10th August, 2016

NIGERIA’S MOST INFORMATIVE NEWSPAPER NO 16,564 WEDNESDAY, 10 AUGUST, 2016 www.tribuneonlineng.com

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FG bans PTA High profile crimes Chairmanship development AGF orders —P3 More crisis looms levies, compilation of for South-West realigns PDP —P33 fees in unity pending cases schools —P32 •Meets with prosecuting agencies •Ogundipe-led exco disowns zoning

We are not aware of budget padding —Presidency —Pp3,6

•As 9 ministers rise in stiff defence of FG's economic recovery plan •At town hall meeting, participants lament Nigerians suffering hardship, hunger No plan to increase petrol pump price —NNPC —P29

Man docked for selling 7 kids at N.4m —P37

Globacom's Executive Director, Special Projects, Mr Mike Jituboh (second left) with the Nigerian Telecoms Hall of Fame (Platinum Award) trophy which he received on behalf of Globacom's Chairman, Dr Mike Adenuga Jr., from Chief Biodun Ajiboye (second right), Executive Chairman of Logica Communications Limited and organisers of the award, at Globacom’s hi-tech one-stop customer service centre, Gloworld, Victoria Island, Lagos. With them are Commercial Coordinator, Enterprise Business, Mr Folu Aderibigbe (left) and the Manager, Glo Public Sector, Mrs Justina Abdulateef.

CBN limits forex sales to BDCs at $30,000 per week —P11

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Wednesday, 10 August, 2016

3 news We are not aware of budget padding—Presidency

Wednesday, 10 August, 2016

Kolawole Daniel -Abuja

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HE Presidency, on Tuesday, said it knew nothing about the ongoing crisis rocking the National Assembly over budget padding.

Senior Special Assistant to the president on Senate Matters, Senator Ita Enag, who responded to questions from newsmen after a closed-door meeting with the All Progressives Congress (APC) leadership, at the party’s

national secretariat, insisted that the presidency was executing the original Appropriation Act passed by the National Assembly.

The House was enmeshed in budget padding allegation after the removal of chairman of the Ap-

propriation, Honourable Abdulmumini Jibrin, who accused the Speaker, Hon. ourable Yakubu Dogara; his deputy, Lasun Yusuf and two other principal officers of the House of padding the budget.

According to him, “the

High profile crimes: AGF orders compilation of pending cases Meets with prosecuting agencies Sunday Ejike -Abuja THE Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, on Tuesday, directed the various agencies with prosecutorial powers to submit to him the list of pending cases they were currently handling at the various courts across the country.

The essence of the directive, the AGF said, was to determine which of the cases falls within the category of high profile cases to be taken over by the National Prosecution Coordination Committee (NPCC) set up recently by the Federal Government.

Malami met with the agencies in his office on Monday, in Abuja, to brief them on the exigency and existence of the committee and to fashion out a working synergy between the committee and the agencies.

The Head of Communication and Public Affairs of the NPCC, Comrade Salihu Othman Isah, who doubles as the Special Adviser to the AGF, said in a statement that Malami’s message to the agencies was read by the Special Assistant to the President on Research and Special Project attached to the Federal Ministry of Justice, Mr Sylvester Imhanobe, who is also the secretary of the committee.

Agencies present at the meeting were the Nigeria Police, Department of State Services (DSS)), Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Independent Corrupt Practices & other related offences Commission (ICPC) and the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS).

The AGF explained further that for a case to be tagged high profile, it must have overriding public interest elements, adding also that he (AGF) determined what case was tagged a high profile case.

Malami said sometimes, the quantum of value of a case and its sensitivity also determined a high profile case.

According to him, members of the committee were mainly his aides, as well as eight external members selected on the basis of experi-

ence and expertise, stressing that heads of agencies were not part of the NPCC, due to their busy schedules.

Malami stressed that the intention was not to distract the heads of these agencies, but engender smooth synergy between the committee and the agencies.

The Special Assistant to the President on Coordination and International Affairs under the Federal Ministry of

Justice, Mr Pius Oteh, who chaired the meeting, said it was held to sensitise relevant agencies on the objectives of the National Prosecution Coordination Committee.

Oteh emphasised that the AGF, in his wisdom, saw the need for coordination and cooperation between the NPCC and the agencies with prosecutorial and investigative powers, saying “it is necessary for cooperation

and synergy between the committee and the agencies consistent with the mandate of President Muhammadu Buhari in the anti-graft war.”

He said beyond the synergy and partnership between all concerned, a robust interface between the agencies was necessary and pointed out that the agencies should take their mandate seriously for a more vigorous and efficient prosecution.

Togo industry responsible for invasion of water hyacinth in Nigeria —Don Tola Adenubi -Lagos A former Deputy Vice Chancellor of the University of Lagos, Professor Babajide Alo, has revealed that the invasion of water hyacinth witnessed in Nigeria is due to the releasing of waste into the sea by a fertiliser industry based in Lome, Togo.

According to a statement signed on Tuesday, by the Deputy Director, Public Affairs of Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Hajia Lami Tumaka, the former UNILAG don stated this during a meeting in Lagos between the Director-General of NIMASA, Dr Dakuku Peterside and members of the National Task Force for the Implementation of the Ballast Water Management Convention 2004, headed by Professor Babajide Alo.

According to the statement, “Chairman of the National Task Force, Professor Babajide Alo explained that the issues of invasive species on Nigeria’s water bodies have become worrisome.”

According to him, “studies have shown that water hyacinth invasion in Nigeria, for instance, was as a result of a fertiliser industry in Lome, Togo, which normally pumps its waste into the sea.”

He, therefore, advised that Nigeria had to take a holistic approach to the issue by considering the entire Gulf of Guinea while seeking solutions to tackling the menace.

In his address, Dr Peterside called on stakeholders to protect the marine environment from alien invasive species that were conveyed into Nigeria’s territorial waters as ballast

24 Benue students denounce cult membership Johnson Babajide -Makurdi NO fewer than 24 students of various higher institutions in Benue State, on Tuesday, denounced membership of cult groups.

The students were received by the state Commissioner of Police, Mr Bashir Makama, alongside all heads of higher institutions, including Benue State University (BSU) and University of Agriculture Makurdi.

The police boss advised the students not to go back to their old ways and avoid the company of cult members .

The CP, who commended the students for the step taken, assured them of adequate security on and off the campus and charged them to report any threat to their lives.

Speaking at the event, which took place at the Police Officers Mess in Makurdi, the Provost of College of Education, Katsina Ala and Rector, College of Advance and Professional Studies CAPS, Makurdi, Dr Mathias Nder and Dr Tyotom Keghku respectively commended the efforts of Campus Cult Eradication Foundation.

water from ships.

He restated NIMASA’s commitment towards ensuring that the sustainability of the environment was always at the front burner while shipping activities were carried out in the country. The NIMASA D-G also called on stakeholders to be mindful of activities that could lead to the deterioration of the marine environment.

budget, as assented to by Mr President, is the budget as passed by the National Assembly and that is the budget being executed.”

On why he was at the national secretariat of the party, he said: “we are here on the invitation of the leadership of the APC with my colleagues to bring answers to issues raised by the party from the 2016 Appropriation. And we have been with the party for a little over three hours and we have given explanation on every issue that there was, to our knowledge, no padding of the budget.”

The budget padding allegation, he added, was being handled as party affairs, saying,”but as at now, the party is handling it as a domestic issue.”

To this end, he noted that the party had enjoined them not to speak on the matter, saying, “all of us are enjoined not to make public comment on the details of it because the matter is still under consideration.”

On why they will not go into details of the matter, he said, “we will not want to go into the details of it so that we will not breach the ethics of the party, the directives of the party or pre-empt everything, any outcome by the party.”

Buhari eulogises Gen Ogundeko Leon Usigbe -Abuja PRESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari, on Tuesday, paid tribute to the pioneer Director-General of the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS), Kuru, Major General Timothy Babatunde Ogundeko, describing him as a pacesetter in strategic leadership training.

A statement issued by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, in Abuja, said as Ogundeko’s remains are laid to rest this weekend, the president believes that he will be long remembered for his towering role as an educationist and public administrator, who immensely contributed to the procedure and processes of training potential leaders in the security and socio-political environment of Nigeria.

The president affirmed that with his tireless efforts and foresight, Ogundeko transformed the Nigerian Army Education Corps for the benefit of the Service and the nation; and his legendary role in the establishment of Command Secondary Schools was well appreciated.

Again, FG clarifies approved forex rate for pilgrimage Christian Okeke -Abuja THE Federal Government, on Tuesday, again, said what it did in the forex approval for this year’s pilgrimage was to allow the exchange rate prevalent at the time of payment of Hajj fare in February when the current flexible exchange rate was not activated to subsist.

The clarification came amidst continuing controversy over the approval.

It was a follow-up to earlier clarifications made on the matter by the spokesman of the National Hajj Commission (NAHCON), Uba Mana, as well as the Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu.

On Tuesday, the chairman of National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON), Alhaji Abdullahi Mukhtar, provided more insight into the government’s decision.

Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed had announced that Mukhtar was dispatched by the Presidency to throw more light on the matter during a live broadcast of special town hall meeting/ policy dialogue on the implementation of the 2016

Budget organized by the Federal Ministry of Information and Culture in collaboration with the Alumni Association of the National Institute (AANI) in Abuja.

Mukhtar said that the rate had been approved before the current foreign exchange regime came into effect.

He disclosed that transaction was sealed with the Central Bank of Nigeria on

March 18 this year to use the then prevailing rate for the pilgrimage.

According to him, it took up to five months to prepare for the pilgrimage and the decision taken when the new forex exchange rate was not yet in existence, and when intending pilgrims had already made payments which were domiciled in the apex bank.

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FEATURES

Wednesday, 10 August, 2016

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Wednesday, 10 August, 2016

9 ministers in stiff defence of FG’s economic recovery plan

•At town hall meeting, participants lament Nigerians suffering hardship, hunger Sanya Adejokun and Christian Okeke - Abuja

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INE ministers present at the town hall meeting held in Abuja, on Tuesday, made strong defence of the economic recovery plans of President Muhammadu Buhari’s government.

The ministers also defended the conservative borrowing by the administration to invest in capital projects.

Leading them were Ministers of Finance, Kemi Adeosun; Budget and National Planning, Udoma Udoma; Agriculture and Rural Development, Audu Ogbeh and the Minister of Environment, Amina Mohammed.

Others at the meeting, organised by the Federal Ministry of Information and Culture, in collaboration with the Alumni Association of National Institute, were Ministers of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed; Power, Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola; Solid Minerals, Dr Kayode Fayemi; Health, Professor Isaac Adewole and Foreign Affairs, Mr Geofrey Onyema.

The Sultan of Sokoto and chairman, AANI Heritage Council, Alhaji Mohammed Sa’ad Abubakar, chaired the meeting and was accompanied by the Etsu Nupe, Alhaji Yahaya Abubakar.

The ministers rose in vigorous defence of the Federal Government in its plans to provide answers to the current economic hardship at the town hall meeting.

There were, however, altercations between seven ministers and members of the audience, as a number of them joined issues with the ministers over perceived incongruity in their claims with prevalent stark socioeconomic realities in the country.

Minister of Budget and National Planning, Senator Udoma, had set the ball rolling, when he gave an insight into the whopping sums of fund so far released to breathe life into critical sectors of the economy.

He said aside from the N102 billion given to the power, works, and housing, defence got N50 billion; transport, N23 billion; agriculture, N21 billion; special intervention programme, N15 billion; Niger Delta, N9 billion, while water received N5.9 billion.

While confirming the receipt of the allocation, Fashola described the amount as nothing com-

pared with the huge expectations of Nigerians from his ministry.

Most federal roads remain in a deplorable state, while power outage has become a recurring decimal across the country, with its heavy toll on the productive sector of the economy.

Fashola said he inherited 206 federal roads, which were under construction and valued at N2.1 trillion, noting that N700 billion had, so far, been paid to contractors and other allied interests who received nothing in two years out of the amount before July 29.

According to him, the release of the fund was why the contractors returned to sites on the Lagos-Ibadan; Port Harcourt-Enugu; Ilorin-Jeba; Kano-Maiduguri and Kano-Katsina roads.

The minister noted that the government had moved from spending between 10 to 15 per cent of its annual budget on capital projects to 30 per cent.

He also stated that fiscal

discipline and increased budgetary size remained the way out for improved infrastructure in the country.

Fashola disclosed that the contractor had already returned to site at Damboa power transmission site in Borno State, which was abandoned as a result of insurgency and promised to deliver the project by December.

Replying a question from the audience as to why the president combined the three departments under one ministry, Fashola said the plan was to reduce the cost of running government, adding that works and housing had worked together, while what was left for him to do in the power sector was to complete the privatisation as well as work on the transmission sub-sector.

“My job in the Ministry of Power is supervisory and directional. The sector is no longer government-driven but government-regulated.”

He, however, said anyone who had complaint should

rather ask the president who merged the ministries and assigned him to head them.

Minister of Finance, Adeosun, said that the ministry was on the verge of releasing additional N100 billion to the various sectors of the economy.

She said the fund was, nonetheless, not enough, leaving the government with an option of looking for ways of attracting private capital for development.

She lamented that the country was behind in infrastructural development and the fund available to government was limited and as such, the government could not afford to waste money.

Adeosun traced the journey to the current state of economy to more than seven years ago when successive government gave more premium to recurrent expenditure to the detriment of capital spend.

She said, however, that government had decided to reverse the trend with increased capital expenditure

and diversification of the economy from the current mono-product status.

She alluded to the fact that about N165 billion was expended monthly to offset salaries of workers with only about 10 per cent of the 2016 budget voted for capital projects, noting, however, that despite cutting down the amount being spent on salaries from the N165 billion to a bout N159 billion, she kept signing memo on removal of more ghost workers from payroll each month.

Insisting that the country could not afford to waste money at this time, Adeosun lamented that it spent a meagre N90 billion on roads and did not operate producing economy.

According to her, the ways to come out of the present economic recession was by being disciplined in expenditure, investment in capital projects and diversification of the economy.

We’re not thinking

of budget review —Udoma

The Budget and National Planning minister, Senator Udoma, ruled out an immediate re-working of the 2016 budget despite current economic realities.

So far, he said government had released more than N330 billion for capital projects, inclusive of the capital in statutory transfers.

Although, the disparity between projected revenue and actual receipts in the last two quarters was obvious, the government, he said, was optimistic that the current situation would not prevail for long.

According to him, government would only consider a review when there were clear indications of persistent fall in revenue expectations.

While admitting that government was worried about the current trend, Udoma said government was keeping close watch, particularly on the economic indicators.

The minister said, however, that if the downward trajectory persisted, government might make reasonable adjustments to accord with prevailing realities.

He said in spite of the dwindling resources, government was determined to use the budget as an instrument to reflate the economy, which was why the budget was backed up with a Strategic Implementation Plan (SIP) to fundamentally address the challenges.

We are ready to engage Nigerians on govt’s policies —Lai Mohammed

From left, Ministers of Environment, Hajia Amina Muhammed; Power, Works and Housing, Mr Babatunde Fashola; Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed; Finance, Mrs Kemi Adeosun and the Budget and National Planning, Senator Udoma Udo Udoma, during the town hall meeting, held at the Shehu Musa Yar’Adua Centre, Abuja, on Tuesday.

Commuters groan as BRT drivers protest salary delay in Lagos COMMUTERS in Lagos, on Tuesday, groaned as drivers of the state Bus Rapid Transport (BRT) downed tools over alleged delay of their salary.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reported that the scheme, being operated by Primero Transport Services Limited, provided bus services on dedicated lanes or corridor in the metropolis.

The company, which began operation in November 2015, has 434 buses in its fleet and more than 2,000 staff.

Some of the drivers told NAN that they were pro-

testing delayed salary payment, alleged unfavourable conditions of service and poor welfare.

When NAN visited the Majidun, Ikorodu depot of the transport company, hundreds of drivers had converged on the bus corridor and barricaded it to prevent movement.

Also, buses belonging to the company were seen parked outside.

A driver, Mr Julius Adejire, told NAN that “for the past days, we have been waiting for our salary for July, but up to this moment, we have not received alert for the payment. The funny

thing is that as of Monday evening, we discovered that some other staffers, including the engineers and ground staff, have been receiving alert but the drivers have not received ours. Can we drive this bus with an empty stomach?”

Adejire said apart from delayed salary, the drivers wanted improved welfare and working conditions.

Another driver, Mathew Oyeyemi, told NAN that the alleged delayed salary had made it difficult for him to offset the medical bills of his daughter who was recently involved in an accident.

Attempts by the company’s Managing Director, Mr Fola Tinubu, to have the protesting drivers resume work failed, as the drivers denied being calmed.

Mr Tinubu hinged the delay in salary payment on an error on the part of the banking institution handling the disbursement, adding that the money should be in their accounts by now.

On the allegation of reviewed salary structure, Tinubu said the company’s management took the decision to review the salary to instil discipline in the protesting drivers.

Information Minister and moderator of the meeting, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, said government was ever ready to engage with Nigerians and to explain its policies and actions as well as seek inputs from the people for the better governance of the country.

He was delighted that instead of joining the band of fault-finders and traditional critics of government, the alumni decided to constructively engage with government towards finding solutions and contributing to the growth of the economy.

He said by their decision to hear from the government, ask questions and also make their own input, the institute chose to be a part of the solution rather than to compound the challenges. continues I pg8

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Wednesday, 10 August, 2016

Lagosmetro

Nigerian Tribune

Edited By

Lanre Adewole

olanreade@yahoo.com

0811 695 4647

Demolition of illegal structures, over 350 illegal shops begins

•As 7-day ultimatum expires Bola Badmus

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AGOS State Building Control Agency and Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development in collaboration with State Task Force on Environmental Sanitation (Task Force) on Tuesday commenced demolition of

illegal structures and over 350 illegal shops constructed under high tension cables at Oba Wahab Ayinde Balogun Modern Market, Isheri-Olofin area of the state.

The Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development had about two weeks ago issued a 7-day ultimatum to those affected;

warning that it would not spare any structure at its expiration and that the cost of carrying out the exercise would be borne by the owners.

This is just as Chairman of Task, Olayinka Egbeyemi, while carrying out supervision of the exercise, warned both residents and traders

to vacate and stop trading or living under high tension cables across the state.

Public Affairs Officer of the Task Force, Mr Taofiq Adebayo, in a statement made available to Lagos Metro, said Egbeyemi confirmed that residents and traders of the affected structures and shops/shanties were served

Mothers in bloody fight, drench each other with hot water •She aborted for my husband –Wife Opeyemi Owoaseye TWO mothers in Abule-Oja area of Yaba in Lagos State are now nursing their scars after they reportedly drenched each other with hot water during a fight.

Both tenants in the same compound, Muyibat and Rashidat, are not only patients in hospital due to the scars that followed the fight, but subjects of investigation by the Office of Public Defender (OPD).

Lagos Metro learnt that the fight occurred sometimes in June and one of the parties reported the case to the agency for redress.

A lawyer, Korede Adenuga who read the petition to the hearing of both of them said that Muyibat’s husband wrote a petition against Bashirat.

According to the agency’s legal adviser “It was based on that petition that we invited you, usually, what we do in our office is to write a letter of invitation to you, but because of the peculiarity in the case, and because there are pictures, we saw a need to act fast.”

Muyibat told Lagos Metro she was not responsible for the hot water poured on Bashirat, and that it was Bashirat who wanted to snatch her husband from her.

She explained that, “My child was crying in the passage on that fateful day.

Then, Yunus (Bashirat’s younger brother) came out and shouted at him, so I told him to stop shouting at my child, and that he couldn’t be cheating both mother and son at the same time.

I told him that after all, he also usually shouts in the passage. I went inside immediately because we are not friends.

“That was how Bashirat started shouting and curs-

ing me. She also threatened to pour what I was cooking on me. As she was coming towards my direction, I removed the water that I was boiling and put it on the table. I wanted to take the water inside because it was getting dark. She held me from behind and poured the water on me. So, I put the water on the ground and was crying in pain.

“From what I heard, Bashirat told someone in our compound that she was once married to my husband in heaven (Oko Orun) and that she has aborted for him before, and because of that she won’t allow me enjoy my husband. ” Meanwhile, Rashidat said that Muyibat was the real trouble maker.

She said, “what happened that very day was that; “I was asleep when my baby woke me around 7:00 p.m. that he wanted to eat. As I was trying to make something for him, Toyibat and her husband came back from an outing. While her husband went outside, her child came to meet my child and was trying to play with him. I didn’t know what happened; suddenly she called her child inside. The boy did not answer her. She beat the boy and dragged him inside and he started crying. “‘I was trying to explain to our neighbours the reason for our argument when she took the kettle and poured the hot water on me. Somebody shouted, (Bashirat, hot water). As I raised my hands, it hit the kettle, I think that was how the water also poured on her.

“She took the bottom of a knife and pot and hit me with it. That was how my brother came to separate us. She bit my brother, took my phones, snatched them on the floor and I drew her hair.”

Rashidat added that, “I am

•She is a trouble-maker –Neighbour

not interested in her husband.”

The case was reported at Sabo police station.

Muyibat insisted that the case should be forwarded to the court while Bashirat said that the case should be settled amicably in the OPD, adding that she was for peace.

The Director, Office of the Public Defender (OPD), Mrs Olubukola Oyenike Salami, confirmed the incident.

She said, “This is a sad case of intolerance which breeds domestic violence with devastating consequences.

This horrific incident was totally avoidable as either of the parties could have just walked away and lodged a formal complaint at the nearest police station, but no, they decided to take laws into their hands.”

The Lagos Police Spokesperson, Dolapo Badmos also confirmed the case, adding that they were given medical paper for treatment, but they have not reported back to the station.

adequate statutory notices before the demolition exercise, contrary to claims by affected people.

Egbeyemi also said residents and traders were allowed to remove their goods and properties, saying the exercise was carried out by the government in order to protect lives and properties of people living in the state.

Speaking on the demolition exercise, the Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Abiola Anifowoshe, expressed government’s determination to rid the state of illegal developments, and maintain a liveable and friendly environment.

According to Anifowoshe, in a statement made available by the ministry’s public affairs officer, Mr Sina Odunuga, “having residential buildings or conducting business under High Tension Power Lines constitute danger to lives and properties that could have fatal consequences.”

Anifowoshe, however, called on those who had structures within the way of public utilities to start removing them now or face the full consequences of the law. He added that “illegal structures situated under high tension lines in other parts of the state will be removed.”

Scene of demolition.

Lagos no-go-area for your activities, Obas tell vandals, kidnappers Laud Ambode, security agencies over rescued monarch Bola Badmus LAGOS State Council of Obas and Chiefs led by Oba of Lagos, Oba Rilwan Akiolu I, on Tuesday warned vandals and kidnappers to steer clear of the state and also commended the efforts of the state governor, Mr Akinwunmi Ambode, and the security agencies on the successful rescue of the Oniba of Iba, Oba Goriola Oseni.

Oba Akiolu said this at the Lagos House, Ikeja when he and his colleagues were on a visit to the governor to commend him for the role he played towards the rescue of the Oniba of Iba. Akiolu while sounding a note of warning to kidnappers, stated that the security apparatus in the state had

been fortified to wage war against every form of criminality anywhere in the state.

“It is in their interest to desist and look for other legal ventures to make ends meet. The mere fact that the economy appears not to be okay does not mean that you resort to criminality. Everybody is at alert now, we are on their trail now and with the encouragement given by the Chief of Naval Staff, the NSA and the IGP, they will be tracked down to anywhere they are,” he said.

