4th November 2015

NIGERIA’S MOST INFORMATIVE NEWSPAPER NO 16,363

WEDNESDAY, 4 NOVEMBER, 2015

www.tribuneonlineng.com

Boko Haram's intelligence 100% better —Danjuma —P4

Nigerian Tribune

@nigeriantribune

Nigerian Tribune

N150

Senate, House committees: Long queues,

Gbajabiamila tackles scuffles as fuel scarcity Dogara as PDP senators strategise —P2, 3 bites harder —P14

Why I tell investors the truth about Nigeria —Buhari —P3

•Insists there will be ministers without portfolio •As Saraki submits ministerial confirmation report to him •PDP's move to stop Amaechi fails again NNPC ends oil swap deal, opts for direct sales —P10

NSE: Turnover depreciates by 45.77%, Oando appreciates 8.68% —P10

Oko Oba Plank Market in Ebute-Metta, Lagos, on fire, on Tuesday.

CBN overrules FRC on Stanbic IBTC —P10

Wednesday, 4 November, 2015 2 news APC to PDP: You couldn’t have CHIEF (MRS) HID AWOLOWO (1915-2015) won Borno Central bye-election

PHOTOS: D’TOYIN

Bola Badmus -Lagos

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LL Progressives Congress (APC) has described as outlandish and irrational, the claim by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) that it was robbed of victory in last Saturday’s Borno Central Senatorial poll with the use of “compromised electoral officials and security forces.”

APC national publicity secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, said in a statement issued in Lagos, on Tuesday, that the claim amounted to dishonesty on the part of the PDP to expect victory in Borno, where it had a dismal outing during the March and April general election, and where the opposition party had remained sharply divided.

“For the umpteenth time, we will like to say that for any opposition to be credible and relevant, it must avoid engaging in bare-faced distortion of facts and making ridiculous claims that cannot be supported by available evidence.

“What the PDP has done by giving the impression that it could have won the Borno Central Senatorial election, but for the alleged use of compromised electoral officials and security forces is ludicrous,” the party said.

The APC, while setting the record straight so that Nigerians “can be the judge,” recalled that in the 2015 presidential elections, the APC got 473,543 votes compared to 25,640 received by the PDP, while in respect of governorship election, APC scored 649,913 votes with PDP scoring 34,771.

“We have, therefore, decided to present the facts to Nigerians so they can be the judge. In the 2015 presidential elections, our party, the APC, got 473,543 votes compared to a paltry 25,640 received by the PDP. In the 2015 Governorship election in Borno, APC scored 649,913 votes to the measly 34,771 by the PDP. “The National Assembly election was not different.

The APC won all three seats in the senate and 10 in the House of Representatives, leaving nothing for the pitiful PDP. The APC also won 28 seats in the State House of Assembly in which the pathetic PDP got zero seat.

“Put these figures side by side with the fact that the people of Borno have long distanced themselves from the PDP, which presided over the worst moment in the history of the state that saw thousands of deaths, displacements as well as destruction of schools, farms, markets, etc, by Boko Haram and one can clearly realise that the PDP was simply lying to itself and the nation by suggesting that it had any chance in last Saturday’s election.

“It is also clear that while nothing has changed in Borno to make the good people of the state to vote for the PDP, a lot has happened to bring even more people into the fold of the APC. The obvious successes scored by the military under a purposeful APC Federal Government has eased the pains and sufferings of the people of the state, with the state government rebuilding damaged schools to put more pupils in school while schools that

have been shut for long are being reopened.

“The PDP is simply not on ground in Borno and it amounts to a dishonourable behaviour for anyone to suggest that the party could have won last Saturday’s election in the state. Stretching such incredulity to now say that our democracy is threatened under President Muhammadu Buhari is outlandish, uncharitable and irresponsible,” APC said.

The APC reminded the PDP, which it said had always been quick to say it would provide credible opposition, that there was nothing credible in presenting fiction as fact, or in daily making wild and unsubstantiated allegations against a president, who was busy cleaning the mess left behind by the same do-nothing PDP. “Within the space of five months, the increasingly desperate politicians of the PDP stock have thrown everything but the kitchen sink at President Buhari, to no avail. They have sought, but failed, to instigate their members and supporters against the Buhari-led administration.

Apparently, those members and supporters are more prudent.

“They (PDP politicians) have continued to huff and puff, while threatening fire and brimstone against the Buhari-led administration to the chagrin of Nigerians, who expect them to show some penance for the mess they turned Nigeria into during their time in charge.

“Surely, there must still be some decent men and women in the PDP who can halt the party’s seemingly determined effort to self-destruct,” it said.

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Gbajabiamila challenges Dogara on committee’s composition As Dogara holds strategic meeting over resignation move by aggrieved reps Jacob Segun Olatunji and Kolawole Daniel -Abuja MAJORITY Leader, House of Representatives, Honourable Femi Gbajabiamila, has challenged the Speaker, Honourable Yakubu Dogara over the composition of 96 standing committees of the House.

Honourable Gbajabiamila, in his correspondence to the Speaker, pointed out that principal officers of the House were not carried along in the appointments of the committees headship.

The letter to the Speaker dated October 20 read: “Honourable Speaker, you

will recall that I had, on several occasions, in the last four weeks, met with you both at home and in your office to get an understanding and appreciation of what was going on with the composition and appointment of chairmen and deputy chairman of House committees.

“I acknowledge your right and prerogative to determine the leadership of the House committees and I intend to work with you after such determination has been made.

“I intend and have stated on many occasions privately and publicly, to work with you for the progress of the

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House.

“However, I am constrained at this point to ask that due consideration is given to the provisions of our House provisions of our House Rules.

“Order 7, Rule 10 paragraph (a) of the House Rules which states that the Speaker; shall in consultation with Principal Officers, appoint the chairmen and deputy chairmen from among the members on the committee.

“On the role of the Majority/ House Leader; Order 7 Rule 27 (2)c says that the Leader of the House shall Continues pg38

6 1. Ikenne traditional council, led by the Alakenne of Ikenne, Oba Adeyinka Onakade, with Reverend (Mrs) Omotola Oyediran and Ambassador (Dr) Olatokunbo Awolowo Dosumu.

2. The Hausa chiefs in Ogun State with Reverend (Mrs) Oyediran.

3. Hausa chiefs in Ogun State with Ambassador (Dr) Awolowo Dosumu.

4. Ambassador (Dr) Awolowo Dosumu and Pastor Tunde Bakare.

5. Ambassador (Dr) Awolowo Dosumu (middle), Ms Doris Rewane and Helen Arhagba Rewane.

6. From left, Ambassador (Dr) Awolowo Dosumu, Speaker, Oyo State House of Assembly, Honourable Michael Adeyemo and Reverend (Mrs) Oyediran.

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news

Wednesday, 4 November, 2015

Why I tell investors the truth about Nigeria —Buhari

•Insists there will be ministers without portfolio •As Saraki submits ministerial confirmation report to him •PDP’s move to stop Amaechi fails again Leon Usigbe - Abuja

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RESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari, on Tuesday, said he has to tell the truth about the state of Nigeria’s economy because anyone who wishes to invest in the country would have known more about the economy, even more than Nigerians.

Buhari disclosed this after receiving a list of 18 confirmed ministers presented to him by the Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki, in his office, on Tuesday.

This was as he rejected claim by one of his aides that all newly confirmed ministers will be given portfolios, insisting that the prevailing economic conditions in the country made assigning positions to all ministerdesignates unrealistic.

He was insisting that even though the constitution provided that all states must have a minister, it did not say there must be 36 ministries.

The president had, during his recent trip to India, announced that some ministers would not have portfolios, but would participate in meetings of the Federal Executive Council (FEC), a position one of his media aides had sought to modify by saying that all ministers would have portfolios.

Speaking after receiving the list of 18 confirmed ministers in his office, the president rejected the statement by one of his aides, which he described as speculative.

“If I can remember, there must be a member from each of the 36 states. That was why I limited the number of my nominees to that number, 36.

“The Senate worked extremely hard and have passed all the nominees. I think there is some enthusiasm in some parts of the Presidency today that portfolios are to be given to the 36.

“The constitution certainly said there must be one member of the cabinet from all the states, but the constitution did not say I must have 36 ministries. I will explain that in details.

“Because of the economic imperative, to have a lot of ministers, substantive ministers, let me put it that way.

Whatever somebody speculated in some newspapers, I think the economy, as I have seen it now since my sitting here for the last four months, had been so much battered. Although some people are saying I am giving bad publicity and scar-

ing away investors.

“Any investor who is interested in investing in Nigeria will seem to know more about the economy more than ourselves.

“So, when I come and tell the truth about the position of the economy of the country, I am going out looking for investors. I am also confirming to them that we are truthful, that we need them to come and help us help ourselves by getting in industries, manufacturing and services.

“They know our needs.

The economy of human resources, I believe, will make them eventually come and help us.

“Mr Senate President, I thank you very much for leading the Senate to do this hardwork technically within record time.

“I assure you that we will follow the constitution and all the 36 will be sitting in the cabinet as the constitution stipulates.”

Meanwhile, President Buhari and the Senate President, Dr Saraki met behind closed-doors, following the submission of the list of confirmed ministerial nominees to the president.

The first part of the meeting during which Saraki submitted the list was open, but both men subsequently went into a closed session, which lasted about 20 minutes.

The Senate President confirmed to State House correspondents that after the submission of the list, he discussed other things with the president, which he declined to disclose.

The first batch of the confirmed nominees had earlier been received by the president.

While presenting the list, Saraki explained to the president that even though the confirmation process was completed last week Thursday.

He, however, waited till today to submit it after Senate’s vote and proceeding had been taken on the matter.

He said: “Mr President, we have finished the screening of the last batch of the ministers on Thursday and we waited for our vote of proceedings today which we finished this morning.

“I want to formally present the list of the 18 ministers, who have now been cleared to you and that makes a total of all your 36 nominees that have been cleared by the Senate.”

Fielding questions from corespondents after emerging from the meeting, Saraki dismissed concerns about some ministers not getting portfolios, saying such development would not be new.

He explained: “Well, I think before, you had ministers of state. I don’t think there is anything new.

“There was minister for special duties which really don’t have portfolio. I think the key issue is being in cabinet, being part of government and those that would have the responsibilities of ministering are those who at the end of the day would do that.

“So, minister of state is not new. We had it before, if you remember that very well. Honestly, I believe we need to move away from the small issues and begin to focus on the major issues.

“I think the country presently now is at a very trying time, no doubt about it.

“We have the challenges of revenue drop, challenges in trying to boost revenue and create jobs and you know we have some of these issues which we really need to address and I think that it is time for us to address them and these are some of the issues we looked at as a senate, that it is time for us to give support to the executive to move the country forward. “ I think all of us, apart from those in the legislature and the executive and even those of you in the media, we must begin to proffer and put our country in a positive view.

“Otherwise, there is no way we are going to have those major issues addressed.”

On why he personally brought the ministerial list to the president, Saraki said both men discussed other issues.

He said: “Because there were other things we discussed. As you can see after you (media) left, we discussed for about 20 minutes on some major issues as well. So, it wasn’t just about the list.”

Asked if the issue of his prosecution at the Code of Conduct Tribunal came up during the meeting, the Senate President said: “Did you think that will come up in this kind of situation? No, it did not come up.”

Earlier, senators of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) had caused another stir, following their opposition to the adoption of votes and proceedings of the confirmation of ministersdesignate, as a result of the inclusion of the name of former Rivers State governor, Rotimi Amaechi.

Senators of the PDP had walked out of the sitting last Thursday following the insistence of their counterparts in the All Progressives Congress(APC) to confirm Amaechi as a minister.

Drama had ensued on the Senate floor on October 29, following the submission of the report of Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions Committee which investigated Amaechi.

Senators of the APC went ahead to confirm Amaechi after rejecting the Ethics Committee’s report, which recommended that Amaechi should not be confirmed.

The PDP senators, however, pulled another string in their bid to stop Amaechi, on Tuesday, following their rejection of the votes and proceedings, which was to ratify the actions taken last Thursday.

The drama started when Saraki asked Senator Peter Nwabaoshi (PDP Delta North) to second the motion for the adoption of the votes and proceedings in line with parliamentary practice.

The Senate President had earlier recognised Senator Isiaka Adeleke (APC, Osun West) to move a motion for the adoption of the votes and proceedings of the Senate for Thursday, October 29.

He then recognised Nwabaoshi to second the motion, but Nwabaoshi turned down the offer, saying that he could not second the motion because he was not at the sitting.

Nwaoboshi said: “My President, I will not be able to second the motion because I was not at the plenary to know what was done.”

Saraki consequently, called on Senator Ibrahim

PDP senators strategise on committee positions •As Senate caucus meets Taiwo Adisa and Ayodele Adesanmi -Abuja SENATORS of the Peoples Democratic Party( PDP) intensified their lobby for strategic Senate Committees on Tuesday after they held a closed-door meeting of the caucus shortly after Tuesday’s plenary.

Sources close to the caucus confirmed on Tuesday that the senators resolved to uphold the Senate Standing Rules 2015 in the distribution of Standing Committees, which the Senate President is expected to unveil any moment from now.

Sources at the meeting said the meeting borders

on the proposed committee membership, chairmanship and vice chairmanship and that the PDP senators resolved to push for complete adherence to Rule 3(2.iv) of the Senate Standings Orders 2015 as amended which emphasises geopolitical spread in allocation of committees.

A source at the meeting said: “Senators of the PDP have resolved to stick by the Senate Standing Rules in the composition of the Standing Committees.”

Unlike what happened in recent past when part of the Rules were violated in favour of partisan lines, the senators have resolved to stick to the Rules and

defend what is due to the party. “We will not allow ourselves to be shirt hanged, while also emphasising the adoption of ranking as appropriate.”

Senate’s Rule 3(2) IV reads: “The appointment of senators as chairmen and members of committees shall be carried out in such a manner as to reflect the six geopolitical zones of the country and there shall be no predominance of senators from a few geopolitical zones.”

It was gathered that the PDP senators resolved that they would not allow the party shortchanged in the distribution of chairmanship and vice chairmanship

positions due to the party.

The lawmakers were also said to have resolved that they would emphasise ranking as contained in their Rule Books in the distribution of committee positions.

The development is coming on the heels of indications that Saraki is set to announce the creation of additional eight committees to take Senate Standing Committees to 64.

The eight new committees were said to have been sources from the spilt in the existing Standing Committees, including the Federal Capital Territory(FCT) Education, Information and Media and Agriculture.

Gobir (APC Sokoto East) to second the motion, to pave the way for him(Saraki) to put the question.

When Saraki put the question, APC senators shouted “Aye” while their PDP counterparts shouted a loud “Nay” this making it difficult for observers to clearly discern which one had the day.

But Saraki promptly ruled in favour of the “Aye” to save the day for Amaechi.

Senators of the PDP had opposed Amaechi’s confirmation as a result of a petition which accused him of financial impropriety when he strived as governor of Rivers State.

9 vehicles in multiple crash on Abuja airport road NO fewer than nine vehicles were involved in a multiple road accident a few metres away from the military cemetary on the Airport Road, Abuja, on Tuesday.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) report that the accident was caused by a tipper driver whose vehicle apparently experienced break failure.

“I think the tipper failed break and the driver could not control it again,’’ Alhaji Ahmed Rufai, who was with the driver when the accident occurred, said.

Rufai said the driver of the tipper with registration number, YAB 925 YT, took to his heels on seeing the impact of the accident.

A police officer, Musa Abdulmumini from the Kuje Division of the FCT Police Command, who spoke with NAN, said no life was lost.

He, however, added that Rufai would be kept in Police custody until he produced the run-away tipper driver, whom he gave his name simply as Idris.

According to the Police officer, Rufai may be the driver of the tipper but may not want to own up, for fear of being lynched.

He said that though no life was lost, the level of destruction on the vehicles involved was much.

As it is, everybody has to go and fix his vehicle while we keep Rufai in our custody until the tipper driver is produced, if he is not the driver.

“The driver would certainly be charged for reckless driving when he is apprehended,’’ he said.

news Boko Haram’s intelligence 100% better —Danjuma 4

Wednesday, 4 November, 2015

No end in sight for insurgency — Borno residents James Bwala -Maiduguri

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oko Haram’s ability to gather intelligence has become 100 per cent better than that of the Nigerian military, Theophilus Danjuma, a retired LieutenantGeneral and former Army Chief, has said.

He said the fight against Boko Haram was entering its most critical stage and Nigerians “must brace up” to weather the new challenge.

He was speaking in Sokoto, on Tuesday, at the opening of the new secretariat for the Catholic Diocese built

by Matthew Kukah, the bishop.

According to him, with Nigeria winning the territorial war, the insurgents had now devised a strategy of disappearing into wider civilian population and setting up sleeping cells, which wreak havoc on softer targets.

He said this new strategy had not only bolstered the intelligence capability of the terrorists, but had made them have superior surveillance techniques than Nige-

ria’s security agencies.

“When Boko Haram openly denounced all religions, Muhammadu Buhari called them terrorists and urged all Muslims to consider them as such.

“Later, some who chose to

remain on the fence realised the threat posed to all and reluctantly joined in condemning Boko Haram.

“Having sleeping cells among the generality of the population has made them have intelligence capabil-

ity that is 100 per cent better than that of our security agencies,” he said.

Governors Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto State and Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State, in their remarks, asked Nigerians to promote

religious harmony and understanding.

Meanwhile, residents of Maiduguri, the Borno State capital, have described the December deadline given by President Muhammadu Buhari to end the Boko Haram

From left, Bishop Mathew Kukah, Lieutenant-General T. Y. Danjuma; Edo State governor, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole; Sokoto State governor, Alhaji Aminu Tambuwal and others, at the opening of a new secretariat for the Catholic Diocese, built by Bishop Kukah, in Sokoto, on Tuesday.

Absence of judge stalls Kashamu’s suit against NDLEA Ayomide Owonibi Odekanyin - Lagos A suit filed by Senator Buruji Kashamu against the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), over asset seizure, was, on Tuesday, stalled due to absence of the trial judge.

The suit, which was earlier fixed for ruling on an application seeking to reverse a restraining order on the NDLEA, was adjourned till November 10.

The trial judge, Justice Ibrahim Buba, was said to be unavoidably absent.

Joined as respondents in the suit are the NDLEA and the Attorney-General of the Federation.

Justice Buba, on June 29, reaffirmed an earlier order

by Justice Okon Abang and granted an interim injunction, restraining the respondents from confiscating Kashamu’s properties.

The properties included: a 24-flat housing estate at Egbe and several hectares of land on the Lekki Peninsular in Lagos.

Justice Buba made the order, pending the determination of a substantive suit filed by Kashamu.

Meanwhile, the NDLEA, in its suit, argued that the restraining order by Buba, ran contrary to public policy and therefore, urged the

court to upturn same.

Counsel representing the NDLEA, Mr J.N Sunday, argued that Buba’s order amounted to tying the hands of government’s agencies from discharging their legitimate duties.

The agency also argued that the court could not entertain the case, on the grounds that it had previously presided over a sister case involving

the same parties.

He argued that it might be impossible for the judge to arrive at a different decision in the instant case, which he argued is an off-shoot of the earlier case.

In the same vain, counsel forthe AGF, Mr Oyin Koleosho, argued that since Kashamu’s case bordered on title to landed property and the Federal High Court had no ju-

risdiction to entertain same.

He, therefore, urged the court to strike out the matter for lack of jurisdiction.

Kshamu had, through his lawyer, Mr Ajibola Oluyede, filed the suit, seeking enforcement of his rights.

Oluyede argued that the NDLEA and the AGF would be violating Kashamu’s fundamental right to own property under sections 43 and

44 of the 1999 Constitution, if they went ahead to seize his properties.

In his affidavit, Kashamu averred that he acquired his properties through sheer hardwork and legitimate business.

He averred that this was opposed to the respondents’ allegation that the properties were acquired with proceeds of drug-trafficking.

Sack your spokesman now, Rivers APC chair tells Wike Call for my sack, ranting of an interloper —Wike’s aide DapoFalade-PortHarcourt CHAIRMAN of the Rivers State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Dr Davies Ikanya, has called on Governor Nyesom Wike to sack his spokesman, Sir Opunabo Inko-Tariah.

He made the call in reaction to a recent statement credited to the governor, dissociating himself from all negative comments against the judiciary, as they related to the nullification of his election by the election petitions tribunal.

The governor, while disowning the comments, mostly made by his special adviser on media and publicity, Inko-Tariah, had, last Friday, said: “In the past two days, you may have read on the front pages of news-

papers, where it was said that I used terms like ‘Judicial terrorism’ and ‘Judicial gang-up’.

“I never said so. I never authorised anybody to speak on my behalf as far as that issue is concerned. When we had our thanksgiving (penultimate) Sunday, I did say that we must not cast aspersions. People should control themselves and know that if you believe in God, you have nothing to fear.”

The governor further admonished that anybody not satisfied with any court ruling could approach the Court of Appeal to seek redress, adding that the paragraphs on crime and violence, partly upon which the nullification his election was predicated, had been expunged by the Court of

Appeal.

However, not satisfied with the governor’s explanation, Ikanya, in a statement issued in Port Harcourt, on Tuesday, challenged Wike to remove Inko-Tariah from office as a prove that he (Wike) was honestly and genuinely against the verbal assault on the judiciary by his spokesman.

In the same vein, the governor’s aide said the call for his sack was the most ridiculous and described Ikanya as an interloper, who felt threatened and would stop at nothing to ease him (Inko-Tariah) out of the way.

For the APC chairman, “APC finds it curious and unacceptable for the Rivers State governor, to only go on air and pretend to denounce

the behaviour of his appointee, who had, on his behalf, declared war on the Nigerian judiciary and used all kinds of unprintable words against the nation’s judicial officers.

“Logic and standard administrative practice behove on Nyesom Wike to summarily dismiss Mr Opunabo Inko-Tariah for portraying the government as in a state of utter confusion where officials say different things, much to the confusion of the citizenry, who are at a loss as to who to believe when officials speak...

“To us, it does appear that Inko-Tariah spoke the mind of his principal because, ab initio, the latter had verbally villified the judiciary to the hearing of many, including Inko-Tariah.”

insurgency as not realisable, saying there seems to be no end in sight.

This they said, given the fact that only aerial bombardment was being carried out by the Nigerian Air Force, while ground forces were yet to engage the insurgents concentrated in Mobbar and Abadam local governments areas of the state.

Ma’aji Kolo, a resident of Mobbar Local Government Area, who is taking refuge in Maiduguri, a safe haven for all internally displaced persons from across the 27 local government areas of the state, said recent surge of suicide bombings and hit-and-run attacks made residents doubt there was any end in sight to the insurgency.

Ma’aji told Nigerian Tribune in Maiduguri that “we love and supported Buhari, but we are getting confused because we hope and believe he has all it takes to end the Boko Haram madness, but today, we are more afraid that they might come back in full force to take over more towns and villages.

“A lot of them have come into town, they are occupying Mobbar and Abadam local government areas. They are in Marte and Baga, soldiers are yet to engage them and are regrouping. We have complained through our leaders and nothing seems to be happening as to engaging them. We are afraid. For me personally, I don’t think end is in sight looking at the December deadline.

“The last time the military told us to go back that they have liberated the local government, we went back and that was when I lost two of my brothers, when the Boko Haram attacked Munguno. I still feel bad for believing in the military and taking that decision. Now, they are urging people to go back again, but our people who are trapped in the local governments are telling us that all is not well,” he said.

According to him, anybody who had seen such a terrible thing must be afraid, adding that the insurgency was the biggest security challenge facing Nigeria.

He added that this was even as the country was already grappling with a severe economic crisis as a result of the fight of sixyear insurgency and lack of focus among political leaders, who were busy fighting themselves, giving opportunity to the insurgents to regroup.

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Wednesday, 4 November, 2015

LADOKE AKINTOLA UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY, OGBOMOSO INVITATION FOR PRE-QUALIFICATION NOTICE TO CONTRACTORS FOR YEAR 2013/2014 TETFUND NORMAL INTERVENTION 1.0

INTRODUCTION

(A)

Procurement and Installation of Electronic Medical Information Intelligence system, Servers and Server Software Ancillaries (UNI/OGBOMOSO/TETF/13 - 14/01A&B) - Lot 1

(B)

The Governing Council of Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Ogbomoso, invites interested and qualified Contractors for pre-qualification on the following projects:

Procurement and Installation of Local Area Network (LAN), Power Backup Infrastructure, Computer, Printers and Related Equipment. (UNI/OGBOMOSO/TETF/13 - 14/01C,D & E) - Lot 2

(C)

Procurement of Science Equipment for Departments of Biochemistry and Physiology, Faculty of Medical Sciences (UNI/OGBOMOSO/TETF/13 - 14/02A&B) - Lot 3

(D)

Procurement of Vehicle and Science Equipment for Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences (UNI/OGBOMOSO/TETF/13 - 14/ 02C) - Lot 4

(E)

Procurement of Science Equipment for Departments of Medical Laboratory and Nursing, Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences (UNI/OGBOMOSO/TETF/13 - 14/ 02D & E) - Lot 5

(F)

Procurement of Vehicle and Tractor for Faculty of Agricultural Sciences (UNI/OGBOMOSO/TETF/13 - 14/ 03A) - Lot 6

(G)

Procurement of Furniture and Science Equipment for Departments of Architecture, Fine & Applied Arts and Urban & Regional Planning, Faculty of Environmental Sciences.

(UNI/OGBOMOSO/TETF/13 - 14/ 03B, C & D) - Lot 7

(H)

Procurement of Science Equipment for the Central Research and Lipid Laboratories (UNI/OGBOMOSO/TETF/13 - 14/ 04) - Lot 8

(I)

Procurement of Science Equipment for Department Agricultural Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Technology (UNI/OGBOMOSO/TETF/13 - 14/05A&B) - Lot 9

(J)

Procurement of Science Equipment for Department of Electronic and Electrical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Technology (UNI/OGBOMOSO/TETF/13 - 14/05B) -

(K)

Procurement of Science Equipment and Furniture for Departments of Earth Sciences, Transport and Management & Accounting (UNI/OGBOMOSO/TETF/13 - 14/05C, D & E)

Lot 10 - Lot 11 (L)

Construction of 750 – Seater Lecture Theatre for Faculty of Engineering & Technology. (UNI/OGBOMOSO/TETF/13 - 14/06) - Lot 12

(M)

Construction of 750 – Seater Lecture Theatre for Faculty of Agricultural Sciences. (UNI/OGBOMOSO/TETF/13 - 14/07) - Lot 13

(N)

Construction of 750 – Seater Lecture Theatre for Faculty of Environmental Sciences. (UNI/OGBOMOSO/TETF/13 - 14/08) - Lot 14

(O)

Construction of 2,129 – Seater Amphi - Theatre (UNI/OGBOMOSO/TETF/13 - 14/09) - Lot 15

(P)

Construction of one – storey Emergency, Pharmacy and Laboratory Unit for University Health Centre (UNI/OGBOMOSO/TETF/13 -14/ 10) – Lot 16

2.0

PRE-QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS

(i)

Evidence of incorporation with the Corporate Affairs Commission and evidence of Memorandum of understanding (MOU) in case of joint ventures

To be considered, potential companies are to submit all the underlisted documents:

(II)

Certified true copy of corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) registration forms C02 and C07 containing names of Directors and shareholders.

(iii)

Certified true copy of Memorandum and Articles of Association of the Company

(iv)

Corporate profile, to include a list of the Company's Technical Staff, their Curriculum Vitae and copies of their credentials, including qualifications, years(s) of corporate experience and certificate of registration with relevant professional bodies.

(v)

Evidence of payment of Tax/Clearance Certificate for the last three years (2012-2014)

(vi)

Copy of VAT registration and evidence of past VAT remittance for completed projects.

(vii)

Verifiable evidence of similar projects or procurement (as applicable) successfully executed within the last five years including types, cost, location, letter of Award and

(viii)

Copies of Company's Audited Statement of Account for the last three years 2012-2014 duly stamped by a registered Auditor.

(ix)

Original Bank Statement of the past twelve (12) months

(x)

Certificate of compliance with the amended Industrial Training Fund Act 2011, issued by the ITF and stated to be valid up to 31st December, 2015

(xi)

Certificate of compliance with the provision of the new Pension

Certificate of practical completion

st

Reform Act 2014, issue by the National Pension Commission (PENCOM) and stated to be valid up to 31 December, 2015. (xii)

List of equipment to be used for the projects, listed as owned, hired or leased with evidence of ownership, lease or hire.

(xiii) (xiv)

Company's registered address, functional contact address, GSM phone numbers and e-mail Reference letters from three (3) previous employer for similar projects satisfactorily completed.

(xv)

A sworn affidavit by a Director certifying that; (a) The documents submitted for the pre-qualification exercise are not only genuine but correct. (b) (c)

(xvi) (xvii)

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(a)

The Company is not bankrupt.

None of the Director of the company had ever been convicted by any court of law

(d) None of the officers of Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Ogbomoso is a former or present Director of the Company Company's banking details, including Account name, Account number, Bank name, Branch and sort code.

A letter authorizing Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Ogbomoso to verify any/all of the documents submitted with the appropriate issuing bodies.

SUBMISSION OF PRE-QUALIFICATION DOCUMENTS

The Pre-qualification documents must be submitted in a binder of five (5) copies per LOT in a wax-sealed envelope to be addressed to the Ag. Registrar, Ladoke Akintola

University of Technology, Ogbomoso. The envelope will be marked “Pre-Qualification” with the appropriate project LOT, name of the contract boldly written on the top of the envelope and to be dropped in a tender box in the Office of the Ag. Registrar, not later than three (3) weeks from the date of this publication. (b)

Submission closes three (3) weeks from the date of this advertisement by 12. Noon

(c)

For further enquiries please contact: the Head Physical Planning Unit, office of the Vice-Chancellor, at Intercontinental Building Opposite Botanical Garden, LAUTECH,

Ogbomoso between hours of 11.00 am and 3.00 pm Monday –Friday.

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INVITATION

Contractors are hereby requested to indicate their interest in participating in the pre-qualification exercise, following which only qualified contractors with proven track

records on similar works will be invited to competitively tender for the projects.

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DISCLAIMER AND CONCLUSION

(b)

Failure to comply with the above requirements would automatically result in disqualification, while documents submitted late shall be rejected.

(a)

This announcement is published for information purposes only and does not constitute an offer by the University to transact with any party, nor does it constitute a commitment or obligation on the part of the University to procure works or goods

(c)

The University reserves the right to verify the authenticity of claims made in the documents submitted.

(d)

The University will not be responsible for any costs or expenses incurred by any interested party in connection with any response to the invitation.

(e)

The University is not bound to pre-qualify any bidder and reserves the right to annul the selection process at any time without incurring any liabilities.

Signed

J. A. Agboola

Acting Registrar

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news

Wednesday, 4 November, 2015

No more promotion based on godfatherism, Customs boss tells officers Clement Idoko-Abuja And Saliu Gbadamosi-Abuja HE Comptroller-General of Customs (CGC), Colonel Hameed Ibrahim Ali (retd), on Tuesday told officers and men of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) that henceforth their promotion would not be based on godfatherism, even as he declared that each of them had to earn his promotion.

Addressing Customs men and women of the Federal Capital Territory

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(FCT) Command of the NCS during a visit to the command’s headquarters in Abuja, the Customs boss declared that the era when officers and men relied on godfathers to be promoted had gone for good in the service.

He stated that, henceforth promotion would not only be based on writing promotion examinations but also on performance and warned Customs men and women who were fond of rejecting postings to stop the practice, declaring that forthwith every post-

ing in the service was good posting.

Colonel Ali informed that anyone who had spent a minimum of three years at a posting would be posted to another station, saying that, “Posting enhances experience. It is good for you to gain experiences from every part of the country.”

Speaking on the welfare of officers and men of the service, the CGC stated that he was not satisfied with their welfare packages when he assumed office as the Service’s Comptrol-

ler-General in August, this year.

He, therefore, urged them to work hard towards generating more revenues for the country, saying that doing this would propel him to make a case for a better and improved welfare package for them before President Muhammadu Buhari.

While telling Customs men and women to ensure blockage of all leakages in order to raise more revenues for the government, the Comptroller-General stated that serving the na-

tion well would attract rewards, while doing otherwise would equally attract sanctions.

Meanwhile, Colonel Ali has also vowed to stem the tide of car smuggling into Nigeria, describing the activities of the trans-border criminals as ruinous to the nation’s economy and called for greater collaboration with the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), saying the two agencies were strategic towards the success of the campaign of ridding the nation of smuggled motor vehicles.

Colonel Ali spoke when during his visit to the Corps Marshal and Chief Executive of the FRSC, Mr Boboye Oyeyemi at the Corps National Headquarters, Abuja.

A statement by the FRSC Head, Media Relations and Strategy, Mr Bisi Kazeem, the Customs Boss said the existing collaboration between the FRSC and the Nigerian Customs Service must be strengthened and sustained in the best interest of the nation’s economic and security systems.

Oyo APC berates Accord chieftains over suit against Sunmonu President Muhammadu Buhari receiving the report on the confirmation of the last batch of ministerial nominees from the Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki, at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, on Tuesday. PHOTO: BAYOOR EWUOSO.

Edo LG pensioners protest non-payment of 6-month arrears Banji Aluko-Benin City LOCAL Government Pensioners in Edo State on Tuesday protested the non payment of their sixmonth pension arrears owed them by government.

The pensioners stated that their protest was hinged on statement credited to the Special Adviser to Governor Adams Oshiomhole on Media, Prince Kassim Afegbua, who stated that the state government has no role to play in the payment of local government pensioners.

