nigeria’s most informative newspaper no 16,407
TUESDAY, 5 JANUARY, 2016
www.tribuneonlineng.com
Nigerian Tribune
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Nigerian Tribune
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Why we can't sell petrol at N86.50 —Marketers •Partial compliance on fuel price reduction
—Pgs2,11
Lagos seals off houses without standard toilet —P9
Naira weakens against dollar at parallel market —P10
Fire razes Yola, Benin markets —P7
Managing Director, International Monetary Fund (IMF), Ms Christine Lagarde (middle) being welcomed by the Minister of Finance, Mrs Kemi Adeosun (left) and the Governor, Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mr Godwin Emefiele, on her arrival at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, on Monday. STORY ON PAGE 10
Oyo govt to Olubadan-in-council
BBOG campaigners to visit Aso Rock again over Chibok girls —P6
Reverse Ladoja's, other high chiefs' elevation within 48 hours —P4
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news
Nigerian Tribune
Tuesday, 5 January, 2016
Why we can’t sell petrol at N86.50 — Marketers
Olatunde Dodondawa - Lagos
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EMBERS of Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) have blamed their inability to dispense premium motor spirit (PMS) otherwise called petrol, at recommended price on the special treatment the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) is giving to its retail stations and major oil marketers in Nigeria. In a telephone conversation with the Nigerian Tribune, the Zonal Public Relations Officer (PRO), of IPMAN), Western Zone, Alhaji Abdul Lateef Jaiyeola, stated that most members of the association were out of stock but the ones with stock had not been able to buy petrol at the recommended ex-depot price of N76. According to him, “it is true that we do not have adequate supply of products from the NNPC. Let me give you a scenario, I have booked my tickets to load at Mosinmi depot since December 26, 2015 and up till today I have not been able to get product.” Jaiyeola blamed the NNPC for its preferential treatment with respect to fuel allocation. “The NNPC is focusing on the oil majors (Mobil, Conoil, Oando, MRS, Total) and NNPC retail stations. They are giving massive loading to NNPC stations and the oil majors. And having realised that the volume they are giving them, especially, NNPC retail stations,
is more than what they can handle, so we buy from them at a higher rate because we can’t just fold our arms. “Right now, I can confirm to you that NNPC does not have enough products to satisfy the 40 million liters daily consumption of Nigerians. They don’t have enough supply to go round. At full capacity, our four refineries will only produce less than 15 million liters per day. But the refineries are all down except Kaduna Refinery which is even operating below capacity,” he said. “As businessmen, we cannot fold our arms and not do business. We have customers to satisfy too and we know we may lose customers if we sell above the recommended pump price, but the situation now is that we don’t get directly from the NNPC. So, we get our supply from other places at a higher rate. We can’t even hoard the product because it will evaporate if it is kept longer than
necessary so we have to sell too and that’s what we are doing,” he concluded. Efforts to speak with the Head, Public Affairs Department, Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR), Dorothy Bassey proved abortive as calls put forward to her lines were not answered. However, a source who
pleaded anonymity because he is on vacation told Nigerian Tribune on Monday that the issue of discrepancies in pricing would definitely continue “until we have enough stock that will force others to comply. Remember, this is a new directive and this is also Nigeria, where people try to take advan-
tage of situations. Many of them claimed they have old stock which they had bought before the directive was given. “But as a regulatory agency, we will continue to do our best to enforce compliance. The truth is that we can’t be everywhere. We don’t have the technology to monitor marketers’ ac-
tivities from the office, and until then, we will continue to go to where we can and enforce compliance. Right now, we still do it the old way.” The Group General Manager, Group Public Affairs Division, NNPC, Ohi Alegbe, promised to revert but he did not as of the time of filing this report.
Olatunde Dodondawa - Lagos
pricing templates for premium motor spirit (PMS) otherwise called petrol. In the new pricing templates as published on the website of the Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency (PPPRA), there are two different templates for marketers and the NNPC Retail stations. The template for marketers was titled ‘Pricing Template for PMS (OMC)’ with total cost of N85.10 per litre and they are directed to sell at N86.50 per litre. Meanwhile, the other template was titled ‘Pricing Template for PMS (NNPC)’
with total cost of N84.78 per liter, based on Average Platts’ Prices for 31 December, 2015, and were directed to sell at N86 per litre. An industry source who pleaded anonymity revealed that the decision on the price modulations was taken unilaterally by the government through the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Dr. Ibe Kachikwu, without recourse to marketers for their input. “None of our members was consulted, neither did they involve representatives of MOMAN, DAPPMA and IP-
not been loading for few months now, stated that “we have been loading from Apapa, in fact, I am there right now.” He said “the level of compliance is very low. Around 30 per cent in the state. Another reason is that some of our colleagues are holding unto their stock because nobody wants to lose a dime during this period. The NNPC Ibadan is not loading; we are still loading from Apapa, Lagos. Most private depot and other stakeholders were not carried along in
the new pump price things so nobody want to lose. “The product our people have in stock now are purchased between N102N108, so how do you now ensure we make profit from our invest in the name of compliance.” Corroborating this claim, the chairman IPMAN chairman, Ibadan depot, Alhaji Raheem Rasaq Tayo, said as long as the country imports petroleum product, the price will be determined by the exchange rate. He said independent marketers are not beneficiaries of subsidy. “As long as we’re importing fuel into this country, the price of the commodity will be determined by the exchange rate. If the exchange rate is favorable to Naira, definitely the price will be relatively reduced. But when the naira depreciates against the dollar, the price will move upward. “On the issue of subsidy, we are not the beneficiary, I want you to get us clear,” he said.
MAN. “We know they (NNPC) lack capacity to import 78 per cent of the total importation of refined petroleum products for the country against their claims. The new pricing template does not favor shippers, vessel owners and importers. “The margins are too small and many of us maybe forced to fold up. The storage charge was reduced from N3 to N2 per litre, how do they expect me to survive with high interest rate from banks? “The policy only reveals that the government is not playing on same level field with marketers, else, how would you explain two different pricing templates for same products within the same economy,” he said. Furthermore, the source stated that “as we speak, Capital Oil is not loading, Folawiyo is not loading, NIPCO too is not loading due to non availability of products. The delay in subsidy payment last year resulted in inability of some marketers to meet their quota for last quarter importation. “The country is also suffering from integrity issue from refiners abroad and many are unwilling to grant credit to marketers based on poor policy formulation by the government.” In an interview with the Nigerian Tribune on Monday, the Corporate Communications Manager, NIPCO Plc, Taofeek Lawal, stated that his company did not have products to dispense as of Monday afternoon because the company had run out of stock.
...Accuse FG of neglect THERE are strong indications that the nation may be plunged into acute fuel scarcity again as marketers accused the Federal Government of neglecting them in formulating the new downstream policy. The price modulations, as announced by the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, who also doubles as Group Managing Director (GMD), Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Dr Ibe Kachikwu, resulted into two different
Fuel scarcity persists in Ibadan •Motorists lament non-compliance By Tunde Ogunesan AS people resumed for work on the first official working day in the new year, the lingering fuel scarcity resurfaced in the capital city of Ibadan, Oyo State. While most people were expecting some level of compliance from most filling stations in the city to the new pump price announced by the Federal Government with effect from New Year, were disappointed as most filling stations shut their doors against customers.
Few filling station owners who opened to customers were selling as high as N100-120, stating reasons that the product is not available in Ibadan. One of the major independent marketer who spoke with our correspondent under condition of anonymity said the marketers are not disobeying government orders but the product is not available. In an interview with our correspondent, the marketer, who revealed that the NNPC depot in Ibadan has
Fuel stations refuse to sell in Delta Ebenezer Adurokiya - Warri PERHAPS angry at the new pump price regime imposed by the Federal Government on January 1, most fuel outlets in oil-rich Delta have refused to sell their products to motorists. Checks by the Nigerian Tribune around Warri and environs on Monday, morning, revealed that most of the filling stations are under lock and keys amid growing anxiety among end users. For instance at Mobil Petrol station located at the Main Market, in spite of the availability of the product, customers were not attended to. The same trend was noticed at Conoil located directly opposite Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS), Seach Oil & Gas NiG Limited at NPA bypass. Other filling stations such as Toyoye Petrol at NPA by-
pass as well as A & E Petrol Station owned by Itsekiri chief, Ayirimi Emami at Ugbuwangue, did not sell the product to customers. Meanwhile, it was observed that the fuel stations bore some semblance of a graveyard. According to a commercial bus driver, who refused to disclose his name, “none of these filling stations for this town dey sell below N120, N130; maybe na to close their business remain for government to do.” Another keke driver, Jackson in his reaction, expressed some frustrations, saying, “I buy reach N200 yesterday for black market for just a litre, because no filling station for Ugbuwangue here opened. I no dey happy o. A black market seller Onos, who spoke with the Nigerian Tribune, said “na NNPC I dey buy the old nor-
mal price for Effurun; I buy yesterday, the thing never still change: even some stations na N150 you go buy am.”
Meanwhile, transport fares have generally and relatively remained as they were before the yuletide.
Petrol sells for N87, above in Badagry, Seme MOST petrol stations in Badagry area of Lagos State still sell petrol at either N87 per litre or above as against the newly approved pump of N86.50, the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports. NAN reports that the Federal Government had directed that official pump price from January, 2016 should be N86.50 per litre. The nozzles of some of the independent oil marketers’ filling stations NAN visited on Monday in Badagry still displayed N87 as their pump price per litre. However, NAN observed that the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) retail outlet was selling the product at N 86 per
litre. Some motorists who spoke to NAN urged officials of Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency (PPPRA) to check the activities of some of the stations in Badagry. Jeff Madubike, a businessman, lamented the situation saying it had seriously affected his business. “Most stations in this area only open at night and they sell for N100 per litre or above and this is not meant to be so. “They usually lock up their stations in the day time only to sell at night. The agency of government authorised to check the excesses of these independent markets need to visit Badagry and sanction them,” he said.
Fuel still sells for N120, N130 per litre in Osun Oluwole Ige - Osogbo IN Osun State, directive by the federal government on the new pump price of petroleum had not been complied with as most of the independent oil marketers were still selling a litre of fuel for N120 or N130. Our correspondent, who monitored fuel stations In Osogbo, the state capital on Monday, discovered that
only the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) mega station was selling at the new pump price of N86 per litre. All other filling stations owned by independent marketers around Olaiya, Ogo Oluwa, Igbona, Estate, Oke Baale, Ilobu road, Ota Efun, Ofatedo, among other areas were still dispensing fuel to motorists at the rate of N130 and N120 per litre.
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Tuesday, 5 January, 2016
news Oyo govt to Olubadan-in-Council: Reverse Ladoja’s, other high chiefs’ elevation within 48hrs 4
By Wale Akinselure
R
IPPLES over the recent elevation of nine high chiefs of Ibadanland between the Olubadan-incouncil and the Oyo State
Tuesday, 5 January, 2016
government took another turn on Monday, as the state government declared the elevation as illegal, ordering its reversal before the end of tomorrow. The state government made its position known on
the raging issue in a statement captioned: “The Illegal Elevation of Nine High Chiefs in Ibadanland,” signed by Director of Chieftaincy Matters, Ministry of Local Government Affairs, Oyo State, Mr Z.A. Jayeola,
on Monday. Expressing dismay and disappointment at the development, the state government maintained that the elevation was without the mandatory approval of the Governor of Oyo State
Again, Obaigbena writes EFCC By Tunde Ogunesan
CHAIRMAN and Editor-in-Chief, Thisday Newspapers Group and President, Newspapers Proprietors Association of Nigeria (NPAN), Nduka Obaigbena, has written another letter to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), detailing how N670 million paid to the General Hydrocarbons Ltd on behalf of Thisday Newspapers Group (N550,000,000) and The Newspapers Proprietors Association of Nigeria (NPAN), for member newspapers, by the embattled former National Security Adviser, Sambo Dasuki, came to be and disbursed. Obaigbena disclosed that the two groups received the amount to cushion the effects of terrorism attack and seizure of newspapers from media houses. He informed that Thisday’s compensation was given because “we had several victims of Boko Haram bombings around the country. Once payment was approved for the reconstruction of the UN Buildings in Abuja, that continued refusal or reluctance to pay us became tenuous as we were the next institution to be so bombed after the UN and Police Headquarters buildings which were then being reconstructed by the Federal Government. So, when the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) said they had approval to pay us, but would rather not set a precedent by paying Thisday directly, we nominated a member company of the Thisday Newspapers Group, called General Hydrocarbons Ltd., to receive the payments on behalf of the group of companies, given that the assets of General Hydrocarbons Ltd – mainly generators - were also destroyed in the bombings. “We simply used the compensation funds to defray some 30 per cent of the N1.7billion we already paid to third party printers for services in lieu of the Abuja press while we went to our banks for refinancing printing presses, computer-to-plate and other
facilities.” For NPAN, Obaigbena disclosed that the payment was meant as “compensation on behalf of NPAN and passed on exactly what was collected in fulfillment of the out-of-court settlement reached between President Goodluck Jonathan and the expanded leadership of NPAN who attended the June 12, 2014 meeting, at the invitation of the president, at State House, Marina, Lagos, to ensure newspapers are never again clamped down after years of military harassment.” According to him, “The NPAN and, indeed, Thisday Newspapers and/ or even General Hydrocarbons Ltd could not have known which budget the payments ordered by the president through the ONSA came from, given that security and intelligence agencies have several payment conventions unknown to the public. But what is in the public domain is that The Appropriations Act 2014 and the Appropriations Act 2015 provided N28.5 billion and N26.49 billion respectively in capital expenditure for the ONSA which
included such miscellaneous subheads, that did not include arms purchase, from which the payments agreed with the president on June 12, 2014, could have been made after due process, given that it was the ONSA that oversaw the crackdown on newspapers. “Separately, the same Appropriations Act 2014 and the Appropriations Act 2015 provided the Ministry of Defence with arms budget of some N35.4 billion and N36.7 billion for capital budget and arms purchase. We never dealt with the Ministry of Defense. So, any suggestion that payments made to NPAN and Thisday Newspapers Group were for arms purchase is like calling a dog a bad name in order to hang it; incite the public against us and create panic amongst our members and stakeholders in such an important national institution as the media. “We never participated in any arms purchase in any shape or form and only demanded compensation for a horrendous terrorist act against us. In the same way, the United Nations and others who may have received some compensation could not have known the line
budget items for the funds being used for the reconstruction of the UN Abuja buildings. Even the Nigerian Guild of Editors, which may have received donations for their secretariat from the ONSA, could not have known which subhead it was paid from. “We simply cannot know or be expected to speculate which line item the spending was made from by the ONSA. There is simply no nexus between payments made for compensation, to us victims of terrorism as well as to newspapers in compensation for an unprovoked attack on free speech, and any arms purchase budget. It will be of interest to have a full and complete list of all payments made by the ONSA between 2014 and 2015 to make an informed determination and to understand what happened to the over N70 billion in arms budget allotted to the Ministry of Defense for armament. “At the end of the day, we were victims of a horrendous terrorist attack and should not be victimised any further as the terrorists will be celebrating what we are now being put through.”
Area boys clash in Oyo town over girlfriend By Tunde Ogunesan
THERE was palpable fear on Monday around Akesan Market in the ancient town of Oyo as the market was closed down following a retaliatory attack by factional thugs over girlfriend. Sources informed the Nigerian Tribune that the crisis began when some hoodlums in the city known as the ‘Ilaka boys’ around Ilaka area, alleged that another factional gang popularly addressed as the ‘Akesan boys’ flirt with one the girlfriends of their peer boy during a carnival on Sunday at Iseke Area of Oyo. According to sources, the Akesan boys were presumed to have overpowered the Ilaka boys but not wanted to be outdone, the Ilaka boys came on a revenge mission early Monday morning. This devel-
opment, the Nigerian Tribune gathered forced the traders to scamper for safety, leaving many injured. According to sources, the hoodlums were brandishing dangerous weapons like cutlasses, charms, Dane guns and knives. It was gathered that residents had, on several occasions, alerted security agents and well-meaning indigenes of the town to the activities of these miscreants who have locations across the town. In his reaction, Honourable representing Oyo Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Akeem Adeyemi, decried the incident, saying “it was very unfortunate.” According to him, “Anybody that is found in such messy activities is a
backward person. It is an ugly incident that all wellmeaning Oyo men must rise to condemn. We must collaborate with security agents to get these miscreants and get them booked. “Yesterday’s event was so unfortunate. And with what they have done, their end has come. We will do all within the law to get these never-do-wells booked. It is saddening, backward and nasty. Are we in the state of nature? No. All security agencies must rise to the occasion. We cannot afford to be drawn backward while other towns continue to develop progressively.” Meanwhile, unconfirmed police source informed the Nigerian Tribune that some suspects have been arrested from their hideouts in the town.
as prescribed by the provisions of Chief Laws, Cap 28 Laws of Oyo State of Nigeria 2000. Not failing to recognise the Olubadan of Ibadanland as the consenting authority in such elevation, government expressed uncertainty that the Olubadan would have consented to the elevation which, it noted, did not align with due process. The government wondered the reason behind an elevation described as hasty and not in compliance with due process and lawful procedure. On Thursday, December 31, 2015, the state government, in a letter by the Director of Chieftaincy Matters in the Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Matters, Mr Z. A Jayeola, directed high chiefs jostling to occupy the vacant stools of Balogun and Otun Olubadan of Ibadanland and seven others to submit a medical report certifying them fit for the positions, in line with extant chieftaincy laws. The stools of Balogun and Otun Olubadan of Ibadanland became vacant following the death, last November, of the former occupants, High Chiefs Suleiman Omiyale and Omowale Kuye, necessitating the upward movement of nine high chiefs. However, contrary to the state government’s directive, the coronation of nine chiefs was held on Friday at the Olubadan’s palace without the provision of medical report and security checks by the Department of State Services on the prospective occupants of the stools. Those promoted on Friday included High Chief Saliu A.O. Adetunji, formerly the Otun Balogun, now the Balogun of Ibadanland; High Chief Lekan Balogun, the former Osi Olubadan, promoted to the rank of the Otun Olubadan; High Chief Akinloye Owolabi Olakulehin (Osi Balogun), now the Otun Balogun; High Chief Senator Rashidi Ladoja, promoted from Ashipa Olubadan to the rank of the Osi Olubadan of Ibadanland and High Chief Dr Olufemi Olaifa, who was promoted from Ashipa Balogun to Osi Balogun of Ibadanland. Others were High Chief Eddy Oduoye Oyewole, formerly the Ekerin Olubadan, now the Ashipa Olubadan of Ibadanland; High Chief Tajudeen Abimbola, formerly the Ekerin Balogun, now the Ashipa Balogun of Ibadan, High Chief Biodun Kola Daisi, the
Nigerian Tribune
Ekarun Olubadan, now the Ekerin Olubadan of Ibadanland and High Chief Solomom A. Adabale, who was formerly the Ekarun Balogun, now the Ekerin Balogun of Ibadanland. Asserting the legality of its position in Monday’s statement, the government warned that sections 21 and 26 of the Chief Laws, which stipulated relevant sanctions for anyone who contravened the provisions of the law, would be activated if the elevation status quo remained. The statement partly read: “While the government does not have any objection to the proposed elevation nor its beneficiaries, it is, however, insisting on due process and lawful procedure which had not been followed in the past. “The appointment and or elevation of deserving persons into the Stool of Part II Chieftaincies can only be made on the approval of His Excellency, the Governor, as prescribed by the provisions of Chiefs Laws, Cap 28 Laws of Oyo State of Nigeria 2000, whilst the Olubadan is the consenting authority. “On the receipt of the application for the elevation of the Chiefs, His Excellency, the Governor, applying Section 14(2) of the Chiefs Law, referred their names for the mandatory security checks by the Department of Security Services and mandated the candidates to, on their own, provide their certificates of medical status from a government secondary health institution. “The status of the due process being carried out by government was conveyed to the Olubadan via the Ibadan South East Local Government which was duly acknowledged by the Olubadan’s Private Secretary, in addition to the Government’s Public Service Announcement of Thursday, December 31, 2015, relaying same. “Government directs the organisers and the beneficiaries to reverse the purported elevation within 48 hours of this publication, failing which appropriate sanctions will be invoked under sections 21 and 26 of the Chief Laws, Cap 28, Laws of Oyo State, 2000. The case of Ashekoya vs Olawumi (1962) 1 All NLR 125.” “In the same vein, you are requested to advise the affected chiefs to submit their medical reports issued by a state-owned secondary health institution to the Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Matters as part of requirements for being considered for the vacant stools.”
news Whereabouts of El-Zakzaky still unknown, sect laments 5
Muhammad Sabiu - Kaduna
T
HE members of Shiite have lamented that the whereabouts of their spiritual leader, Sheikh Ibrahim El-Zakzaky, is unknown. In a statement made available to newsmen in Kaduna on Monday and signed by the sect’s spokesperson, Ibrahim Musa, the whereabouts of El-Zakzaky’s wife is also still unknown, three weeks after their arrest and detention by the Nigerian military. However, the group noted that it was on record that the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. General T.Y. Buratai, had said on December 18, 2015 that Sheikh El-Zakzaky had been transferred from the army to the appropriate authorities for prosecution. The group stated “We presumed he meant the Nigerian police. However to our bewilderment, when a committee of National Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA) met the Inspector General of Police and demanded to see the Sheikh, he flatly refused. “Not long ago, the force’s Public Relations Officer, Olabisi Kolawole, had said that Sheikh Zakzaky was being prosecuted.
Tuesday, 5 January, 2016
“The Shiite leader has been arraigned in court where he was charged with criminal conspiracy, inciting public disturbances among others; he has been remanded in prison custody and the case adjourned.” It stated further that “Surprisingly, while the Nigerian authorities had announced that he was detained and arraigned in Kaduna prisons, the Controller of Kaduna Prisons, Abubakar Argungu, denied he was in their custody. “So, who should we believe? This smacks of deceit, conspiracy and outright manipulation of the public’s view of the army’s massacre in Zaria. “The Islamic Movement as well as the general public is now seriously anxious. Where is Sheikh Zakzaky and why has he been denied his constitutional rights to an attorney, bail and visitation?” The statement averred “If the government is truly interested in finding a peaceful way out of this crisis the army initiated and executed, as the government wants the public to believe, it should by now have allowed unimpeded access to Sheikh Zakzaky. “First and foremost, his family members and leading brothers of the Islamic
Movement should have met him in the company of his doctor by now, since he was shot by the soldiers when they attacked his res-
idence. “The Federal Government should tell the public where Sheikh Zakzaky is, because rumours of
various degrees are flying about his health. “We believe it is only when the Sheikh’s health condition is made public
Nigerian Tribune
by the relevant authorities that the tension brewing among the populace will be doused,” the statement concluded.
Outgoing General Officer Commanding 7 Division, Major-General Lamidi Adeosun, inspecting a guard of honour shortly after taking over from his successor, Brigadier-General Victor Ezugwu, in Maiduguri, on Monday. PHOTO: NAN.
We’ve used all channels to warn Nigeria over Shiite leader —Iran IRAN says it is using all diplomatic channels to pursue the release of a prominent Shia Muslim cleric, Sheikh Ibrahim ElZakzaky, who was arrested by the Nigerian army last month. “We have used all those channels to warn them (Ni-
geria) regarding this issue. So, hopefully the government… would adopt wise action given the sensitive situation,” Foreign Ministry Spokesman, Hoseyn Jaberi-Ansari, told reporters in the capital, Tehran. Members of the Sheikh El-Zakzaky’s Islamic Move-
ment of Nigeria (IMN) clashed with the army in the northern city of Zaria. Campaign group Human Rights Watch said at least 300 IMN members were killed and quickly buried in a mass grave during the incident. The Nigerian military denied the claim.
The military accused the pro-Iranian sect of trying to assassinate army chief, General Tukur Buratai, which it denies. Iran is currently embroiled in a diplomatic row with Saudi Arabia over the execution of a prominent Shia cleric, Sheikh Nimr al-Nimr.
JamesBwala-Damaturuwith Agency Reports
achievements in office. “I want to thank my predecessor for laying a solid foundation; in fact he had done very well. “I am so happy that I have a team that is not new at all in this operation, I have a very knowledgeable set of senior officers to work with,” Umoru said. He said he had been working with some of the officers in the theatre for a while. “In fact, the two GOCs have been communicating with me throughout in the operation at some level, and they have assisted me greatly before. “This is another opportunity for them to sit down and assist me the more,” Umoru said. He solicited media support to ensure the success of the command. “I believe with what is on ground, we are going to work as a team to coordinate our activities with all
the stakeholders. “This included the media because this war is not for the military alone, it is for generality of Nigerians and with your cooperation and assistance, by the grace of God we shall succeed,” Umoru said. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reported that Abubakar expressed gratitude to the officers of the command for the cooperation given to him and urged them to extend same to his successor. Meanwhile, Governor Ibrahim Gaidam of Yobe State has charged the new commander, 27 Task Force Brigade of the Nigerian Army, Damaturu, Brigadier General C.A Apere, to build on the ‘excellent record of committed fight against Boko Haram’ that his predecessor, Colonel Bako has built during his tour of duty in the state. The governor spoke on Monday, when the new
commander paid courtesy visit on him at the Government House, Damaturu. Governor Gaidam, who observed that Boko Haram is on the path of total defeat, attributed the successes recorded so far to the hard work of officers and men of the Nigerian Army deployed to the state. The governor heaped encomiums on the outgoing commander of the 27 Task Force Brigade, describing him as a professional and committed officer. “Across Yobe State, people are very excited with the work that Colonel Boko has done. Many people associate the successes recorded against Boko Haram to the hard work of Colonel Bako and other army commanders. I am confident you will build and expand on this excellent record that Bako has achieved so that together we will bring the Boko Haram insurgency to an end,” Governor Gaidam said.
Shettima reassures fleeing Operation Lafia Dole gets new commander residents on safety GOVERNOR Kashim Shettima of Borno State has reassured the fleeing residents of Ali Dawari Village on their safety after an attack by Boko Haram in the village recently, the PRNigeria News has stated. He said: “You should not flee; we will do everything possible to protect your lives and property. I came with the garrison commander, deputy commissioner of police and commanders of Civilian JTF. I assured you they are going to deploy more personnel to the village and right now your village will be surrounded with ditch.” Governor Shettima further ordered for the immediate release of the sum of N200,000 to the members of the vigilante group in the area, adding that the 20 members of the Civilian JTF in the village will be paid N10,000 each month-
ly to patrol the village. Early in his remarks, the village head, Bulama Mallam Ali, had told the governor that 16 males including aged persons, youths and children and 11 females were killed in the village while three children playing at the football field were also killed by the insurgents. Speaking to journalists at the scene of the event, the state coordinator of the Civilian JTF, Abba Aji, appealed to the Federal Government, cooperate organisations, and individuals to assist with logistics to adequately fight the insurgents. The Ali Dawari Village and some adjoining villages at the outskirt of Maiduguri metropolis were attacked Sunday, December 27, 2015 where some residents were killed and others injured.
MAJOR-General Hassan Umoru has assumed as the new Commander of Operation Lafiya Dole, on Monday, in Maiduguri. Umoru took over from Major-General Yushau Abubakar at a colourful ceremony. Speaking at the event, Umoru said that the army would raise the tempo of the current anti-Boko Haram war to ensure that the insurgency was ended in a short while. “I assure you that we will do our very best to make sure that the war against insurgency is ended. “Since most of us are not new to this operation, there is no time to waste, rather we will start hitting the ground running and carry on with our activities,” Umoru said. He commended Abubakar for his numerous
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news
Tuesday, 5 January, 2016
BBOG group to visit Aso Villa again for Chibok girls
T
he Bringbackourgirls advocacy group says it will march to the presidential villa next Thursday, to seek answers from President Muhammadu Buhari on why 219 Chibok schoolgirls have remained in captivity despite his promise to rescue them. In a statement signed by Aisha Yesufu, Hadiza Bala Usman and Oby Ezekwe-
sili, its coordinators, the group flayed the president for declaring that Boko Haram had been technically defeated without the rescue of the Chibok schoolgirls. “It was utterly shocking when the president declared in a BBC interview on December 24 that the terrorists had been ‘technically defeated’ without referencing the rescue of our Chibok
girls whom he had set as the benchmark for measuring such success,” it said. “We are extremely disappointed that seven months after his strong promise at inauguration and six months after his pledge to the parents, Chibok community and our movement that he would rescue the 219 daughters of Nigeria, his statement was lacking in urgency and assurance
of strategy for result. “Further, that the president gave the impression of a reactive approach of ‘waiting for credible Boko Haram leadership’ to tell us whether our girls are alive or not, falls disappointingly short of the proactive feedback we expected. “Our movement therefore refuses to accept that lack of ‘credible intelligence on our girls’ where-
Security personnel digging trenches to safeguard vulnerable communities against Boko Haram terrorists’ attacks in Maiduguri, on Sunday. PHOTO: Nan
abouts” as a tenable reason for the evident lack of progress in rescuing our ChibokGirls.” “The Federal Government should investigate all statements preciously made by state actors and/ or high-ranking military officers that ‘we know where the Chibok girls are’, with the view to getting at the bottom of the matter on our girls’ whereabouts. “The Federal Government should immediately set up a search and rescue team to find our Chibok girls. “KADA (the Chibok community) strongly demands that President Muhammadu Buhari gives the rescue of our abducted Chibok girls the priority attention it deserves, as Boko Haram cannot be said to have been defeated – technically or otherwise – without the safe return of our abducted daughters.” In July 2015, the citizen movement marched to the presidential villa where it restated its demand of a safe rescue of the schoolgirls to Buhari. The president had assured the group and parents of the missing girls that he would do all he could to bring them back.
Rescuing Chibok girls will complement victory achieved against insurgency —Politicians Some politicians have called on the Federal Government to intensify search for the Chibok girls and their safe return, noting that the action will complement the victory achieved in the fight against Boko Haram insurgency so far. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports
that more than 200 female students of Government Secondary School, Chibok, Borno State, were kidnapped from their hostel on April 14, 2014. President Muhammadu Buhari had on December 30, 2015, during a media chat in Abuja, said there had been no firm intelli-
gence on the whereabouts or physical wellbeing of the Chibok girls. Mr Oghene Egoh, member representing Amuwo Odofin Federal Constituency at the National Assembly, in an interview with NAN, appealed to the President to ensure that the girls were found and
brought back alive. “Nothing much has been done on the Chibok girls. “Even those who used to campaign so much about the Chibok girls are not talking about it. “I don’t believe that it is impossible for the Army to discover over 200 girls. “I want to appeal to the
Nigeria ends 5th tenure on UN Security Council Nigeria has ended its fifth tenure as a non-permanent representative on the UN Security Council after the two-year tenure, the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports. Nigeria was first elected as a non-permanent representative for a two-year period from 1966 to 1967 and subsequently from 1978 to 1979, 1994 to 1999, 2010 to 2011 and 2013 to 2015. NAN reports that other countries that also ended their tenures in December 2015 alongside Nigeria were Chile, Jordan, Lithuania and Chad. The new members to replace these countries are Japan, Egypt, Ukraine, Senegal and Uruguay. NAN recalls that Nigeria’s latest election to occupy one of the non-permanent seats on the council
was on October 16, 2013. The Security Council is one of the six principal organs of the UN and it is charged with the maintenance of international peace and security. Its powers include the establishment of peacekeeping operations, the imposition of international sanctions and the authori-
sation of military action through Security Council resolutions. With 15 members comprising five permanent and 10 non-permanent members, the Security Council is the only UN body with the authority to issue binding resolutions to member-states. The five permanent members are Russia, UK,
France, China and the United States. The permanent members can veto any substantive Security Council resolution, including those on the admission of new memberstates or candidates for Secretary-General. The body’s presidency rotates monthly among its members.
President – this is not a political issue – let him make efforts to find these girls for us so that the pride of Nigeria can be restored to Nigerians.’’ Contributing, Professor Oluremi Sonaiya, the 2015 Presidential Candidate of the KOWA Party, expressed hope that the girls would be found and brought back home to their parents. “We really recognise that things have changed, there is no doubt about that, there has been a lot of improvement, a lot of advancement and we commend the armed forces. “However, we cannot but feel a bit disappointed that finding the Chibok girls and bringing them (back) home is not part of the success that we can talk of against Boko Haram.”
Chest pain can lead to life threatening disease, doctor warns A medical practitioner in Abuja, Dr Felix Madu, said on Monday that chest pain can be symptom of a life threatening disease. Madu told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja, that chest pain could be from heart muscle if there was insufficient oxygen or blood flow. He described chest pain as a discomfort or pain felt by
a person around the front of the body between the neck and upper abdomen. According to him, chest pain varies from one person to another as some occurred as sharp stabbing pains and others as dull aches in the chest. However, he said that chest pain was not a disease, but a symptom of an underlying heart problem
which may be life threatening or non-life threatening. Madu explained that it could be caused by poor blood flow to the heart or the heart muscle had insufficient blood to function properly. He said other factors such as angina, which means discomfort, pressure or squeezing of the chest, could be the cause. Madu added that chest
pain could also be as a result of a strained muscle in the chest wall, or inflammation in the joints between the cartilages joining the ribs to the breast bone. “Problems in the lungs, the oesophagus, nerves, high blood pressure and blockage of blood flow to the heart could also be contributory factors to chest pain.”
Nigerian Tribune
Tompolo’s kinsmen urge FG not to halt Maritime varsity project The Okerenkoko Federated Community (OFC), in Warri South-West Local Government Area of Delta State, on Monday, urged the Federal Government not to halt the ongoing project at the Maritime University in Okerenkoko. Speaking in Warri, the OFC secretary, Mr Ernest Bebenimibo, appealed to the Federal Government to continue with the project started by the ex-president Goodluck Jonathan’s administration. Bebenimibo noted that halting the project would amount to jeopardising the future of the Okerenkoko community. According to him, the fears of the community arose from the alleged directive by the Minister of Transport, Mr Rotimi Amaechi, that works on the project should be stopped due to the ongoing probes. “The stoppage of the ongoing project at the university permanent site is a pointer that work on the project had been cut short.
