2nd June 2016

NIGERIA’S MOST INFORMATIVE NEWSPAPER NO 16,514

THURSDAY, 2 JUNE, 2016

www.tribuneonlineng.com

N25bn spent on food daily —CBN

Nigerian Tribune

Uproar in House of Reps as PDP members defect to APC

—P11

—P37

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Abuja-Kaduna rail line ready for use July —Amaechi —P33

PDP BoT takes over, sacks Sheriff, Makarfi —P2

Again, N/Delta Avengers blow up Chevron oil well •Lay down your arms, Oshiomhole begs them —P4

Lamido paid for non-existent contracts with Jigawa money —Witness —P4

Members of the Oyo State chapter of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) protesting at a stakeholders' forum on management of public secondary schools in the state, at the Western Hall, Secretariat, Ibadan, on Wednesday. PHOTO: ALOLADE GANIYU.

Oyo schools: Labour Jonathan disrupts stakeholders' returns after weeks meeting •Chases participants out of venue abroad •Action illegal, misguided —Govt —P34

—P8

Nigeria lost $565m to mismanagement of oil blocs —Reps

•Summon Kachikwu, Diezani, —P2 Daukoru, others

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Thursday, 2 June, 2016

Nigeria lost $565.8m to mismanagement of oil blocs—Reps •Summon Kachikwu, Alison-Maduekwe, Daukoru, others Jacob Segun Olatunji and Kolawole Daniel—Abuja

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HE House of Representatives ad hoc committee probing the awards of Oil Prospecting Licences (OPLs) and OIL Mining Leases (OMLs) by the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR), on Wednesday, lamented that the nation had lost the whopping sum of $565.8 million due to poor management of the allocation of the blocs by the department.

According to the committee, chaired by Honourable Gideon Gwani, the colossal loss arose due to the inability of the DPR to hold the oil companies to their commitments in agreements entered to before getting the oil blocs.

The committee made the observation on Wednesday, in Abuja, at the opening of a two-day investigative hearing on the awards on all OPLs, OMLs and other oil and gas assets granted by the Federal Government between 2005 and 2007.

The committee also expressed displeasure over various infractions in the allocation of the oil blocs identity of the beneficiaries/winners of the blocs and indiscriminate transfer of oil blocs to companies that did not participate in the award process.

Consequently, it summoned the Group Managing Director (GMD) of the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and the Minister of State for Petroleum, Dr Ibe Kachikwu, the immediate past Petroleum Minister, Mrs Diezeani Alison-Maduekwe, a one-time Minister of State for Petroleum under former President Olusegun Obasanjo, who is now a traditional ruler in Bayelsa State, His Majesty, Dr Edmund Maduabebe Daukoru and others to appear in person to shed more light on the transactions.

The committee rejected the claim by the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Petroleum Resources, Mrs Jemila Shuara, that both Mrs Alison-Maduekwe and King Daukoru could not be traced, as they had no forwarding addresses, saying while that of Mrs AlisonMaduekwe could be taken, that of the traditional ruler, King Daukoru, was not tenable.

It urged the ministry to immediately dispatch its officials to Bayelsa State, to locate the king and inform him that he should appear before the committee since the transactions were allegedly carried out when he

was a minister of state.

The committee which queried the DPR as to why it would tag the loss of $565.8 million due to non-payment of licencing fees which spanned through a period of three different bidding rounds in 2005, 2006 and 2012, frowned at the use of the term “outstanding payments” as referred to by a Deputy Director of DPR, Mr Sunday Adebayo Babalola while making a presentation on behalf of the agency.

The committee also dis-

covered some alleged conspiracies and sharp practises perpetrated by DPR, wherein it awarded oil blocs to companies other than those who bidded for and won the licences without any evidence of disqualification or a right of first refusal of the original winners of the bids.

It had earlier asked how many of the blocs were awarded using open competitive bidding and those through discretion by the minister, as well as evidence of advertorial announcing

the bidding process for the blocs, with the DPR insisting that every bid round followed a transparent and due process.

According to Babalola while responding to a question: “People behind the companies which got allocated blocs were all unveiled during technical process before the bidding was done.”

Speaking on the blocs won by a company allocated to another, he said that happened in 2005 and

2006 bid rounds for specific reasons.

The committee, therefore, reeled out instances of diversion of OPLs, such as OPL 907, 917, won by VP Energy Limited, but were given to another company, as well as other instances.

However, Kachikwu, who was represented at the hearing by the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry, Mrs Shuara, expressed the need for a policy rejig that would clean up the oil industry.

Earlier, the Speaker,

Honourable Yakubu Dogara, represented by the Deputy Minority Whip, Honourable Yakubu Umar Barde, as well as the committee chairman, Honourable Gideon Gwani, in their addresses, had said the investigation was not aimed at witch-hunting anybody, but geared towards establishing how the nation’s resources had been managed by agencies of government tasked with the responsibility of doing so.

PDP BoT takes over, sacks Sheriff, Makarfi • Says PDP will never die, it’s only on sabbatical Jacob Segun Olatunji and Kolawole Daniel—Abuja

AS the crisis rocking the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) defies solution, its Board of Trustees (BoT), on Wednesday, formally took over the administration of the party pending the amicable resolution of the crisis.

Addressing the establishment staff of the National Secretariat of the party and newsmen in Abuja, on Wednesday, the BoT chairman, Senator Walid Jibrin, declared that the action became necessary, following the conflicting court orders hanging on the neck of the party.

He explained that the board “is the only legal body of the party now that has not been encumbered by any court order.”

According to him, “nobody has taken the BoT to court.

Today, the BoT remains the only legal body now in the whole set up and that is why we are here to play our role.

We are here to perform our duty according to PDP’s constitution and our problems will soon be resolved.”

This came just as the Senator Ahmed Makarfi-led caretaker committee set up to oversee the affairs of the party at the Port Harcourt National Convention, which was earlier speculated to assume office at the Wadata Plaza, National Secretariat in Abuja, failed to show up.

The crack in the party widened, following the conduct of separate national convention by two factions of the PDP on May 21, 2016.

Some elders on the platform of Concerned Stakeholders of PDP held their non-elective convention in Abuja and chose a former Senate President, Alhaji Ibrahim Mantu, the faction, led by Modu-Sheriff, held theirs in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital.

The elders mandated the BoT to take over the running of the affairs of the PDP. But political intrigues,

coupled with two contradictory injunctions by a court in Lagos and another in Abuja, compelled the party leaders that converged on Rivers State to put on hold the planned elective convention.

Instead, leaders chose a former governor of Kaduna State, Senator Ahmed Makarfi as the chairman of a caretaker committee to run the affairs of the party for 90 days, within which to hold a fresh national convention.

The party leaders also sacked Modu-Sheriff as PDP’s acting national chairman. This may have put paid to Sheriff’s ambition of becoming substantive chairman had exacerbated the crisis of confidence among the major stakeholders in both factions of the party.

The decision of the leaders at the Port Harcourt

convention to suspend the convention had hinged their order of the Federal High Court in particular, barring election into the key offices, including the post of national secretary.

However, Sheriff fought back, saying he remained the chairman of PDP, thus the police had to seal-off the party’s national secretariat in Abuja, to prevent possible breach of public peace by the three factions.

The office was reopened on Wednesday, based on a request by the party.

Senator Jibrin, who said his board would be operating from the boardroom of the secretariat, declared “we are not going to take over anybody’s office.”

The BoT chairman, who was at the meeting with the secretary of the board, Ambassador Ojo Maduekwe; former Deputy Senate President, Senator Ibra-

him Mantu; former Senate Majority Leader, Senator Stella Omu, among others, explained that the sealingoff of the national secretariat by the police was to protect and safeguard the party’s property.

According to him, “we, the BoT, have been asked under the constitution of the party to be in charge of the assets and the liabilities of the PDP generally.

It is in that respect that the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Mr Solomon Arase, having considered the importance of our constitution and having considered the importance of the staff of the PDP headquarters here, that this place be opened and not only be opened, but entrusted in the hand of the BoT.” While describing the seeming crisis rocking the party as temporary, which

would be overcome soon, he pointed out that the BoT had reached out to those involved in the crisis with the aim of resolving it.

According to him: “We have gone very far to resolve this matter, we are making contacts, consultations and we are not here to blame anybody, but to resolve the problem. PDP will never die, we are only on sabbatical and once the sabbatical is over, we are going to take over our leadership, we are coming back in 2019.”

Speaking on the forthcoming Edo State governorship election and the process that will lead to selection of the party’s standard-bearer and how the party will meet INEC timetable, Jibrin said “I want to assure that we are putting heads together with our lawyers, which will not last long; so be rest assured that everything will be in order.”

Honourable Yakubu Dogara, also urged the Police Service Commission to hasten the process of recruitment of more personnel into the force.

The committee is to report back to the House within six weeks for further legislative input.

Meanwhile, the Chief Magistrates’ Court sitting in AdoEkiti, the Ekiti State capital, has remanded two persons in prison custody for alleged involvement in an attack by herdsmen in Oke-Ako community in Ekiti State.

The court remanded the suspects after they were arrested for alleged involvement in the May 20 night attack on OkeAko, in Ikole Local Government Area of the state.

Two persons died from the attack, while three others were still receiving treatment in separate private hospitals in Ikole and Ado-Ekiti.

The two suspects, Usman Salihu, 50 and Abubakar

Auta, 52, were arraigned for murder and causing grievous bodily arm by the police.

They were consequently remanded in prison custody till September, pending legal advice from the office of the Director of Public Prosecution.

The state Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Alberto Adeyemi, who confirmed the development, said the police was working round the clock to maintain peace and ensure there was no recurrence of such in the state.

A resident, Grace Olofin, also told Nigerian tribune, that peace had returned to the town.

She confirmed that security agencies were still on ground, keeping watch over the town.

It was learnt that one of the victims, Ayo Abejide, who a bullet pellet was lodged to his head had been transferred to an undisclosed teaching hospital.

Reps to probe herdsmen attack on Ekiti •2 remanded in prison From Jacob Segun Olatunji, Kolawole Daniel and Sam Nwaoko

THE House of Representatives, on Wednesday, resolved to constitute an ad hoc committee to investigate the remote causes of the recent attack on the OkeAko, in Ikole Local Government Area of Ekiti State by alleged Fulani herdsmen.

The House directed the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Solomon Arase, to deploy police personnel to affected areas in the bid to avert likely reprisal.

The House further urged the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) to send relief materials to the affected community.

The House resolution was sequel to a motion of urgent matter of public importance, entitled: “The fatal invasion of Oke-Ako by suspected herdsmen” sponsored by Honourable Emmanuel Ag-

boola.

While moving the motion, the lawmaker said the attacks, if not curbed, would lead to reprisal and imminent guerilla warfare.

Agboola, worried that the ‘back to farm’ slogan of the current administration in a bid to diversify the economy may not see the light of day, as the farms being destroyed by “uncoordinated grazing” in the country.

According to him, “lives are randomly lost to these incessant attacks and sometimes in a dimension that is similar only to genocide, just like the one at Oke-Ako in the state.

“Certain states are already taken steps to stem the tide in a manner that suggest that the Federal Government is seemingly insensitive to this very worrisome development,” he stated.

The House, which adopted the motion after it was put to a voice vote by the Speaker,

4 news Again, Avengers blow up Chevron oil well in Delta

Thursday, 2 June, 2016

Our children can no longer write NECO exam —Communities Ebenezer Adurokiya -Warri

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HEAD President Muhammadu Buhari’s visit to Ogoni land in Rivers State today, unrelenting members of the Niger Delta Avengers (NDA) have blown up two Chevron oil wells in Delta State.

This is in spite of heavy military artillery deployed to the region, particularly Gbaramatu kingdom, to curtail the activities of the lords of the creeks in the region.

The incident, as gathered, took place around Egbema creeks in Warri North Local Government Area of Delta State.

According to the militant group, the Chevron oil wells affected are RMP 24 and RMP 23, described as Chevron highest producing wells.

In its Tweeter handle @ NDAvengers early morning of Thursday, the group said the wells were blown up at about 3:44a.m.

It said: “With the heavy presence of 100 gunboats, four warships and jet bombers, NDA blew up Chevron Oil Well RMP 23 and RMP 24 3:44am this morning. ‘’RMP 24 and RMP 23 are Chevron Swamp Highest producing Wells.”

In yet another following tweet, NDA said its success in the Thursday’s operation showed that the Nigerian military were only good at brutalising and harassing Nigerian civilians as it

is being allegedly done in Gbaramatu kingdom where residents had taken refuge in the woods, following military invasion last Saturday.

The Nigerian Army, also during the week, deployed fighter jets and more gunboats to the area to contain the activities of the Avengers.

“This is to show the whole world that Nigerian military is good in harassing innocent civilians,” the Avengers noted.

Although the tweet did not give details of the extent of damage done to the oil wells, a staff in the Communications and Public Affairs of Chevron, declined comment on the incident, adding that safety of their workers was their topmost priority and concern.

However, a senior officer in the Nigerian Navy, who declined being identified, told the Nigerian Tribune that: “our boys actually patrolled that area before the incident happened. But they have to patrol; they can’t stay in one place. It’s just unfortunate.”

Meanwhile, people of embattled Gbaramatu kingdom, Warri South West Local Government Area, have alert the Federal Government that pupils who were writing their NECO exams have been stopped from doing so due to the military siege on the kingdom.

The cry was made in a statement signed by the

chairman of Kokodiagbene community in Gbaramatu kingdom, Comrade Sheriff Mulade, and made available to the Nigerian Tribune, on Wednesday, Leaders of the communities averred that several

THE Nigerian Navy, Central Naval Command, has arrested 10 suspects in connection with pipeline vandalism, killing of two soldiers, extortion and possession of illegally refined diesel in Warri, Delta State.

Parading the suspects at a press conference late Tuesday, at the NNS DELTA, Warri Naval Base, the Flight Officer Commanding (FOC), Rear Admiral Mohammed Garba and Commander, NNS DELTA, Commodore Raimi Mohammed, said the suspects were arrested in the last seven days.

Five of the suspects, they said, were engaged in pipeline vandalism, one for killing two soldiers on May 10 at Batan, a suburb of Warri, another for extortion and five others for possession of 490MT illegally refined diesel.

It will be recalled that two soldiers were reportedly killed by members of the Niger Delta Avengers

on May 10, 2016 at Batan Community in Warri South-West Local Government Area of Delta State.

Rear Admiral Garba disclosed that the command was not unaware of some criminal gangs being used by some people for selfish motives to sabotage the economy of the country, saying the Navy was on the trail of members of the NDA in its area of responsibility.

The Naval boss further disclosed that the Central Naval Command, during its step-up operations, arrested five vessels, one tug boat, five barges and 72 Cotonou boats illegally conveying 41, 461.2 metric tons (347,444.856 Barrels) of crude oil, 73, 863.04 metric tons of AGO (diesel) and 8. 86 metric tons of DPK (Kerosene).

Meanwhile, Commodore Mohammed has debunked the rumour that a couple was killed by the JTF at Warri Corner Community on Tuesday, noting that his men only carried out a cordon and search operation to apprehend pipeline

entirely disrupted.

They stated that because of the prevailing situation, all schools in the area had been shut down, appealing to both the Federal and Delta State governments to step in and arrest the situation.

The leaders further cautioned the military to thread softly on their search for Avengers in order not to hurt innocent citizens and use more of intelligence and professionalism in their search for the renegades.

...Lay down your arms, Oshiomhole begs Leon Usigbe -Abuja GOVERNOR Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State has urged the Niger Delta Avengers (NDA) to stop their campaign of sabotage of national assets in the Niger Delta, as it will do more harm than good to the region.

The group has recently claimed responsibility for blowing up of oil and gas installations as it makes certain demands from the Federal Government.

Speaking to State House correspondents after a meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari, in Abuja, on Wednesday, the governor also said government could not succumb to blackmail from gunmen.

He observed that Buhari deserved support for his effort to fight corruption and make sure things were done the right way in the country.

He warned that the resort to violence in the SouthSouth would scare investors away from the region as there would be no security.

Oshiomhole said: “We

Navy parades 10 suspected pipeline vandals in Delta From Ebenezer Adurokiya and Chris Agbambu

students, who fled into the bush at the sight of the troops, were yet to be accounted for.

The leaders, who condemned the activities of the Avengers, added that the academic session had been

vandals hiding within the community.

He explained that the pipelines vandals arrested were caught using a heavy duty battery and cable wires to ignite and explode oil well heads to siphon crude oil.

don’t need to be security experts to accept the universal truth that wherever there is insecurity, there will be no investment, because no investor will go to where is unsafe.

“And where there is no investment, poverty will be endemic because there will be no job for our people.

“I appeal to all of us in the South-South, we need to wake up. It is for our own self interest that we make the region the most investor-friendly that even challenges that we face, the assets being destroyed is not

just national assets, it is our own assets.

“It is what makes the South-South the hub of the Nigerian economy and when we neutralise that through whatever pretenses...there is something Abiola said which I think is apt in this case, that if a tree falls in the forest, chances are that it can only kill somebody in that forest? not somebody at home.”

The governor was of the view that the willful destruction of pipelines would cause more problems in the region.

He observed that any contending issues could be resolved in a better way, noting that a number of structures were already in place to tackle the problems of the region.

Oshiomhole blamed the lack of development in the Niger Delta on corruption, as he observed that development projects were awarded to wrong contractors whose jobs never measured up to the amount of money they were paid.

He praised the effort of the armed forces to restore security in the area.

Military vows to flush out economic saboteurs Chris Agbambu -Abuja THE defence Headquarters, on Wednesday, assured Nigerians, that the Armed Forces will not relent in their efforts to flush out economic saboteurs masquerading under whatever guise to perpetuate evil in the Niger Delta.

As part of the constitutional mandate of the Armed Forces, the military will not jettison the confidence reposed in it by the good citizens of our great nation in ensuring that peace and security prevail in our land.

Director, Defence Information, Brigadier-General Rabe Abubakar, said the military was not “unmindful of the campaign of calumny against our soldiers by paid agents claiming that

soldiers are harassing members of the public while performing their constitutional responsibility.’’

According to him, “it is pertinent to state that it is the same group of people that are wreaking havoc on the critical national assets that are blackmailing the Armed Forces and other security agencies to divert attention.”

He noted that the military and other security agencies would continue to discharge their lawful duties in the Niger Delta and any other part of the country in the most professional manner devoid of the claim by the criminal elements of harassment, intimidation and arrest.

“Our job is to secure infrastructural facilities and property of innocent citi-

zens, as well as containing the activities of criminals.”

Rabe added that the blackmail by sponsored persons would not deter the military from being focused and committed, in its effort to fish out the vandals, as the whole world was seeing what the militants were criminally doing in the attacks of oil pipelines.

He said the security measure put in place was not meant to intimidate any innocent individuals, but to bring normalcy to our land.

“We urge the communities and well-meaning Nigerians to cooperate with the security agencies in their bid to apprehend the perpetrators, as the military will respond decisively in a professional manner at the appropriate time,” he added.

Lamido paid for non-existent contracts with Jigawa money —Witness Sunday Ejike -Abuja AN operative of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and a prosecution witness in the ongoing trial of former governor of Jigawa State, Sule Lamido, on Wednesday, told a Federal High Court in Abuja that Lamido authorised the payment of various sums of money into the Access Bank account of Dantata and Sawoe Construction Company for non-existent contracts.

Lamido and his two sons, Aminu and Mustapha, are facing a 27-count charge bordering on the abuse of office and money laundering.

The witness, Micheal Wetkas, told the trial judge, Justice Adeniyi Ademola,

that investigations into the alleged fraud started in 2007 through 2015.

Led in evidence by the prosecuting counsel, Chile Okoroma, Wetkas said his investigating team visited Dantata and Sawoe Construction Company to investigate the purported contract, adding that a manager of the construction company, Mr Sylvester Agoha, who had earlier agreed to have supervised the execution of the contracts, later denied knowledge of any of the contracts, saying he was only invited to Dantata’s company to sign the contracts papers.

According to the witness, his investigation had revealed that Lamido and his sons’ companies: Speeds

International Limited, Bamaina Holding Company and Gada Company, had allegedly supplied bitumen, iron rods and diesel to the Dantata Yard in Kano.

The EFCC witness further disclosed that a member of his investigating team, Kabiru Mohammed, travelled to the Kano yard office of the company to verify the alleged supplies of bitumen, iron rods and diesel.

He said his team mate was informed by the person responsible for receiving such items in the Kano yard that they had neither heard of such companies nor had such companies supplied any of the said items to them.

“The position of the investigation was that such contracts never existed and

such items were never delivered. But there were payments made by the Jigawa government into the Access Bank Plc account of Dantata and Sawoe Construction Company between 2008 and 2009,” he said.

Giving details of how several sums of monies was paid at different times into the said account, the witness said “on May 16, 2008, there was payment of N164 million in to the Access Bank Plc account belonging to Dantata and Sawoe. On May 23, 2008, N8.9 million was also paid into the company’s account. On July 13, 2009, the sum of N386.7 million was paid into Dantata’s account.”

Justice Ademola adjourned proceedings in the matter till today.

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Thursday, 2 June, 2016

Lagosmetro Woman poses as Good Samaritan boy strolled to steal 3-year-old boy •The away — Police Olalekan Olabulo

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yet-to-be identified woman, who posed as a Good Samaritan has abducted a 3-year-old boy in Ijanikin area of Lagos State.

The woman had lied to the older sister and the missing boy’s twin sister and brother that he wanted to go and buy biscuits for them, when she went away with the baby.

Lagos Metro gathered that the missing boy, David Okoli and three of his siblings were returning from the school on Tuesday, when a fight broke out between David’s immediate older twins.

A member of the church where the mother of the missing boy attends, Benneth Obioma narrated

to Lagos Metro that, “it happened last Tuesday. It wasn’t as if the boy was left alone. He was led by his 7-year-old sister and his immediate elder brother and sister who are twins.

“Very close to their house at Adio Ijanikin, a fight started between the twins and the sister was trying to settle it, when the woman approached them. The woman was said to have separated them and told the children to sit down by the side of the road, while she went away with the David, with a promise that she wanted to go and buy biscuits for him.”

The children waited for hours before it dawned on the eldest of them that 3-year-old David had been stolen by the woman. Benneth added that, “The lit-

tle children listened to the woman and allowed her to go away with David, thinking she was coming back with him and biscuit until yesterday night, when the boy was yet to be found.”

Benneth told Lagos Metro that the incident had been reported with the police at the Ijanikin police station.

When contacted, the image maker in charge of the state police command, Dolapo Badmus told Lagos Metro that the police in the state were employing all available strategies to rescue the missing boy.

She however told Lagos Metro that the police were informed that the missing boy strolled away from the parents residence in Ijanikin and not that he was taken away by any woman.

David

A member of an inter-state robbery gang, who was a few days ago arrested by operatives of the Lagos State Police Command, has narrated how buyers of cheap vehicles encouraged them to keep stealing.

The robbery suspect, 28-year-old Usman Musa, who was arrested alongside another alleged member of the gang , Garba told Lagos Metro that his gang had in the past sold a Toyota Camry saloon car and a Toyota Highlander Sports Utility Vehicle (SUV) valued at over N4 million for the sum of N400, 000.

The suspect also revealed that members of

the gang used a lottery point in Ajegunle area of the state to strategise and to discuss issues that had to be attended to before and after every operation.

Garba on the other hand denied being a member of the gang, insisting that he was a trader and that he only bought stolen jewelleries and that he had

Lanre Adewole

olanreade@yahoo.com

0811 695 4647

—Environment ministry workers Chukwuma Okparaocha SCORES of workers of the Lagos State Ministry of the Environment have sent an SOS to the State Government after they have worked for five months without their salaries being paid.

They also claimed that they lack necessary kits which made to park wastes with their bare hands.

The workers, under the aegis of the Emergency Flood Abatement Gang (EFANG) of the ministry, staged a peaceful protest to the Lagos State House of Assembly, singing solidarity songs to call the attention of the lawmakers to their plights.

One of the protesters, Miss Esther Ayo, a drainage attendant urged the lawmakers to intervene in the matter so as to save the affected workers from hard-

never gone on any robbery operation with the gang .

Musa confessed to being a member of the armed robbery gang but claimed that their receivers are

the major beneficiaries of their operations.

Musa, who was arrested through one of the phones the gang collected from victims said, “The receivers are the ones encouraging us because they also benefit from our operation. There was this one that gave us just N200 000 each for a Toyota Camry and a Highlander jeep. Whenever we snatched vehicles and sell to receivers, they would pay part payment, promising to bring the balance later but they would later disappear and wouldn’t pick their calls.”

He added that it was after such experiences that the gang members decided to steal only valuables from motorists on the highway.

mation and Strategy to continue to sensitise the public on the danger of blocking the drains with indiscriminate disposal of refuse.

This move was led by Mr Segun Olulade, the Chairman, House Committee on Health Services, when lamenting the current state of Poka and Imokin villages in Eredo, Epe, during plenary, on Tuesday.

The House also charged the Ministry of Environment to redouble its efforts at ensuring functional and free flow of water across the state as well as carry out palliative measures in villages already affected by flood.

“It is important for all relevant agencies to enforce all regulations to ensure protection of lives and property during this rainy season,”

The robbery suspects

Edited By

We pack wastes with bare hands yet owed 5-month salary

Robbers confess selling SUVs worth N4m for N400,000 Olalekan Olabulo

Nigerian Tribune

ship.

Ayo said, “Last year, we were owed five months but after protest to this House, the debt was offset in December, though N11, 000 was each deducted from the sum. Till now, the ministry has not only kept promising to pay the deducted money but has failed to pay us a dime since the beginning of this year. We live only on this salary and nothing attached.

“We want the Assembly to facilitate the payment of our salaries and ensure that our appointments are made permanent.”

Also speaking, Mr Samson Bankole from the Drainage Enforcement and Compliance Units said, “We want the Assembly to have mercy on us because we are hungry and we have families to feed. We want the government to staff us and end our casualisation to give us hope after service,” he added.

Also, Ashiru Abideen who works with the Environmental Services Consultancy Units (ESCU) said, “despite the N15, 000 we are paid per month, we are not usually paid on time.

We are provided with no working kits; we have no gloves, no boots or any other safety equipment. Each time we go out to work, we pack wastes with our bare hands, and are expected to step into drainages with no protective boots. This is not ideal for anybody.”

Addressing the protesters, the Majority Leader of the House, Mr Sanai Agunbiade commended the protesters for their peaceful conduct and their faith in the parliament. He urged the protesters to write a petition to the House and assured that the Assembly would intervene in the matter.

Flood sacks Epe communities Chukwuma Okparaocha MANY communities in Lagos are still smarting from a series of flood that have continued to hit them, following days of downpour in the state.

According to information gathered by Lagos Metro, some of the communities worse affected included Poka and Imokin villages

both in Eredo, Epe. It was gathered that over the weekend, many residents of those two villages were sacked from their homes after torrential rain water entered into their homes.

The situation, among other things, reportedly led to the loss of the meagre stored food the villagers, who are mostly farmers,

had in their homes.

Moved by the urge to halt this trend, lawmakers in the Lagos House of Assembly, have therefore urged the Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development to ensure that all building constructions in the state comply with the approved design.

The lawmakers also urged the state’s Ministry of Infor-

Olulade said.

In his remarks, the Speaker of the House, Mr Mudashiru Obasa said that the government should not relent on sensitising the residents on the repercussion of blocking waterways with wastes and illegal building.

Obasa said that all relevant agencies needed to do the needful to avoid unnecessary losses through flood.

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news

Thursday, 2 June, 2016

After weeks abroad, Jonathan returns

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ORMER President Goodluck Jonathan, on Wednesday even-

ing, returned to the country from his long overseas trip aboard an Air France flight.

Many applicants in S/West yet to collect their ID cards —NIMC THE National Identification Management Commission (NIMC) has said many successful applicants for the National Identity Cards in the South West zone were not collecting their cards.

The commission’s Assistant General Manager, South West, Mr Ganiyu Popoola, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Ibadan, that many applicants refused to collect their national identity cards in spite of text messages sent to them.

“We have spent money contacting these applicants via text messages on their mobile phones, yet, they still have not shown up.

“The states under the South West region include Lagos, Ogun, Oyo, Osun, Ekiti and Ondo states and the unclaimed identification cards are all lying there in the store,” he said.

Popoola said that the regional headquarters were created to reduce administrative bottlenecks and ease logistics operations within the states under the region.

He said that the commission was committed to clearance of the backlog of registered applicants for the National Identity Cards.

The official, however, said that no card could be collected by proxy, adding that a verification solution

had been developed by the commission in form of biometrics verification system.

“We intend to open card activation in all local government areas and in all our enrolment centres. It is after activation that the cards can be collected.

“The process involves finger capturing through biometrics, hence, no card can be collected by proxy for applicants,” he added.

Popoola said that the identification card has many security features and the commission was careful in the choice of printers.

JAAC: Kwara LGs receive N200m augmentation for salary payment Biola Azeez - Ilorin AGAINST persistent indebtedness of the 16 local government councils in Kwara State to their workers, they have received N12.5 million each in addition to the federal allocation for the month of May, to augment salary payment.

Speaking with journalists on Tuesday, after the State Joint Account Allocation Committee (JAAC) meeting, in Ilorin, the state Commissioner for Finance, Alhaji Demola Banu, said the fund was to increase the capacity of the councils to pay salary to their workers.

New proof of evidence stalls trial of Synagogue engineers Ayomide Owonibi Odekanyin Lagos A new proof of evidence filed by the Directorate of Public Prosecutions, on Wednesday, stalled the slated cross- examination of prosecuting witness in the ongoing trial of Registered Trustees of the Synagogue Church of All Nation (SCOAN), alongside the two engineers over the collapse of a seven-storey guest house belonging to the church, on September 12, 2014.

The collapsed building led to the death of 116 people, mostly foreigners.

The two engineers, Akinbela Fatiregun and Oladele Ogundeji, as well

The former president, who landed at the Port Harcourt International Airport, Rivers State, at 6.00pm local time, was received on arrival by different groups led by the Ijaw Youth Congress (IYC).

Jonathan’s former Special Assistant on New Media, Reno Omokri, confirmed this on his twitter handle @renoomokri.

“As promised, ex-President Jonathan returned to Nigeria today after a multi-city speaking tour,” he said.

A section of the media had reported a few weeks ago that Jonathan had fled the country on exile at the behest of the investigations of top Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) officials by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), a claim he described as unfounded.

as the registeted trustees of SCOAN, are facing 111 counts, which includes involuntary manslaughter.