Addressing newsmen at the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) secretariat, Benin City, Secretary of the Local Government Pensioners Association, Edo State chapter, Mr Timothy Uwagboe, said Afegbua’s claim smacks of ignorance of the law that established State Local Government Staff Pension Board in each of the 36 states of the federation as contained in decree number 20 of 1985.

Uwagboe, who accused Afegbua of misleading Governor Oshiomhole added that, section 210 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended, specifically mandated state governments to take charge in the state while section 173 of the same constitution relates to the Federal Government.

He asked, “When was the law that established State Local Government Staff

Pension Boards repealed, amended or expunged from the constitution?

Who controls the Local Government Councils and their allocation from the federation account monthly?”

“We therefore need to state as follows: that the law establishing the Pension Board, provides that the federal, state and local governments should jointly fund the Local Government Staff Pension Board,”

he added.

Afegbua in his reaction during a telephone conversation reiterated his earlier statement that the state government was not responsible for the payment of local government staff.

He stated that the Local Government Service Commission was supposed to settle the pension of local government workers, who have retired through the Local Government Staff Pension Board.

HID treated us like family —Hausa chief

By Saheed Salawu THE General Secretary, Ogun State Council of Hausa Chiefs, Alhaji Inuwa Garba Seriki, has described the matriarch of the Obafemi Awolowo family, Chief Hannah Idowu Dideolu Awolowo, as a mother with immense affection for the Hausa/ Fulani sons and daughters living in the state.

Alhaji Seriki stated this

when he led representatives of the Hausa and Fulani communities in Ogun State on a condolence visit to the Awolowos over the death of their mother.

He said the Hausa community in Ogun State would particularly miss the Yeye Oodua’s motherly affection and her spirit of accommodation.

“We are also children of Papa and Mama Awolowo,

so, the loss of Mama is our loss, too. It is a loss for all Nigerians. Mama was for us all.

“Whenever we came to this house, she always received us with open arms as if we were her biological children. She would play with us and laugh with us. We had a cordial relationship with Mama. She loved us. She is a kind of woman we can never forget,” Alhaji Seriki said.

By Nurudeen Alimi THE All Progressives Congress (APC) in Oyo State has accused five chieftains of Accord Party of hatching what it described as vicious ploys to mislead the judiciary and members of the public in their plans to unseat Senator Monsurat Sunmonu.

Five plaintiffs which include Mr Abiodun Wahab Azeez, Alhaji Bola Akinyemi, Chief Emmanuel Oladeji, Chief Samuel Adebayo Elegbede and Chief Thomas Ajao in suit number FHC/ABJ/CS/760/2015 filed last month at a Federal High Court, Abuja claimed to have been misled into casting their votes for Senator Sunmonu of the APC and thereby prayed the court to remove the Senator who is representing Oyo Central Senatorial district at the Upper Legislative Chamber.

The Oyo APC in its reaction by its Director of Publicity and Strategy, Olawale Sadare, on Thursday, in Ibadan, described the five men as liars who are chieftains of the Accord Party seeking another furtive means to blackmail a distinguished senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria who had defeated their own candidate, Bisi Ilaka at the poll on March 28, 2015.

Ibadan Poly congratulates new Ooni

By Modupe George The management of The Polytechnic, Ibadan has congratulated Prince Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, an alumnus of the institution, on his appointment as the new Ooni of Ife. This was contained in a press release signed by the Registrar of the institution, Mr Hezekiah Ayodele Fehintola, who described the appointment as a pride of The Polytechnic, Ibadan.

The release noted that the appointment has further confirmed the capacity of The Polytechnic, Ibadan as a first class institution which has trained many distinguished Nigerians, including the incumbent Governor of Osun and Ekiti states, Mr Rauf Argbesola and Mr AyodeleFayose respectively.

The release stated that the management had no doubt that the choice of Ogunwusi was based on his pedigree, antecedent, and unparalleled achievements in many spheres of life.

Gov Ahmed presents 9 more commissionernominees to Kwara assembly Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed of Kwara State has forwarded names of nine additional commissionernominees to the state’s House of Assembly for screening and approval.

The governor’s letter to the House was read during the plenary on Tuesday by the Deputy Speaker, Mr Mathew Okedare, who presided over the sitting.

The nine nominees are Alhaji Haruna Mohammed from Edu; Alhaji Wasiu Odewale from lfelodun; Alhaji Sulaiman Alege, llorin South; Hajia Ayinke Saka, from llorin West and Mrs lyabo Adewuyi from lsin.

Others are: Hajia Amina Ahmed from Kaima; Mr Bamidele Oladimeji, Oke-Ero; Alhaji Mutideen Alalade, Oyun, and Ahmed Rifun from Patigi Local Government Area.

The Deputy Speaker directed the nine nominees to submit their documents, including an affidavit that they do not belong to any secret cult, to the House latest by 4:00 p.m. on Thursday.

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Wednesday, 4 November, 2015

2015 ANNUAL LUNCHEON AWARDS & INDUCTION OF NEW MEMBERS OF THE NIGERIAN INSTITUTION OF ELECTRICAL AND ELECTRONICS ENGINEERS (NIEEE), IBADAN CHAPTER PHOTOS: O H latunji

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1. From left, Chairman, NIEEE, Ibadan Chapter, Engr. E.O.J. Ojekunle; Father of the day/Past President, Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE), Engr. Ife Akintunde; Father of the day/Past President, NSE, Engr. P.B.Oyebolu; Patron, Engr. O.A. Morakinyo; National Executive Committee Member (NEXCOM), NSE, Engr. Mohammed Abass representing President, NSE/Chairman of the occasion, Engr. A.I. Olorunfemi and Chairman, NSE, Ibadan Branch, Engr. Bola Olowe during Annual Luncheon Awards & Induction of New Members held at Jogor Centre, Ibadan, Oyo State, recently.

2. Honorable Bola Onaolapo (right) receiving a plaque from Engr. Mohammed Abass (left) on behalf of Former Executive Governor of Oyo State/Special Guest of Honour, Engr. Senator Rashidi Adewolu Ladoja.

3. From left, Membership Secretary, Engr. Adewolu B. Olusegun; Engr. P.B.Oyebolu; Patron, Engr. O.A. Morakinyo; Engr. E.O.J. Ojekunle; General Secretary, NIEEE, Engr. Silvanus Ajuyah; Financial Secretary, Engr, (Mrs) O. Olumayowa; Assistant General Secretary (AGS) Engr. Bisi Daramola; Ex-Officio, Engr. Adedamola Falade-Fatila 4. From left, Immediate Past Chairman, NSE, Ibadan Branch, Engr. R.A. Salawu; Past Chairman, NSE, Abeokuta Branch, Engr. M.O. Odesanya; Past NEXCOM, NSE, Engr. J.O. Akinteye; Immediate Past Chairman, Water Division,

assan

NSE, Engr. Tunde Ajanaku; Chairman, NSE Osogbo Branch, Engr. Ibitoye Adeniran; Past Chairman, NSE, Apapa Branch, Engr. Ibrahim Aledu; Vice President, NSE, Abuja, Engr. Babagana Mohammed and Chairman, Association of Professional Bodies of Nigeria (APBN), Oyo State, Engr. B.O. Ilori 5. Deputy Managing Director, Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company Plc (IBEDC), Engr. John Ayodele (fifth left) flanked by Engr. Rev. E.O.J. Ojekunle (fifth right) and Engr. O.A. Morakinyo (fourth left); Acting Chief Technical Official, IBEDC, Engr. Ade Ayileka (fourth left); Technical Adviser, IBEDC, Engr. J.M. Zaporteza (Third right); AGS, NIEEE/Protection Engineer, IBEDC, Engr. Bisi Daramola (second right); Engr. Silvanus Ajuyah (right) and four technical advisers, IBEDC, Engr. Arnold Lalic (left); Engr. Abraham Eneres (second left); Engr. Carl Aquino I (third left); Engr. Manaois Marlon (rear left) 6. Head of Department, Electrical/Electronic Engineering Department, The Polytechnic Ibadan, Engr. B.O.Tijani (middle) and Student Inductees.

7. Student Inductees during the induction ceremony 8. Corporate Inductees during the induction ceremony

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Wednesday, 4 November, 2015

Nigerian Tribune

Lagosmetro Despite ban, traders return to Apapa streets Tola Adenubi ABOUT a month after they were chased off major streets in Apapa, many of the hawkers have returned to sell and display their wares along major streets in the seaport town.

From Wharf Road down to Burma Road and Commercial Avenue to Kofo Abayomi

Street, many of these hawkers display their wares which cut across food and alcoholic products.

According to findings, the Lagos State government had chased these streets traders off major streets in Apapa in a bid to reduce criminal activities around the town at night and to give the city a befitting

outlook.

Many of the criminal activities that occur in and around Apapa are allegedly connected to idle youths who throng alcoholic spots for drinks and entertainment.

Aside the fact that these traders who sell alcoholic bitters and drinks are suspected to indirectly encourage criminal

tendencies in the seaport city, their presence, according to the Lagos State Government, defaces the town.

Barely a month after they were chased out of Apapa by a Lagos State government environmental team, many of them have returned back to their former spaces, displaying their wares and products

on small tables.

Investigations further revealed that many of the food sellers by the roadside often leave their food cooler open and uncovered exposing the food to dust emanating from truck movement nearby, thereby subjecting unsuspecting customers to health hazards.

There will be trouble if Obafunwa gets 2nd term — LASU workers Naza Okoli WORKERS at Lagos State University, Ojo, have ruled out the possibility of the return of the immediate past Vice Chancellor Professor John Obafunwa for a second term in office.

The General Secretary of the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSNANU), Lagos State University Chapter, Mr Awoyemi Bola made this know while speaking with Lagos Metro on Tuesday.

The staff unions comprising the Academic Staff Union of Universities, (ASUU), the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU), Non -Academic Staff of Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU) and the National Association of Academic Technologists

(NAAT) had, beginning last week, organised a weeklong series of programmes to mark the end of Obafunwa’s tenure.

Even though the Vice Chancellor’s four-year tenure which expired on October 31 is renewable, the workers said his return would be greeted with “war”.

“God forbid that he should come back,” Mr Awoyemi said. “I cannot tell you what would happen, but I know there would be war. In fact, the school would be shut down. Since March 16, he was not able to set his feet on this campus. That tells you he has been rejected.”

Also speaking, the Chairman of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Dr Idris Adekunle said he was certain the Governing Council would do the right thing.

Rapid Response Squad (RRS) on special traffic enforcement at Mile 2, Oshodi-Apapa Expressway, on Monday.

Customs, smugglers clash over turkey deal Olalekan Olabulo

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HERE was serious pandemonium on Tuesday from morning till mid-day around Isheri and Idimu areas of Lagos State as operatives of the Nigerian Customs Service clashed with suspected smugglers.

One of the smugglers was seriously injured but the arrival of policemen from Idimu police station prevented a fatal clash between the angry smugglers and the customs officers.

This almost led to a clash between the police and the customs

officers who were from the Federal Operations Unit over who should impound the vehicles used by the smugglers.

Heavy shootings into the air from the customs officers forced many motorists to abandon their vehicles, leading to serious traffic snarl that spread up to Egbeda and beyond.

A resident of the area, who simply identified himself as Bankole, while speaking with Lagos Metro blamed the clash on the misunderstanding between the leader of the smugglers and a customs officer identified simply as Ola-

dokun.

Lagos Metro gathered that the problem started around 10 o’clock on Tuesday, when a customs patrol team pursued two vehicles, fully loaded with turkey to the area.

It was further gathered that the customs pick-up van hit one of the smugglers’ vehicles, a Honda car with registration number CA 632 AY, resulting in the vehicle crashing into a gutter in the area.

The driver of the vehicle was seriously injured and had to be rushed to a nearby hospital, where it was confirmed that one of his hands

was broken.

The smugglers mobilised and attempted to take over the accidented vehicle and even made attempts to set the customs pick-up vans ablaze.

The situation became very chaotic as the angry smugglers accused the customs officers of reneging on an earlier agreement between the two groups.

The arrival of policemen from area “M” restored normalcy in the area, but an argument between them and the customs officers resulted in another round of confusion.

Bankole told Lagos Metro that “The leader of the gang, Ganiyu, accused the leader of the customs group of disappointing him after an earlier agreement.”

Another resident, who pleaded anonymity, while speaking with Lagos Metro said, “The police and the customs finally settled and the turkey and the vehicles were taken away by the customs officers.”

Efforts to get the reaction of the image maker in charge of the state police command, Joe Offor, failed as calls to his mobile phone lines were not answered as at the time of filing this report.

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Wednesday, 4 November, 2015

Nigerian Tribune

Edited By

Lanre Adewole

olanreade@yahoo.com

0811 695 4647

Lekki supermarket on fire A popular supermarket in Lekki Phase 1, Prince Ebeano supermarket, was on fire on Tuesday.

Details on what caused the fire were vague as at press

time, but eye-witnesses took to Twitter to share reports of the accident on Tuesday evening.

Fire services were called to put out the fire by one of the bystanders in the vicinity.

Suspect who jumped bail jailed 20 years for drug deal Ayomide Owonibi Odekanyin Scene of the fire incident at Lekki, on Tuesday.

4-month-old baby in Kirikiri with arrested mum Ayomide Owonibi Odekanyin A woman who was on Tuesday remanded in prison custody over allegations of assault decided to take her four-month-old baby along with her to the Kirikiri female prison.

The baby, Akachi Keneth, would spend time in prison with his mother, Mrs Chi-

nonye Kenneth, pending the time she will be able to perfect her bail condition.

It was gathered that his mother was arrested by the police at Ikotun Division and charged before Ejigbo Magistrates’ court with assault.

The alleged assault happened at their residence at 10, Omoboriowo Street, off

3 arraigned for illegal custody of mentally-ill A 45-year-old businesswoman, Rabi Shado, and two others were on Tuesday accused of allegedly kidnapping one Jude Odiono.

The other accused persons are Edwin Ubba, 43, businessman and John Agba, 47, who is a civil servant.

It was gathered that the offence was committed sometime in August 2008 at Number E4, Satellite Town, in Ijegun area.

According to the police, the trio unlawfully confined and detained Jude Odionu against his will and also

fraudulently obtained the sum of N300,000 from one Onyeka Odionu, under the pretence of treating Jude Odionu’s mental illness.

When the defendants were charged before an Igbosere Magistrate Court, they, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges against them.

Consequently, the presiding magistrate, Abimbola Komolafe, granted the defendants bail in the sum of N200,000 each, with two sureties each in like sum.

The matter was adjourned till November 17, for mention.

Ile Iwe bus stop, Egbe, where both the suspect and victim reside.

Mrs Chinonye Kenneth was accused of allegedly assaulting her neighbour, Godwin Anigbogu.

She reportedly pushed Anigbogu into a gutter during a quarrel, as a result of which he sustained injury.

The matter was reported to the police at Ikotun Division and Chinonye was arrested and taken to the station.

The matter was later charged to court where Chinonye is facing a two-count

charge of assault and causing injury under the Criminal Code.

When she was arraigned, she pleaded not guilty.

The presiding Magistrate, Mr A. A. Fashola, granted her a N100,000 bail with two sureties.

She was remanded in prison custody pending when her bail will be perfected.

Chinonye, however, had to take her baby, Akachi, to the prison because the baby is still breast feeding.

The matter was adjourned till November 18, 2015.

Ruins of a collapsed building in Badagry on Tuesday.

A 35-year-old man, Ifenna Emmanuel, has been sentenced to 20 years imprisonment for illicit drug deal.

Justice John Tsoho of a Federal High Court convicted him on a one-count charge preferred against him by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).

Tsoho ordered that the sum of 1,000 dollars recovered from the convict be forfeited to the Federal Government.

He also ordered that the drug exhibits be destroyed if there was no appeal against the judgment within 90 days.

The judge further directed that Emmanuel’s passport be withdrawn.

Meanwhile, Tsoho faulted a medical report tendered by the defence counsel, Mr Oigoga Ichakpa, to show that the convict was seriously ill and was suffering from severe abdominal pain.

According to the judge, he had ordered the prison authorities to produce a medical report on Emmanuel’s

health condition in June, but the order was not obeyed.

He added that it was curious for the same prison to issue a medical report to the defence at the point of judgment.

The judge said that the fact that the convict jumped bail, and was paid in dollars for the cocaine trafficking, showed that he deserved no mercy.

He, therefore, sentenced Emmanuel to 20 years imprisonment which he said would take effect from the day of his re-arrest.

The convict was arrested on July 1, 2012, at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport during outward clearance of passengers to China.

He was arraigned on December 18, 2012, and had pleaded not guilty.

Justice Tsoho had subsequently granted him bail.

However, the convict jumped bail, and refused to attend trial for about a year until he was re-arrested in Port Harcourt through the help of his brother who stood as a surety for him.

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businessnews

Wednesday, 4 November, 2015

NNPC cancels crude oil swap, opts for direct sales Olatunde Dodondawa - Lagos

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HE Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) has cancelled Offshore Processing Agreement (OPA) otherwise called crude oil swap by withdrawing 44 bids of those that intend to participate in the crude oil swap and opting to sell crude directly to refiners.

Crude oil swap is an arrangement where crude oil exporting nation like Nigeria will exchange crude oil for refined petroleum products like Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) otherwise called petrol, HouseHold Kerosene otherwise called kerosene, Automated Gas Oil (AGO) otherwise called diesel and other products based on the country’s needs.

The Corporation said it took the step in a major

steer designed to enshrine transparency and eliminate the activities of middlemen in the crude oil exchange for product matrix.

The NNPC noted that the call for commercial bids issued to the 44 shortlisted bidders made up of 34 international firms and 10 indigenous companies have been withdrawn.

According to a statement by the Corporation signed by its spokesman, Mr. Ohi Alegbe and made available to the Nigerian Tribune on Tuesday, the NNPC explained that it came to this

informed position after the evaluation exercise of prequalified bidders revealed that most of the 44 companies earlier shortlisted for the next stage of the tender process only had affiliation to refineries abroad a situation which introduces toll on the value chain.

The Corporation stated that if allowed to subsist, the development would in turn constitute a significant value loss to the Federation by way of accruals.

“In this regard, only bona fide owners of Refineries identified in the ongoing

OPA Tender Evaluation process will be further engaged. The identified refineries will be subjected to due diligence and analysis

by NNPC appointed consultants to confirm suitability in line with International best practice,” the Corporation said.

It would be recalled that due to inefficiency of Nigera’s four refineries (Port Harcourt I&II, Kaduna and Warri refineries), Nigeria had entered into crude oil swap arrangements which the present government of President Muhammadu

Buhari considered to lack transparency and decided to cancel the deals.

Even at full capacity, the four refineries can only produce about 10 million litres of petrol per day which is considered to be grossly inadequate for the country’s daily consumption which stands at about 30million litres per day.

However, with this proposal, NNPC will be directly involved in the quantity of refined products it is getting for a particular barrel of crude oil without relying on any third party.

Dangote Sugar announces rise in Q3 profit

NSE turnover depreciates by 45.88% Kehinde Akinseinde-JeyaobaLagos

MARKET turnover on the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) on Tuesday took a dip with volume declining by 45.88 per cent, as Oando Plc’s shares picked up after weeks of depreciation, gaining 52 Kobo to close at N6.51 kobo per share.

Equity market closed on a negative note with the All-Share Index depreciated by 0.29 per cent to close at 29,052.87 basis points against the 0.14 per cent depreciation recorded on Monday.

At the end of trading, investors bought and sold 166.757 million shares in 3,287 deals, with 14 gainers and 28 losers.

Guinness appreciates

by N6.18 per share, First City Monument Bank Plc added 0.06 kobo to its N2 per share, while Diamond Bank Plc increased by 1.59 per cent to close at N2.55 kobo per share.

SAHCOL boss calls for better regulation, packaging for exports

Ayomide Owonibi OdekanyinLagos

DANGOTE Sugar Refinery, on Tuesday, announced a profit before tax of N14.22 billion for the nine months ended September 30, 2015 compared to N13.97 billion in 2014.

The gross profit rose by five per cent, to N18.80 billion in contrast to N18.63 billion in 2014.

The figures are, however, unauthorised reports released on the floors of the Nigerian Stock Exchange.

According to the report, profit after tax increased to N9.34 billion from N9.15 billion in the same period in 2014.

Speaking on the results, Abdullahi Sule, Deputy Group Managing Director, Dangote Sugar Refinery, noted that after a good pick up in the second quarter,the company struggled to sustain the pace of improvement in the third quarter as it continued to face challenges getting sugar out of the Apapa area to customers.

“This constrained our overall operations in the quarter,” Sule noted.

He however added that the company has begun to explore alternative means of product evacuation including the rail and additional warehouses to fulfil the growing demand in the Northern parts.

Nigerian Tribune

Shola Adekola - Lagos

From left, former Commissioner of Science and Technology, Lagos State, Biyi Mabadeje; Country Manager, OLX, Lola Masha; Managing Director, CR Services, Jameelah Ayedun and CSP Charles Okafor, during the OLXMomo press conference in Lagos, on Monday. PHOTO: SYLVESTER OKORUWA.

CBN clears Stanbic IBTC, overrules FRC THERE seems to be impending face-off between the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the Financial Reporting Council of Nigeria (FRCN), as the former has overruled the sanction imposed on Stanbic IBTC for alleged financial misstatement by the later.

CBN said “Contrary to the allegation of the FRC that Stanbic IBTC (SIBTC) did not obtain approval from the National Office for Technology Acquisition and Promotion (NOTAP) for the payment of affiliate software license, our review revealed that the bank actually obtained the necessary approval from NOTAP to pay affiliate software license from the Standard Bank South Africa (SBSA), for a period of three years covering P1 June 2012 to 30th May 2015. The remittance from June 2015 to date is still awaiting approval from NOTAP. “With regards to the allegation of non-disclosure of intangible assets in SIBTC’s 2013 and 2014 financials, we note that the bank adequately recognized the software as an intangible asset in its 2011 financials and sufficiently disclosed the disposal of

the software in the 2012 financials. Consequently, the said software could not have been reported as an intangible asset in the succeeding years 2013 and 2014.

“With respect to the allegation of lumping several expense items under “Others”, we are of the view that the items were not material enough to appear as line items in the Income Statement and that the non-disclosure of the items did not materially affect the true and fair view of the financial statements.”

However, CBN said “We agree with FRC that SIBTC erred in the classification of some line items. However, the identified misclassifications did not understate or overstate its assets and liabilities, neither did it increase nor decrease its income or expenditure, such as would have caused a material misrepresentation of the financials.

“SIBTC used its judgment to capture the donation of N275 million under “Others” because it was of the opinion that it was not a charitable donation but a mandatory contribution towards the victims of ter-

rorism in the country. For the avoidance of doubt, this contribution was agreed at a Bankers’ Committee Meeting, with the share for each bank clearly spelt out. Therefore, we agree with SIBTC’s position, as presented.”

The CBN also said contrary to FRC’s conclusions, its review of lAS 37 and lAS 32.19 indicated that SIBTC had an obligation to accrue the relevant provisions toward the settlement of the franchise and management fees as agreed between it and without prejudice to the foregoing financial issues, the CBN is concerned about the apparent failure of the FRC to follow due process as laid down by its own FRC Act and Regulations, in arriving at the Regulatory Decision.

In this regard, the Bank wishes to make the following observations: The apex bank added that in conducting investigation into possible breaches of the FRC Act and/or the Regulations, the FRC is required to give the Entity concerned sixty (60) days from the service of Final Notice to restate its accounts where both the

Panel and Entity agree on the need for restatement.

“In this case, our understanding is that FRCN called a meeting with the board of SIBTCH at 11.00 a.m on the 26th October 2015. But rather than holding the meeting, FRCN went ahead to convene a press conference at 8a.m on the same day to announce its sanctions against SIBTCH. “Our review further indicates that both FRC and SIBTCH did not agree on a need for restatement of the accounts before the sanctions were announced.

According to the FRC Act, an entity is only punishable under the Act upon conviction by a Court of competent jurisdiction. Yet, in issuing the Final Notice, the FRC had already meted out some punishments to the affected entity, without any conviction by a court.

CBN concluded that “While FRC may, following approval of the Minister, review applicable fines, there is no power for compounding offences and imposing penalty in lieu of conviction as was done in this case.”

THE Managing Director of Skyway Aviation Handling Company Limited (SAHCOL), Dr Olu Owlabi, has decried the high cost of tariff in purchasing ground handling equipment.

Speaking in Lagos, Owolabi said the high tariffs on imports had remained the greatest challenge in cargo handling.

According to the SAHCOL boss, the company recently acquired some state-of-the-art equipment for the handling of South African Airways that was making a debut in to Abuja airport, got the handling equipment at a very high tariff cost.

While condemning the high tariff cost, Owolabi called on the government to address the situation urgently to save the handling companies from collapse, especially with the high rate of foreign exchange that has affected imports and exports.

Owolabi, who noted that there had been increase in export in recent time urged, the Standard Organisations of Nigeria (SON) to be proactive by embarking on enlightenment programme for farmers at the grass roots on the type of farm produce to be cultivated for export and packaging.

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Nigerian Tribune

NCC renews MTN’s Digital Mobile Spectrum licence

By BOde Adewumi

T

he Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has approved the renewal, and consequent extension of the tenure of MTN’s operating spectrum in the 900MHz and 1800MHz frequency bands.

With this renewal and extension, MTN’s operating spectrum, which was issued along with the Digital Mobile Licence (DML) in 2001 (with an original expiry date of 31 August 2016), has now been extended to 31stAugust, 2021.

The licence extension notification was contained in a letter dated November 2, 2015, and signed by the acting Executive Vice Chairman of the NCC, Professor Umaru Dambatta.

According to the letter, “MTN will, however, be required to pay the sum of $94,225,152 as Spectrum fee for the five-year extension period.”

It will be recalled that in February 2001, pursuant to one of the most transparent mobile licence auctions in the world, the NCC issued Digital Mobile Licences (DML) to three

pioneer mobile operators.

The licences were bundled with spectrum in the 900MHz and 1800MHz frequency bands. Amongst other authorisations, MTN also holds a Unified Access Licence and a 3G Spectrum Licence through which it provides a full bouquet of digital services to its esteemed customers throughout Nigeria.

According to Akinwale Goodluck, Corporate Services Executive of MTN, “We view this extension as a demonstration of confidence in MTN’s capacity to continue to provide ground-breaking and innovative services to its customers, and another milestone in the evolution of the Nigerian communications industry.”

Efforts to get the official reaction of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) to the development proved abortive as calls and messages sent to the mobile phone of Mr Tony Ojobo, the Director, Public Affairs, NCC, were not answered. It was also learnt that the EVC, Professor Umaru Dambatta, was not around to take a

position on the matter.

A source, who craves anonymity at the NCC, however, said the commission is not aware of any renewal of the operator’s license.

According to the source, MTN and Airtel both have Universal Access Licence which has a lifespan of 15 years and which was issued in 2006 and will expire by 2021.

44 companies sue FIRS over N1.1bn excess stamp duties

From left, Head, Transaction Service Group, Ecobank Nigeria, Emile Sagna; Director of Customs Department of Trade, Customs and Free Movement, ECOWAS Commission, Mr Salifou Tiemtore; Chief Client Engagement Officer, Ecobank Nigeria, Jolone Okorodudu; acting Deputy Managing Director, Corporate Bank, Ecobank Nigeria, Foluke Aboderin and Assistant Comptroller, Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Anthony Ayalogu, at the Ecobank Corporate Bank Trade forum in Lagos, last week.

No cash withdrawal without BVN —CBN •As queues return to banking halls Chima Nwokoji-Lagos

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has instructed Deposit Money Banks (DMBs) to allow bank accounts without Bank Verification Number (BVN) to be operated but, with no withdrawal from the account until the owner obtains and attaches a BVN to the account.

This, according to the apex bank, means that Nigeria resident’s bank account without BVN will not be completely closed but allowed to continue to receive deposits.

Nigerian Tribune investigations revealed that most BVNs of customers’ have not been linked to owners’ accounts.

A customer, Mr Kelechi Iheanacho, told the Nigerian Tribune that he had obtained his BVN from Ecobank a month ago and received money into the account on Tuesday, but could not withdraw it because the bank said his BVN had not been linked to his account.

Further investigations also discovered that other bank customers that had obtained the BVN from one bank, and had submitted it to other banks where they also have accounts discovered that their accounts in the other banks

The source stated that in view of the law which stipulates that any renewal must be done six months before expiration, saying it was therefore baffling that MTN was laying claims to something that had not happened even when the licence it holds still subsists.

The source added that the Digital Mobile License (DML) that the company said it renewed was being discontinued and could not be renewed.

had been blocked for want of BVN. Banking sources explained that many customers did not submit their BVN for linkage to other accounts until last week, and the result was piles of BVN linkage request that could not be concluded as of the October 31st deadline.

A CBN statement signed by the Director, Banking and Payments System Department, Mr Dipo Fatokun, said the apex bank was satisfied with the progress made so far.

“Nigeria resident’s bank

account without the BVN would be operated as ‘no customer initiated debit’ account, until the account holder obtains and attaches a BVN to the account.

“Nigeria resident’s bank account without the BVN will still continue to receive credit inflows (in cash and electronically) and will neither be deactivated nor confiscated,” the statement read in part.

However, most customers who spoke to the Nigerian Tribune expressed disappointment over the failure of the banks to per-

form their duties.

“Nothing works well in this useless and hopeless county. Is it the duty of the customers to link up the BVN from one bank to the other? People are suffering for what they did not commit,” a customer stated.

Meanwhile, the CBN has extended the timeline for Nigerian bank customers in the diaspora to enroll for their Bank Verification Numbers to January 31, 2016.

It explained that the extension was to enable the customers in the diaspora to complete the enrollment

as well as link the BVN to their respective accounts.

It stated that the extension was only for customers in the diaspora and advised DMBs to ensure that the exemption was utilised by the targeted group only.

Unconfirmed reports had it that at least five million bank accounts were deactivated by Deposit Money Banks operating in the country on Saturday night following the October 31, 2015 deadline set by the Central Bank of Nigeria for bank customers to register and obtain their BVNs.

Customer week: Ecobank management staffers attend to customers Ecobank has formally flagged off its customer service week. During the week, which runs between November 6 and 12, management staff of the bank are posted to the branches as guest tellers where they are expected to perform normal banking duties by attending to customers, interact with them and obtain feedback.

The initiative is to encourage hands-on approach to resolving customers’ issues at the branches.

Flagging off the week at the Tejuosho branch of

the bank on Monday, Tony Okpanachi, Deputy Managing Director, Ecobank Nigeria, said the week would serve as an opportunity to celebrate its customers who have remained committed to its product and services over the years, adding that, it would also be a period to appreciate the customers for their loyalty, understating and partnership.

Speaking on the bank’s excellent customer service, he stated that “it is a vital part of our promise as a bank.

For us, this is more than just

providing answers. It’s helping customers even when they don’t know they need help. It’s teaching them how to do more with our products. It starts with a smile and a friendly word, and finishes with sharing our expertise, even when it has nothing at all to do with our products.”

Mr Okpanachi used the opportunity to showcase the various measures and innovations put in place in the bank to ensure enhanced service delivery and customer satisfaction.

“We now have in place

Ombudsman that gives a 24-hour service, listening to customers’ complaints and swiftly attending to them. There is self-service using the e-channels like the ATMs, Internet banking and others. We have the advantage lounges in some locations for this purpose. Our Express banking branches will also soon be available for their use. At these locations, you simplly walk in and do all your banking business without human interference. Our staff will always be nearby to render assistance when needed.”

Forty four insurance companies have dragged the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) to the Tax Appeal Tribunal to seek for refund of N1.1 billion excess stamp duties.

The companies alleged that they were made to pay the excess stamp duties on their respective statements of increase in their share capitals.

They urged the tribunal to direct FIRS to pay them the excess stamp duties and compounded interest at the rate of 20 per cent per annum from January 2003 until date of judgment.

The plaintiffs also urged the tribunal to order FIRS to pay compounded interest of 10 per cent from the date of judgment until all excess were refunded.

Meanwhile, the FIRS has said that its action is lawful and in accordance with Section 21, CAP 8 of the Stamp Duties Act. The FIRS said that the allegations by the companies were incorrect, adding that the plaintiffs suit was time barred because it had exceeded the 21 days prescribed by law for them to appeal.

It, therefore, urged the tribunal to strike out the appeal for lack of merit.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that when the matter came up for hearing, Counsel to the insurance companies, Prof. Taiwo Osipitan (SAN), closed his case.

Also, Counsel to FIRS, Bolanle Oniyangi, applied for a date to enable her field the defence witnesses.

The Acting Chairman of the tribunal, Nnamdi Ibegbu (SAN), adjourned the appeal till Nov. 30, for further hearing.

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Wednesday, 4 November, 2015

Nigerian Tribune

daily summary (equities) for TUESDAY, 3 november, 2015

top 5 gainers

top 5 losers

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Wednesday, 4 November, 2015

news Long queues, scuffles as fuel scarcity bites harder 14

Wednesday, 4 November, 2015

Nigerian Tribune

Marketers insist on payment of N500bn subsidy debt

Tunde Ogunesan with Agency Report

S

OME independent petroleum marketers in Lagos have said that fuel scarcity would resurface in the country if the Federal Government failed to pay their outstanding subsidy of N500 billion.

The marketers who preferred anonymity told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Tuesday that government had not paid any marketer subsidy claim

since August 2014 to date.

“We met with the vice president and the Group Managing Director of the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) on this matter and they promised to pay us between October and November but we have yet to receive any payment from government.

