10th December 2015 by Nigerian Tribune

NIGERIA’S MOST INFORMATIVE NEWSPAPER NO 16,389

THURSDAY, 10 DECEMBER, 2015

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FG approves immediate payment of N407bn to oil marketers —P10

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States should pay wages —P4 according to their strengths —Oshiomhole

N150

Kogi: We may replace Faleke

—Odigie-Oyegun —P41

Arms funds diversion abuse of trust —Buhari

•We can't keep quiet, he says —P4,6,14 •We will recover all stolen money —EFCC •Dokpesi docked, remanded in EFCC custody •Alleged N61.4bn Abacha loot diversion: Okonjo-Iweala reacts IDPs to return home next year —Buhari —P4

Decomposing bodies of 6 women found inside Lagos canal —P9

Supporters of All Progressives Congress (APC) demanding cancellation of Bayelsa governorship election result by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Yenagoa, on Wednesday. PHOTO: NAN.

Appeal Court strikes out deposed Deji of Akure's suit —P14

TSA: Drama as CBN, AGF disown N8bn payment

—P2

news TSA: Drama as CBN, AGF disown N8bn payment 2

Thursday, 10 December, 2015

•We have valid contract with FG since 2012 -Systemspecs •47 agencies yet to join TSA Taiwo Adisa and Ayodele Adesanmi -Abuja

HERE was drama on Wednesday as the Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Dr Godwin Emefiele and the Accountant-General of the Federation (AGF),Ahmed Idris, shocked senators when they declared that they were unaware of the payment of N8 billion from the Treasury Single Account (TSA) to Systemsspecs, owner of the e-payment software, Remita. The two senior government officials spoke at the public hearing being conducted into the management of the TSA by the Federal Government. The Senate had, on November 11, mandated its committees on Finance, Public Accounts and Banking, Insurance and other Financial Institutions to investigate allegations that the sum of N25 billion was paid to Systemsspecs, for the use of its platform, Remita, for collecting government's revenue under the TSA arrangement. The lawmakers were shocked on Wednesday by the inconsistencies in the submissions of the CBN Governor and the Accountant-General, who disowned knowledge of the payments. After initially commending the Remita platform for providing service to the government and recommended a reduction of the one per cent charge, Emefiele made a U-turn and announced that he was unaware of the payment of N8 billion to Remita. “The truth is that I will like to confess that I did not really know - because I have to say what I know - that there is one per cent charge being taken on that account until the Senate and the House of Representatives raised it when we were summoned to the office of the Senate President and I sounded very surprised at that session and I promised that I was going to look into it. “Indeed, I asked who is Mr Obaro and what is this N25 billion about. I am very surprised because I didn't know anything about it. It was immediately after that that I swung into action and I discovered that the issue raised in the office of the Senate President was right and I immediately called the MD of Remita to find out who he was. I insisted that the money had to be reversed. Immediately after that, it was reversed," he said. The Accountant General also followed Emefiele’s steps in denying the payment. "As far as I am concerned,

there is no agreement between the CBN and our office, that is duly signed. As far as I am concerned, my office has not made any payment to any service provider with respect to moving TSA. We have not made any payment. We have not engaged anybody and, therefore, we have not paid anybody. I don't have any reason to hide any information, what I told you is what I know,” he said. He also said his office was not part of the Remita charges, adding that "I'm not part of it and my office is not part of any payment. If the CBN Governor said he

was not aware, what more of me?” But the Managing Director of Systemsspecs, Mr John Obaro, who also addressed the lawmakers, said his company had a valid contract with the Federal Government over the TSA arrangement. He told the Senate committees that the Federal Government had initiated the process for the implementation of the TSA in 2010 and that Remita was approved as the platform for the funds remittance in October 2011, after a process initiated by the CBN and the Office of the Accountant

General. According to him, the collection charge of one per cent was agreed to after the Accountant General’s office rejected the proposed 2.5 per cent. “We immediately set to work and we have proven that Remita, the indigenously developed flagship product of the Nigerian Software Industry, works. “By January 2012, the foreign core accounting software of government was not ready and three months behind schedule “Mr Chairman Sir, as you would have seen among the documents earlier sent

to you, SystemSpecs has a valid contract with CBN for the provision of the Payment Gateway that supports payment and collections of government revenue. “The fees were discussed by all stakeholders, set by CBN and OAGF, communicated to all by the CBN and included in our contract. We did not charge above the agreed rates,” he said. He also agreed that about N8 billion was collected as a result of the collections on the platform of Remita, adding that the funds were returned to the CBN in October, following a letter to that effect.

He also stated that the company decided to follow a business line rather than a legalistic approach in refunding the earlier charges even though it had a valid contract with the government. “On September 14, 2015, the OAGF had expressed concern at a project review meeting about the fees, considering the enlarged scope of the project. “SystemSpecs was not averse to price renegotiation. We wrote to the CBN that we are open to renegotiation and that an allstakeholders meeting be Continues pg10

Thursday, 10 December, 2015

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Thursday, 10 December, 2015

Arms funds diversion abuse of trust –Buhari •Hosts Reps to dinner Leon Usigbe -Abuja

RESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari, on Wednesday night, described as a breach of trust, the diversion of funds meant for arms procurement to tackle the Boko Haram insurgency in the North-East. Speaking while hosting members of the House of Representatives to a dinner at the Presidential Villa,

Abuja, he noted that the Goodluck Jonathan-led administration spent money for the procurement of good arms and ammunition to prosecute the war against insurgency, but the process was abused at various levels. The president said his administration could not turn a blind eye to the abuse, hence its decision to investigate with the hope of recouping diverted funds. He said the fraud perpe-

trated which, he said, was unfortunate, was unraveling, saying “we cannot keep quiet and it’s coming out gradually. It's lost unfortunate.” The president regretted that the Nigerian military which was well regarded because of its exploits in the past could no longer secure 14 out of the 744 local government areas in the country. However, he noted that

terrorism was a worldwide phenomenon, saying “if the terrorists can kill 150 people in advance country, who is Nigeria?” The president stated that terrorists that could kill people in churches and mosques did not know God. He sought the support and understanding of members of the House to secure the country and manage it efficiently. Speaker, House of Rep-

resentatives, Honourable Yakubu Dogara, who spoke on behalf of the members, warned that disagreements may come between the president and the House, but assured that Buhari would enjoy the support of the parliament. He said it would take a “seamless or rancorous interface among the arms of governments to deliver the goods.” Dogara expressed confi-

dence in the ability of the president to meet the expectation of the nation, adding that “nobody can look into the eye of the president and the vice-president and doubt their commitment to rid the nation of corruption. “If we don't get it right in this four years, those of us here should forget it. We sincerely believe we should lay the foundation of a lasting legacy for generations to come.”

States should pay wages according to their strength —Oshiomhole Leon Usigbe -Abuja

GAINST the backdrop of the move by the Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF) to reduce the national minimum wage, Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State has advised that states should be allowed to pay salaries according to their financial strength. He said rather than talk about reducing the minimum wages of workers, those at the top must be made to shed some money. Oshiomhole said it was not reasonable for the Revenue Mobilisation and Fiscal Allocation Commission (RMFAC) to fix salary of governors and top government workers without taking into consideration the individual financial strength of the state governments. Fielding questions from State House correspondents on the national minimum wage, after a meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari on Wednesday, he said every state should be allowed to take its peculiar situation into account in paying the wages of officials who earn big. "I also believe it is simplistic to believe that one drug will cure all the ailments in the various states. "Every state has to take its own independent evaluation, the nature of its own problems and design appropriate policy instrument to deal with those problems as they relate to each state. "We cannot have governors-wide solution. The problem in one state is not the same with the one in Edo. Everybody will have to deal with its own. "Lastly, I also think that if anybody wants to talk about federalism, let's not talk about federalism where it affects the wages of the lowest paid. "I have asked this question: why should Edo State governor receive the same salary as the governor of Lagos State when the population of Lagos State is doubled that of Edo State and their GDP is much higher? "Why should I receive the same pay as the governor of Zamfara or Akwa Ibom, these states are richer by accident of location.

"If we want to preach this principle, we are in a federal system, everybody should pay according to his cost of living. "The cost of governing Edo is not the same cost as governing Lagos State. So why should the revenue mobilisation fix my pay and that of Lagos State. "If we want to run a true federalism, start from the top, that is leading by example. We can't protect people at the top and attack the people at the bottom and this has nothing to do with the fact that I was once a la-

bour leader," he said. The governor, however, rejected the use of "minimum wage" as offensive, saying that abolishing it was to seek an easy escape route out of the challenges facing the states. "With due respect to my colleagues (governors), it is offensive to talk about minimum wage. How can the food of the steward be the reason that the elders cannot eat? "I mean, by conventional wisdom, if there is crisis in the system, it's the excess fat that will shed fats not the skeletons. The idea of using

minimum is very offensive. "The problem with Nigeria is that each time we confront a serious economic problem, we look at the escape route option. "Those are not the heart of the challenges. We must go to the heart of challenges, we must revisit? issues," he said. Oshiomhole argued that the minimum wage was not a burden to the economy and, therefore, could not be abolished. On the ongoing anti-corruption war of the President Muhammadu Buhari administration, Oshiomhole

advised the president to expand his dragnet to probe more people, including former Coordinating Minister of the Economy and Minister of Finance, Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, who, he said, could be culpable in the release of arms procurement funds which may have been diverted. "I don't care what people say, because you cannot be coordinating a corruptionridden economy and pretend to be an angel, you cannot selectively deal with issues, you must deal with all involved in the conspiracy.

"In criminal law, when two to three people are involved in an act of criminality, all of them are charged with conspiracy. "You cannot get money out of the treasury without getting it endorsed and for a government that talks about transparency, due process, I am unable to accept that money will come out without the Minister of Finance having to endorse document. "If you endorse documents, you must follow through to see that the funds released are actually used for that purpose," he said.

Alleged N61.4bn Abacha loot diversion: Okonjo-Iweala says 'allegation baseless, harassment unprecedented' THE immediate past Coordinating Minister of the Economy and Minister of Finance, Ngozi OkonjoIweala, has described as baseless, allegations of "illegal diversion of N61.4 billion Abacha funds." This came as she said the level of persecution and harassment was unprecedented and signalled danger of fighting corruption in office. Her media aide, Paul Nwabuikwu, in a statement on Wednesday, said "as part of the campaign of falsehood against Okonjo-Iweala

by the Edo State governor, Adams Oshiomhole and other powerful and corrupt interests, another baseless story has been published by some online media. "To achieve their evil propaganda objective of tarnishing her name, these evil elements have distorted the contents of a memo dated January 20, 2015, in which the former Minister of Finance, Dr Okonjo-Iweala, responded to a request by the former National Security Adviser, Colonel Ibrahim Dasuki (retd) for funds

to prosecute the terror war against Boko Haram. Okonjo-Iwealaw was, in a report on Premium Times, said to have illegally approved the transfer of at least N61.4 billion ($300 million and £5.5 million) from funds recovered from the late Sani Abacha to the Office of the NSA, few weeks to the 2015 presidential election. The former minister allegedly signed off on the transfer requesting the former president, Dr Goodluck Jonathan, to directly de-

IDPs to return home next year —Buhari Leon Usigbe -Abuja THE return of internally displaced persons (IDPs) to their home communities in the North-East is to begin next year, President Muhammadu Buhari has revealed. Speaking on Wednesday at an audience with a delegation from the International Rescue Committee (IRC), led by former British Foreign Minister, Mr David Miliband, at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, Buhari said his administration would do all within its powers to facilitate the quick return and resettlement of over two million IDPs in their towns and villages. He told Mr Miliband and his delegation that the Federal Government would

welcome the support of the IRC and other local and international non-governmental organisations for the rehabilitation of IDPs as a result of Boko Haram insurgency. According to the president, “in 2016, the return of the IDPs will start in earnest. They will return to their communities to meet destroyed schools and other infrastructure which have to be rebuilt. "With agriculture being moribund in the region in the last two years, hunger is already manifest. We will welcome all the help we can get to assist the returnees." Responding to a request by Miliband for the Federal Government's priorities as to the nature of assistance required for the IDPs, the president said that there

was an urgent need for support in the areas of agricultural inputs, health, nutrition, water and sanitation. Buhari urged the IRC and other international agencies to work with the Presidential Committee on the North-East and the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) which, he said, were already doing a lot to cater for the IDPs and restore some basic infrastructure in communities affected by terrorism and insurgency. In his remark, the former British Foreign Minister assured the president that the IRC would intensify its ongoing work in Nigeria, which had assisted over 350,000 displaced persons, mainly in Adamawa and Borno states.

mand accountability from Dasuki, according to documents seen by the online medium. The funds, it was further alleged, were never appropriated before they were transferred. The recovered Abacha loot were returned to the Nigerian government from monies stolen from the country’s treasury by the late military head of state. He reportedly stole an estimated $5 billion from Nigeria and the money is being returned in tranches after agreements with countries such as Switzerland and the United States. It is believed that not less than $700 million has been repatriated from Switzerland alone. But a letter allegedly signed by Okonjo-Iweala, seen by PREMIUM TIMES, showed that 50 per cent of

the recently recovered Abacha loot was allotted for “urgent security need” such as the procurement of arms and ammunition, while the other half was set aside to be used for development purposes. The letter, dated January 20, 2015, which was addressed to then President Jonathan, revealed that the money was transferred following a January 12, 2015 request by the office of the NSA under Mr Dasuki for funds for the procurement of arms and ammunition as well as intelligence equipment. “Please find a request by the NSA for the transfer of $300 million and £5.5 million of the recovered Abacha funds to an ONSA [Office of the National Security Adviser] operations account,” the Continues pg10

Thursday, 10 December, 2015

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Thursday, 10 December, 2015

EFCC will recover all stolen money —Magu Collins Nnabuife-Abuja

HE Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has vowed to recover all public funds siphoned under the guise of arms procurement by prominent Nigerians now in its custody. The commission’s acting chairman, Ibrahim Magu, at an event to mark this year’s International AntiCorruption Day in Abuja, said his men were working hard to recover the stolen funds, even as he disclosed that substantial amount of money had been recovered from fraudsters. “I can assure you that the commission is on top of that investigation. We will spare no effort to ensure that we recover every kobo of public funds that have been stolen in the guise of arms procurement and the culprits brought to justice,” he told a packed audience, including secondary school children, at the seminar organised by the Inter-Agency Task Team, a common platform for anti-corruption and accountability in Nigeria. Magu disclosed that the commission had secured 78 convictions from 280 cases filed in court this year, while 1,881 cases were investigated. Besides, he said several interim and final forfeiture orders were given by the courts, even as funds were being recovered. Magu said he had embarked on internal cleansing of the commission to improve efficiency and re-position it to deliver on its mandate. He listed the implementation of its strategic plan and other institutional reforms as measures to increase the capacity to fight corruption. He also sought the cooperation of all civil society organisations and other critical stakeholders in

the battle against corruption as a concerted effort to surmount all hindrances. Earlier, the AttorneyGeneral and Minister of Justice, Mr Abubakar Malami, expressed regret that corruption had stunted the capacity of the country to attain economic development, even as he restated the resolve of President Buhari to purge the nation of this cankerworm. Specifically, he identified a linkage between

good governance and economic development and bemoaned the poverty level in the country despite its potentials. “There is a wide gap between revenue generation, appropriation, utilisation, public officials’ transparency, probity and the effect on the nation’s development,” he stated. The minister, represented byMr Sylvester Imanhobe, said the country’s profile was worrisome, listing high cost of doing busi-

The House of Representatives, on Wednesday, set necessary machinery in motion to investigate the National Drug Law Agency Enforcement (NDLEA) over alleged misappropriation of funds approved for the agency from year 2000 to date. The House also mandated its committees on drugs,narcotics and financial crimes, as well as finance, to investigate the agency on seized drugs, assets and properties of drug offenders valued over N35

of Crime Bill and Whistle Blowers Protection Bill. Ms Lilian Ekeanyanwu, head of the Technical Unit on Governance and Anti-corruption Reforms, organisers of the forum, said the anti-corruption day had been marked in the country since 2009 as a strategic approach to measure the fight against corruption and make it all-inclusive. She urged government to adopt a national strategy to tame the

From left, representative of the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Mr Femi Oyeleye; Director General, Bureau of Public Service Commission, Dr Joe Abah; Chairman, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mr Ibrahim Magu and the representative of vice-president, Professor Sadiq Radda, during the 2015 International Anti-Corruption Day, in Abuja, on Wednesday. PHOTO: BAYOOR EWUOSO

Bureau de Change: Saraki not owner of N310m —Police Chris Agbambu-Abuja

Contrary to the stories doing the rounds that the N310 million allegedly stolen from Bureau de change operator in Abuja, by operatives of Directorate of Security Services (DSS) and some soldiers, belonged to the Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki, the police investigation has revealed that the money belonged to

the operator of the bureau de change. The DSS, last weekend, issued a statement disclosing that some of its operatives and soldiers were arrested in connection with the robbery. The DSS operatives are Abdulrasheed Ahmadu MAIGARI, Solomon INUSA, Peter OKOYE, Patrick ISHAYA and George

Reps to probe NDLEA over funds, assets Jacob Segun Olatunji And Kolawole Daniel-Abuja

ness owing to poor power supply, official corruption and high crime rate; high maternal mortality and large number of children out of school; high illicit capital flight and 800,000 deaths on the highways every year. Nevertheless, he promised to expedite action on three laws designed to reinforce the fight against corruption. These are National Financial Intelligence Center Bill, Proceeds

billion in the last 10 years. The resolution, at the plenary, on Wednesay, followed the adoption of a motion moved by Honourable Muhammad Musa Soba representing Soba Federal Constituency of Kaduna State. Moving the motion, Honourable Soba noted that the NDLEA was established in 1989 to eradicate the cultivation, processing, sale, trafficking and use of hard drugs and to investigate persons suspected to have dealings in drugs. He noted that, over the years, there had been allegations of wrong doing levelled against the agency, including

connivance with drug cartels leading to release of hundreds of drug suspects. The lawmaker expressed worries that the NDLEA, since inception, particularly in the past 10 years, had not given adequate account of its operations to justify its establishment. While calling for an investigation over these allegations, he also informed the House that the agency “is about to dispose off the hard drugs and auction some of the seized and forfeited assets of these drugs in the next few days, contrary to established legal procedures.”

Mwatapwa IBBI. Maigari and Ibbi were, however, said to have been arrested last week. The five military personnel involved were led by Captain Hussein Ishaku MSHELIA, who has also been arrested by the Nigerian Army authorities. Two of the operatives are attached to the Senate President. This was noticed when the faces of the DSS operatives in Saraki’s hordes of details was noticed. An online publication had reported that the money belonged to Saraki and that the DSS operatives stole the money when he gave them to launder for him, an allegation which the Senate President had refuted. While this controversy ranges, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Commissioner of Police(CP) Wilson Inalegwu, under whose command the case is being investigated, said the money belonged to the owner of the bureau de change. Although, the FCT Police

boss did not disclose the name and address of the operator of the bureau de change, he said the criminal act was well planned and orchestrated by the perpetrators. Giving detailed account of what actually happened, Inalegwu said: “On November 20, 2015, a man approached an operator of bureau the change and told him that he has some dollars for exchange. For the avoidance of doubt, this man took the bureau de change operator to a place on Nile Street, Maitama, Abuja, where he showed him the dollars, but insisted that for him to release the money, the operator must give him the exchange in naira. As a businessman, he went to the bank and withdrew N310 million cash, the exact amount of the dollar the other man presented to him. While the bureau de change operator was still arranging the money to hand over to the man, some security operatives came in a while Hilux bus and rounded them

menace. Goodwill messages were presented by the United Nations , European Union and other anti-corruption and transparency agencies in the country. Also, the European Union (EU) has said it has committed €62.5million in separate occasions to the anti graft agencies in Nigeria to enhance its performance, even as it said the funds were given in form of financial and technical support to the agencies for capacity building. This was disclosed by the representative of the EU, Mr John Hare, at a programme organised by the Inter-Agency Task Team to commemorate the International Anti-Corruption Day celebration. According to Mr Hare, “in recent years, the European Union has provided substantial support to Nigeria’s fight against corruption. During 20052015, the EU gave financial and technical support to anti-corruption agencies to support the Nigerian government’s effort in this sense to the value of €27.5 million. In his remarks, the VicePresident, Proffessor Yemi Osinbajo, said corruption contributed to instability, poverty and was a dominant factor driving fragile countries towards state failure. He said: “Breaking the corruption chain requires that corruption is tackled, not just from the top, but from both ends of the spectrum. “Since corruption implies the subversion and pollution of the moral order, fighting must address the underlying need to restore moral orders. Besides enacting laws and scrupulously applying them, the citizens must be in agreement with government that enough is enough. The vice-president, who was represented by Professor Sadiq Radda, explained that the culture of keeping silent in the face of corruption by the citizens was destructive and contradicted government’s efforts to combat corruption. “The prevalent culture of silence that currently dominates our response to systematic corruption is not only destructive but also contradictory. “On the one hand, citizens expect government to fight corruption, but on the other hand, the people are reluctant to fully identify with and totally support government’s agenda and anti-corruption measures by sharing information to assist law enforcement agencies,” he noted.

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Thursday, 10 December, 2015

NURTW boss sues for peace among members by gbenga olumide

he Chairman, National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), Lagos State council, Alhaji Tajudeen Agbede, has appealed to members of the union in the state to embrace peace and abstain from any act capable of fomenting trouble in the various parks and garages across the state. Agbede said this in Lagos, on Monday, while speaking with newsmen, after an emergency meeting of the executive members of the council. He said the various factions of the union had been reconciled at a peace meeting chaired by the national president of the union, Alhaji Najeem Yasin, in

Abuja last month, adding that every member must embrace peace. The NURTW boss promised that all officers at the various branches would be allowed to go for a second term in the spirit of continuity as approved by the national headquarters of the union. “We will carry everybody along whenever we are reconstituting the branches. It is going to be continuity galore and everybody will be carried along, hence there is no cause for violence at the parks and garages,” he said. Agbede appealed to those who have one issue or the other in their branches to bring such issues to the state council for amicable resolution instead of resorting to self-help, promising

‘Give us basic amenities in Aseese’ The Baale of Aseese in Obafemi/Owode Local Government Area of Ogun State, Chief Kasumu Jamiyu Sonola, has called on the Governor Ibikunle Amosun-led government to provide social amenities in Aseese. Aseese was founded17 centuries ago and has never experienced meaningful development.

Chief Sonola made the plea during the just concluded 10th anniversary. He noted that indigenes of the town have never felt the impact of government, urging the state government to provide the town with primary and secondary schools, potable water, accessible roads, electricity transformer.

that the state council would do justice to all issues presented before it. “Please, don’t take the law into your hands. If you have any grievances, please, feel free to bring such issue to the state council. I promise to do justice to them. Do not take the laws in to your hands as it is not the best option,” he added. He, however, warned that the state council will, henceforth, handover troublemakers among members to security agencies for prosecution.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Olayinka Ogunbode now to be called OMOTOSHO OLUKUNLE AYODEJI. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

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Thursday, 10 December, 2015

Bayelsa election: APC protests, demands release of Southern Ijaw results There is plan to ensure FG declares a state of emergency —PDP Austin Ebipade - Yenagoa

HE political logjam and imbroglio created by the declaration of the December 5 governorship election in Bayelsa State inconclusive have continued to arouse tension in Yenagoa, the state capital, as over one million members and supporters of the All Progressives Congress (APC) took to the major roads demanding the release of the results of the re-scheduled election in Southern Ijaw Council area. Sylva/Igiri Media Director, Chief Nathan Egba, said the protest was peaceful and accompanied by security agencies. He said that the APC supporters were calling for justice in Southern Ijaw and the declaration of Chief Sylva as the winner of the December 5 governorship election. The protesters took off from the APC secretariat in Yenagoa and marched down to the end of Yenagoa, a situation that resulted in both human and vehicular gridlocks. It will be recalled that the APC members and supporters had a crucial meeting with the leadership of the Sylva/Igiri campaign before taken to the ma-

jor roads to demand the release of Southern Ijaw result, which according to them was won by the APC governorship candidate, Chief Timipre Sylva. Escorted by armed policemen, special unit of the JTF, civil defence and other sister agencies, the protesters displayed placards that reads: ‘INEC declare Southern Ijaw result won by the APC’, ‘We will demand our right even in the face of intimidation’, ‘If results from Ekeremor, Sagbama, parts of Ogbia, Nembe and Yenagoa with glaring cases of irregularities, were accepted, then Southern Ijaw result must be accepted.’ Others are, ‘State Resident Electoral Officer, Baritor Kpagih, must go’, ‘Kpagih is a PDP member at heart and was awarded contracts by Governor Dickson’ and ‘Kpagih has no right to cancel election results.’ The protesters reasoned that Kpagih is an undercover agent of the PDP candidate, incumbent Governor Dickson, and that having gotten privilege information that APC had won with over 90,0000 votes in the Southern Ijaw, he moved for the result to be cancelled. When asked if they are ready for a re-run election in Southern Ijaw, in one

NIMASA committed to stamp out criminality –DG THE Acting Director-General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Mr Haruna Baba Jauro, has reiterated the commitment of the agency to stamp out the activities of unscrupulous elements bent on disrupting the peace in its areas of operation. Speaking as a special guest of honour at the opening ceremony of the Nigerian Army School of Public Relations and Information (NASPRI) media workshop, in Lagos, on Monday, the DG said that NIMASA had committed itself to ensuring the success of the working agreements with the Nigerian military in order to keep the Nigerian maritime environment safe from criminal activities. He commended the Nigerian military for its dogged war against insurgency, explaining that he had a first-hand experience of the security challenges of the North-East region being an indigene of Yobe State who had lived in the Maiduguri/Damaturu axis since 1985 until 2012 when

he took up the NIMASA assignment. Mr Jauro urged the media to always ensure that they balance their business goals with national interest. He charged participants, made up of military officers and defence correspondents, to use the workshop to add to the gamut of knowledge in the Armed Forces. He praised the media for downplaying the issue of insurgency, which has further frustrated the murderous activities of the terror group. “The media is an important stakeholder in all phases of military operations, particularly in the ongoing fight against insurgency,” he further said. The Commandant of NASPRI, Colonel John Agim, commended the NIMASA helmsman for his passion, dedication to duty and love for the military and the country. The Managing Director of New Telegraph newspapers, Mrs Funke Egbemode, delivered a paper on “Publicity: A tool for enhancing terrorists self esteem” on behalf of Mr Femi Adesina, Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to the president.

breath, the protesters said the APC would not be part of it, submitting that their position was that the result of Southern Ijaw stands; and must be released for the APC governorship candidate to be declared winner of the election. “If the election in Sagbama, Ekeremor, parts of Yenagoa, Nembe and Ogbia is not cancelled re-

gardless of the violence and other electoral fraud that greeted the conduct in those councils, then the result of Southern Ijaw must be declared,” the visibly aggrieved protesters submitted. They also called on INEC to disqualify PDP candidate, Governor Dickson for unduly interfering with election, by visiting the col-

lation centre to influence the result after voting on Saturday in Sagbama; and for showing his presence in Oporoma, headquarters of Southern Ijaw council, Sunday, where election was to be conducted, which is a breach of the electoral law. In a related development, the PDP in Bayelsa on Wednesday raised the

alarm, alleging that some politicians and groups planned to breach the existing peace in the state. Chief Jonathan Obuebite, Director of Publicity of Governor Seriake Dickson Campaign Organisation, alleged that APC members were preparing for a violent protest in the state. Continued on pg 14

From left, Hajia Lami Tumaka, Head, Public Relations, Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA); Colonel John Agim Commandant, Nigerian Army School of Public Relations and Information (NASPRI); Mr Haruna Baba Jauro, Acting Director General, NIMASA and Mrs Funke Egbemode, Managing Director/Editor-in-Chief, New Telegraph Newspaper, at a media workshop organised by NASPRI in Lagos, recently

Probe military, police involvement in Southern Ijaw LG political imbroglio —Lawyers ByYejideGbenga–Ogundareand Chukwuma Okparaocha

A civil rights organisation, Lawyers in Defence of Democracy, on Wednesday, asked the Federal Government to investigate the alleged role of security agencies, particularly the military “in the whole episode of electoral corruption in Southern Ijaw” during the Bayelsa State governorship election.

Such investigation, it advised, must also look at the role of the police high command “leading to such mind boggling violence as widely reported in the media as well as that of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to unravel any complicity.” The National Secretary of LDD, Ikechukwu Ikeji, who tabled the demands during a press conference in Yenagoa, praised the courage

of Bayelsans by fearlessly standing firm to defend their rights to vote even in the face of intimidation by security agencies. He said, “The allegation of collusion by top officials of the army, police and those of the INEC allegedly corralled to do the bidding of the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Timipre Sylva, is unconscionable because it sends

APC commends military for clamping down PDP thugs Austin Ebipade - Yenagoa

THE Sylva-Igiri Campaign Organisation of the All Progressives Congress (APC) says the military personnel deployed for last weekend’s governorship election gave a good account of themselves to check activities of thugs brought into the state by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). “The APC wishes to condemn the statements credited to Governor Seriake Dickson to cast aspersion on the integrity of the Nigerian Army just because the military men did not allow him carry on with his plans to compromise the election in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area,” the or-

ganisation stated in a statement issued by the Director of Media and Publicity, Chief Nathan Egba. It stated “It was regrettable that the governor displayed his act of desperation by castigating the security forces which had come to help the people curtail the act of gangsterism and orchestrated violence perfected by Mr Dickson to undermine the election. “It is unfortunate that a sitting governor will attempt to bring down the credibility of the Nigerian Army just because of a personal political ambition and interest. “The APC had earlier said the party did not need the help of the security opera-

tives to win election but enabling security to allow people come out freely to vote, a development Governor Dickson did not allow in many places because of his desperation. “It is very disturbing to our party that the man who mobilised thugs and compromised the security is the same person raising allegations. It is so bad. For us, we hold the nation’s military force in high esteem and if not for their intervention, the imported PDP thugs would have succeeded in Southern Ijaw like they did in Ekeremor, Sagbama, Nembe and other places to intimidate and harass innocent people and APC members at the polling units.”

a very wrong signal of possible annihilation of democracy and rule of law. Yes, the rule of jungle is anathema in a democratic system of government. It is clearly a dangerous step which calls for a thorough investigation by the Federal Government before it becomes a routine in future elections and in particular when the Southern Ijaw election is rescheduled “This is why we call on the Federal Government to properly investigate the alleged role of the military in the whole episode of electoral corruption in Southern Ijaw as claimed by Governor Dickson which would be in line with similar ongoing investigation of the role of the same institution in the 2015 general elections in Ekiti and Osun states. The investigation must commence without further delay. “Such investigation must also look at the role of the police high command leading to such mind boggling violence as widely reported in the media as well as that of INEC to unravel any complicity. We have looked carefully at the whole scenario and think rationally that the governor’s accusation is not without some substance. It cannot and must not be dismissed as frivolous as the APC, an interest party, in Bayelsa has said.”

Thursday, 10 December, 2015

Lagosmetro

Nigerian Tribune

Edited By

Lanre Adewole

olanreade@yahoo.com

0811 695 4647

LFT crisis: Tribunal promises to present fair report AyomideOwonibiOdekanyin

ollowing weeks of inquiry into the crisis in some communities in Ibeju Lekki which led to the death of the Managing Director, Lekki Free Trade (LFT) Zone, Mr. Tajudeen Disu, the Tribunal of Inquiry has vowed to present a fair and balanced report. The chairman of the tribunal, Justice Adesuyi Olateru-Olagbegi, who said this during a fact-finding visit to the 14 affected Free Zone host communities at the Ibeju Lekki area of the state promised justice to those affected by the mayhem, adding that the tribunal’s findings will form the basis of its recommendations to the Lagos State government. The tribunal which has the mandate of unravelling the cause of the October 12 disturbance has 45 days to complete its task. The team which also included legal and other representatives of Lekki Free Zone Development

Company (LFZDC), Lekki Worldwide, Dangote Refinery, Lagos State Ministry of Justice, met with residents of the communities.

The communities include Tiye, Imobido,Idasho, Elekuru, Imagbon, Itoke, Idotun, Olomowewe, Imopa, Okuniraye and Abejoye

villages. The leaders of the communities all proclaimed their peoples’ innocence in the death of Disu and lamented

the disruption of their lives by the police since the day of the violence. The Baale of Tiye, Chief Kayode Rauf Mujistapha

when I saw people running for their lives. And I also ran too before these policemen intercepted me,” he stated. The two other suspects confessed to be smokers of Indian hemp but insisted that they were not the ones selling it Udoma and Yakubu identified the runaway Olu-

mide as the dealer of the recovered Indian hemp, but admitted that they usually patronise him. “I have nowhere to stay after my house was razed down by fire. Since then I have been sleeping inside the Motor Park in Oyingbo. Truly, I went there to smoke on the fateful day”, Yakubu Mudashiru confessed.

urged the government and the LFZDC to uphold their side of the bargain. “We can’t farm anymore; the land is not enough for us. There’s no light, our children are not employed in the Free Zone and there are no gutters here. Whenever it rains everywhere is flooded. We want them to implement the Memorandum of Understanding,” he said. A community leader in Ilege, Alhaji Sultan Bello, said, “We are not saying that the government should return the land, but we want infrastructure. The last time we had electricity here was two years ago.” In Idasho village, Chief Samuel Babatunde claimed that his people were not aware of any Environmental Impact Assessment before approval for the refinery in the community was given. “The excavation of sand for Dangote Refinery from the Atlantic Ocean near our shores has been eating our land. It causes the ground to shake and the soil becomes loose,” he lamented. At Okesegun village, Chief Adeyemi Sabiu said the dredging and excavation for the refinery which began in late October, had destroyed their coconut trees and caused the collapse of several houses. At Okuniraye, where Disu was killed, the people lamented police high-handedness.

The Lagos State government on Wednesday warned residents to desist from holding open processions during the yuletide season, urging them to limit such gatherings to the enclosure of the venue. Briefing Government House correspondents shortly after an emergency State Security Council meeting, the State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Fatai Owoseni, said the Council decided to stop any form of procession due to the intelligence reports on security, which indicated the possibility of such processions being hijacked by hoodlums

and criminal elements. He said that inasmuch as the government would like residents to celebrate the yuletide with all the fanfare associated with the season, the security situation across the globe requires everyone to be on red alert so as to prevent unscrupulous elements from unleashing terror on innocent citizens. He however said the state was not under any special security threat, but that proactive measures have been put in place to forestall any breakdown of law and order “We want to appeal to our people that inasmuch as we want them to celebrate and

jubilate, we would not allow open procession of any kind. Carnivals that are going to be done or any meeting, for their security and safety, they should please tell security agencies, they should let the police in the area or the headquarters know, so that they can secure the area,” he said. While insisting that the order restricting the use of fireworks in the state is still in force, Owoseni alongside heads of other security agencies in Lagos said that law enforcement officers have been sent out to arrest those selling and distributing the device in the market.

