15th of Septebmer 2015 by Nigerian Tribune

NIGERIA’S MOST INFORMATIVE NEWSPAPER NO 16,327 TUESDAY, 15 SEPTEMBER, 2015

Quranic school building collapse: I can't explain how I got to hospital —Survivor —P37

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EFCC quizzes New Ooni to Parradang, emerge in 40 days ex-Immigration —Ife kingmakers •Ask Giesi family to boss present candidates —P41

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Ministerial appointments

FULL REPORT ON PAGE 12

Secret police begin background checks

—P2

•10 nominees appear so far to fill personal history forms Jos: Another 20 killed in renewed Fulani attack —P4

How my wife was abducted —The Sun Deputy MD —P2

From left, Executive Director, Zenith Bank Plc, Ebenezer Onyeagwu; Managing Director/Chief Executive, Peter Amangbo; President, Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Amaju Pinnick and Sola Oladipo, Executive Director, Zenith Bank, at the signing of a mega sponsorship deal between Zenith Bank and NFF, at the bank's head office, Victoria Island, Lagos, on Monday.

Tribuneman, 30 others shortlisted for CNN African journalist award —P6

news Ministerial appointments: Secret police begin background checks 2

Tuesday, 15 September, 2015

•10 nominees appear so far to fill history forms From Taiwo Adisa and Dare Adekanmbi

HE Department of State Services (DSS) has commenced field works on a number of ministerial nominees, whose names were submitted to the service by President Muhammadu Buhari. No fewer than 10 nominees were said to have appeared at the headquarters of the service so far, to fill the personal history forms. Sources told the Nigerian Tribune that the service was not allowing all the nominees appear at the same time, so as to safeguard their identities, in line with the directive of the president, who insisted that the list of nominees should not be leaked to the media. Investigations by the Nigerian Tribune confirmed that while some of the nominees were allowed to appear at the headquarters, a number of them had the personal information forms delivered to them. It was gathered that the likes of former Chief of Army Staff, General Abdurahman Dambazzau; Lagos lawyer, Femi Falana; former presidential candidate, Professor Pat Utomi; secretary of the transition committee, Mr Doyin Salami and former governor of Osun State, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola, were said to have filled the forms as of Monday. “The whole move is to protect the sanctity of the list presented to the Service by the president. Recall that the president mandated the service to protect the list and ensure it was not leaked by the media before it gets to the Senate,” a source said. There is confusion, however, over the status of former Ekiti State governor, Dr Kayode Fayemi and a former commissioner for finance in Lagos State, Mr Wale Edun. It was learnt that Fayemi was sighted at the headquarters of the DSS on Friday last week, while Edun had also been contacted. But a source said there had been contention over the choice of Edun and Mr Salami as to who among them would represent Ogun State. Edun was commissioner in Lagos and not identified with Ogun, whereas Salami is said to be the candidate of the Ogun State governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, who is a close ally of Presi-

dent Buhari. Amosun is one of the few South West leaders from the All Nigerian Peoples Party (ANPP) with Buhari and is said to be well trusted by the President. It was gathered that some other members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) transition committee headed by Alhaji Ahmed Joda also made the list. A few politicians, however, have been mentioned as having made it on the ministerial list. A source mentioned one of the candidates as Yinka Folashade Oredola as well as another female nominee from the North West. She was described as having played some political roles lately.

“I can confirm to you that the likes of Dambazzau, Falana, Utomi, Oyinlola and Edun have appeared at DSS headquarters between Thursday and Monday. “There is another woman who played some political roles recently. They have all filled personal history forms which is to be used to develop the field charter to be assigned to those who will conduct further searches on them. It is a thorough work and it is being handled carefully,” a source said. Sources further said the nominees were being asked to provide details of their background information, which included places they had lived (neighbourhood

checks); financial status, records with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) as well as records with the police, security agencies and the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC). Against this development, the Nigerian Tribune gathered that the Service might not have invited any nominee for screening, as it would be unnecessary to do so, since most of them would naturally have their files in its custody. Should the files of some nominees not with the unit, a source in the Service explained that the unit had

