15th February 2016 by Nigerian Tribune

NIGERIA’S MOST INFORMATIVE NEWSPAPER NO 16,436

MONDAY, 15 FEBRUARY, 2016

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'Madman' arrested with 22 ATM cards, mobile phones

Why I chose 15 die in •Over 700,000 Achuba as my Oyo-Ogbomoso transactions traced to him deputy —Kogi gov road crash —P8 —P2

—P2

Nigerian Tribune

N150

Lassa fever patient dies in Ogun

•Govt records another case —P40

House leadership tussle

Fresh trouble for Dogara •His activities as House Services committee chairman for probe •Saraki: Senators strategise ahead resumption —P2

Boko Haram fighters were trained in my country —Somali president —P14

$3.5bn loan: Falana to commence suit against FG —P4

Northern govs' planned loan from Islamic Bank illegal Governor Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa State being sworn in by the state Chief Judge, Justice Kate Abiri, for a second term in office, in Yenagoa, on Sunday. With him is his wife, Rachael. PHOTO: NAN

Senate will pass budget before end of March —P2 —Senate Leader

—Senate Committee —P3

NLC leadership crisis deepens:

Ajaero faction accuses NASS of dividing organised labour —P5

news House leadership tussle: Fresh trouble for Dogara

Monday, 15 February, 2016

•As secret probe of Speaker begins Taiwo Adisa-Abuja

HE tussle over the leadership of the House of Representatives is not yet over, following indication that those opposed to the leadership of the Speaker, Yakubu Dogara, have raised issues leading to what sources called ongoing investigation of the Speaker’s role as chairman, House Services Committee in the seventh Assembly. Sources in the legislature

told the Nigerian Tribune that persistent grumbles from anti-Dogara camp had led to the discovery of some allegations bordering on how the speaker ran the committee in the seventh Assembly. It was learnt that investigators drawn from separate agencies of government had already taken up the issues and had kicked off a probe of the Speaker. It was confirmed that since the allegations bordered on the role of the

•Saraki’s men strategise ahead resumption

House Services Committee in managing members’ welfare in the Seventh House, the investigators were particularly interested in the records of the House Services Committee, which was headed by Honourable Dogara at that time. Sources confirmed that the investigators were generally checking through the records of the Strategic Committee of the House, which was responsible for payment of members, as well as their welfare.

Dogara emerged the Speaker of the House in June 2015 against the recommendation of the leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC), which had recommended Honourable Femi Gbajabiamila as the preferred candidate. Since his emergence, Dogara has had to battle through a number of huddles which got escalated recently with some members dragging him to court. It was gathered that the

investigators, some of whom were drawn from the anti-graft agencies, had examined several records and were at the verge of turning in their findings to the authorities. A source said if Honourable Dogara was found culpable of any issues, he could be put on trial, the same way Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki, was currently undergoing trial by the Code of Conduct Tribunal. Sources confirmed that

Senate will pass budget before end of March —Ndume •Reps reject communication minister’s presentation •Demands for version presented by Buhari Jacob Segun Olatunji And KolawoleDaniel-Abujawith Agency Report

LEADER of the Senate, Ali Ndume, on Sunday, said the Senate would strive to pass the 2016 Budget before the end of March. In an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), he said March was the deadline for the implementation of the 2015 budget, as such it was the desire of the Senate to pass the 2016 budget before that time. The leader said contrary to reports in the media, the Senate did not suspend its passage indefinitely, but only said that the February 25 “may not be feasible.” He said it was the wish of the National Assembly to pass the budget five weeks before the expiration of the period set for the implementation of the 2015 budget, but that was not possible due to some errors. “We have not postponed it indefinitely; we are saying that with the developments

that we are seeing as the time goes on, the February 25 deadline we gave ourselves may not be realistic. “That is why we now said that going by this, it is not possible to say we will come back on 25th and say this is the budget; we are not saying that we have suspended it indefinitely. “The reason we fixed 25th was because we wanted to have a gap of five weeks,” he said. He said the gap would have enabled the Senate to fix whatever issues that needed to be handled before the lapsing of the March 31 deadline for the implementation of the 2015 budget. Ndume said the lead-

ership of the National Assembly had met with ministers to iron out the grey areas and make corrections to the contentious areas as well. The Leader also assured that the Senate would ensure strict compliance with the implementation of the budget. He said once funds were available, he was convinced that the present administration would ensure thorough implementation of the budget. Meanwhile, the House of Representatives joint Committees on Information Communication Technology (ICT) and Telecommunications have rejected the presentations

KOGI State governor, Yahaya Bello, on Sunday, defended his choice of Honourable Simon Achuba as the deputy governor, saying it was meant to ensure balance and equity in the distribution of political offices in the state. He also argued that the choice of his deputy met all the legal, political and social criteria. The governor, in a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Strategy, Abdulmalik Abdulkarim, said the choice of Achuba was in line with the tradition of ensuring the ad-

hammadu Bahari. Consequently,the committees ordered the minister and his team to leave and re-appear today for proper defense and vowed that on no account would they accept documents prepared through the back door. Earlier, the minister had commended the joint committees for the cooperation he had received from them since he assumed office late last year and urged them to sustain the tempo. It will be recalled that several ministers had been walked out by the committees at the ongoing 2016 budget for presenting doctored budget documents.

15 die in Oyo-Ogbomoso road crash By Tunde Oguensan

ABOUT 15 people lost their lives in two separate auto crashes along Oyo-Ogbomoso Road, on Sunday. According to sources, the first accident, which

involved a motorcycle and a car, occurred on IlujuIkoyi Road, leaving two people dead on the spot, while the second one occurred around Oloo on the same Oyo-Ogbomoso Road claiming 12 lives.

Why I chose Achuba as my deputy —Bello Yinka Oladoyinbo-Lokoja

made by the Minister of Communications, Mr Adebayo Shittu, on the 2016 budget of the ministry and other agencies under it. The joint committees, co-chaired by the duo of Honourable Saheed Akinade-Fijabi (TeleCommunications) and Honourable Muhammed Ogoshi Onawo (ICT) made the decision of the committees known after the minister, who was in company with other top officials of the ministry, had made the presentation. The joint committees insisted that the minister should present the ministry’s budget in line with the Appropriation Act sent to the National Assembly by President Mu-

vancement of the rule of law and ethnic balancing without prejudice to merit. He said; “Honourable Achuba is a seasoned administrator with diverse experience in local government administration and legislative governance. He is a one-time vice chairman of Ibaji Local Government Area of the state. “It is also instructive to note that the choice of Achuba from the political camp of the late Prince Abubakar Audu was not only an expression of respect for the late elder statesman, but a timely ethnic balancing move which has been the

pillar of the Bello-led administration. “The governor has displayed capacity to cement the state into a united force that is capable of deemphasising ethnic or religious bigotry, to become an economic giant in the country.” Meanwhile, the governor has expressed his determination to improve power supply to collaborate with the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company to ensure that the people of Kogi State enjoy stable power supply. Bello made the disclosure at a meeting between

Victims of the second accident, according to an eyewitness, were suspected to be traders who were said to be heading to Lagos from the North. It was also gathered the articulated vehicle which car-

top management of the company and government officials. He challenged the company to key into the New Direction policy of his government which is aimed at improving the capacity for industrial development and employment generation. He, however, pledged the readiness of his administration to provide facilities that would help boost power supply in the state. The Regional Manager of the AEDC, Saidu Abdullahi, outlined the basic needs of the company to help stabilise power supply in the state.

ried packaged products veered off the road due to mechanical fault. Though there was no official confirmation of the number of casualties as of the time of filing this report, sources, informed that some bodies had been deposited in a morgue in an undisclosed hospital in Oyo, while those injured were also in the hospital for medical attention. Meanwhile, an officer of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), who confirmed the accident, under condition of anonymity, said, “truly, we recorded two auto crashes today on Oyo-Ogbomoso road. The first one occurred around Iluju in Ogbomoso on Sunday morning, while the other one happened at about 6.00pm on Ogbomoso-Oyo Road. As I’m speaking with you, about 12 people have died so far while several others sustained various degrees of injury.”

the bid to probe the House Services Committee of the Seventh Assembly, headed by Dogara, stemmed from a disagreement at some closed sessions in the wee days of the last Assembly, where some principal officers attempted to move against Dogara, ahead the inauguration of the eighth Assembly. It was gathered that some top members of the House of Representatives in the last Assembly had raised issues against the House Services Committee and wanted to use the same to block the chances of Dogara emerging Speaker of the eighth Assembly. But it was learnt that former Speaker of the House, who is the current governor of Sokoto State, Honourable Aminu Tambuwal, looked into the matter and dismissed them, giving a clean bill to Dogara. It was, however, learnt that those opposed to Dogara had resurrected the issues and that the development was the basis of a secret probe of the Speaker’s activities in the last Assembly. A source said the Speaker might be faced with a similar battle as the one the Senate President, Bukola Saraki, was facing over the CCT trial. But the Special Adviser to the Speaker on Media, Turakhi Hassan, told the Nigerian Tribune that his boss was unaware of any such probe, adding that the Speaker’s records as committee chairman contributed in no small measure to his winning the top job. Meanwhile, rival groups in the Senate have started regrouping ahead the resumption of plenary tomorrow. Senators of the Senate Unity Forum (SUF) loyal to the leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) are said to have resumed their strategic meetings at the weekend, while loyalists of Senate President, Saraki, were also said to have commenced series of meetings at a five-star hotel in the capital city. It was also learnt that members of the SUF had resolved to raise issues on the floor of the Senate and called for Saraki’s resignation, following the decision of the Supreme Court that gave a go-ahead to his trial at the CCT. It was gathered that the camp of the Senate President was aware of the plan by members of the SUF to raise a motion, seeking Saraki’s resignation.

Monday, 15 February, 2016 3 news Northern govs’ planned loan from Islamic bank illegal —Senate committee Taiwo Adisa-Abuja

HE Senate Committee on Foreign and Domestic Debts, headed by Senator Shehu Sanni, said, on Sunday, that the plan by some governors of Northern states to take loans from Islamic bank was illegal. Sani, in a statement on behalf of the Senate Committee, said the laws of the land forbid states from taking loans abroad without a recourse to the National Assembly. The statement indicated that the Senate Committee was aware of plans by some Northern governors to jointly secure a loan from a Saudi Arabia-based Islamic Development Bank.(IDB). The senator said that the solo moves by the governors was in direct conflict with the Laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. According to the senator, the plan by the governors “runs contrary to the relevant provisions of the Act that clearly and unambiguously rest the exclusive right to borrow externally on the Federal Government.” He added: “The Debt Management Office Act ,2003, Section 21 and external borrowing guidelines, 2008-2012, paragraph 2 (1) clearly states that any government or its agencies can only obtain external loan through the Federal Government. “The Act also stipulates that such loans must be supported by Federal Government guarantee. “The Act is explicitly clear that no state, local government or federal

agency shall, on its own, borrow externally.” The Senate committee insisted that it was illegal for the governors to travel to Saudi Arabia, in an attempt to solicit loans without following the due process.

The Senate committee said: “The DMO Act further states that state governments and their agencies wishing to obtain external loans shall obtain Federal Government approval in principle from the Federal Ministry of Finance.

THE reinstatement of some suspended local government chairmen by the Edo State House of Assembly has set the state government against the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state. While the PDP claimed that it was in possession of panel reports set up by the state government to investigate reinstated chairmen of Orhionmwon and Egor Local Government Areas, the state government insisted that the PDP could not have got hold of the panel report since the panel did not report to the PDP. Speaking during a sensitisation tour of the PDP

ernments and their agencies for the next fiscal year must be submitted not later than 90 days preceeding the year to the Minister of Finance” It added that the minister was expected to incorporate any planned loans

Wife of the Senate President and Founder-President, Wellbeing Foundation Africa, Mrs Toyin Saraki, with students of Holy Child College, Ikoyi, Lagos, her alma mater, during her visit to the school, recently.

into the public sector external borrowing programme. The statementfurther read: “To borrow from external sources, the Debt Management office have to ascertain if the borrower has not over-borrowed and the borrowing proposal must be incorporated into the annual budget for Federal Executive Council approval. “No state or group of states can borrow from external source without approval from the National Assembly and clearance from the Federal Ministry of Justice. “Whoever led the northern governors to Saudi Arabia for loan is ignorant of the relevant provisions of the law or he has chosen to circumvent the law. The committee asked the governors to read the relevant Acts affecting foreign loans while also urging the IDB to shun any such loan request until due process is followed.

Dickson sworn in for second term

•Fayose, Okowa, Wike, Udom, PDP show solidarity Austin Ebipade-Yenagoa

GOVERNOR Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa State, on Sunday, took the oath of office and allegiance to serve a new term as governor amidst solidarity from the leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) at the state and national levels, as well as governors of Ekiti, Rivers, Abia, Delta states, amongst others. Though, former President Godluck Jonathan and his wife, Patience, were absent at the event, thousands of PDP support-

ers, including serving and former PDP governors, legislators at the Federal and state levels, traditional rulers, captains of Industry, traditional rulers on Sunday stormed the Samson Siasia Sports complex, Yenagoa, the venue of the Swearing-in and Thanksgiving ceremony of Governor Dickson for another term of four years in office. Dressed in blue traditional attire, the governor, while speaking at the inauguration, attributed his victory to the resilience and doggedness of the

APC, PDP bicker over re-instated Edo council chairmen Banji Aluko-Benin City

This is the provisions of paragraph2:2(II)of the external borrowing guidelines.” The statement added that paragraph 2.2 (v) of the guideline stipulated that “All external borrowing proposals of the gov-

to Orhionmwon and Egor councils, state chairman of the PDP, Dan Orbih, accused Governor Adams Oshiomhole of jettisoning the recommendation of the panels set up by himself to investigate four council chairmen, adding that those recommended for sack were reinstated by Oshiomhole while those given clean bill of health were sacked. “Victor Enobhakare (Egor) was indicted by the Barrister Tunji Araya-led commission of enquiry and, amongst others, was asked to refund over N77 million. The panel also recommended that he should be sacked. “The first recommendation of the panel that investigated Roland Ibierutom-

wen (Orhionmwon) was that he should be relieved of his duties. Mr Ibierutomwen and the treasurer of the council, Osaro Eguavoen, were asked to explain the rip-off of the council through proper execution of projects. In a reaction, however, Edo State Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Prince Kassim Afegbua, accused Orbih of interfering in an affair that did not concern him. He said: “was he (Orbih) the one that set up the panel or the governor of Edo State? If he believes he is the one, he can address the issues he raised. We can not join issues with him. Only the governor, who set up the panel can publish the outcome of the panel.”

people, who refused to be conquered by agents of the opposition. He restated his commitment to security of lives and property of the people in the state, calling for the collaboration of relevant security agencies. He noted that Bayelsans contended anti-democratic forces and prevailed, adding that, by doing that, they had made history and generations unborn would hold them in high esteem, even as he submitted that the victory was not as a result of his might nor prowess. The Governor extolled INEC, the Military and other security agencies, as well as corps members and the media for defending democracy in spite of the challenges posed by the terrain and crude blackmails from the opposition to derail their unwavering stand for truth and justice in the discharge of their duties. Dickson also sent a clear message to those, who, according to him, could not win election in the state’s councils, and are hoping to get victory from the back door by manipulating legal institutions (Supreme Court), noting that they would not succeed. According to him, “the sanctity of our legal institutions must be held,” and charged politicians not to run for any position that was not given to them by the electorate, but enjoined them to seek votes through the supremacy of

the ballot which wasideal in a democratic system. He noted that Bayelsa’s victory had spurred a new sense of hope in Nigeria’s democracy, thereby strengthening the nation’s electoral process and salvaging the state (nation) from sliding to a one party state. The governor reiterated that he would not play politics with the development of the state, recalling that prior to his first tenure, business and investment were comatose, but that the Restoration Government revived the economy, investment, security and night life began to boom again, which he was committed to consolidate in the next four years. On perpetrators of election violence, Dickson averred that his government would use legal means to bring them to book; and that the state would join federal security to uproot those that vandalise federal institutions, and salvage our security officials from retributive justice of some undesirable elements. Expressing dismay over the violence that trailed the conduct of the governorship election in the state, Governor Dickson said now that the election was over, it was high time members of the opposition party put aside their political differences and join the Restoration government, in its efforts to rebuild the state. According to him, “I respect your right to hold different views. Your par-

ticipation in the process made this contest more vibrant and our victory more worthwhile and legitimate. “Yesterday, we were opponents; today, we must be partners for the security, development and prosperity of Bayelsa State. I now invite you all to join me in this enterprise of consolidating the gains of restoration. Let us work together to move our state forward. “I salute the leaders and members of the opposition majority of who are already amenable to this new thinking of building a united and prosperous Bayelsa. “In the nearest future, we shall be convening an allBayelsa Summit to discuss our common challenges, aspirations and the way forward. Arising therefrom, we should be in the vanguard of leading our region to engage our brothers in the Nigeria Project, and to build a stronger and more egalitarian country.” On the need for sustenance of existing peace in the state, the Governor submitted that this is the only way to attract foreign and local investors to the state, adding that this could only be achieved through the collaboration of stakeholders including security operatives. He warned the government officials both at at state and federal levels against the use of their positions to encourage crime and criminality under any guise.

4 news

Monday, 15 February, 2016

Falana threatens to sue FG over proposed $3.5bn loan Ayomide Owonibi Odekanyin - Lagos

UMAN rights lawyer, Femi Falana, has threatned to commence legal battle with the Federal Government over its plan to secure $3.5 billion loan. Falana, in a statement released on Sunday, urged the Finance Ministry to jettison its plan to secure a $3.5 billion (about N700 billion) loan from the World Bank and the African Development Bank. In a letter to the Ministry of Finance, Falana had stated that instead of taking the loan, the government should direct the anti-graft agencies to recover all loans and revenues accruable to it. Falana, however, added that he was yet to receive any response from the Federal Government. “Since you have not deemed it fit to react to the serious issues raised in the letter, kindly be informed that we shall commence legal proceedings not later than February 29, 2016, with a view to compelling the Federal Government to recover the said loans, royalties, levies and other recoverable revenues of not less than $66.5 billion. “From the information at our disposal, the Federal Government is owed not less than $66.5 billion (about N13.3 trillion), which ought to be recovered without any further delay, ” the letter read in part. According to Mr Falana, the five cycles of independent audit reports compiled by the National Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI) showed potential recoverable revenues of not less than $20.2 billion. “The potential recoverable

revenues are said to have arisen from ‘underpayment/ under-assessment of taxes, royalties, levies and rents. “If you require more information in respect of this matter, you may wish to contact your colleague, Mrs Zainab Ahmed, the Minister of State for Budget and National Planning. In her capacity as the immediate past Executive Secretary of NEITI, she had called on the Federal Government to re-

cover the said sum of $20.2 billion,” he said. Mr Falana said the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), in 2006, apportioned $7 billion out of the nation’s external reserves to 14 Nigerian banks to manage. “In addition, following the crisis of global capitalism which occurred in 2008, the CBN gave a bailout of $4 billion (N600 billion) to the commercial banks in the country.

“The CBN has not deemed it fit to ask for the refund of the total sum of $11 billion injected into the banking system in the space of two years,” the letter read in part. Mr Falana also said the Presidency, in September last year, announced the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation’s commencement of recovering of $9.6 billion in over-deducted tax benefits from joint venture partners on major capital

FRESH facts emerged from the records of the Federal High Court, Lagos, where Lagos lawyer, Rickey Tarfa, filed a N2.5 billion fundamental enforcement suit against the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), that he did not ask for any court order stopping his alleged trial in any court, contrary to ealier reports. This was as he said it was the counsel for the anti-graft agency, one Rotimi Oyedepo, who urged the court to make such order. According to the Head of Chambers of Rickey Tarfa & Co, Mr John Olusegun Odubela, in a statement, Justice Muhammed Idris, in his short ruling, ordered as follows: “That no party to this suit shall take any step to foist a fiat accompli on the court or any act that will have the effect of rendering nugatory any order the court will make at the conclusion of hearing.” He further ordered that “the respondents shall, in the interim, preserve the rights of the applicant as provided for in the constitution and the African Charter and Peoples Rights, pending further hearing of this application.” On the request of Oyedepo, Justice Idris categori-

cally ordered that “the court has no jursidiction to give any order that will prevent the free flow of charge No. LD/2417C/16.” Tarfa had filed the suit against the anti-graft agency and his acting chairman, Ibrahim Magu, asking for N2.5 billion due to his illegal arrest and detention. Aside the monetary compensation, Tarfa also asked the court to compel the defendants, which included Moses Awolusi, the operatives that illegally arrested him and the Deputy Director Operations, EFCC, Lagos office, Iliyasu Kwarbai,

to release his two mobile handsets, deceitfully collected from him on Friday, February 5, at the Ikoyi office in Lagos to the court, for the purpose of destructing all information, data and other retrievable materials stored in the two handsets. He also sought an order, urging the court to direct the defendants to release his Mercedes Benz SUV with registration No. KJA 700CG, unlawfully seized from him. The Senior Advocate of Nigeria also asked the court to order EFCC, Magu and two other defendants to

gioma in Okrika, in Okrika Local Government Area of the state. Confirming the kidnap, Dr Tam-George told Nigerian Tribune, on Sunday, that his mother was kidnapped on her way from church, on Saturday evening. “Yes, my mother was kidnapped on her way from church, at about 8.55 p.m. on Saturday. She is 85 years old and her name is Patience. “My mother cannot hurt anyone. She had gone to church, as she has done for years, to pray and worship God.

publicly apologise to him in, at least, two widely-circulated national newspapers, social media and the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA), as well as Channels Television within 24 hours from the day of the judgment of the suit. Besides, he asked for an order of perpetual injunction restraining all the defendants and their agents from further violating his rights apart from the payment of N20 million for the cost of this suit. The 52 -paragraph affidavit in support of the suit was sworn to by Mr Odubela, who narrated the genesis

of Tarfa’s ordeal as a witness to the gestapo tactics employed by the anti-graft agency. Friday’s ex-parte motion was argued by Chief Bolaji Ayorinde, with the following Senior Advocates of Nigeria with him— Babajide Koku, Dr Joseph Nwobike, Abiodun Jelili Owonikoko, Adeniyi Adegbomire and former Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, Ogun State, Mrs Abimbola Akeredolu. The court adjourned till Februay 19 for the continuation of the matter.

Stop circulating unverified stories, fake pictures against military, CISA cautions CITIZENS’ Initiative for Security Awareness (CISA), a civil society group engaged in creating and spreading security awareness among Nigerians, has cautioned against sensational stories in the media concerning investigations of some retired and serving military officers allegedly indicted in the ongoing corruption probes. “We frown on the unconscionable concoction of stories and unrelated pictures to tarnish the image of certain officers in the media. Take for instance, the story

making rounds that $1million was found in drums or in soak-away belonging to a certain officer, yet the soakaway has no sign of breakage or Nigerians shown the confiscated money. Just to achieve the intention of demonising the officers, the picture of drums containing US dollars belonging to the late Colombian drug kingpin, Pablo Escobar, which was unearthed by a Colombian farmer in 2015 are being circulated today in Nigeria as belonging to a Nigerian military officer in-

Abductors demanded N30m ransom —Son

UNKNOWN persons, suspected to be kidnappers, on Saturday, abducted the mother of the Rivers State Commissioner for Information and Communications, Dr Austin Tam-George. This was as the kidnappers had demanded for a ransom of N30 million before they could release the 85-year-old woman. Mrs Patience Tam-George was kidnapped at about 8.55 p.m. on Saturday, on her way from church, at Gio-

debtors of AMCON are big men who fly in private jets, live in big mansions and they have taken money and they are not paying back.’ “From the foregoing, you will agree with us that the hapless Nigerian people should not be made to pay for the gross mismanagement of the national economy by the Federal Government and the profligacy of the pampered members of the ruling class,” he added.

I did not ask court to stop my trial —Tarfa

Commissioner’s mother kidnapped in Rivers Dapo Falade - Port Harcourt

projects and oil swap contracts. “In the ongoing Senate probe into the affairs of the Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON), it has been revealed that the corporation had accumulated over $25 billion (about N5 trillion) debt, as against its Act which put the debt ceiling at N800 billion. “According to Mr Ahmed Kuru, the Managing Director of AMCON, most of the

“She was abducted by masked gunmen at her home in George Ama, Okrika. They sped away with her in a waiting speed boat. She is 85 and unwell,” he said. The commissioner also informed that the abductors contacted the family, using her phone and demanded for a ransom of N30 million before they could release her. “The kidnappers have now made contact with the family with her phone, demanding N30 million for her release. “They warned the Peoples

Democratic Party (PDP) for “challenging” them. “I am appealing to the abductors to release my mother unhurt to the family. My mother is a harmless woman,” the commissioner said in a sms he sent to the Nigerian Tribune.” When contacted, spokesman of the Rivers State Police Command, Ahmad Mohammad, confirmed that the command had received information about the kidnap of the mother of the Commissioner for Information. “Efforts are on to safely rescue the victim,” he said.

dicted for corruption. “Nigerians were also told of the former Military assistant to Late General Azazi and Sambo Dasuki, who is a serving Colonel, whose house was allegedly broken and millions of dollars were allegedly found inside. This same officer had been in detention for more than two months, yet no charge had been preferred against him, while the so-called millions of dollars found in his house was not authenticated. “A couple of days ago, Nigerians were treated to a report of public humiliation and arrest at the airport of a serving top Air Force officer by policemen in mufti, in spite of the pleadings and protests of fellow Generals that the senior officer was not running away, but travelling abroad on official assignment. To us, this unnecessary bravado and play to gallery is uncalled for, as it is capable of creating animosity between security agencies. “As a civil society group interested in galvanising public support for the Nigerian Military and other security agencies in the country, CISA is gravely worried about the implication of orchestrating the circulation of unproven stories of alleged corrupt practices by military officers.

“Much as we do not and can never support act of corruption from any quarter, it is our firm belief that the current trend of bandying unsubstantiated, sensational stories in the media, aimed at villifying and demonising people, who might have served or are still serving the country to the best of their ability, will not in the longrun achieve anything other than irredeemable destruction of the image and character of our Military institutions,” the group said. CISA believes that media trial of our top military officers, serving or retired, is an ill-wind that will blow nobody any good. CISA believes our military and security institutions and its officers must not be exposed to such public ridicules. We frown at the unrelenting profiling of the Military as haven of corruption and officers as corrupt fellows, when indeed, none of the allegations had been proven or any of the indicted officers convicted by the judicial system. “We should all support the government in its war against corruption without dehumanising and discrediting individuals and institutions through false and sensational reports that can dent our national pride and reputation,” the group added..

5 news

Monday, 15 February, 2016

NLC leadership crisis deepens

As Ajaero faction accuses NASS of dividing organised labour Soji Eze-Fagbemi -Abuja

LEADERSHIP crisis rocking the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) appeared deepened at the weekend, as the Comrade Ajaero-led faction aaccused the National Assembly of dividing the organised Labour. In a statement signed by the faction Deputy President, Comrade Igwe Achese, on behalf of Comrade Ajaero, they accused the National Assembly of holding meeting with “some individuals, who have gathered themselves together pretending to be representing workers in the Power sector.” Achese said the individuals “have thus proceeded to deceive the National Assembly, especially the Senate, into holding discussions with them on issues concerning workers and activities within the Power sector.” The statement, entitled: “NLC to Senate’s leadership: You are dividing organised Labour,” described the development as unfortunate, saying it was a futile attempt by these persons to hijack the sector for their own selfish motives. “It is against the ethics and traditions of the trade union

movement for other unions to go beyond their boundaries and intrude in the affairs and jurisdiction of other unions,” he said. The statement added: “We, therefore, want to warn the Senate and the National Assembly to stop every unholy romance with these individuals on issues that clearly have to do with the Power sector, without involving the leadership of the unions within the sector. “For the avoidance of doubt, the National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE) and the Senior Staff Association of Electricity Companies (SSAEC) remain the two unions within the Power sector. Any discussion on issues bordering on the sector that does not involve these unions will, at best, be a roadshow without serious objectives. “Perhaps, the Senate may have been misled into this error by the deceitful grandstanding and posturing of these persons and group masquerading as interest parties in the Power sector. “We know that the Senate may have meant well and is desirous of resolving all public interest issues arising out of all sectors of the nation’s economy, of which the Power sector is one. We

also acknowledge and appreciate one of the key roles of the National Assembly, which is its oversight functions over the activities of the Executive arm of government.” The statement read further: “In exercising these functions, we urge the Senate not to allow itself to be misled into being used by some unscrupulous individuals to achieve certain hidden agenda. This is to protect the Senate from being ridiculed and unwittingly dragged into the ongoing crisis within the NLC. “The Senate President should know that the NLC presently has two factions, with each having a complete set of organs and officers, thus capable of engaging any of our social partners on any issue effectively nation-wide. “He has to be reminded that though we are making efforts toward reconciliation, we are still unfortunately factionalised. “The NLC on this side, therefore, warns the Senate that any further discussions with the current impostors purporting to represent workers in the sector, may hit a huge brick wall and strong resistance.”

I made financial sacrifice by accepting to serve my fatherland —Kachikwu MINISTER of State for Petroleum Resources, Mr Ibe Kachikwu, has said that although his former job was more rewarding financially, he decided to serve Nigeria for the love of his fatherland. He said in Abuja, on Sunday, that all hands must be on deck to build enduring institutions that would secure the future of the country and improve on the standard of living of Nigerians. “I believe this country needs help. I believe it is about time we began to perform for the young and upcoming. “I believe that the sheer capacity of this country is unimaginable. “I do not know of any country in the world with our population, our resources, our intellect, our flam-

boyance, our family nexus; everything is together. “The call to public service for me was unique. I was Vice President of Exxon Mobil West Africa and I was suddenly called to serve. “In serving, I lose a lot of money, if not at least a million dollars every year by virtue of being a minister, but the thing is, I am directed by the voice of God,” he said. According to him, the current economic crunch in Nigeria could be surmounted with the right leadership. He said Nigerians would not feel the impact of the challenges posed by drop in the price of oil if government properly harnessed other natural resources. “Everything in this country is together; the only thing

that is not together is leadership and in God’s name, we are bound to change that. “In every little space that you have and in my own case, petroleum, you have to make an absolute change and so, I am not worried about price of oil. “It can be five dollars for all I care. I am worried about the direction of the industry; I am worried about changing things the way they have never done before. “I am worried about creating opportunities that exist; I am worried about improving the standards of living; I am worried about encouraging opportunities in the sector. “I am worried about opening up those opportunities that have existed for years,’’ he said.

Health workers threaten strike, issue 15-day ultimatum Soji-Eze Fagbemi - Abuja HEATH workers and professionals, under the Joint Health Sector Unions (JOHESU) and the Assembly of Healthcare Professionals (AHPA) have threatened to embark on nationwide strike after the expiration of a 15day ultimatum issued to the Federal Government. JOHESU AND AHPA said

their members would be embarking on industrial action suspended in February 2015, at the instance of the former President Goodluck Jonathan, who promised them after a meeting that their demands would be looked into and met. However, the unions said these had not been done, despite many meetings held

with the government officials, especially the Secretary to the Government of the Federation. Their decision was contained in a letter, with reference number MHWUN/ ADM/VOL.II/219, dated February 1 and addressed to both the Secretary to the Government of the Federation and the Head of Civil Service of the Federation.

Monday, 15 February, 2016

Nigerian Tribune

LEGAL NOTICE

WHEREAS the persons whose names are set out in the first column of the Schedule hereto died intestate on the dates and at the places mentioned therein. AND WHEREAS the persons whose names and addresses are set out in the second column of the said Schedule along with particulars of their relationship to the said deceased (where-ever found necessary or expedient) have applied to the High Court of Justice, Oyo State of Nigeria for the grant unto them of Letters of Administration in respect of the real and personal properties of the deceased. NOTICE is hereby given that the said Letters of Administration will be granted to the said applicants unless a notice to prohibit such grant is filed in the Registry of the High Court of Justice, Ibadan, Oyo State of Nigeria within Twenty-One (21) days from today. SCHEDULE SCHEDULE

DECEASED:

APPLICANTS FOR GRANT:

POY/043/2010: ALHAJA MUNIRATU A. Rev (Mrs) Adebimpe Idayat Amusan, Miss. AJIRERA SULAIMON (A.K.A SULEIMON Oluwatobiloba Amusan and Titilope MUNIRAT, AJIRERA MUNIRAT SULAIMON, Amusan c/o their Solicitor, Olusegun SULAIMON AJIRERA MUNIRAT) – Late of Olonade & Co, Diadem College Premises, 10, Oyeneye Street, Yidi, Ibadan, who died Apata, Ibadan. Applicants are Children of on 19th July, 2006 at Home. deceased. B. POY/7000: CHIEF JOSEPH LADIMEJI B. Mr. Clement Bayo Alao c/o his solicitor, ALAO – Late of 2, Mofolasade Bolarinwa Ben Niyi Ajiboye-Oba Esq, Adimula Street, New Bodija, Ibadan, who died on Chambers, 38, Samonda, U.I. Ibadan. 17th December, 1987 at Ibadan. Applicant is the Son of deceased. C. POY/190/2013: MR. ODUOLA PHILIP C. Mrs. Adijat Alice Oduola and Mr. Michael OLANIYI – Late of No. 7B, Adejumo Tennis Babatunde Oduola of No. 7B, Adejumo Club Road, Ejigbo, Ibadan, who died on Tennis Club Road, Ejigbo, Ibadan. 12th November, 2012 at Ejigbo. Applicants are Widow and Son of deceased. D. POY/369/2005: AMUSA BAMIDURO SUBERU D. Oladimeji Mojeed Suberu and Olawunmi Late of E9/2081A, Alarere Layout, New Ife Nurudeen Subair of E9/2081A, Alarere Road, Ibadan, who died on 19th April, 2004 Layout, New Ife Road, Ibadan. Applicants at Adeoyo State Hospital, Ibadan. are Children of deceased. E. POY/479/2015: WAHEED ADEWALE E. Alhaja Fatimo Oduntan, Mrs. Sikirat ODUNTAN (a.k.a. WAALO STEEL COMPANY Oduntan and Mr. Tajudeen Akorede NIGERIA LIMITED OR LTD OR WAALO Basheer c/o their solicitor, Taiwo P Iyanda STEEL COMPANY LIMITED) – Late of 26, Esq of Taiwo Iyanda & Co, 4th floor ANCE Rabiat Ajike street, Ajadi, Ologuneru, Ibadan, Building, Magazine Road, Jericho, Ibadan. who died on 11th August, 2015 at Sure Hope Applicants are Widow and Brothers of Medical Centre. deceased. F. POY/586/2014: MADAM CHRISTIANAH F. Madam Ayoola Adejare, Mrs. Omolara MODUPEORE BIBILARI – Late of D24, Omolehin and Mrs. Bamigbola Oyinkansola Babalakin Layout, Ilupeju, Apata, Ibadan, (Nee Akinyede), House 5A Close 206 Road who died on 11th July, 2007 at Continental 2nd Avenue Festac Town, Lagos, Road Medical Centre, Ibadan. Irepodun Esate, Oluyole Extension, Apata, Ibadan, c/o Wuyi Adeyemo & Co. Applicants are Sisters and Grand-daughter of deceased. G. POY/590/2014: MR. SANYAOLU TIMOTHY G. Mr. Sanyaolu Olalekan Olumide and Mrs. OLATAYO – Late of Agaloke Olupoyi, Adeola Aina (Nee Sanyaolu) of Agaloke Apata, Ibadan, who died on 21st January, Olupoyi, Apata, Ibadan. Applicants are 2014 at Ibadan. Children of deceased. H. POY/836/2014: OYELADE JOSHUA H. Mrs Joshua Oluwabunmi May Oyelade of BAMIGBOYE (A.K.A. JOHN & T/K GLOBAL Iyanu Oluwa House, Ire Akari, Adeniran VENTURE LTD) – Late of Iyanu Oluwa Area, Ogbomoso c/o Abiodun Oyeyemi Ire Akari Area, Ogbomoso, who died on 1st & Co. Applicant is the Widow of deceased September, 2014 at Baptist Medical Centre, Ogbomoso. I. POY/1040/2014: STEPHEN OJEBOWALE I. Rachael Modupe Ojemuyiwa c/o Sola OJEMUYIWA – Late of c/o, Mr. Bode Raji, Orobode, No. 2, Grace Villa,Orita Odan, Agric, Credit cooperation, Oyo State Olodo, Off Iwo Road, Ibadan. Applicant Secretariat, Ibadan, who died on 6th is the Widow of the deceased. September, 2014 at Molly Specialist Hospital, Agodi, Ibadan. 01. POY/550/2015: ENOCH EZEKIEL 01. Mr. Enoch Simon Ngozi and Mrs. Ezekiel Late of No. 6, Mokore Street, Olorunsogo Helen c/o Olujimi Falaye Esq, Fadele & Express, Ibadan, Oyo State, who died on Fadele, 1st Floor, Al-Barka, Plaza, Bodija, 30th September, 2015 at Ibadan. Ibadan. Applicants are Widow and Brother of deceased. 02. POY/551/2015: SYLVESTER FEMI OLOYE 02. Dele Oloye and Samson Abiodun Oloye Late of 15 Zussan Road, Sobe, Ondo State, c/o their solicitor, E.F.Samuel Esq. 74, who died on 14th September, 2013 at Hospital. Fajuyi Road, Adamasingba, Ibadan. Applicants are Children of deceased. 03. POY/552/2015: AWOTOYE SUNDAY 03. Awotoye Comfort Adeponmile c/o legal Late of Sw6/548, Agbokojo, Ibadan, Oyo Aid Unit, JDPC, Ibadan, Barr. Fola State, who died on 2nd May, 2014 at UCH, Ibadan. Awoyemi. Applicant is the Widow of deceased. 04. POY/553/2015: PRINCE JOSEPH 04. Adelusi Kehinde (Nee Adelaja) and OLADIMEJI ADELAJA – Late of No. 14, Adedapo Taiwo (Nee Adelaja) c/o their Idi-Orogbo, Imalefalafia, off ring road, solicitors, Ademola A. Taiwo & Co, No.4, Ibadan, who died on 12th Nov, 2014 at Home. Taye Alabi Avenue, Basorun, Ibadan. Applicants are Children of deceased. 05. POY/554/2015: (PROF.) ONI ANTHONY 05. Catherine Yetunde Oni (Mrs), Clementina ALABA – Late of 9, Alafia Estate, Orogun, Yewande Oni Onakade (Mrs) and Michael Ibadan, Oyo State, who died on 05th July, Olanrewaju Oni (Mr) c/o solicitor, Odunola 2015 at U.C.H, Ibadan. Sandra Ogunmola of Justina Solicitors & Advocates Suite 25, AP Fueling Station Complex, Sango, Ibadan. Applicants are Widow and Children of deceased. 06. POY/555/2015: UDOH AKPAN MOSES 06. Moses Precious and Moses Angela of Plot Late of Plot 8, Rumu chika Street, 8, Rumu Chika Street, Elioparanwo, Port Elioparanwo, Port Harcourt, who died on Harcourt. Applicants are widow and 10th December, 2014 at Port Harcourt. Daughter of deceased. 07. POY/556/2015: PASTOR EZEKIEL 07. Mr. Daniel Titilope Omisanya and Mrs. OYEKANMI OMISANYA – Late of No. 2, Margaret Olufunmilayo Omisanya c/o Aba Agbegba, Agbowo Qtrs, Ibadan, who their solicitor, Bandele A. Aiku & Co, died on 18th July, 2014 at Hospital, Ibadan. Plot 14, Adelaja Street, Mokola, Ibadan. Applicants are Son and Widow of deceased. 08. POY/557/2015: RASAQ AYINLA 08. Olukemi Anike Sulaimon and Olufemi SULAIMON – Late of Sw8/1582, college Sulaimon of Sw8/1582, College Crescent, Crescent, Ibadan, who died on 23rd July, Ibadan. Applicants are Widow and Son of 2015 at St Mary’s Catholic Hospital, Ibadan. deceased. 09. POY/558/2015: CAREW OLABISI 09. Carew Olajide Olaniyi of 10, kolawole Late of 10, Kolawole Carew close, Oluyole Carew close, Oluyole Estate, Ibadan. Estate, Ibadan, who died on 7th September, Applicant is the Brother of deceased. 2015 at U.C.H, Ibadan. 10. POY/559/2015: MRS CAROLINE 10. Iyabode Olayinka Opeyokun and Olutade BADEJOKO OLA – Late of X36, Baptist Oluseyi Ola of 3, Canon Akinyemi way, Church Road, Ijebu-jesa, Osun state, who Bodija, Ibadan. Applicants are Children died on 18th October, 2012 at Ijebu-jesa. of deceased. 11.