The director of DPP, Mrs Idowu Alakija, informed the Ikeja High Court that the state filed a new proof of evidence and has served the defence team.

Counsel to SCOAN, Chief Lateef Fagbemi, confirmed they had been served but urged the court to grant the defence team opportunity to study the new proof of evidence, for them to respond.

The presiding judge, Justice Lateef LawalAkapo, granted the prayer of the defence counsels and adjourned the matter till Friday

Alhaji Banu said that the N200 million augmentation came from the savings accrued to the 16 local government councils from the Federal Government’s recent restructuring of loans.

He emphasised that the 16 local government areas still pay N170million monthly to banks for previous salary-related borrowing.

He explained that the statutory allocation to the local governments for the month of May, stood at N794, 854, 933.26 as against N856, 869, 905.52 received in April; VAT of N344, 139, 224.32; exchange difference of N8, 911, 768.03 and a 10 per cent Internal Generated Revenue (IGR) from state government, which stood at N73, 316, 385.65, as against N62, 389, 491.24 they got in April.

CHANGEOF OFNAME NAME CHANGE

formerlyRabiat RabiatMuhammed Muhammed I,I,formerly now MRS MRS ALOLO ALOLO SUNDAY. SUNDAY. now Allformer formerdocuments documentsremain remain All valid. General General public public take take valid. note. note.

PUBLICNOTICE NOTICE PUBLIC FEDERALMINISTRY MINISTRYOF OFENVIRONMENT ENVIRONMENT FEDERAL PUBLICDISPLAY DISPLAYEXERCISE EXERCISEON ONTHE THEENVIRONMENTAL ENVIRONMENTALIMPACT IMPACTASSESMENT ASSESMENT(EIA) (EIA)FOR FOR PUBLIC 138.4MWPOWER POWERPLANT PLANTPROJECT, PROJECT,OPIC OPICINDUSTRIAL INDUSTRIALESTATE, ESTATE,AGBARA-IGBESE, AGBARA-IGBESE, 138.4MW ADO-ODOOTTA OTTALGA, LGA,OGUN OGUNSTATE STATEBY BYTRICONTINENTAL TRICONTINENTALENERGY ENERGYSOLUTIONS SOLUTIONSLIMITED LIMITED ADO-ODO accordancewith withthe theprovisions provisionsof ofthe theEnvironmental EnvironmentalImpact ImpactAssessment Assessment(EIA) (EIA)Act ActCap Cap InInaccordance E12LFN LFN2004, 2004,which whichmakes makesititmandatory mandatoryfor forproponents proponentsof ofall allnew newmajor majordevelopment development E12 activitiesto tocarry carryout outEnvironmental EnvironmentalImpact ImpactAssessment Assessmentfor fortheir theirproposed proposedprojects, projects,the the activities FederalMinistry Ministryof ofEnvironment Environmenthereby herebyannounces announcesaatwenty-one twenty-one(21) (21)working workingdays daysPublic Public Federal Noticefor forinformation informationand andcomments commentson onthe theDraft DraftEIA EIAreport reportof ofthe theabove abovenamed namedproject project Notice submittedby byTricontinental TricontinentalEnergy EnergySolutions SolutionsLimited.

Limited. submitted TheDisplay DisplayCenters CentersAre: Are: The Ado-OdoOta OtaLocal LocalGovernment GovernmentArea AreaHeadquarters, Headquarters,Ota OtaOgun OgunState.

State. °° Ado-Odo OgunState StateMinistry Ministryof ofof ofEnvironment, Environment,Abeokuta, Abeokuta,Ogun OgunState.

State. °° Ogun FederalMinistry Ministryof ofEnvironment Environmentoffice, office,Abeokuta, Abeokuta,Ogun OgunState.

State. °° Federal FederalMinistry Ministryof ofEnvironment, Environment,Conservation ConservationHouse House(Green (GreenBuilding), Building),Plot Plot444 444Aguiyi Aguiyi °° Federal Ironsi,Maitama, Maitama, Abuja Abuja––FCT. FCT. Ironsi, FederalMinistry Ministryof ofEnvironment, Environment,Environment EnvironmentHouse House(Brown (BrownBuilding), Building),Independence Independence °° Federal Way, Central CentralBusiness BusinessDistrict, District,Abuja Abuja––FCT. FCT. Way, ProjectDescription: Description: Project Theproject projectactivities activitieswill willinvolve involveinstallation installationof ofnatural naturalgas gasfired firedpower powergenerating generatingfacilities facilities The of 138.4MW 138.4MW capacity capacity at at Agbara Agbara Industrial Industrial Estate, Estate, Agbara-Igbesa, Agbara-Igbesa, inin Ado-Odo Ado-Odo Local Local of Government Area Area of of Ogun Ogun State.

State.The The generated generated power power will will be be sent sent to to Eko Eko Distribution Distribution Government Company (EKEDC) (EKEDC) via viaTransmission Transmission Company Company of of Nigeria Nigeria (TCN) (TCN) injection injection station station located located Company about4km 4kmaway awayfrom fromthe thepower powerplant. plant. about Durationof ofDisplay: Display: Duration Date:16th 16thMay Mayto to13th 13thJune, June,2016 2016 Date:

Time:8:00am 8:00am––4:00pm 4:00pmDaily.

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Time:

ALLCOMMENTS COMMENTSRECEIVED RECEIVEDSHOULD SHOULDBE BEFORWARDED FORWARDEDTO TOTHE THEHON. HON.MINISTER, MINISTER, ALL FEDERAL MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT ON OR BEFORE 20TH JUNE, 2016.

FEDERAL MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT ON OR BEFORE 20TH JUNE, 2016.

SIGNED SIGNED PERMANENTSECRETARY SECRETARY PERMANENT FOR:HONOURABLE HONOURABLEMINISTER MINISTER FOR:

9

interview

Thursday, 2 June, 2016 a mistake that I made by not travelling abroad, but I was always quick to caution and console myself that I will make it here in Nigeria. Some of them who had stayed long abroad, when they return and see how those of us here are making it, they know that we did not lose anything by not travelling abroad. Some even envy us and say we are enjoying. God has been so good to me.

You are an accountant by profession but today, you live most of your life as an engineer. What informed the metamorphosis?

It is a matter of interest.Like I said earlier, when I worked with my uncle, I served him in the capacity of an auditor before he diversified. In addition, the school that I went really helped me because that was where we had most of the rich men in the South West. It helped me to know people that matter. The Agbajes of this world, The Adebisis, the Akinyeles of Ibadan, the Adedibus of Ibadan, Brigadier General Ademulekuns of N/A Farms of

Chief Victor Afolabi Adesina Sodunke, the Managing Director/ CEO of VAS-S&D Oil and Gas International, President/CEO of VAS-SOQ Construction Ltd and the Project Director of Deshe-Bis Holding Nig. Ltd is an Accountant by profession but by dint of hard work and God’s grace, finds himself in the engineering profession where he has been holding sway for decades. As he clocks 60 years old today, he speaks with WOLE EFUNNUGA and TUNJI AKISANYA on the journey so far. Excerpts:

H

ow do you feel attaining the age of 60 years in a country where the lifespan of citizens has been put at 45?

I believe that either here in Nigeria or in any part of the world, the life span of any individual is determined by God.I believe it is God’s grace. I must tell you that at 60 years, I feel fulfilled because I am celebrating my 60th birthday in good health.

One can be alive and not be in good health.

Again, one can be alive without having the necessary things that make a man but to the glory of God, I have them.

Good wife, good children, good job, good health.I give God all the glory.

Going this far must have been with some challenges. What were the challenges like in the last 60 years?

In all modesty, I was born by averagely comfortable Nigerians. I went to the boarding house in the 60s. My mother was a little bit comfortable. Everything I chose in life, I got. When I was growing up, I lived in the best area at Railway Compound, Oke Ira, Lagos. I went to one of the best private primary schools then, unlike now when all of us have our children in the private schools. When I chose to start my life, I was handed over to Chief Dele Dina, father of one time gubernatorial aspirant in Ogun State, the late Dipo Dina.

His father had a team of chartered Accountants. I was with him in Lagos as an Article clerk. From there, in Lagos office did some professional exams/trainee. he asked me to proceed to the North and head the entire Northern Region. Then, I was about 22 years and I already had an official car.My salary was about N20 and I said to myself that since I had a two-bedroom flat to myself, then I should have a wife.It wasn’t a small accounting firm.

When in Kaduna I attended Kaduna Polytechnic to study accounting 1976-78, We were auditing the Nigerian Railways,Nigerian Airways, Federal Housing Authority and the Lake Chad Basin Authority among others. He was based in Lagos and he directed me to go to the North and I was doing fine there. When my mother

them end up doing there is simply menial jobs. That is why you see professionals going to wash corpses. I can tell you authoritatively that most Nigerians, of our age bracket, who are abroad want to come back home. Their dilemma is if they come back, to come and do what? If they do now, they have topay their own dues.The issue of half baked professionals who give poor quality jobs is on the increase. What do you think is the way out. It is a societal problem and it starts from the foundation.

The quality that the olden days standard six graduates give, masters degree holders of today do not have. Most youths of today do not want to crawl before they walk. All that they are after is money not minding which means the money comes from. If you send a two-year-old boy on an errand, he wants immediate compensation. It is that bad. Today, students bribe lecturers to pass. You hardly get that in those days.

That is why I will advise the government at all levels to encourage technical and polytechnic education.

My life as an accountant-turned -engineer —Chief V. A. Sodunke visited me and saw the way I was living, she wept for me and insisted that I should come back home. That was what brought me back to Abeokuta. On arrival in Abeokuta, I worked with an uncle Chief Ranti Olanrewaju (All Transport) again and within a space of few months, I was given a brand new Peugeot 504 car as my official car. That uncle of mine had a all transport group of companies. He was into clearing and forwarding as well as transport business we even built federated cock and seal Nigeria Limited which I was upgraded to the sales manager. I was an Auditor with him for about three years. It was then he told me that he wanted to form a company that I should be doing the running around. It was a Mobile Water Purifier.

From there, I went into personal business.

You can see that God has been wonderful.

What you are saying is that the journey has been so smooth without any major challenge?

I had a major challenge in May 29, 1991 which I had a terrible accident at Ijebu East Local Government when I was to go and pick up a huge contract and I was on bed for one year, it was the Ogbere Township road. Apart from that, I don’t see any major challenge that a young man should not have that I had. What I am saying is that my growing up has always been in comformity with my age. I recollect that when my mates were all travelling abroad for greener pasture, I made up my mind that I was not going to travel; that I will make my money in Ngeria. My wife is a qualified nurse which gives us ample opportunity to travel and stay permanently abroad but I made up my mind not to raise my family overseas. I dont know what actually came upon me but I am happy I made that decision then. It was so easy for me to travel, I just didn’t want to. Then, you do not need any visa to travel to London. When our colleagues who travelled abroad returned, we would go and meet them at Sheraton Hotel and Gateway Hotel where they would lavish money. But the moment we depart, that was the end. There was even a stage when I was so broke and I asked myself, is it not

Lagos. He said he wanted to start the business and that he would be the chairman while I will be doing the leg work, running around. From there, I felt that I had been serving someone, why can’t I start my own business?. My mother bought me a tipper lorry with which I was to start a block making business. I told myself that I will not just sit down and be moulding blocks for people. I had the opportunity of meeting Funso Williams through a sister-inlaw who is from Ilorin. He asked me what I wanted and there after gave me a drainage contract at Ojo Alaba in Lagos. Imagine me staying in Abeokuta, Ogun State being given a contract in Lagos. On getting to the man who was to allocate the project to me, I asked him if he could give me a road project. He equally asked if I could handle road project and my response was in the affirmative. He now gave me a road project at an area where I lived whlile in Lagos; a place where I have so many friends, at Shillon Street, Palm Groove, Lagos. That was how I finally found myself in engineering world. And that has kept me moving. Each time a contrct is awarded to my company, I do not just sit back because I am a director or because I have engineers working with me. Most times, I am the one who will give them guidelines.Do you know that I was the one who handled the road project at the back of my house? I must say that in any job or profession one finds himself, interest matters a lot. if the interest is not there, it is a pure waste of time. Most of the jobs I do now are contracts already awarded to contractors initially but given to me in view of my record and the way I handle projects.

So, from accounting to engineering, I can say may be it was because of the influence of my guardian, Chief Dina. He was an accountant. Again, my uncle in Abeokuta is a fantastic business man Chief Ranti Olanrewaju (All Transport).

Some professionals prefer to go abroad, claiming that they are looking for greener pasture. What is your take on this position?

I do not agree with that. They will even tell you they do not have job satisfaction. If people who run there are going to do what they specialise on, good. But what most of

Nigerian Tribune

Did it ever occur to you at any point in time that attaining the age of 60 years may not be realisable?

(Smiles) No, It never occured to me. I knew I will be 60 years. It is when I clock 80 years that I can begin to think of whether I can attain age 90 or 100 years. As you can see, if people dont tell you that I am 60 years, you may think I am in my mid 50s. So, I dont feel I am 60.

Politically, what do you think the government can do to bring smiles to the faces of Nigerians?

I love the way things are politically in Nigeria. I love a situation where Party A will rule for some time and Party B will take over. If another party had not taken over in Nigeria, we would not have known that money meant for the growth of the country was diverted into some individuals’ pockets. I will urge the government to use the resources available to focus on major sectors of the economy with the sole aim of bringing development to the people.

Again, I must also urge Nigerians to cultivate the habit of paying taxes. Most Nigerians do not pay taxes; they evade taxes and it is not good for the country.

The Fasola administration in Lagos State performed so well to the extent that Lagosians were paying their taxes willingly. Why cant other governors follow suit?

I dont see what Fasola did in Lagos that Senator Ibikunle Amosun has not done in Ogun State. The governor has done so much but the issue is that people do not have the culture of paying taxes willingly. Even in Lagos that you mentioned, not many people paid willingly. In addition, one can’t compare Lagos with Ogun State; you can’t compare the number of companies in Lagos with that of Ogun especially Abeokuta.

At 60, you have benefitted immensely from the society. What does the society stand to benefit from you particularly the motherless and the less priviledged?

Thanks for that question. I plan to extend gesture to the motherless homes and the Lepers’ Colony periodically. It is not just a part of my birthday activities but a regular thing by the special grace of God. What do you want God to do for you at 60?

At 60, I want God to give me good health, grace and wisdom.

Do you have time to unwind at all ?

Yes o, I do. For your information, I came for this interview from a party at Oriental Hotel, Lagos.

10

Thursday, 2 June, 2016

businessnews 2016 budget: Adeosun billed for London to source for N900bn 11

By Sanya Adejokun with Agency Reports

W

ITH the Federal Government seeking to borrow N1.8 trillion to part finance 2016 budget, Minister of Finance, Kemi Adeosun is expected to lead a delegation to London next week, for a non -deal roadshow.

According to sources, officials from Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and Debt Management Office (DMO) are expected to accompany the minister on the trip.

At a meeting being organised next Tuesday by Standard Chartered Bank, Adeosun and other officials will update the market on government policies.

The N1.8 trillion deficits inherent in the N6.06 trillion 2016 budget according to the Minister of Budget and National Planning, Udoma Udo Udoma, will be financed equally from local and international borrowings in order not to crowd out the private sector from the debt market.

“It is a non-deal roadshow to explain government policy to investors. There’s no transaction. It’s been a while since the government came to London to update investors on what’s happening,” a source told Reuters.

Director General of DMO, Dr Abraham Nwankwo, told Reuters last week that Nigeria is likely to sell a eurobond this year.

Nigeria has pushed ahead with some reforms meant to free up cash to invest in

Thursday, 2 June, 2016

badly needed infrastructure, but critics worry about the pace, given the loss of oil revenues and a currency peg that has caused the economy to contract.

In mid-May, the government hiked petrol prices

by 67 per cent to N145, ending an expensive subsidy scheme that has cost it billions of dollars. It used a rate of N285 to the dollar to set the prices, compared with an official rate of N197.

The move prompted the central bank to abandon its 15-month naira peg to the dollar to adopt a flexible currency regime, a policy u-turn designed to boost exports and local manufacturing and to stave off a re-

President Muhammadu Buhari for months rejected calls to devalue the naira.

However, during his Democracy Day speech on Sunday, he backed the central bank’s decision to move away from a currency peg that is seen as overvaluing the naira.

A banking source in London told Reuters that the market was in the dark over the central bank’s new currency policy.

“The reason why Nigeria is reluctant to come to the market is that the government knows investors will ask about the currency issue,” the banker said.

Ogoniland cleanup:

How we’ll revitalise economy —OilOff Africa boss

By Ruth Olurounbi From left: Executive Director, Mr Gboyega Fatoki; Chairman, Mallam Bello Maccido; Managing Director, Mr Kayode Akinkugbe and Deputy Managing Director, Mr Taiwo Okeowo, all of the FBN Merchant Bank Limited, during the bank’s 1st Annual General Meeting, held on Wednesday in Lagos. PHOTO: SYLVESTER OKORUWA.

N25bn spent on food daily —CBN Muhammad Sabiu - Kaduna THE Nigeria Incentive-Based Risk Sharing System for Agricultural Lending (NIRSAL), a subsidiary of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), has said that Nigerians spend a total of about N25 billion on foods daily.

Also, NIRSAL said a total of about $623 million is spent annually on catfish

importation into Nigeria, a country said to have about 71.2 million cultivable hectares of land.

The Executive Director, Nirsal plc, Mr Aro Afejide, dropped the hint at a threeday workshop organised for bankers in Kaduna, on Wednesday.

He said that $623 million is spent on dairy importation, $500 million spent on sugar importation and $4

billion spent on wheat importation.

While another $2.2 billion is spent on cotton importation and $2 billion is spent on rice importation annually.

According to him, his organisation held the capacity building workshop for bankers because of lack of trust between bankers and farmers.

Commenting further, he disclosed that at the end

Oil price drops to $49 ahead of OPEC meeting OIL traded one per cent lower at around $49 per barrel on market pessimism over whether OPEC could cut a meaningful agreement at its meeting in Vienna on Thursday.

According to Reuters, Gary Ross, a veteran OPEC watcher and founder of USbased PIRA consultancy, said the market was getting more pessimistic not only about “non-OPEC but also about OPEC supply.”

“The main story today is the one of declining output.

The Global demand is still growing strongly and that works in OPEC’s favor,” he said.

The 13-member Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) will for the first time meet with Ali bin Ibrahim AlNaimi, Saudi Arabia’s new oil minister, who has been outspoken about not reducing oil production.

Gulf OPEC members including Saudi Arabia are looking to revive the idea of coordinated oil-output action by major producers.

“The Gulf Cooperation

cession.

But the bank has yet to clarify how the new policy announced last week will work, spooking foreign investors long worried about getting caught in the middle of a devaluation.

Nigerian Tribune

Council is looking for coordinated action at the meeting,” the source said, referring to a group combining OPEC’s biggest producer Saudi Arabia and its Gulf allies Qatar, Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates.

Saudi Arabia effectively scuppered plans for a global production freeze – aimed at stabilizing oil markets – in April. It said then that it would join the deal, which would also have involved non-OPEC Russia, only if Iran agreed to freeze output.

Tehran has been the main stumbling block for the organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries to agree on output policy over the past year as the country boosted supplies despite calls from other members for a production freeze.

Tehran argues it should be allowed to raise production to levels seen before the imposition of nowended Western sanctions over Iran’s nuclear program.

On Wednesday, Iran said

its position had not changed and even though its exports were rising quickly it was too early for Tehran to join such a pact, meaning it would need an exemption, which Saudi Arabia has repeatedly resisted.

“Iran supports OPEC’s efforts to bring stability to the market with fair and logical prices, but it will not commit to any output freeze,” Iran’s representative to OPEC, Mehdi Asali, was quoted as saying by Iranian oil ministry news agency Shana.

of November 2015, NIRSAL had trained 8,500 rice farmers in Kebbi State in addition to 27,142 farmers nationwide.

‘Out of this, 15,000 cocoa farmers were trained in Abia, Cross River, Edo, Ekiti and Osun States, while 1,822 cotton farmers were trained in Katsina and Zamfara States. About 500 rice farmers were trained in Kano-Hadejia.

Afejide said a total of 104 bank agriculture desk officers had been trained nationwide on agricultural value chain financing A Regional Director with UBA, Mr Danjuma Salihu, said his bank had been agricultural-friendly, adding that they were aware of the risks inherent in agric lending and how to mitigate them.

A credit analyst with Heritage Bank Plc, Mr Olukayode Oyebamgbose said because of the change in government direction, many will be going into agricultural business.

Ecobank Nigeria upgrades non-core staff, rewards top performers ECOBANK Nigeria Limited has announced the conversion of over 200 outsourced personnel to permanent employees of the bank, as part of the bank’s drive to attract and reward talent while also repositioning for improved efficiency. In line with its recognition of excellence, the bank also recently implemented a merit pay increase for the top performers across all cadres.

Making the announcement in Lagos, the Man-

aging Director of the bank, Charles Kie said converting qualified outsourced staff to permanent staff is in line with the bank’s commitment to develop and grow talent by nurturing its people along their career paths and giving them access to higher responsibilities.

He said the bank is resolute that recognising and rewarding excellence will drive the Bank’s goal of achieving exceptional performance in the industry.

According to Kie, the bank

in its renewed drive for optimal performance has, in addition realigned certain roles bank wide to ensure improved efficiency.

This he said necessitated the exits of some staff who were adequately compensated. He maintained that this is in furtherance of a market repositioning exercise designed to strengthen the bank’s business across all markets where it operates.

He emphasised that the Ecobank Group is on a tra-

jectory to achieve leadership and Ecobank Nigeria remains one of ETI’s major affiliates as well as one of Nigeria’s Systemically Important financial institutions.

Kie explained that “our focus is to improve the quality of service to our customers as well as our operational efficiency. We understand that people are our key asset, so we have emphasised the need to reward our best performers, continue to re-invigorate our people.

THE Chief Executive Officer, OilOff Africa Ltd, Mr Olabode Akindeji-Oladeji has revealed that his company, is set to cleanup Ogoniland, as well as revitalise the land.

The CEO was speaking shortly before he left for the launch of Ogoniland cleanup by President Muhammadu Buhari, in Port Harcourt, on Wednesday, said his company, along with his foreign partners, are bringing the much needed technology to clean the oil economically and equitably.

“Our technology will totally clean the oil off the soil and restore the soil back to its original position so that they can farm the land. We will clean the oil from the creeks and waters so that vegetation can grow back there,” he said.

OilOff Africa Ltd is a subsidary of Open-Ended Ventures (Africa) Ltd, founded in 1996.

Devastation from the oil spillage has had severe impact on Ogoni people, with billions of naira in investments lost in the region.

Although the United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP) report said it would take 30 years to clean up the land, Akindeji-Oladeji said the current effort was step in the right direction.

“Now, the people of Ogoniland can begin to a journey towards economic sustainability, which is something we are very passionate about at our company.

We are constantly thinking about how to make our business friendly to the ecosystem and make it viable at the same time. And we are happy that we are part of the journey that will not only change the Ogoni people’s live economically, but also in terms of their health and sustenance,” he added.

businessnews N4 trillion lying idle in capital market —NASS 12

Jacob Segun Olatunji and Kolawole Daniel, Abuja

M

EMBERS of the National Assembly on Wednesday declared their intentions to amend the rules guiding the operations of the capital market to make it more fluid, dynamic and attractive to investors.

The lawmakers equally declared that over N4 trillion is lying idle in the capital market which is not accessed by government and investors because of existing legislation that restricts access to the funds.

Addressing newsmen in Abuja, the Senate Committee Chairman on Capital Markets and Institutions, Senator Isiaka Adeleke and his counterpart in the House of Representatives, Honourable Tajudeen Yusuf, said that the committee is planning a two-day stake holders’ forum on Capital Market and Nigerian Economy, where all issues relating to the capital market and legislation that is hampering its activities will be trashed.

The committee added that the gathering among other things seeks for more healthy and complimentary relations between the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), which is the regulatory body and all stakeholders like The Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE), Investments and Securities Tribunal (IST), Financial Market Dealers Quotation (FMDQ), OTC Securities Plc, Central Security Clearing System (CSCS) and National Association of Securities Dealers (NASD).

Thursday, 2 June, 2016

“The forum which intends to create an enabling legal environment for the achievement of the recommendations of the Capital Market Master Plan (2015 2016) is primed towards the rejuvenation of the economy.

“The desire of the Joint Committee on the Capital market and institutions in this direction is to focus its

legislative work in making the recommendations of the master plan the catalyst for achieving the infrastructural and development needs of a diversified national economy,” he said.

Senator Adeleke said that the forum will address issues that will create employment in the sector, put legislation that will allow Nigerian entrepreneurs ac-

cess to long term funds, the creation of liquidity and investment opportunity for both foreign and local investors, translation of idle pension funds into investments for national economic development, establish laws that will encourage an environment of transparency and accountability in all domestic capital market transactions.

From left: General Manager, External Affairs and Communications, Seplat Petroleum Development Company plc, Dr Chioma Nwachuku; Chairman of the company, Dr A.B.C Orjiako; Chief Executive Officer, Austin Avuru and Senior Counsel/Company Secretary, Dr Mirian Kachikwu, at the 2016 Annual General Meeting of the company, which held at the Civic Centre, Victoria Island, Lagos, on Wednesday.

Nigeria targets 30% electricity generation from coal —Fayemi Sanya Adejokun -Abuja As part of plans to diversify sources of electricity generation, the Federal Government is working to source 30 percent of electricity generation from coal.

Sources at Niger Delta

Power Holding Company (NDPHC) told Nigerian Tribune in Abuja that in the second phase of its operations, the company will not embark on gas propelled turbines for electricity generation mainly because of the problems associated

with sourcing gas and militant activities in the Niger Delta.

In addition, government has stepped up pressure on the Chinese authorities to release loans meant for the construction of the Mambilla Hydro Electricity

CBN says PMI rises to 45.8 from 43.7 index points The Purchasing Managers Index (PMI) rose to 45.8 index points in May from the 43.7 in April, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) said on Wednesday.

According to a report by the bank’s Survey Management Division, activities in the manufacturing sector declined during the period.

It said that 11 out of the 16 manufacturing sub-sectors recorded decline, while the remaining five sub- sectors recorded growth.

The apex bank said the production level for the manufacturing sector stood at 49.3 index points, which represented a decline for the fifth consecutive month, but at a slower rate than that of April.

It said although new orders’ index rose to 4 3.2 index points in May, it also indicated a decline for the fifth consecutive month.

CBN reported that employment level index dur-

The two-day stakeholders’ forum which will be hosted in Abuja on the June 6 and 7 will be chaired by Aliko Dangote, President, Dangote Group and Aigboje Aig-Imukhuede, President National Council, the Nigerian Stock Exchange, while the Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, GCON will be the special guest of honour.

ing the period stood at 46.9, the position it had been in the last 15 consecutive months.

It, however, said the index declined at a slower rate when compared with

the level in the preceding month.

According to the report, the composite PMI for the non-manufacturing sector recorded decline for the fifth consecutive month,

but retained the 44.3 index points recorded in April.

The CBN also said the manufacturing raw materials inventory index declined to 46.9 index points from 47.6 in April.

PwC urges leadership to increase internal audit’s value to reduce business risk PwC Nigeria, a leading professional services firm, has called on internal auditors in Nigeria to focus on leadership in order to increase their value contribution and help organisation address emerging risks.

The Associate Director, Risk Assurance, PwC Nigeria, Femi Osinubi, made the call recently, at a joint breakfast meeting with the Institute of Internal Audit (IIA) Nigeria, where they discussed the findings of PwC’s 2016 state of Internal Audit Profession (SOTP) survey report on Leadership matters.

Presenting the report, Osinubi noted that more than half of the stakeholders who participated in the 2016 study believe internal audit is contributing significant value, up six points from 2015.

The study also highlights that 62 per cent of stakeholders expect more value from internal audit with 55 per cent expecting internal audit to be a more proactive trusted advisor within the next five years.

“We’re seeing a close correlation between strong leadership and internal audit’s ability to add value and deliver high performance.

“To continue fostering in-

ternal audit functions to become trusted advisors within their organisations, stakeholders should promote strong internal audit leadership, while audit executives work to elevate the performance and perceptions of their respective functions.

“It’s through close alignment with various stakeholders and owning internal audit’s role as a leadership function within the organization that can allow internal audit to help their companies keep up with the changing business and risk landscape,” he said.

project expected to generate about 3000 megawatts upon completion.

Speaking at the Junior Indaba in Johannesburg, Minister of Solid Minerals Development Kayode Fayemi, represented by one Mr Alex Nwengbu, invited South African companies to invest in Nigeria to help the country achieve its coalbased power generation target.

He said Nigeria was processing many enquiries from investors keen on undertaking exploration and mining ventures in the West African country.

Earlier, African Union Commission chairperson Dr Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma said that while she did not believe coal should be the sole power generation fuel in Africa, it should be part of the energy mix.

“Coal is there,” she said, adding that she envisaged it playing a role along with solar power and hydropower.

Mashale Phumaphi, MD of Shumba Energy, which was exploring for coal in neighbouring Botswana, said from an orebody perspective Botswana was not the richest, but that from an infrastructure and legislative framework perspective the country was competitive.

Nigerian Tribune

FTSE Russell London may remove Nigerian equities from index Chima Nwokoji -Lagos Barely eight months after the United Statesbased lender, JP Morgan, removed Nigeria from its Emerging Market Government Bond Index (GBI-EM) due to alleged lack of liquidity and transparency in the nation’s foreign exchange market, another global trading name, FTSE International Limited (“FTSE”) and Frank Russell Company (“Russell”) said on Wednesday it would assess the status of Nigerian equities in its “frontier” markets index during its annual review in September.

The stock market index provider said in a statement released on its website that: “The continuing illiquidity in the Nigerian foreign exchange market is resulting in significant delays in the repatriation of U.S. dollars and hence the ability of index trackers to efficiently and cost effectively track Nigerian indexes.”

FTSE Russell” is a trading name of FTSE International Limited (“FTSE”) and Frank Russell Company (“Russell”) and their respective subsidiary undertakings, which are members of the London Stock Exchange Group.

FTSE International Limited is a limited liability company registered in England and Wales.

It also said that starting from June 20, 2016 corporate events such as IPOs and rights issues in Nigeria would not be reflected in the indices.

However, rival index provider, MSCI, said in late-April that it would not change the status of Nigerian securities listed in its frontier benchmark.

