 17-year-old son, Toba Adedoyin, was among those in chains. The state Commissioner of Police, Mr. Fatai Owoseni, said that after receiving a tip-off from an anonymous person, he immediately deployed operatives at the Area ‘G’ Command Headquarters, to the scene. The first information police received was that a teenage boy was chained up in the house at Oyinbo Unity Estate, Olamidun Close, Yakoyo, Oke-Ira, Ojodu. But policemen embarked on a search of the house and discovered 27 others who were chained and locked up. The state Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Dolapo Badmos, confirmed the story. She said: “The command received a report through Area ‘G’ Command Headquarters, Ogba that a child was chained in a house at Oyinbo Unity Estate, Olamidun Close, Yakoyo, Oke-Ira, Ojodu. Consequently, a team of policemen was mobilised to the location, where a 17-year-old boy, named Toba Adedoyin, was found in a room with chain on his legs. “The victim was chained by Emmanuel Adeyemi, who claimed to be his father. The suspect said that he chained his son to restrain him from going out. “A further search of the premises led to the discovery of other people chained by the suspect. A total number of 28 persons, comprising six male adults, nine female adults, seven female children and six male children were rescued and taken to protective custody.

ABIODUN BELLO

...CRIME, CITY WATCH, COURTS

Lagos pastor chains teenage son, 27 others

The victims being evacuated

“Suspect has been arrested and currently undergoing interrogation as the command is working assiduously to get the root of the occurrence.” But residents of the area said Adeyemi usually cures mentally-challenged persons and those battling different ailments at his church. Also, Adeyemi’s second wife, Tope,

City Briefs

Robber targets ladies Juliana Francis

etectives attached to the Maroko Police Station have arrested a robber, who specialises in robbing ladies at Lekki area of Lagos State. The suspect, Sunday Onjefu, 27, a native of Benue State, was arrested on Friday afternoon, at Itedo bus stop, Lekki, Phase I, while he was making attempt to dispossess a lady of her bag. It was learnt that policemen on patrol, led by the Divisional Police Officer (DPO), a Superintendent of Police (SP), Mr. Abdulmajid Isah, in charge of Maroko Police Station, saw the suspect and swooped on him. The state Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Dolapo Badmos, confirmed the incident. She said: “Upon his ar-

abiodun.bello@newtelegraphonline.com 08023938212

rest, two toy pistols and a knife were found on him. The suspect confessed to have been using the toy pistols to dispossess innocent citizens around Lekki axis of their belongings. He said his victims were always scared at the sight of the toy pistols, believing them to be real. The suspect has been transferred to the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), of the command, for further investigations.”

Driver breaks LASTMA official’s leg A

Magistrates’ Court has ruled that a taxi driver, Agbariko Sunday, who allegedly drove his seized car over the leg of an official of the Lagos State Transport Management Authority (LASTMA) last Monday, is to remain in prison custody until the official’s health improves. He 29-year-old Sunday was arraigned on a fourcount charge bordering on grievous harm.

Ayanniyi dies at 79 rs. Modupe Abiodun M Ayanniyi, nee Oloko has died at 79. Ayanniyi, who died on July 31, would be buried on September 30 at St Davids Church, Kudeti Ibadan Oyo State. She is survived by children and grandchildren.

defended her husband. Tope appealed to the police to release her husband. According to her, Adeyemi only tied Toba because he wanted to deliver him from a “wandering spirit”. Tope, who is pregnant, said her husband felt the spirits he cast off his clients were affecting his son who usually runs

from home to unknown destinations for several months. She said: “His father chained him on Thursday so that he can do three days’ deliverance on him. The deliverance would have been completed on Saturday but on Friday morning, police people from Area ‘G’ came here and arrested my husband. “He chained Toba because he is always running from home. The other time he ran to Sagamu and after sometime he was brought home. One week later, he ran to Ibadan and he was found after one month. The last time he ran to Powerline and stayed there for two weeks before he was brought home.” Tope said her husband became worried because Toba used to be a very gentle boy. She added: “My husband is not a criminal. He does not do anything bad. He only heals people and helps people. He has licence for the business. They should please release him.”

The late Ayanniyi

An Ogudu Magistrates’ Court had, in a ruling, suspended hearing on the bail application of the accused until the health condition of the official was ascertained. The driver, who drove his Nissan Primera marked FKJ 762 QX, allegedly broke the leg of the officer, Olayemi Isiaka, while trying to escape from LASTMA office in Ketu. The official, according to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), reportedly stood at the gate to prevent the driver’s escape. Agbariko was arrested by a LASTMA official for alleged reckless and dangerous driving and also for violating some sections of the state Traffic Law. According to the prosecutor, Sergeant Ihiehie Lucky, the accused, who lives at Iju-Ishaga, a Lagos suburb, committed the offence last Monday. He said: “Solaja was doing

his job when the accused, with intent to `steal’ his impounded vehicle, drove over Solaja’s right leg, injuring him. “The victim, now at the verge of losing his right leg, is currently hospitalised. “The incident took place at the LASTMA office, Zone 32, Ketu. The car was impounded at the LASTMA office, Ketu and the keys were seized from him. “Unknown to them, the accused had a spare key and after a while, he sneaked into the LASTMA compound to steal his vehicle.” The offences contravened Sections 166 (d), 173, 238(a) and 285(10) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011. However, the accused denied the charges. The Magistrate, Mrs. O. SuleAmzat, adjourned the case till October 4.

METRO

tuesday, august 23, 2016 NEW TELEGRAPH

‘Co-tenant poisoned my soup over N600 electricity bill’ A Camillus Nnaji

-27-year-old housewife, Mrs. Saidat Olasunkanmi, yesterday recounted how a cotenant would have wiped out her entire family. Olasunkanmi said the tenant, Gordon Daniel, poured sniper, a dangerous insecticide used for farm produce, in her pot of soup while on the stove. According to her, the incident occurred last Tuesday at number 7, Baale Aiyetoro Street, Ajegunle area of Lagos metropolis. However, the mother of one, who expressed gratitude to God for saving her life and the lives of her family members, said she had forgiven Daniel. Daniel, a bachelor, sells Compact Discs (CDs) and accessories at Boundary market,

Ajegunle. Olasunkanmi said the residents of the “face-me, I-face-you” (a multi-room) bungalow, had been cohabiting peacefully in the last nine years, until Tuesday. But some tenants said the Olasunkanmis and Daniel had been living ‘a cat and mouse’ life. “It all happened on Tuesday morning when my husband asked Daniel to pay up his electricity bill of N600, so that the entire compound would not be disconnected and made to pay reconnection fee by the electricity distribution company (DISCO). “Initially, he refused to pay. Thereafter, an argument ensued between them. Daniel later paid the N600. After my husband left for work, I brought our pot of soup to the general

Gunmen abduct Ogun LG chairmanship aspirant’s wife Kunle Olayeni Abeokuta

Olasunkanmi and her baby

kitchen outside to warm. But when I went to attend to someone who came to grind pepper, Daniel poured sniper into our soup,” Olasunkanmi said. According to her, when she returned, she sniffed an offensive odour in the kitchen and decided to watch closely. She added: “I made sure no one tasted the food until I raised the alarm. When the landlord, Mr. Taiwo, came, it was discovered that only Daniel was the tenant still at home by then. He was questioned, but he denied doing that. The following day, Wednesday, the matter was re-

Torture victim: Ebonyi offers to sponsor Uzoamaka’s education

Uchenna Inya ABAKALIKI

bonyi State government yesterday promised to take responsibility for the welfare and education to the university level of the 15-year-old victim of torture, Miss Uzoamaka Chukwu. Uzoamaka was stripped naked, laid on broken bottles and flogged with electricity cables by some members of her Uburu community on the allegation that she was caught making love with a man in her father’s compound. A local gin known as ‘kaikai’ was poured on her private part after the torture while the video and her nude pictures were circulated on the social media by the suspects. The Coordinator of Ohaozara West Dvelopment Centre, Ene Odii, his two brothers and three police officers were last week arraigned before a Magistrates’ Court in Okposi Development Centre, Ohaozara Local Government Area and later granted bail while the matter was adjourned till September 13. But during a visit to the girl’s home yesterday, Governor Dave Umahi raised the alarm over her whereabouts. According to him, government has no clue about her whereabouts and should not be blamed if anything happens to her.

Uzoamaka

He said: “The matter is before a competent court of jurisdiction. But from what we saw, we feel very bad as a government and as a people and as brothers and sisters of the little Uzoamaka. We feel that it is a gross violation of her rights and man’s inhumanity to man. “So we are very sad about it. That is why I directed that all of us should come to take over the responsibility of the girl. So government is asking wherever she is, she should come back so that we take over her training from secondary school to university level.

We will also rehabilitate her. “So we are directing that anywhere she is, she should return home and we give seven days for her to come back home. Wherever she is, we are not sure that she will continue to be well taken care of. So if anything happens there, let it not be said that it is because government could not do anything and that is why she had no alternative than to stay away. “So we are requesting, I want it to be on record that she should come back and we take necessary steps to redress her situation and that of members of the family.” Responding on behalf of the family, Elder Francis Odabe appreciated the governor. He said: “We know you are a charitable son of the soil and we know that even if you had not been a governor, you would have still come to sympathise with us. You would have still shown concern because we know you for that.” Odabe said the family would do everything possible to ensure that Uzoamaka was brought back home within the seven days given by the governor.

ported to the Baale of Aiyetoro, Chief Saheed Fakunle. It was in the presence of the baale that he confessed pouring sniper into the pot of soup. He told the baale that he did not know that sniper kills. Daniel also said that something strange which he did not understand pushed him into the act.” According to her, the baale reported the matter at Ajegunle Police Station The Divisional Police Officer (DPO) in charge of the station, CSP Uman Gusau, arrested Daniel with the poisoned pot of soup. The suspect was later transferred to the State Criminal Investigative Department, Panti, Yaba, where he is still being detained. Olasunkanmi said that earlier, there was a quarrel between her and Daniel because he was always leaving the door of the toilet open while flies would enter the kitchen from there.

unmen suspected to be kidnappers have abducted the wife of an All Progressives Congress (APC) chairmanship aspirant in Ogun State, Mrs. Kudirat Balogun. The woman was kidnapped on Sunday night at the family home located at No. 1, Sekoni Street, Olomore area of Abeokuta. Her husband, Gafar Balogun, is eyeing the chairmanship of Ewekoro Local Government Area in the October 8 council elections in the state. Witnesses said yesterday that the suspected kidnappers arrived the family residence about 8p.m. and seized the woman at gunpoint. One of the children of the victim, Kehinde, told journalists that four suspected kidnappers invaded their residence and demanded to see his father. He said he never knew the suspects were kidnappers until they brought out a gun. Kehinde, 13, explained that as the suspects drew him back to the living room entrance, his unsuspecting mother, who was hitherto preparing food in the kitchen, walked into the hands of the kidnappers. According to him, the kidnappers led them to a waiting Toyota Matrix car and took his mother away. He said he raised the alarm after the suspected kidnappers left. The APC chairmanship aspirant, who was apparently distraught about the abduction of his wife, said he had reported the case at Lafenwa Police Station.

67 criminals arrested, says Ortom Cephas Iorhemen MAKURDI

t least 67 foot soldiers of a wanted militant leader, Terwase Akwaza aka Ghana, have been arrested in Benue State. Governor Samuel Ortom, who disclosed this at a thanksgiving service last Sunday organised to mark the end of the five-year-tenure of the ViceChancellor of the University of Mkar, near Gboko, Prof Hemen Agba, said soldiers arrested the culprits during a manhunt for Akwaza who, according to him, has declared war on innocent citizens. The governor said 62 suspects were initially arrested while five other members of the gang were apprehended later with eight pump action shotguns and one barreta pistol, bringing the total number of the arrests to 67. The governor said Akwaza and members of his gang had been involved in raping, assassination, armed robbery and kidnapping. He said Akwaza was involved in the killing of his Senior Special Assistant (SSA) on

Ortom

Special Duties, Mr. Igbana. According to him, the late SSA rescued 13 persons who were kidnapped without paying ransom. Ortom added Akwaza and his men were killers. He asserted that as a result of his criminal attitude, government terminated the contract that was given to the wanted man. The governor said that more than 900 people, among them Akwaza, members of his gang and other persons, surrendered over 700 weapons and explosives as well as ammunition. On corruption, the governor reiterated that any member of his cabinet found to be diverting public funds would be shown the way out. He also promised that he would continue to lead by example.

News|NATIONAL Mohammed lauds digitalisation of broadcasting

inister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, at the weekend, lauded the digitalisation of broadcasting in the country, saying it is time for Africans to explore the platform created by the ongoing digitisation to tell ‘our own story from different perspectives.’ The minister made the remarks in Lagos at the launch of the television reality show tagged; ‘My African, A Reality TV Show.’ “The world wants to hear our stories and is ready to pay a lot of money for it. This is evident in the runaway success of the dance drama ‘Wakaa The Musical,’ which was performed to global ac-

claim in London recently. We just need to make the product of the right quality and accessible to all,” he said. Mohammed thanked the organisers of the event for putting up a creative platform to promote the African culture, saying the programme was coming at a critical point in Nigerian history as the nation seeks to lay the proper foundation for a very vibrant and productive economy. “The free fall of oil prices is a blessing in disguise as it is pushing and teaching us to harness all our natural and creative resources to build a new economy that will not be dependent on just natural resources,” he said.

CONFIRMATION/change OF NAME

Obeto

I, formerly known as Miss Inegbedion Amiuki Portia now wish to be known as Mrs. Obeto Eromosele Portia. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

Melikam

Rowland

I, formerly known as Miss Kikanme Nwankasum Omowumi now wish to be known as Mrs. Rowland Izedomen Nwankasum Omowunmi. All former documents remain valid. General public should take note.

Anyim

I, formerly known and addressed as Melikam Henry Jim now wishes to be known and addressed as Melikam Chilota Jim, all document bearing my former names remain valid. General public should please take note.

This is to confirm that Okechukwu Nneoma Marvelous and Anyim Cynthia Nneoma refer to one and the same person. Henceforth, I wish to be known and addressed as Anyim Cynthia Nneoma. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

Kelepre

Kosebinu

I, formerly known and addressed as Kleper Ishamel Kleper, now wish to be known and addressed as Kelepre Ishamel Kelepre. All documents bearing my former name remain valid. The general public please take note.

Olaniyan

I, formerly known and addressed as Akinpelu Oluwatoyin Catherine, now wish to be known and addressed as Olaniyan Oluwatoyin Catherine. All documents bearing my former name remain valid. Banks and general public please take note.

Salami-Afolabi

I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Afolabi Funmilayo Afusat, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Salami-Afolabi Funmilayo Afusat,. All documents bearing my former name remain valid. The general public please take note.

Ebenyi

This is to confirm that Gabriel Agnes Obochi and Agnes Ebenyi Obochi refers to the same person. All former documents remain valid. The General public please take note.

Uduak

I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Edet Comfort now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Raphael Comfort Uduak. All former documents remain valid. The general public should please take note.

Demesuoyefa

I, formerly known and addressed as Fidelis Kolomo now wish to be known and addressed as Demesuoyefa Kolomo. All former documents remain valid. Ecobank Plc, First bank Plc, Zenith bank Plc, Fidelity bank Plc, Access bank Plc, CAC and the general public should please take note.

Akoje

I, formerly known and addressed as Raji Jane Ileigo.now wish to be known address as Akoje Jane Ileigo. All former documents remain valid, British High Commission, US embassy and general public should take note.

Ivrogbor

I, formerly known and addressed as Onomu Akpos now wish to be known and addressed as Ivrogbor Akpobome. All former documents remain valid. UBA Plc, Keystone bank Plc and the general public should please take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as Enitan Adeyinka Damilare is the same person as Kosebinu Damilare, now wish to be known and addressed as Kosebinu Damilare. All documents bearing my former name remain valid. The general public please take note.

Adebayo

I formerly known and addressed as Popoola Yetunde Joy now wish to be known and addressed as Adebayo Yetunde Joy. All former documents remain valid. The General public should please take note.

Adanna

I, formerly known and addressed as Adanna Oranu, now wish to be known and addressed as Adanna Oranu Hellen. All documents bearing my former name remain valid. The general public please take note.

Nwankwo

I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Ejike Peace Flora now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Nwankwo Flora Chidinma. All document bearing my former name remain valid. General public please note.

David

I, formerly known and addressed as Ogechi Clifford Emeka now wish to be known and addressed as David Christian Emeka. All former documents remain valid. First bank Plc and the general public should please take note.

Abraham

This is to confirm that Emmanuel Poko Reko Abraham Iwokura and Poko Iwokura Abraham refer to one and the same person. Henceforth, I wish to be known and addressed as Poko Iwokura Abraham. All former documents remain valid. First bank Plc, Ecobank Plc and the general public should please take note.

Oshiokede

I, formerly known and addressed as John Ighahe Monday now wish to be known and addressed as Oshiokede Monday John. All former documents remain valid. The general public should please take note.

Welson

I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Sawari Emomotimi now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Welson Emomotimi. All former documents remain valid. Wema bank Plc, Sterling bank Plc and the general public should take note.

TUESDAY, AUGUST 23, 2016 NEW TELEGRAPH

Ijaw congress to Buhari: Bombings can end in 30 days Emmanuel Masha Port Harcourt

jaw National Congress (INC), the apex sociocultural group of the Ijaw in the Niger Delta, has pledged to reach out to aggrieved Niger Delta militant groups in the region to end the spate of bombings and attacks on oil facilities. President of the congress, Alatubo Charles Harry, who stated this in Port Harcourt, said despite the fact that there are some genuine issues that demand solutions in the region, Ijaw leaders were totally against the bombings by the militant groups. He said the bombings would further degrade the region’s environment and impoverish the people the more, just as he noted that the INC would no longer folds its arms and watch

any Ijaw or Niger Delta person killed in the ongoing ‘war of attrition.’ According to him, it would be very difficult to move into the creeks and get the ears of the militants to stop further attacks in a situation where troops continue to target and kill innocent people who are trying to eke out a living in an already impoverished terrain. Harry pleaded with President Muhammadu Buhari to give him a moratorium of just 30 days with the right atmosphere and he would mobilise Ijaw elders into the creeks and engage the militants to

cease fire for the sake of the dwindling national economy. He said for the proposed dialogue with the militants to work effectively, there must be sincerity on the part of the Federal Government in finding a lasting solution to the crisis in the region. Harry said he wants President Buhari to succeed, and as such wants peace in the region, but noted that Nigeria cannot know peace until the country was restructured in line with true federalism. He said: “Nigeria is a product of cohesion. We were forced to be together.

The total pay (including salary/ winnings & endorsements) of Julius Peppers (Football) for 2015. Source: Forbes.com

The total number of fixedtelephone subscriptions of Finland in 2000. Source: Itu.int

$20.8m

2.85m

For a genuine dialogue to take place between the government and the militants there must be an internal mediation. Then grant us 30 days of moratorium, we will end the bombing in the Niger Delta.” On linking former President Goodluck Jonathan to the Niger Delta Avengers by the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND), Harry dismissed the claim, saying it was as a result of ‘ignorance and bad blood.’ He also warned that it was a “misnomer for anybody to think of any threat against Jonathan” who he described as a ‘great leader,’ who must be revered by all and not maligned, saying that those who claimed Jonathan was the sponsor of the renewed militant group, the Niger Delta Avengers, said so in sheer ignorant and bad blood.

L-R: Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Muhammed; Deputy General Manager, Corporate Services, National Arts Theatre, Damaris Bavueza; Coordinator of Artists Village, Aremo Tope Babayemi, and Acting General Manager, National Arts Theatre, Anele Nwogu, during a meeting between the Minister and members of the arts community in Lagos …yesterday. PHOTO: NAN

Nigeria to get 3m registered teachers, says TRCN

he Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria (TRCN) yesterday said the number of registered and certified teachers in the country would soon increase from the present

1.5 million to three million. Registrar and Chief Executive of the council, Prof. Josiah Olusegun Ajiboye, gave the hint in Abuja during a press conference. Ajiboye said TRCN,

which was established by law to regulate the teaching profession, would double the current number of registered teachers through various campaigns that would soon be embarked upon by the council. “TRCN, over the years, has registered and duly certified over 1.5 million teachers across the country. This figure will double in a very short while because TRCN would henceforth embark on aggressive campaign towards revamping the system for more productivity,” he said. Speaking further, Ajiboye said plans are in top gear to re-introduce the Professional Qualifying Examination (PQE), which would ensure that only competent and qualified teachers who scale through the examination hurdle would be allowed

to teach in schools. “TRCN commenced the implementation of PQE for teachers in Nigeria in 2008, but halted the process in order to develop modules that are time-tested and have the potential to withstand the test of time and standardisation,” he said, adding that new entrants into the profession who fail to take part in PQE would not be allowed to teach when the examination comes into force. While saying that the council has also put in place a mechanism to ensure that teachers who wish to teach outside the country enjoy equal treatment with their counterparts from other countries, Ajiboye said the TRCN would soon initiate a reward scheme for competent and dedicated teachers to boost the morale of those in the profession.

TUESDAY, august 23, 2016 NEW TELEGRAPH

Imo Ohakim goes on sabbatical

Politics Philip Nyam reports on the recant by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Yakubu Dogara, after he drew the ire of most Nigerians, following reports credited to him that budget padding is not a crime and members of the legislature cannot be investigated for exercising the power of appropriation

Interview Anti-corruption war not selective – Doguwa

13 16

Budget padding: Twist and turns of Dogara’s defence

he Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Yakubu Dogara was recently at the State House to confer with President Muhammadu Buhari, apparently to give his side of the story in the raging allegations of budget padding levelled against him and 12 other members of the House. Dogara, who was accompanied by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on National Assembly Matters (House of Representatives), Hon. Suleiman Abdulrahman Kawu, while fielding questions from State House correspondents, declared that he would not resign to pave way for investigation into the allegations as being canvassed by the former chairman of the House Appropriation Committee, Hon. Abdulmumin Jibrin, some individuals and groups. The speaker was reported to have said that with his experience as a lawyer and a lawmaker of many years, he has never heard about padding being an offence under the law. Accordingly, he ruled out the possibility of reconvening the House before the September 13 scheduled resumption date over the matter, saying the lower legislative chamber is not a mock institution. His words: “I don’t know; educate me. I am a lawyer and the speaker and I have never heard of the word ‘padding.’ What does

FELIX NWANERI

GROUP PoLITICAL EDITOR nwanerif@newtelegraphonline.com

Dogara

padding mean? “What is padding? You haven’t told me. Ask Jibrin what is padding? For me, I studied Law and I have been in the legislature and all this period, I have never heard of the word ‘padding.’ being an offence under any law. If I don’t know, you are the media, research the law and let me know.” But the torrent of reactions to the statement credited to the speaker, forced him to come out to clarify his position. He said contrary to reports, he is not above the laws of the land and can be investigated if he is found wanting. He also insisted that the House under his leadership did not indulge in any infraction of corrupt activities in the consideration and passage of the 2016 budget. The clarification, which was conveyed in a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Media and Public Affairs, Turaki Hassan, explained that the speaker has been “grossly misrepresented in his statements to the press.” Addressing the issue of investigation, the statement said: “While responding to questions at the Civil Society Dialogue at the Transcorp Hilton Hotel Abuja on August 12, Hon. Dogara made reference to sections 3, 24 and 30 of the Legislative Houses (Powers and Privileges) Act to buttress the point that the legislature while carrying out its constitutional responsibilities is protected by law. “He did not say or mean that he is above the laws of the land or that he is shielded by the law or has immunity for any infractions

Jibrin

No kobo belonging to Nigerians has been misappropriated, stolen or lost

of the law. “This clear restatement of the law has been twisted by sections of the media to mean that neither security agencies nor the courts could investigate or prosecute or try him. This is most uncharitable and a deliberate and calculated attempt to pitch the Speaker against the Nigerian public and paint him as lawless.” The statement further averred that “as an officer in the Temple of Justice, Dogara not only owes unalloyed allegiance to the Judiciary but also to the institutions of law enforcement. He indeed swore to an oath of allegiance to the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.” It cautioned that “Dogara should not be portrayed as insensitive or arrogant as this is contrary to his true nature of humility and humaneness that has endeared him to his colleagues and Nigerians.” Clarifying reports credited to him that “padding is not a crime,” the speaker insisted that his position was misrepresented. He said: “The first was at the State House after his meeting with Mr. President, where he informed the press that ‘padding’ was unknown to the lexicon of the legislature and Nigerian law. By this, the Speaker clearly asserted that nothing undertaken by the legislature in the ordinary course of the budget process could be alluded to either as padding or an infraction of any law in Nigeria. “Unfortunately the media reported him as saying that ‘pad-

ding’ was not a crime. This tended to insinuate that the Speaker admitted there was budget padding but that this did not constitute a crime. There could be nothing further from the truth. The Speaker's assertion was and remains that nothing untoward had been done by the House and indeed the National Assembly with respect to the 2016 budget.” The statement further explained that Dogara had initially adopted silence as his response, but having observed the grievous damage Jibrin's extensive misrepresentations and lies was inflicting on the country and distracting the common and urgent resolve to tackle the country’s distressed economy and security challenges, he opted to offer some explanations on the issues as continuous silence may have amounted to insensitivity, admission or arrogance. It assured that no kobo belonging to Nigerians has been misappropriated, stolen or lost in the budget saga and there was no act of corruption by the speaker during and after the preparation of the 2016 budget. “Mr. Speaker urges all Nigerians to be vigilant with respect to execution of 2016 budget to ensure that Nigerians are not shortchanged. He further wishes to deny all other allegations of a personal nature heaped on him by Hon. Jibrin as they are fictional and scandalous untruth and falsehoods which will be dealt with at the appropriate fora and time,” the statement added.