POY/561/2015: LAWAL RUFUS ASANI 11. Late of Akobo Ojurin, Ibadan, who died on 6th March, 2015 at Home. Applicant is the Son of deceased.

Lawal Isreal Sea c/o his solicitor, Folorunso Ahmed Esq, 2nd floor, 2nd suite Lister Building, Ring Road, Ibadan.

12.

POY/562/2015: ADEYEYE JOHNSON 12. Late of N4/49, Adeoyo area, Ibadan, who died on 15th September, 2014 at Home. Ibadan. Applicant is the Daughter of deceased. POY/563/2015: MR. ADEKUNLE 13. OLANREWAJU ONI – Late of Bola Ige Ifesowapo Estate, Ologuneru, Ibadan, who died on 20th January, 2015 at His shop around Gbagi area, Ibadan. POY/564/2015: MR. ERNEST OLUFEMI 14. AJIBAWO – Late of No. 6, Odusanya street, Kongi layout, Bodija Estate, Ibadan, who died on10th December, 1997 at U.C.H, Ibadan.

Isreal- Sea Funmilola Iyabo c/o her solicitor, Folorunso Ahmed Esq, 2nd floor 2nd suite, Lister building, Ring Road,

POY/565/2015: ADEBIMPE IWALADE 15. OGUNSEYE – Late of 3m close, Oluyole Estate, Seven-up road, Ibadan, who died on 21st July, 2015 at Home. Road, Ibadan. and Sister of deceased. POY/566/2015: OLUSEGUN AJAYI 16. Late of Kumapayi Olodo, Ibadan, who died on 1st August, 2015 at Oke Alafia Estate, Olodo. POY/ 567/2015: AKANBI EMMANUEL 17. Late of Ile Areago Akinyo, Okelerin, Ogbomoso, who died on 27th August, 2013 at Home. POY/568/2015: YESUFU OLASOJI 18. MUFUTAU – Late of No 22, Dumoye Street, Benjamin Area, Eleyele, Ibadan, who died on 22nd September, 2013 at U.C.H, Ibadan. and Daughter of deceased. POY/569/2015: OLADELE GEORGE 19. OYEDOKUN – Late of No 18, Unit 3, Elebu Street, Moniya, Ibadan, who died on 5th November, 2015 at U.C.H, Ibadan. Applicants are Children of deceased. POY/570/2015: PA. RAIFU OGUNDIRAN 20. Late of Idi-Ape along Olorunda Abaa Road, Lagelu local government, Ibadan, who died on 6th February, 2012 at Home. Ibadan respectively. Applicants are Children of deceased. 21. POY/571/2015: ANOMO OLAYEMI MOIBI 21. Late of 12, Temidire Street, off Ring Road, Ibadan, who died on 9th May, 2015 at Home. Children of deceased. 22. POY/572/2015: OLUKUNLE OGUNDIRAN 22. Late of 16, Erinoso Street, Baale Area, Olunde, Ibadan, who died on 29th January, 2013 at Ibadan. 23. POY/573/2015: ADEGBITE JOHN ADEWUYI 23. Late of Ile Olukumopa, Olugbon Area, Ogbomoso, who died on 26th May, 2011 at Home. 24. POY/574/2015: ASP BABALOLA OMOLOLU 24. Late of 15, Ogunlolu Street, Ijaye, Lagos, Who died on 23rd May, 2014 at Bayesa state. deceased. 25. POY/576/2015: ESTHER OREDOLA OLOSE 25. Late of Block 326, Plot 133, flat 3, IBA Housing Estate, Ojo, Lagos, who died on 13th June, 2014 at LUTH, Lagos. Bodija, Ibadan, respectively. Applicants Children of deceased. 26. POY/577/2015: OLAOLU FOLAWIYO 26. OBILADE – Late of Oloko Area, Apata, Ibadan, Oyo State, who died on 8th March, 2015 at Adeoyo Hospital, Ibadan.

Rhoda Adunni Ogunseye and Damilola Adembipo Elegbe (Nee Ogunseye) of 3m close, Oluyole Estate, seven-up Applicants are Mother

Funmilayo Oladunjoye Ajayi of Oke Alafia Street, Kumapayi, Olodo, Ibadan. Applicant is the Widow of deceased. Akanbi Benjamin Olaniyi and Mrs. Akanbi Deborah of Ile Areago Akinyo Okelerin, Ogbomoso. Applicants are Son and Widow of deceased. Yesufu Mobola Ayanwemimo and Yesufu Hafusat Omobola of No. 22, Dumoye Street, Benjamin, Eleyele Area, Ibadan. Applicants are Widow

13. 14.

15. 16. 17. 18. 19. 20.

27. 28. 29. 30. 31.

POY/578/2015: ADEGOKE OYETUNDE AIYEGORO – Late of Plot 76, Babalola Estate, Orita Challenge, Ibadan, who died on 29th January, 2015 at Home.

Mrs. Grace Oyebade Oni and Miss Olajumoke Opeyemi Oni c/o their solicitors, A. A. Ademidun & Co, 2nd floor coop building, Lebanon street, Ibadan. Applicants are Widow and Sister of deceased. Mrs. Theresa Adeolapo Ajibawo and Mr. Oluwafemi Ajibawo c/o their solicitors, A. A. Ademidun & Co, 2nd floor, coop building, Lebanon street, Ibadan. Applicants are Widow and Son of deceased.

Mr. George Adebowale Seye Oyedokun, Tayo Oyedokun and Kayode Oyedokun c/o Adonal chambers, Agric Bank Building, opposite Dubar Stadium, Oyo. Mrs. Mary Kehinde (Nee Ogundiran) and Mr. Ogundiran Sarafadeen Kola No. 8, Safori Street, Orogun, Ibadan and No 13, Mosalasi Bus stop, Akobo Ojurin Kayode Anomo and Gbenga Anomo c/o Tunde Adedeji & Co, 47, Oyo Road, Coca cola, Ibadan. Applicants are

27. POY/579/2015: MRS. HELEN ABIMBOLA 28. OYAWUSI – Late of No. 4, Osunkaiye close Bodija, Ashi, Ibadan, Oyo State, who died on 8th May, 2014 at Ekiti State Teaching Hospital, Ado Ekiti, Ekiti State. deceased. POY/581/2015: ONYEYIRICHI ESTHER EKPE 29. Late of Aba Alamu, Apata, Ibadan, who died on 28th May, 2015 at St. Annes Specialist Hospital, Ibadan. POY/582/2015: MR. OLUDELE OJEDEJI 30. Late of Seke village, Alakia Area, Ibadan, who died on 3rd July, 2015 at Port Harcourt. Alakia Area, Ibadan. Applicants are Children and Widow of deceased. POY/583/2015: FRANCIS FOLASHADE 31. BASIRAT – Late of E9/321, Adetayo Street, Iwo Road, Ibadan, who died on 12th October, 2013 at U.C.H., Ibadan.

Ogundiran Margaret Adejoke and Ogundiran Opeyemi Babatunde of 16, Erinoso Street, Baale Area, Olunde, Ibadan. Applicants are Widow and Son of deceased. Adegbite Deborah Kikelomo of Ile Olukumopa, Olugbon Area, Ogbomoso. Applicant is the Widow of deceased. Babalola Adedayo (Nee Owoeye Adedayo .O.) of 15, Ogunlolu Street, Ijaye, Lagos. Applicant is the Widow of Samuel Olufemi Olose and Adebimpe Oluwatoyin Fasanya of OA Lane 5, Awotan, Apete, Ibadan and Plot 5, Block B, Kongi layout Extension, Oluwatobi Obilade and Toyin Margaret Obilade of Oloko Area, Apata, Ibadan, Oyo State. Applicants are Son and Widow of deceased. Mrs. Aderonke Modupe Aiyegoro and Mr. Tolulope Oyesola Aiyegoro of Plot 76, Babalola Estate, Orita Challenge, Odo Ona Elewe Road, Ibadan. Applicants are Widow and Son of deceased. Mr. Julius Oyawusi c/o his solicitor, Oluwabukola Kuponiyi of his Glory Chambers, 56, Ajeigbe, Ring Road, Ibadan. Applicant is the Widower of Nwaogu Lucy Mgbechi and Nwaogu Ifeanyi Friday of No 214, Eyin-Oke, Sagbe, Ojoo, Ibadan. Applicants are Younger Brother and Sister of deceased. Mr. Oluwafunsho Adigun Ojedeji, Mr. Oluwafisayo Ezekiel Ojedeji and Mrs. Olukemi Mary Ojedeji of Seke village, Francis Eunice Bolanle and Francis Babatunde Benedict of No. 3, Olabisi Wuraola Street, Yidi Agodi, Ibadan, Applicants are Children of deceased.

DECEASED:

APPLICANTS FOR GRANT:

32. 33. 34. 35. 36. 37.

38.

POY/593/2015: MRS. MARY OLAYINKA 38. OLADIRAN – Late of Oloruntedo Estate Along New Garage Express, Oluyole Extension, Ibadan, who died on 21st August, 2015 at U.C.H., Ibadan. Applicants are Children of deceased.

Yewande Anthonia Oladiran and Babatunde Charles Oladiran of Oloruntedo Estate along new garage express, Oluyole Extension, Ibadan, Oyo State.

39.

POY/594/2015: OKHAJUAN EDISON 39. OSAHBOHIEN – Late of 33c, Kajola Street, Monatan, Iwo road, Ibadan, who died on 11th February, 2015 at U.C.H, Ibadan.

Mrs. Okhajuan Florence Onuelu of 33c Kajola Street, Monatan, Iwo Road, Ibadan. Applicant is the Widow of deceased.

40. POY/595/2015: COMFORT ALABA 40. ADEBUSUYI – Late of Plot 5, Lanihun Adebimpe layout, Olaogun, Ibadan, who died on 16th March, 2012 at Samron Hospital, Ibadan.

Mrs. Adebunmi Olufunmlayo Onobumhe and Mrs Adenike Olubusayo Amos of Plot 5, Lanihun Adebimpe layout, Ibadan and No. 13, Akinwande Street, off Balogun Bus-Stop , Iju-Ishaga, Lagos respectively. Applicants are Children of deceased.

41. 42.

Ruth Adeduntan Ajani and Oyetola Bartholomew Ajani c/o their solicitor, Olakunle Akintola Esq, 13, Alawode Avenue, Mokola, Ibadan. Applicants

POY/584/2015: CHIEF JOHN EKWUOBA 32. MUOGHALU - Late of Uruegbe village, Umuoji, Anambra State, who died on 18th February, 2009 at Lagos. are Children of deceased. POY/585/2015: MR. EVARISTUS ARINZE 33. MUOGHALU – Late of 45, Olufemi Street, Surulere, Lagos, who died on 9th September, 2013 at Lagos. are Brother and Sister of deceased. POY/586/2015: MRS. CHRISTIANA 34. CHIEBONAM MUOGHALU – Late of Uruegbe village, Umuoji, Anambra State, who died on 13th April, 2014 at Onitsha, Anambra State. POY/589/2015: PA AMOS OMOLOMO OLLA 35. Late of Opeoya, Ibadan, who died on 27th April, 1956 at Ibadan. Solicitor, Olufemi Akintomiwa Esq, Olufemi Akintomiwa & Co, 51, Orogun, Mokola, Ibadan. Applicants are Children of deceased. POY/591/2015: EMMANUEL SALIFU 36. Late of No. 19, Zone C, Akinbola Street, Felele, Challenge, Ibadan, who died on 31st July, 2015 at Sagamu. POY/592/2015: YISAU OLAJIDE FALADE 37. Late of 4, Akodu Street, Apete, Ibadan, who died on 28th August, 2015 at Home. Plot 3, Elekuku layout, Ajeigbe, Ring Road, Ibadan. Applicants are Son and Widow of deceased.

POY/596/2015: AJANI ISAAC OYEBISI 41. Late of Ile Agbori Odo, Oke Elerin, Ogbomoso North Local Government, Ogbomoso, who died on 6th February, 2015 at Hospital. are Widow and Son of deceased. POY/598/2015: MR. IMOHI BABATUNDE 42. SAMSON – Late of No. 8, Fatokun Area, Moniya, Ibadan, who died on 25th April, 2013 at U.C.H, Ibadan.

Eze Judith Ezidinma and Muoghalu Emeka Terrance of 285, Aho-Agbeja Quarters, Ajibode, Ibadan. Applicants Eze Judith Ezidinma and Muoghalu Emeka Terrance of 285, Aho-Agbeja Quarters, Ajibode, Ibadan. Applicants Eze Judith Ezidinma and Muoghalu Emeka Terrance of 285, Aho-Agbeja, Quarters, Ajibode, Ibadan. Applicants are Children of deceased.

Mrs. Rachael Olufunke Akinola (Nee Olla) and Mrs. Felicia Moyosore Olarenwaju (Nee Olla) c/o their

Christiana Salifu and Regina Salifu of No. 19, Zone C, Akinbola Street, Felele, Challenge, Ibadan. Applicants are Daughter and Widow of deceased. Falade Kazeem Iyanda and Mrs. Falade Simiat Oyewumi c/o Bolaji A. Agoro Esq. Agoro & Agoro, B & L Advocates

Mr. Jide Babatunde Imohi and Mr. Abiodun Imohi of No. 8, Fatokun Area, Moniya, Ibadan. Applicants are Children of deceased.

43. POY/599/2015: MR. ABUBAKAR LAWAL 43. Mr. Amiru Lawal of No. 122c, Sango Late of No. 122c, Sango Garage, Sango, Garage, Sango, Ibadan. Applicant is Ibadan, who died on 15th August, 2014 at Home. Younger Brother of deceased. 44. POY/601/2015: MR. TIMOTHY OLUWOLE 44. Gbenga Ogunsola and Elizabeth OGUNSOLA – Late of E5/ 247, Isale Alfa, Ogunsola of No. 129, Ifesowapo Ibadan, who died on 16th February, 1997 at Street, Gagansi, Ibadan. Applicants Adeoyo Maternity Hospital, Yemetu, Ibadan, are Son and Widow of deceased. 45. POY/602/2015: EFUNKOYA OLUFEMI 45. Efunkoya Oluwaremilekun Joseph and GABRIEL – Late of No. 12, Galili, Olodo Ishola Oluwaseun Tosin (Nee Efunkoya) Street, Ibadan, who died on 13th November, c/o their solicitor, Mubo Adejumo, No. 2013 at Ondo – Ore. 69, Adelaja Street, Mokola, Ibadan, (Choral Chamber). Applicants are Children of deceased. 46. POY/603/2015: DUROJAYE ADEGBENGA 46. Mrs. Simisola Esther Durojaiye, Miss. Late of No. 12, Aare Avenue, Oluyole Estate, Bukky Durojaye and Miss. Iyanu Ibadan, Oyo State, who died on 2nd October, Durojaiye c/o Akin Ajidagba Esq of 2015 at Home. Nw6/1B, Ekotedo, Dugbe, Ibadan, Oyo State. Applicants are Widow and Children of deceased. 47. POY/604/2015: OYELEKE DARE 47. Olukunle Dare and Bola Dare of E4/ Late of Sawmill Area, Ibadan, who died 1204 Koloko, Shop Merin, Ibadan. on 16th September, 2015 at Ibadan. Applicants are Children of deceased. 48. POY/605/2015: MR. JOSEPH ESEKHADE 48. Mary Esekhade c/o Crown Solicitors, Late of 8, Ata Abata Estate, Awotan, 2nd floor, coop Building, Dugbe, Ibadan, who died on 7th June, 2015 at Ibadan. Applicant is the Widow of the deceased. Hospital. 49. POY/606/2015: WAHEED RAHEEM 49. Moruf Adegboyega and Adeyemi ADEGBOYEGA – Late of J & P Road, Adegboyega of J & P Road, Alade Alade Area, Moniya, Ibadan, who died on Area Moniya, Ibadan. Applicants are 17th July, 2015 at Home. Children of deceased. 50. POY/607/2015: ADENIYI ABINUSAWA 50. Mr. Femi Abinusawa and Miss Bunmi Late of No. 11, Irepodun Street, Ileaanu, Abinusawa of No. 11, Irepodun Street Odo-Ona Elewe, Ibadan, who died on 30th Ileaanu, Odo-Ona Elewe, Ibadan of August, 2014 at Adeoyo State Hospital, Oyo State. Applicants are children of Ibadan. deceased. 51. 52. 53. 54. 55. 56.

POY/608/2015: NWACHUKWU NICOLAS 51. Nwachukwu Samuel Okechukwu and EGBULINE – Late of No. 2, Abimbola Emmanuel Nwachukwu c/o their Avenue, Odo Ona Elewe, Ibadan, who died solicitor, Kayode Ajayi & Co, Block On 29th October, 2014 at Ibadan. S, N.T.C complex (oyssic), Iyaganku G.R.A, Ibadan. Applicants are Children of deceased. POY/609/2015: MR. ADEBAYO KEHINDE 52. Tajudeen Rasheed Adebayo and Late of Baba Taju’s House, Opeji village, Fatima Ayinla (Nee Adebayo) of Odeda, Ogun State, who died on 11th April, Baba Taju’s House, Opeji village, 2011 at Asipa, Odeda village, Ogun State. Odeda, Ogun State. Applicants are Children of deceased. POY/610/2015: MRS. MORAWO CICELIA 53. Akintunde Okeowo of Agbokojo OKEOWO – Late of Sw6 Agbokojo Area Area, Ibadan. Applicant is the Son of Mapo, Ibadan, who died on 8th February, deceased. 2006 at Agbokojo, Ibadan. POY/611/2015: MR. JOEL ADERINOLA 54. Olufunke Folorunso Odedare and ODEDARE – Late of Ogogo compound, Oke Iyabo Bosede Odedare of Abora DC Owode, Ogbomoso, who died on 15th October, Basic School, Oke Ora, Ogbomoso. 2008 at Oko in Surulere local govt. Ogbomoso. Applicants are Widow and Daughter of deceased. POY/612/2015: ADEREMI ADESOJI 55. Mrs. Florence Folasade Olawumi and OLAWUMI – Late of Nurse Owoade compound, Miss. Beatrice Olanike Olawumi c/o Oke Daodu, Saki, Oyo State, who died on their solicitor, Chief Olawuwo Siyan9th June, 2015 at Kwara State Specialist bola, Saki. Applicants are Widow and Hospital, Ilorin, Daughter of deceased. POY/613/2015: PROF TITUS .G. OGUNFIDI- 56. Mrs. Agnes Shola Ogunfiditimi and TIMI - Late of No. 8-10, Gege Ogunfiditimi Avenue, Mrs. Ferowola Ojo of No. 8-10, Gege Adegbayi, Ibadan, who died on 8th April, 2010 Ogunfiditimi Avenue, Adegbayi, at U.C.H, Ibadan. Ibadan and No. 23, Fatumo Idowu Street, Oluwo Kekere, Bodija, Ibadan. Applicants are Widow and Daughter. 57. POY/614/2015: IYIOLA AZEEM ADEDOJA 57. Iyiola Janet Adunni and Iyiola Olukunle Late of 63, Love Street, Adekola Area, Ogo Michael of 63, Love Street, Adekola Oluwa community, Iyana Agbala, New ife road, area, Ogo Oluwa community, Iyana Ibadan, Oyo state, who died on 23rd December, Agbala, New Ife road, Ibadan. 2014 at Hospital. Applicants are Widow and Son of deceased. 58. POY/615/2015: AMHERIOR JOHN 58. John Sylvester Sunday of No. 45, Late of No 45, Oluyori Estate, Ibadan, who Oluyori Estate, Ibadan. Applicant is the died on 13th May, 2013 at Hospital. Son of the deceased. 59. POY/616/2015: MATHEW OMODUNBI 59. Mathew Aderemi Amehinola and Mrs. AMEHINOLA – Late of No. 22, Adelani Maria Amehinola of No. 22, Adelani Adeyemo Street, Alarere, Ife road, Ibadan, Adeyemo Street, Ife road, Ibadan. Who died on 29th November, 2014 at Ibadan. Applicants are Son and Widow of deceased. 60. POY/617/2015: EGUNJOBI ABIODUN 60. Mrs. Biola Egunjobi and Ridwan ADESINA – Late of No. 45, Olu Awe Egunjobi of No. 45, Olu Awe Street, Street, Joyce B Road, Ibadan, who died on Joyce B Road, Ibadan. Applicants are 6th June, 2014 at Ibadan. Widow and Son of deceased. 61. POY/618/2015: MRS. OLAJUMOKE 61. Alhaji Yekini Adeniyi Alao, Adegbenro OGUNFUNKE ALAO (JP) – Late of No. 3, Najimdeen Alao and Adetunrayo Adeniyi Alao Street, Sunsun Area, Moridiyat Alao of No. 3, Adeniyi Alao Ogbomoso, Oyo State, who died on 20th Street, Sunsun Area, Ogbomoso, Oyo August, 2015 at Bowen University State. Applicants are Widower and Teaching Hospital, Ogbomoso. Children of deceased. 62. POY/619/2015: ADEWOYIN MOYOSADE 62. Adewoyin Mariam Aduke and Adewoyin Late of Ejire Street, Adewoyin House, Ayoade c/o their solicitor, Olusola O. Alliance, Oyo Town, Oyo state, who died on Sullyman Esq, Plot 14, Adelaja Street, 13th May, 2015 at St. Michael Specialist Mokola, Ibadan. Applicants are Widow Hospital, Oyo Town, Oyo State. and Son of deceased. 63. POY/621/2015: PA MUSA JOHN OKPETU 63. Mrs. Oladele Juliana Precious and Mr. Late of No. 35, Nalende Road, Ireakari, Obaseki Samuel Okpetu c/o Ade Mokola, Ibadan, who died on 4th August, Adegoke & Co, Double Crown Chambers 2015 at Home. Flat B, 2nd floor,Estate House, Opp Watershed Events Centre, Old Ife, Road, Ibadan. Applicants are children of deceased. 64. POY/624/2015: GBADEGESIN OLAYIWOLA 64. Oluwaseun Oladapo Kolawole of 11, KOLAWOLE – Late of 11, Asiwaju community, Asiwaju community, Apete, Awotan, Apete, Awotan, Ibadan, who died on 20th Ibadan. Applicant is the Son of October, 2015 at Molly Specialist Hospital, Ibadan. deceased. 65. POY/625/2015: ALIMI ABIODUN 65. Miss. Olasiji Mulibat and Mr. Olasiji Late of N3/743B, Ile Oloo, Ode Oloro, Taofeek of Ile Agee papa, Ajishian area Inalende area, Mokola, Ibadan, who died Ogbomoso. Applicants are Children of on 22nd May, 2015 at Ibadan. deceased. 66. POY/626/2015: ENGINEER OKOKHUNE 66. Okokhune Ngozi Gertrude of 9, Engineer GODWIN – Late of 9, Engineer Okokhune Okokhune close, 2nd power-line, Close, 2nd power-line, Ologuneru, Ido Ologuneru, Ido-LGA, Ibadan, Oyo State LGA, Ibadan, who died on 22nd December, Applicant is the Widow of deceased. 2014 at General Hospital, Ifaki, Ekiti State. 67. POY/ 627/2015: MRS. OLUWASEUN 67. Deacon Adeleke Bayonle Moses of No. BUKOLA OLAWAYE – Late of Monatan 5, Oduleye Street, Apata, Agbowo, Iyana Church Area, Ibadan, who died on Ibadan. Applicant is the Father of 31st July, 2012 at Ibadan. deceased. 68. POY/628/2015: AANU COMFORT OPEKE 68. Mr. Oludayo Opeke and Miss. Kikelomo Late of Plot 2, Ife Akintunde Estate, Papa, Opeke of Plot 2, Ife Akintunde Estate, Airport, Alakia, Ibadan, who died on 28th Papa, Airport, Alakia, Ibadan. Applicants November, 2014 at State Specialist Hospital, are Widower and Daughter of Akure, Ondo State. deceased. 69. POY/629/2015: OMOLAJA TAJUDEEN 69. Mrs. Faith Olufunke Opaleye c/o her OPALEYE – Late of 18, Soguro Quarters, solicitor, Biola Ladapo Esq, No. 60, Adegbayi Area, off New Ife Road, Ibadan, Iwo Road, Ibadan. Applicant is the who died on 25th December, 2012 at Widow of deceased. United Kingdom. 70. POY/630/2015: OYELAMI RAFIU OYEWOLE 70. Mrs. Ramota Rafiu Oyelami and Tawa Late of Road 22, Boluwaduro Street, Yetunde (Nee Oyelami) of Road 22, Mosfala Muslim Area, Ibadan, who died on Boluwaduro Street, Mosfala Muslim 19th March, 2015 at U.C.H Area, Ibadan. Applicants are Widow and Daughter of deceased.

Monday, 15 February, 2016 DECEASED:

SCHEDULE

APPLICANTS FOR GRANT:

71. POY/631/2015: MRS. ABOSEDE OLUKEMI 71. Mrs. Ojolum Temitope Nee Adekunle ADEKUNLE – Late of Amuda Area, and Mr. Adekunle Adeola c/o their Basorun, Ibadan, who died on 13th September, solicitor, Wole Olajire Esq, first floor 2008 at Home, Ibadan. Lister building, Ring Road, Ibadan. Applicants are Children of deceased. 72. POY/632/2015: MR. LAWAL FATAI 72. Lawal Kazeem Olakunle (Mr) and Mrs ADEBAYO – Late of No. 28, Adewole Street, Lawal Silifat Morike of No. 28, Off Airport Alakia, Ibadan, who died on Adewole Street, off Airport Alakia, 27th February, 2015 at Home. Ibadan. Applicants are Son and Widow of deceased. 73. POY/633/2015: ADETUNJI ADEBAYO JACOB 73. Adeogun Adewumi (Mrs) and Mrs. Late of Sw8/11, Odutola Street, Oke-Ado Adetunji Julianah of Sw8/11, Area, Ibadan, who died on 26th April, 2014 at Odutola Stret, Oke Ado Area, Home. Ibadan. Applicants are Daughter and Widow of deceased. 74. POY/634/2015: LASISI GANIYU 74. Sarafadeen Ganiyu and Tajudeen Late of Arubiewe Road, Olodo, Ibadan, who Ganiyu of Arubiewe Road, Olodo, Ibadan. died on 26th April, 2015 at General Hospital Applicants are Children of Moniya, Ibadan. deceased. 75. POY/635/2015: TITUS ADEGBOYEGA 75. Adenike Oni (Mrs) and Dada Ibiyemi AKANBI – Late of No. 6, Ogbagba of No. 6, Ogbagba Adifase Street, Adifase Street, Apata, Ibadan, who died on Apata, Ibadan. Applicants are Children 31st July, 2014 at Home. of deceased. 76. POY/636/2015: HAMMED AJIBADE 76. Ajibade Saheed Olasunbo and Ajibade Late of No. 15, Ilupeju Street, Olopo-Mewa, Lateef Biodun of No. 15, Ilupeju Eleyele, Ibadan, who died on 17th October, Street, Olopo-Mewa, Eleyele, Ibadan. 2015 at Home. Applicants are Children of deceased. 77. POY/637/2015: ABEL OLADEPO 77. Oladepo Idowu and Oladepo Ayobami Late of E6/380, Oke Ofa, Atipe, Ibadan, who Alaba of No 5B/1535, Akingbola,Bodija, died on 29th August, 2015 at Adeoyo and 5, Association Street, Ashi Road, Maternity Hospital, Ibadan. Bodija, Ibadan respectively. Applicants are Widow and Son of deceased. 78. POY/638/2015: MR. ADEDUNTAN FUNSHO 78. Adeduntan Oluyemisi Modupeola and Late of 2, S.K. Lawal Avenue, Oremeji Street, Adeduntan Ifejesu Iyanu of 2, S.K. Ile-Ife, Osun State, who died on 27th March, Lawal Avenue, Oremeji Street, Ile-Ife 2006 at Eko Hospital, Lagos. Osun State. Applicants are Widow and Son of deceased. 79. POY/639/2015: MADAM GRACE MORIYIKE 79. Dr. Olayide Oladipupo, Mr. Dolapo ADEBOLU – Late of Plot 7, Alhaji Ladipo Adebolu and Mr. Eyitayo Adebolu of Layout, Odo-Ona Elewe, Orita-Challenge, Plot 7, Alhaji Ladipo Layout, Odo Ibadan, who died on 29th November, 2014 at Ona Elewe, Orita Challenge, Ibadan. Lad Medical Centre, Orita Challenge, Ibadan. Applicants are Brother and Children of deceased. 80. POY/640/2015: MOFOLORUNSHO OLALEYE 80. Akintomiwa Pratt and Hon. Justice PRATT - Late of Sw9/782, Lister Road, Ring Road, Oluwatoyin Taiwo c/o High Court Ibadan, who died on 26st July, 1997 at U.C.H., of Justice, Lagos State. Applicants Ibadan. are Children of deceased. 81.

POY/641/2015: PA SAMUEL AJAYI ABIONA 81. Mrs. Abosede Toyin Akanbi-James Late of No. 2, Adeji Street, Kukumada, Ife (Nee Abiona) and Mr. Babatunde Road, Ibadan, who died on 17th September, 2015 Abiodun Abiona of No. 4, Olatunji at Ibadan. Aina Street, Olorunsogo, Molete, Ibadan. Applicants are Children of deceased. 82. POY/642/2015: MR. BAYONLE RAFIU AKANDE 82. Colonel Semiu Aderemi Akande Late of No. 2, Road 30, Basorun Estate, Akobo, (RTD), Mr. Olajide Muyideen Ibadan, who died on 16th June, 2015 at Ibadan. Akande and Mr. Adetunji Jubril Akande c/o their solicitor, Bandele A. Aiku & Co, Plot 14, Adelaja Street, Mokola, Ibadan. Applicants are Nephew and Children of deceased. 83. POY/643/2015: GANIYU AYANKUNLE 83. Ayankunle Qudus and Ayankunle Late of Onilu Compound, Oja-Oba, Iganna, Rasidat of Onilu’s compound, Ilero Oyo state, who died on 11th September, 2015 Road, Iganna and Elekuru’s at Hospital, Ibadan. compound, Ikire, Osun State respectively. Applicants are Children deceased. 84. POY/644/2015: RAUFU ADEBAYO AYINDE 84. Adenike Odunola Fawehinmi (Mrs) Late of E4/1026, Olorunsogo Akanran Road, (Nee Ayinde) of E4/1026. Olorunsogo Ibadan, who died on 2nd August, 2015 at Akanran Road, Ibadan. Applicant is Ibadan. the Daughter of deceased.

85. POY/645/2015: ABBOUD YOUSSEF 85. Late of 12, Majekodumi Street, Iyaganku, Ibadan, who died on 9th November, 2015 at Home.

Ramzi Abboud of No. 12, Majekodunmi Street, Iyaganku, Ibadan. Applicant is the Son of deceased.

86. POY/646/2015: OKEWOLE LAYI 86. Okewole Olajide (Pastor) and Late of Ile Akinsi Osupa, Ogbomoso, who Okewole Dayo David c/o their solicitor, died on 24th October, 2015 at Home. Folorunso Ahmed Esq, 2nd floor, 2nd suite, Lister Building, Ring Road, Ibadan. Applicants are Children of deceased. 87. POY/647/2015: KULA ABDULRAHMON 87. Aguda Abibat Omowumi (Mrs) and Late of 85, Gbadebo Street, Mokola, Ibadan, Abdulrahmon Fatimat Faith of 4, who died on 16th July, 2015 at Home. Ikumapayi Street, Iwo Road, Ibadan and 85, Gbadebo Street, Mokola, Ibadan respectively. Applicants are Children of deceased. 88. POY/648/2015: ADEBAYO EZEKIEL OLUFEMI 88. Adesola Akindele Oluleye and OLULEYE – Late of N5B/2015, Ojeleye’s Street, Oluwayemisi Elizabeth Ajewole c/o Bode Wasinmi, Basorun, Ibadan, who died on their solicitor, Fasomo Falola Esq, 20th April, 2014 at U.C.H, Ibadan. Genla, Gate-oje road, Ibadan. Applicants are Children of deceased 89. POY/652/2015: ADEBIMPE ADIJAT 89. Mr. Victor Adisa Adebimpe c/o OMOBONIKE – Late of No. 20, Iku Ogelekun Rolake Makanjuola Esq No. 4, Quarters, off Adegbayi Ife Road, Ibadan, who Adekola Street, Bodija, Ibadan. died on 11th October, 2014 at Hospital. Applicant is the Widower of the deceased. 90. POY/653/2015: MR. SONEYE DANIEL IDOWU 90. Mrs. Fabeyo Folasade Olajumoke, Mrs. Late of Block 2, Plot A, Makanjuola Layout, Owolabi Olufunke Oladayo, Miss Apata, Ibadan, who died on 13th February, 2014 at Soneye Oluwakemi Oladayo and Miss U.C.H. Ibadan. Soneye Oluwabukola Anuoluwapo c/o their counsel, Ayankoya Toyosi (Miss), No 78, Liberty Road, Oke-Ado, Ibadan. Applicants are Children of deceased. 91. POY/654/2015: NATHANIEL AKINKUNMI 91. Asiyanbi Abosede and Asiyanbi Babatunde ASIYANBI – Late of No. 11, Asamajana, of No. 11, Asamajana, Moniya, Moniya, Ibadan, who died on 14th August, Ibadan. Applicants are Widow and 2015 at Home. Son of deceased. 92. POY/655/2015: ADEYEMI ARIYO 92. Mrs. Taiwo Ariyo, Mr. Damilare Ariyo Late of Ariyo’s Compound, Ogundipe Street, and Mr. Olamide Ariyo c/o their solicitors Olodo-garage, Iwo road, Ibadan, who died Kola Famakinwa & Co, 81, Iwo Road, On 12th September, 2015 at Home. Ibadan. Applicants are Widow and Children of deceased. 93. POY/656/2015: ADEYEMO TEMITAYO 93. Mrs. Omolara Adeyemo and Miss. Adeola RAHMAN – Late of Nw2/134, Idi-Ikan Adeyemo c/o Barr. Olumuyiwa Street, Ibadan, who died on 5th November, Afolabi, No. 1, Kolawole Carew close, 2015 at Hospital. Oluyole estate, Ibadan. Applicants are Widow and Daughter of deceased. 94. POY/657/2015: ONI SAMUEL OMONIYI 94. Mr. Oni Timothy of Ile Adegbola Late of Ijoka Road, Akure, Ondo State, who Oremoje, Iseyin, Oyo State. Applicant died on 24th January, 2015 at Hospital. is the Son of deceased. 95. POY/658/2015: JACOB OLUSHOLA OJO 95. Shina Samuel Ojo and Damilola Remi Late of E9/746, Alarere, Iwo Road, Ibadan, Ojo of E9/746, Alarere, Iwo Road, Ibadan who died on 5th June, 2015 at Home. Applicants are Children of deceased. 96. POY/659/2015: FESTUS ARUAYE EMODE 96. Florence Oluwabukola Emode of Ifeaka Late of S7/17306, Ebu bus-stop, Olorunsogo, Gregory House, Bolaji Quarters, Oke Molete, Ibadan, who died on 11th August, Alaro, Oluyole Estate, Ibadan. Applicant 2014 at Ibadan. is the Widow of deceased. 97. POY/660/2015: ADESOYE ALADE TORIOLA 97. Tope Omowumi Toriola and Mr. Baba Late of Block 4, Lane 3, Larodo Estate, tunde Toriola of Block 4,Lane 3, Larodo Honourable House, Amuloko, Akanran Road, Estate, Honourable House, Amuloko, Ibadan, who died on 16th November, 2014 at Akanran Road, Ibadan. Applicants are Home. Children of deceased. 98. POY/661/2015: OGUNTOLA FELICIA 98. Oguntola Gbenga Felix and Oladipo TINUOLA – Late of No. 7, Onirinloye Aderonke Olayinka c/o Sunday Street, Gbekuba, Apata, Ibadan, who died on Origade Adediran & Co, Sw9/31, Apata, 24th March, 2015 at Lafia Group of Ibadan. Applicants are Children of Hospital, Ibadan. deceased. 99. POY/662/2015: DR. ROWLAND ADEREMI 99. Mrs. Margaret Adeleye, Mr. Adebola ADELEYE – Late of Plot 2, Block 12, Oba Adediran Adeleye and Miss. Oyeyemi Akinyele street, G.R.A, Agodi, Ibadan, Tolulope Adeleye of Plot 2, Block 12, who died on 10th February, 2014 at Ibadan. Oba Akinyele street, G.R.A, Agodi, Ibadan. Applicants are Widow and Children of deceased. 100. POY/663/2015: JOHN PAUL 100. Mr. Innocent Oluwadamilare John Paul Late of Joyce B Road, Ring Road, Ibadan, and Mr. Gbenga Godwin Paul c/o their who died 12th May, 2012 at Lagos State solicitors, Damilola Onabanjo, No. 51, University Teaching Hospital, Ikeja. Oremeji, Mokola, Ibadan. Applicants are Children of deceased. 101. POY/664/2015: OBA EMMANUEL 101. Prince Adesina Simeon Ajibade, Prince OSUOLALE AJIBADE – Late of Olutayo Adesakin Ajibade and Prince Oniware Palace, Iware Afijio Local Samson Mayowa Ajibade c/o Dare Government, Jobele, who died on 14th Adebayo Esq, No. 68, Iwo Road, opp February, 2013 at LUTH, Ikeja. Ibadan N.E.L.G. Area, Ibadan. Applicants are Children of deceased. 102. POY/065/2016: AUGUSTUS MEREDITH 102. Hon. Barrister Olusegun Akinloye, Mrs. ADISA AKINLOYE – Late of E8/128, Itutaba, Olukemi Ojemuyiwa and Ms. Omolara Oje, Ibadan, who died on 18th September, Akinloye of E8/128, Itutaba, Oje, Ibadan. 2007 at Ibadan. Applicants are Children of deceased. 103. POY/665/2015: CHRISTOPHER EZE 103. Onwubiko Rachel Oluchi and Onwubiko ONWUBIKO – Late of 15, Abiola Street, Okechukwu Kelechi of 15, Abiola Odo-Ona, Ibadan, who died on 10th August, Street, Odo Ona, Ibadan. Applicants are 2015 at Ibadan. Widow and Son of deceased. 104. POY/666/2015: ISAAC OLADAYO 104. Mrs. Elizabeth Omotomike Olaseha of OLASEHA – Late of 5B, Muritala Olapade 5B, Muritala Olapade Drive, winners Drive, winners way, Bashorun, Ibadan, way, Bashorun, Ibadan. Applicant is who died on Ist June, 2015 at Baltimore the Widow of deceased. Maryland, U.S.A. 105. POY/667/2015: RAFIU ASAMU 105. Jemilatu Jimoh (Nee Asamu) and Abiodun Late of E4/206F, Koloko Shop Merin, Rafiu Asamu c/o their counsel, Abdulrazaq Ibadan, who died on 30th July, 2015 at Home. A.T. Esq of 524, Salami office complex, Opp W/B B/stop, New Ife Road. Applicants are Children of deceased. 106. POY/668/2015: OWOLABI ADEKUNLE 106. Mrs. Olufunmilayo Oyenike Owolabi c/o SUNDAY – Late of Plot 14, Olorunsogo Her solicitor, Folake Omiteru, 11, Estate, Yanbule, Basorun, Ibadan, who died Omitowoju street, Adamasingba, Ibadan. 18th April, 2011 at Ibadan. Applicant is the Widow of deceased. 107. POY/669/2015: INSPECTOR ISMAILA 107. Mr. Sarafadeen Olaniba, Mr. Azeez Olaniba OLANIBA – Late of Plot 5, Bota Quarters, and Mr. Olaniba Saheed of Plot 5, Bota Liberty Academy, via Orita Challenge, Ibadan, Quarters, Liberty Academy via Orita who died on 2nd April, 2015 at Badagry Challenge, Ibadan. Applicants are Children General Hospital, Lagos State. of deceased. 108. POY/670/2015: MRS. CHRISTIANA 108. Lana Ibukunoluwa Grace and Lana Baba ADEBISI LANA – Late of No. 8, Araba tunde Adio of No. 8, Araba Redeem Redeem Oluwo, Egbeda Local government, Oluwo, Egbeda Local government, Ibadan. Ibadan, who died on 9th June, 2015 at Home. Applicants are Children of deceased. 109. POY/092/2016: SALAMI AREMU Bamidele Obajuwonlo, Muritala OBAJUNWONLO – Late of No. 2, Darlington Obajunwonlo, Lasisi Obajuwonlo and Street, Adekunle Fajuyi Road, Ibadan, who Wahabi Obajuwonlo of No. 2, died on 17th April, 1977 at His Residence. Darlington Street, Adekunle Fajuyi Road Ibadan. Applicants are Children of deceased. 110. POY/073/2016: DR. GABRIEL OLUBAYO 110. Mr. Olusola Adeleke Ayoade and Miss. AYOADE – Late of No. 4, Wadei Martins Tolani Adebola Ayoade of No. 4, Wadei Street, University of Ibadan, who died on Martins Street, University of Ibadan. 9th July, 2015 at Redeemer’s health Centre, Ibadan. Applicants are Children of deceased.

