Wednesday, july 8, 2015 binder1 by Newtelegraphonline

Sanctity Of Truth

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

Vol. 2 No. 504

Wednesday, July 8, 2015

@newtelegraph1 www.newtelegraphonline.com

N150

Tambuwal: We'll soon resolve N'assembly leadership crisis }4

NDIC: Banks recorded N25bn fraud cases in 2014 l23 mobile payment firms’ transactions hit N700bn Abdulwahab Isa Abuja

anks recorded fraud cases involving N25.61 billion in

2014, according to a figure released yesterday by the Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC). The corporation, in its 2014 annual report, endorsed by

PriceWaterHouseCoopers, said Deposit Money Banks (DMBs) reported 10,612 fraud cases in 2014 compared to 3,786 cases in 2013, representing an increase of 182.77 per cent.

Also, the amount involved increased by N3.81 billion or 17.5 per cent from N21.80 billion in 2013. In addition, the expected/ CONTINUED ON PAGE 6

mega city

Ladipo market: A new life beckons

Suicide bomber kills 26 in Zaria

lDeath toll in Jos bombings now 51 lGunmen kill 14 in Plateau

}21

Boko Haram attacks since May 29, 2015 Date Dead Location June 10 37 Damboa LGA, Borno State. June 17 63 Monguno, Borno State June 22 30 Maiduguri June 23 10 Gujba, Yobe State June 28 5 Maiduguri June 30 48 Musharam, Borno State July 1 97 Kukawa July 5 51 Jos, Plateau July 6 6 Potiskum, Yobe July 6 1 Kano July 7 26 Zaria, Kaduna State

QuickRead

EFCC arrests OSUN DAY OF RALLIES: Lamido, }4 sons Tribunal adjourns hearing in Kalu's petition }48 lPresidency faults reports on drawing down of oil savings }2 L-R: Supporters and critics of Osun State Governor, Mr. Rauf Aregbesola, during two different rallies over the non-payment of salaries to Osun State

workers in Osogbo…yesterday.

$2bn ECA withdrawal: Finance commissioners disown Okonjo-Iweala

News

WEDNESDAY, JULY 8, 2015 NEW TELEGRAPH

Suicide bomber kills 26 in Zaria Philip Nyam, Emmanuel Onani Ibraheem Musa, Muhammad Kabir and Musa Pam

fter a year lull, Boko Haram struck again in Kaduna State, killing at least 26 persons yesterday in an attack on civil servants who had gathered in Zaria for a staff audit. A teenage suicide

bomber, dressed in hijab, was said to have mingled with workers at the Sabon Gari Local Government Area, where hundreds of workers had turned up for verification of their service records, and detonated locally made bombs strapped to her body. The last major attack in the state was in July 2014 when at least 82 people were killed by suicide bombers in a multipronged assault that also

targeted Major General Muhammadu Buhari, who was then a presidential aspirant of the then opposition party, All Progressives Congress (APC). The verification was ordered by the state government to weed out ghost workers from its payroll and conserve funds for development. Yesterday's bombing came two days after the insurgents struck in Jos, the Plateau State capital,

killing scores of people after attacks on a restaurant and a religious gathering. The death toll in the Jos attack rose to 51 yesterday just as gunmen killed 14 persons in an attack on Sho village in Barkin Ladi Local Government Area of Plateau State. Eyewitnesses said the bombing in Zaria occurred when a lady, smuggled into the verification centre, joined the queue and detonated the explosive.

There were, however, conflicting reports on the casualty figures. While eyewitnesses put the figure at over 100, the State Commissioner of Police, Alhaji Umar Usman Shehu, said 21 people died in the blast. But the authorities of the Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital (ABUTH), Zaria, where some of the victims were rushed to for medical attention, gave the fatality figure of 25.

Senior Special Assistant, Media and Publicity to the President, Mallam Garuba Shehu (left) and Sokoto State Governor, Hon. Aminu Tambuwal, after the governor's meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari at the State House, Abuja...yesterday. PHOTO: TIMOTHY IKUOMENISAN

The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) said 26 lives were lost and 33 people were injured in the explosion. Eyewitnesses said Kaduna State Governor, Mallam Nasir el-Rufai, who visited the scene of the attack was so moved by the devastation that he fought to control his emotions. Condemning the incident, the governor said the blast went off as the residents welcomed the new chairman of the interim management committee of the local government to his office at the secretariat. He added that some members of staff from Lere and Ikara local government areas were also undergoing the staff audit at the venue when the bomber struck. In a statement by his Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Mr. Samuel Aruwan, the governor said there were 25 fatalities as at noon yesterday, including a two-year-old child. 32 people who sustained injuries were rushed to ABUTH, Zaria and other hospitals in the city, he added. El-Rufai who sympathised with the victims of the attack and the residents of Zaria, described the incident "as an inhuman act of terror." The governor urged the people to be vigilant, even CONTINUED ON PAGE 3

$2bn ECA withdrawal: Finance commissioners disown Okonjo-Iweala Abdulwahab Isa and Anule Emmanuel Abuja

he controversy over the management of the Excess Crude Account (ECA) deepened yesterday as commissioners of finance from the 36 states of the federation disputed a claim by the former Coordinating Minister for the Economy and Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, that they were part of the decision to withdraw $2 billion from the account. Also, the presidency disowned media report based on interaction between the Accountant General of the Federation (AGF), Mr. Ahmed Idris and State House correspondents that the Federal Government was winding down ECA with the planned sharing of the $1.7 billion left in the account among the three tiers of government. The commissioners, under the aegis of Forum of Commissioners of Finance, said in a statement yesterday that they knew

nothing about the withdrawal. Okonjo-Iweala, in a reaction last week to comments by Edo State Governor, Mr. Adams Oshiomhole, had denied that she superintended over the illegal withdrawal of $2 billion from ECA, saying the finance commissioners as members of the Federal Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) knew about the withdrawal. But the commissioners described her statement “as misleading”. “We wish to state unequivocally that FAAC does not have the authority to approve withdrawals from the Excess Crude Account (ECA), therefore could not have approved the withdrawal from Excess Crude (Foreign) Account of the sum of $2 billion. "According to the law setting up FAAC, which pre-dates the ECA, it cannot approve withdrawal and has not done so in the past. If anything, FAAC, as records of its meetings indicate, had often queried the activities on the ECA, and therefore did not de-

cide any withdrawal,” the forum said in an unsigned statement distributed to reporters yesterday in Abuja. The commissioners said when FAAC knew last December that $2 billion had been withdrawn from ECA, it demanded explanation from the then Minister of State for Finance, Ambassador Bashir Yuguda, who chaired the committee. “The then Minister of State Finance and Chairman of FAAC, when asked during the plenary of FAAC meetings of the respective months, explained that the former President (Goodluck Jonathan) gave approval for the withdrawals from the ECA to pay oil marketers’ subsidy claims as they had threatened to stop importing petroleum products. He further explained that the action would be ratified by NEC. “It should be noted, therefore, that FAAC did not and could not have approved nor have taken the decision to withdraw $2 billion from the Excess Crude Account. We would want to excuse the

Honourable Minister, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, on this misrepresentation because she was not in attendance during the FAAC plenary and may not have been fully and adequately made abreast with every FAAC activity,” the commissioners said. However, following the commissioners' rebuttal, Okonjo-Iweala provided more clarification on her earlier statement, saying she did not say FAAC approved the $2 billion ECA expenditures. The former minister in a statement by her Media Adviser, Mr. Paul Nwabuikwu, stated that her position was that all the expenditures for which the $2 billion was spent on were discussed at FAAC meetings attended by the commissioners from the 36 states . "Payments made were used for paying for petroleum subsidies for the Nigerian people and were approved by Mr. President (Jonathan). Therefore there is no question of mismanaging any resources here," she said. Also reacting to media

reports yesterday that the Federal Government was winding down ECA, the presidency distanced itself from comments credited to Ahmed on the status of the fund. Idris had told the State House correspondents after a meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari on Monday that the National Economic Council (NEC), at its last meeting, had approved the distribution of $1.7 billion left in the account by the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan. But in a statement by presidential spokesman, Mr. Femi Adesina, yesterday, the presidency said the reports did not reflect the policy of the Federal Government as at now. It said: "For the purpose of greater clarity on the matter, the measures approved by President Buhari to deal with the problem of unpaid public sector salaries in many states are as follows: "The sharing of the $2.1 billion dividend paid to the Federation Account by the Nigeria Liquefied

Natural Gas Company (NLNG); "A Central Bank-packaged special intervention fund that will offer financing to the states, ranging from N250 billion to N300 billion. This will be a soft loan available to states for the purposes of paying backlog of salaries; and "A debt relief programme designed by the Debt Management Office, which will help states restructure their commercial loans currently put at over N660 billion and extend the lifespan of such loans while reducing their debt-servicing expenditures. "The measures approved by President Buhari definitely do not include drawing down the remaining balance in the Excess Crude Account or the "liquidation" of the account. "No such decision has been taken or approved by President Buhari and last week's meeting of the National Economic Council clearly concluded that the Excess Crude Account should be left untouched at this time."

News

NEW TELEGRAPH WEDNESDAY, JULY 8, 2015

Emirates aircraft collides with parked plane

l300 passengers evacuated as AIB begins probe Wole Shadare

n aircraft belonging to Emirates Airlines, with over 300 passengers, on Monday, had it wing chopped off when it hit a parked aircraft belonging to HAK Air, leading to the clipping of the wings of the aircraft. An air traffic controller who claimed to be in the control tower when the incident happened, told New Telegraph that the airfield lightings went off due to power outage. He noted that the runway 18R was in darkness which made the pilot of the jumbo jet to make a detour to the 18L runway

usually used by smaller aircraft and domestic carriers because it is smaller in length and width. The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) is in charge of airfield lightings at Nigerian airports. The incident occurred at about 10:05p.m. when the aircraft was taxing to the take-off point for departure from the country to Dubai. The Emirates aircraft, with the flight number EK782 Lagos to Dubai had its right hand wingtip with contact with the tail of a Hak Air aircraft parked at the apron of the airport. The Accident Investigation Bureau (AIB) con-

firmed the incident. The Bureau said it had commenced investigation to unravel the cause of the incident. Immediately the incident occurred, the checked-in passengers were evacuated from the aircraft while the management of the airline commenced damage assessment of both aircraft involved in the incident. The Hak Air aircraft had substantial damage to its tail also. The source also said the international runway, 18Left, had safety issue as at the time of the incident; the runway was not properly lit. As a result of the safety

issue, all international aircraft were directed to the local runway, 18Right for take-off and being a big aircraft with wide wings, the right wing came in contact with the Hak Air aircraft parked at the apron. As at the time of filing this report, the aircraft was still parked at the tarmac of the airport while the passengers were yet to be transported out of the country. Regional Manager, Emirates West Africa, Mr. Manoj Nair said that the incident occurred when the aircraft was taxiing for departure. He said that there was no injuries to passengers or crew, but the aircraft

L-R: Branch Manager, First City Monument Bank (FCMB), Ms. Yetunde Moito; FCMB Group Managing Director, Mr. Ladi Balogun; Kwara State Governor, Dr. Abdulfatah Ahmed; Executive Director, FCMB, Mr. Olufemi Bakre and Regional Director (South West), Mr. Adelaja Adeleye, during a courtesy visit to the governor in Ilorin...yesterday.

Death toll in Jos bombings now 51 CONTINUED FROM PAGE 2

as they preserve the prevailing peace. "Residents of the state should promptly report all suspicious persons and activities to the security agencies and community leaders,’’ the statement quoted El-Rufai as saying. The governor also ordered the deployment of extra security forces across the state, urging the people to shun large gatherings. In addition, the state government has banned street begging and hawking with immediate effect until the security situation improves. El-Rufai also reiterated the ban on commercial motorcycles in some parts of the state. "All beggars and hawkers are to stay off the streets until further notice. Any beggar or hawker found on the streets will be arrested, until these measures are relaxed,’’ the governor added. NEMA’s Director General, Alhaji Muhammad

Sani Sidi, also called on members of the public to donate blood for the treatment of the victims. In a statement, NEMA’s spokesman, Mr. Ezekiel Manzo, Sidi assured the victims of his agency’s immediate support in the deployment of medical consumables and drugs for their treatment in the hospital. The ABUTH Chief Medical Director, Prof. Lawal Khalid, told journalists in Zaria that 31 injured persons in the attack were brought to the hospital and one of them was in a critical condition. He said the remaining 30 victims on admission at the hospital were in a stable condition and were responding to treatment. The CMD lauded the people of the area for their massive donation of blood, saying the gesture has helped to save the victims. The Inspector General of Police (IGP), Mr. Solomon Arase, has also ordered the introduction of

stop-and-search on roads and highways nationwide. A statement by the Deputy Force Public Relations Officer (DFPRO), Mr. Abayomi Shogunle, a Chief Superintendent of Police (CSP), said the new security measure, which should not be mistaken for return of roadblocks, followed an intelligence report and came in the wake of the renewed onslaught by Boko Haram. However, while reacting to the tragedy, House of Representatives Speaker, Hon. Yakubu Dogara called on Nigerians to continue to pray for the country. While condemning the bomb attacks in Jos and Zaria, which left scores dead, Dogara said recent happenings in the country could not be solved through conventional human wisdom, but divine intervention. A statement yesterday by Dogara's Special Adviser on Media and Public Affairs, Mr. Turaki

Hassan, said the speaker made the remarks at the inauguration of a church at Ubulu-Uku, built by Hon. J.O. Mrakpor representing Aniocha/Oshimili Federal Constituency of Delta State. "I will urge that we continue with prayers for Nigeria. If Nigeria will be exalted, it will be on the account of righteousness," the speaker said. Earlier, Delta State Governor, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, expressed hope that the political class will emulate Mrakpor who is helping to impart on the lives of ordinary people, especially children. Okowa urged parents not be too busy for God, but to find time to teach their children His ways so as to build a better future for their families and Nigeria. Also on Monday, a young girl believed to be just 13, was killed when explosives strapped to her body detonated near a mosque in Kano city. CONTINUED ON PAGE 4

remained on ground while all passengers and crew were transferred back to the terminal. Nair said: “The right hand wingtip of the aircraft came into contact with the tail of a stationary aircraft, Boeing 737, of a local carrier named Hak Air. “A night stop has been declared and passengers will be accommodated on other services. Our flight safety team has left for Lagos. Emirates can confirm that flight EK782 from Lagos to Dubai on July 6 made minor contact with the aircraft of another carrier while taxiing. “Passengers were provided overnight hotel accommodation and will be flown to Dubai on other Emirates services on July 7. Emirates apologises for any inconvenience caused. The aircraft, a Boeing 777200LR, is currently in Lagos for damage assessment and checks. Emirates is cooperating fully with all the relevant authorities. We are also conducting our own internal investigation into the incident.” Boeing 777-200 is the world's largest twinjet and has a typical seating capacity for 314 to 451 passengers. Also, AIB, in a statement by spokesman, Tunji Oketunbi, stated that the Bureau had promptly deployed a team of investiga-

tors to determine the circumstances surrounding the incident with a view to making possible safety recommendations. AIB said: “The aircraft marked A6-EWD was taxiing for a take-off en-route Dubai when its wingtip cut into the B737-400 aircraft parked on the apron of the domestic wing of the airport. While the Emirates aircraft had a little damage on its wingtip, the Hak Air B737 sustained substantial damage.” Oketunbi stated that the AIB Commissioner, Dr. Felix Abali, had inspected the scene of the occurrence and promised that the investigation would be handled with speed. “Every incident is a safety issue that must be thoroughly investigated. This will help in preventing accidents and sustain safety in aviation. This investigation will be conducted with speed,” he said. Former Commandant, Murtala Muhammed Airport, Group Captain John Ojikutu, carpeted FAAN for the incessant power outage not only at the airports but at the airfield which they said could lead to accidents Ojikutu said runway lightings and taxi-way lights are not adequate and of international standard, adding that some of them are burnt out.

Why we asked Nigerians to pray for Buhari, by PDP Onyekachi Eze ABUJA

he Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has explained that the confusion in the All Progressives Congress (APC) which led to the embarrassing flip-flops in President Muhammadu Buhari administration, was the main reason it urged Nigerians to pray for the president. The party, which reacted to the denial by the presidential spokesperson, Femi Adesina that the N804 billion bailout fund for the payment of salaries of civil servant came from the Excess Crude Account (ECA), expressed shock at what it called spirited effort by APC to ensure that no credit was given to the PDP-led administration for saving the money in the ECA. In a statement yesterday by its National Publicity Secretary, Olisa Metuh, PDP noted that the presidency and the APC had to make a dramatic U-turn even after the APC had in

a release signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, earlier in the day, commended the President for approving spending from that account. According to the statement, the APC had in the release acknowledged that the “multi-pronged approval by President Buhari includes the sharing of the Federal and State Governments of $1.7 billion out of the $2 billion remaining in the ECA; the sharing of about $2.1 billion sourced from the LNG’s payment to the Federation Account; and a CBN-packaged special intervention fund that will offer financing to the states, ranging between N250 billion to N300 billion, as soft loan available to states to access for the purposes of paying backlog of salaries”. It said Nigerians were stunned that the APC had to alter its statement soon after PDP’s press release demanding that credit should be given to its past administration for saving the money in the ECA.

News

WEDNESDAY, JULY 8, 2015 NEW TELEGRAPH

Buhari wants end to Fulani/herdsmen clashes Anule Emmanuel Abuja

resident Muhammadu Buhari has directed the Ministry of Agriculture to work out a clear and strategic plan that would end farmers/herdsmen clashes in the country. The Permanent Secretary in the ministry, Sunny Echono, yesterday met with President Buhari at the presidential villa where they were handed over presidential directive on the way forward

and the vision of the new administration in boosting the agricultural sector for creation of jobs. Briefing State House correspondents after the meeting, the Permanent Secretary said President Buhari urged bureaucrat to adopt the template formulated during his tenure as the Chairman of the Petroleum Trust Fund (PTF) some years ago. Echono said alternatives being considered for checking the incessant violent attacks and consequent loss of lives between nomadic Fulani

cattle rearers and their host farmers, include creating grazing reserves and stock routes. "The president also asked the ministry to work towards restoring the agriculture extension services scheme; and to create employment for the youth through agriculture," said Echono. Issues of climate change and late arrival of rains as they affect programmes of the ministry were also tabled at the meeting with Buhari, the Permanent Secretary stated. He used the opportunity

to clarify that the Growth Enhancement Scheme (GES) of the ministry has not been reversed following the decision of the Kano State government to procure fertilisers for its farmers. According to him, the state government intervened because of some bureaucratic delays occasioned by the transition period. ”The issue is being adequately resolved as we are expecting presidential directives shortly after which we will get across to other states. The GES

is transparent and effective policy, and is still very much on course," he said. Meanwhile, the president also met with officials of the Ministry of Water Resources, led by the Permanent Secretary, Musa Istifanus, whom Buhari directed to re-prioritise issues of importance to the ministry and report back to him. After the meeting, Istifanus said that the team reviewed the Ministry's handover notes with the president, informing him of immediate challenges

of flooding and how the River Basins in the country could be of immense help. “While a number of dams are controlling the River Niger basin, only one is controlling the Benue River basin which gets flooded whenever the Lado Dam in Cameroon is opened. “The River Basins issue will be given highest priority when the team reports back to the president because it can also generate employment,” Istifanus added.

N1.3bn alleged fraud: EFCC arrests Lamido, sons Emmanuel Onani Abuja

peratives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) have arrested former Governor of Jigawa State, Alhaji Sule Lamido, over N1.3 billion alleged fraud. New Telegraph gathered that Lamido may be arraigned before a Federal High Court in Kano this week. It was also gathered

that two of his sons, whose identities New Telegraph could not confirm, may be arraigned alongside the exgovernor. The Head of Media and Publicity of the EFCC, Mr. Wilson Uwujaren, confirmed the arrest of Lamido and his sons yesterday. It will be recalled that the former Jigawa Governor had, a few weeks ago, surrendered himself for interrogation at the Commission's headquarters in Abuja.

Death toll in Jos bombings now 51 CONTINUED FROM PAGE 3

L-R: General Manager, Marketing, MultiChoice Nigeria, Mr. Martin Mabutho; Regional Director, West Africa, Africa Magic, Mrs. Wangi Mba-Uzoukwu and Managing Director, MultiChoice Nigeria, Mr. John Ugbe, during the launch of new comedy on Africa Magic tagged "DoGood" in Lagos.

Tambuwal: We'll soon resolve NASS leadership crisis Anule Emmanuel Abuja

okoto State Governor, Aminu Tambuwal, yesterday assured that the leadership crisis rocking both chambers of the National Assembly would soon be resolved to allow the legislators face issues of governance. Tambuwal stated this while briefing state house correspondents at the Presidential Villa after a meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari. He declared that the mediatory committee set up by the All Progressives Congress (APC) governors on the lingering National Assembly crisis was on top of the situation. The Sokoto State governor is heading one of the committees set up by the APC governors to intervene in the matter. The governors after a meeting with President Buhari had raised two committees to “liaise with the President of the Senate, Dr. Bukola Saraki, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu

Dogara, Senator Ahmed Lawan and members of the Unity Forum and Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila. Tambuwal expressed optimism that the intervention of the governors would soon put paid to the crisis of confidence that has been rocking the federal legislature through amicable resolution of the impasse. He explained that already, a machinery had been set in motion to resolve the crisis. "We have commenced meetings and even today (Tuesday) we are going to have yet another meeting and I believe that there is light at the end of the tunnel; peace and normalcy will be restored to the chambers of the National Assembly and I assure that we will continue to support Mr. President for us to deliver on our promises to the Nigerian people." The two chambers of the National Assembly (Senate and House of Representatives) have been enmeshed in turbulent internal dispute since the proclamation of the

8th National Assembly in June and the subsequent emergence of Saraki and Dogara as Senate President and Speaker respectively. Their emergence was believed to have ran counter to the expectations and thinking of the leadership of the APC. While explaining his mission at the Presidential Villa, the governor told State House correspondents after a brief closed-door meeting with President Buhari that he came to seek advice from the president on issues of security and development. "Mr. President is the leader of the party and as a governor of Sokoto State, I have come to see him and indeed to seek for his advice and rub minds with him on issues bordering on security and development of the country. "You could see that our meeting with him was business-like and I believe that is how it should be when you come to a leader such as Mr. President, you don't take much of his time; you go to issues and address them and then

take your leave." On whether the mediation committee of which the governor is member would cave-in to the demands of the faction led by Gbajabiamila to concede the remaining principal officers' seat to them, Tambuwal replied: "It is not a matter of caving into it; I am a mediator and I am not at liberty to pre-empt what should be the outcome of my report. Therefore, I am not in a position to confirm that." He also declined direct comments on the insinuations that the rebellious manner of his emergence as Speaker of the 7th National Assembly had sown the seed for the current imbroglio in the federal legislature as it had emboldened Saraki and Tambuwal. "I should leave that to you to make your own judgement, I believe they are all matured people representing their various constituencies both at the Senate and the House of Representatives and they should know what is best for the country and the party," Tambuwal noted.

Some analysts have linked the upsurge in bombings to Buhari's decision to remove military checkpoints countrywide on the grounds that internal security was the responsibility of the police. However, there were conflicting reports on the teenage suicide bomber's mission in Kano. While the police said only the suicide bomber died, some eyewitnesses put the death toll at two while seven people were said to have been injured. The police spokesman, Mr. Magaji Majiya, an Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP), said the suicide bomber could not penetrate Umar Bn Khatab Jumaat Mosque and decided to detonate her bomb midway. He said her body had been deposited at the Murtala Muhammed Hospital, Kano. It was learnt that the suicide bomber had approached the mosque trying to access it, but a policeman attached to the mosque tried to stop her and when he realised that the girl was behaving abnormally, he fled before the bomb exploded. Meanwhile, 14 persons have been killed by gunmen at Sho village in Barkin Ladi Local Government Area of Plateau State.

New Telegraph gathered that the gunmen stormed the communities at noon yesterday and started shooting the people. Member representing Barkin Ladi constituency in the state House of Assembly, Hon. Peter Gyendeng, confirmed the attack to New Telegraph. He decried the situation where on a daily basis his constituency members are being killed. He called on the Federal Government to do everything possible to stop the killings. His call came as more deaths have been recorded following the twin blasts that rocked Jos on Sunday night. A medical worker who spoke to our reporter on condition of anonymity said some of the injured persons, who were taken to hospital, have died. NEMA, which on Monday put the casualty figure at 44, said yesterday it had risen to 51. Speaking to our correspondent yesterday on the phone, North-Central Zonal Coordinator of NEMA, Alhaji Mohammed Abdulsalami, said one of the injured died yesterday, while six more corpses were recovered from the scene of the blast. He said the corpses had been identified by their relatives and taken away for burial.

NEW TELEGRAPH WEDNESDAY, JULY 8, 2015

News

WEDNESDAY, JULY 8, 2015 NEW TELEGRAPH

APC, PDP bicker over N413bn bail-out for states Onyekachi Eze and Johnchuks Onuanyim

Abuja

he Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the All Progressives Congress (APC) yesterday differed on the N413 billion bailout granted the states on Monday by the Federal Government. While the APC hailed President Buhari for coming to the aid of the states with a multi-billion-naira package that will ensure that all arrears of salaries owed are paid, the PDP described as contradiction, the release of over N804 billion from the nation’s coffers as bailout to states and local governments by President Muhammadu Buhari. The party observed that the same president had told Nigerians that he met "virtually an empty treasury," and therefore should not expect much from his administration in its first 100 days in office. PDP National Publicity Secretary, Olisa Metuh, in a statement yesterday, said "a significant amount of the bailout came from savings accumulated in the Excess Crude Account

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(ECA) handed over to the Buhari-led administration by the past PDP-led administration." According to the statement, with the release of such huge amount of money, President Buhari may have realised that he was earlier misdirected on the actual financial state of the nation at the time he took over. "In this regard, we expect the President, as a respected statesman to do the needful to correct that erroneous impression. "Furthermore, we expect President Buhari’s APC administration as direct beneficiary of the savings initiated by past PDP administrations to appreciate the strategic importance of always saving for rainy days and as such guarantee prudent and transparent management of the nation’s resources now under its care," PDP stated. The party, therefore, charged the APC as a party in government to put its house in order, desist from injecting confusion and distracting the president from settling down to form a government and face the enormous challenges of governance, especially the implementation of his long list of campaign promises to Nigerians. It said Nigerians are no longer interested in insults, tirades and propaganda but in actions and policies that would move the nation forward, a stance the APC has failed to recognise.

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onstrated his deep understanding of the essence of governance which is about the wellbeing of the citizenry. The party said worthy of note and commendation is the fact that the special intervention fund approved by President Buhari was packaged without any external borrowing, despite the paucity of funds occasioned by the fall in the price of crude oil and the unprecedented profligacy of the immediate past administration that dried out the pot of national resources. It said so early in the life of his administration, President Buhari is walk-

ing his talk by showing that with prudence, financial discipline, plugging financial leakages and a deep sense of patriotism, even the nation's dwindling resources can still be more effectively utilised for the benefit of Nigerians, rather than be looted by thieving public officials who abuse their office. ''The PDP that spent the past 16 years plundering and pillaging Nigeria has boasted that the Nigerian people will soon come, cap in hand, to beg them to return to power. What delusion! What arrogance! Who presided over the looting and the mismanagement of public funds

that made it impossible for the nation to absorb the shock of the falling oil prices? Who depleted the Excess Crude Account (ECA) without authorization? Who has degraded the standard of living of Nigerians?'' the party queried. ''History is repeating itself before our very eyes. Some 31 years ago, Buhari, then as a military head of state, also inherited a huge national rot similar to what has been bequeathed to it by the PDP, and had to approve N480 million for the payment of arrears of workers' salaries. Truly, the president is a man of destiny,'' the party said.

Rescue workers at the scene of the bombing of workers' screening in Zaria, Kaduna …yesterday.

23 mobile payment firms’ transactions hit N700bn CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

Meanwhile, National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, said the party was delighted that the president has shown that he is truly the father of the nation by eschewing partisanship in approving the intervention fund for all the states, irrespective of which parties they belong to. ''We say this because when states were financially handicapped during the tenure of the last Federal Government, opposition states were hung out to dry why states belonging to the then ruling PDP got generous bailouts,'' it said. APC said by his action, President Buhari has dem-

actual loss increased from N5.76 billion in 2013 to N6.19 billion in 2014. The increase of 7.57 per cent in expected/actual loss in fraud and forgeries was mainly due to the astronomical increase in the incidence of web-based (online banking)/ATM and fraudulent transfer/ withdrawal of deposit frauds. The report chronicled the operations of the corporation in 2014 during which it continued with the payment of insured deposits to depositors of the closed 48 DMBs. It paid a total of N6.832 billion to 529,046 insured depositors as at December 31, 2014 as against N6.824 billion to 528,277 insured depositors as at the same period in 2013. It also continued with the payment of insured deposits of closed MFBs in 2014 through the agent banks resulting in a cumulative payment of N2.772

billion to 80,178 verified depositors of closed MFBs in 2014 as against N2.524 billion paid to 75,571 verified depositors in 2013. For last year, the corporation’s payment to the insured depositors of closed PMBs in 2014 stood at N2.02 million to 30 verified depositors. Similarly, N94.74 billion was paid as liquidation dividend to 250,592 depositors in 2014, compared to N93.51 billion paid to 250,497 depositors as at December 31, 2013. However, the corporation’s total operating income increased by 28.73 per cent from N66.94 billion as at December 31, 2013 to N86.17 billion a year later. Meanwhile, the 23 mobile payment operators licensed by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) have done payment transaction totalling N700 billion through the mobile money banking system. The amount was paid

out from 2012 when mobile money banking system became operational. CBN’s Director, Banking and Payment Systems Department, Mr. Dipo Fatokun, said yesterday in Abuja at a presentation done on his behalf by the Deputy Director, Payment and Systems Department, Mr. Jimoh Itopa, that besides the 23 licensed mobile payment operators, there were about 80,000 mobile agents spread across the federation that had been given approval to carry out mobile banking transactions. The occasion was a workshop on mobile money and emerging payments systems master class, organised by the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Abuja branch. Fatokun said so far, the apex bank had licensed 23 mobile money operators that currently conduct transactions valued at about N30 million monthly.

"Since 2012 when we started this mobile money banking system, we have done N700 billion worth of transactions. We have licensed 23 mobile moneybanking operators and on a monthly basis, these operators conduct a total transaction of about N30 million monthly. In addition, there are over 80,000 mobile agents where people can also go and conduct mobile money transactions,” he added. According to him, to ensure the safety and stability of the mobile money banking system, the Central Bank is partnering NDIC to insure the fund. He said: "The NDIC deposit policy doesn't cover these funds. So, we have to work with NDIC to see how we can institute a pass through insurance whereby even though the money is sitting in one account, it represents the deposits of various subscribers.

"We have instituted a pass through insurance which will recognise the contributors to that pool so that every single individual who has contributed in that pool will be recognised and compensated in the event that the bank is liquidated. So, this has put confidence in the subscribers that their money is safe”. Earlier, the CBN Governor, Mr. Godwin Emefiele, represented by Deputy Director, Legal Department, CBN, Mr. Mohammed Suleiman, had said the workshop came at an auspicious time when the apex bank was strengthening the mobile money banking system. He said the apex bank would soon embark on reviewing the legislation for mobile banking with a view to deepening it. The review, he added, is to provide enabling environment for the adoption of mobile payment services.

NEW TELEGRAPH wednesday, july 8, 2015

Chukwu David Abuja

he Clerk to the National Assembly, Alhaji Salisu Maikasuwa, was yesterday resolutely silent when journalists asked him to open up on what transpired between him and Policemen who interrogated him on the alleged forgery of Senate Standing Rules. Maikasuwa had led the management of the National Assembly to pay a courtesy visit on the President of the Senate, Senator Bukola Saraki in his office at the legislative complex. At the end of the visit, journalists besieged him and applied all techniques

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Alleged forgery: N’Assembly Clerk keeps mum on police probe to extract information from him but to no avail, as he refused to utter a word on the matter. Instead, the Clerk used two out of five fingers of his right hand to hold his lips when news men bombarded him with questions, in desperate attempt to persuade him to speak on the controversial allegation. It would be recalled that a day after the Inauguration of the 8th Senate by Maikasuwa in his capaci-

ty as Clerk to the National Assembly and in line with proclamation made to that effect by President Muhammadu Buhari, Senator Kabiru Marafa ( APC Zamfara Central) had on behalf of 32 other APC senators, who missed the inauguration, raised questions on the source of the amended senate standing order given to senators at the inauguration. The legislator, who was speaking for the members of the Senate Unity

Forum, alleged that the new rule was forged since there was no time such an amendment took place in the 7th within the knowledge of other lawmakers. Marafa, who came through Order 110 to establish the allegation, said that the 8th Senate had been operating an amended version of the 2011 rule called "Rule 2015" without a valid amendment process as spelt out by the rule book. It was on the strength

of the allegation that the Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Ike Ekwetemadu submitted on the floor of the senate, that the replacement of the 2011 edition of the standing Order with the Senate Standing Orders 2015 ( as amended) was not forgery but amendment in the true sense. Ekweremadu's submission angered the members of the Unity Forum, thereby compelling them to through the Forum's sec-

L-R: Representative of the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Petroleum, Mrs. Edna Eneh; Group Managing Director, NNPC, Dr. Joseph Dawha; Group Executive Director, Refining and Petrochemicals, Mr. Ian Udoh and Group General Manager, Group Public Affairs Division, Mr. Ohi Alegbe, at the grande finale of the 14th NNPC National Quiz Competition in Abuja …yesterday. PHOTO-NAN

retary, Senator Suleiman Hunkuyi( APC Kaduna North), to report Ekweremadu and the Clerk to the National Assembly to the Inspector General of Police, Mr. Solomon Arase, last week. Based on the petition, it was reported that some Police detectives visited the National Assembly on Monday to interrogate the Clerk. It was however, insinuated that Maikasuwa and the National Assembly management team's courtesy call on Saraki would been designed to fashion a way out of the forgery allegation imbroglio. At the meeting, Maikasuwa and other top management team of the National Assembly pledged their loyalty to the 8th Senate. The delegation, aside congratulating Saraki on his emergence as Senate President, assured him and the 8th National Assembly as whole, of the commitment of the entire management staff to the success of the Parliament.

Why Nigerians patronise touts for driver’s licence — Survey Yekeen Nurudeen Abuja

Ambode, Mimiko, others hail Abiola’s sacrifice N8bn CBN scam: D Temitope Ogunbanke EFCC accuses defence L counsel of delay Sola Adeyemo Ibadan

earing in the controversial N8b Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) stolen mutilated money took a rancorous dimension yesterday in Ibadan, Oyo State capital, when the lead counsel for the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Rotimi Jacob (SAN), accused counsel to the suspects of making attempts to scuttle trial. Proceeding could not go smoothly before Justice Ayo Emmanuel of the Federal High Court, Ibadan Division because applications by counsel to some of the suspects could not be heard owing to late filing and service of the processes. While adjourning the case on Monday, Justice Emmanuel had warned

that any application that was not in his file before he took his seat yesterday would not be entertained. He also warned both prosecution and defence counsel to exchange copies of processes earlier before the court proceeding would begin. Despite this, a heated argument ensued over service of copies between EFCC lead counsel and Olalekan Ojo, who is representing some of the accused persons. He had earlier challenged the decision of the judge on bail application for his clients which was refused. He later went to the Appeal Court to challenge the ruling. He was calling for a stay of proceeding and challenging the judge’s competence to continue with the handling of the case based on his pronouncement on the bail applications of his clients.

agos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode; his Ondo State counterpart, Dr. Olusegun Mimiko; National Democratic Coalition (NADECO) leader and former Lagos State military governor, Rear Admiral Ndubuisi Kanu (rtd) and human right activists have commended the acclaimed winner of the June 12, 1993 presidential election, late Bashorun MKO Abiola for sacrificing himself for Nigeria’s democracy. Speaking yesterday at the 17th year commemorative anniversary of the demise of MKO Abiola, organised by Campaign for Democracy (CD) and Women Arise for Change Initiative at the deceased residence in Lagos, Ambode, who was represented by a Permanent Secretary in the State Service, Mrs. Iyabo Obasa, said the late Abiola represented the face of struggle as

well as prosperity for a better Nigeria which has become guiding principles for his administration. “MKO Abiola, for us represented the face of prosperity and struggle. For us, his spirit and commitment to the sustenance of democracy is what is currently guiding our administration in the discharge of our duties. We know quite well that any administration that doesn't kill poverty, is indeed killing Abiola for second time,” she said. Mimiko while speaking at a similar occasion organised by Abiola’s sons (Kassim and Aliyu) at Lagos Airport Hotel, said the 17th year anniversary gathering has become a re-awakening call for leadership across all level of governance to make sacrifices like the late business mogul. Mimiko, who was represented by his Commissioner for Environment, Sola Ebiseni, also said late MKO Abiola deserved

recognition for his selfless service and paying the supreme sacrifice for the sustenance of democracy. Also speaking at Abiola’s residence, Kanu said the 1993 presidential election was much more than an election but a referendum and urged Nigerians to do everything to make Nigeria great. “On June 12, Nigeria actually had a referendum not just election. It was a contest between military and civilian administrations. As we gathered, we upheld the spirit of Nigeria. As we remember MKO, we must put in mind that we have a struggle to defend true federalism,” he said. In her address, the President of Campaign for Democracy and Women Arise for Change Initiative, Dr. Joe OkeiOdumakin, called for posthumous recognition of Abiola as President of Nigeria, adding that the deceased portrait should be displayed among past Nigerian’s Presidents and Heads of State.

espite government efforts, many Nigerians still prefer to patronize touts and other ‘unofficial’ processes to obtain the National Driver’s License, a survey has shown. The report titled “Road Safety Survey Findings on Driver’s License Application and Renewal in Nigeria” which was conducted by the CLEEN Foundation, under the Access Nigeria Project, showed that many Nigerians prefer to pay higher than the official rate because the official rates and processes were too slow and cumbersome. The survey coordinated by the CLEEN and the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) took place in Imo, Rivers, Lagos, Ogun, Nasarawa states, and Abuja using face-toface interview methodology for respondents. “Among those who applied for their licenses using “unofficial” processes, majority (57 per cent) report that they did so because the unofficial process was faster."

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wednesday, july 8, 2015 NEW TELEGRAPH

N5bn fraud: Nnamani's co-accused forfeit assets to FG pital; Cosmos FM; Capital City Automobile Nigeria Limited and Rainbownet Nigeria Limited. The companies’ assets forfeiture and all the funds standing to their credit in various banks to the Federal Government was sequel to their conviction over the alleged fraud by the judge. The schedule of the companies' properties filed before the court by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) showed that the companies have

Akeem Nafiu

ssets and cash of four of the six companies charged alongside former Enugu State governor, Chimaroke Nnamani for alleged N5 billion fraud were yesterday forfeited to the Federal Government by Justice Mohammed Yunusa of a Federal High Court in Lagos. The four companies whose assets were forfeited to the Federal Government are Renaissance University Teaching Hos-

landed properties, shares and equipment jointly numbering about 81 and scattered across various locations in Enugu, Abakaliki, Aba, Owerri, Onitsha and Umuahia. The assets of the companies were said to worth over N5 billion while the amount standing to their credit in 64 bank accounts was put at N34.8million. The EFCC had on May 19, 2015 re-arraigned the companies on an amended 10-count for the various roles they played in the alleged crime committed

by former Governor Nnamani. The anti-graft agency said it needed to try the companies separately from Nnamani and three others, to fast-track their trial so as to prevent their assets from "being eroded." The EFCC, in the amended 10-count filed against the companies, accused them of failing to comply with a lawful enquiry by its Director of Operations, Ibrahim Lamorde. Lamorde, it was said,

had ordered investigation into the complicity of the four companies in the offences alleged against Nnamani. The companies were however said to have refused to release their cash books, fixed assets, various vouchers and cheques to the EFCC operatives for investigation. They were also accused of failure to give the breakdown of their trade creditors and to show the names of their creditors and amounts from between 2002 and 2006.

CCT strikes out suit against Useni Tunde Oyesina Abuja

he Code of Conduct Tribunal sitting in Abuja yesterday struck out a fivecount charge bothering on non declaration of assets slammed on a former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Lt. Gen. Jeremiah Useni (rtd). Useni had served under the late Gen. Sanni Abacha as FCT minister. The tribunal struck out the case on ground of lack of diligent prosecution. Before striking out the suit, prosecution counsel, Peter Danladi, had urged the tribunal to adjourn the trial indefinitely in order to allow the prosecution brief the in-coming Attorney General of the Federation on the pendency of the case. However, defence counsel, O.V Odjemu, opposed the application seeking for an indefinite adjournment but urged the tribunal to strike out the case. In a short ruling, Justice Ibrahim Danladi, who presided over the three man tribunal refused the prayer for adjournment, noting that the case had suffered several adjournments at the instance of the prosecution.

L-R: Public Affairs Manager, ExxonMobil, Mr. Akin Fatunke, Director, ExxonMobil, Mr. Femi Adegbite, guest speaker, Prof. Esther Adegbite and Permanent Secretary, Youth & Sport, Lagos State, Dr. Segun Oshinyimika, after the Professorship Inaugural Lecture Series 2015 by Prof. Esther Adegbite, entitled: “Financial Development and Real Growth: Deciding the Chicken and Determining the Egg” at UNILAG, Akoka, Lagos...recently. PHOTO: TONY EGUAYE

ICPC sued over appointment of NEXIM boss

Tunde Oyesina

Abuja 850 churches destroyed by Nigeria's unity, panacea for Independent CorBoko Haram, says PFN boss sustainable growth — Saraki The rupt Practices and ists after his visit to the enate President, Dr. agriculture, mining, in- other related offenses

Sola Adeyemo Ibadan

resident, Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN), Felix Omobude, yesterday in Ibadan disclosed that activities of the Boko Haram insurgents in the Northern parts of Nigeria had claimed over 850 churches which had been destroyed. Omobude, during his interaction with journal-

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The offences, according to the EFCC prosecutor, Kelvin Uzozie, were punishable under section 38(2) of the EFCC Act, 2004. Upon reading the 10-count to the four companies on May 19, their lawyer, Rickey Tarfa (SAN), pleaded guilty on their behalf. At yesterday's proceedings, the EFCC's lawyer, Kelvin Uzozie, while reviewing the facts of the case, tendered various exhibits, including the schedule of the companies' assets. The documents were later admitted in evidence against the accused companies by the court. Uzozie, thereafter urged the court to "in view of their guilty plea and all the exhibits tendered before the court, convict the companies in line with Section 20(b) of the EFCC Establishment Act, 2004 and to make an order forfeiting their properties." The companies were accordingly convicted by Justice Yunusa. Though Uzozie prayed the court to pronounce the assets of the companies forfeited to the government of Enugu State.

President Treasurer Secretary Member Member Member

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Oyo State chapter of the fellowship at the conference room of Rehoboth Cathedral, Oluyole Estate, decried the current onslaught by the Islamic fundamentalists while asking the Federal Government to brace up in its activities to curb them and let peace truly reign in the country. The religious leader lamented that the NorthEast and some other areas of the northern part of the country, had been adversely affected for several years by the activities of terrorists. He said, "By my understanding of the government position, it is not that the government is going to beg the insurgents, the war against them will continue, if they say they want to talk. No government will turn deaf ears to them. "We are appealing to our people as well as our leaders to come together and treat the insurgents as criminals which they are truly because nobody can justify the dastardly act of bombing places of worship."