Unbelievable: People dump waste by the roadside beside a Rapid Response Squad (RRS) station point at Berger Bridge. PHOTO: SYLVESTER OKORUWA

We are victims of circumstance — Suspected hemp dealers Olalekan Olabulo Four suspected drug dealers have been arrested by operatives of the Rapid Response Squad (RRS) who raided their hideout around Oyingbo. Lagos Metro gathered that the arrest of the suspects followed a directive from the State Governor, Akinwunmi Ambode to the RRS commander Olatunji Disu to rid the area of miscreants. Eighteen sacks filled with substance suspected to be Indian hemp were recovered from the criminal hideout by the policemen. The RRS operatives dur-

ing the special operation apprehended four suspects, namely: Quadri Jimoh, Tajudeen Busari, Ukowa Udomma and Yakubu Mudashiru. The leader of the gang simply identified as Olumide alias Aroso escaped from being arrested by the policemen. Two of the suspects Quadri Jimoh and Tajudeen Busari denied being dealers in narcotics and insisted that they were victims of circumstances. Jimoh a resident of 15, Atitebi Street, Oyingbo, claimed that he was on his way to buy drugs for his

pregnant wife, when he was arrested. “I am a bus conductor. My wife who is six months pregnant called me to buy some prescribed medications for her. On my way the pharmacy, I saw people running and I also ran with them. But unfortunately for me, I was caught by the policemen,” the suspect explained. On his own, Tajudeen Busari, a native of Kwara State in Ilorin said that he was just passing through the area where the six full sacks of Indian hemp were recovered. “I was just a passer-by

Police begin investigation into death of 6 women dumped into canal Olalekan Olabulo The police have revealed that they are investigating the circumstances leading to the death of six women whose corpses were found in a canal in Ikorodu. The women’s decomposing corpses were found in

a canal at Anibaba area, off Akele Street, Ikorodu, at about 3.30 p.m. on Sunday. The spokesman of the command, DSP Joseph Offor, said that all the victims were yet to be identified. He said that Lagos State environmental agency officials moved the corpses to

a public mortuary for autopsy. According to him, no arrest has been made in connection with the deaths. The spokesman advised members of the public to report to the nearest police station if any of their relations were missing.

Lagos bans open procession, fireworks during yuletide

news

Thursday, 10 December, 2015

We will pursue privatised power sector —Fashola FG to begin demolition of illegal structures on major highways Adetola Bademosi-Abuja

HE Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, has reiterated that the Federal Government will continuously pursue a private sector-led power sector, even as the government strives to provide the enabling environment. This is as he insisted that all government and security agencies, as well as individual citizens, must pay for consumed electricity. The minister, in an inaugural briefing, themed: “Setting the Agenda for Delivering Change,” held in Abuja, said with the transfer of ownership of power asset in Nigeria in 2013, the private companies were saddled with the responsibility of generation and distribution value chain. “We sadly did not do so until 2013 when privatisation was finally completed, which means we lost eight

years,” he said. He noted that since the private sector took over two years ago, there had been challenges such as human resistance, suspicion and vested interest, adding that this would soon be addressed over time. Consequently, he assured that the government would increase its spending to improve transmission network and availability of gas supply to generation companies. He disclosed that the current availability of power was slightly larger than the capacity it could support; warning that this

might lead to persistent system collapse. As a result, he said, ‘‘Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) has identified a total of 142 critical projects, of which 45 are at 50 per cent and above level of completion, of these lot, a further 22 projects can be completed within a year.” Meanwhile, the Federal Government has disclosed plans to commence the demolition of illegal structures on major highways, especially federal roads, to ensure road expansion and reduce the incidence of heavy traffic. This is even as it implored concerned citizens

to voluntarily embark on dismantling such structures, as the government would not hesitate to pull down all obstructions on its highways. The Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, who stated this on Wednesday, in Abuja, while briefing newsmen, said part of the agenda of the current administration was to improve road infrastructure. According to him, the availability of good roads would, no doubt, improve the economy, reduce traffic on the highways, reduce the cost of goods and services, among others.

In his explanations, Fashola said the government’s short-term strategy was to complete road projects that were almost at the verge of completion. The first group of roads, he said, were such that connect states together, as well as federal roads with highest records of traffic. “Our short-term strategy is to start with roads that have met some progress, those roads that can be quickly completed to facilitate connectivity and there are quite a number of them. 50, 70, 90 per cent. We want to focus on these ones,’’ he said.

Olugbemi kick-starts HIV/AIDS awareness campaign

HakeemGbadamosi-Akure NO fewer than 100 graduates from Ondo State have been trained by the Federal Ministry of Finance under the Graduate Internship Scheme (GIS) The Project Director, Peter Papka, who disclosed this in Akure, the Ondo State capital, on Wednesday, said the programme had provided orientation and employability skills/ training for the interns in the last 12 months. Papka, who was represented by one of the programme coordinators, Mr Samuel Bitrus, said the purpose of setting up the GIS for the graduates to acquire employability has been achieved. He said positive testimonials and encomiums had been pouring in from both interns and firms that had benefited from the scheme across the country. According to him, the scheme had contributed to the renewed growth of SMEs and skilled manpower in the country.

Benue gov, wife adopt abandoned baby Johnson babajide-Makurdi

By Mojisola Adewunmi

A member of the House of Representatives, Honourable Olusoji Olugbemi, on Tuesday, kick-started activities marking the HIV/ AIDS awareness campaign and Health mission week, at the Oluyole Federal Constituency office, IdiAyunre, Ibadan. Olugbemi, representing Oluyole Federal Constituency, disclosed that the programme would be the first of its kind in the area, saying AIDS awareness and Health Mission Week was conceived against the background of the fact that health was wealth. He said Nigeria joined other nations across the world on December 1 to mark this year’s World AIDS Day so as to create awareness about the dreaded HIV/AIDS which had claimed many lives and still remained a threat to humanity. He said: “Today which marks the beginning of Oluyole AIDS awareness and Health Mission Week is a testimony of my commitment to ensuring that the good people of my constituency key into the national and international programmes such as HIV/ AIDS awareness campaign. “The week will also feature enlightenment on other life-threatening diseases like Malaria and Typhoid Fever.’’

FG trains 100 on GIS skills in Ondo

Scene of an accident where a trailer rammed into a building at Eleyele, Ologuneru Road, Ibadan, on Wednesday. PHOTO: TOMMY ADEGBITE

78 inmates will regain their freedom tomorrow —Al-Makura Ademola Adegbite-Lafia

GOVERNOR Umaru Tanko Al-Makura of Nasarawa State, on Wednesday, announced his administration‘s decision to release about 78 inmates serving various jail terms across the state tomorrow. He made this announce-

ment while swearing in 15 special advisers and three permanent secretaries at the Government House in Lafia, the state capital. The governor explained that the gesture was in line with the All Progressives Congress (APC)’s philosophy of inclusive government in which vulnerable persons

in the society were to be considered as one of the beneficiaries. Al-Makura, who said the payments of fines by the affected inmates to the affected government authorities have been completed, however, said the indigent persons living in the state would be considered in the 2016 budget proposal of

FMC workers threaten strike over staff abduction HakeemGbadamosi-Akure Workers of the Federal Medical Centre, (FMC) Owo, Ondo State, on Wednesday, staged a peaceful protest over the abduction of one of the staff of the hospital, Queen Adeyeye, who was kidnapped by gunmen last Saturday. The workers, under the aegis of Joint Union of Health Workers of Nigeria (JUHWN), threatened to down tools if the Federal and Ondo State Governments failed to secure the

release of the abducted pharmacist in the next 24 hours. The workers, who carried placards of various inscriptions, such as ‘Say no to kidnapping’, ‘ Save health workers’, ‘ Bring back our staff’ ‘ We demand the release of Adeyeye’ among others, took to the streets of Owo, chanting different solidarity songs to register their protest. The protest, which hindered vehicular movement, lasted several hours, while the workers walked peacefully around the ancient town to register their

displeasure over the development. Addressing journalists during the protest, the chairman of the FMC Owo Branch of JUHWN, Comrade Omoniyi Joseph, described the abduction of the woman as unfortunate and unacceptable to the members of staff of the hospital. He said it was unfortunate that the security agencies in the state had not had any clue about the whereabouts of the female pharmacist five days after she was kidnapped.

the state. He added that women and children were the centre piece of his administration, promising to pay more attention to the displaced persons in the state by renovating and rehabilitating facilities, while their course would be featured prominently in next year’s budget. The governor then reminded the appointees of the economic downturn facing the country due to the dwindling oil prices in the international market which Nigeria so much relied on for revenue accruals; a situation, he said, was a clarion call for proactive diversification of revenue sources to finance development projects. According to him, “I urge you to imbibe the philosophy of Change that is the cardinal principle of the APC administration. By so doing, you are to key into the principles of accountability, financial discipline, transparency and due process in carrying out gov-

Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue State, on Wednesday, adopted an abandoned baby girl. The baby has been christened Destiny Wuester Ortom. The baby was said to have been picked up and taken to the Mama Abayol Orphanage Makurdi, the Benue State capital. Governor Ortom described the baby as a gift from God and gave assurance that he and his wife would take good care of the baby and train her to the highest level. He assured the other children at the orphanage that his administration would also provide for their upbringing. Governor Ortom pledged government’s commitment to supporting humanitarian efforts such as orphanages and directed that the state Head of Service should ensure that all casual staff of the charity home were absolved into the civil service. The governor also directed the immediate renovation of the Mama Abayol Orphanage. Also speaking, the wife of the governor, Eunice, thanked God for the life of the baby and promised to treat her as her biological child. She thanked the management of the orphanage for the good work they were doing.

businessnews

Thursday, 10 December, 2015

Africa has the potential to solve global food security crisis —PwC report

ood security in Africa is set to become a major investment theme as rapid industrialisation and urbanisation across many emerging economies places a strain on the world’s food resources, says a new report published by PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC). The report outlined how the collapse in oil prices, a US$35 billion continentwide structural food deficit and huge potential to lift output and productivity, have forced food security and agricultural development to the top of the political and economic agenda. Richard Ferguson, agricultural adviser to PwC and author of the report, said: “The world needs more food. China’s growing protein needs alone will require an area the size of the United Kingdom (UK) to grow the grains to support that consumption. And as more industrialising countries lose the ability to feed themselves, the world is going to look increasingly to Africa to be the solution.” He continued: “For Africa to thrive, economically and socially, African food security efforts need to become more urgent, more active and more focused. With some 400 million hectares of under-utilised land on the Guinea Savannah, Africa represents an extraordinary resource not only capable of supplying domestic needs for multiple African nations but also becoming a major source of world food supplies. Africa has a once in a lifetime opportunity to feed the world.” In his own contribution, Uyi Akpata, Regional Senior Partner, West Market Area, said: “Food security’s significance as a key geostrategic theme was confirmed in 2007-2008

when it emerged at the top of the international political agenda. Although food price inflation has receded in recent years, the underlying supply challenges remain demanding. “Across Africa and in Ni-

geria, in particular, growing consumer demand, population growth and urbanisation will place significant strains on food resources. Now is the time for African governments to embrace this opportunity

areas to develop in these markets. It further stated that yields had been maximised, improvements would be marginal or, at the minimum, would take decades to make a material difference.

Managing Director, Cadbury Nigeria, Mr Roy Naaman, presenting a gift to the Lagos State governor, Mr Akinwunmi Ambode, during a courtesy visit by the Cadbury Nigeria team to the governor, in Lagos, recently.

Nigeria stocks hit 3-year low as oil prices tumble Nigerian stocks shed 2.4 per cent to hit a new threeyear low on Wednesday after global oil prices tumbled to their lowest in more than six years. The stock market, which has the second-biggest weighting after Kuwait on the MSCI frontier market index, fell for the second day on thin volumes to levels not seen since December 2012. The bourse, which is down 20.6 per cent yearto-date, broke below the psychologically key 27,000 point line on Wednesday. Banking shares fell the most, down 3.1 per cent as investors sold off relatively liquid financial stocks.

On Tuesday, Brent crude touched its lowest levels since February 2009. Oil plunged after OPEC last week failed to agree a cut in production quotas in the face of slumping prices and a mounting global supply glut. Brent traded at $40.68 on Wednesday. Nigeria, which relies on oil exports for 70 per cent of government revenue, faces

Like every other state in Nigeria, the shortfall in oil revenues coupled with increasing youth unemployment has raised the clamour for agriculture as an option to solve the socioeconomic puzzle. Senator Abiola Ajimobi, Oyo State governor, said on Tuesday that the prevailing economic reality had put to test the widely held narrative that agriculture is a poverty fighter and a generator of wealth and employment. Consequently, he called on agricultural experts

its worst economic crisis in years brought on by the sharp fall in crude prices. Nigeria’s cabinet on Monday agreed a N6 trillion budget proposal for 2016, up by N1.5 trillion on last year despite low oil prices that have hammered Africa’s biggest economy. Budget and Planning Minister, Udoma Udo Udoma, said the cabinet was assum-

Shola Adekola-Lagos

Poor credit rating of Nigerian airlines has been identified as one

from IITA to provide answers to the puzzle by proffering solutions that will unlock the agricultural potential of the state.

of the problems militating against growth of the country’s airlines. Declaring this in Lagos was an aviation expert cum Managing Director of Katari System Nigeria Limited, Ali Mohammed Magashi. Magashi, while speaking at the Nigeria Travel Mart (NTM) 1st Anniversary Colloquium on the theme, ‘Leapfrogging Nigerian Aviation to Match Her Potential’, declared

ASUS introduces Zen-Fone series By Rotimi Ige

ASUS, a top laptop brand in Europe, introduced its smart phone devices, including the ZenFone Selfie, ZenFone Laser 5.5, ZenFone Go 5.0, and ZenFone C 4.5, at a media event and product demonstration held at Four Points by Sheraton, Lagos, recently.

Present at the event were journalists and bloggers from different print, electronic and online media outfits in Nigeria; representatives from Coscharis Technologies, who are the distributors of the products in Nigeria and representatives from ASUSTeK Computer Inc. One of the things that prominently stand out

Dollar hits N249 at parallel market

The naira, on Wednesday, continued to depreciate at the parallel market as it exchanged for N249 to the dollar. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the naira lost N1 on Wednesday afternoon to close at N249, as against its previous value of N248. It, however, appreciated at the official interbank window as it gained N0.03 to close at N196.97. Traders at the parallel market affirmed that the challenges at the Bureaux de Change continued to have its toll on the parallel market. NAN reports that the inability of some BDCs to render proper accounts of forex transactions earned about 1600 of them some sanction from the apex bank. Meanwhile, the high cost of dollar had been having multiplier effects on most import-based businesses, leading to unhealthy price increases.

ACCA committed to promotion of ethics in finance Chima Nwokoji-lagos

that Nigerian airlines’ credit rating overseas had been in continuous decline. The aviation expert, in his presentation on ‘Financing Nigerian Aviation: The Option for Growth,’ stated that most aircraft lease companies, spare part suppliers and foreign aircraft maintenance companies are now seriously reluctant to deal with Nigerian operators on credit basis.

AS part of its global commitment to promoting ethics in finance, the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) has partnered with the Institute of Directors of Nigeria and the Nigeria Employers’ Consultative Association (NECA) in its commitment to promotion of good ethics in finance aimed at running good businesses. ACCA has also identified integrity as a core value that leads to survival and growth of businesses, even as it recounted its achievements in the past 10 years of operation in Nigeria. The Chief Executive of ACCA Global, Helen Brand, said that since the institute started its examinations, it was on record that integrity of its processes had never been compromised, adding that the institute had, in the last 10 years, made enormous contributions to economic growth and development of the country.

from the product presentation and demonstration was the camera experience the devices offer, a feature that is sure to excite Nigerian smart phone enthusiasts. “These innovations are each an empowering luxury that strikes the perfect balance of beauty, functionality and performance, and especially of-

fers Nigerian consumers a comprehensive camera experience via both hardware and software,” said a rather elated Simplice Zaongo, ASUS Nigeria Country Product Manager, as he declared the event open, laying credence to these points of differentiation, which the guests were later to experience.

ing a conservative oil price of $38 a barrel and oil production at 2.2 million barrels per day. Lawmakers passed the 2015 budget at $53 a barrel in April. Top decliners include Transcorp, down 8.55 per cent; Zenith Bank 7.53 per cent and Dangote Cement, which accounts for a third of total market capitalisation, shed 5.0 per cent.

Aircraft lessors, finance companies rate Nigerian airlines low

Oyo seeks partnership with IITA to boost agriculture Oyo State government wants partnership with the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) stepped up as the state plans to diversify its economy with a greater focus on agriculture to boost incomes, generate wealth, and create job opportunities for young men and women. The request for closer collaborations with IITA is coming at a time when oil revenues to the country are plummeting and trading at below $50 dollar per barrel.

to drive food security and development goals in tandem.” The report further stated that developed markets are unlikely to provide the solution as there are no significant under-farmed

Nigerian Tribune

business

Thursday, 10 December, 2015

Nigerian Tribune

daily summary (equities) for Wednesday, 9 december, 2015

top 5 gainers

top 5 losers

13 news FG, UN synergise on local production of HIV drugs WORKING together with the United Nations (UN) at ensuring sustained treatment for the 3.4 million Nigerians living with HIV, the Federal Government would support the local production of antiretroviral drugs in the country, according to the Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo. “Certainly the capacity exists in Nigeria to be able to produce those drugs for Nigerians, and the whole of west and central African countries. And we certainly can contribute to see how that happens,” the Vice President disclosed while receiving the UNAIDS Country Director, Dr Bilali Camara in his office earlier today. Camara, who led a delegation from UNAIDS Nigeria office/Focal Point for ECOWAS, had informed the vice president that about four Nigerian pharmaceutical companies had been preferred by the World Health Organisation already as potential local manufacturers of the antiretroviral drugs. He stated further that once the companies start production of the drugs, Nigeria would

no longer depend on foreign supply and importation as is currently the case. He added that this is expected to improve access to the drugs by those infected by the virus. While commending the UNAIDS for its efforts towards the eradication of HIV/AIDS in the country, Professor Osinbajo stated that the Federal Government would explore the specific areas that it might be able to

support the pharmaceutical companies in Nigeria, which are able to locally manufacture the HIV drugs. He praised the UNAIDS for keeping its eye on the ball and remaining focussed on the fight against the disease, expressing the hope that working together, both the Buhari administration and the UN will be able to achieve the HIV/AIDS eradication targets in the country.

OOU ASUU commences indefinite strike over unpaid salaries Olayinka OlukoyaAbeokuta

MEMBERS of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU),Olabisi Onabanjo University(OOU), AgoIwoye chapter, on Wednesday, commenced an indefinite strike over allegation of unpaid salaries. Nigerian Tribune recalled that the university teachers, had last Monday, protested against the gross underfunding of the institution established some 33 years ago. The decision to embark on strike was reached at the end

of the union’s meeting,on Wednesday. Speaking with newsmen the OOU ASUU chairman, Comrade Deji Agboola, alleged that the visitor to the school and the governor of the state, Senator Ibikunle Amosun,the Governing Council and the institution’s management refused to take action on their demands. He noted that the demands of the lecturers were genuine, considering the state of the school in maintaining enviable position among other institutions in the country.

Thursday, 10 December, 2015

news FG docks Dokpesi over alleged N2.1bn fraud 14

Nigerian Tribune

Thursday, 10 December, 2015

•Remanded in EFCC custody Sunday Ejike - Abuja

Federal High Court in Abuja, on Wednesday, ordered that the former chairman of DAAR

Communications Plc, Chief Raymond Aleogho Dokpesi, be remanded in the custody of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) pending the deter-

•Court hears bail application today

mination of his bail application today. Dokpesi, who is the owner of the African Independent Television (AIT) and Raypower Radio,

was docked yesterday by the Federal Government for allegedly laundering the sum of N2.1 billion. Dokpesi, who pleaded not guilty to the six-count crimi-

Raymond Dokpesi arriving at the Federal High Court, Abuja, on Wednesday. PHOTO: BAYOOR EWUOSO

Appeal court adopts Ladoja/Ajimobi’s brief, reserves judgment By Tunde Ogunesan

COURT of Appeal sitting in Ibadan on Wednesday adopted the briefs of Senator

Rashidi Ladoja and Accord Party in an appeal suits filed before it by their counsel, Chief Robert Clark, and

Bayelsa election: APC protests, demands release of Southern Ijaw results Continued from pg 8

In a statement, the organisation in collaboration with PDP, called on Bayelsa people, particularly small business entrepreneurs to beware of the protest as the protesters had specific instructions to unleash violence on the streets of Yenagoa. It urged the people to take utmost precaution to steer clear of the protesters and guard against any form of molestation, pointing out that the aim of the protest was to create violence and disrupt the peace. It said that the protests were to compel the APC-led Federal Government to declare a state-of- emergency in the state to make it impossible for INEC to hold the rescheduled election in Southern Ijaw. According to PDP, the protests will create a stalemate until such a time that Governor Seriake Dickson’s term would expire. “We are calling on Bayelsa people, particularly business and shop owners to beware of these protests, as we have it on good authority that the protesters have been instructed to unleash wanton

violence and mayhem on the streets of Yenagoa. “The plan is under the guise of asking INEC to make haste to declare their candidate as the winner of the December 5 governorship election. “As the protest is bound to get violent, Bayelsa people are advised to take utmost precaution to steer clear of the protesters and guard against any form of molestation,” the statement said. It, however, urged security agencies to swing into action to forestall any breakdown of law and order. It also charged INEC to make haste to declare Dickson the winner of the governorship election, having won in six out of the seven local government areas, where elections had been held and the results declared. In a related development, 14 political parties that participated in the December 5 governorship election in Bayelsa State, have said that the exercise was peaceful and conducted in accordance with the rules and regulations as stipulated by INEC and the Electoral Act 2010 as amended.

Prince Aderemi Olatubora, and reserved ruling on the two appeals. Senator Ladoja and Accord in suits No CA/IB/EPT/ GOV/31/2015 and CA/ IB/EPT/GOV/31A/2015, through their counsel, had challenged the judgment delivered on October 27, 2015 by a three-man Election Petition Tribunal headed by Justice Muhammed Maiyaki. At yesterday’s sitting, which lasted over five hours and was presided over by Honourable Justice H.M. Ogunjimiju and four other Justices - H. S. Tsammani, Uchechukwu Oyemenam, J.O.K Oyewole and M.L. Shuaibu, each counsel was allotted 15 minutes each to argue their briefs. Lead counsel to Ladoja in CA/IB/GOV/31/2015, Chief Clark, prayed the court to dismiss the judgment of the tribunal against its clients on the basis that the lower court excluded the evidence of its clients’ principal witness. Clark informed the court that the tribunal excluded the evidence of the principal witness (PW1) (Bimbo Adepoju), of the appellant which was vital to the petition. He added that PW1 tendered 129 exhibits within five days which was not objected to by the counsel to the respondents, wondering why evidences provided by PW1 was not catered for in the judgment.

He said the tribunal was wrong to state that the documents were merely dumped on the court and that the PW1 was not an expert. He made reference to the fact that there were many Appeal Court judgments which never stated that one need to be an expert before inspecting electoral materials. Clark hinged his arguments on the fact that PW1 holds a Masters’ Degree in Statistics contrary to the judgment of the tribunal which referred to him as a mere farmer. He then urged the court to allow the appeal brought before him and dismissed the judgment of the tribunal.

nal charge which also involved breach of public trust and procurement fraud, had been in the custody of the anti-graft agency since last week, facing interrogation by EFCC operatives on the N2.1 billion he allegedly collected from the office of the former National Security Adviser (NSA), Col Sambo Dasuki. In the charge signed by the Deputy Director, Legal and Prosecution Department of the EFCC, Aliyu Yusuf, Dokpesi was alleged to have between October 2014 and March 2015 conducted procurement fraud by fraudulently receiving N2,120,000,000 into the account of DAAR Investment and Holding Company for the funding of media activities for the 2015 presidential election campaign of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). The alleged offence is contrary to Section 58 (4) (b) of the Public Procurement Act 2007 and punishable under Section 58 (6) and 7 of the same Act. Part of the six-count charge reads, “that you Dr Raymond Dokpesi and DAAR Investment and Holding Company Limited, between October 2014 and 19 March, 2015, in Abuja, conducted procurement fraud by means of fraudulent and corrupt act, to wit: receipt of payment into the account of DAAR Investment and Holding Company Limited with First Bank of Nigeria Plc, of public funds in the sum of N2,120,000,000 from the account of the office of National Security Adviser (NSA) with the Central Bank of Nigeria for the funding of media activities for the 2015 presidential election campaign for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and you thereby committed an offence con-

trary to Section 58 (4) (b) of the Public Procurement Act, 2007 and punishable under Section 58 (6) & (7) of the same Act. “That you Dr Raymond Dokpesi and Daar Investment and Holding Company Limited, between October 2014 and 19 March, 2015, in Abuja, entered into a purported contract on presidential media initiative and received payment in the sum of N2,120,000,000 into the account of Daar Investment and Holding Company Limited with First Bank of Nigeria Plc. from the account of the office of the National Security Adviser (NSA) with the Central Bank of Nigeria on account of the purported contract without a Certificate of “No Objection to Contract Award” duly issued by Public Procurement Bureau and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 16 (1) (b), (4) & (5) of the Public Procurement Act, 2007 and punishable under Section 58 (6) of the same Act.” Attempt by Dokpesi’s counsel, Chief Mike Ozekhome, to move application for his bail yesterday was unsuccessful as the prosecution counsel, Rotimi Jacobs, insisted that he had just been served with a copy of the bail application. Jacobs told the trial judge, Justice Gabriel Kolawole, that he needed time to study and react to the fundamental issues raised by the accused person in the bail application. By consent of the two lawyers, Justice Kolawole fixed today for argument on whether to grant the bail to Dokpesi or not. However, the trial of the charge has been fixed for January 17, 18 and February 2 and 3, 2016.

Deposed Deji of Akure: Appeal court strikes out suit Hakeem Gbadamosi - Akure

A Court of Appeal sitting in Akure, Ondo State capital, on Wednesday, dismissed a suit filed by the dethroned Deji of Akure, Prince Oluwadare Adesina, challenging his removal as the traditional ruler of Akure. The dethroned monarch had earlier approached the high court to challenge his removal where the case was thrown out for lack of merit. Irked by the decision of the lower court, Adesina approached the Appeal Court where the case was also struck out. Counsel to the state gov-

ernment, Mr Folahan Salami, had earlier argued that it was necessary for the claimant to seek leave of the court to appeal the decision of the lower court which had earlier heard the case. According to him, the failure of the claimant, Prince Adesina or his counsel to make necessary application to the lower court or the appeal court before filing his appeal amounted to a breach of the court procedural process and as such, a hindrance to the court assuming jurisdiction on the matter. The presiding judge, Jus-

tice Sotonye-Denton West, however, struck out the case for lack of competence. Speaking through his counsel, Olalekan Ojo, after the judgement, the deposed monarch, vowed to explore all judicial means to secure justice, saying he would appeal against the judgement at the Supreme Court. It will be recalled that upon his dethronement and banishment in June, 2010, the deposed Deji approached an Akure High court challenging his removal but the case was dismissed for lack of diligent prosecution in November 2012.

15 news

Thursday, 10 December, 2015

Boko Haram: US calls for viable military action

HE United States Permanent representative to the United Nations, Ambassador Samantha Power, on Wednesday, said that Nigeria urgently needed a viable military action to end activities of Boko Haram. The African Media Hub of the U.S. Department of State in a statement said that Power also called for a regional strategy to disrupt Boko Haram’s hideouts, weapons’ flow and means of recruitment. “The repeated attacks by Boko Haram, which have killed 27 in the Lake Chad region, require viable military action and a wider regional strategy to disrupt their safe havens, weapons flow and recruitment. “It’s also essential that the socio-economic conditions areas being exploited by Boko Haram be addressed and that their dire humanitarian conditions be addressed as well,” it said. The statement also said that it was imperative for government to ensure that the rule of law was returned to the affected parts of the North-East of Nigeria. It added that the U.S. envoy also stressed the importance of “decisively combating and defeating armed groups” in Nigeria. The statement also said

that the perpetrators of violence and terrorism in the country needed to be held accountable while the

internally displaced persons (IDPs) kept in safe places. “It is really important for

leaders to begin to look at the welfare of their societies. “They should ensure sta-

bility and inclusive governance to ensure that basic dignity and human rights are protected,” it said.

Members of staff of African Newspapers of Nigeria (ANN) Plc, publishers of Tribune Titles, who were born in December, cutting their birthday cake at the boardroom of the company, in Ibadan, on Thursday. PHOTO: ALOLADE GANIYU

Jonathan selected for honour in Geneva NIGERIA’S ex-President, Dr Goodluck Jonathan, has been selected for honour by the Diplomatic Circles in Geneva, Switzerland. Jonathan, who is being honoured for his democratic credentials and “up-

holding human rights in Africa” becomes the first African President to be so honoured. He is to receive his honour on Thursday, January 21, 2016 at the group’s annual dinner in Geneva,

Switzerland. The Diplomatic Circle, which is a group of diplomats globally, have also scheduled Dr Jonathan to deliver a keynote address at the event. Earlier in the year, a

public policy organisation on African affairs, the Africa Political and Economic Strategic Centre (AFRIPOL) had also nominated Dr Goodluck Jonathan for the Nobel Peace Prize.

Anti-social media bill: NGO, IT experts tell Senate to withdraw bill HAJIYA Halima Baba, a member of Women Empowerment Educational Network in Sokoto State, an NGO, has advised the National Assembly to drop the controversial Anti-Social Media Bill and apologise to Nigerians. Baba told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Sokoto, on Wednesday, that Nigerians expected legislation that would tally with the norms of political change direction for the nation’s optimal goals. She challenged members of the assembly to legislate on security matters, job creation and poverty eradication, to enable Nigerians to feel the impact of democracy. She said that Nigerians were ready to prevent any move to infringe on their right to freedom of speech and issues affecting their well being. She cautioned the legislators on the dangers of passing the bill, adding that the electorate was more politically educated than before. Likewise, some Information Technology experts on Wednesday, urged the Sen-

ate to stop the Social Media Bill, saying the Cyber Security Law had addressed the issues in question. The experts, in separate interviews with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos, said that there was no need for such a bill. NAN reports that the bill for an “Act to Prohibit Frivolous Petitions and other Matters Connected therewith,” sponsored by Senator Bala Ibn Na’Allah (APC-

Kebbi South), has passed the second reading. The Chief Executive Officer, Teledom Group, Mr Emmanuel Ekuwem, said the Cyber Security Law had addressed all concerns about citizens’ rights infractions via the social media with appropriate sanctions. Mr Lanre Ajayi, the President of the Association of Telecommunications Companies of Nigeria (ATCON), told NAN that the bill would

take the country backward in the internet world. Ajayi said that the internet was open and its openness had led to innovations being enjoyed by everyone. “I find it very strange and very disturbing. The internet is there for development and now our own country is trying to hinder development by introducing censorship into it. The President of Medallion Communications, Mr

Ikechukwu Nnamani, said that the bill still had a long way to go before becoming law and therefore urged Nigerians to stand against the bill whenever there was a public debate on it, as it would hinder freedom of speech. He said that the bill would “curtail breaking news” in journalism profession, since all facts might not be available as at the time an event might unfold.

Mining roadmap out next week —Fayemi THE roadmap guiding activities of artisanal miners as well as local and foreign investors in the country’s mining sector would be unveiled next week. The Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr Kayode Fayemi, disclosed this during a meeting with the Canadian High Commissioner to Nigeria, Mr Perry Calderwood, in Abuja, on Tuesday. According to the minister, the roadmap would detail the quantity and quality of mineral deposits in the country, category of

mining licences available as well as the conditions attached to them, among other things. The minister stated that the country was set to partner with Canada and other countries with successful mining industries, in the bid to reposition the sector. Fayemi said the country would earn more revenue and boost its economy with effective blockage of leakages in the sector and strict adherence to regulatory framework. “By the time we release the roadmap, more inves-

tors will show interest in the sector,” Fayemi said, adding that 80 per cent of the artisanal mining in the country were unrecorded. He stated that the successes recorded in the agric and mining sectors would boost President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration’s plan to diversify the economy. Stressing that the Minerals and Mining Act of 2007 contained best practices in terms of incentives to investors, Fayemi said government is set to take it further by partnering with the Ministry of Industry, Trade and

Investment as well as the National Assembly, Nigerian banks and the universities. Fayemi said: “We are working out partnership with the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment to help market the sector; our research institutes and universities to achieve better data and supply of expertise; the National Assembly for legislation. We also need the financial sector to understand the mining sector. We need the banks to set up solid minerals desk in their banks.”

4,000 ghost pensioners discovered in Kaduna Muhammad Sabiu - Kaduna GOVERNOR Mallam Nasir el-Rufai of Kaduna State has said the recent verification exercise carried out in the state has identified 4,000 ghost pensioners. He made this while declaring open a stakeholders’ sensitisation conference on Pension Reform Act 2014 organised by the National Pension Commission (NPC), at Hotel 17teen, Kaduna, on Wednesday. He added that successive past administrations in the state have left the state government with huge pension liabilities of N14 billion. El-Rufai remarked that his government had taken concrete steps to pay off these huge liabilities and ensure retired civil servants get their gratuities and pension in time. He noted that from the records available ‘there are many civil servants who retired from the state civil service and are yet to be paid. ‘Only those that have godfathers were paid the moment they left service. We want to correct these anomaly.”

LASU VC: Joint Committee picks 3 from 9 shortlisted candidates LAGOS State University (LASU) Joint Committee of Senate and Governing Council had selected three out of the nine professors initially shortlisted to contest for the post of the Vice Chancellor. A reliable source within the university told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday, in Lagos, on the condition of anonymity. According to the source, Professor Lanre Fagbohun of the University of Lagos came first, Prof Hamidu Sanni of the Department of Islamic Studies, LASU, came second while Prof Olatunji Bello of the Lagos State University’s College of Medicine (LASUCOM), Ikeja was third. The source said that the interview for the aspiring candidates was held on December 7 for the prospective candidates for the office the Vice Chancellor at LASUCOM.

16 news

Thursday, 10 December, 2015

Ajimobi lauds PMI on human, community development projects

YO State governor, Senator Abiola Ajimobi, has lauded the Pioneer Movement of Iseyin (PMI), for its human and community development projects. He said that the strength of any society depends on the strength of its communities, adding that such communities thrive on peaceful coexistence and interrelationship between them. This was contained in his address at the 2015 annual week of PMI, at Iseyin City Hall, Iseyin, on Saturday, with the theme: “Education for sustainable development in Oke-Ogun: What must be done.”

Governor Ajimobi, who was represented on the occasion by his deputy, Chief Moses Adeyemo, said it was imperative to bring about the development of youths as good and reliable citizens of the nation. “The guest speaker, Dr Wale Okediran, said for sustainable educational development in the country, young people need more comprehensive education that responds to labour market needs. Okediran added that preparation for sustainable development should start from schools. In his remark, the president of PMI, Mr Adebayo Azeez, said the movement

would always be committed to reviewing the wastage of intellectual capacity resulting from lack of access to good education by the people which had hampered the development and growth of the community. He enjoined indigenes of the community to join the movement in its effort to bring development to the community. At the event, 14 undergraduate and post-graduate students were awarded scholarship while some secondary school students, physically challenged students and five best teachers in some secondary schools were also rewarded.