The monarch also said, “we thank God almighty for sparing our lives to enable us see today and for bringing one of us back home, Oba Oniba, who was kidnapped. We have come to

say a big thank you to the Governor of Lagos State, the Commissioner of Police, DOC 81 Division, the SSS and all other security forces and the entire Lagos State and Nigerians in general for the valuable information given to the police, which led to the successful operation which brought our colleague back.”

Responding, Governor Ambode said that the state government after learning of the incident deployed its security intelligence to unravel the circumstances surrounding the kidnap of Oba Oseni.

The monarch, however, urged traditional rulers in the state to see the incident as a call for greater attention to be paid to security,

noting that the business of protecting lives and property should not be left to the security agencies alone.

“We are happy because the governor did very well and the commissioner of police.

All the security agencies, even the navy, they did all that they could do but we still have to be at alert. Everybody must be prepared like the motto of the Boys Scout says; we are not going to take things for granted now,” Oba Akiolu said.

Governor Ambode, while commending Oba Akiolu and other members of the traditional institution in the state for the support and concern during the period, assured them that such incident would never occur in the state again.

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Wednesday, 10 August, 2016

9 ministers in stiff defence of FG’s economic recovery plan continued from pg4

We are aware there is hunger in the land —Ogbeh

Minister of Agriculture, Ogbeh, said the government was aware of the cry by citizens that there was hunger in the country and traced the genesis of the situation to 1986 when he alleged that Structural Adjustment Programme (SAP) midwifed devaluation and uncontrolled importation in the country.

He lamented that agriculture was abandoned to poor peasant farmers in the villages and expressed regrets that the country was working towards a situation where it had children whose brains were not properly developed with about 37 per cent of malnourished children.

Ogbeh disclosed that his ministry was working towards restructuring of the Bank of Agriculture, so as to bring down interest rate on loans to about five per cent.

According to him, the ministry was equally reviving ranches and raising grazing reserves where states agreed to them.

Lamenting the situation where over $1 billion was spent annually on importation of milk, the minister said as an informal trade, the country could not account for what was earned when it fed some African

countries such as Libya, Algeria, Chad and Mauritania before the Boko Haram insurgency broke out.

“I don’t believe in devaluation but there are people who believe in it and that we should further devalue. We are watching to see how this goes and I hope it does not get to N1,000 per dollar “Demand for dollars from Nigerians is $2.5 billionn a week, I was reliably told, but we don’t have it, we don’t print dollars and people are angry we don’t make it available,” he said.

This is an exciting time —Hajia Mohammed

In her speech, the Minister of Environment, Hajia Mohammed expressed surprise that many citizens “want us

to have changed things yesterday, and not even today,” stating that “this is an exciting time.”

The minister said she was satisfied that President Buhari had created the kind of environment where people could no longer steal public funds and where nobody needed to give anything to get something.

Also speaking, Minister of Solid Minerals, Dr Kayode Fayemi lamented that $3.3 billion was spent on importation of steel annually despite the fact that the country was rich in iron ore which was left to waste away for reasons he said the current administration could not explain.

He disclosed that the country had one of the best mining codes in the world in

terms of its clarity, incentive and focus, and expressed satisfaction that the country had achieved self-sufficiency in cement production and currently exporting same.

He, however, lamented the situation where the country, although a mineral-rich nation, was not a mining nation.

Participants at a the town hall meeting, however, stressed that there was hunger and hardship in the country, while asking for what government was doing to cushion the effects of the time.

Yar’Adua Centre, venue of the meeting, was filled to the brim, with many participants observing from the gallery and many others unable to find space.

Some participants who

spoke at the event, including a representative of the National Council on Women Society (NCWS), said the people at the grassroots, including women, were yet to get adequate information on the efforts of government.

They noted that the stakeholders’ engagements had alienated the critical segment which they said had powers to effect a change of government as it focused on the elite.

One of the participants and former Nigeria’s permanent representative to African South American Cooperation Forum (ASACOF) based in Caracas, Venezuela, Ambassador Christy Mbonu, said the country needed to understudy steps taken by Brazil and Israel in boosting their power sup-

ply and focus on tapping the abundant natural resources in the country.

She asked for government’s intervention in the area of provision of infrastructure in the country as well as provide intervention to the flood crisis at Lugbe community.

Another participant observed that the country’s education system was in a total mess, wondering why the Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu, was not invited to the meting.

The moment the event came to a close, some of the participants demonstrated hunger by scampering for food placed at the basement.

At a time, the situation became chaotic as they hit the door and pushed one another in the bid to grab food.

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businessnews

Wednesday, 10 August, 2016

BDCs to get maximum of $30,000 per week from single bank Chima Nwokoji-Lagos

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ENCEFORTH, Bureau De Change (BDC) operators shall buy foreign exchange (forex) cash from Authorized dealers (banks) to the maximum of $30,000 (Thirty Thousand United States Dollars) per week.

A BDC is allowed to nominate its preferred Authorized Dealer and can only buy the said amount from only that bank of its choice in a week.

This is even as the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), has directed all Authorized Dealers to stop accessing the Discount Window of the apex bank on the settlement date for government securities’ auctions.

The securities refereed to here are CBN bill, Nigerian Treasury Bills and Federal Government of Nigeria Bonds.

The bank said the discount window directive follows observed abuse of access to the CBN Standing Lending Facility (SLF) by Authorized Dealers. SLF is a lending window in which

Lagos State lauds Leadway Pensure PFA on best practice By ’Wale Olapade

NOTED for its promptness in delivering its pension obligations to beneficiaries, Leadway Pensure PFA was recently commended by the Lagos State Government for upholding best practice in the pension business.

The commendation which was in recognition of the organisation’s consistent and pro-activeness in paying the state government’s retirees’ terminal benefits and exemplary customer service displayed while conducting its operations, came during Lagos State Pension Commission (LASPEC )’s 49th Stakeholders meeting held recently in Lagos.

Speaking on the new feat, the Managing Director of Leadway Pensure PFA, Mrs Aderonke Adedeji, expressed gratitude to the commission for recognising and commending the Leadway Pensure PFA best practice in service delivery to customers and beneficiaries of the organisation pension scheme.

According to Adedeji, “this will encourage us to work tirelessly at taking our services to even greater heights.

“The future of all our clients is truly our passion and the driving force of all our activities.”

healthy banks are allowed to borrow all the money they want from a central bank.

A separate circular to Bureau De Change operators and banks signed by W.D. Gotring, Assistant Director, Trade and Exchange Department, CBN, available in it’s website on Tuesday stated that the selling rate by the Authorized Dealers(ADs) to BDCs shall be the buying rate from International

Money Transfer Operators (IMTO) plus a margin not exceeding 1.5 per cent.

Subject to maximum disbursement of $5,000 per transaction, it further stated that funds purchased by ADs shall be disbursed for the following eligible transactions only: Business Travel Allowance/Personal Travel Allowance; Overseas School fees and Overseas Medical fees.

According to the apex

bank, forex cash purchased

by BDCs from Authorized Dealers shall be sold to foreign exchange end users at a rate not exceeding two (2) per cent margin above the buying rate.

The two per cent margin it said shall be applicable to all funds to be retailed by BDCs regardless of sources of fund.

“All Authorized Dealers shall continue to render weekly returns on sales to BDCs and the BDCs shall

also continue to render weekly returns on purchases from ADs as specified in the attached excel format to Trade and Exchange Department, CBN, Abuja. Record shall be maintained for all transactions by the BDCs showing the BVN of the end-user, including endorsement of amount disbursed in the International Passport of the beneficiary,” the circular to The circular to all ADs and BDC operators read in part.

From left: Director, MAGVOILE vocational Embassy, Precious Ahiaba; Director, Trade and information, Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC), Abdullahi Aliyu; Senator Sani Shehu and CEO/Executive Director, NEPC, Segun Awolowo, during a stakeholders meeting on National “ZERO OIL “target in Abuja, on Tuesday. PHOTO: SUNDAY OSUNRAYI.

NEPC projects $150bn revenue from non oil export Tyavzua Saanyol-Abuja

AS the country continues to grapple with dwindling oil revenue, the Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC) has revealed strategies to contribute about $150 billion into Nigerian foreign reserve over the next ten years through aggressive exports of non-oil products.

During a roundtable discussion with local investors Tuesday in Abuja, the Executive Director of NEPC, Mr. Olusegun Awolowo disclosed that, the vision of the organization is to replace oil as the major national foreign exchange earner of Nigeria.

According to him, “our vision is to add an extra $150 billion into our foreign reserve within the next ten years.”

Awolowo revealed that the organization has put in place a program (OSOP) to identify at least one strategic export product in each state of the federation for the purpose of giving these products the necessary boost to meet export requirements.

He lamented that Nigeria has typically funded its rising import bills to the sum of $50 billion of its earn-

ing annually. “Nigeria has an export inertia problem that has brought the country to the present state of financial difficulties”.

Awolowo said NEPC is working with stakeholders and the focus is to look inwards as a strategy to reposition the economy for sustainable development using the Zero Oil Plan (ZOP).

He noted that the ZOP identifies 22 countries as markets for Nigerian products as well as 11 strategic products with high financial value to replace oil.

These products, Awolowo said include palm oil, cashew, cocoa, soya beans, rice, rubber, petro-chemical, leather among others.

The Executive Director added that Nigeria must

scale-up domestic production to unprecedented levels and create competitive channels to move cargos and get goods into foreign markets.

In his remarks, the leader of the delegation of local investors, Sen. Shehu Sani, lauded NEPC for its efforts to increase the country’s non-oil revenue.

BOA records over N20bn in bad loan Chima Nwokoji-Lagos

BOTH genuine and fake farmers who borrowed money from the Bank of Agriculture (BOA), took the loan as a national cake and failed to pay back, leaving the bank with over N20 billion bad loans.

Professor Danbala Danju Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Bank of Agriculture disclosed this on Tuesday.

Speaking at the “Back to Agriculture Conference,” organized by the Centre for Values in Leadership, Danju said the bank is therefore taking steps to strictly enforce the Know Your Customer (KYC) principle, to enable it identify genuine farmers and borrowers.

His words: “We need to verify the authenticity of

your claim, by taking your biometric information and the exact location of your farm. This information will then be keyed into a data bank whereby we send you information and receive information from you on when you plant, when you reap, what kind of fertilizer you need, what kind of market you need, such that we have a clue of what your harvest will be, what kind of support you need and be able to project what level of profit you are likely to make. This will enable us to structure your facilities and be able to reduce loan default.”

Danju who assumed office in July 2015 promised that the bank’s management is determined to modernize the bank of agriculture so that it will be

able to provide the services that are needed.

Though he said the BOA has some challenges, it is getting appropriate attention from the current administration of President Mohammadu Buhari, and is embarking on a modernization exercise in form of restructuring program that is already in place, but might take up to seven to eight months.

Meanwhile, the declining financial performance of the Bank of Agriculture deteriorated in 2015 as its losses shot up by 3,742 percent to N7.1 billion.

This was disclosed by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) in its Consolidated and Separate Financial Statements for the year ended 2015 released in April 2016.

Nigerian Tribune

Equities market indices down by 0.45% Kehinde AkinseindeJayeoba-Lagos

THE Nigerian equities market continued bearish on Tuesday, following a 0.45 per cent decline of lead market indicators, thus expanding the year to date losses by 4.78 per cent.

Specifically The NSE All-Share Index dipped 122.84 points or 0.45 percent to close at 27,272.14 basis points compared to 30.88 points dropped in previous session to close at 27,394.98 basis points.

The market capitalisation also lost 0.45 per cent or N42.2 billion to close at N9.366 trillion compared to a loss of N10.6 billion to close at N9.408 trillion on Monday.

Sterling Bank Plc led the day’s 31 declining stocks with a loss of 9.38 percent or 12 kobo to close at N1.16 per share. International Breweries Plc followed with a decrease of 5.0 percent or 95 kobo to close at N18.05 per share, MOBIL and MRS Oil Plc also dipped 5.0 percent each or N8.93 and N2.03 to close at N169.67 and N38.57 per share respectively.

NUT Oke-Bola microfinance bank holds maiden AGM, declares loss

By Joseph Ajayi

NIGERIAN Union of Teachers (NUT), Oke-Bola Microfinance Bank Limited, on Friday, held its first Annual General Meeting where it declared a loss of N9.8 million naira for the year ended December 2015.

Speaking at the meeting, the founding chairperson of the bank, Mrs Agnes Ajuwon, attributed the loss and its inability to declare dividends for shareholders to the economic depression in the country, adding however , that the bank, despite the loss, had made provisions for possible loss on the loan affected by the economic disaster.

While submitting that the bank restrained from proposing dividend payment for the year in order to conserve cash for its operation, Mrs Ajuwon said the bank had commenced aggressive recovery of all loans so that the current year could witness a turnaround for the bank.

The chairperson ended her speech by sounding a note of warning to stakeholders of the bank never to see the bank as an avenue to enrich themselves, saying the bank was established with the sweat, labour, denials and self-discipline of a group of people.

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Wednesday, 10 August, 2016

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editorial

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Wednesday, 10 August, 2016

Nigerian Tribune

The misery in the land

HE prevalence of poverty and hunger in Nigeria requires no rigorous verification. It is very obvious for every dispassionate observer to see. The lamentation is everywhere, from state and local government workers being owed arrears of salaries to artisans who are witnessing unprecedentedly low customer patronage. Traders who cannot sell their wares whose prices have gone up astronomically abound.

They cannot even lower the prices to attract effective demand because the upsurge in prices simply reflects production or acquisition costs. The 2016 quarters one and two performance results of many corporations have been poor. The list of woes is endless. It is so bad that reported cases of suicide arising from deprivationinduced frustration are on ascendance. There was even a reported case of a father who surreptitiously pledged his son in exchange for food items. Things have never been this bad since the return to civil rule in 1999.

The suffering in the land is appalling.

Not surprisingly, the otherwise reticent and docile Nigerians have started to speak up, against the backrop of the virtual absence of virile opposition political parties to keep the governing party on its toes. From elder statesmen to the pulpit and the ordinary Nigerians on social media platforms, there has been a deluge of calls on the government to fix the economy and reduce the suffering of the masses. Recently, a former Head of State, General Yakubu Gowon, known for his conservative disposition to the establishment, pointedly called on President Mohammadu Buhari to fix the economy. Even the neighbouring countries which depend on Nigeria have been lamenting.

But the real worry is that this misery may remain for a while because the Federal Government seems to have no clue about what to do to ameliorate the deplorable condition of the economy in the immediate period. The economy is in recession, as admitted by the Minister of Finance, Mrs. Kemi Adeosun, but no giant steps have been taken to launch a veritable recovery bid except the seeming wholesale recourse to market forces to correct the anomalies in the economy. And until the market regulates itself, the suffering continues. Yet

there are other routes to take. For instance, rather than embarking on an unending lamentation about the near comatose economy that George Bush (Jnr) bequeathed to him, Barack Obama, the US President, immediately after assumption of office, pursued aggressive revival strategies. A fiscal stimulus package was put together to help sick and dying corporations, many of which have since paid back the public funds and are doing very well in terms of profitability and job absorptive capacity.

However, in Nigeria today, the quantum and speed of fiscal spending are painfully low and incapable of stimulating the economy. Sadly, too, the disbursement of the half a trillion naira specific social protection fund in the approved national budget of year 2016 has yet to commence. The delay in the implementation of this poverty alleviation programme is worrisome and smacks of insensitivity. Economic activities are awfully slow.

There is paucity of fund everywhere, many people cannot buy enough or buy at all, yet the prices of basic necessities, especially food items, have soared to the rooftops, which is emblematic of cost rather than demand-pull inflation.

To reverse this ugly trend quickly, emphasis should be on interventionist strategies while the market mechanism plays its role in the medium to long terms. In this connection, the Federal Government must begin the implementation of its poverty alleviation programme in earnest while granting more loans to the state governments to offset the salary arrears owed civil servants and pensioners. That way, the workers would be able to pay their creditors and the entire system will enjoy the liquidity it badly needs in the immediate period.

Ultimately, however, with the low international prices of crude oil and even in the unlikely event that they fully rebound, the revenue allocation formula which seems to impoverish the states has to be revisited in addition to devolution of power to the federating units. There is a lot of duplicity of functions at the centre which only serves to bloat the cost of governance. This is very crucial because as long as the states and local governments which are closer to the people remain financially unviable, poverty, hunger, suffering and their attendant consequences will be hard to curtail in the land.

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Wednesday, 10 August, 2016

editor

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Turkey coup and the proxy war in Nigeria

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ECENTLY, the Nigerian media was awash with the news about the call by the Turkish ambassador to Nigeria, Mr Hakan Cakil, on the Muhammadu Buhari-led Federal Government to close down all 17 schools, popularly known as Nigerian-Turkish International Colleges (NTIC), situated across the country.

And so, in his estimation, Mr. Cakil strongly believes that the Nigerian government should, as a matter of urgency, wind up Mr. Fethullah Gulen’s schools in Nigeria “because they (Fethullah Gulen and his co-investors) are raising funds through the schools and they are using these funds for illegal activities.”

No doubt, this call is not just the opinion of the Turkish ambassador to Nigeria and, more importantly, a reflection of the heart of his home government, but also, it is an

ample evidence of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s deep frustration with the global acceptance of the legitimate activities and achievements of the Hizmet Movement.

There is no reason for the Nigerian government to meddle with Mr. Gulen’s stupendous investments in the country, which provide not just development but jobs and opportunities to thousands of Nigerian citizens.

Though the intention here is not to hold brief for Mr Gulen, Hizmet Movement or the Nigerian-Turkish International Colleges either, the truth of the matter, nonetheless, is that there seems to be no justifiable nexus between the recent unsuccessful coup in Turkey and the Turkish ambassador’s call on the Nigerian government to close down all schools legitimately owned, registered and managed by diligent

and absurd, but also unworthy of being dignified with attention of any sort by the Buhari-led Federal

Turkish citizens merely being suspected and accused of having sponsored a failed coup in their country. Therefore,

the ignorance-based call by the ambassador to the Nigerian government is not just totally misplaced

THE electricity generating companies have been citing the lack of gas supplies as the major reason they have not been able to provide stable electricity supply to Nigerians.

However, if this is the case, nothing stops these companies from diversifying into other sources of power generation.

We have several other sources of power like solar, wind, among others, which can be used to power the country.

Surprisingly, experts in developed countries are already generating power from animal faeces.

Nigeria needs electricity to develop. The 5,000 megawatts of electricity we are generating is so small compared to our

population of 180 million.

It is high time we thought of ways through which we can increase our electricity generation.

Nigerians are already tired of hearing excuses that the ongoing sabotage of oil pipelines by Niger Delta militants is responsible for the epi-

The organisation mandated to conduct the local government elections in Ogun State come October 8, 2016 does not seem to be any where ready for the assignment given to it, if the glut of misinformation and confusions emanating from that office is anything to go about.

The Ogun State Independent Electoral Commission (OGSIEC) is escalating the anxiety of

people of the state by not been direct and specific in all the information it is giving out to the public.

When Ogun State muted the idea of Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs) and eventually created it, we all rejoiced at the development, with the firm belief that development will now go round all areas neglected in the past.

However, the attitude of the state electoral body as it affected the creation and deleanation of wards leaves much to be desired, as the body has continued to argue and fight with itself in various publications recently released.

Let us ask the electoral body on its stand on the Public Notices placed in the newspapers recently.

The two publications, to say the least, were at variance with each other.

Let us take the issue of Sango/Ijoko LCDA and Ado-Odo/Ota Local Government for example. In

Government.

•Onyiorah Abuja.

Paschal,

Attention, electricity suppliers leptic power supply in the country. I know Mr Babatunde Raji Fashola will do something about this.

•Tunde Ilori, Ibadan.

OGSIEC, stop contradicting yourself the first publication, Araromi, Ketere, Igbala and Irepodun were all said to be part of Sango/Ijoko LCDA. However, in the second publication, the said areas, which were traditionally part of Sango, disappeared from the list published. One continue to wonder if the officials of OGSIEC ever demanded from the Ogun State House of Assembly and the Governor’s Office the memoradum of requests of the area in dispute, or even physically visited the place. The stand of OGSIEC, which is supposed to be unbiased and deem to be independent, is seriously in doubt.

The body, as a matter of urgency, should visit all areas been complained about, seek advice from the Office of the Governor and demand for memoradum and make amends.

•Abiodun Taiwo, Sango, Ogun State.

FG, focus on manufacturing sector A recently-published Human Development Report on Nigeria by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has urged the Nigerian government to pay attention to the effects of its policies on the ordinary citizens.

The report, entitled “Achieving Growth with Equity,” observed that over half of the country’s population still live below the poverty line.

Although agriculture has been witnessing steady growth over the years, the manufacturing sector continues to lag

behind, hence, the value added to agricultural produce remains minimal.

Unfortunately, the manufacturing capacity in the country has remained below 40 per cent, and many firms have had to close down operations due to the harsh business environment. Yet, the manufacturing sector should be both the stimulus and pivot of economic and social growth, if we are to create jobs for our teeming youths.

•Vincent Kadiri, Benin.

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opinion

Wednesday, 10 August, 2016

Corruption: We are all participators

By Folu Olamiti

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HE above headline comes from The FCPA Blog, one of the international anti-corruption blogs I subscribe to for news and commentaries. I became curious enough to go through the write-up authored by Caveni Wong. He discussed something so intriguing that normally passes as part of our behavioural traits but is never taken serious – CHEATING, as an integral form of CORRUPTION. Here are excerpts from the article: “It is an uncomfortable thought, but given certain circumstances, most of us would cheat. Ron Carucci just wrote about how easily one can cross the line in Forbes article that featured a conversation with Richard Bistrong. The cheating often involves people who don’t even realise that they are crossing the line.

“Studies have repeatedly shown that most people cheat when asked to self-report their own performance on a task if it means a higher pay-out. But they only cheat a little bit, enough to gain a little extra benefit, but not so much that they’d feel bad about themselves.

“That’s consistent with what I observed early in my career. Lunch among a few colleagues would somehow become a “client” meal, in which actual client names would be scribbled on a receipt and submitted for reimbursement.

A colleague admitted he often embellished expenses. A $45; a $25 dinner into $40 — a practice my colleague said he learnt from watching others.

“These small transgressions tended to be committed by those I considered to be good work ethic. Those employees didn’t know they had crossed the line. Their actions were just part of the informal culture. And that’s the insidious nature of minor cheating that goes unchecked. It slowly builds up a culture that can eventually set the stage for more serious violations. ” This is the crux of the matter. Corruption has so eaten deep into the fabric of everything in our lives – be it social, political and economic – a malaise that is presently driving Nigeria’s economy to its worst recession in history. Then, who is to blame? I draw strength from John 8, where Jesus Christ exonerated and rescued a woman allegedly caught

in an adulterous act from accusers who were ready to stone her to death. Jesus simply stooped down, and scribbled something on the ground and asked a thunderbolt of a question: “He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her”.

That question pricked their consciences. One by one, they moved away. What a timeless lesson for all. Today, many of us are shouting corruption at the rooftops. At most major fora, the thrust of discussion is corruption but in our subconscious minds, are we not guilty one way or another? Do we not cheat and cut corners in our interpersonal dealings – be it at home, at work and businesses?

How many of us can vouch that if appointed into higher public office, we will not cheat? Just look around you, and tell me if corruption is not staring at you.

Seriously, I believe that instead of mouthing corruption at every public discourse, let us start a serious re-awakening of the anti-corruption crusade, starting with ourselves, our homes and neighbours. Our children, today, have lost every value of integrity through the mind-boggling revelations of looters of the national treasury being hyped by the media on daily basis. These looters are not aliens. They are not ghosts. They are people in our backyards and homes.