NSCDC boss charges personnel, gives new year package to private guard companies The Commandant General (CG) of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Abdullahi Gana Muhammadu, has charged the personnel to be dedicated and committed in the discharge of their duties and ensure effective execution of the Corps mandate, especially in the protection of critical infrastructure and national assets. According to the CG, “I sincerely appreciate and salute your gallant efforts, doggedness and courage in the course of your service to the nation; you have risen up to the challenge, making various degrees of sacrifice in the defence of our constitutional mandate. It is paramount that we redouble our commitment to duty, professionalism and support for government programmes at all time.” He urges personnel to shun all acts of corrupt indulgencies and negative tendencies that may affect their productivity, encouraging them to live and embrace the highest ethical and professional standards.
news Fire razes Yola, Benin markets 7
KabeerGwangwazo-Yolawith Agency Reports
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N early morning inferno, on Monday razed Yola and Benin markets and, in the process, consumed valuables estimated at billions of naira. The Yola inferno, which was the worst ever to engulf the main market, was believed to have consumed about 90 per cent of the shops in the market. The fire, which according to eyewitnesses started at about 2:30 a.m., went out of control as initial efforts to extinguish it were hindered
by lack of access roads in the market. A shop owner, Mallam Mammadu, whose shop was affected said “the fire started around the middle of the market. Efforts by early sympathisers to extinguish it was rebuffed by security operatives who denied them access into the market for fear of looting.” But the situation did not get better even upon the arrival of fire fighters who found it difficult to gain access to the point of the inferno, as the market did not have access roads. Some of the affected shop owners who were inter-
viewed said they have lost everything they toiled for in life to the fire incident, calling on the government to come to their aid. Chairman, Adamawa Traders Association, popularly called Gamzaki Traders Association, Alhaji Ibrahim Mohammad, 86, appealed to federal, state and local governments to come to their aid, saying that they lost 90 per cent of their shops to the inferno. Adamawa State deputy governor, Martins Babale, who was among the early callers at the market, said the government would assess the extent of damage
Tuesday, 5 January, 2016
with a view to knowing the level of intervention it would give. Babale called on NEMA, corporate organisations and wealthy individuals to come to the aid of the marketers, with a view to cushioning their sufferings. Similarly, the Speaker, Adamawa State House of Assembly, Kabir Mijinyawa, in whose constituency the market is located, called on the marketers to be patient as the government assesses the level of damage wrought on the market. He urged them to see the incident as an act of God, just as he promised to do
Fire fighters struggling to put out the fire which gutted the Central Market in Yola, Adamawa State, on Monday. PHOTO: NAN.
Thugs invade Edo council, chase away councillors Banji Aluko - Benin City THE leadership crisis rocking Oredo Local Government Area of Edo State took a violent turn as thugs, on Monday morning, invaded the council secretariat, beating and chasing away councillors out of the secretariat. It will be recalled that the councillors had, last Thursday, suspended the acting chairman of the council, Mrs Sweet Ikponmwosa, alleging that she could not pay workers’ salaries and account for Internally Generated Revenue (IGR). Mrs Ikponmwosa, however, defied her suspension as she arrived the council secretariat on Monday morning to resume her duties after the thugs chased away the councillors, who had vowed that the suspended acting chairman would not be allowed to
gain entrance to her office. The atmosphere was tense at the council secretariat as policemen searched workers, who had resumed for duties after the New Year holiday. The thugs forcefully
opened the office of the acting chairman and reportedly tore the clothes of one of the councillors, Ernest Edebiri. Edebiri, however, said the acting chairman remained suspended and vowed to
expose what he called the “shady deals in the council.” The acting chairman, however, denied the allegations levelled against her, adding that an arrangement had been put in place to resolve the matter.
NSCDC Kaduna arrests four tankers for diverting 148,000 litres of petrol Muhammad Sabiu - Kaduna THE Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Kaduna State Command, has arrested four tankers for illegal diversion of fuel not less than 148,000 litres. Parading the suspects before newsmen at the command headquarters, state Commandant, Alhaji Modu Bunu, attributed the success to information received on the plans by the culprits to perpe-
trate the acts over the weekend. Bunu explained that on receipt of the information, the command quickly mobilised operatives to strategic locations, leading to their arrest. A break-down of the vehicles and the content shows that the tanker with registration number KAF 662 ZA contains 30,000 litres, DKA 515 ZP is with 40,000 litres and the third one with registration number BAU 262 XR is containing
45,000 litres which were suspected to have been diverted. In the same vein, it is also amazing to state here that the remaining truck, a DAF 85 is without registration number and was conveying 33,000 litres of PMS suspected to be vandalised products. The apprehensive occupants of the DAF on sighting operatives of the NSCDC abandoned the vehicle and took to their heels.
everything in his capacity to ensure that the marketers get succour from the government. The Executive Secretary, Adamawa State Emergency Management Agency, Haruna Hammanfuro, said the fire incident was the worst of its kind in the history of the market. He said they were yet to quantify the extent of damage done to properties, although no life was lost. While commenting on the issue, Adamawa State Commissioner of Police, Ghazzali Mohammed, confirmed the arrest of “some looters” at the market. Mohammed made the confirmation on Monday, while inspecting security deployment at the market. Mohammed, who did not give the number of those arrested, said adequate security measures had been provided at the scene to check activities of looters. In a related development, an early morning fire outbreak destroyed parts of the “Pipeline Timber Market” in Benin, the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports. An eyewitness, Mr Precious Emmanuel, told NAN in Benin, that the fire started at about 3.00 a.m., adding that the prompt response of the fire service helped to save some parts of the market. “We woke up to see that the market was on fire. We believe that the fire was caused by those boys who smoke Indian hemp in the market. “The intervention of the state fire service saved the situation. They responded quickly to the distress call put across to them,’’ Emmanuel said. Meanwhile, the chairman of the Pipeline Timber Market, Mr Osaremen Monday, told NAN that the source of the fire was still unknown. According to Monday, timber and machines worth millions of naira were destroyed in the fire. He appealed to the state government to assist those whose shops were affected, stressing that the market was their only source of livelihood. Some of the affected traders, Mr Emmanuel Nwadiwe and Mrs Josephine Okotoe, said they lost over N5 million in the inferno. In his comments, the state Director of Fire Service, Mr Frankly Agbolahor, described the incident as sad, adding however, that the timely intervention of his men saved the day. “When we got the distress call, our men immediately mobilised to the scene of the fire and put out the fire,” Agbolahor said.
Nigerian Tribune
Abia election: APGA chieftain hails Appeal Court judgment DR David Onuoha-Bourdex, a member of the Board of Trustees of All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), has hailed the judgment of the Court of Appeal, Owerri Division, on Abia governorship election. A statement issued by Onuoha-Bourdex on Monday, in Abuja, said the court ‘spoke peace and justice’ to the hearts of Abia people. Onuoha-Bourdex, who was also the candidate of APGA for the Abia North senatorial seat in the last election, said that Abia people overwhelmingly voted for APGA. He commended Dr Alex Otti, the APGA governorship candidate for waging the principled battle for justice. “I also praised the fivemember panel of Appeal Court judges, headed by Justice Oyebisi Omoleye, for taking judicial notice of the fact that the APGA candidate scored 164, 444 valid votes to trounce Ikpeazu of PDP, who scored 114, 444 votes.”
FMC Asaba signs MoU with varsity over status Alphonsus Agborh - Asaba THE Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Asaba, Delta State, is moving towards a teaching hospital status as a Memorandum of Understanding with a private university is about to be signed. The acting Medical Director of the hospital, Dr Azubuike Victor Osiatuma, who disclosed this to journalists in Asaba, at the weekend, said modalities were being put in place in order to meet the conditions for the affiliation of the hospital to the university. Already, some cases which hitherto were referred to other teaching hospitals, the medical director said are now handled at the medical centre. Such cases include difficulty in swallowing, lung diseases, renal problems, hip and knee replacement and other orthopaedic surgeries among others. Conducting newsmen round facilities at the medical centre, Dr Osiatuma disclosed that machines to test for viral disease such as the dreaded Ebola, HIV and hepatitis have been installed.
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Tuesday, 5 January, 2016
Lagosmetro
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Tuesday, 5 January, 2016
Nigerian Tribune
“You will recall that this administration handed over equipment worth N4.765 billion to the Lagos State Police Command in the last quarter of 2015. In addition to the activities mentioned earlier, we have also made provisions for completion of on-going
court projects in Igando, Imota, Ajegunle as well as judges’ quarters at Falomo to complement those that had been completed,” the commissioner said. He added that attention would also be given to improving disaster management, purchase of firefighting equipment, occupational, public safety and construction of new fire stations and relief camp across the state. Ashade said the geographic information systems and business solutions would be given special attention in the year 2016.
Edited by
Lanre Adewole
olanreade@yahoo.com
0811 695 4647
Ambode budgets N23.5b for security Bola Badmus
Revive Lagos cultural heritage, royal house tells govt Chukwuma Okparaocha Esilokun royal family has called on the government and all relevant institutions to leave no stone unturned in promoting traditional and cultural heritage in Lagos State. Speaking at the 2015 edition of the Esilokun Day, the leader of the family, Prince Ibrahim Kola Balogun, said that the call became necessary because following the need to revive cultural values and traditional heritage which he said were fast losing their relevance today. “Let me stress that in line with the vision of the late Oba Esilokun, our corporate philosophy is to build and sustain cordial relationship with the Lagos ruling house and the other Lagos royal and chieftaincy families based on trust, understanding and mutual respect,” he said. In his remarks, a member of the family and deputy Speaker, Lagos State House of Assembly, Esilokun Wasiu-Sanni, also emphasised the relevance of family peace to the preponderance of peace in the community and the nation at large. He, therefore, posited that members of the Esilokun royal family should be proud of the oneness that had bound them together over the years irrespective of their political differences.
The accident scene on the Ojuelegba bridge on Monday. PHOTO: SYLVESTER OKORUWA
Trucks tumble on Ojuelegba, Jibowu bridges •Create gridlock Olakekan Olabulo
M
oto r ists had a hectic time early Monday as a trailer, fully loaded with goods tumbled on the popular Ojuelegba Bridge in Lagos State. Another truck also tum-
bled and emptied its contents on the Jibowu Bridge between the mainland and the island sections of the state. The Ojuelegba incident created panic following fears by eyewitnesses and motorists that the truck could fall off the bridge. The incident created
gridlock along the Funsho Williams Avenue as a large part of the road was blocked by the fallen truck. Operatives of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) who arrived at the scene had a difficult time controlling the heavy traffic that built up.
Lagos Metro gathered that the driver of the truck was trying to ascend the bridge around the Abati Barracks, when he lost control. The truck was said to have crashed into the concrete by the side of the road and tumbled in the process. Motorists around the
scene of the incident scampered for safety as they felt that the truck could fall off the bridge. In another related accident, a truck crashed on the Jibowu Bridge and discharged part of its contents on the bridge. The truck also blocked part of the bridge and created gridlock in the process.
…As STOAN expresses worry over Apapa bridges Tola Adenubi Seaport Terminal Operators Association of Nigeria (STOAN) has warned that the Apapa overhead bridges may collapse. Speaking to newsmen recently, the chairman of STOAN, Vicky Haastrup, stated that forcing truckers to park on a single lane on the overhead bridges leading to Apapa was tantamount to disaster looming in the nearest future. According to her, “Although the idea of asking the trucks and other articulated vehicles to move on only one lane of
the road while other motorists move on the other lane is a temporary relief, but to me that will be tantamount to creating another problem in a bid to solve one. “Has the authority considered the implication of allowing those heavy duty trucks park for days in some cases for months on the bridges and the roads? Apart from the security implication, do the authorities take cognizance of the heavy weight of these vehicles on the bridges linking the roads to Apapa? Have they taken a look at these bridges and the roads? “Some of these roads and
bridges were constructed over 50 years ago. They were not constructed to carry stationary weight for long hours, not to talk of days or weeks. Some of them already have cracks. “When last did structural engineers and other professionals carry out thorough checks and studies of these bridges? If they have done so, what are the measures put in place in the short, medium and long term to implement the recommendations made by these professionals? I hope we are not waiting for one of these bridges to cave in one of these days before
something is done.” On the provision of holding bays for truck operators, she explained that, “The gridlock in Apapa and the poor state of the port access roads are shameful. I have no doubt in my mind that the building of holding bays or parking lot will help to decongest the port access roads. It will also ease the gridlock in Apapa and its environs. “However, it is not the responsibility of terminal operators to provide loading bays to trucks coming into the port to do business. That is the responsibility of
the truck owners. They are in business to make money. All the truck owners should come together and provide a loading bay for their trucks because it is not proper for them to use their businesses to hamper other business operators in Apapa and its environs. “By the way, government can show them the way to go. What happened to the loading bay that is 95 per cent complete opposite Tin Can Island Port Complex? Why is the Federal Government not putting it into immediate use to solve the gridlock in Apapa?”
The Lagos State government said on Monday that it has concluded plans to install 10,000 Close Circuit Television (CCTV) cameras across the state as part of measures to ensure that the state is well secured from criminal activities. Commissioner for Economic Planning and Budget, Mr. Akinyemi Ashade, disclosed this while giving a breakdown of the 2016 budget, tagged, ‘The Peoples Budget,’ which was signed to law by Governor Akinwunmi Ambode, following its passage by the state House of Assembly. He said the government would also activate the 1,000 existing CCTV cameras in the state, adding, “We will be expanding our ICT Infrastructure statewide. “Consequently, a budget of N9.6billion has been approved for this purpose in 2016. This will include Smart City project targeted at deploying technology to enhance security in the state. It will also aid our revenue generating efforts. “We will be increasing coverage of CCTV installations in the state. Our goal is to have over 10,000 active cameras, connected by broadband. The existing 1,000 CCTV cameras will be reactivated and these will be increased by additional 3,000 cameras after the completion of the first phase of this project.” Harping on the need to beef up security and ensure there was law and order, the commissioner said the government was aware of the security challenges in the country and the need to manage the problem in the
• To activate 10,000 CCTV cameras
state. “We are all aware of the security challenges in the country and to manage this in the state, we have committed about N23.5billion for the maintenance of law and order, and to support security services in the area
of vehicles, security gadgets and logistics. “We shall continue to enhance the welfare of our security services in the areas of providing allowances, fuelling of patrol vehicles and adequate life insurance covers to motivate them in 2016.
“We will provide more buildings for Police Area Commands in our state to enhance their performance. This budget also includes projects that will enhance security of lives and properties in other areas of governance as previously enumerated.
Siblings docked for removing woman’s tooth Shehu Olayinka
Group of cobblers going about their businesses under the Ikeja bridge. PHOTO: SYLVESTER OKORUWA
Govt seals off houses without standard toilets The Lagos State Government has begun to seal off houses without standard toilets. Mr Oluwatoyin Awosika, the Director of Public Enlightenment of the state’s Ministry of Information and Strategy, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that the closure of
such houses was to check “unwholesome practices” such as open defecation. According to him, the government is also embarking on public enlightenment to educate residents on the dangers of open defecation. “We would continue to educate people on the need to stop open defecation.
“However, you cannot blame some of these people for doing so because so many houses do not meet the standard. “Therefore, the government has mandated the Ministry of Health’s Inspection Officers to seal off the houses without toilets. “The environmental law
is clear, every house must have a standard kitchen, standard toilet, standard bathroom, they must have proper drainages around the house and water system. “The public education will not end. We will do all that we can to ensure that the standard is upheld. “After proper enlighten-
ment has been done, any defaulter will be taken to a tribunal to ensure law enforcement.’’ He stated that the state government is working with several non-government organisations in a bid to changing the attitude of residents towards open defecation.
Two siblings, a sixteen year-old boy and a thirteen year-old girl, have been arraigned before an Ogba Magistrate Court for allegedly beating up a 27-yearold woman and in the process removing a front tooth. It was gathered that the two accused are students and live with their parents at 8, Balogun Ilawe Street, Dopemu. The investigating police officer, Sule Habibat, told the court that the offence was committed on December 29 at their residence. According to the IPO, a fight ensued between the complainant, Mrs Damilola Akinbowale and parents of the accused. “The accused were on their parents’ side and they beat up the complainant and removed her front tooth,” she said. The two accused pleaded not guilty and were granted bail in the sum of N25,000 each with one surety in like sum. The case was subsequently adjourned till January 13 for mention.
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Tuesday, 5 January, 2016
IMF boss to discuss impact of low oil prices with Buhari BySulaimonOlanrewajuand Gbola Subar
M
anaging Director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), Ms. Christine Lagarde, will visit Nigeria to discuss, among other things, the effect of oil prices with President Muhammadu Buhari. The visit by the IMF boss is part of her visit to Nigeria and Cameroon to engage with policy makers and other stakeholders to underline the IMF’s strong relationship with its African member countries. The visit to Nigeria will provide an opportunity to strengthen IMF’s partnership with the largest economy in sub-Saharan Africa. While in the country, Ms. Lagarde will meet with President Muhammadu Buhari and other senior leaders, along with business leaders, prominent women, and representatives of civil society. She will also meet with legislators. “I look forward to productive meetings with President Buhari and his colleagues as they address important economic challenges, most importantly the impact of low oil prices,” Ms. Lagarde said ahead of her trip. “Nigeria is working hard to improve its business environment, promote opportunities for growth in the private sector, and strengthen social cohesion, all areas where the government has an important role to play.” In Cameroon, Ms. Lagarde will meet President Paul Biya and his economic team, as well as private sector executives, women leaders, and other members of Cameroonian society. She will also meet with Finance Ministers from the six member countries of the Economic and Monetary Community of Central Africa (CEMAC), delivering a speech to the group on January 8. “As the largest and most diversified economy in CEMAC, Cameroon is well placed to sustain, and reinforce, the momentum of integration,” Ms. Lagarde said. “The country and the entire CEMAC region are confronted with the twin shocks of the oilprice slump and a surge in disruptions related to security. Reinforcing regional integration and implementing ambitious reform agendas in CEMAC countries will be key to se-
cure macroeconomic stability and restore strong and inclusive growth in the region.” The Managing Director, International Monetary Fund (IMF), Ms. Christine Lagarde on Monday arrived in Nigeria on a fourday visit to engage policy makers on ways to promote economic development in the country. Lagarde was welcomed by the Minister of Fi-
nance, Kemi Adeosun and the Governor, Central Bank of Nigeria, Mr Godwin Emefiele, at the Presidential wing of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja. In a statement released by the IMF, the visit to Nigeria was also to provide an opportunity to strengthen the Fund’s partnership with the largest economy in sub-
Saharan Africa. According to the statement, Lagarde will meet with President Muhammadu Buhari and his economic team, legislators, senior leaders, prominent businessmen and women, and representatives of civil society. “Ms. Lagarde said ahead of her trip, Nigeria is working hard to improve its business environment, promote opportunities for
growth in the private sector, and strengthen social cohesion in all areas. “I look forward to productive meetings with President Buhari and his colleagues as they address important economic challenges, most importantly the impact of low oil prices,’’ she said. It stated that Lagarde at the end of her visit to Nigeria would head to Cameroon for a two-day visit.
From left: Specialist, Youth Market Segment, Etisalat Nigeria, Michael Nwoseh; Head, Hospitality Services, Entrepreneurship Development Centre, University of Calabar, Ovat Justina Afiegu and motivational speaker, Niyi Adesanya, during Etisalat’s Cliqfest campus activation, held at the University of Calabar, Cross Rivers State.
Naira weakens against dollar at parallel market The Naira on Monday depreciated by 0.8 per cent to exchange at N265 to the dollar at the parallel market. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the greenback lost N2 to the dollar from its weekend value of N263. However, at the official interbank window, the Naira exchanged at N197 to the dollar. Traders at the market were hopeful that the Naira would rebound in 2016 if the apex bank continued to enforce its policies at the foreign exchange market. Besides, the price of crude oil at the international market hedged up to 38.9 dollars per barrel from about 35.7 dollars per barrel at the weekend. Oil prices rose on Monday after a breakdown in diplomatic ties between Saudi Arabia and Iran that some speculated could result in supply restrictions. Saudi Arabia, the world’s biggest oil exporter, cut diplomatic ties with Iran on Sun-
day in response to the storming of its embassy
in Tehran following Riyadh’s execution of a
prominent Shi’ite cleric on Saturday.
Stakeholders may renew talks over $51.8bn greenfield refineries OlatundeDodondawa-Lagos
Concrete efforts by the Federal Government to remove fuel subsidy may have heightened negotiations among stakeholders including the government for construction of 10 Green field refineries worth N8.1 trillion ($51.8
billion). The negotiation had earlier collapsed, and a source closed to the deal said that a liberalised market buoyed by total removal of subsidy on Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) otherwise called petrol and Dual Purpose Kerosene (DPK) otherwise called kerosene
NSE: Market starts year with 0.95% loss session. The market breadth KehindeAkinseinde-JayeobaLagos
The Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE), on Monday, the first day of trading in the year 2016, posted a bearish result as the All Share Index depreciated by 0.95 per cent to close at 28,370.32 basis points in contrast with the 3.11 per cent appreciation recorded on Thursday, 31 December, 2015. Also, market turnover closed negative as volume declined by 60.75 per cent against 82.13 per cent decline recorded in the preceding
closed negative as there were 12 gainers against 18 losers on the chart. Austin Laz and Company Plc, First Bank of Nigeria Holdings Plc and Transnational Corporation of Nigeria Plc, however, were the most active to boost market turnover with 15,714,992 shares, 10,703,924 shares and 8,448418 shares. Meanwhile Nestlé Nigeria Plc and Guaranty Trust Bank Plc top market value list staking N86.5 million and N126.2 million respectively.
was responsible for a likely return to negotiation. The federal government had earlier signed $51.8 billion (N8.1 trillion) worth of Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with various local and international investors between 2011 and 2012 for the construction of these 10 new refineries across the country. “The negotiation collapsed when it became clear that the continuous subsidy on refined products imported into the country will run the new refineries aground. In fact, from the background checks done by some of the investors, the Return On Investments (ROI) can never be guaranteed if the subsidy regime continues. “However, now that the 2016 budget appeared free of the subsidy burden, the investors are beginning to show signs of interest and as it stands they may be brought back to the negotiation table by 2016,” the source said.
Nigerian Tribune
LCCI counsels on nation’s huge infrastructure deficit Akin Adewakun-lagos
The Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI), has advised the federal government to adopt the Public Private Partnership (PPP) in its quest to cover the nation’s huge infrastructure deficit. The chamber, in a paper tagged “Comments on The Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) and Fiscal Strategy Paper For 2016” signed by its president, Chief (DR) Mrs Nike Akande, noted that for government to facilitate private capital flow into infrastructure building, it must develop policy frameworks that would attract PPPs. While commending the new administration for raising the capital component of spending to 30 per cent from 15 per cent in 2015 budget, the chamber however urged the fiscal authorities to review and monitor the quality of capital expenditure and ensure that funds are directed to the critical infrastructure needed to drive productivity.
429 market operators made SEC’s minimum capital requirement KehindeAkinseinde-JayeobaLagos
A total number of 429 have made the final list of Capital Market Operators (CMOs) who met the minimum capital requirement given by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). According to the regulatory body, the list of the qualified CMO was compiled based on the consideration of the reports on capital verification and the responses received from the affected CMOS. However, 24 stock broking firms failed to make the final list of capital market operators that met the new minimum capital requirement as they failed to comply and unable to substantiate claim of compliance based on queries raised by the audit firms. It will be recalled that SEC had in 2013 announced a new minimum capital requirement for all categories of market operators in pursuant to Section 313(6) of the Investments and Securities Act (ISA) 2007 with the compliance deadline expiring on September 30, 2015.
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Abuja filling stations in total compliance Christian Okeke and Clement Idoko - Abuja
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HERE is a substantial compliance by filling stations in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), and some of its satellite towns to the reduction of the petrol pump price by the Federal Government exactly a week ago. Nigerian Tribune, observed on Monday, that the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) Mega Station at the Central District, Abuja and other NNPC stations have since adjusted their pump price to N86 per litre approved rate by the government. It was also observed that some filling stations owned by independent and major oil marketers, have complied with the Federal Government’s directive as almost all of them visited had adjusted their pump prices to N86.50. The Federal Government had announced 50k reduction in the pump price of petrol for independent marketers while NNPC filling stations were mandated to sell at N86 per litre. There was initial slow compliance by some of the filling stations in the satellite towns because some of them, who hoarded the product in expectation of usual hike in price in New Year, were disappointed and never wanted to respond to the new price immediately. It was however, gathered that a team from the Operations Department of the Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency had gone round Abuja a few days ago to enforce and monitor the level of compliance. Assistant General Manager and Head of Operations, Victor Shidok, who led the team, threatened to sanction any marketer engaged in sharp practices or outright flouting of Government’s directive. In Nyanya, an Abuja satellite town, there was total
compliance as the product was sold at N86.50 by all the filling stations visited with motorists expressing joy for not just the reduction of price but availability of
THE prices of fuel in Benin City, Edo State, continued to range between N120 and N140 just like it was since the New Year day. The NNPC Mega filling station located on Sapele Road, and the NNPC station at Eguosa, however, complied with the N86 pump price for NNPC outlets just as they did on the New Year day.
had responded immediately to the Government’s directive as the product is now sold at N86.50 per litre. The A.A Rano filling sta-
tions at AYA and Nyanya, have also adjusted their pump prices to this new rate and almost of all of them visited had product and were opened to customers.
Fuel stations close down operations in Ondo MOST petrol stations across the Akure, Ondo State capital and its environs on Monday, the first working day of the year, did not open for business while many motorists were stranded as the fuel station refused to sell. Nigerian Tribune gathered that the development was sequel to the directive from the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) to all dealers in the state to sell at the new price of N86:50k per liter. It was gathered that the marketers, especially the independent marketers, resolved to shut down operation in protest against the
Fuel still sells between N120 and N140 in Benin Banji Aluko - Benin City
the product. At Azman Filling Station, by Mobile Police Junction, in Nyanya, one of the petrol attendants told Nigerian Tribune, that the station
A pump attendant selling Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) at the new price of N86.50 per liter at a major station on Herbert Macaulay Way, Central Business District in Abuja, on Monday. PHOTO: NAN
Hakeem Gbadamosi - Akure
It was observed that majority of the filling stations, especially those owned by the major marketers did not open for business. The few filling stations that sold fuel on Monday on Akpakpava road, Sapele road, Airport road, First East Circular road, Murtala Muhammed Way and Sakponba road sold fuel between N120 and N140 just like they have doing since the New Year day.
Nigerian Tribune
Tuesday, 5 January, 2016
new price which the DPR was planning to forced on them. Some motorists were seen waiting at the entrance of the fuel stations in anticipation that the stations might change their mind to sell the product. A manager of one of the filling stations who spoke with our correspondent said they decided to close down because of the new directive from the federal government to compelling them to sell at N86.50 while they are buying above N100. He said “my boss has directed that the station should be closed because of the new directive by the federal government. We learnt that the government wants to compel us to be selling at N86.50 per litre and we did not even buy the petrol at N100 at the depot, so how can we sell at the official price?” Speaking on the development, the Chairman of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria, (IPMAN) Ore depot, Bayo Olowokere explained that most of the stations did not open for operation because they had no product to sell at the federal government’s regulated price of N86.50 per litre . He said that the 50k re-
duction in the price of the oil was ridiculous and said the federal government directive to enforce the new price will not work saying it will be difficult for the independent marketers in the state to be selling at the new official price because they did not buy the product at the regu-
lated price . He said: “As I am speaking to you, no marketers have bought the product at the regulated price, though the reduction is ridiculous, but the question is that are we getting the product at the regulated price? That is what we are fighting for.”
DPR sets up task force to enforce new petrol pump price compliance in Sokoto THE Sokoto Zonal Office of the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) said it constituted a three-man Task Force to enforce compliance with the new pump prices of petrol. The State Controller, Mohammed Makera, disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday in Sokoto, Sokoto State. He spoke on the compliance level by petroleum marketers in Sokoto to the new pump prices that came into effect on January 1, 2016. Makera said that membership of the task force was drawn from the DPR, Petroleum Products Marketing Company (PPMC) and the Department of State Services (DSS). “The task force is to monitor the sale of petroleum products, especially the Premium Motor Spirit (PMS). “The task force will also ensure that petrol is sold at the regulated price of N86.50 per litre by independent and major marketers . “In the same vein, it will ensure that all NNPC mega stations and their affiliates sell petrol at N86.00 per litre,’’’ he said. Makera also said that the task force was set up sequel to a directive from the DPR head office in Abuja. He described the level of compliance by the marketers in the state to the directive as “above average’’. He said that the daily fuel allocations to Sokoto State had now improved to about 10 trucks per day.
NURTW laments high fuel price MEMBERS of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) have lamented the high price they pay for fuel. Speaking with the Nigerian Tribune on Monday, chairman of Oyo State council of the union, Alhaji Taofeek Oyerinde (Fele), said commercial drivers were not finding it easy to cope with the high pump price of petrol despite the reduction ordered by the government. “We buy fuel at prices ranging between N120 and
N130 per litre,” he said. “This has made life difficult for our members as we have not hiked the fares because of our consideration for commuters.” When asked why commercial drivers were buying at such exorbitant prices despite the directive of government that petrol should be sold at N85 per litre, Oyerinde said, “We would have loved to buy at the recommended price but what can we do when we do not get to buy at that price? The queue
at the filling stations where petrol is sold at the recommended price is always long and it takes hours to get fuel. A driver cannot afford the luxury of queuing for fuel for hours, hence, our resort to buying at high prices.” The NURTW boss urged petrol stations to comply with the government’s directive calling on the government to find a way out of the quagmire so that life would not be difficult for both drivers and commuters.
Ekiti complies with fuel pump price directive PETROL filling stations in Ado Ekiti, the Ekiti State capital that have the commodity, sell for between N110 and N130 per litre. None of them sells at the government recommended price, except the NNPC petrol retail outlets in the town. However, only one of the petrol station managers
who agreed to speak on the price of the commodity at his station explained that “I sell based on what I buy.” The manager, who pleaded anonymity, claimed that they “don’t all get fuel at a price that would allow for what they want us to sell and I don’t think that’s reasonable in a deregulated
market.” Motorists still bought the commodity at the rate of N120 at one of the petrol stations at Polytechnic road in Ado Ekiti, with some of them expressing the hope that “by the end of the week, we expect some changes to have taken place on the situation.”
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Nigerian Tribune
DAILY SUMMARY (EQUITIES) FOR MONDAY, 4 JANUARY, 2016
LAST WEEK TOP 5 GAINERS
LAST WEEK TOP 5 LOSERS
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Tuesday, 5 January, 2016
INEC ad hoc staff protest non-payment of N227.5m allowances Yinka Oladoyinbo-Lokoja
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O fewer than 13,000 ad hoc staff recruited by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for the conduct of the November 2, 2015 governorship election in Kogi State, on Monday, staged a protest over the alleged non-payment of their entitlement by the commission. The protesters alleged deliberate refusal to pay them their dues put at N227.5 million over six weeks after the conduct of the election. The people, who took to streets of Lokoja, the Kogi State capital, described the development as wicked and callous, as they had diligently performed the duties for which they were engaged. The protesters were seen protesting round the town
Ngige warns job seekers against online registration scam Soji-Eze Fagbemi-Abuja
Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige, has warned job seekers not to respond to an online publication requesting unemployed Nigerian youths to submit application for employment at the ministry’s headquarters in Abuja and its zonal offices nationwide. In a statement signed on Monday by the ministry’s Deputy Director, Media, Samuel Olowookere, the minister advised Nigerians to disregard the false directive, as it did not emanate from the Federal Government through the ministry. The minister pleaded especially with those looking for job to disregard the announcement, as some of the websites have been requesting applicants to pay application fees. The statement read: “The attention of the Honourable Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige has been drawn to the online publication requesting unemployed Nigerian youths to submit application for employment at the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment Headquarter and Zonal offices nationwide. “The general public is hereby advised to disregard this false directive as it did not emanate from the Federal Government through the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment.
carrying placards with various inscriptions. The protesting ad hoc members of staff, who were led by Yusuf Bello and John Okpanachi, said they were disappointed over the ways and manners, which the whole matter is being
handled by the officials of INEC, in Lokoja. According to them, several moves had been made to ensure the payment of the money but their plea was not attended to by the Lokoja office of the commission.
The protesters, in a letter signed by their leaders, urged President Muhammadu Buhari to intervene and ensure that the N227.5 million, which is to be shared as N17, 500 each by the affected staff, is promptly
paid. However, the State Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Mr Halilu Pai, was not available for the commission’s reaction to the agitation by the ad hoc staff as of the time of filing this report.
Lagos State governor, Mr Akinwunmi Ambode (middle), signing the 2016 Appropriation Bill into Law, while the deputy governor, Dr (Mrs) Oluranti Adebule (left) and chairman, Lagos Assembly Committee on Economic Planning and Budget, Honourable Rotimi Olowo, watch, at the Banquet Hall, Lagos House, Ikeja, on Monday.
