Tuesday, may 5, 2015 binder1 by Newtelegraphonline

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Vol. 2 No. 440

Tuesday, May 5, 2015

@newtelegraph1 www.newtelegraphonline.com

Enugu boils as chime, lawmakers clash

N150

NNPC set to resume oil search in Chad Basin Johnchuks Onuanyim Abuja

he Nigerian National Petroleum (NNPC) is set to resume the search for oil

in the Chad Basin, which it suspended due to Boko Haram insurgency in the North-East. NNPC Group Managing Director, Dr. Joseph Dawha, said with the improved security situation

in the area, the corporation would commence oil search in the zone. The NNPC has lost millions of dollars searching for crude oil in the Chad Basin despite the uncertainties surrounding the

exploration. It commenced exploratory activities in the basin after its initial efforts led to the drilling of 23 abandoned exploratory wells failed. Six of the 23 abandoned

wells were located a few kilometres from the palace of the late Shehu of Borno, Alhaji Mustapha Umar ElKanemi in Gajiganna. The NNPC's promise to resume oil search in the Chad Basin came weeks af-

ter President-elect, Major General Muhammadu Buhari, stated that his administration would resume oil search in Chad Basin. Buhari had told Borno State Governor, Alhaji CONTINUED ON PAGE 5

PDP: Hate campaign cost us presidency }2

Quick Read

Editorial

One of the children rescued from insurgents in Sambisa Forest and handed over to the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), at Malkohi Camp in Yola…at the weekend.

78 killed in fresh Taraba crisis }49

Reps summon Adesina over rice import duty waiver

Living with }19 fuel scarcity

A man carrying a four-day old baby, which was among the rescued children and women handed over to NEMA, at Malkohi Camp in Yola…at the weekend. PHOTOS: NAN

News

TUESDAY, May 5, 2015 NEW TELEGRAPH

PDP: Hate campaign cost us presidency Onyekachi Eze ABUJA

he Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) yesterday attributed the loss of President Goodluck Jonathan in the last presidential election to the hate campaign embarked by his campaign organisation. The party said the president and his associates should not blame the party leadership for the loss of the presidency, as the PDP leadership was not in charge of the campaign. PDP National Publicity Secretary, Mr. Olisa Metuh, told reporters at a press conference that the National Working Committee (NWC) members should not be blamed for Jonathan's defeat, as they did not play any significant part in the 2015 presidential campaign. He also refuted claim that the NWC members shared part of the presidential campaign funds among themselves, saying the body was not involved in the disbursement of cash for electioneering purpose. "Our advice and suggestions were ignored. We cannot be held responsible for the failure. "Let me say this. In 2003, President Obasanjo ran an election against Odumegwu Ojukwu in the SouthEast. In 2007, Yar'Adua ran election against Ojukwu. I can tell you, if PDP had engaged in name calling or abuse Ojukwu in anyway, PDP would have lost the elections in the SouthEast,â&#x20AC;? Metuh stated. He blamed the abysmal performance of the party in the North to the hate campaign adopted and executed by the PDP Presidential Campaign Organisation against the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Major General Muhammadu Buhari. The PDP presidential campaign organisation had devoted more time to running down Buhari than selling the president. Despite the party's pledge to embark on issuebased campaign, the focus was on Buhari's health, certificate and his alleged role in encouraging graft in the Petroleum Trust Fund (PTF). Metuh also said the NWC members had no knowledge of how the money voted for the PDP presidential campaign was spent. He, however, explained that the N30 million allegedly paid to NWC members, with the approval of Jonathan, was meant for furniture, medical and oth-

er backlog of allowances accruable to the members for the last three years. According to him, PDP generated about N9 billion from the sale of Expression of Interest and Nomination Forms to aspirants to various offices on the platform of the party last year. Out of this, the party donated N500 million to the national presidential campaign fund last De-

cember and gave out N100 million to each of the 29 gubernatorial candidates on the party. "We sponsored our House of Assembly candidates. The money was passed through the governors or through ministers and gubernatorial candidates in states where PDP has no sitting governor," he said. Metuh added that the party got approval from

Jonathan for all its spending and expressed readiness of the NWC to make public its account. "For the avoidance of doubt, we wish to state categorically that this national leadership has remained very transparent in all its dealings since coming into office. No NWC member has been involved in any way in any sleaze or embezzlement of party funds. Also,

no member of the NWC has ever been accused of embezzlement of funds in any ministry, department or agencies of government at any level whatsoever. "We state clearly that we have not been given any money, rather this NWC generated billions of naira from the sale of forms from where we funded our candidates for governorship and state assembly elections in all

the states of the federation in addition to funds released to key leaders, including NWC and BoT members to prosecute the campaigns in their various areas. The NWC is willing and ready to make this account public in line with the freedom of information law", he added. He, however, said the party had resolved its differences following the inCONTINUED ON PAGE 5

L-R: Publisher/Editor-In Chief, Hallmark Newspapers, Mr. Emeka Obasi; former Minister of State, Federal Capital Territory, Mr. Chuka Odom and Chairman of the occasion, Chief Tola Adeniyi, at the conferment of Hallmark Nigeria Rising award on Odom in Lagosâ&#x20AC;Śat the weekend. PHOTO: GODWIN IREKHE

Reps summon Adesina over rice import duty waiver Philip Nyam Abuja

he House of Representatives yesterday threatened to sanction the Minister of Agriculture, Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, if he fails to appear before its ad hoc committee investigating alleged fraud and evasion of rice import duties and levies by importers and investors. Speaker of the House, Hon. Aminu Tambuwal, issued the threat at the opening of the investigative hearing in Abuja. The minister is expected to appear before the committee today, which is the closing of the twoday investigation. Tambuwal, who was represented by the Deputy Leader of the House, Hon. Leo Ogor, said: "The minister has no reason not to be here because the ministry was duly served the invitation. I see no reason why people would be invited to a hearing that's for the benefit of the people and will not

turn up. "You are a servant of the people just like we all are. What we are doing here is for the benefit of our nation's economy. So, before the end of the hearing, we are hoping to see people from the ministry come in; otherwise we might be forced to make some very strong pronouncement." "This hearing was sequel to a resolution of the House mandating the Ad hoc Committee to investigate alleged fraud abuses, evasion of import duties by rice importers. "The aim is to uncover fraud and expose the endemic corruption in the importation of rice with a view to stemming the tide and boost employment generation as well as strengthen the nation's depleting foreign reserve,â&#x20AC;? Ogor, who is also chairman of the ad hoc committee investigating the alleged fraud, said. During the hearing, the committee queried the administration of quota and duty payable

on excess importation, indicting the minister for giving certain considerations to some importers who allegedly exceeded their quota and did not pay liable indemnity. The committee questioned the powers of the minister to grant such waiver on the basis of encouraging investment and job creation. "The minister doesn't have the powers to allocate rice import or production quota to any company and then waive duties because the corresponding revenue involved is for the entire federation which consists of the three tiers of government. The minister should stop deceiving himself thinking that he acts for every tier of government," Ogor said. On why they have failed to pay duty accruals for exceeded quota of over N3.5 billion, Olam Farms Ltd, one of the defaulting investors, told the committee that as the largest farm owner on the African continent, it

couldn't have grown its business by disobeying the rules. The company said there was no directive asking the company to pay for exceeding its quota which came out after the importation had been done. According to the company's Business Development Head, Mr. Anil Nair, the company will gladly pay duty or levy if the government asks it to do so, invariably confirming that the minister actually waived such duties without due diligence. "Olams farm is the single largest farm on the continent of Africa with the capacity to import 243, 747 tonnes of rice on 10 per cent levy and 20 per cent duty. If you look at all the rice value chain, we have made up to date payment of duties and levies as applicable for which we made presentation previously. "If we are asked to pay for the excess in importation, we will oblige and pay without any hesita-

tion," Nair said. The Customs delegation led by Adeoye Ajade had told the committee in a position paper that companies defaulted after they were written to after the rice policy was reviewed in July last year. "Olam import was over 245,000 metric tonnes with excess quota amounting to over N3.5 billion which is the duty liability arising from that importation. "Given the review of the policy, rice millers tried to make false declaration of duty value by under-declaring their actual import volume. So, the policy review now came with dual rate of 10 per cent duty raise and 20 per cent levy. "Since we didn't know the quota that was going to be allotted to each miller or importer, we wrote to the Finance Ministry to give us the allotted quota so we can know which company to ask for what, but we didn't get any response from the ministry," he said.

NEW TELEGRAPH TUESDAY, May 5, 2015

SPECIALonREPORT The 8th Senate’s Fresh Generation Godswill Akpabio

Aliyu Wamakko

Jonah David Jang

Stella Adaeze Oduah

Samuel Egwu

Theodore Orji

Mao Ohuabunwa

Uche Lilian Ekwunife

Buruji Kashamu

Jeremiah Useni

Abubakar Kyari

Ben Murray Bruce

Peter Nwabushi

Biodun Olujimi

Dino Melaye

Monsurat Sunmonu

Bayero Usman Nafada

Bala ibn Na’Allah

Isiaka A. Adeleke

Abubakar Danladi

Adeola Olamilekan

Binta Masi Garba

Rafiu Adebayo Ibrahim

Mustapha Bukar

Duro Samuel Faseyi

Fatimat O. Raji-Rasaki

Shehu Sani

Mustapha Bukar

Philip Aruwa I Gyunka

Buhari Abdulfatai

Suleiman O. Hunkuyi

Osinakachukwu Ideozu

Danjuma La’ah

Bassey Albert Akpan

Olanrewaju Tejuoso

Mohammed A. Ohiare

Nelson Asuquo Effiong

Achonu A. Nneji

Sabo Mohammed

David Umaru

Umaru Ibrahim Kurfi

Barau I Jibrin

Nnaemeka Anyanwu

Clifford A. Ordia

John Enoh Owan

Mathew A. Urhoghide

Utazi Godfrey Chukwuka

Rilwan Adesoji Akanbi

Gbolahan Dada

Abdul-Aziz M. Nyako

Francis A. Alimikhena

Olaka Johnson Nwogu

Ogba Joseph Obinna

Tijjani Yahaya Kaura

Donald Alasoadura

Rose Okoji Oko

Yele Omogunwa

Ogola Foster

Gershom H. Bassey

Suleiman M. Nazif

Malam Ali Wakili

Abdullahi A. Gumel

Marafa Bashir Abba

Yahaya Abdullahi

Abdulrahman Abubakar

Salihu Hussain Egye

Mohammed Garba

Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi

Ahmadu Abubakar

Mohammed Hasan

Isah Hamma Misau

Ibrahim Abdullahi

Muhammad Ubali Shitu

On June 4, 2015, the eighth Senate of the National Assembly will be inaugurated. Of the 109 Senators who will be taking their seats, 73, representing 66 per cent will be fresh in the upper chamber. Who are these fresh Senators? What are their backgrounds and antecedents? What quality of debate and contributions are we likely to see from them? These and more will be the kernel of a special report by New Telegraph on that day. The report presents a unique opportunity for family, friends and associates of these fresh Senators to felicitate with them. For enquiries and participation: Call Biodun: 0802-301-5582, Taiwo: 0803-304-2915, Onwuka: 0803-733-9843, David: 0810-759-1663

Travel Advisory

TUESDAY, May 5, 2015 NEW TELEGRAPH

International Flight Schedule Air France

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

Flight No. AF 513 AF 3822 AF514 AF513 AF514 AF3849

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

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

Amsterdam-Lagos Lagos-Amsterdam

KL587 KL588

13:15hrs 23:05hrs

20:00hrs 05:50hrs

KLM

ARIK AIRLINES

Lagos-London London-Lagos Lagos-New York

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

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

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

BRITISH AIRWAYS

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

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

Lagos-Cairo Cairo-Lagos

MS 876 MS 875

14:25hrs 08:30hrs

22:20hrs 13:30hrs

EGYPT AIR

KENYA AIRWAYS

16:00hrs

Lagos-Kigali

11:15hrs

16:45hrs

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

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

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

14:00hrs

17:30hrs

22:35hrs 15:10hrs

06:00hrs 21:20hrs

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

hrs hrs hrs hrs hrs hrs hrs

01:00hrs

hrs

3:00hrs 14:00hrs

8:00hrs 19:00hrs

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

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

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

Lagos-Doha Flight Doha-Lagos Flight

QR 1414 (daily) QR 1415

14:55hrs 07:20hrs

23:45hrs 13:35hrs

Lagos-Atlanta Atlanta-Lagos

DL053 DL 054

22:15hrs 5:15hrs

05:32hrs 16:15hrs

Lagos-Houston Houston-Lagos

UA 143 UA 142

10:10hrs 19:10hrs

6:05hrs 15.15hrs

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

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

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

Lagos-Madrid Madrid-Lagos

IB 3337 IB 3336

22:55hrs 16:00hrs

5:25+1hrs 20:20hrs

Lagos-Casablanca Casablanca-Lagos

AT738 AT 737

06:25hrs 02:15hrs

09:55hrs 6:00hrs

air maroc

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

12:30hrs

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

IBERIA

Abu Dhabi-Lagos

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

19:35hrs 23:45hrs

MEA 571 MEA 572

ETHIOPIAN AIRLINES

Lagos- Abu Dhabi

ETIHAD AIRWAYS

12:30hrs 18:00hrs

to Lagos)

UNITED AIRLINES

17:00hrs 4:40hrs

KQ 533 KQ 534

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

DELTA AIRLINES

11:00hrs 22:40hrs

Lagos-Nairobi Nairobi-Lagos

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

QATAR AIRWAYS

VS 652 VS 651

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

BA075 BA074 BA 082 BA 083

EMIRATES AIRLINES

Lagos-London London-Lagos

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

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

Lebanon-Lagos Lagos-Lebanon

VIRGIN ATLANTIC

RwandAir

Kigali-Lagos

Turkish Airlines

Lagos-Istanbul Nairobi-Lagos

332 333

Air Côte d'Ivoire Lagos to Abidjan Abidjan to Lagos

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

ASKY AIRLINES

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

10:10hrs

10:50hrs

19:20hrs

21.50hrs

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

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

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

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

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

Local FLIGHT SCHEDULE ARIK AIR

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

AZMAN FLIGHT SCHEDULE

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

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

FIRST NATION AIRWAYS

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

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

AEROCONTRACTORS

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

MEDVIEW AIRLINES

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

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

News

NEW TELEGRAPH TUESDAY, May 5, 2015

Why Boko Haram turn women into sex slaves, by Shettima Ahmed Miringa MAIDUGURI

overnor Kashim Shettima has revealed that members of Boko Haram terrorist group raped and impregnated women with the belief that they would give birth to future sect members. Shettima, according to

a statement issued yesterday by his spokesman, Isa Gusau, said the terrorist group forcefully acquired wives of those who do not share in their belief and turned them to sex slaves. Shettima said: "I am happy with the recovery of hundreds of women and children. It is a thing of joy that they have been freed alive. However, I’m also worried about what

the future holds for us if what I have gathered about these insurgents works according to their plan. “These people (Boko Haram) have a certain spiritual conviction that any children they father will grow to inherit their ideology whether they live with the children or not. They also believe that whoever does not

hold their ideology is an unbeliever that should be killed and rendered homeless and whatever belongs to him or her becomes a legitimate booty recovered from enemies. This booty includes women that are then allocated to ranking leaders of the sect as sex slaves. “The sect leaders make very conscious effort to impregnate the women,

some of them, I was told even pray before mating, offering supplications for God to make the products of what they are about doing become children that will inherit their ideology. “After getting their captives pregnant, they keep them to allow the pregnancy mature to an extent of say four or more months to make abortion difficult or impossible for

L-R: Ebola survivor, Dr. Ada Igonoh of the First Consultants Hospital; Chairman, Heirs Holdings, Mr. Tony Elumelu; and Chief Medical Director, First Consultant Hospital, Dr. Benjamin Ohiaeri, at the World Economic Forum and World Bank Roundtable on Ebola crisis in Lagos...yesterday.

the women. They abandon the women afterwards to go and give birth anywhere else. In most cases, the women return home or get helped by traditional birth attendants. I wouldn't be surprise if in some cases, some of the women deliver in captivity and the children grow to four or five years since the sect have been operating for years, perhaps the Sambisa camps might have been in existence since 2009 or afterwards.” The governor stated that the terrorist group usually have medical teams and make-shift clinics for treating injured men and other health challenges. Shettima called on security agencies to establish the paternity of all children recovered from interactions with the victims and other forms of investigation. “I am seriously worried with the fact that most women tend to hate and abandon children they deliver from rape. Now, the problem is that these children could go to the streets unattended to. When they lack access to food, healthcare and education, the result is that they could indeed inherit their fathers somehow. Hence, we must show love to these innocent children as much as we should support the innocent mothers,” the governor said.

Buhari’ll make a good president –Jokolo, ex-ADC

PDP: Hate campaign cost us presidency

Ibraheem Musa

tervention of Jonathan, the PDP governors and other key stakeholders of the party, including governors and legislators-elect. Metuh added that PDP is joining forces with the NWC in the efforts to reengineer and rebuild the party and reposition to it to regain power in 2019. Part of the repositioning, he added, is the setting up of the PDP PostElection Assessment Committee, which will be inaugurated today, to evaluate and assess the party's performance in the general elections and make recommendations for the way forward. "On this note, we wish to state clearly that there is no crisis in the national leadership of the PDP. The National Working Committee, under the chairmanship of Ahmadu Adamu Mu’azu, is duly elected and is fully in control of the administration of the party until the expiration of its tenure in March 2016 in line with the provisions of the constitution of our great party. "We, therefore, urge all our members across the

Kaduna

ormer Aide-DeCamp (ADC) to General Muhammadu Buhari, Major Mustapha Haruna Jokolo (rtd), has expressed optimism that the former military Head of State will make a good president. He noted that the situation in the country has started improving even before the President-elect assumes office on May 29. Jokolo, who was Buhari’s ADC when the lat-

ter was Head of State in 1984, made this known in a Hausa programme of Kaduna-based Freedom Radio which was monitored by our correspondent yesterday. Jokolo, who is the 19th Emir of Gwandu, pointed out that leadership makes all the difference in any country or society. He said that Buhari’s tenure will bring relief to the bad leadership that Nigeria had witnessed in the last 16 years, adding that the President-elect needs prayers to succeed. The traditional ruler

recalled that Buhari attempted to govern Nigeria on three occasions but was not given the chance to do so. According to Jokolo, when the chance came, the former Head of State won in such unlikely places like Benue and even in the South-West, a feat that has not been achieved since independence. The former ADC recalled that during Buhari’s failed attempts at the Presidency, “some of his associates were deceiving him while others used him as a ladder to win

elections and get appointments.” Jokolo said: “It got to a stage that Buhari wept over the plight of the common man. The former Head of State was overwhelmingly elected during the last presidential election and since then, things have started changing for the better. “This underscores the fact that if Allah gives a society a God-fearing leader, his lieutenants and followers will fall into line. Likewise, a tyrannical leader’s oppression will go down the line.”

NNPC set to resume oil search in Chad Basin CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

Kashim Shettima, who visited him in Kaduna that as a former Minister of Petroleum and head of state, he was conversant with the issue and would take it up after assumption of office. But the NNPC, in a statement yesterday by its Group General Manager, Group Public Affairs Division, Mr. Ohi Alegbe, said Dawha made the promise

on the resumption of oil search in Chad Basin at the 21st Annual General Meeting of Integrated Data Services Nigeria Limited, IDSL. The IDSL is a subsidiary of the NNPC that is carrying out the seismic data acquisition in the Chad Basin. He said preliminary indications from the previous exercise so far were encouraging and this

would encourage NNPC to return to site. Dawha also described the security situation in the North-East that led the corporation to suspend oil exploration activities in the Chad Basin as ‘unfortunate’ while commending the security forces on their recent success in the fight against the insurgents. On the performance of IDSL, the Group Managing Director said in spite

of the challenge of funding as a result of the fall in crude oil prices, the company’s performance was encouraging as it recorded a 32 per cent revenue growth. The Managing Director of IDSL, Mr. Victor Briggs, said the company was expanding its operations to neighbouring West African countries and other emerging oil producing countries in Africa.

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 2

country to close ranks and work together with their leaders at all levels and make themselves partners in progress in the all important ongoing rebuilding process aimed at restoring the supremacy of the party and its glory as the pre-eminent party in Nigeria", he stated. On the crisis in the party over the call on the NWC members to quit to allow time for the reorganisation of PDP, Metuh said the matter had been resolved following the intervention of the president. He added that the president, at a meeting he chaired on Sunday, called all the parties to order. “We are happy to announce that the leader of our party, President Jonathan, the PDP governors and other key stakeholders of our party, including governors and legislatorselect are deeply concerned about this development and have intervened to ensure the desired stability in our party,” he stated. Metuh was confident that with the resolution of the crisis, PDP's chances of reclaiming the presidency in 2019 were brighter.

News

TUESDAY, May 5, 2015 NEW TELEGRAPH

Enugu boils as Chime, lawmakers clash

lLegislators move to sack governor lLeadership tussle rocks legislature Uwakwe Abugu Enugu

egislative rules were thrown into the wind in the Enugu State Assembly yesterday as confusion and palpable anxiety pervaded the political environment of the state after members of the Assembly split into two factions with one of the factions raising an impeachment notice to be served on Governor Sullivan Chime and the other impeaching the speaker, Rt. Hon. Eugene Odo. After the show of strength by the rival factions, the legislative chambers of the House was sealed just as one of the factional speakers directed the police guarding the complex not to allow anybody gain entry into the chamber. The 15 members in the Speaker’s faction arrived the Assembly complex early in the morning and had a long drawn battle with security operatives who barred them from gaining entrance into the chamber. However, another faction of the lawmakers led by the deputy speaker,

Hon. Chime Orji, entered the chambers of the assembly at about 7:05a.m. and suspended the Speaker, Odo, and seven other legislators. The faction that suspended the speaker is made up of the Deputy Speaker and eight other members of the House, including the deputy governor-elect, Hon. Cecilia Ezeilo. The faction also unanimously elected Hon. Chinedu Nwamba, representing Nsukka East Constituency in the House as new speaker. The faction adjourned sine die. Members of Speaker Odo’s faction arrived at the gate of the assembly complex located at the Independence Layout in the capital city, Enugu, as early as 4a.m. and hurriedly sat before adjourning till today. In commencing impeachment proceedings against Chime, they accused him of being involved in what they termed “gross misconduct”, one of them being that the governor allegedly forged the

N12 billion 2012 Supplementary Budget, an appropriation the House had approved without much ado nearly three years ago. The House’s face-off with the governor has degenerated in the past few weeks following the stalemate that has marred an N11 billion loan request made by Chime and which had been approved by the assembly late last year but now needs being reapproved under irrevocable standing payment order (ISPO) which the lawmakers appear to have turned down. The impeachment notice raised by the antiChime group led by the speaker, who has been the governor’s ally in the past eight years, was signed by 15 members of the House including the speaker, and they directed the Clerk of the House, Christopher Chukwurah, to serve the notice on the governor immediately. However, the clerk was absent during the emergency sitting which was shifted from its scheduled

time of 8a.m. when the proimpeachment lawmakers learnt that the factional lawmakers had planned to sit earlier yesterday morning. Dramatically, however, the clerk of the House, Chukwurah, appeared during the sitting of the second faction during which Nwamba emerged new speaker, a development that made analysts believe that it would be difficult for the Odo-led faction to serve their impeachment notice on the governor. As the two factions sat, each suspended some key members of the other faction to pave the way for the consummation of its set target. Hence, when the antiChime faction sat, they suspended the deputy speaker, Chime Oji, who was recently elected to represent Enugu North/South Federal Constituency, Hon. Emeka Ogbuabor and Deputy House Leader, John Kevin Ukuta, for alleged anti-legislative activities. Ironically, when the

pro-Chime group convened later in the same chambers, it was the same suspended Deputy Leader, Ukuta, who was among those suspended by the rival faction that moved the motion calling for the suspension of Speaker Odoh and seven other members of the speaker’s side, including Anichukwu John Nwankwo, Okechukwu Nwoke, Paul Ogbe, Nze Michael Onyeze, Chika Eneh, Theresa Egbo and Sunday Udo-Okoye, a motion that was adopted by the nine members. The first incidence in the dramatic event was the confusion and shock that assailed both journalists and the lawmakers ahead of the emergence of the two factions of the assembly yesterday. At about 1a.m., the public relations officer of the House, Mr. Jonas Ugwuanyi had sent text messages to reporters who have been keenly following developments in the assembly of late, hinting them of the scheduled 8a.m. sitting of the House.

However, by 4a.m., the same source from the assembly woke reporter up from their sleep, saying, “I hope you can come to the House now. I am heading to the place now and the speaker and other members are already there.” Another profound drama was at the gate of the assembly complex when Odo and his factional members in the crisis were barred by stern-looking security operatives. They remained there till past 6a.m. when they were permitted to go in but without their cars. Another drama of reversal was during the sitting of the group led by the new factional speaker, Nwamba, when Ukuta informed the lawmakers of the letter written by the State Attorney General, Anthony Ani, informing them that they had no powers to investigate the Enugu State Universal Basic Education (ENSUBEB) which the Odo-led House had embarked on, saying the freezing of the account of the board was a legislative recklessness.

TODAY’S WEATHER FORECAST LAGOS

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L-R: Members, Ad hoc Committee on Rice Import Quota and Duty Payment, Hon. Simon Arabo; Hon. Nasiru Sule Garo and Deputy House Leader/Chairman, Hon. Leo Ogor, during the investigative public hearing on alleged abuse of rice import duty in Abuja…yesterday. PHOTO: ELIJAH OLALUYI

Defeated National Assembly members vacate offices Chukwu David

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Abuja 31o C 24oC Thunder Storms

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enators and members of the House of Representatives who were defeated in the March 28 National Assembly elections have started packing their personal effects out of the National Assembly complex. Many luxury buses were seen yesterday at the main entrances to the Senate and House of Representatives new buildings, packing the personal belongings of the lawmak-

ers, who crashed out of the two Chambers in the last general elections. However, the lawmakers whose property were being evacuated were not in sight as only their aides and the drivers of the vehicles were seen moving the goods from their various offices into the buses. The evacuation was being done under the strict watch of the National Assembly security personnel who inspected the items to ensure that they did not go away with official property. Some of the items being

evacuated, according to New Telegraph checks, include books, rugs, chairs, portraits of the lawmakers, their wives and children, their governors and some of their godfathers. One of the aides, who spoke to our correspondent on the condition of anonymity, said he was under the instruction of his boss to pack all his personal property to his residence in Abuja. "I am not a politician, I am only a legislative aide to one of the senators; and since my boss is not returning, he asked me to

pack his personal belongings to his private residence within the FCT. You press men will never see anything and look away. I don't know what you want to find out again or do you want to mock the lawmakers who did not return? I will not tell you more than this; please allow me to do my work and go. "Mr. Journalist, for your information and assistance, you know that our work is not permanent; so, as my boss lost his job, I have automatically lost mine too. So, if you can help me get another per-

son I will be grateful to you. Thank you so much", the aide said. Both the aide who spoke and others who refused to speak did not disclose the identity of their bosses, and even went as far as persuading the security agents not to talk to a few journalists who went there to investigate the matter. About 76 senators failed to secure their tickets to return to the Senate while over 200 House members lost their return bid to the National Assembly in the just-concluded general elections.

NEW TELEGRAPH tuesday, may 5, 2015

News

national

Extradition: Kashamu seeks to stop IGP, others Akeem Nafiu

he Senator-elect on the platform of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, for Ogun East Senatorial District, Prince Buruji Kashamu, has dragged the Inspector General of Police and 11 others before Justice Okon Abang of a Federal High Court in Lagos. Kashamu wants to forestall his extradition to America on alleged drug related offences. Respondents in the

suit are: Chairman, Nigerian Drug Laws Enforcement Agency(NDLEA), Chairman, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission(EFCC), Director General, Department of State Security(DSS), The Interpol National Central Bureau(NCB) and Attorney-General of the Federation, AGF. Others are; The Clerk of the National Assembly, The National Security Adviser to the President of the Federal Republic

of Nigeria, Independent Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences Commission(ICPC), Nigeria Custom Services, the Nigeria Immigration Service(NIS) and Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps. Hearing on the matter was stalled yesterday owing to an application for adjournment by the EFCC's lawyer, Rotimi Oyedepo. He was seeking an adjournment so as to allow him confirm which of the

offices of the agency (Lagos or Abuja) was served. Oyedepo claimed that he was yet to lay his hands on the processes filed by the applicant, and that it was not in the habit of the agency not to respond to any application filed on it. He therefore sought for a short adjournment to enable the anti-graft agency respond to Buruji's application, which he said would be in the interest of justice. However, lawyer to the applicant, Dr. Alex

Izinyon(SAN), urged the court to discountenance the application for adjournment. The Silk, while arguing that there was no material fact before the court to exercise its discretion in favour of the EFCC, noted that the commission had even admitted that they were served and failed to respond after 12 days as stipulated by Order 8 Rule 3 of the court. This, he said, has worked against the antigraft agency's application.

L-R: Vice-Chairman, FMDQ OTC Plc, Jibril Aku; Chairman, Sarah Alade; Managing Director/CEO, Bola Onadele and Company Secretary, Atinuke Taiwo, at the company’s 3rd Annual General Meeting in Lagos...yesterday PHOTO: SULEIMAN HUSAINI

FG, oil marketers promise to end fuel scarcity Abdulwahab Isa Abuja

etroleum oil marketers have assured Nigerians of ease in procuring petroleum products at filling stations across the country. That is following a meeting between the group and Federal Government, which held yesterday in Abuja. Giving the assurance shortly after the oil marketers concluded a closed door meeting with Coordinating Minister for the Economy and Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala yesterday, Executive Secretary of Major oil Marketers Association of Nigeria( MOMAN) .Mr. Femi Olawore, assured Nigerians that Abuja and other parts of the country will experience ease in accessing petroleum products in few days, adding that the situation was already easing off in Lagos. "Lagos is getting better by the hour and because of distance between Lagos and Abjua, it will take

some days before Abuja gets sufficient products. But I can assure you that in couple of days, Abuja will have a relief", he said. Earlier, the Minister told journalists that the parties treated the issue as a family matter, adding that the representatives of marketers had given their assurance to talk to the transporters to resume products loading. "We discussed issues on table. Government is a continuum and whatever the issues are, they will be resolved so that Nigerians don't suffer.” However, both parties could not give a consensus figure on the amount outstanding after the last payment of. N154billion. While the Minister put the outstanding balance at N131 billion, oil marketers failed to agree with the figure . According to Olawore: "What we are saying is this; there is a figure of N200 billion; there is a figure of N131 billion or so. First, we must get it clear. At what point did we pick that figure?"

N25.7bn: EFCC seeks indefinite adjournment on Atuche’s trial Akeem Nafiu

he Economic and Financial Crimes Commission(EFCC) yesterday asked an Ikeja High Court presided over by Justice Lawal Lateef-Akapo to adjourn the trial of a former Managing Director of the defunct Bank PHB, Francis Atuche, over al-

leged theft of N25.7 billion indefinitely. The anti-graft agency's application stalled the court's ruling on an application filed by Atuche seeking to quash the charges against him which was earlier fixed for Monday. The court had at the last hearing of the matter slated the ruling on the former

bank chief's application for yesterday. However, on resumption of Monday's proceedings, EFCC through its lawyer, Dele Adesina (SAN), urged the court to adjourn the ruling indefinitely, saying the EFCC had filed an appeal against the appellate court judgment at the Supreme Court.

However, other respondents in the suit who have filed their responses and objections to the suit did not raise any objection to the application for adjournment. Consequently, Justice Okon Abang adjourned the hearing of all pending applications in the matter till Friday. Prince Buruji, a PDP chieftain was elected a Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, in April 28, election, to represent Ogun-East Senatorial District, Ogun State. The application was supported by a 92-paragraph affidavit sworn to by Buruji himself. In the application, Kashamu is seeking nine declarative orders from the court among which are: An order restraining the defendants and their agents from arresting, detaining or otherwise effecting his abduction upon spurious allegation. An order directing the clerk of the National Assembly to accord him every facility and privileges due to him as a SenatorElect of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. A declaration that arrangements being made by the defendants in collusion with United State of America security operatives in West Africa and his political opponents led General Olusegun Obasanjo to abduct him and forcibly transport him to United States of America on the basis of allegations which have been the subject of investigation by Interpol and litigation in competent court in United Kingdom and concerning him which he have been exonerated are illegal, unlawful, ultra vires and constitute breach of his fundamental Rights to Freedom of Movement as enshrined in Section 41 of Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999.

Don’t witch-hunt opposition — Methodist Mike Adenuga in $600m telecoms Bishops Council tells Buhari deal in I'Coast Tony Anichebe Uyo

he council of Methodist Bishops of Nigeria has advised the Presidentelect, Gen Muhammadu Buhari against any tendency to witch-hunting the opposition. The group urged him, to, in the but to, in the spirit of national reconciliation, forgive all who may have wronged him in the course of electioneering campaigns. To achieve this, Buhari, the Bishops council said must shun detractors

and focus on working to justify the confidence reposed in him by Nigerians, especially in tackling the country's critical infrastructure such as refineries. In a communiqué presented at the end of the 33rd council of Bishops of Methodist Church Nigeria yesterday in Uyo, the Akwa Ibom State capital, the religious leaders believed such focus by the incoming president will reduce the rate of importation of fuel and government subsidy on petroleum products.

Kunle Azeez

igerian billionaire and Chairman of Globacom Nigeria, Mike Adenuga, has made a bid to buy Ivorian mobile telecoms operator Comium Cote d’Ivoire in a deal worth $600 million. According to Forbes, which quoted Telegeography, Globacom, a Nigerian mobile telecoms operator owned by Adenuga, is lodging a $600 million takeover bid for Comium Cote d’Ivoire, a company that has been grappling with debt and cash flow problems.

According to analysts, if the deal goes through, Globacom will have succeeded in extending its brand presence in West Africa. Already, Globacom, which is an indigenous Global System for Mobile (GSM) communications operator in Nigeria also has operations in Ghana and Benin Republic. Globacom, which already owns an international carrier services licence in Cote d’Ivoire, reportedly plans to invest over $1 billion in upgrading Comium-CI’s network over three years.

News

tuesday, may 5, 2015 NEW TELEGRAPH

national

Money laundering: Fani-Kayode knows fate June 18 Akeem Nafiu

udgement in the alleged money laundering charges slammed on the Media Director of Goodluck Jonathan 2015 Presidential Campaign Organization, Femi FaniKayode, by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission(EFCC) has been fixed for June 18. Justice Rita Ofili-Ajumogobia of a Federal High Court in Lagos fixed the date yesterday after parties in the matter adopted

their written addresses. Adopting his written address, FaniKayode's lawyer, I. A. Adedipe(SAN), disclosed that the prosecution has failed to lead evidences with regards to the money allegedly accepted by the accused. He said: "The prosecution had alleged that the accused received the sum of N1 million in the charge but none of the prosecution witnesses testified as to given any money to the accused. The accused has never

confessed to receiving any money as was claimed by the prosecution". The Silk, while urging the court to dismiss the charges and discharge and acquit his client, maintained that the burden of proof was on the prosecution and it has failed woefully in this regard. In his own submissions, EFCC's lawyer, Festus Keyamo, while admitting that the offence committed is in the receipt of the cash, stated that "the prosecution's

point of divergence is the insistence of the defence that someone must come to show that the accused indeed collected the money" According to him, the prosecution has disposed its burden when it disclosed that large sum of money were found on the accused. "After this point, the burden shifted to the accused to indeed show where the money came from ", he said. Keyamo also read out a portion of the accused

L-R: Delta State Governor/Silverbird Man of the Year 2014 winner, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan; his wife, Sheila Roli; Minister of Agriculture/Silverbird Extraordinary Achievement Award winner, Dr Akinwunmi Adesina and Chairman, Innoson Group of Companies/Silverbird Extraordinary Achievement award winner, Innocent Chukwuma, at the Silverbird Man of the Year Award in Lagos…at the weekend. PHOTO: GODWIN IREKHE

Customs trains officers on reputation, change management Bayo Akomolafe

he Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) yesterday, embarked on three-day training for its Public Relations Officers and some journalists on strategic communication for effective reputation and change management in Uyo, the capital of Akwa Ibom State. The training was in partnership with Nigeria Institute of Public Relations (NIPR).

In his opening remarks, the Comptroller General of Customs, Alhaji Dikko Abdullahi Inde, who was represented by the spokesman of the service, Mr Wale Adeniyi, a deputy comptroller, explained that the training was put in place to empower officers in the area of their specialisations. Already, he said that the service in 2014, had trained 4,140 locally, noting that 314 officers were

Senator-elect tasks Buhari on Ajaokuta Johnchuks Onuanyim Abuja

he Kogi Central District Senator-Elect, Senator Mohammed Ohaire, has charged the President-Elect, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari and All Progressives Congress (APC) government to fix the abandoned Ajaokuta Steel Complex in order to enhance the economy of the country. Ohaire, who was in the Senate from 2003 to 2007 before being re-elected in the

April 11 National Assembly election spoke to journalists at the APC National Secretariat in Abuja. Also, another chieftain of the APC from Kogi State, Alhaji Yahaya Bello, expressed optimism on his party taking over governance of Kogi State from the Peoples Democratic Party. The governorship election in Kogi State would be coming later this year. Bello, who also spoke at the APC headquarters said, "Kogi State deserves more than change".

also trained outside the country. The comptroller general said: “This time, we are partnering with NIPR to improve the skill of our public relations officers. We have the leadership in NIPR that has passion for capacity building just as we have in the service. “There is so much change in the air. Everywhere we see evidence of change.” A Public Relations Ex-

pert, Dr Alfred Edema, urged Customs Public Relations Officers to use strategic communication to influence target audience in achieving NCS desired goal. Edema, who delivered a paper titled: "Strategic Communication and Management," said that there was need to know their audience. He added that the audience served as foundation of a communication strategy.

statements to the police to buttress the prosecution's claim that he had confessed to collecting the money. The statement read, " I am aware of some payments in and out of my account. Some above N500,000 ". Keyamo stated that a combination of the statement and that of the Investigative Police Officer(IPO) led to the prosecution's insistence that it has discharged its burden that monies were received in cash by the accused and that they did not pass through any financial institution. During yesterday's proceedings, Justice Ajumogobia, also granted Fani-Kayode's application to change his surety. The accused had at the last hearing of the matter, through his lawyers, Ifedayo A. Adedipe(SAN) and Olawale Akoni(SAN), informed the court of his intention to change one of his sureties, Wale Ajisebutu, and replace same with one, Ogbor Kehinde Elliot. The application was said to have been brought pursuant to Section 134 (1) of the criminal procedure Act Cap. C41 Laws of Fed-

eration of Nigeria, and under the inherent jurisdiction of the court. In the application, the former Minister is seeking for an order of the court discharging Wale Ajisebutu as surety and replacing him with Ogbor Kehinde Elliot. He also sought an order of the court directing the Deputy Chief Registrar(DCR) of the court to release the title document(s) deposited by Ajisebutu to him in fulfilment of his bail terms, and replace them with the title documents of Elliot. The motion on notice was supported by a 13 paragraph-affidavit, deposed to by one, Hadhrat Folawiyo. The application was not opposed to by EFCC's lawyer, Festus Keyamo. At the trial of the former minister, EFCC has called four witnesses, while the defence only called two witnesses. Justice Ofili-Ajumogobia had earlier dismissed 38 out of the 40 counts against the accused. The judge, however, said the accused would need to prove his innocence in respect of counts 25 and 26 of the charges.

Speakership: Contestant backs pay cut for lawmakers Philip Nyam Abuja

contestant for the post of the Speaker of the House of Representatives and Deputy Chairman, House Committee on Constituency Outreach Committee, Hon. Pally Iriase, has thrown his weight behind the calls for a downward review in the salaries and allowances of legislators in the National Assembly. Iriase, who represents Owan East/West Federal Constituency of Edo

State, gave the indication yesterday while declaring formally his intention to contest for the position of Speaker of the 8th House. He said there was the need to cut the running cost of the legislature in view of the current economic realities. "I am on the side of the Nigerian people who said what they make available to lawmakers should be trimmed down. But in doing that, don't call it remuneration or allowances because what Nigerians are complaining about is the running cost."

Court okays extradition of ex-MINT MD to UK Tunde Oyesina ABUJA

he Federal High Court sitting in Abuja yesterday granted the application filed by the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) seeking the extradition of former Managing Director of the Nigeria Security Printing and Minting Company (NSPMC), Emmanuel Okoyonmo, to the United Kingdom to face corrup-

tion trial. In his judgement, the trial judge, Justice Evoh Chukwu ordered that Okoyomon be extradited within 30 days to the United Kingdom for the trial. The court further held that there is a treaty agreement between Nigeria and the United Kingdom. The judge held that since the treaty is valid and applicable in Nigeria, the Federal Government has power to extradite the accused person.

Justice Chukwu also held that all legal procedures were properly followed by the AGF with the placement of certified true copy of letter of indictment of the accused, letter of request for his extradition from the British High Commissioner. The court also noted that Okoyomon did not challenge all issues of corruption levelled against him by the documents from the United Kingdom, an indication that he accepted the allegation

brought against him. Justice Evoh noted that no Nigerian court will willingly surrender its citizen to any country for trial, but in this case Okoyomon is also a British citizen, as such there is nothing wrong in his extradition. Okoyomon was charged with extradition proceeding instituted against him by the office of the Attorney General of the Federation, following a request by the UK government.

NEW TELEGRAPH tuesday, may 5, 2015

News

national

Controversy trails 74 new traffic lights in Abuja Yekeen Nurudeen Abuja

ixed reactions yesterday continued to trail the installation of 74 additional solar-powered traffic lights at several intersections in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Abuja, being undertaken by the FCT administration. There are speculations among Abuja residents that the FCT administration commenced the installation of the traffic lights as part of efforts to hurriedly complete some abandoned projects in the nation’s capital before the May 29 handover date. Residents are alleging that the administration was embarking on last minute projects’ completion to mop up funds before the exchange of guards. A resident, who lamented the rate at which the traffic lights were being erected in the affected districts, said the administration was using the project to retire fund and balance its account. “They just want to rush the project to retire money that was not spent before the new government comes in,” he said. According to one of those aggrieved residents, who did not want his name in print, many abandoned projects in

the FCT are now being worked on so that the contractors can have their certificate of completion to claim their money from the incoming administration. “There are many projects within and around the city and contractors want to do the work to a level where they can get their certificate of completion, so that the new government can pay them,” he said. The 74 traffic lights are currently being installed

in the Federal Capital City (FCC), Gwarinpa District and Kubwa. Though the administration has not come up with any official statement to state the cost of the project that are already redefining the traffic situation in Abuja, FCT authority said the project is a donation by the Chinese government. According to the Special Adviser on Media to the FCT Minister, Mr. Nosike Ogbuenyi, the installation of the traffic

lights at some intersections across the city in the last few weeks was part of efforts to enhance the free flow of traffic and reduce auto crashes in the city. He said the FCT administration is carrying out the project in collaboration with Chinese government. Ogbuenyi said in a statement that the installations and rehabilitations were not a case of an attempt to complete an abandoned project as wrongly alleged in some

quarters. “The truth is that the FCT administration had conceived a programme of signalising all the major intersections within the Federal Capital City plus Gwarinpa and Kubwa and in furtherance of that initiative, the FCTA entered into collaboration with the Chinese government,” he said. According to him, “It is not a contract, but a donation and collaboration between the FCTA and the Chinese government,

or the umpteenth time, the Lagos State government yesterday shunned a suit asking it to explain why it must go ahead with its planned demolition of a church, the Word of Life Bible Church (WLBC), founded by the President of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Pastor Ayo Oritshajafor.