It is not too late to start fighting the monster from the self. Man’s insatiable greed for primitive acquisition is so alarming that you keep wondering whether he will ever leave this Mother Earth. When you look at the crazy acquisitions, one discovers that most of them are products of cheating. Then, where do we draw the line between cheating and corruption? There is a very thin line between them. In fact, they are birds of the same feather.

In writing this article, I sought the perspectives of some of my friends and I got them talking. One of them, Mr. Femi Adefemiwa, said: “What a sound argument! There is no collective guilt but individual guilt. By nature, every human being is selfish and perhaps self-centred. The deprived background which a significant number of us experienced, and the undue societal expectations from us, have created some primordial tendencies in us, e.g. primitive acquisition. To make matters worse, justice in our land is always to the higher bidder. So, an innocuous combination of these ills has put us where we are today.

But we have to start somewhere. Cleaning the mess must not be by academic exercise. Whether we are all guilty or not, we just have to draw a line and start from somewhere.

And perhaps we have started.”

Another contributor from the United States of America, who identified himself simply as Tolu, wrote: “Your Food For Thought is direct and challenging indeed. It is the type of introspection that will help us not to be hypocrites. It is like admitting categorically that I have never sinned. I admit that I’m not pious enough to admit that I’m free from the taint of moral and character flaws. As human, I still need to recognise the society’s decadence and my personal contribution to such moral bankruptcy. The challenge of the conundrum is knowing how to maintain a balance between transparency in my conducts and standing against blatant disregard for the rule of law and sense of decency by the people in power.”

Similarly, another friend, Fisan Bankale, loved the Food For Thought “because it energised my thoughts in the direction of how to get people to own up to their contribution.

Let me share a thought here. A man or family whose son or daughter was given a job at CBN or FIRS would go to church or mosque to thank God. But that job is a proceed from a corrupt act because the job was through an abuse of due process. The late Yar’adua publicly acknowledged that the election that brought him to power was riddled with fraud. Such open acknowledgement of wrong doing is what everyone should subscribe to.”

•Olamiti, a media consultant, wrote from Abuja.

Nigerians, get off the sidelines!

By Remi Oyeyemi

Like millions of other Nigerians, one is very concerned.

One is concerned about the subsisting chaos in our social order. One is concerned about the turbulence in our economic condition. One is worried about the glorification of charlatanism in our political landscape. One is disturbed about the morass of our moral mill. The absence of integrity, the discountenance of dignity, the disrespect of reason and disregard of facts all combine to give one serious concern about Nigeria.

When one traverses the social media, rummages through the newspapers, and listens to real life experiences of Nigerians, one could feel the concern of Nigerians. From discussions with a variety of Nigerians, irrespective of the social, economic and political status, the concerns have been evident. One could fathom that Nigerians wanted solutions to the manifesting myriad of problems. One would come away with the fact that Nigerians are fed up with the situation in the country.

But what is not very clear is how ready are Nigerians of all hue and cry to get off the sidelines and be involved in changing the course of their destinies. Their attitude of believing in a messiah to come around and liberate them might not be the best one given what we have witnessed so far. It is becoming increasingly self-evident that Nigerians have to stand up and take control of their destiny by getting off the sidelines.

It is one’s belief that time is now for all of us to get off our laptops, drop our pens, stop complaining and get off the sidelines. It is time for all of us to accept the fact that we are the captains of our souls. Not all of us can be president. Not all of us can be senators. Not all of us can be governors. But certainly, all of us can be active participants in the political process. Through our participation, we would all be able to work together to forge a new destiny for our country, forge a new country for our children and posterity.

“Destiny is not a matter of chance. It is a matter of choice.

It is not a thing to be waited for; it is a thing to be achieved.”

-William Jennings Bryan With our active participation as individuals or as members of groups we would be able to decide on the direction of the country and the type of policies that have to be in place. We would be able to hold our leaders accountable.

If someone is a local government chairman and he is not able to declare his assets, we would be able to hold him accountable or force him to leave office. Any councilor that lives beyond his means could be held accountable. House of Assembly members would be forced to be accountable for their stewardship.

The Senators who collect constituency allowance and spend such on their girlfriends would be made to answer questions. Those who become commissioners and live beyond their incomes would have some explanations to do. The political party operatives would not be allowed to get away with deceit and deception. Party platforms and promises would be seriously adhered to. Presidents or governors would not get into the office and deny their promises made during campaigns. All these could be possible only through mass participation in the political process.

Mass participation is the heart and soul of democracy.

It is the lifeblood of freedom. It is the best check and balance for governance. Mass participation is the best form of holding elected officers accountable. If our elected officers know that we are all paying attention, they would think twice before they steal our commonwealth or engage in any other form of corruption. If our elected officers know that we are informed and very much aware of the way the process works, they would not be able to hold us to ransom or deceive us.

The refusal of those who are truly equipped to participate

in the process is what is killing Nigeria. It is a tragedy that in a country like Nigeria, all we can give ourselves is a “certificateless” leader. And when we had someone who had a certificate, he was not in any position to justify the receipt of such a certificate. Both experiences speak volumes about the rest of the citizenship. They speak volume about what has become the state of our education and how our citizens and children were and are still being prepared for the task of nation-building. Most importantly, they speak to an abysmal participation of Nigerian citizens in the political process.

A country that is endowed with so much talent in human and capital resources should be able to do better.

This is a country that produced the Obafemi Awolowos.

This is a country that produced the Nnamdi Azikwes.

This is a country that produced the Ahmadu Bellos. This is a country that produced the Herbert Macauleys, the Aminu Kanos, the Akanu Ibiams, the Bode Thomases.

This is a country that produced the Wole Soyinkas, the Tai Solarins, the Gani Fawehinmis the Mokwugo Okoyes, the Bala Usmans and several great minds in several fields of human endeavor.

The present situation in which the country finds itself is caused by the limited participation of its citizens in the political process. It is caused by the citizens abandoning the field to those who are morally and ethically unqualified. As a result of limited participation by citizens, a lot of riff-raffs have taken over the political space. Some pen robbers who in some cases are more destructive than actual armed robbers have taken over the reins of governance. Incompetent and horribly prepared politicians have taken over the control of our lives and the evidence are all over the place for us all to behold.

If we are all seriously concerned as it seems to be, it is time for all of us to get off the sidelines. It is time for us to go back to our communities and actively participate and stop complaining.

•Oyeyemi is a public affairs analyst.

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Wednesday, 10 August, 2016

tribune cartoons

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

GIANT IN THE TROPIC OF AFRICA

SEGELUULU

CHURCH BOY

FUNOLOGY

Ladi Kwali (Africa’s most famous potter) •

Born in 1925 in the village of Kwali, Gwari, Abuja, Nigeria.

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Ladi Kwali is the woman whose picture appears at the back of the Nigerian 20 Naira bill.

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She learnt pottery as a child from her aunt using the traditional method of coiling.

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In 1954, Ladi Kwali joined the Abuja Pottery as its first female potter.

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In 1962, Kwali was awarded an MBE (Member of the Order of the British Empire).

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In 1977, she was awarded an honorary doctoral degree from Ahmadu Bello University in Zaria.

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In 1980, she was awarded the Nigerian National Merit Award (NNMA), the highest national honour for academic achievement.

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In 1981, she also received the national honour of the Officer of the Order of the Niger (OON).

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A major street in Abuja is called Ladi Kwali Road. The Sheraton Hotel houses the Ladi Kwali Convention Centre, one of the largest conference facilities in Abuja.

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She died on 12 August 1984 in Minna, aged 59.

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

SPOT THE DIFFERENCE

A

B

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Wednesday, 10 August, 2016

inside

nigerdelta

Lepers protest stipend arrears, meal reduction in Delta Alphonsus Agborh-Asaba

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cores of Persons Affected with Leprosy (PAL), on Monday, took over Emmanuel Uduaghan way (SUMMIT) in Asaba Delta State in protest of the backlog of their stipends and reduction in their daily meals by the state government.

It was a gory site as the lepers stopped vehicles and begged for arms in front of the Ministry of Women Affairs and Community Development on the road leading to government house.

They had stormed the ministry premises from the lepers settlement in Eku near Abraka at about 12 noon, demanding the payment of arrears and immediate increase of their stipend from N3, 900 to N15,000.

The lepers carried placards of various inscriptions some of which read: “Delay in stipends is causing death because of no food”, “we shall no longer take N 3,900”, “we need our four months outstanding stipends of N 6,000.”

Some of the ministry workers had to vacate the offices and quickly removed their vehicles for fear of being attacked by the lepers .

Chairman of the settlement centre, Mr Lucky Egbo, told the InsideNigerDelta that the members were faced with untold hardship more so when the government reneged on its obligation to them.

According to him, it was James Ibori administration that removed them from the high ways and paid them N 8,000 each.

Mr Egbo disclosed that the Emmanuel

Uduaghan administration continued with the payment unhindered until towards the end of his tenure when he slashed the stipend to N6,000, adding that they were owed four months arrears before Uduaghan left office.

However, “when Governor Ifeanyi Okowa assumed office in 2015, he cut it to N3,900 and reduced our daily meal to two from the three times he inherited from the previous administrations”, he said, adding that the present government was owing them three months arrears.

A top management staff of the ministry, who preferred to be anonymous, had earlier told the lepers that plans were at advanced stage to pay them their entitlements even as he also admonished them to be patient a bit due to the economic down turn.

Lepers protesting arrears, meal reduction.

Delta records 0.7% prevalence on HIV/AIDS reduction •As group wants speedy passage of Bill Alphonsus Agborh-Asaba The need for Delta State to expedite actions in setting up an agency for the control of HIV/AIDS has been stressed as it is the only state yet to do so.

The call becomes imperative as a nongovernmental organisation in the state is pushing for the speedy passage of an executive Bill on the agency, before the state House of Assembly.

Executive Director of Koyenum Immalah Foundation KIF, Faith Nwadishi, at a media and legislative roundtable, in collaboration with the State Action Committee on Aids (SACA), in Asaba, to reconsider the legal pursuit of the state

government in establishing the agency, said it gladdened the heart that the state had achieved 0.7 per cent prevalence HIV/AIDS reduction which he said should be surpassed.

Faith Nwadishi noted the exploitation of HIV patients in the state who paid for Anti retroviral drugs in government hospitals whereas they were to be dispensed free.

She urged the state health management board to urgently intervene in the matter, adding that the economic downturn was complicating cases of such patients.

Project manager of KIF, Hope Nwadishi, reeled out the achievements of the group in five of the twenty five local government

areas in the state in the past twenty years where advocacy visits, baseline surveys, among others, were carried out on HIV/ AIDS. The local government areas are Ndokwa West, Isoko North, Aniocha North, Udu and Ukwani.

According to the manager, budgets for AIDS control in the state have dwindled drastically from N250m in 2015 appropriation to N15m in 2016.

Speakers at the roundtable were of the view that since donors for HIV/AIDS control were withdrawing, there was the need for agencies to generate funds while government should prioritise their budget towards the control of the scourge.

Chevron builds surgical theatre in Delta hospital Ebenezer Adurokiya - Warri IN spite of the hard times international oil companies (IOCs) are going through in the hands of militants in the Niger Delta region, oil and gas major, Chevron Nigeria Limited (CNL), has kicked off the construction of a Surgical Theatre and Consultation Rooms at Ekpan General Hospital in Uvwie Local Government Area, Delta State.

The project, kick-started last Wednesday, is coming on the heels of the inauguration of the N75 million Women Development Centre in the community in 2015.

General Manager, Policy, Government and Public Affairs, Chevron Nigeria Limited, Mr Deji Haastrup, while speaking at the event, explained that the project was in consonance with the company’s frantic efforts to raise the bar in quality health delivery in the country.

Mr Haastrup said the project also included the provision of a 60KVA sound proof generator.

He added that the company had also carried out a de-worming exercise in some schools in the community as well as building and handing over a fullyequipped and computerized library to Ekpan Primary School.

These, he said, were part of the company’s Corporate Social Responsibility to Ekpan community in spite of economic downturn orchestrated by the activities of militants against the company.

“The Delta State government and Ekpan Development Committee (EDC) lent their support in making the ground breaking of the project a reality,” Haastrup noted.

The CNL boss also assured that the NNPC/Chevron Joint Venture would continue to extend the frontiers of partnership with the Delta State government and institutions in the state to support projects as well as programmes in its immediate environment in order to improve the standard of living of the people.

However, the Delta State Commissioner for Health, Dr Nicholas Azinge, who represented the state, appealed to youths in Ekpan community to embrace the attitude of peace and progress.

He enjoined them to eschew habits that would hamper the progress of work in the project while thanking Chevron “for acceding to the request of the EDC and the hospital management by granting approval for the amendment of the project specific agreement to favour the construction of a surgical theatre with consulting rooms”.

The Usiavwe of Ekpan, Chief Victor Ewrhujakpor Otomiewo, while expressing appreciation on behalf of Ekpan community, commended Chevron for embarking on more CSR in the sea in spite of crisis in the region.

“For not using and/or taking advantage of the crisis and/or unrest in Ekpan community as an excuse and/or reason to scrap, divert and/or delay the execution and/or take off this laudable project in Ekpan Community,” he noted.

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Wednesday, 10 August, 2016

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

Lai Muhammed reveals Buhari’s tourism agenda at press parley

By Wale Ojo Lanre

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HE end seems to have come to the systemic lip service being paid to the development of tourism as an economic sector by Federal Government if the revelations of the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed is anything to go by.

Alhaji Mohammed revealed that President Buhari was not only concerned about the nation’s failure to make tourism a desirable alternate revenue earning sector but unhappy with the physical state of sites.

“I am assuring you that President Buhari is not only passionate about the development of tourism potentialities of this country but has more than a passing interest in making it another revenue generation sector.”

He pointed out that the president has charged the ministry to ensure the enhancement, enrichment and reactivation of the sector in alignment with the vision of his government.

The minister said that in line with the vision of the president, the ministry has gone back into its strategic closet, held a stakeholders summit in Abuja, embarked on investigation and research, consulted widely and sought for international networking and “it is necessary to feed you back and seek your cooperation, support and understanding in this effort of getting the best out of tourism”.

He reminded tourism media practitioners of their inestimable contributions to tourism development in Nigeria: ‘I beseech you today my colleagues in the tourism pen profession not to be complacent and disillusioned. You have done great in the past; you have to do greater now.

Our purpose should be development journalism and reporting. We should not be a megaphone for international interest which is bent on highlighting the negatives of the nation while down playing and blurting out the positive.”

Alhaji Mohammed revealed that, with the desire of the President at injecting vibrancy and advancement in the tourism sector, President Buhari has decided to reactivate and reignite the Presidential Council on Tourism (PCT) which was inaugurated by ex- President Olusegun Obasanjo.

“I am happy to inform you that President Buhari has given a nod for the resuscitation of the Presidential Council on Tourism. You all know what that means. It is a council which will be presided over by the president himself with other tourism minded state governors, strategic tourism related ministers, Ministers of Finance, Works, Aviation and others. It is a Presidential Council solely for the advancement of tourism and cultural matters. Matters affecting tourism development will be exhaustively discussed, analysed and solutions proffered and imple-

the - spot state of infrastructure assessment for rehabilitation and enhancement.”

He pointed out that tourism development in Nigeria, according to the National Tourism Policy of Nigeria 2005, is a tripartite concern of the federal, state and local governments which will be strictly adhered to.

“Tourism development is not the sole responsibility of the Federal Government. The states and local governments are pivotal partners in this vision and, according to the National Tourism Policy, they are supposed to not only be involved but carry out their portions of the assignment well”.

Alhaji Mohammed lamented the Supreme Court judgement which has deprived the NTDC the right to embark on hotel registration, grading and classification, saying “it is unfortunate that we don’t have a single organisation handling this matter. But I am assuring you that we are going to get a political solution for it. The benchmark of standards in hotels must be uniform. We understand the essence and implication of this in tourism development “ He listed the main challenges facing the tourism sector, which are adequate budgeting, lack of infrastructure, security and awareness.

“But I can assure you that, some of these need an inter – ministerial solution which is the essence of and void which the Presidential Council on Tourism will fill, The minister, however appealed to media practitioners in Nigeria to be more patriotic in their reporting, saying that “Yes, we have security challenges which is not more than what is happening in other countries of the world.

You think of the violent attacks in the US, Kenya, Egypt, Cote Dívoire, Germany, South Africa, France and even Britain. We are not worse off in the world.”

He disclosed that in agreement with his view above, the UN World Tourism Organisation, (UNWTO), has not only commended the Federal Government’s drive on security but had agreed to support President Buhari in his tourism development vision and agenda.

He revealed that “UNWTO has announced its readiness to assist Nigeria in four vital areas: organisation of international conference in Nigeria, organisation of certificated of tourism courses; collection, collation and elaboration of tourism data and statistics which will engender proper planning and implementation of policy and establishment of capacity building centres in the six geopolitical regions in Nigeria essentially for women” The UN organisation, according to the minister, has also il c n ential Cou d si agreed to institute a rere P f o n •Resuscitatio gime of training of toursm ism journalists in Nigesri a u r o on T in 36 states fo s te ria to further deepen si sm ri u •Tour of to their understanding of t n e the sector and widen sm m ri ss se omestic tou D n io is their journalistic hoV f o n •Adoptio egistration rizon.

R l te o H to n tio Alhaji Lai Mohammed He said: “The Fed•Political solu n o ti a c eral Government is ifi rss mentation set in process.” and cla four key a in rt o p also planning to rep su Alhaji Mohammed pointed out NWTO offers view our visa policy. that: “The resuscitation of PCT is •U You will definitely the affirmation that President Bu- eas r Plan e st a M sm agree that efforts at ri u hari is absolutely concerned, willeview of To •R improving, enhancn ing and ready to salvage the tourlicy soo y ing and showcasing c li •New Visa Po o P ism industry”. nal Tourism tourism sites withHe further disclosed that: “The •To review Natio out foreigners having easy access enhancement of Domestic Tourism to Nigerian visa is unwholesome .we are going to make is the thrust of our tourism agenda.

We have more than enough to showcase. From Lagos to Ondo to Nigerian visa accessible to genuine tourists and travellers Lokoja to Maiduguri and from Port Harcourt to Enugu to Nigeria” He remarked that the Tourism Master Plan would be Cross River, Benue to Kano and Kaura Namoda, there reviewed and revised in order to reflect contemporary are countless domestic tourism ingredients and sites in culture, art, monuments, heritage, geographical and his- tourism issues.

Alhaji Mohammed commended Lagos State governtory which we have determined to celebrate as fun, enment for its determination to turn Badagry into a tourism tertainment but also package and showcase as economic hub and praised the effort of Olokun Festival foundation assets not only for the people but for the government at for hosting Olokun Festival in Badagry. all levels.”

He urged Nigerian’s to “be positive and have confidence According to him, revealed that “in our stride at ensurin the stride of President Buhari not only at making sure ing a success of the above, we are going to embark on a that the tourism sector is vibrant, buoyant and relevant nationwide tour of tourism sites in every state. This will be done in alliance with the state governments and local to the economic survival of the nation and the people but governments. The states will list out its prime and pris- for striving hard to make Nigeria the best place to live on tine tourism sites and assets. This is necessary for on - Earth. And honestly, we shall get there”.

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Wednesday, 10 August, 2016

Ooni becomes grand patron of Kiriji Cultural Foundation

To host first Yoruba Obas’ Conference in Imesi Ile

By Wale Ojo Lanre THE Ooni of Ife, his Imperial Majesty, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Babatunde Ogunwusi, Ojaja 11 has accepted to be the grand patron of Kiriji Cultural Foundation.

In a letter despatched to the Board of Trustees, Kiriji Memorial Foundation, Owa Oye Palace, Enuwa, Imesi Ile and signed by His Excellency, Dr Olawanle Akinboboye, President, Motherland Beckons, on behalf of Ooni Ojaja 11, the Ooni accepted to be the grand patron of the foundation based on its avowed mission and goal in Yoruba race .

“I am nostalgic about the 1886 Pan Yoruba Peace Treaty. I am in concord with your vision and activities about this most important venue of PEACE in Imesi Ile, without the place, the Yoruba might not be what we are today. It is in the spirit of this that I am granting your request of declaring September 23 as Yoruba Unity Day and also hereby declare that, that day shall be the day that we wil hold Yoruba Oba Conference. This should be done annually”.

From left, Mr Ramadas Sivaram, Country Manager, Qatar Airways and Mrs Sally Mbanefo, Director - General, NTDC.

Qatar Airways collaborates with NTDC on 120 tourism sites in Nigeria

By Wale Ojo Lanre THE domestic tourism gospel which called on Nigerians not to travel abroad for sightseeing always as the country has a lot of tourism sites but rather foreigners should be invited to see what is in here being branded by Dr (Mrs) Sally Mbanefo, Director - General, Nigeria Tourism Development Corporation, NTDC is finally being embraced by those who believe in the entity called Nigeria.

For, while some foreign airlines are threatening to stop doing business in Nigeria because of what they described as harsh economic policies of the Federal government, Qatar Airways has distinguished itself by sustaining full operation in Nigeria without any threat of closing down, but in addition, signified its intention to collaborate with NTDC. It had also expressed its readiness to project, promote, sell Nigeria’s industry and encourage tourists from the middle East to visit 120 tourism sites in Nigeria .

In what is going to be the first Middle East - Nigeria tourism traffic boosting business code named: “Nigeria 120 Sites”, the NTDC has formed a strategic cultural tourism alliance with Qatar Airways which will involve the identification and enlistment of 120 unique tourism sites in Nigeria for the portal of Qatar Airways for subsequent marketing in the Middle East.

The first phase of the inauguration was kicked off on

While some foreign airlines are threatening to close business in Nigeria because of what they described as harsh economic policies of the Federal government, Qatar Airways, has distinguished itself by sustaining full operation in Nigeria Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi

Friday, August 5, at 2nd floor of Ecobank building in Lagos, the head office of Qatar Airways, between the Director General, NTDC, Mrs Sally Mbanefo and Mr Ramadas Sivaram, Country Manager, Qatar Airways.

According to Mr Sivaram, “Qatar Airways holds Nigeria in high esteem. It is a great country which creates level playing ground for all companies or corporations to thrive and do business within its laws and statutes. The world is going through an economic recession caused by the price of oil. So at Qatar Airways, we don’t think shutting the Nigeria route is the best but nurturing other productive ways by which the economy can be stabilised.

And that is why we decided to identify with Nigeria at this point in time and partner with NTDC headed by Mrs Sally Mbanefo” He pointed out that: “Our resolution to partner with NTDC is predicated largely on the patriotic passion with which Mrs Mbanefo has been promoting domestic tourism in Nigeria. We have read and we are impressed by her visit to tourism sites in 30 states of the federation and participating in various festivals. We have also watched and listened to her manner excellent delivery on the TV and read her various media interactions with her unique way of dressing which showcase Nigeria’s national colour, green and white. All these and others convinced us that she is an asset who we can deal and partner with in this project of identifying 120 tourism sites in Nigeria” Mr Sivaram said that “for the aviation business to grow and expand, Airlines must think out of the box and embrace packages that will encourage a symbiotic and economically beneficial business between countries of business. This is what we are commencing in Nigeria with Sally” In her response, Mrs Mbanefo commended Qatar Airways for “your altruistic business interest in Nigeria. This latest move of yours has distinguished and showcased your airways as one which has the interest of your country and Nigerians at heart. It shows that you are not in Nigeria only to make money but to perfect a relationship.

And I am assuring you that Qatar Airways will be forever pleased for this decision.

Mrs Mbanefo further said: “We are going to inform all relevant authorities about this project and make it work to the glory of God and the two countries.”