FTSE International Limited latest warning is similar to that of Morgan Stanley which had earlier threatened to delist Nigerian bonds and equities from its Morgan Stanley Capital International Index, MSCI. But in a change of direction, the US-based investment bank countered its threats by suspending its decision to delist Nigerian bonds from its emerging markets index. Morgan Stanley had in February 2016, warned that if Forex controls and lack of critical reforms persist, it will be left with no choice than to shell the country’s bond holding from its index.

Morgan Stanley, however, said it would review stocks and equities in the holding and individually delist any item that does not meet its criteria.

13

editorial African leaders and the plight of African migrants Thursday, 2 June, 2016

I

N the last week of May, both the office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and Medecins San Frontieres (MSF) International released reports confirming that an estimated 700 African migrants had perished in the Mediterranean after the flimsy fishing boat in which they had been trying to cross over from Libya to Italy capsized.

Because agencies typically rely on the calculations of a few lucky survivors for their information, the figures they publish must always be taken with a grain of salt.

Yet, because it is common knowledge that the human traffickers who smuggle people across the high seas are wont to pack their contraptions to the hilt in order to maximize profit, these estimates may not be far off.

Either way, it is a tragedy and a gargantuan shame that even as ordinary Africans continue to perish like flies in a desperate bid to cross the Mediterranean to Europe, the response from African leaders has been a deafening silence. On the rare occasion when they have bothered to speak up, African leaders and commentators have blamed Western countries for precipitating in the Middle East and parts of Africa the very crises from which hordes of migrants are fleeing. The logic of their position is simple: Western countries, having sown the wind of political instability, should be prepared to reap the whirlwind of human migration. The position is not without its merit, for the tattoo of Western involvement indeed remains boldly imprinted on the social landscape of many migrant-sending countries.

Nevertheless, migration is always a matter of push and pull. Thus, while migrants may be prompted to leave their countries of birth because of their historicallyinduced dysfunction, it strains credulity to suggest, as many leading commentators have, that this is the exclusive reason for African emigration. Among the 700 precious souls who perished in the Mediterranean in the last week of May, there were people from Eritrea, Sudan, Nigeria, Ghana, and The Gambia. The point is

Nigerian Tribune

that African countries cannot continue to deny the pull of economic opportunity for young men and women who rightly feel abandoned by the postcolonial state.

In Italy, whose coastal and port cities have received thousands of migrants over the past several years, and all over Europe, the almost ceaseless flow of migrants from Africa, and also from Syria, Afghanistan and Iraq, has sparked a passionate public debate. While, on the one extreme, the influx has revived nationalist and irredentist politics, on the other hand, the liberal heart of Europe, seen in the activities of many humanitarian and related aid groups, continues to beat. In any case, the issue is firmly on the civic front burner, and various interest groups continue to weigh in with their respective opinions.

We are saddened that there is no equivalent for such societal agitation across Africa, the region from which many of the migrants are fleeing, and the same region from which the majority of the nearly 4,000 people who perished trying to cross the Mediterranean last year hailed. On the contrary, and most disconcertingly, African leaders have continued to act as if African lives do not matter.

Over the past few years, from Cape Town to Cairo, the airwaves in African counties have been dominated by talk of African solidarity. Many proudly invoke it as the timeless essence which separates Africans from the rest of the world. It is frequently proclaimed that Africans are a communal people, dedicated to the welfare of others, unlike other societies where, it is argued, the individual is uncommonly valorized and the communal neglected.

Yet, it must be an empty solidarity indeed that does not translate into fellow feeling or a duty of care for one’s compatriots. African leaders and Africans in general must show concern for the plight of African migrants. Unless tied to concrete social policy or humanitarian action, declarations of Ubuntu or social solidarity are hollow.

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Thursday, 2 June, 2016

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•’The girl is mine!’ Two he-goats lock- horns over a she-goat. PHOTO: TOMMY ADEGBITE

Let’s give Buhari time WHEN we look at the economic situation in Nigeria today, then it has definitely been giving the president sleepless nights.

I know the president is doing everything in his power towards ensuring that we regain our lost glory, but one thing is sure about this; it is not going to be easy to achieve. We may think that the president is slow, but the saying that ‘slow and steady wins the race,’ comes to the fore here. I, therefore, want to plead for patience so that our dreams will come to fruition. I believe there is light at the end of the tunnel for us in Nigeria.

However, what we are witnessing as regard the war on corruption will definitely make Nigeria better in the long run. It is believed that all the recovered loot will be ploughed back into the economy, and this will serve as a lesson for future political office holders not to mismanage public fund in their care.

So, whatever the president is doing now, particularly the tough policies he may have taken, or those he will still take, he simply wants to turn around Nigeria for the better.

•Major Femi Ayoade (retd), 08030534202

Still on the increase in fuel price

N

IGERIANS should have trust in President Muhammadu Buhari’s vision to bring the country out of this economic mess. Despite the challenges we are facing economically today, I believe that President Buhari will not betray the trust and enormous goodwill through which he rode to power.

I hope Nigerians will be patient, while hoping for the best as we await the positive result of the economic policies President Buhari has taken.

Administering a country as complex as Nigeria is not a simple task, and one thing we should know

is that this government has spent only one year out of a four-year term, so it is only wise for us to wait before deciding on whether this government is a success or not.

However, one thing I am sure of again is that the president knows the enormous support he got from Nigerians, and he would

not want to betray such.

However, there is the need to remind the president that there is really no more time for him now, and he has to start moving with speed. It is also imperative for the president to look at the mood of the people and decide what is best for the country.

It is important for the government to focus on building refineries so that the price of fuel can go down drastically, as well as providing uninterrupted power supply for the people.

•Prophet Oladipupo Funmilade-Joel, 08076607588

Start work on Lagos/Ibadan Rd NOW that the budget has been signed, I see no reason why work has not started on the LagosIbadan Expressway, since it has been listed as one of the projects to be completed by the Federal Government this year.

One good thing about this project is that contractors had already started work on it before they pulled back due to fund issues. I, therefore, hope that money will be released to the contractors in order for them to return to site as

soon as possible.

It is also hoped that other roads mentioned in the budget will be completed as well as Nigeria needs good roads for its economic development.

•Elo Osaretin, 08191143941.

PDP, provide strong opposition to APC WHAT is happening in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) today should give lovers of democracy cause for concern. We may not support the party, but a nation that has only one strong party is not a democracy; such country can only be likened to China, which practices one-party democracy.

When the PDP held federal power, everybody knew how the All Progressives Congress (APC) provided strong opposition to Federal Government poli-

cies.

The truth is that there was not a policy government took that it didn’t think about what the opposition APC would say.

Therefore, when the PDP lost federal power,

I expected it to also provide strong opposition to the APC. It is, therefore, so painful that it is at this time that PDP members are fighting supremacy battle over who controls the structure of the party.

If the PDP fails to put its house in order, then it will go the way of other extinct political parties in Nigeria’s history.

•Tumini George, 09095687489.

Has APC really tried?

CONSIDERING the situation which the All Progressives Congress (APC) met when it took over governance, then we can’t blame it for not making much progress in its first year in power.

We should look at a simple example; it is not so easy to construct a building in a day, no matter how rich the owner is, but it is easy to pull a building down in a day.

As a result of this, the APC is just trying to rebuild Nigeria, and it will definitely take time for it to achieve its vision for the country.

Nigerians need to have patience; we need to give this government time to fulfil its promises to the people.

I am, however, glad that Nigerians are now politically-conscious that a government that is not giving its best will be booted out at the polls.

•Stanley Umoh, 08029518875

The plight of pensioners I want the government to see to the plight of pensioners across the states of the Federation, especially as regards the issue of the minimum wage. Today, the

official minimum wage is N18,000, but it is shocking that some pensioners in the states still earn below that amount. I, therefore, want to charge the government

that whenever it wants to approve the new minimum wage for civil servants, then it should do same for pensioners immediately so that our senior citizens

won’t be living below the minimum wage.

•Azeez G.A, 08132278905

15

opinion

Thursday, 2 June, 2016

Tomato Ebola: Addressing food security through biotechnology

By Yahaya Kabir

T

HE “Tuta Absoluta” scourge, otherwise known as “Tomato Ebola,” which has severely attacked tomato production in Nigeria in recent months, has shown, yet again, how vulnerable the country’s food security readiness is.

Nigeria, with an estimated population of over 180 million people, is confronted with challenges of food insecurity, poverty and inadequate healthcare. A projection by the United Nations in a recently released report, “World population prospects: The 2015 revision,” notes that Nigeria’s population, currently the seventh largest in the world, is growing most rapidly and will surpass that of the United States by 2050, at which point it would become the third largest in the world, standing just behind India and China.

It is evident that as the population grows, the available land for agricultural purpose will continue to decrease. The need to feed ourselves will even become more acute, requiring producing more from receding parcels of land and heightening the need to be constantly prepared against our production potential, especially from pests and weeds.

This fact is not lost on the Federal Government and successive administrations since our return to democracy in 1999 have launched various projects in the bid to ensure our food security as a nation.

One of such projects was the establishment of the National Biotechnology Development Agency in 2001, with the mandate to promote, coordinate and deploy cutting-edge biotechnology research and development processes and products for the socio-economic well-being of the nation, with a view to using the tools of modern biotechnology to promote food security and enhance the Nigerian economy.

In furtherance of this bid to guarantee our long term food security, former President Goodluck Jonathan, in April 2015, signed the National Biosafety Management Agency Bill into law. This act automatically allowed for the domestication of modern biotechnology in Nigeria.

Modern biotechnology is a technique used for genetic improvements that is more efficient and precise compared to conventional breeding. However, and contrary to what many

antagonists claim, this is not in many ways significantly different from the conventional breeding techniques that aim to produce better seeds in terms of nutritional value and resistance to pests or diseases. All this does is to leverage technology to make the process more precise, cutting down time spent in cross-breeding to find the desired seed quality and eliminating the risks of transferring unwanted genes from seeds to each other all in the bid to confer just one trait. This technology also allows traits found in other organisms to be transferred to crop and livestock species where such proffer solutions not possible within the genetic make-up of the seed or its relatives With the challenges of climate change, persisting pest infestations, declining soil nutritional quality, gradual reduction in arable land due to the pressures of urbanisation and our growing population, modern biotechnology has been identified as an important tool that can help countries such as Nigeria achieve food sufficiency/food security, industrial growth, health improvement and environmental sustainability, and in the face of our growing population, this technology holds a lot of promise for the development of our agricultural sector, food security and industrial growth.

It will also help to reduce labour input in farming through modernisation; attract young Nigerians to participate actively in agriculture, whether in crop production, fishing, livestock, forestry and horticulture. This will invariably help

the nation to solve a very important problem which had remained unsolved for a long period of time as many young people are reluctant to go into farming because of the outdated technologies that were being deployed.

Apart from enhancing agricultural production, ensuring food security and making agriculture a business, against a mere subsistent means of livelihood, biotechnology will give the nation the benefit of mitigating climate change by reducing the use of pesticides, which adversely affect the environment, improve environmental protection and conservation through production of stress tolerant planting materials for re-vegetation, re-afforestation, soil binding for erosion control as well as genetically enhanced organisms for bioremediation of oil polluted sites and improvement in plants and animals yields as well as nutritional values.

Other benefits include the production of new breeds/varieties of animals and plants and reduction in farming land area with higher yields, which facilitates job and wealth creation and leads to better health facilities; promotion of bioorganic fertilizer development and industrial growth through feedstock development; promotion and development of biopharmaceuticals production, stem cell technology, biometrics, among others, in Nigeria and biodiversity conservation.

The safe adoption of modern biotechnology will also enable the nation to commercialise crops that are currently undergoing field trails in various locations across the country, thereby promoting food security in the nation.

Nigeria, as a nation, can stop massive food importation when local productivity has increased to substitute the importation, and this can only be achieved by improving our crude technology by wholly embracing modern biotechnology.

It is time for Nigeria to join the league of other countries like the Republic of South Africa, Burkina Faso, Ghana, Egypt, Kenya, Togo, Tanzania and Mali, who are already enjoying the proceeds of modern agricultural biotechnology in harnessing the immense potential and benefits of this technology to enhance food security, create jobs and better the lot of Nigerian farmers.

•Kabir is a food technologist based in Abuja

Why our universities lag behind

By Ayo Olukotun

THE table (2016 Times Higher Education Supplement Ranking of universities in BRICS and Emerging Economies) provides an extraordinary case study in what can be achieved in only a couple of decades where significant money and political will can be brought to bear — Phil Batey

The ranking of universities as, indeed, of any aspect of social life is not without its problems. Illustratively, we may mention samplings of convenience and a host of questions which revolve around what exactly and with what accuracy the rankings measure as well as the whole array of important factors which they overlook or do not measure.

That notwithstanding, there is little doubt that, in their imperfect state, they have become permanent fixtures of a globalising world and important toolkits widely employed for planning, quality assurance and reputation building.

One of the striking things about this table is the dominance of China, whose universities occupy five of the top 10 places. In the wider table of 200 universities, China has 39 well above other countries in BRICS. Needless to say that this performance is the result of sustained planning and enhanced development spending which has increased by close to 25 per cent in the last 10 years.

To be noted here is the implementation and unfolding of a 15-year Science and Technology plan which was first announced in 2006 with the stated goal for China to morph into

,

Phil Batey, The London Times ranking editor, insightfully pinpoints in the opening quote, two crucial reasons for China’s dominance of the 2016 league table of universities in the BRICS countries and emerging economies. BRICS, the acronym for Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa, no longer excites the level of attention it excited a few years back, no thanks to economic growth and failing political health.

But they are still bigger players than most of the so-called emerging economies, some of which, like Nigeria, are struggling to live down the effects of a drastic ebb in the price of export commodities.

It is instructive, therefore, to look closely at their rapid strides in the knowledge economy, reflected in the performance of their universities in recent international league tables. More so, since only one Nigerian university made a sneak entry into the bottom league of the ranking of the best 200 universities.

The other reason for focusing on this group of countries is that their historical experiences in the main as former colonies belonging to the non-Western world suggest the kind of educational pathway that Nigeria can travel to a possible world class status. Recall for example that after several years of policy wishful thinking and boastfulness that Nigeria will build world class universities, the National Universities Commission (NUC) more or less put paid to that aspiration when it revealed that, “the price tag to get a Nigerian university into the global top 200 is put at N57bn annually for at least 10 years.” But if that dream is for the moment unattainable, it should still be possible to at least commence the journey to a modicum of competitiveness along the lines of middle level powers.

one of the world’s top five countries indexed by the quantity of invention patents and the most cited scientific papers.

As Batey correctly observed, China’s ascent in the knowledge economy is the result of political will in a developmental state and the abundance of resources harnessed to important scientific goals. To illustrate the depth of resources deployed

by China, it is often pointed out that the research budget of a large Chinese university is more than those of 18 Indian institutes combined together.

If we turn to Nigeria which currently faces hard times, what we find is a pre-occupation with frivolities and the externalities of a knowledge society such as multiplying universities without properly funding them.

The 2016 budget for education, which is put at N370bn, is one of the lowest in the last six years. Your guess is as good as mine as to how much of this amount will go into empowering research competencies and infrastructure.

In other words, our current economic downturn apart, it is doubtful if we have found the combination of political will and social purpose that is needed to lift our universities from their current rot.

One other take away from the table comes from South Africa, which has roughly two dozen universities, compared to Nigeria’s 120, but registered four of its institutions in the top 50 and two of them in the first 10.

The point to note is that while the dizzying expansion of the universities in Nigeria may have its uses, for example, in the area of widening access vertically and horizontally, there must be a complementary investment in quality by focusing on those institutions which possess the best potential to rise to global stature.

For this columnist, this is one more argument for revisiting the national question with the aim of allowing different parts of the federation to major on their competitive advantages and leverage on their resource endowments.

•Olukotun is a professor of Political Communication.

16

Thursday, 2 June, 2016

Femi Olukunle Coordinating Editor 08158610216,

NGO makes fresh donations to IDPs Ademola Adegbite-Abuja

The team attending to beneficiaries during the free medical screening, treatment at Mararaba.

1,000 children undergo free medical screening, treatment at Mararaba Chistian Okeke-Abuja

N

O fewer than 1,000 infants and children have benefited from free medical checks and treatment at Mararaba, near Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja.

The exercise, which attracted medical doctors and other health personnel from Federal Medical Centre Keffi, Fountain Health Medicals and Sisters of Nativity Jikwoyi, was organised by youth organisation of St Rita’s Catholic Church, Unity Estate, Mararaba.

It was organised in partnership with some bodies which included Enhancing Health and Well-Being Project (eH&W), Civil Societies Scaling up Nutrition in Nigeria, Department of Public Health FCTA, Heart of Gold Foundation and the FCT Red Cross Society.

Speaking to Abuja Xtra during the exercise, coordinator of the programme, Mr Chianumba Ikechukwu Reuben, stated that the exercise targeted at offering infants and vulnerable children between six months and 10 years opportunity to

Crew 1. Christian Okeke chidiabujatribune@ yahoo.com 08030947856 2. Clement Idoko idokoajiga@yahoo. co.uk 08034412281 3. Kolawole Daniel kolawoledaniels@yahoo.co.uk 08030763782 4. Adetola Bademosi gloriaadetola@ gmail.com 08182214290 5. Collins Nnabuife chideraacollins@yahoo.com 08039521408 Abuja Xtra email & GSM: abujaxtra@ gmail.com 08054501406

access vital health information and wellbeing.

He described the turn-out as quite impressive, noting that the organisers took the decision to focus on improving the health of children this year as a way to give back to the society.

Also speaking, president of Catholic Youth Organisation of Nigeria (CYON) of St Rita, Mr Jude Okeke, disclosed that free malaria, herpartitis and HIV tests were offered to the beneficiaries which mainly

targeted vulnerable children, irrespective of their religion.

According to him, prescribed drugs were equally given to the beneficiaries as referrals were made where necessary.

He advised government to look beyond providing fun for children on Children’s Day to also focus on matters relating to their education, welfare and health, as according to him, most of them are suffering silently.

A non-governmental organisation (NGO), Peace, Rehabilitation and Reconstruction Initiative (PRRI), has given out a donation of N10 million to Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in Borno State.

The donation, according to the NGO, was to assist the IDPs, whose communities have been liberated from terrorists in the North Eastern part of the country, particularly in Borno State, return home and move on with their lives.

Speaking during the donation, the Executive Secretary of the group, who was also former Minister of Niger Delta, Sam Ode, made donation of N2.5 million cash, as well as food items worth N5 million and improved seeds and crops worth N2.5 million to the displaced persons to enable them begin new lives.

He said: “The task of helping the IDPs to return to their various communities became necessary after our NGO took an assessment tour of selected communities in the North East that were once ravaged by insurgency and confirmed that the Nigerian military have carried out a total recovery of the area and now suitable for human habitation, though requiring urgent government efforts for meaningful life to take off.”

He disclosed that the team was moving to some pilot Local Government Areas that approached the NGO with some special requests to provide them with seeds, food items and cash supports to help the people quickly resettle.

While welcoming the association, Shehu of Borno, Alhaji Abubakar Umar Garbai El-kanemi, recalled that the Nigerian Army had helped to push out members of Boko Haram from his domain in less than one year of the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari.

He disclosed that the insurgents were non-indigenes of the state who came to earn a living as a result of the magnanimous and hospitable nature of his subjects with a history of about 1300 years.

Ministry to prioritise incubation technology Ademola Adegbite-Abuja MINISTRY of Science and Technology has disclosed plans to prioritise growth of incubation technology in the country, with specific commitment to providng necessary machineries that will migrate technology entrepreneurship from small to medium enterprise.

It pledged to give support to National Association of Technology Incubation Entrepreneurs (NATIE) to become a multinational company that would contribute to making the country’s economy strong.

Minister of Science and Technology, Dr Ogbonnaya Onu, made the pledge when he received executive members of the National Association of Technology Entrepreneurs led by its chairman, Mr Duro Kuteji, in his office in Abuja.

The minister promised to look at all the issues relating to the growth of the institution.

Onu called for more synergy between institutions and agencies under the ministry, notably the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI) and the Project Development Institute (PRODA.) Earlier, the chairman of the NATIE, Mr Kuteji, sought for the assistance of

the ministry in the areas of funding and low-cost raw materials so as to enable the agency enhance its business.

He further called for patronage by all

government agencies for local products and also for the ministry to accommodate the association in the proposed technology park when fully established.

Legend deploys ultra-fast internet technology in Abuja Chistian Okeke-Abuja LEGEND, an exclusive multi-media brand, has launched its ultra-fast internet facility in Abuja.

The facility, which leverages on fibre network technology, equally provides premium entertainment to homes with a movie-theatre picture quality and high-definition voice calls.

Speaking while unveiling the latest technology, the chief executive officer of the firm, Bruce Ayonote, noted that the company, based on its deep understanding of current and emerging technologies in ICT designed to make life easier and better for customers, harnessed the fibre optic infrastructure and came up with the technology innovation.

He noted that the firm, which was es-

tablished in 2014, focused on providing access to unlimited premium video entertainment and connectivity to the public.

According to him, Legend has deployed all its services to the functioning networks already established in Abuja and plans to deploy in selected parts of the country in the future with Lagos being the major target within the next 12 months.

Ayonote described the Legend TV as a whole new world of premium HD entertainment which enables subscribers to watch movies and series through Legend Box Office, Legend Vault and Legend Freeview.

“With Legend Box Office, they get to enjoy the latest movie releases. The Legend Vault on demand allows them to set their own schedule while they also get to watch their favourite news and sports channels live with Legend Freeview,” he said.

17

Thursday, 2 June, 2016 With Adewale Oshodi tribunearts@yahoo.com 08054005323

Reflections: How Nigeria betrayed a don’s dreams A review of Professor Adebayo Oyebade’s poetry collection, Reflections: Poems of Dreams and Betrayals.

Head of State to return Nigeria to democratic rule but: Words dance Like an acrobatic masquerade To the drumbeat of your mouth But the sugar of your tongue Is very bitter You write And then erase In one stroke But your eraser is imperfect

P

ROFESSOR Adebayo Oyebade’s poetry collection, Reflections: Poems of Dreams and Betrayals, reveals the views of the poet regarding national issues, and that is why his opening words define his creative work as an energy that emanates from the collective will to triumph of a people trapped in a vicious cycle of dreams and betrayals.

One of Oyebade’s first poems in the collection, After the Dream, highlights the disappointment he gets after Nigeria’s independence.

He says: After the dream, At its heels The waiting dawn of betrayal After the dream No laughter as yet to celebrate high hopes He then goes to ponder whether October, the month in which the country got her independence was euphoric, saying: Its maiden dream a mere mirage!

He ends saying: I write of wasted dreams in the trash can of history.

One surprising thing about this poem is that it was written on October 1, 1989, and till date, nothing much has changed from the hopeless situation the country was then.

However, just before penning After the Dream, the poet uses Reflections, which he dedicates to: “October 1, the anniversary of a dream,” to envision a Nigeria with a bright future.

He says: The looming thunder is ripe Ready to unleash Those who have used their powers to suppress the progress of the country are at the receiving end of the author’s poem in Part Three.

Here, the poet describes such people as warlords, usurpers of power by brute force of arms, and those who long held us captives in the prison of their power.

In the first poem in this part, The Dance of Tyranny, the poet describes the military years thus: Generals Brigadiers Colonels Majors Even Sergeants The warlords have come Behold a siege on fledgling dreams In the second poem in this part entitled, A DareDevil Soldier, the poet remembers when a soldier takes over power.

One day A dare-devil soldier Galloped to power A bloody trail on his crooked track As known with soldiers when they take over power and begin their clamp-down on democratic forces, the poet writes: Like a plague A curse descended on us And suddenly Before daybreak Kirikiri overflowed its banks With bumper harvest Of subversive elements

The annulled June 12, 1993 presidential election is next in line as the poem, Hope ’93 is dedicated to: “Maradona, who tried to erase June 12 from history’s calendar.”

In the poem, the poet describes the promises of the then

The poet further goes on to say that despite the effort to submerge the will of the people during the June 12, 1993 election, ‘You cannot kill the dream.’

Part Four of the collection focuses on ‘poli-trickcians,’ and the poems tell of ruse, pretence, thievery, facade and deception.

Professor Oyebade’s poetry travels in time from the period of dream, when Nigeria had a lot to look forward to in the future, through to the time of the military’s intervention in the country’s politics, and to the failure of politicians in this era of democratic experience, therefore, it is not surprising that the title of the collection is Reflections: dreams and betrayals.

Despite living in the United States of America, Professor Oyebade, who teaches at the Tennessee State University, Nashville, is in tune with the political events in the country, and that is why the collection focuses only on his dreams for Nigeria, and how he has been betrayed.

This poetry collection tells of Nigeria’s political history from October 1, 1960 to the present day democratic dispensation.

Rotary Club donates books to schools in Ibadan

•Members of Rotary Club during the donation of books to one of the beneficiary schools.

IN order to promote the culture of reading and learning, the Rotary Club, Oritamefa, Ibadan, Oyo State, has donated over 500 books, including educational materials for learning in creche to four schools in the state capital.

The books include those for History, Geography, Mathematics, English and Chemistry, as well as story books, colouring books and packets of crayons.

The club’s president, Mr Olayemi Olawale, who was accompanied by other members of the club to the

schools, said the books were distributed in order to promote the reading and learning culture among the students and the babies.

The donations, which were also to mark the education and literary month, according to the club’s president, were also to support government’s efforts at providing qualitative education to Nigerian citizens.

Mr Olawale, who admitted that the reading culture was fast fading away due to increasing use of social media, advised that students should rather turn to books to widen their horizon and improve their chances of attaining great heights in life.

“They have books that can help them to learn about other nations; they can easily complement whatever information to pick from the television, radio or the internet

with what they read in these books, while understanding how development occurs.

“It is unfortunate that the society is filled with many things that can distract the attention of the younger ones from studying, but it is important they also know that only books can take them far in life,” the club’s president said, while urging the students to make good use of the donated books.

Responding, Mrs Adebowale Eyo, the Vice Principal (Administration) of Anglican Commercial Grammar School, Oritamefa, Ibadan, one of the beneficiary schools, assured that the donated books would be properly used by the students.

“The donated books are relevant to the subjects being taught in the school, and because of this, I want to appreciate the club for the gesture,” the vice principal said.

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arts&review

Thursday, 2 June, 2016

When a doctor finds solace in writing

A review of Abimbola Lagunju’s autobiography, This is not my story, by Femi Kehinde.

R

APHAEL Ernest Grail Armattoe was a Ghanaian doctor, author, poet and politician.

He was born in 1913 and died in 1953. Despite being a successful medical practitioner, having patented the use of Abochi Drug against human parasite which subsequently led to his nomination for the Nobel Prize in medicine in 1949, his interest in the literary world did not wane.

Having studied abroad, in Germany and Britain, he came back to Ghana, to open a medical practice and narrowly missed the Nobel Prize in medicine in 1949.

Armattoe was married to Swiss-born Leonie Schwartz, who was known as Marina.

He then set up a medical research centre in Kumasi in 1948 and devoted more time to writing. In Kumasi, he wrote two books: Between the Forest and the Sea, and Deep Down in the Black Man’s Mind.

I find it quite interesting and amazing that Armattoe in solitary life, wrote books and poems. Now, Dr Abimbola Lagunju, in order to kill boredom in his solitary life, took refuge in writing and reading, while traversing the world as a Doctor of Public Health. Their lives were remarkably comparable in the literary world.

He had worked with the Swiss agency and many international donor organisations. He had used the opportunity of solitude and solitary life, to put his thoughts in pen and paper. Dr Lagunju took active interest in reading and writing, when he discovered a box full of books, in a far flunked corner of his father’s house, at a tender age of about seven years.

In that box, he saw Ogboju Ode by D.O Fagunwa, which he read before he read it in school, Amos Tutuola’s: My Life in a Bush of Ghosts; Odysseus by Iliad and Drunkard’s Pilgrim’s Progress, among several other books in that thick forest of books.

He won a third price at the age of nine, when he wrote a story on Amotekun (Hyena) in the popular Aworerin magazine. In secondary school, he tried to resuscitate the Loyola magazine.

He eventually became a medical doctor, having studied in the Soviet Union.

It was at the Soviet Union, that he met his heart throb – Amelia, from Sao Tome and Principe, who is also a medical doctor; but despite his early success in life, he was still angry with the poor governance in Africa.

As a public health doctor, he had close interaction with women and children from rural households. He saw the mortality rate which was very high and he could not understand why. So, his first book was a product of anger, poor governance and boredom as shown in: The Cyclones of the Human Heart, which marked the beginning of his literary life in Mozambique.

Dr Lagunju is angry about a system that fails and will never work. He is angry about a society that thrives in injustice; and a society that fails to move with the tides of time. He is angry about the clock that would never work; despite the burial ceremony of his clock, in a “mausoleum”,

no clock has ever worked. I find an amusing comparison in the lives of Dr Lagunju and Dr Ibukun Irewole, and the neighborhood of Tilane and Yemetu; and there are also justifiable reasons to compare Dr Irewole’s primary school with St Paul’s Primary School Yemetu, Ibadan, where Dr Lagunju had his early primary education. It is not an unusual coincidence that the Secondary School of Doctor Ibukun Irewole would be Loyola College, Ibadan.

Unlike Ibukun, Bimbo was not a Doctor of history, neither was his brother a retired Army Officer nor is his sister working in the United Nations; but that is not where the juxtaposition ends. It is a story of a man who is angry about a society that never works. Is it self-contradictory or failure that a university lecturer, would turn back and be a primary school teacher? Is it not an aberration and an incalculable injustice that a studious and concerned teacher, could be taken for a 419? All these are contradictions in: This Is Not Yet My Story.

It may be a faction, it may be a fiction, it may be a product of experience all along the years and the road trod on the dreary paths.

I find also interesting stories about their lives, but that is not where the story ends.

R.E.G Armattoe wrote books and wrote po-

ems. Dr Lagunju was a product of solitude while traversing the world as a doctor of public health. R.EG. Armattoe, wrote the popular poem, “The way I would like to die.”

Dr Lagunju had worked with the Swiss Agencies and many international donor organisations and he has used very profoundly the solitary life to put his thoughts into pen and paper. Despite all the feelings and misgivings, he was still a product of a society that could give him a good early education in primary and secondary school. He was still a product of a society, that could give him scholarships and opportunities to study overseas, despite the love for U.S.A instead of USSR; but where are such opportunities today?

No writer is a saint, but every writer contributes to the greatness of a society.

And where are such leaders of yesterday?

I still find interesting, the middle class elite life in Yemetu, where we both equally grew up. I, in the Police Barracks of Yemetu and Dr. Lagunju at Yemetu Aladorin.

