11th April 2016

NIGERIA’S MOST INFORMATIVE NEWSPAPER NO 16,476

MONDAY, 11 APRIL, 2016

www.tribuneonlineng.com

Nigerian Tribune

@nigeriantribune

Nigerian Tribune

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FRONT PAGE EDITORIAL COMMENT

Fulani herdsmen, arms and the law

LAST weekend, in a show of callous disdain for law and order, Fulani herdsmen again invaded the farm of elder statesman and former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Chief Olu Falae in Ilado, Akure, Ondo State, killing one of his security guards. Falae, a Yoruba traditional ruler, had been kidnapped in September 2015 by the same band of criminals after they had ceaselessly caused untold damage on his farm by leading their cattle to uproot crops and eat up farm produce. The kidnapping, which forced leaders of thought in the South-West geopolitical zone to issue a two-week ultimatum to the Federal Government and caused considerable consternation in the polity, was a clear demonstration of the alarming dimension that the activities of Fulani herdsmen have reached in Nigeria.

Indeed, the Ondo State governor, Dr Olusegun Mimiko, recently revealed the dogged and exasperating work the state government had to embark on in order to forestall a reprisal by aggrieved and long-suffering citizens of the state on members of the Fulani ethnic group in the state. The latest episode is, therefore, a clear demonstration of the fact that a sad future awaits the country if the Federal Government does not wake up from its slumber and arrest the deadly onslaught of these irredeemable criminals pursuing genocide and seeking to provoke ethnic conflagrations in the country.

It is indeed disconcerting that at a time the country is battling with the scourge of terrorism, another group has resolved to imperil the Nigerian State. The ceaseless, mindless and horrendous attacks on innocent citizens

by Fulani herdsmen over the years have assumed a frightening dimension, with the apparatuses of state sadly appearing helpless and devoid of initiatives to curtail the menace. The grim reality about the current situation is amply underscored by the emergence of the group as the fourth deadliest terrorist group in the world, which means that Nigeria has the unenviable record of hosting two of the deadliest terrorist groups in the world, at the same time.

While hundreds of fellow citizens who were so generous as to allow herdsmen to navigate to their domain as nomads have been savagely killed, maimed and raped, in the case of women and female minors, in the last four years, the ugly trend became a genocide in recent times, as the herdsmen undermined the benevolence and civility of their host communities and landlords as epitomized by the invasion of the Agatu communities in Benue State. On the other hand, how do you feed your cattle by uprooting other people’s crops, only to turn around and sell the cattle to the same people when they have become mature and well-fed?

This is the logic of plunder which underlies herdsmen’s operations in Nigeria. continues pg13

Lagos-Calabar rail not in budget proposal, Reps claim •Document can't return to executive as submitted —Senate

—P2

Why I am going to China —Buhari

•Falana says no to China loan, threatens to sue —P2

FCT elections: INEC declares 4 councils inconclusive

•APC wins Bwari •PDP wins Ife Central constituency rerun —P4

BEFORE LEAVING FOR CHINA: President Muhammadu Buhari, Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo and the Minister of Budget and National Planning, Senator Udoma Udo Udoma, going through budget details, on Sunday.

Dangote Group starts $11bn cement plant in Edo —P11

FG releases petrol to independent marketers

—P11

•Overhaul oil sector structure, Ezekwesili charges Buhari •Petroleum industry profit tumbles amid oil price decline

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Monday, 11 April, 2016

2016 Budget: We acted within the law —NASS

•Reps claim Lagos-Calabar rail project not included in the budget proposal •Document can’t return to executive as submitted —Senate •We are not out to frustrate Buhari —Spokesmen Taiwo Adisa, Jacob Segun Olatunji and Kolawole Danie - Abuja

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RAMA has continued trailing the 2016 budget, as the presidency and National Assembly continue the blame game.

The Presidency had, in the media on Sunday, claimed that the National Assembly had removed the Lagos-Calabar rail project President Muhammadu Buhari submitted in the proposal to the joint sitting of the National Assembly.

Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Appropriation, Honourable Abdulmumin Jibril, on Sunday, however, said the allegations of fresh passing of the 2016 budget attributed to the National Assembly was a ruse.

Abdulmumin, who tweeted severally on the issue on his handle: @abdulabmj, said the allegations contained in media reports on Sunday were basesless and unfounded, adding that the Lagos-Calabar railway project, said to have been removed by the National Assembly, was not even in-

cluded in the budget proposals by the executive.

He spoke on the heels of similar comments made by the spokeamen of the two chambers of the chambers, who rejected insinuations that the lawmakers had padded the budget afresh.

Senate spokesman, Senator Abdullahi Sabi and his counterpart in the House of Representatives, Honourable Abdulrazaq Namdas, who spoke to the Nigerian Tribune in separate interviews, said the constitution of Nigeria did not make the legislature a rubber stamp.

The spokesmen said the National Assembly acted within the law in handling the budget, insisting that the National Assembly did not pad the budget in any way.

Honourable Abdumumin, however, threw lights on the several gaps in the budget as presented by President Buhari, adding that the National Assembly did a good job.

He tweeted: “Lagos-Calabar railway line was NEVER captured in the budget that was sent by the executive.

How then could it have been removed by NASS?

“I actually find it shocking that even some national dailies made the removal their headlines. A little research would have helped.

“All they, and those spreading the false information needed to have done is check the initial document sent by the executive.

“The NASS has always been on the receiving end of bad press. This is being capitalised on in the conversations on budget 2016 and all its headaches and controversies didn’t emanate from NASS. “Take the budget of the Ministry of Transportation was overshot by N54 billion. That is, by the time you add up the items on the ministry’s budget.....you’d still have a gap of N54 billion. N54 billion lying there without being allocated.

NASS has a responsibility and here it did the right thing. What NASS did with the N54 billion; We added N39.7 billion to the LagosKano rail project. This will help complete the project once and for all. We also allocated N10 billion of this sum to the airports’ navigation and security apparatus.

“We often make so much

noise about airport security after major plane crashes, but we need not wait for crashes to enhance safety at airports.

“We allocated the balance to Baro Ports for its completion and equipping. Baro Port is strategic to our economic development.

“Much ado about vaccines that weren’t even there. The budget of the Ministry of Health was the most controversial. The Minister of Health came to deny the document that was presented to the NASS by the executive for the second time.

It is important to have a fact based conversation on these issues, instead of the obvious attempts by some to mislead the general public.”

Also speaking in a telephone interview on the same subject, Senate spokesman, Abdullahi Sabi, said the lawmakers acted within their powers, insisting that the National Assembly did not pad the budget in any way.

“I can say authoritatively that we did not pad the budget at all. I reject that in its entirety. We appropriated in line with what we believe the issues are and we did so in consultation with the

Why I’m going to China —Buhari PRESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari has described the enormous potential in China-Nigeria economic and trade cooperation as an opportunity the country cannot afford to lose in development.

Buhari, in an exclusive interview with Xinhua, prior to his state visit to China starting from today, said Nigeria and China enjoyed vast opportunities in cooperation in such fields as

agriculture, mining, electric power generation, railway and road construction.

He expressed genuine wishes to further strengthen the Nigeria-China ties.

“China has the technical and financial capacity and the experience of development while retaining the goodwill to help Nigeria,” Buhari said.

“So, really, this is an opportunity Nigeria cannot afford to lose,” the presi-

dent told Xinhua at the State House, Abuja.

On trade and economic ties, Buhari said his government remained committed to contracts signed by its predecessor with Chinese firms on railway, roads and hydroelectric dam projects.

“The opportunities that present themselves for us ... are virtually limitless,” he said.

On the concern of em-

ployment, Buhari said 62 per cent of the Nigerian population is under the age of 35, adding that the jobless rate among this group was high.

The best way to tackle unemployment, according to him, was to develop agriculture and the mining industry, which, he said, China had the capacity to help.

Buhari left Nigeria on Sunday for his first state visit to China.

Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs),” Senator Sabi said, adding that the power of appropriation belonged to the National Assembly.

He also stated that the National Assembly actually helped the executive to pass a badly written budget, adding that having done its job within the law, the lawmakers expected the executive to follow the constitutional process.

“We have done our part and we acted within the law, but there can be disagreements and that is why it is a deomcracy. If they have any objection, they can bring it up and we will look at it. I am clearly aware that we adjusted the budget to suit the programmes of President Muhammadu Buhari. We did everything in consultation with the MDAs,” he said.

His counterpart in the

Lagos @50: Banire, Pedro, Adeniji-Adele kick against Soyinka’s appointment Bola Badmus - Lagos NOTABLE indigenes of Lagos State, on Sunday, converged to launch a new pressure group to tackle challenges affecting them in the state, even as they demanded better representation in public offices for Lagos indigenes, with roots from the five divisions of Ikorodu, Badagry, Ikeja, Lagos and Epe (IBILE).

The prominent indigenes included Adelani AdenijiAdele; legal adviser of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Muiz Banire; Chief Lai Ajayi-Bembe, Professor Hakeem Danmole, President, Eko Foundation, Pro-

No to $2bn Chinese loan, Falana tells Buhari Says ‘Buhari must first recover ‘stolen/diverted’ $200bn HUMAN rights lawyer, Mr Femi Falana, has opposed the plan by the Federal Government to obtain a $2 billion loan in China, to augment the deficit in the 2016 budget.

Instead, Falana wanted President Muhammadu Buhari to direct relevant government/anti-corruption agencies to recover $200 billion “withheld from the federation account or stolen by looters.”

In a letter addressed to Mrs Kemi Adeosun, Minister of Finance, he warned that he would “have no alternative than to initiate legal proceedings at the federal high court, with a view

to restraining the Federal Government from further plunging the nation into external indebtedness,” should plans continue towards securing a $2 billion loan from China.

“In our letter dated February 12, 2016 addressed to your good self, we urged the Federal Government to explore alternative sources of raising revenue to fund the 2016 budget, instead of increasing the nation’s external debt of $64 billion.

“In particular, we requested the Federal Government to embark on the recovery of the revenue of $42 billion withheld from the Federation Account from 1999 to

2012 by some trans-national oil companies, the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation and other agencies of the Federal Government.

“In your reply dated March 17, 2016, you assured us that the issues raised in our letter were receiving the attention of the Federal Government.

“We were, therefore, surprised to learn that the Administration had applied to the Chinese Government for another loan of $2 billion.

“In urging the Federal Government to desist from taking the loan of $2 billion from China or any other country, we are compelled to advise the Federal Govern-

ment to intensify efforts to recover the nation’s wealth, which has been criminally diverted by a handful of local and foreign looters.

“The Federal Government may wish to direct the relevant agencies and the antigraft bodies to collect the stolen wealth.

He said National Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI) confirmed that from five cycles of its independent audit reports covering 1999 to 2012, the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), some oil companies and certain agencies of the Federal Government had withheld $20.2 billion

House of Representatives, Honourable Namdas, who also spoke with Nigerian Tribune, said the National Assembly did not set out to frustrate the administration of President Buhari in passing the budget.

He said the lawmakers had every right to work on the 2016 budget, noting that National Assembly was not a rubber stamp.

According to him, “what I want you to know is that we did our job in line with the programme of the president.

“The budget cannot be sent back to the president just the way it was presented to us, but what we passed was in line with the policy and programmes of the Federal Government.

“We are not out to frustrate the president as being speculated in some quarters,” he stated.

for the Federation Account.

He also said in 2006, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) apportioned $7 billion out of the nation’s external reserves to 14 Nigerian banks, adding that in 2008, the CBN also gave a bailout of N600 billion ($4 billion) to the banks.

He asked for remittance of all the money, adding that the sum of $9.6 billion in over-deducted tax benefits from joint venture partners on major capital projects and oil swap contracts, said to have been recovered by the NNPC, among other moneys, should also be remitted into the Federation Account.

fessor Wole Smith and Chief Sunmbo Onititi.

Others were Dr Habeeb Sanni, Dr Olawale Lawal, Dr Bashir Animashaun, Nuhu Anibaba, Lawal Pedro, Wright Olawale Moore; Adebimpe Otutuloro, Mrs Teju Phillips, Alhaji T.A. Banire, Ms Abiola OshodiGlover, Idris Sanusi, Babatunde Eleto, Olanrewaju Salvage and Abike Borokini, among others.

President of the new sociocultural group, known as “Omo Eko Pataki,” Prince Adeniji-Adele, while speaking at the launch held in Lagos, said the aim was to canvass for better representation in public offices for indigenes.

Adeniji-Adele said the new group, which he described as apolitical pressure group, was motivated by the need to salvage “our patrimony from being taken away by those who dislike Lagos indigenes.

“The dream of every Lagos indigenes is a Lagos where opportunities are given to indigenes as much as those given to non-indigenes. A pride in our history, culture, values and beliefs. Our dreams are on the reverse daily by the powers that be, who, of course, have no passion for Lagos.

“The Omo Eko Pataki project is intended to speak for Lagosians, espouses their beliefs and derives mentorship from the enviable records available in order to ensure a better future.

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Monday, 11 April, 2016

Nigerian Tribune

Private schools in Lagos brainstorm, make case for improved parent-child communication Naza Okoli - Lagos

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SSOCIATION of Private Educators in Nigeria (APEN), a group of leading private schools in Nigeria, at the weekend, said much of the decay in the education sector could be addressed if parents would learn to communicate more effectively with their children right from their early years.

This was the central focus of a one-day summit organised by the association, held at S.T & T Regency Schools, Ikeja, Lagos.

The event, which was attended by parents and administrators from APEN’s member schools, also featured a lively interactive session facilitated by a parent, a student, and a representative of APEN’s schools.

The Chairperson of APEN, Dr Olufemi Ogunsanya, in her address, said every parent must work hard to win and keep their child’s trust.

“A lot of times, parents do not understand what is going on in their children’s lives,” she said.

“There could be times a

child would want to share something with his or her parent; there are times the child would want to hold a conversation; if at that point in time, a parent dismisses the child, then that is an opportunity the parent has lost forever. The child would then turn to their friends who are just as clueless as they are, but who seem to know and are offering counsel.”

Ogunsanya also advised parents to resist the temptation to influence their children’s career choices.

“We should ask our children: ‘What problem do

you want to solve; and in trying to solve that problem, what do you need to do?’” she said.

The Director General, Office of Quality Assurance, Lagos State Ministry of Education, Mrs Ronke Soyombo, who was a special guest at the programme, praised APEN for its “deep commitment to the positioning of quality education particularly in Lagos State.”

Soyombo challenged parents to be involved not only in the personal and social development of their children, but also in the

activities that go on in the schools that their children attend.

She said: “The theme of this summit is very apt.

We are in the 21st century and children are already losing it. They are always glued to their mobile phones, iPads, and so on. I want parents to be more involved in the lives of their children. They should learn to communicate with them. Communication can improve their performance at school.

From communicating with them, parents learn what their challenges are.

“At the Office of Quality Assurance, Ministry of Education, we try to encourage parents to get more involved in their children’s education; we support schools to ensure that this happens. A lot of parents have been writing us to complain about various things that go in their children’s schools.”

Earlier, the keynote speaker at the event, Mrs Iyabo Ladipo, described parenting as “the most important job” anyone could do.

“It is a private job, with a public face,” she added.

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Monday, 11 April, 2016

APC risks being voted out of power —Senator Sani Muhammad Sabiu - Kaduna

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NLESS the present ruling government of All Progressives Congress (APC) in the country ends and the economic hardship being experienced

by Nigerians, the party risks the chances of being voted out of power in the nearest future, Comrade Shehu Sani, senator representing Kaduna Central Senatorial District has said.

However, he explained that if the government failed to reshape the economic woes of the nation and voted out of power, the only alternative would be a social revolution that would sweep away the debris of bad governance and misrule in the country.

He made this assertion in Kaduna, on Sunday, during an award-giving ceremony by the members of the Ansar Ud-Deen Muslim Youth Association of Nigeria, held at Arewa House, Kaduna, where he rejected the award, saying “it is very painful to receive an award at this very time when Nigerians are suffering.

“It is very painful to receive an award when our people are suffering on a long queue at filling stations all over the country. It is painful to receive an award when Nigerians are still expecting dividend of democracy.

“I will receive this award at the appropriate time when the condition and welfare of Nigerians improve. I wish to re-present it back to you until such a time.

“That is after we are able to convince that those of us in government have live up to expectation. I have listened to the guest lecture of the imam on justice and equity, and I simply submit that four years is like a few seconds to God. I will say it without fear and in clear terms, that our victory at the polls is now facing challenges.

“And that we cannot continue to give you stories and we cannot continue to blame the past, we cannot continue to point fingers.”

Sani, an APC senator in the National Assembly, argued: “You elect us to deliver and to deliver on the platform of change. As you have seen from my history, I am not a person that will see black and say it is white or see white and say it is black.

Whether it is PDP in power or APC in power, this is what I have been known with and this is what I want to continue to be known with.”

The senator, who addressed thousands of the Ansar UdDeen Muslim members, remarked: “I must say it very clearly that it is high time this government stopped using the word magicians- when we say we have not delivered some people say we are

not magicians. I think this is an insult to Nigerians. You stayed in the sun, under the rain to vote us into power; we must uphold that very promise and that very confidence between us and the electorate.”

He decried the current economic hardship Nige-

rians were facing, insisting that the present fuel shortage and power crisis was the handiwork of some cabals.

“I want to be remembered for what I have been known with. It is not how long you spend in power, but how well you utilise the very opportunity given to you by

your creator to make impact in the lives of our people. We went to you in your houses, markets, shops, everywhere and called on you to vote for us and you voted.

“We cannot use the instrument of power to impose hardship on all of you. And I will call on the government

of the state, not to overtax the poor, in order to build a paradise for the rich. Our people have suffered enough -for 16 years of PDP- they need to be free and also feel the air of change.

“What happened in Abuja during the council polls is a warning to all of us. When

voters refuse to come out and vote, don’t take it like a joke, it is a message and a sign to all of us.”

Sani urged Nigerians to continue to pray for President Muhammadu Buhari to succeed in stirring the ship of leadership in Nigeria.

FCT elections: INEC declares 4 councils inconclusive

•As APC wins Bwari •PDP wins Ife Central constituency rerun From Jacob Segun Olatunji and Oluwole Ige THE Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), on Sunday, declared the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Mr Musa Dikko, winner of the council chairmanship election for the Bwari Area Council in the Federal Capital Territory Area Councils polls conducted on Saturday l.

Returning Officer for the election, who announced the result in Bwari, Mr Abubakar Abba, said the

area council had a total of 162,786 registered voters, but only 33,162 voters were accredited for the election.

According to him, Dikko polled 18,066 votes to defeat his closest challenger of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Andrew Gwani, who scored 13,279 votes.

Candidates of other parties, Mr Wada Abdu of Action Alliance and Kenneth Olabaniji of Citizens Popular Party (CPP), trailed with 93 votes and 72 votes, respectively.

This came just as the commission declared Kuje, Gb-

wagbwalada, Abuja Municipal Area Council and Abaji Area Councils’ elections inconclusive, due to alleged mass irregularities.

No date has been fixed for fresh elections in the affected area councils. The only outstanding area council is Kwali.

In a related development, the independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), on Sunday, declared the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate in the Ife Central State Constituency rerun, Chief Dipo Eluwole winner of the

exercise, which was held on Saturday and concluded on Sunday.

Eluwole, who was returned elected with a total of 5,504 votes, defeated the Accord Party candidate, Mr Segun Fanibe and Honourable ‘Tilewa Sijuade of All Progressives Congress (APC), who came second and third, respectively.

The Accord Party candidate polled 4,790, while the APC candidate scored 4,587 votes, but INEC had, on Saturday, declared the rerun inconclusive.

Returning Officer for the

election, Mr Francis Oladimeji, said while speaking at the collation centre: “Election in two polling units were cancelled.

That is Agbedegbe Street, Moore Ojaja Unit 02 and Moore Ojaja.

“The number of accredited voters in the two units is 872. The margin between the first two candidates is 710 by our record. Following the regulation, where the number of cancelled votes is more than the margin between the two leading candidates, we cannot announce the winner.”

Court to hear suit against Agip, NNPC, others June 14 ByYejideGbenga-Ogundare JUSTICE Muhammed Liman of the Federal High Court sitting in Port Harcourt, has ordered the service of hearing notice on Conoco Philips Petroleum Nigeria Limited in the ongoing legal tussle between Arco Group Plc and Nigerian Agip Oil Company.

This was as it fixed June 14 for hearing of arguments on the Originating Summons and other matters like contempt of court and preliminary objections canvassed by parties before the court.

Arco Group, an indigenous oil service company, had dragged Agip, the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Conoco Philips Petroleum Nigeria Limited and the National Petroleum Investment Management Services to court, praying the court to determine whether under the Nigeria Content Act, Agip, was under obligation to award maintenance contract of OB/OB, Ebocha and Kwale gas plants to it or not.

The court also ordered that the third defendant be served with hearing notice since he was not represented by any counsel before the court.

Arco had, in the suit submitted that the alleged refusal of NOAC to comply with the provisions of Section 3 Sub-Section 2 and 3 of the Nigeria Oil and Gas Industry Content Development (NOGICD) Act, 2010

was illegal, adding that the law encouraged the involvement of more indigenous participation in the nation’s oil and gas operations.

It stated that having successfully maintained the OB/OB, Ebocha and Kwale gas facilities for many years, it had the prescribed equipment, machines and skilled manpower to execute the contract and further prayed the court to grant it several other declarative and injunctive reliefs.

At the resumed hearing of the case, Justice Liman said he was new in the matter. Hence, he should be allowed to familiarise himself with all the files and details of the case.

He also suggested to counsels in the suit that to save time, the court should take arguments on Originating Summons, contempt of court and preliminary proceedings on the matter on the same day, which they all conceded to.

Earlier, Mr Akpomudje Albert, who led other counsels for the plaintiff, Arco

Group Plc, said they had commenced contempt proceedings against the defendant for allegedly disobeying two orders of the court.

He argued that the court should first dispose of the contempt proceedings before entertaining any other matter relating to the suit.

“There was an order to maintain the status quo.

We have complained to the court that the orders were being flaunted. We have commenced contempt proceedings. We are talking of two orders of courts. No appeal against them by the defendants. Our submission is that His lordship should take the contempt proceedings first before we go to the other issues,” he had pleaded.

However, lead counsel for Agip, Mr Joseph Thompson Okpoko, said the case came to the court by way of Originating Summons, adding that it was their argument that the court had no jurisdiction over the case.

He said both parties later

Troops rescue more people, recover weapons Chris Agbambu - Abuja TROOPS of 155 Task Force Battalion, on Sunday, at Nimila village, rescued 14 people from the Boko Haram terrorists, as well as recovered weapons.

The rescued were mostly women and children.

The troops, according to

a statement by the acting Director, Army Public Relations, Colonel Sani Kukasheka Usman, also recovered three dane guns, a single barrel and two double barrels.

He said the troops further recovered three motorcycles abandoned by the terrorists, in addition to two mobile phones.

filed written addresses.

He further queried the form of status quo the court said parties should maintain.

“But what is the status quo in this case? The claim before the court is the one where we say that the court does not have jurisdiction to entertain the matter,” he said.

Justice Liman, however, advised all parties to put their house in order and appear for hearing of arguments on Originating Summons, contempt and preliminary proceedings.

“I will take everything the same time,” Justice Liman said.

Speaking on the matter,

counsel for Arco, Akpomuje, said he was not disturbed with the change of the judge.

“Any judge can come. We are not particular about any judge. They are all judicial officers. The summary in court today was that the judge agreed that the Originating Summons we filed together with preliminary objection should go together. Before now, they wanted to take the preliminary objection without the Originating Summons.

“If the court rules that it has no jurisdiction, we won’t go to the Originating Summons. But if it rules that it has jurisdiction then it will determine the finality of the case,” he said.

Monday, 11 April, 2016 Nigerian Tribune 5 news SERAP gives CCB 14 days to investigate officers named in Panama Papers

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HE Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has called on the Code of Conduct Bureau to investigate current and past high-ranking public officers in Nigeria named in the Panama papers.

The call was contained in a statement issued by the group on Sunday, in Abuja.

The statement, which was signed by the Executive Director of SERAP, Mr Adetokunbo Mumuni, stated that it gave CCB 14 days to carry out the investigation.

It said that anyone found culpable should be sent to the tribunal for prosecution.

It added that if the bureau failed to investigate the cases, the group would not hesitate to use legal means to compel the bureau to discharge that constitutional responsibility.

“SERAP believes that the Panama papers have shown the extent to which public officers in the country are concealing their stolen wealth in safe havens and secrecy jurisdictions.

“This is contrary to the code of conduct for public officers, which prohibits public officers from maintaining and operating foreign accounts.

“We request Mr Sam Saba, chairman, Code of Conduct Bureau to use his good office and leadership to urgently investigate current and immediate past high-ranking

public officers named in the Panama papers.

“They should also investigate others that are maintaining and operating or have maintained and

operated foreign accounts in other safe havens and secrecy jurisdictions, and where appropriate, refer such to Code of Conduct Tribunal for prosecution,”

it said.

According to the statement, SERAP hopes that the bureau would learn from the lessons of the Panama papers to combat the abuse of the asset

Don’t allow factionalisation of APC, Baraje tells Buhari Biola Azeez -Ilorin A founding member of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Alhaji Abubakar Baraje, has urged President Muhammadu Buhari to work against factionalisation of the party.

Speaking with journalists in Ilorin, at the weekend, Alhaji Baraje advised the president to save the party from hands of a few people.

The APC chieftain lamented that factors that led to the factionalisation of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its eventual collapse were gradually creeping into the APC. He noted that impunity, lawlessness and divisive tendencies which led to the downfall of the PDP now reigned supreme in the APC. He said the aforementioned vices were being promoted by a few selfcentred leaders of the APC and admonished Buhari to start playing politics so that the APC would not suffer

the PDP’s fate.

The APC chieftain expressed reservation over the ways and manners the ruling party was being run, noting that this had resulted in APC losing in many of the states where rerun elections had taken place.

“If care is not taken, PDP may take over the control of the two chambers of the National Assembly. There are many distractions. President Muhammadu Buhari’s government has brighter idea on how to turn around the fortune of Nigeria, but a lot of things went wrong before APC came in as the ruling party.

“Most of the distractions were created by APC itself. For instance, the Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki, who heads an important arm of government, is not getting the necessary support from the party because a few people think they are more important than others.

“What led to the factionalisation of PDP is gradu-

ally creeping into APC; the dragon of impunity is creeping into the party.

President Buhari should shine his eyes and should be wary of these people. He should start to play politics now to consolidate on the gains of APC seizing power from the PDP,” he said.

Baraje, who said that he was not aware of any plan

by some politicians to form a new party, added that, “politicians will always move from one platform to another until their aspiration is met. This is not selfishness but a matter of principle. For instance, what will I be doing in any party where the prosperity of my people is not guaranteed?”

declaration requirements.

It also insisted that high-ranking public officers who use safe havens and secrecy jurisdictions to breach the fundamental requirements of asset declaration must be sanctioned, named and shamed.

According to it, if this is not done, the credibility of the asset declaration regime as a tool of preventing and combating corruption will continue to be doubted.

“SERAP believes that bodies like the Code of Conduct Bureau should now seize the opportunity and use its mandate to react to this international scandal.

NDLEA uncovers heroin valued at over N200m at Kano Airport Kola Oyelere– Kano

THE National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Malam Aminu Kano International Airport (MAKIA) chapter, has intercepted 10.6 kilogrammes of high grade pure rack heroin with street value of over N200 million.

Disclosing this while addressing a press conference, the NDLEA MAKIA Commander, Ambrose

Umoru, said the drug was uncovered during an inward examination and clearance of luggage of Ethiopian Airline flight number ET 491 from Addis Ababa.

According to him, the drug was neatly concealed in eight submersible water pump machines inside two cartons wrapped with transparent cellophane leather.

He, however, stated that no arrest was made in the course of the seizure.

The Commander called on members of the society to be wary of any suspicious individual who may likely look like the escapee for immediate apprehension.

He then warned the enemies of progress to desist from using the MAKIA as their escape route, noting that the command was ever ready to nip in the bud their act, which has posed a serious threat to lives of the citizens.

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Nigerian Tribune

Monday, 11 April, 2016

Lagos

I almost died during my initiation last year — 13-year-old Awawa member

•I did my best for him — Mother •Police trail fleeing 20 others Olalekan Olabulo

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13-year-old boy, Opeyemi Johnson has narrated how he was almost beaten to death, while being initiated into the dreaded Awawa cult group at the age of 12.

The Junior Secondary School student (JSS) was early Sunday arrested by operatives of the Rapid Response Squad (RRS), after he alongside members of his gang attacked some residents in Fagba area of the state.

