10th March 2016

NIGERIA’S MOST INFORMATIVE NEWSPAPER NO 16,454

THURSDAY, 10 MARCH, 2016

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Lekki: Death toll rises to 34

Nigerian Tribune

AGF to EFCC: •As Ambode orders Lekki Garden sealed off Investigate, prosecute •Police arrest contractor those behind forex crisis —P9 —P4

@nigeriantribune

Aregbesola renames UNIOSUN after Bola Ige —P43

Oil workers' strike

Nigerian Tribune

N150

Fulani influx too much for Benue —Gov Ortom —P10

FG to lose N3.5bn daily •Fuel scarcity looms —P11 •Unbundling of NNPC illegal —Senate •What we have simply done is reorganisation, Kachikwu explains

FRSC to FEC: Ocholi's driver had no licence, on top speed —P3

Ekiti Assembly invasion:

Senate orders probe —P4

Corps Marshal, Federal Road Safety Corps, Mr Boboye Oyeyemi, explaining the cause of accident leading to the death of the Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Mr James Ocholi; his wife and son, at the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting in Abuja, on Wednesday.

Reps take over Kogi Assembly

Ondo Assembly reverses impeachment of Speaker

—P10

•Declare Speaker's impeachment illegal •Direct IGP to seal off premises •Reps' order illegal —Factional Speaker

—P42

2 news

Thursday, 10 March, 2016

Ghost workers: FG probes 11,000 more suspicious names on payroll FEC okays presidential initiative on audit Leon Usigbe -Abuja

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HE Federal Government is investigating about 11,000 additional suspicious names in the federal payroll, with a view to weeding out ghost workers.

Minister of Finance, Kemi Adeosun, disclosed this while briefing State House correspondents af-

ter a meeting of the Federal Executive Council (FEC), presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari on Wednesday.

The investigation followed an earlier discovery of 23,000 ghost workers already weeded out of the system which, she said, had saved the government about N2.29 billion monthly.

She spoke on plans for a

new presidential initiative to extend adequate scrutiny to other areas of government’s expenditure to block such fraudulent practices.

On the approval of a presidential initiative on continuous audit, she pointed out that in the budget speech, the president had said that there would be a continuous audit process, particularly of payroll.

According to her, “al-

ready, that work has resulted in the elimination of about 23,000 fraudulent recipients of federal salary and more work is still ongoing.

“We felt that the continuous audit work should not just be limited to payroll, there is actually the need to strengthen internal audit across government and to that extent, the World Bank had, in 2010, started an ini-

tiative to try and introduce real-space internal audit in Nigeria, but it wasn’t successful.”

The minister remarked that the World Bank had indicated its readiness to support Nigeria in the initiative, saying, however, that it would about take six months to get the required legislation through.

“So, as an interim, we have agreed to do the presidential initiative on continuous audits which will give backings to the work that we are currently doing and will allow us to extend this work beyond payroll to other areas of expenditure.

“The FEC deliberated extensively about the need for this and agreed that the control framework over finance and spending of government’s money needed to be strengthened especially in anticipation of the approval of the budget, which

is an extended budget.

“If we don’t strengthen our controls, then there is a risk that that money would leak or be applied to the wrong things.

“FEC approved the setting up of this initiative effectively, using an executive order to create internal audit to enable us to continue this work and to extend it to everywhere that federal money is being spent or received, so that we can have better oversight,” she said.

Noting that government would not recruit additional people to do the auditing work, Adeosun further stated that “we are going to be using existing staff, qualified accountants within the office of the accountant general within the federal civil service and redeploy them to create this function which we believe will strengthen the controls of our public money.”

No food import for school feeding progrmme —Osinbajo Leon Usigbe -Abuja From left, Senate leader, Senator Ali Ndume; Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki and the Chairman, Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF), Alhaji (Dr) Ibrahim Coomassie, when the ACF visited the Senate President, in Abuja, on Wednesday.

Saraki to ACF: For national stability, all zones must contribute to GDP Ayodele Adesanmi -Abuja SENATE President, Dr Bukola Saraki, on Wednesday, appealed to all geopolitical zones in the country to contribute equitably to the nation’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP), in order to ensure national stability.

Speaking when the chairman of the National Executive Council of the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF), Dr Ibrahim Coomassie, led other executive members of the forum to visit him at the National Assembly, Saraki said the only way for the North to contribute meaningfully to the growth of the nation’s GDP and the diversification of the economy was for its leaders to methodically focus on mining and agriculture.

Saraki, in a statement

by Sanni Onogu, his Chief Press Secretary, said “my appeal is that in all countries that have gone through similar economic challenges like ours, recovery does not happen overnight.

“There will be initial pain but eventually, the future will be bright. It is this journey that we should have embarked upon many

years ago. We cannot run away from it.

“We cannot continue to depend only on oil. We must look at agriculture.

Specifically for those of us from the North, agriculture is key.

“I also want to say that for the stability of any country, it is important that every part of the country is seen to be contributing to the economy of the country.

A country where it is only one part that contributes

to the economy is recipe for disaster.

“For the stability of this country, it is important that we from the North must play our own role to contribute significantly to the GDP of this country.

“It is then we come to the table on equal terms and then we will be able to ensure the stability of this country. The only way for us to make our contribution is to go back to mining and agriculture. We must

talk to our people that it is time for hardwork.”

The ACF chairman, Coomassie, had earlier told the Senate President that the visit was meant to sustain and consolidate the cordial relationship that existed between the ACF and the Senate since 1999.

He congratulated the Senate President on inauguration of the eighth Senate and described the National Assembly as an epitome of democracy.

VICE-PRESIDENT Yemi Osinbajo has ruled out the possibility of food import to implement the planned school feeding programme.

He made the declaration while receiving a delegation of the World Food Programme (WFP) in his office, led by its Executive Director, Ms Ertharin Cousin.

Osinbajo said the HomeGrown School Feeding, through which primary school pupils will receive one full meal a day, will “energize the agriculture base in the state, so that the farmers can benefit.”

The vice-president noted that the programme would also create jobs, not only for farmers, but caterers, adding that the entire value-chain would be benefi-

cial to the local communities.

He said the school feeding had already started in some states and the impact being felt, with wellfed students, and rise in school enrolment.

The vice-president noted that the Federal Government would partner with the World Food Programme, a United Nations (UN) agency in the implementation of the feeding programmes.

According to him “it will be very helpful to look at your best practices, so that we are sure we are on course.”

In her remarks, the leader of the delegation, Ertharin Cousin, commended the efforts of the Muhammadu Buhari-led administration in addressing the plight of IDPs in the North East.

NECO releases 2015 Nov/Dec results Adelowo Oladipo -Minna THE National Examinations Council (NECO) has released the results of the 2015 November/December Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE).

Announcing the results at the council’s headquarters in Minna, Niger State, on Wednesday, the Registrar/ Chief Executive, Professor Abdulrashid Garba, disclosed that a total of 50,060 candidates registered, out of which 47,507 sat for English Language,

while 47,554 sat for Mathematics.

The performance of candidates by subject revealed that out of 47,507 that sat for English Language, 29,718 representing 62.55 per cent obtained credit pass. In Mathematics, 47,554 candidates sat for the subject and 32,484 or 68.30 per cent passed at credit level.

Out of 39,389 candidates that sat for Biology, 17,227 or 43.73 per cent obtained credit pass, while in Chemistry, out of 22,284 candidates that sat for the

examination, 11,951 representing 53.63 per cent made it at credit level.

Similarly, out of 22,201 candidates who sat for Physics, 818 or 3.68 per cent passed the subject at credit level.

The release stated further that in Geography, 19,781 candidates sat for the examination and 3,851 or 19.46 per cent passed at credit level.

The performance of candidates in Government indicated that out of 23,497 candidates that wrote the subject, 10,226 or 43.52

per cent made it at credit level.

In Economics, 39,406 candidates sat for the examination and 23,991 or 60.88 per cent passed at credit level.

The Registrar further explained that “in view of the fact that the examination was for private candidates who were no longer in the school system and looking for one or two credits, the desperation to engage in malpractice was high.

This, he said, “led to an increase in the percentage of candidates involved in

malpractices, compared to the figure for 2014.”

Professor Garba said the council is, however, devising more ingenious ways to help in curbing the malpractice level.

A comparative analysis of malpractice cases by subject revealed that while 635 cases were recorded in English Language in 2014, 1,075 cases were recorded in 2015.

Candidates are implored to access their results on NECO website, using their examination registration number and scratch cards.

3 news

Thursday, 10 March, 2016

FRSC to FEC: Ocholi’s driver had no licence, on top speed •I’m impressed by Ocholi’s humility —Buhari Leon Usigbe - Abuja

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HE Federal Executive Council (FEC), on Wednesday, held a special session in honour of late Minister of State for Labour, James Ocholi, who died in a motor accident alongside his wife and son, on Sunday.

Corps Marshal of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Boboye Oyeyemi, told the council in a presentation of the accident’s Road Traffic Crash Investigation Interim Report, that overspeeding was largely to blame for the ghastly accident, which occurred on Abuja-Kaduna Highway.

He disclosed that the impact of the accident was more on Ocholi and his family members, who were seated at the rear seats, because they were not using seat belts.

Similarly, he said the driver of the vehicle was unlicensed.

The Corps Marshal stated: “The crashed vehicle driver was driving too fast and he slammed on his brakes so hard. These two factors materially contributed to the inability of the driver to maintain control when the left rear tyre burst.

“Skid marks and grooves found on the westbound shoulder made by the Lexus LX570 for about 15m and 9.3m, respectively, before it began somersaulting severely and the ejection of the minister and his son showed clearly that the travelling speed of the Lexus LX570 presented unsafe consequences in the event of certain road risk that might have occurred.

“The driver must have entered into a panic situation, which resulted to his hard application of brakes and subsequent loss of control that took him into the bush.

“The DOT number of the tyres were inward, which cannot easily be read from outside. This indicated that the orientations of the tyres were not properly fixed, which could adversely affect the performance of the tyres.

“The Federal Road Safety Corps Investigation Team (FIT) determines that the probable cause of the March 6 fatal crash at KM34 Kaduna-Abuja Expressway, near Rijana Village, Kaduna State, was the driver’s failure to maintain directional control of his vehicle when the rear left tyre burst occurred.

“Severity of the fatality was increased due to the ejection

of the minister and his son as a result of non-use of rear seat belt.”

He added: “There was no record on the driver’s licence national database of the driver of the minister, with the name Taiwo James Elegbede.

“The ejection of the minister and his son, who occupied the rear seat, confirmed the fact that their rear seat

belts were not in use and on the contrary, the driver and the orderly survived because the front seats belts were in use.”

The Corps Marshal, therefore, recommended, among other things “the certification and recertification of convoy drivers at intervals of two years of issuance of convoy driver’s licence.”

President Muhammadu

Buhari presided over the council meeting, with six ministers from the geopolitical zones, paying tributes to the deceased.

After directing that a minute of silence be observed in memory of the dead, the president recalled Ocholi’s attributes, noting that he was impressed by the late Senior Advocate of Nigeria’s humility.

Buhari said: “I began to respect his hard work and humility. When he attempted to be governor of his state, I campaigned for him almost throughout all the local governments, but the system we are running, one will always keep on trying. He didn’t make it.

“And then the series of committees we are having, I recalled one particular, ACN,

Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki, commiserating with the children and family members of the late Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Mr James Ocholi, in Abuja.

Assets declaration: Conduct tribunal to commence Saraki’s trial tomorrow Sunday Ejike - Abuja THE Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) will, tomorrow, commence trial of the Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki, over allegation of false declaration of assets.

The Supreme Court had, on February 5, dismissed Saraki’s appeal, challenging his trial at the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT).

The Senate President was arraigned by the Federal Government on a 13-count charge, bordering on false assets declaration and in his bid to stop his trial, rushed to the Appeal Court, which ruled that he should go back to the Tribunal to face his trial.

Not satisfied with the decision of the Court of Appeal, Saraki appealed to the Supreme Court, asking it to set aside the decision of the appellate court.

A seven-panel of justices of the apex court, headed

by Justice Walter Onnoghen, in the judgment of the court, held that the Tribu-

nal had quasi criminal jurisdiction to ensure public probity and accountability of public office holders.

The court held that it was legal for the Tribunal to assume jurisdiction over the trial of the Senate President, charged with false asset declaration, without one of its members.

“In conclusion, I find no merit in the appeal and it is accordingly dismissed.

The judgment of the lower court delivered on the 30th day of October, 2015, dismissing the appeal of the appellant against the rul-

ing of the Code of Conduct Tribunal of 18th September, 2015, is hereby, affirmed,” Justice Onnoghen held.

Saraki’s appeal was against the October 30, 2015 judgment of the Court of Appeal, Abuja which dismissed an earlier appeal challenging the jurisdiction of the CCT to try him for alleged false declaration of assets.

Saraki was arraigned before the Tribunal on September 22, last year, on a 13-count charge after much resistance from the

Senate President, prompting the Tribunal to issue a bench warrant for his arrest.

He pleaded not guilty to the charge and challenged the power of the CCT to try him, the composition of the Tribunal and the legality of the charge, which he said was not endorsed by the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF).

In its judgment on October 30, a three-man panel of the appellate court, in a split decision of two-toone, held that Saraki’s appeal lacked merit.

CPC, ANPP, I think APGA and DPP, he represented us and what impressed me about him was that he agreed to serve under a junior lawyer to him.

“And that showed a lot of humility because I know of two professions: legal and Military, they are very particular about seniority, but he agreed to serve to under a junior ACN lawyer, him being a SAN. “Even his contribution here (FEC), whether there were the memos from his ministry or not, he made substantial contributions.

May his soul rest in peace.”

Ministers who paid tribute on behalf of their geopolitical zones were the Minister of Labour and Productivity, Chris Ngige (South-East); Minister of State for Health, Osagie Ehanire (SouthSouth); Minister of State for Niger Delta, Cladius Daramola (South-West); Minister of Agriculture, Audu Ogbe (North-Central); Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Khadijat Bukar Abba (North-East) and the Minister of Water Resources, Suleiman Adamu (NorthWest).

The council resolved that all cabinet members should visit Ocholi’s family immediately after FEC meeting.

FEC also set up set up a 13-member burial committee, headed by Secretary to Government of the Federation (SGF), Babachir David Lawal, who gave a tentative burial programme for March 16th to 18th.

Briefing State House correspondents after the FEC meeting, the SGF disclosed that President Buhari had directed that the burial expenses of the deceased be borne by the Federal Government.

Additionally, he has ordered immediate employment for the two graduate surviving sons of the late minister in government parastatals of their choice while the remaining children of school age are to enjoy federal scholarship up to university level.

Boko Haram sect abandons Iza camp after air attack Chris Agbambu - Abuja THE Boko Haram terrorists have abandoned their camp at Iza, Borno State and fled to Sambisa Forest after their camp came under heavy air attacks by the Alpha Jets, it has been revealed.

Director, Public Relations and Information, Nigerian Air Force, Group Captain

Ayodele Famuyiwa, in a statement in Abuja, on Wednesday, said success of the air attack paved way for the follow-up clearance operation by own troops of 121 Task Force Battalion, who consolidated on the gains of the air strikes to flush out the remnants of the terrorists, as well as destroyed their leftover

camps.

He said during the ground movement, the Mi-35 Helicopter gunships were overhead to provide close air support for the advancing troops, with the Beechcraft aircraft supported by Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance.

According to him, the combined air and land op-

eration against the Boko Haram sect was conducted during the early hours of Wednesday, March 8.

He said the fall of Iza and its liberation by own troops further attests to the recent gains recorded by the military in the combined efforts to rid the country of the menace posed by the religious sect.

4 news

Thursday, 10 March, 2016

Senate orders investigation into Ekiti Assembly invasion by DSS I won’t stop criticism of FG over bad policies —Fayose From Taiwo Adisa, Ayodele Adesanmi and Sam Nwaoko

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HE Senate, on Wednesday, ordered investigation into the invasion of Ekiti State House of Assembly by officials of the Department of State Services (DSS).

The lawmakers, who adopted a motion moved by the Deputy Minority Whip, Senator Biodun Olujimmi, said that the Committee on National Security and Intelligence should investigate the invasion and report to the House in plenary, in two weeks.

Senator Olujinmi had moved a motion seeking the Senate to condemn the action of the DSS, which invaded the chambers of Ekiti State House of Assembly, last week.

In the motion entitled: “The invasion of Ekiti State House of Assembly by armed men of the DSS on Friday, March 4,” Olujinmi said the hallowed chamber of the state assembly was, on March 4, invaded by armed men of the DSS. According to her, the Ekiti parliament was invaded at a time various committees of the House were busy with

their legislative duties, insisting that the DSS men threw the state assembly complex into chaos when they allegedly shot into the air sporadically, in a bid to carry out the planned arrest of the lawmakers.

The lawmaker expressed worries that four members of the House of Assembly could not be found after the incident, explaining that information available to her showed that Honourable Afolabi Akanni, member representing Efon constituency, was abducted and taken to Abuja.

Olujimi berated the DSS for refusing to make public, the reasons the Ekiti lawmakers were arrested, even after five days of their arrest.

The lawmaker submitted that the “action is not only unconstitutional, illegal and unlawful, but is a plot calculated to harass, intimidate and embarrass the people and government of Ekiti State.”

She further told the Senate that something similar took place in September 2015, when “Akwa Ibom State Government House was invaded by armed men of the same DSS without any formal explanation as to the reason for the invasion.”

Investigate, prosecute those behind forex crisis, AGF tells EFCC IN a bid to stabilise the exchange rate of the naira against major foreign currencies in the foreign exchange market, the Federal Government has mandated the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and other security agencies to investigate and identify and prosecute those behind the crisis experienced in the foreign exchange operations.

The Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, who disclosed this to newsmen on Wednesday, blamed the current state of the naira on the activities of unscrupulous elements, whom he said were hiding under the cloak of “market forces” to deliberately undermine the national currency.

According to him, “certain forces have now aligned to create an artificial currency situation, whose primary purpose is to undermine the economic programme of the Muhammadu Buhari-led administration.

Those targeted in the investigation included regulatory agencies, businessmen

and Bureau De Change operators, some of whom he alleged had been sabotaging the economic agenda of the government.

The AGF said the government could not afford to allow such a situation anchored on unlawful alliance and criminal enterprise to continue unchecked, when it was apparent that its primary objective was to sabotage the economic agenda of the government.

He disclosed that certain elements within some strategic national institutions, who rather than exert their regulatory powers, had chosen to use their strong accomplices within the system to manipulate the foreign exchange market for personal corrupt gains and to the detriment of the national economy.

“Let me restate in the strongest terms, that these neferous malpractices by unscrupulous individuals and institutions will no longer be tolerated,” the AGF stated, adding also that measures were already in place to deal with infractions decively, as relevant security agencies were on red alert to investigate these infractions and appropriate sanctions shall follow accordingly.

tive Houses Privileges Act.” He also said an incident like that took place in the sixth Senate and that the Senate resolved then that the chamber would not condone the breaking of the laws that actually gave powers to the lawmakers.

He added: “It was a law passed in 1953 and is still subsisting up till date. Section 14 of the Legislative Houses, Powers and Privileges Act states thus in 14(1): “No stranger in respect of the Legislative House shall be entitled to enter or remain within the chamber or precincts of that House without the authority of the President or Speaker as the case maybe.”

But the debate took a partisan outlook when senators of the APC opposed part if its prayers, while senators of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) spoke in favour of the motion.

Deputy Majority Leader, Senator Bala Ibn Na’allah, in his contribution, urged the Senate to tread with caution, especially as it concerned the first prayer, as he argued that Ekiti State was a peculiar state, where acts of recklessness had been perpetrated in the past, allegedly by people in position of authority.

When the motion was put to voice vote, senators of

the APC voted against the prayer seeking to condemn the invasion as those who voted “Nay” was louder than the “Ayes”.

They, however, supported the motion seeking to compel the standing Committee on Security and National Intelligence to investigate the development.

While addressing newsmen after that passage of the motion, Senator Olujimi expressed disappointment that the senators treated the motion the way they did.

She told newsmen that the harassment of the lower parliaments in the state might someday embolden the security apparatus to extend same to the National Assembly.

While rounding off debate on the motion, Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki, urged his colleagues not to pre-empt the outcome of the investigation, but declared that Senate would not sit back and allow acts capable of truncating democracy in the country.

In a related development, the Ekiti State governor, Mr Ayodele Fayose, has said he would not stop his criticism of the Federal Government over its bad policies, despite the recent clampdown on officials of the state by operatives of the Department of State Security (DSS).

A statement by the state government said the governor stated this on his arrival from Abuja, on Wednesday, “where he had been since Sunday,” said “no policy of the Federal Government that is inimical to the welfare of the people would be spared his comments.”

The governor was reacting to the development for the first time since DSS officials invaded the House of Assembly Complex, Ado-Ekiti and whisked four lawmakers away.

“Commissioner for Finance, Chief Toyin Ojo, was also arrested by DSS officers, but was released late Tuesday night.

“This is not the first time people will harass me. It is a conspiracy and it will collapse like other attempts before it. I will remain critical of the activities of the Federal Government, especially when they do things that are inimical to the welfare of Nigerians.

“Imagine the questions they asked my Commissioner for Finance; they asked him if the Federal Government has reimbursed the state government on work done on federal roads, but the records are with them in Abuja, can’t they check? We have nothing to hide and they are only chasing shadows and are time wasters,” he said.

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Sunday Ejike - Abuja

Olujimi blamed the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led Federal Government for the action, adding that what the DSS did was a mere “political vendetta and muzzling of the opposition.”

She described that devlopment as dangerous to democratic survival of the country.

In her prayers in the motion, the lawmaker asked the Senate to, among others, condemn, in the strongest terms, the illegal and unlawful invasion of the Ekiti assembly by armed men of the DSS; direct its Committee on National Security and Intelligence to conduct an investigation into the immediate and remote causes of the action of the DSS and report back to the Senate within two weeks.

While seconding the motion, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, said the invasion was against the spirit and letters of the Legislative Powers and Privileges Act, which treats the legislative chambers as sacred places.

He said: “The second part is that we must also ask a question, which is: Who is in charge of security in a legislative House? We have never answered that question and it continues to reccur.

“We must take a stand according to the laws of this land and that is the Legisla-

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Thursday, 10 March, 2016

6 news

Thursday, 10 March, 2016

Switzerland reopens Consulate office in Lagos, after 55 years

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HE Swiss government, on Tuesday night, inaugurated its new ConsulateGeneral’s office in Lagos, 55 years after it was closed.

Switzerland’s Federal Counsellor and Head of Foreign Affairs, Mr Didier Burkhalter, before declaring the office officially opened, said it was currently his government’s second ConsulateGeneral’s Office in Sub-Saharan Africa.

“The opening of this second Consulate-General of Switzerland in Sub-Saharan Africa, after Cape Town, marks a very special day for us.

“Switzerland is officially returning to Lagos, the place where its long-standing friendship with Nigeria started 55 years ago.

“Ever since the opening of our embassy, Nigeria has been at the heart of our foreign policy on Africa,” he said.

According to him, Nigeria

Magistrate kidnapped in Edo Banji Aluko - Benin City KIDNAPPERS have abducted a serving Edo State magistrate and wife of the former speaker of the state House of Assembly, Hajia Hassana Zakawarnu.

It was gathered that the woman was kidnapped on Tuesday evening, at Obadan Village, on the Benin-Auchi Expressway while travelling from Benin to her station in Ehor, Uhunmwonde Local Government Area of the state.

The abductors were said to have stopped a number of vehicles at a spot close to the Ogbemudia Farm, on the expressway and kidnapped some of the occupants, including Hajia Zakawarnu.

Family contacts said the abductors have not contacted the family as at Wednes-

day.

A police source confirmed the incident, adding that the Inspector General of Police, Mr Solomon Arase, had already directed the state Commissioner of Police, Chris Ezike, to ensure the immediate release of the abducted persons and the arrest of the abductors.

CONFIRMATION OF NAME

I, Ogunremi Gbenga Oluwafemi Folorunsho am the same person as Ogunremi Gbenga Oluwafemi and Folorunsho Gbenga Oluwafemi.

Henceforth, I want to be known and addressed as OGUNREMI GBENGA OLUWAFEMI FOLORUNSO. All documents bearing these names refer to me and remain valid.General public take note.

had not lost its importance in his country’s foreign policy.

Burkhalter also said the economic significance of Nigeria could not be overstated, adding that it was “one of the main reasons the Consulate-General had been reopened.”

The government official said Swiss businesses and people attached much importance to Nigeria, especially Lagos.

“As the biggest economy in the continent, Nigeria not only plays a major role in shaping developments in Africa, this position also enables Nigeria to contribute to economic growth worldwide,” he added.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Obembe Ayodeji Damilola now OBEMBE ADEKUNLE AYODEJI. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

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Thursday, 10 March, 2016

N1.04 trn fine: MTN must pay, Reps insist •Back NCC •Summon AGF, Buhari’s Chief of Staff •As Communications Minister washes hands off transaction Jacob Segun Olatunji and Kolawole Daniel - Abuja

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HE House of Representatives, on Wednesday, insisted that the MTN Nigeria must pay the N1.

04 trillion fine imposed on it by the Nigeria Communications Commission (NCC) for Subscriber Identification Modules (SIM) deactivation default.

The House Committee on Telecommunications handed down the order on Wednesday, when the Minister of Communications Technology, Mr Adebayo Shittu and the officials of the NCC appeared before it on the update of the $5.2billion fine imposed on MTN Nigeria.

This came just as the committee expressed its total support for the NCC in all steps being taken to restore sanity in the nation’s telecommunications sector, lamenting that Nigeria, as a nation, had lost thousands of her citizenry to the Boko Haram insurgents due to the negligence of the MTN, by not obeying the law of the land on SIM cards registration directive.

Also, the committee summoned the Minister of Justice and the AttorneyGeneral of the Federation (AGF). Abubakar Malami and the Chief of Staff to President Muhammadu Buhari to appear before it next week and explain all they knew about the transaction.

The committee stated that this became necessary, as the names of the duo were mentioned at one-time or the other in the course of the investigations.

In addition, Mr Shittu washed off his hand and that of the Executive Director of the NCC, Professor Umar Garba Danbatta, from the entire transactions including the renegotiation of the fine by the MTN Nigeria, saying the company dealt directly with the Presidency and that when it became a legal issue, the AGF took it over, saying he had not been briefed since then.

Mr Shittu told the committee to direct all its inquiries on the matter to the AGF, who had been in charge since it came up and that neither the ministry nor the NCC was aware of any negotiation, but declared that it was expected that both the ministry and the NCC must be part of any negotiation that would

take place.

It will be recalled that NCC, in October 2015, imposed a fine of N1.04 trillion on MTN Nigeria, for failing to disconnect subscribers with unregistered and incomplete SIM cards within the stipulated time.

However, while ruling on

Wednesday, chairman of the committee, Honourable Saheed Akinade-Fijabi, said the fine, if paid, would redefine the relationship between the telecommunications operators and the regulator.

Akinade-Fijabi pointed out that the N50 billion paid

by MTN as a down payment for negotiations out of court was not adequate to make up for allegedly undermining government’s efforts to tackle security challenges in the country.

According to him, “the law is there to serve as deterrent for you not to go

against them. MTN has been trying to circumvent the process and find a way of running away from the law instead of them facing the music.’’

A member of the committee, Honourable Johnson Agbonayinman, said MTN violated sections 19 and 20

From left, President of South Africa, Mr Jacob Zuma; President Muhammadu Buhari and a former vice-president, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, during a dinner for the visiting President Zuma, at the State House, Abuja.

Arms deal: You have case to answer, court tells Metuh Sunday Ejike - Abuja JUSTICE Okon Abang of the Federal High Court, Abuja, on Wednesday, told the National Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Olisa Metuh, that he had a case to answer in the seven-count charge preferred against him by the Federal Government.

The judge, while ruling on Metuh’s no-case submission, held that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) prosecuting for the Federal Government, had established a prima facie case against the PDP spokesman.

The court then dismissed Metuh’s no-case submission for lacking in merit and ordered the PDP spokesman to open his defence.

EFCC is prosecuting Metuh and his company, Destra Investment Limited, on a seven-count charge of money laundering and fraudulent receipt of N400 million meant for procurement of arms from the Office of the National Security

Adviser (ONSA) on November 22, 2014 and used the funds for the PDP’s campaign activities.

The anti-graft agency had concluded presentation of all its witnesses in the prosecution of the PDP spokesman, who, instead of opening his defence, filed a no-case submission, on the ground that the prosecution had not established any case against him, and therefore, he had no defense to make.

Ruling on the matter, the trial judge ruled that EFCC succeeded in linking Metuh with the offences for which he was charged and that it was left for him now to defend himself.

“The prosecution placed sufficient material evidence before the court to show that the defendant has a case to answer. There are several questions raised that only the first defendant can answer because he admitted in the statement he wrote on November 24, 2014, that N400 million was transferred into his account.

“Did he inquire from the

bank of the source of the money and why it was paid into his account? If he did, what was the response of the bank? These are some of the questions that Metuh needs to clarify.

“Why did he disburse the fund to PW6 and 7, and also to Chief Tony Anenih?

It is my view that only when the first defendant answers these questions that it will be clear if he knew that the transfer of the N400 million formed part of illegal proceeds of crime by the former NSA. “I have only heard from the prosecution and I am satisfied that a prima facie case has been made out against the defendant,” he said.

Earlier, Justice Abang dismissed the fundamental right suit filed by Metuh, saying the 10 days he spent in the custody of the EFCC was constitutional since an order from the magistrates’ court was obtained by the commission, saying the anti-graft agency acted within its powers, having obtained a remand order from an Abuja Chief Magis-

trate Court.

The judge said sections 6, 7, and 41 of the EFCC Establishment Act and section 31(1) (c) of the 1999 Constitution as amended, empowered the agency to arrest the applicant upon reasonable suspicion that he committed a criminal offence.

Justice Abang maintained that Metuh was arrested over allegation bordering on money laundering, which he said constituted an economic crime.

According to him, “even though the court observed that the 10 days detention period exceeded what was stipulated in the constitution, there is nothing this court can do since the order of the Magistrate Court subsists.”

He subsequently dismissed Metuh’s fundamental right enforcement application and awarded N15,000 cost against him in favour of the EFCC. Justice Abang later adjourned till March 17 for Metuh to open his defense.

of the Telephone Subscribers Regulations under the Communications Act 2010 and was duty-bound to be made to face the full weight of the law of the land.

According to him, “Section 19 of the Act read any licensee, who fails to capture register, deregister or transmit the details of every individual or corporate subscribers to the Central Data Base as specified in the regulation or as may be stipulated from time to time by the commission, is liable to a penalty of N200 000 for each subscription medium.

“Therefore, MTN’s failure to deactivate 5.2 million SIM cards should be liable to a fine of N2.8 trillion,’’ Agbonayinman declared.

Contributing, another member, Honourable Stephen Friday Olemija, commended the good work of the commission in trying to restore sanity into the sector in the face of the insurgents in the country and urged them to cooperate with the committee in its efforts to get to the root of the matter.

According to Honourable Ojemila, “we are representatives of the people here.

We want to make Nigeria a better place for unborn generations, but we cannot achieve this by making the country a dumping ground and encouraging foreign investors to be violating the laws of the land at will.”

However, the Executive Vice Chairman of the NCC, Professor Umar Danbatta, said the commission was committed to ensuring compliance by telecommunication operators to register all SIM cards in the country.

According to him, “SIM card registration is a continuous process. There is ongoing registration exercise by all operators and NCC will do enforcement checking to ensure compliance.’’

On the purported payment of N50 billion so far

by MTN, Danbatta said that NCC was not in receipt of the payment, as the money was not paid into NCC‘s account.

According to him, “I do not know the account where the money was paid into. The commission only received a letter from the AGF, indicating that MTN had paid the amount into the Federal Government’s account.’’

8

Nigerian Tribune

Thursday, 10 March, 2016

Lagos

Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) and affiliate bodies picketing the head office of Ikeja Electric Company, Alausa, over the sack of 300 workers, on Wednesday. PHOTO: SYLVESTER OKORUWA.

Residents protesting blackout on IKEDC premises, on Wednesday.

Over 2,000 protesters occupy Ikeja electricity firm

•Lagosians bemoan near total blackout •As Ikeja Disco apologises Bola Badmus and Olatunde Dodondawa

P

ROTESTERS numbering over 2,000 on Wednesday continued their occupation of the Ikeja Electricity Distribution Company (IKEDC). Workers under the aegis of Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Trade Union Congress (TUC), National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE) and locals from various settlements in Lagos State, including Agege, Itire, Ijesa, Ikate, among others for the third day running occupied the headquarters of the firm, in protest of the sacking of 400 workers of the company without due process.

In what appears similar to “Occupy Nigeria” saga, the protesters led by the NLC chairman, Lagos State chapter, Comrade Joe Ajero and the National President of NUEE, Comrade Martin Uzoegwu, who commenced the exercise since Monday also came in several fully loaded BRT buses on Wednesday, permanently blocking the main gate to the IKEDC office with one of the buses.

Speaking with newsmen, Ajero, stated that their demands were clear and unambiguous. According to him, he and others were protesting against the sack of almost 400 workers sacked by the distribution company without due process and the poor services

the company rendered to the consumers, saying that for the past three weeks, IKEDC had not been picking loads, thereby reducing power supply to Lagos.

The Labour leader insisted that the sack of the affected workers was not the solution, lamenting that electricity distribution workers suffered molestations unjustly from consumers who thought they were the cause of poor services.

He said contrarily, it was these sacked workers who should be in the position to know if any transformer was

having fault or any problem had occurred and needed to be attended to.

“We believe that all the employees sacked must be recalled, that is one. Two, service delivery in Lagos must improve because if they improve service delivery, the worker going there to give bills, nobody would molest him,” he demanded.

“If nothing happens today, we would still be here today, and next tomorrow and next tomorrow,” he vowed.

On his part, National President of NUEE, Comrade Nzoegwu, said the protest

was borne out of the sack of the almost 400 workers of the company, an action which he described as injustice, inhuman and barbaric.

Meanwhile, Lagosians are groaning as power blackout reigns in most part of the State. Power generation dropped insignificantly from 4200MW last week to 4161MW this week. Ikeja Disco network covers such areas as Isolo, Ikorodu, Ikeja, Shomolu, Bariga, Alimosho, Arepo, Ojodu Berger and some parts of Sango.

Sequel to this, Ikeja Electricity Distribution Company has apologised for the epileptic power supply across its network in the past three days.