POLITICS

Cajetan Mmuta BENIN

ampaigns to solicit for votes ahead of the September 10 governorship election in Edo State, yesterday, shifted to the household of God with the leadership of the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN) appealing to various political parties and their governorship candidates to bring about good governance and ensure peace when elected into office in the state. Members of the Christian body made this appeal during an interactive session with candidates of the various political parties held in Benin, the state capital. Speaking at the event, the state PFN Director of Social Securities Outreach (SSO), Prof. Antho-

TUESDAY, august 23, 2016 NEW TELEGRAPH

PFN calls for peaceful poll ny Ogbeide, in his keynote address titled, "The Edo State governor that we need," said the governor must be one who has the interest of the people and state at heart. Ogbeide said good governance means creating enabling environment for quality life and profitable business, job opportunities/employment and empowerment, equity in political and civil service appointments, infrastructural development, justice and securities of lives and properties. “Once the people are disappointed with governance, they become apathetic and suspicious of every government programme, and this can seriously damage the image

Edo DECIDES

and status of government and the general morale of the people. As a result of these factors, the need for good governance has now occupies the front burner among religious, policy makers, political leadership and the people at large," he said. Ogbeide said the forum was not meant to be a political contest or an endorsement agenda, but

a forum to bring out the best from the candidates, for the common good of the people. "It is meant to streamline ideas, refine methodologies, and come up with the best ways and means of ensuring peaceful conduct of election and good governance that will make the people to rejoice," he said. He urged the candidates to be respectful in their campaign statements and desist from lies and blackmail. He said the development, employment, education, equity in sharing of power and resources, moderate lifestyle and accessibility to the people, periodic evaluation and town hall meetings should

be prioritised by the governorship candidates as well as leaving a good legacy that would serve as examples to others. “There should be no campaign of calumny. Use the campaign to respectfully unveil your plans to the people you want to govern. It is not a period of accusations and counter accusations and blackmail. “Make the voting field peaceful without scaring away voters. Accept defeat when it is so obvious and develop the team spirit for successful governance, enduring peace and security in the state," he advised.

Ize-Iyamu to introduce skills training in school curriculum Cajetan Mmuta BENIN

T Oshiomhole

Obaseki

Ize-Iyamu

Senator cautions electorate against selling of PVCs Cajetan Mmuta BENIN

he senator representing Edo North Senatorial District, Senator Francis Alimikhena, yesterday cautioned the electorate not to sell their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) to any candidate or political party during the polls in the state. Senator Alimikhenz stated this while addressing party faithful during the governorship campaign rallies of the All Progressives Congress (APC) APC governorship candidate, Mr. Godiwn Obaseki held at Ozalla, Sobe and Uzebba communities in Owan West Local Government Area of the state. The APC senator appealed to the people not to sell their PVCs to any political party or anybody who may come to them under the guise of assisting them with loan or for job. His words: “The PVC is your property; don't give or sell it to anybody.

We hear they are going about buying PVCs with the promise of giving you loan or jobs, please stop if you have not. They are not sincere; they want to use it to carry out evil plans. “They know they can’t win election, and in their characteristic ways, they are going about wooing people to sell their cards. They know that these cards are meant to punish them for the evil they have done the state in the past.” Also speaking, Edo State APC chairman, Barr. Anslem Ojezua, said Obaseki and his running mate, Hon. Philip Shaibu, have forged a common front to take the state to the next level, stressing that having been part of the success story of Governor Adams Oshiomhole-led government in the past seven years and half years, the two understand what needed to be done to move the state forward in all ramifications. The party chairman also said APC as a party, has justified the confidence reposed in it by

people of the state “We have tried by constructing roads, building schools, hospitals and providing water in the past seven years. We are however not unaware that more still needed to be done. Our greatest joy, as a party and people, is that for once, we shown that Edo State is working, and that more can be achieved. It is for this reason that we are again counting on your support, by voting for Obaseki and Shaibu,

for governor and deputy. “Obaseki and Shaibu assisted Governor Oshiomhole in the past seven years, as executive and legislative member of the government respectively. In them, we are not presenting just a winning team, but a team that will work for the people,” he said. Obaseki in his address promised that his government would strive to improve on the standard of living of the people.

In his speech, the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate, Mr Godwin Obaseki, said his policies and programme were all embedded in the keynote address delivered by the PFN. He said: "This past seven years, all we have done is to construct roads, built schools, hospitals and provide water, among other things. To me, this is the first step, what we intent to do next while we construct more roads, build more schools, we will be taking to the next level of providing jobs opportunities and empowerment for the people, especially youths and women."

he governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Edo State, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, yesterday, pledged to introduce skills training as subjects into the curriculum of secondary schools in the state so that graduates can be self employed and earn a living rather than searching for jobs after school. Speaking during an interactive session with the Edo Mass Movement in Benin, Ize-Iyamu said the time is now for the state and the nation to ensure that income generating skills such as catering, hair dressing, plumbing, computer graphics and several others acquired skills are made part of schools curriculum so that youths can employ themselves at the end. “If elected governor, my government will teach our children skills that will enable them to turn Edo into a place where people from far and near can come to, to hire skilled labour. “With a certificate in one skill you can decide

not to go further to the university and work for yourself but you will not suffer because you have a skill you can feed from and even use to contribute to the economy of the state.” The PDP candidate said his vision and mission is to restore the glory of the public school system in the state by providing them with well trained and motivated teachers, equipping the schools with science laboratories, libraries, as well as boarding facilities. “We will restore the glory of the public school system by maintaining existing schools and setting up and equipping of more schools, especially in our rural communities to bring education closer to the grassroots,” he promised. He also said that the state needs a visionary leader, who is accountable, accessible, humane and selfless, adding that as an individual he possesses these qualities. “We need a visionary leader that is God-fearing and broad minded and has the experience to tell the people the reality of things and the way forward,” he said.

Lawyer tasks parties on issue-based campaigns Cajetan Mmuta BENIN

public affairs analyst and legal practitioner, Mr. Jefferson Uwoghiren, has charged all political parties and governorship candidates in the state to focus more on issue based campaigns rather than resorting to attacks, mudslinging and names calling that fall short of

democratic ethos. Speaking during an interview with journalists in Benin, Uwoghiren described as unfortunate the situation where political campaigns by main political actors have been more on attacks on individuals instead of shunning out policy issues that are of key interest to the electorate and residents of the state. His words: “It is unfortunate that the campaign

is being more of mudslinging, personal attacks than policy formulations and emphasis. If you listen more to the campaign of the opposition PDP here, everything seems to be Adams Oshiomhole, and it is very irritating. Oshiomhole is not the one contesting. The election is not in any way a referendum on the government of Oshiomhole; he has done his eight years and will no longer be there in

the next few months. So, Oshiomhole is not going to be on the ballot. “The issue is what happens to Edo State in the next four years and the wrong impression which I referred to is that they say the man is a puppet of the governor but it is a very ridiculous thing to say. Obaseki that we all know does not look like a pushover and does not seem that he is going to be anybody’s man.

POLITICS

TUESDAY, august 23, 2016 NEW TELEGRAPH

STEVE UZOECHI writes on the temporary withdrawal from partisan politics by former Imo State governor, Chief Ikedi Ohakim

Ohakim goes on sabbatical

e drew the curtain on a flourishing political career, some have said, while others averred that he pulled the rug from his party – Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). Yet another section of the political class maintained that he fled from a challenge he should have confronted head on. But the only tenable assertion under the circumstance would seem the fact that “only the man that wears the shoe knows where it pinches most.” Former Imo State governor, Chief Ikedi Ohakim has been around Nigeria’s political scene far longer than most of his political peers. He can clearly differentiate between sentiments and hard facts; between reality and illusion; and of course between sincere expressions of solidarity and selfserving political theatrics. Often easily misunderstood for his philosophical approach to politics, Ohakim must have thought through his priorities in the face of the daunting realities of Nigeria’s political system and the incorrigibly primitive approach of his party in its bid to re-invent itself. Sometime in 2007 ahead the governorship election, Ohakim was faced with a similar scenario where only a dispassionate, clearminded decision was needed. He shut out the world around him and resolved to take the leap into the Progressive Peoples Alliance (PPA), the platform that eventually ferried him into Imo Government House as governor. Penultimate Sunday was in many ways similar, except for the fact that there is no governorship race at stake. With the chaos and cacophony in the nation’s political circle; the cocktail of woes trailing the once largest party in Africa, the PDP and the self-inflicted knocks capable of hamstringing the efforts of the party to relaunch itself to prominence by 2019, Ohakim must have deemed it time to take stock and critically reflect on how best to still add value to society while distancing himself from the morass of partisan politics. He resolved to pursue other idealistic ventures of value to the society. He did not consult or seek anybody’s approval or affirmation of his resolve. But for courtesy sake, he invited his array of friends, political associates, followers and loyalists to his country home. He hosted them to a rich buffet without telling anyone the reason for the meeting. He even prayed blessings on his friend, Williams Ejiaku, whose birthday coincided with the meeting, with a bottle of exotic wine, yet not one person in the expan-

Ohakim

sive hall had a hint as to why the former governor called them to banquet. After the buffet was done and the clinking of wine glasses ceased, Ohakim without further gilding the Lillies, shocked the more than 200 guests in attendance, when he announced his resolve to quit active partisan politics. He explained his reasons when he graphically illustrated the realities on ground lining them up with his ideals. He stressed that as long as the political realities on ground continue to conflict with his ideals, he cannot be part of the political system. He bemoaned the present political system, driven more by impulse than by ideas. Lamenting Nigeria’s sad departure from politics of ideas to politics of vendetta and brigandage, Ohakim declared: “In view of the current situation, I have come to the sad conclusion that I will no longer be able to be part of this circus in the political arena for the time been. I am by this statement announcing my temporary withdrawal from active participation in partisan politics.” Noting that the political class may have learnt nothing from the outcome of the 2015 general elections, which instructs that the people's preferences must be respected, Ohakim said it was regrettable that in the last one year, nearly every election was characterised by brigandage and hooliganism. He added: “Even more curiously, the electoral umpire, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) became far more vulnerable than it had ever been. A commission that conducted the last presidential election in 2015 and was hailed worldwide both in conduct and outcome suddenly became a source of acute pain for Nigerians. In the last 16 months, INEC has been unable to conduct any election satisfactorily even to the most timid Nigerian. It is from one inconclusive election to another.” Continuing he said: “In my

There is nothing behind this decision other than the need to have time to pursue other matters of terrestrial interest

home state, Imo, for example, the electoral body conducted the election to fill my own House of Assembly (Isiala Mbano state constituency) four times; and my senatorial seat (Imo North) four times, quite apart from the fact that the integrity and management of the whole process was a sham.” He noted that his overall wish was, and still is, that no matter the party in power, all hands must be on deck to make Nigeria’s democracy grow. His words: “Of course, I am not the only Nigerian, both within and outside the PDP and indeed among members of the political class, to so desire but even more enthusiastically about our collective democratic future was the ordinary Nigerians who, though desired a change from the status quo ante, still believed that for the needed balance, the PDP should remain strong. But the trend of events since April last year shows that our dear party, ‘the largest party in Africa’ did not key into this general optimism. Instead its key gladiators became overwhelmed by the burden of the defeat and failed to appreciate the goodwill it still had among Nigerians despite the challenges of its 16-year long role.” Further stressing the issues threatening the unity and cohesion in his party the PDP, Ohakim observed that the party was progressively undoing itself from within. “Nigerians have watched as leaders of the party take deliberate steps to destabilize it. Party faithful have watched helplessly as leaders undermine each other in pursuit of self serving interests. They have watched as their leaders take sides on issues that needed just a little courage to stand on the side of truth. Since April 2015, it has been from one internal sabotage to another,” he said. Regretting that the party was yet to redress its steps from the same pitfalls that led to its ouster from power in 2015, he said: “What remained of the party’s leadership disregarded all wise counsel to

seize the opportunity offered by the unexpected loss to do away with its unbridled acts of impunity, the very thing that led to the party’s defeat in 2015.” He however noted that he was “retreating to reformat,” stressing that he would now devote his time to mentoring and working with youths of Imo State and Nigeria outside politics, while focusing on his Non Governmental Organisation (NGO) – The Clean and Green Africa Foundation. “Let me hasten to emphasize that there is nothing behind this decision other than the need to have time to pursue other matters of terrestrial interest, outside partisan politics. I have no doubt; I shall continue to play my role in the shaping of the collective destiny of the good people of Nigeria,” he said. Speaking on Ohakim’s temporary withdrawal from active participation in partisan politics, a chieftain of National Democratic Coalition (NADECO), Chief Ralph Obioha, urged the former governor to have a rethink on his decision because he still have a lot to offer Imo State. His words: “I was a bit saddened when I read the news of Ohakim’s temporal withdrawal from politics, knowing the ability of the former governor. He is a great political asset to the nation because he was a very looking forward person. He has a political relevant in his state and Nigeria at large. I know his thinking; he is a very progressives mind and I believe he is not happy with what he is happening in Imo State. “I am sure that the happening in Imo State was properly the cause why he made that that statement. I am not so happy that he said he is leaving politics temporarily. I will urge him to make a rethink because he still has a lot to offer to the state. I agreed with him that the political activities especially in my state would dishearten any human being. But I will advise him to have a rethink.” Also commenting on the issue, the National Chairman of United Progressives Party (UPP), Chief Chekwas Okorie, said the decision of the former governor to leave politics temporarily may be as a result of the recent happenings in the PDP. “I think he (Ohakim) is leaving politics temporary to go back to the drawing board knowing that election is coming in 2019. I believe his decision may also be as a result of what is happening in the PDP because PDP at the moment has no attraction and ruling party, APC is not an alternative. And that is why a stable party like UPP will like to take advantage of what his happening. “I agreed totally with Ohakim on some of the issues he raised about the credibility of elections in Nigeria. Something has to be done to make election process in Nigeria credible. We have to do something for people to have confidence in the electoral process. There is general apathy and disconnect and I think that is what Ohakim is talking about. And this is one of the reasons why the UPP had been advocating for electronic voting,” he said.

TUESDAY, AUGUST 23, 2016 NEW TELEGRAPH

Opinion Buharinomics: Reflection of economic insanity My Word CLEM AGUIYI totalpolitics@ymail.com 0803-474-7898 (sms only)

oing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results, when in fact the results never change, is one definition of insanity. That definition works for economic insanity, too. This week, I had visited an old uncle of mine who has a powerful friend in this government. My uncle’s friend is a Federal Minister in charge of a critical sector of the economy. My uncle whom I consider old even though he is a little younger than his friend was miffed that the minister hardly remembers any of his promises to him. My uncle told me of his telephone conversation with the Minister the previous day whereby the minister asked him to visit him in the office the next day and that the minister made a lot of promises to him. But to his dismay the minister in less than 48 hours has forgotten all the promises, including the fact of his invitation. My uncle felt that the Minister friend appears to be too senile for the stress of the job. But, then this Minister is far much younger than the President himself. Now, if the minister is too old, wonder the odds against the President. I think at certain age people should be patriotic, fair and honest to themselves by refusing some level of higher responsibilities. A seventy year old man should be able to nominate either of his son or daughter for active political service other than himself. This is a story for another day. While at my uncles, I stumbled on two major news stories which I will reflect here: First, was an interview granted by the former Military President of Nigeria, General Ibrahim

Babangida to commemorate his 75th birthday. In the interview Gen Babangida said that if given another chance to lead, he will do things differently. He admitted that as a dictator he did certain things and left some things undone. And the second news item was a story on Oba Akiolu of Lagos urging President Buhari to stop doing things like a Military dictator and that he should try to listen to advice on how to manage and grow the economy. Oba Akiolu also decried the incessant blaming of the past administration saying former President Goodluck Jonathan wasn’t responsible for all of Nigeria’s problems. I believe there are lessons to be learnt from the words of these two elder statesmen. Is President Buhari too old for the job? Is he leading like a military dictator? Is he making the same old mistakes he made in 1984? Will his current policies grow the economy and get the nation out of recession? Certainly, President Buhari is not responsible for our current economic crisis. By coincidence he had the rare misfortune of coming to power in very bad times. If not for bad times no one would have accepted the military rule that kicked out President Shagari in 1984 but the people trooped into the street in jubilation just like the people again voted massively against President Jonathan and the PDP in 2105 to elect President Buhari as a democratic President. But the honeymoon between him and the people never last long as excitement often gives way to despair. For example, when he shot himself to power in 1984, the world then was experiencing global economic crisis due to drastic fall in oil prices, of which Nigeria wasn’t immune. But rather than tell the people the truth about the dwindling oil prices and revenue, President Buhari accused the Shagari Government of corruption, pursued and arrested politicians and dumped them in jail. Some of his victims went blind, some went into exile, some died and many never recovered from the trauma of prolonged incarceration. In a bid to discredit and replace all that was done by the Shagari government he dishonored contractual obligations and international trade agreements.

Agriculture like oil is still volatile and may not guarantee quick economic recovery

I recall it became a crime then to be found with foreign currency. Legendary Fela Anikulapo Kuti who was going on a musical tour in Europe was jailed for this particular offence. In further demonstration of his knee jerked response to issues that require well thought out processes, his regime fixed and regulated prices of commodities, oil and gas and exchange rates. It is therefore a huge surprise that 35 years later, with a rare gift of second chance in office President Buhari is repeating almost the same old mistakes; criminalizing the dollar, over regulation, issuing orders to the Central Bank as if the bank is an extension of the presidency, demonizing the opponent and predecessor including attempting to replace everything done by the predecessor as bad. Like Oba Akiolu admonished, the six years of President Jonathan weren’t all bad. There were good things the administration did. They gave Nigeria free and fair election and rule of law. The regime never interfered with the CBN monetary policies. They undertook many reforms and did their best with the economy. Prices of commodities and the exchange rate were relatively stable. There was hope and a lot of people looked up to the coming of Buhari to save Nigeria from insecurity but no one expected him to come with the same old policies that never worked. While the focus on Agriculture is good , truth remains that agriculture like oil is still volatile and may not guarantee quick economic recovery like investment in manufacturing and industry would do. While those who know expect him to lead an industrial revolution he is dumping scarce resources on oil exploration in the North and focusing all his energy on agriculture. Now here's the question: By repeating same old policies, how does President Buhari expect the economy to do any better than it did during his first coming in 1984? Except he changes his economic plan we will continue to suffer. We'll have more of the same bad policy and more of the same bad results. And nothing defines this better than economic insanity.

Do they know we are suffering? Your leaders have no respect for their people. They believe that their personal interests are the interests of the people. They take people’s resources and turn them into personal wealth. There is a level of poverty in Nigeria that should be unacceptable. – Nelson Mandela

Ayo Oyoze Baje

he statistics are simply scary. One is talking about the inexcusable social inequality and injustice in my dear fatherland, Nigeria. These are characterized by the pervasive poverty level, the irredeemably corrupt, conscienceless, kleptomaniac ruling elite; blindly driven by the greed for personal gains and of course, the grinding wheels of the acquiescent and ignorant led majority. Looked at from the Human Development Index (HDI), which is a summary measure for assessing long-term progress in the three basic dimensions of human development, there is nothing to write home about. The three key areas of long-term healthy life, access to knowledge and decent

standard of living paint a parlous picture of pure deprivation of the longsuffering masses. That is, by their so called leaders, and painfully too, under a democratic dispensation. For instance, Nigeria’s HDI for 2014 stood at 0.514 putting the country amongst the lowest global ranking of those in the low developing category. In fact, Nigeria placed 152 out of the 188 countries and territories so assessed. And it was the only oil-producing country languishing in that shameful socioeconomic stratum. Also, according to the 2015 HD Report Work for Human Development for 188 countries assessed by the United Nations, life expectancy index was 0.44, education index was 0.59 while the GDP index and HDI value were placed at 0.36 and0.466 respectively. Furthermore, between 2005 and 2014 Nigeria’s HDI value rose from 0.467 to 0.514(10.1 per cent) an average of 1.07 per cent.When the value is discounted for inequality the HDI falls to 0.320, a loss of 37.8 per cent due to inequality in the distribution of HDI dimension indices. Sadly, Nigeria sordid social inequality was comparable to that of Ethiopia and Congo (DR) at 29.4 per cent and 36.2 per cent respectively. Do not be confounded by these figures. What all these translate to is that there

is HUNGER IN THE LAND. Incidentally, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo not too long ago admitted that about 110 million Nigerians were still living below poverty line despite the policies of past governments to improve their welfare. His reason was that the policies were wrongly formulated and as a result did not have direct impact on the people. Between May and July, 2016 inflation rate galloped from 13.7 per cent to 15.6 per cent.Compared to that of South Africa of 6.3 per cent, Republic of Niger of 2.3 per cent, Zimbabwe of -1 per cent and Mali of -0.4 per cent there is nothing to cheer about. And all that is because the dynamics of consumables and essential needs such as food, kerosene, transportation, housing and utilities. The reason is the close correlation which exists between fuel hike and inflation. Nigerians may have endured it all in their characteristic legendary resilience but the sudden hike in fuel price from about N97 to N145 per litre has had deleterious effects on the quality of life of the average Nigerian. As it happened in Venezuela so it did in Nigeria. One had expected that the political helmsmen of the current administration would concentrate much more energy on re-jigging the economy coming at a time of the free fall of oil prices in

the international market. We had admonished Mr. President back in 2015 to assemble a team of top technocrats and seasoned economists, who know their onions; irrespective of their political or religious persuasions and be ready to listen to them. But that was never done. As usual the tightening of monetary policies has led to devaluation of the naira. Since we do not produce or export much of home-grown products, importers would spend more naira to the dollar. With insurgency in the NorthEast, which has led to food shortages in addition to hike in the price of farm products, a recycling of economic policies will not get us out of the wood. Our policy makers should think out of the box. We need foreign exchange for industrialization. We should stop transferring our economic fortunes to foreign hands. We need to revisit the policy of liberalization and the social benefits of privatization. While other nations are faced/with the challenges of the 21st Century, we are bogged down by the avarice of the elite./ Every time we believe we have seen/the worst from our country,/the shameless, opportunistic power grabbers /take us back to a new low. •Baje wrote in from Lagos.

TUESDAY, AUGUST 23, 2016 NEW TELEGRAPH

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Havelange: Africa’s true friend

he passage of Dr. Jean –Marie Faustin Godefroid “Joao” de Havelange at 100 years calls for celebration especially in Africa where traditionally departure at such ripe age is seen as a glorious exit. Havelange, who was President of the International Football Federation (FIFA) from 1974 to 1998 was seen as a strong supporter of African football development. For his avowed interest in the growth of the game on the continent, he was often in the bad books of the Western press. As the first non European head of FIFA, Havelange was bent on promoting the game beyond Europe and South America. That sounded strange to some of those who felt soccer was not for Africa, Asia and Oceania. Many thought Havelange ‘s Revolution was not necessary . His parents migrated from Belgium to Brazil and as he mounted the stage in 1974, allegiance to his paternal roots and country of birth, therefore, was expected. When the Brazilian became FIFA President in 1974, African football was a big disgrace. First timers Zaire left the West Germany ’74 Mundial with a basketful of goals. In their debut, the Leopards lost 2-0 to Scotland. It got worse in the 9-0 drubbing by Yugoslavia before Brazil completed the humiliation with a 3-0 result. The debutants conceded 14 goals, enough to spell Mobutu Sese Seko, their leader. That was at a time the whole of the African continent had just one World slot. Four years in the saddle, Havelange noticed the future of African football. Debutants Tunisia drew goalless with defend-

ing champions West Germany at the Argentina ’98 World Cup. In the next game, the Carthage Eagles lost 1-0 to Poland. Then came the spectacle. The North Africans defeated Mexico 3-1 in their last group game. The FIFA boss decided to try something new. He increased Africa’s slot to two. It was a wise decision. At the Espana ‘ 82 World Cup, debutants Algeria and Cameroun showed that the continent had come of age. The Desert Warriors stunned the globe when they hit West Germany, who at the time were European champions ,2-1. In what Pele called the ‘revolt of the little guys’, the Algerians also beat Chile 3-2 and were on the way

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that Mundial. Italy,led, by Dino Zoff lifted the trophy but neither team could beat African opposition during the Group stages and those were newcomers. Other debutants like New Zealand, Honduras and Kuwait did not show much. With that strong African showing, Havelange continued with policies that favoured Africa. The FIFA- Coca Cola U-20 Youth Championships was introduced in 1977. And for the very first time, Africa was allowed to host

Havelange continued with policies that favoured Africa

to the Second round when Germany and Austria decided to play the dumbest form of soccer .The Spanish crowd booed them with fuera, fuera [out,out]. It ended 1-0 for the Germans and ensured qualification for the two European countries at the expense of Africa. The Indomitable Lions were also outstanding. In a group that had experienced Italy, Poland and Peru, Cameroun remained unbeaten although three draws could not guarantee a second round position. The Azzuri were lucky having scored more goals even when both countries had the same goals difference. The import was that Germany and Italy, powerful teams, would later play in the grand finale of

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Three things cannot be long hidden: the sun, the moon and the truth – Buddha

the World in Tunisia . It is to the eternal credit of H ave l a n g e that 32 years later, an African country, Ghana won the cup. That was on home soil, Egypt.