Opeyemi confessed to being a member of the Awawa cult group but blamed an area brother, whom he accused of luring him into the cult group.

It was learnt that the suspect and 20 other members of the cult group were early on Sunday morning returning from a street carnival somewhere around Agbado Crossing, when they reportedly went on rampage and started dispossessing passersby of bags, phones and other valuable items when he was arrested.

According to Opeyemi, a JSS student of a private school in Sango, Ogun State (name withheld), “I followed my cult members to carnival at Power Line, Agbado Crossing. On our way home, our Capol, nicknamed Ijaomode instructed us to start robbing anybody we meet on our way.

“We robbed not less than 10 different individuals of their belongings before we got to Fagba Junction. At this point, we saw a young girl, whom we immediately surrounded and collected all her belongings including phones and jewellery. She later went to bring RRS men who chased us and arrested me while my colleagues managed to escape.”

Opeyemi disclosed that he joined the cult group about a year ago. “I was initiated into the group about a year

ago. It was one brother whom I only know as Ola that introduced and forced me to join the group. Initially, I never knew it would turn out to be this. Immediately I saw their ways of life and characters, I wanted to quit but they threatened to kill me if I dare leave the group,” he claimed.

While narrating how the cult initiation was performed on him, the suspect

revealed, “it was on a Sunday evening at Abattoir, Agege. Ola took me to one dark room and ordered me to kneel down. In that room, I met other six members of the group already waiting for my arrival. The cult leader, Ijaomode blindfolded me with black piece of cloth and all the six members descended on me and gave me a thorough beating.”

He further narrated that, “After a while, they stopped.

They gave me alligator pepper to chew and also an alcoholic drink to gulp it down.

One of them stood up and he drew tattoo on my forehead and below my eyes as sign of being a bonafide member of the group. Since that time, I have been going out with them for operations. I stopped going back home.

I used to sleep in a shanty

plank room at the Abattoir.”

The suspect added that his mother never showed him his biological father since he was born. “I don’t know who my father is till now. My mother just told me he is a Congolese,” he said.

The arrested cult member continued that, “I had made frantic efforts to see him to the extent that I had to travel to Congo alone to look for him, but I didn’t see

A petrol tanker conveying fuel, which exploded and burnt alongside other cars, along Murtala Mohammed Airport road, Ajao Estate, on Saturday.

Fuel tanker accidents increase agony of Lagosians, as 6 trailers crash within a week Sylvester Okoruwa

AS Lagosians groan under the lingering petrol scarcity, petrol tankers moving the product from one point to another have also added salt to the injury of the people, through incessant tanker accidents in Lagos environs.

Within one week (last week), about six fuel tanker accidents were recorded in different locations, within the state, leading to loss of lives and damage to properties worth several millions

of naira.

Penultimate weekend, a petrol tanker belonging to AY Ashafa, carrying 47,000 litres of diesel was on its way to Bauchi after loading from Apapa Terminal. At Iyana Isolo, the tanker was hijacked by thieves only for it, while descending Anthony Oke, to slip and crashed into Corona School’s, fence.

Luckily, there was no fire explosion as the diesel leaked into a canal.

Last Wednesday, another tanker rammed into three

cars at Otedola bridge damaging the cars, beyond repairs and leaving the occupants seriously injured.

Again, on Thursday, tanker carrying Black oil collided with a petrol tanker and a Hilux van at Asese along Lagos-Ibadan Expressway resulting in damage to the black oil tanker. The content flowed freely as miscreants and residents had a field day scooping the black oil while motorists suffered over eight hours of intense

traffic hold-up.

On Friday at Abraham Ogunsanya roundabout, Ajah, another tanker fell by the way side. Fortunately, no life was lost.

And yet again, on Saturday, a petrol tanker carrying PMS exploded and caught fire along Murtala Mohammed International Airport road by Ajao Estate. The tanker and another truck and cars were completely burnt and some persons sustained various degrees of burns.

him rather I saw some of his family members who told me he had travelled out of the country. For now, I can only talk to him via phone.”

Speaking with the suspect’s mother, Mrs Johnson, she noted that she had tried all her best to give him sound education and good upbringing.

“He is my third child.

Though I had remarried, that doesn’t disturb me from playing my motherly roles. His two elder siblings are in higher institutions. I have tried enough to ensure that he doesn’t go astray.

I enrolled him in a private school at Sango. I wondered how he got to Abbatoir, Agege. I gave him and his siblings all my best,” the mother said.

The victim of the gang’s operation, Naisha Akiomon, who informed the RRS operatives after she was robbed, also narrated her ordeal to the police.

While confirming the arrest, the State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) Dolapo Badmus, admonished parents to give their best to their children and wards. She said that the teenager’s confessional statement helped the Police to arrest another member of the group, Mohammed Korede, 19.

The two suspects have been transferred to Gender Department of the police command for necessary actions.

Johnson

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Monday, 11 April, 2016

metro

Edited by

Lanre Adewole

olanreade@yahoo.com

0811 695 4647

Schools resume today, govt rejects postponement calls Bola Badmus LAGOS State government has confirmed today, April 11, 2016 as the resumption date for the third term academic session in public

schools in the state.

Deputy Governor, Dr Idiat Oluranti made this known in a statement, emphasising that it became necessary to clarify the resumption date based on recent rumour

and insinuations that the resumption date had been postponed.

Adebule, who supervises the activities of the Ministry of Education, said the state government recognises the

pressure associated with the current fuel scarcity and its attendant consequences, but maintained that higher premium must be placed on the development of school children who she said were

Govt needs $3.5bn to execute Water Master Plan

• Launches online access to state laws Olalekan Olabulo THE Lagos Water Corporation (LWC) will need $3.5 billion to execute the Water Master Plan to construct additional large water schemes by 2020.

The former Managing Director, Lagos State Water Corporation (LSWC), Mr Shayo Holloway, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that the current water production by the corporation stood at 210 million gallons per day (MGD).

According to him, this leaves a shortfall or deficit of 330million gallons per day, even if the total water assets available in the state run at 100 per cent efficiency.

Holloway said, “This plan will take the state from its current 210 million gallons per day to 745 million gallons per day (MDG). The corporation will need $3.5 billion to execute the Water Master Plan. This is an investment which the state cannot solely undertake, as it will take it two-and-half years to fund, with every Naira inflow going into the water sector only.

“That is why the state seeks to partner with the private sector to accelerate the development of water infrastructure with private capital, to make water available,” he said.

However, a water expert and member of the Nigerian Environmental Society (NES), Lagos Mainland Chapter, Mr Taofik Adeosun, said that potable water was scarce in the state.

“Like in Jakande Estates (Low Cost Housing Estates) almost all the houses have boreholes. Those that do not have boreholes depend on water vendors, who still buy from those selling water from their boreholes,’’ Adeosun said.

According to him, safety of the water from the boreholes depends on location.

Adeosun added that majority of the borehole water were good, but those that could afford them have wa-

ter treatment plants too.

Meanwhile, The Lagos State Government on Sunday announced the launch of an online platform where lawyers, investors and the public could have access to

all the laws of the state.

Information on the launch is contained in a statement issued by Mr Adeniji Kazeem, the state’s Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice.

the leaders of tomorrow.

The deputy governor, while appealing to parents and guardians to look beyond the present situation and encourage their wards to face their studies with renewed vigour, noted that the call for a shift in the resumption date would only distort the academic calendar for the year.

She, therefore, urged proprietors of private schools, Head Teachers and Principals of public schools to do everything possible to see that the school calendar runs uninterrupted in the state.

This driving condition is dangerous on the Lekki-Ajah waterway. Some passengers even take standing position. PHOTO: SYLVESTER OKORUWA.

Refuse takes over canals, residents blame LAWMA Chukwuma Okparaocha AS the raining season commences and despite several warnings by the Lagos State government, many residents of the state appear to still be in the habit of dumping refuse in drainages, waterways, under bridges and other unwholesome places.

A recent survey by Lagos Metro in some communities including parts of Ojota, Ketu, Ijora, Ajegunle (in Ajeromi Local Government Area) and Agege revealed resumption of the misdemeanour despite clear warnings of more rains which could result in flooding.

“At times, we don’t see the Lagos Waste Management Authority (LAWMA)

people in days and by then, the refuse generated by residents must have started piling up. Therefore, we are often left with no other choice but to devise means of discarding such refuse in the most convenient way for us, since we cannot live with refuse,” a resident said.

This view was corroborated by another resident of Iyana Oworo area of the state who also admitted that dumping refuse into canals, waterways and under bridges had been the only way out of inconsistent services, which residents had been experiencing.

The resident also revealed that the problem had become aggravated with the state government’s

Nigerian Tribune

successful efforts in kicking out local refuse truck pushers, popularly known as Abokis in the state.

However, the State Government has continued to warn violators of the state’s environmental laws to desist from doing so or incur the wrath of law enforcement agencies.

The Commissioner for Environment, Babatunde Adejare, recently warned that the ministry was now more determined to implement the state government’s policy of keeping its environment clean and safe enough to attract investors and boost the economy of the state.

He, therefore, disclosed that the State Government had given the Kick against Indiscipline (KAI)

brigade, with the backing of relevant law enforcement, the marching order to effectively clamp down on all violators of its environmental laws, especially hawking, street trading and dumping of refuse in unwholesome places.

A canal blocked with refuse at Agege

76-year-old poses as land speculator in N8m fraud A 76-year-old man, John Orimogunje, has been arrested and charged to court for allegedly collecting N8 million from two women under the pretext of getting them land.

The Septuagenarian and others, who are still at large, allegedly committed the offence between January and August 2014.

The police alleged that Orimogunje, sometime in January 2014, at Ikota Shopping Complex in Victoria Garden City, Lekki, obtained N8 million from Mrs Ejiro Imafidon and Mrs Emili Iwere, after falsely presenting himself as a land speculator to them.

The prosecutor also alleged that the defendant at the same place on June 30, 2014, issued a Skye Bank Plc post-dated cheque for N3 million in the name of Emilia Iwere, as payment for the said money he was owing her, but that when the cheque was presented for payment, it was rejected due to insufficient funds in his account.

The defendant denied the charges. His counsel, Ademola Adewale, urged the court to grant him bail in liberal term, because of his age and illness but the prosecutor opposed the bail application because there is no evidence to show that the defendant is ill.

Magistrate Sonuga granted him N2 million bail with two sureties in the like sum and adjourned till April 28.

news Bello welcomes Adeyemi to APC 8

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former two-term senator in the National Asembly, Smart Adeyemi, has dumped the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kogi State, just as the state governor, Yahaya Bello, welcomed him to the party.

The former senator said he has decided to defect in the interest of his people as well the nation and hailed

the leadership of President Muhammadu Buhari.

In a statement by his Chief Press Secretary(CPS), Kingsley Fanwo, the governor welcomed the former senator to the party, urging him to work with party leaders in the state to bring real change to the people.

The governor said PDP has been losing important leaders to APC since 2014, urging others who are still in PDP

NDDC’s debt profile, our biggest challenge —Acting MD THE acting managing director, Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Mrs Ibim Semenitari, has said that the biggest challenge she had upon assumption of office “was the fact that we are owing so many people."

Semenitari, who made this known in Abuja when she featured on the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) forum, said the commission was owing more than 8,600 contractors between N400 billion and N450 billion..

She said that the paucity of funds coupled with the public perception of the commission became sources of concern for the management of NDDC. She, however, said that

the commission had to deal with both challenges and reinvigorate the workforce to be able to get to its current state.

but want the progress of the state to join APC in order to move the state forward.

Governor Bello hailed Senator Adeyemi as an experienced politician, who will bring his wealth of experience to bear, insisting that APC remains one big family in the state.

The governor said he will continue to deliver dividends of democracy to Kogi people to give his party a good platform to continue to dominate the political landscape of the state and affirmed that the defection of political figures to the party across the state testifies to the renewed confidence of the people in the APC-led government in the state.

Monday, 11 April, 2016

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Monday, 11 April, 2016

Nigerian Tribune Monday, 11 April, 2016 10 businessnews Petroleum industry profit tumbles amidst oil price decline Kehinde Akinseinde-JayeobaLagos

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ISTED petroleum marketing companies on the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) for year ended December, 2015 have reported declined in profit as a result of dwindling global crude oil prices, The full-year financial results released by the firms recently also showed a significant decline in revenue and hike in operating expenses.

Total Nigeria Plc recorded a decline of 23.5 per cent in profit from N5.29 billion to N4.05 billion in 2015 for FY 2015, while Mobil Oil Nigeria Plc posted a decline of 23.8 per cent in profit from N6.39 billion to N4.87 billion in 2015.

According to financial reports, both companies revenue dropped by 13.5 per cent and 19.3 per cent in Total Nigeria and Mobile Oil Nigeria respectively.

The multinational companies increased in operating expenses and sluggish revenue contributed to weak earnings in the year under review.

On shareholders returns on investment, Total Nigeria declared N12.00 dividend, while Mobil Oil Nigeria shareholders are expected to approve N7.20 dividend as against N9.00 and N6.60 dividend declared in 2014 financial.

In contrast, Forte Plc and MRS Nigeria announced an impressive profit for the year following cost effectiveness in finance income generation.

Forte profit for the year rose by 30 per cent from N4.46 billion in 2014 to N5.79 billion recorded in 2015. MRS Nigeria also recorded a growth of 25 per cent in profit to N935.6

million from N746 million in 2014.

Revenue generation in 2015 was relatively on decline as MRS Oil Nigeria recorded a decline of six per cent from N92 billion to N87.1 billion. Forte Oil also recorded a decline of 27 per cent from N170 billion in 2014 to N124.6 billion recorded in 2015.

The board of Forte Oil had proposed dividend payout of N3.45k per share.

In a statement, the Group Chief Financial Officer, Forte Oil Plc, Mr Julius Omodayo-Owotuga, said the decline in revenue of 27 per cent was as a result of the company strategy to reduce importation of Pre-

100 trucks of the previous financial year to mention a few.

“Our ability to provide a profit for our shareholders is testament to our belief that the business is on a solid and safe trajectory and will continue to consolidate on gains made.”

Analysts, however, attributed the decline in revenue

From left; General Manager, Mobile Network Operations and Engineering, Mr Anthony Adegbola; General Manager, Program Office, Ms Yemi Keri; Chief Executive Officer, Mr Kamar Abass; General Manager, Product and Services, Mr Jide Mafolabomi; Director, Human Resources, Mr Ibrahim Umar and Director, Consumer Marketing and Sales, Mr Inusa Bello all of NTEL during the media event to announce the commencement of NTEL 4G LTE Network into the Nigerian Market at Jade Palace, V/I, Lagos, on Friday. PHOTO SYLVESTER OKORUWA.

Foreign exchange crisis, major concern for industry players —LCCI Akin Adewakun-Lagos

THE Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) has described the present forex challenge facing individuals and corporate organisations in the country, as a huge cause for concern to industry players, noting that this had begun to weaken patronage, turnover and profit margins outlook.

Making these remarks in Lagos, over the weekend,

at the Chamber’s Quarterly deliberations on the state of the nation’s economy, the President of the Chamber, Mrs Nike Akande stated that besides constituting the largest risk to inflation outlook, the recent sharp depreciation of the naira exchange rate in the parallel market also remains a cause for concern for Nigerians.

While calling for urgent steps to be taken to stem the slide, the LCCI boss

Again, Globacom tops internet subscribers’ gainers’ chart CONTINUING its steady winning streak in the last one year, Nigeria’s next generation network, Globacom, has topped the winners chart in the area of new internet subscriber acquisition for the month of February, 2016.

The latest data released by the industry regulator over the weekend showed that while many other major telecommunications operators lost internet subscribers in the month of February, Globacom added a total of 248,593 new internet subscribers.

According to the report, Globacom grew its 25,436,244 internet subscribers in January to 25,684,837 in February.

Following in Globacom’s trail, Airtel also grew its subscribers by 224,037 in

mium Motor Spirit (PMS) so as to reduce the Company’s exposure to subsidy receivables from the Federal Government.

He added that, “other income increased by 190 per cent due to sale of Investment property, investment in securities held to maturity, freight income from the investment made in the

February. It had 16,855,609 in January and a total of 17,079,646 in February.

Etisalat lost 52,251 internet subscribers in the month under review moving from a total of 15,283,903 in January to 15,231,652 in February.

On its part, MTN lost 2,614,489 million internet subscribers in February, after its 38,218,859 million internet users in the month of January was depleted to 35,604,370 in February.

Industry-wide, a total of 2,194,110 internet subscribers were lost as a total number of 95.94 million subscribers browsed the internet through the networks in January, while a total of 93.75 million remained on the networks in the month of February.

The data showed that of the 93.75 million internet users in February, 93.6 million were on GSM networks, while 150,125 users were on the CDMA.

stated that the decline in the value of the naira had continued to be an issue to consumer, the producers, as well as others in the value-creation chain of the nation’s economy.

‘The discussion at this time should not be about devaluation of the naira. It should be about a pricing mechanism that is sustainable, predictable and transparent.

“It should be about a policy regime that would reduce uncertainty and inspire the confidence of investors,” she argued.

While calling for a flexible exchange rate regime, Mrs Akande insisted that, if adopted, such regime would enable Nigerians cope with the changing demand and supply con-

ditions in the forex market.

Listing the benefits of such approach as enhancing liquidity in the foreign exchange market, reducing uncertainty in the foreign exchange market and enhancing investors’ confidence in the economy, since it is more transparent as a mechanism for forex allocation.

“Besides, it minimises discretion in the allocation of forex and reduces opportunities for round -tripping and other sharp practices,” she stated.

She described the current framework, being adopted by the CBN, as a fixed exchange rate regime, which she believes is better suited for a country that has adequate reserves to support the fixed rate.

Swiss banks face scrutiny over Panama papers SWITZERLAND is stepping up scrutiny of its banks in response to the Panama Papers which prompted a global outcry over allegations of tax avoidance.

Thomas Bauer, the President of Swiss financial watchdog FINMA told Swiss newspaper NZZ am Sonntag on Sunday that “we want to know which banks have used the services of the Panamanian firm and whether Swiss laws were broken.

Without specifying

names, he said “we’ve already contacted Swiss financial institutes.

Switzerland is the world’s largest centre for offshore wealth, with Boston Consulting Group estimating that around 2.5 trillion dollars in foreign assets was kept with the country’s banks in 2014.

FINMA signaled a crackdown on money laundering on Wednesday and was now calling for authorities around the globe to set standards that would prevent abuse.

Other states and organisations such as the European Union or the OECD also needed to make efforts to establish similar regulations everywhere, Bauer said.

Branches of Swiss lenders including UBS (UBSG.S) and Credit Suisse (CSGN.S) were mentioned in the leaked documents as being among the main banks that requested offshore companies for clients.

However, both banks had denied wrongdoing in connection with the practice.

to scarcity of PMS and Federal Government unclear policies in the sector, while saying that this performance would translate into decline in most companies’ profit.

The Federal Government had, late last year, reduced the price of PMS from 97 per litre to N87, another factor analysts said has effect to decline revenue.

They added that the current price of N86.50 might also impinge revenue growth in 2016.

The President, Nigeria Association for Energy Economics, Professor Wumi Iledare, had noted that the delayed subsidy payment and the FG reduction in PMS Price contributed to poor revenue and profit in 2015.

He said increased challenges in the sector have also affected oil marketing companies’ profits.

He said, “So many factors can be attributed to petroleum marketing companies’ worst performance in 2015. The federal government has failed in paying subsidy claims on time and the low price of petroleum as also contributed to decline performance.

“Scarcity of petroleum was another factor that contributed to decline in revenue. Some of these companies were selling at a higher price despite lesser quantity supplied.”

BPE charges new owner of NITEL/MTEL to come out with unique products Gbola Subair-Abuja

THE Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE) has tasked the NATCOM, owners of Ntel Network, on the need to come out with unique products and services, if they must make the desired in-road in the Telecommunications Sector.

Also the bureau advised the Consortium to justify their emergence in the privatization process by deploying the right technology to turn around the sector.

Acting Director-General of BPE, Dr Vincent Akpotaire gave the advice when the representatives of Ntel management led by Mr Osondu C. Nwokoro visited the Bureau to make presentation on the postprivatisation roll out plan on in Abuja.

The Ag D G expressed satisfaction with NATCOM’s post-privatisation roll out plans. He assured the NATCOM team of the Bureau’s dedication to its responsibilities towards achieving the set objectives of privatising NITEL/ MTEL.

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businessnews

Monday, 11 April, 2016

Nigerian Tribune

FG releases petrol to independent marketers

•As Ezekwesili charges Buhari to overhaul oil sector structure BySeyiGesindewithAgency Report

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HE Federal Government has commenced the release of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) known as petrol to Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN).

Information on the release was contained in a statement issued by Mr

NMRC refinanced N1.8bn in 2015 Tunde Opalana-Abuja

AT the end of the 2015 financial year, an approximate sum of N1.8billion worth of existing mortgage was refinanced by the Nigerian Mortgage Refinancing Company (NMRC).

As part of the effort to create mortgage refinancing window, the Company, a subsidiary of the Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority (NSIA) conducted its first bond by raising N8 billion in July, 2015.

Managing Director/Chief Executive of NSIA, Mr. Uche Orji, who made this disclosure in Abuja last week while presenting the 2015 financial results of the Authority, said real estate is one of the five key infrastructure investment sectors embarked upon by NSIA last year.

He said the Authority was currently conducting duediligence and negotiations on a number of large scale commercial and real estate projects.

This, he added, was aimed at partnering with institutional investors and other sovereign funds to create a real estate co-investment vehicle that would develop real estate projects in Nigeria.

Lawson Ngoa, the Secretary, IPMAN Reconciliation Committee, on Sunday in Abuja.

The Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Dr Ibe kachikwu, constituted a 14-man committee to resolve IPMAN crisis and to ensure end to fuel scarcity in the country.

According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), the statement quoted the committee secretary as saying the release of the product was part of efforts to settle the 7,000 pending loading tickets of IPMAN. He stated that some marketers had confirmed that they started loading the products from some depots

in Lagos as a result of the efforts of the Committee.

He noted that IPMAN controlled over 80 per cent of the petroleum products’ retail outlets in the country and that members were not getting products from the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) due to internal leadership crisis since last two years.

Ngoa said the Committee had taken steps to ensure that products were available all over the country.

He thanked Nigerians for the patience and understanding during difficult period and assured that with the support of the minister of petroleum resources and his team, the scarcity would soon be

for Petroleum, Dr Ibe Kachikwu, on Sunday, via her Twitter handle, @obyezeks.

As tweeted: “Mr. President @MBuhari don’t delay any further the necessity to overhaul structure of the oil sector. EMBRACE the MARKET!! @IbeKachikwu.”

She likened the current situation to what she called the “rowdiness” at Air France boarding gate for Abuja in Paris, which she said was not different what was seen at Arik Desk, which she said was blamed on fuel scarcity.

“The rowdiness @ Air France boarding gate for Abuja in Paris was no different from what you’d see @ Arik desk. Reason?

Fuel! @IbeKachikwu.

From right, Chairman, United Bank for Africa Plc, Mr Tony Elumelu; Directors, High Chief Samuel Oni and Chief Kola Jamodu; Group Managing Director/ CEO, UBA Plc Mr Phillips Oduoza; Vice-Chairman, Ambassador Joe Keshi; Director, Alhaji Ja’afaru Paki at the 54th Annual General Meeting of the bank held in Lagos on Friday.

Dangote Group starts $1bn cement plant in Edo State THE Dangote Group on Sunday started constructing a $1 billion cement factory in Okpella, Edo State, to expand its cement production in Nigeria.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports

that the six million metric tonnes per annum (mmtpa) Okpella plant and the upcoming six mmtpa plant in Itori, Ogun State will increase the company’s local production capacity to 41 mmtpa annually.

DMO boss tasks media on debt mgt reporting THE Director General of the Debt Management Office, DMO, Dr Abraham Nwankwo, has charged the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), and the media in Nigeria to key into the federal government’s debt management policy.

Speaking at a one-day workshop on Debt Sustainability and the Challenge of Financing Economic Recovery organized by the DMO for the NUJ in Abuja, weekend, Nwankwo said the challenge of infrastructural development and economic recovery were enormous, therefore the imperative of the federal government to seek for alternative funding of which debt sourcing is an integral part.

The DMO boss observed that the NUJ and the me-

over.

He further called on stakeholders to shun unnecessary rancor and join hands with the Committee to restore peace and normalcy in petroleum distribution.

Meanwhile, Mrs Oby Ezekwesili, former Education Minister and lead campaigner, #BringBackOurGirls, has chided the Nigeria’s leadership on the fuel crisis currently being faced by Nigerians.

As a result, she called President Muhammadu Buhari for immediate overhaul of the structure of the oil sector.

She said this in a message she tweeted at President Muhammadu Buhari and the Minister of State

dia as a whole has a critical role to play in informing Nigerians of the importance of debt financing in economic development especially with declining oil and gas revenue being faced by the country and around the globe.

Nwankwo informed participants at the workshop that Nigeria’s debt-to-GDP ratio as at December, 2015 was at 13.02%, which he said was far below the peer group ratio of 56%.

According to him, the federal government will be borrowing N900billion and N984billion from the external and domestic markets, respectively, to finance the 2016 budget.

Explain further, Nwankwo said the logic of the mix, external and domestic borrowings, is “to rebal-

ance total public stock in favour of less costly external funds,” while stressing that “the utilization of the borrowing proceeds are entirely on capital projects to support the growth of productive capacity.”

The Okpella project, which is to be constructed within 26 months, will provide 6,000 direct jobs and 45,000 indirect jobs in the community.

Dr Kayode Fayemi, the Minister of Solid Minerals, said at the ground breaking ceremony at Okpella on Sunday that the cement plant was an evidence that the diversification agenda of the Federal Government was already working.

Fayemi said that the cement plant would be a model that would bring positive changes to the

nation’s solid minerals sector in the areas of job creation, foreign exchange earnings and local content promotion.

He said mining sector was currently contributing 0.34 per cent to the GDP and had potential to contribute over 25 million dollars annually to the economy by 2025.

Fayemi advised other investors to take a cue from Dangote’s commitment and support to transform the nation’s economy through active participation.

Economic hardship: More properties up for rent in high brow Lagos Chima Nwokoji-Lagos FRESH facts have emerged that economic hardship heightened by shortage of the United States’ dollar, rising inflation, unemployment, fuel shortages and reducing cash flow has led to huge vacancies at the high-end property market in Lagos.

Investigations reveal that though most tenants have vacated some expensive accommodations ,landlord’s have decided to hedge this

risk by letting properties and spreading rents over a longer time span.

Giving reasons for the rising vacancies in Lagos,Managing Director Financial Derivatives Company (FDC) Mr. Bismark Rewane and the FDC team in their April edition of the Lagos Business School (LBS) breakfast session said that properties up for lease were 2.3 times more than properties that were

put for sale.

Factors influencing the high brow Lagos vacancy factor according to the FDC team, are: banning of rents payment in dollars; reduction in the number of visiting expatriates & oil industry workers; sharp decline in investor confidence;inflationary pressures & disposable income erosion and higher interest rates making mortgages less attractive.

“Two hours delay because 40 passengers and checked luggage had to be offloaded from Air France flight to Abuja. Reason?

Can’t refuel in Nigeria.

Hmm,” Ezekwesili tweeted on Sunday, @obyezeks.

Adeosun: Buhari will borrow ‘cheapest money possible’ in China PRESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari’s visit to China is aimed at strengthening ties with the Asian giants and also to “borrow the cheapest money possible” to plug 2016 budget deficit.

According to Kemi Adeosun, minister of finance, the country is considering selling a Chinese panda bond to help finance a budget deficit of about $11bn.

“The opportunity now, with the renminbi being a reserve currency, we are looking obviously at the lowest cost of funds to fund our budget deficit,” she said told Financial Times and Reuters.

“Initially we were looking simply at the eurobond but then we began to explore opportunities in the renminbi market so there is a possibility of issuing a panda bond.”

Panda bonds are said to be renminbi-denominated debt sold by foreigners into China’s bond markets.

Financial Times quoted Adeosun as adding that the priority is to borrow “the cheapest possible money” – a total of 1.8tn naira ($9bn) from international and Nigerian markets.

She said it seemed that a renminbi-denominated bond would be cheaper than issuing a eurobond, adding that the “there’s the possibility of doing a Samurai [yen-denominated bond] which is also an option we’ll look at. We’re simply shopping around for the best deals.”

Buhari has proposed record spending of N6.08 trillion for the 2016 budget, with an expected deficit between N2.2 trillion and N3 trillion.