Bukola Saraki, on Tuesday said Nigeria can only harness it's economic potentials when her people live together harmoniously, irrespective of tribal, religious and political affiliations. Saraki, while receiving the Northern Reawakening Forum (NRF), led by Mohammed Umara Kumalia whose executives visited him in Abuja said the country is blessed with abundant resources and that the only way to ensure their efficient utilization is for all the geo-political zones to contribute their quota to the growth of the economy. He said every part of the country is important and should be encouraged to actively participate in the development of the nation. His words, "It has become a concern when any part of the country cannot meet up its obligation. Our objective in the Eight Senate is to encourage the diversification of the economy by developing other sectors like

dustrialisation and other viable areas with the aim of creating employment and a robust economic environment across the country. "We must set out our priorities. We must show that there is a difference in our legislative activities. We must meet up with the yearnings and aspirations of Nigerians who have sacrificed so much for us during the last elections. "I am confident that this Senate will continue to partner and work closely with every stakeholder in our resolve to give the nation the dividends of democracy." Earlier, the leader of the Forum, Mohammed Kumalia, said his group came into existence three years ago with the aim of finding solutions to the myriad of challenges faced by the Northern Nigeria. He said the association had been engaging governments at all levels on how to contain the inter-ethnic and religious crisis.

Commission ICPC was yesterday dragged before the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja over its failure to investigate the appointment of the Executive Director of Nigeria Export Import Bank, Mrs. Folake Itohan Oke Salami. Also listed as respondents in the suit alongside Salami are the bank and it’s Executive Director. The plaintiff, Comrade Ikpa Isaac, through his counsel, Amobi Nzelu in suit number FHC/ABJ/ CS/S87/2015 is asking the court for leave to apply for the issuance of an order of mandamus compelling the anti-graft agency to investigate whether Mrs. Salami has the requisite qualification for her appointment as Executive Director in charge of Business Development at the bank. The plaintiff is also praying the court for an order to probe and possibly prosecute Salami for alleged fraudulent misrepresentation of facts of her qualification for her present appointment.

NEW TELEGRAPH WEDNESDAY, JULY 8, 2015

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NATIONAL

Police parade fake medical doctor l Suspect received salaries for nine years Emmanuel Onani

fake medical doctor, who had paraded himself in that capacity for nine years, was yesterday paraded at the Police Force Headquarters in Abuja. The suspect, Mr. Martins Ugwu Okpe, who was allowed to sit while the press briefing lasted, was said to have used the medical certificate of his friend, whose name was given as Dr. George Da-

vidson Daniel, to secure a Level 12 job at the Federal Ministry of Health, Abuja, sometime in 2006. The impostor-doctor, therefore, received salaries and other allowances that may have accrued to him in the capacity he paraded himself, without a degree or any advanced level certificate for that matter. While answering questions from journalists, the suspect admitted saying, “I don’t have a degree”, adding that he operated during the pe-

riod as an “investigator”. When asked how he was able to survive in the administrative and research unit of the ministry for nine years without being exposed, he claimed that “the mechanism of renewal of licences in the Federal Ministry of Health, is porous.” He also said he could not confirm if his last salary (June) has been paid as, according to him, his recent travail may not have allowed him access to such in-

formation. He noted that he was once the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) chairman, Federal Ministry of Health branch. In a text read by the Deputy Force Public Relations Officer (DFPRO), Mr. Abayomi Shogunle, a Chief Superintendent of Police (CSP), the Police said the suspect, “a native of Ogbadibo LGA of Benue State, dishonestly took away copies of the academic credentials of a friend named George Davidson Daniel, a Medi-

L-R: Son of late MKO Abiola, Abdulmumini; former President, Nigeria Bar Association (NBA), Dame Priscilia Kuye; daughter of late MKO Abiola, Hafsat Costello; President, Women Arise and Campaign for Democracy, Dr. Joe Okei-Odumakin; Chairman, NADECO, Admiral Ndubuisi Kanu (Rtd); former Chairman, Amuwo Odofin LGA, Comrade Adewale Adebowale Ayodele and Nollywood star, Mr. Ayo Badmus, during the 17th anniversary of late MKO Abiola’s death in Lagos…yesterday. PHOTOS: SULEIMAN HUSAINI

cal Doctor practicing in Jos without his knowledge and used same to secure appointment with the Federal Ministry of Health in Abuja claiming his identity since 2006”. The Police further stated that the suspect, “was among medical

Charles Onyekwere ABAKALIKI

embers of the All Progressives Congress, (APC), across the southeast zone of the country, are seeking divine intervention on the current contentious issue surrounding the appointment of the secretary to the government of the federation,(SGF), just as they urged president Muhammadu Buhari to carry the zone along in his appointments. Leader of the group, Pastor Michael Ajah, while addressing journalists shortly after a one day prayer summit held at Ohaozara local government area of Ebonyi state, the hometown of the former governor of old Abia state and chairman of the defunct (ANPP), Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu, tasked the president to appoint someone who is competent, loyal and have the interest of the country at heart to emerge as SGF.

Ajah who is the coordinator, Mass Movement for Buhari, 2015, among other members recommended that Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu should be considered for the SGF slots considering his contributions to the mergers of the political parties that formed APC as well the victory of the president. The cleric stated that Onu is one of the Igbo leaders who had contributed to the unity and development of the country stressing that he deserves to be appointed as SFG.

coalition of 13 civil society organisations has called on President Muhammadu Buhari to present Amina Zakari for Senate confirmation as chairman of Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). Zakari became INEC’s acting chairman, replacing Attahiru Jega in the aftermath of elections this year which brought Buhari to power. Six other commissioners have been pencilled to head INEC, but the choice

Tony Okuyeme

ambian writer, Namwali Serpell has won this year’s edition of Caine Prize for African Writing, for her short story entitled “The Sack” from Africa39 (Bloomsbury, London, 2014). The Chair of Judges of the Prize, Zoë Wicomb, a South African writer and recipient of Yale’s 2013 Windham-Campbell Prize for fiction, announced Serpell as the winner of the £10,000 prize at a dinner held on Monday, 6 July, 2015, at the Bodleian Library in Oxford. “The Sack” explores a world where “dreams and reality are both claustrophobic and dark”. The relationship between two men and an absent woman are explored through troubled interactions and power relationships which jar with the views held by the characters. Wicomb praised the story, saying, “From a very

to increase the number of women in positions of authority.” Executive director of Civil Society and Legislative Advocacy Coalition, Auwal Musa, said the change promised by the Buhari administration “cannot be effective without mainstreaming women in leadership, and this is time for the administration to fulfil its promise in involving women in leadership”. The coalition called for respect for the National Gender Policy, which supports affirmative to get more women involved in governance.

10 Nigerian varsities to get World Bank’s $80m ACE grant Yekeen Nurudeen ABUJA

igeria has received approval for its 10 universities that were selected to be part of 19 Africa Centre of Excellence to access the 80million dollars made available for the project by World Bank. The Executive Secre-

tary of National Universities Commission (NUC), Professor Julius Okojie, made this known in Abuja yesterday while announcing the inclusion of Africa University Science and Technology (AUST) among the Centers of Excellence in Nigeria. Professor Okojie said the 10 African Centres Of Excellence in Nigeria have

met all requirements of the World Bank and have all been declared effective for thorough research activities and development of skilled labour for the African continent. Speaking on the AUST programme that won the Africa Centre of Excellence , Okojie said that the Pan African Materials Institute programme

volunteers trained by the Ministry in conjunction with the African Union Support to EBOLA Outbreak in West-Africa (ASEOWA) Mission in Liberia...” He (suspect) was reported to have “declined to go after collecting all necessary allowance from both the Federal Ministry of Health and African Union.”

Zambian writer, Serpell, wins 16th Caine Prize for African Writing

South-East APC leaders CSOs support Zakari for INEC head Comfort Chukwu endorse Onu for SGF of Zakari has raised criticisms which women groups have described as baseless. The coalition in a press conference on Tuesday, said Zakari’s appointment showed sensitivity to gender equality’ “Nigerians should do their best to encourage any effort by President Buhari to include women in governance as this is a new era, and globally gender inclusion to improve social development,” said Joy Ezeilo of Women Aids Coalition. The coalition urged Buhari to “live up to the promise of his manifesto

in Material Science will use systems-based interdisciplinary approach to undertake training and research activities in the areas of materials science for solar energy, health and water purification. He charged African leaders to speak regionally to tackle major challenges facing the continent like the outbreak of Ebola.

strong shortlist we have picked an extraordinary story about the aftermath of revolution with its liberatory promises shattered. It makes demands on the reader and challenges conventions of the genre. It yields fresh meaning with every reading. Formally innovative, stylistically stunning, haunting and enigmatic in its effects. ‘The Sack’ is a truly luminous winner of the Caine Prize for African Writing.” Serpell’s first published story, “Muzungu,” was selected for the Best American Short Stories 2009 and shortlisted for the 2010 Caine Prize for African Writing. In 2014, she was selected as one of the most promising African writers for the Africa 39 Anthology, a project of the Hay festival. Her writing has appeared in Tin House, The Believer, n+1, McSweeney’s (forthcoming), Bidoun, Callaloo, The San Francisco Chronicle, The L.A. Review of Books, and The Guardian.

NNPC raises national quiz competition bursary to N250,000 Johnchuks Onuanyim ABUJA

rom N100, 000, the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) yesterday raised the bursary for winners of the Corporation’s national quiz competition to N250, 000. The Group Managing Director of NNPC, Dr. Joseph Dawha disclosed this in Abuja at the closing ceremony of 2015 national quiz competition that held at the Amphitheatre of the Corporation’s headquarters. The Federal Capital Territory emerged as the overall winner of the 14th National quiz competition. Lagos and Katsina states came 2nd and 3rd respectively in the competition.

WEDNESDAY, JULY 8, 2015 NEW TELEGRAPH

Metro UAC tasks Buhari on corruption, unemployment

Camillus Nnaji

he United Aladura Churches (UAC) has sent a congratulatory message to President Muhammadu Buhari and his deputy, Yemi Osinbajo, on their assumption of office. In a statement by its Director of National Issue and Social Welfare, Mother Capt Yetunde Ukiri-Esho, the church advised Buhari to urgently tackle the problem of Boko Haram, unemployment, power and corruption. The statement reads in part: “Nigerians expect these specific changes being the reason for voting the All Progressives Congress (APC) and President Buhari into government. We hope and pray that the changes will be visible soonest.” The church also urged the President to invite honest professionals into his cabinet if he hoped to take the nation to greater heights. On asset declarations, the UAC praised Buhari and Osinbajo, saying it was a good start toward tackling corruption. “The President should avoid distractions and concentrate on the business of governance and delivering on his campaign promises,” it added.

Chaos as truck crushes motorcyclist

File picture of an accident involving a motorcycle

President Buhari

Muritala Ayinla

overnor Akinwunmi Ambode yesterday gave N30 million to victims of petroleum tanker explosions in IyanaIpaja and Idimu areas of Lagos State. About 37 houses, 100 shops and

ABIODUN BELLO FEATURES Editor

abiodun.bello@newtelegraphonline.com

PANDEMONIUM

Sola Adeyemo

Motorcyclists grind commercial activities in a section of Ibadan and chase Vehicle Inspection Officers over death of their colleague

Ibadan

ommercial motorcyclists popularly called Okada riders went on the rampage yesterday in Ibadan, Oyo State, over the killing of their colleague by a

trailer. The motorcyclist was reportedly hit by a cab before he was crushed to death by the trailer. The incident occurred at the popular Iwo Road interchange. It was said to have been caused by the activities of Vehicle Inspection Officers (VIOs), who were checking

documents of commercial vehicles plying the route. Witnesses and members of the Okada Riders Association said a Lagos-bound trailer crushed the middle-aged motorcyclist to death after he was hit by the cab whose driver was trying to evade inspection by VIO officials. “It was while the VIOs stopped the driver of the Micra cab for checking and he wanted to run away that he hit the Okada rider. “Unfortunately, the motorcyclist swerved uncontrollably and ran underneath the trailer. The fast-moving trailer crushed him and killed him on the spot,” a witness said. Sensing danger, the VIO officials immediately fled the area. The cab driver also escaped during the commotion. Angry commercial motorcyclists disrupted free movement of vehicles which led to a gridlock at the ever-busy junction. Not satisfied, they later headed for the Ikolaba office of the VIO at Denton area of IdiApe, near the Agodi Government House, where they hoped to attack the fleeing officials. However, before they got there, security men had cordoned off the area, including the VIO office. The move was to forestall breakdown of law and order. Meanwhile, the body of the motorcyclist, whose identity could not be ascertained at press time, was still lying on the spot where he was crushed to death. But policemen at Idi-Ape told our correspondent that they were on top of the situation.

Lagos tanker explosions’ victims get N30m lifeline 27 vehicles/tricycles were razed by fire in the tanker accidents. Ambode, who visited the scenes of the accidents which occurred barely two weeks after he assumed office, had promised to provide succour to the victims, even as appealed to tanker drivers to be road safety conscious always. It was gathered that 369 enumerated victims were housed at the Igando Resettlement Camp while 167 adults got a cheque of N100,000 each. A total of 76 persons were recommended for financial as-

sistance out which seven were landlords and got N500,000 each. Sixty-four others, who were shop owners, each got N150,000, while five tricycle operators got N50,000 each. Presenting the cheques at the Igando Rehabilitation Centre, Ambode, who was represented by his deputy, Dr Oluranti Adebule, appealed to the beneficiaries to utilise the money judiciously. According to him, the money may not commensurate with their loss but it will help in ameliorating their plight. He said: “We know that what

government has given is not enough but with the belief that you are going to put it to judicious use, it would go a long way to help out. Please stay peaceful and remain focused. “We want you to go back home and rehabilitate yourself as much as you could. The good Lord would continue to be with you. We pray not to witness this kind of incident again. We share in your feelings and urge you to continue to give your support to this administration.” The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Special Duties and

Intergovernmental Affairs, Dr Aderemi Desalu, said efforts were on going to capture landlords at Idimu whose houses got burnt in the tanker fire in the subsequent financial assistance. He said the government did not capture the owners of vehicles that got burnt in the inferno because it was expected that they would be insured. Desalu said that N50,000 was initially recommended for the IDPs before the governor increased it to N100,000 for each of the 167 adult victims living in the camp.

Metro 11

NEW TELEGRAPH WEDNESDAY, JULY 8, 2015

Goods destroyed as 50 shops collapse Camillus Nnaji

The scene of collapsed shopping complex, yesterday. PHOTO: GODWIN IREKHE

uilding equipment estimated to worth millions of naira were destroyed when a building housing over 50 shops collapsed at Oduade Building Equipment Market, Orile-Iganmu area of Lagos State. The two-storey building is said to belong to the management of Building Equipment Market, who deals in plumbing machines, tiles, water closets, sinks and other products.

A member of market management, Mr Collins Peters, said the complex was planned to serve as showrooms and offices, but majority of the traders had started storing heavy equipment in the shops. He said: “The approved plan for the complex shows it is to serve as showrooms and offices, but that was exceeded by using it as warehouse with heavy building equipment stored there every week.” A witness said the

block of shops started cracking about 2pm on Monday and finally collapsed around 5pm. A trader, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said about four containers of pumping machines brought in by an importer and stored on the last floor a few days ago, might be responsible for the collapse. Another trader, who gave his name simply as Ozoani, said the collapsed building and trapped

OOU students demand N80m compensation for accident victims’ families Kunle Olayeni Abeokuta

tudents of the Olabisi Onabanjo University (OOU), Ago-Iwoye, Ogun State yesterday demanded N80 million compensation for the families of their eight colleagues who died in the Sagamu-Benin Expressway auto crash. The students also gave a fresh seven-day ultimatum to the police to arrest the driver of the truck which crushed 12 persons to death, including their colleagues. A DAF truck laden with container on June 26 crushed a Mazda commercial bus conveying some passengers on the highway, killing 12 people and leaving one injured. Consequently, OOU students went on the rampage and vandalised 11 trucks and goods worth millions of naira at a nearby manufacturing company which they claimed the driver worked for. But in a petition to Governor Ibikunle Amosun, the

OOU Students Union Government (SUG) expressed regret that justice had not been done since the unfortunate incident. The petition, signed by the SUG Public Relations Officer, Damilola Adelesi, was copied to the Commissioner of Police, sector commander of the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC), commander of Traffic Compliance and Enforcement Agency (TRACE), OOU vice-chancellor, Chief Medical Director of Olabisi Onabanjo University Teaching Hospital (OOUTH) and Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) in the institution. The SUG reiterated its demand for the driver to be arrested and prosecuted accordingly. The petition reads in part: “It is quite unfortunate that as you read from us, no communication or contact has been made to either the school management or the OOU Students Union Government.

Businessman in court over i-phone theft Abuja

File picture of protesting OOU students

“It is in view of the foregoing that we use this medium as a formal and final reminder/notice to all concerned parties of our demands and issue a fresh seven working days ultimatum, which starts from 7th of July, 2015 and will lapse on the 15th day of July, 2015.” The union also called on the manufacturing company to compensate the families of the deceased students in the sum of N10 million each on

Kunle Olayeni Abeokuta

EFCC Chirman, Lamorde

conveyed through the state Teaching Service Commission (TESCOM). But yesterday, it was reliably gathered that EFCC operatives grilled no fewer than 20 of the affected teachers on Monday at its office in Lagos for two hours. The agency was said to

City Briefs Caleb Onwe

or before the deadline of its ultimatum. It added: “Those government agencies personnel (FRSC, TRACE and Nigeria Police Force) on highway duty should be investigated and prosecuted if found culpable of conspiracy.” The SUG, however, urged the government and the affected manufacturing company to ensure full participation in the burial arrangements of the victims.

EFCC may quiz bankers on N200m teachers’ loan here were strong indications yesterday that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) may beam its searchlight on some bank staff. This came as the anti-graft agency has intensified probe of 120 secondary school teachers in Ogun State over an alleged N200 million loan scam. Fresh facts have also emerged that “forged documents” might have been used to process the controversial N200 million loan. New Telegraph had reported on Monday that the EFCC summoned the affected teachers who allegedly obtained loans from First Bank Plc since 2011 and defaulted in repayment. The invitation to the teachers, who denied ever borrowing loan from the bank, was

goods had affected his business. He said: “Some of us use the complex as stores. We cannot move our goods to the market now so we have nothing to do. We do not even know the ones destroyed and the ones left because the place has been locked since Monday. Meanwhile, the Lagos State Building Control Agency (LABSCA) had sealed the collapsed structure.

have interrogated the teachers to ascertain their level of involvement in the loan scam after it discovered that forged documents, including wrong utility bills, forged national identity cards and wrong phone numbers, were used to open bank accounts for the loan.

It was also gathered that the passport photographs provided by the banks did not tally with the faces of the teachers, likewise all the addresses provided did not correspond with the addresses of the teachers. One of the teachers, who spoke on condition of anonymity, confirmed the startling discovery of the EFCC. The source added that nearly all of the 20 teachers that appeared before the EFCC did not operate account with the bank and that TESCOM was not culpable in the matter. According to him, the antigraft agency treated the teachers well in the course of interrogation. He said: “We were at the EFCC office in Lagos yesterday (Monday). Only three EFCC officials attended to us. But at the end of the day, I think we were vindicated because all the files and documents prepared in our names were forged.”

n Abuja-based businessman, Chukwuebuka Ukachukwu, has been arraigned before a Magistrates’ Court sitting at Karu in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, for allegedly stealing an I-phone. The 28-year-old accused was arraigned on a two-count charge of cheating and theft, contrary to the provisions of sections 322 and 286 of the Penal Code. The prosecutor, Francis Udofia, said the accused was arrested following a complaint from one Chidebere at the Karu Police Station on July 2, to the effect that the accused deceived and sold to him a stolen I-phone at N115,000. He added that the accused, during police investigation, confessed that he actually stole the phone. Udofia also told the court that the accused told the police that he stole the phone to sell in order to travel to Malaysia. However, in court, the accused pleaded not guilty to the charge.

Ebonyi Assembly demands state of emergency on cholera Uchenna Inya Abakaliki

bonyi State House of Assembly yesterday ordered the Ministry of Health to declare a state of emergency on the health sector following the outbreak of cholera, which has claimed over 60 lives. The House also compelled the ministry to immediately provide and take delivery of all needed drugs to the communities hit by the epidemic. The order followed a motion of urgent public importance moved by Hon. Christian Usulor representing Ezza South constituency, drawing the attention of the House to the ravaging cholera. Usulor expressed worry over the manner the scourge was escalating which, according to him, has claimed eight lives in his constituency. The lawmaker also cited reports of death from other constituencies. He, therefore, noted the need for the Ministry of Health to declare a state of emergency on the epidemic as well as launch a mobile clinic to tackle the menace.

12 News Adeolu Adeyemo Osogbo

peaceful march organised by Civil Societies’ Coalition for Emancipation of Osun State (CSCEO) to protest the non-payment of civil servants in the state and alleged mismanagement of the state resources by Governor Rauf Aregbesola was yesterday disrupted by suspected political thugs in the state. The thugs gave the protesters a hot chase with guns and cutlasses. The protesters, who had assembled themselves at Ayetoro junction, Osogbo, the take-off place as early as 8.00a.m, organised themselves in a formidable group with a determination to march round the town and terminate it at the state House Of Assembly,

south - west

wednesday, july 8, 2015 NEW TELEGRAPH

‘Thugs' disrupt anti-Aregbesola protesters Abere. The protesters carried placards with different inscriptions that read: “Slava/Osinbajo returns our money”, “Aregbesola: Stop receiving N500m monthly as security votes”, “Osun Assembly: Treat Justice Folahanmi’s petition”. Other things written in the placards were, “Our demand is that Aregbesola must go”, “Treat the petition not the petitioner”, “Aregbesola has

destroyed Osun State” among others. Their dream were however truncated by alleged "Aregbesola state boys", who laid siege on them on their way and beat some of them mercilessly while those who escaped being lynched among them sustained various degrees of injuries. For instance, two, out of the pensioners who were in the midst of the protesters were manhandled while others ran

for cover to avoid being brutalised by the fiercelooking thugs. In the process, no fewer than 20 persons were injured in the rally which attracted hundreds of the state residents, who joined the coalition group to condemn what they described as tyrannical governance by the state governor. Those injured are however said to be receiving treatment at an undisclosed private clinic as all

the public hospitals in the state were not open due to the on-going strike action embarked upon by the state workers over nonpayment of their salaries. Also, some on-lookers and passersby at the scene of the scuffle were given a hot chase by the suspected political thugs, who were armed with guns, charms, cutlasses, broken bottles, clubs and other dangerous weapons. However, a combined

Released funds: FG did not bail out Ekiti- Fayose Adesina Wahab Ado-Ekiti

Lagos assures teachers of better welfare Muritala Ayinla

s teachers in some states are lamenting over unpaid salaries, the Lagos State Government yesterday re-assured teachers in the state of better welfare, saying that payment of teachers' salaries and other allowances remain the priority of Governor Akinwunmi Ambode-led administration. The government also said that apart from prompt payment of salaries, teachers in Lagos would also have opportunity to participate in the periodic training and workshop to build their capacity and enhance service delivery. Speaking at the Pens Down Ceremony organised in honour of 67 teachers who retired from the state Education District VI from January to June 2015, the Tutor-General and Permanent Secretary, Mrs Iyabo Osifeso, who made the disclosure, said government was also planning to embark on capacity building for teachers in the state.

team of mobile and regular policemen were at the scene while some of them were also stationed at other strategic positions of the town to maintain peace and order. Also, there were heavy presence of other security agents like State Security Service (SSS), civil Defence corps and other paramilitary agents milling around the length and breadth of the state

L-R: General Manager, Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), Mr. Michael Akindele; Executive Secretary, Egbe-Idimu Local Council Development Area, Mr. Kunle Olowopejo; Lagos State Deputy Governor, Dr. Oluranti Adebule; Secretary to the State Government, Mr. Tunji Bello and a beneficiary from Iyana-Ipaja, Mr. Garuba Ajao, during the presentation of financial support to victims of tanker explosions by the state government at Iyana-Ipaja and Egbe-Idimu at the Igando Emergency Relief/Resettlement Camp in Lagos…yesterday.

Amosun, INEC lose bid to stop Isiaka's petition Kunle Olayeni Abeokuta

he Ogun State Election Petitions Tribunal sitting in Abeokuta, yesterday, dismissed applications seeking to strike out the petition filed before it by the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the April 11, 2015 election, Prince Gboyega Isiaka. He is challenging the victory of Governor Ibikunle Amosun. Chairman of the tribunal, Justice Henry Olusiyi, while ruling on a motion on notice filed

by Amosun, the All Progressives Congress (APC) and Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), held that granting prayers contained in the applications "would amount to standing justice in its head." "Let me state that it is clear that prayer one of each of the applications of the first and second respondents (Amosun and INEC) having been overtaken by events, is no longer relevant and is accordingly struck out," Justice Olusiyi ruled. Relying on paragraph 16 (1) of the first schedule to the Electoral Act 2010

(as amended), counsel to INEC, Olusina Sofola (SAN), had argued that Isiaka failed to reply to his early affidavit within the five days prescribed by law. But the counsel to PDP and Isiaka, Adetunji Oyeyipo (SAN), contended that the reply Sofola referred to was a further counter-affidavit and not an affidavit which could only be filed within seven days. He maintained that the petition was still within the time for issuance of pre-hearing notice, adding that the third to 128th respondents also did not

comply with the provisions of the law in their reply. Issues for ruling before the tribunal include "whether the petitioners' reply to each of the replies of the respondents was filed within time" and "whether in the circumstances, the petitioners could be deemed to have abandoned their petition." However, the tribunal chairman, who determined the prayers in favour of Isiaka, noted that the issues raised were technical, adding that the time of technicalities had gone in law.

kiti State Governor, Mr Ayo Fayose, yesterday said the Federal Government did not bail his state out of any indebtedness to workers with the sharing of $2.1 billion profit from the Nigerian Liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG) project among all the tiers of government. Rather, the governor, who spoke in Ado-Ekiti, said the state government would only collect its legitimate earnings from the investment in the NLNG project as one of the federating units in the country. According to him, the state was not in any dire strait as far as the payment of salaries of workers was concerned, and that no erroneous impression must be allowed to fester. Fayose further said the state was expecting about N2.1 billion as its share of the funds. The governor debunked insinuation that it was a form of bail out from the Federal Government to enable the state pay outstanding salaries and debts. He said it was necessary to correct the erroneous impression created by some newspaper reports that listed the state among those that got bail out from the Federal Government and to put the record straight.

Market women protest alleged stall allocation scam Church laments attacks in places of worship Adesina Wahab Ado-Ekiti

arket men and women at Erekesan Market, Ado-Ekiti yesterday protested against their leader, the Iyaloja, Chief Mrs Waye Osho, over alleged shady deal in the allocation of spaces at their new location in Awedele area of the town.

The protest by the traders followed the arrest of Osho by the police on Monday night over alleged scam amounting to N93 million. The protesting traders, who besieged the State Secretariat yesterday afternoon, alleged that they each paid N19,000 to Osho for space at the new site, but that they were not allocated

anything. The Erekesan Market is close to the palace of the Ewi of Ado-Ekiti and was burnt over a month ago during a sectarian crisis between Hausa and Yoruba traders. Before that incident, the state government had commenced plans to relocate the market to Awedele area of the town.

Babatope Okeowo Akure

he Akure Diocese of the Church of Nigeria, Anglican Communion, yesterday bemoaned the incessant attacks on the places of worship in northern parts of the country and asked the Federal Government to stem the tide.

The church, in a communiqué signed by the Bishop of Akure Anglican Diocese, Revd Simeon Borokini, the Secretary, Venerable Solomon Amure and Chairman of the Communiqué Committee, Prof Sola Ibukun, after the 11th Synod of the church held at the weekend in Ijare in Ifedore Local Government Area of Ondo State,

bemoaned the state of insecurity in the country that had led to Boko Haram menace, kidnapping, communal clashes and religious and political intolerance. The Church, in its communiqué, asked the Federal Government “to put in place proactive measures to secure the lives and properties of citizens in all parts of the country.”

NEW TELEGRAPH WEDNESDAY, JUly 8, 2015

Budget

Lagos

Insurgency

Parliament

14, 15

How National Assembly’ll spend N120bn, by Ndume

Bickering over calls for Fashola’s probe

Clamping down on Boko Haram

Senate jettisons ranking rule

Politics

Like Jonathan, like Buhari President Muhammadu Buhari has been accused of promoting a Northern agenda following the appointments he has made so far, but this may have followed a trend given what obtained during the immediate past administration, FELIX NWANERI reports

Buhari’s first set of appointments

Jonathan’s first set of appointments

Position

Appointee

Zone

Position

Appointee

Zone

DSS

Lawal Daura

North

DSS

Ita Ekpenyong

South

INEC

Amina Zakari

North

INEC

Attahiru Jega

North

DPR

Mordecai Ladan

North

DPR

George Osahun

South

Accountant General

Ahmed Idris

North

Accountant General

Jonah Otunla

South

State Chief of Protocol

Lawal Kazaure

North

State Chief of Protocol

Olutola Onijala

South

Aide de Camp

Lt Col. Muhammed Abubakar

North

Aide de Camp

Lt. Col Ojogbane Adegbe

South

SSA Media and Publicity

Garba Shehu

North

SA Media and Publicity Reuben Abati

South

SA Media and Publicity

Femi Adesina

South

SSA Social Media

Reno Omokri

South

Chief Security Officer

Bashir Abubakar

North

Chief Security Officer

Gordon Ogbuah

South

he victory of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the March 28 presidential election and consequent inauguration of Muhammadu Buhari as president on May 29, were not only turning points in the country’s political process, but ones that raised the hope of millions of Nigerians, who had yearned for change after 16 years of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) reign at the federal level. The hope of a new dawn was further heightened when President Buhari in his inaugural speech, reiterated his commitment to serve the people without external influence and to run an inclusive government with his now famous quote: “I belong to everybody and I belong to nobody.” Many, who commended the president’s promise of fairness to all and resolve to work for the common good, had expected him to hit the ground running immediately as the task before him is Herculean, given the precarious state of the nation’s economy and worsening security situation due to the activities of the Boko Haram sect. But more than a month after assuming power, the president is yet to constitute the cabinet that

AYODELE OJO

DEPUTY EDITOR, PoLITICS ayodele.ojo@newtelegraphonline.com

Zakari

Adesina

Daura

Abubakar

will help him implement his programmes. He had made several promises during the campaigns, which according to him, will bring positive changes in the lives of Nigerians within two years. The promises revolve around three issues – fight against corruption, insecurity and job creation. While many reasons have been adduced for the delay in constituting the cabinet, including “rotten foundation” inherited from the PDP administration; planned

cut down on the number of ministries and parastatals, and most importantly, the squabble in the APC over who gets what, the few appointments, so far made by the president have been trailed by

claims of lopsidedness in favour of the Muslim North. Buhari, a Muslim, hails from Katsina State, North-West of the country, and of the nine persons appointed, eight are from the North, while only one is from the South. A further breakdown of the eight appointees from the North shows that only one is a Christian, while the rest are Muslims. Appointments so far The appointments are: Acting Director General of the State Security Services (DSS), Lawal Daura (North); Acting Chairman, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) – Mrs. Amina Bala Zakari (North); Director, Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) – Mr. Mordecai Ladan (North) and Accountant-General of the Federation – Alhaji Ahmed Idris (North). Others are State Chief of Protocol, Mallam Lawal Abdullahi Kazaure (North); Aide de Camp – Lt Col. Muhammed Abubakar (North); Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity – Mallam Garba Shehu (North); Special Adviser on Media and Publicity – Mr. Femi Adesina (South) and Chief Security Officer – Bashir Abubakar (North). In addition to the appointments is the emergence of legislators of northern extraction as leaders of the two chambers of the National Assembly. Senator Bukola Saraki from Kwara State (North Central) is the Senate President while Hon. Yakubu Dogara from Bauchi State (North-East) is the Speaker, House of Representatives. In the same vein, the North also head the judicial arm of government. Justice Mahmoud Mohammed and Justice Zainab Bulkachuwa, Chief of Justice of Nigeria (CJN) and President, Court of Appeal, respectively, are Northerners. However, their appointments were not the making of the Buhari administration. They were appointed by the immediate past PDP government. Critics kick While some analysts are of the view that it is too early in the day to draw a conclusion on the appointments so far made by Buhari as there are other key positions in the Presidency to be filled, critics of the president are of the view that the choices have sectional tendencies, which have always pitted the CONTINUED ON PAGE 43

Politics

WEDNESDAY, JUly 8, 2015 NEW TELEGRAPH

How National Assembly’ll spend N120bn, by Ndume For the Senate Leader, Senator Mohammed Ali Ndume, there is no crisis in the All Progressives Congress (APC) but mere disagreement. In this interview with CHUKWU DAVID, he speaks on the N120 billion budget of the National Assembly and the 8th Senate Legislative Agenda. Excerpts:

I feel very sad that people are talking about 2019 now... It is not on my radar. What is paramount to me now is Nigeria

What is your view on the crisis rocking the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the Senate over the sharing of leadership positions? We don’t have crisis in APC as far as I am concerned. We only have a disagreement within the APC in the National Assembly. It is normal to have disagreement. In most cases you have disagreement in order to agree. So, you people are just over-flogging this issue of what is happening. Partly, the leadership of the Senate has emerged, and nobody is disputing it. There are issues which are not natural. The Unity Forum is disputing it. There were some adverts last week talking about your emergence, that of your deputy, Senator Bala Na’Allah and the Senate Deputy Majority Whip, Senator Francis Alimikhena. They claimed that the APC National Chairman, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun sent a letter to the President of the Senate but he didn’t read it. What is your comment? I don’t want you to drag me into this but you know better than myself that this is not something that will help Nigerians, if not, it is only the letter from the President or from the Senators that is read on the floor. You know the true position of things; why don’t you say it. You have been saying so many things in the newspaper. You are reporters, so you say many things in the papers. But what am saying is that I don’t want to join issues with my colleagues because I am an interested party. I am a leader now, and as far as I am concerned, they are my members. Let’s get this so that you speak from your own perspective because you have been here all these years, reporting the parliament. You can’t say it has to come from my mouth; why doesn’t it come from your mouth. You know that letters from political parties are not

Ndume

read on the floor but a senator will say that his/her mother has died and they will read it on the floor of the Senate. Have you ever heard that a letter from the party was read on the floor? You don’t do that. The only thing you read on the floor of the Senate is communication from Mr. President. Let’s talk about the National Assembly budget, which is N120 billion in the 2015 fiscal year. There is this impression that this amount is to be shared amongst the 109 Senators and 360 members of the House of Representatives. How true is this? First of all, that’s not true and that’s why I am bringing the budget here; N120 billion is for the National Assembly, and the codes are there. For the Senate in 2015, the budget is N31 billion; in 2014, it was N39 billion, for the House of Representatives, it was N69 billion in 2014 and it is now N49 billion. For the management, it was N15 billon in 2014 but it is now N12 billion. For the National Assembly Service Commission,

This N120 billion is for the whole National Assembly, which comprises 109 Senators and 360 members of the House of Representatives

it was N2.5 billion but it is now N2 billion. Legislative aides that are numbering about 3,000 have a budget of N10 billion; Public Accounts Committee was N150 million in 2014, it is now N120 million. For the House of Representatives, it was N180 million, it is now N144 million. General Services is now N9 billion. National Legislative Institute was N5 billion; it is now N4.3 billion. The Service Wide Vote, which is contingency is N399 million. That is what adds up to N120 billion. I hope you see it. Then the salary of a honourable member is N1,133,000 per month; a Senator is N1,410,000 per month. The breakdown of it is here. You can see, the basic salary of a senator is N168,000 and that of a honourable member is N165,000. Vehicle maintenance for a honourable member per month is N124,000, and for me as a senator is N126,000. Entertainment is N50,0000 per month. Utilities such as water and electricity is N50,000. Domestic staff is N126,000 per month for a

senator. Constituency, which is where the trouble lies is N422,000 per month per senator; then newspaper is N25,000. Recess is N16,000. Then wardrobe, which you people are shouting all over, is N42,000 per month. Personal Assistant is N42,000. Then housing is N337,000 per month. If you multiply it by 12, which is one year, you get the figure. The three-bedroom house I rented before I renovated my house in the same Zone D, I paid N3.5 million per year. And if you are to get a four-bedroom house in Maitama or Asokoro, where directors and assistant directors are living, you will not get a house for between three and four million per year there. This N120 billion is for the whole National Assembly, which comprises 109 Senators; 360 members of the House of Representatives, 13 commissioners in the National Assembly Service Commission. The management arm of the National Assembly has 3,208 staff, the management of the National Assembly Ser-

Politics

NEW TELEGRAPH WEDNESDAY, JUly 8, 2015

vice Commission has about 340 staff. Then we have 3,024 legislative aides. The National Institute of Legislative Studies (NILS) has its own board and has 115 staff as at now. Then we have 54 standing committees; if we are travelling, the expenses come from the budget. The House of Representatives has 91 standing committees. That is what makes up the N120 billion but you people will just go and sit down and divide N120 billion by 469 members of the National Assembly to get the figure you accuse the lawmakers of taking. That is very unfair. But then, what the Ad hoc Committee on Finance is doing is that we have slashed the budget from N150 billion to N120 billion. Now the committee has to look at where and how to cut the expenditure because the budget has been cut by N30 billion. For the past years, we have been collecting N150 billion. Now, we say let’s sacrifice, and it is overhead that we cut. And it is important to note here that the total Nigerian budget is N4.4 trillion and the overhead cost was not reduced. But our own, we reduced it, yet the abuse is on the National Assembly. Most importantly, what I have rolled out for you here now is determined by the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC). We said since there is this financial crisis in the country, we were the ones that told the RMAFC when they visited the President of the Senate to go and look at our payment and review it, so that it will be in tandem with the realities on ground. And they have started working. What led to this in 2004 when they did this one, was because

Ndume

from 1999 to 2004, the rate of inflation went up. The salaries of legislators then were unrealistic because of the downward value of our currency. So, they reviewed this one and all the details are here. All are clearly determined by the RMAFC. And duty tour allowances for each person; for senator, it is only N23,000. And for God’s sake, if I travel now and I am given N23,000, do you expect me to go and sleep on the road or what? A good hotel cannot accommodate you with N23, 000. But it is what is being paid. You said something about constituency, is it different from constituency allowance? There is nothing like constituency allowance. What is given to me every month as determined by RMAFC as constituency allowance for a month is N422, 000. There used to be a pool in the Senate and House of Representatives, for members who are sick that would want to be flown abroad. Is that still existing or it is the Federal Government that is taking care of that now? There is no medical bill here. For example, when you are not sick, how can you be paid for sickness? But when you are sick, it depends, we have a National Hospital, we have a hospital at the National Assembly. You go there for treatment and if your ailment requires that you go out, you go out. The National Assembly will pay appropriately. It appears Nigerians are being misled by what is really constituency project, would you like to educate the public on this issue? There is in the budget what we call the constituency proj-

I don’t want to join issues with my colleagues because I am an interested party

ects, and there is what is called the zonal intervention. The spirit behind this is that in the four years, where you have 774 local government areas, what they call the Federal Government impact may not reach any of these LGAs even if government rules for 70 years. So, as the representative of the people, you want something to be done from the Federal Government to your people. In most cases, they want basic things such as borehole, water, furniture and others. That was the idea. You just tell them, you people will construct for example Maiduguri/Kano Expressway, N50 billion or N200 billion from my village. So that is the spirit of saying that there should be constituency project and the senators will now determine where and what they want for their constituents. So, each senator, like me, they give me N250 million every year. That is N250 million project is allocated to my senatorial district, not that the money is given to me; it is a project factored in the budget for my constituency and domiciled in whatever ministry I want. Like when I was the chairman of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) because I oversight MDGs, I will now write to the Committee on Appropriations, that the allocation to Borno South Senatorial District should be domiciled with MDGs. And then I will tell them drill borehole for me; how much is borehole? They will tell me N20 million, and I will say okay, drill two here for me in my zone; this is the location. They award the contract to whoever the contractor is and tell me it is A or B that is your contractor after following the due process. They

will advertise for it. Contractors will go and bid. That is how it is being done. Now they will say your contractor is A or B. This is their telephone number, this is their address. Then you follow them up to ascertain when they are moving to the site. If the contractor wants payment, they will now ask me: senator has the contractor completed your job? Yes, it is okay. But there are some problems here and there which is inevitable. Some senators will go and bring a company and go through the back; you cannot rule that out. Every year, it is this zonal intervention for constituency projects that you hear people talk about. What are we expecting from the legislative agenda? In the legislative agenda, we are trying to spell out the objective and mission of the 8th Assembly. We want to come out with the document, which would so declare the direction the 8th Senate is supposed to go. And we are clearly going to key in with the presidential manifesto and the programmes of the current APC government which is in the majority. And we are going to try to key in the legislative work in order to enhance and help implement and accelerate the implementation of the programmes of President Muhammadu Buhari from the year 2015 to 2019 by God’s grace. So, the key centre of it is, we basically want to work on the reduction in the cost of government through looking at the core centres in the overheard and see how we can do that. Most importantly again, in trying to reduce the cost of government, we will pay attention to identifying the loopholes that provide the massive leakages in the system that bleeds the system. And we are trying to improve on the quality of the debate in the 8th Assembly, whereby we would make available information through electronic means such as email, and improving on ICT. As a leader, I want to do something different in my own capacity. For instance, I want my members to get on their e-mails, the order paper not for them to come and pick it and go in for the first time. I want it in the night or in the evening of the previous day immediately the order paper is out. It should be in the evening. And before you come, you should be able to read whatever it is, and take note. Those are the areas we are trying to look at. We are trying to see how we can curb corruption, which is hampering the progress of the government. We are trying to even improve on the relationship between us and the media because it is you that are painting us black outside. So, we want to see how we can be talking the truth, working with us. At least we would tell you what is there and should be able to speak honestly and fairly. So, these are the things. Therefore, as I told you, the legislative agenda is work in progress. We are trying to improve on our relationship and work in concert with the House of Representatives so that we would not have a law passed in the Senate chamber and it is at zero stage at the House.