The company’s Head of Corporate Communications, Felix Ofulue, made this appeal in Lagos and attributed the poor service to the ongoing activities by some Labour Unions who are picketing the facilities of the company.

According to him, the members of staff of the company are not on strike, rather they have been pre-

vented by the protesting Labour Unions from gaining access to the facilities and are therefore, not in a position to provide any consistent services to its valued customers.

“Ikeja Electric regrets all inconveniences these action may have caused its customers and appeals to all its customers to please bear with us.

We assure that the company is doing its best to normalize the situation within the shortest possible time. We thank all our customers for their patience and understanding,” he added.

Ladipo, Bakassi demolished at 3.00 a.m •1,000 traders lose stalls •We are executing court judgment — Land owners Olalekan Olabulo and Chukwuma Okparaocha AN all-night demolition of the Bakassi section of the Ladipo Autopart Market, in Lagos, has brought loss running into several millions of naira to operators of the market, affected traders have said.

The traders while lamenting to Lagos Metro noted that the demolition which they said was carried around 3:00 a.m. on Tuesday caught many of the traders unawares, since no notice was passed to them.

“The paid thugs who had been trying to take over our market have eventually succeeded in demolishing it. They came in the middle

of the night in company of armed security personnel to carry out their evil deeds.

“They destroyed our goods in the process, while some shops were looted before they were eventually demolished. Why didn’t they come at daytime, is this fair?” Ugbiji John, the General Secretary of the market union, told Lagos Metro.

About six of the traders had on Tuesday, approached the Lagos State House of Assembly to make their plights known, but felt rather slighted that after spending hours waiting in the sun and no lawmaker addressed them.

Lagos Metro gathered that the demolition exercise was carried out as the traders

were still mourning one of their own, Anene Otazi, whose life was cut short by a bullet allegedly fired by marauding thugs who stormed the market, last week.

The traders demanded for justice for their slain colleagues, as well as a chance to be left alone in peace to continue to transact their auto part business which they said they had been doing for over 20 years.

“We should be left alone to do our business in peace.

We want the thugs and those who worked with them to wreak havoc on our market to be brought to book,” another trader whose identity could not be ascertained, said.

While reacting to the in-

cident last week, especially the death of Anene Otazi, the Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Mr Mudashiru Obasa, had described the incident as “not being good for the image of the state.”

Obasa said that the matter should be investigated by the police to curb future recurrence.

Investigations by Lagos Metro however revealed that more section of the market would be demolished in the next few days.

Lagos Metro also gathered that the market was demolished by officials of the Lagos State Government, who are reportedly executing a court order. Plans were said to be on to demolish more

shops at the market by the Lagos State government to pave way for the Owoyemi Motor’s family to take over the land.

Counsel to the Owoyemi family, Febo Adeleke described the demolition as legal and added that the traders should have been arrested for contempt of the court.

The legal practitioner stated that the state government had served the traders a quit notice and later a demolition order, after four court judgements were delivered in favour of his client.

He described the traders as insincere and accused them of not paying for the land in the last six years.

9

Thursday, 10 March, 2016

metro

Scammer uses US, UK cheques to con victims

Edited by

Lanre Adewole

olanreade@yahoo.com

0811 695 4647

Ayomide Owonibi Odekanyin

We gave police intelligence report about okada riders before deadly clash — Mile 12 traders Olalekan Olabulo TRADERS at the Mike 12 market on Wednesday claimed that they told police about excesses of okada riders before the deadly clash that claimed lives last Monday.

They were silent on whether police took any actions to prevent the clash.

Speaking on Wednesday at a briefing, they also claimed to have lost about N900 million for the three days that the market had been under lock from the order of the state government.

The traders also appealed to the state government to open their market, while also denying their involvement in the clash between the Hausa and the Yoruba communities in Agilinti area of the state.

According to a statement, jointly signed by the leaders of traders, Alhaji Muhammed Dandana Yabo and Alhaja Iyabo Ahmed,

the closure of the market will leave the traders with more pains.

“We are appealing to His Excellency, Governor Akinwumi Ambode to kindly reopen our market, as calm and peace have returned to the area. As you all know, we deal in fresh amd perishable produce,” the traders said.

The traders condemned

the clash in clear term but insisted that their members were not involved in the deadly clash.

“We specifically express our gratitude to the governor for his proactive steps to temporarily close the market. This helped to prevent miscreant from breaking into the market and further escalate the fracas,” the traders said

Nigerian Tribune

They claimed that “We are just victims of circumstance because the okada riders’ bus stop is close to our market. More so, the centre of the fracas is about two kilometres away from the market. It is on record that we tried our best to avert this ugly incident. The okada riders are not under our control and we clearly stated this to the committee set up by Lagos State

Government on the crisis,” the traders pointed out.

The Mile 12 traders also claimed that, “When we observed a sharp increase and influx in the number of the okada riders, their unruly behaviours and excesses, we raised the issue at the monthly security meetings, which we usually hold at Ketu Divisional Police Station.”

From left, Iyaloja, Alhaja Iyabo Ahmed; Chairman, Board of Trustees, Alhaji Mohammed Dadama; Alhaji Haruna Mohammed and Secretary, Shehu Usman, all of Mile 12 Market and Isheri Ikosi LCDA, at a press conference on the recent Mile 12 crisis and closure of the market, on Wednesday. PHOTO: SYLVESTER OKORUWA.

ONE Bolaji Quadri also known as Phillip Coffert has been dragged to court over allegations of forgery and obtaining money under false pretences.

According to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, (EFCC), Bolaji allegedly duped one Raedeena Collins of the sum of $1,000 by falsely claiming to be Phillips Coffert.

At the point of his arrest, several fraudulent documents were found in his possession including forged cashier’s cheque from international banks in both United States (US) and United Kingdom (UK).

Bolaji’s offence is contrary to section 1(3) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act No.14 2006.

Bolaji pleaded not guilty when he was arraigned before an Ikeja High Court.

EFCC’s Counsel, Zainab Etu, asked the court for a trial date. Bolaji’s counsel, Gbenga Osho informed the court that he wished to file a bail application for client and hope that it would be heard on the next adjourned date.

Lekki building collapse: Death toll now 34, contractor arrested Olalekan Olabulo and Bola Badmus THE casualty figure of those who lost their lives in the Lekki collapsed building rose to 34 by Wednesday evening.

One of the contractors, handling the collapsed building has been arrested by the police in Lagos State.

The police are also on the trail of the owner of the building, who according to them has been on the run, since the incident happened.

The hope of finding more survivors at the site of the building has continued to go dimmer as many of they might have been suffocated under the debris.

Emergency and rescue were almost ending the day’s operation, when three more bodies were brought out of the rubbles of the collapsed five storey building.

Some of the sympathisers at the site of the collapsed building blamed the inability of the rescue workers to

work through the night for the increasing number of dead casualties.

Some people were still being trapped under the debris of the collapsed building but emergency and rescue workers said that the operation was almost completed.

Their emergency workers however said that the rescue and evacuation exercise might continue on Thursday, depending on the final outcome of the Wednesday exercise.

One of the dead bodies was on Wednesday identified by his relatives and he was handed over to his family by officials of the Lagos State government.

The released body was identified as Abba Alli and his body was reportedly releases for members of his family t9 bury him according to Islamic rites. 16 more bodies were recovered dead on Wednesday, after 18 had been recovered on Tuesday by the emergency workers.

Meanwhile some of the

sympathisers at the scene of the collapses building had given up their hopes of seeing more survivors from the collapsed building.

Ibrahim Farinloye, the spokesperson of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) Ibrahim Farinloye confirmed

the latest casualty figure to Lagos Metro.

Farinloye also confirmed that the body of one of the dead persons had been released to his family for proper burial.

The NEMA spokesperson also told Lagos Metro that the rescue and evacuation

was almost completed on Wednesday evening.

The image maker in charge of the state police command, Dolapo Badmos, confirmed the arrest of one of the contractors, who were handling the collapsed building.

She also added that the

police were on the trail of the owner of the building, who according to her, had gone into hiding.

The Lagos police image maker said that the police had commenced investigations into the circumstances that led to the incident.

Developers exceeded approved floors —Ambode

•Orders Lekki Gardens sealed off THE Lagos State Government has expressed its condolences over the death of construction site workers who lost their lives, on Tuesday, as a result of the collapse of a five-storey building under construction on Kushenla Road, Ikate Elegushi, Lekki.

In a press release issued on Wednesday and signed by the Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr Steve Ayorinde, the Lagos State Government also announced that based on preliminary reports and investigation, it was dis-

covered that the collapsed building was served contravention notice for exceeding the approved floors and thereafter sealed by the Lagos State Building Control Agency.

It added that it has also been discovered that in a brazen act of defiance and impunity, the owners of the building, Messrs Lekki Worldwide Estate Limited, the promoters of Lekki Gardens, criminally unsealed the property and continued building beyond the approved floors until the unfortunate incident of Tues-

day which has led to loss of lives.

The statement added that “arising from the Lagos State Executive Council meeting decision on Wednesday, the state government will no longer tolerate the action of unscrupulous owners and builders, who challenge its supervisory control thereby, endangering the lives of Lagosians.

The state government has consequently directed the suspension of work at the site and ordered the Lagos State Police Command to cordon it off as it is now a

crime scene.

The government also directed further integrity tests to be carried out on every other construction project which has or is currently being handled by Messrs Lekki Worldwide Estate Limited in the interest of public safety.

Ambode, in the statement, also directed that all directors of Lekki Worldwide Estate Limited are strongly advised to submit themselves to the Lagos State Commissioner of Police within the next 24 hours in their own interest or face arrest.

10 news Kogi Assembly crisis: Reps take over

Thursday, 10 March, 2016

•Declare speaker’s impeachment null, void •Direct IGP to seal off premises •Reps’ order illegal -Kogi factional speaker From Jacob Segun Olatunji, Olayinka Oladoyinbo and Kolawole Daniel

T

HE House of Representatives, on Wednesday, assumed control of the troubled Kogi State Assembly and directed the Inspector-General of Police, Solomon Arase, to seal off the assembly premises.

The House also declared the impeachment of Honourable Momoh Jimoh Lawal as speaker by the group of five, led by Honourable Umar Imam, as null and void.

The House resolution was sequel to the adoption of report of the 10-man House delegation to Kogi Assembly on the alleged illegal removal of the speaker of the state assembly.

While considering the report, the House resolved that “in view of the fact that the Kogi State House of Assembly cannot perform its legislative functions, due to the intractable crises and the volatile security situation in the state, the National Assembly should invoke the powers conferred on it by section 11(4) of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to take over the legislative functions of the state House of Assembly, pending the restoration of normalcy in the Assembly.”

The House, during the consideration of the report, deleted a recommendation which read: “members of the Kogi State House of Assembly should endeavour to quickly and amicably resolve any misunderstanding within them, do the needful to restore normalcy and report readiness to quickly assume legislative functions to the National Assembly.”

The committee, in its findings, noted that “there is palpable tension and apprehension of possible security breach which could be highly volatile if not handled with care, because of ethnic distrust nature of the state as confirmed by security reports.

“This is further exacerbated by the unsettled matters arising from the governorship election.

“The leader of the group of 15, Honourable Momoh Jimoh Lawal, played an intriguing role as he deliberately misled the group into avoidable collision course with the governor.

“It is unacceptable for five members to have attempted to remove the Speaker in an assembly currently constituted of 20 members and the five members did not sit in the chambers of the

House of Assembly to perform their legislative function.

“It is condemnable that

the group of five, led by Honourable Umar Imam, could rely on a non-existent injunction to attempt to

scuttle the constitutional function of the House of Representatives, when they were fully aware of the visit

of the delegation.

“Equally condemnable is the clerk of the state House of Assembly, a senior civil

From left, Governors Mohammed Abubakar (Bauchi); Simon Lalong (Plateau) and Samuel Ortom (Benue), addressing State House correspondents, after their meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari, at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, on Wednesday. PHOTO: NAN.

Fulani influx too much for Benue —Gov Ortom Leon Usigbe -Abuja GOVERNOR Samuel Ortom of Benue State has raised the alarm over the massive influx of Fulani herdsmen into Benue State who, he said, the state cannot accommodate.

Fielding questions from State House correspondents at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, after briefing President Muhammadu Buhari on the security situation in his state, he said ranches must be developed for the herdsmen to turn them away from farmlands.

He expressed delight that following the recent attack in Agatu communities in the state, leading to hundred of casualties, the Federal Government had mobilised more security personnel to restore normality to the area.

Asked to give an update on the security situation, following the incessant attacks, he said “it gives us cause to worry, but we are also looking at how best we can handle this matter, because the influx of herdsmen and their cattle into Benue State is massive and there is no way we can contain it, as the land is no longer there for herdsmen to graze.

“We must find a way and I keep advocating that we must do ranching, as it remains the best outstanding solution to the problems of these herdsmen and I believe that, that is where all of us are heading and by

the grace of God, we shall achieve it.”

He added that “it is the reason that I decided to come and brief Mr President and to appreciate him for standing up for Benue State and support the state in times of this challenge of herdsmen invasion.”

He noted that though there hade been attacks in the past, the magnitude had not assumed the present level.

According to him, “it was

massive and it was beyond us and even when the president was out of the country, I saw the vice-president and he (president) was communicated and he immediately directed the army and the policemen to move in swiftly and today, there are more units of the army in the state and, in particular, Agatu. Also several units of mobile policemen have been deployed.”

Ortom, who was flanked

by Governor Simon Lalong

of Plateau and his Bauchi State counterpart, Muhammed Abubakar, said they were also at the Presidential Villa to commiserate with the president on the death of former Minister of State for Labour and Employment, James Ocholi.

Ortom said the late minister, who died alongside his wife and son on AbujaKaduna road, was close to Benue people who he said had been thrown into mourning.

Boko Haram regrouping in Taraba —Senator Bwacha Senate asks security agencies to protect state Taiwo Adisa and Ayodele Adesanmi -Abuja DEPUTY Senate Minority Leader, Senator Emmanuel Bwacha, on Wednesday, said the Boko Haram insurgents are regrouping in Taraba State.

The senator, who moved a motion to that effect on the floor of the Senate, said the insurgents needed to be flushed out of the state to halt possible genocide.

In the motion entitled: “The need to urgently flush out Boko Haram insurgents reassemblying in Taraba and halt the ongoing silent genocide in the state,” Bwacha said the damage caused by Boko Haram in the North-East was a pointer to the fact that the terrorists were enemies of humanity and no respecter of ethnic or religious affiliations.

Bwacha said he was aware that the Nigerian Army was recording tremendous suc-

cess in the war against insurgents in the states of Borno, Yobe, Adamawa and Gombe.

He recalled that the former Military Director of Information, Major-General Chris Olukolade, had once revealed that Boko Haram suspects arrested in Gidin Dorowa in Taraba State confessed to being members of the dreaded group.

He told the senators that “there is change of tactics by the insurgents, who were parading as herdsmen, to make it more difficult for the unsuspecting public to identify them.”

The Inspector-General of Police, Mr Solomon Arase, recently confirmed that the herdsmen involved in most of the senseless killings are not the same Fulanis we know. They go about grazing with AK 47 riffles.

“These Boko Haram attackers, masquerading as

Fulani herdsmen, have killed over 2,000 people from December 2013 to date in the state,” he said.

In his contribution, Senator Shehu Sani, said while the activities of herdsmen were devastating, they should not be tagged terrorists.

Senator Barnabas Gemade, in his contribution, recalled how he sponsored a similar motion in the seventh Senate, saying “the leadership of the seventh Senate mandated the relevant committees to embark on a nationwide tour of affected states, to ascertain the true osition of things.”

After adopting the motion, the Senate asked the Federal Government to undertake a holistic study of the crisis in the state, as well as rehabilitate internally displaced persons (IDPs) while supervising their re-integration into the communities.

servant who took side in the face of crises, where he should be a neutral umpire and did not appear before the delegation. This is unbecoming of a civil servant of his cadre,” the committee’s finding stated.

Reacting, the factional speaker, Umar Imam, on Wednesday, described the resolution of the House of Representatives on the state assembly as illegal and unacceptable.

Speaking in Lokoja, the state capital, he said it was wrong for the lower chamber of the National Assembly to have taken over the functions of the assembly and sealed off its premises.

He said the section of the 1999 Constitution relied upon by the House of Representatives for its action did not apply to the assembly, as there was no crisis in the state that could have warranted the taking over.

“Whatever they have said, whatever they have passed as resolution in the House of Representatives is not having any force on Kogi State House of Assembly because the constitution is very clear about it. Section 11 (4)(5) limits the areas where they can necessarily intervene, in this regards, it doesn’t call for.

“Yes, there is wrangling in the house of assembly, that they passed resolution sealing the assembly is illegal. Secondly, there is also a court order restraining them from doing anything from the day they served.

They were even served the hearing notice and yet they went ahead to do what they did, that clearly showed that there are some interests that are pushing for this, they want to destabilise the state,” he said.

Imam, however, said the assembly would still sit today, since those in his camp could conveniently form quorum and perform their legislative duties.

“The only place where you can transact the business of the assembly is the chamber and we have been carrying out our functions from the chamber effectively.”You cannot sit without instruments of authority, part of which is the mace and the clerk of the assembly must be present at plenary, all those are with us.

“So when you talk of authenticity of any group, we have. We are 10 and the assembly is now a 23-member house, so we form a quorum, effectively we can transact our business.

“If the assembly is sealed off, we can always sit since we have the instruments that can make the sitting legal,” he said.

11

businessnews

Nigerian Tribune

Thursday, 10 March, 2016

Unbundling: Oil workers’ strike now affect upstream,

downstream sectors Soji Eze-Fagbemi - Abuja

T

he ongoing nationwide strike in the oil sector now officially affects the all the workers of the NNPC both at the downstream and upstream sector, as Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) and the National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG), on Wednesday officially directed their members at the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) to immediately commence an indefinite strike.

This follows their earlier protest on Wednesday morning over the alleged unilateral unbundling of the NNPC by the Minister of State for Petroleum, Dr Ibe Kachukwu.

In a press conference addressed in Abuja late Wednesday by the Group Chairman NUPENG, NNPC, Odudu Benjamin Udofia and the Group Chairman, PENGASSAN, NNPC, Saleh Abdulahi, the unions said the strike affects all the workers of the NNPC both at the downstream and upstream sector.

Udofia alleged that the whole process of unbundling the corporation has been shrouded in secrecy for too long without involving any of the stakeholders.

“The in-house unions are suspicious of the intent of the present unbundling as nobody could explain its di-

rection. This even became clearer with the consolidation of operational units with heavy financial transactions under the office of the GMD. “There is inconsistency and general lack of understanding

•As unions demand repeal of NNPC Act

of the corporation as evident by summersault in policy by the minister.

“The directorate structure was initially trimmed down as a cost saving measure, this was applauded because it

AGAINST the backdrop of protest by workers of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) over the alleged unbundling of the organsation, Minister of State for Petroleum, Ibe Kachikwu, has denied that the outfit has been unbundled.

Emerging from the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting at the Presidential Villa, Abuja on Wednesday, he told State House correspondents that what had been done was a mere reorganization of the corporation.

He said the NNPC remained intact but with new focus.

“We have not unbundled NNPC. We had a press conference yesterday (Tuesday) where I explained this.

“What we have simply done is reorganisation. We

reasons to change it again.

“The refineries are suppose to be independent in the unbundling process but the basis of independence has not been addressed, crude supply, turn around main-

From left, Head of Programme Management, Ogor Chukudebelu; Managing Director, Michiel Buitelaar; Chief Marketing Officer, Alero Ladipo and Chief Corporate Services Officer, Tobe Okigbo, all of Smile Communications Nigeria Limited, at a Media Roundtable, in Lagos to announce the introduction of two 4G LTE innovations. PHOTO: SYLVESTER OKORUWA

FG to lose N3.52bn in revenue daily to oil workers’ strike —Investigation Olatunde Dodondawa -Lagos

T

HE Federal Government may be losing over N3.52 billion in daily revenue due to industrial actions by oil workers, investigations revealed.

“NNPC is responsible for

about 31.2 million litres out of about 40 million litres national daily consumption of premium motor spirit (PMS) otherwise called petrol, representing 78 per cent of daily consumption,” an official at the Apapa depots told the Nigerian Tribune on Wednesday.

We haven’t unbundled NNPC, Kachikwu insists Leon Usigbe -Abuja

was in line with the intention of government. However, the same structure that was dropped is now back in disguise with only change in nomenclature, how are we sure very soon they will not have

have five business entities focused on business: Upstream, Downstream, Refineries, Gas and Power that are there before.

“There is also ventures that captures all our little companies that were not having proper stewardship.

They are run by individuals who report to the GMD. “The NNPC is still a whole.

There is nothing new that has happened.

“I have tried to explain this and I am sure the NNPC workers are members of the family. They will understand.

“We are going to have a meeting, and they will be made to understand. Perhaps the engagement has not been good enough.

“NNPC has not been unbundled in the sense of breaking up NNPC into distinct institutions,” he said.

On the workers protest which shut down NNPC’s

offices nationwide, the minister expressed concern but was hopeful that the misunderstanding would soon be resolved.

At ex-depot price of N77 per litre for petrol, the government may be losing N2,402,400,000 (N2.4bn) in daily revenue from petrol.

On the other hand, NNPC imports an average of N15.6million of kerosene daily and at ex-depot of kerosene at N76.50 per litre, the government may be losing N1,193,400,000 (N1.12bn) daily to the industrial action by workers.

On the average, the government will be losing N3.52 billion daily in revenue to the strike.

When the Nigerian Tribune visited the Apapa

depots on Wednesday, it was discovered that some of the officials of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), who usually issue tickets to marketers were seen on duty but a marketer stated that if the issues were not resolved quickly and they stopped coming, nobody would be issuing tickets to marketers to load petroleum products at the depots.

The leadership of both PENGASAN and NUPENG later announced total strike on Wednesday, meaning the depot workers would no longer report for duty.

Scarcity looms as petrol now sells N150 per litre Ebenezer Adurokiya and Tunde Dodondawa Following the unbundling of the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), pump price, where available in Delta State, now lingers between N140 and N150.

Checks by Nigerian Tribune on Wednesday revealed that commuters are beginning to groan under the steady rise in transport fares in the state, particularly in Warri and environs.

In Asaba and Agbor axis, petrol goes for N140 or N150 per litre. Most major marketers, it was observed, had closed shop while the few selling do so at the above stated prices with

maximum sharp practices.

A resident of Agbor, who works in Asaba, Mr Andrew Paul, told Nigerian Tribune that he could not go to work because of fuel scarcity, adding that a liter of petrol sells for N400 at the black market.

In Sapele, petrol also goes for N150 per liter amid long, almost endless queues while a litre goes for N200 and above in the black market.

Following the FG’s decision to unbundle the NNPC and its subsidiaries, Nigerian tribune investigation reveals that fuel scarcity may be on the horizon.

Nigerian Tribune observed that there are long queues in several filling stations acorss

Nigeria.

When inquired from a source at one of depots in Lagos State about the sudden emergence of long queues at the filling stations across the country, he stated that “it was as a result of panic buying

by Nigerians. You recall that each time there is any threat from labour to downtool or embark on industrial actions; you will see Nigerians storing petroleum products massively.

“I think some unscrupulous marketers also take advantage of Nigerians by engaging in sharp practices like under-dispensing, hoarding and selling above recommended retail price at that time.”

tenance and the enabling environment has not been provided for them to be independent,” he said.

Earlier, PENGASSAN and NUPENG had said that it would not accept the unilateral decision of the Minister of State for Petroleum,Dr Ibe Ikachukwu, to unbundle the NNPC. The unions insisted that the government must either repeal or amend the NNPC Act before the corporation could be restructured.

The Acting General Secretary of the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN), Lumumba Okugbawa, gave the position of the two unions as the workers of the NNPC protested the unbundling of the corporation early Wednesday morning.

Senate summons Kachikwu Ayodele Adesanmi -Abuja The Senate, on Wednesday, summoned the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources and Group Managing Director of Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) Dr Ibe Kachikwu, over the pronouncement of unbundling of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC).

The minister, who is to appear on Thursday before the committees’ joint session of the Senate Committees on Petroleum (down and upstream and gas) is expected to come and explain the rationale behind the unbundling.

The Chairman, Senate Committee on Petroleum (Upstream) Senator Tayo Alasoadura, who endorsed the letter of invitation said that they were “shocked” and “in disbelief” over the announcement of unbundling the NNPC. According to the letter “shocked by the announcement in disbelief, three committees overseeing the industry wish to invite the minister to appear before them to brief them of this critical decision in a meeting scheduled for Thursday.”

He disclosed that the minister took the action “without recourse to the Act establishing the NNPC and approval by the Senate of Nigeria.”

The Senate Leader, Ali Ndume, told reporters in Abuja that the announcement of the unbundling of the corporation had generated issues that the Senate would look into.

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Thursday, 10 March, 2016

Govt commends MTN leadership role in telecommunications

•MTN foundation launches maternal wards support project in six states From Lanre Akinmoladun and Newton-Ray Ukwuoma

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HE Minister of Communications, Adebayo Shittu, has commended MTN for its leadership roles in the provision of telecommunication services in the country.

The minister gave the commendation during his working visit to the MTN Nigeria head office, in Lagos, on Monday.

“My motivation for visiting companies is to do everything I can to give motivation and encouragement to companies operating in Nigeria. As a matter of fact, as a person, I consider MTN foremost a Nigerian company. Nigerian company in the sense that it is a company registered in Nigeria like any other company,” Shittu said.

He said MTN had made a lot of strides and pioneering efforts regarding investment, liberating Ni-

gerians.

“But with the coming of MTN and GSM, things have been wonderful.

There is no doubt, over the last couple of months we have had issues; those issues are normal in relationships like this. I want to assure you that the Nigerian government has nothing personal against MTN,” the minister said.

He commended MTN for its contribution to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP), employment and putting smiles on the faces of Nigerians.

The minister urged MTN to invest in the area of health, particularly the is-

sues of kidney problem, adding that every Nigerian is a potential benefactor of whatever humanitarian project that MTN might put forward The minister was received

by MTN Nigeria Director, Mr Tunde Folawiyo; another director, Chief Victor Odili and MTN Nigeria Corporate Services Executive, Mrs Amina Oyagbola, among others.

Meanwhile, a leading telecommunication giant, MTN, through its foundation and in collaboration with JCN International, has launched a multi-million naira project, tagged maternal wards support

project in Lagos, naming states to benefit from the initiative.

The intervention project, which seeks to tackle the rise in infant and maternal mortality in Nigeria will be renovating the maternity wards of 24 hospitals of six states selected from the geopolitical zones namely, Abia, Cross River, Kaduna, Niger, Oyo and Sokoto State.

Speaking during the launch on Tuesday, the Executive Secretary, MTN Foundation, Mrs. Nonny Ugbonna, who siting the 2015 statistical data from the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the United Nations Interna-

tional Children Emergency Fund (UNICEF) on infant and maternal mortality rate, stated that enabling “unhindered access to maternal health care” would better the indices on child and mother health and survival in the country.

According to the stats, every ten minutes a Nigerian mother dies during pregnancy or as a result of complications during childbirth. Nigeria loses about 145 women and 2300 under five year’s olds every day due to preventable causes making Nigeria the second largest contributor the world’s infant and maternal mortality rate.

Ecobank Nigeria targets top 3 banks in next few years THE Chairman, Ecobank Nigeria Limited, John Aboh has disclosed that the immediate objective of the Board is to ensure Ecobank Nigeria becomes one of the top 3 banks in the country in the next few years.

Speaking at the Board of Directors’ Dinner in honour of new and immediate past directors of Ecobank Nigeria in Lagos at the weekend, Aboh re-iterated that the bank is putting in place various initiatives and strategies to realize the set objective.

He assures that all hands are on deck to ensure the bank assume its dream within a few years.

According to the Ecobank Chairman, the bank’s desire is predicated on its current growth trajectory reflected on its key financial indexes within the Ecobank Group results for the last quarter of 2015.

For Mr. Aboh the board has a clear and specific mandate to ensure Ecobank Nigeria moves from its present number six position in total assets to Top 3 bank in assets and profitability in the country and “everyone is working assiduously towards the realization of this goal. I make bold to say that with the current management, human resources and strategies in place, we will surely achieve our goal in the next few years.”

From left: MD/CEO, Valentine Ozigbo; PR & Marketing Manager, Shola Adeyemo; PR Executive, Ijeoma Osuji; Director of Business Development, Ahmed AbdelGhaffar and General Manager, Etienne Gailliez all of Transcorp Hilton Hotels, at a reception hosted to celebrate award in Abuja, on Tuesday.

Nigeria animal feed production hits 5.3m metric tons Collins Nnabuife-Abuja

THE Nigeria Institute of Animal Science (NIAS), on Tuesday, said the country’s animal feed production has increased from 3.8 million metric tons to 5.3 million metric tons.

To this end, it was recorded that Nigeria moved from number 51 to 40 in animal feed production in the world.

This was disclosed by the

Registrar of the NAIS, Dr Oyedele Oyediji in a statement he issued and made available to the Nigerian Tribune.

According to him, the ALLTECH Global ranking in 2015 ranked Nigeria’s animal feed sector number 40 which according to him was a significant progress from its previous number 51 out of 130 on feed production in the world.

“The ALLTECH Global Feed ranking 2015 recently published, has ranked Nigeria’s animal feed sector as number 40 in the world, a significant progress from its previous ranking of number 51 out of 130 leading animal feed Countries in the world.

“There was a significant rise in the livestock sector in 2014 and 2015, particularly in aquaculture production,

Transcorp Hilton Abuja named 2015 Hilton brand awards winner

By Emmanuel George

TRANSCORP Hilton Abuja has been recognized as 2015 Hilton Hotels & Resorts Brand Award winner. The hotel was honored with the awards of 2015 Director of Sales, 2015 Sales Team of the Year and 2015 Best Tactical Marketing Campaign for Middle East & Africa (MEA), awarded by Hilton Hotels & Resorts brand.

“We are delighted to be recognized and honoured for our outstanding accomplishments by Hilton Hotels & Resorts,” said

Etienne Gailliez, general manager, Transcorp Hilton Abuja. “The awards are dedicated to the hotel’s team and our owning company for their consistent support of our efforts at delivering the highest levels of quality service to our guests. I trust the awards will inspire all our team members to continue the drive for excellence.”

“I am proud of the great performance of our team at Transcorp Hilton Abuja and I join them to celebrate the achievement”, said Valentine Ozigbo,

MD/CEO of Transcorp Hotels Plc, the owners of Transcorp Hilton Abuja. “I am glad that the efforts of the team are recognized by discerning travellers and the Hilton brand.’’

The recognition from Hilton Hotels & Resorts arrived on the heels of the hotel winning the highest honor given by TripAdvisor, the 2016 TripAdvisor Travellers’ Choice™ awards for Hotels, ranking first out of 64 hotels in Abuja based on the reviews and opinions of global travel community.

and also in the poultry meat sector as the Nigeria Custom Services are succeeding in curtailing smuggled frozen poultry meat into Nigeria through land borders”, he noted.

Oyediji further explained that as demand for local poultry products rose, there was a corresponding demand for more animal feeds.

“Nigeria was estimated to produce 3.8million metric tons of animal feeds in 2014 (ALLTECH 2015) which shot Nigeria from number 51 to number 40 out of 130 leading Countries in the world,” he said.

He explained that in 2015, NIAS statistics revealed that Nigeria hit 5.3 million metric tons of animal feeds with egg production at 3,180,000 MT, chicken meat for 1,078,000 MT. Others include, Aquaculture production at 647,750, pork rose to 265,000, milk production increased to 53,000, beef production appreciated to 41,250, while Petfoods /Microlivestock rose to 35,000 everything totalling 5,300,000.

Nigeria, Ireland partner to boost agric, others Bola Badmus-Lagos

THE shift to Foreign Direct Investment in the nonoil sector is set to receive a major boost as Nigeria and Ireland set to partner in the area of mining, agriculture and construction with a special focus on Oyo State as the dwindling revenue from oil continues to take its toll on Nigeria’s economy.

Gbemisola Johnson, the CEO of Courage GF Ireland, said this, while speaking on the coming Ireland- Nigeria Investment Forum, slated for Friday March 11, 2016 at the Radisson Blu Royal Hotel, Golden Lane, Dublin, Republic of Ireland Island to which the Oyo State helmsman, Senator Abiola Ajimobi and other stakeholders from all spheres of economy had been invited.

According to Johnson, the forum will explore collaboration in areas such as agriculture, construction, mining, and health among others for partnerships, saying the event was being hosted in partnership with the Embassy of Nigeria in Ireland and will feature promising sessions in the areas already listed, among others.

Stanbic IBTC opens more BVN registration centres abroad TO ensure that its customers in the Diaspora are not denied access to their accounts and other financial services in Nigeria, Stanbic IBTC Bank, a member of Stanbic IBTC Holdings Plc, has expanded the registration process for the Biometric Verification Number (BVN) for its customers at designated centres across the world.

The bank assured its customers that efforts have been made to ensure that the registration is easy, seamless and fast through the strategic location of enrolment points at VFS Global and Online Integrated Solutions (OIS) centres across the world.

The centres provided to further drive enrolment are: London, Leicester and Manchester in the United Kingdom; Dubai; Johannesburg and Cape Town in South Africa; Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou in China; Jeddah, Riyadh and Al Khobar in Saudi Arabia; Atlanta, Houston, San Francisco and Los Angeles in the US.

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Agbakoba writes National Assembly over 4th alteration bill

Tambuwal inaugurates 3 committees on school feeding programme

By Yejide Gbenga-Ogundare

A Senior Advocate of Nigeria and former President of the Nigeria Bar Association, (NBA), Dr Olisa Agbakoba, has written to the National Assembly Committee on Constitution Review on his intention to make contributions to the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (Fourth Alteration) Bill under consideration at the National Assembly.

Agbakoba, who is the senior counsel at the Human Rights Law Service (HURILAWS), in his letter, is proposing the introduction of a Declaration of Nullity Clause, clarification of appropriation procedure for the judiciary, clarification of Jurisdiction of the Federal High Court and the strengthening of National institutions.

The letter dated March 7, 2016 and addressed to Senator Ike Ekweremadu, the Chairman, Senate Committee on Constitution Review, explained that Section 1 of the Constitution makes a proclamation of supremacy, adding that this is not enough.