Hence, the country is looking everywhere possible to get the needed funds to “jump-start” the economy.

She insists that the country would be spending on infrastructure such as power and roads, which is “really what is needed to get the economy out of where it is now”.

Adeosun said the push to develop infrastructure outlined in the budget is essential to help Nigeria diversify away from oil in the longer term.

12

Monday, 11 April, 2016

13

editorial

Monday, 11 April, 2016

Nigerian Tribune

Fulani herdsmen, arms and the law Continues from Front Page

Millions of citizens of host communities in such states as Kogi, Zamfara, Ekiti, Ogun, Ondo, Oyo and Kwara, Benue, Plateau, Kaduna, Taraba, Nasarawa and Adamawa have consistently borne the brunt of the savagery of the Fulani herdsmen. Indeed, the carnage in Plateau State was so intense that leaders of thought in the state once appealed for United Nations protection, citing the lethargy of the Nigerian state in arresting the tragedy in the state. Nor have the states in the South-East and South-South zones escaped the madness of the death merchants, with farmers who protested the invasion of their communities by herdsmen getting arrested by the police. Their murderous acts have escalated ethnic suspicion, collapsed communal harmony, impoverished the vulnerable majority and imperilled national unity and stability. The Federal Government must restore public confidence on the sanctity of human life and reassure all citizens that no ethnic group is greater in the federation.

To say the least, we are disturbed by the penchant of the Fulani herdsmen for unprovoked violence and the attendant killings, maiming, pains, blood, sorrow and tears in the land. We are particularly apprehensive about their rapacious appetite for impunity and freedom in the manner they move about with lethal weapons under the pretext of rearing cattle. This act is a direct and deliberate assault on the Nigerian State, as well as an utter disregard for all extant laws such as the Fire Arms Act on the possession and deployment of firearms and other lethal weapons. The open display of impunity by the herdsmen also amounts to usurping the power and authority of the Nigeria state, with callous disdain.

Whereas the Nigerian state ill-equips the law enforcement agencies, it is exasperating that an ordinary herdsman could unashamedly wield AK 47 rifle under the guise of protecting his cattle. This situation makes an absolute mockery of the policy, action and pronouncement of the security architecture of the Nigerian state like the Police, Customs Service and Immigration to curb proliferation and circulation of arms in the country through mop up operations. It is fraught with grave danger.

We deplore, in strongest terms, the official lackadaisical attitude to the rising profile of this deadly group, which might soon become another malignant growth surpassing the invidious Boko Haram sect. It must be stated in a very clear terms that the proclivity of the herdsmen for abusing

the benevolence of the natives of their host communities poses a grave danger to the corporate existence of the Nigerian federation. Should the host communities resort to self help, the entire nation would definitely be up in flames. This is a prospect that can only be stopped by dropping the current unserious attitude to a band of marauders who grow bolder with each assault on lawabiding citizens.

The herdsmen’s possession of arms in whatever form and sophistication amounts to equipping them against their harmless and vulnerable neighbours who accommodate them on the bases of trust, patriotism and reciprocity.

We insist that it undermines the laws of Nigeria for any ethnic group to be empowered or authorized to bear arms and commit genocide. The authorities must, without further procrastination, disarm the herdsmen before the current situation degenerates into a state of anarchy with people seeking self-help by way of acquiring similar arms at all costs. The massacre, kidnapping, stealing, rape being carried out by herdsmen have compounded the security situation in the country and demands national emergency. Though President Muhammadu Buhari has ordered a probe into the Agatu massacre, which some senior citizens described as akin to pogrom, the Federal Government must move swiftly to disarm the herdsmen to save the country from imminent catastrophe.

The natural law requires you to respect the customs and traditions, as well as the psyche of your hosts when you flee your domain because of ecological challenges and other reasons. This is one critical issue the herdsmen must acknowledge, comprehend and imbibe while dealing with their host communities. We remind the Federal Government and all security apparatuses that the possession of lethal weapons confers certain powers and authority on the carrier, as well as some psychological advantage. These are the factors that give the herdsmen power to look down on their hosts, and undermine the authority of the Nigerian state by gallivanting around and intimidating their host communities. We insist that people must respect uniformed personnel because of the legitimate violence they can carry out, and not any ethnic militia. The authorities have the primary duty to preserve the fundamental rights of all Nigerians, as guaranteed by the Nigerian Constitution.

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14 LETTERS TO THE

Monday, 11 April, 2016

editor

Letters to the editor should be sent to letters@tribune.com.ng or by sms to 08053412982.

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

For Nigeria to truly develop

N

IGERIA needs uninterrupted power supply, as well as uninterrupted fuel distribution to boost its economic growth. What we are experiencing at the moment is nothing to write home about, and it seems Nigerians have been conditioned to suffer.

Let me first discuss the issue of electricity; during the general election in 2015, we had uninterrupted power supply, and even immediately after President Muhammadu Buhari was sworn-in, but what has changed now?

Nigeria cannot develop without constant power supply, and it is high time targets were given to the Distribution Companies (DISCOs) that bought the former state power firm, the Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN).

They should, at least, be able to provide customers with 18 hours of electricity per day. Apart from Nigerians, businesses also need power to succeed; running on diesel eats deep into companies’ profits, and this is why many businesses collapse. We should be able to get the power situation right, but don’t we

think the generator cabals will not sit by and watch their businesses remain irrelevant? Have we not thought that those who make money by selling generators are responsible for our electricity woes?

Whatever it is, this government has a contract with the Nigerian people, and it is to provide those things that make life more conducive for them, including constant power supply.

Now, coming to fuel, this is the ‘engine room’ of our development, and the current fuel scarcity has brought everything in the

Why are we still flogging a dead horse?

WHENEVER politicians who belong to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) want to talk about the state of the nation, they will say that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) wasted 16 years of the country’s democracy, and that their party is less than a year in power. This is the excuse some are now giving to justify the ruling party’s performance so far since winning the presidency last year.

However, politicians will always find excuses to justify their performance, but when we look at it, blaming somebody else for our misfortune is just unfair.

It is like a struggling youth blaming his poor parents for not sending him to the best schools to study, or even sending him abroad to study.

Blaming the PDP at this period is like a defeatist mentality, and APC politicians should be bold enough to accept the challenges before the country, while saying the Federal Government is working very hard towards easing the suffering of Nigerians.

I am not saying that the PDP does not deserve blame in some of the challenges we are facing, because if former President Olusegun Obasanjo had fixed the electricity challenges, and the Yar’Adua/ Jonathan government had fixed the refineries, then there will be little for President Muhammadu Buhari to think about, but it is like

we are in a circular race.

We should, however, not forget that the majority of former PDP members are now in the ruling APC, so there is no justification for continuing to ‘beat the dead horse.’

I want President Buhari to accept the challenges confronting us as a na-

tion, while highlighting the steps his government is taking towards solving them. If we keep referring to the PDP years, then it means the APC government is also not serious about solving our problems.

•Felix Omotoso, Kabba, Kogi State.

country to a standstill.

If there is no electricity supply, the alternative is to buy fuel for the generator, since almost every household in the country has a generator now, but when there is no fuel, there is no other alternative.

Since the current fuel scarcity reared its ugly head, Nigerians now have to pay extra for transport fares, food stuff, rents, among others. Everybody in the country is hurting, and it is hoped that President Muhammadu Buhari will focus on these two areas in his first two years.

If electricity and fuel distribution can be stabilised, then Nigerians will heave a sigh of relief, but at the moment, we are passing through hell. What makes it more painful is the fact that Nigeria is an oil-producing nation, unfortunately, we cannot manage the four refineries we have effectively.

I know Mr President is aware of all the challenges we are facing as a nation, and he will give his best to-

wards solving them. However, I can bet that if this government fails the people, then it will bring about voter apathy, as Nigerians will simply shun future political processes.

The movement that swept through the country, which brought in this government was driven by the social media and the

youth, but if what the people fought for turns out to be like what we have been used to, then it will only bring about a loss of interest in politics among the people.

•Dr Tajudeen Alalade, Ilorin, Kwara State.

Nigeria needs WAI again DURING President Muhammadu Buhari’s reign as Head of State in 1984, he came up with War Against Indiscipline (WAI), which tackled the negative public behaviour of Nigerians. Then, no one dared to drop waste papers or plastic bags out of moving vehicles, or jump queues at banking halls.

Civil servants were always at their duty posts at the appropriate hours, and everything was going on well for the country.

The coup that removed the government brought an end to all the progress we made during that regime.

Now that we have Buhari as the head of government again today, I think it is important we continue with the WAI programme.

Corruption has eaten into the fabric of our national life, and we need such programmes to sensitise our people, while punishing those who run foul of the law.

From civil servants who demand for gratification before they do their work, to bus passengers who just dump wastes through the windows, to those drivers who shunt when there are traffic build-ups, we need a programme that will change our mindset.

It is so unfortunate that this is what the National Orientation Agency (NOA) should be doing, but it has failed in this area of national sensitisation.

When we have the WAI again, it should be used to generate fund for the Federal Government; when the law catches up with the driver of a vehicle who drives in the opposite direction on a one-way road, then he should be made to pay about 10 per cent of the value of his vehicle.

A civil servant who takes a bribe should be made to pay about half of his final gratuity, while those who dump refuses out of moving vehicles should also pay like N2000. Nigerians love money so much, and when they know that their wrong ways will attract huge fines, then they will behave.

At this period of economic downturn, it is a great opportunity for the Federal and state governments to generate extra revenues through the wrong ways of citizens.

•Femi Ajakaiye, Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State.

15

opinion

Monday, 11 April, 2016

Lasisi Olagunju Lasgunju@yahoo.com (08111813053) “SOMETHING special for you today, dear. A change from the usual, especially in this season of N250 per litre fuel and general misery. Yeah...”

“My dear, it is not funny at all. Imagine a bottle of Big Stout and a litre of petrol now same price. Never knew stout and petrol have so much appetite for our naira.

Looks like a 100-metre race is on between those two. Dollar is another leg of the new haters of the change we voted for.”

“Abeg. Eat your food. It is this season’s special.”

“I’m sorry. But do you really think this soup is as sweet as the one you served yesterday?”

“Ah! haa! Why is your palate so stuck with yesterday’s taste. For God’s sake, try something new, fresh. The past is stale...and is better forgotten. Let yesterday’s food remain in the past- chewed, swallowed and digested.”

“Says who? If today’s soup is spoilt with pepper, why won’t I cry blue murder...? “ “But even then, you complained yesterday about that okra soup you now covet. What is your problem? What really has changed?”

“What has changed? Are you asking me? You and this your obsession with change! Yesterday, did I complain?

Okay. But...look, did you taste this change stuff before you served me? Taste it; it’s as if pepper and salt struggled to overwhelm each other in your pot. It will take so much endurance to take this...”

“Men are so difficult to please. Yesterday you said there wasn’t enough salt, the meat was too tough, there was too much oil and that water and oil clashed and won’t mix like Pacific and Atlantic Oceans at Cape Horn. You have forgotten all these....okunrin!!!”

“Yes, I complained but did you ever have to pack my left over yesterday? Did that tell you how pleased I was with the delicacy? But this one! I hope you didn’t buy the ingredients with my money? It won’t be funny at all. It is good money wasted on tasteless stuff...”

“Hhmmmm. I can understand.”

“Understand what?”

“Someone said with men, yesterday is always better than today. They rush to the future only to arrive at their destination and start whining about going back to where they just came from. They like chewing cord.”

“Meaning?”

“Meaning I won’t be surprised if you start comparing

My scarcity is better than your scarcity

my height, my eyeballs, lips with those of your ex, forgetting all the sweet-nothings you bathed me with in those days...”

“Heeheee. Women! Look, there is really a certain tribe of men who enjoy eating yesterday’s pounded yam with today’s soup. They enjoy it and won’t freeze at any wailing from persons with awful taste-sense...”

“You are speaking in parables. Talk straight. Do you think your ex-girlfriend is really worth a tenth of my endowments? Look at me again (winks).”

“Abeg. Can we change the topic? Looks like you are fishing for compliments today...”

“Every woman does.”

“Especially if she is a Nigerian.”

“Nigerian?”

“Yes. Nigerian girls would insist you splash attention on them, compliment them even when their looks are not smiling.”

“I thought it is Nigerian men who break hearts and bones, threaten lives, forever focusing on the rear view

Budget 2016 and a new Nigeria

By Muhammad Ajah

THANK God that the long-awaited federal budget has been passed, though Mr. President demands for details before he accents to it! With this development that the federal and states budgets have been passed by the national and state assemblies, and accented to by the state governors, the ground is set for democratic governance of the Nigerian people.

Investigations have shown that while high budgets by states have not translated to the betterment of the people and infrastructural development in the past, some states with very low budgets have performed optimally.

This has largely depended on the frugality with which some of the state governors have managed their limited resources. What mechanism must be put in place to ensure that these monies reach the Nigerian populace?

Can our roads, hospitals, power sector, educational system, transport system, food security, job creations, agriculture and other life provisions, some of which are in battered conditions, get anything meaningful from these budgets?

Now, for the first time in the history of Nigeria, a budget is reduced by N17 billion. The lawmakers trimmed down the budget from N6.077 trillion, which Mr. President presented in December 2015 to N6.06 trillion on an oil benchmark of US$38 per barrel and crude oil production estimate of 2.2 million barrels per day. The budget was also based on an exchange rate of N197 to US$1.

More interesting, also for the first time, is the reduction of the National Assembly budget from about N150 billion to something around N115 billion, a reduction, though laudable, some citizens still believe is on the high side. Kudos to our lawmakers for accepting to relinquish

some of their entitlements in the spirit of patriotism and compassion for the suffering poor Nigerians. But how does this reduction translate to uplifting the poor masses when the constituency allocations to the lawmakers are believed to be grossly under-utilised, even abused.

Furthermore, the delay in the passing of the budget was part of the causes of the hardship Nigerians have been experiencing since January.

I am assured that Mr. President would not start spending a budget that is not passed, as required by the laws of the land, by the National Assembly. Every Nigerian is feeling this hardship as high inflation has jerked up the prices of commodities in our markets.

This budget, therefore, has come for equity, fairness and justice. Besides, if the budget must work, enough powers must be given the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to force all government parastatals, agencies and commissions as well as individuals on strict

mirror while driving on the highways of life.”

“Yes. We are well equipped with introspective alertness.

We use the past to assess the present.

“Really? Like how good the last victim was in...”

“Have you bothered to ask why every new day in Nigeria brings cause to appreciate the past? Ancestors better off than their descendants. Is that a story any family would love to share? We keep throwing good money exploring barren planets when we can work hard enough to make our earth safer. In the rush to prepare a fresh soup, we break the pot of yesterday. Look at our school system, we used to have very good public schools. Today, we have moved from a workable, affordable public school system to a mushroom of private schools that are very notable in their unaffordability. We are, this moment, even killing everything off with thoughtless actions. Can we compute our investments in the National Assembly and the executive since 1999 and the worth of laws made and policies executed? Thirty years ago, hospitals were described as mere consulting clinics, today, they are simply mortuaries. So, why won’t we look back with nostalgia and query everything and everybody that define the present?”

“You may be right. But it is not right to insist that every aspect of the past is better than what we have today. For instance, would you compare the cluelessness of the former president with the uprightness of General Buhari?”

“Buharist! I know you would go there. Would you agree that Jonathan’s fuel scarcity was better than this Buhari’s fuel scarcity? There was no fuel under Jonathan’s administration but people had money, now, there is no fuel, there is no money.”

“My misgovernance is better than yours! Shameless Jonathanian! Who siphoned the money? Your heroes, of course. But you know I wasn’t (and I still am not) a fan of Jonathan and Buhari. You’ve forgotten I voted for Professor Sonaiya of KOWA Party?”

“Na you sabi... I remember you voted for Queen’s English as if grammar would make fuel and food available...

Anyway, just know that with the new Sheriiff in charge, the past won’t continue to haunt our present.”

“You still call your Sheriff new after about a year in town? No wonder this food tastes so stale...”

“Stale ke? Why won’t it be stale in your mouth after watching it get cold, talking politics at the dining table.”

compliance and implementation.

Howbeit and on a lighter note, it is difficult to convince any patriot that any Ghana-must-go bag exchanged hands in the course of passing the federal budget. For the states, there can be no guarantee that the lawmakers, business as usual, were induced. Unless this claim is countered, past experiences indicate that it is often hard for budgets to be passed without state executives playing along with their legislative chambers. And if this is done, the assemblies lose control of the executive, just like the electorate cannot hold politicians accountable after collecting insignificant payoffs before elections.

Nonetheless, after a long delay spanning from December to March when the budget was debated in the two chambers of the assembly, it was passed on Wednesday, March 24. This delay, which partly stiffened national economic progress, some analysts claimed, was not unconnected with the ordeal of the Senate President at the code of conduct tribunal. If it were in wellestablished climes, national budgets are not subjected to individual whims. Rather, the interest of the people, as democracy itself portrays, is paramount.

Many Nigerians believe that the hardship they have faced in the past few years will end with the passage of the budgets. At least, contracts would be awarded and executed, thus money will begin to circulate. If, peradventure, these huge budgets are well-utilised, then by the end of 2016, all sectors of the economy at the federal and state levels will be in better condition. That is what I dearly wish my country.

•Ajah, an Abuja-based writer/researcher, sent this article via mobahawwah@yahoo.co.uk

16

Monday, 11 April, 2016 Taiwo Adisa - 08072000046 Group Politics Editor taiadis@yahoo.com

Edo 2016: The burden of APC, PDP As political parties intensify preparations for primary elections to determine their candidates for the September 10, 2016 Edo State governorship election, BANJI ALUKO peeps into happenings in the camps of the governing All Progressives Congress (APC) and the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Obasemi APC

T

HERE are at least 11 governorship contenders for the ticket of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the forthcoming governorship election in Edo State. Those already well known include: Godwin Obaseki, Pius Odubu, Chris Ogiemwonyi, Ken Imansuangbon, Blessing Agbomhere, Oserheimen Osunbor, Professor Ebegue Amadasun, Ilenre Emuan, Peter Esele, General Charles Airiavbere (rtd) and Don Pedro Obaseki.

Six of the aspirants are from the Edo South (Benin) senatorial district, four from the central (Esan) and just one from the North (Afemai), the zone of incumbent Governor Adams Oshiomhole The reason for the “crowd” in the APC is not farfetched.

After dislodging the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) from Aso Rock last year, the APC in Edo, just like other states, turned to a beautiful bachelorette with many suitors. The aspirants seemed to be saying, “Once I get the APC ticket, I’m already a governor.” So, they move in droves to the new ruling party. The allure was too much, and not even the biggest critics of the APC in the state could resist joining the party in order to become governor. Perhaps in order to decimate the PDP, Governor Adams Oshiomhole also encouraged many frontline politicians in the PDP to join the APC, arguing that the ship could accommodate all.

Former PDP governor, Oserheimen Osunbor, hardly waited for the announcement of President Muhammadu Buhari as the president-elect before he joined the APC and quickly offered himself as a governorship aspirant.

He was not alone. At about the same time, the 2012 governorship aspirant of the PDP, Charles Airhiavbere, also joined the APC and declared his governorship ambition.

The duo of Osunbor and Airhiavbere were later joined in the APC by the deputies, Lucky Imasuen and Johnson Abolagba respectively. At the end of the defections, the last two governorship candidates of the PDP and their

deputies were in the APC. Another PDP chieftain, who joined the APC so as to become governor, is business mogul, Kenneth Imansuangbon. Some see him as a perpetual governorship aspirant.

He also joined during last general election and helped his new party to win the state House of assembly election in his constituency. It was not the first time he was changing political party. He was among the renegades who left the PDP in 2007 but return early enough to participate in the party’s governorship primaries in 2012. Former Minister of State for Works, Engineer Chris Ogiemwonyi, completes the list of former PDP members vying for the APC ticket.

There are other categories of contestants for the ticket.

In this group are successful Edo entrepreneurs and academics, who felt the next level for them was to govern their state. Some of the names in this category are a professor of Anesthesiology in the University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH), Professor Ebegue Amadasun; an architect, Ilenre Emuan; Don Pedro Obaseki and Blessing Agbomhere. The youthful former president of the Trade Union Congress (TUC), Peter Esele, is also interested in the ticket. These aspirants, despite their almost zero-political experience and no particular back up by stakeholders, joined the race and are upbeat about their chances.

The large number of aspirants, however, hardly confers any advantage on the APC. Before the arrival of these men, two groups were battling each other for the soul of the Edo APC. They were the Oshiomhole group and the group comprising allies of the deputy governor, Pius Odubu. It was not as if the governor was going for a third term. Like many other governors before him, he just wanted the structure of the Edo APC so that he would be able to influence the choice of his likely successor in office. His deputy, Odubu, wanted his job but his boss did not favour him to replace him. Until recently, the man many thought Oshiomhole was preparing to succeed him was the Commissioner for Works, Osarodion Ogie. So, the tussle was between the Oshiomhole/Ogie’s group and the Odubu group.

The coming of Ogiemwonyi, Imansuangbon and Charles Airhiavbere to the APC meant that Oshiomhole had more than Odubu to contend with in order to pick whoever he

The calculation before now was that the primary election would come before the elected council representatives depart office, but the election timetable released by the INEC, which put the primaries between June and early July, has affected such plan.

Iyamu

deems fit to succeed him. Along with Odubu, these men constitute the biggest challenge for Oshiomhole as he tries to ‘handpick’ a successor. It is no longer a secret that Oshiomhole, after romancing Osarodion Ogie for some time, finally settled for the head of his economic team, Godwin Obaseki, as his preferred candidate.

The handwriting of Oshiomhole is clearly written on the Obaseki project. He has been warned, vilified and attacked for allegedly supporting Obaseki but the governor remains unwavering in his support for him. He has often argued that he was in a vantage position to know what is good for Edo. At the entrance to the Edo State Government House, the campaign banners of Godwin Obaseki could be seen conspicuously placed. The aspirant has been moving around in company with commissioners and other high-ranking members of the Oshiomhole government. It is as if a ministry has been created by government to tackle any barrier that could prevent Obaseki from winning the APC primaries.

These men could make or mar the chances of the APC to retain the state. They are rich and are not taking their ambitions lightly. They have continually complained about the way Oshiomhole is going about the Obaseki project, alleging that the governor was willing to deploy fair or foul means to give victory to Obaseki. They are not the only aspirants complaining about Oshiomhole’s interest in Obaseki, as virtually all the other aspirants except Obaseki have expressed the same sentiment. The problem, if not well managed, is capable of upsetting some of the aspirants, who already feel that a level-playing field is not being provided for all the aspirants.

As the primary date approaches, the delegates’ list, the list containing the names of party members, who will vote on the day of the primary election seems to constitute the biggest challenge for the APC. Since the delegates will Continues on pg 17

17

politics&policy Continued from pg 16

determine the governorship candidate of the party, all eyes are on the list containing their names. The 3,023 delegates largely comprise elected officials of the party in the wards, local governments and state levels. The list that was produced in 2014 after the inaugural congress of the APC is, however, becoming controversial. Some of the governorship aspirants including Odubu, Imansuangbon and Ogiemwonyi particularly accused the leadership of the party in the state of of tampering with the delegates’ list. They claimed the party had secretly doctored the names in order to favour Obaseki.

When a former chieftain of the APC, Osagie Ize-Iyamu left the party for the PDP in 2014 after the completion of the congress that produced majority of the delegates, some of the elected delegates left with him. Some of the delegates, who have either died or moved to other parties, are also yet to be replaced. This is the bone of contention in the APC and no one is certain of the plans of the APC leadership regarding the delegates’ list despite claims that the party’s constitution is clear about the matter. There have speculations and questions as to what the party will do or must do in this kind of situation. A lot of questions are being asked. Has the party replaced the names? If the names have been replaced, what procedure was followed in replacing them?

The party has, however, denied the allegation though it did not state if amendment would be done to the list. The state publicity secretary of the APC, Comrade Godwin Erhahon, said the state leadership of the party had since investigated the allegation made against the party chairman, Anslem Ojezua, of tampering with the list and discovered that it was not true. He said it was difficult for anybody to alter the list even though the party constitution provided ways for changing any executive member. “There was no such attempt to alter the delegates’ list. The national chairman who received the petition was yet to respond and the aspirants went on air without waiting for investigation. They were overreaching themselves,” he stated.

Another issue coming up in the APC ahead of the congress is the participation or not of elected councilors and local government chairmen in the congress. The three-year tenure of the councillors and the chairmen is expected to end on April 20, 2016. There are rumours that the governor is planning to extend the tenures of these executive members so that they can participate in the primaries.

It was gathered that the calculation before now was that the primary election would come before the elected council representatives depart office, but the election timetable released by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), which put the primaries between June and early July, has affected such plan. Many in the state do not think extending the tenures of the councillors and chairmen could help matter, as they described it as an unconstitutional act that the governor would never think about. They reasoned that the wise thing is for the governor to plan his game without looking at the votes that will come from the councilors and chairmen that are supposed to leave office later this month.

Be that as it may, Obaseki remains the candidate to beat in the primaries. Many even already see him as the APC candidate because of the backing of Oshiomhole. They do not see how the governor will lose the primaries of a party he symbolises in Edo and that the Obaseki candidacy is a done deal. Even Obaseki himself recently boasted that while other aspirants were busy complaining that he was being

Monday, 11 April, 2016

The Oshiomhole, Anenih factors

Odubu

favoured, he was busy campaigning and meeting the delegates individually and in groups.

Some of loyalists of Oshiomhole in the Edo APC have even bought into the Obaseki project and are seriously working towards the goal. One of them, Charles Idahosa, re-echoed what Obaseki said. He declared: “The delegates’ list is a storm in a tea cup. Funny enough, while some of the aspirants are busy quarreling over the list of delegates, the man (Obaseki) they are criticising is busy campaigning to all the delegates, one on one.” He said there would be free and fair party primaries and that whoever APC picks as candidate would beat the candidate of the PDP hands down, saying “the beating of 2012 governorship election will be a child’s play”.

However, among the aspirants challenging Oshiomhole/Obaseki, Odubu, appears the most forceful one, who may prove a hard nut to crack. The deputy governor has men working for him in every part of the state and has been expressing confidence of winning the primaries as long as a levelplaying field is provided. Only recently, he hosted about 500 of the delegates in Benin City, the state capital. Those working with him boasted that some delegates are already his coordinators in their respective councils and are completely loyal to him.

What he might do if he does not get the party’s ticket is unclear, though the option of declaring for the PDP is not likely.

Last week, an initiative to stop the Obaseki project was uncovered. Findings reveal that the idea is a tripartite arrangement allegedly among Odubu, Chris Ogiemwonyi and Ken Imansuangbon. The plan is said to be to forge a common front and rally support for one of them. In the yet-to-be finalised arrangement, either Odubu or Ogiemwonyi will be supported for the primaries, while Imansuangbon will be picked as running mate to the eventual winner. It is yet-to-be seen who between Odubu and Ogiemwonyi will be willing to let go his ambition. Odubu, in particular, has committed too much to become governor and many do not see him leaving the stage for Ogiemwonyi.

The PDP The situation in the former ruling party and now opposition party, the PDP, in the state is different from that of the APC. There are just four aspirants vying for the

Edebiri

ticket of the party. They are Solomon Edebiri, Matthew Iduoriyekemwen, Pastor Osagie Ise-Iyamu and Osaro Onaiwu. All of them are from the Edo South Senatorial District (Benin), where the party technically zoned the ticket. Perhaps, the PDP would have beenbattling with so many aspirants if former President Goodluck Jonathan had won the presidential election last year. It was not a coincidence that two of the aspirants in the APC--Osunbor and Airhiavbere--had been PDP candidate in the past. Another of the APC aspirant, Imansuangbon, is also a two-time PDP governorship aspirant. Charles Airhiavbere, who was PDP candidate in 2012, was actually preparing to contest in the same PDP before moving to APC after the PDP lost Abuja. There could have been more aspirants such as a former Minister of Works, Mike Onolememen, Senator Ehigie Uzamere and a former Edo deputy governor, Lucky Imasuen.

With only four aspirants, it is assumed he PDP might have less post-primary crisis to battle with. The successful conduct of wards, local government and state congresses last month, also meant that the status of delegates, who will elect the party’s candidate, is settled. There is also something that appears like unity among the aspirants. Early this year, they were all with the state chairman of the party, Dan Orbih, during a sensitisation tour to all the 18 local government areas of the state. They all preached peace during the

There is the fear that what happened in 2012 when some of the PDP aspirants and leaders of the party allegedly colluded with the state government to work against the interest of the party, could recur.

tour and vowed to combine forces with whoever among them picks the ticket.