The routes or the lanes of Yemetu were beautiful and were paced with ornamental trees in the median, and this is described

by Dr. Lagunju in his book as: “Tilane was roughly elliptically in shape, with a tree line main road running across it in the middle.”

A writer has once said: “History in illuminating the past, illuminates the present, and in illuminating the present, illuminates the future.”

Those who do not know history are certainly doomed to repeat its failuresGeorge Santyana. I want to commend this masterful act of skillful writing, full of philosophical writings, that are laced with fictional facts.

A writer once said: “History in illuminating the past, illuminates the present, and in illuminating the present, illuminates the future.”

No writer is a saint, but every writer contributes to the greatness of a society.

Unfortunately, our reading culture is almost extinct, but Dr Lagunju won’t stop sharing his views with the world through his writings.

When NCMM celebrated International Museum Day

By Aramide Shanu THE National Museum of Unity, Ibadan, Oyo State, recently joined its other counterparts globally to celebrate the International Museum Day, as it rallied over 50 students from four secondary schools in the city to mark the 2016 of the annual event.

This year’s edition was educative as it had as its theme, “Museums and Cultural Landscapes,” which captures to great extent the very materials the National Commission for Museum and Monuments (NCMM) is preserving for prosperity to study, research and learn about.

Speaking at the event, the curator of the museum, Elder Amos Olorunnipa said, “the objective of International Museum Day is to raise awareness on the fact that museums are important means of cultural exchange, which is the enrichment of cultures and development of mutual understanding, cooperation and peace among people.

“This year’s theme is to highlight the responsibility of museums not only to their collections but also to their environments, including the cities, town, villages and communities to which they are located; therefore, museums are called to promote cultural and natural heritage around them,” he said.

Olorunnipa also added that most of the names of streets and quarters in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, are named after some specific cultural landscapes such as trees, hills and rivers like Idi-Ape, Idi-Ose, Oke-Aremo, Oke-Sango, Odo-Osun and Odo-Ona among others.

In his remarks, the Director General

•Students performing traditional Yoruba dance during this year’s International Museum Day at the National Museum of Unity, Ibadan, recently. of the NCMM, Mallam Yusuf Abdullah, explained that many cultural landscapes are now impacted by changes that could exceed their critical limits and undermine their fundamental structures.

“This is clearly illustrated by the recent threats to the sukur cultural landscape due to the insurgency in the North Eastern part of the country, and it has been reported that some areas were allegedly destroyed.

“Lack of awareness on the need to preserve a valuable part of our history, poor funding, also hinder efforts to maintain

cultural landscapes and under these serious challenges, we need to partner with all stakeholders for solutions.

“I believe when we have created the necessary awareness, Nigerians will appreciate their cultures better,” Mallam Abdullah said, while explaining that we would never develop if we continue to embrace the Western culture.

Other activities at the event were lectures, debates, dramas, cultural displays, and visit to some land marks area within Ibadan and planting of indigenous trees named after places, by the school children, among others.

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education

Thursday, 2 June, 2016

education

Editor: Laolu Harolds 08111845016 tribune.education@yahoo.com

Prioritise research, Okojie urges varsities

From left, Dr Gbenga Ogidan; vice chancellor, Professor Kunle Oloyede; executive secretary, NUC, Professor Julius Okojie (in native attire); registrar, Mr Omololu Adegbenro; Dr Isaac Afara of the Department of Electrical/Electronics Engineering and other principal officers of the university when the NUC executive secretary paid a working visit to Elizade University, Ilara-Mokin, Ondo State, recently.

NUC secures N788m e-library content for varsities Clement Idoko – Abuja

T

HE National Universities Commission, through the Nigerian Education Research and Education Network (NgREN), has secured free access to e-library resources from a South African firm “EBSCO host” worth N788 million for Nigerian universities.

NgREN provides an elaborate infrastructural backbone to interconnect all research and education institutions in Nigeria and link them with other Research and Education Network (RENs) worldwide.

NUC executive secretary, Professor Julius Okojie, speaking at a meeting with the EBSCO host delegation to the commission in Abuja, said this access to the resources would heighten research activities among institutions in the Nigerian university system.

The delegation from South Africa was led by Colleen Mills, vice president, sales, EBESCO. Okojie, revealed that EBSCO host would be providing e-books collections and seven research databases among which are full text e-journals, periodicals and magazines of several academic disciplines and professional specialisations.

He added that in line with the agreement, these electronic contents would be available for free to many Nigerian universities until December 31 2016 when the deal will expire.

“These resources contain more than 100,000 high-quality e-book titles,

27,100 full-text journals, 18,430 indexed and abstracted journals, 9,041,400 searchable cited references, daily updates and 630 videos with transcripts and related articles – all valued at about $4 million.

“These would, in fact, grow the number of available resources in the nation’s university libraries and as a result heighten research activities among institutions in the Nigerian university system,” Okojie said.

Apart from improving the ranking of Nigerian universities, Okojie said that accessing these resources would create

more and meaningful collaboration as well as facilitate accreditation of their programmes.

He encouraged universities in Nigeria to utilise these resources which would be available on the NgREN at no cost until the end of 2016. He added that plans were underway to ensure that the universities continue to access these EBSCO, as well as other e-resources beyond the expiration of the current service.

The leader of the delegation, Colleen Mills, pledged to continue to support and encourage the growth of digital content in Nigeria.

The Executive Secretary, National Universities Commission (NUC), Professor Julius Okojie, has urged Nigerian universities to place greater emphasis on research and innovation, which he said could solve the developmental problem faced by Nigeria.

Professor Okojie gave the charge during his visit to Elizade University, Ilara-Mokin, Ondo State.

He challenged universities in the country to dedicate a good time to the purpose of their establishment, which is to cater for the scientific and technological needs of the country.

While lamenting the impact of the civil war and the lack of autonomy by universities on the progress of Nigerian universities, Okojie enjoined universities administrators to build a culture that could stand the test of time.

On the ranking of Nigerian universities among African and world universities, NUC executive secretary said that Nigerian universities may continue to find it difficult to rank high without a good number of foreign students.

He then called on the federal government to attract foreign students into Nigerian universities by giving them scholarships to study in the country.

Okojie commended Elizade University for being brave enough to invite him to inspect the university. He said that only a few universities in the country could invite NUC for inspection, except when they are due for accreditation.

He also commended Elizade University for maintaining the standard that earned it operational licence. He said he was not surprised with the standard of the infrastructure and the quality of facilities in the university, noting that it was the fulfillment of the promise that the founder of the university, Chief Michael Ade-Ojo, made to him when he was applying to start the university.

While describing Elizade University as a masterpiece that should be shown to other universities, Okojie promised the continued support of his commission to the university.

Speaking earlier, the vice chancellor of the university, Professor KunleOloyede, thanked Professor Okojie for honouring the invitation of the university.

PLASU VC wants FG to exempt tertiary institutions from TSA Isaac Shobayo – Jos The vice chancellor, Plateau State University, Professor Dokan Sheni, has called on both the federal and state governments to exempt all universities from the Treasury Single Account (TSA) in order to stimulate development.

Professor Sheni made the call during the matriculation of the university’s newly admitted students for the 2015/2016 academic session.

He lamented the frustration of managements of universities in their quest to bring about development in the institutions in the face of the bureaucracy in-

volved in accessing funds.

“The TSA, as it is, is a good policy but not good for universities in terms of their desire to bring about infrastructural development for conducive environment for studies.

“We hope the federal government will have a rethink over the inclusion of universities so as to give us the needed atmosphere to operate without any hiccups,” he stated.

The vice chancellor disclosed that the recent accreditation of PLASU by the National Universities Commission (NUC) was a stimulant toward enhancing the development of the institution.

He admonished the students to have it

at the back of their minds that they have come to the university to obtain knowledge which they will use to develop the country, and so must be serious and committed.

He warned them against involving themselves in cultism and other vices, which he said the university does not tolerate.

The VC said that the university under his leadership has adopted a policy of providing both employment and training opportunities that reflect the diversity of the state for optimum result.

A total of 744 students were inducted out of 1,150 students admitted for the 2015/2016 academic session.

education

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Thursday, 2 June, 2016

Nigerian universities at crossroads —UNIJOS VC Isaac Shobayo, Jos

T

HE vice chancellor, University of Jos, Professor Hayward Ma-

fuyai, has lamented the pathetic state of universities in Nigeria, saying both the universities and, indeed, the nation is at crossroads.

Professor Mafuyai made

the statement at a press conference to commence activities marking the 31st annual conference of the Association of Vice Chancellors of Nigerian Univer-

sities (AVCNU) holding at the University of Jos. According to him, issues such as problem of relevance of higher education to national development

Lecturers (Mr Albert Elejene Obira, Mr Oni Olalekan and Mr Adayi Innocent) and students of Library and information science, Federal Polytechnic, Idah during their excursion to Tribune House, Imalefalafia , Oke-Ado, Ibadan, recently.

aspirations, provision of dividends of democracy and equitable distribution of the benefits to rich human and natural resources persist.

Professor Mafuyai said the dilemma is further compounded by falling crude oil prices on which Nigeria earning largely depends, and the sluggishness in the diversification of the economy.

On the aim of AVCNU, he said: “Conscious of our responsibility to university education and the need for academic excellence and scholarship, while also being aware of the difficulties confronting education, particularly university education, AVCNU aims to ensure that university education plays a pivotal role in the human and material development of the Nigerian nation by pursuing joint action in achieving quality education and high aca-

demic standards.”

The theme for this year's conference is; ‘Quality Assurance and Global Competitiveness: A Challenge for Nigerian Universities’, which Mafuyai said was carefully selected to address the myriad of problems confronting the country.

The vice chancellor further disclosed that several high profile scholars and educational administrators have been invited to deliver papers, included the vice chancellor and principal, University of Witwatersrand, South Africa, Professor Adam Habib; executive vice chairman and chief executive officer, Nigerian Communications Commission, Abuja, Professor Umar Garba Danbatta; and former executive secretary, Nigerian Universities Commission, Professor Peter Okebukola, among others.

AU picks EKSU as Centre for ICT growth • AS alumnus donates N300m materials to alma mater

Teachers and pupils of Good Fortune Model Nursery and Primary School, Oke-Itunu, Ibadan, Oyo State, during their excursion to Agodi Garden, Ibadan, recently. PHOTO: YEMI FUNSO-OKE

From left, Company Secretary and General Counsel, FunmiAdedibu; Group Managing Director/CEO, First City Monument Bank, LadiBalogun; and the Divisional Head, Human Resource and Strategy, Felicia Obozuwa with some children cutting the cake when FCMB Women in conjunction with the Human Resources Division of the bank hosted children to mark this year’s Children’s Day at the bank’s corporate head office in Lagos, last Friday. PHOTO: SYLVESTER OKORUWA.

120 Abia teachers for Australian exchange programme Celestine Ihejirika - Umuahia AS part of efforts to enhance standard teaching and learning within its primary schools, the Abia State government has approved an exchange programme for capacity building of its primary school teachers with an Australiabased non-governmental agency, Precious Kids Education Empowerment.

The Australian educators are already in the state and have met with the governor, Dr Okezie Ikpeazu, for the commencement of the programme, which

is expected to enable 120 teachers benefit from the ‘train the trainer’ exchange programme that will hold within the three senatorial zones of the state.

Addressing newsmen after leading the team on a courtesy visit to the governor at the Government House, Umuahia, the president of the NGO and an indigene of the state based in Australia, Ms Vivian Peters, disclosed that the capacity building is in collaboration with the state government.

“Our mission is to train Abia State primary school

teachers. We are treating five subjects for now and we are going to proceed according to the needs of the state. For now, we are going to deal with classroom management, and teachers-children relationship, which is very dear to the governor of Abia State.

According to her, Governor Ikpeazu through the programme wants the relationship between the teachers and the pupils to be upgraded.

Ms Peters further disclosed that the team would also teach first aid management and security alert,

and that trainers will render their services free of any charges while the state government on its part has offered to pay the trainers at the end of the programme.

Speaking on what the state would gain from the training, the chairman, State Universal Basic Education Board (ASUBEB), Mr Kelechukwu Nwosu, said through the training, Governor Ikpeazu has demonstrated his appreciation to teachers in a special way, and that this would enhance qualitative education in the state’s primary schools.

AN African Union (AU) delegation recently visited the Ekiti State University to establish a relationship that will see the institution serve as the pilot centre for the African Union’s investment in Information Communications Technology infrastructure.

The team, led by the Head, Finance and Administration of the African Union Economic, Social and Cultural Council, Mr Opeyemi Oderinto had chosen Ekiti State University in the South-West and that the institution would be a beneficiary of cloud internet facility, teleconferencing facilities, electronic classroom, electronic library and other ICT upgrade facilities.

Mr Oderinto reiterated that the AU investment was part of an agenda to increase ICT capacity and boost e-learning in African universities.

The leader of the African Union ICT team, Dr John Tunji Asaolu, said the AU would require a land space on the university’s campus to construct an ICT hub control centre while several staff of the university would be trained.

The vice chancellor, Professor Samuel Oye Bandele, thanked the African Union for their love for EKSU, and immediately

directed the coordinator of the Physical Planning Department, Builder Abulefon, to search for a suitable land space for the AU team.

Meanwhile, an alumnus of the institution, Dr Seinde Olatunji, a 1989 graduate of Geography, has donated educational and ICT materials worth over N300 million to the university.

Dr Seinde Olatunji, who was represented by his classmate of 1989 set, Dr Olatunji Abiola, and an engineer from the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Mr Ademola Adekanye, said he facilitated the donation from NITDA, and that the donation was a show of love and support to his alma mater. He said he was impressed with the ICT drive of the new vice chancellor, who has started a transformational agenda in EKSU. The materials include a 50 KVA inverter machine, 100 executive chairs and tables, desktop computer tables, laptops, studio head set and printing machines.

In his remarks, the vice chancellor thanked Dr. Seinde Olatunji for his immense support and described him as a worthy ambassador of the university.

education The legacy I would like to leave —FCE Kontagora provost 21

Thursday,2 June, 2016

Dr Nathaniel Olaitan Odediran, Provost, Federal College of Education, Kontagora, Niger State in this interview with ADELOWO OLADIPO, speaks about his achievements, challenges and projections before the end of his second term in office. Excerpts:

H

OW has it been, since your assumption of office as the provost of the college?

I want to thank the Almighty God because, the task has been so challenging. We have been able to put in our best to ensure that there is peace, stability and other improvements in the college. It has been so rough and it has been so peaceful at the same time.

In the area of infrastructure development, we have succeeded in putting up many projects that are relevant to the academic programmes in the college. We have renovated lecture rooms, laboratories and have also constructed new buildings. We now have a Business Education and Agricultural laboratories. Presently, we have as our ongoing projects a big lecture theatre, the Early Childhood Education Building, academic staff offices and a language laboratory – all being sponsored by the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFUND).

Also, last year, the school management completed the renovation of students’ hostel at the rate of N40 million and students have moved into them.

In terms of academics, we have succeeded in sustaining accreditation status of 22 programmes. The college now has about 29 courses altogether. We have additional courses running from 2014 till date. Also, we now have other 15 courses in affiliation to the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria Another aspect this administration has done well in recent times is in the construction of dual access road from the college entrance gate to the Agriculture-Education Department.

What was the cost of constructing roads in the college?

The cost is about N40 million and it was raised from the internally generated revenue of the college. We are also using it to put some other structures in place. For instance, with the IGR, we are putting in place the Computer-Based Test (CBT) hall, where our students could sit the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME). In the past, our students used to travel as far as Minna, Bida and Suleja and even Kebbi State to write the examination. We hope that before the end of July this year, we would have completed the project and we could invite the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) to come and inspect the facilities for certification.

With all these achievements by your administration, we expect that the Niger State government would tap into the human resources development by employing some of your graduates in the public schools to avert the complaints about shortage of teachers and unqualified teachers.

Our relationship with the state government is a very cordial one. Presently, we are serving the Niger State Universal Basic Education Board by helping to train, on monthly basis, 440 teachers in the state.

The state government has been very generous in allowing our college to be involved in the training.

Since you assumed office as provost, would you say that you are satisfied with the level of academic performance of your students in their various disciplines?

some two years ago?

The experience was very traumatic and a terrible moment in the history of the college.

Hence, we have installed perimeter fences around the college, while the security personnel in the college have been fortified.

What can you say is the most daunting challenge your administration has faced since you assumed office?

Our greatest challenge is lack of adequate funds to execute most of our projects. Our IGR is nothing to write home about. The government’s allocation for overhead is hardly enough for us. In fact, most times we cannot put on the power generator because of the huge cost of purchasing diesel.

Despite all that, we have been managing our resources prudently; that is why we are able to survive against all the odds. We thank God we are moving forward in spite of all the challenges.

You are almost rounding off your tenure. What legacy do you intend to leave behind?

I would like to make this college better than I met it; and that is what I have been working towards. The building of the structures so far is meant to provide an enabling environment for teaching and learning in the college. Besides, they are meant to make the college a centre of excellence.

Dr. Odediran

I am satisfied with the academic performance of the students because we have not compromised the admission requirements and standards. Before the students could graduate, they must have had their Credit in English Language and Mathematics, with two or three other subjects. We have always maintained the highest standard and that is why we are operating an e-library. We have a cyber café powered by solar energy, which supplies electricity for 24 hours. So, our students have a very wide access to information technology, and this is helping them to meet up with the academic challenges.

With the issue of inadequate accom-

modation generally in the nation’s tertiary institutions, to what extent has your administration been able to provide students with accommodation on campus?

The Federal Government’s policy in recent times for the college’s administration is to de-emphasise the provision of accommodation for students. This is why the government has been emphasising a private\ public partnership model in the provision of accommodation for students.

What is the management doing to forestall a repeat of the infiltration of suicide bombers like it happened

It took you 10 years to hold a combined convocation for your graduating students. What was responsible for this?

I was just four years in the system after the first graduation ceremony took place. So, when I came on board, we had to set the ball rolling for another convocation. The college is committed to many bodies and we have a primary mandate to maintain the minimum standard prescribed by the National Commission for Colleges of Education (NCCE).

So, we felt concentrating on academic development programmes is more important than conducting convocations. It is not possible for colleges of education to conduct convocation on annual basis because the cost of doing so is colossal and the government is not in any way coming to help institutions like ours, the way they do with universities, which even have larger students’ populations.

Adeyemi’s university status may be restored soon Hakeem Gbadamosi - Akure THE provost of Adeyemi College of Education, ACE, Ondo, Professor Olukoya Ogen, says the college has all it takes to reclaim its university status, which was put on hold last year September.

Ogen made the statement while declaring open the second Inaugural Lecture of the institution last week by Dr Ajigbade Ikuejube from the Department of History, entitled ‘Historicing Ethnic Conflict in Nigeria’.

He said the institution’s status may be reversed soon, adding that “next week, we will be in Abuja to defend the restoration of our university status.”

“One of the criteria is that what they are doing in the university, we are doing here also,” Ogen said, to a loud applause and celebration from students and staff of the college who filled the Olusegun Obasanjo Auditorium to capacity.

Speaking during the Inaugural Lecture, Dr Ikuejube identified ethnic conflicts as one of the factors hindering development in African countries, noting that intra and inter-ethnic misunderstanding are fueled by politics and society, which usually jeop-

ardise peace and interaction of the people.

The History lecturer, who noted there was harmonious relationship before the advent of colonial masters, traced the genesis of ethnic crisis in Nigeria to the introduction of some policies that heightened ethnic tension between communities in the country.

Ikuejube explained that the crop of politicians who took over the mantle of administration in the country after independence were unable to build on the harmonious relationship that exist among Nigerians before the pre-colonial era.

He said “the ruling elite and their cohorts that followed continued the same trend of hiding under the canopy of ethnicity to advance their own course. From what has been observed, we can deduce that ethnicity is the creation of the colonial and postcolonial order.”

He noted that the creation of states and local government councils also contributed to the ethnicity conflicts in Nigeria saying those who control power tend to use this to achieve economic or political power which usually end with protest, loss of life and properties.

He however posited that for ethnic crisis to be eradicate in Nigerian society, there must be re-establishment of mutual trust which was lost during the colonial era while ethnic groups should be made to communicate their feelings to each other.

Ikuejube also suggested that the knowledge base of the people must be expanded through historical studies while ethnic conflict must be resolved through bargaining and negotiation.

He said that inter-marriages and cultural re-integration of ethnic groups should be encouraged to serve the need for trust building among ethnic groups.

He stressed need for peaceful coexistence noting that a society can witness and experience development in a peaceful environment “Economic transformation only occurs in an environment that promotes internal and external investment. It is this that helps in creating job opportunities and improves living standard. Capital investment can only be realistic where peace reigns, and this can never be achieved in an atmosphere of confusion and anarchy,” he said.

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Thursday, 2 June, 2016

Ebonyi tops 2016 Democracy Day debate

By Kehinde Adio

Former Minister of State, Education, Dame Pauline Tallen (OFR), (sixth from left), presenting a trophy to Ebonyi State debate team as overall winner of the 2016 Democracy Day debate competition held in Abuja recently.

NECO donates boreholes, learning materials to host communities Adelowo Oladipo - Minna

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S part of its corporate social responsibilities to its host communities, the National Examinations Council (NECO), Minna, last Thursday donated two boreholes to its host communities of GidanMogoro and Gbaganako, Chanchaga Local Government area of Niger State.

It also distributed learning materials to indigent students of the only public secondary school in the area, the Day Secondary School.

The registrar/CEO of NECO, Professor Ab-

dulRashidGarba, at the inauguration of the boreholes and presentation of the learning materials, said the gesture was part of the agency’s corporate social responsibilities and a way of engendering cordial relationship with the communities.

Professor Garba said further that the benefiting students were selected based on a test the council conducted.

According to him, three Senior Secondary (SS3) students who had earlier paid N11,550 for their final year Senior School Certificate Examinations (SSCE) slated for June and July this year were refunded their money,

JABU VC warns new students against social vices THE vice chancellor of Joseph Ayo Babalola University, Ikeji-Arakeji, Osun State, Professor Sola Fajana, has advised new students into the university to shun all social vices in order to safeguard their future.

He gave the advice while welcoming the new students to the one-day re-orientation exercise of the university.

He congratulated them on their admission into the premier entrepreneurial university in Nigeria, but charged them to shun “all appearances of evil” on the campus and take their studies seriously, as only diligence and hard work would earn them success.

Professor Fajana urged the new students to establish goals and to focus on achieving academic excellence in the university.

“You must uphold basic values, and some of these will include respect for the rights and dignity of others; honesty and integrity in all yours dealings; commitment to the pursuit of excellence in your academic work; and accountability for your actions and conduct,” he said.

According to the vice chancellor, “cases of misconduct have continued to cause major hitch among students’ performance, and this has inevitably interrupted or truncated studies.”

while other three Senior Secondary School (SS2) students were presented with textbooks, notebooks and mathematical sets, among other learning materials.

Three other indigent students, each from JS1 to 3, were equally selected and received the following materials: textbooks, notebooks, school uniform, a pair of canvass shoes, a pair of stockings, school bag and two pairs of under wears each.

Garba reiterated the commitment of the council to extend the same gesture to other communities in the state in the nearest future.

Meanwhile the state governor, AlhajiAbubakar Sani Bello, who was represented by the Commissioner for Education, Hajiya Fatima Madugu, thanked the board, management and staff of

NECO for the gesture, saying that it would go a long way in sustaining mutual relationships between the examinations body and its host communities.

While charging the council not to restrict such gestures only to its host communities, she revealed that the state government had chosen two public schools in the state to be renovated to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organnisation (UNESCO) standard.

The village head of GidanMogoro, AlhajiAdamuMarafa, while speaking on behalf of the two host communities commended NECO for the foresight, and appealed to the students and residents of the community to use boreholes and the learning materials judiciously.

EBONYI State senior secondary inter-state debate team has emerged as the overall winner of this year’s National Inter-Secondary Schools Debate Competietion, orgsnised by President School Debate Nigeria (PSDN), in collboration with Centre for Human Security, Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library and the Federal Ministry of Education.

Twelve debate contingents drawn from 36 states of the federation, Nigeria Police and Nigerian universities gathered at the National Universities Commission auditorium, Abuja for this year’s Inter-states’ School Debate Championship to mark the 2016 Democracy Day celebration in Nigeria.

At the end of the exercise, which was concluded on Saturday, Team Taraba finished second, while the Nigeria Police team took the third position.

Commending the organisers of the programme, the overall best speaker of the tournament, Miss Paschaline Enogu, from Ebonyi team, encouraged Nigerian students at the basic level to embrace dialogue, as it is the major tool in the decision making process.

According to her, debating is a training ground for youngsters to learn the art of dialogue in order to make decisions in a democratic system of government, be it at home, organisation or at government level, adding that if Nigerian students could engage in debating, it would help them to gather courage and share their opinions constructively on issues that affect national development.

Miss Enogu urged the federal and the state governments in Nigeria to earmark special fund for debate tournaments in the country, saying that the development would help many students across the federation to participate in the programme.

Speaking in the same vein, the Oyo State team leader, Mr Olusegun Oyeniyi, described the tournament as a wonderful experience in which every school in Nigeria should take part.

He reiterated the need for every state government to be fully involved in the programme as major stakeholders because of its relevance to boosting students’ communication efficiency and talents discovery, as well as development.

“The programme is highly educational as it will help students in their academic pursuit,” he said.

Speaking earlier on the occasion, the National Coordinator of the programme, Elder Dare Oritu, thanked the participating states, Nigeria Police and Nigerian universities.

According to him, the programme is designed to foster unity among youths in the country, irrespective of their ethnicity.

“The future sovereignty of this country lies in the hands of youths. There must be a national educational forum where Nigerian students at all levels can meet to share knowledge, opinions and ideas to foster unity in this country.

“The inter-school debate programme is a medium through which the country can promote the culture of dialogue and effective participation of youths in the democratic system of government process,” he said.

Exodus of lecturers from Kogi Varsity worries ASUU Yinka Oladoyinbo – Lokoja THE Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Kogi State University, Ayingba chapter, has raised the alarm over the mass departure of academic staff from the state-owned institution.

The union lamented that no fewer than 40 of its members had left the university for ‘greener pasture’, blaming the state government for the downturn of events in the institution.

ASUU in a letter ad-

dressed to the state governor, Alhaji Yahaya Bello, and signed by the acting chairperson, Dr. D. O Aina; and secretary, Dr M. Abula, decried government’s attitude towards the university.

The lecturers said they had been facing hard times working for the institution, with their complaints laid before the state government on many occasions without any concrete action taken on them.

The union listed some of the issues as irregular sal-

ary payment, non-implementation of tax holiday as promised by the government, and (lack of) regularisation of the university law, without which they said the school has been operating illegally.

“The foregoing has turned Kogi State University into a breeding ground for other universities, as mass exodus of senior academic staff cadre is being witnessed and standards in the system are seriously being jeopardized.

“No fewer than 40 lecturers have left in recent times. We also wish to reiterate that apart from the current action in salary, the other issues are already before the ASUU NEC for necessary permission to press for their implementation,” the letter read.

ASUU, therefore, urged the governor to address the lingering issues as a matter of utmost urgency in order to ensure continuous and harmonious operations of the system.

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Thursday, 2 June, 2016 Editor:

health

Sade Oguntola sadeboguntola@yahoo.com 0805 506 9260

Westernisation has modified disease patterns in Nigeria —CMD, OAUTHC

Professor Victor Adetiloye is the Chief Medical Director of Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospital, Ile-Ife, Osun State. In this interview with VERA ONANA, he demystifies Stevens-Johnson Syndrome (SJS), appraises the nation’s health sector, talks about OAUTHC’s maiden set of open heart surgeries and other medical issues. Excerpts:

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HERE has been Lassa, Zika, Ebola and recently, the panic over Stevens-Johnson’s Syndrome (SJS). Could you please educate the public on what this disease is all about?

Stevens-Johnson’s Syndrome is a sort of anaphylactic reaction and most of the time; it is an allergic reaction to some drugs. Though there is no way one can tell if a person will be allergic to a particular kind of drug. Some people may take one kind of drug and may not react to it while some other persons may take the same drug and react. But the point is that Stevens-Johnson syndrome has peculiar manifestations and appearance. The skin and mucous membrane are affected.

SJS could be very severe and may even result to death in some extreme cases. This is why questions about drug reaction history are asked before any drug is administered in a proper hospital setting. That being said, we must really discourage self medication.

It is bad in all ramifications.

How much of exposure to a drug will trigger SJS? Does it happen immediately or after a long period of exposure?

SJS can happen immediately. There is what we call delayed or immediate hypersensitivity reaction. So, in some cases, it could be delayed or immediate in others.

If it is delayed, that gives time to respond quickly but when it is immediate, it becomes an acute emergency. It is very dangerous, but it is not contagious or new.

Could you appraise the nation’s health sector?

Over the years, there have been lot of changes in disease patterns not only in Nigeria but also across the world. Previously, some diseases were alien to our environment. We believed some ailments were for the Caucasians and not blacks, but somehow, blacks started getting these diseases because our feeding habit changed. We have tried so much to adopt the western lifestyle in all aspects – the way we live, the kind of foods we eat…all of these have modified the disease pattern in the country.

Also, with sophistication, our life patterns have also changed. People are becoming more sedentary. There is a remote control for virtually everything- maybe someday, we may use a remote control to eat. But the truth is this; a sedentary lifestyle has negative health consequences, including various kinds of diseases.

Again, with sophistication in the equipment that is being used for diagnosing diseases, we are beginning to diagnose more diseases than we could in the past. Before now, because we didn’t have the facilities to diagnose some kinds of diseases, we assumed they were nonexistent in the country. About 10 to 15 years ago, our facilities in the health sector improved dramatically and we were able to do so many things that were not possible in the past, in terms of inves-

tigations and diagnosis. With the new technologies available, we started making more and more diagnosis of diseases we hitherto felt were not in the country. Consequently, there is some kind of upsurge in the number thereby giving the impression that there is an increase in the occurrence of diseases whereas the so called increase is actually consequent upon the upgrade of medical facilities being used in diagnosis.

How effective has the health sector being in diagnosing and treating people for the right diseases?

Misdiagnosis happens all over the world.

It is not peculiar to Nigeria. Sometimes, about four or five different diseases may present the same way. Look at this scenario: when a person presents with fever, the first thing that comes to mind is malaria, but other diseases start with fever, it may not be malaria. That is why it is dangerous to go to quacks and why investigation is also very important. If we don’t have facilities to investigate and make proper diagnosis, there will be many cases of misdiagnosis.