16 Politics WALE ELEGBEDE writes on the battle of wits between the Lagos State chapters of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) over calls for the probe of the immediate past governor of the state, Babatunde Fashola for financial mismanagement

WEDNESDAY, JUly 8, 2015 NEW TELEGRAPH

Bickering over calls for Fashola’s probe

he defeat of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) by the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the April 11 governorship election in Lagos State definitely took toll on the PDP and that made the party to quickly recoil into its shell. But few weeks after the election, the opposition party seems to be getting its groove back after it pegged the success of the incumbent governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode, on his ability to probe his predecessor. At the tail end of Fashola’s administration, the former Commissioner for Finance in the state, Mr. Ayo Gbeleyi, said that the new government of Ambode will be inheriting a debt profile of N418.2 billion accumulated from past governments. A breakdown of the debt showed that the state government has a domestic debt in the tune of N69.666 billion, obtained from funds borrowed from banks; N225 billion from bond issuance and N207.499 billion external loan from foreign agencies. Defending the debt burden, Gbeleyi said the debts won’t constitute a burden to the Ambode’s administration, adding that they are sustainable debts. He said the total revenue of the state government currently stands at N33.95 billion monthly from N27.82 billion monthly it used to be in 2011. He stated further that the state’s InternallyGenerated Revenue (IGR) averages 65 per cent of total revenue with Statutory Allocation plus Value Added Tax (VAT) being about 35 per cent. On the debt issuance programme of N275 billion, in which N50 billion was paid last year, leaving a balance of N225 billion currently outstanding, he disclosed that government had over N100.73 billion as at March 2015 in its sinking fund reserve for repayment. On the commercial bank debt of N69.666 billion, Gbeleyi explained that the Ambode government is expected to pay N14.27 billion this year; N13.68 billion in 2016; N34.68 billion in 2017 and the balance of N6.85 billion in 2018. Firing the first salvo, the PDP accused Fashola of mismanaging the finances of the state in the period of eight years that he was the governor, urging the incumbent government of the state to set up a commission of enquiry to investigate the administration of Fashola. In a statement signed by its

Fashola

state publicity secretary, Mr. Taofik Gani, the party posits that the eight-year administration of Fashola was characterised by “digital and analogue” style of stealing public funds, adding that Ambode as Fashola’s successor must probe him otherwise he would be seen as a conspiratorgovernor. The statement reads: “On behalf of all concerned Lagosians, we call on the governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode, to immediately set up a commission of enquiry to investigate the eight years administration of former governor Fashola. “The need for this is apt in view of the cases of human rights abuse witnessed during the period, especially perpetrated by the State Task force and KAI officers. “No doubt, the hands of the former governor are not clean considering that despite the officially corroborated monthly IGR of N27 billion and N9 billion monthly Federal Government allocation, SURE-P Funds, Corporate donations and concessionaires interventions, the former governor yet left office leaving over 85 per cent of his projects and promises unfulfilled. “Up till now, the former governor cannot categorically explain the whereabouts of over N68 billion SURE-P Funds meant for the state. We demand to know. The bogus cost of the Falomo Bridge must also be probed. The cost of buying over the Lekki-Epe toll system must also be investigated. “As a matter of urgency, Governor Ambode should review or terminate some elephant projects that were initiated by the Fashola’s administration. Most of the projects are really prodigal and of no relevance to the masses. Example is the huge Lagos funds sunk as partner/investor in the ongoing Eko Atlantic Project. The

Ambode

The governor is administratively, legally and morally compelled to commence these enquiries

governor is administratively, legally and morally compelled to commence these enquiries Lagosians are eager to supply evidence of corruption in the eight years administration of Fashola.” Lending his voice to the call for Fashola’s probe, the Executive Chairman of the Coalition Against Corrupt Leaders (CACOL), Mr. Debo Adeniran, said anti-graft agencies should begin investigation into allegations levelled against Fashola. Speaking against the backdrop of PDP’s call for probe of the immediate past government in the state, Adeniran said: “This statement corroborated our stand on the administration of Fashola. It is a good thing that more members of the public are now coming up with their demands to probe the Lagos State government. “It is not because CACOL is in alliance with any individual or political party that we are lending our voice to this call, but it is a point of vindication for our earlier call that the Fashola administration be probed.” While saying that CACOL does not hold brief for anyone, Adeniran said that it was of concern that “a governor that claims to be progressive would be so secretive that he would not want his activities to be probed.” He added: “When the Lagos State House of Assembly wanted to investigate him, all he did was to run to the court of law to obtain injunction from being investigated. If the governor had not perpetrated corruption, why should he be afraid of being investigated?” In its response, the Lagos APC said the PDP was only demonstrating traits that show it as a jesting group that has no meaningful thing to contribute to the growth and progress of Lagos, adding that the party’s call for the probe of Fashola is inchoate and

laughable. APC state publicity secretary, Mr. Joe Igbokwe, said in a statement that the party is doomed to failure and it is in a journey of self-derision and ridicule, stating that the achievements of the progressive party in the last 16 years has become an example of good governance across the country. “As laughable and childish as PDP’s latest rant is, we dare say that we are not in the culture of dignifying confused thoughts of a cabal that is yet to live down their continued horrible fate in the hands of Lagosians. The achievements in Lagos for the past 16 years of progressive politics need no repetition here. Lagosians know them and feel them. “Fact is that for 16 years, we have taught PDP a huge lesson in politics and leadership but they keep playing the ostrich thinking Lagosians are fools that will fall for their gimmicks. This is why PDP had been failing and will continue to fail in Lagos. “Now with the centre gone, with all compliments of unrestrained federal funding, looting of SURE-P funds by chieftains of PDP in Lagos, as elsewhere gone, with federal appointments gone and parastatals that the Lagos PDP chieftains freely feed from gone, the Lagos PDP in utter confusion, has resorted to making baseless demands and childish effusions in the hope to keep their sinking boat afloat but they are struggling in vain. “We would have thought that Lagos PDP would, for once, be moved by moral imperatives to demand that President Muhammadu Buhari probe and punish the perpetrators of what is becoming the most horrifying economic crime done to Nigeria by the PDP mandarins especially in the past 16 years. They are not, rather they are asking Governor Ambode to ‘probe’ the poster regime for productive and accountable governance in this republic. What a party? “We want to let the lost and confused parodists in Lagos PDP know that Governor Ambode has hit the ground running just because he has a rich template of productive governance to continue with. That Lagos PDP is not seeing these, which every other Nigerian sees, is not surprising for PDP has no known ability to recognise good governance anywhere,” the APC said. Regardless of the bickering and difference between the parties, analysts are of the opinion that the call for Fashola’s probe is an exercise in futility given the synergy that exists in the state ruling party. Though some APC stalwarts are said to have fumed when they heard about the state of finances in the state after Fashola left, others simply believe that Ambode has to move on because it’s all family affair. A member of Ambode’s election campaign committee who pleads anonymity told New Telegraph that: “The issue of probe is out of it. The governor will not probe his predecessor but I can tell you that the state of finance in the state is very poor. You can see that the governor has not named his team, as an accountant, he is only taking his time and the party leadership is aware about the state of things,” he said.

Politics 17

NEW TELEGRAPH WEDNESDAY, JUly 8, 2015

The Boko Haram insurgents have stepped up attacks in the recent weeks in the North, writes WALE ELEGBEDE

Clamping down on Boko Haram

resident Muhammadu Buhari is being urged by the international community to work hard to defeat the Boko Haram militants. Their fears are well-founded. Nigeria has lost thousands of its citizens to insurgency in the North-East, where some 18,000 people have been killed since the group began a campaign of violence on the country in 2009. In recent weeks, the Islamist Boko Haram sect has gone guerrilla, killing and displacing people from their communities. Some of the reports from recent attacks according to experts suggest that Boko Haram remains a huge threat. Over the past weeks, the group has launched fierce attacks on neighbouring countries that are part of the Multinational Joint Task Force, killing several people in N’Djamena, the capital city of Chad and two villages of Lamina and Ungumawo, in the Diffa region of Niger Republic. While more than 12 people lost their lives in the Chad attack, some 40 people were killed in Niger Republic. A few days after his inauguration, President Buhari had undertaken a diplomatic shuttle to Chad and Niger to impress on the countries’ presidents the need for collaboration in the Lake Chad Basin region. Conversely, a meeting of Lake Chad Basin Commission (LCBC) was held in Abuja, where Buhari pointedly told the participating countries that there was urgent need to get rid of Boko Haram sect that has made life difficult for Nigerians and people in the LCBC region. At the meeting, Buhari told his colleagues who have collaborated in the offensive against Boko Haram in the region in recent months to increase their stakes. He said: “Our meeting today is premised on the common resolve and commitment of Member States of the LCBC and Benin to maintain the momentum in degrading the capacity of the insurgents until they are completely defeated. It is also borne out of the urgency to mitigate the suffering that has been imposed on our civilian population by the nefarious activities of the insurgents and terrorists. “Our meeting today provides us an excellent opportunity to finalise the instruments for the operations of the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF), in order to give life to our joint military campaign to decisively defeat the insurgents. “Nothing has emphasised our common humanity and destinies more than the dastardly crimes against our people by the insurgents, who have maimed and raped our women and children and held our nations in a vicious strangle hold. Our campaign against insurgency must, therefore, be directed on all fronts, starting from limiting their capacity to access funds and weapons. We must, therefore, strengthen our cross border pa-

President Muhammadu Buhari (left) receiving President Mahamadou Issoufou of Niger Republic during the Summit of the Heads of State of Lake Chad Basin Commission in Abuja recently.

trols and increase our capacity to gather and share intelligence. In this regard, I urge that all necessary steps be immediately taken to reinvigorate the Regional Intelligence Fusion Unit (RIFU).” That meeting may have been responsible for the Boko Haram attacks on Niger and Chad within a week. A security expert, Walter Douglas, said: “Boko Haram has a pattern. Members of the sect have their cells everywhere and since it’s a network, it is easier for them to launch attack anywhere. What we saw in Niger and Chad was a response to the recent efforts of the Lake Chad Basin Commission to achieve collaboration. Terrorists will not want countries to come together to launch an offensive, so they will try to cause mayhem here and there to keep countries busy.” Interestingly, the Boko Haram sect is also known to go after journalists who are on their trail. While a TV reporter with Channels Television, Enenche Akogwu, was shot dead by members of the sect in Kano, another journalist has recently received a death threat. An editor with THISDAY newspaper, Mr. Adeola Akinremi, who also doubles as special correspondent, reporting from several beats, has recently received a mail in his box with a threat to make him “a prey to the Lions of Islam from the bullet of a passing car or a nearby rooftop.” Akinremi was accused of writing against the group and being the mouthpiece of the Western world. Significantly, in the threat mail, the sect made allusion to having capacity to rebound after the military operation that initially left several of their fighters dead. “Those people from America and Europe that are using you against our mission will soon know the truth. Our wounded fighters will never give up. They will return to fight for Allah to get their reward. Your soldier will soon know the truth,” the letter said. Following the letter written to the journalist on May 11, gales of attacks have been recorded in the country. For instance, On Friday, May 29, the day President

Nothing has emphasised our common humanity and destinies more than the dastardly crimes against our people by the insurgents

Buhari was unveiled as Nigeria’s new President, a twin-explosion launched by Boko Haram killed at least seven people in TashanAlede, Borno State. Also, on Saturday, May 30, hours after President Buhari ordered the relocation of Nigeria’s military command to Maiduguri, Borno State capital, the insurgents attacked a mosque, where no fewer than 26 people were killed. Also, insurgents fired dozens of rocket propelled grenades into residential areas in the night, killing at least seven people and injuring nearly 20 others. On Tuesday, June 2, a bomb blast occurred at a busy meat market in Maiduguri, killing at least 50 people, though conflicting. The bomb, said to have been concealed under a butcher’s table in the market, went off around 1p.m., killing shoppers and travellers, a military source said. The same day, Boko Haram also released a new video rejecting claims they have been routed by the Joint Multinational Taskforce. On Wednesday, June 3, bomb exploded late night at a military checkpoint near a mechanic workshop, opposite sector one Military Base and NNPC mega station, Baga road in Maiduguri. On Thursday, June 4, a suicide bomber struck in Jimeta market in Yola, capital of Adamawa State, and in Maiduguri, capital of Borno State, where more than 45 people were reportedly killed in both attacks. A retired naval officer, Kayode Mustapha said “the Nigerian military is fighting the terrorists from a disadvantaged position. Our soldiers are trained to fight in conventional war where the enemy has a known territory, wears a uniform and to some extent obey rules of engagement. Boko Haram is composed of sheer terrorists, and the brainwashed membership engages in guerrilla warfare. While the military takes its time in firing against the enemy so as to minimise collateral damage as much as possible, terrorists do not give a hoot if innocent persons are felled down by their bullets. “Like armed robbers under siege by security men, Boko Haram members just spray bullets on all and sundry, delighting in col-

lateral damage. As far as they are concerned, women and children are targets, a fair game. They routinely disguise as pious Muslim women and frequently strap improvised explosive devices (IEDs) on callow eight year children, turning them into cannon fodder.” In the past week, the terrorists have stepped up attack in the North. In the past weeks, there have been a wave of raids, explosions and suicide bombings. No fewer than 500 people have been killed in the past weeks. Just last week, more than 150 worshippers were killed in Borno State as they prayed. On Sunday, July 5, the terrorists struck in Yobe and Plateau states. The Yobe attack saw a suicide bomber attacked a branch of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) in Potiskum and killed the pastor, himself and four others. Same day, the insurgents attacked a shopping complex and a building near a popular mosque. No fewer than 44 people were killed in twin bomb blasts that rocked Jos, the Plateau State capital, on Sunday night. “At the moment we have 44 dead bodies and 47 others injured from the scenes of the two attacks,” said Mohammed Abdulsalam, National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) spokesman. The Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) has expressed concern about the recent attacks by Boko Haram on Monguno, Kukawa and Maiduguri in Borno in which many people died. A statement by Muhammad Ibrahim, the National Publicity Secretary of the group, described the attacks and killings by the insurgent group as worrisome. “ACF is worried and, indeed, Nigerians are worried and disturbed with the recent and frequent attacks on villages and even states capital of Borno and Yobe by the Boko Haram insurgents. “The renewed direct attack on the people in the Monguno, Kukawa, Maiduguri and many villages in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa states is cruel, barbaric and condemnable especially in the holy month of Ramadan,” it said The ACF said that the activities of the insurgents posed a serious challenge to the military and other security agencies. Meanwhile, President Buhari has reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to doing everything possible to eradicate Boko Haram, terrorism and mindless extremism from Nigeria in the shortest possible time. He further assured all Nigerians that terrorism would ultimately be defeated and full security restored in all parts of the country for people to safely practice their respective faiths with liberty wherever they may reside in the nation. According to the President, the constitution gives all Nigerians that right and the present administration will deploy all required force and resources to protect citizens’ right to freedom of worship.

MORE STORIES ON pageS 40-43

WEDNESDAY, JULY 8, 2015 NEW TELEGRAPH

Opinion

Buhari: The vindictive landmarks

Jones Onwuasoanya

t will be hugely unfair to the presidency of General Muhammadu Buhari, if one continues to say that he has not hit the ground running. Our President has achieved a lot within the first 30 days in power and some of the ones I can remember are: 1. BOMBING OF HELPLESS CITIZENS IN CROSS RIVER CREEKS: While the Boko Haram insurgents continue their killing spree across the Northeast, without the Buhari presidency ordering a single shot fired against them, yet, first show of military might ordered by our beloved President is the air raid of some communities situated along some Calabar creeks. Hiding under the excuse of hunting down oil thieves and sea pirates, the air raid is said to have snuffed life out of helpless and unarmed local fishermen, farmers and other locals around the area, who have never seen the colour of raw crude, not to talk of being involved in any form of oil stealing. Independent observers claim that over 350 citizens were mowed down by the military’s air raids. 2. WITHDRAWING DSS PERSONNEL FROM PRESIDENTIAL VILLA: The President scored another first in history, when he ordered the withdrawal of all personnel of the Department of State Security (DSS) out of the Presidential Villa. It is the Constitutional role of the DSS to provide close body protection to the President, Vice President, sitting Governors, Deputy Governors, Senate President and other top democratically elected officials. This withdrawal which is contained in a memo from the ADC to the President, an Army officer, Lawal Abubakar, stated that the DSS personnel are to stay at least two kilometers away from the precincts of the presidential villa, while army and police personnel trained as Presidential Body Guards (PBGs) take full charge of the President’s close body protection. This directive is not unconnected with the sour relationship between the APC and the Secret Police, especially

in the run up to the 2015 elections, when the APC accused the DSS of partisanship in delivering their Constitutional duties. You may recall that the DSS led a sting operation that discovered a data center allegedly run by the APC, somewhere in Lagos, where they trained hackers, cloned permanent voters cards and indulged in other acts targeted at sabotaging the 2015 elections. Since the victory of President Buhari in that election, nothing has been heard of those picked up in that operation. 3. DEATH SENTENCE TO NINE PEOPLE FOR BLASPHEMY: For the first time in the history of Nigeria, a Sharia court has sentenced nine Nigerians to death for blasphemy. The nine, eight men and one lady are said to be members of the Tijaniya Movement, a pro-Islam religious movement founded by a Senegalese, Shiekh Ibrahim Niasse. They were accused of insulting Prophet Muhammed by saying that the founder of their sect, Niasse, was bigger than the Prophet Muhammed. Sharia Courts which sprung up across most States of Northern Nigeria after the return of democracy had handed down death sentences to those who defaulted in adultery and other crimes which the Sharia criminal code stipulates death sentence for, but never has it been heard that anyone was convicted of blasphemy since 1999, when Sharia law began to be implemented in some States in Northern Nigeria. The Nigerian Constitution describes Nigeria as a secular State, hence, no one should be punished for expressing divergent religious views. The world is watching to see how our President who has been severally accused of religious bigotry will react to this verdict, as some observers suggest that the jury may have been inspired by the President’s alleged sympathy for the supremacy of Islam and propagation of Sharia to hand over the sentence. 4. DEPLOYMENT OF DANGEROUS BOKO HARAM INMATES TO THE SOUTH EAST: The President never hid his displeasure with the past administration over the latter’s handling of the Boko Haram insurgency in the Northeast. Our President was once

quoted to have derided the Jonathan presidency for declaring war on the North by massively deploying military personnel to quell the bloodletting orchestrated by the Boko Haram terrorists. Analysts feared that if truly General Buhari made that statement, then, it will not be a surprise if he decides to get a pound of flesh from the Igbo who remain the biggest supporters of the Jonathan presidency. The relocation of Boko Haram inmates to the Southeast is a simple way of extending the Boko Haram killing field into the Southeast as the sect is known for mounting some of the most daring prison breaks anywhere in the world. With the massive concentration of security personnel in the Northeast, including the recent relocation of the anti-terror command center, one expects President Buhari to order the relocation of all dreaded criminals who are serving prison sentences or awaiting prison sentences, anywhere in the country, to the Northeast, where we can be sure of enough security personnel to match their terror should they decide to act funny. There have already being protests and peaceful demonstration across most towns in Anambra over this, as most of the people feel threatened by the Buhari administration. 5. WITHDRAWAL OF MILITARY CHECKPOINTS: It is not in doubt that the people are more trusting of the military than the police, and the people feel more confident cooperating with the Army than the police, criminals are also more deterred by the presence of the military in checkpoints than they are even if there are a thousand police checkpoints, hence, the order by the President removing all military checkpoints from roads across Southern Nigerian is seen an indirect way of telling the people of Southern Nigeria, especially, South South and Southeast where kidnapping, armed robbery and other violent crimes are resurfacing that they do not matter. Some observers claim that the lives of the people of Southeast and South South do not matter an ounce to the President, as they are seen as not having supported his election. •Onwuasoanya wrote in from Owerri, Imo State.

AMCON, Delta Steel and Aribisala Uchendu Melah

e is on the prowl again. Ajibola Aribisala who on 26th February 2013 was stripped of his title as Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) by the Legal Practitioners’ Privileges Committee (LPPC) following allegations of fraud and flagrant breach of professional ethics. The Management of Assets Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON) on 4th February, 2015, sacked Aribisala from his position as Receiver/Manager of Delta Steel Company, again on several allegations bothering on personal integrity, including “refusing to account for all the funds disbursed to him by AMCON since 2012 for the purpose of the receivership,” as well as his “abrasive and oppressive actions on the relevant stakeholders of the steel company town/host community, which has led to a breakdown of the working relationship between him and the said stakeholders.” But instead of leaving with his baggage, Aribisala is laying claim to the powers to sell Delta Steel Company, even after his sack, on a rather ridiculous ground that the letter terminating his services mentioned Delta Steel Company Limited instead of Delta Steel Company Plc, and as such, that he is still the Receiver/Manager of the company. As if that is not enough, Aribisala last

week, published a two- page advert in some national dailies wherein he made wild, baseless and obviously unsubstantiated allegations of fraudulent intention against the Managing Director/CEO of AMCON, Mustafa Chike-Obi. In paragraph Nine (9) of Aribisala’s ‘Rejoinder’, he alleged that “Notwithstanding the huge indebtedness of the Company, as stated above, Mr. Chike Obi, would rather want the assets to be sold for a lesser sum of N28billion out of which he was coercing me, the Receiver/ Manager, to take out N5billion for his personal purpose and now expect me to declare only N23billion in the books of AMCON as the sale proceed. However, I refused, vehemently, to accede to Mr. Chike-Obi’s request.” What Aribisala is saying on the pages of newspapers is that Mustafa Chike-Obi, of all people, asked him to divert N5billion into his private coffers? And this Aribisala is supposed to be a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN)? The Federal Government on August 2010, appointed the Board of AMCON with Aliyu Belgore as its Chairman while Mustafa Chike- Obi was appointed the Managing Director/CEO. Other members of the Board include Howett Adegboyega, Muhammed Abbas Jega and Mofoluko Benedicta. AMCON under Chike-Obi’s management appointed Ajibola Aribisala as the Receiver/Manager of Delta Steel Company. By definition, a Receiver is “a per-

son appointed by a bankruptcy court or secured creditor to run a company for a short period of time in a manner that will ensure as much debt is paid back to creditors as possible.” But instead of effectively managing the company for a ‘short period’ and helping to reduce its debts as a Receiver/Manager is supposed to, Aribisala did not only mismanage the company with higher debt profile, he was alleged to have engaged in activities that resulted in both industrial crisis with workers and confrontation with host communities who complained bitterly to government as well as expressed happiness following the news of his removal. In a letter dated February 4, 2015, AMCON said Aribisala was terminated pursuant to his deliberate non-compliance with the provisions of Sections 396(2) and 398 of the Company and Allied Matters Act. Apart from refusing to account for funds, other allegations against him include refusing to remit electricity bills of Delta Steel Hospital, D.S.C Technical High School and the steel towns to the power authority even where the residents of the towns had paid the bills to the collective account for onward remittance to the power authorities; delays in approving needed funds to run the crucial non-core departments of the company; suspension of the Head of Delta Steel Hospital and interference with the management of the hospital in such a way as to affect the smooth running of the hospital; arbitrary reduction of DSC Technical High School teachers’ monthly

salary; and refusal to pay the teachers’ salaries as at when due; unilaterally increasing DSC Technical High School fees, which have caused the exit of students of the school to other schools and also reduction of enrolment into the school; seizure of the control of the school’s funds, and refusal to account for the expenditure of same; arbitrary termination of the appointment of the school principal without due process; refusal to pay the electricity bills of the school which has resulted in non-supply of electricity to the school. This has forced the school to run on generators thereby increasing over-head costs.” It would be recalled that Aribisala was stripped of his title as Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) on February 26, 2013 by the Legal Practitioners’ Privileges Committee (LPPC) following “allegations of flagrant breach of professional ethics and professional misconduct,” made against him, including defrauding Fidelity Bank through excessive professional charges contrary to ‘Rules of Professional Conduct in the legal profession.’ Even when the SAN was restored to him, it was with a caveat of serious sanction should he be found in such acts in the future. Even in the so-called rejoinder he published last week, Aribisala still styled himself as the Receiver/Manager of Delta Steel Company Plc, claiming that the case is in court and therefore he is the right person to sell the Company. • Melah wrote in from Abuja.

NEW TELEGRAPH WEDNESDAY, JULY 8, 2015

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Disarming the secret service

hese are indeed trying times for the Department of State Security[DSS] as they face an uncertain future under the Muhammadu Buhari presidency and there appears to be no end in sight to massive realignment of roles , fully executed from the Aso Villa. In what looks like interagency rivalry, soldiers have taken over the statutory roles of men of the State Security Service[SSS] as Presidential Body Guards and operatives within the inner spheres of the Villa. They[SSS] will henceforth, stay away from President Buhari’s wife, Aisha and children. The change of guards came through a memo by Buhari’s Aide de Camp[ADC],Lt.Col. Abubakar Lawal Mohammed, directing the Secret Service to move away from within close range of the president’s office and residence. The president’s Chief Security Officer[CSO], Abdurahman Mani, countered the directive quoting relevant statute to support his action. Lawal is a military police officer while Mani belongs to the SSS. Presidential spokesman Femi Adesina tried to offer a middle way explanation when he assured that there was no rivalry between the two agencies. According to him, the SSS were not asked to leave the Villa entirely, they were given the outer territory still within the presidential

complex, to secure. A few days later, the President appointed a new Director General for the DSS. Katsina Lawal Musa Daura, was recalled from retirement to replace Ekpeyong Ita. And just as the new boss was about settling down, Mani was dropped as CSO and redeployed to Ebonyi. The new CSO is Bashir Abubakar, an Assistant Director.The shake-up also consumed Widi Liman , an Administration Officer[AO], in the Presidential Villa. These changes mean more than meets the eye. The law has been quoted by the SSS. Section 2[i] [ii] of Instrument No. SSS 1ofMay 23 1999, pursuant to Section 6 of the National security Agencies Act of 1986, otherwise known as Decree 19, re- enacted as Section 6 of NSA Act CAP N74 LFN 2004, favours the Secret Service. By this Act, the SSS is saddled with the responsibility of protecting the president and members of his immediate family with body guards. The Army and the police have their functions spelt out. The Brigade of Guards also provides outward cover just like the police. These agencies do not have to control the security of the Vice president, the Senate President, Speaker of the House of Representatives and visiting foreign dignitaries. That is the role of the SSS. We may be constrained to believe that a few persons in the Army still see President Buhari

as Gen. Buhari, the Head-of –State. This may be out of ignorance of the law, overzealousness or both. As a democratically elected president, he is a different man from the Buhari of 1983-1985. This is not an unconstitutional government that would emerge, where it does, to rule by decree after suspending the constitution. The SSS deserves some respect as an independent agency. If there are misgivings about certain operatives from the Niger Delta who formed part of the network in the last dispensation, there are administrative methods to redeploy them. That cannot in any way, take away the statutory function of the Secret Service. While we support the Buhari regime in its drive to ensure due process in promotions, we also caution that the missteps of a few should not be visited on the entire agency. There are indications that some of those who were promoted in the immediate past, neither sat for the mandatory examinations nor attended any interview. Reversing such is a welcome development. President Buhari should also watch some of his aides so that history does not repeat itself. When he assumed office in the 1980s, the military descended on the Police Mobile Force[PMF]. They were hounded and chased away from duty at Dodan Barracks, Lagos. The mobile policemen were so groomed by Inspectors General Adamu Suleiman

and Sunday Adewusi to protect President Shehu Shagari with sophisticated weapons. The Army saw them as a huge threat. The Army should not feel threatened by the Secret Service. At formation in 1976, as the Nigeria Security Organisation[NSO], the first Director General was a soldier, Col Abdullahi Mohammed. During the Chief Olusegun Obasanjo years, Col. Kayode Are headed the SSS, which was so renamed under Ismaila Gwarzo from 1986. The SSS had enjoyed the services of well trained bosses, from Umaru Shinkafi to Albert Horsfall, Peter Nwaoduah and Afakriya Gadzama. In terms of specialized training, their operatives have attended courses both at home and abroad. They can stand tall anywhere in terms of presidential body protection. We advise that both agencies work in harmony and face their respective areas of advantage. The military must realise that all agencies serve in different capacities, to achieve a common goal. Last month, they ordered the Police, Immigration and Customs Services to drop their camouflage uniforms. Now they are squaring up with the SSS. The idea of using soldiers as Presidential Body Guards reminds all of the dark days of the Sani Abacha regime when they were seen more as assassins and killer squad. President Buhari definitely cannot afford to open that sad chapter of our history.

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WEDNESDAY, JULY 8, 2015 NEW TELEGRAPH

Arts

Book Review

The early football academicals The first part of this serial was published on the Sport page last week Tuesday RECRUITMENT ATTEMPT INTO BIAFRA AIRFORCE 1967 My father found his way back East; he was posted to Port-Harcourt Police Command. My mother, siblings and myself joined him later. The war had started, youths were enlisting into the Biafran Armed Forces. Meanwhile, I got absorbed into class five in Stella Maris College Port Harcourt. At first practice session I was picked by the games master Dr Bob Ekechukwu and straight into the school’s football team. Ugochukwu Uba (nicknamed Pele), who was then in the A levels class (known as HSC), was an outstanding attacker. He later became a Senator of the Federal Republic between 1999-2003. There was also Marcellinus Ezike, our central defender. He died in the war. I have no doubts in my mind that these two were good enough to have been part of our national team in later years. As the war progressed, schools were closed, recruitments into Biafra Armed Forces heightened and it was still quite selective. I went for recruitment into the Biafra Air force but was rejected because of my navel which was quite prominent. I wept but could do nothing about it. Back home, my father came back from work and could not find me and my mother had no idea where I had gone to. I turned up later that evening and told them where I had been. The next day, my father sent all of us back to the village. This action may not have been prompted primarily by my truancy but by the imminent fall of Port Harcourt to the Federal troops which happened soon after we left. My father who was in a position to foresee this thought it safe to send us away. The war continued to degenerate on the side of Biafra. By 1968, conscription was the surer way to get youths and men into the armed forces. I was once conscripted but escaped and not long after, I enlisted into the

TONY OKUYEME Arts Editor tony.okuyeme@newtelegraphonline.com

Biafran Army Signals (BAS). At this time, it was a ‘luxury’ for recruits to have up to two weeks combatant training but obviously because of its sensitive content and requirements, our batch went through a fourweek training at Pater Noster Secondary School Ekwereazu, now in Ahiazu Mbaise LGA of Imo State, after which we had a written exam. The best five were selected for special deployment. I was one of them. My first posting was to the ‘State House’ then located at Madonna High School in Ihitte Uboma LGA of Imo State as well. On my first night of duty as guard something interesting happened. I had been awake for a major part of the night but as boredom and tiredness took their share of my physical and mental endurance, I fell asleep on duty but I still clung to my assault weapon. A trained and armed soldier must never let go of his weapon except if captured or killed on duty. That is a basic training injunction. The duty commander came on monitoring round. Stealthily, from behind, he tried to disarm me but I did not let go. I was now awake. He was sympathetic and warned me, but alerted me as well to the

fact that if he had been an enemy soldier, I would be dead. Nothing was further from the truth. I never slept on duty again after that experience. Not long after, I was deployed to BAS base at Oraifite in present Anambra State. We operated from there into the then Mid West. BACK TO SCHOOL, IN EAST CENTRAL STATE At the end of the war in 1970, I, like other lucky survivors who were still interested in continuing with their education, got back to school. I got registered in Community Secondary School, Amuzi (Amuzi), a walking distance of about forty minutes west of my village. Sustainability of life after the war was an excruciating experience, so the location of the school was convenient. I was quickly identified by the Games Master Dr. Bob Ekechukwu (Da Bob), who coincidentally was the school Games Master at Stella Maris College Port Harcourt in 1967. My subjects for WASC in 1967 were Mathematics, Physics, Biology, Chemistry, English language, English literature, Latin and Religious Knowledge. Amuzi could not present

students for Physics and Latin; this left me with the option of writing the WASC examination in six subjects. I could not take such risk because a basic university admission requirement at that time was a minimum of six subjects with pass at no less than credit level. Mbaise Secondary School (MSS), a walking distance of about two and a half hours east of my village home had provision for Physics but no Latin as all foreign Catholic Priests, (especially the Irish) that taught the subject had left the East before or during the war. I could do with seven subjects and so I settled in and wrote the WASC as a student of MSS in 1971 after our first attempt in 1970 was cancelled by the West Africa Examinations Council (WAEC). Odyssey of a Green Eagle— from the Pitch to the Summit My football talent and skills propelled MSS head and shoulders above other schools and I was spotted by Holy Ghost College Owerri (HOGOSCO) scouts at the Owerri Zonal Secondary Schools football finals between MSS and Sebastian Academy, played at the Owerri Stadium in 1970. I was simply outstanding in that match. Prof Fabian Osuji, then a tutor in HOGOSCO, championed the drive to get me admitted with the offer of scholarship for Higher School Certificate. After the WASC in 1971, I joined my father in Enugu, who luckily was among the post war police staff of Igbo extraction recalled to service after the Nigeria Civil War. In that period they were still being screened and not paid any allowances. Before this, I had applied to write the entrance examination into the Institute of Management and Technology (IMT) Enugu, where I hoped to study Estate Management if I got the admission. I also hoped to go present myself to Rangers FC of Enugu and plead with the coach to give me a try in the team during their training session. My father could not afford to pay my school fees. In fact, it was for this reason I did not bother taking entrance exams into any University. The little money with which I applied for the IMT form came from what my father got in exchange for the sum paid out to those lucky to have deposited Biafran currency in designated banks in some of the cities in the East at that time. Irrespective of the amount in Biafran currency deposited, every verified depositor was paid 20 Nigerian pounds. There was no other means of funding my education but for some reasons, which I could not ascertain, I was optimistic.

The entrance exam into IMT took place on a Thursday and the next day I went to the Enugu Stadium to see the coach of Rangers. That coach was Dan Anyiam. I told him straight-up that I was good enough to be in Rangers and pleaded with him to try me. He was speechless for a moment. He took a hard look at me and I stared back at him. He chuckled and asked me to return by 8 a.m. Monday. I could not. By the time I got back to coal camp (a very high-density area of Enugu metropolis)that Friday, some ‘scouts’ from Owerri had traced my father’s house address and left a message with him that they would be back. They did come back. I welcomed them and sought to know who they were and how they had found our address. They had even gone as far as my village, to my mother, to convince her of their genuineness. They were students of Holy Ghost College Owerri, they said, and the school had offered me scholarship to study for my HSC. My mother recognized the family extraction of one of them. His name was Hilary Emecheta. He was the Senior Prefect of the school. Linus Ofodile and ‘Togo’ Ejimofor were the other members of the team. They conveyed the message from the management of the school. I accepted the offer and went for my HSC at Holy Ghost College Owerri. EAST CENTRAL STATE ACADEMICALS 1971 1971 was a watershed year in my education and future. My ambition to read medicine was still aflame but I had a pass in Biology at the November/ December West Africa School Certificate result of 1971. This, to me, was unexpected given the fact that biology was my favourite subject and I posted very good results in it all through my years at St Gregory’s college. It was a core subject for the study of medicine at any University where it is offered. I put in a combination of Biology, Chemistry and Economics for my Higher School Certificate at Holy Ghost College, Owerri. Chemistry provided me with an option to consider a shot at Chemical Engineering as an alternative. I got on with studies at Holy Ghost College Owerri. The school team went on not only to win the Owerri Zonal Secondary Schools football competition that year, but also the East Central State (ECS) Secondary Schools football championship following which I was selected for the ECS Academicals representative team. CONTINUES NEXT WEEK

NEW TELEGRAPH WEDNESDAY, JULY 8, 2015

The Mega City ...EXCLUSIVE LAGOS MAGAZINE

LIFE IN THE CITY

MY CITY, MY WORLD

Commercial motorcyclists decry police extortion 26

Lagos needs a leap in Infrastructure – Oladepo

Business transactions going on in Ladipo Market

Ladipo market: A new life beckons The present demolition debate hovering over Ladipo auto spare parts market by the Mushin LGA may be a signal to an end of a dream. When traders moved into the market many years ago, they thought they had settled for business. But clearly now, the traders are left with the short end of the stick as EZURIKE UGOCHUKWU observed

o traders of the auto spare parts market in Ladipo, Mushin Local Government Area of Lagos State, June 30, 2015 would remain indelible in their memory. Most of them were at home when many of their colleagues that made it earlier to the market called them on the telephone, that demolition was ongoing at that section of the market. Hastily, most of them got to the market and saw the killer mood of the men of the police force, and operation MESA that cordoned off the market. Two bulldozers were at the same time at the market, waiting for the

OLUWATOSIN OMONIYI CITY Editor

tosin.omoniyi@newtelegraphonline.com

final order even as the roofs of the market’s shops were being yanked off. It was not until later when the traders that were left in-between the devil and the red deep sea went and signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the Mushin LGA council boss accepting to quit the market in 30 days’ time that the hang man’s noose left them with a promise of a repeat visit. As many shops and halls in the place are now left open as a result of the removal of the roofing and ceilings sheets, Mr. Ernest Okagbue, an auto spare parts trader at the market, who deals on second hand vehicles engine and gear boxes (tokunbo); was seen removing some of the debris of the ceilings, woods and roofing sheets that had mulched the wares in his shop. He looked up with resentment as tears rolled down his cheeks. He held himself back as he managed to mutter some comments to New Telegraph on his life and its vicissitudes that has brought him to Ladipo for an apprenticeship in 2010 after the Oshodi market

Many shops and halls in the place are now left open

demolition of 2009. Before this time, he was selling second hand female clothes at Oshodi. Okagbue, a family man with three children, recalled the last demolition that took at Oshodi, January 4, precisely, a period he was away in his village. According to him, he lost all his wares to that incident. When he came back, there were no goods to sale; no money to buy new wares; much more to rent a new shop; a situation that left him with no other choice than to ask his wife and kids to stay back in the village. It was two years now since Okagbue got free from his master and started his own business. “I opened here in April, 2013. I was able to get this shop when fortunately between the times I completed my apprenticeship and the time the owner of the shop was to travel overseas for greener pastures. He temporarily gave me the shop. But last October 2014, he finally transferred the shop to me. Having owned a shop, importers started giving me goods on credit. 80per cent of the goods in this shop now are on

credit. The most disheartening aspect of the situation is that since 2010 till now, it was last April after the elections that my family joined me. Could this be another separation on our way?” He lamented. Also, Mr. Johnson Nwanna, a trader at the same market, recalled his own experience at his former business location at Aswani market in Isolo where he was merchandizing shoes and bags. When the shops were demolished and a shopping plaza was built, he waited to get a shop but it was clear that the shops were no longer within the reach of the poor traders in the market before the demolition. Rather, they were allocated to the wives and cronies of the government officials who were willing to rent to the former traders at outrageous fees. “When will our sufferings end? The philosophy behind this mega city, is it only to drive poor people out of Lagos and collect their sources of livelihood and give to the rich? This CONTINUED ON PAGE 22

Life | Mega City

WEDNESDAY, JULY 8, 2015 NEW TELEGRAPH

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 21

is the way they collected our shops at Aswani market and promised us that they will give them back to us. Today, where are we? The shops became too exorbitant that we could not afford. “When they do all these plans, they don’t even think of where to relocate the traders, bearing in mind they have dependents, and that even if they are not indigenes of Lagos State, they are Nigerians. All they do is to use executive power to muscle us away. When that of Oshodi happened, the then KAI marshal Rtd. Captain Danjuma Meigeri, told shop occupants to report to their various LGA chairmen, who was to make an alternative place of trade for them. Nothing fruitful came out of that promise. Many of them waited and when they saw no reprieve on their ways. Some relocated home while some moved into other businesses, like us. Now, we are about overcoming the past, here we are being threatened with another demolition. God! God come to the rescue of the poor!” He cried. The dream of the elite in our society is to have a secured and beautiful environment at the detriment of the poor, with their peripheral analysis and assessment of the poor man’s word upright as they imagined. In July, 1990, when the them military governor of Lagos State, Colonel Raji Rasaki demolished Maroko with over 10,000 houses; and rendered more than 300,000 Lagosians homeless, the assumption was that impunity and lawlessness was synonymous with military. Maroko was later allocated to the rich, with no alternative to the poor people there who continued to wallow in deprive. The yet to be concluded demolition exercise by the Mushin LGA was like an inordinate exhibition of executive fiat according to the President, Ladipo Central Executive Committee (LACEC) Comrade Kinsley Ogunor, who decried the level of callousness exhibited in the demolishing attempt of that section of the auto parts market. He wonders why government agencies often violate the laws. He confirmed that the LGA is their landlord, though there was a rift between the council and one Owoyemi family in which the court ruled in favour of the Owoyemis’. “I believe there is judicial procedure to all these things. You can’t take laws into your hands. If you want to demolish this place, the court is the right place to give you the ultimatum, that, since these people have not heeded to an order, you can go ahead to do this thing. But unfortunately, there was no judicial pronouncement. All I just saw is that they came here early

Some traders in the market at Ladipo

Rebuilding Lagos’ auto spare parts market in the morning and started breaking into the market and removed roofs. A lot of people lost money; we can’t quantify the amount that was lost yet. A particular boy said he lost N2m kept in his shop, his drawer was broken and the money was carted away. “Almost all the people here have families that are dependent on them. If you throw them away, what will be the fate of those people? We have over 10,000 people in this section of the market. If you add their dependants, they are well over 20,000. If you throw them away, how would they pay their school fees, how will they pay their house rents. These are the issues. That is the issue on ground now. As I’m talking to you, no place to relocate us.” An enraged legal adviser of the LACEC, Barrister Richard Nwankwo, wondered why the

Some traders rueing their losses at the scene of demolished shops in the market

The local govt. intends to develop the market which has become degraded

council would chose to carry out their action of demolishing people’s shops at such an unholy hour, an act he termed ‘idiotic’. He believes as tenants, they are entitled to notice according to the laws. Even if trespassers, they are also. Clearly, he stated that such act is not attainable in the 21st century Nigeria. Further, he said that he is trying to get in touch with the governor whom he described as a decent man and promised to go the long haul of the law to get justice. “What has happened is a clear display and manifestation of the spirit of lawlessness, excruciating level of madness. We are talking of Lagos State, where the immediate past governor enacted the recovery of premises law. If you want to recover premises, there are due processes. Like the case of Ojukwu and the Lagos State government, it was the Supreme Court and the Court of Appeal that repeatedly hammered on the danger of self-help. “They used police and other security operatives to muscle them down and said they are going to give them 30 days to vacate this place. How can you ask people to vacate in 30 days? Is it not comical? They are not moving. The LGA has committed a very serious crime. This is robbery.” He averred. The Executive Secretary of Mushin Local government area, Hon. Babajide Bello, while reacting to the story making round that the state government has concluded arrangements to close the Ladipo market, said that the local government intends to develop the market which has become so degraded but in phases.

As such, it has no plan to close it. He recalled that the council had held several meetings with the market leaders. A source at the Mushin LGA who preferred anonymity said that the portion in question is the main place called ‘Ladipo’. That it belonged to the council. According to him, there was a court judgement two years ago that ceded the land to one Owoyemi family but there was later an out of court settlement at the state house of assembly then, before the house committee chairman on judiciary conceded 60per cent of the land to the council and 40 per cent to the Owoyemis. He added that the Tuesday’s attempt was for the council to take over the land and share it with the Owoyemi family. “If you sale your property and people are there, the only way to take it is when they are sleeping. If they are active and you go to take it, they will throw stones and shafts at you. They can use anything, any instrument at that place to chase you away. That was why they went there very early when they have not set foot on the place.” In the heat of the confusion, a representative of the Owoyemi family, Mr. Ademola Owoyemi who spoke to New Telegraph said the local government never carried them along in all these. Rather, they claimed to be working hand in gloves with an outsider. He promised to make issues clearer in no distant time. “We were not aware that they were going to demolish the place. Moreover, not all the land that we are to share with them.” He said.