They noted that snatching victory from the APC was more important than their individual ambitions. There was, however, a proviso in their promise to work together--conduct of a free, fair and acceptable primary election that is devoid of imposition. This is seen as a subjective statement with varied interpretations. Many have argued that a contest is only free and fair to a politician if he emerged winner and it is not if he did not win.

There is the fear that what happened in 2012 when some of the PDP aspirants and leaders of the party allegedly colluded with the state government to work against the interest of the party, could reoccur. Already, there is an accusation against the leadership of the state PDP of favouring one of the aspirants. This was, however, denied by the state chairman, who claimed the allegation was not limited to a particular aspirant but all of thee contenders for the ticket.”The story is not correct. The interesting thing is that depending on who is making the allegation, some mention an aspirant and some other people still mention another aspirant. It will interest you to know that all the four aspirants have been mentioned as the favoured aspirants.

This drives home the point that the allegation is totally baseless.” Orbih had said.

On the chances of the aspirants, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu appears to be the leading aspirant. He is followed by Solomon Edebiri and Matthew Iduoriyekemwen.

The trio are the front runners in the race and their ambitions are being supported by different leaders of the party in the state. The fourth aspirant, Osaro Onaiwu, who is the Director-General of the PDP Governors Forum, is ranked as an outsider. Among the PDP leaders reportedly backing Ize-Iyamu are the Esama of Benin, Chief Gabriel Igbinedion, Chief Tom Ikimi, Prince Tony Omoaghe and Chief Frank Erewele. Matthew Iduoriyekemwen has the backing of the lawmaker representing Egor/Ikpoba-Okha Federal Constituency, Honourable Ehiozuwa Agbonnayima, while Senator Roland Owei, Honourable Ifaluyi Isibor and Samson Esemuede, are reportedly queuing behind Solomon Edebiri.

It is not clear, who the leader of the PDP in Edo, Chief Tony Anenih, is supporting.

Early in the contest, it was speculated that the veteran politician would never support Ize-Iyamu because of the role played by the latter in the series of events that made the PDP lose Edo in 2008. Many feared that Chief Anenih was waiting in the wings to take his own pound of flesh on Ize-Iyamu for allegedly working against the interest of the PDP in 2007. Some people believe that Edebiri is his favoured candidate, while others argue he cannot overlook Iduoriyekemwen this time around because of their past relationships. Knowing the choice of Chief Anenih has further been complicated by the warm reception accorded all the aspirants by the protégés of the Esan Chief such as Senator Odion Ugbesia and Mr John Yakubu.

Some members of PDP in the state, however, prefer that Chief Anenih does not support any of the aspirants and allow them to prove their mettle. Indeed, a likely option for Chief Anenih is to allow the aspirants go to the field without an open support for any of them. Ironically, the aspirants covet the support of Chief Anenih because of his far-reaching influence. By the same measure, the aspirants prefer that he does not give his support to any of them if they cannot secure his personal endorsement.

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politicscommentary

Monday, 11 April, 2016

Legislative oversight as a critical component of good governance

By Yakubu Dogara

O

versight mechanisms are the processes, tools, methods and actions that the legislature deploys to carry out and to enforce their oversight functions. Such tools include Committee investigative hearings, public Hearings, Hearings in plenary sittings and Public Petitions. Legislative Committees may also call for reports and explanations from government ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs), on any activity of government. The Auditor General also sends annual reports to the Public Accounts Committees of both chambers of the National Assembly. In addition, Committees engage with MDA’s on appropriation bill, which entails a review of each MDA’s annual budget estimates, defense of such budgets and recommendations to the Appropriation Committee. Quite frequently, the National Assembly conducts oversight inspection visits and confirmation/screening of Nominees.

Legislative Power Of Oversight The functions of the legislature in a modern democratic State extend beyond law making to oversight of the entire sphere of government. Legislative oversight connotes the power of the legislature to oversee and monitor programmes and activities of government agencies and review policy implementation strategies of the executive arm of government.

The power of oversight of the Legislature is provided for in the 1999 Constitution, existing laws, practices and usages of Parliament, and judicial pronouncements, as follows: The power of confirmation of appointments (i) In order to entrench good governance especially in matters that are sensitive to public trust, the legislature is given the power of sanctioning certain key appointments of the Executive arm. This is a major form of supervisory Oversight of the Executive arm as these appointments cannot be made without legislative approval. The Nigerian Constitution provides for instances where presidential appointments must receive the consent of the Legislature.

This includes – appointment of Ministers of the Federal Republic of Nigeria; appointment of ambassadors and Nigeria’s representatives abroad; appointment of certain judicial officers; approval of the number of Special Advisers for Mr. President; appointment of a new Vice President in the event of a vacancy occurring; (ii) Appointment of Chairmen and members of Federal Executive Bodies also require legislative approval constitutionally speaking. These include, Federal Character Commission; Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC); Federal Civil Service Commission; National Population Commission; Police Service Commission; Code of Conduct Bureau; the Auditor- General: (iii) Apart from constitutional mandates for legislative approval of certain appointments, many statutes also provide for legislative consent to key executive appointments. Examples abound. The NCC Act, NDDC Act, The CBN Act, FIRS Act, AMCON Act, to mention just a few, require that their Chairmen and members shall receive legislative consent.The legislature ensures that the requests sent to it by the executive are properly examined, debated before they are approved or disapproved. (iv) However, it seems that the procedure and methodology for legislative approval of key appointments should be re-examined for better efficiency. The Constitution reposes a huge responsibility to scrutinize these appointments on the legislature on behalf of the Nigerian people. This is a function to be taken very seriously.

10.2 Removal of Certain Officials The Constitution empowers the President to remove certain officials only with the consent of the legislature, mostly the Senate. This power granted the legislature a very serious check on the powers of the President to perform his executive functions. It enables the legislature to oversight the Executive’s prerogative in removal of the category of persons involved. This is a key devise to ensure the independence of the officials involved and to ensure good governance. Presidential power to remove officials cuts across both the Executive and Judiciary.

According to Ben Nwabueze, “The requirement of approval for the exercise of the removal power has more serious consequence for the President. ‘A veto by the Senate … upon removal’, said the US Supreme Court, ‘is a much greater limitation upon the executive branch and a much more serious blending of the legislative with

Dogara

the executive than a rejection of a proposed appointment (Myers V U.S, 272 US. 52, 121 (1926). If a proposed appointment is vetoed by the Senate, this would not frustrate completely the Presidents discretion in respect of the appointment nor greatly embarrass the work of his administration. He can nominate another person of his choice, and he has a wild field from which to choose. A veto upon removal other hand, will, whenever it is exercised, completely frustrate the president’s discretion”.( Presidential Constitution of Nigeria, 1982) Page 140.

Power to Conduct Investigations The conduct of investigation by the Legislative arm is at the core of legislative oversight powers granted by the Constitution. Section 88 and 128 of the 1999 Constitution grants the National and State assemblies powers “to direct or cause to be directed an inquiry or investigation into - (a) any matter or thing with respect to which it has power to make laws; and (b) the conduct of affairs of any person, authority, ministry or government department charged, or intended to be charged, with the duty of or responsibility for (i) executing or administering laws enacted by the National Assembly (State Assembly), and (ii) disbursing or administering moneys appropriated or to be appropriated by such House”.

However, this investigative power is not without limitation. Sub-section 2(a)(b) stipulates that “The powers conferred on the National Assembly under the provisions of the section are exercisable only for the purpose of enabling it to (a) make laws with respect to any matter within its legislative competence and correct any defects in existing laws; and (b) expose corruption, inefficiency or waste in the execution or administration of laws within its legislative competence and in the disbursement or administration of funds appropriated by it”.

Cynical commentators have always said that nothing comes out of National Assembly investigations. They claim that it is a waste of time. This position underplays the very fact that it is only mainly through these investigations that the citizen is made aware of what goes on in government.

Also, Sections 89 and 129 of the 1999 Constitution empower the legislature to procure evidence, summon persons to give evidence and require such evidence to be given on oath through examination of witnesses. The legislature can also issue a warrant to compel attendance by any person so required, on order of punishment if they fail to attend.

Cynical commentators have always said that nothing comes out of National Assembly investigations. They claim that it is a waste of time. This position underplays the very fact that it is only mainly through these investigations that the citizen is made aware of what goes on in government. The power to bring out information in the public domain is a major service in our democratic system of government. Not even the media are in a position to compel disclosure of information the way the National Assembly can. It was Woodrow Wilson, (1885) who said: “The informing function of Congress should be preferred even to its legislative function. Unless Congress have and uses every means of acquainting itself with the acts and dispositions of the administrative agents of the government, the country must be helpless to learn of how it is being served, and unless Congress both scrutinise these things and sift them by every form of discussion, the country must remain in embarrassing, crippling ignorance of the very affairs which it is most important it should understand and direct”.

It is important to understand that the National Assembly is not an executing agency. When it conducts investigations, it passes its reports in the form of Resolutions to the Executive arm to implement, except where the findings require legislation or amendment of existing laws. If the Executive fails to execute, it is within the domain of the civil society and stakeholders to mount pressure on them to act”. In the 8th House of Representatives, many important investigative hearing have also been conducted, and some are ongoing. These include the Railway Contracts investigation etc.

It is worthy of note that the power of impeachment/removal from office is also exercisable on the presiding officers of the National Assembly or State Assembly – The President of the Senate and Deputy President of Senate, The Speaker and Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives and House of Assembly of States.

To be continued tomorrow

Being excerpts from at convocation lecture delivered by Rt. Hon. Dogara Yakubu, speaker, house of representatives at the 4th convocation ceremony of Achievers University, Owo, Ondo State on 9th April, 2016:

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+ entrepreneurship

Monday, 11 April, 2016

Nigerian Tribune

anchor Ruth Olurounbi

m:0811 695 4637 e:ruth.olurounbi@tribuneonlineng.com t:@Olurounbi

Entrepreneur of the week

Awojoodu,

empowering African farmers

By Ruth Olurounbi

J

OYCEE Awojoodu, founder and CEO of ORÍKÌ a local beauty brand launched last year, gave two major reasons for starting her brand of business, which would, in a couple of years, place Nigeria on the global map as far as personal grooming is concerned.

Her first reason is to empower farmers on the African continent, while her second reason is to utilise “the plethora of raw materials and natural ingredients to create a leading luxury brand and secondly because of the keen passion and persistent vision to create a proudly African brand with international standards that can compete on a global stage.”

Born and raised in Washington D.C, USA, Awojoodu said she is driven by the passion for empowering farmers and utilising agriculture to change the African narrative with regards to building a global brand that is set to put Africa on the map.

Prior to starting her business, she obtained degrees in economics and business management, and worked in the power sector in New York, before moving to Nigeria, to eventually start her own business.

In an interview with the press, during the official launch of her business, she said products are not only sourced across Africa, the products, all natural, are mixed to suit the African skin, being a man or a woman.

Although worried by the current challenges facing Nigeria, Awojoodu still believes that her business can empower African agropreneurs, and some would argue that with a comprehensive range of 32 products for women and men, whose ingredients and essential oils are 100 per cent naturally sourced from Africa, she is staying true to her commitment.

When asked what should be expected from her brand, she responded with: “You can expect a global presence. ORÍKÌ seeks to put Nigeria on the map in the global personal grooming space. In time, we expect ORÍKÌ stores around the world, kiosks in international airports, products in luxury boutique hotels and a thriving e-commerce website that delivers our proudly African, botanically-based products to your doorstep no matter where you are.”

inside

5 things to learn from Warren Buffet —P20

3 types of investing to know —P20

Awojoodu, Founder, ORIKI

20

+ entrepreneurship

5 businesses you can start right now

From left, Antoinette Drumm, Betty Irabor, Alfred Cointreau and Valentine Mathieu.

For those looking for business to start, here are some that don’t cost too much to start, as put together by inc.com.

Consulting EVERYONE’S good at something and if your expertise is something others need, you’re in luck. If you’ve ever changed fields, you’ve probably learned something as an “insider” that people selling into that industry would love to know.

You might also prosper as a consultant using any specialized skills you’ve gained, such as accounting, communications skills, or anything related to leadership or personal development.

Online research Hard as it is to believe, there are still plenty of questions that can’t be answered with a simple Google search and everyone from corporate attorneys to academics need the answers. If you’ve got the patience to learn to navigate your way through specialized databases and the ability to market your services, you could start a company offering online research services.

Virtual assistant It’s a truism that we’re all busier than ever. Who makes the busy-

ness go away? A virtual assistant--or at least a good one does.

You can expect to help clients with everything from secretarial duties to planning kids’ birthday parties.

Again, if you’re successful, the key will be bringing in so much business that you have to hire someone else to do it, and you’ll grow your business from there.

Corporate cleaning service This is another great opportunity that you can either pounce on yourself or start hiring others to do. Startup costs for equipment are typically small, so the main requirement is that you can bring in business, and eventually, convince your employees to stay on board, since turnover in this business is high.

Homemade foods Let’s just start with birthday cakes everyone knows the ones from the supermarket often don’t taste that great, and not everyone has the time and ability to cook from scratch, or lives near a great neighborhood bakery.

investing

3 types of investing to know

AN investment is something that is purchased with the expectation it will produce income or a profit.

There are three main types: ownership, lending, and cash equivalents.

Ownership investments are the most volatile and profitable. All traded securities, from stocks to currency swaps, are ownership investments. Profits depend on how the market values them.

Money put into starting and running a business is an ownership investment. Selling a product that people want can result in massive returns.

Real estate, artwork, gold and diamonds are other examples of ownership investments, when purchased for eventual resale rather than personal enjoyment.

Lending investments let you be the bank. They tend to pose less risk than ownership investments, but provide smaller returns. A corporate bond pays a set amount over

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Monday, 11 April, 2016

a certain period, regardless of how high the same corporation’s stock soars in value. On the other hand, if the corporation goes bankrupt, bondholders are in line to get their investment back before stockholders.

A savings account is essentially your loan to a bank. The return is pitiful, but the risk is tiny.

Cash equivalents are as good as cash because they can be easily converted. They include money market funds that offer a very low return with equally low risk.

It’s important to know the difference between a purchase and an investment. Consumer purchases such as cars are not investments.

They naturally depreciate over time and are not intended to provide a return.

Culled from investopedia. com

Dream, dare, create:

Cointreau challenges Nigerian women entrepreneurs with €20,000 grant

By Ruth Olurounbi LAST week, Nigeria welcomed Cointreau Creative Crew, a worldwide philanthropic programme curated by Creative Director, Laetitia Casta with the aim of developing women’s freedom and expression and encouraging them to strive to make their dreams a reality.

But beyond that, the launch which occurred at Wheat Baker Hotel, Lagos, witnessed a unique partnership between Betty Irabor, Founder and Publisher of Genevieve Magazine, and the Cointreau Creative Crew, with the aim of empowering women entrepreneurs a grant of €20,000 to pursue their creative projects.

With a global campaign encouraging individuals, especially women entrepreneurs to ‘dream, dare, create,’ Cointreau has consistently championed the cause of women as they explore their creativity, break free from convention and make their own way in the world.

Alfred Cointreau, Heritage Manager and great grandson (sixth generation of the family) of Founder Edouard Cointreau speaking at the launch, said “Edouard strived to create Cointreau for women when it was rare for women to have jobs, when they could not vote and when alcohol was only really drunk by men. He wanted to be the first to speak to women through a glass.”

Thus, Betty Irabor, celebrated as one of the Nigerian women breaking the glass ceiling, was chosen to be at the helm of the Cointreau Creative Crew in Nigeria as the Creative Curator, as she is the embodiment of the Cointreau brand philosophy and lifestyle.

The Cointreau Creative Crew consists of a grand jury and committee collectively headed by Betty Irabor. Also on the grand jury are Lami Tumaka (Deputy Director of NIMASA) and Barbara Lawrence (Chief Executive Officer of Insolitus Nigeria).The jury is tasked with the responsibility of promoting and encouraging all women to work towards actualising their dreams as espoused by the Dream-Dare-Create initiative.

Antoinette Drumm, Zone Director - Africa and Med ME, Rémy Cointreau Group companies, said “We are pleased to partner with Betty Irabor as the Creative Curator of the Cointreau Creative Crew. It’s very exciting to launch the initiative in Nigeria as the global campaign has only launched in the UK with Laetitia Casta. She has also enlisted a network of creative and influential talent including actress Eva Longoria to work on the programme alongside her. We are proud and honoured as the Cointreau Creative Crew marks the beginning of the brand’s mission to celebrate creativity and freedom of expression with women across the world.”

During the masterclass which followed right after the press conference, Alfred Cointreau spoke about the rich heritage of the brand, saying: “We are the original triple sec with a 150-year tradition behind us; the distillery was set up in 1849 and from the traditional recipe to the iconic bottle shape, nothing has changed over the years; even though we do introduce limited edition packaging from time to time.

“Consumers today want to drink less, but drink better, and we want to show them they can do this with Cointreau. We will be working very closely with bartenders to show and teach them about the brand, the heritage, because that’s how we are going to get the message across to consumers.”

The Cointreau Creative Crew remains committed to helping inspire Nigerian women move beyond maintaining the status quo by motivating and supporting advancement in their chosen career fields which is only achievable through the willingness to create and explore new avenues of self expression.

Growth

Warren Buffet

5 things to learn from Warren Buffet WHEN the Oracle of Omaha talks, people make pilgrimages. In fact, thousands of Berkshire Hathaway shareholders flock to the tiny town of Omaha, Nebraska each year to hear him talk about investing.

Of course, if any business leader can command that level of devotion, it’s Buffett. He has practically doubled or tripled his net worth in every decade of his life, and is now worth $67 billion. A single share of his company’s stock? Try $191,396. That’s enough to buy a house in any one of the 50 states.

Here are five things Warren Buffett does each day that we could all learn from: 1. Read 500 pages.

Once, when asked how to get smarter, the Oracle held up a stack of papers and said, “read 500 pages like this every day. That’s how knowledge builds up, like compound interest.”

Buffett estimates that he spends 80 percent of his waking day reading at work (financial statements, journals, reports) and at home (newspapers and books). Some of us don’t read that many pages each year.

“I do more reading and thinking, and make less impulse decisions than most people in business.”

Makes sense; the better read you are, the more informed you are, the less impulsive you are.

2. Exercise a little.

Buffett once said that his secret to staying young is to “eat like a six-year-old.” This includes drinking up to five Cokes a day. “I’m one-quarter Coca-Cola,” he admitted. (Considering he owns $16 billion in Coca-Cola stock, that’s not too far from the truth.)

Keep in mind that the 85-year-old also likes to eat hamburgers, steaks, hash browns and root beer floats.

In 2007 (at the age of 77), he revealed that his doctor had given him a simple choice: “Either you eat better or you exercise.” Buffett chose exercise, “the lesser of two evils.” The simple life change must have worked. After beating prostate cancer in 2015, he still looks happy and healthy.

3. Be grateful, not wasteful.

Following in the footsteps of his hero, Chuck Feeney (who secretly gave away his entire fortune), Buffett is one of the world’s biggest philanthropists.

His Giving Pledge also boasts dozens of billionaire signees, including Bill Gates, who have committed half their net worth to charitable causes. Buffett has pledged to give away 99 percent of his fortune during his lifetime.

He is also famously frugal, so it all works out.

Not only does Mr. Buffett live in the same house he bought in 1958 for $31,500 (ironically, it costs significantly more to live next to him).

4. Play a game that requires patience.

Like Chuck Feeney, Buffett has admitted that he manages his ever-growing fortune like he’s playing a game. This isn’t surprising. He enjoys games, and regularly plays financial “mind games” to help him better see patterns in his investments.

He also likes to stay sharp by playing Bridge (which, like Monopoly, takes a notoriously long time to finish). In fact, Buffett likes Bridge so much that he can sometimes be found in an Omaha strip mall, paying $7 to play against retirees. “ 5. Have a hobby that’s just for fun.

For Wall Street analysts who often work 100+ hours a week, something as mundane as a “hobby” is inevitably put on the back burner. But Warren likes his hobbies. If you can believe it, he’s a pretty good ukulele player and even writes his own songs.

There are YouTube videos of him singing about Coca Cola and playing duets with Bon Jovi.

In fact, there’s probably no better way to end this post than with a video of Mr. Buffett playing ukulele duet for charity with Jon Bon Jovi.

If one of the world’s richest men can afford to be this silly once in a while, we can, too.

Culled from entrepreneur.com

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Monday, 11 April, 2016

tribune

business

Nigerian Tribune

Group Business Editor Sulaimon Olanrewaju

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

Buhari’s 10,000MW target and NIPP In light of President Muhammadu Buhari’s promise to increase power generation in the country to 10,000MW by 2019, SULAIMON OLANREWAJU writes that the realization of this lofty dream may be hinged on the administration’s execution of the second phase of the National Integrated Power Projects (NIPP), which covers the construction of 11 hydro dams in Northern Nigeria to buoy and diversify the country’s power generation, transmission and distribution capacities.

By Sulaimon Olanrewaju

P

OWER is central to the nation’s wellbeing. According to former President Olusegun Obasanjo, it is the driver of all developments, be it social, economic, and even political. This is why every administration since 1999 has taken its provision very seriously. Ambassador Godknows Igali, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Power, while appearing before a Senate Ad-hoc Committee probing the power sector, had said the administrations of President Obasanjo, President Umaru Yar’Adua and President Goodluck Jonathan invested N2.74 trillion in the power sector over a period of 16 years.

In a similar vein, one of the major promises of President Muhammadu Buhari to the electorate ahead of the 2015 presidential election was stable and regular electricity. However, in the last couple of months, electricity supply has been witnessing a downslide. It was so bad that two weeks ago, the generation was actually down to zero megawatt for about three hours. This development compelled President Buhari to reassure the populace that power generation would be increased to 10,000MW by 2019.

Although those in the know in the industry are of the view that the target set by the President is realizable, they say its realization may be dependent on the readiness of the administration to embark on the second phase of the National Integrated Power Projects (NIPP).

The NIPP was conceived in 2005 and since then has been implemented jointly by the federal, state and local governments through the corporate vehicle of the Niger Delta Power Holding Company (NDPHC), a government agency owned by the three tiers of government but which operates strictly on the private sector business model. The equity structure of NDPHC is as follows: federal government 47 per cent; the 36 states own 35 per cent, while the 774 local government areas own 18 per cent.

The NIPP was initiated in response to the deplorable state of power infrastructure and the inappropriate framework for private sector investment in the Nigerian electricity industry pre-2005. The scope of the NIPP covers the entire value chain in the power sector, namely; generation, transmission and distribution,

Before the NIPP/NDPHC, Nigeria could barely generate 2,000MW of electricity. The country neither had any gasfired power station nor even the gas infrastructure to generate electricity.

including building from the scratch a national gas infrastructure to power 10 gas-fired power plants across the country.

The NDPHC was incorporated in 2005 as the Special Project Vehicle (SPV) for the NIPP. The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), the Nigeria Gas Company (NGC) and the defunct Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN), among others, were an integral part of the NIPP project development.

The NDPHC is domiciled in the Presidency and its budget is drawn by a high-power board, whose chairman is the Vice President, and has as stat-

utory members of the board six state governors and four federal ministers.

The NIPP is being funded through the Excess Crude Savings Accounts and its capital funding sum till date is $8.46 billion. Disbursement of fund to the NDPHC is ratified by the federal government and the houses of assembly of the 36 states of the federation.

Power infrastructure before NIPP/ NDPHC Before 2005 and the advent of the NIPP/NDPHC, Nigeria had transmission capacity of 4,495 kilometre (km) on its 330Kv lines. The country’s transformer capacity on the

132/33Kv band was 5,700MVA and on the 330/132Kv transformer capacity, Nigeria had 5,300MVA. In terms of distribution projects before the NIPP/NDPHC came on stream, the country had 33/11KV sub-stations of 8,148MVA and 33KV and 11/0.41KV substation with 32,000MVA capacity.

However, before the NIPP/NDPHC, Nigeria could barely generate 2,000MW of electricity. The country neither had any gas-fired power station nor even the gas infrastructure to generate electricity.

However, with the formation of the NIPP and its implementation by the NDPHC over a 10-year period, Nigeria’s transmission capacity on its 330Kv lines increased to 6,932Km or by 46 per cent.

In the same period, the NDPHC increased the country’s transformer capacity on the 132/33Kv band to 11,118MVA or by 42 per cent and today Nigeria’s transformer capacity on the 330/132Kv band is 11,590MVA, an increment of 93 per cent.

Continues pg 23

tribunebusiness Riding on NIPP to hit 10,000 MW target 23

Monday, 11 April, 2016

Continues from pg 22

The NIPP/NDPHC also has huge impact on Nigeria’s distribution infrastructure in the period under review. Today Nigeria’s 33/11KV sub-station of 11,649MVA is up by 43 per cent and 33KV and 11/0.41KV substation with 84,170MVA capacity, a 163 per cent increase.

Under the NIPP and in only 10 years, the NDPHC has built 10 gas-fired power stations, an average of one power station per year, with a combined installed capacity of 4,528.5MW. These are Alaoji, Benin, Calabar, Egbema, Gbarain, Geregu II, Ogorode, Olorunsogo II, Omoku II and Omotosho II power plants.

The NIPP/NDPHC has also built gas pipelines, gas metering and regulating stations grouped into seven lots for the delivery of natural gas to these power plants.

Within 10 years, the NDPHC, which is headed by Mr. James Abiodun Olotu, the Managing Director, has also expanded the country’s power transmission capacity through 25 lots as follows: 5,590MVA of 330/132Kv transformer capacity; 3,313MVA of 132/33Kv transformer capacity; 2,194km of 330Kv lines; 809km of 132kv lines; 10 new 330Kv substations; 7 new 132Kv substations; and expansion of 36 existing 330Kv and 132KV substations.

In the third leg of the power chain – distribution – the NDPHC, under Olotu, has executed 296 distribution projects in 43 lots spread over every state of the federation, which has given the country 3,540MVA injection substation capacity; 2,600Km of 11Kv lines for HVDS; 25,900 CSP distribution transformers and 1,700km of 33Kv lines.

The NIPP/NDPHC has also delivered on the provision and integration of grid-wide telecommunication and tele-protection infrastructure.

Eight of the 10 power plants are fully completed with installed capacity of 3,696 MW and the last two – Egbema and Omoku, 563MW – are on course for completion and commissioning by the fourth quarter of this year.

Today, the NDPHC-built power plants contribute an average of 900MW to the national grid, with about 820MW idle for reasons of evacuation capacity but always available for immediate deployment.

Divestment and reinvestment plan Because of the country’s harrowing experience of inefficiency under the government-owned National Electricity Power Authority (now defunct), initiators of the NIPP thought it wise to include a divestment plan in the power sector reform framework.

However, rather than pulling out completely and leaving the Nigerian people at the mercy of private sector operations in this critical sector, the three tiers of government have only divested 80 per cent of their equity in one leg of the tripod only - the NIPP Generation Assets - to private investors.

To also make room for private sector participation and efficiency in the power distribution sector, the three tiers of government have sold their distribution assets to private distribution companies (DISCOs) at a cost of $1.5 billion which is recoverable from the DISCOs over a period of 10 years.

The three tiers of government still have intact their transmission assets (worth $2 billion as of December 2015) and gas assets (valued at $500 million as of December 2015), the equities which they would divest to the private sector in the future to make more profits from their initial joint $8.46 billion investment in NIPP Phase I. What these translate to is that under NIPP Phase I, the three tiers of government in-

vested $8.46 billion to expand Nigeria’s generation, transmission and distribution capacities as well as build a gas infrastructure to power 10 new gas-fired power plants from the scratch under 10 years. In the process, the NDPHC has recouped $7.1 billion of the $8.46 billion investment only by selling 80 per cent of government shares in generation only. The proceeds from this divestment in the generation assets - $7.1 billion – is to be reinvested in NIPP Phase II. Since the total assets of the NIPP currently stand at $11 billion, it therefore means that the NDPHC has turned in at least $2.5 billion in profit and assets for the country in 10 years.

NIPP Phase II Selling off government’s 80 per cent equity in the NIPP generation assets only has ploughed back $7.1 billion – out of the country’s $8.46 billion investment in NIPP Phase I – into the joint coffers of the federal, state and local government. Rather than squander the $7.1 billion on other government projects in other sectors, the three tiers of government agreed under the power sector reforms programme to reinvest the sum in expanding the country’s power infrastructure under NIPP Phase II. The second phase of the NIPP aims to change the country’s power infrastructure in other locations not fully captured under the first phase of the NIPP, especially in the northern region.