Ambode signs 2016 budget into law Bola Badmus-Lagos
Lagos State governor, Mr Akinwunmi Ambode, on Monday, signed the N662.588 billion 2016 Bill to law, promising that the budget would be faithfully implemented in line with the determination of his administration to make Lagos work for all, irrespective of age, gender, tribe or status. Governor Ambode said this at the ceremony held at the Banquet Hall, Lagos House, describing the 2016 Budget as the article of faith of his administration with Lagosians and in line with delivering of the promises made to the
people. “The 2016 budget of N662.588 billion will enable our government focus on the present challenges of security, traffic gridlock resolution, including physical and social infrastructural developments which have thrown up new challenges quite different from our past experience,” the governor said. The governor, who expressed appreciation to the House of Assembly for speedily ensuring the passage of the bill, which he presented to the House on December 17 and passed on December 31, said it was no mean feat considering the long hours spent
and meticulous scrutiny provided by the House Committee on Appropriation. While alluding to the fact that the falling crude oil prices has sprung up economic challenges as well as affected the Federal Allocations, Governor Ambode said the state’s budget would be driven by Internally Generated Revenue (IGR). He, therefore, urged tax payers to fulfil their civic obligations, promising that no stone would be left unturned in delivering value for every Kobo spent. “I will commend this Budget to all Lagosians and enjoin them to continue collaborating with us in
We have no intention to concession model schools —Amosun Olayinka Olukoya-Abeokuta
Governor Ibikunle Amosun of Ogun State has cleared the air on the rumour doing the rounds that his administration has concluded plans to concession all the model schools built by his government. Amosun, who stated this during the maiden 2016 media chat on Sunday night, in Abeokuta, noted that the Ogun State government had no intention to concession the model schools which are now ready for use, adding that his government was
committed to projects that would outlive it. He said the model schools project would boost the educational development of the state, submitting that the schools would stand the test of time. The governor, however, admitted that his government would be partnering with some notable schools in the country to provide the necessary take-off in terms of manpower development. The governor said, “We want to leave schools that will outlive us. The model
schools are ready. We have no intention to concession the schools. We have talked to Corona Schools, Grange, Day Waterman and all of that to come and partner with us and they have accepted. The French are taking one. The police are also interested.” Governor Amosun also pointed out that the free education policy embarked on by his government since it came on board in 2011 would not be jettisoned in the face of economic reality confronting the nation.
building the Lagos of our dreams,” he said. The Commissioner for Economic Planning and Budget, Mr Akinyemi Ashade, while giving a breakdown of the 2016 budget, tagged ‘The Peoples Budget’ said it would go a long way to promote massive investments in security, transport and traffic management, physical and social infrastructural development in addition to enhancing job creation and opportunities. According to him, the 2016 budget is 26 per cent higher than the budgets of 2014 and 2015 respectively, with an estimated total revenue of N542.873 billion and the balance of N119.714 billion expected to be funded through a combination of internal and external loans including World Bank DPO 3 loan, which could not be accessed in 2015. He said the Lagos Internal Revenue Service was expected to generate N300 billion equivalent to 78 per cent of the total IGR. The commissioner added that while the state government does not intend to introduce new taxes, efforts would be made towards bringing more citizens into the tax net especially the informal sector as well as through the adoption of an automated process to block leakages.
Lagos Assembly approves N25bn to combat unemployment Chukwuma Okparaocha-Lagos
The Lagos State government is set to commence its battle against the scourge of unemployment, after members of the state House of Assembly approved N25 billion Employment Trust Fund bill. The passage of the bill, which now awaits the governor’s consent, was carried out after necessary stakeholders’ meetings had been held. While considering the report of a joint committee set up by the assembly, members scrutinised the findings and recommendations of the committee with minor amendment. When presenting the report of his committee which worked on the bill, the Chairman, House Committee on Finance, Honourable Oluyinka Ogundimu, representing Agege II, said that the essence of the bill when fully operational would help to tackle the unemployment scourge confronting the nation.
Buhari condoles with Kogi over Atta’s death Leon Usigbe-Abuja
PRESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari has commiserated with the government and the people of Kogi State on the death of Dr Abdul I. Atta. A statement issued in Abuja on Monday by the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, said Buhari joined them in mourning the former Permanent Secretary in the Northern Region’s Ministry of Health, “who will always be remembered as an illustrious civil servant who served his region and country very well with his remarkable medical and administrative skills.” The President recalled that Dr Atta treated his patients with great care and compassion, and also administered the Ministries of Health in Northern Nigeria and the old North Central State with exemplary efficiency. The President urged all who mourned the late doctor and administrator to be comforted by the knowledge that he lived a long, worthy and fulfilled life of service to his country. He prayed that God Almighty will receive Dr. Atta’s soul and grant him peaceful rest.
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Tuesday, 5 January, 2016
Bayelsa supplementary Polls: Dickson opens hotlines,
website to track election materials
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Austin Ebipade- Yenagoa
ITH less than five days to the supplementary e l e c t i o n in Bayelsa State, the state Governor and standardbearer of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the gubernatorial race, Seriake Dickson, on Monday, opened dedicated election hotlines and website to monitor the process of moving sensitive election materials as part of the state government’s efforts at ensuring a hitch-free poll. Dickson, who urged the people to monitor the process by contacting the election hotlines from January 8 to 9 and make reports on the movement of sensitive materials and ad hoc staff of INEC, also raised the alarm over alleged plans by the All Progressives Congress (APC), to unleash violence on the people of Southern Ijaw Local Government Area. The alleged violence, according to him, is to rig the election which the people of Southern Ijaw have remained resolute to vote massively for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), despite abnormalities that culminated in the cancellation of the election by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). Dickson made this known at a world press conference, aired live on major radio and TV stations in the state and across the country, and reiterated his call on all federal institutions that have a role to play in the election to be non-partisan “in order not to undermine the integrity of the electoral process and the nation’s fledgling democracy.” The press conference was organised by the state government to explain to Bayelsans, the state of
affairs leading to the coming election in Southern Ijaw and the 101 units spread across six Local Government Areas scheduled for Saturday, January 9, 2016. According to him, “The people of Southern Ijaw are waiting eagerly and
more determined to cast their ballot. The only thing we are asking is that those institutions that have the duty to make it possible for the people of the area to cast their votes should please, in the interest of our nation and the security and stability of
Dickson condemned the manipulation of critical national institutions by political leaders to serve their personal ambition, stressing that such acts could be seen as “a deliberate subversion of the country’s security.”
From left, Ondo State governor, Dr Olusegun Mimiko; his wife, Olukemi; Chairman, Ondo State chapter of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Bishop Joshua Ketiku; Elder Tunde Adesida; President, Agape Christian Ministries, Bishop Felix Adejumo; Provincial Pastor of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), Ondo Province 1, Pastor Jacob Oni; Pastor Odia Akintunde of Living Faith Ministries (Winners’ Chapel), Akure and the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Special Interest, Pastor Olakunle Fagboyegun, at the prayer meeting for the first working day of the year, held at the Governor’s Office, Akure, on Monday.
Be creative, ready for income diversification, Mimiko tells workers ONDO State governor, Dr Olusegun Mimiko, on Monday , charged workers in the state against laziness and redundancy, even as he urged them to be creative and be ready to diversify their means of income in the face of the current realities. While speaking at the first working day of the year prayer session which held on the premises of the Governor’s Office, in Akure, with the governor’s wife, Olukemi and the deputy governor, Alhaji Abdulazeez Oluboyo, among other top government officials in attendance, Mimiko said 2016 is not a year for lazy workers, because of the challenges facing the na-
tion, but described 2016, as a year of true diversification of the Nigerian economy. At the individual level, Governor Mimiko stressed the need for the workers to diversify their means of income and embark on vocation of relative advantage, especially, in agriculture, saying that over-reliance on salaries alone would not do
and organisations in the council area. “It’s important to say here that we are not politicians and we are not sent by anyone to advocate for re-appointment of Mr Gbadamosi. “We are rather convinced by his good deeds during his six months tenure as caretaker Chairman in Saki West. “So many roads were tarred and so many were worked on during the period, a lot infrastructural development was also recorded. “He treated all and sundry
them any good. While reiterating his administration’s commitment to its mission and vision to take the state to the next level of development, the governor urged the workers to be diligent and committed to their work with a view to propelling the state to a glorious stage. In his message at the ser-
vice, the state chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Bishop Joshua Ketiku, who appreciated God for the peace and transformation in the state, pleaded with the workers to give 100 per cent support to the current administration in the state so that more dividends of democracy could be delivered to the people.
Dakuku’ll free Rivers from shackles of maladministration —APC Dapo Falade-Port Harcourt
RIVERS State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has assured that its governorship candidate in
Community appeals to Ajimobi over appointment of caretaker chairman SOME residents of Saki West Council Area of Oyo State, on Monday, appealed to Governor Abiola Ajimobi to re-appoint immediate past Caretaker chairman of the council, Mr Yinus Gbadamosi. Speaking with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Saki, on Monday, the residents said the appeal became necessary to ensure that Mr Gbadamosi was reappointed. Mr Adekola Olanipade, who spoke on behalf of others, said residents were drawn from various groups
our state and this region and in the interest of our nation’s fledgling democracy, do their utmost best so that the people can join the rest of their brothers and sisters in this state, by casting their votes in a free, fair and credible manner.”
on equal basis and in a manner that is very unusual of politicians, always very responsive to yearnings of our people at all times. “I want to challenge anyone to conduct an independent investigation in Saki West Council and hear what people on the street have to say about this gentle man. “Appointing someone else at this point will only bring about distractions and retrogression as the council was already moving forward during the tunure of Gbadamosi, “ he said.
the last general election, Honourable Dakuku Peterside, will free the state from an alleged shackles of maladministration within the first quarter of 2016. Chairman of the party, Dr Davies Ikanya, in a statement issued in Port Harcourt, on Monday, alleged that the state had been subjected to evil leadership in the past seven months. Congratulating Peterside who turned 45 years old on December 31, 2015, the APC chairman said he would win the yet-to-be rescheduled governorship rerun in the state, as ordered by the Court of Appeal, last December. “We wish to heartily greet our governor-in-waiting on the occasion of his 45th birthday, which is coming shortly after his repeated victories over Wike and PDP in the courts of law. We have no doubt that he
will repeat this feat during the forthcoming Rivers rerun gubernatorial election. “This has become imperative in view of the sharp increase of insecurity, kidnapping, armed robbery and diverse criminal activities in our dear State since Chief Wike became governor by force on 29th May, 2015. “Victory for Peterside in the court-ordered rerun polls will go a long way to address the three principal injustices visited on some sections of Rivers State, one of which is the riverine areas of the state not occupying the seat of power since 1990. “The second injustice to be addressed is that of the Ogoni, a key tribe of the state, not producing a governor, deputy governor or the Speaker of the state House of Assembly since the creation of the state as far back as 1970.
Nigerian Tribune
Kwara, Rotary International to perform free cleft surgeries for 100 children Biola Azeez- Ilorin
THE Kwara State government, in collaboration with the Rotary Club International is to perform free cleft surgeries for 100 children in the state. The project, which involves a United States of America-based organisation, Alliance for Smiles, also has the collaboration of an indigenous non-government organisation (NGO), Mike Omotosho Foundation. A statement issued by the Rotary International District Governor in Nigeria, Dr Mike Omotosho, said the cleft lip and palate reformatory surgery would be performed by a team of surgeons from the United States of America, Australia and Nigeria. According to the statement, cleft lip and cleft palate are birth defects that occur when a baby’s lip or mouth do not form properly during pregnancy. It called for the setting up of birth defects registries across the country, which the organisation believed would help in determining Nigeria’s birth defects prevalence. The statement called for urgent need to invest in children with birth defects and reduce neonatal and under-five mortality.
Group solicits support for Buhari Ebenezer Adurokiya- Warri
A group, the Nigeria Youth Project Monitoring Initiative, has urged Nigerians to support President Muhammadu Buhari in his anti-corruption crusade to rid the country of bad eggs and maladministration. National President of the body, Mr Amos Osigidi, made the call when he addressed journalsists on Monday, in Warri, Delta State. He said the president, within the short period he took over the reins of governance, has proved to Nigerians that he is out to correct the ills plaguing the country. He insisted that the laudable effort must not die. Osigidi opined that the decay in infrastructural development in the country is traceable to the mass corruption and substandard jobs prevailing in the country. “Nigeria is not supposed to be suffering as a result of nonexistence of infrastructural development considering the huge financial allocation for such projects,” he noted.
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Nigerian Tribune
Femi Ibirogba adefemi2007@yahoo.com 0811 695 4646
Food security crops Nigeria should emphasise in 2016 FEMI IBIROGBA writes on some essential crops capable of ensuring food security, reliable income and employment generation in 2016.
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ONSIDERING their wide ranges of use, maize, cassava and yam are some of the crops with immense economic importance crucial to food security efforts of Nigeria. They are produced both at subsistence and commercial levels, and both the poor and the rich consume a form or the other of the products being made from these all-important crops. They deserve greater attention as the country renews efforts to diversify the economy and create as many jobs as possible.
Cassava and its value chain From Asia to Africa, cassava has great potential both for export and domestic consumption. The usefulness of cassava plant has a wide spectrum, ranging from the leaves to the roots which are mostly used in animal feeds and food processing. Growing and processing cassava have created and can still create many jobs in Nigeria, have increased exports, attracted foreign investments, and contributed to industrialisation and modernisation of several rural areas. Being an excellent source of starch and flour, cassava production in Nigeria has a huge development potential, with companies like Thai Farms already exploring the industrial utilization of the crop. Among maize, sugarcane and cassava, the main crops being used for ethanol production in China, cassava has a competitive advantage because of its lower cost of production and a simpler ethanol processing technology. For that reason, it is expected that the Chinese cassava production area will expand to about 600,000 to 800,000 hectares during the current decade and outsourcing for industrial usage would extend demand to Africa, and by extension Nigeria, the largest producer of the root crop in the world. Cassava is particularly suitable and relatively cheap for baking flour. It is quite suitable for production of modified starch. Modified starch is a main product among starch derivatives because it has become a new raw material in multiple industries. But Mr Segun Adewumi, President, Nigerian Cassava Growers Association (NCGA), has said that the reason companies that need cassava as raw materials are unable to buy from Nigerian farmers was that the cost of production and processing in Nigeria is too high. However, Dr Okechukwu Richardson, a cassava expert at IITA, at cassava workshop in Akure recently, suggested massive mecha-
nisation of cassava production and effective weed control to increase average yield per hectare from 10 to at least 30 tonnes and reduce average cost per tonne drastically. Improved cassava varieties developed by the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) have high prospects of tackling unemployment, and therefore, partnership for massive dissemination of the varieties should be looked into. Adewumi had also said that “cassava has five major industrial products, namely ethanol, industrial starch, cassava flour, glucose syrup and sweetener. Each of the above is a raw material to numerous utility products with limitless domestic export market potential. This is to say that cassava can trigger massive industrial revolution that will employ millions of Nigerians in farming and industry. “Nigeria has over 84 million hectares of arable land out of which, if only additional 5 million is devoted to the cultivation of cassava, we shall have additional 200 million
metric tonnes yearly.” The NCGA president said this would give us 50 million metric tonnes of industrial starch, currently sold for N180,000 per tonne. This, he added, would translate to N9 trillion in one year.” Therefore, the government should emphasise machanisation of cassava production in
the country, embrace and disseminate new weed control technologies emanating from universities, IITA and other research institutes to farmers through extension services. Similarly, the cassava value chain development as pursued by the last administration, especially in the area of 20 per cent inclusion of cassava flour in bread and confectioneries, should be vigorously revisited and expanded for massive job creation.
Maize can be processed into a variety of food and industrial products, including starch, sweeteners, oil, beverages, glue, industrial alcohol, and fuel ethanol.
Maize Maize is an international and very competitive crop. Intensive animal husbandry and subsequent nutritional requirements of the animals triggers a great demand for maize in feeds formulation, apart from other industrial uses, creating intense competition between humans and animals for the crop as a potent source of energy. According to Juan Pablo Pe˜na-Rosas, Evidence and Programme Guidance Unit, Department of Nutrition for Health and Development, World Health Organization (WHO), Geneva, Switzerland, maize contains approximately 72% starch, 10% protein, and 4% fat, supplying an energy density of 365 Kcal/100g and is grown throughout the world, with the United States, China and Brazil being the top three maize-producing countries in the world, producing approximately 563 of the 717 million metric tons/year. Maize can be processed into a variety of food and industrial products, including starch, sweeteners, oil, beverages, glue, industrial alcohol, and fuel ethanol. Maize is among the 41 items restricted at the CBN forex platform, implying that major feed millers, cornflakes manufacturers and maize derivatives producers would find it increasingly difficult to import the crop as the CBN intensifies efforts to deflate pressure on the naira and control the widening exchange rate gap between naira and the dollar. Structural adjustment in aggressive domestic production of maize is, therefore, inevitable to avoid inflation and smuggling. Improved varieties are being approved, registered and released by the National Crop and Animal Varieties Release Committee, hosted by NACGRAB in Ibadan. Best of the recently released varieties should be multiplied and supplied to farmers at subsidized prices to increase yield per hectare from the average of 2.5 tonnes to 8 or 10 tonnes per hectare. Continues on pg 17
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Audu Ogbeh laments poverty of rural farmers Introduces Labour Intensive Family Enterprises (LIFE)
Producing maize, cassava and yam for industrial purposes Continued from pg 16
Yam Yam Improvement for Income and Food Security in West Africa (YIIFSWA) of the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture, Ibadan, has declared that yam ranks as the most important source of dietary calories in Côte d’Ivoire, Benin, Ghana, and Nigeria. It also said the crop also makes a substantial contribution to protein in the diet, ranking as the third most important source of supply. Hence, yam is important for food security (as mainstay for at least 60 million people) and income generation; 31.8% of the population in Nigeria and 26.2% in Ghana depend on yams for food and income security. Yam is also integral to the socio-cultural life in this subregion. Major challenges Despite its importance in the economy and lives of many people, yam faces several constraints that significantly reduce its potential to support rural development and meet consumers’ needs as an affordable nutritional product: unavailability and affordability of high quality seed yams, on-farm postharvest losses, low soil fertility, unexploited potential of yam (ware and seed) markets by smallholder farmers, unavailability of adapted varieties to stress environments of the savannah agro-ecologies, diseases and pests, and limited opportunities for smallholder farmers, mainly rural women, in yam production and marketing. Globally, Africa’s contribution to supplies of grains is modest: maize, about 5%; rice, 3%; and wheat, 3% in the late 2000s (FAOSTAT 2013). But Africa is the lead player in the supplies of cassava with 50% of world production and yam with 95%. Africa’s two predominantly world food crops,
yam and cassava, are produced at a high cost because of low technologies. Dr Robert Asiedu, IITA’s Director for West Africa, said: “The unavailability and high cost of high quality seed yam is the primary constraint in West Africa with the food security of millions of people heavily dependent on the availability and affordability of seed tubers.” Traditionally, farmers use tubers as seeds, which is inefficient and costly. High production costs are attributed to the use of seed yam tubers, which account for about 30% of the total yield and as much as 63% of the total variable cost incurred per season of cultivation. Moreover, most of the tubers are of low quality, containing pests (nematodes) and pathogens (virus) which decrease the yield of yam tubers. Yam continues to be sidelined in national food policy programmes in West Africa and ignored by African regional development agencies such as the African Development Bank. For example, Nigeria’s past Minister of Agriculture, Dr Akin Adesina introduced an Agricultural Transformation Agenda for the purpose of promoting nine commodities, including all major staples in Nigeria except yam. The African Development Bank, Africa’s premier development institution, provides
loans and grants for R&D covering staples like rice, maize, cassava, and wheat, except yam and some other crops in 54 member countries. Economic importance of yam In Nigeria, yam is a food and cash crop. It also plays an important role in food security and in the livelihoods of 60 million people in the West African region. The crop is cultivated mostly in the derived, humid, and southern Guinea savanna agro-ecologies. About 48 million tonnes of yam (95% of global supply) are produced on 4 million hectares annually in the region, mainly in five countries: Benin, Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Nigeria, and Togo; Nigeria alone accounts for 70% of global yam supply. Therefore, high ratio propagation technologies such as vine cuttings, aeroponics and bioreactor developed to make yam seeds available at competitive prices and to address the constraints of quality, rapidity, and multiplication in seed yam production should be explored by the current administration in Nigeria. Yam farmers should also be incorporated into the farm input subsidy programme and the new minister should make deliberate efforts to promote export of yam to other countries.
Mimiko harps on investment in agriculture ONDO State Governor, Dr Olusegun Mimiko, late last year, urged Nigerians to invest in agriculture as a crucial step towards diversification of the economy from the petroleum sector. Mimiko said this in Akure during the cross over night service at the Christ Apostolic Church, Mount of Victory. The state governor prayed that God would
see the country through the economic challenges, just as he did during the 2015 general election. Mimiko argued that the fall in the price of crude oil in the international market could be seen as a golden opportunity for Nigeria to diversify into agriculture, praying that the country would prosper in 2016 in spite of the economic challenges.
MINISTER of Agriculture and Rural Development, Chief Audu Ogbeh, has decried the level of poverty in villages, saying the development is unacceptable to the All Progressives Congress-led Federal Government. The minister stated this in Abuja recently. “The element which creates pains for us is the plight of our people in the villages. The level of poverty in the villages is simply unacceptable-we all came from there,” Mr Ogbeh lamented. He said lack of development in the rural areas could be traced to the collapse of the local government system, noting that the state-local government joint account system made a mess of the whole issue. “Nothing is going on down there ,” Ogbeh stressed. Chief Ogbeh said the ministry was coming up with a programme called Labour Intensive Family Enterprise (LIFE), where processing equipment for groundnuts, soya beans, palm kernel, rice, Shea butter and others would be set up in the villages to actively and massively engage the rural dwellers in order to create wealth, arrest rural-urban drift and reduce poverty. “We are taking life back to villages. We want the villages to be part of the all-inclusive growth agenda,” Ogbeh said. While articulating some of the programmes the ministry plans to execute to resuscitate the country’s agricultural sector, the minister said plans were under way to return the three universities of agriculture, which hitherto have been in the ministry of education, back to ministry of agriculture. The three federal Universities of Agriculture are Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike in Abia State; the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta in Ogun State and the University of Agriculture, Makurdi, in Benue State. According to Ogbeh, the law establishing the institutions does not even empower the National University Commission (NUC) to supervise them in the first place. Other areas, the minister said, would be developed include the livestock development programme, where over 200 centres would be developed across the country to actualise the school feeding programme, where a pine of milk would be given to 30 million school children daily.
FOR POULTRY FARMERS
18 LETTERS TO THE
Tuesday, 5 January, 2016
editor
Letters to the editor should be sent to letters@tribune.com.ng or by sms to 08053412982. It MUST be accompanied by the full name and address of the writer.
Still on the Bauchi airport embarrassment
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picture showing passengers disembarking from Aero Contractors’ plane with a ladder at Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa Airport, Bauchi, recently became an internet sensation in Nigeria. While some people accused the Bauchi State government of failure, others accused the Federal Government and the airline. The Federal Government as owner and watchdog/regulator of our airspace should take the lion share of the blame. The aircraft in question belongs to Aero Contractors and it was not a scheduled flight. I learn it was chattered by some notable personalities to attend an event in Bauchi. An aviation expert told
me that the Bauchi airport was not “gazetted” by the Federal Government, and therefore it is not on the Nigerian Aeronautical Information Publication (AIP) list. Aviation handling companies (such as NAHCO, SAHCOL) that provide the stair trucks for boarding and disembarkment at Nigerian airports are private companies. The fact that only one airline with a smaller aircraft (with inbuilt airstairs) operates at the Bauchi airport shows that it may not be commercially viable for these companies to operate there. It is also the same issue in Dutse and other airports where there is low passenger traffic. Knowledge of airport facilities is essential before a
plane is despatched. For example, the main reason Airbus A380 doesn’t operate in Nigeria is because our airports do not have the facilities to handle that type yet. And it is not only Nigeria, but several other countries as well. The flight operations department of an airline has to find out the facilities available in an airport before dispatching a flight. In Nigeria, the AIP is the major/legal source of information on all fully recognised airports. Bauchi airport is not listed. The question is: why did Aero dispatch a bigger plane there when they were aware that Bauchi airport was not fully operational and doesn’t have the facilities yet? It is also the captains/
Towards curbing future insurgency Nigeria will never win the Boko Haram war if the agencies prosecuting the war don’t have a relationship with the people. I am glad with the Civillian JTF, which has partnered with the military in this war. It is not until when the people say they want to be liberated from the terrorists that they can be truly liberated. The people can first locate and denounce religious leaders who preach against constituted authorities; this is the beginning of every insurgency in the world. They must be stopped before they plant the seed of evil in people. Then, the people should be free to report suspicious movements to the police or other security agencies. If the people had done this earlier, Nigeria would have stopped the Boko Haram long ago before it became this monster that has killed thousands of people. It is high time para-military organisations trained their officers on how to relate with members of the public; some see other people as just ‘bloody’ civilians, and this is not too good. A man will not trust a policeman or soldier who disrespects him, as respect, they say, is reciprocal. Finally, education is important if we are to curb
people from aligning with the insurgents. When people are well-educated, they will be difficult to indoctrinate. The government
should, therefore, make education compulsory. •Victory Abu, Federal Polytechnic, Bida, Niger State.
operators’ responsibility to ensure that his passengers embark and disembark his/her aircraft safely. How and why Aero Contractors failed to do this is baffling. It is not new, after all, in Nigeria. A few years ago, some cows were killed by a taxiing aircraft when a herd of cattle encroached on the Port Harcourt airport runway. In 2013, a 15-yearold stowaway, Ricky Daniel Oikhena, was lucky to survive after hiding in the wheel compartment of an airline flight from Benin to Lagos – thinking that it was going to America. Also, two years ago, Lagosians awoke to the sight of an aircraft at Igando in the mainland area of Lagos. The problems of the Nigerian aviation sector are compound. Everything is sick. The airlines are ailing, while many of the personnel in the sector are corrupt, discourteous and untrained. Only in Nigerian airports are passengers forced to pay a porter to use a trolley. Security op-
eratives in Nigeria form a ring for extortion and covering up of drug pushers and other criminals. I urge the Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika, to investigate the Bauchi disgrace and penalise the culprits. This will deter oth-
ers and reduce something from the catalogue of the country’s aviation embarrassments. •Jaafar Jaafar, Abuja.
Biafra agitation: Appeal to President Buhari I want to appeal to President Muhammadu Buhari to wade into the Biafra agitations by some people in the South East zone of the country. At 73, President Buhari is like a father to all, and I want him to use this fatherly wisdom to assure the agitators that they will prosper more in a united Nigeria. I am of the opinion that those behind the agitation are politicians who were defeated in the last general election in the country, and one of the ways through which they can become relevant is throwing up some controversial issues like the Biafra agita-
tion. However, President Buhari should bring everybody to a round table, while assuring them that every ethnic group is important in his government. Keeping silent at this crucial time could send a negative message to the South East people, and again, the manner in which the Directorate of Security Service (DSS) is handling the issue is not the best. The leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Mr Daniel Kanu, has been granted bail by the court, but he is yet to be released. Not heeding court orders is not good for our democracy, and it is setting a dangerous precedent. It is because of this that I want President Buhari to personally appeal to the agitators. This will go a long way to soften their minds. I don’t think what they are asking for is illegitimate, as Scottish people in the United Kingdom recently had a referendum on whether to opt out of the union. The Basque region in Spain is also struggling to leave the country. However, the difference is that these countries allow their citizens to express themselves. Attacking the agitators here is breaching their freedom of speech and organisation. As a result of this, the security agncies, particularly the soldiers, must learn to be civil with the agitators. However, having said this, it is important that President Buhari brings the leaders of the region together to assure them that no region will be neglected in his administration. •Taju Alalade, Ilorin, Kwara State.
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editorial
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Tuesday, 5 January, 2016
Nigerian Tribune
The FG’s school feeding programme
HE Federal government has earmarked N500 billion for school feeding programme initiatives in the country this year. This sum is contained in the proposal for the 2016 budget Medium Term Expenditure Frameworks (MTEF) submitted to the National Assembly. According to the document dated November 8, 2015 the “Federal Government will collaborate with state governments to institute well-structured social welfare intervention programmes such as: school feeding programme initiatives, conditional cash transfer to the most vulnerable, and post NYSC grant.” The school feeding programme at the primary level is designed to help pupils from very poor homes. Under the programme, pupils will be fed a nutritious meal once every day of school. The programme is expected to reduce the number of out of school children in the country, boost school enrolment, attendance and retention of pupils. Nigeria has over nine million out-of-school children. This is not the first time a school feeding programme is being introduced in the country. In 2005, the Federal Government of Nigeria launched the School Feeding Programme with the assistance of the United Nations’ Children Education Fund (UNICEF) and the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD). The objective was to provide one meal per school day to all primary school pupils in Nigeria with the objectives of improving the health of school children, increase their enrolment, retention and completion rate. The programme launched by former President Olusegun Obasanjo was to be a cost effective school feeding programme under the coordination of the Federal Ministry of Education. It was carried out between September 2005 and July 2006 in twelve (12) states in the six geopolitical zones; Bauchi, Edo, Enugu, Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Imo, Kano, Kogi, Nasarawa, Niger, Ogun, Yobe and Osun states. The programmes were never continued or sustained after the initial pilot. Some states have implemented school feeding programmes of their own at one time or the other, usually with donor support. However, the states could not sustain the programmes once donor support dried out. In 2012, Osun State government reviewed and relaunched the programme in conjunction with Partnership for Child Development (PCD), United Kingdom. But that programme also fizzled out, with the state in dire financial situation. Studies have shown that the size per serving to the pupil was inadequate in virtually all the programmes. In addition, vitamin intake from the school meals was low. The programmes suffered from lack of commitments by the governments. There were several logistic challenges as well, including issues of monitoring and quality control. Vendors had to be identified, trained and food supply verified and assessed to ensure that they were of the right quality. The process was riddled with corruption, greed of contractors and the absence of inter-sectoral linkages. The vice president, Yemi Osinbajo has spoken glowingly about the
promise of the programme due to commence this year. He said it would have a multiplier effect of increasing food production by up to 530,000 metric tonnes per annum and attract fresh investments of up to N980 billion. It would create about 1.14 million jobs in agriculture, including poultry, catering and delivery services. We think the vice president is overly optimistic about the multiplier effect of the school feeding programme. According to the World Food Programme’s study of school feeding programmes worldwide, many low income countries are unable to meaningfully fund the programme. In some of these countries school feeding per child costs more than education because they fail to maintain oversight and rely largely on external support to fund and manage. These have been the experience in Nigeria. The study also noted that school feeding commonly works as part of social protection systems to support the most vulnerable families and children. Linking programmes to the agriculture sector has direct economic benefits and can potentially benefit the entire community as well as the children. It can also help improve the quality of school food. Previous practice in Nigeria did not realise these objectives. Right now many states are in dire need of funds to meet their essential obligations of paying their employees. These states may not be able to provide the counterpart funds for the commencement of the programme. Besides, what the APC government has promised to commence in 2016 is a pilot project. The funds earmarked are not for the food programme alone. It is a basket fund for the food programme, cash transfer schemes and entrepreneurial grants. This is not different from the approach of the past government. As with previous experience, the government might be overwhelmed with logistics challenges of working through the states. Besides, corruption may make it impossible to achieve results in the pilot scheme and therefore government may not be encouraged to continue after the initial pilot with very limited results. We therefore enjoin the government to be very circumspect in introducing the school feeding programme. Efforts must be made to ensure that lessons are learnt from previous experience. Since the Federal Government will be collaborating with the states, an effective framework of collaboration that addresses oversight and monitoring and evaluation issues must be given priority right from the onset. Effort should also be made to ensure that supply of food is linked to agricultural production and empowerment of local farmers, not just contractors. All countries of the world seek to feed school children because it is good for growth and development. Though, it is a populist programme but it does not take any country out of the woods as it will not grow the society. The ultimate should be to economically empower parents so that they can properly feed their children. Meanwhile, the challenge for Nigeria now is to find ways and means to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of the programmes and achieve results at various points in the supply chain.
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20 opinion
Tuesday, 5 January, 2016
Will Nigeria leap in 2016?
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“year” is the length of time it takes the Earth to travel through one orbit around the Sun. Typically, this movement of the Earth around the sun takes a period of 365 days and this is reflected in modern day Gregorian calendar that’s in use around the world as a “solar year,” or “tropical year.” However, there is another year in which this movement is not completed in the usual 365 days and thus describes a different type of year known all over the world as the leap year. But before pangs of heated deliberations hit a nongeographical mind on why such discrepancy exists in nature, allow me to quell the fires of mental pandemonium, as this will form the substratum for the path we are to thread upon subsequently in an attempt to arrive at some illumination this leap year. Due to the fact that the length of time it takes for the Earth to revolve once on its axis (which is usually used to define what a “day” is) does not match up perfectly with how long it takes the Earth to travel around the Sun, there exists some missing ‘times’ in the hours that make up the day. This becomes evident when all of the calendar year’s 24 hour days are added up. There is a little extra bit of time left out because the days do not even accurately represent one revolution of the Earth, but what it accounts for is actually only 23 hours, 56 minutes and 4 seconds. If these missing tiny fractions are considered inconsequential and are maybe allowed to drift in the orbit, the Earth risks running into a maze of its calendar slowly getting out of synch with the seasons, by roughly a month in every 125 years. So, it became imperative to fix this problem by finding a way to balance the ‘times’ of the Earth. For the Earth to find its balance, man has to somehow account for the lost time so that the Earth will remain in sync with all the seasons after a century. The developers of the Gregorian calender which was introduced by pope Greogory XIII in 1582 and christened after him, were faced with a lot of options, but they soon realised that it really didn’t matter when man made up
for this “lost” time, but making up for it was ultimately the most important thing. So, of the myriad of options that were made available to them, they chose the easiest way - to just gather all the extra time and use it up all at once. That was how February 29 was birthed. Once every four years, man takes the accumulated extra time and forms another day out of it - the leap day - which is added on to the shortest month of the year to give a leap year. Unfortunately, the every-four-years rule has one exception: if a year is equally divisible by 100 but not by 400, that year is skipped but that is not the meat of today’s discourse. About 100 hours ago, the race of men transited from an old year into a new one. The Earth was ecstatic as homosapiens globally took to ushering in the New Year, every one with a unique tradition… even the men in Space were not left out – In the United States of America, more than a million people in New York’s Times Square hailed the arrival of 2016 with kisses, cheers and a measure of relief as America’s biggest New Year’s Eve celebration unfolded without a hitch under a blanket of unprecedented security. Balloons, streamers, flashing lights, thousands of rather odd purple hats and a booming serenade from Frank Sinatra, it was another ebullient
veracity with Vera Onana
veraonana@gmail.com 08054680688 New Year celebration in New York’s Times Square. The transition to the New Year was marked by the descent of the traditional lighted crystal ball from atop a skyscraper amid fireworks and a blizzard of confetti at the centre of the famed Manhattan crossroads, the climax of an annual rite of winter dating back to 1904. The Dutch people watched explosions during carbide shooting in Aadorp, a Dutch New Year’s Eve tradition to scare off evil spirits; Fireworks exploded from Taiwan’s tallest skyscraper, the Taipei 101, to usher in 2016; thousands of lanterns lit up the river in Zhouzhuang, China as the Chinese welcomed the leap year… I can’t exhaust the list. I can’t capture every unique moment of celebration all around the globe on this half page even if I tried, but in Nigeria, Christians held watch night services and some of these services became revivals. Not a bad way to start the leap year because Nigeria really needs the prayers of the people. In this column, I published an article in December of the year before the leap year. It was called “Stuck in PMB’s ‘Go slow,’ looming Armageddon?” and I used these words “Could PMB’s ship be stuck in the middle of the Red Sea? There seems to be no strategic presidential plan to take the people through a dry path and this could be consequent of a colossal national disaster as it appears we are tottering at the edge of an Armageddon.” Nigerians, like the several other inhabitants of the Earth have welcomed the year 2016, a leap year but what will the leap year mean for Nigerians? A leap year was so christened because going from one standard or “common” year to the next, the same day of the year will advance by one day of the week. For example, June 10 fell on a Tuesday in common year 2014 and it fell on a Wednesday for common year 2015. In 2016, however, June 10 will be on a Friday, “leaping” over Thursday due to February 29. Literally, the word leap connotes to jump or spring a long way, to a great height, or with great force. I hope with all my heart that this leap year will make Nigeria leap to greater heights. May Nigeria be propelled by a great force in the right direction that she may, in this leap year, surmount the multifarious national woes holding her ransome.