There was also the FIFA U-16 competition which was introduced in 1985. Sponsored by Kodak, it was won by Nigeria in China. The colour photographs company withdrew sponsorship after that African victory. It was unbelievable that Nigeria could beat Germany 2-0. Referee Christopher Bambridge tried everything possible to deny the Eaglets victory. Credit to Havelange. When Kodak pulled out, claiming that Africa was not a fertile ground for their business, the FIFA boss brought in Japanese electronics giants JVC Nivico. Today, the Golden Eaglets stand out from the rest having won the U-17 trophy a record five times. The Starlets of Ghana have also been

successful more than once. If the Brazilian had not created that window , African football would still be on the grass, exactly where his predecessors wanted it. By the time Havelange left office in 1998, the World Cup had become open to 32 finalists from the 16 he met when he assumed office in 1974. Havelange also made FIFA more attractive by opening doors to marketers. Football yielded huge dividends as Adidas and Coca Cola invested in it. This would later create an opportunity for some of the big players in the West who did not like his innovations, to accuse him of siphoning 41 million Dollars accruing from marketing rights in 2012. As Nelson Mandela said when US president Bill Clinton was under investigation during the Monica Lewinsky scandal, Africans do not abandon their friends when they are in trouble. Europe and America barely mentioned Havelange’s passage. Africa cannot. He contributed so much to the growth of the game . Even in Nigeria, he was always an ally when the world abandoned the country. In November 1995, when the Commonwealth sanctioned Nigeria over the Ogoni crisis, Havelange was in Lagos for the Afro Asian Cup which the Eagles won for the first time. For a man who moved African football forward by introducing Age Group competitions, the least the continent owes him is a befitting farewell. As an Olympian who died during the Olympics and a boss who preached Fair Play, we wish him eternal rest.

POLITICS

Hon. Alhassan Ado Doguwa, representing Tundun-Wada/Doguwa Federal Constituency is the Chief Whip of the House of Representatives and the oldest member of the Green Chamber, he was elected in 1999. In this interview with NANKPAH BWAKAN, he speaks on Muhammadu Buhari-led All Progressives Congress, (APC) government, anti-corruption war and relationship between the three arms of government.

What is your assessment of the National Assembly in the last one year? I want to clarify that the government of the day, being an All Progressive Congress, APC-led government is a government that comprise judiciary, executive and legislature. If you want to make assessment you cannot make isolated assessment of the National Assembly alone. Without any fear of contradiction whatever successes that has been so far made by President Muhammadu Buhari-led government is a collective success of the government of the day which we are all part of it. I want to categorically say that you may not look at what the National Assembly has done so far, as a yardstick in accessing our achievement or success of the government. The collective achievements of three arms of government are what they have done and there are so many achievements; which we are proud of them. These achievements include restoration of peace and security in Northern part of the country and promotion of global integrity of the nation. I want to say that National Assembly has been part of all the achievements recorded so far by the APC led administration in Nigeria. On our primary function which is legislation, I want to say that the 8th House of Representatives has recorded unprecedented achievements and the 8th House of Representatives is the only House you have in the history of Nigeria that over 160 bills was passed in less than one year and most of the bills are waiting for concurrence by the Senate. We also have about 300 bills in the pipeline at various level of legislative process. This is one sections of the House that we have never had before. I am the oldest serving member in the House of Representatives, I was elected in 1999 and I am still a member till date, so I want to tell you that we have never had it so good in terms of legislations, law making and sensitivity to yearnings of Nigerians like now. Of course, all these things are made possible because

TUESDAY, august 23, 2016 NEW TELEGRAPH

Anti-corruption war not selective – Doguwa

Doguwa

of the focus, commitment and resilience of the House leadership led by Hon. Yakubu Dogara. He is an unprecedented leader in which all of us are proud to be associated with the success made under him as the Speaker of the House of Representatives. I want to tell you that apart from the bills that have been passed and those waiting for concurrence by the Senate, we have over 360 bills now at various level of consideration and I believe within the shortest time we will be able to pass all of them. We have been more sensitive to the sensibility of Nigerians on issues that will really add value to the governance and to the people. While some Nigerians seem to be commending incumbent administration war against corruption, some are of views that the anti-corruption crusade is targeted at opposition. How do you view the anti-corruption war? The issue of corruption is more or less executive crusade because it is the policy of the government on the part of the executive, but like I said, the legislature is also part of the government and we fully identify with the anti-graft crusade of the present government. We are all proud to be associated with President Buhari in his fight against corruption and we will make sure that this country move forward. We shall move to the next level that we can for us to be able to secure resources that will be use for the betterment of

The opposition will continue to criticize us and that is normal because they are no more in government

Nigeria and Nigerians. I want to tell you that law is not friendly to anyone and this government will not have excuse to anybody. If you are involve in any corrupt practices the law will have to take its cause and you will be tried but if you are not involve, nobody will touch you. I want to say there is nothing like selective in the anti-corruption war. The opposition will continue to criticize us and that is normal because they are no more in government. So, you should expect a lot of speculations but our government is not been selective in its fight against corruption. We are focus and that is why National Assembly is coming up with a lot of laws. We are initiating a lot of laws so that we can create enabling legal environment that will help the executive arm of government to succeed in the anti graft law. We are not selective; we are only trying to be democratic in the fight against corruption. Some Nigerians are grumbling against the APC government on the account that the party has failed to fulfil its campaign promises. What is your take on this? It may be too early to pass judgement on the government of the day within a year. There may be a lot of campaign promise but the fact still remains that is too early for anybody to pass judgment. People should not be in haste in their judgement about this administration. I agreed there are promises made that have not been

accomplished but I want to tell you that in the next two to three years, all these problems will be solved. Don’t forget that APC took over government from an administration that almost brought to it’s kneel the economy of the country. The PDP administration almost pulled down this country economically and we inherited a government with an empty purse coupled with the challenges of dwindling prices of oil in the international market. The challenges in revenue resources and revenue window in the country, therefore, tackling these problems take serious work which this present administration has done so well by reviving the economy of the country. At the end of the day, we can be able to achieve the promises we made to Nigerians. One thing that Nigerians should know is that we also promised security for Nigerians and we have succeeded in restoring peace in the North-Eastern part of the country. Nigeria government has secure international image in the face of outside world. These are also campaign promises we made to Nigerians. I can say that we have succeeded in delivering them to the people. I believe that the remaining promises shall be delivered within the shortest period of time. The only challenge is the economy challenges we are facing which we shall soon overcome. We must try to preach peace and let our people understand the circumstance we found ourselves in at the moment but I know that will surely get things right. The three years ahead of us will be sufficient for us to deliver every other campaign promises, we made to Nigerians. There was a speculation recently that the National Assembly once attempted to impeach President Buhari. Is it true that National Assembly plotted to impeach the president? I am a member of House of Representatives and a principal officer of the House of Representatives and by implication the National Assembly is a twin institution which has Red and Green chambers. If there is any insinuation or speculation about the impeachment of the president in any chambers other than that of the House of Representatives; that I don’t know. To be very straight and sincere, I can assure you that we don’t have such a consideration before us. This matter is not even contemplated, it is not at any point in time thought of or deliberated on. So, as far as the House and the leadership of the House is concern, we have no cause whatsoever to contemplate the impeachment of the president. After all, we don’t have any impeachable offense against the President that will warrant us to impeach him. The speculation is unfolded. It has not come to my notice officially or otherwise from any principal officer or any member, it is a mere speculation on the streets and should be left at that level.

TUESDAY, august 23, 2016 NEW TELEGRAPH

Environment Trash takes over highways

Inside Abuja

Death of residents Group sue FG, AEDC, NERC, others

18 20

CALEB ONWE reports on the lack of sanitation at the Zuba fruit market

he sanitary condition at the central fruit market in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), located at Zuba in Gwagwalada Area Council, calls for urgent attention to avert a possible break out of epidemic. To state that public health is at risk in the FCT following lack of environmental sanitation mechanism at such a big fruit market is stating the obvious. Every corner of the market is very dirty with block drainages. Decaying fruits are seen littered everywhere begging to be evacuated. Zuba fruit market is the major hub for all the fruits value chain in the FCT, it is the point where most of the big hotels like the Transcorp Hilton, Sheraton, and other hospitality entrepreneurs depend on for their fruit supplies. Its location is also considered very strategic and central because it is situated along the Lokoja-Abuja-Kaduna expressway and the fact that Zuba is one of the three most important entry points into the Abuja City centre, gives the market an edge. Inside Abuja's reporter who went on a fact-finding mission to the market without a foreknowledge of the terrain, engaged in a hot argument with the Okada rider that was conveying him to the market. The Okada rider, haven known the deplorable state of the market especially in raining season, got to a particular point, about 200 metres to the market, stopped and gestured with his hand "Oga see the market there". The argument ensued when the reporter insisted that he was not disembarking and tried to enforce his entitlement to get full value for the N50 Okada charged. When it was obvious that the argument could snowball into an unpalatable experience, the reporter had to let the motorcyclist go by disembarking to navigate the water clog and stinking muddy access road to the heart of the market. Interestingly, those who are fa-

A view of the fruit market

Epidemic looms at Zuba Fruit market

miliar with that environment appear to have acclimatised, the evidence being the special rain boot that both traders, regular visitors to the market wear to navigate the stinking water. The market, though with informal setting that does not suggest an iota of purposeful planning, has over 300 shops around it, Inside Abuja learnt. A shop owner in the market, who gave his name as Sunny and deals on apples, said "it is only by the mercies of God that epidemic

Decaying fruits are seen littered everywhere begging to be evacuated

has not broken out in the market." Sunny expressed dismay over what he described "official crime" by government agents who collects N5000 per annum from each shop owners as business permit without using it to develop the market. One of the traders, a woman who simply identified herself as Madam Deborah, said she has been trading on plantain in the Zuba fruit market for about two years, and have always known the place to very untidy.

Onwuka NzeshI

ABUJA BUREAU CHIEF nzeshi@newtelegraphonline.com

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Truck off-loading orange at Zuba market

Another view of the fruit market

The woman who pre-empted the reporter by saying that government should never contemplate of relocating them, however, pleaded with relevant authorities to help clean up and possibly reconstruct the market. A man who refused to give his name, but claimed he is driver of one of the trucks that brought in a load of pawpaw from Edo State alleged that each truck that drives into the market pay up to N1000. CONTINUED ON PAGE 19

Inside ABUJA | SLUMS

In spite of efforts by concerned agencies of government to keep the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and its environs clean, some residents of Abuja have paid deaf ears to all the environmental campaigns sensitising people on the need to keep the environment clean and friendly. DEBORAH OCHENI reports

urged by the offensive stench that emanates from heap of refuse improperly dumped by scavengers and market women, Inside Abuja decided to beam its searchlight on Karu, suburb of Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory and Mararaba/Masaka located in the neighbouring Nasarawa State. These areas were identified as notorious in terms of unhealthy and indecent waste disposal, particularly as residents and traders were in the habit of converting major highways to dump sites. Israel Kachukwu, 42, who live in Masaka was our first guide on the journey through the stenchfiled environment and his story was so pathetic, you could feel the pains of a people almost drowned in a sea of rubbish. “This refuse has been here for over five years now. I came to Abuja in 2008 and I met this heap of trash here (pointing to large heap of refuse at Masaka, Abuja/ Keffi expressway). Scavengers commonly known as Memasere do collect trash from residents living around here and dump them here, although some government officials do come around once in a while to evacuate the trash but this particular spot has never been completely cleared and nobody is saying anything about it," Kachukwu said. Inside Abuja learnt that while the inhabitants of these areas were guilty of dumping refuse by the road side, one cannot completely blame them since there is no proper dump site set aside for them by the FCT Administration. Monica Eze, a lady in her early 30s, told Inside Abuja that dumping refuse by the road side is the lifestyle of the people around this area. "This has been happening for a very long time now but you cannot blame those dumping waste here because the government did not make any provision for them to dispose off the refuse properly. There is no dump site around here and the government seems not to do anything about it,” she said. Contrary to Eze’s comment, Isah Abdul, who sells onion beside a refuse-dump, said government officials do come around to evacuate it weekly but the problem is before they come for evacuation the whole place will be loaded again.

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Trash takes over highways

Heaps of refuse in Abuja

Ashamed and dissatisfied with the policeman response, Inside Abuja tried to inquire more but he simply told the reporter that he is on duty and cannot attend to more questions.

A trader selling wares near a refuse dump

Why dumping wastes by the road side? In finding out why some people have made dumping refuse by the road side a habit, Inside Abuja’s reporter who spent three hour at Masaka market junction where refused is dumped learnt that while some people were in this act due to lack of proper dump site, some merely join the band wagon because they feel it is the appropriate thing to do. Salami Ali came around with a truck load of trash to dump at the site. When Inside Abuja asked Ali why he was dumping trash by the road side, he said that is where everybody is dumping and there is no law stopping them from dumping there. “Walahi, na dirty I dey pack since I come Abuja, we plenty wey dey pack dirty from people house and na here we dey drop am. Since 2001 na im wey dey throw dirty here and police no dey catch us," he said. Yusuf Bashir, a teenage scavenger, said they were actually di-

There is no proper dump site set aside for them by the FCT Administration

rected to dump trash by the road side in order to make it accessible to the officials that will evacuate them. Enejo Ochala, a banker in his late 20s, confirmed Bashir’s statement on accessibility. “Dumping trash by the road side may not be healthy but the scavengers don’t have other option, dumping it by the road side will make it accessible to waste management workers to evacuate but I blame the officials for allowing the trash to heap," Ochala said. Even those who are supposed to be custodian of law watch ‘ignorant’ ones in the society doing the wrong thing. Inside Abuja’s reporter boarded a bus to the next popular junction (Masaka U-turn) and true to what Ali said, upon getting there, a policeman who wish to speak without disclosing his identity said: “Dumping trash by the road side is a tradition to those in this environs. Even if you caution them, they will still dump them here."

How lucrative is scavenging business? It is amazing how people are making riches from trash. Inside Abuja’s chat with some scavengers who depend on proceeds from sale of recyclable items for livelihood reveals that those who took scavenging as business are also living fine. Abubakar Fatai, a secondary school dropout, said he resolved to scavenge after he lost his parents some years back. "I started this business when I lost my mother in 2008, after the death of my father, my mother was taking care of my siblings and I but after the death of my mother, there was nobody to take care of us so I started scavenging business and I have been able to feed myself and my two siblings with what I earn from it,” he said. When Inside Abuja asked Fatai how much he makes in a month, he said it is difficult to keep record of the proceeds since he gets the money daily. “I cannot say how much I make per month because I spend the money as it comes but the least I make per day is N700,” he said. Apart from rendering the service of helping people to dispose off their waste, scavengers also make money from the waste as they are valuable items in the waste, depending on the financial status of those patronising them. Habib Kurma, another scavenger, said: “This business is a lucrative one but many people don’t know. I move around in the morning but I focus more on estate because they pay better and at times you get valuable items from their waste. I make at least N2,000 daily and at times I get to find recyclable items which I sell and make extra N2,000 or N3,000," he said. CONTINUED ON PAGE 20

TUESDAY, august 23, 2016 NEW TELEGRAPH

Caleb Onwe

f the technical headquarters of a strategic component and critical arm of the agriculture sector, like the National Agricultural Seed Council, could be allowed to haemorrhage to the extent of gasping for breath now, then there is a serious concern that the homily about how to revive agriculture in Nigeria might be a discordant tune that will not encourage a good dancing steps. Unfortunately, from the entrance of the complex, a visitor can begin to notice serious sign of prolonged struggle for relevance from the broken sign post which the managers of the centre probably refused to give a usual facelift, as is the culture in our society, especially when a very important personality is expected on official visit. The Minister of State for Agriculture and Rural Development, Senator Heineken Lokpobiri's visit to the centre on facility tour was scheduled, yet no facelift measure was considered for the broken sign post. This singular act may be a common sense logic adopted to let the minister know the extent of the excruciating distress that has befallen the centre. Lifeline on the offing As expected, Lokpobiri after listening to the presentation made by the Director General of the council, Dr. Philip Ojo, assured that the ministry was going to answer the distress call of the council. Lokpobiri with the benefit of insight may have observed that the council has a responsibility to play in addressing the myriad of challenges as catalogued in the DG's presentation, so he counselled that the management of the centre need to put on its 'thinking cap' to evolve innovations that will foster the required development. “The goals of increasing food production may not be achieved until the Seed Council is supported in any way. It is interesting to note that Nigeria provides over 70 per cent of the seeds that are used in many West African Countries. One of the objectives of the ministry now is to encourage some of its parastatals like the Seed Council to go commercial and get part of the market. “From what I have seen in the Director General’s presentation, there is need for innovation in order to achieve the set objectives, I would recommend that you get the private sector to partner with you." To attain more effectiveness in its operations, the minister also assured that the council shall be assisted to improve its facilities which apparently may have undermined operational capabilities of the centre reputed to be the only that is catering for the seeds need of the whole West African subregion. Establishment of NASC The agency was established as a strategic parastatal of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development in December 2007 when the Federal Executive Council (FEC) implemented the provisions of the seeds Act No 72 of 1992. Briefing the minister, the Director General of the Council, Ojo, said the council was created as a child of necessity to manage

Inside ABUJA

Seed complex: Agency in need of lifeline

Lokpobiri inspecting some of the machines at the Seed Centre

and regulate seed production and processing as a critical input for increasing farmers productivity and Agricultural production. Ojo also said that seed contributes about 50 per cent increase in crop productivity. He went further to state that seed is the most cost effective agriculture input as it sets the limit to the effectiveness of other costlier inputs such as fertilisers, agrochemicals and irrigation water. There is doubt, however, that if the status quo in the operational capabilities of the council is not improved, the lofty dream of transforming the Nigerian Seed system into a leading seed industry in sub-Saharan Africa, worthy of generating foreign exchange may remain a mirage. Obsolete equipment Inside Abuja learnt that among the challenges that have constituted a clog on the wheel of the council's progress is obsolete equipment that are still occupying spaces in the council's technical headquarters at Sheda. Inside Abuja sighted some of the equipment, like the "Germi-

It is interesting to note that Nigeria provides over 70 per cent of the seeds that are used in many West African Countries

C O N T I N U E D F R O M PA G E 1 7

According to him, the fruit market generates a lot of revenue that unfortunately go unaccounted for. Inside Abuja gathered that the market has in no small measures provided a robust melting point for fruits merchants from both the southern and Northern part of the country. It was also gathered that the only alternative to the market in terms of fruit distribution within FCT and environs is the "orange market" in Mararaba, a close suburb, but in Nasarawa State. On a daily basis, trucks loads of plantain, pawpaw, pineapple and other vari-

Entrance to NASC complex at Sheda.

nator", seeds processing mill and other machines which both the DG and the technical staff confirmed to the minister that they were obsolete and out of use. According to the Director General, the centre is battling with inadequate logistics, especially operational vehicles for seed crop field inspection, seed law enforcement and surveillance activities. He was also specific about poor training in seed handling by agrodealers who often store seeds with agro-chemicals and fertilisers which are adverse to seed viability. Achievement of NASC Though the distress on the centre is evident for all to see, the DG mentioned a number of progress made at the centre. According to information made available to Inside Abuja, as at 2014, seed deployment to states stands at 92,025 metric tones, it generated over N230 million. It was also disclosed that as at 2015, 86 seed entrepreneurs have been accredited, while strengthening the National Seed Certification Scheme to cope with the accelerated increase in seed production

also received adequate attention. Farmers, stakeholders’ fears Some stakeholders in the sector, including farmers who have been keenly watching the activities of the council, have expressed worries that the adulteration of seeds that had plagued the seed sector for some time now may not be arrested if NASC is not well funded to counter the moves of some unscrupulous seed dealers. There is also the fear of some foreign seed companies that are already fighting for market share in Nigeria and further reduce the chances of local seed producers to earn foreign exchange by exporting their seeds. Stakeholders are also of the opinion that not until the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development begin to mobilise and enlisting the active participation of state governments, the youth, women and all the critical stakeholders to cultivate additional two million hectares of land a year with double cropping using irrigational facilities, developing the seed sector may not be possible.

Epidemic looms at Zuba Fruit market eties of fruits produced in the South are moved to the market. While varieties of fruits like watermelon, orange and vegetables produced in the North are also brought there. Allegation of against association A reliable source in the market confided in Inside Abuja that the deplorable condition of the fruit market has remained the same over the years because of few people who have constituted themselves into a cabal that allegedly connived with Gwagwalada Area Council officials to

share the revenue generated from the market. Efforts made by the reporter to get the association officials to respond to the allegation were not successful. After the second attempt made by the reporter to get their opinion and also know why the environmental sanitation was relegated to the background in the market, it became very obvious that they have decided to evade the press. Their evasive posture can be deduced from the excuses they keep giving as to why they cannot talk to the press.

INSIDE ABUJA \ NEWS

Tunde Oyesina Abuja

group under the name, The Re gistered Trustees of Downtrodden Peoples Empowerment Foundation Worldwide, has dragged the Federal Government, Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC) and six others before the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja over alleged death by electrocution of three residents of Angwa Tiv in Tundun Wada village, Lugbe, Abuja. Other plaintiffs are Tijani Olabode, Stephen Agbaera, Ijeoma Onwuanum, Omowumi Adams, Olagoke Ajewole and Oyewole Pelumi. Also cited as defendants alongside the Federal Government and AEDC in a suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/606/ 2016 are Rural Electrification Agency (REA), Nigerian Electricity Regulatory

TUESDAY, august 23, 2016 NEW TELEGRAPH

Death of residents: Group sue FG, AEDC, NERC, others

Commission (NERC), Nigerian Electricity Management Services Agency, Consumer Protection Council (CPC), Minister of Power and the Attorney General of the Federation. In its statement of claim, the plaintiffs through their counsel, Hassan Omolowo, averred that on July 2 at about 9:30p.m., the residents of Angwa Tiv, a suburb within Tudun Wada village, adjacent the Federal Housing Authority Estate, LugbeAbuja, were jolted and brutalised by a sudden load explosion from 750KVA transformer supplying light to the large community. The plaintiffs further averred that the explosion and burning of

the transformer came on the heels of numerous appeals made by the residents to AEDC for an upgrade of the local electricity distribution network through the provision and installation of more transformers, adding that the defendants did not respond to the pleas. According to the plaintiffs’ submission, the transformer burnt for more than 30 minutes without any officer of the AEDC taking any prompt response. The group informed the court that three people died through electrocution. They are Mr. Olalewe James, Mr. Moses Joesph and a mother of three, Mrs. Ayiyeli Justina. The plaintiffs listed

Abuja laws are obsolete, says minister Yekeen Nurudeen Abuja

n order for Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) to meet up with the present reality of the growth and development, its minister, Malam Muhammad Musa Bello, has called for the review of its various laws. According to the minister, most of the laws in the Federal Capital Territory have become obsolete, thereby making the running of the Abuja city centre very difficult. He reiterated that FCT Administration needs the review of these laws dearly to make it more stringent to enable it effectively cope with the influx of people into the territory. The Minister who disclosed this when the Acting Chairman of the Nigerian Law Reform Commission, Mr. Kefas Musa Magaji, paid him a visit in his office noted that, when the laws are more stringent, offenders are made to face the consequences of their actions or inactions thereby serving as deterrent. The minister frowned at a situation where law breakers in the FCT are, for instance, given N2,000 option of fine which can easily be paid on the spot; adding that the development and growth of Abuja ought to be matched with vibrant laws that are stringent enough to deter offenders. His words: “The penal-

ty in FCT laws are not in tandem with the reality of our time and therefore not serving as deterrent as it is supposed to be.” The minister remarked that the FCT laws ought to be reviewed to help, guide and assist city managers; noting that Abuja is the only city in the federation that is a product of law and should be well guided by the law to function well. Bello praised the efforts of the Commission, saying “FCTA values and will support any institution that adds value to the well-being of the society.” Speaking earlier, the Acting Chairman of the Nigerian Law Reforms Commission, said every law needs to be reviewed every 10 years to conform with the present reality as there is no way the society will move forward when the laws are still backwards. He recalled that the Commission last reviewed the FCT laws in 2006 and that such laws are due for further reevaluation to conform with the time. Meanwhile, FCTA in conjunction with the Korean Government have concluded a 10-day capacity building workshop for 72 teachers of the Nigeria/Korean Model School currently under construction in Abuja. Speaking at the closing ceremony of the local training workshop at the FCDA Conference Room, the FCT Minister con-

gratulated all the stakeholders in the project. Bello appreciated the collaboration and noted that 30 teachers among this number would be further trained at another workshop in Korea by the end of the year to improve their capacity in school administration. The minister explained that the training programmes were part of the capacity building component of a multimillion-dollar multilateral cooperation between Nigeria and the Korean Government to build a world-class school in the Federal Capital Territory.

those physically affected as Mr. Stephen Gbaera, Mr. Ijeoma Onwuanum, Miss Omowumi Adams, Mrs. Olagoke Ajewole, Mrs. Oyewole Pelumi, Mr. Kayode Akindele, Mr. Pius Moses, Mr. Peter Destiny and Mr. Donald Terlumum. The group however wants the court to declare the malfunction and explosion and burning of the 750 KVA transformer in Tundun Wada village that led to the electrocution, death and sustenance of injuries and loss of property by residents of the village in spite of several entreaties for the upgrade amounted to acts of gross negligence by the AEDC and of regulatory failure by the 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th and 8th defendants. The group also wants the court to declare that AEDC, ANED and REA

have neither deployed nor adequately invested in the provision of technically safe, sound and efficient electrical equipment in accordance with the provisions of their operating licences and statutory mandates respectively. The group therefore pray for an order compelling the 1st, 2nd and 3rd defendants to insure their electrical facilities and customers against varied industrial hazards and mishaps in accordance with the provisions of the Nigerian Electricity Health and Safety Code and International best practices. The group also wants the court to compel the 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th and 8th defendants to fine the 1st defendant in order to pay adequate compensation to the victims and other affected individuals of the malfunction and

burnt transformer. In addition, the group wants the court to compel the 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th and 8th defendants to fine the 1st defendant in order to establish an Education Trust Fund for the children of the bereaved families of the victims. It also want the court to order the defendants to pay special damages to victims for the physical injuries sustained and the loss of various electrical gadgets as valued at the time of judgement. The plaintiffs are also asking for general damages at the discretion of the court for the patent gross act of negligence by the 1st defendant and dereliction of the regulatory oversight by the 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th and 8th defendants. No date has been fixed for the hearing.