2015 ANNUAL WEEK OF PIONEER MOVEMENT (PMI), ISEYIN

From left, Minister of Communications, Mr Adebayo Shittu; Oyo State deputy governor, Chief Moses Adeyemo; member, Oyo State House of Assembly, Honourable Silas; the Aseyin of Iseyin, Oba Abdulganiy Oloogunebi and the Registrar, Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB), Professor Dibu Ojerinde, at the 2015 Annual Week of Pioneer Movement of Iseyin.

Auto crash claims 12 in Kwara Biola Azeez - Ilorin AN auto-accident involving an 18-seater commercial bus and a DAF truck has claimed 12 lives and injured six people in Koko Village in Omupo, Kwara State, on Wednesday. The Nigerian Tribune gathered that the accident, which occurred at about 2:00 p.m, reportedly had the driver of the truck overtaking carelessly before having an head-on collision with the Osun State-bound 18-seater bus. It was also gathered that 10 adults and two children, including five males and seven females were among the deceased in the crash. Speaking with the Nigerian Tribune on the accident, the state commandant of the Federal Road

Safety Corps (FRSC), Oladayo Ademoluti, said his men had taken the injured persons to hospitals for medical treatment, adding that corpses of the victims had been deposited at the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital. “A good Samaritan put a call across to the command this afternoon to intimate

Mimiko swears in 4 commissioners Hakeem Gbadamosi - Akure ONDO State governor, Dr Olusegun Mimiko, has expressed his administration’s desire to continue to be responsive and responsible even in the face of dwindling economy. Mimiko, who stated this

AAUA to graduate 4,310 students Hakeem Gbadamosi - Akure THE authorities of the Ondo State owned university, Adekunle Ajasin University Akungba-Akoko, (AAUA), has said a total of 4310 students of the institution would be awarded with various certificates during the forthcoming convocation ceremony of the school, next week. The vice chancellor of the university, Professor Igbekele Ajibefun, who disclosed during a press conference in Akure, said 4053 of the students will be awarded with first degrees, 130 with Masters degrees, 107 Diplomas and 20 Ph.D degrees. He said out of the total number of 4,053 First Degree graduands, 18 students came out with

us of the incident and our men moved into the scene of the accident immediately. Our accident investigators were also drafted to the scene to ascertain the remote and immediate cause of the accident, among other issues that may have been involved”, he said.

First Class from the various departments of the institution, while 787 will graduate with Second Class Upper, 2,500 with Second Class Lower, Third Class 702 and 46 finished their programmes with Pass. According to the VC, four distinguished Nigerians will be conferred with honorary degrees of the university during the convocation ceremony on Friday, December 18. He listed the awardees to include the immediate past Minister of Agriculture and the President of the African Development Bank, Dr Akinwumi Adesina, the paramount of Ugbo kingdom, Oba Obateru Akinruntan, Professor Bolanle Awe and Chief Bisi Ogunmobi.

on Wednesday, in Akure, during the inauguration of four new commissioners in the state, appealed to the people of the state to pay their taxes so as to be able to embark on more developmental projects in the state. He assured that all the capital projects embarked upon by his administration will be completed before the expiration of his term as the governor of the state, saying the Ayeka-Irele and Oba-Ile roads, would be delivered soon. Mimiko charged the new commissioners to bring creativity, integrity and efficiency to governance, saying the newly appointed commissioners are not new in the system as they have served the state in various capacities. He advised friends and family members not to put pressure on them in terms of expectations, saying this is not the best of times for the country. Mimiko said that the delay in the appointment of the commissioners was long overdue but was delayed to ensure administrative smoothness and political balance.

President of PMI, Mr Adebayo Azeez, presenting an award certificate to one of the beneficiaries of the programme.

Guest lecturer, Dr Wale Okediran, cutting the tape at the inauguration of a block of three classrooms donated by the PMI, at L. A. School, Oke-Esa, Iseyin.

A block of three classrooms donated to the school by PMI.

Thursday, 10 December, 2015 With Tommy Adegbite 0811 695 4631 tommyabijo@yahoo.com

Former president and Balogun of Owu Abeokuta, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, flanked by the newly installed Aare Bamofin of Owu Kuta Kingdom in Ayedire Local Government Area of Osun State, Chief Muyiwa Akinboro (SAN) and his wife, Chief (Mrs) Taiwo Akinboro, the newly installed Yeye Aare Bamofin of Owu Kuta Kingdom, shortly after the installation ceremony, at the weekend.

From left, Prince Rotimi Paseda, the Olu of Ilaro and Paramount Ruler of Yewaland, Oba Kehinde Olugbenle and the Ogun State Women Leader of Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN), Chief Mrs Toyin Ogunsemowo, during a visit to the monarch.

Pastor and Mrs Jide Babajide, brides’ parents, during the wedding of their children; Dr and Dr (Mrs) Korede and Iyanuoluwa Taiwo and Dr and Mrs Oluwaseun and Ifeoluwa Kehinde Onigbinde, held at Christ Apostolic Church, Olugbode, Akinnigain, Apata, Ibadan, recently.

From left, Alhaji Dr Samzeedeen Laguda, Mrs Azeezat Adenike Laguda, Saif Ladeji Biobaku, Chief (Mrs) Rukayat Biobaku, Muktar Adetunji Biobaku and Dr Khalid Ademola Biobaku at a special prayer for the late Professor S. O Biobaku, in Abeokuta, Ogun State, recently.

From left, Director of Finance, Weyinmi Jimade (Leadership Coach); Nigerian chapter president, Ajibola Yewande Ponnle (Cognitive-Behaviour, Energy Leadership and Team Coach); Board Secretary Titilayo Ajoke Akinsanya (Leadership and Executive Coach) and the Director, Membership, Habiba Balogun (Core Executive and Quality of Life Coach), all of the International Coach Federation (ICF), Nigeria chapter, at the ICF on tour event held in Lagos, to commemorate the 20th anniversary of ICF’s establishment.

Publisher/Editor-in-Chief, Conscience International, High Chief Abiola Ogundokun (middle), with the newly installed Aare Bamofin of Kuta Kingdom, Chief Muyiwa Akinboro (SAN), and his wife, Chief (Mrs.) Taiwo Akinboro, the newly installed Yeye Aare Bamofin of Kuta Kingdom, shortly after the installation ceremony.

At the 67th convocation of the University of Ibadan, Dr Omosolape Olaseinde Owoseni, who bagged a Ph.D in Psychology, poses for a photograph with her mother, Mrs Grace Omobamitale Olaseinde.

The groom, M. Aderemi Abodunrin, with his wife, Oluwakemi, flanked from the left by Mr Johnson Daudu, bride’s father; Mrs. Sola Owoyele, groom’s mother; Sir Adesola Abodunrin, groom’s father and Mrs Esther Daudu, bride’s mother, at the wedding held recently at the St. Andrew Anglican Church, Oyemekun, Akure, Ondo State.

Reverend Ademolami Afolayan and his wife, Reverend (Professor) Alice Afolayan cutting the 70th birthday cake of Reverend Afolayan, at the Pilgrims Miracle Church, Ososami, Ibadan, recently.

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

Thursday, 10 December, 2015

yournews

SEND YOUR SHORT MESSAGES TO: 08054005323, 08055001746

Who’s afraid of social media criticism? RECENTLY, the Nigerian Senate started reading a bill to sanction any person who is critical of government policies, or posts messages that could endanger the se-

curity of the country on the social media. If passed into law, anybody found guilty of these charges would either spend years in prison, or pay a huge fine.

Before passing this, however, the Senate should realise that the social media is the only avenue through which most Nigerians express their views on impor-

tant national issues. It is a good thing that the ‘Change’ movement used the social media to reach the majority of Nigerians. I believe this bill will be

dead on arrival because of the importance of the social media to the people, especially the youth. This bill will never deter Nigerians from expressing their views online. Therefore, this is just a waste of time and an effort in futility on the part of the legislators. We are living in a free world where people’s rights can’t be trampled upon. This bill is akin to curbing the freedom of expression among Nigerians.

The social media is playing a significant role in sensitising Nigerians on what they need to know about their non-performing political leaders, and no bill can make them go back. Members of the National Assembly should, therefore, not waste their time because the bill will never work. It is just an attempt to stifle Nigerians online and this will not succeed. Bala Nayashi, 08033559403

Gov Ajimobi, complete New Garage-Apata Rd

•The struggle to get to the top. PHOTO: BAYOOR EWUOSO.

The sale of naira notes at parks

T is abnormal for new naira notes to be displayed for sale at our motorparks, particularly at the weekend. This is a national disgrace and economic sabotage. We need to ask ourselves how these hawkers came by the notes they sell to party-goers, at a time that the banks cannot pay customers with new

notes. There is definitely a synergy between the banks and these hawkers, and the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and security agents must stop this illegality. The hawkers should be arrested and prosecuted, and this will serve as a deterrent to others who benefit from debasing our national currency.

There is also the need for government agencies, and even the CBN, to sensitise Nigerians on the disadvan-

could go beyond burning just the refuse. We should also ensure that our electrical appliances are switched off whenever we are not in the house. Those who burn

WE are heading towards the festive period of Christmas and New Year, and businessmen are likely to

bushes while searching for bush meat should also be cautioned. May we not experience fire disasters. Anuku Uzor, 08136449554

be importing bangers or ‘Knock-Outs’ during this period. I want to charge officials of the Nigerian Customs and the Nigeria Police to, like last year, enforce the ban on this item. Last year, Customs officials made it difficult for businessmen to import the bangers, while the police monitored those who were flouting the law by selling them. This went a long

On Lagos/Ibadan Expressway CONSTRUCTION giants, Julius Berger and RCC should speed up the construction of work on the Lagos/Ibadan expressway. We don’t want a situation whereby it will take many

Kuola and Jankata areas at Apata, which the road runs through, that have not been completed. The incomplete section terminates at Olakunle Junction, on the road linking Apata –Aba Alamu-Elere Road. Many people in this area now use this road to link areas like Ring Road, Challenge, Odo Ona Elewe, and so on. I believe Senator Ajimobi is a man after perfection. I hope he can complete this road for the benefit of the people in these areas, and not think the project was started by his predecessor. At least, the governor has also completed landmark projects that future governors will struggle to match. Ayodeji Iyanda, 08181863246

Festive period: Govt should enforce ban on ‘bangers’

Preventing fire disasters in dry season WE are in the dry season, and there is need for us to be careful on how we handle fire at this period so as not to bring about fire incidents. Things burn faster in this period, and we must not take anything for granted. I just want to share with us some safety tips in preventing fire incidents. First, we must not leave burning things unattended to. Some people will set out to burn their refuse and leave as soon as they ignite the fire. This is dangerous, as the fire

tages of handling our naira notes any how. Nosa Osawaye, 07030680798

I want to commend the Oyo State governor, Senator Abiola Ajimobi, for the wonderful work he is doing in the area of rehabilitation and construction of roads. Even the governor’s critics acknowledge he has really performed well, particularly during his first term in office. Now that the governor has been given the mandate to continue his good work, I want to draw his attention to the expressway that was constructed by the government of Chief Adebayo Alao-Akala. The expressway is from New Garage-Orita Challenge to Apata. Chief Alao-Akala could not complete the road before he lost the 2011 election. I must say that the road is almost 90 per cent completed, but there are certain sections at

years before Nigerians begin to enjoy the benefit of a smooth express road. It will go a long way in reducing accidents on the road. The government of President Muhammadu Buhari

should make fund available to these construction companies so that the work can be completed on time. Toyin Olabanji, 08191143941

way in reducing crime during the Christmas period. Unlike in the past when I found it hard to move about during the Christmas period as a result of those lighting the bangers,

it was just so peaceful this year. Those who also used it to commit crime were also curtailed with the ban. •Adjei Ogenyi, 08072977112

Youths need jobs, not N5,000 monthly stipend ONE of the biggest problems facing this country today is the lack of employment opportunities for youths. It is so unfortunate that youths will graduate and find themselves unemployed. This is the reason crime is on the rise. It is, therefore, important that the government of President Muhammadu

Buhari should focus on getting unemployed youths off the streets, and put them into jobs. The proposed N5,000 stipend for unemployed young people will not solve the problem; it will only make some more lazy •Sanmi Adekunle, 08191143941.

editorial Compulsory accommodation for varsities Thursday, 10 December, 2015

ROFESSOR Julius Okojie, the Executive Secretary of Nigerian Universities Commission (NUC) announced that the Federal Government was giving serious consideration to the idea of compulsory hostel accommodation in universities. He disclosed this while representing President Muhammadu Buhari at the 21st convocation ceremony of University of Uyo (UNIUYO). According to Okojie, compulsory accommodation for university students would address the dwindling quality of graduates being produced from these tertiary institutions, stressing that the system in the past contributed to better and quality students. There is no doubt that good quality accommodation for students is a contributory factor to academic achievement. It is a key element of the learning environment that affects studentsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; wellbeing and thereby their ability to be effective learners and innovative thinkers. They are great places to make friends and be part of the social scene. They probably provide the best support for freshers in those first few weeks and months when they are away from family and friends. University properties are often in or near the campus and so travel costs to and from the university are minimal. Students who live in challenging environments without basic conveniences, such as clean toilets, good lighting, constant clean water and electricity supply would not be able to put in valuable time into their studies. Such students would spend valuable time in search of water for instance. There are also remarkable effect of such deprivation on the productivity of such distracted and distressed students. However, there is no evidence that such facilities are only available to students in universities where campus hostel accommodation is compulsory. There is also no evidence that only universities with hostel accommodation for all its students do well. It is also difficult to sustain the claim that universities that provide accommodation for all its students perform better than those without such inclusive provision. Besides, students reserve the right to choose between living in a hostel and living in non-university hostel accommodation. In the world of the 21st century, boundaries between town and gown are becoming more blurred than ever,

Nigerian Tribune

and desirably so. The 21st century university is supposed to interact with the government and the private sectors in curriculum development, research and economic production. Many universities in Nigeria, as elsewhere, have entered into partnerships with private sector organisations to build and manage student complexes. Many universities have geometrically increased their number of student bed spaces by these means in few years. But these facilities come with varying quality of services and at various levels of affordability among students. Some private hostels offer students secure and flexible accommodation of their own with a wide range of payment options. In the developed world such facilities come with more exotic offerings, including in-room movies, bubblejet tubs and personal trainers. Thus, there is really no need to make university accommodation compulsory. Indeed, for such a policy to be meaningful, important issues relating to access to quality university accommodation have to be addressed. Campus accommodation in Nigerian universities are not only in short supply relative to studentsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; demand, many of the existing facilities have been poorly managed. They often suffer from long shortages of water and electricity supply. The toilets speak volumes about the maintenance capacity of the managers and users of the hostels. They are sometimes overcrowded because students share with their friends or classmates who are unable to secure bed spaces in those hostels or are unable to pay for private ones because of their indigence. The university authorities are incessantly in conflicts with students over the poor state of electricity and water supply, sometimes leading to the disruptions of the academic calendar. Many universities are even unable to provide space for the private sector to build hostels. Given these challenges, making campus accommodation compulsory will be a tall order. Furthermore, there are other factors responsible for the poor quality of university education in Nigeria. These include the general infrastructure within the universities, such as lecture rooms, laboratories, libraries, teaching aids, number and quality of teaching staff, funding and so on. These should be addressed by engaging stakeholders in the public and private sector rather than making campus accommodation compulsory for all students.

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opinion Biafra: What are Igbo political leaders saying? 20

Thursday, 10 December, 2015

By Eugene Uwalaka

NAMDI Kanu’s Radio Biafra has to do with overt expression of constructive or creative dissatisfaction and disillusionment arising from lopsided development, domination oppression and injustice against the South-South and the South East in the last forty-five years. Kanu may simply have attempted to wake the National and state Assemblies up from their slumber and insensitivity. In setting up Radio Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu may have simply resorted to the peaceful use of conversation in the resolution of social conflicts. Kanu may have contrived this means of communication to beat the democratic pretensions of this undemocratic Nigerian state. Nnamdi is not unaware of the affectations of the Nigerian state where the constitution allows for rights one can only exercise at one’s own peril (suo periculo). The people of the North East today know that the 1999 constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (1999 CFRN) allows for freedom of religion and association. Yet they merely constrain their freedom by embracing any religion other than Islam. The war in the North-East today is a price the people of the North-East must pay for their wholesale acceptance of Christianity. Every Nigerian knows this fact. The world also knows the fact. Politics and good governance are praxis-oriented. Politics is driven by the law of saying and doing. A good politician is not only expected to do things right , the politician must do the right things. Often Mr. President has ignored this “law of saying and doing”. If President Buhari’s thoughts are the basis of his words, then he is thinking rightly, though acting wrongly. I have watched President Muhammadu Buhari intently since he came to power, this time through the ballot box. Mr. President’s integrity narrative as quixotically espoused and popularised by Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the honourable Minister of Information, cannot whittle down the authority and integrity of the experience of the people of the South-South and the South East concerning their frosty relationship with the Nigerian state and members of the National Council of States. Mr Femi Fani-Kayode narrated beautifully the traumatic experience of the Ibos in his script titled ‘Nnamdi Kanu and cry for Biafra.’ When there is a difference between what a man says and what he does , then integrity has lost its meaning. Nigerian leaders have been living the lie canvassed in the preamble to the 1999 CFRN.

The closest effort Nigerians made to give themselves a constitution was during the 2014 sovereign National conference. President Muhammadu Buhari is supposed to go ahead to implement the provisions of the 2014 National conference after ratification by both the senate and the House of Representatives. But because there is an unconscionable air of solipsism in the behavior of Mr. President he does not care a hoot about the national conference document though billions of naira were spent to organise and convene it. In spite of the APC change leitmotif things have refused to change, old ways refused to give way to the new. The executive has swallowed up the legislature by scourging its leaders. The legislature cannot argue on its knees. Not even legislators from Delta State , South- East and South-South have demurred the gunning down of four Ibo men like wild buffalos. Who knows, another programme may be in the offing. When you rationalise the extant insensitivity of the legislature in the face of this wanton killing of unarmed protesters you begin to ask: Is our democracy no longer deliberative; are we no longer guided by the doctrine of rule of law, freedom of movement, freedom of association, freedom of speech, freedom of thought and freedom of religion? Four Ibo men have been shot like warthog, not even a voice is raised from the legislature in protest. The bible is right when it asserted that these shepherds are not shepherding the flock. They are shepherding themselves. The bible says that the good shepherd lays down his life for the flock. But the shepherds of the South-South and South East are passive participants in the Assembly of the Ethnic Nationalities of Nigeria. The councilors traditional chiefs, ministers and governors are the first to give up the people on their way up. When the lion or the wolf comes to devour the flock, the governor is the first to flee to renounce and give up the flock to secure or save his

position. Nigerian leaders particularly members of the National Council of State could not find solution to a 45-year-old problem. This is a shame! Those who were born long after the war have begun to feel the scourge of oppression and injustice. They have begun to relive the experience of recorded history. What most of these youths read from history books has become validated by their own experience. I am shocked that in spite of the senators, assembly men and governors representing the South-South and South-East, none of them came up with the type of defence proffered by FaniKayode in his article: Nnamdi Kanu and cry for Biafra. The leaders of the South-South and South-East want to save their positions as governors, senators, councilors, chairmen and assembly men. None of them can open his mouth to tell President Muhammad Buhari that what is required in a situation of disagreement is not confrontation but communication. An internal disagreement between brothers, people of the same nationality, calls for jaw-jaw, not war-war. From the history of the BokoHaram war, we can discern that dialogue and other conflict resolution mechanisms are better embraced before the outbreak of hostilities. President Buhari should note that Nigeria cannot afford another war when it can be avoided. The members of the Senate and House of Representatives are supposed to restrain the executive arm of government from decimating Igbo youths. The executive should stop gunning fellow Nigerians down as if their lives do not count for anything. The Assembly men should convene a fact-finding meeting with the restive youths from their consistency to find out what the matter is. When the representatives get back to the parliament, they will move a motion for the discussion of the problem of their people. Curiously the permissiveness in the society has permeated the legislature and the judiciary. When something is going wrong in the society the judiciary and the legislature just sit back like spectators until the bubble bursts. The repressive and reactive methods of policing freedom are what gave rise to Boko-Haram where dissent is driven underground. From experience we can see that an uproar is better than a whisper . But why should a problem of this magnitude be swept under the carpet each time it crops up in the last 45 years. •Uwalaka, a public affairs analyst, wrote in from Lagos.

The EU-Turkey foxtrot By Owei Lakemfa

THE European Union (EU) fox decided that unwanted guests from its watering holes in the Middle East were swarming on it. The deer, donkeys, camels and sheep were fleeing from the hunting fires the fox had lit. The fears of the fox include the possibility of the refugees changing its demography forever, polluting its beliefs and introducing their camel-eating culture. Worse still, it fears that some of the hyenas it had cultured to keep the Middle East population in check, might be concealed in the fleeing pack. Just the other day, some hyenas went lose in Paris, the beautiful city of love. The fox problem is that it had said it welcomed all, especially the endangered and the persecuted, so it does not want to be seen violating its acclaimed love and defence of animal rights. It does not want its finger prints in the forceful prevention or caging of those fleeing war, hunger, death and devastation. This is where the Turkish tortoise comes in. The tortoise has a history of getting the job done even if it involves genocide like its 1915-17 attempt to wipe the Armenian species off the earth’s surface. The tortoise has been trying the same method on the Kurdish varieties in its region. It also does not tolerate animal talks like freedom of movement, free speech, moderate beliefs or animal rights. Ordinarily, these are rights that the fox says it holds dear; that all animals are created equal; that they are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights; that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. But when it comes to its faithful allies like the tortoise, the fox does not see these violations; in such cases, it is as blind as a mole. So when the fox and tortoise met on Sunday, November 29, 2015 in Brussels, it was a divine meeting; the former looking for an enforcer to hire, and the latter, ready to do the job provided the price is right. Rather than reinvent the wheel, the partners adopted the model of the Australian crocodile and the Papau New Guinea

lizard. The crocodile which had swarm through the British Thames to seize a whole continent, did not want other new comers. At first, it was very hard dealing with the refugees, but when criticism became too much, it adopted a new, cheaper and effective system. It turned to the poor lizard, offered it a mouthwatering $450 million to take care of the toxic human waste threatening its shores. The croc and the lizard on July 19, 2013, signed a Regional Resettlement Arrangement (RRA) under which the croc would round up and divert the asylum seekers to the lizard Manus Island where they will be accorded “dignity and respect” in accordance with international animal rights provisions. With that, 937 new shelter seekers were mercifully taken of the seas and off loaded in the Lombrum Naval Base on the island. Most have been in the concentration camp for two years with no option to leave. Also, the refugees cannot be caught outside their pen after dark. The penalty is serious beating. Prisoners are better treated; at lest they have visiting rights, access to lawyers, immunity from beatings and a definite confinement period. One of the inmates, Bentham Satah, a Kurd from Iraq protested “We are human not animals” I pity him, because animals have more rights. For instance, cows are free to roam while the average dog in Europe has a home and is well fed; sometimes better fed than the worker. In adopting the Croc-Lizard format, the fox and tortoise at first thought of titling their agreement, the Cow All Treaty (CAT) But two issues arose; first, they did not want to give the

cow unnecessary publicity or make it feel important. Secondly, with the fox being a trickster and the tortoise, cunning, they did not want an additional mix of another sly animal, the cat. So they settled for the title Fox – Tortoise Joint Action Plan (JAP) Like the lie in the Croc-Lizard agreement, the JAP pronounced “Animal dignity is at the core of our common endeavor” and that what they are engaged in is “a spirit of burden sharing” The tortoise is to “ensure that migrants are registered and provided with appropriate documents on a compulsory basis” while the fox will swiftly return “migrants who are not in need of international protection to their countries of origin.” The fox agreed to pay tortoise $3.19 Billion. What the sly partners could not agree on is whether this money will be annual, biennial or one lump sum. Not to break up the agreement on such final details, they agreed tentatively that the amount will be “initial” The tortoise then made a demand; if it succeeds in warehousing would-be immigrants especially from Syria and Iraq, and deals with them so severely that they would prefer death in the ISIS hyena kingdom than venturing to cross to fox territory, then the tortoise family should have unfettered access to the twenty eight fox kingdoms. The fox agreed in principle. Then the former pointed out that it is going to be quite brutal , and would receive severe condemnation for its fascist methods; should the latter not compensate it with the fox membership club it has applied for over the years? The fox promised to accelerate the membership process. These of course, are foxy promises, but who knows what the tortoise carries in its bag of tricks? The tortoise is ecstatic, the agreement it says is a historic new beginning between it and its fox partner. I am wondering if the fox is not smart enough to know that lots of suffering will be visited on the hapless by the tortoise and that it would not escape condemnation for criminal conspiracy and crimes against animals. •Lakemfa is a member of the labour movement.

Thursday, 10 December, 2015 Femi Olukunle Co-ordinating Editor 08158610216

maka ndâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;igbo

Echoes from United Nations Day for physically challenged in Enugu

The physically challenged persons at the event

Jude Ossai - Enugu

HEN the United Nations (UN) began its celebration of International Day for Persons with Disabilities in 1992, some countries, including Nigeria, did not take it serious. But today, the story is different as Nigeria has not only been a signatory to the UN Convention since 2010, many states are now marking the day to promote awareness and mobilise support for critical issues relating to the inclusion of persons with disabilities in the country. In Enugu State, precisely last Monday, December 7, persons with disabilities gathered at the Press Centre of the Enugu State chapter of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) on Rangers Avenue, Independence Layout, Enugu, to mark this year's UN International Day of persons with disabilities. Maka Ndigbo was at the venue to observe how many of the physically challenged from the 17 local government areas of the state and even beyond came en-masse to participate in the celebration

Hope rises in Enugu as Ugwuanyi moves to rehabilitate schools â&#x20AC;&#x201D;pg22

despite all odds. Speaking at the occasion, the state chairman of the Joint National Association of Persons with Disabilities, Comrade Onyema Anioko, noted that the theme of this year's celebration of persons with disabilities entitled: " Inclusion Matters: Access and Empowerment for People of All Abilities" was apt as it raised awareness about disability issues and drew attention to the benefit of an inclusive and accessible society for all. Comrade Anioko said: "The theme is apt because persons with disabilities do not have access to society on equal basis with others in areas of transportation, employment and education as well as social and political participation". "It is sad that in spite of the efforts by the United Nations and other agencies and governments around the world, persons with disabilities continue to face barriers to their participation in the society. They are routinely denied basic rights such as equal recognition in political and public life. Many persons with disabilities are forced into institutions, thereby violating their rights to freedom of movement", he

Bedridden pensioners to have verification done in their homes â&#x20AC;&#x201D;pg22

added. According to him, despite the obstacles, persons with disabilities have displayed great courage and resilience, stressing, "even as we continue to be inspired by some of these special persons who have reached the highest levels of human achievement, such successes must not obscure the difficulties faced by those who live in disparate condition and lack of rights, privileges and opportunities available to their fellow citizens". Also speaking, the Coordinator of Enugu Civil Society Disability Policy Partnership (ECSDPP), Comrade Samuel Obiefuna, said that over one billion people in the world lived with some form of disability, pointing out that persons with disabilities, "the world's largest minority", often faced barriers to participation in all aspects of society. Comrade Obiefuna noted: "Evidence shows that when barriers to their inclusion are removed and persons with disabilities are empowered to participate fully in societal life, their community benefits". The ECSDPP Coordinator urged policymakers and practitioners as well as those working in the field of disability to review current practices and identify opportunities for change to ensure that future cities, towns and basic urban infrastructures and services were more environmentally accessible, user-friendly and inclusive of all people's needs, including persons with disabilities. To Obiefuna, lack of data and information on disability and the situation of persons with disabilities in Enugu State contributed to the invisibility of persons

with disabilities in official statistics. He stated that a Special Needs Bill 2015 had been drafted and sent to the Enugu State House of Assembly since 2012 for passage into law, pointing out that it was a one-step solution to the myriads of challenges facing persons with special needs. "The bill was initiated by the Enugu Civil Society Disability Policy Partnership powered by Enugu based Media and Civil Society Organisations and facilitated by the State Accountability and Voice Initiative (SAVI/DFID), Enugu", he added. According to him, the process was tedious, noting that the result was that the Enugu Disability Rights Bill 2012 was later modified as Enugu Special Needs Bill with the help of the immediate past AttorneyGeneral of the state. He lamented that in spite of the beautiful features of the proposed bill, the journey so far had not been encouraging as since 2014 when the bill passed through first continues pg22

CREW Jude Ossai-Enugu-South East Bureau Chief 08052817955 Joe Nwachukwu- Owerri 08033271227 Suzy Oruya- Onitsha 08063653735

22 makand’igbo

Thursday, 10 December, 2015

Hope rises in Enugu as Ugwuanyi moves to rehabilitate schools Jude Ossai - Enugu

OPE of repositioning primary schools in Enugu State was raised last Wednesday as Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi administration began its drive to make the institutions conducive for teachers to impart knowledge to pupils in the state. In its 11th meeting, the state executive council approved the procurement of N1.5 billion naira term loan facility for the provision of counterpart fund to enable the State Universal Basic Education Board access the World Bank grants for the development of primary schools in the state. The government said it was part of its drive to reposition primary schools in the state to meet the demands of the millennium. In a press briefing at the end of the council’s meeting presided over by Governor Ugwuanyi at the Government House, Enugu, the state Commissioner for Information, Dr Godwin Udeuhele, noted that the grant would enable government renovate some primary schools in the state that were in dilapidated state, among others. Maka Ndigbo, which visited some of the primary schools in Enugu metropolis, observed that many of the primary school buildings were in deplorable state, prompting pupils to learn in hard condition.

Bedridden pensioners to have verification done in their homes Joe Nwachukwu - Owerri THE Director General of Pension Transitional Arrangement Directorate (PTAD), Mrs Nellie Mayshak, has said that from now on, the pensioners, who are bedridden, should have their verification pension exercise carried out right in their homes. She gave this information at Owerri, the Imo State capital while briefing newsmen during the verification exercise for pensioners which took place on Monday. According to her, the Federal Government has made adequate arrangement for mobile unit for the workers that would be signed the duty. Mrs Mayshak pointed out that this arrangement became necessary in view of reported cases of senior citizens who passed on while making an attempt to have images captured in the pension verification exercise. The Federal Government, she explained, wanted to take adequate care of its senior citizens who had served this country meritoriously in their own time. The director general told newsmen that the verification exercise, which was taking place throughout the country, would be the last one for the senior citizens of this country. Fielding questions from newsmen, the director general assured those that had not received their pensions for more than 10 years that they would have their money paid after the exercise. According to her, the pensioners’ plight is attributable to the mistakes of past administrations which failed to arrange things in order.

For instance, at the Coal Camp Primary School, Enugu, the roof of the school building was almost blown off. The sad tale is the same in most schools in rural communities. It is against the afore-mentioned backdrop that private schools are thriving in the state even as the state-owned

schools have more qualified teachers. Ironically, none of the school headmasters or headmistresses was ready to speak on the bad environment they teach their pupils. “How can we complain? You want them to sack me? We shall be happy if you tell government on what you have seen here”,

one of the headmasters, who preferred to remain anonymous, told Maka Ndigbo. It will be recalled that at Eha-Ndiagu in Nsukka Local Government Area of the state, some teachers were said to have turned down their postings to the community for lack of social amenities in the area.

A dilapidated classroom block at Coal Camp Primary School, Enugu

MASSOB marks Ojukwu's 3rd anniversary, pleads for release of Kanu Joe Nwachukwu - Owerri THE leader of the controversial Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra, MASSOB, Chief Ralph Uwazuruike, has passionately appealed to the Federal Government to unconditionally release the detained Director of Radio Biafra, Mr Nnamdi Kanu from prison. Uwazuruike, who stormed the imposing Ojukwu Memorial Library complex, Owerri, for the third anniversary of the exit of Ojukwu, made the statement while addressing scores of Pro-Biafra groups and friends of the late Ikemba Nnewi. Among the notable personalities that honoured the event included Mrs Bianca Ojukwu, Dr Fredrick Fasheun, Major Hamza Al-Mustapha, who was the Special Guest of Honour. Others persons included Alhaji Yerima

Shetima, president Arewa Youths Consultative Forum, Professor Alu Danladi, Ambassador John Fashanu, Alhaji Abdullahi Zaria, Alhaji Sale Hassan, Alhaji Abubakar Shehu, Alhaji Zallari Bello and Alhaji Aminu Gwaru. Uwazuruike appealed to the Federal Government to ignore their empty threats, stressing that if there was any group that should be feared in Nigeria, it was MASSOB. "We are not operating from any foreign country. The so called Radio Biafra, London, was opened by MASSOB in London and Nnamdi Kanu appointed as the Director, after MASSOB had operated Voice of Biafra International in Washington DC for three years. The purpose of Radio Biafra, London, was to showcase the marginalisation of Ndigbo", Uwazuruike said. The MASSOB leader said that his group knew the desires of Ndigbo and how to

Echoes from United Nations Day for the physically challenged continued from pg21

reading as sponsored by Honourable Cecilia Ezeilo (now Deputy Governor of Enugu State), it had remained in the cooler till date. "We are hoping that among other laudedable plans of this administration, the Special Needs Bill will be passed to enhance the credibility of democracy in Enugu State", he stressed. Indeed, it was also observed that participants used the occasion to highlight their challenges as well as mapping out strategies in disability data, statistics collection and

dissemination. The need for them (persons with disabilities) to love one another and exchange ideas also topped discussions at the event. Traditional rulers, top government officials were among the dignitaries at the occasion. As a matter of fact, this year's celebration of UN International Day of persons with disabilities has come and gone, but the memory will continue to remain in the minds of many people particularly the participants in Enugu for a considerable time.

achieve them, adding that those who were threatening fire and brimstone today were once members of MASSOB before they were expelled due to violent related behaviours. Said he: "We, therefore, urge the relevant authorities to release unconditionally all those held for propagating the issue of Biafra, both IPOB and Zionist Movement. They are neither murderers nor terrorists. What they are doing is mere garagara", Uwazuruike pleaded. Uwazurike was not particularly happy at the way Ndigbo castigate, vilify and blackmail their leaders to impress other tribes, pointing out that Ndigbo took delight in killing their leaders to emerge as the new champions, saying "Ndigbo are now second class citizens in Nigeria. They will soon be relegated to the third class. Ndigbo blame the Hausas and the Yorubas for their misadventure. “Unfortunately, Ndigbo do not see any reason to blame themselves. Today, Ndigbo, in their usual character, want to decimate MASSOB. They want to be the new champions. They believe that since MASSOB has not actualised Biafra through non-violence for 16 years, they will achieve it through violence. They threaten fire and brimstone”. “It is the opinion of the Igbo freedom fighter that those claiming to be champions have, in their little knowledge, forgotten that Igboland is landlocked and that the five states of the South East contributed less than eight per cent to the economy of Nigeria. Also Speaking, Major Hamza AlMustapha said that he was able to learn a lot from the late Ojukwu, especially his wisdom and capacity to understand issues and period in time.