Port Harcourt

L-R: Solicitor-General, Lagos State Ministry of Justice, Mr. Lawal Pedro; Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Ade Ipaye and Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Information, Mrs. Oluranti Odutola, at a news conference by the Attorney-General to mark the 8th year of Governor Fashola’s administration, in Lagos…yesterday

The church had gone to a Lagos High Court in Igbosere, to restrain the government from demolishing the church situated at Plot 21E, Abdulrahman Okene Close, Victoria Island, having acquired the property through legitimate procedure. Its lawyer, Mr. Kayode Bankole, has asked the court presided over by Justice Deborah Oluwayemi, to grant an order

compelling the government to issue without delay, necessary building development permit to it having fulfilled all necessary steps expected including payment of the required fees. But the government failed to appear in court yesterday even as no reason was offered for its absence. Sued are the state Attorney-General, the Min-

istry of Physical Planning and Urban Development, the Lagos Building Control Agency and the Lagos Physical Planning Permit Authority. The church in its amended statement of claim filed by Bankole, is seeking an order to compel all the defendants to issue without delay, necessary building development permit to it having fulfilled all necessary

ICIR shortlists 44 for training Uduaghan dedicates Silverbird award to Delta, wife programme

he Inter national Centre for Investigative Reporting (ICIR), Abuja, has shortlisted 44 journalists from across the country to participate in the second investigative journalism training programme series. The training programme, scheduled for May 19 to May 21 in Abuja, is part of the Nigerian Investigative Reporting Project (NIRP), a reporting and publishing initiative funded by Ford Foundation, which is

Gunmen free abducted Rivers’ council boss, doctor Emmanuel Masha

Oritsejafor seeks N3.5m as Lagos shuns demolition suit Akeem Nafiu

which also involves the National Planning Commission (NPC).” Ogbuenyi said the civil engineering works were completed recently, adding that the on-going final installation is as a result of the delivery of the electrical and mechanical components by the Chinese government. He said the good thing about the signalisation initiative is that the traffic lights are 100 per cent solar-powered.

aimed at building capacity for journalists in Nigeria to effectively play their role in promoting accountability and good governance. The project, which is in its second year, aims at equipping journalists with the latest investigative journalism skills and techniques. Also, as part of the project, the journalists would be able to access small grants to pursue investigative story projects that have direct impact on their communities.

Vanessa Okwara and Olushola Ricketts

he Silverbird 2014 Man of the Year, Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan, has dedicated his award to the people of Delta State for peaceful coexistence and to his wife, Sheila Roli Uduaghan. Speaking at the event held in Lagos, Uduaghan said various ethnic nationalities in the state had come to live as one entity, which was a good development for the progress of the state.

“We now have a state in which Asaba has become accepted as the capital. In 2007, some people told me if they ever slept in Asaba as a state capital, they would die, but today they sleep in Asaba and they are alive. “This is a state where we have a governor-elect, who everyone voted for across the state and accepted. After the elections, there have been some violence one way or the other, but today the people of Delta State have decided to live as one.

steps expected including payment of the required fees. The church, owned by the President of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Pastor Oritshajafor, is also asking the court to compel the state government to refund, without delay, the sum of N3, 057, 056 being money paid in excess for issuance of building development permit.

he Caretaker Committee Chairman of Ahoada East Local Government Area in Rivers State, Mr. Cassidy Ikegbidi, who was abducted some time ago by gunmen, has been released by his abductors. Also released yesterday was a female medical doctor, who was equally kidnapped in the state, Dr. Uju Onatai. Ikegbidi, a returning council boss, and a staunch ally of Governor Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, was kidnapped at the council headquarters by gunmen, who dressed in military uniform after they stormed the council secretariat in a bus. A source, who confirmed Ikegbidi’s release yesterday, said he was currently receiving medical attention at an undisclosed hospital. The feuding Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state have feasted upon the kidnapping and political killings, accusing each other of violence.

Odom, Umeh, others bag Nigeria Rising Award Wale Elegbede

or his exemplary leadership and immense contribution to the development of the country, former Minister of State for the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Chief Chuka Odom, was over the weekend honoured alongside other notable Nigerians with the Hallmark Nigeria Rising Star Awards. The award tagged; Nigeria’s Leaders for the Next Millennium Award was held in Lagos.

Other recipients of the award include the National Chairman of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Chief Victor Umeh; DirectorGeneral, Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation (NTDC), Dr. (Mrs.) Sally Mbanefo; Mrs. Ndidi Nwuneli (CEO,LEAP Africa), Senator Magnus Abe, among others. The awardees were recognised based on their immense contribution to the development of the country.

TUESDAY, MAY 5, 2015 NEW TELEGRAPH

Metro

N24m debt: Landlord shuts out Otuoke varsity students INDEBTEDNESS For the inability of the Bayelsa State Government to offset a debt of N24 million, the students of the Federal University, Otuoke, have been thrown out of their hostel

Chris Ejim Yenagoa

undreds of male students of the Federal University situated in President Goodluck Jonathan’s home town, Otuoke, Bayelsa State, have been shut out from their hostel by the landlord. The students resumed on Sunday only to discover that the landlord had shut the hostel over the inability of the school and state government to pay N24 million two years rent. When our correspondent visited the place, the 52-bedroom apartment, which houses more than half of the school male population, was bereft of the normal student activities. The porters and the Dean of Student Life, Dr Marcellina Offoha, were packing some property out of the hostel as the landlord was waiting to put a padlock on the gate. The landlord, who brandished a letter from his Yenagoa-based lawyers, Stream Solicitors, said he was tired of the

Muritala Ayinla

agos State Government yesterday said it recorded about 12,120 rape cases and other sexual violence incidents in the last four years. The Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr Ade Ipaye, who disclosed this while briefing journalists on

ABIODUN BELLO FEATURES Editor

abiodun.bello@newtelegraphonline.com

Students’ belongings thrown out

antics of the state government, which had failed to honour the agreement to pay him annually for the rented apartment. The landlord said he tried to get the issue resolved amicably but his efforts were thwarted by the Bayelsa State Government which was the tenant and the school authorities which occupied the apartment. He said: “I am evicting the university, they are my tenants, they are owing due to the negli-

gence of the state government. They are owing me two years’ rent. I have given them quit notice and I hope they are quitting. “I have spoken to the state government. I have held meetings with the Secretary to the State Government (SSG). I had meetings with the Permanent Secretary and I have held meetings with the vice-chancellor. I also met with the Registrar, but all to no avail. “The reason they gave was

that there was no fund from the state government because it was the Bayelsa State Government that we have the tenancy agreement with and the state government bequeathed the property to the Federal University but whichever way, we have an agreement to be paid, which has not been carried out.” The quit notice signed by R. E. Ndiomu, on behalf of the solicitors, reads: “We the landlords of the 52 bedroom apart-

ments at Onuegbum, Otuoke Road, Otuoke, gives you notice to quit and deliver possession of the aforementioned property with its appurtenances which you hold as a tenant on or before the expiration of seven days upon the receipts of this notice, for failure of the Bayelsa State Government through the office of the Secretary to the State Government, Bayelsa State to pay the balance of N24 million as rent accruable.” Reacting to the ugly development, Offoha said the students returned to the hostel at the weekend but met the place under lock. She said both the students and the school authorities were in a dilemma. The dean, however, promised that the school authorities, the state government and the landlord would soon settle the issue amicably. She said: “We have come and we have to begged him, we are on our knees; he is a kind person and he has allowed us to take at least something that will basically calm the students wherever they are, while discussion with the school and the government continues.” Repeated phone calls to the Chief Press Secretary (CPS) to the governor, Mackson Iworiso, were not answered while a text message to his phone was not replied. However, the Special Assistant to the governor on Media, Olusoji Ajibola, said he would call our correspondent later. However, he did not call at press time.

Lagos records 12,120 rape cases the activities of his ministry in the last one year, said that names of 140 sex offenders had been recorded in the Sex Offenders’ Register. Ipaye also said the government captured the biometric and fingerprint details of 40,000 criminals out of 62,789 unique record of crimes in its Crime Data Registry. The commissioner said that 5,834 offenders had been sentenced to community service since the introduction of the non-custodian sentences in the state criminal justice system. He added that 3,083 offenders were asked to engage in community services as a form of punishment between January 2014

and February 2015. This, Ipaye explained, was part of the strategies to decongest the prisons. He said: “I am pleased to inform you that the programme has continued to wax stronger in demonstration of the fact that criminal justice system does not need to incarcerate offenders in order to be effective. “With the community service option available to judges and magistrates, convicted offenders do not need to be sent to prison for every minor infraction of the law.” In the area of public prosecutions, Ipaye explained that in the period under review, out of the 795 police investigation files sent

to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP)’s office for legal advice, the unit had already completed work on 716 (90.1 per cent). According to him, the remaining are still being processed because they require additional information or further investigation by the police or other relevant agencies. He added: “During the same period, the DPP is engaged in the prosecution of 1,069 criminal cases in all courts. This figure includes the 786 cases which are currently being prosecuted at the Federal and the State High Courts as well as 54 and 11 respectively at the Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court. “The number is also inclusive

Ipaye

of the 218 cases at the Magistrates’ Courts. In addition to the 1,069 active criminal prosecution files, DPP’s office is also handling 160 applications for enforcement of Fundamental Rights.”

METRO 11

NEW TELEGRAPH TUESDAY, MAY 5, 2015

Vandals shoot army officer at his birthday party

A police post burnt by vandals at Arepo last week

Taiwo Jimoh

military officer is presently battling to stay alive at an undisclosed hospital, after suspected oil vandals opened fire at him at Ibafo area of Ogun State. He was shot on Sunday

while celebrating his birthday. Vandals and members of the Oodua People’s Congress (OPC) have been engaged in shootouts in the area in the last couple of days. The residents said that the vandals shot at the yet-to-be identified soldier under the

belief that he was an OPC member. The officer was shot and wounded moments after he shot into the air, as shout of birthday rent the air. According to the residents, when the vandals heard his gunshots, they thought he was an OPC

member trying to attack them. The vandals shot from their hideout but the bullet hit in the leg. Some of the guests at the birthday party were also said to have sustained gun wound injuries. The incident occurred on Lahu Road which forced the residents to scamper into safety. Guests at the party rushed the officer to a private hospital. When our correspondent visited the victim’s house, his wife refused to the officer’s name or rank. She also refused to comment on the incident. But a resident said he and others were at the birthday party, rejoicing with the celebrant when he went in and brought out his service pistol. He said: “The officer shot into the air to mark his birthday. As he was putting down his gun, another gunshot came from the riverside. The bullet hit the soldier and immediately there was a stampede.”

Killer bullion van driver arraigned Kunle Olayeni Abeokuta

he police in Ogun State yesterday arraigned a bullion van driver hired by Union Bank PLC, Abayomi Komolafe, over alleged reckless driving which led to the death of a carpentry apprentice, Gbenga Okesola, in Abeokuta. Komolafe, 31, reportedly crushed the victim to death at OPIC Roundabout at OkeIlewo, Abeokuta, on Thursday last week, ‎an incident which sparked violent protest. He was arraigned at an Abeokuta Chief Magistrates’ Court. The police prosecutor, Inspector Sunday Eigbejiale, told the court that the accused drove a Mercedes Benz bullion van with registration number PF 281 SPY and drove the vehicle in a reckless and dangerous

Camillus Nnaji

uel price still ranged between N130 and N300 per litre in parts of Lagos and Ogun states yesterday despite assurances from the Federal Government that it had resolved the crisis. There were long queues at many filling stations while a good number refused to sell. Black market still remained the last resort for many motorists where street urchins were

manner. He said the accused caused the death of Okesola, who was riding motorcycle about 10:30p.m. Eigbejiale added that the accused drove the vehicle

without possessing the necessary documents such as driver and vehicle licence, insurance and road worthiness certificate. He said the offences contravened Sections 18, 7 (1), 14

(1), 25 (2) (b) (p) of Road Traffic Law Vol 4 Laws of Ogun State 2006 and Section 31 (1) of the Motor Vehicle Third Party Insurance. The accused, whose plea was not taken by the court, was represented by a lawyer, Israel Shogbamu. Shogbamu applied for the bail of his client in liberal terms and assured the court that he would not jump bail. However, the Chief Magistrate, Mr Anthony Araba, granted the accused bail in the sum of N500,000 with two sureties in like sum and ordered that the bullion van be impounded in the court premises. Araba thereafter adjourned the case till June 5 for further hearing on the matter. Meanwhile, the killing of Okesola took a new dimension yesterday as about 10 people were also arraigned for alleged breach of public peace.

Fuel sells for N300 in Lagos selling fuel at N300 per litre. On Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, Yankem, Fatgbems and Habeeb filling stations located between Ibafo and Mowe in Ogun State were selling the product at N130 per litre. At Berger bus stop in Lagos, there was a very long queue of vehicles at Capital Oil and Oando filling stations causing gridlock on the expressway.

Mobil filling stations at Alausa and Awolowo Road in Ikeja had no fuel to sell. At Total filling station on Toyin Street, Ikeja, a fuel tanker had discharged its content but the station was not sell the product. The Station Manager, who gave his name as Mr Monday Ekanem, blamed the situation on the late arrival of the product. He said: “We have a tanker

load of fuel that arrived late. That is why we are not selling yet. But when we fully discharge the tanker, we shall sell at the normal price.” Some of the stranded motorists expressed dissatisfaction that after the said payment of subsidy by the Federal Government, they were still experiencing hardship and buying fuel at the black market.

City Briefs Residents commend Aderanti over crime reduction Juliana Francis

olice in Lagos have arrested 22 hoodlums who used to cause artificial gridlock on the OshodiApapa, Expressway to enable them to rob motorists and passers-by. The suspects were arrested during four different operations by police detectives. According to a police source, the raid was initiated by the Commissioner of Police, Mr Kayode Aderanti, after receiving petitions and complaints from people. The operation was carried out by Aderanti’s Crack Squad, led by Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP), Mr Igbinazaka Ugowe. Another police source said: “Ugowe and his men embarked on surveillance of the area for days, just watching different miscreants intimidate and rob people. “The arrested suspects have confessed to not only being responsible for the crimes perpetrated on the expressway, but further owned up to being the cause of the unusual traffic gridlock. They said the gridlock enabled them to perpetrate their crime.” Meanwhile, the residents of the area have written a letter of commendation to Aderanti over the drastic reduction of crime on the expressway. Speaking on behalf of the residents, Alhaji Sanni Yakubu said that the efforts of the police were commendable. He added that Aderanti and his officers should not relent in their efforts to rid the state of criminals.

Traditional medicine practitioners resolve crisis

he National Association of Nigerian Traditional Medicine Practitioners (NANTMP) said it had amicably resolved its seven-year-old leadership crisis. The Board of Trustees of the association, chaired by Prof Magnus Atilade, held an extra-ordinary joint meeting with the executive body and the general membership to resolve all the issues pertaining to the crisis recently. The joint meeting also dissolved the national executive which had exceeded its one-year tenure. The joint meeting also raised a 10-man caretaker committee headed by Dr Shehu Adamu to conduct an election into the association’s executive offices that would usher in new executive committees both at the federal and the states chapters. A statement jointly signed by its Board Chairman, Atilade and Secretary, Dr Enoch Heart, in Lagos, listed the terms of reference of the committee to include recovering the association’s funds and property. The association, which was set up in 2006 by the Federal Ministry of Health to regulate the practice of traditional medicine in Nigeria, had since 2009 been enmeshed in leadership crisis, resulting in four factions and court cases. But the suits have been withdrawn by all the concerned members to give room for amicable settlement of the crisis.

News

SOUTH-WEST

TUESDAY, MAY 5, 2015 NEW TELEGRAPH

Lagos: Why Al-Mustapha must face death penalty Muritala Ayinla

agos State Government yesterday said it has not withdrawn its case against the Chief Security Officer (CSO) of the late General Sanni Abacha, Major-General Hamzat Al-Mustapha, saying the appeal case was still pending at the Supreme Court. The government also said despite call for abolition of the capital punishment, it would not abolish the execution of condemned criminals in the state, saying most residents of Lagos want the death penalty retained in the state’s criminal laws. Speaking during the presentation on the scorecard of his ministry in the last one year, at the 2015 ministerial press briefing, the state Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Ade Ipaye said, contrary to speculations that the government has withdrawn from the case, the state was still pursuing the case, which he said is at the Supreme Court. Ipaye also explained that in spite of the global outcry against capital punishment which as expressed by the recent execution of four Nigerians in Indonesia, Lagos has no plan to drop execution of condemned criminals, saying that the government’s decision to retain the section of the law was scientific and a reflection of the demands of the residents. He said, “I’m sure you are aware that we filled an appeal at the Supreme Court. The appeal was yet to decided. It is for

that reason that there is really no update on the case for now. It is still pending. As soon as it comes up, you all would be aware of what happens from then on.” He revealed that a study carried out by an agency to know whether death penalty should be abolished or not, showed that more people in the state still want the retention of the capital punishment for offenses like armed robbery, murder

Akure

he All Progressive Congress (APC) has appointed the impeached Deputy Governor of Ondo State, Alhaji Ali Olanusi, as a member of the party’s Board of Trustees (BOT). The party’s National Executive Committee (NEC) of the party, in a letter signed by its Secretary, Hon. Mai Bala Buni, said Olanusi’s appointment as a BOT member has taken effect from July 4, 2014. Olanusi, who defected from the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) to APC on the eve of March 28 presidential election was, last week, im-

fender, OPD has treated 30,998 cases on behalf of the indigent residents in the last four years. He said, “ In the last one year, OPD handled over 15,000 matters on behalf of indigent Lagosians at no cost. These matters cut across labour cases, civil matters, criminal cases, coroner’s inquests and fundamental rights cases. This brings the number of matters that OPD has been involved in the past

four years to 30,998. OPD also facilitated the collection of over N42million as compensation on behalf of complainants in the last one year. All together in the past four years, OPD has assisted Lagosians to collect N152, 853,062.33k as compensation. Among the cases handled on behalf of the indigent residents was the case of 17-year-old girl impregnated 3 times by a man.

L-R: Minister of Education, Mallam Ibrahim Shakarau, Ondo State Governor, Dr Olusegun Mimiko; his Deputy, Alhaji Lasisi Oluboyo and Rector, Federal Polytechnic, Ile-Oluji, Prof. Emmanuel Fasakin, during the Minister’s visit to Akure ahead of his inaugural visit to the polytechnic…yesterday

Adesina Wahab Ado-Ekiti

s a result of the dwindling allocations from the Federation Account, Ekiti State Government has opened discussions with labour leaders on ways to meet its obliga-

Impeached Ondo Deputy Gov becomes APC BoT member Babatope Okeowo

(intentionally killing). Ipaye stressed that the review of the aspect of the law was subject to the demand of the populace, saying Lagos State government would be willing to review its criminal laws, if residents demanded for capital punishment abolition. Harping on the efforts to make more Logosians have access to justice regardless of their financial status, Ipaye said the Office of the Public Of-

peached by 23 members of the State House of Assembly over alleged corrupt practices, absenteeism and gross misconduct. The former Deputy Governor was replaced by another cabinet member Alhaji Lasisi Oluboyo, who has since assumed duties. However, the former Deputy Governor has vowed to challenge his impeachment in court despite being compensated with the position of BOT member. The letter, dated November 17, 2014, appointing Olanusi as a member of the party’s highest decision making body, said the appointment would last for four years.

Oyo election tribunal commences sitting Sola Adeyemo Ibadan

three-man election petition tribunal in Oyo State yesterday held its inaugural sitting with Chairman, Justice J,G Abundaga, warning the counsels to petitioners against any waste of time as it would not exceed it’s statutory 180 days to dispense with all matters brought before it. Though the Tribunal Chairman and other members of the panel, sought the cooperation of petitioners and other stakeholders in adhering to the processes and procedures of the tribunal so as to make the job faster, the head of the Senator Rasidi Ladoja counsel, Mr Richard Ogunwole, however, accused the state chapter of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) of deliberately constituting hindrances in their ways to sabotage the efforts of the tribunal. He alleged that INEC officials refused to make documents available to his junior lawyers who needed them to plead their case before the tribunal. His words, “Time is of essence in this task.”

Salary: Ekiti opens talks with labour leaders tions in term of payment of salaries. For instance, the government was yet to pay April salary, which is causing anxiety among workers that Ekiti may join the league of states that are indebted to their workers. The state governor, Ayo Fayose, while speaking in Ado-Ekiti two weeks ago during the delegates’ conference of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC), had said the state would try as much as possible to regularly pay workers’ salaries.

with labour leaders on matters of wages. Speaking with journalists on the issue, Ojo said the government had started discussing with the labour on suggestions that would be of tremendous help to the state government. “What are we going to do when allocation from the Federation account has dropped? We want all of us to sit down and discuss it. “We are laying our cards on the table. We want our stakeholders to give us suggestions. It is

after we have agreed on modalities that we will start paying. “We have been able to show them the amount to be spent on salaries, running grants, subventions to institutions and other recurrent expenditures in order of priority to government’s statutory financial operation,”Ojo said. He allayed the fears that the state might not pay salary, saying no stone would be left unturned to ensure regular payment of workers’ benefits.

Mob attacks Osun PDP legislator-elect

appealed to the warring factions to give peace a chance. Earlier, the state INEC presented Certificates of Return to the 24 All Progressives Congress (APC) legislatorelects and the two from the PDP. While charging them to embrace one another for the progress of the state, the state Resident Electoral Commissioner, Dr. Adekunle Ogunmola said, “We are all members of the same family and we must ensure that we do our best to ensure good governance in the state”.

AdeoluAdeyemo Osogbo

newly elected lawmaker into the Osun State House of Assembly from Ife East State constituency, Hon. Akinwole Akinwale,was yesterday attacked by unknown hoodlums in Osogbo, after he received his Certificate of Return from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

The governor assured that workers would be paid regularly in accordance with his election promises. Fayose said that the sum of N2 billion, was received for April from the Federation Account, even when the wage bills of workers stood at N2.6 billion, saying he would have to call a meeting of all relevant stakeholders, to seek solutions to the problems. The Commissioner for Finance, Chief Toyin Ojo, yesterday said the governor had started liaising

The legistor-elect, who was abducted after receiving his certificate, was whisked away by the thugs who reportedly beat him blueblack before the Speaker of the State House of Assembly rescued him. The reason for his maltreatment was yet to be ascertained as at the time of filing in this report, but it may not be unconnected with the lingering crisis that erupted in ile-ife

between the APC and PDP in the last election in the state. New Telegraph gathered that the PDP and APC supporters who had scores to settle with themselves after the election, renewed their hostility at the INEC office, leading to the abduction of the lawmaker. The abducted lawmaker had, however, been set free after the intervention of the Speaker, who reportedly

NEW TELEGRAPH TUESDAY, MAY 5, 2015

Parliament

I’ll focus on rural development – Oduah

Senate

National Assembly

Ekwunife: No problem being in opposition

Nigeria’s quest for midterm elections

Politics

Training the lawmakers

He advised them to take advantage of the holistic capacity building and training programmes of the NILS to enhance effective and informed legislation.

The National Institute for Legislative Studies (NILS) held a five-day induction course for Senate and House of Representatives members-elect. PHILIP NYAM and CHUKWU DAVID review the outcome of the five-day event

or five days, legislatorselect in the National Assembly converged on Abuja, the federal capital city, for an induction course preparatory for the inauguration of the 8th Legislature. The Induction Course was in line with the mandate of the National Institute for Legislative Studies (NILS), to conduct periodic short and refresher courses for national and state legislators, staff, committee secretaries and political aides, on democracy and good governance The exercise witnessed several technical presentations from diverse topics on legislative practice and procedures and had resource persons, who were Nigerians with robust legislative experience. It also presented a fertile ground for those contesting for presiding positions to market their candidatures. There were side attractions at the five-day event as banks unleashed their marketers on the lawmakers advertising different types of facilities. Similarly, estate agents were also on hand marketing various properties to the legislators. Another group visible during the exercise was a horde of unemployed youths seeking to be engaged by the new lawmakers. Mark’s opening shot Chairman of the National As-

AYODELE OJO

DEPUTY Editor, POLITICS ayodele.ojo@newtelegraphonline.com

L-R: Senate President David Mark, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Aminu Tambuwal and the Senate Leader, Victor Ndoma-Egba at the 8th National Assembly Induction Certificate Course in Abuja…last week.

sembly and President of the Senate, Senator David Mark, who declared the course open decried the high turnover in the national parliament, lamenting that the practice does not augur well for the growth of the legislature. The Senate President decried the high turnover in the percentage of those elected into the National Assembly for the first time and implored the members to work hard. He advised the elected members to take maximum advantage of the induction course drawn up to feature former presiding officers as resource persons. He urged the newly elected members to respond to the needs of the people with sincerity and commitment through effective legislation. He said that the legislature in recent years had taken some steps to keep the country intact during some daunting challenges and stressed the need for the 8th Assembly to consolidate on the foundation laid. Tambuwal’s remarks On his part, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Aminu Tambuwal, said the 2015 elections had made Nigeria to

stand on the threshold of history contrary to popular predictions. He commended the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for its commitment and bringing some innovations into the electoral process which earned the entire process credibility and acceptability. He urged all those in leadership positions to make the safety of the citizenry their priority now that the elections are over.

There were side attractions at the fiveday event as banks unleashed their marketers on the lawmakers

Ekweremadu’s counsel Chairman of the Governing Board of NILS and Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, charged the lawmakers to utilise the experience of the five days to enrich their knowledge towards legislative practice and procedures. He noted that given the quality of the topics presented at the Induction Certificate Course, the emerging legislators will be better equipped for the business of legislation, going forward. He urged the participants to be agents of change, especially in the next dispensation, adding that, “They should legislate towards poverty reduction, conflict resolution, peace building and the development of human capacity.”

Buhari’s pledge The high point of the induction course was the presence of the President-elect, General Muhammadu Buhari, who addressed the lawmakers and pledged to work with the Eighth National Assembly as development partners to tackle corruption and reduce the cost of running government. Buhari urged the elected federal lawmakers to collaborate with him on the budget process and in the restructuring of the public sector in order to guarantee transparency in the polity. He noted that the cooperation between him and the legislators will enable both arms of government to collectively tackle the menace of high recurrent expenditure at the expense of capital and human development. The President-elect lamented that high cost of governance had greatly affected execution of capital projects, human development, and had eroded public social services such as infrastructure, health and education. “High cost of governance has been crowding out capital and human development,” Buhari said. He also observed that there was dearth of development in the agricultural and solid mineral sectors. The President-elect equally urged the lawmakers to ensure legislations that would pave the way for favourable policies in the sectors. “Distinguished members of the 8th National Assembly, I see these development challenges as the mission of my presidency. I need the support of the members of the National Assembly on the battlefront. I need your support in many respects,” Buhari urged. He urged the federal parliamentarians to take seriously, their oversight functions, which according to him, is critical in ensuring that policies are implemented effectively and transparently. “My mission to bring integrity into governance would better succeed if complemented with a strong culture of transparent oversight,” he said. Buhari also stressed the need to contain insecurity in the country, urging the lawmakers to join hands with him in rooting out the challenges of insecurity in the country. He identified lack of CONTINUED ON PAGE 14

Politics

TUESDAY, MAY 5, 2015 NEW TELEGRAPH

Intensive course for incoming legislators C O N T I N U E D F R O M PA G E 1 3

stable power supply as one of the strongest forces discouraging investments in the country, which according to him had in turn put a limit on job creation. Buhari said: “I am here today to invite you to work with the executive as partners in progress, as champions of good governance and development and as warriors for change. Together, we can make this nation great and as a role model in Africa and other emerging economies and democracies. “The legislature is a critical component and necessary ingredient of democracy and good governance. The legislature, by nature, is inherently democratic in the sense that all members are equal and are elected representatives of the Nigerian people. As President-elect, I recognise this fact and believe that legislators carry this heavy burden of representation with all the seriousness it deserves. “For a president to be successful in addressing community development and the general welfare of the various people of the country, he or she would benefit from working closely and in harmony with the legislative arm of government. “I therefore commit myself to working with the legislature as development partners motivated by the desire to deliver good governance.” Proposal on midterm elections One important issue that came out of the induction course was the call by the Director General of NILS, Dr. Ladi Hamalai for the adoption of the United States

model of conducting midterm elections for legislators. She said the midterm elections will help in safeguarding institutional memory that would enhance the maturity and growth of the legislature. Hamalai, who described the legislature as “the most democratic arm of government”, lamented the huge loss

On induction course I am very happy that the initiators took the initiative to do what they are doing. It is a good experience. I have learnt everything; I have learnt that team work is essential. We must work as a team. Both the Upper House and the Green House should have an interface in whatever they are doing and work as a team; knowing that we have one common interest, and that interest is the people of Nigeria; those that voted for us and gave us their mandate. We should make their

Oduah

ranking members who enjoy certain preferential treatments at the expense of others, even though the presiding officers are called, ‘first among equals’. She, however, noted the constitutional huddle in the way of such a political reform which is necessary for the growth of the legislature.

Cross section of the newly-elected lawmakers at the Induction Course in Abuja...last week.

I’ll focus on rural development – Oduah Stella Oduah, a former Minister of Aviation is the senator-elect from Anambra State

of institutional memories in the legislature, stressing that the idea of changing legislators every four years has greatly retarded the growth of the arm which represents the symbol of democracy. She added that such practice is responsible for the unhealthy practice of designating returning legislators as

lives better and it should count. On incoming government The incoming government should meet the needs of the people because that is what it is all about. It is about the development of Nigeria, it is about the rural people; the needs of the rural communities. Government should invest in things that will make their lives better. This is what we promised them; that we will represent them and that we will make their lives better. So, it should be a collective effort with common interest, which is the people. Women should be mainstreamed, and unless that is done we are going to have gaps everywhere because of the passion women come to politics with; because of the tenacity that women come into politics with. And most importantly, politics is all about passion and people, and that’s what women are made up of. And I think every party will come to that realisation very soon and start mainstreaming women in politics, and the nation will be better of with that. My focus When I come to the Senate, I will pursue bills that will impact positively on the lives of the rural people. Rural development is my priority. It is very crucial; they deserve much better than they are currently getting. They need improved facilities, basic amenities which the people in the city take for granted such as the water, the light, the roads and where they can work. So, I believe everybody should focus on the people. The opposition we need is the one that will prioritise the needs of the people

I support ranking rule – Achonu Athan Achonu is a Senator-elect for Imo North Experience from the induction I am excited. I am looking forward to being in the Red Chambers among the senators. From the information we have gathered so far, we are looking forward to the practical side of the Red Chambers and we are getting there. They have given us enough information. You know the test of the pudding is in the eating. It is when we get into the Red Chamber that the real action will start. View on ranking Well, there is no gainsaying the fact that anybody who is going to be a principal officer needs legislative experience. I totally agree with that. It also adds colour to the membership of the Red Chamber. It is a good culture and tradition. And when you are going in there, you go in there so that you will be able to behave yourself and become a very good senator so that your people Achonu can send you back and

you begin to enjoy all the privileges of ranking. I think it is a very good culture that makes it possible for senators to behave themselves and work for their constituents, who will in turn vote them back. So, I support ranking. Playing opposition in 8th Senate Our party is not in the opposition. PDP is the only party in this country; APC is not a party. It is an amalgamation of strange bed fellows. It will collapse in a very short time. So, I am not in the opposition.

Politics 15

NEW TELEGRAPH TUESDAY, MAY 5, 2015

L-R: Minority Leader, House of Representatives, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila; Chairman, House Committee on Rules and Business, Sam Tsokwa and former Clerk of the National Assembly, Niyi Ogunyomi at a session.

Hamalai also urged political parties to de-emphasise the concept of zoning the offices of presiding officers of the National Assembly in relation to legislative experience. “There are other strategies we can also adopt. Like the political parties can adjust their behaviour by removing zoning from legislative elections. Take it off completely. We don’t need to zone legislative appointment and offices. If they can really appreciate ideological and legislative reasoning behind that, we all can benefit from it.” The lectures A review of some of the papers

Kehinde Odeneye, member-elect, House of Representatives from Ogun State

nduction course has become a ritual most especially for the new members coming into the National Assembly, both the Senate and the House of Representatives. So, it is just a way of letting members both new and old to know what their responsibilities are in the National Assembly. And so far so good, the turnout is so impressive especially for the old ones that have had the opportunity of learning a lot of things about the National Assembly. For the new ones, they have opportunity of learning a lot of things concerning the National Assembly too. The induction training is basically to familiarise members of the National Assembly with their responsibilities. Turnover of legislators I am a bit worried by the

presented at the induction course for National Assembly members

dissatisfied party may appeal to the Court of Appeal, and yet further appeal lies to the Supreme Court of five justices depending, or the full bench of the Supreme Court on specific constitutional matters. This stresses the need for the legislature and legislators to know that their intellectual capacity and legislative dexterity should be fully and unreservedly applied to lawmaking. It is not optional.” The paper also explained some salient concepts such as consideration of bills, motions, petitions, privileges, state of emergency, procedure on treaties, matters of urgent public importance.

Senator Ita Enang At the first technical session chaired by Senate President Mark, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Rules and Business, Senator Ita Enang presented a paper titled “Legislative procedures and practice in the National Assembly: Focus on Standing Orders.” Enang noted that the legislature is primarily a lawmaking institution. He said: “It is the law that we make or enact in the National Assembly that goes for application or interpretation in the Federal or State High Courts, upon which a

High turnover of lawmakers not good for democracy – Odeneye high rate of turnover of ranking members of the National Assembly but that doesn’t mean that we are not happy to have new members. But the problem and challenge is that it takes a while for members to understand the workings of the National Assembly. And this is not all about whether I am a lawyer or an accountant or I have been somewhere before. It is about the workings of the National Assembly. So, if it takes a while for us to build and grow, that means it is going to take the new members a while to build and for them to grow, that means that it will to some extent affect the workings of the National Assembly. But I want to believe that the people that have been elected to come to the National Assembly are people of high integrity and

Mohammed Kazaure is a member-elect of the House of Representatives from Jigawa State

L-R: Senators-elect, Abdul-Aziz Murtala Nyako (Adamawa Central), Dino Melaye (Kogi- West) and Francis Alimikhena at the Induction Course. PHOTOs: ELIJAH OLALUYI

y question is: Is the issue of ranking members taking the leadership positions in the National Assembly in the 1999 Constitution as amended or in the standing rules of the two chambers? I give an example, if a ranking member in the House of Representatives, who has been in the Chamber

Odeneye

very exposed members. So, I want to also believe that they are going to learn quickly for them to be able to adapt and in a very good time, I want to see them adapting quickly to the workings of the National

Assembly. But I am a bit worried because if the turnover continue to be like this every four years, we are going to have problem with our democratic structure most especially as it affects the parliament. It means that every four years, we will be bringing new members that will not be able to deepen our legislative activities pertaining to the democratic structure. But let us take it and believe that we are going to blend because of their various knowledge since some of them have been in their state assemblies where they are coming from. This will enable us to grow faster in the National Assembly. But it is not good for us to continue to have large National Assembly members that are new every four years, it is not too good.

No basis for ranking in N’Assembly – Kazaure could be defeated at the poll by a vibrant young man, then where is the justification that a newly elected member could not be part of the leadership of the National Assembly? If my first question is found in any of the standing rules, is the rule superior to the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended? This is the only question I ask in this House. Rules in the House are not written in the constitution because if we follow rules at the expense of the constitution, it will

tie our progress because we have vibrant and experienced newly elected members who can bring change in this House. We promised change to our people and we want to deliver that change. How are they going to tie our progress? We are majority in the House; we are above 220 while the ranking members are 100 plus, I am sure that we can perform better than them because they are here as “never perform”. Let them try us and see that we will surprise them because they will definitely see change in reality.

Hon. Umar Ghali Na’Abba Former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Umar Ghali Na’Abba in a paper titled “Separation of powers, Checks and Balances, The Appropriation Process and Good Governance: The Legislative Perspective,” critically examined the symbiotic relationships among various institutions that facilitate democratic governance, making reference to the Executive, Legislature and the Judiciary, with special emphasis on the appropriation process. He observed that such relationship helps to bring about good governance. He said: “It must be appreciated that the idea of separation of powers and checks and balances is not to make the institutions of democracy friction free. The executive will never perceive the legislature as fulfilling its constitutional responsibilities unless the legislature is pliant or subservient to it. Equally, the legislature will never cease to perceive the executive as arrogant and antipeople. This friction is healthy for all democracies.” According to him, “There is in this country, rightly, the public perception that, the executive branch at all levels seeks to always have a legislature that is pliant and subservient and thus easily controllable. The mutual leadership gap that exists for the past 15 years must therefore be closed. It is without doubt, foolhardy and short sighted in a constitutional democratic regime to govern with a legislature that is not autonomous, independent and vibrant and which is unable to provide the much-desired constitutional check for Executive governance.” He noted that “three fundamental requirements for fostering the much-needed harmony between the executive and the legislature for the delivery of good governance are as follows: that each arm must keep within the limits of its power as enunciated in the constitution; that arrogance of state power as well as its intolerance must be restrained and that constructive engagement through consultations and dialogue is necessary.” Alhaji Muhammed Sani-Omolori At one of the sessions chaired by Tambuwal, the Clerk of the House of Representatives presented a paper titled: “Opening of A New Parliament.” CONTINUED ON PAGE 16

16 Politics Hon. Uche Ekwunife, Senator-elect from Anambra Central is a member of the House of Representatives. In this interview with CHUKWU DAVID, she speaks on her opposition status and the 8th Senate From House to Senate Well it is the same job, though we have Green Chamber and Red Chamber, it is basically the same. But what happens is that whatever you pass in the House in terms of bills and amendment of any bill or constitution or any act, you must get the same approval from the Senate before the President signs it into law. So, I can as well say that I am going to upgrade what I have been doing in the House of Representatives and do better now as a senator. I think much is being expected from me now as a senator. Moving from majority party to opposition It is always good to test both sides. I have been in the sweet majority. Now I am in a very sweet opposition; and being in a sweet opposition, I know what I meant. We are expected to have our integrity intact. We have to ensure that the majority puts things in the right direction and Nigeria moves forward. The most important thing is that we are here to serve Nigerians. Whether you are in a majority party or you are in the minority party, one thing is clear and one thing is certain, service to the people. And once we have that at the back of our mind, we must put Nigerians first in anything that we do. So, if the majority people are doing it right, we support them. If they are doing it in a wrong way, we must put them

TUESDAY, MAY 5, 2015 NEW TELEGRAPH

Ekwunife: No problem being in opposition in the right perspective and on the right track. On ranking It has always been the same. When we entered in 2007, we kicked against ranking but now we are supporting ranking. There is no way you take ranking away. The legislature needs experienced people to handle certain things. You cannot just bring in a new legislator to take up leadership position; of course the person will not know what to do. And for you to have a stable economy; for this country to move forward, and to get the two chambers of the National Assembly working well, you need ranking members, you need experienced members to pilot the affairs of the legislature because the only thing that can differentiate military rule from democracy is the legislature. Therefore, we need ranking; we need experienced people to pilot the affairs of both chambers.

because if anything could have happened they should have worked hard on how to win the election.

Ekwunife

Opposes salary slash I am not subscribing to salary slash but I will like to say let us have productive work service. If the civil service can be productive, Nigeria can move forward. You pay somebody when that person has done work. So, there must be a mechanism to ensure that people do what they are supposed to do. Even if you slash the salary and the civil service is not productive, nothing will work. The way private sector works, let us apply the same attitude to civil service so that people in public service can do their work. The economy is not very good now for you to slash anybody’s salary. But, let us all go and work

for Nigeria so that Nigeria will be a better place to live. Expectation from the Eighth Senate Of course, I expect robust and better representation. You can see many experienced hands there; governors are there, former legislators are there; people from the private sector are there. So, we have so much to do for this country, I just hope that all of us will come together to understand that we have just one Nigeria to work for. Pressure to relinquish mandate to Ngige Yes, so much pressure from here and there but for me, that is not an issue to be discussed

Defection from the PDP to the APC? No, I don’t have such plan. But let me state here that in any political system, all the political parties don’t have their manifestos, they don’t have their programmes and all that but we politicians, the essence of running election is to win and serve the people; what is common is service to the people. So, it doesn’t matter the platform that gets you to that place. Even if you are from APGA and you are not doing well your people will reject you. If you are in APC and you are not serving your people, they will reject you. It is not the party that will make you to work for your people. You are the only person that can work for your people; it is not about political party. So, even if you come from Diamond political party, Gold political party, as long as you are not serving your people, they will reject you. And also very interesting, like I moved from PDP to APGA, I won my election; I moved from APGA to PDP, I won my election again. And I won election in a very hostile environment, where the governor did not give me my ticket I went to PDP and I won my election. And I defeated the national chairman of the ruling party in my state. I defeated a sitting senator and former governor of my state. That will show you clearly that God was there for me; God gave me the mandate and the people wanted me and they voted for me because I served them well.

Intensive course for incoming legislators C O N T I N U E D F R O M PA G E 1 5

In the paper, the clerk described the parliament as “a section or region of a democratic nation.” He pointed out that the core basis of parliamentary system should be representation of people and their interests. According to him, an important inhouse business to be conducted by a new parliament is the formation and composition of Committees as well as the appointment of the Chairmen for the Committees. “This exercise is usually guided and conducted in accordance with the provisions of the Standing Orders of the two chambers. However, in reality the composition of committees and appointment of their Chairmen and Deputy Chairmen is usually carried out through collaborative work among the Presiding Officers, the Selection Committee and the political parties’ caucuses” Dr. Rasheed Raman Another resource person at the induction course was Dr. Rasheed Raman, who in his paper titled “Representation and Constituency Relation” argued that in all of its functions, “the legitimacy of parlia-

ment and its members rest upon a central claim: that parliament institutionalises political representation in society.” The concept of representation, according to him, focuses in particular on the questions of how members of parliament relate themselves to the electorate, whom they represent in their decision making and in what way they aim to represent a given constituency. Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa Chairman of the House Committee on Diaspora Affairs, Hon. Abike DabiriErewa presented a paper titled: “Effective Communication in the Legislature.” In the paper, Dabiri-Erewa noted that since the substantial and critical business of the legislature are done at the committee levels, and the legislative institution being a transparent and open system, it behoves on the National Assembly as an institution, and respective parliamentarians to optimise the use of the social media platforms which is effective and cost efficient to carry their constituents along. She emphasised that work of the parliament should account for about 70 per cent of media reportage, urging that bills, motions, public hearings and

committee activities should be promptly posted on the social media and websites in order to make it more interactive and responsive. The lawmaker also called for the establishment of a state-of-the-art media centre and an e-library within the precinct of the National Assembly to enhance efficient dissemination of parliamentary proceedings. She further advocated for the sustenance of public hearing as a means of promoting efficiency, transparency and public participation. The lawmaker charged the newly inducted legislators to adopt a renewed and vibrant communication strategy that will ensure a two-way communication that is in line with the 21st communication realities and reflect the mood of the nation for a better Nigeria. She also noted that regular seminars will continue to provide the right atmosphere for active engagement of all stakeholders and ultimately provide opportunities to correct the erroneous perception and misconceptions about issues such as the salaries of the legislature and the notion of constituency projects among others.

Hon. Albert Sam-Tsokwa In his paper titled “Understanding bills and resolutions,” chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Rules and Business, Hon. Albert SamTsokwa drew a distinction between bills and resolutions. He noted that while bills result into acts, resolutions are products of motions. The paper explained the types of bills: private member bill and executive bill. It also touched on how bills are drafted and presented to the parliament and the various stages of consideration of bills. The high point of the paper was the reference to the controversial labelling of resolutions “mere advisory” by President Goodluck Jonathan. The Special Adviser on Media and Public Affairs, Dr. Reuben Abati, had in the earliest days of the administration described resolutions by the parliament as “mere advisory’. But Sam-Tsokwa in the paper disputed the submission of the Presidency. Sam-Tsokwa said it is “highly bankrupt” for the president to remark that resolutions from motions passed by the National Assembly were mere advisory.