L-R: Minister of Labour and Productivity, Dr. Chris Ngige; FISON President , Dr. Olajiden Ayinla and Senator Rabiu Kwankwoso, at the 14th Investiture Fisheries Society of Nigeria (FISON) in Abuja.

Trash takes over highways

C O N T I N U E D F R O M PA G E 1 8

Health implication According to medical doctors, improper disposal of waste is hazardous to health because of its ability to transmit infection. Dr. Peter Otaru, a senior medical doctor said, improper disposal of refuse is hazardous to health as it can cause asthma and food-borne infection. “It depends on the kind of refuse but refuse generally pollutes environment and enhance breeding of rats and other rodents which can help in transmitting Lassa Fever, I don’t think one need a prophet to say improper waste disposal is hazardous to health, the smell that emanates from the trash pollutes air and it is dangerous to those that have allergy like asthmatic patients because breathing in polluted air can affect their respiratory system. "Refuse that is improperly dis-

posed of becomes breeding ground for mosquitoes which help in transmission of malaria, house flies and cockroaches which transmits diarrhoea, dysentery and other infections. There are many issues to it; part of the refuse can be washed to a nearby stream, it will contaminate the water, and by the time you drink such water or do anything with it you are likely to contact diseases such as typhoid fever and other food burn diseases," he said. In line with Otaru assertions, Jacob Abdul of Winners Medical and Diagnostics Centre said improper disposal of refuse can lead to upper respiratory tract infection and asthma. “It can lead to upper respiratory tract infection and for those that allergic to odour, it can trigger up asthma, it also contain bacteria that can cause flu. He added that asthma may not have cure per say; it is orthodox medication, it is cur-

able but it will take time," he said. Preventive measures As harmful as improper disposal of waste seems, medical doctors suggest measures that will curtail its harmful effect, one of which is allowing sanitary inspectors to take over disposal of waste. Dr Abdul however suggested that disinfecting garbage with disinfectants can help prevent contacting diseases from the odour. "The safest thing to do is to have a regular dump site. We need to have the sanitary inspectors on board because when we have sanitary inspectors you will hardly find littering our environment since individual will have waste bin around house that will be cleared by the government and dump properly. In developed cities, some waste can be recycled; they can be converted to generate electricity," he added.

INSIDE ABUJA

TUESDAY, august 23, 2016 NEW TELEGRAPH

The Millennium Park is one of the tourist attractions in Abuja where fun seekers often go to relax and make merriment especially during festive seasons. CHUKWU DAVID was there recently and now reports

Millennium Park: Recovering past glory

he Abuja Millennium Park, which is the largest recreational facility in Abuja is located in the Maitama district of the city. The Millennium Park was constructed by the Olusegun Obasanjo administration, with a land mass of 32 hectares. The recreational centre was inaugurated by Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom on December 4, 2003. It is situated near the former Presidential Palace close to the nucleus of presidential and administrative buildings of the Federal Capital City. As a staple landmark of the nation's seat of government, every family who knows about the park and visits Abuja likes to go there for relaxation. This is because it offers visitors the perfect setting for spending a quiet time with friends. Its beautiful scenery is perfect for a stroll any time of the day. Also, the open fields and fresh air provides the ideal setting for a picnic. Visitors can also play games, take tour or just relax on the lush greenery around the park. The landscape offers plenty to explore and it is free and open to all. Before the incursion of the Boko Haram insurgency in the North-East, which later caused insecurity in other parts of the country including Abuja, the Millennium Park used to be a beehive of recreational activities. Patronage of the park by Nigerians and foreigners was very high. Individuals, families and social groups such as churches, schools, actors, musicians and professional groups visit the facility to relax and sometimes carry out rehearsals on their callings. Some go there to play novelty football matches, while some Christian groups hold prayer sessions at the park. The serene scenery makes it convenient and attractive for visitors to hold programmes, entertain themselves, eat together, gist and at the end of the day, go home with a lot of anxieties and their challenges of life temporarily soothed. However, when the Boko Haram insurgents launched their first and subsequent attacks on the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) several years ago, with places of gathering being their major targets, people became afraid of going to recreational arenas due to the security threat posed by the terrorist activities of the religious sect. Consequently, the ugly development also affected the patronage of parks drastically. Millennium Park, being the largest most usually crowded recreation centre in

Children of Christian families who went to pray at Millennium Park, Abuja

the capital city, suffered serious setback, as only very few people defied security considerations to still go and have fun there. In 2014, when two major consecutive bomb explosions hit Nyanya, a suburb in the FCT, with high population density, residents, out of fear, voluntarily stopped patronising leisure parks, so as to escape avoidable deaths likely to happen in such places if attacked by the insurgents. But with the seeming reduction in the expansion of Boko Haram attacks, life has begun to return to normality, and parks are already booming again. Residents of Abuja and visitors alike, have resumed going to the gigantic recreational facility to enjoy their leisure time. Also, some businessmen and women are equally taking advantage of the improvement in security in the FCT to make quick fortunes. They come to the Millennium Park with various articles of trade such as drinks and children's toys, and position themselves conspicuously few metres away from the entrance. They also display mats for rent by tourists, who come their without their own mats, which they spread on the green grass. Our correspondent visited the Millennium Park recently to get a first-hand impression on the current state of affairs at the park, and reported that, although the heavy patronage of the past had not been fully realised, there is a tremendous improvement from the Boko Haram-induced desertion of the place. It was observed that buying and selling is going on there, while people from all walks of life came there for diverse purposes but summarily ending up in having fellowship and fun among themselves. It was a Saturday afternoon, when our correspondent visited

They come to the Millennium Park with various articles of trade such as drinks and children's toys

the park and noticed that families, Christian groups, actors and others, gathered in small groups, under the shades provided by green trees inter-spaced within the area. A group of four Christian families, from the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), who came to pray and have relaxation, were accosted and they expressed their views about the status of the park and the usefulness of the facility to Nigerians and foreign tourists. Mr. Chidi Orji, who was in the group with his wife, Eziaku, and their three children, said that he did not notice any reduction in the population of people that patronised the park before and after Boko Haram started posing security threats in the country. "I did not at any time notice any reduction in the number of people patronising the park; even during the peak of Boko Haram bomb attacks in Abuja, the Department of State Services (DSS) used to mount very tight security at the gate. For me, I can say that the place has always enjoyed high patronage because it is a recreational centre and people come here to relax and have fun. "In terms of cleanliness, the park management is doing impressive work there. You can see that the environment is very clean; the grasses are well trimmed and in fact, the whole place is pleasant enough for this kind of leisure time. "When you compare the sanitary condition of the Millennium Park with that of the Abuja Park and Zoo, you will see the great difference. I have been to the Park and Zoo and I discovered that the place was dirty and stinking," he observed. Also, Mr. Matthew Agbajor who also came with his wife, Anike, and their four children, said the park, though seemingly picking up, suffered serious setback in terms of

patronage during the heat of Boko Haram bombings in Abuja, saying that many people stopped visiting the place. "In those days when there was nothing like Boko Haram attacks in Abuja, the park used to be very busy. In fact, it was always congested especially during Saturday like this or Sunday. Unfortunately, when the terrorists struck Abuja, people ran for their dear lives because the general impression was that the insurgents were always targeting parks and other crowded places. I thank God the place is picking up again,â&#x20AC;? Agbajor told New Telegraph. He, however, decried the state of the car park within the Millennium Park, lamenting that the parking lots had become dilapidated, and very difficult for visitors to negotiate the potholes and park their vehicles. On his experience at the park, Agbajor said: "We actually used the opportunity to pray and offer quality thanksgiving to God for his goodness, mercy and loving kindness towards us since the beginning of this year till today. It also affords the children opportunity to have fun and enjoy themselves". Mr. Gbenga Idowu who visited the park with his wife, Yetunde, and four children, also commended the good sanitary condition of the park but however harped on the need to renovate the motor park section, which is currently in a bad shape. He said: "There are two issues I observed that need serious attention in the park. One is the car parking lots. It has gone so bad that they ought to tar the road in order to give it a facelift. The second issue there is the river or canal which dissects the park. They should barricade it because if children play carelessly around there, they might slip and fall into the canal."

INSIDE ABUJA

Titus Gbila is a registered Town Planner based in Abuja. Piqued by the poor water supply to residents in the Federal Capital Territory by the Abuja Water Board, he carried out a survey and found among other things that corruption and poor distribution networks are some of the factors militating against the availability of water in the metropolis. EBERE AMEH reports

What informed your interest in the Abuja Water distribution that led to your survey? What caught my interest is the increase in alternative water supply in the FCT even when there is an Abuja Water Board that is claiming to supply adequate and good water to the residents in the metropolis. I noticed that in almost all the neighbourhoods in Abuja, especially the estates, each and every household is thinking of having a borehole. I administered a questionnaire and many of the residents said that they are not having water as and at when due, hence the resort to self-help through the construction of boreholes. It will interest you to know that urban water supply in the Federal Capital Territory is meant for a specific people in specific areas. These are the people initially in the Abuja Masterplan and are supposed to be adequately provided for. There are other districts who though are in the Master Plan, are yet to get connected to the Water Board, and then, others that are on the outskirts and are not part of the master plan. What I found is that even those that are captured in the masterplan, i.e. those in phase one particularly, are not getting adequate water. Phase two and three are supposed to be provided for too but they are not. Abuja is a planned town, it’s not a haphazard town. So all the districts within the master plan are supposed to have their own supply but the supply is intermittent while some like those in Phase 3 are yet to get connected to the urban water. Phase One of Abuja masterplan includes places like Wuse 1, Wuse II, Garki I and Garki II, the Central Area, Maitama, and Asokoro. These are the ones that are supposed to be covered adequately with urban water supply, but they are having some challenges. It will also interest you to know that the water demand of Abuja is about 120 litres per capita per day. By this, I mean an individual household demand for water is 120 litres per day. This includes the water the individual uses for cooking, bathing, drinking, washing and all that. And if we total that,

TUESDAY, august 23, 2016 NEW TELEGRAPH

Why residents opted for alternative water supply, by Gbila So for a city beautifully planned, boreholes and overhead tanks everywhere doesn’t add up. So aesthetics wise, the water tanks litter the city and more importantly, they affect the underground water. Still another issue with the boreholes is the fact that most of them are not drilled deep enough to get to the level where they get clean water. They are shallow and you know, as an urban area, most of the sewages find their way into the system, just as the waste dumps decompose and some pathogenic substances in the decomposing matters find their way into the ground and then to the water systems, so also are pathogenic substances from pit toilets or latrines and sewages. So if these boreholes are not deep enough, it becomes hazardous when consumed by humans. If you notice, typhoid fever is getting as rampant and malaria in Nigerian cities. This is unlike urban waters, which are surface waters and are normally treated. And the Usman Dam, which is the source for the Abuja Urban Water Board, it is carefully selected in such a way that human activities there are minimized.

Gbila

we discover that what the Abuja Water Board is pumping is actually more than the water demand, but unfortunately, the water does not get to them. That led me to the next phase of my quest – I wanted to know why, because if you look at the water that comes from Usman Dam to the booster stations and treatment plants, you discover that the water is really more than the demand by phase one, two and three. What did you find out as the reason for the poor water supply? I found that the problem are many and one is the issue of poor and faulty distribution, while the second is the issue of water loss or rather water theft. People connect and syphon the water from the mains without the knowledge of Abuja Water Board. Most times, they do not connect it properly and most of the water is wasted. Another reason is that the water pipes are no longer able to accommodate the pressure because the population has overgrown what was initially planned. The water pipes are simply not enough. Then comes the challenge of topography, some houses are in hilly areas and water can’t get to them. Water get to the end users through gravity, it is not pumped with electricity. So once water is released, it is expected to go to the neighbourhoods but because some of the places are in hilly areas, it needs a little push to get to them. That is basically because of the topography of Abuja, unfortunately, some of the booster stations that are to take some of these water to these districts are yet to be commissioned. What is the consequence of the poor water supply on the citizens? The consequence is that many households and organisations

The problem are many and one is the issue of poor and faulty distribution, while the second is the issue of water loss or rather water theft

have opted for alternative water supply by either having boreholes in their respective houses or buying water from water vendors. As a matter of fact, it has become a necessity to have a borehole. And while these water vendors extort the people, the boreholes, besides being expensive, the quality of the water is not always pure. So, one of the major implication is finance. The economy of the household is affected because by buying these water from alternative urban water supply sources, people spend more money that could have been saved to do other things. This increases urban poverty because if you were supposed to spend like N5,000 a month on public water, you spend more when you resort to water vendors and this affects your economy, it impoverishes the people. There is also a health implication. Many households patronise the water vendors - the cart pushers and most times the water they sell is not pure. That is why when you go to most hospitals in Abuja and its environ, there are rampant cases of diarrhoea, typhoid fever, dysentery, and all these are water borne diseases. So it is assumed that most of these water that these people are getting are not hygienic enough for consumption. Another factor is the depletion of the underground water. As boreholes cut across the whole city, it is not only littering the supposedly planned city with overhead tanks, it is affecting the underground water. There is over utilization of underground water sources. The implication of this is that it will, on the long run, affect the entire environment. This is because it is this underground water that gets back to the atmosphere and come back to us as rain. So as it is being over utilized, there is a looming crisis – a climate crisis.

Now, what do you advise the government to do? I think the government know what to do, if they want to do something. You know that in Nigeria, the issue of inefficient infrastructure provision is a problem. It is so because of corruption and management problem, and because the monies allocated for these projects are not being released in time. However, what the government should do is to try and ensure an efficient distribution of water to the people. Water should not only be priced and also made available. If we are paying money for water supply, we won’t waste it. And if we are sure of adequate water from the Water Board, we would be able to plan our lives better. So it is good to meter the water as is done now in Apo Resettlement Quarters now, so if you exhaust your money, your water supply would be cut off. The government has started implementing the pilot scheme of pay in Asokoro, Maitama and Apo Resettlement Quarters. But it is not yet operational in Wuse and Garki, areas that consume so much water because of their population and which are part of Phase One of Abuja Masterplan. There should be a routine check to ensure that the issue of water loss through theft is stopped. They should increase the number of booster stations because as they are pumping the water from Usman Dam to the treatment plants, the water gets to the booster stations and the stations are not enough. If they are enough in the city, water supply will get to areas that are having challenges. However, besides all these, government should endeavour to expand distribution to other areas in phase 2, and 3 of the masterplan because it is long overdue.

TUESDAY, AUGUST 23, 2016 NEW TELEGRAPH

Energy

Business WHAT'S NEW FG adopts six designs for national housing scheme

Militancy, economy and 2016 budget

Aviation Operators want N8bn debt written-off

25 30

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

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

EXCHANGE RATE

(Parallel Market August 19)

(Interbank as at August 19)

USD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . N395 Pounds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . N510 Euro . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . N440

l Foreign Reserves – $25.754bn as at17/8/2016

USD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . N308 Pounds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . N428 Euro . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . N368

Source: CBN

p.24

‘FG to maintain $50 per barrel oil price benchmark till 2019’ p.24

L-R: Managing Director, Chikason Industries, Mr. Linus Ilozue; Chairman, Nnewi Hotels, Dr. Ben Aghazu; former Head of State, Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar (rtd.) and Chairman, Chikason Industries, Chief Chika Okafor, during Gen. Abdulsalami’s facility tour of Chikason’s Factory at Nnewi, Anambra State.

Meggison: How debt forced airlines to close shop Alleges ex-minister cancelled prejudgment bills AMAZING Majority of these phantom debts are owed by dead

The Business Desk Ayodele Aminu

Deputy Editor (Business)

Bayo Akomolafe

Asst. Editor (Maritime)

Sunday Ojeme

Asst. Editor (Insurance)

Tony Chukwunyem

Asst. Editor (Money Market)

Dayo Ayeyemi Property Editor

Adeola Yusuf Energy Editor

Wole Shadare Aviation Editor

Chris Ugwu

Capital Market Editor

Abdulwahab Isa Finance Editor

Taiwo Hassan

Industry, Agric & Brands Editor

Kunle Azeez

Senior Correspondent

Chuks Onuanyin Energy

Nnamdi Amadi Reporter

Johnson Adebayo

Asst Production Editor

Wole Shadare

irlines such as Triax, Sosoliso, Air Nigeria, Premium Air Shuttle, Gas, Okada, Sahara, Oriental and Chanchangi among others, closed shop because of hostility meted out to them by government agencies in their bid to recover their debts, the Airline operators under the aegis of Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON) has said. Chairman, AON, Capt. Noggie Meggison, disclosed this to New Telegraph in Lagos. He described the over N38 billion allegedly owed NAMAN8.08 billion, FAAN- N20 billion and the NCAA- N10 billion as phantom, saying such debt that does not exist. His words: “Majority of these phantom debts is owed by airlines that are dead. Only airlines that are in operations can pay debts. If

you deny services to the airlines, how do you expect them to operate and make money to pay up their bills in the first place? There are better ways of doing things. Instead of forcing the airlines out of business by denying them access to fly or employing crude arm-twisting tactics, the agencies should be working closely with the airlines to reduce costs and make their operations more efficient.” Besides, he stated that the inefficiencies of the agencies has done incalculable damage and caused death to several airlines by trying to stifle the few surviving ones to pay for their inefficiencies. He explained that the purported N30 billion NAMA bills are two separate debts namely; that before the Supreme Court judgment and that after the Supreme Court judgment, stressing that most airlines that existed before the Supreme Court judgment are no longer in operation. Meggison said that the operators strongly decry the on-going action by various government agencies in the aviation sector whereby they threaten to deny airlines services for their operations or completely ground them, as this is likely to force airlines out of business. He noted that because of the economic hard times of today,

N38 billion Being the alleged debts airlines owe Nigerian Airspace Management Agency, the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria and the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority

airlines have become a soft target and are seen as a cash cow for everyone else to prey on easily. He called on the agencies to realise that air transport is the engine of the economy, stressing that their effort at disturbing Nigerian airlines is capable of damaging President Muhammadu Buhari’s effort to restore the economy. Penultimate week, the Federal Government directed its revenue recovery committee in the aviation industry to ensure the recovery of N8.08 billion owed the NAMA by airlines. The effort seems to be paying off, as the committee has recovered N329 million in two months, as it intensifies efforts to recover more than half of the monies before the end of the year. Aside airlines that are still in operation, many other airlines, including cargo and charter operators that have ceased operations, are also heavily indebted to the agencies. The agencies are said to be carrying huge liability of over N40 billion pension, high cost of operation of manning virtually all the 24 airports across the nation and growing overhead. CONTINUED ON PAGE 24

BUSINESS |NEWS

HOME OWNERSHIP The blueprint reflects climate change and different cultural leanings of regions

Dayo Ayeyemi

n a bid to reduce the nation’s housing deficit drastically, the Federal Government may adopt six different house designs for mass and affordable housing production in all the states of the federation. Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, said this at the ‘First City People Real Estate and Housing lecture’ in Lagos, last weekend. He said that the designs would include one, two and three bedroom bungalows, blocks of 16 and 24 flats of one, two and three bedrooms and bungalows of one and two bedrooms. The minister said: “I am happy to announce that we have concluded this, starting from about 21 different designs, working down to 12 and concluding on six.” Speaking on: “My Thoughts on How to Move the Housing Sector Forward,” the housing minister explained that the one, two, and three bedroom bungalow designs came with court yards in order to make them respond to the climate change and cultural leanings of the north. He added that they would be

How debts forced airlines to close shop CONTINUED FROM PAGE 23

Meggison said that the inefficiencies of the agencies had done incalculable damage and caused death to several airlines by trying to stifle the few surviving ones to pay for their inefficiencies. He added that there is also the need for a consideration of the fact that a former Minister, Mrs. Fidelia Njeze, had intervened and cancelled the pre-judgment bills with respect to navigational and en-route charges, which is on record both with The Federal Ministry of Aviation and NAMA that it should be written off because the services were not provided. Meggison, who is also the Managing Director of Jed Air, lamented that there is no place in the world domestic airlines pay enroute charges, asking why it should be different in Nigeria. He averred that the total radar coverage and enroute navigation were not in operation in 2001, hinting that airlines were mandated by NCAA to use Global Positioning System (GPS) for navigation, which was independent of NAMA.

TUESDAY, AUGUST 23, 2016 NEW TELEGRAPH

FG adopts six designs for national housing scheme

built in states in the north east, north west and north central parts of Nigeria. According to him, blocks of flats of one, two and three bedrooms and bungalows of one and two bedrooms will be built in the south-south, southeast and south-west regions and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). “These are broad classifications without details of special adaptations to be made in some states, based on our research and the experience of our diverse team of architects in the ministry who come from all parts of

Nigeria,” he said. Varieties in house design, New Telegraph gathered, is aimed at enhancing acceptability and home ownership among citizens unlike Shagari Housing initiative of 1980. The model, experts said, did not enjoy wide acceptability due to failure to incorporate enough diversity to reflect different weather and cultural differences in the country. According to Fashola, the current house designs will not contemplate those who want duplexes or bigger houses, but those who are in

the majority and who are the most vulnerable. “These include the firsttime home owners, who do not earn large incomes, in the civil service, junior workers in private companies, young families where husband and wife can pool their incomes together to qualify; artisans, drivers, market men and women, whose income bracket falls within grade levels 9–15 in the public service,” he said. The minister went down memory lane, blaming lack of sustainability for housing initiatives rolled out in the past. These include the Lateef

Jakande housing scheme, which was localised to Lagos and Shehu Shagari initiative which was national. “Having proffered a pathway to acceptability and end-user identity, the next step to sustainability is mass production,” the minister said. He emphasised that Federal Government’s plan for sustainable housing supply would centre on standardisation of house designs and industrialise production, by regulating fittings such as doors, windows, roofing sheets, tiles and other components.

L-R: Chairman of the occasion, Alhaji AbdulGaniy Owoduni; Managing Director/CEO, Med-View Airline, Alhaji Muneer Bankole and Executive Director/ Head of Catering Department, Alhaja Fausat Bankole, during the 2016 Med-View Annual Hajj Seminar in Lagos.