20 with Doyin Adeoye

m:08038000394 e:doyinadeoye@tribuneonlineng.com t:@kreatif_ink

Any solution to this

environmentbug?

The prediction of the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMET) on flood is in the fore with flashes of reality.

VICTOR OGUNYINKA writes on the challenges facing the nation in the fight against minimising risk and if there would ever be a permanent solution to the annual ‘unfriendly’ visitor.

I

About seven days ago, a heavy downpour at Hayin Gwarmai village in Bebeji Local Government Area of Kano State, claimed three lives and crops in millions of naira were flooded away. Not forgetting a similar occurrence in June at Abakaliki, where vehicles, houses, farmlands were submerged costing millions of naira.

The major challenge facing flood disaster is no doubt the human factor.

It is a common practice in Nigeria for people to indiscriminately dump refuse in prohibited areas, which has led to episodes of disaster annually.

But sometimes, the only legal means available to empty the bin is the illegal channels; in a system where there is no designated outlets to dump refuse, dumping refuse indiscriminately in open canals, drainages, rivers become everybody’s affair.

While speaking to residents along Oke-Ado area of Ibadan about where they dump their refuse, on the average, they revealed that they throw their waste bags in the open canal along Oke-Ado-Dugbe road, Ibadan.

Another resident at Boluwaji, Lagos-Ibadan expressway, stated

that he drops his waste bags in the middle of the road because that is the only option available.

It is a well established fact that flood is first, a natural disaster before any other thing and that is why even developed countries of the world with well channelled drainage systems and canals still suffer immensely when it occurs.

With the prediction projecting more rainfalls in some part of the north and southwest, the implication is that there is likely going to be overflows in the basins, rivers and ocean, the geographical location of Lagos, Ogun and Oyo states around these water bodies make them prone to flood.

Recently, while the United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF) organised a workshop for stakeholders in Ibadan comprising of the southwest states (Lagos, Ogun, Oyo, Osun, Ondo and Ekiti), Edo and Delta states from the southsouth, on Emergency Preparedness Response before, during and after a disaster.

The stakeholders in attendance identified poor coordination, political obstacles, relief agency syndrome, fireman approach among others as hindrances to smooth response during emergencies.

Without environmental sustainability, economic stability and social cohesion cannot be achieved —Phil Harding

ecoscope

Flood:

N March 2016, the Director General, Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMET), Dr Anthony Anuforom, revealed, in the agency’s annual Seasonal Rainfall Prediction in Abuja that there is going to be late on set, early cessation and lower than normal rainfall in many parts of the country in 2016, and the late on set of rainfalls will hit the northern parts seriously.

Dr Anuforom further revealed that the length of the rainy season in 2016 will be expected to range from 110-275 days, increasing from the far north to the Niger Delta.

“It’s predicted to be above normal in and around Sokoto, Zamfara, Niger, Bauchi, Oyo, Ogun and Lagos states.”

Flood has been a perennial menace to the Nigerian states and the damages that come along leave economically and geographical calamities to affected areas.

In 2012, Nigeria experienced one of the harshest episodes of flood in 2012. It began in early July and killed about 363 in four months; leaving over two million displaced across 30 out of the 36 states. The estimated loss of the disaster ran into over two trillion naira during the period, according to Wikipedia.

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Wednesday, 10 August, 2016

In all, the need for sensitisation and enlightenment of dwellers in prone areas has been seen as a major factor in preventing the risks that come with emergency.

Deputy Director, disaster risk reduction, National Emergency Maintenance Agency (NEMA), Mr Iyiola Akande, explained that one of the gaps missing “is that most states in Nigeria still don’t have a concrete management act, which is accented to by the governor of a state, having passed through the state House of Assembly; NEMA is not folding its hands because when there is peace at the state level, there is automatically going to be peace at the federal.”

Mr Akande revealed that for NEMA, there is a paradigm shift in which the agency is moving from emergency response to reduction.

While discussing with the State Director, National Orientation Agency (NOA), Ogun State, Mr Sola Babalola, on the challenges of convincing dwellers in prone areas on the imminent dangers of flood, he identified the primary orientation of dwellers as a major challenge, stating that such community has idealised, the belief and myth of their region and are always reluctant to welcome something new.

“In Yewa North, Obafemi-Owode and Ado-Odo Ota local government areas are more prone to indiscriminate dumping of refuse, it would have an effect on the drainages, which could predispose to flooding.

“The challenge we are having is the primary orientation of the people. So, we are saddled with the responsibility of redirecting their orientation to a more civilised one.

You know there will be resistance and a lot of persuasion too because you must be able to convince them sufficiently.”

The Deputy DG, NEMA added that “One can use windows of opportunity to prevent more people from getting affected when another flood happens by recalling their memories to previous disasters and the damages it caused to individuals they know, community they belong and the nation at large.”

Also, the Oyo State Director, National Orientation Agency, Mrs Dolapo Dosunmu, hinted that “One important thing about social change is that you have to keep talking to people and attitudinal change is one that dies quite hard, so, we have to make it a sustained awareness, which we have been doing in all our local governments, encouraging the people to live a life of cleanliness, starting with avoidance of refuse dump in drainages and other

waterways.

“Though it is very difficult for us as a people to have 100 per cent adherence to pleas on dumping refuse at the riverbanks, but gradually, as they continue to hear about it, they know they have a decision to make whether they want to runaway to safety or not. Refuse dumping has been a major challenge in Oyo State for some years now and it is not abating yet.”

When asked if the Oyo State has done enough in enlightening the public about flood and if there is a makeshift location for people in prone areas if flood eventually happens. Mrs Dosunmmu stated that though there is no camp in place in the southwest of the country, she expressed that even if there was one and people are asked to relocate to prevent risk just before a disaster, “they will be confused and reluctant to move.

“Nevertheless, if there is an emergency now and we have to relocate people, we have so much space that people can be relocated to.

“Some of these people might be expecting to get incentives before relocating, but you will agree with me that trying to move them to a safer place is enough incentive because if government decides to keep quiet what do you think would be the outcome of a disaster?”

Environment protection: Ekiti resorts to tree planting, provides 128,000 seedlings •To plant 750 trees around secretariat complex Sam Nwaoko - Ado Ekiti GOVERNOR Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti State has revived tree planting in the state to replace some of the trees he said he planted when he served the state in his first term and to this end, the campaign has been taken to the state secretariat where 759 trees are to be planted to protect the environment.

The state government com-

menced planting the trees, saying it was “part of measures aimed at protecting public buildings from unfavorable weather conditions and possible damage from the vagaries natural elements such as rain and windstorms.”

The campaign was flagged-off on behalf of the government by the Head of Service of the state, Dr Olugbenga Faseluka, who doubles as the Chairman, Forest Regenera-

Ecological debt: Humanity exhausts earth’s resources for 2016 in less than 8 months

By Doyin Adeoye THE Earth Overshoot Day marks the date when humanity has exhausted nature’s budget for the year.

Less than eight months into 2016, the record date for the year was on Monday, August 8, indicating that our demand for ecological resources have exceeded what the planet can replenish this year.

Previously known as the Ecological Debt Day, it serves as a reminder of the enormous toll we take on the earth. With four months still to go until the year ends, we have already consumed an entire year’s worth of the world’s resources.

With this year’s Overshoot Day happening earlier than ever before, the Global Footprint Network (GFN) estimates that approximately every eight months, we demand more renewable resources and C02 sequestration than what the planet can provide for an entire year.

In 1971, Overshoot Day fell on December 24. 10 years later, it had moved ahead by a month to mid-November. In 1993, the day fell on October 21, in 2003 on September 22 and last year on August 13.

According to GFN, humankind in 1961 used only about three-quarters

of earth’s annual resource allotment, but by the 1970s, economic and population growth sent earth into annual overshoot.

“From Monday, August 8, we will be living on credit because in eight months we would have consumed the natural capital that our planet can renew in a year.

“This is possible because we emit more carbon dioxide into the atmosphere than our oceans and forests can absorb, and we deplete fisheries and harvest forests more quickly than they can reproduce and regrow,” the network said in a statement.

To calculate the date for Earth Overshoot Day, the group crunches United Nations’ data on thousands of economic sectors such as fisheries, forestry, transport and energy production.

Earth-warming greenhouse gas emissions, it said, are now the fastest-growing contributor to ecological overshoot, making up 60 per cent of humanity’s demands on nature, what is called the ecological footprint.

According to the UN, the number of people on earth is forecast to grow from 7.3 billion today to 11.2 billion by the end of the century, piling further pressure on our planet and its finite resources.

For the rest of 2016, we’ll be

“living on resources borrowed from future generations,” the World Wildlife Fund pointed out when we failed last year.

However, concerted efforts by individuals, institutions and nations worldwide to reduce humanity’s ecological footprint could profoundly alter this dire picture.

If the global community reduced carbon emissions by 30 per cent before 2030, for instance, Overshoot Day could be pushed back an entire month.

“Globally, the longer we go on pretending that natural resources are unlimited, the faster we are

ecofact

jeopardising the very capacity of our planet to provide us with the renewable resources that we need to feed, clothe, and shelter ourselves.

“Balancing how much renewable natural resources we use with how much is generated is paramount if mankind is to thrive on our beautiful planet. Each of us has the opportunity to participate: the choices we make every day as consumers and as citizens actively contribute to the world that we will leave future generations,” GFN spokesman, Sebastian Winkler told The Huffington Post.

SAFE and readily available water is important for public health, whether it is used for drinking, domestic use, food production or recreational purposes.

Here are some facts about access to clean water: • At least 1.8 billion people globally use a source of drinking water that is fecally contaminated • Each day, nearly 1,000 children die due to preventable water and sanitation-related diarrhoeal diseases • More than one-third of people worldwide lack access to a toilet, more than the number of people who have a mobile phone.

• 2.6 billion people have gained access to improved drinking water sources since 1990 • Between 1990 and 2015, the proportion of the global population using an improved drinking water

tion Project in the state.

Dr Faseluka said on the occasion that “no fewer than 750trees would be planted in the Secretariat complex and its environs,” saying “trees would be planted around all Ministries, Departments and Agencies as well as all education and health facilities in the state.

Faseluka also pointed out that the exercise would also extend to the local government secretariats in the 16 local councils in the state.

He said 128,000 seedlings of teak and gmelina had been raised for free distribution to public institutions following the flag off of the state’s Forest Regeneration Programme by Governor Fayose.

The head of service commended Fayose for what he described as “his far-sightedness on the forest

regeneration initiative in the state,” and noted that “the governor initiated the cultivation of 636 hectares of gmelina and teak during his first tenure in office, which is a commendable move which was also a brilliant investment for the economy of the state.”

He said public servants should take a cue from the governor and embrace tree planting, emphasising that the support of the people would guarantee the success of the program which would make the environment cleaner and better as well as boost the revenue base of the state.

He listed the importance of trees to include serving as wind-breakers, aesthetics, as well as health benefits such as the production of oxygen through photosynthesis.

Rio 2016: Green Passport Initiative encourages sustainable tourism SPECTATORS at the Rio 2016 Olympics and Paralympics Games can make sure their visit does not harm Brazil’s environment by trying out the easy-to-follow ecotips and environmentally friendly itineraries devised through a United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) backed green tourism campaign.

Tourism accounts for five per cent of global CO2 emissions and projections show that, unless we action now, emissions could triple by 2035.

source has increased from 76 per cent to 91 per cent • But water scarcity affects more than 40 per cent of the global population and is projected to rise.

• More than 80 per cent of wastewater resulting from human activities is discharged into rivers or sea without any pollution removal.

Under the motto ‘I Take Care of My Destination,’ the Rio Green Passport initiative is advising visitors on how to reduce their impact on the environment while also making their stay more interesting and relaxing. Travel tips range from how to reduce your luggage and minimise your local transport needs, to engaging with the South American country’s lively culture.

Available on the web and via a free smartphone app, the information includes crafted itineraries that will help locals as well as foreigners discover Rio, the five cities hosting Olympic soccer and other destinations around Brazil in an authentic and low-impact way.

The Green Passport Rio 2016 Edition is part of a major effort by the organisers of the Games to reduce the impact of the mammoth 17-day event, which is expected to draw up to one million foreign guests. Previous international sports events have been criticized for a legacy of environmental degradation and inappropriate infrastructure.

For Rio 2016, the Organizing Committee headquarters and many other facilities at the Games are temporary structures that will be dismantled and recycled afterward.

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Wednesday, 10 August, 2016

Nigerian Tribune

with Tunde Dodondawa m:08029370304 e:mrdodondawa@yahoo.com

Finding lasting solutions to JV cash calls challenges

The challenges of cash calls deficit have been affecting oil and gas operation, especially Joint Venture (JV) agreements. In this report, OLATUNDE DODONDAWA examines these challenges and how to find lasting solutions.

C

ASH calls is the counterpart funding the Federal Government, usually represented by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), pays yearly for its equity shareholding in various oil and gas fields operated by International Oil Companies (IOCs) and indigenous oil firms.

This equity holding ranges between 55 and 60 per cent.

Presently, the cash calls deficit is now put at over $7 billion which has accumulated over the years and it may continue to rise considering claims by the Federal Government that it will fund 2016 budget deficit with money meant for Joint Venture funding.

Speaking recently, the Minister of Finance, Mrs Kemi Adeosun, was reported to have stated that “If the revenue doesn’t come in, we have got N1 trillion in the budget for cash calls. We will not fund those cash calls from the budget. “We will force those cash calls out into the modified carrier arrangement and we will release that money back into the federation account. That’s where the fiscal buffer sits.”

It was assumed that the prevailing low oil price regime, which has reduced the nation’s revenue from oil, may prevent the government from accomplishing its desire to settle the $7 billion debt.

As at January 2016, NNPC was owing the IOCs cash call arrears of $5.5 billion, while their indigenous counterparts are being owed $1.1 billion, and an estimated $500 million may have be been owed for this year alone.

Closing the funding gap The Federal Government announced that it is considering the adoption of zero funding model for the JV operations from 2017 to halt the growth of the cash call arrears. This proposal was however criticised by some stakeholders.

The zero JV funding seeks to empower the operators not to wait for the NNPC counterpart funding before going on with operations and projects implementation. Therefore, the operators will source funds and go ahead with projects’ implementations, while the NNPC’s bureaucratic processes of approval including endorsement by the National Assembly continue. The operators of the JVs will deduct costs at the end and remit what is due to NNPC at the end of the deal.

Stakeholders, who spoke at the recently concluded annual conference by Society of Petroleum Engineers, stated that the zero funding model being contemplated by the state-run

oil firm will cost it more as the operators will source funding from banks, and interests paid on such loans secured by the oil firms will be factored into the cost of production.

They argued that if the government lacks capacity to pay its cash calls, let it choose from some alternative options including divesting some of its equity holdings to indigenous firms, adopt crude for cash calls or privatise the NNPC. According to them, NNPC has only been able to meet only 30 per cent of the 60 per cent cash call it is supposed to pay. “As long as the funding issues exist, production will adversely be impacted,” warning that JV oil production has since dropped to one million barrels per day (bpd) as against about 2.5 million bpd in the past due to JV budget delay.

However, Group Managing Director, NNPC, Dr Maikanti Baru assured the stakeholders that the government is doing everything possible to reduce contract processing cycle and address the challenges of cash call deficit.

Speaking at the SPE conference, Maikanti, who was represented by the Managung Director of NETCO, a subsidiary of NNPC, Mr Siky Aliyu, stated that NNPC’s current reform process is predicated upon granting autonomy to its Strategic Business Units (SBUs) while the Autonomous Business Units (ABUs) formally referred to as Directorates; provide relevant directions to the SBUs. “This will remain as part of my agenda for incubating and growing the new business models. One of the agitations of the oil and gas unions during its recent strike was as a result of non-remittance of JV cash calls on NNPC’s part. We are working round the clock to ensure that all outstanding cash call arrears are settled.

“As part of our resolve to settle this pertinent issue, we are also working towards creating a sustainable and long term funding plan to sustain our portion of the JV funding.

National aspiration for oil production and reserve growth to a target of four million barrels per day (4mbopd) and 40 billion barrels respectively, have been elusive over the years due to a combination of factors ranging from funding constraints, infrastructure vandalisation, security concerns e.t.c “We are committed to ensuring production and reserves growth by restoring oil and gas production to peak levels, growing the production mix and portfolio of oil and gas reserves through very transparent processes,” he said.

Kachikwu Stakeholders’ reactions to the cash calls deficit challenges Mr Bank Anthony Okoroafor, the Chairman of Petroleum Technology Association of Nigeria (PETAN) argued that the government should clear all the outstanding cash call arrears and start on a clean slate and change the structure.

“The companies will become self funding and the government will be making more money from petroleum profit tax, and other taxes. If we do that, government won’t be saddled with paying cash calls. Government will only worry itself on collecting all taxes which is more than 85 per cent. Allow people who understand the business to run the business. When you have that, you won’t be worried about transparency again,” he said.

He stated that due to poor funding, some projects have been differed while some have been cancelled. Some companies have reduced their staff strength. “If we can handle our above the ground risks properly, we can still be profitable. The main issues in Nigeria are above the ground risks. In many places, the lands are shut in, a company like WalterSmith drilled nine wells with 95 per cent Nigerian content. Now, the lines are shut in, they cannot produce. They must have borrowed this money and how do you pay back. You must have made all your calculations based on your production. Some lines that are supposed to have brought gas have also been shut in,” he said.

The Chief Executive Officer, Oilserv Limited, Emeka Okwuosa said everybody is affected definitely. “We have an industry wide downturn, you have low activity, you have low price regime, so it is affecting everybody. It also creates a challenge for the government to be able to cope with these issues of funding. Knowing fully well that oil in particular is the major ingredient of our economy in terms of being able to feed our economy.

“Oil still constitutes more than 60 per cent of our foreign exchange earnings as a country. You can realise that lots of things we use in Nigeria are purchased from overseas. So to fund these, you need to ensure you get enough money from the sale of crude to meet them. If you put that aside, you will know we have a gap there, it makes it more difficult for the government to fund their Joint Venture commitments. And do not forget that some of these commitments are dated more than five to eight years ago. It is actually a problem.

“But I believe really strongly that, like the honorable minister of state for petroleum resources, Dr Ibe Kachikwu, has stated severally, they are working on it. They are looking at alternative means of funding. They are also looking at being able to draw some funds from Middle East, China and from other sources. The government is in a better position to decide that, but I believe they know what the problem is and that they are dealing with it.

“But as far as it affects PETAN members and Oilserv, it is a serious problem. We all know that it is not going to be there forever because if you look at the price regime of crude oil, it appears like it has bottomed, you have upside going forward. It requires planning and decisions to get it to the $100 per barrels cap.

What is important is that the oil producers that need our services are still in business. So far as they are in business, they will need our services. It is just a matter of time,” he said.

Conclusion Mr Samson Iheadioha stated that the government must ensure speedy passage of the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) and understands that oil and gas projects are capital intensive and that the government must make funding its priority or allow those that are ready to finance the projects while it focuses on tax.

Nigerian Tribune Wednesday, 10 August, 2016 23 Stakeholders decry funding challenges confronting indigenous oil producers Stories by Olatunde Dodondawa -Lagos

S

TAKEHOLDERS in the oil and gas industry have decried the existing funding

challenges confronting indigenous oil and gas producers in the country.

Speaking at the recently concluded annual conference of the Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE) in

Lagos, the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Energia Limited, Mr Felix Amieyeofori, stated, in his presentation titled ‘Practical approach to mitigating associated project

risks and uncertainties in marginal field development: key elements and economic consideration, that funding challenges for low reserve volumes require operators poling

From left, Mr Bank Anthony Okoroafor, Chairman of Petroleum Association of Nigeria (PETAN); Mr Lawal Gbolahan, Secretary of PETAN and Mr Wale Sanyaolu, Energy Expert/Analyst, at the annual conference of Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE) in Lagos, recently.

Indigenous producers decry zero crude oil output, zero revenue

FOLLOWING incessant attacks on oil installations in the Niger Delta region by the Niger Delta Avengers and other militants, crude oil producers, especially the indigenous operators, have decried zero output, zero revenue they are faced with.

Speaking at the annual conference by the Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE) Nigeria Council, the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Seplat Petroleum Development Company Plc, Mr Austin Avuru stated that operators are no longer bothered by drop in crude oil price because when there is nothing to produce, there will be nothing to export for sale.

According to him, “These are pretty difficult times for our industry, and for our country. Today, over 70 per cent of production from the traditional terrain in the onshore and the shallow water is locked in. A year ago, we were faced with drop in oil prices, but today we are battling with zero production, zero revenue for up to five six month now.

“Some of us no longer check the oil price, because it is only relevant when you produce. This industry was undergoing a major transformation. Few years ago, we said this industry must move away from just being a primary revenue generation for the government to becoming an enabler for economic development.

“We had said that this industry will move away from domestic consumption of less than 300 billion standard cubic feet (scuf) of gas per day to consumption of over 3 billion scuf per day. And in the process transforming the economy.

In the process it, energizses company like Dangote so we can become net exporter of cement and fertilizer, delivering over 300GW of electricity.”

That was the journey the industry had started three years ago, Avuru stated.

“That journey unfortunately today is being interrupted by forces that we are afraid of combating. The crisis in the Niger Delta has taken a new turn that must worry all of us because when we don’t produce, our companies are destroyed, jobs are destroyed the economy is destroyed and this whole transformation that I was describing is being interrupted rudely. Unfortunately, I do not know if there is real solution in the horizon as we speak.

“But still, we are hoping that by 2020, somehow that journey will get us to where we intend. Which means, our production of natural gas will fire this economy. We should be refining about half of our products in country by 2020. Domestic refining capacity of 1.2 million barrels per day is realistic by 2020. And as i said, 3.2-3.5bscuf of natural gas

and all the multiplier effects are realistic,” he said.

However, he argued that despite the challenges, “this is the vision that we in Seplat are seeing, which is why from the gas processing of 60 million scuf per day in 2010 to today where we are delivering 300 million scuf into the domestic production. At the end of this year, we will have a processing capacity of 500 million scuf per day and all of this into the domestic market. By 2020, our aspiration is to be delivering 1bscuf of gas per day. Even though today everywhere looks bleak.

“Last week, I published our half year result and for the first time ever since we started, thus, business six years ago, we made a half year loss from bountiful profit in the last six years. As bleak as the situation looks, we see hope by 2020,” he said.

In his welcome address, the Chairman of SPE Nigeria Council, Mr George Kalu argued that lack of gas gathering and supply infrastructure is hampering the country’s ability to maximize the benefits of sales of gas in the domestic market which is currently more attractive than that of international market.

He said the delay in the passage of the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) has constrained further investment into the sector to the extent that exploration activities are at its lowest

ebb.

“The level of crude oil and gas reserves addition do not match the rate of production, with rig count declining steadily in Nigeria between 2013 and 2016 resulting in minimal expectation and new development activities when compared to other producing countries,” he said.

He argued that the theme of the conference “Transparency in the oil and gas business: An imperative for Energy security and stability’’ is rather timely given that oil prices are hovering around $43 barrel per day in recent time with significant challenges to the Nigerian oil and gas environment.

The challenges include funding constraints rising from cash call arrears, exchange rate differential in a cyclical oil price regime, high operational costs due to long contracting cycle time and severely delayed payment to vndors, as well as high cost of borrowing is affecting the much anticipated boom in the industry.

“The Nigerian oil and gas industry has also experienced massive capital flights due to bureaucratic bottlenecks in releasing information and prospects, fiscal regime, extant laws and feedback on performance of contractors. This resulted in significant delays in permits approval while providing a breeding and enabling environment for sharp practices.

facilities together into a cluster operation.

“Operators need to structure to attract financing partners including contractors financing models. Contractor financing model is a little premium/ mark up to provide services with future payment guarantees from production.