“We will be happy if the government can pay the outstanding because we are worried over the lingering fuel scarcity that will resurface in the country.

“Most of those who are

selling petrol currently are few major marketers who received allocation directly on credit from Pipelines Products Marketing Company (PPMC).

“None of the independent marketers, depot owners and some majors are selling the products,’’ they claimed.

The marketers claimed that about 1,700 oil workers were laid-off due to inability to meet up with their salaries.

They said that the nonpayment of the subsidy

claims and inability to get products allocations from government also contributed to the mass retrenchment.

A NAN correspondent who monitored the situation reported that fuel queues reappeared in some parts of Lagos as some stations had closed for business.

NAN observed that the situation was already taking a negative toll in the petroleum business supply chain because from Egbeda to Lagos-Abeokuta Expressway, fuel stations are not dispensing.

Motorists were seen queuing in anticipation that they would resume sales.

The situation was chaotic at the Conoil Station at National Bus Stop, close to the local Airport; long queues of vehicles compounded the traffic situation, extending to Ikeja under the bridge.

At Epe, none of the petrol stations there opened for sales, while those engaging in black market operations returned to the road to make brisk business out of the situation.

One of the station managers, who pleaded not to be named, told NAN that the situation might take a turn for the worse in few days.

He said that for now, only the NNPC was importing because major marketers had been forced to down tools as a result of the huge subsidy debt.

The Executive Secretary of Major Oil Marketers Association of Nigeria (MOMAN), Mr Obafemi Olawore, had in June raised alarm over the inability of the Federal Government to offset over N300 billion subsidy claims.

Fuel situation in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, was also disorderly as scuffles characterised most filling stations in the city, following desperation by motorists and other users of PMS to get the product.

Most major roads in the city were deserted as motorists and motorcyclists queued in a few filling stations that dispensed the product while law enforcement agents kept close watch to prevent breakdown of law and order.

In a related development, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Oyo State Command, has warned petrol marketers from selling above stipulated pump price.

According to a press statement signed by the command’s Public Relations Officer, Oluwole Olusegun, Commandant John Adewoye stated this while addressing officers at the end of two weeks training for 250 officers and men of the corps on conflict resolution at the command headquarters in Ibadan.

Court okays 3-week medical trip abroad for Dasuki Sunday Ejike - Abuja

Long queue of motorists anxiously waiting to fuel their vehicles at a filling station in Ibadan, Oyo State, on Tuesday. INSET: Commercial motorcyclists on the queue. PHOTOS: TOMMY ADEGBITE.

N1.2bn fraud: FG slams fresh charges on Oronsaye, others Sunday Ejike - Abuja

THE Federal Government on Tuesday slammed fresh charges against former Head of Service of the Federation, Mr Steven Oronsaye and five others before a Federal High Court in Abuja.

The Federal Government, through the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had earlier filed a 24-count charge against Oronsaye and two other defendants over alleged fraud and money laundering offences amounting to N1.2 billion.

When the matter came up yesterday, the prosecution counsel, Mr Adebisi Adeniyi, told the court that he had filed an amended charge, and sought for an adjournment to serve the charge on three new codefendants, included in the fresh charge.

With the filing of the amended charge, the initial 24-count charge earlier slammed against the former Head of Service, has jumped to 35-counts while the num-

ber of defendants increased from three to six.

The amended charge dated November 2, has Stephen Oronsaye (1st), Osarenkhoe Afe (2nd), Global Services Limited (3rd), Cluster Logistics Limited (4th), Kangolo Dynamic Cleaning Limited (5th) and

Drew Investment and Construction Company Limited as defendants.

Opposing the process of filing the amended charge, Oronsaye’s lawyer, Mr Kola Okeaya-Inneh, was of the view that the prosecution “cannot file an amended charge without a prior for-

mal application to do so.”

Ruling on the application, the trial judge, Justice Gabriel Kolawole, said the prosecution could bring an amended charge at the stage of the proceedings without the need to file any formal application for leave of court to do so.

Oyo assembly chides LAUTECH CMD for non-appearance at plenary

By Wale Akinselure

AN attempt by the Oyo State House of Assembly to address the purported dereliction and disrepair at Ladoke Akintola University Teaching Hospital, Ogbomoso, was aborted following the absence of the hospital’s Chief Medical Director (CMD), Professor Olabisi Oladele Sijuwola, at Tuesday’s plenary.

The House, following a motion moved by member representing Ogbomoso South Constituency, Honourable Olukayode Akande, had at its sitting on October 29, 2015, invited the Chief

Medical Director, Director of Works, LAUTECH Teaching Hospital, Ogbomoso, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Health and Permanent Secretary, Hospitals Management Board, to intimate the House about the state of the institution.

However, the presence of the Director of Administration, LAUTECH Teaching Hospital, Ogbomoso, Mr Ajiferuke Ademola, at the plenary was considered inadequate for deliberations on the matter to continue.

Ajiferuke had explained that the CMD was in Lagos to invigilate the West Afri-

can Postgraduate Medical College Examination, for Resident Doctors.

Further speaking with the Nigerian Tribune, Ajiferuke explained that the institution received the Assembly’s invitation on Saturday, October 31, to appear in three days time whereas the CMD had been invited much earlier by the examination body to invigilate.

The lawmakers, however, perceived the non-appearance of Sijuwola as spiteful, further positing the House was being compelled to activate its constitutional power of summons.

JUSTICE Adeniyi Ademola of a Federal High Court in Abuja on Tuesday ordered the release of the International Passport of the former National Security Adviser (NSA), Colonel Sambo Mohammed Dasuki (retd), to enable him travel abroad for medical attention.

Justice Ademola, while ruling on Dasuki’s application held that, in criminal trial, every suspect is presumed innocent and that every Nigerian has the right to access medication anywhere of his choice.

He held in the ruling that the former NSA was granted bail on September 1, on self recognition and nothing attached, saying also that the argument by the prosecution that the seizure of Dasuki’s International Passport was the only condition for his bail was irrelevant.

According to the trial judge, the objection to Dasuki’s application for the release of his travel document by the prosecution failed and the argument was dismissed in its entirety.

Justice Ademola then ordered the Registrar of the Court to release Dasuki’s International Passport to him to enable him travel outside the country for three weeks for medical attention.

He also ordered Dasuki to return his International Passport back to the Deputy Chief Registrar, Litigation, of the court within 72 hours after his return from the three weeks medical trip.

The court also reviewed the bail conditions earlier granted the former NSA; that he should produce a surety who will take his place should he refused to return back to the country to face his trial.

Alternatively, the judge held that any of the Senior Advocates of Nigeria representing Dasuki can write an undertaken to produce him in court after the expiration of the three weeks grace given to him to travel abroad for treatment.

The court then adjourned till November 26, 2015 for trial and to rule on the Federal Government’s application for secret trial of the former NSA. Dasuki is standing trial for criminal offences bordering on unlawful possession of firearms and money laundering slammed against him.

Meanwhile, the Department of State Services (DSS) on Tuesday invited a former Governor of Adamawa State, Boni Haruna, for questioning after he stood surety for a former National Security Adviser, Sambo Dasuki.

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Four-year-old kidnapped in Ogun Olayinka Olukoya-Abeokuta

A

four-year-old, Stephen Kanu, was on Monday evening, abducted by people suspected to be kidnappers at his parents’ residence, in Abeokuta.

Nigerian Tribune learnt that the suspected kidnappers invaded the Laderin Estate residence of the victim’s parents, Dr and Mrs Mucipay Kanu, and forcefully took the boy away.

It was further learnt that the suspected kidnappers, who pretended to be visi-

tors, pointed gun at the victim’s mother and directed her to cooperate with them for the success of their mission.

The young Stephen, Nigerian Tribune gathered, at the time of his abduction, was reported to be playing with a domestic

dog.

An eyewitness account recounted that the kidnappers hurriedly left the scene with the boy in a waiting taxi cab without registration number and sped off towards MKO Abiola way.

The kidnappers were

said to have scared people pursuing them by shooting sporadically into the air.

When contacted, the acting Police Public Relations Officer, Abimbola Oyeyemi, said the command had notified all police formations in the state about

the matter.

He expressed hope that the young boy would soon be re-united with his family, however, at the time of filing this report, no contact had been made by the kidnappers to the victim’s family.

Stephen Kanu

Fayose apologises to pry school teachers over mix-up in salary payment IN a rare show of respect for teachers and understanding of their plights, Governor Ayodele Fayose, has apologised to primary school teachers in Ekiti State over the mix-up in the payment of their September, 2015 salaries.

According to a statement by the Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Idowu Adelusi, the governor said, “even though the mix-up was from the State Accountant General’s office but as the state governor, he takes responsibility.”

“I want to apologise for the inconsistency and problems encountered in crediting the accounts of some primary school teachers, it was after my broadcast few days back that I got a lot of text messages from some teachers that were affected.

“I sincerely want to apologise, I have gotten to the root of the matter, I have found out that there were mix-ups here and there, the accounts were credited and later withdrawn for carelessness in the accountant general’s office, for whatever it is, I take responsibility, I apologise and want to assure you that all the lapses will be corrected.

Abia State governor, Dr Okezie Ikpeazu flanked on the left by his deputy, Honourable Ude Oko Chukwu and on the right by the state PDP chairman, Senator Emma Nwaka, after the tribunal affirmed his victory, in Umuahia, on Tuesday.

Tribunal upholds Ikpeazu’s election as Abia gov THE election petition tribunal sitting in Umuahia, the Abia State capital, has upheld the election of Okezie Ikpeazu, governor of the state.

The tribunal dismissed the petition of Alex Otti, candidate of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) in the April 11 election, for lacking in merit.

In a 85-minute judgment delivered by Usman Bwala, chairman of the panel, the tribunal said the petitioners, Otti and APGA, did not prove “beyond doubt” their claim to have won the election.

Bwala said the petitioners had, on the one hand, urged the court to nullify the election on grounds that it was

marred by irregularities and massive fraud, and on the other hand sought that they should be declared winners of the same election.

He said the petitioners reckoned with the card reader as a means of accreditation during the election, but failed to countenance with the voter register.

The tribunal further refused to grant the petitioners’ request for it to uphold the cancellation of the results of the election in Obingwa, Osisioma and Isiala-Ngwa north local government areas of the state.

Bwala said Benjamin Ozumba, the state returning officer, was not allowed under the law to cancel the said results in the first place,

hence the subsequent reversal by him had no effect.

He said the onus lay heavily on the petitioners to prove beyond doubt that they won the election as they claimed in their petition. The tribunal chairman, therefore, dismissed the petition because of the failure of the petitioners to convince the tribunal beyond doubt that they won the election.

Otti had urged the tribunal to annul the decalaration of Ikpeazu as governor, saying the election was marred by irregularities and substantial non-compliance with the electoral act.

He, however, urged the tribunal to declare him (Otti) winner on account of the lawful votes cast during the

Police warn striking workers against roadblocks THE Nigeria Police Force in Kogi State has warned the state’s labour force not to block the highways/ roads in the state in the name of a protest.

While acknowledging the fact that the workers have right to peaceful assembly and lawful protest, the force described as intolerable and overreaching the extension of their

grievances, the protest that would cause major traffic and security threats.

According to a statement made available to the Nigerian Tribune and signed by Olabisi Kolawole, the Force Public Relations Officer, Kogi workers were warned to desist from hatching inciting and provoking plans and restrict themselves to due legal and labour procedures that would not in

anyway, cause discomfort to innocent citizens.

The statement added: “Failure to adhere strictly to this warning, the force will mobilise maximally to deal decisively with anyone or group trying to threaten the security or public peace under any guise of protest, and will not hesitate to bring such persons or group to justice.”

election. Otti also asked the tribunal to uphold Ozumba’s cancellation of the results for Obingwa, Osisioma and Isiala-Ngwa north local government areas.

He said Ozumba, having cancelled the results, did not have the power to cancel the result and reverse himself, adding that only the tribunal had the power to reverse the cancellation.

Reacting to the judgment, Ndionyenma Nwankwo, counsel for the petitioners, said the legal team would study the judgment and decide on the next line of action to take.

Chubuike Nwokeukwu and Haggler Okorie, counsels for Ikpeazu and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) commended the tribunal for its judgment, which they described as sound and founded on law.

Mixed reactions trail tribunal verdict in Abia Some residents of Umuahia have expressed mixed feelings over the upholding of the election of Dr Okezie Ikpeazu by the governorship election petitions tribunal in Abia.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reported that Dr Alex Otti of All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) had challenged the victory of Ikpeazu of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Court remands man, 65, for setting another ablaze AN Ota Magistrates’ Court in Ogun State, on Tuesday, remanded a 65-year-old man, Joseph Olaleye, for allegedly killing a man by setting him ablaze.

The Magistrate, Miss Temitope Adebutu, ordered that the accused should be remanded in prison custody pending advice from the State Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP).

Olaleye, whose address was not provided, is facing trial for murder.

The court did not take the plea of the accused while the magistrate adjourned the case till November 9 for mention.

Earlier, the Prosecutor, Sergeant Rosemary Samson, told the court that the accused committed the offence on August 30 at about 2.00 p.m. at Ojowo Satide Owode-Ijako in Ota. She alleged that the accused unlawfully killed one Abdullahi Rasak by setting him ablaze.

Samson said the offence contravened Sections 316 and 319(1) of the Criminal Code, Laws of Ogun State, 2006.

Be good ambassador, group charges Shittu

By Gbenga Olumide

THE Chief Executive Officer, Inaayatullah Hajj Travels and Tours Limited, Iwo, Osun State, Dr Al-Asrau Bilal, has charged Mr Adebayo Shittu, Minister designate, to always have the fear of God at heart in the course of his assignment.

He gave the charge at the special prayer and get-together organised in Shittu’s honour by the Federation of Ahlus-Sunnah Organisations in Nigeria, in Ibadan, on Saturday.

Dr Al-Asrau Bilal, in a statement said Mr Shittu should see the appointment as a challenge and call to service and not to celebrate.

He pointed out that choosing a good responsibility bearer is a trust and good discharging of the responsibility as well.

“For this, workers or civil servants should not misuse their post so that he would not cause problem for himself, his relations and others around him,” he said.

Also speaking at the event, Dr Dauda Amoo from the University of Ibadan and Alhaj Kunle Sanni, the chairman, Muslim Community, Oyo State charged Shittu to allow the fear of Allah and love of his fatherland to be his watch words.

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Job scammers created false Facebook account in my name —HOS Clement Idoko-Abuja

T

HE Acting Head of the Federal Civil Service of the Federation, Mrs Winifred Ekanem Oyo- Ita, has disclaimed a Facebook account allegedly created in her name.

The false account purportedly carried advertisements for vacancies in the Office of the Head of Civil Service of the Federation.

Oyo-Ita, in a statement issued by the Director of Communications in her office, Mr Haruna Imrana, on Tuesday in Abuja, urged the general public to discard the Facebook account.

The statement said: “The attention of the office of the Head of Civil Service has been drawn to the false facebook account created by some fraudulent individuals in the name of the Acting Head of the Federal Civil Service of the Federation, Mrs Winifred Ekanem Oyo-Ita. “The general Public is

hereby warned that the so called facebook account is false and dubious.

“The Acting Head of the Civil Service has no such account. More so, the office of the Head of service does not advertise vacancies for employment in the offices as dubiously stated in the page.

“The Account is a scam created by fraudsters

aimed at misleading and duping innocent job seekers.

“The public is therefore warned to disregard the facebook account and any information it may carry.

Furthermore people should desist from any form of dialogue on the account. It is fictitious and fraudulent.

“The Acting Head of

the Civil Service therefore wishes to disassociate herself from the facebook account. Anyone who engages in any form of dialogue or transaction with any person on the account does so at his or her own risk.

“The public should be cautious of such dubious and fraudulent characters,” it stated.

Bauchi workforce over-bloated —Civil Service Commission chairman ALHAJI Bello Gamawa, Chairman, Bauchi State Civil Service Commission (CSC), has said that the 29,000 workers on the payroll of the state is overbloated.

Gamawa told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Tuesday in Bauchi, capital of Bauchi State.

“The workforce, by implication, means we have employed more than what is needed, considering the fact that this new administration inherited an empty treasury and three months’ salaries arrears owed civil servants.

“That is why incumbent Governor Mohammed Abubakar adopted and reenforced a circular previously issued by his predecessor-in–office banning employment as well as the issuance of employment letters to some applicants whose appointments were approved by former Governor Isa Yuguda.

“To further conserve funds, Governor Abubakar also directed that the state government should stop the issuance of letters of promotion to 17 permanent secretaries granted accelerated promotions by former Governor Isa Yuguda,” he said.

Gamawa said that the present administration inherited a 30,000 workforce, “But about 1,000 had either retired or died, therefore, we are now left with about 29,000 workers and at that, it is still over bloated.

“We have just been able to employ about 20 doctors, pharmacists and engineers as it became com-

Ibadan Poly gets new deputy rector

By Modupe George

MR Augustine Bayo Oyeleke has been elected as the new deputy rector of The Polytechnic, Ibadan.

This was contained in a press release signed by the Registrar, Mr Hezekiah Ayodele Fehintola and made available to Nigerian Tribune.

Mr Oyeleke, emerged the new deputy rector after a keenly contested election by members the Board of Studies held on Tuesday, October 13, 2015 Oyeleke, who had Bachelor’s Degree from Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile Ife, in Fine Arts also holds a Master’s Degree in Visual Arts from the University of Ibadan.

He has many academic papers and art works to his credit.

He joined the service of The Polytechnic, Ibadan on August 1992, having transferred his services from The Osun State College of Education, Ilesa.

Until his current appointment, Oyeleke who had held several positions of responsibility in the institution was the Dean Students’ Affairs. He is married and blessed with children.

Glo brand Ambassador, Korede Bello (second right) with fans at the Ikeja edition of Glo Slide ‘n’ Bounce concert held at Water Parks Hotels, Lagos, on Saturday.

Chemical explosion razes hospital, two other buildings Suzy Oruya-Onitsha

THREE buildings were on Tuesday evening set ablaze when chemicals stored in drums at a depot at Nkpor Junction axis, Idemili

North Local Government Area, Anambra State exploded.

The explosion started when a thick smoke was seen bellowing from the warehouse located at 1

Afam Uzugwu in Nkpor junction where the drums of chemicals were stored under lock and key. All efforts to break the lock of the warehouse prove abortive making the fire to raze

Glo takes show to Ikeja residents RESIDENTS of Ikeja, Lagos, over the weekend shared the fun and thrill of Globacom’s entertainment show, the Glo Slide ‘n’ Bounce concert.

The event which was held at the Ikeja Water Parks Hotel on Toyin Street attracted subscribers on the Glo network in the area who came to watch their entertainment idols such as Korede Bello, Burna Boy and PSquare at no cost.

As Glo had done in several cities where the show has been hosted, it ensured that the teeming subscribers who turned up for the show were entertained as resourceful Nollywood actor and comedian, Okey Bakassi, up and coming artistes as well as the main acts of the evening took turns to perform to the delight of the

audience.

The Disc Jockey (DJ) for the night, DJ Neptune, got the audience dancing to different hit tunes, while the dancing competition for the night was won by Adeosun Adeleke.

As part of the side attractions for the night, the remaining 26 contestants in the Reality Television Show, Dance with Peter (DWP), sponsored by Globacom, made guest appearances at the show.

Oluwa-Damzy, a guitarist and one of the local hands who performed at the show, stood out as the audience sang along with him while he displayed an unusual dexterity with the strings. Other local hands at the show included Neeyu, Martins, Jeffy Brown, Icee and DMoney, a younger brother to the Akpako master,

Terry G. The show then moved to a different level when the Godwin exponent, Korede Bello, entered the stage with his “Adaobi” hit track.

The coming of the Glo Ambassador and late Fela Anikulapo’s protégé, Burna Boy, completely changed the tempo of the show, and the crowd surged forward to feel the afrobeat entertainer ply his trade.

The sensational musical twins, PSquare, rounded off the evening of fun and their performance was electrifying, especially when the DWP contestants joined them on stage to celebrate with their idol and originator of the Reality TV Show, Peter Okoye.

From Ikeja, the Slide ‘n’ Bounce concert will move to neighbouring satellite town of Egbeda this weekend.

the building where the chemicals were stored and a two three-storey building and also one four-storey building. A vehicle, sewing machine and other household valuables, including an hospital was also affected by the fire.

Although no life was lost, a girl who jumped from one of the buildings was injured as she was burnt by the fire. The Vice Chairman of Red Cross Society in Anambra State, Professor Peter Katchy confirmed that the affected girl is currently receiving treatment.

He added that the fire service from Okpoko responded promptly but due to the intensiveness of the fire they had to alert other fire service from Awka to put out the fire.

Katchy, however warned residents against keeping flammable material or object in the house to avoid explosion or fire outbreak.

Ogidi Divisional Police Officer, Mr Hassan Musa confirmed the incident adding that the inferno started from the building where the chemical was stored.

NMA seeks end to measles, other preventable diseases Banji Aluko-Benin City

THE Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) has sued for support in its effort to completely eradicate polio, measles and other vaccines preventable diseases in the country.

Speaking at the 2015 Physicians’ Week organised by the Edo State branch of the NMA in Benin City, the Chairman, Professor Afekhide Omoti, said the preventable childhood diseases such as measles ought not to still exist in Nigeria.

Omoti said, “Records show that measles is one of the leading causes of death among young children and in 2013, there were 145,700 measles deaths globally and about 400 deaths every day or 16 deaths every hour.”

He, however, said proper vaccination was the solution to the problem saying, “between 2000 and 2013, measles vaccination prevented an estimated 15.6 million deaths, thereby making measles vaccine one of the best buys in public health.”

17

Wednesday, 4 November, 2015

tribune cartoons

Adeeko Olusegun adeeko.olusegun@yahoo.com 0811 695 4638

GIANT IN THE TROPIC OF AFRICA

Chief Michael Ade Ojo (OON)

FUNOLOGY

• Born on June 14, 1938 at Ilaramokin, in Ondo State.

CHURCH BOY

• He had his primary education at St. Michael’s Anglican School, Ilara-Mokin.

He later attended Imade College, Owo, Nigeria (1954-1958).

He proceeded to the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN) in 1961, where he obtained a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) degree in Business Administration in 1965.

SEGELUULU

• He is a Nigerian business magnate and founder of Elizade University, Ilara-mokin, Ondo State, Nigeria. He is also the Chairman and CEO Elizade Motors Limited.

He also chairs many companies in Nigeria, including TOYOTA Nig. Ltd. • Ojo is a philanthropist, a devout Christian and a disciplinarian. He never takes ‘No’ for an answer, insisting that every problem has a solution.

THERE ARE 10 DIFFERENCES IN THE CARTOONS BELOW. THE DIFFERENCES SHOULD BE MARKED IN B

SPOT THE DIFFERENCE

A

B

18 LETTERS TO THE

Wednesday, 4 November, 2015

editor

Letters to the editor should be sent to letters@tribune.com.ng or by sms to 08078891826.

It MUST be accompanied by the full name and address of the writer.

Fuel scarcity: What is really happening?

N

O one can really say why fuel scarcity is resurfacing in major cities across the country; Nigerians have been told by the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) boss, Dr Ibe Kachikwu, that there is enough fuel in the country, but this artificial scarcity points to the enemies of progress.

It is being speculated that marketers are not happy with the reduction of the pump price of petroleum from N97 to N87 per litre. This same thing goes for kerosene, which now sells for N50 in some filling stations.

The truth is that enemies of progress are still living with us; they want things to be done as they used to, but we are in a new era. Nigerians voted for change, and we need change in all our endeavours.

Some marketers are claiming the lack of supply of fuel to the NNPC depots caused the current scarcity, but they are still loading fuel in Lagos. This is not enough justification for the punishment Nigerians are going through on a daily basis as a result of this scarcity.

I think Nigeria’s petroleum sector deserves President Muhammadu Buhari’s urgent attention, and if care is not taken, this is where the evil people who are still lurking around will go through to discredit the president. Already, people are complaining, as they are already buying a litre of fuel for N100. The cost of basic items, as well as transport fares, has gone up.

If President Buhari will continue to be popular among Nigerians, then he has to do something fast about the fuel scarcity.

However, if the problem is about petroleum pipeline vandals, then the Federal Government should look at more efficient ways of policing the pipelines. These vandals are economic saboteurs, and it is important that the government should draft soldiers to curb the

rising pipeline vandalism.

Nigerians too have a lot to do in curbing incidences of pipeline vandalism; these criminals live among us, and we own the government a duty by informing law enforcement officers of the activities of these criminals.

If we continue to look the

other way, then we will continue to suffer for the sins of a few criminallyminded citizens.

Finally, I think the NNPC should tell Nigerians what is really happening; this silence will only lead to further speculations by the people. Whatever the reason for the

current scarcity maybe, the government should do everything in its power to bring it to an end as soon as possible. Nigerians are tired of this recurring fuel scarcity.

•Dr Tajudeen Alalade, tajudeenalalade03@ yahoo.com

Attention, Lagos Works commissioner IT is a thing of joy that the Lagos State has decided to ‘wage war’ against bad roads in the state. According to the commissioner for works, “the strategy to be adopted is that all the engineers in the Ministry of Works would participate in the exercise which targets all parts of the state.”

My understanding of the underlining statement is that no part of the state will be left untouched in the policy implementation.

This is no doubt, related to the on-going state government’s policy of two roads rehabilitation or construction in each of the 57 Local Council Development Areas. As cheering as these policy statements might sound, my fear is that some parts of the LCDAs and by extension the state are so neglected that no government agency remembers their existence in terms of policy execution. The veritable case that comes readily to my mind is the Ijagemo com-

munity, situated at the tailend of the popular IkotunIjegun road. As populous as this community has been, its obscure location, within the Iba/Ojo LCDA has not helped matters, as neither the LCDA nor the state, has shown any empathy for the residents, both past and present.

I, therefore, challenge the government to, as a matter

of necessity and compassion, see the community and its residents as part of its own, by extending this laudable policy (two roads per LCDA) first and foremost to the Ijagemo Community.

•Anaele Tony, 15, Ademoye Street, Ikotun, Lagos State.

As the tribunal confirms Ajimobi’s victory THE recent judicial pronouncement of the elections petition tribunal in Oyo State has finally laid to rest all misgivings that characterised the politics of Oyo State since the April governorship elections.

The tribunal has affirmed the validity of Governor Abiola Ajimobi’s victory at the gubernatorial polls.

The legal victory establishes the supremacy of the governor over the politics of the state. He has not only broken a so-called jinx of one term for anyone who ruled the state irrespective of performance in office, but by the verdict of the tribunal he has been given the democratic license to consolidate on the achievements of his first tenure in office.

Governor Ajimobi’s foray into politics has shaken and realigned the politics of the state albeit in a dynamic and progressive manner. With courage, candour, corporate world experience, grassroots mobilisation and elite consensus, he has charted a new course that shall continue to be a reference point for some time to come. His achievements and style of governance so far can be likened to the progressive era of the late former gov-

ernor of the Old Oyo State, Chief Bola Ige. His sustained efforts to dislodge and consign “Amala Politics” in the state to the dustbin of history might have started yielding fruits, judging from the support he got from important stakeholders in the state, culminating in his overwhelming victory for a second term in office.

As the second phase of a new era in Oyo State is being witnessed, the governor should seize the opportunity and momentum which this second term confers to consolidate on the achievements of his first term, particularly the Urban Renewal programme across the major towns/cities in the state, and particularly in the capital city of Ibadan.

The seemingly intractable problem of street trading within Ibadan metropolis should also be tackled headlong.

It is hoped that this second coming of the governor will change the social, political, economic and geographical landscape of the state for good.

•Babs Iwalewa, iwalewababs@gmail. com

19

editorial

Wednesday, 4 November, 2015

Nigerian Tribune

Naira and the plan for further devaluation

T

HE naira was one of the world’s strongest currencies – far stronger than the American dollar - until the mid-1980s when its free fall started. The sharp drop in the value of the naira was occasioned by the Nigerian Government’s acceptance of the Structural Adjustment Programme (SAP) of the International Monetary Fund (IMF). In spite of the fact that notable Nigerian economists vigorously opposed the harmful package of the IMF, the government embraced it and the value of the naira has since been a story of progressive decline. What was recommended as an antidote to third world countries’ ailing economies ended up as a deadly poisonous prescription. The IMF long after came out to accept that SAP was an inappropriate answer to the problems of third world economies.

The same IMF, the author of the ruinous economic programme of the 1980s is at it again. It has been calling for an adjustment in the value of the naira. The Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi and some university dons have also been reported to have joined in the campaign for a further reduction in the value of the currency. The IMF has been particularly critical of the actions taken to limit access to foreign exchange by prohibiting the importation of certain goods. The argument is that the government should allow the naira to find its level.

Our expectation is that Nigerians will question the interest of the IMF in the value of Nigeria’s currency instead of joining in the agitation for a reduction in its value. Itshouldnotbedifficulttorecall that the devaluation of the naira and other harmful recommendations of the IMF had disastrous consequences on the economy and quality of life in Nigeria and many other countries that embraced SAP. There was a sharp increase in the cost of imports, large-scale de-industrialisation and massive job losses. Factories either closed shop or relocated to other countries. Products that were being produced in the country are now being imported.

The current wave of devaluations started in the last quarter of 2014 when the exchange rate of the naira to the dollar was adjusted from 155 to 168. The current rate of 197 naira to the dollar shows that the value of the currency has dropped by 27 per cent in the last one year. With another round of devaluation, there will be another round of inflation. The purchasing power of Nigerians will be reduced because the naira will buy less.

The cost of imported materials for industrial production

will go up and the cost of products and services will rise.

Industries that have been struggling to survive decades of economic downturn will be further disadvantaged.

Their higher costs of production will not enable them to sell at competitive prices. They will be unable to take advantage of the large market that Nigeria is.

Devaluation will thus have a telling effect not only on the industries but also on the quality of life of the ordinary people.

Nigeria is not an industrialised country producing and exporting finished products. Industrialised countries at times resort to devaluation to undercut their rivals to enable them to get a larger share of the market. Nigeria is an import-dependent country . It is a massive market into which all forms of goods are dumped. Its main source of revenue - the crude oil - is exported in raw form with no value added and it is priced and paid for in American dollars. What then will be the benefits that will accrue from a further reduction in the value of the naira?

President Muhammadu Buhari , Vice President Yemi Osinbajo and Central Bank Governor Godwin Emefiele have spoken in unmistakable terms about the resolve of the government not to further devalue the naira. Our fervent hope is that they will stick to their guns in the defence of whatever remains of the naira.

If the massive devaluations of the 1980s and 1990s did not solve the country’s problems, it will not solve it today. The government should explore the options of strengthening and diversifying the economy.

There has always been the contention that the devaluation of the currency will discourage the importation of items of ostentatious consumption. It is a flawed argument in a country in which public office holders have been abusing their access to the treasury to steal even what they do not need. The control on foreign exchange should be stringent enough to stop the importation of what can be locally produced and what can only serve the purpose of showing class.

It should not be lost on the agitators for devaluation that Nigeria is a country that has been stolen blind by its own leaders. Continuous devaluation of the naira will be adding value to stolen funds in foreign vaults. The health of the economy and the interest of the populace should be the primary objective of fiscal and monetary policies.

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20

opinion

Wednesday, 4 November, 2015

Wike: Judgment foretold

By Mfon Ebong

P

ERHAPS the greatest surprise that would have occurred in recent judicial decisions would have been for the Rivers State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal, to have returned a verdict different from what it delivered on Saturday, October 24, 2015. I have often heard it said, by veterans, that election litigation, whether as a petitioner or a respondent, is the toughest hurdle for anyone seeking elective office.

This is because, after all the preceding investment in time and resources in electioneering, success or failure at the point of litigation determines, ultimately, whether you are in or out. Thus, no petitioner or respondent goes to sleep until the matter is finally disposed of.

We’re we not so forgetful as a people and a nation, we would immediately recall and then contextualise several related incidents that took place only a few weeks ago.

There were instances of witness tampering and intimidation in the Rivers Governorship Election Petition hearing. In July, INEC officials, including the Resident Electoral Commissioner, were summoned to Abuja, where they were arrested and detained, without the Tribunal issuing any warrant of arrest.

The ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) quickly jumped to the defence of the Department of State Services (DSS), saying the latter were acting within their legal authority. But where was the police? Will DSS now play the role of court bailiffs?

There were also uncontroverted reports of security officers being compelled to alter their security reports on the Rivers governorship election, because the petitioner would rely on such reports to prove his case.

But, perhaps, the most bizarre incident was when armed DSS operatives invaded the premises where the Tribunal sat, in search of a recently retired security witness, who gave damning evidence contrary to the script of the powers that be. Have we forgotten so soon? Well,

if we remember that incident, along with others, such as the abrupt removal of the first chairman of the Tribunal, who was obviously not prepared to trade his conscience,

The Rivers Tribunal completely ignored a recent and subsisting Court of Appeal decision on the card reader in the Lagos governorship tussle between Agbaje and Ambode.

we would not be surprised by the outcome of the election petition. It was judgment foretold.

The Rivers Tribunal completely ignored a recent and subsisting Court of Appeal decision on the card reader in the Lagos governorship tussle between Agbaje and Ambode. On that score, the Tribunal annulled the Rivers election. On the allegations of insecurity and irregularities on voting day on April 11, the Tribunal also declared that while it believed the witnesses called by the petitioner, it disbelieved the respondents’ witnesses.

So, was there a thorough evaluation of hearsay evidence against direct evidence? Usually, I’m told, the burden of proof is one beyond reasonable doubt in the kind of allegations contained in the petition. Legal scholars should be interested in examining the judgment to see how this burden was discharged.