Life | In The City

NEW TELEGRAPH WEDNESDAY, JULY 8, 2015

Ambode, a month after The inauguration of Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode on May 29, 2015 as the governor to steer the ship of Lagos for the next four years was the climax of an intense electioneering process in the state. His coming, however, heralded ecstasy, hope and freshness on the landscape. With a month gone in the new political dispensation, residents examine the performance of the number one citizen. ELIJAH SAMUEL reports

he expectations of the residents are high, but not a few residents hold the view that Governor Akinwunmi Ambode is slow in embarking on effective governance even though he is just a month on the saddle. They also believe that there should not have arisen any allowance for inactivity in governance as ‘continuity’, the mantra of the All Progressives Congress (APC) during the electioneering proceedings, ought to be a stimulant for the governor as soon as he was sworn in. Sunday Effiong, an automobile engineer, said: “I have not seen anything tangible being done by the new governor. My opinion is devoid of any sentiment, but he must have a particular project which he will be known for. He may have some things in the pipeline. There are so many projects that were started by the former administration that could not be completed. According to the slogan of the party during the campaign in the state, residents should vote for continuity. So, let Ambode abide by that promise of continuity so that we can have quick completion of all uncompleted projects in the state. We are yet to feel his impact; I don’t want to believe that he is confused on how to start.” For Kamar Abdullahi, an Islamic scholar, expectations are high and the residents are eager to see the direction which the governor wants to take in order to deliver the inherent benefits of the promised change. “Ambode is our governor and we are waiting to see what he is going to do. Our expectations are high because we are waiting to see how he will beat former Governor Babatunde Fashola’s record. For a month that he has come on board, we have not really seen him embarking on any tangible project. Rather, his appearances are at fire incident scenes. We are waiting for the announcement of new members of his cabinet; we want to see them deliver the change they promised.” A civil servant, Stanley Chijioke, had a different perspective to assess the performance of Ambode. While he holds the governor in high esteem, he believes the office of the governor supersedes every other person in the state as he is expected to be above, and serve as a father to all. Thus, he bemoaned a situation whereby the governor became a representative of his subject. He said: “Although Ambode is a gentleman, all we have seen him do in the last one month is going to places where fire accidents occurred. That is the only reasonable thing we have

Sunday Okoye

Oliver Ukegbu

Sanni Mohammed

Sunday Effiong

Fatai Ayinuola

Kamar Abdullahi

Shola Adebanjo

Chinedu Udeoyibo

Frank Eke

Alex Henry

seen him do. The last time we heard from him was going to represent the man called Jagaban at a ceremony. Imagine the man that is supposed to be the number one citizen in the state going to represent another citizen in the state. I believe it is wrong. If he wants to represent anybody anywhere, it should be the president or the vice president and not his subjects on whom he is supposed to be leader in the state. We are Lagosians and we are not happy about this.” He added that since he dissolved Fashola’s cabinet, he should have come with a list of new commissioners that will help steer the ship of state with him. Although Fashola, he said had really tried, the question according to Chijioke is, “where is Ambode heading? Let him hit the ground running.” But the Governor might find support in those that believe that the responsibility of governance in a rapidly growing population like Lagos is by no means an easy task; hence he needs more time to plan and put his team together. For Frank Eke, a businessman, “It is too early to assess him. That he has not done anything could perhaps be due to the fact that he inherited so many problems from the previous administration. Though, truth is that he has

Where is Ambode heading? Let him hit the ground running

to start from where Fashola stopped. And indeed, Fashola made remarkable performance in the state, but I have strong belief that Ambode will really try and perform better. Regardless of who recommended that he is good for the job, or how he came, we have high hopes that he will definitely do very well. By his hundredth day in office, I think we will be able to access him better.” Alhaji Salisu, a bureau de change operator, also believes that “there is no way we can assess Ambode now because he just started work. So, he should be given some time to settle down and prioritize on what to do.” A number of Lagos residents see hope as they could now refer to the peaceful business atmosphere which has been created in the state because of Governor Ambode’s warning to the officials of Lagos State Traffic Management Agency, LASTMA, and the Kick Against Indiscipline brigade that Lagosians should be treated with dignity. For them, it is a remarkable departure from the recent past. They acknowledged this as a quantum of achievement already being made by in the state. According to Chinedu Udeoyibo, “Ambode should be given time to plan and put his team together. The way we have seen him so far, he’s going

to be successful. This is so because he seems to be a listening governor who will take the interest of the people importantly in his administration. We can see his achievement in the area of being able to put KAI under control, unlike what we were used to in the last administration.” Oliver Ukegbu, a trader, also added that “Ambode just came and there is no way we can do a true assessment of what he has done or not. But it is important to say that he should govern with the fear of God and not discriminate against any group of people in the state. He may not have done much, but it is a credit to him that he has created a conducive environment for trading activities and commuting by putting KAI and LASTMA under control.” Yet, some residents just have great affection for the personality of the governor, and they are optimistic that he is going to perform if he continues in his noted humane disposition in the business of governance. “From my assessment of his carriage so far, I love Ambode because he seems to have the love of the people at heart. He doesn’t seem to tow the path of his predecessor,” Alhaji Sanni Mohammed, a trader said while Sunday Okoye, another trader believed that “so far, he started well but he should continue in the path that is people-friendly.”

Life | Mega City

WEDNESDAY, JULY 8, 2015 NEW TELEGRAPH

Muritala Ayinla

ast Saturday was in deed a memorable for members of the Lagos State Cooperative Federation (LASCOFED) as the state government appreciated the roles of cooperative societies in the state. It was the day the Lagos State government chose to recognise one of its critical partners in the development and actualisation of the mega city status. The event was the annual International Cooperative Day, a week long event which coincided with the 93rd edition of the International Cooperative Alliance (ICA) and the 21st by the United Nations. As early as 5pm, distinguished Nigerians consisting successful professionals from all walks of life thronged the expansive hall of the Sheraton Hotels and Towers, Ikeja, for the Merit Award/ Gala Night of International Day Celebration. Green, red and white colours stood out at the well-lit and and expansive hall as eminent personalities strolled into the hall one after the other. They have all come to share good stories, business ideas and receive honourary awards from the state government and the LASCOFED for contributing to the development of Lagos and through various partnership and initiatives. The gathering was avenue for some to exchange pleasantries, banters and crack some jokes. It was indeed the moment to confer on the co-operators and cooperative societies that have made exemplary contribution to the growth of the movement in the last one year. Speaking at the colourful event, the Lagos State Governor, Mr Akinwunmi Ambode described the theme of the 2015 International Cooperative Day entitled: “Equality” as apt, saying that the theme was relevant in view of the rise in the inequality across the world. Governor Ambode said the global income gap has continued to widen over the past years. He added that a report said that the top one percent of the world’s population possesses nearly half of the world’s wealth, whereas the bottom half of world’s population holds less than 1 percent of it riches. Commending the cooperators and cooperative societies sharing with government, the vision of mega city, Governor Ambode assured that his government would continue to create enabling environment for them. He said: “I note with delight that the participation of the cooperative movement in some of our government programmes. Over the years cooperative societies have partnered with us in some vital sectors of the state’s economy. This include transportation programme (Bus Rapid Transit scheme, where a number of the cooperative societies have joined hands with us to rid off Lagos rickety vehicles. “Another area is agriculture where our government have shown commitment to the development of Farmers’ mart which has been exclusively franchised for the cooperatives. Our aim is to establish farmers’ mart across all division of the state. As expected other states have been visiting

Student of Agidingbi senior Grammar School being presented with Certificate by the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture, Dr. Olajide Basorun

A rewarding time these marts with a view to replicate same in their state,” he said. Governor Ambode, who was represented by the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperative, Dr. Olajide Basorun, noted that the state places high premium on the education of the cooperators, saying that was why the state government established cooperative college in Oko Oba, Agege to raise the quality of manpower for the movement, saying that is gratifying that the college has trained 3,750 cooperators since inception. He advised other cooperators in the state to enroll the in the college for better co-operative management . Governor Ambode, who also commended the state Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperative for the official launch of the Cooperative schools club in conjunction with the state ministry of education for the secondary school students in the state, describing the moves as the right step in the right direction. This, the governor said was in line with the ‘Catch them Young’ strategy, which, according to him, was borne out of the need to imbibe the spirit of cooperative in teenagers and youths in the the state. He added that the club would enable them to form themselves into groups based on the cooperative ideology of self help and economic devel-

opment. He however charged cooperative societies in the state, who are yet to take part in the re-validation and registration exercise, explaining that the aim of the exercise is for easy identification, planning and preparation of comprehensive directory for cooperative societies in existence in the state. “About 2,336 Cooperative Societies have so far been revalidated. All the societies who are yet to be captured should seize the opportunity of the ongoing exercise to revalidate their societies. In order to effectively manage both human and financial resources, that abound in the sector, the government has created a comprehensive and up-to-date data base with

the newly installed capacity building software COOPRATA. The Cooprata statistic manger makes makes it possible for the 20 cooperative area offices to be networked the Headquarters. Governor Ambode noted that winners of the raffle draw would have opportunity to participate at the International cooprative conferences. On his part, the Director of Cooperative, Mrs Zulikha Ibraheem said the star prize winner would take part in a 5-Day trip to ICA Global Conference and General Assembly in Antalya, Turkey while the second prize winner would attend the another 5-Day trip to Kenya for a Cooperatives Workshop. She added that the 3rd prize winner would have

opportunity of attending a 3-day trip to shongai Farm Centre in Benin Republic while about 400 cooperators would get a consolation prize of N5,000 worth of vouchers to purchase farm produce from any of the state’s Eko Farmer’s Marts within the state. At the event, the most outstanding cooperative leader, best managed cooperative society, best managed cooperative community based, best host organisation were awarded. Also honoured at the colourful event were most outstanding cooperative society, most innovative cooperative society industrial based and the cooperative society which embarked and completed star projects.

A Student of Keke Senior High School picking a ticket for the Third Runner Up at the Raffle Draw exercise in commemoration of of the 2015 International Cooperative Day Celebration

Life | In The City

NEW TELEGRAPH WEDNESDAY, JULY 8, 2015

What we want from government Just like others, medical practitioners have found out that regardless of the testimonials of the remarkable performance of the last administration in many sectors in the state, there were noticeable shortcomings that need the intervention of the government. As a result, they are full of expectations from the new administration of Governor Akinwunmi Ambode as ELIJAH SAMUEL found out Emmanuel Okoh, Senior medical technologist Science and technology is very essential and play great role in the entire medical field. The laboratory makes a scientist, and not all the theory. Let Governor Ambode look at how to provide laboratories from the primary schools, and especially in all the secondary schools in the state so that the students can be encouraged and adequately prepared to go into the medicals and other sciences. At that level, we have so many geniuses that have great potentials but only need to be taught very well. When the students are well taught, they will perform excellently at higher level. What happens at this grassroots level will surely affect performance at the university. The teachers also should be subjected to regular training and refresher courses, so that they will be updated with latest knowledge and information which are necessary for brilliant output of students. Dupe Jaiyesimi, Pharmacist There are so many things that we expect the new administration to do for us. For instance, the governor should intervene in the way patients are left to die at general hospitals, because of their inability to afford expensive drugs. Expensive drugs should be taken as a priority and provided by the government, their availability and affordability to the patients especially the aged and the indigents that are lacking in most general hospitals, thereby making it less expensive and affordable. When drugs are provided for the aged, it reduces death rate. Temitope Augustine, Medical Laboratory Scientist The state government should provide a new policy that will ensure that the Primary Health Centres, PHC, are adequately equipped. The high mortality rates that we experience in recent times are mostly as a result of the inadequacies of our PHC. Most of the rural areas in Lagos lack medical centres. So, they depend on the services of unqualified personnel who, most of the times, exploit them. The government also needs to work on the Tertiary Health Centres, so that the confidence of the public and most of the government officials who fly out often to get medical treatment can be restored. We have well experienced personnel that can handle many health issues here, but the main problem is that there is no facility for them to practice. There should also be a program in place that allows health personnel to undergo training abroad and return to serve. Presently,

Okoh

Dako

there is no such program; individuals sponsor themselves, and after training, they do not return. The issue of seniority in the health sector is another challenge that should be resolved. There is a standard which guides operation and ensures that nobody is over lapping one anotherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s function. We have a serious overlapping from the doctors who always want to exhibit a measure of superiority. This issue may continue for a long time until we have a structure. Dike Ifeanyi, Resident Doctor The problem of understaffing in the government hospitals has to be promptly addressed. So, they should employ more doctors, and also ensure that we are adequately remunerated in commensuration with our output. Stable electricity supply to hospitals should be given utmost priority. Here in Ifako/Ijaiye General Hospital for instance, we are always confronted with non-availability of electricity supply. We often had to go outside the hospitals whenever we needed to run a test or perform an experiment because of lack of electricity supply. Besides, very important equipment like ECG for monitoring babyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s activities and scanning patients should be provided. Emeka Nwanadi, Nurse The new gover nment should find a way to eradicate discrimination at all levels in the state medical sector. It is a problem that is lingering be-

The new govt. should find a way to eradicate discrimination at all levels

Emmanuel

cause doctors usually feel they are more important than the nurses. While nurses are equally as important as doctors, each level of service should be separated and operate with mutual respect. Also, the problem of inadequate medical personnel on one hand, and inadequate bed spaces on the other should be promptly looked into. This often leads to a situation whereby patients are turned away, while the nurses and matrons get blamed. Therefore, the government should pay special attention to the health sector more than before and monitor that the things that have been built and provided in the hospitals and other healthcare centres in the state are well maintained. Florence Dako, Nursing Officer Governor Ambode should do an assessment of the stateowned hospitals, in order to ensure that they are adequately equipped with modern technology that will bolster peopleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s confidence. This will halt the medical sojourns that are being taken to seek medical solutions to ailments abroad; brain drain will also reduce once the medical personnel are assured of modern equipment to work with. Regular training of medical personnel to update them with modern tend in the medical field should not be taken with levity. David Emmanuel, Embryologist So far, the APC government in the state has done remarkably well in the medical sector. The last administration did

wonderfully well in putting in place infrastructures, and in regulating medical practice in the state to halt quacks practicing and jeopardizing lives. That is a good thing, but the issue with that administration was welfare of the medical personnel. So, this administration should look at the welfare of the personnel: they believe they are not well remunerated. The new administration should keep up the good job and take the welfare of medical personnel seriously. Babatunde Adewale, Medical Laboratory Technologist The gover nment should call for a health summit where all the medical professionals will be made to attend. Through the summit, the government should spell out its own vision about medical practice in the state for the medical professionals to imbibe. In retur n, their (practitioners) views regarding the health care profession will be sought, so that there is a synergy of ideas that will enhance wholesome development and growth of the medical sector. The ultimate goal of the summit is to engender the harmony which the medical sector, as a family, requires. Doctors, by their position are the head, but their misconception of superiority, and their attitude of treating other professionals in the field with contempt should be changed. Additional re por ts by Ruth Okocha and Ifeoluwa Idowu.

Life | Mega City

WEDNESDAY, JULY 8, 2015 NEW TELEGRAPH

Commercial motorcyclists decry police extortion

estriction on the activities of commercial motorcycle operators did not just come in the present democratic dispensation in the state. It came to the public domain when former Governor Babatunde Fashola, on August 2, 2012, signed the Lagos State Road Traffic Bill into a Law, part of which restricted the operation of commercial motorcyclists on about 475 roads, of about 10,000 roads, in the state. It was one issue that attracted a deluge of scorching public discourse when it was slammed on the populace. Later, the opposition party in the state latched on the restriction law to gain political victory during the campaign. The All Progressives Congress’ candidate in the State, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode, was prompt to counter the opposition’s aim. He had to assure commercial motorcycle operators across the state that his administration would not place any further restriction or ban on them to prevent from their operations. “We’re aware of the insidious campaign by the PDP regarding the use of Okada. Of over 10,000 roads in Lagos, only about 475 roads had Okada restriction in place and this is strictly meant to ensure safety of the people of the state. All commercial motorcycle operators in the state will benefit in the urban renewal programme of my administration when elected into office,” Ambode reassured. The operators misconstrued Ambode’s statement, threw caution into the winds and enjoyed their operation of impunity while it lasted. However, with victory won, the state government deemed it necessary, once again, to curb the impunity being perpetrated by okada operators. Consequently, the Secretary to Lagos State Government (SSG), Tunji Bello, on July 1, after a consultative meeting with the leadership of the various associations of both the motorcycle and tricycle riders in the state, reiterated the subsisting restriction traffic law, and thereafter issued a 21-day ultimatum to motorcycle (okada) and tricycle riders to vacate restricted routes in the state or face the full wrath of the law. Akeem Adenekan is one of those operators who believed that the restriction of motorcycle operation is in good order especially as long as it is meant to enhance safety of all stakeholders: the operators and the commuters in the state. He said: “I am in support that we, okada operators should not operate on the highways and other specified roads. I believe it is in our interest. I live in Ikotun and operate in Itire/ Ijesha; I have two motorcycles but I dare not ride okada from my house to my area of operation. I’ll rather use the public transport to commute from there. It’s good to streamline okada operations because at a time, the menace of okada in the metropolis became unbearable even to the chagrin of some okada operators in the business.” As much as they are willing to be law-abiding, Adenekan said the police are their albatross, hence, he prayed the government to save them from the exploitation of the police. He alleged that despite the fact that they have been limited to the streets, police still come around to harass them and make arrest indiscriminately. “They have done it on several occasions, saying we

Rowdy ride of okada in the metropolis

have failed in coming to settle them. We have been limited to operate within the streets, yet they are not satisfied. The state government should intervene and save us from the police exploitations before a revolution that the state government itself will not be able to handle breaks out,” he said. Not a few operators nurse some misgivings about the government’s seeming sudden pronouncement to implement its restriction which was suspended in the wake of the last electioneering process. During the period, until after the swearing in of the Governor Ambode, who is the driver of the unfolding administration, the okada operators were treated to a sweet honeymoon in which they had blank cheques to operate with impunity. “The government itself is treacherous because of the deliberate ploy which Governor Ambode and the party played up that okada will not be banned in the state. After we’ve been used to achieve their goal, they want to come up with their draconian policies on us. We will not engage in robbery or any other unlawful vocations, but the government should not suffocate us while we are pursuing survival with this means of livelihood,” Adenekan bemoaned. Haruna Mohammed also believed that the government decision is in order, but he decried that the exploitative tendencies of the police will have to be curbed by the governor. “Ambode is right with the restriction of okada operators from plying some prohibited roads, but the problem is with the police who are determined to be feeding on okada operators. They have turned us into

Ambode is right with the restriction, the problem is with the police

their cows; they come in different groups to arrest us on the streets. After arrest, the next thing they will demand is money; they charge various sums between N5,000 and N20,000. Getting off their hook depends on one’s bargaining power. If I have decided to do this as only job for survival, and I’m being subjected to this inhuman and exploitative treatment, what do I have left to save? At different times, police have collected N5000, N10,000 and N20,000 from me. The first time was during Fashola’s administration: they accosted me around Iso-Pako Bus-Stop and accused me of plying the expressway. Everybody knows that Iso-Pako in Itire is not an expressway, but they seized my okada and later collected N20,000 from me before it was released. I always ply my business within streets not on the highways.” A tricycle operator, Femi Ayoade, who plies his trade on Ikeja to Abule-Egba was already apprehensive of what the loss to be incurred will be, when the implementation of the restriction on operating routes of motorcycles and tricycle operators will come into force at the expiration of the ultimatum that was just given. “Honestly, there are many routes of operations in different areas of the state: some are short distance and some are long. What we charge as fee depends on the distance. But we are not allowed to operate on the expressway. For instance, operating between Abule-Egba to Ikeja, is a long and lucrative distance. Although we don’t operate on the expressway; we pass through Agege, but we don’t know what will happen when the ultimatum expires.” As the number one citizen and the one in charge of the state, the governor apparently may not afford to fold his arms because at the end of the day, the misdeeds

of his administration will confront and will be a decider of his political future and his party’s fate. According to Mohammed, the exploiters in uniform “are always quick to drop the name of the governor as the one who sent them to arrest okada. They did it during Fashola’s era; they have started doing it again saying Ambode said he doesn’t want okada on the highways. The question we are asking is whether streets have turned into highways now. The governor should help us by instructing the police to stop indiscriminate arrest and exploitation of okada operators within the streets.” However, the umbrella body of commercial motorcycle operators made their position known on the reiteration of government to implement the 2012 traffic law. Comrade Yussuf Oladimeji, the secretary of the state chapter of All Nigeria Auto bike Commercial Owners and Workers Association (ANACOWA), disclosed that even though they are willing to abide by the provisions of the law, they crave a situation whereby things are done without sentiments and in strict compliance with the provisions of the law “We are in court with the state government. Because of this, we were not called to be part of that discussion. Notwithstanding, we still respect that law and we always tell our members to obey the dictates of that law. Therefore, if any of our members is caught operating on those prohibited route, we are not going to defend that person because we are law-abiding people. But I want to say that any government that is carrying governance with sentiments cannot make progress. What stopped Governor Ambode from calling us and say ANACOWA, come I want to see you to discuss this traffic law. We would then give him clue on what to do so that his regime will not be

Life | In The City

NEW TELEGRAPH WEDNESDAY, JULY 8, 2015

Our Expectations

Lagos needs a leap in Infrastructure – Oladepo EZURIKE UGOCHUKWU Joseph Oladepo, a reClerhief tired Assistant Comptrolof Nigerian customs, who

Policemen trying to effect arrest of an okada operator

like Fashola’s. They should try to stay strictly within the provision of the law, and not that they should go outside of the law by coming to the inner routes to arrest our members. We are not going to take that.” Oladimeji said. “I was aware of his statement during the campaign that he was not going to ban okada; I wasn’t carried away with that because I knew it was a political statement. Politicians are not to be trusted even if it is documented, they can easily renege. We are not surprised by that, but I want to say that okada issue is a child of necessity, not in Lagos alone but in the entire country. If they are attacking okada, they are attacking eight groups whose sources of livelihood are closely attached to okada operations. These include our ticket sellers, the vulcanizers, the engine-oil sellers, the food sellers in our parks, the okada dealers, the motorcycle mechanics, the okada spare parts seller, and okada manufacturers. We can now see that okada business is a conglomerate. The restriction is okay. But the police we have in

Tunji Bello

Nigeria are now exploiting the situation for their corrupt enrichment. They arrest okada operators indiscriminately, confiscate their okada. With this, they have opened us to robbers in police uniform. They don’t have structure on ground to execute the law.” Nonetheless, some residents also view the implementation of the law from compassionate perspective. Buhari Musah, a lawyer believes that “some politicians are not to be trusted during electioneering campaign as most of their promises are deliberate ploy to buy their way through. Our politicians will say a thing in the morning and do another in the night. The decision of the party in collaboration with the then administration to allow okada back on the banned routes, was a Greek gift that we knew will not last long.” He added that “the kind of leaders we have in this part of the world the people don’t believe and see the welfare of the people as their priority. That is why they take draconian decisions without consideration for the people. Formulating a policy like banning and

Our politicians will say a thing in the morning and do another in the night

restricting okada should have put the effects it is going to have on the people at the centre. Then, alternative means to assuage problems such as unemployment and poverty in an economy where an average Lagosian lives below a dollar and also eat what is available not what he/she desires, should then be put in place.” Barrister Tunde Kolawole, is one lawyer and public analyst who believes, and thus posits that government should lace governance with compassion and consideration for the people’s socio-economic wellbeing. “I don’t know of anybody riding okada who is happy doing it. A rider once disclosed that to me that he knows he cannot build a house or send his children to a good school while doing okada business. He had said that it was just a means of survival for him. And what is a job that one is not proud to be doing, or from which one cannot earn a decent living. The job has become a means of survival to avoid stealing. If government must take away this means of last resort, should it not provide alternative?” Like many, Kolawole detested governance by the deceit which the present and present administrations deployed in their quest to win people’s votes in the state. “It is immoral for government to allow people to do run the business and even gave out crash helmets to the operators while soliciting for their votes only to clamp down on them as soon as they win election with the same people’s votes. “However, we must appreciate the background from which the government is coming from in terms of security, in terms of the health of general populace and the fact that there is law passed by competent authority banning the riding of okada on certain roads. But law is law. Until that law is challenged and repealed, it must be obeyed.”

has lived greater part of his life in Lagos, said his expectation and that of well-meaning La- Oladepo gosians are for the new government to continue on laudable initiatives of his predecessor and ultimately surpass it. He said anything short of that will not be acceptable. “There are so many challenges in the area of infrastructural development, especially in Alimosho area of the state. Greater number of roads here are not motorable. Motorists and pedestrians are made to skid through horrible gullies and puddles. There are many roads in this part of Lagos that cannot pass for footpath; such roads appear to have no dream of tarring them now. There are cases of flooding here and there. The ongoing dredging of some canals and opening of drainages have not yielded meaningful result. The recent rains were an eye opener. Most of the places we supposed as not flood prone got over flooded. That is a wakeup call to government and citizenry. The flooding situation as it is today cuts across all parts of Lagos State- Victoria Island, Yaba area and even up to the toll-gate as we have witnessed. In the last rain, Lagos was heavily submerged that vehicles were seen snaking behind each other on the high way. “I expect that since Lagos State and the Federal Government presently are in same political party, there will be closer ties in infrastructural provision. There is no doubt that all the funds spent by the state government on rehabilitating some federal projects in the state will be refunded. When this is done, it will go a long way to offsetting some financial burdens of the state, and in boosting infrastructure in Lagos state. “Sanitation laws should be stringently enforced by those responsible, and people should as matter of necessity, inculcate sanitation habits. Indiscriminate refuse dumping should be frowned at, though most of the dumping is done at nights. We should not forget that ‘cleanliness is next to godliness.’ Lapsed laws should be revived forthwith.” He said.

Lagos is hospitable– Bashir Omolola Giwa iss Bashir Titilola, a student M of Covenant University (Department of languages) says

that Lagos State is a very beautiful and hospitable place. Although, Lagos she said is not Titilola the most sophisticated of places when it comes to food. You can find Thai food here but it is so expensive. However, if you are searching for anything outside the basics like burgers and salads or Chinese food, you might have to search longer. You might not find much variety when it comes to foreign food but you will find food native to different parts of the country in Lagos. For example, Calabar food is big in Lagos and Suya is practically synonymous with Lagos at night. Simply put, if you love Nigerian food, you will love Lagos. According to her, Lagos State is blessed with beaches where social events also take place. It includes public beaches where concerts are held to exclusive ones that are only accessible by boat. The Lagos born girl said that Lagos State used to be a lot more chaotic in terms of infrastructure but there has being a major leap in progress in that department. Almost all the bad roads have been fixed. There is law and order in most parts of the city. She said she would like to see a continued development of infrastructural growth and a target of making it a mega city. She however expects the new government to continue where the previous government stopped and do more than just decongesting the vita by spreading the development to outskirts like Ikorodu, Epe, Ajah, Iba, Badagry and other outskirt localities. They should sustain the projected developmental schedule and also sustain to avoid situations of non cohesive growth and goals.

The Mega City

WEDNESDAY, JULY 8, 2015 NEW TELEGRAPH

MEGA CITY EVENTS MainOne held its 5th anniversary cocktail at Eko Hotel, Victoria Island, Lagos

L-R: Former Executive Vice Chairman, Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Dr. Ernest Ndukwe; Chief Executive Officer, MainOne,Funke Opeke and Chairman, Association of Licensed Telecommunica- L –R: Board members, MainOne, Mr. Dapo Oshinusi; Chief Executive Officer, MainOne,Funke Opeke; tions Operators of Nigeria (ALTON), Gbenga Adebayo at the occasion member, Dr. Ini Urua and Dr. Segun Oshin PHOTOS: SULEIMAN HUSAINI

Women in Journalism 2015 conference on Truth & Objectivity in the Digital Age was held at MUSON Centre, Onikan, Lagos recently

L-R: Veteran Broadcaster, Mrs. Bimbo Oloyede; Head, Women Banking, Access Bank Plc, Mrs. Aina Akintonde; General Manager, Radio One 103.5 FM, Mrs. Funke –Treasure Durodola and Veteran Broadcaster, Mrs. Ruth Benemeisia-Opia.

L-R: Co-founder, Sabinews.com, Mrs. Peju Akande; Manging Director/Editor-In Chief, New Telegraph, Mrs. Funke Egbemode; Chairman, Editorial Board, Vanguard, Mr. Ikeddy Iziguzo; President, Nigerian Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ), Mrs. Ify Omowole and former Editor, Guardian newspaper’s Sunday magazine, Mrs. Tabia Prince will PHOTOS: GODWIN IREKHE

IN NUMBERS 9,700 Number of roads for Lagos motocycle riders

475

Number of roads for motocycle riders to stay off

1,274

Number of motocycles seized from Jan-June 2015

NEW TELEGRAPH WEDNESDAY, JULY 8, 2015

FCT Watch

ECA depletion: Hard lessons on financial prudence

29 Money

Naira struggles as Adesina clinches AfDB’s presidency

The Investor

Maritime

Uncertainty retards stock market growth

Poor electricity, gridlock hinder marine business

Business What's news

Ten top brokers trade N733bn shares in Q2

Ten leading stockbroking firms on the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) exchanged 51.167 billion shares worth N732.8 billion in first half of this year.

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Nigeria imports N110.4bn agric machinery Nigerians imported agricultural equipment valued at N114.4 billion ($480 billion) within the last six years, New Telegraph has learnt.

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(L-R): Group Executive, Commercial Banking, FirstBank, Mrs. Cecilia Majekodunmi; Chief Strategy Officer, FirstBank, Mr. Francis Ikenga; Chairperson, Women Group of LCCI, Yeye Agnes Shobajo; Group Executive, Institutional Banking Group, FirstBank, Mrs. Bashirat Odunewu and Secretary, Women Group of LCCI, Mrs. Dele Ogunjobi, at the Women Group of Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) Business Visit to FirstBank.

PROBE Former CBN Governor Sanusi Lamido Sanusi had begun a process to trace the missing oil money to some banks before he was suspended

he pledge by President Muhammadu Buhari to recover funds stolen by government officials who abused their offices in the recent past is sending jitters through the banking industry, the New Telegraph has learnt. According to industry sources, there is growing concern among top bankers about how much of the stolen monies would be traced to financial institutions and the impact of the likely seizure of such funds on the operations of the affected lenders. A top official of an old generation bank, who declined

to be named, said: “There is a great deal of apprehension among industry players about what form the planned recovery of the funds would take and the sanctions that would meted out to the banks that would be found culpable. If such funds are seized by government, the banks concerned could be in big trouble.” Noting that banks were already facing serious challenges contending with regulatory headwinds, he said that some lenders stand the risk of becoming distressed in the event that they are discovered to have either kept or assisted corrupt government officials to launder stolen public funds. Already, a probe, it was reported, may also shift to the CBN. Indeed, at a recent forum in

INFLATION RATE May 2015.................................9% April 2015................................8.7% March 2015.............................8.5%

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

Tony Chukwunyem

The Business Desk Ayodele Aminu

Deputy Editor (Business)

Bayo Akomolafe

Asst. Editor (Maritime)

Sunday Ojeme

Asst. Editor (Insurance)

Tony Chukwunyem

Asst. Editor (Money Market)

Dele Alao

Industry & Agric Editor

Dayo Ayeyemi Property Editor

Adeola Yusuf Energy Editor

Wole Shadare Aviation Editor

Chris Ugwu

Capital Market Editor

Abdulwahab Isa

Finance Editor

Kunle Azeez

Senior Correspondent

Chuks Onuanyin Energy

Nnamdi Amadi Reporter

Johnson Adebayo

Asst Production Editor

Banks fret over stolen funds’ recovery Lagos, respected economist and Managing Director, Financial Derivatives Company Limited (FDC), Mr. Bismarck Rewane, predicted that some banks would be in trouble if they are found to have collaborated with Politically Exposed Persons (PEPs) in siphoning the looted funds. He said: “Buhari’s pledge to recover stolen funds also poses a risk to the banking system. For instance, if the funds of Politically Exposed Persons (PEPs), their wives’, children’s

N6.87trn Estimated value of funds lost through illegal transfer of revenue abroad from Nigeria

or girlfriends’ funds are traced to banks, those banks could be in trouble.” The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) defines PEPs and Financially Exposed Persons (FEPs) as persons who have been entrusted with a prominent function by an international or local organisation, including members of senior management such as directors, deputy directors and members of boards or equivalent functions other than middle ranking or more junior individuals. Similarly, Senior Financial Analyst at Berta Investments Limited, Mr. Joe Halim, predicted that many banks were going to be indicted in the probe to recover stolen funds. He said: “Over 70 per cent of CONTINUED ON PAGE 30

Rates Dashboard EXCHANGE RATE (BDC as at July 3)

USD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . N231 Pounds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . N350 Euro . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . N246

l Foreign Reserves – $29.157bn as at 2/07/2015

Source: CBN

EXCHANGE RATE (Interbank as at July 3)

USD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . N200.00 Pounds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . N307.65 Euro . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . N223.50

Business | News

CONTROL More domestic participation needed to boost the volume of trades

Chris Ugwu

en leading stockbroking firms on the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) exchanged 51.167 billion shares worth N732.8 billion in first half of this year. Investigation by New Telegraph showed that the N732.8 billion is re-

WEDNESDAY, JULY 8, 2015 NEW TELEGRAPH

Ten top brokers trade N733bn shares in Q2

sponsible for 66.06 per cent of the total value between January 1, 2015 and June 30, 2015. Also, the 51.167 billion shares accounted for 50.43 per cent of the total volume during the period under review. Further checks showed that while the top 10 broking firms accounted for 66.06 per cent of the total value of transactions during the half year, Stan-

bic IBTC Stockbrokers Limited dominated with 13.70 per cent or N151.920 billion exchanged in 8.571 billion shares. Rencap Securities Limited accounted for N132.985 billion or 11.99 per cent invested in 8.773 billion shares, while CSL Stockbrokers Limited recorded N121.676 billion or 10.97 per cent exchanged in N10.23 billion shares. EFCP Securities Lim-

ited traded N88.762 billion or eight per cent recorded in 4.225 billion shares, while Chapel Hill Denham Management Limited recorded N55.683 billion or 5.02 per cent in 3.107 billion shares. FBN Securities Limited accounted for N52.134 billion or 4.70 per cent in 4.806 billion shares; Vitiva Capital Management Limited traded N45.624 billion or 4.11 per cent ex-

changed in 4.806 billion shares, while Apel Asset Limited traded N28.546 billion or 2.57 per cent. ARM Securities Limited exchanged 2.418 billion shares worth N27.994 billion or 2.52 per cent, while African Alliance Stockbrokers Limited staked shares worth N27.490 billion or 2.48 per cent. In a bid to stimulate demand and engender competition in the stock

L-R: Head, Corporate Marketing, Samsung Electronics West Africa, Mr. Koye Sowemimo; Overall Best Graduating Student, Samsung Engineering Academy Class of 2014, Sunday Oyelami; Head, Lagos Eko Secondary School Education Project, Mrs. Folasade Fasehun and Managing Director, Samsung Electronics West Africa, Mr. Brovo Kim, at the Academy’s graduation ceremony in Lagos.

Nigeria imports N110.4bn agric machinery DERISORY

The country is one of the least among the mechanised farming countries in the world Bayo Akomolafe

igerians imported agricultural equipment valued at N114.4 billion ($480 billion) within the last six years, New Telegraph has learnt. The machinery were shipped through Nigerian ports between 2008 and 2013. Agricultural equipment refers to the number of wheel and crawler tractors in use in agriculture sector. In 2008, the country spent $$72 million on the imports, 2009 - $64 million; 2010 - $78 million, while $82 million was spent in 2011. In 2012 and 2013 $112 million and $72 million was spent on these items.

However, statistics by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), has revealed that the country is one of the least among the mechanised farming countries in the world. It was learnt that Nigeria needs a minimum of 746,666 tractors equipped with tillers and other support gadgetry to sufficiently mechanise agriculture in line with the best practices. In 2003, Nigeria had only 30,000 tractors, adding 1,000 new ones each year, not enough to replace the ageing, worn out and broken down ones. It was disclosed that the country has only one tractor for every 4,100 farmers. Its tractor density is put at 0.27 horsepower per hectare (hp/ hectare). According to the Managing Director of Dizengoff Nigeria, Richard Hargrave, Nigeria was blessed with around 12.3 million farmers, making it 14th in the world.

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 29

the proceeds of fraud, corruption and other economic and financial crime usually pass through financial institutions. In fact, a few Nigerian banks had been fined in the past, both here and abroad, for not fully complying with Anti-Money Laundering/Combating the Financing of Terrorism (AMT/CFT) regulations. So, I can confidently tell you that since President Buhari announced that he was going to recover stolen funds, many bank executives have been having sleepless nights and praying that their deals with corrupt government officials would not be exposed.” Interestingly, shortly after he was suspended from office last year for alleging that the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) had failed to remit $20 billion to the Federation account, former CBN Governor, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, claimed in an interview published in the New York Times, that he had begun a process to trace the missing oil money to some banks before he was suspended. He revealed that he had a semi-monthly meeting with bank chiefs where he “threatened to open the books of the bankers, to trace the money.” Sanusi said that he suspected

broking community, the management of the Exchange had, in September 2011, introduced the ranking of the brokers by transaction value and volume. Managing Director of Securities Africa Financial Limited, Mr. Folabi Afolayan, had identified volume of transactions as a major challenge facing stockbroking firms in Nigeria. He said that institutions, mainly foreign, have been dominating the market, while the domestic retail investors have not sufficiently returned to the market since the financial crisis of 2008/2009. Afolayan pointed out that there are a few stockbrokers working with these foreign institutions who collectively control the major volumes traded in the market. “Foreign investors are also very sensitive and any information that reflects uncertainty in politics and government policies trigger a fast withdrawal from the market, which results in high level of volatility. “Thus, the market still suffers from confidence issues within the domestic sector. We need increased level of domestic participation to improve the volume of trades and to contain the high volatility currently being experienced in the market. Other challenges, according to him, include the issue of brokerage commission, as well as the increase in regulatory costs of doing business.

Banks fret over stolen funds’ recovery some lenders were laundering stolen oil money. “Some of them were not giving information about their accounts; I told them I would order a special examination,” the newspaper quoted Sanusi as saying. The former CBN governor stated that many of the bankers went straight to government, adding that two of the bankers whom he would not name, “went and reported to the Petroleum Minister (Mrs. Diezani AlisonMadueke).” He alleged that the then President, Goodluck Jonathan, suspended him because he did not want him to bring out any more information that would get the bankers into trouble. President Buhari had vowed in his first meeting with state governors after he was sworn in on May 29, that the days of impunity, lack of accountability and fiscal recklessness in the management of national resources were over in Nigeria. He had said: “The next three months may be hard, but billions of dollars can be recovered and we will do our best.” The report of the Thabo Mbeki High Level Panel on Illicit Financial Flows from Af-

rica adopted last February by African Union Heads of State and Government at their summit in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, noted that Nigeria accounts for about 68.1 per cent of the total revenue Africa lost in a decade as a result of illegal transfer of revenue abroad. The study said that about $40.9 billion (N6.87 trillion) of an estimated $60 billion (about N10.08 trillion) lost through such transfers from Africa in a decade (2001-2010) are traced to Nigeria. The funds are stolen through corruption, tax evasion and illegal transfer of profits by multinationals, the AU said. The report also identified Egypt and Morocco as the other countries with the largest estimates of illicit financial flows statistics of $28.2 billion and $20.3 billion respectively. Cumulatively, Nigeria and Egypt topped the list of ten African countries with illicit financial transfers between 1970 and 2008, with $217.7 billion (about N36.57 trillion), or 30.5 per cent, and $105.2 billion (about N17.67 trillion), or 14.7 per cent respectively, while South Africa had $81.8 billion (about N13.74 trillion), or 11.4 per cent.

NEW TELEGRAPH WEDNESDAY, JULY 8, 2015

FCT Business Watch Abdulwahab Isa Abuja

s much as contending parties in the Excess Crude Account (ECA) depletion controversy try to exonerate themselves in the blame game, the dust has refused to fizzle out, as the parties return to the trenches. Created in 2004 by former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s administration, ECA was meant to serve as a buffer to harvest excess funds that may be realised above budgeted crude price at the international oil markets. A novel idea though, ECA at birth was stiffly resisted by one of its key stakeholders, the states. Essentially, its objective is primarily to protect planned budgets against shortfalls arising from volatile crude oil prices. By delinking government expenditures from oil revenues, the ECA aims to insulate the Nigerian economy from external shocks. Rainy days At inception, the account did enjoy buoyant moment. Between 2005, 2006 and spanning to 2008 and 2009, Nigeria’s crude oil witnessed a drastic surge both in demand and price at the international markets. Besides its position as the sixth largest oil exporting nation in the ranking of OPEC, Nigeria was a key supplier of crude to the United States. The surge in crude oil prices between 2008 and 2010 rapidly increased accruals to ECA to almost four-fold, from $5.1 billion in 2005 to over $20 billion by November 2011. Draw down The cut in demand of Nigeria’s crude oil by the US coupled with development in Shale Oil in 2012 combined to whittle down both supply and oil price at the international market. Invariably, these developments began to impact fund transfers on a monthly basis as statutory allocations to the federation account for onward sharing by the three tiers of government decreased month after month. The dwindling in monthly allocations available for sharing spurred agitation to dip hands into ECA’s purse to make up the short fall in statutory allocation. States’ commissioners of finance, acting on the prompting of their governors, craved for this. Month after month as monthly allocations shrank, the Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC), the statutory body responsible for the approval and sharing of allocations for the three tiers of government began a piece meal slice of a once robust account. From a hitherto balance in excess of $20 billion a few years ago, the ECA fell $9.24 billion in January 2013. Realising the fast erosion of the account and its implication on the economy, a former Minister of State for Finance, who

ECA depletion: Hard lessons on financial prudence

Okonjo- Iweala

Oshiomhole

doubled as FAAC Chair, Dr. Yerima Ngama, set a benchmark of propping up the account to $10 billion before December of 2013. Curiously, money, a liquid and transient commodity defied Ngama’s boastful assertion. From $9.34 billion ECA balance in January 2013, it was drawn down to $5 billion in November 2013. Blame game With the abysmal crash in ECA balance, the stage was set for confrontation by two arms of government-the Presidency and states. The immediate past governor of Rivers State, Rotimi Chibuike Amechi, raised the alarm in 2013, which apparently, drew the attention of his colleagues to withdrawals in the account. In one of the sessions of his factional governors’ forum, Amechi demanded explanation from the Presidency on how the ECA balance was depleted from $20 billion to $5 billion. He said the Presidency owed states an explanation on how the ECA was reduced to a low balance. His position found support from his other forum members. Former Adamawa State Governor, Murtala Nyako, joined in the fray, challenging the Presidency to give facts and figures on the alleged depletion of the account. The face-off, which started in 2013, has refused to thaw down. It was again re-ignited months ago by the All Progressives Congress (APC) governors. The latest push for proper account rendering came few weeks to the winding down of Goodluck Jonathan’s administration. The governors had requested

With the abysmal crash in ECA balance, the stage was set for confrontation by Presidency and states

the former Coordinating Minister for the Economy/ Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo- Iweala, to account for the ECA balance. They cited states’ inability to pay salaries to insufficient allocations. In a swift reaction, the former minister described the governors’ order as strange, saying that issues concerning ECA were always discussed with the finance commissioners of each of the states. The Special Adviser to the Minister, Mr. Paul Nwabuikwu, in a statement, noted that “the statement by the governors is totally strange because FAAC meets every month and the ECA is discussed at every session with all the state commissioners of finance present.” Responding to the governors’ demand requesting for detailed disclosures of the account, the former CME, a few days to the administration’s exit date, provided in details what went to the 36 states from the ECA. Between 2011 and 2014, she said the 36 states received a total of N2.92 trillion from the account with Akwa-Ibom. Rivers, Lagos, Bayelsa Delta and Kano receiving the highest allocations. Federal government’s share during the period stood N3.29 trillion. Figures released on behalf of the former minister of finance by her media aide showed that states received N966.6 billion in 2011, N816.3 billion in 2012, N859.4 billion in 2013 and N282.8 in 2014. Apparently not satisfied with the explanation by former CME, the Edo State Governor, Adams Oshiomhole, took Okonjo Iweala up in an article entitled, “Economy: Okonjo-Iweala’s hidden figures,” where the governor

insisted that the minister must disclose to the nation full details of subsidy payments made to oil marketers in the last four years. But for ECA , there may never be a convincing explanation deemed appropriate to rest the issue as the ECA controversy resonated last week. It was brought to the front burner under President Muhammadu Buhari’s new administration. The cash crunch that had hit states has turned them to a corporate beggars. With many states confronted with unpaid staff salaries in excess of seven months, governors went cap in hand soliciting the Federal Government’s assistance in form of financial bail-out. Apparently, the salary dilemma confronting states ignited the need for a proper rendering of ECA expenditure. The governors as usual, still held former finance minister culpable for mismanaging the fund. At the inauguration of the National Economic Council Meeting by President Muhammadu Buhari, the governors accused the former minister of spending $2.1 billion from Nigeria’s ECA without authorisation. Wake up call for diversification Though the Federal Government has given the task of looking at what went wrong in the administration of ECA to a constituted panel of four, made up of Governors Oshiomhole, Nasir el-Rufai, Udom Emmanuel and Ibrahim Dankwambo, the imperative of diversifying the nation’s source of earnings from oil has been reestablished against the backdrop of unpredictable volatility that easily characterises oil market. While a more transparent method of managing ECA and other similar states’ accounts is envisaged under a new Buhari adminstration, experts had before now, suggested the need for each state to look inward and develop resources in their respective domain and depend less on the monthly allocation from the centre. Conclusion Apparently, some useful lessons have been learnt in the squandering and mismanamgment of ECA. From the foregoing, a robust buffer account meant to be deployed in cushioning unexpected fall in prices of crude oil as is currently being experienced, has been regrettably mis-applied. The breach in the principle of keeping fund in the reserves for the rainy days has exposed the economy to its bleakest moment. The current buck passing is a needless squabble. It is in the best interest of stakeholders to be more financially prudent now and in the future.