Another method is crude off takers funding which refers to cash advance for field development with payment through crude off take.

“Turnkey contractors with some premium upon successful development of assets. Build, operate and transfer (BOT) model for some infrastructure projects like gas plants, flow stations and pipelines,” he said.

Furthermore, he argued that the government should generate an articulate information memorandum consisting of detailed technical development of the field, revenue status of the operator, proposed development of the field, phase by phase development of the field, re-entry of the existing wells, drilling of new wells, flow of hydrocarbon either by existing pipeline or trucking.

He said stakeholders

should ensure professional corporate governance and equity management.

“Avoid family laden organisation and strong technical expertise and technical experience. This gives lots of comfort to financier to know that the company has the capacity to execute/ operate the field with emphasis on track records, asset specific knowledge, regulator/host community engagement.

“Strong internal control mechanism for strong and effective risk management frame. Competency in terms of Health, Safety and Environment (HSE). Adequate and effective HSE policies and implementation programme that minimise operational hazards to ensure the overall safety of employees and other relevant stakeholders.

“Strong financial reporting process with the disclosure requirement of IFRS. Robust and secured Information Technology infrastructure to support the company in meeting its strategic objectives. Quality of alliance or partnership with companies that are capable of addressing operational challenges currently faced by the operator,” he said.

Oil spill monitoring group to hold conference AN oil spill monitoring group, The Oil Spill Conference Nigeria (OSCN) said it is set to hold conference on how best to tackle oil spill challenges in not just in the Niger Delta region, but every where there is oil explorations.

Speaking in a chat with the Nigerian Tribune, the founder of Oil Spill Conference Nigeria, Professor Sylvester Egwu, said “Oil spill is said to occur when oil is seen on land or water during oil operations.

Nigeria has the highest rate of oil spill incidents globally, an estimated 900 or more incidents annually causing severe environmental degradation in oil producing areas of Nigeria particularly in the Niger Delta region.”

Professor Sylvester said that the high level of degradation has led to destruction of farmlands, fishing industry, caused biodiversity depletion and greater human health threats.

“Crude oil is toxic and can cause cancer of various forms and skin rashes and leukaemia in children. According to United Nations

Environment Assembly (UNEA) report, environmental impacts are responsible for the deaths of more than one quarter of all children under five years,” he said.

He said that the focus of the world now is on pathways to ensure that the environment sustains human health.

“Environmental degradation can trigger conflicts as it is in the Niger Delta region. This is a factor in the crisis in the region that has been devastated by severe oil pollution and concomitant degradation.”

He said that the Oil Spill Conference Nigeria was founded in 2012 to address such environmental issues and challenges because we have deepseated concern and passion for humanity.

He said the fifth edition of the conference will hold between August 9 and 10, in Lagos, adding that the sustainable management of natural resources that can provide the basis for long term stability,sustainable livelihood and development can be extensively discussed.

24

Wednesday, 10 August, 2016 Taiwo Adisa - 08072000046 Group Politics Editor tai_adis@yahoo.com

Budget padding: We ’ll crush any attempt to remove Dogara —Oke

House of Representatives Committee chairman on Public Procurement, Honourable Wole Oke, representing Obokun/Oriade Federal Constituency in Osun State, in this interview with JACOB SEGUN OLATUNJI, speaks on the alleged 2016 Budget padding and sundry issues. Excerpts:

Y

OU are a ranking member of the 8th National Assembly, what is your take on the drama going on at the House of Representatives over the alleged padding of the 2016 Budget

by Speaker Yakubu Dogara and others?

It is a very sad development in the history of Nigeria’s legislature. It’s a very strange word, budget padding—I am hearing it for the first time. It does not exist in our laws; it does not even exist in our constitution or in our penal or criminal codes. The crafters of our constitution have never, ever mentioned such word as padding. Somebody has called it forgery.

I know forgery exists as an offence in our criminal codes, penal codes. But in the parliament, the purpose of any lawmaker coming to the parliament, the purpose of any constituency donating their mandate to their representatives to represent them in parliament is actually because of the budget bill, because it is what you can use to attract development to your areas, to your constituency or to your Senatorial districts, lobbying, relating with people, furnished energy to attract project to my constituency, should not be criminalised.

I don’t know what Honourable Abdulmumin Jibrin wants to achieve. What the honourable is doing, is to knock the heads of the legislature and the executive together and put our democracy asunder.

Assuming without conceding that there are projects that have been tempered with, Mr. President has a lot of gateways, he has a lot of tools to manage the budget with. He can request for virement; ask for amendment. These tools are there, but for Hon Jibrin himself to start saying that there is padding or there is insertion, I mean it’s busybody! I don’t know what he wants to achieve. The All Progressives Congress (APC)-led government should sanction him, because he has painted the government of President Muhammadu Buhari in a bad manner.

Jibrin has christened the APC-led government as a corrupt government because virtually everybody he has mentioned so far, with the exception of my own leader, Hon. Leo Ogor, are members of APC, so the APC-led government should sanction Hon Jibrin. The party has all the mechanisms to address the issue that he

has raised and the legislature also has its own rules. So, honestly, I am totally disappointed and I am not proud of Jibrin being a part of the parliament, roaming the streets and talking about issues that don’t exist.

How do you mean?

At worst, if he is aggrieved, he should have approached the court of law. He can challenge the processes if he wants, he can go to court if he wants but to be labeling every member of the parliament as corrupt is un- called for because I am not corrupt. I am standing very, very straight, not bending. I can be seen, I am standing straight and I am supporting Speaker Dogara, I am supporting the Deputy Speaker, Hon Lasun Yusuf. The Minority Leader, Ogor, is a member of my own party. In the past, between 2003 abd 2007, I have had cause to attract Federal Government projects to my constituency, Obokun/ Oriade Federal Constituency,Osun State. Would you call that padding?

The Nigeria Airforce Safety Training Institute sited in Ipetu-Ijesha, would you call it budget padding? I influenced its being sighted in my area. I didn’t even know the contractors that executed it. I have no business with contractors that executed it.

At any rate, Dogara, Yussuf, Ogor, Dogowa and others mentioned have no access to the treasury. All the projects captured in the budget are going to the executive arm of government. It has the procurement procedure as a gateway to arrest any project it doesn’t want.

Are you suspecting external forces behind the whole drama?

That is my worry. What he is doing is to put our democracy in trouble. We all understand and believe in separation of powers. He is out to knock the heads of the executive, judiciary and parliament together, he is out to cause confusion in the entire polity.

What do you think is the way out of the mess?

You see, we as lawmakers in the parliament, our Bible and Quran are anchored by our House rules and they are procedures for managing these scenarios.

Did Honourable Jibrin exhaust these procedures and secondly, has

Oke he ever mentioned this on the floor of the House or in any of your executive meetings?

As far as we are concerned, all the allegations by Jibrin are not known to the House.One, we are not in session and secondly, he has not tabled any petition against any member of the House. He has not raised this matter in the House.

So, legislatively, Jibrin’s position is not known to the House. When we resume, he has a window to ventilate his views.

He can, by way of point of order, put his position on notice; he can come in form of a motion on notice. All the black mailing, the distraction, the allegation against the institution of the House of Reps and the un-parliamentary language will be ad-

Dogara, Yussuf, Ogor, Dogowa and others mentioned have no access to the treasury. All the projects captured in the budget are going to the executive arm of government.

dressedwhen we resume.

Is it true that some members have been collecting signatures to send away all the principal officers over the alleged padding ?

That cannot happen. I can give you the statistics of the position of the House. In the North East today, Dogara has 98 per cent support. In the North-Central, he has 99 per cent support, and 95 per cent in the North- West. In the South-South and South East, he has 100 per cent support, while in the South-West, he has 75 per cent support. So, which list are they collecting?

Which signatures are they collecting?

We are 360 in the House, and I put it to you— I stand to be corrected, 310 members are behind Dogara that I know of.

I don’t know of the remaining 50, but I put it to you that at least on my own records, I have 310 members that we meet that are fully for Dogara. You may have few members who are disgruntled, who are not happy maybe because of the post Speakership election but as I speak to you, noting can shake Dogara lead leadership.

Does the alleged budget padding have any connection with the reported plans to impeach the president?

Anybody who is thinking of impeaching President Buhari must be insane. Nobody has discussed such issue. We are in a state of economic quagmire; we are trying to get out of it. It has not crossed anybody’s mind.

25

politics&policy

Wednesday, 10 August, 2016

How we manage party affiliation in Lagos Assembly —Obasa Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly Speaker, Rt. Hon Mudashiru Ajayi Obasa, cut his political teeth as a councillor in Agege Local Government at the inception of this political dispensation. In this interview, he says the presence of eight members of the opposition PDP in the assembly has further strengthened it in the last one year. He speaks on other issues. CHUKWUMA OKPARAOCHA brings the excerpts:

Obasa

Y

OU, like others, have continued to attribute your emergence as the Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly to, among other things, an act of providence. Can you tell us your experience in the last one year?

It is something I will describe as mixed joy. Being a speaker involves so many things. It is so not about heading the parliament alone. You realise you have so many things to contend with, such as the administration of the institution, its diplomacy. And then you have to meet with people from outside of your own territory, be it the diplomatic corps, corporate world, and the like. At the same time, you have to play the political role by attending so many occasions. But we thank God, so far so good; we have been able to cope.

We’ve been able to handle these successfully.

You have led the House without any known crisis so far, while also recording very impressive results in terms of the passage of about bills and resolutions?

Actually, there is no magic anywhere.

First, let’s give everything to the Almighty Allah who has made it possible to achieve.

At the same time, I must recognise the contribution of my colleagues, most especially the principal officers and other members because we have been able to work together owing to our resolve that the success of this institution should be our paramount

concern. And l am sure that is the reason we’ve recorded these tremendous achievements. Of course, we are working together irrespective of the party affiliation. We realize we have people from both PDP and APC. But here, party issue is behind us.

When it comes to the House, our focus is on the people of Lagos, their progress and the growth of Lagos as a whole. In essence, working together, coming together as a team has been responsible for our success so far.

With as much as eight Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) lawmakers in the House - the first in history many had predicted a stormy tenure for you?

I have been a long while in this institution. I realise the fact that you have to reach out to other members of the parliament to work together to achieve success.

And having regular discussions, making them known to all members and the need for us to come together is so essential and it is beyond party consideration. The interest of our people and that of the state should come first. Obviously, what we’ve been discussing, all we have done, the laws we have passed are all for the well-being of Lagosians. They are not targeted at a section of the society or particular individuals. So, this is the major reason that we all have to come together, rally together and see through how we make things work in the state.

For the purpose of record, I will like to state that this House within one year has passed about 60 resolutions and six bills, consequently signed into law by Governor Akinwumi Ambode. These resolutions and laws are those that border on the security and well-being of Lagosians, and have direct impact on them. We shall remain undaunted and resolute in our resolve to take Lagos to a greater height.

I wish to reiterate that I am passionately committed to my 10-point agenda, as stated in my inaugural speech. Within one year that I took over the mantle of leadership of this great House, we have had landmark achievements in prompt but thorough passage of the year 2016 budget, timely commencement of plenary sittings, organising constituency stakeholders’ meetings simultaneously for the first time in all the 40 constituencies of the state, holding the MDAs to account through intensive and effective oversight activities and in responding earnestly to the petitions by Lagosians through appropriate standing or ad hoc committee.

Apart from this, we have not relented in organising training programmes for lawmakers and staff, a factor that has improved them. I am delighted to inform you that this House now has a multidimensional and functional website. For the first time in the history of this hallowed chamber in its 36 years of existence, you can now communicate with the honourable members through the official email address of the House. All the website’s social media platforms such as Facebook, twitter, youtube and instagram are also functioning properly. It is our belief that with all of them well harnessed, Lagosians can interact with us and also get first-hand information on whatever t goes on in this Assembly.

What would you say is responsible for the perceived smooth a relation-

My focus when it comes to the House of Assembly is to see a House that is totally independent of any other institution you can think of, a parliament that can do anything that will bring progress to the state.

ship between the Executive and the House of Assembly and how can this be sustained?

I think there are so many factors that informed this observed cordial relationship.

It is not just cordial; it is also a strong one.

When you look at the calibre of those who occupy both the executive and the parliament, you will realise the fact that they’ve been in the system for a while. For instance, the governor has been around for quite some time. He was at the local government level as a career officer. He became the Accountant General of the state and now, he is the governor. The same thing with Mr Speaker; he served at the local government level, and he has been in the House for quite some time.

Same thing goes for many members of the executive as well as the parliament.

This means that there had been relationship before now. And when you have a relationship, the only thing you have to do is to sustain such a relationship. Secondly, we are from same political party, APC, with those who are from the executive save for the few who are from the opposition in the parliament. And you cannot ignore the party factor also, it is something that is strongly working for us. Understanding and exposure are key in this also as we have all resolved that we want to serve our people; we want to develop our state. By so thinking, you have no choice than to work, cooperate together and make attempt to move the state forward Substantiated by a recent award and recognition it won, the Lagos State House of Assembly is believed to be the best House of Assembly in Nigeria, how do you hope to sustain this standard?

I am the type of person that has reservations when it comes to awards. I don’t patronise people for awards. I don’t do it. But it (the award in question) is something that happened naturally. Something that I wasn’t involved in its happening.

But it just came and I am very happy about it. And I am sure all our members were happy too when we were given that award. You know how it feels when you are invited and hinted that you have been chosen as the best speaker in the country.

We can adduce this to what I have said earlier. Our belief is to work together, our desire is to move the state forward and to serve the interest of our people. So, people have access to what we do and I am sure we achieved this through what we have been doing and which we believe we will continue to do.

What will be the main thrust and vision of the House in the next onetwo years?

My focus when it comes to the House of Assembly is to see a House that is totally independent of any other institution you can think of, a parliament that can do anything that will bring progress to the state and that will develop the interest of our people without recourse to any other institution. And we are almost there. I am sure, we will surely get there.

26

tribute

Wednesday, 10 August, 2016

Adekunle Fajuyi and the politics of remembrance

By Niyi Osundare continued from yesterday

This is how Akoni Wole Soyinka remembers the fallen hero: Honour late restored, early ventured to a trial Of Death’s devising. Flare too rare Too brief chivalric steel Redeem us living, springs the lock of Time’s denial (Idanre and Other Poems, p.54) Noteworthy in this piece of verse is the way the key words re-arrange themselves into a new collocation of attribution: the soldier-leader with ‘rare’ ‘flare’ and ‘chivalric steel’ who ‘redeem[ed]’us by getting our ‘honour’ ‘restored’ but who, unfortunately, fell prey to ‘Death’s devising’.These are words which pay homage to the gravitas of Fajuyi’s historic assignment as well as the resonance of his noble personality.

The latter parts of the poem deepen our admiration fora truly remarkable leader who conquered fear and the ‘dearth of wills’; this latent tree from which ‘soared a miracle of boughs’.Fajuyi died like a man; now he lives like an Idea.

The events of the night of July 29 have generated different narratives, and the Fajuyi phenomenon has lengthened into a yarn over the past 50 years, with all manner of fictive recreations and mythic accretions, partisan inflation and revisionist adumbrations. Just as well: the hard copy of martyrdom hardly ever comes without themalleablesoftware of myth and fabulation. But for a closer look at the man without/beyond the myth, we must pay more than a cursory attention to those few but profoundly revealing pages in The Man Died, detailing Wole Soyinka’s one-on-one encounters with Fajuyi the soldier and Fajuyi the man… ..

Fajuyi and Soyinka: two men of exceptional import, without a doubt: courageous, clear-headed, visionary, humane; one the first military governor of the old Western Region, the other Africa’s leading dramatist and one of the pillars of its political conscience. In just 18 pages (pp. 144-162), we learn so much about the mind and character of this 44- year soldier with the historic task of pacifying the Wild, Wild West and cleaning up the bloody mayhem precipitated by monthsof rampant anomie occasioned by the blatant rigging of the October 1965 elections by the tyrannical Nigerian National Democratic Party, NNDP (frightfully and derisively referred to as ‘Demo’).

In these few pages, we see Fajuyi’s consternation and anger at depraved public officials who want to hang on to office by all means even ‘when their usefulness is over’ (p. 148), and ‘The honourable course is to resign’ (p.147). An achingly sad example is the discredited former Chief Justice of the then Western Region who came begging to retain his position: But do you know what the man did? He went on his knees, there, right there, an old man like that, a whole Chief Justice, he went down on his knees and began begging me. I was angry. I shouted on him to get up but he wouldn’t; he kept on saying, ‘I beg yousir’. So I walked out. When I felt he should have recovered himself I sent the guard to go and tell him to leave (p.147).

Evident, even audible here is the moral outrage of a leader with a cleansing mission, a deeply conscientious crusader strongly appalled by evil.And this moral crusader knew all too well that the crusade had to start with himself. Days later, when Soyinka told him

somewhat accusingly ‘I saw you arriving at a function in a Rolls Royce. . .’,Fajuyi’s response was forthright, even apologetic: Ah, I know what you are about to say,and I’ll admit that I didn’t like it either. But there was nothing I could do at the time.

We were nearly late and those security men had already allocated the car for me.

I was more or less pushed into it. But I agree with you entirely. It’s disgraceful that we soldiers should take over the ostentation of those useless politicians.(p. 153). (My emphasis) Thereupon the governor scaled down his automobile choice to a Mercedes. And even then, he promised to paint that car in military colours. And he did! Still more from the gallant soldier: As for the rest of the cars I’ll put them up for sale. The Cadillacs, the Rolls, all the submarines.The government could use the revenue. (p. 253).

After reading this, you just cannot doubt that a virtue called Accountability once had a prominent place in Nigerian governance. Fajuyi agonized over the incipient streak of materialism among his colleagues, as evident in some of the top officers’ scramble for Crown Lands.

He was soon tagged ‘radical’ and a certain chill, even distrust, descended on the warm relationship between him and his somewhat pro-establishment Commander-in-Chief. When Soyinka asked for his opinion about Ironsi’s decision

When you compare the likes of Fajuyi with the scheming, thieving, avaricious, and utterly dishonourable soldiers of fortune who puff around in our military uniforms today, you are compelled to ask: where are all the good men gone?

to rotate the governors, Fajuyi responded with an astounding mix of premonition and prophecy: To tell the truth I am not too happy about it. I would like to finish what we’ve begun.

I mean, we’ve hardly started! Still, I always remind myself of what I criticize in others – nobody ever wants to leave. I am beginning to fear that the army itself may not know when it is time to go (p.159). (My emphasis) To think that the fear so clairvoyantly expressed by Fajuyi here in 1966 came to be so painfully justified about a quartercentury later in the diabolic despotism of the billionaire Generals and military politicians! There goes Lt. Col. AdekunleFajuyi, veritable Officer and Gentleman, a soldier who sought the company of intellectuals and in whose company they felt at home and at ease. Earnest, forthright, sensitive, and mentally and emotionally astute, Fajuyi combined the moral energy of a reformer with the sizzling idealism of acommitted intellectual. He possessed anger and compassion, chivalry and vulnerability in the right proportions.

Though invested with a tempting combination of military power and political authority, he did not wield the sword like a blind samurai; he never forgot the right ways of being human.There goes a warrior beyond the common run of contemporary Nigerian soldiery. For when you compare the likes of Fajuyi with the scheming, thieving, avaricious, and utterly dishonourable soldiers of fortune who puff around in our military uniforms today, you are compelled to ask: where are all the good men gone? Professor Bolaji Akinyemi (2001) intended no hyperbole, therefore, when he extoled Adekunle Fajuyi as ‘the only hero the Nigerian army had ever produced’.

From July 29 to June 12 – and Beyond But why does the pendulum of this gem of a soldier-leader swing between deification and oblivion? Why does it take so much stress, so much strain to commemorate this hero whose remembrance we all should find as natural as the way we breathe? Again, the political economy of Memory and the fiendish vicissitude of Remembrance. The outpouring of feelings and tributes which accompanied Fajuyi’s

assassination in 1966 and burial in January the year after thinned out after a few months as the country moved on to other crises: the pogrom on the Igbo, the rise of Biafra, the civil war,the inconclusive end of the war with its hypocritical ’No Victor, No Vanquished’ slogan, and the apparently endless cycle of coups and counter-coups with all kinds of military adventurers at the helm. A long, gruesome campaign for democracy forced the military to organize the presidential polls of June 12, 1993.

Against all odds, and quite contrary to the wildest expectations of the military, that election produced a clear winner.

The crown was about to land on the head of that winner when General Ibrahim Babangida’s military junta stopped the music and threw the country into a tailspin.

The undeclared winner of that election, Chief M.K.O. Abiola, insisted on his mandate. Disgraced out of power, General Babangida passed on the baton to a feckless Interim Government which soon collapsed under the weight of its own illegitimacy. Then came General Sani Abacha, maximum dictator, kleptocrat, and murderer who killed those democracy advocates he could lay his hands on and hounded the others into painful exile.

Rather than see the annulment of the June 12 election as a rape of democracy and assault on our national will, many Nigerians soon naturalized it as a Yoruba problem.

M.K.O. Abiola’s nation-wide mandate was driven into a tribal enclave.But NADECO and a body of other Civil Rights groups pressed on for the demand for democracy.

Unfortunately, Chief Abiola never saw democracy when it came at last, having collapsed and died after that mysterious cup of tea offered him in captivity, during (we ust never forget) General Abdulsalaam Abubakar’s tenure as Head of State.

The June 12 ‘debacle’ (a word deployed and made irresistibly popular by Nigeria’s foremost journalist, Olatunji Dare) brought to the fore once again, the Yoruba Factor in Nigerian politics. Under frequent assault by Abacha’s killer squads, left on their own by other Nigerian ‘nations’, the Yoruba started examining their own room in the Nigerian house.

Slogans such as ‘Confederation is the answer’ flared up on prominent pages of newspapers (The last time that statement appeared with that kind of spectacular prominence was 1983, in the aftermath of the grossly rigged federal elections).

The National Question’, ‘Sovereign National Conference’, ‘True Federalism,’, ‘Self Determination’, etc. Not a few people started contemplating the idea of ‘Oduduwa Republic’. But most telling was the way the evocation of Yoruba ‘heroes’ came to beendowed with a prominent role in this ritual of ethnic self-validation and the retrieval of communal self-worth. Abiola, martyr of democracy, found a worthy predecessor in AdekunleFajuyi: both being icons of gallantry and extraordinary sacrifice whose light shone beyond their ethnic base; Chief Obafemi Awolowo, unarguably the architect of Yoruba modernism whose place/stature in Yoruba mythology is only next to that of Oduduwa,the group’s primogenitorial avatar.

Continues tomorrow

•Being Professor Osundare’s Guest Lecture at the 50 years after Fajuyi celebration, organised by the Yoruba Think-Tank, July 29, 2016; International Conference Centre, University of Ibadan, Nigeria.

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Wednesday, 10 August, 2016

features

Editor: Kehinde Oyetimi featuresdesk@yahoo.com 0811 184 5048

Cote D’ívoire:

More than

just coffee plantations Abidjan

By Wale Ojo-Lanre

C

ote D’ïvoire? You mean the former Ivory Coast, where there was a protracted military coup some years back and where there was a terrorist attack of recent? Is there really anything worthwhile for tourists in that country of 25 million people?

These were the posers I put across to an official of the Cote D’ívoire Embassy in Nigeria who called me some few weeks back, asking me to forward the information page of my international passport for an Eductour of his country.

The embassy official also informed me that my name was recommended by the Director-General of the Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation (NTDC), Dr (Mrs) Sally Mbanefo.