Why was Justice Mu’azu Pindiga removed as Chairman of the Rivers Governorship Election Petition Tribunal, and replaced by Justice Suleiman Ambursa?

Yet, since he was removed as Tribunal Chairman two months or so ago, there has not been a report, or even a whisper, that Justice Pindiga is facing disciplinary action. Instead, the most plausible position has been widely circulated online, that Justice Pindiga was axed because he declined on several occasions to hold secret meetings with the security agencies and others who invited him to Kaduna, obviously for purposes intended to thwart justice.

Not a few eyebrows were raised over the break-neck speed with which the Rivers Tribunal delivered its judgment on October 24, barely 48 hours after counsel to litigants adopted their final addresses. The concern was — and still is — whether the Tribunal members had enough time to pore over and deeply reflect on the tons of materials and testimonies, before giving their considered judgment.

•Ebong lives in Uyo, Akwa Ibom.

Alamieyeseigha: A made-in-Nigeria tragedy

By Tope Oriola

THE death of DSP Alamieyeseigha has certainly stunned Nigerians. I have been reflecting on the broad implications of the life and death of Alams, as he was popularly known. The transience and futility of life stare everyone in the face at moments like this. Nonetheless, there are other salient issues that Alams’ death throws up beyond metaphysical concerns.

Alamieyeseigha was a beloved political leader among the Izons despite all the corruption allegations — proven and unproven — against him. I interviewed a peace activist in the Niger Delta during my research exercise in 2009. The comment by the activist who was working to prevent kidnapping reflected a widespread opinion about Alams in the Delta region thus: “Alams was tricked into this so-called arresting (sic) because he was a threat for them in the election that was to return Obasanjo for the third term or to make the plan for them to remain in power for ever. They felt Alam’s freedom as an Ijaw man who governs his people well will be a threat if they’re thinking about who comes to the presidency or VP position. Alams was set up just to make sure people like him will not have a voice in making decisions for this country ….They decided to silence him. So, he was set up. They designed a woman, put his face there and said he escaped as a woman. It was a computer job… The government purposely rubbished him. He wanted transparency and good governance and he was elected by the people. They said this is dangerous, this is the people’s choice and we must deal with him.”

People’s perception is their reality. Of course, Bayelsans were not oblivious of Alams’ corruption. Many would rather have “a son of the soil” embezzle their money rather than an “outsider”. Alams represented access to state resources for a highly marginalised region. Alams served as first civilian governor of Bayelsa state and established the Niger Delta University, among other landmarks. He was widely believed to have done more with oil revenue than his successors although contracts were notoriously over-inflated during his tenure. Alameiyeseigha also

helped to directly or indirectly mentor the likes of President Goodluck Jonathan and several political leaders of the latter’s generation. Alams enjoyed a level of popularity unmatched by President Jonathan or any other Ijaw leader in recent memory. Therefore, he returned to a hero’s welcome after his escape from England in 2005.

Oronto Douglas, then commissioner for Information and Strategy reportedly declared that Alams’ escape from the English criminal justice system was “a triumph for the people of Bayelsa”. Oronto would go on to literally become the brain behind the Jonathan presidency as Special Adviser on Research, Documentation and Strategy.

Oronto died on 9th April 2015.

It is fitting that Alams was at home — in his beloved Amassoma — when death came knocking. I have had the opportunity to visit Amassoma in the course of several years of research in the Niger Delta. Anyone who has been to Amassoma will definitely feel concerned that anyone, rich or poor, had to be transported from Amassoma to Port Harcourt for medical treatment. It is an unfitting tribute that there was no hospital with capacity to treat Alams in Amassoma. I wonder if Alams was driven

through the East-West road, one of the longest and most expensive never-ending construction sites in Nigeria.

Several parts of the East West road are borderline impassable. The arduous journey would have wasted invaluable time as Alams presumably clung to life. Was there no hospital with capacity to treat Alams in Yenagoa, the capital of Bayelsa State? It is an unpleasant insignia of oil inebriation and concomitant waste that the first executive governor of Bayelsa and others after him never utilised oil proceeds for purposes of world-class health infrastructure. Therefore, Alams had to be transported to Port Harcourt, where interestingly the people are daily embarrassed by the inability of the government to master the science of garbage collection.

Alams’ death reminds us of our lack of genuine heroes.

Houses in Yenagoa, the capital of Bayelsa State, were never numbered during Alams’ tenure and up to this moment. Governors such as Timipre Silva and Seriake Dickson never addressed this basic issue and miscellaneous developmental concerns of a young oil-rich federating unit. Alams’ death should therefore spur more concerted civil society action in the Niger Delta to demand more from not just the federal government but also political leaders in the region.

Alams’ exit from the theatre of life demonstrates that everyone ends up paying a price for bad governance.

The poor pay a huge cost vis-à-vis absent social services, death traps masquerading as roads, poor facilities at schools, destruction of our value system, etc. The rich also feel the pangs of insecurity and are let down at critical moments such as Alams’.

Alams’ death is a sad commentary on our national life and how low our country has sunk. Alamieyeseigha embodies the contradiction and conundrum of what passes as leadership in Nigeria. No one should gloat over anybody’s death. This is a tragedy in many ways. Alams’ family has lost its bread winner and the Ijaw have lost a controversial yet beloved son.

•Dr Oriola is assistant professor of criminology at the University of Alberta, Canada.

21

Wednesday, 4 November, 2015

features

Editor: Kehinde Oyetimi featurestribune@yahoo.com 080111845048

Outdoor notice or public nuisance?

Street adverts:

A walk around major streets in cities across Nigeria reveals the obvious inability of many advertisers to pass the necessary content of their messages across due to spelling errors or semantic inappropriateness. YEJIDE GBENGAOGUNDARE reports this trend.

O

VER time, there have been various reports that there are too many illiterates in Nigeria but to many, this is just hearsay. But few weeks back, there was a report that a great percentage of Nigerian adults are illiterates and at this point, more individuals took the matter seriously due to its source and the statistics given. To further prove that Nigeria has a prevalent problem of illiteracy is another report that came out from Anambra State during the last International Literacy Day. The National Mass Education Commission (NMEC) through the chairman of its governing board, Esther Udehi, had asserted that 64 million Nigerian adults are illiterate, adding that the trend has become quite worrisome. According to Udehi, Nigeria’s dream of attaining the Education For All, (EFA) Goal 2015 is becoming elusive except something was urgently done to reverse the trend. “It is a shame that in the 21st century we should be having such a number of illiterates. It is a thing of concern to everyone,” she stated.

For a country with an estimated population of 180 million, an estimate of 64 million illiterates in the midst of so many accomplished graduates is indeed a mind-boggling problem especially for a country that prides itself on making the education-for-all project a priority.

The question on the lips of many, however is, how realistic is a figure of 64 million illiterates in a country that values education like Nigeria? This is a question that can be answered by any individual even without the benefit of a research. A walk around any street in the major cities of Nigeria gives more than the needed proof that there is indeed cause for concern.

It is rare to walk through a commercial area and not find a notice board, sign post or banner advertising one product or service; many of these notices are usually bedeviled with spelling errors or semantic inadequacy. Often, these messages distort the main message of the advertisements or on some occasions, change the context of the message completely.

Though, to many, such messages are just mere occurrences that have become part of life and something to laugh about, to those in the field

of education and people concerned with the rate at which acclaimed literate individuals come across as illiterates when they put pen to paper, it is a situation that calls for proactive measures.

Many of these messages are usually filled with spelling errors and some are actually constructed with wrong tenses. And because it is now common to see such around, few people tend to think of the situation as a problem that needs attention.

It is usual to see inscriptions like “A MALE SALESGIRL IS WANTED”; “WE SELL DOG CHILDRENS BOYS AND GIRLS”; “ PLATE YOUR HEAD HERE”; “IF YOU NEED LIVING NANNY AND NON LIVING NANNY”; “ 4 BIRD ROOM FLATE FOR SALE”; “MEAT PILES, DO NOT, FISH PILES, PLANTAIN CHEPS, ROSETED MEATS”; “WATCH OUT, BOMB AHEAD”; “ AUTO ELECTRITION AND BATTLE CHARGER”; “LIKING FINGER RESTAURANT”; to mention a few.

What makes the situation more worrisome is that some of these business owners when asked about their messages, proudly state that they are written by their children and wards who most often than not are students in secondary or tertiary institutions of learning or even by themselves, claiming to be quite proficient in communicating in English.

Soji Babalola, who spoke on the issue, stated that the situation is worse than many think. “The fact that many people fail to see this as

a problem does not change the fact that many Nigerians are still illiterates who think they know when in reality, they know nothing.

“It really is disgraceful that in spite of the acclaimed strides that the country claims to make on a

A male salesgirl is wanted”; “we sell dog childrens boys and girls”; “ plate your head here”; “if you need living nanny and non living nanny”; “ 4 bird room flate for sale”; “meat piles, do not, fish piles, plantain cheps, roseted meats”; “watch out, bomb ahead”; “ auto electrition and battle charger”; “liking finger restaurant.

regular basis, things are actually taking a downward trend. When we were growing up, reading roadside signposts was an educative venture as we learnt so many things from this. But now, I discourage my children from reading these roadside calamities called messages as they confuse them rather than educate or inform them.”

Statistics that emanate from various bodies in Nigeria over time indicates that despite the giant strides being taken by the education sector, literacy for all is still a yet-to-be-accomplished objective and the future continues to look bleak as more Nigerians fall into the category of illiterates. In fact, the efforts of all tiers of governments to address rising illiteracy level in Nigeria seem to yield no obvious results as there has not been a progressive increase in the literary level, especially among the adults.

The National Bureau of Statistics rates adult illiteracy in Nigeria at 56.9%. The implication of this is that about 70% of Nigerians are illiterates. Considering the fact that globally the illiteracy rate is approximately 20%, the Nigerian situation is rather disturbing.

Also, a Country Comparison Index of Literacy Level by country in 2012 reiterates the cumbersome nature of the literacy situation in Nigeria as it shows that the country ranked 161 out of 184 countries with 66 per cent literacy rate. The interpretation of this is that Nigeria is in the mainstream of the world’s most illiterate countries.

A lecturer who spoke with Nigerian Tribune on a condition of anonymity highlighted lack of seriousness on the part of government agencies to implement policies that aid development of teachers and education, poor implementation of the adult education programme, expensive nature of acquiring education in Nigeria and haphazard establishment of academic institutions.

“There are so many factors aiding high rate of illiteracy in Nigeria. It has become a venture for only the rich, so people have limited access to facilities especially in the rural areas. Also, the government and its agencies seem unconcerned about adult literacy or education programmes and poor funding,” he stated.

What then is the way forward for Nigeria? The words of the former President of the United States of America, Bill Clinton, during the International Literacy Day celebration in 1994, is one which should serve as a guide to many countries of the world and Nigeria in particular. Clinton had stated that, “literacy is not a luxury; it is a right and a responsibility. If our world is to meet the challenges of the twentyfirst century, we must harness the energy and creativity of all our citizens.”

And since high rise of illiteracy has been identified as one of the major causes of poverty in Nigeria, mass literacy seems to be a must for the Nigerian government at this period. This according to stakeholders is the first step in curbing high rise of illiteracy and consequently, a step towards getting the needed technological development.

It has been noted that mass literacy or education for all is a feat that the government alone cannot achieve, it requires the determination, efforts and commitment of all Nigerians as well as a consciousness that knowing how to read and write well in order to pass across messages is not a prerogative of people that hold white collar jobs but a must for all Nigerians.

22

features

Wednesday, 4 November, 2015

AFROCA promotes sanitation against Ebola

By ADEWALE OSHODI

W

HEN the late Patrick Sawyer brought Ebola into Nigeria, people feared the effect would have been more catastrophic if the disease had found its way into our schools. Pupils/students love playing with themselves, and a disease outbreak would have spread like wildfire among children.

But with the realisation that lack of hygiene, among which is handwashing, aids the spread of diseases, including Ebola, water bowls, soaps, and hand cleansers, found their ways into schools, banks, work places. Unfortunately, since Nigeria was declared Ebola-free, people have relaxed on returned to their usual ways of life, and it is as a result of this that the Africa Fashion Organisation for Charity Aid (AFROCA), a United Kingdombased organisation has taken it upon itself to begin a sensitisation tour of schools in the country to raise the awareness of the importance of handwashing to students.

The organisation, therefore, capitalised on this year’s United Nations (UN) Global Handwashing Day to take the message to the Queen’s College, Yaba, Lagos, with the coordinator of the exercise, Ms Olayemi Olapeju,

A cross section of students and health advocates after the handwashing exercise.

saying this would go a long way in sensitising students in the country on the need to wash their hands frequently in order to prevent diseases.

Speaking during the exercise, Ms Olapeju said the campaign for students’ behavioral changes towards regular hand washing and hand sanitising was to motivate them towards improving on their hand washing habits to prevent them from contacting germs.

“Frequent handwashing and the use of hand sanitisers are not well embraced in the country; I could remember how the

Ebola virus changed our orientation on the need to prevent the transmission of disease by regular handwashing, but since we overcame Ebola, we have returned to how we were.

“However, I hope to take the campaign to as many schools as possible in the spirit of the Global Handwashing Day, which must not only be for October 15 alone, but for everyday of the year.

“When our students are welloriented, they will take handwashing as an habit, and the benefit of this is unquantifiable; this is my mission and I plan

to take it to as many schools as possible.

“We are starting with the Queen’s College, and we are happy with the response, particularly from the staff and students; this will go a long way in encouraging other schools from following suit,” Ms Olapeju said.

In her remarks during the exercise, Dr. Almaz Okoye of Department of Family Medicine at the Federal Medical Centre, Lagos, also charged students to imbibe the habit of washing their hands frequently.

“You will save your parents

from spending huge sums of money on your medical bills if you wash your hands frequently; this is the message we have brought to you.

“We all know that health is wealth; once you imbibe the habit of washing your hands frequently, particularly after you visit the toilet, or you touch dirty surfaces, you will discover that you will be healthy, and you will not be visiting the hospital as you used to,” Dr Okoye said, while stating that the Global Handwashing Day (GHD) was initiated by the United Nations (UN) to reduce the rate of mortality from diseases caused by germs and bacterial.

Thanking the organisers for the exercise, the Principal of the school, Dr (Mrs) Lami Amodu, said the college was completely committed to promoting quality hygiene routine among students, while admitting that the school has tap-running water with hand wash basins, soap dispensers and sanitizers installed all over the school compound.

“The set of taps install at the gate was not only for the use of students and staff, but to also enable visitors wash their hands with disinfectant when visiting the school,” Dr (Mrs) Amodu said, while thanking those who had came to the school for the project, including Mrs Maureen Brereton of Assured Health Care in the United Kingdom.

SolidPro, NSCDC, police push for more security awareness

By Rita Okonoboh AS part of efforts to combat security challenges in Lagos State, and Nigeria as a whole, Nigerians have been tasked with the need to show renewed interests in matters of security, as against the practice of leaving it all to government and its agencies alone.

This was part of the submissions made at the recent opening of a professional security outfit with technology equipment of international standards, SolidPro, held in Lagos, which featured the attendance of security operatives including the Police, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), and other notable persons who graced the occasion.

In his address at the ceremony, the chairman on the occasion, Pastor I. S. James, the General Overseer, Glory Christian Ministries, Lagos, noted that the present security situation in the country called for the participation of all citizens to bring the situation under control and help restore peace.

According to him, “no amount

of time and resources invested in security is wasted. Although God is the chief security, there are agents of chaos and unrest who are ready to trample on existing peace and they should not be ignored or takin for granted. I am optimistic that with the state of the art of technology and security equipment displayed, adequate effort will be made to overcome any security threat and also fortify intelligence gathering.”

He called on government to equip the nation’s security forces with the needed resources in order to address security threats confronting the country and bring the menace to an end once and for all.

Addressing the guests, the Lagos Commandant, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Mr. G.A. Abafi, stated that with the advance in technological facilities for ensuring adequate security, Nigerians should increase their support for security agencies’ strategies to tackle the waves of security and criminal challenges in Nigeria.

“The most important thing is

From left, DCO, Ajah Police Station, SP Joy Akpan, representing the DPO; Commandant, NSCDC, Lagos State, Mr G.A. Abafi; Deputy Commandant, PGC, NSCDC, Lagos State, Mr Daniel Apeh; General Overseer, Glory Christian Ministries, Lagos, Pastor I.S. James and MD/CEO, SolidPro Security, Mr I.E.A. Francis, during the unveiling ceremony of SolidPro Security, Lagos, recently.

to be at alert, act swiftly, and do your bit to contribute to intelligence gathering,” Abafi said, jus as he added that, without public support and involvement, dealing with security challenges will be a herculean task.

In his remarks, the Chief Executive of Solidpro Security, Mr. I.E.A. Francis, who noted that security was the business of all Nigerians as part of efforts to ensure a safe environment for business, investment and gen-

eral well being, expressed the need to adequately improve and develop intelligence installation with new technology to strengthen the operations of safety and the security situation in Nigeria.

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Wednesday, 4 November, 2015

Nigerian Tribune

by Wale Ojo-Lanre 0803 349 0986 waleojolanre@gmail.com

Chief Adoroh Jerome, President, Hoteliers Association of Nigeria, South-West Zone addressing members at the retreat

S/W Hoteliers Association holds retreat for better service delivery

By Wale Ojo Lanre

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he imperative of excellent service delivery to guests and the desire to ensure vending of seamless hospitality comfort of predictable benchmark incised the convergence of hotel operators under the aegis of Hoteliers Association of Nigeria, South West Zone on Abeokuta, Ogun State.

For three days, October 13 to 15, the hoteliers holed up in Indices Hotel, Onikolobo, Abeokuta where they jointly reviewed the state of hospitality business in Nigeria with contemporary preview of global trends and farmed out strategies of optimum performance and satisfaction of buyers.

The convergence according to Chief Adoroh Jerome, President, Hoteliers Association of Nigeria, South West Zone in his welcome address pointed out “This retreat is put together to enable hoteliers and critical stakeholders from the South West come together and deliberate on issues affecting the industry and how to move it forward using the platform of a virile, strong and developmentoriented association.’’

Chief Adoroh revealed that, “ In specific terms, our aim among other things is to give our members adequate representation by acting as the principal voice for hotels and restaurants to the government and other stakeholders on matters of regulation, licensing and policies thereby promoting and regulating the activities of the hotels for the advancement of members’ interest.

He listed the challenges facing hoteliers which have prevented the members from performing to expectation, .such as, multiple taxation, which he called on the government to “on the need to make frantic efforts at addressing this problem once and for all so that the government can maximally collect her dues from hoteliers who in their large numbers can voluntarily comply to the benefit of all stakeholders.

He also lamented the exclusion of hoteliers from relevant committees, boards which he said has prevented a symbiotic relationship between the two bodies and narrowed down the path of understanding of the vision and mission of both.

Chief Adoroh tasked the government to give fair and equitable political representation to the hoteliers “for example, we recommend that government at various levels should include members of the association on Tourism

Boards to enable a seamless rancour – free communication and more conducive relationship “ He also decried the dearth of relevant laws from the Houses of Assembly in the states which can compel hoteliers not only to come under the association, but to ensure fairness at service.

Chief Adoroh called for the establishment of a Tourism and Hospitality Fund Reserve where practitioners can have access to financial facility and loans on softer ground.

He commended the Federal Government for the noticeable improvement of electricity supply in the country, adding that “an improvement will ease part of the tension battling the hoteliers,’’ While saluting the resilience and proactive stand of the members of the association president called on other hoteliers who are not yet members “ to come on board today and join hands towards the building of a virile, developmental , progressive and proactive regional association which will serve as a protective umbrella for members during rains or sunshine.’’

In his contribution, the Governor of Lagos State, Mr Akinwumi Ambode who was represented by a Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Art, Culture and Tourism, Mrs Olufunmilayo Balogun commended the leadership of the association for “bringing forth a regional association of hoteliers with the aim of ensuring standard in service, unity of purpose and having a common platform of representation.’’

Governor Ambode pointed out “our economy is undergoing a serious challenge in Nigeria and it is imperative on us to divert into the non oil sector which Tourism, Art and Hospitality can offer”.

He said “I must emphasise without any equivocation the vital role your members are playing not only in revenue generation to the state, but serving as public relations managers for the government of Nigeria and Lagos State in particular.’’

Governor Ambode called for the need to understand the position of government in relation to taxes and multiple taxes assuring “these areas of conflicts and misunderstanding will soon be past issues as we are looking into them for proper adjustment for the good of all”.

He assured the hoteliers “with your cooperation and understanding , we are going to create a conducive atmosphere in Lagos where business will thrive and where hoteliers will be smiling to the bank with ease of no burden.’’

Governor Ambode congratulated the hoteliers for “having a regional platform where issues confronting the members of the association can be discussed on a broader basis’’ He assured “I am assuring you of the cooperation of my government and announcing that the doors of our government is widely open for collaboration and rubbing minds on issues concerning you and your trade.’’

Governor Ibikunle Amosun who was represented by a Director at the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, Mrs Aderonke Tokunbo-Peters said the state government which is tourism-friendly would continue to collaborate with stakeholders in developing the sector.

He congratulated members of the association for their decision to have a strong voice and creditable regional platform which governments can confidently relate with.

Lending his voice of commendation and support, the Oyo State Governor, Senator Abiola Ajimobi who was represented by the General Manager, Mr Ade Ashaolu Oyo State Tourism Board called on the association to enact a strict code of conduct for members with specific reference to service delivery and identification of guests.

Governor Ajimobi tasked hoteliers not to sacrifice the security of the society on the altar of patronage, adding that hotels should refuse to be hiding dens for miscreants and hoodlums.

To ensure on members, the technical session was made interesting and educating by the paper delivered by Mr Akin Bashiru who through digital presentation took the members on the essence of having an association, the need to raise the bar of service and core benefits of regional business networking and integration.

Mr Bashiru brilliantly anchored the technical session in audience participatory approach which brought out useful ideas and suggestions from the members.

His style and mode of passing knowledge down was commended by Chief Samuel Korode, President, Ekiti State chapter of the association who described the paper as “highly informative , illuminating and the deliverer, Mr Bashiru displayed a deep knowledge of how the hospitality business can be enhanced for profitability”.

The practitioners and actors of the hospitality sector showcased their mettle at the dinner and award night not only by the uncountable number of Trophy lager beer available, but ensured that guests and members danced, jollied and had more than enough to eat.

The night was celebrated by the association by bestowed honour and awards on, Iyalode Alaba Lawson, Mrs. Olufunso Amosun, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, Erelu Olusola Obada and Hon Oladipo Olatunde Adebutu, who have distinguished themselves in the service to the hospitality sector.

Describing the Dinner and Award Night, Mrs Shola Oladimeji, Chef Executive Officer, Flobip Guest House, Lagos, “It is a night to remember. A night that hoteliers in South West capped their maiden retreat with a beautiful and colourful party’’.

The communiqué and resolutions made at the retreat which border majorly on service enhancement , suggestion on multiple taxation , creating access to soft fund, regional business networking, political representation, members interaction and intergovernmental relation .

President, Lagos State Chapter of the association, Are Tola Odunuga described the three days retreat as ‘One of the finest things that has ever happened to the hotel industry in the South West. It was well coordinated, highly successful and profitable to all.’’

To Abiodun Odugbeso, Managing Director, Vicar Garden, “This maiden retreat of ours has gone a long way in reassuring members and instilling in us the confidence to pursue our business in utmost faith that we do not only have a regional platform to express our collective views, but have an association which we can run whenever we are in turbulence . This is great. I cannot wait to attend such a retreat of hope next year.’’

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tribunetourism

Nigerians celebrate a day with Jesus in Israel •As Dogara tasks Christians on pilgrimage

Speaker, House of Representatives, Rt Hon. Yakubu Dogara, (8 from left) Mr John Kennedy Opara, Executive Secretary, NCPC, and other dignitaries cutting the 2015 Pilgrimage cake at the JP ceremony in Jerusalem

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he Speaker of House of Representatives, Honourable Yakubu Dogara has urged Christians to take ownership of Christian pilgrimage in Nigeria, according to him, “that is the only way we can secure its future”. He disclosed this during a one day prayer fasting organised by Nigerian Christian Pilgrims Commission (NCPC), tagged ‘A Day with Jesus for Nigeria in Israel.

Hon. Dogara commended NNPC for creating a platform for Christians to come and pray for Nigeria in Israel. In his words, “prayer is the only way we can seek God’s intervention in the situation of our country.”

He emphasised the need for pilgrims to become change agents when they return to Nigeria; “you have a role to play in helping the present administration to bring change to our nation”.

In his welcome address, the Executive Secretary, NCPC, John Kennedy Opara stressed the need for Nigerians to be thankful to God for the unity, peace and progress Nigerians have enjoyed. According to him, “we have come to show gratitude to God for all he has done for us as a nation”.

He urged Christians not to be discouraged with the challenges in the country, but should contribute positively to the development and growth of the nation, adding that gradually Nigeria would attain the height God wants it to attain.

In his exhortation, the Pastor of Salvation Ministries, Port Harcourt, Pastor David Ibioyeme urged Christians to live an impactful life and strive to leave a good legacy for posterity as he urged leaders to be selfless and shun corruption.

He further charged Pilgrims to contribute their quota to national development of the country, adding that is the only way we can achieve change in Nigeria.

During the event, thanksgiving and praises were offered for the mercies of God in Nigeria over the years, for the growth and expansion of the church in Nigeria, prayers were also offered for security, peace and national development.

This year’s edition of “A Day With Jesus for Nigeria in Israel marked the third edition of the programme attended by Governors of Ekiti State, Ayo Fayose, Samuel Ortom of Benue State, Simon Lalong of Plateau State, David Umahi of Ebonyi, Darius Ishaku of Taraba State, deputy governors, distinguished Senators of the Federal Republic, members of the House of Representatives, Clergies, inter- alia.

Over the last three years, the NCPC, has been organizing a one day prayer and fasting session for Christians in Israel tagged “A Day With Jesus in Israel”, where all the Christians from Nigeria come together to offer prayer for the peace and development of Nigeria and pray for themselves as well.

Last year, during the programme, October 25, 2015, would be a day set aside for all Christians in Nigeria to come together for a thanksgiving service to God for his mercies and faithfulness upon Nigeria.

Indeed, this year’s programme, was led by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Honourable Dogara, alongside Governor Fayose, Ortom of Benue State, Simon Lalong, Umahi, Ishaku, deputy governors, distinguished senators of the Federal Republic, members of the House of Representatives and the Clergy among others.

Speaking during the event, Honourable Dogara urged Christians to take ownership of Christian pilgrimage in Nigeria, according to him, “this is the only way we can secure its future”.

He commended NCPC for creating a platform for Christians to come and pray for Nige-

ria in Israel, he stressed the need for prayers for the nation and individuals. In his words, “Prayer is the only way we can seek God’s intervention in the situation of our country.

He emphasized the need for Christians to become change agents when they return to Nigeria; he affirmed: “you have a role to play in helping the present administration to bring change to our nation”. He added that Leaders

should seek the face of God in ruling the country and not lean on their own wisdom.

Governor Fayose also commended the Executive Secretary of NCPC for bringing Christians together to pray for the nation. He encouraged Christians to trust in God at all times because “God is always faithful to keep whatever he says”.

Governor Ortom, testified to how God changed

Vancouver whale watching boat disaster: The whale watching boat that sank off the coast of Western Canada - killing five British holidaymakers - may have been swamped by a rogue wave, according to witnesses.

Three British tourists and two Britons living in Canada have been confirmed to be among the dead.

The victims are four men and one woman whose ages range from 18 to 76, Coroner’s spokesperson Barbara McLintock confirmed.

She said the victims’ identities will be released when their families have been informed of their deaths.

The boat - the Leviathan II was on a routine trip for tourists when it was suddenly capsized, leaving just the prow above the water, as shown by these dramatic pictures.

Rescuer Aleck Dick, who was first on the scene, told Global News: “It was swamped by a

wave. It just flipped the boat completely.”

John Forde, of the Whale Centre in Tofino, told the broadcaster the sea was rough, but not unusually so.

The boat carrying 27 people made a mayday call late on Sunday afternoon. One person is still missing.

The 20-metre boat, operated by local tour company Jamie’s Whaling Station, was taking tourists to a popular destination for whale watchers on Canada’s west coast, eight miles west of Tofino.

A major search and rescue operation was launched and 21 people were rescued from the partially submerged boat.

Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond earlier said: “It is with deep sadness that I can confirm five British nationals have lost their lives when the whale watching boat they were on sank off Western Canada on

the story of his life through prayers. He urged Christians to pray fervently because “the prayer of the righteous availeth much”. He stressed the need for NCPC to continue to present a platform for Christians to come and pray for Nigeria.

Governors Umahi, Lalong and Ishaku led sessions of prayers for Nigeria, Families and individuals.

In his welcome address, the Executive Secretary, NCPC, Opara stressed the need for Nigerians to be thankful to God for the unity, peace and progress Nigerians have enjoyed over the years. According to him, “we have come to show gratitude to God for all he has done for us as a Nation”.

He urged Christians not to be discouraged with the challenges in the country, but contribute positively to the development and growth of the nation, adding that gradually Nigeria would attain the height God wants it to attain.

Some described the pilgrimage experience as “one in a life time experience” and desired an opportunity to visit the Holy land again. About 1000 pilgrims converged at the International Conference Centre in Jerusalem venue of the prayer and fasting session.

The special delegation were also decorated with their JP Certificates after the prayer and fasting session in a well organised ceremony in Jerusalem.

The dignitaries visited the Wailing Wall, which is in the old City of Jerusalem where prayers were offered for the leadership of Nigeria and also for the peace of the nation.

Mount Olives Zion Gate Capernaum and the House of Kefas, etc.

AR - Rahkas Beach Resort, Gbetrume Badagry

AR – Rahkab Beach Resort is it !

By ’Wale Olapade Either you are going to Ghana, Seme or visiting Badagry, tourists should no longer bother where to sleep or cool the tensed muscles.

That Nigeria is blessed with over 634 kilometres of Coastline Beach is not the news.

But that Nigeria as a country and Nigerians have not fully utilised this God’s blessing for

national growth and personal or individual development is worrisome.

A visit to Durban, South Africa will exposesone to see how a country utilises its beach to beautify the city by turning it to an entertainment and tourism Eldorado.

The Gambia, a sleepy country in West – Africa commands world tourists and attention just because of the way it packages and market the white sand beach which nature blessed it with.

Did ‘rogue wave’ capsize boat killing 5 british tourists?

Sunday.

“My thoughts are with the family and friends of all those affected by this terrible accident. Consular staff in British Columbia are supporting the family members of those who have died and we will remain in close contact with Canadian authorities as further information becomes available.”

The identities of the dead British holiday makers have not yet been confirmed.

Lt Commander Desmond James of the Joint Rescue Co-ordination Centre said the military agency’s search had concluded with five people dead, 21 rescued and one person missing.

The mayor of Tofino, Josie Osborne, told the Toronto Star: “Everybody’s heart is just breaking for what’s going on here and wanting to be as helpful as possible.”

Valerie Wilson, a spokeswoman for the Island Health

hospital agency, said 18 people were taken to Tofino General Hospital and said to be in a stable condition.

Three were transferred to other hospitals and some of the 15 who remained in Tofino had already been discharged, she said.

Raft: A lifeboat is seen floating several metres away although it is not clear if passengers are on board “I saw them save someone’s life. They saved a woman’s life, I’m sure of it,” said Sheila Simpson, who was walking on the dock with her husband when the rescue boats came to shore.

She told CBC: “They were in absolute shock,” she added. “You could see it in their eyes. This didn’t happen. We came on a holiday.”

Joe Martin, a member of the Tal-o-qui-aht First Nation, told the broadcaster he was near the dock in Tofino when the rescue boats came in.

The Boat of sorrow

However in Nigeria, the story is not cheering and it would have been a total loss of faith if not for the efforts of some daring individuals who are bent on exploring the goodness of nature to lift their status, create employment and enhance the beach turning it to haven of comfort and relaxation.

Though Badagry is known as a historical town with lots of slave trade relics, but many people are unaware that someone from this planet has created a heavenly enclosure beside the Atlantic Ocean in a town called Gbetrume, Iwori, a fiveminute drive to Seme Border and 15 minutes drive to Badagry.

AR - Rakhab Beach Resort which is located at the back of the only secondary school along Badagry – Seme Border, before the check point could be described as a oasis of pleasure , comfort and bliss not only because of the numerous facilities there in but the fact that customers have unrestricted access to the beach . .AR – Rakhab Beach Resort was created as a unique comfort zone to serve as a home away from home which gives access to the luxury of the Beach which many cannot afford at home.

It is a 30-bed-room affairs of different brands and categories created so as to enable wide access by customers and buyers comfort, “The rooms are portioned and distinctly decorated with intent of making the visitors feel at home and ready to spend more days at AR – Rahkab.

AR – Rahkab Beach Resort is designed for all interests especially for the corporate companies, students who desire a unique place to read or spend time with friends or celebrate birthdays ,and other entities who desire a cool , calm , and natural environment garnished with luxury and splendour in the rooms , restaurant and all the halls .

It is one resort where whoever visits, will have to visit and visit and tell others to strive to enjoy.

It is certainly a heaven on earth, where you just have to visit and feel the vibration and aura of a wonderful beach resort in Gbetrume!