AMBITIOUS FG wants Nigeria to move to at least 20 places up in the global rating of ease of doing business

Taiwo Hassan

ollowing the astronomical drop in the prices of crude oil at the international market, the Federal Government has disclosed that it will peg oil price at $50 per barrel in the country’s appropriation bill for the next three years. Minister of Budget and National Planning, Senator Udoma Udo Udoma, disclosed this in a chat with New Telegraph in Lagos. He said that government would fix oil price benchmark at $50 per barrel for the next three years irrespective of whether crude oil price goes beyond $50 per barrel or less at the international market. He said that the $50 per barrel oil benchmark became necessary in order to give government a working clue of its expenditures in the upcoming appropriation bills. Nigeria is facing a revenue squeeze, as price of crude oil in the international market that was over $100 per barrel several months ago, had fallen to $50 per barrel, just as earnings

‘FG to maintain $50 per barrel oil price benchmark till 2019’ from oil fell due to lower prices. Also, a resurgence of militancy destroyed installations in the crude-producing Niger Delta, slashing output to an almost three-decade low. Also, with inflation rising and Nigeria’s economic output forecast by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to probably shrink 1.8 per cent this year, the first contraction in over two decades, Nigeria is in for a hard time. The minister, however, explained that the sudden drop in crude oil price at the international market was an eye opener for this present administration to look inwards at revamping the economy. The minister noted that the effect of the drop in oil price was the cause of the nation’s economic crisis, adding that his ministry is well prepared for the budget challenges ahead. “We know that oil price will continue to go below in some time to come. Our projections right now would be anything much higher than $50 per barrel in the next two or three years even if it goes higher than that, we will still maintain the modest price ($50 per barrel) benchmark in our oil price projections,” he said.

Udoma stated that government has intensified wide consultations with private sector groups in the country, adding that joint partnership between the public and private sectors is the alternative antidote to grow the economy to the desired level. He, however, assured the private sector and the investing public of the present administration’s intentions to provide an enabling environment for businesses to thrive. He said that the Presidential Economic Council on Ease of Doing Business in Nigeria, set up by government under the supervision of the Office of the Vice-President was meant to address the various bottlenecks facing ease of doing businesses in the country. He also assured the private sector group that the Council will achieve its objectives in the nearest future and this will impact positively on the country’s economy. His words: “We know, as a government, we are experiencing difficulties with the current recession in the country and, moving forward, we are determined to fix the economy and that is why we

are consulting extensively with the private sector groups in the country, because we know, it is only through partnership between the public and private sector that we can actively transform this economy. He continued: “Giving that if we want this economy to grow, we have to provide the enabling environment as a government, that is why, we had set up a Presidential Economic Council on Ease of Doing Business in Nigeria. “We want to move Nigeria at least 20 places up in the global rating of ease of doing business. “We will continue to discuss extensively with the private sector and to explain the review of our economic policies and most importantly, to hear from them what are the constraints, bottlenecks, challenges and what are the things we are supposed to do as government and we will do everything necessary to make the business environment conducive for investments.” He said that the Federal Government wants the Council to be an integral economic team that will impact positively on our economy, to provide jobs for our people, “feed ourselves and, not only just that, but also feed our neighbours.”

TUESDAY, AUGUST 23, 2016 NEW TELEGRAPH

ENERGY

Militancy, economy and 2016 budget T he two ministers in charge of energy were last Thursday unanimous in their submissions that renewed militancy in the Niger Delta is wrecking havoc on Nigeria’s economy. While Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Dr. Ibe Kachikwu, declared that the country’s daily crude production shortage peaked at one million barrels, his counterpart in charge of Ministry of Power, Babatunde Fashola, said that shortage in gas delivery to thermal stations had slashed power generation by over 2,000 Mega Watt (MW), The duo spoke at the Annual August Conference of the National Association of Energy Correspondents (NAEC) in Lagos, blaming the one million oil production shortage and over 2,500 Mega Watt (MW) power generation dip on the renewed militancy in the Niger Delta.

Talks, sabotage persist Stating that government is in talks with the militant, the minister of state for petroleum resources said that the sabotage to oil facilities is crippling the finances of the country. “Now, this is the effect of militancy. Before the militancy, we were producing 2.3 million barrels daily, but now we are down to 1.5 million barrels. “Now that we are where we are, we need to produce an extra one million barrel to be able to catch up,” he said. Speaking on: “The Urgency of Now’, at the well-attended conference, Kachikwu said: “Imagine the effect of one million barrels. We may not be able to fund the federal budget as expected.” Acknowledging that the global oil price rout is one of the challenges facing this country, the minister maintained that price of oil “is the least of our problems.” He said: “We are bedeviled with many problems that even if the price is high, we will need to solve before we could

Buhari

With Nigeria’s daily crude production deficit at one million barrels and power generation dropping by 50 per cent in the last six months, ADEOLA YUSUF reports that renewed militancy, if not checked, may worsen the country’s already bad economic situation

Scene of oil pipeline bombed by militants.

reap its fruits. We have achieved some feats since assumption of office by President Muhammadu Buhari; but because we are producing below our capacity as we speak, which is shifting attentions from what we have achieved. “The pricing of petroleum product issue was solved with the subsidy removal, which saved the nation 1.3 trillion annual waste. We have dealt with transparency issues in the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) by publishing our monthly reports. “My clarion call is that so long as the problem is the problem of the minister of state for petroleum resources, so long as the problem is the problem of the president, it is actually the problem of all of us.” The havoc, which on-going militancy is wrecking, is beyond economic sabotage. The environment, according to Kachikwu, is also suffering. He said: “Aside from the eco-

Fashola

Government is expected to do what is necessary to bring the Niger Delta scenario under control

nomic loss, the environmental degradation is another disheartening consequence of militancy. “The solution to Niger Delta is not the militancy, it is sincere engagement and we are talking even though it is a tough one, with stakeholders on how to resolve this issue.” Harvests of force majeure Four streams of Nigeria’s oil, including the country’s largest, Qua Iboe, along with Bonny Light, Brass River and Forcados are currently under force majeure. Kachikwu said it was too early to say when Nigeria could increase output as security in its oil hub, the Niger Delta, needed to improve first. The government of President Muhammadu Buhari was continuing talks with militants, he said. “We are talking but is not an easy thing.”

Kachikwu

The Niger Delta Avengers, which has claimed a wave of attacks, said it would declare the region’s independence on October 1, unless the government restructured the country. The group, which apparently split in recent weeks, did not elaborate. Fashola also added that the militancy had affected gas supply to thermal plants. Represented by the acting Chairman, Niger Delta Power Holding Company Limited (NDPHC), the minister said: “In the short period between when we started work in November 2015 and February of this year, our generating capacity rose to 5,074 MW, the highest we have ever generated as a nation. “Not long after this, the Forcados pipeline was attacked by militants and resultantly generation dropped to about 2,000MW. “I will talk more about the sabotage and vandalism of our national assets later but the truth is even at the 5,074 in February, we were still short of where we ought to be as a nation. “The solution therefore, is that we need more power and that is the basis of the first phase of our road map – Incremental Power.” Conclusion Government is expected to do what is necessary to bring the Niger Delta scenario under control. The on-going talks with militants should be widened and sped up to get a lasting solution to the crisis. Also, leaders of thoughts in the Niger Delta should also intervene to prevail on the militants to sheath their sword for the benefit of all. To “jaw jaw” is always better than to “war war.”

BUSINESS | ENERGY

TUESDAY, AUGUST 23, 2016 NEW TELEGRAPH

FG targets 2021 for large scale gold production

●Mulls N2.1trn investment in mining AGENDA Government plans 6.7% surge in mining sector’s contribution to GDP by 2026 Stories: Adeola Yusuf

he Federal Government has begun a detour from oil sector as it set a target of year 2021 for large scale gold production through a N2.1 trillion ($7 billion) investment for ailing mining sector. Government is also planning a 6.7 per cent surge in mining sector’s contribution to Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by 2026. Crude accounts for around 70 per cent of Nigeria’s revenue and 13 per cent of GDP. The slump in global oil prices from over $100 a barrel of Brent crude in 2014 to under $50 a barrel currently, has, however, lowered the gains from oil and made a search for alternative to the commodity desirous. This, coupled with reduced output due to militant attacks on pipelines in Nigeria’s Niger Delta, has squeezed state finances and caused a chronic dollar shortage, according to Minister of Finance, Mrs. Kemi Adeosun. Meanwhile, the Ministry of Mines and Steel stated in a document that some companies considering investments in Nigeria’s mining industry included Lagos-based Multiverse Mining and Exploration Plc and Kogi Iron Limited, based in West Perth, Australia. Quoting the Minister of Mines and Steel, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, the document revealed that government had set a target of year 2021 for large scale gold production through a N2.1 trillion ($7 billion) investments for ailing mines sector. “Boosting mining output along with developing agriculture and infrastructure is part of plans to broaden the economy of Africa’s second-largest oil producer,” Reuters has once reported. “One of government’s priorities is to meet its annual steel demand of 6.8 million metric tons, from a current output of a third of that, produced mainly from scrap iron,” the report read. “About $5 billion will kickstart the mining sector,” Fayemi was quoted to have said. “In two to five years, we want to start production of iron ore, lead, zinc, bitumen, nickel, coal and gold at a serious scale,” he added. Government will also need investment of about $2 billion to revive Ajaokuta, a steel complex which was supposed to have an installed capacity of five million tons a year.

Engineers working on power sub-station

Situated on the Niger River, in Kogi state, its construction began in 1979 but work was delayed by government’s failure to pay builders on schedule and it is yet to be completed. The minister is expected to present a mining plan to President Muhammadu Buhari before August 31 and later a bill proposing the creation of a regulator for the sector. “Currently, the ministry

does everything, licensing, monitoring, inspection, and it shouldn’t be like that,” Fayemi said. Prospective investors have expressed concern about an uncertain regulatory environment, he said. An autonomous agency would be better positioned to focus on performance and efficiency of the sector, according to the minister.

The new legislation will include incentives such as allowing full foreign ownership of mining projects in order to attract investments, Fayemi said. Only 18 of some 30 steel manufacturers in Nigeria are active, producing about 2.2 million tons a year and leaving government with a $3.3 billion annual import bill, Fayemi said. Government is talking with companies including Russia’s

Technopromexport and Ansteel Group Corp. of China to complete and start production at Ajaokuta. It also plans to create a $1 billion mining exploration fund from state and private capital to improve data on Nigeria’s mineral wealth. Each exploration project will be supported with about $5 million, Reuters quoted Fayemi to have said.

Lagos records 9, 400 MW power deficit ●Eko, Ikeja power grid supply down to 600MW

agos state, Nigeria’s commercial nerve centre, at the weekend recorded 9, 400 mega watt (MW) power deficit as load supply to the two major distribution firms in the state; Eko Electricity Distribution Company and Ikeja Electric fell to about 600MW. Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, had earlier put the power demand of Lagos at 10, 000 MW. New Telegraph, however, gathered at the weekend that the average supply to Eko and Ikeja was now 300 MW daily. Schedules of the two companies seen by this newspaper showed that the low supply began in May when power generation dropped by over 2, 000 MW. Eko disco, for instance, received over 500 MW in February when the generation and supply from the grid hit an alltime high of over 5, 000 MW. “The problem is known by everyone. It is the continuous bombing of gas pipeline and other installations by the Niger Delta Avengers (NDA). “In fact, the avengers have redefined energy insecurity in Nigeria. As we speak, what we receive from the transmission is around 300 MW and this also

applies to Ikeja electric,” an official of EKEDC said. “Sometimes in February this year, Nigeria generated over 5, 000 megawatts and Eko got an average of 500 mega watts,” he added. The management of System Operation/Market Operation (SO/MO) of Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) also confirmed fall in generation, which started in May. “The electricity generation

into the national grid dropped to 1,400MW on May 17, 2016,” the company said. “As at 12 midnight, Tuesday 17th May, 2016, available power to the grid was 2,730MW, but further dropped to 1,400MW before it later picked up to around 2500 MW,” the TCN load schedule showed. The dip in electricity generation, according to a statement by Assistant General Manager, Public Affairs, SO/MO, Clem-

ent Ezeolisah, was due to constraints in the thermal power stations, which have prevented the generators from producing at optimal levels. “However, it is noteworthy to report that all stakeholders are working assiduously to achieve improvements in the power supply deliverables. The attendant inconvenience as a result of low power generation is regretted,” Ezeolisah said.

Ghana targets 80,000 barrels of oil daily as Tullow starts production

hana is planning to ramp up oil production from Tweneboa, Enyenra, Ntomme (TEN) fields gradually towards 80,000 barrels per day through the remainder of 2016. This came as Tullow Oil plc announced at the weekend that first oil had flowed from TEN fields offshore Ghana, on time and on budget, three years after the Plan of Development was approved by the Government of Ghana in May 2013. The TEN start-up process is now well advanced, according to Tullow, which expects oil production to ramp-up gradually towards the FPSO capacity of 80,000 barrels of oil per day through the remainder of 2016.

Tullow estimates that TEN average annualised production this year will be approximately 23,000 bopd gross (net: 11,000 bopd). “I am delighted that the TEN fields have reached first oil. This is an important moment for Tullow as production begins from our second operated development in Ghana,” CEO of Tullow Oil plc, Aidan Heavey, said. “I thank the Government of Ghana, the Petroleum Commission and our partners – GNPC, Anadarko, Kosmos and PetroSA - for their support and cooperation since we made the first discovery in 2009. “I also congratulate the project team, our contractors and

sub-contractors for delivering this project on time and on budget and with great skill and professionalism and commend them for their commitment to the participation of Ghanaian staff and companies in the project,” he added. The TEN project, which has a total estimated gross cost of almost $5 billion, contains gross reserves of 300 million barrels. Described by Tullow as Ghana’s second major oil development, the TEN field is situated around 40 miles offshore Western Ghana and just 12 miles from Tullow’s flagship operated asset, the Jubilee field, which came on stream in December 2010.

TUESDAY, august 23, 2016 NEW TELEGRAPH

Homes&Property

Falomo roundabout, Lagos

A project New Urban Agenda that seeks to help cities grow in environmentally sustainable manner in the face of rapid urbanisation, has been unveiled. DAYO AYEYEMI reports

ecently, a report by The Economist Intelligence ranked Lagos as the third worst city to live. This had prompted urban development experts to call on government and other stakeholders to adequately plan cities in advance in order to make them environmentally sustainable for population growth. The experts made their position known during the launch of the 2016 World Cities Report organised by United NationsHabitat (UN-Habitat) at the Federal University of Technology, Akure, last weekend. They noted that adequate preparation for cities growth has become imperative in order to promote economic development, enhance wealth creation, attract investments, while maintaining law and order. New Urban Agenda At the event themed: “Urbanisation and Development: Emerging Futures,” the Chief Presenter and Director of the Nairobi, Kenya-based Regional Office for Africa, UN-Habitat, Professor Oyebanji OyelaranOyeyinka, explained that while rural to urban migration was inevitable, it should not be chaotic if cities are well planned to accommodate the drift whenever it occurs. He lamented that many cities in the world still relied on outdated modes of planning and unsustainable forms of urbanisation, noting that planning regulations had been too detailed and inflexible, making compliance so challenging that people tend to bypass them. He attributed structural unemployment in Nigeria as bane of urbanisation, saying this was as a result of movement of farming population to urban areas with skills not relevant to the urban modern sectors as well as tertiary education void of

practical skills and experience in the operation of industrial machinery. Oyelaran-Oyeyinka pointed out that genuine accountability and administrative capacity to implement public polices based on accurate information entailed a new urban agenda. According to him, urbanisation includes the provision of good roads, drainage systems and housing units for the teeming population. The UN envoy said the New Urban Agenda should convey a sense of urgency, have a clear means of implementation, adopt a city-wide approach, propose concrete strategies and actions and be flexible to integrate regional differences. He said: “The role of planning is to make cities more productive by establishing transparent laws that govern the operations of cities with special attention of housing. “This is because over the last 20 years, housing has not been central to national and international development agendas, while governments’ involvement has only focused on the middle class and home ownership that few can attend.” Suggestions Oyelaran-Oyeyinka stated that the link between planning, laws and economic development policies for cities must be integrated across all levels of government, adding that cities must find a way to strengthen their finances. He cited London as an example of a city that has reinforced development through public private partnerships land taxes and user charges. He recommended the promotion and adoption of policies to stimulate high growth of manufacturing output, which will raise shares of employment in industry, design and plan urban

Urbanisation: Experts seek ecologically sustainable cities Planned urbanisation would lead to rising living standards, better quality of life and higher economic productivity

clusters and adopt sustainable urban plans and legislations to regulate orderly rural-urban transitions and growth of cities. The director said planned urbanisation would lead to rising living standards, better quality of life, higher economic productivity and improvements in municipal finance of local authorities among others. He said: “The UN_habitat 2016 World Cities Report is a product of a 20-year intensive research, which employed technical discussions, experts consultations and critical review on urbanisation in the world. “It took stock and centres on how ways of production and consumption changed drastically since the UN-Habitat Conference in 1996.” Justification In his address, Vice-Chancellor, FUTA, Professor Adebiyi Daramola, described the event as “significant in many respects,” saying it was part of concerted efforts of the university to promote research, create awareness and sensitise the general public on the need for a change in order to better respond to contemporary challenges. Daramola further said the forum was designed to foster collaboration between FUTA and the UN-Habitat to address some of the challenges associated with lack of adequate preparation for urbanisation in Nigeria as in other countries. “This event is also designed to call attention of government at all levels to the significant role that the World Cities report play in informing policies

and actions taken by cities and their leaders to make a positive impact on housing and slums, risk reduction and basic urban services,” he said. Minister of Education, Mallam Adamu Adamu, who was represented by Mrs. Rakiya Gambo Ilyasu, commended FUTA for the giant step taken to host the launch of the all-important report. The minister said that Nigeria had come a long way in urban development but “there is room to do better by creating a new urban agenda that will give cities the ability to prepare for the challenges that are associated with urbanisation.” The World Cities report 2016 was launched by the Osemawe of Ondo Kingdom, Oba Victor Kiladejo, who expressed delight at the relevance of the event to the actualisation of a new urban agenda, which promotes cities that are environmentally sustainable. Global liveability index The report by The Economist Intelligence on Lagos as the third worst city to live came a week after some town planners bemoaned the haphazard growth of Nigerian cities. Placed 138th out of the 140 cities ranked in the latest Liveability Survey, just above warravaged Tripoli and Damascus, several other global reports had also said that Lagos, with a population of over 22 million, would in the next few years, become the fourth mega city in the world, with a population of over 30 milCONTINUED ON PAGE 28

TUESDAY, august 23, 2016 NEW TELEGRAPH

Business | Homes & Property

TOUGH TIMES Expert predicted a jump in inflation to 17.4 % this month Dayo Ayeyemi

ise in inflation rate to 16.5 per cent has increased the number of rental default in the property markets, New Telegraph has learnt. According to experts in the real estate sector, despite incessant cases of rental defaults by tenants in the property market in the last one year, the latest surge in inflation rate may double defaults in rental payments. They also blamed slump in oil revenue, which has reduced government spending and disposable income of citizens for the inability of tenants to pay their rents. According to report by Bismark Rewane-led Financial Derivatives Company (FDC), while stating the implications of increase in inflation rate to 16.5 per cent, individuals will face budget constraints. The study added that the situation would also reduce future demand for housing. Rewane pointed out that the headline inflation in Nigeria had become ‘a hydra-headed problem that is defying therapy,” adding, “while it is too soon to determine

Experts seek ecologically sustainable cities CONTINUED FROM PAGE 27

lion. According to the report, of the poorer-scoring cities, 13 continue to occupy the very bottom tier of liveability, where ratings fall below 50 per cent and most aspects of living are severely restricted. The top five best countries to live in, according to the report, remain unchanged from last year and they include Melbourne, Australia; Vienna, Austria; Vancouver, Canada; Toronto, Canada and Calgary, Canada. The liveability survey assesses which locations around the world provide the best or the worst living conditions across five broad categories, including stability, healthcare, culture and environment, education and infrastructure. Lagos scored highest in culture and environment, followed by infrastructure. It scored lowest in stability. Three other African cities that joined Lagos at the bottom rung of the liveable cities include Douala, Cameroon; Harare, Zimbabwe and Algiers, Algeria ranking 132nd, 133rd and 134th respectively. Conclusion Governments and city planners must coalesce in the implementation of a new urban agenda to promote cities that are environmentally sustainable.

Rewane: High inflation rate triggers rise in rental default

the effectiveness of the recent increase in interest rates on inflation, the picture is not looking pretty.” He projected a jump in inflation to 17.4 per cent this month, which, he said, would be an 11-year high. However, he said that Nigerians have been adjusting to the new realities, predicting that consumers were in for a very rough ride in fourth quarter of the year. According to investigation by this newspaper, over than 15 tenants under the management an estate agent in Ogba,

Lagos, Mr. Jekede Toluwa, have been finding it difficult to pay their rents in the last six months. Toluwa, who is the Principal Partner, Jetobled Properties, said that landlords of some of the houses have even asked them (tenants) to vacate their apartments. He said that the tenants remained unconcerned since they cannot raise money for another accommodation. He blamed the situation on current economic downturn coupled with high inflation rate, pointing out that the cost

of living had almost doubled in the last one year. According to him, a bag of rice that was sold for N10,00 in January 2015, is now sold at between N20,000 and N22,000 depending on brand. Besides, Toluwa stated that some of the tenants were also out of jobs, while high inflation rate has eroded the value of their little income. He urged government to do something urgent to cushion the effect of current inflation rate. Another estate agent in Iyana Ipaja, Lagos, Mr. Sunday

Agbabiaka, stated that, though things were tough generally, his tenants were still paying their rents as at when due. He is of the opinion that the current inflation rate if not controlled may hamper prompt rental payment by tenants. The Vice Chairman, Lagos Chapter of the Nigerian Institution of Estate Surveyors and Valuers (NIESV), Mr. Olurogba Orimolade, said there was substantial number of rent defaulters in the market due to the current economic downturn.

L-R: Director, Regional Office for Africa, UNHABITAT, Nairobi, Kenya, Professor Oyebanji Oyelaran-Oyeyinka; Osemawe of Ondo Kingdom, Oba Victor Kiladejo; Deputy Director and representative of Minister of Education; Mrs. Rakiya Gambo Ilyasu and Vice Chancellor, Federal University of Technology Akure (FUTA), Professor Adebiyi Daramola, at the presentation and launch programme of the 2016 World Cities Report, held at FUTAm, last week

Lagos plans real estate transaction reform

n order to solve the problems associated with the enforcement and management of Lagos State Tenancy Law, the state government is planning to reform the Real Estate Transaction Business in the metropolis. Commissioner for Housing, Mr. Gbolahan Lawal, who disclosed this to journalists in Lagos, said it will be made possible by overhauling the Lagos Estate Management Information System (LAGE-

MIS). He said: “At the core of the new system is the accumulation and management of valuable data relating to Real Estate Transaction[s]. “This is geared towards LAGEMIS transaction reforms, which includes a complete overhaul of its present operation, system information management, record keeping and retrieval to improve its productivity and consequently its revenue

generation base.” He also said the state was looking forward to creating a secure web-based centralised data of all estate transactions in the state, ensure codification of all government-owned estates and automate applications for allotment, approval and payment. Justifying the essence of the reform, Lawal stressed that the new system would ease the process of doing business in the real estate value chain,

enhance transparency in real estate transactions and also enhance government’s ability to collate data for key developmental projects. It would be recalled that immediate past governor, Mr Babatunde Fashola, had embarked on related initiatives including the consolidation of the land registration process and a reduction in land transaction fees in 2015 in a bid to ease the process of doing business in real estate.

How to buy home without stress

hen you’re buying a home there’s a lot to think about, but it doesn’t need to be stressful. Experts at www. realestate. com.au advised first-time house hunters. Don’t believe the hype (good or bad): Do your own research to find out if your target suburb is hot or not. There’s several tools available to help you discover a suburbs potential. Consider median property prices; data showing the impact of interest rates; and the average number of people looking for property

in that suburb versus the number of properties for sale. All this gives you a great insight into the suburbs you’re considering for your next move or investment so you can leap with confidence into the adventure. Location & fieldwork: The old property maxim still holds true. But that doesn’t mean inner city rules. You want a property that delivers what you need now, or enough of what you need that you’re happy to compromise for longer term capital growth. Be very clear about what matters to you:

Access to major roads; public transport; shopping or entertainment hubs; schools; and cultural diversity. Consider surrounding suburbs: If your target suburb is out of budget, consider more affordable neighbouring suburbs. Before you buy, talk to locals to get residents views on the suburb and its best streets. Reading local publications and connecting with local websites, bloggers or personalities can also give you helpful insight. If you’re attracted to an area because of its rising value, remember that may spill over into next door suburbs.

Look for the upside: Cooler periods in the housing market can be windows of opportunity, so it’s worth keeping an eye on interest rate and market trends. Some locations are hitting the bottom of a pricing cycle, so there are bargains. Talk to the experts: Talk to local agents to find out what’s happening in the market. Find more tips on buying here. You may not get your dream home right away. It’s ok. Consider apartments instead of houses in the location you are wanting to purchase, they are often more affordable and put you in your desired location.