DATED THIS 12TH DAY OF FEBRUARY 2016.

Nigerian Tribune

Monday, 15 February, 2016

Lagosmetro ‘Madman’ in possession of 22 ATM cards, transfers N.7m to associate Olalekan Olabulo

N an incident reminiscent, of the Clifford Orji saga, men of the police in Lagos State have arrested a ‘madman’, who was in possession of 22 Automated Teller Machine (ATM) cards and mobile phone. The police in the preliminary investigations on the madman also recovered bank teller slips with transaction running into over N700, 000 between the arrested suspect and a yet to be identified person. The suspect, who was later identified as Lanre Jaiyeola was a few days ago arrested by operatives of the Rapid Response Squad (RRS), who were on a routine patrol in Ikoyi area of the state. The 39-year-old suspect was intercepted by the RRS operatives where he was sighted in a suspicious manner carrying a clean bag but dressed in an unkempt manner. According to one of the police officers, who arrested Jaiyeola, “when we sighted him, he appeared like a mentally sick man, but when we invited him for interrogation, he answered and responded normally to all our inquiries. Afterwards, he started straying from the normal course of our inquiry. “This raised further curiosity and we decided to check out his knapsack. What we found was startling; 22 credit cards, 1 Nokia phone with flat battery, a blackberry, a power bank, several bank tellers, and lots of invoices amidst numerous pieces of papers,” the policeman explained. He added that “On further scrutiny, we discovered that eight of the credit cards were still valid. Three would expire in 2018; another three would expire in 2017 while two would expire in 2016. All the credit cards bore different names and banks.”

Upon his arrival at the RRS Headquarters in Alausa, the suspected criminal confessed that he was only disguising as a mad man to

perpetuate some heinous acts around the axis. “Initially, we noticed that he was mentally balance because he was answering the

questions posed to him adequately, but all of a sudden, he started sounding incoherent and illogical again,” the policeman said.

The Police authority said that there is still more to what they have discovered from the self-acclaimed mad man. While interrogating him, he threatened the investigative Police officer, saying “I will make life unbearable for you if you don’t let me go. “It was at this point we realised that possibly he might have some notable Nigerians whom he was working for.” It was further learnt that the suspect was on the watch of the Police for two weeks before he was apprehended on the penultimate day,” a police source said. The suspect has since been transferred to the Special Anti Robbery Squad (SARS) of the state police command for further investigations.

Burglar who Olalekan Olabulo A yet-to-be identified suspected burglar is reported to have fallen inside a well in the building where he had gone to steal in Alagbado area of Lagos State, early last Thursday morning. The corpse of the suspected burglar was later recovered by operatives of the Lagos State Fire Service. The spokesperson of the Lagos State Police Command, Dolapo Badmus, confirmed the incident to Lagos Metro. The director of the state fire service, Rasak Fadipe, also confirmed that operatives of the agency recovered the body of the suspected burglar from the well. A police source told Lagos Metro that “the residents said that they were woken up by a loud sound from the well,” revealing that the suspect was trying to escape by jumping outside the compound through the fence but

Teenager in prison for stealing N13,000 generator AyomideOwonibiOdekanyin

The ‘madman’ arrested with 22 ATM cards and other items.

A teenager has been arrested for breaking into a house and stealing a generator worth N18, 000. The Police said 18-yearold Olajuwon Kehinde, who was arraigned before an Ejigbo Magistrate Court

One-month-old baby abandoned inside Indomie carton Olalekan Olabulo THE police at FESTAC Town police station and a leader of the Oodua People’s Congress (OPC) have rescued a-month-old baby, who was abandoned in an Indomie carton. The baby was sighted by the OPC leader in Amuwo Odofin, simply identified as Suleiman Badmus, who rescued the baby and handed her over to the police. The baby is now being cared for by a woman police sergeant, Pamela Nwabinye, who has since the discovery been playing the role of mother to the baby.

Lagos Metro gathered that the baby, who was wearing a light blue overall, was wrapped in a white shawl and carefully placed in the carton. Olabisi, a younger sister to the OPC leader, who rescued the baby, said “The baby was found close to where I sell herbs at Amuwo-Odofin. One of the OPC members heard the baby’s cries and called my brother, Badmus. The baby was inside a carton. “When I saw her, I was shocked. I felt whoever abandoned her must be crazy. Mosquitoes had bitten her face. Why would

any woman abandon her goes all out to mother the baby after she had carried baby. Pamela spends her the pregnancy for nine money a lot on abandoned months?,” she added. kids. She likes kids a lot.” Sergeant Nwabinye was said to have bought new sets of clothes, flask, feeding bottle for the baby. A police source at FESTAC police station said: “That’s how Pamela behaves with every baby rescued and brought to the station. She The abandoned one-month-old baby.

broke into a house on Alimi Street, Arobaba, Idimu, where he stole the Tiger generator. “The accused on the said date and time did break into the house of Ujiboke and stole one Tiger generator valued at N13, 000.” Though Olajuwon pleaded not guilty to the crime, the presiding Magistrate Mrs A.O. Adeyemi ordered his remand following his inability to meet the N50, 000 bail conditions. Adeyemi had admitted Olajuwon to bail in the sum of N50, 000 with a surety who must swear to an affidavit of means. However, following the inability of the accused to meet his bail terms, the court ordered his remand in prison custody and adjourned the matter till March 1. Olajuwon is facing a twocount charge of burglary and stealing. The offence contravenes Sections 305(B) and 285 (i) of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State, 2011.

Monday, 15 February, 2016

Nigerian Tribune

Edited by

Lanre Adewole

olanreade@yahoo.com

0811 695 4647

scaled fence to rob falls, dies inside well fell inside the well. The police source also added that “We are still investigating the incident.” Dolapo Badmus in a text message to Lagos Metro confirmed the incident and added that the corpse had been deposited at the mortuary for autopsy.

The Lagos police spokesperson said, “today at about 01:30 hrs, one Tosin Babatunde of 3/5 Module Ajayi Close, Alagbado came to the station and reported that same night, a man of unknown identity, suspected to be a thief scaled the fence into their com-

pound.” She continued that “as he jumped into the compound, he fell into a well and the noise woke the residents.” The Lagos police image maker also added that “we contacted the fire service and the corpse was recovered.”

Site of old BRT bus stops on Mile12-CMS corridor demolished by LAMATA to contruct state of-the-art bus stops. PHOTO: SYLVESTER OKORUWA.

Blackberry thief jailed for 6 months •Two men also jailed for 6 months for stealing women’s clothes AyomideOwonibiOdekanyin A 23-year-old, Azeez Ibrahim, has admitted stealing a Blackberry Bold 6 phone valued at N25, 000. Ibrahim who lives at 13, Buhari Street, Ikorodu, had on February 3, at about 4.30 p.m. at Abiola Gardens snatched a handbag from one Ekpe Ifeoma. Ifeoma, reported the theft at the Ojota Police Station that Ibrahim had snatched her handbag containing her Blackberry phone valued

The present dilapidated state of Obalende Police Barracks. PHOTO: SYLVESTER OKORUWA.

Reckless motorists frustrating ‘light-up Lagos’ project — Investigation Chukwuma Okparaocha The joy and euphoria that greeted Governor Akinwunmi Ambode’s light up Lagos project may be short lived as some of the newly installed streetlight poles are already getting crushed by reckless motorists. Lagos Metro during a survey of parts of Lagos, especially communities which already have streetlight poles, came up with worrisome observations which seem to suggest that the project may already be getting subjected to the ‘Nigerian factor.’ At the ever busy Pen Cinema Road at Agege area of Lagos, Lagos Metro spotted two of such newly erected poles which had been crushed by unknown vehicles. The stump of one of the poles was observed to have

been badly damaged while the second which was just a few metres away was observed to be lying on a section of the road’s median, after having been apparently knocked down by a vehicle. Lagos Metro’s latest findings seem to buttress fears earlier raised in some quarters about the sustainability and management of the project, especially given what is believed to be Lagosians’ nonchalance to public property. Lagos Metro recalls an interaction it had with a commercial bus driver at the outset of the project, who raised sceptism about the sustainability of the project. The unidentified driver had notably said, “This is not the first time we will be having such a project in Lagos. Soon, I can assure you, cars will start knocking down the

poles one after the other.” Another resident simply identified as Keji, also said that though the project was good, he remained doubtful of how many of them would still be working in a few years time. “The Third Mainland Bridge is littered with street

One of the damaged streetlight poles.

lights, but how many of them are working? It is one thing to erect poles, it is a completely different thing to maintain and sustain them,” he said. However, the Governor Akinwunmi Ambode-led government has continued to intensify efforts on the Light Up Lagos Project, an

initiative aimed at lighting up the nooks and crannies of the state. According to the State Government, already, most major highways and streets have been lit up, while massive repair of street lights is being carried out in other strategic places.

at N25,000. The police called the phone and tracked down the accused with the phone at Mile 12. Ibrahim admitted to the act when he was arraigned before an Ogudu Magistrate Court. The Magistrate, Mrs O. Sule-Amzat, sentenced him to six months in prison. She warned the convict to turn a new leaf while serving his term in prison. The offence contravened Section 285 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011. Meanwhile, two men, who stole women’s clothes, are to spend six months each behind bars. The convicts, Nuhu Sadiku, 25, and Tahiru Abdulahi, 30, who both live at Alhaji Seriki’s house, Mile 12 Market, Ketu, were caught with women clothes in commercial quantity at Ketu, Mile 12 market and were sentenced without an option of fine. The duo pleaded guilty to the charge when they were arraigned before an Ogudu Magistare Court. The Magistrate, Mrs O. Sule-Amzat, who gave the judgment, advised the convicts to engage in productive ventures instead of stealing. She said the men should be made to acquire some vocational skills like basket weaving while serving their prison terms. The offence contravened Section 327 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011 which provides a fine of N90, 000 or imprisonment for six months.

businessnews

Monday, 15 February, 2016

N4.5bn appropriated for railway transport meagre —Senate Tola Adenubi- Lagos

HE Senate Committee on Lands Transport has bemoaned the N4.5 billion appropriated for the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) in 2016. Speaking during an oversight visit to the corporation recently, the chairman of the committee, Senator Olugbenga Ashafa, wondered what the corporation will do with such meagre amount when its overhead cost currently stands at N399 million. According to him, “having had the benefit of listening to presentations by the Minister of Transportation, Managing Director of the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) and all other stakeholders at the budget defense before the committee on the 3rd and 4th of February 2016 as regards the level of work done and the budgetary performance of the 2015 appropriation, it is now imperative that we as a committee conduct our own on-the-spot assessment of all the paper work submitted and defended before us. “The budget earmarked for the construction of railway in Nigeria has signifi-

cantly increased looking at the totality of the budget as presented for the Ministry of Transportation by the Minister of Transport. “The ministry’s budget increased from N566m appropriated in 2015 to the sum of N90 billion as proposed by the Presidency for

2016. However, in the 2016 budget, the amount earmarked for land transport as it relates to the Nigerian Railway Corporation is only N4.5 billion. “What N4.5 billion can do in a year when the corporation has an overhead cost of N399 million, really i don’t

know. The NRC nationwide has total staff strength of about 9,700 workers. The task of moving from a single tract rail lines to the standard gauge before attempting to explore possibility of electronic rail system depends on all of us. “In advanced countries,

they have gone beyond the standard gauge lines and are already exploring e-rail system, the type that you find in China, some part of India, England and the USA. There is nothing stopping us from getting to that level. We have to look at where we are now and then

THE Bank of Industry(BoI) has accredited 186 external auditors to help Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) prepare reliable financials as it plans to disburse N10 billion in 2016 fiscal year. The 186 accredited auditors are members of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN) and Association of National Accountants of Nigeria (ANAN). Notwithstanding the fact that the Company and Allied Matters Act(CAMA) prescribes that all firms prepare annual audited accounts, stated that it appointed its own external auditors with a view to ascertaining the reliability of financials submitted before it by SMEs. Speaking at the induction of the external auditors in Abuja at the weekend, BoI Managing Director, Mr Rasheed Olaoluwa pointed out that the appointment of the auditors was part of the bank’s strategies to develop an ecosystem of credible developmental

set a vision for ourselves. “In the light of the foregoing, the actualisation of the rehabilitation of Lagos to Kano, and rail line from single gauge to standard gauge is very imperative. So is also making more rolling stocks available on the successfully rehabilitated and functional rail lines.” “On our part as senators holding the mandate of our constituents, we are totally committed to the actualisation of President Mohammed Buhari’s change agenda, a change that must be felt in the area of land transport of the nation.

Non oil exports: EU laments Nigeria’s inability to enjoy EPA benefits Gbola Subair -Abuja

From left, Executive Director Small and Medium Enterprises (SME) Bank of Industry (BoI), Waheed Olagunju; Divisional Head SME South Bank of Industry, Abdulganiyu Muhammed; Divisional Head Management Services Bank of Industry, Mike Esoyu; and Suleman Suleman, during the presentation of certificate to the participants, at the BoI Vocational Skills Competition, Kaduna Centre, held in Kaduna State, at the weekend.

186 external auditors for SMEs as BoI earmarks N10bn loans for 2016 Gbola Subair -Abuja

Nigerian Tribune

partners to help SMEs in this country. Olaoluwa pointed out that the move became necessary so that the bank will have a reliable financials to work with when considering loan applications from SMEs, stressing that the bank had discovered that most of the financials were, more often than not, doctored. “The idea is to ensure the integrity of the financial component of the loan applications that come to the

bank. We have discovered that most of the loan applications are doctored. Some even go to non-accountant to prepare their financials for them. Some chartered accountant have also seen to compromise on the professional ethics by conspiring with business promoters to falsify figures.” “They have different financials: one for the bank, one for themselves and one for the tax man. However, by coming up with this list of accredited auditors, we

want reliable financials that we can work with. We involved ICAN and ANAN in the process,” the BoI MD said. Urging the accredited external auditors to uphold the tenets of their professional duties by ensuring that they discharge their services to their customers in line with the global best practices, Olaoluwa said the bank would not hesitate to report any auditor that compromise on the line of duty to their respec-

Don urges key performance indicators in public private partnership projects A lecturer in the Department of Building and Quantity Surveying, Joseph Ayo Babalola University, Ikeji Arakeji, Osun State, Mr Solomon Okrong, has called on the Federal Government to investigate the level of importance of key performance indicators for public private partnership projects. Okrong, whjo said this while delivereing a paper, established that key performance indicators for public private partnership

projects could be used to monitor public private partnership project performance. Speaking at a seminar organised by the College of Environmental Sciences of the institution, the lecturer stated that although all of the 48 performance indicators were important and could be used to monitor project performance, the significance of the indicators from the five packages vary and contribute differently to

the overall project performance. Okrong urged all stakeholders to assign greater value to decision making in the early stages of development stating that it would help process control during project implementation. Present at the event, included, the Dean, College of Environmental Sciences, Dr. Olusegun Oriye, other lecturers and staff members of the college.

tive accounting body. Providing update on the bank’s activities, Olaoluwa pointed out that there had been consistent increase in loan disbursement to SMEs in the last two years. According to him, while there was an increase in loan disbursement to the SMEs from N1.8bn in 2014 to N5.6bn in 2015, non performing loan(MPL), dropped from 18 per cent to about 4.01 per cent in the same period. On how the bank was able to bring down the MPL, Olaoluwa attibuted it to the bank’ aggressive debt collection drive and the bank’s determinstion to partner with credible and quality customers . “Previously, the annual disbursement over 13 years period (2001 to 2014) was N1.8bn. We did N5.6bn last year which represents about 208 per cent increase, above what has been done annually. We are starting this year hoping that we can double the figure. Our ability to do so depend on you substantially.” he said.

THE European Union has called on Nigeria to avail itself of the letters of the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) between the European Union and the West Africa sub-region, Nigeria, it says does not currently benefit from this while her neighbours Ghana and Cote d’ivoire do. This position was made clear when the Head of Delegation of European Union to Nigeria and to the ECOWAS, Ambassador Michel Arrion paid a visit to the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr Okechukwu Enelamah in Abuja. Ambassador Arrion said the agreement widens Nigeria’s present opportunities for increasing exports to the EU and with a wider range of products granted duty free EU access to encourage greater diversification of Nigeria exports, unfortunately, he said Nigeria is yet to tap the benefits. Emphasising the importance of Nigeria as a power house in the continent, Mr Arrion added that generous rules of origin for sourcing inputs means Nigerian businesses can also more easily incorporate parts or process goods from other countries without their exports losing the benefit of duty free EU access. The Ambassador said this will improve Nigeria’s ability to benefit from opportunities to export to EU and further increase capacity to participate in global value chains.

businessnews

Monday, 15 February, 2016

Nigeria’s inflation steady at 9.6% in January Chima Nwokoji-Lagos

IGERIA’S consumer inflation held steady in January versus December at 9.6 per cent, data from the National Bureau of Statistics showed on Sunday. Food inflation was also steady at 10.6 per cent in January compared with the previous month. According to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), “in January, the change in levels recorded by Consumer Price Index (CPI) which measures inflation held at a constant pace relative to January, increasing by 9.6 per cent.” The Consumer Price Index (CPI) measures the average change over time in prices of goods and services consumed by people for day-to-day living. The construction of the CPI combines economic theory, sampling and other statistical techniques using data from other surveys to produce a weighted measure . While divisions such as food and non-alcoholic beverages, clothing and Footwear, and others increased at a faster pace in the month, relative to December 2015, the Headline index was weighed upon by slower increases in other major divisions such as housing water, electricity. gas and other fuels; and furnishings & household equipment maintenance. Nigeria’s consumer price inflation stood at 9.6 percent year-on-year in December, up 0.2 percentage points from November, and still above the central bank’s target upper limit of nine percent. A report by NBS stated that the pace of increases in food prices as recorded by the food sub-index increased at the same pace in January as in December, increasing by 10.6 per cent (year-on-year). “During the month, all major food groups which contribute to the Food sub-

index increased at a faster pace with the exception of the fruit vegetables; potatoes, yam & other tubers; sugar, jam, honey, chocolate and Confectionery groups. After increasing at the same pace for the third consecutive month, the ‘All Items less farm produce’ or

core sub- index edged marginally higher, increasing by 8.8 per cent in January 2016 from 8.7 per cent in December 2015,” it stated. The Core sub-index was supported by multiple divisions which contribute to the index such as Transport, Communication, Education and others.

STAKEHOLDERS in the Nigerian economy have disagreed over which exchange rate governs decision-making between parallel and inter-bank exchange rate. At a colloquium organized by online news medium, The Cable, on whether or not to devalue the naira, participants disagreed

es in imported food prices which rate of change continues to surpass previous years’ highs, the pace of increases in food prices as recorded by the Food Sub-index increased at the same pace for the second consecutive month in January by 10.6 per cent.

The MD/CE, Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC), Alhaji Umaru Ibrahim (centre), assisted by Executive Director Operations, Prince Aghatise Erediauwa, and Director Finance, Ms. Diana Okonta, making a presentation during the NDIC’s 2016 Budget defence session before the House Committee on Insurance and Actuarial Matters led by the Chairman Hon Olufemi Fakeye.

IGR: Fidelity Bank rakes in over N300bn in 10yrs Chima Nwokoji-Lagos

FIDELITY Bank Plc has made a cumulative collections of over N300 billion in Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) for all the three tiers of government over a period of 10 years. This analysts said is significant in view of the steep decline in monthly federal allocations to both state and local governments precipitated by the free fall in global oil prices and the need for states to meet their respective revenue mobilisation target in the 2016 fiscal year. Speaking at the inaugural edition of the Anambra State Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) Summit held in Awka, weekend, Managing Director/Chief executive Officer, Fidelity

Bank Plc., Nnamdi Okonkwho said that the bank had attained this feat by simply driving efficiency in the revenue collection process. According to the bank chief, the lender is properly positioned to play dominant roles in Nigeria’s Electronic Payments and Services Market. “We pioneered informal sector IGR collections with our successful deployment of the Point of Sale (PoS) terminal tax Collections

with a roar to the answer given by Mr Moses Tula, the Director of Monetary Policy at the Central Bank of Nigeria(CBN). Tule had said that interbank exchange rate dominates decision making. Meanwhile the Naira has hit a record low of N325 to the US dollar on the parallel market as desperate importers scrambled for dollars to meet their obligations overseas.

in Abia, Imo and Sokoto states,” Okonkwo stated. This model, he explained has also been requested for and adopted by other state governments. “As a bank, we deployed Automated Electronic Motor Vehicle License to Sokoto, Anambra, Abia and Kano states. We also successfully deployed the first electronic collection solutions for Ondo State (IGR), Anambra and Abia State

Land Registry Automation Processes,” adding that the conference could not have come at a better time, given the present economic situation. Reflecting on the mood of the country, Okonkwo stressed the need for all tiers of government to seek alternative sources of revenue generation to meet financial obligations and live up to the expectations of the citizenry.

Don’t decree job security, NECA warns FG Tunde Dodondawa-Lagos

THE Nigeria Employers’ Consultative Association (NECA) has warned the Federal Government not to decree job security. Speaking to the Nige-

Interbank, parallel market, stakeholders disagree on which rate dominates Chima Nwokoji-Lagos

On a month-on-month basis, the Headline Index increased at a slower pace in January relative to December. The index increased by 0.9 per cent, marginally lower from 1.0 per cent in December as most contributing divisions slowed. Driven in part by increas-

The Naira closed at N318 against the dollar on Wednesday, after hitting N313.5 and 310 on Tuesday and Monday respectively. “The dollar is falling because importers need forex to bring in their goods. They cannot keep on folding their arms because there is scarcity; they must keep buying; the only thing is that the quantity may reduce,” a forex dealer said.

rian Tribune on Sunday, the Director-General of NECA, Mr Olusegun Oshinowo, stated that “job security cannot be decreed by ministerial pronouncements but can only be encouraged and promoted through strong macroeconomic fundamentals and an enabling environment.” He also kicked against the position of the Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige, on his directive to private sector employers, especially the oil and gas companies, against sack of workers even in the face of dwindling oil price at the international market and massive loss of profitability by the businesses. “We have noted the recent meetings of the Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr Chris Ngige,

with employers’ representatives in some sectors of the economy and his directive not to retrench. The Minister seems not to have shown an understanding of the fundamentals of managing a business in an economy that has been bedevilled by a drastic fall in the price of crude oil, scarcity of foreign exchange and gross erosion of purchasing power. The truth is that retrenchment is not a palatable option for any business. No employer will take pleasure in declaring redundant employees which it has invested in developing over the years.” Oshinowo reminded the minister that it is part of the inalienable right of an employer to determine the optimal staff level it will need to sustain its operations.

Nigerian Tribune

Dangote launches 8,000 hectares of rice outgrowers scheme •To provide 10,000 jobs

AS the government turns attention to agriculture to ease the pressure on the economy and create jobs, President of Dangote Group at the weekend flagged off his multibillion Naira 8000 hectares of Rice Outgrowers Scheme in Hadejia, Jigawa state as part of his partnership with governments at all levels to reduce food imports. The launch of the Scheme marked with the distribution of rice seedlings to the benefitting farmers is with potential to provide direct jobs for 5000 farmers and another 5000 indirect jobs for various scheme dependants. The rice project being executed by Dangote Rice Limited and expected to be replicated in six other states of the federation is a fallout of memorandum of understanding signed between Dangote and the Federal Government on one hand and the Jigawa State government on the other. Speaking shortly before he made the distribution, Alhaji Dangote explained that Nigeria depended on Agriculture for economic development before the discovery of oil noting that oil was meant to complement the agric but sadly the nation abandoned agric and concentrated on oil. “Before the discovery of oil, our economic was built around potential from our palm oil, groundnut, cotton, and rubber plantations. Now the price of oil has plummeted from a peak of $116 per barrel in June 2014 to as low as $29 per barrel in January 2016, this means there is huge loss of revenue to the government,” he lamented. Justifying his decision to delved into agriculture, Dangote said Nigerian agricultural commodities and food imports bills has averaged over One Trillion Naira in the past two years (2013 and 2014), with foods like sugar, wheat, rice, fish accounting for 93 per cent of the total, cost of imports, a situation he described as unacceptable for any one who loves the country. He stated that the huge amounts were being expended on food items that the country has potential to produce locally with attendant losses of employment generation and wealth creation opportunities. “Yet the allocation of foreign exchange to import these items depleted the foreign reserves continually.”

12 news

Monday, 15 February, 2016

Shi’ite: CESJET writes US Embassy over Iran’s actions Collins Nnabuife -Abuja

HE Centre for Social Justice, Equity and Transparency (CESJET) has petitioned the United States (US) Embassy over attempts by the Iranian government to promote insurgency and undermine the sovereignty of Nigeria. CESJET, in a petition dated February 3, said the Shi’ite group had constituted itself into a parallel authority, with no regards for the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. The organisation, through its Diplomatic Affairs Representative, Philip Agbese, said the actions of the Iranian government had been targeted at promoting insurgency and encouraging breach of peace just to bring Nigeria to her kneels. “It is noteworthy to state that the Shi’ite hitherto, constitutes itself into a parallel authority, with no regards for the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, as residents of Zaria, Kaduna State and its environs had been living under the reign of terror of the Shi’ite. “Human lives are sacred and for us in Nigeria, the lives of Nigerians and foreign nationals resident in Nigeria are more precious. Countries and organisations issued statements in the wake of the crisis made the reasonable suggestion that a probe committee be set up to investigate the root causes of the unfortunate incident and also to prevent a recurrence. “To some extent, one may assume that some of those who made such calls have history of assisting Nigeria in other areas and wanted to safeguard fundamental

human rights. “Our worry, however, is that the Islamic Republic

of Iran has been strident in its interference with Nigeria’s internal affairs, to an

extent that it has chosen to use the Shi’ite-Army clash as a pretext to foist itself

on Nigeria as imperial masters. Iran has through diverse avenues sought to

From left, Senator Olamilekan Solomon of Lagos West senatorial district; Lagos State governor, Mr Akinwumi Ambode; CPS, Lagos State, Mr Habib Aruna; Oyo State governor, Senator Abiola Ajimobi; former Speaker, Lagos State House of Assembly, Honourable Adeyemi Ikuforiji and others, at the final burial ceremony of Alhaji (Chief) Adamson Aruna, held at Trans Amusement Park, Old Airport, Ibadan, on Saturday. PHOTO: ALABA IGBAROOLA.

Family of 7 killed at Taraba, Plateau boundary A family of seven, including an unborn baby, have been confirmed killed in an attack on Gidan Sarkin Noma in lbbi Local Government Area of Taraba State, a boundary between Plateau and Taraba states. The state Police Public Relations Officer, Joseph Kwaji, said the incident happened on Friday, at

about midnight. Kwaji said: “The Divisional Police in charge of the area, including the Divisional Police Officer, have been drafted to the area, which is the boundary of Plateau and Taraba states.” An eyewitness, Mallam Ilayasu Sabo, said: “We were forced to run inside River Benue and cross to

the other side of the river, because the attackers came with sophisticated weapons, shooting randomly.” Sabo said the affected family were given mass burial, as their bodies were badly affected. According to him: “Another person was killed yesterday at Gungun Abdullahi by the same at-

tackers suspected to be Jukun Bannu.” A relation of the one of the victims, Kabiru Usman Jibbu, said: “People in the area are now living in fear, as no one knows whether the attackers will revisit.” Jibbu called on the authority of Ibbi Local Government Area and the Special Military Task Force

in Plateau State to intensity patrol of the affected boundary, to avoid further killing. The people of the boundary between Plateau and Taraba states have not known peace, following the hostilities that resulted in the killing of seven soldiers in the area by some militias last year.

CNPP demands reinstatement of sacked VC Collins Nnabuife -Abuja

THE Conference of Nigerian Political Parties (CNPP) has urged the Federal Government to reinstate the vice chancellor of the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN), Professor Vincent Tenebe and three others, whose tenure were yet to elapse, but were erroneously included among the

12 vice chancellors recently sacked. The CNPP, in a statement by its Secretary-General, Chief Willy Ezugwu, also condemned the “erroneous” inclusion of the name of the vice chancellor of NOUN, Professor Tenebe in the sack notice, adding that his tenure was yet to elapse. It stated that the action

of the Federal Government contravened laid down rules and could lead to industrial unrest in the education sector. He stressed that the Governing Council empowered by law to recommend the sack of the NOUN VC had not recommended such action, hence the action of the government ran against the

rule of law, which the current administration had sworn to uphold. The CNPP urged President Muhammadu Buhari to immediately call the Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu to order, stressing that the action of the minister would only attract more chaos in our universities. Ezugwu said the CNPP and

Ondo @ 40: Anyaoku chairs symposium, as Bruce, Sanni, others speak Former Commonwealth Secretary-General, Chief Emeka Anyaoku, has been named chairman of a symposium being organised by the Ondo State government, as part of activities marking the seventh anniversary of the Olusegun Mimiko-led administration and the 40th anniversary of the creation of the state. Senators Ben Murray Bruce and Shehu Sanni; former Information Minister, Labaran Maku; Afenifere Publicity Secretary;Yinka Odumakin, with women activist, Yodama Bukar Mandara, have also been named

bring Nigeria under undue pressure to compromise its own sovereignty. “Even though the issuance of statements by countries and organisations calling for thorough investigation into the incident was followed by calm, ostensibly to enable Nigerian authorities probe what went wrong, Iran has done everything possible to exacerbate the situation. “Their actions have been targeted at promoting insurgency and encouraging breach of peace, just to bring Nigeria to her knees. Little wonder, Iran recently resorted to warning Nigeria over what they described as “high handedness” of the Nigerian Army in handling an affair that was purely Nigerian and even called on members of the Shi’ite to attack strategic government institutions in revenge,” the centre said.

as discussants at the symposium, with the theme: “Containing Nigeria’s Centrifugal Forces.” Addressing newsmen in Akure, the state capital, on Sunday, the state Commissioner for Information, Kayode Akinmade, said the symposium was scheduled for The Dome, Akure, on February 24. He said activities marking the ongoing anniversary, which kicked-off penultimate Monday, had so far been successful, adding that the photo exhibition held earlier, as part of the event, was of great histori-

cal value. He said people took advantage of the exhibition to familiarise themselves with details of some past historical events in the state. Akinmade added that the photo exhibition also narrated the story of the strides, leadership successions, trajectory of development, political emancipation, socio-economic transformation of the state overtime, among others. Other activities lined up for the double celebration, he mentioned included a Command performance put together by renowned liter-

ary icon, Professor Kunle Omotosho, interactive session by the state governor, Dr Mimiko with various interest groups, as well as the commissioning of about 26 special projects scattered across the three senatorial districts of the state. Congratulating the people of the state over the celebration, the commissioner said as a people, “we have over the years gone through thick and thin, with moments of ups and down, twists and turns, moments of grief and joy, low ebbs, as well as periods of victory and triumphs,

in the course of the journey towards achieving our collective dream and fulfilment. “We have today attained a sure footing on account of the efforts of our heroes past, shared determination and resolute commitment of the crop of leadership in Ondo State, not only to make our today better than our yesterday, but deliberately establishing an enduring legacy for a sustainable future, hence, the essence of putting on record this landmark turning point of a double celebration,” he said.

other civil society organisations would, on Wednesday, stage a peaceful protest in Abuja, to call for his resignation. It will be recalled that Minister of Education, Mallam Adamu Adamu had in a short statement on Saturday, simply said President Buhari had approved the appointment of new vice chancellors for the universities. But the CNPP described the actions of the minister as reckless, while also faulting “the deliberate decision of the minister to replace the vice chancellors with his northern kinsmen.” The CNPP said the action of the minister contravened the University Miscellaneous Act No.25, 1996 and further amended in 2003 and 2012, respectively and other agreements, as contained in the 2009 FGN staff union agreement. He pointed that four out of the 12 newly appointed vice chancellors are from Kano University, an action he said was a clear violation of the federal character principle.

Monday, 15 February, 2016

news

Monday, 15 February, 2016

Nigerian Tribune

Boko Haram fighters trained in Somalia —President Sheikh Mohamud

OKO Haram sect fighters were trained in Somalia, Africa’s eastern coast, before returning to West Africa, Somalia’s president told a security conference in Germany on Sunday. Somalia, plagued by political in-fighting, corruption and attacks by al Shabaab insurgents, has recently made limited progress towards creating a functioning political system, President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud said, according to Reuters. “Without a stable Somalia, the whole region of the Horn of Africa will remain unstable and by and large, the African continent. There are proofs and evidence that for some time, Boko Haram has been trained in Somalia and they went back to Nigeria,” he said. “The terrorists are so linked together, they are associated and so organised, that we the world need to be so organised,” he said. According to Reuters, it was not clear from his comments whether he believed al Shabaab was still training Boko Haram fighters, who have pledged allegiance to Islamic State

militants in Syria and Iraq. Somalia’s al Shabaab,

which has links to al Qaeda and wants to overthrow

Leon Usigbe - Abuja

AGAINST the backdrop of plans to rehabilitate the region, the presidency on Sunday announced that the Federal Government, the World Bank, European Union, and the United Nations have concluded a twoweek recovery and assessment mission in the north eastern states ravaged by the Boko Haram insurgency. It came as part of its ongoing Recovery and Peace Building Assessment (RPBA) programme. According to a statement issued by Laolu Akande, the Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity to Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, in Abuja, on Sunday, the recovery and assessment team which was led by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), Dr Mariam Masha, visited Adamawa, Taraba, Gombe, Bauchi, Borno and Yobe states during which they actively engaged with state governors, decision-makers as well as top government functionaries, Civil

Society Organisations, private sector players, traditional rulers, the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), emergency management, humanitarian and relief agencies and other active partners in the recovery efforts in the affected states. The statement said in the course of the tour, the team visited several camps and resettlement centres for the IDPs as well as insurgency– ravaged public institutions like hospitals, markets and military formations. The team also gained first hand knowledge of human and physical conditions in the camps and resettlement centres affording them the opportunity to empathize with the people and also reassured them of the commitment of the Muhammadu Buhari-led administration towards addressing their challenges. According to the statement, in furtherance of the importance of the recovery and assessment mission, the team’s top level engagements with relevant stakeholders centred on sector recovery and needs assessment strategy in the three

military to sustain the successes so far recorded. “We want everybody to help us to support the peace that is emerging. “The peace is more enduring and more gratifying for us in Borno and other parts of the North-East of Nigeria,’’ Ezugwu said. He commended the Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) as well as NonGovernment Organisations (NGOs) that have been partnering with the mili-

tary toward the success of the counter-insurgency operation. “I thank traditional rulers and NGOs that are stakeholders in the fight against insurgency. “Their accurate information, their support and advice to us have given rise to a growing civil/military relationship that is existing between the military and the authorities in our areas of operations,’’ Ezugwu said.

major components of infrastructure and social services, peace building, stability and social cohesion as well as the economic recovery of the affected people in the six states. It added that the visit by the technical and humanitarian experts from these critical global institutions primarily focused on validating the processes through which data are to be collected and how to develop internationally acceptable mechanisms to maintain contact with focal points in all the states.

month that punched a hole in the fuselage of a plane.

returned. “The people have engaged in irrigation farming in most of the communities, while business activities have picked up in the village markets,” he said. The chairman said except Buni Yadi, headquarters of the local government, most of the communities had returned and engaged in various means of livelihood. “As you know, Buni Yadi has since been liberated and occupied by the security but, they have not authorised residents to return.