other means of getting information about such persons and carrying out background checks on them. Also, the Director General of DSS, Mr Lawal Daura, had continued to keep the screening of ministerial nominees discreet, even away from the prying eyes of the top notch in the outfit. A source in the know said it might be the personal decision of Daura to screen the nominees, to prevent leakage and unnecessary interference. Checks by the Nigerian Tribune revealed that unlike in the past when names of would-be federal appointees were forwarded to state directors of the DSS from Abuja headquarters

for scrutiny, the procedure adopted by Daura was different. It was gathered that even the state directors of the Services were keeping their subordinates guessing on whether names of nominees for federal appointments had been sent to them from Abuja or not. Meanwhile, President Muhammadu Buhari has come under intense pressure from the various interests in the party and the polity over would-be ministers. Nigerian Tribune gathered on Monday that the president was still contemplating the criteria for the inclusion of certain names proposed to him as ministers.

How my wife was abducted —The Sun Deputy MD Olalekan Olabulo -Lagos THE Deputy Managing Director of The Sun Newspapers, Mr Steve Nwosu, has narrated how a gang of armed men invaded his Okota home in Lagos, in the wee hours of Monday and abducted his wife, Oluwatoyin Nwosu. “It was around 1.50 a.m. when I heard cracking noise on my window. As I came out to check what was happening, I saw three gunmen jumping in. They surrounded me at gunpoint. “They started demanding for money. I told them that I didn’t have money. They asked about my wife, I said I wouldn't know if she had money or not. “They ransacked my house. They concentrated on my room and that of my wife. When they could not see money, they used a cloth to wrap round my face. My children were shouting, so they locked them up inside the toilet,” Nwosu said. “As they were taking me away, they changed their mind and brought me back. They now asked my wife to dress up. She was wearing a pyjamas before but I don't know what she put on when she was taken away. “I believe they were robbers because they still robbed other residents. I think they were angry that I did not give them money. They didn't understand that as a journalist, I don't have that kind of money. “Well, they collected my Iphones, phones and minor things they could lay their hands on. I was confused when I saw them, but I can’t

fight people with guns,” he added. Speaking further, he said the hoodlums had contacted him and demanded for ransom of N100 million. Nigerian Tribune gathered that the three armed men broke the screen of the window of the house before they gained access into the

apartment. The robbers had reportedly invaded a building close to the Nwosu’s, whose occupants escaped, before they forced their way into nearby buildings. Members of the gang were said to have escaped with a speedboat, which was stationed at a canal near the

houses of the victims. Efforts by some residents of the area to mobilise themselves against the robbers were rebuffed as the robbers shot into the air sporadically. The state Commissioner of Police, Fatai Owoseni, speaking on the incident, assurred that the police

would rescue the abducted woman. Reacting to the development, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), in a statement by its national publicity secretary, Chief Olisa Metuh, expressed shock over the development, decrying it as barbaric and devilish.

PDP to Buhari: Pay attention to management of economy Statement a distraction —APC Bola Badmus -Lagos THE Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has urged President Muhammadu Buhari and the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led administration to pay urgent attention to the management of the economy. The call was contained in a statement issued by PDP national publicity secretary, Chief Olisa Metuh, in Abuja, on Monday. It claimed that its worry stemmed from the fact that the economy had remained on rapid fall since the last four months. According to the statement, the fall is “apparently due to the absence of clear-cut fiscal policy direction and an economic team to deal with the domestic and global challenges associated with a developing economy.” It said PDP was in full support of President Muhammadu Buhari’s efforts in tackling corruption and insurgency, but was concerned about the economic situation of Nigeria. The party said it was worried that the government

had not paid attention to indices from global economic watchers, in spite of its predictable negative impact. The statement said as a responsible party, PDP was duty-bound, beyond politics, to draw the president’s attention to the fact that under the prevailing circumstances, the economy was threatened. It stated that the situation had become more worrisome following the “failure of APC administration to articulate any interventionist policy at this critical moment,” especially against predictions that oil might sell for $20. “We caution strongly that this approach to governance is not healthy for our nation,” the party said. It said time had come for the president to take urgent steps to set up a crack economic team of experts to immediately swing into action and salvage the economy. “In managing this economy at this time, we urge the president, as the father of the nation, to look beyond partisan politics.