TUESDAY, august 23, 2016 NEW TELEGRAPH

AVIATION

Overland’s ATR aircraft in flight

Recession: Keeping tab on airlines Airlines have faced worse situations but this time around, they are finding it extremely hard to cope. Consequently, the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has been asked to economically regulate to prevent corner cutting. WOLE SHADARE reports Deregulation policy Many years ago, precisely in the 1980s and 1990, the aviation industry in Nigeria was deregulated. This led to the birth of Okada Air and ADC, among others. The two were very prominent because of the great competition they gave Nigeria’s national carrier then, Nigeria Airways. If deregulation taught us anything, it is that industry insiders have a vested interest in being regulated. In the years since deregulation took effect, we have seen numerous airlines unable to manage the resources at their disposal well enough to continue in business. As a result, a competitive environment has forced them from the industry. Managers in this industry must have had a much easier life when they were not allowed to compete against one another. Even now, those who had competed successfully must long for the days when life was easier. Opening up the space Okada and ADC helped to compliment the air transport services. The decision helped to open up the economy and expanded the scope of airline business in Nigeria. Years after, other airlines such as Medview, Chanchangi, Triax, Oriental Airlines, Harco, Harka, Sahara, Sosoliso, Chrome, EasyLink, Fresh Air, EAS, among others, joined the fray, offering passengers great choices. Virtually all these airlines are extinct, but it provided people with deep pockets to invest

in the sector many described as elite business, but with marginal profit. While many carriers have died, there are others who have replaced the extinct carriers but which are not doing very well. The airline industry boomed then but the economic recession has hit virtually all businesses and has threatened to lead to many others closing shops. Their balance sheet does not suggest that they are healthy. An airline chief once confessed that he is into the business because he does not know how to do any other business. To be fair to this operator, he has operated with the highest safety standards and has ensured that his exposure to banks are very minimal, trying to grow his business gradually and professionally. Carriers in dire straits Almost all the airlines are in red. They are not helped by the skyrocketing price of aviation fuel, high cost of operations, depreciating naira against the dollar, which has done incalculable damage to their operations, high cost of airplane maintenance and alleged heavy charges by various aviation agencies. They owe the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA), the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) and the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) over N38 billion. They also owe banks, aviation fuel marketers’ humungous amount of money

Almost all the airlines are in red

in the region of over $800 million. Government also has a large chunk of the blame that has perpetually made the airlines not to be profitable. For instance, in its bid to make Accra a hub for aviation in the world, the Ghanaian government recently announced a cut in the price of aviation fuel by 20 per cent selling today at N110 equivalent. Even if both countries are importing aviation fuel, it is inconceivable Nigeria is selling at N240 per litre as against Ghana at N110. Rather than assist domestic airlines to bring down the price of Jet A1 and make it more available, the price has skyrocketed consistently from N105 in March to over N200 today, thereby significantly raising the cost of operations to unbearable proportions in spite of constant calls over the years for action in this regard. Everyone knows that fuel alone accounts for about 40 per cent of the operational cost of most airlines. With the continuous increase in the price of Jet A1 amidst the scarcity and epileptic supply of the product, the operational costs of domestic airlines have further grown astronomically thereby leading to about 50 per cent flight delays and cancellations of scheduled flights for a day. Temptation to cut corners To remain afloat, the airlines might be tempted to cut corners, a situation that could put passengers’ lives in danger. This is more disheartening considering that some carriers are yet to pay their workers over three months salaries. In desperation, the carriers under the aegis of Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON) are disputing debts they owe, describing it as phantom. The reality dawned on them when the Federal Government set up a debt recovery committee to recover all debts owed the agencies in view of government’s dwindling revenue.

To underscore how difficult the situation has become for the carriers, chairman, AON, Capt Noggie Meggison called on the government to help the airlines to remain in business, saying only carriers that are still in operation can pay debt. He added that if there are no airlines, the agencies won’t have revenue to collect, adding that some debts should be overlooked. NCAA alert to responsibility The aviation regulatory body seems to be on top of its game, as the NCAA wrapped up plans to review the economic and safety regulations of Nigerian airlines to ensure safety and to ensure airlines have the financial resources to effectively sustain their operations. The Director-General of NCAA, Usman Muhktar, recently disclosed that the good record and approvals received from international regulatory agencies, must be sustained through strict measures. He also said that the agency would embark on ramp inspection of every flight before it takes off to both local and international destination, noting that this has become imperative for improved safety and security in air operation. Muhktar said the NCAA wants to ensure that airlines are up to date with the payment of their salaries to staff without, which safety could be impaired, adding that any airline that delays the payment of salary to staff would promptly be grounded. Conclusion The recession has seriously affected not only airlines but also many businesses. It has seriously depleted government’s revenue but the NCAA needs to brace up to make sure airlines do not cut corners to survive, thereby putting in jeopardy thousands of lives that depend on air transport business to take them to their destinations and a great source of livelihood for many others.

TUESDAY, august 23, 2016 NEW TELEGRAPH

BUSINESS | AVIATION

Operators want N8bn debt written-off FACE-OFF NAMA is trying to stifle the few surviving airlines

•Agency vows to recover money

Wole Shadare

Magnificient OR Tambo International Airport, Johannesburg, South Africa

NAMA has threatened to deny ‘recalcitrant airlines’ take-off permit. The AON boss alleged that the inefficiencies of NAMA and other agencies have killed several airlines and are trying to stifle the few surviving ones to pay for their inefficiencies. Meggison recalled that a former Aviation of Minister, Mrs Fidelia Njeze, had intervened and cancelled the pre-judgment bills with respect to navigational and enroute charges, which,

Hajj: Medview airlifts 10,500 in Nigeria, Mali in two weeks

edView Airline Plc, a flag carrier for the 2016 Hajj operations, said it has airlifted over 10,500 pilgrims to Saudi Arabia with over 9,500 airlifted from Nigeria and 1,000 airlifted from another West African country, Mali, since August 8 when it commenced the airlift. Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the airline, Alhaji Muneer Bankole, disclosed this during the annual Hajj seminar for international hajj pilgrims going through MedView Travels Konsult held at the airline’s Corporate Headquarters in Lagos. Giving a breakdown of the airlift, Bankole said over 6,000 pilgrims were airlifted from Lagos zone comprising Lagos, Oyo, Ogun, Osun, Edo and members of the Armed Forces, while about 3,000 were airlifted from Kaduna State.

He said the airlift of pilgrims from the South-East would commence in earnest, saying the flights have been smooth because it has been ordained by God Almighty. Bankole who explained that Med-View Travels Konsult has been known for Hajj operations without tears and stress said the airline had put in place different teams including the welfare, Medical, among others to render assistance to the pilgrims. The Managing Director who recalled the stampede incidence of last year where many pilgrims lost their lives in the Holy land said the Saudi authorities had put in place arrangements to forestall a recurrence. He said the Saudi authorities had learnt their lessons and realised their challenges which are security and logistics, adding they have fixed all the loopholes.

he noted, is on record with The Federal Ministry of Aviation and NAMA. He insisted that their debts should be written off because the services were not provided. He said: “The current economic downturn being experienced in the country will cripple any airline that is expected to pay the already cancelled debts. However, the few surviving AON members are ready to pay their existing bills.”

nytime airlines are asked to reconcile their debts with all the aviation agencies, that is when you begin to hear excuses, intimidation and blackmail from the operators, accompanied by threats of shutting their operations. Airlines in Nigeria are known to behave irresponsibly each time they are asked to pay up. This article does not in any way, support the actions of the agencies in their revenue recovery drive. Most times they apply tactics that are crude in their revenue drive. They engage the services of aviation union members who apply uncivilised method to recover debts when agency such as the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) could simply have just denied them take-off clearance rather than the Gestapo method of intimidating and vandalising their property. However, Nigerian airlines have reputation for shying away whenever it comes to them settling their debts. NAMA incurred the ire of airlines penultimate week when the agency said it would ground carriers that owe them over N8 billion. NAMA’s threat seemed to have paid off as the agency, had already recovered over N300 million. Rather than look for amicable way of resolving the matter, airline operators under the aegis of Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON) whipped up sentiments, reminding Nigerians that the agencies provide poor services and want to run them out of op-

He noted that in NAMA for example, there have been several allegations of financial impropriety involving some arrested staff of the agency to the tune of several billions of naira that are currently being investigated by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), adding that the airlines cannot continue to pay for the “agency’s inefficiency and exuberant life style.” He posited that without airlines there won’t be aviation in

AIR RAGE

the first place, noting that it is because of the airlines that airports are built and managed by the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN). His words: “It is because of the airlines that an agency like NAMA exists to provide navigational services. The airlines also are the reason why we have catering companies, ground services providers, fuel marketers and other ancillary service providers in and around the airport.”

WITH

irline owners under the aegis of Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON) have chided the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) for charging airlines total Radar Coverage of Nigeria (TRACON) and enroute navigation, describing the charges as illegal. The operators, who spoke through the AON chairman, Capt. Noggie Meggison, said that there was no basis for the agency to bill airlines for enroute charges since they now use Global Positioning System (GPS) for navigation, which is dependent of NAMA. In a position paper he made available to New Telegraph at the weekend, the operators argued that domestic airlines worldwide do not pay enroute charges, wondering why Nigeria’s situation is different. The operators’ reaction is coming at a time NAMA vowed to recover over N8 billion both airlines in operation and those that have gone extinct owe the agency. Some airlines are already cooperating with the airspace managers as

Wole Shadare

NAMA, airlines in ‘roforofo’ fight eration. That NAMA and the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) provide less than satisfactory services to the airlines is not debatable, but the crux of the matter is for the carriers to remit what they have collected on behalf of the agencies to them. The author of AON press statement, Capt Noggie Meggison, veered off the subject at hand, as he tried in vain to bring in issues that are not related to the debt issue. There are rules of business engagement. Meggison described airlines’ debts as phantom. The airlines should come out to tell Nigerians how much they owe and try as much as possible to pay up for the survival of the agencies, which spend so much money to provide these services. Agreed that there are many charges imposed on airlines by government, as a pressure group, one would have expected the operators to engage government with the aim of asking to be exempted on some charges, but to blackmail the agencies anytime you are asked to come and pay what you owe is akin to shifting the goal post each time your op-

ponent scores a goal. How come foreign airlines operating to Nigeria do not owe? It was discovered that British Airways, in the heat of the faceoff between it and the Nigerian government over Arik five years ago paid N1 billion in taxes and charges to Nigeria in one year. How come Nigerian airlines do not owe agencies of the nations they operate to? It is simply a case of robbing the system to remain afloat. Many Nigerian carriers have been indicted and known to have kept the five per cent Ticket Sales Charge (TSC) they have already collected as part of tickets sold. They have diverted these funds running into over N20 billion to other businesses outside aviation and to acquiring properties abroad. Nigerian airline operators need to think outside the box, restrategise to remain in business. The era of doing it all alone is gone. Airlines all over the world are consolidating through mergers, partnership to cut cost and to remain profitable. Of what use is 10 airlines that are very small and fragmented when these carriers can pool resources together to form a formidable airline group?

TUESDAY, august 23, 2016 NEW TELEGRAPH

Crises FUNAAB in the throe of crises

Education

Skills NIMSA equips student leaders with life-saving skills

33 35

Brainstorm

Major stakeholders in the education sector last week gathered at the University of Lagos to compare notes on how to tackle the challenge of admission into higher institutions in the country Mojeed Alabi, Chidiebere Ejike and Ayobola Lawal

ast Thursday, eggheads and other critical stakeholders in the higher education sector, gathered at the Julius Berger Lecture Theatre, University of Lagos (UNILAG), Akoka, to compare notes on how to tackle the nagging issues trailing admission processes into tertiary institutions in the country. This gathering of major stakeholders in the sector was the maiden edition of the Education Summit, organized by the Education Writers’ Association of Nigeria (EWAN), the umbrella body of education reporters in both the print, online and broadcast media in the country. With the theme: “Integrity of Public Examinations and Admission in Nigeria,” the summit set out among other objectives, to offer lasting and workable solutions to the recent confusion by the Federal Government and the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) over what admission policy should be adopted for admitting candidates into tertiary institutions. The roll call of key stakeholders at the summit included the former Education Minister, Prof. Chinwe Obaji; former Executive Secretary of the National Universities Commission (NUC), Prof. Peter Okebukola; the Secretary General, Association of Vice-Chancellors of Nigerian Universities (AVCNU), Prof. Michael Faborode; ViceChancellor of the University of Lagos, Prof. Rahamon Bello; Prof. Anthony Kila, a don at the Oxford University, United Kingdom; the National President of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Prof. Biodun Ogunyemi; former Deputy Governor of Lagos State, Princess Sarah Sosan; and the Head of Nigerian Office of West African Examination Council (WAEC HNO), Mr. Olu Adenipekun, who was represented by the

kayode olanrewaju Editor, education

kayode olanrewaju@ newtelegraphonline.com

Okebukola, Bello and Obaji at the summit

Stakeholders reunite on return of post-UTME, HSC Head of Test Development of the Council, Mr. Ola Babatunde. Other key stakeholders in attendance include the Chairman, Academic Staff of Union of Polytechnics (ASUP), Federal Polytechnic, Ilaro, Ogun State chapter, Mrs. Margret Olowofila, who stood in for the National President of the union, Mr. Usman Dutse; as well as ASUU Chairmen from UNILAG, Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB); Olabisi Onabanjo University (OOU), AgoIwoye, Ogun State; University of Ibadan (UI); Lagos State University (LASU); Tai Solarin University of Education (TASUED); Prof. Olumuyiwa Noah, who represented LASU VC, Prof. Lanre Fagbohun, and representatives of Colleges of Education Academic Staff Union (COEASU); Association of Tutorial Centres; Mr. Olanrewaju Kuye, who represented the Rector of Lagos State Polytechnic (LASPOTECH); students and leaders of some non-governmental organisations (NGOs). According to the Chairman of EWAN, Mr. Tunbosun Ogundare, the era when education reporters groan like other stakeholders in the sector complaining over the crises in the system has gone, saying it was high time we stood up to facilitate solutions to the crises. “As a nation, we experience too often, policy somersault by successive government which has not only become worrisome, but also detrimental to development of the education,” Ogundare said, adding that the political class plays politics

The situation is further compounded by the quota system

with almost all aspects of national life without considering the consequences of such action on the development of education, which he described as a critical aspect of nation building. According to the Chairman of the association, Mr. Tunbosun Ogundare, there were reports of examination malpractice, which has become the order of the day, with attendant ‘miracle centres’ in every nook and cranny of the country, as well as mass failure in SSCE conducted by WAEC and NECO. He said the summit was part of the association’s social responsibilities and that journalism should be taken beyond reporting alone, but to be backed up by action. Setting the tone of the summit, Okebukola, who was the keynote speaker, lamented that the summit marked the 15th in the series he would attend focusing on similar themes and which ended with sound recommendations, but without implementations by the concerned authorities. According to him, considering the eminence of many of the guests and participants, the forum would not only dwell on seeking reasons for the challenges already identified, but on how the implementation of those solutions could be achieved. While commending EWAN not only for offering the platform to assemble the stakeholders to deliberate with one voice and for the choice of the theme, which he noted was not only timely but also apt and very pertinent, Okebuko-

la hinted that the media hold the power to force the pills down the throats of concerned authorities in implementing the recommendations of the summit. He said: “As members of EWAN, you have covered tens of events on this subject and written copiously on it. This implies that I will be wasting your time giving you a treatise on examination integrity, causes and cure. What I think this one-day event should focus on is how to get the far-reaching recommendations on the theme rapidly implemented by the government and other stakeholders. “In my view, only 10 per cent of the time today should be spent enumerating the causes and solutions to public examinations and admission integrity. We have heard most of these before. Rather, we should invest 90 per cent on how to get the recommendations implemented. By way of a quick fix, I assert that if the income of WAEC and NECO were doubled today and spent in a transparent, judicious manner and the values of honesty restored in the citizenry, half of the battle would have been won.” Speaking on the admission challenges, Okebukola, as part of his recommendations, suggested the adoption of what he described as the ‘North American Model’ of broader base for post-secondary education in the form of community and four-year colleges; respectability of non-college diplomas and degrees, and the good social secuCONTINUED ON PAGE 34

education

TUESDAY, august 23, 2016 NEW TELEGRAPH

NOUN suspends law programme over Law School saga Yekeen Nurudeen Abuja

ollowing the exclusion of graduates of Law programme from the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN) by the Council for Legal Education (CLE) from attending the mandatory Law School of Nigeria, the Vice-Chancellor of the university, Prof. Abdallah Uba Adamu said that admission into Law programme has been suspended. Adamu said the suspension order had become necessary fol-

Yoruba monarch tasks dons on national recovery Biodun Oyeleye Ilorin

call has gone to members of the academia to come up with innovative solutions to the numerous challenges confronting the nation instead of folding their arms and waiting for political appointments. The call was made by a Yoruba monarch, the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, Ojaja II, when he visited the University of Ilorin (UNILORIN), where he told his hosts that in developed nations, foremost university like the University of Ilorin “play pivotal role in deciding their national leaders.” This was as the monarch insisted that there was more to the functions of the lecturers than teaching of students for First Class or Second Class Upper degrees. The royal father, who deplored the rising number of unemployed youths in the country, however, explained that he is partnering the university as a way of complementing its efforts to tackle some of its identified challenges. His words: “Rather than waiting and folding your arms doing researches, sending research papers and waiting for political appointments, you should realize that nation building is in your hands, and you need to pick up that challenge today. Do not let us fold our arms, we have things to tell the generations yet unborn; things are not right any longer. It is a food for thought for all of you. “We cannot continue to fold our arms; things are very challenging out there unlike two or three decades ago, when employers of labour used to go to graduation ceremonies to pick the best students for immediate employment; they used to have array of options both locally and abroad. But today, people are merely attending tertiary institutions in order not to sit at home in order not to be burden to their parents.”

lowing advice by the National Universities Commission (NUC) that students should be stopped from undertaking the course, pending the resolution of the ban on NOUN graduates to go to Law School like their counterparts from other conventional universities. The Council for Legal Education had banned Law graduates of the National Open University of Nigeria from attending Law School on the ground that the mode of study at the Open University is either by correspondence or part-time. But the vice-chancellor, who led members of Governing Council of the university on a congratulatory visit to the NUC Executive Secretary, Prof. Abubakar Abdulrasheed on his recent appointment, said such interpretation of the Act establishing NOUN by CLE was

at variance with the prevalent global understanding of the mode of instruction on Open University. He said NOUN is an Open Distance Learning institution, which according to him provides accessible, affordable and equitable education to millions of individuals, who would work and learn at the same time due to their circumstances. His words: “We are praying to the Executive Secretary to draw the attention of the Council of Legal Education to the fact that NOUN as an Open Distance Learning (ODL) institution, does not equate to part-time or correspondence institution as being claimed. In order to address the areas of difference, we have accepted the NUC recommendation to halt admission into the programme until we streamline

our activities with the Council. For NUC to convince the Council that we are an Open Distance Learning institution, as proper and legitimate mechanism for education all over the world and in all domains, it should therefore accept our graduates for admission into the Law School.” Meanwhile, the NUC scribe, in his response, however, assured that the Commission would seek audience with the Council for Legal Education with a view to making the Council understands that NOUN is not a part-time or a correspondence programme. “It is a policy of Legal Education Council to deny certain category of students from going to Law School. NOUN is an ODL institution and it is the future of tertiary education in the world,” Abubakar said.

L-R: Mrs. Margaret Martins; Vice-Chancellor of LASU, Prof. Olanrewaju Fagbohun and the Director of the university’s Directorate of Advancement, Prof. Ibiyemi Olatunji-Bello shortly after a lecture organised by the directorate.

Ortom’s empowerment scheme to the rescue Cephas Iorhemen MAKURDI

fter graduation five years ago from higher institution of learning, all efforts by Jacob Iordye Terkimbir to secure a lucrative job were to no avail. At a point, he had to move almost from one government office to another on daily basis, begging for employment, even when he was not invited for interviews. Recounting his ordeal, he recalled how the search for employment took him out of Benue State to Abuja for a job interview in 2012, when the vehicle he was travelling was stocked in terrible gridlock on Lokoja/Abuja Road that lasted all night. “We had to push the vehicle several hours in the flood at night amid heavy traffic before we could continue the journey to Abuja in the early hours of the next morning,” Terkimbir said. But, Terkimbir is not alone in this predicament as many graduates are today in the saturated employment market, roaming the streets in search of non-existing job. However, when his effort at securing the job and others failed, a friend advised him to learn a

vocation in order to acquire a skill for him become self-reliant rather than waiting endlessly for non-existent white collar jobs. But, after much persuasion, Terkimbir was introduced to the Workman Network, a nongovernmental organisation (NGO), responsible for waging war against poverty through empowerment programmes for women and youths in the state. Barely a year of undergoing skill acquisition and training in soap making and farming, Terkimbir and others under the training programme were able to eke a living and generate some income for themselves. Thanks to the empowerment and training programme initiated by the Centre for Youths and Women Skills Acquisition (CYWSA) in conjunction with the Workman Network to rescue unemployed graduates in the state through skill acquisition. Currently, Terkimbir is among 1,800 trainees who have been trained and empowered by the Centre in conjunction with the Workman Network through public-private-partnership initiative across the 23 Local Government Areas of the state. The National President of CYWSA, Mr. Francis Kalu Udensi, during the visit to the Senior

Ortom

Special Assistant to Governor on Empowerment and Wealth Creation, Mr. Abraham Ayuba, however, said that the 1,800 youths and women trained under the programme would soon be presented to the governor. Speaking during visit, he commended the efforts of Governor Samuel Ortom, and the sponsor of the project, Mr. Moses Ternenge for their commitment towards wealth creation for the youths as a way of reducing crime in the state. Ternenge noted that his commitment to fund the project was borne out of the resolve to use part of his resources for the development of the society through empowerment of youths who are the future leaders.

Adeyemi

Adeyemi bows out as Bells Varsity VC Mojeed Alabi

t was encomium galore as Prof. Isaac Adeyemi bowed out after 10 years in the saddle as the Vice-Chancellor of the Bells University of Technology (BELLSTECH), Ota, Ogun State. At the Special Senate Session and luncheon, organised in his honour, which took place at the Restaurant of the Green Legacy Resort of Chief Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library, Abeokuta, eminent personalities including members of the academia and business communities, government functionaries, as well as representatives of students’ bodies, took their turn to shower praises on Adeyemi, a Professor of Food Science and Technology for giving the private university a sound footing. Since the completion of his tenure three weeks ago, different fora were said to have been organised in his honour, where eminent personalities and stakeholders in the university project, including the President and Chairman of the university’s Board of Trustees, Emeritus Prof. Oladipo Akinkugbe, showered encomium on him for what they described as his meritorious service to uplift the institution and humanity as a whole. Setting the stage, Akinkugbe, in his welcome remarks, noted that Adeyemi had performed most creditably well, describing him as a true icon of what an academic should be - cerebral, committed, disciplined and dispassionate, yet he is humble to a fault. The business mogul and Chairman of the university’s Governing Council, Chief Kola Jamodu, who insisted that the honour bestowed on Adeyemi was well deserved, encouraged others to emulate Adeyemi in their various fields of operation. According to the university’s Registrar, Mrs. Oluwayemisi Gbadebo, there are ample and empirical evidences to attest to the commendations bestowed on Adeyemi. She said: “For instance, from August 1, 2006 when he took over from Prof. Okojie, barely one year after the university was established, till his last day in office, the astute administrator saw to the university’s exponential growth in terms of academic excellence, infrastructural development, staff training and welfare, quality of graduates and the healthy relationship fostered by the university among industry, research institutions and professional bodies.”

education

TUESDAY, august 23, 2016 NEW TELEGRAPH

Oyewole

FUNAAB’s gate

of the university. “As part of the efforts towards ensuring a safe environment for members of the university community, amid the security challenges presently facing some parts of our country, FUNAAB has partnered with the Ogun State Commissioner of Police and the Director, State Security Service (SSS), to uphold safety of lives and property of staff and students living within the school environs, following armed robbery reports by students residing in Isolu, a community situated close to the university, which is highly populated by staff and students of FUNAAB.” Meanwhile, the university in a reaction to the invitation of two principal officers by the EFCC said in a statement by Alawode that the development bordered on the administration of the institution. “As public officers as well as responsible and law abiding citizens, the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Olusola Oyewole, and the Bursar, Mr. Moses Ilesanmi, have since honoured the invitation by the anti-graft agency to make clarifications on issues bordering on the administration of the university,” she stated. Meanwhile, there are indications that the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of Council, may be quizzed over the corruption scandal rocking the institution. The petitioners had allegedly accused other senior officials of the university of abuse of office and misappropriation of funds running into several millions of naira. The petitioners also claimed that there were flagrant violation of extant laws and regulations on procurement, staffing and deployment resulting in contract splitting and granting of approvals beyond threshold. But, the council chairman has since dismissed the allegations of fraud as “mere blackmail,” insisting that he was innocent and that the Council was not involved in payments to any contractor. He said: “It is mere blackmail. What is the role of the Pro-Chancellor in contract award when there is Public Procurement Act? Nonsense. There is no iota of truth in the allegation. What is the gain of the prochancellor when money is fixed or not. The problem is with the bursar, who applied for extension of his tenure and the Council refused because of past misconduct by him. “The Council has no responsibility for award of contracts under the Public Procurement Act. The Council is not involved in payments to any contractor. No allowances can be paid without the approval of Council. The Pro-Chancellor is not the chief executive of the university. He is not involved in daily running of the university. He is not the accounting officer of the university.”