“Although the people are anxious to go back, the security forces are still clearing the town to ensure that it is free from explosive devices that might have been planted by the insurgents when they occupied the town,” he said. Musa also said trading activities had also improved in Wagir, adding “we have recorded increase in livestock trade in Wagir after the liberation of the area.” He commended the military/civilian relationship in the liberated communities,

The statement recalled that the Federal Government had last month unveiled this assessment programme which is a joint, high-level collaboration between the government of Nigeria and development partners - the World Bank, EU and the UN - aimed at supporting government in its short, medium and long term efforts towards peace building and sustainable recovery in the North-East region of the country. It is a follow up to the agreements reached with the North-East states in

respect of the sector and component work plans, data collection modalities and timelines and provision of quantitative and qualitative information by the states. This assessment will also form the pivot for planning a broad-based public sector recovery programme for the zone, as well as leverage, synchronise and inform the financing initiatives and projects of Nigeria’s development partners, civil society organisations and private sector groups and organisations.

Normal business activities resume in Mubi NORMAL business activities have resumed in the commercial border town of Mubi, Adamawa, one year after its invasion by the Boko Haram insurgents, the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reported. The Chairman, Mubi Chamber of Commerce, Alhaji Abdulkadir Musa, said this in an interview with NAN on Sunday. “We are grateful to God. Business activities have now resumed in Mubi, we are even experiencing shortage of shops, as you can see some people are displaying their goods at the roadsides,” Musa said. He said traders were now coming to the town from the Cameroon, Chad and Central African republics. He said that the state government had commenced the reconstruction of parts of Mubi main market affected by fire that was ignited by the insurgents. The chairman said that most banks had reopened in the town, while cattle and grain dealers, particularly those from the southern part of the country, had also returned to the town. He thanked the state gov-

Yobe IDPs return home, engage in irrigation ACTING Chairman, Gujba Local Government of Yobe, Alhaji Mai Musa, said people who fled the area due to the Boko Haram insurgency had returned to their respective communities and engaged in irrigation farming. Musa disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Damaturu. He said residents of Wagir, Nyakire, Mutai, Buni Gari, Gujba, Katarko and Garin Itace, who fled their communities, had mostly

of Islamic law, claimed responsibility for a blast this

FG, W/Bank, EU, UN complete assessment of North-East

Military winning war against terror —GOC THE military says it is winning the war against terrorism in spite of some challenges. Brigadier General Victor Ezugwu, GOC, 7 Division of Nigerian Army, Maiduguri, stated this while speaking with newsmen in Maiduguri. “We are winning the war. We are bringing the war to conclusion, very soon,’’ Ezugwu said. He, however, said that Nigerians must support the

the Somali government and impose a harsh version

saying it had strengthened mutual trust between the army and the host communities. “Members of the host communities have constituted vigilance groups working closely with the army and, this has recorded tremendous success in identifying the insurgents and effectively fighting them,” the chairman said. He said the resettlement of people in the reclaimed areas had consolidated the success recorded by the military over insurgents.

ernment for awarding 14 road projects “to further open up” the town, but urged the Federal Government to rehabilitate the federal road linking the area to other parts of the country to facilitate flow of goods and people to the market. “I also call on the Federal Government to further improve power supply and access to loan by our members to boost small scale industries here,” Musa said. The chairman lauded the role of security agencies in

restoring peace in Mubi, saying that since the recapture of the town from the insurgents, there had not been any serious breach of the peace. NAN correspondent who visited the town reported that apart from the resumption of normal socioeconomic activities in the town and its environs, all the three tertiary institutions in the town: Adamawa State University, the Federal Polytechnic, Mubi, and the School of Health Technology, have resumed full academic activities.

4 injured in attack on Gombe rural community THE Gombe State Police Command has confirmed that four persons were injured in an attack on residents of Kinafa, a rural community in Yemaltu/Deba Local Government Area. Its Public Relations Officer, Mr Fwaji Atajiri, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Gombe on Sunday that no one was killed in the attack suspected to be carried out by youths from a neighbouring village. “Four people were injured in the attack that occurred on Saturday; no one was killed; but we are already investigating the matter,’’ he said. The official said that normalcy had returned to the area, adding that policemen were patrolling the villages, while residents were going on with their normal businesses. He refused to confirm or deny speculations as to where the attackers had come from, choosing not to “pre-empt ongoing investigation.” “When we are through with investigation, we will

let you know,’’ he told NAN. Alhaji Haruna Samanja, the Chairman of the Local Government, who also confirmed the incident, said that he had reported it to the police “immediately I heard it.” Samanja, said however, that he met 11 persons being treated of wounds from the attack, when he visited the specialist hospital in Gombe. “The wounded persons included the District Head of Kinafa, Malam Musa Inuwa; two victims were referred to the Federal Teaching Hospital, Gombe, because their situation was bad and they needed some surgery,” he explained. He said he had visited the two communities to speak with them on the need for peaceful co-existence, and warned that anyone found culpable would face the law. The chairman attributed the violence to clashes over farmlands for irrigation purpose. The District Head of Kinafa told NAN that the attackers met him at the farm.

news

Monday, 15 February, 2016

Army parades 4 suspected criminals in Rivers community

As Wike restricts okada operations in 4 LGs Dapo Falade - Port Harcourt

HE Nigerian Army, on Sunday, paraded four men suspected to be criminals operating in Ulakwo community in Etche Local Government Area of Ruvers State. The suspects, whose ages ranged between 23 and 35, were arrested, following a raid operation by men and officers of the 2 Brigade, Bori Camp, Port Harcourt, in the early hours of last Friday. Paraded along with the suspects, were weapons said to have been recovered from them, including two Pump Action rifles, one locally-made dane gun and four cartridges. Speaking with newsmen during the parade, Assistant Director, Army Public Relations, 2 Brigade, Captain Eli Lazarus, said preliminary investigation had been conducted, adding that the suspects would be handed over to the Department of State Security (DSS), for further investigation. He said the military was working in concert with other security agencies to curb community disturbances, kidnapping, cultism, robbery and other crimes in the state. "Crime in the state comes in different forms. We will continue to deal with the situation as they arise. Criminals are, therefore, warned to turn away from crime and engage themselves in productive ventures. Otherwise, they will face the full wrath of the law", he said.

Meanwhile, Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State has ordered the restriction of the operation of commercial motorcyclists, popularly called 'okada' to between 500pm and 800am daily in four local government areas of the state for security reasons. The restriction, which

is indefinite, takes effect from Sunday in the affected local council areas, including Abua/Odual, Ahoada East, Ahoada West and Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Wike, in a statement issued by his special assistant (electronic media), Simeon Nwakaudu, on Sunday, directed security

agencies in the state to enforce the restriction order. The governor expressed any inconvenience the restriction would cause residents, businesses and commercial motorcyclists and called for the cooperation of the people with the state government and security agencies to improve

From left, Director, Thompson and Grace Investments Limited, Mrs Uduak Amos; Group Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Dr Isaac Thompson Amos and the Armin Huttenlocher, Risk Management Consultant for the Thompson and Grace Medical City projects, at the groundbreaking ceremony of the company’s Medical City, in Afaha Obong, Akwa Ibom State, on Thursday.

Benue rerun: Ex-senatorial candidate drums up support for Mark Johnson Babajide - Makurdi A former senatorial candidate for Benue South senatorial district, on the platform of the defunct All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP), Alhaji Usman Abubakar, has given reasons for supporting former Senate president, Senator David Mark.

Speaking to newsmen in Otukpo, on Sunday, in preparation for Saturday rerun between Mark and his opponent in the All Progressives Congress (APC), Mr Daniel Onjeh, Abubakar, who had been a standing political foe of Mark simce 2003, stated that the Idoma nation

would not allow any external force to impose leader on them, describing Onjeh as an impostor by people outside the zone. While showing APC candidate's Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) document, which was signed by Senator George

Moro flays Ortom on development in Benue Johnson Babajide - Makurdi THE immediate past Minister of Interior, Abba Moro, has taken a swipe at Benue State governor, Chief Samuel Ortom, accusing him of mortgaging the future of the state. Moro, who said this during an interview with newsmen at the burial of former Governor Gabriel Suswam's grand- mother, at the weekend, alleged that the governor had borrowed over N59 billion and has not translated to development in the s tate. "This administration is ruining Benue and mortgaging its future. Workers are owed three months salary. They are even short-changed. Most governors, including APC governors are embarking on several projects while Ortom-led government is merely embarking on propaganda. Governance should begin. Benue is a disaster

the security situation in the affected local councils. It will be recalled that there had been an increase in crime rate in the four local government areas in recent times, even as cultists struck in Omoku , last Friday night, killing about 15 people, beheading some of the victims in the process.

waiting to happen," he said. He also frowned at the war on corruption drive by the current administration, describing it as lopsided, arguing that it is not transparent.

"The corruption fight should be carried out transparently and with the fear of God. Justice must be seen to be done to those arrested. Partisanship would be a ma-

jor affront to the governor. I hope Suswam and others gets justice at the end. Suswam tried his hands in the development of state", Moro said.

‘Women, role models in Nigeria’s political system’ By Adewale Oshodi WOMEN have been described as role models in Nigeria’s political system as far as corruption is concerned, since they rarely involve in the evil act, which has drained the country of its commonwealth and left the economy on the brink of collapse. This was said by Philip Samuel, the Country Coordinator of the United States Transparency International Standard Organisation (USTISO), during a symposium tagged: “Highlighting contributions of world women in politics,” held at the Nigerian Insti-

tute of International Affairs (NIIA), Lagos, last Wednesday. Nigerian women in politics are rarely involved in corruption cases and they help in reshaping policy agenda as well as highlighting women’s rights in the society, “and this makes them positive agents to tackle corruption in the country,” he said. In her speech at the forum, Ms Olapeju Olayemi, the Co-director of Feedusback Channel and a women’s rights activist, while admitting the submission of Samuel, said the organisation would soon be projecting 100 Nigerian wom-

en in the Who is Who of World Women in Politics, which is being compiled to celebrate this year’s International Women’s Day next month. “The compilation is just to document the progress made by ordinary women, who have played significant role in promoting democracy all over the world. “We hope this compilation will also encourage more women to go into politics so as to bring about sanity to the political system in the country which has been ruined by men who have held it by the jugular since independence in 1960,” she said.

Akume, a Tiv man and one Samuel Asulakwa, as Onjeh referees in INEC form to buttress his point, Abubakar said Akume only wanted to extend his empire to Idoma nation. He explained that his rivalry with Mark in the past was pure politics. He, however, expressed happiness that Mark realised this, hence, his contributions to the growth of the area in the last 16 years, stressing that the travail confronting David Mark at present was by external forces, who wanted to extend their empire beyond their limit. "All what happened at the Appeal Court and unfolding events to the rerun was aimed at disgracing David Mark which I do not like, those plans to remove Mark is detrimental to Idoma race. I will not allow outsiders to impose an appendage and a stooge on Idoma nation. "If Idoma nation wants liberation from the hands of this impostors, the best thing for my people is to join hands and rescue Mark. We should not allow him to fall into the hands of the oppressors, he should be allowed to complete his tenure, if at all in 2019, they want to change Mark, they can go ahead then," he said.

Thompson and Grace group holds groundbreaking ceremony in A/Ibom THE serenity of the village of Afaha Obong in Abak Local government area of Akwa Ibom State was broken on Thursday, when it received unusual number of guests who came to witness the ground-breaking ceremony of the proposed Thompson and Grace Medical City projects by Governor Udom Emmanuel. Performing the ceremony, the governor, represented by his deputy, Mr Moses Ekpo, said that his administration would continue to partner the private sector towards boosting the economy of the state. He praised the ingenuity and patriotic spirit of the Group Managing Director of Thompson and Grace Investments, Dr Isaac Amos, for locating the project in the state. He assured the proprietors of the Proposed Medical City of the state government's support to bring the project to fruition, adding that the current administration would constantly create enabling environment that would attract private sector to invest in the state. The governor noted that the project, apart from the medical solutions that the Medical City would bring to the entire African continent, "it is hoped that not less than 35,000 Akwa Ibom State indigenes, will assess employment opportunity when the project takes off."

Support orphanage homes, cleric tells Nigerians PHILANTROPISTS and well-meaning Nigerians have been urged to support orphanage homes in the country in order to improve their status and give them a sense of belonging. The founder of God in All Evangelical Ministry (GIAEM), Reverend Adebisi Okunade, made the call in Ibadan while speaking on the activities and support of the ministry for Kersey Children’s Home in Ogbomoso, during the weekend. According to him, orphanage homes in the country need the support of rich individuals, philantropist and highly spirited people to be able to maintain the beneficiaries of the homes. The cleric, who informed newsmen that he was a beneficiary of Kersey Children’s Home, said GIAEM has concluded plans to celebrate the 90 years of the home established by Ruth Kersey, an American woman on February 20 in Ogbomoso.

Monday, 15 February, 2016

Nigerian Tribune

PHOTOS: YEMI FUNSO-OKE

80TH BIRTHDAY OF CHIEF (MRS) WINIFRED OLUSOLAPE OGUNLUSI

Reverend (Mrs) Omotola Oyediran (right) with the celebrant, Chief (Mrs) Ogunlusi.

Chief (Mrs) Winifred Olusolape Ogunlusi cutting her 80th birthday cake assisted by her husband, Chief Ogunlusi, at Ibadan Civic Centre, Idi-Ape, Ibadan, on Sunday.

Professor Akin Mabogunje (left) and Mrs E.E. Andrew. Chief (Mrs) Olusolape Ogunlusi (middle) cutting the 80th birthday cake with her children.

Old Student Association of Mary Hill School presenting award to Chief (Mrs) Ogunlusi. Professor Oladipo Akinkugbe (right), and Chief and Mrs Lekan Are.

From left, Professor A.B.O.O. Oyediran, Mrs Tayo Bademosi and Chief (Mrs) Agy Ojehomon.

From left, Mrs Yemisi Subair, Mr Kunle George and Mrs Kemi Aderemi.

From left, Mrs Deola Kosoko, Mrs Ayotola Ayodeji, Mrs Remi Soyanwo and Mrs Aina Akintonde.

A cross section of Old Student Association of Mary Hill, at the event.

INSIDE LAGOS

Monday, 15 February, 2016

pixmart

From left: Member, Lagos State House of Assembly, Princess Adefunmilayo Tejuoso; Assembly Speaker, Rt. Hon. Mudashiru Obasa; ex-deputy governor of the state, Otunba Femi Pedro; and another member of the House, Hon Sikiru Adebayo Osinowo, when Pedro visited the Assembly on Monday.

From left: Regional Director, BEN TV Africa, Mr Lanre Ijaola, award winning writer, Ibitola Ojoye-Adebayo and Publicist/ Manager to Ibitola at a Press briefing to announce the best Nigeria Writer in the Diaspora Award won by Ibitola held at BEN TV Office, Ikeja on Tuesday in Lagos.

From left: Kenneth Iruonagba, Social Media Manager, Dufil Prima Foods; Tope Ashiwaju, Group Public Relations and Events Manager, Dufil Prima Foods; John Ebenezer; Prof Tunde Oguntona, Coordinator, Difil MSc Nutrition Scholarship and Amber Yadav, Brand Manager, Dufil Prima Foods during the 2015 Dufil MSc Scholarship/Cheque presentation held at Dufil Office, Surulere, Lagos.

ALABA IGBAROOLA: 08155975474

SYLVESTER OKORUWA: 08115708541

From left: National Secretary, National Conscience Party (NCP), Comrade Ayodele Akele; founding National Chairman, Aborisade Femi; late GaniFawehinmiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s son, Mohammed; his Mother, Ganiyat Fawehinmi,; wife of late RansomeKuti; Abosede; grand-Daughter of Ransome Kuti, Lolari Popoola; President,Campaign for Democracy/Woman Arise, Dr. Joe Okei-Odumakin; President, NADECO, Rear Admiral Ndubisi Kanu (rtd) and Chairman, Campaign for Democracy, South-West, Comrade Obi Goodluck, during a rally to mark the 10th anniversary of the death of late Dr Beko Ransome Kuti, organised by Campaign for Democracy (CD) and Women Arise Initiative held at his memorial park, Anthony Oke, Lagos on Wednesday.

From left: Executive Director of Commercial Vadacom Business Nigeria, Solomon Ogufere; Managing Director, Vodacom Business Nigeria, Cuy Clanke, Chief Executive Officer, Etisalat Nigeria; Mathew Willsher and Chief Marketing Officer Etisalat Nigeria, Francesco Angelone during the signing of Partnership Agreement between Vodacom and Etisalat held at Wheat Baker Hotel, Ikoyi, Lagos.

From left: Finalist, Entreprneur of the Year Award/CEO, Tetrazzini Food, Prince Donatus Okonkwo; Country Leader, Ernst & Young, Henry Egbiki; Emerging category winner/ CEO, Kinapharma Limited, Ghana, Kofi Nsaih-Poku; Chairman Panel of Judges, Mr. Femi Akintunde;Other finalists, CEO, HealthPlus Limited, Bukky George; GMD, Arco Group Plc, Alfred Okoigun and CEO, God is Good Motor, Chidi Ajaere, at the EY Entrepreneur of the Year Award in Lagos, on Friday.

18 LETTERS TO THE

Monday, 15 February, 2016

editor

Letters to the editor should be sent to letters@tribune.com.ng or by sms to 08078891826. It MUST be accompanied by the full name and address of the writer.

The state of education in Nigeria

T was all over the news last week that Nigerian parents pay about $1billion as tuition annually for their children studying abroad. This is part of the strain the naira is facing at the moment, which has made it so weak against other

world currencies. I know those in the middle and lower cadres in the society are not guilty of this. For one to be able to send one’s child abroad for tertiary education, then one will be in government, or be a rich businessman or woman, or one will be

into pipeline bunkering. What is painful here is that those who have their children studying abroad are also those who contributed to the decay we are experiencing in the education sector today. Okay, you might say not all of them, but I believe a larger

Still on the Nigerian economy THE Nigerian naira is just so weak today that it is now selling for over N320 to a dollar. We need to ask ourselves where we are going in this country. We cannot continue to blame President Muhammadu Buhari for our economic woes, rather, we should blame our past leaders for not diversifying our economy when we had money. I could remember that a former Head of State once said Nigeria’s problem is not knowing how to spend our wealth. Now, we are suffering for not being creative enough over the

years. The price of crude oil is now at its lowest in decades, and it is the pressure that is affecting the performance of the naira in the money market. The solution is that we should abandon foreignmade goods. I don’t think there is anything made abroad that can not be produced at home. We should work towards curbing our imports, particularly petroleum products, which I know we can refine at home, and rice. We should see this period as an opportinity to

develop our local economy, which will translate into jobs creation for our youths. There is litte President Buhari will do if we don’t change our mindset. For the imported cars, we can buy Innoson cars; for the foreign clothing materials, we can buy our local ankara textile materials, or even adire at Abeokuta. Saving Nigeria economically is in our hands. •Vincent Ebuka, ebiksvince@gmail. com

percentage of those in the top societal cadre are responsible for this. Why have we failed to upgrade our educational system? The answer is simple; the powerful people in the country are aware that education liberates, and the only thing they can use to keep the people down perpetually is by denying them qualitative education. Therefore, the easiest way to do this is simply by neglecting the education sector. To know how terrible this situation is, one needs to visit public primary and secondary schools around the country. One will weep for our upcoming generation. Most of the buildings are dilapidated, and it is not uncommon to find students learning on the floor, or under trees. At the end of the day, those who had left the shores of the country will return to have dominion over those who had their education in dilapidated

classrooms. I believe President Muhammadu Buhari is out to change the situation of things in this country. We have seen how many of the supposed big people in the society got their money. It is high time the Nigerian people started discriminating those who have been linked with corruption. We should see corruption in the negative light, and not

celebrate those who have stolen our commonwealth. In fact, it will be better if laws can be enacted to commit corrupt people to life behind bars, or even death by firing squad. Nigerians have trust in President Buhari to bring about a change to the lives of Nigerian children through education. •Dr Jeremiah Galong, Jos, Plateau State.

Towards Nigeria’s economic survival I was so happy when I learnt that Dr Kayode Fayemi, a former governor of Ekiti State, is saddled with the responsibility of reviving our mining sector. At a period when the price of crude oil is falling in the international market, then it only makes sense that we develop other sectors that can generate money for the country, and the choice of Dr Fayemi is a good one. I think the first thing the Minister of Solid Minerals should do is to highlight the deposits in the country; we have gold, coal, copper, iron-ore, etc in commercial quantities in different parts of the country, and once the mapping is done, then we can know the next step. Before the discovery of oil in Ghana, gold was the mainstay of the economy; in Australia, coal and gold are the major natural resources they rely on for survival. South Africa relies on gold and diamonds, and these countries built thriving economies out of these deposits. These are the resources we also have in the country, and I am happy that someone who is tested and trusted is managing the revival, in person of Dr Fayemi. I also want us to look at the agriculture sector; I am happy with the work done by the former minister, Dr Akinwumi Adesina, and the choice of Dr Audu Ogbeh to lead the ministry is a good one. There are also countries

that rely only on agricultural produce as their major foreign income; Cote D’Ivoire survives on cocoa, while Indonesia earns huge income from palm oil. Cuba and other Carribean countries survive on sugar, and these are commodities we can develop in Nigeria. Our problem is just laziness. I hope to see our dependence on oil reduce in the next couple of years, with solid minerals and agriculture funding our future budgets. This period is a time for our ministers to work harder; it is not a period to brag about their positions, but a period to give their all to the economic survival of the nation. Nigerians voted for this current government to experience change from how things were done, to a new way of doing things. We, therefore, want other sectors to displace oil so that Nigeria can truly develop. We cannot continue to rely on oil in Nigeria. In the past, there were just few countries producing oil, and those were the years oil was profitable; today, many other countries are now oil producers, and it is going to a situation where each country will now be consuming the oil it produces. However, before we reach that stage, Nigerians should wake up from their slumber; we need to face a new reality that we can prosper without oil. •Esther Ibe, Abuja.

editorial

Monday, 15 February, 2016

Nigerian Tribune

Lagos’ admission into Odu’a Group

ECENTLY, Lagos State was admitted into the ownership fold of the Odu’a Investment Company Limited (OICL), a business conglomerate hitherto owned by the Southwestern states of Ekiti, Ogun, Ondo, Osun and Oyo. Basking in the euphoria of the development, Governor Akinwumi Ambode of Lagos State had expressed joy and enthusiasm on the admission of the state as the sixth member of the Odu’a Group, describing the coownership as a major landmark in the effort of the Southwestern states of Nigeria towards regional integration. The owner state governors had also premised the inclusion of Lagos State into the OICL ownership fold on the need to expand the frontiers of the conglomerate for greater fortunes. Like the proponents and enthusiasts of the development, we see the admission of Lagos into the OICL as a timely drive towards regional economic integration which can be enhanced if all the SouthWes states combine their resources and maximize their comparative advantages for the development of the region, especially at this time of financial tempest and hardship occasioned by the global sharp fall in the price of crude oil. We do not have any doubt that Lagos State, with its huge population and vibrant economic base, has the potentials to contribute to the development and growth of the OICL, provided that there is a good and merit-based management that can reposition the conglomerate for profitability and sustainability. Indeed, the review evident in Lagos State’s admission into the conglomerate should not just be limited to having a long-term plan of increasing its assets base and necessary documentations on corporate identity and ownership; it is of immense importance to have a Board of Directors comprising visionary, seasoned, high-flying and accomplished professionals with vast experiences in business and human resources management. It is worth stating here that the company’s policy should, more than ever before, be

determined by a competent and dynamic Board, a mix of executive and non-executive directors who are experts in their own fields, and supported by a robust management team. Sadly, the failures of the conglomerate in the past were not unconnected with the incompetent leadership that political jobbers and awardees appointed to serve on the Board of the conglomerate through the political reward system had provided at one time or the other. That O’Net, which was established as an OICL mobile telecommunication subsidiary for the purpose of taking its own profitable share of the thriving Global System of Mobile (GSM) telecommunications market in the country, collapsed and fizzled out the way it did, is a very sad instance of the backwardness and retrogression which lack of visionary leadership had caused the conglomerate in the recent past. Had O’Net succeeded, there is no doubt that it would have put the owner states in a significantly more robust financial position than they are currently, and it is, in our view, not too late to revive the initiative and further democratize access to the continually expanding GSM environment for greater relevance and productivity. To this end, in order to rekindle the hopes of the region and its people in the OICL, there is the need to evolve a system which will always ensure the putting in place a forward-looking and merit-driven management with entrepreneurial acumen, to steer the company towards substantial investments in real estate, food and beverages industries, agriculture, manufacturing and financial services. The expectations of the people of the South-West geopolitical zone, the economic base of the nation, is that OICL be successfully run as a dynamic business organisation that will continually make forays into new and profitable ventures which will not only give returns on shareholders’ investments, but also create vast employment opportunities for the younger generation. The conglomerate certainly can meet this goal.

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opinion

Monday, 15 February, 2016

Lasisi Olagunju

Lasgunju@yahoo.com (08111813053)

Women! How can you satisfy them?

“

NE woman threatened to act like a widow if her husband acted single.” “Hmmm. Wahala dey o. I also heard one saying her husband was using snake as bracelet because his eyes followed one beautiful lady on their street.” “Woman, just like in the Garden of Eden is letting Satan move her against man. Or why all these domestic wars and rumours of wars?” “Domestic horrors! How do I start this discussion? It has become so regular these days. One woman killed her husband in Ibadan. One man killed his step-mum’s lover in Calabar. Looks like men are endangered. You feel horrified that the world is coming to an end.” “Which world is coming to an end? Is it just starting today? Many died hundreds of years ago and many more will die hundreds of years to come. Don’t you think cases of domestic violence appear too frequent now simply because of technology — sharper weapons, swifter communication?” “Hmm. True sha. You know what? With the Ibadan murder incident, many men are now scared. I overheard a man whose situation is on all fours with the Oyediran saga telling some of his relations recently that he is so afraid of his wife.” “Why would a real man be afraid of his wife? I still don’t understand why one’s home should become a forest of demons....” “You don’t understand. He said he has a child by another woman. The wife does not have a child yet but somehow, she knows the husband has a child out of wedlock. And...” “And what...” “ She is calm about it. The husband feels the calmness has been very unnatural, very unsettling. Now, the Ibadan incident has upped the ante of the husband’s nightmares.” “If the wife is calm after knowing her man has been so careless to eat outside and defecate in his boxers, then let him no longer sleep with both eyes closed.” “Exactly the fears of this man. He feels the wife would kill him.” “Yes, he may die. And not all deaths attract the kind of uproar you saw in Ibadan. Some are slow and sweet.” “Slow and sweet death?” “Yes. Sweet death. You never heard that before?” “No. Sweet as in sweet potato?” “Sweet as in rat poison.” “Ha. Women can be wicked o. Imagine that woman who stabbed her husband just because of what? Because he had a child outside?” “There was one like that. She had four children for her husband but the husband had one extra outside. She got to know and was cool about it. There was no noise, no issues. She just carried on as if nothing happened. And you know what she just told her friend secretly?” “What?”

“She said the husband would die eventually. That she just wanted him to ‘play a little longer’ with her own kids before she finished him off...” “Ah! What monster! “ “Now, the husband should be alert because the woman will eventually get him, not necessarily with knives and swords... could be rather poison. Rat poison.. “HAhaha! A woman scorned and all that. Na wa!” “Some kill their men alive, like making them poorer than the poorest.” “Hmmmm. Removing the piston from his engine....But why can’t she just move on with her life? Why? Must she be eternally attached to a man who is as loose as tyres without bolts?” “ Hmm. Life is not like that. No woman goes quietly into the night. She must show that she is a woman; a species of strength and wiles.” “I still feel it is not worth the destruction. Look at the Ibadan incident. That woman lost everything- her husband, herself, her name, career- everything!” “It is good to take it easy. Life does not give all but it also does not deny one all...” “Exactly, especially when you know that the society simply allows men to misbehave. If a woman makes too much trouble, even her own parents would call her alaseju.” “ Alaseju? What does that mean?” “ Somebody given to excesses, like the woman who killed her husband.” “Where did she get the strength sef?” “Some women are so tough they can do anything when provoked?” “And some can do anything to pamper their men when pleased.” “Exactly.”

“Just as some men can give their eyes to their wives when in love.” “Yes, like a certain Batista.” “Who? And what has he got to do with our topic? “Just listen. Dr Batista got married to Dawnell in 1990 and in the course of their marriage, she had kidney problems which could not be cured except with a donated one by the husband.” “And the man donated his kidney to his wife.? Wow! She would be eternally beholden to him...” “Hahaha! She got well, went back to school, got new degrees, and divorced the husband...” “Ah! Why would she do that? And what did the man do? Kill her? “No. He went to court, asking for $1.5 million as the price of his donated kidney which now works in other men’s beds... The evils women do. Some till the land to send girl friends to school only to end up becoming unfit as husbands.” “Women! How can you satisfy them?” “Really, you can’t satisfy women. But can men be satisfied too? Otherwise, we won’t be hearing these stories of husbands cutting shows outside.” “That’s a different matter o.. Men are ever satisfied but they must just do wakabout, obeying nature’s law. They are wired to enter as many doors as they fancy...” “What law? Must you not know that entering every opened (or unopened) stuff will almost certainly lead you to crevices of rattle snakes? You are just lucky most women see you as babies whose indiscretions are most times overlooked.“ “Men are babies? Is that why they love....” “Love what? Don’t introduce pornography here please.” “Hahaha! Angry? I forgot you are broke. A dollar is now N325. More domestic horror films soon.“ “Yeah, this dollar stuff is a real problem. How do you expect men to be husbands with devalued pockets? How many men can really claim to be breadwinners now? And women won’t listen to any explanation.” “Of course, women won’t listen, especially when they know that even in poverty, men are never tired of looking for trouble outside.” “Hollywood star, Jada Pinkett Smith is my kind of woman. Listen to her: ‘Here is what’s real - I’m not the kind of woman that believes a man is not going to be attracted to other women. I’m just not that girl. It’s just not realistic. And just because your man is attracted to another woman, does not mean he doesn’t love you! And it doesn’t mean he’s gonna act on it. If your man can’t really see another woman’s beauty, how the hell is he gonna see yours?’ “ “ And the husband, Will Smith, is realistic too. He doesn’t waste his time watching every move of his wife. Any man who does otherwise will kill himself.”

Climate change, global warming and the way out By Adetunji Ayomide Thelma CLIMATE change is used to describe a change in the climate, measured in terms of its statistical properties, for example, the global mean surface temperature. In this context, ‘climate’ is taken to mean the average weather. Climate can change over a period of time, ranging from months to thousands or millions of years. The classical time period is 30 years, as defined by the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO). The climate change referred to may be due to natural causes, for example, changes in the sun’s output, or due to human activities. Any human-induced changes in climate therefore will occur against the background of natural climatic variations. Global warming is the rising average temperature of the earth’s atmosphere and oceans since its projected continuation. Warming of the climate system is unequivocal, and scientists are more than 90per cent certain that most of it is caused by increasing concentrations of greenhouse gases produced by human activities such as deforestation and the burning of fossil fuels. Global warming has to do with the increase in temperature of the earth. The use of fossil fuel such as petrol, toxic wastes from industries, exhausts from automobiles and so on. All these affect or reduce the ozone layers which protect us from the harmful effects of the sun. The more the reduction of the ozone layers the higher the temperature of the sun. An increase in global temperature will cause sea levels to

rise and will change the amount and pattern of precipitation, and a probable expansion of subtropical deserts. Warming is expected to be strongest in the Arctic region and would be associated with continuing retreat of glaciers, permafrost and sea ice. Other likely effects of the warming include more frequent occurrence of extreme-weather events including heat waves, droughts and heavy rainfall, species extinctions due to shifting temperature regimes, and changes in crop yields. Warming and related changes will vary from region to region around the globe, with projections being more robust in some areas than others. It is likely to be exceeded in many parts of the world, while the limits for adaptation for natural systems would largely be exceeded throughout the world. Hence, the ecosystem services upon which human livelihoods depend would not be preserved. The UNFCCC (United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change) is an international environmental treaty negotiated at the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro from June 3-14, 1992, which came into force on 21 March, 1994. The UNFCCC objective is to “stabilise greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere at a level that would prevent dangerous anthropogenic interference with the climate system.” The framework outlines how specific international treaties (called “protocols”) may be negotiated to set the binding limits on greenhouse gases. UNFCCC has 196 parties as of March, 2014. The unprecedented global response ahead of the conference in the shape of over 180 national climate action plans

submitted towards the Paris agreement is a positive one which will instill growth and development to an atmosphere-friendly planet, if the global temperature rise was to be limited to below two degrees, beyond which climate impacts become more and more unmanageable. If I were invited or selected as a delegate of Nigeria for the UNFCCC, these would be my recommendations. One, regional and global developments should take place which will establish significant limitations on the right of states to allow emissions of gases which cause urban and transboundary air pollution, depletion of the ozone layer, and increased atmospheric concentration of greenhouse gas. Secondly, more international rules governing the protection of the atmosphere should be made, enforced and implemented. More importantly, attention needs to be given to the enforcement of these agreements as well as the financial arrangements necessary to encourage the participation of developing countries. Also, awareness also should be created in all parts of the world on what to do and what not to do so as to ensure that the atmosphere is clean and safe for all. Finally, if all the recommendations and suggestions are put into optimum use, climate change leading to global warming will be a thing of the past. Even if it will not be totally eliminated, it will be reduced to its barest minimum, which will make the world a better and safer place for us all. •Adetunji is a student of Landmark University, Omu Aran, Kwara State.

Monday, 15 February, 2016

tribune

business

Nigerian Tribune

Group Business Editor Sulaimon Olanrewaju

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

Oil & gas

Increasing Africa’s attractiveness to investors

With the prediction of significant growth in Africa’s oil and gas potential in the next two decades come some serious challenges that need urgent fixing if the continent would realise this growth potential, RUTH OLUROUNBI writes.

S has been predicted several years ago, it was reemphasised again at the International Petroleum Week 2016 held in London, UK between February 9 and 11, that new discoveries in Africa’s oil and gas will increase the continent’s oil and gas industry’s significant growth in the next 20 years, in spite of the low oil prices. It will be recalled that six of the top 10 global discoveries in the oil and gas sector in 2013 were made in Africa, with more than 500 companies currently exploring deposits on the continent. At a parallel conference on “The African oil and gas growth story” chaired by Ade Adeola, Managing Director, Regional Head of oil and gas, Africa and Middle East, Standard Chartered Bank, it was said that despite the low oil prices, Africa is set to see significant oil and gas production growth over the coming decades.