It was with this mind-set of uncertainty that I made for the Murtala Mohammed International Airport in Ikeja, Lagos on Thursday, June 5, 2016, where I met Dr (Mrs) Mbanefo and a top official in the Ministry of Information and Culture.

One of the shockers I got on arriving at the MMIA was the fact that I would be flying Cote D’ívoire Airline. This is an airline owned and run by the government of Cote D’ivoire, but the plane, though of a small capacity, was neat and manned by respectful hostesses.

The quality of service, the food, as well as the various promotional entertainment packages on the screen on Cote D’ivoire tourism values, history and economic activities, made some of us on the flight wish that the flying time to Cote Dívoire from Lagos could be lengthened than the 1 hr 10 minutes that it took us; the documentary on Cote D’ívoire tourism shown onboard revealed that there are many sites to see in the country other than coffee plantation.

In Coto D’Ivoire, the Houphouet Boigny Airport, though small, was kept neat, prim and proper with the staff going about their duties with every sense of responsibility, smiling at those arriving into the country warmly.

Mrs Mbanefo, who was in full Fulani dress with a scarf designed in Nigeria’s national colour, made the Nigerian delegation the cynosure of all eyes at the airport.

Driving through Abidjan , the capital of Cote D’ívoire, one could see a beautiful city with good road networks, well-laid streets, and it is not surprising that this city is being called small Paris, a name which it has earned for its striking resemblance of Paris, the capital of France.

Going by my interest, the first port of call was the St

Paul Cathedral, a magnificent Catholic church which was inaugurated in 1985. This is the second largest church on the African continent and one of the largest cathedrals in the world. From St Paul Cathedral, I headed for the Marian Shrine at Abidjan, which is called “Our Lady of Africa, Mother of All Graces.”

According to the tour guide, Koffi, “It is a title which includes a wish, a commitment to evangelisation, and a form of consecration of the entire African continent.”

The shrine is a sanctuary which has a fascinating architecture which looks like a hand trying to reach the skies and pointing to heaven. At the entrance of the sanctuary, the gospel words of Mary are carved in large letters: “Behold the handmaid of the Lord: be it done to me according to your word.”

Having stocked good memories of the entertainment and religious tourism of the exciting city of Abidjan, the journey to Yamoussukro, the political capital of Cote D’ívoire, proved to be interesting as it exposed the development strides of the government which is wired by its intention of getting the best out of tourism.

On the way to Yamoussukro are a rapidly developing industrial and housing estates, national park, reserved forests, agricultural farms, among others.

Our tour guide pointed to the modern housing estates which lined both sides of the road into Yamoussukro, saying “these are the modern houses built by the former president, Houphouet Boigny, for the villagers whose houses and lands were taken over during the transformation of the town . Do you know that they refused to stay there because of its modernity but preferred to build the type of houses they were used to?”

The first port of call here was the St Joseph Moscat Catho-

I came all the way from Nigeria to pray here. I have performed the holy pilgrimage to Jerusalem twice and I am capping it with the visit to this religious centre second to the one in Rome.

lic Hospital. It is a 250-bed specialist hospital which is being managed by the Vatican. From the hospital, we went to the personal residence of the late Houphouet Boigny. It has, among others, a family mausoleum constructed inside a bunker which the late political leader constructed before his death. The mausoleum has 26 tombs, out of which only four are empty.

Above the bunker sits the private church of the late president, where it is forbidden for anyone to sit on the chair he used to occupy when alive. It was told that whoever does will find himself transported into the tomb of the dead president!

The tour of the Basilica of Our Lady of Peace in Yamoussukro is a day’s affair and most necessary in many ways.

Of all the Basilicas in the world, the one in Yamoussukro is not only the largest, but the tallest; it beats that of Rome by nine centimetres! It is also one which was canonised by Pope John Paul 11. The Guinness World Records lists it as the largest “church” in the world, having surpassed the previous record holder, St. Peter’s Basilica. This church can accommodate 18,000 worshippers, and it was a gift to the Vatican from the late Boigny.

Mr Raphael Azaiki, a Nigerian religious tourist whom I saw praying fervently inside the Basilica said “I am of the Anglican faith. I came all the way from Nigeria to pray here.

I have performed the holy pilgrimage to Jerusalem twice and I am capping it with the visit to this religious centre second to the one in Rome.”

Climbing the top of the Basilica was interesting, as it enabled one to have a stunning view of the aesthetic landscaping and layout of the town and the Basilica.

One would have thought that there was nothing more to see in Cote D’Ivore after Yamoussoukro, until one got to Grand Bassam, the first capital of the country.

Grand Bassam is the testimony of French colonisation activities and relics. It has among others, the first Church in West-Africa, historical buildings, artifacts, monument and library.

Another interesting site is the Dress Museum, which was formerly the Colonial Governor’s House, with its bitter history of oppression and inhuman treatment of the locals.

Grand Bassam is a lovely enclave which is located between the Atlantic Ocean and the lagoon and the hotels are bests of the old with exquisite facilities which offer good night sleep with the buffeting of the cool breeze from the Atlantic Ocean and a slightly warm air from the lagoon.

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Wednesday, 10 August, 2016

When Fayose, Ekiti teachers squared off at interactive meeting Sam Nwaoko -Ado Ekiti

G

overnor Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti State recently held a noholds-barred meeting with teachers in public primary and secondary schools in the state at the Government House grounds in Ado Ekiti.

The meeting was tagged: “Interactive Forum between Governor Peter Ayodele Fayose and Teachers from Ekiti State Public Schools on Improved Education Outcome.”

Governor Ayodele Fayose and his entourage had arrived at the meeting to an obviously unwelcoming lot. He arrived in the midst of the rancorous gathering with his Deputy, Dr. Kolapo Olubunmi Olusola; the Secretary to the State Government, Dr (Mrs) Modupe Alade; the Head of Service, Dr. Olugbenga Faseluka and the Chief of Staff, Chief Dipo Anisulowo, among others.

It was obvious that the teachers had more in expectations than the governor’s presence and mellifluous flatter. He had asked the teachers if there was a fight between them and quipped that “it is still the same Fayose that you knew”, to which the teachers echoed “no” in unison.

Also, the introductions were made brief by constant murmurs from the huge gathering of teachers. They were said to have come three each from the 189 primary and 885 secondary schools in the state.

Gauging the mood of the meeting, there was even no need for a welcome or introductory address by the Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Mr. Jide Egunjobi, who was not even sitting down.

Thus, there was no lead into the objective of the interactive meeting. It was straight to business as it was assumed that the objectives were known.

Governor Fayose, who was already standing in their midst, metres away from the seat prepared for him, thus started the meeting himself by announcing that the leaders of the various unions of the teachers would speak on behalf of the teachers. This also drew a loud noise of disapproval by the teachers. They obviously also did not want the leaders of the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT); All Nigeria Conference of Principals of Secondary Schools (ANCOPSS), the association of head teachers of primary schools and the sundry teachers’ associations at the meeting to speak for them.

They wanted to speak for themselves, by themselves. This made the governor to, after calming resultant the uproar, alter the plan and ask them to appoint spokespersons from among them.

The teachers appointed, among others, Mrs E.A. Olaoye and Mr Adetunji Akinyemi. Mrs. Olaoye exhibited great composure as she enumerated the issues they brought for resolution.

She spoke for the primary school teachers. By the time she concluded, there were hardly any major knotty issues left. This was because while she spoke, answers were proffered to some of the issues in-between her speech. Her job was also aided by the fact that her colleagues sent notes to her as she spoke which helped her to remember and articulate some of the issues.

For example, when Mrs. Olaoye touched on the issue of deductions from their salaries, the teachers shifted in their seats.

She pointed out that some of the primary school teachers incurred laptops, loans and sundry deductions from their salaries. The governor didn’t allow this to linger. He stepped in with a contention that

Governor Fayose (right), with a cross section of the teachers at the heated meeting. Photo: Sam Nwaoko. “this issue of deductions has lingered for too long and I want it to be resolved once and for all. This is the last time I want to hear about this.”

Fayose there and then set up a committee of some directors and sundry officials of the state’s Ministry of Education to resolve the issue. He mandated them to meet at an accessible location in the Government House and clear the issue of arbitrary deductions. This action received a spontaneous applause from the teachers.

They also applauded with satisfaction when the governor rejected a directive by the Commissioner for Education, Mr. Egunjobi on the issue of their rural allowance, raised by the primary school teachers.

The teachers had announced that some of them were not paid their rural allowance and, like the deductions issue, the governor promptly called on Egunjobi to address the issue.

The commissioner said the affected teachers should visit the Ministry of Education with details, but even before the teachers could react to the directive, Fayose himself rejected the idea. “Do something about it right here”, he told the Commissioner, saying, “I don’t want a situation whereby the teachers would be in the Ministry and they would be told this and that director is not on seat.”

When it was the turn of secondary schools teachers, represented by Mr. Adetunji Akinyemi to speak, quite a number of the issues they had pencilled down for resolution had been tackled.

One of the secondary school teachers who raised the issue said funds from the N1,000 levy were paid to the Ministry, while Parents/Teachers Association (PTA) funds could not be used except with the approval of the PTA executive.

In a swift response, the governor said “I have been briefed on the issue and have already approved a certain percentage of the funds for the running of the schools.

That has already been done.”

The issues were as diverse as they were somewhat intricate, like the voucher with which their salaries are paid. The teachers said their salaries were paid not based on

vouchers prepared by their heads in their respective schools and also wanted the governor to address it.

He did by saying that the respective headteachers needed to verify the vouchers. Other problems were treated in their own merit as they arose. But the bottom line is that it was all about welfare.

As the meeting tapered to its denouement, the teachers wanted to hear when their controversial outstanding September 2014 salary would be paid, as well as the five months they are being owed.

On the September 2014 salary, which they admitted that some of them received, the Accountant General of the state explained that it was credited in error and that was why it was cancelled.

However, before the payment could be reversed, some of the teachers had withdrawn the money. Those who have not been paid would be paid through funds the government said it was going to glean from other sources because the bailout applied for to take care of the deficit was not granted by the Federal Government.

Others were: Stoppage of deductions on loan repayment and other sources, over-deduction of salaries of members from the Accountant General’s office; payment of Duty Post Allowance; payment of Leave Bonus for

The teachers simply vented their anger on us because we charged them to end their strike and return to work. It was a tough job convincing them to return to work without getting paid.

2016, stoppage of what they said was “arbitrary cooperative deductions”, advocacy for robust car and housing loans, renovation of schools and effective inter-cadre policy for teachers.

In a general response, the governor referred a number of the issues to the committee he earlier announced, which also includes the Permanent Secretaries in the Teaching Service Commission and the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) to interface with teachers, who have problems about arbitrary deductions from their salaries under whatever guise.

On the issue of promotions, which the teachers said had stalled since 2010, Governor Fayose directed the Head of Service, Dr Gbenga Faseluka, to meet with relevant stakeholders, including principals and the head-teachers of public schools to fashion out ways to resolve the issue before the end of the year.

Fayose said: “Teachers, you know I am for you in and out of government. The poor economic situation caused all these problems.

You know that I will not deliberately make you to suffer. I share your pain and I will never take you for granted.

“But let it be noted that I can only do my best within the ambit of availability of resources accruing to the state. This problem is not peculiar to Ekiti alone. That was why I have always been saying that it is not good for any administration to borrow money beyond its tenure.

“I am still the same Fayose you knew before now. If the funds are available, I will pay. You know that when I pay, I will have rest of mind. The challenges we are facing today was caused by the loans borrowed under the immediate past government. Let me make it very clear to you that Nigeria has entered full recession.”

Mr. Olugbenga Ajibade, Secretary, NUT Ekiti, said the meeting was worthwhile and explained that “the teachers simply vented their anger on us because we charged them to end their strike and return to work. It was a tough job convincing them to return to work without getting paid. We had a hectic time convincing our executive to tell them to return to work.”

29 news

Wednesday, 10 August, 2016

No plan to increase petrol pump price —NNPC GMD Leon Usigbe - Abuja

C

ONTRARY to speculation, the Federal Government has no immediate plan to increase the pump price of petrol in the country.

This was according to the Group Managing Director (GMD) of Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Maikanti Baru.

In a chat with State House correspondents af-

UNIPORT lecturer kidnapped Dapo Falade - Port Harcourt DIRECTOR of the Offshore Technology Institute, Faculty of Engineering, University of Port Harcourt (UNIPORT), Professor John Okoli, was kidnapped Monday evening.

Confirming the incident, spokesman of UNIPORT, Dr Williams Wodi, said the kidnap of lecturers from the institution was becoming almost a normal way of life.

He said the lecturer was taken away by his abductors from his residence in Omuoko Aluu, in Ikwerre Local Government Area of the state, but he could not confirm if the kidnappers had asked for any ransom.

“It is becoming turn-byturn in UNIPORT. This developing situation is becoming the ‘new normal’ and seriously hampering our core mandate of teaching, research and public service.

“Staff live in fear of who is next, while experts from abroad who may wish to collaborate with us are becoming increasingly hesitant to come to UNIPORT. “This distasteful trend is affecting scholarship and freedom of movement. Our appeal is that security agencies should urgently come to our aid before it becomes too late,” he said.

UNIPORT’s imagemaker also disclosed that efforts were ongoing to ensure the freedom of Professor Okoli, “who is just a teacher, with no resource to pay ransom.

We appeal to his abductors to free him unconditionally.”

Efforts to get the police to confirm the incident were not successful, as the state police imagemaker, Nnamdi Omoni, neither picked his call nor replied the text message sent to his mobile.

ter a meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari in Abuja, on Tuesday, he said he had not been directed to increase the price.

He observed that the last increase in the pump price of petroleum was done upon the recommendation of the regulatory body, based on the prevailing exchange rate.

Baru, who recently took over the GMD post from the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Dr Ibe Kachikwu, said the request for forex for gasoline imports had so far been met and the corporation had maintained a robust supply of the product.

He said: “I have not been directed to increase pump price. Even the other price was based on recommendation from the regulatory body.

“I’m not aware that they are planing to do any increase. You know there are several factors that necessitated that, especially the

issue of exchange rate that has moved and we don’t expect any serious changes.

“So far, the request for

forex for importation of gasoline, popularly called petrol, has been met and our own supply situation is robust. We are meeting

demands.

“We have over 1.4 billion litres on ground. So, I don’t see any basis for increase.

“The review could be

done by the right body. You should contact PPPRA, that is the regulatory body as far as petrol pricing is concerned.”

From right, President Muhammadu Buhari; Chief of Staff, Abba Kyari; Friesland Campina Global CEO, Mr Roelof Joosten and the Chairman, Friesland Campina Wamco Nigeria, Mr Jacobs Moyo Ajekigbe, when the Global CEO of Friesland Campina Netherlands, visited the State House, Abuja, on Tuesday.

Edo,Ondo guber race: INEC to publish official register of voters, list of nominated candidates Jacob Segun Olatunji - Abuja THE Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is set to publish and present the official register of voters for the Edo and Ondo states governorship elections slated for later in the year.

According to the Daily Bulletin of the commission made available to newsmen in Abuja, on Tuesday, while that of Edo would be published tomorrow, that of Ondo would be on August 26, this year.

While the election in Edo is scheduled for Saturday, September 10, that of Ondo will hold on Saturday, November 26.

The commission will also publish the list of nominated candidates by political parties same day in Edo State.

According to the statement, “Section 20 of the Electoral Act 2010 (as amended), provides that the register of voters for an election shall be issued not less than 30 days before such an election. Also, Section 34 of the Electoral Act 2010 (as amended) provides that the list of nominated candidates shall be published not less than 30 days before an election.

“For the Ondo governorship election scheduled for Saturday, November 26, the commission would, on the 26th of August, 2016, publish the Notice of Elec-

tion, while commencement of campaigns by political parties will commence on the 28th of August, 2016, which is exactly 90 days

to the election, as stipulated by Section 99(1) of the Electoral Act 2010 (as amended).

“The commission intends

to distribute Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) arising from the Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise conducted in Edo State, from

the 22nd to 26th of June, 2016, two weeks to the governorship election. No date has, however, been scheduled for the distribution.

Gov Emmanuel meets Buhari, Says Nigerians must work together Leon Usigbe - Abuja AKWA Ibom State governor, Mr Udom Emmanuel, on Tuesday, met behind closed-doors with President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, stressing the need for Nigerians to work together to move the country forward.

Fielding questions from State House correspondents after the meeting, he disclosed that he was there to brief the president on the security situation in his state.

The governor said he met the president to give him feedback on the activities in Akwa Ibom State, saying “I am still serving a state and the state is within the country and the president is the father of the whole country.

“I think it is part of my responsibility to let the president know from time to time, how things are being done and how we are faring.”

Noting that he did not make any specific request to the president, Emmanuel added: “Not really a

request, but a feedback.

Atimes, feedback could even be more effective than request, because feedback is necessary for further actions and other things you want to do.

“But I also want to use this platform as well to say that we are all running one project, which is ‘project Nigeria’.

“If we are running project Nigeria, all hands must be on deck to move the country to the level we all expect and dream of.

“I think that is the es-

sence of the whole thing.

And keep letting everybody know that at this point, it is a time everybody must join hands to work for the whole country and see what we can do both from the state to the Federal Government level, to at least support the vision of making Nigeria reach where we want it to be.”

On whether the continued restiveness in the Niger Delta featured in their discussion, the governor said they discussed what he called “the well-being of

Nigerians.”

According to him, “well, I don’t know whether you want me to redefine that word restiveness, but permit me to also say you are still pushing me to discuss security which we don’t discuss on camera.

“Spare me that today, but rather than calling it restiveness, I will say everything we discuss is about the well-being of Nigerians; how we can make their situation better. I think that is the way I look at it.

Wastage of agric produce worries Buhari Leon Usigbe - Abuja PRESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari, on Tuesday, lamented the culture of waste in the country due to lack of means of preservation of agricultural produce.

Receiving the Global Chief Executive Officer of Friesland Campina, The Netherlands, Mr Roelf Joosten, at the State House, Abuja, he observed that a situation in which

cattle farmers threw away milk from their animals, because there was no means of preserving and processing the product, was not desirable.

“We have failed to develop our assets on a permanent basis. This, we are determined to work on,” the president promised.

He urged Friesland Campina, in its collaboration with Nigeria, to educate cattle farmers that “quality matters more

than quantity,” and help them organise into cooperatives for better business.

Also speaking, the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Chief Audu Ogbe, who was also at the event, promised that herdsmen would soon be organised into ranches in the country, with special grasses and water, which would give better yield and make the animals healthier.

30 All Saints’ College 18th Prize-giving Day

A cross section of students at the event

Wednesday, 10 August, 2016

The PTA Chairperson, Barr. (Mrs.) ‘Funmi Adesigbin presenting prizes to student’s at the event.

The Principal, Very Rev’d Oludare Adeboyejo presenting prize to a student.

Cross section of College Choir reciting the School Anthem.

The College Instrumentalist’s during Musical presentation.

The Guest Speaker, Hon. S. O. Ajanaku presenting conduct prize to Majekodunmi Yoyinsola while Mr. M. A. Ogundimu and Mrs. E. P. Oghoba looks on.

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Wednesday, 10 August, 2016

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Wednesday, 10 August, 2016

FG bans PTA development levies, realigns fees in unity schools Clement Idoko-Abuja

M

OVED by the plight of parents of students in Federal Government colleges, the Federal Government has banned the collection of development levies by the Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) in the unity colleges across the country.

Minister of Education, Malam Adamu Adamu, who announced this on Tuesday, in Abuja, said the ban was with immediate effect.

He added that no PTA of any unity college is allowed to initiate any development project without the express or written authorisation of the Federal Ministry of Education.

Adamu, who announced this in a statement he signed, said the new measures were aimed at arresting the shocking trend where development levies imposed on parents by PTAs were becoming higher than the school fees charged by government which established the unity schools.

“Citing examples of PTA collections which have become higher than school fees charged by government, the minister gave the examples of Kings College, Lagos and the Federal Science and Technical College, Yaba where the fees charged by government for JSS1 in the first term is N69, 400, while the PTA collections stand at N70,000 and N74,000, respectively per child for the same first term.

“This brings the total paid by parents in the two schools to N139,400 and

N143,400, respectively.

With the reduction on development levies and ban on charges for new projects as well as pegging of the development levy to a maximum of N5,000, parents of JSS1 in these two schools will now pay N88,000.

“While acknowledging the complementary roles played by parents and the support provided by the PTA to the colleges, the minister said he would not allow the PTAs to

constitute themselves into a government within a government at the level of unity schools and at the expense of parents.

“Adamu Adamu said government views with grave concern the activities of PTAs in unity colleges – which have even formed themselves into national associations, instead of limiting themselves to the schools where their children attend,” the statement read in part.

Drama as OGSIEC screens councillorship candidates Olayinka Olukoya - Abeokuta

IT was drama galore on Tuesday at the venue of the screening of councillorship candidates of different political parties that appeared before the Ogun State Independent National Electoral Commission (OGSIEC), as many of them failed the questions put to them.

The candidates of the Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN), All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Progressive Peoples Alliance (PPA), Labour Party and Fresh Democratic Party, appeared before the committee, in an exercise that will end on Thursday.

Some of the candidates, the Nigerian Tribune gathered, could not define democracy while some could not state the primary roles of a councillor.

It was also gathered that some of the candidates could not sing the state anthem correctly while many could not provide evidence of tax payment.

Speaking with the Nige-

rian Tribune, the Commissioner 111 of the electoral body, Mr Mutiu Agboke, said the exercise became pertinent to authenticate the genuineness of the information provided by the political parties about the candidates.

He expressed displeasure over the performance of majority of the candidates who had so far appeared before it since the exercise commenced on Monday.

Agboke said, “We have sensitised political parties that they should screen their candidates, so that they can properly field those they think can occupy the position. On our part, we still need to screen them to ascertain the genuineness of the information provided before us.

“We feel disappointed today because those who appeared before us could not showcase the standard the state is known for. The screening has shown us that perhaps the political parties need to step up.”

Lorry crushes female student to death in Niger Adelowo Oladipo - Minna

TRAGEDY struck on Monday as a final year female student of the Department of English Language Education, Niger State College of Education, Minna, was crushed to death by a lorry after the driver lost control on the highway directly opposite the school campus.

The incident occurred in the morning when the deceased, said to be pregnant, was on a commercial motorcycle going to the college to receive lectures.

The driver was said to have lost control of the

vehicle as a result of brake failure.

The motorcyclist was said to be lucky as he escaped death by the whiskers.

He was said to have sustained minor injuries as his motorbike was also slightly damaged.

It was gathered that irate students of the institution blocked the road to protest the killing of their colleague.

It was, however, gathered that the irate students allegedly refused to be placated by a detachment of policemen sent to the college to restore peace until the policemen had to fire

canisters of tear gas.

The Police Public Relations Officer, Niger State Police Command, DSP Bala Elkana, confirmed the accident, saying that the driver of the Tipper lorry had been arrested and undergoing investigation.

The police spokesman, however, stated that he could not ascertain the name of the deceased student as at the time of going to the press.

Nigerian Tribune however gathered that the families of the victim collected her dismembered body for burial yesterday according to Islamic rites.

Nigerian Tribune

33 news Chairmanship: More crisis looms for South-West PDP Wednesday, 10 June, 2016

Ogundipe-led zonal exco disowns zoning From Sam Nwaoko and Moses Alao

A

HEAD the national convention of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) scheduled to hold in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital, next week, the South-West zone of the party has begun to sing discordant tunes regarding the position of national chairman zoned to the region.

The party’s South-West zonal executive, led by its national vice chairman

(South-West), Chief Makanjuola Ogundipe, at an extraordinary meeting held at the party’s zonal secretariat in Ibadan, on Tuesday, said the post of national chairman remained open to all aspirants from the six states making up the geopolitical zone, contrary to an earlier position at a meeting in Akure that the post had been zoned to Lagos/Ogun axis of the party.