Politics 17

NEW TELEGRAPH TUESDAY, MAY 5, 2015

he midterm elections occur in the middle of a president’s term in office. While presidential elections are held every four years in the United States (US), general elections for other positions are held every two years. These elections usually involve state governors, state and federal congressmen and a number of local elected positions. In each midterm election, onethird of the 100 senators (who serve six year terms) and all 435 members of the House of Representatives (who serve two years) are up for re-election. Every two years, the midterm election gives Americans the opportunity to rearrange the political make-up of the US Congress in both the Senate and the House of Representatives. The election is often viewed as the people’s opportunity to express their satisfaction or frustration with the president’s performance. In Nigeria, elections are held every four years and there is no midterm elections. It is in the light of this that the Director General of the National Institute for Legislative Studies (NILS), Dr. Ladi Hamalai, made the call at the ongoing induction for National Assembly members-elect in Abuja. She said the midterm elections will help in safeguarding institutional memory that would enhance the maturity and growth of the legislature. Hamalai, who described the legislature as “the most democratic arm of government,” lamented the huge loss of institutional memories in the legislature, stressing that the idea of changing legislators every four years has greatly retarded the growth of the arm which represents the symbol of democracy. “The legislature is the most democratic arm of government where you have 360 members of the House and 109 members of the Senate representing 360 federal constituencies and 109 senatorial districts respectively. Each one is an independent unit of power created by, and deriving its functions from the constitution. “So it is not subject to any other organisation. Any other organisation is a bureaucracy. And since it is the most democratic arm of government, the sustenance of democracy will largely depends on the growth of the legislative arm,” she submitted. She added that such practice is responsible for the unhealthy practice of designating returning legislators as ranking members who enjoy certain preferential treatments at the expense of others, even though the presiding officers are called, ‘first among equals’. She, however, noted the constitutional huddles in the way of such a political reform which is necessary for the growth of the legislature. “The need to keep experienced lawmakers for the growth of the legislature is a policy and constitutional issue. There are various dispensations worldwide where they fashion out ways on how to solve these problems. “In the US for example, every two years they elect half of the congress in what is called, midterm election. Not all. In such an

Nigeria’s quest for midterm elections

Recently, the Director General of the National Institute for Legislative Studies (NILS), Dr. Ladi Hamalai, advocated for the adoption of the United States model of conducting mid-term elections for legislators. PHILIP NYAM looks at the implications of such innovation in Nigeria’s polity

National Assembly complex

election, almost 90 per cent of the legislators are returned. In this arrangement, not all the legislators go for re-election at the same time. That is why you have lawmakers spending decades in the legislature with all the legislative experiences. “So, this has to be really debated on. Whether to do a constitution amendment to ensure that at least, 50 to 70 per cent of legislators are retained at every election, or better still we can adopt the US method which ensure not all of them are made to go for election at the same time, which requires an amendment to the constitution,” Hamalai said. She also urged political parties to de-emphasise the concept of zoning the offices of presiding officers of the National Assembly in relation to legislative experience. “There are other strategies we can also adopt. Like the political parties can adjust their behaviour by removing zoning from legislative elections. Take it off completely. We don’t need to zone legislative appointment and offices. If they can really appreciate ideological and legislative reasoning behind that, we all can benefit from it. “Now it doesn’t be that somebody is left permanently there, no. But at least, we know that we

ers to the new ones through legislative processes and practises. “So, with that not all of them would have their fixed term expire at the same time. So, there are many things we can think of doing rather than this straight jacket approach of holding general elections every four years and lose valuable institutional memories in the process.”

Hamalai

There are many things we can think of doing rather than... elections every four years and lose valuable institutional memories

need some semi-permanency. So you can have a time limit instead of just zone positions from one legislative session to the other. With that, each zone is represented and the positions are rotated let’s say, 16-year time limit where a zone would do two-three terms and give way to another zone because you would have maintained some institutional memory. “Or better still, if we can have different starting points for different zones so that we mix experience and inexperience legislators of equal proportion with the experienced ones acting as teach-

The implications Introducing midterm elections in Nigeria would put pressure on the legislators and spur them to work harder. It will make lawmakers to be alive to their responsibilities and hold the electorate in highest esteem. Due to the absence of midterm elections in Nigeria’s political system, most elected representatives take the people for granted. In most cases, once they get into office, they abandon their constituents and embark on personal aggrandizement at the expense of the welfare of the downtrodden. Secondly, the midterm elections will serve as a check on the activities of lawmakers by the people. It will offer the electorate the opportunity to assess their representatives and decide whether to continue with them or not. CONTINUED ON PAGE 20

TUESDAY, MAY 5, 2015 NEW TELEGRAPH

Opinion Political metamorphosis Nnamdi Charles Nwokedi

t the risk of sounding like one of those luciferian political jobbers and boot lickers who dot our political space, I have to confess that my respect and admiration for Ashiwaju Bola Tinubu is without reservation or compromise. Here is an unassuming and selfeffacing political tactician and master strategist who has whethered every storm imaginable to emerge as a political gladiator and a champion of democracy. From Alliance for Democracy, to Action Congress, to Action Congress of Nigeria, and finally to All Progressives Congress, he has plotted the political graph of his party and followers from state and regional politics to national and global politics, yet he seems to be just beginning. The problem we have always had in Nigeria has been the laid back attitude and utter selfishness of our ruling classes. Our political leaders and ruling class have always been content to lie back and feed fat on the proceeds of corruption and iniquity. They have always lacked a sense of noblese oblige. They have never really accepted nor understood the responsibility of leadership nor the sacrifices required in rulership. Theres’ has been not to look out for the helpless masses and their interests but to look out for their personal pocket books. In so doing, our so called elite have looted and plundered the resources of the Federal Republic of Nigeria at will. They have decimated the common wealth of the masses they purport to protect with reckless abandon, so much so that most Nigerians have been left stranded and confused. Now back to my point. Almost no leader in our

polity has been guiltless of pilfering at some point or the other, however, when I look at the history and progression of the APC from the point of view of a Nigerian from the South East, I am completely crestfallen. Somebody led AD, a regional party and grew it to AC, then ACN and while this metamorphosis took place, it constituted the only viable opposition to the tyranny of the Peoples Democratic Party; PDP. Without opposition, there is no democracy. It was Ashiwaju’s party that watered the tree of democracy through thick and thin, through tyranny and victory, standing toe to toe against Chief Olusegun Obasanjo’s PDP even while federal funds were illegally withheld from Lagos State’s coffers for political reasons. The growth of viable opposition in the polity of the Fourth Republic was founded on the metamorphosis of the Alliance for Democracy to the All progressives Congress. This opposition has finally reached its Zenith by taking the baton (or about to) from the ruling party. This opposition now has the task of administrating the governance of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. This makes the man in question exceptional in the ranks of the ruling elite of our republic. This makes the man a gem and an asset not only to his people, the people of the south west, but a credit to the nation as a whole. The man in whose hands destiny has thrust the rulership of this great nation, Mohammadu Buhari, a taciturn, battle hardened General and a long time crusader for good governance is hopefully equal to the task. With the successful change we have effected in our polity, one thing stands out with certainityNigeria has ended its slide into perdition. Bad governance and horrendous thievery by our rulers had

pushed our country to the brink and we had literally held our breath for the free fall into the bottomless pit of the dark abyss that few countries who fell into emerge from. One hopes that with a disciplined anticorruption crusader like the General, the masses of this country will begin to feel some reprieve from the oppressive economic environment they have been subjected to for sixteen years of PDP rulership. The Nigerian psyche has been battered by the wickedness and insensitivity of our past rulers especially in this Fourth Republic. The masses have endured coup d’etat, inflation, devaluation, unemployment, nonpayment of salaries, terrorism and downright political, social and economic brutality from those we had entrusted and empowered to secure and safe guard our collective future. Change has occurred in Nigeria politically, but we need to see change economically and socially. Change should not be for the sake of change in itself but as a means to a better and more fruitful alternative. We have gone the whole hog in our development as a nation and it is time, I dare say, for our people to begin to see and enjoy the fruits of good governance and democracy. General Buhar,i at Seventy-two, has four years to prove to God and man that his intentions and his fight for good governance justify the trust that God and man have bequeathed on him to lead us out of the rough and unto greener pastures. I doff my hat at the Ashiwaju and I believe in the integrity and political will of the General on whose shoulders destiny and the Nigerian people have placed such a heavy burden of trust and hope. God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria. • Nnamdi sent this piece through (www.voxpopulinigeria.com)

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Let's do away with pride That discrimination against AIT I had a discussion the other day with a woman on the subject of why some people are so proud and rude. Her own version of the interpretation opened up my contemplation. “Most of those people least expected that they would get to where they are; for example, the First Lady,” she said. However, I have seen some persons who have nothing but their ridiculous ego is ontop of the roof. I’ve diagnosed that many people think that people will match on them if they are humble and humane, so they choose to be rude and proud, thinking that they are strong and true to themselves. An Igbo man who believes so much in the cultural and traditional ethics of my people, I have never used “Hello” or “Hi” to address anybody that I know is older than I am. In short, I do not use those words. I was taught by my teacher then that such words are used to draw attention of a person, and not a form of greeting. Regrettably, some of our people can be funny with their use of “hello” or “hi”. They have a mindset that they will be belittling theirselves if they use the conventional greetings such as “Goodmorning”, “Goodafternoon”, “Goodevening”. The worst are those

that use “welldone” or “How far”. I won’t even look at you. It is human relation to be nice to everybody, but I see more people today who are rude, proud and arrogant, and they see their weirdness as civilisation. How many people know that “Pride is an independent, me-oriented spirit”? One Joyce Meyer says of this: “It makes people arrogant, rude and hard to get along with. When our heart is prideful, we don't give God the credit and we mistreat people, looking down on them and thinking we deserve what we have.” What many do not realise these days is that, emotions, they say, are contagious. I’ve heard and read people say that the beauty of a woman attracts the men, but her character will either keep the men or make them run. Haba! When I look around today, I see many ladies who are dedicated to their beauty and, not how mannered they are. I lose credibility I have for people immediately their manners are tailored towards rudeness and pomposity. I like great attitude. Some people ironically misconstrue being rude and being confident. Let’s understand good manners and apply them in our daily dealings with people. • Odimegwu Onwumere, Port-Harcourt

NO doubt, life is all about learning from yesterday, living for today, and hoping for tomorrow. But as we learn from our yesterday, we ought not to allow the fear of the past affect the outlook of our future; in other words, we are expected to live for what tomorrow has to bring, not what yesterday has taken away. It is apparent that the long awaited 2015 general elections have successfully come and gone, but the fact remains that the injuries sustained by many during the said polls might linger for many months, if not years, before they get completely healed. Same phenomenon is observed in a situation whereby the scar of a certain wound sustained remained indelible on the victim’s skin after several years the wound got healed. Though, General Mohammadu Buhari emerged victorious at the just concluded Presidential polls, which automatically places him as the incoming democratically elected President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, but some of the shocks he acquired prior

to or during the aforementioned era can never be forgotten in a hurry. One of the primary causes of the said shocks is not unconnected to the campaign of calumny that was embarked upon by the various political parties, including his, during the electioneering phase. Presently, the news making the rounds is that one of the foremost visual broadcasting outfits in the country, the African Independent Television (AIT) was barred by the President-Elect under the auspices of his political party – the All Progressives Congress (APC) from covering any of his future activities henceforth regardless of the nature of the activity. One may ask what could warrant the pronouncement of such undemocratic utterance. It would be recalled that during the electioneering period, there was a certain documentary concerning Mohammadu Buhari that was televised on the media station in question, which obviously dented the image of the retired General alongside that of his family. As soon as the piece went on air for the first time, the

national leadership of the APC cried foul, stating that such act was not just irrational and barbaric but totally dastardly and unacceptable. In the same vein, there was also a similar piece concerning another chieftain of the party who happens to be the past governor of Lagos State – Sen Bola Ahmed Tinubu that was equally televised by AIT, in which the former hurriedly took the matter to court in protest of the inhumane act. In reaction to the restriction imposed on the electronic media outfit by the incoming President, the founder cum Chairman of the DAAR Communications Plc, which is the umbrella body of the AIT, Chief Raymond Dokpesi has stated that the action or directive was purely unconstitutional, hence cannot be abide by or adhered to, by any licensed broadcasting company in Nigeria, talk more of AIT which is an international organization. Chief Dokpesi went further to state that the pronouncement was baseless and lacks any jurisdiction, citing some sections of the Nigerian constitution to that effect. • Fred Nwaozor, Owerri.

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Living with fuel scarcity

t is here with us again, what should be ephemeral now takes a perennial space in our daily lives. It is not just absurd but inexplicable that a country so richly blessed by nature with crude oil, does not know how to manage the resource to the advantage of Nigerians. We have become a nation full of oil, unable to use it to power our economy effectively. This is like the African proverb of one bathing in the river and complaining of red eyes due to the harsh effects of bath foam. Last week and for the umpteenth time, compatriots spent most of their valued time in petrol stations, battling to buy fuel which had become so scarce that the black market took over from the normal retail outlets. It was the second time it would happen in the last weeks of the President Goodluck Jonathan administration. The first was shortly before the March 28 Presidential elections. The Jonathan years witnessed an improvement in the supply chain of petroleum products. One would be forced to ask why the people have to go through all the trauma now. The last scarcity was caused by the strike embarked upon by tanker drivers and owners, over government’s inability to pay subsidy claims to marketers amounting to 354.2 billion naira. As usual, the nation suffered as there was no fuel to do the basic things necessary to keep the economy moving.

It was so bad that airlines had to divert their flights to non oil producing countries like Togo and Benin to refuel. Arik Airlines cancelled over 50 per cent of domestic flights and suspended trips to parts of the globe. Arik Managing Director Chris Ndulue painted a grim picture. “We require about 500,000 to 800,000 litres of fuel daily to power both our domestic and international routes. Our international

How we found ourselves in this is a huge shame. Countries that do not produce oil do not wallow in acute fuel scarcity

flights have got to go to Ghana, Cotonou and even Togo to get fuel before proceeding to London and the United States,” he said. Commuters bore the brunt, as usual. Fares hit the sky, with the corollary increase in price of foodstuff. It turned out to be yet another weekend of agony. Most activities suffered dismal attendance. There are versions of reasons for this sore called scarcity. If it is not about non payment of subsidy to marketers, it could be delay of cargo ships at sea by security agents during checks for clearance. Such trivial things as a tanker driver disobeying traffic rules or scuffle with the military, also work together to visit hardship on the masses. How we found ourselves in this is a huge shame. Countries that do not produce oil do not wallow in acute fuel scarcity. They are able to manage the supplies they get from oil producing nations. The irony, is that one of the world’s leading oil producing nations, is suffering from the most inexcusable of ailments. Nigeria has to export and shamelessly import the same product. Perhaps it will go down in history as an oil producer that cannot manage oil. There are various stakeholders who in one way or the other contribute to the ulcer called fuel scarcity. They include the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation [NNPC], Major Oil Marketers Association Of Nigeria[MOMAN], Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria [IPMAN],

National Association of Road Transport Owners[NARTO] and Petroleum Tanker Drivers[PTD]. Petroleum and Gas workers also belong to this group that puts pain on the faces of fellow countrymen and women. If you merge these with some politicians who have refused to make things work in the oil and gas sector due to pecuniary advantage, it is easy to have an idea of those behind this ugly development. Down the line, some marketers also hoard the product to create artificial scarcity. IPMAN president Abdul Kadiri Aminu blames the NNPC for being able to supply only 50 per cent of what is consumed. The NNPC, of course, is the sole importer of petroleum products. While the blame game goes on , the country loses a lot. Hours that should be spent in offices to generate income for people and country, are spent searching for fuel from one filling station to another. As we wait for transition on May 29, we hope the incoming administration is watching. However, watching and waiting ,may not be enough. Gen. Muhammadu Buhari must be ready to find a way round all those whose action or inaction, plunge the whole country into bouts of fuel scarcity. Nigerians deserve more than the oil induced punishment which is no fault of theirs. Fuel scarcity is not the mark of a planned economy. Simply, it is a sign that things that should have been done have been left undone. We cannot continue like this.

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Politics

TUESDAY, MAY 5, 2015 NEW TELEGRAPH

Midterm elections: NILS’ option for stable legislature CONTINUED FROM PAGE 17

Thirdly, the elections would hasten the process of recall, which is presently very cumbersome. In fact, since 1999, no lawmaker has been recalled in Nigeria. But with midterm elections, it will be much easier to send packing non-performing lawmakers through the ballot box. This will in a way also deepen the democratic process and strengthen parties. It will also promote discipline in the entire political system.

Perhaps, the NILS should champion the sponsorship of a bill in the eighth National Assembly to this effect. Midterm elections would certainly add value to the country’s political system. Mixed reactions Chairman of the Senate Committee on Rules and Business, Senator Ita Enang, said there is nothing wrong about elections. He said: “I do not have the details of what the director general

proposed and so cannot comment based on what you are telling me. But I will say every politician should be prepared for elections anytime.” Enang has experienced democracy at all levels having started from the local government council before moving to the state assembly. He spent 12 years in the House of Representatives before his elevation to the Senate in 2011. A former member of the House of Representatives from Niger

state, Hon. Mikhail Bhimtoshi, welcomed the proposal, saying conducting midterm elections will compel lawmakers to work for the people. “Most people believe that the National Assembly is for money making. So, once they are elected and sworn in, they forget their legislative responsibilities but if we are having midterm elections, legislators will buckle up. They will know that if you don’t work, the electorate will decide your

fate,” he said. Bhimtoshi, who was the director general of the APC Governorship Campaign Organisation in Niger State, reasoned that midterm election is long overdue. According to him, “In order to strengthen our legislative democracy, this is very important and I am calling on lawmakers to support this lofty idea. Some people come into the National Assembly and are busy doing businesses while their primary responsibility

of making laws is relegated to the background. And even as they are not doing anything, they remain there for four years. This shouldn’t be the case,” he stated. But an Abuja-based legal practitioner, Ms. Bunmi Aina-Craig is of the opinion that due to the huge cost involved in conducting elections in the country, midterm elections should not be the option. She said instead, the process of recall should be simplified so that any lawmaker that does not perform would be shown the way out. “I think in view of the fact that election is very expensive in the country, I will advise that we make the process of recall less cumbersome and also make access to lawmakers easier so that electorate can interact with them more closely,” she stated. Chairman of the House Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Hon. Zakari Mohammed, was not averse to the idea. According to him, anything that will improve on the gains the country has recorded in the just-concluded elections should be embraced. He, however, expressed reservation that a sitting president may be tempted to use midterm elections to exert his power over the will of the electorate. “What the DG said is just a proposal and until it is translated into a bill, one cannot comment comprehensively on it. But I would like to say that whatever that can build and improve on the milestones we have achieved so far should be encouraged. “Whatever angle you look at it, midterm elections has its own advantages and disadvantages. And with the achievements we have recorded especially with the card reader, anything that would enhance our election process must not be ignored,” he stated. According to him, the successes recorded with the card reader should be improved upon by introducing electronic voting in subsequent elections in order to instil more transparency in the electoral process. Zakari noted that if the proposal translates into a bill, Nigerians will decide whether they are ripe for midterm elections or not because the process of lawmaking involves not just lawmakers but the public as well.

NEW TELEGRAPH TUESDAY MAY 5, 2015

Arts

CULTURE

Atawewe, Oshoala shine at Ikorodu Community Development Awards Tony okuyeme

uji music maestro, Sulaiman Adio, a.k.a Atawewe and Ikorodu-born female football star and Liverpool football club player, Azzezat Osoala emerged winners at this year’s Ikorodu Community Development Awards (ICDA). While ‘Atawewe’ won in the music category, Osoala emerged the best in the sports category. The colourful gala night and awards presentation was an evening of glamour and a gathering of who-is-who in and around Ikorodu division at the prestigious Ikorodu town hall, to honour outstanding community builders who have done the community proud in one area or the other with visible impacts on the entire Ikorodu division. The yearly Ikorodu Community Development Awards (ICDA) which is an initiative of The Redeemed Evangelical Missions (TREM), led by Bishop Mike Okonkwo, is sponsored by TREM, Liberty centre, Ikorodu, through Ikorodu Community Development Foundation. The Foundation is a body registered for implementation of community development projects on behalf of the church. The 2015 edition of the awards saw about 25 outstanding community leaders, individuals and institutions shortlisted from a pool, competing for the highly coveted annual community awards. The award gala night which was chaired by the Special Adviser to the Governor of Lagos state on Public Health, and member of the ICDA foundation, organisers of the event, Dr Idowu Adeyemi, who also delivered the keynote address, would continue to linger in the minds of residents and attendees. With a beautiful blend of music and comedy, the event comperes, popular actor, Edmond Enaibe and Bukky Odudu, led the audience into the climax of the night as they reeled out names of the nominees and announced the deserving win-

TONY OKUYEME tony.okuyeme@newtelegraphonline.com

ners to a highly elated audience made up of community stakeholders, market men and women, students as well as friends and families of nominees. Inspiring performances by the Levite Singers of TREM Liberty Centre, not only added colour and rhythms to the event, it also drew ovation from the audience. The event climaxed with the announcement of winners in various categories. Future academia also shone like stars in the Bishop Mike Okonkwo award for the most outstanding secondary schools in Ikorodu and Rhoda Youth award for student with best result in WASSCE 2014. While Elepe Senior High, Elepe,Ikorodu, won the Bishop Mike Okonkwo awards for the most outstanding secondary school in Ikorodu, the Rhoda Youth Awards for The Best student in WASSCE 2014 was won by Bakare Abdulrashid Oladeji from Kith and kin International College, Owode-Ibeshe, Ikorodu. Papa-Agura Community Development Area (CDA) emerged as the most outstanding CDA in Ikorodu division, while Ita-Elewa health centre won in the Public Health category. Other categories of the awards are best taxi park and best market, won by Ibeshe Taxi Park and Kaniyi Owode Market, Igbogbo in Igbogbo LCDA of the division, respectively. A winner in the 2014 edition of the awards for CDA category, Elepe-Aga CDA also got certificate of recognition for sustaining its community development initiatives. The late Ayangburen of Ikorodu, Oba S.A.A Oyefusi also bagged a special recognition award for bringing unprecedented developments to Ikorodu during his over 40 years reign as the Ayangburen of Ikorodu. Dr. Idowu G. Adeyemi, in the keynote address, noted that ICDA Foundation is an evolution from the Directorate of National Transformation of The Redeemed Evangelical Mission (TREM), Liberty Centre, Ikorodu Lagos State which objective is to give back to the society the love of God by impacting lives. “It has remained the organ of the church that accomplishes the corporate social responsibility every corporate body; group and/ or association owe its community for years. It is in this regard that ICDA was inaugurated in 2013 to celebrate notable Ikorodu indigenes that have brought glory and/or development to Ikorodu

The Levite Singers in performance at the award ceremony in Ikorodu, Lagos

either by impacting on Ikorodu directly or the environment where they are, thereby indirectly impacting on Ikorodu by tracing their achievement to the place of origin. Earlier in his welcome address, Director of the Directorate of Transformation of TREM Liberty Centre, Ikorodu, Mr. Austin Awulonu said ICDA is the annual celebration of positive grassroots impact in Ikorodu beyond ethnic or religious lines. “This year’s ICDA underscores a positive response to our call last year for well-meaning public spirited individuals, who believe, in real terms, in the development of Ikorodu Division, to stand up and be counted by

endowing any award of their choice. We are grateful to Bishop Mike Okonkwo, MFR, for endowing the Bishop Mike Okonkwo Award for the Most Outstanding Secondary School and Rhoda Youth Centre for endowing the Rhoda Youth Award for the student with the Best WAEC Result. These are only first steps. ICDA requires more for continued sustenance. All categories of awards bar the aforementioned two are open to interested individuals or institutions for endowment. Endowment confers on you the right to have the specific category you choose named after you or your assignee for a number of years among other rights.”

Parents of Bakare Abdulrashid Oladeji and members of the family receiving the award and laptop for Rhoda Youth Awards for The Best student in WASSCE 2014

Arts

TUESDAY, MAY 5, 2015 NEW TELEGRAPH

NIBF holds May 11, seeks youth empowerment through book Tony Okuyeme

ll is now set for the 14th edition of Nigerian International Book Fair which will hold from May 11 to 16, 2015, at the Multi-purpose halls of the University of Lagos, Akoka, Lagos State, Nigeria. As part of the programmes for this year’s edition of the book fair, which is organized annually by the Nigerian Book Fair Trust (NBFT), there will be an International Conference on Tuesday, May 12 at the Multi-purpose hall C of the University of Lagos. The theme for the conference is: “African Youth Empowerment through Book for Sustainable National Development”. Announcing this at a press briefing held at Excellence Hotel, Ogba, Lagos, the Chairman of the Nigerian Book Fair Trust (NBFT), Rilwanu Abdulsalami, in his speech, disclosed that the BBFT has virtually concluded all necessary arrangements towards the 14th edition of the Nigerian International Book Fair (NIBF) 2015), stressing that “a reading nation is a winning nation”. “This is why it is important for all stakeholders in the book industry to come together and institute a culture that will not only encourage knowledge acquisition, but also promote reading culture among the citizenry in Nigeria,” he said, adding that the NIBF 2015 will bring together publishers, booksellers and printers from across Europe, Asia, African countries. Professor Godini Gabriel Darah (G.G. Darah), a Professor of Literature in English at Delta State University and a specialist in African literature and folklore, will deliver the keynote paper at the conference. The chairman of HEBN Publishers Plc., Mr. Ayo Ojeniyi will chair the conference, while the Acting Executive Secretary of Nigerian Educational Research and Development

R-L: Mr. Nwokobia Ode Okereke, Rilwanu Abdulsalami, Mr. Babs Fashanu at the press briefing in Lagos

Council (NERDC), Professor Ismail Junaidu will be the special guest of honour. Many personalities from various sectors in Nigeria will also be part of the conference. Other programmes of Nigeria International Book Fair 2015 include: two days of children’s programme, workshop[s; seminars, training and authors’ groove. “As usual, publishers, booksellers and printers from across Europe, Asia, African countries and Nigeria have registered to participate at the 2015 Nigeria International Book Fair. The following foreign countries will join their Nigerian counterparts to participate at NIBF 2015: United Kingdom, India, Pakistan, Bahrain, Senegal, Ghana, Uganda, Egypt, Kenya and Botswana,” Abdulsalami said. On the expectations from NIBF 2015, the Chairman of the Nigerian Book Fair Trust (NBFT) explained that despite the harsh global economic climate coupled with the current political climate that has reduced the expected number of participants to NIBF 2015, the Board and Management of the Trust has worked assiduously to make NIBF

2015 memorable for both exhibitors and visitors. According to him, some of the things that will make NIBF 2015 indispensible include: introduction of new programmes, free internet facility, and more visitors. “For the first time in the history of NIBF, school owners and principal officers of schools in Nigeria will feature in a summit that will hold during NIBF 2015. The summit will open another window of business opportunity to those who will exhibit at NIBF 2015. We have already concluded the arrangement to provide free internet facility for all the exhibitors who will be part of Nigeria International Book Fair 2015. The internet facility will be available throughout the period of the book fair. “Due to new publicity strategies that we have put in place, we expect heavy traffic of people during the period of the book fair. It is always our desire to make exhibitors of NIBF happy by bringing more people to the venue of the book fair. It is our hope that this year we shall witness tremendous increase in the number of visitors to the Fair. NIBF, he said, is a platform used by the Nigerian Book Trust to improve literacy and book trade in Nigeria by bringing books and instructional

materials closer to the people in the month of May every year for better education and self-improvement. “Apart from the fact that NIBF 2015 will be an avenue for stakeholders in the book industry to showcase their goods and services, they will also be exposed to various educating and business empowerment programmes that will enhance the value of their business. “ NIBF is one of the platforms used by the Nigerian Book Fair Trust to improve literacy and book trade in Nigeria by bringing books and other instructional materials closer to the people every second week of May of every year. Nigerian Book Fair Trust is the umbrella body for all the major stakeholders in the book industry in Nigeria. It is a non-governmental and non-profit making organization that was established about 16 years ago to enhance the reading culture and promote book trade in Nigeria. Also present at the briefing were the vice-chairman of the Nigerian Book Fair Trust (NBFT) and president of Nigerian Printers Association, Mr. Babs Fashanu, president of Nigerian Publishers Association, Mr. Nwokobia Ode Okereke, among others.

Africa Magic fetes stars in Enugu, celebrates launch of Igbo Channel Tony Okuyeme

eading provider of world class African entertainment, Africa Magic recently hosted a star studded event in Enugu to celebrate the new Africa Magic Igbo channel. The glamorous event which held at The Dome, and hosted by ace comedian and Nollywood actor, Okey Bakassi, had in attendance leading players from the Nigerian film and television industry. The long list of leading players from the Nigerian motion picture industry who were present at the event which featured colourful displays of the Igbo culture, include Chief Peter Edochie, Onyeka Owenu, BobManuel Udokwu, Eucharia Anunobi, Kenneth Okonkwo, Clem Ohameze and Francis Duru. Speaking at the event, the Regional Director, M-Net (West), Wangi Mba-Uzoukwu noted

L-R: John Ugbe, Genevieve Nnaji; and Wangi Mba-Uzoukwu, during the launch of AfricaMagic Igbo held at DE DOME Event Place, New Haven, Enugu.

that Africa Magic is renowned for providing entertainment made for Africa by Africans. “We are renowned for telling the African story, and giving African entertainers a platform to show the world what they can do. We

have demonstrated this with our channels, including the indigenous language channels which continue to promote the richness of Nigeria’s different cultures beyond the nation’s borders and we are continuing this trend with

the Africa Magic Igbo channel.” Mba-Uzoukwu added: “People in Nigeria and across Africa remember Living in Bondage, Nneka the Pretty Serpent, Rattlesnake and many other popular Igbo language movies which continue to be relevant today as they were many years ago. These movies not only set the trend for the modern film and TV industry, but their enduring legacy continues, and we can see this in the amazing Igbo language entertainment content being produced today.” Chief Pete Edochie, who opened the event with the traditional, symbolic breaking of kolanut, hailed the Africa Magic team for their tenacity in making sure the Africa Magic Igbo dream came to reality. Mr. Edochie, who spoke entirely in Igbo, was assisted by Kenneth Okonkwo in the opening prayers and urged Igbo

filmmakers to take advantage of the new channel to produce rich and enduring Igbo content. Launched on April 2, 2015, Africa Magic Igbo is a 24 hour general entertainment channel featuring the best of Igbo language content. The channel features magazine shows, movies, drama series and sitcoms, all showcasing the best of the Igbo culture. The Managing Director, MultiChoice Nigeria, John Ugbe said: “At MultiChoice, we pride ourselves on being at the forefront of the development of the Nigerian film and television industry. For over 20 years, we have consistently invested in Nigeria’s creative industry. Furthermore, the Africa Magic channels which sit on our DStv and GOtv platforms provide Nigerian talent with the opportunity to showcase their works to the rest of the continent and indeed the world.”

NEW TELEGRAPH TUESDAY, MAY 5, 2015

Interview

Research

Nigeria’s education system has collapsed — Hedgekatte

Covenant varsity to lead cancer care education in Africa

Education RAY OF HOPE

With education sector receiving the lion’s share of this year’s national budget, the question is; will there be adequate implementation of the budget? Kayode Olanrewaju

etter days are ahead of the education sector, if the current allocation to the sector in the 2015 fiscal budget passed last week by the Senate is anything to go by. In the budget, education sector, the fulcrum of socio-political and economical development, for the first time in the chequered history of education sector development in the 55-year-old country, got the lion share of the national budget. The development, stakeholders pointed out, would trigger the development of the sector that has over the years suffered setback due to inadequate funding and palpable neglect. Education sector, which unlike in the previous budgetary allocations, used to place behind Defence and others, now has the highest allocation of N392,242,784,654, and followed by Defence/MOD/Army/Air force/ Navy with N338,797,219,431 and Police Formations and Commands with N303,822,224,611. But, beyond the rhetoric of budgetary allocation, the question is how far can the budget go in view of the age-long neglect and gross underfunding of the sector? Besides, what quantum of the allocation would directly go into servicing the system in view of the high level of corruption and mismanagement pervading funding administration and management of the sector? According to the stakeholders, no wonder efforts since 1999

kayode olanrewaju Editor, education

kayode olanrewaju@ newtelegraphonline.com

A school situation in one of the states

A budget of hope at galvanising the sector by successive governments, with a view to setting the education sector on the path of growth, have failed to yield any fruitful result. Towards this end, acute underfunding, poor infrastructure and dearth of facilities, obsolete or lack of equipment for research, shortage of qualified teachers at all levels, poor teaching and learning environment resulting from inadequate classrooms and lack of toilet facilities in most schools, which have remained the order of the day and leading to rapidly sliding fortune of the sector, have continued to stare the nation on the face. Other problems stagnating the system include inadequate furniture; inadequate admission spaces in tertiary institutions, whereby less that 20 per cent of millions of youths aspiring for higher education yearly could secure admission; mass failure in the Senior Secondary School Certificate (SSCE) and the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME); poor library and Information Technology facilities; incessant strikes; examination malpractices; cultism; poor remuneration and welfare of teachers, as well as lack of political will on the part of the government at all

Budgetary allocation to the sector 1999-2014 Year

Allocation

1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013

N23.047b N44.225b N39.885b N100.2b N64.76b N72.22b N92.59b N166.6b N137.48b N210b N164.64b N249.08b N356.51b N400.15b N427.52b

11.2 8.3 7.0 5.09 11.83 7.8 8.3 8.7 6.07 13 13 12 -

2014

N493.45b

levels to fix the ailing sector. However, despite the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation’s (UNESCO) stipulation that every country, especially developing counties should set aside 26 per cent of their annual budgets on education, Nigeria over the years has continued to fall short of this global budget arrangement. Since 1999, what the Federal Government has set aside in the annual national budget is between six per cent and 13 per cent, which is grossly inadequate to raise the sector above its collapse. Piqued by this worrisome state of education, key stakeholders in the system, especially parents, guardians and students have over the years been expressing concern that government at the federal and state levels are slaking in their approach in taking bold steps towards adequate funding of the sector in order to move it from its comatose and sliding fortune to the path of reckoning. They argued however that if the education sector is to be moved away from its present state of rot, the budgetary allocation should not be one run of a thing. “The highest budgetary allocation to education sector should

not only be sustained, it should also take 26 per cent of annual national budget if the sector is to be positioned to meet the challenges of the 21st Century in terms of adequate infrastructure, quality teaching and learning,” they said. Though, in terms of quantum, this year’s figure has not departed from the previous budgetary allocation, it is however believed that if it is well implemented it would take the sector out of its present woods as it would address some major challenges confronting the sector. In his swift reaction, the former Executive Secretary of the National Universities Commission (NUC), Prof. Peter Okebukola, described the move as a welcome development, even as he expressed the hope that the allocation to education in the budget should go beyond mere paper exercise by actually releasing the money to the sector for the purpose it is meant for. More importantly, Okebukola, a Professor of Science Education at the Lagos State University (LASU), insisted that leakages in the education expenditure should be blocked so that the money would fully go into addressing the challenges facCONTINUED ON PAGE 27

24 Education

TUESDAY, MAY 5, 2015 NEW TELEGRAPH

UNN, Chinese varsities sign pact on drug, cassava production

he University of Nigeria (UNN), Nsukka has forged collaborations with some Chinese universities and research institutes on how to harness marine resources in Nigeria for drug production. Part of the pact is on how to promote the cultivation and processing of cassava for industrial and domestic uses. The collaborations, which are being facilitated by the institution’s Department of Microbiology, attracted scholars at the Department of Pharmacology from the Capital Medical University Beijing, and the Starch Chemical Research Institute, Gunning University, China, who had visited the UNN to access the resources on ground to drive the partnership. Speaking on the nature of the collaboration, the Head, Department of Microbiology, Prof. Anene Muoneke, said it would be in the areas of staff and students exchange, as well as provision of research materials and equipment. “The target is to improve food security and drug production, and our partners want to get started immediately”, Muoneke said, even as he noted that while scholars from Starch Chemical Research Institute, Gunning University, China are interested in cassava processing and value addition; those from the Department of Pharmacology at the Capital Medical University, Beijing, have shown interest in exploring marine resources in Nigeria for the production of anticataract drugs. He said the visit by the foreign scholars to UNN was part of the department’s move to attain excellence

in university education through collaborations with globally recognised institutions and to expose its faculties to global best practices in academics. During the courtesy visit on the Vice-Chancellor, who was represented by the Deputy Vice-Chancellor in charge of Administration, Prof. Edwin Igbokwe, he urged the team not to restrict the collaborations to the department alone, but to extend it to other faculties including the Faculties of Agriculture and Pharmaceutical Sciences which have a lot to do with cassava and drug productions. Meanwhile, the Director of Starch Chemical Research Institute of the

Jos

he National President of the Association of Proprietors of Private Schools (NAPPS), Plateau State chapter, Mr. Joseph Nwoke, has said that the proprietors of registered private schools are not only disciplined, but they also adhere strictly to the criteria for establishing schools in the state. The President, in a chat with New Telegraph in Jos, the state capital, said most defaulters of high standard of education in the state were mostly schools that are not registered with the association. Nwoye said the association was not comfortable with ratings of the state in the last Senior School Certificate Examination, while he enjoined proprietors to comply with the criteria laid down by the examination bodies for the conduct of the examinations. “Schools are expected to

Some staff and students, who shared their thoughts after the lecture, said they looked forward to the collaboration which would add value to the production of cassava in Nigeria. A lecturer in the department, Prof. Jerry Ugwuanyi said: “The use of cassava here centered on traditional food process, while the value addition is very low, but we have learnt today the other ways cassava can be utilized. This is very encouraging, provided the technology cost is low. There is need to add value to cassava production in the country in order to encourage our peasant farmers.”

L-R: Muoneke; Prof. Joshua Lao from the Department of Pharmacology from Capital Medical University; Igbokwe; Bi; Prof. Xiukwu Lin, and the Dean, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Prof. Eyo during the visit.

NAPPS: Private school proprietors are disciplined Musa Pam

Gunning University, Prof. Gu Bi said cassava provides good raw material for food industry and could be used to prepare staple food series for Nigerians. Bi, who trained members of staff and students of the Department of Microbiology on “Making Delicious Food with Cassava,” listed some of the type of food that could be prepared from cassava to include noodles, dumpling and steaming buns, bread, pizza and cake, among others. He said that while sweet cassava could be used for staple foods, bitter cassava could be fermented to produce alcohol and starch for industrial use.

have examination halls and well-equipped laboratories, among others facilities required to be provided before they are accredited for the examinations,” he explained. The association, the President said had already challenged its members on the need to hire qualified teachers and to ensure there are adequate and required infrastructure for learning. Nwoye, who pleaded with the state government to consider private schools in the distribution of materials to schools and in the scheme of organising workshops for teachers, however advised parents and guardians to desist from moving their children and wards from private schools and register them at the solution (miracle) centres in order to pass their Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE). According to him, the socalled solution centres were usually established with the mission to enable candidates pass their examinations at all cost through malpractice.

Ajasin varsity students laud management over scheme Kayode Olanrewaju

tudents of Adekunle Ajasin University, AkungbaAkoko (AAUA), Ondo State, have continued to shower encomium on the management of the institution for its commitment to the Student Work-Study Scheme (SWSS) initiated by the university. They gave the commendation during the interview exercise organised for no fewer than 300 students that obtained forms for the scheme for the first semester of 2014/2015 academic session. One of the beneficiaries of the scheme, Olumide Ogundare, a 200-Level History and International Studies student described the programme as amazing, saying: “I want to thank the university for giving us this uncommon opportunity to work while we study.” He, however, stressed that the work experience would avail him the opportunity to pay part of his school bills. Speaking on the scheme,

Ajibefun, VC

the Acting Director of the SWSS, Dr. Iyabo Omoniyi, who expressed gratitude to the university management for sustaining the programme, said the five-yearold programme had not only impacted meaningfully the lives of the students, but had also enhanced the university system. Dr. Omoniyi said the positive feedback received from the students, parents, guardians

and the students’ places of assignment on campus was overwhelming, even as he urged the management not to scrap the scheme, but rather to continue to fund it adequately. The Acting Director noted that Adekunle Ajasin University and the University of Lagos are the only higher institutions in the country that instituted such scheme to assist the education of the students, while advising the beneficiaries to be diligent, honest and obey their supervisors. The SWSS was instituted by the administration of the immediate Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Femi Mimiko, with a view to allowing willing students to work for two hours daily in order to receive some stipend at the end of every month to support themselves financially while studying in the university. No fewer than 200 students of the university have so far benefitted from the scheme for the second semester of 2013/2014 academic session.

Education 25

NEW TELEGRAPH TUESDAY, MAY 5, 2015

You have been in charge of managing the model schools established by the Rivers State Government. How would you describe the experience so far? The experience has been very good, much better than what we thought it would be. We had our own challenges and difficulties, but overall we can only say we are happy over what we have done. We are very proud of our achievements over such a short time. We are grateful to Rivers State people and the government. We commend the leadership of Governor Rotimi Amaechi, who supported us, the Commissioner for Education, the Permanent Secretary and others. We are grateful for everything that has been done.

Nigeria’s education system has collapsed — Hedgekatte Shantaram Hedgekatte, an Indian, is the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Educomp Solutions Nigeria Limited, the administrator of Ambassador Nnne Furo Kurubo Model Secondary School located in Eleme Local Government Area of Rivers State, one of the model schools set up by the Rivers State Government. In this interview with ISIOMA MADIKE, he bares his mind on the state of education in Nigeria and how better to improve it.

What changes would you say you have brought to bear since taking over the schools? Several indeed! In fact, we had to literary re-write the entire process of education. The biggest that we did in my opinion is that we brought in technology into education. If you compare the education before we came on board and the now, we brought in changes with lots of efforts because technology has human elements. You need to train the teachers to use this technology and each student has a laptop, each classroom is equipped with digital board: what we call a smart class and with that, we could show a dramatic result. There are probably very few schools in this country where the students sat for West African Examinations Council (WAEC) first time and had 100 per cent pass. We are very proud of what our students achieved, and what our teachers achieved. It goes to show that technology can dramatically improve the result if it is deployed properly. As a stakeholder in the state’s education sector, how would you rate the current state of education in the state and the country generally? In what areas do you think needs improvement? Let me not mince words. The state of education all over Nigeria, not just Rivers State, is in shamble. Probably it had better days before, but today, it is really bad. We have conducted entrance examinations twice, we have seen very bright students, but we have also seen that majority of the students are not good enough. I am afraid what will happen to this country if they grow up like this. You have a huge population of young people; I guess 45 per cent of Nigerians are less than 20 years old. And these are going to be future leaders of this nation. Now, if this population is uneducated, if they cannot read and write and have the benefit of education, what are they going to be? They will be unemployable; they cannot take up any good job other than menial labour. We have conducted examinations; more than 30 per cent of the students could not even score 20 per cent. If these are the people who are going to be in charge of the future of this country, what is going to happen if they cannot effectively read and write? Only about 10 per cent of 7,000 students that wrote the examinations are competent. Out of the 7,000, roughly about 35 per cent

Hedgekatte

did not score 20 per cent. We assume that before they come for the entrance they have six or seven years of primary education. If these people are in this bad shape, what do you think is going to happen when they grow up? What are they going to become? They cannot be effectively employed even in a factory or office, and that is a big burden. How can the situation be improved? The simple answer is that education system has collapsed and it needs to be revamped generally. It is from my heart that I am speaking. When we conduct the examination it was on specially four subjects - General Aptitude, English, Science and Mathematics. General aptitude tells you how intelligent the boy is. The rest of the subjects indicate how well he has been taught in those areas. You could be a very intelligent boy, but if your English teacher is bad, you score poorly in English. We conduct this kind of examination across the world.

Put simply, Nigerians are bright, but majority have not been taught well

We do it in India, we do it in Saudi Arabia, we do it in Singapore and in different countries across the world. So, we can compare Nigerian schools with those of the other countries. We realise is that the general aptitude scores of Nigerian students are better, if not equal to other schools. This means that Nigerians have brain. But if you see the scores in Mathematics and Science or even English, it is probably half or even lesser than those of students in other countries. Put simply, Nigerians are bright, but majority have not been taught well. The present generation of Nigerians must carry the blame for destroying the future of these youngsters. Nigerians are not dumb, but the education system has thoroughly collapsed and needs to be resuscitated by way of investing in the sector. How do you think this could be done? One of the ways of revamping the sector, apart from problem of facilities, is to recruit

competent teachers. Competent teachers are vital in education because it is the teacher who teaches the pupil. You may have a school full of computers and everything, but if the teacher is not transferring what he is supposed to deliver, then education has not taken place. If you must have teachers to deliver, they must be thoroughly motivated. In the old days, the teachers were good because they saw it as a noble profession and service to God. They taught and believed it is a way of delivering God’s message. But the present generation or the Nigerian teacher that I met, their motivation level is very low. Where there is no motivation, what is left? If you have a class for 8am you should ensure you keep to the time and teach the children well. But, if you are de-motivated, you don’t feel like going to class, you will find excuse to stay away. So, lack of motivation and indiscipline are inter-linked. If one is demotivated, he is unlikely to be disciplined. Equally bad is poor knowledge level. If you are supposed to teach mathematics for instance, you should know mathematics. But if you don’t know mathematic, what are you going to teach? We have seen graduates who cannot put one sentence together without grammatical error. We have seen graduates who cannot solve mathematics problem for JS2 or JS3 students. If you go back to see why things are very bad with Nigeria’s education, you will realise that it is because most of the education institutions are being controlled by the government. If you are not paying your teachers on time, you have lost the moral authority to ask him to go and teach. Whatever you have agreed to pay the teacher, pay it on time, and then ask him to work. There are two things; one: good salary and another, paying on time. If you don’t pay him on time he will not give his best. What is the level of skills transfer between India, your company’s headquarters and Nigeria? Initially, we had some problems as the teachers took time to adapt the new technology, but today I can very proudly say our teachers would not want to go to another school. This is because they are now used to this technology. When we came we saw that what most of the teachers do is to go to the classroom with lesson notes, he goes to the board and keeps writing or asks a brilliant student to write the note on the board, while he sits down. All the while what he does is write on the board for the students to copy. There is hardly any time to make the students understand what they wrote. The students write down the notes and feel they could read and memorise, but without understanding it. That is garbage in garbage out. But the truth is that unless there is an object to remind you of what has been taught in the class, teaching in the class will not be successful. So, what we do is send the notes to the students’ computers before they come to the classroom. When they come to the class all that takes place is discussion of that note. And by so doing, no time is lost in copying notes.