“He should ensure that the policy frameworks and populist economic projects laid by the PDP administration, especially in the non-oil sectors, are not allowed to rot but adequately utilised for the good of all.” It advised the APC administration to pay attention to various agricultural projects and programmes established in Nigeria by the PDP administrations, especially in the North. The projects, according to the party, included various dams and irrigation projects, the e-wallet financial empowerment system to farmers, associated to the over two million direct farm jobs. Others were the Green Belt project under Presidential Initiative on Afforestation in Kano and 10 other northern states, all in line with PDP’s agenda to return the region as the food basket of the nation. “The administration should continue the policy of the past administration of opening the space for harnessing indigenous potentials,” it said. Reacting, the APC de-

scribed the PDP’s statement as part of the opposition’s ploy to distract the Buhari-led administration from its onerous task of putting the nation on a sound footing. The party, in a statement issued in Lagos by its national publicity secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, on Monday, said PDP’s statement “is a litany of delusional self praise, rather than a genuine concern about the nation’s well being. “The question the PDP should ask itself is that if it had laid a solid foundation for the economy in its 16 years in charge, could such a foundation have given way in just three months of a new administration? “If the PDP had been as fantastic as its statement had portrayed, it would still be the ruling, rather than the opposition party that it is now. “It is, therefore, important for the PDP to concentrate its attention on remaking its tattered image rather than continuing to act as a desperate attention-seeking opposition.”

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Tuesday, 15 September, 2015

Jos: Another 20 killed in renewed Fulani attack Isaac Shobayo - Jos

S stakeholders and government of Plataeu State are trying to find solution to the spate of killing in the state, gunmen suspected to be Fulani herdsmen, on Monday, killed 20 persons in Zakupwang, Fan village of Foron district, Barkin-Ladi Local Government Council of the state. A source close to the community told the Nigerian Tribune that the gunmen stormed the village around 1.00 a.m. on Monday and went on shooting spree, killing 20 people in the process. It will be recalled that Governor Simon Lalong recently set up a 14-man committee, seven each from the Berom and Fulani communities, to reconcile their differences and restore lasting peace, and committee had since commenced sitting towards ensuring that peace reign in the troubled local government.

A member of House of Representatives, representing Barakin Ladi and Riyom Federal Constituency of Plateau State, Honourable Istifanus Gyang, who confirmed the incident in a statement made available to

newsmen in Jos, said it was unfortunate that the local government was attacked again, despite several processes to bring lasting peace to the area. “We have received, with shock, the killings of 20

people early hours of yesterday through violent attacks on seven villages of BarkinLadi Local Government Area. The renewed attacks are least expected at a time when concerted peace efforts and dialogue meetings

are ongoing between Berom and Fulani stakeholders.” Worried by the incessant attacks, Gyang appealed to the Berom and Fulani stakeholders not to allow the unfortunate incidents defeat the ongoing peace efforts,

From left, the Osewa of Ijebuland and member, Ojude Oba Planning Committee 2015, Chief (Mrs) Bisi Osibodu; Globacom Business Director, Lagos State, Mr Kunle Akanmu; chairman of the committee, Chief Wahab Osinusi and the Globacom Business Director, Ogun State, Mr Ayo Ogunranti, at a press conference held at the Ojude Oba Pavillion, Awujale’s Palace, Ijebu Ode, on Monday, announcing the commencement of the festival.

Jos building collapse: Death toll hits 10 •Structure built with substandard materials, no solid foundation —Works Ministry official •COREN assessing Bukuru school building collapse —President Isaac Shobayo - Jos STILL reeling from the tragic incident which occurred at an Islamic school, Naib Islamic Private School at Gero, in Jos South Local Government Area of Plateau State, where a storey-building collapsed on students on Sunday, the death toll from the incident had risen to 10, while 30 students are still in critical conditions at the Plateau State Specialist Hospital. The storey -building collapsed on over 100 students of the school on Sunday, at about 5.30 p.m, when they were having an Islamic study class. Seven were killed on the spot, while 30 others were rescued from the rubbles by people within the vicinity. The incident created a pandemonium in the area, as parents whose children attend the school defied heavy downpour and dashed to the scene to ascertain the safety of their children. One of the teachers in the school who craved anonymity, told the Nigerian Tribune that the three among those who sustained fatal injuries died in the early hours of Monday as a result of internal bleeding, while the remaining were being