Towards doing more for IDPs in Nigeria By Olawale Rotimi
The growing level of violent attacks in Northern Nigeria has unavoidably led to the increase in the number of displaced persons in Nigeria. Due to the siege laid by extremists in Northern Nigeria, well over a million Nigerians are displaced and live in IDP camps in their own country. There are varying statistics about the number of those in IDP camps; according to the Displacement Tracking Index published in February 2015, 1,188,018 IDPs, consisting of 149,357 households were identified in Adamawa, Bauchi, Borno, Gombe, Taraba and Yobe states alone. In addition to this, another 47,276 IDPs, comprising 5910 households were identified in Plateau, Nasarawa, Abuja, Kano and Kaduna states, according to the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA). In total, 1,235,294 IDPs were identified in Northern Nigeria, while the highest number of IDPs is in Borno State with 672,714, followed by Adamawa State with 220,159 and Yobe State, 135,810. According to the report being assessed, the IDP population is composed of the following: 53 percent women and 47 percent men; 56 percent of the total IDP population are children of which more than half are up to 5 years old, while 42 percent are adults; 92 percent of IDPs were displaced by the insurgency; the majority of the current IDP population was displaced in 2014 (79 percent); the IDPs come mainly from Borno (62 percent), Adamawa (18 percent) and Yobe (13 percent); 87 percent of IDPs live with host families, while 13 percent live in camps. Boko Haram has killed more people than ISIS, particularly in 2014. The Taliban which was rated as the deadliest group in 2013 was ranked third in 2014, despite killing over three thousand people in deadly terrorist attacks. In 2014 only, 32,658 people were killed by Boko Haram compared to 18,111 in 2013. These extremists have taken responsibility for deadly attacks in Nigeria’s capital and northern parts; with Borno, Adamawa and Yobe as the hotbed. These attacks have led to
massive and incessant displacement of people in this geopolitical zone of Nigeria. Assessing the spate of displacement it spread across Nigeria and her neighbours, asides government organised IDP camps, there are many IDP camps that are organised by people who escaped terrorist attacks in this zone, while thousands migrated to peaceful parts of the country – the South-West, Nigeria in particular. Despite efforts of the United Nations, its organs and other non-governmental organisations collaborating with the government of Nigeria to ameliorate the conditions of IDPs and rehabilitate the victims, there are daunting challenges confronting victims of terrorist attacks in Nigeria. It is important to note that the thoroughly poor condition of IDPs in Nigeria reflects the impecunious condition millions of Nigerians live. There’s a wide gap of commitment to the welfare, security and rehabilitation of IDPs from the federal and state authorities. Briefly examined below, these are three major problems confronting government-recognised IDPs camps in Nigeria: Displaced persons are finding it difficult to regain pre-conflict ways of living because of the poor living condition; poor sanitation which exposes members of the camps to infectious diseases; poor medical facilities which accommodate growth of infectious bacteria, fungi and virus in their bodies; poor feeding which exposes them to malnutrition; and poor con-
dition of infrastructure such as access to power, water, roads etc. Considering the population of nursing mothers and children, several appeals have been made to previous and incumbent governments to ameliorate the condition of IDPs, but these have achieved little or no results. Members of parliament representing affected regions have slammed the federal and state governments severally, but to no result. Members of the IDP camps need the attention of the Nigerian government to ameliorate their conditions. Members of IDP camps in Nigeria face security threats, as they are still being target by suicide bombers. Yet to recover from psychological trauma from the loss of families, friends and properties, displaced persons are faced with security challenges coupled with a responsibility to protect themselves in their various camps. The inadequacy of security at the IDP camps opens them to attacks from terrorists and armed robbers. Hosting IDPs in camps without solid rehabilitation plans makes them vulnerable to crime in a bid to survive. Members of IDP camps must be kept busy psychologically and rehabilitated economically to help them recover from the scourge of conflict. The rehabilitation process in IDP camps members have been very slow. There seems to be a deliberate attempt from the government to ignore these displaced persons; this is evident in several failed, unfulfilled promises made by government and the politicising of the situation of IDPs. Today, the IDP camps are emerging grounds for politicians to score cheap political popularity by visiting to donate scanty items while leaving out long term solutions. There is an urgent need to break protocols in recognising and caring for victims of deadly attacks in Northern Nigeria. These bureaucratic hindrances are irrelevant for a compassionate government. •Rotimi, a journalist/writer, can be reached on olawalerotty@gmail.com
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Tuesday, 5 January, 2016
Femi Olukunle Coordinating Editor 08158610216
Christian Okeke -Abuja
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HE battle against illegal structures, filth and destitute is to gather momentum in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) starting from this January. Minister of FCT, Mohammed Bello, had made open declaration on war against filth and destitute without any known public pronouncement yet on his plans regarding illegal structures. He has, however, paid visits to strategic agencies under the FCT administration, including the Abuja Environmental Protection Board (AEPB) and Abuja Geographic Information System (AGIS) where he took relevant briefs and got first-hand information on their challenges. Abuja Xtra also gathered that the minister summoned heads of other agencies to brief him on their activities. Just before the New Year, the minister was at the Usuman Dam site located in Bwari Area Council to see things for himself on how effective the organisation is carrying out its water reticulation task. By and large, the general perception is that the minister, whom some described as a down-to-earth and listening administrator, is yet to take visible steps towards tackling the challenges facing the territory. In fact, some residents interviewed by Abuja Xtra could not tell the name of the minister, as they said that they were yet to begin to feel his impact. They said it was possible that he decided to toe the line of his boss, President Muhammadu Buhari, in first getting acquainted with the challenges, including level of rot in the system, before launching into action. Among actions expected from the minister are a push for appointment of mandate secretaries, political will to carry out thorough demolition exercise, continuation of work on abandoned projects and districts, as well as special infrastructural intervention in satellite towns. Others include driving aggressive revenue generation in the territory through enforcement of property tax, battle against destitute, filths and street traders and reengineering of the transport sector of the FCT administration. No doubt, the minister is expected to effect stringent reforms in the administration of the territory by also taking decisive action against any corrupt staff who serves as clog in the wheel of progress. As at today, the minister has refrained from announcing full appointments of personal aides and is yet to move to official residence at Life Camp.
Teenage scavengers on dump site in Abuja
War against illegal structures, filth, destitute gathers momentum However, Abuja Xtra gathered that Bello would begin to take bold steps and make public policy statements in admin-
istering the territory starting from this week. It was gathered that the minister plans
Demolished illegal structures in FCT
Crew 1. Christian Okeke chidiabujatribune@ yahoo.com 08030947856
Luck smiles on Destiny, first baby of the year —Pg.22 Streets begin to get busy again after long holiday—Pg.22
to brief journalists on the policy thrust of his administration in coming days, after which field workers would be deployed to get tangible results. Abuja Xtra gathered that although the minister has noted the enormous work which he has to undertake in order to leave indelible marks in the sand of history in the territory, especially with non appointment of a minister of state for him, he has braced up for the tasks while residents would begin to feel the impact of his actions as from next week. One of the areas the minister would tackle headlong is the issue of under-performance of Area Councils chairmen, a task which fell under the portfolio of ministers of state in previous regime and which failed to yield fruits, particularly during the last administration.
2. Clement Idoko idokoajiga@yahoo. co.uk 08034412281 3. Kolawole Daniel kolawoledaniels@yahoo.co.uk 08030763782 4. Adetola Bademosi gloriaadetola@ gmail.com 08182214290 5. Collins Nnabuife chideraacollins@yahoo.com 08039521408
Waste management staff evacuating refuse in Abuja metropolis
Abuja Xtra email & GSM: abujaxtra@ gmail.com 08054501406
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abujaxtra
Tuesday, 5 January, 2016
Luck smiles on Destiny, first baby of the year Christian Okeke-Abuja
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UCK recently smiled on a female baby, Destiny Agu, who was born at 12:12 a.m. on New Year day to the family of Mr and Mrs Uche Agu at the Asokoro District Hospital, Abuja. Little Destiny, who weighed 3.7kg, attracted the wife of the president, Mrs Aisha Buhari, who was represented by the wife of the Speaker of House of Representatives, Mrs Gimbiya Dogara. Mrs. Dogara had paid a visit to the hospital to rejoice with the family of the first baby in what has now become an annual ritual. Wives of past presidents in recent time paid such visits to hospitals in Abuja to felicitate with first babies and to shower presents on them. This year, Mrs. Buhari toed same line and sent the Speaker’s wife to represent her in the ceremony at the Asokoro Hospital. She was accompanied by the Minister of Health, Professor Isaac Adewole. A remarkable thing about this year’s ceremony is that little Destiny was used as a point of contact to reach other children who were born at internally-displaced persons camps. Narrating her journey to delivering of baby Destiny, the mother, Mrs Amaka Agu, disclosed that she started experiencing contraction at about 5 p.m. the previous day.
Residents commend security agents for safe festivities Christian Okeke-Abuja RESIDENTS of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, have commended security agents in the area for their proactive steps in ensuring adequate protection of the residents during the just-concluded festive period. They noted that the security agents were on top of their jobs, exhibited professionalism and carried out proper surveillance in the territory. Some residents spoke to Abuja Xtra on the improved security and stated that they had feared that there would be attacks on the territory. They noted that the action by the security agents went beyond the usual assurance of safety of all residents to something tangible and commendable. The residents particularly commended the police, Department of State Service, civil defence and the military for working in unity to secure the territory A resident, who gave his name as Chima Nwafor, told Abuja Xtra that he avoided recreation centres and crowded areas during the last Christmas and New Year days over fear of possible attacks. According to him, he decided to take caution and avoided public functions, especially as attacks had previously happened with many casualties despite assurances from the security circle. “I stayed indoors throughout, apart from the times I went to church and to nearby market to buy a few things because everybody was just afraid. But now, as the celebrations are over without any incident, I am beginning to feel I lost out as I did not go out to enjoy it all,” he said.
The elated mother described her baby as a covenant child who was destined for greatness. Speaking at the ceremony, Mrs. Dog-
ara urged mothers to prioritise their vital roles in upbringing of their children. She observed that vices would be reduced
in the society if mothers played their roles well. The wife of the Speaker described children as gifts from God.
Wife of Speaker of House of Representatives, Mrs Gimbiya Dogara (2nd left), representing wife of the President, Hajia Aisha Buhari, carrying the first baby of the year, Destiny Agu, at Asokoro District Hospital, Abuja. With her is the Minister of Health, Professor Isaac Adewole.
Streets begin to get busy again after long holiday Christian Okeke-Abuja STREETS are beginning to get jammed again as most residents who travelled out of Abuja for the recent festivities are beginning to return. During the festivities, streets were free of traffics while major roads monitored by Abuja Xtra were without the usual heavy traffic. The traffic flow and lesser number of vehicles on the roads were attributed to the large number of residents who travelled
out of the city. During the period, traffic officers had fewer jobs and were not sighted at strategic points where they used to stay and work. They left the job to traffic lights and sensibilities of the road users. It was observed that traffic lights worked as normal, even in satellite towns. Information obtained by security sources also showed that there was reduction in crime rate in the territory during the period.
However, with the festivities over and the residents returning from their trips, the roads have resumed their busy activities. Even in satellite towns visited, including Kubwa, motorcyclists have resumed their usual take-over of the roads. Last Saturday in Kubwa, Abuja Xtra witnessed herd of cattle competing with road users on Gado Nasko road. Such incident has become a recurring thing in satellite town and sometimes, in city centres.
Zuba, Abuja, just before Christmas.
Unemployment: Youths begin job-hunting Christian Okeke-Abuja WITH just a few days into the New Year, unemployed youths in Abuja have commenced their search for jobs. Abuja Xtra observed that unemployed persons now move round establishments asking if vacancies exist. Checks revealed that hotels topped the list of preferred places by the job seekers. It was observed that the applicants besiege posters advertising vacancies and make necessary contacts in anticipation of
an offer. Abuja Xtra learnt that some of the applicants needed just any kind of job to be able to take care of their needs. One of the job seekers who gave his name as Kelvin said he commenced job-hunt since January 2nd, despite the fact that that day was Saturday. Another job seeker, John, said he had to quit his former security work over poor remuneration. He said extra tasks were given to him which included washing of cars of occupants of the compound on daily basis
without pay raise. This, he said, was outside other errands which they sent him outside his security responsibility. According to him, the N13, 000 which he was paid monthly was inadequate. He said: “I started to look for another work because the N13, 000 they are paying me there is not enough for me. If I eat and buy recharge card, what will remain for me? “I want to go back to school. That is even why I decided to work, but now, the money they pay me is too small.”
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Tuesday, 5 January, 2016
Nigerian Tribune
leadership &
management with Sulaimon Olanrewaju
m:08055001708 e:lanresulaimon@yahoo.com t:@lanresulaimon
Why some leaders excel and others don’t By Sulaimon Olanrewaju
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leader’s primary task is to provide solution to problems. A leader’s failure to solve problems puts a big question mark on his suitability for the role. Problems usually manifest in different forms and shades but whatever the shape a problem takes, the leader’s business is to proffer a solution to it. He may provide the solution directly or by working through others. The strategy adopted or deployed by the leader to unravel the problem is secondary, what is important is showing the way out of the quandary. However, it is not every leader that is able to solve the problem posed by the situation the organization he leads finds itself. This is usually not for lack of capacity but because many of the leaders who fail to solve problems never see themselves as being tougher or stronger than the problem. For a leader to proffer a solution to a problem, he must first get to the point that he does not see the problem as being beyond his capacity to tackle. He must see himself as able to untangle the puzzle posed by the situation. When a leader is of the opinion that a problem is beyond his ability, he gets overwhelmed by it and he is unable to come up with the initiative that can make the problem history. Once he gets to that point, his leadership begins to head for the south. Every leader encounters one problem or the other every time; it is only those who prove tougher, stronger and more determined than their most challenging problems that excel.
Tomi Somefun, Unity Bank MD/CEO
Quote “If you really want to do something, you’ll find a way. If you don’t, you’ll find an excuse.”
Continues on pg24
― Jim Rohn
The 60-second
—P26
—P24
business coach —P25
Leaders’
forum
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Tuesday, 5 January, 2016
leadership&management THE 60-SECOND business coach
7 rules leaders impose on themselves AT the core of leadership are boundaries and borderlines. It is easy to cross the lines from being a leader to a follower but it can be so difficult crossing from being a follower to a leader. Here are some rules every leader will strictly enforce on themselves. 1. They will listen more than they speak “There is a difference between being a leader and being a boss. Both are based on authority. A boss demands blind obedience; a leader earns his authority through understanding and trust.” – Klaus Balkenhol This is a sacred code of being a leader, to listen and absorb details. Such shows wisdom and leadership over folly and followership. By paying attention and listening, more leaders can be rationale and act decisively rather than impulsively. 2. They will show courage rather than cower “Keep your fears to yourself, but share your courage with others.” ― Robert Louis Stevenson Leaders are not afraid of delving into new territories or taking risks. They are afraid but they do not show it. Rather, they hide their trembling in bravado and courage. They know that their courage and bravery could be the underlying factor in achieving success and attaining a goal. 3. They will always be made of outstanding character My own definition of leadership is this: The capacity and the will to rally men and women to a common purpose and the character which inspires confidence. —General Montgomery At the end of the day, it really is not about the strategy or the technique they have used to achieve their goals, it is the character they showed in the process. Every leader lives on the sacred rule of being ruled by an outstanding character that is enviable not only to their followers but also to persons of an opposing faction. Character is at the core of leadership. 4. They will always be committed to their objectives Wisdom equals knowledge plus
courage. You have to not only know what to do and when to do it, but you have to also be brave enough to follow through.” – Jarod Kintz Leaders do not sit on the fence. It is either they are in or out. They are always committed to their goals and will put their energy only into a cause they believe in. Even if they do not see the fruition of their cause, they will follow through with the process of execution and actualizing their goals to the very end. 5. They will not be average “Average leaders raise the bar on themselves; good leaders raise the bar for others; great leaders inspire others to raise their own bar.” – Orrin Woodward One sacred rule of leadership is to focus on excellence. Mediocrity has nothing to do in the rule books of leaders. They are always striving to be better and be pacesetters. They want to be excellent and want to be models others will follow. 6. They will always learn Before you are a leader, success is all about growing yourself. When you become a leader, success is all about growing others. —Jack Welch This goes beyond gaining a formal education. Leaders know that learning is endless and knowing through their experience and the experience of others makes them more knowledgeable and be better seasoned as leaders. They dedicate themselves to reading and learning through unconventional methods if they have to. The goal is to attain wisdom and to satisfy their curious minds. 7. They will act accordingly rather than procrastinate “If you would convince a man that he does wrong, do right. But do not care to convince him. Men will believe what they see. Let them see.” —Henry David Thoreau Leaders do not hesitate or simply dreamers. They act. In reality, their actions motivates others to act. They are willing to be the one to set an example and show the way. Leadership is not about simple talk, it is also about walking the walk and acting right.
Continued from pg23
Many of those who feel overwhelmed by problems always start on a faulty premise; they always wish that things were easier for them. They always wish that they were not the ones to handle such ‘a difficult problem.’ They always wish that they had a less onerous situation to handle. They erroneously believe that they are unable to do much because of the enormity of the challenge that they encounter and pray for something less taxing. But as counseled by Jim Rohn, an American entrepreneur and author, it is unwise to wish that things were easier or that the situation was less challenging, rather it is better to wish that one was better. Those who are better than their challenges will always overcome those challenges. On the contrary, those who wish that things were easier never get round to fixing the problem they encounter. The reason is simple; the moment a person begins to wish that things were easier he has surrendered to the situation. Consequently, he is unable to task his brain to generate a solution to the problem. There is no problem that is beyond the capacity of the human brain to tackle. Any problem that remains unsolved is so because enough thinking has not been done towards finding a solution to it. The only impossibilities that exist are the ones we allow in our minds. Leaders are remembered for three things; the problems they solved, the problems they created and the problems they permitted. Those who are remembered for the problems they solved are treated as heroes while those remembered for the problems they either created or permitted are viewed as villains. Why leaders are overwhelmed by problems Being overwhelmed by situations is a matter of choice. So, leaders who are overwhelmed are those who either subject themselves to that situation or allow themselves to be subjected to it. This happens for a number of reasons. Let’s consider some of them. Lack of hunger for legacy One of the factors that keep leaders going in spite of the numerous challenges they encounter is the desire to bequeath a legacy. Being in a leadership position is a rare privilege to make a positive impact on the people and the organization. The higher the position a leader occupies in an organization or nation, the better are his chances to leave an imprint on the people and the organization or nation. So, a leader who is propelled by the hunger to make an impact will never allow himself to be overwhelmed by any situation. Instead of being overwhelmed by the challenging situation, he will think outside the box to solve the riddle posed by the situation. But a leader who is not legacy-conscious will not travel that route. At the sight of the least of difficulties, he quakes and throws up his arms in surrender. Murtala Muhammed’s legacy
BOOK By Liz Wiseman
Abasiama Idaresit, CEO Wild Fusion
Rhoda Ebun, CEO of Roses and Thorns Fashion Company
Tayo Oviosu, CEO, Paga
Valentina Mintah, CEO, Techno Briain West
Why some leaders succeed and others don’t The late General Murtala Muhammed was in office as head of state for barely six months but he was able to leave a legacy as the nation’s first serious campaigner against corruption. By the time he assumed office, corruption was widespread and entrenched in the country, especially in government ministries and agencies. But in spite of the involvement of many well heeled and high placed people in the ignoble deed, he did not feel intimidated by the fight against it. He knew what he wanted to do and went ahead to do it. He moved against corruption in an unprecedented manner, felling along the way everyone suspected of involvement in the inglorious act. Hence, despite being in office for a very short time, he is still a reference point almost 40 years after his gruesome murder. What was the motivation for General Muhammed to do what he did? He had the mind, not just to be numbered among the country’s rulers but to leave a mark; he was driven by the urge to leave a legacy. That is why the enormity of the task did not overwhelm him. He saw himself as being able to handle the situation and he did handle it very well. Not focusing on the positives One of the requirements of great leadership is incurable optimism. Leaders are supposed to deliberately look for the bright sides of a gloomy situation and proceed from there. If a team member is discouraged there is still hope for the group. But when it is the leader that is disheartened the group is doomed. The reason is that every member of the group takes a cue from the leader. If they get a feeling that the leader is overwhelmed by the situation they also become weighed down and the problem becomes insuperable.
So, not focusing on the positives of a situation can get a leader and his team members to become overwhelmed. When the leader only talks about negatives or difficulties, he drains his team of the energy required to overcome the situation. So, while great leaders do not ignore the negatives outright, they do not pay too much attention to those sides; they concentrate more on the positives knowing that the successes recorded from those ones will give the impetus require to surmount the problems posed by the negatives. Focus A leader should never lose focus of why he is in office. Every leader in business or government is in office to render services that will solve one problem or the other. Often,
Leaders are remembered for three things; the problems they solved, the problems they created and the problems they permitted. Those who are remembered for the problems they solved are treated as heroes while those remembered for the problems they either created or permitted are viewed as villains.
leaders overlook this salient fact; they think the office is about them. The raison d’être of every office is the service it can render to its publics. So, the office is not about the leader, it is about those the leader is meant to serve. If a leader has this understanding, he does not look for an excuse when there is a problem, what he does is to find a way out of the conundrum. Instead of thinking up an excuse, the leader should travel into the recesses of his mind and get a solution to the problem. As observed by Jim Rohn, “If you really want to do a thing, you will find a way. If you don’t, you will find an excuse.” Outstanding leaders always find a way; ordinary ones always make do with excuses. But those who make excuses hardly make any other thing. That is what makes them ordinary. Leveraging on others’ strengths Leadership is about the ability to harness the strength of others to achieve predetermined goals. When a leader is unable to do this, it is easy for him to get overwhelmed by challenges. The story is told of a boy who was trying to lift a luggage all by himself while his father was watching. He tried all he could to lift the luggage but he was unable to. His father prodded him to try and use all the resources available to him to lift the luggage. The boy tried again but to no avail. He then told his father that he had utilized all his resources but still could not lift the luggage. It was then the father told him that he should have asked him for assistance because he (the father) was part of the resources available to the boy. Leaders need to be able to leverage on the strengths, skills, energies, competences and abilities of those who work with them. They should be able to optimize the resources of others. It is only then that those ones get
better and the organization becomes stronger. What leaders need to realize is that while individuals may have weaknesses, a properly constituted team is not supposed to have any. A team should be an agglomeration of a people who make up for one another’s weaknesses. But having a team of diverse competences is not a guarantee for success. The onus is on the leader to identify the specific competences of each member and put same to use for the good of the organization as occasions demand. Creativity It was Albert Einstein who defined insanity as doing the same thing over and over again with the expectation of a different result. To get a new result, the leader must do a new thing. So, when there is a problem, the leader and his team must look at the situation with new eyes or from a different direction to have a new perspective of it and come up with a new strategy to handle it. As also said by Einstein, “We can’t solve problems by using the same kind of thinking we used when we created them.” The fact is that every problem is a creation of a thinking. The thinking that produced the problem cannot also be the solution. To bounce out of that situation requires a thinking that is different from the one that created it. That is why when a new leader gets into office he is able to effect some changes that the former incumbent had thought was impossible. The new man got a different result because he got into the office with a different thinking. If the incumbent will look at a situation from a different perspective, he will be able to generate the much needed solution. But when a leader fails to do this and keeps repeating the same strategy that had failed before, he gets overwhelmed and he is consumed by the thinking that the challenge is insurmountable.
IF we look back on our lives (the older we are the farther we may look), I would venture to say that at some point in our life we were influenced by an individual in ways that have marked us today. Maybe that individual challenged you, maybe they taught you, or maybe they simply encouraged you in your own personal growth. As leaders in our firms, we have the distinct opportunity of shaping a leadership culture with those in our areas of influence. Leadership, to me, is something that is shaped in the context of relationships. We don’t lead a faceless team; we lead a collection of individuals with unique ideas, insights and perspectives. How we choose to lead often leaves a mark on the individuals in much the same way that we were marked by others before us. Multipliers, by Liz Wiseman, came out of this former Oracle executive’s experience as a key leader in a major software company. She worked for a successful corporation that recruited the best talent and she was intrigued by the intelligence of those around her. She experienced a clear dichotomy in how she saw leaders use their “genius.” Her theory led her on a path to see what leadership looked like from these geniuses: The key to leaders in organizations is the ability to move from genius (where they may try to be the smartest person in the room) to genius maker (where they use their intelligence to access and multiply the genius in others). The author was able to name the contrasts she saw in leaders. Multipliers – create collective intelligence in organizations Extract intelligence to generate twice more from others around them Extending intelligence to stretch people beyond what they think they could give Diminishers – deplete the organization of crucial intelligence and capabilities Wiseman created 5 contrasting characteristics of Multipliers and Diminishers centered on each one’s perspective of intelligence. From here, Wiseman developed five disciplines of a Multiplier. Without sounding too simplistic or cliché, we have a roadmap to organize ourselves toward being more like a Multiplier than a Diminisher. Attract and optimize talent, create intensity that requires best thinking, extend challenges, debate decisions and instill ownership and accountability We all like to believe that we are Multipliers, but if we are honest with ourselves we will see ways in which we demonstrate the traits of a Diminisher. As I read this book, my mind regularly recalled the times that I acted as a Multiplier. I might have thought of instances where I acted as a Diminisher, but I quickly passed those off as isolated and unusual instances… of course, “I am a Multiplier” I told myself. At the book’s website, www.multipliersbook.com, there is an Accidental Diminisher survey that you can take to assess your starting point. Doing this survey of 10 common management scenarios gave me immediate feedback on my place along the Diminisher to Multiplier continuum. The good news was that the research of Multipliers revealed that most Multipliers exhibited strength in three of the five disciplines.
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leadership&management
Tuesday, 5 January, 2016
Nigerian Tribune
TOPE POPOOLA is a Human Capital developement Consultant and Pastor. Please feel free to send questions, feedback comments on this column to
topheritage@yahoo.com or visit http//turbochargedforsuccess.blogspot.com
Purposology as the springboard of success - 2 WE waited for it. We prayed to see it. Now it is here. Welcome 2016. Welcome new beginnings. Another opportunity to dream and dare again. Make your reach this year bigger than your grasp. Aim for the stars. Even if you don’t reach it, your feet would at least have left the ground. Success is never really about the goals we achieved. It is about the person we become while attaining those goals. Simply put, success is not about doing more work. It’s about being more of the YOU that God designed you to be. In spite of whatever challenges - and opportunities too - locked up in the year waiting for you to unravel them, may 2016 be your best year ever! Purposology can simply be defined as the discipline of purpose discovery, development and deployment. It is best understood and actualized at a higher level of understanding than the superficial. In actual fact, the answer to the WHY of a life, a venture, an enterprise or a partnership must be captured first within our emotions or our spiritual essence before we can actually put words to it. As with every equipment or product that we see in the market, the genetic coding of our WHY is found in our Manufacturer. Jesus Christ, Paul the apostle, Martin Luther the Reformer, Martin Luther King Jr., Mahatma Ghandi, Nelson Mandela, Mark Zuckerberg, Steve Jobs, Bill Gates. The mention of these names evokes certain memories and emotions in us that connect us with them and with something bigger than them. Each of them made significant contributions to the human enterprise in specific areas of their discovered purposology. Purposology begins with an unsettling or anger that we feel from within about a status quo that we desire to improve, change or eliminate. Our WHY is therefore a product of redemptive anger that desires to do something better than what status quo has to offer. People who are in a rut fall into five categories. First are those who do not even know that they are in a rut. Second are those who are in a rut but have no desire to exit even when they see a way out. These
are the kind of people Jesus spoke about when he said that those who are used to drinking old wine hardly express a desire for the new. They have practically settled in the rut and the thought of changing practically petrifies them with fear. Old habits, they say, die hard! The third category comprises people who want to get out but do not know how. The fourth category is made up of people who turn themselves into power brokers and benefit from all the dysfunctionalities in the rut. In the final category are those who are sick and tired of the rut and are eager to get out as soon as they see a way out. Every human dilemma creates a body of needs, some evident and some that have to be discovered by someone from outside the rut. People in the final category are usually ready market for any WHY that connects them with the solution they seek. And they would be willing to abundantly reward anyone who makes that available. Sometimes, for a long time, we may not find adequate words to describe the feeling that our discovery engenders in us. Yet we seek to be understood. This is what births the effort to express what we feel in words. The capacity to match the emotions we feel with words that accurately paint the picture of the outcome we desire is the fuel of our passion. Passion only makes sense when anger is focused and sustained in a given direction as a coded answer to a WHY. The intensity of anger that produces a WHY is what gives definition and specificity to consequent action. Purposology is a journey of discovery rather than wishful thinking or a will o’ the wisp, magically induced contrivance. It is the very core of our essence, the real truth about our being. The quest is therefore not a quest for a new YOU but the real YOU. Those who have found this truth don’t chase ephemeral fads. For anyone’s life to be significantly meaningful, it must revolve around one WHY. Every significant person is ruled by a “this one thing I do” mindset. For Jesus it was the salvation of mankind. For Paul, it was the preach-
ing of the gospel to the Gentile world. For Martin Luther King Jr., it was the entrenchment of civil rights in the American polity. For Steve Jobs, it was Apple. For Bill Gates, it is making a computer sit on every desk in the world. In the times of certain crises, a clearly defined purpose serves as the leader’s greatest motivation and constant source of inspiration. It sets itself as the compass that guides his odyssey of achievements. Discovered purpose is actually the driver of destiny. When we develop and eventually deploy it, our WHY simply becomes not only a veritable source of motivation but an open door to guaranteed rewards. A passionate communication of a WHY is guaranteed to attract attention. To succeed in any purpose, it is essential to keep talking about it until it makes sufficient sense to people to desire a buy-in. For any vision to succeed significantly, it must elicit the participation of people. There is no self-made person. Without adequate buy-in from people, a leader’s vision is as good as dead on arrival. It is trite knowledge that without a vision, as the Bible says, the people perish. But the opposite is also true. Without a people, the vision is also doomed. When people fully understand the WHY of anything, an idea an organization or a leader, and fully embrace it, they can be more forgiving of errors and even go as far as undertaking an explanation on behalf of the thing, organization or person to others who may not be in the flow. However, as Myles Munroe was wont to say, “Where purpose is not known, abuse is inevitable”. When people cannot understand or connect with the WHY of anything or leader, they fight back with hostility, criticism or plain rejection even when it is apparent that they need what is offered. Make sure that in 2016, you do not engage in anything for which you cannot define a WHY. The best of success strategies wherever and by whoever they are taught will end up in drudgery and frustration if there is no clearly defined and focused purpose to drive them... continued Remember, the sky is not your limit, God is!
Unchaining high finances IT is possible to operate in high finances in a third world country as Nigeria. How can you do that? This is the raison d’être for coming up with today’s piece. Buddy, there are too far many people—who are already living a first world life in a third world country. You too can join that class and rank of people, who are operating in high finances. In this piece, I am going to be unveiling and presenting one of the ways you can get to unchain and enjoy elevated finances in this beautiful year, 2016. To launch and begin with, on the condition that you do not take pleasure in doing what you are doing, you cannot do it well, and your success is contained in what you enjoy doing. Do you want to increase your echelon of finances this year? Then increase your commitment to excellence. The reason many people are not attracting high finances is because they do not enjoy doing what they are doing. They are doing what they are doing just because of their bills, not because they take pleasure in doing it. And if you are not enjoying what you are doing, there is no how you are going to become excellent at doing it. Bear in mind, if what you are doing lacks excellence, you will not be able to attract high paying clients, and it is only through high paying clients that you can get high finances. The quality of a person’s life is in express proportion to their commitment to excellence, regardless of their chosen field of endeavour. Do you want to increase the quality of your life in this year? Then you need to increase your commitment to excellence. When your commitment to excellence reduces, the quality of your life also drops. No one pays you higher than the quality of your life. One of the goals I have set for myself in this year is to increase my own commitment to excellence. You too can set the same goal for yourself.