Ogundipe said his executive’s decision not to zone the national chairman’s post superseded the one taken at

the Akure meeting, noting that his post as the national vice chairman (South-West) had been settled legally and that he was to hold office till 2018 and was, therefore, constitutionally empowered to convene zonal meetings.

“What we have done here today is the legal, constitutional and right thing to do,” Ogundipe stated, adding that his executive had been doing everything possible to reconcile all the leaders of the party in the South-West region.

Speaking with newsmen

at the end of the meeting, Ogundipe, who was flanked by the South-West zonal secretary, Chief Pegba Otemolu and other members of his executive, contended that the decision of the executive to leave the post of national chairman open to all aspirants “is to allow an aspirant with the best pedigree, mobilisation ability and, most importantly, with good moral credentials to emerge as the national chairman of the party. That person must have credibility and integrity.

He must be able to unite this

party and he must not be seen as a selfish chairman.”

Speaking earlier, a faction of the PDP national vice chairman (South-West), Chief Ogundipe, had described the meeting conveyed by Governors Ayodele Fayose and Olusegun Mimiko in Akure, Ondo State, on Monday, as “an infraction and abuse of court judgment.’’

Ogundipe said allowing the former Commissioner for Information in Ondo State, Mr Eddy Olafeso, to preside over the meeting as the national vice chairman, South-West, in spite of the June 24, 2016 court judgment declaring him the authentic occupant of the exalted position, was tantamount to illegality.

Ogundipe and members of his executive and those perceived to be loyal to him were allegedly locked out of the meeting’s venue, held in Akure, the Ondo State capital.

Speaking with journalists

in Ado Ekiti, on Tuesday, Ogundipe said though he viewed the action as very contemptuous, he won’t sanction Governors Mimiko and Fayose in the spirit of reconciliation.

The embattled national vice chairman insisted that only the Ali Modu Sheriff faction of the PDP enjoyed the legal validity to convey the national convention of the party slated for August 17.

On the zoning of the national chairmanship position to Ogun/Lagos axis of the South-West, Ogundipe said only the national convention was vested with the power to zone national positions.

Ogundipe said his faction had zoned the position of treasurer to Ogun/ Lagos and deputy national publicity secretary to Oyo/ Osun axis, contrary to what the Olafeso’s faction did by zoning the chairmanship to Ogun/Lagos axis and treasurer to Ekiti/Ondo.

Agbaje picks form Leon Usigbe and Jacob Segun Olatunji -Abuja

From right, Ondo State governor, Dr Olusegun Mimiko; president, Council of Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria (COREN), Mr Kashim Ali and the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Mr Lawal Babachir, at the opening ceremony of the 25th Engineering Assembly of COREN, in Akure, Ondo State, on Tuesday.

Develop blueprint on industry protection, Mimiko urges FG ONDO State governor, Dr Olusegun Mimiko, has urged the Federal Government to develop a blueprint that will protect local industries and also define the nation’s global location.

The governor made the plea on Tuesday, at the opening ceremony of the 25th Engineering Assembly of the Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria (COREN), held at the International Event Centre (Dome) in Akure, the state capital.

He said for the country to move forward, her leaders must understand the type of political economy to operate, with a view to making her globally competitive.

The governor noted that Nigeria as a nation that is blessed with abundant human resources must be able to rethink the nature of her global economy, devoid of unnecessary influence from the world economic bodies.

Despite the huge human capital available in Nigeria, Mimiko regretted that most of her local industries were less competitive with the foreign ones, he thus called on the Federal Government to develop a blueprint that would protect local industries and also define the nation’s global location.

Dr Mimiko, who commended COREN for the theme of the conference: “Embracing the Future: Improving the Quality of Engineering Education and Practice in Nigeria,” described it as apt and timely at this crucial period of challenges facing the country.

In his address, the special guest of honour, President Muhammadu Buhari, rep-

resented by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babachir Lawal, condemned the rampant cases of building collapse and loss of lives and property in the country.

President Buhari, who assured of his administration’s partnership with COREN, with a view to overcoming its challenges, charged the coun-

cil to work in collaboration with other relevant stakeholders.

Earlier in his welcome address,the president of COREN, Mr Kashim Alli, had reiterated the commitment of the council to protecting the integrity of engineering profession as a relevant stakeholder in moving Nigeria forward.

Appeal Court reserves judgment in Abia guber tussle Sunday Ejike -Abuja THE Court of Appeal, Abuja Division, on Tuesday, reserved judgment in an appeal by the Abia State governor, Okezie Ikpeazu, challenging his removal from office by a Federal High Court in Abuja.

Ikpeazu, in his main appeal, urged the appellate court to set aside the judgment of the Federal High Court delivered on June 27, 2016 by Justice Okon Abang, which removed him from office.

The appeal, filed through his counsel, Chief Wole Olanipekun, claimed that the trial court erred in its conclusion when the PDP guidelines and tax receipts were not made by his client, but obtained from official

quarters.

Olanipekun argued that Ikpeazu had always been a public servant and that it was unimaginable that the tax papers of a public officer would be queried the way the judge did.

He claimed that Justice Abang misinterpreted Section 31 of the Electoral Act, on the ground that there was no evidence before the court to that effect.

Olanipekun further said the trial court acted like a magician when it gave interpretation to the PDP guideline that was not before it and added that it was wrong of the judge to rely on mere disposition by the first respondent, Samson Ogah, in arriving at the final conclusion of his judgment.

He then urged the court

to allow the appeal and set aside the decision of the lower court.

However, counsel for Ogah, Dr Alex Izinyon, said the judgment of the lower court was misconstrued by Governor Ikpeazu, because the issue of forgery was not before the trial court but that of supply of false information to obtain the nomination of the PDP to stand for the governorship poll in 2015.

He argued that the appellant did not dispute that the information he swore to before the commissioner for oat and made available to the PDP was forged and that the case of the appellant was compounded when one of his witnesses admitted error in the computation of the tax paid.

FORMER Lagos State gubernatorial candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Jimi Agbaje, has collected nomination form to contest for the office of the national chairman, saying the differences between him and Chief Bode George will be resolved.

George, also from Lagos State, has already collected nomination form to contest for the position.

Speaking to reporters moments after collecting the form at the temporary national secretariat of the PDP in Abuja, on Tuesday, he said the issue would be resolved at home.

Asked how comfortable he was running against the former PDP national deputy chairman (South), he said: “Leave that to us. We will resolve that at home.”

Agbaje said if he became the party boss, he would work to ensure that the PDP recaptured power at the centre and also win back all the states it lost.

He said mistakes were made by the party in the past which must be corrected and the party had returned to the way of its founding fathers by re-embracing the party constitution.

The aspirant said the party had to be all-inclusive rather than saying that some people were not qualified to play certain roles in the party.

He said: “So, what I bring to the table is that I am not in any faction or on any tendency. I am in a position to talk to everybody to ensure that as long as you love the PDP, it is time to come back to the fold.”

Also at the party secretariat to submit his nomination form to contest for the governorship of Ondo State, former Commissioner for Justice and Attorney General of the state, Eyitayo Jegede, promised to expand the Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) in the state, if elected in the forthcoming governorship election in the state.

Agriculture my priority —Buhari Leon Usigbe -Abuja PRESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari has said his administration will continue to accord agriculture premium importance through programmes and initiatives designed to motivate the citizens to produce enough food to feed the nation.

He made the remark while hosting Mr. Hoang Ngoc Ho, the out-going Ambassador of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam at the State House, Abuja, on Tuesday.

He said the high profile of agriculture in the priorities of his administration was primarily to achieve food selfsufficiency, economic revival and jobs creation.

Buhari added: “We are hoping to motivate fellow Nigerians to work hard in this regard. We will continue to work closely with other countries to re-orient Nigerians towards their active involvement in the sector.

“We believe that the impressive agricultural developmental strides achieved by countries such as Vietnam, especially after the 1975 war, will be replicated here.”

34 CHANGE OF NAME

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THIS BOX IS FOR SALE

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Guaranty Trust Bank Plc and general public take note.

I, formerly Akachukwu Sunday Oluchukwu now AKA SUNDAY IFEANYI. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

I, formerly Miss Nora Osemen Ebhodaghe now MRS NORA OSEMEN EROMOSELE. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

I, Ayereti Isiaka Omowumi am the same person bearing Isiaka Omowumi. Now, I wish to be known and addressed as AYERETI ISIAKA OMOWUMI. All documents bearing these names remain valid. General public take note.

I, formerly Miss Mogaji Folashade Temitope now MRS ODUNJO FOLASHADE TEMITOPE. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

I, formerly Miss Oyelakin Titilayo Olukemi now MRS ADEWOLE TITILAYO OLUKEMI. All former documents remain valid. Skye Bank Plc and general public take note.

I, formerly Mrs Victoria Ekaete Isangedighi now MRS VICTORIA EKAETE ISANG. All former documents remain valid. Nigeria Immigration Service and general public take note.

I, Miss Oluremi Temitope Olukunbi am the same person bearing Mrs Adeniran Temitope Olukunbi. Now, I wish to be known and addressed as MISS OLUREMI TEMITOPE OLUKUNBI. All documents bearing these names remain valid. GTBank Plc., Local Government Service Commission, Oyo State and general public take note.

I, formerly Olumba Marylen Chidinma now OLUMBA CHIDINMA THERESA. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

I, formerly Miss Fasasi Rukayat Olamide now MRS HAHAB RUKAYAT OLAMIDE. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

I, formerly Akande Olayinka Gbemi now OGEDENGBE OLAYINKA GBEMI. All former documents remain valid. (DLC) University of Ibadan and general public take note.

I, formerly Osunlana Taoheed Tolani now BUSARI TAOHEED TOLANI. All former documents remain valid. Skye Bank Plc and general public take note.

I, formerly Ogunmola Bukola Adeola now KAREEM BUKOLA ADEOLA. All former documents remain valid. SUBEB and general public take note.

I, formerly Miss Alabi Opeyemi Caroline now MRS ABIALA OPEYEMI CAROLINE. All former documents remain valid.

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I, formerly Aminu Iyabo now POPOOLA IYABO BUKOLA. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

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I, formerly known as Samuel Olugbenga Ajayi has changed my name to SAM OLUGBENGA TOLANI-AJAI. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

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CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Adejumo Moradeyo Murifat now OSUNKAYODE MORADEYO ASAKE. All former documents remain valid. First Bank Plc and general public take note.

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I, formerly Miss Isola Abibat Olaitan now MRS GBADEGESIN ABIBAT OLAITAN. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

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General public take note.

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General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME I, formerly Elegbede Lawrence Tunde now AKANBI TUNDE. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME I, formerly Mustapha Bose Arike now MOSHOOD ABOSEDE MOTUNRADUN AFOLABI. All former documents remain valid. Access Bank Plc, U.B.A., corporate organisations and general public take note.

I, Mudasheer Qomorudeen Adebayo am the same person as Mudasiru Kamorudeen. Henceforth, I wish to be known as MUDASHEER QOMORUDEEN ADEBAYO. All documents bearing these names remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

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I, formerly James Olutoyin Folashade now MARIAM FOLASHADE OSENI. All former documents remain valid. First Bank Plc and general public take note.

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I, Mrs Oluwadepo Esther Oluwabukola am the same person bearing Mrs Oluwadepo Esther Bukola. Henceforth, I wish to be known and addressed as MRS OLUWADEPO ESTHER BUKOLA. All documents bearing these names remain valid. GTBank Plc and general public take note.

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36

south-westnews

Wednesday, 10 August, 2016

We’ll complete Ogun bridge reconstruction by November —Julius Berger OlayinkaOlukoya-Abeokuta

J

ULIUS Berger Plc has said that the ongoing reconstruction work on the Ogun Bridge, on the LagosIbadan Expressway, will be completed by November.

This was disclosed by the Division Manager (West),

Mr Wolfgang Loesser, on Tuesday, during a joint press conference addressed by the Ogun State Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure, Mr Olamilekan Adegbite, held at the Governor’s Office Press Center, Abeokuta.

Loesser explained that the concrete deck on the

section of the highway required that the company worked in several stages, saying the development necessitated the gridlock being experienced by motorists plying the road.

“I can only appeal to the public as the honourable commissioner said. We can only do it if everybody is

disciplined and takes care to drive safely to the construction area,” he said.

He appealed to members of the public to maintain high level of discipline while driving on the highway.

Adegbite, in his remarks, said that the state government was worried by the

gridlock and decided to create an alternative route to ease up the harrowing experience of motorists and commuters since the reconstruction work started.

He added that the state government and the construction company had met several times to deliberate on how to find lasting solution to the heavy gridlock on the section of the highway.

The commissioner equally appealed to road users to always exercise patience and avoid driving against the traffic, submitting that hoodlums had taken advantage of the gridlock to dispossess members of the public of their belongings.

Oyo judiciary will integrate Justices of Peace in criminal justice —CJ ByYejideGbenga-Ogundare

From left, outgoing Commissioner of Police, Oyo State command, Mr Leye Oyebade; Governor Abiola Ajimobi and the new Commissioner of Police, Mr Samuel Adegbuyi, during a visit to the governor in his office, on Monday.

Oyo not dwelling place for criminals, new CP warns Olubadan pledges support for new police boss

By Wale Akinselure NEW Commissioner of Police in Oyo State, Samuel Adegbuyi, has vowed to sustain peace in the state, warning criminals to stay off.

Speaking at the Governor’s Office in company with the immediate past Commissioner of Police, Leye Oyebade, on Monday, Adegbuyi said, “No one should take the peace enjoyed in Oyo State for granted as Oyo is not a state for criminals to dwell.”

He appreciated the support of the state government in providing crime fighting equipment and communication gadget, calling for the continuation of joint efforts of all stakeholders in fighting crime.

“We will work hard, double our efforts towards prevention of crime and detection of crime, where it could not be prevented. I will take my time to study the crime situation to reengineer the logistics required in sustaining the peace that is already in existence in the state,” Adegbuyi said.

Adegbuyi was second in command at the Maritime Command in Lagos State and a former Commissioner of Police in Edo State.

In his remarks, Governor Abiola Ajimobi prayed for the success of the new CP, while assuring him of government’s support for the police force, noting that the police had fortified government’s commitment to peace and security in the state.

Ajimobi also praised the “commitment, ruggedness, professionalism, intellectualism and doggedness” of the immediate past commissioner of police.

He specially lauded Oyebade’s efforts in restructuring the “Operation Burst” team, addressing farmers/herdsmen clash

and unravelling the persons behind the recent killing of member of the state House of Assembly, Honourable Gideon Aremu.

Speaking, CP Oyebade described Adegbuyi as a crime fighter, renowned for fighting cultism.

Meanwhile, the Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Saliu Akanmu Adetunji, has pledged his co-operation and that of Ibadan chieftaincy institution to security agencies in fighting crime to a standstill.

The monarch gave the pledge while receiving the new Police Commissioner, Oyo State, Mr Samuel

Damilola Adegbuyi, in his palace at Popoyemoja, Ibadan.

Oba Adetunji stressed that the pledged had become necessary as the mandate of the police towards crime prevention and maintenance of law and order could not be carried out without the cooperation of the citizenry.

He lauded the outgoing police commissioner, Mr Leye Oyebade, for his impressive record of performance at the Oyo State Police Command. He expressed the hope that his successor would follow his footsteps.

Ondo: Ebiseni, Dada pick PDP governorship forms Hakeem Gbadamosi - Akure AHEAD of the November governorship election in Ondo State, two former commissioners, who recently resigned from the state cabinet, on Tuesday picked the nomination forms and expression of interest of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

They picked their forms from the Ali Modu Sheriffled faction of the party in the state.

The two aspirants are former Environment Com-

missioner, Sola Ebiseni and his counterpart from Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Bamiduro Dada.

They said they decided to pitch their tent with Sherifled faction because he remains the authentic chairman of the party in the face of the law.

Dada said the need to liberate the state and the freedom of choice which he described as beauty of democracy were responsible for his obtaining the form from Sheriff-led faction.

Ebiseni also said he opted for the faction to deliver the party from dictators in the state.

Dada said “I love being in the right camp and I believe in equity and fairness and this is one of the reasons I opted for an authentic faction.

“The step I am taking today will yield positive development for the people of the state. I don’t believe in sectional agenda because I am a detribalised person who believes in the development of the state.”

THE Chief Judge of Oyo State, Justice Muntar Abimbola, has stated that though the state judiciary does not appoint lay magistrates, it is prepared to look for ways to create a very good synergy between the Justices of the Peace, especially those appointed with the backing of the right section of the law and integrate them into the administration of criminal justice in the state.

Justice Abimbola made the declaration during an interactive session between him and the national executive of the Justices of Peace at the Conference Room of the High Court of Justice, Ring Road, Ibadan, on Tuesday.

According to him, it is possible for a Justice of Peace to function as a Magistrate or President of the Customary Court on a contractual basis to carry out mediation in disputes, direct post mortem, disperse tumultuous assembly and maintain peace as provided by the rules of their appointment.

He, however, explained that the section under which a Justice of the Peace is appointed under the law determines the kind of responsibility such a person can undertake.

Also speaking, the National President of the Nigerian Justice of the Peace, Elder Ayo Ojebode, asked the chief judge to assist in mentoring, developing and expanding the movement.

Nigerian Tribune

Dental practitioners suspend strike in Ondo Hakeem Gbadamosi - Akure THE National Association of Government General Medical and Dental Practitioners (NAGGMDP), Ondo State chapter, on Tuesday, suspended its over two months strike.

The union had been on industrial action following the failure of the state government to pay its members five months salaries.

In a communique issued and signed by its chairman, Ismaila Busari, who is also the state chairman of the Nigeria Medical Association (NMA) and Dr Dolani Gbelela, Secretary, they said the union agreed to shelve the strike after the meeting with state government representatives who promised to pay a month salary within the next two weeks.

It also said that members decided to suspend the strike following an appeal from medical elders and members of the public.

The communique reads, “that the Ondo State government should pay at least a month salary every month.

“That the five months salary arrears should be paid on or before October 31, 2016.”

Oyo lawmaker advocates character education

By Wale Akinselure

MEMBER, Oyo State House of Assembly, Honourable Olusegun Ajanaku, has emphasised the need to focus on character education rather than emphasis on academic excellence.

Ajanaku gave this charge as guest speaker at the 2016 Speech and Prize-Giving Day of All Saints’ College, Ibadan, held recently at the school’s premises.

He noted that the misplacement of moral and ethical values among Nigerians for material acquisitions was responsible for the paucity of leaders of integrity and good character.

Consequently, Ajanaku called for the impartation of discipline and emphasis on character development in schools, homes and government.

Chairperson of the occasion, Mrs Funmi Adesigbin, urged students to be diligent, hardworking and perseverant in strive for success.

Principal of the school, Very Revd Adesola Kuyebi, said the annual presentation of prizes to outstanding students in all classes further showed the school’s focus on excellence.

37

news

Wednesday, 10 August, 2016

Man docked for selling 7 kids at N.4m

A

Yinka Oladoyinbo Lokoja

49-year-old man, Gabriel Ajor, has been arraigned before a Chief Magistrate’s Court, Lokoja, the Kogi State capital, for allegedly abducting and selling seven children for N400, 000.

The seven children allegedly sold by the man, who is also a farmer, include his two sons and an eight-month-old boy.

He was, however, charged with criminal conspiracy and kidnapping, contrary to sections 97(1) of the Penal Code and Section 4(1) and punishable under section 4(3)(a) of Kogi State Kidnapping and other Related Offences (Prohibition) Law 2015.

The prosecuting police officer, Cornet Ayabatu, told the Chief Magistrate’s Court that the accused person abducted the children under the pretext that he was sending them to school in Owerri, Imo State and the United States of America.

According to the charge, the accused was said to have tricked Kenneth Omale and John Attah, parents of five of the children into believing that the children would be sent to school.

The accused, who hails from Nwajala in Ibaji Local Government area of Kogi State, had, between March and June 2016, conspired with others now at large to

commit the offence, said to be against the provisions of the constitution.

Ayabatu gave the identity of the children as Goodway Kenneth, 5; Kindness Kenneth, 3; Shedrack John, 6; Goodday John, 6; Confidence Ojonuba, 8 months old; Gift Gabriel, 6 and Destiny Gabriel, 3, all male, were allegedly taken to an undisclosed destination that could not be traced.

Ayabatu told the court that police investigation led to the arrest of the suspect, who later confessed to have collected N400,000 for the seven children by one Malik in Owerri, Imo State.

Prosecution, however, applied for adjournment of the case to enable police to finalise its investigation into the matter.

In his ruling, the Chief Magistrate, Alhassan

Husaini, said based on the nature of the allegations, he was ready to put on hold all ancillary applications connected to the case till the next adjourned date.

He, therefore, ordered that the accused be remanded at the state Criminal Investigation Department (CID) detention facility in Lokoja and adjourned till August 24.

Edo guber: Matthew Iduoriyekemwen remains PDP candidate —Sheriff JacobSegunOlatunjiandLeon Usigbe - Abuja

THE factional national chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Senator Ali Modu Sheriff, on Tuesday, insisted that Honourable Matthew Iduoriyekemwen remains the party’s candidate for the September 10 governorship election in Edo State.

Sheriff, who said this when he hosted a delegation of Edo women from the state, who came to thank him for choosing Mrs Herberta Okonufua, as running mate, noted that an Abuja division of Federal High Court, had ruled that he is the only one who would submit governorship candidate to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), for Edo and Ondo states.

“The court also said that starting from the date of the last convention, May 21, in Port Harcourt, any document signed by Senator Ahmed Makarfi, is illegal, null and void. So, I don’t know why they are deceiving Nigerians,” he said.

Sheriff said that the Supreme Court had made a declaration where someone who did not run for election became a governor in River State for eight years.

He said that Nigeria was a country being ruled by law, adding that unless the Nigerian constitution was changed over night, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, who was produced by the national caretaker committee “is only wasting his time”.

From left, Head, Consumer Banking, Diamond Bank Plc, Aishah Ahmad; DiamondXtra SUV Winner and family, Ugwuozor Tochukwu Emmanuel and the Area Manager, Diamond Bank, Enugu 1, Daniel Nzeka, during the DiamondXtra South East regional prize and cheque presentation ceremony, in Enugu, recently.

2016 hajj: NAHCO to handle 99 outbound, 105 inbound flights SHOLA ADEKOLA, Lagos

THE Nigerian Aviation Handling Company Plc (NAHCO aviance), has announced that it is establishing itself at the forefront of facilitating the ongoing airlift of pilgrims to Saudi Arabia, even as it assures investors and relevant stakeholders that it will continue to operate at full swing to bring value to shareholders’ funds.

As part of the 2016 hajj exercise which commenced in

the country at the weekend, it is estimated that NAHCO will handle a minimum of 99 outbound and 105 inbound flights from 10 airports across the country.

The Head of Corporate Services of the company, Mr Ahmed Bashir Gulma, said on Tuesday that every year at this season, NAHCO had always put its services at the behest of Muslim faithful performing their religious obligation by assisting them in ensuring

a hassle -free handling to the holy land.

According to Gulma, “We collaborate with the airlines, the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) and the Federal Government in ensuring that Muslim faithful on pilgrimage get excellent passenger handling on their way to and from the holy land.”

The airports on the schedule of NAHCO include Abuja, Sokoto, Katsina, Ilorin and

21 LGAs to experience flooding in North West zone —NEMA

THE National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has said that about 21 local government areas will be affected by flood in the North West zone.