Thursday, 10 December, 2015

education

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

‘Better days ahead for NOUN graduates’

CLEMENT IDOKO writes on efforts by the Professor Ado-Tenebe leadership of the National Open University of Nigeria to further open up opportunities for youths to receive seamless, quality university education as well as partake in the national youth service beginning from the next academic session, among others.

ORMER President Olusegun Obasanjo thrilled his audience in Abuja recently at the 3rd Annual Conference and General Meeting of the Association of West African Universities when he told them that the enrollment of the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN) had hit 250,000 students in 2015. He was very categorical that despite the various challenges in the Nigerian university sector, people should take full advantage of the open and distance learning mode NOUN offers to reach many eligible Nigerians. Currently a doctoral student at NOUN, Obasanjo revived the university during his tenure as president. Concerns have been expressed at various quarters that every year, over 1.6 million candidates apply and sit the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) conducted by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), but only about 30 per cent are offered admissions in the limited spaces available in the nation’s tertiary institutions. Indeed, until recently, the quest for youths in the country to secure admission into tertiary institutions had been daunting. More disturbing still is the post-UTME introduced by universities, which many see as compounding the woes of admission seekers. The frustration arising from the inability to secure admissions had not only raised concerns from youths and their parents; in some cases it had precipitated protests. Generally, the frustration had led many to, at various times, called for the scrapping of JAMB and the liberalisation of admission processes in the country. The National President of the Education Rights Initiative (ERI), Mr John Udah, believes that the mass exodus of Nigerian youth

going to study in what he termed mushroom universities in Ghana and many other countries of the world is a direct result of the bottleneck created by JAMB in the admission process. He, however, commended NOUN for expanding its access and providing flexible opportunity for thousands of Nigerian youths to realise their dreams. Education, he argued, is a right; so, the state should provide infrastructure and opportunity for every Nigerian to receive quality education. Nigeria currently has 141 public and private conventional universities, comprising 40 federal universities, 40 state-owned universities and 61 private universities. But these have not been able to cater for the educational needs of the country’s teeming population. The Federal Government, under the leadership of former President Shehu Shagari, launched the idea of a National Open University of Nigeria on July 22 1983. Since then, successive administrations made little or no efforts to strengthen open and distance learning, until Obasanjo’s administration.

To concretise the deal, the university leadership has sealed an agreement with JAMB to henceforth issue admission letter to every NOUN graduate eligible for the NYSC national service after the payment of prescribed fees by NOUN

But on his assumption of duty as the vice chancellor, Professor Vincent Ado-Tenebe met a NOUN that was again beset with numerous challenges. Apart from the unrelenting denigration of the institution by academic and management staff of conventional universities, NOUN had challenges in the area of accreditation for its courses, while its graduates are not included in the Law School programme and the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) scheme. Public interest in the university had waned and students’ enrolment was very low. The stigmatisation reduced significantly when former President Obasanjo enrolled at the university, and campaigned vigorously for other notable Nigerians to do the same. After his first and second degree from the university, he also commenced his doctorate to convince the public that NOUN had come to stay, and is viable. With Professor Ado-Tenebe and his team working assiduously to further shore up the status of the institution, there are, better days ahead. The vice chancellor has set out the modalities for NOUN graduates to now participate in the mandatory one-year NYSC scheme. To concretise the deal, the university leadership has sealed an agreement with JAMB to henceforth issue admission letter to every NOUN graduate eligible for the NYSC national service after the payment of prescribed fees by NOUN. The implication of this is that with effect from the next academic session, NOUN graduates below the age of 30 would partake in the NYSC programme. While sharing his vision for the university recently, Tenebe said, “NOUN is more concerned about the entire Nigerians and especially those in the rural areas; those boys and girls on the streets who have necessary aca-

demic qualifications for university admission.” He has also worked tirelessly to ensure that almost all the programmes and courses offered at the university are duly accredited by the National Universities Commission (NUC). According to him, the university has the capacity to admit over one million new students annually. He said Nigeria records an excess of 1million students yearly from prospective university admission seekers due to the inability of the existing universities to admit above the current 500,000 carrying capacity. NOUN started academic activities in 2003 and currently has presence in the 36 states of the federation, and the Federal Capital Territory. “Not only can conventional universities not admit more than 500,000 students, the carrying capacity of these universities is always stretched. NOUN can admit one million students, and they will get the same quality education. Any student graduating from NOUN will be graduating at par with students of other universities across Nigeria,” he said. He noted that getting education through open and distance learning prepares graduates for work with less supervision in the future, adding that the system has been utilised in nations like China, India, Indonesia, United Kingdom and the United States of America to educate millions of their citizens. According to him, China in particular has used the system to educate 500 million of its citizens in just 15 years. He then urged Nigerians to take advantage of the ‘democratised’ system of learning at NOUN to increase literacy level in the country. NOUN, he said, plans to have a study centre in each of the 774 local government areas of the country in the next 15 years.

education

Thursday, 10 December, 2015

Ambali backs FG’s efforts on HIV/AIDS eradication

HE Vice Chancellor, University of Ilorin, Professor AbdulGaniyu Ambali, has said the efforts of the Federal Government towards eradicating the HIV/AIDS pandemic in the country will yield positive results. He made the comments during the World AIDS Day programme organised by the Nigerian Association

of Microbiology Students (NAMS), University of Ilorin chapter. The vice chancellor, who was represented on the occasion by the former Dean, Faculty of Sciences, Professor B. L. Adeleke, said the government’s efforts at increasing public awareness of the disease would help keep the infection rate down. Urging the government not to relent on its efforts,

Ambali said, “What we are organising today is a way of supporting the government’s efforts in the eradication of HIV/AIDS in the country. This awareness is about the negative effect of the virus to every home in the society. “For those yet to contract the disease, we need to sustain our health. We have to be careful. We cannot say we want to protect some-

one’s health and endanger our own life. This is one of the dangerous diseases that could damage your health. “Know who you interact with and how, especially members of the opposite sex, because you may not be able to retrieve your health if you allow yourself to be infected.” Speaking at the event, a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Sociology, Dr.

Joseph Fayeye, urged those not infected with the virus to avoid unprotected sex, receive regular check-ups and relate well with those who have contacted the virus, to assure them that having the virus does not mean certificate of death. “For us to be safe means that we must be faithful with our partners. Abstinence is the key word here. We need to be careful. Let us spread the message and advise people to do regular check-ups. It is like a storm and we need to prepare for

it. We must disabuse our minds from the belief that we cannot bring those who are infected closer. There is no way we can get to zero level of the virus if we keep those infected away from us,” he said. In his opening remarks, the Dean, Faculty of Life Sciences, Professor A. Sani, represented by the Head of the Department of Optometry and Vision Science, Professor M. O. Oriowo, urged the students to value their body and be very cautious and protective.

Ekiti varsity alumni set agenda for new VC Sam Nwaoko - Ado-Ekiti

Dr Kayode Alese, Dean of Students (3rd left); Professor Adebiyi Daramola , Vice Chancellor (5th left); Dr Femi Oguntuase, Librarian, and some of the new students recently admitted into the Federal University of Technology, Akure (FUTA) after the commencement of their orientation programme.

THE Alumni Association of Ekiti State University (EKSU), Ado Ekiti, has charged the new Vice Chancellor of the institution, Professor Samuel Oye Bandele to strive to achieve better than his predecessor, Professor Oladipo Aina, in the development of the institution. EKSU Alumni Association National President, Professor Matthew Ayeni, urged Bandele, an alumnus who assumed office last week “to build on the legacies left be-

‘Kwara is committed to quality education’ Biola Azeez, Ilorin THE Kwara State government has reiterated its resolve to improve on quality of education in both primary and secondary schools in spite of its present precarious financial situation. Speaking at the presentation of “High Level Dissemination Meeting on Kwara State Composite Survey” by the Education

Support Services Programme in Nigeria (ESSPIN) in Ilorin, the commissioner for Education and Human Capital Development, Mr Musa Yeketi, said the state government would continue to live up to expectations in the payment of counterpart funds for continuation of the educational development programme. Mr Yeketi also said that ESSPIN was established at both primary and junior secondary

school levels in 12 out of the 16 local government areas of the state, adding that impacts of the educational organisation were felt in such areas of funding, management, access and improving quality of basic education, as well as infrastructural improvements through provision of water, sanitation points, school furniture, classroom construction and houses for rural teachers. The commissioner, who

New ABSU VC unveils roadmap CelestineIhejirika-Umuahia TOWARDS engendering quality education standard, the newly appointed vice chancellor, Abia State University, Uturu (ABSU), Abia State, Professor Uche Ikonne, last week unveiled his plans to enhance the national ranking of the university. Addressing members of the university community, comprising the management as well as academic and non-academic staff at the institution’s auditorium, Ikonne expressed concern over the university’s current poor ranking.

He said, “The ranking of universities by the national and international community underscores this point and it’s a veritable index for measuring the achievements of any or successive university administrations.” Although he noted that the 34-year-old institution has witnessed tremendous and robust academic growth in all fields of human development, its national ranking is not a cheerful story. Ikonne, who assumed office on December 1 as the seventh vice chancellor of the university, said the institution ranked 30th in 2013, 87th in2014 and

93rd in 2015 respectively among the Nigerian universities. “This gives us a poor external perception and tends to undermine the commendable strides and laudable inputs made by previous administrations,” he said. He assured the staff members and students of the institution that he would open up the university to national and international interactions by focusing and addressing the global parameters for ranking universities.” Ikonne listed the five global parameters to include: teaching, research,

commended the contributions of the ESSPIN to improvement of education standard and general well-being of the Nigerian Child, urged the management of the educational organisation to extend its stay beyond 2016 in the state to enable it continue the work of enlightenment in education and human capital development. However, Mr Yeketi said that there was still a long way to realise full accom-

citations, industry income and international outlook. He said that his vision statement revolved around the strengthening of the administrative organs, instituting a regime of accountability, transparency, probity and fiscal discipline. The new helmsman further said that he would focus on the establishment of a responsive leadership that would expand the academic base of the university, and promote entrepreneurial studies to equip the students to face the challenges of the 21st century, among others.

plishment of programme, adding that there are challenges in terms of teachers’ competences, schools’ inclusiveness and numeracy test to make it reach expected goal. “Therefore, more training and support is required for all Basic School teachers on literacy, numeracy, and inclusiveness. More training and support is needed for head teachers on school leadership and management including state school improvement team”, he said.

hind by his predecessor and sustain the tempo of growth and development in the university.” Ayeni spoke during the sendoff for the former vice chancellor and the official welcoming of his successor cum their induction into the Alumni Hall of Fame organised in Ado-Ekiti by the association. He told the new vice chancellor that his successor had laid a very good foundation which he must build on. “To make sure you achieve better than your predecessor, you must be stubborn on principles. You must have no room for frustration, however excruciating the circumstances. You must continue to march on leaving your footprints for posterity to commend,” he said. Ayeni lauded the outgoing vice chancellor for his exploits during his four-year tenure, which included, according to him, the establishment of “a vibrant academic culture”, ensuring survival of the College of Medicine, sustaining peace among students and members of staff, staff welfare and promotion, reducing cultism and incessant strikes to zero level and maintaining zero tolerance for indiscipline and laziness.

Mr AbdulRasak AbdulGaniyy, a.k.a. GRA, of Inspiration 100.5 FM, Ibadan (right) and Mr Hazeez Ayansola, a journalist, during their recent convocation and award of Master’s degree at the University of Ibadan.

education

Thursday, 10 December, 2015

My vision for FedPoly, Ile-Oluji — Pioneer rector Professor Emmanuel Adedayo Fasakin is the pioneer Rector of the Federal Polytechnic Ile-Oluji, Ondo State. Before his appointment, he was the Deputy Vice Chancellor, Federal University of Technology, Akure (FUTA). In this interview with FEMI IBIROGBA, he explains his roadmap for the polytechnic, the challenges of pioneering the institution, constraints in the education sector and other sundry issues.

HAT has the experience been managing the new polytech-

nic? It’s been a very difficult and challenging time. We need money to do everything. The Federal Government is the proprietor of this institution, and we rely on it as our financial source. The polytechnic was established as a result of the agitation of the states that did not have any federal polytechnic. But there are certain things the state must provide and the town must also collaborate. The Ondo State government has issued us the Certificate of Occupancy (C of O), and it is going to pay compensation for the land. The state has given us 150 hectares of land, and the minimum requirement by the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) is 50 hectares. The governor, in his magnanimity, released this megaschool to us as a take-off site, which has all the facilities that we need. Initially, for our takeoff, the host local government, Ile-Oluji/Okegbo, gave us 14 four-bedroom flats for the administrative blocks. So, all these things as provided are a good platform for us to take off effectively. The Federal Government has also approved N1 billion through TET-

Fund and they are going to provide that money, because we have done all the paper work and we have got the approval. Considering the decreasing federal allocations, are there plans to step up drive for internally generated revenue? Yes, there are. The essence of our establishment is to produce National Diploma (ND) and Higher National Diploma (HND), but we are starting with ND and even not all the courses. Once all these are in place, we will invite our supervisory agency, the NBTE, for approval of our programmes. That is when we will commence the ND programme. We have a proposal for skills acquisition centre. We are focusing on engineering too. So, we want this place to be a technical hub for the communities around, even in Nigeria. We want to be training people with these facilities for craftsmanship, like welding and tiling, among others. You know we rely on other countries like Togo and Ivory Coast for good artisans. We want to have a centre here where we can train these people. It will involve people coming here within three to six months and they will have their certificates. These are part of IGR generation. When are you expecting stu-

dents to come in for admission? We are ready once we have the basic requirements. We have recruited the staff; we are going to have the library and equipment, which we are almost about to purchase. We cannot start until the accreditation is done, however. In the next four to five years, where do you intend to take this polytechnic? We want to take this polytechnic beyond the shores of the state, and this country. We want to focus on technical education and middle class manpower development. We need to achieve this by galvanising all the human resources that we have, and we pray that the money will be available. What is your view on the dichotomy existing between polytechnic and university graduates in Nigeria? I don’t know why there should be any dichotomy. Everybody has his own area of specialisation. Though many people are talking about this, our objective here is to produce technical manpower in areas of science and engineering technology, social science and agriculture; to produce candidates that are self-reliant.

Prof Fasakin

On the quality of education, where have we got it wrong, because employers are saying that most of the available graduates are unemployable? Nigerians are just making a noise; we are not focusing on where we should focus. Let me tell you, I am from a university system. We have students’ apprenticeship, which we call SIWES. What we teach in universities and other higher institutions are just theories. However, at polytechnics, after the ND programme, students go for one-year industrial training. The polytechnic or university is not an industry where everything would

be learnt. So, there must be provision for these things. Nigeria is trying to diversify, and agriculture appears to be the viable alternative. Is your polytechnic going to intervene by providing agricultural engineering solutions for development? All these things are part of the agenda of our institution. We believe agriculture is a very potent way of solving the problem of unemployment, and we cannot ignore it. Even in countries that have no land for agriculture, they still survive. This is the area polytechnics like this can now come in. It just requires the government to channel our thinking to the solutions.

Focus on your goal, trust in God— FUTA valedictorian Hakeem Gbadamosi, Akure

OR Obakpolor Eki Osakpolor, mounting the podium to read the valedictory message on behalf of the graduating students of Federal University of Technology, Akure (FUTA) was a dream come true. He recently emerged as the overall best graduating student for the 2014/ 2015 set with a Cumulative Grade Point Aggregate (CGPA) of 4.84. But the podium appeared to be a familiar terrain for the 22-yearold Physics graduate, as he had been used to winning laurels right from his primary and secondary school days where he also emerged as the best student of his set in 2009. No wonder, during the FUTA convocation, the young man exhibited so much confidence when he mounted the podium to read his message, shaking hands with notable Nigerians on the podium and beaming with smiles over his success. The vice chancellor, Professor Adebiyi Daramola, was proud of the young valedictorian’s achievement, standing up from his seat several times to help him adjust his cap each time it dropped off his head while reading his message.

Obakpolor attributed his achievement first to God, then diligence and determination to achieve the goal he set for himself as a fresh undergraduate in 2010. Obakpolor also appreciated his parents for teaching and showing him the way of the Lord, which he said contributed to his harvest of successes since his primary school days. He said, “There’s nothing we can do without God. My Christian background really helped because my Dad is a pastor who always feeds us with the word of God. There’s nothing you can do without the help of Almighty. Man can only try and ask God to bless his efforts.” But like all achievers, Obakpolor’s road to success was not paved with gold all the way; he failed the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) in 2009, but did not let this daunt him. “In 2009, when I failed UTME, I did not lose hope; all I had to do was double my effort and ask for wisdom from God. To God be the glory, here we are today (I’m) reaping the fruits of my hard work and belief in my Creator that all things are possible through Him.

Obakpolor

“My message to other graduating students is that failure is not the end of the world; but your ability to rise after that failure remains the only beauty of success.

No matter what happens, or the obstacles, you should stand tall and prove to the world that you can still stand up again.” Beyond his faith in God, how-

ever, what did he do to get here? Obapolor said, “the major thing I did was set my priorities right and knowing what should come first and always set a goal for myself with no distraction.” To Obakpolor, studying Physics was a dream come to reality, explaining that he has passion for the physical world and the beauty of nature. He told Tribune Education that his next target is to be an innovative researcher. While saying he had never been a bookworm, he nevertheless did his best to avoid “unserious elements.” On some of his challenges while in the school, he valedictorian said the major challenge was in his first year when he needed to struggle for space and materials at the library, “but as we progressed, the stress became minimal.” He said, “I will always love to attend FUTA over and over and over again to study more; there’s always one or two things to develop you and prepare you for the future. It’s a nice experience being here.” And he had these words for other students as well: “Wherever we find ourselves and whatever we want to do, we should strive for excellence, to be the best.”

education

Thursday, 10 December, 2015

Delta repositioning education through entrepreneurial, technical training Hakeem Gbadamosi, Akure

HE Delta State government has reiterated its resolve to reposition education in the state through the introduction of entrepreneurial and technical education. The Commissioner for Higher Education, Jude Sonobe, stated this in Akure, the Ondo State capital, during an interactive session and sensitisation programme with Delta State students in the South-West region and the state Bursary/Scholarship Board. Sonobe said the visit became imperative in order to interact with the Delta State students in the region, feel their pulse and intimate them with various programmes and schemes lined up by the present administration in the state for the students. He said the administra-

tion of Governor Ifeanyi Okowa is determined to reposition education in the state through entrepreneurial development to create job opportunities

and wealth thereby reducing poverty in the land. According to him, the state government has introduced technical and entrepreneurial training

to school curriculum in the state to empower young graduates after leaving school. “Delta State is poised to take our students to great-

er heights. We acknowledge the fact that economy is bad, which implies that the white collar job is no longer there; and those of you who will be leaving

Teachers and pupils of Great Grace College, Oke- Ado, Ibadan, during their Excursion to Tribune House, Imalefalafia Ibadan last week Thursday.

school will not be waiting endlessly for job but can be productive from the skills acquired during your studies in schools. “By the time our students are out of school, they would have acquired one skill or the other, and will not have to rely on white collar job. They will be able to develop business plans and may even be employers of labour,” Sonobe said. The commissioner assured the students that their annual bursary would be paid before the end of the first quarter of 2016, but said only qualified students of the state would be paid. He said the ministry has been able to save over N100 million from ghost students who are not from the state, and urged the students to present their BVN and their National Identity Cards to the bursary and scholarship board.

Phillips Consulting launches learning bundle Naza Okoli – Lagos PHILLIPS Consulting has unveiled a broad range of e-learning courses designed to suit the specific needs of different classes of learners. Speaking at the launch held recently at the company’s office in Lagos, the Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the firm, Mr Foluso Phillips, said the programme was designed “to empower individuals through a hassle-free learning experience to improve their knowledge and competences.” Professionals, experienced hires, entrepreneurs, and fresh graduates are some of the specific groups the organisers say will benefit immensely from the courses. The courses, all of which will, when completed, lead to the award of a certificate by Phillips Consulting, can be accessed via mobile phones, tablets and laptops, depending on the nature of the course material. The learning bundles have been classified into “work place development bundles” and “business/IT Certification bundles” and will be administered by Phillips Consulting in partnership with Skillsoft, an online brand that currently serves more than 19 million learners across the world. Mr Phillips said further: “We do have a problem with the quality of educa-

tion in Nigeria … we have a problem with the way and manner in which we are focusing on the right kind of skills. “Clearly, you find that, especially with the learning bundle which we are introducing today, that we need to concentrate on the young people who are coming out of school… people who need to enhance their skills. Next, we need to focus on the SMEs – because we know that anywhere in the world, but especially here in Nigeria, our salvation lies with the SMEs. “Everybody needs help; everybody needs some form of training and retraining. Right from the beginning when we started this firm, education and training had been a very major part, even under different forms of disguises.”

From left, Parent-Teacher Association chairman, Grace Schools Lagos, Mr. Ernest Okechukwu; Administrator, Mrs Iyiola Edun, and Grace High School Principal, Mr Ronald Cilliers, during the Parents Appreciation Day recently organized by the school.

‘Effective parenting motivates children to succeed’ THE Administrator of Grace Schools, Gbagada, Lagos, Mrs Tokunbo Edun, has said that effective parenting always encourages children to excel. She made the comment while addressing the maiden edition of Parents Appreciation Day. “When parents are caring, when they show enough interest in the academic performance of their children, the children take note. If a child knows that

his parents will look seriously into his homework, the child is not likely to be flippant,” she told Tribune Education after the event. “These days, due to so many sources of pressure, children no longer get enough attention from their parents. In fact, some parents conveniently assume that they should expect the school alone to meet all the needs of the children. I think we need to accept the fact that if we want the best

for our children, the school and the parents most cooperate effectively.” Mrs. Edun said the idea of the Parents Appreciation Day is to thank those parents who have supported the school morally and financially over the years. The event was meant for the school to give awards to deserving parents. The awards were in various categories but each of the awardees got a plaque and some gifts.

Nine persons were rewarded for contributing as ‘active grandparents’. 18 old students of the school who are now parents were given award for loyalty and patronage. Only Dr Folarin Ajayi got a special award for selfless service. 29 parents got award for long years of patronage. They are old parents whose children have not attended any other school apart from Grace Schools. 53 parents

got award for Confidence in Grace Schools. These are parents with the highest number of children in the school. There was also a Couples’ Game. The first position in the Couples’ Game was shared by two couples. They are Mr and Mrs Folarin Omolodun, and Mr and Mrs Victor Anyaeji. Their prize is two nights at Ocean Suite Hotel, to be paid for by Grace Schools.

Thursday, 10 December, 2015

aviation

Nigerian Tribune

anchor Shola Adekola

m:0803 365 4818 e:sholanig@yahoo.com

NCAT tasks FG on youth friendly policies

Minister of Transport, Mr Rotimi Amaechi, chatting with the Publisher of Ovation Magazine, Dele Momodu, at the Murtala Muhammed Airport, Lagos.

The Nigerian College of Aviation Technology (NCAT), Zaria, from inception till date, has trained over 13,000 Nigerians and foreign professionals, including pilots, Air Traffic Controllers (ATC), aeronautic engineers, aircraft maintenance engineers and other relevant professionals. Dropping this hint was the rector of the college, Captain Sam Caulcrick, at the maiden Nigerian College of Aviation Technology Alumni Association (NCATAA) at the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) Annexe, international wing of the Murtala Muhammed Airport(MMA), Lagos. Caulcrick, on the occasion, urged the Federal Government to formu-

Slok Airline will return —Kalu Stories By Shola Adekola Lagos

lmost 10 years after the Slok Airline owned by the former Abia State governor, Orji Uzo Kalu, was frustrated out of Nigeria’s airline market, there seems to be hope in sight for the return of the airline. The former governor cum businessman dropped the hint in an interview with some journalists in Lagos early in the week. The management of the airline, which controversially had its licence revoked during the former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s regime, has already sued the government for the huge loss they incurred while the 14 planes in the fleet of the airline were forced to remain on ground. While reacting to questions posed to him, Kalu though said he did not want to comment deeply on the issue since it was before a federal high court, however, confirmed that the airline had sued the government for N35 billion for the controversial role played by the then government to force the airline out of business. Speaking on the development, Kalu declared: “Slok Airline is going to come back. The case is before a Federal High Court judge and I cannot really go deep on it. “We have taken the Federal Government to court and we sued them to pay us N35 billion. If two people are fighting, it is only the court that will separate you.” According to him, even though

the Ministry of Aviation had asked the airline to take back its operating licence and forget the past, “we have said no to such plans. Remember we had 14 aircraft kept on the ground for over one year, that is a huge loss. “The reason we are suing the ministry is to get our money back. For over one year, we did not fly,

we need our money back. We invested over N40 billion and we are only asking for N35 billion. We will stand by the decision of the court. “We will pursue our case to the Supreme Court to enforce our rights and the damages done to our business. We will exhaust all legal avenues to enforce our

rights. People just think that the judiciary is weak; that is not true. The judiciary had saved us many times. I know that some judges are corrupt; there is no segment of Nigeria that is not corrupt. “Slok Airlines will return to correct some deficiencies in the aviation industry, because you know we (Slok) are very efficient.”

Yuletide: NAMA MD charges airspace managers on safety Managing Director of the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA), Ibrahim Abdulsalam, has tasked airspace managers across Nigerian airports to embark on measures to strengthen air traffic management and surveillance systems in their respective domains to ensure maximum operational safety as the nation gradually winds down to Christmas and New Year celebrations. Abdulsalam, who gave this charge at the recently concluded Airspace Managers’ Forum which held at Asaa Pyramid Hotels, Kaduna, maintained that the need for extra vigilance at this time became inevitable because of the usual upsurge in traffic and the increased tempo of airport activities that come with the Yuletide. According to the NAMA boss, “we must do our level best to build upon the present gains we have achieved in maintaining safety of air navigation in the country and zero tolerance for aviation incidents. In doing this, it calls for synergy and collaboration among airspace managers and I believe

this forum will provide the opportunity to compare notes and do the needed peer review which would put all operations nationwide on the same page. “Recent efforts by management to digitalise air traffic management services in the country by way of deployment of Digital Safe

Towers across the four major airports as well as the Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Contract/ Controller Pilot Data Link Communication (CPDLC) are targeted at ensuring that the nation’s airspace conforms to global safety standards and also bring about efficiency in service delivery.”

late policies that would encourage the best of the talented Nigerian youths through scholarships and subsidised fees to pursue careers in the aviation industry. The NCAT boss emphasised that there were a lot of opportunities in the sector for young Nigerians, adding that it behoves on the alumni to make their dreams come true. While suggesting the Kenya Airways model, where banks give training loans or the American model, where taxpayers money is used via military as being worth considering, Caulcrick lamented that there was no funding in 2015 budget proposal for the insurance of college aircraft and assets. Speaking further, he said that the school understands the dynamism of the aviation industry, and that as a result, the college would not rest on its oars. He stated that the dream of the aviation institution is to fly higher and compete favourably with other world-class aviation training institutions. According to him, “We understand the dynamism of the aviation industry .Therefore, we do not intend to rest on our modest achievements but our dream is to fly even higher and compete favourably with other world class aviation training institutions.” The maiden alumni gathering, Caulcrick stated, was for sober reflection, adding that the topic of the conference: ‘Human Resources Development in Nigerian Aviation: Challenges and Imperatives,’ clearly demonstrated that more obligation was required as partners to improve capacity building, human resources and the infrastructure.

Overland Airways commences flight operations to Jalingo Overland Airways, one of Nigeria’s domestic airlines, has commenced flight services to Jalingo, the Taraba State capital, from the airline’s hub in Abuja. To date, Overland Airways is Nigeria’s most consistent longest serving airline providing uninterrupted flights and opening up Nigeria’s remote economies over the last 13 years. Speaking on the development, Chief Operating Officer of Overland Airways, Mrs Aanu Benson, disclosed that the airline operates a current fleet of nine modern turboprop aircraft excellently adapted to its short-distance op-

erations. According to her, “Overland Airways is an outstanding economic development partner and catalyst in Nigeria, creating value for remote cities and communities. Our cardinal objective is to fast-track national development, especially at the hinterland level, and we have a deep sense of fulfilment each time we connect another potential economic powerhouse like Jalingo to the main economic hubs. “Today marks the beginning of a new economic frontier for Taraba State. Overland Airways is pleased to bring air connectivity to bear on

the efforts to accelerate economic development in Jalingo and Taraba State,” she added. She said that Overland Airways was the first airline to launch flights to Jalingo airport, thus opening the state to unprecedented economic development in tourism, agribusiness, small and medium scale industries, among others. This notable feat, she stated, was one of several characteristics that singled out Overland Airways as an unmatched partner in economic empowerment and development, especially in hinterland regions in Nigeria.

aviation

Thursday, 10 December, 2015

Med-View Airlines adds another Boeing 737-800

crucial moment With Shola Adekola

0803 365 4818

Why lawmakers should be more thorough on issues

Recently, the Nigerian Senate accused the Accident Investigation Bureau (AIB), the agency saddled with the responsibility of unravelling the immediate causes of accidents and incidents, of keeping the reports of investigation into past air crashes in the country. The distinguished senator that raised the matter before the Senate alluded to the reports on Sosoliso crash of 2005, Bellview crash of 2005, ADC crash of 2006 and DANA crash of 2012 as major reports that were yet to be in the public domain. The upper chamber had subsequently mandated its Committee on Aviation to thoroughly investigate the remote and immediate causes of the trend and report its findings to the Senate within two weeks. In other words, the chamber had found the AIB guilty of not performing its role well. The position of the lawmakers initially elicited anger from Nigerians against the AIB for keeping the reports of the crashes. The anger was not far from the fact that people believed that the red chamber must have made the declaration authoritatively. This anger was suddenly turned against the senators as it was later discovered by the same Nigerians that the Senators’ so called accusation was a mere fallacy. This became obvious after the AIB came out with superior defence which totally nullified the senators’ position. The bureau in its reaction accused the Senate of vilifying it. According to AIB, as of the time the Senators were debating the imaginary reports, the actual reports they were debating were already on the Bureau’s website (aib.gov.ng). “For record purpose, Sosoliso Accident report, which had been released since 2006 and published in the national newspapers, has been on the Bureau’s website for several years now. Bellview and ADC crash reports have been published and on our website since 2012, while DANA’s preliminary report has been published since July 2012. Other outstanding accident reports are being diligently pursued. “A little research, including a check on our website or the aviation committee of the Senate would have made this debate unnecessary. Happily, the Senate Committee on Aviation is aware of the diligence and the passion with which AIB has been pursuing the delivery of its mandate. The committee is also not unaware of the challenges facing the Bureau, especially with funding.” There is no doubt that the senators failed to do their homework thoroughly on the issue before going public and subsequently misled and misinformed the public. The bottom line is that they seemed not to be on ground and this has become worrisome to stakeholders in the sector who are arguing that if a section of the Senate that is supposed to be the ‘ears’ and ‘eyes’ of the sector could not take the pain to really investigate issues before jumping gun, it is a sign of bad things to come. For either the senators like it or not, their failure to carry out a detailed investigation on the report of the crashes only exposed their lack of interest in the sector which is a far cry from their supposed interest. People are, however, wondering how a committee that is not well equipped with such a little information will be able to carry out its oversight functions on the sector without further misleading the public. It is at this juncture that the Crucial Moment is advising the senators to always carry out thorough investigations on industry issues before taking positions.

Nigerian Tribune

From right, Managing Director, Med-View Airline, Alhaji Muneer Bankole; Chief Executive Officer, Air Explore, Mr Martin Stulajter and Director of Flight Operations, Air Explore, Mr Vladimir Klein.

MMA2 fulfilled all requirements for regional operations —Babalakin Stories By Shola Adekola - Lagos

s stakeholders in the aviation sector chart the way forward, the chairman of the Bi-Courtney Aviation Services (BASL), Dr Wale Babalakin recently declared that the Murtala Muhammed Airport Terminal Two (MMA2) actually signed agreement with the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) to operate regional flights from there. Babalakin’s latest position came as a result of the argument in some quarters that it was a mere approval granted by FAAN that allows for regional flight operations from the private terminal. According to him, the terminal was not given approval contrary to insinuation making the round rather, an agreement was signed. The Chairman of BASL further explained that the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) was invited to inspect the terminal and that the regulatory body gave some conditions that should be met by the

terminal before it could commence regional flights from the facility. Babalakin, who made the declaration at a breakfast meeting titled: ‘Ownership, Viability, Safety and Security of Nigerian Airports,’ organised by the Aviation Safety Round Table Initiative (ASRTI), explained that the conditions set by NCAA had been fulfilled by the terminal. His words: “Approval was not given; we signed an agreement to operate regional flights. NCAA was invited to inspect the facility and gave conditions that must be met and these conditions have been fulfilled and we are waiting for the implementation.” On the four star hotel directly opposite the multi

Delta will never compromise safety —Director For the umpteenth time, Delta Airlines management in Nigeria has insisted that because safety is their utmost priority, the airline will never in any way

Emirates to retire 26 planes in 2016 Emirates Airline has announced the plan to retire 26 aircraft in 2016, including 12 A330-300s, four A340-300s, one A340-500, six Boeing 777-200ERs, two Boeing 777300s and one Boeing 777300ER. The average age of the Emirates aircraft slated for retirement in 2016 will be 15.7 years, well-below the average industry retirement age of 25. In addition, 13 more aircraft will be retired in 2017 and another 13 will be retired in 2018. Balancing its aircraft retirement programme, Emirates will take delivery of 36 new aircraft in 2016, including 20 A380s and 16 Boeing 777300ERs. These two aircraft types are recognised as some of the most efficient and quiet commercial airplanes available, emitting on average 12 per

storey MMA2 Car Park also belonging to BASL that was allegedly taken by FAAN, the chairman explained that some people had wanted to convert the project to FAAN offices but that the idea failed. He added that while this was going on, its technical partner withdrew because BASL could not explain why the hotel project was taken away from BASL. However, he stated that BASL has signed a fresh agreement with FAAN on the hotel project, adding that BASL was only able to achieve this due its relentless efforts. Speaking on airport development, he stated that it could only take place under a well articulated concessioning system.

cent less carbon dioxide than the aircraft being retired. At the end of 2016, the aircraft retirements and new deliveries will put Emirates’ average fleet age at 5.6 years, dramatically younger than the global average. A recent analysis showed the average fleet age for the top five airlines in North America is 13.6 years, while the average fleet age for the top five airlines in Europe is 10.7 years. Commenting on the development, Sir Tim Clark, President Emirates Airline said, “Emirates has a global footprint as the world’s largest international airline, and we have a responsibility to our customers, the communities we serve, and the planet. We are fully committed to flying a modern fleet that is better for the environment, and provides our customers with a superior level of comfort and safety.

compromise safety, Speaking on the aircraft type the airline uses on the Nigerian/American route, the airlines commercial director, East and West Africa, Bobby Bryan maintained that all aircraft they flew to Nigeria are safe, well maintained while apart from being used on Nigerian route, the same plane flies to every other route that the airline traverses. Equally, the airline announced that it has airlifted 900,000 passengers from Nigeria to the United States and will continue to fly the route as it has yielded the airline some positives. The airline also maintained that Nigeria as a destination is one of the airlines strong market emphasising that the market in the country does not follow the usual trend making it a unique market for Delta to benefit from and vice versa. Bobby Byran made the declaration while chatting with reporters giving an update of the airlines activities during the year and what is to follow in the coming year.