26 Education

TUESDAY, MAY 5, 2015 NEW TELEGRAPH

Former envoy seeks continuity in government Babatope Okeowo Akure

ow managers and stakeholders in the nation’s economy will give adequate attention to policy continuity, consistency and commitment was the main thrust of the maiden Foundation Day Lecture of the Elizade University, Ilara-Mokin, Ondo State. According to the guest lecturer, former Nigerian High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, Dr. Christopher Kolade, prioritising policy continuity and commitment would “bring about the stability that

could prevent or minimise the horror of unemployment, inequality and poverty” in the country. Kolade, who lamented that managers of the national economy have habitually disregarded the need for policy continuity and consistency, said this has resulted in rising unemployment, inequality and poverty in the land. The former Head of Mission noted that working with a long term perspective would result in sustainable stability that would meet the future needs of the people. While noting that Nigerians are the real principal partners in the enterprise created to se-

cure achievement of a progressive national vision and not just beneficiaries, Kolade called for their capacity development so that they could perform competently in a transformed national economy. He enjoined the students to make utmost use of the ‘wonderful facilities and environment’ put in place by the founder of the university, Chief Michael Ade-Ojo. The guest lecturer expressed the hope that the students, after their graduation, would have matured to enter into ownership status in the joint responsibility of building a good society. Earlier, in his welcome address, the Vice-Chancellor,

Prof. Valentine Aletor said the lecture was aimed at further expanding the frontiers of knowledge and providing a veritable forum for staff, students and the general public to engage in discourse that would induce new ideologies and knowledge sharing. He said this would enhance teaching, learning, research and community engagements that would ultimately impart positively on the quality of lives of Nigerians. The Vice-Chancellor added that the university had entered into partnership with some Nigerian and foreign universities by signing Memoranda of Understanding (MoU) within its

short period of existence. In his remarks, Chief AdeOjo said the platform provided by the lecture was a perfect time for reflection for the country and the citizens to evaluate how far they have gone. While noting that the process of nation building begins from home, Chief Ade-Ojo advocated the preservation of Nigerian culture, even as he argued that a country that neglects its culture will not witness growth and development. The lecture was chaired by former Vice-Chancellor of Ekiti State University, Prof. Akin Oyebode, a Professor of International Law at the Faculty of Law, University of Lagos.

Ekiti varsity institute holds maiden matric

he pioneer students admitted into the Ekiti State University (EKSU) Institute of Peace, Security and Governance, have undertaken the matriculation oath of the university, located at Ado-Ekiti, the state capital. The maiden matriculation ceremony, which took place last Friday, was presided over by the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Patrick Oladipo Aina, who counseled the students on the need to be part of the positive developments ongoing at the university, as well as the institute. Aina, who was represented by the Deputy Vice-Chancellor in charge of Development, Prof. Victor Adeoluwa, said: “The most reasonable way for the students to do this is to exhibit good characters at all times as students of the institute”. While warning the students to be law abiding, the ViceChancellor urged them to shun cultism and eschew all forms of misconduct such as examination

malpractices and other vices which could invoke disciplinary measures against them and truncated their education. The matriculation oath was administered on the fresh students at the Oodua Hall of the state university, venue of the ceremony by the Registrar, Mr. Adebisi Ogunyemi. Meanwhile, the School of Postgraduate Studies has extended the deadline for the submission of completed admission forms into all its programmes to May 22. The university, according to the spokesman for the institution, Deputy Registrar, Information and Protocols, Mr. Olubunmi Ajibade, had directed that forms purchased or submitted after this deadline would be processed against 2015/2016 academic session. The university, which did not state any reason for the extension, said the closing date had earlier been slated for last Friday, April 24.

Students advocate stable academic calendar

igher institution students, under the aegis of the National Association of Students of English Language and Literary Studies (NASELLS) have advocated stable academic calendar in tertiary institutions in the country. They flayed the incessant industrial actions embarked upon by members of academic and non-academic staff unions to press home their demands, saying this has done more damage to the nation’s tertiary education system. This was the position of the students at their three-day National Executive Council and General Assembly Meeting hosted by the Kwara State University (KWASU), Malete. The President of the association, and a student of the Ahmadu Bello University (ABU),

Na’allah, VC

Zaria, Fortune Akujuobi, harped on the need for other tertiary institutions in the country to adopt the KWASU model, which being a new institution, has continued to maintain a stable academic calendar since its inception.

A graduate of EKSU obtaining his certificate at the Exams & Records Department of the university

Students seek confirmation of provost’s appointment Yekeen Nurudeen Abuja

fter four years in acting capacity, the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), Federal College of Veterinary and Medical Laboratory Technology, Vom, Plateau State chapter, is calling for the confirmation of the appointment of the Provost of the institution. Dr. Echeonwu George Best, was said to have emerged as the successful candidate in the interview and screening exercise for the appointment of a substantive provost conducted recently. The students in a statement issued in Abuja, urged the Minister of Agriculture, Dr. Akinwumi Adesina to fast track his confirmation in order to put the institution on a sound footing. The NANS Director in the college, Shehu Abubakar wondered that the institution had been left without a substantive provost since 2010. NANS, which had in the statement pointed out that an advertisement for the appointment of a Provost was published in some national dailies in which many candidates applied for the plump job, noted that the interview in which some of candidates were finally shortlisted and interviewed were successfully conducted. The statement, however, added that based on the interview, the Agriculture Research Council of Nigeria (ARCN) recommended the three best candidates to the minister for consideration for the ap-

pointment of a new provost for the college in the order of merit. The NANS’ statement read in part: “As stakeholders, we wish to express our apprehension that up till now, no practical steps have been taken towards the appointment of a substantive provost for our college despite the result of the interview has been forwarded to the relevant authorities.” This lack of coherent concern, the students noted has created a pervasive leadership crisis, which has continued to stall the college’s development, leading to the erosion of its academic and institutional confidence. NANS, while expressing displeasure over the government’s attitude towards naming a substantive provost for the college, however, wondered why the appointment of Dr. Echeonwu’s, who has been in the saddle in acting capacity for the past four years, had not been confirmed. The union said: “We particularly note with regret and express our concern with the manner in which the appointment of a provost for the college is being handled with levity and glaring partisanship. We, therefore, urge the Minister to demand for the result of the interview conducted by ARCN with a view to knowing the true position.” They further alleged that the development has continued to generate a lot of agitation and bad blood in the college, a situation which according to them may degenerate into crisis if not addressed quickly.

Education

NEW TELEGRAPH TUESDAY, MAY 5, 2015

Mojeed Alabi

is look does not in any way betray his academic stuff. He is always calm and cool with a high sense of

humility. Those descriptions vividly capture the mien of Fiyinfoluwa Korede Akinpelumi, the best graduating students at the University of Lagos (UNILAG), Akoka, for the 2013/2014 academic session. He had patiently sat among his colleagues until his name was announced by the university’s Deputy Vice-Chancellor in charge of Academics, Prof. Babajide Alo, as the best graduating student. Amid thunderous ovation, Alo announced the 21-year-old Akinpelumi, with 4.96 Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) as the best graduating student for the session. Akinpelumi, who graduated from the Department of Chemical Engineering in the Faculty of Engineering, was trailed by Shittu Wasiu of the Department of Insurance with 4.90 point CGPA. While tracing his journey to academic stardom, Akinpelumi recalled that his success story could no longer be a surprise to those who knew him from childhood. He noted that right from his primary school days at Omoleye Children School, Onipanu, Lagos to his secondary school education at the UNILAG International School, Lagos, he had been leading his class. Akinpelumi said of his academic achievements: “In my West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE), I scored eight A’s and while in the school I represented Lagos State in many competitions at the national level. I won a silver medal in the Olympia Physics; gold medal in NNPC national quiz competition, and several awards in the Junior Engineering Technical Society (JETS) awards. ” Akinpelumi, who hails from Ondo in Ondo West Local Government Area of Ondo State and whose father was a medical doctor, recalled how his parents instilled discipline in him and his two other siblings. “Nothing ever mattered to my father except academics,” he said, adding that his father groomed them

C O N T I N U E D F R O M PA G E 2 3

ing the sector, rather than into some personal pockets. To this end, he suggested that the current upward trend in the budget for education should be sustained by the government in the years ahead, saying it is when this is done that the rot in the system could be addressed and the budget would be meaningfull. Also, the former Vice-Chancellor of University of Lagos (UNILAG) and the current Vice-Chancellor of Federal University, Ebonyi State, Prof. Oyewusi Ibidapo-Obe, who described the budget as very cheering news, however noted that at this stage of the nation’s development that is the most appropriate. A former General Manager with the defunct National Electric Power Authority (NEPA), Chief Kayode Aliu, who described the education budget as great, said since every other sector revolves around education, nothing short of this should be expected if the successive governments have prioritise education. Echoing their position, Mr. Anthony Olawumi Gasper, an engineer and the Executive Secretary of the Lagos State Technical and Vocational Educa-

My father’s death is my only regret — UNILAG best graduate

Akinpelumi

and offered them the best opportunity any child could dream of. Akinpelumi, who dedicated his success to God Almighty and his parents, described his father as “a real role model who had conscientiously built the spirit of the Lord in us from our tender age.” Meanwhile, Akinpelumi, who suddenly became sober, lamented that his father was missing on this day of his joy. He recalled with depression the event of August, 2014, the day his father, a 58-year-old medical consultant died midway into his final examinations. “His death is my only regret. I am sad because death was so callous to have denied him the opportunity to witness this day and many other days of joy coming ahead. He gave so much but got very little,” he sadly

My father gave so much, but got very little

recalled. On his mentorship, Akinpelumi paid glowing tribute to the current Chairman of the Senior Staff Association of Universities, UNILAG chapter, Mr. Adekola Adetomiwa, who incidentally was his Physics teacher in grammar school, and many others he could not mention. He said his father and Akintomiwa influenced his choice of Chemical Engineering, and that since his admission into the university, it has been success all the way. “I have won several scholarships including the Agbami Medical and Engineering Professionals Scholarship (AMEPS), sponsored by a coalition of some oil companies, particularly the Star Deep Water Petroleum Limited, a subsidiary of Chevron Company,” he explained. Asked about his social life while on campus, Akinpelumi said he was only attracted to his studies and the activities of the campus fellowship of the Redeemed Christian Church of God. Akinpelumi, who insisted that he never had a girlfriend throughout his university life, said about his social life: “My social life was restricted within the religious circle. Right from my second year, I became a worker in the fellowship. By my Final Year, I was a member of the executive and the Follow-up Secretary of the RCF. So, everything about my social life revolves within the sphere of religious activity. I had them as my family.” On his aspirations, Akinpelumi, who noted that he looked unto God for direction and guidance, said he was sure that God would lead him right. His words: “Well, I really do not have big aspirations. I always try to keep my goals very simple. So, the next thing for me is the NYSC and after that, there are quite a number of offers coming already, including the one from the university. I am just

A budget of hope tion (LASTVEB) said it is in the right direction. While emphasising the need for investment in human capital development that will drive resource development and management in the country, he said though “this is a bold step and well applauded decision, it should however be gauged against improper utilisation of allocations to the education sector.” Describing the budget to education as good news, the Vice-Chancellor of Caleb University, Lagos, Prof Ayodeji Olukoju, said outcome will depend on how much is disbursed, for which tier or the sector, at what time in the budget cycle and with what degree of monitoring and implementation. He added: “Adequate knowledge of the current situation in each sector and at every stratum will inform the scale and intensity of intervention. Human capital development no matter the funding cannot change the expected level in the year, except there is continuity in the budgetary allocations to the sector.” He, however, reiterated that this lev-

el of funding with judicious spending must be sustained over several years to produce desired results. Former Chairman, University of Lagos chapter of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Prof. Yomi Akinyeye, who also noted that the budget is a welcome development and a good parting gift to Nigerians by the President Goodluck Jonathan, expressed hope that the incoming administration will sustain it by voting education high in the scheme of their budget planning. A don at the Federal University of Technology, Akure (FUTA), Prof. Olu Akinyele, in his reaction, said: “This is a welcome development and an indication that education is being given preference and pride of place in the national scheme. It is a good development for the education sector, especially this time the country is charting a new direction for its education.” Tracing the genesis of budgetary allocation to the education sector, the Chairman of Lagos zone of the Academic Staff Union of Universities, Dr.

trusting God to know what next to do.” Still savouring the success of her son, his mother, a Deputy Director in the Department of Personnel Management, Education District II, Lagos State Ministry of Education, Mrs. Omokehinde Akinpelumi, thanked God for His love for the family. She said apart from God, credit must be given to her late husband, who gave everything within his reach to provide the children sound and qualitative education and moral training. She said: “We can only give glory to God Almighty for His favour and banner over us. It is sad that my husband is not alive today to witness this. God really used him for the family. He offered us all the very best and was always there for the children. Every credit must be given to him.” Meanwhile, the General Overseer of the RCCG, Pastor Enoch Adeboye, traced his success to the opportunities offered him by UNILAG, saying the greatest things that have ever happened to him happened while he was on the campus. Adeboye, who alongside two other eminent Nigerians were conferred with the university’s honorary doctorate degree (Honoris Causa) was awarded Doctor of Sciences, while he duo of former Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Theophilus Danjuma (rted) and former ProChancellor/Chairman of Council of the university, Deacon Gamaliel Onosode were also honoured with Doctor of Science and Doctor of Letters respectively. In his acceptance speech, Adeboye, who is UNILAG’s first PhD graduate in Mathematics Department, recalled that it was right on the campus that he gave his life to Jesus Christ in 1973, and while on the campus, he was ordained a pastor in 1975. Sola Nasir insisted that “the actual expenditures in the sector have always fallen short of the budget. Rather than basking in the euphoria of the planned expenditures, the union leader said perhaps the country should concentrate on actual development that the budget could bring about in the system.” That position was echoed by the National President of the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), Mr. Michael Alogba-Olukoya, who described it as a sign of many good things to come. AlogbaOlukoya, who said that the budget should be religiously implemented, to address the needs of the sector, said NUT and the entire teaching force in the country would embark on the budget tracking in order to ensure that the money goes to where it was supposed to go. To the Vice-Chancellor of the Bells University of Technology, Ota, Ogun State and Chairman Association of Vice-Chancellors and Registrars of Private Universities in Nigeria (AVCRPU), Prof. Isaac Adebayo Adeyemi, the problem with the sector is not usually about budget allocation, but the actual implementation of the budget. “It is really not about budgeting, but about implementation.”

28 Education

TUESDAY, MAY 5, 2015 NEW TELEGRAPH

VC counsels fresh students on good conduct Musa Pam Jos

The winning house and some of the school officials

Day Redeemer’s Foundation School pupils displayed sport skills John Edu

he maxim, “All work, no play makes Jack a dull boy,” came to the fore last week, when the pupils and teachers of the Redeemer’s Foundation School, Ogudu, Lagos, for one day set aside class activities for the school’s annual Family Sports Day. The sporting activities, which aimed at keeping the pupils fit and healthy, as well as uniting them with their teachers, parents and other well-wishers, took place at the Hillview Playground, Ogudu GRA, Lagos. The pupils grouped into the four houses of the school - Green House (Peace); Yellow House (Righteousness); Red House (Love) and Blue House (Faith), depicting the theme of the exercise, took part in various field events. The event was heralded with a marching past by the pupils who dressed in their colourful cultural outfits. The competition, which

featured the track and field events, included 50m, 75m and 100m relay races between the pupils in junior and senior categories. Other games in which the pupils competed were fill-in the basket and catching the train events. According to the school’s Administrator, Mr. Adetokunbo Adetayo, the choice of these names for the Houses could not be said to be accidental because as a faith-based educational institution, building the culture of Godliness in the kids is the main goal of the school. “So, whatever we are doing must reflect the essence of serving God and the best ways He should be served,” he said. At the end of the contest, Green House otherwise known as Peace came first by lifting the gold medal and trophy, while Blue House (Faith) won the silver medal. According to Adetayo, the sporting event was aimed at

developing the sporting talent and mental ability of the pupils, as well as helping them to relate well among themselves. While stressing that sports has its own peculiar way of developing the mental ability of individuals, he said the intervention of private investors in the nation’s education sector, particularly the faith-based organisations, has added value to the education sector by proving through their performance that education standard has not fallen. Adetayo, however, urged the government to ensure the provision of quality education at all levels, saying education is the bedrock of national development. Therefore, the school administrator pledged that the readiness of the church, the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), owner and proprietor of the school, to sustain its investment in youth development will remain a top priority.

UNIOSUN VC named chair of Clinical Chemistry

sun State University Vice-Chancellor and Professor of Chemical Pathology, Prof. Adekunle Bashiru Okesina, has been named as the President of the African Federation of Clinical Chemistry (AFCC) for 20142015. The African Federation of Clinical Chemistry is an organisation of clinical chemistry societies in Africa, and a regional society of the International Federation of Clinical Chemistry (IFCC). The association of Chemical Pathology, is a foremost scientific organization in Africa with membership in fifteen countries, including Botswana, Egypt, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Morocco, Nigeria, Rwanda,

Okesina

South Africa, Sudan, Tunisia, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe. Those in the newly constituted board members to steer the ship of the federa-

tion for 2014/2015 include President: Prof. Okesina (Nigeria); immediate PastPresident: Prof. V. Steenkamp (South Africa); VicePresident-elect: Prof. R.T. Erasmus (South Africa), Secretary: Prof. H.T. Marima-Matarira (Zimbabwe), Treasurer: Prof. A. Amayo (Kenya), Members-at-Large: Mr. H Lumano (Zambia) and Dr. M Charles-Davies (Nigeria). Okesina was at Harare last week where he presided over the fourth Conference of the Federation which was held between April 28 and 30 at the Victoria Falls, Harare, the capital of Zimbabwe. The theme of the conference is: “Integrating Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine in Evidence Based P4 Medicine.”

ome 656 fresh students admitted to the Plateau State University, Bokkos for the 2014/2015 academic session have been counseled to shun bad conduct and all other forms of antisocial behaviour that could bring the university to disrepute. The Acting Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Stephen Mallo, reminded them of the enormity of the tasks ahead of them, and the sacrifice made by their parents to ensure they acquire university education. Mallo, which advising the students to stay away from cultism, examination malpractice, vices and other negative tendencies that might pose serious threat to their education, he advised them to key into whatever counsel or advice they were given during their period of orientation. “As you undertake your matriculation oath today, as bonafide students of this great institution, you should not see it as a license or liberty to indulge in frivolities and uncivilized activities, because success is a journey and not a destination and your being here is one step towards success in life,” the Vice-Chancellor said. Mallo, who hinted that his administration has recorded some laudable achievements which are unprecedented in the annals of the university, recalled that the institution been linked to NESCO after its about 10 years of existence and has also accessed three sets of the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) Special Intervention Funds consecutively, while another two sets of the special interventions are at the point of being accessed. As part of moves to enhance

the infrastructural development of the university, the ViceChancellor, however, noted that the university did not stop only at accessing funds and securing approvals, but had also awarded contracts for various projects as well as procurement of laboratory equipments and chemicals, furniture and library facilities. Already, he explained that construction and expansion work on the Faculty of Natural and Applied Sciences and a block of students’ hostel had since commenced. Mallo, however, noted that the university has also sought and secured approval of the state government, the proprietor of the university, for the recruitment of the quality academic and non-academic staff to meet the requirements for accreditation of its academic programmes. While administering of the oath of allegiance on the students, the Registrar of the university, Mr. Daniel Dung Kim recalled that the institution has five Faculties, which he said include the Faculties of Arts, Environmental Sciences, Management Sciences, Natural and Applied Sciences and Social Sciences.

Mallo

Canadian college, firm partner for admission seekers Ruth Okocha

o forestall sharp practices in the recruitment of candidates with shoddy character by foreign universities and colleges for admission, an educational consultancy firm, Korad Global Service, is partnering one of the high flyer higher institutions in Canada - Lambton College. The partnership will focus extensively on the need to enlighten foreign admission seekers in the country on the proper ways of securing genuine admission and visa processing. At the seminar, which took place penultimate week in Lagos, Lambton College’s Special Advisor and Dean for International Relations, Mr. John Barnfield gave an insight into the operations and successes of the institution. He commended Nigerian students for their zeal to acquire education and their proper conduct in institutions outside the country, while also pledging the college’s support for foreign stu-

dents in the areas of scholarship, career guide and adequate job opportunities on graduation. The Director of Kared Global Services, Mr. Kayode Adeyeye in his remarks, said with a good record of processing admission and visas for Nigerians in several countries including Dubai, Canada and Australia, among others, the firm has within two years of operation created meaningful links with relevant international institutions and assisted many Nigerian students to secure admission and transit to their countries of choice. He said as a responsible partner of many institutions, the firm can offer candidates letters of recommendations as long as the applicants are of good standing and will remain a good ambassador. Confirming KGS’s credibility to ensure genuine admission, one of the prospective students who had been offered admission to study Information Technology at the college, Owolabi Nifemi, commended the firm for facilitating his admission.

Education 29

NEW TELEGRAPH TUESDAY, MAY 5, 2015

Veterinary Medicine graduates take oath of practice Oladele Oge UNN

ow a rd s enhanced quality health service delivery in the country, some fresh graduates of Veterinary Medicine from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN) have been formally inducted into the veterinary practice. They were inducted last week during the 36th induction/oath taking ceremony for the graduates of the Faculty for the 2013/2014 academic session. The Vice-Chancellor, Prof Benjamin Ozumba, who presided over the ceremony, reiterated that for veterinary medicine to be effectively practiced, the medical professionals must embrace their primary calling without any distraction. This, he noted would proffer solutions to the nation’s myriad of medical problems by positioning the graduates ahead of their contemporaries in Africa and the world at large. The event, kicked off at exactly 11 am with a possession by the 42 graduates, who had been certified to have successfully completed their courses and found worthy in character, at the Princess Alexandra Hall of the university. The Vice-Chancellor, who was represented at the ceremony by his Deputy in charge of Administration, Prof. Edwin Igbokwe, congratulated the inductees for their diligence and doggedness, even as he advised them to be hard working and uphold the tenets of their profession in order to achieve the best while they practice. Ozumba, however, urged the inductees to use their knowledge and talents for the benefit of the society, and to be vanguards of change in their professional challenges so as to attain landmark achievements in their practice. He praised the Dean of the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Prof. Chukwunyere Nwosu for the numerous contributions towards the development of the faculty. In his remarks, Nwosu highlighted some of the responsibilities of the medical scientists to the society, saying an effective treatment animal is one of their professional callings.

For instance, “if domestic animals such as dog, goat and chicken, among others in our environment are in good health, it will also be a great benefit to human’s lives.” Nwosu described efforts made by veterinary doctors in preventing sickness in the country in the past as great achievements, urging the inductees to do more by enlightening the public on new developments

in their profession. The Dean further explained that excellence research in veterinary medicine has encouraged professionals in the field to have trust in products of the faculty towards solving the numerous animal health challenges in the society. Outlining the new agenda for the doctors, the President of Veterinary Council of Nigeria, Prof. Garuba Sharabutu said the council has

The inductees during the oath-taking ceremony

identified itself with liberation struggle in animal health in the continent, even as he expressed the Council’s regret that the role of

veterinary doctors had been misunderstood in the museums, poultries and rural areas where they are needed most. Due to this, he point-

ed out that the Council has been working to strengthen the methods and apply the modern applications in the training of students.

30 Education

TUESDAY, MAY 5, 2015 NEW TELEGRAPH

Covenant varsity to lead cancer care education in Africa Mojeed Alabi

ollowing the outcome of the just concluded 2015 Global Summit on Cancer held at the Dana Ferber Centre of Harvard Medical School in Boston, United States of America, the Covenant University, Ota in Ogun State has been selected to lead cancer care education campaign on the continent of Africa. The private university was selected as a partner by the organisers of the summit. The summit, which featured the institution’s Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Charles Ayo, as a guest speaker, was organised by the Global Health Catalyst Initiative in order to deliberate on and seek solution to the growing global burden of cancer in Africa. Besides, it aimed at fostering collaboration among researchers and stakeholders in cancer research worldwide. The new partnership, according to the statement by the university’s Public Affairs Office of the university, will enable the institution to deploy the application of ICT to cancer care, research and education in Africa. The statement added that the initiative will focus on how to develop an ICT collaborative framework that would help in bridging the gap and in addressing the disparities in treatment and management of cancer cases between the developed countries and the low and

middle-income countries. In his paper, Ayo gave elaborate details of the past and ongoing endeavours of the software engineering and ICT research clusters in the university in using mobile technology for medical adherence and e-health, which could easily be adapted to the area of cancer care. However, the university has appointed a new Professor of International Economic Relations. He is Prof. Jonathan Aremu, whose appointment was announced last by the Vice-Chancellor, after the management meeting. He said the appointment was ratified by the Board of Regents after professorial assessments from the external assessors had been duly undertaken, which according to him, “validated the earlier prima facie cases established by the university’s Appointment and Promotion Committee.” Responding, Aremu, who began his working career at the Research Department of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) in 1980, as Assistant Economist, and rose through the ranks to become, acting Assistant Director of Research before he voluntarily retired, expressed gratitude to the Chancellor and the university management for finding him worthy to be appointed a professor. His words: “I am ready to make more contributions in the area of academics, particularly in the area of International Economic Relations.”

L-R: Mr. Olakunle Azeez; Mr. Adedapo Adesina and Mr. Muritala Ayinla, all graduands of the Masters Degree Programmes from the Department of Mass Communication, University of Lagos, Akoka, during the university’s convocation ceremony.

Remove discrimination against poly sector, says rector Adeolu Adeyemo OSOGBO

he management of the Osun State Polytechnic, Iree has pleaded with the presidentelect, Gen. Mohammad Buhari (rtd) to remove without further delay the dichotomy between university and polytechnic education, saying the rating of university system above polytechnic education is a misnomer. The Rector, Dr. Jacob Olusoji Agboola, who made the appeal at the 22nd matriculation ceremony of the polytechnic for the 2014/2015 academic session, argued that the level of skill acquisition in the polytechnic institutions is far higher than that of the university system. While insisting that there is no country that can develop without skills acquisition, especially in technical and vocational education like the ones acquired in polytechnic institutions, he

hinted that “until students acquire basic technical skills that could transform the economy, the country’s education will be incomplete.” Agboola, who argued that the type of education and skills acquired from the polytechnics are more practical oriented than that of university education, said polytechnic education is structured to equip the graduates to be independent and self-reliant. According to him, “polytechnic education is for job creation and not job seeking as it prepared every individual to be self-reliant, while practicability is its watch word.” The Rector, while warning the 2,800 matriculating students to shun cultism, which he said could ruin their future and bring their education in the polytechnic to an abrupt end, advised them against involving in all untoward acts that could bring disrepute to the institution and prolong their academic pursuits on campus.

EDUPEACE

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

Leadership is action T he third letter of the word leadership, for our purpose, signifies action. There is no doubt that leadership is all about action. It is the core responsibility of a leader to be active, not dormant or passive. As an actual or potential leader, if you are not active, probably sleeping, playing, chatting and drinking your days away, you are just deceiving yourself, you are not a leader and you won’t truly be! A person like former President Olusegun Obasanjo divides public opinion but you cannot take action away from him. Millions of people admire him for being active and that is a good quality of leadership. Obasanjo is mentally and physically restless. By his own admission, he is perpetually struggling to achieve one thing or another. Leadership is struggle; leadership is action. However, there is no doubt that sound action is based on good theory. You cannot perform without a good theoretical background informed by education or academic excellence. This is why it is said that theory without practice is lame and practice without theory is blind. Educational excellence provides a foundation upon which good action can be erected. Yet, knowledge is not an end itself; it is a means to an end. According to Jim Rohn, “Don’t let your learning lead to knowledge; let your learning lead to action”. In Nigeria, the problem is that there is much knowledge with little or no action. We have the “most knowledgeable” people around with truck-loads of degrees and diplomas. But what is the end-result? We are the laughing stock of the world because we know but we don’t act purposively and positively. The problem with many of us is that we often substitute words for action. People waste a lot of precious time in talks and meetings. Discussions and deliberations are passionately made but at the end of the day, they are pure wind without follow-up actions. Talk is cheap and as the Yoruba say, “words do not fill a basket”. Napoleon Hill wrote that happiness is found in doing, not merely possessing. If leadership function can be bifurcated, it will involve planning and action. It is said that to fail to plan is to plan to fail. If a student wants to graduate with a good grade, the first requirement is planning. This will involve sequential and deliberate process of having a time table, commitment to attending lectures and tutorials as well as determination to avoid distractors: false friends and many social engagements. Then, the time table is followed judiciously and the determi-

The problem with many of us is that we often substitute words for action

nation and commitment are followed through in practical dimensions. Hisham Altalib said something memorable that he called the pentagon of success. He suggested rightly that there is always a problem or a series of problems for a leader to solve. Solving the problem often is a function of a five-stage process. “The first four stages are theoretical and help us reach the right decisions, but until we implement them we have not moved ahead,” he wrote. The pentagon of success begins with 1) feel the problem, then 2) diagnose it 3) prescribe the solution 4) plan implementation and ends with 5) follow up/follow through. The last stage is the action stage and if it is missing, the whole essence is ultimately a waste of time. One of the most memorable quotes I got from the former Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ilorin, an action man par excellence, Prof. Is-haq O. Oloyede, OFR, is that “hard work doesn’t kill”. Rather, it is indulgence and complacence that kill. So, I have grown to love more action than speech though I know that good speech stimulates action. There are three types of people: those who make things happen, those who watch things happen and those who wonder how things happen. Action men are leaders who make things happen while others only watch while the thoughtful ones just wonder. In choosing leaders whether within the micro level of the university campus or the macro level of the larger society, activeness is a quality that should be looked for in leaders. It is amusing to see some of our so-called honourable legislators warming the bench of the hallowed chambers of the National Assembly doing nothing. They see no evil, hear no evil and speak no evil. If you are a president, act presidential; if you are a Governor, act as one, not as a stooge of someone else! If you cannot be your own man, you have no business in the Government House and you are a disgrace to leadership. True leaders act; pseudo-leaders complain.

NEW TELEGRAPH TUESDAY, MAY 5, 2015

Energy

Jonathan, Buhari and NNPC’s audit report

Property

Aviation

Property, page 35 How to sustain Eko Atlantic project, by experts

Dubai route: Why Nigerian airlines can’t break barriers

Business What's news

PPPRA’s fuel price hits N130.96 per litre The Expected Open Market Price (EOMP) of the Petroleum Products Pricing Regulating Agency (PPPRA) has hit N130.96 per litre, pushing the daily subsidy on fuel to N1.7 billion.

p.32

NCF seeks judicious use of N10bn GGW fund Efforts to return Nigeria to 25 per cent forest cover as recommended by the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) is yielding positive results, no thanks to the Federal Government’s commitment of N10 billion for the implementation of Africa Union-backed programme, the Great Green Wall (GGW).

p.32

The Business Desk Ayodele Aminu

Deputy Editor (Business)

L-R: Chief Executive, Solid Rock Securities and Investment Plc, Mr. O. Ezeagu; Director, DSU Brokers Services Limited, Mr. Akeredolu-Ale Akinsola and Managing Director, UBA Capital Securities, Mr. Jude Chiemeka, at the first quarter Capital Market Committee meeting in Lagos. PHOTO: SULEIMAN HUSAINI

Underwriters record N965bn premium income under Jonathan DRAWBACK

Dependence on brokers for large-ticket transactions remains a major weakness of underwriters in Nigeria

he result of the reforms in Nigeria’s insurance sector during the administration of President Goodluck Jonathan has manifested positively, as the industry recorded almost N1 trillion in Gross Premium Income (GPI) between 2011 and 2014. The GPI, which amounted to N965 billion, grew by 14.8

per cent, from the N840 billion recorded within a period of 10 years before Jonathan took over the reins of government in 2011. According to the breakdown, the industry pulled a total of N180 billion in 2011, N200 billion in 2012, N285 billion in 2013 and an estimated N300 billion in 2014. Commissioner for Insurance, Mr. Fola Daniel, said that the Nigerian insurance industry has witnessed tremendous changes in recent times owing to the new reforms embarked upon by NAICOM. These reforms include the introduction of Risk Based Supervision, migration to International Financial Reporting Standard (IFRS)

INFLATION RATE March 2015.............................8.5% February 2015.........................8.4% January 2015...........................8.2%

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

Bayo Akomolafe

Asst. Editor (Maritime)

Sunday Ojeme

Asst. Editor (Insurance)

Tony Chukwunyem

Asst. Editor (Money Market)

Dele Alao

Industry & Agric Editor

Dayo Ayeyemi Property Editor

Adeola Yusuf Energy Editor

Wole Shadare Aviation Editor

Chris Ugwu

Capital Market Editor

Abdulwahab Isa

Sunday Ojeme

Finance Editor

Kunle Azeez

Senior Correspondent

Chuks Onuanyin Energy

Nnamdi Amadi Reporter

Johnson Adebayo

Asst Production Editor

Pay over N200bn claims from the Nigerian Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (NGAAP) and Market Conduct Reforms. Others include Claims Settlement Reforms, Financial Inclusion - all geared towards developing the industry and improving the general perception about insurance. Prior to the emergence of Jonathan, the industry received N27.7 billion, N33.1 billion, N44.5 bllion and N55.9 billion

N300 billion Total number of Gross premium Income pooled by the industry in 2014

premiums in 2000, 2001, 2002 and 2003 respectively. The insurance industry also pulled a total written premium of N69.4 billion, N76.3 billion, N82.3 billion and N100.6 billion in 2004, 2005, 2006 and 2007 respectively. The premiums also rose by 33.5 per cent from N150 billion in 2008 to N200 billion in 2009. Within the period, the underwriters also paid over N200 billion as claims to policyholders. A report by Agusto & Co had revealed that the GPI reached a record high of 63 per cent in 2008 and a record low of six per cent in 2010. It said that although premium growth plunged in two successive years (2009 –2010) to single digit due to CONTINUED ON PAGE 32

Rates Dashboard EXCHANGE RATE (BDC as at May 1)

USD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . N223 Pounds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . N332 Euro . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . N240

l Foreign Reserves – $29.512bn as at 28/04/2015

Source: CBN

EXCHANGE RATE (Interbank as at May 1)

USD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . N197 Pounds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . N303 Euro . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . N220

Business | News

TUESDAY, MAY 5, 2015 NEW TELEGRAPH

PPPRA’s fuel price hits N130.96 per litre LANDING COST

Fuel landing cost is now N115.47 per litre

Adeola Yusuf

he Expected Open Market Price (EOMP) of the Petroleum Products Pricing Regulating Agency (PPPRA) has hit N130.96 per litre, pushing the daily subsidy on fuel to N1.7 billion. Nigeria, Africa’s biggest crude exporter, relies on importation for most of its fuel needs due to the inefficiency of its four refineries. The OMP, which, according to the PPPRA, is the landing cost and the margins, has N43.96 difference (subsidy) between it and the regulated price of N87 per litre. The PPPRA template, last updated on April 29 on the agency’s website, was based on the landing cost of N115.47 per litre. Consequently, the subsidy to be paid by the Federal Government has risen to N43.25 per litre, up from N2.84 as at January 21, 2015. According to the regulatory agency, the EOMP

Pushes subsidy to N1.7bn daily of PMS is N130.25 per litre as at April 28, 2015. Figures from the Pipelines and Products Marketing Company (PPMC), revealed that daily petrol consumption in Nigeria is 40 million litres.

the capital market crisis, which prevailed in the country, the industry rebounded slightly in 2011, to record a double-digit premium growth. According to the study, “the industry’s dependence on brokers for large-ticket transactions, however, remains a major weakness of underwriters in Nigeria. This is exhibited in the high premium receivables recorded in 2011 as well as in 2012. We expect the “no premium no cover regulation” passed by NAICOM in 2012 to moderate premium receivables by the end of FY13. “We view positively NAICOM’s plan to introduce the micro-insurance and Takaful insurance frameworks for the lower-income segment of the population before the end of 2013. We believe this should help insurance companies deepen their retail reach and market penetration going forward. The entrance of Old Mutual Limited (Anglo-South African insurance company) into

cording to the PPPRA. The regulatory agency had, on January 21, 2015, put petrol subsidy at N2.84 per litre - three days after the Federal Government reduced the pump price of petrol to N87 per litre follow-

Brent crude fell to $64 per barrel last Tuesday and traded around that price last Wednesday. On January 18, 2015, government announced the reduction in the pump price of petrol from N97 to N87 per litre, attributing this to the decline in global crude oil prices.

L-R: Principal, Lagos Progressive Junior Secondary School, Surulere, Mrs. Santos Anjorin Adetola; Principal, Lagos Progressive Senior Secondary School, Surulere, Mrs. Ufondu Sylvia; Executive Assistant, Zaccheus Onumba Dibiaezue Memorial Library, Amaka Okoye and Manager, Events and CSI, Stanbic IBTC, Ame Okwudi, at the donation of books by Stanbic IBTC to Lagos Progressive High School.

Underwriters record N965bn premium income CONTINUED FROM PAGE 31

Based on this, the total subsidy cost on the product as at last Friday (May 1), amounted to N1.73 billion at N43.25 per litre. The EOMP of PMS was N128.96 per litre as at April 24, while subsidy was N41.96 per litre, ac-

ing the plunge in global benchmark of Brent crude. With the price of Brent crude, against which Nigeria’s oil is benchmarked, rising to $65.55 on April 24, 2015, the amount payable by government to oil marketers went above the N40 per litre mark.

the life insurance market would further change the dynamics of this segment and encourage best practices as well as innovation among life operators,” the firm stated. Within the period under review, the National Insurance Commission (NAICOM) injected several reforms, including threats, to the operators to play according to the rules or quit. The reforms also resulted in some disciplinary measures being implemented by the regulator to ensure that policyholders with genuine reasons to receive their claims get paid. This was made possible with the creation of the Complaints Bureau where aggrieved policyholders could channel their worries. Last year, Daniel confirmed that about N2 billion was paid as claims to policyholders who made use of the bureau. Moreover, the full implementation of the Insurance Act 51 (No Premium No Cover) also contributed hugely to the premium growth especially in the last two years.

REFORESTATION

Foundation to engage the incoming government Dayo Ayeyemi

fforts to return Nigeria to 25 per cent forest cover as recommended by the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) is yielding positive results, no thanks to the Federal Government’s commitment of N10 billion for the implementation of Africa Union-backed programme, the Great Green Wall (GGW). To ensure that the money is spent for the purpose it is meant, the nation’s foremost environmental protection nongovernmental agency, Nigerian Conservation Foundation (NCF), has tasked the Federal Government to embark on full implementation of the GGW project in Nigeria. Speaking during the Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the Foundation, its President, Chief Philip Asiodu, said that government has a role to ensure that the programme takes a firm root in Nigeria, especially in the northern part of the country, which has been ravaged by severe desertification. He said that NCF, as a conservation agency, has engaged in discussions with other stakeholders and international donors to the project on the need

NCF seeks judicious use of N10bn GGW fund to ensure close monitoring of its implementation in Nigeria. He explained that the N10 billion committed to the project by the Federal Government was just a seed money to start the project in Nigeria, stressing the need to develop relevant skills for the success of the project. As part of contributions to the project, the NCF president said that the Action Plan of his agency between 2014 and 2019 has given priority to reforestation and conservation of biodiversity, mass-membership drive, environmental education in schools and fund-raising, adding that the organisation is committed to the success of the scheme. Asiodu urged individuals to be committed to this project by planting trees in large number in areas where forest has been destroyed. He said that NFC would engage the incoming government with regard to reforestation in Nigeria. He said: “Comprehensive, well sequenced and well costed plan, stretching over perhaps the next 20 years, to achieve both the GGW project and the larger project of restoring Nigeria to 25 per cent forest cover.” The NCF president also canvassed the use of only plywood and timber that are Forest

Stewardship Council-certified, adding that government should designate more forest areas as national parks, aside the present seven parks, in order to advance the protection of ecosystems and wildlife. The Great Green Wall initiative is a pan-African proposal to “green” the continent from west to east in order to battle desertification. It aims at tackling poverty and the degradation of soils in the Sahel-Saharan region, focusing on a strip of land of 15 kilometres (km) (9 mi) wide and 7,100 km (4,400 mi) long from Dakar to Djibouti. The project, according to plan, brings together 11 countries to plant trees across Africa so as to hold back the Sahara desert with a swathe of greenery, which will hopefully lessen the advance of desertification and improve the lives and livelihoods of communities affected by the scourge of climate change. In Nigeria, the project aims to address desertification, enhance natural resource management and promote ecosystem integrity of the dry land in the Northern parts of the country. The Nigerian project stretches from Zamfara and Kebbi States in the North West corner along the northern border to the extreme eastern border in Borno State.