Projects under NIPP Phase II are as follows: 43 critical transmission projects to resolve transmission bottlenecks; 51 transmission projects to improve wheeling capacity to 12,000MW; 31 other transmission projects as foundation for increase of capacity to 16,000MW plus communication and national control centre, etc; large hydropower – Mambilla, Gurara, Itisi with total capacity to generate 3,450MW and small hydropower

at 10 sites in the north to generate 83.25MW. Already, the NDPHC has received proposals from the State Grid of China, AK-AY and other interested foreign investors for partnership and financing of the NIPP Phase II projects.

The clear achievements recorded under the NIPP by the NDPHC were attained in spite of the infamous “Nigerian factor” which raised its ugly head all the way and continues to assail the process 10 years on. However, the NIPP gains are also testaments to the often maligned “can do” spirit of Nigerians, including those driving the NIPP process, especially at the Presidency, the Senate, state and local governments, the Ministry of Power, the NDPHC and the Bureau for Public Enterprises (BPE).

Currently, the NIPP/NDPHC grapples with a number of challenges, which all three tiers of government and other stakeholders should close ranks to solve in order to move the power sector forward for the benefit of the country.

These challenges include inadequate gas for full commercial operations; inability to execute long-term GSAs and PPAs, partial payment of energy invoices, leading to the NDPHC alone being owed over N77 billion as of the end of November 2015, litigation in respect of bids for Alaoji, Gbarain and Omoku power plants; and NNPC/NGC plans to divert gas on the western axis and 240mmscf to Omotosho and Geregu.

There are also investors’ concern in the sector bordering on credit enhancement for NBET; put call option agreement with party acceptable to lenders; 100 per cent divestment of NDPHC equity (rfp is for 80 per cent); misalignment between term of PPA and GSA, possible review of bid to reflect delays in acquisition; and impact of regulatory risks and naira devaluation.

Others are policy inconsistency, which has been the bane of the NESI for far too long;

Eight of the 10 power plants are fully completed with installed capacity of 3,696 MW and the last two – Egbema and Omoku, 563MW – are on course for completion and commissioning by the fourth quarter of this year.

Nigerian Tribune

GenCos and the industry in general are concerned about capacity for transmission and distribution, whereas the investment opportunity presented on the platform of the NDPHC are good options for resolving these infrastructure deficits; and the monthly revenue gap of N20 billion needs to be closed irreversibly as a matter of urgency since efficiency and revenues drive the power industry; increasing acts of vandalism on NIPP/ NDPHC facilities, especially bombing of gas pipelines and other power infrastructure in the Niger Delta.

The way forward Despite the current rancor in the sector between government and organised labour and other stakeholders over tariffs, the NDPHC, according to Mr Olotu, is looking ahead and plans to accomplish a number of projects under the NIPP. These include; the commissioning of Gbarain, Egbema and Omoku power plants, contracting of O and M services for completed power plants, completion of all distribution projects captured under the original scope of the NIPP, completion of prioritised transmission lines and substations, thus improving evacuation capacity and grid stability, closing transaction for the divestment of 80 per cent equity in Omotosho and Geregu generation companies, review and preparation of project documents – designs, bankable project documents etc for projects under NIPP Phase II. To achieve these and more, stakeholders in the power sector look up to the Ministry of Power under the headship of the Minister, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, for policy guidance and leadership in the sector. They suggest that the ministry should engage all state governments with a view to collaborating on the acquisition of the right of way and way leave compensation for the NIPP. They also want the Ministry of Power to create a “one-stop point of contact” for investors in the power sector because many investors are currently feeling frustrated by the complexity of the industry.

Concerned citizens and industry players also want the National Assembly, especially the Senate, to deploy its legislative powers in moving the power sector forward. Ranking Senators like Chairman, Senate Committee on Power, Senator James Manager, Senator Danjuma Goje (who is a former Minister of Power) and Senator Phillip Aduda, who have all been part of the NIPP/NDPHC success stories thus far, should bring their wealth of experience to bear on power-related issues at the Senate, and especially enlighten other senators on the complexities of this critical sector and the need to drive it by legislations, industry engagements and others interventions strictly based on international best practices.

Industry watchers are also of the view that fiscal incentives for the power sector should be streamlined and made more easily accessible.

While some people disagree with the plans by the Federal Government to borrow in order to finance the 2016 budget, stakeholders in the power sector are unanimous in asserting that taking loans – domestic or foreign – to build the country’s power infrastructure is the way to go, as the NDPHC has demonstrated that borrowing to build power infrastructure is self-liquidating and profitable for the country in both the long and short terms.

Comparing the various experimentations the country had had in the past with respect to increasing power generation vis-à-vis the stride made by NDPHC in this direction, it is clear that empowering the company to do more will most likely result in President Buhari making good his promise of delivering 10,000 MW to the nation before the expiration of his tenure in 2019. If he achieves this, he will have etched his name in the sand of time as the man who put an end to a problem that had defied solution for decades.

24

Monday, 11 April, 2016

moneymarket

Nigerian Tribune

anchor Chima Nwokoji

m:08032637535 e:chimatitus@yahoo.com

weeklyreview

From left; Branch Leader, Makurdi Branch, Emmanuel Adukwu; Regional Bank Head, North Central, Anthony Yaro both of Fidelity bank; Executive Chairman, Benue State Internal Revenue Service (BIRS), Mimi Adzape Orubibi and Divisional Head, Retail & Enterprises, Richard Madiebo during the Bank’s presentation of two units of Nissan Frontier Trucks to Benue State Internal Revenue Services, recently.

Investors to sweep N110.0bn bonds as equities market falter

D

EALER in money market instruments expect the scheduled sum of N110.0 billion bond issuance for April auction to be oversubscribed as more investors continue to be attracted to the fixed income market amid equities market volatility.

This they say has been the trend in past auctions.

The Debt Management Office (DMO) said it will sell N50 billion of a bond maturing in 2036, N40 billion of paper maturing in 2026 and

N20 billion of debt maturing in 2020, using the Dutch auction system.

It said results of the auction are expected to be released on the following day, adding that the bonds on offer are re-openings of previous issues.

The debt office had earlier said it plans to rise between N274 billion and N365 billion this quarter in local currency-denominated bonds, with maturities ranging between five and 20 years.

Africa’s biggest crude ex-

CBN Exchange Rates 2/10/2015 Currency US DOLLAR POUNDS STERLING EURO SWISS FRANC YEN CFA WAUA YUAN/RENMINBI RIYAL

Buying(NGN) 196 276.0072 222.8716 204.6997 1.8073 0.3196 274.8648 30.2787 52.2499

Central(NGN) 196.5 276.7113 223.4402 205.2219 1.8119 0.3296 275.566 30.3564 52.3832

Selling(NGN) 197 277.4154 224.0087 205.7441 1.8165 0.3396 276.2672 30.4341 52.5165

DANISH KRONA SDR

29.9378 276.164

30.0142 276.8685

30.0906 277.573

FGN Bonds Date of Auction 3/16/2016 3/16/2016 3/16/2016 2/10/2016 Security Type FGN Bonds FGN Bonds FGN Bonds FGN Bonds Tenor Maturing On 5 Year 10 Year 20 Year

2/13/2020 1/22/2026 3/18/2036 2/13/2020

2/13/2020 1/22/2026 3/18/2036 2/13/2020 Amount Offered (N mn) 20 40 40 Subscriptions (N mn) 72.56 89.36 100.53 Tot. Successful (N mn) 20.00 40.00 40.00 Net Sales (N mn) Range of Bid Rates 8.0000 - 15.5400 11.0000 - 13.7459 11.0000 - 14.9995 15.5400 Successful Bid Rates 8.0000 - 11.3340 11.0000 - 12.0900 11.0000 - 12.4000

5 Year 40 122.66 40.00 10.0000 10.0000 -

CBN Bills Date of Auction

5/15/2003

2/25/2002

Security Type

CBN Certificate

CBN Certificate CBN Certificate

11/26/2001

9/24/2001 CBN Certificate

Tenor

91

180

180

180

Maturing On

91

2/20/2003

11/21/2002

9/19/2002

11/13/2003

180

15000

5000

1155

2/20/2003

180

4161

2740

1155

11/21/2002

180

9/19/2002

82227

15000

5000

Amount Offered (N mn)

82227

15000

5000

1155

Subscriptions (N mn)

37767

4161

2740

1155

17019

4161

2740

0

20.5

20.5

Tot. Successful (N mn) Net Sales (N mn) Range of Bid Rates Successful Bid Rates Marginal Rate True Yield

19.5

porter issues sovereign bonds monthly to support the local bond market, create a benchmark for corporate issuance and fund its budget deficit.

Specifically, Nigeria said it will borrow about N900 billion locally to finance part of the N2.2 trillion deficit in its 2016 budget.

Given the current market yields, dealers expect marginal rates to clear at 11.4per cent, 12.3 per cent

and 12.8 per cent for the FGN FEB2020, FGN JAN2026 and FGN MAR2036 bonds.

“In the week ahead, activities in the secondary market may be tepid as investors make ready for the primary market auction scheduled for Wednesday. As has been the trend in past auctions, we expect the auction to be oversubscribed as more investors continue to be attracted to the fixed income market amid equities market volatility,” stated dealers from an investment banking group in Lagos.

UBA’s shareholders get 60k dividend, applaud performance at AGM SHAREHOLDERS of pan-African financial services group, United Bank for Africa (UBA) Plc, on Friday April 8, 2016 applauded the bank for its strong financial performance in 2015 despite the difficult operating environment globally.

The shareholders made their views known during the bank’s Annual General Meeting (AGM) which was held at the

Government Securities

Auction Date 4/4/2016 Security Type OMO Tenor 206 Auction No 04-04-2016 - 206 Day Auction Primary Market Maturity Date 10/27/2016 Total Subscription 86547.65 Total Successful 31634.1 Range Bid 8.7000 - 11.0000 Successful Bid Rates 8.7000 - 8.8000 Description Issue Rate 8.8 True Yield 9.2599 Amount Offered (mn)50000

NITTY April 11, 2016 Tenor 05-Apr-16 04-Apr-16 01-Apr-16 31-Mar-16 30-Mar-16 12M

Rate (%) 199.0000 199.0000 199.0000 199.0000 199.0000 10.5042

Change (%) 199.1000 199.1000 199.1000 199.1000 199.1000 0.42

Eko Atlantic Hotel, Lagos, Nigeria. The bank’s shareholders also approved the board’s recommendation to pay a final dividend of 40 kobo per share. UBA had earlier paid an interim dividend of 20 kobo in September 2015 bringing the total dividend paid in respect of its 2015 financial year to 60 kobo per share.

Speaking on behalf of shareholders, Sir Sunny Nwosu, President Independent Shareholders Association of Nigerian (ISAN) expressed his appreciation to the bank’s board and management for growing profit and increasing dividend payment at a time when many other banks recorded lower profit and had to cut dividends. He said; “this dividend payment reinforces the resilience of the Bank amidst challenging operating environment and it also shows the quality of the bank’s management.”

Money Market Due to robust system liquidity last week, open buy back (OBB) and over night (ON)placement rates opened the week at 3.8 per cent and 4.3 per cent respectively.

However, rates rose 2.5 per cent and 2.3 per cent to settle at 6.3per cent and 6.6per cent respectively on Tuesday as the CBN mopped up about N40.3 billion from the system.

OBB and ON rates however moderated to 3.8 per cent and 4.4per cent on Wednesday as inflows from unfulfilled foreign exchange (FX) provisioning refunds by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to the Deposit Money Banks (DMBs) for the previous week hit the system.

Dealer at Afrinvest West Africa limited said market liquidity stood at N923.8 billion on Wednesday morning but reduced to about N405 billion by market open on Thursday due to deposits made by DMBs for special FX intervention.

OBB and ON rates closed the week down 0.7 per cent apiece week on week (W-O-W) to close at 3.1 per cent and 3.6 per cent at the end of Friday’s trading session.

In line with the above, activity in the T-bills market was broadly favourable last week as average rate declined on most trading days. Average T-bills rate eased 0.6 per cent from the previous trading session to close at 8.0 per cent on Monday. Rate declined 0.1 per cent further to 7.9 per cent on Tuesday amidst increased activities on short termed instruments.

T-bills worth N218.9 billion was auctioned on Wednesday, allotted bills included N19.0 billion of the 91-day, N33.5 billion of the 182-day and N166.40 billion of the 364-day bills at stop rates of 6.1 per cent, 8.7 per cent and 9.5 per cent respectively. Interest was majorly in the 364day T-bills which was oversubscribed by about 175.4 per cent as against the 91 day T-bills auction which was undersubscribed by 54.5 per cent.

The impact of the auction on system liquidity according the dealers was however offset by a T-bills maturity of the same net total amount. Average T-bills rates eased further on Wednesday, down 0.1per cent to settle at 7.7 per cent.

In view of plans by the Apex Bank to aggressively mop up system liquidity as indicated during the week, Analysts at Afrinvest anticipate an uptrend in money market rates in the interim, however weekly FX provisioning and refunding will continue to bring about marginal swings in rates.

Foreign Exchange The foreign exchange market continues to enjoy relative stability as observed in recent weeks, though the spread between the official/interbank and the Bureau de Change (BDC)/Parallel market rates remains staggering.

However, consensus opinion remains that the current stability is artificial, bearing in mind the Apex Bank’s decision to remain mute on the policy direction of the foreign exchange market.

Accordingly, Naira/Dollar exchange rate at the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and interbank remained at N197.00/$1 and N199.50/$1.00 respectively. At the BDC segment, foreign exchange (FX) traded at N320/$1.00 on all trading days of last week while Parallel market rate traded at N322/$1 on all trading days save for Tuesday when it declined marginally to N323/$1.00.

In the week ahead, whilst the spread between the official and parallel market rates remains, dealers do not expect any sharp rates volatility to occur Bond Market Activities in the bonds market was mixed last week.

Average yields across benchmark bonds rose four basis points (bps) on Monday closing at 11.6 per cent. Sell pressures drove yields 0.1 per cent higher on Tuesday to settle at 11.7 per cent. Activities were mostly observed on the FGN FEB2020 and FGN JUL2034 bonds. By mid-week, average yield across benchmark bonds moderated to 11.6 per cent amidst huge system liquidity. According to analysts at Afrinvest West Africa Limited, there was increased activity on the FGN MAR2024 and FGN JAN2026 bonds.

Average yield across benchmark bonds settled at 11.6 per cent on Friday, down 4bps W-O-W.

25

tribunebusiness

Monday, 11 April, 2016

sues with the World Bank and other supra-national lending organizations. It is most likely to be ineffective vis-à-vis the Eurobond market. In the Eurobond market, the holders of Nigeria’s debt are private sophisticated corporate investors and investment entities who have no reason to reduce their monthly/ quarterly/ semi annual coupon payment from an entity that as yet is not bankrupt or in default on any of its obligations to them at the current time. Secondly, a significant majority of the bondholders must agree to such an amendment to the bond agreement for such change to be effective.

I am not optimistic that Eurobond investors will agree to reduce its interest coupon on the debt already issued because this will affect their bottom line. The question then is to determine the proportion of Nigeria’s debt that consists of Eurobond issues. Until we know what the yearly figure allocated to debt interest payment will be if such re-negotiation is successful, one is not in a position to comment on this part of the FG’s strategy. What I would say is that it makes more sense to focus on re-packaging its debt first in order to determine the hard naira change in the yearly debt interest service burden to Nigeria before added debt is added to Nigeria’s bottom line. At the moment, Nigeria’s debt is unsustainable because N1.45trillion is likely to amount to more than 65 per cent of Nigeria’s actual 2016 revenue stream.

What is however clear is that there will be a time lag between now and the time by which the renegotiation of debt service interest is concluded or work on the infrastructural projects actually commences in Nigeria.

Mrs Kemi Adeosun, Finance Minister

Re:Financing our future

By Dele Awogbeoba

N

IGERIANS are no doubt appreciative of the fact that we are now getting more of an indication of the fiscal policy direction of the Buhari government. Mrs Kemi Adeosun, Finance Minister, has written about the fiscal policy being pursued by the federal government. One would have thought that the Minister of Budget and National Planning (who actually controls the fiscal policy of the FG) would have been the minister to explain the thrust of the government’s fiscal policy direction. It seems like he is playing the Gusau role, of absence without leave, in the present administration.

That said, Mrs Adeosun made a number of policy decisions clear to us. One, it plans to inject stimulus into the economy through the use of government spending even though its revenue is insufficient to achieve such a fiscal injection. It intends to borrow billions of dollars (like its predecessor) in order to stimulate domestic demand. Its areas of difference are GEJ’s government borrowed to pay wages whilst the Buhari government will borrow to build railways and other capital projects. Whilst its debt to GDP may in fact be low, its debt to revenue levels are indeed very high. More worrying is its debt to debt service interest, which is clearly within the unsustainable levels. Which means its cash flow levels will be severely affected by adding further debt to its existing debt especially where income revenue is in for some tough times in view of the side effect of the relative slow down in China that will affect both the price of oil and the market for Nigeria’s solid minerals.

Secondly, it intends to address its massive debt service interest payment obligations (currently said to be 1.45 trillion naira a year per the 2016 Budget) by seeking to restructure its existing loans. To the extent it can achieve this objective, it would save Nigeria a lot of money that can then be redirected back into the domestic economy.

Her article was silent on the role and current policies of the CBN and its current adverse effect on the domestic economy.

After all, the fiscal policies of the federal government will be working side by side with the monetary policies of the Nige-

Nigerian Tribune

rian CBN. The CBN’s misguided forex policy will depress imports and consequently significantly reduce customs income from Nigeria’s ports.

Time Lag The loans sought by Nigeria from the Chinese, World Bank and possibly the AFDB will (if granted) be subject to feasibility studies and bureaucratic red tape between the time when the various loans are signed and actual construction begins.

The fiscal injection into the economy will come from the labour hired and the materials (like local cement etc) used to build the various roads, bridges and railway lines. Information abounds that loans emanating from China will be linked to the use of Chinese firms for the execution of the infrastructural projects. That will mean that only part of the financed amount will find its way to the Nigerian economy. There is no disputing the fact that such infrastructure (especially railway lines) will have a positive effect on the economy both as a means of stimulating domestic demand as well as integrating various parts of the country and its various disconnected regional economies to the port states. This route, however, seems to me to be a more mid-term solution to an immediate lack of demand problem within the Nigerian economy.

Additionally, the renegotiation and repackaging of existing loans in order to reduce the debt service interest burden is a wise objective in principle. It may work if one discusses is-

One hopes that the Nigerian economy would not already have crashed before the trickle effects of the FG fiscal policy starts to find its way into stimulating the domestic economy.

Monetary policy The minister failed to address the fact that time lag does not address nor stop or modify the harmful effects on the economy of the current forex, interest rate and liquidity squeeze policies coming out of the Central Bank of Nigeria.

Each passing day, the CBN policies are deterring foreign investors, closing domestic Nigerian factories, preventing fuel marketers from accessing foreign exchange needed to import fuel, significantly reducing federal government’s income and revenue derived by the Nigerian Ports Authority, federal government taxes from VAT due to the bankruptcy of many Nigerian corporate entities and increasing the nation’s army of the unemployed.

One hopes that the Nigerian economy would not already have crashed before the trickle effects of the FG fiscal policy starts to find its way into stimulating the domestic economy.

Reducing recurrent expenditure For a government whose stated aim is to reduce recurrent expenditure, the proposed hire of 10,000 police officers does not strike me as a reasonable step for a cash-strapped and broke federal government to embark upon. Vice President Yemi Osinbajo also indicated that the federal government intended to spend huge amounts on the poor unemployed.

By all accounts (and net), recurrent expenditure is going up and not down. I am not sure of the degree of interaction between the Finance Minister and the Minister of Budget and National Planning or indeed whether the Finance Minister has the authority to make statements on matters of fiscal policy which is under the supervision of the Minister of Budget and National Planning (or whether the minister is simply explaining how such fiscal policy of the National Planning Ministry will be implemented by the Finance Ministry) but what is clear is that the recruitment actions within the police force and the spending intentions of the federal government does not tally with the Finance Minister’s stated desire to reduce recurrent expenditure.

Conclusion Nigeria is currently facing an absence of demand within the economy (otherwise called a significant drop in GDP or a near or actual recession). I agree with the Minister that this is best addressed by policies that stimulate domestic demand. Our point of diversion is that the FG’s policy route will take some time to reflect itself within the domestic economy without even trying to address the negative and adverse current policy positions of the CBN’s monetary policy. The cheapest, most effective and quickest route to stimulating the economy is to discontinue the forex policy, drastically cut interest rates and have significantly less requirements for banks to keep liquidity with the CBN. Keeping the CBN policies as they currently are and applying an inconsistent stream of fiscal policies to the same environment may actually nullify the positive effects on the economy that the Nigerian Federal Government desires.

As a Nigerian, one can only proffer advice and suggest options for the Federal Government to consider. It is for the government to choose which course it intends to pursue. It is left to the Nigerian voters in 2019 to decide whether a particular government has the requisite judgment needed to stay in power or not.

Mr Awogbeoba sent this in from dele.awogbeoba@gmail.com.

26

Monday, 11 March, 2016

Nigerian Tribune

labour “No Work, No Pay” policy: Health Minister instigating trouble in sector —JOHESU Chairman

In a circular with reference number MH/HRM/138/1/58, Minister of Health, Professor Isaac Adewole, cautioned the health professionals against incessant strike in the health sector and vowed to adopt ‘No Work, No Pay’policy. But in an interview with SOJI-EZE FAGBEMI, the Chairman, Joint Health Sector Unions (JOHESU) and President, Medical and Health Workers Union of Nigeria (MHWUN), Comrade Biobelemoye Josiah, said with this disposition, the minister is only courting trouble in the sector. Excerpts:

W

hat is your take on this policy?

Reading through the letter, I observed that the minister was making himself a conciliator at one point and at another time, he was making himself a dictator by threatening.

It first appeared as if he was appealing at the opening of the circular, but I later discovered that he was threatening. Towards the end of that communication, he has already directed his chief executives to implement “No Work, No Pay” rule. I just hope he will also avail them of the procedure that will amount to when a striking worker ought to be paid and when he ought not to be paid because if a management instigates a strike, the management is at fault.

Both the MHWUN and JOHESU have been very mindful of the effects of a strike on the Nigerian public. For that reason, before 2014, we shifted the strike 11 times and from 2015 till now, we have not gone on any strike.

Some of these strikes so far are issues that are instigated by local misunderstanding. They are local issues where we are trying to work out a way. But sometimes when the management at the local base fails to toe the path of dialogue, it results in some sort of crises and upheavals in such places.

So I think that the minister should have stopped at his point of appeal and perhaps call a stakeholders’ meeting.

For instance, like the last strike that was apprehended by the late Ocholi, we gave 15 days ultimatum; the Federal Ministry of Health was aware as the parent ministry of the health sector. It was expected that they would have been the first to react to find a way of apprehending the strike, but they did not and ignored the letter. They wrote us about 48 hours to go. Even at that, there was no reasonable sign of seriousness because they said they needed three weeks on one part and later, many months again, because they wanted to deal with Lassa fever, Vika and others. They were playing politics with serious matters. You instigate strike, then you give no option to the unions unless to go on strike.

Maybe it is an attempt to make strike punishable and save the sector from incessant crises and strike...

There are organisations that are allowed by law to embark on

gation that our agitations as appropriate and relevant as they are, will be suppressed. This is another indicator but we are not surprised about this.

Why should he come up with such threat letter when matters are being discussed at the Federal Ministry of Labour level? He should have channelled the matter to the Ministry of Labour that has intervened in the process and then discuss. So, this is another indicator of his pattern, and it is contrary to his earlier promise to us in a meeting in December that he wants to work with everybody and that he wants a united health system. As we speak, medical doctors in Oyo State have been on strike for several months, has anybody done something about it?

Biobelemoye strikes after due process, registered trade unions are such. If he wants to complain about people who are going on strike without due right, he should be talking of his own constituency, which is the NMA and other bodies in the doctor sector. So, for us, we will always abide by the law, and we believe that if the management and the government also abide by the law and treat everybody fairly, issue of crises and incessant strikes in the health sector will be drastically reduced. It is not a situation where you use the IGR to pay the needs of medical and dental practitioners; it is not a situation where you go and pay what was fought against by his constituency and leave the other party working in the same sector unattended to.

For instance, the medical and dental practitioners said skipping of CONHESS 10 is absurd, fraudulent and irrational for JOHESU

to think about. We went to court for that and the court ruled in our favour. While our own people, members of JOHESU who are entitled to it by law, as ruled by the court, have not been paid because they complained that there was no money, suddenly in November and December last year, they paid the doctors their arrears. You complained of no money and you paid one sector. And when it comes to the other sector you said there is no money, what are you instigating?

This is a new circular for implementation, knowing that you have an ongoing agitation which you put on hold due to the death of the Minister of State for Labour. Will this affect your agitation?

This circular will not affect our agitation in any way. Like I said, we are a body that follows due process. This is another form of insti-

We believe that if the management and the government abide by the law and treat everybody fairly, issues of crisis and incessant strikes in the health sector will be drastically reduced.

Don’t you think this circular will cow you into submission?

Cow us? That is out of the question. This law has been there. It predates Professor Isaac Adewole, and proper managers of laws know when it can be applied and that is why strikes have been on in this country because most Labour Unions follow the due process to arrive at the decision to embark on strike. That is the reason why it is difficult to be implemented and if he would have listened, I would have advised him that threat is not the answer.

What is the next line of action now?

I am going to call for a JOHESU meeting. Prior to the death of Mr Ocholi, he appealed to us that we should extend our ultimatum which would have expired on 10 March, 2016. He gave us reasons that were genuine enough for us to shift it.

For instance, he said he would be travelling out for ILO meeting and that between that 7th and 14th of the month, the National Council of Health would be meeting and most of the relevant people in the ministry, especially the minister, would not be there to discuss and know what would be arrived at.

So we agreed with him because of his genuine honesty and hunger to solve the problem. We told him that we would call a meeting and get back to him because it was only the executives of JOHESU that met him. We went back and had the enlarged meeting of JOHESU, and seeing that he had taken some reasonable steps and we could trust him, we agreed to shift the

date to the 29th of last month.

So, when we heard of his death, we had no alternative. Apart from mourning him, we decided to maintain our agreement with him in honour of his honesty, even though it was not written. That was why we were still quiet even after the mourning. We expected that the Federal Ministry of Labour after his burial and mourning would also use the opportunity to reactivate the process and hoped that they would not derail on the level of successes that Ocholi already achieved in aiming and bringing about peace.

With this circular and considering your numerous agitations on ground, there is this fear that the health sector will be volatile and will witness serious crisis this year.

What is your take on this?

JOHESU has never trusted the government, but we had reasons to trust the present government because of the way Ocholi handled the matter.

Less than 48 hours when the Federal Ministry of Labour got wind of it, Ocholi swung into action. Even the day we were honouring the National Assembly members from Labour extraction, he came to the party and tried to locate me. He pleaded that we should save the agony of Nigerians and that there was need for us to talk. He said that he had gone through the file and most issues there could be resolved.

I told him we were in the window of 15 days and since it had narrowed so far, therefore I could not guarantee that my people would agree to meet with him because our members were meeting the following day which was supposed to be the expiration of the ultimatum.

However, we met and because of his approach, everyone agreed that maybe it was good to give him a trial. For the minister to humble himself, to even move to locate one of the vexed parties, we thought we should honour him. We attended the meeting and the transparency in handling it also energised us to further shift the ultimatum by three weeks then.

I am assuring you that this threat is not going to deter us. What will deter us is the attitude of the government in tackling this issue.

That is the only thing that can make us stop this, because threat is an instigator, and we can never be intimidated.

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Monday, 11 April, 2016 Editor: Kehinde Oyetimi featuresdesk@yahoo.com 0811 184 5048

features

The other side of

private universities

•Admission requests decline drastically

Laolu Harolds

I

T’S a trying period for everybody; even for the national economy. Expendable income of families is generally on the decline, and naturally, people are seeking cheaper ways of getting things done – and that goes for the schools children attend, especially at the tertiary level.

For the past few years now, Nigerian private universities, which have been largely considered mercantilist in their perceived high fees, have been at the receiving end.

Almost all private universities today in Nigeria are under-subscribed, understaffed and, needless to say, underfunded. This has not gone without its consequences, including many of these institutions having to operate on levels of staffing far below the requirements of the National Universities Commission benchmarks.

In the past few years, admission requests to private universities have been dropping.

According to JAMB’s Statistics of Choice Institutions (a document prepared yearly by the board to track the trend of admission requests into institutions), there has been a consistent sharp drop in admission requests to private universities in the past few years – with very few exceptions.