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Wednesday, 4 November, 2015

Nigerian Tribune

Group Business Editor Sulaimon Olanrewaju

m:08055001708 e:lanresulaimon@yahoo.com t:@lanresulaimon

energy

anchor Tunde Dodondawa

m:08029370304 e:mrdodondawa@yahoo.com

SPE puts unproven gas reserves at 600tcf •Urges FG on favourable gas policy Olatunde Dodondawa - Lagos

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he Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE), Nigerian chapter, has urged the Federal Government to formulate a policy that would motivate the exploration of unproven 600 trillion cubic feet (tcf) of gas reserves.

Primarily, Nigeria is said to have about 187 trillion cubic feet proven gas reserves and the product (gas) is said to be the future of Nigeria; the key to unlocking economic potential of Nigeria and increasing the living standards of the average Nigerian.

In a communique signed by Mr Emeka Ene, Chairman, SPE, Nigeria Council, 2014/2015; issued after the 2015 edition of the Nigeria Annual International Conference and Exhibition (NAICE) which was held between the 4th-6th of August 2015 at the Eko Hotel and Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos, the oil and gas engineers stated that domestic gas development can only be driven by indigenous independent companies and not the International Oil companies (IOCs).

According to the communique, “Natural gas is world’s fastest growing fossil fuel with consumption projected to increase from 118tcf in 2013 to 185tcf in 2040. Nigeria currently has proven gas reserves of 181tcf, the 9th largest natural gas reserves in the world and largest in Africa and 18th largest taking shale gas into account.

“Nigeria’s gas reserves accounts for onethird of Africa’s proven gas reserves. Undiscovered potential natural gas reserves are also estimated at 600tcf. Gas production has been largely export focused with approximately 15 per cent going into domestic market. Out of approximately 4000km of gas pipeline in Nigeria, only a third is dedicated to domestic consumption.”

Participants at the conference noted that pipeline vandalism and crude oil theft has led to a decline in oil production from 2.45 million barrels per day to 2.05million barrels per day in the last four years.

“An average of 250,000bpd of crude oil is either deferred or partly stolen through activities of pipeline vendors and crude oil thieves representing a loss of $9.1 billion at $100/bbl oil price. Actual crude theft from January 2013 to April 2015 stood at 39.3 million barrels.

Drop in crude oil earnings from low oil price presents an annual underfunding of $1.8-$2.0 billion to the Nigerian Govern-

ment. Crude oil market dislocation from the United States destination requires strategic realignment geographically to seek alternative markets in Europe and Asia.

“A new rehabilitation strategy has been developed for refineries in Nigeria by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC). Refineries are expected to run at 90 per cent capacity utilisation with new strategy which will account for 40 per cent of nation’s demands. Renewed efforts needs to be made in gas discovery based on projected local gas utilisation forecast and sales export to meet growing demand. Gas development with the right strategy could achieve adequate power supply by 2017. The extent of collaboration for the gas industry will determine the success of the industry,” they averred.

On gas to power policy, they argued that gas to power will generate huge revenue and save money for Nigeria. “High development cost of gas projects and low oil price is currently unfavourable to the industry.

Power distribution pricing to investors must be conducive for investors to improve the power sector and regulatory framework alone is not sufficient to address the gaps in

$20bn Nigeria’s Trans-Saharan gas project stalled P27

Nigerian Gas Supply. There are no concrete plans in place currently to sustain gas supply to the Nigerian Gas Company. Most of the gas supplied goes directly to the power needs of the country and Government cannot secure the gas to power.

“Nigerian Gas Company is paying more than required by Government to ensure that power is consistent. The largest debtor to the power DISCOs is the Federal Government. The same applies to cash calls for crude oil to the major exploration and production companies. Investors in Gas market require infrastructural and financial framework to boost confidence in the gas market.

“Gas and oil demand previously trending together has been decoupled because of evolving industry dynamics such as shale oil production. The world is endowed with more unconventional resources than conventional. Indigenous participation in gas development will be greatly enhanced through contractual agreements such as Production Sharing Contract (PSC) such as applied in the deepwater operator participation. There should be less focus on petroleum export revenue and more on other petroleum derivatives. Domestic gas devel-

Nigeria’s oil industry suffers $300bn capital flight in 50yrs P28

opment will primarily be driven by indigenous operators.

“Current Gas distribution infrastructure in Nigeria is inadequate. Indigenous players require funding incentives from financial institutions to make investment more attractive. Vandalisation is still a major problem for gas development in the country. Government buyers of gas are the major debtors to indigenous gas operators which is hindering expansion of the gas industry among operators,” they stated.

On the challenges confronting the oil and gas industry, the participants stated that source of funding, shipping delays of critical equipment and legal tussles are three of the major challenges faced by gas operators.

On the way forward, the participants jointly recommended that the Federal Government needs to set up critical infrastructure force with direct line of sight and accountability matrix and a combination of enlightenment, empowerment and enforcement of anti-sabotage laws.

“Additional refining capacity must be developed to meet local demand. Incentives Continues on

Nigerians kick against proposed increase in electricity tariff P27

P27

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Wednesday, 4 November, 2015

SPE puts unproven gas reserves at 600tcf

$20bn Nigeria’s Trans-Saharan gas project stalled

Olatunde Dodondawa And Shalom Akpabio - Lagos

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he $20 billion Trans-Saharan gas pipeline project which Nigeria will use to transport natural gas to Europe is stalled over funds, delaying hope of Europe receiving 30 billion standard cubic feet (scuf) of natural gas from Nigeria.

The project, when completed, will transport about 30 billion standard cubic feet (scuf) of natural gas from Nigeria’s Warri region through Niger to North Africa’s Algeria northwards to Spain and Europe, but it is not getting funds due to oil price rout, which has affected budget of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and all stakeholders in the project.

Nigeria has earlier mobilised $700 million to support the completion of the Nigeria-Algeria natural gas pipeline project.

An industry source who is close to the deal stated that while the country raised $450 million in Eurobonds and an additional direct equity contribution of about $250 million in support of this project, the NNPC, which is the executor of the project is slowing down over lack of funds to speed up the project’s completion.

The NNPC, he said, has “long completed the concept design for the pipeline, which is an important milestone, but the truth is that the oil price rout, which has greatly affected revenues of NNPC and other major stakeholders in the project is a big minus.”

According to him, “The project is stalled as we speak and what we are made to be sure of is that the project is not the priority the government for now. The NNPC as well as all stakeholders in the project are facing serious financial issues and it is true that the project is no longer at the moment getting the first-of-the-pack budgetary treatment from stakeholders. Recall that the NNPC recently confirmed a dip of about 67 per cent in its revenue,” he said.

The NNPC has earlier declared that its total export crude oil and gas receipt for the period of January – August 2015 is $3.420 billion, a sharp decline of more than 67 per cent from September, 2014, when the receipt was at its peak, to July, 2015 ‘with dire consequences to the Federation.’

The corporation revealed this in its published Monthly Publication of Financial and Operational Report, which it commenced penultimate weekend, maintaining that a total of $607.8 million has been paid so far

to the Federation Accounts Allocation Committee (FAAC) in the year 2015 from sales of export oil and gas as dollar proceeds.

“A further breakdown indicates that the total export crude Oil & Gas receipt for the period of January – August 2015 is $3.420billion. Of the total receipts, the sum of $0.61billion was remitted to Federation Account as dollar proceeds while the balance of $2.815billion was used to fund the JV Cash Call for the period,” the corporation said in a statement on Sunday.

“The report notes that the receipts witnessed a sharp decline of more than 67 per cent from September, 2014, when the receipt was at its peak, to July, 2015 with dire consequences to the Federation.

This fall in revenues, it was gathered, is already a big threat to the continuous funding of the $20 billion Trans-Sahara project.

Nigerian Tribune

Continues from pg26

“It is a stumbling block on this grandiose scheme, aimed at exporting natural gas to Europe and thereby undercutting Brussels’ unhappy dependence on natural gas exports from the Russian Federation,” he said.

If built, the project will become the world’s most expensive energy export project, dwarfing the $3.6 billion, one million barrels per day (bpd), 1,092-mile Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline, which ships 850,000 barrels per day of Azeri Caspian oil to Turkey’s deep-water Mediterranean Ceyhan port and which represents one of international investors’ most major energy commitments up to now.

While Brussels is anxious to diversify its Natgas energy imports from the Russian Federation, a pipeline from Nigeria through the militant-torn Magreb to southern Europe may seem a long shot at best.

should be given on investment in domestic gas projects across all components of the value chain. Tax holidays, tax rate reduction, de-rated tax system are examples of the incentives needed. Duty waiver should start at the beginning of the value chain and cover all the way to the end.

“Payment of debts to operators is crucial and should be done as soon as possible.

Flexibility can be built around take-or-pay GSPAs especially for associated gas projects. Collaboration is important for the development of the gas resources amongst operators. Companies need to strategically and competitively collaborate. Gas revenues should be documented nationally by NAPIMS. Willing buyer – Willing seller market economics should be promoted.

A free market pricing mechanism should prevail to encourage more investors. Incentivise gas investment by reducing or retaining taxation at 30 per cent rather than an increase to 80 per cent as proposed in the PIB and Pioneer status for the entire Gas to Market value chain.

“Government must enter into partnerships with indigenous companies to develop gas transmission but allow the private sector to execute and manage the process.

PIB should be re-edited to include fiscal advice for domestic gas projects. Marginal field awards should not just be based on indigenisation; they should be target based.

Indigenous operators should be awarded fields based on their operational targets.

Micro & Mini processing plants might be a potential window worth exploring. Young professionals and higher institutions of learning need to be aware of the challenges in the Gas and Power sector and research solutions to support the industry,” they said.

DPR moves to regulate cooking gas retailers Stories By Olatunde Dodondawa - Lagos As part of measures to reduce the rampant cases of explosion of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) otherwise called cooking gas, the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) has commenced the process of licensing cooking gas retailers.

The move, according to the National President of Liquefied Petroleum Gas Retailers Association (LPGAR), Mr Micheal Umudu, was also aimed at riding the sector of quacks and unlicensed professionals.

Umudu stated this at a safety awareness campaign organised by the Lagos chapter of LPGAR in Lagos at the weekend.

Umudu said the high rate of cooking gas accidents across the country remained a cause of concern to the association, hence, the decision of DPR to commence licensing of cooking gas retailers.

Umudu said the safety awareness campaign was put together by the association to equip its members ahead of the licensing round by DPR while also building members capacity to be in tune with latest safety trends. The awareness programme, he said, was in line with Health Safety and Environment (HSE), practice in Nigeria’s oil and gas industry.

Chairman, Lagos Chapter of LPGAR, Mr David Okenwa, said the training had become imperative in view of the growing demand for cooking gas as an alternative to kerosene and firewood.

“Many of our members don’t know much about the safety aspect of this business.

That is why we engaged a consultant who will train them on the safety aspect of LPG because there are lots of cases related to gas hazards in the country.

“As an association, we have dimmed it fit to bring our members to the classroom in order to widen the scope of their knowledge base so that they will be more careful when carrying out their duty,” he said.

He warned that any member found wanting in any fire incident related case after the training, will be dealt with according to the rules governing the association.

The Managing Director of Crownbondis Global Resources Nigeria, an HSE consultant, Mr Adebiyi Adewala, said, said gas retailers as the last link, must be adequately equipped with the knowledge of safety handling of gas in order to reduce the cases of gas accidents.

Safety tips given to retailers during the training included: how to transfer LPG from bigger cylinders to smaller ones, proper kits to use; checking expiring date of cylinders; proper storage of cylinders; how to check for leakages, and the consequences of not adhering to safety standards.

Nigerians kick against proposed increase in electricity tariff Nigerians have kicked against the proposed increase in electricity tariff which was supposed to kick off November 1, 2015. The new investors of the power sector have argued that part of the contract they signed was for the government to ensure cost-reflective tariff after they took over two years ago.

An Energy Consultant, Mr Alphosus Osiagwu, argued that “reviewing of tariff should not come at this time. We have not even have improvement in generation not to talk of electricity distribution. Although we should not blame the Distribution Companies (DISCOs) in terms of generation because they are supposed to distribute what

is generated.

“Even within the framework of distribution, we have not seen the investment we craved for. You will not be surprised that even in your community; you have not been seeing new transformers and new cables that are being installed by these DISCOs. So it beats my imagination to hear they are talking about tariff increment.”

He posited that this was not what the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) pledged during privatisation exercise.

“When they came with these R1, R2 Continues on pg28

energy Nigeria’s oil industry suffers $300bn capital flight 28

Wednesday, 4 November, 2015

Stories By Olatunde Dodondawa - Lagos

T

he Nigerian oil and gas industry suffered capital flight in the region of $300 billion in the first 50 years of operations, while 300,000 Nigerian jobs were exported to the detriment of the local economy.

Executive Secretary, Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB), Mr Denzil Kentebe, statedd that successful implementation of the Nigerian Content Act is fundamental to the sustenance of national security because it engages thousands of citizens in productive activities and contributes significantly to the gross domestic product.

Delivering a lecture to participants of Course 22 of the Nigerian Defense College in Abuja, the Executive Secretary described Nigerian Content as a national security imperative, noting that the Nigerian oil and gas industry must depend on Nigerian owned assets and personnel to avoid a scenario where the sector that generates 85 per cent of government revenue is forced to shut down because foreign owned assets or expatriates have to be withdrawn owing either to insecurity in the Gulf of Guinea Region, diplomatic tensions or break out of an epidemic in the country.

He regretted that the Nigerian oil and gas industry suffered capital flight in the region of $300billion in the first 50 years of operations, while 300,000 Nigerian jobs were exported to the detriment of the local economy. “That era did not record the establishment of any legacy investment from major industry projects, rather little attention was paid to oil producing communities, forcing some persons to take to militancy, thereby cutting crude production output by one million barrels per day,” he stated.

He explained that the Nigerian Content Act was introduced in year 2010 to correct such mistakes and it focuses on maximizing the utilisation of Nigerian resources in the operations of the oil and gas industry, integrating oil producing communities into the industry value chain and fostering institutional collaboration.

Other areas of interest include linking the oil and gas industry with other sectors of the economy, maximizing the participation of Nigerians in the sector and attracting investments. He stressed that Nigerian Content was not about ‘Nigerianisation’ of the oil and gas industry but about adding value in-country.

Kentebe further explained that the Board’s strategic initiatives had in five years recorded substantial growth in the number of Nigerians trained and employed by the oil and gas industry, increase in the quantum of goods sourced from Nigeria and rise in the number of Nigerian owned assets operating in the industry.

He added that over $5billion had been invested in the Nigerian oil and gas industry between 2010 to date in the establishment and upgrade of fabrication yards, acquisition of marine vessels, rigs and other assets

by Nigerians and setting up of manufacturing facilities by original equipment manu-

facturers.

Other positive developments included the increased patronage of SCC pipe mill in Abuja by operating companies and on-going arrangements to set up four new mills, emergence of several maintenance facilities for vessels and rigs, rise of indigenous players in the exploration and production sphere of the industry and inclusion of capacity development initiatives as major components of projects.

Expounding on the success of the policy, Kentebe stated that countries like Kenya, Gabon and Ghana had started to introduce local content regulations and the Board was

Guinea in 2016: RoyalGate Energy will drill Block Z and Brazil’s G3 Oleo Gas will drill Block EG-01.

“In a sustained environment of low oil prices, Equatorial Guinea continues to be attractive for deepwater exploration. The start of two more exploration drilling campaigns in 2016 reinforces the fact that our contract terms are competitive and appeal-

Nigerians kick against proposed increase in electricity tariff Continues from pg27

(MYTO I), we were informed that fixed charges will be removed. Up till this moment, fixed charges are still there and estimated billing is still in operation. To me, NERC looks handicapped about this because I see no reason why it allows the discos to treat consumers the way they wanted without recourse to the fact that ‘consumers are always king’. They are giving estimated billings to customers and they are being forced to pay astronomical tariff when the commensurate increase in power generation is not there,” he said.

The Chief Executive of NERC, Dr. Sam Amadi, had maintained that the commission will continue to protect consumers.

“We will not allow any frivolous claim by the operators to be passed to electricity consumers as tariff. That is a major reason we told them to consult with their customers

supporting their efforts just as the Board had collaborated with the Ministry of Power and Ministry of Communications and Technology in developing their local content policies.

He expressed optimism that over $10billion would be invested in the Nigerian economy between 2015 and 2018 in new fabrication yards, floating, production, storage and offloading vessels integration yards, establishment of shipyards and dry docks supporting the construction and outfitting of marine vessels and support of indigenous companies venturing into deep-water exploration.

Equatorial Guinea declines to extend ExxonMobil’s licence Despite the success of its 2012 and 2014 bidding rounds, the Ministry of Mines, Industry and Energy of Equatorial Guinea announced in Malabo, Equatorial Guinea, that it will launch a new bidding round for all the remaining deep and ultra-deepwater blocks in 2016.

Two operators have confirmed they will further explore prospects in Equatorial

after they submitted their applications to us,” he said.

According to Amadi, NERC has empowered consumers through effective regulation to determine how the sector should function. Amadi urged consumers engage operators in order to bring about increase and quality services in the power sector.

He said the call became necessary because of several complaints that the Commission has received from consumers which should have been addressed at the service providers’ level, in line with the Complaints Handling Standards and Procedure.

According to him, distribution companies were given a uniform template for tariff application, part of which was for them to consult with customers before submitting same to the Commission.

A Senior Manager in the Market Competition and Rates Division, Mr Aba Terab, explained that the components of electricity tariff ‘’as transmission charge for units of

electricity delivered, cost of the bulk supply points, Disco’s cost of distributing through its network and retail cost, marketing, metering, billing and collection losses as well as capital expenditure for network reinforcements and new installations.’’

He indicated that the objective of the current tariff review was to achieve credible tariffs, address revenue shortfalls and enable Discos to meet their obligations to customers and to also firm up commitments between Discos and customers through ownership of the process and effective consultation.

He pointed out that in considering the tariff, the Commission shall work with the Discos to minimise the disparity in tariff between the tariff classes amongst the Discos.

This follows earlier information by the Commission’s helmsman, who informed that the reports of the Discos consultation are on the websites of the individual Discos and on NERC’s website.

Nigerian Tribune

ing to international explorers,” said Gabriel Mbaga Obiang Lima, Minister of Mines, Industry and Energy.

Lima also stated that the production sharing contract for the Zafiro field, operated by ExxonMobil, would not be extended. ExxonMobil has been active in Equatorial Guinea since 1995 as operator of offshore Block B, which contains the producing Zafiro field.

ExxonMobil holds a participating interest of 71.25 per cent while GEPetrol has 23.75 per cent and the Equatorial Guinea government holds the remaining five per cent.

The Ministry will not approve the sale of Hess Corporation’s producing offshore assets in Equatorial Guinea to foreign bidders.

The US company operates the Ceiba and Okume fields, which began production in 2000 and 2006, respectively. It also states it is not willing to approve Noble Energy’s Carla and Diega developments in Blocks O and I due to project delays. The Carla discovery was made in 2011 and Diega was discovered in 2010.

“The government of Equatorial Guinea is committed to promoting competitive exploration, contract sanctity and local content compliance. We intend to create greater opportunities for explorers in the country, including our national oil and gas companies GEPetrol and SONAGAS, which should play a greater role in the petroleum sector,” the African Press Organisation quoted the minister as saying in a press statement.

29

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Wednesday, 4 November, 2015

Nigerian Tribune

Energy consumption drives economic growth —Iledare Professor Wumi Iledare, President, Nigerian Association of Energy Economics, was the keynote speaker at the second Annual Regional Conference on Energy organized by the Centre for Petroleum, Energy Economics and Law (CPEEL), University of Ibadan, where he spoke with SULAIMON OLANREWAJU on a number of issues about the petroleum industry. Excerpts.

Most of those we know cannot survive at the lower price and that’s what you see. It happened before. So, these things require more than just mere talks.

You said the government should slow down its investment in the joint ventures…?

With all these difficulties, could they begin to sell their blocks and give them to successful marginal buildup operators or indigenous companies that have been doing very well, which can produce it better and won’t have to spend the money they are spending on those joint ventures. All of those things require evaluation, revising and putting intelligent people in charge of these things, not my cousin or my nephew.

Y

OU’VE spoken a lot on the need for policy to drive this industry. Is it that the policies we have in Nigeria now are not sufficient to drive the industry?

The Petroleum Bill started since 2000; that was when the policy framework started. Brazil started after us, they finished.

Ghana and Mozambique also started after us, they finished. Where is the petroleum bill today?

What kind of policy are you looking forward to?

Governance and institutional establishments should be able to have power to regulate the industry without interventions. Look at energy commission, for example, it is supposed to be the one planning the future about the energy direction that we are going. Look at the Department of Petroleum Resources; we are changing directors second by second. If you look at our national oil company, we are changing Group Managing Directors always. I know this is of the past but the past has implications on the future, and you look at policies and research division of the Ministry of Petroleum, what are the policies they are formulating? What are the research areas they are proposing? Now, all of these things have implications for the future. That is what I mean by policy.

Policy is dynamic, not static, and should be continuously reviewed. When was the time we even looked into petroleum profit tax and did anything to it? Even the Pipeline Act, are we enforcing it? Even the PPPRA, do we still need it? All of the policies are supposed to be dynamic.

You’ve also spoken about growth of energy demand in the West African region. Is Nigeria doing anything to meet this demand?

That is supposed to be the function of Energy Commission which is supposed to make its projection of our energy demand; make a projection of our energy generation; look at the losses on the lines of these electricity distribution companies.

They are supposed to have the projection and know the generating plants they have to build, whether they want to have a gas power or electric power. That is planning, and even the National Planning Office should be involved, and there should be an inter-agency team that reviews the different approaches and concrete plans that we used to have. We had the 1968

What is your projection for the oil price, because I want to believe that we have not got to the lowest yet?

Are we still going to $20 per barrel?

No. I don’t think we will get to $20 per barrel. We are not going to get to $20 per barrel because most of these projects producing now, won’t be able to produce if it gets to that. So many projects in Nigeria would be revised downward if the price goes to $20 per barrel because cost of producing per barrel in many parts of the world is far more above $20. Some are even $40 per barrel.

Professor Wumi Iledare Development Plan and 1974 Development Plan. We had all of those plans in the past and they were reviewed on regular basis. When was the last time you saw any plan? We had Vision 2020. Did we revise it? Those are things that take a nation beyond the current mediocre type of survival mood that everybody is in.

It seems you believe that the oil still has a future but the world is moving away from fossil energy?

That’s a projection. Don’t you see the

projection? The proportion that renewable energy is occupying in the world is less than 10 per cent. How are you going to grow it overnight to 40 per cent? It’s impossible. I know you have to start and we don’t want to undermine marginal improvement, but the amount of money you are investing, could you invest it to make oil, gas or coal more environmentfriendly, and put down an economic analysis to compare whether investment to make oil and gas use more efficiently and environment-friendly could be more?

The proportion that renewable energy is occupying in the world is less than 10 per cent. How are you going to grow it overnight to 40 per cent? It’s impossible.

You said energy consumption is what drives economy. How did you get to that idea?

Energy policy is with respect to energy demand, good projection of demand and generating enough power to be able to grow the economy. At 5000 mega watt per hour for170 million, an economic that is how many trillion of GDP, it doesn’t make sense. That’s why the cost of running hotel is very expensive. The cost of running industries is expensive all because we are not generating volume which will reduce the cost of generation. The government policy towards that is not that the government should generate it but it can create incentives for those who will generate it, like a tax holiday, because they build power plant that will generate electricity, that will create power, and people will pay taxes if they are successful.

Let’s talk about technology. What type of technology do you think we need in Nigeria?

We shouldn’t be thinking in terms of single circle combined technologies. We should be thinking in terms of double combined technologies for better generation of power. So we should not be thinking in terms of small unit generating plants whereby we are using liquid to generate power. We should be thinking in terms of compressed natural gas, public transportation instead of too many vehicles we have on our roads and so many localized technologies with the respect to even using pipeline for our activities.

We have some Nigerians who are innovative, who will find a way to promote the innovations and that will reduce the foreign exchange demand and will pull down the exchange rate because they can’t make use of local currencies to buy those things.

30 politics&policy

Wednesday, 4 November, 2015 Group Politics Editor Taiwo Adisa - 08072000046 tai_adis@yahoo.com

Saraki

Amaechi

Akpabio

Screening: Still on the power play AYODELE ADESANMI, who monitored the just-concluded screening exercise in the Senate, presents the drama, the politics and anxious moments as the second batch of 18 ministers-designate took the Senate floor.

E

XPECTATIONS are higher after the Senate confirmed all the ministerial nominees from President Muhammadu Buhari. There are series of permutations and assumptions on the portfolios to be assigned to each of the minister-designates. Some lists have gone viral, necessitating a spontaneous reaction from the Presidency.

Whereas the authorities have urged members of the public to discountenance such lists, some Nigerians believe they could be some iota of truth in what was already in circulation. Such individuals hinged their position on some media reports that preceded the announcement of the list of ministerial nominees by the president in October.

A number of high profile politicians, whose names were bandied around were on the lists, which came in two batches.

The current debate in the political circle is not necessarily about which zones will get juicy ministries, The discourse is gradually becoming when the president will allocate portfolios to the minister-designates and set the stage for the inaugural Federal Executive Council (FEC) of the Buhari administration.

The ministers will be assuming office in the midst of an avalanche of challenges; challenge of paucity of fund, abandoned projects, indebtedness to contractors; preparation for 2016 budgets, restructuring of the ministries, to name a few.

Watchers of the National Assembly and the screening process expected the drama that eventually played out during the confirmation of minister-nominees last Thursday.

The drama and the altercations had been

brewing the day the lawmakers screened the most contentious of them all, former Governor of Rivers state, Chief Rotimi Amaechi.

Before then, Amaechi’s appearance on the floor of the Senate had been deferred twice, as he was kept waiting in the Senate waiting room for two consecutive days. Eventually, it emerged that the screening was being delayed by the report of the Senate committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions, which had investigated a petition sent to the Senate by a petitioner from Rivers State and submitted to the Senate by Senator George Thompson Sekibo.

After the coast was cleared for Amaechi to appear on the Senate floor for screening October 20, it was also apparent that the last had not been heard, as the senators of opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) did what is called siddon look by refusing to answer questions from the nominee because of the pending report of the Senate’s Ethics Committee.

Thus, the crisis of confidence that played itself out October 22, at the hallowed cham-

ber of the Senate during the confirmation process of the 18 earlier screened ministerial nominees was expected. Indication had emerged when it was discovered that a deal had to be stuck between Senators of the PDP and their counterparts in the All Progressives Congress (APC) before Amaechi could be allowed to enter the chamber for screening. But it further emerged that the PDP senators felt shortchanged that their APC senators violated the deal by allowing Amaechi answer questions on the floor instead of just allowing him to appear and take a bow, while the report of the Ethics Committee would then be used to determine his fate.

It will be recalled that a petition was submitted against the nomination of Amaechi as a minister, which was referred to the committee on Ethics, Privilege and Public Petitions headed by Senator Samuel Anyanwu for investigations. Contrary to the said agreement between the APC and PDP senators said to have been stuck at a closed session, APC lawmakers went ahead to ask him

Legally speaking, we had agreed here that whenever a report on any nominee was presented, we should debate it. The report has been presented. What the Leader is trying to do is to stop us from debating the report.

questions when he appeared in the senate.

This however left the PDP senators with the only option of waiting for Amaechi during the confirmation. Since the evil day was only postponed, it was clear that the tension was not over.

Thus, as soon as the screening and confirmation of the national chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) was done with, the fireworks began.

The day had however started on a very cordial note as members swiftly confirmed the nomination of Professor Mahmood Yakubu as the chairman of the INEC, and five other national commissioners in accordance with Section 154 (1) of the 1999 Constitution.

The lawmakers went into a closed session that lasted nearly two hours to further isolate issues around the confirmation process after which the mood in the chamber changed.

Senate President, Bukola Saraki, who spoke briefly after the doors were flung open, said that the Senate in a closed-session reviewed the debates of the ministerial nominees. He said that the reports of the Ethics Committee had been circulated to Senators to enable them make contributions. Senate Leader, Ali Ndume, later moved that the chamber dissolved into a Committee of the Whole to consider the confirmation of the 18 remaining ministerdesignates. His motion was immediately seconded by the Minority Leader, Godswill Akpabio. The confirmation which started at about 3.18pm was witnessed the height of politicking and drama.

When the name of Professor Anthony Anwuka the Imo State nominee was mentioned, Akpabio rose to confirm that there continues pg31

31 politics&policy

Wednesday, 4 November, 2015

Majority will have its way, but…. continued from pg30

were unresolved issues against the nominee.. However, Senator Nneji Achonu from also Imo, told his colleagues that the petitions against Anwuka had been withdrawn.

At that point Senate President ruled Akpabio out of order and confirmed Professor Anwuka’s nomination.

Thereafter the Committee Chairman on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions, Senator Samuel Anyanwu, was called to read the contents of the report on Amaechi. He told the chamber that the report was signed by seven out of the 11 members adding that the matter under review was in the court.

He however added that the committee was of the opinion that the former governor’s confirmation be suspended, pending when a valid court judgment on the issue would be delivered or the case withdrawn.

It was at this point that counter-accusations started flying. Senate Leader, Ndume, who was the first to take the floor, said the report was unnecessary since the upper chamber was already in the process of confirming the nominee alongside others. But, Akpabio quickly said: “We had said that we were not going to make comments after the conclusion of the whole process about Amaechi. I want to move a motion that the Senate do allow a proper discussion of the motion before us.” He declined to second Ndume’s motion contrary to tradition.

However Ndume came again that “My motion is still standing. We need to put it to a vote.” Akpabio rose again to counter Ndume. He argued: “The role of the leader is to lead the Senate properly. What we are saying is that we should consider the report of the committee. Legally speaking, we had agreed here that whenever a report on any nominee was presented, we should debate it. The report has been presented. What the Leader is trying to do is to stop us from debating the report.”

At that point, the Senate President had to intervened and said: “As we have already agreed, we will take the comments after which we will go back to the motion moved by the Senate Leader for consideration.”

Akpabio however insisted that the report of the ethics committee must be considered believing that confirming Amaechi’s nomination in defiance of the ethics panel report would be subjudice, adding that since the Amaechi’s case, which bordered on allegations of corruption, was pending in the Appeal Court, the Senate, by confirming his appointment, would be killing the rest of the case.

Senator Babajide Omoworare (APC Osun East) however attempted to resolve the argument in favour of Amaechi. He said that part of the Senate Standing Rules, upon which the Committee relied on to arrive at its recommendation, was obsolete and irrelevant. The opposition PDP lawmakers shouted him down and he repeatedly called for protection from the Senate President.

Senator George Thompson Sekibo( PDP, Rivers State), the man who submitted the petition against Amaechi told the Senate that confirming the nominee had implications for the image of the chamber and a moral burden on the APC. He said that while the Senators of the PDP were ready to join President Muhammadu Buhari to fight corruption, the APC Senators were condoning corruption. He said that every Senator should be mindful of the fact that whatever they do today will count against them in the future.

Amidst protests and a rowdy session, deputy Senate Minority Whip, Senator Biodun

Ndume

Fashola

We represent our people and the Nigerian people we represent are the majority. The majority is not APC, the majority is Nigerian people. The true judges are Nigerian people. So, we must respect the Nigerian people.

Olujimi, took the floor and declared that the PDP senators were being shut out. She said that the majority party was lording itself over the PDP senators.

She said it was obvious that the APC senators were bent on committing confirming Amaechi against the dictates of the law in view of the allegations against him. Olujimi stated that it was shocking that the government of the APC, which rode to power on the crest of anti-corruption, was condoning allegations of corruption through the move to confirm Amaechi. State further stated that it was obvious that PDP Senators were being shut out, and that in a democracy, the majority will always have their ways.

She however said that there was a moral burden on the APC government and the Senate if it confirms the nomination. She said: “There is a moral burden on President Buhari. Although majority will always have their ways but Nigerians will know that this government is not willing to fight corruption but will condone it all the way”, she stated.

Olujimi insisted that the normal thing was for the Senate to allow the court to decide on the matter and probably absolve the nominee before he is confirmed.

Following their failure to get the report debated, the PDP Senators led by the Minority Leader, Senator Akpabio walked

Onu out of the chamber, leaving their APC colleagues to continue with the confirmation process. Thereafter the APC Senators in the chamber rejected the Ethics Committee report and then confirmed Amaechi as a Minister.

Before the drama on Amaechi’s nomination was confirmed, a total of 17 other nominees had been confirmed as ministers by the senators. They included: Adamu Adamu (Bauchi) Professor Anthony Gozie Anwuka (Imo), Okechukwu Enelamah (Abia) Muhammadu Musa Bello (Adamawa) and Ms Aisha Abubakar (Sokoto). Others were: Khadijah Bukar Abba Ibrahim (Yobe) , Claudius Omoleye Daramola (Ondo) , Geoffrey Onyeama (Enugu) Rtd Brigadier General Mohammed M. Dan-Ali (Zamfara) Barrister James E. Ocholi (Kogi) , Zainab Shamsuna Ahmed (Kaduna) , Mustapha Baba Shehuri (Borno) , Senator Heineken Lokpobiri(Bayelsa) Professor Isaac Adewole Folorunsho (Osun) , Pastor Usani Usani Uguru (Cross River) and Abubakar Bwari Bawa (Niger).Barrister Adebayo Shittu,Oyo State.