NEW TELEGRAPH TUESDAY, MAY 5, 2015

$20bn missing funds: NNPC faces energy stakeholders in US p.34

resident Goodluck Jonathan, penultimate Monday, ordered the release of the much-talkabout forensic audit report on the Nigrian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC). He did this in reaction to an earlier threat by his would-be successor, General Muhammadu Buhari, to release the same report when he gets the mantle of leadership on May 29. Presidential spokesperson, Dr. Reuben Abati, who announced Jonathan’s decision, added that the president was “deeply concerned” by the continuing suggestions that his administration still has anything to hide on the unproven allegation that about $20 billion has remained unaccounted for by NNPC during his tenure. “To lay the matter to rest, President Jonathan, in line with Section 7(2) of the NNPC Act, has directed that the full report of the PwC forensic audit of the NNPC accounts be released immediately to the public so that all Nigerians will be properly informed on the matter,” he said. Most of the reviews on the 199-page PwC report, however, showed myriads of perspectives. Sanusi’s allegation A forensic audit of Nigeria’s state oil firm released last week Monday confirmed the accusation by Emir Muhammed Sanusi that the NNPC withheld about $20 billion that it ought to have remitted to the national treasury, Reuters had reported. The report ordered to be released by President Goodluck Jonathan, more than two months after it was submitted by PriceWaterHouseCoopers, confirmed that the NNPC illegally spent $18.53 billion on operational costs, kerosene and petrol subsidies, without authorisation from the National Assembly. Part of the money was also withheld by an NNPC subsidiary, without the National Assembly’s authorisation. Although the audit found that the firm overpaid the state by almost $750 million within the 19 months probe, it recommended a refund of $1.5 billion to government coffers. The audit covered January 2012 to July 2013. President Jonathan released the audit days after General Buhari pledged to probe the allegation all over again and crack down on corruption in the energy company once in office. The probe of the NNPC books was instituted last year after former Central Bank Governor, Sanusi Lamido, said that the firm had withheld $20 billion in oil revenue from government coffers, jeopardising the country’s finances. Sanusi had told a Senate committee in 2014 that NNPC had received $67 billion and handed over only $47 billion. After the allegations, Jonathan publicly dismissed the claim and replaced Sanusi, saying that the banker had mismanaged the central bank’s budget. Sanusi has since become the Emir of Kano, the country’s second-highest Islamic authority. The PwC audit, however, said that NNPC and its upstream subsidiary, the Nigerian Petroleum Development Company (NPDC), should hand over $1.48 billion arising from unsubstantiated costs, duplicated subsidy claims and computation errors. The report also recommended an overhaul of how NNPC is run. “The NNPC model of operation must be urgently reviewed and restructured,

Energy

Jonathan, Buhari and NNPC’s audit report The gulf between the president and the president-elect continue to widen despite the release of PriceWaterhouseCoopers (PwC) report on the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), ENERGY EDITOR, Adeola Yusuf reports

Jonathan

Buhari

as the current model, which has been in operation since the creation of the corporation, cannot be sustained,” it said in the 199-page document. An earlier one-page version of the report, which had been due out in September, was released in February. The report has caused consternation in a nation long accustomed to reports of grand graft in Africa’s largest oil producer. Analysts say that Buhari, 72, managed to oust Jonathan in elections last month because voters believed he would tackle graft in Africa’s largest economy.

the now Emir of Kano, Sanusi, who claimed at a Senate public probe, among other allegations, that NPDC failed to remit $6 billion; while another $3.38 billion was tied to the kerosene subsidy regime. Prior to that, he had alleged that $49.8 billion had not been remitted by NNPC to the Federation Account from crude oil sales between January 2012 and July 2013, but later revised the sum to $12 billion and/or $10.8 billion, before settling for $20 billion, which was premised on allegations not connected to revenue arising from crude oil sales over a 19-month period. Although the Federal Government responded by contracting PwC to undertake the forensic audit of NNPC,

‘No $20bn missing’ But while the audit did not mention any missing funds, only requiring NNPC’s exploration and production (E&P) subsidiary – the Nigerian Petroleum Development Company – to remit $1.48 billion to the Federation Account, the report did raise many pertinent questions. Briefing State House correspondents on the president’s directive, Abati said that the incoming administration of Buhari was free to review all actions and policies taken by the present administration, which it deems necessary. PwC was contracted by the Federal Government to carry out a forensic report into the finances of NNPC between January 2012 and July 2013. This followed the allegation of a missing $20 billion made in January 2014 by

There are two levels of qualifying an account: modification and actual qualification

only highlights of the report were made public last February. However, Abati stated that on assumption of office, Jonathan did review some actions and policies of his predecessor, which, according to him, were not out of place for the incoming government to do. The presidency equally denied allegations by the All Progressives Congress (APC) that officials of the Federal Government were engaged in “last minute looting of the nation’s resources, rushed privatisation of key institutions and hurried recruitment into the public service.” Abati, in a statement, said: “We consider as most unfortunate and uncharitable, the suggestion by Alhaji (Lai) Mohammed that the Jonathan administration is trying to ‘tie the hands’ of the incoming government merely by continuing to discharge its constitutional responsibilities until the end of its tenure. “The Jonathan administration, which continues to do its best to ensure a smooth and peaceful handover of power to the President-elect, General Muhammadu Buhari, deeply regrets the unfairness and combative frame of mind reflected in Alhaji Mohammed’s statement. “President Jonathan has done his best in the past five years to discharge his constitutional responsibilities for good governance and effective leadership of the nation. “Without any prejudice whatsoever to the freedom of the incoming administration to do as it pleases within the confines of extant laws when it assumes office, the Jonathan administration will continue to discharge its responsibility to govern until May 29, 2015. “In continuing to fulfill the obligations of his office, however, President Jonathan has not and will never condone any form of unscrupulous conduct on the part of state officials. President Jonathan will also never authorise any attempt to create any problems for the incoming administration as the APC spokesperson, which ought to know that the outcome of the March 28 presidential elections does not imply a cessation of governance and unjust allegegations. “As Alhaji Mohammed threatened in his statement, the incoming administration will be perfectly within its rights to review all actions of the present government as it may deem fit. We see nothing wrong with that. After all, the present administration reviewed the actions of previous governments on assumption of office with resultant benefits for policy and project implementation.” ‘Report’s a review, not forensic audit’ As this dust was settling, the PwC qualified the audit, saying it did not obtain needed information from NPDC, a subsidiary of NNPC. The qualification of the audit report has cast doubt on the reliability of the account. A source that has a working knowledge of the audit CONTINUED ON PAGE 34

Business | Energy

COORDINATOR

PETAN coordinates the Nigerian pavilion at the OTC Adeola Yusuf

Houston, Texas

he Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) has reaffirmed participation at the on-going Offshore Technology Conference (OTC) in Houston, Texas United States (US), where it is expected to clear the air on burning issues in Nigeria, including the missing $20 billion oil revenue. The OTC, which is the world biggest assembly of stakeholders in oil and gas sector, has been on for 47 years. The NNPC has been using participation at the annual conference to share stories of succesess and challenges with stakeholders. The corporation described the participation of indigenous oil and gas companies at the annual confab as a big boost, which has provided the platform for the acquisition of technology and diverse skills for local players. “NNPC is prepared to answer many questions from stakeholders at the OTC. One of these questions is the alleged missing $20 billion. There is no way we can avoid this from many stakeholders from countries around the world who will be at the conference and the best we can do is to use the opportunity provided by OTC to put the issue in right perspective,” a management staff of the corporation, who is not authorised to speak to the press, said. He stated that the exposure offered by the OTC has made the companies better organised and more efficient. A statement on the website of the corporation said that the fallout of the regular participation of Nigerian oil and gas companies at the previous conferences has led to the massive acquisition of expertise in drilling, well testing, surface maintenance, drilling services and other contemporary technology that have taken the petroleum industry to its current level. “The level of expertise and technology that our indigenous companies have acquired is quite significant. They are able to participate in virtually the entire spectrum of the oil and gas services. These are expertise that was purely resident outside the country in the past, but from the fallout of our

TUESDAY, MAY 5, 2015 NEW TELEGRAPH

$20bn missing funds: NNPC faces energy stakeholders in US outings, there have been significant acquisition of technology that have enabled our indigenous players to work without importing these technologies,” the statement said. Petroleum Technician Association of Nigeria (PETAN), in a statement signed its Publicity Secretary, Nik Odinuwe and made available to journalist in Lagos, also said that the body would coor-

dinate the Nigerian Pavilion at the OTC. It listed the Nigerian delegation to the conference to include the NNPC, indigenous oil companies (IOCs), independents, international and indigenous service companies, investors and representatives of government agencies. Activities lined up for Nigerian delegates at the conference, accord-

ing PETAN, include exhibition, luncheon and panel session, Nigeria Industry Award dinner and business networking seminar. Meanwhile, organisers of the OTC have said that the 2015 edition of the conference would set a new attendance record like the last edition. The 108,300 in attendance last year was the highest in show history

and there is a high hope that this year may surpass that of last year, PETAN said. Attendance at the 47year old annual conference had reached 108,300 in 2014, up 3.3 percent from 2013. Attendance surpassed the 2013 total of 104,800 and the sold-out exhibition was the largest in show history at 680,025 ft², up from 652,185 ft² in

2013. The event had 2,568 companies representing 43 countries, including 163 new exhibitors in 2014. International companies made up 44 percent of exhibitors. “OTC’s great success this year is yet another validation of the great vision inspired by the founders who created the conference in 1969,” said Ed Stokes, chairman of OTC. “

L-R: Immediate past President, Nigerian Association of Petroleum Explorationists (NAPE), Adedoja Ojelabi; Director, Department of Petroleum Resources,(DPR), George Osahon and President, NAPE, Chikwe Edoziem, at the presentation of the association’s 2014 pre-conference workshop communique to the Director, DPR, for onward transmission to the Minister of Petroleum Resources, in Lagos.

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 33

report at PwC said that what the auditors did was a review and not a forensic audit. He noted that a report is not an auditing job. He said: “It is a review of what has happened and you are expected to present a report. The qualification in the audit report is a normal qualification. When you are given a job, there are procedures for doing the job based on agreement with the client. “So, you want to put a caveat so that others would not use it or rely on it for decision making. It is also to protect the company from any legal action that may arise from the job.” Expert’s view President, Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN), Mr. Chidi Onyeukwu Ajaegbu (FCA), said that an account is qualified when the auditors do not agree with the auditee on some issues. He said that there are two levels of qualifying an account: modification and actual qualification. He said that the qualification could be expressed on strong terms or mild terms, adding

Jonathan, Buhari and NNPC audit report that a qualified account calls for further instigation. Ajaegbu said that the NNPC case is that of material qualification, where a unit being audited did not provide the needed material substance. He said that the reason given by PWC was enough to qualify the account, adding that auditors qualify accounts to shield themselves from blame by potential users of the account when they discovered some misstatement or representation in the account. PricewaterhouseCoopers, in their introductory letter addressed to Nigeria’s Auditor General, said that findings in its report were limited to available information and did not constitute a review in accordance with generally accepted standards. The report said: “The procedures we performed did not constitute an examination or a review in accordance with generally accepted auditing standards or attestation standards. “Accordingly, we provide no opinion, attestation or other form of assurance with respect

to our work or the information upon which our work was based.” PWC said that the report “was solely for the Office of the Auditor-General of the Federation, for their internal use and benefit and not intended to, nor be relied upon, by any other third party.” The firm concluded that the NNPC should refund to government a minimum of $1.48 billion of missing oil funds, a figure many Nigerians believe is smaller than the likely actual figure. The report did not give strong and independent opinion of its findings despite saying that the investigation was carried out using forensic techniques. The report is only an opinion on whether the information presented is correct and free from material misstatements, whereas all other determinations are left for the user to decide. According to Ajaegbu, a qualified opinion report is issued when the auditor encountered one of the two types of situations, which do not comply with generally accepted account-

ing principle. The two types of situations, which would cause an auditor to issue this opinion, include single deviation from GAAP – this type of qualification occurs when one or more areas of the financial statements do not conform to GAAP (e.g. are misstated), but do not affect the rest of the financial statements from being fairly presented when taken as a whole. Limitation of scope – this type of qualification occurs when the auditor could not audit one or more areas of the financial statements, and although they could not be verified, the rest of the financial statements were audited and they conform to GAAP. However, the most significant change in the adverse report from the qualified report is in the opinion paragraph, where the auditor clearly states that the financial statements are not in accordance with GAAP, which means that they, as a whole, are unreliable, inaccurate, and do not present a fair view of the auditee’s position and operations.

NEW TELEGRAPH TUESDAY, MAY 5, 2015

‘Govt must remove bottlenecks in accessing land’ p.36

Property&Environment

How to sustain Eko Atlantic project, by experts CLIMATE CHANGE The city is an adaptation measure against sea level rise Stories by Dayo Ayeyemi

n order to ensure the sustainability of Eko Atlantic City Project, environmental experts have tasked the Lagos State government to involve relevant stakeholders, especially the private sector, in its execution on a continuous basis. Noting that Lagos, as a coastal city, is highly vulnerable to the impact of climate change, the experts, which converged during the 7th Lagos State Summit on Climate Change, consensusly agreed that the use of only private sector resources for the execution of the project remained the innovative way to ensure its sustainability. They enjoined the government to continue to support the African Coastal Cities Climate Change Vulnerability and Adaptation Planning Project towards making Lagos more resilient. Themed: “Seven years of climate change governance in Lagos State, celebrating success stories, reviewing challenges and setting future agenda,” the experts noted that Eko Atlantic City Project was potentially an effective adaptive response to mitigate the impact of climate change on the coastal city, Lagos. Developed by Southern Energyx Nigeria Limited, Eko Atlantic is an emerging city in Lagos, rising on reclaimed land from the Atlantic Ocean. According to its developers, it is a 21st Century city that will compare with United Arab Emirates city of Dubai. The confab The summit provided opportunity for the Lagos State government to reel out some of the achievements of the climate change conference since inception. Some of the successes of the summit include the development of Eko Atlantic City Project, which is an adaptation measure against climate change-induced sea level rise; improved waste management and transportation; the Lagos, Akute and Alausa Independent Power Projects, planting of over five million trees; creation of over 100 parks and gardens and establishment of the Lagos State Parks and Garden Agency (LASPARK), among others. Impressed by these achievements, the experts urged government to continue to invest in climate change to promote environmental sustainability and assure future for human existence in the state. What govt should do They stressed the need for gov-

Eko Atlantic project’s site

ernment to put into place a positive innovative environment’s policy and strengthening of existing regulatory framework, including tax incentives and governance mechanisms to promote public and private investment in climate change mitigation projects in the state. In a communiqué issued at the end of the summit, the experts warned that Lagos as mega city must commit to addressing greenhouse gas emissions reduction; including introducing Controlled Parking Zones to deter the use of private vehicles and establishment of carbon registry to monitor GHG emission levels, among others. The experts observed that rapid and unguided urbanisation, poor institutionalisation of public mass transportation with unsatisfactory commuter/ freight demand were responsible for rapidly growing use of private vehicles in Lagos. Over 700 participants at the summit also tasked Lagos State to ensure continuity in the implementation of the model city plan within the existing legal framework to further climate-proof

Lagos. Urban development, they urged should be controlled through appropriate measures that will reduce dependency on motorised vehicles and reduce the increasing need for urban infrastructure. They said: “Lagos State government should explore the possibilities of developing a framework for the construction of energy efficient houses for both low and middle income earning residents of the state. “Government should consider the adoption of a state policy and action plan within a robust legal framework to define its future response to the development and environmental challenges of climate change, as an example of what can be done for Nigeria.” They also urged the state government to look into the feasibility of an Energy-Poverty Alleviation Fund to help provide modern energy services to the poor and the needy in the state. The summit also stressed the need to develop a climate change information management system in which all research outputs would be catalogued and widely disseminated on a regular basis.

The state should create a capacity building and mentorship training programme

They equally canvassed the need to put in place technology to reduce GHG emissions from waste in the state, adding that youths must be encouraged and involved in the development of climate change mitigation technology. The communiqué said: “The state should pursue a strategic alignment with the private corporate organisations in the state in its fight against climate change and promote research, development, demonstration and deployment (RDD&D), particularly in the development of technological response to the challenge. “Lagos State Green Fund (inspired by the Lekki Free Trade Zone), should be created to leverage funding from all sources (state, federal, bilateral and multilateral financial institutions) to promote green employment generation, investment and innovation. “The state should create a capacity building and mentorship training programme to assist associations to have access to funding opportunities and to intensify links and networks with institutions that have expertise in climate change mitigation.”

Experts lament low turnout of E-Certificate of Occupancy

hen Lagos State government announced the change of the yellow paper Certificate of Occupancy (C of O) to a more secure electronic format, known as the Electronic -C of O, experts in the built environment applauded the initiative, seeing it as a way to end one of the challenges limiting investment in land and production of mass houses in the metropolis. However, over a year after the commencement

of the scheme, the state government has only processed 2,230 e- C of O out of which 1,000 copies were issued, according to the Permanent Secretary, Lagos’ Land Bureau, Hakeem Muri-Okunola. Not impressed by the quantity released, housing experts have decried the low turnout of the e- C of O, saying that the number issued fell short of expectation, considering the huge housing deficit in Lagos.

Speaking with New Telegraph, Vice President, International Real Estate Federation (FIABCI), African chapter, Chief Kola Akomolede, said that the idea of e-electronic was good, but lamented that the authority only churned out 1,000 copies one year after the programme was introduced. Akomolede said that the slow pace associated with its issuance was discouraging, noting that electronic process of C of O is expect-

ed to be fast and seamless. He said: “Electronic is supposed to make the process fast and if over one and half years just 1,000 certificates have been issued, it is below expectation.” He noted that one of the accommodation challenges in Lagos was that construction of houses has not kept pace with urban rapidly expanding populations, leading to severe overcrowding CONTINUED ON PAGE 36

Business | Property & Environment

TUESDAY, MAY 5, 2015 NEW TELEGRAPH

‘Administrative bottlenecks in accessing land must be removed’ Mr. Bisi Adedire is the immediate past chairman of the Association of Town Planners Consultants of Nigeria (ATOPCON) and Principal Partner, Bisi Adedire and Co. In this interview with DAYO AYEYEMI, he speaks on critical areas in the infrastructural development of Nigeria. Excerpts: Now that a new government is set to take charge from May 29, 2015, which major areas do you want to see infrastructural development In Nigeria? Topmost on our classification of major areas of attention is housing. Housing shortage in the country still bites hard in many states across the federation. In Nigeria, we still record cases of people dwelling in ramshackle structures that cannot survive the mildest of storms. Studies have shown that the housing deficit in Nigeria is about 17 million and, according to the Minister of Lands, Housing and Urban Development, about two million units is being added per annum to the existing housing stock by government. However, this deficit is not static, but increasing just as the population of the country. We believe what we need now is more realistic policies and pragmatic

approaches to provide housing with ease of access to the people. This includes increasing the housing units as well as making them affordable to low income earners and removing administrative bottlenecks in accessing land and processing of title to it. Many of the housing provisions by government in the past few years are priced beyond the reach of the common man. In a country where the minimum wage is put at N18,000, how many would be able to afford a 2/3-bedroom flat of N15 million? Low cost housing has to be really low in cost. How has administrative bottlenecks limited access to housing? There are cases of estate entrepreneurs who wanted to build some 100 units of low cost housing for its employees at N4 million per unit. However, the good intention was scuttled by the bureaucratic bottlenecks associated with the process of getting the title to the land, development permit and the duration of securing them. All these obstacles must be removed to significantly reduce the deficit. A good housing policy framework would definitely solve this problem and it is time to fully involve the services of professional town planners in the process. Is that all? The issue of transportation is just as salient as the issue of housing earlier discussed. Transportation can be likened to the blood in the body system. It is a link to every part of the system. More developed and efficient transportation system affords freer flow of economic development dividends across the land. Indeed, Nigeria might be rated the largest economy in the continent, but this is yet

Adedire

We still recorded cases of people dwelling in ramshackle structures

Experts lament low turnout of E-C of O CO NTINUED FROM PAG E 3 5

and congestion in slums. President of Association of Town Planners Consultants of Nigeria, Mr. Moses Ogunleye, also bemoaned the process, saying that the number of copies issued was small. He said at the experts in the industry-deserved explanations from the authority whether it is still in transition time between eprocess and traditional type. He urged the state authority to step up the process. Housing deficit in Lagos is currently estimated to be five million housing units, representing 31 per cent of the estimated national housing deficit of 18 million Thus, a total of 3.5 million new units were estimated for the 1985-2015 period to adequately house Lagos residents. A C of O is a document issued by state govern-

ments in Nigeria to a land/property buyer as a proof of ownership. A parcel of land or property without an authentic C of O or equivalent could be likened to a vehicle without an authentic vehicle license. Documents required for state land C of O include, amongst others, formal letter addressed to the Executive Secretary of the Land Use Bureau, Standard Allocation form with receipt, four passport photographs with a white background, evidence of payment of income tax, current development levy and survey plan. However, for those who buy their plots of land from a developer who already has a Global C-of-O covering all the plots in the proposed estate, there is the need for such individuals to get the Governor’s Consent to enable them to use their properties as collateral for bank loans. For such people, the

documents required to get Governor’s Consent include dated letter of application addressed to the Director of Land Services with address and telephone number of applicant, completed form 1c, certified true copy of grantor’s title document, grantor’s evidence of payment of income tax and development levy receipts, four duly executed deeds of subleases and assignments. Others are mortgage or power of attorney, chartable survey plans, evidence of payment of charting, endorsement and form 1c, evidence of payment of ground rent/land use charge with demand notice, original letter of confirmation of payment of capital contribution from New Towns Development Authority (NTDA) in respect of Lekki Peninsular Scheme. Also included include are building plan and photograph of the property and identification card of the applicant or its agent.

to translate to economic value for the common man. It is on record that about 40 to 80 per cent of the income of most Nigerian workers is spent on transportation, with road being the dominant mode of commuting. There is hardly any economic activity that does not rely on transportation. Now, road transport appears to be the major means for transporting goods from producers to consumers and this is not cheap. The poor condition of many roads and the long travel time due to traffic holdups hike transport cost, which reflects on the cost of consumer goods. According to a study, about 50 to 60 percent of freight cost is gulped by road transportation. Most of the roads in Nigeria have been designed without detailed consideration of the axle load of vehicles it would bear, which results in early dilapidation of many roads. It is either our roads are upgraded to accommodate the axle loads of trailers and trucks or alternative routes are provided for such heavy duty vehicles. There is need to review the transportation policy. A policy that would foster development and efficiency of other means of transportation, such as rail and water transport is expedient at this time so as to take significant burden off the road. What about energy? Energy supply is the next area where infrastructural development must be concentrated to bring about adequacy in the supply of accommodation to the populace. The ever increasing demand and meagre supply of energy with increasing population not balanced by an adequate energy programme has been a great challenge to development. Energy in its various forms is the pedestal

upon which most economic activity stands. That the current state of energy supply has contributed to the economic downturn currently experienced in the country today, is to say the least. Taking electric power for instance, the erratic nature of the supply has grounded many businesses and sent some investors packing while scaring others away. According to a study, in Africa’s most populated country (Nigeria), only about 40 per cent of people are connected to the power grid, while those connected have difficulties for 60 per cent of the time. This has made people resort to electric power generators gulping significant percentage of their income. The incessant blackouts have also crippled the industrial sector. For instance, mining activities are shut down once the risk of power failure arises so as to avoid the trapping of workers in the mines. Lack of electricity has implications on agriculture as well, since most irrigation lines are powered by electricity. Thus, crop yield decreases when power fails. In the area of fuel energy, much still needs to be done. The importation of refined crude has been a major loophole through which much of our resources have been transferred abroad. Refineries should be built or repaired, as the case may be, in all the relevant areas within the country to earn foreign exchange from the exportation of refined crude. This would also reduce the cost of fuel used in running engines in industries, which, in turn, would reduce overhead cost of production for the few industries left behind. What about the nation’s human capital? We believe that much can still be done to enhance the current state of institutions of learning across the nation. In our tertiary institutions, for instance, facilities should be upgraded to encourage researches and improve the condition of learning within the schools. It is good to a have a wide spread of higher institutions across the nation. However, much more important is the quality of such institutions of learning. Currently, none of Nigerian universities rank among the top five in Africa and Nigerians have to patronise foreign institutions to have access to better training. Important also is the remuneration policy or agreement for lecturers and teachers generally, which, on several occasions, have halted educational activities in our institutions for periods ranging between six months and over a year to the detriment of the students. Primary and secondary education levels should also be enhanced in terms of availability of facilities and learning environment improved. There should be also the sustenance of the “feeding for pupils” promise, which has begun in some states. We hope this new administration would look into these policies and solidify them with a commitment to its promises to facilitate unhindered educational process?

NEW TELEGRAPH TUESDAY, MAY 5, 2015

NAMA charts new routes for aircraft to save fuel, others p.38 Nigerian airlines are said to be living under the shadow of foreign airlines, especially, the United Arab Emirates carriers, as they pull out of the Dubai route one after the other, writes Aviation Editor, WOLE SHADARE Virgin Nigeria’s bold step First, it was Virgin Nigeria. The airline at the height of its success, ventured into Dubai on June 2, 2006 to begin what many thought would expand the travel space and give travellers more options on the lucrative route. Virgin Nigeria, 51 per cent owned by Nigerian institutional shareholders and 49 per cent by British entrepreneur, Richard Branson, withdrew from the route shortly after it started operations. The Nigerian flag carrier airline was seen as a replacement for the defunct Nigeria Airways because of the support it enjoys from the then government. To them, the deliberate liquidation of Nigeria Airways in 2003 by former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s administration ensured that Nigeria would continue to play the second fiddle when it comes to global airline business. The liquidated carrier was said to have developed the Dubai route that has now become a prime destination for Emirates, Qatar and Etihad, three airlines that profited from the Lagos route two year ago to the tune of N30 billion. Nigeria Airways foray Nigeria Airways, during the period operated Dubai with less than 10 passengers until the route became hot cake for tourists, traders and holidaymakers. No wonder Emirates now operates two flights to Lagos daily, making 14 frequencies and daily frequency out of Abuja, aside the daily frequency from Abuja. Dubai, at that time, had not seen the type of development that is going on in the place. Many described the loss of Nigeria Airways as the gain of Emirates, Etihad and Qatar Airways.These three carriers are doing great on the Lagos and Abuja route with plea for the Ministry of Aviation to give them more frequencies. The carriers provide world-class services to teeming Nigeria passengers who go there for tourism, leisure and business. Arik faces similar fate Arik too is having challenges on the route and has indicated its intention to withdraw from May 5, 2015 (today), citing so many issues that have made the operation not to be successful. Aside the Dubai route, Arik is also finding it tough on some other routes, occasioned by inability of

Aviation Dubai route: Why Nigerian airlines can’t break barriers

Top: Arik Air. Bottom: Defunct Virgin Nigeria airline

government to protect the carrier and give it and other Nigerian airlines incentives to compete with their more funded counterparts. Every serious country in the world supports its airlines, but here in Nigeria, it is th government adds to the problems of the operators with huge taxes, high cost of aviation fuel, coupled with decay of infrastructure that make air travel very difficult and un-pleasurable.

Before now, young Nigerians troop to UAE, particularly Dubai, for different purposes. Some go there to relax; some travel there just because they want to have their previously unstamped international passports stamped, others travel there for business, among others. It is even not uncommon to find a group of friends fixing Dubai as the destination of their next social gathering.

Massive loss Chairman of Arik Air, Chief Joseph Ikhide Arumemi-Johnson once confessed to reporters that his airline makes a loss of $1.2 million on its international operations monthly. Just recently, Arik, at a press briefing, announced its decision to withdraw from the Dubai route. Managing Director of the airline, Mr. Chris Ndulue, attributed the airline’s withdrawal from the lucrative Lagos-Dubai route to loss of revenue amounting to several millions of naira. The airline said that a challenging wider economic environment in Nigeria as well as increasingly stringent travel regulation controls in the UAE contributed to the decision to suspend the service.

Competition Ndulue dismissed insinuations in some quarters that the carrier pulled out of the route because it could not compete with mega carriers like Emirates, Etihad and Qatar. He said that the withdrawal of Arik: “Has nothing to do with not being able to compete. We have aircraft, which economics does not suit that route, coupled with visa restriction that has affected the number of passengers we carry.” He said that Arik Air will continue to focus its attention on developing services in Nigeria and West Africa. Our present domestic network is fully developed with flights to most parts of the country; however, we will continue to review our frequencies and fleet deployment strategy to ensure we continually match growing demand within and outside of Nigeria for air travel and also operate efficiently. “Arik Air is committed in its pursuit to meet customer’s expectations through operating and investing in state of the art aircraft and puts great emphasis on safety

New Dubai hurdle Penultimate month, the government of UAE imposed visa restrictions on Nigerians. According to the new policy, only Nigerians who are 40 years and above can travel to the UAE for business, tourism or any other private visit.

Every serious country in the world supports its airlines

and reliability. The world’s current attention on economic regeneration and development in West Africa sees Arik Air as a pivotal player in the redevelopment of the region,” the airline added. It would be recalled that Arik had on July 28, 2014, commenced flight services to Dubai. Arik’s Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Michael Arumemi-Ikhide, had said that the direct flight would be part of its expansion strategies on long-haul operations. At the commencement of service to Dubai, he said: “The commencement of flights by Arik Air into Dubai will make it become the first Nigerian carrier to offer services between Abuja and the United Arab Emirates. “The airline ventured into the Middle East as part of strategies to consolidate on its international operations after five and half years of serving other international destinations.” Experts’ views Noting that there are direct flights now from overseas to Port Harcourt and Abuja, an aviation expert, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said that there is a need for Nigeria to develop an aviation policy. This, he said, becomes imperative because “the foreign airlines are coming in, but we don’t have the equipment and wherewithal to go there. But the question is: Are we getting even the right taxes from these airlines? “So, if you look at it, we don’t have a policy to even defend the market, because we have not created the market policies,” he stressed.

Business | Aviation

INNOVATION A major shift from conventional groundbased navigation aids Stories by Wole Shadare

igeria Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) has established new air route for airlines that could help them to save fuel, cut flight hours and emission. Managing Director of the agency, Ibrahim Abdulsalam, disclosed this to newsmen in Lagos. He said that the new system, which is now in operation allows aircraft for instance, to make a trip for less than 50 minutes for a journey that usually

TUESDAY, MAY 5, 2015 NEW TELEGRAPH

NAMA charts new routes for aircraft to save fuel, others takes over 60 minutes. The NAMA boss stated that the new air routes established were those comprising LagosAbuja; Port-Harcourt-Abuja and Lagos-Enugu. He added that they have two Performance-Based Navigation (PBN) routes in addition to the one already established. Abdulsalam disclosed that airlines are excited about it because of the reduction in fuel consumption as it takes aircraft more time to land and navigate than the shorter time aircraft would now travel to get to their destinations.

PBN is a term used to describe the broad range of technologies that are moving aviation away from a ground-based navigation system toward a system that relies more on the performance and capabilities of equipment on board the aircraft. It involves a major shift from conventional ground-based navigation aids and procedures to satellite-based navigation aids and area navigation procedures, which are more accurate and allow for shorter, more direct routes between two given points as well as more efficient

takeoffs and landings. This reduces fuel burn, airport and airspace congestion and aircraft emissions. In 2007, the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) passed a General Assembly resolution that calls on states to complete an implementation plan for PBN by 2009. New Zealand is proactively implementing PBN at most of its international airports and already has some of the most efficient air navigation procedures in the world. These procedures have delivered significant fuel burn and emission reductions for scheduled passenger operators. The CAA is taking a number of steps to meet the ICAO resolution by 2009. Nigeria, through the NAMA is amongst the few nations in Africa to introduce PBN as the government agreed in 2011 to the development the system. Abdulsalam said that the government has helped the agency to settle the debts

incurred by the agency for the total radar coverage of Nigeria (TRACON) support service. His words, “What we are doing now is to get a new contract for support system like spares. A lot of them are proprietary to Thales of France, the manufacturers of the multi billion naira equipment”. He stated that the agency was also looking at installing six navigational aids in six airports across the country, stressing that they are expected to go for the factory acceptance test soon. The NAMA boss noted that once the equipment has been installed, they would be brought in and installed. He however, declined to give the cost of the equipment, saying, “The cost of the navigational aids had already being published.” The agency he said, is more concerned with having the facility on ground in six airports, adding that other airports will benefit from it.

Emirates says cabin crew rises to 20,000 J L-R: Head of Business Strategy, Greater Washington Logistics Limited, Mr. Adeniyi Awosan, Assistant General Manager, Corporate/Auxiliary Business, Mr. Bright Aghogban, Managing Director, Mrs. Adenike Brown, Head, New Business, Mrs. Omamegbe Murhoko and Head, Cargo and Agency Business, Mr. Temitope Popoola, at the conference.

Why air cargo sub-sector is underutilised, by expert

he gross under-utilisation of the air cargo sub-sector of the aviation industry has been attributed to poor facilities, high charges and lack of enlightenment. In fact, it is predicted that Nigeria would have been earning over N10 billion annually, as additional revenue from air freights from different parts of the world if government has given incentive to cargo freighters and also developed facilities at the cargo terminals of the major airports. These were the views of Greater Washington Limited (GWL). The company’s Vice President, Awolabi Awosan, called on the Federal Government to reduce export charges paid on local products, so as to encourage the growth of air cargo business in Nigeria. He lamented the dearth of cargo planes dedicated for domestic business in terms of ferrying goods outside the country,

adding that only international planes bring items to Nigeria. He also noted that the foreign airlines are allowed to land in major cities of the country, thereby reducing the volume of freight or passengers for the local carriers. Awosan stated that if these international airlines were only allowed to land in Lagos or Abuja, the domestic carriers would then distribute the freight or passengers to other parts of the country. Just recently, he observed that the biggest challenge facing air cargo business is lack of awareness by the public, stressing that so many people are not aware of the business. He noted that such ignorance has affected the growth and reduce the volume of cargo activities in the country. Greater Washington Limited is a subsidiary of Greater Group and a party logistics company in Nigeria with core competence in supply chain

management, air cargo services and custom clearing and handling. Awosan said:“Nigeria is an importation dependant country. Sixty percent of goods distribution comes from China, Dubai and other western world. Most of these big items come from these countries, but over here, most of the big items go by road because there are some an aircraft cannot carry. “The lack of air cargo business has reduced the volume in the country; as a result the roads are doing more because of lack of awareness about how faster, cheaper and safer it is to freight items.” Awosan, noted that there are lots of risks associated with going by road. “We carry blood samples by air, which are not supposed to stay too long on the road. People are not aware that it is easier flying your parcels and general items by air, than by road”, he stated.

ust last month, Emirates celebrated a milestone in its employee history, with its cabin crew team crossing 20,000 workers. Emirates, which made this known in a statement, noted: “All around the world, Emirates cabin crew is a vibrant group that comprises over 135 nationalities that speak over 55 languages.” The growth of the cabin crew team, according to the statement, has been steadily increasing in line with the arrival of new aircraft and new routes being added to the network. This year, Emirates said that it expects to hire over 5,000 new cabin crew. Divisional Senior Vice President – Service Delivery, Emirates, Terry Daly, said: “Our cabin crew are our greatest brand ambassadors. They interact daily with our customers at 35,000 feet in the air, and also at major exhibitions and events around the world where Emirates has a presence. “From the safety and security of our customers onboard, to looking after their well-being and delivering a memorable flight and brand experience, our cabin crews truly embody what we stand for at Emirates. Now at 20,000 cabin crew, we have come a long way in a short span of time and we are proud to

celebrate this milestone with our talented and passionate team.” He said that the carrier offers its crew diverse future prospects within a truly global company, stressing that there are many opportunities for progression within the airline as well as being promoted through the cabin crew ranks. According to him, many crew progresses from Economy Class to Business Class in less than 18 months and others who stay on have become pursers or cabin crew leaders onboard in around five to six years. He disclosed that cabin crew are offered an entire employment package, which includes free of charge high standard, shared accommodation in Dubai, free accommodation utilities such as water and electricity, free transport to/from work, free insurance, medical and dental cover, as well as exclusive discounts on shopping and leisure activities in Dubai. “For many of Emirates’ cabin crew team, the company’s attractive concessional travel benefits for themselves as well as their families and friends, is a big boon - particularly as Emirates’ growing global network offer many travel opportunities to over 140 destinations across 6 continents,” he added.

NEW TELEGRAPH TUESday, MAY 5, 2015

Photo | News

L-R: Ondo state Governor, Dr. Olusegun Mimiko; Commissioner for Health, Dr. Dayo Adeyanju and Registrar, National Postgraduate Medical College, Prof Woke Atoyebi, during a courtesy visit by the accreditation team of the National Postgraduate Medical College to Mimiko in Akure.

TUESDAY, MAY 5, 2015 NEW TELEGRAPH

L-R: Former Prime Minister of Niger Republic, Mr. Shehu Amadou; President-elect, Major-General Muhammadu Buhari and Ambassador of Niger Republic to Nigeria, Mansour Maman Hadj Daddo, during a courtesy visit to Buhari in Abuja.

L-R: Mr. Desmond Majekodumi; Mr. Gbenga Adebusuyi; former President Performing Musicians Association of Nigeria (PMAN), Mr. Tee Mac and Mr. Bola Rosiji, at the funeral service for Tee Mac’s mother in Lagos.

Consulate-General of People’s Republic of China to Nigeria, Mr. Liu Kan (middle), with his senior staff and students of Itedo Community Nursery and Primary School, during the school’s Open Day ceremony in Lagos.

L-R: Prof. Chiweyite Ejike; his wife, Nwakaego and Catholic Bishop of Sokoto Diocese, Bishop Hassan Mathew-Kukah, at a reception for the award of honorary Doctor of Science by Ebonyi State University to the professor in Abakaliki.

Traditional dancers at the annual Mbapur festival in Mbula Kuli village of Demsa Local Government Area of Adamawa State.

President/Senior Pastor, House-To-House Prayer Ministries Incorporated, Rev. Debo Adeyemo and his wife, Pastor Bimbo, at Rev. Adeyemo’s 60th birthday celebration in Ogbomosho, Oyo State.

L-R: Members, Buhari Global Support Group, Hajia Zainab Magaji; Coordinator, Mr. Aja Aja and Mr. Tony Idoko, at a news conference to express their solidarity to the President-elect in Abuja.

Business | Money Line

NEW TELEGRAPH TUESDAY, MAY 5, 2015

UBA, GTB, Sterling Bank, others top efficiency survey

VALUE-ADDED

Six banks had positive human capital value-added in 2014 Tony Chukwunyem

he United Bank for Africa (UBA), Guaranty Trust Bank (GTBank) and Sterling Bank are among six banks that emerged tops in a ranking of lenders’ human capital-value added performance in 2014 conducted by analysts at Thaddeus Investment Advisors & Research Limited. In a statement made available to New Telegraph, the firm disclosed that UBA was the overall winner of the survey followed by GTBank and Sterling Bank. It said in the statement that six banks had a positive human capital valueadded for FY 2014 down from eight for FY 2013. According to the statement, it was the second time UBA was leading the rankings in three years. UBA had taken the first position in the rankings in 2012 and second in 2013. The firm pointed out that the last time UBA came first; the bank’s stock had the best investment return for 2013 among banks returning

94 per cent. GTBank, which had topped the rankings in 2013, saw its value added decline by seven though financial productivity, dropped by only 6 per cent. On Sterling Bank, the firm said that the lender took the third position for the second year in a row, “while spending the

lowest amount on its employees on average for the third consecutive year in the Nigerian Banking industry.” The mid-tier bank was followed by Unity Bank, which moved up eight spots from 12th position; First Bank which moved down one spot from fourth and having hu-

man capital value-added declined from +4 to +3 despite average human capital expense rising by 11 per cent in 2014. First City Monument Bank (FCMB) occupied the sixth position, moving up one spot from seventh and human capital valueadded remaining at +1 for the second year in a row,

MSME Fund: Skye Bank disburses N50m loan

kye Bank Plc said it has disbursed the sum of N50 million Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) support loan under the Central Bank of Nigeria’s (CBN) Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) intervention fund. In a statement, the lender said business owners can access the intervention fund if they have a good credit record, loan request is above N5 million, and they operate in any of the specified sectors such as manufacturing, education, agro value

chain and renewable energy. Commenting on the N50 million SME loan, the bank’s Group Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Timothy Oguntayo, said that the lender would continue to partner with small business owners who are interested in creating value and contributing to the development of the country. He said that beyond loans, Skye bank had put structures and modalities in place to make the SME sector the true driver of development by helping

the operators to overcome their problems and grow their businesses through its sector-based seminar series (Skye Business Seminar) initiative to improve the financial, marketing and managerial skills of the business owners in partnership with affinity groups like BDSPs etc nationwide. He assured all SME operators of the bank’s support to grow and expand their businesses, saying the lender’s SME support package takes care of all operators. The CBN set up the

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

N16,833,244.57 N16,509,472.5m 8.2 0.0000 13 10.899 7.96 17.01 US$61.39 US$29,512,003,038

Description

TTM

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

1.21 2.53 3.22 5.39 7.98 16.47

Tenor (Days) Call 7 30 60 90 180 365

Rate (%) 11.9167 12.3333 12.6667 12.9167 13.2167 13.5000 13.7500

NIBOR

Dec, 2014 Dec, 2013 Feb, 2015 2/5/2014 24/2/2015 11/6/2013 Dec, 2013 Dec, 2013 24/2/2015 29/4/2015 Source:CBN

FGN Bonds Bid Price 90.20 99.25 104.10 109.35 114.15 76.60

Offer Yield 13.01 13.40 13.47 13.49 13.44 13.59

Price 90.35 99.40 104.40 109.65 114.45 76.90

Tenor (Months) 1 2 3 6 9 12

Rate (%) 12.1827 12.2737 12.3744 12.8521 12.8535 13.8443

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

Bid 12.10 12.10 12.05

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

NITTY

Yield 12.86 13.33 13.35 13.42 13.38 13.53

Money Market Offer 11.85 11.85 11.80 Offer 163.38

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

Rate (%) 11.33 11.63

NIFEX Spot ($/N)

Bid 163.4000

Offer 163.5000 Source: FMDQ

while average human capital expense rose by 9 per cent in FY 2014. Other banks that featured in the rankings include Ecobank Transnational Incorporated (ETI)- seventh position-; Zenith Bank-eight position-; Access Bank-ninth position-; Diamond Bank10th position- and Stanbic

IBTC-11th position. Union Bank, Fidelity Bank and Wema Bank took the 12th, 13th and 14th positions respectively. According to the report, “UBA won the award in 2013 (based on FY 2012) and had the best price performance among the aforementioned banks in the 2013 calendar year. GT Bank won the award in 2014 (based on FY 2013) and had the best ROE... UBA has won the award again in 2015 (based on FY 2014) and will history repeat itself with it topping the bank price performance charts for 2015?”

N220 billion SME Support Fund to provide funding to operators in the SME subsector who lack the capital to expand their businesses and also find it difficult accessing loans from commercial banks due to high interest rates.

Under the scheme, loan beneficiaries pay a single digit interest on loan facilities granted them, and have a longer repayment period, unlike facilities from commercial banks, which attract higher interest rates.

Payments Industry set to simplify chip card acceptance

he Payments Security Task Force has joined with the Payments Card Industry (PCI) Security Standards Council and the Europay Mastercard and Visa (EMV) Migration Forum to launch a chip education curriculum and “pre-qualification” programme to help streamline and simplify the EMV testing and certification process for Value Added Resellers (VARs) and Independent Software Vendors (ISVs). A statement issued by Mastercard said, “Through this industry wide effort, VARs and ISVs will better understand how to integrate chip cards into small and mid-sized merchants’ checkout solutions in advance of the October 2015 liability shifts scheduled by major U.S. payment networks.”

Commenting on the collaboration, Vice President of global risk products at Visa, Stephanie Ericksen, said, “One of the greatest challenges in the move to chip is helping the millions of small and mid-sized merchants understand and adopt the technology. A streamlined process will help their payment technology suppliers better prepare and implement chip card acceptance, as the push to chip gains greater traction.” The statement disclosed that major US acquirers participated in the development of the programme and will recognise the pre-qualification status. Many plan to provide fast track certification for VARs and ISVs that have demonstrated the execution of solid chip solutions.

Standard Bank Group excels at 2015 Digital FX awards

tandard Bank Group, Africa’s biggest lender by assets, has won the Super Regional award for its e MarketTrader platform in the 2015 Profit & Loss Services Digital FX Awards. “We are delighted to have been the recipient of this award as it is testament to the progress we have made in becoming the leading Pan African bank with a very clear strategic intent to digitally enable the continent,” said Pratik Vadgama, Head of Corporate e-Commerce for Global Markets at Standard Bank Group. Standard Bank

Group’s eMarketTrader is one of the leading single-dealer platforms that brings together market intelligence & research, real-time pricing, trade execution and post trade services through a single web-based platform. The system is rich in functionality and built around clients’ needs in a manner that allows it to be flexible enough to cater to changing workflows. The rapid growth of the Internet and the use of web technology have resulted in growing demand among customers for sophisticated digital platforms that cater to clients’ financial needs.