monitored at the Plateau State Specialist Hospital. The teacher further disclosed that most of the students who live within Bukuru town often come to the school for Islamic study class every Sunday, as part of the school curriculum, adding that there was no sign of dilapidation of the structure before it collapsed. A cross section of the people who lived within the vicinity where the school was sited, blamed the management of the school for erecting a structure withsub-standard building materials. They added that the building was built without supervision by competent professionals. One Abudluhamid, who live close said: “This school had no approved plan, it was built within a very short time. Those who did the work were not competent and no professional supervised them. Just look at the rubbles, it was as if no cement was used for the construction.” An official of the state Ministry of Works, who was at the scene, said a mere look at the debris depicted that it was built without recourse to laid down standard. “From all indications, the structure was erected with-

out solid foundation,” he said. Speaking with the Nigerian Tribune, the medical practitioner in charge of casualties at the Plateau State Hospital, Dr Felicia Dada, said most of those in the hospital had fractures and bruises all over, adding that some of them were discharged at the early hours of Monday, while those with critical injuries were still receiving treatment. A survivor, Mamunat Mohammed, a 10-year-old, who spoke to Nigerian Tribune on her hospital bed, said “we were in class on Sunday evening receiving Quranic lessons , when we heard a loud noise and then I found myself on this hospital bed. “My waist is broken and my legs aches,” she added. Mrs Zuwabia Ibrahim, mother to one of the victims said her daughter, Amina Ibrahim, 10-year-old, left home at about 5.00 p.m. on Sunday to attend quranic lessons not too far from their house in Bukuru . According to her , “about one and a half hours later, we got a call from a friend that the school had collapsed. I immediately called my husband and we rushed to the scene and were told that our daugh-

ter was alive and had been rushed to the hospital, but badly injured.” Meanwhile, the dead pupils were buried on Monday at about 10.12 a.m. Reacting, the Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria (COREN), on Monday, said its Engineering Regulation and Monitoring (ERM) team has commenced assessment of the building which collapsed at an Islamic School in Bukuru, Plateau State. President of COREN, Mr Kashim Ali, made this known in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja. He was reacting to the collapse of a one-storey building in Naib Islamic School in Bukuru, Jos South Local Government Area of Plateau State, where four children were reportedly killed. Ali said that COREN would only take action after the ERM office in Jos presented the report of its assessment to the council. “We are yet to get a report on the circumstances surrounding the collapse. Our ERM team will go there and look at the situation, then report to the council. “Until the report reaches us, we cannot say exactly what happened or the immediate causes of the

collapse.“As it is, it is the builder that is likely to be responsible. We learnt that the building had challenges and the pupils had complained about the condition of the structure. “We can only blame the government authorities if they were aware, but failed to take action,’’ he said. Ali explained that architects provided the designs for the entire building while the engineer was responsible for the structural, mechanical and electrical aspects of structures that were higher than bungalows. “Architects do the building designs, but it is the engineer who is responsible for the design and construction of the beams, columns and slabs that would bear the weight of multi-storey structure,” he said. Also speaking, an architect, Mr Yohanna Bawa, said architects could only be held responsible for building collapse if the individual was the builder or project supervisor of a failed structure. According to him, the main role of the architect was to provide the design for the building and monitor same to ensure the project adhered to the architectural design.

adding that doing so would amount to victory to those who do not want peace and have made blood-letting their vocation and daily delight. He further said despite this setback, he remained committed to ensuring that Barkin-Ladi/Riyom Federal Constituency was rebranded from violence and bloodshed to one of peace and prosperity. He called on the Special Task Force (STF) to live up to its upgraded status of providing a safe haven for all communities in his constituency and the state at large.

‘Some states not implementing approved salary package for political office holders’ Adelowo Oladipo - Minna SEVEN years after the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission brought out the salaries and allowances for political office holders in Nigeria, the commission has said that most state governments in the country have not been implementing the policy. The commission, by law, is mandated to fix salaries and allowances for political office holders and elected officials at local, state and national levels. The Federal Commissioner, Alhaji Yakubu Tuktur, who disclosed this in Minna, the Niger State capital, on Monday, at an interactive session with stakeholder, said the commission was at a loss on salaries of political office holders, while some of the states in the federation have refused to implement the approved salary package. Alhaji Tuktur said some states were even implanting salary packages that fall far below the recommendations of the commission for state legislators and local government chairman; an act he described as illegal. He said the commission had continued to receive complaints on payments of gratuities and severance allowance, vehicle loans and accommodation allowances, especially from the local government level, adding that another complaint received by the commission was omission of certain categories of public servants and political appointees from the policies.