The South Africa’s oil and gas potential and investment opportunities in North Africa’s oil and gas, recent discoveries of oil in West Africa and gas in East Africa all have attracted global excitement in the continent’s growth and development and analysts and stakeholders view these finds as potential that may revolutionise Africa’s growth story. Yet, African oil and gas investors are wary that the continent may be standing in its own way. With over eight per cent of the global oil reserves belonging to Africa, the continent still remains one of the global oil and gas hotspots, it was said at the conference. For instance, Africa currently supplies about 12 per cent of the world’s oil and boasts of significant untapped reserves estimated at over eight per cent of the world’s proven reserves. According to PwC, the world’s leading advisor to the energy industry, these

reserves have increased in the last two decades from 5.8 per cent in 1991 and 7.6 per cent in 2001 and this trend is anticipated to continue. From proven oil reserves of 132 billion barrels, Africa produced nine million barrels of crude oil per day (bbl/d) in 2011, with 81 per cent of this oil production coming from Nigeria, Libya, Algeria, Egypt and Angola in 2011. In terms of natural gas reserves, Africa boasts of 513 trillion cubic feet (Tcf) with 91 per cent of the annual natural gas production of 7.1Tcf coming from Nigeria, Libya, Algeria and Egypt. Thanks to 10 global discoveries in oil and gas, seven of which were made in Africa, the continent is, therefore, seen as experiencing continued growth, especially with East Africa emerging as a new source of gas and oil. Thanks to significant gas finds in excess of 127Tcf in Mozambique, and with further

exploration and development, it is expected that the country could overtake Nigeria and Algeria as the African country with the largest gas reserves, thus creating the potential for another African super player. Mozambique is expected to become the second largest exporter of Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) by 2025, as the country steps up production from 10 million tonnes per annum (Mtpa) in 2017 to an envisaged 50 Mtpa. Thus, “access to the lucrative Asian LNG market has significant economic benefits for the East African region and could act as a catalyst for meaningful economic development,” PwC suggested. Also, developments in Ghana have demonstrated the possibilities within Africa to the world. The Jubilee field was hailed as the fastest ever deepwater development, taking Continues pg22

tribunebusiness Making Africa more attractive to investors 22

Monday, 15 February, 2016

Muhammadu Buhari, Nigerian President Continues from pg21

just 24 months from development to production, according to the PwC. These developments, according to PwC, have opened up “many key opportunities within Africa due to: new exploration blocks being opened for competitive bidding, port development and management, pipeline engineering and construction (both subsea and onshore), onshore and offshore maintenance, LNG plant engineering and construction, CO2 reduction and gas-powered electricity generation, other gas monetisation projects for local use (methanol, fertilisers, urea), stability of supply and security of supply with a reduction in exports, foreign exchange inflows (before and after the oil price crisis), distribution of wealth – a benefit for all citizens, infrastructure development mega projects and new refinery development or upgrades.” Despite these new opportunities, African oil and gas industry still faces diverse and numerous challenges, some of which include insecurity issues, illegal oil bunkering damages estimated at 150,000bbl/d by Shell Nigeria in 2012; political interference (uncertainty and delays formulating energy policies and passing regulations into law) which are stifling growth, development and investment in a number of countries around Africa. The challenge, according to analysts and stakeholders is not that investors aren’t interested in investing in the continent’s oil and gas industry, or that the continent is not viable for business, the challenge, according to Adewale Tinubu, Group CEO, Oando Plc, is ensuring investors’ attractiveness to the continent. These challenges, as has been discovered over the years and mentioned even at the International Petroleum Week in London, are not new. However, they must be seen, in the longer term, “as opportunities to open new ways of thinking, creating innovative business models and demonstrating responsible leadership.” To tackle these challenges, which investors in Africa have grappled with for over a decade, governments must provide, most importantly, favourable operating environment which allows for them to implement strategic and long-range planning that does not only benefit them, but also the countries in which they operate. The allowance for oil and gas companies to control costs, while continuing to weigh up the risks and benefits of new projects, new products and evaluating how much capital to invest have once again led to the call for regulatory, safety, environmental and political stability in Af-

Yoweri Museveni, Ugadan President rican regions. Speaking on the topic, ‘Hot spots or not? Updates on the global supply landscape’ at the plenary session on Thursday, Tinubu, sharing his views on the energy prospects and challenges faced by some of the most important oil and gas producing regions, identified that in attracting investors into Africa’s oil and gas industry, the governments must provide for “attractive fiscal policies and incentives, improved governance and transparency, provision for adequate supporting infrastructure, security of operations and investment,” among others. For instance in Uganda, Ghana, Tanzania, Nigeria and Kenya, new players insist that poor infrastructure and uncertain regulatory framework are the biggest challenges they face while doing business in Africa, thus. This, therefore, is an important call for governments around the continent to review and/or develop new energy policies that could potentially revolutionise the industry in terms of “changes in the government take, taxation regulations and state participation.” For instance, the Nigerian government since 2006, has been in the process of implementing the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB). As of 2013, it was estimated that uncertainty around the lack of passage had cost the country more $50 billion in capital projects. A number of other countries where energy policies and regulations are being developed and/or revised are experiencing the same uncertainty. For instance, the Tanzanian government said it was investigating policies to ensure local benefit in preference to the export of natural gas, while the Ugandan government said it was undertaking a similar process. In terms of transparency, it was not until the passage of its 2012 amended Oil Bill allowing Tullow Oil to enter a partnership agreement with China’s National Offshore

There is an urgent need for African governments to do away with political interference and a lack of transparency about procedures that could promote investments on the continent

John Magufuli, Tanzanian President Oil Corporation (CNOOC) and France’s Total that Uganda could begin to move forward, recording some progress. The tripartite partnership helped unlock $10 billion worth of investment in vital infrastructure which included a 30,000 bpd oil refinery, as well as pipelines, both for transporting petroleum to Kampala, and for exportation. The country recorded a further positive development in February 2014, when the government signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the three oil companies, setting out a framework for planned production, as well as details for the amount of crude oil that would be sent to the planned refinery and pipelines. “By formally stating the details, the memorandum reduces some uncertainties that investors might have had,” a KLMG 2015 Oil & Gas report stated. Despite these measures however, it is believed that the country may have missed an opportunity as an important player because it would not put measures in place to ensure transparency and good governance in the first place. For Africa to develop its potential in terms of oil and gas business, despite its impressive records, it must be ready to invest a large sum of money in its development. It is on record that Africa is one of the foremost net exporters of oil, with only the Middle East’s net exports being greater than that of Africa. Yet, as incomes still remain very weak, oil consumption in most countries is low and “as such, Africa’s oil consumption accounts for only four of global consumption, leaving a large amount of oil to be exported,” KLMG said in its 2015 report. “Oil reserves have grown particularly quickly since the mid-1990s as improved political environments have made it more attractive for foreign oil companies to explore. This also resulted in Africa’s share in global reserves rising from 5.9 per cent in 1993 to as high as 8.6 per cent in 2006, although this ratio has declined to 7.7 per cent since then,” the company said. Despite the increase in reserves, there is still massive scope for further exploration, analysts submitted. According to some estimates, there are at least 100 billion barrels of oil offshore Africa still waiting to be discovered. Thus, energy companies need to make significant investment to harness opportunities in the African hotspots. Tinubu put the estimate of total investment at $4.61 trillion. For instance, according to KLMG, in Mozambique, Anadarko and Eni plan to build four LNG trains with a combined capacity of 27 billion m3 p.a. by 2020 with another few trains set to be built by the mid-2020s. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) puts

Nigerian Tribune

José Eduardo dos Santos, Angolan President investment estimates for processing the natural gas at $24bn by energy companies for site preparation and other infrastructure requirements – of which it is assumed that “US$4bn will be invested during each year between 2014 and 2019, with all contents assumed to be imported.” Therefore, there is an urgent need for African governments to do away with political interference and a lack of transparency about procedures, particularly with regard to the process of awarding licences and production agreements and everything that could potentially pull investors back from doing business on the continent. In 2014 alone, it was deemed that Africa was the world’s second largest FDI destination, attracting $181 billion in revenues. This is in spite of the recurring challenges confronting the continent as a whole. This development thus prompts analysts to wonder: why do governments seem not particularly interested in improving governance and transparency? In Nigeria for instance, investors are particularly frustrated with Nigeria’s operating environment, which they say poses a greater constraint to investment in the country. The close to eight-year delay in passing the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) into law significantly “creates a lot of uncertainty about the fiscal framework and has significantly reduced the incentive to invest in the sector,” according to a KLMG research, and for this reason, the research concludes that “we did not even expect much new investment in Nigeria’s oil and gas industry when oil prices were US$100/bbl...” not to mention now that oil price is headed south. The researchers therefore, concluded that “if the Petroleum Industry Bill is passed and it offers investors favourable fiscal terms, investment is expected to increase sharply.” In attracting investors into Africa’s oil and gas industry, there must be policies and intentional implementation of the policies that assures for safety, as well as fiscal incentives for energy companies to make investments on the continent. In Nigeria, lack of fiscal incentives, the high set-up costs and time needed to develop LNG facilities in order to export gas serve as deterrent to investors interested in doing business in the country, investors said. Insecurity (of lives and infrastructure) also reduces the incentive to invest, making investment a daunting task for many companies, analysts also said. It is, therefore, pertinent that the Nigerian government moves away from empty promises of fixing the problems, to taking positive steps in securing lives and properties in collaboration with the investors.

Monday, 15 February, 2016

+ entrepreneurship quote

To know values is to know the meaning of the market — Charles Dow (capital)

Nigerian Tribune

anchor Ruth Olurounbi

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

5 common mistakes new entrepreneurs make —P24

Sterling Bank, CBN, committed to grooming entrepreneurs At a time when dramatic fall in the global price of oil is adversely affecting government revenues, CHIMA NWOKOJI looks at the newest involvement of the Central Bank of Nigeria and Sterling Bank Plc in promoting entrepreneurship and diversification.

NTREPRENEURS are not the only ones who benefit when they start businesses. They not only create jobs for themselves but for other people in their communities. Therefore, multiplier effect of Small and Medium scale Enterprises (SMEs) in an economy can never be over emphasized. The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) in recognition of this, is contemplating to unveil a programme through which it would support young graduates that are operators of micro, small and medium scale enterprises (MSMEs) at concessionary pricing in 2016. This is in addition to the existing N200 Billion Small and Medium scale Enterprises ( SME) Credit Guarantee Scheme. When people are self-employed, they spend money in local businesses, such

as clothing stores and restaurants, which keeps those businesses flourishing. The new company establishes relationships with suppliers, vendors and other companies and spends money purchasing good and services from those companies. A new company can encourage others to open businesses in the same area, which in turn multiplies new job creation. This perhaps is the idea behind Sterling Bank’s passion to provide financial backup for prospective entrepreneurs. The Bank intends to encourage these entrepreneurs to launch their ideas, grooming them to become big businesses . Sterling Bank’s Meet the Executive (MTE) initiative, a business plan competition with opportunities for winners to access grants to finance their businesses, is already creating new generation entre-

preneurs. Sterling Bank’s Meet the Executive (MTE) initiative, is one of those plans by the lender to broaden opportunities for young entrepreneurs to achieve their life ambitions of creating wealth and developing the economy. The MTE is a social media-led initiative geared towards encouraging and supporting small businesses and budding entrepreneurs. Meet The Executive programme Speaking on the MTE initiative, Sterling Bank’s Managing Director, Yemi Adeola said entrepreneurs that emerge from the Meet The Executive campaign get project-based grants and are always introduced to local and international investors. He said the programme is driven by the lender’s passion for helping budding en-

trepreneurs attain great heights. Participants in the MTE were advised by Adeola to persevere in the face of daunting challenges facing the subsector, adding that it is one’s ability to rise above limitations that determines the level of success. “Any economy anywhere in the world is driven by Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs). And unless we encourage them, create conducive atmosphere for them to operate, we will continue to struggle as an economy,” he said. He said the bank’s support for SMEs is also in line with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor, Godwin Emefiele’s vision of promoting small businesses and supporting them to become great business entities. Continues on pg24

+ entrepreneurship

5 common mistakes new entrepreneurs make

big part of starting a business is having a plan then having the discipline to act on it. Being part of a startup isn’t always glamorous, and often requires simply submitting yourself to the process. In his book The Lean Startup, Eric Ries makes this point better: “I have learned from both my own successes and failures and those of many others that it’s the boring stuff that matters the most. Startup success is not a consequence of good genes or being in the right place at the right time. Startup success can be engineered by following the right process, which means it can be learned, which means it can be taught.” Taking steps to avoid mistakes frequently made by new entrepreneurs is a part of this process. Here are nine mistakes you should avoid when starting a new business:

1. Not spending enough money or spending too much money. As a new entrepreneur, money is likely to be one of your biggest concerns. Pre-launch cash flow is likely to be close to nil, so making and saving money will usually take priority over everything else. There are two mindsets I tend to see among new entrepreneurs: Either “You have to spend money to

Monday, 15 February, 2016

make money” or “I’ll spend the bare minimum until I have some decent cash flow.” 2. Thinking you have no direct competitors. The excitement about a new product or business can often lead new entrepreneurs to think they really have no direct competition, or that their product is so head-and-shoulders above those of their rivals that they’re in a category of their own. In reality, it’s extremely rare to have no direct competitors. Unless you’ve invented a completely new product, there will be someone who already has market share in your niche. Do your due diligence to find out what these companies are and how you can differentiate your business.

3. Making hiring decisions based on cost. This is closely tied to number one, but is so important it deserves to be mentioned separately. When funds are tight, it’s tempting to skimp on the cost of new hires. The problem with this strategy, however, is that you’ll end up paying in the long run. Low-cost employees and consultants are usually low-cost for a reason -- they are more likely to be inexperienced, unskilled or unreliable (or all three).

4. Not setting attainable goals. New entrepreneurs can be so enraptured by their “big idea,” they work without a solid plan. But the reality is you must set realistic and attainable goals in order to succeed. Make a point of setting both short- and long-term goals, and

make sure they’re specific. Don’t just say, “I want to make $1 million this year.” Set a reasonable goal, and then determine what specific steps you need to take to reach it. 5. Not thinking about marketing. “If you build it, they will come.”

This is a common belief (sometimes conscious, sometimes not) among new entrepreneurs. They think that their products are so revolutionary that they can just rely on free PR and word of mouth. In reality, the vast majority of startups will need to invest heavily in marketing. This may include

SEO, content marketing, PR and paid advertising. Take a look at where your competitors are spending their marketing dollars, and ask yourself how you can compete and differentiate yourself. This article first appeared on entrepreneur.com

‘What entrepreneurship has taught me’ Deola Layade, founder and CEO, Exquisito Confectioneries has been in the business for nine years. In this interview with RUTH OLUROUNBI, she talks about her starting up years, and her quest for knowledge. WHAT inspired you to go into cake business? I mean, you did move back from England to start your cake business. I have always had passion for craft and we are artistic in the family. Growing up I develop interest in cakes and passion to make it more tasty and look more beautiful was what motivated me. I’ve actually been baking as a teenager. I was taught basics by my mum then went to orisun catering school before I left for the UK after my degree. Was business experience everything you thought it would be, or was starting a business a bit of a challenge at first? In the beginning it was though, being a new face in the business, you need to build confidence in the few clients you get and hope to win some more just to be able to break even. Passion for the craft was a strong motivation to not give up; eventually dedication and hard work started paying off. What were you doing in England before moving back to Nigeria? I worked, but also spent most of the

time training and retraining from the best craft schools in England. Also, why choose to Ibadan as your base of operations instead of say Lagos or Abuja? I grew up in Ibadan and this is my way of giving back to the society. The passion to create the same standard that people pay thousands and millions for in Lagos and Abuja was what made me set up in Ibadan. How much did you start your business with and how did you get the capital? About N1 million back then from my savings. Would you say it is important for entrepreneurs to pursue further education, giving that despite your degree in Psychology, you also have a certificate on entrepreneurship management from the Pan African University? It is extremely important to pursue further education. My time at Pan African University was an experience that has helped in improving my

business And, how has your degree in Psychology and certificate in entrepreneurship management helped your business grow? Degree in Psychology is very helpful in public human relations and even in dealing with staff. Understanding customers’ needs, putting their eithers into reality and dealing with people with different temperament is quite easy as a psychologist. The improvements we have made in the last couple of years are drawn from the experience in Pan Africa so yes they have both been helpful. In your experience, what is the function of an entrepreneur in a society? An entrepreneur should create jobs, engage in CSR and deliver on their promise. Since you organised your first ever major bread fair in Ibadan, not much has been heard about you since then. Is there a reason for this? We have had two successful

editions prior to last year, but we decided to channel our energy on a new product line – Delish Donut. So instead of the bread fair we had an open day cake and donut tasting on October 1. Also the tense political and economic situation required that we tone things down a little. Your last year’s designs were inspired by the latest trends in urban arts, fashion and sugar-crafts to create exquisite, tasteful and classy cakes for all occasions, as you said, is there an inspiration for this year’s? Yes, there is but we won’t let the cat out of the bag yet. We will release some new design in a couple of weeks when we finish remodelling the shop and launch our new brand. Looking back, would you say you started your business exactly the right time for you, or you’d wish you had started earlier? Well like the say God’s time is the best, I started when the conviction to do so was strong so I guess it’s the right time.

How Nigerian banks are grooming entrepreneurs Continued from pg23

Adeola believes that it is easier for the youth to think beyond all the negatives in the society, and become creative entrepreneurs. “For the bank, this is a social corporate responsibility. We owe it a duty to continue to create employment, encourage entrepreneurs who will definitely become our customers. Sterling Bank has done a lot in this area, we are introducing in an innovative manner competitions, ideas, innovations; making it possible for young Nigerians to be able to think beyond the negative ills we have witnessed in the society today,” he said. The bank’s Executive Director, Abubakar Suleiman, said the lender’s motive for sponsoring the MTE initiative was not to make profit but to ensure that Nigeria has entrepreneurs who are well equipped to run businesses that are profitable and sustainable. He said although capital is a critical factor in entrepreneurship, it is not the main challenge faced by aspiring entrepreneurs, stressing that many of the young entrepreneurs have no knowledge of accounting, book keeping and other skills needed to successfully run a business. The MTE initiative is currently in the “Call for Entries” stage where interested participants submit their business ideas and plans on the bank’s website, following which a review will be conducted by an independent consultant-HT Limited. Other stages include training, and the final stage wherein the entrepreneurs present their revised business plans to a panel comprising top executives of the bank, judges and venture capitalists. Suleiman said: “We realised that there are lots of young people out there who have a lot of credible ideas but they need people to guide them so that they can run their businesses successfully,” he stated. Speaking on the initiative, the Group Head, Strategy & Communications, Shina Atilola, said, “Today’s economic realities have necessitated the birth of a crop of businesses led by visionary individuals called entrepreneurs. ‘’Although these individuals have been described severally as the drivers of the economy, they encounter a number of challenges, chiefly the need for funding and financial advisory. These are the gaps we are trying to fill with the ‘Meet the Executive’ initiative”, he explained. He explained that the goal of the second edition of the MTE is to bring to the fore, the creative, innovative and brilliant ideas housed by Nigerians with a focus on developing their ideas and bringing them to life. “With up to N6 million worth of grants available, participants will jostle to be short-listed among the

final 25 that will defend their business plans or ideas before a panel. The MTE initiative creates an avenue for entrepreneurs to have an offline engagement experience with the bank,” he said. Speaking at the flag-off of Season 11 of the programme in Lagos at the weekend, CoFounder, Elearn.ng, Michael Onobote, who was the top five winners in the maiden edition of the MTE initiative, said the programme ignited his drive to launch his company. “The MTE initiative was the springboard for us to start Elearn. ng, a listing platform for vocational skills providers to list their businesses and have a booking feature implemented on the platform. So, their customers can find them online, and book their services with instant e-mail alert or SMS. We also have an online learning feature whereby people who are interested in learning online can come and subscribe to a course and learn how to do the business while we get our fees,” he told Nigerian Tribune. Onobote explained that during the MTE initiative, the lender provided compensation cash prize for winners as well as business support. “When we wanted to launch our company, we sent the bank an e-mail for them to know where we are. We have been in constant communication with the bank since 2014 when the maiden edition was held,” he said. Another Co-Founder, Elearn.ng, Olanrewaju Odunowo, said the company is looking at the informal sector, adding that there are huge opportunities in that segment of the economy. He said that many of the vocational skills providers do not have Information Communication and Technology (ICT) skills but the company focuses on promoting their businesses while they focus on their skills. “One of the things is that we are

solution providers, and we realized that there is so much focus on the formal sector. We are trying to ensure that those in the informal sector become more profitable. We believe we can empower them, and assist them grow their businesses,” he said. Continuing, he said: “One of the challenges is that majority of the vocational skills providers do not have websites, so, we go to their shops

to get them signed on”. Other winners in the first edition are Gbemisola Esho, a female entrepreneur who specializes in making shoes and bags from raw leather and Ankra fabrics; Rufai Adeyemi who runs a restaurant specialised in aquatic produce and Daniel Momma, a pet bottle recycler. All these individuals received business grants totalling N5 million.

Partnership with FSD Sterling Bank Plc also signed an agreement with Field of Skills and Dreams (FSD), a vocational training institution, to provide training programmes for members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC). The pact, the bank said, is

In its determination to support entrepreneurs, Sterling Bank has repackaged the Social Lender Scheme by increasing the minimum on-line micro credit from N3,000 to N10,000.

part of its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) drive to support skill acquisition among youths to prepare them for self-employment. Under the agreement, the bank will sponsor the training of NYSC corps members in various vocations during the course of their service year in alignment with its expressed purpose of enriching lives. The lender has so far funded the training of about 100 NYSC members in various vocations during the pilot stage through the NYSC-SAED (Skills Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development. It has also equipped a 20-seat ICT laboratory of the FSD which will provide all participants with rotational access to free ICT training. Sterling Bank in a statement explained that the need to support the development of skills among the youth has become inevitable given the growing rate of unemployment in the country. “We believe that the steps we have taken so far would help in ameliorating the problem of unemployment in the country and support other initiatives such as the Youth Empowerment Scheme (YES) and the Youth Enterprise with Innovation in Nigeria (YOUWIN) introduced by the government to checkmate the relatively high rate of unemployment in the country.” Social lender scheme In its determination to keep supporting the youthful population, Sterling Bank has repackaged the Social Lender Scheme by increasing the minimum on-line micro credit from N3,000 to N10,000. The scheme was launched last year and the bank has disbursed over N6 million to over 2000 online customers. To date, over 90 per cent of the loans have been paid back by the beneficiaries. Social Lender, the first in Nigeria is a modified peer to peer lending solution using the Social Media Platforms through which microcredit is offered to members of these communities. The scheme provides a platform for online fans and followers who are customers of Sterling Bank to obtain these monies via social media channels such as Facebook and Twitter. The bank in a statement explained that the scheme was repackaged with added benefits because of its success story for the bank, the quality of feedback from members of the on-line community and the impressive pay back attitude of the beneficiaries. Also, the bank has begun the MSME Academy in furtherance of the bank’s commitment to enriching lives by focusing on the unique needs of its entrepreneurial customers. The project is also meant to promote private sector involvement in the development of small businesses and the Nigerian economy at large.

Monday, 15 February, 2016

Nigerian Tribune

corporatefocus

Chairman, Honeywell Flour Mills, Oba Otudeko

Chairman, FMN, John G. Coumantaros

FMN, Honeywell: Soaring in difficult times Kehinde Akinseinde-Jaiyeoba - Lagos

HE year 2015 was a tough one for manufacturing companies as well as investors as additional monumental challenges were major constraints to doing business. These challenges ranged from inadequate power supply, soaring input cost, poor road infrastructure, unrest in the North East and fears and uncertainty ahead of the 2015 general election. While some of the challenges experienced were not quite threatening, investors were optimistic that the worst would be over soon, manufacturers kept deploying means not only to stay above the waters but also to overcome the tide. Flour Mills of Nigeria Plc (FMN) and Honeywell Flour Mills Plc are consumer goods manufacturing company among many others that had experienced the resultant effect of a dwindling economy but despite the challenges they were able to overcome the 2015 financial turmoil. FMN was incorporated in 1960 as a private limited liability company but was converted to a public limited liability company in 1978 as its shares were listed on the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) with a paid-up share capital of N1.312 billion with the current ownership structure of 55.73 per cent by overseas shareholders and 44.27 per cent by Nigerian and institutional investors. Honeywell Flour Mills Plc (HFMP) is a major flour milling company in Nigeria and was initially registered as Gateway Honeywell Flour Mills Limited in 1985 but changed to Honeywell Flour Mill Limited in 1995. At its initial public offering (IPO) in 2008, the company became a public liability company and was listed on the Nigerian Stock Exchange in 2009. For the year ended March 2015, Hon-

eywell made a Profit Before Tax (PBT) of N1.43 billion as against N4.24 billion of the corresponding period of 2014, while FMN’s PBT decreased by six per cent from N8.22 billion in 2014 to N7.72 billion in 2015. Honeywell’s revenue, however, declined by 10.94 per cent, from N55.08 billion to N49.06 billion in the corresponding period of 2014, while FMN’s revenue stood at N230 billion, a six per cent decrease from N246 billion of year ended March 2014. In spite of the exchange losses sustained during the year as a result of devaluation of the naira, FMN posted Profit After Tax of N2.4 billion, compared with N10.4 billion in 2014, while Honeywell had N1.12 billion. For the year under review, selling and distribution expenses of Honeywell increased by six per cent from N3.47 billion to N3.69 billion in the corresponding period of 2014 while administrative expenses increased slightly by 3.42 per cent from N1.79 billion to N1.86 billion over the period, a reflection of the company’s efforts to strengthen its operations in a tough business environment so as to achieve sustained growth. During the last five years, FMN had embarked on major expansion programmes and strategic acquisitions. Most of these projects are currently operational, making steady and impressive progress towards delivering good returns, positive cash flow and thereby making appreciable contribution to FMN’s top line and bottom line. Although, the expansion midway coincided with the global slump of oil prices which resulted in the devaluation of naira, thereby leading to increased import charges running into billions of naira, FMN’s foreign exchange loss ran into N5.1 billion. Honeywell also, having recognised the rise in competition in the flour milling, noodles

and pasta industry, has responded through large investments in capacity upgrade and expansion. According to the Chairman of the company, Dr Oba Otudeko, the company had in place plan to commission its third power plant. The power plant which is 98 per cent ready has gulped about N1.0 billion. In the year ended March 2015, the management of the two quoted companies recorded 16.47 per cent and 11.27 per cent gross margin respectively, indicating a result influenced by the economic challenges and huge foreign exchange losses. Gross margin, which signifies the profitability of the company’s products as it indicates how much it cost to produce these products, is calculated as Gross Profit/Net Sales. Honeywell’s gross margin stood at 16.47 per cent, while FMN was 11.27 per cent. The Operating Margin of Honeywell

In the year ended March 2015, the management of the two quoted companies recorded 16.47 per cent and 11.27 per cent gross margin respectively, indicating a result influenced by the economic challenges and huge foreign exchange losses.

however fell to 4.50 per cent while FMN’s stood at 14.95 per cent, as administrative expenses of Honeywell increases by 3.42 per cent in the year under review. Despite the decline in the profit of both consumer goods companies, Honeywell and FMN, the current ratio, indicating the ability of the companies to meet to short term obligations as they fall due, stood at 0.56 and 0.77. This is calculated as Current Assets/Current Liabilities. Results of both companies indicated that they were able to meet their short term financial obligations to their creditors. The Return on Assets (ROA) of Honeywell and FMN for 2015 financial year was 1.39 per cent and 8.64 per cent respectively. This is a ratio of annual net income to average total assets of a company during a financial year. The Return on Equity (ROE) is the ratio that measures the ability of a firm to generate profit from its shareholders’ investments in the company. This is calculated by dividing the company’s shareholders’ equity by the Net Income of the organisation. The 2015 full year ended March results revealed that FMN performed much better in managing the resources at its disposal as it recorded 31.48 per cent ROE as against Honeywell’s 4.37 per cent. Flour Mills of Nigeria Plc, over the course of 2015 financial year, had done remarkably well despite the challenging decline in profit as a result of a challenging operating environment and economy as evident in its higher ROE of 31.48 per cent. However, both companies brought their performance to a fair close in 2015, being able to manage their liquidity efficiently and must have earned the trust of their suppliers of raw material, even when the exchange rate of importing wheat was on the high side.

Monday, 15 February, 2016

moneymarket

Nigerian Tribune

anchor Chima Nwokoji

m:08032637535 e:chimatitus@yahoo.com

weeklyreview

From left, The Group Head, Retail and Consumer Bank Sales, Sterling Bank Plc, Fatai Amoo; Executive Director, Retail Banking, Grama Narasinhan; Group Head, Proposition and Products, Adewale Akinrinde and Head, Consumer Protection Council, Joshua Naggada at the flag-off of the second season of new Sterling Plus cash reward scheme in Lagos.

Tension, as Nigeria mulls exclusion of more items from forex market By Chima Nwokoji

ITH over $128 million of foreign exchange (forex) purchased by 7 banks from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) on behalf of their customers mainly for divestments from the capital market, school fees, business travel allowance (BTA) and personal travel allowance (PTA), the apex bank is considering exclusion of more items from official forex market. The above development which prompted some concerned Nigerians to call for addition of more items to the forex exclusion list, has caused a lot worries to manufacturers and parents whose children are schooling abroad. CBN’s Director of Banking Supervision, Mrs Tokunbo Martins, who briefed journalists on the outcome of last week’s bankers’ committee meeting, in Abuja, said that the monetary authorities would not allow that category of demand to crowd out the real sector of the economy in the forex market. Recent publications by Deposit Money Banks show that for the first two weeks of February 2016, Stanbic IBTC Limited with a total of $23,615,680.90 reported the highest amount of forex

purchased from the CBN on behalf of its customers. Stanbic IBTC was followed by First Bank of Nigeria Limited (FirstBank) and Guaranty Trust Bank Plc (GTBank), with $19,774,888.26 and $19,709,354.41, respectively. Also, Zenith Bank Plc with total returns of $18,707,309.97 came in fourth, while Diamond Bank reported returns of $17,515,474. Access Bank reported returns of $16,982,208.04 to occupy the sixth place, while the United Bank for Africa Plc (UBA) reported returns of $12,045,150.76. The publications from the banks showed that divestment by foreign portfolio investors from the equities and bond markets accounted for a largest chunk of forex, in terms of value, bought by Stanbic IBTC from the CBN. Also, in his remarks, the Managing Director of Access Bank, Mr Herbert Nwigwe, explained that the banks have decided to channel such forex to the real sector because those demands tend to crowd out demands to import raw materials and to support industries. “The problem with that is the fact that it tends to crowd out the critical foreign exchange that should be used in the real sector to import raw materials, to support

industries, to encourage employment. So, there is a question around how far we are going to allow this to continue. Shouldn’t we redirect these resources towards the real sector as we should?” he noted CBN’s Director, Corporate Communications, Mr. Ibrahim Muazu, explained that “So in line with what the CBN governor had said, banks would only allocate forex to priority sectors.” Of the three invisibles – school fees, PTA and BTA – the payment for school fees abroad featured most prominently on all the lists of the seven banks. In the case of FirstBank, its returns on utilisation of the $19.77 million it bought from CBN, showed a diverse allocation to various sectors of the economy. The sectors were petroleum, manufacturing, agricultural, machine spare parts, pharmaceutical packaging materials, industrial chemicals, bottling machinery spares, poultry meal, raw materials for paper production, school fees, and PTA/BTA, among others. On the other hand, of the $19.71 million bought by GTB on behalf of 293 firms/ individuals, 234 firms/individuals got forex allocations for school fees, while 25 firms/individuals got for PTA/BTA. However, the value of

forex for the importation of industrial raw materials as well as industrial spare parts, pharmaceutical products, and aluminium windows and doors by GTBank was higher. Also, Zenith Bank Plc’s returns showed that the bank sold a total of $18.71 million to 348 customers. Zenith Bank’s distribution of forex purchased by its customers showed that a large portion was allocated to the payment of school fees. But some customers were sold dollars for the importation of industrial raw materials, machine tools, and consumables for coding machines, among others. Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry, LCCI, last week warned that the current foreign exchange restrictions especially the exclusion of 41 items from the foreign exchange market might lead to loss of 80,000 jobs in the manufacturing sector. This he said was due to inability of manufacturers to access foreign exchange even for items not excluded. Speaking on behalf of the Chamber at TheCable Colloquium, Dr Vincent Nwanna, said: “Is the high rate an issue for manufacturers? No, the major issue now is access. Even the goods that are not listed in the 41 items, our members cannot even fund dollars to fund them.”

Money market review and outlook THE financial system opened the week with a high level of liquidity (N996.0bn) due to refunds made last Friday for unutilised naira liquidity provided by DMBs (Deposit Money Banks) for the CBN’s weekly forex intervention held last Thursday. Consequently, OBB (Open Buy Back) and O/N (Overnight) rates closed flat at 0.7 per cent and 1.0 per cent respectively. However, as DMBs made provisions for the CBN FX intervention auction for last week, money market rates increased on Tuesday with OBB closing at 2.4 per cent and O/N at 3.0per cent. Consequent on maturity of OMO bills worth N268.0billion that raised system liquidity on Thursday, money market rates dropped to 0.6 per cent and 1.0 per cent for the OBB and O/N respectively while NIBOR rates closed at an average of 7.4 per cent. Interbank rates dropped further on Friday after refunds were made for unfulfilled bids at the currency intervention auction with the OBB and average NIBOR rates closing at 0.5 per cent and 7.3 per cent respectively while the O/N rate was flat at 1.0 per cent. Relatedly, performance in the T-bills market was mixed last week as rates rose on Monday following a pre-market notification of an OMO auction. Hence, average T-Bills rates closed at 6.5 per cent on Monday before dropping to 6.3 per cent a piece on Tuesday and Wednesday in anticipation of the OMO maturity of Thursday. The rise in money market liquidity following the OMO maturity on Thursday and FX refund on Friday drove bullish sentiment with rates dropping across all tenors, closing at an average of 5.9 per cent on Friday, 42 basis points (bps) lower week on week (W-o-W). We expect activity in the coming week to be driven by liquidity dynamics. Foreign exchange review and outlook In line with recent trend observed in the Nigerian foreign exchange market, forex illiquidity has continued to see exchange rate depreciate at the less-regulated segments (BDC and parallel markets) as demand remains atop supply. Interbank liquidity declined by as much as N580.0billion on Tuesday after banks made provisions for a CBN currency auction held on Thursday. The official (CBN) and Interbank rates have remained stable at N197.00/US$1.00 and N199.10/US$1.00 respectively, due to the subsisting fixed exchange rate policy of the CBN, while the spread between the official and the less regulated segments continue to widen.

Investment Research

Afrinvest Securities Limited 27 Gerrard Road, Ikoyi, Lagos Nigeria

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Monday, 15 February, 2016

Unstable rates expected on N142.4bn T-bills maturity, auction Stories by Chima Nwokoji XPECTATIONS are high that N142. 4billion Treasury Bills (T-bills) maturity and auction of the same amount, will keep interbank market rates unstable this week. “We expect the wide swing in interbank rates to continue next (this) week, dictated by FX intervention provision and refund as well as a T-bills maturity of N142.4 billion and auction of the same amount,” said a dealer. The interbank rate reflects the level of Naira cash liquidity in the banking system. “Interbank rates are seen oscillate between 1 percent and 3.5 percent next (this) week on provisions for foreign exchange purchase and possible issuance of Open Market Operation (OM) O bills by the central bank

Sterling Bank set to give weekly cash reward to over 661 customers HAVING recorded huge success last year in its promise to reward customer loyalty, Sterling Bank Plc has kicked off the second season of its new Sterling Plus cash reward scheme targeted at giving out cash prizes to over 661 customers in 2016. At the bank’s corporate headquarters over the weekend, a total of 20, out of 65,039 qualified customers won N50,000 each, bringing the total prize to N1million for the week ended, February 5, 2016. Among the most recent winners are Ajewole Olaniyi from Tincan, Apapa branch of the bank in Lagos, Etta Albert Edmond from Port Harcourt, Adenopo Oluwatoyin Olayinka from Abuja, Murtala Adamu Musa from Kofan Ruwa in Kaduna State among others. Introduced last year, Sterling Plus is a product designed to encourage savings culture among Nigerians and promote financial inclusion, even as all staff and their relations are said to be ineligible to participate in the promo. Executive Director, Retail and Consumer banking at Sterling Bank Mr Grama Narasimhan said the commencement of the second phase of the scheme was sequel to the success story of its first edition and positive feedback from customers.

during the week,” another dealer said. Nigeria’s overnight interbank lending rate eased to an average of 0.75 percent on Friday from around 3 percent midweek after the central bank let cash flow into the market from matured treasury bills, traders said.

The central bank injected around N234 billion ($1.2 billion) in matured OMO bills on Thursday and additional refunds on cash deposited by commercial lenders for foreign exchange purchases by Friday, increasing the liquidity in the banking system. The cost of borrowing be-

Stanbic IBTC CEO,Mrs Sola David-Borha

tween banks had climbed to 3 percent on Wednesday after the central bank directed commercial lenders to fund their naira accounts to enable them to take part in its forex intervention on Thursday. The apex bank intervenes once a week in the interbank foreign exchange market to

provide dollar liquidity for some eligible importers. Dealers said the total commercial lenders’ credit balance with the central bank was at around N700 billion on Friday because of refunds from the surplus cash deposited for forex purchases, compared with N314 billion last week.

GT Bank CEO, Segun Agbaje

‘CBN independence remains intact’ THE Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has said that its statutory and administrative independence remains intact, insisting that the comments of President Muhammadu Buhari at various fora against the devaluation of the naira cannot be construed as interference with the operations of the bank. The apex bank made this clarification through the Director of Monetary Policy, Mr Moses Tula, while responding to a question at

the Cable Colloquium which looked at the call for the devaluation of the Naira at the civic centre in Lagos last Week. “Let me make it clear that the president has never interfered with the activities of the CBN. It is imperative for us to take the Naira exchange rate policy within the menu of other reform policies of government and that is the context within which the president made those speeches, that he

wasn’t going to kill the naira. “So within the context of these reform policies, there will come out of it, a policy that would strengthen the naira and that is the import of President Buhari’s speech.” Speaking at his recent trip to Nairobi, the capital of Kenya, at an interactive meeting with Nigerians living in that country, President Buhari likened devaluing the naira to having it killed. President Buhari said that

proponents of devaluation will have to work much harder to convince him that ordinary Nigerians will gain anything from it. Meanwhile, the Naira has crashed to a record low of N325 for one dollar on the parallel market. The slump comes amid concerns about the naria’s devaluation and the global slump in crude oil prices, but the CBN’s official exchange rate remains fixed at N197 for one dollar.

Diversification: Standard Bank investors’ conference to explore new opportunities FUND managers, discerning local and foreign investors will focus on new investment opportunities expected to aid diversification of revenue sources in the Nigerian economy. The focus of the event, according to David-Borha, Chief Executive, Stanbic IBTC Bank, is to highlight growth opportunities in critical areas such as power, agriculture; Small and Medium scale Enterprises (SME), manufacturing and energy, among others. At a pre-conference press briefing in Lagos on Wednesday, February 10,

2016, Chief Executive, Stanbic IBTC Holdings PLC, Mrs Sola David-Borha, stated that major domestic and global investors as well as fund managers will have access to information on the key economic issues which would enable them make well-informed investment decisions about the country. According to Borha, who was represented by Yinka Sanni, an executive of Stanbic IBTC Bank, Nigeria’s burgeoning population, rapid urbanisation, abundance of talents and natural resources, vast consumer market and a vibrant labour

force are key pillars to be discussed as they are drivers of the country’s economic renaissance. This and many others are the message of hope expected to resonate at the 7th Standard Bank West Africa Investors’ Conference, themed Unlocking Nigeria’s Potential growth through diversification, she said. The conference is slated for the Federal Palace Hotel, Victoria Island, Lagos, from February 23- 25, with discerning investors expected to get hints of growth opportunities in the economy. Built on the successes

recorded in the previous editions, the assemblage of investors will also avail policy makers a platform to unpack Nigeria’s economic direction with a view to deciphering how to move the economy forward, David-Borha stated. Key insights on various economic issues would be provided by speakers from the Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Power, Works and Housing, Central Bank of Nigeria, Securities and Exchange Commission, Nigerian Stock Exchange, National Pension Commission and Debt Management Office.

Nigerian Tribune

GTBank announces final tender results for $500m bond GUARANTY Trust Bank plc on Thursday announced the expiration and final tender results of all cash tender offer with respect to its $500,000,000, 7.50 per cent instrument. A statement from the bank said “As the Deadline for the Tender Offer was February 10, 2016, the deadline for tendering the Securities under the Offer has now passed.” The Notes due 2016, which Securities were issued by its wholly owned subsidiary, GTB Finance B.V. (the offeror) and unconditionally and irrevocably guaranteed by the Bank, has an aggregate principal amount of $126,586,000 of the securities. It said the notes which were validly tendered on or prior to the expiration deadline and not validly withdrawn were accepted. According to the bank’s CEO, Segun Agbaje, “we are pleased at the outcome of this exercise. The offer, which is the first of its kind involving a Nigerian corporate in the international financial markets, has enabled us achieve the objective of reducing some of the bank’s borrowing costs ahead of the maturity of the Eurobond in May this year. The tender result is also a testament to the strength of the bank’s credit in the international capital markets. It is gratifying and humbling at the same time to note this level of investor confidence in the bank.” No securities were tendered through the guaranteed delivery procedures described in the Tender Offer Memorandum dated February 4, 2016. According to the bank, “the settlement date for the tender offer is February 16, 2016. The tender offer is consistent with GTBank’s liability management strategy and reflects the bank’s ongoing efforts to enhance the efficiency of its funding and capital structure as it seeks to reduce its overall funding costs. Subject to applicable law, the offeror or any of its affiliates may at any time and from time to time following completion of the offer, purchase the remaining outstanding Securities by tender, in the open market, by private agreement or otherwise on such terms and at such prices as the offeror or, if applicable, its affiliates may determine.