Business |Money

n her Global Focus report recently made available to New Telegraph, Managing Director, Head, Africa Macro Research, Standard Chartered Bank, Razia Khan, said: “Nigeria’s economy registered growth of only 3.96 per cent y/y in Q1-2015, down from 5.9 per cent in Q4-2014. Nigeria’s oil sector contracted by eight per cent y/y in Q1, following growth of one per cent in the previous quarter. Decelerating growth was seen across most sectors in Q1, with the exception of crop production.” The below par performance of the economy during this period has been attributed by analysts to the uncertainty and fear of political violence that trailed the polls. Thus, the expectation in most quarters was that with the elections done with, business activities would quickly pick up in the second quarter. Crippling fuel shortages However, this did not happen because while Nigerians were looking forward to the victors in the elections being sworn in on May 29, a strike embarked upon by petroleum dealers brought economic activities in most parts of the country virtual to a halt for over a week. Indeed, the impact of the strike was so severe that for the first time in over two decades, most commercial banks had to bring forward their closing hours when imported diesel for generators disappeared from the market. CBN’s unending naira battle Also, while politics may have taken a centre stage in the country in March and April, banks were still grappling with some of the measures that the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) introduced in the first quarter to stabilise the exchange rate. Of particular concern to authorised forex dealers was CBN’s decision, last February, to scrap the Retail Dutch Auction System (RDAS) window. That move, which resulted in the naira being officially devalued to between N197 and N200 to the dollar, was seen by financial analysts as an indication that the CBN was prepared to allow the naira to adjust to market forces. For instance, commenting on the scrapping of the RDAS window, Razia Khan noted: “This is positive news and should help create more transparency in the Nigerian market. However, with oil prices currently at levels where foreign exchange reserves will be difficult to replenish, the CBN’s appetite for continued support of the interbank foreign exchange rate will be closely monitored.” Similarly, the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Financial Derivatives Company Limited (FDC), Mr. Bismarck Rewane, commended the CBN, saying: “We are moving from a price discriminatory monopoly to a market of pure competition. The currency will be priced at a fair value and people will no longer buy foreign exchange for speculative purposes.” In fact, it did initially appear that the closure of the RDAS had

WEDNESDAY, JULY 8, 2015 NEW TELEGRAPH

2015 Half Year Review

Naira struggles as Adesina clinches AfDB’s presidency Following the euphoria that greeted the peaceful outcome of the March 28, 2015 presidential elections, the expectation in financial circles was that the economy would fare much better in the second quarter of the year. But the reverse was the case. Tony Chukwunyem reports

Emefiele

Adesina

helped to stabilise the naira, as the local currency continued trading at the N197-N198/$ CBN peg at the Interbank Foreign Exchange Market (IFEM). However, it remained volatile on the parallel market, exchanging at between N218 and N222 to the dollar. Dealers blamed the development on the lack of liquidity in the market triggered by the closure of the RDAS. Consequently, they urged the CBN to ease the forex restrictions. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) and other influential foreign institutions added their voices to this call. CRR harmonisation Against this background, there were speculations that the CBN’s Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) would devalue the naira at its May meeting. The assumptions proved unfounded as the committee, at the end of the meeting, retained the Monetary Policy rate (MPR) at 13 per cent and harmonised the Cash Reserve Requirement (CRR) of both public and private sectors to 31 per cent. Prior to the harmonisation, the CRR on private sector deposits was 20 per cent, while that of the public sector was at 75 per cent. According to CBN Governor, Mr. Godwin Emefiele, the harmonisation of the CRR was imperative to curb abuses and improve the efficacy of monetary policy. He said: “What we have done is to have a composite rate. There is no need for us to have CRR segregated for the private sector and the public sector deposit. The 31

per cent is just a composite rate, which just brings it together and there is no need for anybody to continue to wonder whether we are taking CRR based on public sector or on private sector. “It is basically for us to achieve the efficacy of the CRR regime of the monetary policy.” He said that the committee was optimistic that slow pace of economic activity would improve with the positive outlook of the general elections and progress made in fight against insurgency.

Q2 growth may be slower still, reflecting a slowdown in activity around the elections, and the transition to a new government

JP Morgan’s deadline extension But international investors and analysts were clearly not impressed because early last month, JPMorgan and Chase repeated its threat to remove Nigeria from its Government Bond - Emerging Market (GBI) indexes, which are tracked by over $200 billion of funds due to what it says is the failure of the CBN to ease restrictions in the foreign exchange market. It, however, said that it would put off taking a decision on the issue until the end of the year because of the election of a new government. The lender said in a statement: “The key focus will be on consistency and observing a reliable record of liquidity, transparency and minimal hurdles for investors to transact,” adding that the extension “takes into account that additional time is required to assess the mentioned factors, given the arrival of a new administration.” JPMorgan placed Nigeria on “index watch negative” on January 16, saying that the apex bank measures in December had re-

duced foreign exchange and bond trading and made it difficult for investors to replicate the gauge. Nigeria has a 1.8 per cent weighting in the gauge. BDCs’ suspension Nevertheless, in continuation of efforts to check the activities of speculators, the CBN, during the period, suspended 437 bureaux de change (BDC) operators from accessing its weekly dollars sales from the foreign exchange market, slamming a N2 million fine on each of them for non-rendition of their monthly returns to the apex bank. However, the action resulted in more pressure being put on the naira at the parallel market, as there was a reduction in supply from BDCs. Barring of forex sales to some importers But clearly, the most significant measure introduced by the CBN last month as part of efforts to beef up the fast-depleting external reserves and protect the naira, was its decision to stop the sales of foreign exchange to importers of rice, private jets, textiles, tomato paste, poultry products and 35 other times. The CBN, in a circular dated June 23, 2015, stated that the implementation of the policy would help to conserve foreign reserves and facilitate the resuscitation of domestic industries as well as generate employment. The list of 41 items included cement, furniture, margarine, palm kernel, vegetable oil, poultry products (chicken, eggs and turkey), Indian incense, tinned fish in sauce (Geisha, Sardines), cold rolled steel sheets, galvanised steel, roofing sheets, wheelbarrows, head pans, metal boxes and containers, and enamelware. Others were steel drum, steel pipes, wire mesh, steel nails, wire rods, security wire, wood particle and board, wood fibre boards and panel, plywood board and panel, wooden doors, toothpicks, glass and glassware, kitchen utensils, tableware, tiles and wooden fabrics, plastic and rubber products, and soap and cosmetics. Adesina’s AfDB triumph Although, issues relating to the exchange rate were the main focus in the local financial scene during the last quarter, it was also during this period that the country’s former Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, was elected president of the African Development Bank (AfDB). The former minister, who contested along with seven other prominent Africans, will take over from the outgoing president, Mr. Donald Kaberuka, on CONTINUED ON PAGE 33

Business | Money

NEW TELEGRAPH WEDNESDAY, JULY 8, 2015

How corporate governance code boosts NFPOs, by expert

Fortification

The code enhances transparency and accountability

fairness in their dealings with members of the public. He listed some of the characteristics of organisations that come under the category of NFPOs to include not being set up for profit-making; has no real owner and does not use the funds generated by it in its operation for the financial benefit

Tony Chukwunyem

he weak statutory and regulatory framework for the administration of Not-For-Profit Organisations (NFPOs) in the country and low public awareness of their activities and operations, were key reasons why they need a corporate governance code, Vice President, Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators of Nigeria (ICSAN), Dr. Nat Ofo, has said. He disclosed this at the Financial Reporting Council of Nigeria’s (FRC) organised public hearing for NFPOs on the draft national code of corporate governance in Lagos. Ofo noted that concerns had been expressed in some quarters regarding the operations of NFPOs because of their tenuous structures. He explained that operating with a code of corporate governance will also bring other benefits for NFPOs such as enabling them to have enhanced structure and operate in manner that will be transparent, accountable and responsible. Besides, he said that it would also help them in exercising

of any owners and has no share capital. Additionally, he said that revenues are not for distribution as profits or dividends and revenues are retained by the organisation for its self-preservation, expansion, or for the pursuit of its objectives. Earlier, in her remarks, the Chairman,

culties, it was mainly because they have weak corporate governance. Ibrahim noted that the public hearing was significant because it provided a platform for the exchange of views that would equip the FRC with wide perspectives, thus enhancing the national code and

ensuring that it was in tune with best corporate governance practices around the world. The public hearing on the national code of corporate governance was earlier scheduled to hold on May 19, but the FRC suspended the event, citing a court injunction obtained against it by some shareholders. However, the Council was latter granted leave by a Federal High Court to proceed with the public hearings on the code for the public and private sectors as well as NFPOs.

L-R: Divisional Head, Large Enterprises, Bank of Industry (BoI), Mr. Joseph Babatunde; Permanent Secretary, Niger State Ministry of Works and Infrastructure Development, Mr. Abubakar Salisu; Musician, Dapo Oyebanji (D’banj), Chairman, Institute of Electrical Electronics Engineers (IEEE), Prof. Gloria Chukwudebe, Managing Director/CEO, GVE Project Limited, Mr. Ifeanyi Orajaka, Managing Director/CEO, BoI, Mr. Rasheed Olaoluwa and Executive Director, Small and Medium Enterprises, Mr. Waheed Olagunju, during the presentation of cheques to the bank’s solar energy customers, in Lagos.

‘Why emerging-market firms acquire new shops abroad’

Governing board, FRC, Hajia Maryam Ladi Ibrahim, stated that the concept of good corporate governance was essential to the health of NFOs, companies and their stakeholders. She added that research has shown that when entities, both at home and abroad, are having financial diffi-

ultinational companies headquartered in emerging markets are increasingly looking to penetrate new markets — just like multinationals in developed markets do. The major reason for this development, according to a report published by Mckinsey & Company, is that these companies reach across borders to seek out firms that are unable to produce at full capacity due to limited access to strategic resources, such as technology, management capabilities, or other intangible assets in their home markets. The report disclosed that over the longer term, only about a third of cross-border Merger & Acquisition (M&A) deals by emerging-market companies have been made to enter new markets, acquire natural resources, or improve efficiency — deal types that are more common among developed-market buyers. According to the study, “that pattern, however, is changing. As emerging-market companies have developed and matured, they’ve completed fewer deals in pursuit of strategic resourc-

es and more deals to tap into new markets, often located in other emerging countries. In general, market seekers are mostly from nondurable consumer-goods industries or wholesale and retail.” It further stated that around every fifth dollar spent for cross-border M&A by emerging-market companies has been in pursuit of natural resources—though the scarcity of certain resources, such as rare earths, has not led to proportionately more deals to secure access to them since 2010. “The least common reason for emerging-market companies to acquire abroad is in pursuit of efficiency. Motivated by low labour costs, or specific government policies related to import barriers, or investment incentives, acquirers move manufacturing capacity to foreign markets by acquiring production-related companies abroad. The small but admittedly growing portion of efficiency-seeking M&A by emerging-market bidders mainly flows into other emerging countries, where production factors are comparatively cheap,” the report said.

Africa leads world in entrepreneurship charts –Survey

frican States led countries from other continents in a research study of countries with highest level of entrepreneurship carried out by UK-based business networking group, Approved Index. The number was calculated by the percentage of the adult population that owns or co-owns a new business and has paid salaries or wages for

three or more months. According to the report, Uganda topped the chart with an impressive 28 per cent of the country’s population saying that they are entrepreneurs taking advantage of the nation’s new-found freedom after decades of dictatorship. “Many of the self-employed are seeing their businesses expand because of the country’s recently laid fibre optic cables

that connect even remote villages to the Internet.” While women are dominating the entrepreneurial landscape in Uganda to increase their economic prospects, the challenges stacked against them are still heavy. According to the report, although women own 40 per cent of all businesses, 93 per cent of business credit still goes to men.

Naira struggles as Adesina clinches AfDB presidency CONTINUED FROM PAGE 32

September 1, 2015, to become the AfDB’s eighth president. Inflation In line with analysts’ expectations, the inflation rate has been rising steadily since the beginning of the year, it rose to 8.2 per cent in January from eight per cent the previous month and increased to 8.4 per cent in February. It further inched up to 8.5 per cent in March, rising to 8.7 per cent in April

and hitting nine per cent in May. June inflation is also expected to rise. Conclusion Although figures on how the economy and the banks performed in the second quarter are not yet available, analysts are already predicting that the performance would not be significantly different from the previous quarters. For instance, in her report earlier referred to, Razia Khan, stated: “Q2 growth may be slower still, reflect-

ing a slowdown in activity around the elections, and the transition to a new government. The severity of fuel shortages in May, culminating in a shortfall in imported diesel for generators, had a more pronounced impact on the services sector than is typically the case. A growing queue for foreign exchange, as Nigeria’s ‘order matching’ FX system fails to meet all demand, may result in a further delay to corporate investment plans, potentially postponing recovery.”

Business | The Investor

WEDNESDAY, JULY 8, 2015 NEW TELEGRAPH

2015 Half Year Review Chris Ugwu

xpectations by some market watchers that the peaceful general elections and subsequent smooth handover to a new government would drive investors’ optimism to galvanise stock market activities during the second quarter of the year was dashed by the bearish trends that characterised local bourse in the first half of 2015. The nation’s capital market had responded positively after elections, surging 20 per cent between March 20 and April 13, following the euphoria and excitement that greeted the successful general elections. However, despite the expectations ahead of the release of half-year corporate results of quoted companies, the market had sustained depression since the inauguration of the new government, as investors continue to eagerly wait for President Muhammadu Buhari to make necessary appointments and unveil the economic direction of his administration. The Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE), taking a cue from market downturn in 2014, began the 2015 financial year on an unfavourable note with key measurement indicators tilting southwards to finish the second quarter with a loss of 3.46 per cent in market performance indices. The NSE’s market capitalisation depreciated by N56 billion to close at N1.421 trillion at the close of business by the end of second quarter (June 30) from N11.477 trillion opening figure at the beginning of trading in January. Drop in equities’ value The NSE All Shares Index dropped by 3.46 per cent or 1200.32 basis points for the period under review; from 34,657.15 points it opened during the beginning of trading, to close at 33,456.83 points. The NSE Index hit its 2015 peak of 35,728.12 on April 2, the day after Buhari was declared the election winner. Since then it has fallen eight per cent The index measures the performance of the stock market and also reflects how prices of stocks have moved, which in turn determines how much an investor gained or lost. Reasons bearish run Foreign and domestic investors had, during the first half of the year, sold off Nigerian stocks due to the fears created by the 2015 general election tensions and fall in the prices of crude at the international markets. The tension between the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its major opposition, the All Progressive Congress (APC) led to a lull in the equities market as investors, mostly foreign, evaluated the electoral process and its outcome. Besides, Foreign Portfolio Investments (FPI) remained wary of the local bourse until the elections were concluded and possible violent fall outs curbed. However, with the elections over and smooth handover to

NSE’s trading floor

Uncertainty retards stock market growth President Buhari, market watchers expected that these would herald a bullish market, but the reverse has being the case. Added to these, is the delay by the new administration of Buhari to name ministers and other officials who will give clear policy direction of the economy. This had cost investors on the Exchange about N237 billion during the last month of the first half of the year Investors had been particularly wary of the outlook for Nigeria, Africa’s largest economy and the world’s number four oil producer. Global benchmark oil prices have fallen more than 50 per cent in recent months, diminishing the value of Nigeria’s currency and leaving a gaping hole in government revenue. This necessitated the revising of the projected economic growth rate of Nigeria by the World Bank in 2015 from 6.3 per cent to 5.5 per cent. SEC’s new DG Following the exit of the Director General of Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Ms. Arunma Oteh, the erstwhile Executive Commissioner, Operations in the Commission, Mr. Mounir H. Gwarzo, was confirmed as the substantive SEC DG by the immediate past President Goodluck Jonathan during the second quarter of the year. Gwarzo was born 50 years ago in Kano and attended Bayero University, Kano and graduated with a Bachelors Degree in Economics in 1987. In 1991, he proceeded to the University of Birmingham

in the United Kingdom where he obtained a Post Graduate Degree in Development Finance. Gwarzo is an Associate Member of the Chartered Institute of Stock Brokers. In 2005 he became a Fellow of the Institute. However, despite series of strategies including tighter regulatory frameworks and reforms in the nation’s capital market initiated by SEC and the Exchange, the first half of 2015 was not the best of times for investors due to the dwindled fortunes and the continuous volatility witnessed in prices of shares.

The first half of 2015 was not the best of times for investors

Analysts’ perspectives Chief Executive Officer, Financial Derivatives Companies (FDC) Limited, Mr. Bismark Rewane, said that the downturn in the nation’s capital market was sustained because of the challenging economic outlook, which has continued to fuel negative sentiments on the capital market. Reviewing the stock market at the end of June, analysts at FBN Capital said: “Both Lagos and Nairobi stock markets have declined this year by -4.1 per cent and -5.4 per cent ytd respectively, whereas the more liquid and far larger Johannesburg bourse has gained 5.8 per cent. Lagos has been the more erratic, shedding -14.7 per cent in January alone on the negative macro headwinds yet gaining 20.0 per cent between 20 March and 13 April on an election-driven surge. The NSEASI has since been in broad retreat on a combination of poor company results and a sense of drift since

the handover to the new administration on 29 May.” The experts at FBN Capital noted that the APC assumed power at the end of the transition with a good deal of goodwill with the population and investors. They however, noted: “The market is waiting impatiently for new appointments and policies. We have often said that its largest challenge is not fiscal but institutional (the willingness of the legislature and the executive, both APC dominated, to work together). It gives us no pleasure to point out that our call has been vindicated. “We have seen alarmist stories that core ministerial appointments may not be made until the assembly returns from its summer recess in September and hope that they represent indirect pressure on the legislature to deliver.” Foreign investors’ view The cabinet delay won’t please investors, said Alan Cameron, an economist at Exotix Partners LLP. “They’re expecting tighter fiscal policy, a currency devaluation and a greater focus on tax collection after the drop in oil prices,” he said. “There was initially some hope that Buhari would be able to tackle these changes more quickly and with more credibility, but the time line has now been pushed back,” Cameron said by phone from London. “It’s going to be a difficult pill to swallow for foreign investors.” Conclusion Due to the delay in the formation of the cabinet and lack of vital information about what the economy direction is going to look like, it is expected that investors are unlikely to make significant investment in the market unless there is a clearer picture of the policy direction of government.

NEW TELEGRAPH WEDNESDAY, JULY 8, 2015

Wharf landing fees: Stakeholder flays Lagos govt p.36

Maritime

‘NIMASA lost focus on maritime administration’ p.37

2015 HALF YEAR REVIEW

Gridlock and inadequate power supply in most of the port terminals crippled maritime business in the last six months as Nigerian imports were being diverted to neighbouring ports. BAYO AKOMOLAFE reports The challenge The Nigerian maritime industry has faced a lot of challenges in the last six months. Some of them are armed robbery at the waterfront, poor roads, gridlock, and inconsistency in government policy, among others. Since the beginning of the year, the port sector witnessed low imports and customs revenue generation was affected negatively, especially in January and February, but it picked up in the second quarter. It was revealed that the poor value of the country’s currency and the general elections were responsible for the low revenue in the first three months. Between January and June, cargo traffic to the ports dropped by over 50 per cent while the automobile policy was scuttled twice in the last six months. Also, attempt by the Council for the Registration of Freight Forwarders in Nigeria to collect professional operating fee were rebuffed by customs agents. The General Manager, Commercial Services of Five Star Logistics Terminal, Mr. Rigo Nazzari, for instance, complained of inconsistency in government’s economic policy. The general manager said that lack of electricity from the national grid and declining cargo volume were some of the challenges confronting them in Lagos and Tincan ports. He noted that the policy on importation of vehicles had affected the operations of the terminal adversely. Nazzari stressed that his terminal had, since the beginning of the year, witnessed a 55 per cent drop in cargo traffic. “The flip-plop policy issue of government has affected us mostly because we are primarily a Roro terminal. We have had about 55 per cent decrease in our traffic and this has hurt us tremendously,” he added. Customs The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) began the implementation of the Economic Community of West African States’ Common External Tariff (CET) in April, 2015, in Nigerian ports and borders. The implementation of

Poor electricity, gridlock hinder marine business

Chairman, STOAN, Vicky Haastrup

the ECOWAS CET (2015 - 2019) together with its Supplementary Protection Measures (SPM) and 2015 Fiscal Policy Measures (FPM) occur concurrently. Also, government sealed off 20,878 bales of printed African fabrics, 21,980 bales of high grade brocade materials, 6,127 bales of lace materials, 554 bales of polyester materials and 30 rolls of curtain materials in 75 warehouses in Kano that were valued at N3 trillion over import under-declaration. But it released the cargoes to the consignees in June. Customs at the Tin-can Island Command recorded N20.9 billion revenue in January, as against the N21.5 billion recorded in the corresponding period in 2014. Its Public Relations Officer, Mr. Chris Osunkwo, said that the value of naira and the preparation for the general elections were responsible for the shortfall in revenue. As part of efforts to facilitate trade at port, the NCS redeployed 300 officers out of Lagos ports over corruption. The affected officers were moved out of the ports based on complaints of corruption from the various commands in Lagos. In the period, the service suspended a deputy comptroller, five assistant comptrollers and 17 other officers over allegation of rape, extortion of $13,000 and other offences. Auto policy The importation of vehicles through the roll on-roll off terminal witnessed low imports since the beginning of the year despite the shift in the implementation of the second phase of the policy for the fourth time.

DG, NIMASA, Patrick Akpobolokemi

ES, Shippers’ Council, Hassan Bello

It was revealed that the volume of vehicles coming into the Port and Terminal Multi-services Limited (PTML) and Five Star Logistics in Tincan Island Port had dropped by 50 per cent, as importers preferred Cotonou port. Managing Director of the company, Mr. Asconio Russo, said that the volume of vehicles had reduced by half since the introduction of the auto policy and might even get worse if government fully implements the policy. He explained: “I may not want to comment on government policy because it is not my prerogative, but I can give you the figures. I can tell you that the number of vehicles being discharged all over Nigeria - I am not talking about our terminal alone, but in the entire country, - has dropped by 50 per cent.”

Between January and June, cargo traffic to the ports dropped by over 50 per cent

Commodities imports There was surge in the importation of commodities such as textile material, petroleum products, palm oil, rice, wheat, sugar, soya bean and maize despite government’s policy. Illegal rice import from neighbouring countries was on the increase. Rice production in the country, which stands at 3.1 metric tons, was down by 22.4 per cent. In March, the Thailand rice merchants reduced tariff on rice. However, in June, Nigeria’s forex trouble lowered the Indian non-basmati rice import to the country by 10 per cent. LCCI on port charges Since the beginning of the year, some importers have shifted to neighbouring ports because of high import charges. The Lagos Chamber of Com-

merce and Industry (LCCI) President, Mr. Remi Bello, had complained that importers and manufacturers were facing the high interest charges on funds used to finance the imports. He noted that the delay experienced in the delivery of raw materials to various factories, which disrupts production time lines and some premium charges by shipping lines on Nigeria-bound vessels made some importers to patronise other ports. CBN’s import policy The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) said that importers would no longer access Foreign Exchange from banks and bureau de change for such importation. Some of the affected products include rice, cement, margarine, palm kernel, palm oil products, meat and processed meat products, vegetables, private airplanes and jets, Indian incense, tinned fish, galvanised steel sheet, roofing sheet and furniture. Its Governor, Mr. Godwin Emefiele, said that the measure would prevent further depletion of the country’s foreign reserve. He said that the country was spending huge amount to import things that could be produced locally. Emefiele noted that the apex bank would not continue to support the importation of such items through the use of the hard earned foreign exchange. “Importers who may want to continue importing these goods would have to seek their foreign exchange from their own private sources. CONTINUED ON PAGE 37

Business | Maritime

INJUSTICE Port community does not benefit from revenue collection Bayo Akomolafe

maritime stakeholder and Chief Executive Officer of ADLAD Group of Companies, Prince Aderemi Olikuntuyi, has said that the Lagos State government had failed to use part of the proceeds from the Wharf Landing Fees (WLF) to fix

WEDNESDAY, JULY 8, 2015 NEW TELEGRAPH

Wharf landing fees: Stakeholder flays Lagos govt the dilapidated portions of the port access roads where the money was being generated. He explained that the Wharf Landing Fees was a concept he copied from Gatwick Authorities in the United Kingdom where the magnitude of trailers coming to the area deprives the citizens of social life. The chief executive

officer said that the continuous collection of Wharf Landing Fees by the Apapa Local Government on the Apapa port access roads was wrong, alleging that the money was not being used for the purpose it was meant. Olikuntuyi said that he introduced WLF to the former Chairman of Apapa Local Government, Senator Muniru

Muse, insisting that the collectors have derailed from the original concept. He said: “This is the idea I brought to Alhaji Muse, my friend and I told him that it will be broken into three parts-one for the local government, one for the state government and one for the association of freight forwarders. “The money was sup-

posed to be applied on the bad state of the roads as we are seeing it today. “The wharf landing fee would also have been a succour for the communities that are closer to the port because the presence of the traffic to the port would have deprived them of so many things, including social life. “Wharf landing fees would have been de-

ployed to help the communities, but I modified it because of our own environment and system. I said that it should be broken into three so that the association of forwarders can also benefit.” He alleged that the money was being pocketed by a few people, alleging that government had derailed from the original plans. The chief executive officer challenged the federal and state governments to jettison calls by truck owners to provide parks, saying that it was an aberration for government to provide parking spaces for truck owners, including Association of Maritime Truck Owners (AMARTO) and National Association of Road Transport Owners (NARTO). He urged the maritime truck owners to acquire a parking space for the trucks before going into the business and stop constituting a nuisance at the ports. He stressed: “Government today does not pay for the office where I am using, why should truck owners be demanding parking space from government? Before going into the business, you must have understood the environment and procure a parking space for your truck, you intend to make money from it, so, why should they be blaming government.” Olikuntuyi, however, blamed the Federal Government for the woes of the maritime industry.

Shipping line to service Nigeria, others from Asia

he Japanese ocean carrier, MOL, has said that it would continue to serve the ports in Lagos, Cotonou, Lome and Tema from Asia. The shipping line made the pronouncement after announcing its decision to withdraw from the Europe-West Africa trade. This is despite the fact that this trade is also facing great challenges and suffered a 12 per cent year-on-year volume decline in April. Its last southbound vessel, the 2,600 Twenty Equivalent Units (TEU),Atlantic Voyager, is scheduled to depart Antwerp on August 3, with its final northbound sailing departing Tema on August 29.

Business | Maritime

NEW TELEGRAPH WEDNESDAY, JULY 8, 2015

‘NIMASA lost focus on maritime administration’ CAPACITY Nigeria has not developed a maritime system worth studying or bench marking by any maritime nation Stories by Bayo Akomolafe

maritime ICT expert has said that Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), has lost focus on maritime administration due to lack of requisite skills, knowledge and professional commitment to the maritime industry by the people appointed to midwife the agency. The maritime consultant, Mr. Edikan Umoren, explained that discerning stakeholders were looking up to the incoming administration to transform the agency. Umoren noted that Nigeria had not developed a maritime system worth studying or bench marking by Nigerians or any maritime nation. He explained that the agency had not given Nigeria the

Maritime Administration (MARAD) of her cabotage and regional dominance dream. Umoren noted that Maritime Administrations of nations had some essential attributes in common; and others as a function of maturity of their systems. He said: “What kind of advisory is NIMASA giving Nigerian government by training her maritime professionals in Ghana, Malaysia and Philippines, among others, for Certificate of Competence (CoC) while Maritime Academy Oron declines into a joke? “Where does Nigeria get her management level capacity building resource when Nigeria’s Maritime Resource Center, where Nigerian maritime operations would be researched and reviewed, is abandoned?” Umoren noted that every Maritime Academy of Nigeria (MAN), Oron, product that functions in international shipping as an officer or occupy responsible post in NIMASA or Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) had a CoC from abroad, including Ghana, while West Africa’s premier Maritime Academy in Oron had not certified the lowest

Customs agents sue ministry, others over operating fee

ustoms agents under the aegis of the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA) has sued the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Transport, Mohammed Bashir, Council for the Registration of Freight Forwarding in Nigeria (CRFFN) and the Inspector-General over the collection of Practitioners Operating Fee (POF). Also brought before the Federal High Court, Ikoyi, Lagos, were the Attorney-General of the Federation; National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF); National Association of Freight Forwarders and Consolidators (NAFFAC); National Council of Managing Directors of Licensed Customs Agents (NCMDLCA); the Association of Registered Freight Forwarders, Nigeria (AREFFN); National Aviation Handling Company (NAHCO); Skyway Aviation Handling Company (SAHCOL) and the West Africa Container Terminal Association (WACTA). In a motion on notice filed by Ayodele Olaniyi, a lawyer, on ANLCA’s behalf, the association asked the court to grant an order of interlocutory injunction restraining the defendants, their agents, servants, employees, assignees, representatives and/or privies from further collection of the Practitioners Operating Fees (POF), pending when the governing council of the CRFFN would be elected and or re-constituted and pending

the final determination of the suit. The association also sought an order of mandatory injunction restraining the InspectorGeneral of Police from using his instrument of office to coerce and intimidate its members into paying fees pending when the court would make its final pronouncement on the matter. In an affidavit in support of the motion on notice, ANLCA’s National Publicity Secretary, Dr. Kayode Farinto, averred that by virtue of the Act, which established the CRFFN, the council was only empowered to collect the fees through its Governing Council. He alleged that the governing council had been dissolved and the registrar of CRFFN assumed the duty of generally overseeing the affairs of the council. Farinto explained that the collection of the fee is an exclusive duty of the governing council, which was not in place. He alleged that the Inspector General of Police took side, with the defendants and used his office to intimidate the claimant on their refusal to pay the said fee, thereby necessitating the legal action. The counsel also requested for an order compelling the defendants to pay N50 million in damages to the association. Farinto stressed that it would be in the interest of justice if the status quo ante bellum, was maintained pending the final determination of the case.

officer cadre acceptable in international shipping. The consultant said: “Nobody comes here! There is a National Maritime Resource Development Centre (NMRDC) at Kirikiri that was planned to be ‘a centre for learning and maritime research for Africa’, which now serves as work camp for revenue collectors

and training center for ‘external content’ and inspirational speakers. “Nigerian flag ships, particularly the indigenous ones that are not part of the growing fleet of ‘cabotage busters’ flying Nigerian flag and running from remote servers in Europe, present the laxest safety standards and lowest

quality of seamen work conditions. Nigerian flag ships carry a stigma of an absent ship register. “It is common knowledge that majority of Nigerian ship owners, owe their shipboard staff their legitimate earnings with impunity. Nigerian ship register is certainly not a brand to court.”

Some containers stacked at Tincan Island Port waiting for clearance

Electricity, gridlock hinder marine business CONTINUED FROM PAGE 35

Government agencies Shippers’ Council A foreign firm, Nafith, was hired by the Nigerian Shippers Council (NSC) to sanitise the nation’s seaports this year. The move by the Council to engage the service of the firm was as a result of the illegal activities flourishing at the access roads and seaports despite the presence of the Presidential Port Reform Monitoring Committee set up by The Presidency. NPA Also, the Nigeria Ports Authority (NPA) ordered the commencement of road rehabilitation in the port community in order to facilitate trade. The authority also asked the terminal operators to pay their debts in order to provide infrastructure at the port. The NPA, in February, commissioned five gabage trucks in Tin Can Island Port as part of efforts at ensuring that wastes generated by vessels in the ports do not litter the water ways, The trucks were procured by African Circles under a joint venture arrangement between the company and the authority. African Circle is the Marine Pollution 73/78 Waste Reception Facility Operator for Nigerian Ports Authority.

NIMASA The Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) took a major step in the process of domesticating five International Maritime Organisation (IMO)’s regulatory instruments with the submission of the instrument of assent in London in June. The instruments include the Safety of Lives at Sea Protocol 1988 (as amended); the Marine Pollution MARPOL Protocol of 1997; the Protocol of 2005 to the Suppression of Unlawful Acts (SUA) Convention 1988; Protocol of 1988 to the SUA Convention Against Fixed Platforms on the Continental Shelf and the Protocol of 1988 to the International Convention on Load Lines. Also, it extended the phaseout date for single -hull tankers by five years, with the new date now December, 31, 2020, after the IMO had set an initial deadline of 2015. Also, NIMASA, had a battle with British nationals linked to some foreign private security firms offering training on the use of war weapons onboard ship. Three vessels, MT Lilac Victoria, MT UACC Eagle and MT which entered the country’s waters Morgane, were detained. The agency had explained that it was uncomfortable that vessels have high probability of enter-

ing Nigeria with disposable arms or ammunitions. Freight forwarding council The Council for Regulations of Freight Forwarders in Nigeria (CRFFN), in February, disclosed its intention to clamp down on freight forwarding companies that failed to comply with standards set by it from this year. Also, the Council said that it would crack down on quacks in the industry. There was a conflict between the freight forwarders’ groups and CRFFN, over the introduction of practitioners’ operating fees at the port. The collection was expected to net at least N2 billion per annum, which should be shared between CRFFN and the associations in the ratio of 60 per cent and 35 per cent respectively. The remaining five per cent would be shared to registered freight forwarders. The customs agents, under the aegis of National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF), passed a vote of no confidence on the CRFFN’s Registrar, Sir Mike Jukwe. Conclusion Shipping activities have been adversely affected by government bad policies in the first half year of 2015.

WEDNESday, JULY 8, 2015 NEW TELEGRAPH

NEW TELEGRAPH WEDNESDAY, JULY 8, 2015

Photo | News 39

L-R: Lecturer, Department of Aquaculture and Fisheries, University of Ibadan (UI), Prof. Olujimi Faturoti; Head, Aquaculture and Fisheries Department, Prof. Bamidele Omitoyin; Dean, Faculty of Agriculture, Prof. Eustace Iyayi and the Representative of Africa Aquaculture Productivity Programme, Dr. Oludare Adeogun, at the Entrepreneurship Development Training in Aquaculture Business at the varsity. L-R: Representative of the Vice-President, Sen. Osita Izunaso; Chief Executive Officer, Fesadeb Communication, Mr. Festus Adebayo; Chairman, Jaiz Bank, Alhaji Umaru Abdul Mutallab and Chief of Staff to the President, Senator Isa Galaudu, during the 9th Abuja Housing.

Emir of Dass, Alhaji Usman Bilyaminu (middle) and others, at the swearing-in of the Secretary to Bauchi State Government, Alhaji Ahmed Suleiman, held in Bauchi. PHOTO: NAN

Prince Bimbo Olashore (middle), with some golf professionals inspecting a golf course under construction, at Illoko-Ijesha, Osun State.

Representative of the Director-General, National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Mr. Ben Ogbeha (sixth left); representative of the Commandant, Armed Forces Command and Staff College, Brig.-Gen. Benjamin Sawyer and participants, at the opening of NEMA Simulation Exercise Tagged: Operation Utom Kiet, in Jaji, Kaduna State.

L-R: Patron, Elizabeth Band, Imole-Ayo Cherubim and Seraphim Movement Church, Bariga, Pastor Timmy Adebowale; Secretary, Mrs. Olufunmilayo Oshundina; Administrator, Little Saints Orphanage Home (LSOH), Ogudu branch, Mrs. Victoria Amos; Leader in Charge, Imole-Ayo, Dr. Stephen Adenikan (JP); Matron, LSOH, Mrs. Akintilo Aramide; president of the band, Mrs. Bisi Akeredolu, during the presentation of items to the orphanage home in Lagos.

L-R: Deputy Managing Director, Arik Air, Capt. Ado Sanusi; Airport Commandant, Murtala Mohammed International Airport (MMA), Lagos, Group Capt. Idi Sani and Managing Director, Arik Air, Mr. Chris Ndulue, during Sani’s visit to the Airline at the MMA, Ikeja, Lagos. PHOTO: TONY EGUAYE

L-R: Legal Adviser, Nigeria Airspace Management Agency (NAMA), Mrs. Anastasia Gbem; Managing Director/Chief Executive, Mr. Ibrahim Abdulsalam and National President, Nigeria Institute of Public Relations (NIPR), Dr. Rotimi Oladele, during Oladele’s visit to NAMA Headquarters, MMA, Lagos.

40 Politics Ojo Maduekwe

he inauguration of the administration of Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu on May 29, signalled the rebirth of a new Abia State. So far, the goodwill from Abians at home and abroad, and also from Nigerians across the country, are evidence of the trust placed on Ikpeazu, to which the governor has justified with thoughtful engagements since assuming office. Accepted that some people feel it is proper to give the new government some time to solidify on its promises, especially

WEDNESDAY, JUly 8, 2015 NEW TELEGRAPH

A new Abia beckons on rebuilding Aba, before raining encomium on Ikpeazu; nonetheless, the governor’s immediate actions have not left anyone in doubt as to his commitment in keeping his word to the people of Abia State. Focused on improving the living standard of every resident in the state, the governor is poised to ensuring that his campaign promises materialise from words into concrete infrastructure, more security, and, respect to the state civil servants that are the en-

gine of government. This has, no doubt, started well. From setting up of the office of Aba Urban Renewal, inaugurating the construction of seven roads in Aba to cutting down his salary and travel allowance by 50 per cent, the governor’s actions are based on the vision of opening up the state for business through the repositioning of Aba as Nigeria’s Small Medium Enterprise capital. An economic team is working tirelessly to help realise this vision.

For those who still see refuse dumps in Abia, Governor Ikpeazu’s vision to transform the state into a centre of commerce where business is conducted seamlessly, and in a secure and clean environment, has kicked off. Beneath the piles of dirt are great opportunities recognised by the new government. In no distant future, Abia would be one of the cleanest states in Nigeria and among the biggest contributors to the national coffers by virtue of its increased Internally

Generated Revenue (IGR). Work is ongoing, and structures are being laid. The government has commenced an Integrated Payroll Verification System aimed at checking the menace of ghost workers in the state; while tax collection has been stopped until the tax system is automated and harmonised. The Abia State Economic Advancement Team, which is chaired by the governor, has been tasked with the job of increasing the states monthly IGR profile from

the current average of N350 million to N1.5 billion within the next one year. In carrying out this task, the team will focus less on new taxes while channelling more energy towards plugging existing leakages. In an effort to meet the new IGR benchmark of N1.5 billion, there are existing structures the new government would build upon. For instance, when the new Umuahia City, designed to include sophisticated malls, recreational parks, housing estates, and an International Conference Centre capable of boosting the states revenue through tourism is amplified with the rapid rebuilding of Aba, Abia State will wear a new look. With a total seating capacity of about 9,000, that includes a main hall, four conference halls and a banquet hall, the centre is complete with a VIP lounge, gallery, offices and a huge parking space. A lot of revenue would be generated by the new government from this building that would be hosting some of the biggest events the country has ever seen. The centre is digital, with advanced information technology such that events can be recorded and the signal beamed live for people to watch anywhere in the world. Also, the centre is the best not only in Nigeria, but in the rest of Africa. This would help boost tourism-related revenue for the state. Also, there are yet to be tapped IGR from Aba. As the commercial and industrial nerve centre of Abia, Aba, with its plethora of small and medium scale industries, ranks as the only city in Nigeria with the largest concentration of cottage industries, a reality which has been acknowledged on several occasions by local financial organisations, and international organisations such as the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO), the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF). Only recently, the African Development Bank (AfDB) granted approval of a $200 million facility for the state to be used in tackling the challenges of water, sanitation and road construction. With this fund, which Governor Ikpeazu has assured would be applied on the Port Harcourt road, Aba, and other roads, the challenges of refuse dumps and deplorable roads within the city are being tackled. Already, the Office of Aba Urban Renewal has commenced aggressive work on the drainage system in Aba. •Maduekwe is the Special Assistant on Media to Governor Ikpeazu

Politics 41

NEW TELEGRAPH WEDNESDAY, JUly 8, 2015

Saraki

Akpabio

Alimikhena

Senate jettisons ranking rule CHUKWU DAVID reports that the Eighth Senate has gradually dropped the ranking rule, which has been in practice in the National Assembly since 2011

igeria, no doubt, is witnessing some level of change as concomitant dividends of the 2015 general elections, during which Nigerians used their voting power to dethrone the Peoples Democratic Party-led government and enthroned the All Progressives Congress (APC) government. Before the elections, Nigerians were already fed up with the seeming inability of the PDP to deliver good governance to the people. This unpalatable socio-economic state of affairs in the country consequently triggered a general outcry for change. The change actually came but some people are trying to resist it. Such people thought that the change Nigerians were clamouring for would be enough with just ensuring the ouster of the then President Goodluck Jonathan, the PDP and all the public officials in the past administration. However, change is far more than such narrow operational perception of the concept. That singular change that threw out the PDP and its leaders at various levels of governance is still expanding and penetrating virtually all the nooks and crannies of the country’s political landscape. Unfolding events since after the general elections, particularly within the executive and legislative arms, are gradually and systematically teaching Nigerians that change means doing things differently from the extant or old practice. In the National Assembly for instance, both the House of Rep-

resentatives and the Senate have what they call ranking rule in their standing rule books. Though as undemocratic and selfish as it looks, the fundamental reason for putting this condition in place is to ensure that only experienced lawmakers get leadership positions. Meanwhile, the ranking rule was not in the Senate’s standing rule from 1999 to 2007. It was at the expiration of the 6th Senate the legislators resolved to amend the standing rules to accommodate what they thought would be for the advancement of the parliament by entrusting powers only in the hands of those considered to be experienced in the business of legislation. Accordingly, the Senate on Thursday, May 19, 2011, amended its Standing Orders 2007 to amplify its provision for the preference of ranking senators in electing or selecting principal officers in the Upper Chamber. The Senate Leader in the 6th Assembly, Senator Teslim Folarin, moved the motion for the provision of a new Order 3(2) of the rules and deletion of Order 97(1f) of the existing rules to enable the Senate insert the new rule on ranking. The new rule became effective from the inauguration of the 7th Senate in 2011. That was why first timers in that Assembly were not allowed to contest for any of the leadership positions. It was only on rare cases that new senators were considered to head standing committees, otherwise, most of them were appointed deputy chairmen. Having done this, the amendment, therefore, excluded new senators from vying for positions of presiding or principal officers and give preference to ranking senators in gaining positions as principal officers or chairmen of committees. The Senate Standing Orders (2011, as amended) however, stipulates that any Senator, who has been elected and has been re-elected into the chamber has preference over a member, who is newly elected into the chamber.