Business | Financial Market News

TUESDAY, MAY 5, 2015 NEW TELEGRAPH

FMDQ Daily Quotations List

4-May-15

Bonds FGN Bonds

Price

Rating/Agency

Issuer

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

Issue Date

Coupon (%)

Outstanding Value (N'bn)

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

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

581.39 476.80 20.00 100.00 300.00 351.30 233.90 98.31 600.00 524.68 75.00 150.00 200.00 591.57 279.50

TOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUE

4,582.44

TOTAL MARKET CAPITALISATION

4,235.55

Rating/Agency

Issuer

Description

Bid Yield (%)

Offer Yield (%)

Bid Price

Offer Price

1.29 1.98 2.23 2.33 3.07 4.15 4.47 4.78 6.74 8.86 13.57 14.05 14.55 15.22 19.21

13.97 14.03 14.04 14.04 14.06 14.08 14.08 14.07 14.01 13.97 16.79 17.23 17.72 15.51 14.04

13.84 13.94 13.96 13.96 13.93 13.99 13.97 13.98 13.95 13.91 16.73 17.15 17.63 15.44 13.99

98.89 101.79 92.16 90.92 91.82 105.83 77.08 104.93 110.07 101.08 90.49 75.18 52.35 68.07 87.47

99.04 101.94 92.31 91.07 92.12 106.13 77.38 105.23 110.37 101.38 90.79 75.48 52.65 68.37 87.77

Maturity Date

TTM (Yrs)

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

Issue Date

Coupon (%)

Outstanding Value (N'bn)

Maturity Date

Avg. Life/TTM (Yrs)

# Risk Premium (%)

Valuation Yield (%)

Indicative Price

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

0.00 17.25 0.00/16.00 0.00/16.50 0.00/16.50

24.56 2.40 112.22 116.70 66.49

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

0.05 1.04 1.60 1.96 2.17

2.63 2.27 2.00 2.52 2.85

14.13 16.85 16.00 16.55 16.89

99.17 100.42 99.95 100.57 96.60

Agency Bonds FMBN ***LCRM

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

TOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUE

322.38

TOTAL MARKET CAPITALISATION

320.52

Sub-National Bonds A/Agusto

KADUNA

12.50 KADUNA 31-AUG-2015

31-Aug-10

12.50

8.50

31-Aug-15

0.33

4.44

15.76

98.89

A-/Agusto

*EBONYI

13.00 EBONYI 30-SEP-2015

30-Sep-10

13.00

2.16

30-Sep-15

0.41

3.23

15.21

99.10

BBB+/Agusto

*BENUE

14.00 BENUE 30-JUN-2016

30-Jun-11

14.00

4.86

30-Jun-16

0.68

4.46

17.86

97.61

‡ /Agusto

*IMO

15.50 IMO 30-JUN-2016

30-Jun-09

15.50

5.73

30-Jun-16

0.68

3.48

16.88

99.09

A+/Agusto; ‡ /GCR

LAGOS

10.00 LAGOS 19-APR-2017

19-Apr-10

10.00

57.00

19-Apr-17

1.96

1.00

15.03

91.71

‡ /Agusto

*BAYELSA

13.75 BAYELSA 30-JUN-2017

30-Jun-10

13.75

25.73

30-Jun-17

1.22

1.00

15.35

98.27

‡ /Agusto

EDO

14.00 EDO 31-DEC-2017

30-Dec-10

14.00

25.00

31-Dec-17

2.66

1.79

15.84

96.07

‡ /Agusto; A+/GCR

*DELTA

14.00 DELTA 30-SEP-2018

30-Sep-11

14.00

30.81

30-Sep-18

2.04

1.80

15.84

96.96

Bb-/Agusto; A-/GCR

NIGER

14.00 NIGER II 4-OCT-2018

04-Oct-11

14.00

9.00

04-Oct-18

2.05

1.00

15.04

98.22

14.50

13.73

09-Dec-18

2.03

1.00

15.04

99.08

‡ /Agusto; A-/GCR†

*EKITI

14.50 EKITI 09-DEC-2018

09-Dec-11

Bb-/Agusto

*NIGER

14.00 NIGER III 12-DEC-2018

12-Dec-13

14.00

10.20

12-Dec-18

2.03

4.78

18.82

92.48

‡ /Agusto; A-/GCR

*ONDO

15.50 ONDO 14-FEB-2019

14-Feb-12

15.50

27.00

14-Feb-19

2.23

1.00

15.04

100.74

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

*GOMBE LAGOS

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

BBB-/Agusto; BBB+/GCR

*OSUN

14.75 OSUN 12-DEC-2019

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

15.50 14.50 14.75

15.09 80.00 25.70

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

2.66 4.55 2.63

1.00 1.00 1.00

15.05 15.08 15.05

100.86 98.12 99.37

BBB-/Agusto

*OSUN

14.75 OSUN II 10-OCT-2020

10-Oct-13

14.75

10.78

10-Oct-20

3.17

1.00

15.07

99.24

Aa-/Agusto; ‡ /GCR

LAGOS

13.50 LAGOS 27-NOV-2020

27-Nov-13

13.50

87.50

27-Nov-20

5.57

1.00

15.04

94.30

A-/Agusto; BBB+/DataPro

KOGI

15.00 KOGI 31-DEC-2020

31-Dec-13

15.00

5.00

31-Dec-20

5.66

1.00

15.04

99.80

‡ /Agusto A-/GCR

*EKITI *NASARAWA

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

31-Dec-13

14.50

4.55

31-Dec-20

3.32

1.44

15.51

97.53

06-Jan-14

15.00

4.56

06-Jan-21

3.35

1.00

15.07

99.77

99.40

TOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUE TOTAL MARKET CAPITALISATION

452.88 437.92

Corporate Bonds BBB+/Agusto BBB-/Agusto

*UPDC

10.00 UPDC 17-AUG-2015

17-Aug-10

10.00

2.50

17-Aug-15

0.29

1.00

12.04

*FLOURMILLS

12.00 FLOURMILLS 9-DEC-2015

09-Dec-10

12.00

18.75

09-Dec-15

0.35

1.00

12.51

99.80

BB/GCR

*CHELLARAMS

14.00 CHELLARAMS 06-JAN-2016

06-Jan-11

14.00

0.42

06-Jan-16

0.43

2.63

14.79

99.69

A+/Agusto; A-/GCR

NAHCO

13.00 NAHCO 29-SEP-2016

29-Sep-11

13.00

15.00

29-Sep-16

1.41

1.00

15.12

97.37

A-/Agusto

FSDH

14.25 FSDH 25-OCT-2016

25-Oct-13

14.25

5.53

25-Oct-16

1.48

1.34

15.37

98.56

A/GCR

UBA

13.00 UBA 30-SEP-2017

30-Sep-10

13.00

20.00

30-Sep-17

2.41

1.00

15.05

95.96

BBB-/GCR

18.00 C&I LEASING 30-NOV-2017

30-Nov-12

18.00

0.64

30-Nov-17

1.43

1.88

15.97

103.21

Nil

*C & I LEASING *DANA#{r}

MPR+7.00 DANA 9-APR-2018

09-Apr-11

16.00

5.40

09-Apr-18

1.68

1.00

15.01

101.37

A-/DataPro†; B+/GCR

*TOWER#

MPR+7.00 TOWER 9-SEP-2018

09-Sep-11

18.00

2.54

09-Sep-18

1.85

1.00

15.02

104.44

AAA/DataPro†; A/GCR

*TOWER#

MPR+5.25 TOWER 9-SEP-2018

09-Sep-11

16.00

0.70

09-Sep-18

1.85

1.00

15.02

101.42

A+/Agusto; A/GCR

UBA

14.00 UBA II 22-SEP-2018

22-Sep-11

14.00

35.00

22-Sep-18

3.39

3.00

17.07

92.29

BBB+/Agusto; BBB+/GCR

15.75 LA CASERA 18-OCT-2018

18-Oct-13

15.75

2.10

18-Oct-18

1.96

2.29

16.32

99.06

BBB-/DataPro†; BB/GCR

*LA CASERA *CHELLARAMS#

MPR+5.00 CHELLARAMS II 17-FEB-2019

17-Feb-12

18.00

0.36

17-Feb-19

2.04

6.11

20.15

96.69

Nil

*DANA#{r}

16.00 DANA II 1-APR-2019

01-Apr-14

16.00

4.50

01-Apr-19

2.66

2.16

16.21

99.52

A+/Agusto; A-/GCR

NAHCO

15.25 NAHCO II 14-NOV-2020

14-Nov-13

15.25

2.05

14-Nov-20

5.53

2.76

16.80

94.53

A/GCR

UBA

16.45 UBA I 30-DEC-2021

30-Dec-14

16.45

30.50

30-Dec-21

6.66

1.13

15.13

105.35

A/GCR

STANBIC IBTC

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

30-Sep-14

11.93

0.10

30-Sep-24

9.41

1.00

15.19

83.91

A/GCR

STANBIC IBTC

13.25 STANBIC IB 30-SEP-2024

30-Sep-14

13.25

15.44

30-Sep-24

9.41

1.00

15.19

90.43

TOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUE

161.53

TOTAL MARKET CAPITALISATION

157.69

Supranational Bond AAA/S&P

IFC

10.20 IFC 11-FEB-2018

11-Feb-13

10.20

12.00

11-Feb-18

2.78

1.00

15.06

89.27

Aaa/Moody's; AAA/S&P

AfDB

11.25 AFDB 1-FEB-2021

10-Jul-14

11.25

12.95

01-Feb-21

4.75

1.00

15.07

85.33

Maturity Date

Bid Yield (%)

Offer Yield (%)

Bid Price

Offer Price

TOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUE

24.95 21.76

TOTAL MARKET CAPITALISATION Rating/Agency

Issuer

Description

Issue Date

Coupon (%)

Outstanding Value ($mm)

FGN Eurobonds

Prices & Yields

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

FGN

BB-/Fitch; BB-/S&P

6.75 JAN 28, 2021

07-Oct-11

6.75

500.00

28-Jan-21

5.26

5.03

107.27

108.46

5.13 JUL 12, 2018

12-Jul-13

5.13

500.00

12-Jul-18

4.27

4.01

102.50

103.30

6.38 JUL 12, 2023

12-Jul-13

6.38

500.00

12-Jul-23

5.55

5.37

105.34

106.57

TOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUE

1,500.00

TOTAL MARKET CAPITALISATION

1,575.58

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

GTBANK PLC I

7.50 MAY 19, 2016

19-May-11

7.50

500.00

19-May-16

6.49

4.13

100.99

103.38

B+/S&P

ACCESS BANK PLC

7.25 JUL 25, 2017

25-Jul-12

7.25

350.00

25-Jul-17

7.34

99.80

B/Fitch; B/S&P

FIDELITY BANK PLC

6.88 MAY 09, 2018

09-May-13

6.88

300.00

02-May-18

10.40

9.47

91.09

93.35

B+/Fitch; B+/S&P

GTBANK PLC

6.00 NOV 08, 2018

08-Nov-13

6.00

400.00

08-Nov-18

7.49

6.88

95.49

97.31

B+/Fitch; BB-/S&P

ZENITH BANK PLC

6.25 APR 22, 2019

22-Apr-14

6.25

500.00

22-Apr-19

6.98

97.50

B/Fitch; B/S&P

DIAMOND BANK PLC

8.75 May 21, 2019

21-May-14

8.75

200.00

21-May-19

10.82

10.14

93.34

95.48

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

8.75 10.57 9.07

8.75 10.19 9.07

97.21 94.21 94.15

97.21 95.84 94.15

B-/S&P

ECOBANK NIG. LTD

8.75 AUG 14, 2021

14-Aug-14

8.75

250.00

14-Aug-21

10.22

9.84

92.50

94.13

TOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUE

3,650.00

TOTAL MARKET CAPITALISATION

3,507.08

**Treasury Bills^ DTM 10 17 31 38 52 59 66 73 80

FIXINGS Maturity 14-May-15 21-May-15 4-Jun-15 11-Jun-15 25-Jun-15 2-Jul-15 9-Jul-15 16-Jul-15 23-Jul-15

Bid Discount (%) 5.35 7.85 11.03 10.31 11.16 11.05 10.25 11.31 10.46

Offer Discount (%) 5.10 7.60 10.78 10.06 10.91 10.80 10.00 11.06 10.21

Bid Yield (%) 5.35 7.87 11.13 10.42 11.34 11.25 10.44 11.57 10.71

Money Market

NIBOR Tenor O/N 1M 3M 6M

Rate (%) 9.8333 12.9492 13.9918 15.1594

Tenor

Rate (%)

OBB

8.83

O/N Tenor Call 1M 3M

9.50

REPO

Rate (%) 8.75 9.00 9.25

Foreign Exchange (Spot & Forwards) Tenor

Bid ($/N)

Offer ($/N)

Spot 7D 14D 1M 2M 3M 6M

197.58 201.81 202.13 202.87 204.24 205.60 206.28

197.68 201.93 202.28 203.37 205.31 207.21 213.47

^14.20 14-MAR-2024 15.00 28-NOV-2028 12.49 22-MAY-2029 8.50 20-NOV-2029 ^10.00 23-JUL-2030 ^12.1493 18-JUL-2034

14-Mar-14 28-Nov-08 22-May-09 20-Nov-09 23-Jul-10 18-Jul-14

14.20 15.00 12.49 8.50 10.00 12.1493

524.68 75.00 150.00 200.00 591.57 279.50

TOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUE

4,582.44

TOTAL MARKET CAPITALISATION

4,235.55

Rating/Agency

Description

Issuer

13.91 16.73 17.15 17.63 15.44 13.99

101.08 90.49 75.18 52.35 68.07 87.47

101.38 90.79 75.48 52.65 68.37 87.77

Outstanding Value (N'bn)

Maturity Date

Avg. Life/TTM (Yrs)

# Risk Premium (%)

Valuation Yield (%)

Indicative Price

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

0.00 17.25 0.00/16.00 0.00/16.50 0.00/16.50

24.56 2.40 112.22 116.70 66.49

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

0.05 1.04 1.60 1.96 2.17

2.63 2.27 2.00 2.52 2.85

14.13 16.85 16.00 16.55 16.89

99.17 100.42 99.95 100.57 96.60

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

Business | Financial Market News

Market loses N19bn to profit taking

BEARISH

***LCRM

Bears dominate transactions as Sub-National Bonds investors’ stakes KADUNA A/Agusto A-/Agusto *EBONYI drop BBB+/Agusto *BENUE TOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUE

322.38

TOTAL MARKET CAPITALISATION

320.52

31-Aug-10 12.50 KADUNA to Share Index lost 0.1731-AUG-2015 per gained 0.27 per cent 30-Sep-10 13.00 EBONYI 30-SEP-2015 cent to close at 34,649.38 close at 1,592.37 points, 30-Jun-11 14.00 BENUE 30-JUN-2016 points, in contrast to the while the Banking30-Jun-09 Index ‡ /Agusto *IMO 15.50 IMO 30-JUN-2016 19-Apr-10 A+/Agusto; ‡ /GCR LAGOS LAGOS increase of10.00 1.93 per19-APR-2017 cent added 0.69 per cent to 30-Jun-10 ‡ /Agusto *BAYELSA 13.75 BAYELSA 30-JUN-2017 recorded last Thursday to close at 392.07 points. 30-Dec-10 ‡ /Agusto EDO 14.00 EDO 31-DEC-2017 ‡Chris /Agusto; Ugwu A+/GCR *DELTA 14.00 DELTA 30-SEP-2018 close at 34,708.11 points. The Insurance 30-Sep-11 Index 04-Oct-11 Bb-/Agusto; A-/GCR NIGER 14.00 NIGER II 4-OCT-2018 dropped 1.44 per cent In the same vein, 09-Dec-11 ‡ /Agusto; A-/GCR† *EKITI 14.50 EKITI 09-DEC-2018 the market Nigerian 12-Dec-13 Bb-/Agusto he *NIGER 14.00capitalisaNIGER III 12-DEC-2018 to close at 144.18 points, 14-Feb-12 ‡ /Agusto; A-/GCR *ONDO 15.50 ONDO 14-FEB-2019 stock market tion shed N19 billion to while the Consumer 02-Oct-12 BBB+/Agusto; A-/GCR *GOMBE 15.50 GOMBE 02-OCT-2019 yesterday reclose at N11.77 trillion, Goods Index gained 0.43 Aa-/Agusto; ‡ /GCR LAGOS 14.50 LAGOS 22-NOV-2019 22-Nov-12 BBB-/Agusto; corded BBB+/GCR a loss *OSUN OSUN 12-DEC-2019 as against14.75 the rise of of per cent to close at12-Dec-12 884.41 10-Oct-13 BBB-/Agusto *OSUN 14.75 OSUN II 10-OCT-2020 recorded points. N19 billion, as some in- N214 billion 27-Nov-13 Aa-/Agusto; ‡ /GCR LAGOS 13.50 LAGOS 27-NOV-2020 The Oil and Gas31-Dec-13 Index vestorsBBB+/DataPro took profit KOGI from on Thursday at A-/Agusto; 15.00 to KOGIclose 31-DEC-2020 31-Dec-13 ‡ /Agusto 14.50 EKITI II 31-DEC-2020 appreciated 0.68 per cent the gains recorded*EKITI last N11.79 trillion. 06-Jan-14 A-/GCR *NASARAWA 15.00 NASARAWA 06-JAN-2021 week. On the sectorial into close at 384.83 points, TOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUE Specifically, the All dices, the NSE 30-Index while the Lotus Islamic TOTAL MARKET CAPITALISATION

UAC says Q1 pretax profit down 12%

Corporate Bonds

Dangote Cement starts production in Tanzania August *UPDC

10.00 UPDC 17-AUG-2015

17-Aug-10

10.00

*FLOURMILLS

12.00 FLOURMILLS 9-DEC-2015

09-Dec-10

12.00

BB/GCR

*CHELLARAMS

14.00 CHELLARAMS 06-JAN-2016

06-Jan-11

14.00

A+/Agusto; A-/GCR

NAHCO

13.00 NAHCO 29-SEP-2016

A-/Agusto

29-Sep-11

13.00

FSDH

14.25 FSDH 25-OCT-2016

25-Oct-13

14.25

A/GCR

UBA

13.00 UBA 30-SEP-2017

30-Sep-10

13.00

BBB-/GCR

*C & I LEASING *DANA#{r}

18.00 C&I LEASING 30-NOV-2017

30-Nov-12

18.00

MPR+7.00 DANA 9-APR-2018

09-Apr-11

16.00

landlocked countries in angote Cement has made big natural MPR+7.00 TOWERgas 9-SEP-2018 09-Sep-11 A-/DataPro†; B+/GCR *TOWER TOWER 9-SEP-2018 09-Sep-11 AAA/DataPro†; A/GCR has said it *TOWER will discoveriesMPR+5.25 the region. It will be comand has coal UBA II 22-SEP-2018 A+/Agusto; A/GCR 22-Sep-11 UBA begin production peting with other Tanzareserves of 14.00 up to 5 billion 15.75 LA CASERA 18-OCT-2018 BBB+/Agusto; BBB+/GCR 18-Oct-13 *LA CASERA in Tanzania in August, nian cement producers tonnes, butMPR+5.00 lacksCHELLARAMS infra- II 17-FEB-2019 17-Feb-12 BBB-/DataPro†; BB/GCR *CHELLARAMS 16.00 DANA II 1-APR-2019 Nil *DANA including Tanzania01-Apr-14 Portas sub-Saharan Africa’s structure to deliver the 15.25 NAHCO II 14-NOV-2020 A+/Agusto; A-/GCR 14-Nov-13 NAHCO land Cement, owned by a leading cement producer energy to major factories. 16.45 UBA I 30-DEC-2021 A/GCR 30-Dec-14 UBA of Germany’s eyes new markets on the IBTC Dangote’s factory isSTANBIC be- IAsubsidiary 182D T.bills+1.20 30-SEP-2024 A/GCR 30-Sep-14 STANBIC 13.25 Mtwara STANBIC IB 30-SEP-2024 A/GCR 30-Sep-14 STANBIC IBTC continent. Heidelberg Cement AG ; ing built in the reTOTAL OUTSTANDING Tanga Cement, majority A $500 million VALUE factory gion but there is no infraTOTAL MARKET CAPITALISATION owned by Afrisam Mauriit is building in southern structure to connect the tius Investment Holdings Tanzania, plant to gas from nearby Supranational with Bond an annu10.20 IFC 11-FEB-2018 AAA/S&P IFC 11-Feb-13 Limited; and Mbeya Ceal capacity of 3 million offshore natural gas fields. AFDB 1-FEB-2021 Aaa/Moody's; AAA/S&P 10-Jul-14 tonnes, will doubleAfDB the ment, owned by France’s Dangote11.25 applied last TOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUE Lafarge SA. country’s annual output year for a licence to build TOTAL MARKET CAPITALISATION of cement to 6 million a 75 megawatt coal-fired plant in Tanzania that tonnes. Description Rating/Agency Issuer Issue Date However, Dangote would power the cement FGN Eurobonds faces challenges in ac- factory. 6.75 JAN 28, 2021 BB-/Fitch; B+/S&P cessing coal and natural Initially it will power ustralia’s 07-Oct-11 stock BB-/Fitch; market was in gas as sources of cheap the plant from electricity FGN 5.13 JUL 12, 2018 12-Jul-13 BB-/S&P power to run the factory, on the grid. positive territory BB-/Fitch; 6.38 JUL 12, 2023 BB-/S&P its owner, Aliko Dangote, The Nigerian company yesterday despite 12-Jul-13 disapTOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUE Africa’s richest man, told plans to roll out plants pointing results from TOTAL MARKET CAPITALISATION President Jakaya Kikwete across Africa to reach one of the country’s biggest lenders, Westpac. at a meeting in Dar es Sa- an annual capacity of 62 Corporate Eurobonds laam over the weekend, million tonnes by 2017, up Markets in Asia were 7.50 MAY 19, 2016 B+/Fitch; B+/S&P GTBANK PLC I 19-May-11 from according to a statement up on Monday , fol7.25 JUL 25,mostly 2017 B+/S&P ACCESS BANK PLC an estimated 42 mil25-Jul-12 2018 B/Fitch; B/S&P by the presiFIDELITY BANK PLCtonnes last year. 6.88 MAY 09, 09-May-13 lion released lowing stocks in the US, 6.00 NOV 08, 2018 B+/Fitch; B+/S&P GTBANK PLC 08-Nov-13 dent’s office. Its Tanzanian plant which ended the week 6.25 APR 22, 2019 B+/Fitch; BB-/S&P ZENITH BANK PLC 22-Apr-14 will after recovering Tanzania, East Africa’s 8.75 May 21,higher 2019 B/Fitch; B/S&P DIAMOND BANK PLC supply the domes21-May-14 8.25 AUG 07, 2020 second-biggest economy , tic market and export to losses. B-/Fitch; B/S&P FIRST BANK PLC 07-Aug-13

31-Aug-15 9.79 per cent to0.33close at 4.44 at N3.5215.76 per share,98.89 while 30-Sep-15 3.23 15.21 99.10 N4.15 per share.0.41 Mansard Insurance Plc 30-Jun-16 0.68 4.46 17.86 97.61 15 kobo or FBN Holdings 30-Jun-16 0.68 Plc ap- 3.48 dipped 16.88 99.09 five 19-Apr-17 91.71 preciated by 681.96kobo or 1.00 per cent15.03 to close at N2.85 30-Jun-17 1.22 1.00 15.35 98.27 7.71 per cent to2.66close at 1.79 per share. 31-Dec-17 15.84 96.07 30-Sep-18 2.04 while 1.80 15.84 96.96 ExN9.50 per share, Transnational 04-Oct-18 2.05 1.00 15.04 98.22 University Press Limited press Plc shed six kobo 09-Dec-18 2.03 1.00 15.04 99.08 was up 24 kobo or per cent to close 12-Dec-18 2.034.97 per 4.78 or 4.92 18.82 92.48 14-Feb-19 100.74 cent to close at 2.23 N5.07 per 1.00 at N1.1615.04 per share, while 02-Oct-19 2.66 1.00 15.05 100.86 share. Dangote Flour Plc fell by 22-Nov-19 4.55 1.00 15.08 98.12 12-Dec-19 2.63 added 1.00 24 kobo15.05 Honeywell Plc or 4.91 per99.37 cent to 10-Oct-20 3.17 1627-Nov-20 kobo or 4.88 per cent to 1.00 close at15.07 N4.65 per 99.24 share. 5.57 1.00 15.04 94.30 close at N3.44 per Vono15.04 Products 99.80 Plc de31-Dec-20 5.66 share. 1.00 31-Dec-20 3.32 1.44 15.51 97.53 Conversely, Unity preciated by five kobo or 06-Jan-21 3.35 1.00 15.07 99.77 Bank Plc shed 37 kobo 4.85 per cent to close at 98 or 9.51 per cent to close kobo per share.

8.50 per Index12.50 declined 0.59 2.16 cent 13.00 to close at 2,262.38 14.00 4.86 points. 15.50 5.73 10.00 The Industrial57.00 Index 13.75 25.73 was down 1.07 per cent 14.00 25.00 14.00at 2,161.03 points. 30.81 to close 14.00 9.00 The Alternative Securi14.50 13.73 ties 14.00 Market remained 10.20 15.50 27.00 unchanged at 1,214.94 15.50 15.09 points. 14.50 80.00 14.75 25.70 the Vitafoam Plc led 14.75 10.78 gainers’ table with 49 13.50 87.50 kobo 15.00 or 10.14 per cent to 5.00 14.50 4.55 close 15.00 at N5.32 per 4.56 share, followed by Red Star Ex452.88 press Plc with 37 kobo 437.92 or

BBB+/Agusto BBB-/Agusto

13.97 16.79 17.23 17.72 15.51 14.04

Coupon (%)

NEW TELEGRAPH TUESDAY, MAY 5, 2015

Nil

8.86 13.57 14.05 14.55 15.22 19.21

Issue Date

Agency Bonds

FMBN

14-Mar-24 28-Nov-28 22-May-29 20-Nov-29 23-Jul-30 18-Jul-34

18.00

16.00

0.29

1.00

12.04

09-Dec-15

0.35

1.00

12.51

99.80

0.42

06-Jan-16

0.43

2.63

14.79

99.69

15.75

29-Sep-16

1.41

1.00

15.12

97.37

5.53

25-Oct-16

1.48

1.34

15.37

98.56

30-Sep-17

2.41

1.00

15.05

95.96

0.64

30-Nov-17

1.43

1.88

15.97

103.21

5.40

09-Apr-18

1.68

1.00

15.01

101.37

2.54

09-Sep-18

1.85

1.00

15.02

104.44

0.70

09-Sep-18

1.85

1.00

15.02

101.42

35.00

22-Sep-18

3.39

2.10

18-Oct-18

1.96

igerian conglomerate 0.36 17-Feb-19 UAC’s2.04 4.50 01-Apr-19 first-quarter pretax profit2.66 2.05 fell30.50 12 percent14-Nov-20 to N2.29 bil-5.53 30-Dec-21 6.66 lion ($11.50.10 million) from a year ago, 30-Sep-24 9.41 9.41 it said on15.44 yesterday. 30-Sep-24 161.53 Revenue fell to N17.72 billion dur157.69months period to ending the three March, as against N19.88 billion the 11-Feb-18 previous 12.00 year, UAC said in a filing2.78 12.95 01-Feb-21 with the Nigerian Stock Exchange4.75 (NSE). 24.95

16.00 15.25 16.45 11.93 13.25

10.20 11.25

99.40

20.00

 MRS Oil slips to N734bn loss

18.00

#{r}

17-Aug-15

15.00

14.00

2.50

18.75

21.76

3.00

17.07

92.29

2.29

16.32

99.06

Similarly , MRS20.15 Oil fell to96.69 a first6.11 16.21 of N734.5 99.52milquarter2.16pretax loss 2.76 16.80 94.53 lion ($3.7 million) after posting a 1.13 15.13 105.35 profit of N321.1 million a year 1.00 15.19 83.91 ear15.19 said yesterday 90.43 lier, the1.00 fuel retailer . Turnover, operating under the name Chevron Nigeria, fell 12 percent to N21.3 billion in the three 1.00to end-March, 15.06 89.27 months the com1.00 15.07 85.33 pany said in a statement with the Exchange.

Markets in Asia mostly positive on Monday

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

ACCESS BANK PLC II FIRST BANK LTD

B-/S&P

ECOBANK NIG. LTD

Outstanding Value ($mm)

Coupon (%)

24-Jun-14 23-Jul-14

9.25 8.00

8.75 AUG 14, 2021

14-Aug-14

8.75

FMDQ Daily Quotations List

TOTAL MARKET CAPITALISATION

Bid Yield (%)

Offer Yield (%)

Bid Price

Offer Price

Prices & Yields

6.75 In Australia, the500.00 benchmark 5.13 S&P/ASX 200500.00 closed up 0.23 per cent at 5,827.50 6.38 500.00 points. 1,500.00 The index finished the 1,575.58 day in positive territory despite disappointing results from of Australia’s 7.50 500.00 biggest 7.25lenders, Westpac. 350.00 6.88 bank posted 300.00 The a 6.00 400.00 cash profit of 3.78bn Aus6.25 500.00 tralian 8.75 dollars ($2.98bn; 200.00 £1.96bn) for the 8.25 300.00 six

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

TOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUE

Maturity Date

28-Jan-21 to March. 5.26 5.03 107.27 108.46 on months A report released Monday showed factory Analysts said the re12-Jul-18 4.27 4.01 102.50 103.30 sults were poor and a “big activity in China had con12-Jul-23 5.55 5.37 miss”. tracted105.34 in April. 106.57 Shares in the bank fell HSBC’s purchasing by more than 4.5 per cent managers’ (PMI) index on the results. was 48.9 for April, the lowIn China, Hong Kong’s in about103.38 a year, 19-May-16 6.49 4.13 est level 100.99 Hang Seng index 25-Jul-17 7.34 closed 7.34 and down 99.80 from March’s 99.80 02-May-18 flat at 28,123.82,10.40 while the 9.47 reading91.09 of 49.6. 93.35 08-Nov-18 7.49 6.88 95.49 97.31 Shanghai Composite was A reading of below on 22-Apr-19 6.98 6.98 97.50 97.50 up21-May-19 0.9 per cent 10.82 at 4,480.4610.14the index 50 indicates a 93.34 95.48 points. 07-Aug-20 8.75 8.75 contraction. 97.21 97.21

400.00 450.00

24-Jun-21 23-Jul-21

10.57 9.07

10.19 9.07

94.21 94.15

95.84 94.15

250.00

14-Aug-21

10.22

9.84

92.50

94.13

3,650.00

4-May-15

3,507.08

The DQL contains data relating to, amongst other things, market and model prices, rates of foreign exchange products, fixed income securities and instruments in the financial market (the “Information”). The Information does not constitute **Treasury Bills^ FIXINGS Money Market professional, financial or investment advice. We attempt to ensure the Information is accurate; however, the Information is provided “AS IS” and on an “AS AVAILABLE” basis and may not be accurate or up to date. We do & notForwards) guarantee Foreign Exchange (Spot DTM Maturity Bid Discount (%) Offer Discount (%) Bid Yield (%) Tenor (%) NIBOR the accuracy, timeliness, completeness, performance or fitness for a particular purpose of any of the Information, neither do we accept liability for the results of any action taken on theRate basis of the Information. 10 14-May-15 5.35 5.10 5.35 17 31 38 FGN Bonds 52 59 66 Rating/Agency 73 80 87 94 101 115 122 129 143 150 164 NA 213 227 248 262 269 276 283 290 297 304 TOTAL OUTSTANDING 318

VALUE

325

21-May-15 4-Jun-15 11-Jun-15 25-Jun-15 2-Jul-15 9-Jul-15 Issuer 16-Jul-15 23-Jul-15 30-Jul-15 6-Aug-15 13-Aug-15 27-Aug-15 3-Sep-15 10-Sep-15 24-Sep-15 1-Oct-15 15-Oct-15 NA 3-Dec-15 17-Dec-15 7-Jan-16 21-Jan-16 28-Jan-16 4-Feb-16 11-Feb-16 18-Feb-16 25-Feb-16 3-Mar-16 17-Mar-16

7.85 11.03 10.31 11.16 11.05 10.25 Description 11.31 10.46 ^13.05 16-AUG-2016 11.05 10.29 ^15.10 27-APR-2017 11.60 9.85 27-JUL-2017 11.75 9.35 31-AUG-2017 11.52 10.70 30-MAY-2018 12.00 10.40 ^16.00 29-JUN-2019 11.29 7.00 23-OCT-2019 11.78 15.54 13-FEB-2020 13.19 ^16.39 27-JAN-2022 13.12 13.32 ^14.20 14-MAR-2024 13.30 15.00 28-NOV-2028 13.87 12.49 22-MAY-2029 13.38 8.50 20-NOV-2029 13.74 ^10.00 23-JUL-2030 13.63 13.97 ^12.1493 18-JUL-2034 13.30 12.67

7.60 10.78 10.06 10.91 10.80 10.00 Issue Date 11.06 10.21 16-Aug-13 10.80 10.04 27-Apr-12 11.35 27-Jul-07 11.50 31-Aug-07 11.27 30-May-08 11.75 10.15 29-Jun-12 11.04 23-Oct-09 11.53 13-Feb-15 12.94 27-Jan-12 12.87 13.07 14-Mar-14 13.05 28-Nov-08 13.62 22-May-09 13.13 20-Nov-09 13.49 23-Jul-10 13.38 13.72 18-Jul-14 13.05 12.42

Bonds

24-Mar-16

13.37

7-Apr-16

13.34

13.09

15.23

353 21-Apr-16 13.27 *for the Amortising bonds, the average life is calculated and not the duration

13.02

15.22

TOTAL MARKET CAPITALISATION 339

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

13.12

7.87 11.13 10.42 11.34 11.25 10.44 Coupon (%) 11.57 10.71 13.05 11.35 10.57 15.10 11.98 9.85 12.20 9.35 11.98 10.70 12.53 10.84 16.00 11.84 7.00 12.43 15.54 14.29 16.39 14.28 14.65 14.20 14.70 15.00 15.45 12.49 14.88 8.50 15.38 10.00 15.28 15.76 12.1493 14.96 14.24 15.17

Description

Tenor O/N 1M 3M 6M

Rate (%) 9.8333 12.9492 13.9918 15.1594

Outstanding Value (N'bn) 581.39

8.83

O/N

9.50

REPO

Maturity Date

NITTY

Tenor 476.80 1M 20.00 2M 100.00 3M 300.00 6M 9M 351.30 12M 233.90

OBB

16-Aug-16

Rate (%) 27-Apr-17 5.1463 27-Jul-17 11.4935 31-Aug-17 11.5652 30-May-18 13.1870 13.9646 29-Jun-19 14.8799 23-Oct-19

98.31 13-Feb-20 600.00 27-Jan-22 NIFEX 524.68 14-Mar-24 Current Price ($/N) 75.00 28-Nov-28 BID($/N) 199.0000 150.00 22-May-29 OFFER ($/N) 199.1000 200.00 20-Nov-29 591.57 23-Jul-30 279.50 18-Jul-34

Tenor Call TTM (Yrs) 1M 3M 1.29 6M

Rate (%)

Bid8.75 Yield (%) 9.00 9.25

Tenor

Spot 7D 14D 1M Offer 2M Yield 3M (%) 6M 13.84 1Y

13.97 9.50 1.98 14.03 13.94 2.23 14.04 13.96 NOTE: 2.33 14.04 13.96 :Benchmarks 3.07Bond 14.06 13.93 * :Amortising µ :Convertible 4.15Bond 14.08 13.99 AMCON: Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria 4.47 14.08 13.97 FGN: Federal Government of Nigeria 4.78 14.07 13.98 FMBN: Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria 6.74 Finance Corporation 14.01 13.95 IFC: International LCRM: Local Contractors Receivables 8.86 13.97 Management 13.91 NAHCO: Nigerian 13.57 Aviation Handling 16.79 Company 16.73 O/N: Overnight 14.05 17.23 17.15 UPDC: UAC Property Development Company 14.55Africa Portland Cement 17.72 Company17.63 WAPCO:West 15.22 15.51 15.44 19.21 14.04 13.99

Bid ($/N)

Offer ($/N)

197.58 197.68 201.81 201.93 Price 202.28 202.13 202.87 203.37 204.24 205.31 Bid Price Offer Price 205.60 207.21 206.28 213.47 98.89 99.04 220.29 226.27

101.79 101.94 92.16 92.31 90.92 91.07 NA :Not Applicable 91.82 92.12 ^ : Market Prices # : Floating Rate Bond 105.83 106.13 ***: Deferred coupon bonds 77.08 77.38 104.93 105.23 ‡ : Bond rating under review 110.37 †: Bond110.07 rating expired N/A :Not101.08 Available 101.38 {r} :Issuer in receivership 90.49 90.79 75.18 75.48 NGC: Nigeria-German Company 52.35Bank for Africa 52.65 UBA: United 68.07 68.37 87.47 87.77

4,582.44 4,235.55

Issue Date

Coupon (%)

Outstanding Value (N'bn)

Maturity Date

Avg. Life/TTM (Yrs)

# Risk Premium (%)

Valuation Yield (%)

Indicative Price

Agency Bonds FMBN ***LCRM

Modified Duration Buckets

TOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUE TOTAL MARKET CAPITALISATION

24-May-12 0.00 03-Apr-12FMDQ FGN 17.25 BOND 09-Dec-11 0.00/16.00 20-Apr-12 0.00/16.50 Weighting by Weighting by Mkt 06-Jul-12Vol 0.00/16.50 Outstanding Value

24.56

INDEX 2.40

112.22 116.70

Bucket Weighting 66.49

322.38

1,432.03

1,409.48

41.39

43.79

3<5

1,190.78

1,124.68

33.03

36.42

320.520.33

647.17

871.07

25.58

19.79

3,269.99

3,405.23

100.00

Sub-National Bonds

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

Market

0.41

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

0.05 1.04 1.60 1.96 Implied Yield 2.17

2.63 2.27 2.00 2.52 Implied 2.85 Portfolio Price

14.13 16.85 16.00 16.55 INDEX 16.89

99.17 100.42 99.95 100.57 YTD Return 96.60 (%)

19.35

14.04

104.2143

1,167.61

5.3945

38.61

13.99

108.7039

1,084.66

7.1192

0.26

42.04

14.93

77.2326

1,085.51

7.7947

1.00

100.00

14.40

98.7951

1,116.38

5.7993

A/Agusto

KADUNA

12.50 KADUNA 31-AUG-2015

31-Aug-10

12.50

8.50

31-Aug-15

0.33

4.44

15.76

98.89

A-/Agusto

*EBONYI

13.00 EBONYI 30-SEP-2015

30-Sep-10

13.00

2.16

30-Sep-15

0.41

3.23

15.21

99.10

BBB+/Agusto

*BENUE

14.00 BENUE 30-JUN-2016

30-Jun-11

14.00

4.86

30-Jun-16

0.68

4.46

17.86

97.61

‡ /Agusto

*IMO

15.50 IMO 30-JUN-2016

30-Jun-09

15.50

5.73

30-Jun-16

0.68

3.48

16.88

99.09

A+/Agusto; ‡ /GCR

LAGOS

10.00 LAGOS 19-APR-2017

19-Apr-10

10.00

57.00

19-Apr-17

1.96

1.00

15.03

91.71

‡ /Agusto

*BAYELSA

13.75 BAYELSA 30-JUN-2017

30-Jun-10

13.75

25.73

30-Jun-17

1.22

1.00

15.35

98.27

‡ /Agusto

EDO

14.00 EDO 31-DEC-2017

30-Dec-10

14.00

25.00

31-Dec-17

2.66

1.79

15.84

96.07

‡ /Agusto; A+/GCR

*DELTA

14.00 DELTA 30-SEP-2018

30-Sep-11

14.00

30.81

30-Sep-18

2.04

1.80

15.84

96.96

Business | Capital Market

TUESDAY, MAY 5, 2015 NEW TELEGRAPH

Daily Summary as of 04/05/2015

Daily Summary as of 04/05/2015 Printed 04/05/2015 16:09:06.006

Printed 04/05/2015 16:09:06.006

The Nigerian Stock Market Exchange as at May 4, 2015 Daily Summary (Bonds)

Daily Summary (Equities)

Activity Summary on Board DEBT

Activity Summary on Board EQTY

Federal

Bond Name 16.39% FGN JAN 2022 Federal Totals

Symbol FG9B2022S1

DEBT Board Totals

No. of Deals 1 1

Current Price 111.02

Bond Activity Totals

Quantity Traded 2,075 2075

Value Traded 2,396,669.57 2,396,669.57

2,075

2,396,669.57

2075

2,396,669.57

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

Daily Summary (Equities) Activity Summary on Board EQTY AGRICULTURE Crop Production FTN COCOA PROCESSORS PLC OKOMU OIL PALM PLC. PRESCO PLC Daily Summary as of 04/05/2015 Crop Production Totals Printed 04/05/2015 16:09:06.006 Livestock/Animal Specialties LIVESTOCK FEEDS PLC. Livestock/Animal Specialties Totals AGRICULTURE Totals

Symbol FTNCOCOA OKOMUOIL PRESCO

No. of Deals 1 49 23 73

Current Price 0.50 28.52 30.09

Quantity Traded 20,000 625,032 895,064 1,540,096

Value Traded 10,000.00 17,772,918.85 26,966,339.26 44,749,258.11

Symbol LIVESTOCK

No. of Deals 19 19

Current Price 2.40

Quantity Traded 258,125 258,125

Value Traded 610,175.80 610,175.80

1,798,221

45,359,433.91

Daily Summary (Equities)

Symbol AGLEVENT JOHNHOLT TRANSCORP UACN

JOHN HOLT PLC. TRANSNATIONAL CORPORATION OF NIGERIA PLC U A C N PLC. Diversified Industries Totals

No. of Deals 10 1 167 56 234

CONGLOMERATES Totals

Current Price 1.62 0.90 3.20 40.01

234

CONSTRUCTION/REAL ESTATE Building Structure/Completion/Other COSTAIN (W A) PLC. Building Structure/Completion/Other Totals

Quantity Traded Page 230,999

HEALTHCARE Pharmaceuticals EVANS MEDICAL PLC. FIDSON HEALTHCARE PLC GLAXO SMITHKLINE CONSUMER NIG. PLC. MAY & BAKER NIGERIA PLC. NEIMETH INTERNATIONAL PHARMACEUTICALS PLC Daily Summary as of 04/05/2015 Pharmaceuticals Totals Printed 04/05/2015 16:09:06.006

67,520 30,491,891 1,865,648 32,656,058 32,656,058

172,791,648.87

No. of Deals 8 8

Current Price 0.83

Quantity Traded 345,465 345,465

Value Traded 286,735.95 286,735.95

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

Symbol JBERGER

No. of Deals 14 14

Current Price 51.70

Quantity Traded 92,856 92,856

Value Traded 4,658,457.06 4,658,457.06

Real Estate Development Daily Summary as of 04/05/2015 UACN PROPERTY Printed 04/05/2015 16:09:06.006DEVELOPMENT CO. LIMITED Real Estate Development Totals

Symbol UAC-PROP

No. of Deals 29 29

Current Price 10.78

Quantity Traded 128,796 128,796

Value Traded 1,344,181.40 1,344,181.40

Symbol UPDCREIT

No. of Deals 1 (Equities) 1

Current Price 10.00

Quantity Traded 5,000 5,000

Value Traded 50,000.00 50,000.00

Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) UPDC REAL ESTATE INVESTMENT TRUST Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) Totals

Daily Summary

ICT Computers and Peripherals OMATEK VENTURES PLC

Activity Summary on Board EQTY Published by The Nigerian Stock Exchange © ICT Computers and Peripherals Computers and Peripherals Totals

Page

CONSUMER GOODS Automobiles/Auto Parts DN TYRE & RUBBER PLC Automobiles/Auto Parts Totals

6,339,374.41

Current Price 0.50

Quantity Traded 675,710 675,710

Value Traded 337,855.00 337,855.00

Beverages--Brewers/Distillers CHAMPION BREW. PLC. GUINNESS NIG PLC INTERNATIONAL BREWERIES PLC. NIGERIAN BREW. PLC. Beverages--Brewers/Distillers Totals

Symbol CHAMPION GUINNESS INTBREW NB

No. of Deals 32 107 6 219 364

Current Price 7.39 170.00 21.49 158.00

Quantity Traded 415,040 597,629 17,640 4,435,349 5,465,658

Value Traded 2,927,017.70 101,578,458.56 368,288.80 709,164,791.77 814,038,556.83

Beverages--Non-Alcoholic 7-UP BOTTLING COMP. PLC. Beverages--Non-Alcoholic Totals

Symbol 7UP

No. of Deals 19 19

Current Price 162.00

Quantity Traded 25,909 25,909

Value Traded 4,374,353.84 4,374,353.84

No. of Deals 41 70 115 22 27 (Equities) 275

Current Price 4.65 6.10 35.50 3.44 8.20

Quantity Traded 496,653 1,430,049 1,152,913 1,057,200 446,343 4,583,158

Value Traded 2,313,749.30 8,793,633.47 40,943,765.82 3,572,778.51 3,666,826.86 59,290,753.96

Symbol CADBURY NESTLE

No. of Deals 32 94 126

Current Price 39.90 950.00

Quantity Traded 128,768 2,818,613 2,947,381

Value Traded 5,080,904.86 2,559,739,871.40 2,564,820,776.26

Symbol ENAMELWA VITAFOAM VONO

No. of Deals 2 25 5 32

Current Price 31.82 5.32 0.98

Quantity Traded 100 1,992,431 151,050 2,143,581

Value Traded 3,023.00 10,599,232.92 148,029.00 10,750,284.92

Daily Summary

Page

Household Durables NIGERIAN ENAMELWARE PLC. VITAFOAM NIG PLC. VONO PRODUCTS PLC. Household Durables Totals Personal/Household Products P Z CUSSONS NIGERIA PLC. UNILEVER NIGERIA PLC. Personal/Household Products Totals