For the 2015 academic session, many of the existing private universities had fewer than 20 candidates seeking admission to

them – some even had admission requests in single digits!

For instance, only 6 candidates applied to study at the South-Western University, Okun-Owa, Ogun State, for the 2015 academic session (which was an improvement on the 4 applications it received the previous year).

It was not alone. The Renaissance University, Ojiagu-Agbani, Enugu, also had only 8 requests for the 2015 session, declining from the 28 it received in 2014; while Kwararafa University, Wukari, had only 5 candidates applying for admission last year, from the 31 it got in 2014.

In fact, majority of the other private uni-

They appeal to parents they know are very rich, for monetary assistance, which they pay into a dedicated account, and from which they make disbursements for projects and other needs of the university.

versities had admission requests only in two digits: Elizade University, Ilara-Mokin, Ondo State, 46; Obong University, Obong Ntak, Akwa Ibom State, 16; McCPherson University, Seriki-Sotayo, Ogun State 29; Pan-Atlantic University, Ibeju-Lekki, Lagos State, 65; and Gregory University, Uturu, Abia State, 24, to mention just a few.

Unfortunately, there is something the NUC calls Benchmark Minimum Academic Standard (BMAS) which prescribes certain standards relating to staffing ratio in each department in relation to number of students; quality of academic staff, as well as their remuneration, among other things.

Meanwhile, NUC’s BMAS demands that a department (and there are usually many in a full-fledged faculty) must have at least one professor among its staff, irrespective of the size and age of that department.

In fact, in some disciplines, it is required that academic staffing should strictly follow the following: Professor/Reader, 25%; Senior Lecturer, 35%; Lecturer, 40%. This means that if there are 10 lecturers in such department, at least two of them must be professors.

There is more to spend money on, besides academic staff. So, what do these private universities do, since obviously they cannot survive on fees paid by the few students on their list?

Nigerian Tribune gathered that almost all of these institutions often go cap-in-hand

to appeal to parents for assistance.

“They appeal to parents they know are very rich, for monetary assistance, which they pay into a dedicated account, and from which they make disbursements for projects and other needs of the university,” a member of staff of one of the private universities in the South West, told Nigerian Tribune.

“Aside that, here, they also appeal to members of staff to cede a certain amount from their salary, every month, ostensibly as fund to help indigent students. The argument is that as Christians, you should be able to help such students. But I always ask: How can you say somebody is indigent and that person wants to come to a private university?”

Whether or not this fund is used to cater to the needs of ‘indigent students’ is another question entirely.

For some of the faith-based universities, there are special individuals in the ownerchurches that donate very huge amounts of money regularly. Some of these universities are also said to leverage on the magnanimity of the big-time entrepreneurs, chief executives of banks and other high net worth individuals in the churches for regular funds.

Academic Staffing One thing that seems to be common to Continues on pg28

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features

Continues from pg27

these universities is the heavy reliance on adjunct academic staff. Actually, a certain level of adjunct staff is allowed by the NUC to augment universities’ academic staffing; but for many of these universities, such adjunct arrangement is the norm, rather than being complementary.

Requisite post-professorial experience is also often sacrificed. In most of these institutions, at any given time, the category of staff that can be readily found on the ground are the Assistant Lecturers and Lecturer IIs. The Senior Lecturers are usually adjunct lecturers from other universities.

“The university agrees with them on a certain amount for, say, a semester. They would have structured their courses in such a way that they may come and teach the students for, maybe, just three hours a week.

You won’t see them again until next week,” a source told Nigerian Tribune.

A story is told of a professor that was appointed as vice chancellor for a private university but had to resign almost immediately when he could not flow with the level of stage-management he was expected to do.

When it was time for the NUC to pay one of its usual accreditation visits, the senior academic staff explained to the vice chancellor how people from outside were usually brought in to front as the university’s regular lecturers, just to make up the number.

The man refused. Of course, when he realised it was not something he could change, he resigned in anger.

An adjunct lecturer also recounted the ordeal of lecturers in the university owing to paucity of staff.

According to him, in a whole department where he taught, there were only three lecturers. One of them was the Head of Department. This same lecturer taught seven (7) courses. That is not all: this same lecturer doubled as the Examination Officer and Timetable Officer!

In this same university, which relies heavily on adjunct lecturers, salaries are not paid regularly (including even for the adjunct staff). Some lecturers who can no longer cope have been leaving in frustration.

NUC complicit?

But how do these institutions manage to escape the prying eyes of the National Universities Commission in terms of accreditation of programmes and even compliment of staff?

The source said further: “The problem is that even the NUC men are complicit in some of these things. They know one another. The irony is that many of these ‘NUC officials’ are usually members of other uni-

Monday, 11 April, 2016

We cannot be compromised

Professor Julius Okojie , NUC boss

— NUC

versities. So, they work together (with their hosts).”

This allegation, expectedly, did not sit well with the NUC. Its Director of Information and Public Relations, Mr. Ibrahim Yakassai, dismissed it outright, saying it is practically impossible for its men to be compromised that way.

“It does not make sense, do you know why?” Mr Yakassai asked. “If we are doing accreditation, say, in the University of Ibadan, in Medicine, we may use professors from the South-East and the North, and not from the South-West. And NUC staff go with those professors to see what they are doing and to make sure that they do what is right.

“I don’t know why in this country we always want that in anything we do nothing will go right. I’m telling you that will not happen; because if it does, that result will be cancelled. It’s not only one professor that will look at one programme; sometimes four, sometimes five, from different parts of the country.

“So, five professors, a professor from Kano, a professor from Enugu and a professor from Sokoto will sit down and agree to pass one programme in one university, say, in Ibadan? No! It cannot happen.”

Has the commission ever heard the allegation that these universities invite academic staff from public universities to pose as their staff for the purpose of accreditation?

Mr Yakassai quipped: “We know them and they know themselves. We have a database of all academic staff in all universities; so we know who is where. (That) used to be some years ago, but it can’t happen now.

The problem is that even the NUC men are complicit in some of these things. They know one another.

Well, has the commission ever detected abuse of, or overdependence on adjunct staff in some of these universities?

“We have our criteria on the number of permanent staff they must have; and if they have to use adjunct staff, two adjunct staff are equal to one staff. And in any case, if all they have are adjunct staff, we will approve that programme. There is a minimum number of (full-time) staff they must have before we give them accreditation.”

‘High morality a myth’ By the virtue of their proprietorship, many private universities have been held out as models of high moral training. This has been their selling point, beside their insulation from the debilitating industrial crises that over the years have been the albatross of public (state and federal) universities.

But those who have worked on the inside say that this belief is a myth and not a reflection of the reality on the ground. There are reports of students smuggling into the hostels wraps of dangerous narcotic drugs, including marijuana and cocaine. Usually, since these institutions generally operate the on-campus residential model, students have to secure a permit before exiting the campus, for whatever reason. But students have devised a way of beating this measure.

‘We promote morals, excellence’ According to the Public Relations Officer of Crescent University, Abeokuta, Mr Idris Katib, “The reason why some private universities were established was basically to check the morals of the youths. At our university here, we pride ourselves to be citadel of Islamic and moral excellence. There are two wings to fly. One of the wings is academic excellence. the second is moral excellence. That is why the founder, Prince Bola Ajibola, sold his properties to ensure that this moral discipline gets to our youths. You can interview Christian lecturers in our university.

They can testify to the good moral conduct of our products.We have appropriate sanctions against indiscipline. Some students were suspended and others were expelled. We have zero tolerance for

Adamu Adamu, Education minister exam malpractice. Our students can walk up to our Vice Chancellor and talk to him.”

Speaking in the same vein, the Registrar of Elizade University, Mr Omololu Adegebenro, argued that “We knew it was capital-intensive when we started. So we understood that we would not need students intake and school fees to run the operations of the university. I agree that some universities depend largely on adjunct staff but we have the full complements of staff to the point that we pay them very well and even have in our employ expatriates. Universities who cut corners by depending on adjunct lecturers alone later run into trouble with JAMB.” ‘Private varsities are the future of Nigeria’s education’ In an interaction with Nigerian Tribune, the Vice Chancellor of Redeemer’s University, Professor Debo Adeyewa stated that “If you are into moral bankruptcy, we have developed in this university a programme known as Recovery Of Destiny (ROD). It’s a ‘rod’ that we use to whip erring students back into line. That programme rehabilitates students who might have been sanctioned after going through the normal processes of investigations. However, if the student is remorseful and the parents are also willing, we partner with the parents and we send such an individual to one of our collaborating organisations. One is Christ Against Drug Abuse Ministry (CADAM), and also the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).

“The university is known for its quality in terms of teaching, research and bringing up graduates who are God-fearing. On the day of graduation before you are pronounced a graduate, if we find a character defect, we deal with it. I believe very strongly that private universities are the future of education in this country; because all the indices will show that if we are given proper conditions to operate, we will fly.”

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Monday, 11 April, 2016

Nigerian Tribune PHOTOS: YEMI FUNSO-OKE

OPENING AND CLOSING CEREMONY OF THE THIRD SESSION OF THE EIGHTH SYNOD OF OKE OSUN DIOCESE, CHURCH OF NIGERIA (ANGLICAN COMMUNION) HELD AT ST JOHN’S ANGLICAN CHURCH, OWOOPE, GBONGAN, OSUN STATE.

From left, Right Reverend Oluseyi Oyelade; Bishop of Oke-Osun Diocese, Right Reverend Dr Abraham Olaoluwa Akinlalu and Right Reverend J.O. Fasipe, during the third session of the eighth synod of Oke Osun Anglican Diocese, held at St John’s Anglican Church, Owoope, Gbongan.

President, Women Organisation, Oke-Osun Diocese, Mrs C. A. Akinlalu; The Right Reverend Dr Simon Borokini, Bishop of Akure Diocese; Bishop Akinlalu; Bishop of Ajayi Crowther Missionary Diocese, Right Reverend Olukemi Oduntan and his wife, Dr (Mrs) Felicia Oduntan.

From left, Chief (Mrs) Bunmi Martins, Mrs Sabainah Fashogbon and Bishop Nathaniel Fashogbon.

From left, Bishop Simon Borokini, Bishop Abraham Akinlalu, Chief Theophilus Adegboye, Chancellor of Oke Osun Diocese, Chief (Mrs) C.J. Aremu; Registrar, Oke Osun Diocese, Barrister Olusoji Adenlu; Mrs Taiwo Olanrewaju and Bishop Olukemi Oduntan.

From left, Dean, Venerable Paul Olawale Farotimi; Bishop Akinlalu, Venerable R.O. Akinjute, Mama Oke Osun Diocese, Mrs C.A. Akinlalu (third right) and others.

Cross section of Archdeacons during the synod.

Cross section of members of Women Organisation, Oke Osun Diocese.

Cross section of Canons during the synod.

Bishop Akinlalu (middle) in a group photogaph with the awardees, Mr and Mrs Ayo Arowolo (second and third left); Mr and Mrs Olu Adelabu (second and third right); Venerable Paul Olawale Farotimi (left) and others.

Cross section of choir members during the synod.

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news

Monday, 11 April, 2016

Formulate sustainable policy against deforestation, experts tell FG

By Nurudeen Alimi

T

HE continuous dry up of the Nigeria watershed, including the Lake Chad, has grossly compromised grassing and exerted pressure on herdsmen.

The development had caused incessant clashes between herdsmen and farmers across the country. For the menace to be arrested, therefore, the Federal Government must devote policies to sustaining the forest and frontally confront deforestation.

These were the arguments of two dons, the Director, Forestry Research Institute of Nigeria (FRIN), Dr Olusola Adepoju and a lecturer in the Department of Forestry, University of Ibadan, Dr I. O. Ajewole, at the International Day of the Forest, held at the Forestry Research Institute of Nigeria (FRIN), Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.

Dr Adepoju, in a keynote address read on his behalf

by Dr (Mrs) Ajulo, observed that herdsmen in the country were fighting the battle of their lives to sustain their stock, as the low level of Nigeria’s watershed had grossly affected grazing.

According to him, the herdsmen were confronted with imminent destruction of their herds and forced to move deep hinterland for survival, a development, he said, had encouraged unbridled incursion into farmlands and the consequent bloody clashes the nation now witnessed.

The diminishing availability of grasses, according to the don, had occasioned long itineraries of the herdsmen and the apparent impunity with which they encroached on farmlands and destroyed crops across the country.

The panacea for the menace, the director argued, laid in the deliberate effort on the part of the Federal Government to restore the ecosystem and protect the nation’s lakes and dams through aforestation.

Speaking in the same vein, the guest lecturer, Dr Ajewole, in a paper entitled: “The role of forest in water shed management in Nigeria,” reiterated that the continual diminishing of the nation’s watershed was a serious threat to the eco-balance and urged the Federal Government to intervene promptly through appropriate state policy to reposition the forest.

“The ecosystem services of the forest are not fully recognised in Nigeria, in spite of the fact that it is the

forest that sustains mankind,” he emphasised.

According to Dr Ajewole, the health of the streams and lakes depended on trees around the banks,

stressing that the forest had roles in the management of the nation’s watershed.

Dr Ajulo, in her speech, explained that the reason students from secondary

schools across the state were invited in this year’s International Day of the Forest was to instill interest in the trees and the study of forestry in the youth as

early as possible.

“We have to make the young ones develop interest in the environment because man’s survival depends on it,” she said.

Speaker, Oyo State House of Assembly, Honourable Michael Adeyemo (middle), kicking off “Keep Ibadan Clean Campaign” organised by the Rotary Club of Oluyole, Ibadan. With him are: President, Rotary Club of Oluyole, Ibadan, Tolulope Ogunjobi (second left), chairman, planning committee, Mr Biyi Adesanya (fourth right) and others. PHOTO: TOMMY ADEGBITE

From left, Director-General, Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN), Dr Dikko Umar; Acting Managing Director, Bank of Industry (BOI), Mr Waheed Olagunju and the Divisional Head, North, BOI, Omar Shekarau, during a collaborative meeting between SMEDAN and BOI, in Abuja, at the weekend. PHOTO: SUNDAY OSUNRAYI.

NSCDC destroys 400 illegal mini refineries in Bayelsa Clement Idoko - Abuja

THE Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in Bayelsa State has destroyed more than 400 illegal mini refineries operated by oil thieves in state.

The state NSCDC commandant, Mr Desmond Agu, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Yenagoa that the illegal refineries were destroyed between January and March.

Agu said the command now had a gunboat to fortify

its operational capacity and had intensified patrols in the coastal settlements and waterways in the state.

He said the intensified patrols by the command had led to the arrest of ex-militant leader and his gang, whom, he said, were being prosecuted.

Agu said the corps had deployed its personnel to provide security to critical national assets and oil facilities across the state.

“We are on ground to ensure safety and protection of vital oil infrastructure and

property within the command. The command is determined to deal with the oil thieves and end their illegal businesses.

“We have made some arrests concerning the recent cases of vandalism at Agip’s oil fields in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of the state.

“The corps recovered the bodies of the three oil workers that died in the explosion in one of the fields on March 26. We have handed over the bodies to Agip.

“The case has also been

handed over to the Bayelsa State police command because it involves death and falls outside our mandate,” Agu said.

Dr Peter Idabor, DirectorGeneral, National Oil Spills Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA), had earlier attributed the death of the oil workers to poor safety procedures at the oil field.

Meanwhile, officials of Nigeria Agip Oil Company (NAOC) in Bayelsa and its parent company, Eni, have declined comment on the Easter Sunday’s explosion.

Nigerian Tribune

UniAbuja VC denies probe of Distance Learning Centre THE Vice-Chancellor of the University of Abuja, Professor Michael Adikwu, has denied alleged corrupt practices at the institutions’ Centre for Distance Learning (CDL).

Adikwu told newsmen in Abuja, on Sunday, that the alleged mismanagement and diversion of funds in the centre was sponsored, false and speculative.

He said that the panel constituted for the centre was to enhance its works because many students complained about the late release of results.

Adikwu also denied any fraudulent practices in the running of the university either during admission of students or change of courses.

The vice-chancellor, however, admitted that the centre was being overhauled with the injection of fresh hands to run the place.

He described the alleged recruitment of 200 nonessential staff without due process as untrue and laughable. ``The university only regularised the appointments of those who were earlier on temporary appointments with the approval and knowledge of the Federal Character Commission.

He said that the institution did not lose any accreditation in some courses, and pointed out that UniAbuja enjoyed the confidence of accrediting authorities, including the National Universities Commission.

According to him, in no distance time the varsity would attain full accreditation in most courses.

Adikwu said that the university staff was not being owed arrears of salary and allowances. ``Management have been cleaning off a staff register that is riddled with adjunct employments and adhoc-contract staff with some having an upward of 10 years without any renewal.’’

He said that staff members who had legitimate claims would be paid once the institution’s revenue improved, adding that UniAbuja’s subventions had diminished significantly since January.

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Monday, 11 April, 2016 Photo: D’ Toyin

Annual convention of The Apostolic Church, Remo Area

From left, chairman, African Newspapers of Nigeria (ANN) Plc, Reverend (Mrs) Tola Oyediran; cochairman, Ambassador (Dr) Olatokunbo Awolowo Dosumu and the Remo Area Superintendent/ convener, Pastor Z. Olu Odugbose (JP), during the 32nd Remo Area annual convention of The Apostolic Church, held at New Remo Area Convention Ground, Goshen Land, Opposite Babcock University, Ikenne Remo, Ogun State, on Saturday.

Reverend (Mrs) Oyediran (middle); Ambassador (Dr) Awolowo Dosumu (second left); Pastor Odugbose (third left) and other pastors at the event

From left, Pastor (Dr) Oyelaran Paul Kayode, Pastor Z. Olu Odugbose, Pastor S. I. Elemese and Pastor E. O. Akinwole.

Senior Pastors at the event.

Reverend (Mrs) Oyediran flanked by Ambassador (Dr) Awolowo Dosumu (right) and Pastor Emmanuel Adewale Folorunso.

Cross section of Deaconnesses during the thanksgiving.

From right, Elder T. Opeolu Ayinla, Master Oluwatobi Olaiku and Mr Ezekiel Olusegun Olaiku.

Pastor Odugbose leading other clerics in thanksgiving.

Children choir of Remo Area LAWNA Territory ministering at the convention.

Mass choir of Remo Area LAWNA Territory, ministering at the event.

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south-westnews

Monday, 11 April, 2016

Ekiti needs unity, accountability for development —Fayose Sam Nwaoko - Ado Ekiti

E

KITI State governor, Mr Ayodele Fayose, has said that if Ekiti people are united, the state will witness high level of development in the shortest possible time.

This is just as he said he was ready to give quarterly account of his stewardship to Ekiti leaders and charge them to also make other public officeholders do same.

In a statement in Ado-

Ekiti on Sunday by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr Idowu Adelusi, the governor stated this in Lagos on Saturday at this year’s Ekiti Day, organised by a socialcultural group, Ekiti Parapo, Lagos.

Fayose, who is the patron of the group, said “Ekiti is endowed with quality human resources” who could take it to higher height, but noted that political bitterness and division were hindering that.

He frowned on a situation where some people, for po-

litical reasons, would want to set the state on fire because they lost out in political contest.

“We cannot but appreciate Ekiti Parapo, Lagos for your vision to unite us as a people.

When we are united, we will move mountain. The Bible says when we stay together we will achieve together. We need to unite Ekiti regardless of politics. Politics as it is being played in our state is peculiar. Whoever is leading our state has time and tenure but Ekiti interest is forever.

“Some people want a particular person to be the governor, but God rules in the affairs of men and you cannot query Him. My election was divine. When God does things, He put signs and wonders to amaze you.

How come I was returned to office exactly eight years after I was wrongly booted out of the office?

“I encourage everybody in Ekiti to support me and when my tenure ends, I want a governor after me to be somebody after God’s heart.

I have not come to revenge

Ekiti State governor, Mr Ayodele Fayose (middle), being welcomed by General Adeyinka Adebayo (retd) (left) to the Ekiti Parapo meeting, held in Lagos, on Saturday, while the chairman on the occasion, Prince Julius Adelusi-Adeluyi, watches.

AAUA orders closure of school over protest Hakeem Gbadamosi - Akure FOLLOWING the protest by the students of Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba Akoko (AAUA), Ondo State, the authorities of the institution have ordered the immediate closure of the school.

The closure was also sequel to the destruction of property within and outside the school by the students who protested the death of one of them who was knocked down by a car outside the school on Friday.

The students, who went on rampage on Saturday morning, defied the downpour and destroyed property worth millions of Naira in the hilly environment.

The students blocked the major roads in the town and held motorists who were travelling towards the northern region hostage for many hours despite the rain.

The students were said to have set some tricycles on fire at the entrance of the institution while they also invaded the major market in the town ordering the closure of the market.

However, the school management has suspended the ongoing examination while students have been ordered to vacate the campus and

hall of residence with immediate effect.

In a statement issued by the school Registrar, Sunday Ayeerun, the ongoing examinations was suspended while all students were to leave the campus and halls of residence immediately.

Ayeerun said the school management would communicate the date of resumption to the students for the completion of their

ongoing examination.

He said the management has set up a panel to look into the protest so as to guide against such occurrence in the future while parents and guardians were advised to take note of the latest development.

Heavy presence of armed security operatives were seen at the entrance of the school while some rioters have been apprehended by

the policemen.

It was gathered that trouble started on Saturday when one of the students of the school, Daniel Ojo, was killed in an accident on Akungba-Owo Road.

Daniel, a 200 level student in the Department of Economics Education met his untimely death while he was riding a motorcycle he was using to sponsor his education.

Ife bye-election: Disclose identities of suspected ballot box snatchers, PDP urges police Oluwole Ige - Osogbo OSUN State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), on Sunday, urged the state police command to make public the identities of hoodlums that were arrested over snatching of ballot boxes and voter cards during the Saturday rerun election for Ife Central State Constituency.

The party, in a statement issued in Osogbo by its spokesperson, Diran Odeyemi, said “PDP is demanding details of those apprehended because we had earlier before Saturday election accused the All Progressives

Congress (APC) of importing thugs from Lagos.

“The PDP could not have attempted to disrupt an election it was winning so convincingly. Even when it lost election, it never fomented trouble. We are peace lovers.”

The party said further that besides parading the suspects, they should also be prosecuted to serve as deterrent to others that may be planning to engage in such act in future elections in the state.

It then commended the people of Ife and the police authorities in the state for their commitment that cul-

minated in the successful conduct of the rerun election.

“We expect police leadership to deal decisively with those arrested over attempt to disrupt polls on Saturday. First, they should be paraded and their sponsors unmasked, and drag before court for prosecution.

“This is important because 2018 election is around the corner and the sinking party will want to do everything to stay afloat.

The attempt to snatch ballot boxes, we believe, was a dress rehearsal for what the party may have in stock for 2018,” the statement said.

whatever anybody has done against me or my interest.

In less than one and a half years that I was re-elected, we have made impact despite the economic challenge in the state,” he said.

The governor urged Ekiti elders and leaders to ensure that politicians close ranks and put Ekiti interest first irrespective of their parties.

The chairman of the occasion, Prince Julius AdelusiAdeluyi, said Ekiti State would only grow if the people wanted it to grow.

He charged them to build bridges of understanding across political divides and use what they have to get what they want.

The Special Guest of Honour, Major-General Adeyinka Adebayo (retd), said he identified with the group and prayed that the people would be more united.

In his welcome address, the President, Ekiti Parapo, Lagos, Chief Esan Ogunleye, decried attempts by some people to link the group with political parties.

According to him, the group would always remain apolitical and focus on ways of developing the state.

Braithwaite was a man of honour, integrity —Mimiko Bola Badmus - Lagos ONDO State governor, Dr Olusegun Mimiko, has described late elder statesman and political activist, Dr Tunji Braithwaite, as a man of honour, integrity and one with profound love for people especially the downtrodden, in spite of his rich pedigree and background.

Governor Mimiko made the remark when he paid a condolence visit to the family of the deceased at Victoria Island, Lagos.

Braithwaite died few days back at a Lagos hospital at the age of 82.

The governor, who led a delegation, including the Speaker, Ondo State House of Assembly, Honourable Jumoke Akindele, and the Information Commission, Mr Kayode Akinmade, among others, said Braithwaite, who he addressed as ‘Baba’ giving the closeness between the two of them while he was alive, no doubt left a shinning legacy for coming generations to emulate.

“I am sure the consolation is that Baba died living a shinning legacy behind. He left a shinning legacy for the family and that will reverberate positively in conscious brains of all Nigerians,” he said.

Nigerian Tribune

Land administration: Ogun to partner private surveyors THE Ogun State government is set to partner private surveyors in its bid to foster proper land management and development in the state.

Special Adviser/DirectorGeneral, Bureau of Lands and Survey, Mr Olubiyi Ismail, made this known while addressing members of Nigerian Institute of Surveyors, Ogun State chapter, who paid him a courtesy visit in his office.

Ismail said that the state government is doing everything within its purview to accommodate private surveyors, adding that the bureau is ready to work with them to take surveying profession to greater height.

“A round-table discussion will be organised between NIS and the bureau to discuss issues bothering on survey and generate activities showing government and private surveyors coming together. This will foster cordial relationship,” Ismail stated.

The director-general assured NIS of the support of the state government as they partnered in the rebuilding mission of the Senator Ibikunle Amosunled administration.

... set for Drum Festival THE Ogun State government, in its preparation for the first ever Nigerian Drum Festival, which will come up from April 19 to 22, has showcased its first raffle draw ticket event as side attraction to kick-start the festival.

The state Commissioner for Culture and Tourism, Olumiyiwa Oladipo, while presenting prizes to the winners of the raffle draw at Cultural Centre, Kuto, Abeokuta, disclosed that the raffle programme was organised to sensitise the public and participants on activities revolving the drum festival.

“The raffle draw has been designed to exhibit honesty and transparency in the forthcoming Nigerian Drum Festival in the state which will cut across the 36 states of the federation including FCT, Abuja,” he said.

Oladipo affirmed that the regulatory monitoring committees in charge of the raffle draw would ensure that the event is transparent and in line with the rules and regulations guiding the raffle draw event, adding that lot of prizes would be won, only at the purchase of raffle draw ticket.

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Monday, 11 April, 2016

Information management, key to delivering my govt’s agenda —Ambode Bola Badmus - Lagos

L

AGOS State governor, Mr Akinwunmi Ambode, has reiterated that the tripod policy thrust of security, infrastructure development and job creation of his administration, coupled with running an all-inclusive government, cannot be effectively implemented without effective information management mechanism.

“We are of the firm conviction that without effective information management mechanism, our desire to operate an all-inclusive government might be an attempt in futility or a paper-tiger, hence our commitment to continue to upscale the capacity of all the state’s information dissemination organs,” the governor said.

Governor Ambode made the remark in Lagos while declaring open a three-day retreat for senior public affairs officers in the state government employ, im-

EACOED matriculates students for 2015/2016 THE Provost of Emmanuel Alayande College of Education (EACOED), Oyo, Dr Rasak A. Adefabi, has told the students that it is no longer fashionable to engage in violence, exploitation, hooliganism, unreasonable demands and destructive Aluta.

This advice was given during the 2015/2016 matriculation ceremony of Full-Time NCE, Sandwich NCE and Diploma in Islamic and Arabic Studies students, held recently at the Erelu Main Campus, Oyo. He opined that dialogue is the strength of peaceful co-existence in any establishment.

He said: “When we rub minds, we will always come up with resolutions that will move all forward.”

He further stated that “management arm is open to embrace reasonable ideas and suggestions.”

The provost appreciated the effort of Governor Abiola Ajimobi in actualising the dream of repositioning, restoring and transforming education in the state.

According to Dr Adefabi, “it is important for you to know that you have to be focused.”

ploring participants to use the retreat to reassess the effectiveness of the information machinery of the government, identify gaps, proffer solutions and come up with new ideas.

The governor, who was represented at the event by the state Head of Service, Mrs Adebowale Ademola,

declared that information was essential to human existence and progress thereby making it imperative for managers to be well grounded and prepared to build their capacity to perform their assignment of passing out information efficiently and effectively.

Ambode, who restated

the position of his administration to transform the state into a modern, efficient and enviable one as well as its information machinery in order to deliver the message to the people, pointed out that the recent unveiling of the new Lagos Weekend Television entertainment package was

part of the holistic plan to revitalise the state’s public information sector.

He restated his administration’s commitment to build the capacity of its officers across board to make the state civil service virile, charging the participants to articulate governments’ policies and programmes.