Tuesday, 15 September, 2015

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Tuesday, 15 September, 2015

New Ooni to emerge in 40 days

As Ife kingmakers ask Giesi family to present candidates Oluwole Ige - Osogbo

OPE of the ancient town of Ile-Ife to get new monarch brightened on Monday, as kingmakers declared that the next Ooni of Ife would emerge before the expiration of 40 days, just as they directed the Giesi ruling house to present candidate(s) for the vacant stool. Addressing a press conference at Ile Oodua, which housed the palace of the Ooni of Ife yesterday, the Obalufe of Iremo, Oba Solomon Folorunso Omisakin, who also doubles as the prime minister of the town, specifically affirmed that the new monarch would emerge from Giesi ruling house, in line with the 1980 Ife chieftaincy declaration. Reading the position of the 16 Ife kingmakers, Oba Omisakin, who was flanked by Lowa of Ife, Oba Joseph Ijaodola and other kingmakers, submitted that “1980 Ife Chieftaincy Declaration will be relied upon in choosing next monarch.” He contended that only Giesi Ruling House would be allowed to contest the throne, explaining that the concerned ruling house would be expected to present candidates upon receipt of letter from Ife East Local Government Area. According to Omisakin, “when the candidates are presented to us kingmakers, we will sit upon the names and within 14 days, we must come out with our findings. After that, in another 14 days, a new monarch must emerge.

“Section 19 sub-sections a (3) states that it is the turn of Giesi Ruling House to present a candidate/ can-

didates for the vacant stool of Ooni of Ife Chieftaincy, other three ruling houses, that is, Osinkola, Ogboru

and Lafogido should wait for their turns. “No ruling house should be restricted to a particular

quarter or areas of the town, because members of the ruling house live in different parts of the town.

President Muhammadu Buhari and his host, President Francois Hollande, during an official engagement at the Elysee Palace, as part of activities of the president during his official visit to Paris, France.

Tribuneman, 30 others shortlisted for CNN African journalist award THE full list of finalists in the CNN MultiChoice African Journalist 2015 Competition was released on Monday, with Nigerian Tribune’s Wale Emosu being one of the five journalists from Nigeria. Thirty-one journalists from 15 countries made the list in the prestigious awards for this year and as announced by Ferial Haffajee, chairman of the independent judging panel, who is also the Editor-inChief, City Press, South Africa, Wale Emosu (Ni-

gerian Tribune); Femi Asu (Punch Newspaper); Arukaino Umukoro (Punch Newspaper); Ibanga Isine (Premium Times) and Kola Tubosun, a blogger at ktravula.com, are the five journalists from Nigeria on the list. Nigeria and Kenya have the highest number of finalists, with each of them producing five each, while South Africa has four. Ghana, Uganda, Angola, Senegal and Zimbabwe have two finalists each, with Egypt, Cape Verde, Benin, Tanza-

nia, Burkina Faso Cameroon and Mozambique producing a finalist each. In all, entries were received from 39 countries across the continent, including French and Portuguese Africa for the competition which is in its 20th year. Emosu, at various times Tribune’s Online Editor, Chief Sub-Editor and Sports Editor, is currently the Senior Deputy Editor (Saturday Tribune) and his entries – Bahia: Even in Brazil, African heri-

tage lives on and In Brazil, there’s no other religion other than Candomble – are in the running for the award in the culture category. Awards will be given in 13 different categories and the winner of one of these categories will eventually emerge the CNN MultiChoice African Journalist 2015 based on outstanding qualities of the work. The finalists will enjoy an all-expense paid fourday programme of workshops, media forums and

Contentious 53% pension increment to be resolved soon —Military Chris Agbambu - Abuja THE Military Pensions Board (MPB) has given an assurance that the contentious 53 per cent pension increment for genuine military pensioners would soon be resolved. Chairman of the board, Air Vice Marshal Muhammad Dabo, gave the assurance while fielding questions from newsmen at a military pension stakeholders’ forum in Abuja, on Monday. He said the forum would address the lingering issues and agitations of military pensioners, especially the ones relating to the payment of the pension increment. According to him, much of the complaints had been about the issue of the 33 per