Med-View Airline is to commence international flight out of the country to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, just as it took delivery of another aircraft, a Boeing 737-800. The commencement of flight to Jeddah is coming barely one month after it began direct flight operations from Lagos to London. This is as the airline recently unveiled its latest aircraft, Boeing 737-800 from Slovakia to the media. The Managing Director, Med-View, Alhaji Muneer Bankole disclosed this to journalists at the airline’s office at Murtala Muhammed Airport Terminal Two (MMA2),Lagos, while unveiling the new aircraft which arrived from Slovakia. With the arrival of the plane, the airline’s fleet has increased to five. According to Bankole, the airline would commence two weekly flights from Lagos-Kano to Jeddah with plans to increase the frequencies to four in the coming months.

Etihad Airways wins best first class, long haul airline in M/East, Africa Etihad Airways, the national airline of the United Arab Emirates, has been named the Best First Class and Best Long Haul Airline in Middle-East and Africa at the AirlineRatings.com 2016 Airline Excellence Awards. AirlineRatings.com, the world’s only comprehensive safety and product rating portal, celebrates and promotes excellence in the airline industry. The pinnacle of these efforts is its annual Airline Excellence Awards, which are decided by AirlineRatings. com’s editorial team. AirlineRatings.com Editor-in-Chief and Publisher, Geoffrey Thomas, said the judging panel had been impressed by Etihad Airways’ industry-leading innovation. “Etihad’s commitment to excellence appears to know no bounds. The airline’s new First class and Business class offerings are breathtaking and have set a new benchmark in luxury travel. “In its first 12 years, Etihad Airways has stamped itself not only as a major force in the airline industry but a trendsetter – an incredible achievement. “Etihad Airways has an uncompromising attitude to excellence. For the airline, only the best will do.”

Thursday, 10 December, 2015

Nigerian Tribune

anchor

maritime

Tola Adenubi

m:07068476673 e:adenubiadetola@yahoo.com

20% of Lagos trains revenue unremitted —Investigations

Although the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) is not one of the cash cows the Federal Government depends on economically, a large chunk of the corporation’s revenue has been allegedly finding its way into private pockets, writes TOLA ADENUBI.

HE Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) runs multiple sets of Lagos Mass Transit Trains across the length and breadth of Lagos, linking the Centre of Excellence with the Gateway State via rail services. From 5:45 a.m to 7 p.m in the evening, different trains crisscross Iddo to Ijoko town, passing through major bus-stops in the heart of Lagos, thereby making, the trains a veritable means of transport for many Lagosians and many more who live in border towns adjoining the State. The Lagos Mass Transit (LMT) trains are usually made up of about 12 locomotive coaches for passengers to sit down comfortably. Inside each locomotive coach, about 90 passengers are seated while the numbers of passengers standing are usually unquantifiable numerically. Five trains leave Ijoko for Iddo in the morning while another five trains leave Iddo for Ijoko in the afternoon/evening period. Available records obtained from the corporation by our correspondent revealed that the Lagos Mass Transit trains carry an average of 16,000 passenger’s daily, meaning the Lagos Mass trains generate nothing less than N4m into the coffers of the NRC on a daily basis. However, investigations further revealed that about N900,000 of this amount is lost daily to illegal activities which constitute revenue drain to the NRC. How money is diverted For passengers to get access to board the Lagos Mass Transit trains, they have to part with N230 to get a ticket at the train stations. The same amount applies to passengers who are unable to secure available seats inside the trains and have to stand all through the journey. The NRC has a set of workers called ‘checkers’ who ensure every passenger has duly bought his or her ticket to gain access to the train services. These checkers are stationed in every locomotive coach of the Lagos trains, ensuring the NRC gets value for money spent by the Federal Government on the resuscitation of train services within Lagos. Any passenger who refuses to obtain his or her ticket is handed over to the police at specific train

stations, although not all the train stations has police post attached to them. However, investigations revealed that some of these checkers have formed the habit of collecting money instead of tickets from some errant passengers, just as some erring passengers have been found to rather give the checkers N150 to pocket instead of buying the N230 ticket. Investigations also revealed that these erring passengers deliberately avoid purchasing the ticket from the train stations and come inside the trains with N150 in their hands. Once it’s time for the checkers to move round the coaches to confirm tickets from passengers onboard the trains, this set of passengers give the checkers the N150 cash, claiming that’s all they have on them. The checkers allegedly collect the N150 from these passengers and pocket the money, thereby short-changing the NRC of its expected income. Further findings revealed that sometime last year, when the management of the NRC realised it was losing billions through this

nefarious act, it set up a special task force with membership in all the locomotive coaches. The job of the special task force was to ensure checkers don’t collect money from any passenger inside the trains. The checkers are expected to collect only tickets from the passengers. In a nutshell, the task force monitored the checkers. During this period when the task force came onboard, many checkers were forced to stop the act of collecting money from erring passengers who refused to purchase the mandatory tickets at the train stations. At a point, the checkers and the special task force members became sworn enemies because the former saw the later as an impediment to his source of making quick money. According to a passenger, Alhaji Taofeek Ologbenla, “it was a case of sending a thief to catch a thief. Many of the taskforce members wished they were in the checkers shoe because the checkers were making extra money aside their salary. “Therefore, since they cannot be in the checkers shoe,” they ensured the checkers don’t make

such money by handing over passengers without tickets to the police. The checkers and the task force members were never friends and this reduced the volume of money the NRC was losing daily.” To the surprise of many, around the third quarter of 2015, the NRC scrapped the special task force. Ever since then, a percentage of revenue that is supposed to accrue to the NRC has been allegedly ending in private pockets. Confusion over taskforce disbanment For many, they were surprised that the NRC suddenly scrapped the special task force it set up to monitor activities inside the trains despite the fact that there was an improvement in ticket sales because people no longer found it easy parting with N150 inside the trains anymore. When contacted, the spokesman of the NRC, Abdulrauf Akinwoye, confirmed that the special task force team had been disbanded. He, however, declined to give reasons why they were disbanded but assured that they would soon be re-constituted. “The special task force will soon

be back, I can assure you. For checkers that are collecting money from passengers, anyone that is caught will be dismissed from the corporation. The NRC management has already directed all Heads of Department (HODs) to be on the alert for any corrupt checker. The NRC does not condole corruption in its ranks and anyone caught will be dismissed,” Akinwoye stated. In the words of a source inside the NRC, the special task force was scrapped because of the financial difficulty the corporation found itself following the Treasury Single Account (TSA) introduced by the government. “Since the FG introduced the TSA, the NRC has been founding it difficult to manage extra financial obligations like the payment of the special task force team. Therefore, the corporation had to suspend the taskforce till further notice,” our source stated With 12 checkers in 12 locomotive coaches during a trip (the NRC operates about 10 trips within Lagos daily), about 900,000 of the expected N4 million of the NRC revenue is being diverted into private pockets daily.

maritime

Nigerian Tribune

Thursday, 10 December, 2015

Cargo clearance: Fraudulent shippers behind call for SONCAP scrap —SON

HE Standard Organisation of Nigeria (SON) has stated that the recent call by some individuals that the Federal Government should scrap the SON policy of Conformity Assessment Programme (SONCAP) is the handiwork of fraudulent shippers and importers. According to a statement made available to the Nigerian Tribune by SON’s image maker, Angela Okisor, the agency’s Head, Inspectorate and Compliance Directorate, Bede Obayi, was quoted to have explained that only shippers who have skeletons in their cupboards will oppose SONCAP. “Recently, some individuals took it upon themselves, calling on the federal government to urgently intervene and stop SON’s laudable policy of Conformity Assessment Programme (SONCAP) or scrap it entirely as it has increased additional burden on importers. “It is only those who have skeletons in their cupboards should indeed not be comfortable with the agency’s recent policy di-

rection aimed at stamping out illegal, fake and substandard products in the country. “Over 80 percent of substandard products existing in the country are imported from overseas by unscrupu-

lous Nigerians who are bent to make profits to the detriment of the safety of lives of common Nigerians and consumers. “However, since the introduction of SONCAP, genuine importers have been

collaborating with SON to do the right thing. The integration of SON’s processes and certificates into the Nigeria Integrated Customs Information System (NICIS) recently, was primarily aimed at reducing

to the barest minimum the incidence of sub-standard products circulation in the country. “The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), through a circular referenced TED/ FEM/FPC/GEN/01/018 of

Senate Committee to facilitate completion of TICT truck holding bay THE Senate Committee on Marine Transport has assured that the committee will facilitate the outstanding payment of N1.5 billion owed by the Federal Ministry of Works to contractors working at the Tin Can Island Container Terminal (TICT) truck holding bay to ensure its speedy completion. Chairman of the committee, Sanni Ahmed Yerima, made the promise during a stakeholders meeting held with representatives of the Nigerian Port Authority (NPA), Nigerian Shippers Council (NSC) and the Maritime Truck Owners Association (AMATO), among others on ways of addressing the Apapa gridlock. Yerima, who had earlier in company of the management of NPA, led the committee to inspect the truck holding bay located opposite Tin can Island Port, said the visit of the committee was necessitated by a motion recently passed by the upper legislative chamber which directed it to visit the port and meet with relevant stakeholders on how to find a lasting solution to the gridlock. The motion, sponsored by

Senator Oluremi Tinubu and supported by 106 senators, was passed based on a letter to the Senators by Ships & Ports Communication Company, urging legislative action on the perennial gridlock.

He said the committee would work to ensure the contractors go back to site to complete the construction work, which he said was 95 per cent complete. According to him, when completed, the truck hold-

ing bay would serve as an immediate solution and in the short term, reduce the persistent gridlock along the Apapa/Oshodi axis which he described as a national disaster. “What we did was to go

NSC staff petitions NASS, seeks N100m A former staff of the Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC), Adesina Akinyemi, has petitioned the National Assembly over an alleged “undue termination” of his appointment by the management of the council. He urged the Senate Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters to investigate his case and prevail on the council to restore his employment or pay a compensation of N100 million for his dismissal and harassment. He explained that he was engaged in October 1991 on grade level O7 and that his appointment was confirmed in 1992. “But in 1996, I was forced to sign and receive a letter of dismissal under two armed policemen led by Mr. E. B Dauji, then director of personnel, in January, 1996,”

he said. The former employee noted that no reason was stated in the letter of dismissal he was forced to sign at gunpoint by the personnel director. According to him, when he realised that his life was not safe, he was forced to go on self-exile between 1996

and 2001, where he wrote Justice Oputa Panel to investigate his matter. Although Akinyemi noted that the council made a step in 2013 to review his unjust disengagement from the council, he, however, explained that some forces in the council foiled the attempts.

and see the problem for ourselves and see how best we can quickly solve this problem. We want to come out with short-term plan, medium and long term plan as a final way of making sure that this problem never comes back again. “The contractor has already done about 95 per cent and all that is needed is payment of about N1.5 billion to be paid. We will go and pursue to a logical conclusion and see that the payment is made so that the place can be completed and in the short run, reduce the traffic by directing all the trucks to park there. So we are really going to work,” he said.

WACT grants scholarship awards to 20 students in Rivers APM Terminals Onne port facility, West Africa Container Terminal (WACT) has granted scholarships to 20 students in the Onne and Ogu communities in Rivers State as part of the company’s annual scholarship programme. Martin Jacob, Managing Director of WACT, said “Every year, 20 students in Nigerian tertiary locations from Rivers State gain valu-

able education from the scholarship programme, including an opportunity for job placement for the top performers. Speaking after scholarship awards were presented to this year’s recipients, Jacob added that “the scholarship and job training program were created in our Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) plan to develop future talent within the company’s

port community. “Our CSR initiatives are designed to help people in the communities where our business is located, which is why we are also partnering with the government to rehabilitate the East West road.” The East West road, when completed, will not only improve the economic activities in the Port-Harcourt – Onne axis, but in Rivers State too,” Martin said.

22nd September 2015, had directed all operators and importers to key into the system latest by December 1, 2015. The CBN circular quotes ‘This is to notify all Authorised Dealers and the general public that the Standards Organisation of Nigeria e-Certificates (i.e. e-product certificate and e-SONCAP certificates) were deployed on the Nigeria Integrated Customs Information System (NICIS]) on Thursday, September 10, 2015. “Consequently, e-product certificates shall form part of documents to be attached to all Form “M” in respect of SON’s regulated products with effect from the date of the deployment. Similarly, only e-SONCAP certificate shall henceforth be used for processing of customs clearance of imported products’. “SON, under the guidance of the NICIS Project Implementation Team of the CBN Trade Monitoring System and the CISS, had embarked on a nationwide ‘train the trainers’ sensitisation programme to all the geo-political zones of the country to sensitise bankers, Importers, Cargo owners, Stakeholders and the general public on the conversion of SONCAP’s paper certificates into e-certificate format and their integration into NICIS as input for processing Form “M” and Pre-Arrival Assessment Report (PAAR), which were vital for clearance of goods at the port. “Furthermore, in the spirit of capacity building and necessity of stakeholders’ collaboration, the agency equally extended the training workshops to members of the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA) across the country on e-SONCAP processes to further consolidate on its promise of putting to a final stop the importation and circulation of imported sub-standard products in the country. “The processes put in place are for the benefit of Nigerians because we have a mandate to ensure that only safe and quality products have their way into our markets,” Obayi stated. The SON enforcement officer equally debunked the spurious claims by the shippers’ association that Nigerian ports have since been abandoned by importers due to charges by SON and other regulatory agencies.

Thursday, 10 December, 2015 With Adewale Oshodi tribunearts@yahoo.com 08054005323

‘Publishing is a daunting task in Nigeria’ Eghosa Imasuen is a publisher, as well as a writer. In this interview, he speaks specifically on the state of publishing in Nigeria. EXCERPTS:

the market and the fight to have the book earn back what was invested in it. Has the Nigerian publishing industry improved over the last decade? Skills that were lost during the 80s are slowly being regained. There are several new houses now developing the institutional memory needed for survival of the publishing industry in the long term. But it is a system of high attrition. Many of us, the new house, will die, and lessons will be learnt from our demise. The issues are daunting. One major one is piracy, whereby just having one successful title, you receive the most painful kind of praise: your book gets pirated. I think for continued growth in this industry, we need to have piracy punished; it needs to be painful to print and smuggle in counterfeit books.

OUR company, Farafina, published former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s book, My Watch. How did you get involved? We were approached by aides of President Obasanjo in May of 2014. It was initially very cloak and dagger as we were not told who the author was, only that someone high-profile had just completed his memoirs and was looking for a publisher to offer publishing services. We put in a competitive bid and won the deal. And then we met the author. Did Chief Obasanjo employ a ghost writer to do the job or what? Chief Obasanjo wrote the book himself. I went in with the same curiosity you mentioned, but he wrote it. He has a certain idiosyncrasy with his writing; a bit verbose, fond of commas and repeated adjectives. A ghost-writer would have given something away in the text. And during the editing process, we dealt directly with him. The book was so large that only he and I had full knowledge of the text. The editors who worked under me only read their parts. None of his aides knew the full text, only he and I. He wrote it himself. My Watch is in three volumes; how long did it take to write? From what I understand, the writing took 18 months. Now the size of the book is a little bit misleading. The author did not want the book’s references footnoted. He knew that that would take time, and he wanted the book out before the end of the year. So he decided that any text referenced would be quoted, at times extensively. So what you see as a very large book is a moderately large one, with lots of excerpts from either his earlier work, or from policy documents. Publishing is perilous, but also sometimes rewarding. Since moving from full-time writing to fulltime publishing, what has been your experience, positive and negative? Yes. It is perilous. I only had a view of this, barely, because I was a backseat driver, one of those authors who always chided the publisher for not enough publicity; ‘do more, do more.’ But now that I have taken the wheel, at the firm that published my first two novels, no less, I see things a bit more clearly. It is a difficult business. Both for the pocket and soul. The pirates dictate how you price your books. You are in competition with yourself. Cost of finance

POEM Celebration of change Celebration of change, A change we truly deserve After years of hard toiling We have cause to celebrate success.

•Eghosa Imasuen is high in Nigeria. There are issues with power and noisy generators that affect productivity in the editorial department. Then there is what reading reams and reams of bad submissions does to someone. It is killing; bad writing kills me.

There are happy moments. When you hold a finished book in your hand, the design, editing, and printing process coming together in one happy accident. But these fleeting moments quickly become overshadowed by the prospect of hitting

Hidden portrait found under Monalisa AN image of a portrait underneath the Mona Lisa has been found beneath the existing painting using reflective light technology, according to a French scientist. Pascal Cotte said he has spent more than 10 years using the technology to analyse the painting. He claims the earlier portrait lies hidden underneath the surface of Leonardo’s most celebrated artwork. A reconstruction shows another image of a sitter looking off to the side. The Louvre Museum has declined to comment on his claims because it “was not part of the scientific team”. Instead of the famous, direct gaze of the painting which hangs in the Louvre Museum in Paris, the image of the sitter also shows no trace of her enigmatic smile, which has intrigued art lovers for more than 500 years. But Mr Cotte’s claims are controversial and have divided opinion among Leonardo experts. This is the world’s most famous painting which, like a celebrity, always makes for a good story. The Mona Lisa has been the subject of

several scientific examinations over more than half a century. More recent techniques include infrared inspections and multi-spectral scanning. But Mr Cotte has claimed his technique is able to penetrate more deeply into the painting. He said: “We can now analyse exactly what is happening inside the layers of the paint and we can peel like an onion all the layers of the painting. We can reconstruct all the chronology of the creation of the painting.” Leonardo is believed to have worked on the painting between 1503 and 1517 while working in Florence and later in France. There has long been debate about the Mona Lisa’s identity. But for centuries, it has been widely believed that she is Lisa Gherardini, the wife of a Florentine silk merchant. But Mr Cotte has claimed his discoveries challenge that theory. He believes the image he has reconstructed underneath the surface of the painting is Leonardo’s original Lisa, and that the portrait named Mona Lisa for more than 500 years is, in fact, a different woman.

A land that has turned topsyturvy And with no hope of a brighter future But now flowing with milk and honey. We really have cause to celebrate a change. Celebration of change, A change from hard turmoil Yesteryears is permeated with lamentations of the helpless But now all have turned to laughter. Pot-bellied daddies of higher seats Suffering children of the lower states All fighting hard to be better of No cause for alarm! It’s time for change. Youths toil hard to gain admission, And growing older looking for jobs. Adults strive hard to feed their wards But now all is a changed story. Celebration of change, Celebrate the era of chances, Chances to be among the world’s best And strive hard to achieve a greater change. By ADEKUNLE OMOLOLA.

arts&review

Thursday, 10 December, 2015

Using historical sites, monuments in museum exhibition history of art or conceptions of beauty. Some historical sites in Nigeria include:

By Salami Tajudeen A.

historical or heritage site is an official location where pieces of political, military, cultural or social history have been preserved due to their cultural heritage value. Cultural heritage is the legacy of physical artifacts and intangible attributes of a group or society that are inherited from past generations, maintainted in the present and bestowed for the benefit of future generations. Cultural heritage includes tangible culture (such as buildings, monuments, landscapes, books, works of art, and artifacts). Intagible culture (such as folklore, traditions, language, and knowledge), while natural heritage refers to culturally significant landscapes and biodiversity. The deliberate act of keeping cultural heritage from the present for the future is known as preservation (American English) or conservation (British English). Historic sites are usually protected by

•A war museum law, and many have been recognised with the official national historic site status. A historic site may be any building, landscape, site or structure that is of local, regional, or national significance. Historic sites may be thought of in three broad

categories — documentary sites; primary objective is to document a specific historic event or a specific person or group —representative sites; primarily focused on representing a historical period or way of life and aesthetic sites, focused on

Eagles of Death Metal returns to perform in Paris after attacks US rock band, Eagles of Death Metal have appeared on stage in Paris, less than a month after deadly attacks during their performance in the French capital. The band took to the stage to perform at the end of a U2 concert at the AccorHotels Arena. “They were robbed of their stage three weeks ago and we would like to offer them ours tonight,” said singer Bono. Ninety of the 130 people who died in the 13 November attacks were killed at the concert at the Bataclan venue.

Love, joy, and music will always overcome terror and evil. Bono embraced Eagles of Death Metal singer, Jesse Hughes ahead of an emotional joint rendition of Patti Smith’s People Have The Power. EODM then performed I Love You All The Time. An appearance by the Eagles of Death Metal at the 16,000-capacity arena had been heavily rumoured. One concertgoer, Vera Golloch, told French journalists that everyone wanted

to be at Monday’s gig. “It’s historic and important, it really is,” she said. U2’s concerts had been slated for 14 and 15 November but were rescheduled after the terrorist attacks. The band reached out to Eagles of Death Metal in the aftermath, buying them mobile phones to replace the ones they had abandoned in the chaos at The Bataclan, and offering them the use of their private plane as they returned to the US.

Achieving greatness by dreaming Book Review A review of Adetokunbo Agboola’s book, Dare to Dream, by Paul Omorogbe DARE to Dream is a book written to motivate persons young and old to achieve greatness during their lifetime. Right from the Introduction, it is clear to see that the book is not only packed full with vital information on the subject, it also makes an interesting read with witty statements like “Success is for the meek, not the weak,” “It takes boldness to achieve greatness,” and “Daring faith is the key to soaring dreams.” The first chapter entitled “Life is a battle ground” wakes the reader up to the reality that dreams do not happen without opposition. “Opposition is an indication that the enemy believes in your dream,” the author says. He reminds the Christian believer that they are soldiers and that God has equipped them for life’s battles. Quoting Bishop David Oyedepo, in the book, he said, “Challenges are normal to life, but victory is normal for the saints.” “Early to rise, early to shine” captions the second chapter. Agboola tells us that this book would do many a young reader a world of good if they start working on their dreams early in life. Days, months

and even minutes must never be wasted for every moment is adding up in the making of a glorious future, the author explains, as he cites examples of how many renown achievers began early in life. In chapter 3, the author looks into practical ways of ascertaining divine direction to pursue one’s dreams. The writer emphasises the fact that no individual is devoid of his or her own dream. The place of enquiry, how God responds, and how to recognize a dream from God form the contents of this chapter.

The fourth chapter harps on the need for believing in one’s dreams and also visualising success in those dreams. In this chapter, as he does in several other chapters of the book, the author cites quotations from a wide range of several notable figures: from George Bernard Shaw and Paul Adefarasin to Michael Jordan and Joyce Meyer, on the pertinence of possibility thinking and faith in God. In order not to get stuck on the treadmill of dreaming, the fifth chapter tells the reader to act on the their dreams to make it a reality. The power of team work for the dream to work is the focus of chapter 6 because “two is better than one” as is quoted from the Bible in this chapter. Working on your dream requires tools and the author says in chapter 7 that these tools are acquired at a price which may not just be money, but the things relating to character and gifting you need to put in to succeed in your dream. ‘Dreams never die’ headlines the eighth chapter where the author explains why divine dreams are immortal. In the final chapter of the book, the allimportant God-factor is introduced as the paramount factor in the entire process of actualising one’s dream. The author, Adetokunbo Agboola, is the Senior Pastor of the Dayspring Kingdom Centre, CEO of Charis Consulting and a dynamic speaker, prophet and apostle.

Old Oyo National Park The park which was named after the Old Oyo—the political capital of the Oyo Empire between the 16th and 18th centuries, spans a remarkable 2,512 sq km(970sq mi), most of which fall in Oyo State. Other parts extend to Kwara State. It is rich in fauna and flora resources, significant species of which are the baboons and wide variety of birds. Osun Osogbo sacred forest Regarded as the abode of the goddess of fertility, Osun grove is one of the temples of Yoruba gods. The landscape and its meandering river are dotted with sanctuaries and shrines, sculptures and art works in honour of Osun and other deities. The only remaining site of a once widespread phenomenon that used to characterise every Yoruba settlement. The grove was inscribed on UNESCO’S World Heritage list on July 15, 2005. Emir of Kano’s Palace. This is a 15th century palace and its grounds occupy the highest space in Kano. The entire palace complex is embraced by a wall, 20 to 30 feet high from the outside, the height of which never exceeds more than 15 feet from the inside. The wall is tapered and modestly decorated inward. Olumo Rock The rock is a massive outcrop of granite rocks of primitive formation from which Abeokuta meaning ‘’under the rock’’, derived its name. this is Abeokuta’s most famous landmark where visitors can explore the caves used as sanctuary during the Yoruba civil war. Monument can, therefore, be defined as a building, statue, a memorial stone or building erected in remembrance of a person or event. A building or place that is important because of the time it was built or because of an event in history that happened there. Many of Nigeria’s most noteworthy land marks are man-made, including a number of prominent statues and formal city squares, others such as Zuma Rock, the Gurara Falls and Owu Falls are all features of the amazing and captiving natural landscape of Nigeria. An exhibition, in the most general sense, is an organised presentation and display of a selection of items. In practical, exhibitions usually occur within museums, galleries and exhibition halls. Exhibitions can include many things such as art in both major museums and smaller galleries. Also exhibitions are the materials that are presented to an audience or objects that are on display in an exhibition. Any object put on the display with the aim to inspire, entertain and educate are known as exhibits. That object could be viewed as museum exhibit. It is different from any object found elsewhere. The synergy between historical sites, mouments and museum exhibition is a pointer to the fact that the sites (historical and monument) are essential ingredients to authenticate the originality of the objects exhibited in the museums and it provides access to the researchers, tourist, students, historians, archaeologists etc to visit the sites for further researches. •Salami is of the National Museum, Ile Ife, Osun State.

Thursday, 10 December, 2015 Editor:

health YOU&EYE

NATURALHEALTH

SEX,SEXUALITY&YOU By Victor Ogunyinka

INSIDE

Never throw your leftover medicines into dust bins —Adeshina, ALP’s Vice chairman

Page 36

NATURAL HEALTH

How Yoruba’s treat cataract —Experts

Page 37

When you wear the wrong bra…

Page 35

HEALTH QUOTE

Sade Oguntola sadeboguntola@yahoo.com 0805 506 9260

HE hazy, windy, dry air of the year ending comes at a time when people prepare for the most widely celebrated event of the year, the Christmas. One wonders if it’s the celebration that comes with the extra incentive of the weather or it’s the weather that heralds the festivity. That aside, there’s something one critically needs to be careful about as the wind strokes our breath, caresses our hair and deposits extraneous materials into our eyes. It could be the beginning of a catastrophic health, if left unabated. When harmattan strikes, almost everything is affected; the skin appears gloomy and unattractive, hair breaks at will, more fire outbreaks and the one’s health is put on the brink. Dr Taiwo Aderemi, Medical Director, Safepath Hospital, Challenge, Ibadan explained that harmattan season is a transitional period from extreme heat to cold weather, noting that the atmosphere changes and give rise to mist, dust and cold. For a region that averages about 25°c annually, the fresh breeze of the harmattan should naturally be a ‘fair-weather’ to sundry. While the harmattan season comes with some soothing atmosphere, one has to be critical of its nottoo-pleasant incentives, particularly in terms of health that overwhelms the season. Some disasters are peculiar to the end-of-the-year weather, bruises, infernos, lip break among other things, but the dangers of harmattan, according to experts could be physical or medical and of course, the latter should appeal to us more. The respiratory system, because of its direct communication with the atmosphere, is also often affected. The respiratory system has a natural defence system which is easi-

Harmattan:

Staying safe amidst danger ly overwhelmed by the high concentration of dust pollutants in the air. The resultant effect is damage to the respiratory system, predisposing to infections. Excessive sneezing, cough and catarrh are some of the symptoms that result from these infections. Also, the harmattan is not a good season for people with existing respiratory conditions like asthma. The cold, dusty weather tends to aggravate this condition. Dr Aderemi said: “We have medical conditions that are aggravated by cold and dust; the sufferers experience the unpleasant part of harmattan. That may include persons having sickle cell diseases; they have more crises in this part of the year. Same thing for asthma patients; the cold and dusty aspect of harmattan could serve as asthma triggers. “Also, arthritis and rheumatism are also worsened by the cold. There is the

aspect of food too, which nobody takes very seriously. We have some food borne conditions that may be aggravated by harmatttan. The dust blowing all over, transferring all kinds of micro-organisms could blow on your vegetables, fruits and other kinds of foods, if you don’t wash them properly and thoroughly, one could end up with food borne diseases.” Such are the damning effects of harmattan on both the healthy and unhealthy. It is no gainsaying that more than others; children are also easy victims of the all encompassing characteristics of the season. Due to their fragile nature and developing immune system, experts have identified that children that are not well protected during this season could end up developing cold, chills, running nose, fever and other ailments that could be of serious danger on the long run.

The effects of dusts on the eye during the windy season are more than meet the eye. Furthermore, Dr Aderemi noted that the effect of dust during harmattan is more on people that are always on motion, adding that itching and redness of the eyes affect such persons more. “There are some medical eye conditions that are common during harmattan, part of it is what we call contact conjunctivitis. People will just discover that their eyeballs are red and itching due to dust deposit in the eyes. “We advise people that are always on motion, especially in this type of weather, should protect their eyes the more. They should use goggle so that there won’t be adverse effect from the weather on their eyes,” he said. Researchers have identified some essential tips to stay healthy during the harmattan: • Invest in body oil to retain moisture on the skin after bath. Do not completely dry your skin after shower; about 10 per cent of moisture is retained if you apply on damp skin. • Use mild soaps to wash your face as harsh soaps and cleansing bars will remove all the oil on your face. • Stop the use of facial cleansers and toners that contain alcohol or astringents. Use only mild facial cleansers and toners. Facial cleansers and toners with a neutral pH of 5.5 are best. • Wash hair with shampoo and conditioner as usual. • Don’t dry hair completely to retain some moisture in hair. • Apply hair oil, pink oils, lotions and creams to hair daily or every other day depending on hair type and severity of the weather • Use hair sprays to add shine to your hair. • Scarves and hats are amazing accessories that can be use to protect hair and still be fashionable.

“By cleansing your body on a regular basis and eliminating as many toxins as possible from your environment, your body can begin to heal itself, prevent disease, and become stronger and more resilient than you ever dreamed possible!” —Dr Edward Group III

Thursday, 10 December, 2015

Dr. Ben Ajayi 0805 400 5447

you-and-eye@gmail.com

‘I am the greatest’

IX months before he won the World Heavyweight Championship fight, Cassius Clay, who later changed his name to Mohamed Ali declared, “I am the greatest.” There was certainly no doubt about this as he ruled the stage with his poetic powers and pugilistic prowess. So when Little John asked, “Which is the greatest of all, the eye, the heart, the brain, the mouth and the limbs?” “I would rather die than go blind,” he had added. “How do I handle this?” I asked myself. “He has already come to a conclusion. I should make him answer the question I decided and proceeded to tell him this story. “Mr Heart and his colleagues, Brain, Mouth, Limbs and Eye all share the same objective which is to see to the well-being of Mr Body. Mr Heart has a network of pipes or vessels carrying nutrients in a fluid system called blood to every part of the body. The vessels carrying blood to the various components of the body are called arteries. Waste products formed in the body are removed from the tissues through vessels called veins. One unique attribute of Mr Heart is that he works silently and unobtrusively with a regular throb, non-stop 24hours a day.

“Mr Eye became so conceited. One day he got up and started extolling his own virtues and importance. “I am the link between the body and the outside world. Without me, he cannot appreciate the beauty of nature or the food he eats; he cannot recognise people or perceive danger and send signals to the brain to get the body to flee if necessary. I work 24 hours a day even when the body is resting; I am the King of the body.” “Mr Heart listened attentively, livid with anger but managed to keep his cool. Loud Mouth got up and bragged, “Can you imagine what would happen to this useless body without me? I only have to shut my mouth and he can’t express himself neither can he drink nor eat. After a few days, he’ll be all bones and if I should continue for a few weeks he’ll be dead. I am the greatest!” “Mr Leggy Arms, perched over the railings and gesticulating with both hands could not hide his annoyance at what he considered as a rude statement by Loud Mouth. “I am not surprised,” he said, “your brain is as shallow as your stupid Mouth! Can you play my role? I am the spokesperson of the body. Without me the body cannot walk to his source of food. When he sees the food, he can’t put it into

his stupid mouth without me! He can’t even put on or take off his clothes and worse still, he can’t run away from danger. If I am idle, mosquitoes and other insects will feast on the body.” “When Mr Brain heard this, he was greatly distressed. “You called me shallow brain, didn’t you? You thoughtless appendages of the body! I will teach you a lesson one of these days. You are all my slaves. I think for you; direct and monitor your daily activities; decide what you do, how and when you do it. I am the great General, the Supreme Commander of the body. Because I am a silent worker, you forget that I exist. I will show you my true worth very soon.” “Mr Heart looked at all of them with disdain, shook his head and said, “I am sorry for all of you. I will show you I am the greatest; the most important. I decide whether you are alive or dead. I have been working continuously from your mother’s womb until this very minute. Don’t you think I deserve a rest? Let me take a rest for five minutes and see what happens.” “No! Please no!” all four shouted in unison. Mr Heart slowed down a bit just to frighten them. “Who switched off the light? Every-

thing seems to be in darkness!” shouted Mr Eye. The central retinal artery, which supplies blood to the inner coats of the eye, had suddenly become blocked or occluded. The eye couldn’t see! Even though the obstruction was only for a few minutes, an irreversible damage had been done! “Why have you done this to me?” asked Mr Eye. Mr Heart replied, “You were all bluffing but what you didn’t know was that you were sitting on a time bomb! Just slowing down my heart beat a little caused the blood to clot in the arteries. This was possible because of the excesses of Loud Mouth over the years. His choice of food and feeding habit had led to diabetes. “Leggy Arms had contributed because of his laziness. He should have helped the body with more regular exercises. The brain too had been sending the wrong signals making Loud Mouth to crave for the wrong type of foods. All these factors and more have contributed to the development of hypertension. Now, tell me who is really the greatest amongst us?” Loud Mouth shouted on behalf of the body, “You are! “The heart is the greatest! You stop working and we are all dead! Please, keep on working.”

Dr Abayomi Ajayi

ivf &you info@nordicalagos.org

0700 6673422

Infertility beat me, but didn’t break me AS a child, Bimpe’s dream had always been to marry her prince charming, have two or three children and live happily ever after. In a way, her dream came partially true. She found Dare, her prince charming at 27, and after a couple of years of dating, married him in a fairytale wedding complete with a Cinderella wedding dress for her, black tuxedo for him, church for both of them and for everyone, a reception hall that mimicked a castle. Then began the wait for the children she dreamt about. The following month after the wedding, Bimpe waited for the supposed first day of her period to arrive, but nothing arrived. She waited another day, after all, she was often a couple of days late, so there was nothing to get excited about yet, or was there? Five days later, she was still waiting. No period. After two more days of no period, Bimpe got really anxious. My period has never been this late. Am I pregnant? She wondered. She almost peed in her pants at the thought of such possibility. She had got married a virgin, and all thoughts of sex, pregnancy and babies were all still a bit new. Could I possibly become pregnant on the very first try? She kept wondering. But there were no answers. When she broke the news to Dare, Bimpe didn’t say “I think I’m pregnant”.