“The section should contain a Declaration of Nullity Clause i.e. the Constitution shall declare unconstitutional acts null and void. It is not enough for the Courts alone to declare nullity. Evidence of violation of constitutional provisions should be enough for acts to be considered null and void. “

Members of staff of African Newspapers of Nigeria (ANN) Plc who were born in March, cutting their birthday cake at the Boardroom of the company, recently. PHOTO: ALOLADE GANIYU

Tarfa, Nwobike, arraigned for allegedly bribing judges Ayomide Owonibi OdekanyinLagos

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WO embattled Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SAN), Rickey Tafar and Dr Joseph Nwobike, on Wednesday, appeared before an Igbosere High Court, for allegedly trying to pervert the cause of justice by bribing judges.

The two SANs were arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on charges of offering of gratification while trying to pervert justice.

While Tarfa was docked before Justice A. A. Akintoye, Nwobike was arraigned before Justice Raliat Adebiyi, on a five

count charge of allegedly attempting to pervert the course of justice and offering gratification to public official.

Two of the counts read: “That you Dr Joseph Nwobike (S.A.N.) on the 19th day of March, 2015 in Lagos within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, intentionally gave the sum of N 750,000.00 (Seven Hundred and Fifty Thousand Naira only) to Hon Justice Mohammed Nasir Yunusa of the Federal High Court directly through your United Bank for Africa Plc Account No.1002664061 in order that the said Judge acts in the exercise of his official duties.

“That you Dr Joseph Nwobike [S.A.N] on the

28th day of September, 2015 in Lagos within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, intentionally gave the sum of N 300,000.00 (Three Hundred Thousand Naira only) to Hon Justice Mohammed Nasir Yunusa of the Federal High Court indirectly through Awa Ajia Nigeria Limited’s account No. 0000971931 domiciled in Access Bank Plc belonging to Hon Justice Nganjiwa Hyeladzira Ajiya of the Federal High Court in order that the Hon Justice Mohammed Nasir Yunusa acts in the exercise of his official duties.”

The EFCC Prosecutor, Rotimi Oyedipo, also alleged that the defendant on

Kumuyi announces Deeper Life Easter retreat, assures of God’s intervention THE General Superintendent of the Deeper Christian Life Ministry, Pastor William Folorunsho Kumuyi, has assured all would-be participants at the church’s national Easter retreat of God’s special intervention in all spheres of their lives.

Pastor Kumuyi, who expressed optimism that God would visit His people in a mighty way, announced that the event, with the theme, ‘Experiencing the Power of His Cross,’ would take place from Thursday, March 24 to Sunday, March 27, 2016 at the Deeper Life Conference Centre (DLCC) on KM 48, LagosIbadan Expressway.

He also said that the programme would take place simultaneously in all the state, region and local government camp grounds within Nigeria, other locations in Africa and beyond.

In a statement he personally signed, Kumuyi, who has devoted all his life to the preaching of the gospel and to the liberation of the repressed and oppressed across the globe through the unstoppable power of God, assured that just as the curtain of the temple (in Jerusalem) was torn in two from top to bottom, the earth shook and the rocks split the moment Jesus breathed his last on the rugged cross, even so shall all participants have their life challenges torn asunder and uprooted at the retreat.

“All around us, we hear stories of anguish, terror, sadness and of hopelessness. Frustration is written on the faces of many people; there are dashed elevated expectations, misery and confusion. It has become clear to many people that there is no solution from man. We hear

about kidnapping, assassinations, bare-faced wickedness, and we experience insecurity and extreme

poverty. Many people who placed their trust and hope in earthly authorities have had their hopes dashed.”

February 10, 2016, failed to declare his assets in the declaration of assets form that was issued to him by the agency, when he was arrested.

The EFCC also accused Tafar of refusing to declare his assets and also made a false statement on February 5, 2016 to one Usman Zakari, a senior detective superintendent officer of the EFCC, by claiming that he was 43 years old.

EFCC also alleged that Tarfa on June 27, 2012, internationally gave the sum of N1.5million to Justice Nganjiwa Hyeladzira Ajiya of a Federal High Court in Lagos, directly from his Zenith Bank Account No 100292696, in order that the said judge acts in the exercise of his official duties.

He was further alleged to have intentionally given the same Judge the sum of N500, 000, on the same day, in order that the said judge refrains from acting in the exercise of his official duties.

Alleged perjury: Court strikes out Aluko’s bid to stop arrest, prosecution Sam Nwaoko-Ado Ekiti A chief Magistrate’s court sitting in Ado Ekiti, the Ekiti State capital, has struck out a motion on notice filed by embattled former secretary of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state, Dr Tope Aluko, to quash the warrant of arrest it had earlier issued against him.

The court had on February 3, 2016 issued a warrant for the Commissioner of Police to arrest and prosecute Dr Aluko for alleged perjury, following an interview he granted television stations in which he was said to have said things contrary to what

he had said on oath in law courts.

His motion on notice was filed by his lawyer, Mr Niran Owoseni, and he had asked the court to set aside the warrant of arrest issued against him on February 3, 2016.

The Chief Magistrate, Soji Adegboye, while striking out the motion on Wednesday, had said it was a mere academic exercise, time-wasting and abuse of court process.

Chief Magistrate Adegboye, had given the order for Aluko’s arrest and prosecution for alleged perjury on February 3, 2016 fol-

lowing a motion ex-parte number MAD/10cm/2016, filed by the Ekiti State government against Aluko and the Commissioner of Police in the state.

According to the order, the motion was made pursuant to Section 117 of the Criminal Code Law, Cap C16, law of Ekiti State 2012, Section 79 of the Ekiti State Administration of Criminal Justice Law 2014 and Section 23 (D) of the Magistrates’ Courts Law 2014.

The Ekiti State police commissioner was joined as second defendant and was required to execute the order against Aluko.

GOVERNOR Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto State has inaugurated three committees to oversee the implementation of the school feeding programme and the state of emergency declared in the education sector in the state.

This was contained in a statement issued on Wednesday, in Sokoto and signed by Tambuwal’s spokesman, Malam Imam Imam.

According to the statement, the committees are expected to develop realistic work plan and budget based on sound technical and managerial expertise and monitor implementation of approved plans with due diligence and efficiency.

They will also develop modalities for rationalising, upgrading and streamlining education sector, infrastructure, manpower and community development.

The statement said that the success or failure of Tambuwal’s administration would be judged by its achievements in the education sector.

Presidential committee commences survey on illicit small arms A presidential committee to curtail proliferation of illicit small arms and light weapons in the country on Wednesday commenced a four-week-national survey in Anambra.

Mr Dickson Orji, Programme Manager of the Committee on Small Arms and Light Weapons (PRESCOM), told newsmen in Awka that the survey would be done in some selected communities in the state.

Represented by state Coordinator, Mr Chris Oko, he urged representatives of the communities to cooperate with the field researchers for ultimate goal achievement.

He said that the committee would carry out a comprehensive survey across the country to stem proliferation of illicit weapons in Nigeria ``The aim of this survey is to ascertain the true situation of illicit circulation of weapons in all the states of the Federation by obtaining through representatives sampling process, scientific data,`` he said.

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Strike out criminal charges against us, pro-Biafra members tell court JUDE OSSAI - ENUGU

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ETAINED members of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), numbering 27, on Wednesday, appealed to an Enugu magistrates’ court to strike out criminal charges filed against them by the police.

The accused persons told the court, through their lead counsel, Emeka Ugwuonye, that the police had not shown diligence in prosecuting the matter.

Nigerian Tribune gathered that the accused persons were holding a prayer procession at Naira Triangle junction on Enugu/ Abakalike Expressway on February 9 this year, for the release of the Biafra Radio Director, Nnamdi Kanu, before they were arrested by law enforcement agents.

The pro-Biafra activists, who had earlier been arraigned and granted bail by the Presiding Magistrate, Paulson Egbo, re-appeared in court on Wednesday for continuation of hearing.

However, the matter could not go on as the prosecutor, D.I Ogbu informed the court that he was yet to obtain the consent of the Attorney General of Enugu State.

Consequently, Ugwuonye, the counsel to the accused persons, prayed the court to discharge his clients.

He told the court, “I had come here to defend the accused persons but surprisingly, they are not ready to prosecute them.

“We cannot wait indefinitely for the AG’s consent; the prosecution sought for adjournment the last time to obtain the AG’s consent, he is still saying the same thing today; the right of the accused persons has to be protected by the court since the prosecution has failed to do the needful.”

He equally prayed the court for an order that the personal properties of the accused persons be released.

But in a counter argument, the prosecutor, Ogbu told the court that the defendants’ counsel should not have made such application even when one of the accused persons was not in court.

He prayed the court for an adjournment to enable him obtain the Attorney General’s (AGs) consent.

In his ruling, the Magistrate cautioned the accused persons not to toy with the bail granted them by the court, warning that should any of them not appear in court in the next sitting, he

may revoke their bail.

While noting that the case could not proceed, due to the express provision of Section 101, sub section 1 of the

Criminal Procedural Law, which holds that the AG’s consent must be obtained, he said the presence of all the accused persons was

also necessary for the case to go on.

He, thereafter, adjourned the matter till April 5, 2016, for continuation of hearing

depending on whether the AG’s consent had been obtained, as well as the presence of the 2nd accused person.

From left, Head, Brisin Implementation in Nigeria, Dr Anthony Uwa; coordinator, Politics Brisin, Mr Tajedeen Kareem and the coordinator, Corporate Affairs and Media, Mr Tony Okorocha, during a media chat on the feasibility of Credible Change in Nigeria, in Abuja, on Wednesday. PHOTO: SUNDAY OSUNRAYI

IPOB: Kanu accuses judge of bias, appeals court’s ruling Sunday Ejike -Abuja

THE detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, has accused Justice John Tsoho of a Federal High Court in Abuja of bias in his trial on the six-count charge preferred against him by the Federal Government.

He had filed an appeal against Justice Tsoho’s ruling of March 7, 2016, allowing prosecution witnesses to give evidence against him behind screen, through a private witness box.

The Biafran leader also filed a motion asking the trial court to stay proceedings on the matter pending the hearing and determination of his appeal before the Court of Appeal.

In a 10-paragraph affidavit in support of the motion for stay of proceedings, the Biafran leader attacked the ruling of the court, saying that the court sat on an appeal over its own ruling, adding that the court had no jurisdiction to re-litigate on issue that it had already decided.

He alleged that, “That the court had manifested serious bias in the conduct of his trial, which is gravely impending the defendants’ constitutional rights to fair hearing/ trial”.

In his Notice of Appeal filed on Tuesday, Kanu prayed the Court of Appeal to set aside the ruling of

the trial court on the use of screen by the prosecution witnesses and to also direct the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court to transfer the case to another judge.

The Notice of Appeal and the motion for stay of proceedings filed by the Director of Radio Biafra were served on the prosecution in court, before the commencement of proceedings on Wednesday.

In view of that, the prosecution counsel and the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP), Mohammed Diri asked the court for an adjournment to enable him respond adequately.

The trial Judge adjourned the matter till April 5, 2016 for hearing of the motion for stay of proceedings.

This is the second time that the Biafran leader is accusing Judges of the Fed-

eral High Court, handling his matter of bias.

He first accused Justice Ahmed Ramat Mohammed bias and his case was transferred to Justice John Tsoho, who he had also accused of bias in his Motion on Notice filed on Wednesday.

Kanu, who is facing a sixcount treason charge, had opposed an application by the Federal Government to conduct his trial in secret.

Drama as IPMAN unseals filling stations sealed by DPR in Ilorin Biola Azeez, Ilorin The lingering face-off between members of Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) and the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) in Kwara State, over price regulation of petroleum products, took a dramatic turn in Ilorin, on Wednesday, when members of IPMAN unsealed all filling stations sealed by the men of the DPR. Nigerian Tribune gathered that the activities of the IPMAN members in Ilorin took place in the presence of security operatives that accompanied the DPR officials.

Meanwhile, following the reported unbundling of the NNPC, the NNPC depot at Oke Ose in Ilorin and all the corporation’s outlets in the state, did not operate on

Wednesday.

It was also gathered that staff of the corporation had locked the gate at the NNPC depot on Wednesday morning, while movement in and out of the premises were prevented, even with presence of security operatives.

The officials of DPR, led by the Controller, Mr Salvation Phillip, in four Hilux jeep and two private cars, were reportedly escorted by security personnel in two jeeps during the price regulation monitoring exercise.

The IPMAN members on the other hand, were said to be in their chairman’s official jeep, lPMAN Hummer bus, IMB bus and some members’ personal cars numbering about 10.

It was also gathered that while the DPR officials sealed some stations, the IPMAN members, led by its chairman, Alhaji Okanla-

won Olanrewaju, unsealed them immediately in the presence of the DPR staff and security officers.

The independent petroleum marketers said that most of the stations sold at N86.50 per litre because they loaded at NNPC depots at either Mosimi or Lagos, while those that got their products from private depots sold between N110/ N120 per litre.

However, the face-off apparently benefited some members of the public, as queues for fuel in Ilorin, had suddenly disappeared since last Friday, when IPMAN drew battle line with DPR. Speaking with journalists, Alhaji Olanrewaju said: “We are buying petrol from private depots at N106, making it N111 with landing cost.

We do not have more than two trucks at Ilorin depot as we speak with you now.”

Ikpeazu swears in 4 judges Celestine Ihejirika -Umuahia

FOUR new judges have been sworn in into the Abia State judiciary.

They are justices Anyim Chizaram Alfedo, Okereke Kenneth Chidi, Erub Chibuike Livingstone and Nwankwo Kingsley Chukwudi.

Addressing the judges after their swearing in at the Michael Okpara Auditorium, the Governor, Okezie Ikpeazu, congratulated them on their appointment and charged them to serve with diligence and commitment.

He charged them to be the mouthpiece and defender of the common man, as well as to be fair, firm and courageous as they sit in judgment.

The governor, who later presented the new judges with brand new official vehicles, said the gesture was to help them discharge their duties more effectively and pledged to continue to assist the judiciary.

Responding on behalf of her colleagues, justice Chizaram Anyim thanked the Governor for his role in their appointment and pledged to uphold the confidence reposed in them.

Judge strikes out 8 cases to decongest Suleja prison A Zuba Grade 1 Area Court in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) has struck out eight cases that had suffered repeated adjournments as part of its effort to decongest the Suleja prison.

The judge, Malam Gambo Garba, struck out the cases, after discovering that the cases had already suffered up to three adjournments.

He said with every appearance, none of the complainants had been present in court.

While discharging the defendants, Garba said for trivial charges, he could not continue to keep the prison congested with cases that were not progressing.

He said the court remained the last hope of the common man and that “justice delayed is justice denied.’’

The judge enjoined the discharged persons to be good citizens and not to be found wanting again.

He said any of them brought back to the court would not get any lenient treatment from the court.

The discharged persons openly expressed their appreciation to the court, and promised to be of good behaviour as law-abiding citizens.

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Thursday, 10 March, 2016 With Tommy Adegbite 0811 695 4631 tommyabijo@yahoo.com

From left, Head, Strategic Planning, Nexim Bank, Tayo Omidiji; Executive Director/CEO, Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC), Segun Awolowo; Kwara State governor, Dr Abdulfatah Ahmed; President, National Cashew Association of Nigeria, Tola Faseru and the representative of Minister for Agriculture, Efuntoye Titus, during the presentation of award as Cashew Ambassadors, at the National Cashew Festival 2016, in Ilorin, Kwara State, on Monday.

From left, former Minister of Special Duties and Sports, Professor Taoheed Adedoja; former Minister of Transport, Alhaji Isa Bio and former Minister of Youth, Senator Akinlabi Olasunkanmi, at the former ministers’ forum in Abuja, recently.

From left, Gbenga Ilori, Sola Alalade (author), Chief Olumuyiwa Ajibola and Mrs Foluke Alalade, during the public presentation of a book, entitled: “Walking with destiny,” held at the Lakeside lecture hall, University of Ibadan, last weekend. PHOTO: TOMMY ADEGBITE

General Officer Commanding 2 Division, Major-General Laz Ilo, inspecting the quarter guard at 3 Battalion Effurun, Warri, Delta State, during a recent visit.

From left, Alhaji Abdul Salam, national chairman, Labour Party; Chief Peter Ameh, national chairman, IPAC; Chief Tunde Anifowose-Kelani, Director General, IPAC; Chief Ralph Nwosu, national chairman, ADC; Chief Gani Galadima, deputy chairman, IPAC and Chief Godson Okoye, secretarygeneral, at the wedding of a niece of Chief Nwosu, in Awka, Anambra State, recently.

Mr and Mrs Yaseed Sekoni, during their wedding held at Agric Field, Iwo Road, Ibadan, recently.

From left, Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed; secretary, Nigerian chapter of the International Press Institute (IPI), Rageem Adedoyin and the chapter’s chairman and member of the Executive Board of IPI, Mallam Kabifu Yusuf, during IPI’s visit to the minister at Radio House, Abuja.

Mr Oluwaferanmi Akinniyi with his wife, former Miss Bridget Umeh, after their wedding held at Christ Apostolic Church, Oke Agbara, Bodija, Ibadan, recently.

For bookings, contact ’Laolu Afolabi on 08054681741 or Tommy Adegbite on 08116954631

18

Thursday, 10 March, 2016

yournews

SEND YOUR SHORT MESSAGES TO: 08054005323, 08055001746

Nigeria shouldn’t join Islamic coalition to fight terrorism

I

will not subscribe to the decision of the Federal Government to join the Saudi Arabia-led Islamic coalition to fight terrorism; first, Nigeria is a secular state, and joining the coalition is like promoting a religion above

the other in the country.

Again, despite the fact that Boko Haram, which we are battling with, had pledged its allegiance to the Islamic State, it remains a local terrorist group, but joining the coalition will only expose Nigeria to more tar-

gets by international terrorists. I, therefore, want the Federal Government to know that joining this coalition has more negative aspects than positives for the country.

Sesan Ajibola, 08077023413

...Nothing bad if Nigeria joins coalition SINCE President Muhammadu Buhari announced that Nigeria had joined the Saudi Arabia-led coalition to fight global terrorism, many Nigerians have been criticising the move. However, I really don’t think there is anything wrong if we join the coalition. We should realise that terrorism has no religion; with the fact that the majority of the Boko Haram terrorists profess to be Muslims, adherents of the two major religions have both suffered immensely from their activities. With the coalition, we will have access to the weapons needed to fight the insurgency. Saudi Arabia is a rich country, and it has the resources to buy the latest weapons from the United

States. We should put religion aside, and look at the benefits we will derive from the membership of

the coalition.

•Nosa Osawaye, 07030680798

On FG’s French policy THE Federal Government’s policy on education, which has seen us give priority to the French language from the primary level to the tertiary level, is definitely a flaw on our education. I would say it is our local languages, Yoruba, Hausa, Igbo, Ijaw, among others, that should be made compulsory in our educational system.

Our local languages should be made compulsory at all levels, and they should come after Mathematics and English in order of

importance; the meaning of this is that a candidate who does not pass a language course, in addition to Mathematics and English, will be made to resit his/her examinations. It is so unfortunate that our children are losing their identities through the loss of language; everybody wants his child to speak the English language at the expense of the local languages, and we don’t even know we are losing something very important.

•V. Oluwansebebe, 07060520065

Siasia deserves Eagles job permanently I want to call on members of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), particularly, the President, Mr Amaju Pinnick, to give Samson Siasia the job of the Super Eagles coach on a permanent basis. This will allow him put extra efforts in the remaining qualifiers for the 2017 African Cup of Nations (AFCON) coming up next year.

Siasia has proved to be a very good coach; the last African Under-23 competition showed his qualities as a coach. Nobody ever gave the team any chance to perform in the competition, but Siasia won the competition. If the former Super Eagles midfielder is given the job on a permanent basis, then he should be given all the support he

needs. He should be sent for refresher courses in Europe and Brazil, so that he can develop his skills in the game. Hiring a foreign manager will only amount to sheer waste of resourc-

es, as non-Nigerians will not put in their best into the game as a Nigerian coach will.

•Nseobong Evelyn, 08059732828

•The struggle for survival.

Harnessing bitumen deposits in Ondo IT is high time the country stopped relying on crude oil for survival, as we have other mineral resources which we can tap to our benefit.

We can also develop our agricultural sector for our prosperity. Let us take Ondo State for instance, the Sunshine state has bitumen in large quantities, which can be exported to

Olubadan, fight for Ibadan State I join millions of other Ibadan sons and daughters to wish the new Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Saliu Akanmu Adetunji, a successful tenure on the throne of his fore-fathers.

I am happy that the new Olubadan has said that his focus would be for the creation of Ibadan State.

This is what every Ibadan indigene wants; the other two regional power houses in the decades gone by, Enugu and Kaduna now

have state status, and one wonders why the case of Ibadan is different. If Ibadan is not made a state, it will continue stiffle the development of the Oke-

Ogun and Ibarapa areas of the state. Therefore, in the interest of everybody, it is best for Ibadan to be made a state.

•Jimoh Mumin, 08034435211

generate foreign exchange.

There are five areas in the state where bitumen is in commercial quantities. It has even been discovered that the deposits in OdeIrele is the second largest deposits in the world. We also have Cocoa and other

Kudos to Ooni Ogunwusi as he becomes UNN Chancellor I congratulate the Ooni of Ife, Oba Enitan Adeyeye Ogunwusi, on his appointment as the Chancellor of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN). The Ooni’s peace moves across the country, particularly in the South West, has shown

Let’s do away with second terms GIVING political office holders the opportunity to rule for another four-year term after the initial first term is simply not working in the country. It has

been discovered that even the best politician switches-off during his second term, doing nothing. There is this joke that politicians only serve their pockets af-

agricultural produce in the state.

Therefore, if we can harness the mineral deposits in other states of the federation, then Nigeria should be on its path to greatness.

•Bamidele Akindele, 08022982373

ter being elected for a second term. It is high time we stopped politicians from going for a second term.

Tayo Isola, 08062086668

his tenure will be peaceful.

However, I want the royal father to also lend his voice to the emancipation of the Yoruba in Kwara and Kogi states.

The people of these two states will like to be reunited with their brothers and sisters in the South West, and it is only the Ooni who can champion the cause.

I hope Ooni Ogunwusi will do something about this as soon as possible.

•Kayode Aiyegbokiki, 08055761044

19

editorial States’ indebtedness to corps members Thursday, 10 March, 2016

T

HE Director-General of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), Brigadier General Johnson Olawumi, has announced that some state governments have defaulted in the payment of allowances to corps members. He made the announcement during the opening ceremony of the 2016 Batch ‘A’ pre-orientation workshop in Katsina, Katsina State, on February 24 this year. About 26 states are yet to pay the backlog of allowances to serving youth corps members and some of their predecessors. Some of these states owe such corps members up to two years of unpaid allowances. BrigadierGeneral Olawumi further lamented the appalling condition of some orientation camps, declaring that those found to be unsuitable for the orientation exercise would be closed down.

Traditionally, states pay allowances to corps members posted to their ministries or agencies for their primary assignment to augment the allowances paid to them by the NYSC. The amount paid by each state is determined by the state government. Thus, the allowances vary from state to state. For instance, the highest paying states include Akwa-Ibom, Lagos and Rivers states which pay N20000, N15000 and N10000 per month respectively. The lowest paying states such as Borno, Imo and Bauchi pay between N1000 and N2000, while the most common allowance paid by other states is between N3000 and N5000 per month. The NYSC pays each corps member N19800 per month.

It is disheartening that the NYSC scheme which has come under severe stress in recent times given the security challenges across the country, especially in the North-East, has also suffered from neglect by state governments. Indeed, if the payment of allowances and maintenance of the orientation camps are to be used as a measure of commitment of state governments to the scheme, then it can safely be concluded that the states are no longer committed to the scheme. That is why the NYSC directorate must name the defaulting states and the period of indebtedness by each of them. It should also announce states that have neglected the orientation camps. The failure of state governments to pay these meagre allowances is more disheartening when it is realized that some of them had defaulted before the current fiscal crisis in the country.

Surprisingly, many of the states that pay the least allowances and have defaulted are those that suffer most from shortage of teachers and often depend on NYSC members to teach in their secondary schools. In Sokoto State, for instance, 90 percent of the 1,099 corps members deployed to the state under the 2015, batch “ B”, Stream II were deployed to secondary schools.

They remain a critical element of the educational emergency programme of Governor Aminu Tambuwal.

In recent times, corps members have been critical to the political fortunes of the country. In the two general elections conducted by the Independent National Electoral Commission

Nigerian Tribune

(INEC) under the leadership of Attahiru Jega, corps members constituted the core of the ad hoc staff. During that period, Nigeria witnessed an improvement in the conduct of elections because the corps members performed their functions with patriotism, zeal, competence and uprightness. Before the 2011 elections, INEC had placed a huge portion of the blame for its failures to conduct free and fair elections on the conduct of the ad hoc staff. Professor Maurice Iwu, a former chairman of the commission, once commented that many of the ad hoc staff were found to be agents of politicians.

The NYSC was established after the civil war to inculcate discipline in Nigerian youths and instill in them a tradition of industry, patriotism and loyal service to the nation. The orientation process was to help in developing common ties among Nigerian youths across ethno-linguistic and geographical divides. Exposure to peoples and cultures outside their states of origin was to help remove prejudice, ignorance and confirm similarities among Nigerians of all ethnic groups. The scheme was also expected to promote free movement of labour as corps members were to be encouraged to seek employment in their states of primary assignment. Sadly, even though the scheme is compulsory for young graduates, the allowances are meagre and notoriously delayed. Now, many corps members simply don’t get paid. Those who have completed the programme and departed to other locations in the country may never be contacted to claim their allowances. This is unjust and unacceptable. What impression would they go away with concerning the states where they served with great sacrifice?

In recent years, the safety and security of corps members have become a threat to the programme. A number of corps members have lost their lives in the many conflicts, including post-election conflict, that characterize states in Northern Nigeria, especially in places like Jos, Bauchi, Kaduna and Kano. The situation has become so bad that parents and prospective corps members have prevailed on the NYSC Directorate not to post them to troubled spots. Currently, it is the practice that corps members deployed to flash points are redeployed on request.

We call on the state governments to play their roles in ensuring that corps members serving in state ministries, departments and agencies are paid their meagre allowances as a matter of priority. The state governments must pay all outstanding allowances to serving corps members in time. They must also ensure that the debts owed those who have completed the programme are paid through the NYSC secretariat. Henceforth, the NYSC Directorate should not deploy corps members to orientation camps that are not provided with adequate facilities.

Neither should they be posted to states where material support and security are not guaranteed.

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20

opinion

Thursday, 10 March, 2016

Illegal charges: The war against banks

By Tope Fasua

I

didn’t support the ‘Boycott your Bank’ campaign launched by CAFON (Consumer Advocacy Forum of Nigeria) during the week because it sounded odd to me. I’ve never heard it before for customers to boycott banks. Do customers not need the banks more than the banks needed them in our kind of setting? With all the new channels by which one can do banking these days, will the banks feel the boycott? Will the customers listen to CAFON and not go to the bank, even if they have to? Those were my thoughts. The news report was that customers defied the boycott and went about their banking businesses as usual.

It is important when planning these things to think deeply and find how we can make serious impact. People can’t boycott banks FOR NOW, because of many challenges: A person looking for loan for his business, rent, or children’s school fees will not boycott the banks for any reason; anyone trying to do a foreign transfer for goods, services, school fees or sundry important items will not boycott the banks; many transactions are now done online and cash withdrawals via ATMs, so you will not see people in the banks except when necessary anyway; people are broke.

Broke people are on permanent boycott of banks already.

But anyone who gets sent small money from anywhere and needs to go to the bank will not join any boycott. Matter of fact, such people form the majority of those who throng banking halls these days (small withdrawals from savings accounts, and small deposits, etc). People who have real money in the banks, stopped visiting a long time ago anyway. Only a few cavemen like me, who are resisting this online banking craze, still bother sometimes.

So what was that boycott of banks all about? Was it wired to fail from the beginning? I hear the boycott was called just for the symbolism. But can we go beyond tokenisms and symbolisms? Do we really have a case against the banks?

We need to have a strong case against the banks, and in proceeding, we need to determine exactly how the big ‘ogas’ who own the banks will feel our anger and change.

As expected, many bankers awaited the ‘boycott’ with glee.

For the guys on the shop-floor in the banks are SUFFERING ALREADY. They get paid peanuts, work so hard, get heaped with insults, live in morbid fear, while the ‘ogas’ cash out dollars in seven figures. It is the ‘ogas’ who need the big charges and this huge spread. Some banks pay

graduates N40,000 per month, and if you’re unlucky, you don’t get a promotion for eight years. People now turn 50 years and are still bank officers. In my time in the bank, it was never like that; though things deteriorated over time.

But I bring to you a good reason to protest against the banks. How the protest will be, I cannot tell. But PROTEST, WE MUST! In some national newspapers on March 2, 2016, our banks, in their OFFICIAL RETURNS to their regulator, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), were bold enough to tell the world how they give their customers 0.5% interest on current accounts, 3% on savings, 5%-7% on Fixed Deposits, but they charge the same customers between 26% and 30% on loans! That is aside from other fees like Loan Setup fees, Legal, Admin, and many others, some of which get charged quarterly or half-yearly, raising the minimum effective interest rate for small businesses to at least 35% when you are lucky. Of course, the banks have what they call ‘Prime Rates’, which is reserved for the big guys – big companies, many of whom have defaulted in the past and are still defaulting. All the loans inherited by AMCON were to those big guns. The banks’ prime rates start from around 12%. It’s a rich man’s world. They get government concessions, get cheap dollars, get cheap loans from sundry customer deposits, and when they declare their billions, they pocket the money; until it is revealed that they are cooking the books. When that is revealed, the big men get bailed out… with taxpayers’ money! Good job!

So the highest a person with fixed deposit for 90 or 180 days can get in any of our banks – even in this season where money is hard to come by – is probably 5% per annum.

This means that for N1,000,000 left in the bank for one year, a depositor will receive N50,000 on top, less VAT,

leaving about N47,500. But if the same customer turns around and borrows N1,000,000 from another or the same bank, he will have to pay a minimum of 27% and up to 30%, or N270,000 to N350,000 per annum, asides initial and periodic fees. This is wonderfully criminal.

And this does not happen anywhere else in the world. I have banking experience in at least four other countries on four continents. It is unimaginable that banks will be ‘wiping’ customers out like this. The joke is on us. Nowhere else in the world would making a spread of 2500 – 3000 basis points (or 25% – 30%) on customers be acceptable.

But in Nigeria, our sense of proportion is warped. It is the same reason why, in increasing electricity tariffs, the government approved 45%! Not 3%, not 9%. In other places, you would hear of 4.5%. Things don’t move in leaps and bounds. But in Nigeria, with our voodooistic mentality, that is the case. Everyone here who manages to hold down a business that works, wants to ‘hammer’!

The CBN crashed MPR (Monetary Policy Rate) recently, now taking excess deposit from banks at 4%, down from 11% or so. The banks crashed their deposit rates in turn, but kept their loan rates at stratospheric levels. This is the reason this spread widened. The CBN is not controlling these banks and everyone seems to be doing whatever they like.

Somebody has to keep funding those latest Prado Jeeps, Range Rover Sports/Vogues and other wonderful rides that flood Lagos! Truth is: it has always been this way, but our ‘ogas’ in the banks should not expect that their racket will continue forever. As all of us are tightening belts, they too should be forced to taper their excesses. Buhari’s era is biting everybody. The big banking bosses cannot expect to largesse forever.

Since CBN under Lamido Sanusi forced the banks to crash COT (Commission on Turnover), some have devised other means of charging customers. Yes, our banks have to survive and I believe they need to charge customers here and there to justify their services. I don’t believe in strangulating the banks or forcing them to perform services for free. But they should be careful to make plain their charges, and to ensure those charges are not in excess such as will kill businesses or constitute a major portion of people’s salaries. Even the president needs to get involved in this issue, because for now, it seems as if Nigerians have been left to their own devices and thrown to the dogs of the banking industry.

•Fasua, an economist, lives in Lagos.

How not to be scammed in foreign lands

By Ndem Nkem

NIGERIANS generally consider themselves smart, quick and intelligent. Very rarely are they swindled, deceived, or conned, especially within their country. However, some who have traveled overseas have often times narrated tales on the shady people who took advantage of them as tourists.

Sure, it is embarrassing for any person from Nigeria to be tricked out of their money, but the truth is that no matter how smart, prepared or careful, anyone can fall for certain travel scams. From getting ridiculously fleeced on cab rides to unknowingly revealing credit card information, Jovago.com, Africa’s No.1 online hotel booking portal shares some of the travel scams Nigerians have fallen for around the world.

The Taxi Scam There are shady drivers in all parts of the world! Travelling by budget taxi is usually the most convenient and affordable option for people abroad, however, it sets them up for the ‘Taxi Scam’.

The scam can be pulled off in three ways. The cab driver intentionally heading into gridlocked traffic to drive up the price, or they tell you the meter is broken so they can charge you a ridiculously high price; others hack the meter such that it advances faster than normal. Some cab drivers even insist that the traveller pays them in larger bills, that way, they can give them counterfeit change. The good thing is that this scam can be easily avoided. Ensure you negotiate rates ahead of time, or ask to confirm that the meter is working before you get in the car.

Free, fake wifi hubs Most people depend on Wifi when abroad to communicate, especially when they are on short trips and do not have the luxury of registering with a phone company or enough credit to make or receive roaming calls. Unfortunately, some scammers abroad do turn the public Wifi access to opportunities where they can gain access to personal information and passwords from the people who connect to it. They create fake Wifi hub or set up unsecured Wifi hotspots in public locations, that way, tourists are tempted to log on, giving the thief access to their passwords, online accounts, and more.

To save yourself from this scam, beware of generic hubs or Free Wifi in public places. Also, if you must have access in public, ask the hotel/coffee shop/airport staff to know which Wifi connection is the official one.

“Sir, you’ve got gunk on your shirt” This scam is very popular in some parts of Europe and South America. Unknown to the traveller, a person puts or throws something, such as mustard or ketchup…even

human or animal feces on a person’s body then pretends to be a friendly stranger or local who want to assist him with wiping it off. Usually, the tourist plays nice and lets the stranger assist him, but as the stranger cleans up the mess, he makes away with something valuable like your wristwatch or your wallet from your pocket or purse. It happens so fast that the tourist does not know, especially as he is unsuspecting. The best way to avoid this scam is to be on alert and never allow someone to help you clean up any mess on your body. Find a bathroom and clean the junk off yourself, or wear it with pride…it could be part of the adventure!

Fake police officer scam Nigerians are very careful not to get the in the way of the law, or cause any legal trouble whenever they are abroad, as such, they are very cooperative when accosted by the law. Unfortunately, in most countries abroad, certain con men pull the fake police officer scam on the regular.