What I am about to say next, is not a matter of pride, but the truth. Due to the manner Nigerian doctors are trained, our clinical acumen is so high to the extent that even with very few and not so sophisticated equipment, we are making very good diagnosis.

In other climes, doctors are so much de-

pendent on equipment but when we go abroad, a Nigerian doctor, based on the presentation of the patient and physical examination will give a presumed diagnosis that at the end of all the gamut of investigations will correspond to that which was based on the use of sophisticated equipment. This has been the pride of most of our colleagues practising abroad. The training we have here has so much developed us that in a reasonable number of cases we make the right diagnosis and confirm with the equipment.

Though we cannot rule out the fact that technology has made things easier, if we are not careful, we may lose our clinical skills.

That is why we cannot completely jettison

We believed some ailments were for the Caucasians and not blacks but somehow, blacks started getting these diseases because our feeding habit changed.

training and developing good clinical skills.

The issue of misdiagnosis could be as a result of many other things. Sometimes, when patients cannot communicate, the information given by a third party may be twisted, leading the doctor astray. It is not as if the rate of misdiagnosis is so high, but people blow it out of proportion.

Under your watch as CMD, OAUTHC carried out its first set of open heart surgeries, how does that make you feel?

It is a dream come true. We have been on this for so many years and it has been very difficult because of finances. We trained virtually all categories of medical personnel to actualise this dream. We trained two cardiothoracic surgeons outside this country at the expense of the hospital, nurses of different cadres, aestheticians and many others. Despite the amount spent on personnel training and equipment, we discovered that we needed more money, running into millions that we could not afford. It is a different ball game when the heart has to be split open.

The heart has to be stopped from functioning then machines have to take over the responsibility of pumping blood around the body. It wasn’t easy, but people came to our aid, specifically the Ooni of Ife, Oba Enitan Adeyeye Ogunwusi, Ojaja II. He was fantastic.

A Non Governmental Organisation (NGO) run by a Nigerian based in London called Future Hope UK also sponsored a patient.

The open heart surgery is expensive, but we were able to carry out six and immediately after the news hit the air waves, tremendous response followed. When we finished the six, we had about 15 waiting for the next exercise. But now, we have about 40 waiting patients from all over the country and we are still counting. The open heart surgery tasked us financially, physically and even emotionally, but we are happy that we were able to break the jinx. I must state also that we intend to sustain this feat.

You have been CMD for more than two years; share with us the highs and the lows.

The most challenging thing on this job has been that of finance. The demands from patients and staff are so high, but one can hardly do anything without funds. My first year was terrible because things were bad financially. The thing, however, that has given me the greatest joy of all is the stable power supply at OAUTHC. That is one of the greatest achievements in my first two years.

Prior to that, we were spending a fortune on diesel. Also, there has not been any strike action resulting from problems within the hospital. Every industrial action that has taken place has been national. Since I have been here, the resident doctors have never gone on strike. We have been able to maintain an atmosphere of peace.

SEX, SEXUALITY&YOUR HEALTH

NATURAL HEALTH

Eating whole cucumber can aggravate ulcer Page 26

How to have sex during your period Page 26

24

Thursday, 2 June, 2016

Dr. Ben Ajayi 0805 400 5447

you-and-eye@gmail.com

You can go blind from chloroquine I wake up feeling very tired this morning. I do not feel like going to work. Actually, I have had this feeling of tiredness and lethargy for about two weeks. “It will soon go away,” I tell myself every day. It hasn’t and instead, it looks like it’s a bit worse this morning. I get ready to go to work. As a daily paid worker, I have no choice. I must report for work.

I arrive very early to find about eight patients already waiting. I know I am in for a hectic day. I wonder if I will be able to cope knowing how I am feeling. The first patient, a 70-year-old man, is “dragged” into my consulting room by two young men. From the way he is struggling with them, I know he has just recently gone blind. He has had his right eye couched by a native doctor and he is in severe pain.

The other eye has advanced glaucoma.

“These quacks are at it again!” I mutter to myself.

I see three other patients who have had couching done within the last one month.

Couching is an ancient practice whereby the opaque lens (cataract) is pushed mechanically into the posterior chamber of the eye. This crude procedure is rewarded with an initial dramatic improvement of vision. And this is what fools a lot of people. In many cases, the gain is short-lived

and irreversible blindness follows weeks or months later.

I see many other patients in quick succession. They are straight forward cases requiring simple solutions. The last two patients turn out to be fairly young people with glaucoma. Their presentation is interesting. One, a 40-year-old man, was slapped while separating two fighting hefty giants. His glasses were knocked off and got broken in the process. He has therefore come for a replacement. I hand him over to the optician. The other, a woman in her late 40’s is here because she has been recently diagnosed as having diabetes and her doctor asked her to have her eyes checked.

It is now after 3.00pm. I am hungry, exhausted and my eyes are aching seriously.

“Now who is going to look after me?” I ask myself. I need some rest but I still have one more patient to see. After this I will leave for home. Just then, my receptionist announces the arrival of another patient who has come all the way from Lagos. I am furious!

“Why should he come so late? I am tired and I am not ready to see anyone again today!” I lash out at her. Suddenly, the headache becomes more intense and I feel faint. I ask for a drink and I take some an-

algesics. Soon, I feel a bit better. “I’ll see the man from Lagos,” I tell my chief of staff.

It turns out that this is the most satisfying patient I would see today. And it is he who gives me the clue to my own problem.

Forty five-year-old Mr. Diamond is having difficulty reading small prints despite his new pair of glasses. He also has some difficulty recognising faces until a few seconds after entering a room. He feels it is getting worse daily. I check his visual acuity and it is normal. I look into the interior of his eyes and I freeze!

“What drug do you take when you have malaria? I ask. “Chloroquine,” he answers.

You have signs of early chloroquine retinal toxicity and you must never take it again.

“How frequently do you treat malaria?”

I ask again, “On the average I take a full dose of chloroquine every two weeks. I have been taking it since about six years ago. As a matter of fact, I just took a full dose yesterday,” he replies.

I am dumbstruck and keep quiet for a few seconds trying to choose my words to hide my disgust. “What has that to do with my problem?” he asks inquisitively.

“You have signs of early chloroquine retinal toxicity and you must never take it again,” I caution him. I cannot tell him yet that once the process starts, it is nearly impossible to stop further deterioration and blindness is often inevitable. I’ll do my best for him. He needs prayers so that his vision stays normal.

Suddenly it occurs to me that I am suffering from malaria. I must get my blood tested to see if there are malarial parasites in it before I decide what medicine to take. I am not afraid to take Chloroquine.

If need be I will use it. I know that if the malaria is well treated, I am not likely to have another attack in three months so I don’t need it frequently. It is the excessive use of chloroquine that is dangerous. The injection is even worse. I must remember to pass on this message to my friends, colleagues and family members.

Dr Abayomi Ajayi

ivf &you

info@nordicalagos.org

0700 6673422

Fertility tales II: My life as an infertility patient MY name is Sarah. I’m going to tell you a story. It’s the story of my life as an infertility patient. My story will be of interest to you whether or not you are an infertility patient. It is a story of the pros and cons of life, and the fact that as brilliant as nature is, it isn’t perfect.

I wasn’t brought up as a spoilt child, but I have had a great life, and that is not an exaggeration. I’m not ashamed to say it; I had the best upbringing any child could desire in a family that was better than most.

My parents didn’t have deep pockets, but could afford to buy me almost everything and anything I desired. They were able to send me to some of the best schools and house me in a couple of exclusive neighbourhoods, among a host of other choice options.

By the time I was 19; I had lived the nearperfect life of the average teenager and was set to begin a life of my own.

My life had moved along as planned. I studied hard, got perfect grades at school, passed out in flying colours and secured a mouth-watering first job.

As if that was not enough, I met and married the most wonderful man in the world who made me so happy than I imagined I could ever be. He was a medical student when we met and our whirlwind romance led to the altar.

So we got married and expected to start

a family as soon as we were more mature, better educated and financially stable.

After a while, I went back to school for my Masters degree. Not surprisingly, I got another fantastic job with an even bigger pay packet. My husband finished medical school and was in his second year of residency.

Now we were finally ready to start a family. I loved babies and wanted to have many as soon as possible. But things didn’t turn out that way. Little did we know that having a baby was not something we would be able to plan.

A year passed and nothing. I didn’t get pregnant, even for a day. What could be wrong? Keep trying, everyone advised. It’s the anxiety, or the stress, or the weather. I heard all sorts of theories that did little or nothing to help.

Another year passed: same story. We consulted one specialist after another. I’ll

never forget the day that we met with one middle aged-female fertility doctor who invited us for a chat in her office after a series of invasive and particularly painful diagnostic tests.

That woman told us that we would probably never be able to have a baby on our own. She said it would be in our interest to try some less invasive treatments first but that at the end of the day, if we were to ever get pregnant, it would probably be through In-vitro Fertilisation (IVF).

The news of the diagnosis and its repercussions hit me like a sledgehammer. I wasn’t prepared for this kind of news, not in a million years.

Although the air-conditioner was on in the room, I was immediately drenched in my own sweat and could feel my dress sticking to my body.

I looked deeply into the doctor’s eyes, in the hope of finding an answer or at least

A year passed and nothing. I didn’t get pregnant, even for a day. What could be wrong? Keep trying, everyone advised. It’s the anxiety, or the stress, or the weather.

an explanation for the damning diagnosis. No such luck. Her round, brown eyes were blank and expressionless. They only reflected my own dark fears and desperation.

I felt my husband’s hand gripping mine firmly and his touch brought me back to reality. My mind became active. I began to think again.

Why IVF? Isn’t that the method for older people that can’t have kids? Is IVF not for women who wait too long while they’re busy pursuing their careers and then change their minds and realise they want to have children after all? I’m 24 for God’s sake! My husband is 27. Our life is just beginning. We are young. We have done everything right. This wasn’t supposed to be our fate. So many questions ran through my mind. What if IVF failed? There were certainly no guarantees. Were we prepared to adopt? Could we live child-free?

More questions than answers.

I returned to work after the appointment and somehow made it through the day.

Certainly I was still in shock. I went home at the end of the day, locked myself in the room and cried harder than I’d ever cried before. I wept in the realis ation that I may never have a baby. I may never have someone to call me “Mummy”. I may never see my husband as a Daddy.

To be continued

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healthnews

Thursday, 2 June, 2016

UI Pharmacy alumni support faculty with N2.5m

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From Left: Bolutife Adedeji, Agboola Yombo; President, Faculty of Pharmacy Alumni Association, Mr Olanrewaju Tiamiyu; Dean, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Ibadan, Professor Chinedum Babalola; Abiodun Adeyemo and Dr Dapo Adetunji at the handing over ceremony of the donation, recently.

Nigeria calls for global partnership in developing health sector

THE Honourable Minister of Health, Professor Isaac Adewole has called for a broad based partnership to fast-track the country’s effort to reposition the health care system in Nigeria.

Adewole, who spoke at a side event organised

by Merck Pharmaceutical Company at the 69th World Health Assembly [WHA] lamented that medical tourism has been a drain on the country’s resources and the Federal Ministry of Health was making efforts to reverse the trend.

According to Adewole, a quick diagnosis and assessment of the issues that have brought the healthcare delivery in the country to such a state revealed nonfunctional PHCs, insufficiently equipped secondary and tertiary health institutions, among others, and these have progressively eroded the confidence of the public in the health sector.

In view of the discovery, he said that the government has embarked on a programme of reviving 10,000 PHCs which would provide free access to quality care to about 100million Nigerians, with a sound referral system in place.

In addition, he said that the Government is setting up community ownership system to get the buy in the beneficiary communities and hope to gradually restore the confidence of the people in the system.

“However, at the secondary and tertiary levels,

Nigeria needs collaboration especially in providing quality care on cancer, renal and cardiac diseases, which constitute the three main areas which account for medical tourism”, Adewole said The Minister further said that with the anti-corruption posture of President Muhammed Buhari, the business climate in Nigeria is improving and it has become safer to invest in Nigeria.

He, therefore, promised would-be collaborators that his ministry would be open, transparent, accountable and would make judicious use of funds.

He noted that the country was willing to partner with Merck to reduce the burden of non-communicable diseases and reduce the quantity of fake drugs in the country.

Earlier, the President of Merck, Stefan Oschmann, in his opening remarks said his organisation had been working on improving the quality of lives worldwide, but has

been more involved in the eradication of Neglected Tropical Diseases [NTDs], and specifically, Schistosomiasis, was already receiving attention in Nigeria.

Schistosomiasis is a disease caused by flat parasitic worms that live in certain fresh water.

He said combatting NTDs requires research, education and awareness creation and therefore called on all endemic states to integrate NTDs into national health agenda, while his organisation explore other areas of collaboration.

LUMNI of the Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Ibadan, have donated N2.5 million towards the procurement of a bus for training of pharmacy students in the University.

President of the alumni, Mr Olanrewaju Tiamiyu, handing over the cheque to the Dean of Pharmacy, Professor Chinedum Babalola, said the focus of the alumni was to help the faculty, and by extension the university, attain its aims and objectives.

Tiamiyu said the alumni resolved to support the purchase of the bus at the last Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria meeting because the body realised it was the faculty’s most pressing need.

According to him, “whatever we are doing today is a tip of the iceberg. We are re-energising the alumni; gathering more students to be able to deliver more benefits to the faculty. The alumni have come to stay and will always be there to support the faculty at all

Children, too have dental problems —Expert

By Sade Oguntola CONTRARY to the belief of many, a dental expert, Professor Obafunke Denloye has said that children too have dental problems, topmost on the list being tooth decay.

Denloye in an inaugural lecture at the University of Ibadan entitled “Bridging the Gap-Let the Children Come unto Me” said of every 20 children to the dental clinic, 17 will have tooth decay.

The expert said that the misconception that children do not have dental problems was rife even though tooth decay was the most common reason for tooth extraction in children.

Denloye, who said that a

large gap exist on people’s knowledge of dental problems, declared that many people still believe that worms which resemble maggots and reside in the body or derived from dandruff on the head move down to infect teeth causing toothache and problems with the teeth.

Denloye declared: “These are not related because dandruff has nothing to do with toothache or decay. We have seen people give them mouth washes that they will later spit out and they will say that they have worms.

“During the study, we found that they are given a sap from a tree. When they use it, this curds. When it is spit out, it looks like worms.

They will then count the number of curds and based on that, they will say how much they will pay. But we know that tooth decay is a result of bacterial action on sugar on the teeth over a long period of time.”

She stated that tooth decay played a major role in the overall health and wellbeing of the child.

“When tooth decay is left untreated, it can lead to infection which can spread to other parts of the body, including the brain. Severe caries has also been shown to contribute to a child failing to thrive, as children with caries weigh significantly less than their peers.”

The expert, however, said that tooth decay was not an

Dexa Medica charges Nigerians on stress-free lifestyle

By Newton-Ray Ukwuoma - Lagos NIGERIAN-based Indonesian company, Dexa Medica, makers of Boska, has charged Nigerians on the need to maintain stress-free lifestyles and regular medical check-ups as the reverse may lead to sudden body breakdown.

The company spoke through its Kano State

times and in all ways.”

Receiving the donation, Professor Babalola, appreciated and thanked the alumni’s commitment to the faculty, adding that the bus when purchased would support transportation of students for field trips.

Babalola who remarked that her mission as the dean of the faculty was to provide an enabling environment for teaching and learning, said that “for the past years, when students go for such hospital, community or industrial field experiences, we have had to pay heavily.

We felt this was not good enough.”

Babalola, noting that some monies were raised during the faculty’s 30th anniversary for purchasing the bus, but was not enough, assured of the faculty’s bus being purchased in less than two weeks.

She, however, said the faculty needed to work more with the alumni so that they could be in tune with happenings in the faculty at all times as well as work together to move the faculty forward.

Brand Executive, Joe Christopher, in a statement during its Boska Pain Free Day programme in Kano State, advising local residents, who are given to strenuous activities, to regularly go for medical check-ups in order to forestall sudden breakdown.

“According to qualitative findings”, he said, “we have observed that people who

engage in strenuous activities directly or indirectly rarely find the time to do health checks and are therefore more susceptible to sudden breakdown in their health systems as a result of body pains”.

Christopher, also said that the aim of the Boska Pain Free Day initiative, was to educate Nigerians on important health care mea-

sures and dangers of body pains.

The event, which took place at the Bata Roundabout at Saggie Local Government Area of Kano State, witnessed a large turnout of local dwellers as well as nearby market users, who converged around the makeshift tents to receive free medical services and products.

exception among adolescents, putting its incidence in Ibadan at between 4.6 and 16 per cent.

The medical expert, who described teething as a harmless, normal physiological process of emerging new teeth, also said that beliefs about teething in this present age have not changed and teething myths and misconceptions have permeated even the medical professions.

To checkmate tooth problems in Nigeria, she said parents must understand the importance of the dentition, irrespective of the age of the child, help them to modify harmful lifestyle and adopt a healthier one, especially as it relates to diet and snacking.

Denloye said oral health should also be integrated into primary health care setting, adding that provision of education on nutrition and importance of oral health to women of child bearing age at the antenatal care centres is paramount to this.

Also, she called on the Federal Government to include dental treatments for children in the National Health Insurance Scheme to ensure more children come early for dental treatments.

26

Thursday, 2 June, 2016

Eating whole cucumber can aggravate ulcer

By Sade Oguntola

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UCUMBER is in season and many people are relishing it because of its many health benefits.

Nonetheless, it is one fruit that people with stomach ulcers need to be wary of consuming raw because it could aggravate the problem.

“I stopped eating whole cucumber in the office after I noticed worsening of the ulcer pangs at bed time,” Mrs Funke Ajaigbe, a civil servant said.

Ajaigbe developed stomach ulcer while still in school. It was linked to her bad eating habits when in school. To control the pains, her doctor had prescribed many medicines. But she was never told to be wary of food items like cucumber.

Certain foods such as spicy foods like chillies and hot peppers as well as caffeinated and decaffeinated coffee and tea can exacerbate symptoms of burning, pain, indigestion, gas, nausea and vomiting and therefore should be limited or avoided.

But Mrs Oyenike Olayeni of the Havilah Rhli and Best Health Cooking Systems, Lagos, also said cucumber was also a fruit that persons with stomach ulcer should not eat whole.

Much as eating cucumber as part of a vegetable salad or in juice form was okay for them, she said that cucumber when consumed whole would aggravate stomach ulcer symptoms.

She declared that raw cucumber tend to erode the stomach lining but that when it is taken in its juice form or as part of salad, then it will do no harm on the ulcer pateint.

Mrs Funke Olayeni Cucumbers contain cucurbitacin, a substance that causes gas, burping, stomach upsets, indigestion, and also contributes to that bitter taste cucumbers might sometimes have. Unfortunately, it is difficult to tell which cucumbers have high cucurbitacin content, as soil content (from where the cucumbers were grown) and climate can affect the presence of this substance.

According to The Oregon State University Extension Service, most of this cucurbitacin is in the peel, outer flesh and stem ends of cucumbers. So, to avoid stomach pains but still eat cucumbers, they suggested peeling the cucumber to remove its outer part and cutting off its end to get rid of cucurbitacin.

The healthy living crusader also canvassed that people eat healthy to live long and healthy, saying that from her experi-

natural

health

ence many health conditions improve or get healed eating right foods at the right time and for the right purpose.

“From the experience I had when my husband was sick; doctors’ prescriptions were not 100 per cent certain. But eating right things for the right purpose and at the right time will keep you healthy. Your body would be strong enough to fight off any ailment,” she said.

Olayeni, who said with appropriate eating, she had overcome chronic arthritis and maintained a good body weight, said what a person eats make a whole difference in terms of well being.

She declared, “there are instructions on how, what and when to eat, but we abuse that a lot. Men dig their graves with their teeth and die more by it than by the weapons of their enemies.”

According to her, food is supposed to be used for different reasons, including sustaining life, healing, prevention of diseases, looking young and pleasure.

“Man is food dependent, if you do not feed him, he will die. But if he is fed improperly, part of him will die-- joint aches, arthritis, low libido, and cancer.”

For food to serve as medicines, she said their nature should not be altered and organically planted.

In addition, cooking and other food processing methods she said can denature the food, making it dead and unable to serve the body what it requires to be healthy.

“The best is to eat the food as close to how God made it as possible,” she said.

Olayeni said eating as close to nature as possible mean individuals should favour local rice over polished imported rice; whole wheat bread rather than white

bread and drinking plain water rather than carbonated soft drinks.

Also, she suggested eating different foods with different colours together as well as eating dinner early for the body to have time to digest it before bedtime.

Eating fruits in season, she said also ensures the body avail itself the nutrients helpful in fighting diseases that are prevalent in that season.

She said: “When oranges are in season is also the time when everywhere is dry and diseases like cold is prevalent. Orange is rich in Vitamin C that can help boost body immunity against it.”

To ensure healthy eating and longevity, she warned against the consumption of cow milk, refined sugar, white flour, animal fat, common salt and monosodium glutamate.

“Cow milk creates lactose intolerance. As a person grows, the production of enzyme that digests cow milk goes down. So by age four, one does not have enzyme to digest cow milk again.

“Cow milk also promotes allergies, osteoporosis, bloating and hormonal imbalance. For instance, the milk imitates oestrogen in the body when people take it, the hormones ends up in human body. Of course, the cows that produce the milk are regularly injected to make them grow fast, fat and robust.”

Rather than cow milk, Olayeni suggested taking nut-based milk. These include milk from food items such as tiger nut and almond.

A substitute for processed table salt, she said was sea salt. Rather than use food seasoners like bouillon cubes, spices can be used to garnish food.

sex,sexuality

&your health With Monica Taiwo

strictly adult teenagers, adult & geriatric sexual well being

08187754992 (sms only) taiwomonica@gmail.com

How to have sex during your period SEX during your period can deliver amazing sensations; even more amazing than the normal times. If you and your partner are not intimidated by the icky factor that hangs up a lot of people, then, follow these tips to have sex during your period, and enjoy the pleasure while minimising the mess.

Get some towels. You don’t want your menstrual fluid combined with everything else to soak into your sheets and mattress; while you are having sex place some towels beneath you and some tissues to your side. The towels will be on constant duty; the tissues will be used to wipe yourself off just before sitting up when you are done.

If odour is a problem, do not let it ruin the moment; throw on some blankets. If you keep them above your midsections, they will help block the wafting scents.

Stick to the missionary position. Lie on your back to lessen the flow of blood while you’re having intercourse. Also, be careful about deep penetration because your cervix may be lower and more sensitive during your period. If anything starts to hurt, just tell your partner and proceed

with care.

Have sex in the shower. Not only is this less messy, it is a change of pace, too.

When you are under the flow of the water, that other flow becomes a lot less noticeable. If you can fit two in comfortably, give it a shot.

Do not employ your fingers too much. If you are the type that needs loads of foreplay, you are lucky. You already have a natural lubricant, so your partner’s fingers and whatever else can have a recess. That does not mean you should skip the foreplay entirely Stick to your lighter days. This just makes sense. If you know that day’s three to five are lighter than days one and two, just keep your panties on for those 48 hours.

Let the anticipation build and avoid any awkward situation.

However if it does not bother your partner and he is totally game for day one sex, evaluate your concerns. Maybe it’s something you could get over; after all, it is no less sanitary than what you have been doing. It is just a bit redder!

Take a shower after. There will probably be at least a little something on your skin

that needs to be washed off. If you didn’t do the deed in the shower, hop in after for at least a quick rinse. You will feel better, too. If you use sex toys during this time,

get them sanitised immediately. Putting it off will only result in a less-than-glamorous experience. All in all, get everything hygienic as quickly as possible.

27

Thursday, 2 June, 2016 Taiwo Adisa - 08072000046 Group Politics Editor tai_adis@yahoo.com

What can be done about salary crisis —Ahmed Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed, of Kwara State spoke with journalists in on the affairs of the state and national issues to mark the 2016 Democracy Day. BIOLA AZEEZ brings excerpts of the interaction.

critical issues amicably. If it has not worked, it means it has not got efficient ways to make it work. And there should be other ways.

The destroyed pipelines are setbacks to the country. What they stand for, which is unconnected with economic benefit, could be resolved through dialogue. Dialogue should have solved the issue.

H

OW do you think the issue of security challenges like that of herdsmen’s attack and Niger Delta militancy could be resolved?

As a country, to truly understand the situation we’ve found ourselves, we need to have a retrospective view of where we are coming from. Why have people that had hitherto lived together begun to take arms against one another? Certain things are clear.

The first one, which is the common one, is economic. Perpetually, man is in a race of striving for control of power, resources and income. That drive propels you to key into opportunities. Situations happen and we react to them differently.

The concept of cattle rearing clashing with farming should not arise at all, but because agriculture has never been streamlined to be driven as a major focus of revenue generation for Nigeria. Otherwise, we would have put a lot of regulatory systems in place such as farmers’ protection platforms, produce protection platform, land management issues and, with respect to either cattle rearing or cropping, strong research institutions.

We would have created areas that would have allowed our farmers to be seen in such a way and manner that we can attend to them and they can attend to us. You can imagine a situation where our grazing farmers are locked up in a size of land where they can grow grass, harvest the grass, feed the cattle and less energy is expended by the herdsmen and the cattle in moving around. The grass they eat, by the time they get home, they’ve expended the energy derivable. But if they don’t move around but stay in a place, they can access the grass and their cattle can be attended to, they too can go to school and contribute their quota to the economic system.

These are doable things. But these can only be done when the right policies and orientation are in place.

Our agricultural policy has largely been concentrating on crop farming. We have not given attention to this sector in terms of strong support and organisation and optimal benefit. This is what we are required to do beyond the sentiment of ethno-religious colouration of cattle rearing.

It tells us that the time has truly come for us as a country to look at cattle rearing as an arm of farming that requires deliberate poli-

Ahmed cy, and the cattle rearing platform will be fully incorporated into our agriculture policy and the benefit can be optimised. Unless we do it like that, if we allow it to be driven under the current ethno-political colouration, we will not get there. That’s my position.

So, what can be done?

There are no policies in place to enable

The militants have no reason to blow pipelines if they have grouses with the system. There are many ways outside blowing of pipes that we can sit and resolve critical issues amicably.

cattle rearing to be seen as agribusiness in Nigeria and that is what we need to do.

Once we get it done, anybody can go into cattle rearing. It is not the exclusive preserve of the Fulani and other ethnic nationality. If we begin to see it from that angle, I think the challenge will be reduced through cohesion of ideas and bringing a sense of congruence that will drive our policies to the right direction. Once these policies are done, we work out an implementation platform and this policies can only be carried out if the subnationals are carried along in policy formulation and implementation.

On the activities of militants in the SouthSouth, where they blow up oil pipelines, I think it is unnecessary for militants to blow up pipelines. Everything we get to do in life has a purpose. As humans, our ability to drive organisational platforms where views and opinions are synthesised into working platforms is what truly tells how civilised we are. That also tells how we are higher than other animals. The militants have no reason to blow pipelines if they have grouses with the system. There are many ways outside blowing of pipes that we can sit and resolve

Payment of workers’ salary has become so irregular in many states of the federation. What do you think can be done to make it easy, like what obtained in the past?

I feel very sad that people work and they are finding it difficult to get paid. No matter what, it should not be a problem for workers to get salaries. I had seen danger in the way the economy of the state and local governments were being run. Apart from being a mono economic dependent, I saw little activities happening outside the civil service.

Had the civil service been run by IGR, it wouldn’t have been a problem. But it is run from proceeds accruing from the sale of crude oil. The price is exogenous to us. We should have seen that it is not a sustainable level of driving governance. However, we’ve found ourselves in this situation. The challenges are huge.

Again, we’ve always been saddled with high unemployment rate of 65 per cent of the population of 15 and 65 age bracket. Government is to create an environment enabling for people to unleash their potentials. The responsibilities include security, infrastructure, economic stimulus. Unfortunately, our capacity to put this in place had been gradually reduced by the consistent drop in the price of crude oil which has affected our earnings and distributable money.

Different states have different problems and we all apply different strategies based on exigencies. For us in Kwara, we’ve been managing our resources by ensuring that we don’t over stretch our growing capacities. And we try to work within a framework that allows our capacity to repay to be hinged on our internally generated revenue capacity. That determines our borrowing growth capacity and informs how much to take from the market.

Our monthly allocation has consistently dropped, making planning difficult. We find ourselves augmenting salary payment as it comes as primary obligation. That’s why we cannot continue to use everything we get to pay salary. And the situation has prompted us into cutting the cost of running government in overhead and personnel costs.

We have employed zero budgeting and ongoing verification of staff, certificate and employment, respectively. We must get it right and this data would enable proper planning. We have also improved our IGR with about 100 per cent growth.

We are expecting 300 to 500 per cent growth in that area. It’s now electronically driven with a large volume of success expected in collection of revenue.

28

politicscommentary

Thursday, 2 June, 2016

Solution to the state of ineptitude

By Adetokunbo Pearse

I

N a presidential form of government, the position of president is quite powerful, and as practised in Nigeria, it could be said to be too powerful. It is because of this that we must hold the president accountable.

His actions, and even his language, have an indelible impact on the economy and security; arguably the two fundamental determinants of a country’s state of affairs.

If President Muhammadu Buhari wants a strong economy, he must come to terms with the complexities inherent in the capitalist democratic system. The state of the economy is inextricably tied to the cultural politics of the government in power and to the social climate within which it functions. Put in the popular idiom of social activists; ‘no justice, no peace,’ and by extention, ‘no peace no growth.’ The president must desist from utterances and actions which create the impression that he is ethnocentric, or biased in anyway. That will be the justice which will lead to peace: which will in turn usher in economic prosperity. To this fundamental template, one can add specific suggestions. The president should devalue the Naira. An average of the bank rate of approximately N200 to the dollar, and the parallel market rate of N300 is good enough. Such an exercise will stabilise our currency at N250 to the dollar, and create investor confidence.

The Buhari government’s equivocation on the oil subsidy issue is another example of this administration’s penchant for incoherence. ‘Oil subsidy has been removed,’ declared the president’. No, ‘oil subsidy has not really been removed,’ retorted his vice (President). One is inclined to suspect that the government is trying to hide something from the Nigerian public. After all, when President Goodluck Jonathan reduced allocation to subsidy, the funds he recovered were directed into the SURE-P programme. In turn, the SURE-P provided start-up funds for SMD’s, as well as financial support and training for young entrepreneurs through programmes such as UWIN. SUREP’s targeted funding for young University graduates in agriculture was quite remarkable. The longer President Buhari fails to declare how much the nation is saving from the withdrawal of subsidy to the oil sector, and

the longer he fails to tell us how he intends to invest the money, the more the public will suspect his motives.