What she said was “I think I might be with child”. In her estimation, the word “child” had a lot more meaning than “pregnant” at this point in time. Dare was ecstatic. Wow, that’s absolutely fantastic! He yelled, but he wanted them to be sure. In fact they needed to be sure. A pregnancy test was inevitable. The next day, he drove Bimpe to the hospital. She took the test and it was negative. She took it again the next morning and the morning after. Negative, both times. Maybe it was too soon, but her period was more than a week late and that was abnormal. Bimpe took the pregnancy test five times and received five negative results, but no period arrived. She didn’t lose hope, and Dare also remained hopeful. Despite the multiple negative results, excitement built between them. Even with no periods and no pregnancy to show, Bimpe tried to think rationally. If she was not having a period, then she just had to be pregnant she reasoned. The doctors didn’t help much. They didn’t confirm she was pregnant. But that was the only time Bimpe could remember truly experiencing the happiness of thinking she was pregnant. Thinking there could be a baby growing inside

her was like no other feeling she had in her entire life. She imagined telling people she and Dare were expecting and how excited and nervous it was making her. Bimpe started to look to the world differently, as only an expectant mother could. Then, exactly 12 days after the expected date, her period arrived. She was devastated. The realisation of not being pregnant after all was really hurting. The disappointment was much. She didn’t cry, but kept to herself and refused to talk about it. Not even with Dare. With time, thankfully, the pain gradually receded. The shock wore off and she looked forward to life as a normal, married woman. But no such luck. That experience was the start of a cycle of late periods, negative pregnancy tests and discouragement. It was not too long thereafter before Bimpe realised that trying to conceive could be an emotional mixed bag of excitement, fear, anxiety and disappointment. Over the next four years, she and Dare tried everything they knew was naturally possible to make a baby, but no luck. There was no pregnancy and certainly no baby. They went from pillar to post, from one fertility centre to the other, saw one doc-

tor after another, hoping for the miracle of conception all to no avail. For some time, during the search for the elusive pregnancy, Bimpe had noticed pain persistently in her lower abdomen particularly around the time of her period. It did not take long before confirmation that her problem was a severe case of endometriosis and it was the culprit of her endless months of infertility. Hers was now a world of pain. Endometriosis is a painful, chronic disease occurring when tissue lining the womb is found on the outside of the womb. It grows on ovaries, fallopian tubes, surface of the uterus, etc. the misplaced tissue develop into growths or implants and causes severe pain and infertility. After the first laparoscopic surgery, Bimpe started medications to further reduce the size of the implants. What that meant was more pain. She despised needles and so chose the pill form. Her body only responded to medications the first month and then went into lockdown against the oral medication. With no other option, she started the injectable after medications. There were no tangible results. The only option left was another laparoscopic surgery. To be continued next week

35 healthnews

Thursday, 10 December, 2015

‘50% of PLWHIV have access to treatment in Ogun’ By Gbenga Olumide

From left: Director, Regulatory and registration Directorate, Monica Eimunjeze; Group Regulatory manager, PZ Cussons PLC, Udoka Adegor; Director-General NAFDAC, Dr Paul Orhii and Mr Laolu Owolabi, during NAFDAC’s 2015 SummEx (Summit & Exhibition), recently in Lagos.

Laugh, good medicine for stress control By Sade Oguntola

IGERIANS have been told to pay more attention to smiling and laughing to control stress, a reason some people end up with headache, tiredness, sleeplessness or less performance at work. Dr Boladale Mapayi, a consultant psychiatrist at the Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospitals (OAUTH) complex, Ile-Ife, Osun State gave the charge in her lecture on stress management at the 4th National Women’s summit with the theme “Wealthy, Well & Wise Woman” in Ibadan. Mapayi, who remarked that stress was an inevitable part of living, said its excess was inimical to health and as such the need for people to learn how to cope through emotional focused techniques that include laughing and smiling. According to her, people only need to laugh deeply even if there is nothing around warranting the laugh as a recipe to stress control. She declared: “Some people do not know how to laugh; they do not know how to smile. Laughter is actually medicinal. When you laugh, you put into your body hormones that actually destroy depression.” The clinical psychologist said it was untrue that all stresses are bad, that all individuals must be stressed to succeed, or that there is nothing that can be done about stress.

The expert, saying there was the need to be objective on expectations individuals place on their lives, as part of stress management, said too much stress can have direct and indirect negative effects, including burn out, raised blood pressure, anxiety, stomach ulcer, worry, impaired body immunity, drug and alcohol use and headache. Mapayi, who emphasised the need for individuals to also identify areas of stress in their lives and their responses, said usually stress starts from the inside. She, however, highlighted positive modes of stress

management to include better time management; individuals appreciating good things about themselves; timeout, adequate nutrition and exercises, as well as mediation and progressive relaxation. Also, Princess Kathy Emiko, a certified fitness and nutrition specialist, who spoke on fitness and wellness, urged that individuals eat to live rather than live to eat. Emiko said eating right was a recipe for fitness and wealth given that improper eating can affect a person’s mental, emotional and physical well being. According to her, “food is not for pleasure or entertainment but a drug to be

taken according to prescription. Eating is a necessity, but one must learn to eat smart and clean, especially after the age of 35.” She remarked that food is not “one size fits all’, saying that there is a particular type of food for every age group, physiological states like pregnancy and those recuperating from illness. Emiko said daily intake of breakfast; increased intake of fruits and vegetables; drinking between six and eight glasses of water daily, avoidance of processed foods and carbonated fizzy drinks as well as intake of a balanced diet was essential for health and wellness.

OGUN State government has reiterated its commitment to ensuring the welfare of the citizenry as over 50 per cent of persons living positively with the HIV virus have access to treatment, care and support. Government is also working hard to ensure that the rest of the people living with the virus are able to access the same treatment when they need it. The state’s Commissioner for Health, Dr Babatunde Ipaye, told newsmen this at a press briefing in Abeokuta to commemorate the 2015 World AIDS Day. The commissioner added that not everyone diagnosed to be HIV positive are immediately placed on antiretroviral treatment. He explained that such persons were counselled on ways to prevent transmission of the virus, living a healthy lifestyle and their CD4 blood count monitored till there is need for treatment. Acording to him: “I need to let you know that it is not everybody that is HIV positive that requires immediate treatment. Such persons, however, need to be educated on modes of transmission of the virus to others. It is only when the CD4 count of the positives goes beyond the recommended level that such individuals are placed on treatment. On the average, about 40 per cent of people diagnosed to be HIV positive actually require treatment.”

Ipaye stated that 140,904 people accessed HIV Counselling and Testing in 2014, a far cry from the population of the state. Of the 4, 693 persons that tested positive to the virus in 2014, Ipaye said 2207 persons were currently receiving treatment, care and support. Answering questions on the activities of commercial sex workers and its effect on the spread of the HIV virus, the commissioner disclosed that the State Agency for the Control of AIDS (OGSACA) had engaged Community Based Organisations (CBOs) and Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) who are working with commercial sex workers to prevent the spread of the virus. The Commissioner identified some of the programmes embarked upon by CBOS and CSOs to include sensitisation and awareness talks on the virus, demonstration of proper use of condoms and HIV Counseling and Testing. Also speaking, the commissioner’s counterpart, Information and Strategy, Chief Adedayo Adeneye, stated that to achieve the target of ending AIDS in Nigeria by 2030, there was the need for greater involvement of youths as studies had shown young people aged 15 to 26 to be the most at risk of contracting the virus. He added that only a holistic approach involving other stakeholders including the private sector remained the best way for achieving an HIV free Nigeria.

Drugs are wonderful but sometimes dangerous —Expert By Sade Oguntola CONTRARY to many people’s belief on drug safety, an expert in pharmacology, Professor Fatai Fehintola has said over 90 per cent of adverse drug reaction are actually traceable to common antibiotics, anticoagulants like aspirins and pain killers. Professor Fehintola, who spoke at a one-day pharmacovigilance workshop at the University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan, Oyo State, said although drugs were wonderful, they sometimes are dangerous. Fehintola, noting that the list of drugs that could cause adverse effects are in-exhaustive, said this is primarily what is referred to as the bad aspects of

medicine. The expert, while saying medicines can exacerbate systems, conceal and worsen existing illness and cause a new disease, declared, “Drugs have caused diseases, and will continue to cause harm to many people. So, if you take a drug and it is giving you any effect that is making you uncomfortable, you must report.” The expert, however, declared that adverse drug reaction was common in multiple drug users, those with inadequate diagnosis and in certain physiological conditions such as pregnancy In keeping medicines safe and effective, Fehintola said there was the need for honest communication among prescribers, research regu-

lators, manufacturers, dispensers and users. According to him, “all of us need to be vigilant; we need to be open-minded and alert that a drug can worsen the condition of a patient or even bring other symptoms the patient did not come with to the hospital. “It is not that we should be afraid of drugs, but that we should be cautious when we are taking drugs. We should only take drugs when it is absolutely necessary. We should also take drugs for the specification that has been so indicated. “The fact that it is a doctor that prescribes your medication and it is only obtained from a pharmacy, does not mean that it cannot cause problems because nobody knows the

inner working of a person. Of course, there are differences in the inner workings of every person. The claim that it is an herbal medication, Professor Fehintola said does not also mean that it cannot cause an adverse effect. “For instance, the diarrhea episode that people termed as indicative of a good job when they take herbal preparations they claimed is for back pain or pile, is actually an adverse effect. So we need to watch it,” he declared. Mrs Y. A Adenuga, NAFDAC’s South-West zonal coordinator, corroborated the need to report drug reactions and declared the possibility of individuals also reacting to other things such as cosmetics, detergents, drinks and medical

devices. Adenuga saying such reports made to healthcare professionals form basis for monitoring, regulatory decisions, safety and evidence for recall of products, declared that pharmacovigilance was in support of actualising NADFAC’s mandate, which are to ensure quality, safety and efficacy of drugs. Earlier, Chief Medical Director, UCH, Ibadan Professor Temitope Alonge, represented by Dr Femi Afolabi, the hospital’s Chairman, Medical Advisor Committee, said the hospital expects that information on pharmacovigilance generated in the hospital be made available to ensure better health care of patients in other hospitals in the country.

Thursday, 10 December, 2015

healthpeople Never throw your expired drugs into dust bins —Adeshina, ALP’s Vice chairman

Mrs Afusat Adeshina, Vice Chairman, Southwest, Association of Lady Pharmacists (ALP) in this interview with SADE OGUNTOLA expands on how lady pharmacists have been imparting their communities and how to make the pharmaceutical sector thrive.

HAT IS THE ATTRACTION to you as a member of the Association of Lady Pharmacists? Actually, I started serving immediately I left the university. I attended their meeting where they discussed things on humanity. Actually, the outreach that opened my eyes was that done in a market in Lagos State where talks were given on importance of deworming and worm expellers to the populace. Many of them do not know the importance of de-worming or the fact that some foods they eat actually can carry eggs of worms. After that programme, I made up my mind that this is where to serve. By such programmes, one can actually make impact. While serving as the assistant secretary to Lagos State Association of Lady Pharmacists, we had many outreach programmes. We were to secondary schools to talk to students on drug abuse because one of the objectives of lady pharmacists was to talk to adolescents on drug abuse and we do have a song for them. At a point in time, the administration of Lagos State was into environmental sanitation. We also felt that students needed to start this at a younger age. So, we donated cleaning materials to schools as well as talking to the students and their teachers on the need for cleanliness. As Association of Lady Pharmacists, we also give career talks when we go to schools and visit vulnerable children, especially during our conferences. We sponsor women who are HIV-positive; we empower them and even send their children to school. The association’s Project 91 is into cultivation of medicinal plants peculiar to each geopolitical zone. In the Southwest zone, where I am the zonal vice chairman, Lagos and Ogun States are supposed to work on effirin (scent leaf). Both states now have a garden established in Ogun State where the ladies are cultivating the plant. Already, an agriculture specialist is being consulted to see if we can have a massive production of this plant, as a way to empower women. It is often said that pharmacists are one’s partners in health. Indeed, how best can individuals make pharmacists their partner in ensuring good health? Pharmacists are experts on drugs. We have a group called the community pharmacists; you can find them within the community. Individuals can avail themselves the opportunity to ask questions and be educated on

medicines in general from them. For instance, a child may have been given a medication at the hospital. Sometimes, the mother is not counselled properly on how the medicine should be used. The community pharmacists, for instance, come very useful to offer counsel on this. Is it right to throw your leftover or expired drugs away into bust bins? No, it is wrong. It could constitute a nuisance to the environment. There are processes that should be followed, whether they are leftovers or expired. They are supposed to return them to the pharmacy. Are they going to take it from you since you didn’t buy these drugs from them? Yes, they will. Very soon you will see designated places that you can take unused or expired drugs to. We are not supposed to dispose them ourselves because they are chemical substances. What is your assessment of the growth of pharmacy practice in Nigeria? The practice of pharmacy in Nigeria is not at the level it is supposed to be. The layman on the street could just tell you that the pharmacist is there to just count your tablets, but it’s far from that. Take example of the hospital, the pharmacist has different roles and intervention in ensuring that patient’s drug needs are met. For instance, even when the cost of a particular brand of drug is not affordable to the patent, the pharmacist takes to time look for an alternative one for the patient’s use. This is what is referred to as pharmacoeconomics. In terms of drug accessibility and affordability, Nigeria is not there yet. Although, there is what is called the essential drug list, sometimes a client goes into the hospital but does not comes out with the major drugs

In terms of drug accessibility and affordability, Nigeria is not there yet.

that he or she requires. We still need to do a lot more to put a stop to out-of-drug syndrome in our hospitals. Are we faring well on drug manufacturing? About 70 per cent of the medicines in Nigeria are imported. No doubt, we do not have enough pharmacists in the country, but then that does not mean that almost all the medicines we are consuming should come from outside the country. What will be your counsel on drug accessibility and affordability to President Muhammadu Buhari One of the things he needs to look into is our local manufacturing. The condition of production is not very conducive. Electricity alone is a very big issue; so also is the human capital and raw materials for production. Agreed, we might not be able to produce drugs for some chronic or persistent diseases, but then, we need to start from somewhere. Right now, some pharmaceutical companies cannot continue production because of one tariff or the other. Moreover, making drugs affordable and accessible is not the only issue. Other sectors such as the agricultural sector must be made viable because many raw materials come from plants. Of course, our borders are porous and most of the fake products come in through them. There are many policies regarding this, but they need to be implemented. If there are efficacious anti-malarial drugs and antibiotics in Nigeria, for example, there is no basis for importing new ones. No doubt, fake products in circulation are reducing. But the cost of having fake and substandard drugs is like somebody killing a whole nation. If a pharmacist makes a mistake, it can wipe off a whole nation. Some people have advocated that convicted importers of substandard drugs should be made to face life imprisonment rather than the N200, 000 fine or six months in jail. What’s

your take on this? Fake drug can wipe out a whole nation, so I will support life imprisonment for convicted importers of substandard drugs. Cases of liver and kidney damage and so on abound because of substandard drugs. When a man descends so low to bring in substandard drugs but the person is liable to a mere fine of N200, 000 or six months imprisonment, that is too small. In your own opinion, how best can the disagreement in the industry over 20 per cent tariff on imported drugs between local manufacturers and importers be resolved? If we must grow, we must be able to make our economy grow. So, if we ‘kill’ our local manufacturers by making the environment not conducive for them, then, what are we talking about? Apart from providing jobs for our own youths, empowering our local manufactures is also important in ensuring drug affordability and accessibility. There is no point importing things that we can manufacture in our country. The real issue is not importing, it is the tariff. I am importing at zero tariff and you are importing raw materials between five and 20 per cent. That is the environment I said should be made conducive for our local manufacturers. If it is conducive and that tariff is not much, they will be able to do well. What will happen to importers overtime? There are some drugs we do not have the capacity to make for now, like the cancer drugs which must be imported. We have patients who need those drugs and we cannot ask them to wait until we can manufacture. But let us do well on those that we are manufacturing and then lower this tariff, that is what I meant by making the environment conducive for production. When you are not importing what I am producing, I will have my own market too. So, we are both doing something different.

Thursday, 10 December, 2015

How Yoruba’s treat cataract —Experts By Sade Oguntola

TRAINING to see or read is something that many people take seriously. No doubt, a host of eye problems affect people’s ability to see well, especially during old age. The commonest of them is cataract. Cataract is a major cause of blindness in the world. It is estimated that about 41.8 per cent of blindness in the world is caused by cataract with a higher incidence in developing countries. The cause of cataract is diverse, however, many things including smoking, oxidative stress, nutrition, excessive exposure to sunlight, long-term use of steroids and diseases like diabetes increases a person’s risk of developing cataract. With cataract, everything around the individual fades away. Everything seems to be covered with mist or fog. Of course, the problem starts slowly and only becomes a big challenge when debilitating. Inside the eye, there is the lens that directs light to the back of the eye. With age, the proteins in the lens can clump together, causing the lens to turn cloudy, a condition called a cataract. This occurs gradually; often taking many years before the changes in vision is noticed. No doubt, different methods are available for the treatment of cataract, including surgery. Moreover, there are also herbal remedies to manage cataract, without resorting to surgery, which is explored in rural areas. In African communities, the fluid that oozes out from the flower bud of Spathodea campanulata is commonly used as a local eye drop in Nigeria and is anecdotally claimed to improve vision and prevent eye diseases. Spathodea campanulata a widely used or-

GETTING yourself the right bra size is like fixing the right peg in the right hole, unfortunately, majority of women out there are wearing the wrong bra size. This may seem like no big deal, but it actually is something you should think about before you buy your next new bra. The wrong bra size does not only affect how your breast looks, wearing a bra that does not fit you correctly can result in a whole lot of side effects that are really not funny. It is, therefore, important for you as a woman to know if your bra size is not correct, if you display any of these telltale signs, then, you still need to go out and get a perfect fitting bra. Headaches Believe it or not, an ill-fitting bra can cause some seriously annoying headaches. If your bra is too tight, it causes tension on your shoulders, neck and back and that in turn can cause headaches. You can stretch your boobs out A bra that is the wrong size can cause the ligaments to stretch, which can ultimately result in saggy boobs. Make sure your breasts are getting enough support!

namental plant is known as the African tulip tree, fountain tree or the flame of the forest, sausage tree leaves or Oruru in Yoruba. In a view to provide empirical scientific support for the use of this fluid that oozes or exudates from flower buds of this plant in the treatment and management of cataract, researchers at the Obafemi Awolowo University, IleIfe, Osun State tested these in animals under laboratory conditions. This researchers, which involved Adio Gbemisola I; Faluyi J. O and Osoniyi O was published in the 2014 edition of the African Journal of Traditional, Complementary and Alternative Medicine. The study was in 50 rat lenses made to develop cataract. The effectiveness of this exudate was compared with

sex,sexuality

&your health With Monica Taiwo

strictly adult teenagers, adult & geriatric sexual well being

08187754992 (sms only) taiwomonica@gmail.com

When you wear the wrong bra… Back pain If your bra is too big, that means that you are not getting enough support. And if you are not getting enough support, your boobs; especially if they are large, will give you back pain. Too-tight straps If your bra is too big, you will probably start tightening

natural

health Captopril, one of the most commonly used drugs in the treatment of cataract. The exudate was collected by cutting off the tip of fresh flower buds of Spathodea campanulata and pressed to release the fluid into a brown bottle. The researchers’ finding which corroborated that Spathodea campanulata flower bud exudate contains bioactive molecules that possess anti-cataract activity, indicated that its effectiveness was however, dose-dependent. They found that photographic evaluation of the low dose treated cataract lens showed a lower degree of transparency when compared to the control, captopril and the high dose treated cataract lenses. Previously, herbal preparations containing herbs such as Terminalia chebula, Terminalia bellarica , Emblica officinalis and Andrographis paniculata have been used in treating cataract. Meanwhile, experts have also recommended specific nutrients and food products such as garlic, Turmeric, vitamin C enriched products like eucalyptus honey, oranges, pawpaw and green peppers to help slow down the progression of cataract growth. Vitamin C is an antioxidant, and antioxidants might help prevent damage to the cells that make up the natural lens. Fruit juices such as carrot and mango juices provide eye health benefits. Carrot juice, for example, has potent powers to give those who drink it healthy eyes. The reason is because, the juice contain lots of Vitamin A which offers powerful nourishment to the eyes. Pawpaw juice is rich in vitamin C and is an antioxidant that helps reduce the risk of age-related muscular degeneration (AMD) and the forming of cataracts. the straps so that your boobs get lifted up more. What this does is create ugly red marks in your shoulder that are not supposed to be there Your boobs bulge out When your bra is too tight your boobs bulge out; this looks really terrible and annoying. This makes your dressing horrible. Back bulge If your bra is too tight, the back strap is going to be tight, which is going to cause some annoying bulge on your back. If it is too loose, you are probably going to try to fix that by tightening in the straps. That means your bra strap rides up your back until it becomes seriously uncomfortable. Indigestion This obviously sounds weird, but it is true; the wrong size bra can cause stomach pain and indigestion. If the bra is too tight, it will dig into your ribs and upper stomach area, causing problems inside your body that you don’t even realise. Bra gaps Gaps in between your bra and your boobs mean that your cup size is too big. This is more annoying than anything else and it just looks weird Shoulder Pain Remember when your straps are too tight, it results in red marks. Well, they also result in shoulder pain. It is so uncomfortable and so not worth it. Rib and stomach bulge Again, a bra that is too tight only results in bulges. If the band is too tight, it is going to dig into your ribs and make your skin bulge out. This is not comfortable and not fun.

Thursday, 10 December, 2015

Taiwo Adisa - 08072000046 Group Politics Editor taiadis@yahoo.com

Saraki

Ndume

Senate move to restrict online media operations Group Politics Editor, TAIWO ADISA, examines the planned passage of the Social Media Restriction Law, by the Nigerian Senate.

ast week, the Senate passed through the second reading a bill seeking to regulate activities of online publishers and social media users in the country. The bill, sponsored by deputy Senate Leader, Bala Ibn Na’Allah expressed its readiness to curtail what has been seen as unfettered freedom being enjoyed by social media users in the country. The bill, sponsored by Senator Ibn Na’Allah (APC, Kebbi South) entitled, “A Bill for an Act to Prohibit Frivolous Petitions and other Matters Connected therewith,” seeks to compel those who write petitions to accompany their petitions with sworn court affidavits, while they could be liable to six months imprisonment if they failed to do so. The bill is also seeking a two-year jail term for any person who makes allegation or publishes any statement or petition in the newspaper, radio or medium of whatever description against another person, institutions of government or any public office holder. Na’Allah, in the lead debate on the bill, said that the Nigerian society had in the past been portrayed as one in which the rights of public officials are simply curtailed or abused just on the strength of frivolous petitions. He said that as a nation with strong desire to move forward, the negative trend must be reversed. He said that the Senate needed to answer the question as to whether having

passed the Freedom of Information bill into law, which he said gives unfettered access to public information, the government should continue to waste “valuable time and resources” in investigating frivolous petitions. Na’Allah further submitted: “Our past has portrayed us as a society where by mere expedience of writing a frivolous petition against public officials, you can have their right abused by taking certain measures that practically took away their right of presumptions of innocence only to be found later that the petition, as strong as it appears, on the paper actually lacks merit.

Having benefitted from a vibrant media, it is worrisome that the lawmakers have turned around to debate a law which seeks to punish users of online media platforms.

“This sometimes, lead to a lot of innocent and most times honest civil servants being taken away from the public service only to be replaced by the dishonest ones, which invariably lead to the draining of the public service of civil servants with the desired integrity to move this country forward simply on grounds of principles. “As a nation with strong desire to move forward, this negative trend must be reversed, if only the desired objectives of the country.” He further stated that the bill, which appears “sunset” in its nature, consists of four sections which in clear terms spelt out the punishment for frivolous petition, and what constitutes frivolous petition. He submitted further: “The bill seeks to provide punishment for frivolous petitions by making sure that only credible and. Verifiable petitions are presented for public use. “The utility of the bill is to equally save the time for good governance and resources that go into investigating frivolous petitions. The bill would equally assist in shaping our negative thinking by elevating hard work over and above sycophancy and indolence. “The question to ask is, whether having passed the Freedom of Information Act which gives unfettered access by the public information from government offices they would be right for this government to continue to waste valuable time and resources in investigating frivolous petitions from the same public and I am sure you would find no difficulty in saying no to the ugly situation.” The bill prescribes that anybody or group of persons who send any false text

message or post false message on the social media against another person shall be jailed for two years upon conviction by the law court. It provides an option of N4 million fine for persons convicted of false newspaper, radio and television statements and N2 million fine option for offenders of false phone text messages or messages on facebook, twitter, instagram, or whatsApp. The bill indicates that: “Where any person in order to circumvent this law makes any allegation and or publish any statement, petition in any paper, radio, or any medium of whatever description, with malicious intent to discredit or set the public against any person or group of persons, institutions of government, he shall be guilty of an offence and upon conviction, shall be liable to an imprisonment term of two years or a fine of N4, 000,000.00.” While targeting the social media directly, the bill indicates that: “Where any person through text message, tweets, whatsApp or through any social media post any abusive statement knowing same to be false with intent to set the public against any person and group of persons, an institution of government or such other bodies established by law shall be guilty of an offence and upon conviction, shall be liable to an imprisonment for two years or a fine of N2,000,000.00 or both fine and imprisonment.” The bill stated that it shall be an offence for any petition to be submitted without a sworn affidavit from the law court. It further states: “Notwithstanding anything contained in any law, it shall be an unlawful to submit any petition, statement Continues on pg39

politics&policy

Thursday, 10 December, 2015

Gov. Ishaku

Al-Hassan

The intrigues and anxiety over Taraba gov’s seat Sylvanus Viashima - Jalingo

he Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal, sitting in Abuja, recently, nullified the election of Architect Darius Ishaku of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) and ordered the reinstatement of Senator Aisha Alhassan of the All Progressives Congress APC, as the duly elected governor of the state. The judgment sparked off an unprecedented chain of reactions from both legal luminaries and other individuals and groups in the society. The main substance of the judgment is that Ishaku was not qualified to contest the election ab initio, since he did not emerge from a proper party primaries as prescribed by the law. The court however did not grant the other prayer of the petitioner to nullify the election of Ishaku on the grounds of sufficient non compliance, thus, leaving the APC and Alhassan with a fragile trail to hang onto, and Ishaku and the PDP with a ray of hope. The governor and the PDP have already filed an appeal in Abuja challenging the decision of the tribunal to nullify his election on the basis of a party primary election that is an “internal affair,” as it is popularly said. He has variously described the judgment of the tribunal as a “rape of democracy and disgraceful. In his appeal, the governor posited that he was a validly elected candidate of his party and that the party primary election was moved from Jalingo to Abuja for the same reasons the tribunal also was moved to Abuja -insecurity. This is in addition to the prayer of his counsel that party primaries are pre-election matters that should

be allowed to be by the party internally. In the legal battle for the senatorial seats for Kogi, all three APC senators who were declared winners of the election by the Independent National Electoral Commission, (INEC) had been dragged to the tribunal on the common ground that the party did not conduct primaries prior to the 2015 general election as against the grains of the law. While the case against Senator Dino Melaye, Kogi West was dismissed at the lower tribunal, the duo of Mohammed Ohiare and Abdulrahman Abubakar had suffered defeats at the lower tribunal. With the December 2 judgments, the election that produced Senator Abdulrahman (Railway) of Kogi East was finally nullified and another election was ordered by the Appeal Court within 90 days. Remarkably, APC was disqualified from contesting the bye election as its candidate ab initio was improperly nominated. The same judgment was delivered between Senator Ohiare of the APC and Honourable Ogembe of the PDP. In Taraba, the hurdle is that the others

persons who supposedly participated in the primaries may not be on the same page with the PDP in the state at the moment. Chief David Sabo Kente abandoned the party immediately after the return from Abuja alledging that there was no primaries, while Alhaji Garba Umar UTC has chosen to remain mute except via the social media through his spokesperson. The governor and the PDP however have a formidable legal team led by Joseph Boderin Dauda (SAN) they believe the tribunal erred in law by nullifying the election Ishaku and declaring Senator Alhassan of the APC as winner. It is however crystal clear that the PDP camp is not the only one dissatisfied with the judgement of the tribunal. Senator Alhassan and the APC also filed a cross appeal, challenging the decision of the tribunal not to have established that the election that brought Ishaku to power was marred by irregularities and substantial non-compliance with relevant provisions. According to the state commissioner of

Since the creation of Taraba in 1991, the state has been ruled almost exclusively by the predominant Christians, with the exception of the last three years, following the predicament of former Governor Danbaba Danfulani Suntai.

Justice Bar. Yusufu Akirikwen, “the move by the APC candidate and the party is a clear indication that they know the issue of party primaries will not hold waters at the appeal court and so they need to have something to fall back to,” a plan B. The Taraba governorship is particularly interesting because of the intrigues and the stakes, informing the obvious uneasy calm that now prevail in the state ahead of the ruling of the appeal court. It has both religious and sectional coloration. Egos are at stake, while impressionable statements are waiting to be aired, none of these the least to be ignored. Since the creation of the Taraba in 1991, the state has been governor almost exclusively by the predominant Christians, with the exception of the last three years following the predicament of former Governor Danbaba Danfulani Suntai, which made way for Alhaji Garba Umar and Senator Sani Danladi to govern in acting capacities. The Muslim minority now feels it is time for them to have a shot at the number one seat in the state in the person of Senator Aisha Alhassan. The Christians majority also feel that since democracy is a game of numbers, they have the right to rule for the time being. Beyond the religious undertone, the Central Senatorial Zone, where Senator Alhassan comes from, produced the first and longest serving governor of the state so far in the person of Reverend Jolly Nyame. The Northern zone also produced the immediate past Governor Suntai. It is considered by some locals that it is the turn of the Southern Taraba to produce the governor, thus Ishaku.

politics&policy How the issue was addressed in the past 39

Thursday, 10 December, 2015

Melaye

Olujimi Continues on pg38

intended to report the conduct of any person for the purpose of an investigation, inquiry and or inquest without a duly sworn affidavit in the High Court of a state or the Federal High Court confirming the content to be true and correct and in accordance with the Oaths Act. “Any petition and or complains not accompanied by a sworn affidavit shall be incompetent and shall not be used by any government institution, agency or bodies established by any law for the time being enforced in Nigeria. “Any person who unlawfully uses, publish or cause to be published any petition, complaint not supported by a dully sworn affidavit shall be deemed to have committed an offence and upon conviction, shall be liable to an imprisonment for six months without an option of fine. “Any person who acts, uses, or cause to be used any petition or complaints not accompanied by dully sworn affidavit shall be deemed to have committed an offence and upon conviction, shall be liable to an imprisonment for a term of two years or a fine of N200, 000.00 or both.” Perhaps, to further drive home its readiness to pass that bill, a day after the bill passed the second reading in the red chamber, the Senate again entertained another motion this time from Senator Dino Melaye, who raised complaints against what he called false publications by an online medium. Senator Melaye had raised a point of Order to complain about “false and unjust publications” by one of the online media organizations, Sahara Reporters, against the 8th Senate. He noted that Sahara Reporters has, in the recent time, engaged in a number of false publications against the Senate maintaining that the Senate would not remain silent over what he referred to as negative aspersions on the 8th Senate. He said: “While I celebrate the social media as a major actor, this Senate should not be blackmailed or cowed because of the social media. They (online social media) are able to drag democracy into crisis by casting aspersions on the Senate. “The Senate is a hallowed and sacred chamber. This can have a negative concomitant effect on democracy. They have commercialized their consciences and monetized their operations, and are now tools used against perceived political enemies. This Senate must not, because of fear of blackmail, keep quiet.” Senate Majority Leader, Senator Ali Ndume, who supported the motion, asked the Senate to institute laws against what he called “nefarious activities” and operations of online media organizations. He noted that there are many other media houses that are equally guilty of “incessant lies” against politicians and other public figures and lamented that he had in the past been accused of buying 400 Golf Volkswagen cars for Boko Haram. Ndume said: “It is getting so much out of hand. It is not only the Sahara Reporters; there are many of them. People set up social media and start writing all sorts of things without being held responsible. We are a law-making body. We have the responsibility of holding people re-

sponsible. We need to stand up and look into this issue.” Deputy Minority Whip, Senator Biodun Olujimi, who also acknowledged that the social media had contributed to the expansion of media space in Nigeria, condemned what she called the various unruly behaviours of social media actors. She said:”It (social media) has benefitted everybody. It has helped in our elections. It is the best thing that has happened to us. When we (Peoples Democratic Party) members were in the government, our party suffered from the attacks of the social media operators. The APC benefited so much from the social media then. “Today, it is the turn of your government to receive the attacks from their activities. But castigating the entire Senate, we must do something against them.” Senate President Abubakar Bukola Saraki, who presided over the sitting, who noted the inaccuracy observed among social media operatives, added that “a few bad eggs are set to sabotage what goes on in the social media. “We all agreed to support the freedom of speech. But as a Senate, we should not be blackmailed. You can’t write false stories just because it is social media,” Saraki said, while referring the motion to the committees on ICT, Cyber Crime and Judiciary, and Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions. The move by the Senate immediately caught the attention of media practitioners around the world. The move was perceived as meaning an attempt to return Nigeria to the dark days of Decree 4 of 1984. The Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE) and other stakeholders in the media condemned the bill and insisted on a free society. The Guild of Corporate Online Publishers (GOCOP) in a statement, called on the Senate not to deny Nigerians of their “universally recognised” right to freedom of expression.

When in July 2012, immediate past Senate President David Mark announced the need to caution social media activists and users of the new media, the whole world nearly came crashing on his head….Many had posited that his military background was responsible for his disposition towards the social media.