The PDP senators immediately held a press briefing at the Senate Hearing Room One the same day to further clarify their position. Akpabio, who spoke on behalf of his caucus, said, “We were shut out when we wanted to react to the report when it was laid. There was a little bit of something we don’t think is in conformity with morality there. Once a case is before a competent court of law, any action on that matter is subjudice. The committee was able to establish that the issues that were brought against the nominee are already issues that were adjudicated upon by the Court of Appeal and other courts of competent jurisdiction. So, the issue of taking further action on his nomination, whether by way of appointment or otherwise, did not exist.

Whether the PDP senators would continue to be loyal to Saraki after the development, Akpabio said, “The Senate president was returned unopposed hence there was no voting so nobody can say that anybody supported the president.”

Outside the Senate chamber, the PDP attempted to draw political capital from the incident, when it’s National Publicity Secretary, Olisa Metuh said after the party’s National Caucus meeting that the PDP was firmly in support of the senator and their decision to walk-out in protest during the confirmation of Amaechi.

Outside the drama and intrigues over Amaechi, a number of nominees had showed their stuff on the floor of the Senate during the screening. One of them was the Vice Chancellor of the University of Ibadan, Professor Isaac Adewole, who was nominated to represent Osun state.

He was made to answer questions in different areas of Medicine as well as education. Adewole, an obstetrician/gynecologist, informed that falling standard of education in Nigeria is something that university administrators have to deal with but added that the problem was deep-seated. He said: “We are dealing with a chronic situation of under-funding persistently over several years. We are dealing with a situation characterized by lack of moral and dilapidated infrastructure. “Nigeria is funding education to the tune of 1.7 per cent of the GDP. A World Bank survey of 41 countries in sub-Sahara Africa noted that Nigeria had only three countries below it: South Sudan, Zimbabwe and Zambia. We need to put money in education. We need to recognise education as a vital tool to promote not only economy but this nation’s development.”

Hajia Zainab Ahmed, the Executive Secretary, Nigerian Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI) told the Senate that NEITI audit report was unique when asked about reports of the body which never got implemented. She said: “It’s not an audit in the true sense of the word. It’s a process that seeks to find what is wrong and makes specific recommendations for improvement. But I also want to quickly add that NEITI as an organisation has slow implementation of the recommendations of its audit report. And I hope that the 8th National Assembly will put paid to that.

“My suggestion will be that when an audit is conducted, like the NEITI, the recommendations of this audit should be implemented. We should not do reports and the reports sit on shelves, unattended to and unimplemented. We have done so many reviews, the analysis is on the table, it’s already available. We don’t have to do any extra work. All we need to do is take these recommendations and start implementing them.

32 politics&policy

Wednesday, 4 November, 2015

Late Pwajok

Lalong

The dilemma of PDP in Plateau Following the judgment of the Plateau State Election Petitions Tribunal, ISAAC SHOBAYO writes on some emerging developments in the leading political parties in the state.

T

HE legal battle for the governorship seat in Plateau State at the Election Petitions Tribunal between the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Senator Gyang Pwajok and the winner of the election, Simon Bako Lalong, a lawyer, of the All Progressive Congress (APC) can be said to have been won and lost. Thanks to the verdict of the tribunal in favour of Lalong.

The legal tussle had been characterised by suspense and anxiety on both sides of the divide, as none of the parties could initial predict, where the pendulous would swing, based on the avalanche of evidence and counter-arguments by counsels to the parties before the tribunal. All manner of technicalities was brought into play by the parties. The PDP candidate had relied on the evidence of forensic experts, among others, to overturn the victory of the APC. However, the petitioner suffered a setback at the Court of Appeal as it ruled that forensic could not be used as evidence by the tribunal.

Prior to the final judgment, the supporters of both the petitioner and respondent had resorted to prayers by engaging the services of prayer warriors in their quest for favorable outcome at the tribunal. And 48 hours to the judgment, security men had positioned themselves within and around the court premises, while only a few people with identification tags were

allowed into the venue. Throughout the six-hour judgment, lawyers and party officials were kept spellbound with a few of them rattling on their seats.

When the chairman of the Tribunal Justice Johnson Candide eventually begam to highloight the key areas of the judgment, the atmosphere began fully charged as a few of his pronouncements came like a thunderbolt to a few party men. He asserted that all the witnesses called by the PDP candidate were not credible, stating that the petitioner failed because his case was weak and none existent. Justice Candide held that the petitioner could not link his allegations to any substantial evidence, as there was no practical proof of evidence.

According to him, the first and second respondent (Lalong and INEC ) succeeded in their replies to the petitioner claim. He added that the petitioner could not show that there were cases of irregularities as alleged. “The burden of proof is on the petitioner but where he asserted, he is unable to proof. Where the petitioner failed to proof his case beyond reasonable doubt, there is nothing left for the respondent (Lalong) to contest,” the judge stated. The tribunal found that all the issues slated for

determination of the matter were tilted in favour of the respondent as he had no substantial evidence against the respondent and therefore dismissed the petition for lack of merit with the sum of N50, 000 as a cost.

As APC supporters savoured the euphoria of victory, their PDP counterparts retreated quietly to the party secretariat for a sober reflection on the ftae that befell their party. But, Governor Lalong, who was on pilgrimage in Israel when the judgment was delivered, had to cut short his visit to the holy land to savour the victory with his supporters. Addressing his supporters, he said his victory and the APC was an affirmation of the triumph of the people’s will and collective resolve, which was democratically demonstrated on April 11, 2015.

The governor said he dedicated the victory to the entire people of Plateau for massively voting for his party. He extended an olive branch to all its political opponents and urged them to team up with him taking Plateau to the next level.”From all indications, my victory at the tribunal is divine because it has gone to reaffirm God’s will for the people of Plateau. When we came into power the conditions of the

Others contended that the current legal battle should be pursued to a logical conclusion. Nonetheless, the sudden demise of the PDP candidate, Senator Pwajok appears to have further compounded the position of the party.

civil servants was so deplorable but now work had resume in all the nook and crannies of the state.

“We have done our very best for peace to return in Plateau and we will continue to do our best to serve our people and with the tribunal’s verdict which has confirmed the wish of the people, we are now more determined to ensure that the APC administration under my leadership will end bad governance in Plateau” he said.

From all indications, the state chapter of the PDP was devastated by the judgment because of what they considered as the overwhelming evidence they brought to back petition of the party’s candidate. So, it is contemplating of appealing the judgment. Counsel to the petitioner Mr Sonny Odey said his client, Pwajok would test the popularity of the judgment at the appeal court. However, Nigerian Tribune gathered the judgment might have further polarise the PDP in the state. Some stalwarts of the PDP are suggesting that the party should concede defeat and focus on how to reorganise the party ahead of 2019. Others contended that the current legal battle should be pursued to a logical conclusion. Nonetheless, the sudden demise of the candidate of PDP, Senator Gyang Pwajok appeared to have further compounded the position of the party on the ruling of the tribunal. A source claimed that since the incident, the party was yet to meet with its lawyers to determine the next line of action.

Meanwhile, the state chairman of the APC, Honourable Latep Danbang said with the verdict, the ruling party would settle down for proper governance without any distraction and implored all the citizens of Plateau irrespective of political affiliations to come together and salvage the state.

33 politics&policy Moses Siasia is the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Movement (PDM) in Bayelsa State. He discusses his agenda for the state in this interview with VICTOR OGUNYINKA. Excerpts:

Wednesday, 4 November, 2015

Bayelsa’s potential still untapped —PDM gov candidate

because of the total neglect of my generation and some of us as young people are not realising that and that has been my major concern. We are the ones entertaining the elderly and now, we are saying that no way.

We cannot entertain you anymore, we want to lead so that you can guides us to get to where we want to get to.

Now, the issues of militancy and kidnapping is on the increase, and the reason is because there is no inclusion in governance, they don’t see my generation as one that would help the state in terms of growth but what I will do as a leader is to create an all inclusive government where I have assured young people, any state and country that fails to build these young people will plan to fail. I am not planning to fail. So, I have to carry the young men and women along in the skim of things, I am not that leader that will give them guns, rather, I will give them what they will use to create sustainable livelihood for themselves.

T

HE election is fast approaching and your party will be contesting with leading parties like the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democractic Party (PDP). How has it been so far?

Well, things are going on well. We really appreciate the type of overwhelming support we are getting from people, most importantly our youths and women. This is the first time in the history of Bayelsa State that we have a woman as a running mate for the gubernatorial election. I believe women play a very strategic role when it comes to re-engineering every society. This is one of the surest ways my candidature would turn the challenges we are having as a people into windows of opportunities. I believe that the people are catching up and we will get there, one step at a time. You know they say ‘one with God is a majority. So, we will continue to trust God to lead us and because our minds are very clear to bring about total liberation to our people. We have delivered our manifesto to Bayelsans and everybody is quite pleased with the level of our promises and we believe when we get the mandate, we will ensure that all the promises that we made, we will keep to them.

You keep saying issues. What are those issues you are talking about?

Clearly, we have told Bayelsans that we have only two-point agenda. That doesn’t mean we are not going to take care of other sectors. As the PDM governorship candidate in the forthcoming gubernatorial election, what I have told my people is that I will ensure I diversify the Bayelsa economy because we have a very huge mainstay when it comes to agriculture and tourism. So, those are the two critical areas we want to invest in critically in partnership with the private sector, to ensure that we make Bayelsa a one-stop hub for economic activities.

With IGR generation the way to go, how do you intend to do this in Bayelsa?

It is just to encourage critical investments and also use the Bayelsa resources to diversify into agriculture and tourism and also commercialise social ventures. For instance, our target is to build water parks and museums, so that we can also use that as a source of revenue booster. We will also build resorts in terms of tourism, where we can attract people to Bayelsa, conference centres and technology villages. Those are the things we need to do to boost our revenue.

But when you look at other areas like agriculture, Bayelsa is so blessed with a lot of agricultural produces and one thing I have said is that our robust plan is what is called the agricultural value chain system that we are going to introduce in government, three or four areas we are going to concentrate on.

First is oil palm, then fishery, where we are also going to attract a lot of fishing prowlers; we are going to establish what we call a fish processing plant, where we are going to need for local consumption and export.

We are also going to process plantain for local consumption. Today, we have plantain chips and people are looking for chips all over the world, people are looking for plantain flours. It is substitute to garri and our wheat flour.

Moses

When I tell some of them my party, they wonder if it would go anywhere. But they forget that we now live in modern realities, a world where the dynamics of politics has changed.

Also in the area of rice, we are going to have a lot of rice plants and milling plants where we are going to produce Bayelsan rice for local and import purposes. We are going to do all these to boost our IGR and not depend on the federal allocations. This boils down to the point I always make, most of the leaders we have today are not thinkers.

Today, the world is looking for substitute to oil and as a leader, if you are saying you need the mandate of the people like some leaders do today, they appeal to the Federal Government for bailout that means you were not ready to govern the people.

As a leader, if you are ready for leadership, you have to take full responsibility in whatever happens in your state. So, looking for bailout would never be our focal point and my administration, if elected will not depend on the federal allocation to survive.

Also in terms of infrastructure, we are also going to encourage a lot of investors, like I always say that we would encourage about 500 companies to come and invest in Bay-

elsa State. Now, number one sector we are looking at now is ecotourism to bluesea economy where we can transform our waters into an economy hub using that riverine mass that we have to create wealth and jobs for our people.

We are also going to build a deep seaport and also a ship building fabrication, where we can feed the oil and gas industry, which is very massive in the state. It is now that we need to start, if we do not get it right this time, Bayelsans have a choice, I keep telling them in my campaigns and I have to ensure they made the right choice come the election in December so that we can take our state to the next level.

You have talked about tourism and attracting foreign investors, with militancy and high rate of insecurity, how do you intend to overcome this?

Those carrying the arms are young people like me. I am aged 35. Have you ever seen an old man carrying arms in the state? It is

Elections in Nigeria are about spending big, are you sure you have the financial muscle to compete with the big wigs?

I have told people times without number that I have no godfather. People have been carrying news that I am former President Goodluck Jonathan’s boy and he is sponsoring me, I have no connections, no discussions and I have no support from the former president not from the incumbent governor but the godfathers I have are the people themselves that want this real change. Just like in the bible, some come with chariots, some come with horses but it is God that delivers his own so, it is not all about money.

It is when you pursue your vision and goal with all manners of consistency then, money will come.

The only support I have received is just from few friends and these are the ones that are futuristic in their reasonings. And then I have the market women, okada and tricycle riders. Now, the bigger ones don’t think that my aspiration is possible because they always look at the big fishes, which are PDP and APC. When I tell some of them my party, they wonder if it would go anywhere but they forget that we now live in modern realities, a world where the dynamics of politics has changed, people are not looking at political parties, they are looking at the credibility of individuals.

Do you think the wind of change is blowing to your side?

Well, seeing is believing. You cannot sit down in Lagos and you know what is happening in Bayelsa. It is when you see that we will welcome you as a believer of real change.

How would you structure your cabinet if you get the mandate of the people?

The old people have led us for 17 years and this is where we find ourselves. Today, I am the first person who has made a woman my deputy governor and by the grace of God, she is going to be the first female deputy governor Bayelsa would produce and she is an experienced civil servant too. She is 55 while I am 35, what I am going to do is create 40 per cent inclusion of young people, 40 per cent of women and we give the remaining 20 per cent to our elders so that they can lead us properly and guide us with their experience and knowledge.

34

Wednesday, 4 November, 2015

inside

Femi Olukunle Coordinating Editor 08158610216

nigerdelta

Overview of the airport

Repositioning Asaba Airport to meet international standard Alphonsus Agborh -Asaba

f

ollowing the downgrading of Asaba airport in Delta state by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NACC) precisely on April 27, 2015, the state government, the facilitator of the project has not known sleep.

From the previous administration of

Dr Emmanuel Uduaghan, initiator of the project and the incumbent, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, reasonable interest has been shown on how to shore up facilities at the airport that was scored low for international standard.

The time was however short for Uduaghan to effect the changes at the airport but having ample opportunity to himself, Okowa decided to tackle the

complaints of NCAA headlong with all strength.

NCAA had directed for the rehabilitation of the existing run way, taxi ways and the construction of perimeter fence as well as training of technical personnel among others.

By the directive, only Dash 8-Q 400 planes or their equivalent are expected to operated through the airport until the

issues raised are resolved while all Boeing 737s and jets of similar category are barred.

The downgrading however touched the soul of the state government having spent over N17.5bn and whose original concept was to have an International airport that can take in such bigger aircontinues pg38

Cheap sex, nap, drug abuse at Ugbuwague Market —pg35 CREW

Dapo Falade -Port Harcourt 08078891924 lasep09@gamil.com Ebenezer Adurokiya -Delta 08060113609 ebenezeradurokiya@gmail.com Banji Aluko - Edo 08067030572 adebanjialuko@yahoo.com Alphonsus Agborh 08035838703

Construction of taxiway ongoing.

Austin Ebipade - Bayelsa 08065400743 austinebipade@gmail.com

35 insidenigerdelta

Wednesday, 4 November, 2015

Cheap sex, nap, drug abuse at Ugbuwague Market Ebenezer Adurokiya - Warri

T

he completed, but abandoned Ugbuwangue market in Warri South Local Government Area of Delta State has further underscored government’s insensitivity and lackluster attitude towards giving a meaning to human life through the provision of social amenities.

Or how else would one describe the fate of a completed market now abandoned to hoodlums who have turned the facility into room apartments, toilets, slaughterhouse and brothel?

In a brief tour of the market and environs recently, traders, who have been confined to chanties roofed with umbrellas, were seen selling their various wares such as food stuff, vegetables, beverages, live and frozen chickens, goats, mutton, beef and other food items. Horribly, these businesses are carried out amid filth and stench.

Disgustingly, the market environment was pretty untidy, filthy with stains of animal blood with flies boozing round the mini abattoir at the back of the market edifice.

The backside of the market also plays host to a group of young boys, mostly from the northern part of the country.

The hard-looking boys were sighted smoking cigarettes and marijuana with much delicacy and audacity. A few were busy with their daily sales of live chickens and ruminants, while others were seen taking a nap on the bare, dirty floor of the market edifice.

Interestingly, many of the unallocated shops have been converted by the hoodlums into their private place of rest where

various salacious activities are carried out. “This is where we enjoy free, unhindered and cheap sex,” one of the occupants remarked.

The unallocated shops are dirty, while some parts of the plastic roof have been vandalised. Inside the market edifice are spots of pool of stinking water breeding millions of mosquitos. The windy storm, perhaps, also had its share of the damage done to some parts of the roof of the edifice.

Armed with the information of what was transpiring in the abandoned building, the immediate past state government had, on some occasions, promised to allocate the shops to eligible bidders, but this did not see the daylight before its tenure expired last May. At a point last year March or so, erstwhile Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan ordered the then caretaker chairman of Warri South Local Government Area, Mr Austine Uroye, to clean up and allocate the shops, but nothing came out of the order even after the two-week ultimatum handed the chairman expired.

It was gathered then that a few persons were playing dirty politics with the allocation of the stalls. Today, the property is still being left to rot away in spite of huge taxpayers’ monies so far sunk into the project.

Speaking with journalists, a resident of Ugbuwangue, Joseph Oneyesangbe, wondered why “the state government did not act on their promise that the modern market would be cleaned up and allocated to traders. Some people from various parts of Warri and environs do use the market as their smoking centre and others for other immoral activities?”

He stressed that the past governments had failed the people, admonishing the government of Ifeanyi Okowa to do something so that traders could go inside the shops for business purpose and leave the express road for good”.

A meat seller identified as Idris Simila, expressed grief. He said: “I no dey like the way the market dey dirty anyhow; so make government come carry dirty commot here; me I dey here tee well well for here, the place no fine my brother.”

Front view of the completed, but abandoned Ugbuwague market

Shanties and animal pens at Ugbuwague Market

Repositioning Asaba Airport for international standard continued from pg34

crafts including Jumbo jets .

Determined to fulfill the dream, despite the economic doldrums on one hand and considering the importance of the airport not only to the state but its significance to easterners who are greater users of the facilities, Okowa undertook an unscheduled inspection barely one month on assumption of office.

It was then he showed his commitment to early ratifying of all the wrongs pointed out by the regulatory body through three contractors i.e ULO consultants limited, Levant construction and CCC. Apart from the issues raised by the regulatory body, another obstacle was the hills around the runway which the Governor engaged the companies to level them up. Over N8m was spent by the previous administration to bring down the hills yet more jobs needed to be done.

To match words with action in the total rehabilitation work as spelt out

by NCAA, Okowa forged ahead and approved as grant, the sum of N5.021bn to ULO consultant limited through the state house of assembly.

After series of meetings however, a

remedial work plan was drawn up and ULO was prequalified by the aviation authority because the company was involved in the initial construction.

InsideNigerDelta investigation has shown that the rehabilitation work by ULO has commenced in earnest. Bulldozers are on the “rampage”, the hills are gradually disappearing, clearing for the perimeter fencing is in progress, and the new taxi ways almost completed.

The watchtower which was absent In the time past has reached an appreciable level.

Also the tank farm with five tanks are completed with two engine rooms. With this, refueling of aircrafts would be guaranteed from the airport.

An additional taxiways to the exiting three is almost completed and according to the Project manager of ULO consultant limited Mr. Ali Bou Ghawi, earthwork on it will be through in a forth night while the asphalting commences immediately.

It was observed that before the pulling down of the hills, planes access the airport (landing) from the eastern axis only but now aircraft fly in also from the western axis on the 3.4km runway.

The uneven surface of the runway which peeved NCAA to take action is also receiving attention with 9cm asphalt overlay.

InsideNigerDelta also gathered that the total lighting of the airport and its environ including the runways has become imperative in view of encroachment by herdsmen and hoodlums.

At least 75 transformers have been reportedly stolen while there were cases of animals straying around the environment (Not runway) in the past due to the absence of perimeter fencing.

Other facilities like the watchtower where weather is watched or those at the control tower are informed in case of strange objects on the runway or space is in progress.

Before the commencement of the perimeter fencing, government acquired additional 400 hectares of adjoining land which increased the scope of work; to boost security within the airport axis, a good number of guards were employed to carryout routine surveillance on the air side.

On the training of requisite technical personnel as required by the regulatory body, the state Special Project Director in charge of the airport, Hon. Austin

Ayemidejor said the category had undergone the mandatory basic training at the federal airports authority of Nigeria training school in Lagos and that arrangement has reached an advanced stage to send them on specialised training abroad relevant to their various department.

Nevertheless, airports generally are permanent construction sites the world over and regulatory agencies which in Nigeria is the NCCA have the mandate to oversight all the airports and may from time to time raise any concern thereof.

Suffice to say, that the downgrading of the Asaba facility has not in any way affected the operations of scheduled commercial flights while the reconstruction lasted.

For four years, it has lived up to its billing by being a channel for travelers especially from the eastern states who previously were forced to commute to their destination by road.

The government desire is to have an airport of international standard as Governor Okowa would want to leave a footprint on the sand of time as the man who will see the airport welcome Boeing 737 planes, Jumbo jets from outside the shore of the land.

36

Wednesday, 4 November, 2015

Edited by: ‘Gbenga Opadotun olojaekuro@gmail.com 08037149731

No ghost workers on our pay-roll —LG boss

T

HE Chairman, Akwanga Local Government Area of Nasarawa State, Mr Abashiya Koto, has said that the council has no ghost workers on its payroll.

Koto made this known while fielding questions

from the newsmen in Akwanga.

“I want to reveal to you that no ghost worker was found on the payroll of my local government as we ended our staff biometric screening.

“We have concluded the

Gov. Usman Al-Makura, Nasarawa State

Group requests council to provide fertiliser blending plant A socio-cultural group, Mwaghavul Development Association (MDA), has urged Mangu Local Government Area of Plateau State to provide a fertiliser blending plant for farmers to increase the harvest of farm produce.

The National President of the group, Mr Stephen Hirse, made the request during a courtesy visit to the council chairman, Mr Titus Bise.

According to him, a situation where a big town like Mangu, second to Bukuru on the Plateau, is without a master plan, is not only very unfortunate but dangerous in the near future. ‘‘Mangu is in dire need of a fertilizer blending plant to serve our teaming farmers, who year in year out hardly get enough of the commodity for farms and crops, ’’ he said.

He added that Mangu town needed a bye-pass which should be incorporated in the proposed master plan to espouse the beauty of the communities and open it for speedy growth and development.

Hirse said that all the

towns in the council area needed to be remodelled and transformed to mega cities which would act as cataylst for economic growth and development of the state.

biometric screening of the council’s staff and our report is under way to be submitted to the state government in that regard,’’ he said.

The chairman commended the state government for organising the workers’ biometric screening across the state, adding that the effort would sanitise the system for quality service delivery.

Koto said that the exercise was not to witch-hunt anybody but ensure optimal productivity among the workers.

“It is aimed at achieving a lot of things such as to sanitise the system and to ensure proper placement and grading of civil servants.

“To the best of my knowledge, the staff biometric screening is not a witchhunt,” said the chairman.

On health, Koto dismissed insinuations that there was cholera outbreak in the area, adding that such information was unfounded.

According to him, the rumour is the handiwork of ``some selfish elements who want to create tension among the people’’. ``I want to re-emphasise that the three persons that lost their lives in Gudi Primary Health Care Clinic in this local government was due to diarrhoea and vomiting, it was not cholera as alleged in some quarters in the state.

“I went there personally with health experts including officials of World Health Organisation (WHO).

“The health experts took a sample and conducted a test and it was discovered that it was diarrhoea and vomiting but not cholera as being speculated,’’ said Koto.

Meanwhile, the state government has dissolved the state’s Local Government Councils Joint Account Committee (JAC), to ensure that what accrued to each council was shared in accordance with the constitution.

Governor Umaru AlMakura made this known in Lafia at a meeting held with local government chairmen and members of the committee.

According to the governor, every local government figure was catered for from Abuja, but the cheque for local government allocation that comes to the state is for the total allocation of the 13 local governments in the state.

“The essence of the JAC meeting is to ensure proper distribution and allocation in accordance with the distribution of FAC. “The function of JAC is to ensure every local government gets its own allocation as stipulated by the Federal Allocation Committee (FAC),’’ he said.

He, however, explained

that the joint account operated by local governments had become problematic, hence the decision to abolish the JAC. This, the governor stated, was to find a lasting solution to reoccurring delay and shortfall in the salaries of local government workers.

Al-makura added that the decision would also clear the air that the state government was using local government funds for other purposes.

“There has been so much ignorance and speculation to stigmatise the state gov-

Sultan vows to resolve crisis in Tafawa Balewa LG THE Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar III, promised to partner with the Federal and Bauchi State governments and the Bauchi Emirate Council to find lasting solutions to lingering crisis in Tafawa Balewa Local Government Area of Bauchi State.

The Sultan made the pledge in Sokoto when a delegation from the Muslim community in the area paid him a courtesy visit.

He said “this ethno-religious and political crisis raged between the Muslim and the Sayawa Christian communities and we are

Vaccines: Makarfi LG boss confirms hospitalisation of pupils ABOUT 40 pupils of Kunkumi Primary School in Makarfi Local Government Area of Kaduna State have been hospitalised following adverse reaction after taking “Preziquantel” vaccine.

The “Preziquantel” was administered to pupils below five years of age in 127 primary schools in the area as a vaccine for “Bilheziasis”.

Confirming the incident to newsmen in his office at Makarfi, the council’s Interim Management Committee Chairman, Alhaji Hamza Musa-Makarfi, said the council had taken measures to address the situation.

“It is true that some pupils were hospitalised having been administered the

vaccine; actually by then, I was in Kaduna for an official engagement but I immediately instructed the vice-chairman to rush the affected victims to the hospital.

“Before my arrival, the affected pupils were brought to the hospital, treated and discharged.

“Some people say the affected victims were 30, while some say 50 pupils, but all I know is they were attended to by medical doctors and all of them were discharged, except three pupils for now,” Musa-Makarfi explained.

The chairman said after visiting the scene and the hospitals, he convened a meeting with the council’s head of health, officials of

state committee on polio and other health personnel, to ascertain the actual cause.

“During the interaction, we understood that the exercise was being carried out in 127 schools within the local government area and it had recorded 100 per cent success in 126 primary schools.

“In view of this, the problem might be as a result of overdose, taking the medicine with empty stomach or taking the medicine while suffering from other diseases, because investigation showed that all necessary protocol were obeyed,” Musa-Makarfi said.

The chairman said he had invited the headmaster of the affected school and con-

ernment.

“Nasarawa State has never had any joint account where money of local government councils are used to do any other thing,’’ he said.

According to him, the independence of each local government with regards to allocation will prove a turning point as each local government will get exactly what is accrued to it directly from the Federation Account.

“This is in line with the constitution and the councils would account as to how the money was spent.

firmed that the man that administered the vaccine had followed the simple training given to him by the state Ministry of Health.

Also commenting, the Head of Health, Makarfi Local Government Area, Alhaji Ashafa Ahmad, said the vaccine was not newly introduced.

Ahmad said that the exercise had been going on in other local government areas of southern Kaduna since 2010, without any problem.

“This exercise had been on in local government areas of Southern Kaduna, as well as other councils across Nigeria and there had never been a case of adverse reaction or any other thing else,” he said.

happy now that both sides are yearning for amicable resolution of the crisis.

“Another high-powered delegation of the Sayawa Christian community from the area also recently paid a similar visit to me.

“Their mission was to seek for my urgent intervention with a view to finding lasting solution to the problem, which had truncated peace, unity and development in the area since 1953,’’ he stated.

According to the Sultan, the crisis will only continue to aggravate the problems of underdevelopment, poverty and retrogression.

Abubakar expressed happiness that both the Muslim and Christian communities in the area were now seeking for a lasting peace.

He added that “God has created us together, with diverse religious and ethnic backgrounds, not to disunite us but to be formidably united.

“Leaders must be just to their followers, while the followers must be respectful and law-abiding, and we all have rights to worship God the way we want,” he added.

The monarch then urged the two sides to continue to be patient and fervently prayerful, saying that dialogue was the best solution to all problems.

The leader of the delegation and District Head of Tafawa Balewa, Alhaji Suleiman Muhammad, who spoke through Professor Salisu Shehu, commended the Sultan for his efforts in entrenching peace and unity in the country and beyond.

37

interview

Wednesday, 4 November, 2015

Reasons I should be reinstated as Oyo NURTW chairman —Tokyo

Alhaji Lateef Akinsola Oloruntoki a.k.a Tokyo was the chairman of the Oyo State chapter of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) until 2011 when the union was proscribed by the state government and the then executive dissolved. In this interview with NURUDEEN ALIMI, Tokyo highlights reasons the court judgments in his favour should be allowed to stand among other issues Excerpts:

T

HE state chapter of your union, NURTW has just inaugurated another set of executives to run the affairs of the union for another term of four years, but you have been raising series of eyebrows, What excatly is the problem?

There are lots of problems and as a matter of fact not mine alone, but the problems of the union and its members, majority of whom are my supporters. Let me first of all correct an impression about the said inauguration and to declare as you might read on the pages of newspapers that anything done in that regard was a nulity.

As far as I am concerned, what has been happening in the union over four years ago was nothing but an aberration. In my own view, which is heavily supported by law, what they have been having in the union and which was currently re-established by way of the so-called inauguration was caretaking.

The union has been put under the directive of a caretaker committee and when you are appointed a caretaker, you are just an interim which our people in yorubaland once described as ‘Fi’di e’. It is a temporary thing and at the appointed time of almighty Allah, the interim tenure will be over.

Could you please explain better what you mean, because nobody ever mentioned that those in the saddle were there as caretaker committee?

If nobody has ever mentioned it to you, let it be on record that I, Alhaji Lateef Akinsola Oloruntoki popularly known as ‘Tokyo’ said that the Oyo State chapter of NURTW is being run by a caretaker committee and that has been the pattern for over four years now. Our union was said to be proscribed in 2011 shortly after the present administration of Senator Isiaq Abiola Ajimobi came into office for its first term and the executive committee being led by me was said to have been dissolved. The matter was taken to court and the judgment was delivered in my favour. I do not know how long you have been in the state, but the problem predated the administration of my brother, Ajimobi and I have been in and out of court on different occasions. The beauty of it all is that I have never lost any of the cases challenging the injustices being meted out on me, but, I have been persistently denied the opportunity to enjoy the fruits of my struggle.

All the court judgments are in my custody and I will just quote from one of them. This particular one was delivered

by Justice Abimbola Obaseki-Adejumo

of the Federal High Court, Ibadan Division on 26th of November, 2012 in suit number:FHC/IB/CS/61/2012 in which she said that: “The judgment given in favour of Alhaji Lateef Akinsola has not been held to be nullity by any court of law.

It is a settled law that a judgment susbsists until it is set aside and an aggrieved person who has not appealed against a judgment stands no chance of saying the court lacked jurisdiction”.

Just last year, 2014 to be precise, an appeal against this judgment was strucked out for lack of dilligent prosecution. It was based on the need for me to enjoy my mandate and an end be put to infringement of my fundamental human right through a letter with Ref. No.CB:3514/X/ LEG/FHQ/ABJ/VOL.24/15 dated 5th August, 2014 signed by ACP Y.S Abubakar on behalf of the commissioner of Police in charge of Legal/Prosecution Section, Area 10, Garki, Abuja submitted among other submissionms that “The judgment of the Federal High Court, Ibadan, Oyo State in suit no;FHC/IB/CS/30/12 ON 25TH OF May, 2012 is valid, subsisting and enforceable; that the said judgment not having been set aside by an appellate court, must be enforced”.

So, if I tell you that I am the substantive Chairman of NURTW in the state today and that anybody laying claim to such position is only a caretaker, I have law at my back.

How do you explain the claim that you had been barred from approaching the court again on this matter?

When judgment given has not been implemented, will the beneficiary of the judgment fold his arms? No! The court has spoken and everybody, including him is bound by it and if there is the need to seek for court’s intervention again, we will not hesitate because we believe in the rule

Let effect be given to court judgments which ordered my reinstatement to office as the state chairman. I am not asking for anything exraordinary, It is my right and the court which is said to be last hope of common man has directed as such

Tokyo of law rather than resulting to self-help, the result of which is anarchy.

Are you sure all these things you are saying are known to the state governor and presidentof the union, Alhaji Najeem Yasin?

There is nothing hidden to any of them.

He was the one that proclaimed the so called executive committee as having been due for another term without election whatsoever. There was no place the members of the union gathered to either vote or affirm the so called executive for another term and because he was aware of all the litigation and the indisputable fact that the council from Abuja could come for the last swearing-in exercise. Instead, you journalists reported that a former chairman of our union in Kwara State came to perform the unlawful duty. The governor too was said to have sent a permanent secretary to programme, that is to show you the quality of the programme.

The personality of the representative of the governor notwithstanding, the message he delivered there on behalf of the governor was to the effect that peace had been reigning in the state since the executive returned for another term. Don’t you think your coming back will lead to the said peace taking flight from the state?

Why will peace take flight from the state?

Are you saying I am not a peace-loving fellow? The peace said to be presently reigning is that 2of the graveyard if you care to

know. There can’t be genuine peace where there is injustice, lack of fair play, abuse of the rule of law and lack of respect for fundamental human rights. Ironically, the governor should dedicate the peace reigning in the state to me for keeping all our union members driven away from various motor parks since the so-called executive committee came into being. Should I turn them away today, I can tell you that the so-called peace in the sate will be ruptured because, they will forcefully go back to the motor parks and you can imagine what will happen.

How do you think this logjam can be addressed?

It is very simple. Let effect be given to my judgments which ordered my reinstatement to office as the state chairman. I am not asking for anything exra-ordinary. It is my right and the court which is said to be last hope of the common man has directed as such.