FUNAAB in the throe of crises Kunle Olayeni Abeokuta

till smarting from recent agitation by labour unions, the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB), Ogun State is again in the eye of fresh controversy. This time, the university is entangled in the web of fraud allegations and student unrest. The development seemed to have cast some shadow over the institution, which has a reputation as one of the most peaceful tertiary institutions in the country. Last week, the Vice-Chancellor, Prof Olusola Oyewole, and the university Bursar, Mr. Moses Ilesanmi, were quizzed for several hours by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over allegations of unbridled corruption and betrayal of public trust leveled against the management. The anti-graft issue followed a petition by a group, ‘Concerned Stakeholders of FUNAAB,’ which detailed several cases of sleaze in the university. The whistle-blowers also fingered the universitygoverning council in the alleged mismanagement of funds. As a result of the petition, the EFCC invited and interrogated the vice-chancellor and bursar at the commission’s Zonal Office in Ibadan last Wednesday, which reportedly lasted about seven hours. The news of the corruption scandal was followed by student unrest which erupted in the institution, leading to the abrupt closure of the institution. The Thursday last week rampage by the students, who took to the streets over incessant robbery attacks on their colleagues living in off-campus hostels at Isolu area of Alabata community, left in its wake tales of woes and destruction. The students were said to have barricaded major spots on the Abeokuta-Ibadan Road, causing traffic gridlock and untold hardship that last several hours for motorists and travellers, even as commercial activities were also paralysed in the area as traders hurriedly closed their shops.

Following the protest, a 100-Level student of Forestry and Wildlife Management, Taiwo Abisoye, was brutally injured, while a police officer and an operative of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) were also wounded. At the end of the protest, four vehicles, including a Toyota Camry saloon car belonging to one Assistant Superintendent of Police, Ariyo Adejuwon, were burnt by the rampaging students, and several other vehicles were damaged. The protesters were said to have allegedly vandalised a church, Divine Heights Bible Church, Kotopo, Abeokuta said to have belong to the university’s vice-chancellor, while the Osiele Police Station was set on fire. But, there were disputed claims that the hoodlums, who hijacked the protest, caused the mayhem. The following day (Friday), the 50 students of the university arrested by the police were said to have been charged to court over their alleged involvement in the riot. The accused (students) were arraigned before a Magistrate Court I, sitting in Isabo, Abeokuta and slammed with a six-count charge, ranging from arson, unlawful assembly, riot and malicious damage of properties. The “willful and unlawful” setting on fire of a police station as well as damages done to the church were also among the charges preferred against the students. The police prosecutors told the court that the offences are punishable under sections 516 (a), 443 (a), 70, 71 and 451 of Criminal Code Laws of Ogun State of Nigeria, 2006. But the accused persons pleaded not guilty to the charges. However, the Magistrate, Oriyomi Sofowora, later admitted the students to bail with N100,000 each and two sureties in like sum. The case was adjourned till September 29 and the court remanded the students in prison custody pending when they would perfect their bail conditions. The accused students were led to a waiting Black Maria, and whisked away as one of them slumped and fainted in the presence of some sobbing parents and aggrieved students, who had thronged the court premises. The student was later revived at

Those arrested and arraigned were actually caught in the act of destruction and vandalism

the State Hospital, Ijaiye, Abeokuta, the state capital, while the other accused students were taken to Ibara Prison in Abeokuta, where they were detained ahead of meeting their bail conditions. As controversy raged over the matter, the police came under fire over alleged indiscriminate arrest of the university students. But the state police spokesman, Abimbola Oyeyemi, defended the command, saying those arrested and arraigned were actually caught in the act of destruction and vandalism. Oyeyemi, an Assistant Superintendent of Police, also told New Telegraph that the student who was injured in the protest, Abisoye, was not dead, contrary to some reports. According to him, the student had been stabilised at the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Idi-Aba, Abeokuta, before he was referred to the University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan for further treatment. The FUNAAB authorities also confirmed that the injured student was not dead. The Head, Directorate of Public Relations in the institution, Mrs. Emi Alawode, told reporters that Abisoye was now in stable condition and allayed fears over his state of health. Speaking on the violent student demonstration, Alawode said the university management decided to shut the school to enable the institution to put additional welfare and security arrangements in place. In a press release issued immediately after the riot, she hinted that the institution had declared a seven-day mid-semester break and directed all students to vacate the campus. She said: “The Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB) has declared a seven-day mid-semester break for the second semester of 2015/2016 academic session with effect from Thursday, August 18, 2016. “This is to enable the university to put additional welfare and security arrangements in place, to further support the initiatives of the Federal and State Governments, towards the protection of lives and properties of its citizens, particularly, members of staff and students

education | public discourse PLANNED STRIKE BY ASUP

Dutse: Strike may be inevitable Mr. Usman Dutse is the National President of the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP)

et the public know that this is not a new development. We have been discussing similar issues for some years leading to the declaration of a 21-day ultimatum, which lapsed yesterday, Monday, August 22. What are our grouses? They are not far-fetched; the Federal Government has consistently failed to honour the agreement it reached with the union in 2013. And since the suspension of the protracted strike in 2014, the government is yet to address some of the core issues that necessitated the strike. The issues in contention include the non-im-

plementation of Needs Assessment Report of 2014, non-payment of salaries in many state-owned institutions, delay in the review of the Polytechnic Act, shortfall in the allocation to polytechnics since January and the failure of the Federal Government to release the white paper on the probe panel to the three polytechnics by the incumbent administration, as well as the failure to release the report of visitation panel to the polytechnics many years after the panels submit their reports. We have given this government enough time since it came on board last year to settle down and address

Dutse

all pending issues, but the administration has showed no concern about the plight of lecturers, whose salaries were being reduced or owed in most federal and state polytechnics. We met with the Minister of Education last Monday and tomorrow we are scheduled to hold another meeting as a follow-up to that first meeting.

Lukman Salawudeen is a student of the Federal Polytechnic, Kaduna and the Regional President of the West African Polytechnic Students’ Union (WAPSU) ecently, a joint press statement was issued by the leadership of the West African Polytechnic Students, National Association of Polytechnic Students (NAPS) and the Association of Concerned Nigerian Polytechnic Graduates. The action was not taken just in response to the strike threat by the lecturers’ union, but also in response to the raging issue of dichotomy between BSc and HND certificates. Having studied both actions and reaction of Federal Government and the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnic (ASUP) to the development of technical

and vocational education in the country, which remain the sole factor to reactivate the economy of the country from its collapsed, we have prepared our mind, reserve our strength while committing our hands and energy to ensure the attainment of three major demands. These demands are that the Federal Government should commence with immediate effect implementation of 2013 agreement including NEEDS Assessment committee report on polytechnics, monotechnics and colleges of education, as well commence negotiation with ASUP to

Salawudeen

avert nationwide strike; implementation of the unedited and uncompromised National Council on Establishment resolution reached at Minna, Niger State on HND/BSc dichotomy with autonomy for some polytechnics with human, structural and facility capacity to award B-Tech like other West African countries such as Ghana, and that the Federal Government should scrap the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) and replace it with the National Polytechnic Commission (NPC).

Imagwe: Averting strikes requires holistic approach Mr. Jude Imagwe is a former President of NANS and Senior Special Assistant on Youths and Students’ Affairs to former President Goodluck Imagwe

ach time I hear of industrial action by any of the staff unions on our campuses my heart bleeds. The reason is very simple; it drags the nation backward several miles. When I talk, even as a former Senior Special Assistant to the former President, people felt I was talking as I used to as a former NANS President, but the reality is that we need to be holistic

in our approach to resolving conflicts. It is the turn of ASUP now, I am pretty sure ASUU is also warming up and SSANU will also come out to demand for their share also very soon. But for how long do we continue like this? My conclusion is that as much as we need sincerity on the part of government, we also expect our unions to be truthful in their approach as well. We do not need a sor-

Implementation of recommendations sacrosanct C O N T I N U E D F R O M PA G E 3 1

Salawudeen: We give FG till August 29 to resolve all issues R

TUESDAY, august 23, 2016 NEW TELEGRAPH

cerer to know that Nigeria is presently almost 100 per cent slipping to recession, and any strike at whatever level at this time will not be ideal for this country. I will appreciate if the parties concerned could come together to appraise the challenges in the sector and look at the unions’ demands with a view to selecting those that could be implemented immediately and those that could still be delayed.

interviews conducted by mojeed alabi

rity system which he noted provides safety net for those unemployed so that university degree is not the prerequisite for survival. “These are the reasons the North America remains the region with the least cases of cut-throat scramble for university admission of all the regions of the world,” Okebukola explained. He also suggested the reintroduction of the Higher School Certificate as contained in the recommendations of the 2002 National Education Summit on Higher Education, insisting that in the present circumstance, long-term suspension of the post-Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination cannot be in the best interest of the sector. He, however, called for the sustenance and restructuring of post-UTME in the system, as one of antidotes to address the challenges of admission and restore sanity to the system. Also the Chairman of the summit, and the Secretary General of the Association of Vice-Chancellors of Nigerian Universities, Prof. Michael Faborode, also condemned vehemently the scrapping of Post-UTME, saying: “The decision to conduct post-UTME did not come from the blues. It was based on very serious studies and hence scrapping it is not the right thing to do by the Federal Government through the Education Minister, Mallam Adamu Adamu. It should also be a matter of deep study and concern of all stakeholders. We should know the areas that needed to be corrected in the conduct of the exercise. The issue of quality intake of students in our tertiary institution is something that should be maintained.” On her part, Prof. Obaji, who recalled how she had introduced the post-UTME exercise in 2005, as the then Education Minister said it was to address the poor quality of intakes into higher institutions. She, therefore, queried what she described as the abrupt suspension or scrapping “when the circumstances leading to its introduction were yet to be controverted.” She said: “In the 2005, under my leadership, there were certain conditions that necessitated the introduction of the exercise. We discovered that there was no correlation between JAMB’s scores (now UTME) and performance of students when they finally get into the institutions. The quality of examination was also nothing to write home about because there were miracle centres everywhere at the time. “The country was also faced with endless admission process. Sometimes, universities continued admitting students even till matriculation period. I also felt that the universities should

Cross section of participants at the summit

also be part of the input because you cannot foist any type of students on the universities. So, I wanted the universities to ensure that those coming in were of the best quality. “But, now with the cancellation of the post-UTME, we are going back to the dark days when if you don’t know anybody who is highly placed in the society, you cannot secure admission. For instance, the general cut-off mark is 180 marks. For an institution like UNILAG, let us assume it can take 5,000 students, how many students have scored more than 180 and have also chosen UNILAG as first choice? Let us say over 100,000 students. So, how will the institution choose the 5,000 students, when in the end, it will not turn to people bringing different kind of lists. Similarly, the ASUU and its polytechnic counterpart reiterated their position that it is the primary responsibility of the Senate of each university to admit and graduate students for the institutions. Towards this end, the ASUU President, Ogunyemi, vowed that the union would continue to fight the suspension of the post-UTME and that the fees charged by the institutions for the conduct of the screening test should be regulated, saying that is one of the shortcomings of the exercise. In his presentation, the representative of the Head of Nigeria’s National Office of WAEC and Head of the examination body’s Test Development Unit, Mr. Babatunde Ola, noted that the WAEC was doing its best to curb malpractices and urged the society at large, including parents, religious organisations and civil societies to support its efforts towards ensuring credibility of the results. Ola, who lamented the poor performance of the nation’s candidates in the regional examination, said in the last three years consecutively, candidates from Ghana had ranked best ahead of their Nigerian counterparts. Meanwhile, in his contribution, the National President of the Association of Tutorial School Operators (ATSO), Mr. Dotun Sodunke, said there is no smoke without fire, blaming the examination malpractices on the examination bodies and their members of staff, even as he called for the regulations of tutorial schools to avert the challenge of ‘miracle centres.’ However, the three-page communiqué issued at the end of the summit, the Head of the Summit’s Communiqué Drafting Team and the Public Relations Officer of LASPOTECH, who also represented the Rector of the institution, Mr. Olanrewaju Kuye, recommended the return of the post-UTME; restructuring of the entrance examinations by the institutions; reduction in the fees charged by the institutions for the screening test.

TUESDAY, august 23, 2016 NEW TELEGRAPH

education

campus

Students honour provost, task him to do more

Deputy Provost, Dr. Madichie, receiving the award plaque from Ugwu on behalf of the provost, Prof. Ogbuagu.

Emeka Onwudinjo FCET, Umunze

or his leadership style and administrative acumen, the Provost of the Federal College of Education (Technical), Umunze in Anambra State, has been conferred with the Leadership Award for Educational Development. The award was bestowed on Prof. Josephat Okechukwu Ogbuagu by the English

Students’ Association of the English Department of college, during the ‘English Forum,’ organised by the department. Conferring the award on the provost at the forum, which took place at the New Auditorium, permanent site of the college, the President of the department, Ugwu Solomon, said that the award was “in recognition of the achievements of the college management, which is noted for uninterrupted academic calendar for several years in

a roll at a time when strikes and disruption of academic bogged down the system.” Ugwu said: “We decided to confer this honour on Prof. Ogbuagu, not merely to celebrate his achievements and outstanding contributions, but also to encourage him and his team to do more for the college and Nigerian education. He should not relent in his efforts at redefining academic standards in the nation’s education system. This award is a wake-up

call on others to realise that they are being watched. Everyone in public office is being critically monitored and their actions and inactions either good or bad are being scrutinised.” In his response, Ogbuagu, who was represented by his Deputy, Dr. J.C Madichie said he was overwhelmed by the honour bestowed on him by the students of the department, adding that his administration is willing to do more to improve the standard of education and welfare of the students of the college and the country at large. He said: “The award simply shows that we are going in the right direction in our quest to train the students in character and in learning. We will continue to do our best to make the college the first destination of qualitative education. We have not done anything to impress anybody, all we have done was borne out of our passion to do the right thing and we will continue to do what we are doing despite the challenges. We are all looking forward to a better society.” The provost counseled the students on the need to apply moderation and modesty in whatever they do as it is the benchmark for learning in the college.

Delegates with Boris Nwakuchwu and Andre

NIMSA equips student leaders with life-saving skills Ezekiel Efeobhokhan UNIBEN

igher institution students under the Nigeria Medical Students Association (NIMSA), have trained and equipped undergraduates on safety and various life-saving skills on how to response to emergencies. It was at a five-day programme, tagged: “Project Pulse,” initiated by the association to bridge the cap in the management of emergency conditions and response, which are important aspects that all Nigeria youth need to learn.

According to the NIMSA Director, Boris Nwachukwu, no fewer than 25 students selected from universities nationwide participated in the programme. Boris, while explaining the rationale for the selection of the students for the training, said: “We selected the students based on the projects that they have carried out as student leaders, saying management of emergency conditions and response are important aspects of human life that is lacking. For the programme, he said experts were invited from the International Committee of Red Cross

ICRC and the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) as facilitators to train the students on relevant skills to tackle such conditions. On the first day of the training session, the student leaders were trained on the importance of quick and timely response to accident victims and how to approach an accident scene. Addressing the students, Andre Imafu from ICRC, highlighted the necessary steps to handle broken bones and head injuries, while they were also taught resuscitation steps and procedures. He said: “In managing emergency situations, the

first rule is safety, after which you clear the scene and select some of the sympathisers around to assist in the process. You should bear in mind that those victims lying on the ground without screaming are the victims who needed urgent attention, and who should be attended to first. The NEMA officials, on their own equipped the student leaders with skills on how to manage fire situation and water disasters. Speaking to the students, one of the facilitators, Fortune Anyanwu gave the students some safety tips on how to manage fire outbreaks.

Ahaneku

UNIZIK boosts IGR through paints production Franklin Onwubiko

s part of moves to shore up its revenue generation base and to become one of the leading institutions of higher learning not only in Nigeria but in Africa, the Nnamdi Azikiwe University (UNIZIK), Awka, Anambra State, has begun production of paints on commercial basis. The university, recently through its Department of Mechanical Engineering made an inroad in its research drive when the students designed a Formula 1 Car and a mini bus. Basking in the euphoria of the achievements of the institution, especially in the area of research, the ViceChancellor, Prof. Joseph Ahaneku said that the universities should be seen as problem solving institution and not a mere place of learning. According to him, universities should be able to identify the needs of the society and be ready through their abundant human resources to meet such needs and serve as solution to those problems. He noted that having established the university’s table water company, the institution has since not relented or rested on its oars in the quest to satisfy the needs of its immediate communities, and the society at large. While recalling the recent developments in the university, Ahaneku disclosed that the institution has gone into paints production, which according to him, is being used for painting the building structures in the ongoing renovation of exercise being carried out at the university. The paints production, the vice-chancellor pointed out, was championed by the Faculty of Management Sciences, saying the institution would soon go into full commercial production of the paints branded in the university’s name. Ahaneku further insisted that plans had already been concluded on the takeoff of the university’s bread factory, which he noted would commence in the next academic session. The vice-chancellor, who added that this was in line with the entrepreneurial drive of the university and the aspirations of the forefathers, disclosed that the ivory tower is also upgrading its database as students are now undergoing biometric data capturing system. “This would go a long way in assisting the administration of the university in order to move it forward,” he added, pledging that as from next semester, the students would begin to enjoy WiFi services on campus. The vice-chancellor, who explained that this would further boost the teaching and learning process, lauded the federal and state governments for their support, which to him, has continued to rub off on the steady growth of the institution.

education

TUESDAY, august 23, 2016 NEW TELEGRAPH

We’re committed to zero tolerance for bullying –Proprietor Kayode Olanrewaju

he owners of Grace Schools, Gbagada, Lagos, have said that the schools have zero tolerance for bullying and that it will continue to do everything within the power of the management to protect the students. This was as the Administrator, Mrs. ‘Tokunbo Edun said that the establishment of the 48-year-old primary school and 22-year-old high school was driven by the vision of providing complete and qualitative education that will produce well-groomed scholars, who would be wellrounded in learning and character to contribute meaningfully to the advancement of the society. The administrator, who was reacting to a recent allegation of bullying on a student of the school, who allegedly fell while running and fractured her leg in the process, said the incident was misrepresented in a section of the media (not New Telegraph) apparently to demean the good reputation built by the school over the years. “We take great care in developing a sense of unity, love and care for one another among our students, and over the years the results

Mrs. Edun

have been so encouraging,” she said, describing the recent alleged case of bullying on a student of the school as unfortunate, baseless and unfounded. Mrs. Edun added: “It was not a case of bullying, as the student in Junior Secondary School One (Ebunoluwa Opeyemi Adegboyega, JSS I) fell down on April 8, while running out of the dining room across the field on a rainy day. There were other students on the field who saw her as she fell and when question, none of the saw anybody pushed her. “It was purely a case of accident and not bullying. The student was immediately attended to and given first aid treatment, before she was taken to the hospital. And indeed, the parents were

informed immediately. The school also made concrete efforts to ensure that throughout the period of her injury she was properly taken care of in terms of her academics. “A car and a driver were assigned to her for ease of transporting her to and from school, while the school also took appropriate steps to ensure that her academic activities did not suffer in any way.” While expressing displeasure over the publication in the newspaper, saying it was set out to put the school in a bad light because it was a misrepresentation of what actually happened, Mrs. Edun insisted that the school had never defaulted in its core responsibilities of total commitment to the well-being of its students. “It is rather unfortunate that one of our esteemed parents could take the matter to the extent of misrepresenting the facts in the public domain,” the administrator noted, saying the school finds this entirely embarrassing and uncalled for. As part of efforts at curtailing any act of bullying among the students, the school has anti-bullying code, which every student of the schools are compelled to sign because the school does not and will not condole bullying in whatever guise.

Wife of the President, Aisha Muhammadu Buhari (4th right); Registrar/Chief Executive, Nigerian Institute of Management(NIM),Mr. Tony Fadaka (first left); President/Chairman of Council, Emeritus Prof. Munzali Jibril (4th left) and others during a visit of the institute to State House.

Be focused, determined, proprietor counsels school leavers Mojeed Alabi

ocus, determination and commitment of one’s life to God have been identified as some of the virtues, especially secondary school leavers should have for them to have and live a successful future. These were part of the advice the Proprietor of Calvary Heritage Schools, Ijoko-Lemode, Ogun State, Pastor Bayo Ogundipe, gave the students during the school’s prize-giving day and valedictory service, organised by the school to bid the students farewell. According to him, the school leavers would require those virtues and others as they begin a new phase of their lives. Ogundipe, who explained

that challenges abound in the new phase, but added that with focus on their vision, doggedness and commitment towards achieving their goals, as well as fear of God, they would surely achieve success. The proprietor said it was also very important for the school leavers to have clear vision of their mission and avoid mistakes that could mar their success and attainment of their goals, noting that some mistakes could be very costly in the lives of the people and such should better be avoided by the students. His words: “I can only pray for you to make the right choice. I would urge you to look at the examples of those that have succeeded in their life pursuits and fashion your

Ogundipe

life after theirs and avoid the pitfalls of those who had fallen by the way side. “Let this moment be the foundation of something great in your life. Be the best and decide to make success of your life so that when you look back, you will be happy that you have made the right choice and taken the right steps.”

EDUPEACE

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

for Peace and Strategic Studies, Unilorin

ASUU’s stance, Oloyede’s chance

n a valedictory delivered on November 17, 1979 at the University of Ibadan after he had to succumb to the powers that stood against his statutory second term as Vice-Chancellor, a former Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ibadan, the late Prof. Tekena T. Tamuno, said something profound about Nigerians. According to the sage, who was also the pioneer principal of the University College, Ilorin, “All things bright and beautiful. All creatures great and small. All things wise and wonderful, Nigerians kill them all.” The words of the late Prof. Tamuno came to my mind again when the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) launched a tirade, in the guise of a press conference, against the Registrar of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) and former President of the Association of African Universities (AAU), Prof. Is-haq O. Oloyede, last week. Prof. Biodun Ogunyemi of ASUU accused Prof. Oloyede of contrived “antecedents” and ultimately opposed the latter’s appointment. In retrospect, the same opposition was mounted by ASUU, though unsuccessfully as well, when another former ViceChancellor of the University of Ilorin, Prof. Shuaibu Oba Abdulraheem, was appointed Chairman of the Federal Character Commission a few years back. Prof. Abdulraheem performed very well and earned a second term. ASUU’s negative stance against anything good coming from the University of Ilorin is rooted in the industrial crisis that engulfed the university some 16 years ago due to the leadership failure on the part of the then union leaders. This failure was accentuated by the public denunciation of the said leadership by a vast majority of the academic staff in The Nigerian Tribune of March 13, 2001 (p.6). The chain of events that spanned almost a decade ultimately ended in the reinstatement of the previously sacked staff in 2009 when Prof. Oloyede was the Vice-Chancellor. Though many Nigerians are aware that the charges against Prof. Oloyede in the said press conference were mere character assassination and publicity stunts, for the purpose of education, those who do not know should be informed of actual “insider knowledge”. While the issue of pension deduction was a half-truth that had been resolved with staff unions since, it was a blatant lie that Prof. Oloyede as Vice-Chancellor awarded a scholarship to his son. Rather, the person in question, Dr Abdulkarim A. Oloyede, competed for a competitive scholarship outside the University to support his postgraduate programme in the UK and was only released for further studies abroad only. Like hundreds of other lecturers who had been so released following the 111th meeting of the Governing

The truth of the matter is that he is even larger than the office... Council of the university held on May 15, 2007 before Prof. Oloyede became Vice-Chancellor, his own case was not peculiar. Besides, Prof. Oloyede was accused of not implementing the Supreme Court judgement fully, a charge for which he was labelled “anti-democratic and anti-union”. However, the University under Prof. Oloyede fully implemented the judgement such that when the Supreme Court was approached again for clarification, the reinstated lecturers were given a lecture on morality: “Which sabbatical? Which order of this court said you should go on sabbatical? Sabbatical when you were not around for eight years? It is immoral of you to be asking for all these.” While any group has the right to support or oppose whom it deems fit, it is however disappointing that half-truths and blatant lies would be employed in that direction. There are many Oloyedes from various parts of the Southwest in the system who are not related by any stretch of imagination to the former Vice-Chancellor but to the less discerning, everyone is a relative of the best known and the name must be easily thrown up for petty mischief. Certainly, as a former Executive Secretary of National Universities Commission (NUC), Prof. Peter Okebukola, said, Prof. Oloyede is a “no-nonsense, clear headed” and self-disciplined personality who is only strongly anti-evil and anti-corruption. The truth of the matter is that he is even larger than the office for which he is being attacked, as expressed by the cerebral Prof. Okebukola, and he will positively impact on JAMB: “With the appointment of Prof. Is-haq Oloyede as the new Registrar, JAMB is in for a revolutionary time in terms of delivering more effectively on its mandate. Prof. Oloyede parades excellent credentials to lead a whole sector like education in Nigeria, hence asking him to head a parastatal in education is like asking a five-star, battle-tested general to quell a fight between two boys in Ajegunle!” Given ASUU’s stance, I think Prof. Oloyede has another chance of justifying the impression of people like Prof. Okebukola with his phenomenal performance just as he did as Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ilorin where he was also initially opposed in 2007. As all people give only what they have, if Oloyede always gives quality service, his detractors should always give spineless opposition and lamentation.