The North-West zonal coordinator, Musa Ilallah, said this while speaking with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), in Kaduna ,on Tuesday.

The coordinator said that the agency had taken proactive measures to curtail the flood menace .in the zone.

According to him, NEMA has reached out to relevant agencies in the affected states and within the zone to be on alert.

He mentioned the local govenments to be affected in Kaduna State as Kaduna

North and South, Igabi, Kubau, Soba Kajuru and Kachia .While in Kano State, Wudil, Warawa, Tudun Wada, Bebeji, Gwarzo, Dawakin Tofa, Kiru and Bagwai would be affected Others are Katsina State; Malumfashi, Funtua, Daura and Baure. Also in Jigawa State; Hadejia, Auyo,Kafin Hausa, Ringim, Taura and Jahun, would be affected He also disclosed that, the river basin cuts-across Sokoto, Kebbi, Zamfara and Katsina states, while river Hadejia cuts across Jigawa, Kano and part of Bauchi states He urged the state governments to urgently embark on a massive sensitisation programme on the affected communities

to see the need of moving away from the prone areas.

“On our part, NEMA and the executive secretary of Hydrological Services Agency, had already carried out a Hausa programmes on radio in cognisance of targeting this communities that are likely to be affected.

“The alert shows that if the rain continues as experienced in the last one week for the next four days, it is a signal that part of river Niger will be flooded.

“And by implication, a number of places will be affected with flood and going by the warning ,the experience of flood in 2012 will be a child’s play this year while several states will be affected.

Bauchi. Others are Gombe, Maiduguri, Yola, Minna and Kaduna.

The promise to make this year’s passenger handling service for hajj exceptional, is coming as the company’s managment assured investors, regulators and other relevant stakeholders that it was doing all within its power to resolve the issue regarding the recent visit of operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), to its offices.

“As a publicly quoted company, NAHCO is guided by its apex regulator, The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) and the listing rules. We are also aware of our shareholders’ rights as enshrined in the constitution, extant rules and the mutual investment protection treaty covering European strategic investors on our board. As such, this information update has become necessary.”

While declaring that it still awaits details from the investigating authorities as is the practice worldwide so as to ensure the protection of both local and international investors’ interests, NAHCO asserts its envious CV as a fully privatised company, with one of the most successful privatisation track records for 11 years with zero government interests.

UNILAG to hold annual research conference THE University of Lagos, on Tuesday, said it had concluded arrangement to hold its 11th annual Research Conference and Fair between November 8 and 10.

In a statement signed

by Mr Toyin Adebule, the institution’s deputy registrar, Information, the theme of the conference is: “Diversification in a developing economy; Promoting academia-industry collaborations.”

The statement stated that other topics to be discussed as sub-themes, include: “Emerging diseases and drug challenges”.

According to it, the objective of the conference is to provide a forum for researchers and practitioners in the industry to share ideas, research results and practical experience on emerging issues.

“The conference will also seek to create an opportunity for interaction between academics and captains of industry.

“We also expect that the conference will provide an avenue to connect researchers with the relevant industries that have pressing needs for research outputs to re-brand their products.

Traditional rulers, groups laud former JAMB registrar

By Moses Alao

TRADITIONAL rulers, politicians and socio-cultural groups have continued to pour encomiums on the immediate past Registrar/ Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), Emeritus Professor Dibu Ojerinde, for the revolutionary policies he initiated as head of the board during his tenure.

Professor Ojerinde, who was recently replaced by President Muhammadu Buhari, was described as “an innovator par excellence and a true agent of positive change” by the Conference of Oke-Ogun Obas and Chiefs, while the immediate past member representing Irepo/ O l o ru nso go /O o re l o p e federal constituency, Honourable Jimoh Afees, described Ojerinde’s tenure “as a moment of pure excellence in the history of JAMB.” Similarly, socio-cultural groups in Oyo State, the Ifelodun Omo Igboho, the Mass Movement for OkeOgun Heroes and Igboho Connect Group (ICG), have also commended the professor for his impactful tenure at JAMB.

news Killing of soldiers on duty unacceptable —Buratai 38

Wednesday, 10 August, 2016

As military vows to apprehend culprits

T

HE Chief of Army Staff, LieutenantGeneral Tukur Buratai, has described the killing of some soldiers and airmen on lawful duty in Bosso, Niger State, by suspected gun runners as unacceptable.

Speaking with newsmen on Tuesday, shortly after addressing personnel at the 332 Artillery Regiment in Shendam, Buratai, said the incident would not deter the military from carrying out its lawful duties.

“What happened in Bosso is highly unfortunate,” he said, noting that the troops were on a mission to recover arms hidden in communities in the area when they were ambushed and killed.

“But instead of them (gun runners) to be law-abiding, they took the law into their hands and attack the troops.

“We have the mandate to bring the situation under control, we are working with the police to make sure that we keep our society free of criminalities,” the chief of army staff said.

It will be recalled that the army in a statement on Saturday, said eight of its soldiers and two airmen were ambushed and killed in Bosso, during a raid on hideout of suspected gun runners.

Spokesman of the army, Colonel Sani Usman, however, said the military killed eight of the suspected bandits and arrested 57 others.

On his visit to the regiment and other military formations in the state, Buratai said it was “routine” and to find out challenges of the troops in order to address them.

Meanwhile, the Joint Military Force deployed to the Niger Delta has vowed to apprehend the militants

who attacked its base and killed the three soldiers at Nembe jetty, on Monday.

This was contained in a statement by Lt.-Cdr. Abdulrashid Ahmed, acting spokesman of Operation Delta Safe, in Yenagoa, on Tuesday.

Ahmed said the troops had been reinforced to fish

out the militants.

“Some suspected gunmen believed to be militants, at about 10: a.m on August 8, 2016 attacked 343 Artillery Regiment, a detachment of Operation Delta Safe deployed at Nembe Jetty in Bayelsa State.

“During the incidence, three soldiers lost their

Operation Delta Safe would go on offensive to fish out all criminals in the region.

He attributed the attack by militants to the ongoing operations of the troop to flush out all forms of criminality, especially pipeline vandalism and destruction of illegal refinery within the region.

From right, Edo State governor, Adams Oshiomhole; Special Adviser to the President on Federal Government Social Investments, Mrs Mariam Uwais and the Speaker, Edo State House of Assembly, Honourable Justin Okonoboh, at a stakeholders’ sensitisation workshop on job creation, school feeding programme, micro-credit and bursary to students, in Benin City, on Tuesday.

FG to employ 500,000 graduates through N-Power scheme —Uwais THE Federal Government has announced plans to employ 500,000 youths this year, through the NPower scheme of the Nigeria Social Investment Programme of the Federal Government, Special Adviser to the President on Federal Government Social Investments, Mrs Mariam Uwais, announced in Benin City, the Edo state capital, on Tuesday.

Speaking at a stakehold-

ers sensitisation workshop of the Social Investment Programme, Mrs Uwais said: “We intend to employ five hundred thousand unemployed graduates in this first year. It is open to all unemployed Nigerian graduates between the ages of 18 and 35. All you need to do is to go on to the portal that has been opened, and it closes on the 31st of August, 2016. The portal is www.npower.gov.ng.”

Abacha loot: World Bank seeks more time to give details THE World Bank has again asked for more time to release details on the spending of recovered loot by the late General Sani Abacha.

This followed the bank’s decision to refer a “portion of appeal by Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) to the Bank Archives Unit for processing for public access.”

In a letter dated 8 August 2016 and sent to SERAP, the World Bank said, “In response to your request under AI4288, we would like to inform you that we are working on your request as referred to the Archives by the Access to

lives.

“The Commander of Operation Delta Safe, Rear Admiral Joseph Okojie, has consequently deployed reinforcement team to apprehend the perpetrators of this heinous crime,” he said.

Ahmed quoted the commander of the joint force as warning that henceforth,

Information Committee in its decision on the appeal and need additional time to provide a more comprehensive response. We regret any inconvenience for this delay.”

This development was disclosed on Tuesday in a statement by SERAP executive director Adetokunbo Mumuni.

The World Bank’s request for more time followed the appeal SERAP lodged with the Bank on February 5 2016, on the ground that the Bank’s decision on its initial request did not reveal “important portions of the information requested on how Abacha loot was

spent.”

This is the second time the World Bank is asking for additional time to provide SERAP with details of spending of Abacha loot.

This was just as Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State lauded President Muhammadu Buhari for initiating the programme for the benefit of the less privileged in the country.

Governor Oshiomhole said: “Let me on behalf of the government and the great people of Edo State appreciate our president, President Muhammadu Buhari for making history in appropriating funds specifically directed at children of the poor in public schools by way of one meal a day for children from primary one to three, recognising that whereas many Nigerians are poor, some are much poorer than others, and that it is not their fault.”

“Government has responsibility to identify those ones, the poorest of the poor, not to shed croco-

dile tears for them or with them, but to boldly appropriate public funds structured in a way that will deliver some relief to these categories of our country men and women,” the governor said.

While announcing the plans of the Federal Government for Nigerians, Mrs Uwais said: “the government is concerned that despite the fact that we have so many people in Nigeria, fifty eight million of Nigerians are considered poor, and the inequality gap has increased. The gap between male and female, the poverty gap is very large. And there is a need now to ensure that resources are spread more evenly across the country, and so our social protection programmes are essentially ones that are aimed at bridging inequalities between the rich and the poor.”

EFCC releases political blogger from detention THE Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has released Abubakar Sidiq, a political blogger, after more than 24 hours in detention.

Michael Bello, Sidiq’s lawyer, confirmed this to TheCable on Tuesday.

“We can confirm he (Sidiq) has just been released,” he said.

“We applied for a variation of his bail condition, and they obliged us. We had to get someone. I cannot disclose the identity of the person, but he in the service.”

Asked if his client was told to report back to the office of the anti-graft agency, Bello said: “For now, he has not been asked

to come back or to report back at any other day.”

Sidiq was arrested in his home at Kubwa, Abuja by operatives of the EFCC on Monday.

The EFCC had claimed that he was arrested for cyber stalking, a claim that irked many Nigerians on social media who called for his immediate release.

Oyinlola congratulates Egbemode, NGE president FORMER Osun State governor, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola, has congratulated Mrs Funke Egbemode on her confirmation as the new President of the Nigeria Guild of Editors (NGE).

Mrs Egbemola was last week confirmed as the NGE President at the Annual National Conference of the NGE held in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

Prince Oyinlola, in a statement on Tuesday, said the choice of Egbemode by her colleagues was a testament to her sense of responsibility, diligence and loyalty to the ideals of patriotism.

“That you were chosen by your colleagues to lead them is a vote of confidence in the ability of the Nigerian woman to hold her own anywhere.

“I congratulate you and urge you to continue doing those things which have made you a household name in Nigeria,” Prince Oyinlola said, while wishing Egbemode a successful tenure.”

Ake, former S/South PDP chairman, dies at 76 DapoFalade-PortHarcourt CHIEF Godpower Ake, a former national vice chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), SouthSouth, dies at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), on Monday evening.

Aged 76, the foremost politician and a founding member of PDP from Rivers State was reported to have had a long time battle with an undisclosed terminal illness until his death.

The Omoku, Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Area-born politician was also a one-time chairman of PDP in Rivers State, during the administration of former Governor Peter Odili.

Chief Ake was a Special Adviser on Lands and Survey to former Governor Odili, before becoming the South-South zonal chairman of PDP after the assassination of the former holder of the position, Chief Aminosari Dikibo, in 2004.

He later defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC), along with former Governor Rotimi Amaechi who is now the Minister of Transportation.

Confirming the death of the prominent politician, Senior Special Adviser (Media) to Rivers State chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief Chukwuemeka Eze, said, “Yes I just spoke with Senator Ake who confirmed that he died yesterday’s (Monday) evening.”

39

Wednesday, 10 August, 2016

corporatesport

With Niyi Alebiosu adeniyi70@yahoo.com 08116954642

N

INE winners emerged from over two thousand gamers that competed in the gaming tournament at the recently concluded Techplus 2016 conference and exhibition held at the Eko Hotel and Suites, Lagos. Players went head to head in three different games; FIFA 16 Soccer, Mortal Kombat and the latest version of Call ofDuty (Black Ops).

In the FIFA 16 Soccer gaming category, Bamigbola Oluwadare emerged as the overall winner after defeating 1,467 gamers, cartingawaya grand cash prize of N500,000. Tari Ikoli Travis and Henry Andrew went home with N300,000 and N200,000 as 2nd and 3rd place winners respectively. The Mortal Kombat gaming category saw Richmond Boampong – from Ghana grab the first place prize of N300,000, while Micah Dipsy and Abdalah Abubakar were rewarded with N200,000 and N100,000 as 2nd and 3rd place winners respectively.Obinna Akpen, Nonso Anumbo and Bolarin Olawadamilola won prizes for their skills in the Call of Duty gaming category, which was described as the best first-person shooter video game.

Speaking on the gaming track, Managing Director Connect Marketing Services, Tunji Adeyinka, organizers of the conference disclosed that, the competition is a brilliant opportunity for young people to

Live EPL matches to be aired on StarTimes

Techplus caption: Techplus 2016 Programme Director, Gbonju Akingbade presenting the winning ticket to the overall Winner of Call of Duty Game, Obinna Akpen at the 2016 techplus gaming competition finale at Eko Hotel in Lagos.

Winners emerge in 2016 Techplus gaming tourney sharpen their gaming skills.

“Gaming is on a growth trajectory and Nigerians need to plug into the play not just as consumers but also as gamemakers” Adeyinka also noted that the competition offers young people the desired digital skills, knowledge and industry con-

nections they need to become the next generation of game makers. This year, we are proud to display games made by Nigerians that are available online.

Adeyinka further revealed that Techplus has come at the right time to tap into the potential that exists in technology for job creation. His words; “We see

our platform as a catalyst which will bring together the entire ecosystem. When we started we were hoping to create a platform that would allow companies, individuals and businesses in the tech space to bring together customers, clients and for all players to showcase their products and services.

DIGITAL TV company, StarTimes Nigeria has announced that Nigerians can now watch the world’s most exciting football league, the English Premier League on its platform in Nigeria.

Football loving Nigerians can watch 33 LIVE EPL football matches on StarTimes and enjoy the super sporting actions as the new 2016/2017 season kicks off in August. Replay matches would also be available for subscribers who missed the games to catch up.

StarTimes has moved further to get the EPL LIVE games for the pleasure of its sports loving subscribers to fulfil their yearnings. StarTimes also has exclusive broadcast rights to other world’s prestigious leagues like German Bundesliga, Italian Serie A, Chinese Super League, French Ligue one and others Football enthusiasts can enjoy LIVE matches on weekends and the replays on NTA Sports 24 (STarTimes channel 270) as the biggest clubs in England do battle for the crown and glory. In August and September, Everton vs Tottenham, Burley and Liverpool, Leicester and Swansea, Manchester City versus Bournemouth will all be shown LIVE. Mr. Oludare Kafar, Marketing Director, StarTimes Nigeria, said, “Securing the English Premier League EPL on StarTimes platform highlights StarTimes commitment towards ensuring quality contents for its subscribers to enjoy maximum entertainment, be it sports, movies, music, news documentary and kiddies.

Mr. Israel Bolaji, Public Relations Head, added that, “StarTimes football loving subscribers can now enjoy LIVE EPL matches on weekends as well as the replays on NTA Sports 24 (STarTimes channel 270).

We continue to offer the very best content mix with sharp images and at very low bouquet rate as low as N600 and N1200 etc. Our subscribers don’t have to struggle so much to afford and enjoy the best of all round content. “

Football: Ex-Oyo CP proffers solution to violence at match venues

By Nurudeen Alimi

IMMEDIATE past Commissioner of Police in Oyo State, Leye Oyebade, has called for synergy between the police and football stakeholders in handling violence at match venues.

Oyebade, who has just been redeployed to Abia State made the call in Ibadan at a lecture organised by the Sports Writ-

ers Association of Nigeria (SWAN), Oyo State Chapter.

He noted that: “The game of football is that which there must be a winner and loser.

“Human beings are the problem. The team management, supporters and officials are the main cause of the violence at match venues He said that violence

erupts at match venue as a result of the win-at-all-cost spirit of fans and bad officiating, adding that such orientation needed to be put under control.

The CP in his lecture entitled “How to overcome security challenges at match venues” stressed the need for all the major actors in the game to play their roles well.

He stressed the need for more sensitisation of sup-

CP Leye Oyebade (middle) flanked by the Chairman Oyo SWAN, Niyi Alebiosu and the Zonal Coordinator, Ministry of Youth and Sports (South-West Zone one), Dr Steve Olarinoye, during the lecture. PHOTO: OLUWABUNMI AJAYI.

porters, managers, coaches, referees, media and club owners.

According to him, “prematch meetings, seminars or workshops will help a lot in curbing violence.”

He explained that proper planning prevents poor performance, urging stakeholders to evolve proactive strategies at preventing such.

Oyebade, who admitted inadequate police personnels, called for the use of modern technology, while security agents uphold the fearlessness, firmness and professionalism as core values.

He urged the managers to ensure the structuring of match venues in line with security and safety considerations.

Oyebade, added that officials and other stakeholders should also eschew corrupt practices in the discharge of their roles.

The Zonal Director, Federal Ministry of Sports and Youth Development (SouthWest zone), Dr Steve Olarinoye, corroborated Oyebade’s highlighted points, urging

stakeholders to synergise in order to achieve the desired result.

He described the programme as a good development, saying it was one of the best programmes organised by Oyo SWAN. In his remarks, Oyo SWAN Chairman, Mr Niyi Alebiosu, said that the programme was one of the numerous programmes listed to uplift the development of sports in the state.

Similarly, the Vice-President, SWAN South-West,

Mr Boye Ajayi, noted that if stakeholders including media practitioners maintain the rules and regulations of the game, match venues would be safe for all.

Meanwhile, CP Leye Oyebade has agreed to sponsor a table tennis competition to be tagged “Leye Oyebade Tennis Competition” which will form part of the activities to mark Oyo SWAN Week celebration later in the year.

Osoko, former old Western State Sport Council boss, dies

By Nurudeen Alimi

A former chairman, old Western State Sport Council and table tennis enthusiast, Chief Moses Oluwole Osoko is dead.

According to a press statement signed by Mr. Ademola Adejuyigbe, an Ibadan-based journalist/publisher, Chief Osoko died on Monday, August 6 in his Abeokuta home at the age of 89. While he was chairman, the deceased devoted tremendous passion

and energy to the development of lesser sports including table tennis, leading to the discovery and mentoring of many talents across the old Western State. His tenure marked the apogee of table tennis in the Southwest.

Until his death, he was an active member of the Ibadan Tennis Club, the Elite Club, Abeokuta and the Otun Baba Ijo of the Anglican Church, Kesi Abeokuta.

SIDELINES

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An 18-year-old housemaid engaged on a N7000 per month deal in Lagos, one Happiness, has just been sentenced to jail for two and a half years for stealing her boss’ N1.5 million. Happiness no doubt deserved her punishment, but N7,000 per month in today’s Nigeria? Sound like exploitation.

Super Eagles coach:

T Rohr

Dream Team players, officials receive camp allowance PLAYERS and officials of the U-23 national team have been paid their camp allowance for the first 11 days.

The minister of Youth and Sports, Barrister Solomon Dalung, disclosed this after his meeting with the team following their 1-0 victory over Sweden on Monday.

The players are entitled to $150 daily camp allowance. Each player received $1, 650 being allowances for 11 days.

The minister said the up front payment was to ensure that the players are focused and well-motivated. He promised that all entitlements will be given to all athletes even before the games end. “ All your camp allowances have been budgeted for. There will be no story-telling during this time round. You will get all your allowances and entitlements as we don’t want any forum of distraction. We want you to remain focused . You have established that you’re great men and women are determined to conquer, despite all odds. There can’t be any other sacrifice more than this”. Dalung said.

The Minister will be in Sao Paolo to cheer the Dream Team today (Wednesday) against Columbia at the Arena Corinthians for their last Group B match.

NFF, Rohr agree two–year deal

HE Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), and Mr Gernot Rohr have signed a two–year contract that will see the former Gabon, Niger and Burkina Faso coach work as Technical Adviser of the Super Eagles.

The simple ceremony at the Transcorp Hilton Hotel, Abuja saw NFF President, Amaju Pinnick and General Secretary Mohammed Sanusi signing on behalf of the NFF, in-between Mr. Rohr’s own signature.

Pinnick told thenff.com that the agreement is for two years, with the former German defender, who also coached top French club, Girondins Bordeaux and elite Tunisian side Etoile du Sahel, handed a target of qualifying the Super Eagles for the 2018 FIFA World Cup finals in Russia.

“We are happy that this has been sealed and we can now focus on other arrangements for the 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifiers starting in October,” said Pinnick.

Rohr, clad in a simple shirt and jean trouser and wearing a smile, said: “I am enthusiastic to get to work. This is a big challenge because Nigeria has big players everywhere

and has the ability to do well internationally.

“I have a German heart – the heart of a winner. I have confidence that with the right atmosphere and the right support, the Super Eagles have the capacity not only to qualify for the FIFA World Cup, but get to the latter stages of the competition.”

Rohr, 63, will step out with the Super Eagles for the first time when Nigeria host Tanzania in a 2017 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier in Port Harcourt in a few weeks.

Although the match is a dead rubber as both teams are out of the running for the tournament, it serves as a test game for the Eagles ahead of the 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifier away to Zambia on 3rd October.

Nigeria will also play Cameroon and Algeria in the qualifying race.

Officials confirmed to thenff.com that Coach Rohr is scheduled to embark on VIP scouting immediately, which includes flying to Spain to watch the NPFL All-Stars play against Atletico Madrid and Malaga in Cadiz on Friday, in the Trofoe Carranza tournament.

Oyo govt condemns attack on 3SC in Lagos

By Wale Akinselure THE Oyo State Government has condemned the attack on players and supporters of Shooting Stars Football Club, by supporters of Ikorodu United Football Club during last weekend’s match between the two football clubs, at Onikan Stadium, Lagos.

The Week 30 match was aban-

doned in the 90th minute owing to crowd trouble when the match was tied at one goal apiece.

Contained in a statement by the state Commissioner for Youths and Sports, Mr. Yomi Oke, the state government described the attack on the Oluyole warriors as “totally unacceptable and a turn away from the good spirits of sportsmanship in Nigeria.”

Furthermore, the state government chided what it described as an “uncivilized attitude against its players.”

Noting similar condemnation of the incident by some Nigerians, Oke called on the Nigeria Professional Football League

(NPFL), to act swiftly to forestall a recurrence of the incident.

Oke commended the players and supporters of Shooting Stars Football Club for their display of sportsmanship in Lagos prior and after the match was disrupted.

Quadri sets new African record at Rio Olympics NIGERIA’S Aruna Quadri in the early hours of Monday, became the first African to qualify for the quarter-final of the table tennis men’s singles of the Olympic Games.

Quadri defeated former world number one, six-time European champion and current world number 13th, Timo Boll 4-2 in a Round of 16 clash at the 2016 ongoing Rio Olympics.

The reigning African champion raced to a 3-0 lead 12-10, 12-10, 11-5 before Timo who is Germany’s flag bearer at Rio 2016 fought

back to win the next two sets 11-3, 11-5, while undaunted Quadri won the last set 11-9 to create another upset at the Olympics. “This is amazing! I don’t know what to say.

My fans made me to achieve this.

I thank all Brazilian spectators for their support.

They gave me so much energy.

This feels so good. It is a dream come true that I am in the quarterfinals of the Olympics,” said an elated Quadri, who will later tonight (8pm) face the current world number one. MA Long of China for a place in the semi-final.

Quadri

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. 10/8/2016.