Chapter II (2) of the Senate rules specifically removes any ambiguity about the status of senators in the chamber. Rule 2, with the headline: Election of presiding and other officers states that in determining ranking, “the following order shall apply: (i) Senators returning based on number of times re-elected; (II) Senators, who had been members of the House of Representatives; (iii) Senators elected as Senators for the first time.” The new Order 3(2) further states, “Nomination of senators to serve as presiding officers and appointments of principal officers and other officers of the Senate or on any parliamentary delegation shall be in accordance with the ranking of senators.” With the amendment, the reported ambition of the likes of Governors Danjuma Goje, Bukola Saraki and Abdullah Adamu, who were newly elected to the Senate in 2011 was automatically aborted. Before the inauguration of the 8th Senate, it was gathered that some new senators on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) were scheming and lobbying party elders to be elected as principal officers in the new Senate. It will be recalled that the SouthSouth and the South-East were to completely miss out in the power sharing arrangements in the 8th Senate leadership slots because the two zones did not produce any ranking senators at the polls. The South-South was able to produce Senator Francis Alimikhena, who is non-ranking member from Edo North. Going strictly by ranking, he is not qualified to take any leadership position. Then for the South-East, no single Senator emerged from the APC, thereby foreclosing the chances of the region to get a leadership slot in the Senate. However, without reversing the ranking rule through an amendment by the Senate, the upper chamber two weeks ago, appointed Senator Alimikhena as its Deputy Majority Whip.

Again, it has also been last week that the former Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Senator Godswill Akpabio, has been unanimously adopted by the South-South PDP Senate Caucus as the Senate Minority Leader. Some senators who reacted to the development argued that, as long as what is happening is the wish of the people, such changes are welcome. This means that the Senate has at least temporarily put the ranking rule to abeyance. This is obviously one of the ways the wind of change has blown and affected the parliament, proving that law is made for man and not man for the law. Therefore, any time the law can no longer satisfy the needs, yearnings and aspirations of the people, the wind of change can also blow off such legislation. Reacting to the issue of Akpabio emerging as the Senate Minority Leader, Senator Sonni Ogbuoji, who represents Ebonyi South Senatorial District, simply said: “If South South Caucus presents him, I accept their wisdom”. But during the induction course organised for members of the National Assembly by the National Institute for Legislative Studies (NILS) some senators spoke on the issue of ranking. Senator Ikemba Achonu representing Imo North supports ranking. He said: “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 Chambers. It is a good culture and tradition.” Senator Uche Ekwunife (Anambra Central) also spoke on the issue of ranking. She said: “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.”

42 Politics

WEDNESDAY, JUly 8, 2015 NEW TELEGRAPH

Sarah Olabimtan

enator Ibikunle Amosun of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has commenced his second term in office as Governor of Ogun State. This follows his conquest over Gboyega Isiaka of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) at the April 11 gubernatorial election. Amosun trounced Isiaka with 306, 988 votes against Isiaka’s 201, 440 votes. However, the poll result is particularly of essence to APC members in Ogun West Senatorial District as they contributed 89,181 votes or 29.1% of the 306, 988 votes Amosun recorded at the polls. The result is particularly important because in the run-up to the 2015 elections, sentiment was sky high that the guber election should be the moment for the coronation of a governor of YewaAwori origin having failed in 2011. Hence, two sons of the senatorial district got the tickets of the PDP and the Social Democratic Party (SDP) for the race. But at the end of the polls, Amosun whipped the two Yewa-Awori indigenes in their own backyard in Ogun West. The Owu-Abeokuta born governor polled 89, 181 votes while Isiaka, who hails from Imeko/Afon local government could only muster 69,380 votes. Odunsi from Ado-Odo/Ota got a paltry 9,200 votes. Indeed, the SDP man couldn’t muster beyond 25,826 votes in the entire state. Contrary to believe that YewaAworis didn’t vote for Amosun, the governor, in fact, secured more than 40 per cent of the total vote cast in each of the five local councils that made up the senatorial district. The result effectively put a lie of the erroneous perception that Yewa-Aworis voted for their sons in the election. The result carries a lot of implications for both the people of Ogun West and APC members in the district. Yewa-Aworis have used the vote to say in unmistakable terms that the two candidates raised against Amosun didn’t have their backing. They also said that they will rather wait for 2019 and present a viable personality as the candidate of the area. For APC members, it’s a victory of a sort. Despite being overlooked in terms of appointments, APC members braced the odds and defied all obstacles to secure the victory. It was a heroic performance for

Ogun West demands equity from Amosun

Amosun

many reasons. Two distinguished Yewa-Awori sons were overlooked by their people for the incumbent. It takes a lot of guts and political maturity to achieve that! They practically made nonsense of the popular aphorism ‘to whom much is given much is expected’. They were given little but they delivered much. For reasons best known to Governor Amosun, just a handful of appointees were picked from the senatorial district during the first term. The five local governments that made up of Ogun West had just four commissioners, two Special Advisers, two Senior Special Assistants, two Special Assistants, chairman of the State Universal Education Board (SUBEB) along with the Speaker of the State House of Assembly. In politics, electoral success is measured based on the quantum of trusted personnel on the field as well as the number of projects and level of political patronage on offer. The Ogun West experience is in sharp contrast to the array of ap-

Voters in Ogun West have demonstrated that they believe the governor

Insecurity: Northern govs, security chiefs meet Emmanuel Onani Abuja

onsequent upon the worsening state of insecurity in some parts of the North, eight governors from the region yesterday held a closed-door meeting in Abuja with Security Chiefs, the Inspector-General of Police, the Director General of the Department of State Services (DSS) as well as the Commandant General of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps. The strategic meeting, which had the consent of President Muhammadu Buhari, mandated the military

to tackle head-on cases of banditry, cattle rustling and other criminal tendencies in the affected states. The meeting, which held at the Ministry of Defence, Abuja, had in attendance Governors of Kaduna, Katsina, Kebbi, Nasarawa, Niger, Benue and Plateau states, while Zamfara State was represented by the Deputy Governor. The Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (HoS), Mr. Danladi Kifasi, who coordinated the meeting, was optimistic the security challenges will soon be contained. According to Kifasi, “I am quite satisfied with the outcome of the meeting. Obvi-

ously, for security reasons, we cannot discuss operational matters live on television. “Farmers, people who have cattle, can be rest assured that cattle rustling would be a thing of the past. “The essence of having your excellencies is to have first-hand information as well as your views about the activities of these bandits and the way forward, while the Chief of Defence Staff, the Service Chiefs, the Inspector General of Police (IGP), the Director General of the State Security Service (SSS), CommandantGeneral of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), will share their ideas about tackling the challenge.”

pointees from Ogun East Senatorial District. Ogun East with nine local governments produced the Deputy Governor, 10 commissioners, Chief of Staff to the Governor, Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Chairman of the Teaching Service Commission (TESCOM) as well as numerous Special Advisers, Senior Special Assistants and Special Assistants. In terms of project siting, Ogun West also holds the short end. The number of projects located in the district are few when compared to what obtain in Ogun East and Ogun Central. Indeed, the poor state of some busy roads like the Ilaro-Owode road contributed immensely to the not too-impressive performance of the APC in YewaSouth. The choice of the House of Assembly candidate is another drawback in the local government. The presence of Dr. Bolaji Otegbeye, an influential indigene of Yewa South on the senatorial turf on the path of SDP was equally a problem. Ilaro, the political headquarters of Ogun West, cuts a pathetic

figure in terms of deprivation when compared to its peers. For instance, Ijebu-Ode, the headquarters of Ogun East Senatorial District, enjoys far better patronage and attention than Ilaro. During the first term, Ijebu-Ode, for instance, produced chairman of TESCOM, three commissioners, two Special Advisers and numerous Senior Special Assistants and Special Assistants. It also produced the Deputy Speaker to the state House of Assembly. But only one commissioner, chairman of SUBEB and a Special Assistant were picked from Yewa-South. Several landmark projects, including two 6-lane flyovers that run across the Sagamu-Benin expressway and that resolved the usual gridlock at Lagos Garage area of the town, were equally constructed in Ijebu-Ode. The only government project in Yewa-South is a model secondary school and it is yet to be completed! All pleas to get the government to rehabilitate the decrepit Ilaro-Owode road fell on deaf ears. However, despite all the patronage and attention, Amosun lost in Ijebu-Ode. PDP won with 11,381 votes to APC’s 10,570 votes. Indeed, when placed side-byside with Ogun East District, APC members in Ogun West should be proud of the feat they attained during the election. While Amosun marginally outscored the PDP candidate in Ogun East votes by 95,526 to 94,087, the governor polled 89,181 votes in Isiaka’s Ogun West backyard. Isiaka got only 69, 380. With the 2015 electoral feat, voters in Ogun West have demonstrated that they believe the governor’s several avowals to produce a successor of Ogun West extraction in 2019. The ball is now in the court of Mr. Governor to make good his promise by empowering and appointing several Yewa-Aworis into key positions as he continues his mission to rebuild our state. •Olabimtan writes from Ota

Workers laud Ambode for early payment of salaries

n an unprecedented gesture in line with the electoral promise of Governor Akinwunmi Ambode, the salaries of the civil servants in Lagos State was paid on June 21st. This gesture was commended by many of the cvil servants in the state amongst which are Mrs Anjola Folasade of the Ministry of Finance and Mrs Bose Fash of the Ministry of Education. Others like Alhaji Tijani and Mr. Bamidele Badmus were full of appreciation to the governor for not only keeping his campaign promises but in addition have now separated the leave bonuses from the monthly salary and reverted to the old order. They expressed confidence that this gesture portends better days

for the civil servants under the new administration just as the morning shows the day. They were further elated that while other states are struggling with payment of arrears of salaries owed workers the Lagos State workers are having this good treat from the new government. The government secretariat, Alausa was agog with the shout of “Ambo ti de O, I don get alert O” from civil servants who were all in joyful mood. The civil servants were full of praise for the new administration of Ambode and promised their unflinching support towards the realisation of his lofty vision for Lagos State.

Politics 43

NEW TELEGRAPH WEDNESDAY, JUly 8, 2015

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

various sections of the country. Besides sectional tendencies, they also lamented that the mantra of change, which the APC sold to Nigerians during the campaigns may not be holistic as “President Buhari appears to be pursuing a Northern and Islamic agenda.” Proponents of these beliefs predicated their assumptions on the fact that the appointments were in clear breach of the Principle of Federal Character as contained in Section 14 (3) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended). The section states: “The composition of the Government of the Federation or any of its agencies and the conduct of its affairs shall be carried out in such a manner as to reflect the federal character of Nigeria and the need to promote national unity, and also to command national loyalty, thereby ensuring that there shall be no predominance of persons from a few states or from a few ethnic or other sectional groups in the government or any of its agencies.” Expectedly, most of the groups that have expressed worries over the appointments are from the Southern part of the country, which so far has only one of their own (Adesina) in the Presidency. The groups include Ohanaeze Ndigbo; Igbo World Union, Njiko Igbo Group and the Ohaneze Youth Council (OYC), all from the SouthEast. From the South-West are Afenifere, Yoruba Unity Forum (YUF) and the Movement for Oodua Republic (MOR). The South-South, whose son (Dr. Goodluck Jonathan) handed over to Buhari, was not left out of the cry of marginalisation. The region’s position was expressed through a group, South-South Community, Abuja chapter. S’East: Federal character or nothing President General of Ohanaeze, Chief Gary Enwo-Igariwey, who spoke on behalf of the Igbo apex body, advised President Buhari to respect the principle of federal character in making appointments. “We expect the president to recognise other nationalities that make up Nigeria. Elections are over, it is time for governance. We expect that the principle of federal character, which is constitutional, be respected,” he said. The Ohanaeze Youth Council, on its part described the president’s actions as a threat to the corporate existence of Nigeria. The group’s national president, Mazi Okechukwu Isiguzoro, said: “Buhari should not abuse his privileged position as the president of Nigeria for the moment. He should not forget our federal system but reflect the federal character in his appointments.” S’West: Mode of appointments unprecedented To the South-West groups, the lopsided appointments had never happened in the political history of the country. According to the Secretary-General, Yoruba Unity Forum, Senator Anthony Adefuye, the earlier the situation was reversed, the better as his group would not expect the North to marginalise the South in the present dispensation. His words: “The fact that the President, Senate President and

Idris

Ladan

Shehu

Appointments: The trend continues

Appointments justified The criticisms, notwithstanding, the Presidency rose in defence of Buhari’s manner of appointments even as it dismissed insinuations that the president is implementing a northern agenda by his appointments. The Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Adesina, who is incidentally the only Southerner among the appointees, disclaimed the claims that Buhari was acting a Northern script against the rest of the zones in the country. According to him, the president received a national mandate and will pursue it as such. “The president does not have a Northern agenda. He has a national agenda. He got a national mandate and that is the way he is going to exercise that mandate,” he said.

the Speaker of the House of Representatives are from the North is worrisome. There is no way the North can take all the principal offices and leave the deputy to us. It has never happened before and the earlier it is reverted, the better.” National Publicity Secretary of Afenifere, Mr. Yinka Odumakin, however said the group was watching Buhari’s actions and taking note of them. “We have taken a position in Afenifere to watch the president’s actions before we begin to make comments. By the time we have a clearer picture of what is happening in the first 100 days of the president in office, we are certainly going to make a comprehensive statement.”

S’South: Region yet to be integrated On its part, the South-South Community decried in strong terms the outright marginalisation of the people of their zone, saying they are yet to be integrated in the scheme of things by the new government. President of the group and former Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Commissioner of Police, Mr. Lawrence Alobi, said with the North-West taking the position of the President; North Central, Senate President; North-East, Speaker of the House of Representatives; South-East, Deputy Senate President; South-West, Vice President and Deputy Speaker respectively, only the South-South has been left out of the scheme of things. He said: “While the president is free to stick with the best individuals with cerebral potential, the present outlook of leadership at the federal level as reflected is with seeming national spread except that the SouthSouth is yet to be integrated.” He maintained that it will be in the best interest of the nation if the oil-rich region is also considered in the leadership hierarchy at the federal level. To this end, the group said the allocation of the Office of the Secretary to the Federation (SGF) to the zone will lend credence to the aspirations of the APC-led government is one that adheres to the tenets of justice, fairness, equity and national unity.

The president does not have a Northern agenda. He has a national agenda

Too early to judge To most supporters of Buhari, it is premature to judge him based on a list of early appointees that does not even include his nominations for ministerial appointments. To this group of people, those criticizing the president’s appointments are ethnic jingoists, who are out to distort history of appointments by the Presidency since the country’s return to civil rule in 1999. The South-West chapter of the APC, which toed this line of argument, said “it is potentially dangerous and unacceptable that some persons or group of persons will resort to this type of petty politics either to entertain themselves or to create further divisions within the APC family.” The party was reacting to a story, in which a group, claiming to represent APC South-West frowned at what it described “Buhari’s tribal appointments.” Speaking through the Lagos APC Publicity Secretary, Mr. Joe Igbokwe, the South-West APC said though members have some issues to resolve at the National Assembly, “it has not come to the point that we have to use our hands to pull down a solid house we have built together.” The party warned mischief

makers to desist from the ugly act that was framed in the first place to heat the polity and further embarrass the leadership of the party nationwide, appealing to APC leaders and supporters in the zone and across the country to be calm and believe strongly that the dust raised over the appointments and National Assembly leadership would soon be resolved. Like Buhari, like Jonathan While the tension over the appointments would either be calmed or heightened when Buhari forwards his ministerial list to the National Assembly, New Telegraph’s comparison of his appointments and that of his predecessor (Jonathan) in their first month in power, revealed that the former apparently followed an existing trend. A check on the holders of the various positions that Buhari has made appointments for under Jonathan, showed no difference. While the incumbent president is being vilified for considering just a Southerner in his nine appointments so far, the reverse was the case during Jonathan’s era. The immediate past president, considered just one northerner for the same positions that Buhari has appointed people into. Those who occupied the slots under Jonathan were: Ita Ekpenyong – DG DSS (South); George Osahun – Director, DPR (South); Jonah Otunla – Accountant General (South); Gordon Ogbuah – Chief Security Officer (South); Olutola Onijala – State Chief of Protocol (South); Lt. Col Ojogbane Adegbe – Aide de Camp (South); Reuben Abati – Special Adviser Media and Publicity (South); Reno Omokri – Senior Special Assistant Social Media (South); Attahiru Jega – chairman of INEC (North) and later Doyin Okupe – Senior Special Assistant Public Affairs (South). The questions against this backdrop are: What was the reaction of those accusing Buhari of tribalism during the last administration; was it deliberate that nobody cried or raised the alarm then, and were the recent appointments based on merit? While answers to these questions are likely to be influenced either by political leaning or ethnic sentiment, the fact remains that the fundamentals of justice, which agitators of even distribution of positions have hinged their arguments on are: No one should suffer wrong and that the public good be served.

Business | Money Line

WEDNESDAY, JULY 8, 2015 NEW TELEGRAPH

FBN Capital forecasts N215/$ at interbank market by Dec

DILEMMA

External reserves can’t support currency

 Naira slides to N233 on parallel shop

Tony Chukwunyem

gainst the backdrop of the steady decline in the value of the naira in the parallel market, analysts at FBN Capital Research have predicted that the local currency will fall to N215 to the dollar in the interbank market by the end of this year. In a note made available to the New Telegraph, the analysts argued that despite efforts by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to defend it, the naira will continue to weaken against the greenback. They hinged their forecast on the continu-

ing depletion of the country’s external reserves as well as the assumption that oil prices are not likely to recover in the short-term. According to the analysts, “Data from the CBN show that official reserves decreased by US$600million in June to US$29.0billion. Since the beginning of the slide in the oil price one year ago, the cover provided by reserves had fallen by US$8.5billion. The fall would have been greater, had it not been for the administrative measures and market ruses employed by the authorities.

Perhaps the boldest step was the suspension of the official twice-weekly fx auctions in February, leading to the de facto devaluation of the naira exchange rate. “The latest measure has been a CBN circular of 23 June, amended on 01 July, stipulating that imports of 40 products are no longer eligible for fx in the interbank market or the bureaux de change. We do not think that this will be the last measure of this type.” Continuing, the experts said, “We feel, however, that by the end of this year the CBN will

have pushed through a third devaluation since last November. Against the background of continuing reserves depletion and in the realization that the oil price is unlikely to come to the rescue of policymakers, we see a rate of N215 per US dollar.” Meanwhile, the naira was quoted at a new record low of N233 to the dollar on the parallel yesterday, weaker than N232 on Monday owing to a shortage of the greenback, traders said. The naira has been on the ropes on the parallel market since the CBN in-

CBN shifts MPC meeting to July 23 Tony Chukwunyem

(CBN) has announced. In a press statement posted on its website yesterday, the apex bank explained that the dates had to be shifted due to the fact that the end of Ramadan may fall about July 17, with the implication that the usual public holidays

he July meeting of the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) earlier scheduled to hold on the 20th and 21st of this month will now hold on the 23rd and 24th, the Central Bank of Nigeria

would fall on the 20th and 21st. According to the statement, signed by the Secretary, MPC and Director Monetary Policy Department at the CBN, Mr. Moses Tule, “To enable all stakeholders concentrate on the Eid marking

the end of fasting, the chairman has directed that the 245th meeting of the Monetary Policy Committee shall hold on Thursday 23rd and Friday 24 July 2015.” The CBN Governor, Mr. Godwin Emefiele is the Chairman of the MPC.

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

N19,142,526.05m N18,579,219.49m 9 13 10.77 US$57.84 US$29,548,987,037

Mar, 2015 Mar, 2015 May, 2015 4/6/2015 Mar 2015 7/7/2015 6/7/2015

Source:CBN

Description 13.05 16-AUG-2016 15.10 27-APR-2017 16.00 29-JUN-2019 16.00 29-JUN-2019 16.39 27-JAN-2022 14.20 14-MAR-2024 10.00 23-JUL-2030

TTM

FGN Bonds

Price 1.11 1.81 3.98 3.98 6.56 8.69 15.04

Bid Yield

98.58 100.46 102.91 102.91 105.77 96.42 68.00

NIBOR

Tenor (Days) Call 30 90 180

Rate (%) 4.8933 13.3829 15.4080 15.9984

14.44 14.76 15.00 15.00 14.97 14.94 15.56 Change (%) -0.23▼ -0.77▼ -0.17▼ -0.33▼

Change (%) -0.37▼ -0.20▼ -0.02▼ -0.02▼ -0.02▼ 0.13 ▲ 0.00 ↔

Price 98.73 100.61 103.21 103.21 106.07 96.72 68.30

Tenor (Months)

Offer Yield 14.29 14.66 14.90 14.90 14.90 14.87 15.49

NITTY

1 2 3 6 9 12

Treasury Bills

Rate (%) 7.2007 11.3956 13.4583 13.5962 14.8373 14.8425

Spot($/N)

Offer 197.64

Change (%) -0.09 ▼

NIFEX

Spot($/N)

Bid 198.9750

CBN Clearing Rates of July 7, 2015 Spot($/N)

195.95

Change (%) -1.89 ▼ -0.02 ▼ 0.02 ▲ 0.02 ▲ 1.11 ▲ 0.47 ▲

Money Market

Maturity Date Discount Bid Yield Change (%) Discount Offer Yield Change (%) Rate (%) 12.48 12.86 -0.28 ▼ Open-Buy-Back (OBB) 4.00 01-Oct-15 12.73 13.13 -0.28 ▼ 12.24 13.04 -0.23 ▼ Overnight (O/N) 4.58 07-Jan-16 12.49 13.33 -0.23 ▼ 12.40 13.97 0.00 ↔ 02-Jun-16 12.65 14.29 0.00↔ Bid 197.54

Change (%) -0.37▼ -0.20▼ -0.02▼ -0.02▼ -0.02▼ 0.13 ▲ 0.00↔

196.95

0.00 ↔

Offer 199.0750

Change (%) -0.75 ▼ -0.67 ▼

Change (%) 0.01 ▲

troduced new measures two weeks ago, restricting importers from sourcing the greenback from the interbank market, shifting dollar demand to the black market. The naira ended at N196.95 to the dollar on the interbank market on Monday.

In another development, the Federal Government plans to sell N70 billion ($351.85milion) worth of bonds next week, its seventh debt auction this year, the Debt Management Office (DMO) announced yesterday. The DMO said it will issue N40 billion in fiveyear paper and N30 billion in the 20-year debt, using the Dutch Auction System on July 15. All are the reopening of previously issued debt. Last week, the debt office said it would issue between N180 and N240 billion worth of bonds in the third quarter.

Insurers get payment deadline on outstanding claims Sunday Ojeme

ollowing the reluctance of some insurance operators to pay verified claims to policyholders who suffered losses, the National Insurance Commission (NAICOM has concluded plans to penalise them and also ensure such claims are paid to the victims. In a circular issued to the underwriters and made available to New Telegraph, the regulator gave them up to September 30, 2015 to clear all backlog of claims or be dealt with according to the provisions of the law. The circular, referenced NAICOM/Circular/CB/ July 2015 and dated July 6, 2015, recalled that the commission collated claims details from all insurance companies and complaints on delayed and unsettled claims from policyholders in its efforts to verify the unsavoury attitude that

has brought the image of the industry to disrepute. Signed by the Deputy Commissioner for Insurance (Technical), Mr Mohammed Kari, the circular confirmed that only a few of the operators were in the habit of defaulting in claims payment, thereby denting the efforts of others. The circular added, “In the continued effort of the commission to sanitise the industry of this unpalatable tags and restore the confidence of the insuring public, all insurers are hereby directed to note that henceforth, all claims must be handled strictly in accordance with the provisions of Insurance Act 2003. “As a palliative gesture, the commission shall allow a grace period until September 30, 2015 for companies to clear all backlogs of outstanding claims as provided by the Insurance Act.

Drop in ID theft boosts Nigeria’s consumer banking –Citigroup

itigroup Inc has said Nigeria’s efforts to crackdown on identity theft are making it more attractive to start a consumer banking business in Africa’s most-populous country. According to Bloomberg, the US bank is “looking at” rolling out consumer banking in Nigeria because individuals dealing with banks in Africa’s biggest economy are increasingly “who they say they are,” Akinsowon Dawodu, chief executive officer of Citibank Nigeria Ltd., was quoted as saying by the news agency. He noted that a lack of security around identification has been an impediment to personal banking in the country in the past.

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) is requiring customers to provide fingerprint identification, a system it started introducing with commercial lenders in February 2014. A deadline for customers to get bank verification numbers has been extended to October 31 so that Nigerians living abroad can enroll. People who don’t comply will lose access to their accounts, the regulator says on its website. The system, combined with a growing network of credit bureaus that collect information on customers, “makes the consumer proposition fairly viable for an organiSation like ourselves,” Dawodu said. “We are looking at the opportunities in that space.”

Business | Financial Market News

NEW TELEGRAPH WEDNESDAY, JULY 8, 2015

FMDQ Daily Quotations List

7-Jul-15

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

Bonds FGN Bonds

Price

Rating/Agency

Issuer

Description ^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

581.39 480.13 20.00 100.00 300.00 351.30 233.90 233.73 605.31 599.99 75.00 150.00 200.00 591.57 324.50

TOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUE

4,846.82

TOTAL MARKET CAPITALISATION

4,414.14

Rating/Agency

Issuer

Description

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

1.11 1.81 2.06 2.15 2.90 3.98 4.30 4.60 6.56 8.69 13.39 13.87 14.37 15.04 19.03

Bid Yield (%)

Offer Yield (%)

Bid Price

Offer Price

14.44 14.76 14.85 14.86 14.94 15.00 15.05 14.98 14.97 14.94 16.04 16.19 16.35 15.56 15.01

14.29 14.66 14.76 14.77 14.87 14.90 14.94 14.89 14.90 14.87 15.98 16.12 16.26 15.49 14.95

98.58 100.46 91.40 90.14 90.29 102.91 75.15 101.78 105.77 96.42 94.29 79.75 56.99 68.00 82.16

98.73 100.61 91.55 90.29 90.44 103.21 75.45 102.08 106.07 96.72 94.59 80.05 57.29 68.30 82.46

Issue Date

Coupon (%)

Outstanding Value (N'bn)

Maturity Date

Avg. Life/TTM (Yrs)

Risk Premium (%)

Valuation Yield (%)

Modelled Price

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

17.25 0.00/16.00 0.00/16.50 0.00/16.50

2.10 112.22 116.70 66.49

03-Apr-17 08-Dec-16 19-Apr-17 06-Jul-17

0.99 1.42 1.78 2.00

2.94 1.00 2.66 2.96

17.08 15.59 17.43 17.80

100.15 100.46 102.10 97.93

Agency Bonds FMBN ***LCRM

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

297.52

TOTAL MARKET CAPITALISATION

299.11

Sub-National Bonds A/Agusto

KADUNA

12.50 KADUNA 31-AUG-2015

31-Aug-10

12.50

8.50

31-Aug-15

0.15

4.44

14.26

99.66

A-/Agusto

*EBONYI

13.00 EBONYI 30-SEP-2015

30-Sep-10

13.00

2.16

30-Sep-15

0.23

3.23

15.98

99.26

BBB+/Agusto

*BENUE

14.00 BENUE 30-JUN-2016

30-Jun-11

14.00

2.60

30-Jun-16

0.73

4.46

18.17

97.27

‡ /Agusto

*IMO

15.50 IMO 30-JUN-2016

30-Jun-09

15.50

3.96

30-Jun-16

0.74

3.48

17.20

98.86

A+/Agusto; ‡ /GCR

LAGOS

10.00 LAGOS 19-APR-2017

19-Apr-10

10.00

57.00

19-Apr-17

1.78

1.00

15.77

91.27

‡ /Agusto

*BAYELSA

13.75 BAYELSA 30-JUN-2017

30-Jun-10

13.75

21.24

30-Jun-17

1.27

1.00

15.44

98.14

‡ /Agusto

EDO

14.00 EDO 31-DEC-2017

30-Dec-10

14.00

25.00

31-Dec-17

2.49

1.79

16.68

94.71

‡ /Agusto; A+/GCR

*DELTA

14.00 DELTA 30-SEP-2018

30-Sep-11

14.00

30.81

30-Sep-18

1.87

1.80

16.60

96.05

Bb-/Agusto; A-/GCR

NIGER

14.00 NIGER II 4-OCT-2018

04-Oct-11

14.00

9.00

04-Oct-18

1.88

1.00

15.80

97.18

‡ /Agusto; A-/GCR†

*EKITI

14.50 EKITI 09-DEC-2018

09-Dec-11

14.50

12.40

09-Dec-18

2.06

1.00

15.85

97.74

Bb-/Agusto

*NIGER

14.00 NIGER III 12-DEC-2018

12-Dec-13

14.00

9.21

12-Dec-18

2.07

4.78

19.63

91.10

‡ /Agusto; A-/GCR

*ONDO

15.50 ONDO 14-FEB-2019

14-Feb-12

15.50

27.00

14-Feb-19

2.05

1.00

15.85

99.39

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 24.74

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

2.49 4.38 2.55

2.02 1.00 1.00

16.91 16.05 15.90

97.25 95.21 97.71

BBB-/Agusto

*OSUN

14.75 OSUN II 10-OCT-2020

10-Oct-13

14.75

10.78

10-Oct-20

2.99

1.82

16.77

95.57

Aa-/Agusto; ‡ /GCR

LAGOS

13.50 LAGOS 27-NOV-2020

27-Nov-13

13.50

87.50

27-Nov-20

5.39

1.00

16.02

91.08

A-/Agusto; BBB+/DataPro

KOGI

15.00 KOGI 31-DEC-2020

31-Dec-13

15.00

5.00

31-Dec-20

5.49

1.00

16.02

96.36

‡ /Agusto A-/GCR

*EKITI *NASARAWA

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

31-Dec-13

14.50

4.30

31-Dec-20

3.33

1.00

15.99

96.42

06-Jan-14

15.00

4.31

06-Jan-21

3.36

1.00

15.99

97.60

100.03

TOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUE TOTAL MARKET CAPITALISATION

440.60 417.47

Corporate Bonds BBB+/Agusto BBB-/Agusto

*UPDC

10.00 UPDC 17-AUG-2015

17-Aug-10

10.00

2.50

17-Aug-15

0.11

1.00

9.52

*FLOURMILLS

12.00 FLOURMILLS 9-DEC-2015

09-Dec-10

12.00

9.38

09-Dec-15

0.42

1.00

14.33

99.05

BB/GCR

*CHELLARAMS

14.00 CHELLARAMS 06-JAN-2016

06-Jan-11

14.00

0.22

06-Jan-16

0.50

2.63

15.96

99.03

A+/Agusto; A-/GCR

NAHCO

13.00 NAHCO 29-SEP-2016

29-Sep-11

13.00

15.00

29-Sep-16

1.23

1.00

15.39

97.35

A-/Agusto

FSDH

14.25 FSDH 25-OCT-2016

25-Oct-13

14.25

5.53

25-Oct-16

1.30

1.34

15.81

98.17

A/GCR

UBA

13.00 UBA 30-SEP-2017

30-Sep-10

13.00

20.00

30-Sep-17

2.23

1.00

15.87

94.72

BBB-/GCR

18.00 C&I LEASING 30-NOV-2017

30-Nov-12

18.00

0.56

30-Nov-17

1.46

1.88

16.52

102.54

Nil

*C & I LEASING *DANA#{r}

MPR+7.00 DANA 9-APR-2018

09-Apr-11

16.00

5.40

09-Apr-18

1.51

1.00

15.68

100.35

A-/DataPro†; B+/GCR

*TOWER#

MPR+7.00 TOWER 9-SEP-2018

09-Sep-11

18.00

2.54

09-Sep-18

1.68

1.00

15.74

103.02

1.68

1.00

15.74

100.30

AAA/DataPro†; A/GCR

*TOWER

MPR+5.25 TOWER 9-SEP-2018

09-Sep-11

16.00

0.70

09-Sep-18

A+/Agusto; A/GCR

UBA

14.00 UBA II 30-SEP-2018

30-Sep-11

14.00

35.00

30-Sep-18

3.23

3.00

17.98

90.48

BBB+/Agusto; BBB+/GCR

15.75 LA CASERA 18-OCT-2018

18-Oct-13

15.75

2.10

18-Oct-18

1.78

2.29

17.06

98.03

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

1.86

6.11

20.91

95.93

Nil

*DANA#{r}

16.00 DANA II 1-APR-2019

01-Apr-14

16.00

4.50

01-Apr-19

2.48

2.16

17.05

97.90

A+/Agusto; A-/GCR

NAHCO

15.25 NAHCO II 14-NOV-2020

14-Nov-13

15.25

2.05

14-Nov-20

5.36

2.76

17.78

91.42

BBB/GCR

FCMB

14.25 FCMB I 20-NOV-2021

20-Nov-14

14.25

26.00

20-Nov-21

6.37

1.80

16.81

90.17

A/GCR

UBA

16.45 UBA I 30-DEC-2021

30-Dec-14

16.45

30.50

30-Dec-21

6.48

1.00

16.01

101.73

A/GCR

STANBIC IBTC

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

30-Sep-14

16.29

0.10

30-Sep-24

9.23

1.00

16.05

101.07

A/GCR

STANBIC IBTC

13.25 STANBIC IB 30-SEP-2024

30-Sep-14

13.25

15.44

30-Sep-24

9.23

1.00

16.05

86.69

TOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUE

177.87

TOTAL MARKET CAPITALISATION

168.59

Supranational Bond AAA/S&P

IFC

10.20 IFC 11-FEB-2018

11-Feb-13

10.20

12.00

11-Feb-18

2.60

1.00

15.91

88.21

Aaa/Moody's; AAA/S&P

AfDB

11.25 AFDB 1-FEB-2021

10-Jul-14

11.25

12.95

01-Feb-21

3.82

1.00

16.05

86.89

Bid Price

Offer Price

TOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUE

24.95 21.84

TOTAL MARKET CAPITALISATION Rating/Agency

Issuer

Description

Issue Date

Coupon (%)

Outstanding Value ($mm)

Maturity Date

Bid Yield (%)

Offer Yield (%)

6.75 JAN 28, 2021

07-Oct-11

6.75

500.00

28-Jan-21

6.20

5.98

102.54

103.59

5.13 JUL 12, 2018

12-Jul-13

5.13

500.00

12-Jul-18

5.14

4.80

99.95

100.91

6.38 JUL 12, 2023

12-Jul-13

6.38

500.00

12-Jul-23

6.45

6.28

99.56

100.61

FGN Eurobonds

Prices & Yields

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

FGN

BB-/Fitch; BB-/S&P

TOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUE

1,500.00

TOTAL MARKET CAPITALISATION

1,510.26

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

5.97

101.25

B+/S&P

ACCESS BANK PLC

7.25 JUL 25, 2017

25-Jul-12

7.25

350.00

25-Jul-17

7.52

99.50

B/Fitch; B/S&P

FIDELITY BANK PLC

6.88 MAY 09, 2018

09-May-13

6.88

300.00

02-May-18

11.43

9.97

89.23

92.50

B+/Fitch; B+/S&P

GTBANK PLC

6.00 NOV 08, 2018

08-Nov-13

6.00

400.00

08-Nov-18

7.62

7.00

95.30

97.06

B+/Fitch; BB-/S&P

ZENITH BANK PLC

6.25 APR 22, 2019

22-Apr-14

6.25

500.00

22-Apr-19

7.31

96.55

B/Fitch; B/S&P

DIAMOND BANK PLC

8.75 May 21, 2019

21-May-14

8.75

200.00

21-May-19

10.18

9.53

95.51

97.50

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

9.26 10.37 9.52

9.26 10.08 9.52

95.25 95.22 92.33

95.25 96.45 92.33

B-/S&P

ECOBANK NIG. LTD

8.75 AUG 14, 2021

14-Aug-14

8.75

250.00

14-Aug-21

10.54

9.92

91.25

93.88

TOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUE

3,650.00

TOTAL MARKET CAPITALISATION

3,487.37

**Treasury Bills^ DTM 9 16 23 30 37 51 58 65

FIXINGS Maturity 16-Jul-15 23-Jul-15 30-Jul-15 6-Aug-15 13-Aug-15 27-Aug-15 3-Sep-15 10-Sep-15

Bid Discount (%) 10.13 6.81 7.45 7.21 9.85 10.42 11.02 11.48

Offer Discount (%) 9.88 6.56 7.20 6.96 9.60 10.17 10.77 11.23

Bid Yield (%) 10.15 6.83 7.48 7.25 9.94 10.57 11.21 11.72

Money Market Tenor

NIBOR Tenor O/N 1M 3M 6M

Rate (%) 4.8933 13.3829 15.4080 15.9984

Rate (%)

OBB

4.00

O/N

4.58

Tenor Call 1M

REPO

Rate (%) 3.75 3.80

Foreign Exchange (Spot & Forwards) Tenor

Bid ($/N)

Offer ($/N)

Spot 7D 14D 1M 2M 3M

197.54 201.81 202.13 202.87 204.24 205.60

197.64 201.93 202.28 203.37 205.31 207.21

^10.00 23-JUL-2030 ^12.1493 18-JUL-2034

23-Jul-10 18-Jul-14

10.00 12.1493

591.57 324.50

TOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUE

4,846.82

TOTAL MARKET CAPITALISATION

4,414.14

Rating/Agency

Description

Issuer

23-Jul-30 18-Jul-34

15.04 19.03

15.56 15.01

15.49 14.95

68.00 82.16

68.30 82.46

# Risk Premium (%)

Valuation Yield (%)

Modelled Price

2.94

17.08

100.15

2.66 2.96

17.43 17.80

102.10 97.93

Issue Date

Coupon (%)

Outstanding Value (N'bn)

Maturity Date

Avg. Life/TTM (Yrs)

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

17.25 0.00/16.00 0.00/16.50 0.00/16.50

2.10 112.22 116.70 66.49

03-Apr-17 08-Dec-16 19-Apr-17 06-Jul-17

0.99 1.42 1.78 2.00

Agency Bonds 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

FMBN

Business | Financial Market News

***LCRM

TOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUE

297.52

Stock market loses N22bn TOTAL MARKET CAPITALISATION

Singaporean Bitcoin Exchange BitX enters Nigerian markets

299.11

Sub-National Bonds

A/Agusto

KADUNA

12.50 KADUNA 31-AUG-2015

31-Aug-10

12.50

8.50

A-/Agusto

*EBONYI

13.00 EBONYI 30-SEP-2015

30-Sep-10

13.00

2.16

BBB+/Agusto

*BENUE

14.00 BENUE 30-JUN-2016

30-Jun-11

14.00

2.60

‡ /Agusto

*IMO

15.50 IMO 30-JUN-2016

30-Jun-09

15.50

3.96

19-Apr-10 as macro concerns linked 10.00 LAGOS 19-APR-2017 deals was recorded yester-

10.00 Further analysis57.00 of the 21.24 day’s 13.75 trading showed that 14.00 25.00 Neimeth 14.00 Health Care 30.81 Plc 14.00 9.00 topped the day’s gainers’ 12.40 table 14.50 with 9.70 per cent to 14.00 9.21 close 15.50 at N1.47 per27.00 share, 15.50 15.09 Plc while14.50 Stanbic IBTC 80.00 followed 14.75 with 4.89 per 24.74cent 14.75 to close at N25.75 per10.78 share. Vono 13.50 Products Plc87.50 trailed 15.00 5.00 with a14.50 gain of 4.84 per 4.30 cent 15.00 to close at N1.30 per4.31 share. 440.60 On the flip side, UBA Plc 417.47 led the losers’ with a drop of 6.14 per cent to close at 10.00 2.50 N4.2812.00 per share, while Ev9.38 ans Medical Plc shed 14.00 0.22 five 13.00to close at 95 15.00 per cent kobo 14.25 5.53 per share. Berger Paints 13.00 20.00 Plc trailed with 4.98 18.00 0.56 per 16.00 5.40 per cent to close at N10.68 18.00 2.54 share.16.00 0.70

BEARISH 30-Jun-10 30-JUN-2017 ‡ /Agusto *BAYELSA to the delay13.75 inBAYELSA appointday. 30-Dec-10 14.00 EDO 31-DEC-2017 ‡ /Agusto EDO Equities fall on The banking services 30-Sep-11 14.00ministers; DELTA 30-SEP-2018 ‡ /Agusto; A+/GCR *DELTA ment of federal 04-Oct-11 14.00 NIGER Bb-/Agusto; A-/GCR NIGER falling oil price andII 4-OCT-2018 cur- sector of the financial sershares of blue chip *EKITI 09-Dec-11 ‡ /Agusto; A-/GCR† 14.50 EKITI 09-DEC-2018 vices sector was the most rency , drive investor senti12-Dec-13 Bb-/Agusto *NIGER 14.00 NIGER III 12-DEC-2018 firms turnment. ‡ /Agusto; A-/GCR *ONDO 15.50 ONDO 14-FEB-2019 active (measured by14-Feb-12 A+/Agusto; ‡ /GCR

LAGOS

02-Oct-12 15.50 GOMBE Consequently , the02-OCT-2019 All- over volume) with22-Nov-12 150.9 14.50 LAGOS 22-NOV-2019 Share Index shed 63.86 bamillion shares worth N2.2 12-Dec-12 BBB-/Agusto; BBB+/GCR *OSUN 14.75 OSUN 12-DEC-2019 BBB-/Agusto *OSUN Stories by Chris Ugwu sis points or 14.75 0.19OSUN perII 10-OCT-2020 cent billion exchanged by10-Oct-13 invesAa-/Agusto; ‡ /GCR LAGOS 13.50 LAGOS 27-NOV-2020 to close at 32,380.26 index tors in 1,378 deals. 27-Nov-13 31-Dec-13 A-/Agusto; BBB+/DataPro KOGI 15.00 KOGI 31-DEC-2020 activipoints, as against 32,444.12 Volume in the sub-sec31-Dec-13 ‡ /Agustorading *EKITI 14.50 EKITI II 31-DEC-2020 06-Jan-14 A-/GCR *NASARAWA NASARAWA 06-JAN-2021 recorded the 15.00 previous day, tor was largely driven ties on the floor by TOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUE of the Nigerian while market capitalisa- activities in the shares of TOTAL MARKET CAPITALISATION Stock Exchange tion of equities depreci- and Zenith Bank Plc and Corporate Bonds (NSE) yesterday contin- ated by N22 billion or 0.19 Wema Bank Plc. 10.00 UPDC 17-AUG-2015 17-Aug-10 BBB+/Agusto *UPDC ued on the downward per cent to close lower at Also, other financial 12.00 FLOURMILLS 9-DEC-2015 BBB-/Agusto 09-Dec-10 *FLOURMILLS trend, N11.053 trillion. This is06-JAN-2016 services sub- sector,06-Jan-11 boost14.00 CHELLARAMS BB/GCRleading to further *CHELLARAMS 13.00trillion NAHCO 29-SEP-2016 A+/Agusto; A-/GCR 29-Sep-11 NAHCO against N11.075 loss of N22 billion. of ed by activities in the 14.25 FSDH 25-OCT-2016 A-/Agusto 25-Oct-13 FSDH the previous day . shares of FBNH Plc folMarket watchers be13.00 UBA 30-SEP-2017 A/GCR 30-Sep-10 UBA aC&I turnover lieve the stock market will lowed with a turnover of 18.00 LEASING 30-NOV-2017 BBB-/GCR 30-Nov-12 *C & I LEASINGMeanwhile, MPR+7.00 shares DANA 9-APR-2018 09-Apr-11 Nil *DANA witness continuous volatilof 217.1 million 24 million shares valued at MPR+7.00 TOWER 9-SEP-2018 09-Sep-11 B+/GCR *TOWER ityA-/DataPro†; in the equities market, worth N2.9 billion in 3,737 N209.7 million in 59909-Sep-11 deals. MPR+5.25 TOWER 9-SEP-2018 AAA/DataPro†; A/GCR *TOWER BBB+/Agusto; A-/GCR Aa-/Agusto; ‡ /GCR