BUSINESS |MONEY LINE

TUESDAY, AUGUST 22, 2016 NEW TELEGRAPH

Again, banks fail to sell dollars to BDCs

DEFIANT Only 10 per cent of BDCs in Lagos have accessed dollars

●CBN dollar sales boost naira

Tony Chukwunyem

espite the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN)’s directives on the issue, Deposit Money Banks (DMBs) are yet to commence the sale of dollars from Diaspora remittances to Bureaux de Change (BDCs) operators. Last week, the apex bank increased the amount of dollars that banks should sell to BDCs weekly from $30,000 to $50,000. However, BDC operators told New Telegraph that banks had declined to sell dollars to them. A Lagos-based operator, who did not want to be named, said: “My bank has been telling me since last week to be patient but up till now they are yet to sell to me.” In a statement issued yesterday, President, Association of Bureau De Change Operators of Nigeria (ABCON), Aminu Gwadabe, said only 10 per cent of BDCs from the Lagos market have accessed dollar from banks since the CBN gave the directive nearly three weeks ago. According to him, the banks that are so far involved in the dollar sales include FirstBank, Ecobank Nigeria, Fidelity Bank, United Bank for Africa and Unity Bank. Others are Diamond Bank, Zenith Bank and Stanbic IBTC Bank. Gwadabe regretted that BDCs in Port Harcourt, Kano, Abuja,

foreign currency accruing from inward money remittances to licensed BDCs. It said the foreign currency proceeds of IMTOs sold to BDC operators shall be retailed to end users in accordance to CBN regulation. Also, only BDCs that had been cleared by the compliance department of the banks as fully compliant with the Know Your Customer (KYC) requirement were allowed to buy. The CBN issued a follow-up circular to all the banks, asking them to

Onitsha, Maiduguri, Benin and Enugu were yet to get a single dollar from these banks. He said that the BDCs are also selling the dollar between N345 and N355 to dollar, far above the interbank rate of N305 to dollar exchange yesterday. The banks, he added, are supposed to sell to the BDCs on the same day within the week, but have failed to do so. “Instead of staggering the payment, the banks should sell to the BDCs on the same week day, so that the impact will be felt in the market. We also want the CBN to licence new International Money Transfer Operators (IMTOs) to deepen the market,” he said. “Our members across the country have funded their accounts since two weeks ago but the banks are not selling to them. The BDCs that met the CBN’s policy guidelines on the disbursement and cleared by the banks have still not received a dime from the banks,” he said. Gwadabe therefore called on the CBN to outsource the dollar distribution role to independent distributor since the banks have failed in their assigned role. “I think the banks are compromising the policy and CBN’s directive on the matter. And like I said earlier, since the banks are not cooperating, I expect the CBN to take that role from them and assign it to a reputable independent distributor,” he said. The CBN had directed through a circular to authorised dealers that all agents to approved IMTOs sell

Abdulwahab Isa ABUJA

slamic Development Bank (IDB) has pledged partnership with Nigeria’s government towards financing key projects that will impact on the country economic development. The bank’s President , Dr. Ahmad Mohamed Ali gave the commitment yesterday in Abuja at official inauguration of the Nigeria Country Gateway Office of the lender. Key areas to be supported by IDB include, health, education, agriculture, infrastructure development, SME and regional integration among others. He said the organisation will give utmost support to

Mar, 2015 Mar, 2015 June, 2016 26/07/2016 Mar 2015 22/8/2016 27/6/2016

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

TTM

Price 104.54 114.58 111.91 120.62 109.79 100.32 83.54 97.16

1.06 3.23 3.86 5.81 7.94 9.80 14.30 18.29

NIBOR

Rate (%) 4.2500 8.2420 10.1127 11.7162

Bid Yield 10.45 10.54 11.61 11.43 12.23 12.43 12.49 12.54

Change (%) -0.21 ▼ -0.87 ▼ -0.90 ▼ -0.66 ▼

T Change (%) 0.07 ▲ -0.01 ▼ 0.01 ▲ -0.01 ▼ -0.04 ▼ 0.04 ▲ 0.05 ▲ 0.06 ▲

Price 104.69 114.88 112.21 120.92 110.09 100.62 83.84 97.46

Tenor (Months)

Change (%) 0.07 ▲ -0.01 ▼ 0.01 ▲ -0.01 ▼ -0.04 ▼ 0.04 ▲ 0.05 ▲ 0.06 ▲

NITTY

Rate (%) 5.1731 6.4137 7.3300 8.8857 9.6247 10.5416

1 2 3 6 9 12

Treasury Bills

Offer Yield 10.30 10.44 11.52 11.36 12.18 12.38 12.44 12.50

Change (%) -1.82 ▼ -0.82 ▼ -0.75 ▼ -0.32 ▼ 0.04 ▲ 0.04 ▲

Money Market

Maturity Date Discount Bid Yield Change (%) Discount Offer Yield Change (%) Rate (%) 30-Jun-16 7.59 7.34 7.47 -0.35 ▼ Open-Buy-Back (OBB) 3.75 7.73 -0.35 ▼ 6-Oct-16 8.37 8.12 8.47 -0.24 ▼ Overnight (O/N) 4.25 8.74 -0.24 ▼ 16-Mar-17 9.40 10.32 0.04 ▲ 9.15 10.02 0.04 ▲

Spot($/N)

Bid 199.14

Offer 199.24

Change (%) 0.00 ↔

NIFEX

Spot($/N)

Bid 199.0000

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

196.00

197.00

the country’s development priorities by working with other development partners in the transformation process. “The Nigerian government’s exemplary leadership and drive for national development through good governance and zero tolerance against corruption inspires the IDB Group and other development partners even more. This determination will go a long way in fast-tracking the implementation of development programmes in Nigeria to benefit the most needy families and young Nigerians facing vulnerabilities of poverty and extremism”, he reasoned. It was thus in this regard that the IDB Group “considers education sector and particularly bilingual education among its priority areas in Nigeria as a tool to counter violent extremism.”

Tony Chukwunyem

Source:CBN

FGN Bonds

0.00 ↔

dollar, 0.81 per cent firmer than its Friday close. Traders said the CBN selectively sold dollars to commercial lenders just before the market close. “The central bank came to the market toward the close, and sold dollars to only few banks, which helped to support the naira,” a trader said. The central bank has been selling dollars almost daily to boost liquidity and support the naira.

Ali said that the Gateway Office will further enhance the status of Nigeria as the largest member of the IDB Group in Africa and that this role will be further displayed after the completion of on-going Algiers to Lagos expressway. Speaking at earlier meeting, Minister of Finance, Mrs. Kemi Adeosun, said the current challenges faced by Nigeria and other developing countries have inherent potential to spur development. “With the situation in the Northeast region in Nigeria, I call on the IDB Group to work with Developing Partners in operationalizing the Recovery and Peace Building Assessment and the implementation of the recently constituted June 2016 Buhari Plan for the Revitilization of the Northeast Region.

CIBN partners NDIC, others to reprofessionalise banking

As at N19,142,526.05m N18,579,219.49m 16.5 14 10.77 US$48.85 US$25,709,642,036

sell $50,000 weekly to BDCs. The directive was meant to ensure stability of the exchange rate and encourage participation of critical stakeholders in the foreign exchange market. Meanwhile, the naira closed firmer on the interbank market yesterday after the apex bank sold dollars to some commercial lenders towards the end of a session that featured no trades in the first four hours, traders said. CBN data showed that the naira closed at N305.50 to the

IDB to partner FG on devt of key projects

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

Offer 199.1000

Change (%) -0.08 ▼ -0.08 ▼

Change (%) 0.00 ↔

he Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN) is working closely with regulatory bodies in the banking industry such as the Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC), the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the Bankers’ Committee, to reprofessionalise banking, leveraging on its Competency Framework. The President/Chairman of Council (CIBN), Professor Segun Ajibola, stated this in his welcome address at the Institute’s 2016 Graduates’ Induction and Prize Awards Day, which held in Lagos last weekend. In a statement made available to New Telegraph, he explained that the central objective of the Competency Framework introduced in 2012 was to specify the minimum competencies for job roles, career paths and cutting edge training programmes. According to him, in discharging its role as the accreditation agency, the Institute had so far accredited 40 tertiary institutions and seven bank academies while the others and a couple of training service providers are currently at different stages of accreditation. He pointed out that the accreditation was with a view to

ensuring that these institutions have the right capacity to deliver training programmes that meet the required learning objectives. Also as part of the efforts in this direction, the Institute recently introduced new examinations in the specialised area of Risk Management in collaboration with the Risk Management Association of Nigeria (RIMAN). Congratulating the 812 graduates, comprising 21 Chartered Banker MBA (CBMBA) graduates, 160 ACIB graduates, 583 Microfinance Certified Professionals (MCP) and 55 Diploma graduates who successfully completed the different categories of the Institute’s examinations, Professor Ajibola urged them to be worthy ambassadors through the quality of their work and conduct. He said: “Aside from your regular payment of annual subscriptions, you have a duty to remain relevant in the profession by joining and rendering services at the chapters of the Institute in your respective work places and branches in your location. These organs of the Institute are emplaced to ensure the bonding of members and collective pursuit of the Institute’s objectives. You are also to participate in the activities at the National Secretariat.”

BUSINESS |FINANCIAL MARKET NEWS

TUESDAY, AUGUST 23, 2016 NEW TELEGRAPH

FMDQ Daily Quotations List

22-Aug-16

Bonds

FGN Bonds Issuer

Rating/Agency

Description 15.10 27-APR-2017 9.85 27-JUL-2017 9.35 31-AUG-2017 10.70 30-MAY-2018 ^16.00 29-JUN-2019 7.00 23-OCT-2019 ^15.54 13-FEB-2020 14.50 15-JUL-2021 ^16.39 27-JAN-2022 ^14.20 14-MAR-2024 ^12.50 22-JAN-2026 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 ^12.40 18-MAR-2036

TOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUE

Issue Date

Coupon (%)

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

15.10 9.85 9.35 10.70 16.00 7.00 15.54 14.50 16.39 14.20 12.50 15.00 12.49 8.50 10.00 12.1493 12.4000

480.13 20.00 100.00 300.00 351.30 233.90 606.43 179.59 605.31 719.99 391.02 75.00 150.00 200.00 591.57 1075.92 250.00

Maturity Date

TTM (Yrs)

27-Apr-17 27-Jul-17 31-Aug-17 30-May-18 29-Jun-19 23-Oct-19 13-Feb-20 15-Jul-21 27-Jan-22 14-Mar-24 22-Jan-26 28-Nov-28 22-May-29 20-Nov-29 23-Jul-30 18-Jul-34 18-Mar-36

0.68 0.93 1.02 1.77 2.85 3.17 3.48 4.89 5.43 7.56 9.42 12.27 12.75 13.24 13.92 17.90 19.57

Bid Yield (%)

Offer Yield (%)

Bid Price

Offer Price

18.39 20.01 20.38 18.15 14.94 14.96 14.97 15.03 15.06 15.09 15.19 15.23 15.24 15.25 15.26 15.32 15.21

18.14 19.81 20.20 18.04 14.88 14.82 14.86 14.94 14.98 15.02 15.12 15.18 15.18 15.17 15.19 15.26 15.15

97.90 91.73 90.23 89.06 102.33 80.46 101.49 98.15 104.79 96.03 86.73 98.66 84.67 62.03 69.97 80.74 82.54

98.05 91.88 90.38 89.21 102.48 80.76 101.79 98.45 105.09 96.33 87.03 98.96 84.97 62.33 70.27 81.04 82.84

6,330.16

TOTAL MARKET CAPITALISATION

6285.155565

5,681.19

Rating/Agency

Description

Issuer

Agency Bonds

17.25 FMB II 03-APR-2017

FMBN

Nil

Price Outstanding Value (₦’bn)

TOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUE

Issue Date

Coupon (%)

03-Apr-12

17.25

Outstanding Value (₦’bn)

Maturity Date

Avg. Life/TTM (Yrs)

Risk Premium (%)

Valuation Yield (%)

Modelled Price

0.90

03-Apr-17

0.32

2.94

18.67

99.54

19-Apr-17 30-Jun-17 31-Dec-17 30-Sep-18 04-Oct-18 09-Dec-18 12-Dec-18 14-Feb-19 02-Oct-19 22-Nov-19 12-Dec-19 27-Nov-20 31-Dec-20 31-Dec-20 06-Jan-21 09-Dec-21 16-Feb-22 27-Feb-22 30-Mar-22 31-Mar-22 27-May-22

0.66 0.61 1.36 1.17 1.19 1.37 1.37 1.55 1.76 3.25 1.83 4.26 4.36 2.59 2.61 3.17 3.38 3.23 3.35 6.46 3.49

1.00 5.71 2.39 1.00 1.00 3.82 3.56 3.82 2.02 2.01 1.00 1.30 3.76 2.53 1.00 1.52 4.01 1.00 2.52 1.79 3.04

19.25 23.67 21.78 20.94 20.90 23.18 22.90 22.63 20.21 16.97 18.99 16.31 18.77 18.33 16.75 16.48 18.98 15.96 17.48 16.85 18.01

94.47 94.60 91.20 93.30 93.26 90.54 90.24 91.32 93.55 93.95 93.85 91.55 89.04 92.65 96.50 97.70 94.31 101.25 99.98 100.47 97.51

0.90

TOTAL MARKET CAPITALISATION

0.90

Sub-National Bonds A+/Agusto; A+/GCR A-/Agusto A-/Agusto A/Agusto; A+/GCR A-/Agusto; A-/GCR A/Agusto‡ ; A-/GCR† A-/Agusto A-/Agusto; A-/GCR BBB+/Agusto; A-/GCR Aa-/Agusto; AA-/GCR BBB-/Agusto; BBB+/GCR† Aa-/Agusto; AA-/GCR Bbb+/Agusto; BBB+/DataPro A/Agusto‡ A-/GCR A-/Agusto A-/Agusto Bbb-/Agusto Bbb+/Agusto Bbb+/Agusto A-/GCR

LAGOS *BAYELSA EDO *DELTA *NIGER *EKITI *NIGER *ONDO *GOMBE LAGOS *OSUN LAGOS KOGI *EKITI *NASARAWA *BAUCHI *OYO *BENUE *PLATEAU KOGI *CROSS RIVER

19-Apr-10 30-Jun-10 31-Dec-10 30-Sep-11 04-Oct-11 09-Dec-11 12-Dec-13 14-Feb-12 02-Oct-12 22-Nov-12 12-Dec-12 27-Nov-13 31-Dec-13 31-Dec-13 06-Jan-14 09-Dec-14 17-Feb-15 27-Feb-15 30-Mar-15 01-Apr-15 27-May-15

10.00 LAGOS 19-APR-2017 13.75 BAYELSA 30-JUN-2017 14.00 EDO 31-DEC-2017 14.00 DELTA 30-SEP-2018 14.00 NIGER II 4-OCT-2018 14.50 EKITI 09-DEC-2018 14.00 NIGER III 12-DEC-2018 15.50 ONDO 14-FEB-2019 15.50 GOMBE 02-OCT-2019 14.50 LAGOS 22-NOV-2019 14.75 OSUN 12-DEC-2019 13.50 LAGOS 27-NOV-2020 15.00 KOGI 31-DEC-2020 14.50 EKITI II 31-DEC-2020 15.00 NASARAWA 06-JAN-2021 15.50 BAUCHI 9-DEC-2021 16.50 OYO 16-FEB-2022 16.50 BENUE 27-FEB-2022 17.50 PLATEAU 30-MAR-2022 17.00 KOGI II 31-MAR-2022 17.00 CROSS RIVER 27-MAY-2022

10.00 13.75 14.00 14.00 14.00 14.50 14.00 15.50 15.50 14.50 14.75 13.50 15.00 14.50 15.00 15.50 16.50 16.50 17.50 17.00 17.00

57.00 11.33 25.00 23.44 4.22 9.45 7.01 18.70 12.55 80.00 20.55 87.50 5.00 3.74 3.76 14.37 4.17 4.53 27.10 3.00 7.34

TOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUE TOTAL MARKET CAPITALISATION

429.75 402.78

Corporate Bonds A+/Agusto; A-/GCR A-/Agusto; A-/GCR Nil Nil Nil A/GCR BBB-/GCR Nil A-/DataPro†; CCC/GCR AAA/DataPro†; B/GCR A+/Agusto; A/GCR Bbb+/Agusto†; BBB+/GCR† BBB-/DataPro†; BB/GCR Nil

13.00 NAHCO 29-SEP-2016

NAHCO

14.25 FSDH 25-OCT-2016 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 13.00 UBA 30-SEP-2017

FSDH ***LCRM UBA *C & I LEASING *DANA#{r}

MPR+7.00 TOWER 9-SEP-2018 MPR+5.25 TOWER 9-SEP-2018

*TOWER

14.00 UBA II 30-SEP-2018

UBA *LA CASERA *CHELLARAMS# *DANA

A+/Agusto; A-/GCR Bbb/Agusto; A-/GCR BBB/GCR

*FCMB

Bbb/Agusto; A-/GCR A/GCR A/GCR AAA/GCR

MPR+5.00 CHELLARAMS II 17-FEB-2019 16.00 DANA II 1-APR-2019 15.25 NAHCO II 14-NOV-2020

NAHCO *TRANSCORP HOTELS PLC

15.50 TRANSCORP 4-DEC-2020 14.25 FCMB I 20-NOV-2021 16.45 UBA I 30-DEC-2021

UBA

BBB/GCR

15.75 LA CASERA 18-OCT-2018

15.00 FCMB 6-NOV-2020

*FCMB

A/GCR

MPR+7.00 DANA 9-APR-2018

*TOWER

#{r}

A-/GCR

18.00 C&I LEASING 30-NOV-2017

16.48 FIDELITY 13-MAY-2022

FIDELITY *TRANSCORP HOTELS PLC

16.00 TRANSCORP 26-OCT-2022

STANBIC IBTC

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

STANBIC IBTC *NMRC

14.90 NMRC 29-JUL-2030

13.25 STANBIC IB 30-SEP-2024

TOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUE

29-Sep-11

13.00

15.00

29-Sep-16

0.10

1.00

15.85

99.63

25-Oct-13 09-Dec-11 20-Apr-12 06-Jul-12 30-Sep-10

14.25 0.00/16.00 0.00/16.50 0.00/16.50 13.00

5.53 112.22 116.70 66.49 20.00

25-Oct-16 08-Dec-16 19-Apr-17 06-Jul-17 30-Sep-17

0.17 0.30 0.66 0.87 1.11

1.34 1.00 3.55 5.25 1.88

16.36 16.55 21.80 24.88 22.02

99.51 99.69 96.81 93.68 91.49

30-Nov-12

18.00

0.36

30-Nov-17

0.79

1.88

20.95

98.67

09-Apr-11

16.00

3.60

09-Apr-18

0.88

3.15

22.84

94.89

09-Sep-11

18.00

1.82

09-Sep-18

1.05

6.35

26.66

92.81

09-Sep-11

16.00

0.50

09-Sep-18

1.05

1.00

21.31

95.38

30-Sep-11

14.00

35.00

30-Sep-18

2.10

1.17

18.33

92.65

18-Oct-13

15.75

1.50

18-Oct-18

1.16

4.42

24.41

91.95

17-Feb-12

18.00

0.23

17-Feb-19

1.49

6.11

25.10

91.83

01-Apr-14

16.00

4.50

01-Apr-19

1.36

3.28

22.66

92.85

06-Nov-15

15.00

20.87

06-Nov-20

2.21

4.47

21.32

89.86

14-Nov-13

15.25

2.05

14-Nov-20

4.23

1.00

16.00

97.67

04-Dec-15

15.50

9.76

04-Dec-20

2.73

3.55

19.06

92.85

20-Nov-14

14.25

26.00

20-Nov-21

5.24

2.51

17.56

88.87

30-Dec-14

16.45

30.50

30-Dec-21

5.35

1.00

16.05

101.32

13-May-15

16.48

30.00

13-May-22

5.72

1.00

16.06

101.44

26-Oct-15

16.00

10.00

26-Oct-22

3.89

2.77

17.76

95.35

30-Sep-14

16.29

0.10

30-Sep-24

8.10

1.00

16.12

100.70

30-Sep-14

13.25

15.44

30-Sep-24

8.10

1.00

16.12

87.22

29-Jul-15

14.90

7.86

29-Jul-30

9.28

1.00

16.18

94.28

10-Oct-20

2.35

3.37

19.80

91.12

536.02

TOTAL MARKET CAPITALISATION

514.79

Sukuk BBB-/Agusto

*OSUN

10-Oct-13

14.75 OSUN II 10-OCT-2020

TOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUE

14.75

9.02

TOTAL MARKET CAPITALISATION

8.22

Supranational Bond AAA/S&P

IFC

Aaa/Moody's; AAA/S&P

*AfDB

10.20 IFC 11-FEB-2018

11-Feb-13

10.20

12.00

11-Feb-18

1.47

1.00

17.51

90.86

11.25 AFDB 1-FEB-2021

10-Jul-14

11.25

12.95

01-Feb-21

2.70

1.00

14.36

93.39

Bid Price

Offer Price

TOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUE TOTAL MARKET CAPITALISATION Rating/Agency

24.95 23.00 Issuer

Description

Issue Date

Coupon (%)

Outstanding Value ($’mm)

Maturity Date

Bid Yield (%)

Offer Yield (%)

6.75 JAN 28, 2021

07-Oct-11

6.75

500.00

28-Jan-21

6.10

5.88

102.50

103.34

5.13 JUL 12, 2018

12-Jul-13

5.13

500.00

12-Jul-18

4.51

4.00

101.09

102.02

6.38 JUL 12, 2023

12-Jul-13

6.38

500.00

12-Jul-23

6.42

6.24

99.72

100.72

100.26

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

1,516.57

Corporate Eurobonds B+/S&P

ACCESS BANK PLC

7.25 JUL 25, 2017

25-Jul-12

7.25

350.00

25-Jul-17

6.94

100.26

B/Fitch; B/S&P

FIDELITY BANK PLC

6.88 MAY 09, 2018

09-May-13

6.88

300.00

02-May-18

21.82

19.69

79.58

82.12

B+/Fitch; B+/S&P

GTBANK PLC

6.00 NOV 08, 2018

08-Nov-13

6.00

400.00

08-Nov-18

5.99

100.00

B+/Fitch; BB-/S&P

ZENITH BANK PLC

6.25 APR 22, 2019

22-Apr-14

6.25

500.00

22-Apr-19

7.72

96.50

B/Fitch; B/S&P

DIAMOND BANK PLC

8.75 May 21, 2019

21-May-14

8.75

200.00

21-May-19

22.41

73.03

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

FIRST BANK PLC ACCESS BANK PLC II FIRST BANK LTD

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

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

8.25 9.25 8.00

300.00 400.00 450.00

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

16.19 15.20 16.15

16.19 14.52 16.15

77.00 79.65 72.50

77.00 81.65 72.50

B-/S&P

ECOBANK NIG. LTD

8.75 AUG 14, 2021

14-Aug-14

8.75

250.00

14-Aug-21

12.23

11.76

84.88

86.63

TOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUE TOTAL MARKET CAPITALISATION Rating/Agency

3,150.00 2,706.24 Description

Issuer

Issue Date

Yield @ Issue (%)

Outstanding Value (₦’bn)

Maturity Date

DTM

# Risk Premium (%)

Valuation Yield (%)

Discount Rate (%)

18-Apr-16

11.00

16.80

18-Oct-16

2.03

17.00

16.56

Commercial Papers UACN PROPERTY DEVELOPMENT COMPANY PLC

A-/Agusto

UPDC CP 18-OCT-16

TOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUE

16.80

**TREASURY BILLS^ DTM 10 17 31 45 52 59 66 73

FIXINGS Maturity 1-Sep-16 8-Sep-16 22-Sep-16 6-Oct-16 13-Oct-16 20-Oct-16 27-Oct-16 3-Nov-16

Bid Discount (%) 14.47 14.89 14.20 16.46 15.62 14.78 14.83 15.64

Offer Discount (%) 14.22 14.64 13.95 16.21 15.37 14.53 14.58 15.39

Bid Yield (%) 14.52 15.00 14.37 16.80 15.97 15.14 15.24 16.14

Money Market

NIBOR Tenor O/N 1M 3M 6M

Rate (%) 20.2800 16.6456 17.7467 19.6422

Foreign Exchange (Spot & Forwards)

Tenor

Rate (%)

OBB

19.00

Tenor

Closing Rate ($/N)

O/N

21.75

Spot 7D 14D 1M 2M 3M

308.73 334.01 333.97 335.33 337.55 339.56

Tenor Call 1M

REPO

Rate (%) 24.00 19.50