The scam is usually pulled off by a group. A person approaches the Nigerian tourist and offers illicit items, like drugs, and while they are having the conversation, one or two other people will approach, appearing to be police officers. They flash fake badges and insist the unsuspecting traveler hand over their passport and wallet, which they eventually make away with.

Word of caution: never hand over your wallet or passport to anyone until they have shown you proper identification and then call the police to confirm they are who they say they are. Also, you can save yourself the stress by claiming you do not have your wallet or ID with you and ask them to follow you to your hotel.

•Nkem is a travel writer.

21

Thursday, 10 March, 2016

Femi Olukunle Coordinating Editor 08158610216

Examples of unoccupied houses in Abuja

Tax unoccupied houses, regulate house rents, Reps task FG Jacob Segun Olatunji and Kolawole DanielAbuja

T

HE House of Representatives has urged President Muhammadu Buhari to urgently put in place a policy that will regulate house

Corps members take fire safety campaign to schools Adetola Bademosi -Abuja

WORRIED by frequent fire outbreaks and monumental loss of lives and property in the country, some members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) have taken safety campaign to schools in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.

The corps members, mostly those doing their one year mandatory service with the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), said they chose to take the sensitisation programme to schools in order to properly educate the children on simple safety precautions in case of fire outbreak.

Speaking at one of the sensitisation programmes on fire safety, organised for secondary school students at Lugbe SecContinues on pg22

rent as well as impose taxes on unoccupied houses in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Abuja and its environs.

The House equally mandated its standing committees on FCT and Housing to investigate the reasons for the exorbitant cost of rent in the territory and report back to the chamber for further legislative action.

Investigation by Abuja Xtra revealed that it costs between N2.5 million and N3 million to rent a two-bed apartment in areas such as Maitama, Asokoro, Wuse II, while a one-bed room apartment costs between N1 million and N1.5 million and three-bedroom apartments cost between N3 million and N6 million per annum depending on the finishing, location and security of the area.

The House resolution was sequel to a motion moved by Honourable Segun Alexander Adekola representing Ekiti South West/Ikere/Ise/Orun Federal Constituency of Ekiti State who raised the alarm

Patronise madein-Nigeria products to grow our economy —Minister —Pg.22

over the astronomical rate of rents in Abuja.

He expressed worry that if the abnormal situation was not urgently addressed, the middle and low income earners residing in the FCT would continue to suffer.

The lawmaker, while moving the motion, recalled that in the past, government took the lead in constructing residential houses for the citizenry, saying he was disturbed by the Federal Government’s current policy thrust that recognises only the private sector as the main solution to the housing deficit in the country.

The development, he said, had given room for indiscriminate charges being placed on rents by private developers.

He lamented that at a time when many Nigerians did not have access to anything close to a decent accommodation, the number of completed, but unoccupied structures littered the nation’s capital in the prime areas of Maitama, Asokoro, Wuse and Garki, thereby forcing many

‘FG to concession maintenance, buildings of airports’ —Pg.22

people to live in the outskirts of the city with the attendant social problems.

Honourable Adekola, who is also the Chairman, House Committee on Youth Development, expressed concern on the outrageous rent regime on residential and commercial buildings in Abuja and its negative effects on the social and economic lives of residents of the city.

He pointed out that statistics had shown that housing deficit in Nigeria “is about 17 million, with the federal capital territory, Abuja accounting for 10 per cent of this deficit”.

When the motion was put to vote it was unanimously supported by members.

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

abujaxtra Patronise made-in-Nigeria products to grow our economy —Minister

22

Thursday, 10 March, 2016

Ademola Adegbite-Abuja INISTER of Science and Technology, Dr Ogbonnaya Onu, has urged Nigerians to patronise home made prod-

M

ucts in order to ensure accelerated growth of the nation’s economy and encourage the manufacturers in the country.

He gave this advice in his office in Abuja when he received members of the

Photo News

From left, National President, Small Scale Women Farmers Organisation in Nigeria (SWOFON), Mrs Sarah Yapwa; Secretariat President, National Association of Nigerian Traders, Barrister Ken Ukaoha and Director of Programmes, Action Aids Nigeria, Mrs Ifeoma Chales-Monwuba, during the Citizine Dialogue on the proposed 2016 Agriculture Budget in Abuja, recently.

Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) led by their President, Dr Frank Jacob.

Dr Onu said it was a patriotic duty for all Nigerians to encourage the manufacturers so that the raw materials produced in Nigeria were utilised maximally as a way of securing the nation and providing job opportunity for unemployed graduates roaming the streets.

The minister said the fact that Nigeria was regarded as the most populous nation in Africa was not enough reason the country could not provide gainful employment for her people, imploring the association to add to its efforts by expanding its capacity with a view to creating job for teeming Nigerians.

He promised that the ministry would incorporate and collaborate with the association to ensure that the raw materials were relatively utilised and also see that all the products manufactured in

Yoruba community felicitates with monarch over appointment as varsity chancellor Jacob Segun Olatunji-Abuja

Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo (left) with Group Managing Director, Energy Group, Barrister Jimoh Ibrahim (CFR), during the GivingTuesdayNg 2016 Centurions Luncheon, in Abuja, on Tuesday.

Nigeria were market driven.

According to him, “President Muhammadu Buhari is committed to securing the nation and growing our economy, and to creating job in the process. In this regard, the ministry has a very important role to play. So, I want to urge MAN to do more because you have done well before”.

Dr Onu pointed out that it was high time the country became a producing nation, instead of importing all the products, believing that Nigeria would be a great nation if her people could change their sense of reasoning towards made-in Nigeria products.

Earlier, the MAN president, Dr Jacob, who appreciated the ministry for its efforts so far since the advent of the present administration, therefore, sought its purposeful collaboration to meet the main objective of President Buhari-led government.

THE Yoruba Community in the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Abuja and its environs, has felicitated with the Ona Abaji, Alhaji Adamu Baba Yunusa, on his appointment as the Chancellor of the Abuja University of Technology.

Yunusa, who is the Chairman of the FCT Council of Chiefs, was described by the Yoruba Community as an exemplary leader worthy of emulation.

Minister of FCT, Mallam Mohammed Bello had, last month, named the traditional ruler as the Chancellor of the Abuja University of Technology, FCT. The traditional ruler of the Yoruba Community in the FCT and its environs, Oba Olusegun Salau, in a statement conveying the congratulatory message of his Community, also described Ona Abaji as a peaceful man whose tenure had brought peace, progress and rapid

development to the FCT in general.

According to the statement, “Alhaji Yunusa’s tenure has been rewarding and significant; his watch-word to all the various ethnic communities in the FCT and its environs and the indigenous people here has been only peace, peace and peace. He is always at hand to nib in the bud any crisis on sight and will never take side on any issue”.

“So, we are not surprised when his appointment was announced by the Honourable Minister of the FCT, Mallam Bello. It is our candid belief that the foremost traditional ruler will bring his wealth of experience to bear on the new assignment given to him,” the statement added.

While wishing the Ona Abaji a successful tenure, the Yoruba Community pledged its total support for him to sustain FCT as home for all and sundry devoid of any crisis whatsoever.

‘FG to concession maintenance, buildings of some airports’ Clement Idoko-Abuja Executive Secretary, Christian Pilgrim Commission, Mr John Kennedy-Opara (fourth right), with the executive members of Photo Journalists Association of Nigeria (PJAN), during PJAN visit to the secretary in Abuja, recently. PHOTOS: SUNDAY OSUNRAYI

Corps members take fire safety campaign to schools Continued from pg21

ondary School, Abuja, a Planning Officer with NEMA, Shamsiyyah Abubakar, said the choice of fire safety was in view of the incessant incidents of fire outbreaks in the country.

The corps members said the safety awareness campaign was part of their Community Development Service (CDS), in trying to help enlighten students on simple safety precautions in cases of fire outbreaks before the arrival of NEMA officials or fire fighters.

Abubakar said the corps members were

concerned that sometimes minor fire incidents that could have been nipped in the bud escalated because most people did not have simple knowledge about fire-fighting or prevention.

She also lamented that even where extinguishers were available, most people did not know how to use them in putting out fire in buildings at home, office or market place.

She noted that the students were taught more of traditional means of putting out fire and ways of escape from disaster when it happened suddenly around them.

THE Federal Government has disclosed plans to concession the maintenance and buildings of some airports across the country.

Minister of State, Aviation, Senator Hadi Sirika, made this known during a courtesy call on him by Technical Delegation from the Turkish Embassy in Abuja.

He noted that this was part of the initiative of the government towards maintaining high standard and efficiency in the management of its airports in the country.

Senator Sirika said that the government was strongly committed to providing an enabling environment for investors to thrive in the aviation sector with rules and regulations to make the industry economically attractive.

The minister added that the government had also made concerted effort

on the improvement of security in the country in view of the security challenges the nation was facing, saying that the issue of insurgency would soon be a thing of the past.

Sirika reiterated the position of Nigeria in the African sub-region, and said taking advantage of its size and geographical location as it concerned investments guaranteed the adequate return on investment overtime.

The minister welcomed the interest of the Turkish government and Turkish firms in Nigeria’s aviation industry and assured them of the Federal Government’s openness and preparedness to work with all serious minded and sincere investors.

Earlier in his address, the leader of the Technical Delegation and the Commercial Counsellor, Turkish Embassy in Abuja, Ahmed Zafer Gulsen, pledged to support Nigerian government in the development of its aviation industry.

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Thursday, 10 March, 2016

education

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

Concerns, controversies over future of Computer-Based UTME

Candidates at the University of Ibadan Distance Learning Centre CBT. PHOTO: LAOLU HAROLDS

JAMB’s fully computer-based Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination is in its second year. But like every other thing, it’s experiencing its teething problems. Will it be given time to stabilise or will it be jettisoned thus lengthening the list of government’s policy somersaults? NAZA OKOLI writes.

L

AST year, the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) adopted an all-computer-based system called CBT (Computer-Based Test), finally phasing out its Paper-Pencil Test (PPT). According to JAMB, the paperpencil test was more expensive to run and encouraged examination malpractice.

The Registrar and Chief Executive Officer of JAMB, Professor Dibu Ojerinde, told journalists in Abuja that nearly 100 buses were usually deployed only for the distribution of question papers and answer scripts nationwide – a method which was not only wasteful but did not guarantee the security of the materials.

He said: “We are not going back to PPT anymore; this is the end of PPT in the country. PPT was full of fraud, malpractice, logistic problems and insecurity. So, we do not want to go back to it. We now have a solution with the introduction of CBT; we are forging ahead with it.”

Also echoing this, the Head of JAMB’s National Headquarters (Annexe), Lagos, Dr Beatrice Okorie, told Tribune last year that CBT was designed to solve all the problems observed over the years from the practice of using paper and pencil.

“There were a lot of problems associated with PPT; there were malpractice cases, the high cost of conveying examination materials from the printer to the custodian and then to the examination centre and, of course, there were often cases of missing scripts. At some centres, the principal would collect money from candidates and tell them it was for the chairs and tables.

CBT doesn’t have any such problems. In fact, the candidate receives his or her result the same day, because marking is easy. So, in a nutshell, CBT is smoother, easier and

cheaper.”

Is CBT premature?

The 2016 edition of the examination which began last Saturday and will end on or before March 14 has, as in the case of the first edition, continued to dominate discussions across the sector. Some of the old issues still remain – particularly, temporary network problems. Nevertheless, a refreshing perspective emerged out of an observation made by the Minister of Education, Mallam Adamu Adamu, recently, in which he hinted that there were candidates who are not computer-literate.

“The children (candidates) seemed to be happy and comfortable with what they were doing,” Adamu said while monitoring the examination at JAMB’s Model CBT Centre at Kogo, Bwari in the FCT, last Tuesday.

“But my question is: ‘What do you do with many who are not computer-literate?’ I have sympathy for candidates who are not computer-literate and there are many of them. I think we should combine CBT and paper examinations for some time, but definitely the future is for computer.”

Mr Emeka Obiajunwa who is the Head of the Department of Science at British Spring College, Awka, also feels that the time for CBT is in the future.

“We tend to copy from the Westerners things we are not ready for,” he said. “Why CBT? Are we ready? This is not fair; many people enforcing this cannot even operate a phone, not to talk of a laptop. I don’t condemn making use of a computerised system of education, but we are not ready.

People score low, not because they are not intelligent but some factors like computer breakdown. Enough is enough. Let us move back to pencil on paper till we are ready.”

However, none of the candidates who were observed by Tribune Education in Lagos last week and on Monday appeared to lack the basic computer skills required for the examination. Some of the operators of the CBT centres shared their thoughts.

“You don’t need to be computer literate before you can do the exam,” Mr Adekunle Banjo, the Director of Bafuto Computer and Secretarial School, Egbe, said. “However, JAMB instructed us to teach the candidates how to operate the computer before they even begin the examination. In most cases, they all understand almost immediately.

Yes, someone who has never used a computer can do the exam, but it helps where the candidate has spent at least an hour or two on a system before doing the exam.

It is easy; all you have to do is to explain to them how to move the mouse in order to push the pointer on the Bachel Model College, Ifako-Ijaiye, Ogba, is part of the centres designated as “Stream II” in Lagos.

This means that examinations began at the centre on Monday.

“For today, we didn’t record any case of a candidate who cannot operate a computer,” said Adeleke Adekunle Raymond, Director of the Centre. “We started our exam officially today (Monday). We are part of the second batch of centres. JAMB did it that way so that if there is any problem during the course of the exam at any centre, there will always be back-up in terms of accommodation and equipment.”

Tosin Oke of Datforte International Schools Limited, Bakare Estate, AbuleEgba, said because of the computer-based examination, young people in secondary school had started taking computer studies more seriously.

“All it involves is to read the question and click on the right answer,” he said. “Many of those candidates use very sophisticated phones. So, why can’t they use a computer with ease? But if there are really candidates who cannot use the computer, the period before the examination is enough to get them prepared. We teach them all of that at preparatory classes. The more the examination is conducted using the CBT, the more

students would be encouraged to learn to use the computer.”

Extra marks Another issue that has emerged out of the ongoing UTME is the alleged award of 40 marks to candidates who sat the examination on Saturday and Monday.

According to most of the candidates who spoke anonymously, the scores that were sent to their mobile phones hours after the examination were 40 marks less than the scores they printed out eventually.

While some candidates who sat the examination on the said dates said some of the questions they attempted did not have the right answers as part of the options, others said some questions came only with options.

“In my Use of English paper, in the section on sounds, I remember many of them were just options, and no questions. What I did was to choose the odd item out of the lot. I scored 146 initially, but it was later changed to 186,” a candidate who sat the examination in Calabar told Tribune Education.

Also confirming this, the Director of Bafuto Computer and Secretarial School, Egbe, one of the CBT centres in Lagos, said he observed it.

“It happened only to candidates who did their exam on the first and second days,” he said. “I think there was a mixup. People noticed that their marks were upgraded. Many had low marks, but when they checked their scores later, they found out that additional marks had been given to them.”

When contacted Tuesday morning, the Public Affairs Officer of JAMB, Dr Fabian Benjamin, said the issue would be addressed later: “We are still conducting the examination,” he said. “When we finish, we will give a comprehensive report. We don’t want a situation where we would talk today, and another issue may come up tomorrow, and then we talk again. It is better to wait until after the examination, then we can give a full report.”

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Thursday, 10 March, 2016

Nigerian students emerge best at Ghanaian varsity

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WO Nigerians have won the top prize at the 9th graduation congregation of the Accra Institute of Technology (AIT), a leading technology-focused private university in Ghana.

The event held at the Ghanaian capital city over the weekend.

In a statement by the university, Mr. Peter Hunnoho Moses, who graduated with a First Class Honours Bachelor of Science degree in Information Technology, was judged the overall best student of the graduating class with a Cumulative Grade Point Aggregate of 3.99.

The overall best student in the female category went to Ms. Odinaka Abel Favour, who graduated with a First Class Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration, with a cumulative GPA of 3.90.

In his speech to the congregation, Professor Clement Dzidonu, the President of the university, described this as a major achieve-

ment given that AIT has the toughest and the highest grading system within the university system in Ghana.

“To get an A grade in a subject at AIT, you must score above 90; and to get a First Class with a cu-

Moses

mulative GPA close to the maximum 4.2 means that a student must consistently get A grades across the board,” Professor Dzidonu noted.

The Deputy Minister for Education, responsible for Tertiary

Favour

Education, Hon. Samuel Okudjeto Ablakwa, who was the Special Guest of Honour, congratulated the university for mounting mainly science, technology and engineering programmes, which in his view, is in line with the Ghanaian government’s determination to implement and enforce the 60:40 policy guidelines aimed at giving priority to science, mathematics and engineering programmes in the nation’s tertiary institutions.

He announced that in line with this, the Ministry of Education through the National Accreditation Board (NAB) and the National Council for Tertiary Education (NCTE) has drawn up new guidelines that will ensure that the accreditation of new universities and academic programmes meets these guidelines.

“To be approved for accreditation, a university must more or less show that it will be like AIT in its

academic programme offerings,” he observed.

The deputy minister also congratulated those receiving the overall best graduating student awards and noted that Ghana is currently attracting over 7000 foreign students from close to 60 countries to its private and public universities annually.

Professor Francis K. Allotey, the Chairman of the AIT Board of Trustees, in his address to the congregation, announced the election of two eminent internationally distinguished academics to the board, namely Professor Goolam Mohamedbhai, who is the former vice chancellor of University of Mauritius; former Secretary -General of the Association of African Universities (AAU); former President of the International Association of Universities (IAU) and the former Chairman of the Association of Commonwealth Universities.

OAU Law Faculty honours Bola Ajibola Laolu Harolds

MAGNA Curia Chambers of the Faculty of Law, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Osun State, took a bow for the former judge of the World Court in The Hague and Proprietor, Crescent University, Abeokuta, Judge Bola Ajibola, at its 7th Memorial Lecture.

The Conference Centre, venue of the seventh edition of the public lecture, stood with a loud ovation to credit Judge Ajibola, who also served as the AttorneyGeneral and Minister of Justice for six years, three months, 20 days, and one and a half hours, in a capacity arguably no serving Nigerian has superseded till date.

Accolades were showered on the international jurist who was reported to have personally hired, during his tenure as minister of justice, two additional members of staff whom he was paying from his pocket apart from sacrificing 40 per cent of his monthly salaries back to the coffers of the federal government; 25 per cent to the Nigerian Bar Association and 40 per cent to charitable/humanitarian organisations in demonstration of sterling leadership.

These, among other virtues, made students of the Faculty of Law of Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, for close to a decade, adopted Ajibola as its model of legal and academic inspiration for future generations of Nigeria’s compatriots.

Judge Ajibola was also reported to have sold off all his assets both in Nigeria and abroad to establish Crescent University, Abeokuta, to contribute his quota to providing access to university education in Nigeria.

He described the Bola Ajibola Annual Public Lecture as a well conceived idea by the Law faculty, noting that a good name is

Judge Bola Ajibola (6th from left); Guest Speaker, Professor Abiola Sanni; chairman of the occasion, Dr Adereti Ademakinwa; Dean of Faculty of Law, OAU, Professor Ademola Popoola, and the Magnarians during the 7th Bola Ajibola Lecture.

Dean of Faculty of Law, OAU, Professor Ademola Popoola (left); Provost of Postgraduate School, Professor C. T. Akanbi (5th left); Judge Bola Ajibola; Guest Speaker, Professor Abiola Sanni and chairman of the occasion, Dr Adereti Ademakinwa, at the cutting of the memorial cake.

better than all the riches of the world as, “good names endure forever”.

Speaking on the topic ‘True Federalism: A Panacea to the Economic Crisis in Nigeria’, the Guest Lecturer, an Associate Professor of Law at the University of Lagos, Abiola Sanni, hypothesized that “in troubled times such as this, one would expect the government to tweek the tax policy, law and administration in order to give a new lease of life.”

Explaining key concepts such as economic problem, taxing power, fiscal federalism, multiplicity of taxes and double taxation, Dr Sanni copiously remarked that a true federalism could not do without these key variables, and that taxing power as an attribute of sovereignty which needs to be expressly conferred is the power of government to raise revenue through taxes within the limits of its jurisdiction.

“The interest of Nigeria and taxpayers will be better served

with the adoption of a simple tax system compared to the current one which is undoubtedly made for a far more sophisticated literate society with higher tax culture,” he argued.

Dr Sanni submitted that although all societies face the economic problem of how to make use of limited resources to meet their objectives, “economic problem in the Nigerian context is lack of efficient allocation of functions and resources among the tiers of government.”

According to him, this results in concentration of powers and resources in the centre, thereby promoting waste, corruption, lack of transparency and the impoverishment of the nation and its people.”

In his address, the chairman of the occasion, Dr Adereti Ademakinwa, representing Chief Alex Duduyemi, lauded the faculty of law for providing the platform for both town and gown to discuss issues of common interest. He emphasised that the faculty had charted a course to

(From left) Nurudeen Oladimeji, Barr.; Mrs Adewolu; Head of Department, Mass Communication, Crescent University, Dr Kola Adesina; Alhaji Sulaiman Adewolu; J. A. Bankole; Judge Bola Ajibola; Professor Sanni; Dr Ademakinwa; Vice Chancellor, Crescent University, Professor Ibraheem Gbajabiamila, and Professor Popoola.

produce more of Ajibolas in the society.

The dean of Faculty of Law, Professor Ademola Popoola, said the lecture had been a source of inspiration as well as academic rendezvous to both staff and students of the faculty.

In his remarks, the vice chancellor, Obafemi Awolowo University, who was represented by the provost of Postgraduate College, Professor C. T. Akanbi, said he was elated to be at the lecture, noting that the Magna Curia Chambers had put the right peg in the right hole by its choice of Judge Ajibola.

The president of the chamber,

Okwuoha Uche Raphael, said the essence of the lecture was “to educate great Nigerians and to enrich and feed our intellect with adequate information and knowledge about developments in our society through law.”

Magna Curia, he said, “is the youngest chambers in the faculty, with its motto ‘Redefining the Standard of Leadership through Law’.

Raphael acknowledged that apart accepting that the annual lecture be done his name, Judge Ajibola had been supporting the intellectual gathering both financially and morally from its inception.

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Thursday, 10 March, 2016

Awujale endows professorial chair on Governance at OOU Laolu Harolds

H

ISTORY will be made today (Thursday March 10, 2016) at the Oriental Hotel, Victoria Island, Lagos, as for the first time a royal father, the Awujale of Ijebuland, Oba Sikiru Kayode Adetona, will formally launch the endowment of a professorial chair in Governance at the Olabisi Onabanjo University, AgoIwoye.

While addressing a world press conference on the N500m endowment on Friday in his palace in IjebuOde, Oba Adetona expressed his desire to see Nigeria take giant strides in the area of good governance stemming from quality education, research, mentorship and community engagement.

“Education has a pivotal role to play in the quality of governance. So I decided to lend my little support in this area. I make this move with high hopes that it will help the Olabisi Onabanjo

University, Ago-Iwoye start a production line of leaders who will be molded for good governance,” Oba Adetona revealed.

He did not hide his dissatisfaction with Nigeria’s slow

pace in the area of governance, and his willingness to contribute to making a positive change.

“I have been on the throne for a little over 56 years, but I have noticed that Nigeria

has not been making much progress with governance.

We seem to be going from frying pan to the fire; we’re not making progress at all.

Rather than make progress, we are retrogressing in

terms of our governance.

“We’re not getting good results; and my idea is that we should get a way of intervening to bring about changes that will affect the governance of this country;

From left, Chairman Board of Trustees of the endowment, Mr. Olatunji Ayanlaja (SAN); Chairman, Troyka Holdings, Mr Biodun Shobanjo; Awujale of Ijebuland, Oba Sikiru Kayode Adetona, CFR; Pro-Chancellor, OOU, Dr Segun Oshin and Vice Chancellor, Professor Saburi Adejimi Adesanya, at the World Press Conference to announce Awujale’s endowment of professorial chair in Governance at OOU…on Friday. PHOTO: LAOLU HAROLDS

Ignorance major cause of malnutrition —FUTA don IGNORANCE rather than non-availability of adequate food intake is a major cause of malnutrition in Nigeria and most parts of Sub-Sahara Africa. This is because even if a person consumes enough calories, there is no assurance of adequate intake of essential micronutrients – vitamins, minerals and other nutritious elements.

Professor Oluwatooyin Osundahunsi of the Department of Food Science and Technology, Federal University of Technology, Akure, FUTA stated this while delivering the 75th Inaugural lecture of the institution on Tuesday, March 1, 2016. She spoke on the topic ‘Food: The Fuel and Vehicle for Life’.

Osundahunsi, a wellknown and widely travelled Food Technologist and researcher, said “ignorance has been reported as one of the factors influencing the prevalence of malnutrition.”

According to her, ignorance on the nutritional quality of foods and the requirement of family members will lead to improper utilization of available food, which would invariably lead to malnutrition.

She identified malnourished pregnant women, low birth weight, stunted adolescent growth, wasted body, weakened resistance to infections, impaired intellectual development and hidden hunger as some of the consequences of mal-

nutrition.

Osundahunsi said since malnutrition remains a major health challenge in developing countries and more people die from hunger and malnutrition than HIV/AIDS, it is imperative to develop complementary

diets such as weaning food with adequate protein that will promote growth in children from cheap raw materials using processing methods that are adaptable to village level or at home.

She said from research

findings the combination of maize (or ogi) powder supplemented with soybean provides higher protein content and other nutrients within the range prescribed by the Food and Agricultural Organisation and the World Health Or-

ganization.

“Incorporation of nutritional education into school curriculum will lead to increased awareness and behavioural changes on healthy dietary habits and food safety among school children,” she added.

Govt urged to introduce Peace Education in schools •As CASSON holds annual conference

By Olatunji Awe THE federal government has been advised to introduce Peace Education in schools, just as guidance counselors have been enjoined to come up with suggestions on how schools can be made safer for children.

Professor Oyesoji Aremu of the Institute of Peace and Strategic and Strategic Studies, University of Ibadan, made the call on Tuesday in Ibadan at the opening day of the annual conference of the Counseling Association of Nigeria (CASSON), Oyo State chapter.

He said teaching peace education in schools would help improve peaceful coexistence in the country. He also challenged counseling practitioners to update their knowledge of the profession and not live in the counseling age of the 1960s.

The three-day conference tagged ‘Counselling for Sustainnable Behavioural Change’ will end with a dinner and award on Thursday, March 10, 2016.

The Oyo State chairman

of the association, Dr. Emmanuel Awoyemi, in his welcome address encouraged participants to make the best of the interventions by resource persons at the conference and to also network amongst themselves, as this would open doors of connection and opportunities.

A student of the Lead City University, Ibadan, who was present at the conference,

expressed satisfaction with the event, saying “ the conference has given me more insight into peace and security and how it relates to counseling. I hope they will hold more this kind of events and encourage students of Guidance and Counseling to attend” Present at the conference were the Speaker of the Oyo State House of Assembly,

Participants and members of CASSON after the conference.

who was represented by the Deputy Speaker, Rt.-Hon. Musa Abdulazeez ; Chairman, House Committee on Education, Hon. Joshua Oyebanji; Deputy Vice Chancellor (Administration), National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN), Professor Victor Oluwole, and the immediate past chairman of CASSON, Dr. Depo Fapolu.

so that all future generations will benefit from it, and Nigeria will be a better place for us and our children,” he said.

While thanking the Awujale for the kind gesture, the vice chancellor of the Olabisi Onabanjo University, Professor Saburi Adejimi Adesanya, said the endowment is in sync with the institution’s philosophy of seeking to “give useful learning to its students who will be encouraged to cultivate a world view that facilitates not only the continuous pursuit of academic and moral excellence but also developing competence in reducing the society’s disease.”

This philosophy may have endeared the school to the royal father. The university has earned the Awujale’s respect because of how it has impacted on the public since it came into existence in 1982.

He said, “I have followed with keen interest the impact the university has been making since inception in 1982 and strongly feel that this endowment will help them achieve more to the benefit of mankind.”

He said further: “Time was when governance, as it is known today, resided with royal fathers and traditional institutions. With the times we are in, people still expect us as royal fathers to exert some form of influence on the political class, whereas there is no provision in the constitution empowering us to exercise direct control over them.

“So, I reckon that the best way to make this influence effective is through constructive institutional engagement, mentorship and research. These are areas I am convinced this endowment can be very impactful.”

With this initiative, the royal father hopes to attract the best brains from across the globe to the university, with a view to achieving a level of cross-fertilisation that will impact positively on the larger community.

“I am confident that the university will make the most of this opportunity and attract the best brains in good governance, corporate and political leadership to fertilise the students, staff and indeed the entire university community, with a view to raising and unleashing good governance champions on the Nigerian community,” he said.

Oba Adetona is optimistic that Nigeria will benefit from the initiative, and enjoined other well-meaning people to lend their support to a good cause.

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Thursday, 10 March, 2016

C’River NUT, SUBEB at war over screening of teachers Anthony Ubong-Calabar

T

HE Cross River State chapter of the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) and the state’s Universal Basic Education Board are at loggerheads over the screening of teachers.

Tribune Education recalls that SUBEB last December embarked on the screening of teachers in the state and seized some teachers’ certificates perceived to be fake.

However, reacting to the seizure of their certificates, hundreds of protesting teachers on Monday marched through major streets of Calabar, the state capital, with various placards calling for a cessation of the ongoing screening.

Some of the inscriptions on the placards read ‘NUT Rejects Seizure of Original Certificates of Teachers’ and ‘NUT will Never Defend Fake Certificates or Ghost Workers’, ‘We Love Ayade, but SUBEB Chairman Must Go’, among others.

The chairman of the union in the state, Mr. Eyo-Nsa Itam, said it was not right for SUBEB to seize certificates of teachers on allegations that they were fake.

But in a swift reaction, the SUBEB chairman, Dr. Stephen Odey, insisted

that the certificates were fake, and that he was not intimidated by the protest and would submit the report of his findings to Governor Ben Ayade soon.

Explaining the union’s grievance to the Speaker of the House of Assembly, Mr. John Lebo, the

NUT chairman said apart from the seizure of the certificates, the SUBEB screening team had been harassing and intimidating teachers in almost all the local government areas visited.

Itam called for the immediate sack of the SUBEB

chairman and the board, adding that, in fact, if the seized certificates were not returned within seven days, teachers would embark on a strike.

He said: “We are here (at) the state Assembly because we know that the laws emanate from the

Teachers and Students of Amabek Memorial International School Kolapo Ishola Residential Estate, Iyana Church Ibadan during their excursion to Tribune House Ibadan recently. Photo: Alolade Ganiyu.

House. We also know that every political appointee is screened by the House.

We want to find out if the SUBEB chairman was asked to seize the original certificates of teachers.

We also want to know if he was given the powers to ask teachers to sit on the floor.

“If we have teachers with fake certificates, they are on their own. We will not support them. Our grievance is with the humiliation where so many teachers were not screened for flimsy excuses, while certificates were seized. NUT as a body has rejected the so-called screening. For there to be screening, all the stakeholders must be carried along.”

Responding, the Speaker assured the aggrieved teachers that their demands would be given urgent attention.

“The House will not treat this matter lightly. We have a committee that will immediately swing into action.”

NUC team lauds AAUA’s facilities, standard THE leader of the verification teams of the National Universities Commission (NUC), Professor Daniel Njokwu, has commended the giant strides of the Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko (AAUA), despite its young status.

Professor Njokwu gave the commendation on Monday last week when he led the two teams of the NUC to the university for the verification of its newly established Faculty of Agriculture and the Department of Performing Arts.

Speaking in the Senate Chamber of the university’s Senate Building, Professor Njokwu said, “With what we have seen since we arrived yesterday, I have no doubt that the university is doing well. All we have seen are of international standard. It is commendable that a stateowned university like yours is doing so well.”

The deputy vice chancellor (academics), Professor Oluyemisi Adebowale, who received the verification teams on behalf of the vice chancellor, Professor Igbekele Ajibefun, thanked the NUC officials for undertaking the exercise, which she noted was to ensure quality in the higher education sector of the country.

She said, “Adekunle Ajasin University is the nation’s fastest growing and the most subscribed state university

in South-West Nigeria as published by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board, JAMB, in 2015.

AAUA, without being immodest, is a university that is aiming higher and committed to growth in every facet.”

The DVC also expressed confidence in the volume and quality of facilities that the university has acquired for training in the Faculty of Agriculture and the Department of Performing Arts under the Faculty of Arts.

Professor Adebowale noted that the university, in the last December’s verification exercise, had received 100 per cent accreditation of its courses.

Teachers, Students and pupils of FAOZAAN International schools, Benjamin, Bus-Stop, Eleyele, Ibadan at Tribune during their Excursion last week.

10 students benefit from IGP scholarship in Ondo Hakeem Gbadamosi, Akure TEN students from the Police Secondary School, Akure, Ondo State, have benefitted from the scholarship scheme initiated by the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Solomon Arase, for children of serving and deceased police officers who died in active service.

Speaking during the presentation of the scholarship award, the Commandant of the school, CSP Geoffrey Iorbee, said

the scheme was part of the present administration’s welfare programme put in place under the leadership of Arase.

Iorbee said, “This is the first time in the history of the Nigeria Police Force an Inspector-General of Police has deemed it fit to award scholarship to deserving pupils and students in Police Children and Secondary Schools across the country.”

He explained the yardstick in awarding scholarship to the students, say-

ing an examination was conducted while the best students were invited for interview before being given letter of award.

He, however, said the IGP swiftly followed the scholarship award by releasing money to the police schools for payment to beneficiaries, saying “the PSSA is paying the scholarship sum to the parents of the 10 beneficiaries.”

The commandant commended the IGP for the initiative and said it would go a long way to

stimulate productivity among the rank and file as well as give them sense of belonging.

Some parents of the beneficiaries expressed gratitude to the IGP for instituting the scheme, describing him as a welfarist who is always initiating moves to motivate men of the Nigeria Police.

Speaking, Mr. Wole Ogodo said, “I am highly elated with this award given to my child. The IGP has offered good leadership within the

short time he has spent. I only want to urge subsequent leadership to sustain this laudable project because it will go a long way to change and reposition the force.”

Also one of the students who benefitted from the gesture of the IGP, Adewale Ayo-Faith, appreciated the IGP and prayed for him with a pledge to put in more efforts in her study to justify the scholarship award given to him.