Right Reverend J. A. Ajetunmobi (left) with the Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Saliu Adetunji, at a special thanksgiving service in honour of the Olubadan, at the Cathedral Church of St. David, Kudeti, Ibadan, on Sunday. PHOTO: TOMMY ADEGBITE.

OPC alerts Buhari to killing of member in Akure

By Tunde Busari

THE Oodua Peoples Congress (OPC) has alerted President Muhammadu Buhari over the suspected Fulani herdsmen’s killing of its member in Chief Olu Falae’s farm, Akure, the Ondo State capital.

In a release signed by Ondo State Coordinator of OPC, Comrade Ogunsanya Pius, the group lamented that the killing of Ayodele Ige, the coordinator of the OPC in Akure North Local Government Area, further reaffirmed the danger posed by the herdsmen to their peace-loving host communities.

The group expressed worry for what it called continued escapade of the herdsmen without Federal Government’s condemnation of their act.

“It is even more worrisome that the innocent victims were brutally murdered for daring to challenge the Fulani herdsmen for grazing and destroying their farmlands.

“It is strange that the security agencies have found it difficult to put an end to these wicked acts by Fulani herdsmen despite repeated cases of killings and arson against them from all over

the country,” the statement said.

OPC said the late Ige was abducted after he had successfully repelled the herdsmen’s attempt to enter into Chief Falae’s farm.

It declared that an attack on its member is an attack on all members, hence its current warning and alert to the president.

The group noted that a

bill tagged: ‘The Fulani National Grazing Reserve,’ presently before the National Assembly, “is a very dangerous proposal for Nigeria. We all have seen how the Fulani herdsmen kill and maim members of the community where they graze their cattle without the backing of any law. I am sure that we can only imagine what their attitude

would be if the supposed grazing reserves are forcefully taken over by government and handed over to the herdsmen,” it stated.

OPC urged the police to fish out the killers of Ige to cushion the pain on members and bereaved family.

It also assured the public of the group’s preparedness to commit all it requires to get justice.

Faithfulness in service, solution to corruption in Nigeria —Cleric

By Taiwo Olanrewaju

A clergy of the Church of Nigeria, Anglican Communion, the Right Reverend Dr Simon Borokini, has proffered faithfulness in service and in all sphere of life as solution to corruption in Nigeria.

Dr Borokini, the Bishop of Akure Diocese, while delivering the sermon at the thanksgiving service to round off the third session of the eighth synod of the Anglican Diocese of Oke-Osun, Gbongan, on Sunday, noted that people appointed to positions of authority must be faithful.

Speaking on the theme of the synod, “Faithfulness

in a little thing is faithfulness in a big thing,” at St John’s Anglican Church, Owoope, venue of the synod and drawing his texts from Luke 16:10, Luke 12: 42-48, Matthew 25: 27 and John 15:16, the bishop said the expectation of faithfulness from the people of God was high and they must not fail.

The man of God listed the qualities of faithfulness as including commitment, loyalty, diligence and accountability, among others. He urged Christians and people in places of authority to be committed to the cause they have been called unto.

Quoting Jerry Gana,

Bishop Borokini said “if you are a manager, you must manage very well,” urging leaders therefore, to do the work committed to their care loyally and to covet a faithful ministry rather than a successful one as success is relative.

The synod, which started on Thursday, April 7, honoured the former Lay Secretary and Diocesan Treasurer, Mr Ayo Arowolo and Mr Olu Adelabu and their wives respectively while retired Venerable Raphael Akinjute was sent forth.

The Bishop of the Diocese, Rt Rev Dr Abraham O. Akinlalu, commended the officers for their contributions to the diocese.

Nigerian Tribune

LG chairperson commends Ajimobi’s wife over special birthday gesture

By Tunde Ogunesan

CHAIRPERSON, Ibadan North Local Government Area, Mrs Bose Akinbode, has commended the wife of the Oyo State governor, Chief Florence Ajimobi, on the way she marked her 57th birthday last week.

Mrs Akinbode revealed that Mrs Ajimobi’s decision to share among over 800 people gifts she received for her birthday is worth being emulated.

She added that the gesture would cushion the effects of the present economic condition in the lives of the beneficiaries.

Mrs Akinbode disclosed that coming to make provision for that number of people from her personal property, at a time when some others would have done otherwise, was a commendable effort from Mrs Ajimobi.

“She received several goods worth millions of naira from good people across the world. But what thrilled me most was her decision to share those goods among the less privileged.”

Lasun gives N50m empowerment items to constituents DEPUTY Speaker of the House of Representatives, Honourable Sulaimon Lasun Yussuff, has launched his empowerment scheme where he gave items worth over N50 million to the people of his constituency.

The scheme, which started over three months ago, was officially launched recently with the distribution of various items to make the people self employed and self sustained.

Items distributed at the occasion included 100 tricycles, 100 sewing machines, 100 grinding machines and N6 million.

Explaining the reason behind the scheme, Honourable Lasun said that he believed in the even distribution of wealth and “the only way to achieve this, is by teaching people how to fish not by giving them fish all the time.”

He said that the items were distributed among the people in the four local government areas of Irepodun/Orolu/Olorunda/ Osogbo that constituted Irepodun federal constituency of Osun State.

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Monday, 11 April, 2016

Alamieyesigha was a social transformer —Jonathan

He remained my pillar of strength —Dickson Austin Ebipafe - Yenagoa

F

ORMER President Goodluck Jonathan has said that the demise of the first civilian governor of Bayelsa State, Chief Diepreye Alamieyeseigha, is a personal loss to him, even as he described him as a social transformer of the state and society, adding that his legacywould

remain in the mind of the people.

He said this during a thanksgiving at St. Peter's

Anglican Church, Yenagoa, on Sunday,which was attended by a former senate president, Adolphus Waba-

Mr Kazeem Oliyide and Mr Mahmudah Yussufas, my lawyers.

In his reaction, however, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Adekunle Ajisebutu, denied the allegations. He stated that, “I think somebody has called me over

this same issue and I said the lawyer was not assaulted. She was not assaulted, she was taking photographs of policemen on duty and suspects, she was cautioned against that, the mobile phone was only taken from her, she was never assaulted.”

foribo; President of Ijaw Youth Council, Mr Udengs Eradiri and top government functionaries.

Jonathan reiterated that Alamieyeseigha would forever be remembered, as his political mentor and leader.

Also, Governor Seriake Dickson described Chief Alamieyeseigha as his pillar of strength, especially during his electioneering days, when Alamieyeseigha served humbly in different reconciliation committees to bring members of PDP in the state and Ijaw people together.

He noted that a major vacuum has been created by the demise of Alamieyeseigha, describing him as a man that stood for fairness and truth at all times, regardless of whose ox is gored, he said that his campaign experienced its lowest moment when the death of Chief Alamieyeseigha filtered into the state.

In his sermon, Bishop Oko Jaja of the Anglican Church, admonished the people to emulate the leadership qualities of Alamieyeseigha, who gave his life as a candle in the wind, adding that he is a selfless politician was selfless in his lifetime.

CHANGE OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME I, formerly Dauda Wasiu Ayinde now DAUDA WASIU. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

CONFIRMATION OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME I, formerly Shagari Usman now AMINU HUSMAN SHARIGARI. All former documents remain valid.

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CHANGE OF NAME I, formerly Fatai Ayiki now FATAI GANIYU. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

I, Raheem Tajudeen Ayinde, my name was wrongly written as Rahimi Alfa Tajudeen Ayinla and Raheem Alfa Tajudeen. Henceforth, I want to be known and addressed as RAHEEM TAJUDEEN AYINDE. All documents bearing these names remain valid.

General public take note.

ra; first nilitary governor of Old Rivers State, Alfred Diette Spiff; Speaker of the state House Assembly,

Konbowei Benson; state Chief Judge, Kate Abiri; President of Ijaw National Congress, Mr Boma Obuo-

FG imposing more hardships on Nigerians with VAT increment — Fayose Sam Nwaoko - Ado Ekiti GOVERNOR Ayo Fayose of Ekiti State has alleged that the Federal Government was planning to impose more hardships on Nigerians by increasing Value Added Tax (VAT), from the current five per cent to 10 per cent.

Governor Fayose, in a statement, on Sunday, described the alleged move to increase VAT as "insensitive to the plight of Nigerians, who are suffering from the bad economic policies of the President Muhammadu Buhari -led All Progressives Congress (APC) government."

In the statement signed by his special assistant on Public Communications and New Media, Mr Lere Olayinka, Fayose claimed that "Vice President Yemi Osinbajo had said on Thursday, in Lagos, that the current five per cent VAT rate in the country was very low and went on to add that the Federal Government would increase the taxpayer base this year."

According to him, "any increment in VAT or any other tax being paid by Nigerians at this time will further make life unbearable for the people."

He said: “Nigerians are suffering and the little that they have, the Federal Government is planning to take back through VAT increment, this is wickedness.

“Under three months, electricity tariff was increased, despite epileptic power supply, N50 stamp duty was imposed on bank customers for money received into their accounts via electronic transfer, cash and cheques; petrol is being sold for as high as N400 per litre and now they are talking about increasing VAT to 10 per cent, this is the height of insensitivity to the plight of Nigerians."

From left, former President Goodluck Jonathan, his wife, Patience; the widow, Mrs Margaret Alamieyeseigha; wife of the Bayelsa State governor, Mrs Rachael Dickson and the state governor, Seriake Dickson, during a thanksgiving service in honour of former governor of the state, Chief DSP Alamieyeseigha, at St. Peter's Anglican Church, Yenagoa, on Sunday.

Female lawyer accuses DPO of assault, petitions NBA, FIDA ByYejideGbenga-Ogundare A female lawyer based in Ibadan, Olanike AdelakunOdewale, has alleged that she was subjected to inhumane treatment, grave injustice and an infringement on her fundamental rights by officers of the Nigerian Police Force, specifically men of the Apata Police Division in Ibadan.

The lawyer, who has sent a petition on the issue to the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA) and the International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA), stated that the incident happened on March 22, 2016, at the Apata Police Station to resolve an issue involving her client.

According to the legal practitioner, she had gone to the Apata Police Station around noon on March 22 in respect of a client’s matter and requested to see the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) of the station, adding that she was obliged and consequently, she explained the reason for the visit to him.

Further in her allegation, Olanike stated that, “on getting outside the DPO’s office, I took one of my mobile phones to put a call through to a colleague and the DPO asked me what I thought I was doing, he instructed his men to seize my phone and one of the policemen accompanying the DPO, twisted my wrist and collected the mobile phone, but when I asked him what he thought he was doing, I was shocked at the utterances of the DPO and told him that I never expected a man of his status to use such foul language on anyone.

“As I walked towards my car in order to follow them to the scene of crime, I removed my other phone from my bag and was making a call in order to intimate a colleague of what transpired, but immediately the DPO saw that I

was making a call, he shouted at his men to seize all my mobile phones, beat me and lock me up, claiming he had called the Commissioner of Police, who instructed him to detain me. Before I realised it, six policemen (four men and two women) , descended on me while at the same time pushing and cursing me until they pushed me into one of the offices.

“I was beaten so much that day that my face, legs and arm was swollen. In fact, I was unable to move my right arm throughout that day. I was thereafter, detained in an office. While in the office where I was detained, a police woman, who also assaulted me, asked me to write a statement but by then my wrist and arm were swollen and I informed her that I could not write as my wrist was already sprained.

She, thereafter, continued to rain abuses on me. At about 1:30pm, my brother and two lawyers came and I explained what happened to them. By then, I told the police woman that wanted to take my statement that I was ready to write the statement but she refused that there was no way she would allow me to write a statement when lawyers were present.

“My brother, his colleague and the lawyers waited for DPO until he arrived at around 3:30pm, after which the DPO sent his men to bring me into his office. He denied ordering his men to beat me and that he only acted on the instruction of the Commissioner of Police to seize my mobile phone and detain me.

The DPO, after series of discussions, he tendered an apology on behalf of his men that assaulted me. He, thereafter, released me on bail to my brother as surety,

My name and date of birth was wrongly written as Arugbo Kazeem (25-061972) and Arugbo Kazeem (10-101978. That my name and date of birth should now be known and addressed as NURUDEEN KAZEEM ARUGBO (09-01-1984). All documents bearing these names remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME I, formerly Olalere Olaniyi now OLANRELE OLANIYI AMOS. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

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CONFIRMATION OF NAME

I, Emefiele Efosa Efe am the same person as Emefiele Ehimenma Iyanuoluwa Efosa. Henceforth, I want to be known and addressed as EMEFIELE EFOSA EFE. All documents bearing these names are mine and remain valid. General public take note.

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I, formerly Bolaji Kafilat (1909-1987) now MUFTAU KHAFILAT BOLAJI (13-091988. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

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I, formerly Monsuru Suleiman Ayanwale now SULAIMAN MONSURU AYANWALE. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

I, Rasak Adijat Alake am the same person bearing Taiwo Adija.

Henceforth, I want to be known and addressed as RASAK ADIJAT ALAKE. All documents bearing these names are mine and remain valid. General public take note.

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I, formerly Miss Adelani Rebecca Folasade now MRS ADEKUNLE REBECCA FOLASADE. All former documents remain valid.

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I, formerly Miss Kuburat Adebimpe Babajide now MRS KUBURAT BABAJIDE ADETUNJI. All former documents remain valid.

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I, formerly Miss Adewole Bolanle Naimot now MRS BABATUNDE BOLANLE NAIMOT. All former documents remain valid.

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I, formerly Miss Gbolagade Olubunmi Denike now Mrs Oyediran Olubunmi Denike.

All former documents remain valid. NMCN, UCH, NHIS, Skye Bank Plc and general public take note.

I erroneously entered my name as Salma Ajuma Adelekan instead of Salamatu Ajuma Adelekan (Mrs).

Henceforth, I wish to be known, called and addressed as SALAMATU AJUMA ADELEKAN (MRS).

Guaranty Trust Bank Plc and general public take note.

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CORRECTION OF NAMES

My name, Lawal Funsho Olaniyi was wrongly written as Funso Olaniyi. My correct name is LAWAL FUNSHO OLANIYI. All documents remain valid.

Wema Bank and general public take note.

AND My name, Mrs. Lawal Florence Adeyinka was wrongly written as Mrs Olaniyi Florence Adeyinka.

My correct name is MRS LAWAL FLORENCE ADEYINKA. All documents remain valid. Wema Bank and general public take note.

35

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I, formerly Mrs. Funmilola Olutade Ariyo now MRS. FUNMILOLA OLUTADE ELIZABETH. All former documents remain valid.

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Monday, 11 April, 2016 CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Miss Oluwayemi Rebecca Adeosun now MRS. OLUWAYEMI REBECCA MICHAEL. All former documents remain valid.

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I, formerly Iheanacho Linda Chibugo now NWANENI LINDA CHIBUGO. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

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I, formerly Ogunmola Sulemon Taofiki now BALOGUN ALADE TAOFIKI. All former documents remain valid.

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I, formerly Miss Sabitu Aminat Layonu now MRS. OLAYIFA AMINAT LAYONU. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

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I, formerly Najeem Oyelola Olaosebikan or Najimu Olaosebikan now OLAUSEBIKAN NOJEEM OYELOLA. My correct date of birth is July 20th, 1961 and not July 21, 1963. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

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I, Amoo Serifat am the one and the same person bearing Serifatu Amoo, Amao Nike, Amoo Serifatu Awele, Amoo Titilayo Serifatu and Amoo Serifat Nike Awele. Henceforth, I wish to be known and addressed as AMOO TITILAYO SERIFATU. All documents bearing these names are mine and remain valid. General public take note.

I, formerly Akano Mary Titilayo now AKANO TITILAYO OJUETIMI. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

I, formerly Miss Kalejaiye Oluwatoyin Funmilayo now MRS. ADEKUNLE O L U W A T O Y I N FUNMILAYO. All former documents remain valid.

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I, formerly Miss Okunowo Oluwamayowa Ololade now MRS. OYEDEJI O LU WA M AYO WA OLOLADE. All former documents remain valid.

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I, formerly Oluwadare Catherine Rolake now OJO CATHERINE ROLAKE. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

I, Adigun Tina Grace am the same person as Adigun Tina Oluwabunmi and Adigun Tina. Henceforth, I wish to be addressed as ADIGUN TINA OLUWABUNMI. My correct date of birth is 16/05/1972 and not 05/05/1972.

All documents bearing these names are mine and remain valid. Zenith Bank Plc., and general public take note.

I, formerly Raji Malik now RAJI BAKARE MALIK TOMIWA. All former documents remain valid.

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I, formerly Mr. Ebenezer Olusanjo Adekunle Onifade now MR. EBENEZER OLUSANJO ADEKUNLE OLATOYE. All former documents remain valid.

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I, formerly Babatunde Olaoluwa now ADEYEMI OLUWASEUN OPEYEMI. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

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I, formerly Alo Olamiposi Parkson now ALO OLAMIPOSI OLUWASEFEMI. All former documents remain valid. Olabisi Onabanjo University, AgoIwoye, Ogun State and general public take note.

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I, formerly Kennedy Iseghohimhen Oze now KENNEDY SUNDAY ALEN. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

I, Amusa Lateef Asafe am the same and one person bearing Lateef Asafe, Latifu Amusa. Henceforth, I want to be known and addressed as AMUSA LATEEF ASAFE. All documents bearing these names are mine and remain valid. Skye Bank Plc, Ikere Branch and general public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME I, formerly Stephen Kehinde now SUBARU KEHINDE ISMAILA. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Akinwumi Fasasi Maliq now FASASI ABDUL MALIK OTOPE. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Abubakar Usman now YAHAYA MONDAY. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

I, formerly Oladoye Muniru Sunday now LAWAL MUNIRUDEEN OLADOYE. I was born on 8/04/1984 and not 31/01/1984. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

I, formerly Mr. Lateef Afodunrin now MR. TIAMIYU LATEEF AFODUNRIN. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

I, formerly Miss Oyetunji Adenike Oluwaseun now MRS. OLANIRAN ADENIKE OLUWASEUN. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, that am bearing Avoseh Emmanuel now AVOSEH EMMANUEL EKUNDAYO due to requirement of EcoBank Plc just to include Ekundayo. All documents bearing these names are mine and remain valid. EcoBank Plc and general public take note.

I, formerly Miss Onoja Esther now MRS. ONUHONOJA ESTHER. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME I, formerly Rafiu Azeez Akanni now RAIFU AFEEZ. All former documents remain valid.

Diamond Bank Plc and general public note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Miss Oyaromade Musifat Omoladun now MRS AYEMOWA OYAROMADE OMOLADUN. All former documents remain valid.

General public note.

I, formerly Yusuff Mariam Opeyemi now YUSUFF MARIAM ASABI. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

I, formerly Lawal Zainab Kikelomo now AKINTOLAOSU ZAINAB KIKELOMO. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Adewale Felicia now ADEWALE IGE. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CONFIRMATION OF NAME

I, formerly Miss Osuolale Bukola Omolara now MRS. ALAYO BUKOLA OMOLARA. All former documents remain valid.

Osun West Education District Office(OSWEDO), Ikire and general public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, Christopher Tabitha Temitope am the same person as Tabitha Temitope.

Henceforth, I want to be known and addressed as CHRISTOPHER TABITHA TEMITOPE. All documents bearing these names are mine and remain valid. General public take note.

I, Bankole Adebisi Adefunke am the same person as Oluwadare Adebisi Adefunke. Henceforth, I want to be known and addressed as BANKOLE ADEBISI ADEFUNKE. All documents bearing these names are mine and remain valid. General public take note.

I, formerly Isiaq Ismaila Adebambo now OKUSAGA ISMAILA ADEBAMBO. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

CONFIRMATION OF NAME

I, formerly Sulyman Kazeem now SULIEMAN KAZEEM ADEBAYO. My date of birth is 7th July, 1990 and not 7th July 1989. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

I, formerly Miss Adeniji Khafayat Bolanle now MRS. ADIGUN KHAFAYAT BOLANLE. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

I, formerly Miss OpatunjiYakubu Adijat Iyabo now MRS S U L A I M A N - O PAT U N J I ADIJAT IYABO. All former documents remain valid. Osun Road Maintenance Agency (ORMA) and general public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Olarinre Abdul Ramonudaodu am the same person bearing Abdulazeez Abduraman Olarinre and Olarinre Abdul Rahmonlu Daodu. Now, I want to be known and addressed as ABDULAZEEZ ABDULRAHMAN OLARINRE. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

I, Adediran Stephen Adeagbo Akanbi am the same person as Adediran Stephen Akanbi, Adediran Adeagbo, Adediran Stephen Adeagbo.

Henceforth, I want to be known and addressed as ADEDIRAN STEPHEN ADEAGBO AKANBI. All documents bearing these names are mine and remain valid. General public take note.

I, Adebambo Victoria Olubusola am the same person as Adebambo V. O. Henceforth, I want to be known and addressed as ADEBAMBO VICTORIA OLUBUSOLA. All documents bearing these names are mine and remain valid.

Osun State Polytechnic, Iree, Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago-Iwoye, WAEC and general public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Oludiran Anuoluwa Mariam now OLUDIRAN YETUNDE MARIAM. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Miss Olaniyan Julianah Bola now MRS. ADELOWO JULIANAH BOLA. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Okerentugba Thompson-Onateri Onarobeme now NATHANIEL-EKUYASIMI ONATERI ONAROBEME. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

I, formerly Miss Agboola Olayinka Abosede now MRS OYEDIRAN OLAYINKA ABOSEDE. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Miss Adebayo Rukayat Oluwatosin now MRS YAKUBU RUKAYAT OLUWATOSIN. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Miss Babatunde Ibironke Bridget now MRS ODETOLA IBIRONKE BRIDGET. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

I, formerly Miss Abdulsalam Rofiat Adenike now MRS OMIRINDE ROFIAT ADENIKE. All former documents remain valid. Saki East Local Government, Oyo State LGSC and general public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Miss Ngozi Beatrice Iwuagwu now MRS NGOZI BEATRICE OKONKWO. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

RECONCILIATION OF NAMES

I, Amatesiro Etemi am the same person as Onogho Etemi Amatesiro, Onogho Amatesiro and Onogho Etemi Amatesiro. All documents bearing these names remain valid. UBA Plc, FCMB and general public take note.

RECONCILIATION OF NAMES

I, Mr Akpan Abraham Udoka am the same person as Akpan Abasi. I now retain AKPAN ABRAHAM UDOKA. All documents bearing these names remain valid. EcoBank Plc and general public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME I, formerly Friday Lucky Akpan now AKPAN LUCKY FRIDAY. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME I, formerly Abubakar Olamide Umar now RASAQ OLAMIDE UMAR. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

communitynews Destruction of farmlands: Oyo herdsmen deny allegation

36

F

ULANI herdsmen in Oyo State under the aegis of Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria have dissociated themselves from the alleged destruction of farmland in Ogbomoso and some Oke Ogun areas by cattle rearers, stressing that members of their association are law-abiding residents of the state.

Reacting to the recent protest to the state House of Assembly by the Federation of Ogbomoso Students Union and some farmers who alleged that the grazing activities of Fulani herdsmen have been causing damage to their farmlands, Alhaji Yakubu Bello, the State Chairman of the association, described the allegation against his members as false.

The students, led by Comrade Alagbe Lukman, had, last week, stormed the State House of Assembly, saying “cows must leave our lands. Fulanis can’t stay.

Cows are causing damage to our farms. This affects us as students as our parents’ income from their farms yield is gravely affected. Measures should be put in place to curtail these excesses.”

However, speaking with newsmen at Iseyin at the weekend, after a meeting, the Chairman of the cattle breeders, accompanied by his Assistant Secretary, Umar Garuba and Youth leader, Alhaji Yusuff Ha-

Monday, 11 April, 2016

runa, dissociated members of his association from the destructive activities on the farmlands by some saboteurs stressing that members of his group were ever ready to cooperate with their host communities and security agencies in ensuring peaceful coexistence despite the killing of his members.

“We were embarassed and disturbed by the publications by a section of the media. We have for long remained committed to the peace agreement signed by stakeholders in farming and cattle rearing, including the state police command last year.We challenged the protesters to hand over those arrested to us for scrutiny,” Bello said.

“When some farmers sometime ago reported the destruction of their crops, a sum of N4 million was paid to them as compensation in the presence of traditional rulers and security agents.

This was done in the spirit of reconciliation and harmonious living,” the chairman disclosed.

He pointed out that those destroying crops in farmlands and raping women are “ unscrupulous and criminal elements, who are rearing cattle illegaly with the intent of causing bad blood and enmity between law-abiding Fulanis in the entire state and their host communities, particularly in Ogbomoso, Oke-Ogun and Ibarapa ar-

eas in the state.”

The chairman, who commended the Oyo State Police Commissioner, Mr Leye Oyebade, for his proactive measures to avert violence

RESIDENTS of Awai in Asaba, including university students, have expressed fear of possible outbreak of epidemic following the dumping of what is suspected to be industrial waste at an illegal dump site on the Asaba-Ugbolu Road.

Whitish powder substance sealed up in used cement bags in four different points near the Awai campus of the Delta State University has also generated anxiety among motorists plying the road which leads to Edo State and Abuja.

The state Commissioner for Environment, Mr John Nani, who inspected the area, however, appealed to the people not to panic as the ministry was doing everything possible to ascertain the toxicity of the substance.

It has been discovered that the spot where the substance was discharged had been

turned into a dump site even as the university students have severally

THE member representing Ibadan North-East/Ibadan South-East Federal Constituency, Honourable Adedapo Lam-Adesina, on Thursday, continued the empowerment of his constituents under the Omo Oloore Empowerment Scheme, by giving out 146 sewing machines, 110 grinding machines, 17 tricycles and 40 motorcycles as well as cash gifts.

The lawmaker, who said that beneficiaries, who received sewing and grinding machines were graduates of a skill acquisition scheme he set up two months earlier, added that the empowerment programme was his way of giving back to his constituents.

He revealed that the 256 beneficiaries had been trained by professionals

be ready for their call at any time adding “nothing will be too big a sacrifice to sustain peace in Oyo state where some Yoruba women have given us children.”

Steer clear of Ndokwa East, committee Ikorodu youths decry warns ‘outsiders’ alphonsus agborh-asaba

NDOKWA East Local Government Advisory Committee has frowned on attempts by certain elements outside the area to create discord, tension and disrupt the cur-

expressed worry over threat to their health as a result of the dump site.

Reps member distributes sewing, grinding machines, tricycles to constituents by moses alao

monitor the activities of our members and check passersby from other states.”

The chairman assured the lawmakers that he and his executive member would

A fallen electricity pole at Adefioye Crescent, off State Hospital Road, Adeoyo Ring Road, Ibadan, Oyo State. PHOTO: ’WALE OLAPADE

‘Toxic’ waste in Asaba causes stir alphonsus agborh-asaba

and traditional rulers for their hospitality appealed to farmers not to take laws into their hands while dealing with suspects, adding that “we, on our part as leaders, will

from tailoring and pepper/ cassava millers’ unions, stating that the trainers were also being rewarded with cash gifts. The trainees were advised not to sell the equipment distributed to them.

Speaking with Community News, the lawmaker said: “We told them that we would be responsible and responsive representatives. Also, because of the economic challenges of our people lately, those of us in positions of authority think it is high time we began to alleviate their suffering. It is part of our agenda to reach out to the grass roots.”

Two of the beneficiaries, Kolawole Dada, who got a grinding machine and Adeyemo Roqibat, who got a sewing machine, appreciated the lawmaker, promising to put the equipment into good use.

rent peace being enjoyed in the area.

The committee has, therefore, warned those interfering in the internal affairs of the people of Ndokwa East to steer clear, saying Ndosimili has more than enough persons ably qualified to manage its affairs.

In a statement issued after a meeting presided over by the chairman, Chief Emma Onyeukwu, the committee said it was alarmed and disturbed that some individuals from neighbouring local government areas were lobbying and boasting that they would return the suspended chairman of the local government area, Mrs. Nkechi Chukwura, to her position whether the people liked it or not.

According to the committee, the Delta State House of Assembly, on March 17, 2016, suspended the chairman to pave way for investigation into allegations levelled against her by some councillors in the local government area.

“We hereby call on the Delta State House of Assembly, specifically its Committee on Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs not to allow undue influence by forces outside Ndokwa East Local Government Area, in the course of its investigation and to feel the pulse of true indigenes of Ndokwa East before arriving on its final position on the mat-

ter,” the statement said.

The committee also described the outburst by the President-General of Isoko Development Union (IDU), Chief Idu Amadhe, to the effect that Isoko speaking people in Ndokwa East were being marginalised, as the figment of his imagination, adding that Isoko speaking people, who represent less than one per cent of the population of the council have held very high positions in the area as a result of the well-known spirit of accommodation and hospitality of Ndosimili people.