Desire is the key to motivation, but it is determination, and commitment to an unrelenting pursuit of your goal—a commitment to excellence—that will enable you to attain the success you seek. Many people are looking in futility for success at the expense of an insistent and a persistent commitment, and dedication to excellence. Stop running after success, commit yourself to a life of excellence, and success will take care of itself. I have yet to see a man of excellence who is not successful. Success and excellence are two sides of a coin. Excellence is the continuing and plodding result of always striving to do better. To become excellence-driven, you will need to continue to strive to do better today than you did yesterday. No matter how good you are at what you do, when tomorrow comes, you should strive to do better. You are not a man of excellence if what you do today is just as good as what you did yesterday. The problem with a lot of people in business today is that they want to do better than their competitors while they fail to strive to do better today than they did yesterday. You want to keep attracting new customers and retaining the existing ones? Then keep striving to do better in your chosen field of business. If you truly desire to pull off excellence, you need to be told that you cannot get there in a day. Do not listen to what falsehood peddlers are saying. Excellence is not a cheap article of trade. It is a very costly one! For the umpteenth time, excellence can never be achieved in a day. It is the cumulative and snowballing effect of what you do daily. As of this second, quit doing less-than-excellent work. Many years ago, when a particular bar-soap first came into the Nigerian market, many customers rushed at it. You know excellence attracts. But after a while, they began to water-down its quality. When this happened, people began to return to
where they were coming from, and that was the end of that brand. You know mediocrity repels. If you want to attract high-finances this year, quit doing less-than-excellent work. On the condition that you are going to achieve excellence in big things, you need to develop the habit in little matters. Excellence is not an exception, it is a prevailing attitude. You do not just wake up one day and start achieving excellence in big things. If you want to achieve excellence in big things, start developing the habit in little things. This is non-negotiable. A few days ago, I spoke extensively on this at a conference. The up-and-coming generation of Nigerians does not want to start from the bottom-up; they want to start from the top. This is what makes most of them fail in life, leadership and business. Capacity for excellence is built during your days of little beginnings, so do not despise your days of little beginnings. Whatever your discipline, become a student of excellence in all things. Take every opportunity to observe, study and watch people who manifest the traits and persona of mastery. These models of excellence will inspire you and guide you toward the fulfillment of your highest potential. Do not forget to put into practice the mentioned instruction this year. You want to be inspired to start living a life of excellence? Then look for men and women of excellence and follow them. One of the reasons you are leading a mediocre life is because you are too arrogant to follow those who are ahead of you who are men and women of excellence. Lastly, excellence is a habit, not a series of one-off events. And achieving excellence is not something we do once and then pat ourselves on the back. It is something we do every day, like breathing. If you want to keep attracting high finances, you need to be excellence-driven on a daily basis.
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Tuesday, 5 January, 2016
brands& marketing
Nigerian Tribune
anchor Akin Adewakun
m:08054683584 e:akadewakun@yahoo.co.uk
2016: Optimism in marketing communications
industry despite economic downturns
not be good news to the nation’s economy. “Since every government in Nigeria relies on oil to survive and the citizenry both individual and corporate, in turn, rely on the government to survive, what it means is that the purchasing power of the average Nigerian consumer is not likely to be enhanced unless a miracle happens. And in a situation where the purchasing power of Nigerians continue to be hampered, the consequences should better be imagined,” he stated. While arguments continue to rage on regarding what the advertising industry may look like in the New Year, perhaps the common ground in all these is that there could still be light at the end of the tunnel. For instance, with the much-touted diversification of the economy taking place, resulting in enhanced purchasing powers, the IMC may still have cause to smile in the New Year.
Stories By Akin Adewakun – Lagos
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ITH Year 2015 successfully ‘ousted’ and stakeholders in the different sectors of the nation’s economy gradually settling down into the new year, varied expectations, ranging from hope, optimism and lurid pessimism, no doubt pervade these sectors as business activities gradually take off in the new year. Interestingly, just like any other sector of the economy, the nation’s Integrated Marketing Communication (IMC) industry, equally shares in this admixture of optimism and pessimism. For instance, while many, in the advertising clan, would see the new year as that which may ultimately sound the death knell of the industry, since the fortune of crude oil, the mainstay of the nation’s economy, has not fared better in the global market, not a few however still see the year as that of ‘recovery’ for the industry, especially with the body language of the new government in place, signifying its readiness to take the bull of the economy by the horn. For instance, one of those factors the optimists hinge their belief, of a more prosperous IMC industry in Year 2016, on is that of the change mantra, being preached by the government at the centre, and which seems to be having a trickle-down effect on every sector of the economy. The Managing Partner of a Lagos-based public relations outfit, Mr Bolaji Abimbola, argued that unlike the previous year, where the first two quarters of the year were ‘squandered’ on elections and electioneering campaigns, operators in the various sectors of the economy might settle down for business, earlier than expected, in the new year; a development, he believed, would be further enhanced by the early release of the nation’s budget. “Besides, the presidential media chat, for me, is an eye opener that more than ever before, the industry would be needed, at least to communicate some of the intentions and sometimes those laudable programmes of the present government to Nigerians; since it is obvious that the government has the best of intention in turning the nation’s economy around. “Moreover, if you notice the trend in the past few months, various businesses are keen on coming to explore the nation’s market, and this is no doubt good business for us in the industry since they would need communications to penetrate the market,” argued Bolaji, who is the managing partner of Indigo, a Lagos-based public relations firm. Bolaji, however, stressed the need for practitioners to re-tool and re-invent to remain relevant in the industry; noting that practitioners, still desirous of doing business the old way should not expect to see different results in the year. “For instance, public relations and experiential arms of the industry might steal the show in the year; since brand owners are looking for a measurable and more cost-effi-
New online lifestyle channel, REDTV debuts Udeme Ufot, Chairman, Advertising Practitioners’ Council of Nigeria (APCON) cient way of marketing their brands, a space which I think PR and experiential marketing will be able to fill conveniently this year,” he argued. This optimism is also shared by John Ajayi, publisher of the popular integrated marketing communications journal, the Marketing Edge Magazine. According to him, the recently- pronounced restrictions on the foreign exchange would no doubt go a long way in protecting the domestic industry and enable genuine local businesses to do business in Nigeria, since it would go a long way in checking abuse. He also believes the early release of the nation’s budget would enable businesses settle down on time; since the budget usually forms the blueprint for individual and corporate budgets in Nigeria. “What this early treatment of the budget, by both the executive and the legislative arms of government as we are currently seeing, means is that individuals and corporate organisations would not have to sit idly throughout the first quarter of the year, as it is usually the norm in the past years, when Nigerians wait endlessly for the release of the nation’s ever-delayed budget,” he argued. Managing Director, Compact Communications, Mr Chuddy Uduenyi, would not be left out of the optimism train either. While arguing against the claims in some quarters about the possibility of the MTN’s N1.04 Trillion fine ‘derailing’ the advertising spend in the new year, the marketing communication expert believes that rather than impacting negatively on the overall advertising
spend for the year, the development might even bolster the spend. “Ordinarily a lot of people might look at it from that perspective, especially going by the fact that the telecoms service provider remains a huge spender in that segment. But the fact remains that this is not the time for the network to cut down on advertising budget. “It would be a year the telecoms outfit would have to embark on several marketing communications campaigns to tell its own side of the story. And the beautiful thing in all these is that the telecoms outfit is a big brand that understands the importance of communications,” he stated. But Mr Biyi Adesuyi, the Chief Executive Officer of Wealthgate Advisor would rather preach ‘cautious optimism’, especially to those looking for a rosy new year for the industry. “With all the developments on both domestic and foreign scenes, there is no way the purchasing power of the average Nigerian consumer would not be affected. “For instance, while the fate of our crude oil in the global market has continued to dwindle, more worrisome is the fact that the United States of America would start exporting crude oil in huge quantity, as from this year January. The country had not exported this product in the past forty years, which means we have more competitors on our hand to grapple with now. “Besides, the embargo on Iran has been lifted which means that Iran will also join the number of countries participating on the global oil market, a development that may
A dynamic online lifestyle channel that puts the spotlight on Africa with a distinct global appeal, REDTV has been launched. The lifestyle channel features the very best of entertainment, news, design, travel, fashion, music, sports and comedy. “REDTV strives to be first and foremost all about the content; and to this end the channel has partnered and collaborated with leading visionaries, who are as passionate and committed to being part of a platform for the New Africa, one that positions itself confidently on the global stage,” said Bola Atta, Director, Marketing and Corporate Communications, UBA Africa. According to Atta, the breathtaking views from the top floor of the UBA House, coupled with the ambience reflected in the aspiration of REDTV, a network focused on creating unforgettable moments on the screen as it inspires viewers. Atta described the location for the launch as an acknowledgment of RED TV’s proud association with UBA group, a financial institution that serves customers across 19 countries in Africa and has a presence in London, New York and Paris. ‘REDTV launches at a time when the way viewers consume and share information has evolved dramatically. The age of sitting communally in front of a television screen, reading a newspaper or magazine is over. Consumers want to disseminate information in real time and on the go, favouring intimate programming channels that speak to core interests and needs. REDTV promises to bring that to viewers in a vibrant and evocative way,’ Atta stated. In attendance were Dakore Akande, Zeb Ejiro, Fred Amata, Betty Irabor, Bola Balogun, Didi Ocheja-Daley, Erelu Angela Adebayo, Ono Bello and a host of other celebrities.
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brands&marketing
Tuesday, 5 January, 2016
Kasapreko commissions $70milliom factory in Ghana Stories By Akin Adewakun –Lagos
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HE Kasapreko brand received a big boost recently as the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) and Consumer Protection Council (CPC) endorsed the company and its offerings at the commissioning of its $70 million factory in Ghana. The newly-equipped state-ofthe-art factory, will enable the company become a total beverage company. The company also launched a new bottle for Alomo Bitters, its flagship brand, to enable it look more attractive to the consumers. The new plant has four packaging lines, equipped with worldclass machinery that can produce alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks as well as bottled water in different packaging formats. The company will now produce fruit juice, energy drinks, hard liquor and mineral water amongst others at the factory. Speaking at the event, the Director-General of NAFDAC, Dr Paul Orhii, described Kasapreko as a Pan-African brand, known for being a good corporate social responsible company that all Africans are proud of. He congratulated Kasapreko on the new factory and expansion of their beverage line while looking forward to working with the company in future. Mr Shamm Kolo, one of the Directors at CPC Headquarters, Abuja added that Kasapreko products are of very good quality and well researched. “The company has also worked closely with the agency to apprehend individuals that produce fake version of their products. We are very happy to work with them and look forward to more part-
nerships in the future,” he stated. The Group Chairman and Founder of Kasapreko, Dr Kwabena Adjei said the four factory lines have the capacity to package 110,000 bottles per hour in both glass and PET format. He believes the new machine would go a long way in boost-
ing the company’s production capacity in a bid to meet huge demands for its products on the local and international markets. “We have invested in two stateof-the-art customised high speed production lines for our spirit brands. These two lines have a combined capacity to package
From left, company driver, Fatai Olayiwola; Retail Specialist, Fresh Mark, Taibat Lawal; General Manager, Anton Wagenaar; Creditors Manager, Olusegun Alabi; Executive Director, Adeola Kagho; Regional Admin Manager, Femi Oke; Branch Manager, Shoprite, Apapa, Julius Nwankwoala and Trading Manager, Fresh Mark, Ronnie Ferreira, all 10-year staff of Shoprite, while cutting the cake to open Shoprite Circle Mall Osapa, Lekki-Epe Expressway, Lagos and to celebrate Shoprite Nigeria at 10, recently.
Pulse Ady Ads partners Efritin.com THE nation’s online market place received a boost recently as online classified platform Pulse Ady Ads, recently endorsed Efritin.com, an online market place as the go to marketplace for existing Ady users who wish to continue enjoying great online market place experience. Ringier Nigeria, owner of the platform, had earlier announced its decision to discontinue the ser-
vices of its horizontal classifieds platform, Ady, thereby launching a new offering, Pulse Ady Ads. With Efritin.com as its exclusive launch partner, Pulse Ady Ads is expected to provide a 360 degree touch point for endorsed online business partners, as well as an easy access point to online services for Pulse’s readers. Speaking about the partnership, Head of Ady.ng and Digitial Clas-
GOtv appoints Daddy Showkey brand ambassador VETERAN Nigerian singer, John Odafe Asiemo, popularly known as Daddy Showkey, has been appointed GOtv brand ambassador, at an endorsement deal signed at the MultiChoice Head office in Lagos, recently. According to the paytv brand, the signing of Showkey, famous for his creation of the “Galala” dance routine and loved by the grassroots for his grass-to-grace story, will further entrench it as the trusted digital migration partner in Nigeria. With this development, Daddy Showkey and existing GOtv brand ambassador John Okafor, aka Mr Ibu will conjointly promote the GOtv brand across Nigeria. Daddy Showkey will also feature in GOtv
70,000 bottles in one hour, in both glass and PET formats. In addition, we have just completed the installation of two additional high speed lines to produce our water and non-alcoholic drinks with a combined capacity of 40,000 bottles per hour,’ he added.
brand commercials and make special guest appearances at major GOtv events amongst other activities. GOtv subscribers could be sur-
prised by Daddy Showkey in their neighbourhood as he goes about rewarding lucky winners in the ongoing GOtv “Go Pick Ya Own” promos.
sified at Ringier Nigeria, Christopher Bjergmose, described the partnership with Efritin as a great choice for Pulse Ady Ads in providing its readers with a topnotch marketplace where they will be able to find great deals, job opportunities and much more. “I also feel that Efritin is the right choice for carrying on the Ady Classifieds legacy and the best place for our loyal users to continue buying and selling used good,” he added. On his part, Managing Director, Efritin.com, Zakaria Hersi, said “we are excited to partner with Pulse and also be the go-to classifieds for Ady users. Our determination to provide trust and convenience in the Nigerian online market space made it a natural choice to partner up.”
Nigerian Tribune
ARM expands business frontiers
Evolves into integrated asset management company
ASSET & Resource Management Company Limited, (ARM) has expanded its business frontiers, as the company, in its 21 years of existence, has transformed from being an investment management firm into Nigeria’s largest non-bank financial institution. A statement issued by the company, hinged the success stories of the company on the leadership style of the duo of Ms Jumoke Ogundare and Mr Sadiq Mohammed, the incumbent Group Chief Executive Officer and Deputy Chief Executive Officer respectively. “Ms Ogundare and Mr Mohammed are long-time ARM executives who know the Company, its clients, employees and operations quite well. Placing these experienced executives into leadership roles underscores the Company’s commitment of realising ambitions which remains the core purpose of the business,” the statement read. Besides, the duo is being supported by an experienced fourman Executive Management Committee with a combined 95 years of service with the Company and over 125 years of industry-related experience. ARM Group CEO, Ms Jumoke Ogundare stressed that “ARM’s success has been hinged on the ability to remain focussed on its essence of realising ambitions, its staff and core values. “Our business success is ensured by the support of our over 2,500 staff. We plan to continuously foster an inclusive, diverse and thriving workplace in the coming years,” she stated. Ogundare added that ARM’s vision was recently revised from being a West-Africa focussed business to an Africa focussed business to reflect its actualisation of its West Africa reach and to signal its foothold in Africa through its acquisition of Mixta Africa.
Shoprite Nigeria unveils 16th supermarket SHOPRITE Nigeria opened its 16th supermarket in the country in Osapa District, located off Lekki-Epe Express Road in Lagos recently, with the longest serving staff of the company, Mrs Adeola Kagho, cutting the opening tape. Staff members who have been working for the supermarket chain since it first launched in Nigeria in 2005, officially unveiled the new Shoprite in the
Circle Mall development. Kagho, the company’s Executive Director, joined the retail store outfit as a Store Admin Manager. Other long-serving employees who participated in the official opening of the new store included Femi Oke (a former Creditors Manager, now the Regional Admin Manager for the South region) and Julius Nwankwoala
(a former Back Admin Manager, now the Branch Manager for Shoprite Apapa Mall). The new 3,500m2 store caters for all daily, weekly and monthly food and household requirements of its customers. Over and above a wide range of food and non-food lines, it features various service departments including a butchery, bakery, fish shop, delicatessen, a fresh fruit and
vegetable department as well as a wide range of wine and liquor. With 18 standard till points, 6 express tills and 379 parking bays, the Shoprite at Circle Mall offers customers a convenient shopping experience. Branch manager Mr Collins Amadi and his team invite the local community to visit their new store for a pleasant and hassle-free shopping experience.
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Tuesday, 5 January, 2016
infotech
Nigerian Tribune
anchor Bode Adewumi
m:08055001765 e:bodekafi@yahoo.com
Why we are moving our operations into the hinterland —Kumar, iSON BPO boss
Mr Pravin Kumar is the Group Chief Executive Officer of iSON BPO, a company that specialises in consulting and systems integration services, managed services, and outsourcing services. Kumar is an industry veteran with more than 35 years of experience during which he has been credited with the creation of three large business empires and he’s a widely respected name in the business process outsourcing space. In this interview with BODE ADEWUMI, he speaks on the activities of the company in Nigeria among other issues in the Information and Communications Technology (ICT). Excerpts:
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tors must encourage the banking sector, the insurance sector to outsource, especially the insurance sector. It is important that the banking and insurance regulators allow outsourcing to happen in these two important sectors like it is done globally.
hat’s the idea behind ISON BPO? ISON BPO is into all kinds of customer life cycle management processes. Customer life cycle begins when any company decides to launch a product, it will have branches like marketing, sales, after sales, service management and eventually the customer decides to buy your product, then it has become a joint management. So, we do everything and most of our client’s base today is in the telecommunications sector, but we are also focusing on banks, distribution companies, retail, etc.
Why do you opt for places like Ibadan, Abeokuta and not industrialised cities like Lagos, Abuja or Port-Harcourt? You see Lagos and Abuja are not the places. Take Lagos for example, all the people come from different locations from Nigeria. So, why not go to those locations, rather than allow them to relocate to places like Lagos and Abuja? Life in these places can at times be very miserable in that for an eight-hour job, they have to travel three and a half hours. Those coming in created more chaos in the cities of Lagos and Abuja. They are not natural cities for the development of this business. And we think that therefore we are going to places where the people will be happy doing what they are doing and not be thinking about strenuous factors.
How do you find the investment climate in Nigeria? Well, we have been in Nigeria for over four years. Business challenges are always there, but no regrets. We started with about a thousand people; today we have about four thousand people in our employ. And by March 2016, we hope to have about five thousand people in our employ. We have presence in four cities namely, Ibadan, Abeokuta, Ilorin and Kano. We also have an office in Lagos with call centres in the four locations. So, no major regret, but we think that it may grow much faster, provided there is a focus on improvement in the quality of infrastructure, especially the quality of power. These are two very important issues. Also, the recent restriction on the movement of foreign exchange, especially at a time you are investing about $15 million into the economy could be very challenging and these three months have created such challenges, but we are managing. Would you say your company’s handling of Airtel’s call centre operations landed you the MTN’s job? Absolutely. Our performance in Airtel Nigeria has definitely helped us in getting the MTN deal and other deals too. What are the plans to ensure that customers enjoy your services? We have already started doing a lot of skills management, but we want to institutionalise the process of skills development in Nigeria because for any growth of the kind that can happen here, we need to have resources, which are groomed and trained to handle these kinds of assignments. We are therefore thinking of starting a large skills development centre, a kind of management and a finishing institute in Nigeria. How would you rate the Nigerians in terms of adaptability to the job? Now, we have presence in about 25 countries in Africa and the Middle East. I must confess that the quality of man power we have been able to see and interact with
How far have you been able to exploit these opportunities? We are going to these places because we used to have call centres in Lagos and Abuja, which we have closed. All the jobs have been created in all these other cities. And we are confident that the benefits of going to all these relatively small places will definitely help the growth of this industry, the people in these cities and our own operations in general.
Kumar, iSON BPO boss in Nigeria is the best. They just need to be groomed, their education be made relevant to their jobs and after that, they are very aggressive.
I must confess that the quality of manpower we have been able to see and interact with in Nigeria is the best.
This aggression, if moved in the right direction, can lead to very good results. What other things do you handle apart from call centre operations management? We are also into IT services and we are in the space of doing IT services. We have another company that handles IT services like any large IT company. We may not be big like IBM or Ericsson, but we are there also. Apart from Airtel and MTN, which other company do you handle? At the moment, we are handling AIICO Insurance, Etisalat, Standard Chartered Bank and GT Bank among others. How conducive is the regulation of the industry in Nigeria? When it comes to call centre operations through outsourcing, I think it is yet to develop, so it is not deterring. But the regula-
Where do you hope to see the outsourcing industry in the next few years? Well, this industry started in India with about three people, but today there are more than two million people in this industry in India. I am confident that with the required support from the regulators and the government, I think this industry can easily employ more 200,000 people. And that will then create stability. I’m a strong supporter of outsourcing because I know it is needed for the growth of any economy and Nigeria is no exemption. What is your opinion on the perception that some nationals of some countries who come to invest in Nigeria do exploit their workers or subject them to inhuman treatments? As far as we are concerned, in our entire five thousand people set up in Nigeria, we have only fifteen non-Nigerians at best. We at iSON BPO do not believe and will not undertake any act or policy that will dehumanise our workers because they are the bedrock of this company and therefore, deserve the best treatment which we are giving them.
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infotech
Tuesday, 5 January, 2016
Telecoms industry in Nigeria records 12% subscriber growth —Report Stories By Bode Adewumi
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igeria’s telecoms industry has recorded a growth of 11.9 per cent in active mobile subscribers in the last one year, according to findings. The period spans from September 2014 and September 2015, when the telecoms regulator, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) released the latest industry report. According to the report, the industry subscriber base grew from 134.5 million to 150.6 million, representing an 11.9 per cent growth. It was, however, gathered that only Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) operators including MTN, Globacom, Airtel and Etisalat contributed to the increase. The Code Division Multiple Access and fixed wired/wireless segments of the sector did not contribute anything to the growth, as these two segments continue to experience consistent decline in their subscriptions. Meanwhile, telecoms companies in Nigeria lost a total of 357,997 active lines on their various networks last month in September. From 151,018,624 active telephone lines in August, the number of active telephone lines on mostly GSM operators including MTN, Globacom, Airtel and Etisalat declined to 150,660,631 phone lines. This represents a fall of 357,997 lines, according to the latest industry status report in subscriber base released by the NCC. Analysts say the reduction in subscriber base might not be unconnected with the directive by the regulator mandating telecoms networks to deactivate unregistered or poorly registers subscriber identity module (SIM) lines on the networks. In the same vein, teledensity plunge from 107.87 per cent in August to 107.61 per cent in September, representing a fall of 0.26 per cent. Telephone density or Tele-density is the number of telephone connections for every hundred individuals living within an area. It varies widely across the nations and also between urban and rural areas within a country. Telephone density has significant correlation with the per capita GDP of the area. It is also used as an indicator of the purchasing power of the middle class of the country or specific region. From January this year, active subscribers have consistently increased from 140.8 million in January to 151 million in August. However, the August subscribers data is the first time the operators witnessed decrease in subscriber base, ostensibly because of the SIM deactivation saga. Month-on-month subscriber data shows that moved up to 142.5
million in February. This also increased to 143.9 million; 145.4 million; 146.5 million; 148.7 million, 150.7 million and 151 million in March, April, May, June,
July and August respectively. Meanwhile, of the 151 million active subscribers base, GSM operators including MTN, Globacom, Airtel and Etisalat control 148.7
million; the CDMA segment predominantly controlled by Jim Ovia’s Visafone has 2.1 million while fixed wired/wireless networks have 189, 523 lines.
From left, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, Ekiti State, Dr Eunice Dada; her Education, Science and Technology counterpart, Mr Jide Egunjobi; Deputy Governor, Ekiti State, Dr Kolapo Olusola; Corporate Social Value Manager, Samsung Electronics West Africa, Mrs Abosede George-Ogan and Training Manager, Samsung Engineering Academy, Mr Dickson Odikayor at the launch of Samsung’s second Engineering Academy in Ado Ekiti, Ekiti State, recently.
Omatek urges FG to focus on local content policy in ICT A big stakeholder in the Information and Communications Technology (ICT) industry in the country has said that full implementation of the local content policy must be effected if Nigeria is to be made a technology-driven nation, just as the Federal Government would be able to amass wealth and drive away unemployment. Omatek boss, Mrs Florence Seriki, once again brought this to the fore recently when the new Minister of Communications, Mr Adebayo Shittu paid a working visit to the ICT company in Lagos, reiterated the need for the FG to focus on the technology sector, even as much thought is being given to a diversified economy in Nigeria, The call came just as the Adebayo Shittu-led Ministry of Communication is considering a novel
road-map for the sector under the new administration by way of introducing a blue-print for the sector in January 2016. “Omatek will be 30 years by 2016 and we have, thus far created a solid foundation by showcasing to the world that Nigeria is a hub of innovation and creativity leveraging not just desktop hardware technology, but also solar power tech solutions. “Many ministers have come to see what we do here at Omatek by way of showing support and see the need for government to begin to look in the direction of indigenous players in the technology industry to drive key sectors of the economy. “But record has it that to bridge the digital gap in Nigeria, government really have to look inward. And we at Omatek have demonstrated skill, capacity and innovation to be able to handle national
projects as we have exemplified in various federal tertiary institutions, banks, ministries, department and agencies for both federal and state governments and the Nigeria Stock Exchange(NSE). “A recent survey has it that 99 per cent of indigenous ICT company have short-lived because of government neglect, hence it is critical for government to reposition local content policy through a Public Private Partnership approach whereby stakeholders will be involved in policy formation,” she said. Seriki opined that Nigeria can be a manufacturer in the ICT global village and do away with foreign brands. “We know that government cannot do it alone, but we are ready to support if the public-private partnership model is adopted by this new administration,” she said.
Samsung launches second Engineering Academy in Ekiti Following the success of the first engineering academy in Lagos, Samsung Electronics West Africa has launched its second Engineering Academy in Ekiti, in partnership with the Ekiti State Government. Commenting on the launch of the academy in Ado- Ekiti, Managing Director, Samsung Electronics, West Africa, Mr Brovo Kim said the aim is to build success partnerships in Nigeria to equip the country’s youth with the technical and employability skills they need to transform their lives, as well as find jobs or become entrepreneurs. “This is in line with the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals, which include no poverty, quality education and decent work and economic growth. “The Engineering Academy initiative seeks to address the critical technical and skills shortage in Africa. Samsung has launched its
Engineering Academy in South Africa, Kenya and Nigeria to provide hands on vocational skills training for youth. By opening up well paying job opportunities for its students, Samsung’s quality of service is differentiated and set in line with the government’s drive for creating decent jobs, especially for young citizens,” Kim added. The Ekiti Engineering Academy has three theory rooms and three practical rooms, each with a seating capacity of 20. The students at the Academy will be taught across three trades, including Audio Visual, Home Appliances and Information Mobile and Technology. Speaking at the event, the Deputy Governor, Ekiti State, Dr. Kolapo Olusola, who represented the Governor of the Ekiti State, Mr Ayodele Fayose, showed enthusiasm about the opportunities the engineering
academy will offer youths in the state, Fayose called on other relevant stakeholders to emulate this credible achievement of Samsung Electronics West Africa. ”Let me assure you that Ekiti State Government and Samsung Electronics West Africa will continue to partner to bring about the vision and mission of the academy to bear, now and always by performing their respective derivable tasks, which will advance the cause of the academy.” he reiterated. The Samsung Engineering Academy is core to Samsung’s vision to fast track the entry of youth into the electronics job market, including the opportunity to work as independent service technicians within its retail channel outlets and to establish their own independently run businesses. The focus of the academy will be to train individuals in repair, maintenance and service of modern electronic equipment.
Nigerian Tribune
NATCOMS canvasses alternative means to SIM card re-registration The National Association of Telecommunications Subscribers (NATCOMS) has called for an alternative means for telecoms consumers to re-register their Subscribers’ Identification Module (SIM) cards. The President of NATCOMS, Chief Deolu Ogunbanjo, last week in Lagos said that operators should provide an easier means for customers affected by the SIM card re-registration to be able to re-register, instead of going to the service providers’ offices. Ogunbanjo said that a perfect alternative was for the network providers to allow those affected to send the required data through Short Messaging Service (SMS). He said that such an alternative means would ensure that telecoms subscribers were not subjected to any stress for an exercise they had undertaken previously. “SIM registration is very good, but there should be some deliberate initiative to ensure that the subscribers are not subjected to any further stress. “They should engage other means of capturing subscribers’ additional data,” Ogunbanjo said. He said that the problem with the SIM card registration procedures should be blamed on the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) and the agents it commissioned to carry out the exercise.
Microsoft to warn email users of suspected hacking by governments Microsoft Corporation has said it will begin warning users of its consumer services including Outlook.com email when the company suspects that a government has been trying to hack into their accounts. The policy change comes nine days after Reuters asked the company why it had decided not to tell victims of a hacking campaign, discovered in 2011, that had targeted international leaders of China’s Tibetan and Uighur minorities in particular. According to two former employees of Microsoft, the company’s own experts had concluded several years ago that Chinese authorities had been behind the campaign but the company did not pass on that information to users of its Hotmail service, which is now called Outlook.com. In its statement, Microsoft said neither it nor the United States government could pinpoint the sources of the hacking attacks and that they didn’t come from a single country. The policy shift at the world’s largest software company follows similar moves since October by Internet giants Facebook Inc, Twitter Inc and most recently, Yahoo Inc. Google pioneered the practice in 2012 and said it now alerts tens of thousands of users every few months.
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Tuesday, 5 January, 2016
property
Nigerian Tribune
anchor Gbemi Solaja
m:07065220616 e:gbemisolaja@gmail.com
Expert harps on revamping mortgage system Stories By Gbemi Solaja – Lagos
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IRECTOR-General, Centre for Management Development (CMD) Dr Kabir Usman has emphasised the need to revamp mortgage system to reduce housing problems in the country. Usman who spoke at the unveiling of the Mortgage and Real Estate Academy (MOREACADEMY) in Lagos recently, lamented that mortgage facilities were out of the reach of Nigerians. Speaking further, Usman who emphasised that over 2.8 million houses annually, over the next six years, was needed to bridge the housing deficit in the country, pointed out that adequate training and human capacity building of professionals and housing providers would facilitate mortgage for Nigerians. He said continuous training of professionals would eradicate the problems of housing shortage. He, however, noted that the training had become essential to fill the gap in a country with a growing population and the huge housing needs. “The Managing Director, WACL, also the Coordinator, MOREACA DEMY, Prince Ade Akinfolurin explained that the institu-
tion would offer compulsory training and certification to mortgage and real estate practitioners. “It is important for operators to participate in the course to keep them abreast of many innovations that would keep them competitive and sharpen their skill in the provision of affordable houses and mortgages, because ultimately, it is only professionals who can render mortgage and real estate services. “Unprofessionalism has strived in this industry for too long and eventually, anyone
who does not have the sort of certification we offer will not be licensed to practice Real Estate or Mortgage in the country. For years, the nation has suffered material, human and economic losses arising from the fact that the real estate sector has been left in the hands of quacks. The professionals in the sector are less than 50 per cent which has led to the fraudulent practices in the industry. “Every economy is measured by the number and sophistication of real properties that adorn the landscape of a nation as well
REDAN stresses alternative source of building materials FORMER President, Real Estate Developers Association of Nigeria (REDAN), Chief Olabode Afolayan, has identified one of the major challenges of the Nigerian Housing sector as over dependence on imported building materials, calling for alternative source of materials. He decried that housing shortage persisted despite unabated efforts by various stakeholders to find lasting solutions to the problems. “It is government‘s responsibility to reduce the consideration for imported materials to provide for the needs of Nigerians “ In
countries like Sweden and Czech Republic, alternative source of building materials are used and so you find that they don’t even use cement at all . All their houses are made of wood. Again, in those days, there was nothing like decking, planks were used. They get wood and kept them for six months after which they are used to construct the houses. Even in the United States, some elevators are made with planks, which are less than 10 per cent of Iron so why can’t we replicate the same here. We should begin to use things like that here. There is forest everywhere. We don’t need to import planks. We should
Architects restate commitment to professional practice THE Architects Registration Council of Nigeria (ARCON), has reiterated its commitment to professionalism and ethical standards in the architecture profession, just as it promised to eliminate quackery. The council stated through its registrar, Malam Mohammad Aliyu, in an interview with an online platform, that the association was also partnering with relevant government agencies to ensure that building plans were designed by licensed architects to eradicate quackery in the profession, adding that it was also going to reverse the negative trend through public education and sensitisation. “To reverse this negative trend, we must constantly remind ourselves of the adverse effect of our actions through edu-
as quality of properties churned to its citizenry, be it commercial or residential. Without a properly planned and professionally managed housing system, citizens would be struggling. That is why in Nigeria; you see people working in Abuja, but have to commute daily all the way from Kaduna. And lots of people have to live in Mowe or Ibafo or even close to Abeokuta, from where they go to work in Lagos. If they all have opportunities of living in Lagos, they will not live elsewhere,” he added.
cation. ARCON is quite aware that education is a continuous process. “Let us begin by saying that the discerning man knows what to do in the process of putting up a befitting structure either for himself or for the general use of the public. He would not go to the roadside to procure the service of a quack because he knows that his safety and that of the public is paramount to him, before giving consideration to the huge investment and capital outlay of such project. He noted that the government should look closely into the building industry in finding solutions to the problem of unemployment in the country” if the government were to address the issue of unemployment, I believe that the building
industry which is vibrant can help sustain this drive. I also believe that other ancillary professions would gain enormously from this vibrancy if resources are properly harnessed. He advised the investing public to cross check with the council the status of any person or firm they wished to employ for the design of their buildings. The key words here are Nigerian citizens, fully registered and architectural building plans. In other words, you must be a Nigerian citizen and at the same time fully registered under this Act before you are allowed to produce architectural building plans/ implementation for approval purposes in Nigeria. Only those who comply with this law can be called architects,” he added.
begin to utilise what we have.” He said there was need to look at alternative source of locally produced products. “Again, why can’t we use literite to mould blocks. You don’t need more than 7. 5 per cent content and so if there is no much cement. With this, you must have eliminated imported materials. It will be impossible to meet the housing gap in this country if we continue to build in the traditional way” he added. Uneasy with the situation, Afolayan in a chat with Nigerian Tribune maintained that there was no end in sight to the various problems faced in the industry as long as some issues lingered, lamenting that issues with building materials had continued to truncate hope of housing delivery, noting that this had dashed hopes of affordable housing for the teeming populace any time soon. According to him, exorbitant costs of building materials and over dependence on imported materials for housing production had further worsened the case, adding that over 70 per cent of materials were imported. On finance, he decried that the cost of finance was too high, saying that the commercial banks were making housing delivery difficult with unrealistic interest rate demands. He called on the Federal Government to set up a construction bank similar to the Bank of Industry to cater solely for the construction of residential houses.