I do not look for trouble and I have told our governor that I will not be vindictive, but operate an all inclusive administration which will accomodate all. My reign will bring genuine pecae to our motor parks because I will see myself as the father of all and in my case, I am the father of all. I have appealed to our governor to allow the rule of law to prevail by ensuring my reinstatement as directed by court order, it is a very simple thing and I believe that almighty Allah will intervene because He is never an unjust God.

38 news

Wednesday, 4 November, 2015

Fasoranti: Afenifere to meet today

Afenifere, obas must defend Yoruba interest —US-based kinsmen

By Kunle Oderemi and Hakeem Gbadamosi

F

OLLOWING resignation of the leader of the Pan Yoruba Socio- Political group, Afenifere, Chief Ruben Fasoranti, last Sunday, the leadership of the group will today, meet at his residence in Akure, the Ondo State capital.

Nigerian Tribune gathered that the leaders of the party would be meeting on the choice of a new leader after Fasoranti, who cited old age for his stepping down as leader of the group.

All efforts made by Nigerain Tribune to speak with Fasoranti was not successful, but one of his daughters said the octogenarian had been indisposed and on medication for some days and needed to rest.

A source within the group, however, said the leadership of the group would meet today and the outcome of the meeting would be made available to the public, saying a new leader of the group might emerge after the meeting.

Similarly, the SecretaryGeneral of Afenifere, Chief Sehinde Arogbofa, also declined comments on the development, but said Fasoranti’s resignation would not affect the struggle of the group.

When asked if the group would be meeting today over the issue, he said the public would be informed appropriately at the right time, saying the resignation of Fasoranti would not cause any division in the group.

He said “the meeting will be strictly for members and members of the group only. We will make our de-

cision known to you after the meeting and there is no need to rush now.”

Arogbofa, however, said there was nothing unusual in the resignation of Fasoranti, saying some of the past leaders of the group also resigned due to their ill health or old age, saying the resignation had nothing to do about disloyalty. He said Afenifere had produced about three leaders after the death of Chief Obafemi Awolowo, who included late Pa Adekunle Ajasin, Pa Abraham Adesanya and Pa Fasoranti, saying “there was precedent, as the two past leaders also resigned their position as leader of the group due to old age, so the stepping aside of Pa Fasoranti was nothing unusual.

“The baton changes from one leader to the other. So, there is nothing untowards about what Pa Fasoranti has done. He has only stepped aside because of old age.

“Pa Fasoranti will soon be 90 years old soon. He cannot continue with the rigour of going about, attending meetings hence, had decided to step aside.”

Fasoranti’s resignation was contained in a letter personally signed by him and forwarded to some leaders of the group, informing them of his decision to stop being the chairman of the foremost Yoruba organisation.

The letter was addressed to Arogbofa, leaders of the group, including Chief Ayo Adebanjo, Sir Lanihun Ajayi, Chief Olu Falae, Chief Supo Sonibare and all state chairmen of Afenifere.

Fasoranti said in the letter that “our organisation, Afenifere was formed in 1951 under the leadership of Chief Obafemi Awolowo. The organisation was formed to serve as an um-

brella to be used to actualise the dream of a great nation and the Yoruba race.

“Over the years, Yorubas have tried to focus on a common goal. Chief Awolowo tried to ensure the oneness of our people with a lot of efforts notwithstanding the challenges he faced in the process. Unfortunately, he passed on without actualising this dream.

“I joined Afenifere from inception with the following leaders of our race— Pa Onasanya, Alhaji Ganiyu Daodu, Pa Abraham Adesanya, Chief Ayo Adebanjo, Sir Olanihun Ajayi, Chief Sam Sonibare, Chief Bola Ige, Chief Wunmi Adegbonmire and so on.

“The mantle of leadership fell on late Pa Adekunle Ajasin and subsequently Pa Adesanya and then on my humble self. As events have been unfolding in the past few years, the focus and goals of the founding fathers of our great organisation ‘Afenifere’ were gradually eroded.

“This, therefore, made it herculian task for our members to work in unity.

Several efforts were made to ensure the actualisation of the Afenefere goals, but it appeared that we have not succeeded in achieving this. This is basically due to reasons best known to our members individually.

“Let me state clearly that the issue of adoption of the national confab report had always been the focus and goal of our people in Afenifere even long before the national confab was set up.

“The support of a leader, who promised to implement this report was, therefore, not a mistake and inevitable, despite all public insinuations.

“Considering my age, ef-

Gbajabiamila challenges Dogara on committee’s composition Continued from pg2

liaise with committee chairmen and other functionaries of the House.

“Honourable Speaker, in the light of the foregoing provisions of our Rules and in line with parliamentary tradition world over, undermining the office of the leader or any other principal officer would not strengthen the legislature or our democracy.

“The situation, where any principal officer, whether from the majority or minority party only knows of the appointment referred to above upon announcement on the floor, will not augur well for the progress of this House.

“I have taken the liberty to write to you on the matter for record purposes and in the hope that every principal office in this House its due (consideration), as enshrined in our House Rules.”

Consequently, the Speaker called for a meeting for October 22 in a letter dated on the October 21.

A document showed that all Principal Officers of the House, including the House Leader’s office, received the notice of meeting except for the Minority Whip, Deputy Minority Leader and the Deputy Minority Whip.

It will be recalled that the Speaker named the chair-

men and their deputies on the floor of the House on the 22nd of October.

Meanwhile, the Speaker, on Tuesday, held a fence-mending meeting with appointed committees chairmen and vice chairmen to wade off further resignation move.

Informed sources revealed that the intervention of Deputy Speaker, Honourable Yusuff Lasun doused the resignation tension in the House during last week sitting of the House, while the Speaker was far away in Israel.

The meeting was reportedly gave room for the Speaker to have heart-to-heart discussion with the committees heads.

forts and selfless dedication to my country, my state (Ondo), my political parties, my past leaders and my members in Afenifere, both in Nigeria and in diaspora.

I, hereby, wish to inform you all that I have decided to step aside as leader of our great organization Afenifere.”

As leaders of Afenifere meet today in Akure, the Ondo State capital, Yoruba in the Diaspora, on Tuesday, urged Obas and leaders of thought in Yorubaland to strongly defend the race against insults from any quarters henceforth.

According to them, the call became necessary, because some individuals from other ethnic groups in the country often abused the spirit of accommodation and gen-

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erosity of the Yoruba in the South-West.

“Our Obas should come together and read the Riot Act to individuals or groups trampling on our traditional value,” they emphasised.

The Yoruba in Diaspora spoke through a joint statement by the national president, Chief Bolu Omodele and the national general secretary, Dr Durojaye Odimayo Akindutire, of the Egbe Omo Yoruba (National Association of Yoruba Descendants in North America).

They remarked that the recent ugly experience of a former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Chief Olu Falae, coupled with that of the Deji of Akure, demanding that the Yorubas should defend their

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tradition and values.

They noted that the recent happening in Akure, where the Deji of Akure was disrespected by the Eze Ndigbo of Akure, Gregory Iloehike, was “another indignant show of insensitivity to Yoruba culture and a pointer to Yoruba ‘over the board’ accommodative spirit and a wake-up call to our lack of proactive strategies in protecting our culture and firm commitment to our avowed autonomy.”

While commending the Deji of Akure-In-Council for the maturity displayed in handling the situation, they stressed that by banning the Eze Ndigbo title and ordering the title to be reviewed and replaced with a non-controversial honorary one was a step in the right direction.

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Wednesday, 4 November, 2015

NPC commences pre-census activities amid speculations Adetola Bademosi -Abuja

T

HE National Population Commission (NpopC) has commenced the first phase of the Enumeration Area Demarcation (EAD) for about 300 trainers even as it awaits presidential proclamation on the possibility of the 2016 census.

It stated that the conduct of the census has become vital, not only for evidence based planning processes, but to also correct the discrepancies of the 2006 census.

The Chairman, NpopC, Chief Eze Duruiheoma, stated this on Tuesday, at the opening of a two- week workshop on the training of trainers for the First Phase of the Enumeration Area Demarcation, held in Ak-

wanga, Nasarawa State.

According to him, the EAD is the smallest, but the core preparatory activities which will help to achieve effective enumeration of the country’s population within a stipulated period of time.

He said it enables the country’s whole landmass to be divided into small

units which could be easily covered by a team of enumerators.

The chairman also revealed that one of the factors that rendered previous censuses contentious were due to the quality of the EAD conducted in the past.

He argued that the quality of personnel for the EAD would greatly impact on

outcomes of the census.

However, he stressed that the population figures of any administrative unit will not be determined by the number of EAs that will be carved out of any community, local government or state.

“It is just the division of the country into small geographical areas to facilitate

enumeration. The commission will count only persons found in such units.”

Duruiheoma urged state and local government councils, traditional institutions and communities to support the commission in carrying out the 2016 census EAD by allowing access to facilities and places to be demarcated.

Adamawa assembly summons finance commissioner over bailout fund Kabeer Gwangwazo -Yola ADAMAWA House of Assembly has passed a resolution directing the state Commissioner for Finance to appear before it on Wednesday, to brief it on the utilisation of the state’s N7.2 billion bailout fund.

The resolution came under “Matter of Urgent Public Importance” raised by the Alhaji Abubakar Abdulrahman (APC-Mubi South).

Abdulrahman, who is the House Committee Chairman on Appropriation, Budget and Finance, observed that in spite of an earlier resolution passed last week, by the house, directing the Ministry of Finance to furnish the house with the detailed framework used in disbursing the bailout money received from Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), the ministry was yet to respond.

“The governor should direct the commissioner to come and explain the disbursement to the house within 24 hours,” Abdulrahman said.

Other members who contributed at the plenary included Mallam Abubakar Atiku (APC-Uba/Gaya) and Mallam Aminu Aliyu (APCSong), declaring their support on the need to summon the commissioner to brief the house.

Speaking after the motion was passed unanimously in a voice vote, the Speaker, Alhaji Kabiru Mijinyawa, directed the clerk of the house to communicate to the commissioner to appear before the house on Wednesday.

Director-General, National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), Brigadier-General Johnson Olawumi (second left); state coordinator, NYSC, Ogun State, Mr James Afolayan (second right), Ogun State NYSC Camp Director, Mrs Joke Oyenuga (right) and an NYSC official from Abuja,Mr Adedotun Fashina, during the visit of the NYSC Director-General to the 2015 Batch ‘B’ Stream I Orientation Course, at the NYSC Orientation Camp, Sagamu, on Tuesday. PHOTO: NURUDEEN ALIMI

Stop condemning your country, NYSC DG tells corps members

By Nurudeen Alimi THE Director-General, National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), Brigadier-General Johnson Olawumi, has advised corps members to stop condemning Nigeria as citizens from other countries will no doubt join them in bringing down the country.

The NYSC DG gave the advice while addressing the corps members during his visit to the 2015 Batch ‘B’ Stream I Orientation Course at the NYSC Orientation Camp, in Sagamu, on Tuesday.

Olawumi noted that the need for corps members to desist from acts that can bring Nigeria to disrepute in the face of international communities became necessary so that the country will be free from negative perception it has been suffering from in the past.

He said:”You must be loyal to your country, Stop condemning your country because if you keep on condemning your country, others will also join you to do same. Don’t say negative things about your leaders because very soon you will also become leaders in this country and that time the younger generation will do

the same thing to you that is if you don’t stop the act now.”

While using himself as a reference point, Olawumi said hard work was responsible for his achievements so far in life. He called on the corps members to be hardworking as this remains the only key to success.

“Hardwork is responsible for my achievements in life.

What you need now is to have right mental attitude to take you to the top. Beginning from now, I want to tell you that the way you work will determine how far you will go in life. So, I urge you to make hard work your watchword.”

The Ogun State Coordinator of NYSC, Mr James Afolayan, in his welcome address, described the DG’s visit as highly inspirational and will spur the corps members and camp officials to greater performance, thereby culminating in a successful orientation course.

Buhari APC loyalists’ll soon turn against him —Gani Adams Bola Badmus - Lagos NATIONAL Coordinator of Oodu’a People’s Congress (OPC), Otunba Gani Adams, has said that All Progressives Congress’ (APC) loyalists of President Muhammadu Buhari, who are praising him currently would soon display their real colour and turn against him once their personal and selfish interests were not being taken care of.

Otunba Adams said this, on Tuesday, in an interview with newsmen in Lagos, even as he said that politicians were a set of people one could not trust by the word of their mouth.

The OPC leader, who was responding to a question, said, “So when you are talking of politicians praising Buhari, they would praise

him. After Buhari would have served two and a half years, you will now see different colours in them, maybe because the government is unable to meet their expectations.

“You will now see them decamping and praising PDP or another party. You can’t judge now, just wait for two and a half years after Buhari must have been in power, you will now see the real colour of those who are talking,” he added.

Otunba Adams, who recalled that the same scenario played out in the twilight of former President Goodluck Jonathan’s Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) led administration, queried, “Is it not those people in PDP who even committed a lot of atrocities against PDP and were abusing PDP

when they got to APC?” According to him, about six to seven powerful governors left PDP for APC, while some others who did not quit PDP were working for APC, noting that most of them had been rubbished now in APC as their personal ambition and interest had been jeopardised.

He said some of them, including former governors were been hounded with corruption charges, adding that it was something they never bargained for.

“The lesson is that when you are digging a hole for your enemies, don’t dig it too deep because you don’t know, maybe you will fall into that hole at the end of the day, be very, very careful,” Otunba Adams warned.

NASoW holds 31st AGM in Awka

THE 31st Annual National Conference and Annual General Meeting of the Nigeria Association of Social Workers (NASoW), has been slated to hold in Awka, Anambra State between Tuesday 17 and Friday 20, November this year.

The conference, according to a statement issued and signed by NASoW national president and secretary, Olawale Kolawole Nathaniel and Jamilu Musa, will have as theme “Promoting the Dignity and Worth of People.”

The conference will have “Evidence-Based Practice: Contemporary Issue in Social Work practice,” “Peace & Conflict Resolution in Social Work” as its sub-themes.

The conference will hold in Awka, Anambra State at Women Development Centre, Awka by 9: 00 a.m.

The statement added that the delegates and other stakeholders in the conference will brainstorm on how to liase with the national assembly and other stakeholders for the passage of the long overdue Social Work bill.

NIEEE holds maiden luncheon awards

THE Nigerian Institution of Electrical & Electronics Engineers (NIEEE), Ibadan Chapter, a division of the Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE), held its maiden edition of Annual Luncheon Awards on Friday, 30 October, 2015 in Ibadan, Oyo State, where the induction of some Electrical Engineering Students and corporate members took place and awards were given to reputable members.

Chairman, NIEEE, Ibadan Chapter, Mr E.O.J. Ojekunle, remarked that NIEEE was saddled with, among other responsibilities, to create a platform to address problems associated with young engineers and to organise workshops, seminars, talk shows to ensure necessary professional development.

He lauded the good step of their past president, NSE, Mr Olumuyiwa Alade Ajibola, who inaugurated the Young Engineer’s Development Committee (YEDC) at the National Engineering Centre, Abuja in the year 2011.

National Executive Committee Member (NEXCOM), NSE, Mr Mohammed Abass representing President, NSE/Chairman of the occasion, Mr A.I. Olorunfemi, commended the Ibadan Chapter for taking the initiative.

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Wednesday, 4 November, 2015

Suspected cultists kill 1 in Ogun Olayinka Olukoya - Abeokuta

S

USPECTED cultists, on Tuesday afternoon, killed one person in Onikolobo area of Abeokuta.

Nigerian Tribune gathered that the incident occurred during a clash between Buccaneers and Eiye groups.

Residents of the area scampered for safety when the first victim, whose identity could not be ascertained, was shot dead by his assailants, at about 4.00p.m.

It was further learnt that some students of the state-

owned institution, Moshood Abiola Polytechnic (MAPOLY), were on procession from their campus to town, on completion of their National Diploma (ND) programme, when the incident happened.

The cloth on the lifeless body of the victim was adorned with different signatures, an indication that he might had completed an academic programme

which had become a ritual among the students of MAPOLY. Nothing, however, was found on the victim to confirm whether or not he was a student of MAPOLY, while only assorted charms were found on his waist.

The Public Relations Officer of the institution, Mr Sulaiman Adebiyi, was at the scene of the incident to confirm whether the de-

ceased was a student of the institution.

His words: “I am here because I received a call that one of our students’ lifeless body was found by a roadside. I need to confirm whether it was true or not.

“In the presence of the police and members of the public, a search was conducted on his lifeless body, a bag found by his side, but couldn’t find anything to

show that he was a student of our school. Our students are writing the 2014/2015 second semester examinations and there is no way a student will go into the examination hall without any means of identification.”

Police attached to Adigbe Divisional headquarters who reportedly visited the scene of the incident in two patrol vehicles were said to have taken the corpse away.

Dividend payment: Fayose lauds Odu’a Investment

EKITI State governor, Mr Ayodele Fayose, has commended Odua Investment Company Limited, for the payment of N150 million dividends to five states that own the company. Ekiti State Government got N30 million from the money.

In a statement issued on Tuesday, in Ado-Ekiti, by the governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Mr Idowu Adelusi, the governor said the payment of the dividends, after the conglomerate could not pay the ownerstates dividends for about six years was commendable.

“I am happy that the management of the conglomerate has been able to improve on the fortunes of the company.

The N30 million given to each of the owner-state is an encouragement to the states to further support the company.

“The management was able to raise the revenue base of the company for the year 2014 and recorded some profits, despite the tough economic terrain we are in. I want to implore the management not to rest on their oars. They must continue to raise the standard.

“The dreams of the founders of the group of companies must not die. The expectations of the ownerstates that apart from providing employment for our people, the company must also be able to make profit, should also not be dashed.

“I commend the chairman, Chief Isaac Akintade and the Group Managing Director, Mr Adewale Raji and the entire workforce for their diligence and we are expecting even a better result next year,” he said.

From left, chapter president, Professor Ibiyinka Fuwape; deputy director, Gender Issues, Federal Ministry of Science and Technology, Dr Nnenna Okoronkwo; Director, 44 Nigerian Army Reference Hospital, Kaduna and keynote speaker, Major-General Abimbola Amusu and the Deputy Vice Chancellor, Federal University of Technology, Akure, (FUTA), Professor Tunde Arayela, at the opening ceremony of the second international conference of the Organisation for Women in Science for the Developing World, at FUTA, on Monday.

Delta govt to hold 2016 education summit As Okowa calls for support for Nigerian Legion POISED to use education as tool for economic transformation, the Delta State governor, Senator Dr Ifeanyi Okowa has inaugurated a six-man committee to organise education summit.

Inaugurating the committee on Tuesday, in Asaba, Governor Okowa stated that “a good educational system has the capacity to produce transformed individuals in the sense that they are equipped with the knowledge and skills to develop the society they live in and make a success of their careers and lives.”

He stated that organising education summit had become necessary to check the falling standards and noticeable deficiencies in our present education system in the state and even in the country in general.

While disclosing that the theme of the summit to hold in the first quarter of 2016 is, “Leap Frogging Education in Delta State”, the Governor said the committee which has a former commissioner in the state, Professor Pat-

rick Muoboghare as chairman and Mr Vincent Magboma as secretary, should consider “learning goals, value orientation, social transformation, community participation, learning climate, service learning and centre of excellence” while choosing resource persons for the summit.

Buttressing the need for the summit, Governor Okowa said it was part of his campaign promises to refocus the curricula of schools in the state.

“In today’s knowledge

economy, education, not oil or natural resources, has become the competitive edge of serious countries all over the world; the meteoric rise of countries like Singapore, Malaysia, China and South Korea that have leapfrogged other Third World nations and joined the elite league of developed nations, is due largely to the development of their human capital,” the Governor observed.

Meanwhile, Dr Okowa has called for support for members of the Nigerian Legion, describing them as people

who scarificed their dear lives for the sake of the country.

The Governor made the call on Tuesday when members of the Nigerian Legion, Delta State chapter, led by Lieutenant-Colonel Daniel Amenah (retd) paid him a courtesy visit in Asaba.

“You (members of Nigerian Legion) have served the nation meritoriously, you have risked your lives for Nigeria, and we cannot afford to ignore you at any point in time,you deserve our support and the support of all Nigerians.”

NABTEB introduces online result verification Banji Aluko - Benin City THE National Business and Technical Examinations Board (NABTEB) ,on Tuesday, announced the introduction of electronic application for the verification of candidates’ results issued by the board.

Registrar and Chief Executive Officer of NABTEB, Dr Olatunde Aworanti, said with the new procedure,

the stress NABTEB certificate holders pass through to verify their results was now a thing of the past.

Dr Aworanti disclosed this on Tuesday, during a press briefing at the NABTEB national headquarters in Benin, Edo State.

He said the procedure was different from online results checking, pointing out that it was a digital platform created to assist

corporate organisations and institutions to authenticate results obtained by their employees from the NABTEB. He explained that the application required interested public and private institutions to register with the board and become administrative users to verify singular or bulk results after making a renewable payment to NABTEB.

Participate actively in politics, Anifowose urges Ondo women Hakeem Gbadamosi - Akure A former AttorneyGeneral and Commissioner for Justice in Ondo State, Mrs Jumoke AjasinAnifowose, on Monday, charged women in the state, to embrace and participate in active politics.

Anifowose made this call in Akure, the state capital, during a one-day seminar organised for women in politics themed: “Women substantive participation in politics: The missing link in development”.

Anifowose called on women across the country to show greater interest in politics, urging them to vie for political offices like their male counterpart.

The former APC chairman in the state, however, appealed to all women across the 18 local government areas of the state to participate actively and be committed to the APC in turning around around the state in the next year election on the state.

Take loan to pay workers’ salaries, NLC advises indebted media houses THE Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), on Tuesday, urged media organisations that could not pay the salaries of its workers, to take loan from a commercial bank to meet their obligation.

The President of the NLC, Mr Ayuba Wabba, made the appeal when he spoke to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on telephone, in Lagos.

Wabba was reacting to a call by the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), FCT Council, that the Federal Government should initiate financial bailout for insolvent media organisations.

He said that financial bailout from the government was a refundable loan and commercial bank could also perform such obligation to enable them to meet their responsibilities to their workers.

“The financial bailout issue is about priority and not about the fund. There are commercial banks where organisations in distress can go and take loan,” he stated.

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Wednesday, 4 November, 2015

foreig naffairs with seyi gesinde

08116954632 foreignnewseditor@gmail.com

Russian plane crash: Midair heat flash

detected before disaster

N

EW information suggests a midair flash possibly an explosion was detected on Metrojet Flight 9268 before it crashed in Egypt’s Sinai peninsula, a United States official said on Tuesday.

A midair heat flash from

Indian driver gets life in prison for rape A court in India has sentenced an Uber driver to life in prison for raping a female passenger in New Delhi last year.

Driver Shiv Kumar Yadav, 32, “will serve regressive imprisonment, which shall mean imprisonment until natural death,” Judge Kaveri Baweja ruled on Tuesday.

Yadav was convicted on four charges last month but sentencing was delayed because of a shortage of police in the Indian capital, where a summit of African leaders was being held at the time.

He had pleaded not guilty.

The victim, a 25-year-old finance executive, was assaulted while travelling from her workplace in Gurgaon, a suburb of Delhi, to her home in the north of the city.

The high-profile case sparked fresh safety fears in a city hit by sexual violence.

the Russian airliner was detected by a U.S. military satellite before the plane crashed Saturday, the official told CNN. Intelligence analysis has ruled out that the Russian commercial airplane was struck by a missile, but the

new information suggests that there was a catastrophic in-flight event -- including possibly a bomb, though experts are considering other explanations, according to U.S. officials.

There are a wide range of theories on what made the

passenger jet plunge to the ground, killing all 224 people on board, but Russian officials say it’s too soon to speculate on the cause.

Aviation experts agree, and officials have downplayed an apparent claim by Islamic militants that they brought

Harvard-trained scientist stripped of doctorate over stem cell scandal A Japanese university has revoked a doctoral degree awarded to a young researcher embroiled in a scandal that has rocked the scientific establishment.

Haruko Obokata, 32, drew intense media scrutiny after failing to reproduce the results of what was once billed as a ground-breaking study on stem cells, AFP said.

Last year, Waseda University told Obokata to correct her thesis, which it says contained copyright infringements and other flaws.

The university’s president,

Kaoru Kamata, announced the degree revocation on Monday after she missed an October 31 deadline.

Obokata reportedly opposed the revocation, saying she was considering bringing the case to court.

In January 2014, Japan’s Riken Institute hailed Obokata’s study into re-programming adult cells to work like stem cells. The Harvardtrained Obokata became a scientific phenomenon.

But doubts emerged about her papers on Stimulus-Triggered Acquisition of Pluripo-

tency (STAP).

Mistakes were discovered in some data published in two papers, photograph captions were found to be misleading, and the work itself could not be replicated by other scientists.

Then Obokata herself failed to reproduce the successful conversion of an adult cell into a stem cell-like state, known as “STAP” cells.

The failure, which led to her resignation from Riken, marked a stunning fall from grace for Obokata, whose co-researcher committed suicide amid the scandal.

Japanese scientist Haruko Obokata bowed in apology at a news conference in Osaka. PHOTO: EPA.

down the Airbus A321-200, saying technical failure is the most likely reason for the crash.

Flight 9268 was on its way from the Egyptian resort of Sharm el-Sheikh to St. Petersburg early Saturday when it dropped off radar about 23 minutes into the flight, Egyptian officials say.

“There was nothing abnormal before the plane crash,” Egyptian Civil Aviation Minister Hossam Kamel said Saturday. “It suddenly disappeared from the radar.”

Russia’s privately owned Interfax news agency quoted an unnamed source in Cairo as saying the plane’s cockpit voice recorder (CVR) had captured uncharacteristic sounds the moment before the flight disappeared.

It cited the source as saying that an “unexpected’ and “nonstandard (emergency)” occurred “instantly,” which was why the pilots failed to send an emergency or alarm signal.

The website Flightradar24, which tracks aircraft around the world, said it had received data from the Russian plane suggesting sharp changes in altitude and a dramatic decrease in ground speed before the signal was lost.

The midair heat flash detected by the U.S. satellite over Sinai could suggest a number of scenarios, though U.S. officials say intelligence has ruled out a missile strike.

otherNEWS

Indonesia gives UK journalists short jail terms for visa violation AN Indonesian court has sentenced two British journalists to short jail terms after finding them guilty of violating immigration laws by trying to make a documentary in the country without the correct visas.

A prosecutor, according to The Guardian had asked the court to jail Neil Bonner, 32, and Rebecca Prosser, 31, for five months and fine them 50m rupiah (£2,400).

But the judge on the western island of Batam handed down a lesser sentence of two-and-a-half months, saying the defendants, who have been in detention since May, had admitted their guilt and apologised.

“The defendants have been proven legally and convincingly guilty as foreigners who have violated staying permits in Indonesia,” the presiding judge, Wahyu Prasetyo Wibowo, told the packed district court.

An Indonesian lawyer for the pair said they would be released on Friday for time already served unless there was an appeal from prosecutors.

Speaking after the verdict, Bonner said: “I don’t think journalism is a crime.

I think this makes it a more dangerous landscape for other journalists in Indonesia.”

Iraqi politician who pressed for US invasion dies of heart attack Ahmed Chalabi

AHMED Chalabi, the Iraqi politician who played a role in persuading the US to topple Saddam Hussein in 2003, has died of a heart attack, according to state television.

The Guardian quoting from local media said Haitham al-Jabouri, the secretary of parliament’s financial panel, which Chalabi had chaired,

said attendants found him dead in his bed in his Baghdad home.

The Iraqi interior ministry issued a statement paying tribute to Chalabi’s work for the “salvation of the Iraqi people from dictatorship.”

Living in exile as head of the Iraqi National Congress (INC), which opposed Saddam Hussein, Chalabi

became a White House favourite after he provided information that supported the US justification for invading Iraq in 2003.

But he lost favour after the invasion when much of his information regarding Saddam Hussein’s alleged possession of weapons of mass destruction and links to al-Qaeda turned

out to be false. He was also accused of providing information to Iran.

Iraqi police and US forces raided his home in May 2004 and seized documents and computers, but the only formal charge Chalabi faced was putting forged banknotes into circulation after the raid turned up a small number in his home.

Burundi president urges police action as killings persist NINE people in Burundi have been killed in gunfights with security forces since Saturday, a police spokesman said, continuing a wave of violence in this central African nation.

Two more bodies were discovered on Monday in the capital, Bujumbura, said Pierre Nkuri-

kiye.

More than 130 killings and 90 cases of torture had been documented in Burundi, the U.N. said in September. In many cases the victims appear to have been shot at close range, U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein said.

The VOA reported that Burundi President Pierre Nkurunziza on Monday gave civilians five days to surrender any illegal weapons or face tough action by the police, who he said should use all means necessary to stop the bloodshed.

Burundi has been hit by violence

since April following Nkurunziza’s decision to seek a third term.

The move sparked violent street protests and a failed coup but Nkurunziza won re-election in July.

It appears Nkurunziza’s supporters and opponents are targeting each other.

President Pierre Nkurunziza

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Wednesday, 4 November, 2015

Refugees plead for their release from RAF base in Cyprus

BRITISH defence officials are under pressure to resolve the status of Syrian and Palestinian refugees in Cyprus after the release of video showing chaotic scenes at a United Kingdom military base on the island, The Guardian reported.

Among the incidents in pictures, videos and audio recordings obtained by the Guardian is an apparent threat by a man to kill himself before British police officers rush in. Separately, a man is seen with his face covered in blood after cutting himself.

In other videos, members of the group of 114 who landed on the island last month, among them 28 children, plead for their release from Dhekelia, one of two British sovereign base

areas (SBAs) in Cyprus.

“I am 12 years old. We are sitting here in the tents and we are cold and we are not allowed to go out from the tents ... Please help us,” said one child.

Another woman, in an audio message, said: “My name is Manar from Syria, I am a 27-year-old woman.

We came here by mistake to escape the war. We spent three days at sea and were close to death ... They count us every day as if we were in prison … We can’t stand it any more.”

In another video, a large group is seen protesting by a high wire fence – with one man sitting on top chanting: “Let us leave.” Another is heard shouting: “We are people, not animals,” as a police officer tries to calm him.

Pakistan bans media coverage of terror-linked charity PAKISTAN has banned media coverage of Jamaatud-Dawa (JuD), an Islamist charity accused of planning the three-day terror siege of the Indian financial capital of Mumbai in 2008 and declared a terrorist organisation by the United Nations.

The Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) issued a notification late Monday, barring all domestic television and FM radio stations from coverage of 60 organisations the government has banned, along with 12 others added to a U.N. Security Council’s list of entities known to support al-Qaida and other terrorist networks.

The announcement particularly mentioned JuD and its affiliates, the Falah-i-Insaniat Foundation (FIF) as well as the banned Lashkar-e-Taiba (Let), “strictly” directing the

American lawyer, Cori Crider (right), shows a portrait of Younis Abdurrahman Chekkouri a former Guantanamo detainee released from the U.S. detention centre.

PHOTO: AP.

media to not give any kind of coverage to these organisations in breach of obligations under United Nations resolutions, VOA said.

“Moreover, any advertisements for fund collections by proscribed organizations in electronic media shall also constitute a breach of these obligations,” the statement warned.

The decision is taken under National Action Plan (NAP) to crack down on proscribed organisations and terrorists financing, it added.

The U.N. lists Jamaat-udDawa as an alias of the Lashkar-e-Taiba that India and the United States blame for planning the Mumbai attacks in which at least 166 people were killed.

The U.N. also individually lists JuD chief, Hafiz Saeed, as a leader of the LeT terrorist organisation.

Angela Merkel backs UK calls for EU reform

A

NGELA Merkel has backed Britain’s calls for change within the European Union, telling business leaders in Berlin that Germany and the United Kingdom have similar concerns and that Europe needs to improve its competitiveness.

According to The Guardian, The German chancellor said that while her government would not agree with all of Britain’s demands, Germany would be supportive of Britain’s insistence for change.

“I agree that Britain should stay in the European Union, but of course the decision is not up to us, it will be up to the British,” she told the BDI conference of business and industry leaders. She was speaking before George Osborne addressed the conference to outline the UK’s agenda for change within the EU. “Where there are justified concerns, whether competitiveness or a better functioning of the EU, British concerns are our concerns,” she said.

“The Europe of today is no longer a one-speed Europe,” she added.

She struck a conciliatory tone, in a speech that was otherwise dominated by the refugee crisis, and offered a more detailed response than any she has given until now on Britain’s demands ahead of a referendum on whether it should stay in the EU. The EU badly needs reform – and the UK’s renegotiation could be the start of it The issue is viewed with great concern in Berlin and follows repeated statements by German politicians in favour of Britain remaining a member.

Treasury sources claimed that Merkel’s comments were significant because they went further than before about her desire to

stop the UK leaving the EU. Her remarks came before Osborne’s speech that laid out a deal to Merkel, in which he said Germany would get a better functioning eurozone, with Britain getting guarantees written into law that ensure its legitimate interests as a non-eurozone country are respected.

He insisted Britain was not seeking a veto over the eurozone decisions, or a new opt-out from the single currency. Osborne told the conference: “We get a guarantee that the eurozone’s decisions and costs are not imposed on us. You get a stronger euro. We make sure the voice of the pound is heard when Angela Merkel it should be.”

Turkey arrests dozens of people with links to Erdogan critic POLICE officers and bureaucrats loyal to an exiled cleric based in the United States are among dozens of people who have been arrested by Turkish authorities in an ongoing crackdown on a group whose members have become bitter rivals of the president, Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Dawn raids on Tuesday targeted figures allied to a wide-ranging movement that pledges allegiance to Fethullah Gulen, a preacher who is set to stand trial in absentia for allegedly working to topple Erdo-

gan.