*GOMBE LAGOS

#{r}

A+/Agusto; A/GCR

UBA

14.00 UBA II 30-SEP-2018

30-Sep-11

14.00

BBB+/Agusto; BBB+/GCR

*LA CASERA *CHELLARAMS#

15.75 LA CASERA 18-OCT-2018

18-Oct-13

15.75

2.10

MPR+5.00 CHELLARAMS II 17-FEB-2019

17-Feb-12

18.00

0.36

BBB-/DataPro†; BB/GCR

1.00 JULY 8, 2015 15.59 NEW TELEGRAPH 100.46 WEDNESDAY,

#{r}

B-/Fitch; B/S&P

FIRST BANK LTD

B-/S&P

ECOBANK NIG. LTD

8.00/2Y USD SWAP+6.488 JUL 23 2021

16.00

15.25

2.05

20-Nov-14

14.25

26.00

30-Dec-14

16.45

30.50

30-Sep-14

16.29

0.10

30-Sep-14

13.25

15.44

177.87

23-Jul-14

8.00

450.00

8.75

250.00

99.66

15.98

99.26

4.46

18.17

97.27

30-Jun-16

0.74

3.48

17.20

98.86

19-Apr-17

1.78

1.00

15.77

91.27

30-Jun-17

1.27

1.00

15.44

98.14

31-Dec-17

2.49

1.79

16.68

94.71

30-Sep-18

1.87

1.80

16.60

96.05

23-Jul-21

9.52

92.33

14-Aug-21

10.54

9.92

91.25

93.88

3,650.00

FMDQ Daily Quotations List

TOTAL MARKET CAPITALISATION

14.26

3.23

0.73

4.50

14-Aug-14

4.44

0.23

30-Jun-16

1.88 Bitcoin 1.00 15.80 is to bring 97.18 ingaporean mission the 09-Dec-18 2.06 1.00 15.85 97.74 Exchange BitX has innumerable benefits of 12-Dec-18 2.07 4.78 19.63 91.10 Bitcoin expanded2.05its opera14-Feb-19 1.00 15.85to the unbanked 99.39 02-Oct-19to Nigeria, 2.49 2.02 16.91 97.25quoted tions a step sector, as it had 22-Nov-19 4.38 1.00 16.05 95.21 that will enable its naupon raising around 12-Dec-19 2.55 1.00 15.90 97.71 10-Oct-20 2.99 1.82 16.77 million 95.57almost $824,000 tives to sell, purchase and 27-Nov-20 5.39 1.00 16.02 store the digital currency . a year back. 91.08 31-Dec-20 5.49 1.00 16.02 96.36 According 3.33 to an onAnd 31-Dec-20 1.00 15.99it surely 96.42routed 06-Jan-21 1.00 15.99 97.60 line medium, 3.36 NewsBTC. the money to enable its com, the announcement operations among the unbanked populations. comes in the wake of growing requests from Just a few months ago, 17-Aug-15 0.11 1.00 9.52 100.03 BitX 14.33 had brought its its potential0.42 consum09-Dec-15 1.00 99.05 Bitcoin ers base in Nigeria, the 06-Jan-16 0.50 2.63 15.96 services 99.03 to In29-Sep-16 1.23 1.00 15.39 with an 97.35aim to company informed via donesia 25-Oct-16 1.30 1.34 15.81 98.17 its blogpost. simplify the country’s 30-Sep-17 2.23 1.00 15.87 94.72 remittance sector. And It also hinted to be 30-Nov-17 1.46 1.88 16.52 102.54 09-Apr-18 1.51 1.00 100.35 now, 15.68 with Nigeria, the working towards the 09-Sep-18 1.68 1.00 15.74 103.02 company plans to do launch of some new ser09-Sep-18 1.68 1.00 15.74 100.30 vices in the African tersomething similar. 30-Sep-18 3.23 3.00 17.98 90.48 18-Oct-18 but shied 1.78 2.29 17.06 98.03 could ritory, away For once, one 17-Feb-19 1.86 6.11 20.91 95.93 notice the potential of from revealing anything 01-Apr-19 2.48 2.16 17.05 97.90 Nigerian markets to further. 14-Nov-20 5.36 2.76 17.78 91.42 20-Nov-21 1.80 90.17 adopBitX CEO6.37 Marcus boost16.81 the Bitcoin’s 30-Dec-21 6.48 1.00 16.01 101.73 Swanepoel further intion level. It is101.07 the larg30-Sep-24 9.23 1.00 16.05 teracted with9.23media to est economy in Africa, 30-Sep-24 1.00 16.05 86.69 elaborate their intents with population mountin the Africa’s largest ing above 172 million economy. He said: “We’ve (among which, most are been inundated from 15.91 the age group 11-Feb-18 2.60 with re1.00 88.21 of 1801-Feb-21 for bitcoin 3.82 1.00 16.05 as it seems, 86.89 quests prod35). And BitX ucts and services from appreciates the figures consumers, developers right away. and Nigerian business“Nigeria has a viMaturity Date Bid Yield (%) Offer Yield (%) Bid Price Offer Price es. The business aspect brant, diverse and grow& Yields is particularly interest-Pricesing online population ing and we’re6.20 currently and in a market103.59 scattered 28-Jan-21 5.98 102.54 working with a number with inefficient and ex12-Jul-18 5.14 4.80 99.95 100.91 of these businesses to pensive online payment 12-Jul-23some exciting 6.45 6.28 99.56 bring new methods,” the 100.61 company products to the market.” has stated. “We’re exWith the expansion, cited about Bitcoin’s BitX has also taken potential for faster and another step towards cheaper settlements.” 19-May-16 5.97 5.97 101.25 101.25 spreading throughout NewsBTC.com hopes 25-Jul-17 7.52 7.52 99.50 99.50 the world’s developing that 89.23 BitX will92.50 play an 02-May-18 11.43 9.97 08-Nov-18 7.62 7.00 95.30 97.06 important role in educountries, especially the 22-Apr-19 7.31 7.31 96.55 96.55 ones with poor banking cating Nigerians about 21-May-19 10.18 9.53 95.51 97.50 infrastructures. The the potential benefits of 07-Aug-20 9.26 9.26 95.25 95.25 company’s primary Bitcoin. 24-Jun-21 10.37 10.08 95.22 96.45

bank’s presence across major cit- 168.59 ies in Nigeria with good returns on investment and positive im- 12.00 11-Feb-13 10.20 10-Jul-14 11.25 growth 12.95 pact on home ownership 24.95 in Nigeria. He revealed that there are 21.84 ongoing plans to Coupon increase the Outstanding Value Issue Date (%) bank’s capital by N10 billion. He ($mm) said the bank would continue to drive it business thorough qual- 500.00 07-Oct-11 6.75 ity service, innovative product 12-Jul-13 5.13 500.00 offering with dedicated and mo6.38 tivated12-Jul-13 staff as well as robust In- 500.00 formation and Communication1,500.00 Technology (ICT) platform. 1,510.26 According to him, Infinity Trust mortgage bank main- 500.00 19-May-11 7.50 tained25-Jul-12 a rating status of short 350.00 7.25 term A3 and long term BB+ (NG) 300.00 09-May-13 6.88 08-Nov-13 outlook 6.00 and positive by Global 400.00 6.25 Credit22-Apr-14 Ratings (GCR) for the 500.00 21-May-14 8.75 200.00 third successive time (2012, 2013 300.00 07-Aug-13 8.25 and 2014). 24-Jun-14 9.25 400.00

8.75 AUG 14, 2021

TOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUE

01-Apr-14

14-Nov-13

0.15

30-Sep-15

04-Oct-18

35.00

Infinity Trust half year pre-tax profit down by 31%

nfinity Trust Mortgage 16.00 DANA II 1-APR-2019 Nil *DANA Bank Plc has recorded 15.25 NAHCO II 14-NOV-2020 A+/Agusto; A-/GCR NAHCO 30.86 14.25 FCMB I 20-NOV-2021 BBB/GCR per cent decrease FCMB in profit 16.45 UBA I 30-DEC-2021 A/GCR UBA before tax for the half year 182D T.bills+1.20 STANBIC IA 30-SEP-2024 A/GCR STANBIC IBTC 13.25 STANBIC IB 30-SEP-2024 ended A/GCR June 30, 2015. STANBIC IBTC TOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUE from According to a notice MARKETStock CAPITALISATION theTOTAL Nigerian Exchange by 30 per cent to 5.87 kobo in 2014 (NSE), the firm’s from 4.53 kobo in 2013. Supranational Bond pre-tax profit declined in Also, year saw the bank 10.20the IFC 11-FEB-2018 AAA/S&P to N116.850 million IFC 11.25 AFDB 1-FEB-2021 Aaa/Moody's; AAA/S&P AfDB 2015 as against N169.012 million commencing operations in LaTOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUEindicatrecorded a year earlier, gos with the establishment of its CAPITALISATION ingTOTAL a dipMARKET of 30.86 per cent. Lagos regional office, which was TheRating/Agency company’s revenue in line with national mortgage Description Issuer equally fell to N33.7 million in bank status. FGN Eurobonds contrast to N371.6 million during The bank’s Managing DirectheBB-/Fitch; comparable period of 2014, tor, Mr. Olabanjo6.75Obaleye, JAN 28, 2021 said B+/S&P while its earnings per share deat the Annual General Meeting BB-/Fitch; FGN 5.13 JUL 12, 2018 BB-/S&P clined by 27.57 per cent, from 6.89 (AGM) that the bank intends to BB-/Fitch; 6.38 JUL 12, 2023 kobo to 4.99 kobo. increase its branch network to BB-/S&P Gross earnings however, rose major cities in the country with TOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUE from N584.3 million in 2013 to a view to tapping into the huge TOTAL MARKET CAPITALISATION N742.99 million in 2014, repre- mortgage bank sector potentials. Corporate Eurobonds senting an increase of 27 per He added that there was a 7.50 MAY 19, 2016 B+/Fitch; B+/S&P GTBANK PLC I cent. Similarly, profit ACCESS afterBANK taxPLC huge market for7.25 housing develJUL 25, 2017 B+/S&P rose from toPLC opment and mortgage lending 6.88 MAY 09, 2018 B/Fitch; B/S&P N188.79 million FIDELITY BANK 6.00the NOV 08, 2018 B+/Fitch; B+/S&P GTBANK PLC a N244.73 million, representing in Nigeria despite economic 6.25 APR 22, 2019 B+/Fitch; BB-/S&P 30 per cent increase. ZENITH BANK PLC and legal constraints. 8.75 May 21, 2019 B/Fitch; B/S&P DIAMOND BANK PLC The company also reported an Obaleye was 8.25 optimistic that AUG 07, 2020 B-/Fitch; B/S&P FIRST BANK PLC USD LIBOR+7.677 JUN 24, 2021 outlook will see the increase in earnings per share B-/Fitch; B/S&P ACCESS BANK PLC IIthe future9.25/6M

31-Aug-15

7-Jul-15

3,487.37

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^ Money Market professional, financial or investment advice. We attempt to ensure the Information is accurate; however, the Information is provided “AS FIXINGS IS” and on an “AS AVAILABLE” basis and may not be accurate or up Exchange to date. We do &not guarantee Foreign (Spot Forwards) Bid Discount (%) Offer Discount Bid Yield (%) Tenor (%)of the Information. the accuracy,DTM timeliness, completeness,Maturity 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 NIBOR

9 16 23 FGN Bonds 30 37 51 Rating/Agency 58 65 79 86 100 114 128 142 149 156 NA 163 170 184 191 198 205 212 219 226 TOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUE 233 240 TOTAL MARKET CAPITALISATION 254 261

16-Jul-15 23-Jul-15 30-Jul-15 6-Aug-15 13-Aug-15 27-Aug-15 Issuer 3-Sep-15 10-Sep-15 24-Sep-15 1-Oct-15 15-Oct-15 29-Oct-15 12-Nov-15 26-Nov-15 3-Dec-15 10-Dec-15 NA 17-Dec-15 24-Dec-15 7-Jan-16 14-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 24-Mar-16

275

7-Apr-16

10.13 6.81 7.45 7.21 9.85 10.42 Description 11.02 11.48 ^13.05 16-AUG-2016 11.37 ^15.10 27-APR-2017 12.73 9.85 27-JUL-2017 13.41 13.47 9.35 31-AUG-2017 12.97 10.70 30-MAY-2018 13.50 ^16.00 29-JUN-2019 12.21 7.00 23-OCT-2019 13.48 ^15.54 13-FEB-2020 12.17 ^16.39 27-JAN-2022 13.53 ^14.20 14-MAR-2024 12.49 15.00 28-NOV-2028 13.72 12.49 22-MAY-2029 13.54 13.74 8.50 20-NOV-2029 13.67 ^10.00 23-JUL-2030 13.70 ^12.1493 18-JUL-2034 13.67 13.46 13.48 13.58 13.43 13.28

9.88 6.56 7.20 6.96 9.60 10.17 Issue Date 10.77 11.23 16-Aug-13 11.12 27-Apr-12 12.48 27-Jul-07 13.16 13.22 31-Aug-07 12.72 30-May-08 13.25 29-Jun-12 11.96 23-Oct-09 13.23 13-Feb-15 11.92 27-Jan-12 13.28 14-Mar-14 12.24 28-Nov-08 13.47 22-May-09 13.29 13.49 20-Nov-09 13.42 23-Jul-10 13.45 18-Jul-14 13.42 13.21 13.23 13.33 13.18

Description

13.03

Rating/Agency 289

Issuer 21-Apr-16

13.27

303

5-May-16

12.88

12.63

331 Agency Bonds

2-Jun-16

12.65

12.40

10.15 6.83 7.48 7.25 9.94 10.57 Coupon (%) 11.21 11.72 13.05 11.65 15.10 13.13 9.85 13.92 14.06 9.35 13.59 10.70 14.25 16.00 12.85 7.00 14.30 15.54 12.86 16.39 14.44 14.20 13.33 15.00 14.78 12.49 14.61 14.89 8.50 14.85 10.00 14.92 12.1493 14.93 14.72 14.79 15.00 14.86

Bonds

14.75

Issue 14.83Date

13.02

Tenor O/N 1M 3M Outstanding 6M

(N'bn)

Value

4,846.82

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

**Exclusive of non-trading t.bills

BBB+/Agusto

*BENUE

‡ /Agusto

*IMO

A+/Agusto; ‡ /GCR

LAGOS

‡ /Agusto

*BAYELSA

‡ /Agusto

EDO

‡ /Agusto; A+/GCR

*DELTA

<3 3<5 >5 Market

14.00 BENUE 30-JUN-2016 15.50 IMO 30-JUN-2016 840.50 10.00 LAGOS 19-APR-2017 13.75 BAYELSA1,451.01 30-JUN-2017

668.87 14.00 EDO 31-DEC-2017 2,960.38 14.00 DELTA 30-SEP-2018

UBA: United Bank for Africa

Avg. Life/TTM (Yrs)

# Risk Premium (%)

Valuation Yield (%)

Modelled Price

17.25 0.00/16.00 0.00/16.50 0.00/16.50

2.10 112.22 116.70 66.49

03-Apr-17 08-Dec-16 19-Apr-17 06-Jul-17

0.99 1.42 1.78 2.00

2.94 1.00 2.66 2.96

17.08 15.59 17.43 17.80

100.15 100.46 102.10 97.93

FMDQ FGN BOND INDEX

31-Aug-10

12.50 KADUNA 31-AUG-2015 13.00 EBONYI 30-SEP-2015

WAPCO:West Africa Portland Cement Company

91.40 91.55 90.14 90.29 90.29 90.44 NA :Not 102.91 Applicable 103.21 ^ : Market Prices 75.15 75.45 # : Floating Rate Bond 101.78 102.08 ***: Deferred coupon bonds 105.77 106.07 96.72 ‡ : Bond 96.42 rating under review 94.29 expired 94.59 †: Bond rating 80.05 N/A :Not 79.75 Available {r} :Issuer in receivership 57.29 56.99 68.00 68.30 NGC: Nigeria-German Company 82.16 82.46

Maturity Date

299.11

Sub-National Bonds Porfolio Market Value(Bn)

2.06 14.85 14.76 2.15 14.86 14.77 2.90 14.94 14.87 :Benchmarks 3.98 15.00 14.90 * :Amortising 4.30Bond 15.05 14.94 µ :Convertible Bond 4.60 14.98 14.89 AMCON: Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria 6.56 14.97 14.90 FGN: Federal Government of Nigeria 8.69 Mortgage Bank14.94 14.87 FMBN: Federal of Nigeria 13.39 Finance Corporation 16.04 15.98 IFC: International 13.87 16.19 Management 16.12 LCRM: Local Contractors Receivables NAHCO: Nigerian 14.37 Aviation Handling 16.35 Company 16.26 O/N: Overnight 15.04 15.56 15.49 UPDC: UAC Property Development 19.03 15.01Company 14.95 NOTE:

Offer ($/N)

197.54 197.64 Price 201.93 201.81 202.13 202.28 202.87 203.37 Bid Price Offer Price 204.24 205.31 205.60 207.21 98.58 98.73 206.28 213.47 100.46 100.61 220.29 226.27

Outstanding Value (N'bn)

297.52

Modified Duration Buckets

Rate (%) 3.75 3.80 14.44 3.90 14.76 4.00

Bid Yield (%)

Bid ($/N)

Coupon (%)

TOTAL MARKET CAPITALISATION

*EBONYI

TTM (Yrs)

Spot 7D 14D Offer 1M Yield 2M (%) 3M 14.29 6M 14.66 1Y

4,414.14

TOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUE

A-/Agusto

Tenor Call 1M 1.11 3M 1.81 6M

4.58

REPO

Tenor

14.29

17.25 FMB II 03-APR-2017 0.00/16.00 LCRM 08-DEC-2016 *for the Amortising bonds, the average life is calculated and not the duration ***LCRM 0.00/16.50 LCRM II 19-APR-2017 # Risk Premium is a combination of credit risk and liquidity risk premiums 0.00/16.50 LCRM III 06-JUL-2017

KADUNA

4.00

O/N

Maturity Date

581.39 16-Aug-16 480.13 NITTY 27-Apr-17 20.00 27-Jul-17 Tenor Rate (%) 1M 7.2007 100.00 31-Aug-17 2M 11.3956 300.00 30-May-18 3M 13.4583 351.30 29-Jun-19 6M 13.5962 233.90 23-Oct-19 9M 14.8373 233.73 13-Feb-20 12M 14.8425 605.31 27-Jan-22 599.99 14-Mar-24 75.00 28-Nov-28 NIFEX 150.00 22-May-29 Current Price ($/N) 200.00 20-Nov-29 BID($/N) 591.57 198.9750 23-Jul-30 OFFER ($/N) 199.0750 324.50 18-Jul-34

14.42

FMBN

A/Agusto

OBB

Rate (%) 4.8933 13.3829 15.4080 15.9984

Total Outstanding Volume(Bn)

828.10 1,433.72 916.07 3,177.88

30-Sep-10 Weighting by Outstanding Vol 30-Jun-11 30-Jun-09 26.06 19-Apr-10

45.12 30-Jun-10 28.83 30-Dec-10

100.00 30-Sep-11

12.50

13.00 Weighting by Mkt Value 14.00 15.50

10.00 28.39

13.75 49.01 14.00 22.59

100.00 14.00

8.50

31-Aug-15

2.16

30-Sep-15 % Exposure_ Mod_Duration 30-Jun-16

Bucket Weighting

2.60 3.96

57.00 0.26 21.24 0.45 25.00 0.29 30.81 1.00

0.15 0.23

Implied Yield

0.73

30-Jun-16 13.48 19-Apr-17

0.74 14.90 1.78

100.00 30-Sep-18

15.11 1.87

44.51 30-Jun-17 42.01 31-Dec-17

14.96 1.27 15.34 2.49

Bb-/Agusto; A-/GCR

NIGER

14.00 NIGER II 4-OCT-2018

04-Oct-11

14.00

9.00

04-Oct-18

1.88

‡ /Agusto; A-/GCR†

*EKITI

14.50 EKITI 09-DEC-2018

09-Dec-11

14.50

12.40

09-Dec-18

2.06

Bb-/Agusto

*NIGER

14.00 NIGER III 12-DEC-2018

12-Dec-13

14.00

9.21

12-Dec-18

2.07

‡ /Agusto; A-/GCR

*ONDO

15.50 ONDO 14-FEB-2019

14-Feb-12

15.50

27.00

14-Feb-19

2.05

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 24.74

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

2.49 4.38 2.55

BBB-/Agusto

*OSUN

14.75 OSUN II 10-OCT-2020

10-Oct-13

14.75

10.78

10-Oct-20

2.99

4.44 3.23 Implied Portfolio Price 4.46 3.48 128.1747 1.00 124.8241 1.00 90.9756 1.79 115.9399 1.80 1.00 1.00 4.78 1.00 2.02 1.00 1.00 1.82

14.26

99.66

15.98

99.26 YTD Return (%) 97.27

INDEX

18.17 17.20 1,166.09 15.77 1,082.15 15.44 1,096.80 16.68 1,104.05 16.60 15.80 15.85 19.63 15.85 16.91 16.05 15.90 16.77

98.86 5.2574 91.27 6.8715 98.14

8.9163 94.71 4.6311 96.05 97.18 97.74 91.10 99.39 97.25 95.21 97.71 95.57

NEW TELEGRAPH WEDNESDAY, JULY 8, 2015

News 47

SOUTH-EAST

Tribunal adjourns hearing in Imo monarchs defy Okorocha, insist on court action Kalu’s petition them to withdraw the noon, yesterday, the mon- the mere mention of it as Steve Uzoechi suit and apologize to archs have not made any derogatory and insulting

Igbeaku Orji Umuahia

he Abia State election petition tribunal sitting in Umuahia, yesterday adjourned to July 22, the prehearing on the petition filed by former Governor of the state and candidate of the Progressive Peoples Alliance (PPA) Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu, against the election of Hon. Mao Ohuabunwa, of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as senator for Abia North senatorial district. When the petition, AB/ EPT/SN/5/2015, came up for mention yesterday, the tribunal Chairman, Justice Adeniyi Adegbanjo, advised Kalu’s lead counsel, Chief Kelvin Nwufo to take advantage of the progress made already in the consolidated petition of the candidate of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) David Onuoha-Bourdex, to expedite

his presentation. Adegbanjo then adjourned the matter so as to accommodate interlocutory applications on the consolidated petitions and urged all counsels to the petition to file all interlocutory applications before that date. Counsels to the 1st and 2nd respondents Mao Ohuabunwa and Independent National Electoral Commission) Mike Onyeka and Dr. Livy Uzoukwu, acknowledged being served all the processes and told the court they were ready for the pre-trial. Speaking with journalists after the session, Nwufo said the consolidation of the petitions was to save time, even as he expressed confidence that his client has a good case. He said he wants his client to be declared winner of the election or the entire election nullified because, according to him, the election was substantially marred by irregularities.

OWERRI

he 40 traditional rulers that dragged Governor Rochas Okorocha of Imo State to court over perceived highhandedness and intimidation, have refused to shift their ground, following the governor’s directive to

him. Investigations by New Telegraph indicate that with less than 24 hours to the next adjourned date of hearing, the monarchs are yet to withdraw their suit against the governor. A dependable source at the Owerri High Court, told our correspondent that as at 12

move to withdraw the suit against Governor Okorocha. In the same vein, the monarchs have also ignored the governor’s directive to apologize to him for dragging him into the court action. None of the monarchs contacted on the matter was interested in discussing as they viewed

to the traditional institution in Imo state. Apparently, Governor Rochas Okorocha was also aware that no withdrawal or apology would be forthcoming and has directed his counsel to file his brief in response to the served court processes ahead of the commencement of hearing on the matter.

Court strikes out Chukwu’s petition against Umahi Uchenna Inya ABAKALIKI

he Federal High Court sitting in Abakaliki, Ebonyi State, yesterday struck out the suit filed by one of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship aspirants in the state in the November 8, 2014 primary and former Minister of Health, Prof. Onyebuchi Chukwu, challenging the legality of the congress that produced Governor Dave Umahi, as the candidate of the party in the last general election. In a two hour judgment delivered by the Presiding Judge, Maureen Oyetenu, the court ruled that though Chukwu has the right to question the primary as

an aspirant, he ought to have participated in the exercise as stipulated by law and therefore struck- out the suit. Justice Oyetenu, differed with the counsel to Chief Umahi , Chief Offordile Okafor(SAN) who had argued that the court lacks the jurisdiction to question the congress conducted by the party and ruled that where due process was not followed in the congress the court has the right to contest such exercise. She faulted the November 1st congress that produced the delegates for the November 8 Governorship primary. Counsel to Chief Umahi, Offordile Okafor commended the court for the judgment which he described as victory for democracy.

Wife of Anambra State Governor, Mrs. Ebelechukwu Obiano (left), with the Regional Bank Head, UBA, Mr. Jerry Azih, during the presentation of books to CAFÉ in support of Girl-Child Education Campaign in Awka.

Ihedioha wins round one, as tribunal shuts out INEC, 35 others’ submissions Steve Uzoechi OWERRI

he Imo State election petition tribunal yesterday refused to admit the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and 35 other respondents submission of additional evidence for failing to file their briefs within stipulated time-frame in the petition filed by the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Emeka Ihedioha, against Governor Rochas Okorocha. The counsel represent-

ing Governor Rochas Okorocha (1st respondent), Chief Adeniyi Akintola (SAN) noted that the parties were not properly served, and that the All Progressives Congress (APC) was supposed to have been served at its national headquarters in Abuja instead of Owerri. Aligning with that submission, counsel for the APC (37th respondent), Chief Nelson Ezerioha, submitted that the service on the party was fundamentally defective and therefore null and void, stating that in that circumstance, no motion could be moved until all

the necessary services were duly concluded. Counsel to Ihedioha, Chief Mike Ahamba (SAN), objected to the submissions of the respondents, insisting that it would erode the service of justice and urged the tribunal to go on with the pre-hearing session since parties have been put on notice through the prehearing questionnaires which they had duly answered. He decried the antics of delay employed by the respondents in the matter and therefore urged the tribunal, ‘to avoid case management and proceed

to case hearing’. In his ruling, the tribunal chairman, Hon. Justice David Wyon, over-ruled the respondents’ counsels, stating that once the parties have been served whether at the headquarters or her branch office, it was service duly done. The tribunal in dismissing further submissions by the respondents the tribunal ruled that having been duly served, INEC and 34 others (2nd to 36th respondents) have failed to file their responses on time and thereby foreclosed their submissions in the matter.

Imo sets up committee on prison’s decongestion Umahi accuses Elechi of sponsoring LP’s petition Steve Uzoechi OWERRI

n an effort to decongest the Owerri Prison, the Imo State Government has set up a committee to find a lasting solution to how a permanent solution can be found to the present situation of the prison. Addressing journalists shortly after the state security council meeting at the Government House yesterday,

the Secretary to the Government of Imo State, Chief Jude Ejiogu, said the committee is made up of the Deputy Governor, Eze Madumere and the Chief Judge of Imo State, His Lordship, Paschal Nnadi. Ejiogu said that Governor Rochas Okorocha, has mandated the committee to visit the prison to ascertain the remote and immediate challenges facing the facility, with reference to proffering lasting solution on how

to decongest the prison and ensure it accommodates inmates not far in excess of its carrying capacity. The Secretary to the State Government also revealed that a committee has been set up to intervene in the crisis between workers at the Imo International Cargo Airport and their host community; with a view to ensuring that lasting peace and industrial harmony is achieved in the area.

Uchenna Inya ABAKALIKI

bonyi State Governor Dave Umahi, yesterday accused the immediate governor of the state Chief Martin Elechi of sponsoring the Labour Party petition at the state election petition tribunal, just as he lambasted some politicians in the state over the role played in the April governorship election, saying that he will not work with them as a group but

individually based on individual merit. Speaking against the backdrop of the allegation that his administration was out to loot the state, at the Government House, Abakaliki, when some stalwarts of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), paid him a courtesy call, he said, “they called me a thief that I will sell the state if given the state to manage but that I have a covenant with God not to steal the state’s money.’’ Umahi stated that there

was so much corruption in the last administration that anybody could feel it and that the system was very badly managed. He also noted that immediately after the election which he won, the leaders invited him, Elechi and the LP’s governorship candidate to a truce, urging them to bury the hatchet, but little did he know that the move was deceitful as Chief Nkwagu, was to later approach the tribunal with active support and sponsorship of Elechi.

News

Emmanuel Masha Port Harcourt

he camps of Governor Nyesom Wike and the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Dr. Dakuku Peterside, yesterday claimed early lead at the election tribunal in Abuja, noting that the sitting, which resumed a few days ago, favoured their principals. Following the tribunal’s decision to revisit an earlier ruling on the inspection of election materials after an application by APC’s counsel, Chief Akin Olujimi (SAN), Wike’s camp described the development as a ‘setback’ for Peterside.

WEDNESDAY, JULY 8, 2015 NEW TELEGRAPH

SOUTH-SOUTH

Election tribunal: Wike, Peterside camps hopeful Peterside’s camp, however, feels that the former House of Representatives member scored a key point because Olujimi succeeded in convincing the tribunal that election matters should not be treated as civil matters, and that Wike was trying to delay the sittings through the prayer and motion for the determination of jurisdiction. The governor’s Special Adviser on Media and Pub-

licity, Opunabo Inko-Tariah, who spoke in a reaction, said it was “the third consecutive set-back suffered by the APC since hearing on the petition challenging the election of Wike commenced.” He said the matter had been adjourned till tomorrow for ruling on the motion after Wike’s counsel, E. C. Ukala (SAN), convinced the tribunal not to grant APC’s request.

“Considering the arguments of the respondent’s counsel, the tribunal agreed to revisit its earlier ruling on the matter, pointing out that it is within its remit to set aside its own order,” Inko-Tariah said in a statement. “Consequently, Wike’s counsel, Ukala, moved a motion to set aside the order earlier granted by the tribunal for inspection of materials used during the

governorship election,” he added. A contrary statement from Peterside’s camp, signed by his Media Aide, Bekee Anyalewechi, noted that “the tribunal overruled Wike’s counsel, and declared that in as much the issue of a court’s jurisdiction was important, in the matter before it, the motion on jurisdiction and the pre-trial hearing would be heard simultaneously.”

Buhari’ll not forget Niger Delta people, says Oshiomhole Cajetan Mmuta BENIN

do State governor, Adams Oshiomhole, yesterday assured the people in the Niger Delta that the region will benefit immensely from the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari. He said events of the past few years had shown that the friends of the Niger Delta region in the South-South geo-political zone of the county are not necessarily from the region. Oshiomhole spoke when he played host to the Chairman of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Senator Bassey Ewa-Henshaw, who led other members of the board, including the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Bassey Dan-Abia, to his office at Government House, Benin City, the state capital. He said: “I am very confident that President Muhammadu Buhari, given his passion for development as a trusted friend of the masses, which is his constituency, will do everything possible to look at the letter and the spirit of the Act establishing the NDDC and do whatever has to be done to ensure that the law is complied with.” According to him, governors of the South-South states are determined to collaborate with the Federal Government to ensure that the oil rich region gets a fair share of what is expected of them from the NDDC in view of the enormous contribution of the region to national development. He said: “We governors of the South-South are meeting in the last week of this month and one of the issues to be discussed will be on the NDDC.”

L-R: Director, Nigeria Conservation Foundation (NCF), Dr. Joseph Onoja; Head, Corporate Responsibility & Sustainability, First Bank Nigeria Limited, Mr. Ismail Omamegbe; Branch Manager, Mission Road Branch, Mr. Ademola Ige; Director, Ministry of Environment, Benin City, Mrs. Irene Edokpayi and Principal, Evboesi Senior School, Edo State, Mrs. Funmi Ade-Ife, at the launch of the bank’s conservation programme in Benin, Edo State.

Dickson blames nation’s woes on dependence on oil Chris Ejim Yenagoa

ayelsa State gover nor, Seriake Dickson, yesterday blamed the current economic woes in the nation on over-dependence on crude oil revenues by successive administrations. He said the present import-oriented monolithic economy places the nation in a precarious situation as the country is not in a position to influence oil prices at the international market.

He, therefore, underscored the need for states to identify sectors where they have comparative advantage with a view to developing such areas to create wealth and job opportunities. On his efforts to diversify the Bayelsa economy, Governor Dickson said the government was working in collaboration with reputable partners both within and outside the country to boost agricultural production to ensure food security as well as create employment for the people. He said: “Over the

years, there has been over reliance on oil revenues to the utter neglect of agriculture, tourism and manufacturing, which shouldn’t have been. And we have not been able to get the power situation right, which will also aid industrialisation. “Our leaders should have known that over-reliance on oil revenues is a very risky step for our national economy. As a matter of fact, it is a national security, because you are dealing with an oil politics that you don’t even control at the global level. “So when the world

powers calculate their national interest and play the sort of games that they play, then those of us who are totally dependent on oil revenues; that don’t have proactive leadership suffer for it. We have no excuse for reducing the country to that level,” he said. According to the governor, his administration has established a 400-hectare cassava farm at Ebedebiri in Sagbama Local Government area in addition to a cassava processing plant, which he described as the largest in the country being constructed by a Danish company.

Anxiety grips Delta community over political killings Dominic Adewole ASABA

neasy calm pervaded Ibusa community and the entire Oshimili North Local Government Area of Delta State yesterday, following the killings that trailed the 2011 and the April 11, 2015 House

of Assembly elections in the state. Men of the state police command yesterday mobilised against the alleged killers of one Emeke Oniawa, an aide to the House of Assembly candidate of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Chief Tony Azuya, who was alleged-

ly murdered by opposition elements during the just-concluded election. The detectives allegedly acted on the information gathered from the two other victims who survived the assassination plot after they were rushed to the University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH).

As early as 5.30am, the detectives, who stormed the council area, swooped on the former council Chairman, Innocent Ezenwezia, who allegedly masterminded Emeka’s killing on behalf of the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Princess Pat Ajudua.

Bayelsa guber race: Buhari intervenes in APC crisis Chris Ejim Yenagoa

resident Muhammadu Buhari has intervened in the raging factional crisis rocking the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Bayelsa State with a warning to members to uphold the unity of the party ahead of the 2016 governorship election in the state. The decision by the President to intervene, sources said, was due to the reports received from some members of the National Working Committee (NWC) of the party on the petition filed by the faction led by Chief Richard Kpodo. Attempts to get clarification on the development from the state Chairman of the party, Chief Tiwei Orunimigha, failed. But a member of the group of elders, under the auspices of the Bayelsa Peoples Consultative Forum, Chief Alex Ekiotenne, said though he was not privy to the arrangement on the intervention by President Buhari, the National Chairman of the APC, Chief John OdigieOyegun had denied any factional crisis in the party.

Okowa seeks synergy between Buhari, N’Assembly Dominic Adewole ASABA

elta State governor, Ifeanyi Okowa, has called for synergy between the National Assembly and the Presidency in the fight against insurgency in the country. Okowa said instead of the ongoing politics of interest at the National Assembly, the President and the lawmakers should devise a means of handling the issue of the Boko Haram insurgency. The governor, who lamented the death toll from the sect’s incessant bombings, urged President Muhammadu Buhari and the National Assembly leaders to enact laws aimed at arresting the menace. Okowa spoke when the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Yakubu Dogara, led some members of the House to visit the state yesterday. He acknowledged that the National Assembly constitutes the livewire of the nation’s progress.

NEW TELEGRAPH WEDNESDAY, JULY 8, 2015

Five dead, 11 injured in Niger communal clash Dan Atori MINNA

t least five people were confirmed dead and eleven others critically injured in a communal clash between two villages in Agaie Local Government Area of Niger State yesterday. The clash was said to be between people in two warring communities of Mazza and Tswachiko, who were fighting over a farmland.

Our correspondent gathered that the two villages have been at daggers drawn over the farmland for over four years until it got to a peak last Tuesday when four people lost their lives following an attack and counter attack by the two communities. The fifth victim died in the early hours of Monday at the hospital from injuries sustained from the attacks. Several houses were razed in the clash while two vehicles, 18 motorcycles and domestic animals were

either killed or touched in the violent face-off. Trouble started when the people of Tswachiko were accused by Mazza people of farming on the land in dispute in violation of the directive of the paramount ruler of the area, the Emir of Agaie, Alhaji Yusuf Nuhu, who had earlier called for the status quo to be maintained. This violation of the Emir’s directive irked the people of Mazza, who allegedly reacted violently by attacking the Tswachiko on the

farmland, which led to the death of a youth. Disturbed by the development, Tswachiko community mobilised and launched a counter attack by invading Mazza village. The invasion led to the killing of three people and wreaked havoc on the village. Condemning the unfortunate incident, the Emir of Agaie, who visited the farmland and the two neighbouring villages yesterday, frowned on the senseless and unwarranted killings.

L-R: Bauchi State Deputy Governor, Mr Nuhu Gidado; Governor Muhammed Abubakar and Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Alhaji Ahmed Suleiman, at the swearing-in of the SSG in Bauchi …on Monday

PDP condemns Jos blasts Musa Pam Jos

he Plateau State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) yesterday condemned the twin bomb blasts that killed scores of people on Sunday in Jos North Local Government Area of the state. The party also condoled with the people of the state and family members of those involved in the blasts.

Addressing journalists yesterday in Jos, the acting Chairman of the party, Hon. Raymond Dabo, also lamented the absence of governance in the state since May 29, when Governor Simon Lalong was inaugurated. According to him, “Since this administration was inaugurated, not one commissioner has been named to oversee any ministry responsible for providing specific needs of the state and it is this absence that has occasioned the blunders

already been experienced in the wrongful abrogating of the law by an administration that ought to uphold same and give effect to it. The party also condemned the recent sack of the elected local government chairmen in the state, stressing that; “We now know that the Lalong administration would go beyond breaking the law if the people of Plateau State keep mum,” adding that the APC government in Plateau State has shown that her campaign promises were on a faulty note.

Ortom pledges to restore nursing school’s accreditation Cephas Iorhemen MAKURDI

enue State governor, Samuel Ortom, yesterday pledged to commit resources to ensure the re-accreditation of courses at the School of Nursing and Midwifery, Makurdi and also pursue its upgrading to a degree-awarding institution before the end of his administration. Ortom, who spoke

when he visited the institution, reiterated that the state government would do everything that is needed to ensure accreditation of its courses. He stressed the importance of the school to healthcare delivery in the state, noting that its products were also offering cherished services in the health sector all over the world. According to him, it was not a coincidence that both he and his wife

News 49

NORTH

visited the school separately within the last two weeks, pointing out that the visits underscored its importance to healthcare delivery in the state. He decried the school’s loss of accreditation and its state of dilapidation and commended Rotary Club International and Centre for Integrated Health Programs (CIHP) for contributing to its sustenance, adding that his government was challenged by their actions.

Guber race: Audu promises to liberate Kogi Johnchuks Onuanyim Abuja

he former governor of Kogi State and leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kogi State, Prince Abubakar Audu, yesterday promised to do his best to liberate the state if re-elected in the forthcoming gubernatorial election in the state. He said he would work to ensure that the state do not degenerate into a failed state if he becomes governor. Audu, who spoke through his media aide in a statement in Abuja, said rather than selfserving, he was on a mission to rescue the state and bring it back to the cradle it was known for.

CHANGE OF NAME AROGUNDADE

I formerly known and addressed as Opebi Folashade Zainab now wish to be known and addressed as Arogundade Folashade Zainab , All former documents remain valid. General public should take note

Tarzoor/Ortom case: Tribunal fixes August 3 for hearing Cephas Iorhemen MAKURDI

he Benue State Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Makurdi, yesterday adjourned till August 3, 2015 for commencement of hearing in the petition brought before it by Hon. Terhemen Tarzoor. Lead counsel to Governor Samuel Ortom, Sebastian Hon (SAN), who briefed reporters shortly after the adjournment, said the major issues to be determined include whether the tribunal has the jurisdiction to entertain and determine the case, and whether the governor was qualified to contest the April 11 governorship election as being alleged by the petitioner. Tarzoor is contesting the election of Governor Samuel Ortom on the grounds that he was not qualified to contest the election on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC). At the conclusion of the pre-hearing session yesterday, Tarzoor, through his counsel, Tunde Babalola, announced the withdrawal of his earlier motion for inspection of Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) ma-

terials used during the governorship election, as according to him, the materials had already been obtained from INEC as they are pleaded in the petition. Counsel to all the respondents including Adeniyi Akintola, for Governor Ortom, Sabastian Hon, for APC and Anthony Ijohor, did not oppose the withdrawal of the motion, while the Chairman of the tribunal, Justice Elizabeth Karatu, granted the withdrawal of the motion. However, Sabastian Hon (SAN), brought a motion seeking to delete paragraph 10 (C) in the reply of the petitioner. The motion was not opposed by Tarzoor, Ortom and INEC, and was granted by the tribunal. New Telegraph observed that before the adjournment was made, the tribunal formulated issues for determination during the hearing amongst them; whether it has the jurisdiction to hear the case and whether or not Ortom was lawfully declared and returned winner of the April 11th, 2015 governorship election. The tribunal chairman also ordered all parties to inspect INEC materials on today and report back to it.