27

Thursday, 10 March, 2016

Nigerian Tribune

Group Business Editor Sulaimon Olanrewaju

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

aviation

anchor Shola Adekola

m:0803 365 4818 e:sholanig@yahoo.com

FAAN moves to make Lagos airport global standard New terminal to accommodate 5 million passengers

T

HE news filtered into the country’s aviation sector few days ago that Nigeria and Qatar have just signed a Bilateral Air Services Agreement (BASA) to pave way for direct flights between major cities in the two countries.

Signing the agreement on behalf of Nigeria was the minister of state for aviation, Senator Hadi Sirika while the minister of transportation and communications for Qatar signed on behalf of his country.

Since the news of the air transport agreement was made public, there have been reactions from across the aviation sector with most people describing the development as another policy suicide taken by the President Muhammadu Buhari led government against the sector.

Those in this school of thought may not be far from the truth as it was not clear if government actually did its homework well before signing the agreement.

That the government goofed by signing the agreement may not be an understatement considering the ongoing calls by major key players across the sector and even outside it for the government to review the over 78 BASAs it has with various countries in view of their lopsidedness.

It is on record that majority of the BASAs were signed by past

governments at the expense of the country without due consultations.

Agreed that the bilateral system has its basis under the Chicago convention and associated multilateral treaties, but BASAs provide basic framework under which airlines are granted economic bilateral rights to fly two countries.

It is doubtful if the required framework attached to the agreements were well explored by the representatives of Nigeria at the ministry of aviation before they signed them.

Before other countries sign this type of agreement, they weigh the gains available for their countries especially their airlines. In other words, such agreements must be

of economic and business benefits to their countries and citizens before signing.

Obviously, this is not the case with Nigeria where few people rush to sign such agreements perhaps because they lack the understanding of the implications or otherwise.

Prior to now, many of the BASAs so far signed had added no

270 pilots, engineers trained

by Bristow The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE), Mr Oscar Onyema (left); the Managing Director/CEO, MEDVIEW Airline, Alhaji Muneer Bankole (middle) and the Managing Director/CEO, Trust Yields Securities Ltd, Alhaji Rasheed Yussuf when the management of the airline paid a courtesy visit to the NSE in preparation for the listing of the Nigerian airline on the NSE in Lagos.

NBAC 2016 to focus on sustainable Nigerian business aviation SHOLA ADEKOLA

WITH less than three weeks to the 3rd Nigerian Business Aviation Conference, (NBAC) 2016, the organisers have confirmed the keynote address will be given by the Nigeria’s Minister of State for Aviation, Senator Hadi Sirika.

The event is being hosted by the Evergreen Apples of Nigeria (EAN) led by its Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Olusegun Demuren.

Panels will also feature a genuine mix of Nigerian and international representatives from across the business aviation landscape including owners, operators, government officials, financiers and regulators.

This elite group of industry experts according to the organizers, will debate the conference theme “Sustaining Nigeria’s position on the African Business Aviation Landscape during the two-day meeting.

With Alan Peaford, Editor in Chief of African Aerospace and Arabian Aerospace leading the debate as Chairman, new topics this year will explore volatile oil

value to Nigeria and its aviation sector except that they gave the airlines from such countries the undue advantages over the indigenous airlines.

While no one could blame the foreign countries for exploring the negligence on the part of Nigeria’s ministry of aviation officials, it is however disturbing that despite the criticisms and call for the review of the existing BASAs, the government still rushed to sign the Qatar agreement without first putting its house in order by tackling the myriad of challenges confronting its aviation sector especially the ones tearing its domestic carriers apart.

Despite the obvious predicaments dragging the local airlines down which include the government unfriendly policies and hostile business environment, the same government rather than fortifying the airlines and empowering the sector has been foot dragging.

pricing and subsequent effects on business aviation; the importance of the rotary segment in Nigeria and beyond; and an owners panel, which will discuss what it means to operate an aircraft in Nigeria, and the implications of recently introduced regulations.

Against a global background of instability and economic challenges, the conference will bring together local expertise, and international opinion, to define ongoing strategies to support sustain-

able Nigerian business aviation.

Commenting ahead of the conference, Segun Demuren, CEO of EAN, and host of NBAC said “Diversification of the economy will create growth opportunities in Nigeria. New regions will open up bringing the opportunity to create new international partnerships.

Executives will need to use business aviation to journey efficiently and cost effectively within the country. However there are still issues to be

resolved and we look forward to picking up on previous themes, and igniting new debate, on how to best serve their needs.”

In addition to attracting a prestigious collection of delegates, NBAC 2016 is also welcoming a number of high profile sponsors for the event including: ANAP Business Jets, Toucan Aviation, Bombardier Business Jets, Vertis Aviation, Triton Aviation, Dassault Aviation and Satcom Direct.

Airport Business Summit begins March 29th in Abuja THE country’s aviation sector is to hold its second annual Airport Business Summit and Expo for Africa (ABSE) between March 29th and 31st, 2016 in Abuja.

The three day conference and exhibition with the theme Repositioning the Airport Business to Sustain Air Transport growth, is aimed at promoting total air transport development from the airport perspective.

The event which will be declared open by the minister of transport, Chibuike Amaechi, will also have the Minister of

State for Aviation, Senator Hadi Sirika giving the plenary keynote address ‘on the future of the aviation industry and insight on government direction.”

According to the summit director, Mr Fortune Idu of FCI International consults, the summit, steams from the understanding that a sound airport development, concept, plan and programme are vital for a viable, sustainable and safe total air transport system which also has direct positive impact for fast tracking economy development.”

While describing the summit as a multi-sector in nature with delegates expected from all industries with direct and indirect dealing with the airports, airlines, retails, security, safety, technologist, media, taxi companies, hotels, tourist places among others are expected.

“The quest to develop Africa and bring its economy to world focus requires a transport mode that offers potential cost and service advantages by virtue of speed, capacity and flexibility in routing and scheduling.

THE Management of Bristow Helicopters has declared that the airline has trained no fewer than 270 pilots and engineers from Nigeria to give room for seamless succession and transfer of technical expertise to grow the airline.

The Vice President, Global Operations Bristow Group, Mike Imlach dropped the hint early in the week at a press conference on the latest activities in the airline.

This is just as he declared that the airlines’ fleet of Sikosky aircraft are well-maintained in its entirety in Nigeria by local engineers while the airline’s technical partners takes care of all the various levels of checks an aircraft goes through.

Imlach said that maintenance of the airline’s fleet is carried out thoroughly and that the airline is one of the few that carries out its maintenance checks totally by itself.

According to him, “We started flying yesterday and have started flying our clients to Port Harcourt and Abuja on the Sikosky S-76 aircraft that has complied with the NCAA’s comprehensive audit. I want to say that we are a safe airline and follow all our safety procedures.

We do all our maintenance in the country and we are one of the few airlines that do not take our aircraft out of the country for checks.”

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Thursday, 10 March, 2016

Nigerian Tribune

crucial moment With Shola Adekola

0803 365 4818

Still on the controversial BASA policies SINCE the controversial signing of the air pact by the President Muhammadu Buhari led government with the Qatar in United Arab Emirates about two weeks ago, key players in the sector have continued to express misgivings about the development.

Majority of stakeholders across the sector have continued to ask questions on the rationale behind the agreement.

While some have decided to keep mum on the latest goof basing their reasons for keeping mum on the contradiction in the latest pact against the calls for the review of the Bilateral Air Services Agreements (BASA) already existing, others have chosen to speak on the policy summersault for the survival of the sector and Nigeria at large.

Only last week, a former Director-General of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Dr Harold Demuren, when asked to comment on the Qatar/Nigeria pact, reluctantly gave his own opinion on the way he viewed the agreement.

Demuren, known for his bluntness when it comes to professionalism did not only fault the Nigeria/Qatar pact, but described it as bad economics.

Demuren who spoke his mind at the Quarter One 2016 Breakfast Meeting of the Aviation Round Table (ART) in Lagos, though said the move would have been a good one, but declared that the aim has been defeated since no Nigerian carrier can presently compete favourably with airlines from the Arab country.

While describing the agreement as lopsided, Demuren added that the latest agreement would now give Qatar Airways, which currently has seven frequencies into Nigeria, more entry points into the country and further compound the woes of the domestic airlines.

“It is good politics to sign BASA agreements, but it is bad economics. Airline operation is an invisible trade. Anytime you buy a ticket from a foreign airline, that money will be taken back in dollars.

“So each time you sign a BASA agreement, you are simply committing your foreign exchange because you will be putting pressure on our naira. Presently, Nigeria airlines cannot compete with Qatar Airways in terms of equipment, personnel, maintenance and other areas. I am not saying that we should not sign BASA. What I am saying is that if we must sign BASA, we must know the content of the BASA we are signing.’’

Demuren has actually spoken the minds of the majority in the sector and it is a fact that the Nigerian government actually had no reason to have rushed to sign the latest pact in view of the condemnation that has greeted the existing ones earlier signed which are obviously to the disadvantage of Nigeria.

Unfortunately, since Demuren gave his opinion on the issue, people have been reading different meanings to his statement with some accusing him of faulting the agreement.

Some even insinuated that he made the agreement because he was still aggrieved with the way he was removed from office.

Again, while everybody has the right to his opinion, one thing everybody should consider first is the interest of the country and not any dirty politics or personal interest.

Either any one likes it or not, that Nigeria/Qatar pact will add no economic value to Nigeria except that it will further enrich the Qatar and its airline, Etihad.

If the government believes the agreement has any economic advantage for Nigeria, let it come out and state such perhaps this may vindicate its action.

For those who always prefer to sit on the fence in the sector when certain things go wrong, but prefer to condemn those who choose to genuinely advise government against unfriendly policies, they should realise that it is only when the sector is stable that the job they are desperate to keep can remain.

Obviously, the present bad state the sector is, can be traced to government’s policy summersaults, many of which have been taken without considering the gains for the country all in the name of playing the giant of Africa.

People should learn how to say the truth on issues affecting the sector and avoid back biting those who have chosen to prevent actions not friendly to the sector.

One sure thing is that the job such people think they are protecting for not wanting to tell the truth will be blown off a minute the sector is run aground by unfriendly policies.

Insurance firms seek better synergy with airlines TWO Nigerian underwriters of aviation insurance, Consolidated Hallmark Insurance and NICON Insurance have solicited improved synergy between the insurance and the country’s aviation sector stating that getting it right will provide a win-win partnership for insurers and airline operators.

Speaking at the Aviation Round Table (ART) Breakfast Meeting held at the Gulfview Hotel and Suites in Ikeja last week, both insurance companies in their own way explained how to grow the partnership and avoid some of the pitfalls.

The Managing Director of Consolidated Hallmark Insurance Plc, Eddy Efekoha,

who gave a presentation on the topic Regulation and Aviation Insurance, said that complying with the rules including on time payment of premiums will ease indemnity should there be risk.

He said that the company currently leads in 12 aviation insurance policies and co-insure another 36 with a gross aviation premium income of N17 billion in 2015.

Efekoha also said that the numerous plane crashes in the past, business interruption and supply chain risk exposure necessitated the need for regulation as well as aviation insurance in the industry.

He listed policies for the

sector to include: aircraft hull, passengers, aviation third party as well as excess liability also included are aircraft hull war, aviation refuelling; hanger keepers liability and airport operator liability.

Efekoha declared: ” In accordance with the Civil Aviation Act 2006, every airline Operator providing air transport services for hire and reward, must have adequate Insurance for passengers/ cargo and third party. The insurance must be sufficient to pay compensation of $100,000.00 USD (one hundred thousand US Dollars) per passenger in case of death or injury.”

For the Managing Director of NICON Insurance represented by Vincent Okomayin, the primary responsibility of both local and international regulation is to ensure safety of life and property of passengers or third party, saying that the role of airline operators in aviation insurance is to provide adequate and reliable insurance cover.

He said that NICON started aviation insurance in Nigeria and was the sole indigenous insurer of the now defunct national carrier, Nigeria Airways for a couple of years which brought to bear a wealth of experience in aviation insurance.

Delta announces codeshare partnership with Transavia DELTA Air Lines has signed a codeshare agreement with Transavia, a subsidiary of KLM that will expand the choice of onward destinations offered by Delta from the United States via its hub at Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport.

Once government approvals have been received, customers flying on any of Delta’s 19 peak-day flights from the U.S. to Amsterdam will be able to connect with Delta marketed code onto 10 Transavia destinations, including four

destinations not currently offered by Delta through its existing trans-Atlantic airline partnerships.

These new codeshare points according to the airline includeSeville and Alicante, Spain; Thessaloniki, Greece; and Marrakech, Morocco.

Bi-Courtney laments delay in regional operations at MMA2 THE Chief Executive Officer of Bi-Courtney Aviation Services Limited (BASL), operator of the Murtala Muhammed Airport Two (MMA2), Mr Christophe Penninck, has expressed concern over the delay in securing regulatory approval for the commencement of international operations at the terminal.

Penninck, in his address at the annual customers and stakeholders’ appreciation dinner of BASL in Lagos said it was saddening that some stakeholders in the aviation industry have been actively working against MMA2’s bid to secure the needed

approval, despite the huge investment the operator of the Nigeria’s number one airport terminal has committed to the project.

Penninck, who could not hide his feelings noted, “It pains me to say thank you to such stakeholders for having blocked us from populating the international flights schedule. We have invested so much in infrastructure and other developments. Unfortunately, right now, we have been unable to continue with further development.

“Although, we collaborate with the authorities, it would be nice for us to be

able to develop even more.

This venue is supposed to be the international boarding gate for MMA2. If we have the opportunity to operate international flights, it will not only benefit us, it will also benefit the airlines operating here.

“I know for a fact that Aero, Dana and Med-View airlines operate international flights to Accra. It will make operational sense to combine that arrangement with their respective domestic operations. There is a competitive advantage in operating from the same terminal where they have their local flights operations.

Six points already served

by Delta will receive additional schedule connection opportunities with Transavia, including Barcelona, Malaga, Valencia and Ibiza, Spain; Lisbon, Portugal; and Casablanca, Morocco.

According to Delta, “Partnering with Transavia will enable Delta to expand its network to include more leisure destinations, primarily in the Mediterranean region, that are popular with U.S tourists during both summer and winter months.”

Delta codeshare on these Transavia routes will provide customers with co-ordinated customer service, a single ticket and throughcheck in of bags to their final destinations.

Delta SkyMiles members will be eligible to earn frequent flyer miles on all Delta codeshare routes with Transavia.

Transavia serves more than 110 destinations throughout Europe and into North Africa with its fleet of 43 Boeing 737 aircraft.

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anchor

maritime

Tola Adenubi

m:07068476673 e:adenubiadetola@yahoo.com

Nigeria should adopt Single Window as a national policy —Expert Stories by Tola Adenubi - Lagos

A

Single Window expert, Dr Somnuk Keretho has stated that for Nigeria to improve in the World Bank Ease-of-Doing-Business ranking, the nation needs to implement the Single Window facility as a national policy.

Dr Keretho, a senior lecturer at the Institute for Information Technology Innovation in Bangkok, Thailand, spoke exclusively to Nigerian Tribune in Akosombo, Ghana during the Ghana National Single Window Media Trade Facilitation Workshop sponsored

by West Blue Consulting.

According to him, “in Thailand, 36 government agencies and departments are involved in the country’s Single Window facility. I have been working with the Thailand government on the Single Window project for the past 10 years.

“I have been involved in helping my government do the feasibility studies and road map development of the Single Window project.

In Thailand, departments like that of agriculture, fisheries, food and drug, transport and many other regulatory agencies of government have keyed into the Single Window project.

“Most of the Thailand clearing process is now in their electronic forms. Nigeria can take a cue from this. It takes just 24 hours to clear goods at Thailand ports, that is for Customs clearance. We have less than 10 per cent of shipment that go for physical examination.

“I was in Nigeria in 2012 and I noticed that even though the Customs process is electronic, there are still many manual forms of cargo clearance. You see people moving from one office to the other with paper documents.

“Nigeria needs to embark on automation of majority of her clearing process.

There is need to reduce the amount of physical examination at the Nigerian seaports and border stations.

There ought to be better coordination between Customs and other regulatory

Nigerian Tribune

Thursday, 10 March, 2016

agencies.

“At a point, Thailand was number 10 in the World Bank Ease-of-Doing-Business report. Now we have gone back a little bit because other countries are improving. Nigeria needs to reduce the amount of paper clear-

ance at her border stations and seaport port.

“The Nigerian Customs Service (NCS) has already introduced the Single Window project, but it won’t work if others don’t key in.

“If the Nigerian government can muster the politi-

cal will and make the facility a national policy, the country definitely has the potential to be number one in the continent.”

It would be recalled that Nigeria slumped backwards in the latest World Bank Ease-Of-Doing-Business

chart, as the nation’s economy slumped to number 182 out of 189 economies in 2016; a figure that was 20 places worse off than what the nation polled in the last quarter of 2015 when she was ranked 169 out of the same number of economies.

From left: Mr Laolu Saraki, Project Director, Badagry Dockyard Limited; Dr Taiwo Afolabi, Chairman; Mr Harm Blaauw; Regional Director Africa, DAMEN Shipyard Limited; Mr Chinedu Okpareke, Director; Mr Femi Fadeni, Director (Back left) and Mr Ju Pil Seo, of Hyundai Heavy Industries, at the signing of the Memorandum of Agreement in Gorinchem, The Netherlands, between BSMEC Offshore Nigeria Limited and DAMEN Shipyard Limited, proposed operators of the planned ship repair facility.

NIMASA highlights need for Port State control in West Africa The Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) has highlighted the need for Port State control in government’s efforts to rid the West African region coastline of substandard vessels.

In his welcome address at the opening ceremony of a regional training course on Port State control organised

by NIMASA and the Abuja Memorandum of Understanding on Port State Control for West and Central African region, the Acting Director-General of NIMASA, Haruna Jauro, said that the workshop would enhance knowledge on ship inspection.

“The workshop on Port State control provides another opportunity for us to update our knowledge and enhance our drive toward building a robust and effective maritime safety regime in our respective countries and the West and Central African Region at large.

“The need for Port State Control (PSC) can no longer be overmphasised.

“That the shipping industry is adequately regulated but inadequately monitored is an accepted fact and this has been the main reason for the continued existence of sub-standard vessels in our waters.

“The dangers of these vessels have become so huge that lives and the marine ecosystem are massively threatened,” he said.

According to him, it is clear to all that huge investment in human and capital resources are required to perform PSC inspection effectively and creditably.

“The dearth of adequately qualified marine professionals is a worldwide phenomenon that militates against most countries of the sub -region,” he added.

Head, Africa Section, Technical Cooperation Division of the International Maritime Organisation

(IMO) and Project Manager, FlagPort, West and Central Africa, William Azuh, while explaining the essence of the workshop stated that, “The activity which we will be engaging in for the next eight working days is part of the 10th European Development Fund (EDF) specifically devoted to the development of maritime and indeed shipping activities in West and Central Africa.”

He said that the overall objective of the project was

to prepare the beneficiary countries for the IMO Mandatory Member States Audit Scheme which became mandatory from January this year.

The Secretary General of Abuja MoU on Port State Control, Mrs Mfon Usoro, said Port State Control Officers (PSCOs) had benefitted from several foreign, regional and national trainings on several aspects of Port State Control procedures.

NPA MD commends Kano indigenes’ participation in port concession The Managing Director of Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Mallam Habib Abdullahi, has commended some indigenes of his home state, Kano, for taking active part and playing strategic roles in the Federal Government’s port concession programme.

Speaking recently during a courtesy call on him by officials of the Kano State Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (KACCIMA) in his office in Lagos, Abdullahi particularly commended Kano indigenes such as the chairman of Greenview Development Nigerian Limited (GDNL), Alhaji Aliko Dangote and the chairman of BUA Industries Limited, Alhaji Samad Rabiu for their strong participation in the port concession programme.

GDNL is the operator of Terminal E at the Lagos Port Complex, Apapa, while BUA has a 20-year concession agreement to operate Terminal B of Rivers Port, Port Harcourt.

Abdullahi assured his guests that NPA would continue to participate strongly and effectively in the annual Kano International Trade Fair. He said an officer of NPA would be posted to an office recently provided by KACCIMA. Earlier in his address, the President of the Chamber, Mallam Umar Farouk Rabiu, requested that NPA build a permanent pavilion at the Kano Trade Fair ground, adding that as a mark for its respect for the continuous presence of NPA at all its past trade fair, the Chamber had provided a permanent office accommodation for the organisation.

Seme Customs Command collects record N1.072bn in Feb The Seme border command of the Nigeria Customs Service has broken established revenue collection records in the command.

The feat was recorded in February when it collected a whopping N1, 072,484,462.82, and recorded 55 seizures with a duty paid value of N15,614,397.

In a statement signed by the Spokesman of the command, Mr Selchang Taupyen, the Command described the collection as the highest since the creation of the command.

The statement added that six suspects were also arrested in connection with the various seizures. According to the statement, “It is important to note

that achieving this feat did not just come, considering the hiccups that militated against this unprecedented performance both nationally and internationally.

“The revenue collected for the month exceeded the N899,800,250.76 collected within the same period in 2015, representing N172,684,212.06 excess collection.”

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Thursday, 10 March, 2016

Still ‘no escape from rail’

By Kayode Oyesiku

T

he statement above said by Lord Lugard in 1916, which is about 99 years ago, is still as relevant today: that is, Nigeria may not be able to reach it potentials in terms of movement of passengers, services and goods from one part of the country to another without rail transport development. Lord Lugard also have envisaged that for greater economic prosperity of this country and for public transport to play a significant role in the nation’s regional development, we may not be able to escape from rail transport, as a given priority by the leadership of the country. Thus, except the country aligns itself with the paradigm shift in the nation’s strategic plan to become sustainable, the country cannot overlook the importance of the rail transport sector.

Furthermore, as demand for transport services keeps increasing, the immediate past approach to build new and expand existing road infrastructure only to open up new areas is not sustainable. For this reason, the conventional trend across the world is the shift in the transport sector to adopt multimodal and inter-modal transport development strategies to meet travel demand and achieve sustainable development.

In Nigeria, the personal vehicle ownership is increasing at alarming rate, along with expansion and modernisation of road based transport infrastructure. Accompany this is the high rate of road accident fatality, despite commendable efforts of FRSC that has ensured minimal fatality rate, but still high compared with many other developing countries in the new emerging nations group.

Additionally, the transport challenges faced by the nation in the recent times include but not limited to: incessant traffic congestion and its management (sometimes it takes the trip of Lagos – Ibadan scheduled for about one and half hours to sometimes about six and half hours); unreliable and unaffordable public transport system, particularly during festive periods and regularly during scarcity of fuel, and which often then leads to discouragement of the use of public transport and encouragement of the use of cars and privately owned vehicles, where average vehicle occupancy is about two passengers per vehicle; inaccessibility to passengers with special needs, elderly and disadvantaged; lack of institutional capacity to simultaneously develop multiple systems; inability to protect effectively the environment and reduced the enormous greenhouse gases that continuously contribute to climate change and global warming.

With respect to freight sector, with the freight transportation sharing significantly inadequate road infrastructure with the passengers, the rail will provide a succour to long distance freight mobility, particularly with most of the roads becoming inadequate for freight vehicles, lack of freight logistics such as distribution centres, warehouses and adequate parking areas particularly for trucks , trailers, and other articulated vehicles and more importantly against the background of old freight fleet and poor maintenance culture.

The existing transport infrastructure is greatly affecting economic competitiveness of many regions of the country due in part to inadequate network system capacity and connectivity. The country therefore should actually share in the vision of many progressive countries to provide an integrated, multi-modal public transport system that will support Nigeria urban and cities growth, reduce poverty and improve quality of life of its citizens.

Mr Rotimi Amaechi, Transport Minister In other words, a modern rail transport infrastructure and service will provides desire link to economic activities centres, makes public transport more affordable and accessible to the poor, aged and disadvantage, and also makes public transport more environmental friendly and sustainable. Mindful of the fact that Nigerian railway system is about 114 years old, just 15 years old when Lord Lugard said we can’t escape from rail. The total length as at 1964 of the narrow gauge rail line is 3503 kilometres. In 1986, the Federal Government under Babangida’s administration commenced the construction of 274 standard gauge line from Itakpe- AjaokutaWarri port and still remains uncompleted till today. The railway service in Nigeria at its operational peak sometimes in 1984 was transporting about 12 million passengers per annum and three million tons of freight, but declined to less than one million passengers and freight of about 0.1 million tonnes in 1987 and eventually became totally comatose in recent past.

Compared to other developing countries of

The existing transport infrastructure is greatly affecting economic competitiveness of many regions of the country due in part to inadequate network system capacity and connectivity.

similar years of independent and development status, Nigeria has not fared well. For instance South Africa has 31,000 kilometres, Mexico 17,000 kilometres and Brazil 29,000 kilometres of rail lines. An important indicator of how well railway transport serves its population is the total rail-line per population. For some counties, it has being 1,732, 9,824, and 7,705 for South Africa, South Korea, and Brazil respectively, while that of Nigeria is one kilometre of rail for 54,644 people.

For relatively developed countries, the ratio is about 2,000 people per one kilometre on the average. In terms of density of rail lines to the size of the country, while South Africa has 25, South Korea 52, Mexico nine, and Nigeria has three, again, the lowest among the developing countries.

Rail transport and its development does not only provide transport accessibility, reliability, passengers satisfaction, low level of accident rate and greater comfort for long distance travel between major cities, it also provides substantial revenue for the government and operators.

For instance in 2013 alone, the franchised train operators received about £8 billon (about N2560 billion) in revenue from passengers in Britain, which has doubled in real terms in 10 years, while British Government supported the rail industry with about £5 billion for the same period, mainly for rail infrastructure, and at the same time rail fares increased on the average by 22 per cent in real terms. Obviously and widely known is the fact that rail has one of the lowest passengers causality rate amongst the mode of transport in the world, while between 10 to 12 per cent of freight is moved by rail in most of these cited countries.

Against the importance of rail to national development, the recent pronouncement made by the Minister for Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, published in some newspaper in respect to redevelopment of the Nige-

Nigerian Tribune

rian Railway Network in the next few years with a view to encouraging public mass transit of both passengers and freights across is heart-warming and perhaps the best gift to transport and logistics professionals in Nigeria. The minister was also quoted as saying that Abuja-Kaduna Railway line will be completed in 2016, while the standard gauge on Calabar – Lagos and Lagos – Kano routes will start in earnest.

It is important to note that the Nigerian Railways during the last dispensation attempted to overhaul railway transportation by proposing a 25 years strategic rail vision subdivided into three faces of system transitions (intended to make the rail system function effectively and become attractive to potential concessionaires); system modernisation; and system stabilisation respectively. These have remained merely a paper approach to complete revitalisation of the Nigerian railway system.

What is desirable as part of change in the Nigeria transport sector is action, action, action rather than words and rhetoric. This should involve a prompt repeal of the Nigerian Railway Corporation Act 1954, which has been a stumbling block to private sector participation, operations and investments and re-enact new NRC law that will ensure private sector, state and even local government participations.

Concomitantly is to introduce operational changes and establishment of professional trainings and development of domestic capacity for long time production of materials and technology through professionalisation of the overall transport sector including the rail transport. This could only be achieved through prompt enactment of a bill by the National Assembly to domesticate professional transport and logistics for the country.

The bills to re-enact NRC and establish professionals of transportants and logisticians are already at the National Assembly and what is necessary at this period of change is prompt passage of these bills through the assistance of the Federal Ministry of Transport.

Across the world, the basic rail infrastructural development is usually central government issue, which is the Nigeria Federal Government, but most developing countries funding is usually sought from the advanced countries in form of assistance. The Nigeria Federal Government may borrow leaf from the Lagos State Government as part of the state’s strategic public transport master plan.

The overall benefits of the rapid development of the Nigerian rail system is to enjoy a high speed and high capacity mass transit transportation system to reduce travel time by over 50 per cent, to provide easy of access to the poor and the disadvantaged and to provides jobs and services for millions of Nigerian. In addition, rail transportation is safer and more secured transport mode that is accessible to all and ensures significantly less adverse impact on the environment, while reducing highway traffic congestion and significantly increases private investment that will modernised and reform current chaotic overland transport operations in the country. Again without rail development in this country we cannot witness extensive socioeconomic development and improved desired multi-modal transportation and therefore the optimism of the minister needs the support of all and the Federal Government political commitment.

Oyesiku, a Professor of Transport Systems Planning and Management, is the Pioneer Vice Chancellor, Tai Solarin University of Education, Ijagun, Ogun State.

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Thursday, 10 March, 2016

With Adewale Oshodi tribunearts@yahoo.com 08054005323

Is self-publishing coming of age in the digital world?

E

ROTIC novel, Fifty Shades of Grey, began life as a humble, self-published e-book, unable to satisfy the tastes of traditional publishers.

Within a few years, it had achieved domination on a global scale, spawning a series that has sold more than 125 million copies.

E. L. James’s personal story has become a tantalising fantasy for aspiring authors.

But one that technology and social media are making increasingly realisable.

“There was a time when self-publishing was equated with vanity,” explains John Bond, co-founder of Whitefox, one of several new companies helping ‘amateur’ authors publish professionally on platforms like Amazon Kindle, Google Play, Apple’s iBook Store or Kobo.

“Because of the digital revolution, democratisation has happened. It’s almost as if the writer has become his own entrepreneur around the publication process.”

Mission to Mars?

In their competition to get noticed, self-publishers are proving willing to take risks.

Andy Weir’s The Martian eventually went on to become a Hollywood blockbuster. But the story was originally published chapter by chapter on the author’s blog for free.

This turned out to be great exposure and it became a huge hit as an audiobook, e-book and physical book.

“There was an adversarial attitude between mainstream publishing houses and self publishers a few years ago,” says Mr Bond, “but I think that’s changed dramatically.”

He attributes this to traditional publishers’ new-found admiration for the self publishers’ social media skills, which have helped them find new readers without the benefit of expensive marketing campaigns.

Lawyer-turned-author, Mark Dawson, for example, uses his website and Facebook page to give out free copies of his thrillers and curates ‘Readers’ Groups’.

Online conversations help him establish a closer relationship with his readers encouraging them to come back for subsequent publications.

Another thriller writer, Joanna Penn, has bolstered her following by helping others to self-publish through her website, which explains how to go about self publishing. She also hosts a popular podcast interview series.

So-called “Instapoets” like New Zealander, Lang Leav, have built up huge followings on Instagram and Tumblr, publishing their work on these platforms, before securing traditional publishing deals.

“Not for everyone” Douglas Wight has just completed his first self-published book and has a more cautionary tale to tell.

The former News of the World tabloid journalist set up his own company to selfpublish a biography of pop diva, Rita Ora,

in the run up to Christmas.

He and his co-author opted to sell the e-book version on Amazon, but also took

the added risk of organising their own hardback print-run.

Self-publishing wasn’t as straight-forward as he had hoped.

“You have control of what you are doing, but it’s not for everyone,” warns Mr Wight. “It’s a lot of work and a huge learning curve.”

That work includes satisfying all the different formatting requirements of the various e-book outlets, organising cover illustrations and marketing, all while bearing the financial risk of the whole enterprise, explains Mr Wight.

That said, he feels his gamble paid off.

The hardback version has sold more than 3,000 copies and performed better than expected on Kindle.

—Courtesy: www.bbc.com

Ekiti Assembly Speaker committed to the promotion of Yoruba language SPEAKER of the Ekiti State House of Assembly, Honourable Kola Oluwawole, has said that the House is committed to the promotion of Yoruba language, the mother tongue in the South-Western part of the country.

Honourable Oluwawole said the House would not be party to the situation where leaders in the region would watch the language go into extinction.

Speaking in a statement by his Special

Assistant (Media), Stephen Gbadamosi, in Ado-Ekiti, recently, in commemoration of this year’s United Nation Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO)’s International Mother Language Day, Honourable Oluwawole said the Ekiti Assembly had made it a point of duty to dress in native attire and conduct plenary of the House every time it sat on Wednesday.

The cleric turned lawmaker said mem-

bers of the House always felt concerned about the deplorable nature the Yoruba language was among the present generation of the people.

“The state of understanding and use of our mother tongue in this generation is deplorable. Hardly can our children these days express themselves in our local languages. This is a challenge for the future of our culture,” the Speaker said.

...As NGO makes case for local languages

By Akin Adewakun THE imperative of saving indigenous languages from going into extinction was again brought to the fore recently in Lagos, as Nigerians joined the rest of the world to celebrate the International Mother Language Day. At a one-day seminar, organised by Working Moms Africa, in conjunction with Imperial Gate School, in the nation’s former capital city, the President of the organisation, Mrs. Mary Ikoku, stated that the event was designed to stress the need for Africans to be properly integrated in the culture by improving their ability to speak their mother tongue.

At the event, which also featured other speeches on the importance of the mother tongue, a health talk, as well as a playlette and cultural displays, Ikoku argued that it had become imperative for Africans to make concerted efforts towards developing their culture which the indigenous languages constitute part and parcel of .

“Language gives us worth. Is it not funny that the International Mother Language Day has always been marked

•From left, Mrs Mary Ikoku, founder, Working Moms Africa; Miss Feyikemi Olalekan Mutiu, Assistant Head Girl, Imperial Gate School, Lagos; Mrs Victoria Duru, Mrs Ifeoma Igbokwe (Health Ambassadors) and Mrs Anyaso Juliet Chinenye, School Administrator, Cifman College, during the seminar.

all over the world except in Nigeria? Nigeria is a highly diversified country. From childhood, we have always been told about unity in diversity and just now we are in a global kitchen where globalisation has brought everyone to that common place but globalisation doesn’t say we should do away with what makes us unique.

‘It’s all about keeping it real with who we are, believing in ourselves, and keep-

ing your language so that at the end of the day, when we meet in that tower, we will be able to identify,’ she stated.

Founder of Bethel Foundation, Dr Yolanda George-David, better known as Aunt Landa on Inspiration FM, described the seminar as an opportunity to promote the mother language, as well as reawaken in the people the need to retrace their steps, as far as cultural values are concerned.

32

arts&review

Thursday, 10 March, 2016

The power, politics and poverty of oil exploration A review of May Ifeoma Nwoye’s book, Oil Cemetery by WALE OKEDIRAN.

E

VEN though oil exploration by oil multinationals has been going on since the 1950s, environmental issues and by extension oil exploration in the Niger Delta region with its attendant ecological problems still remains one of the liveliest and topical issues of our day.

We are all familiar with the story of the Niger Delta region, that lush of mangrove swamps, rainforests and swampland which is the site of rich oil and natural gas reserves in Nigeria. Despite being the richest geopolitical region in terms of natural resource endowment, the Niger Delta’s potential for sustainable development however remains unfulfilled, and is now increasingly threatened by environmental devastation and worsening economic conditions. Incidental to and indeed compounding this ecological devastation is the political marginalisation and total oppression of the people and especially the denial of their rights, including land rights. In spite of the enormous wealth accrued from their land, the people continue to live in pristine conditions in the absence of electricity, pipe borne water, hospitals, housing and schools.