They come just a day and a half after the ruling Justice and Development party (AKP) founded by Erdogan secured a sweeping victory in snap elections that will see it return to single-party rule, The Guardian reported.

The prosecutor’s office in the western city of Izmir said it ordered the arrest of 57 people believed to be members of the “Gülenist terror group”.

It is the latest move in a campaign against the group that once enjoyed a pervasive presence in

the judiciary and security services and helped orchestrate the prosecution of numerous military officials accused of plotting to overthrow the AKP-led government in the past.

Security services last week seized a company with supposed ties to Gülen that operates a number of media outlets including Bugün TV, which hosted several opposition politicians in the run-up to the November elections, including Selahattin Demirtaş, the charismatic leader of the pro-Kurdish HDP party.

The Turkish president, Recep Tayyip Erdogan (left), gestures to supporters in Istanbul.

PHOTO: AFP/GETTY IMAGES.

otherNEWS Freedom still eludes Moroccan held 13 years in Guantanamo A former prisoner at Guantanamo Bay has been held for more than six weeks without formal charges in Morocco despite what his lawyers say were United States government assurances that he would be quickly released upon his

return home.

Younis Abdurrahman Chekkouri, who spent 13 years in Guantanamo without being charged, according to VOA is expected to appear today (Wednesday) before a Moroccan judge.

His unusual case has

devastated his family and angered rights activists, because his release was part of a renewed push by President Barack Obama to make good on his pledge to close the Guantanamo detention center by releasing prisoners deemed to pose

no threat.

Chekkouri’s family says they have been in contact with him since he was jailed just outside of Rabat shortly after his return in September, but have not been given any information about why he is being held.

Sierra Leone to be declared Ebola-free Saturday SIERRA Leone is expected to be declared Ebola-free by the World Health Organisation on Saturday, when it will have gone 42 days without any fresh case of the virus, The Guardian reported.

Celebrations are being prepared but the optimism is tempered by caution because the virus is still affecting neighbouring

Guinea, which has recorded four cases in the past fortnight.

In a grim reminder of how the virus cuts through families, all four patients are siblings, infected by their mother. She had tested positive after caring for her sister who died of the disease.

Ebola orphans face life of hardship as education and jobs re-

main out of reach Three of the children, aged between three and 10, were infected in the week leading up to 25 October. The fourth is a baby, born last Wednesday, to the children’s mother, who died after the baby was delivered at just seven months.

Against all the odds, the baby survived and is being treated in

an Ebola unit.

In Sierra Leone’s capital, Freetown, doctors who led the fight against the disease that first hit the country in May 2014 said lessons had to be learned from Liberia, where one isolated case, thought to have been transmitted sexually, was recorded weeks after the country was declared Ebola-free in May.

Health officials in Sierra Leone check passengers at the border crossing with Liberia.

PHOTO: AFP/ GETTY IMAGES.

44 news

Wednesday, 4 November, 2015

Kogi, Bayelsa guber elections: PDP urges INEC to be fair to all

Says no automatic tickets for aspirants again Jacob Segun Olatunji and Leon Usigbe - Abuja

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S the preparations for the Kogi and Bayelsa states governorship elections hot up, the National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Prince Uche Secondus, on Tuesday tasked the new Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Mahmood Yakubu, to be just and fair to all the participating political parties in the conduct of the elections.

Prince Secondus made the plea in Abuja yesterday while receiving in audience the Head of International Republican Institute (IRI) who paid him a courtesy call as part of efforts to rebrand and rebuild the party for future elections.

According to him, “We as a party, have total confidence in the constitution of the country and the rules guiding the conducts of elections. That is why we said it clearly that the INEC must follow its rules, provide level playing field to all parties.”

“If the commission is playing outside its rules, we will draw the attention of the Nigerians to it. We believe in Nigeria’s constitution. We believe in INEC Act, but we want INEC to conduct free and fair election in Kogi and Bayelsa states. We want an improvement on the conduct of the last general election and the improvement we are seeking for must start with the coming elections

in the states,” he declared.

According to Secondus, “our intention is to make our primaries zero expensive, so that nobody will induce anybody. My agenda is to revolutionise the party so that the idea of money bag controlling the party will be eliminated. We want every member to participate in the party activities by pay-

ing their dues. Through this, we can eliminate the class syndrome and bring the party to the people. The party belongs to all and should not be in the hands of few money bag. The party must be returned to the people.

“We have started our revolution of returning the party to the people with the

KOGI State governor, Idris Wada, on Monday, urged members of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state to ignore empty grandstanding and hallucination of former Governor Abubakar Audu, saying the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate would not win the governorship election in the state.

He also described Audu’s attempt to return as governor of the state “as a pipe dream and an unnecessary dissipation of energy,” saying no amount of grandstanding would stop the PDP from defeating the APC in the poll.

controlling the party is gone forever. We suffered heavily over this practice, never again shall we allow it to happen in our party.

We are determined more than ever to bring the party back to mainstream of politics in the country,” he declared.

The PDP Acting National Chairman also told his

visitors that the era of automatic ticket for aspirants vying for elective positions was gone for good in the party as the its leadership had resolved to implement the report of the post -election review Committee as approved by the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC), on its reformation to the letter.

APC, PDP trade words over sanitation management in Bayelsa Austin Ebipade - Yenagoa THE All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate in Bayelsa State, Chief Timipre Sylva, has mobilised women and youths of the party to evacuate refuse in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State capital.

On Tuesday, the APC rolled out refuse trucks,

caterpillars and other earthmoving equipment to carry out clean-up of the various areas where heaps of refuse were noticed.

Also on hand to assist the operators of the refuse equipment were scores of party faithful, comprising young ladies, women and youths.

The party faithful, who

adorned vests with inscription, ‘APC cleans Bayelsa’, had trooped out with their brooms, buckets, shovels, rakes and other items to clean the state capital.

The party faithful were shared in groups to different parts of the metropolis to clear the garbage at strategic locations such as Swali Market, Kpansia Market,

Kpansia Community Secondary School, Opolo Market, among others.

But following the embarrassment, the Bayelsa State Government was said to have quickly mobilised contractors to clear the garbage at the different locations in the state.

The development saw the APC members and govern-

Dickson sues for peace at Bayelsa thanksgiving service BAYELSA State governor, Honourable Seriake Dickson, has urged the people of the state to use the period of this year’s thanksgiving celebration to reflect on issues that would promote peace, unity and progress in the state.

Governor Dickson made the call while speaking at the fourth edition of the Bayelsa State Thanksgiving Day celebration, at the Dr Gabriel Okara Cultural Centre, in Yenagoa.

Reiterating that every November 2 has been set aside for Bayelsa people within and outside the state to honour and thank God for His blessings, the governor

noted that the event was in accordance with the Bayelsa State Thanksgiving Day Law enacted in 2012.

He described the celebration as significant as it was taking place at a time when the state is preparing for the governorship poll.

Governor Dickson rededicated his administration to service delivery.

His words: “This is the new spirit of Bayelsa. In the new Bayelsa, what we mean is that Bayelsa is now driven by God. He takes centre stage and all of us are only instruments to do what is right, good and fair.

“It is a day for those of us

Ignore APC, Audu grandstanding, Wada tells PDP supporters Yinka Oladoyinbo - Lokoja

party’s governorship primaries that took place in Kogi by making the incumbent Governor Idris Wada to partake in the exercise with other aspirants. He actually won the ticket under transparency primaries before we moved to Bayelsa State,” he pointed out.

“All we are saying is that the era of a few money bags

A statement by the Chief Communications Manager to the governor, Mr Phrank Shaibu, said the people of the state would be ready to do what they had been renowned for, which is rejecting the opposition at the polls.

According to Shaibu, only those with no sense of history like the emergency politicians in the APC would toy with the collective resolve of the people of Kogi.

He added that the irrepressible people of Kogi had established their progressive and independent democratic credentials since 2003 when they voted Audu out as governor.

The statement read, “The sons and daughters of Kogi

are mindful of their political heritage and their place in history that they have consistently humiliated Audu and his supporters since 2003 and will continue to do so.”

in service and authority to re-dedicate ourselves to the principles of our government, which is service to man and God. This year’s thanksgiving is coming at a crucial moment in the life of our state, when we are gearing up for election.”

He said his campaign organisation would soon em-

bark on a tour of the communities, which he said would afford him the opportunity to assess the needs of the people.

Governor Dickson also called on his supporters to eschew violence, emphasising that nobody’s political ambition was worth shedding anybody’s blood.

...assures communities of democratic dividends Austin Ebipade - Yenagoa GOVERNOR Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa State has assured the people of the state of more democratic dividends as soon as he is re-elected in the December 5 governorship election to serve a second term in office.

This, the governor said at Onopa, Ovom, Amarata, Ekeki and other communities visited in the Yenagoa Local Government Area of

the state.

Dickson, who responded to some of the demands made by the traditional rulers, elders, women and youths of the communities, assured that since Yenagoa communities host “Creek Haven” the Bayelsa State seat of power, he immediately awarded the construction of some internal roads, as well as the Ovom community road.

He posited that though

AA candidate pledges to give priority to education, others in Kogi Yinka Oladoyinbo - Lokoja THE governorship candidate of the Action Alliance (AA) in Kogi State, Alhaji Yakubu Isa, on Tuesday, said his chances of winning the governorship election in the state were bright as he was prepared to give education, health and security sectors priority after winning the poll.

He said the people of the

ment contractors clearing the heaps of refuse side by side.

It was observed in Okaka area of the state that while the APC members were clearing the one opposite Berger, the government contractors were clearing the one opposite the FCMB. Before the clash of interest, the government contractors had cleared the garbage dumps at OMPADEC junction, Ekeki Park near the Deputy Governor’s residence on Toolda Street as well as the one by Okaka Primary School.

Giving insight into what led to the exercise, the Director, Media and Publicity, SylvaIgiri Campaign Organisation, Chief Nathan Egba, lamented that the government had not been able to manage the environmental sanitation situation in the state.

state had tried the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the parties from which the All Progressives Congress (APC) was formed and had discovered that they had nothing to offer for the development of the state.

According to him, the people that had ruled the state in the past from other political parties had used the resources of the state for self development at the det-

riment of the entire people.

Isa stated that the combination of the APC and the PDP had ruled the state for over 16 years without any sign of development despite the abundant mineral resources in the state.

He said a government of the AA would focus on programmes like education, health and security of lives and property of the residents of the state.

the community did not include it in their demand, he awarded the road because it was in a deplorable state, as well as the building of headmaster’s quarters in Ovom community.

Noting that only those given sense of belongings would contribute maximally to development, Dickson announced an engagement programme for teeming youths and women, as well as the appointment of Chief Lambert Ototo, a stalwart in Ovom community as a Special Adviser in his cabinet.

He enjoined the people of the different communities to eschew the bad product that the All Progressives Congress (APC) is forcing on them.

“Don’t be intimidated, don’t be misled, come out, nobody can intimidate you in your communities, use your permanent voter card to re-validate the PDP, because your future is safe with me (Governor Dickson),” the governor submitted.

45

communitynews

Wednesday, 4 November, 2015

Ooni-designate needs Yoruba’s support—Oluomo of Ife As Apetumodu congratulates him by tunde busari and oluwole ige-osogbo

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he Ooni-designate, Prince Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, has been called upon to deploy dynamism of youth, network of global connections and his wealth of business experience to the service of Ile-Ife, Osun State and Nigeria at large.

The Oluomo of Ile-Ife, Chief Gbenga Owolabi, gave the charge in a congratulatory message to the new Ooni.

According to him, ‘’It is heartwarming that Prince Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi’s emergence was greeted by popular acceptance. I enjoined him to bring his vibrancy of youth, wide contacts and wealth of business experience to bear in the development of Ile-Ife and Osun State. God will give him sound health, long life and the wisdom to administer IleIfe and the Yoruba nation as the Arole Oodua.”

Owolabi, a former chairman of Ife East Local Government Area of Osun State, noted that the tasks ahead for the new Ooni among others, is to work towards the enhancement and sustenance of the globally- acclaimed rich cultural heritage of the Yoruba as a means of uniting the race for peace and progress.

He appealed to Ifes and the entire Yoruba nation to rally round the new Ooni to make his task of ushering in a new era of peace, progress and sustainable development in Ile-Ife, Osun State and Nigeria in general a bearable one.

“As a people and a race, we need to give the new monarch our support to be able to drive his vision of rapid transformation of Ile-Ife and usher in a new era of unity, understanding, peace and progress among the Yoruba at home and the Diaspora and the Nigeria in general.”

In the same vein, the Apetumodu of Ipetumodu, Oba James Adedokun Adegoke, Akunraledoye II, has

sent a message of solidarity to Oba Ogunwusi and welcome him to the historic city of Ile-Ife, the ancestral homeland of the Yoruba nation.

According to Oba Adegoke in a message personally signed, “our people delightfully express their joy, love and felicitation to the new Ooni, Oba Ogunwusi and wish him not only a long, peaceful reign, but also a tenure in office as glorious and majestic as

that of his immediate predecesor.

“We are also pray that God will grant him the wisdom of his ancestors to rule with justice and mercy, to uphold and promote the values, culture and progressive traditions of our Yoruba nation, but above all to work hard and unite our people.

“In particular, the people of Ipetumodu have, over the last decades, enjoyed

Secretary to Ikenne Security Council, Mr Sola Sodiyan (right), presenting the Chief Festus Adeleke Adesina Charitable Foundation Award to teachers and students of United High School, Ikenne, Ogun State.

The Eko Electricity Distribution Company (EEDC) has warned citizens over equipment vandalism after it discovered the corpse of an unidentified man, who was electrocuted beside a transformer located at Ijora, a suburb of Lagos.

This was contained in a statement issued by Mr Godwin Idemudia, the Head, Corporate Communication of the company, and made available to Community News in Lagos.

The statement said the identity of the dead man was yet to be confirmed by anyone in the community.

It said the community residents alleged that the man must have met his death, while trying to vandalise electricity cables within the electricity

and motivate the new Ooni to apply wisdom and uphold the esteemed values of Yoruba nation.”

Olojumeta community to celebrate Day The people of Olojumeta community in Ogun Waterside Local Government Area of Ogun State has said that their priority agenda after this year’s Olojumeta Day is to put in place an infrastructure that will make the community stand out among its contemporaries.

This was contained in a release signed by the community spokesperson and coordinator of this year’s anniversary, Mr Bosun Onanuga.

He explained that this year’s edition would be special with the caliber of people invited.

Onanuga, however, said the programme would be a weeklong and it will hold between November 13 and November 22, with the theme: “See Olojumeta and live.”

He added that the grand finale will attract series of carnivals such as Miss Olojumeta, presentation of awards, among others.

DESOPADEC urges communities to take ownership of projects ebenezer adurokiya-warri

Communities in Warri North Local Government Area of Delta State have been enjoined to take ownership of every project being executed by the

state government and its agencies.

The executive director in charge of projects, on the board of the Delta State Oil Producing Areas Development Commis-

sion (DESOPADEC), Mr Philip Gbasin, made the call while playing host to executive members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) from Warri North, who paid him a courtesy

Eko Disco warns residents against vandalism olatunde dodondawa-lagos

a very cordial relationship with the people of Ile-Ife, which was nurtured by the then Oba Adesoji Aderemi through the immediate past Ooni, Oba Okunade Sijuwade, we are positively hopeful that the spirit of love and friendship which exist between our people will continue to flourish under the reign of the new Ooni.

“May the dignified spirit of our ancestors protect, guide

distribution sub-station.

According to the statement, “it is believed that the man tried to carry out his nefarious activity during power outage.”

It added that luck, however, ran out on him when power supply was unexpectedly restored while he was in the act and he was instantly electrocuted.

The statement said the matter had since been reported to the police and the corpse deposited at Yaba General Hospital Mortuary.

It noted that the incident debunked the erroneous belief by some members of the public that only workers in the electricity industry could vandalise electricity equipment.

The statement stressed that the deceased was not and had never been a staff of the power company.

“If not for the sudden

restoration of power to the sub-station, the man might have succeeded in his nefarious act, while accusing fingers would have been pointed at the company’s staff in the area,” it stated.

It urged members of the public to be vigilant and to report any suspicious movement around electricity facilities in their communities to security agents or the nearest Eko Disco office.

visit at DESOPADEC office complex in Warri.

Gbasin appealed to the PDP executive members to drum it to the ears of members of the communities in the local government area to give support to government as well as take ownership of government projects.

He said this was in line with the tenets of democracy.

According to him, when communities wake up to the reality that government projects are not meant for government but for them,

the mentality will engender progress and sustenability of the projects.

The party delegation was led by the chairman of PDP in Warri North, John Okorolokor.

Those who accompanied the chairman on the visit included the vice chairman, Lucky Tumo; secretary, Reverend G. Soroaye; PRO, Sunny Jeye; Chief Moses Odibo; treasurer, Mr Jerry Okonedo; financial secretary, Chief Abel Atigbi; Atse Afejuku and the organsiation secretary, Austin Ogie.

Dangote to campaign against preventable diseases Ayomide Owonibi-OdekanyinLagos

Worried by the rising spate of child mortality, the Dangote Foundation has promised to step up its advocacy campaign against preventable diseases in the country.

The Chief Executive Officer of the foundation, Mrs Zuoera Youssoufou, made this known at the Community Staff School, venue of the demonstration of the United Nation’s Global Hand Washing Day observed in Abuja in conjunction with the Federal Ministry of Water Resources

and other organisations like UNICEF and Water Aid. Youssoufou pointed out that the Dangote Foundation is saddened that Nigeria is still contributing so much to the number of deaths of children recorded globally owing to poor sanitation.

She stated that the foundation planning to scale up its advocacy and intervention in preventable deaths owing to equally preventable diseases such as poor sanitation, hunger and malnutrition, diarrhoea, cholera and dysentery.

She explained that it was in the realisation of the factors of hygiene and good sanitation in the prevention of these avoidable deaths that made the United Nations to set aside a day to mark hand washing to demonstrate and encourage children to always wash their hands and maintain good sanitation so as to stay healthy.

“Children are change agents and that is why we have to target them to ensure they stay healthy for the betterment of our society,” she said.

Our partnership with the Federal Ministry of Water resources on this demonstration of globally accepted hand washing methods is in furtherance of our belief in focusing more on the health of our children,” she said.

The UNICEF Country Representative, Kannan Nadar, also noted that a survey carried out recently indicated that in six states, 53 per cent of children don’t wash their hands after defecation which is a great disincentive to the campaign for good sanitation among children.

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Wednesday, 4 November, 2015 Editor: Ganiyu Salman tribunesporteditor@yahoo.com 08053789060

Bankers Games:

Sterling, First Bank clash in another t/tennis finals

Members of the Golden Eaglets celebrating one their goals at the ongoing FIFA U-17 World Cup in Chile.

U-17 World Cup:

FIFA commends Eaglets

T

he FIFA Technical Study Group (TSG) saddled with the responsibility of ‘monitoring international matches and identifying latest footballing trends’ has applauded the tactical savvy of the coach Emmanuel Amuneke-piloted Golden Eaglets after they reached the semi-finals of the ongoing FIFA U-17 World Cup in Chile with aplomb on Sunday night.

Desmond (Desi) Curry, member of the TSG had sought out Amuneke ahead of their trumping of the A Selecao of Brazil at the Estadio Sausalito to explain briefly his seemingly obstructive tactics which have confounded opposing teams at this tournament.

The team, according to TSG’s elderly man from Northern Ireland, has brought to bear a new trend with varied styles and deployment of players when ‘having or not having the ball,’ hence the need for clarification.

“Sincerely, we (TSG panel)

have tried to understand the tactics you are using but it is confusing,” Curry told Amuneke.

“I have done some of your matches here but it is unusual to see a number 10 (Kelechi Nwakali) playing deep as much as we have seen your player here.

“This is a new trend and we are going to include some of your explanations in the technical report of the championship because the tactical approach of your team stands out,” he noted.

The TSG was introduced by FIFA at the 1966 FIFA World Cup in England and current Super Eagles’ head coach, Sunday Oliseh was on the panel at the last FIFA U-17 World Cup in the United Arab Emirates.

“Our (TSG) main goal is continual improvement of the game,” noted JeanPaul Brigger, head of FIFA’s technical division while revealing the identities of TSG for Chile 2015.

The eight-man TSG panel for Chile 2015 is made up of experienced

former internationals and coaches including Teófilo Cubillas (Peru), Desi Curry (Northern Ireland), Víctor

Funtes Moreno Rónald Gonzalez (Costa Rica), Jacquemet

(Chile), Brenes Patrick (Tahiti),

Belhassen Malouche (Tunisia), Sivaji Narayanan Nair (Singapore) and Dany Ryser (Switzerland).

... As NFF lauds team’s discipline, consistency The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has applauded the Golden Eaglets’ consistency in performance and overall discipline at the FIFA U-17 World Cup Chile 2015.

The Emmanuel Amunekepiloted side on Sunday sealed a ticket to the semifinal following a 3-0 defeat of Brazil in Vina del Mar. Speaking at their first training session upon arrival at Concepción on Monday, Deputy NFF General Secretary, Dr Emmanuel Ikpeme, said the NFF was impressed with the positive attitude and ambience within the rank and file of the team.

He further commended Amuneke for his exemplary leadership even in the face of daunting challenges, just as he advised the team to remain focussed in order to end the tournament on a

high note.

“The truth of the matter is that you guys have been consistent in performance and your attitude at this tournament has been excellent. On behalf of the NFF executive committee led by Mr Amaju Pinnick, I want to commend you for a job well done so far,” he stated. “We appreciate the

head coach (Amuneke) for being able to weather the storm and lead the rest of you by example both on and off the field.

“I want you also to know that it is not over yet and your next match (against Mexico) is of high importance and it must be approached with all seriousness,” said the trained psychologist.

Sterling Bank lost in the last group game to First Bank in the football event but the two sides will meet again, this time in the finals of the men’s table tennis event.

In the women’s category, the finals will be an allFidelity Bank affair.

The finals will hold on Saturday, November 14 at the University of Lagos Sports Centre.

In the first semi-finals of the men’s event, Frederick Rekuoya of Sterling Bank won in three straight sets over Femi Omojola of Ecobank, 11-7, 11-9, 1614 to reach the final while Solomon Idowu of First Bank ended the second semi finals 3-2 against Femi Ayeni also of First Bank 11-9, 11-9, 8-11, 7-11, 11-8.

After his comfortable win, Rekuoya of Sterling described the encounter as a great one adding that defeating his opponent was due to hard work and concentration which was the brain behind his success.

Looking ahead his finals pairing against First Bank’s Idowu, Rekuoya was confident he would triumph having played and won against him in two previous finals.

“My game against Omojola was tough but it was also okay because it depends on how you work hard. I worked hard which made me to cruise to the final. I was ready for the match, I was relaxed because I already knew everybody who is taking part in table tennis.

“Meeting Solomom in the final won’t be the first time we will be meeting as we’ve met twice and I defeated him on both occasions and I don’t see our next meeting ending differently.”

Go for gold, Amosun’s wife charges Eaglets

By Doyin Adeoye Wife of the governor of Ogun State, Mrs Olufunso Amosun has charged the Golden Eaglets to repeat the feat of 2013 by bringing back to Nigeria the FIFA U-17 World Cup, which the players are currently defending in Chile.

The governor’s wife said with the Eaglets’ victory over Brazil, Nigeria is

capable of winning the World Cup for the fifth time.

“You need to etch your names in gold. You’ve come a long way and I can tell you that you’re better off than any other teams in this tournament. With two more matches to go, you’re the most favourite to win the Cup,” she said.

It will be recalled that Akpan Udoh, one of the

players of the UPLIFT football team, sponsored on soccer training to the Udinese Football Club in Italy by Mrs Amosun in 2013, is currently making waves in Chile.

Udoh, who is Nigeria’s number one goalkeeper at the ongoing tournament, was one of the 22 young players discovered by Mrs Amosun’s football talent hunt programme in 2013.

47

tribunesport Champions League:

Wednesday, 4 November, 2015

Arsenal will tame ‘angry’ Bayern Munich —Mertesacker

C

onfident Arsenal faces Bayern Munich tonight at Allianz Arena, hoping to tame the German champions for a second time in two weeks, and are promising to attack despite a string of injuries.

The English club is on a high after a fifth consecutive Premier League win at the weekend - a 3-0 victory at Swansea - and the timing of its visit to the Bavarian capital could hardly be better.

Bayern dropped its first points in the Bundesliga last Friday with a goalless draw at Eintracht Frankfurt.

It followed 10 consecutive victories from the start of the season and, coupled with their 2-0 loss at the Emirates Stadium on October 20 - their first defeat in all competitions - Bayern have shed some of that invincible aura.

Arsenal’s victory over Bayern put Arsene Wenger’s side back in contention in group F with three points.

Bayern and Olympiakos have six.

“They (Bayern) will be angry,” said Arsenal defender Per Mertesacker.

“We are the first team who really challenged them and beat them.

They will be on the ball and try to show that they are back and better than us.”

The former Germany international added: “They are clever, the Germans. We showed that we can beat them. That is a good sign but it will be a different game at their place.

“We improved our position in the last game against Munich but we need to get something out of this game.”

Arsenal is missing key players, in-

cluding Theo Walcott, Alex OxladeChamberlain, Danny Welbeck and Jack Wilshere.

But with Olivier Giroud having scored six goals in his past six games and playmaker Mesut Ozil delivering nine assists in 10 league games, they are not prepared to sit back and defend.

“I would sign today to take a point,” said coach Arsene Wenger.

“But to sit off Bayern, with their offensive quality, would be difficult to maintain for 90 minutes. We have to relieve the pressure whenever we can and try to score goals.

“That is our structure of the team, to attack. If you get our players to defend then I do not think we will be so efficient. We have to play every time we can.”

Bamgboye

U-17 World Cup: Mertesacker

Mourinho in search of breather against Kiev

Chelsea manager, Jose Mourinho needs victory tonight as the Blues face Dynamo Kiev in Champions League at the Stamford Bridge, to give himself some respite after a spate of poor results in the domestic and international outings.

The goalless draw away to Dynamo two weeks ago was one of Chelsea’s better performances of a poor season. They hit the post twice and could easily have won, but failing to do so left them on four points in Group G, one behind the Ukrainian champions.

Porto tops the group with seven points and could extend its lead against Maccabi Tel Aviv, who have lost every game

so far.

The Blues are yet to recover from the 1-3 home loss to Liverpool last weekend in the English Premier League and the players believe it is not the fault of the Portuguese manager.

“Everyone can see how much hard work we are putting in and we are playing well, but the results are not coming for us,” Nigerian midfielder Jon Obi Mikel told reporters.

“The goals and the wins are not coming, but you can see we are playing for the manager and we are right behind him. There is no doubt about it. If anyone can turn this around I definitely think he is the one.”

I’m not scared of injury —Vermaelen

Vermaelen

Thomas Vermaelen insists he is not afraid of succumbing to another injury as he prepares for his Champions League debut with FC Barcelona.

Defending champions, Barcelona could seal their passage into the last 16 of the Champions League with two games to spare in Group E when they host BATE Borisov tonight.

The Belgium international made his belated first competitive appearance for the club on the final day of the previous La Liga season after battling a thigh injury throughout his first campaign at the Catalan giants.

Vermaelen, who arrived at Camp Nou in August 2014,

suffered another setback at the beginning of 2015-16 but the former Arsenal captain says he is fired up for his first appearance in the tournament with the European champions.

“It’ll be something very special, I’m looking forward to it,” he said.

“I understand people might question how I feel.

When I’m on the pitch I don’t feel that I’m scared of getting injured again.

“The small setback was disappointing but I feel good.”

Barcelona has struggled for defensive consistency so far this season but Vermaelen feels the whole team must accept responsibility.

There is replacement for Bamgboye —Amuneke Nigeria’s Golden Eaglets will be without Funsho Bamgboye in the semi final of the ongoing FIFA U-17 World Cup in Chile, against Mexico.

This followed the booking he received from Slovenian referee, Matej Jug in the quarter-final game against Brazil, to trigger his suspension following the accumulation of yellow cards.

However, the coach of the reigning world champions, Emmanuel Amuneke insists there are players to fill Bamgboye’s void.

The forward was subbed on the 90th minute in Nigeria’s 3-0 bashing of Brazil but is expected to return for the final. ”I have emphasised that this team is a collective bunch but of course yes, we’ll miss him because he’s a great player. Regardless, we have players who can feel his place and do as much as he (Bamgboye) had done; hopefully though he’ll return in the final and to his best again,” the Imo State-born tactician said.

Falcons begin AWC title defence against Guinea or Senegal Nigeria’s Super Falcons will begin the defence of the African Women’s Championship (AWC) they won in Namibia last year when they face either Guinea or Senegal in a qualifying series in March 2016.

The first leg comes up on the 4th 5th and 6th of March, while the second leg tie is billed for 18th, 19th, 20th March, 2016.

Nigeria has been drawn bye for the first round of qualifying series for Cameroon 2016.

Guinea and Senegal will battle in the first round of the qualifiers with the winners setting up a clash against the Falcons.

Incidentally, the Super Falcons clinched a record seventh AWC when they defeated Cameroon 2-0 in the final.

The 2016 Africa Women Cup of Nations billed for Cameroon is scheduled to hold from November 19 through December 3.

The seven-time African champions however, failed to qualify for the 2016 Olympic Games following their elimination at the hands of Equatorial Guinea, while they also missed the bronze at the just-ended 11th All Africa Games in Congo Brazzaville having lost 1-2 to Cote d’Ivoire in the third place game.

SIDELINES

no 16,363

n150

Wednesday, 4 november, 2015

A pastor, Mark Christmas, has been kidnapped in Akwa Ibom State with his abductors asking for a ransom of N30 million. Hope the pastor’s name was not the inspiration for the kidnappers who could be dreaming of how to spend their loot during christmas.

I will see out my Chelsea contract —Mourinho EMBATTLED manager, Jose Mourinho believes he has years left at Chelsea despite the English Premier League champions’ poor recent form.

The Blues have struggled to defend their title in 2015-16 and have lost six of their opening 11 games in the league so far this season.

Liverpool recorded their first victory under Jurgen Klopp at Stamford Bridge last

Saturday, running out 3-1 winners despite falling behind to Ramires’s opening goal, further increasing the pressure on Mourinho.

However, the Portuguese is remaining defiant amid a flurry of reports suggesting he is on the verge of losing his job, having signed a new deal in the summer.

When asked how long he had left at the club, he told reporters: “Four years. In

this case three years and seven months or something like that.”

Mourinho also insists that he will keep working to bring Chelsea out of their current slump, though he believes he struggles to learn from others such is the level he has reached as a manager.

“To do what I did all my life, which is to study,” he replied when asked about how he planned to improve.

Mourinho

U-23 African Championship:

Dream Team must train in Morocco —Siasia

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vs BATE Borisov vs Dinamo Zagreb vs Valencia CF vs Zenit St Petersburg vs FC Porto vs Dynamo Kyiv vs Arsenal vs Bayer Leverkusen

U-17 World Cup:

Nigeria’s Victor Osimhen dazzles against Brazil at the ongoing Chile 2015.

My boys will tame Eaglets —Mexico coach

By Ahmed Pele

H

EAD Coach of young El Tri of Mexico, Mario Arteaga says he has mapped out strategies to contain the attacking prowess of Nigeria’s Golden Eaglets when both sides meet tomorrow in the semi-final of the ongoing FIFA U-17 World Cup in Chile.

Mexico had on Monday night in

Coquimbo, pipped Ecuador 2-0 to book a showdown with the reigning world champions.

Speaking against the backdrop of the Eaglets’ exploits so far in the competition which saw them humble the A Selecao of Brazil 3-0 in the quarter-final, the coach believes his wards would get an antidote to the attacking power led

by Victor Osimhen who is leading the adidas Golden Boot awards

with eight goals.

“My players were good tactically, physically and mentally. Nigeria is a very good team, and we will prepare ourselves better to face their excellent attack.” Arteaga told FIFA.com.

He noted that his team’s triumph over Ecuador was a well-fought battle.

“The match went as we expected, very tight between two teams with

the same level. But my team has managed to stay very calm and very well composed this game with impeccable behaviour,” he said.

Meanwhile, the match between Nigeria and Mexico holds on Thursday night at the Estadio Municipal Ester Roa Concepcion, in what serves as a rematch of the UAE 2013 final where the Eaglets triumphed 3-0 after their 6-1 win in the group stage.

Nigeria’s U-23 team coach, Samson Siasia believes preparing for the African U-23 championship in Morocco will be a right step for his team as they aim to pick a ticket to Rio 2016 Olympics.

The Dream Team VI will face Egypt, Algeria and Mali in group B when Senegal 2015 kicks off on November 28.

“Anything apart from going to Morocco for the camping exercise will be a big disappointment towards our preparations,” Siasia told Goal.

“We don’t have a plan B right now. We need to get out of this place and make sure we go over there and focus very well and prepare.

“Even though things are not working well as we want it to be, but we have to do the best we can to make sure we qualify for the 2016 Olympics football tournament. We have to qualify. We are bound to qualify.”

Siasia also revealed that his team still lacks the goal scoring instinct despite playing quality football, but he assured that the area would be improved on before departing for Senegal.

“We are trying to play good football but we still need to improve.

Everybody was very happy about how we played our last game in Port Harcourt even though our biggest problem was scoring.

“That is the area we need to work on. To bring in new players will be a difficult job again for us to make sure that these guys can blend together like we did the last time,” he said.

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. 4/11/2015.