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Tuesday, 5 January, 2016 Group Politics Editor Taiwo Adisa - 08072000046 tai_adis@yahoo.com
Buhari
As Nigerians grapple with current socio-economic and political realities in the country, KUNLE ODEREMI writes on the deluge of promises made by the Executive and the Legislature in the out-gone year.
N
IGERIA is going through one of the most challenging times in its history. The national economy is tottering because of the tumbling price of crude oil, it is the country’s main mainstay. Agriculture, which formed its economic backbone at independence in 1960, holds little promise currently because of the abysmal neglect the sector suffered over the years. The rate of unemployment is frightening. All these issues have resulted in social and economic insecurity. To address the challenges, political experts say, requires the collaborative effort of all the arms of government, particularly the Executive and the Legislature. While the former has the statutory power to initiate policies and programmes, the legislature is empowered to appropriate and give approval to capital and current expenditures. How these functions are performed without breach of the constitution on the separation of power by the two arms of
Saraki
Dogara
2016 as benchmark for Executive, NASS government will be serious put to test in the new year as Nigerians eagerly await the fulfillment of campaign promises by the elected public officials. Somehow, the current political leaders have spent the last seven months trying to establish structures that should assist them in meeting the yearnings of Nigerians.. With about five months to the commemoration of their first one year in office, the
political leaders and arms of government are expected to show case their capacity and ability to meet the needs of the people, because 2016 is expected to benchmark the rest of the four-year tenure of the executive and members of the executive and legislative arm of government. At inception, the present political leadership acknowledged the abyss of alley occasioned by those core challenges, and had at
The Nigerian political elite and leadership need to bother themselves with three questions nations ask themselves in times of crises: Where are we now; where do we want to go; and what resources do we need to get us to the kind of Nigeria of our dream.
various times and at different fora after the 2015 elections promised to restore glory to the country. President Muhammadu Buhari believed that Nigeria had no reason to be in a precarious economic situation, given its immense economic potentialities. “No single cause can be identified to explain Nigerian’s poor economic performance over the years than the power situation. It is a national shame that an economy of 180 million generates only 4,000MW, and distributes even less. Continuous tinkering with the structures of power supply and distribution and close on $20b expanded since 1999 have only brought darkness, frustration, misery, and resignation among Nigerians.” Buhari was miffed by the scale of unemployment, notably among the youth in the country, promising to attack the problem frontally through by revamping agriculture, solid minerals mining giving credit facilities to small and medium size businesses to kick-start these enterprises. He added: “We shall quickly examine the best way to revive major incontinues pg33
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When Ambode presented 2016 Budget to Lagos Assembly BOLA BADMUS writes on the public expectations and the Lagos State budget for the incoming year, 2016.
F
OR the administration of Lagos State, the 2016 state budget has been tagged, The People’s Budget. Governor Akinwunmi Ambode underscored the nomenclature when he presented it to members of the state House of Assembly. According to stakeholders, the action of the governor is in keeping faith with the tradition of Lagos as trail blazer in meeting the needs of the people and creating conducive environment for the corporate world. Therefore, December 17, in the outgoing year, was historic as many thronged the state House of Assembly complex, Alausa, Ikeja, as early as 8am, to witness Ambode table the budget before legislators. The whole complex literally overflew with citizens of the state cutting across all strata of the society. As top government functionaries, astute politicians and lawmakers exchanged pleasantries, itinerant drummers provided scintillating rhythms to the delight of gaily dressed members of different groups that converged outside the Assembly complex. Indeed, it was yet another occasion for the executive and the legislative arm of government to showcase their commitment to partnering in the project of delivering the dividends of democracy to the vast majority of residents of the state. The atmosphere in the chamber became pulsating, when the Speaker arrived, with students, obas, chiefs, artisans, rights activists, representatives of Community Development Associations (CDAs) and professional bodies going into frenzy. The governor and Speaker Mudashiru Obasa
Ambode underlined the strategic position Lagos occupies in the country and need to build on its great strides spanning all spheres of human endeavour, clad in agbada, Ambode, was all smiles, as he entered into the hallow chamber of the Assembly. He was ushered in by Speaker Mudashiru Obasa, lawmakers, other state officials in the presence of All Progressives Congress (APC) officials, led by the state chairman of the party, Chief Henry Ajomale and other leaders. The governor immediately proceeded with the business of the day. First, he thanked members of the Assembly for their co-operation and dedication in handling the re-ordering of the 2015 budget towards meeting the basic needs of the people. He assured that the budget would promote massive investment in security, transportation traffic management, physical and social infrastructural development and enhance job creation. Ambode proposed a budget of N662.588 billion, with recurrent expenditure put at N278.909 billion and capital at N383.678 billion. He said
Obasa his administration planned to focus on current challenges of security, traffic gridlock, and physical and social infrastructure development. “We plan to strategically build new infrastructure while we continue to maintain existing ones. Wealth and empowerment creation will receive a lot of attention as we commence the implementation of the employment trust scheme which we’ll set aside N25 billion over a four years’ period,” the governor said. Speaker Obasa was highly delighted about the existing cordial relationship between the two arms of government. He praised the governor for his effort at further developing the state, assuring him of the full support of the lawmakers, in view of the collective mission of placing Lagos on a better, higher and firm pedestal. According to him, “Our state, Lagos, the Centre of excellence, has continued to be seen both within and outside country as the very place where good governance is the norm, which readily explains why our state is home to all Nigeri-
ans having maintained the status of a mega city. It is for instance on record today that even leading members of opposition parties in our country readily attest to the fact that Lagos state remains the positive reference point when good governance in being discussed. Here in Lagos State, the three tiers of government: the Legislature, the Executive and the judiciary have always been striving to put our people first in all we do. The House of assembly comprises industrious brilliant and diligent men and women who are making a difference in their various constituencies.” Obasa observed that despite the distinct statues of the three organs of government, they have continued to collaborate to deliver democracy dividends to Lagosians, without the lawmakers compromising on their constitutional duties. He added that the cooperation had culminated in Lagos generally regarded as the symbol of good governance.” He said the recent commissioning and handing over patrol vehicles, armoured personnel carriers (APCs), gunboats and helicopters to the Nigerian police and the rapid response squad (RRS) to combat crime in the state among other things. Obasa said in treating the budget, the lawmakers would act as the real trustees of the people by giving priority to job creation and economic empowerment of Lagosians. He acknowledged the current challenge posed by traffic hiccups in the state, stating that he knew that the governor “has taken steps in managing (it ) since his assumption of office.” However, Obasa reminded the citizens that the task of taking Lagos to the next level was a collective responsibility. He explained that the town hall meetings organized by the State House of Assembly was meant to allow the people make their inputs into the 2016. His statement drew a spontaneous ovation from the audience.
Suggestions from stakeholders continued from pg32
dustries and accelerate the revival and development of our railways, roads and general infrastructure.” Realising importance of synergy between the executive and the legislatures, the Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki is promising a robust legislative process that will deliver the goods to Nigerians, in appreciation for the confidence they have reposed the present political leadership via the 2015 elections. Therefore, he says the task before he and his colleagues in the Senate is though enormous but not ambiguous. “Nigerians voted for change. They demand that we deliver to them tangible change. They expect that we improve the quality of governance. Three clear issues agitate their mind today; the falling government revenues and the current fiscal crisis in many of our states, the unsustainable cost of governance in the country and the rising cost of doing business in Nigeria.” Accordingly, he said the time demanded that the lawmakers “to hold fast to the reason we were elected in the first place to listen to and fight for the concerns of our brothers and sisters, sons and daughters, fathers and mothers back home. We are the closest representation that they have to the federal system; hence, we must also be the most dogged-advocates of their demands.” The Senate president noted that with the falling price of oil in the international market and the attendant reduction in revenues, the fiscal stress was already evident
on the nation’s economy , adding “we must reduce to the barest minimum revenue leakage points; strengthen oversight of the entire revenue collection and mobilisation architecture of the federation.” Similarly, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Honourable Yakubu Dogara asserted that the legislators had assumed office at a period in the history of the country when the morale of Nigerians was low, the economy in shambles, the living conditions of Nigerians are in poor shape, infrastructures almost nonexistent or at best decayed. The Speaker observed that while the country was facing another debt crisis, he and his colleagues would play their part in the new opportunity offered them by Nigerians to recover the country from the clutches of hunger, poverty, disease, social, economic, political and infrastructural quagmire.” This, according to him, they hope to do by justifying “the confidence of our people by keeping faith with our duties of Law making, Representation and Oversight of the Executive arm of government.” However, many contend that the war
against corruption has occupied the centre stage for the greater part of last year after the March/April polls. Real governance had been at a slow pace, even at the level of the legislative arm of government. But stakeholders in the country seem to be in hurry for the two arms of government to buckle up in the New Year, thus the agenda setting by prominent pressure groups and well meaning individuals. Worried by the crash in oil price, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) advocated diversification of the economy, which it claimed had continued to register artificial growth without jobs, by bringing benefits to only a few. The Director General of the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs (NIIA), Professor Bola Akinterinwa, on his part, expressed high expectation, in view of the quality of the current set of ministers. “They are people who had occupied one position or the other in the past. With this in view, Nigerians expect them to perform efficiently,” he said. Also, Dr Kole Odutola of the University of Florida, United States advocated a clear road map that would guide
Nigerians voted for change. They demand that we deliver to them tangible change. They expect that we improve the quality of governance.
the present political leadership of Nigeria. According to him, “A nation on its knees needs all hands on deck. The most important agenda is the road map for Nigeria. A quick period of stock taking is imperative to determine how to get to the next destination with the lean resources at our disposal. Our thinkers need to decide how to fashion out a workable, sustainable development plan that can be applied from the community level to the national level. As we think about production at the national level, we also need to work on creating an integrated system that can kick start economic development without compromising our environment.” The university don urged the Nigerian political elite and leadership to bother themselves with three questions nations ask themselves in times of crises: Where are we now; where do we want to go; and what resources do we need to get us to the kind of Nigeria of our dream.” As the people anxiously and patiently await the ‘miracle’ the political leaders have promised throughout 2015 notwithstanding the vagaries of the time, greater attention will be on both the Executive and the National Assembly for policy direction and execution of projects with direct impact on the lives of majority of the citizens. While the twin issue of accountability and transparency will be on the front burner in political discourse, the judiciary will be measured on how it performs its constitutional function as it relates to the Rule of Law.
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politics&policy
By Moses Ebe Ochonu
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HE way in which power is wielded and performed in the current political dispensation in Nigeria bears out and complicates Foucault’s thesis of subtle and stealthy power at the same time; it is at once crudely physical and invisibly subtle. It is so brutally real that one can only speak of a powerknowledge regime with some intellectual trepidation. At the same time, it takes such subtle and discursive forms that it makes contemporary Nigeria some kind of ethnographic present for Foucault’s thesis. Nigeria’s political leaders, especially state governors, have been employing the carrot and the stick in a strategic exercise of power. On the one hand they sponsor projects that seek to engender consent and popularity. They have been gently but steadily planting their persona and their image on the landscape by inscribing their names on any edifice with the remotest connection to their tenure—a seemingly innocuous thing to do, but an act that is packed with power implications. On the other hand, they hire thugs and intimidate opponents and dissenting members of the public. Elected officials have been building little armies of cohesion. And, most recently, they have resorted to the use of blackmail (employing state resources and state-funded programs) to force obedience and conformity. This recent addition to the behavioral repertoire of Nigerian political leaders has serious implications for how citizens engage with power. In fact it has implications for whether or not they engage with power at all. I will return to this theme later. The theatrics of power unfolding in Nigeria mirrors a dangerous escalation of a familiar trend—an abuse of power that is so entrenched it renders alternative forms aberrant. It is a form of power that Foucault’s thesis could not have captured in all its ramifications. It is dangerous because it employs any method, direct or indirect, brutal or gentle, to insinuate political leaders permanently or semi-permanently into the consciousness of citizens. To be sure, the object includes the maximization of consent. But in contemporary Nigeria the aim is broader. The political behaviour of Nigeria’s present power elite borders on megalomania, a trait that Foucault consigned to the pre-modern era. Events of the last four years have illustrated this drift towards megalomaniacal displays eloquently; elected officials have immersed themselves so deeply in the thrills of domination that they are no longer capable of imagining themselves outside governance. Some state governors are clearly committed to the project of making their names interchangeable with those of their states. Increasingly, the state governors have come to see the states they preside over as extensions of their persons. And they have been working insidiously towards concretizing this vision, hoping to make their image coextensive with that of their states, and vice versa. This process was in full swing in 2001 when I resided in Nigeria to conduct doctoral field work. Elected officials, especially state governors, were in the process of naturalising their leadership, and of making themselves the staple of popular political discourse. What are the forms that the discourse and manifestations of power take in contemporary Nigeria? Some of them are so banal, so insignificant in their occurrence that we risk missing their import. Let us start with the federal government. When the phrase “dividend of democracy” came upon the Nigerian political scene in 1999 after the end of mili-
Tuesday, 5 January, 2016
Banality of power in “democratic” Nigeria
fangled forms of power that it has largely surrendered its critical vibrancy. For the most part, Nigeria conforms to Mbembe’s arguments about the mockery of the power of the state through an inversion and bastardization of the latter’s own discourses. The use of political cartoons in newspapers and magazines, popular songs, and crude beer parlor discourses to mock and critique the state continues unabated in Nigeria as in other African countries instanced by Mbembe. At the heart of the quagmire, then, are two interlocking issues: the inability of the governed to demand accountability and to launch sustained critiques of the state; and (at times) their refusal to ask questions of those in power. The second problem may start as a manifestation of economic desperation, rendering the governed practically incapable—from a purely existential or survivalist perspective—of resisting the seduction of political patronage or the temptation to compromise. But it can quickly take on a life of its own, becoming a normative socio-cultural reality, and creating a semiotic universe which enables compulsion to metamorphose into an alibi. In such systems—and Nigeria is a good example—the discourse of compulsion and economic desperation becomes merely a retrospective rationalization of political retreat, inertia, and compromise, a convenient tool of self-exoneration in the hands of co-opted subjects of power. The problem is thus a complex one.
Mahmud Mohammed, CJN tary rule, many did not realize its power to affect and infect the possibilities for political perception in Nigeria as well as Nigerians’ view of obligations and responsibilities in a democracy. Today, however, the phrase sits atop the hierarchy of politically significant and oft-deployed concepts; it enjoys the acceptance of pro-government propagandists and opposition intellectuals alike. As recently as June 2004, the respected Cardinal Olubunmi Okogie, Catholic the Archbishop of Lagos, who is widely regarded as a critic of the current government, was quoted in the national media as having “rated the Federal Government low on democracy dividends.” The expression has come to abide in the political lexicon as a reminder of the agenda-setting, self-interested discourse of the ruling elite. As I argued elsewhere (Thisday 26/11/02), the phrase soon acquired notoriety, especially after it was used as an ideological anchor for a country-wide media tour organized by the then Information
Minister, Jerry Gana, a tour which was advertised as a showcase of “the dividends of democracy.” As I argued further, it soon came to acquire a comical dimension, making a transition into the realm of popular discourse and national humor, a transition which underlined its ubiquity. For example, a woman who delivered a baby was told that that was her own dividend of democracy. A man who got bullied by the Nigerian police in the familiar display of police brutality was said to be reaping his own dividend of democracy. So, in this light, one could say that this phrase, which originated from the power elite, was turned on its head and mobilised in mockery of the state. Insights The ways in which Nigerians have engaged with these new manifestations of power have been interesting and instructive. The public sphere has been so overwhelmed by the appearance of these multi-
If officials do not have to “deliver” the “benefits” of democracy, do not have to be popular to continue to lead, and do not have to seek popular acclamation, democracy will cease to mean anything to Nigerians.
Conclusion The unfolding democratic experience in Nigeria provides a template for examining the ways in which forms of power supposedly alien to democracy and intrinsic to autocracy are being craftily deployed along with other performances of power that bastardize or mimic the democratic concepts of popularity, consent, and public acceptance. This bewildering mix of symbols and force, blackmail and insinuation, ubiquity and discourse, enables an understanding of how democracy as a political act and its emphasis on image, acceptance and popularity leads elected officials to invent and reinvent ways of performing power that are a depressing throwback to military rule and one-party dictatorships. How can Nigerian democracy be stripped of the emphasis on “performance,” popularity, and appearances of acceptance—which have paradoxically been responsible for elected officials’ abuse of power—without compromising the need for accountability, popular acclamation, and popular support, which are key ingredients of a democratic system? This is a contradiction that cannot be easily resolved, a challenge that requires careful handling. If officials do not have to “deliver” the “benefits” of democracy, do not have to be popular to continue to lead, and do not have to seek popular acclamation, democracy will cease to mean anything to Nigerians. On the other hand, an undue emphasis on these elements of the democratic process makes them the primary objectives of elected leaders, while the actual business of governance languishes in neglect, fostering disillusionment with democratic civilian rule. •An abridged work of Ochonu in Gefame, the Journal of African Studies.
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tribunelaw
For enquiries, Lanre Adewole - 0811 695 4647 olanreade@yahoo.com
Judiciary in 2016: Expectations, challenges The judiciary in the last year played a key role in the integration and transition of governance and its efforts had been adjudged by many to be effective. This, however, does not mitigate the fact that the judiciary has a lot to do to overcome the various challenges ahead of it in 2016. YEJIDE GBENGA-OGUNDARE reports.
justice administration receives a boost. Looking at it from a populist stand point, that is, from opinion of the generality of the public, it appears that judiciary needs to have a re-think of its conduct, strategy and total approach to administration of justice. Once those election matters are disposed of, then the judiciary should return at full scheme to dealing with the ordinary problems of Nigerians”. He was echoed by another.”
I
n 2015, Nigeria’s judiciary was at its peak. The year was indeed a busy one for the nation’s judicial sector; series of pre-election applications, post-election cases, Tribunals and Appeals, judicial corruption allegations, anti corruption war and the code of conduct assets declaration saga. All these put the sector in the thick of all spectacular occurrences and tested the level of independence the judiciary can boast of. Though, there is still the belief that the judiciary failed in some instances to assert its independence and act above board, some have said that the third arm of government did the best it could based on the situation in which it found itself. In fact, many expressed the sentiment that the judiciary performed beyond expectations in the year that just ended. The battle to dissociate itself from undue interference of the executive and legislative arm of government has always been a fierce one for the nation’s judiciary and in this regard, many men of the wig and gown profession believe that the judiciary fought a good battle in 2015. According to them, if not for the judiciary, Nigeria as a nation will not be a unified entity today, adding that the effectiveness of the judiciary is the only reason that the diverse ethnic, religious and political issues have not disintegrated the nation. The judiciary played the important role of unifying and stabilising the nation in 2015 and expectations are high from many quarters that it will do more in 2016, as a lot is hanging in the balance, especially with the diverse corruption matters before it. It is not going to be an easy job for the judiciary as so much responsibility has been placed on its shoulders and the Nigerian masses are looking up to it so much as the last hope of the common man. The highlight for the judiciary in 2015 for which it received so much accolades is the handling of matters that arose from the past general elections especially at the various Elections Petition Tribunals and the Court of Appeal. There is the belief that except for few cases, the judiciary stuck to its guns and gave judgment without fear or favour, doing justice to matters before it as laid down by law and even going the extra mile to ensure that all matters are treated expeditiously. A senior advocate of Nigeria was quoted to have given the judiciary a pass mark in 2015 especially in the area of election petition matters. Malam Yusuf Ali lauded the judiciary especially the Court of Appeal and the tribunal for doing very well and expressed great confidence that the Supreme court will live up to expectations once gubernatorial petition matters gets there. It is a common tendency to play up the general weakness of the judiciary as a whole
especially in terms of corruption and it is generally believed that things are not as it should be but is spite of this, the judiciary has been rated to have performed well in 2015, thus the stakes are high and expectations are high on whether the judiciary can build on the success of 2015 in 2016. Stakeholders have stated that for the judiciary to be more effective in 2016, it should be more focused. There is a need to shun corruption, be nonpartisan, deliver judgment on merit, allow the best hands to handle matters, give judgment fairly while the independence of the judiciary should be respected and they should not operate under the caprices of anybody. The judiciary has its work set out as the challenges before it in this New Year are enormous. So many factors have been raised by stakeholders in the judicial sector. They issues raised ranges from corruption to poor funding and welfare packages, indiscipline and slow justice dispensation. Corruption and indiscipline The issue of corruptions on the bench was a major issue in 2015 as there were various allegations against some members of the bench and other judicial officers. There were
Judiciary should be in for a serious shakeup this year. There are lots of human beings who are grossly unfit for the bench currently sitting there. Unless something drastic happens, the anti-corruption war will encounter problems in the hands of lazy and incompetent judges.
also issues of indiscipline which is generally accepted as an aberration in the legal profession. In fact, President Muhammadu Buhari confirmed that there is a need to fight both real and perceived corrupt practices within the judicial system when he made a call to this effect through the Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo at the recent 2015 All Nigerian Judges’ Conference with the theme: `The Judiciary as a Veritable Instrument for Sustaining Democracy in Nigeria’ in Abuja He urged the judiciary to improve its capacity to act independently, courageously, and tirelessly and do everything possible to fight against the perception and the reality of growing judicial corruption, adding that the judiciary must go the extra mile to sanitize itself and improve its capacity to act independently, courageously and tirelessly. Also, he called for the eradication of negative perception and dissatisfaction at the long delays in the trial process especially for high profile cases of corruption, especially where they involve serving or former political office holders. The issue of corruption on the bar and bench as well as judicial officers needs to be addressed urgently for the judiciary to move forward in 2016. Handling of election petitions Though the judiciary has been lauded for its handling of election matters but there have been complaints that the efforts of the judiciary have not been totally satisfactory. There have been complaints over some matters determined at various state tribunals even after conclusion at the appellate court and to put an end to this, experts have recommended that critical steps needs to be taken to overhaul the process of election petition determination and handling of electoral disputes. A Senior Advocate of Nigeria Chief Awa Kalu, last year told pressmen that the judiciary still needs to work on its handling of the election matters. “The handling of election matters has not been totally satisfactory; it appears that some critical thinking has to be put to the determination of what to do with the handling of electoral disputes. The judiciary must review its work ethics in tandem with an improved approach to the nation’s justice system with a view to ensuring that the nation’s
Funding, external influences and overwork In the year that ended, the judiciary has performed well in spite of its various challenges but to achieve full independence for optimum effectiveness and give undiluted justice without fear or favour, and allow judges to confidently display exemplary courage and sagacity in their pronouncements to further the cause of the common man, there must be financial autonomy for the judiciary and it must be well funded. Also, there should be more judges and courts to handle cases as the judiciary is at present over loaded and the challenge of overwork as well as external influences erodes the impartiality and independence of the judiciary as he who pays the piper dictates the tune. Some have called for the total overhauling and strengthening; the number of judges and courts must as a matter of priority be increased as judges are weighted down with too many case files and are usually constrained by time to do justice to all these matters while their freedom is also frequently curtailed by the executive and the legislative arms of government. Quick justice dispensation One of the greatest challenges of the judiciary is the snail pace of justice dispensation and this needs urgent attention if the maxim that says justice delayed is justice denied will be taken serious. The greatest expectation expressed by stakeholders on judicial performance for the year 2016 is accelerated justice dispensation especially in criminal cases and matters that involve particularly high profile corruption. The issue of unnecessary bail denial and entertaining of frivolous application as well as long term remand of suspects in prison custody which leads to elongation of the life span of most cases must be avoided. Welfare package of judicial workers Incessant industrial actions by the Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN) are a major challenge. Also, cases of court clerks hiding files or issues of case files and exhibits disappearing for pecuniary gains are a clog in the wheel of progress in the judiciary. The government needs to pay the judicial staff well and on time so that there will be no shutdown of judicial activities this year. There is need for an improved welfare package for judicial officers. Lawyers also have great expectations and called for a shakeup and cleansing of the judiciary in all its spheres; bar, bench and litigants to get fruitful results. Continues pg36
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Expectations, challenges of judiciary in 2016 continued pg35
Barrister Dave Ajetomobi, Former Chairman, Nigeria Bar Association, Ikeja Branch “Judiciary should be in for a serious shakeup this year. There are lots of human beings who are grossly unfit for the bench currently sitting there. Unless something drastic happens, the anti-corruption war will encounter problems in the hands of lazy and incompetent judges. Some people got there not because they know what it entails but because they know somebody who knows somebody and they can’t cope with rigours of law practice, hence, they consider the judiciary as a resting place. Such persons must be flushed out for the Nigerian judiciary to progress. “We should expect the cleansing to bring out the best in the judiciary in 2016. The ones left will sit up. NBA should also look inwards and purge its members; corruption cases are being handled by lawyers whose instruction is to ensure the cases don’t make progress and are paid for it. That’s why Fayose, Orji Kalu, Late Audu, Dariye and a host of others are still walking about freely emboldened by the fact that courts proceedings are in their pockets. Their lawyers can exploit loopholes to stall cases. That’s the reason for increase in looting”. Barrister Shuaib Alaran “From all indications, I think we should expect a better judiciary in the year 2016. Even though, it is an independent arm of government, no doubt the body language of a sitting president has a lot of influence on its performance. Every right thinking Nigerian will realize that Mr. President has the good intention of fighting corruption, recover the loots of some of the past key government officials and use the same for the betterment of Nigeria. To this extent, it is our responsibility as patriotic Nigerians to contribute our own quota in whatever minute ways to give him our support to achieve this goal. Therefore the judiciary has a critical role to
play in all of this. For this administration to achieve its goal in fighting corruption, we cannot afford not to have a judiciary that is above board. A judiciary that will not compromise on ‘juicy’ cases that are brought before it. One thing is for the executive arm of government to initiate criminal proceedings against the corrupt politicians, another thing is to record successes from such proceedings. This largely depends on the quality of evidence that is made available by the prosecution and the readiness of the judiciary to give judgments without fear or favor. The major challenge really that may confront the gentlemen on the bench are the likely attempts by these corrupt politicians to influence them with huge amounts of money already stocked for that purpose. So my advice to all members of the judiciary is to ensure that they do their best in administering justice to achieve the
Rule of Law as the compass for waging a successful anti-corruption war The first Presidential Media Chat with President Muhammadu Buhari has come and gone. However, it has left in its wake a flurry of reactions which depends on which side of the President’s responses to the questions posed to him catches your fancy. Honestly speaking, I could see in our President a burning desire to put permanent structures in place for a better Nigeria we can all be proud of. I could see sincerity and integrity of purpose in leadership. I pray that our nation would get it right from this administration and that the myriads of problems bedevilling our country would become a thing of the past. There is an aspect of the media chat which got me and many Nigerians seriously worried. It was the President’s response to the issues of bail revolving around some persons standing trials for some serious offences. I had gone to visit my uncle the day and time the media chat was broadcast live. As I left for my house after the broadcast, some thoughts came to my mind as I pondered over my general impression of the media chat. The lawyer in me made me to dwell on the President’s responses to the bail issues. I was convinced on the need to get anyone who made away with our commonwealth to face the law. I equally thought on the need to observe the fundamental rights of those accused of having committed the crimes. It is true that our administration of justice system has its own problems. A situation where criminal matters drag on in our courts for eight to ten years is not good for the war against corruption. Tardiness in investigative process which results in weak evidence that cannot sustain a conviction is another problem. However, no matter how imperfect our system is, no matter how heinous the crimes committed, no matter how disgusted we are as citizens of this great country about those who have plundered our treasury and betrayed our trust, rule of law must be strictly observed in trying
them. No argument would jell for denying them the right to be granted bail while they are being tried. Granting bail to an accused person is in consonance with the Section 36 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. In COMPTROLLER OF NIGERIAN PRIONS V DR. FEMI ADEKANYE & 26 ORS (1999)10 NWLR (PT.623), the Court of Appeal per Oguntade JCA (as he then was) had this to say “…it needs to be borne in mind that even when efforts are made to curb crimes in society only civilized method should be employed…A law that does not discriminate in the award of punishment between the guilty and the innocent is a modern-day anachronism. No nation should tolerate it…” The danger inherent in demonizing the grant of bail by our Courts is far reaching in a nation where people are framed up for an offence they may not be guilty of at the end of the trial which can last for several years. No doubt,governance in a complex phenomenon, especially in our clime where there are mutual suspicions between the government and the governed. Those who had the privilege of serving us in the past have, generally speaking, let us down. Their activities were shrouded in secrecy and they behaved as if they were citizens of better pedigree than the rest of us. Much as the governed desire to have full disclosure on the activities of government, there are certain decisions of government which are informed by reasons which those in the helms of affairs are not readily willing to dish out. This perhaps may be as a result of the need to ensure that success is achieved or may be for security reasons. This I guess informed the President’s comments during the media chat. The majority of Nigerians that voted for change in the last Presidential Election in Nigeria did so not because they saw all those in the camp of those who championed the change mantra as saints who could not make any
best results, more so that this present government will not spare any individual that may be found wanting in discharging his duties”. Barrister Ikechukwu Ikeji “Well, I expect the judiciary in 2016 to be alive to its responsibilities as an arm of government with equal strength and stake in government. To act as a check to other arms of government and to stand its grounds with regards to its orders”. To achieve its pride of place in 2016, the judiciary must through its decisions and policy, impose a high sense of confidence in the Nigerian citizenry and give equal justice to all. Also, it needs to show that it is indeed independent by protecting itself from external influences or compromise by any arm of government.
legal clinic
By Olatunde Femi Abegunde Esq.ACOArb
m: +234-0803 967 7683; +234-0809 401 7911 e: pinnacle.chambers@yahoo.com, femabed2007@gmail.com f: Olatunde Abegunde & Associates-Pinnacle Chambers
mistake or who have not made any mistake in their public lives. The integrity of President Muhammadu Buhari and the Vice President, Professor Yemi Osibajo was indeed a strong factor. This current presidency is enjoying the goodwill and trust of majority of Nigerians who are yearning for positive change in all spheres of our national life.The fifth columnists must not be allowed to explore any lapse in prosecutorial procedures to derail the fight against corruption and other crimes The revelations of the allegations of how our treasury was looted blind by some of the key actors in the last administration is indeed disturbing. The Presidency has never minced words in saying that more revelations are still coming. We are glad to have a Presidency which does not see corruption as being different from stealing. The office of the Attorney General of the Federation and the prosecuting team must sit down and strategize in ensuring that the sinners do not go unpunished within the ambit of the law. They must remember that justice has no place for sentiments and media hype. Only cases that they can establish must find their ways to our Courts. As they are well aware, granting of bail does not mean that the accused persons are innocent. They should be creative in the application of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act. Finally,we appreciate our President’s passion to make our nation great again. However, we believe the war on corruption must be fought without disregarding the rule of law properly so called. Granting of bail to an accused person is in tandem with the presumption of innocence. We only need to look at our judicial system holistically to ensure that criminal prosecutions from the trial courts to the highest court in the land are concluded on time. Happy New Year to our dear readers. May this year bring forth the fruits of our efforts and may the Lord return the captivities of our dear nation that we may be like them that dream.
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Tuesday, 5 January, 2016
features
Editor: Kehinde Oyetimi featuresdesk@yahoo.com 081 118 450 48
From left, Mrs Yemisi Suswam, Governor Fayose and the Ewi, Oba Aladesanmi at the event.
Colour, pomp as Ekiti celebrates monarch Sam Nwaoko- Ado Ekiti
A
part from the annual Udiroko Festival of the Ado people of Ekiti State, another colourful event that rocked Ado Ekiti was the silver jubilee anniversary of the traditional ruler of the town, Oba Rufus Adeyemo Adejugbe Aladesanmi III. The Ewi was joined in the celebration by eminent guests from far and near as well as his subjects to mark the epoch on the throne. For the Ewi, who ascended the throne in 1990, the occasion was an appreciation to God for giving him the opportunity to realize his dream to become a monarch. Coupled with the milestone, the Ewi was also fulfilled that Ado Ekiti became the state capital and had grown in leaps and bounds for the past 19 years it was proclaimed as the headquarters and the seat of power in Ekiti State. The role played by Oba Adejugbe and personalities like Chief Afe Babalola, Chief Deji Fasuan, Chief Paul Alabi, Chief Ojo Falegan, the late Prof. Sam Aluko, just to mention a few has remained legendary in history. Apart from being the state capital, Ado Ekiti now plays host to two universities, two
polytechnics, several businesses and is being daily besieged by people from all walks of life seeking greener pastures. Governor Ayo Fayose led eminent personalities to the coronation anniversary which took place at the newly-completed Palace Amphitheater to join the Ewi and add glamour to the day. Those who attended included the former Governor of Niger State, Dr. Babangida Aliyu (who was represented), wife of the former Governor of Benue State, Mrs. Yemisi Suswam; former Deputy Governors, Chief Paul Alabi; Dr. Sikiru Lawal and Prof. Modupe Adelabu; Catholic Bishop of Ekiti Diocese, the Most Rev. Felix Ajakaye; retired Anglican Archbishop of Ondo Province and Bishop of Ekiti Diocese, the Most Rev. Samuel Abe; retired Supreme Court Judge, Justice Olufunmilola Adekeye, top government officials, community leaders and captains of industry. Chief Afe Babalola, the Founder of Afe Babalola University, Ado Ekiti (ABUAD) and the Aare Bamofin of Yoruba land served as the chairman of the occasion. The Kabiyesi was joined by his brother monarchs led by the current Chairman of
Ekiti State Council of Traditional Rulers who is also the Ologotun of Ogotun Ekiti, Oba Samuel Oladapo Oyebade. A compendium on the life and times of Oba Adejugbe, “Echoes of the Throne”, edited by a magazine publisher, Mrs. Rolake Adewumi was launched at the ceremony with over N10 million realized. Fayose launched the magazine with N5 million on behalf of the state government while Aare Babalola launched it with N2 million and Mrs. Suswam N1 million. The Ewi received homage from members of his traditional cabinet otherwise known as the Ewi-in-Council, the Omo Owas, honorary chiefs, Iyalojas, Ado Ekiti Progressive Union (APU), clubs, other tribes in the town. Mrs. Suswam, a native of Emure Ekiti said she was delighted to identify with Ekiti people saying :”I will continue to be proud to have been born an Ekiti girl.” The former Benue first lady revealed that she had her first encounter with Oba Adejugbe at the University of Jos (UNIJOS) where he served as Chancellor. Mrs. Suswam said she was impressed by the speech delivered by the Ewi as UNIJOS
Chancellor where her husband graduated as a PhD student describing the monarch’s speech as “excellent and brilliant.” While saying she is proud of Oba Adejugbe, Mrs. Suswam prayed for a long and peaceful reign for Kabiyesi saying Ekiti will continue to benefit from his wise counsel and experience. Former Deputy Governor Alabi said the Ewi will be eternally remembered for being in the forefront of the creation of Ekiti State out of the old Ondo State. Alabi who served as Director of Budget in the Presidency during the Abacha era when agitation for the creation of Ekiti State reached its peak revealed that he followed Oba Adejugbe to the late former military ruler to push for the creation of a new state. “I remember Kabiyesi telling Abacha that Ekiti people would not allow him back home if the state creation wouldn’t be a reality.” The Ologotun of Ogotun, Oba Oyebade, said the entire members of the State Council of Obas celebrate with one of them for witnessing the landmark wishing the Ewi more fruitful and prosperous reign ahead of him. In his speech, Fayose, who was the guest of honour, promised to attend any similar event organised in honour any traditional ruler in the state. “The governor is for all traditional rulers and people of the state. I want to assure our royal fathers that occasion like this is not limited to Ado as many of our royal fathers having such a great event like this, the governor is at your beck and call. “Ado is central to us as a state and I am for Continues on pg38
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features
Tuesday, 5 January, 2016
Participants at the event.