In his keynote address to the annual convention of the Society of Nigerian Theatre Artistes, SONTA, at the University of Benin, Benin on Thursday, May 15, 2008, the well known apostle on the emancipation of the Niger Delta, Prof G G Darah, had this to say; ‘The contradictions and fury generated by the injustice perpetuated by the Nigerian ruling class are what

animates the literary and artistic output of the progressive segments of the country’s literati. Creative writers, musicians and griots, media communicators, radical religious clerics, and patriotic politicians are articulating the same resistance but employing different idioms and semiotics’.

From the above, it is obvious that Nigerian writers and artistes using different idioms such as poetry, drama, fiction or songs, have greatly enriched the country’s literature with powerful stories on the vagaries of oil exploration and its attendant ecological problems. Such writers include but are not limited to John Pepper Clarke, Gabriel Okara, James Ene Henshaw, Tess Onwume, Kaine Agary, Nnimo Bassey, Ike Okonta, Ibiwari Ikiriko, Ogaga Ifowodo and Sam Ukala to name just a few.

A few years ago, another powerful work was added to this eminent class of oil crusaders. That work, Oil Cemetery is what we are bringing to the public domain today.

Let me begin my review by congratulating the author and the Nwoye family for the safe delivery of yet another baby.

In Literary circles, we liken a book to a baby. Some literary critics have even gone ahead to declare that it is easier to make babies than books. Apart from the fact that the skills for making books are far more superior to that for making babies, the normal gestation period for human babies is nine months. On the other hand, due to many creative, technical and sometimes economic reasons that may be beyond the control of the author, a book may take years before being brought to life. This is why we should be happy that Oil Cemetery was safely delivered and did not suffer any miscarriage or premature delivery. And judging from its beautiful appearance, it is obvious that the book must cried well at birth and so must be a healthy baby. To use a medical language, the baby must have had an APGAR score of 10 at birth!!

Oil Cemetery, the winner of the 2014 Association of Nigerian Authors Chevron Prize for Environmental Issues is a well produced 243-page book that is divided into 25 Chapters. Although a work of fiction, the book shows how the manipulative elite enjoys its obscene wealth at the expense of the larger majority who live in poverty and suffer from environmental degradation of their land. The book tells the story of Rita, a fragile young girl whose father was a victim of an oil company which set up business in a community which

Does the Bible really support taking wine?

A review of Olagoke Oluwole Olaniyan’s book, You Ought To Take a Little Wine.

ONE of the popular debates in Christendom is whether it is appropriate for believers to take wine; while some cite the example of Jesus turning water into wine at a wedding ceremony as reason wine is legal for Christians, others believe taking anything alcoholic is against the doctrines of the faith.

However, Evangelist Olagoke Oluwole Olaniyan has come up with a book that will spur further debate on the issue.

Titled, You Ought to take a little Wine, Evangelist Olaniyan, using science and biblical examples, explains that taking moderate wine is actually good for the body system, particularly the heart.

Evangelist Olaniyan, in the beginning, highlights the use of wine in the Old Testament, while giving credence to the fact that religious people of that era actually approved the taking of wine.

He highlights instances whereby some popular religious characters in the Old Testament had taken wine, like Noah, Lot and his daughters, and even the position of wine in the Law of Moses.

Subsequent chapters of the book also explains ‘Jesus and Wine’ and the ‘Apostles and Wine.’ Here, the author tells the story of Jesus when He went for a wedding in the Village of Cana in Galilee, but unfortunately, the wine supply ran out, and Jesus was left with no other choice than to turn water into wine. Before this

miracle, his mother had urged his servants to do as her son tells them. According to the author, Jesus would not have turned water into something which is bad for the people. He believes it is an approval for wine by Jesus Christ Himself. There is also a portion in the Old Testament where God lists new wine as part of the tithes to be offered to Him. On the science level, the author says moderate wine is good for the heart; he cites examples of heart specialists who had researched on the benefits of small quantities of alcohol to the reduction of blood pressure.

“However, in everything, excesses is what is bad; even when we take too much of good things, they turn out to negatively affect us,” the author posits.

Whether the author’s position will reduce, or even end the debate on the benefits of alcohol to Christians remain to be seen.

The book is, therefore, a must-read for Christians who want to know what the Bible says about taking wine, as well as the scientific benefits in taking wine.

The book is expected to generate further discussions on this sensitive issue, and it will make others who are against the author’s position to also state theirs, possibly by documenting it in a book for record purposes.

the author described as ‘untouched by any form of civilisation’.

As the author puts it: ‘’Oblivious of what lies beneath their land, the people of Ubolu are happy with their life, living it as they choose to, and resisting intrusions with all the force they can muster’’.

Unfortunately for the people of this unspoilt environment, the discovery of the proverbial golden goose under their soil brought along with it tears, sorrow and death which expectedly led to a sudden and violent revolution which briefly disorganized the entire community, but eventually, brought back the much needed sanity and progress to the people.

Oil Cemetery is a moving story of the poor, who have said NO to oppression as they seek a solution to end the suffering and deaths brought by oil excavation.

And although the theme of the book is a familiar one, the author succeeded in telling her story in a refreshing way using her huge unique literary talent to transform the chaos of trauma, suffering and into a glowing work of art.

One recurring trick of multi-national oil companies which has been aptly captured in our literature which is the habit of financially inducing community leaders against the community also came to the fore in the book.

According to the author; ‘’As Jefferson updated them on the laying of pipes at Ubolu and Isioye, the men listened attentively without interruption. The area is very quiet, the local people are complacent, and there is nothing to worry about, Jefferson concluded. I am not sure about that, a voice warned. I am apprehensive about some of these tribal villagers. Some of them understand the situation to our detriment. It was the voice of Smith, an Englishman with Hispanic features and wavy greying hair.

A young man known as Bill expressed surprise at Mr. Smith comment. I can’t really see what you are getting at. These Negro people are quite ignorant. We have been in the Niger Delta for some years now; all you need do is to get a smart guy, one of their types and give him money to share with their local chiefs. Then you’re on.”

With the above, May Nwoye sets the tone for a literary adventure where money, sex, kidnapping, fetish, blackmail and even murder played significant roles. Part entertaining and part educative, Oil Cemetery is another addition to the growing literature on the political and environmental tragedy of oil exploration in Nigeria as well as conflict resolution.

Oil Cemetery, despite its scary title is an unforgettable story of human suffering, misery and survival at all costs. With every page alive and full of surprising turn of events, May Nwoye has succeeded in using her immense literary skills as well as some of her native Igbo mythology, proverbs and humour to conjure up an interesting account of the seemingly intractable oil exploration problem.

By so doing, she has produced a work that advocates for dialogue between oil companies and their host communities in finding solutions to the challenges of oil exploration.

•Dr Okediran is a former president of the Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA).

33

Thursday, 10 March, 2016 Editor:

health you&EYE

Sade Oguntola sadeboguntola@yahoo.com 0805 506 9260

sex,sexuality&You

naturalhealth

Is your teething baby keeping you up at night?

By Sade Oguntola

M

rs Alima Hammed walked into the health centre dejected because her baby had been sick. She was assured by her mother-in-law that her fivemonth-old baby Aliya was merely teething.

“Since two days ago, I noticed that she has developed boils all over her body. The boils make her really uncomfortable and unable to sleep well; it has been a concern to me,” Mrs Hammed told the nurse at the town’s health centre.

Within earshot was Mrs Sida Balogun whose baby is running stool. She observes that this always starts whenever Hammed was to get another tooth.

For decades, mothers have always associated teething with colds, diarrhoea, boils or fever. But researchers say this isn’t true and that teething most often just causes babies to be a little crankier, drool more and rub their irritated gums. Also, these symptoms should not last for more than three to five days.

In an analysis, published online February 18 in the journal Paediatrics, researchers said that though teething can make babies miserable, it rarely causes fevers above 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit, or any other signs of illness Although it is very common for parents to be confused about whether certain symptoms are related to a baby’s teething or an illness, teeth-

ing can only cause signs and symptoms in the mouth and gums — but not elsewhere in the body.

Teething is the process by which an infant’s first teeth, often called the baby or milk teeth, appear by emerging through the gum. “It is a normal process of new teeth pushing through the gums and this process takes time,” said Dr Jerome Elusiyan, a consultant paediatrician at the Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching hospital, Ile-Ife, Osun State.

When a baby is teething, Dr Elusiyan said the parent may notice increased saliva, drooling, and a desire to chew, mild gum pain, slightly swollen gums over the cutting tooth, changes in appetite and low grade fever that is less than 101 degrees Fahrenheit.

According to him, “Most babies get their first tooth between six and nine months.

A baby who is teething may start drooling more, resulting in a rash or irritable skin on the chin; t h e y may bec o m e i r r i table, clingy a n d want to bite or

Kidney disease is common but better prevented

— Salako, NAN President Page 36

chew on things more than the usual.

“The baby may act like their mouth hurts or wake up more often in the night. The gums will look swollen and bumpy and may be lighter or darker in colour.”

How long should the baby’s teething last?

There is no set date when the baby’s first tooth will arrive or how long it will take the tooth to make its journey through the gum. In some cases, a tooth emerges only after a couple of days of distress. In other cases, babies show symptoms of teething for months with nothing to show for it at all. But for most babies, the first few teeth are the worst. The next few teeth may come through more easily.

Teething is not an illness It’s very common for parents to be confused about whether certain symptoms are related to a baby’s teething or an illness. Nonetheless, Dr Elusiyan said the teething process does not have any adverse symptoms other than that the teeth are growing.

“Teething does not cause colds, diarrhoea, vomiting,

INSIDE news Artemisinin, malaria medicine, can cause infertility —Expert HEALTH QUOTE

Page 35

sores or blisters around the mouth, appetite loss, fever over 101 degrees Fahrenheit or significant discomfort. If a baby gets sick around the same time teeth are coming in, mothers should not blame the illness on teething. Such babies require being taken to the hospitals for prompt treatment.

“Fevers are not a bad thing.

They’re part of the body’s response to infection. But, parents should be aware that a fever is likely related to an illness.

“At the age when teeth are erupting, babies would have started to crawl. Their independency allows them to put things into their mouth which results to diarrhoea. It also tallies with the time they had lost their maternal immunity and as such experience more fever and malaria.”

Soothing painful gums To help baby feel better while teething, a mother can use a clean finger (or cold teething ring) to gently rub the baby’s gum for about two minutes at a time. Many babies find this soothing.

Safe objects can also be provided for the baby to chew on, such as teething rings. Injury is possible when the baby is given a really hard object to chew on. If needed, an over the counter pain reliever that is labelled for their specific age can be given.

But aspirin or honey should not be given. Doctors do not recommend this for children less than a year old as honey may cause infant botulism.

Teething is not a new thing, but mothers can make the best choice that suits their baby and make the most of it.

Sex, sexuality & your health

You can enjoy sex while breastfeeding Page 37

Poor health is not caused by something you don’t have; it’s caused by disturbing something that you already have.

Healthy is not something that you need to get, it’s something you have already if you don’t disturb it —Dean Ornish

34

Thursday, 10 March, 2016

Dr. Ben Ajayi 0805 400 5447

you-and-eye@gmail.com

My doctor said I should thank the policeman who slapped me!

Dear Yomi, I am a lawyer. I am writing you this letter because I know you are a friend of Dr. Ben’s and you are in a position to talk some sense into his head. Please don’t be mad at me if I say I don’t understand him anymore. I went to him for a medical report to enable me file a charge of assault occasioning harm against a policeman who slapped me simply because I didn’t stop immediately he waved me to stop at an ad hoc checkpoint mounted at a bend.

I saw flashes of light in my left eye and soon after, discovered that I couldn’t see anything with it. There were several eyewitnesses and some caught the whole scenario on video.

Dr. Ben peeped into my eyes with an instrument and said, “If I were you, I would go back and thank the policeman for slapping me.” “Why?” I asked. “You have Glaucoma and you are totally blind in the left eye. The right eye is affected but not too bad.”

I was speechless for a few seconds and when I regained my composure, I protested vehemently that I was seeing very well with both eyes before the incident so the policeman’s action was responsible. I wanted to show him the video of the incident after he had performed some more tests. He stood his ground and maintained I had Glaucoma. I felt insulted and walked away.

Dear Barrister, It is true, Dr. Ben is my friend but I am not a medical doctor and therefore, incapable of commenting on his diagnosis.

However, you will find the answer to your dilemma in this little brief on Glaucoma he sent to me as part of his contribution to the World Glaucoma week, which incidentally, is March 6 to March 12, 2016.

“Glaucoma is the commonest cause of irreversible blindness in Nigeria. It is a chronic, creeping, painless and powerfully blinding condition. You don’t know you have it until very late in the disease process. Awareness of the disease is very poor.

“At their first visit to the hospital, about three out of 10 people are already blind in both eyes from glaucoma and another five have severe visual impairment! At the community level, 80 out of 100 people have never heard about this blinding disease. Another 15 out of 100 have heard something but are not sure what it is all about. Only five people out of 100 have heard and know something accurate about it.

“The ONLY WAY TO BEAT THE SEEMINGLY INVINCIBLE GLAUCOMA AND PREVENT YOURSELF FROM GOING BLIND IS TO HAVE A COMPREHENSIVE EYE EXAMINATION, ONCE EVERY YEAR. If you are found to have glaucoma, to accept it, commence treatment and keep follow-up appointments with your doctor so that

Blastocyst transfer One of the major advancement in infertility treatment involves growing human embryos in the laboratory to a later “blastocyst” stage before transferring them into the womb following in vitro fertilisation. During an in vitro fertilisation (IVF) treatment cycle, eggs are removed from the ovaries and mixed with sperm in a dish in the laboratory so that fertilization can take place. The embryos are then left to develop in the dish.

Depending on how many embryos are produced and their quality, embryos can be left in the laboratory for five to six days. An embryo that has developed for five to six days after fertilisation is known as a blastocyst.

A blastocyst is a highly differentiated, highly developed embryo that has grown to the point where it is ready to attach to the wall of the womb. The blastocyst invades (implantation) the uterine lining about the fifth or sixth day after ovulation so that it can develop a blood supply (placenta) that will allow it to continue to grow into a foetus and then a baby.

With a blastocyst transfer, the embryo has advanced to the day five stage.

This means that the embryo has divided many times into many more cells over this period. Blastocysts have a very thin

outer shell thus potentially increasing the chances of implantation into the uterine cavity. Data suggests that blastocyst transfer can increase the chances of a live birth but it needs to be remembered that each couple must be considered independently.

The procedure for blastocyst transfer is similar to that for normal embryo transfer, but instead of being transferred into the womb after three days, the embryos are allowed to develop for five days before transfer.

Some advantages of blastocyst transfer are that transfer occurs closer to the natural time that an embryo enters the uterus when the uterine lining may provide a better environment for the embryo. Again, allowing embryos to develop in the laboratory for a longer period of time seems to be a better method for selecting the most normal embryos that would be more likely to implant.

Theoretically, an embryo that dies in the laboratory before it develops into a blastocyst would also not have continued to develop in the womb. Embryos transferred at the blastocyst stage have made it through key growth processes and typically offer a greater chance of implanting compared to those trans-

treatment can be modified if and when necessary.

“Glaucoma destroys the nerve responsible for transmitting light impulses from the eye to the brain. Once the “cable”, known as the optic nerve, is destroyed, there is an irreversible loss of vision.

“The cause of Glaucoma is unknown and there is no known cure. But two major factors are identified - a high pressure in the eye or inadequate blood flow to the eye.

So whatever affects the stability of the eye pressure or blood flow to the eye, increases one’s risk of developing Glaucoma.

Thus, if you are above 40 years of age, hypertensive, diabetic or you have been

But for that slap, you would not have paid a visit to the hospital; you would not have had the opportunity of an appropriate eye examination

using steroids for a prolonged period of time, you are more prone to developing Glaucoma and suffering irreversible blindness.

“Unfortunately, there are no warning signs such as eye pain, headache, redness or even reduction of vision in the early stages. By the time a person is aware of any visual loss, the damage has been done and the disease is already at an advanced stage. Once again, it is this silent nature of the disease which makes it difficult to recognise by the sufferer until blindness is knocking at the door.

ONLY EARLY DIAGNOSIS AND CONSCIENTIOUS TREATMENT CAN PREVENT BLINDNESS IN GLAUCOMA. “ Barrister, I do hope you now understand why Dr. Ben asked you to thank the policeman who slapped you. But for that slap, you would not have paid a visit to the hospital; you would not have had the opportunity of an appropriate eye examination; a diagnosis of Glaucoma would not have been made and you would have been close to blindness in your right eye by the time you had sufficient reason to see him.

After reading this, I can see that the policeman was the angel sent from heaven to call your attention to Glaucoma and save your other eye. What else do you say to someone like that? There is just one and only one appropriate sentence of two words, “Thank You.”

Dr Abayomi Ajayi

ivf &you

info@nordicalagos.org

0700 6673422

ferred at the earlier stage.

The primary risk of attempting blastocyst transfer is that some embryos will die in the laboratory. Therefore, the total number of embryos available for transfer will be less and will probably have none to freeze.

Blastocyst transfer probably offers more value to couples with a larger number of good quality embryos. If the

starting number of embryos is low, then the chance of having no embryos for transfer is much higher.

As with transfers done at earlier stages, blastocyst transfer does not guarantee chromosomally normal embryos.

Some pregnancies will miscarry and some babies might develop birth defects similar to that which occurs in naturally conceived pregnancy.

35 healthnews

Thursday, 10 March, 2016

Artemisinin, malaria medicine, can cause infertility—Expert

By Sade Oguntola

A

professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Toxicology, Ebenezer Farombi has cautioned against an overdose of artemisininbased medicines for malaria treatment, saying that it could lower fertility level.

Farombi gave the charge in an inaugural lecture he delivered at the University of Ibadan, entitled “Chemopreventives: Untapped Genii that Compromise the Science of the Killers.”

The expert, who declared that artemisinin-based medicines, especially at overdose, decreased sperm quantity and quality, said the use of artemisinin at overdose called for caution as well as stricter regulations.

Farombi, saying that other malaria medicines such as chloroquine, amodiaquine, halofantrine and mefloquine, also have varying toxicity to body cells, said healthcare providers in fertility clinics should also advise their patients to adhere to artemisinin prescription to reduce the risk of infertility, especially in malariaendemic countries.

He declared that laboratory studies in female rats found that artemisinin in the absence of malaria parasite infection “induced hormonal imbalance (decreased follicle-stimulating hormone and increased progesterone levels) and oxidative damage in red blood cells and the

womb, but spared the ovary of rats.”

Farombi added that “these drugs are known to “kill” malaria parasites but host cells are not exempted in their activities.”

The toxicologist while describing diesel exhaust particles as one of the “killer”

environmental pollutants and contaminants that are potentially dangerous to the lungs, also cautioned on human exposure to exhaust from worn out engines because of its carcinogenic compounds.

Given that humans are daily exposed to a myriad of

human breast cancer just as its leaves are traditionally used to treat ailments ranging from loss of appetite, dysentery to diabetes.

Also, he added that consumption of soy-based diet was helpful in the management of kidney injury while bitter kola is helpful in delaying the onset of symptoms of influenza virus; reduces stress and lowers bad cholesterol level in the body.

While urging Nigerians to let food be their medicine, he asked that there be increased translational research, saying this is the future of molecular medicine.

He also urged the university to establish a viable and well equipped toxicity screening centre to serve the nation, noting that toxicology plays important role in detecting poisons, fake drugs, hazardous chemical compounds and dangerous herbal products.

Regular blood pressure measurement saves lives —Expert From left, Director, Health Planning Statistics, Federal Ministry of Health, Dr Ngozi Azodoh; Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Health, Dr Amina Shamaki and the Commissioner for Health, Sokoto State Dr.Shehu Kakale Shuni, during National Council on Health (NCH) meeting held in Sokoto State.

Nigeria should start to address needs of the aged —Alonge, UCH CMD Chief Medical Director, University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan, Professor Temitope Alonge has said that 10 per cent of Nigerians are older persons, saying Nigeria needs to increase expertise of healthcare workers in meeting their healthcare needs.

Speaking at the opening of a two-week basic certificate course in geriatric medicine the hospital organised in conjunction with African Society for Ageing Research and Development (ASARD), Alonge said elderly persons are not older adults, but persons that have unique disease patterns and as such the uniqueness of their treatment needs to be understood by all.

Alonge, describing the training on emerging care in geriatric medicine as part of efforts to support geriatric care in Nigeria, said the current treatment given to elderly persons in many hospitals was poor, thus the need for the establishment of dedicated geriatric centres to grow the care for the elderly.

“The geriatric age group is growing steadily all over the world, and Nigeria is not excluded. So over time, we will have loads of old people with us. And the question that always both-

toxic and dangerous chemical compounds, he said individuals could protect themselves from chemicalmediated diseases as well as increase their lifespan by increased consumption of foods that have cancer preventive properties such as fruits and vegetables.

Such foods with cancer preventive properties, he said, included turmeric, chilli pepper, ginger, green tea, soybeans, tomatoes, garlic, cabbage and grapefruit.

“Convincing and compelling evidences arising from both pre-clinical and clinical investigations indicate that plant-based diet rich in a wide variety of fruits and vegetables are effective in preventing or reversing health-threatening diseases, including cancer,” he declared.

Farombi said bitter leaf, for example, has potential application in management and possible treatment of

ers me is what exactly are we doing for them,” he declared.

Alonge, claiming that many elderly persons had died due to mismanagement of their medical conditions, said no elderly person need to die untimely even from chronic diseases like diabetes and heart problems or become incapacitated, when they have access to geriatric care.

“I will want to have many more mothers and fathers live to old age and enjoy the fruit of their labour.

This is the driving force behind the Chief Tony

Anenih Geriatric Centre (CTAGC) at UCH, Ibadan.

“I know that there have been a lot of innuendos that have been purported about CTAGC. It was purported in some quarters as a PDP affair, but CTAGC has nothing to do with PDP but with Chief Anenih, a man with a large heart who till date has spent almost N100million to equip the place,” he said.

The CMD, describing the CTAGC as part of the hospital’s package to ensure service delivery, also announced that 100 indigent elderly persons were also going to benefit from free

health insurance scheme taking off soon at the hospital.

President, Geriatric Association of Nigeria, Professor Hammed Usman, speaking at the event said the future of elderly care had been brightened with the establishment of CTAGC. To further support the care of the elderly, the hospital’s chairman Medical Advisory Committee, Dr Femi Afolabi stressed the importance of health workers having update training in the care of the elderly, hinting also that the hospital would also build capacity in emergency medicine.

Following increasing cases of stroke, Nigerians have been urged to regularly monitor their blood pressure to ensure early detection of hypertension, a common cause of stroke.

Dr Ayobami Oguntoye gave the charge at a SIREN community outreach in Ibadan that provided free blood pressure and sugar measurements for over 50 members of the Yemetu community in Ibadan.

Oguntoye, who described stroke as a sudden neurological event that could occur even in a supposedly healthy person, said high blood pressure does not give any sign and symptoms but most times is discovered after it had caused damages in the body.

He declared, “blood pressure is an open door to many diseases, so people must be mindful of it.

Its damaging effect is not limited to the brain; it can affect the eyes causing blurring and eventual blindness, lead to heart and kidney failure.”

Although much is unknown about the cause of stroke, he said people should avoid smoking, consume plenty of fruits and vegetables, avoid diet high in fat as well as excessive alcohol intake as part of measures to ward off stroke.

The medical expert also urged people that wake up many times at night to get screened for diabetes, saying they should not hesitate to seek medical assistance when they feel or notice anything strange in their body.

According to him, “if you take care of your car regularly, it would not break down. It would last longer. The same is the human body.”

‘Use available reproductive technologies in responsible manners’

By Sade Oguntola Given increasing number of women seeking treatment for infertility in Nigeria, a fertility expert, Dr Gbolahan Obajimi has called for responsible use of available reproductive technologies, saying the rights of their patients must be respected at all times.

Obajimi, a consultant obstetrician and gynaecologist gave the charge at the quarterly meeting of the Society of Society of Gynaecology and Obstetrics of Nigeria (SOGON), Western sector

in Ibadan.

The medical expert, remarking that advances in the field of reproductive medicine have created possibilities for infertile couples that previously did not exist, declared “this process has been beneficial to many but has led to the emergence of challenging ethical dilemmas.”

With infertility accounting for between 60 and 70 per cent of gynaecological consultations in many tertiary institutions, he said “in today’s practice of reproductive medicine, ethics is play-

ing an ever increasing role.

“In many cases, treatment with available technology does everything but meet these criteria. Nevertheless, the right to procreation is a liberty that must be held sacred by all and sundry. As care providers we must respect this right.”

While nobody disputes that different methods may be employed to achieve this goal, he said that ethical issues reproductive technologies have centred around gamete donation, preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD), sex selection for so-

cial reasons, cryopreservation of reproductive tissues and use of post humuous gametes.

He however described also as unethical the fact that access to fertility treatment is largely subject to funding policies of government and exploitation, and is ultimately denying the poorer couples the right to reproductive health.

Dr. Marcellina Coker, speaking on “clinical governance in daily practice” at the meeting stressed that clinicians must comply with ethical standard in a bid to

improve quality of care and ensure accountability to their patients.

While declaring that the foundation that makes clinical governance effective is setting a realistic and evidence base standard, she said “it is all about doing the right things for the right person and at the right time and place.”

Earlier, SOGON Western sector Chairman, Prof.

Okanlawon Odusoga said the objective of the symposium was to sensitise members and educate them on different issues in their area of medical speciality.

36

Thursday, 10 March, 2016

healthpeople Kidney disease is common but better prevented— Salako, NAN President

Today, as Nigeria marks 2016 World Kidney Day, Professor Babatunde Salako, President, Nigerian Association of Nephrology (NAN) and the Provost, College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, in this interview with Sade Oguntola, talks about the problem of kidney disease and why its prevention is better than cure.

W

hat exactly are kidney diseases and their enormity in Nigeria?

Kidney disease can simply be described as any fault or problem with the kidney. They are generally many, but are mostly divided into two. The first is called acute kidney diseases; these are kidney diseases or injuries that do not last more than three months but which can lead to kidney failure within a short period of time. The kidney failure in this case is often reversible.

The second is chronic kidney disease and this is the type of kidney disease that gives nephrologists the most challenging time in nephrology practice because it is very difficult to treat. Often the patient requires replacing the kidney. The cost of treatment is enormous. Even in developed countries, they also complain about the amount of money that is being spent on patients who have chronic kidney diseases.

In Nigeria, on the average about eight to 10 per cent of our hospital admission is due to chronic kidney disease. Most studies done in Nigeria have put the prevalence of chronic kidney disease between 15 and 30 per cent. It has become a global epidemic.

Of course, there are other forms of kidney diseases such as kidney stone, which may cause obstruction to the flow of urine, blood in the urine and also cause urinary retention. Most of the times, the stone has to be removed either medically or through surgery.

Some kidney diseases are also caused by cancers and infections, including malaria, urinary tract infections and hepatitis B, and putting individuals at risk of later developing an acute or chronic kidney failure. An infection of the substance of the kidney called glomerulonephritis, for example, is a common cause of acute kidney injury or disease in Nigeria.

Nonetheless, in many cases, causes of chronic kidney disease or kidney failure are due to high blood pressure, diabetes and glomerulonephritis. But all over the world, diabetes is the commonest cause of kidney failure, not hypertension.

Other things like sickle cell disease and congenital problems like poly cystic kidney also account for some cases of kidney injury. Usually, the cysts grow with age, replacing the kidney tissue and thus reducing significantly the kidney function. Such patients initially present with hypertension, blood in urine, abdominal pain/swelling and later on with kidney failure, especially in the third decade of life.

Is it therefore, a major cause of ill health and death even in Nigeria?

The burden of kidney disease is enormous; it is a major cause of ill health in Nigeria. At UCH, Ibadan, for example, we see about five cases of chronic kidney disease every week. Unfortunately, if we start to

treat them today, by three months, between 90 and 95 per cent of them would be dead because they cannot pay for kidney replacement therapy which includes dialysis and transplantation.

But the mortality arising from acute kidney injury is not as much as that from chronic kidney disease because cases of acute kidney injury or failure can be reversed when detected early. By the time, you give them three to six sessions of dialysis, the kidney often recovers and the patient will get better.

But some of them may go on to develop chronic kidney disease depending on how bad the kidney injury was when it was detected.

Basically the commonest causes of acute kidney injury are related to surgery, obstetric haemorrhage, diarrhoea and vomiting as well as the use of illicit drug, either native or conventional, all can affect the kidneys.

Are there lifestyles that put Nigerians at risk of kidney injuries?

The burden of kidney disease is enormous; it is a major cause of ill health in Nigeria.

Excessive intake of salt has been linked to development of hypertension, and thus a reduction in its intake would assist in the control of high blood pressure. Reduction of salt intake is part of lifestyle management required in the treatment and control of hypertension, also a cause of kidney failure.

Other lifestyle issues include improper use of drugs; some people take drugs without prescription. For instance, some people take a mixture of drugs called akapo which is injurious to internal body organs like the kidney and the liver.

Substances such as mercury and hydroquinone present in bleaching agents, soaps or creams have been shown to get absorbed into the body and raise a reaction that leads to kidney damage over time.

Of course, excessive intake of alcohol and use of herbal medicines can also contribute to kidney and liver damage. People who take diets poor in potassium or that do not ensure good control of their blood pressure also run the risk of developing kidney failure. Potassium supports regulation of blood pressure when the kidney has not failed otherwise potassium is dangerous in kidney failure.

World Kidney Day this year is with the theme “ kidney Disease and Children: Act Early to Prevent Them.”

What is the role of physical activity in kidney health?

Generally, people who do not exercise will gather weight. Obesity is a risk factor for many things, including kidney disease, heart failure, stroke, sleep apnea, arthritis,

diabetes and glucose intolerance. Exercise is medicinal and rewarding and it is part of prescription for the management of hypertension and diabetes.

What are the basic symptoms of kidney disease that Nigerians should not ignore?

It depends on the type of kidney disease you are talking about. For acute kidney injury, it is easy to discover by someone who is initiated because it occurs abruptly, causing a reduction in urinary output or even sometimes lack of urine production.

Normally an adult should produce a minimum of 400 to 500 mls of urine in a day.

But if the urine output is less than 400 mls, say 200 mls, something may be wrong. Of course, such a reduction in urine output is usually alongside other symptoms relating to the cause of that kidney failure.

For example, if the kidney failure was due to diarrhoea and vomiting from either cholera or gastroenteritis, and you notice that such a person is not passing urine, then you would suspect that the person’s kidney could be shutting down.

Or someone that has just been delivered a baby and lost a lot of blood and then in the next few hours, urine is not coming, then you suspect possibly the kidney may be failing.

Of course, once urine does not flow, waste products cannot be excreted and so they remain in the body and sometimes go into the brain. The patient could also start to vomit, becomes confused and sometimes may go into coma.

As a result of the retained fluid, sometimes, the eyelid or even the ankles could get swollen, also suggesting kidney disease.

Now some acute kidney diseases are related to infections like viruses, bacteria, or even malaria. This may cause a change in colour of urine rather than starting with reduction in urinary output. The urine may look like coca cola or blood because the patient is losing some of the red blood cells.

Chronic kidney disease is insidious; you will need a high index of suspicion to know that the kidney has failed. Such patient complains of tiredness, swollen body, breathlessness on mild exertion, vomiting and so on.

Studies have linked oral sex, dehydration, sleep apnea, constipation even severe gum diseases to kidney disease, how true is this?

One can pick up viral or bacterial infections from oral sex. Viruses and bacteria have been known to cause glomerulonephritis, which could also cause kidney failure in the long run.

There are a lot of organisms within the mouth that are innocuous but could lead to infection in individuals with severe gum disease and this could raise a reaction within the kidney. It is for this reason that children having sore throat need to be treated as soon as possible because this can lead to what is called acute nephritis, a condition where the child starts to pass out dark colored urine and then develop eyelid swelling. Of course, if you are not careful, there could develop kidney failure.

Most people who develop sleep apnea have problem with obesity. Obesity is related with hypertension, stroke, heart disease and possibility of developing kidney disease later in life.

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Thursday, 10 March, 2016

natural

By Vera Onana

F

or several women, the regular monthly discharge of blood and mucosal tissue from the inner lining of the womb through the vagina is accompanied by excruciating pains generally known as menstrual cramps.

Menstrual cramps, also called dysmenorrhea, are cramping aches and pains that typically affect the lower abdomen but may also radiate to the lower back and thighs. Thought to be caused by excess levels of prostaglandins (hormone-like substances linked to pain and inflammation), menstrual cramps often occur just before and during the first few days of a woman’s menstrual period. Some women also experience loose stools, headaches, nausea or dizziness.

There are two types of dysmenorrhea: primary dysmenorrhea and secondary dysmenorrhea.

Primary dysmenorrhea is another name for common menstrual cramps. Cramps usually begin one to two years after a woman starts getting her period. Pain usually is felt in the lower abdomen or back. They can be mild to severe. Common menstrual cramps often start shortly before or at the onset of the period and continue one to three days. They usually become less painful as a woman ages and may stop entirely after the woman has her first baby.

Secondary dysmenorrhea is pain caused by a disorder in the woman’s reproductive organs. These cramps usually begin earlier in the menstrual cycle and last longer than common menstrual cramps. Though, for many women, menstrual cramps occur without an underlying health condition (such as endometriosis), these painful sensations that occur in the lower abdomen of a woman ranges from dull for some women, to annoying, in others and to severe and extreme in several others.

health

Tackling menstrual cramps the natural way Fennel seeds

Cinnamon Include cinnamon in your daily diet. Sprinkle cinnamon powder over your non-vegetarian dishes and cakes and desserts. You can also add cinnamon to your cup of tea or prepare cinnamon tea and have three cups of it on the first day of your menstruation. It has antiinflammatory properties and helps reduce the swelling of the cervix caused due to presence of prostaglandin. The aroma of cinnamon also acts on the frayed nerves and thus reduces stress and anxiety.