PUBLIC NOTICE

ISOLO YOUTH PROGRESSIVE FORUM The general public is hereby notified that the above named FORUM has applied to the Corporate Affairs Commission for registration under part “C” of the Companies and Allied Matters Act No. 1 of 1990. THE TRUSTEES ARE 1. ABOLAJI WAHEEDB 2. ISMAIL WALIU OMOFOLARIN 3. BANKOLE ISMAIL 4 AGBABIAKA NURUDEEN OLATU 5 AGBAJE TAOFEEK OMOBOLAJI 6 ODUSHIN ADEOYE ABISODUN 7 ATANDA ADEOYE ABISODUN AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: 1 To maintain peace unity and mutual understanding with our members 2 To help our people for the upliftment of their 3 To breed the future leader 4 To help less privilege people Any objection to the incorporation of the above ministry should be forwarded to the Registrar-General, Corporate Affairs Commission, 420, Tigris Crescent, Off Aguiyi Ironsi Street,P.M.B 198, Maitama, , Abuja, within 28 days of this publication. Signed:TRUSTEES

PUBLIC NOTICE

JESUS IS THE LIGHT PENTECOSTAL CHURCH

NOTICE is hereby given to the general public that the above named CHURCH has applied to the Corporate Affairs Commission for registration under part “C” of the Company and Allied Matters Act 1990. THE TRUSTEES ARE 1. PASTOR SANGOTADE GABRIEL GBENGA - GENERAL OVERSEER 2. PASTOR (MRS) SANGOTADE VICTORIA OLUNIKE 3. ELDER FALADE SEYE TIMOTHY 4. ADEKAMBI MICHAEL FEMI - SECRETARY

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: 1. To preach the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. 2. To use the grace of God upon our lives to minister to spiritual needs of men 3. To express the love of Christ through support to the less priviledged especially in the rural communities Any objection to the incorporation of the above ministry should be forwarded to the Registrar-General, Corporate Affairs Commission, 420, Tigris Crescent, Off Aguiyi Ironsi Street,P.M.B 198, Maitama, , Abuja, within 28 days of this publication. Signed : TRUSTEES

50 WORLD | News

WEDNESDAY, JULY 8, 2015 NEW TELEGRAPH

Britain remembers 2005 bombings B ritons laid flowers at the sites of the 2005 London suicide bombings and held a nationwide minute of silence for the 52 victims yesterday on the tenth anniversary of the attacks. Prime Minister David Cameron led the tributes by placing a wreath at a memorial in Hyde Park, less than a fortnight after an attack in Tunisia in which 30 Britons were killed. The ceremony began at exactly 8:50 am (0750 GMT) the

time the first of four homegrown jihadists detonated his device on London’s transport system on July 7, 2005. “It’s still raw 10 years on,” said Mark, a 40-year-old train driver fighting back tears on the plaza outside King’s Cross train station, near two of the four blast scenes. “You see things you don’t want to see again. It was horrendous,” he said, adding that he was on duty at the time and was “involved” in rescue operations. Bouquets of flowers were laid in nearby Tavistock Square,

on the spot where one of the bombers detonated his device on a red double-decker bus, killing 13 people. “Our precious daughter Shyanu. When heaven took our angel back, they left two broken hearts,” read one message left in honour of 30-year-old Shayanuja Parathasangary. At Russell Square Underground station where a second device was detonated on a train, a tent was erected near the station entrance where mourners could sit and pay a silent tribute. Spectators at the Wimbledon tennis tournament joined

in the minute of silence, as did tourists outside St Paul’s Cathedral, where petals were dropped from the dome during a service for families of the victims and survivors. “Ten years on from the 7/7 London attacks, the threat from terrorism continues to be as real as it is deadly,” Cameron said. “The murder of 30 innocent Britons whilst holidaying in Tunisia is a brutal reminder of that fact. But we will never be cowed by terrorism.” The Britons were among 38 people killed when a gunman went on the rampage at a popular Tunisian beach resort on June 26, Britain’s worst terror incident since the 2005 bombings. In a social media tribute that quickly trended on Twitter, many commuters posted pictures of themselves walking to work as part of a #WalkTogether campaign by leaders of different faiths to honour the victims. In the past decade, successive gov-

ernments have strengthened security powers and improved the way the emergency services respond to attacks after criticism of severe delays. But they are still struggling to address the problem of radicalisation exposed by the bombings, which were carried out not by foreign fighters but by four young men who grew up in Britain and were inspired by Al-Qaeda. Hundreds of British young people are now flocking to join the Islamic State group in Syria and Iraq, raising fears that they might return to attack their homeland. For many of those directly affected by the London bombings, the anniversary has brought back painful memories. “Whatever help you get, it’s still there. You can never get rid of it,” said Mark, the train driver. David Boyce was a 25-yearold supervisor at Russell Square station and one of the first to witness the carnage.

Thousands endure heavy rains awaiting Pope in Ecuador

A Members of the emergency services at Wimbledon observe a minute’s silence in memory of the 52 people who were killed in the 2005 London suicide bombings, yesterday.

Greece faces last chance to stay in euro zone

reek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras had a final chance to present credible reform proposals to an emergency euro zone summit yesterday to persuade skeptical creditors to reopen aid talks before his country’s banks run out of money. With Greek lenders down to their last few days of cash and the European Central Bank tightening the noose on their funding, Tsipras must convince the bloc’s other 18 leaders, many of whom are exasperated with five years of crisis, to authorize negotiations fast on a new loan to rescue Greece. But Greek officials said the leftist premier’s pro-

posals would not go far beyond a plan he sent to the euro zone last week before Greek voters overwhelmingly rejected the austerity terms of a bailout in a referendum on Sunday. The leaders of Germany and France, the currency area’s two main powers, said after conferring on Monday that the door was still open to a deal to save Greece from plunging into economic turmoil and ditching the euro. Chancellor Angela Merkel, under pressure in Germany to cut Greece loose, made clear it was up to Tsipras to come up with convincing proposals after Athens spurned the tax rises, spending cuts and pension and

labor reforms that were on the table before its 240 billion euro bailout expired last week. European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker, under suspicion from both sides for trying to broker a last-minute deal, told the European Parliament: “There are some in the European Union who openly or secretly are working to exclude Greece from the euro zone.” He did not name names but may have been referring to German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble, who has made no secret of his scepticism about Greece’s fitness to stay in the euro and last week suggested a possible “temporary” exit.

UN: Cholera kills 32 in South Sudan

cholera outbreak in war torn South Sudan has killed at least 32 people, a fifth of them children under five, and schools have a major role to play in stemming the spread of the disease, the United Nations said yesterday. More than 700 cholera cases have been reported in the capital Juba and Bor, the capital of Jonglei state, in the last five weeks, according to the UN children’s agency UNICEF. “Cholera is a deadly disease that inordinately affects young children,” Jonathan Veitch, UNICEF representative in South Sudan, said in a statement. “One of the most powerful

ways we can respond to this outbreak is by equipping schoolchildren with the information and tools they need to protect themselves and their families.” An intestinal infection often linked to contaminated drinking water, cholera causes diarrhea and vomiting, leaving small children especially vulnerable to death from dehydration. As many as 5,000 children under five are at risk of dying from cholera unless urgent action is taken to contain the outbreak, the UN humanitarian agency OCHA said last week. Children are being encouraged to raise awareness about the disease among their families

and communities in a country where only one in four adults are literate, according to UNICEF. UNICEF is also broadcasting cholera prevention messages, hosting talk shows on radio stations, conducting vaccination campaigns and training volunteers, teachers and religious leaders about prevention and early detection of cholera. Veitch said the cholera outbreak could lead to a devastating loss of life if it spreads into conflict-hit states where almost 200 health facilities have been closed or destroyed. “It’s a race against time to prevent the spread of cholera up the river Nile, especially during the rainy season.

water logged crowd estimated by officials at half a million awaits the pope at Quito’s Bicentennial Park. Francis will be celebrating the second Mass of his South American tour. City operations director Cristian Rivera says more than 300,000 faithful spent the night and got doused with a pre-dawn torrential rain. He said paramedics treated more than 20 people for hypothermia and handed out blankets to the crowd. He said two hydrosuction trucks worked to remove puddles from several inundated sections of the park. A 59 year old seafood vendor, Abel Gualoto, rubbed his cold hands and said he didn’t mind the discomfort. “The joy at seeing the pope gives us the

warmth we need,” he said. Pope Francis is beginning the second full day of his South American tour. The 78 year old pontiff is set to meet with Ecuadorean bishops in Quito before celebrating Mass at the city’s Bicentennial Park, a large green space in the area of a former airport. In the afternoon, he’ll address leaders of the Pontifical Catholic University of Ecuador before doing the same with civil society groups in the early evening. Then later at night, he’ll make a private visit to the Church of the Society of Jesus, known locally as Iglesia de la Compania. The Jesuit church is one of the oldest and most known in Ecuador. It houses a painting of the Virgin Mary that was said to shed tears in 1906.

Turkish Airlines’ plane diverted to New Delhi over bomb scare

urkish Airlines says an Istanbul-bound plane carrying 134 passengers made an emergency landing at New Delhi after note with the word “bomb” was found in a toilet, the latest in a series of such incidents. The airline said yesterday that a crew member discovered the note on Flight TK 65, some three hours after it took off from Bangkok.

It was diverted to New Delhi as precaution and was being searched. Turkish Airlines has been plagued by bomb scares recently, including five previous cases of notes found in toilets that have disrupted or diverted flights, reportedly costing the company millions of dollars. The planes were searched each time and no bomb was found.

Burundian ruling party wins parliamentary poll

he ruling party of Burundi’s President Pierre Nkurunziza has swept to an expected overwhelming victory in controversial parliament elections that were boycotted by the opposition, according to official results

released yesterday. The CNDD-FFD party of Nkurunziza, who is seeking a third term in office in upcoming presidential polls, won 77 out of 100 elected seats in parliament, according to the national election commission.

NEW TELEGRAPH WEDNESDAY, JULY 8, 2015

News

International Sport

League Rendezvous

Eagles job: NFF in talk with Oliseh

Messi: Losing Copa America painful

Shooting Stars welcome Warri Wolves

Sport

Did you know? That Rafael Benitez took Napoli from second to fifth position in Serie A after spending 110m Euro yet he got the Real Madrid job

Shake-up imminent in NFF Adekunle Salami

ith barely four days after the sacking of Super Eagles Head Coach, Stephen Keshi, there are indications that the secretariat of the Nigeria Football Federation will soon witness a shake-up. Our correspondent learnt reliably that plans have reached advanced stage by the current board led by Amaju Pinnick to sack all the directors in the Glass House and bring in people who can drive the vision of the new board. The various directors attached to all the departments are supposed to work in the secretariat on contract for four years but the current directors have spent over eight years. It was reliably learnt the board has directed the secretariat to place adverts for three positions. They are Director of Marketing, Director of Finance and Director of Competitions. Our correspondent however scooped that board members are already scheming to bring in candidates for these positions. A top shot on the board is expected to bring in somebody for the Director of Competition position even though the position is being thrown to the public through adverts.

• Football house to replace directors in the secretariat “This board is trying to work with people that share its vision in all areas. Those directors there now have been there for over eight years. It is supposed to be for a tenure of four years. Some worked for Sani Lulu and Aminu Maigari while some started since the tenure of Ibrahim Galadima,” our source said. New Telegraph can authoritatively reveal that apart from the three directors to be fired,

some other people will also lose their job in the deliberate attempt to ‘inject vibrancy’ into the running of the game from the secretariat. Image maker of the NFF, Ademola Olajire, told our correspondent that the development was nothing serious since administration is continuous. “All those on contract as members of staff or directors

are at the mercy of the board. Other secretariat staff members are civil servants. Administration is continuous, if the board is okay with their work, the job continues and if otherwise others are employed,” he said. Olajire also confirmed that there were plans to advertise the positions of three directors except that of technical which Shaibu Amodu currently occupies.

NFF President, Amaju Pinnick

The Sport Team Adekunle Salami Group Sport Editor

Emmanuel Tobi Assistant Sport Editor

Ifeanyi Ibeh Sport Correspondent

Ajibade Olusesan Sport Correspondent

Charles Ogundiya Sport Correspondent

Mayweather (left) and Pacquiao during their bout in Las Vegas.

INSET: Mayweather with his belts

Mayweather stripped of WBO title won from Pacquiao

ive-weight world champion Floyd Mayweather has been stripped of the WBO welterweight belt won from Manny Pacquiao in May. The 38-year-old failed to pay the WBO a $200,000 (£128,000) fee to administer the fight by the July 3 deadline. Mayweather had been expected to relinquish the title

by now, saying he planned to do so following his points victory over Pacquiao. Fellow American Timothy Bradley will now become the full belt holder. After Mayweather defeated Pacquiao, he had declared he would vacate all his titles in order to give younger fighters the chance to win belts.

“The WBO World Championship Committee is allowed no other alternative but to cease to recognise Mr Floyd Mayweather Jr as the WBO welterweight champion of the world and vacate his title.” said a statement on wboboxing.com. Mayweather, who still holds the WBA and WBC belts

at welterweight, has until July 20 to appeal against the decision. He is expected to stage one more fight in Las Vegas on September 12, although he has yet to name the opponent. The WBO created a vacant interim welterweight belt for the June 27 fight between Bradley and Jessie Vargas.

Sport

WEDNESDAY, JULY 8, 2015 NEW TELEGRAPH

Eagles job: NFF in talk with Oliseh

unday Oliseh is in advanced talks with the Nigerian Football Federation over becoming the new Super Eagles coach, BBC Sport has revealed. The 40-year-old former midfielder, who captained Nigeria and won 63 caps, is set to be appointed in the coming days. The NFF has acted quickly to fill the vacancy following the sacking of Stephen Keshi on Saturday. Oliseh was part of the Nigeria squad that won the Africa Cup of Nations in 1994 and Olympic gold two years later. He also played at the World Cup in 1994 and 1998, helping the Super Eagles to the last-16 at both tourna-

ments and in the latter he scored a memorable winner as Nigeria defeated Spain 3-2 in a group match. A member of the “golden generation” of Nigerian football stars, alongside Jay-Jay Okocha, Nwankwo Kanu and Finidi George, Oliseh has been working as a pundit, sport consultant and FIFA Technical committee member. Oliseh has little management experience, having coached only Belgian lower league side Vervietois between 2008 and 2009, but he does hold the UEFA Pro Licence. He would take over from assistant coach Salisu Yusuf, who is currently in charge on an interim basis.

Oliseh

AAG: AFN invites Nicholas, Oduduru, 48 others Nigeria’s Maryam Usman in action at the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games

All Africa Games: Nigeria to feature in 21 sports

he Nigeria Olympic Committee on Tuesday said that the nation would participate in 21 sports at the forthcoming All Africa Games in Congo Brazzaville from September 4 to 19. The sports are athletics, basketball, badminton, boxing, beach volleyball, cycling, football, gymnastics and handball. Other are judo, karate, table tennis, para athletics, powerlifting, taekwondo, tennis, rugby, swimming, volleyball, weightlifting and wrestling. The Secretary-General of NOC, Tunde Popoola, however, told the News Agency of Nigeria in Lagos that the number of sports may be reduced due to paucity of funds. “21 sports have made the requirements to feature at the Games. The numbers might undergo a reduction before the eventual departure to Congo Brazzaville. “The National Sports Commission has told us that they don’t have

enough funds to take along all athletes. “We are hoping that a way is found so that we can be able to take all the athletes,’’ he said. The scribe said that, if by the end of July the financial situation has not improved, the number of sports for the games would be reduced to 15 or 17. “It is not our intention to raise hopes and eventually dash them. If NOC has its way, all the 21 sports will go. It would be very painful if it comes down to dropping some sports. “It is rather unfortunate the situation we find ourselves at this tail end of the tidying up for the Games. “We are hoping that things would turn around for good and all the contingent would go,’’ he said. NAN reports that at the 2011 AAG in Maputo, Nigeria featured in 20 sports and clinched 102 medals comprised of 31 gold, 29 silver and 42 bronze.

Charles Ogundiya

he Athletic Federation of Nigeria on Tuesday invited 50 home-based athletes to camp in

Oduduru

preparation for the All Africa Games. Leading the invited athletes is the current 100m men’s champion, Nicholas Imhoaperamhe, former junior international, Divine Oduduru, and quartermiler, Tosin Adeloye. Others are Commonwealth Games gold medallist in long jump, Ese Brume, current National Sports Festival 400m men champion, Orukpe Erayokan among others. In a statement signed by Omatseye Nesiama, the Technical Director of AFN, the athletes’ camp officially opens at the AFN High Performance Centre University of Port Harcourt this week as all selected athletes are to contact the

Ujiri’s Giants of Africa returns after 2014 Ebola scare Ifeanyi Ibeh

he annual Giants of Africa basketball camp, the pet project of former Nigeria national team star and current General Manager of NBA outfit, Toronto Raptors, will return to Nigeria in August after failing to hold in 2014 following the outbreak of the Ebola virus in parts of the country. Ujiri and Giants of Africa announced on Tuesday that the camp will not only hold in Nigeria, but will take place in three other African countries in celebration of its 12th year of supporting the growth of basketball in Africa. The countries are Kenya, Ghana and Rwanda. The camps will be held in Nigeria from August 3 to 5, Ghana

from August 7 to 9, Kenya from August 10 to 12 and Rwanda from August 13 to 15. “Running the Giants of Africa camps every year has become very important to us,” said Ujiri. “We have to give back and encourage the youth. While we all want to do well in our daily jobs, we must never forget what got us here. Using basketball to educate and develop African youth is just the beginning of what needs to be accomplished. “Coaching the coaches and building infrastructure is key for the growth of the game on the continent. These kids are motivated, aspire to learn and continue to work hard. It is a responsibility for us to inspire them to keep aiming high by providing them opportunities to grow.”

Ujiri

Army, Lagos dominate Minimah Emenike joins Al Ain of Dubai on loan Boxing Championships Tosin Obisesan

he maiden edition of the Kenneth Minimah National Men and Women Open Boxing Championship came to a close last weekend at the National Stadium, Lagos, with the Nigerian Army boxing team and their Lagos counterparts dominating other teams at the weeklong championship. Caroline Linus, Kehinde Obareh and Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games

AFN Secretary General, Olumide Bamiduro, for necessary details about the camping programme. Meanwhile, AFN on Wednesday named a seven-man Local Organising Committee for the 2015 AFN/ CRS All Nigeria Athletics Championships which serve as trials for the Beijing 2015 IAAF World Championships in Athletics and Brazzaville 2015 All Africa Games. Tunde Abdulkareem, the Vice President of AFN is the chairman of the committee. Members are Olukayode Thomas, Nesiama Omatseye, Gloria Chukwukere, Kenneth Anugweje, Falilat Ogunkoya, and Bamiduro Olumide who will serve as the committee’s secretary.

bronze medallist, Edith OgokeAgu, won gold medals for the Army team in their respective weight divisions, while Azeez Dauda, Taiwo Abiodun and Rilwan Oladosun did likewise for Team Lagos. In another final, Ekele Danuloko from Kogi scored a third-round knockout victory over Oyo state’s Nosa Nehikhare in the 81kg weight category to boost his chances of making the country’s team to the upcoming All-Africa Games in Congo-Brazzaville.

igeria striker Emmanuel Emenike has joined Al Ain of UAE on a season-long loan from Fenerbahce, according to AfricanFootball.com. According to the online site, the player moved to the club after signing a year’s extension to his contract with Fenerbahce. A close confidant of the exSpartak Moscow hit man told AfricanFootball.com that the decision was made on Tuesday. “Emmanuel (Emenike) has agreed a loan move to Al Ain of UAE. That is Asamoah Gyan’s club,” he said. This finally puts to rest specu-

lations about where the former Karabukspor striker will play when the new season kicks off. Emenike laboured to impress last season as Fenerbache lost their league crown to archrivals Galatasaray so much so that he was linked with several clubs including Tottenham Hotspur, Spartak Moscow, Dynamo Moscow as well as clubs in UAE and Qatar. The Nigerian international striker had an excellent debut season at Fenerbahce, winning the league title and scoring 13 goals as well as providing nine assists.

FEDERATION CUP ROUND OF 32 Enyimba vs Remo Stars Lobi Stars vs N’Tornadoes Heartland vs Sharks Sportlight vs BJ Foundation Kano Pillars vs Plateau Utd Gateway vs El-Kanemi Kwara Utd vs ABU Zaria Kukuruku vs Rangers (Ilorin) Makwada W vs Nasarawa IfeanyiUbah vs Bayelsa Utd Akwa Utd vs Peacemakers Wikki vs Tornadoes Feeders J.Atete vs Prime FC

International Sport 53

NEW TELEGRAPH WEDNESDAY, JULY 8, 2015

Messi: Losing Copa America painful

TRANSFERS

‘Thiago Silva too expensive for Milan’

hiago Silva’s agent has claimed that the Paris Saint-Germain defender is too expensive for AC Milan to have a chance of re-signing him this summer. The Brazilian centre-back left the San Siro to join PSG in 2012, and despite indicat that the 30-year-old would be open to returning to Milan in the future, his agent Paulo Tonietto has played down rumours linking Silva with his former employers. “One day Thiago could return to Fluminense as well as Milan, and he would like to, but at the moment there is not the slightest chance that he could change club,” Tonietto told MilanNews. it. “At the moment he costs too much, he has a contract until 2018 and a very high salary. Milan couldn’t pay him because they have a policy about their wages.”

Valdes says no to Valencia

ictor Valdes has reportedly turned down the opportunity to sign for Valencia. Following a spell on the side-lines with a cruciate knee ligament injury, the goalkeeper joined Manchester United on an 18-month contract back in January. However, he only featured towards the end of the season due to an injury to number one goalkeeper David de Gea. Los Che had offered the 33-year-old the chance to play regular football, but having considered the proposal, he has decided to continue his career at Old Trafford, according to AS. Valdes made just two appearances for the Red Devils, during which he kept one clean sheet.

Roberto Firmino dribbling past a Borussia Dortmund player

Firmino relishing Liverpool challenge

oberto Firmino has revealed that he is relishing the challenge of playing in the Premier League with Liverpool. The Brazilian forward joined the Reds from Hoffenheim last month for a reported fee of around £30m. “First and foremost, I’m looking forward to the new challenge and I’m excited to see what the Premier League has to offer,”

ionel Messi has admitted that losing the Copa America final with Argentina was “painful”. Messi and his international teammates were beaten by hosts Chile via a penalty shootout on Sunday following a goalless 120 minutes in Santiago. Despite winning numerous trophies at club level for Barcelona, the 28-year-old has not

picked up any silverware with Argentina. “There’s nothing more painful in football than losing a final,” he wrote on his official Facebook page. “But I don’t want to leave it any longer to say thank you to everyone who has always supported us and continued to during the tough moments.” Messi has scored 46 goals in 103 appearances for Argentina.

he is quoted as saying by the Liverpool Echo. “Of course everything will once again be new to me at the start. I’m going to have to get used to a new playing style, but I’ll also get the opportunity to improve my game even further there.” Firmino scored 47 goals in 151 appearances after joining Hoffenheim from Figueirense in 2010.

Cricketer dies after being struck by ball

Pathmanathan

cricketer has died after being struck by a ball during a match in Surrey. Bavalan Pathmanathan, 24,

was batting for Manipay Parish Sports Club in the British Tamil League on Sunday. An air ambulance was called for Pathmanathan, but he later passed away due to the injuries that he sustained. “When he received the hit I asked from the other end if he is alright. He gave a thumb-up and nodded to indicate he was alright, while pressing his chest. He took a couple of steps behind the stumps and collapsed,” one of his teammates told the Colombo Mirror.

Messi

Klitschko gets warning from Fury camp

rainer Peter Fury has warned unified world heavyweight champion Wladimir Klitschko that Tyson Fury will be in the shape of his life when the pair meet in Dusseldorf on October 24. The 39-year-old Ukrainian (64-3-0-KO53) has not lost since 2004 and

was last in action in April when beating Bryant Jennings at Madison Square Garden via unanimous decision. Fury, 26, is the mandatory challenger for Klitschko’s WBO belt and with an unbeaten record of 24-0-0-KO18 heading in to the clash.

Tennis players need encouragement – Okocha • As NCC League takes centre stage Ajibade Olusesan

ormer Super Eagles midfielder, Austin Okocha, knows a little bit of tennis and he said that there were talented players in the country who only need encouragement to excel. The football legend told our correspondent in Lagos that he had been playing tennis passionately since he quit football and had discovered that Nigerian tennis players could go places if the environment was right.

“I do not play big time tennis but I like the game. I can tell you that we have a lot of players here in the country . And just like football, these talented Nigerians just need to be encouraged. We need to have tournaments to discover them and nurture them into big time players. We can do this if we put our mind to it, if we really want to help these young ones grow,” he said. Meanwhile, the second leg of the round robin of the NCC Tennis League will take place in a fortnight.

According to the organisers of the event, International Tennis Academy, Team Tombim will take on Team Anambra at the Abuja venue while team Team Kalotari will face CBN Features in Port Harcourt between July 24 and 26. The organisers said that the tie between TEAM FCT and TEAM OGUN in Abeokuta will now take place the weekend of Friday July 31 to Sunday August 2 “because of consideration for players taking part in the NIPOGA Games.” Okocha

with Ajibade Olusesan 0706 537 7853

Xu Xin claims 11th ITTF World Tour

Ajetunmobi targets revival at All Africa Games

F Ajetunmobi

ormer national table tennis champion, Seun Ajetunmobi, has vowed to play his way into the Nigerian team for the All Africa Games in Congo Brazzaville. Ajetunmobi is one of the 20 players called up by the national coach, Nasiru Bello, for camping ahead of

the Games. The Portugal-based player has not featured for the country in the past two years and he will slug it out with nine other players for five slots in the male category. And in an interview with our correspondent, the 2014 NTTF President Cup winner

said , “Of course I am happy for this call up. It gladdens my heart that my country has invited me again and I know that I have to work hard to make the team. We have equally good players in the team, the young ones are growing so fast but I have to prove my worth when we get to camp.”

u Xin has broken the hearts of the capacity Japanese crowd by defeating local hero Maharu Yoshimura at the GAC Group 2015 World Tour Japan Open (Super Series) men’s singles final. Chinese Xu won his 11th ITTF World Tour title over the surprise finalist, 22 year old Yoshimura, who made his way to the final from qualification stage, 9-11, 11-2, 14-12, 11-7, 11-7 today in Kobe, Japan. Xu, who won both the men’s doubles and mixed doubles World Championships crowns earlier this year, stated: “This is my first Japan Open, so it is very special for me to win here. Yoshimura played amazingly well. He is still young and is going to be a big rival to me and the Chinese team in the future.” “He surprised me in the first set, and the large crowd supporting him put me off my game a little. I made some adjustments in the second game and I was very relieved when I won it, to make it 1-1, as then I believed I could win. Winning ITTF World Tour titles are always a great feeling!”

Sport

WEDNESDAY, JULY 8, 2015 NEW TELEGRAPH

Nigerian League Rendezvous

with charles Ogundiya

charlesog2001@yahoo.com,

08098042287

Shooting Stars welcome Warri Wolves

hooting Stars will be looking to improve on their league standings with a win against Warri Wolves in a rescheduled league game inside the Lekan Salami Stadium, Ibadan, today (Wednesday). The Oluyole Warriors saw their five-game un-

beaten run come to an end at the weekend following a 1-0 loss at the hands of IfeanyiUbah. Gbenga Ogunbote, since joining the former league and Federation Cup champions in May, has turned around the club’s fortunes, taking the Ibadan side from the bottom of the table to the 14th position.

A win against Wolves on Wednesday will see Shooting Stars rise to the 13th spot in the league standings. speaking with League Rendezvous, Ogunbote said his players were ready for the game. “We are going all out for victory against Warri Wolves because anything short of that will not be good enough for the team,” the former Sharks of Port Harcourt coach said.

Udoh to resume training

nyimba striker, Mfon Udoh, has declared himself fit to resume training after spending time out due to injury. Speaking with League Rendezvous on the telephone, the Nigeria Professional Football League record top scorer with 23 goals said he would resume training at the Aba-based side upon their return from Wednesday’s Federation Cup engagement. Enyimba are currently in Benin for their Federation Cup Round of 32 tie against Remo Stars of Ijebu-Ode. “I thank God I am fully fit

now,” Udoh said. “It has not been easy not playing, but I am happy I would soon be back doing what I know how to do best. “I was supposed to resume on Monday but the team had already travelled for the Federation Cup match. I will however return to the team ahead of the weekend game.” The players also said he was not aware of any interest from Tunisia’s Club Africain. Recent reports in the media had linked the forward with a move to the Tunisian club but Udoh said Enyimba officials have not had any discussions with him regarding “the rumours.”

Sunshine Stars Paul Onobi in blue

Enyeama, Ejide at league venues

wo centres in the Nigeria Professional Football League enjoyed the presence of the Super Eagles top two goalkeepers, Vincent Enyeama and Austin Ejide, during the last round of league games. In Uyo, at the Nest of Champions, Super Eagles captain, Enyeama, was one of the spectators that witnessed Akwa United’s 2-0 victory against Rangers. One-time league top scorer, Akarandut Orok, was also in the stands to

Ejide

cheer Akwa United to their first victory inside the stadium. Interestingly, both Enyeama and Akarandut featured for Akwa United at the early stages of their respective career. Also, at the Rojenny Stadium, in Oba, Super Eagles second-choice goalkeeper at the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil, Ejide, was in the stands along with a number of young fans and their parents when FC Ifeanyiubah defeated Shooting Stars 1-0.

Wimbledon 2015

Sharapova digs deep to reach semifinals

M Serena

Serena overcomes scare to defeat Azarenka

erena Williams’s dream of winning all four Grand Slams in a calendar year is still alive, thanks to a comefrom-behind victory over Victoria Azarenka in the Wimbledon quarter-finals Tuesday evening. Azarenka, a former world number one herself, had a shaky start on Centre Court as she faced an early break point, but she was able to save it and move ahead. The Belarusian then broke Williams in the fourth game and was able to consolidate to take a 4-1 lead as Williams struggled to impose herself on the match. Azarenka remained confident on serve and

almost nicked the set on Williams’s serve before closing it out 6-3 on her third set point. Williams was the first to apply some pressure in the second set, but Azarenka saved three break points to come through a lengthy fourth game and level the set at 2-2. The 23rd seed was broken in her next two service games, though, as Williams won four games in a row to win the set 6-2 and send the match into a decider. That streak was extended to seven games as Williams raced into a 3-0 lead at the start of the third. It was a lead she didn’t give up, saving a break point in the final game of the match as she served out the set 6-3.

aria Sharapova has admitted that she had to ‘give everything’ to beat Coco Vandeweghe in the Wimbledon quarterfinals. The former champion sealed her place in the last four at SW19 on Tuesday with a tough three-set win over the American. “I was pretty dominant in the first set and the beginning of the second, but things slipped away after that and I had to regroup. My opponent was full of confidence so I knew it was going to be a tough match,” the Russian told BBC Sport. “You have to give everything, you are playing in a

Wimbledon quarterfinal. It’s been a while since I have been in a semi at Wimbledon. I was pleased to win today and it gives me a lot of confidence.” Sharapova continued her bid for a second Wimbledon singles title courtesy of a 6-3 (3)6-7 6-2 victory over Vandeweghe. The World number four Sharapova, who first triumphed at SW19 as a teenager in 2004, appeared to have taken control of proceedings early in the first set when she broke her American opponent for a 3-1 lead. Sharapova last reached the Wimbledon semifinals back in 2011 before losing to Petra Kvitova in the final.

Sharapova

Djokovic beats Anderson to reach quarterfinals

Djokovic

eigning Wimbledon champion Novak Djokovic came from two sets down to beat Kevin Anderson over two days and reach the quarterfinals of this year’s tournament at The All England Club. Anderson won two tie-breaks on Monday to open up a two-set lead, but Djokovic roared back by levelling the match at 2-2 before bad light stopped play Monday night. Upon resump-

tion on Tuesday, it was Djokovic who edged a tight fifth set to reach his 25th consecutive Grand Slam quarterfinal. Tuesday’s action didn’t get off to the best of starts as play was delayed by around half an hour because of a brief rain shower that arrived above The All England Club just as the players walked out onto court. Anderson has never reached the last eight of a Grand Slam, but he was

showing no nerves on his own serve. That changed in the 11th game when he double-faulted twice to gift Djokovic the vital break, with the Serb going on to serve out the match in almost four hours. Djokovic, who reaches the last eight at Wimbledon for the seventh year in a row, next faces US Open champion Marin Cilic on Wednesday (today) after the Croat came past Denis Kudla on Monday.

NEW TELEGRAPH WEDNESDAY, JULY 8, 2015

APC: It’s time for change

ccording to President Muhammadu Buhari in a recent statement released to the media, ‘no Nigerian should be harassed, intimidated or attacked on account of his political opinion, party affiliation, religion or tribe.’ However it appears the president’s men and party are not on the same page with him on that score as they continued to act with impunity, just like a sullen lover who can’t stomach his love advance being turned down by a woman. It’s time for this to change. The current crisis rocking APC is unnecessary. It is unfortunate that the party is unable to curb the exaggerated ego masquerading as party supremacy. The clique seems to be taking no prisoners as they prosecute their undeclared war against the South East. Need I remind these fellows that you cannot force the loyalty of the Igbo because we are republican by nature. You either live with it or leave us alone. In parts of the North, Igbo people are still targeted in profiled killings by supposedly Fulani Herdsmen obviously protected by the state and the natives while the media look the other way. It is as if the South West controlled media are under order not to report crimes against the Igbo. We must not provoke another civil war because no nation fought two civil wars and survived. In President Buhari’s home state of Katsina, Igbo people are being killed every other week with the police offering little protection . On the early hours of 30th June, I received a frantic phone call from an Igbo man who intimated me of the killing of a prominent Igbo Industrialist. Chief Chijoke Ngwu Ogbodo, a native of Nkanu, Enugu State was gruesomely murdered with his wife in his house in front of his children by gunmen said to be Fulani herdsmen. The caller said the murderous gang clubbed the couple with woods and iron, inflicted machete cuts on them and fired bullets into their heads while admonishing the children to accept Islam or leave Katsina. Though the unfortunate family lived near a military barracks, they received no help from the soldiers. This particular incident happened at the time it was alleged that that the neighbouring Kano state known as a hotbed for Sharia has clandestinely banned Christians from going to Church on Sunday by extending the Saturday environmental sanitation to Sunday. I however hope this issue of environmental sanitation extension is not correct. Attacks on the Igbo and Igbo interest in parts of the north and South West escalated since after the 2015 general election in which the Igbo have been maligned and harassed for voting for the then incumbent President Goodluck Jonathan who lost to Buhari. While it is difficult to draw the correlation between the new wave of killings and the pattern of voting , many Igbo that had spoken to me on the issue believed they are being deliberately targeted because of their political preference. No Nigerian is worth being killed. The country I believe is big enough for all. It’s time for all these senseless killings in the name of politics and religion to change. I know that politics and religion do not kill people, people kill people and those that kill hiding under the cover of poli-

My Word CLEM AGUIYI

myword@gmail.com 08034747898 (sms only)

Violence must be avoided.

PHOTO: www.naijaonpoint.com

Buhari

Aminu Masari

tics or religion must be brought to justice, not rewarded with amnesty. Again the National Assembly crisis has refused to go away. Since the Assembly chose its leadership as required by the constitution, there have been series of sponsored attacks against the new Senate President and in particular the Deputy Senate President by a cabal within the APC desperate to control the National Assembly, the Party machinery and the government with a view to checkmating, pocketing and controlling President Buhari. I doubt if Buhari himself saw the real danger his presidency faced. If he did he didn’t show it may be because generals like the Spartans don’t express fears. By adopting bipartisan approach in electing their leadership, the senate need our commendation and

support not vilification. President Buhari rightly affirmed that a constitutional process was fulfilled even though the outcome of the election may not have favoured his party disposition and urged the aggrieved to put the event behind them. Given the presidents disposition, the desperation by a section of the party who are now blackmailing the president, the party’s national chairman and the NASS leadership should be condemned because it’s time for them to change. Party supremacy cannot rule on the f loor of the National Assembly and only the members can choose their leadership, not a clique and not one man with his self styled party supremacy. It’s laughable the way they had tried to stand logic upside down by inventing all kinds of infamous theory to circumvent the wishes of

senators whom they see as babies on diapers with no self will. No doubt their interest is primitive accumulation of power for the sole purpose of corrupting the system. But we need to constantly remind them that they need to change as Nigeria is bigger than any group interest. In their desperation the group has gone as far as employing the police to harass and intimidate the deputy senate President- who is today the highest ranking Igbo holding political office. I make bold to say that Ekweremadu’s harassment by the clique should stop. His life which is now under threat is in their hands. If a strand of hair falls from his head , then they should be ready to meet the Igbo nation. Again in South West Lagos, the willful destruction of Igbo properties has continued. In what the Lagos State Government re-invented as re-certification, the properties of the Igbo are being repossessed by the government who now impose heavy fees for the so called recertification while also frustrating Igbo efforts to obtain the re certified certificate of occupancy. This injustice has to change. Igbo traders whose businesses were located at the Ladipo Spare Parts market woke up one morning to find their shops and goods in ruins. They lost money and properties estimated at over N60bn. While I recognise the right of the Lagos state government to build and rebuild markets, I think a more civilized conduct would have been to give the traders adequate notice to vacate and help in their relocation given that these are citizens and tax payers. All we have asked of this nation is fairness to all. I seize this opportunity to remind our people that markets are people not a particular location, as such market can be moved. We can move our markets away from Lagos. The notion of Lagos being a no man’s land is wrong. Lagos may be cosmopolitan but belongs to the Yoruba. It is Yoruba land. I understand that their next target is the Nigeria Silicon Valley , the computer village which they intend to repossess and like Idi Amin dash to their people but they are not God. We must think home. Not even the South East is spared of APC attack .We have our own problem of kidnappings, a situation we are grappling with only for the APC led Federal Government to find it convenient to further transport hundreds of high risks jihadists on us. You see why we do not like the APC in Igbo land. Why will they donate to South East instead of to South West these high profile terrorists who are known to break jails, assault police stations, DSS installations and Military facilities. Being mostly awaiting trial inmates who also did not commit their crime in Igbo land, I think they needed to be tried near to places where they committed their offences so that they can have access to family members and lawyers. Speculations are rife that these terrorists were brought down to the South East as a prelude to fomenting trouble in the South East. That the South East Governors have rejected the transfer of high profile terrorists to the region means that they were not consulted before the action. Such actions as this encourage the people of the region to pursue self determination and this has to change.

On Marble Stories may well be lies, but they are good lies that say true things, and which can sometimes pay the rent.

World Record

Sanctity of Truth

NIGERIA’S MOST AUTHORITATIVE NEWSPAPER IN POLITICS AND BUSINESS

– Neil Gaiman

WEDNESDAY, JULY 8, 2015

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In fact, Nalanda University of India, which dates back to the 5th century, is currently being resurrected after being destroyed in 1193A.D. But the University of Karaouine is the oldest existing and continually operating degree granting institution in the world.

‘Civilian JTF’ and the day after

s the war against insurgency and insurgents intensifies, as the Nigerian Armed Forces and the Multi National Task Force heighten their air strikes and ground assault against the insurgents, a number of Nigerians including myself believe that insurgency will soon be defeated and or substantially degraded. At least the new President and Commander In Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria President Muhammadu Buhari has reassured that insurgency will be defeated. His assurances of the imminent defeat of insurgency and the restoration of peace in the North East and other parts of the country contributed in no small measure to his electoral victory. However, the more I reflect on the imminent defeat of the insurgents, the more I worry about the fate and place of the vigilantes and the hunters otherwise known as the civilian Joint Task Force (Civilian JTF) in post insurgency communities and states. The Civilian JTF we are meant to understand is a loose group of young men and women formed in some of the frontline States under insurgency to assist the military. These groups of Nigerians bear arms of various descriptions including swords, daggers, sticks and guns. They are seen at checkpoints conducting stop and search operations. Some of them assist the security agencies in reconaissance missions and intelligence gathering while some are at the frontlines confronting the insurgents. I concede that the men and women of the civilian JTF have displayed exemplary and uncommon courage. Some of them have paid the supreme price. Some have lost their parents and siblings on revenge missions by the insurgents. Some have been maimed and incapacitated for the rest of their lives. Some sleep at roadblocks, in the forests and other unconventional places as demanded by their assignments. Some of the units are well organised and they have their own commanders. So, the Civilian JTF will definitely play a role and be involved in post insurgency rehabilitation, stabilization and or destabilization. From any angle the issue is analyzed the history of the fight against insurgency will not and cannot be written without acknowledging the contribution of these men and women of the civilian JTF. As a Nigerian and I dare say a patriotic one, I am happy and appreciative of the contributions of these classes of Nigerians in the fight against insurgency. But I worry about these young men and women of the civilian JTF. What will be their fate when insurgency is degraded and or finally defeated? Will they join or be integrated into the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria? Will those of them that have seen blood and those that have killed be rehabilitated and counseled and reintegrated back to the society? Will the State and Federal Government keep a record of those that participated in this struggle? Will they be compensated and

Hard Choices FESTUS OKOYE

festokoye2003@yahoo.com 08054480565 (sms only)

Members of the ‘Civilian JTF’ mount a check point in Maiduguri.

assisted to start a new life? I worry about this because we cannot allow history to repeat itself. But in Nigeria we never worry about history repeating itself. Till today, we are still debating and disagreeing on the origin of the insurgents in the North East of Nigeria. Some claim that they emerged as the armed organ of a political generalissimo. Others claim that they emerged as a consequence of our collective indifference to the plight of the less privileged. Others claim it is an ideological movement with warped ideas and philosophy. The biggest challenge is the identity of the men and women of the Civilian JTF. Do we even know their names? Do we know their communities? Do we know their real identities? Do we know the actual work of some of them before the advent of insurgency? These are pertinent questions. Nobody has documented or gathered data on the identity of some of these individuals. We need to know where they live. We need to know their means of livelihood. We need to know the means and methodology of recruitment into the Civilian JTF. We need to know the sources of their arms and ammunitions. And the time to do so is now. The moment this insurgency is degraded, some of them will disappear with their arms and reappear as a new terror group or something that will present another round of challenge to the people of Nigeria and the security agencies. I remember the story of a Chief Magistrate in one of the States in the North West of Nigeria. The Police Authorities posted a court orderly to him. The orderly was diligent and understood the court process and procedures. But the Chief Magistrate noticed that his Orderly

Photo: AP/Sunday Alamba

hardly makes eye contact with him and avoided him as much as he could. The Chief Magistrate became suspicious and convinced himself that something was wrong. Then memories came flooding in. He checked his records and found out that his Orderly was a young man that he sentenced to three years imprisonment. He served his sentence and since we hardly keep good records, he joined the Police Force and was innocently posted to the Court of the Chief Magistrate that jailed him. Of course the Chief Magistrate sought for his transfer out of his Court but did not give any cogent and verifiable reason. He did not know whether the man is now reformed and was also not sure that the man will not come back for him if his cover is blown. The man was able to join the Nigerian Police Force because of our indifference to records or our poor attitude to records of births and deaths. The security agencies must begin a process of documenting the Civilian JTF. The security agencies must plan on how to demobilize them after insurgency and design incentives that will enable them surrender their weapons. The government must also design a coordinated programme of trauma treatment, counseling and rehabilitation for these young men and women. They are armed and dangerous and unless we find something meaningful for them to do, they will use their skills, their new lethal power and bravery for find job for themselves. To compound the situation some of these young men and women that have been on the frontlines are scattered in different parts of the country without guidance. Some of them have lost their parents and relatives and have no one to fund for them. Some are roaming the

streets and sleeping in open spaces and other awkward corners. Sooner than later, they will find work for themselves and the various communities may not like their line of business as it may be lethal. The time to act is now. It will be tragic for us to resort to the well worn out alibi and claim that the emergence of another group insurgents or militants by whatever name called took us by surprise. We must find creative and workable ways of regulating the activities of the Civilian JTF and at the same acknowledging their immense contributions to the fight against terror. The lesson from the activities of the Civilian JTF is that you can only fight terror and insurgency embedded within the communities with the active support and cooperation of the members of the communities. The members of the various communities know their people, they know the nuances and dynamics of each family, they know and understand the geography and topography of the communities and they know their own story and history. Military force alone cannot win an asymmetric warfare that has no rules of engagement. The people have gone through enough rough patches and trauma and cannot afford to make further elementary strategic and tactical mistakes in terms of its security and the welfare of the people. I am sure we have learnt the requisite lessons from what we have gone through especially in the North East and the Niger Delta area. History will not forgive us if we degrade one insurgency and throw up another that may be more vicious. But that is the way we conduct governance and takes us by surprise because we are careless in planning and sometimes refuse to plan and make projections. Our hope and prayer is that the new regime will pay attention to the children of insurgency and determine where they are and what they are doing and assist them reintegrate back to the society.

HIGH CHIEF FRSC: NEW NUMBER PLATES FOR TANKERS SOON - News

- Hope it reduces the road carnage?

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