Government’s determination of a N145 price tag for a litre of petrol is uninformed, even malicious. How can government know the cost of a litre to marketers, when government cannot guarantee them access to foreign exchange at official bank rate. Direct intervention by government to protect consumers from high prices even when government is directly involved in production and distribution will only make things worse for the consumer. Unwittingly, government has created the current economic dilemma in which the ‘black market’, both in the case of foreign exchange, and the case of petrol, has become the ‘real market.’ In a capitalist – democracy, the role of government is to provide quality control, and to protect the consumer from fraudulent practices. Price on the other hand is determined by the market; that is a balance between supply and demand.

Need for efficiency in government After several revisions, the president has finally signed the budget. And although the one-year delay has inflicted serious damage on the economy, it is hoped that its implementation will reduce the hardships expe-

rienced across the country, currently. In order for the government to have a judicious account of spending and performance in the ministries, that is if the budget is to be implemented effectively, the president must get rid of some of his ‘noise maker’ ministers.

The noise of corruption around of them who is a former state governor is too strong. He should go. Chief Audu Ogbe lacks the vitality to tackle the herdsmen’s crisis, or introduce vital innovations in the agriculture ministry. He should go. Beautiful and articulate as she is, Mrs. Kemi Adeosun, the finance minister lacks the experience and status needed to negotiate Nigeria’s position at the international level. Finance is the epicentre of a nation’s life line.

Alhaji Lai Mohammed has outlived his usefulness.

He was an efficient hatchet-man during the 2015 campaign. This war horse has not been able to transition into peace-time politics. Lai Mohammed continues to operate on the level of a campaign propagandist.

The rationale to allocate the three vital Ministries of Housing, Works and Power to one man was always questionable. Mr. Fashola’s failure to perform in any of the three portfolios so far is evidence enough for us to argue that two ministries must be stripped away from him. Leave him with perhaps, the Ministry of Works, since he did quite well in road construction during his tenure as governor of Lagos State. Another flawed appointment of the Buhari administration was the allocation of Minister of Petroleum to the President. He has brought no added value to the ministry. Kachikwu’s initial suggestions to remove oil subsidy, and privatise oil wells were rejected by Buhari, and yet when the oil industry fell into disarray, the National Assembly summoned the Minister of State, instead of the president.

To create trust, and achieve peace in the social milieu, the president’s words and actions must be devoid of ethnocentric colouration. To improve performance of his administration, he must introduce strong and well thought out economic policies.

•Dr Pearse is of the Lagos PDP.

Osun 6th assembly: Lawmaking for better life

By Olatunbosun Oyinloye

SINCE its inception last year June, the State of Osun House of Assembly has not only made itself a credible legislative arm of government, but has, indeed, performed creditably well in the area of passage of quality bills in line with its pledge to make life better for the teeming populace of the state, and as a result, the legislative arm passed six bills within a year.

Upon its inauguration on June 2, 2015, the crop of lawmakers, in consonance with its leadership, despite the numerous challenges facing the state, particularly cash crunch, hit the ground running in the business of lawmaking. The lawmakers, who set aside personal comfort and adopted the vow of personal sacrifice, commenced sitting without the necessary entitlements attached to their offices. For example, it suspended recess to allow for the presentation of the 2016 budget. From the outset, many bills were considered; seven had been passed, some have been assented to and have become laws, while others are waiting executive assent. The bills include; Osun Public Procurement Agency Bill, Osun Land Use Charge Bill, Osun Primary Healthcare Development Board (Establishment) Bill, Osun Street Trading and Illegal Market (Prohibition) Bill, Omoluabi Conservation Fund (repeal) Bill,Osun Micro-credit Agency (Establishment) Bill and Osun 2016 Appropriation Bill.

The Osun Public Procurement Agency Bill, passed on Monday, October 19, 2015, is a law aimed at enhancing due process in bidding and procurement of contracts through probity, accountability and transparency.

The law aims to check undue influence and interference in the procurement process, and to adequately involve the public in the procurement process. Also, it is aimed at attracting intervention and assistance of development partners and foreign investors. Also, the law will enhance public confidence and trust in government and help to regulate, guide and protect the interest of the masses.

Similarly, Osun Land Use Charge Bill, passed on Monday, February 8, 2016, is a law aimed at ensuring the consolidation of all property/land-based rates law — the

neighborhood improvement charge law and tenement rate law — into one, called Land Use Charge Law. The law, will among other things, improve the Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) of the state through enhanced payment of rate and levies on property to the coffers of the government. In considering this bill, the Assembly involved experts and ensured that it arrived at a reasonable rate for payment in line with their suggestions to ensure that unnecessary burdens are not place on them.

Another executive bill sent to the lawmakers and passed into law is the Osun Primary Healthcare Development Board (Establishment) Bill, which passed on Tuesday, February 16, 2016. The law, which is one of the six integral action plan of the state government, is the restoration of healthy living, hence, the law will help in taking care of the health needs of the less-privileged.

It will enhance efficient monitoring of healthcare system at the state and local government levels, as well as make assistance of international donors on healthcare delivery accessible to the government.

Next in line is the Osun Street Trading and Illegal Market (Prohibition) Bill, which was passed on Tuesday, April 5, 2016. It is waiting for the governor’s assent and when it is finally assented to, it is meant to enhance free-flow of traffic and pedestrians; ensure clean and tidy environ-

ment, and prohibit unauthorised pasting of banners and erection of containers.

Meanwhile, the House of Assembly also passed the Omoluabi Conservation Fund (repeal) bill, on Monday, April 11, 2016; this is aimed at allowing the government to have access to the fund to carry out infrastructural development. Presently, part of the fund is being used to construct the Odi-Olowo-Isale-Osun/Ita-Olokan road newly named Workers’ Drive by the state governor.

In line with the state administration’s quest to reduce poverty among the people, the lawmakers passed the Osun Micro-credit Agency (Establishment) bill on April 26, 2016.

The bill, when eventually signed into law, will serve as effective tool to liberate people from the bondage of poverty, while helping people to be self-employed. Osun 2016 Appropriation Bill, passed on Wednesday, May 11th 2016, refers to as 2016 budget, focused on the completion of ongoing projects across the state, and will be revenue-driven in the sense that the largest percentage of it will be financed

by IGR, hence, there will not be heavy reliance on federal allocations, which is dwindling by the day.

The Assembly has also been serving as a stabilising factor in the state polity, intervening in issues that would have raised tension on many occasions, such as the case of the sacked workers of the state-owned higher institutions by their governing boards. In the area of oversight functions, the sixth Assembly has strengthened its machinery to ensure the blockage of loopholes in the revenue of the state and increase its IGR without putting unnecessary burden on the people. It is also on course by ensuring that the ongoing projects across the state are completed, while complying with contractual agreement. Meanwhile, before passing any bill or resolution, the Assembly was thorough, researched all options and reasoned deeply to arrive at logical conclusions. More so, professional backgrounds and experiences of each member became a leverage for success in the business of the House.

•Oyintiloye is Chairman, House Committee on Information and Strategy, Osun State House of Assembly.

29

Thursday, 2 June, 2016

Nigerian Tribune

with Shola Adekola

m:0803 365 4818 e:sholanig@yahoo.com

crucial moment 0803 365 4818

Stakeholders react to Buhari’s one year in office

With Shola Adekola

The CBN forex policy and matters arising

Between the month of April and now, two of the major foreign airlines operating into the country have announced their withdrawal of services from Nigeria.

They attributed their hard decision to the financial predicament inflicted on them by the recent forex policy introduced by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

Prior to now, the foreign carriers had alerted of how the policy had greatly hindered their operations as they could not repatriate their proceeds running into $600 million being the cost of tickets sold in Nigeria back to their home countries.

The tight financial situation brought on them which made it impossible for them to access their funds is also putting them under pressure from their home offices, and equally made it difficult for them to run their offices in Nigeria efficiently.

Even some of the airlines have concluded plans to prune down their staff strength in Nigeria to at least cut cost.

Either one beliefs it or not, the forex policy is actually not making things easy for the foreign airlines in particular as seen in the events that are unfolding.

Prior to the announcement of United Airlines to pull out its operations from Nigeria this month, the Spanish carrier, Iberia was the first to pull out of the country over the same reasons.

Now that United Airlines has followed, there is no doubt that many others will follow suit even though they are denying that they will not pull out as information gathered has again indicated that more of the mega carriers will still pull out in the nearest possible time.

If the information made available to the Crucial Moment is true, some of the mega carriers including those yet to announce their pull out are considering relocating their services to Accra, Ghana where they believed there are more business friendly policies.

There is no doubt that the present situation is not pleasant and it is hoped that the federal government will act fast.

Before now, many people though believed there are huge business potentials in the country, they have however identified bad policies as the major factor militating against this.

The environment is actually not too favourable even to the domestic carriers. The domestic carriers are confronted with the high cost of aviation fuel, unstable exchange rate, multiple taxations, unnecessary duty on spare parts to multiple entry points to the foreign carriers while on the part of the foreign airlines they complain of taxes and policies with the latest being the CBN forex policy.

Fine, the foreign airlines may not have all their desires granted every time but there is the need for the government to review this latest policy before it causes diplomatic row.

The need for government to review the forex policy becomes pertinent in view of the importance of air transport to the traveling public and the agreements Nigeria signed with the home countries of the airlines.

For sure, if the foreign carriers decide to relocate to Accra, apart from the fortunes that Nigeria will be losing, the Nigerian travelers will be at the receiving end in view of the direct contact that will no longer be available.

Besides, it will be the greatest embarrassment if Nigeria that has the largest market will now have to be serviced through Accra.

The time has now come for government to urgently review its policy and others that are not favourable to business.

Should government fails to address this issue and allows some of the carriers to either pull out their operations or relocate elsewhere, it may spell disaster as the same government has failed to encourage its own to fill any vacuum such a policy may create and this subject the traveling class to serious hardship.

The Commissioner of Police, Airports Command, Mrs Victory Menta (Centre) and other principal officers of the command in a group photograph with the newly decorated Senior Police officers at the Murtala Muhammed Airport, Lagos.

We are on top of security challenges at Nigerian airports —CP Stories By Shola Adekola

T

he Commissioner of Police, Airport Command, Mrs Victory Menta has assured air travelers in Nigeria of security of lives and properties within airports across the country Giving the assurance while speaking with aviation correspondents shortly after decorating newly promoted officers in the command, Menta declared: “There is no time there wouldn’t be security challenges around,

that is why we are here.

We are very much on top of the security challenges in Nigerian airports. The passengers and users of the airports are assured of their security in all our airports”.

About nine officers in the command were promoted from the rank of Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) to Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) while three were promoted from the rank of Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) to Superintendent of Police (SP).

SAHCOL wins African brand leadership award The Skyway Aviation Handling Company Limited (SAHCOL) has won the award of “African Best Passenger Handling Services Provider of the year 2016”.

The award was presented to SAHCOL by the Institute of Brand Management of Nigeria (IBM), in collaboration with the African Institute of Brand Management (AFribm) at the 2016 edition of the Brand Leadership Merit Awards held in Lagos.

As the only brand selected from the Aviation sector this year, SAHCOL was picked for the award by the Brand Leadership Award’s Technical Committee because of what it called its recent strides and innovation in building a brand that is in tune with International best practices.

The Brand Management Institute said that the SAHCOL brand had a great story behind it saying, “it is

an authentic, unique, value adding African brand, and has been connected with the people within and outside.”

The institute stated that, SAHCOL has made an outstanding contribution to the development of the continent, the economic aspirations of its citizenry and the transformation of African’s image in the International market while displaying a high standard of good corporate citizenship, social and environmental responsibilities.

The African Brand Leadership Awards, according to the organisers is aimed at celebrating Leadership, innovations and creativity in Africa and showcases brilliant minds and institutions that are delivering positive change and shaping Africa’s future.

The theme of the 2016 Congress was Achieving Sustainable Branding in Africa: Prospects and Challenges.

Speaking on the newly decorated officers, the Menta changed the newly promoted senior officers in the command to justify their promotions.

The Commissioner who was full of gratitude to the Inspector General of Police (IGP ), Solomon Arase for the gale of promotions witnessed in the command within the last one year, said, “we are very happy and grateful to the IG who approved the promotions.

“Everywhere you go within the airports command you see our men and officers jubilating over their promotions. For this, we want them to know that to whom much is given much is expected.

“The promotion should be seen as motivation for everyone to work harder and justify the confidence repose on them”.

On what the command would benefit from the promotions, the airport police boss said, “ now we have more officers who know they have greater responsibilities to discharge.

It would also ginger others who are yet to get their promotions to put in their best, knowing that their time would soon come.”

Also speaking on the promotions, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) of the Command, Mr. Joseph Alabi, a Deputy Superintendent of Police who was among those promoted, equally thanked the IGP for approving the promotions even as he thanked the Commissioner of Police for leading top brass in the command to the decoration event.

Though the President Muhammadu Buhari led government last celebrated its one year in office, but stakeholders in the country’s aviation sector have scored the government low in its performance in the sector.

Many of the stakeholders who have not spared the Buhari administration has attributed the present stagnation of the sector to the snail like speed style of governance of Buhari which does not work for a sector like aviation.

The slow speed has been attributed to the delay in the passage of the 2016 budget by the lawmakers which subsequently affected the sector.

Mr Ewos Iroro who is a stakeholder in the sector in his reaction to the performance of Buhari government in the aviation sector said that since the government took over, the industry was yet to effectively take off as stakeholders and professionals in the sector were yet to see a clear vision of the government despite the myriad of challenges in the industry.

Iroro however explained that the last one year had been used to seek for core investors, but noted that despite the difficult economic climate, the construction of the new terminals across the country have been progressing gradually.

He hoped that the new terminals would be completed at the end of the year as promised by the Minister of Transport, Honourable Chibuike Amaechi when he toured the facilities at the Lagos Airport last December.

Besides, Iroro hoped that the recent stakeholders’ forum organised by the Minister of State for Aviation, Senator Hadi Sirika would help to address some of the challenges in the sector.

He further urged the government to address the paucity of Jet A1 supply and distribution to the airlines as soon as possible, emphasizing that this if not checked, might lead to skyrocketing airfare increase.

30

Thursday, 2 June, 2016

Nigerian Tribune

with Tola Adenubi

m:07068476673 e:adenubiadetola@yahoo.com

AIG Kastina heads Maritime Police Command, appoints ASP Odutola PRO •As Oba Akiolu calls for effective maritime security Former commissioner of Police in Kogi, Kano, Oyo and Imo states, Alhaji Muhammed Musa Kastina now heads the strategic maritime police command with head quarters in Lagos as Assistant Inspector General (AIG) of police.

AIG Kastina, a graduate of management science from the University of Sokoto and fellow of International Association of Chief of Police, has a rich history and experience of crime bursting laurels that has seen his meritorious rise through the ranks since 1986 when he joined the Nigerian Police as cadet assistant superintendent of police.

Alhaji Kastina has attended various professional courses, such as Investigation techniques in Cairo Police Academy Egypt, New Delhi, India Crime Scene Investigation of National crime Records, Bureau, Crime scene Investigation and Preservation in Rome, Italy, Public safety course, Canada and senior command course, Jos Nigeria.

In the same vein, AIG Kastina, has appointed Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Omolola Odutola as the Command Public Relations Officer (PRO).

A lawyer by Profession, ASP Odutola holds a Law degree from Ogun State University and a Master in Law from the University of Lagos.

She has since assumed duties.

Subsequently, The Oba of Lagos, His Royal Highness, Oba Rilwan Akiolu, has called on the Federal Government to give more support to maritime security in view of its strategic position in the Nigerian economy.

Speaking during a courtesy visit to his palace by Alhaji Musa Kastina and his Command officers, the royal father noted that the endemic corruption in the maritime sector needs a tough, experienced and courageous Maritime Police Command to be wiped away, adding that the coming of AIG Kastina is at the right time and at the right place.

In a press release issued in Lagos by the Public Relations Unit of the Marine Police Command, the Oba of Lagos, expressed worries at the high rate of pipeline vandalisation and other sundry aquatic crime in the country, cautioned that violence in the Niger-Delta region against oil installations is not the best way to go and called for dialogue to resolve any grievance.

He therefore commended the Inspector General of Police, Solomon Arase for his choice of Musa Kastina as new AIG Maritime Command and prayed that Kastina will help turn around the fortunes of the Maritime Police Command just as he did in all his postings in the past as commissioner of police notably in Kogi and Imo States.

Musa Kastina

Omolola Odutola

By ’Wale Olapade

From left; Director, Administration and Personnel Services of Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Mallam Jibril Ibrahim; Director-General, Dr Dakuku Peterside; Norwegian Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr Rolf Ree; Director, Maritime Labour Services, Mrs Juliana Gunwa; Head, Shipping Development, Mr Akin Akinyosoye and Head, Public Relations, Hajia Lami Tumaka when Ree visited NIMASA headquarters in Lagos recently.

365 days: Not much happened in maritime sector —Stakeholders Stories by Tola Adenubi- Lagos

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takeholders operating in the Nigerian maritime sector have stated that nothing significant happened in the nation’s maritime sector during the first year of President Mohammadu Buhari’s administration.

Speaking to the Nigerian Tribune in an exclusive chat, the Chairman of the Ship-owners Forum, Mrs Margaret Onyema-Orakwusi, stated that nothing significant happened in the nation’s maritime sector after one year of President Mohammadu Buhari’s administration.

According to her, “aside the fight against corruption, which is already having a positive impact on the sector, nothing has changed

really. With the new anti corruption mantra, stakeholders are operators are now monitoring more closely what is happening in government agencies in the maritime sector.

“In the other spheres of operation of the sector like capacity development for indigenous operators, funding for shipping development, infrastructure upgrade, trade facilitation, insecurity, among others, nothing has changed.

“In the area of infrastructure, we don’t expect the current administration to have overhauled or put up befitting infrastructure in the maritime sector within a year.

That is not something that could have been achieved within 365 days.

“In the area of insecurity, piracy attacks on operators have been

NIWA does not impound fishing trawlers — Danladi Ibrahim The management of the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) has refuted allegation by the fisheries department of the Ministry of Agriculture claiming that the authority incessantly impounds fishing trawlers not registered with it.

Speaking to newsmen in Lagos, during a two-day Maritime conference organised by the Federal Ministry of Transport, the Acting Managing Director of NIWA, Mr Danladi Ibrahim denied the allegation, urging anyone with proofs to such claims to come forward with them.

He said that NIWA had only registered barges and crew boats of just one fishing company.

“The claim of the fisheries department is not correct and we stand to be corrected.

“NIWA has never registered one single fishing trawler.

“All that we have registered are barges and crew boats of just one fishing company, which is ‘Atlantic Shrimpers. So, we do not have any conflict with fishing trawlers,” he stated.

Mrs Adepegba, the Deputy Director and Head, Fish Quality Assurance & Fish Disease Management representing the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development at stakeholders forum in Lagos, recently had called on minister to intervene in the frequent arrest of fishing vessels not registered with the Authority.

Adepegba had stated that as a result of the delay caused by the arrest, operators lost both time and their fish.

on the ascendancy. We have been seeing more increase in attacks.

In the area of training, funding for operators, we are still where we were a year ago.”

Also speaking with the Nigerian Tribune, the National President of the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA), Olayiwola Shittu agreed with Orakwusi that nothing has happened in the maritime sector 365 days after the new administration of Mohammadu Buhari took over.

“Mr President has agreed that the first one year of his administration has been a year of planning and discovery.

“This means that this administration has not done anything yet.

We are yet to get the direction of this administration in the maritime sector. However, the body language of the Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi has shown that there is hope in the horizon.

NIMASA to undergo major reforms The Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) will undergo major reforms in the next one year to boost its capacity to drive the growth and development of the Nigerian maritime industry.

The Agency’s Director-General, Dr Dakuku Peterside who stated this during an audience with a delegation of the Oxford Business Group led by its Country Director, Izabela Kruk, also added that the reforms are in line with the ‘change’ agenda of President Muhammadu Buhari administration which is committed to the diversification of the nation’s economy.

Dr Peterside emphasised that the agency has the requisite knowledgeable human capital

saying what was required to refocus and reposition the Agency is a committed leadership which the present Management is willing to provide.

He said that the Agency is developing a medium term strategic growth plan which will aid the Management to focus on its core mandate of promoting the development of indigenous capacity in international and coastal shipping as well as effectively regulating the maritime industry in Nigeria.

While commenting on the public perception of NIMASA over the years, Dr Peterside said that the Agency under his leadership will completely change the narrative from the negative perception of corruption, inefficiency and aban-

donment of its core mandate to that of a Maritime Administration that is alive to its responsibility intent on making Nigeria the preferred destination for maritime activities in Africa.

He emphasised that the Agency will leave no stone unturned, including seeking legislative amendment if need be, to ensure full compliance with the Cabotage Act 2003, which according to him is necessary to fast track the desired growth in the maritime sector.

The Country Director of the Oxford Business Group, Izabela Kruk had earlier expressed the readiness of the Group to partner the Agency in documenting and publicising NIMASA activities in its widely read journal.

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news Abuja-Kaduna rail line ready for commercial use July—Amaechi 33

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INISTER of Transportation, Mr Rotimi Amaechi, has assured that the Federal Government under President Muhammadu Buhari, will ensure the sustenance of the Abuja-Kaduna rail project upon completion.

Briefing newsmen after a brief inspection and test ride of the rail project on Wednesday, in Abuja, Amaechi said the project would be completed and should be ready for use in July.

“Is it sustainable? The answer is ‘yes’ because it is on its own. If you say whether it will be subsidised, it will be.

We are working out the details of how much it will cost to carry passengers and to maintain it.

“We are looking at bringing Mr President to commission in July. In two weeks’ time, they will do the test run of the track without passengers, after that two weeks, it will take another two weeks to do test run with passengers and it will be free-of-charge and that will take us to the end of June.

Which means by first week in July, we believe that thpresident will come and flag

it off for commercial service,” he said.

“At the beginning we had done the test run, but then it was not completed. Today, it has been completed. So, today is the first test run we are doing on the completed standard gauge. The signaling and communication, stations are all completed

now, so you can actually technically say today is the first day of test running the completed project,” he said.

Amaechi also said his ministry would partner the Nigeria Identity Management Authourity (NIMA) to ensure smooth registration of passengers without hitches.

The project which started

in 2011 was awarded to China Civil Engineering Construction Company (CCECC) by the former president, Dr Goodluck Jonathan’s administration.

The project which was to be test-run in March was billed for commissioning in May but was later shifted to July.

Thursday, 2 June, 2016

Ogoni clean-up: We’ve taken measures to ensure hitch-free kick-off by Buhari —Wike RIVERS State governor, Nyesom Wike, has temporarily banned commercial motorcycles and tricycles in Gokana and Khana local government areas, as President Muhammadu Buhari visits the state Thursday, to flag off the implementation of the UNEP Report on remediation of Ogoni communities.

From left; acting Managing Director of Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC), Mr Fidet Okhiria; Managing Director, China Civil Engineering Construction Company (CCECC), Mr Jack Lee; Minister Of Transportation, Mr Rotimi Amaechi and the Director of Rail Transportation, Mr Mohammed Babakobi, during the minister’s inspection of the Abuja-Kaduna rail project, on Wednesday. PHOTO: NAN

Nigeria targets 30% electricity generation from coal —Fayemi Sanya Adejokun -Abuja

AS part of plans to diversify sources of electricity generation, the Federal Government is working to source 30 per cent of electricity generation from coal.

Sources at Niger Delta Power Holding Company (NDPHC) told the Nigerian Tribune in Abuja, that in the second phase of its operations, the company would not embark on gas propelled turbines for electricity generation, mainly because of the problems associated with sourcing gas and militant activities in the Niger Delta.

In addition, government has stepped up pressure on the Chinese authorities to release loans meant for the construction of the Mambilla Hydro Electricity project, expected to generate about 3000 megawatts upon completion.

Speaking at the Junior Indaba in Johannesburg, Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Kayode Fayemi, represented by Mr Alex Nwengbu, invited South African companies to invest in Nigeria, to help the country achieve its coal-based power generation target.

He said Nigeria was processing many enquiries from investors keen on undertaking exploration and mining ventures in the West African country.

Earlier, African Union Commission chairperson, Dr Nkosazana DlaminiZuma, said while she did not believe coal should be

the sole power generation fuel in Africa, it should be part of the energy mix.

“Coal is there,” she said, adding that she envisaged it playing a role along with solar power and hydropower.

Managing Director of Shumba Energy, Mashale Phumaphi, which was ex-

ploring for coal in neighbouring Botswana, said from an orebody perspective Botswana was not the richest, but that from an infrastructure and legislative framework perspective the country was competitive.

He said there had been a big slowdown in explo-

ration in Botswana and stimulation of prospecting needed to be considered by the government, along the lines of the flow through scheme in Canada. Nigeria, which had more than 10 000 registered geologists, had the human resources needed for exploration.

Dana crash: We’re going through hell over compensation— Victims’ families Demand prompt, full payment Clement Idoko -Abuja

WHAT exactly happened on June 3, 2012? Why did it happen and who were responsible? are few questions that families of victims of the ill-fated Dana plane crash that claimed the lives of 153 people have continued to ask without satisfactory answers.

Chairman, families of victims, Mr Paul Okwulehie, who briefed newsmen on Wednesday, in Abuja, ahead the fourth anniversary of the crash, said the past four years had been agonising and traumatic for the families of the victims.

He said to make the matter worse, the process of

compensation by Dana Airline to the families of victims was frustrating and hellish.

Okwulehie, therefore, called on the Federal Government to intervene in order to ensure prompt and complete payment of compensation of families of victims.

He said: “Many families of the victims are experiencing hell. The issue of compensation for nearly all of them that are not here had been a very frustrating experience. They are asking for tax clearances, bank statements and all kinds of multiple configurations of demands.”

He also demanded immediate release of final report

of the accident investigation of the plane crash and steps to be taken to address the lapses.

Okwulehie, who lost his wife and two others to the crash, said since the incident in 2012, members of families of victims of the crash had been working relentlessly toward ensuring that Nigeria aviation was safer than that of June 3, 2012.

He said this effort culminated into the establishment of “Safer Skies Nigeria Foundation” in honour of the departed souls, which was formally launched on Wednesday, in Abuja.

While calling on the Federal Government to ensure

immediate release of the final report of the Dana crash, the families of victims demanded that relevant agencies of government should remove all commercial aircraft that were not air-worthy from Nigeria airspace.

They also demanded release of the safety audits of all commercial aircraft flying in Nigeria and level of implementation to the public.

Also speaking, Mr Okechukwu Obi, husband to late Mrs Chinwe Obi, who, until her death, was a staff of the National Universities Commission (NUC) said he had so far been paid 30 per cent compensation after a cumbersome process.

The governor announced the ban in a state broadcast, Wednesday afternoon, saying the measure, taking effect between 6.00 a.m. and 6.00 p.m, was aimed at maintaining security in the area during and after the president’s visit.

This was as he cautioned those he described as desperate politicians to desist from making inflammatory and unguarded statements about the president’s visit, noting that Buhari was coming to the state, not for political reasons, but to kickstart a programme that was significant to the people.

“As part of measures to enhance security during Mr President’s visit, I, hereby, place a ban on the operations of motorcycles and tricycles in Gokana and Khana local government areas between 6.00 a.m. and 6.00 p.m. today. The security agencies have been directed to enforce this ban and ensure full compliance.

“I call on Rivers people, particularly the people of Ogoniland, to come out in great number and give our president a rousing welcome during his visit.

“Mr President’s visit to the state is both historic and significant. It is historic because it marks his first official visit to the state since assuming office as the president of this great nation.

“It is most significant because Mr President is not on a political mission, but to kickstart the largest environmental clean-up in our nation’s history, for which Rivers people and, indeed, the Niger Delta will remain grateful,” he said.

Appealing to the people of the state to be peaceful during the visit, Wike said: “I call on Rivers people to be peaceful, law-abiding and demonstrate the traditional Rivers hospitality towards Mr President and his distinguished entourage throughout the visit.”

Petrol: FG sets up committee on Labour grievances Clement Idoko -Abuja

THE Federal Government has constituted a technical committee to look into Labour’s grievances arising from the recent increase in the pump price of the petrol from N86.50 to N145 per litre.

Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Mr Babachir Lawal, made this known in a statement in Abuja, on Wednesday.

The statement, signed by the Permanent Secretary, General Services Office, SGF, Mr Mohammed Bukar, said the committee would also examine other consequential and ancillary matters arising from the government action.

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Nigerian Tribune

Oyo schools: Labour disrupts stakeholders’ meeting, chase people out of venue Action illegal, misguided —Govt

Review your policy on education, NACOMYO, MUSCOYS tell Oyo govt

By Wale Akinselure and Saheed Salawu HE meeting scheduled to hold between the Oyo State government and stakeholders over the takeover of public schools in the state failed to hold on Wednesday, as the organised labour movement stormed the venue in protest, chasing away all stakeholders, who had assembled, disrupting the venue of the meeting.

The labour movement, inclusive of members of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and its affiliates, Joint Action Front (JAF), Academic Staff Union of Universities, activists, civil societies, stormed the meeting venue, upturned all chairs and podium that had been set up for the event while chanting several songs showing opposition to the state government’s policy.

Muslim and Christian clerics, among other individuals who were seated for the event were compelled to leave their seats and escorted out of the venue by the protesters who remained undeterred, regardless of the presence of law enforcement agents.

Secretary to the State Government, Mr Olalekan Alli, who visited the venue, in company of other government officials, for an onthe-spot assessment of the development, was thereafter booed out of the meeting venue by the protesters.

Chairman, Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Mr Waheed Olojede, in his address, restated the opposition of the labour movement to the government’s policy, noting that allowing other individuals and groups to take over the running of schools amounted to depriving masses of affordable and qualitative education, and allowing religious discrimination in pupils’ enrolment.

On the action of labour movement to disrupt the meeting, Olojede said, “We have to do this because the schools in the state remain the property of all of us.

There was no meeting of stakeholders where decision was reached that we are selling our schools so the government alone has no right to sell our schools without our consent.”

“Our schools are not for sale and government should not make any attempt to sell our schools. And we decided that having understood that they were having a stakeholders meeting between the seller and buyer of the schools, we should come to the venue of the meeting to tell the buyers that schools are not for sale and market remain closed and that they should go back. And, we have

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succeeded in chasing them out of the meeting.

“We were not violent in any way. We are not destructive.