Symbol PZ UNILEVER

No. of Deals 24 41 65

CONSUMER GOODS Totals FINANCIAL SERVICES Banking ACCESS BANK PLC. Daily SummaryDIAMOND as of 04/05/2015 BANK PLC Printed 04/05/2015 16:09:06.006 ECOBANK TRANSNATIONAL INCORPORATED FIDELITY BANK PLC GUARANTY TRUST BANK PLC. SKYE BANK PLC

Current Price 29.30 43.00

882 Symbol ACCESS DIAMONDBNK ETI FIDELITYBK GUARANTY SKYEBANK

No. of Deals 253 45 42 98 275 78

Current Price 5.99 4.59 21.22 1.93 28.85 2.50

Daily Summary (Equities)

No. of Deals 133 242 42 6

Current Price 2.18 5.22 10.70 3.52

Value Traded 188,625,562.61 26,852,486.03 10,947,965.88 11,834,786.31 598,154,331.27 15,227,388.62

Quantity Traded 12,655,318 31,815,294 926,673 251,500

Quantity Traded 300 25,576 13,394,390 13,420,266

Value Traded 1,140.00 299,239.20 22,636,519.10 22,936,898.30

Processing Systems CHAMS PLC Processing Systems Totals

Symbol CHAMS

No. of Deals 8 8

Current Price 0.50

Quantity Traded 3,371,062 3,371,062

Value Traded 1,685,531.00 1,685,531.00

16,793,328

24,623,429.30

Quantity Traded 545,807 31,604 135,958 698,400 628,027 100,200 35,750 395,855 2,571,601

Value Traded 10,776,179.94 299,431.59 4,992,806.80 7,891,103.15 114,200,623.01 133,266.00 130,130.00 37,352,528.21 175,776,068.70

OIL AND GAS Integrated Oil and Gas Services OANDO PLC Integrated Oil and Gas Services Totals Petroleum and Petroleum Products Distributors CONOIL PLC ETERNA PLC. FORTE OIL PLC. MOBIL OIL NIG PLC. Published by The Nigerian Stock Exchange © MRS OIL NIGERIA PLC. Daily Summary as ofNIGERIA 04/05/2015 TOTAL PLC. Printed 04/05/2015 16:09:06.006 Petroleum and Petroleum Products Distributors Totals

SERVICES

15 Symbol ASHAKACEM BERGER CAP CCNN DANGCEM PAINTCOM PORTPAINT WAPCO

Daily Summary

No. of Deals 22 10 27 18 91 1 2 45 (Equities) 216

Current Price 19.95 9.07 35.66 11.58 180.00 1.33 3.83 94.00

Page Symbol BETAGLAS VANLEER

No. of Deals 4 1 5

Current Price 30.00 11.48

Quantity Traded 1,580 88 1,668

Value Traded 46,409.80 1,010.24 47,420.04

2,573,269

175,823,488.74

221

Daily Summary (Equities)

Symbol

No. of Deals

Current Price

Quantity Traded

Value Traded

Symbol ALEX

No. of Deals 1 1

Current Price 10.43

Quantity Traded 26,666 26,666

Value Traded 264,260.06 264,260.06

26,666

264,260.06

1 Symbol OANDO

No. of Deals 230 230

Current Price 18.70

Quantity Traded 4,531,919 4,531,919

Value Traded 84,199,867.60 84,199,867.60

Symbol CONOIL ETERNA FO MOBIL MRS TOTAL

No. of Deals 24 15 57 26 19 38 179

Current Price 36.21 2.70 177.00 150.50 50.54 150.33

Quantity Traded 49,995 258,957 263,402 22,683 Page 41,009 153,359 789,405

Value Traded 1,874,570.29 707,484.50 46,645,387.93 3,421,670.57 9 of 13 1,882,830.58 23,503,664.80 78,035,608.67

Symbol SEPLAT

No. of Deals 35 35

Current Price 379.06

Quantity Traded 374,533 374,533

Value Traded 141,956,519.80 141,956,519.80

5,695,857

304,191,996.07

Daily Summary (Equities)

444

Symbol REDSTAREX TRANSEXPR

No. of Deals 14 3 17

Current Price 4.15 1.16

Page Quantity Traded 280,150 98,076 378,226

Employment Solutions C & I LEASING PLC. Employment Solutions Totals

Symbol CILEASING

No. of Deals 47 47

Current Price 0.52

Quantity Traded 2,330,920 2,330,920

Value Traded 1,182,658.40 1,182,658.40

Hotels/Lodging IKEJA HOTEL PLC Hotels/Lodging Totals

Symbol IKEJAHOTEL

No. of Deals 8 8

Current Price 3.86

Quantity Traded 51,040 51,040

Value Traded 189,636.80 189,636.80

Symbol ACADEMY LEARNAFRCA UPL

No. of Deals 1 15 10 26

Current Price 1.06 1.42 5.07

Quantity Traded 500 388,700 112,008 501,208

Value Traded 555.00 536,943.00 565,459.72 1,102,957.72

Symbol ABCTRANS

No. of Deals 4 4

Current Price 0.63

Quantity Traded 20,220 20,220

Value Traded 12,534.00 12,534.00

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

Quantity Traded 25,787 1,531,835

Value Traded 54,872.83 9,717,811.50

Printing/Publishing ACADEMY PRESS PLC. LEARN AFRICA PLC UNIVERSITY PRESS PLC. Printing/Publishing Totals Daily Summary as of 04/05/2015 Road Transportation Printed 04/05/2015 16:09:06.006 ASSOCIATED BUS COMPANY PLC Road Transportation Totals

2.20 6.40

No. of Deals 23 375 1,612

Current Price 0.95 21.36

Quantity Traded 1,280,269 31,270,439 148,804,226

Value Traded 1,236,173.37 676,232,413.01 1,732,723,570.07

Symbol

No. of Deals 60

Current Price

Quantity Traded 1,557,622

Symbol CAVERTON

No. of Deals 3 3

Current Price 3.00

Quantity Traded 1,980 1,980

Value Traded 6,237.00 6,237.00

Symbol AIICO CONTINSURE CORNERST INTENEGINS LINKASSURE MANSARD NEM NIGERINS WAPIC

No. of Deals 65 35 2 6 18 14 12 2 38 192

Current Price 1.05 0.94 0.50 0.51 0.50 2.85 0.70 0.50 0.52

Quantity Traded 10,247,259 6,917,593 100,400 51,332 5,782,143 Page 916,500 632,000 50,500 3,018,594 27,716,321

Value Traded 10,365,511.50 6,501,076.82 50,200.00 27,005.96 2,891,071.50 5 2,641,330.00 of 13 441,214.58 25,250.00 1,554,571.57 24,497,231.93

165

4,841,216

13,541,198.91

EQTY Board Totals

4,845

324,480,650

6,415,587,567.21

Equity Activity Totals

4,845

324,480,650

6,415,587,567.21

Micro-Finance Banks NPF MICROFINANCE BANK PLC Micro-Finance Banks Totals

Symbol NPFMCRFBK

No. of Deals 20 20

Current Price 1.34

Quantity Traded 2,698,020 2,698,020

Value Traded 3,447,295.40 3,447,295.40

Mortgage Carriers, Brokers and Services ABBEY MORTGAGE BANK PLC Mortgage Carriers, Brokers and Services Totals

Symbol ABBEYBDS

No. of Deals 1 1

Current Price 1.30

Quantity Traded 1,000 1,000

Value Traded 1,350.00 1,350.00

SERVICES Published by The Nigerian Stock Exchange © Transport-Related Services Transport-Related Services Totals Support and Logistics CAVERTON OFFSHORE SUPPORT GRP PLC Support and Logistics Totals

AIRSERVICE NAHCO

10Value Traded of 13 1,160,722.50 113,768.16 1,274,490.66

6 54

Activity Summary on Board EQTY

Current Price 4.00 12.19 1.69

Transport-Related Services AIRLINE SERVICES AND LOGISTICS PLC NIGERIAN AVIATION HANDLING COMPANY PLC

Value Traded 1,000.00

No. of Deals 2 3 1 6

Published byCourier/Freight/Delivery The Nigerian Stock Exchange © RED STAR EXPRESS PLC TRANS-NATIONWIDE EXPRESS PLC. Courier/Freight/Delivery Totals

Value Traded 27,779,557.70 165,389,110.82 9,558,424.45 885,370.00

Page

Quantity Traded 2,000

Symbol CWG NCR TRIPPLEG

OIL AND GAS Totals

Symbol WEMABANK ZENITHBANK

60,590,291.31

IT Services COMPUTER WAREHOUSE GROUP PLC NCR (NIGERIA) PLC. TRIPPLE GEE AND COMPANY PLC. IT Services Totals

Activity Summary on Board EQTY

Insurance Carriers, Brokers and Services AIICO INSURANCE PLC. CONTINENTAL REINSURANCE PLC CORNERSTONE INSURANCE COMPANY PLC. INTERNATIONAL ENERGY INSURANCE COMPANY PLC LINKAGE ASSURANCE PLC Published by TheMANSARD Nigerian Stock ExchangePLC © INSURANCE N.E.M INSURANCE CO (NIG) PLC. NIGER INSURANCE CO. PLC. WAPIC INSURANCE PLC Insurance Carriers, Brokers and Services Totals

1,595,632

Value Traded 1,000.00

Exploration and Production SEPLAT PETROLEUM DEVELOPMENT COMPANY LTD Exploration and Production Totals

Daily Summary (Equities)

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

Value Traded 3,800.00 951,807.73 59,411,488.18 68,475.40 154,720.00 60,590,291.31

Page

NATURAL RESOURCES Totals

Quantity Traded 31,436,965 5,846,648 518,913 6,237,701 20,634,494 5,930,012

0.50

Quantity Traded 2,000 299,269 1,101,643 41,440 151,280 1,595,632

Quantity Traded 2,000

NATURAL RESOURCES Metals ALUMINIUM EXTRUSION IND. PLC. Metals Totals

3,475,432,860.29

2,136,629,585.34

Activity Summary on Board EQTY

16,405,965

Page

OMATEK

241,522,321

Current Price

NATURAL RESOURCES Metals

Value Traded 4,913,497.28 16,906,782.20 21,820,279.48

Activity Summary on Board EQTY

Symbol STERLNBANK UBA UBN UNITYBNK

DailySymbol Summary (Equities) No. of Deals Current Price

INDUSTRIAL GOODS Totals

Quantity Traded 169,241 395,327 564,568

Published by The Nigerian Stock Exchange © FINANCIAL SERVICES Banking STERLING BANK PLC. UNITED BANK FOR AFRICA PLC Daily Summary as of 04/05/2015 UNION BANK NIG.PLC. Printed 04/05/2015 16:09:06.006 UNITY BANK PLC

Value Traded 13,505,784.24 4,694,280.63 208,938,110.53 67,341,250.67 186,030.00 64,133,349.70 17,161,332.17 375,960,137.94

No. of Deals 1

INDUSTRIAL GOODS Packaging/Containers BETA GLASS CO PLC. Daily Summary as of 04/05/2015 GREIF NIGERIA PLC Printed 04/05/2015 16:09:06.006 Packaging/Containers Totals

Activity Summary on Board EQTY PublishedCONSUMER by The Nigerian Stock Exchange © GOODS Food Products--Diversified CADBURY NIGERIA PLC. NESTLE NIGERIA PLC. Food Products--Diversified Totals

Current Price 1.99 3.17 54.00 1.63 1.03

No. of Deals 1 1

Symbol DANGFLOUR DANGSUGAR FLOURMILL HONYFLOUR NASCON

No. of Deals 1 8 48 11 9 77

Quantity Traded 4,701,935 1,105,525 22,062,132 20,521,447 351,000 2,138,926 11,421,789 62,302,754

Symbol

INDUSTRIAL GOODS Building Materials ASHAKA CEM PLC BERGER PAINTS PLC CAP PLC Daily Summary as of 04/05/2015 CEMENT CO. OF NORTH.NIG. PLC Printed 04/05/2015 16:09:06.006 DANGOTE CEMENT PLC PAINTS AND COATINGS MANUFACTURES PLC PORTLAND PAINTS & PRODUCTS NIGERIA PLC LAFARGE AFRICA PLC. Building Materials Totals

572,117

Symbol DUNLOP

Food Products Daily Summary as of 04/05/2015 DANGOTE FLOUR MILLS PLC Printed 04/05/2015 16:09:06.006 DANGOTE SUGAR REFINERY PLC FLOUR MILLS NIG. PLC. HONEYWELL FLOUR MILL PLC NATIONAL SALT CO. NIG. PLC Food Products Totals

Symbol EVANSMED FIDSON GLAXOSMITH MAYBAKER NEIMETH

ICT Totals

Activity Summary on Board EQTY

Current Price 2.92 4.21 9.50 3.36 0.53 29.98 1.50

2,662

HEALTHCARE Totals

Value Traded 1 374,218.38 of 13 60,768.00 97,715,039.63 74,641,622.86 172,791,648.87

Symbol COSTAIN

No. of Deals 61 12 500 118 4 49 93 837

FINANCIAL SERVICES Totals

Activity Summary on Board EQTY CONGLOMERATES Diversified Industries Published byA.G. The LEVENTIS Nigerian Stock Exchange NIGERIA PLC.©

Symbol AFRIPRUD CUSTODYINS FBNH FCMB ROYALEX STANBIC UBCAP

SERVICES Totals

Page

Value Traded 9,772,684.33

Daily Summary (ETP) Exchange Traded Fund

Name LOTUS HALAL EQUITY ETF NEWGOLD EXCHANGE TRADED FUND (ETF) VETIVA GRIFFIN 30 ETF Exchange Fund Totals Daily Summary asTraded of 04/05/2015

Symbol LOTUSHAL15 NEWGOLD VETGRIF30

No. of Deals 1 1 2 4

Printed 04/05/2015 16:09:06.006

ETF Board Totals

ETP Activity Totals

Daily Summary (ETP) 4

Current Price 10.66 2,271.00 15.91

Quantity Traded 1 20 15 36

Value Traded 10.66 45,420.00 238.60 45,669.26

45,669.26

Page

45,669.26

NEW TELEGRAPH TUESDAY, MAY 5, 2015

Features

Inside Mali's human-trafficking underworld Many African youths looking for greener pastures in Europe, who undergo dangerous journey through Mali, end up losing their lives or money or both, writes ALEX DUVAL SMITH

he city of Gao in north-eastern Mali is the gateway to the Sahara for many African migrants seeking to get to Europe. But crossing the desert can be as dangerous as crossing the Mediterranean - and a group of young men in a backstreet compound sit nervously and in silence. In one corner of the walled yard is a pile of five-litre jerry cans, each with a sackcloth cover and strap. When the next truck is ready to head out into the desert, the containers will be filled with water and given to the dozen migrants. Each has paid up to $400 (£270) for the uncertain ride to Algeria. They look frightened and confused; most are unable to understand the French that is being spoken. The place is called “the ghetto”. It is at the heart of Gao’s humantrafficking underworld. Hundreds of African men dreaming of a future in Europe pass through one of Gao’s three “ghettos” every month. Some 2,000km (1,240 miles) from the Mediterranean coast, Gao is the last point of relative safety before a six-day truck journey through the desert that claims an untold number of lives. “I reckon the migrants have a 10 per cent chance of reaching where they want to go. But the way I see it, it’s their choice,” says Moussa, a 26-year-old “coaxer”. His job is to board the passenger buses arriving from southern Mali and earmark migrants for his ghetto boss. “You get on the bus about 20km before Gao. You walk between the seats saying you have been sent by Abdoulaye or Ibrahim - any common Malian name will do - and you

ABIODUN BELLO FEATURES Editor

abiodun. bello@newtelegraphonline.com

Some migrants

A section of Gao

are there to look after their onward journey. “The guys put their hands up,” says Moussa, who receives 5,000 CFA francs ($10) for each migrant he takes to the ghetto boss. ‘Cocaine Town’ Gao is a low-rise city with broad, dust-red streets. Its economy is based largely on trafficking; humans are traded here like fuel barrels and boxes of noodles or fridges from Algeria. It is a known transit point for the lucrative trade in South American drugs, to the extent that it has a suburb known as “Cocainebougou” - Cocaine Town - where twoand three-storey concrete villas rise incongruously out of the dusty surrounds. Because so much is at stake, Gao saw some of the worst fighting when rebels under various banners - Tuareg secessionism and Islamism - swept through northern Mali in 2012, prompting a French military intervention the following year. The touting that goes on aboard the coaches before they even reach Gao explains the relative order at a bus garage run by Sonef Transport in Gao. I see three young men, with hardly any luggage and dressed in

clothes that have clearly been slept in, being whisked into a taxi. Sahara trafficking routes Chief mechanic Sardou Maiga says the trafficking networks prey on the migrants’ fatigue and ignorance of geography. “The ones you have just seen mostly have bought bus tickets from Bamako (Mali’s capital) all the way to Libya. We run a bus service to Niamey (the capital of Niger) and onwards to Arlit on the border with Libya,” he says. “But the travellers have to change buses here in Gao and that is when the coaxers divert them and sell them to Tuareg truckers going to Algeria. “They may die on that journey because if there are difficulties, the drivers will just drop them in the desert along the way.” Theodis Windel Dennis, 26, from Liberia: “I had $1,100 when I left Liberia one week ago. It's gone now. I went to Senegal where I paid $400 for a ticket to go to Morocco. But I was tricked. There was much more to pay later. So I went to Bamako and paid for transport all the way to Algeria. “There were 15 to 20 checkpoints all the way through Mali. At each,

the Malian army harasses you for money - you have to pay between 1,000 and 5,000 CFA francs or they take you off the bus. “When the bus arrived in Gao I was robbed of my bag with my phone, the cream for my hair, the rest of my money and my passport. But I am going to keep moving… I need to find a job in Algeria. “I want to go to Europe; I want to work for money. I am educated; I am a high school graduate. My mother is very old, my father has died, so I found it difficult in Liberia. I do not care if it is dangerous; I am not afraid. I just need to get out of Africa.” Ibrahim Miharata, 45, runs Direy Ben, meaning “the journey to fortune is over”, a hostel for migrants who are down on their luck. It receives funding from the Malian Red Cross and the Roman Catholic Church and can accommodate up to 70 migrants. ‘Shameful to return’ He says he has seen a lot of Gambians lately. “Many have backtracked after being put off by the war in Libya,” the hostel manager says. “When they come back to Gao they are often desperate and sometimes mentally disturbed. “Imagine someone who left his family a year ago. The family sold two heads of cattle to support his trip. “He was given $800 or $1,000. And now he is facing going back without a penny. It is shameful. It is enough to drive you mad.” Miharata reckons up to 900 African migrants pass through Gao each month and head out on trucks up the road to Kidal and the Sahara, bound for Tamanrasset in Algeria. Others - those who stay on the Sonef buses - continue eastwards towards Niger and Libya. “The reason Gao is a key transit point for trade is that it offers one of the cheapest and shortest desert crossings - about five or six days,” Miharata says. “So even if you come from Eritrea you might find yourself crossing the desert from here. It all depends on what advice you get along the way.” He estimates that Nigeria, Cameroon and The Gambia are the top three countries whose young men - mainly - are leaving the region this way. “It is hard to be categorical because migrants lie about where they come from. The majority are definitely English-speakers, though.” Although he runs a hostel for distressed migrants, he owns a green bus, which runs to and from Kumasi in Ghana. “Direy Ben helps those in distress but I am a former migrant myself - I went to Tunisia and Ivory Coast in my time - and I am in favour of the free circulation of people. “If you want to make a living in Gao, the migration business is your only choice,” Miharata says. • Culled from BBC Africa.

FEATURES

Ms Victoria Colbert is expected to impact on Nigeria, especially the North, ravaged by Boko Haram’s many years of bloodletting, with her Colombia education model for rural poor, writes NELLY ATING

TUESDAY, MAY 5, 2015 NEW TELEGRAPH

Insurgency: Colbert comes to AUN with message of hope

he internationally renowned award-winning educator Ms Victoria Colbert will on May 9 visit Yola, the Adamawa State capital - seat of the American University of Nigeria (AUN). Colbert, who has revolutionised education in the developing world, will be AUN’s Commencement Speaker at its seventh graduation ceremony on Saturday. While announcing the selection of Colbert, AUN President Margee Ensign, said: “We are all so happy that an educator as internationally known and distinguished has found the time to visit us. As Africa’s first ‘development university’, we are anxious to hear of her wonderful experiences in the developing world, where her work has brought education and hope to so many millions of children across the globe.” Primary education is much on the minds of many at AUN, which is currently striving with its local community to feed and educate hundreds of thousands of refugees fleeing the Boko Haram in the North. Yola is currently home to 400,000 such ‘displaced persons’, many of them children - perhaps as many as 200,000. Many of these children will stay in the Yola area, badly straining already stretched resources. They have been out of school during this crisis. AUN has been actively engaged in providing for many of these refugees, and as a “development university” is much concerned with the challenge of finding cost-effective and proven ways of helping to provide primary and secondary education in the region. The AUN community is anxiously awaiting what Colbert has to say on the topic of primary education, a field in which she has been a pioneer since the 1970’s. Her message at the seventh Commencement, where AUN will graduate another set of problem-solvers, students who have been steeped in the challenges of African development during their four years at AUN, will fall on fertile ground as leaders of the area wrestle with the challenges that so many refugees have posed. Colbert’s visit, it is hoped, will spur positive policies in the area of education. The techniques that she first developed in poor rural areas of Columbia have since taken root in 20 other developing nations, providing a new model for how to provide good education in impoverished communities with meagre resources. The hope is that some of these ideas can be implemented in northeast Nigeria which has been ravaged by the Boko Haram insurgency. AUN’s existing learning resource programmes for the community and the internallydisplaced persons will be a good starting point on which to build. Among the resources the university has built are the literacy programmes in community schools such as Student Empowered through

Ensign (left) congratulating a graduating student at 2014 convocation

Language, Literacy and Arithmetic (STELLAR); Science, Technology Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM); Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination preparatory tutorials, and ICT training and sharing of digital resources with neighbouring institutions in Nigeria’s northeast. It is hoped that Colbert’s extensive experience in this field can further strengthen AUN’s teaching and learning programmes and show how they can best benefit Nigeria’s impoverished communities and their underserved children. Ensign, a member of the Adamawa State Government Committee on Assessment of the Effects of Insurgency, has emphasised the need for food supply, standard hygiene, and most importantly education for the children of the displaced. She said: “These children have had little formal education. Over the past three years, we have provided more than 12,000 of them with literacy instruction and training in entrepreneurship, information, and communications technology. “As a development university, we are committed to community development programmes that are enabling an environment for peace, women empowerment, and socio-economic equality. Today we are embracing a much broader definition of community - both inside and outside our university gates - and the problems that come with that larger community.” Nigeria has the most children out of school in the world, according to UNESCO 2015 Education for

All Global Monitoring Report. With the debilitating grip of Boko Haram, even more children are out of school in the northeast and Adamawa State has a 77 per cent illiteracy rate. Ensign said that to address the academic gap “mobile education and training centres” are on board to bridge the gap temporarily. The university already has established a literacy programme that aims to reach as many as possible. Ensign said that it is a misperception that Nigerian parents don’t want education for their children; they simply lack access and resources. The STELLAR programme is aimed at strengthening basic academic skills of primary school students in Adamawa State. It evolved from a community service course at AUN in 2012, a course every student in AUN is required to take as a requirement for graduation. Undergraduates are supervised by faculty members to teach in community schools. STEM, another literacy programme, nurtures academic talents in the sciences, engineering, technology, and mathematics through the effort of AUN students who encourage and help secondary school students in Adamawa State to establish Whiz kid Clubs in their schools while they mentor them. AUN’s local training has graduated more than 4,000 community youths who are now ICT-capable and many have gained scholarship into free CISCO certification courses. Some community youth beneficiaries of the AUN free tutoring

programme, in which AUN students serve as tutors for secondary school students preparing to enter university credited their success in the last Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) computer-based test to the fact that peer-to-peer learning helped them score higher in the matriculation exam. The AUN Honour Society has raised money to support scholarships to community schools, paying school fees for families whose children could not otherwise attend school. Thus it is with great interest that the members of AUN community await the arrival of Colbert, whose “New School” movement has reached millions of young students across the globe. Fostering, like AUN, greater cooperation between schools, their teachers, local parents, and their communities, and emphasising peer-topeer learning and collaboration, this very successful model has brought hope and education to countless communities in Latin America and elsewhere in the developing world. Colbert, a recipient of many international awards, including the very first Clinton Global Citizen Award, brings a message of hope to Nigeria, and to its harried northeast, now emerging from the long night of Boko Haram violence. It is possible to radically improve the education of the rural poor with very limited resources. This is a message the people of AUN and of Adamawa State are eager to hear. • Ating is of AUN

NEW TELEGRAPH TUESDAY, MAY 5, 2015

Pamela Eboh Awka

he Chief Judge of Anambra State, Justice Peter Umeadi, has threatened to withdraw magistrates from communities that exhibit hostile attitudes to judicial officers posted to their areas. Speaking after swearing-in 20 new magistrates and one Deputy Chief Registrar at the High Court complex in Awka, Justice Umeadi, said there was need for the host communities to

News 47

SOUTH-EAST

Anambra CJ threatens to withdraw magistrates from hostile communities support the judicial officers posted to their areas as their duty was mainly to ensure quick dispensation of justice. He also frowned at a situation whereby police officers were attached to civilians when judiciary officers risk their lives without security. “It is a misplaced priority to assign police to civilians when magistrates

are left at the mercy of criminals in the society,” he said. According to him, magistrates handle the bulk of cases and, therefore, need the necessary protection and assistance to enable them perform optimally, stating that the new magistrates were coming at a time Anambra State was being positioned for greater

achievements in all sectors of human endeavour. Umeadi explained that plans were afoot to assign the new appointees as revenue magistrates as part of measures to improve the state’s internally generated revenue, IGR, as well as assist the police at the mobile courts. He said that though the appointment took into consideration the

required spread, all those who were appointed passed the examinations conducted by the National Judicial Council, NJC, and hoped that they would live up to expectation in the discharge of their duties. The 20 new magistrates were Arinze Juliet, Moses Kanu, Obiamaka Ezebilo-Nnedu, Ijeoma Igbokwe, Chika

Nwakanma, Catherine Chigbo, Maduakor N.G., Loveth Ani-Nnaka, Stella Ezeudeka and Gladys Onyekwuru. Others were Chidinma Nduka, Ijeoma Onumkwo, Chizoba StanleyUdo, Martins Adumah, Peter Eke, Maureen Okosi, Uzoma Udeze, Rebeka Agwunobi, Nonye Anyaegbunam and Clara Ogugua.

Fulfill your election promises, Onu tells Umahi

L-R: Chief Geoffery Uguru; wife of the former old Anambra State governor, Mrs. Pat Jim-Nwobodo; President-elect, General Muhmmadu Buhari and former old Anambra State governor, Senator Jim Nwobodo, during Nwobodo’s courtesy visit to Buhari in Abuja …yesterday

Community protest threatens IPP project on power in Abia Igbeaku Orji Umuahia

he smooth completion of the on-going National Integrated Power Project (NIPP) power line project from Enugu to Akwa Ibom State is being threatened by a protest of the Nnono community, Oboro in Ikwuano council area of Abia State over claims that the contractor handling the project has refused to honour the agreement on the payment of compensation to those whose houses were on the

right of way of the project and have been marked for demolition. The protesting members of the community, who wielded placards called on the Federal Government to intervene to forestall possible breakdown of law and order. A youth leader and spokesman for the protesters, Mr. Chinedu Anthony, told journalists yesterday at Nnono, that their protest was not against the project, which he said was of government good intention and for

development, stating, however, that the nonchalant attitude of the NIPP contractor who have ordered the helpless villagers to vacate their homes within two weeks without fulfilling the agreement necessitated the protest. He said that the contractor created fear among the people by intimidating them with army personnel who they alleged patrol the community everyday to ensure that the people do not ask for their rights.

In his remark, the Chairman of the Oboro clan council of traditional rulers, king Larry Ogbonnaya Agwu, corroborated the position of the protesters, noting that if the contractor did not have enough money to pay compensation, they should have diverted the transmission line away from people’s homes. He lamented that rather than direct the power transmission line through the forest, they decided to run it through the community

Ex-Ebonyi SSG tasks FG, states on IGR Charles Onyekwere Abakaliki

ormer Secretary to the Ebonyi State Government, Chief Fidelis Mbam, has tasked the incoming governments to strive at minimizing the cost of governance and pay more focus on increasing the internally generated revenue. The erstwhile SSG, who

spoke in Abakaliki, the Ebonyi State capital, also advised the state and the Federal Government to close all the avenues through which corruption in government were being perpetrated for the overall interest of the country. He stated that the over dependence in oil has changed the thinking of many Nigerians and has affected the economy negatively, saying

that the incoming governments should also make sure that they diversify the nation’s economic. “This is the only remedy to make use of our resources other than oil. He said. “ I will like the incoming administration to emphasise on agriculture, this is because before the oil, we used agriculture and we did very well, we should go back and ask our selves where we

missed the track, go back and follow what it was before, we should also make sure that we diversify” He said that the incoming government can change the story of Ebonyi state in three years for good if the Governorelect encourages the development of Agriculture. “I recommend that each local government council area in the state

where they would collect money for compensation and not pay same to the affected families. “What do they want these old people to do? To go and live in the bush. Are we going to enjoy the light in our graves? And instead they are using army to intimidate us,” he queried. The traditional ruler called on the Federal Government to come to their rescue by reviewing the contract, so that adequate compensation would be paid to the people. or each development council area should have a farm of a minimum of 500,000 economic trees such as bush mangoes and palm plantation, saying that by having such vision in three year’s time the state would be boosting of industries of Palm kernel cracking mills, Oil mills among and feed mills from the chaff from the Kernel that would be creating employment for not only graduates but also technicians.

ocial critic and a chieftain of the All Peoples Congress (APC), Prince Nwaeze Onu, has urged the Ebonyi State Governor elect, Engr. David Umahi, to commence his anti-corruption crusade promise by making public his assets declaration as Deputy Governor of the state before his assumption of office on May 29. Reacting to a May Day speech delivered by the Governor-elect, Onu cautioned Umahi to stop distancing himself from the out-going administration as he has been part of it since eight years ago.” “He had a free reign in the past eight years as a super Deputy Governor, why is he sounding as if he was coming from the moon? He promised the workers one hundred percent pay rise during the campaigns, why is he now talking about payment within available resources? Was it not the same reason the current governor was canvassing with the workers when Umahi promised them 100 per cent increment? The tenure must not begin with double speak” he noted. On fees payable by students in the stateowned institutions of higher learning, Onu wondered why the Governor-elect was silent on the promise he made to students, stating, “since he chose an opportunity to represent the incumbent Governor in a May Day rally to discuss his own programmes, he should also be emphatic on the promise that students will pay N25,000 in the state university and other institutions. We are holding him to every word he uttered as he must be ready to answer to the people always” Onu stated.”

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Edo prison officials jittery over inmate’s escape from custody Cajetan Mmuta BENIN

fficials of the Nigeria Prisons Service (NPS) in Edo State are now in trouble following an early morning escape of one of the inmates from the prison command’s headquarters in Benin City, the state capital.

The inmate, whose name the officials are still keeping to their chest, had taken to his heels and raced along the Government Reservation Area Road along the Government House-Golf Road shortly after he and others commenced the day’s job close to the Benin moat. Both senior and junior warders on duty had quickly embarked on intensified team search

for the fleeing inmate within nearby bushes, the secretariat complex of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), the High Court and other adjoining locations. Also, another team in a white Coaster bus trailed the inmate within the GRA, abandoned buildings known to be hideouts for criminal elements, popular brothels and other possible hidden corners.

The inmate zoomed off half naked as he pulled off his prison service uniform possibly to disguise himself as a mad man even as most passersby, who witnessed the drama, cleared off the road for him. Other officers were seen pulling off their uniforms to join the search team on getting the alert about the situation. The Public Relations

Officer (PRO) of the NPS in the state, Mr. Aminu Suleiman, confirmed the escape, but said he has no details about what actually happened. He said: “I will speak with you on this after getting more information upon my return to the office.” There was heightened fear yesterday of a likely internal arrangement between men of the

command and relations of the fleeing inmate suspected to be a kidnap kingpin in the area.” New Telegraph learnt that majority of the inmates are allegedly on awaiting list, following the protracted strike action embarked upon by judicial workers since the past four months, which made it impossible for courts to resume sitting.

Bayelsa mulls revisit of Kolo Creek oil spill report Chris Ejim Yenagoa

L-R: Nollywood artistes, Vie Okujaye; Richard Mofe-Damijo; Taiwo Ajayi-Lycett and Olu Jacobs, at the media screening of ‘Oloibiri’, an action thriller mirroring fear, dread and international exploitation of the Niger Delta people, in Abuja …yesterday.

SPDC facility fire incident blamed on sabotage Chris Ejim Yenagoa

Bayelsa Statebased security company yesterday blamed the April 20, 2015 fire incident on the 20” Kolo Creek-Rumuekpe (TNP) trunk line at Oruma in Ogbia Local Government area of Bayelsa State on sabotage. The Managing Director of Izon-Ibe Security Company Limited, Chief James Jephthah, in a statement, warned that all those involved in the heinous act would be fished out and made to face the

full wrath of the law. He said though the number of surveillance operatives in the company’s employ was inadequate, due to the vast area to be covered, it has deployed personnel to cover flash points and strategic locations for the purpose of securing pipelines and other oil and gas facilities. The statement reads in part: “In the early hours of Monday, April 20, 2015, there was a report of fire incident on the 20” Kolo Creek to Remuekpe (TNP) trunk line at Oruma in Ogbia Local Government Area of Bayelsa State.

“This location forms part of our coverage area, so we started investigations immediately. “The Izon-Ibe security company deployed staff (personnel and resources) to the field, with particular reference to finding the remote and immediate causes of the incident. On location, we discovered that it was an act of sabotage carried out by unknown persons, who used saw blades, fuel containers and other local materials to perpetrate the act. “As stated in our earlier report, part of the challenges is inadequate

CLO tasks Buhari on corruption Chris Ejim Yenagoa

he leadership of the Civil Liberties Organisation (CLO) in Bayelsa State, at the weekend, challenged the President-elect, General Muhammadu Buhari, to fulfil his election promise of fighting corrupt practices in every sector of the economy. The body urged him to immediately com-

mence such campaign with a comprehensive investigation into the unexplained wealth of members of the state security agencies, including the Nigerian Police, the Department of State Security (DSS) and the military. According to the CLO, though the performance of the military and the police during the fight against insurgency in the North East and during the just-concluded general elections have

been commendable, there is the need to investigate the unexplained wealth of some officers. There is also the need to take stock on the utilisation of funds allocated by the Federal Government for the acquisition of arms and ammunition and the security action against Boko Haram as it will enhance professionalism and check excesses of the security agencies under a civilian administration.

manpower, as the present 1, 500 personnel cannot adequately cover every inch of the vast areas of Ogbia, Nembe, Brass and Yenagoa Local Government areas of Bayelsa State. “What we have done, in the meantime, is to deploy men to cover strategic flash points within the areas covered in the scope of operations of the various communities; the company considers it expedient to deploy personnel to ‘flash points’ and ‘strategic locations’ for the purpose of securing pipelines and other oil and gas facilities.”

he Bayelsa State government was yesterday said to be considering a review of the Joint Investigation Visit (JIV) report aimed at unraveling the cause of the April 15 oil leak from Kolo Creek manifold in Otuasega area of Ogbia Local Government. The review was necessitated by the exclusion of vast areas impacted by the incident during the earlier investigative visit. The Bayelsa State Commissioner for Environment, Mr. Iniruo

Wills, said in Yenagoa that the state government had received reports that more areas impacted by the spill incident were not captured by the investigative visit. The commissioner said the government would verify the reported exclusion of impacted sites and seek a review to include excluded areas and victims. “We have to look at the information and verify it and if it is true that the impacted area was larger than what was originally captured, we shall find a way of addressing these concerns.

APC sues Edo PDP senator-elect Cajetan Mmuta Benin

he All Progressives Congress (APC) senatorial candidate for Edo South and Minority Whip in the House of Representatives, Hon. Samson Osagie, has filed a suit before the National Assembly Elections Petition Tribunal, sitting in Benin City to challenge the victory of Mr. Matthew Urhoghide, of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the March 28 National Assembly polls. Osagie is praying the tribunal to declare him winner of the Edo South senatorial district election. The APC candidate is also asking the tribunal

to nullify the result of the poll and conduct a fresh election in all the seven council areas that make up the senatorial district in line with the provisions of the Electoral Act 2010 (as amended). A copy of the petition, which was made available by his solicitor, Chief Adeniyi Akintola (SAN), to newsmen stated in part “that the election in the local governments, wards, units and/or centre characterised or marred by electoral malpractices and/or irregularities during the conduct of the Edo South senatorial district election be voided or/set aside and a fresh election ordered by this honourable tribunal.”

Why project site was abandoned, by Bayelsa govt Chris Ejim Yenagoa

ayelsa State government yesterday explained why most of the construction sites in the state were abandoned, saying it was the political tension that preceded the general elections that compelled many contractors handling various projects to abandon the sites. Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure,

Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, who disclosed this yesterday in Yenagoa during an inspection tour of ongoing projects, said the construction firms demobilised from the sites and moved out of the state for fear of becoming victims of election-related violence. Ewhrudjakpo, however, said most of the contractors had been returning to site, following the relative post-election peace recorded across the country. He attributed the post-

election peace to the spirit of sportsmanship demonstrated by President Goodluck Jonathan, who conceded defeat “even in very clear circumstances that if it were to be the opposition party, by now heavens would have been let loose.” He said: “The prediction was that Nigeria was no longer going to be one indivisible nation after the elections, but, thanks to the statesman like attitude of President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan.”

NEW TELEGRAPH tuesday, may 5, 2015

Sabiu Mustapha and Musa Pam

t least, 21 persons were reportedly killed and several others left with various degrees of injuries in an ethnic crisis whih erupted yesterday in Takum town of Southern Taraba. The yesterday's attack was said to have been undertaken by suspected Kuteb youths, who were said to be on a revenge mission of 13 of their people who were killed along Takum-Katsina-Ala and Takum-Kashinbilla roads at the weekend. The weekend road killings was said to had triggered Kuteb people in Takum town and its environs as the Kuteb youths went by hunting and killing the Tiv people, who they alleged killed their people. Following the development, the council chairman Mr. Caleb Bitrus Babafi imposed a 24 hour curfew in Takum town to ensure peace. In a related development, about 27 people were killed in Karim-Lamido Local Government council of the state following a reprisal attacked by the military. It would be recalled that some unidentified men, suspected to be Fulani herdsmen, two days ago ambushed and killed six soldiers while three were said to be missing when the gunmen attacked the soldiers between Amar and Kambari villages. The soldiers were said to be on a routine patrol of the area when they were ambushed and killed. Three of the missing

78 killed in Taraba, Plateau soldiers were also found dead by the military when they combed the area in search of the missing soldiers. It was gathered that while the soldiers were on search of three of their missing colleagues, a set of gunmen opened fire on them as the military repelled leaving over 27 persons dead, including children and women. Chairman of Karim Lamido local government council, Bobboi Bello Bendu could not confirm the number of casualties, but said there was an exchange of fire in the area. "Two villages were com-

Yola

ollowing a resolution by the Adamawa State House of Assembly urging the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to investigate allegations of corrupt practices by the six-month-old administration of Governor Bala James Ngilari of Adamawa State, the sacked Director General of the Adamawa State Public Procurement Bureau (PPB), Alhaji Abba Bello Umar, said he was ready to testify in exposing the administration. Umar, who was reacting to the House of Assembly resolution which described his sack by the governor as illegal, told newsmen in a telephone chat that he was vindicated by the resolution, which pointed out that his sack was because he decided to blow the whistle on

pleted razed, but I can't tell the exact number of casualties at the moment. The report I'm getting indicates that some persons were killed," he said. However, there were unconfirmed reports that trucks loaded with soldiers from Taraba and the neighbouring Adamawa state stormed the area two days ago to search for the missing soldiers. A military source, who pleaded anonymity, said they recovered two bodies of their missing colleagues and were looking for the remaining one when the gunmen opened fire on them. He added that in the

process of defending themselves, many of the attackers were feared killed. However, locals said over 27 people were killed including children and women. Confirming the killings, the Taraba State Police Public Relations Officer, ASP, Joseph Kwaji said he was not aware of the killings in Karim Lamido, but said only 9 people were killed in Takum following clash between Tiv and Kuteb. Kwaji, who said no arrest was made for the attack, however noted that relative peace has returned to the area as Police were on patrol in Takum

town and its environs to prevent escalation of the crisis. In Plateau State, no fewer than 30 people have been confirmed killed in another attack by unknown gunmen suspected to be Fulani herdsmen in two villages of Barkin Ladi Local Government Area of Plateau State Chairman of the local government, Hon. Emmanuel Lomang, while confirming the killings to New Telegraph yesterday in Jos said the suspected attackers entered the villages through Jos East, neighbouring the Barkin Ladi Local government in the night and killed 17

L-R: Kaduna State Commissioner for Information, Mr. Ben Bako; Chairman, NUJ Kaduna State Council, Alhaji Yusuf Idris and National President, Alhaji Mohammed Garba, at the World Press Freedom Day in Kaduna…yesterday. PHOTO-NAN

I’m ready to testify against Ngilari, says former DG Ibrahim Abdul

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abuse of due process in the award of contracts by the administration. “I am ready to testify before the EFFC if called to do so on the contracts awarded by this government in contravention of the Public Procurement Law and how I queried such contracts leading to my sack, arrest and detention on the orders of the government for doing my job,” Umar said. The sacked DirectorGeneral explained how he queried contracts that do not follow due process such as the purchase of 50 Hilux vans at the cost of N400 million and two bullet proof jeeps at the cost of N180 million, as well as other contracts such as the printing of calendars and diaries, the revitalisation of the state television, printing of account books for Local Governments and Development Areas, procurement of official vehicles for commissioners.

people including women in Vat village ,while 13 others were also attacked and killed in Zakupang village, all of Foron District of the Barkin Local Government Area of the state.

Kaduna APC transition committee warns impersonators Ibraheem Musa Kaduna

he Kaduna State All Progressives Congress (APC) Transition Committee yesterday warned fraudulent elements in the state to refrain from using its name to perpetrate illegalities. In a statement issued by its Chairman, Malam Balarabe Abbas Lawal yesterday, the committee warned that “anyone found impersonating the committee members or carrying out any illegal act in the name of the committee, will be handed over to the police for prosecution.” The chairman further “advised government officials to focus on the imperative of preparing proper handover and briefing notes, rather than entertaining fraudsters.” According to him, “There are proper channels of communication between the outgoing and incoming administration, and it is only proper that these are respected by officials in all ministries, departments and agencies of the Kaduna State government."

UNIMAID inaugurates committee on 40th anniversary Ahmed Mirnga Maiduguri

he Vice-Chancellor of the University of Maiduguri (UNIMAID), Prof. Ibrahim Abubakar Njodi, has inaugurated a 14-member committee for the 40th anniversary of the institution.

Inaugurating the committee yesterday at the Council Chambers of the university, the vicechancellor said in the last 40 years of its existence, the university has experienced tremendous growth and witnessed remarkable transformations. Njodi said the institution, which was es-

How Benue speaker survived impeachment Cephas Iorhemen Makurdi

he Benue State House of Assembly penultimate week waited anxiously to witness the drama that was unfolding over the plot by the lawmakers to impeach the Speaker of the Assembly, Hon. Terhile Ayua. News filtering into the state on Wednesday, April 29, said at least 18 of the 30-member assembly had signed an impeachment

notice meant to be served on the speaker on resumption of sitting the following day. The aggrieved members, who were set to serve “a vote of no confidence” on Ayua, claimed that the speaker had failed to protect the interest of members of the House, even as they were being owed about three months salaries, including the failure by Governor Gabriel Suswam to pay them overhead costs for running their offices.

tablished on October 1, 1975, by the then Federal Military Government and was the first citadel of learning to be created in the North East region. He said the institution will be 40 years old on October 1, hence the celebration. According to him, the university has expanded

rapidly over the years, both physically and in the area of academic programmes, through sheer determination and commitment to teaching, learning and research, which according to him, despite the security challenges, has become an important key player in the society.