Its publicity Secretary, Olumide Iyanda, described the bill being considered in the Senate as a threat to the freedom of expression and obligation of the media as enshrined the Nigerian Constitution. “We wish to call the attention of the Senate to the UN Declaration of Human Rights, which guarantees freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers. “Nigeria is also a signatory to other international statutes like the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the UN Convention against Corruption, among others.” GOCOP further said: “As other countries adopt more generous and dynamic approach to the protection of free speech to allow citizens access to information without fear of intimidation, the National Assembly should not shackle the very media for which our present democracy owes it survival. “Having benefitted from a vibrant media, it is worrisome that the lawmakers have turned around to debate a law which seeks to punish users of online media platforms.” It further declared: “While we continuously campaign for responsible, objective and transparent practice among media practitioners and social media users across platforms, members of the Senate should not restrain access to information to protect politicians and other high ranking individuals who do not want to be held accountable for their actions.” But the development in the Senate is not the first in recent times. The chamber has come under attacks in recent years for alleged plots to restrict free speech. In 2012, the chamber was accused by some sections of the media for attempting to approve official snitching on individuals through the terrorism bill. When in July 2012, immediate past Senate President David Mark addressed a retreat of the Senate Press Corps in Umuahia, Abia State and announced the need to caution social media activists and users of the new media, the whole world nearly came crashing on his head. He was promptly taken up by social media activists and critics, who rained all sorts of insults on the man. Many had posited that Mark’s military background was responsible for his disposition towards the social media. Mark, while declaring open the two-day retreat, called for caution on the usage of social media in the country, as according to him, social media users have no avenue for retraction, while also failing to observe social responsibility. His Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Kola Ologbondiyan had to issue clarifications and deny the insinuation that Mark called for censorship of the social media and online publishers in Nigeria. He explained that Mark only stated that: “The emergence of the social media like facebook, twitter, blackberry messenger, YouTube etc have changed the face of the media practice by making information sharing easier, faster and quicker. But this is not without its demerits. Social media has become a threat to the ethics of media practice and good governance because of its accessibility and absolute freedom. Every freedom carries a responsibility. Even in the advanced democracies, where we all agree that good governance is practiced, there is no absolute freedom.” He further quoted his boss as saying that “there must be a measure to check the negative tendencies of the social media in our country. I say this because media practice, particularly journalism, process news gathering and dissemination. It also operates a feedback mechanism and where the practitioners erred there is room for rebuttal. But in the social media a faceless character can post any information that is absolutely false and misleading but will never retract it. At the end of the day one is bombarded with questions over what one has no business with. I suggest that schools of mass communication and journalism should review their curricular to include the operations of social media.” While some commentators are seeing this as a ploy by the ruling the All Progressives Congress (APC) to cage the vibrant social media, the Presidency said on Monday that the bill did not emanate at its prompting. What happens to the bill going forward will determine all that. What is clear now though remains the notorious fact that having in some ways gingered the social media into largely seizing the nation’s attention through a proliferation of both truths and half truths in the build up to the last election, politicians are becoming uncomfortable with the influence the sector now wields.

news

Thursday, 10 December, 2015

We will pursue privatised power sector —Fashola FG to begin demolition of illegal structures on major highways Adetola Bademosi-Abuja

Olugbemi kick-starts HIV/AIDS awareness campaign

Benue gov, wife adopt abandoned baby Johnson babajide-Makurdi

By Mojisola Adewunmi

FG trains 100 on GIS skills in Ondo

Scene of an accident where a trailer rammed into a building at Eleyele, Ologuneru Road, Ibadan, on Wednesday. PHOTO: TOMMY ADEGBITE

78 inmates will regain their freedom tomorrow —Al-Makura Ademola Adegbite-Lafia

41 news

Thursday, 10 December, 2015

Kogi: APC may replace Faleke —Odigie-Oyegun Says social media needs clean-up

HAIRMAN of All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, says James Faleke will be replaced as deputy governor-elect should the need arise. Odigie-Oyegun said this in Abuja on Wednesday in an interaction with newsmen. Faleke, who was running mate to late Abubakar Audu in the November 21 gubernatorial elections in Kogi, rejected the same position after the party replaced Audu with Alhaji Yayaha Bello, who was runner-up in the party’s primaries. Faleke demanded that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) should declare him governor-elect, and chose Audu’s son, Mohammed, as his running mate. He threatened to seek redress in court if INEC failed to do so, and had since gone to court. Odigie-Oyegun said: “On the Faleke issue, it is rather a straightforward and easy issue; we have replaced a governorship candidate. “If the need arises and subject to what the law says, we will also get a deputy governorship candidate, but we will cross those bridges as they arise but they have not arisen yet.” On Falake’s statement not to be available for swearingin on January 27, 2016, he said, “as a political party, we simply understand the frustration that emanated from the death of Abubakar Audu. “However, it is normal for us to accommodate the immediate reactions coming from the people involved. “They were at the gate of victory, but the gate was shut in their faces because of the death of their mentor, Abubakar Audu, who would have been our governor in the state. “So, a lot of things which normally we would not have accepted happened, but we have to accept them so long that everybody will simmer down as time pass by. “Wielding the big stick in a situation like this might not be appropriate, but there will be a timeline to it, enough will be enough at a certain time.” According to the chairman, issues in the state have been resolved in favour of the APC even as the entire polity had to be original to finding solutions to problems which were not detailed in the Constitution. “In the next few weeks depending on who goes to court or who doesn’t, we

will know the boundaries of the law in respect of these issues. Odigie-Oyegun said that the party’s stance on the controversial Bill for an Act to Prohibit Frivolous Petitions and Other Matters known as the anti-social

media bill was known. He said that the social media space needed clean up as the use of outright abuses and insults instead of constructive criticisms was wrong. On subsidy, he said: “ whether subsidy goes or stays is an intricate and ma-

jor issue. ‘’If it has to go, the government must have to construct the palliatives to cushion the effect of the hardships that may come on the ordinary Nigerian. “Anyway, eventually, subsidy will have to go, but we

have not reached that stage yet. ‘’You cannot just wake up and announce that subsidy has been removed without putting the adequate programmes in place to cushion the negative aspects that may be involved.”

National Commissioner, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Anthonia Okosi-Simbine (second right) and the Kogi State Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Halilu Pai (right), presenting certificate of return to the Kogi State governor-elect, Alhaji Yahaya Bello, at the INEC headquarters, Lokoja, Kogi State, on Wednesday. PHOTO: YINKA OLADOYINBO

...Faleke absent as Bello gets certificate of return Yinka Oladoyinbo - Lokoja THE Kogi State governor elect, Alhaji Yahaya Bello, on Wednesday, said his administration would give a new direction to the state and leave it better after the expiration of his tenure. This is just as the National Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Mahmood Yakubu, said the commission performed creditably well with the conduct of the Kogi State governorship election. Speaking at the presentation of certificate of return at the INEC headquarters in Lokoja, the state capital, Bello said he had promised the people of the state during his campaign at the primary election level that he was poised to give the state a new lease of life. According to him, the state deserved to have moved from the stage it is presently, saying he would put up a formidable team that would redirect its affairs. He explained that he would ensure intervention in five major sectors of the state, which include agriculture, education, health care delivery, infrastructural development and human capital development. The governor-elect how-

ever said the circumstances that led to his emergence had made it compulsory for him to ensure that he delivered on his promises. Bello also noted that the present Kogi State is one in which sectional, tribal and religion acrimonies abound, pledging that he would put an end to it immediately he is inaugurated on January 27, 2016. Paying tribute to the former governorship candidate of the party, Abubakar Audu, he said the former governor left a big shoe that he was finding difficult to

put on, adding that the only way to remember Audu was to continue with the value and ideal which he lived for. He, however, expressed appreciation to the INEC for conducting a free and fair election that led to his emergence as governor, saying the lapses noted in the exercise should be improved upon before the next general election. Presenting the certificate, the INEC boss, who was represented by a National Commissioner, Prof Anthonia Okoosi-Simbine, gave the commission a pass mark

over the conduct of the election. Yakubu said despite the “historically, politically, constitutionally and above all, divinely unprecedented circumstances,” the commission was able to conduct a creditable election in Kogi State. He, however said the feat was achieved because of the cooperation of the security agencies, leadership of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) and the corps members who served as ad-hoc staff during the election.

551 Nigerians kidnapped in 4 months, N137.5m ransom paid —DSS By Wale Akinselure ABOUT 551 Nigerians in 395 reported cases have been kidnapped in the country in the last four months. Oyo Director of Department of State Security (DSS), Mr Alhassan Baba, made this disclosure when he appeared before the State House of Assembly, on Tuesday, to speak on the trend of kidnapping in the state and the country at large. Speaking at the plenary presided over by the Speak-

er, Honourable Michael Adeyemo, Baba noted that, barring unreported cases, about N137.5 million was paid as ransom out of about N4 billion requested by the kidnappers. He hinted that 83 persons were rescued in August and September. According to Baba, there was an increase in kidnap cases because thugs engaged by politicians become disengaged after elections and take to kidnapping. Baba said the categories of kidnap ranged from kidnap of Fulanis by their kins-

men to those perpetrated by members of the Boko Haram sect to get funds for their activities. Especially, he decried the uncooperative attitude of victims after release and uncooperative attitude of telecom operators to facilitate investigations and arrests. He, however, assured that the DSS had identified the various kidnap groups and their leaders who had infiltrated all regions of the country, adding that while some had been arrested, others were on the run.

Lalong sends 17 commissioner nominees list to Plateau assembly Isaac Shobayo - Jos AFTER six months of anxiety and expectations, Governor Simon Bako Lalong of Plateau State has finally passed the list of his commissionernominees to the state House of Assembly for final approval. All the 17 local government areas of the state were represented with an appointee each. Nigerian Tribune learnt that the list of the nominees was a big surprise to most party faithful who had expected that some prominent members of the party would make the list while some members who had been going about as potential commissioners were disappointed. Reacting to the list, former Commissioner for Information in the state, Mr Yakubu Dati, described the list of commissionernominees as well considered and bound to inspire confidence on the ability of the Simon Lalong administration to deliver the dividends of democracy.

Appeal Court reaffirms Hon Ige’s election By Tunde Ogunesan THE Court of Appeal sitting in Ibadan has reaffirmed the election of a member of the Oyo State House of Assembly representing Ibadan South East Constituency II under Accord Party, Honourable Ademola Akeem Ige. The Court, while delivering its judgment in the appeal no: CA/IB/EPT/ HA/13/2015, filed by the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate in the April 2015 election, Mr Adebolu Folorunsho Okikiolu, Justice Tsamani, who read the judgment, struck out and dismissed the appeal for failure of the appellant to provide credible evidence to proof the alleged irregularities in the said election, adding that the appeal lacked merit. The Court, thereafter, awarded the cost of N50, 000 against the Appellant, Mr Adebolu Okikiolu and the APC in favour of the respondents, Honourable Ademola Ige and his party, Accord.

42 news

Thursday, 10 December, 2015

Fuel now sells at N300 per litre —NLC Calls for revocation of marketers’ licences

Soji-Eze Fagbemi-Abuja

igeria Labour Congress (NLC) has alleged that fuel is being sold in most parts of the country for as high as N300 per litre as against the N87 official pump price, which it perceived as a strategy by greedy oil marketers to jack up the current fuel pump price. Given this development, the NLC has therefore called on President Muhammadu Buhari not to allow his government to give in to such selfishly motivated intention of oil marketers, saying their greedy aim is make more profits at the expense of the poor Nigerian masses. The NLC also called on the government to revoke the operational licences of marketers caught hoarding fuel, just as it said that their stations should be compulsorily acquired by the state. In a keynote address delivered at the ongoing National Delegates’ Conference of the National Association of Academic Technologists (NAAT) in Abuja, the acting President of NLC, Comrade Peters Adeyemi, also called on the government to take stringent and far-reaching punitive measures against those hoarding the product. “In an earlier statement on fuel scarcity that have hit various parts of the country, resulting in fuel being sold for up to N300 per litre in some parts of the country as against the official price of N87 per litre, we had called on the government not to allow itself to be blackmailed into doing the bidding of the vested interests in the downstream sector, whose sole purpose is greed and more profits at the expense of the welfare and well-being of the people. “We had called on the administration to take punitive measures against those hoarding the product. We commend the action of the administration in apprehending some hoarders and distributing their stock of fuel free to the public. However, for us in congress, the action of the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) is not farreaching enough. “Those involved in the diabolical actions year in, year out, are hardened in their determination to extort money from the people. Those caught hoarding fuel

should have their licences to operate revoked, and their stations compulsorily acquired by the state and handed over to the NNPC mega stations to operate. “This is the only deterrent that will stop the perpetual

punishment that marketers – major, independent or minor – continue to subject Nigerians to at the slightest excuse,” Comrade Adeyemi stated On the issue of subsidy and deregulation, he warned that

the NLC would not accept a situation where in the quest to make quick money; the governing elite would continue to sabotage refining of petroleum products in the country. In his address, the National

President of NAAT, Comrade Sani Suleiman, said the pledge of the Federal Government to revitalise the university system through the intervention fund from 2013 through 2018 had not been redeemed.

Ogun State governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun (third left) addressing a session at the ongoing United Nations Climate Change COP 21 in Paris, France.

Alleged corruption: Probe of CCT chairman stalled again at Reps Jacob Segun Olatunji and Kolawole Daniel-Abuja

The ongoing investigation of alleged corrupt practices levelled against the chairman of the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT), Justice Danladi Umar, by the AntiCorruption Network, on Wednesday, was stalled again, following the request by the petitioners that the House of Representatives Standing Committee on Public Petitions, should allow more time to fully prepare for the probe. At the resumption of the hearing on Wednesday, the spokesperson of the Anti-Corruption Agency, who identified himself as Olusegun Abereoran, pleaded with the committee to allow them more time to prepare their brief for submission to the Clerk of the committee as earlier directed He also submitted that by that time the executive secretary of the AntiCorruption group, would appear before the committee for the presentation on the petition against the chairman of the CCT. When asked to respond to the demand of the petitioners for more time, the chairman of the CCT said that the petitioners seemed not to be serious about defending their petition. He pointed out that the agency had a

lot of administrative work to do than wasting time attending to unsubstantiated allegations.

However, the committee frowned on the lukewarm attitude of the petitioners towards defending their

petition, given the fact that the defendant had been consistently available before the committee.

Appoint GM for BCOS, Oyo NUJ tells govt The chairman, Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Oyo State council, Comrade Gbenga Opadotun, has called on the state government to appoint a General Manager for the state-owned media outfit, the Broadcasting Corporation of Oyo State (BCOS). Speaking while welcoming guests at the second day of the activities lined up for this year’s Press Week of the union, the union leader urged the state governor to respect the edict that established the corporation which made room for the appointment of a career General Manager for the corporation among the workers. Opadotun said the edict had been grossly violated and abused by successive administrations in the state at the expense of the workers. The NUJ leader added that the act had led to stagnation, frustration and provocation on the part of the workers. Comrade Opadotun urged the state government to correct the anormally by appointing from among the workers a substantive General Manager for the BCOS. “While we appreciate

the state of the economy nationwide, we also plead for the prompt payment of our colleagues in the BCOS and the Ministry of Information,” he added. Whileresponding,thegovernor, Senator Abiola Ajimobi, who was represented by the Special Adviser on Media and Strategy, Mr Yomi Layinka, called for understanding, cooperation

and collaboration with the government on the issue. He added that government was more concerned and committed to the well-being of its workforce. On the issue of BCOS, Mr Layinka stated that government was working on the issue, adding that it would soon come out with an amicable resolution.

Why agric colleges must benefit from TETFund A Professor of Agricultural Extension and Rural development and the Provost, Oyo State College of Agriculture and Technology, Igboora, Professor Gbemiga Adewale has given reasons why colleges of agriculture must benefit from the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund). Professor Adewale stated this while presenting the report of the Oyo State College of Agriculture and Technology, Igboora, to the Interim Governing Council of the institution at its inaugural meeting, recently. Professor Adewale noted that students of colleges of agriculture like their counterparts in the

polytechnics participate in the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) scheme. He added that the students on completion of their programmes, obtain National and Higher National Diploma certificate like their counterparts in the polytechnics. He said students in colleges of agriculture equally write the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examinations(UTME), after which they were posted to colleges of agriculture and related disciplines by JAMB for admission. Adewale decried the discrimination between polytechnics and colleges of agriculture in terms of access to TETFund.

Economic hardship: Diversify to agriculture, former Rep charges Oyo gov By Moses Alao

Aformer member representing Irepo/Olorunsogo/Oorelope Federal Constituency, Hon. Afees Jimoh, has advised the Oyo State governor, Senator Abiola Ajimobi, to immediately explore other means of generating revenue for the state such as agriculture. He called for the immediate resuscitation and improvement of the Oyo State Agricultural Development Programme (OYSADEP) and other schemes that could restore the state’s glory as a pace-setter in agriculture, and thereby give the government and the people freshness economically. Afees, who stated these while speaking with Nigerian Tribune, condemned state overt dependence on oil revenues from Abuja, despite the abundance of mineral resources and farmlands in Oke Ogun and other zones of the state, calling on the state government to immediately shift its focus to agriculture as a way of saving residents of the state from economic hardship as a result of paucity of funds.

Falana, Danjuma, others bag Human Rights awards Sunday Ejike-Abuja

AS Nigeria joins the rest of the world to mark the International Human Rights Day today, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) said it will honour eminent Nigerians who had contributed to the promotion and protection of human rights in the country. A statement by the Chief press officer of the NHRC, Fatimah Agwai Mohammad said late Chief Gani Fawehinmi (SAN) will be given a post-humous award as the Grand Commander of Human Rights Defenders in Nigeria. Others slated for the award to mark this year’s International Human Rights Day which coincided with the 20th anniversary of the National Human Rights Commission include, Gen. Theophilus Y. Danjuma (rtd) for his exceptional contributions to the development of vulnerable communities in Nigeria and Femi Falana (SAN), as the promoter of human rights jurisprudence in Africa.

43 news

Thursday, 10 December, 2015

Nigerian Tribune

Succour coming in 2016, Lai Mohammed assures Nigerians

Ncce commends Alayande College over prompt release of certificates

Christian Okeke - Abuja

HE Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, on Wednesday, assured of the Federal Government’s commitment to the welfare of Nigerians, saying that measures that will give bring succour have been included in the 2016 budget. He said that the provisions will soften the impact of the harsh economic environment. In a statement, the minister noted that the government was aiming to lift millions of Nigerians out of poverty through massive social interventions. He said the measures would be targeted at unemployed graduates, market women, artisans and farmers, among others. ‘’The school feeding programme that will provide one meal per day to school children, the conditional transfers of N5,000 monthly to 25 million most vulnerable Nigerians and access to loans by different categories of people are among the measures for which provisions have been made in terms of huge allocation of resources, thanks to the frugality and transparency of the President Muhammadu Buhari -ledadministration,” he said. Mohammed noted that in addition to providing succour, the measures will also stimulate the economy. He said, “Just imagine the impact on the poultry sector alone if, for example, one egg is given daily to one million school children.” The minister said in spite

of the global economic downturn, the impact of the current harsh economic environment on Nigerians would have been less severe if those who are now pointing accusing fingers had shown more responsibility and transparency in the management of the nation’s

resources when the nation was enjoying a boom. He said, “The gains of the boom when oil was selling at over $10, were either stolen or frittered away, while the billions that were allocated for the fight against insurgency were either diverted to po-

litical campaigns or ended up in private pockets. Yet, those who brought the nation to this sorry pass have continued to grandstand, even having the audacity to further insult the victims of their impunity “The Buhari-led administration is not making ex-

Former vice-president, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar (right), presenting a gift to the Ambassador of the State of Kuwait to Nigeria, Dr Abdulaziz Alsharrah, during a visit to Abubakar, at his Asokoro residence, Abuja, on Wednesday.

Edo PDP unveils education policy Banji Aluko - Benin City AHEAD of governorship election in Edo State, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), in the state has unveiled an education policy it said it would pursue if elected into office. The party promised to provide unfettered access to a compulsory Universal Basic Education (UBE), for

all children of secondary school age in Edo State as a bridge to future socioeconomic development. Spokesman for the party, Mr Chris Nehikhare, lamented that few schools refurbished by the Adams Oshiomhole-led administration lacked teachers, functional libraries and laboratories, adding that a PDP government would

make education qualitative and not quantitative in Edo State. He said, “we will establish and maintain quality and standards through enacted, relevant and competent based curriculum and effective quality control and monitoring at both public and private levels; enhancing the resources fullness, welfare and effi-

“Also, they should carry the women along. Nigerian women, we are in an age now where women are more aware of their rights and you know, including us in governance also brings about a lot of stability and I don’t think any government, any where in the world, would run without having the inclusion of women, So, I would want them to do that,” she said.

ciency of teachers, instructors, lecturers through capacity building and other motivational platforms. “We will strengthen Edo State’s future technological and scientific foundation by focusing on technical, vocational and entrepreneurial formats and objectives, making optimal use of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) to meet the state’s manpower needs in commerce and industry and other core areas”. He said a dedicated Edo State Special Education Agency would be set up to urgently address the current imbalance in student and teacher ratio just as he promised that the technical colleges at Afuze, BeninCity and Urom, would be resuscitated, refocused and re-equipped in line with modern technological advancement and relevance.

gerian Tribune, also called on the international community to beam its searchlight on the growing politics of intimidation in the country. The statement entitled “Sinister plot against Kuku”, stated that “Contrary to its claim of commitment to the rule of law, we were shocked to read in the media about a plot to frame one of Nigeria’s most

respected youth leaders, Honourable Kuku, by some top officials in the administration of President Buhari on trumped-up charges bordering on terrorism and illegal stockpiling of arms. Kuku was the immediate past Special Adviser on Niger Delta and Chairman, PAP, a security stabilisation for youths of the hitherto restive Niger Delta region.

Bring more women into govt, Akande-Adeola tells Buhari Bola Badmus - Lagos PRESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari has been called upon to acknowledge the importance of women in governance and ensure that he appoints more women into his government. Former Majority Leader, House of Representatives, Honourable Mulikat Akande- Adeola, made this call in Lagos, while speaking with newsmen at the 1st edition of Town Hall zonal meeting of the SouthWest Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), organised to sensitise and mobilise party women ahead party’s congresses scheduled for March 2016 and the next general election. Akande-Adeola, who represented Ogbomosho Ogbomoso North, Ogbomoso South and Oriire Federal Constituency of Oyo State

cuses. That is why it has included in the 2016 budget the measures that will provide relief for Nigerians. But it is important for Nigerians to know the kind of deficits that the government ran since 2009 that partly brought us to where we are now.

on the platform of PDP, was speaking against the background of the call for implementation of affirmative action for women representation in government and perceived poor representation of women in President Buhari-led government. “But, I would hope that this government would acknowledge the importance of women in governance

and allocate to us what is due to us,” she said. Speaking further, Akande-Adeola enjoined the government to carry women along, saying that Nigerian women were now in an age where they were more aware of their rights and their inclusion in governance also brings about a lot of stability that no government would like to ignore.

Group cautions FG on Kuku By Tunde Ogunesan A non-Governmental Organisation, National Committee of Yoruba Youths (NCYY), has called on the Federal Government and President Muhammadu Buhari to exercise caution in the way and manner the immediate past Special Adviser on Niger Delta and Chairman, Presidential Am-

nesty Programme (PAP), Honourable Kingsley Kuku, on the plot to frame him on charges of terrorism and illegal stockpiling of arms. The group, in a press statement released in Ibadan and signed by its President and SecretaryGeneral, Mr Oladimeji Odeyemi and Mr Oyewole Olurin, a copy which was made available to the Ni-

The National Commission for Colleges of Education (NCCE), has officially commended Emmanuel Alayande College of Education, Oyo, Oyo State for its aggressive effort at ensuring prompt release of results and certificates. In a letter signed by the Deputy Director (P/M), on behalf of the Executive Secretary, Professor Monday Joshua, the college’s management, led by the Provost, Dr Rasak Adetunji Adefabi, gave this commendation. Recently, the NCCE had threatened to shut down some colleges of education over the delay in issuing certificates to graduates. This commendation to the college, is a testimony of the state government’s position under Governor Abiola Ajimobi, on the drive to reform, restore and reposition the education sector in the state. Emmanuel Alayande College of Education is a pacesetter college that has contributed immensely to the development of education in Nigeria. The college started out as St. Andrew’s College of Education which later transformed to a College of Education and now renamed Emmanuel Alayande College of Education, Oyo.

Convention

The eighth week of the series of Jehovah’s Witnesses regional convention for 2015, will commence on Friday and end on Sunday, at the Assembly Hall of Jehovah Witnesses, Ifatumo Village, along Ibadan/Iwo Road, Oyo State. The theme of the convention is “Imitate Jesus”, The programme will commence on Friday and Saturday at 8:20 a.m and end by 3:55 p.m daily while that of Sunday will commence at 8:20 a.m and end by 2:50 p.m. The three- day convention will feature scriptural talks, symposiums, practical demonstrations, dramas, interviews and realistic soliloquies, all aimed at imitating Jesus Christ. This was contained in a press release made available to the Nigerian Tribune and signed by its media officer, Mr Paul Ukpe. He said the convention programme explains” Jesus sermon on the Mountain that can help parents to build a more secure and loving family environment. There are over eight million Witnesses in 115,000 congregations, who will attend “Imitate Jesus” convention in different locations worldwide.

Thursday, 10 December, 2015

foreig naffairs

08116954632 with seyi gesinde foreignn ewseditor@gmail.com

Trump’s anti-Muslim demand sparks sharp backlash

rom the White House, the Pentagon, world leaders and Muslim advocacy groups there has come a barrage of criticism for billionaire Donald Trump after the leading United States Republican presidential candidate called for a “total and complete shutdown” of Muslims entering the United States. White House spokesman, Josh Earnest, called Trump’s rhetoric “offensive and toxic,” saying his plan “disqualifies him from serving as president” because he would be violating the U.S. Constitution if he implemented it, should he win the country’s 2016 presidential contest. At the Pentagon, VOA said spokesman Peter Cook highlighted the military’s partnerships with Muslim nations as well as its own Muslim troops, and noted the security implications of anything that boosts Islamic State

Donald Trump

claims that the U.S. is at war with Islam. “Anything that bolsters ISIL’s narrative and pits the United States against the Muslim faith is certainly not only contrary to our values, but contrary to our national

security,” he said, using an acronym for the militant group. U.S. House Speaker Paul Ryan said Trump’s proposal to bar Muslims until U.S. leaders can “figure out what is going on” about possible

new terror attacks is not what the Republican party or the country stand for. “Freedom of religion is a fundamental constitutional principle. It’s a founding principle of this country,” Ryan said Tuesday.

Angela Merkel named Time’s Person of the Year

Angela Merkel

German Chancellor Angela Merkel has been named Time’s Person of the Year, praised on Wednesday by the magazine for her leadership on everything from Syrian refugees to the Greek debt crisis. Time also cited Merkel’s strong response to “Vladimir Putin’s creeping theft of Ukraine” and on its cover called her “Chancellor of the Free World.” “Not once or twice but three times there has been reason to wonder this year whether Europe could continue to exist, not culturally or geographically but as a historic experiment in ambitious statecraft.

“You can agree with her or not, but she is not taking the easy road. Leaders are tested only when people don’t want to follow. For asking more of her country than most politicians would dare, for standing firm against tyranny as well as expedience and for providing steadfast moral leadership in a world where it is in short supply, Angela Merkel is TIME’s Person of the Year,” Time editor, Nancy Gibbs, wrote. The Associated Press said Merkel, 61, is just the fourth woman since 1927 to be chosen and the first since opposition leader Corazon C. Aquino of the Philippines in 1986.

She is the first German since Willy Brandt, the West German chancellor named in 1970 for “seeking to bring about a fresh relationship between East and West” during the Cold War. In 1999, Time picked the German-born Albert Einstein as Person of the Century. Wednesday’s news came in as Merkel’s spokesman, Steffen Seibert, was leading a government press conference in the German capital, while Merkel herself was at an event in Leipzig. When asked about it by The Associated Press, Seibert said he had only just received word on his phone himself.

otherNEWS

US moves to tighten controls on visa-free travel

John Kerry

The United States House of Representatives has overwhelmingly approved a bill that would bar people who have visited Syria, Iraq or any “country or area of concern” in the past five years from a programme that allows visa-free entry to the United States. VOA reported that the legislation is part of a bipartisan push to amend the Visa Waiver Programme that currently allows citizens of 38 countries to travel to the U.S. for stays of 90 days and less without first obtaining a visa from an embassy or consulate. The bill, which passed 407-19

late Tuesday, would institute a series of changes, including requiring participating countries to check travellers against Interpol databases to determine whether they are wanted by law enforcement agencies based on ties to terrorism or criminal activity. To prevent falsification of passports, the measure would require all 38 countries to issue what it calls “epassports” containing biometric information. The bill would require countries to be able to confirm that such documents are legitimate when they are scanned.

Zimbabwe’s Mugabe says ruling party risks split over succession Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe told his ruling ZANU-PF party on Wednesday it was in danger of splitting and accused rival factions of stoking division as they positioned themselves to eventually succeed him. Mugabe, 91, and looking increasingly frail, has ruled the Southern African nation since independence from Britain in 1980 but has not named a successor or said if he plans to retire. Last year in December, Mugabe fired his deputy

of 10 years Joice Mujuru, who was seen as very likely to succeed him. He accused her of fanning factionalism in ZANU-PF and plotting to remove him from power. Mujuru has denied the charges, Reuters said. Without naming anyone, Mugabe told the ZANU-PF central committee that there were groups in the party that were openly and secretly manoeuvring to secure influential positions, which he said was disturbing the efficiency of the party.

30 per cent of Russian airstrikes target Islamic State, US says A United States official added to the criticism of Russia’s military campaign in Syria, saying on Wednesday only 30 per cent of Russian airstrikes have targeted Islamic State militants. Western nations have accused Russia of focusing its strikes on Syrian opposition fighters in support of its ally, President Bashar al-Assad, a charge Russian offi-

cials have denied. U.S. envoy Brett McGurk, who met with U.S. and Iraqi military leaders in Baghdad on Wednesday, said the other 70 percent of Russia’s airstrikes in Syria have hit opposition groups. The Pentagon noted last month that Russian airstrikes had appeared more focused on Islamic State targets, after definitively

linking the extremist group to the bombing of a Russian jetliner in late October. Meanwhile, Russia said Tuesday for the first time it used missiles fired from a submarine in the Mediterranean to strike Islamic State targets in northern Syria. In a televised meeting, Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu told Pres-

US soldiers attend to a wounded colleague in Kabul, Afghanistan. PHOTO: REUTERS.

A wounded military veteran is slated to be the first United States recipient of a penis transplant, according to doctors at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine in Baltimore, Maryland. If successful, the patient could have urinary and sexual function restored, VOA said. Last year, South African doctors performed the first penis trans-

plant on a patient who had received a botched circumcision. Several months after the surgery, the patient was reportedly able to have an erection, allowing him to eventually father a child. The transplant penis will come from a young deceased male, doctors said. “It’s nice to be able to say this is finally becoming a reality,” Dr.

ident Vladimir Putin that cruise missiles targeted two positions near the extremist-controlled Syrian city of Raqqa. “We can say with complete confidence that fairly serious damage was done to weapons stores and a factory for preparing [land] mines,” Shoigu said, adding that oil infrastructure near the Turkish border was damaged as well. Russian President Vladimir Putin

Wounded US veteran to receive penis transplant

Richard Redett, one of the eight Hopkins surgeons on the team, told the Baltimore Sun newspaper. For the U.S. surgery, a team of 25 to 30 will be involved in the tricky 12-hour procedure that will require the careful stitching of blood vessels and nerves. As is the case with other transplant surgeries, there is a risk of rejection and infection. Some

anti-rejection drugs can cause serious side effects. Johns Hopkins doctors say they eventually plan to provide penis transplants to 60 injured veterans as part of a trial. According to the BBC, research indicates that up to seven percent of combat veterans suffer genital injuries, many from blasts from improvised explosive devices.

45 tribunesport

Thursday, 10 December, 2015

Kanu, Chukwu celebrate Dream Team’s Olympics ticket

ORMER Nigeria captain, Nwankwo Kanu has sent a congratulatory message to coach Samson Siasia and the Dream Team for qualifying for the Rio 2016 Olympics following their 1-0 win over Senegal in semi-final of the ongoing African U-23 Nations Cup on Wednesday in Dakar. The former African Footballer of the Year through his twitter handle said he is looking forward to a great outing by Nigeria at the 2016 Olympics. “Congrats Siasia and your coaching staff and congrats to the players. Weldone and let’s go to Brazil and do our country proud,” Kanu, who captained the first Dream Team to win the Atlanta ‘96 Olympics tweeted.

Also, former Super Eagles handler, Christian Chukwu describes Nigeria’s qualification for the 2016 Olympics as ‘mission accomplished’. Chukwu noted that the Dream Team will be greatly boosted with the Olympic ticket to go for the championship top

prize on Saturday. “I’m happy that the first mission at the championship, which was to secure an Olympic ticket, has been successfully achieved. They will now be boosted to go for the second mission, which is the championship top prize. “Their performance showed they are improving with each game.

“However, it’s not yet a done deal as far as improvement is concerned; they still have to improve further both in the cham-

p i o n s h i p and the Olymp i c s proper. “I must say congratulations to the side for making Nigerians happy with the hardfought Olympic ticket,” the former Kenya coach told supersport.com. Warri Wolves forward, Etebo Oghenekaro, who also captained the Dream Team scored the only goal from the penalty spot in the 77th minute, to also send Nigeria to the final of the competition.

Popoola wants Team Nigeria to camp at Redemption camp

Emmanuel Daniel, Dream Team keeper.

Golfers set for 20th Tiger Open THE 2015 edition of the Tiger Open golf championship will hold at the Tiger Golf Club, Odogbo Barracks Ibadan. The three-day golf fiesta is expected to feature 150 amateur golfers across the country as they have all confirmed their participation in the tourney. Captain of the club, Chief Tunji Aderoju, said the three-day event will commence tomorrow and apart from featuring regular players many of whom have won laurels at various competi-

tions, veterans, super veterans and lady golfers would have the opportunity of exhibiting their golf skills with prizes to be won to mark the special edition. “This is the biggest golf event of the year and 150 golfers across the country have confirmed their par-

ticipation and we have very attractive prizes on display.. “The competition is coming on the heels of the successful hosting of the Akinjide Open, which was held in November. This year’s edition of the Tiger Open tournament comes with a difference because it is the 20th edition.

“The milestone event means that Tiger Club has indeed turned the corner in its quest to be a contender among the most soughtafter golf destination in the country. To make it special, we have several prizes for winners in all categories,” he said.

2015 COPA Lagos Challenge: Learning curve for Pillars —Afelokhai CAPTAIN and the longest standing goalkeeper of Kano Pillars FC, Joel Afelokhai believes that the

2015 COPA Lagos beach soccer club challenge will be a learning curve and added experience for his

team-mates. The home-based Super Eagles goalkeeper said the COPA Lagos would help

NPUGA Games begin in Ado Ekiti Abiodun Jimoh - Benin City THE sixth edition of the Nigeria Private University Games (NPUGA) will kick off today and run till December 20 at the Afe Babalola University Sports Complex, Ado Ekiti. The official opening ceremony for the Games which would attract no fewer than

THE Secretary General of the Nigeria Olympic Committee (NOC), Honourable Tunde Popoola, has called on the Director-General of the National Sports Commission, Mallam Al Hassan Yakmut, to package the Team Nigeria’s camping exercise to hold at the Redemption Camp of the Redeemed Christian Church of God along Lagos-Ibadan Expressway. Popoola, in his keynote address delivered at the 4th annual Redeemer’s sports summit noted that with little modifications, the Redemption Camp facilities would be ready to host Team Nigeria’s compre-

5,000 athletes across the country holds on Saturday at the sports complex. Events to be competed for at two venues scheduled to host the Games, the ABUAD campus and Olukayode Oluyemi Stadium are: football, basketball, volleyball, swimming, table tennis, athletics, tennis, badminton, chess and

scrabble. NPUGA president, Akintunde Akinola in an interview said logistics have been put in place towards a hitch-free Games. Akinola, who is also the director of sports at Achievers University, Owo, hinted that with the level of awareness created under his administration for the Games, the organisers are expect-

ing a large turnout of private universities. The last edition of the Games was held at Joseph Ayo Babalola University, Ikeji Arakeji, Osun State in 2013. However, ABUAD will be banking on the success recorded in its debut at JABU 2013 having finished second behind Benson Idahosa University, Benin City.

the players a lot as beach soccer is still relatively new in Nigeria. “The players will have a new orientation that will expose them to new techniques to beach soccer which will be used as preseason tourney for the 2016 Glo Premier League season as it’s obtained in Europe,” Afelokhai said. Also, the chairman of Pillars, Kabiru Baita, noted said that the team will ride on the waves of its participation at the beach soccer festival to prepare for the 2016 Glo Premier League season.

hensive camping ahead of the 2020 Olympics Tokyo, Japan. “Sports facilities, accommodation, security and logistics at the Redemption camp would afford the Team Nigeria’s contingent a near perfect training camp towards the country’s excellent performance in future international competitions. “The vision of the RCCG is to actualise the word of knowledge of the General Overseer Pastor Enoch Adejare Adeboye, last year April, that Nigeria will win gold medals at the 2020 Olympics. We believe this will come to pass for Team Nigeria. To achieve this feat, the NOC is set to play its part by partnering the church to achieve this. We have agreed to follow in this vision to make this a reality at Tokyo 2020,” Popoola said. Yakmut, while speaking at the sports summit praised the General Overseer of RCCG, Pastor Enoch Adeboye, as well as the leadership of the church for deeming it fit to organise such event aimed at paving the way for Nigeria’s excellent performance at the biggest sport fiesta in the world. “The RCCG sports summit has opened the way for active stakeholders’ collaboration for Nigeria to win medals at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games,” he said.