Monday, 15 February, 2016

Nigerian Tribune

anchor

capitalmarket

Kehinde Akinseinde-Jayeoba

m:08057336640 e:kehinde_07@yahoo.com

Nigerian stocks post 5.05% gain with N242bn Stories by Kehinde AkinseindeJayeoba-Lagos

HE volatility of the Nigerian equities market came to bear last week as trading during the five days of the week yielded positive result to post 5.05 per cent gain. The NSE benchmark all-share index and market capitalisation, appreciated by 5.05 per cent to close the week at 24,689.69 and N8.491 trillion respectively. Market capitalisation within the week gained N242.1 billion. A turnover of 1.407 billion shares worth N17.277 billion in 14,914 deals were traded last week by investors on the floor of the Nigerian Stock Exchange in contrast to that of the preceding week where a total of 5.087 billion shares valued at N18.488 billion that exchanged hands in 16,711 deals. The financial services industry (measured by volume) led the activity chart with 1.252 billion shares valued at N7.169 billion traded in 8,451 deals; thus contributing 88.98 per cent and 41.49 per cent to the total equity turnover volume and value respectively. The oil and gas industry followed with 50.714 million shares worth N5.338 billion in 1,520 deals. The third place was occupied by the consumer goods industry with a turnover of 37.534 million shares worth N3.117 billion in 2,473 deals. Trading in the top three equities, measured by volume, were Guaranty Trust Bank Plc, FCMB Group Plc and Wema Bank

CSCS trains Nigerian Police Force THE Central Securities Clearing System Plc (CSCS Plc), recently concluded a two-day workshop on Central Securities Depository/ Capital Market Operations for officers of the Nigerian Police Force in Lagos, as part of CSCS’ contribution towards supporting the fight against financial theft in the Nigerian capital market. Speaking at the opening session of the workshop, Mr Joe Mekiliuwa, General Manager, Operations, CSCS, said the workshop was aimed at exposing the participants to the operations of CSCS in the capital market and market dynamics so as to assist them in carrying out capital market related investigations successfully and improve collaboration between CSCS and the Nigerian Police Force. According to him, “this training has become necessary in order to collectively fight criminals in the capital market by sharing with you information you need to know about the operations of CSCS that will assist in your investigations on capital market related cases. And at the same time foster the relationship between our organisation and the Nigerian Police Force.” He therefore encouraged the officers not to see the workshop as a mere academic exercise but as a practical hands-on-deck approach such that it would help in improving their understanding of the capital market operations.

Plc. They accounted for 667.292 million shares worth N4.256 billion in 2,114 deals, contributing 47.44 per cent and 24.63 per cent to the total equity turnover volume and value respectively Similarly, all other Indices finished

higher during the week, with the exception of the NSE Banking Index, NSE Insurance Index and the NSE Consumer Goods Index that depreciated by 1.14 per cent, 1.28 per cent and 0.15 per cent respectively, while the NSE ASeM index closed flat.

Meanwhile, 26 equities appreciated in price during the week, lower than 30 equities of the previous week. 30 equities depreciated in price, lower than 40 equities of the previous week, while 134 equities remained unchanged.

Director General Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Mounir Gwarzo flanked by Executive Commissioner, Corporate Services SEC, Zakawanu Garuba, left, explaining the e-dividend registration to traders in Balogun Market in Lagos.

Forte Oil posts N7.01bn for 2015, propose N3.45k dividend FORTE Oil Plc. Nigeria integrated energy solutions provider, has released its 2015 full year audited financial report showing a profit before tax of N7.01bn representing a 30 per cent increase from the previous year record. The release of the full year audited result is a first in the history of the Nigeria Stock Exchange as Forte Oil made record by filing an approved result ahead of the regulatory deadline as against practice by most quoted companies. The board of directors have also proposed a cash dividend of N3.45 kobo per share of the company’s common stock which would be paid to all shareholders upon the ratification of the proposal at its forthcoming Annual General Meeting. The revenue of the Forte Oil Plc for the year under review, stood at N124,617 billion compared to N170,128 billion posted same period in 2014. According to the company, “revenue fell by 25 per cent from N122.6 billion in third quarter of 2014 to N91.6 billion in Q3 of 2015 as a result of reduced importation of petroleum products by the company due to prolonged delays by the government in making subsidies payment and a drop in pump prices, adding that this was further exacerbated by nationwide strikes by downstream sector workers. However, profit before income tax increased 16.7 per cent to N7,012 billion compared to N6.006 billion recorded in 2014, while profit after income tax increased 30.0

per cent to N5,794 billion compared N4,457 billion in the same period in 2014. Earnings per share grew 86.8 per cent to N4.11 compared to N2.20 recorded in the same period in 2014. The company’s growth in profits was attributable to the significant increase recorded in the sales of energy in the power generation segment as well as Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), Automotive Gas Oil (AGO), Aviation Turbine Kerosene (ATK) and the production of chemicals, lubricants and greases. Commenting on the result, Mr Julius Omodayo-Owotuga, the Group Chief Financial Officer, Forte Oil PLC said. “The decline in Revenue of 27 per cent was as a result of the company strategy to reduce importation of Premium Motor Spirit so as to reduce the Company’s exposure to subsidy receivables from the Federal Government. “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

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.” Also the Group Chief Executive Officer, Mr Akin Akinfemiwa, noted that: “This result in a testing economic climate which we operate, is the reward from the investments made by the Company in its core business and its people. “It also clearly demonstrates the resilience of our business and our vision to diversify into power generation has proved to be very successful not just in the near term but in the long term and we see tremendous growth opportunities in that space.” He further attributed the group’s sustained superior performance to highly motivated and skilled employees as well as excellent customer service delivery across all business lines.

Stock of the week Dangote Cement Plc, last week made investors toast as its share appreciated by 17.86 per cent to close at N146.50 kobo per share. The blue chip company opened the week trade with 124.30, but closed with N22.20 kobo added to its share value after trading 7,334,098 volume of shares worth N977.9 million in 779 deals. Market capitalisation of the company under the Premium Board Sector of the Nigerian Stock Exchange, presently stands at N2.5 trillion.

Monday, 15 February, 2016

Nigerian Tribune

labour Leadership issues in NLC is pathetic —NUPENG President President of Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG), Comrade Igwe Achese, speaks on the challenges confronting the labour movement in Nigeria, the electricity tariff increase and the ongoing resolution process of the NLC leadership crisis. SOJI-EZE FAGBEMI presents the details.

ABOUR has reacted to the 45 per cent increase in electricity tariff. What is your opinion on this? It is sad that government would increase electricity tariff to that percentage, in a country where things are not working. Even infrastructures are not on ground to aid the effect of the policy, as necessary infrastructure needs to be in place to aid the effect of such tariff. There should even be constant electricity supply to warrant such increase. And going by the devaluation of naira, the increase will have a huge impact on the common man. Looking at the current take home pay, one would begin to ask questions on whether we are on the right course. The situation is pathetic, sad and unacceptable for Nigerian populace. This also underscores our opposition to the privatisation of public institutions which was not properly done and managed due to corruption. We are discussing the issue at the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), and I hope we respond as quickly as possible. You stressed the need for NLC to act fast on this issue and other anti-labour policies of the government, but it is still involved in unresolved crisis at the leadership level, even with the ongoing reconciliatory process? Let me say this that even membeEven members of the forth estate of the realm are involved in the current labour crisis we are facing. Maybe they thought that if the crisis persists, it may not affect them as journalists or workers, but they need to understand that they are also workers, and the current situation in the congress is a backlog of what happened in the labour cycle. This was made known to some of these journalists, but they refused to report it. For instance, the former president of the congress, Abdulawaheed Omar, retired before even coming to contest as the president of the NLC, and it was sealed until he completed his tenure. So why won’t this other person do the same thing? Labour has derailed at that moment, because the leadership did not allow the people to give mandate. The same thing has happened again in the present leadership of the NLC; those who were retired were smuggled in to manipulate and truncate the will of Nigerian workers. The law and constitution of the NLC were neglected, so how do you expect labour to have the moral justification to challenge government on any of its policies

Achese they consider anti-workers. The truth is that before you react to anything or point accusing fingers at anyone, you must have that moral justification that you are clean of some of these issues. The current situation in labour nosedived and that is why we are saying we need to wake up and keep the system going because we are going to meet a serious challenges in future. At the last joint council meeting of the congress we were asked to brief the meeting on some of our findings, we told them that some

people retired and were still allowed to contest against labour and workplace policies. We all agreed at the end of the meeting that such issues must be look into critically. Similarly, we told the meeting that the man who stood as the general secretary of the NLC and conducted that election was also fraudulent and so when you bring these things together, you will understand that the election was null and void. So in this case, you will agree with me that we have a problem and I hope that as we are going into reconcil-

iation, we would get it right and then Nigerian workers will smile.

Who are those that have retired that you are referring to? One of them is Kiri Mohammed who retired from Jigawa Civil Service but refused to go. Rather, he is even planning to call for a mini conference of his union so as to remain in office as president of the union until he finishes his tenure at the NLC. I remember vividly that my general secretary then as a deputy president during Adams Oshoimhole’s administration let go of his position as the deputy president of congress when he retired from service. So, why would it be a different thing today? Also, the former Nursing president, Dutsinma who is now a vice president of the congress, has already been retired long ago and has finish his tenure in his union and also retired from service but was allowed to contest, not even from the pensioners union, but came from the Nurses’ Union again to contest in Ayuba’s camp. That shows you the level of corruption and fraud that has moved into the NLC which has taken the congress to where it is today. Journalists must do thorough investigation to give hope to Nigerians and the workers. The situation is pathetic. At the last joint meeting, Adams Oshiomhole vehemently asked about Ayuba’s position in his union and was told that he is no longer a worker but an employer, that he owns a clinic as a director. So what is he doing in labour? They said the union constitutions allow who owned a clinic to become a member of the union, but Adams said no, they also said no, that if he goes, everybody in the congress would also go because you cannot catch one wrong and make noise since there are other wrongs in the congress which they know

within themselves in the public sector unions. So, the public sector unions should help Nigerian workers because it does not happen in the private sector unions. Lot of people today see the office of NLC president as a juicy leadership role and only means of survival, and that is why most of them are acting as if without them serving as president, they would die. It was on this premise that I said even though we are moving towards reconciliation, we may face a brick wall. Am also happy with the ruling of National Industrial Court (NIC), the court asked all parties to go and reconcile for peace to rein. We are hoping that other party would see the need to say sorry when it is necessary. Your faction recently wrote a letter to the chairman of the reconciliatory committee and threatened to pull out of the reconciliatory process. What is the situation now? We did that in order to pressurise them to call for a meeting and we meant it. If the meeting was not summoned, we would have pulled out and continue with our labour struggle. Such action would have created a heated debate on air by my president, Comrade Ajaero. The last joint council meeting resolved that the report we gave has life, and as such the joint CWC agreed that a seven-man committee be put in place to continue meetings until the issues are resolve and necessary document are signed and implemented. But as soon as we left the meeting venue, we saw the other faction saying that the matter is resolved and that they won the case. They immediately started parading themselves as leaders of the congress, going to government offices even when they know their house is on fire.

TOAN becomes legal trade union, gets certificate of registration Soji-Eze Fagbemi - Abuja THE Tricycle Owners Association of Nigeria (TOAN) has become the latest registered trade union in the country and a new affiliate of the Trade Union Congress (TUC). The union received its certificate of registration from the Registrar of Trade Union, Ministry of Labour and Employment recently. TOAN is the umbrella union of all tricycle owners/operators in Nigeria and is expected to coordinate the activities of the operators and protect the interest of its members nationwide. Receiving the certificate, the first National President of TOAN, Comrade Augustine Apeh, commended the Ministry of Labour

and Employment for finding the association worthy of registration by the Registrar of Trade Union. He promised the commitment of the association to promotion of solidarity, peace, equity, justice and poverty eradication amongst members and Nigerians at large. The President of the TUC, Comrade Bobboi Bala Kaigama, advised members of the newly registered union to ensure high standard of performance and professional practice in their daily operations. Addressing the inaugural national meeting of the association, Corade Kaigama said: “Our members have respect for the law of this country, we ensure that our members operate within

the ambit of the law and encourage absolute respect for lay down rules and regulations.” He tasked members of the association to always embrace social dialogue in the promotion of the welfare and effective operations of members, saying that he has confidence in the ability of the association new executive. The TUC president said: “The Trade Union Congress of Nigeria which you are affiliated to is a very responsible and respected association, we are respected because we know that the era of table banging is over, you now have to use your brain to marshal your points and sell the idea of the protection of your workers. My little interaction with your president and other executive has proven

to me that we are not wrong to accept you into our fold.” He added that as the newest affiliate of the TUC, TOAN members will enjoy maximum protection as whatever touches them touches TUC. In his remarks, the Chairman of Abuja chapter of TUC, Comrade Musa Aliyu, tasked members to put the interest of the association above individual interest in choosing their executives. “You must defend your registration and guide it jealously. Let your election be a family affairs and if you don’t get a position in the union wait for another time. Do away with I must get it attitude and support whoever the members of the association elected.”

Monday, 15 February, 2016 Group Politics Editor Taiwo Adisa - 08072000046 tai_adis@yahoo.com

States should be dissolved, but.. —Jemibewon

Retired Major General David Jemibewon is a former Minister of Police Affairs. He was the governor of Old Oyo State during the Murtala/ Obasanjo military administration. In the interview with KUNLE ODEREMI, the Kogi State-born elder statesman speaks on state creation, the Buhari administration, independent candidacy, among other issues. Excerpts:

I think the clamour for further states, I have said many times, any serious, patriotic Nigerian, who is well educated, I can’t see people within that group being in the group of people agitating for more states. I know the creation of states started with 12 states. From there, the number of states went to 19 and today, we have 36 states. Towards the end of last year, the Federal Government had to bail out the states. Really, what is the purpose of government if they can’t pay the emolument of the staff they employ? Why employ those staff in the first place? During state creation when we were there about 40 years ago, my own suggestion as a Nigerian because I had grown up enough and I was a governor and was already an important member of the society, I had advocated that if we were to create more states, we should not go beyond 24. And I based it on the provincial establishment that had existed under the British before we got independence in 1960. There were 12 provinces in the North and 12 in the South and that we should just follow those provincial boundaries. We went to 36 states that we have today and people are still asking for more. So, I think that through state creation, we have underdeveloped Nigeria. I don’t there is any basis for creating more states in the country. There are no bases at all. In fact, it should be possible to dissolve some states. It should be possible to dissolve some states. But how they go through that exercise is what I don’t know. I think some states ought to be dissolved.

S a top military brass then, how would recall the tragic death of Head of State, General Murtala Muhammed, in a bloody coup 40 years ago? It was an unfortunate day and it is very interesting that about now, we are talking about 40 years ago. You can just imagine how time flies! However, it was a memorable day but in a negative way. It was a bad day; the country was really sad because we seem to be on the march for development; march for some level of sanity in political activities, leadership and development. Then, the head of state, who was at the centre of all those good things was cast down. It was really an unfortunate occasion. But we thank God the country grew over it and within few months, we were able to reignite the determination of the government. This was possible because the late head of state that was assassinated and his deputy worked so closely and in unison that other than the sad event, in terms of momentum and activities, it was as if nothing really happened to slow down government. Rather than that, it was really unfortunate. What was the primary lesson you and other leaders of the country that time were able to take away from that tragic incident and probably shaped your vision? Of course, it will depend on the way every individual looked at it. But I think that within that period that it happened, a lot of us and I in particular, my view was that our getting involved in government which was to improve the country economically, socially, politically and with what then happened, I questioned what we were we really getting worried for in respect of the development of the country. We thought we were doing our best for the country and to cast the leadership down, the enthusiasm to do ones best came under some personal questioning, if I may put it that way. You think you are doing the best for the good of society and it is the same society that cut you down. So, where does the hope lie? I personally, that was how I felt that time. I thought I was doing my best and then, some people now wanted to kill me. For what? That was the feeling, but with time and the spontenaeous manner in which most Nigerains sympathised with us and the country, and the reaction of the citizenry gave us some hope. So, with time, we resumed that enthusiasm with which we were running government. But, otherwise one was really depressed. I think it is natural if you think you are doing the right thing and people come trying to slow you down. That regime increased the number of states from 12 to 19, ostensi-

Jemibewon bly to enhance national unity and fast track development. But 40 years down the line, the agitation for more states remains strident. How would you reconcile the situation? When it comes to state creation, I have so much that I could say. First of all, I think with the number of states we have in the country, state creation has become one of the sources of underdevelopment. Today, there is hardly any state

that can generate enough resources to meet the emoluments of the staff of the various ministries in the states; except, from what I heard, perhaps Lagos State, and maybe one or two of the oil-producing areas, and by virtue of size, revenue, maybe Kano State, I don’t know. But most states, including my state, Kogi. If there is nothing coming from the Federal Government, I am not too sure they can survive for two months. So, what is the point of creating states?

At the moment, people still talk of the North-

ern states, South-West states, and so on. If we knew we were going to continue this, what was the basis of not leaving those regions as they were?

I would like you to look at the whole issue from the perspective of ethnic agitation. For instance, the Yoruba-speaking people of Kogi and Kwara states wished they could be allowed to join their kinsmen in the South-West? No, I don’t think there is too much agitation on the line. In any case, states can never be based on ethnic or tribal consideration because if you say that, then every family should be a state because if you go the Republic of Benin, there are Yoruba there. This is why sometimes I find it difficult to understand. Before states were created in Nigeria, there were four regions. From the four, we went to 12 states; then 19 and now, 36 states. At the moment, people still talk of the Northern states, South-West states, and so on. If we knew we were going to continue this, what was the basis of not leaving those regions as they were? I think it will be difficult to dissolve states now but the most desirable thing some states need to be dissolved. But, how can you do it? Maybe, one of the best ways to continues pg32

politics&policy

Monday, 15 February, 2016

Jemibewon

My role in the creation of Ogun continued from pg31

do it is to go back to our regions. Do you mean four regions? I said maybe! But how do we do it? You can see what is happening now. We know that President Muhammadu Buhari is doing his best, but can he alone change the country? A lot of people have been there in the past; only for the system shortly after they left office. The thing collapsed again. So, if Buhari is there for four years, or even for eight years, what happens after he leaves office? One is not advocating anything other than democracy, but the way our democracy is leading this country to, I am not too sure that there is bright hope. What exactly do you mean? What I mean is that there are three compartments of government: Executive, Legislature and the Judiciary. The judiciary is the most dependable, except that efforts are now being made by both, particularly the legislative arm, to influence the public to tarnish the reputation of the judiciary. Other than that, the judiciary is the most stable. Because of the nature of our democracy, if the president wants to something, which is for the good of the country, except he lobbies the lawmakers, he may not get it done. So, I want to throw a suggestion which had be thrown before. I think we are getting close to a situation, where the Constitution should look into the possibility of an independent candidate at that level because I know if Buhari had become president through an independent candidate and not through a political party, he would have been able to come out with what he believes is what can sustain this country. but if he does so today, his party probably will be the first to shoot

him down. Or the entire members of the national Assembly will shoot him down. How do we address the issue? I don’t know the answer myself but before this country can improve, we must look at the set up. The president cannot just come overnight and say, ‘Dissolve this state.’ My view is that we need to reduce the number of states. But how do we do it? I haven’t met him since he became president, but let us even assume that he shares this view, he can’t do it. It is not easy to do. Is it because of the structure on ground, especially the 1999 Constitution? The Constitution itself has not helped the country. It says there must be a minister from each state; and 36 ministers are too many for the country. But, what the President has tried to do is to name ministers from all the states and some people are already blaming him for naming himself the minister for petroleum. So, we have problems. Kogi State is there. From the time it came into existence, go to the capital, Lokoja; it is hardly as good as a local government headquarters in terms of development—

roads, and so on. Is that problem not a function of leadership? Which leadership? Leadership must have money. Because they just call you leader, does that translate to money? Like I said, there must be a governor; they must be a deputy governor; there must be commissioners. There are 21 local governments in Kogi State as poor as it is and it is one commissioner per local government. What do they generate as revenue that each local government must have a commissioner? Many years ago, there was less population; less infrastructure necessary for maintenance. These provinces that have now become states had provincial secretaries, who were young people; who had just been discharged from the Army in Britain. In a number of cases, some provinces are now constituted into states. What role did you play in the creation of Ogun State, as the issue cropped up when the state marked its 40th anniversary? Yes, all the states were created about 40 years ago. To be precise, they in-

I went further to propose the name of Ogun State, rather than Ogunyewa, which the Ijebus might find discriminatory since both rivers: Ogun and Yewa flow through Egba and Egbado divisions, respectively.

clude old Oyo State, which is now Oyo and Osun; old Ondo state, which is now Ondo and Ekiti; and Ogun state. They were among those states created 40 years ago. In fact, it was few days after Dimka did his coup. When you earlier asked me a question about states, I said some states should be dissolved. I am particularly pleased and I want to seize this opportunity to congratulate those states created 40 years ago. But I think Ogun State was the most prominent that celebrated it in a very elaborate way. I was in my village during the celebration. In fact, as the celebration was going on, few people phoned from Lagos and Abuja, asking whether I was watching television and I told them, No! And I was told that somebody in the gathering said something good about me; that they had to thank God and thank me for the creation of Ogun state and that he was one of the 12 people to the governor’s office in Ibadan then to plead for the creation of Ogun State. I want to seize the opportunity of this interview, which you know very well that I didn’t influence that, really, Ogun State as it is today was not recommended by the Ayo Irikefe panel. What actually happened is that the recommendation of Irikefe was that what is called Ogun State today should form part of Lagos to be called Lagos State. But because one was governor and got to know some of the recommendations, I invited the four divisions then that formed what is today Ogun State to Ibadan for discussion to let them know what the situation was and to ask them what they want. So, when they came, I don’t know the appropriate word, but the lack of communication even amongst them was such that while I was in my office, waiting for the time they would be ready; if they had sat down, they were not even sitting down together. They were in their different divisions: the Ijebus were on one side; the Egbas were on their own; the Egbados and Remos were on their separate sides. Like I said, there were four divisions: Egbado, Egba, Remo and the Ijebu. So, what I said was: ‘Gentlemen, why don’t you come together and so on.’ Important personalities were there. When I met and discussed with them, before they left me however, they started communicating, exchanging views. What really happened was that there was no confidence between the Egbas and the Ijebus, and I want to believe among their leadership, they never really felt they could be together. After meeting them, and believing that what I was going to recommend would make everybody happy, I now addressed a letter to the late Head of State (General Murtala Muhammed) ahead of the National Council of States meeting. In the letter on the subject of state creation, I made a specific recommendation for the creation of Ogun State; indeed, part of the letter carried the sub-title: Ogun State. In dealing with the groups that should constitute the proposed state, I offered the following four possible alternatives: 1. Egbado, Egba, Remo and Ijebu divisions of the Western State together with Lagos to form one state as proposed by the Irikefe panel. 2. Egbado, Egba, Remo and Ijebu divisions to form one state. 3. Egbado and Egba divisions to form one state; Remo and Ijebu divisions to join Lagos. 4. Egbado and Egba divisions to join Lagos State to form a new state. In the letter to the head of state, I expressed the view that alternative 2, that is, Egbado, Egba, Remo and ijebu divisions to form one state. I expressed the view that Alternative 2 would be work continues pg33

politics&policy

Monday, 15 February, 2016

We should protect the integrity of the Judiciary

Oghenajabor Ikimi is a Delta-State based lawyer, rights activist and national coordinator of the Centre for the Vulnerable and the Underprivileged (CENTREP). He speaks with EBENEZER ADUROKIYA on the implications of taking the judiciary to the cleaners, on-going anti-corruption crusade, among others. Excerpts:

HAT’S your take on the current anticorruption campaign by the President Muhammadu Buhari-led government? The anti-corruption war by our president is an excellent one and I commend him for doing a good job. I call on all Nigerians to support him in the quest to eradicate corruption and wastes in our public life. Our common wealth has been looted, mismanaged by previous administrations and our president has taken a bold fight in this direction and it has been wonderful. I commend him for his courage to clean up the system. Nigerians should key into the fight so that Nigeria can, once again, be a great country. It is alleged in some quarters that the anticorruption fight has been selective and that the fundamental human rights of some of the suspects have not been respected in the process of prosecution. I’m not his spokesperson, but I know that those who are already receiving the heat are the ones carrying out these false campaigns. When you fight corruption, when you talk about

PMB took over. I see a light at the end of the tunnel.

changing a system, especially in a country where corruption is entrenched like Nigeria, a country where corruption is at an earthquaking momentum, this is what to expect. Some persons will definitely want to kick against the fight. So, that’s what we are experiencing. Those clamouring for the human rights of the suspects are being sponsored by politicians. And I say it that no weapon that is fashioned against this anti-corruption war will prevail. Some people are drawing a correlation between the manner President Olusegun Obasanjo fought corruption and the way PMB is also doing his now. OBJ left governance amid a more corrupt Nigeria. are we not headed the same direction? I don’t think the methodology

I say it that no weapon that is fashioned against this anti-corruption war will prevail.

PMB is using was the same methodology OBJ adopted. Those people drawing the correlation are just time-wasting. The president is saying the actual anticorruption war has not begun. That’s what PMB said recently.

So, when it begins, even the few ones we have seen, Nigerians are satisfied. We never knew that our monies could be shared by politicians in the name of security votes. In fact, when OBJ was the president, the corruption level was not as high as it was when

The President also said, during one of his trips abroad that his major headache was the judiciary. And you belong to the bar. What’s your take on this? I think that statement was an unfortunate. Nigeria has one of the best judiciary. When you are ranking the judiciary in Africa and the world, Nigeria ranks as one of the best. So, PMB going out to say that his headache was the judiciary is, with due respect to him, a bit far from being objective not marked out in the forehead. Many of them are indigenes. So, it will take time - not a fixed time, and we will totally eradicate the sect when we have good governance. The level of poverty in these areas is so much that whoever brings bread to them is their god! The insurgents have money to recruit people and the people are hungry. The ordinary people see the Boko Haram insurgents and not the Nigerian government. So, it will take some time for the people to overcome this ignorance because ignorance and poverty are diseases. The latter fuels the former. If the government thinks there could be a timeframe to defeat them, then it does not know the enormity of the problem on ground.

‘Let’s not dwell too much on corruption’ continues from pg32

able and acceptable to all concerned. I went further to propose the name of Ogun State, rather than Ogunyewa, which the Ijebus might find discriminatory since both rivers: Ogun and Yewa flow through Egba and Egbado divisions, respectively. I also recommended that the state capital be located at Owode Egba, which I had reasons to believe will be least objectionable to the people of Ijebu and Remo divisions. I candidly felt that Abeokuta might be difficult to develop as a state capital. Why? Was it because of the topography? No that is a different matter. I don’t want to go that area now. I said Abeokuta might. I didn’t say will be difficult.. An Egba chief wrote a letter, in which he was angry with me because before I became governor, I served twice in Abeokuta. So, I know few people there and they were good friends. They probably expected me to do which

I didn’t do. So, this particular highly educated man, enlightened, he is dead now, he didn’t feel too happy that as a good friend that I was, certain things didn’t happen the way he wanted them. So, he wrote me a letter. I didn’t put his name in my book, which contains these facts. I hold no malice against him, but on the basis of this is why I decided to explain the role I played because some felt I didn’t want ogun State to be created. What is my business? I was quite clear that the Chief of Staff, the Number 2 man in that government, was from Abeokuta. How could I have been against that? I am particularly saying this because some people who deserve some respect for certain things that they have done, that turn out to be good they are hardly acknowledged. So, it is like some articles I have read recently. While the President is doing his best to reduce corruption to a manageable level, I think it is real good thing too that

Jemibewon while we frown at those who are involved (in corruption), those that could be said to have displayed some level of honesty, we ought to find some of them and also mention some of them.

So, it is not always the negative we are just saying. There must good people in this country, like, even though I was a young man, I know great people like Simeon Adebo, I am just giving

him as an example. I remember as governor here (Oyo), I said they should make late Herbert Ogunde chairman of a government parastatals in his field; the WNBC was there. But, the man honestly politely said, ‘Look, it will conflict with my job.’ It was because he was one of those artistes who did a lot od shows. There was also maybe Chief Ogunkeye or Ogunseye, I can’t remember the exact name now. I think he is dead; he was either from Ekiti or Ondo State. He too said, ‘Look, I have been chairman many times over. Let us look for younger people.’ Chief MKO Abiola was not known as a major government contractor. Those are people who lived well. They were successful not through corruption. So, what I’m saying is that while we are emphasising those who are corrupt, let us also identify few people, even if they are not 100 per cent clean, but they are reasonable clean, let us use them by telling people these are kind of role models.

34 politicscommentary

Monday, 15 February, 2016

The licit jumbo salaries of legislators B y E ric T eniola

PART from the issue of oil subsidy, no other subject has enraged and infuriated Nigerians more than the issue of the Jumbo salaries and allowances of the members of the National Assembly. Yet in spite of the anger, the salaries and allowances are licit under the monetisation policy of the government which was implemented in 2003. It is the policy that enabled a former Senate President David Mark, to buy so cheaply the official residence of the Senate President at Apo in Abuja- a house that should be a National heritage- and get away with it. Ditto to the former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mr Dimeji Bankole, who bought the official residence of the Speaker of the House of Representatives, also at Apo at giveaway price and got away with it. If we talk about the jumbo salaries and allowances for the legislators, what about top civil servants who earn their jumbo salaries for life and the governors and former governors, who also earn their jumbo salaries and entitlements for life. Once we adopt the Presidential system of government we cannot run away from its excesses. And also its shortcomings. The jumbo salaries and allowances of the members of the National Assembly and the Security votes of the governors is also part of the excesses. They must be curbed in the light of the dwindling fortunes of the Nigeria economy. Albeit we can not afford it. What is monetisation? Monetisation is the quantification in money terms of those fringe benefits which government used to provide for its workers as part of their conditions of service. Such benefits include residential accommodation, chauffeur-driven cars, residential furniture, utility services, etc. This policy is only practised in Ghana, Cameroun and other African countries. I understand that Ghana had stopped the policy in the last two months. The proposal came from the Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Commission. It was debated in the National Assembly and passed into law as ‘Certain Political, Public and Judicial office Holders (Salaries and Allowances etc) Act 2002. Monetisation was clamoured for by Civil Servants, as conveyed in the communiqué of the Reorientation workshop for Directorate Level Officers in the Federal Civil Service read to the then President, Olusegun Obasanjo, on 14th January, 2002. The Organised Private Sector and a number of Government Agencies and Parastatals have adopted Monetisation of benefits for quite some time now, e.g. CBN, NNPC, etc. I note also that the university system has its own list monetised fringe benefits and allowances. In other to ensure effective implementation of the policy, the Presidential Committee on the monetisation of fringe benefits in the public service of the federation was set up by former President Obasanjo on November 11, 2002 under the chairmanship of the then Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Chief Ufott Ekaette (CFR). Following the submission of the Committee’s Interim Report to Obasanjo and its subsequent adoption by government, a circular detailing the newly monetised fringe benefits and the modalities for their implementation was issued on 27th June, 2003, with 1st July, 2003 as the commencement date of the programme. To sensitise the states on the implementation of the programme, an interactive session was earlier organized on

National Assembly

The monetisation policy, a policy that was meant to solve problems, has now created more problems. It is like a monster now. The question now is, can we afford the monetisation policy? Tuesday 17th June, 2003 to enable both the Head of Civil Service of the Federation to intimate Secretaries to State Governments (SSGs) and Head of Civil Service of the States(HCSS) in the 36 states of the Federation with modalities for the implementation of the Monetisation policy. Suffice it to say the states objected to the implementation insisting that they could not afford it. On November 27th 2003, Chief Ekaette told members of the Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Lagos under the headship of Professor Lai Olurode that “Monetisation as a public policy reform must be appreciated in the context of other reforms each of which plays complementary roles with the new overarching economic development strategy of the Obasanjo Administration called NEEDS(National Economic Empowerment Development Strategy).” The following was approved for members of the National Assembly as part of the Monetisation policy: (a) Housing Allowance-100% of Annual Basic Salary (b) Transport Allowance-350% of Annual Basic Salary (c) Utility Allowance-20% of Annual Basic Salary (d) Domestic Staff Allowance-75% of Annual Basic Salary (e) Entertainment Allowance- 10% of Annual Basic Salary (f) Constituency Allowance150% of Annual Basic Salary (g) Furniture Salary- 300% of Annual Basic Salary (h) Allowance for Employment of Special Assistant- Equivalent of 25% of Annual Basic Salary to be paid (i) Vehicle Maintenance and Fuelling- 30% of Annual Basic Salary (j) Recess Allowance- 10% of Annual Basic Salary (k) Severance Gratuity- 300% of Annual Basic Salary(to be paid once in a life time)

after successful completion of tenure The following was approved under the monetization policy for Federal Civil Servants (1) Accommodation, Grade level—01-06 ( 50% of Annual Basic Salary), Grade level--- 07-17(60% of Annual Basic Salary and Grade level---15 & above( 75% of Annual Basic Salary. Transportation--Grade level 01-17(25% of Annual Basic Salary. Meal Subsidy--- Grade level---01-06 (N 6,000.00),07-10(N 8,4000.00), 12-14(N 9,600.00), 15-17(N 10,800.00), Permanent Secretary(N 16,200.00). Utility, Grade level--- 01-16 (15% of Annual Basic Salary), 17 &above( 20% of Annual Basic Salary). Domestic Servant--- Grade level 15(1 GL. 3 Step 8), 16-17( 2 GL 3 step 8), PS & above( 3 GL 3 step 8). Leave Grant---01 & above (10% of Annual Basic Salary. Medical---01 & above (10% of Annual Basic Salary to be paid to NHIS). Furniture Allowance--Grade level--01-06(NIL), 17 & above (200% in 5 years,i.e. 40% of per annum). Vehicle loan--- Grade level,01-05(100% of Annual Basic Salary),06-07(150% of Annual Basic Salary,08& above(200% of Annual Basic Salary. Driver---Grade level----17 & above( 1GL.3 step 8. The following was approved for the Chief Justice of Nigeria and Judges of the Supreme Court under the monetization policy--- (a) Accommodation- to be provided by the government (with an option to be paid 100% of Annual Basic Salary if opted to stay in personal house) (b) Furniture- to be provided by Government (c) Medical Careto be provided by Government, including members of immediate family (d) Robe- to be provided by Government (e) Transport-

official cars to be assigned and maintained by Government (f) Security- to be provided (g) Utility- Bills to be settled by Government (h) Domestic Staff- to be provided (i) Entertainment- to be catered for by Government (j) Special Assistants- to be provided from within the Civil Service (k) Leave Allowance – 10% of Annual Basic Salary to be paid once in each calendar year (l) Hardship Allowance- 50% of Annual Basic Salary (m) Severance Gratuity – 300% of Annual Basic Salary (to be paid once in a life time) after successful completion of tenure (n) Retirement Benefits- Payable on the basis of Approved Scheme of Service In spite of the objection by the states, the Federal Government went ahead and implemented this policy on October 1 2003 and that policy is still on till today. The monetization policy was given legal teeth with passage and coming into the effect of the Certain Political, Public and Judicial Office Holders (Salaries and Allowances etc) Act, 2002, which was extended by circular to cover all Federal Civil Servants. The law took effect from 1st July, 2003 for the designated Political, Public and Judicial Office Holders, while it was extended, with somewhat modified rates of benefits, to Federal Civil Servants with effect from 1st October, 2003. At the time of his departure from office in 2007, Obasanjo was shocked to find out the magnitude of the monetisation of the legislators and the jumbo salaries they were to earn. He refused to sign the bill, leaving for President Umaru Yar’Adua, who signed it eventually in other to please the legislators. That’s where we are now. This issue cut across party line in the National Assembly for they are all united for it. The monetisation policy, a policy that was meant to solve problems, has now created more problems. It is like a monster now. The question now is, can we afford the monetization policy? The answer is no. It will be unfair to talk about the jumbo salaries and allowances of legislators as a result of monetization policy in isolation without talking about other public officers benefitting from this policy. •Teniola, a former Director at the Presidency, writes from Lagos.

Monday, 15 February, 2016

features

Editor: Kehinde Oyetimi featuresdesk@yahoo.com 081 118 450 48

Royal abduction: When the sacrilegious becomes attractive T By Ebenezer Adurokiya And Joe Nwachukwu

RADITIONAL rulers in Delta and Imo states have become endangered species following disturbing abduction cases of monarchs. January 5 and 20 will remain indelible in the memories of people of Ubulu-Uku kingdom in Aniocha South Local Government Area of the state. The royal father of the community, HRM Edward Ofulue III, was taken hostage by suspected Fulani herdsmen and whisked into the bush. For 15 days, the monarch was kept incommunicado, only for his decomposing body to be found in a bush along Umunede, a town bordering Delta and Edo states by local farmers. Since then, the entire kingdom of Ubulu-Uku and, indeed, the state, have been thrown into mourning. On notice of the murder, youths of the kingdom had taken to the streets to register their misgiving to the dastardly sacrilege. But while knocks, threats and emotions were yet rocking the airwaves barely a week after the body of the Obi of Ubulu-

Uku was found, news filtered in that the traditional ruler of Olomoro in Isoko South Local Government Area of the state, had been kidnapped. The train of hostage taking for ransom had moved from the Igbo-speaking Delta North to Isoko-land, and on Friday, January 29, the Odionlogbo of Olomoro kingdom, HRM, Josiah Umukoro, Aghaza 1, was the next prey. It was reported that the royal father

This kidnap of another king has left a bad taste in our mouths. We call on the abductors to release him unharmed. God will forgive them if they do so. The abductors should know that royalty is not what one toys with, as there are grave consequences in such act

was resuming at his palace at Ekiagbodo at about 8:00a.m on on that fateful day when he was harangued and thrust into a waiting dark-green Toyota RAV4 SUV jeep, whose owner is yet to be ascertained by the police. This abduction ruffled the sleepy, rustic kingdom of the traditional ruler. The Odionlogbo is one of the prominent monarchs from Isoko-speaking Delta State. He is the 11th monarch in the history of the kingdom and was installed in January 2014 by the immediate past governor, Dr Emmanuel Uduaghan. After his abduction, the hoodlums, according to the police, opened a channel of communication through the monarchâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s mobile phone with his family members, requesting a ransom of N50 million. Speaking on the kidnap saga, the chairman of Isoko South Local Government Area, Mr. Malik Ikpokpo, said last week that operatives of the police and army, with the support of local vigilance groups, had mounted a thorough search for the kidnappers. The acting chairman of the Delta State

Council of Traditional Rulers, the Obi of Owa Kingdom, HRM Emmanuel Efeizemor, is said to be in touch with his colleagues to finding a lasting solution to the already bad situation. Agitated by the kidnap of the Odionlogbo, the Urhobo Traditional Rulers Council, has also issued a statement, condemning the abduction and charged security operatives to rescue the monarch alive and fish out the culprits. Chairman of the Urhobo Traditional Cuncil, HRM Ovie Richard Layeguen Ogbon, Ogoni-Oghoro I, the Ohworode of Olomu Kingdom, called for the unconditional release of the monarch, charging the security operatives to beef up security around the kings who have become a soft target of kidnappers. â&#x20AC;&#x153;This kidnap of another king has left a bad taste in our mouths. We call on the abductors to release him unharmed. God will forgive them if they do so. The abductors should know that royalty is not what one toys with, as there are grave conContinues on pg36

features

Dapo Falade-Port Harcourt

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HAT could have prompted the man into such act? Why should a man who is old enough to be the girl’s father have carnal knowledge of her? Did he do it for ritual purposes? Why should a 50-year-old, who calls himself a man of God, be involved in such an act? The man should be thoroughly investigated for his action.” The above and many more were the reactions of people who gathered to witness the parade of a randy pastor at the Rumuolumeni Police Station in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area of Rivers State, last Thursday. The alleged rapist, Opirite Amakiri, is a 50-year-old pastor of the Agape Baptist Church, also based in the Rumuolumeni Community. He was alleged to have defiled a girl and had, since the first successful effort, been serial raping her, right in her father’s house! What is more puzzling is the revelation that the pastor was committing the abominable act with the indirect consent of one of the victim’s elder sisters. Under the pretext of having a recurring waist pain, Opirite had approached the elder sister of his victim, Mrs Deborah Elegba, to talk to her younger sister to help by constantly massaging his waist to reduce the pain. Either out of sheer ignorance or conspiracy, the elder sister, a young widow who recently lost her husband, gave her consent and persuaded her younger sister to be applying the soothing balm to the randy pastor’s painful needs. However, Opirite stretched his luck too far as he engaged in a more sinful act namely, eating the forbidden fruit of his helper for three consecutive days without any form of hindrance until he was caught in the act. His nemesis was his victim who, having got tired of the free access to her God-given treasury, zipped up and denied the pastor further access by bolting the door on the fourth day when he came for the usual sensual treatment and was subsequently arrested by the police, last Wednesday. Narrating her ordeal, the victim said it was her elder sister who talked her into massaging the waist of the pastor to relief

Monday, 15 February, 2016

Under pretext of waist pain, pastor allegedly defiles underage church member

Pastor Amakiri

The alleged victim

him of his pains. “The pastor came with my sister that I should help him to massage his waist pain. I did the massaging the first day and nothing happened between us. But the second day, he came around and started touching my breasts and he raped me. I tried to escape but he held me, warning me never to tell anybody what he did to me. He has raped me three times.” When asked why she did not report the incident to anybody, even during the first time, she said, “He threatened me not to tell anybody. He said I should not shout or tell anybody about it. He did not tell me what would happen if I tell anybody. He was coming to me for the first three days and I could not do anything. But on the fourth day, I locked the door and I told my

sister. She beat me for not telling her the first time.” The pastor’s collaborator who helped lured her younger sister into the massaging act and her eventual defilement, Mrs Elegba, also corroborated the story as told by her younger sister. She, however, claimed that she was not aware that the ‘man of God’ was having a carnal knowledge of the victim and that, that informed why she beat her up on getting to know that what transpired between them was beyond massaging. When Features Tribune took up the ‘man of God’, he confessed to the crime as he said his insatiable lust for the girl’s private part led to his being arrested and detained by the police. Opirite, who said he had been pastoring, for over seven years at

the Agape Baptist Church, Rumuolumeni, and which membership is over 200 congregation, also said he would not say that it was the devil that led him into temptation, even as he begged for leniency for his sinful act. Coincidentally, Opirite is married to a health worker and with four children --three boys and a girl. When asked why he did not approach his wife who works in a government facility in Old Bakana, Degema Local Government Area of the state (their local government of origin), he said resides at her work place and only come home at the weekend she is off duties. Curiously, the father of the victim, Chief Baate Ganako, a traditional chief in his Ogoni community, did not help matters as he was more concerned about his image and what he called ‘the destiny’ of his daughter, rather than seeking the course of justice to punish the pastor for his shameful act. For him, the matter should be settled once the man admits to his shameful act. However, Mrs Dumca Baridom, a much more older elder sister of the victim would not want the matter or the pastor to be treated with a kid’s gloves as she asked that appropriate actions should be taken against the man, in line with the dictates of the law. More importantly, she expressed fears that the man may have had done the act for ritual purposes. Also speaking with Features Tribune, the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) of Rumuolumeni Police Station, Mr Kingsley Chukwueggu, said the pastor was arrested after the police received information that he was constantly raping the girl. The DPO revealed that a medical examination would be conducted on the victim to ascertain if she had not been infected by any form of disease and to know if she had not become pregnant. “We will then charge the accused to court so as to serve as a lesson to those who are in the habit of defiling underage girls.”