Hope rises as Zonta, stakeholders tackle gender violence By Olaoluwa Fatoki
W
omen generally have been identified as vulnerable globally following research findings. Efforts at reducing gender violence have been upped in the last few years. This was the focus when Zonta Club of Ibadan II gathered to discuss the evergrowing violence against women and the girl-child during its symposium recently. In her opening remarks at the symposium, the president of the Zonta Club of Ibadan 11, Mrs Atinuke Agunloye, lamented the fact that violence against women and children, particularly the girl child has grown considerably. “From domestic to societal violence, women and children are still suffering, and Zonta Club, being an organisation formed to champion the cause of the less-privileged, will continue to fight for these vulnerable groups. “We have, therefore, brought together an intelligent panel that will discuss issues that have to do with violence against women and the girl-child, while also coming up with
suggestions on how to stop the continued violence against these groups,” she said. In her presentation on the occasion, Dr (Mrs) Catherine Chovwen, a psychologist, described violence as a behaviour involving physical force which is intended to hurt, damage or kill someone. “Violence could be psychological, physical, verbal, sexual, among others, and it is carried out to suppress the human rights of the victims. “However, with more awareness about violence, vulnerable people are coming out to fight it, and I am happy that Zonta Club is at the forefront of the war against violence against women and children,” she said.
One of the ways through which we can curb, or reduce violence against women and the girl-child is sensitisation
In her submission, Mrs Bimpe SegunOlakojo, a lawyer, admitted that millions of women and girls die every year due to violence, “but we don’t have the statistics of victims in Nigeria. “We have seen that cases of violence against women and the girl-child are mostly perpetrated by people close to the victims, like the husband against the wife, or an employer against his/her employee, among others. “Despite having sections in the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria protecting women and children, some of those who perpetrate the violence are not adequately informed, and that is why a symposium of this nature is very important. “A husband may be beating his wife at the slightest provocation, and may not know that he is going against the laws of the land which protect women from violence; so we need to create more awareness about violence so that many people can know about it.” Representing the Oyo State police commissioner, Mr Leye Oyebade, was Mrs Olabisi Ilobanafor, who said the police are doing everything in its power to protect the vulnerable, particularly women and the girlchild in the society.
“Violence is a global issue, and the police have been protecting, and will continue to protect victims, but it is important that sensitisation is stepped up so that those who perpetrate violence against women and children will know they are running foul of the laws of the land,” the police commissioner said. For Alhaja Fatimah Abdulkareem, a former chairperson of the Nigeria Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ) in Oyo State, journalists, particularly women journalists, will continue to fight against violence against these vulnerable groups. “One of the ways through which we can curb, or reduce violence against women and the girl-child is sensitisation, and women journalists have been partnering with other governmental and non-governmental organisations to create the awareness, and we will continue to do so. “It is so unfortunate that men who beat their wives, or boys in the neighbourhood who rape girls feign ignorance of the law when challenged on their actions, and as a result of this, a lot still needs to be done in the area of sensitisation, and journalists will continue to disseminate the message on the need to end violence against women and the girl-child,” Abdulkareem said.
My longevity is due to God’s grace —Oba Aladesanmi Continued from pg37
all royal fathers and any event that tells the history of your existence, I will always be part of it. I also promise that by God’s grace, the new Oja Oba Market, if not completed by this time next year, will be near completion,” he said. Fayose added: “I pray that new things will be happening in this palace anytime we come here. We have spent over a year in office and in another five months it will be two yers people voted form me and very soon, I will be two years in office. “I look forward to the time I will say bye-bye as the Governor of Ekiti State, I work hard to ensure that value is added to governance. I want to be a reference point, Awolowo’s catchment area was Yoruba land, my own catchment area is Ekiti. “I am not interested in Obaship or even
chieftaincy title but I want to be a leader in politics. Kabiyesi, I love you but I love myself more than you. All the work I am doing, a time is coming when I will need you and the people of Ado. “Kabiyesi, please don’t forget, Ado people allow me to do more for you and when it is time to pay back, don’t forget me.” When it was time for him to make his speech, the Ewi told the gathering that he had prepared a 22-page address but said he would not want to bore the guests with long speech other than to appreciate them for making the day a glorious one. In his remarks, Oba Adejugbe thanked Governor Fayose for his tremendous efforts at developing Ado-Ekiti and the state at large. “Ado people cannot thank you, Governor Fayose enough. You have helped us a great deal and we pray that God will continue to support and bless you. I thank you also
for the pavilion here in the palace. It was through your great support and effort that it has been completed. I appeal to all Ado sons and daughters to support the administration,” he said. Oba Adejugbe said his longevity on the throne was due to the grace of God and the people over whom he reigns as king. He said: “I started my reign with a song ‘Bawo la o se laaja” (How shall we wade through the flood). I put everything before God that he must intervene. “I give glory to God, 25 years just like yesterday. The mountains I thought I won’t be able to climb to God be the glory, I was able to climb them. “I want to appeal to my people, let us give peace a chance. It is when there is peace that the governor can think of the right thing to do for the people. It is when there is peace that Aare Babalola will think of what to do for our
people. “I have no other job other than to pray for the peace and overall development of Ado Ekiti but at this juncture, I want to urge everyone of us to go back to the basics, let us go back to farming. “There is no house in Ekiti that does not have a PhD holder but we must go back to the farm irrespective of your status. “At the back of my office here, I cultivate maize and I do harvest thrice in a year but this year’s weather has been inclement. Next year, I will take my yams for exhibition and all I am saying is that let us all go back to farming. “If salaries are irregular and if you have yams in your farm you will have something to sell and eat. In those days, terminal ailments are rare and people enjoy long life because they eat fresh food unlike today when people mostly eat food treated with chemicals.”
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Tuesday, 5 January, 2016
Teachers begin strike in Kwara
Don’t go on strike, Kwara APC begs them Biola Azeez - Ilorin
T
he teachers in public primary and Junior Secondary Schools (JSS), in Kwara State, carried out their threat to go on strike on Monday, over unpaid three months salary arrears by the state government. The teachers, who threatened to commence indefinite strike action on Monday, deserted classrooms in public schools in the state. The Nigerian Tribune gathered that many pupils who went to schools in such areas as Offa Road, Sawmill and Zanngo, on Monday, were turned back. However, teaching and learning activities were ongoing in Senior Secondary Schools (SSS) because it was gathered that the state government was not owing them salary. Speaking with journalists, the state chairman of the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), Alhaji Abubakar Musa, said the strike became imperative following non- payment of October, November and December 2015 salary of the affected teachers. Musa, who said that motivation was one of the indices of teaching, which the teachers were currently lacking, added that teachers should stay at home until further notice.
Meanwhile, the Kwara State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC), has appealed to members and the leadership of state chapter of NUT to suspend their strike that they commenced on Monday over non-payment of their salaries. This was contained in a statement signed on Monday in Ilorin by the party’s Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Sulyman Buhari. The statement said the
contending issue was not really about non-payment of teachers’ salaries. It said that it was about non-availability of funds to pay salaries which required collective efforts to address rather than embarking on strike. “As a party, we wish to state that we feel the concerns and share in the pains of primary school teachers in the state. “Quite unfortunate, this issue is chiefly caused by
the dwindling allocations due to the state from the federation account. “It requires collective effort to address rather than going on strike. If the resources are available today, Governor AbdulFatah Ahmed, will pay all teachers like it had always done in the past five years. “There is a cordial relationship between the state government and the state chapter of the NUT. “Not too long ago, the union
Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State, on Monday, sworn in Justice Daisy Okocha, as the first female substantive Chief Judge (CJ) of the state. The new chief judge had been the state acting CJ since June 1, 2015, following her appointment shortly after the governor assumed office on May 29. The National Judicial Council (NJC) recommended the appointment of Justice Okocha as the state CJ on July 22, 2013, while the Court of Appeal, on December 23, 2015, set aside a Federal High Court judgment which initially ruled that the state governor is not bound to comply with the NJC recommendation. Speaking during the ceremony, Governor Wike said the swearing-in of Justice Okocha as the substantive CJ of the state, was a victory for the rule of law and a respect for the rules of succession as outlined by NJC. He said the state govern-
OAU students resume January 10 The authorities of Obafemi Awolowo University, (OAU), Ile-Ife, Osun State, has asked students of the institution to resume from mid-semester break on January 10. A statement issued by the Public Relations Officer (PRO)of the university, Mr Abiodun Olarewaju, in IleIfe, said the Senate of the university took the decision at a meeting on Monday. It said lectures would commence immediately in all departments and advised students to be lawabiding and shun acts that might truncate the school calendar.
Zamfara govt to employ 2,800 sanitation workers
Rivers State’s Chief Judge, Justice Daisy Okocha (left), signing the register during her swearing-in ceremony before Governor Nyesom Wike, in Port Harcourt, on Monday.
Wike swears in first female CJ in Rivers DapoFalade-PortHarcourt
acknowledged the outstanding performance of Governor Ahmed in the sector with a national merit award. “We wish to say the record of the state government is clear and the will to pay teachers’ salaries by the Kwara State government is not doubtful. “In the light of the above, we hereby appeal to leadership of NUT in the state, to suspend its plan to embark on the industrial action,” the statement said.
Nigerian Tribune
ment acted in line with the recommendation of NJC and confirmed by the Court of Appeal on December 23, 2015. He added that, with the development, it was clear that state governor cannot wilfully disrespect the recommendation of NJC. According to him, allowing the judiciary to be subjected to the discretion of sitting governors would desecrate the independence of the judiciary and
lead to abuses that would negatively affect the dispensation of justice. “The system will collapse if we refuse to respect the judicial system of succession as laid out. My administration will never do anything that will threaten the rule of law. “We will always uphold the customs and traditions of the judiciary. We will never break down the laid down procedure. “We will never run con-
trary to our avowed commitment to respect the independence of the judiciary at all times”, he said. The governor charged the new CJ to always uphold the constitution and carry other members of the bench along in the decision-making process. In her remarks after being sworn in, Justice Okocha thanked God for making her elevation possible after two years of uncertainty.
“This is a solemn moment for me. The NJC recommendation of 22nd July, 2013 came to manifestation on Monday, January 4, 2016. God has glorified himself in my elevation as CJ. Man can try but only God’s counsel will prevail,” she said. She commended Governor Wike for giving the judiciary the required independence to carry out its constitutional responsibilities.
JAMB increases Unilorin’s admission quota to 9,000 —VC The Vice Chancellor of the University of Ilorin, Ilorin, Kwara State, Professor AbdulGaniyu Ambali, on Monday, said that the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) had increased the university’s admission quota from 7,800 to 9,000. Ambali, who disclosed this during an interactive session with newsmen in Ilorin, said the development had afforded the institution to increase
its students’ intake. The VC also said that the university’s management had acquired additional laboratory equipment that would ensure an enabling learning condition for its students. “We are looking forward in 2016 to reemphasise and concentrate our efforts to sustain the feats the university had achieved in the previous years as the best,” he said. Ambali, however,
dismissed the agitation from some quarters of passing into law the “banking of JAMB results”. He said this would afford a candidate the opportunity to use the same result obtained at one sitting of JAMB’s entrance examination to seek admission into the university for two years instead of writing it annually. VC said that The candidates re-writing
examinations annually would perform better than they had done in previous ones, just as he disclosed that investors were already on ground to build additional a 5,000-bed-space hostel for the institution. He added further that this would assist the university to achieve its vision of providing hostel accommodations for thousands of its students currently living outside the campus.
A total of 2, 800 youths will be engaged as sanitation workers by the 14 local government councils of Zamfara State, the chairman of the state chapter of ALGON, Alhaji Bello Dankande, has said. Dankande said in an interview with newsmen on Monday, in Bakura, that the youth would be engaged under the Grassroots Youth Empowerment Scheme supported by the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON) and the state government. He said that each of the 14 local councils had purchased five tippers while the Zamfara State government would provide other sanitation vehicles and equipment to be used under the scheme. Dankande explained that 200 young men and women would be recruited from each of the local government areas as sanitation workers under the scheme. The chairman declined to disclose the amount involved in the purchase of the vehicles and equipment but assured that the scheme would soon takeoff. Dankande, who is also the Chairman of Bakura Local Government Area ,said apart from creating job opportunities, the scheme would also improve the sanitary condition of communities in the state.
40 news
Tuesday, 5 Janaury, 2016
Sign Asset Forfeiture Bill into law, lawmaker urges Buhari Jacob Segun Olatunji and Kolawole Daniel - Abuja
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HAIRPERSON of the House of Representatives Committee on Foreign Affairs, Honourable Nnenna Elendu Ukeje, on Monday, appealed to President Muhammadu Buhari to quickly assent to the Asset Forfeiture Bill passed by the National Assembly, with a view to giving bite to the current anti-corruption drive of the Federal Government. Honourable Ukeje, who made the appeal in Abuja, on Monday, while speaking with newsmen, said that the Assets Forfeiture Bill would play a pivotal role in combating financial crimes in Nigeria immediately it gets a presidential assent. She, however, explained that “three pieces of legislations were passed by both Houses of the national assembly; the Foreign Assistance in Criminal Matters Bill, the Asset Forfeiture Bill and the FATF bill”. According to her, “as we speak now, those three bills are waiting assent and in the midst of that, there should also be the executive commitment to this fight against corruption because in the Criminal Assets Forfeiture Bill for instance, if today that bill is not passed into law, and we say a person has proceeds of crime, because there is no law in place to give the Federal Government the powers to take
the proceeds of crime back, it can’t. “The FATF Law is the international law that tracks stolen funds; we need to sign it into law for us to be able to deal with the movements of money and mon-
ey laundering. “The Foreign Assistance in Criminal Matter Bill, we have to pass that into law; it helps us in extradition, it helps us when Nigerian citizens are arrested abroad and we want them to come
back, we need to have that immediately passed into law,”she added. “Aside from the extradition treaties and laws, we must have those laws in place. So, I will be urging the executive arm of gov-
From right, newly-elected President of Tradesmen and Artisan Association of Nigeria, Oyo State chapter, Alhaji Hamzat Yisau Kolayode; Chairman BOT of the association, Ibrahim Ishola Bolomope and the immediate past president and member of BOT of the association, Alhaji Talubi Eniola, during the inauguration of the new members, recently.
I’m not under investigation by EFCC — Metuh
Jacob Segun Olatunji and Leon Usigbe - Abuja THE National Publicity Secretary of the (PDP), Chief Olisa Metuh, on Monday, declared that he was not being investigated by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) as reported by a national daily (not the Nigerian Tribune).
In a statement made available to newsmen in Abuja by his special assistant, Mr Richard Ihediwa,Chief Metuh stated categorically that the EFCC had never invited or questioned him on any matter whatsoever since its inception. Chief Metuh, however, pointed out that “if indeed, the report is from the EFCC, then they should
note that only in a period of tyranny are people investigated on the pages of the newspapers as a prelude for abuse and violation of their freedom and rights under the law.” “It is instructive to observe that a mere media campaign of calumny does not in anyway whatsoever translate to any evidence of guilt. It is rather an evi-
Niger revenue has dropped by more than 50% —Governor Bello Adelowo Oladipo-Minna NIGER State Governor, Alhaji Abubakar Sani Bello, on Monday, disclosed that the revenue accruable to the state from all sources has dropped by more than 50 per cent. The governor, however, said the downturn of the economy of the state, would not be an excuse for the All Progressives Congress (APC) government not to perform its duties to the people of the state. Alhaji Bello was addressing a mammoth crowd of APC supporters at the Bako Mohammed Kontagora Memorial Stadium, where the local government election campaign of the party was flagged off. “Our revenue has
ernment, Mr President, to please sign these into law so that whatever we do in this fight against corruption has the legal backing that is required for it to be effective,” Honourable Ukeje pleaded.
dropped by more than 50 per cent, but it will not be an excuse for us not to work for the people.” He therefore said that the administration would soon begin to award contracts to reputable contractors for the overall development
of the state, but warned that contractors who failed to execute the contracts, would not only have them revoked, but would also be arrested and prosecuted. The governor said further that the administration would not accept shod-
dy jobs from any contractor engaged by the state. He lamented that his visits to some boarding schools in the state, revealed gross degree of dilapidation which must be corrected by the government.
dence of infringement on the rights of the citizenry and manifestation of the reign of tyranny,” the statement read. “In a democratic and civilized country, where there are issues that require investigations by such agencies, invitations are duly extended. However, to read daily of people being investigated in select newspapers betrays plots to portray them as guilty of fraud and crime, and targeted to convey the PDP as a corrupt party and the APC as party of Nigerians without sin. “If we now have a system where citizens get to be investigated, tried and executed by planting stories in select newspapers, wherein then lies the need for our judicial process?”
Senators, Reps shun election campaign kick-off in Niger Adelowo Oladipo - Minna THE lingering crisis rocking the Niger State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) seems to be assuming a new twist, as two Senators and the members of the House of Representatives on the platform of the party, at the National Assembly, were absent during the APC’s flag-off campaign for the local government election slated for January 16,
2016. The members of the Upper and Lower chambers of the National Assembly, were said to have been aggrieved over the process that produced the candidates of the local government elections. The Minister of State for Solid Minerals, Honourable Abubakar Bwari Bawa, Senator David Umaru representing Niger East Senatorial district, Senator Aliyu Sabi
Abdullahi representing Niger South Senatorial district were conspicuously absent along with some members of the House of Representatives and Assembly. A reliable Source told the Nigerian Tribune, on Monday, in Minna, that some of the Senators and other legislators were aggrieved because the party did not carry them along during the primaries. It was gathered that
they complained that the primaries were shrouded in secrecy, and that they could not be part of the process. However, an official of the party who was the party’s former publicity secretary, in the state, Mr Jonathan Vatsa, said that most of the National Assembly members not present, were engaged in one assignment or the other.
PDP remains panacea for Nigeria’s socio-economic woes —Jenyo Oluwole Ige - Osogbo CHAIRMANSHIP aspirant for March 2016 congress of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Osun State, Reverend Bunmi Jenyo, on Monday, said the nation’s current economic and security woes could only be overcomed, if the party is returned to power. Speaking at the formal declaration of his intention to contest the seat of the state chairman of the party, Jenyo, who is the current Central Senatorial Leader of the party, alleged that the All Progressives Congress (APC) have demonstrated gross incompetence in addressing major problems, confronting the nation. While describing as baseless, claims that he was being sponsored by a bigwig of the party, he assured civil servants in Osun State of better days ahead, stressing that “the next PDP State Working Committee (SWC) will ensure the party return to power.”
Stockbroker bags 7yrs for sale of shares JUSTICE Kudirat Jose of the Lagos State High Court, Ikeja on Monday, January 4, 2016 convicted and sentenced Tajudeen Folaji to seven years imprisonment. The convict was found guilty on one count charge of unauthorised sale of shares and stealing contrary to Section 390(8)(b)of the Criminal Code Law, Cap C17, Vol. 2 Laws of Laws of Lagos State 2003. While Folaji is to spend the next seven years in prison, his company, First Alstate Securities Limited, where he was the managing director, was fined N20 million by Justice Jose. Folaji was arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, sequel to a petition from the Security and Exchange Commission (SEC) in 2010, in which it was alleged that he fraudulently sold the shares of Adesoye Holdings Limited in IPWA Plc. After diligent investigation by the commission, it was discovered that the convict fraudulently sold 31,886,200 units of Adesoye Holdings Limited shares in IPWA Plc worth millions of naira.
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Osun holds inter-religious service for 2016
Police refute media report on killer fowl
Oluwole Ige-osogbo
The police command in Delta State has described as misleading, a publication, last week, by a national newspaper (not Nigerian Tribune) that a chicken pecked the buyer to coma in Asaba. A rebut by the police public relations officer, Celestina Kalu, in Asaba, on Monday, dismissed the said report as fallacious and misinformation as it was not aware of such incident. The command also said the police spokesperson did not confirm such incident to any reporter, saying she was never contacted by the reporter A gossip column in a local tabloid in the state, Olofofo, published a half page material captioned “Mysterious Fowl Tells Buyer: Don’t Slaughter Me,” last Saturday. The national newspaper, which promoted the story on the front page with the picture of the fowl, said the woman who bought the fowl was identified as Mama Ekene and was rushed to the Federal Medical Centre Asaba, after being attacked by the fowl, quoting DSP Celestina Kalu the police spokesperson to have confirmed the report.
Osun State government, on Monday, held inter-religious service to mark the beginning of year 2016, just as Governor Rauf Aregbesola charged Muslim clerics to pray against imminent war between Iran and Saudi Arabia. In his remark, at the event which was held at the Governor’s office, Osogbo, Aregbesola noted that despite all the challenges of 2015, God still saved the country by bringing in a government that will change Nigeria. He also called on Muslim clerics in Nigeria to pray against war between Iran and Saudi Arabia, stating that such war may increase international oil price but the adverse effect will be felt mostly by Muslims. Aregbesola held that God has been so faithful to Osun and that the state will soon bounce back as the state has been able to identify 60 million cocoa trees presently in Osun, stressing that the cocoa trees, if well nurtured could bring about N40 billion proceeds to the farmers in the state. He said, “I want us to all look inward for prosperity of the state. God has opened another way for us in agriculture. I have called on government workers to embrace agriculture, with a view to charting a new course of revenue generation. “We should now tell every cocoa farmer not to sell their cocoa outside Osun as government has made necessary arrangement to make the proceeds from sale of cocoa to remain in the state. “Everything that is needed will be provided by the government, which is ready to supply seedlings and crops. We are also talking with Lagos State on how produce from Osun can be sold there,” Aregbesola remarked. On the allegation of his administration not being prudent with state funds, he argued that with the present federal allocation, Osun without loan re-payment will at best according to November allocation got N1.7 billion, which cannot meet the obligation of the state. According to him, “despite not having anything from the November allocation, we have been able to pay November salary. We are optimistic that things will be far better this year.”
Alphonsus Agborh-Asaba
Osun State governor, Mr Rauf Aregbesola, exchanging greetings with the chairman, Organisation of African Instituted Churches, Elder Apostle Femi Olaoye. With them is the state chairman, Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Reverend (Dr) Elisha Ogundiya, at the Inter-Religious Service for the New Year, held at the state secretariat, Abere, Osogbo, on Monday.
7 killed, several others injured in Ogun auto crash OlayinkaOlukoya-Abeokuta
N
O fewer than seven people died in an auto crash that occurred on Monday afternoon, at the Sagamu-Iperu junction on the Sagamu-Ore-Benin expressway. Nigerian Tribune gathered that about 17 passengers were critically injured in the accident involving a Toyota Hummer bus with registration number LAGOS BDG 789 XJ and a Mazda bus marked ONDO REE 248 XA, at
about 2:50 p.m. The passengers in the Hummer bus, it was gathered, were returning from Christmas and New Year celebrations from the eastern part of the country, before the incident occurred. Eyewitness account told newsmen that the driver of the ill-fated Toyota Hummer bus veered off its lane having lost control of his vehicle and rammed into the Mazda bus, which was traveling on the opposite side. The incident was con-
firmed by the Sector Commander of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) in Ogun State, Mr Adegoke Adetunji. Adetunji said 28 people were involved in the accident which left several critically injured and seven dead. He attributed the accident to excessive overspeeding on the part of the Toyota Hummer bus driver, adding that the dead bodies had been deposited at the mortuary of the Olabisi Onabanjo University Teaching Hospital
(OOUTH), Sagamu. The Sector Commander also said that those who sustained injuries and in critical conditions were taken to the same hospital for medical attention. Nigerian Tribune further learnt that there was heavy gridlock on the expressway as a result of the incident, while the combined effort of officers of the corps, the Police and Traffic Compliance and Enforcement Agency (TRACE) was useful to clear the highway.
I remain Abia gov, Ikpeazu tells INEC •As PDP asks S/Court to set aside judgment Sunday Ejike-Abuja
Governor Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia State has asked the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Mahmood Yakubu to respect the constitution of the country and avoid doing anything that will tamper with his office as the governor of the state. The governor, in a letter written on his behalf by Chief Wole Olanipekun (SAN) said he remains the governor until he exhausts his right of appeal. He said he intended to challenge the decision of the Court of Appeal, which nullified his election, at the Supreme Court. The governor said he was dissatisfied with the judgment of the Court of Appeal and had instructed his lawyer to file an appeal against same to the Supreme Court. He reminded the commission that he had an unimpaired and unfettered
constitutional right to appeal against the judgment of the Court of Appeal to the Supreme Court, under and by virtue of section 233(2)(e)(iv) of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended). Ikpeazu said he could have filed the appeal, but for the refusal of the Court of Appeal to release to him the judgment which nullified his election. The letter reads in part: “We continue to act as counsel to His Excellency, Dr Okezie Victor Ikpeazu, the Governor of Abia State (our client), and we have his instruction to write you on the above subject as follows: “Bearing in mind the fact that INEC itself is a party to the processing as, and would also be a party to the appeal which would definitely be filed on behalf of our client immediately on receipt of the judgment of the court of appeal, may we urge INEC to resist
any invitation by anybody or from any quarter to do anything that would work contrary to the clear and express provisions of both the constitution and electoral act in respect of the res of the appeal particularly, the position of the governor of Abia State, which our client occupies. “Also, under section 143(2) of the electoral act, 2010 (as amended), our client has the statutory right to remain in office pending the expiration of the period within which an appeal shall be filed, assuming without conceding that he does not even want to lodge an appeal against the decision of the court of appeal.” “Upon filing his notice of appeal, our client is also constitutionally entitled to remain in office until the Supreme Court decides and pronounces on his appeal. “That what is causing the delay against the filing of the notice and grounds of appeal against judgment
‘Court convicted 149 drug dealers in 2015’ Shola Adekola-Lagos
is the failure of the court to avail both our client and our humble selves of a copy of its judgment, even as at the time of writing this letter, and despite demands.” The court of appeal had declared Mr Alex Otti of the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) as the winner of the election. Meanwhile, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has filed an appeal at the Supreme Court challenging the decision of the Court of Appeal which declared Otti winner of the Abia State Governorship election. In a notice of appeal filed on Monday at the Supreme Court, the PDP asked the apex court to set aside the judgment of the Court of Appeal which declared Otti as the winner of the Abia State Governorship Election. The party said that neither Otti nor his party, APGA called credible and cogent evidence in support of their petition challenging Ikpeazu’s victory.
The Federal High Court sitting in Lagos convicted 149 drug dealers arrested by the Lagos State command of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) in 2015. Three of the culprits, who were sentenced to life imprisonment, have commenced their service with hard labour as others equally got stiffer punishment. One of the convicts will spend 25 years behind bars and another will spend 17 years in prison. Four others got 15-year jail term each. Another four convicts were sentenced to 10 years each while 19 others got five years each. Acting Chairman and Chief Executive of the NDLEA, Mrs Roli BodeGeorge, described the convictions as impressive and capable of discouraging people from drug trafficking. In her words, “these convictions are strong enough to deter others from drug trafficking.”
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foreign affairs withseyigesinde
08116954632 foreignnewseditor@gmail.com
Tensions high as Saudi severs ties with Iran over execution
Bahrain, Sudan, UAE back Saudi against Iran, Saudi cancels all Iran flights Russia, China, Germany call for restraint between Iran, Saudi Arabia
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he fallout of Saudi Arabia’s execution of a Shiite cleric is spreading beyond a spat between the Saudis and Iranians, as other Middle East nations chose sides and world powers Russia and China weighed in, CNN reported. Relations between Saudi Arabia and Iran two Middle Eastern powerhouses have deteriorated following the Riyadh’s execution of Shiite cleric Nimr al-Nimr Saturday. Hours after the death sentence was carried out, protesters in Shiite-majority Iran attacked the Saudi Embassy in Tehran. The Saudis cut diplomatic relations with Iran over the attack on its embassy. On Monday, Bahrain also announced it is severing diplomatic ties with Iran, citing Tehran’s “blatant and dangerous interference” in Bahrain and other Arab countries. The United Arab Emirates, meanwhile, announced it was “downgrading” its diplomatic relations with Iran. The UAE recalled its ambassador in Tehran and said it would also reduce the number of diplomats stationed in Iran, according to state news agency WAM. The UAE “has taken this exceptional step in light of Iran’s ongoing interference in internal GCC and Arab affairs that has recently reached unprecedented levels,” a government statement said. The diplomatic row spread to Africa, where Sudan a majority Sunni Muslim country expelled the Iranian ambassador and the entire Iranian diplomatic mission in the country. Sudan also recalled
Iranian men take a selfie with a poster of Sheikh Nimr al-Nimr, at the conclusion of a rally protesting his execution, in Tehran, Iran, on Monday. PHOTO: AP.
its ambassador from Iran. The Saudi government announced the Sudanese move, saying Sudan acted because of “the Iranian interference in the region through a sectarian approach.” Russia and China, two of the biggest geopolitical players in the hemisphere, released statements calling for restraint between Iran and Saudi Arabia. “Moscow is concerned about escalation of the situation in the Middle East with participation of the key regional
players,” the Russian foreign ministry said Monday. Russia calls on the Saudis and Iranians to “show restraint and to avoid any steps that might escalate the situation and raise tensions including an inter-religious ones.” China’s foreign ministry said it is paying close attention to the events and hopes “all parties can remain calm and restrained, use dialogue and negotiations to properly resolve differences, and work together to safeguard the region’s peace and stabil-
ity.” Germany has called on Saudi Arabia and Iran to mend ties after Riyadh cut diplomatic relations with Tehran. Government spokesman Steffen Seibert said Germany appeals “to both countries, Saudi Arabia and Iran, to use all possibilities to improve their bilateral relations.” Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia’s civil aviation authority said all flights to and from Iran have been cancelled.
Sunni mosque in Iraq bombed, imam killed Blasts rocked two Sunni mosques in central Iraq Monday, amid fears of renewed sectarian strife following Saudi Arabia’s execution of a prominent Shiite cleric, police and medics said. According to AFP, as thousands demonstrated against the Gulf monarchy in Baghdad, Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi vowed to track down the attackers, whom he said were attempting to undermine national unity. A man was killed in one of the attacks and a muezzin the person appointed
to recite the Muslim call to prayer was gunned down in the same region south of Baghdad. In Hilla, about 80 kilometres (50 miles) from the capital, a police captain said the Ammar bin Yasser mosque in Bakerli neighbourhood was bombed after midnight. “After we heard the explosion, we went to its source and found that IEDs (improvised explosive devices) had been planted in the mosque,” he said. “Residents said a group of people with military
uniforms carried out this operation,” he added. A witness said he saw a group of gunmen shoot dead a young man displaced from his home town of Ramadi who had been living in the mosque with his family. A Hilla doctor confirmed the death. “The armed men killed one of the displaced who lives in the mosque” with his wife and two children, the resident said on condition of anonymity for fear of reprisals.
otherNEWS
The Jin Air flight was flying to South Korea from Cebu in the Philippines when it turned back. PHOTO: CNN.