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MR SOLUTION SILENT ACHIEVER 08072974729 FINAL WEEK ON WEST BROM and WESTHAM HOME 10. 4 WEEKS WINNING PROJECT. WEEK 19 – 6X 15X 34XXX – 465X WEEK 20 – 4X 20X 38XXX – 47X WEEK 21 – 6X 22X 33X – 48X WEEK 22 - X x x - 49x 29

Join the wise stakers and lets hit the ready made hot iron to good shape. We have solution to all your financial needs. The difference between sugar and Honey is much, our 4 weeks winning programe is now talk of the town. Sorry our release is not meant for all stakers but selected few. Goodluck. N100, 000 - Last week solution win till next release in 2016. Merry Xmas and properous New Year.

OBINYAN FULFIL PROMISE AND ASSURES STAKERS OF MORE WINNINGS.

Fantastic Obinyan goes berserk last week with promoters as he fulfilled his earlier promised and assured stakers of more winning in weeks ahead to the on coming Xmas and New Year. He made this known in a chat with our Pools Editor during the week. He also warned Promoters with small finance to stay off in the few weeks to the New Year. The late News in all his Fortune paper performed wonderfully, the pools telegraph top the winning chat on 3/3 Nap on 10x 22x 37 and the carton ‘I’m Psyching myself Up’ – played 10x 22x 37x 46. The Shoot Pointer late new on its back page had 18x 22x 37x 46xx ¾. The New Dream, Zeters pools Guild, Murphy sports, New Dream and Final Results all gave good account. He therefore enjoined all winning desired stakers to embrace his fortune papers and watch out for their Xmas Nap gifts promised by the Chairman/ Managing Director King and George group of Forcast papers. PRINCE WILLY EHI - OBINYAN.

OLA-CITY 4 GAMES FOR 3 DRAWS THIS WEEK 22

PAIR 41XXX 42XXX PHONE 08140575314,08085005634 The compiler of Ola-City International and Sir Waddy Naps assures stakers of his 4 games for 3 Draws for 3 Draws this week 22 costN5000 cash while his 3 Xmas Draws for week 24 costNl0, 000 cash which will end all as predicted. Pay to First Bank A/C in the name of OLAFENVVA OLA-CITY Account No. 3033318854 and collect the draws on Phone 08140575314. Payment Phone 08140575314,08085005634. Happy Xmas in advance.

BEST BARGAIN INTERNATIONAL 08092621480 Wk 22 = 26 CBK + OTHERS

The annual week 22 game which I am known for is set again this week to set us on a four weeks operation. Last year, the game brought 4xx 11xx 36xx 49xx which put many promoters in trouble and brought millions to members of our club for their Xmas and New Year celebrations. In our tradition, Doncaster and Crewe must draw on coupon No 26 this week with other fixed draws which have been decided by the pools Experts and panel in Manchester, England. This is the start of a memorable winning 3 period for those who need money to settle their bills and have a splendid Xmas and New Year in 2015 / 2016. Call 08092621480 for us to have fruitful discussions on the payment for the game. This is to ensure that everybody partakes of the juicy game. This is your chance.

Triple spice moves on with No 22xxin the series and 22xx – 46xx in the 25k series …… Now gives 8 – 37 (08035324990) Your indomitable Triple spice international was again on song in both the 1 of 2 BK series last week on No 22xx in the IBK and 22xx – 46xx We have often said you should stick with dependable companion and credible compilers. Our IBK still selld for N1,500.00, 2 draws cost N3,000.00, 3 relable draws sell for N15,000.00 on 08035324990. God bless.

ACHIEVERS INTER – 08034097902 We are back AGAIN

Week 22 no 17xx against wks 23 & 24 We are back again with another 2 week operations in Weeks 23 & 24 as we did in Wk 10 against wk 11 & 12. When we performed wonders. The current key: Aberdeen vs Heart OR Heart Vs Aberdeen on number 47 in blue colour. Example 2015/2016 wk 10. HEART vs Aberdeen number 47. HULL at home to direct drew at number 15 which promoted 3 registered draws in wk 11 & 12. Wk 11 our games score 3/3. And wk 12 again play 3/3. This wk 22 HULL vs BOLTON to draw at number 17 (HULL VS BOLTON) is a registered draw to promote 3 life draws in wk 23 & 24 on payment after result (P.A.W) PLUS 1 – 3- CARD AND VOTER CARD. Or N20,000 cash. All arrangement have been concluded with my oversea partners who gave the assurance that there will be no failure in the 2 weeks of our release with guaranteed setting system with N1,000,000 payment after result (P-A-W) WHE 1 – 3 CARD AND YOUR (VOTERS CARD) OR N20,000 CASH AND N50,000 CASH In wk 24. THIS wk 22 (HULL vs BOLTON) number 17xx against wk 23 & 24. Call: 08034097902/08057309501

STAKERS / WINNERS APPLAUDS FAITHFUL INTERVENTION ON 5/5 NAPS.

06 x 26x 46xxx – 22x 48x 5/5 Incredible 5/5 winning performance at faithful intervention place where many millionaires emergies on our release weeks guilded by our Foreign Experts directives. NOTE: you only needs your faithful to win with Us. Week 22 Nap is just a preparatory Naps to total show down at Promoters in week 23 as stated on our last week advert with 3rd time on SUNDERLAND at away No 1. Good market don’t need much story. SUNDERLAND AWAY 1. Week 7 – 10x 26x 30xx 48 Week 21 – 06x 26x 46xxx 48x 22x. Week 23 – X X X 48x 39? Congrats, your paid N50,000 – last week is justified with your Bumper Win. Get out of reproachment and Get celebrated – N70,000 = ‘FAITH MISSION’ Week 23 cost – N250,000 = (2 clients)

HOPE NAP& CO 08107128449. BANK ON 16X 10

The down fall of a man is not the end of his life. Pair No 10 & No 16 Hope assure all stakers and fans of this Colum that the pair will supply you a draw with other 3 draw for Christmas and another key that is coming on wk 23. Their D vs I for pool bonus. All interested people should call Hope and pay to first Bank Account No 3088328923 on the name Mr Gbadebo Stephen A. While the week release will be sent to you on phone. Make sure your payments are confirmed please each wk cost just N 10,000 cash Bank (16 & 10).

SOLOMON RESORT (RESCUE TEAM) 09091111800 (12XX 13) WOLVES HOME 22 CUTTING OF 10-22-34-46 lOX 27X 46XXX 06X 22X= Our last week success was outstanding in recent times. All thanks to God. Our CURRENT WEEKS 5, 7 and 22 scheduled is set again on. WOLVES HOME 22 and cutting of Nos - 10,22,34 and 46. The dual settings controlled 3 fixed calculated sure draws. Reference. week5 -08X 21x 15X 16 Week7 -02x 6x 9xxx 29-30x . Week 22 - X X X = 12 - 13. The 2 dates 0 play is your standing PAIR. No controversy your winning is sure again. Act wisely to Xmas with Solomon of our time. N50, 000 - again WISE MEN CHOICE. Goodluck

THE CYRILS (WINNING DIRECTOR)

08154836338 (39 SURE 29).

3 YEARS AFTER 2ND ROUND CUP – (week 22) - CONFIRMED BEFORE CALL 2013 – 2014 and 2015 (Blue). Week 22 – 2013 – 08x 20x 28xxx Week 22 – 2014 – 07x 17x 24xxx Week 22 – 2015 – X X X Naps on additional/arithmetical calculations watch stoke, Southampton, Swansea and Sunderland in every week 22 2013 – 2015. Stop your guess. Draws are fixed by PPA. Unveiled by few Experts on Authentic winning information. THE CYRILS WINNING DIRECTOR – N25,000 =

MADAM EMILIA – 08068523407

The Winners choice… (3 OR 8) (18 OR 28) (25 OR 42) 3 weeks operation. This key system set after every second round of F.A cup to guarantee you 3 NAP draws and a pair. These goes for weeks 23 and 24. Each week cost N15,000.00 so don’t miss out. You shall end this year in a great and spectacular way. So be part of the success. Complements of the season. Call for more details on 08068523407. Goodluck.

Mallam Bawa Musa gives Free Xmas Bonus to all

08052506287 Bet 5 or 7 Any staker who is capable of paying N100, 000 cash after winning 3/3 Nap correct should call me for my Xmas bonus. 3 Sure Nap draws for week 21 only; with full assurance. No story! No excuse!! Nap and win then pay me N100,000 cash. Phone 08052506287.

NIDAS – 08033510149 (x15 x 19x) RAPAGES WITH PROMOTERS. Beat them hands down in week 21 now set for week 22 = 5/5 on Saturday. Coupon No 15 and 19 plus 3 Naps to draw 5/5 correctly again this week 22. Cost N25,000 – only. Our door is still open to new members on a deposit of N254,000. Pay all cash to UBA Account 2023019865 of ADENIYI ADESIDA.

DOSA 08072216644 (29 PAIR 39)

Its another good week for all my fans this week 22 as DOSA present 3 nap draws and 1 hot pair for your Christmas enjoyment. Send to DOSA N3,000 MTN recharge card and become rich during this year Christmas.

GRACE & MERCY VENTURES – 07019154754 / 08092621593.

WINNING IS BY CHOICE, NOT BY FORCE (18XX 19)

Be one of my 20 Numbered millionaires before Christmas. Information is very crucial in Business. If you are not well informed, “definitely you are deformed”, Pool Betting Business has been kept secret over “Ten decades”. The British cherish what we called Administrative “secrecy” that is the reason why they excel in Business and still remain in the market while others are bankrupt and fold up their businesses. Wks 22, 23, 24, 25 respectively is your “total recovery” weeks and be ready to laugh to your Bank “celebrate your xmas and New year with smile”. There is nobody that will discover “Gold” inside his/her wellwater and begin to call his neighbours to come and dig it together with him, I can not publish the source of my game in the Newspaper. If you are interested, call me directly. Don’t send any GSM credit card to me. I am not a “Beggar”. My one decade sojourn in Britain fetch me this information, where I was taken care of aged parents, washing public toilets and other surviving petty works. No food for lazy man in Britain. A word is enough for the wise, don’t be like a blind man that went to cinema house and said he saw something, you have been deceived by some desperate men who claimed they have information but it was snynegy of surviver of the Economic Bite. When a blindman is leading a Blindman, they will end up in a deep pit. I have the information, don’t play my game under promoters who doesn’t register with government. Goodluck

MADAM DE MADAM – 08023329191 LETS WIN TOGETHER (13 SURE 15)

ROSS COUNTY AWAY 49. A week after Cup sure win. Week 22 = 2014 and 2015. Week 32 = 2014/15 and 2015/16. The above key Nap is the result of our recent overseas tour. Thank God we are back with goodies. Please don’t miss any of our release now. Your winning coast is clear. Week 22 – 2014 = 10drs = Charlton must 15 Week 22 – 2015 = 10drs = CHARLTON MUST 15 again - N25,000 = now? Call our long serving manager for your winning details (Mr Joshua) .

NJOROGE MR ASSURANCE – 08177474535.

(20X21) (13X15) (49X47) FREE = WIN = AT NJOROGE Starting of our Annual 3 weeks to Xmas Naps ‘free – for all cost NZERONAIRA

tribunepools

AKIN MR AKIN –

PLEIAD DE MAXWELL – 09099968585.

11 – 11 WEEKS WINNING MUST. CARDIFF ON WEEK OF PLAY AND CARDIFF ON DATE OF PLAY…(2 in one) Naps Week 11–08x 22x 41xxx – 15x 25 Week 22 – X X X - 15x 25 Your winning this week is as sure as day break. Our new winning contact reminder win is to straight our winning rights. N25, 000= WIN SURE NAP.

YEOVIL, HEARTS, DUNDEE UTD and ROSS COUNTY The above four(4) team in a zig zag formation were designed foe a positive result. Chelsea, Morinho’s are they ready to save the special one work after their visit to current highly palced and league leader ‘LEICESTER’ with their recent demolishing strength on all teams at home and away. A draw is likely? . Lets win to Xmas De Maxwell draws clinic where draws were discharge after surgery. TOKEN MANAGER.

07067202291 (15 MUST 25)

WISDOM WIN AGAIN

– 07088103080 = (40XX 49)

2 WEEK December 2015 WIN. CONTROLED WITH WOLVES ON WEEK OF PLAY Congratulations our long awaited 2 week Nap started well last week with WOLVES on week of play. In weeks 21 and 22. Week 21 – X X X - 40x 41 Week 22 – X X X - 40x 41. Wisdom Naps on song again to give all our clients a meaningful Yuletide (Xmas). Welcome to Play and Win manager – N50, 000= Goodluck

SUNDERLAND SYSTEM 42XX 46 09038460009= 14 NAP 15

4. Special draws N6, 000 Wk 21 NO 10X 26X 27X 30X N6, 000 4. Special draws N6, 000 Wk 22 NO NAP NAP NAP NAP= N6, 000 4. Special draws N6, 000 Wk 23 NO NAP NAP NAP Two Bankers N3000 Wk 21 NO 10X 27X PAIR 17F 30 Two Bankers N3000 Wk 22 BLUE NO NAP NAP PAIR NAP NAP Two Bankers N3000 Wk 23 NO NAP NAP PAIR NAP NAP Time to win pool this wk 22 Sunderland system 4 special draws this wk 22 play 4/4 correct hurry to get your copy today two Bankers cost N3000 wk 22 no 15x 32x PAIR 6x NAP 7 WK 20 NO 11X 20X PAIR 42X 46X 4 Bankers wk 22 NAP NAP NAP NAP.

The paymaster marches on 08052207802 Hot pair 12, 13

Wk 21 = 10x, 22x, 27x. pair 5F, 6X for the second consecutive week now, the paymaster and Nigeria’s foremost pool compiler recorded 3 /3 nap correct. He is now launching the weekly guarantee Nap with full proof starting from week 22, cost N50,000 cash week, payable at UBA , to Dr Maxwell M . Promise , acct no. 1003610591

46 – 47 – 48 – 49 (Xmas)

ZENITH NEW DREAM – 08146879314.

MISSION ACCOMPLISHED= 10X 31X 41XX 48X. Our last silence breaker Nap was successful starting of our New Dream Fixed 3 weeksdraws. OUR WEEK 22 established Nap is on. HAMILTON HOME 49= With directed Reference Week 7- X X - 11 draws – (39x 40) Week 22- X X - 11 draws – (39x 40) Note: Position of Blackburn confirmed the number of draws for the week another 11 draws without mitching words join the Zenith of Wealth family to 2016. It is well – N50, 000=

STAKEHOLDERS LAUD NAZAR MASTER

The leading pools company in Oyo state and environs, NAZAR Master Pools Company Limited, Ibadan has again been lauded for its role in charting a new course for the pools business. This was disclosed to TRIBUNE POOLS in a statement from NAZAR Master made available during the week. The pools company was lauded for its first class services to stakers, agents, collectors and other critical stakeholders, coupled with the promptness winnings are paid no matter the amount involved so that people will have money to celebrate during the coming Xmas and New Year period.

GRACE & MERCY VENTURES–07019154754/08092621593.

WINNING IS BY CHOICE, NOT BY FORCE (18XX 19)

NEW CURRENT INFORMATION KEY = 09038633666=10XX

Wk22 blue = stoke No 10. Nap Nap Nap with. Nap Nap Wk 22 blue 2012 = stoke No 5x 23x 24x 39x with. 31x 32x Wk22 blue 2014 = stoke No 4x 17x 33x 36x with. 48f 49 Wk23 blue = 2015 = No Nap . Nap Nap with. 18. 32. Key every week 22 blue. Bank stoke to deaw wk 22 No 10.10.10 plus. 3. Others cost N6,000 to deaw wk 23 No 18.32. plus. 3. Others cost N6,000 Wk 23 = 2012 No 10x 11x 23x 47x with 18x 32x Wk 23 = 2013 No 12x 25x 26x 38x with. 18x 32x wk 23 RED 2014 No 15x 25x 39x with. 18x 32x wk 23 RED = 2015 NO Nap Nap Nap Nap with. 18.32. Hurry up . to bet your copy to pay = 09038633666.

SHORT – GUN 08050614477 / 08168241902 (8 HOT 42)

IKECHUCKWU ( PROMOTERS ENEMY) = 08168157259

LABAEKA NAP08053303522

PROFESSOR ONE BANKERS = 08055230300= 44 NAP 45

We are going back to our winning way this week with the above pair which must supply with other fixed draws to ensure you have a blissful Xmas. The game cost N25,000. We have what it take to win pools don’t doubt it.

36X 42X 45 FOR 2DRAWS. Call for your 3 gazetted draws.

AUTHORITY NAP 09030084552 (2x 8)

Our unfailing pair made our recent 4/5 Naps win a reality. What else are you waiting for when Authority fetch draws for your winning delight. WIN.

HERITAGE NAP 08032428168 (35X 37)

Our ever reliable pair was on song again last week with other fixed draws which sent many promoters packing . this week the pair must supply again with other gazette draws. The game cost N25,000. We must be on song again to deal with the promoters.

DAZZLING NAP 08069759520 (29XX 32)

29X 30X 31XXX – 05F 06X Aureka, We’ve done it again with the 2nd cluster draws in cup as it was in the 1st cup = following week 1st cluster draw to draw = 29 MUST 32. And other 3 schedule draws for your winning pleasure

WINNER POINT -

081275889219. 1x 2x 9x free

Against week 23 nap that will cost N50,000 cash. We did this to help our fans to win pools. Be wide enough to be a winner .Goodluck

MADAM HILLARY -08163902330

49 MUST 39 (AGAIN). Week 21 - 6x 30x 46xxx 4lx 39x. Our recent success is a result of hard work with Authentic winning information from our Reliable Experts. 4’1 Congrats, our winning strength continues this week and the above pair. Call Madam Hillary winning place for your winning details to Xmas. (WOMEN’S WINNING

PLACE).

EDITOR’S PLACE 07 x 47

YES! NO HIDDEN PLACE FOR THEM AGAIN Week 20 WWW = 19x 38x 42x 35x 36x Week 21 – WWW = 04x 10x 48x 31x 32 Week 22 - STW = X X X 32X 33 Ike brothers 3 week Back to back win is to put an end to your weekly loses winners celebrates . What are you waiting for when the promoters enemy NAP is at hand .Be a winner – N25,000. NB : Our week 20 and 21 winners are to pay before 12 noon on Thursday Good luck

PROFESSOR ONE BANKERS N7500 WK 21 NO 10X 27X 30X PAIR 31X 33X PROFESSOR ONE BANKERS N7500 WK 22 NO NAP NAP NAP= 3/3 PAIR NAP NAP PROFESSOR ONE BANKERS N7500 WK 23 NO NAP NAP NAP= 3/3 PAIR NAP NAP PROFESSOR ONE BANKERS N7500 WK 24 NO NAP NAP NAP= 3/3 PAIR NAP NAP PROFESSOR 2 BANKERS N5000 WK 21 NO 10X 27X PAIR 30X 31 PROFESSOR 2 BANKERDS N5000 WK 22 NO NAP NAP PAIR NAP NAP Professor One Banker cost N2500 Wk 21 No 30x Pair 31x 33x Wk 22 No Nap Pair 45.46 membership group a. cost N100, 000. Send MTN Card to 08055230300. The game will send to you by text message.

MID – WEEK IBK NA WA O ….. on (46xx) 9 – 10xx NOW offers 7 – 8 (08087176217)

Last week was another success story in our IBK series as No 46xx played 1-1 with 9 / 10xx as pair giving a 2/3 winning line. It is our joy that own fans are having a good time with us. The trend continues. Our IBK still costs N1,500.00; 2 draws cost N3,000.00 and 3 sure draws cost only N15,000.00 08087176217. Start calling now! The taste of the pudding is in the eating. Good luck!

ADEOTI SYNDICATE 07051327960

EXPERT – MORECAMBE (41x) A WEEK AFTER CUP BANKER. Xmas is coming, as the Xmas is fast approaching I will release 3 draws and a pair for 3 wks. Operation. Now week 21 is overed, week 21 f.a. cup Round 2 result is Nos. 26x 27x 28f. the paie is Nos. 15f, 22x, 3/5. Now remain weeks 22 & 23. This week 22. Exeter – morecamble must play fraw with 4 others. (41x) pay your mpney to AHMED – SHAFIRI AlC Nos. 2001788431 Zenith Bank. (N10,000 CASH) membership registration fees N25,000 cash. Happy Xmas in Advance. 41xxx BK 1-1. Good luck to you all.

JOSEPH RESUMPTION (STAKERS CHOICE) 08167278061

3 WEEKS ASSURED NAPS in weeks 20, 21 and 22. Celebration galore at Joseph winning place on 3 WEEKS, NO. 6 – Week 20, MAN CITY - SOUTHAMPTON Week 21- Southampton Home 6, Week 22 - MANCITY Home INCREDIBLE 3 WEEKS NAP Culled form 2015/2016 winning scheduled progarame. Week 20 – N50, 000, week 21 – N100, 000 week 22= ? MILLION, strictly for selected few. It’s no Pools, IT IS A MUST WIN – affair (last week)

WEEK 21 XRAY

Bounty harvest from our Experts, Whao! Many Promoters were yet to get their feet. Dr Jackson gave free winning line of 3/5. The giants faithfull International Naps got 2 bankers, while Adeoti, Mr Solution and Joseph one banker series was outstanding, almost all our compilers got their promised pairs correctly. Midweek, Heritage, Zenith, Ikechukwu, now Akins The Lillies, Ola City, Dosa, Authority, Sunderland, Nidas, Solomon Resort, Man City, Dr Promise De Paymaster, Sir Braka, Winner Code and Sam Ayo, etc. In our early monthly meetings our Experts promised good tidings towards the oncoming Yuletide & New Year Celebrations. All winnings desired stakers are advised – to browse through the page for easy win Embrace them, they meant well. Your winning is their egos.

Thursday, December 10 - 16 2015 MODUPE (08033566694) 15- 43- 47. 2drs Call for super winning now.

DR. B4 DR –

08062748396 – (39 SURE 49)

LUTON and HAMILTON ON SAME DIGITS Control our 3 fixed draws and a pair on the two Numbers. Our reference is on current annual gazette. Once again Congratulation our new contact makes our recent success possible. Say no to weekly loses. Join the winning team at Dr B4 Dr’S place N30,000 Xmas reduction.

HEAD MASTER –

08032747136 (12X 45X 46X )

Nap with N25,000 – in preparation for our special week 23 Nap cost N50,000. G0 all out and win. Have a fulfilled Xmas. Goodluck.

WOMEN COMPILERS FORUM RELEASE 08052503889 Sure Pair 15, 17.

The Women Compilers Forum will release 3 sure Nap draws for the Xmas enjoyment of all stakers in weeks 22, 23 and 24, cost N10,000 cash per week. Pay at UBA to Mrs. Omoyemi Ibrahim, acct No. 2027165320. Call 08052503889.

LEKE INTERNATIONAL

NAPS – 09091798611

NAP 7 – 14 – 18. I give all stakers 7 - 14 - 18 as free Nap for Week 22. It is the key to my 3 Weeks operation in WKS 23, 24, 25. Please don’t miss this golden opportunity. Don’t regret.

CODE 022

08059580326 (13 PAIR 14)

Your problem to become a millionaire will be solved this week 22 with my 3 draws and a pair. Do you remember that every Christmas time 022 code usually give 3 nap draws and a pair to all his fans. The bonus draws is this week 22 cost N10,000 cash. Call me on my hot line above for my bank account number for payment. You will not regret it you buy my game this week 22.

SIR MICHEAL NAP08130011263 (1 PAIR2)

All is set for 3/3 this week and next week cost only N5, 000. Call for account number or mode of payment.

MIGHTY INT NAP 08032300297 28 = GILLINGHAM = 28

Mighty Nap with bundles of life score draws in his basket of draws. After our long break we decided to come out for Xmas and New-year celebrations. All you need is to, get ready and prepare yourself for the Nap with N20,000 = this week. We keep and maintain our pride in pool compilation 28xx 28xx 28xx plus the real NAP (BET SURE WIN). Call 08032300297. Household number for Jackpot winnings. Again cost N20,000 = Best of luck

KAMARK SUPER NAP 08186673842.

2X 36X37X38 = 3 draws . In the preparation for our week 23 sure NAPS , I have a unique gazette on ASTON V. on top of BOURNEMOUTH to play 3 from 4 on the above 4 games our week 23 red to Red will produce 3 fixed draws next week. All payment at IBTC. Odesola S.B a/c number 0001361916 – permutation is N5600 while the nap cost N7500 = Nont miss this golden opportunity.

DEMMY NAP

07057732984/07030564891 07x 28xx = 2BKS = 25 PAIR 40 The above 2 bankers and a sure pair starts our 3 weeks operational Nap. The remaining 2 weeks Nap cost N25,000 each week. Payable at SKYE BANK no 3013486095. Infavour of Ademola Olokesusi. Good luck.

WINNER CODE 505= 08135637650= 16XX 17

UK SYSTEM TWO BANKERS N1000 WK 21 NO 10X WK 22 NO X WK 23 NO NAP NAP WK 24 NO NAP NAP POWER X POWER N2000 WK 22 NO NAP NAP WK 23 NO NAP NAP WK 24 NO NAP NAP. Winner code 505 two Bankers N2000 wk 22 No NAP NAP WK 23No NAP NAP wk 24 No NAP NAP. ADESURE NAP TWO BANKERS N2000 WK 22 No NAP NAP Wk 23 No NAP NAP Wk 24 No NAP NAP 4 Expert. 4 Special Draws this wk 22 cost N25, 000 wk 22 No NAP NAP NAP 4/4 Wk 23 No XXXX= 4/4 Cost N25, 000 Wk 24 No NAP NAP NAP NAP= 4/4. Send MTN Card 08135637650. The Game will send to you by text message.

WEEK 22 STATUS

EKO – 7, 19, 47. LKO – 02 P. P – 04 SUNDAY–01, 05, 09, 32 VOID – 11 and 22

LEAGUE TABLE HOPE 2015 08166222529

TWO BANKERS = N3,000

WK 21

TWO BANKERS = N2,000

10X 30X

NAP NAP

WK 22

WK 21

37X 37X

WK 22

NAP NAP

WITH CONFIDENCE 08166222529

WK 21

WK 22

TWO BANKERS = N5,000

WK 21

24X 33X

TWO BANKERS = N5,000

WK 22

NAP NAP

TWO BANKERS = N2,500

27X 27X

TWO BANKERS = N2,500

NAP NAP

W K 2 1 C U P 2 N O 1 0 X 2 7 X 3 0 X 3 7 X N 2 5 , 0 0 0 J O I N T LY

BOLTON

WATFORD

BUNLEY

X10X X27X

X30X X48X

X37X F38F

TWO BANKER WK 21=N3, 000

WK 22 CUP

NAP NAP

TWO BANKER WK 21=N3, 000

WK 22 CUP

NAP NAP

TWO BANKER WK 21=N3, 000

WK 22 CUP

NAP NAP

4 SPECIAL DRAWS WK. 22 VOL 1 COST N25, 000

SEND MTN CARD TO 09038460009

TRIBUNE POOLS - STAKERS DELIGHT ATTENTION ALL COMPILERS, OUR POLICY ON NO ADVERT NO WRITE UP STILL IN PLACE — MANAGEMENT

SIDELINES

NO 16,389

N150

THURSDAY, 10 DECEMBER, 2015

“It is heart-warming that the 2015 Nigerian states budget transparency survey report declared Ekiti State as the most transparent state in Nigeria. When in 1996, I prepared and defended the memorandum for the creation of Ekiti State before Mbanefo Panel, I was asked, what qualified Ekiti for a state. Part of my answer was the manpower in Ekiti which is populated by the highest number of educated people who are known for hard-work, quality education and integrity.”

T is a notorious fact that lack of an open, transparent and participatory budget as well as procurement process by both the state and federal government was one of the problems which have affected economic development in Nigeria. The question that has always remained unanswered is where all the funds which the Federal and state governments budget every year end up. Every year, the executive and legislative arms of government go through the ritual of forwarding, considering and passage of budget proposal on the coming fiscal years. We hear of billions of naira being appropriated from one end of expenditure or the other. Where does it all go? The recent crusade of President Muhammadu Buhari seems to have shown how easy it has been to misapply the funds budgeted by state and federal governments. It is for this reason among others that I congratulate the Civil Resource Development Documentation Centre (CIRDDOC) headed by the Executive Director, Mrs. Oby Nwankwo which recently concluded the 2015 Nigeria States Budget Transparency Survey. In her address, Mrs. Oby Nwankwo at Sheraton Hotels and Towers in Abuja advocated the need for an open, transparent and participatory budget and procurement process so as to end the misappropriation of public funds that could otherwise be used for development purposes. It is heart-warming that the 2015 Nigerian states budget transparency survey report declared Ekiti State as the most transparent state in Nigeria. From the Survey, Ekiti State was rated the highest with a score of 79. It was closely followed by Cross Rivers,

OFR, CON, SAN, LL.D, D.Litt

Following increase in tariff by the Ghana public utility commision, the Kumasi criers association of professional mourners have resolved to increase their own tariff too. But does the professional mourners need more money from their clients to increase their crying power?

afeonthursday

aareafe@gmail.com

Budgetary transparency as a means of curbing misappropriation of public funds: The Ekiti example Lagos and Jigawa states with scores of 73, 60 and 49 respectively. States like Oyo and Kaduna performed badly with scores of 7. The process of budget preparation and implementation is always shrouded in secrecy. It is this level of secrecy that enables politicians and corrupt civil servants to corruptly enrich themselves at the public expense. Kilometres of roads have been constructed in Nigeria and also periodically refurbished or reconstructed only in the files of such officials while in reality the said roads are untarred, muddy, potholed-filled death traps for commuters. The same thing applies to hospitals which have been equipped and reequipped only on paper. Transparency International notes on its website that in relation to budget openness there is scant or no access available to the public in Nigeria. It is for this reason that the efforts of the Civil Resource Development Documentation Centre (CIRDDOC) as contained in its mission statement quoted below must be lauded. “Since state and local governments are closest in proximity to citizens, the need for an open, transparent, and participatory budget and procurement process is crucial to ending the misappropriation of public funds that could be used for development purposes. While state governors are entrusted to develop the budget, honourable members of the state Houses of Assembly, AuditorsGeneral, citizens, civil society organisations (CSOs), and the media have a role in not only determining what gets included in the budget, but how it is executed as

well. This accountability ecosystem depends on each accountability actor playing their role. To play a constructive role in the accountability ecosystem, citizens, civil society, and the media need to have access to budget information. Access to budget information should not be limited to a select few individuals. All citizens should have access to how state governments plan to raise revenue, spend public resources, and incur debt necessary to finance programmes. The outcome of the survey is as follows:

Dream Team grabs Olympics ticket By Olaoluwa Olowoyeye NIGERIA’S Dream Team on Wednesday secured the 2016 Olympics ticket following its 1-0 victory over Senegal, to also qualify for the final of the ongoing African U-23 Nations Cup in Senegal. The Samson Siasia boys at the Stade Léopold Sédar Senghor, Dakar, this time put up a better performance to advance against all odds. The match winner turned out to be Etebo Oghenekaro, but the match hero unarguably was goalkeeper Emmanuel Daniel, whose heroics kept the Dream Team in the game before the lone strike which separated both sides. The Junior Teranga Lions dominated the early exchanges but could not convert their chances coupled with the brilliance of goal-

keeper Daniel. Nigeria’s Kufre Ebong would have put the Dream Team ahead in the 42nd minute but went late to connect Junior Ajayi’s effort. The hosts had themselves to blame before half time as the spot kick awarded to them and taken by Sory Keita was saved by Daniel. The Enugu Rangers keeper, Daniel made another save in 59th minute when he stopped Ismaila Sarr’s grounder on a one-on-one situation. Reigning FIFA U-17 World Cup goal king, Victor Osimhen came on to replace Godspower Aniefiok in the 62nd minute and the inclusion of the starlet added bite to Nigeria’s attack. The moment of glory later came for the Dream Team when Senegalese defender, Thioune after a collision with his keeper, Sey-

It is with this in mind that CIRDDOC developed the Nigerian Sub-national Budget Transparency Survey, the first independent assessment investigating transparency and public participation in the budgeting and procurement processes in Nigerian states. This report compares the performance in all 36 Nigerian states, identifies best practices, and recommends how state budgeting and procurement systems can be more open and participatory.” I must congratulate Ekiti State for being rated highest with a score of 79. When in 1996, I prepared and defended the memorandum for the creation of Ekiti State before Mbanefo Panel, I was asked, what qualified Ekiti for a state. Part of my answer was the manpower in Ekiti which is populated by the highest number of educated people who are known for hardwork, quality education and integrity. I quoted with relish the fact that when in 1966, eighteen ministers were charged with corruption and tried by the erudite Justice Kayode Esho of blessed memory, Chief Osuntokun then Minister of Works was the only one discharged on no case submission made by me. It is to the credit of Ekiti State government and Ekiti people that Ekiti State has again been rated highest in budgetary transparency. I hope that other states and even the Federal Government would borrow a leaf from the Ekiti example and make budgetary transparency the norm rather than the exception. AARE AFE BABALOLA, OFR, CON, SAN, LL.D, D.Litt

Beat Senegal 1-0 dou stopped a goal bound effort with his arm and in the process earned Nigeria a spot kick and himself a red card. Oghenekaro, who scored all Nigeria’s goals against Egypt in a 2-2 draw through penalty kicks, made no mistake as he converted the resultant spot kick in the 77th minute which sent Nigeria to the final of the African U-23 championship as well as the qualification for the 2016 Olympics. Osimhen’s header off a corner kick was saved by keeper Seydou in the 83rd minute. Nigeria faces the winner between Algeria and South Africa in the final billed for Saturday in Dakar. Senegal will however, have the chance to pick Africa’s third slot to the Rio 2016 Olympics when it goes for the third place match before Oghenekaro the grand finale.

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