‘Many monarchs have become easy targets because of politics’ Continued from pg35

sequences in such act,” the 99-year-old monarch warned. National coordinator for the Centre for Peace and Environmental Justice (CEPEJ), Comrade Sheriff Mulade, gave reasons kidnapping royal fathers could have become attractive to kidnappers. He identified the status and value of the royal prey which, kidnappers are aware, will mount pressure on his subjects to rally round and mobilize resources to pay ransom. According to him, “Most traditional rulers in the state are partisan. They determine who should go for what position. The endorsements and counter endorsements of several candidates in the last general elections have left many monarchs with enemies known and unknown. Some people feel that since they cannot confront the monarchs openly, they will come in other ways such as kidnapping to get their own pound of flesh.” He also identified dearth in spirituality, questionable ascension to thrones, embezzlement of funds meant for their communities, taking of bribe to miscarry

judgment among subjects, autocratic governance among traditional rulers as part of the reasons for the upsurge in the kidnap of traditional rulers. It is common knowledge in the state that some monarchs often grab controversial lands from their owners. Kidnappers also often cash in on this to ventilate their displeasure. Continuing, he added that “Our present-day monarchs are less spiritual these days; they move about everywhere, eat anywhere such that the mystery that used to surround monarchy is no more there. They don’t give themselves class anymore. As such, people have come to see their ordinariness, and therefore, they become vulnerable.” Imo traditional rulers on edge too While traditional rulers in Delta State are still struggling to come to terms with the manner in which they are being targeted by kidnappers, their colleagues in Imo State are also doing everything possible not to fall prey to kidnappers. Recently, a prominent traditional ruler, Eze Oswald .O. Anyanwu of Nguru Nweafor autonomous community in Aboh Mbaise Local Government Area of Imo State was abducted, and till date, he is still in the hands of his kidnappers despite all

efforts made by his colleagues in Owerri zone of the state to effect his release. According to reports, Eze Anyanwu was abducted on Tuesday, January 28, 2015. Traditional rulers from the Owerri zone protested in all the major roads in the state capital, calling for the release of the abducted monarch. Family members of the abducted Eze Anyanwu, his relations and friends were not left out of the protest. However, while speaking on the development, the state Commissioner for Police, Mr. Taiwo Lakanu, and his deputy, Mr Daves Akiyemi, who briefed journalists on the issue, said that the command would do everything humanly possible to secure the release of the traditional ruler. According to Akiyemi, the police in Imo State would not fold their hands to watch the traditional ruler staying longer than necessary with the kidnappers without effecting his release. While speaking on the abduction of the traditional ruler, the royal fathers in Owerri Senatorial zone, led by their chairman, Eze Chidum Okoro, the Ugoamano, condemned in strong terms the dastardly act which has desecrated the tradition institution. The reaction was made through a press

statement signed by the head of the traditional institution Owerri zone, Eze Okoro and the Secretary, Eze Morrison Eke; they both pointed out that the “recent kidnapping of Eze Anyanwu adds to the list of monarchs abducted in the past few years in what now looks like a declaration of war against the revered traditional institution and function of our cultural heritage. “The recent recurrent act of humiliation, desecration and abomination against Ndieze in Igbo land is obviously responsible for denials, failures and rejection of NdiIgbo at various levels of our society, which calls for urgent restitution.” The monarchs also observed that in spite of the various well-thought out and implemented strategic programmes of the present government in Imo State towards making the state a safe heaven, there is confusion and fears among Ndi-Eze and their subjects. “We, therefore, stand united in condemning what we take as an abomination, the desecration of the revered traditional institution.” The royal fathers equally issued an ultimatum to the abductors to release Eze Anyanwu as soon as possible, or face unending calamities.

37 news

Monday, 15 February, 2016

‘Decentralisation of power, not leadership, crucial for Nigeria’s development’ Christian Okeke – Abuja

research-based group, Centre for Confederation, Democracy and Good Governance in Africa (CoCDaGGA), at the weekend, said devolution or decentralisation of power, through confederation, remains an option that will catalyse the much-desired socio-political and economic growths faster than a strong and good leader at the centre. The group expressed the belief that only confederation would encourage citizens to take ownership of the current war against corruption. Director-General of the group, Dr Patrick Ezechukwu, speaking in Abuja, lamented what he described as mindless looting of state and national treasuries across the country in recent times. He stated the major problem of the country was not leadership, but bad sociopolitical structure which he said made it impossible for a leader to achieve his desired goals, even with the best of intentions. According to him, the current bad system also encourages gang-ups against leaders with good intentions, as being witnessed today. Ezechukwu, however, noted that the organisation believed that President Muhammadu Buhari’s actions so far demonstrated that he had the best intentions for the development of the country. “We believe our founding fathers, owing to this diversity, never dreamed of a united one Nigeria as we have it today. “By using the word amalgamation in 1914, the colonial masters knew

they were not forming a homogenous compound called Nigeria, rather they were bringing together divergent groups to form an amalgam for easy political convenience and administration, expecting the various components to

go their way sooner than later. “However, amalgamated substances will continue to exist together with some loose relationships which only confederation can offer “To save our country, we must think right, retrace our

operating a weak central government and giving more powers to the states “This way, those who see confederation as akin to secession will see no need to insist on that, as no state will seriously contemplate seceding on their own.”

From left, Jigawa State governor, Badaru Abubakar; his Kano State counterpart, Dr Abdullahi Umar Ganduje and the Emir of Dutse, Alhaji Nuhu Muhammad Sanusi, at the opening of a mosque built by Ganduje Foundation, at the Federal University, Dutse, on Sunday.

Buhari’s anti-corruption war looks like a vendetta —Methodist Prelate Yejide Gbenga-Ogundare

PRELATE of the Methodist Church, His Eminence, Dr Samuel Emeka Kanu Uche, has stated that the present fight against corruption in Nigeria is too selective, adding that it should be a total war so that it will not become a vendetta against the opposition. The Prelate stated this at the weekend, while speaking to journalists during the fiveday Founders’ Day anniversary and the inauguration of the Rector of the Methodist Theological Institute at the W.F Mellor Chapel of Grace,

Sagamu, Ogun State. According to him, there were so many people in the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari that could be said to be more corrupt than those being accused of corruption at present, adding that for the anti-corruption campaign to be taken serious, the searchlight should be beamed on everyone suspected of corrupt practices. “My advice to the president is that the fight against corruption should be total; it shouldn’t be a selective fight. Let him go back to 1979 and start fighting corruption

Ogun seeks refund of N100bn from FG over federal roads THE Ogun State government has demanded a refund of N100 billion from the Federal Government over the construction and rehabilitation of federal roads within the state. Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure, Mr Olamilekan Adegbite, who made the disclosure, said although the state planned to spend about N200 billion on general roads, it has so far expended N100 billion on the projects. Adegbite, according to a statement signed by the spokesman of his ministry, Mr Ayokunle Ewuoso, stated this while featuring on a radio programme in Abeokuta.

steps and trace our way back to the pre-1966 era where we believe we fundamentally derailed. “We believe that the path to this is the devolution or decentralisation of power through the confederation of the 36 states of the nation,

“What we have spent now and what we are asking for is just N100 billion. But I don’t think the Federal Government has the money to pay every state. I think Lagos State has the highest pay from the FG in terms of the federal roads constructed. What the FG is doing is a good start, at least, it should pay something reasonable. “Before I came in as commissioner, there was a verification exercise in 2011, which of course, dealt with the roads that were done in the past in parts of the state. As at that time, what was ascertained then was about N4.5 billion, that is yet to be paid and inclusive of this, the

FG is to pay us N100 billion,” Adegbite added. He assured that as soon as the money starts coming in from the government at the centre, the state government would plough it back into the ongoing road projects in the state, adding that the Governor Ibikunle Amosun administration is committed to making sure that all the projects are completed before the expiration of its tenure. The commissioner pointed out that the dividends derivable from the massive road construction works, have begun to manifest in the state, as more local and foreign investors are showing interest in doing business in the state.

from then till today. If it’s only lopsided, it would seem that it is a vendetta against opposition party. “Nobody will tell him this but the church will tell him, that’s how we see it, the corruption fight is selective, it is against the opposition party, it shouldn’t be so. There are people in his government that we know are corrupt, even more than those people that are being embarrassed, arrested and thrown into the

jail. So if he is fighting corruption, he should ensure that it is total and holistic, then, we would be sure that he is fighting corruption,” the Prelate stated. Dr Uche explained further that the church, especially the Methodist Church, had been moving against corruption for over 15 years as the church has a big role to play in the fight against corruption, which is said, is diverse in nature.

Passenger proposes to lover on-board Dana Air flight Shola Adekola-Lagos

A passenger, Damilola Shoneye, travelling on Dana Air’s flight 335 from Lagos to Abuja, was surprisingly proposed to by her lover, Oyekunle Ayodele, on board a Dana aircraft. Damilola was proposed to 72 hours to Valentine’s Day, by her lover, Oyekunle. According to Oyekunle, their relationship is spanning four years and “considering that it’s the month of love, I decided to crown it with my intentions to make her mine forever.’’ Damilola who, with tears, accepted the proposal amidst applause and cheers from other guests onboard the flight, said she was not expecting such an “amazing experience.’’ The love birds thanked the

captain on the flight, Captain Jason Obodo, who was also in the know of the intentions of Ayodele, for his creativity and support. Meanwhile, the airline has announced a “buy one get one” free for couples flying together on its Lagos –Accra –Lagos route. According to Dana Air’s Accountable Manager, Mr Obi Mbanuzuo, it was the airlines’ Valentine gift to its guests throughout February, which is usually regarded as a month of love. “We are in the aviation business and the gift we can offer and continue to offer our guests at this time is quality service, good ambience for expression of love, as in the case of the guests that recently proposed on board our flight and free tickets to fly.”

Nigerian Tribune

Kano govt procures N500m materials for fertiliser production KOLA OYELERE - Kano

DETERMINED to ensure an all-year round production of fertiliser, the Kano State government has procured raw materials worth N500 million for the production of the commodity by the stateowned Agricultural Supply Company (KASCO). The state governor, Dr Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, made this known while conducting the Minister of Agriculture, Chief Audu Ogbe, round the resuscitated company’s production plants at Bompai in Kano metropolis. He said the fertilizer blending company now back on its feet, is capable of producing affordable Nigerian soil friendly fertiliser that is easily applicable. Dr Ganduje explained that “what the company is producing is not specifically for a particular geographical location,” adding that the company’s products had not been found to be inimical to the country’s soil in the long run. Noting that the imported fertiliser might not be as effective as the one made especially for local soils, the governor called on states of the federation to approach KASCO on how it could produce fertiliser that matches local conditions for them.

NSP president tasks FG on recruitment of physiotherapists By Nurudeen Alimi

PRESIDENT of Nigeria Society of Physiotherapy (NSP), Dr Taiwo Oyewumi, has called on the Federal Government to employ the services of physiotherapists in the country, in order to stem the current trend of “brain drains” among them. Oyewumi said this while delivering a keynote address at the opening ceremony of a three-day workshop organised by the National Postgraduate Physiotherapy College of Nigeria (NPPCN) on Wednesday, at the University of Ibadan (UI) Centre for Sustainable Development . “The Federal Government should employ the existing physiotherapists in the country, in order prevent brain drains among them, so as to making their services available to Nigerians. “Nigweria has over 5,000 trained physiotherapists, but out of this figure, only about 1,500 are working in government hospitals,” he said.

news Senator Sani to settle journalist's medical bills 38

Muhammad Sabiu - Kaduna

HE senator representing Kaduna central and Chairman House Committee on Foreign and Domestic Debts, Senator Shehu Sani, has promised that he would settle the hospital bills of the Kaduna State correspondent of the Peoples Daily news-

Navy spokesman, Commodore Ezekobe, assumes duty Chris Agbambu - Abuja THE new spokesman of the Nigerian Navy, Commodore C.O.R. Ezekobe, has assumed duty. He took over from Commodore Kabir Aliyu, who is retiring after 30 years of service in the Nigerian Navy. Speaking at the handing and taking over ceremony at the Naval Headquarters, Commodore Aliyu, noted that he was leaving the service, hale, hearty and without blemish after 30 years of meritorious service. He urged all officers and ratings of the directorate of information to continue to show dedication, commitment and patriotism in the discharge of their duties.

paper, Femi Oyelola, who was involved in a motor accident. He made the pledge when he visited the journalist at his hospital bed, at St Geralds Catholic Hospital, Kakuri, at the weekend. The lawmaker had already donated a sum of N100,000 for the immediate upkeep of the recuperating journalist, who sustained severe injuries and multiple fractures as a result of the accident. He also told the management of the hospital to transfer the journalist to amenity ward where he would get proper medication.

The journalist was on an assignment at Ungwar Romi, last week Monday, when he was knocked down by a car on high speed. In a brief remark during the visit , Senator Sani described Oyelola as a hardworking and dedicated journalist who should not be abandoned. He said in all societies across the world, journalists are special people that require special treatment, considering the role they play as bridge builders. According to him, that was why even when he was not formally informed about the accident, he had no option than to visit him.

Monday, 15 February, 2016 CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Miss Ayanniran Elizabeth Omolara now MRS. AKANJI ELIZABETH OMOLARA. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

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THIS BOX IS FOR SALE CHANGE OF NAME

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This is to confirm that I, M/S Maryam Modupe Lawal am also known, called and addressed as Mrs Modupe Oniya. The two names belong to the same and one person. Henceforth, I may be known called and addressed as MRS MARYAM MODUPE LAWAL ONIYA or part of the names thereof. All documents bearing these names refer to me and remain valid. Skye Bank Plc, FCMB and general public take note.

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39 CHANGE OF NAME

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Monday, 15 February, 2016 CHANGE OF NAME

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public take note.

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I, Olaniyi Mosadoluwa Shola am the same person as Olanrewaju Muse Shola. Henceforth, I wish to be known and addressed as OLANREWAJU MUSE SHOLA. All documents bearing these names refer to me and remain valid. Access Bank Plc, Diamond Bank Plc, GTBank Plc and general public take note.

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I, formerly Onileowo Fatai Adesina now PASTOR ONILEOWO ADESINA DAVID. All former documents remain valid. Banks and general public take note.

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I, Vero Aghogho Gabriel am the same person bearing Ojo Veronica Aghogho. Henceforth. I wish to be known and addressed as OJO VERONICA AGHOGHO. All documents bearing these names refer to me and remain valid. UBA Plc and general public take note.

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I, Ham Ibrahim am the same person as Ibrahim Lagala Inusa. Henceforth, I wish to be known and addressed as HAM IBRAHIM. All documents bearing these names refer to me and remain valid. General public take note.

take note.

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I, Ugwu Chekwube Sandra am the same person bearing Ugwu Fransisca. Henceforth, I wish to be known and addressed as UGWU CHEKWUBE SANDRA. All documents bearing these names refer to me and remain valid. General public take note.

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I, Augustine Chukwuma Okolie am the same person as Austin Okolie and Augustihe Chukwuma Okolie. Henceforth, I wish to be known and addressed as AUGUSTINE CHUKWUMA OKOLIE. All documents bearing these names refer to me and remain valid. General public take note.

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I, Chief Mrs. Adebayo Mojisola Oluranti am the same person bearing Adebayo Mojisola Rashidat and Salako Olasunbo Oluranti. Henceforth, I wish to be known and addressed as ADEBAYO MOJISOLA OLURANTI. All documents bearing these names refer to me and remain valid. First Bank of Nigeria Plc, Skye Bank Plc and general public take note.

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I, Adigun Akinwumi am the same person bearing Adigun Segun. Henceforth, I wish to be known and addressed as ADIGUN SEGUN. All documents bearing these names refer to me and remain valid. General public take note.

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General public take note.

40 southwestnews Lassa fever patient dies in Ogun Olayinka Olukoya -Abeokuta

HE Ogun State government on Sunday said that the 28-year-old Lassa fever patient under its care, is dead. The patient, identified as Eze, according to the state Commissioner for Health, Dr Babatunde Ipaye, died at the isolation unit of the Olabisi Onabanjo University Teaching Hospital, Sagamu, on Saturday, as a result of complication. He said the patient had received a nine-day course of Rivabirin drug while on admission and that her death was unexpected because she ought to have completed her medication on Sunday. Nigerian Tribune recalls that the victim travelled from Ebonyi to Ogun State on January 15, and was hospitalised at a private hospital in Ota area of the state, having been confirmed to be a Lassa fever patient, before her case was reported to the state government. He said the state had prepared to celebrate her wellness on Sunday before the victim died, adding that the patient received the best medical attention during the period of admission. The commissioner also said that all the primary contacts to the patient which had increased from 110 to 121 have been placed under surveillance and provided with thermometers. He said all the contacts have not shown any symptom suggestive of the deadly fever, explaining that they have been very active in their first 10 days of surveillance. Ipaye also said that the second case, a 28-year-old pregnant woman also imported the disease from Kogi State. He said government had equally mounted active surveillance on the 60 primary contacts of the patient. “Eze was admitted into the isolation unit of OOUTH which is specifi-

cally equipped, staffed and funded by the government of Ogun State to manage confirmed cases of Lassa fever in the course of the national epidemic. “Notwithstanding that this case was imported into the state after we have mounted

significant public awareness and active surveillance; upon confirmation at a private hospital in Ota, patient Eze received the best medical attention from varying numbers of specialists. “We were only waiting to celebrate the completion of

tial fatigue, body weakness and depression. Like the first case, she also travelled to Abeokuta from Kogi. As a responsible government, we have taken full responsibility for her care and she has been on Rivabirin medication for three days.”

General Overseer of The Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), Pastor Enoch Adeboye (right), exchanging pleasantries with the Ondo State governor, Dr Olusegun Mimiko (second left). With them are the governor’s wife, Olukemi (left) and the Vice Chancellor, Federal University of Technology, Akure (FUTA), Professor Adebiyi Daramola, at the FUTA Holy Ghost Service, held at the FUTA Sports Centre, Akure, at the weekend.

Man electrocuted while stealing from transformer in Ekiti Sam Nwaoko -Ado Ekiti A yet-to-be identified man has been electrocuted while allegedly trying to steal electrical materials at a transformer in Ureje area of Ado Ekiti, in Ekiti State. Witnesses told newsmen in the community that Muslim worshippers in a mosque close to the scene of the incident, who had left the worship centre in the morning, saw a ladder hung on the up riser connected to their transformer. They were said to have became curious and wondered whether officials of the Benin Electricity Distribution Company (BEDC) had come to repair the transformer they said had packed up since December 24, 2014, and that some of the parts had allegedly been stolen. Spokesman of the commu-

nity, Alhaji Jamiu Babalola and chairman of the Ajegunle/Ureje Landlord Association of the community, Alhaji Arijoyo Olowoyo, who both spoke to the Nigerian Tribune, said: “It was just about 20 minutes past 6.00 a.m. today. We saw the ladder but didn’t see anyone on it. We moved closer to the transformer to see who could be working on the transformer or the up riser. We were shocked to see the body of a strange man lying dead by the transformer. It was then we knew that the deceased must have been the thief who was electrocuted while stealing from the power equipment.” Another resident, who identified himself as the treasurer of the landlord association of the community, Prince Ojo Adewale (aka ‘Ogo Oluwa’), revealed that

Olubadan-designate urges elite to mentor youths THE Olubadan-designate, High Chief Saliu Adetunji, has urged elite in the land to properly mentor youths for them to be what God wants them to be. Welcoming members of Oluyole Social Elite to his Popoyemoja, Ibadan residence, at the weekend, he stated that there was no one on earth who, at one time or the other, did not need other people’s critical intervention to make it in life. Said he, “One of my mentors, who did something remarkable in my business life was the late Chief Sam-

medication today (Sunday) and take a blood sample to confirm cure when unexpected complication set in on Saturday. “The second case of Lassa in Ogun State is still under care and very stable. She has recovered from the ini-

Monday, 15 February, 2016

uel Badejo Okusanya. I was a cut and sew tailor when the late Badejo introduced me to the music industry in 1957, where I rose to become a star. Another person who influenced my life positively was Sule Omiyale, the late Balogun of Ibadanland. He was the one, who prevailed upon me to apply for and become Mogaji of Adetunji family house. It took the late Omiyale three years to convince me to become the Mogaji. And, if you don’t take the first step by becoming the Mogaji, how can you be-

come the Jagun and begin to climb the steps to become the Olubadan? So what they have done in my life remains unforgettable, even after their exit,” he said. Describing the Oluyole Social Elite members as the cream of the society, High Chief Adetunji urged them to show more love towards the underprivileged. He also urged members of the Federation of Ibadan Students Union Alumni, who also paid him a congratulatory visit, to avoid anti-social behaviour, as good name is better than gold and silver.

the community had been in blackout since December 2014, and efforts to get government and the BDEC to come to their aid had been futile, said: “Since December 24, 2014, we haven’t had power in this community because the thieves have vandalised the transformer, carting away vital parts of it. They even pulled down the up riser connected to it. We have gone to the BDEC and asked them to repair the transformer, but they said we should offset our huge debts first, but these were individual debts of people owing power bills. “Now that this has happened, we want the government to assist us and prevent further damage to the power cables of our transformer. We promise to protect the transformer if the government helps us.” Mr Kayode Ilori, Public Relations officer of the BEDC, Ekiti State said that the deceased must have started his ‘business’ very early in the morning when there was no power on the up riser; “But unfortunately for him and fortunately for us, power suddenly got to the cables and that must have electrocuted him,” he said. Policemen from the OdoAdo Police station in the area, who had arrived the scene early enough when informed by the residents, said that a cell phone and some electrical appliances were recovered from the deceased. They promised that investigations would be conducted with a

view to find out accomplices of the deceased and later took the corpse and the ladder away from the scene in their van while the teeming crowd who had thronged the place rained curses on the deceased.

Ondo 2016: APC aspirant promises to resuscitate moribund industries Hakeem Gbadamosi -Akure A governorship aspirant in the forthcoming governorship election in Ondo State on the platform of All Progressives Congress (APC), Foluso Mayowa Adefemi, has assured the people of the state of good governance, which he said had eluded the state. Adefemi stated this in Akure, Ondo State capital, at the weekend, while formally declaring his interest in the race for the governorship position in the state. He promised to ensure proper and sustainable management of the state finances, saying the human and environment resources, adding that they would be harnessed to get better result and reposition the state. Adefemi, who also promised to industrialise the state if elected, noted that most of the industries in the state had gone moribund and stressed the need to resuscitate the industries in order to develop the state economy.

FRSC arrested 35,734 traffic offenders in Ogun in 2015 THE Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC), Ogun Command, says it arrested over 35, 734 traffic offenders between January and December 2015, for various offences. The Sector Commander, Mr Adegoke Adetunji, disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abeokuta, on Sunday. Adetunji said the offenders were arrested for offences such as speeding, overloading, refusal to use seat belt and making phone calls while driving. He said others were arrested for failure to use crash helmets, reckless driving and driver’s license violation. He said that the most prevalent of the offences included seat belt violation for which 8,732 offenders were arrested, and that 5,789 were arrested for tyre violation.

Osun PDP congratulates new NUJ executives OSUN State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has congratulated the newly elected executive of Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Osun State council. The party, in a release issued in Osogbo, by its spokesperson, Prince Diran Odeyemi, described the successful conduct of elections of both the state council and that of Correspondents’ Chapel of NUJ in the state as “exemplary.” The PDP, while congratulating Comrades Abiodun Olalere and Boladale Bamigbola, who were both elected chairman and secretary respectively, of Osun State council of the NUJ, noted the valuable contributions of newsmen in the state towards ensuring free and fair elections. It then promised to continue to collaborate with the journalists and even every interested individuals and groups to strengthen democratic processes and promote rule of law, regardless the risk such may portend for personal safety of members of the party.

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Pay severance allowances of ex-LG chiefs, appointees, ASELGON appeals to Amosun Olayinka Olukoya -Abeokuta

From left, the bride’s parents, Alhaji Bayo Busari and Dr Rasidat Busari; chairman of the occasion, Oloye Lekan Alabi; the couple, Mr and Mrs Olawale Nurudeen; the groom’s parents, Mr Aliyu Nurudeen and Mrs Omobukola Nurudeen, cutting cake after the Nikkah ceremony at the Central Mosque, University of Ibadan, on Saturday. PHOTO: ALOLADE GANIYU.

Don’t shield Tope Aluko from prosecution, Fayose tells FG Sam Nwaoko -Ado Ekiti

OVERNOR Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti State has said the Federal Government should not shield Mr Tope Aluko from facing open trial over his allegation that the June 21, 2014 governorship poll in the state was rigged in favour of the governor and his party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). The governor, in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr Idowu Adelusi, in Ado-Ekiti, on Sunday, said it was unbecoming of a government, which prides itself as clean, to use an agency of government to prevent somebody that has breached the law of the land from prosecution.

He therefore demanded that the Federal Government should not use the Department of State Security Service from preventing another arm of government, the judiciary, from trying Aluko for perjury. Fayose therefore, said the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led Federal Government should immediately allow the relevant agencies of government to try Aluko for perjury. “To Aluko and his sponsors, he is a whistle-blower; one thing we are sure of is that the whistle will eventually explode on Aluko’s face as well as the faces of his sponsors. Aluko is the one who said he saw white and that the white has now turned black. Nigerians are demanding that he should

be brought to the open to explain how what he said and maintained up to the Supreme Court level has changed. “He testified under oath at the tribunal, Appeal Court and even the Supreme Court and he came out again to recant. A vital arm of government, the judiciary, issued a valid order for his arrest and prosecution and that was widely publicised, but surprisingly, the Federal Government is using the DSS to frustrate that by pretending to be interrogating him and shielding him from facing trial. “Democracy is hinged on separation of powers and the rule of law so that nobody or arm of government would become the all-in-

all. Those who are in authority now should know that others have been there before them and if their predecessors had turned everything upside down, what would they have met. “If Aluko and his sponsors are sure of their allegation, let them release Aluko for trial in the open court. The people of Ekiti State who voted overwhelmingly for Ayodele Fayose and the PDP are ready to defend the mandate they freely gave. Every attempt they have made to rubbish the mandate have always failed, including this Aluko plot and nobody should use an agent of government to cover the shame some people willingly brought on themselves by chasing shadows,” he said.

How traditional rulers, Omo onile engaged in criminal sale of waterfront land —Oba Akiolu Bola Badmus -Lagos OBA of Lagos, Oba Rilwan Akiolu, has decried alleged illegal and indiscriminate dredging of waterfront land, recalling that he had fought against such practice in the past and would do so again because he gave no damn. He specifically accused some unnamed traditional rulers in the state and the notorious Omo onile of engaging in criminal exploitation of such land. He spoke at a one-day stakeholders’ meeting on land dredging, which took place at Adeyemi Bero Auditorium, Alausa, Ikeja. This came as the state government said it had suspended the issuance of licences for dredging until

further notice. The monarch, who noted that water, land and fishes were God-given inheritance to the people of Lagos from which the people should benefit, however, lamented that the way some of the traditional rulers were going about turning land in their area into business they solely depended on for sustenance, was bad. The Oba particularly referred to a portion of land in Eti-Osa, which he said the omo-onile had been selling indiscriminately, claiming to have the Supreme Court judgment in their favour, while disclosing that he had already alerted the Inspector-General, the DSS, among others not to accept any plea from anybody that

might be arrested. “Traditional rulers and chiefs in Lagos would not stop from deriving benefit from God-given inheritance, but the way they are doing it now is criminal and very devastating to the development of this state,” he said. “Whoever takes selling of land as his only source of income would not progress. Let me tell you the truth, you must add other things to it,” he warned. Government also said it had come up with a new approach towards getting an approval or renewal of existing approval in the state, just as it proclaimed that it would not allow dredging activities to occur in some areas so as to allow for regeneration and re-assess-

ment in such areas. According to the government, Chinese technology will also be phased out within the next two years unless there is an upgrade/ redesign of the current system. Commissioner for Waterfront Infrastructure Development, Mr Adebowale Akinsanya, an engineer, said at the parley: “At this juncture, let me state clearly that having reviewed the activities of dredgers in the state, the government has decided to put on hold all issuance of licenses of dredging activities till after this stakeholders meeting. “In the same vein, we have come up with a new approach towards getting an approval or renewal of existing approvals in the state.”

THE Association of ex-Local Government Chairmen of Nigeria (ASELGON) has appealed to Governor Ibikunle Amosun of Ogun State, to pay severance allowances of ex-local government bosses and appointed council officials. The plea was made by the National President of the body, Mr Albert Ashipa, when he paid a courtesy visit to Amosun, in Abeokuta, at the weekend. He suggested to Amosun that the allowances could be paid in phases to the former chairmen and appointees. Ashipa urged the governor to consider payment of at least 10 ex-LG chiefs per month to address the issue of the backlog of the severance allowances in order not to over-burden the finances of the state. The association also called on Amosun to allow free and fair LG elections to be conducted by the Ogun State Independent Electoral Commission (OGSIEC), in April.

He said, “The beauty of democracy lies in the plurality of choice and expression because the danger of a one-party state is similar to ruling by military fiat under the jackboot. It is on this note that ASELGON calls for open playing field for all candidates and parties that will be standing for the election. “We similarly urge Your Excellency to keep a date with April so that the elections will hold as at when scheduled, with the hindsight that caretaker committee for local government is an aberration to the 1999 Constitution.” The governor, represented by the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Chief Jide Ojuko, appreciated the association and promised that all the issues raised would be considered by his administration. He also promised that all existing political parties would be given the opportunity to participate in the forthcoming council election.

Herdsmen tormenting farmers are foreigners —IGP Hakeem Gbadamosi -Akure THE Inspector General of Police (IGP), Mr Solomon Arase, at the weekend, said most of the herdsmen tormenting farmers across the country were not Nigerians but foreigners who gained entrance into the country due to the porous security across the nation’s borders. The Police boss stated this in Akure, Ondo State capital, while reacting to a question raised on incessant attack on farmers by herdsmen during an interactive session with stakeholders on community policing partnership held in the state. Arase said that most of the herdsmen were either from Mali or Chad, saying Nigerian herdsmen were law abiding and would not go against the law of the land. He advised the farmers to be careful and take caution in dealing with the herdsmen and called on the state government across the nation to work out modalities to avoid clashes between the herdsmen and farmers. He said the police and state governments were working on how to build ranches for

the herdsmen and said that he had earlier met with the state governor, Dr Olusegun Mimiko and discussed a way out of the problem. He said “I have taken suggestions about how we can develop big ranches so that they can stop grazing on farmlands. “We should also know about the history of migration. Most of these herdsmen are not Nigerians. They are people from Mali, Chad, who came into our system. So that is why we have to be very careful. Our borders are very porous. Predominantly our own herdsmen are law abiding people. “But when people come from outside with their cattle, we should not deny them entry because of ECOWAS protocols, good neighbourliness, but at the same time we should not allow them to embark on criminal activities.” Some farmers from AyedeOgbese in Akure North Local Government Area of the state lamented over the persistent attacks of herdsmen on their farmlands and called on the security agents to help in curbing the activities of the herdsmen.

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Monday, 15 February, 2016

Ondo youths task Buhari on NDDC board Hakeem Gbadamosi-Akure

OUTHS under the auspices of Niger Delta Youth Vanguard (NDYV) in oil-producing communities in Ondo State have called on President Muhammadu Buhari to urgently constitute the board of Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) to give the war against vandalism of oil pipelines “the needed bite.” They also commended the president for responding to the agitations of the Niger Delta people and his administration’s resolve to put an end to pipeline vandalism and oil theft in the region. These resolutions were contained in a communique issued at the end of the meeting of the youths in Arogbo Ijaw, Ese Odo Local Government Area of Ondo State and signed by NDYV Coordinator, Samuel Ebotimi and the Secretary, Ndole Peters. According to them, the country had lost so much to oil theft and pipeline vandalism, stressing that the situation had tremendously affected the economic fortunes of the country. They observed that the constitution of the NDDC board will go a long way in curbing the activities of vandals, adding that

the war against “pipeline vandalism will be a mere phrase in the Nigerian lexicon if the NDDC is not urgently constituted and well positioned to tackle the menace.” The communique read: “We endorse Mr. President’s directive giving the responsibility of oil pipeline protection, especially in the Niger Delta region, to the NDDC but warn that such directive may pass as a mere instruction if the board of the NDDC is not urgently constituted to give it the much needed bite. “The NDDC is the only government agency that is close to the people of the Niger Delta region. Its knowledge of the region’s terrain is a big advantage and if well-coordinated, will put an end to pipeline vandalism in Niger Delta.” The group noted that workers in the commission cannot effect the directive on pipeline vandals without the board that would work with community heads, youths and security agents.

They also said that the board would introduce appropriate reforms and fresh policies that would boost national income through oil and gas pro-

duction. “The nine states of the Niger Delta region have representatives in the NDDC and a synergy with the management and

Odeda LG sensitises residents on HIV/AIDS THE Chairman, Transition Committee, Odeda Local Government Area of Ogun State, Mr Segun Adebowale, has advised the people and residents of the council, particularly

YOUTHS in Kula Community in Akuku-Toru Local Government Area of Rivers State, have lamented their alleged marginalisation by some oil companies operating in the community. The youths observed that the refusal by the companies to employ them could be the cause of pipeline vandalism and oil theft in the area, saying youths, who are idle and hungry, could indulge in such acts. According to them, Kula community has Oil Mining Leases (OML) 55, 25 and 24 but oil companies operating in the area do not employ the youth or others members of the community. They also alleged that they have been deprived of social amenities that should be given to them as host to oil companies such as potable water, electricity among others. Speaking on behalf of the youth, the Chairman, National Youth Council

of Nigeria (NYCN), Rivers State chapter, Mr. Sukubo Sara-Igbe, who is also an indigene of Kula, said the community had not been well taken care of, adding that if youths were employed, vices like pipeline vandalism and oil theft would be curtailed.

youths, to stick to abstinence or alternatively play safe through the use of condoms, whenever they want to have casual sex. The local government boss, according to a release

from the council’s Director of Information, Mr Tope Oyekan, gave the advice during the AIDS sensitisation programme at Gbonogun, Odo-Eran Market, Obantoko in the council

Meanwhile, Mr. Sara Igbe told Community News that Oil Mining Leases (OMLs) 55 have been handed over to Mr. Jack Rich Tein, the Chief Executive Officer of Belemaoil Producing Limited, who is also a son of Kula, saying that this development will be of great benefit to the

community. While disclosing that the oil block was handed over to the company by Chevron in Lagos, he promised that youths in the area would ensure that the facilities of Belemaoil Producing Limited are protected against vandalism.

area recently. Adebowale, who was represented by the council’s Supervisor for Health, Mrs Tinu Fashola, also called on health practitioners to be cautious in their handling of syringes and other sharp objects that usually have direct contact with the body, in order to curtail the spread of the dreaded disease. Earlier in her welcome address, the Local Action Committee on AIDS (LACA) Manager, Odeda Local Government Area, Mrs Bisayo OyekanOgundeji, informed the people that due to timely, accurate and quality reporting of the committee’s activities in the local government area, Ogun State

Lawmaker fulfills promise to Itesiwaju market traders By Tunde Ogunesan

THE lawmaker representing Ibadan South-East constituency II in Oyo State House of Assembly, Honourable Akeem Ige, at the weekend, said he decided to fulfill his promise to traders of Itesiwaju market, Sanyo, Ibadan, who were affected in the January 5 fire outbreak, because he considered it as a covenant between him and the traders. Ige, who said though the lawmakers are yet to collect their constituency allow-

tion war and admonish all Nigerians irrespective of tribe and religion to add their voices to the war against the menace,” the youths declared.