Ginger

Banana flower

Studies have proven however, that certain plants and herbs are capable of providing immediate and long lasting relief from menstrual cramps. Here are some herbal medicines that are sometimes recommended by alternative medicine practitioners: Ginger This warming herb may help ease cramps and soothe menstrual troubles by lowering levels of pain-causing prostaglandins as well as fight the fatigue commonly associated with

You can enjoy sex while breastfeeding To prevent any complications with your after birth recovery, do not begin having sex before you see your doctor, even if you have stopped bleeding and you are no longer sore.

Having sexual intercourse or inserting any object into the vagina before you are healed could result in an infection or other complications.

You will probably see your doctor for a postpartum examination at approximately four to six weeks after the delivery of your baby.

Once the doctor gives you the go ahead, you can resume sexual relations with your husband.

Breastfeeding should not affect your sex life at all. But with the addition of a new family member to take care of, along with other changes to your body, it is more likely that you and your husband will have to make a few adjustments. While some nursing mothers are anxious to get back to the physical relationship that they shared with their husbands before their baby was born, others find that they have less sexual desire; or no interest in sex at all.

These responses are normal, so don’t worry if you find out that you have less sex drive after child birth. It is a temporary situation, and in time you will find that your desire and interest will return. Note that your sexual desire is not the only thing that can get in the way, there are other things associated with breastfeeding that could affect your sex life as well. These include:Your relationship with your husband: Your husband may be concerned about your relationship, and he may not understand the time you need to physically heal

Fennel This herb with a licorice-like taste and celery-like crunchy texture contains anethole (a compound with anti-spasm effects) that may help to ease menstrual cramps in some women. Chew on fennel seeds two days before you begin your menstruation. You could also make a concoction of fennel seeds and drink 200ml of it thrice a day. Prepare fennel infusion by boiling fennel in water.

Fennel seeds are anti-spasmodic in nature and allow better contraction of the muscles in the uterus. This makes it easier for the blood to flow and also eases pain.

premenstrual syndrome. Many women have found relief by grounding up a teaspoon of ginger, swallowing it, and drinking a glass of water right afterwards. Others recommend grounding up a teaspoon of ginger and bowling it in a cup of water and waiting until cooled for consumption. This is ideal for painful menstrual cycles. Taking ginger root powder days before the onset of a woman’s menstrual period and continuing through the first three days of the menstrual period helps to reduce, if not completely obliterate menstrual cramps.

sex, sexuality

&your health With Monica Taiwo

strictly adult teenagers, adult & geriatric sexual well being taiwomonica@gmail.com 08187754992 (sms only)

and mentally prepare to have sex again. If he doesn’t know what you’re thinking, he may feel hurt, left out, neglected and worried about your lack of interest.

Hurt feelings can sometimes turn into resentment and anger, which can make the relationship suffer. Make sure you let him know that you love him, you are still attracted to him, and that you want things to get back to the way they were before the baby arrived. If you let him know that you need a little more time to adjust to the family addition, he is more likely to be understanding and patient.

You could ask him to come with you to

see your doctor while you are pregnant to discuss sex after childbirth. The doctor can explain the reasons you need to wait a while after the birth of your baby, and the changes that you may experience. Keep the lines of communication open to prevent misunderstandings and hurt feelings. Tell him what is on your mind, and let him share his thoughts with you.

While you are healing, continue to share love and affection in other ways, such as spending time together, kissing, hugging, holding hands and talking.

Even if you are not sure that you are ready for sex, but the doctor has given you the go-

Basil and parsley Teas prepared using basil and parsley also help relieve the symptoms of menstruation.

They help deal with pain and inflammation by soothing the muscles in the body. Add basil and parsley leaves to your food; you could also chew on the leaves of basil and parsley for immediate relief from menstrual cramping.

Banana Flower Another natural remedy ideal for menstrual cramps involves cooking banana flower and eating the cooked banana flower with the curd. This home remedy for menstrual cramps is not only ideal for pain and discomfort, but it can also assist women with very heavy menstrual flows. ahead, you may want to try it. Talk to your husband, and take it easy. Resuming your sex life is a good way to reassure him that you still love him and want to be with him.

He may also have to learn more about sex and breastfeeding for husbands of nursing mothers, I am sure your doctor can help with this.

Exhaustion: Being a mother takes a lot of time and energy, especially when your baby is very young. If you are not getting restful sleep because you are waking to breastfeed during the night and then taking care of the baby all day, you may be so tired that sex is the last thing you want to think about.

When this happens, then, try to get some rest during the day. If you take a nap with the baby in the afternoon, you might not be as tired later in the evening. When your friends and family members offer their help, accept it.

When they visit let them spend time with the baby while you get a little rest.

Your husband can lend a hand with the baby, older children or the housework.

The more he helps you out, the more time and energy you will have for him.

Eat well and exercise. Fueling your body with a healthy diet, and getting some mild to moderate exercise, can help you feel energised. But you have to ask your doctor if it is safe to start exercise before you begin.

Painful Breasts: Pain from sore nipples, engorgement, plugged milk ducts, blebs, thrush or mastitis can make the thought of sex very unappealing.

Tell your husband what is going on with your body and discuss how you would like to exclude your breasts from any sexual encounters until you are feeling better. Then you must treat the cause of your breast pain or nipple soreness. See your doctor and he or she can help you. Wear a supportive nursing bra. You can also use sexual positions that do not put pressure on your breasts.

To be continued

38

Thursday, 10 March, 2016

Victor Ogunyinka

health

m: +234-806 642 7323 e: ogunyinkavictor@gmail.com : @vogunyinka

Dyslexia: Misconceived learning disability among children

Dyslexia is a reading disorder common among children which has been largely misrepresented as low intelligence quotient (IQ) and results in tagging the affected child as lazy. RONKE SANYA writes.

E

sther Adeleye is an object of ridicule among her classmates. She reads slowly and incorrectly from the chalkboard when the class teacher asks her to read and cannot even read comprehension passages fluently like her classmates. She is tagged a dullard and even her parents think she suffers low intelligent quotient.

It was only after Esther’s parents sought the help of a medical expert that they discovered that she is not a dullard, she is actually suffering from a reading disorder called dyslexia.

What is dyslexia?

Dyslexia is a brain condition that occurs mostly in children. To explain what dyslexia is one needs to explain what it is not. Dyslexia is not a sign of low intelligence or laziness.

It’s also not due to poor vision. It’s a common condition that affects the way the brain processes written and spoken language. It is primarily associated with trouble in reading.

Some doctors, specialists and educators may refer to it as a “reading disorder” or a “reading disability.” It can also affect writing, spelling and even speaking.

Dr Ade Osundina, a consultant psychiatrist at Federal Neuropsychiatric Hospital, Benin-city, in his opinion said, “People with dyslexia can still understand complex ideas.

Sometimes they just need more time to work through the information. They may also need a different way to process the information, such as listening to an audiobook instead of reading it.

“Frustration and low self-esteem, especially while among peers, tend to set in as a result of difficulty to read. The stress of dealing with schoolwork can make kids with dyslexia lose the motivation to keep trying. They also tend to struggle with reading a single word. It seems hard to understand and remember what they’ve read. Reading comprehension also seems difficult due to their inability to connect words.”

On the causes of dyslexia, researchers have yet to pinpoint what exactly causes it. However, genes and brain differences might influence a child’s chances of having dyslexia.

Some of the possible causes include: genes and heredity; brain anatomy and brain activity.

Symptoms: Dr Osundina added that, “Because dyslexia affects some people more severely than others, symptoms may differ from one child to another. Some kids with dyslexia have trouble with reading and spelling. Others may struggle to write or to tell left from right. In some children, they don’t seem to struggle with early reading and writing but later on, they have trouble with complex language skills, such as grammar, reading comprehension and more in-depth writing.

“Dyslexia can also make it difficult for people to express themselves clearly. It can be hard for them to structure their thoughts during conversation. They may have trouble finding the right words to say. Others struggle to understand what they are hearing, especially in jokes and sarcasm.

“Some of the warning signs for dyslexia, such as a speech delay, appear before a child reaches kindergarten. As schoolwork gets more demanding, trouble processing language becomes more evident. Many children have one or two of these issues on occasions but kids with dyslexia have several of these issues, and they hardly go away.”

Other signs to look out for in children to know if it’s dys-

lexia or not include when the child has trouble recognising the letters of the alphabet; struggles to match letters to sounds, such as not knowing what sounds ‘b’ or ‘h’ make; has difficulty blending sounds into words; struggles to pronounce words correctly; has difficulty learning new words; has a smaller vocabulary than other kids the same age; has trouble learning to count or say the days of the week and other common word sequences; has trouble rhyming; struggles with reading and spelling; confuses the order of letters, such as writing “left” instead of “felt”; has trouble remembering facts and numbers; has difficulty gripping a pencil; has difficulty using proper grammar; has trouble learning new skills and relies heavily on memorization; has trouble reading out loud and difficulty learning a foreign language, among others.

What skills are affected by dyslexia?

An educationist at the University of Ibadan, who specialises in early childhood education, Ms Toluwanimi Olumide, explains that dyslexia doesn’t just affect reading and writing. She listed the gave other skills that may be affected to include: Social life and listening skills: Dyslexia also affects social skills and social life of the child. Affected child may feel inferior around other kids and stop trying to make new friends or may avoid group activities. People with dyslexia tend to be better listeners than readers. Sitting near the teacher can help to reduce distractions.

Reading skills: Kids with dyslexia can take so long to read a sentence that they may not remember the sentence that came before it. This makes it tough to grasp the meaning of the text. Listening to an audio version or using other kinds of assistive technology can help.

Spatial concepts: Cdhildren with dyslexia may struggle with spatial concepts such as “left” and “right.” This can lead to fears about getting lost in school hallways and other familiar places.

Some of the skills they need to learn to curb the challenges that come with dyslexia include, connecting letters to sounds. Learning that each letter of the alphabet is associated with a certain sound or sounds-phonics will be of great

help. Decoding text, teaching the child to decode individual words, in order to make sense of entire sentences and making them recognize “sight” words will aid their learning process. The more words kids can recognize by sight, the faster they’ll be able to read.

How common is dyslexia?

Features of dyslexia are very common. Students between ages three and 21 have learning disabilities and the vast majority of them have trouble with reading. Temitope Adebayo (not real names) narrating how dyslexia was discovered in her niece said: “My niece is seven years old now. We discovered it when she was about four or five years old. That was when she started school work fully, our grandma noticed that when doing homework, she usually had certain difficulty. The girl could not retain two or three digit numbers like 51, 121, 707 etc. She would just say either the last digit or the first.”

Asserting that it appears dyslexia is a life-long condition, Adebayo added that; “Although my niece is now seven years old. She is still battling with the disorder. I think this is because she attends a regular school. Normally, children with such conditions should attend adequately equipped Montessori schools. There, they will patiently teach the children with sounds, pictures, and more activities with less text.”

Roles parents, teachers and family members can play Although, there are many people who can help a child improve his or her reading and writing skills. The Yoruba adage that asserts that “every member of a community is responsible in raising a child” comes to play here. Helping a child with dyslexia is a responsibility of not only the teachers but also parents and family members.

Ms Olumide added that, “One needs to note that kids are not the same and different assist applies to each of them.

The most common way parents can help is to: Read out loud to them every day; Tap into your child’s interests; Use audiobooks; Observe and take notes while watching the child more closely; Praise the child for trying hard, and emphasise that everyone makes mistakes; See through the child’s eyes to experience what it’s like to have dyslexia; Make the home reader-friendly and boost confidence by using hobbies and after school activities to help improve child’s self-esteem.

With the proper support, almost all people with dyslexia can become accurate readers. Research has proven that there are different ways of teaching that can help people with dyslexia succeed. There are many effective teaching strategies and tools that can help the child. In fact, many people with dyslexia have successful careers in business, science and the arts. Dyslexia is not a prediction of failure.

Successful individuals have dyslexia and have been able to overcome it.”

39

Thursday, 10 March, 2016 Taiwo Adisa - 08072000046 Group Politics Editor taiadis@yahoo.com

The twist in Ekiti political scenario

Ekiti State House of Assembly complex, Ado-Ekiti returned to what some have described as a “familiar terrain” last weekend when news that operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) “invaded” the state’s House of Assembly complex and “abducted” some of the parliament became public. Deputy Editor, SAM NWAOKO, examines the issues.

I

N the morning of March 5, 2016, the Ekiti State House of Assembly called a sudden press conference during which they alleged that about 10 armed operatives of the Department of State Security (DSS) stormed the Assembly complex the previous evening. The Speaker of the Assembly, Kola Oluwawole, a senior pastor in the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) fold, addressed the newsmen and explained what he said had happened. He said workers and members of the Assembly were harassed and intimidated.

Oluwawole alleged that the DSS operatives stormed the assembly complex in a commando style, “shot sporadically into the air,” and caused panic among the workers and members of the Assembly, who he also said had “scampered for safety.”

According to him, in the end of the pandemonium, four members of the House went ‘missing’. He said it was only in the morning after that they were able to establish contact with one of them. He said the honourable member they were able to establish contact with, had told them that he was taken to Abuja by the DSS operatives. “It was only this morning (Saturday) that we were able to establish that Honourable Afolabi Akanni, representing Efon Constituency, was abducted and taken to Abuja. Whereabouts of three other members is still unknown as we speak, and reasons for the invasion and abduction of our members are not known.”

Oluwawole had described the development thus: “Not minding that various committees of the House were meeting, more than 10 DSS men who were armed to the teeth, invaded the Assembly Complex, shooting sporadically into the air, thereby causing panic among members and staff of the House of Assembly, who had to scamper

for safety.

“At the end of the commotion created by this barbaric act, we discovered that four of our members could not be found. However, we got it on good authority that the script now being acted by the DSS is part of the All Progressives Congress (APC) plot to cripple the Ekiti State government by arresting and detaining top functionaries of the government.

“The plot is to harass, intimidate and embarrass top officials of the Ayodele Fayose government because of his critical stance on the Buhari’s government. We are aware that 18 of our members have been pencilled in for harassment and the game plan is to harass them to submission, with a view to coercing them into signing an already prepared notice of impeachment of the governor and his

The honourable members of the House, including the Speaker that alleged that armed DSS agents fired gunshots, were nowhere near the Assembly on that Friday.

deputy.”

The development has attracted various kinds of reaction among people both within and outside the state. Not a few people saw the development as a reaction of the Federal Government led by President Muhammadu Buhari, to the incessant criticisms of Governor Fayose. To Fayose’s opponents, it was a long—awaited action by the powers-that-be to shut the vocal governor up, especially as it concerns his biting criticism of the Federal Government he said had not been doing well in directing the country.

Other anti-Fayose elements also expressed the belief that the alleged invasion was “tit for tat” or a reward for a similar action they alleged was supported by Fayose when he was campaigning for governorship. Interestingly, the Ekiti State chapter of the APC joined the fray and rose in defence of the security agents, saying the action of the DSS was welcome. The party contended that the state government and Fayose and his supporters, as well as his party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) should not even complain.

The APC in Ekiti State issued a statement in which it tried to explain what happened in the state House of Assembly and also strongly defended the action of the state security agents. In the statement by the publicity secretary of the Ekiti APC, Chief Taiwo Olatunbosun, the party even completely denied that the DSS went to the Ekiti State House of Assembly complex.

Olatunbosun said: “We place it on record that there was no invasion of the House of Assembly by DSS agents. DSS never visited the Assembly. The honourable members of the House, including the Speaker that alleged that armed Continues on pg 40

40

politics&policy Continued from 39

Thursday, 10 March, 2016

Another season of suspense

DSS agents fired gunshots, were nowhere near the Assembly on that Friday.

“Some of those arrested willingly surrendered themselves to the State Director of DSS, from where they were taken to Abuja, but the liars lacking any iota of integrity went to town to paint a complete different picture of what happened.”

The APC also said it was outraged that some lawyers had risen in defence of the state government and singled out a rights activist, Mike Ozekhome (SAN) for vilification. Olatunbosun said the APC “regretted that (Ozekhome) a known advocate of truth, civil rights and a defender of constitutionalism is fast losing steam over rabid partisanship that has eroded his flowery credentials while defending falsehood founded on rumours.” defending the agents of state, Olatunbosun claimed that “DSS agents had at the weekend arrested four members of the Assembly named in sundry cases allegedly bordering on election rigging and invasion of court, among others, prompting the Speaker to raise the alarm that DSS agents invaded the Assembly, shooting sporadically before taking the members away.”

Ozekhome and some other prominent legal practitioners in the country had condemned the alleged invasion of the assembly complex, with some of them charging the House of Assembly to go to court and seek judicial protection. Unfortunately, the DSS has remined silent on the whole issue with newsmen not being able to establish where to seek an explanation for what really happened, after the police in the state denied knowledge of the operation.

However, the matter seems to be getting more complicated by the day. Apart from Mr Musa Arogundade (Ado Ekiti I) and Afolabi Akanni (Efon Fayose Constituency), and two other members of the Ekiti State House of Assembly yet to be identified, that had been taken away by the DSS, it is the belief in many quarters in the state that about seven other close allies of Governor Fayose have already been arrested. Some of those believed to have been penciled in by the DSS for arrest, are said to have gone into hiding, thereby disrupting the smooth administration of the star.

Observers said those arrested by the DSS or are on wanted list include the Commissioner for Finance, Chief Toyin Ojo; the Commissioner for Works, Mr Kayode Oso; Fayose’s Special Adviser on Political Affairs, Mr Ademola Bello; Special Assistant on Revenue Matters and Chairman, Board of Internal Revenue, Mr Ropo Ogunjobi. Others also believed to be on the wanted list include the Speaker, Oluwawole and the Chief of Staff, Chief Dipo Anisulowo.

The belief among many people in Ekiti is that the clampdown on Fayose and his government might not be unconnected with the various allegations that have been trending since the APC lost the June 14 governorship election in Ekiti State. The APC had accused Governor Fayose and two former ministers, Senator Musiliu Obanikoro and Jelili Adesiyan and the military of allegedly collaborating to rig the June 21, 2014 governorship election that brought Fayose to power.

Shortly after the election, the APC through some of its ‘supporters’ in a group called E-11, had gone to court to challenge the eligibility of Fayose, claiming that he was not eligible to contest the election, having allegedly been impeached in 2006. The mat- Oluwawole ter led to anger among some supporters of Fayose, who said they smelt a rat in the way the proceeding was going in the courts and therefore stormed the state’s were investigating the funding of Ekiti governorship elecjudiciary complex and disrupted proceedings. The APC tion.

The Ekiti State caucus in the House of Representahad also alleged that Fayose “beat up a judge and tore tives stated this in a statement credited to them in court records.” According to some of the commentators, which they were said to have condemned the attack and the people so far arrested allegedly played various roles in the events preceding the swearing-in of Governor Fayose expressed solidarity with the Ekiti Assembly and Governor Fayose. The six federal lawmakers were quoted on October 16, 2014.

Also, those observing the current travail of Governor to have said: “We wish to state expressly that the DSS Fayose and his government are hinging the current twist under President Buhari is becoming an instrument of of events on what they said was the investigations into political oppression, such that the agency has abanthese allegations. However, beyond these, it has also been doned its constitutional responsibilities in pursuit of alleged that the DSS was also investigating the academic matters that should be handled by the police and other qualifications of some of the lawmakers in the Ekiti As- security agencies.

“For instance, what is the business of the DSS with elecsembly, just as some contend that the security agencies

I expect them to ask me what are my grievances and what do I want and we would lay everything on the table tion funding? Is the DSS now INEC, EFCC or ICPC? Is the DSS the police that it is now arresting people for mere political disagreements? We even read that the DSS is investigating academic qualifications of some members of the Ekiti State House of Assembly and political appointees and we don’t understand the relationship between the internal security of Nigeria that the DSS is to protect and academic qualifications of political appointees.

However, what the DSS is actually after has remained in the realm of conjecture. And where the current development would lead Ekiti State is also yet unknown.

What is seemingly known to those observing the current issues is that the development is ruffling the feathers of Governor Fayose and his government, while they also watch to see how he would wriggle out of what looks like an intricate web of issues laid ahead of him.

Also in the public domain is the allegation by Speaker Oluwawole that “we are aware that 18 of our members have been pencilled down for harassment and the game plan is to harass them to submission, with a view to coercing them into signing an already prepared notice of impeachment of the governor and his deputy.”

Fayose has said that he would remain undaunted in the face of the troubles the before him. He once said he had expected a crackdown on his government because of his strong stance against President Buhari and his government. He was quoted to have told some elders of the state that he expected a backlash following his criticisms of President Buhari. He was quoted to have said: “I expect them to ask me what are my grievances and what do I want and we would lay everything on the table.”

In condemning the invasion of the Assembly, Fayose said he would not succumb to harrassment and intimidation. According to him, “even if the state was invaded by one million armed men of the Department of State Services (DSS), the government and the people of the state will never be intimidated to surrender governance of the state to political desperadoes, whose four years reign destroyed the economy of the state.”

Governor Fayose also held that “it is obvious that democracy in Nigeria is becoming unsafe in the hands of Buhari and his APC and those keeping silent now because of politics may also end up in the belly of this roaring lion that is threatening to consume our democracy. Therefore, Nigerians and the international community should take special notice of the use of the DSS and Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to muscle opposition.”

Also, the embattled Ekiti State House of Assembly had said it is a partner “in the progress of the Ekiti State government under the able leadership of Governor Peter Ayodele Fayose. Therefore, the Abuja based agents of destabilisation should get it into their heads that we will never be harassed or intimidated into buying into their sinister agenda.”

Ekiti has again swung into public reckoning but this time, in a different manner, and from outside the state. Where this new episode would end is being awaited.

Thursday, 10 March, 2016 41 news Verification: Kwara govt gives pensioners, workers 7-day ultimatum Biola Azeez - Ilorin

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WARA State government has directed state and local government workers and pensioners that are yet to provide their Bank Verification Number (BVN), for the ongoing staff verification exercise, to do so within seven days or risk non-payment of salaries.

Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed, who gave the directive on Tuesday, during a meeting of the Committee on Personnel Database Development, said government had no intention of withholding any worker’s

salary without justification.

He said the affected workers and pensioners would still be credited with their salaries and pensions but would not be able to access the money until they obtain BVN. Governor Ahmed, who is also the chairman of the committee, explained that the unique bank numbers were necessary for preliminary verification of workers and pensioners on the

state and local government councils’ payroll, saying that at this stage of the verification, those without valid BVN could not be designated as ghost workers.

Governor Ahmed said the intention behind the Personnel Database System was to give the government an accurate picture of the state and local government councils’ payroll and ensure that only those properly employed, receive

salaries and pensions.

Also speaking, the alternate chairman of the committee, Alhaji Isiaka Gold, who is also the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), said that of the 82, 642 workers verified by the committee, only 49,579 ,had valid BVN, while 124 were discovered to have fake BVN. He said that the first level verification also revealed 324 individuals, who were linked to 659

multiple accounts.

Alhaji Gold, therefore, urged workers and pensioners that were yet to submit their BVN to do so within seven days or risk having their payment withheld.

He called on workers, who were properly recruited by the state and local governments, to remain calm, while assuring them that the ongoing verification exercise would not affect their salaries and jobs.

Delta govt plans sale of Oghara IPP project

AlphonususAgborh-Asaba

DELTA State government has said it is determined to sell off the multi-billion naira Independent Power Plant (IPP) in Oghara, in Ethiope West Local Government Area of the state.

The state Commissioner for Power and Energy, Mr Newworld Safugha, who disclosed this to newsmen in Asaba, the state capital, said the process is on, adding that the outcome would be made public on completion.

The Nigerian Tribune learnt that the state House of Assembly ad hoc committee led by the majority leader, Honourable Tim Owhefere, was recently on a fact-finding mission to the facility, where it urged the Senator Ifeanyi Okowa-led administration not to abandon the project of which a sum of N19 billion out of N23 billion contract sum had allegedly been paid to the contractor.

The contract was awarded in 2009 to an indigenous company, DaveNotch Limited.

But the state Commissioner for Information, Mr Patrick Ukah, who addressed journalists on the outcome of the state executive council meeting in Asaba, however, said the lawmakers had the right to conduct investigation into the power project.

Ukah disclosed that a consultant had already been appointed to carry out a feasibility plan on a mono-rail for Asaba capital territory, in view of the rapid expansion of the state capital and increasing population.

The mono-rail, if approved, is expected to be extended to several communities.

From left, Director of Fisheries, Ministry of Agriculture, Delta State, Mrs Uju Osadebe; Printing Manager, Legal, Bank of Agriculture, Mrs Nene Chikwendu; Director, Capacity Building Programme Manager for Partnership Initiatives in the Niger Delta (PIND), Mrs Bose Eitokpah; Public Relations Officer for Benin Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture, Mrs Blessing Irabo and the Printing Manager, Agri Business for Bank of Agriculture, Mrs Rita Okori, at the 2016 International Women’s Day Forum, organised by PIND, in Asaba, Delta State, on Wednesday.

Women empowerment can turn Nigerian economy around —PIND

A special forum to mark the International Women’s Day organised for women in the Niger-Delta was, on Monday, held in Asaba with calls on all levels of government and other relevant bodies to work towards more empowerment for women in the interest of the country’s economic development.

The forum noted that women, as good managers of the home and financial resources, could make a greater impact on the nation’s economy if they were given improved access to credit, as well as break down all existing barriers to their empowerment.

The theme of the forum, organised by the Partnership Initiatives in the Niger-Delta (PIND), was “Pledging Parity for Niger Delta Women in Agriculture,” with support from Chevron Nigeria Limited, USAID and other organisations.

The event attracted participants from numerous groups and non-governmental organisations across the region, including those from Cross River, Rivers, Akwa Ibom, Ondo, Edo and the host, Delta State.

Critical appraisal of the plight of women, especially

those involved in agriculture, as well as measures to effectively address the identified challenges in order to advance the cause of women in the Niged-Delta featured at the conference, which lasted about six hours.

In an address, the Programme Director of PIND,

Mr Sylvester Okoh, noted that the World Economic Forum (WEF), in its Global Gender Gap Report 2015, estimated that it would take over 220 years to achieve gender parity, particularly in the workplace and 117 years for gender equality to be achieved in companies and government.

Okoh admitted that while no single measure could totally arrest the critical situation of the “Global Gender Gap Index,” certain measures were relevant to the relative gaps between women and men across four key areas of health, education, economy and politics.

Jigawa to enforce use of live jackets by canoe paddlers, passengers Adamu Amadu - Dutse AS part of its determination to control canoe mishap, the Jigawa State government has concluded plan to enforce the use of live jackets by canoe paddlers and passengers across riverine areas in the state.

This was disclosed by the Executive Secretary of the State Emergency Relief Agency, Alhaji Yusif Sani, while speaking with newsmen in Dutse, the state capital, on Wednesday.

He said the measure was taken after two canoes capsized on River Hadejia in Darai village, Jahun Local Government Area Alhaji Sani explained that the state government had al-

ready procured enough live jackets to be distributed to 24 identified riverine communities in the state.

“We have procured a number of live jackets to be given to 24 crossing points identified in the state. Seven live jackets would be given to each community to be used by canoe driver and his passengers”.

Alhaji Sani explained that the gesture was part of the proactive measures taken by the agency to forestall future lost of lives and property in the state.

He reiterated the commitment of the agency and the state government at protecting the lives and property of people in the state.

Meanwhile, thes state

government has re-awarded N4.3 billion for the construction of township roads in seven local government headquaters in the state, which had earlier been awarded by the immediate past administration.

This was disclosed by the state Commissioner for Information, Alhaji Bala Ibrahim ,while addressing newsmen on the outcome of the state executive council meeting presided over by Governor Badaru Abubakar.

Alhaji Bala Ibrahim said that all the contracts were initially awarded by the immediate past administration but no commitment was made on them by then.

Court remands pastor for defiling 7-year-old daughter Banji Aluko - Benin City

AN Ogbeson Chief Magistrates’ Court, sitting in Benin City, the Edo State capital, has remanded in prison custody, 41-yearold Prophet Benjamin Bernard, for allegedly defiling his seven -year-old daughter.

Chief Magistrate Taye Omoruyi declined the accused bail when the matter came up on Wednesday, declaring that the accused should be in detention until the matter comes up on March 16 Benjamin Bernard, who is a pastor at the Destiny Explosion Ministry, Constain Road, Benin City, allegedly committed the act of incest against his third daughter on January 26, 2016 and pleaded not guilty to the offence.

The victim was led in evidence by the prosecuting counsel from the state Ministry of Justice, Kenneth Ugiagbe.

She told the court that after committing the act, her father used a white handkerchief to clean her and warned her not to mention it to anyone, else, he would kill her.

The matter was consequently, adjourned till March 16, for further hearing.

Burial

FINAL burial rites of Chief (Mrs) Esther Taiwo Agbeke Afolabi-Olaade, who died at the age of 99 years, commenced with service of songs on Wednesday (yesterday), at Kesinro–Oloyede Village, Olodo town, Odeda, Ogun State. There will be Christian wake–keep on Thursday (today) while burial service will hold on Friday (tomorrow), at All Saints’ Anglican Church, Kesinro-Oloyede Village, Olodo-Odeda, Ogun State.

Mrs Taiwo Agbeke

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south-westnews

Thursday, 10 March, 2016

UI workers protest unpaid allowance, chase students out from orientation programme Management suspends matriculation

By Tunde Ogunesan

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EWLY admitted students of the University of Ibadan scampered for safety during an orientation programme being held at the International Conference Centre of the institution, as the non-academic staff protested over non-payment of agreed allowance by the institution.

The development forced the authority of the university to suspend its planned matriculation ceremonies for the 2015/2016 academic

session earlier scheduled for Thursday.

The non-academic staff unions, who were protesting over non-remittance of deductions and unpaid agreed allowance, had mobilised members and shut entrance gates into the university on Wednesday morning to relay their message to the management of the institution.

The protest paralysed socio-economic activities within the academic environment. Movement of vehicles was also disturbed during the protest.

The union members

chased students out of the hall after they had switched off power supply.

The SSANU Chairman, Wale Akinremi, while reacting, criticised the administrative style of the management. He said the management of the university was not democratic enough, calling on the Professor Idowu Olayinka-led management to be alive to the welfare of staff and remit deductions.

In his reaction, the Vice Chancellor, Professor Idowu Olayinka, said the university management had

been transparent by announcing to all unions that the university was having a shortfall in its personnel cost since December 2015, making payment of some allowances difficult.

Olayinka informed that while the total personnel cost of the university is about N932million monthly, the university received N663million in December, 2015 from the Federal Government, and N782 million in January and February, 2016 respectively.

While stating that it was regrettable to find the uni-

Wife of the Ondo State governor, Olukemi Mimiko (middle), with the wife of the deputy governor, Alhaja Fatimat Oluboyo (right); Commissioner for Women Affairs, Olasinmi Akindele-Odunbaku (left) and others, at the International Women’s Day celebration, at the Democracy Park, Akure, on Tuesday.

Ondo assembly reverses speaker’s impeachment Hakeem Gbadamosi - Akure

BARELY 24 hours after the impeachment of the Speaker, Ondo State House of Assembly, Honourable Jumoke Akindele and the Deputy Speaker, Fatai Olotu, members of the House of Assembly on Wednesday made a dramatic U-turn by rescinding their decision.

About 18 members out of the 26, on Tuesday night, impeached the speaker and the deputy speaker, citing incompetence, arrogance, high handedness and poor leadership as reasons for the impeachment of Akindele.

The impeachment was said to be with immediate effect.

Subsequently, the lawmakers elected Honourable Iroju Ogundeji from Odigbo Local Government as Speaker and Honourable Ayo Arowele from Owo Local Government as the Deputy Speaker.

However, the lawmakers, after meeting with the state governor, Dr Olusegun Mimiko, for about five hours, reversed their decision saying the speaker should remain.

It was gathered that it took

the intervention of Governor Mimiko for the lawmakers to reverse their decision, while the governor pleaded with the lawmakers to give the Speaker and principal officers a second chance.

Addressing journalists on the development, the Chairman, House Committee on Information, Honourable Olamide George, said the

lawmakers had resolved the issue.

George described last Tuesday’s impeachment of the speaker as a family affair which members and the leadership of the House had resolved amicably.

He said: “On Tuesday, sizeable number of Ondo State House of Assembly met on some burning issues

touching on the leadership of the House.

“Before plenary today, Wednesday, 9th March, 2016, members at a larger and official gathering met to review the situation and consequently resolved to allow the status quo Ante on the leadership of Ondo State House of Assembly as at March 7, 2016 to remain.”

Police arraign man over possession of human skull TWO persons, Kamoru Oladele (48 years) and a female accomplice, Jolaobi Adedokun, (48 years), on Wednesday, appeared at Iyaganku Chief Magistrates’ Court for alleged unlawful possession of a human skull.

Oladele, who resides at Igbodu Bode Area, Ibadan, was arraigned on a threecount charge of conspiracy, unlawful possession of human skull and charms.

Adedokun of Esuawele Oja Oba Area, Ibadan, was charged with alleged conspiracy and compound felony by aiding a defendant

to escape arrest.

The prosecutor, Inspector Sunday Ogunremi, told the court that Oladele and others now at large allegedly conspired to commit felony.

Ogunremi said the defendant was in possession of human skull and charms when he was arrested.

The prosecutor said the offence was committed at about 4:30p.m. at the defendant’s resident on February 22.

Ogunremi said the offences contravened Section 213, 329A and 516 of the Criminal Code, Cap 38, Vol.

II, Laws of Oyo State, 2000.

He said that second defendant and others at large conspired to compound felony.

Ogunremi said that Jolaobi on February 23, at about 6:30a.m. at her resident, allegedly compounded felony by aiding her husband, Mudashiru Adedokun, to escape police arrest.

He said the offence contravened Section 127 and 516 of the Criminal Code, Cap.38, Vol. II, Laws of Oyo State, 2000.

Their counsel, Mr Charles Uche and Mr Olayemi Fashina, applied for their bail on liberal terms.

versity at the present condition, Olayinka appealed to the Federal Government to assist the premier university in meeting its needs in order to be focused on research, capacity building and development.

He noted that the allowances being clamoured for by the unions amounted to about N76 million monthly which is outside the allocations to the university and unrealistic in view of the present financial strain facing the institution.

While regretting that some students, while trying to run away from the orientation venue got injured, Olayinka said it was better to have students, over 3,500, safe and sound than going ahead with the matriculation and risking their lives.

According to him, “in 2015, our allocation on personnel cost was reduced drastically to N663,972,634.60. This is a reduction on personnel cost of N268,741,391.64.

This shortfall accounted for why deductions for the month of December 2015 could not be paid to all deserving cooperative societies and unions. The total figure of deductions for December 2015, which is still outstanding, amounted to N301,635,551.10. Surprisingly, we received the sum of N782,346,495.95 as personnel cost for the month of January 2016. This sum is a far cry from our expected personnel grant.