According to the committee, Isoko speaking people in Ndokwa East have held positions as vice chairman, secretary to the local government areas, local education secretary, councillor among others since 1991 when the council was created.

Describing the allegation as mischievous, the committee noted that “in Ndokwa East Local Government Area, there are Ijaws, Isokos and even Itsekiris, who have been fully integrated from time immemorial as full blooded Ndosimili people.

Meanwhile, the committee has passed a vote of confidence on the acting chairman of the council, Mr Dickson Okonta, for restoring hope and confidence among the people of the area through his ongoing consultations with stakeholders across the council.

lack of development bola badmus-lagos

YOUTHS of Ikorodu North Local Council Development Area (LCDA) in Ikorodu zone of Lagos State have described the situation in the council area as frustrating, noting that the area was yet to witness significant development since it was created over 10 years ago.

The youths, under the aegis of Ikorodu North Youth Alliance (INYA), therefore, called on the leadership of the LCDA to provide drinkable water, town hall and good roads aside the ones being executed by the state government.

The convener of the group, Mr. Adekunle Tijani, in a statement made available to Community News, lamented that the monthly allocation from the Federation Account, through the state government and the Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) in the LCDA that plays host to Ikorodu Industrial Estate were yet to be felt by the people.

Tijani, who noted that the LCDA had not witnessed the desired development, observed that the Zumratul Islamiya Primary School borehole project at Odogunyan, which was claimed to have been completed, had not worked for a single day.

“This same school is usually threatened by flood and erosion every year.

37

Monday, 11 April, 2016

foreig naffairs

08116954632 withseyigesinde foreignn ewseditor@gmail.com

More than 100 dead in India temple fire

A

massive fire has without taking into considThe fire came as Kerala swept through eration safety measures, governed by the Congress a temple in the which is what happened party, which is in opposition southern Indian [on Sunday],” she said. at a national level - prepares state of Kerala during a fireworks display, killing at least 106 people and injuring more than 350 others.

The fire broke out on Sunday morning, officials said, when a spark from the show ignited a separate pile of fireworks that was being stored at the Puttingal temple complex in the coastal town of Paravur in Kollam district.

Thousands of people were packed into the temple when an explosion was heard at about 3am local time. The blaze then Rescuers sift through the wreckage looking for survivors. PHOTO: REUTERS spread quickly through the building, trapping people inside.

Local TV channels showed footage of huge clouds of white smoke billowing from the temple, as A powerful earthquake damages.

Pakistani official Arif Ullah fireworks continued to ex- rattled Pakistan’s capital and other cities across the told The Associated Press plode in the night sky.

Kerala’s Home Minister country on Sunday, causing that the magnitude-7.1 Ramesh Chennithala told panic among people but quake was centered near Reuters news agency that with no immediate reports Afghanistan’s border with Germany’s 60 of the 100 dead had of casualties or major Tajikistan. been identified while the number of people admitted to hospitals in Kollam and the state capital had risen to 383.

Al Jazeera’s Divya Gopalan, reporting from Delhi, said daily celebrations were being held in the country to mark a Hindu festival.

“Some of the celebrations take place without the authorities’ permission and Sunday’s quake was the strongest one since October when magnitude-7.5 earthquake

to head to the polls in one of five state elections being held in India this month and next.

Kerry, in Japan for G-7 meeting, to focus on global security threats GLOBAL security threats are among the focal points for U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry and other Group of Seven (G-7) foreign ministers who have launched a two-day meeting in Hiroshima, Japan.

Kerry arrived in Hiroshima Sunday following

a visit to Afghanistan. He is the first U.S. secretary of state to visit Hiroshima, which was devastated by a U.S. atomic bomb near the end of World War Two. In an interview with the Hiroshima newspaper Chugoku Shimbun, Kerry said most global threats to

international peace require collective action.

“Gatherings, such as this one are important opportunities to help us address urgent international political and security concerns and to speak with one, clear voice on concrete actions needed,” said Kerry.

The Group of Seven industrialized countries also includes Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy and Japan. Some of the European members are grappling with security U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, (centre left) at back, begins the first working session of the challenges in the aftermath G-7 Ministerial meeting with colleagues from Canada, the European Union, France, Germany, of recent terrorist attacks in Italy, Japan and Britain at the Grand Prince Hotel in Hiroshima, Japan, on Sunday,PHOTO: US Brussels and Paris.

DEPARTMENT OF STATE.

Brussels attacks: Terrorists targeted France —prosecutor TERRORISTS who attacked the Belgian capital last month initially planned to strike again in France, but changed their minds as investigators closed in, authorities said Sunday.

“Numerous elements in the investigation have shown that the terrorist group initially had the intention to strike in France again,” the Belgian prosecutor’s office said in a statement.

Investigators say that the same ISIS network was behind the Paris terror attacks in November and the suicide bombings in the Bel-

gian capital last month.

When the terrorists discovered French investigators were moving fast in their investigation of the November attacks, they changed their plans, the Belgian prosecutor’s office said.

“Eventually ... they urgently took the decision to strike in Brussels,” the prosecutor said.

Salah Abdeslam, a key suspect in the Paris attacks, was arrested by police in Brussels on March 18. Just four days later, suicide bombers struck at the city’s airport and subway station, killing 32 people.

Chad’s president seeking re-election after 28 years in office

Powerful earthquake shakes Pakistan, Afghanistan, India

damaged thousands of homes in the northwest. PHOTO: REUTERS

otherNEWS

GFZ Research Center for Geosciences set the quake’s magnitude at 6.5.

In Islamabad, terrified residents fled their homes and offices as buildings swayed. Television footage showed people praying in public.

Tremors were felt as far away as the Indian capital, New Delhi.

Ahmad Kamal, a spokesman at National Disaster Management Authority, said they have not received any information about damages from the earthquake-hit areas. However, he said that post-quake landslides were a potential threat, and said he had asked regional authorities to prepare for all possible contingencies.

A Pakistani student, Kiran Saeed, said she was studying at home when her chair shook and initially she thought someone had deliberately pushed it.

“When I turned back, no one was there and then the walls started shaking.

We came out of the home and everyone was reciting verses from Quran,” she told the AP from Rawalpindi, a garrison city near Islamabad.

Sahiba Bibi, an Islamabad resident, said she almost fell to the ground when the tremors began.

“I am still very terrified,” she said.

CHADIANS were voting on Sunday in a presidential election as the incumbent, Idriss Deby, sought a fifth term in office.

President Deby, who took power in a military coup 26 years ago, faces 12 challengers but is widely expected to win another term.

In recent weeks, protest marches have been banned and government opponents imprisoned.

The opposition, which is fractured, boycotted the last election in 2011.

On Thursday, police fired live rounds and tear gas

to disperse a couple of hundred protesters after prosecutors demanded sixmonth jail terms for five anti-government activist leaders.

President Idriss Deby.

Ukraine PM resigns after losing Ukraine’s embattled prime minister has said he is resigning, opening the way for the formation of a new government to end a drawnout political crisis.

In his weekly televised address on Sunday, Arseniy Yatsenyuk said his resignation would be formally submitted to parliament on Tuesday.

Yatsenyuk’s Cabinet survived a no-confidence vote in February, but two parties left the governing coalition to protest the failure to oust the prime minister, who is under fire over the worsening economy and slow pace of reforms.

The withdrawal deprived the coalition of its majority in the Ukrainian parliament.

If lawmakers fail to form a new coalition and unite behind a new prime

minister, that may lead to early elections, which President Petro Poroshenko has sought to avoid for fear of further destabilising the situation in the country.

“From today I see my goals as broader than the powers of the head of the government,” Yatsenyuk said.

He said he would focus on passing a new electoral law, enacting constitutional and judicial reform, and ensuring “the coalition’s control over the course of a new government.”

Arseniy Yatsenyuk. PHOTO: EPA

38 news

Monday, 11 April, 2016

Dogara seeks traditional rulers’ support for Buhari

T

HE Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mr Yakubu Dogara, on Sunday, called on traditional rulers in the country to mobilise their subjects to support President Muhammadu Buhari’s change agenda.

A statement by his Special

Adviser on Media and Public Affairs, Mr Hassan Turaki, said that Dogara made the call when he visited the Olowo of Owo Kingdom in Ondo State, Oba David Olateru-Olagbegi.

The speaker said that for Nigeria to change, the traditional institution must play

key role and ensure support from their subjects to the government.

“As a government, we need the support of the citizens to make life better for them.

We realise that we need active participation of the people in the change agenda of the government.

“We are aware of what some people in some quarters are saying about the change promised by this government. Government can only provide the enabling environment.

“Now we have hope that ‘change’ will definitely come because there is a clear de-

From left, Chancellor, Achievers University, Dr Bode Olajumoke; honorary awardee/leader, House of Representatives, Honourable Femi Gbajabiamila; guest lecturer/Speaker, House of Representatives, Honourable Yakubu Dogara and the Pro-Chancellor and chairman, Governing Council, Achievers University, Dr Bode Ayorinde, during the fourth convocation and award ceremony, in Owo, Ondo State, at the weekend.

We’ve not given up on slain colonel’s abductors, killers—Chief of Army Staff Adelowo Oladipo- Minna

THE Nigerian Army has indicated that it has not given up hope of finding and bringing to justice the abductors and killers of the late Colonel Samaila Musa of the Army School of Infantry, Jaji, Kaduna, who was abducted around Kamazo near NNPC junction, Kaduna State, on Saturday, March 26, this year and was found dead some days later.

The Chief of Army Staff, Lt General Yusuf Tukur Buratai, gave the hints over the weekend, shortly after the Commissioning of some office blocks and Quarter Guard at the Headquarters of the Nigerian Army Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC) in Minna, Niger State.

“We are still investigating and we are coordinating with the police and we are using the window of the recent arrest of one of the abductors of a rescued clergyman in Kaduna by the police to also get the lead to the incident where the officer was kidnapped,” said the Army Boss.

Buratai, in an interaction with newsmen at the occasion, stated further that the commissioning of the Oil& Gas Mega station, built by the Nigerian Army Properties last Friday, in Minna, was to compliment Federal Government’s efforts

towards creating employment, alleviating poverty in the society as well as his administration’s concern about the welfare of the troop.

He further described the establishment of the NAPL Oil & Gas Mega station, Minna, as a welfare programme that the Army was

embarking upon, adding that the company itself has been there for quite some time, saying “this is the first time we are making it more functional. We also have plans for other places like Kaduna, Ibadan, Lagos, Enugu and Port Harcourt.”

The Chief of Army Staff stated further that the rep-

lication of the Mega Filling Station across the states of the Federation was to ensure that the company created employment by making available petroleum products and lubricants to compliment whatever NAPL, can in the distribution sector.

parture from the past.

“Government alone cannot bring about the change we need. We need active support and participation of the citizens. There is nothing that is impossible,” he added.

Highlighting the role of citizen’s participation in the ‘change agenda’, he noted that while government provided the enabling environment for people’s businesses and other aspirations to prosper, the people must engage in wealth creation.

“When we talk about change, although a lot of people are beginning to ask when is the change coming?

We know that all we can do as government is to provide enabling environment.

“No matter the question that is being asked, if you look at the set of people who are there today as leaders, we know that there is change because there is a clear departure from the past.

“But, we know that it is impossible for government alone to bring about the needed change. Citizens themselves must determine that they want change and want to change at their own individual level.

“We believe that with the support and participation of the citizens, there is nothing that cannot be achieved.

There is nothing that we set our hearts to achieve that we cannot achieve as a people,’’ Dogara said.

He also stressed that the support of the traditional institution was important in sensitising the citizens to not only support the government, but to be the change they want to see.

Okpella cement factory belated—Ize-Iyamu Banji Aluko-Benin City

A Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship aspirant in Edo State, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, has described as belated, Sunday groundbreaking of the Okpella Cement Factory in Etsako East Local Government Area of the state, pointing out that it should have come a long time ago.

He accused Governor Adams Oshiomhole of not leveraging on his touted close relationship with Alhaji Aliko Dangote to start and complete the factory during his tenure, adding that a PDP government will, however, commission the project when the party takes over government.

Ize-Iyamu, who spoke in Afashio-Uzaire, Etsako West Local Government Area of Edo State, when he met with PDP delegates and party officials in the Edo North Senatorial district, also accused Gover-

nor Oshiomhole of abandoning a cement factory built by the administration of former Governor Lucky Igbinedion in Akoko-Edo Local Government Area.

He added that Edo State was not a poor state and that the state did not need to embark on what he termed reckless borrowing and to subject her citizens

to arbitrary taxation if the Oshiomhole’s administration had a master plan to develop the state.

He said, “is it not shameful that with the governor’s touted relationship with Dangote, it is just few months to the end of his tenure that he could attract him to come and lay foundation stone for a cement

factory in Edo State?

“You (Oshiomhole) were following him all over the world to commission factories. You said he was your good friend and you never for one day spoke to him until you are about leaving office. Well, we thank him because by the grace of God, we will commission it when we take over.

Archbishop asks Nigerians to be patient with Buhari Clement Idoko -Abuja THE Archbishop of Abuja Archdiocese, Methodist Church Nigeria, the Most Rev’d Joseph Uche, has asked Nigerians to be patient with the current administration of President Muhammadu Buhari.

He noted that in spite of the current hardships and hard times being faced in the nation as a result of economic downturn, “there is hope for the nation”.

He spoke on Sunday, at the

Methodist Cathedral of Unity, in Wuse Zone 3, Abuja, during the induction service of the Very Rev’d Geoffrey Kanu, who was posted to the Circuit in October 2015, as the Presbyter and Cathedral Administrator.

Kanu, was on Sunday, officially received as a minister in the church.

The Archbishop, while asking Nigerians to continue to pray for the leadership of the country, also urged President Buhari and other leaders to always see divine

help and guidance in the actions they intend to take.

He noted that leadership is a burden and anybody who steps into the position of leadership must know that criticism and diverse challenges would continue to come.

He told President Buhari, not to be distracted, saying “it is not everything that you hear that you have to give answer to; sometimes, you have to be quiet, pray over it and sometimes, you have to react positively.

el-Rufai mourns monarch, says Kaduna has lost a bridge builder Muhammad Sabiu -Kaduna KADUNA State governor, Malam Nasir el-Rufai has condoled the Atyap Traditional Council in Zangon Kataf Local Government Area of the state over the death of its paramount traditional ruler, Dr Harrison Yusuf Bungon.

Bungon, a first class chief, died last week during a brief illness at the age of 67.

The governor, in a statement issued by his spokesperson, Samuel Aruwan, described the late traditional ruler as an astute traditional ruler and a bridge builder, who died when his services were greatly needed in moving the state forward.

The statement quoted Governor El-Rufai as saying: “I received with shock the news of the passage of HRH Dr Harrison Yusuf Bungon, the Agwatyap II, who died during a brief illness. The state has lost an astute traditional ruler, a gentleman to the core with a long history of service and dedication to the cause of humanity and peace. He was a pillar and a rallying point in our quest for a better Kaduna State.”

Ogbeh, Muhammed, Babalola to speak at NIPR conference

By Tunde Ogunesan MINISTER of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Chief Audu Ogbeh; Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed; founder of Afe Babalola University, Ado-Ekiti (ABUAD), Chief Afe Babalola (SAN) and Director of Capacity Building, Nigerian Institute of Management, Dr Iyke Orji, are expected to grace the 2016 Annual General Meeting (AGM) and Conference of the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR).

The event is scheduled to hold at the Premier Hotel, Ibadan, Oyo State from Wednesday to Friday.

The conference, which will be jointly hosted by all the state chapters of NIPR in the South West, is themed “Networking for National Economy: The Synergy of Agriculture and Communication.”

The chairperson, Joint Organising Committee of the AGM and conference, Mrs Yetunde Alagbe, who is a former chairperson of NIPR in Oyo State, said Chief Audu Ogbeh, would chair the presidential dinner session of the conference and would also present a paper on the theme of the event.

39

Monday, 11 April, 2016

schoolsport

Nigerian Tribune

Anchor: Nurudeen Alimi oladimejialimi@yahoo.co.in 08111847089

UniAgric Makurdi to host 2016 NUGA Games

T

HE Nigerian Universities Games Association (NUGA) has said that the Federal University of Agriculture, Makurdi (FUAM) would host the 25th NUGA Games in November this year.

The Secretary of NUGA, Mr Bola Orodele, made the disclosure in Lagos, according to the News Agency of Nigeria.

He said that FUAM opted for November to finalise the construction of some facilities to be used for the Games.

Orodele disclosed that four new hostels were being built while a badminton court would also be constructed.

“FUAM has set November for the hosting of the Games and we were there recently to see how far they have gone; some hostels are still under construction.

“The hostels they have can accommodate no fewer than 1,500 athletes and we are talking of about 10,000 athletes attending the games. The football pitches and ten-

nis court are still under construction,” he said.

Orodele said that NUGA had set aside a date in April (this month) to inspect the institution’s facilities and ascertain its level of preparedness.

“The NUGA Committee will be going to FUAM in April to hold a meeting and to

Nigerian students prepare for world chess championship THE World University Games Chess championship trial was recently held at the Media Centre, Obafemi Awolowo Stadium, Ibadan, to select the students who

will represent Nigeria in the world chess championship scheduled to hold in Abu Dhabi, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) later this month.

Yellow House wins Balqis Islamic School meet

By Oluwabunmi Ajayi

YELLOW House has emerged winner of the seventh bi-ennial inter-house sports competition of Balqis Memorial Islamic Nursery and Primary School, Ibadan, held penultimate Thursday at the Police Parade Ground, Eleyele, Ibadan.

With 208 points, Yellow House triumphed over Purple House which amassed 189 points, as Green House finished third with 177 points, while Blue House placed fourth with 157 points.

In her remarks, the proprietress of Balqis Islamic School, Alhaja Faozat Alabi

also know how far they have gone and also see how and where our ideas, pieces of advice are needed,” he said.

It will be recalled, that the University of Port Harcourt (UNIPORT) won the 24th NUGA Games held at the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife in 2014 with 63 gold, 41 silver and 16 bronze medals.

said that the management of the school realised the several benefits pupils can derive from active participation in sports, and will always create an enabling environment for them to effectively combine sports with academics.

“We introduced this inter-house sports competition because we believe that all these pupils have some talents that are inbuilt in them, and they need some people and activities to bring it out.

“We also believe in all-round education because if sports is not included in the school curriculum is like denying the children of their rights and make them half-

baked products. So, every Wednesday is sports day at Balqis Memorial Islamic School and it is really helping the pupils in their physical and mental development,” Alabi said.

She noted with delight that the pupils of the school have been competing favourably well with their counterparts in other schools, saying “we will always encouarge our pupils to excel in both sports and academics.”

Also in his remarks, the Deputy Director, Oyo State Ministry of Education, Alhaji Taofik Akinyemi, has urged parents and guardians to always encourage their wards to participate in sporting activities.

Five universities attended the three-day trial-the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta; University of Ibadan; University of Lagos; Federal University of Petroleum Resources, Effurum, Delta State and Benson Idahosa University, Benin.

Emojeve Precious of the Federal University of Petroleum Resources, Effurum won the event in the male category, while Ajibola Irene of Benson Idahosa University, Benin, came first in the female category.

Five male and three female athletes will be selected to represent the country at the world tourney.

The President of the Nigerian University Games Association (NUGA) Professor Stephen Hamafyelto; the Secretary General of NUGA, Mr Bola Orodele and the President of the Nigeria Chess Federation, Mr Olalekan Adeyeni, who is also the Chairman, NUGA committe on Chess graced the event, among others.

Balqis Memorial Islamic School, Ibadan holds inter-house sports 1

2

3

4

1. Members of the victorious Yellow House (Yusuff Aremu).

2. Members of Green House (P.T.A).

3. Members of Purple House (Balqis Omisore) which finished second at the event.

4. Members of Blue House (Raimi Alabi).

SIDELINES

NO 16,476

MONDAY, 11 APRIL, 2016

O

UR Super Eagles are already out of the Africa Cup of Nations Championship which will happen in Gabon next year. The Pharaohs of Egypt helped us to eliminate ourselves, or, we made it possible for them to kick us out. Either way, many followers of Nigerian football cannot and will not pardon the score of manners in or outside the football pitch that fetched us the regrettable exit. In fact, nothing can or will justify our exit twice in a row from AFCON. When can lovers of Nigerian football at the senior level sit down again to table, and eat and drink and regale themselves, till midnight and beyond after the good fortune of our Super Eagles in any encounter that matters most? In 2013, under Mr. Stephen Keshi as coach, our Super Eagles gave us a remarkably agreeable evening by lifting the AFCON cup with a team that was so disagreeable to the majority of the beautiful lovers of the beautiful game. Alhaji Maigari was then the helmsman of the NFF – the Nigerian Football Federation.

But both remarkable personages have since been rolled and kicked out of Nigerian football coaching and administration at least for now. And I can particularly remember that there was hardly an epithet of abuse and of disenchantment to be found in the English lexicon of football, with which Mr. Stephen Keshi was not loaded by his fierce opponents and detractors especially after his AFCON success in 2013. Everything which spite, dislike, bias, prejudice, ignominy, ignorance, knowledge or lack of it could suggest or evoke, was poured forth in the copious fury of torrid comments in our newspapers and in beer parlours of Nigerian football. That Mr. Stephen Keshi was lucky enough to escape from his Super Eagles job without developing football furunculosis could not (and still cannot) be said to be short of football miracle.

Many of us suffered from what in my quiet moments of football thought I

N150

A suspect currently in police custody in Oyo State has confessed to kidnapping his niece because her dad was stingy.

Since the suspect hates stinginess, he need not worry. The law, in meting out prison terms, is very generous in matters such as this!

in&out with Tony Afejuku 08055213059

Foreign players for Super Eagles christened Keshimania. And there are indeed numberless fellows who were Keshimaniacs who really wanted the erstwhile national coach to be thoroughly diminished in stature before relinquishing his post. One of such fellows, who all can now call the president and leader of the maniacs against Keshi, happens to be the current number one personage in our NFF. Ever before he became the supreme NFF personage that he is today, Mr. Amaju Pinnick, in faraway Brazil on the occasion of the last World Cup, had expressed his disapproval of Mr. Keshi as coach of the Super Eagles. His tongue which he left loose in a frenzy of patriotic passion for Nigerian football in Brazil was eventually given the authority to undertake the sacking of Mr. Keshi when Mr. Pinnick became the supremo of the Supreme Soviet of Nigerian football administration.

Who did Mr. Pinnick replace Mr. Keshi with? Of course, Sunday Oliseh, a big fish of Nigerian football who could not swim with the Super Eagles either in the clouds or in his familiar habitat when Mr. Pinnick really expected him (his “African Pep Guaradiola”) to do so. After causing his disagreeable commotion in the Super Eagles to the consternation of many, including some administrators in the Supreme Soviet Oliseh wore his safety

When can lovers of Nigerian footbal at the senior level sit down again to table, and eat and drink and regale themselves, till midnight. jacket and escaped from the habitat of the Super Eagles. Unexpectedly, our national team drowned at the appointed hour the commotional coach - who commoved Enyeama and Emenike out of the Super Eagles – designed for the national team.

Mr. Samson Siasia who inherited a fractious and frail team at a scarcely sufficient notice could not but hope in vain for prosperous journeys to Kaduna and Alexandria. Now we are licking our wounds resulting from the bruises and miseries of failure. We all are rightly perturbed but the supremo of the Supreme Soviet is illuminating his thoughts and fancies with this new declaration of his loose tongue: “Nigeria needs a foreign coach for Super Eagles.” This quotation may not be exactly as he put it in his frenzy of passionate

disappointment. But we must applaud the man and his fancies. He is a wholesome patriotic football administrator. He should go the whole hog, and replace all members of our national football team with foreign players, nationals of Brazil, England, Germany, France, Holland, Belgium, Spain, Italy, Portugal, and many more. What an illuminating idea!

And why must we not go further and command him to command us to ask him and his fellows in their posts in the Supreme Soviet to quit and be replaced with foreign smart chaps from Europe or Latin America? It will be such a nice idea, we must it say well and loud. Or what do you think?

We must not stop here. The sports minister must also quit his post. So also are all those sinking Nigeria now in their respective posts. They all must make room for foreign players in every facet, every wing, every, and each direction of our national life. Phew! Are you reading this, dear President Buhari?

Mr. Pinnick is building castles in Spain.

Phew!

But I must sign off on this poetic note:

Warri boy, Warri boy,

If agbakara (crocodile) Swallow you, my hand nor dey.

Warri boy, Warri boy, Hear me, hear me, hear me.

Giwa constitutes new NFF board, set up committees AFTER an emergency meeting in Abuja on Saturday, the ‘board’ of the Nigeria Football Federation, led by Chris Giwa, announced the appointment of new management staff, acting chairmen of committees and secretaries.

The board equally announced the dissolution of all standing committees appointed by the board led by Amaju Pinnick.

Also, all contract staffs apart from Director of Marketing, Idris Adama, are to proceed on one-month compulsory leave with effect from Monday.

In a statement signed by Chief Effiong Johnson, the Chairman of Chairmen, Bola Oyeyode is now the acting General Secretary; Lawrence Katken will head the Competitions Department in acting capacity; Barnabas Joro will be acting Head of Protocol; Dr Robinson Okosun, aacting of Head of Media and Communications; Ayo Rahman, acting Executive Secretary, National League; Shola Ogunnowo, acting Secretary Nationwide League; and Danlami Alalana, acting Secretary, Women League.

Giwa is the Chairman of the Emergency Committee, while Chief Effiong Johnson is the Chairman of the Security Committee, with A. Akinsola and Alhaji Inuwa M. Umar as members. Dr Christian Emeruwa is the Secretary.

Senator Obinna Ogba is the Chairman of the Organising and Disciplinary Committee.

Pharmacist Lanre Alege and Barrister Effiong Oboho are members, while Dr. Christian Emeruwa is the secretary.

Olajide Fashikun will serve as the Chairman of the Marketing and Sponsorship Committee.

Others are Alhaji Suleiman Mu’azu as the Chairman of the Referees’ Appointment Committee.

Rahman is to be assisted by the President of the Nigeria Referees Association, Tade Azeez, and Judith Nwankere.

Sunday Okhai is the Secretary.

Yahaya Adama is the Chairman of the Match Commissioner Appointment’s Committee.

Godwin Odekina and Austin Mgbolu are members, while Emmanuel Adesanya is the

secretary.

Barrister Leye Adepoju is Chairman of the Appeals Committee, with Dr. Chris Ekong and Barrister Tony Okah as members, while Barrister Okey Obi is the secretary.

Dr. Shehu Adamu is the head of the Finance Committee.

Alhaji Sani Fema is the head of Arbitration Committee, while Alhaji Isah Umar and Felix Akhigbe are members, with Nasir Jubril as the secretary.

Meanwhile, Chief Johnson has directed the NFF Electoral Committee, led by Barrister Amoni Biambo, to come up with guidelines for elections into the three leagues with immediate effect.

Tribunesport recalls that the lawyer of the Nigeria Football Federation, Festus Keyamo, on Saturday said the President of the Nigeria Football Federation, Amaju Pinnick, was not sacked by a court order on Friday as reported by a large section of the media.

So also did Keyamo said in a statement that the same court did not install the Proprietor

of Giwa FC, Dr. Chris Giwa, as the President of the NFF. Rather, Keyamo explained that since both Pinnick and Giwa were not parties to the suit before the Federal High Court sitting in Jos, the Plateau State capital, they could not have been the beneficiary or loser of such order.

EPL RESULT Sunderland 0 Liverpool 4 Tottenham Hotspur 3

Leicester City 2 Stoke City 1 Man Utd 0

Rangers Ikorodu Utd El-Kanemi Kano Pillars Plateau Utd Warri Wolves Akwa Utd Heartland

1 0 2 2 2 1 2 2

FC IfeanyiUbah Sunshine Stars Shooting Stars Nasarawa Utd Giwa FC MFM FC Tornadoes Rivers Utd

3

Etoile du Sahel 0

NPFL RESULTS

CAF CHAMPIONS LEAGUE

Enyimba

Printed and Published by the African Newspapers of Nigeria PLC, Imalefalafia Street, Oke-Ado, Ibadan. Telephone: 08165728976; 08073598322. E mail: editornigeriantribune@yahoo.com Website: www.tribuneonlineng.com MANAGING DIRECTOR / EDITOR-IN-CHIEF: EDWARD DICKSON. EDITOR: DEBO ABDULAI. All Correspondence to P.O. Box 78, Ibadan. ISSN 2712. ABC Member of the Audit Bureau of Circulation. 11/04/2016.

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