Nothing was destroyed. We only entered and addressed the people we met on ground and we told them that our schools are not for sale and they left. We will continue to go on with this crusade and to sensitise Oyo people that they should not allow the government to sell our schools. It remains our property because that remains the only hope of the common masses, especially those

masses who could not afford sending their wards to feepaying schools that charge exorbitant fees and that is why we say government should leave the poor masses to take advantage of the public schools to be educated.”

Reacting to the development, Secretary to the State Government, Mr Alli, described the action of the protesters to disrupt the meeting as illegal, meaningless, misguided.

“Nobody can hijack what government plans to do.

What we need to do as gov-

ernment, we will do. Some misguided people invaded the venue as the state was set for the discourse. It was a mixed grill of people who just came in to do whatever they like to do. Bringing people to discuss at the government level is something nobody can stop. You don’t disrupt a meeting organised by government. It is illegal to do that. What they have done is illegal, meaningless, it is not expected.”

“We have not come up with any decision to say that we have given out schools on

one basis or the other. There is no decision. All we have done is to provide a platform for people to come together and get people to be more involved in the running of schools,” Alli said.

Alli maintained that the state government was not privatising or selling its educational institutions but intended to allow individuals, alumni and missionaries to take over only 10 per cent of its 631 public secondary schools.

“Government will never abdicate its responsibility of ensuring improved quality of

Oyo State Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Mr Olalekan Alli, being escorted out of the Western Hall, Secreatriat, Ibadan, by security agents, when the Labour movement came in to distrupt the stakeholders’ meeting on the takeover of public schools in the state, on Wednesday. PHOTO: ALOLADE GANIYU

We’re all responsible for Nigeria’s woes —Olu of Ilaro Olayinka Olukoya -Abeokuta

THE Olu of Ilaro and paramount ruler of Yewaland, Oba Kehinde Olugbenle, on Wednesday, said that all Nigerians should be blamed for the present socio-political and economic woes confronting the nation now.

He said this shortly after his investiture as the Grand Patron of the Police Community Relations Committee (PCRC), Ogun State chapter, held at Ilaro.

The traditional ruler said that none of the nation’s past leaders should be solely blamed for the corruption that had eaten deep into all sector of the country.

Oba Olugbenle said that virtually all Nigerians support evil acts by not doing the right thing over the years, stressing that the country had been slowed down by corruption.

He said, “It is not Buhari, Jonathan or any of the past leaders that should be held responsible for the problems we are facing as a country at this present time. We are all culprits. We all support evil.

“Nigeria has been padded for too long with corrup-

tion that is why we are still grappling to develop well till date.”

The monarch called on the PCRC to equally empower the vigilante group in terms of resources and capital development.

He said that for the PCRC to achieve its objectives, it must extend its hands to the

security outfit, saying “these vigilante people know the terrain in which they operate. They know how to fish out criminals among us.”

Oba Olugbenle promised to serve the committee diligently in fighting against crime and promoting peace in his domain.

The state chairperson of the PCRC, Chief (Mrs) Ad-

esola Adebutu, said the role of royal fathers in community policing could not be overlooked.

Adebutu, who is also the deputy national chairman of the committee (South West), added that the committee was committed to build the bridge between the police and the people.

education, maintaining religious diversity; neither shall we negotiate our free education policy among others. We are not returning schools on the basis of religion but on the basis of the set criteria for all interested stakeholders that will be further prequalified. It is intended that less than 10 per cent of the 631 secondary schools in the state may be involved in the participatory venture, rather than the erroneous impression that education in the state is being privatised wholesale,” Alli said.

Consequently, the state government invited the labour movement, Nigerian Union of Teachers, individuals, corporate stakeholders, alumni associations to come up with ideas that will enable the state arrive at a sustainable educational policy and programme.

Meanwhile, the National Council of Muslim Youth Organisations (NACOMYO) and the Muslim Community of Oyo State (MUSCOYS) have appealed to the state government to review its decision to “privatise and commercialise” public secondary schools in the state.

Separate statements signed by the state coordinator of NACOMYO, Alhaji Daud Afolabi and chairman of MUSCOYS, Alhaji Ishaq Kunle Sanni and secretary, Alhaji Mursiq Siyanbade, cast doubt on the possibility of any “commercialisation” of education, as a fundamental human right, to bring about improved standard of education.

Equally, part of MUSCOYS’s statement read: “It is expected that to take a decision on such important matter, an education summit ought to have been organised before such pronouncement. It is like putting the cart before the horse.”

Judiciary staff opt out of Ekiti strike as Fayose begs workers Sam Nwaoko -Ado Ekiti JUDICIARY workers in Ekiti State, under the auspices of Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN), on Wednesday, resumed work despite the on-going strike by the organised labour in the state.

Court workers arrived in the state judiciary complex on Wednesday to resume for duty.

However, not many of them were immediately aware of resumption order by the leadership of JUSUN in the state.

Chairman of the union, Mr Niyi Ogundare, confirmed the resumption in an interview.

Also, the Public Relations Officer of Ekiti JUSUN, Mr Mayowa Adeojo, said the union held a congress on

Tuesday, where the decision to resume was taken.

The duo explained that they pulled out of the strike declared by labour so as to allow for meaningful negotiations with government in resolving all the pending grievances.

An on -the spot assessment of the situation at the state judiciary revealed that virtually all the courts were opened for normal judicial businesses.

In the same circumstance, the gates leading in and out of the premises that had remained shut since the state workers’ strike began, were flung open.

Court clerks, litigants, police prosecution personnel, among others, were seen on

ground at their duty post.

Meanwhile, Ekiti State governor, Mr Ayodele Fayose, has urged workers in the state to call off their strike to allow for dialogue.

The governor stated that in the meantime, the salary for local government workers was ready for payment, while the little resources that have come to the state were ready for sharing, but that could not be done because civil servants who were on strike, have critical roles to play in the disbursement of the funds.

The governor noted that until the workers resume, nothing could be done.

Governor Fayose said this on Wednesday, in Ado-Ekiti, through his Chief Press Secretary, Mr Idowu Adelusi.

Fayose, who expressed sympathy with the striking workers and the inconveniences the current financial situation in the country was causing them, opined that the financial condition of the country might not get better soon.

While saying that the issue of irregular payment of workers was not limited to Ekiti, the governor urged the workers to note that the country was in a recession and that the state depended much on statutory allocations.

The governor said he had foreseen the current situation, which made him to be transparent in the handling of finances of the state and had always put all the cards on the table for labour leaders and others to see.

south-westnews Ex-gov candidate, 4 ex-commissioners, 10 others make Oyo cabinet list 35

By Wale Akinselure

F

ORMER governorship candidate, Dr Azeez Adeduntan and four former commissioners, Mrs Atinuke Osunkoya, Mr Bimbo Kolade, Mr Ajiboye Omodewu and Mr Wasiu Dauda are set to be ap-

Thursday, 2 June, 2016

pointed as Oyo State Commissioners.

The list forwarded by Governor Abiola Ajimobi to the state House of Assembly also included former Special Advisers, Mr Toye Arulogun and Mr Abayomi Oke; former deputy Chief of Staff, Mr Abimbola Adekanmbi; former Local government chairmen, Mr

Fatai Salawu and Professor Niyi Olowofela.

The names of commissioner nominees, which were reeled out by Speaker, Oyo House of Assembly, Honourable Micheal Adeyemo, on Wednesday, also included Mrs Taibat Adaba, Mr Oyewole Oyewunmi, Mr Isaac Adisa, Mr Abdulganiyu Mudasiru and Mr

Oluseun Abimbola.

In addition, the names of members of the Oyo State Independent Electoral Commission (OYSIEC) to oversee the forthcoming local government election were unveiled.

Mr Adewale Ajeigbe is to serve as chairman of the commission and Mr Sunday Aborisade, Mr Adedeji

Raimi and Mr David Adeagbo as members.

Other members of OYSIEC are Mr Bello Lateef, Mrs Omolola Odekunbi, Mr Abdulrasaq Akuru, Mr Rasheed Olajire.

The set-to-be appointed commissioners and electoral commission members were mandated to submit 40 copies of their curriculum vitae to the House of Assembly by Friday.

Screening of the nominees is scheduled to commence next week.

Unite the nation through prayers, Olubadan urges UNC

By Tolu Olamiriki

Pastor (Dr) Johnson Adewuyi Adeniji, the celebrant, flanked by the Oyo State governor, Senator Abiola Ajimobi (third left); Chief Emiola Adesina (left); Dr Omololu Olunloyo; Chief Kola Daisi and Ambassador Olusola Saanu, to cut the 90th birthday cake of th President of Ibadan Progressives Union (IPU), held at the Union House, Ring Road, Ibadan, on Tuesday. PHOTO: ALOLADE GANIYU.

Commercial motorcycling viable means of transportation —Amosun Olayinka Olukoya - Abeokuta THE Ogun State governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, has identified commercial motorcycling as a major industry in the nation’s transportation system.

He also said that commercial motorcyclists have contributed to internally generated revenue of the state.

The governor, however, advocated the restructuring of commercial motorcycling business towards solving insecurity challenges in the country.

He stated this on Tuesday, at the opening of a 2-day seminar organised by the Amalgamated Commercial Motorcycle Owners and Riders Association (ACOMORAN) with the theme: “Building Capacity in the Transportation Sector: Panacea for Economic Downturn. A case study of commercial motorcycling,” held in Abeokuta, the state capital.

The governor said that commercial motorcycling business serves as a means of employment generation for the teeming unemployed youths.

The governor, represented

by the Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Honourable Suraj Adekunbi, called on government and other stakeholders on the need to adequately regulate the sector, to forestall being hijacked by criminal elements.

He assured that his admin-

istration would continue to create enabling environment for the transportation sector to thrive.

In his welcome address, the state chairman of ACOMORAN, Alhaji Samsudeen Apelogun, appealed to the state government against any move to ban commer-

cial motorcyclists popularly known as ‘okada.’

He explained that over seven million Nigerians were already employed in commercial motorcycling transportation sub-sector, saying any attempt to ban their activities would bring economic woes to the country.

Unpaid salaries: Ondo workers begin strike Hakeem Gbadamosi -Akure

FOLLOWING the directive from the leadership of Workers’ unions in Ondo State, workers in the state on Wednesday, observed the stay at home order while offices, hospitals, public schools and all offices were under lock and keys.

Speaking on the development, the Chairman of the Joint Negotiating Council in the state, Comrade Sunday Adeleye, explained that the strike became imperative in order to save the state workers from untimely death and crime.

He disclosed that no fewer than three of its members have lost their lives to hunger in the last few weeks while a teacher was

caught stealing garri in Okitipupa because of the inability of the state government to pay salaries of the workers.

Also speaking, the state chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Bosede Daramola, said the strike would not be suspended until the state government met the workers’ demands, saying that it would be morally wrong for the government to watch its workers die of hunger and ill-health caused by nonpayment of salaries.

However, some workers of the state at the Board of Internal Revenue and the local government service commission, who defied the stay at home order of the workers union were

harassed and flogged out of the offices.

Nigerian Tribune however, noticed that there was total compliance with the stay at home directive as nurses and other health workers also withdrew their services from hospitals across the state while families of patients have been advised to relocate their sick people.

Meanwhile, the Ondo State government has urged workers in the state to join in the growing agitation for the restructuring of the country’s system of governance to pave way for the autonomy of its federating units and enable states carry out its responsibilities without recourse to the Federal Government.

THE Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Saliu Adetunji, on Tuesday, tasked religious organisations in the country to continue to serve as pillar of support for the unification and corporate existence of the nation through fervent prayer.

The traditional ruler said this through the Otun Balogun of Olubadan of Ibadan, High Chief (Dr) Olufemi Olaifa, when the Oyo State Commandant, United Nigeria Chaplaincy (UNC), Mr Wole Ajiboye, led a delegation of the religious organisation to the traditional ruler at his palace, Popoyemoja, Ibadan, on his ascendancy of the throne, recently.

While commending UNC delegation for the visit, as well as recognising the significance of rain during his coronation, the traditional ruler assured the delegation of his massive support bearing in mind the multicultural and religious nature of the group.

The traditional ruler promised to mobilise in getting more members for the UNC, adding that for the organisation to have only 200 members across the 33 local government areas of the the state, which is regarded as a pacesetter state, was not encouraging.

While noting with passion, the financial level of the religious organisation, he said that all necessary machinery would be put in place at assisting it so that it would have positive effect on the economy of the state.

Earlier, the state commandant had appealed to the traditional ruler in advising the people in his domain to join the UNC, appealed for financial assistance as well as presented gift to him.

Nigerian Tribune

Ogun set to promote over 5,000 teachers THE Ogun State Universal Education Board (SUBEB), has conducted promotion examination for 5,355 eligible primary school teachers in the state.

Speaking at the Moshood Abiola Polytechnic, Ojere, Abeokuta, one of the three centres for the exercise, chairman of the board, Alhaji Olatunde Okewole, said that SUBEB was irrevocably committed to teachers’ welfare, which included their regular promotion.

He expressed satisfaction with the co-ordination of the exercise and appreciated the teachers for conducting themselves in an orderly manner in the course of the examination.

While urging teachers to be diligent, the SUBEB boss advised them to avail themselves of the opportunity to learn, so as to sharpen their teaching skills to become more competent.

Okewole added that the Senator Ibikunle Amosun led administration, which has been allocating the highest percentage of its yearly budget to education, would not relent in its determination to restore the lost glory of the sector.

He restated government’s determination to ensure that the promotion exercise would be conducted regularly so as to guarantee timely promotion of teachers.

PDP guber aspirant seeks royal, town’s people support in Ondo A former commissioner for sports and youth development in Ondo State and a governorship aspirant on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Yekini Olanipekun, has solicited the support of the traditional institution and the people of Ondo town over his ambition.

The PDP chieftain, who met with the Osemawe of Ondo kingdom, Oba Victor Kiladejo and party leaders in the town, said the state needed the consolidation of the achievements of the present administration.

According to him, he was aspiring to become the governor to further better the lot of the people of the state, saying the state needed a committed leader that understands the yearnings of the people.

He said he was embarking on the consultation and sensitisation to inform the people of Ondo kingdom about his ambition, preparatory to the nomination of candidates for the forthcoming governorship poll.

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Assets declaration: Prosecution’s application for adjournment stalls Saraki’s trial at CCT Sunday Ejike - Abuja

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RIAL of the Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki, over allegation of false assets declaration could not continue on Wednesday at the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) because of an application filed by the counsel representing the Federal Government, Rotimi Jacobs, seeking for an adjournment of the case.

In a letter, reportedly writ-

ten to the tribunal, the prosecuting counsel, Rotimi Jacobs, asked the tribunal for an adjournment to enable the principal prosecution witness, Michael Wetkas, be available to continue with the cross-examination.

The prosecution witness, who is still being crossexamined by the defence counsel, testified yesterday at a Federal High Court in Abuja, at the trial of a former governor of Jigawa State, Sule Lamido.

In his letter, Jacobs requested the tribunal to fix the case for June, 7, 8 and 9, 2016, but the chairman of the two-member panel of the CCT, led by Danladi Yakubu Umar, has not agreed to the new dates suggested by the prosecution counsel.

It will be recalled that the prosecution counsel had, in the past opposed to applications for adjournment

by Saraki’s counsel, led by a former Attorney General of

the Federation and Minister of Justice, Chief Kanu Agabi.

The Senate President is standing trial before the CCT on a 16-count charge bordering on alleged infraction of the Code of Conduct for Public Officers.

Meanwhile, the Head, Department of Commercial Law, Nigerian Institute of Advanced Legal Studies (NIALS), Professor Paul Idornigie, on Wednesday, faulted the decision of the Supreme Court that two

President Muhammadu Buhari exchanging pleasantries with the National Organising Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Osita Izunaso, during a visit of the members of South-East Change Group to the Presidential Villa, Abuja, on Tuesday.

Workers’ salaries too much for us —Niger gov Leon Usigbe - Abuja NIGER State workers have been urged to brace up for more sacrifice as government may not be able to meet up with its heavy salary obligation.

The state governor, Abubakar Sani Bello, hinted at an interaction with State House Correspondents after a meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari in Abuja on Wednesday, that though government would not reduce salaries, it would not continue to borrow to pay workers.

He said the state was already indebted to the tune of N3 billion which he said would hit N10billion by December.

Asked if his government would reduce workers’ salary, he said the government would not, noting that government had been borrowing to augment what had been coming from the FAAC since January.

“As at this month, we are owing almost N3billion.

If this trend continues, by December we will be owing N10billion.

“So, I think we should go

back to the drawing board, as we can’t give what we don’t have.

“I really think it’s unhealthy to keep on borrowing just to pay salaries.

Apart from that, we are not just there to pay salaries.

There are a lot of issues.”

The governor noted that without sacrifice, it would

be impossible to meet other needs.

According to him, he had reduced Government House’s weekly expenditure from about N150 million to about N25 million.

“Niger State has a population of over four million with civil service strength of about 40,000. We get N1.5

billion from federation account and even with that, we still have to borrow to pay 40,000 people against over three million people that we need to cater for?.

“It’s nobody’s fault that the price of oil has gone down. It’s nobody’s fault that the revenue has gone down.”

We need positive action to save Niger Delta —NDDC acting MD Dapo Falade - Port Harcourt ACTING Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Mrs Ibim Semenitari, has called for positive action to save the Niger Delta environment for future generations.

She made the call, on Wednesday, while speaking at the inauguration of the World Environment Week, organised by NDDC as part of activities to mark the 2016 World Environment Day, which will climax on Sunday.

Semenitari, in a statement issued by the Head, NDDC Corporate Affairs, Mr Chijioke Amu-Nnadi, on Thursday, said that

this year’s celebration was significant for the people of the region as it marked the beginning of the fulfilment of the Federal Government’s promise to clean up the region, starting with the strategic Ogoni cleanup exercise, which took off today.

“We all owe future generations a responsibility to preserve the biodiversity of the Niger Delta. We all need to take part in environmental action and become agents of change for positive impacts on the planet. Today’s tree-planting exercise typifies such action.

“This year’s theme is on the illegal trade in wildlife, which is eroding

earth’s precious biodiversity, robbing us of our natural heritage and driving species to the brink of extinction.

“NDDC is statutorily mandated to tackle ecological and environmental problems in the Niger Delta region. Evidently, the killing and smuggling of wildlife constitute ecological and environmental problems,” she said.

The NDDC acting chief executive officer also said that tackling the scourge of illegal trade in wildlife required concerted action, noting that the illicit business was doing a lot of damage to the environment, livelihoods, communities and security.

members of the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) can hear the case of alleged false declaration of assets filed against Senate President, Bukola Saraki.

Idornigie, who spoke yesterday in Abuja during a round-table on: “Reporting court proceedings by the media: Uses, abuse and justice and development in the FCT Judiciary”, organised by the Law Media and Social Justice Development Initiative (LMSJD), noted that the constitution provides that the tribunal shall be constituted by three members but did not provide for quorum.

The SAN wondered what would be the decision of the tribunal in a situation where a member finds an accused guilty and the second did not and further added that it was wrong for a director in the Ministry of Justice to have instituted the charges against the Senate President when there was a sitting Solicitor General in the ministry.

Nasarawa assembly passed 6 bills, 23 resolutions in one year —Speaker Godwin Agwam - Lagos THE Speaker of the Nasarawa State House of Assembly, Alhaji Ibrahim Balarabe, has said that a total of six bills and 23 resolutions have been passed into law since the fifth assembly assumed duty on June 9, 2015.

The speaker disclosed this on Wednesday at the occasion of the end of the first session of the fifth Assembly, in Lafia.

According to Balarabe, the infrastructural development witnessed in the state was a result of the robust and progressive legislative programmes and bills passed by the assembly.

“The six bills passed into law by the assembly included the 2015 supplementary appropriation bill, 2016 appropriation bill, a bill for a law to create Ogye chiefdom, a bill for a law to create Erroh chiefdom and a bill for a law to create Eholo chiefdom,” he said.

The speaker added that “the House also passed a law to amend the local government law 2009 as amended in 2011 and a total of 23 resolutions during the period under review.”

Balarabe also said the Assembly had taken steps to ensure a resolution of the misunderstanding in the House which led to the suspension of six lawmakers.

Nigerian Tribune

CAC crisis: Court adjourns till Oct 4 FURTHER hearing in the lingering crisis at the Christ Apostolic Church (CAC) worldwide has again been adjourned till October 4 this year at a Federal High Court in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.

The trial judge, Justice Nathaniel Ayo Emmanuel, on Tuesday, announced further hearing after pleas of the accused persons were taken.

In the amended charge number FHC/IB/9C/2011, the defendants who pleaded innocent are the former Secretary, Pastor Gideon Okegweheh and AbdulHakeem Muhammed.

The first amended charge reads: “That you Pastor Gideon Okegweheh ‘male’, Mr Abdul-Hakeem Muhammed ‘male’ and others apply on or about 7th day of December, 1995, at Abuja within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, conspired with each other to fraudulently procure a certificate of registration of CAC Nigeria, No 147 of 1995 from Corporate Affairs Commission, Abuja when you know that the original and valid certificate of registration bearing the same number 147 of 1985 of the same CAC was in possession of Late N. E Udofia and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 518 (7) of Criminal Code Act cap 77 Laws of the Federation 2004 and punishable under the same section of the Act.” Counts 2 and 3 bordered on the same offence.

Similarly, the remaining counts were also on the same offences.

When the charges were read to the defendants, the duo pleaded not guilty.

Earlier, a stay of proceedings filed on behalf of the defendants by their counsel, Michael Folorunso Lana, was struck out.

Witnesses to testify for the prosecution on October 4 included the former president of the church, Pastor Elijah Howard Oluseye and Pastor Moses Ayantoye and the investigating police officer.

It will be recalled that the church has been enmeshed in crises in the last 24 years with the church breaking into two factions of general executive council and supreme council.

news Uproar in House as 2 PDP members defect to APC 37

Jacob Segun Olatunji and Kolawole Daniel-Abuja

T

HE crisis rocking the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), took a new turn on Wednesday, as two members of the party in the House of Representatives, formally defected to the ruling party, the All Progressives Congress (APC).

The Nigerian Tribune learnt that when the Speaker, Honourable Yakubu Dogara, announced the news on the floor of the House, on Wednesday, it was greeted with an uproar from members of both the PDP and the APC, Honourables Tony Nwoye and Emmanuel Udende from Anambra and Benue states, respectively.

The duo in their formal notification letters as read by the Speaker, cited the unending crisis rocking the party as their reasons for dumping it for the APC, just

N18 billion fraud: PDP seeks prosecution of Edo officials Banji Aluko- Benin City

THE Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Edo State has vowed to ensure that officials of the state government, who were involved in what it described as mindless looting of the state resources, through unbudgeted expenditures for the newly established Edo University, Iyamho (EUI), are removed from office and prosecuted.

State publicity secretary of the PDP, Chris Nehikhare, who addressed journalists at a media briefing in Benin, said some high ranking officials aided the state governor, Adams Oshiomhole, in breaking the Public Procurement Law passed by the Edo State House of Assembly in February, 2012.

He noted that Governor Oshiomhole had repeatedly vowed that anyone, who violated the Public Procurement Law, would go to jail, stating that now that Oshiomhole had violated the law, the proper thing should be done.

However, in a reaction, the state Commissioner for Information, Prince Kassim Afegbua, said, “it should be noted that the State Executive Council only approves contracts when they have met all the requirements of bidding in line with the Procurement Act. We do not behave like PDP whose chieftains defrauded the state and the nation with reckless abandon without respect for due process.”

Thursday, 2 June, 2016

as they said they could no longer effectively serve their constituencies The lawmakers said since the PDP had allegedly broken into three factions headed by Senator Ali Modu Sheriff, Senator Ahmed Makarfi and Chief Jerry Gana, respectively, they did not wish to belong to any of the factions.

However, the minority leader, Honourable Leo

Ogor in a point of order countered the position of the members.

According to him, no recognised institution such as the court had ruled that the party had broken into factions.

Ogor described the resignation letters as unconstitutional, citing section 68 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) which “states that any member who must

resign on the platform where he/she was elected must declare his/her seat vacant.”

The Speaker later announced the defection, as he objected to moves to open the matter for debate.

With the latest development, APC now has 215 members, PDP 138, All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) 3, Social Democratic Party (SDP) 1

and Accord Party, 1.

Reacting, the PDP, in a statement by the secretary of its BoT, Chief Ojo Maduekwe, in Abuja, said it was wrong to assume that the PDP was factionalised, while he warned that the party would press for the representatives’ seat to be declared vacant, in accordance with the Supreme Court’s position on such defections.

Honourable Abike Dabiri-Erewa, Senior Special Adviser to the President on Foreign Affairs and Diaspora (left), being welcomed to Nigeria House in the United Kingdom (UK), by the Defence Attache, Brigadier-General Oyefeso, recently. With them is the acting Nigeria High Commissioner to the UK, Ambassador Simon Ogar.

Boko Haram responsible for tomato scarcity —Lai Mohammed

MINISTER of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, has attributed the ongoing tomato scarcity in the country to Boko Haram.

Price of the staple has gone up in the last two months as a result of acute scarcity, which the Federal Govern-

ment blamed on tuta absoluta, a pest also known as ‘tomato ebola’.

Minister of Agriculture, Audu Ogbeh, had said the government was making efforts to contain the outbreak which had ravaged six states.

But speaking in an inter-

view on Channels Television, Mohammed said insecurity in the North-East had forced many farmers out of the zone.

“People talk about the price of tomato but they forget one thing; they forget that the price of tomato

Court sets aside appointment of AMCON manager for Avian Ltd Yejide Gbenga-Ogundare

Justice Ibrahim Buba of a Federal High Court, Lagos Judicial division, has given an order setting aside the appointment of Chief J. Akingbola Akinola, as the Receiver Manager of Avian Specialties Nigeria Limited, on the ground that the said appointment is in disregard and defiance of the ex-Parte order of the court made earlier on January 29, 2016.

The court further gave an order instructing Chief Akinola, described as the Receiver Manager appointed by the Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON), to vacate the premises of Avian Specialties Limited and its farm that he took possession of on March 23, 2016 in disregard of the Interim Order of Injunction made by the court restraining AMCON from appointing itself or any other person as receiver manager of the company.

The court further held and ordered that Avian Specialties could reverse all steps taken by Chief Akinola as Receiver Manager appointed by AMCON in relation to the management and affairs of the company.

The steps covered by the court reversal order includes freezing of the accounts of Avian Specialties, the opening of new bank account in the name of the company and taking over the operations and management of Avian Specialties Nigeria Limited.

The court in its ruling held that, “pursuant to the disciplinary jurisdiction of the court, an order of the honourable court setting aside the appointment of Chief J. Akingbola Akinola as Receiver Manager of Avian Specialties Nigeria Limited which appointment was registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission on February 15, 2016 in disregard or defiance

of the ex-parte order of the court on January 29, 2016, restraining the Assets Management Corporation of Nigeria from appointing itself or any other person as Receiver Manager over the affairs of the company.”

Avian Specialties Nigeria Limited and Mr James Olugbenga Oluwole, had filed an application against Keystone Bank Plc, AMCON and Chief J. Akingbola Akinola, before the court asking for an order setting aside Chief Akinola’s appointment among many such other others.

A Federal High court sitting in Abuja had, in a similar application filed by AMCON and Chief Akinola, on May 23, 2016, discharged the Ex parte Orders that it earlier granted in favour of AMCON and Chief Akinola, after hearing arguments from counsel to Avian, stating that the Exparte order was obtained through willful concealment.

today is a direct result of the fact that we have lost two years harvest to Boko Haram insurgency,” he said.

“Most of the people you see riding Okada (motorcycles) in Lagos are people who would have been in the farm to produce consumable items.”

When asked if he was convinced that the tomato scarcity could be attributed to insurgency, he said: “Absolutely! Do you farm where there is war? We have lost two seasons of harvest, in addition we have had very poor rain last year and this year. These are the combined factors responsible for the scarcity of tomato.

Go and ask economists and agriculturists, they will tell you.”

Mohammed also said the prevalence of clashes between farmers and herdsmen was as a result of climate change, saying government refused to heed past warnings on the situation.

“When you look at the herdsmen and farmers clashes, I think it is neglect of many years. More than 15, 20 years ago, we were warned all over the world that as a result of climate change, there could be conflicts and we should take steps to avert such clashes, but we did not listen,” he said.

Ganduje kicks off free eye treatment for 5,500 people Kola Oyelere-Kano

KANO State governor, Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, has kick-started the special eye treatment for 5,500 people, conducted by the Ganduje Foundation, in collaboration with the International Islamic Relief Organisation, IIRO, at the Murtala Muhammed Specialist Hospital in Kano city.

Speaking on the occasion, on Wednesday, governor Ganduje explained that the exercise being free, was aimed at bringing specialised ophthalmic services on the doorsteps of the ordinary man, especially rural dwellers.

“Under this arrangement, 500 eye surgeries will be conducted while 5,000 eye cases would be treated free of charge. Several eye ailments will be treated and will cover male and female, the young and the old, as we are seeing now,” the governor stated.

According to him, the expatriate eye specialists from the IIRO, would work with their Nigerian counterparts engaged by the Ganduje Foundation, assuring that patients would be treated using sophisticated equipment and qualitative medicaments.

Be of good behaviour, Ibarapa East LG boss’ wife charges children WIFE of the chairman, caretaker committee of Ibarapa East Local Government Area of Oyo State, Mrs Adenike Adeloore, has charged parents to give children their rights, which include rights to education, health and social security, as enshrined in the United Nations Charter.

Adeloore gave the charge during the Children Day party organised for children, at the council legislative hall, Eruwa.

Mrs Adeloore on the occasion, reiterated her continued support for the welfare of children in the local government area.

She charged children to be good ambassadors of their various homes and communities, in order to have promising future.

Adeloore, in a release by the council Director of Education and Social Services, Alhaji Adetomiwa Akanmu, advised them not to be social miscreants.

38

Thursday, 2 June, 2016 Editor: Ganiyu Salman tribunesporteditor@yahoo.com 08053789060

Regular exercise promotes physical, mental fitness –Oyo CP

By Oluwatoyin Malik THE Oyo State Commissioner of Police, Leye Oyebade, has described regular exercise as a prerequisite for physical fitness, mental alertness and psychological balance in officers and men of the Nigeria Police Force in the course of their duty of ensuring security of lives and property.

Oyebade stated this on Wednesday while addressing police officers at the sports ground of the police headquarters at Eleiyele, Ibadan, after a road walk organised for personnel from selected departments of the command, including Special Anti-Robbery Squad, Skynet, Anti-Kidnapping Squad, Mobile Police Force and other units of

The Oyo State Commissioner of Police, Adeleye Oyebade (middle, front row) with officers and policemen of the state command during a road walk on Wednesday.