From left, the Manager, Local Action Committee on AIDS, Odeda Local Government Area of Ogun State, Mrs Bisayo Oyekan-Ogundeji; PHC Coordinator, Odeda Local Government Area, Dr Taiwo Adebowale; the Osi of Obantoko, Chief Samsideen Jinadu; representative of the council chairman and Supervisor for Health, Mrs Tinu Fashola; Director of Information of the council, Mr Tope Oyekan (right) and community leaders.

Kula youths allege marginalisation by oil companies Uduakabasi Patrick-Port Harcourt

commissioners will make Mr. President’s directive workable,”the communique added. “We support the Federal Government anti-corrup-

ance, disclosed that by his estimation, the total loss in the inferno was around N3.9million. According to him, traders should not be left alone to bear the pain. His words: “When we first came in as members of the House of Assembly, we thought the governor didn’t want to pay us until he showed us the books and we realised the difference in funds from Abuja this time round. Governor Abiola Ajimobi is willing to pay, he has promised to ensure that we get our rights as soon as the condi-

tion improves. “But I don’t want to wait till then, because if the situation lasts more than a year, people will misunderstand it as coming because of another election. So, I decided to offer my token to cushion the effect of the incident. “I thank God that in your own way, you have moved on. But I think I must come around to fulfil my pledge or let me say my covenant with you. As you will recall that it is in my capacity that I offered to assist, so, I don’t expect

that you will be running after me before I can fulfil the promise. I want you to accept it with love.” One of the beneficiaries whose three containers were affected, Mrs Kehinde Olatunji, said the traders, were grateful to Honourable Ige for his gesture. She said “we are grateful to Honourable Ige. He has done well for us. He promised to do something and he came himself to fulfil the promise without anybody pressurising him. This gesture is rare of today’s politicians.”

Ministry of Health, based on its assessment needs, upgraded Osiele Health Centre to a HIV Counselling and Testing Centre (HCT), while the general hospital and Omo Arewa Foundation, both at Odeda were upgraded to Prevention of Mother to Child Transmission (PMTCT) centres, thereby creating easy access to HCT and HIV kits. According to her, among the over 400,000 people living with HIV/AIDS in Ogun State, Odeda Local Government Area has low prevalence. “We must, therefore, continue to intensify our campaign against this scourge, as we enjoin our people to know their HIV status, which is the first step towards securing their future,” she said. She, however, called on health workers and members of the community to stop the stigmatisation of People Living With HIV/ AIDS (PLWHA), adding that they should show them love and care. The Ontoko of Obantoko, Oba Kehinde Adesanu, on his part, thanked the local government for holding the programme in his domain. The royal father, who was represented by the Osi Ontoko of Obantoko, Chief Samsideen Jinadu, commended the World Bank for funding the programme and called for a continuous sensitisation of the people at the grassroots.

communitynews Kwara traditional ruler seeks relocation of feuding community members

Biola Azeez-Ilorin

HE traditional ruler of Share community in Ifelodun Local Government Area of Kwara State, the Olupako of Share, Alhaji Abubakar Dosumu, has sought the relocation of Nupe farmers from the community as a way of ensuring lasting peace with their neighbouring community, Tsaragi. It was gathered that Nupe farmers from Tsaragi cultivate farm on Share land while the Yoruba speaking people of Share also reside in a few villages in Tsaragi community in Edu Local Government Area of the state. The traditional ruler, who spoke in his palace during the visit of members of the Commission of Inquiry into the Share/ Tsaragi communal crisis, also said that the Yoruba farmers in Tsaragi should be relocated to Share. Dosumu also advised the commission to recommend the physical demarcation of the boundary between the two communities. Similarly, the Emir of Tsaragi, Alhaji Aliyu Abubakar, suggested that

Monday, 15 February, 2016

a committee comprising youths, elders, traditional rulers and leaders of both communities should be set up, adding that the stakeholders should meet periodically to discuss issues affecting the communities. He made the suggestion

during a similar visit to his palace. The traditional ruler, who described the December 19, 2015 crisis as saddening, said those behind the crisis did not listen to their traditional rulers. He said those behind the

crisis were hemp smokers, who refused to heed the counsel of their various leaders during the crisis. According to him, in the past when traditional rulers in Nupe land direct the youth to stop fighting or desist from caus-

ing trouble, they obeyed, adding that: “But today, they would rather listen to their godfathers, who are politicians The social media is not also helping the situation. I just pray government will create an enabling environment for

Ekiti State Commissioner for Health, Dr Olurotimi Ojo (middle) with other stakeholders, including UNICEF and Lions Club members, at a road show in Ado Ekiti, the state capital, during the recent integrated measles campaign in the state. PHOTO: SAM NWAOKO.

‘Era of using violence to attract govt attention is over in N/Delta’ Ebenezer Adurokiya-Warri

N view of recent bombings of oil and gas pipelines in Delta State, Niger Delta youths have been admonished to accept the fact that the era of orchestrating violence in order to curry the attention of government in the region is over. The admonition was given separately by the Olu of Warri kingdom, His Royal Majesty Ogiame Ikenwoli and his counterpart in Okpe kingdom, the Orodje of Okpe, His Royal Majesty Orhue 1, when the Commander-General of Riverine Security Coast Guard of the Federation, Commander Oduku Bibi, and his men paid a courtesy visit to them in their palaces recently. Speaking in specific terms, the monarchs stated that the era when youths embarked on blowing up oil pipelines and installations in order to draw government’s attention is over in Niger Delta. They charged youths in the region to shun all forms of criminality and

embrace peace for the speedy development of the region. The Orodje of Okpe kingdom, on his part, averred that with the current Boko Haram insurgency in the North-East and steady fall in global oil price, the nation cannot afford another crisis in the Niger Delta. He, therefore, urged youths in the region to shun vices such as kidnapping and oil pipeline vandalism, urging them to support the present administration’s efforts to develop the region. On his part, the Olu of Warri stated that what the Niger Delta region needed at present is peace in order to attract investors that would bring development and create jobs for youths. He urged youths, particularly those from oil-rich Delta State, to shun criminal activities, adding that the era of blowing up pipelines in order to get government’s attention is over, following the successful implementation of the Federal Government amnesty programme for exmilitants from the region.

The two monarchs charged the youths to embrace the peace initiative of the Commander-General of the Riverine Security Coast Guard of the Federation, adding that securing oil installations is the responsibility of all Niger Deltans.

According to them, those engaged in oil pipeline vandalism, oil bunkering and illegal refinery are only destroying the Niger Delta ecosystem, adding that youths in the region should be their brother’s keeper. Earlier, the commander

general had disclosed to the monarchs that the objective of his group is to ensure a safer coastal area by working with other security agencies to check crime, particularly sea piracy, kidnapping, pipeline vandalism and oil theft.

these people to be gainfully employed.” The royal father added that his people love the people of Share because they are peaceful. The emir, who lamented that he could no longer ride in his official cars since the incident occured, said there was need for permanent peace between the communities so that everybody could live in peace as their forefathers did. He also maintained that a concrete demarcation of boundary must be done to provide a lasting solution to the frequent clashes between the two communities. During the fact-finding visit to the hot spots, the commission visited Share UMCA Junior Secondary Schools and Share Community Primary School where the cutting of Acacia trees triggered the confrontation between the communities. The commission was led by the Asipa of Share, Chief Gabriel Jimoh, to the church, houses, shops, bank and the residences of Pastors that were allegedly destroyed by the people of Tsaragi. Though no property was destroyed in Tsaragi, the Makama of the town, Alhaji Mohammed Buhari, who met members of the commission at the spot where Acacia trees were cut, accused the people of Share of cuting down mango trees planted by the Nupe at the bank of Sose River. But the Asipa of Share denied the allegation, stating that the trees were cut by the people of Tsaragi while Share community alerted security agencies when they were carrying out the act.

Reps member promises to empower 10,000 youths before 2019 Adelowo Oladipo-Minna

THE member representing Suleja,Tafa and Gurara federal constituency of Niger State in the House of Representatives, Honourable Abubakar Suleja, has stated that he has put in place an action plan to empower 10, 000 youths in his constituency before June 2019. He stated this at the weekend when he launched a special skill acquisition scheme for 1,000 youths at the A Division Primary school, Suleja with participants from all the wards of his constituency.

Suelja stated that his decision to make empowerment of youths top of his priorities was borne of the desire to carry them off the street and make them less vulnerable to vices and going to politicians to beg for help instead of being self reliant. According to him, before he was elected into the National Assembly on the platform of All Progressives Congress (APC), he promised to empower youths if elected and having been elected, he has made youth empowerment a major component of his programmes for the people

of his constituency. While noting that he would continue to pursue youth engagement schemes with vigour and determination, he said, “before June 2019, my target and action plan is to train 10,000 youths from this federal constituency”. The lawmaker stated that he had embarked on projects in all sections of his constituency in line with the needs of the people apart from youth empowerment, adding that he has built clinics, schools and provided school uniform for students. “ Every three months, a

committee goes round the three local government areas that make up this constituency to find out those that need assistance, Youth engagement is one of the core areas of focus of the President Muhammadu Buhari-led government, ” he added. He stated further that what the people have enjoyed since the All Progressives Congress (APC)led administration came on board, has showed that the people have been cheated for over 16 years by the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP)-led government.

Monday, 15 February, 2016

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08116954632 foreignnewseditor@gmail.com

Putin, Obama agree on cooperation to implement Syria agreement

USSIAN President Vladimir Putin and United States President, Barack Obama, have agreed to intensify diplomatic and other cooperation to implement an agreement on Syria struck at talks in Munich, the Kremlin said on Sunday. The major powers agreed on Friday to a temporary “cessation of hostilities” in Syria. The pause is due to begin in a week’s time. After phone talks between Putin and Obama on Sunday, the Kremlin said that both gave a “positive valuation” to the meeting on Syria in Munich on February 11 to 12. “In particular, a support was expressed to efforts of two target groups: for ceasefire and humanitarian aspects,” the Kremlin said. Kremlin added that during the talks, the need to establish close working contacts between Russia’s and United States defence ministries was underlined, which would allow them to “successfully fight the Islamic State and other terroristic organisations.” The Kremlin also said that Putin spoke with Obama about the importance of creating a united antiterrorism front. They also discussed the situation in Ukraine, the Kremlin said.

United States President, Barack Obama and Russian President, Vladimir Putin at the United Nations General Assembly in New York. PHOTO: Reuters/Kevin Lamarque.

Netanyahu: US Vice President Biden may visit Israel ISRAELI Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says staffers for United States Vice President Joe Biden are arriving in Israel ahead of a possible Biden visit. At his weekly Cabinet meeting, Netanyahu cited reports Biden was considering visiting Israel soon. He said Biden’s staff is landing in Israel Sunday, but there were no dates yet for a visit. Last month, Biden met Netanyahu in Davos, Switzerland shortly after the United States lifted sanctions on Iran as part of a nuclear deal. The United

New York suffers coldest Valentine’s Day in 100 years RECORD-breaking freezing temperatures and biting winds had much of the north-eastern United States bundling up this weekend and the brutal weather was blamed for a deadly interstate pileup. The coldest temperatures of the season blew into the region on Saturday with gusts that created dangerous wind chills, well below zero. New York City faced its coldest Valentine’s Day since 1916, with recordbreaking minus-1 degrees in Central Park. A record was also broken at John F Kennedy International Airport one degree. In Newark, New Jersey, and at LaGuardia International

Airport, temperatures tied records at zero and one degrees, respectively. “These temperatures can be life threatening - especially for seniors, infants and people with medical conditions,” New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio said.

Stay indoors and take care of each other, he counselled. “It’s so important to take this seriously, to stay indoors to the maximum extent possible, and go out for as little time as possible. Do not have skin

Photo: (Fountain) A fountain foze over in Bryant Park, New York City. PHOTO: Alamy, Live News.

exposed. These are tough conditions,” de Blasio told reporters. “Be really careful.” He ordered construction crews to put cranes into secure positions following the collapse of a huge crane in high winds earlier this month, which killed one person and injured three. In Watertown, New York, which is on Lake Ontario near the Canadian border, temperatures reached as low as minus-37 degrees on Sunday, with wind chills reaching minus-45, the National Weather Service reported. It appears that was the coldest city in the state on Sunday morning.

otherNEWS Obama leads tributes after sudden death of Justice Scalia, 79

Justice Antonin Scalia. PHOTO: AP.

PRESIDENT Barack Obama declared on Saturday night he would honour his responsibility to fill the Supreme Court seat left vacant by the death of Justice Antonin Scalia. Obama first paid tribute to the 79-year-old Justice, who was found dead from natural causes on Satur-

day at a hunting ranch in West Texas, calling him “larger than life” and a “brilliant legal mind”, according to Dailymail news. The president’s comments followed those of Republicans who wasted little time on Saturday night, as news of Scalia’s

unexpected death spread, arguing that Obama should leave the choice to his successor. But Obama was quick to remind that the day was meant to ‘remember Justice Scalia’s legacy’. “I plan to fulfill my constitutional responsibilities to name a successor

in due time, and there will be plenty of time for me to do so,” he said. Obama said he took his responsibilities to nominate the next Supreme Court Justice, given to the president under Article Two of the US Constitution, seriously before adding “as should everyone.”

Al-Shabaab claims responsibility for Somalia in-flight jet blast THE jihadist group Al-Shabaab on Saturday claimed responsibility for a bomb blast on a Somali passenger plane this month, an explosion that authorities say killed only the alleged bomber. The Daallo Airlines plane, which took off from Somalia’s capital bound

States has sought to soften Israel’s concerns on the deal through discussions about a new longterm agreement on United States military aid for Israel, according to Washington Post. Biden’s last visit to Israel sparked a diplomatic spat with Washington in 2010, when Israel announced settlement construction plans during Biden’s visit. The White House had no comment.

for Djibouti on February 2, landed back in Mogadishu despite the blast, which Somali authorities say was caused by a laptop computer containing a bomb. The bomber, identified by authorities as Abdullahi Abdisalam Borleh, was sucked out of the airliner

through a hole from the explosion. In a statement released online, Al-Shabaab said the operation targeted “Western intelligence officials and Turkish NATO forces aboard the airplane bound for Djibouti.” The statement admitted that the bombing did not

go as planned. “While the operation did not bring down the plane as Allah had decreed, it struck terror in the hearts of the crusaders,” the statement reads. The group vowed to continue targeting “Western intelligence teams” that operate in Somalia.

Al-Shabaab

Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu. PHOTO: (Dan Balilty, Pool/ Associated Press).

Republic of Congo: Ex-army chief to run for president THE former chief of staff of Republic of Congo’s army has announced he will be running as a candidate in the March 20 presidential election. Gen Jean Marie Michel Mokoko, 69, made the announcement on Saturday, saying he is taking the side of the people. He said the country needs a new political order and asked residents to join him to strengthen ethical values. Mokoko will face off with President Denis Sassou N’Guesso, who first ruled the Central African country from 1979 to 1992, when he lost an election. He returned to power in 1997. Voters approved revisions to the constitution’s term and age limits in October to allow Sassou N’Guesso to run again. The opposition opposed the referendum. Republic of Congo is often overshadowed by neighbouring Congo.

foreig naffairs

Monday, 15 February, 2016

Multiple crises challenge EU ahead of summit NATO warships are steaming toward the Aegean Sea in an escalated bid to impose order on the chaotic arrival of more than one million migrants, which has not abated despite the wintry weather in southern Europe. Informal mini-blocs have formed within the European Union, with some countries banding together to challenge, or just ignore, the European Union’s announced refugee resettlement program. Temporary border controls have been introduced in key countries including Germany and France, threatening the cherished notion

of freedom of movement across European borders. Britain, a nuclear power with a seat at the United Nation Security Council, is demanding concessions ahead of a referendum on whether Britain should simply abandon the 28-nation European Union, a prospect known as Brexit. And a slow-burning, extremely divisive budget crunch threatens the future of the euro single currency that has been a hallmark of European integration. If the European Union were a patient, its survival would be seen as threatened by multiple organ failure.

US trains Cameroon military on landmines detection

HE United States is training the Cameroon military in techniques of detecting and counter-

acting landmines and explosive devices. The training comes due to the increasing use of landmines and suicide bombings by

Cameroon’s army soldiers deployed against the Nigerian Islamist group Boko Haram in Dabanga, northern Cameroon. PHOTO: AFP.

Afghan civilian casualties hit a record 11,000 in 2015 THE number of Afghan civilians killed and wounded surpassed 11,000 in 2015 - the highest number recorded since the US-led invasion more than 14 years ago. The United Nations said in its annual report released on Sunday there were 3,545 civilian fatalities and 7,457 people wounded with children paying a particularly heavy toll, as Afghan security forces faced a surge in attacks by the Taliban and other armed groups. The total of 11,002 civilian casualties marked a four percent rise over 2014, the previous record high, the report said. One-in-four casualties was a child, while onein-10 was female, it said, with the UN’s special representative for Afghanistan Nicholas Haysom calling the figures “unacceptable”. “We call on those inflicting this pain on the people

of Afghanistan to take concrete action to protect civilians and put a stop to the killing and maiming of civilians in 2016,” said Haysom. The report said “anti-government elements” were

responsible for the most harm, causing 62 percent of all civilian casualties. Those killed and wounded by “pro-government forces” represented 17 percent of the record figure. “Unprecedented numbers

of children were needlessly killed and injured last year,” said Danielle Bell, the UN’s director of human rights in Afghanistan. “Other children suffered the loss of parents ... one in 10 casualties was a women.”

borhood in Bujumbura. “The attackers were in a car and threw two grenades at a military station which injured two people including a child and his father, both coming from a hair salon,” a Ngagara administrator on Sunday. “The child died after but his father is undergoing treatment,” he said. A witness who gave his name only as Paul, 33, said a soldier was also wounded, but the administrator could not confirm it. It was not immediately clear who was responsible, but activists and authorities have in the past reported a number of apparently targeted killings.

otherNEWS Aid reaches Syria’s Yarmouk camp after nine months HUMANITARIAN aid has reached residents of the Yarmouk area on the outskirts of Damascus for the first time in nine months, according to UNRWA, the UN Agency for Palestine refugees. In a statement released on Saturday night, Chris Gun-

ness, UNRWA’s spokesman, said the agency “did not enter the camp itself”, but that it reached the neighbouring area of Yalda, where 900 families displaced from Yarmouk and surrounding areas were in desperate need of humanitarian aid.

“Although some humanitarian assistance has entered these areas since the last UNRWA distribution in June, 2015, humanitarian needs remain acute,” Gunness said. Home to Palestinian refugees and Syrians, Yarmouk has been the site of intense fighting be-

Egyptian court reverses policeman’s jail sentence for killing activist EGYPT’S highest court reversed on Sunday a 15-year jail sentence handed down by a lower court to a policeman for killing an activist in the street, judicial sources said, overturning a rare sentence against members of security forces. First Lieutenant Yaseen Hatem was charged last March with action that “led to the

to help us [that come to fight with us] will pass on those explosives and will be destroyed,” said Beltus. Last month, Cameroon closed some of its borders with Nigeria frequently used by the insurgents. Government spokesperson Issa Tchiroma Bakary said several dozen people had died from suicide bombings and the country had incurred human and material loses from landmines planted by the insurgents. General Jacob Kodji, commander of Cameroon troops fighting Boko Haram, said faced with this new form of Boko Haram strategy, Cameroon’s Defense Ministry asked for the help of the United States in teaching troops how to deal with landmines and suicide bombings.

Grenade attack kills child, wounds father in Burundi’s capital A grenade attack on a military base in Burundi’s capital killed a child and wounded his father and one other person, an official and witnesses said on Sunday, as violence linked to the president’s disputed re-election persists. More than 400 people have been killed since April last year when President Pierre Nkurunziza announced he would run for a third term. That sparked weeks of street protests led by the opposition, which said his bid was unconstitutional. Witnesses and an official said the attack late on Saturday had targeted the base in the Ngagara neigh-

About 25 per cent of Afghans killed and wounded in 2015 were children, the UN says PHOTO: Jalil Rezayee/EPA.

Yarmouk has been the site of heavy fighting between government forces and rebel groups. PHOTO: [File: Ward Al-Keswani/ Reuters]

Boko Haram militants. Kwene Beltus, one of Cameroon’s senior military officials fighting the Boko Haram insurgency, said the terrorist group’s ability to launch massive attacks has been drastically reduced by raids organised by Cameroonian and Nigerian soldiers on Boko Haram strongholds in the border regions. He said the terrorist group has now resorted more to suicide bombings and the use of landmines, according to Voanews. “They put explosives on the road. They know that when the car will pass on those explosives everything will be blown off. It is their new strategy that they use now. They know that those friends, those [Nigerian] army friends that will come

death” of Shaimaa Sabbagh, a lesser charge than murder but still a rare action against a member of the security forces. He will now face a retrial. Sabbagh was shot in January 2015 at a march marking the fourth anniversary of the uprising that ousted veteran ruler Hosni Mubarak in 2011. The public prosecutor said in March

she had been killed by an officer who fired birdshot to try to disperse the protest. President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, accused by critics of muzzling opponents, had responded to the fury over Sabbagh’s killing by referring to her as “my daughter” and “the daughter of Egypt” and promised to bring her killers to justice.

Many hoped Mubarak’s fall would lead to greater freedom, but the government has cracked down hard on Islamists and secular activists since the military ousted Egypt’s first freely-elected president, Mohamed Mursi of the Muslim Brotherhood, in 2013 following mass protests against his rule.

Egypt President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi

tween the Syrian government and armed opposition groups, including al-Nusra Front and the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) group. Once the largest of the nine Palestinian refugee camps in Syria, Yarmouk was home to nearly 200,000 people.

Monday, 15 February, 2016

Editor: Ganiyu Salman tribunesporteditor@yahoo.com 08053789060

Ministry has no power to sack Oliseh

Nationwide League crisis:

Clubs shun registration, demand congress

—Dalung Anthony Ubong -Calabar

OLLOWING calls in some quarters for the sack of the Chief Coach of the Super Eagles, Sunday Oliseh in view of his recent outburst against Nigerians, Minister of sports and youth development, Barrister Solomon Dalung has said that his ministry does not have the powers to sack him. He spoke at the weekend in Calabar at the end of a three day National Council on Sports held at Tinapa Business Resort, saying his ministry cannot relieve Oliseh of his job because they did not employ

him. Dalung said he believes Oliseh can turn around the dwindling fortunes of Nigerian football, adding that rather than call for his sack, Nigerians should give him the needed support to enable him succeed. The Sports minister said: “How can you sack somebody you did not employ? It is not our responsibility to do that. In any case, why do we need to do that? Is it for losing just one match? “Let us not be too much in a hurry to always demand the sack of any coach.

...Says Cross River may lose hosting right MINISTER of Sports and Youth Development, Solomon Dalung has said that the National Sports Festival would not suffer any postponement this year, assuring that the Federal Government would not hesitate to withdraw the hosting right from Cross River if it is found out that they are not fully prepared. Dalung who stated this at the end of a 3-day National Council on Sports Summit held at Tinapa Leisure and Business Resort over the weekend emphasized that further disappointment would no longer be tolerated from Cross River State regarding hosting of the 19th edition of the festival which had suffered several postponements. In view of this, Dalung said, his ministry would put modalities in place to monitor the extent of preparation of the state in order to ascertain its readiness, adding

that the ministry have replacement mechanism ready. Dalung, however, urged the state government to intimate Federal Government of its challenges towards the festival with a view for early intervention as government would not tolerate shoddy preparations. The Sports minister said “National Sports Festival should not suffer any postponement this year; Federal Government would not hesitate to withdraw the hosting right from Cross River if it is found out that they are incorrigible.” “We have visited the various designated venues for the 19th National Sports Festival in Calabar and I can say that we are encouraged. But we want to stress that even though federal government still wants the state to host the games yet we shall not entertain any more excuses from the state.

Oliseh

THE majority of clubs mainly from the north have shunned registering for the new Nationwide League One season, demanding instead that a congress be called to study the finances of the league. It is almost a month since the January 18 deadline for clubs to register for the new season, but a good number of the clubs have ignored the deadline as they continue to cry out over a hike in registration fees and lack of transparency in the accounts of the country’s third-tier championship. One of the club owners said: “The clubs do not have confidence in the league and that is why we have not bothered the register for the new season. “We have asked many questions and we have not received answers to these questions. “For instance, where are the audited accounts for the past four years?” Another top club official said the only way forward is for the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) to call an emergency congress for some of these salient issues to be discussed rather than for some individuals to try and sweep them under the carpet. “A congress has to be called for these vexed issues to be addressed fully,” he said. “A handful of people can’t just continue to hold those who run these clubs with their hard-earned cash to ransom.”

120 youths storm Ado-Ekiti for FOYSSTON football championship By Oluwabunmi Ajayi NO fewer than 120 youthful players are in Ado-Ekiti for the maiden edition of Fountain Youth Sports Club Soccer Tournament (FOYSSTON) which kicked off yesterday at the Federal Polytechnic, Ado Ekiti. The tournament is designed as a recruiting ground to fish out hidden talents that will dorn the colour of Nationwide League One side, Fountain Youths Sports Club of Ado-Ekiti. Speaking at the opening ceremony of the competition, the assistant technical director of the Nigeria Football Federation, Siji Olagunju,

said football has gone beyond being a vocational Sport but has been responsible for the elevation of various people all over the world. “We are optimistic that this event will go a long way in discovering hidden talents who will become future stars. We are convinced that this initiative will succeed in discovering the Mikel Obi’s of this generation.” Fountain Youth boss, Bayo Olanlege, who powered the tournament noted that; “We plan to use this platform to promote the talents of our resourceful youths and showcase them for possible future career. To casual observer, our gathering at this event is simply

for the intent of sports, but with careful observation, one will do good to note that we have come to witness the birth of the stars of tomorrow. “It’s actually designed to sieve youthful talents in the southwest plus Kwara to rebuild Fountain Youths Sports Club team in readiness for the 2015/2016 league season.” “We want to keep the youths in the society busy by establishing a platform where they can socially interact and also create a platform for corporate organizations and sports loving individuals who could support and add value to the lives of the youths in the society.”

FIFA committee to hear Michel Platini’s appeal today MICHEL Platini’s appeal against his eight-year ban from all footballrelated activities will be heard by FIFA’s appeals committee today. The suspended UEFA president, 60, was banned by the world governing body’s ethics committee in December, along with its president, Sepp Blatter. Both were found guilty of breaches surrounding a £1.3m ($2m) “disloyal payment” to Platini. Blatter’s appeal against his own ban is due to be heard on Tuesday.

The former France international and the Swiss have both denied any wrongdoing. Platini was also fined £54,000 ($80,000) after being found guilty of breaching FIFA’s code of ethics. Both Platini and Blatter said the payment was made following a verbal agreement between the pair when the Frenchman worked for Blatter from 1998 to 2002, though it was not paid until nine years later. The FIFA appeals committee,

which is chaired by president of the Bermuda Football Association Larry Mussenden, has the power to reduce, increase or overturn the ban. The ethics committee’s investigatory chamber has confirmed it is appealing against the sanctions imposed on Platini and Blatter on the grounds that they are too lenient. UEFA said last month that it will not hold an election for its presidency until Platini’s appeals process has been concluded.

Platini

Monday, 15 February, 2016

schoolsport

Nigerian Tribune

Anchor: Nurudeen Alimi oladimejialimi@yahoo.co.in 08111847089

JABU relishes achievement at 2015 NPUGA

OSEPH Ayo Babalola University, Ikeji Arakeji, Osun State recorded a tremendous achievement in 2015 in sports as it came fourth out of the 21 universities which participated at the sixth edition of the Nigerian Private University Games (NPUGA) hosted by the Afe Babalola University, Ado-Ekiti. With six gold, four silver and seven

bronze medals, JABU finished ahead of the Achievers University, Babcock University, Oduduwa University, Elizade University, Lead City University and Elizade University, among other institutions. The JABU sports team made up of 70 athletes put up a better performance to move a step above what it recorded at the

2013 edition of the Games. Emmanuel Ogbodo, a 400 level student in the College of Natural Science, Department of Computer Science put the University’s name on the lips of every athlete present as he brilliantly clinched victory at ABUAD 2015 in style. It was gathered that the 2015 NPUGA hosted by Afe Babalola University, Ado-

Pupils of Wales International Schools, Lagos clad in their professions’ attires on Youth Professional by the school, while they were supported by their teachers, Mrs Deborah Sesan-Ojo (left); Registrar, Mr Taiwo Okediji; Mrs Elizabeth Eboh (second right) and Miss Rhoda Okeleye.

When PIFO organised soccer tourney to unite Akwa Ibom youths Uduakabasi Patrick -Port Harcourt A foundation in South-South, Prince Inyang Inyang Foundation (PIFO) recently organised a three-week soccer tournament aimed at uniting the youth and developing talents in the Ikot Abasi federal constituency in Akwa Ibom State. Okoro Ete, Ukpum Minya, Ikpa Edemeya, Ikpa Nunng Assang, Ukpum Ete, Ibiaku, Ikpa Ikono, Ukpum Okon, Ikpa

FUNIS holds fourth inter-house sport Olayinka Olukoya-Abeokuta THE Federal University of Agriculture International School (FUNIS), Abeokuta, will on Friday, February 19 hold its fourth inter-house sport competition. The meet is scheduled to start at 10am at the Muda Lawal Stadium, Abeokuta, according to a statement made available to Tribunesport. The progamme will be chaired by Engineer Sulyman Adesina while the Chairman of the Governing Council of the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNNAB), Senator Adeseye Ogunlewe will be the father of the day. The university vice-chancellor, Professor Olusola Oyewole will be the special guest of honour, while Mrs. B.F Oyewole is the Mother of the Day with the chairman of FUNIS Board, Chief Olukayode Akindele as the chief host.

Ibom, Okoroete and Ikpa Ibekwe, among other clans, took part in the tournament which was won by Ukpum Ete. PIFO was formed four years ago by Mr Clement Inyang, a native of Ikot-Ubo Akama with the aim to helping the less privileged. Speaking with Tribunesport, the Chief Executive Officer of PIFO, Mr Inyang said the tournament was to unite youths in the clan and also search for talents and turn them into professional footballers in the near future. “The purpose of this tournament is to search for talents and select the best players who will face Akwa United and eventually form a football club who will challenge other states and international players,” he said. Inyang maintained that PIFO had given out scholarship worth N4million to the less privileged and had trained people in vocational education, such as maritime engineering, carpentry, catering, etc. “As the CEO of PIFO, I always fight for the underdogs. These are people who do not have people to speak for them. For me, I want the less privileged to also have a place on the table,” he said. Also speaking at the event, Akwa Ibom State Commissioner for Rural Development, Mr Ekong Sampson, urged other well-to-do in the society to emulate Inyang. He stated that with what PIFO had done

in the last four years, there had been improvement in the affected clans and the life of the people. Meanwhile, PIFO has gone a step further to select some players among the teams that took part in the tournament to form a team known as PIFO FC which lost 0-5 to Akwa United in a friendly at the Uyo Township Stadium. Inyang after the friendly promised that he was going to assist the players in their career, train them and bring the best out of them, just as he said he would walk with the state and other partners to make the youngsters realise their dreams. One of the players of PIFO FC, Ayaya Iniobong Udia told Tribunesport that he was excited to play against a Nigeria Premier League side, Akwa United, saying the defeat his team suffered was immaterial. Iniobong lauded PIFO which offers him the platform to pursue his football career. Also speaking, the Chairman of the Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN), Akwa Ibom State chapter, Mr Uweme Ekor said the players of the newly-formed PIFO should not be discouraged by the wide margin defeat suffered at the hands of Akwa United, adding that they should take their career seriously and know that football is big business today. Ekor lauded Inyang just as he urged other well-meaning people of Akwa Ibom State to take young talents off the streets by also investing in football.

Ekiti was a direct product of the JABUNPUGA games hosted in 2013, as other sister private universities turned up en masse to ensure they were not left in the yonder in a bid to be enlisted for hosting. Prior to NPUGA 2015, JABU sports council had last November organised the Osun State annual sport fiesta between old and new students of the institution. The event tagged ‘Freshers versus Stallite Games 2015’ was staged to serve as a platform for the discovery of talents who can be groomed to represent the institution in future national and international competitions. Tribunesport recalls that JABU placed fifth at the 2013 edition with seven gold, 11 silver and nine bronze medals. Meanwhile, the guidance and counselling unit of Joseph Ayo Babalola University early last month organised a seminar on drug abuse. The speaker on the occasion, Dr Ojo urged Nigerian youths to steer clear of hard drugs saying there are a lot of dangers inherent in taking hard substances. He added that, the users of those drugs will be losers at the end of the day. Dr Ojo identified three ways by which the scourge of the use of hard drugs can be checked; this according to him included counselling, spiritual and medical intervention.

Afuape tasks NAPSGAST on talents discovery in primary schools THE Commissioner for Youth and Sports in Ogun State, Mr Afolabi Afuape has urged the National Association of Primary School Games and Sports Teachers (NAPSGAST) to continue to discover talents among pupils in primary schools in the state. Afuape made this known when NAPSGAST, Ijebu Division paid him a courtesy visit in his office in Abeokuta. He noted that there are many talents in primary schools in the state waiting to be discovered, adding that NAPSGAST should not relent in its effort to hunt for talents at primary school level. “On our part, the government will continue to support the association and make pupils discover their talents at their tender age,” Afuape said. The Permanent Secretary in the Ministry, Mr Hakeem Adelekan lauded NAPSGAST for its initiative of “catch them young” saying that the body should continue in the spirit to develop education and sports among pupils in the state. In his remarks, NAPSGAST chairman in the state, Reverend Olubode Dahunsi solicited the support of government, philanthropists and corporate bodies to help in developing sports in primary schools. Meanwhile, the fourth edition of primary school sports competition in Ogun State holds from Wednesday, February 24 to Saturday 27 at Dipo Dina International Stadium, Ijebu-Ode.

SIDELINES

NO 16,436

MONDAY, 15 FEBRUARY, 2016

E are far from any conclusive evidence about our current central regime and our current times. It is for this reason that we may be compelled again and again to question and interrogate the players and followers of the regime and the times being ushered into our consciousness. What political, economic, cultural, moral, spiritual, educational, technological, agricultural, literary, judicial legacies and more will or can be felt throughout our land and times when this regime ceases to be – and is no more? For us Nigerian professionals, we will soon learn of the shortness of time, timeless time, if we fail to initiate new modes of professional introspection that will out-match or out-do the cynicism, skepticism and irascibility now everywhere about us. Clearly, last Monday, I zoomed through the stream of consciousness of President Buhari who faraway in Addis-Ababa in Ethiopia dwelt on the “main headache” of his presidency: the Nigerian judiciary, the originator – for want of a better term - of his new cynicism, skepticism and irascibility. How the judiciary has been humiliating our great anti-corruption president! How our apex court in particular has dealt with him in a draconian manner that is causing him a mighty headache which the most potent aspirin cannot relieve him of. Or what do we make of the recent apex court rulings on gubernatorial election matters? The president may be right or may not be right. But the recent “familiar” verdicts relating to gubernatorial elections in which all queried winners of the gubernatorial elections in their respective states were politely and congenially returned as “proper” winners of the cases against them leave much to be desired. Unless the judges, especially those who are in our apex

In a highly commendable display of deeply professional candour, the Inspector General of Police, Solomon Arase, at the weekend admonished policemen to stop piling up wives. Wise counsel! Arase need not worry too much, though: at the rate the naira keeps falling against the dollar, policemen may no longer find it easy collecting easy money from motorists!

N150

in&out with Tony Afejuku 08055213059

Letter to Nigerian professionals court, mend and re-mend their ways and general modi operandi and modi vivendi, a well structured resistance from even members of their cherished profession shall originate sooner or later. And when this happens the president might end up laughing last. This is a poetic prophecy. Nigerian professionals of all hues must stand up for our country. If we do nothing, if we keep mute, we shall forever be despised – by our children and all those who shall come after us, after we are gone. We must be brave, and eschew lavenderscented words and fragrant thoughts of cowards. Those of us, for example, who are journalists must write and speak like cultivated men and women of letters, truth and courage who must shun the celebratory status of cowards who live in luxury without opening their eyes to interrogate the enemies of our lives and country. We must cease to be actors and comedians wallowing in the fabulous image of the morally depraved. Indeed, all professionals in the land must stand up for our country. They must call a spade a spade. They must

Indeed, all professionals in the land must stand up for our country. – if they must, and this must be often – speak openly without vestiges of ripe politeness or communicative ease or leisure to the present that will represent our future. What are we not doing right as professionals, politicians, rulers, ethnarchs and national leaders and as watchers and followers? What are we not doing right as pastors, bishops, overseers, prophets, primates and marabouts? Must we continue to use our God-given talents and powers and gifts to work for crooks in and outside government and politics? Must we continue to protect the knaves in politics and government against all odds? Must we allow our enemies in and outside government to keep on humiliating the Nigerian people

AFCON qualifiers:

EPL RESULTS Arsenal 2 Leicester 1

Moses injury worries Oliseh NIGERIA coach Sunday Oliseh has said he will delay his choice of players like Chelsea loanee Victor Moses for next month’s allimportant AFCON double-header against Egypt to be sure they will be available for the match. Victor Moses, who is on loan to West Ham from Chelsea, has not played under Oliseh since he took charge of the Eagles in July 2015, but he is now believed to be in the team’s plans as Nigeria pull all the stops to ensure they beat Egypt in Kaduna on March 26. Victor Moses is doing well, but he is always on and off, injured…okay…injured…okay…,” complained Oliseh. “We will pick players who are fit and doing well, but we will only do that just about the time we will invite the players because what if I have

a player on my head now and just when we will invite, he is injured or has some problems?” The Eagles head also disclosed he has not ruled out some new faces for the Egypt matches. “It’s very possible to call up new players because this game is one we want to go with all the artillery we have,” he admitted. “Everyone who is doing well knows he will be considered for selection.” Egypt lead the AFCON qualifying group with six points after two rounds of matches, while Nigeria are second with four points, with only the group winners guaranteed automatic qualification to the Nations Cup to be staged by Gabon in January 2017. Tanzania and Chad are the other teams in the group.

and masses who are troubled day by day by the poverty, hunger and misery inflicted on them by their fellow kinsmen in power, government and authority? Do we close our eyes, ears and nostrils to our people’s humiliation day by day? Every day people are dying and dying in the land, and we keep on watching as if nothing untoward is happening; day by day our freedoms are threatened by those who want us to believe that they were born to threaten them from the Niger Delta to the savannah and desert of our grand country, and we applaud and make cases for them – no, we all must insist, and desist from this unpatriotic habit henceforth. We must all be concerned enough to refuse all types of ethnic or regional or professional or bonhomous or religious sentimentality and evangelism the enemies have been using to put our country in the cage of under-development. We must amplify this bonmot: Even if the heavens fall – but the heavens won’t fall -, those who have sinned against us must pay for their sins against us. After sin or crime, follows remorse followed by confession and then punishment to deter others.

Aston Villa 0

Liverpool 6

Man City 1

Tottenham 2

Moses

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.tribune.com.ng 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. 15/02/2016.