“Our budget in 2016 for personnel cost is N12, 971,458,377 net of NHIS and contributory pensions. We therefore expect a monthly allocation of N1,080,954,864.75.

Instead, we got N782,346,495.95, a reduction of N298,608,369.16.

Again, in January we were unable to meet up with 100% of our commitment on personnel cost.

“The administration, therefore implores all staff and students to be calm and patiently hope that all outstanding issues with respect to our personnel cost will be addressed before the budget of 2016 is finally approved.

The administration is making frantic efforts and also consulting appropriate authorities to ensure that we receive appropriate funding not only for this year but also have a refund of the shortfall for December 2015.”

Meanwhile, as at the time of filing this report, the vice chancellor and other principal officers were said to be holding a meeting with security agencies on the situation within the campus.

Nigerian Tribune

Akinjide recuperating at UCH —Source

By Tunde Ogunesan

THE former Attorney General of Nigeria, Chief Richard Akinjide, who was admitted at the University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan, following old age related challenges, has been said to be “recuperating well.”

Nigerian Tribune gathered that Chief Akinjide was rushed to the hospital on Monday evening following a distress call from his Idi-Ishin house, in Ibadan.

Akinjide, a former Minister of Justice, sources in the hospital informed, had been moved to private ward since Tuesday.

The source further hinted that the oil and gas law guru has been responding to treatment.

Ondo assembly passes 2016 budget Hakeem Gbadamosi - Akure

MEMBERS of the Ondo State House of Assembly resumed sitting after resolving the impeachment of the Speaker of the House, Jumoke Akindele, to pass the 2016 budget into law.

Presiding over the House, the Speaker, Akindele, with other lawmakers passed the bill into law after the House Committee Chairman on Finance and Appropriation, Mr Ade Adeniyi, submitted the report of the committee to the lawmakers.

The analysis of the budget showed that a total of N118,990,000,000.00 was budgeted for 2016 fiscal year with N68,000,000,000.00 allocated for recurrent expenditure while N50,990,000,000.00 was earmarked for capital project.

While defending the budget, Adeniyi recommended that they should ensure that provisions of the budget are utilised for the needs stated therein.

He said “The Board of Internal Revenue should make vigorous efforts to block all identified leakages as much as possible.”

Similarly, the House also passed a bill for a law to provide for an amendment to the Ondo State AntiKidnapping and Anti-Abduction Law 2010, a bill to provide for the establishment, operations and functions of the Orange FM station to first reading.

south-westnews Strike: We are not afraid of arrest, Ogun workers dare Amosun 43

Thursday, 10 March, 2016

•PDP condemns molestation of labour leaders •Assembly appeals to workers Olayinka Olukoya - Abeokuta

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S the industrial action embarked on by workers in the employ of Ogun State entered the fourth day, organised labour leaders said they are not afraid of being arrested and detained to achieve their agitations.

They said this during a mega rally held at the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) secretariat, Abeokuta, on Wednesday.

The said they would embark on a peaceful protest to the state secretariat next Monday to press home their demands.

Addressing the meeting which was attended by hundreds of civil servants, the chairmen of the NLC, Comrade Akeem Ambali and Joint National Public Service Negotiating Council, Comrade Abiodun Olakanmi, jointly described the ‘no work no pay’ threat by the state government as mere fallacy, arguing that reverse is the case.

Nigeria Tribune recalled that the Secretary to the State Government, Mr Taiwo Adeoluwa, had on Tuesday said that government might consider the option of ‘no work no pay’ rule if the workers refused to return to work.

Ambali said opening of attendance register for workers during the strike is illegal, saying “on Monday all of us will march to Oke Mosan.

“If he arrests us today, we are ready to go to cell. We are not afraid of detention.

“The issue of saying they have opened registers is illegal. The SSG has not called us for dialogue. The government should have the political will to invite us. If they invite today, we are going to dialogue with them.

“We will not allow what is happening to workers in Osun State to happen in Ogun state.”

Olakanmi said government should reverse the ‘no work no pay’ to ‘no pay no work’, explaining that the workers are not demanding for increase in wage, but the unremitted deductions made from their salary.

He said, “We are not asking for any addition to our salary, all we are asking is for government to pay the unremitted deductions made from our salary.

“What we are asking for is the payment of gratuities, and pension. And until they pay all deductions, the strike continues. It is no pay no work. Their no pay no work

is a fallacy.”

Olakanmi said workers would continue to meet every Monday to review the strike action, and develop new strategies.

Meanwhile, a group within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Action Movement, has condemned the

arrest of labour leaders in the state during a peaceful rally on Tuesday.

In a release signed by the Publicity Secretary of the group, Alhaji Lukman Adunmo, the molestation and arrest of some of the labour leaders was described as barbaric.

Meanwhile, an appeal has gone to the leadership of the Ogun State Chapter of the Joint National Public Service Negotiating Council and the NLC to reconsider their stand on the ongoing strike, by engaging in dialogue in the interest of peace, progress and devel-

opment of the state.

The Speaker, Ogun State House of Assembly, Honourable Suraju Ishola Adekunbi, gave the plea while responding to the submission of his Deputy, Olakunle Oluomo who appealed to the unions to call off the industrial action.

From right, Osun State governor, Rauf Aregbesola; the newly installed Chancellor of Osun State University, Mrs Folorunso Alakija; her husband, Modupe and the Acting Vice Chancellor, Professor Oguntola Jelili Alamu, during the fourth and fifth convocation ceremonies of the university, in Osogbo, on Wednesday.

Aregbesola renames UNIOSUN after Bola Ige Oluwole Ige - Osogbo

FORMER Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation, Late Chief Bola Ige, was on Wednesday honoured, as the visitor to the Osun State University and Governor of Osun State, Rauf Aregbesola, named the state-owned university after him.

This was part of a sweeping renaming of all tertiary institutions in the state which was announced at the convocation ceremony of the university where oil magnate and founder of the Rose of Sharon Foundation, Mrs Folorunsho Alakija, was unveiled as the new Chancellor of the institution.

Other institutions renamed were Osun State College of Technology, Esa-Oke now Bisi Akande College of Technology; Osun State Polytechnic, Iree now, Sunday Afolabi Polytechnic; College of

Education, Ila Orangun, now Adeyemi Oyeduntan College of Education and the College of Education, Ilesa, which will now be Lawrence Omole College of Education.

Others are UNIOSUN College of Law, Ifetedo, now Kayode Esho College of Law; College of Social Sciences and Management, Okuku, now Olagunsoye College of Social Sciences, Okuku; College

of Agriculture, Ejigbo, now Isiaka Adeleke College of Agriculture, Ejigbo; College of Education, Ipetu Ijesa, now Ezekiah Oluwasanmi College of Education and College of Humanities and Culture, Ikire, now Eniola Atanda College of Humanities and Culture.

The development came as the new Chancellor, Alakija, described her conferment as the chancellor

Alleged misappropriation of N852m UBEC fund: Ekiti Assembly summons Fayemi Sam Nwaoko - Ado Ekiti

THE Ekiti State House of Assembly has summoned the Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr Kayode Fayemi, to appear before it over allegations that N852million was allegedly misappropriated by his government.

The assembly, at its plenary on Wednesday, gave

Dr Fayemi, who is the immediate past governor of the state 13 days to appear before it and explain the alleged misappropriation of the UBEC fund.

At the Wednesday’s plenary presided over by its Speaker, Mr Kola Oluwawole, the members of the House made the call through a unanimous resolution.

We’ll continue to produce job creators —Oke-Ogun poly rector

By Wale Akinselure

RECTOR, Oke-Ogun Polytechnic, Saki, Mr Oladeji Matthew, has affirmed the commitment of the institution to training students to be job creators rather than

of Bola Ige University and the award of honorary doctorate degree in business administration as another glass ceiling broken by womanhood.

Aregbesola commended Alakija, who with her investiture becomes the first female chancellor in any public university in Nigeria, for counting the university worthy and accepting to serve as its chancellor.

job seekers.

Oladeji, speaking with journalists, intimated that recent focus of the institution was on teaching, in orderis to improve technological, vocational and entrepreneurial skills of students.

While noting a recent training exercise for the institution’s lecturers, home and abroad, he said the drive was achievable due to a number of collaborations with government and non-government organisations.

According to the assembly, the resolution was pursuant to Sections 128 (1) (2) and 129 (c) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 as amended, saying the former governor was given up to March 22 this year to appear before it.

The Leader of Government Business in the House, Mr Tunji Akinyele, said the allegedly misappropriated UBEC fund had “caused the state to be black-listed by the commission.”

The members, who contributed to the debate included the Deputy Speaker, Mr Segun Adewumi; Chief Gboyega Aribisogan and Mr Ekundayo Akinleye.

Nigerian Tribune

Jubilation rocks Modakeke over new LCDA Oluwole Ige - Osogbo

NATIVES and residents of Modakeke town in Osun State, on Wednesday, stormed major streets in the community, jubilating over the newly created Ife North East Local Council Development Authority, which was created alongside 30 others by Governor Rauf Aregbesola, on Tuesday, in a state broadcast.

The crowd, spotted at Itasin, Iraye and Ogunsua’s palace, was led by the leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the town, Chief Wahab Adetunji It will be recalled that Modakeke town was embroiled in communal hostilities with Ile Ife for over five years, which led to killings and wanton destruction of property as a result of the relocation of headquarters of Ife East Local Government Area from the town to Oke Ogbo in Ile Ife. Addressing the crowd that turned out for the road march, Chief Adetunji specifically commended Aregbesola and Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, over the role they played in ensuring that the community got its council area.

Oyo Accord Party begins plans for LG election

By Dare Adekanmbi

BASED on Governor Abiola Ajimobi’s promise to conduct council election, the Oyo State chapter of the Accord Party has commenced preparations towards the polls.

The election, according to Governor Ajimobi, should hold in the next four months.

The decision by Accord to start preparation for the election was taken at the party’s stakeholders’ meeting, held at the state’s secretariat, Ibadan, and presided over by its national leader and former governor, Senator Rashidi Ladoja.

In a keynote address, Ladoja thanked all party members and the people of the state for their support and prayers during the last election and throughout the period of electoral litigation.

He reiterated that he and the party had accepted the verdict of the Supreme Court which brought a final end to litigation in the state governorship contest.

The meeting also had in attendance the state chairman of the party, Alhaji Bashiru Lawal and the national secretary, Honourable Nureni Adisa.

communitynews Oil spill: Environmentalist wants producing communities sensitised

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N environmentalist, Professor Sylvester Egwu, has urged the Federal Government to sensitise communities in oil producing areas on the dangers of oil spill on their environment.

Egwu, who is also an oil spillage remediation expert, made the call in an interview with journalists in Lagos, on Wednesday.

According to him, the enlightenment is necessary as most communities are happy when there is oil spill because of the compensation to be paid to them by the affected oil company.

“The communities do not even think about the toxic substances that will pollute their environment when oil spill occur.

“What happens is that they will start quarrelling among themselves about how to share whatever they get as compensation from the spill.

“The companies capitalise on this confusion created by the communities and take them to court instead of focusing on how to miti-

gate the spill,’’ he said.

Egwu said that at times, the communities instigate the spill so that they could get compensation from oil companies.

The environmentalist said that the Federal Government needed to do

something about this.

He added that the communities needed awareness to change their attitude to the environment.

“The communities need to have surveillance groups that will help to protect their communities,” he said.

THE lawmaker representing Ibadan South-East Constituency II in Oyo State House of Assembly, Honourable Ademola Ige, has been commended for his commitment to improving the standard of living of people at the grass roots despite the current economic challenges.

The Speaker, Oyo State House of Assembly, Honourable Adeshina Adeyemo, gave the commendation while commissioning a multimillion naira electrification project and other projects personally executed by Honourable Ige in his constituency.

The projects are 63 poles of independent powered street lights on Eleta junction-AkatapaOdinjo-Muslim overhead bridge, rehabilitated eight pit toilets at Owode market, Academy repair of six hand pump boreholes at different locations, construction of a pedestrian bridge at Tewogbade area, Ibadan and financial empowerment of 100 women.

Delivering his speech during the inauguration ceremony at Christ Church Primary School, Odinjo, Ibadan, Ige disclosed that he provided street light with the aim of

clean water and, therefore, drank polluted water which resulted in cancer and death.

He said the communities needed to be told that oil spill is a deadly weapon against humans and the environment.

Honourable Ademola Ige (middle), handing over the rehabilitated toilets to traders at Owode Market. With him are the interim chairman of the market, Mr Shina Atanda (left), Accord leader in Ibadan South-East Local Government Area, Alhaji Abidikugu and the Iyaloja of the market, Alhaja Serifatu Aminu.

Oyo lawmaker commissions community projects

By Gbenga Olumide

He said surveillance groups would serve to prevent deliberate oil spills as well as give early reports on those that were not deliberate.

Egwu said that most communities in oil producing areas had no access to

Thursday, 10 March, 2016

reducing the rate of crime at night when there is blackout, stressing that the second and third phases of the project will soon commence.

He further explained that he had earlier given financial assistance to traders at Itesiwaju Market,

Sanyo, Ibadan, who lost property worth millions of naira during a recent fire disaster in the market, paid WAEC fee of some physically challenged students at Omoyeni, Aperin Oniyere, Ibadan and facilitated employment for some unemployed youths.

Lawmaker provides palliative measure on Agbado Road A member of the House of Representatives, Honourable Ayodele Isiaka, has brought relief to residents of Agbado community and environs in Ifo Local Government Area of Ogun State, by providing palliative measure on the deplorable seven-kilometre road which connects a number of communities in the area.

The road, named after a former governor, Chief Olusegun Osoba, turned out to be a burden to both motorists and residents for over five years. The development was also said to have adversely affected businesses.

But, following an SOS written by the community to the lawmaker, he responded swiftly and decided to take it upon himself to address the problem by grading the road.

The lawmaker, respresenting Ifo/Ewekoro Federal Constituency of the

state under the platform of All Progressives Congress (APC), while speaking with newsmen at the project site, noted that commercial activities had been on the low ebb as vehicles, particularly commercial, avoid the road to avoid getting stuck on the road which is full of craters.

The road is a link between Ogun and Lagos states.

Isiaka disclosed that he funded the work from his personal purse as the road was not included in the constituency project of the National Assembly. He assured that he would still contact the state government to help in bringing a permanent solution to the problem.

Some residents of the community, who spoke with journalists, were full of praise for the lawmaker, while lamenting the losses they had recorded in their various businesses due to the poor condition of the road.

NARTO inaugurates executives, tasks FG on road construction

By Tunde Adegbola

THE Zonal Chairman of the Nigerian Association of Road Transport Owners (NARTO), South-West, Alhaji Ganiyu Salami, has tasked the Federal Government on road construction, asking it to do more in ensuring that the nation’s roads become motorable.

Alhaji Salami said there was need for the Federal Government to maintain existing roads and reconstruct those on the verge of collapse.

He also urged state governments to assist members of the union in the provision of soft loans for procurement of new vehicles and refurbishment of old ones.

The zonal chairman made the appeal during the inauguration of the state executive members of the association, at Molaroid Hotel Hall, Sagamu, Ogun State.

While urging the newly elected executive to work towards achieving the goals of the association, he charged them to imbibe the spirit of comradeship by caring for one another.

45

Thursday, 10 March, 2016

foreig naffairs with seyi gesinde

Tunisia: 43 militants killed after attack on barracks AT least 43 militants have been killed in clashes following an attack on a military barracks near Tunisia’s border with Libya, Tunisia’s defence ministry said on Wednesday.

Seven suspected terrorists were also arrested after the attack in the town of Ben Gardane, the ministry statement said.

Air patrols in the area around the border have intensified, and the main crossings with Libya -Ras Ajdir and Dheiba, were closed Tuesday.

Authorities asked residents in Ben Gardane to stay indoors and report any suspicious activity.

Human rights activist, Mustapha Abdelkebir in Ben Gardane, told CNN that a senior counter terror official, his relative, was among the dead.

The Tunisian interior ministry also released photographs of three people it identified as prominent ISIS militants who it said were killed in the attacks and subsequent police raids. The ministry did not give their names.

Terrorists, some of them from ISIS, have waged brutal attacks on Tunisia in recent years, including on Tunis’ Bardo museum and a seaside resort in Sousse.

08116954632 foreignnewseditor@gmail.com

US condemns hateful violence in Israel

U

NITED States’ Vice President Joe Biden on Wednesday condemned a string of attacks by Palestinians that came as he visited Israel, saying “there can be no justification of this hateful violence.”

Speaking alongside Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Biden called Tuesday’s deadly stabbing of an American a “heinous terrorist act.” He said civilized leaders cannot see the violence as appropriate behaviour.

Netanyahu said “nothing justifies these attacks” and criticized Palestinian leaders for not condemning them.

United States’ Vice President, Joe Biden, in Israel, on Tuesday.

Biden called for progress on Israeli-Palestinian peace, saying the work toward a two-state solution is not easy, but that the current violence and retribution “has to stop.”

He also reiterated U.S. commitment to Israel’s security and vowed to act if Iran violates the nuclear agreement it made with the United States and five other world powers, VOA

Total solar eclipse thrills much of Indonesia MILLIONS of people across the Indonesian archipelago were treated to a rare total solar eclipse on Wednesday.

Skywatchers across 12 provinces and three time zones gathered in sports stadiums, planetariums and hilltops as the moon began moving between the Earth and sun shortly after dawn. In many villages along the path of the eclipse, residents kneeled in prayer and held religious rituals as the day turned to darkness during the two-minute stretch of the eclipse.

The event also drew thousands of stargazers from around the world, including a team of scientists from the United States space agency NASA, which observed the eclipse from the Maluku islands.

According to VOA, a partial eclipse was also

visible across other parts of Asia and Australia, and out into the Pacific Ocean.

The world’s last total solar eclipse occurred one year ago this month over Norway’s Arctic Svalbard islands. The next full eclipse will take place in August 2017, and will be

A total solar eclipse is seen in Luwuk, Central Sulawesi, Indonesia, on Wednesday.

PHOTO: AP.

otherNEWS

assertion.

The state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported Wednesday that Kim met with nuclear scientists and technicians who briefed him on “research conducted to tip various types of tactical and strategic ballistic missiles with nuclear

warheads.”

The agency also published photographs that appeared to show the North Korean leader visiting a facility where the warheads were made. The photos could not be independently confirmed and a number of military analysts have said they doubt the North’s claim.

North Korea leader, Kim Jong Un

Mugabe makes U-turn on reform, woos IMF

Robert Mugabe

ZIMBABWE’S President Robert Mugabe agreed to major reforms including compensation for evicted white farmers and a big reduction in public sector wages as the government tries to woo back international lenders, the finance minister said.

The economy was under siege from the worst

drought since 1992, Patrick Chinamasa said on Wednesday, noting that the reforms had the full backing of Mugabe, who has previously attacked the IMF for imposing stringent credit conditions.

Mugabe’s government started defaulting on debts to the IMF, World Bank, African Development Bank

visible in the United States.

The last time a total eclipse occurred over Indonesia was in 1988. Unfounded fears and misinformation caused panic, with people papering windows and keeping children indoors.

Cloudy skies in parts of Indonesia dampened the spectacle for some. In Palembang, a Sumatran city of more than 1.4 million, thousands of residents from mothers carrying infants to old men gathered at its landmark Ampera bridge from well before dawn. But the total eclipse was only briefly visible if at all.

State Department called that attack “senseless.”

At the time of the stabbings, Biden was meeting a few kilometers away with former Israeli President Shimon Peres who condemned Tuesday’s violence and said successful peace talks are the only answer.

AU considers Mali counter-terrorism force THE African Union will send a mission to northern Mali in the next few weeks to look into setting up a counter-terrorism force to support vulnerable United Nations peacekeepers, sources familiar with the matter said.

The Bamako government, as well as some officials of the UN force in Mali, MINUSMA, have called for more help in fighting al Qaeda-linked insurgents, who have become increasingly active despite the efforts of French, Malian and U.N. troops.

French forces drove the jihadists out of northern Malian cities in 2013 but they have regrouped, and in November al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb attacked a luxury hotel in Bamako, killing 20 people in a demonstration of their ability to strike beyond their desert bases.

3 dead in Mogadishu blast

North Korean propaganda war goes nuclear NORTH Korean leader Kim Jong Un said on Wednesday his country has developed miniature nuclear warheads that can fit on a ballistic missile.

While such bellicose claims are not new from the reclusive nation, this is the first time the North Korean leader has made such an

said.

The vice president is also meeting Wednesday with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and travels to meet today (Thursday) with Jordan’s King Abdullah II. Wednesday’s violence included police shooting dead two Palestinian gunmen who carried out shootings in Israel that seriously wounded one person.

In the West Bank, Israeli soldiers shot dead a Palestinian man who tried to stab soldiers at a checkpoint.

On Tuesday, a Palestinian killed American tourist Taylor Allen Force and wounded 12 Israelis. The

(AfDB) and several Western lenders in 1999, leading to a freeze in financial aid.

Chinamasa told reporters at the end of a economic review by an IMF team that the government’s wage bill would be cut to 52 percent of government spending by 2019 from 82 percent but did not elaborate on how this would be achieved.

POLICE in Somalia said a car bomb exploded outside a tea shop near a police building in Mogadishu Wednesday, killing at least three officers.

Mogadishu police commissioner Ali Hersi Barre said the driver of the car was taken into custody and was seriously injured by the blast.

Barre said police are investigating.

Wednesday’s attack followed one on Monday in the city of Beledweyne, in which at least six people including two African Union soldiers were injured in an

explosion at an airport.

In an interview with VOA’s Somali service, Beledweyne police commander Colonel Ali Dhuh Abdi said an explosion occurred at the entrance of the airport, while security forces thwarted others.

“A laptop packed with explosives exploded at the front gate of the airport, as the security officers were trying to inspect a car carrying the device, injuring four Somalis and two Djiboutian African Union peacekeepers,” Abdi told VOA.

Somali policemen look at the wreckage of a car at the scene of an explosion following an attack in Somalia’s capital, Mogadishu, on Wednesday. PHOTO: AP.

46

Thursday, 10 March, 2016

Editor: Ganiyu Salman tribunesporteditor@yahoo.com 08053789060

Rio Olympics: Nigeria to

Falcons’ goalkeeper, Ibubeleye Whyte.

pick men’s team slot ahead Egypt

By Olawale Olaniyan

No permanent shirts in Falcons —Chiejine

S

UPER Falcons assistant coach, Ann Chiejine has declared that there will be no permanent or automatic shirts for any players in the team.

Chiejine stated that the team is shaping up with all home-based players already in camp, while the foreignbased players are expected.

“They are responding to training. Despite the fact that we just started full training on Monday, I am very sure that within a little time, they will be able to get there.

“Despite the fact that the league season has not been on, I am happy about the response of the players to the training programme.

The way they are putting everything they have into the training sessions, I feel with time they will be able to get to where we want them to be,” she told thenff.com.

The former Falcons’ number one opined that there is still enough time to put the team in shape ahead of the AWC qualifiers.

“We have about a month

Pinnick lauds Mimiko, as NFF moves AGM to Ondo PRESIDENT of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Mr Amaju Pinnick, has lauded the Ondo State governor, Dr Olusegun Mimiko for his support towards football development in the state, even as Ondo State has been announced as the choice host of the NFF 2016 Annual General Meeting.

Pinnick gave the commendation on Wednesday at the International Conference Centre, The Dome, in Akure, during the unveiling of programmes of the Academy wing of the Ondo State Football Agency (OSFA).

The programmes unveiled include the Goalkeeper Academy, Beach Soccer, Female League, U-15 Secondary School League and the Community Shield, all designed to discover talents in the state.

Pinnick noted that Mimiko has continued to invest in football development despite the harsh economic situation.

Congratulating Mimiko on his government’s achievements in sports, Pinnick, pledged the NFF’s support for the programmes of the state’s sports academy, adding that “by the powers conferred on me as the NFF president, come October 2016, we will be having our AGM here”.

Mimiko in his remarks thanked the NFF president for identifying with the state, just as he promised to continue to support football and sports in general.

Mimiko while reiterating his resolve to take youths off the streets said “you’re our today, you’re our future and we will do everything to

safeguard you”.

In his address, the state Commissioner for Youth Development and Sports, Dayo Awude stated that the programmes unveiled are designed to further discover talents, adding that “in Ondo State, we don’t poach or hijack stars, we mould and export them to the world”.

Also speaking, the NFF vice president, Barrister Seyi Akinwumi who coordinated the exercise described the programmes as the opening of a new vista in football development in Nigeria; while the chairman of the Ondo State Football Association, Otunba Dele Ajayi pledged the support of his association towards the successful execution of the laudable programmes.

before the first match in the qualification series and with all that we are teaching them right now, they’ll be able to cope before that time.”

She warned all invited players to brace up as selection will be on merit.

“We spoke with the head coach and we all agreed to make it an open contest.

It’s a new set of technical crew. No permanent jersey for anybody. You’ll have to come and fight for a jersey.

“We have 27 home-based players while we are waiting for the professionals to come. So, when they come they will have to fight to get their jersey.

“This is why we are trying to see how we can blend the young, the old and the new together,” Chiejine, who was in goal when the Falcons first won the Women’s Nations Cup in 1998 said.

THERE are strong indications that the performance of Team Nigeria at the just-concluded ITTF World Team Championship has placed the West African giant ahead of Egypt in the eventual qualification for the men’s team event of Rio 2016 Olympic Games.

At the last Olympic Games in London, Egypt represented Africa in the team events (men and women) ahead of Nigeria who had always been hoisting the continent’s flag.

With Nigeria’s outing in Malaysia coupled with the ranking of its players – Aruna Quadri and Segun Toriola, the coast is now clear for Nigeria to compete in the team event of the Olympics.

The two qualified Egyptian players for the Olympic Games – Omar and Khaled Assar are ranked below Quadri and Toriola in the March rankings released by ITTF this week.

Quadri is rated 30th, while Omar Assar placed 36th in the rankings. Toriola, who has been out of the rankings list for his inactivity in recent

times made an emphatic return on the list to occupy 116 in the rankings, while Khaled Assar is rated 256th in the world.

According to the Olympic Team Rankings rules, the team ranking is based on the rating points of the three highest Olympic eligible rated players of each association, rated on the current individual world ranking lists.

The rules states further: “Even if an association has only one or two players rated on the individual world rankings list, the team of that association is still ranked. Players not eligible to represent their National Olympic Committee at the Olympic Games are not taken into consideration. The final ranking order is determined by the total number of points earned by each of the teams. Where there are tied teams, in the first instance those virtual team matches between the tied teams are considered to resolve the tie.

If there is still a tie, then the total individual matches won against all opposing teams is then considered.”

Nigeria’s Aruna Quadri

S/Africa U-17 girls land in Abuja THE delegation of South Africa’s Bantwana to Saturday’s FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup qualifier against Nigeria’s Flamingoes landed in Abuja from Johannesburg in the early hours of Wednesday.

NFF’s Acting Director of Competitions, Bola Oyeyode, told thenff.com that the South African Football Association (SAFA),

had earlier booked Hotel Bentley, Utako, Abuja for the delegation. He said the team would have the official training at the mainbowl of the National Stadium, Abuja, tomorrow.

Oyeyode also confirmed that the Gambian referees appointed for the match, led by referee Isatou Touray, would fly into Abuja, tomorrow from Banjul.

Also, Gambians Abbie Ceesay and Jainaba Manneh will serve as assistant referee one and assistant referee two respectively, while Ghanaian Christine Enyonam Ziga who serves as reserve referee is expected to land in Abuja today.

The match commissioner is Sabine Marie Isabelle Tall Zoungrana from Burkina Faso.

47

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“In the sixties when I began the practice of Law, appointment to the Bench was strictly on merit.

At that time, appointments were by invitations… The advantages of this were obvious. Firstly as stated earlier, it ensured that only the brilliant and of proven integrity were so invited.”

HIS week, in continuation of my discussion on the factors responsible for the loss by the public in the justice delivery system, I intend to examine the process of appointment of judges with focus on the need for transparency in the process. The reason for this is simple. Judges interpret the law and perhaps are rightly seen as the face of the law. When the Justice delivery system of any country is questioned, Judges, as is presently the case in Nigeria, attract a lot of scrutiny.

APPOINTMENT OF JUDGES By the provisions of Section 271(1) & (2) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (As Amended) the Governor of a State is empowered to appoint Judges into the High Court of a State upon the recommendation of the National Judicial Council (NJC). Such a person must however have been qualified as a Legal Practitioner for a period of not less than ten years. The provisions of the Constitution appear to present the issue of the appointment of Judges to be a straightforward matter. However there exists a large pool of qualified Legal Practitioners from which appointments to the Bench could be made. This therefore entails that a process be put in place to ensure that only the best hands and materials eventually make it to the Bench. In my estimation it is the strength or otherwise of this process that has the most profound effect on the Independence of the Judiciary.

APPOINTMENTS IN DAYS GONE BYE In the sixties when I began the practice of Law, appointment to the Bench was strictly on merit. At that time, appointments were by invitations. Judges were always quick to identify Legal Practitioners who possessed sterling qualities suitable for appointment to the Bench. Aside from sound knowledge of the law, integrity and honour marked out and propelled many Judges appointed in those

T

OFR, CON, SAN, LL.D, D.Litt

A don, Dr Abubakar Aliagan, has called for adequate security in all cemeteries in Kwara State as a result of ‘increasing cases of exhumation of body parts of the dead at various cemeteries in Ilorin.’

However, is the capacity of cops in Nigeria sufficient to take care of the living, not to talk of the dead? Ask the students of Babington Macauley Junior Seminary, Ikorodu, or Toyin Nwosu.

afeonthursday

aareafe@gmail.com

Justice: Loss of public confidence — Need to review the process of appointment of justice (8) days to the Bench. Indeed one of the foremost, most upright, courageous and incorruptible Judges to grace the Bench in Nigeria, the recently departed Honourable Justice Kayode Eso in his book “The Mystery Gunman” described how he was invited to the Bench. At pages 173174 of the Book the late Jurist stated as follows: “Sit down please, I hope you are well?” he inquired.

The Chief Justice was already in his chambers. He had cultivated the habit of getting to court very early, to enable him sit at 9:00am prompt. Except he was ill, and he was not known to have been once, he would be in his chambers by 8:30am at the latest.

“Very well sir,” I answered, still with concealed trepidation.

“How long do you think this case will take?” he asked.

“You had better finish today”, cut in the Chief Justice, very sharply, smiling rather mischievously. “For I have already recommended your name to the Premier for appointment as an acting judge,” the Chief Justice continued, without waiting for my reaction.

The reply to my recommendation arrived yesterday and the Governor will be ready to swear you in next week. The instrument is already prepared.”

You do not need to be grateful to me. It is your work that has done it. The Judges here have had an eye on you for some time. They report so favourably on your brilliant performance”.

Similarly in 1975, Hon. Justice Oyemade, the Chief Judge of Western State invited me

to the bench. However, I politely rejected the offer.

I am certain that most Judges appointed at that time had identical or similar experiences. The advantages of this were obvious. Firstly as stated earlier, it ensured that only the brilliant and of proven integrity were so invited. Judges afterall would be able to distinguish between Lawyers who had a preponderance to offer them bribes or engage in other untoward practices to influence their judgements from those who would meticulously and diligently prosecute the cases of their clients within the confines of the law and the rules of court. Secondly, it ensured that those who eventually honoured such invitations were those who were really interested in making a career on the bench and contributing their quota to national development. In some cases, as it was with Justice Eso, such appointees gave up thriving private practices to take up Judicial appointments. In doing so they found more motivation and inspiration in what they could give to the development of the law from the Bench.

At the present moment, appointment to the Bench is seen by many as an easy way out from the demands of private law practice. Some aspire to the Bench to enjoy the perquisites of judicial office without giving adequate thought to the demands and responsibilities of the position. Yet it is from this pool of persons that appointments must be made. Perhaps the general downturn in the economy has further made matters

worse, but the reality is that no matter the thoroughness that goes into the selection process put in place by the Judicial Service Commissions of the States in conjunction with the National Judicial Council, the margin of error will remain high.

Furthermore, the fact that appointments are made by the Governor upon the recommendation of the National Judicial Council is one capable of abuse and therefore further eroding the independence of the Judiciary.

From the clear wordings of Section 270(2) the appointment is made by the Governor.

All that the National Judicial Council does is to recommend based on factors such as vacancies and suitability of candidates. Where the Governor proceeds to make the appointment based upon the recommendation of the Council, the appointee may feel a sense of loyalty to the Governor who appointed him. In a situation in which a Governor serves long enough to appoint a vast majority of Judges in the State Judiciary then the whole judiciary might be inclined to do the bidding of the government one way or the other. One of the cardinal rules of the principle of natural justice is that a person cannot be a judge in his own cause. However suits are daily filed in courts against governments in which Judges appointed by the said governments are expected to adjudicate. To a large extent most judges acquit themselves well in such circumstances. However the effect of those who do not reverberate more than those who do.

To be continued...

European clubs don’t believe in black coaches —Siasia NIGERIA head coach, Samson Siasia has said there are only a handful of black coaches working in Europe because the clubs there do not believe in them.

Siasia got reappointed as Nigeria national team coach in an interim capacity in the wake of the shock resignation of Sunday Oliseh recently.

The Bayelsa State-born ex-international first coached the Super Eagles in 2010, before he was fired the following year after Nigeria failed to qualify for the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) staged in Gabon and Equatorial Guinea.

Before getting his coaching badges in the United States of America and Europe, Siasia played for French club, Nantes as well as Lokeren in Belgium, while he also

featured at the 1994 World Cup in the USA. The former Flying Eagles coach, said European clubs don’t have confidence in black coaches.

“I want to believe that the reasons there are not many black coaches working in Europe are because the European clubs hardly give us a chance and they do not believe in us.

“Many of us have not only played at the highest level in Europe, but have excelled, but even when we get our coaching badges there, these clubs still don’t give us the break we need to show what we can do outside the pitch.

“We have many ex-African players with French nationality, but I can only recall

(Claude) Makalele who was at Bastia and that was it.

“Where is John Barnes with all he achieved at Liverpool and even though he grew up in England and played for that country? He was not given much of a chance there as a coach.

“Where is another black coach, Chris Houghton? Where is he now?

“Many of us have good records as players and then coaches, but because the European clubs do not believe in us, we end up having to do something else.

“And even where they give us a chance, they are quick to dispense with us.

“Something is really not right, but I don’t want to put any name to it,” he said.

Siasia

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. 10/03/2016.