PHOTO: OLUWATOYIN MALIK.

operation.

The road walk kicked off at 7:15a.m. and took the personnel through Eleiyele Road, Jericho, Dugbe, Alesinloye, Idi-Ishin and back to the headquarters at 9:10a.m.

Oyebade who also participated in the event stated that with the nature of police job, those on investigation, patrol, peacekeeping, administration and prosecution, need to exercise regularly, as it would keep them ready for work at all times.

“Exercise will help you in the course of arrest because you can encounter criminals who would scale high fence to escape arrest or run fast. But with policemen who are physically fit, such a challenge will not be difficult to surmount,” he noted, adding that exercise also promotes discipline.

Ogunbote returns to 3SC Beats Dike, Baraje, Emordi to job Friday Christoper resigns

By Niyi Alebiosu and Olawale Olaniyan

A

LL things being equal, coach Gbenga Ogunbote, who last coached FC Giwa in the ongoing season will assume duty today as the technical adviser of Shooting Stars Sports Club (3SC), barely seven months afer he left the Oluyole Warriors.

This follows the resignation of 3SC’s interim handler, Friday Christopher, who threw in the towel after Tuesday’s training.

Christoper, was assistant to coach Kadiri Ikhana, who resigned after 3SC lost its second home game 1-2 to Warri Wolves.

Christopher, a former captain of 3SC, led the team to the last two games of the first round of the Nigeria Premier League where he won 2-0 at home against Abia Warriors and also lost by the same margin in Uyo to Akwa United.

A source informed Tribunesport that the return of Ogunbote, was endorsed after a meeting by the 3SC management on Wednesday.

Three other tacticians

were also said to be considered for the job having shown interests, former Plateau United coach, Zachary Baraje; former Nasarawa United coach, Alphosus Dike and former Enyimba and Rangers coach, Okey Emordi before the choice of Ogunbote was ratified.

Tribunesport gathered that each of the applicants demanded an official car and accommodation as part of the conditions to work, while the management must also guarantee prompt payment of the players winning bonus and salaries.

“Our new coach will be in

Ogunbote

tomorrow’s training (today) with the players and we have concluded negotiations. We have to forge ahead,” the source told Tribunesport.

Ogunbote, it will be recalled, led the Oluyole Warriors out of the relegation zone last season when he joined the team after week nine from Sharks of Port Harcourt.

Meanwhile, the former Gateway United coach said

he quit Giwa FC as a result of the unending crisis which has engulfed the Jos-based side this season.

FC Giwa, it will be recalled, has been expelled from the Nigeria Premier League by the League Management Company (LMC) owing to its failure to honour three games this season.

“I have resigned. My greatest undoing at Giwa was the

crisis between the NFF and Ambassador Chris Giwa. It was a total distraction to the team’s aspiration to pick a continental ticket as I promised.

“Otherwise, I enjoyed a good working relationship with Giwa in terms of renumeration and non-interference when it comes to team selection,” the former Sunshine Stars handler told AfricanFootball.com. .

Chukwu slams Eagles’ friendly against Luxembourg CHRISTIAN Chukwu, a former Super Eagles chief coach, on Wednesday in Abuja, faulted the choice of Luxembourg by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) as the Eagles opponents, even as Nigeria won the friendly 3-1 on Tuesday night.

Chukwu told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that since the Eagles were preparing for a qualification campaign in Africa, the team only needed to face African opponents to keep fit.

“I prefer that we should be playing against Africans opponent, because we are qualifying in Africa and we are not qualifying in Europe,” he said.

The former Nigeria captain however, acknowledged that it

was a situation that could not have been helped.

“But, getting these matches are not easy because they are difficult to get,” he said.

Chukwu nonetheless acknowledged that the two friendly matches the Super Eagles played were okay.

“The matches, I understand, were to keep the players in shape. The team coordinated itself well, both the old and the new players, and they did Nigeria proud with the 3-1 win over Luxembourg,” the former Rangers defender said.

The former Kenya coach however, stated that the Super Eagles really utilised their chances and the team was well coordinated with the

new players brought into the team.

“The essence of this is to keep the boys fit and to keep the team together, win or lose. But we have seen how they played and they coordinated themselves and won 3-1.

“And they made use of their chances and brought the new players to join the old ones and that boosted the team’s performances.

“I knew we will not lose, but if it happens we will definitely come back to see where we have made mistakes and look at where the players have not performed well or the new players have not lived up to expectations for us to reorganise,” he said.

Osogbo Tennis Club hosts inter-state tourney OSOGBO Tennis Club has concluded arrangements to host a two-day inter-state competition that will comprise Kwara, Ondo, Lagos, Oyo and Osun states.

In a statement by the club’s Secretary, Mr Kayode Oladeji, the tourney scheduled to hold at the Osogbo Tennis Club premises, will commence on Friday and end on Saturday, June 4.

Clubs expected to participate in the maiden edition include Ilorin Club [Tennis Section], Kwara Hotel Tennis Club, Senior Civil Service Tennis Club, Akure, Ibadan Tennis Club, Sky Tennis Club Ikeja, Federal Civil Service Club, Ikoyi and the hosts, Osogbo Tennis Club.

According to the release, the competition will be rounded off with a Presidential Night where some individuals such as the Senate Chief Whip, Senator Sola Adeyeye, Former Minister of Youth Development, Senator Akinlabi Olasunkanmi, Mr Akindele Fajemiyo, a construction giant, Mr Kola Sodipo, Bayelsa State Commissioner of Police, Arch. Muyiwa Ige, and Comrade Bayo Adejumo, Chairman Osun State Joint Negotiating Council, will be conferred with the honorary membership of the club.

39

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The Pools Company was lauded for its first class services to stakers, agents, collectors and other critical stakeholder coupled with promoters winning and big dividend declared on its Treble chance to end the season.

According to ‘NAZAR MASTER’ we are encouraged by the commendation we have been receiving from stakeholder on the Pools industry. We have no choice than to maintain the standard and we shall never lower the benchark.

He promised higher dividend in Aussie 2016 and prompt payment on fixed odds.

FORTUNE DONOR DONATES 44/45. (08099111828) The selfless and hardworking Fortune Donor International welcomes all fans to this year’s Aussie season which starts with very few Aussie teams on the coupon. Notwithstanding, Nos 44/45 will oblige us a very good draw this week. This is a super welcome pair.

Add them to our 1BK and start smiling in the first Aussie week. Our 1Bk sells for N1, 500. 00, 2 Bks cost N5, 000. 00 and 3 Aussie Draws sell for N20, 000. 00 in Aussie.

We are specialist watch out; you will laugh to the banks several times. Goodluck.

OBINYAN ON WINNING TRACK TO 2016 AUSSIE SEASON. The don of 12x and chairman managing director of King and George group of forecast papers PRINCE EHI WILLY OBINYAN fulfilled his promised on the late news in all his papers and the pools Telegraph – gift of prosperity that got 27x 32x 43xxx. And the consistences shoot pointer late pair on 32x 40.

He sincerely advised all stakers to have good records of the frontline papers and study well the draw movements for instance numbers 27 and 32 were exposed in all the late news stakers should expect more of this in this Aussie 2016.

The winning rule is BUY, STUDY and WIN said the DON himself. The papers are pools Telegraph, Zeter Pools Guild, Shoot Point, Murph Sports, The New Dream and Final Result.

OLA CITY BOAST OF 3 DRAWS. This week 47, week 48 & week 49 Got 3 Draws in week 46 on/No 1x 19x 27x Week 47 pairs 20xx 42xx 08140575314/ 08085005634 The compiler of Ola – city International Aussie Draws Wizard who got him 3 Draws correct on No’s 1x 19x 27x assumes staking public of his 3 Aussie Draws wizard for week 47, week 48, week 49 cost N10,000 each week which will surely get all connect.

Pay your N10, 000 cash to first bank plc. Account number 3033318854, account name: OLAFENWA R. OLA – CITY and collect the draws or phone after confirmation of your project. Good luck.

JOSEPH INITIATIVE WIN – 08167278061 (41 XX MUST XX 42) LETS WIN IN 2016 AUSSIE = 38XX39.

KEY. – MELBOURNE K ON MELBOURNE . V. Reference to week 2 ‘2014. Watch Melbourne. K. At away on Heidelberg U. based

by S.Melbourne.

Congratulations others directed calculations and tabulations confirmed our week 47 2016 sure WIN. Week 2 (2014) - 15X 22X 27XXX 42/41XX = 4/4 = 7drs Week 47(2016) - X X X 38/39 = 9drs Our newest initiative winning advice is to your benefit welcome & win N50,000.

INNOCENT NAP (08095602590) 11 NAP 15 = 2 NAP 27 AUSSIE SYSTEM BOOKLET= #30,000 WINNER MEMBERSHIP GROUP A.#50,000 4 special draws #6,000 Wk 45 NO 10X 11X 12X 13X 4 special draws #6,000 Wk 46 NO 1X 27X 32X 33X WITH 13X 15F 4 special draws #6,000 Wk 47 NO NAP NAP NAP NAP WITH NAP NAP Two Bankers #3,000 Wk 45 NO 10X 13X PAIR 11X 15F WK 46 NO NAP NAP Stakers try to get Innocent 4 special draw this Wk 46 cost N6,000 Two Bankers cost #4000. Send MTN Card 08095602590 the game will be sent to you by text message .

MADAM DE MADAM = 08023329191. (30x 31x) WOMEN’S WORLD – ON END OF THE SEASON FREE – FREE = FREE = WIN. 01 X 13X 39X 32XXX 40F Records are kept by the wise. Madams newly foreign Expert/ Compilers/ bookmaker on draws management made our recent success possible. I heard some stakers vowed not to play in Aussie season with the insinuation that its always the promoters season No Sir, Our weeks 47,48, 49 Naps is the correct answer to their thoughts. Call Mr. Joshua our long serving media manager for your winning details – 21 FREE 22. N50,000.

HOPE NAPS & CO 08107128449 WELCOME TO 2016 AUSTRALIA SEASON WK. 47 HAPPY WINNING. (BANKER! 41XXX) (BANKER!! 41XXX) (BANKER!!! 41XXX) The number place for you here is a fixed draw xxx. Play it anywhere with others.

Cost just N20, 000 cash wk 48 cost just N25,000 cash. Call hope naps and pay to first bank plc account no 3088328923 in person of Mr Gbadebo Stephen A. While the week releases will be sent to you on phone for more check last year first wk and 2013/2014 season first wk. Banker! 41xxx banker!! 41xx banker!!! 41xx please make sure your payment confirm to make the release. Thanks God bless.

MBA EXPERT – 08104694618 PAIR 7XX 45.

The much awaited 2016 Australia soccer season is here but yet to start in earnest.

This week 47 settings still contain other fixtures of 5 segments (Nos 01 – 33) What will always be. The pair of Belgium vs Norway and Edgeworth vs Adamstown. R. (7x 45) are computed from week/dates formula as fixed numbers while 3 anthomatic Nap draws are fixed to zoom you to Aussie proper. Call/Text for details.

ARMSTRONG AUSSIE – 08154836338 (READ) 13X 33X 35XXX ALT. FREE NO 1XX – (02XX 06) Our preparatory Nap nailed many promoters, pools is now on Authentic winning instruction on calculation and tabulation.

Week 46 – win 1st Aphabets Home teams Nos. 1, 2 and 3. Real Mardrid, Germany and Italy. = R + G + I= 18 + 7 + 9= 34 to fail fixed up and down games as 2 bankers and away team No 34= M= 13XXX NAP. Week 47= On fixed directed matches with alt. 2 and 6.

To God be the glory we planned for the season and the result adjudged.

N50,000. FULLPAY. WEEK 46 XRAY 9 pre – Aussie draws. Whao! Many called it promoters week but to our pools page friends smile to their banks with free win from Madam De Madam and Ike & Brothers successful outings, Road is open newly introduced compiler top our one banker winning series, Joseph – Initiative, Sunderland, Jacobson, 022 code, Armstrong and Mrs. Henry fulfilled their one banker series, narrow missed at Easy life, Dr Sanj and Magic kingdom. Our pools compilers welcome all our esteem friends/clients to a prosperous Aussie season 2016.

The compilers of Babson Nap Mr Babatola (J.A) urges our readers to use the above pairs for wk 47 and call me on my G.S.M number 0705348254 for wk 47 release.

EDITOR’S PLACE: 46- 47

Thursday, 2 - 8 June, 2016

place your advert here

WEEK 47 STATUS EKO – 16 & 17 LKO – 18 – 28 SUNDAY – 02,38,39,41 - 43

MODUPE – (08033566694) 15X 30X 49XXX — 2 DRS Call for winning details. Goodluck.

AMUKO ASSOCIATES –07014686970 OPERATES ONLY IN CUPS & AUSSIE. Welcome to 2016 Aussie season, your evergreen Experts will be on ground when the Aussie fixture is fully featured on coupon. Free 02xx27 till weeks 48&49 NAPS. N50,000 and N100,000 each week.

PETER NAP (08076546261) 1 PAIR 2 Congratulation in advance to any wise staker that will get my release this week, as all is set for them to win heavily this week and next week, mean while as the full aussie start next week, my release cost just n25, 000. 00 pay to saving acct no. 3023114822 first bank in person of mr onaolapo peter a. meanwhile bank on 1 pair 2 in for one.

IBUKUN OLU 07026839837 3X 15X 22XXX

Welcome to AUSSIE SEASON Next week cost N50, 000 Cash just NAP above 3 Fixed draws with pair 39X 44.Good luck.

MAGIC KINGDOM –

08056753098/07085060512.

23X 26X 38XXX PAIR 28 and 46.

This is our long awaiting games for good win in the first week of Australia 2016.

Extract from our KEY booklet = ROCKDALE at home No 36 controlled the above winning games.

Weeks 48 and 50 are another scheduled weeks N25,000 each week. Payable to Balogun Adesina Kamoru, F.C.M Bank no – 0279550010, Wema Bank no – 0206965116 or G.T Bank no – 01155055082. Call for details. Congrats our Aussie 2016 key is now available at the cost of N100,000.

EASY LIFE – 07010072047

Easy way to success FOR WEEK 47 GOOD EOR DRAWS 2 and 12) OR 18 and 37) OR (16 and 46)XXX FOR week 48, 49 and 50 cost N 35,000 each week call for more information welcome you all back to Aussie 2016 season and best of luck 07010072047 .

MAGIC EXPERT CONGRATULATE WK 46. LUCKY WINNERS: 08160742266 WK 47 Aussie Napxxx = 3/3 pair 10x 40x Get magic unbeatable weekly Nap at N20,000 per week or Register @ N200,000 to qualify you for free weekly games plus a system book (Aussie key) which price attract N40,000. Please kindly call: 08160742266 for more information stay connect & win continuously.

022 CODE 08059580326 (29xx33) WK 46 = 19XX 32XX 33XX (39XX pair 40) It is when you stake coupon, you will win on pool staking. If you don’t stake coupon, you can never expect any winning.

This week 47 is jackpot week for all my fans who can buy my 3 nap draws and I hot pair cost N15,000 cash. No need of telling you too much story, all I know is that the game will play 3 over 3 correct and the pair will produce a draw on Saturday. For more details call me on my G S M number above for my bank account details for payment you will laugh to your bank on Monday.

IKE & BROTHERS RODE ON PROMOTERS TO AUSSIE 2016 08168157259 - FREE = 01X 32X 39XXX - PUBLISHED Confirmed the above winning numbers from our last week publication on free permutation.

Congratulation to all our callers that benefitted from our 2015/2016 season dawn free win of 9 draws on board.

As promised – the group of compilers that made IKE & Bros are promoters regret Don’t compromise your first Aussie win this season, partnership with the best of IKE & Bros.

Winning scheduled 30 MUST 31 XXX – and 3 others calculated Naps – N50,000.

CHARITY NAP 08054325929 (07 = BELGIUM = 07) Mr fixed life draws is fully back into action as we welcome you all to Aussie season fully start in wk 48 we wish you the best as you follow CHARITY NAP a house hold name in life draws. Our Nap cost = N10, 000= Cash. Goodluck.

MAN CITY SYSTEM 08166222529 = 09038633666 = 38XX 39XX 3 WKS OPERATION AUSSIE SEASON RELEASE WINNER MEMBERSHIP AUSSIE 2016 N50,000 4 special draws N6,000 wk 45 NO 1X 4X 9X 10X PAIR 1X 3X 4 special draws N6,000 wk 46 NO 1X 27X 32X 43X PAIR 12F 13X Stakers try to get MANCITY 4 special draws this wk 47 cost N3000.Two bankers this wk 47 cost N3000.

Send MTN card. No 38. 39 X & Nap.

SOLOMON RESORT AUSSIE WELCOME SENSATIONAL NAP - 09091111800

SUTHERLAND - BLACKTOWN. C at away and home winning gazett Week 52-2013 — 18x 27x 39xxx at away= 9Draws Week 47-2016 — X X X at home= 9Draws Win to 2016 Aussie Season,silence breaker Nap N50, 000 Winning

WINNING SOLUTION – 08072974729.

Ready to enrich stakers in 2016 Aussie winning solution (Coded Win) N25, 000

VIC – DESTINY win aussie nap 3/3 CONGRATS! CONGRATS!! CONGRATS!!!

3 WKS NAP &N WIN OPERATION IS ONGOING WEEK 46 NAP 13X 32X 33X PAIR 19X 26F = 4/5 WEEK 47 WIN WIN WIN = 3/3 PAIR X X = 5/5 WEEK 48 WIN WIN WIN = 3/3 PAIR X X = 5/5 AT #20,000 PER WEEK. AUSTRALIA FAN FEE IS #160,000. OUR SYSTEM GUIDE BOOK COST #30,00.

BETTER LUCK AHEAD. 09099813819 Goodluck

JOSEPH INITIATIVE WIN – 08167278061.WIN IN 2016 AUSSIE

KEY. – MELBOURNE K ON MELBOURNE . V. Reference to week 2 ‘2014 & wK 47 2016. Watch Melbourne.

K. At away on Heidelberg U. based by S.Melbourne.

Our newest initiative winning advice is to your benefit. N50,000.

HOPE NAPS & CO – 08107128449 ( BANK 41x Xx41)

Welcome to 2016 Aussie Season. Let’s start with good win. On unequal winning contact. @ Hope Naps International. Payment to Gbadebo Stephen. A. First Bank acc number 3088328923. Wk 47 -N20,000. Good Luck.

AUSTRALIA MASTER IT HAS HAPPEN AGAIN!!! THE AUSTRALIA MASTER!!!

THE MOST RELIABLE POOL CONSULTANT!!! THE CLEAR LEADER It is not too late for you to be the richest man in your family.

You have pray to God to rescue you from a financial problem and Your prayer has already been answered.

HERE IS OUR PASS PERFORMANCES IN 2015/2016 ENGLISH SOCCER SEASON.

Whenever six letter (s) appear in away in four consultative week.

Bank on the first letter (s) and game under as two draws. the second To the last letter (s) to draw. That is what we call four colour system.

Confirm the above system in week 4 Week 5, Week6 and Week7 past English Soccer season 2015/2016 Week 4 . Letter (S) at No 3 xxx,5,7,23,29xxx,30 =6 letter (S), working of the draws is 3xxx 4xxx 29xxx=3/3 game under No 3 IS 4XXX to draw Week 5. Letter (S) at No 8 xxx,16,25,26,41 xxx,47=6 letter (S). Working of the draws 8xxx 9xxx 41xxx =3/3 game under No 8 IS 9XXX to draw Week 6. Letter (S) at No 6 xxx,7,8,18,29 xxx,33=6 letter (S). Working of the draws 6xx 7xxx 29xxx =3/3 game under No 6 IS 7XXX to draw Week 7 letter (S) at No 1xxx, 26,27,33,39xxx,47= 6 letter (S) Working of the draws 1xx 2xx 39xxx=3/3 game under No 1 IS 2XXX to draw Pool promoters commit suicide in the above 4 weeks.

Another system awaiting you in this 2016 Australia soccer season.

Key booklet cost N200,000 Registration fees Grand (A) =N250,000 Grand B= 150,000 Grand C=100,000 KEY booklet cost N200,000

Week47 X 3/3 X must X 38X39

Week48 Week50 X X 3/3 3/3 X must X must X X 01X33 31X32

THREE DRAWS COST N10,00O

THREE DRAWS COST N20,00O

THREE DRAWS COST N30,00O

Acct No: 2006156536 Account Name: Jolly Ikponwonsa,

Bank: Zenith Bank.

08088154555 or 08035645409. www.facebook.com.drawcompiler/Jolly ORIGINAL PAGE, Business Services.

NOTE No agent all over the Federation is appointed.

Pay your cash through our Zenith Bank.

How to get the three draw or if you want to be the club member go to any Zenith Bank nearest to you and pay your cash. After payment call the number below the three draws we be sat to you through text message.

MRS HENRY: PAIR 10XX pair 47XX 08170779623 & 08071554934 Congratulation! Congratulation!! Congratulation!!!

On Nos 27xx 32xx 39xx pair 21f and 31f which played 3/3 and the two pair failed. I am using this medium to inform all stakers that Mr. Robinson (President) of the club will shake all the promoters and also make all stakers smile (only interested ones). Key:- Blacktown at No 5 in advance coupon open to previous week Bank on No 10 and No 47 as pair and two others. Win pool and smile this week. Cost price N60,000,

Call 08170779623 & 08071554934.

NOTE: No 47 is the last draw on coupon.

JACOBSON THE AUSSIE MANAGER - 07065292905.

NOW SETTLE FOR AUSSIE 2016 PROPER. CALL AND WIN. FINLAND

one BANKER WK 46 N1,500 X13X

WK 47 RED

TWO BANKERS COST N3,000. wk 46 NO 27X 33X 4 BANKERS. COST N10,000. SEND M.T.N

TO 09038633666

DENMARK

one BANKER WK 46 N1,500 X33X

WK 47 RED

TWO BANKERS COST N3,000. wk 46 NO 01X 13X 4 BANKERS. COST N10,000. SEND M.T.N

TO 09038633666

BARNET

one BANKER WK 46 N1,500 X43X

WK 47 RED

TWO BANKERS COST N3,000. wk 46 NO 35X 39X 4 BANKERS. COST N10,000. SEND M.T.N

TO 09038633666

NJOROGE MR. ASSURANCE- 08177474535 AUSSIE! AUSSIE!! AUSSIE!!N 2014/2016.

WINNING ASSURANCE = ON ANNUAL WEEK 47 NAP & WIN. Week 47 – 2014 – 07x 31x 45xxx 26x27 – 7 drs Week 47 – 2015 – 09x 38x 40xxx 27x 43 – 5 drs Week 47 – 2016 – x x x - 27x44 - ? drs At Njoroge, your winning is our PRIDE , Welcome to the Assurance winning family– N25,000. Good luck.

WELCOME TO PROSPEROUS 2016 AUSSIE

SIDELINES

NO 16,514

N150

THURSDAY, 2 JUNE, 2016

The Federal Government, on Tuesday, citing sundry reasons, categorically stated that the recently increased electricity tariffs have come to stay. How we wish government, in the same breath, had assured that supply of electricity would henceforth be very regular to justify the increase in the tariffs.

“Amend NUC Law to empower closure and forfeiture of illegal institutions and impose life jail for their proprietors.”

I

have over the past weeks focused on the reasons for the advent of Private Universities and why despite the challenges being faced by them, the portrayal of these schools, in the article published in the Tribune, as lacking in standards is grossly inaccurate. Thus last week I made a case for an amendment to the Tertiary Education Fund Law to enable private Universities benefit. In making the above points on behalf of Private Universities I am not unmindful of the fact that some unscrupulous individuals have sought to take undue or perhaps indeed patently illegal advantage of the decision of the government to allow private individuals to establish universities.

This has taken the form of establishment of illegal universities. I therefore intend this week to once again identify the problems posed by these illegal universities and the need for urgent action by government.

ADVENT OF ILLEGAL SCHOOLS As stated earlier, it was the background of poor funding of public schools by government that private schools began to blossom.

Private schools suddenly became the choice of many parents who had become disgruntled with the decay in the public schools and who all the same desired quality education for their children. To a large extent, these schools have performed creditably well in assisting Government to meet the obligation imposed upon it in Section 18.

However the Nigerian educational system has for decades now been troubled by the high number of fake or illegal institutions of learning. It appears that some Nigerians desperate to exploit the yearning of Nigerians for education have identified the educational sector as a potential gold mine through the establishment of illegal schools.

Before now, Nigerians were accustomed only to incidents of fake clothing or food products. But at the moment, fake or illegal schools are now a common phenomenon.

In 2014, the National Universities Commis-

OFR, CON, SAN, LL.D, D.Litt

afeonthursday

aareafe@gmail.com

Illegal universities on the increase sion released a list of 36 illegal Universities operating in the Country. In August 2015 it released a list showing that the number had increased to 57.

57 ILLEGAL UNIVERSITIES In a bulletin dated 23rd May 2016, the Commission revealed that the 57 Universities had been closed down while 8 of them were undergoing further investigations or court actions. From the list of published on the website of the body, the Universities were located in virtually all parts of the country. Many indeed had very curious sounding names which reasonably should have alerted discerning minds to the fraud represented by the institution. On the list of illegal universities were UNESCO University, Rivers State, Pebbles University, Atlantic Intercontinental University Okija, Samuel Ahmadu University, Makurdi, Christian Charity University of Science and Tech., Volta University College, Royal University Izhia, Houdegbe North American University, Atlanta University, Anyigba, Sunday Adokpela University, Otada Adoka, Richmond Open University, Arochukwu, Lobi Business School, Makurdi, APA University, Utonkon, Bolta University College, Aba, United Nigeria University College, Okija, Blacksmith University, Anambra State, Pilgrims University and one University of Industry, Yaba Lagos.

As staggering as these figures are, I believe that the number of illegal schools operating in various states are much higher. The NUC itself acknowledges this fact as it states on the website that the list provided by it is “not exhaustive” Furthermore, it does appear

that the presence of illegal schools is not new. Many Nigerians have been “awarded” the Certificates of these illegal schools in their bid to acquire education. Several of these persons only discovered the truth when they presented their certificates in the process of either seeking employment or seeking promotions at their places of work.

Furthermore, it appears that the illegality in the operation of schools is fast transcending the tertiary level and also in some cases extends beyond registration with the regulatory authorities alone. In other words, a school which is properly registered and therefore operating legally in the eye of the law, may yet be operating far below the minimum standards required by law which in my estimation will still qualify it as an illegal school.

A visit to many so-called Private Nursery and Primary schools will reveal that many of the teachers are poorly trained and often with little or no educational qualification themselves. Such schools basically employ fresh secondary school graduates who are pursuing admission into tertiary institutions. In few instances where some of these so called teachers had some form of education, they are usually lacking in any form of training required to enable them interact with very young pupils who by that fact alone deserve special attention. Yet these primary schools are the foundation of the country’s educational system. In Lagos State, the Government closed down three private schools operating in the State. One of the Schools was re-

ported to have converted a Container used for the importation of goods to a classroom.

In Delta State, the Government shut down over 600 illegal schools. In Ogun and Kaduna States, the numbers of illegal schools detected were 160 and 642 respectively.

WAY OUT I am of the view that the increasing number of such schools shows that much more still needs to be done by governments and the regulatory agencies. It is on record that after USA, Nigeria has the largest number of illegal universities in the world.

That the NUC could identify and publish a list of 57 unaccredited or illegal universities, as good as it is, is also an indictment on the law establishing the commission. That 57 illegal universities could be identified is a pointer to the fact that there could be more. The question then is how do we get out of these embarrassing quagmire?

The answer is that government should urgently and immediately amend the NUC law and give the commission sufficient powers of immediate and outright closure of illegal universities with further powers of severe sanctions including forfeiture of the university’s properties to government while the promoters, founders, councils and teachers of such illegality should face life imprisonment.

What the promoters of these illegal universities are doing is worse than armed robbery. Apart from ruining the future of education in Nigeria, they are equally jeopardizing the interest of young Nigerians yearning for quality education for which they deserve no mercy.

Nigeria has got young, reliable Eagles —Green

By Oluwabunmi Ajayi CHAIRMAN, Technical and Development Committee of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Barrister Chris Green believes the Super Eagles will soon become a team Nigerians will be proud of in the near future.

Green, made the remarks after he watched the Super Eagles defeat the Red Lions of Luxembourg 3-1 in a friendly at the Stade Josy Barthel on Tuesday night.

“I can say that now, we have a young and ambitious group that we can be proud of. With the exception of two or three people (players), this is the Super Eagles’ team going forward. I am happy at the output of the squad in these two matches.

“I am also happy about the technical crew. The changes they made in both matches turned both games

around. The NFF will ensure that the coaches get good exposure and necessary education to become even better managers,” Green, who watched the match alongside NFF executive committee members, Ahmed Yusuf Fresh and Sharif Rabiu Inuwa told thenff.com.

The Rivers State FA chairman added that the focus of the NFF is now on the 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifiers which begins in October this year.

“Yes, we see this team as the nucleus of the squad that will prosecute the FIFA World Cup qualifiers.

For sure, the NFF will ensure that we make good use of the FIFA windows before then,” he added.

Meanwhile, renowned Belgian tactician and Mali coach, Tom Saintfiet noted that the Eagles struggled to play in the first half against Luzembourg.

“Certainly, it is always more difficult to play the so–called smaller teams. They go all out at you because they really don’t have much to lose.

“The Super Eagles had a great game in the second half because they made good use of space and created several chances. It was a bit tight in the first half because Luxembourg refused to come out to play and concentrated on frustrating Nigeria. I think these matches (including the one against Mali in France) were good for the Super Eagles,” the former Togo coach, Saintfiet told thenff.com after the game.

The trio of Brown Ideye (36th), The Super Eagles line up aginst Luxembourg.

Kelechi Iheanacho (69th) and Odion Ighalo (+90) were on song for NPFL results the Eagles as Luxembourg’s consoWikki 3 Enyimba latory goal came through Vincent El-Kanemi 2 Rangers Thill in the 90th minute.

1 0

Printed and Published by the African Newspapers of Nigeria PLC, Imalefalafia Street, Oke-Ado, Ibadan. E mail: editornigeriantribune@yahoo.com Website: www.tribuneonlineng.com MANAGING DIRECTOR / EDITOR-IN-CHIEF: EDWARD DICKSON. EDITOR: DEBO ABDULAI. All Correspondence to P.O. Box 78, Ibadan. ISSN 2712. ABC Member of the Audit Bureau of Circulation. 02/06/2016.