Door of plane carrying 163 passengers opens 10,000 feet up A passenger plane carrying 163 people was forced to turn back 40 minutes into the flight after it was discovered one of the plane’s doors was not completely shut. The flight, operated by low-cost Korean Air subsidiary Jin Air, left Cebu in the Philippines on Sunday, bound for Busan in South Korea. A public relations officer with Jin Air confirmed the incident to CNN, saying a noise alerted staff to a gap in the door, prompting the pilot to return to Cebu. At the time of the incident the Boeing 737800 was at an altitude of 10,000 feet. According to the Jin Air officer, an inflight announcement was made to inform those on board the flight. Though the officer said
Ballot count underway in landmark CAR election As ballot counting got underway in the Central African Republic, voters and the international community await the results of the landmark election, seen as a key step towards stability after years of deadly violence. Central Africans waited in long lines at polling stations throughout the country Wednesday to elect their
Trump releases first TV ad in 2016 Republican presidential race Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump on Monday released his first television commercial in the 2016 race for the White House with a 30-second spot highlighting his stance on Muslims, immigration and terrorism, Reuters reported. The ad will air starting on Tuesday in Iowa and New Hampshire, two key early voting states in the run-up to the party’s nomination convention in July ahead of the November election, Trump’s campaign said in
a statement on its website. The commercial reiterates the Republican front-runner’s recent call to temporarily block Muslims from entering the United States and pledges a tough stance against Islamic State and acts of terrorism. “He’ll quickly cut the head off ISIS and take their oil,” the ad said, using an acronym for the militant group. The ad also reiterated the businessman-turned-politician’s ongoing calls to target illegal immigra-
tion by building a wall along the southern U.S. border that he said Mexico will pay for. Trump leads national public opinion polls of the 12 Republicans seeking their party’s presidential nomination, although he is trailing in some state polls. “I don’t know if I need it, but I don’t want to take any chances because if I win we are going to make America great again,” Trump said in a statement accompanying the ad on his website.
no injuries were reported, local South Korea media reports said some passengers complained about feeling nauseous during the return flight. Jin Air says passengers were provided rooms in a local hotel and the flight took off again for Busan 15 hours later. “Each passenger will be given a compensation of 100,000 won ($84.28),” said the Jin Air spokesperson. An official from the South Korean Transport Ministry told CNN they are now investigating the exact cause of the incident and plan to carry out safety inspections on six low-cost airlines this month: Jin Air, Air Busan, Jeju Air, Easter Jet, T’way Air and Air Incheon.
Republican frontrunner, Donald Trump
next president and members of the National Assembly, as international peacekeepers stood out in force to prevent possible tensions. “Today was really the pinnacle of the commitment of the people of this country, a country faced with so many challenges,” said Parfait OnangaAnyanga, head of the U.N. Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic. Voting was peaceful The massive turnout shows “the will of the people to say once and for all we want to change our country by the ballot box, not by the barrel,” Onanga-Anyanga told CNN. Nearly two million people registered to vote in the election, initially scheduled to take place on December 27, but delayed because more time was needed for the distribution of ballots and the training of electoral agents, the United Nations said.
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Tuesday, 5 January, 2016
Cameron denounces Islamic State video showing spies shot
other
Students absent in US school after online death threats
Tells ISIS ‘we will not be cowed’
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n Islamic State video showing a young boy in military fatigues and an older masked militant who both spoke with British accents should be viewed as a propaganda tool, Prime Minister David Cameron said on Monday. The video, which could not be independently verified, also shows the killing of five men accused of spying for the West. The masked man threatens Cameron and vows that Islamic State will one day occupy Britain before shooting one of the alleged spies in the head. Cameron has said Britain will not be “cowed” by the the latest ISIS video, branding it “desperate stuff” from a terror group that is “losing territory.” In the ten-minute video an executioner with an English accent threatens Mr Cameron and vows that ISIS will one day occupy Brit-
Prime Minister David Cameron, speaking during a visit to a housing development, on Monday. PHOTO:”AFP/GETTY IMAGES. ain before shooting five alleged spies in the head. The chilling film also features a
young boy, dressed in military fatigues and a black bandanna bearing the white mark of ISIS, who
Quake strikes India, Bangladesh, 11 dead, nearly 200 hurt A powerful earthquake struck northeast India and Bangladesh on Monday, killing at least 11 people and injuring nearly 200, with efforts to reach remote areas where people may be trapped hampered by severed power lines and telecommunication links. Reuters said the United States Geological Survey said the 6.8 magnitude quake was 57 km (35 miles) deep and struck 29 km (18 miles) west of Imphal, capital of India’s Manipur state, which borders Myanmar. The pre-dawn quake killed six people in India and five in neighboring Bangladesh, officials said, while shockwaves were felt in the Himalayan nation of Nepal and as far away as the Myanmar city of Yangon, about 1,175 km (730 miles) to the south. The quake struck while many people were asleep, and roofs and staircases of some buildings collapsed in Imphal, a city of about 270,000 people. “It was like being tossed around in a frying pan,” said Joy Thanglian, a 33-year-old employee of state energy firm Bharat Petroleum. Police and hospitals in Imphal said the death toll had reached six with 100 people injured, 33 of them seriously.Officials in Bangladesh said as well as the five people who died of heart attacks as they fled buildings, about 90 people were injured. Rescue workers in Imphal used
Indian soldiers and locals remove debris from a damaged building after an earthquake in Imphal, capital of the northeastern Indian state of Manipur, Monday. PHOTO: AP. hand-held drilling machines to clear rubble from the ruins of a six-storey building under con-
struction, the site of the heaviest damage in the city.”I didn’t feel the tremor, but when I woke up
declares that “we will kill kuffar (non believers).” The Prime Minister said today ‘Britain will not be cowed’ by the terror group, which has released footage online appearing to show the brutal killing of five men accused of spying for the UK. On a visit to east London, Mr Cameron said: “It’s desperate stuff from an organisation that really does do the most utterly despicable and ghastly acts and people can see that again today. “But this is an organisation that’s losing territory, it’s losing ground, it’s, I think, increasingly losing anybody’s sympathy, and this again shows what an appalling organisation we’re up against. ‘They hate us not for what we do but for what we are - the fact that we are a successful, tolerant, democratic, multi-faith, multiethnic nation. ‘They hate that and that’s why they want to take us on and that’s why they do what they do. “But I know that Britain will never be cowed by this sort of terrorism. Our values are so much stronger than theirs. “It may take a very long time but they will be defeated.” Earlier, the Prime Minister’s official spokeswoman said: “We are examining the contents of the video and the Prime Minister is being kept updated on that. “It serves as a reminder of the barbarity of Daesh and what the world faces from these terrorists. “It is also clearly a propaganda tool and should be treated as such.” She added: “This is a terrorist group being put under pressure with the targeted strikes that have successfully targeted some key proponents of the organisation.”
India air base attack threatens Pakistan talks, 7 soldiers killed A rapprochement effort between India and Pakistan appeared to be in jeopardy on Monday, as Indian security forces battled for the third day to clear out militants who attacked one of its air bases and killed seven soldiers, VOA reported. The foreign secretaries of the nuclear-armed neighbours are due to meet for talks on January 15, building on a thaw in relations after a surprise visit by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Pakistani counterpart Nawaz Sharif last month. But an Indian government official said India was now considering whether to go ahead with the
talks or not, and that a final decision will be taken once the operations to secure the Pathankot Air Force base in Punjab state are over. The government official, who requested anonymity, said it could
NEWS
take another 48 hours for the base to be secured, and by then the government hoped to have more information about the attackers and what links they may have to Pakistan, if any. Military personnel keep watch during an operation near the Indian consulate in Mazar-i-Sharif, Afghanistan, on Monday. PHOTO: REUTERS.
More than 1,000 pupils have not turned up to a United States school that received online death threats on Monday, CNN reported. Threats to kill pupils in a shooting on Monday at Montgomery High School in Blackpool were posted on social media. The user said they planned to “kill as many people as possible.” The school confirmed 260 of its 1,375 pupils have attended. Parent Anne Hindle said her 15-year-old son and daughter were “very scared” by the “pretty dark” posts. Police officers have been patrolling outside the school for “reassurance”, a Lancashire Police spokeswoman said. The planned attack was in revenge for alleged bullying, according to the Facebook post. The unnamed social media user also praised gun killers in schools in the US and posted on the school’s Facebook page: “Nobody talks to me or notices me except when they’re calling me a nerd and pushing me around.”
The school principal, Tony Nicholson, said all of his staff had turned up. PHOTO: CNN.
FBI monitoring Oregon militiamen standoff The FBI has taken the lead in monitoring an armed standoff in Oregon where a group of militia members, along with some members of the family of Nevada rancher Cliven Bundy, are occupying a building on federal land at a national wildlife refuge. The FBI is “working with the Harney County Sheriff’s Office, Oregon State Police and other local and state law enforcement agencies to bring a peaceful resolution to the situation,” the agency said in a statement. Yahoo News said the militia members who occupied the wildlife refuge buildings set up a roadblock, and two armed members had manned a guard tower that is usually used to spot wildfires. But there was no sign of law enforcement in the area, and local police said they had no intention of going to the scene, not even to keep watch on the militia.
Zambia sets 2016 election date, scraps power price hike Zambia’s new constitution on Monday set August 11 as the date for five-yearly presidential and parliamentary elections, previously set by the president, lining up another close vote
after last year’s neck-andneck race. Also on Monday, Reuters said President Edgar Lungu, who plans to stand in the election, reversed a sharp increase in electric-
ity tariffs, saying the hike had ended up hurting the poor, presidential spokesman Amos Chanda said on Monday. Lungu, who is due to ratify the constitutional amend-
ments on Tuesday, defeated the opposition United Party for National Development’s (UPND) Hakainde Hichilema last January. Hakainde said the election had been “stolen”.
Zambian President Edgar Lungu
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communitynews
Tuesday, 5 January, 2016
Obawole residents want abandoned road project completed Olalekan Olabulo-Lagos
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esidents of in Ndike and Adisa Coker area of Obawole have appealed to the local government administrators in the area to complete the construction of Obawole Road which, according to them, had been abandoned . The residents noted that the abandonment of the road had resulted in more traffic on some of the bye pass to Ogba, Berger and other major roads in the area. They also urged the chairman of the local government to revisit the already constructed portion of the road and ensure that it is reconstructed . A resident of the area, named Christopher, said: “Honestly, I am disappointed. When they started work on this road, I was one of those who commended them on the pages of newspapers. But now ,I am really disappointed.” On the cause of his disappointment, Christopher said: “The first issue is the abandonment of the road
midway. Another issue is its poor quality. The road cannot last.” Another resident, who identified herself as Pre-
cious, also said: “If the local government completes this road, it will certainly reduce the pressure on Fagba and other roads leading to
Ogba and Berger.” Precious also stated that “apart from the precious time that we waste in traffic as a result of the non
completion of the road, the abandoned portion is always dusty and this is not good for our health.” Lucky, another resident,
EEDC cautions against living under high tension cables Miss Kyla Okobah (fourth right), addressing participants on Cardio-Pulmonary Resucitation and Basic Life Support, during the free medical programme organised for the people of Igbodo and Onicha Ugbo in Ika North-East Local Government Area of Delta State, recently. PHOTO: ALPHONSUS AGBORH
Ogun clears Sango underbridge of hawkers Tola Adenubi-Lagos
Following an exclusive report by Community News that hawkers have taken over spaces under the Sango-Ota overhead bridge and its adjoining roads, the Ogun State government, in the early hours of Monday, disrupted commercial activity under and around the bridge by chasing many of the hawkers away while forcing shop owners to carry out environmental sanitation exercise. The exercise was led by the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Chief Jide Ojuko, in collaboration with officials of Ado-Odo/Ota Local Government Area. When Community News visited Sango on Monday, many shop owners were seen carrying out environmental sanitation and clearing blocked drainages around the bridge. It was also observed that many of the hawk-
also stated that “the road is not good at all. The quality of the road is very poor.We understand the plight of the local government with regard to funding. But what is worth doing is worth doing well. “If they know that they cannot afford the cost of the construction, they should involve the state government. This road is very strategic, not only to residents, but to many others. “People coming from communities in Ogun State can link Berger through this road and that means less traffic in Abule-Egba, Agege and Ogba.
ers, who deal in jewellery were nowhere to be seen as armed policemen attached to the commissioner’s convoy had cleared the bridge of hawking activities. Due to the clampdown on hawking activities
there was free flow of traffic as motorists coming from the Toll Gate and Joju Bus-Stop axis of the Lagos-Abeokuta Expressway had no difficulty navigating the underbridge en-route Ijoko or Idiroko roads.
Some of the motorists, who commended the state government’s initiative, advised that the exercise should be sustained. “This is a very good development. Government should sustain
the trend because these hawkers give motorists hell due to the space they occupy on the roads. “They compete for spaces with us as if it is their right to be on the road,” a motorist said.
Foundation gives medication to 1,000 persons in Delta alphonsus agborh-asaba
Over 1,000 persons resident at Igbodo and Onicha Ugbo communities in Delta State have benefited from a two-day free medical programme organised by Dr. Isioma Okobah Foundation as part of its end-of-year activities. During the health programme, beneficiaries were diagnosed and provided with free medications to treat diabetes, arthritis, high blood pressure and high cholesterol while the visually impaired received medicated glasses.
Addressing participants, the sponsor of the programme and founder of the foundation, Dr (Mrs) Isioma Okobah, said the free medical programme was designed to provide affordable, accessible and quality health care for the rural populace who, she noted, rarely seek professional care when faced with health challenges. She maintained that most of the health challenges that lead to the death of rural dwellers could be prevented if proper healthcare is provided.
Delta State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Nicholas Azinge, who declared the ceremony open, commended Dr Okobah for the initiative, saying that the programme would boost the healthcare delivery programme of the state government. Dr Azinge announced plans by the state government to re-introduce the free rural healthcare programme as a deliberate policy to boost the health needs of rural populace in line with the health component of the SMART agenda of the Okowa administration.
In their separate remarks, after undergoing medical examination, the traditional ruler of Onicha Ugbo Kingdom, Obi Victor Chukwumalieze 1, and the traditional ruler of Igbodo, Obi Nkeobikwu Osedume 1, commended Dr. Okobah for the gesture. Other participants also lauded the initiative, saying that they have not had it so good. The free medical programme featured a demonstration of how to carry out Cardio-Pulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) and Basic Life Support (BLS) by a US-based medical
The Enugu Electricity Distribution Company (EEDC), on Monday, cautioned people against living and trading under or close to high tension cables. The EEDC Head of Communications, Mr Eugene Anionwo, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Enugu that living in such close proximity to high tension cables was risky. Anionwo said the company placed premium on the safety and security of Nigerians. “We are strongly appealing to traders, especially those on Atani Road in Onitsha, who sell under the 330 KVA power line, to relocate. “While others living close to power stations in Onitsha, Aba and Enugu should vacate. “Electricity is good due to its numerous domestic and industrial benefits but very hazardous on the other hand, if used without care,’’ he said. He said the company had already awarded contract for the clearing of tresses and other interferences in rural areas that short-circuit the amount of power supplied to consumers. Anionwo appealed to electricity customers to assist the company in checking the activities of vandals, who form the habit of putting the society in darkness.
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communitynews
Tuesday, 5 January, 2016
Monarch warns against divisive tendencies, preaches peace Biola Azeez-Ilorin
T
he Ejisunmade of Aiyedun community in Oke-Ero Local Government Area of Kwara State, Oba Olusegun Rotimi, has appealed for peace and unity among residents of the
Alimosho residents call for creation of tourist sites Some residents of Alimosho Local Government Area of Lagos State have urged the state government to establish tourist sites within the local government. The residents spoke in separate interviews with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos, on Monday. Chairman, Opaleye Community Development Association, Alagbado, Alhaji Abdulwaheed Sodiq, told NAN that the construction of such tourist sites would attract more people to the community. “Alimosho Local Government Area ought to have at least 20 different interesting tourist sites where our children and adults can go and unwind. “There are enough fallow portions of land available that can be let out for this venture. ‘’We are tired of going to places like Lekki and Banana Island, instead of just walking to the tourist venues close to us. ‘’ This is the largest local government in Lagos State and it should be developed,’’ he said. Also speaking on the issue, the Chief Executive Officer of Bradford Hotels, Mr Idowu Obasa, said the tourist sites would bring positive changes to lives and businesses. “This will improve the quality of people’s lives as they won’t have to cover far distances to catch fun; it will surely aid our businesses to thrive,’’ he said. A Council Development Association Chairman, Mr Nathaniel Okoro, said that a research on the history of the people of Alimosho Local Government should be conducted, to guide the creation of the tourist sites. “Depicting the history of the people through the tourist sites would assist the younger ones in knowing their past. “We are people with a past and our past must be brought to the fore for the benefit of the future. “The state government needs to look into this urgently as this ought to have been in place long before now,” he said.
area. Speaking against the background of the practice by some indigenes of the area to confer unauthorised chieftaincy titles on individuals, the traditional ruler said that it is only in the atmosphere of peace and unity that development could be attracted to the agrarian community. Oba Rotimi, who charged the people to cooperate with constituted
authorities of the land, said they should prevent issues with divisive tendencies from coming up among them. He also urged the people to be law-abiding, saying that they should shun all acts that could tarnish the image of the community and its people. It will recalled that an indigene of the area was recently accused of conferring chieftaincy titles on some
persons without the knowledge of authorities. Granting the accused bail in the sum of N50,000, after
being arraigned before the magistrate court, the presiding magistrate charged the accused not to involve
Group urges police to be friendly for effective community policing The Vigilante Group of Nigeria has urged the police to be friendly with people in communities where they operate to achieve
effective community policing. The Lagos deputy commander of the group, Mr Emmanuel Ayirise, spoke with the News Agency of
Honourable Ojoawo, presenting computer sets and generator to security agents in Ibarapa North/Central Federal Constituency. With them is Honourable Ojegoke Olademi.
Lawmaker donates buses, textbooks, other items to schools in Ibarapa The member representing Ibarapa Central/Ibarapa North federal constituency in the House of Representatives, Honourable Oluwagbenga Ojoawo, has inaugurated two luxury buses to convey students in the area free of charge and donated tables, chairs and textbooks to secondary school students. The lawmaker made the presentations during the inauguration of his constituency office at Igangan in Ibarapa North Local Government Area of Oyo State, at the weekend. He said the Federal Government was committed to fulfilling its electoral promises, including the payment of N5,000 monthly stipend to unemployed graduates. He said government would execute masses oriented programmes in order to ensure that the dividends of democracy gets to every citizen. Speaking on security, he said he had donated new tyres and computer sets to district police offices in his constituency in order to
boost the morale of policemen in combating crime. Ojoawo also promised to give scholarship to brilliant students in the constituency as a way of
promoting hardwork. Earlier, the APC Chairmen in Ibarapa Cenral and Ibarapa North Local Government Areas, Mr David Babatunde and
Alhaji Akeem Gbolahan, lauded the lawmaker for his gestures and assured him of their support in his efforts at ameliorating the plight of the people.
Abia monarch warns traditional rulers against public misconduct The Chairman, Umuahia South Council of Traditional Rulers, Eze Godfrey Onwuka, has warned that he will not hesitate to withdraw the chieftaincy title of any traditional chief in his community, who goes contrary to the rules guiding the title. Speaking in his palace during the inaugural meeting of his cabinet members which attracted the presence of former National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Prince Vincent Ogbulafor; Umuahia South Local Government Area Transition Committee Chairman, Mr Emenike Onuoha, among others, Eze Onwuka said he would not tolerate any chief that disgraces his community in the public.
himself in any act that would threaten the peaceful coexistence of members of the community.
He observed that it was disappointing to see a title holder fight his wife, struggle for food and drink freely and shamelessly in public. Eze Onwuka, the Towe l of Umutowe autonomous community, Olokoro, said a chief must not drink from the bottle in an occasion, should not be seen in kaikai drinking joints, should not disgracefully struggle for food in public and should not fight his wife, querying, “ when you beat or fight your Lolo (wife), how can you settle quarrels in your village?” He reminded the chiefs that their chieftaincy titles should command respect in accordance with their conducts and behaviours in the society.
He noted, “taking the title means you have become a born again in the society. Right there in your home, your attitude to your family members, particularly your Lolo must change.” Also speaking in the same vein in a lecture entitled: “The Need For A Chief And Conduct Expectation”, one-time Chairman, Umuahia South Council of Traditional Rulers and Uba lll of Ubakala, Eze Raphael Mbagwu, harped on the need for a traditional title holder to always appear neat and decent and take his bath first thing in the morning before receiving visitors, pointing out that a titled holder does not dress casually to receive visitors.
Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday in Lagos. Ayirise said maintaining cordial relationship with the public would go a long way in tackling the insecurity challenge within the neighbourhoods. The deputy commander described community policing as a noble idea. “When you talk about community policing, you are talking about collaboration between the police probably with other security agencies, and community members in tackling the issue of insecurity. “When you talk about community policing, then community members must be active participants in the process of curbing crime in their neighbourhoods. “This is why community policing should be established on mutual understanding, friendliness and cooperation between the police and the people. “I urge the police to be friendly with community members; have mutual understanding with them, with the aim of addressin ginsecurity,” he said. According to Ayirise, policing itself has to do with getting important information. He said that the police needed to be given adequate information so as to know what is happening around the community. “There must be friendliness between the people and the police for them to offer you the needed information,’’ he said. Ayirise called on the Federal Government to also engage the group in community policing to effectively curb activities of criminals. “The people are the ones who know where the shoe pinches; they know the terrain, topography and the demography of their environment, as well as the entire community. “This is why we always say that the Vigilante Group of Nigeria offers the country the best way of tackling insecurity. “We call on the government to engage us so that we can complement the efforts of the police to boost effective community policing,’’ he said.
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Tuesday, 5 January, 2016 Editor: Ganiyu Salman tribunesporteditor@yahoo.com 08053789060
Amutu (right) in action for Israeli club, Shmona.
Obiazor joins Pillars GOALKEEPER, David Obiazor has joined former champions, Kano Pillars ahead of the 2016 Glo Premier League season. The Super Eagles shot stopper guided the post for Heartland in the immediate past NPFL season. Obiazor said he wants new challenge and environment which the Pyramid City side will afford him in the new season. “I will campaign in the colours of former champions, Kano Pillars in the upcoming NPFL season. “The contract is perfect and I’m quite satisfied with everything tabled before me by the management. “Heartland could not have been a disappointment as the team actually prepared me for the task ahead. “Kano Pillars are different club with different challenge and demand as well as different environment. “The demand is certain to be high in the upcoming Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) season. “They are severally Nigerian champions finishing eighth in the immediate past league season would not gone down well with them.”
Obiazor
A
USTIN Amutu believes his dream of playing for Arsenal is not far from coming true after he was recommended by Arsenal manager, Arsene Wenger to French club, Angers FC. The Nigeria player also claimed that Arsenal made enquirers my about him while he was at Warri Wolves. “It has been my dream to play for Arsenal, they came for me while I was at Warri Wolves and I think it was money that truncated the whole thing, by now I should be playing for Arsenal or any team in England,” the Hapoel Ironi Khryat Shmona player told AfricanFootball.com. “I am happy that a coach like Wenger has interest in me for
My Arsenal dream would soon come to pass —Amutu long, still keeps his eyes on me and has not lost interest. “I believe I am not far away from my dream of playing for Arsenal. He recommended me to Angers.
The French team watched me score in Toto Cup semi-finals.” Amutu scored a brace for Shmona to seal a place in the final of Israeli Toto Cup after they beat
Dele Aiyenugba’s Bnei Yehuda 3-0. Shmona will now face Maccabi Petah Tivka in the final. It was Amutu’s first official game since he signed for the Israeli club and he has dedicated the goal to his kid brother as a ‘Special’ Birthday gift. “I am so delighted to score a brace that helped my team progress to the final of the Cup. It was against a strong team and I give God all the glory,” he said. “The goal is for my kid brother who celebrated his birthday on Wednesday.” The former Kelanta of Malaysia striker scored the opening goal of the game in the 38th minute and doubled his team’s lead in the 44th minute.
Tornadoes storm Ilorin for pre-season training Adelowo Oladipo - Minna NIGER Tornadoes FC has concluded arrangements to move to Ilorin for a pre-season camping ahead of the 2016 Glo Premier League season scheduled to kick of on January 31. Media Officer of the club, Mr George Daniya disclosed this in a press statement he made available to Tribunesport after the club’s management committee meeting last weekend. Daniya said the team’s management headed by Honourable Adamu Aliyu Mohammed endorsed the pre-season training to commence on Monday, January 4 and last for two or three weeks. The release stated that the team will depart Minna with a 35-man squad for the camping where it will engage in a series of friendlies with renowned professional
clubs. “We have assembled a formidable team, we want both the players we retained after the Super 4 and the ones that we have pencilled in from top premier league teams to blend, so the need for the pre-season has become imperative. “At the end of the pre-season training, we will release the final
list of the players who will prosecute the new season as given to us by the coaches,” Mohammed said. He expressed confidence that the newly-promoted side would return to the Glo Premier League with a bang. “Some years back we were a force to reckon with while playing at the elite league, now that
we have returned, we want to rekindle the performance. We are not in the league to add up to numbers but to compete favourably with other top clubs. Tornadoes FC is a household name in Nigerian football,” Mohammed added.
Ideye on song for Olympiacos NIGERIA international, Brown Ideye scored Olympiacos’ third goal in the 3-1 win over Panionos in a Greek Super League game last Sunday. The Nigerian striker netted in the 79th minute as Olympiacos consolidated their position at the top of the standings. The Piraeus club has remarkably
won all 16 league games played this season amassing 48 points in the process. Ideye has now scored six league goals in 14 matches this season. He has scored seven goals in all competitions for the club this season following his switch from English club, West Bromwich Albion in the summer.
Ideye
tribunesport
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Arsenal good for EPL title —Wenger
Wenger
M
ANAGER Arsene Wenger is confident his Arsenal side has the mental strength to challenge for the Premier League title this season. The Gunners moved two points clear at the top of the table last weekend and Wenger believes Saturday’s 1-0 win over Newcastle is proof his team have acquired a resilience they per-
haps lacked in the past. Arsenal last won the league in 2004, two years before relocating from Highbury to the Emirates Stadium, and Wenger says the current crop has a charisma that sets it apart from his teams of the intervening decade. “I think we are more experienced than the teams I had when I moved into the stadium here,” Wenger told the club’s website.
Courtois:
Courtois
Tuesday, 5 January, 2016
Chelsea can still end season well
THIBAUT Courtois believes Chelsea’s season will still be judged as a success if it wins a trophy and secures a place in Europe. Courtois said the Blues’ mentality has changed under manager Guus Hiddink, who is unbeaten in three games after Sunday’s 3-0 win at Crystal Palace. The victory leaves Chelsea nine points off West Ham in sixth place and 13 adrift of Tottenham in fourth, but the performance suggested they may yet be capable of a late surge towards the European spots. Chelsea hosts Scunthorpe in the FA Cup third round on Sunday, before league games at home to West Brom and Everton, and Courtois says all is not lost. “Obviously if you win the FA Cup or the Champions League maybe it will still be a positive,” Courtois said. “Success is a big word if you play, until now, not very well except the last three or four games. “But still with the FA Cup or maybe the Champions
League it could be a positive season if we end up in the top four or top six.” Guus Hiddink was pleased with Chelsea’s performance after the Blues spanked Crystal Palace 3-0.
“On our day we could play everybody off the park and when you had to dig deep, you experienced it was a bit more difficult. It was different. “We were more questioned on that aspect than the way we played football. Now, [in terms of] the experience, the quality of their attitude, the team always has the charisma. “If you look at the team as a unit, it is like a person. If you look at your team like a person and the vibes that are coming out you can sense in this job if you feel it or not.” Theo Walcott says Arsenal believes it can win the title after Newcastle victory. “I must say another aspect of your team in a game like
Klopp warns Liverpool ahead Stoke clash JURGEN Klopp is demanding more aggression from his Liverpool side in its Capital One Cup semi-final first leg at Stoke tonight. He however, revealed that Daniel Sturridge will still not be available for the clash. Sturridge has since recovered from a hamstring injury, but Klopp will not rush him back until he can train regularly. Klopp speaking ahead of tonight’s clash berated his side which lost comprehensively to Wes Ham at the Britannia Stadium last weekend. “We were passive,” he said. “That’s not good in life
or in football. We have to be more aggressive. “You have to react to defeats in the right way. This cup is important. We have to go for it. “Our target is to win it. It will be tough because Mark Hughes has done a brilliant job. Good scouting in the summer, maybe the biggest change in football is how Stoke played a few months or years ago and how they are playing now. That is really good. “It will be a different game against Stoke. We know about the qualities of Stoke. It’s a team I know most about because I know most of their players.”
Newcastle. It is more the mental aspect - you fight, don’t panic and wait for your chance.” “I also believe that everyone else’s organisation has improved. What is even more (surprising) is physically you won games in maybe the last 20 minutes when you were superior technically. That is not the case anymore.”
Ballon d’Or winner is always credible —Kaka WHENEVER Kaka looks at a picture of the 2007 FIFA Gala, a very special smile spreads across his face. Not only because that evening in Zurich symbolises the peak of the Brazilian’s career, but because of which other two finalists he overcame to win the FIFA World Player of the Year award: Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. No-one could predict, at that time, that the Argentinian and the Portuguese would go on to split football’s top individual award for the following seven years, with the possibility of an eighth on January 11 at the FIFA Ballon d’Or 2015 ceremony. “It had always been a rotation: Ronaldo and Zidane won it three times, but there was alw a y s some other player - names like Figo, Ronaldinho, myself, Rivaldo, Cannavaro… Then comes this succession of Cristiano and Messi, only the two of them - and it is fair, for what they have been doing
year after year,” analysed the 33-year-old Orlando City midfielder. The 2015 edition also marks the first time that a Brazilian player, Neymar, is shortlisted among the three finalists since Kaka’s own triumph in 2007 – a considerable drought for a country that has produced so many recipients of individual awards. “It’s difficult to point out a single reason for this, but it must serve to alert Brazilian football. And, truth be told, it’s no easy task to forge a Ballon d’Or winner,” said Kaka, whose hopes of seeing a countryman emulate his individual achievement predictably rest on the shoulders of his Seleção team-mate Neymar. “Thankfully, Neymar has improved a lot since he’s gone to play in Europe - his game is a lot more mature. Now it’s a matter o f time until he reaches first place.”
Aguero impresses Watford boss Aguero
THE manager of Nigerian striker, Odion Ighalo at Watford, Quique Flores has backed former player, Sergio Aguero to lead Manchester City to win the Premier League title this season. City has been indifferent this season but recent form has seen the side move to just three points behind league leaders Arsenal. In their last premier league match, the Citizens scored twice in the final 10 minutes to come from behind and beat Watford 2-1 and Flores believes that Manuel Pellegrini’s men will be the team celebrating come May. Asked if he regarded City as the favourites, Flores told reporters: “Yes. I thought so in the first half of the season. I keep thinking the same. (David) Silva and (Sergio) Aguero (are the best players I’ve managed). I managed a lot of good players, but Silva and Aguero were slightly different. They were a little bit different. “During the season Aguero was at a high level, then he was injured for a short period. It was enough to have some doubts, maybe. But in the future, Aguero (has been) a completely different player. He is one of the best players in the world. “(But) we have plenty of reasons to be positive. We have 29 points, we are in the top half of the league, we are competitive and have always had the opportunity to win, including against the big teams. We have a lot reasons to be happy.”
SIDELINES
no 16,407
Benitez out
Zidane in
Real Madrid stars, Gareth Bale (left) and Cristiano Ronaldo.
FIFA president to attend Glo-CAF Awards gala All is now set for the 2015 Glo-CAF Awards scheduled to hold on Thursday at the International Conference Centre, Abuja. Among the dignitaries who will attend the event is the acting president of FIFA who is also the CAF president, Alhaji Issa Hayatou who will lead a delegation of FIFA and CAF executives to the awards gala. The Glo-CAF awards are the most prestigious in Africa conferred on outstanding players, coaches, supporters and administrators by the continent’s highest football authority and bankrolled by Globacom. Winners in the different award categories including African Player of The Year and African Player of The Year (Based in Africa), National Team of The Year, Club of The Year, and Coach of The Year will be unveiled at the event
Ighalo (front) in an aerial contest.
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Tuesday, 5 JANUARY, 2016
Official records reveal that, during the year October 2014 to September 2015, the CBN lent a total sum of NGN 6.86 trillion to Nigerian banks at 15% interest rate. In the same period it accepted total deposits of NGN 24.77 trillion 'idle funds' from the banks and paid them 11% interest. Meanwhile the productive sector cannot access adequate funds from the banks. The CBN should explain to Nigerians the logic that informs this strange policy, and the source(s) of the 'idle funds'.
Other categories are Women’s National Team of The Year, Women’s Footballer of The Year, Most Promising Talent, Referee of The Year, Legend of The year, Fair Play Award, Platinum Award (which has only one nominee), and Africa Finest XI. G l o b a c o m has been sponsoring the CAF Awards since 2005.
Real Madrid fires Benitez As Zidane takes over By Olawale Olaniyan
R
EAL Madrid has fired manager, Rafa Benitez barely seven months in the
saddle, reports the Spanish sports daily, Marca. The La Liga club's president, Florentino Perez dismissed the Spaniard after an emergency board meeting on Monday.
According to reports, former France captain who has been in charge of B-team, Zinedine Zidane will take over the senior team till the end of the season. Real sits third on the log,
I can't reject Man U offer —Ighalo
RED-HOT Nigerian international, Odion Ighalo has said that he could consider a move to Manchester United should the Premier League giants come for him in the January transfer window. Ighalo has been a subject of heated transfer speculations after his 14 goals in the EPL, but his modest Watford has warned off buyers, insisting he is not “for sale under any circumstances”. The former Lyn Oslo of Norway forward despite pledging his allegiance to the Hornets amid offers being dangled before him said he will not say no to United if they come calling.
Ighalo, however, in a radio interview on Monday Ighalo said: “I’m happy at Watford, I’m enjoying my football there and I have a five-year contract. “I have also heard the speculations about Atletico Madrid and Roma, but I have played in both Italy and Spain, and I now want to play in England. “Only God knows what will happen, but I don’t think I will move in January. But would I say no to Manchester United if they come calling?”
four points behind leaders Atletico Madrid. Directors of the Spanish club had met on the matter on Monday after Madrid failed to beat Valencia on Sunday evening. Though, Perez remains a huge fan of Jose Mourinho and the former Chelsea manager remains an option, but he preferred Zidane taking over with immediate effect. Mourinho would remain an option for the Spanish giants at the end of the season if the Zidane experiment fails. Benitez has been unable to win any of Madrid’s big away games so far this season after losing to Villarreal, Sevilla and Barcelona, while the Los Blancos drew with Atletico Madrid, Valencia and Paris SaintGermain. The former Liverpool manager, Benitez after the game agianst Valencia at a press conference was still hopeful that the fortunes of Real Madrid would change for the better.
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. 5/1/2016.