FRSC commences UN children safety week celebration Musa Pam Jos

he Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Plateau Command, has commenced activities to mark this year's United Nations (UN) Children Safety Week in the state. The 2015 UN children safety week tagged ‘Safekidslives’ would be the third of its kind since its inception three years ago.

While briefing journalists in Jos yesterday, the Corps Sector Commander, Mr. Sunday Maku, said the week was borne out of inputs developed by children on the need to be safe on the highways. He added that the objectives of the celebration was to highlight the plights of children on roads with a view to finding lasting solutions and to also promote inclusive road transport, especially for children.

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TUESDAY, MAY 5, 2015 NEW TELEGRAPH

US police: Two gunmen killed over Muhammad's cartoon contest T wo gunmen were killed after opening fire on a security officer outside a contest for cartoon depictions of Prophet Muhammad and a bomb squad was called in to search their vehicle as a precaution, authorities said. The men drove up Sunday night as the contest in suburban Dallas was scheduled to end and began shooting at a security officer, the City

of Garland said in a statement. Police officers returned fire, killing the men. "Because of the situation of what was going on today and the history of what we've been told has happened at other events like this, we are considering their car (is) possibly containing a bomb," Officer Joe Harn, a spokesman for the Garland Police Department, said at a news conference. The cartoon contest was

Israel pledges action on grievances of Ethiopian Jews

srael yesterday pledged to crack down on racism and discrimination against Ethiopian Jews as officials sought to ease tensions after a series of angry protests over police brutality. Last week, years of simmering anger within the Ethiopian minority exploded into anger during a protest in Jerusalem sparked by a video showing two police assaulting an Ethiopian soldier in uniform. A second demonstration in Tel Aviv on Sunday also deteriorated into violence, throwing a spotlight on the plight of Israel's Ethiopian community. Top officials quickly moved to calm the situation with President Reuven Rivlin admitting "mistakes" had been made, and Prime Minister Netanyahu holding a three hour meeting with community leaders. "We must stand together as one

against the phenomenon of racism, to denounce it and eliminate it," Netanyahu said, admitting there was a "deep problem" that needed to be addressed. The protests, which saw thousands of angry Ethiopian Jews marching through the streets of Jerusalem and Tel Aviv, were the result of "real distress," he acknowledged after meeting the soldier in the video, Damas Pakada. A much larger gathering of what police said was 3,000 Ethiopian Israelis marched through Tel Aviv on Sunday with police using stun grenades, water cannon and pepper spray to disperse the crowd. Organisers put the number of demonstrators at closer to 10,000. Protesters threw stones, bottles and chairs, injuring 55 police officers. Twelve demonstrators were also hurt.

Britain's baby princess named Charlotte Elizabeth Diana

rince William and his wife Kate have named their two-day-old baby Charlotte Elizabeth Diana and she will be known as Princess Charlotte of Cambridge, their Kensington Palace residence announced Monday. The names will be seen as a triple homage to her grandfather Prince Charles, great-grandmother Queen Elizabeth II and William's late mother Diana, whose death in 1997 prompted a global outpouring of grief. "The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are delighted to announce that they have named

their daughter Charlotte Elizabeth Diana," the palace said in a statement. "The baby will be known as Her Royal Highness Princess Charlotte of Cambridge," it added. The name Charlotte was one of the favourites for bookmakers and it has historic royal standing. King George III's wife Queen Charlotte (1761-1818) was an amateur botanist who used her middle name instead of her first name Sophie. George IV also named his only child Charlotte but she died in childbirth at the age of 21 in 1817.

Famed neurosurgeon, Ben Carson, announces White House campaign

etired surgeon Ben Carson has made it official, telling a crowd in his hometown of Detroit that he's running for president. The former head of pediatric neurosurgery at Johns Hopkins hospital has never run for public office. But he's a star among some conservatives and will try to parlay his success as an author and speaker into a competitive

campaign. He told his rally: "I'm Ben Carson and I'm a candidate for president." Carson is also expected to be the only high profile African American to enter the GOP's presidential primary. He is the second White House hopeful to get into the Republican race yesterday. Former technology executive Carly Fiorina declared her intent to run earlier in the day.

hosted by the New York based American Freedom Defense Initiative, which offered an award of $10,000 for the best cartoon depicting the Prophet Muhammad. FBI spokesman Perryn Collier on yesterday confirmed its investigation had expanded to Arizona, where a Phoenix residence was being searched for indications of what prompted the shooting. ABC News cites a senior FBI official in reporting that one of the gunmen, a resident of the Phoenix apartment, was known to authorities and

was the subject of an investigation. The ABC report says the man was convicted five years ago of lying to federal agents about plans to travel to Africa, in an apparent attempt to join a terror group there. The event featured a speech by Geert Wilders, a Dutch lawmaker known for his outspoken criticism of Islam. Wilders received several standing ovations as he quoted former President Ronald Reagan and Texas founding father Sam Houston. "Muhammad fought and ter-

rorized people with the swords. Today, here in Garland, we fight Muhammad and his followers with the pen. And the pen, the drawings, will prove mightier than the sword," Wilders said during his speech. Such drawings of Muhammad are deemed insulting to many followers of Islam and have sparked violence around the world. According to mainstream Islamic tradition, any physical depiction of the Prophet Muhammad even a respectful one is considered blasphemous.

al Shabaab militants

Somali government orders journalists to rename militant group

omalia's government has ordered journalists to stop using the moniker "al Shabaab" to refer to the homegrown jihadist group, placing the country's media in a precarious situation. Instead, the government has renamed the Islamist militants "UGUS," an acronym for a new name in Somali that translates as: "The Group that Massacres the Somali People," (Somali: "Ururka Gumaadka Ummadda Soomaaliyeed"). Al Shabaab translates from Arabic as "the youth." Speaking to journalists in Somalia, the head of Somalia's Intelligence and Security Services General Abdirahman Mohamud Tuuryare, said: "We should not allow this good name

to be dirtied. This enemy we are fighting is called UGUS." The government-controlled Radio Mogadishu and SNTV were already using the new name when the government order was announced, according to the BBC. Al Shabaab is aligned with al Qaeda. Active since 2006, the group masterminded last month's siege at Garissa University, Kenya, which left 147 dead, as well as the 2013 Westgate mall attack in Nairobi. The government order is not the first of it's kind, and authorities regularly raid Somali news outlets and detain journalists. Last September the Somali government issued a ban on coverage of all al Shabaab activities, and several journalists were de-

tained in the days following the announcement. These included Osman Abdullhai Guure, the director of Radio Kulmiye, and Abdirahim Isse Addow, the head of the state radio broadcaster, who were accused of broadcasting a statement made by the militant Islamic group's leader. The government's latest raid was on the Mogadishu based Radio Shabelle on April 3 after it broadcast a message from al Shabaab spokesperson Sheikh Ali Dheere claiming responsibility for the Garissa University attack in Kenya. Reporters Without Borders (RSF) said heavily armed security forces arrested 25 people, including 23 journalists and media workers, and confiscated their equipment.

Suicide bomber dies in Damascus attack

yrian soldiers battled a small group of insurgents, including a suicide bomber, who attacked a Syrian military logistics and supply facility in the capital yesterday, militants and activists said. The relatively rare Damascus attack took place in the capital's Rukneddine neighborhood and was claimed by the al-Qaida branch in Syria. Syrian state media said all the militants

were killed, but provided no further details. The director of the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, Rami Abdurrahman, said the bombing appeared to target a general who is responsible for army logistics and supplies. He said the general and two of his guards were wounded in the blast, and one guard was killed. The Observatory relies on a network of activists inside Syr-

ia for its information. The alQaida-affiliated Nusra Front posted a claim of responsibility on a Twitter account associated with the group, saying three of the group's fighters were involved. Syrian state television later broadcast video of what it said was the scene of the attack, showing the bodies of two men dressed in camouflage sprawled in the street.

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D’Tigress to commence camping this week

Martins scores twice in Sounders win over NYC

Juventus will attack, says Casillas

Fenerbahce offer Emenike for Mitroglou

Sport Charles Ogundiya

former Nigeria international, Moses Kpakor, has told Super Eagles coach, Stephen Keshi, to get results because Nigerians would not tolerate any form of failure this time. Speaking with our correspondent on the telephone, Kpakor said the coach should raise a solid team that could compete at the highest level. He said: “The expectation of Nigerians now is for Keshi to get a Super Eagles team that can compete at any level and against any team across the globe. “Nobody wants the so called rebuilding process that is unending, he needs to go out there and get the best legs to represent Nigeria. “If he wants to use the foreign based players, let him go ahead and if what he intends doing is to assemble only those playing in our local league, I wish him all the best, but I want him to understand that Nigerians will not take any excuses from him again.” On the chances of some national U-20 and U-23 players graduating into the Super Eagles, the former BCC Lions of Gboko player said such decision could be counterproductive.

The Sport Team Adekunle Salami Group Sport Editor

Emmanuel Tobi Assistant Editor, Sport

Ifeanyi Ibeh Sport Correspondent

Ajibade Olusesan Sport Correspondent

Charles Ogundiya Sport Correspondent

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Did you know? That Chelsea have been relegated (six) more times than they have won the league (five).

No excuses please • Kpakor tells Keshi

Kpakor

According to him, the Super Eagles is the highest level of competition and you cannot entrust such duty to youngsters. Kpakor said: “We should not make a mistake by rushing these youngsters to the national team. They are all very good players, but we are talking about the national team here, which is a different ball game entirely. We can introduce the exceptional ones into the team and ease them in gradually. “It all comes down to the decision of the coach, if he identifies some of them that are good, then he must infuse such quality players into the team.” He also called on the fans to support the coach to achieve success for Nigeria.

Dejected Eagles players after failing to qualify for 2015 AFCON

Commonwealth body commends FG on Yakmut’s nomination

he Commonwealth Secretary-General Kamalesh Sharma has commended the Federal Government for nominating Acting Director General of the National Sports Commission, Mr. Al-Hassan Yakmut ,for appointment into the Commonwealth Advisory Body on Sport. In the appointment letter addressed to Mr. Yakmut, the Commonwealth SecretaryGeneral said “We also acknowledge with gratitude the commitment of the Government of Nigeria to providing support for your membership

and participation”. Sharma stressed that the appointment which was for a duration of three years from May 1, 2015 to December 31, 2018, would afford the acting Director General the opportunity to contribute towards sports and development in the Commonwealth. “The knowledge and expertise you bring to CABOS will enrich the contribution it is able to make towards sport and development in the Commonwealth,” he said. He added that the mandate of the body “is to advise the Commonwealth Secretariat

and member governments on policies relating to sport, particularly sport for development and peace.” It would be recalled that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs had in December, 2014, written to the Sports Minister and Chairman, National Sports Commission, Dr. Tammy Danagogo, on the request by the Commonwealth Secretary General to nominate a Nigerian technocrat who is knowledgeable in sports policy issues as well as committed and willing to dedicate time and energy to the activities of the body.

Yakmut

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TUESDAY, MAY 5, 2015 NEW TELEGRAPH

Fenerbahce offer Emenike for Mitroglou • To offload Eagles star to Fulham Emmanuel Tobi

he declining form of Super Eagles striker, Emmanuel Emenike, has forced Fenerbahce to consider offering him as part of transfer exchange for Fulham’s Kostas Mitroglou. Mitroglou who cost a club record £12 million when signed by Fulham in January 2014, spent large of the season mostly on the sidelines as the

London club took the Premier League plunge, but was dispatched back to Olympiakos where he has scored 19 goals in 32 appearances this campaign. Apart from his loss of form, Emenike has been having running battles with the fans after he demanded to be substituted after being booed by his own fans during their 1-0 home win over rivals Besiktas in March. The striker reacted

angrily to catcalls after losing the ball and took his shirt off, storming off the pitch, only to be be talked back on by his coaching staff. He was replaced at half-time. Emenike, who is in his second spell at the club, has only scored four goals in 25 Turkish Super League appearances this season. He joined Fenerbahce in 2011 but was linked to a match-fixing scandal, though later cleared and joined Spartak Moscow.

China to hire Nigerian talents

uo Jun, Deputy DirectorGeneral of Guandong Foreign Affairs Office, China, on Monday announced the Provincial Government’s plan to begin to hire young Nigerian sports talents. Luo told the News Agency of Nigeria in Guangzhuo, China, that the government would encourage local sports club in the province to begin to hire young sportsmen and women from Nigeria. The Guandgong’s government official also said that it was imperative for the province, China and Nigeria to also foster their relationships through exchange of talented persons. ``Guandong used to be the

strongest Chinese province in soccer, but we are now one of the strongest. ``We strongly believe that promoting sporting activities in our province will need talented young men and women. ``We have always been hiring soccer players from other African countries. ``But we now want to be hiring interested talented young Nigerians to raise performances of our clubs locally and internationally,’’ he said. Luo said that such Nigerians would be made to represent the province clubs in field and track events, basketball, swimming, football, gymnastics and other sports.

Ghana to play Congo for U-23 Eagles

hana will play Congo-Brazzaville for the right to face Nigeria’s U-23 Eagles in the final qualifying round for this year’s African U-23 Championship. The Black Meteors drilled Liberia mercilessly for a 7-1 aggregate win in the first round and will next host the Devils, who drew a bye,

before flying to Brazzaville for the return leg, later this month. Ghana, Africa’s first medallists at the Men’s Football Tournament of the Olympics (bronze at Barcelona 1992), defeated the Liberians 2-0 in the first leg in Tamale and won the second leg (also played in Tamale because of fears of the ebola virus) 5-1.

Nigeria, Algeria, Gabon, Cote d’Ivoire, Egypt, South Africa and Morocco (who played at the 1st African U-23 Championship in Morocco in 2011, alongside new hosts Senegal) have drawn byes into the final round of qualifying. The 2nd African U-23 Championship will take place in Senegal, December from 5 to 19.

Emenike in action for Fenerbahce

NBBF gets Danagogo’s praise Ifeanyi Ibeh

he Nigeria Basketball Federation, led by its president, Tijani Umar, has received top praise from Nigeria’s Sports Minister, Dr Tammy Danagogo, for adopting modern, scientific ways in the development of the sport in the country. Danagogo, who also doubles as the Chairman of the National Sports Commission, made the remark on Monday in Abuja during the closing ceremony of the first phase of the Zenith Bank Women Basketball League. The Minister, who was represented at the event by Al-Hassan Yakmut, observed that the NBBF President was working round the clock to ensure that the country’s men’s

igeria’s U-20 squad on Monday afternoon began training sessions in Nuremberg ahead of the FIFA U-20 World Cup finals. NFF’s Assistant Director (Technical), Abdulrafiu Yusuf, told thenff.com on Monday that a pitch has been secured for the team and the African champions began their final preparations for the showpiece in New Zealand on Monday afternoon. “We went out their in the morning and were able to secure a training pitch for

Danagogo

Ekeji added: “The NBBF, as led by Tijani Umar, has been the most impressively run federation in the country. He has brought initiative and modern science in the running of basketball.”

Warri Wolves know opponents today

igeria’s remaining team in continental club competition, Warri Wolves FC, could play any of top North African sides Esperance Sportive du

Flying Eagles resume training in Germany Ajibade Olusesan

team gets to retain the All-African Games title at this year’s event in Brazzaville, Congo. “Zenith Bank had been in the forefront of sponsoring the competition of basketball and like other sports in Nigeria, the game has been a catalyst for alleviating poverty as well as eradicating vices among the youths,” he said. In his address, the former Director General of the NSC, Dr Patrick Ekeji, commended Yakmut’s appointment as the Commission’s acting Director General and stated that with this appointment, sports development would attain its highest level. He noted that Yakmut, a former star of the national volleyball team, had been involved in sports administration over the years.

the team,” Yusuf, a former Nigeria international, said on the phone from Germany. The Flying Eagles arrived in Germany on Sunday, to start a three-week final training camp ahead of a tournament at which they are expected to perform very well. The squad of 26 players will be joined by four overseasbased professionals in a few days, before a final list of 21 is drawn next week Friday to represent Nigeria at the finals. The two –time runners-up will play Brazil, North Korea and Hungary in Group E, Flying Eagles celebrating after scoring a goal with venue at New Plymouth.

Tunis, Raja Casablanca of Morocco and Al Ahly of Egypt or sub-Saharan sides Stade Malien, AC Leopards and Sanga Balende of DR Congo in the third round of the 2015 CAF Confederation Cup competition. Their opponents will emerge at Tuesday’s Draw Ceremony in CAF headquarters in Egypt, with all eight losing sides in the CAF Champions League moving a step down to the CAF Confederation Cup. Wolves, who sent packing FC Etancheite of DR Congo 3-1 on aggregate in the second round, are one of eight teams from the CAF Confederation Cup that will join the losing eight sides from the CAF Champions League in Tuesday’s draw. None of the eight successful teams from

the Confederation Cup, namely Orlando Pirates of South Africa, Club Africain and Etoile du Sahel of Tunisia, ASEC Mimosas of Cote d’Ivoire, Hearts of Oak, of Ghana Zamalek of Egypt, AS Vita of DR Congo and Warri Wolves will be paired against each other. They will have to face the eight losing sides from the CAF Champions League, namely AS Kaloum of Guinea, Stade Malien of Bamako, AC Leopards of Congo-Brazzaville, Raja Casablanca of Morocco, CS Sfaxien and Esperance of Tunisia and Al Ahly of Egypt. The eight successful sides will then proceed to the group phase of the second tier CAF Confederation Cup. First leg matches are scheduled for the weekend of May 15 to 17.

International Sport

NEW TELEGRAPH TUESDAY MAY 5, 2015

Martinez warns Barcelona

Javi Martinez (left) in action against Arsenal in a Champions League game

avi Martinez says that Bayern Munich can beat Barcelona even without a host of first-team regulars because in Pep Guardiola they have “the best coach in the world”. The Bavarians travel

to Catalunya on Wednesday to take on the Blaugrana, who are on a sixgame winning streak in all competitions, netting 14 goals in their last two outings alone. Bayern, by contrast,

SEMIFINALS Juventus vs Real Madrid 7:45pm

are feeling the absences of a number of key players through injury, with the Bavarians having been beaten on penalties in the semi-finals of the DFB-Pokal last week before slumping to a 2-0 Bundesliga loss at Bayer Leverkusen on Saturday. “Our run of injuries has been incredible,” the versatile midfielder told Marca. “We’ve had them all year, but a lot, too many, have come all at once at a decisive juncture in which we’ve got everything at stake. “It showed [in the quarter-final against] Porto when, despite all the absentees, we put out a lineup capable of challenging and beating anybody. “We want to keep making history, which we’ve been doing for the last two years. We’re all hungry for more. “It’s true we’re missing some players and have problems, but we’re Bayern and we’ve got the best coach in the world.”

Suarez’s goal named UCL Goal of the Week

uis Suarez’s superb second goal in the first leg of Barcelona’s quarter-final tie against Paris Saint-Germain has been named the UEFA Champions League Goal of the Week, presented by Nissan. The Uruguay forward is playing in the knockout stages of Europe’s top competition for the first time but has taken to the big games in style. After scoring twice in the away leg of Barca’s second-round matchup with Manchester City, he repeated the feat in France to ensure Luis

Enrique’s team held a significant advantage ahead of the home leg at Camp Nou. Suarez dribbled past PSG defender David Luiz twice before beating Salvatore Sirigu, first weaving his way into the box from the right and later

on powering through the middle of the pitch before curling a brilliant shot into the top corner. The latter effort has been named the best goal of the quarter-finals, and was Suarez’s sixth in seven Champions League games.

Juventus will attack, says Casillas

ker Casillas expects Juventus to try and dominate today’s Champions League semi-final, and denies injuries will be decisive. The Spanish international’s side will this week continue the defence of last year’s title, won against a defensively minded Atletico Madrid. However, in considering facing up to Juventus in the semifinal first leg in Turin, the goalkeeper expects the Bianconeri to take a different approach. “I don’t think Tuesday’s game will be like the one against Atletico,” Casillas told La Gazzetta dello Sport. “Juventus in the Champions

Casillas

League and in their decisive matches have always done their utmost to dominate the game. “That said, in a semi-final everyone walks into the pitch with the result in their minds. I’m expecting few goals and a high level of tension until the end. “I don’t think our performance in the respective championships will make any difference,” he said, in reference to the fact that Juventus had already won the Scudetto, while Madrid are trailing Barcelona. “Juventus will be missing [Paul] Pogba, we’re short of [Luka] Modric and [Karim] Benzema. But we’ve done well even when we were short of some players.”

I’d stay as long as Chelsea want me – Mourinho

US dominates world relays

he United State quartets won seven of the 10 races at the World Relays in the Bahamas on Saturday and Sunday, earning the Golden Baton for the overall team title, with 63 points to 46 for runnerup Jamaica and 34 for third-place Poland. Americans also added one silver. They were not lower than second in any event in which they successfully got the baton across the track. In the other two events, the women’s and men’s 4 x 200-meter relays, they failed to finish, being disqualified for batonpassing disasters. The United States set world records in the men’s and women’s distance medley relays.

Suarez dribbling past David Luiz on his way to the super goal

ose Mourinho says that he will stay at Chelsea to win more trophies, as long as owner Roman Abramovich wants him in charge. Mourinho’s team won their fifth top flight title on Sunday, their third under the Portuguese boss, as they claimed the double following Capital One Cup final success in March. Despite winning six trophies in three years during his first stint at the club between 2004-07 Mourinho fell out with Abramovich and departed “by mutual consent” in September 2007. However, he returned in June 2013 and has now pledged to re-

Mourinho

main at Stamford Bridge until he is told otherwise. “I stay here as long as Mr Abramovich wants me,” he said. “The day he tells me to go, I go.”

Tennis: Murray wins first clay title in Munich

A Murray

ndy Murray won the first clay-court title of his career when he saw off Germany’s Philipp Kohlschreiber in a tough three-setter during Monday’s rain-delayed final of Munich’s ATP tournament. The world number three and top seed in Munich needed just over three hours to seal a 7-6 (7/4), 5-7, 7-6(7/4) win over Kohlschrieber,

ranked 24th in the world, who fought hard in front of his home crowd in the Bavarian capital. It was the 32nd title of Murray’s career but his first on clay as he prepares for the French Open at the end of the month. Heavy rain meant only 23 minutes of the final could be played on Sunday before the match was moved to Monday

morning. It was a gruelling tussle between the pair and was reminiscent of their epic fivesetter in their third round at Roland Garros last year when Murray claimed victory after winning the tie-breaker 12-10. The Scot had little time to celebrate with a bye into the second round at this week’s Madrid Masters — where he is set to face Kohlscreiber.

Sport

TUESDAY, MAY 5, 2015 NEW TELEGRAPH

Okpekpe Race releases medical guidelines Ajibade Olusesan

r. Gab Okafor, the medical coordinator of the Okpekpe10 kilometres race slated for May 16, has unveiled management tit-bits for the competition in accordance with the IAAF competitions’ guidelines for road race events. Disclosing this to news men in Benin City on Monday, Dr. Okafor, stated that the main components for the road race had pre-participation evaluation and briefing for participating athletes, qualified medical team and medical volunteers, comprising doctors, nurses, EMTs, Physiotherapists who would be deployed appropriately.

He said some of the medical personnel would be at fixed location to offer medical service points like the finish line and aid stations along the route, at medical vehicles (ambulances), while first response teams to give immediate first aid along the course of the race would also be available. Okafor also said the medical team would provide major support and AID at the finish line with all the emergency support and medical supplies. Also there will be minor AID station at the water stations to provide first aid and relief for minor injuries while assuring that a fully equipped advanced life support ambulance will be at the finish line.

NNPC-Shell Cup: Rivers, Edo, others for quarterfinals

tudents of the Calvary International School, Port Harcourt will be trading tackles with their counterparts from the Rochas Foundation College, Owerri, and the National College, Nike, Enugu State at the Sagamu Centre in one of the quarterfinal groups for the 2015 NNPC-Shell Cup. A statement on Monday by the organisers, the Nigeria Schools Sports Federation, listed 10 teams making it to the quarterfinals among the 33 that slugged it out at the zonal preliminaries held nationwide in the last week of April. The quarterfinals are slated for May 9-10. At the Centre Two in Port Harcourt, students of Adeola Odutola College, Ijebu Ode, Ogun State, will

be engaging the Rezheight High School, Benin team for a semifinal ticket; while at the Centre Three in Minna, Niger State, the battle for a semifinal place will be among Government Secondary School, Keffi in Nasarawa; Government Day Secondary School, Kofar Yandaka in Katsina; and Government Secondary School, Gwale in Kano. The fourth quarterfinal contest will be in Kaduna where the students of the Government Technical College, Yola in Adamawa, will be challenging the team from Army Day Secondary School, Sokoto. The semifinal and the final matches are slated for May 22 and 24 respectively at the Teslim Balogun Stadium, Lagos.

Martins scores twice in Sounders win over NYC Ifeanyi Ibeh

ormer Super Eagles star, Obafemi Martins, on Sunday night (Monday morning, Nigerian time) scored twice as the Seattle Sounders beat New York City FC 3-1 in the MLS. His teammate, Clint Dempsey, who is also the captain of the US national team, had a goal and an assist as Seattle won their third straight game and fourth in their last five. New York City remain winless after seven rounds of matches. Martins ran down a through ball and slotted a breakaway goal in the 23rd minute to give Seattle the lead. NYCFC’s Mehdi Ballouchy tied it in the 54th minute before Dempsey gave Seattle a 2-1 lead four minutes later. Martins’ individual effort on the left baseline gave him enough space to cross a ball across goal where Marco Pappa drew the defence and found Dempsey who shot the ball into the corner of the net. And with NYCFC seeking a second equaliser, the former Inter Milan, Newcastle and Wolfsburg star, won another one-onone battle with goalkeeper

Martins (left)

Josh Saunders in the 66th minute when he rolled in a goal after Dempsey’s clever back-heel pass to hand his side a comfortable 3-1 win. The brace took the Nigerian’s goals tally to a league leading six from seven matches. He has scored in five of his team’s games this season and has a to-

Basketball Flakes

tal of 14 shots on target. “The second half, I think the game opened up a little bit,” Dempsey said after the game. “You can’t keep that same intensity the whole game. If we were able to get in those pockets and get the turn, me and Oba (Martins) could make stuff happen.”

with Ifeanyi Ibeh 08054175662

D’Tigress to commence camping this week Zenith Bank League:

Asaba, Ilorin vie for hosting right

igeria’s women’s national team will later this week start camping ahead of the qualifiers for the 2015 FIBA Africa Women’s Championship. The FIBA Africa Zone3 qualifiers will take place in Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire from May 26 to 30 and D’Tigress, currently without a coach, will be hoping to secure a ticket to the FIBA Africa Women’s Championship holding later in the year in Cameroon. The Nigeria Basketball Federation is expected to announce the national team’s coaching crew, as well as the players called up for the qualifiers after the conclusion of the opening phase of the Zenith Bank Women’s Basketball League. D’Tigress have won the FIBA Africa Women’s Championship on two occasions with the team’s last success coming in 2005 on home soil, in Abuja, where, inspired by Mfon Udoka, they defeated the continent’s most successful side, Senegal, 64-57 in

lorin, the Kwara state capital, and Asaba, capital of Delta state, have signified their interest to host the second phase of the 2015 Zenith Bank Women Basketball League. The Zenith Bank Women Basketball League season takes place in three phases with the first stage of the campaign currently ongoing in Abuja. Lagos is scheduled to host the third and final

stage of the season, but both Ilorin and Asaba have expressed their respective interests in hosting the second phase of the season. Ilorin has hosted the last two editions of the second phase of the Zenith Bank Women League, and longs to host the nation’s premier women’s basketball event for a third straight year. However, their bid to get the nod of the NBBF faces stiff opposition

from the city of Asaba, which is one of the strongholds of women’s basketball in the country. Asaba, perennial hosts of the second phase in the early years of the Zenith Bank Women League, seeks to get back the rights, having missed out in the last two editions. New Telegraph was however informed by reliable sources that the board appears divided on whom to award the hosting rights.

NBA: Curry set for MVP honours

S Mobolaji Akiode 6 and Umoh Itoro 4 of Nigeria embrace as they celebrate a win at the 2004 Olympics

the final. Udoka finished as the Most Valuable Player of that tournament. But since that 2005 success, the best D’Tigress have managed at the Africa Women’s Championship was a fourth-place finish at Mali 2011.

Only seven countries have won the Africa Women’s Championship since its inaugural edition took place in Guinea in 1966. The countries are Senegal (7), DR Congo (3), Angola (2), Egypt (2), Nigeria (2), Mali (1) and Madagascar (1).

tephen Curry of the Golden State Warriors has reportedly been named the league’s Most Valuable Player for the 2014-15 NBA season. The 27-year-old finished his sixth season in the NBA by leading Golden State to a historical 67win season. He also led the league in All-Star voting and went on to break his own record of total threes made in a single season with 286 successful three-point attempts.

Appearing in 80 games for the Warriors this season, Curry posted per game averages of 23.8 points, 4.3 rebounds, 7.7 assists and 2.0 steals in 32.7 minutes. Curry was considered by many fans and analysts to be the MVP frontrunner for much of the season, while others considered this to be the most competitive MVP race in recent memory. Among the their MVP candidates were James

Harden of the Houston Rockets, Russell Westbrook of the Oklahoma City Thunder, LeBron James of the Cleveland Cavaliers, Anthony Davis of the New Orleans Pelicans and Chris Paul of the Los Angeles Clippers. Harden definitely had the strongest case out of the lot, single-handedly pushing his team to the second seed in the West. He posted 27.4 points, 5.7 rebounds, 7.0 assists and 1.9 steals in 36.8 minutes per game.

Interview/Features 55

NEW TELEGRAPH TUESDAY MAY 5, 2015

Amir Khan wants Mayweather fight B ritain’s former twotime light-welterweight world champion Amir Khan has said he wants to be the next opponent for Floyd Mayweather after watching ringside as the American outpointed Manny Pacquiao in the Las Vegas fight on Saturday (Sunday morning in Nigeria). Mayweather kept his unbeaten record with a unanimous decision victory over Pacquiao in a welterweight unification showdown that failed to live up to all the pre-match hype, but highlighted the winner’s defensive skills. Mayweather said after the fight that he would only get in the ring once more – in September – and Khan, 10 years younger at 28, believes he is ideally placed to be the American’s final opponent. “I think the fight is there,” Khan told BBC Radio Five Live’s Sportsweek programme. “I spoke to Len Ellerbe, his manager, I saw him in the media room and he came over to say ‘hi…he’s ready when you are’. “I think Mayweather’s team are wanting the fight. But then – on the other hand – I’ve even spoken to Manny’s team and they said the same thing. (They said), ‘Look Amir, I think it’d be good to have the fight between you and Manny next’. “So, I’m in a position where I could fight either guy but I

Khan

think Mayweather’s the one I want, because I really believe I have his number.” The Bolton boxer, with 30 wins and three losses to date in his career, is in action later this month in New York taking on Chris Algieri, but he hopes to get in the ring with Mayweather later this year or early in 2016. “I think it would be an amazing fight, one that boxing fans all around are talking about because I really believe size is a big factor between me and him and the speed and the power as well. I really believe I have his number.” Early reactions to the richest fight in boxing history were mixed with Oscar de la Hoya, a former rival of both Mayweather and Pacquiao saying on Twitter: “Sorry boxing fans” and “call me old school but I like the fans getting their money’s worth

French defender, Eric Abidal, was diagnosed with a liver tumour in 2011 but incredibly, after a liver transplant and a 402-day fight against illness, made his comeback for Barcelona on April 6 2013. The 35-year-old in this interview with FIFA.com, rates Liones Messi as the best player he ever featured with. How does it feel to be retired? Have you found time for old hobbies or taken up any new ones since ending your career? At the start, I was very happy to be able to do my profession and make a career of it. Now that I’ve stopped, I’ve rediscovered a sense of freedom that you just don’t have as a player – a calmness in your daily life. There’s less stress and less to get worked up about. You have more time for family and friends, and to do things at the weekend. Real life, basically. It’s a huge advantage to have the choice to retire, rather than having to stop because of injury or something else. I really needed to retire to be able to feel fulfilled. Do you have any plans to take up a new profession? I’m not under contract, but I do a little work as a pundit on television, I help out Olympiacos on the sponsorship and marketing front and I also do some work for UEFA. On top of that, there’s also my foundation, which is named after me and fights against cancer. That’s something I’m well placed to

Floyd Mayweather (left) slugging it out with Manny Pacquiao

by watching an action packed fight.” Former Irish champion Barry McGuigan agreed saying on his Twitter site “boringly one-sided” Others though praised the boxing skills of Mayweather as he took his unbeaten streak to 48 wins over 19 years. Former world heavyweight champion Mike Tyson, who had picked Pacquiao to win told Sky Sports: “It’s him. It’s who he is. It’s just his time at the moment.” Britain’s Lennox Lewis on Twitter said: “If you can’t catch it you can’t hit

it #Maypac that pretty much sums up the fight.” Frank Bruno hailed Floyd Mayweather as a supreme “craftsman” of the boxing ring. “In this generation you have to go very, very far before you can be a skilled craftsman, businessman, technician, professional and a king in knowing his craft,” he told BBC Radio 5 Live’s Sportsweek programme. “As a boxer you’ve got to admire him, he’s got to go down as one of the greats.”

Abidal: Messi still the best speak about. It was important for me to be able to help out in my own way, even if it’s a difficult fight. What is the goal of your foundation? The goal is to raise money, finance treatments and raise awareness about the need to donate organs. Not everyone has access to social security and medicine is expensive. We want to help children and adolescents, and we also want to help families by ensuring them a level of comfort at hospital via psychological and material support. After retirement, players are often able to

look back and take stock of their careers. What are you proudest of? It’s not necessarily a moment from my career, but what I tried to put into practice on the pitch were the lessons I learned from my parents. That’s what helped me grow and adapt at all my clubs, in a number of different countries. Ultimately, that’s what makes you who you are, as opposed to anything else. My parents taught me respect, politeness and to be good in every sense of the word. You rubbed shoulders with some excellent players at Barça. How do you rate the

current attacking trio of Lionel Messi, Neymar and Luis Suarez compared to the talents you played with? In my six years there, I saw that the club always wanted to have a highquality attacking trident, with each player ending the season with excellent statistics. The difficulty is getting three players of that quality to function well together. I’m pleased with what I see now because these three perform together very well and every defence in Europe is frightened of them. They’re all different and each player does his job in his own way for the good of the team. What are your thoughts on how Messi has evolved this season? Leo is a very intelligent player. He started out very young at Barcelona and reached a new level each season. He’s still a true goalscorer but he’s also a fully rounded player who can drop back into midfield to make the difference or go on a spectacular 40m run and either provide an assist or score a goal. For me, he remains and will always be the greatest phenomenon there is.

Messi (right) welcoming Abidal to Barcelona

Who gets your vote as the best full-back in the world today? I’ll go for Phillip Lahm of Bayern Munich. He’s incredibly versatile: he can play on the right, on the left and even in midfield. Otherwise, at leftback David Alaba is very strong, as are Jordi Alba and Kurzawa. But, for me, the most complete player of them all is Phillip Lahm.

On Marble

Sanctity of Truth

Never mind whether the horse is blind or not, just load up the wagon.

World Record

DHULE, Maharastra, India -- Dr Ashish Rawandale - Patil, a urologist from Dhule, Maharashtra, has removed 172,155 kidney stones from a single kidney at the Institute of Urology - setting the new world record for the most kidney stones removed from a patient.

NIGERIA’S MOST AUTHORITATIVE NEWSPAPER IN POLITICS AND BUSINESS

– Stephen Boyd

TUESDAY, MAY 5, 2015

N150

Public arena : the column you write

2015: Lesson for Ndigbo, Nigerians Brady Chijioke Nwosu

he presidential election has been won and lost. The euphoria of victory is high, while the losers lick their wounds. When we talk of winners and losers, we are hinging on the two major political parties, the All Progressive Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the other six or more parties were merely participants, and not contestants. Among the losers are the Igbo nation, not that one of them was the presidential candidate of either of the two major parties, but it was the manner they followed President Goodluck Jonathan, as if they were under a spell. Transformation Ambassadors of Nigeria (TAN), led by Mr. Patrick Ifeanyi Uba, blew the whistle when the game had not started. TAN carried out its bazaar in all the six geopolitical zones, obtaining signatures of Nigerians who wanted President Jonathan to contest. At the end of the elections, the number of votes the president got was less than the endorsement signatures that Ifeanyi Uba’s TAN purportedly collected. Who was deceiving who? As soon as TAN started, all forms of amorphous Igbo groups sprouted across the country for Jonathan. They reasoned that Jonathan was their kith and kin, so they had to lay their lives for him to win the election. Even the Ijaw people and South-South in general were not very vocal over the project, to an extent that a former governor from a South-South state, asked the Igbo why they were crying more than the bereaved. According to him, Igbos were taking the Jonathan’s reelection more seriously than the people the Ijaws in particular, and of course the Niger Delta region. The Igbo in their 'holy trinity' - in the name of father, Jonathan , in the name of son, Jonathan and in the name of the holy spirit, Jonathan ,style of supporting Jonathan got their disastrous comeuppance. Against the way we were carrying on with the President Jonathan reelection project, and from experience, and after gazing at the political crystal ball, I sent questions through telephone text to the following Igbo leaders in the government, in politics and and in the private sector: Chief Anyim Pius Anyim, Amb. George Obiozor, Gen. Ike Nwachukwu, late Senator Uche Chukwemeriji, former Gov. Chukwuemeka Ezeife, Senator Ben Obi, Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu and Chief Emmanuel Iwuanynwu. Others are former Gov Orji Uzor Kalu, Dr. Ezekiel Izuogu , Chief Sam Nkire, Gary Igariwey (President-General of Ohaneze), Senator Sylvester Anyanwu, AKU Opia, Senator Emmanuel Onwe, Sir. Tony Uche Amaku, Senator Hope Uzodimma" Chief Charles Ahize etc. The question was: Why were we so deeply engrossed with the reelection project of President Good-

Nwosu

luck Jonathan, to the extent that it had beclouded our sound political reasoning; why were we taking the political risk by putting our eggs including all souls in one basket, what of if President Jonathan lost and what was our exit strategy? Expectedly, few that replied were very optimistic that Jonathan would make it, while others were off balance and admittedly never thought or considered such options and wanted to know what was my take. To be fair to Senator Onwe, he had repeatedly written and maintained that: "Right now, however, the political wind is against the East, thrust, as it is, between a rock and a hard place. In the ruling PDP, the East is stuck in a barren marriage of convenience with Jonathan. In opposition, the emerging coalitions and mergers hold no prospects for Ndigbo precisely because they lack consensus at home and have nothing to bring to the common table of the collaborators" (New Telegraph, 2013). Those who maintained that Jonathan would win hinged their positions on the assumption that Nigeria was not yet ripe for an incumbent president to lose an election. Much to the consternation of the Igbo, that proved to be a costly assumption as Jonathan lost the election that was adjudged credible. Today, in the political configuration of Nigeria, Igbo are nowhere; and we have not had it so bad, and our hairs can be shaved in our absence, just because most of us didn't tow to the wise counsel and appeal before the election to ignore the Igbo leaders who were junketing from different parts of the country to Aso Rock, to pledge support to President Jonathan even before he declared his intention to contest for second term. We equally didn't realise it was the first time in the political history of Nigeria that we had two parties of equal strength and also two presidential candi-

dates of equal might, and so, endorsing any would sentence the Igbo to one particular candidate. And if the other candidate wins, the Igbo would be hard hit. The Ohanaeze leadership that should understand much was deep in the bazaar, as it bought media spaces to tell Jonathan that they had mobilised all Igbos to vote for him and had tacitly endorsed him. In the first place, this is a socio-cultural organisation. What was the cost for the endorsement, what agreement did they extract from him for the endorsement? None. It was just that he is our brother. Then his promises to the South-east before 2011 presidential election, have they been fulfilled in part or whole? The answer to a large extent is, no. Dr Jonathan promised to revamp the Enugu coal mine, but six years down the line he had not done so. He promised that Enugu coal will be used for a coal-fired power plant to supply at least 1000 mega watts of electricity. That had not been done. We had expected that six years after Jonathan became President the power plant would have started; it could have helped the Igbo and other Nigerians. Even the international airport he claimed to have built cannot actually be called an international airport because British Airways, Lufthansa, won’t operate there. On the much politicised Second Niger Bridge, he said in 2011, during the flag off of his presidential campaign that, “Azikwe commissioned the First Niger Bridge, and another Azikiwe would commission the Second Niger Bridge before 2015. This is 2015, so they were empty promises. Last December, in order to deceive the region they dispatched the construction giant Julius Berger and mobilised them to site for the bridge and nothing more. The bridge is to be undertaken under PPP, but other costlier projects in other parts of the country, especially the dams in the North and the East West road in South-South are not PPP projects. South-East has the worst federal roads in the country. One would mistake the Onitsha - Enugu road and the EnuguUmuahai- Port Harcourt as roads in war ravaged Afghanistan. Yet, Jonathan is our brother. Paragraph six of an advertorial in Sunday Sun of April 26, 2015 on page 62 signed by Annkio Briggs, convener of Niger Delta Self-Determination Movement (NDSDM) and Niger delta Occupy NiGER Delta Resources (NDONDR), sounded preposterous. According to Mrs. Briggs, Jonathan concentrated his development in the North and the South west and neglected the South-east and the South-south, believing that when he comes the second term, he would do wonders in the zones. During the 2015, electioneering campaigns, what again did he promise the South-East, nothing and yet they were falling over themselves shouting Jonathan, and fatwa was passed on anyone that asked abut his 2011 promises for the zone. While the traditional rulers from the

East were going to Aso Rock for endorsement and were given handouts, Jonathan was going to see different traditional rulers in the South west every other day for endorsement and we know the monetary value of these endorsements. While the MASSOB members got little financial inducement to protest in the five South east states and Asaba in Delta State, for the sack of INEC Chairman, Prof Attahiru Jega, the ex- Niger Delta militants were given multi million dollar contract to police the oil pipe lines. Did you hear the ex-militants making noise. In the same vein, OPC was given contract to guard the oil pipeline, but with peanuts, the same MASSOB that prevented census to be held in many places in South-east because they were not Nigeria is now calling for the removal of Nigeria’s INEC boss. So, unfortunate. Time, they say, obscures many things in the same way time establishes many things. From what Mrs. Briggs said in the advertorial, "the South-south people see today what the late Ikemba Ojukwu saw. If we are to survive in a Nigeria that has clearly demonstrated that the majority desire the SS/SE remain a minority politically, despite the fact that the SS/SE people and region are the economic life of Nigeria.” The chicken is gradually coming home to roost, so this is the auspicious time to address the issue of abandoned Projects or apologies made. I know the sacrifices the Igbo made for Jonathan, the Ijaws cannot make it to the Igbo, politically. Igbo support for Jonthan exposed them to hatred and odium. The position of Oba of Lagos is a pointer in this regard. What an old man sees sitting, a child cannot see it standing. Igbo will regret not towing the footsteps of their political leader, late Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe by not supporting the candidature of the President-elect, Gen.Muhammadu Buhari, who hails from the North. Igbo have always aligned with the North in the politics of the country. However, it is regrettable that they abandoned their history by supporting President Goodluck Jonathan who did nothing for the people of the zone in his six years presidency. However, with the reelection of Imo State governor, Owelle Rochas Okorocha, the Igbo at least have a voice in APC. Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu, Senator Chris Ngige, Dr. Ezekiel Izuogu are also our voices in APC. The Igbo should now with hope for future cast their belief in the ongoing reinvention of Igbo leadership by true Igbo patriots and shun charlatans and dinner-is-ready political blood hounds. Thus, the lesson Nigerians should learn from the South east political woe is that of trust. It shows that Igbo are to be trusted. If they promise to die with you, they stick to that promise unlike some other groups that Jonathan thought were with him, but they turned against him. • Nwosu, former governorship Aspirant writes from Okai, Eziama, Mbano, Imo State.

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