“Finally, we, hereby, enjoin members of the ruling houses, the town’s people, all religious bodies, men and women in Ife environs, to please, maintain absolute peace. By doing this, the kingmakers would be able to select the best candidate for the vacant stool of the Ooni of Ife.” Speaking in the same vein, the executive secretary of Ife East and Ife Central local government areas, Messers Tajudeen Lawal and Taiwo, respectively, said it would not be the first time 1980 Chieftaincy Declaration would be used to select Ooni. Lawal specifically recalled that 1980 Chieftaincy Declaration was relied upon to pick immediate past Ooni of Ife, Oba Okunade Sijuwade. He added that part of the requirements of law for whoever would become Ooni of Ife was that, he must have relative ability, character and the support of the people of Ife.

cent or 53 per cent pension increment; government has approved 33 per cent as a result of the increment of the salaries and wages in 2010. He said the arrears was what they were paying on a quarterly basis, but the balance of the 20 per cent remainsed an issue and that was what they were going to discuss at this meeting. The chairman noted that the board had always taken into consideration, the welfare of military retirees hence, its resolve to put in place measures that would address observed difficulties in payment of pensions. He said the board would strive to adhere to provisions of the law in addressing the issues of military pensions especially with re-

gard to payment of pension increment. Dabo added that the board would endeavour to keep its doors opened to all pensioners, in order to bridge the gap in communication that was affecting the relationship between the board and pensioners. He said the verification exercise which had not been conducted for the past three years would be conducted in October, adding that measures necessary for the smooth conduct of the exercise had been put in place by the board, in collaboration with its stakeholders. Earlier, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Defence, Mr Aliyu Ismaila, reiterated the Federal Government’s commitment to the

welfare of military retirees. He said the approval and subsequent payment of the pension increment to military pensioners, among other packages lined up for the pensioners, was a practical demonstration of its commitment. Represented by the Director of Joint Services in the ministry, the permanent secretary, Mr David Gende,

said the concern of pension administration was not peculiar to the military alone. “The plight of our military retirees is of great concern to the Federal Government. “Many efforts have been made in the past by successive governments to ameliorate the sufferings of our esteemed retired military personnel,” he said.

networking in Nairobi, Kenya, culminating in a Gala Award Ceremony on October 10, at Kenyatta International Convention Centre. The whole programme will run from October 8 till 11. In addition, winners from previous years will join this year’s finalists for a special evening to celebrate 20 years of the awards. The release also quoted Tony Maddox, Executive Vice President and Managing Director of CNN International as saying that “the quality and breadth of entries in its 20th year is testament to the CNN MultiChoice African Journalist Awards’ position as the most prestigious recognition for journalism across the continent. CNN is privileged to be involved in this important initiative to honour the outstanding work across multiple platforms, topics and journalistic disciplines. I salute the finalists for the great work that they have done and look forward to seeing their future achievements.”

Sultan declares September 24 Eid-el-Kabir Day THE Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar, on Monday, declared Tuesday as the first day of Zulhijja, 1436 AH. Consequently, Eid-elKabir is to be celebrated in Nigeria on Thursday, September 24, equivalent to

10th Zulhijja, 1436 AH, a statement said. The statement was signed by Sa’idu Maccido on behalf of the chairman, Sultanate Advisory Committee on Religious Affairs, Sultanate Council, Sokoto, Professor Sambo Junaid.

The statement said the National Moon Sighting Committee did not receive any report from across the country confirming the sighting of the new Moon of Zulhijja, 1436 AH, on Sunday, September 13, which was the 29th day of Zulki’ida 1436 AH.

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Tuesday, 15 September, 2015

Bailout funds will be used for its purpose —Osun govt Oluwole Ige - Osogbo

SUN State government on Monday assured the people of the state that the N34.988billion bailout funds received from the

Federal Government will be used for the very purpose for which it was received. This was contained in a statement signed by the Director, Bureau of Communication and Strategy to

Governor Rauf Aregbesola, Mr Semiu Okanlawon. According to the statement, “the clarification became necessary given the various insinuations that the funds will be diverted.”

It reads in part, “We are using the opportunity to assure the entire workers in the state that all arrears of salary and pensions will be paid from the bailout funds. And this is why the government

has ensured that the verification exercise is concluded.” The statement added that the current bailout scheme was necessitated by the economic doldrums the former PDP-led Federal

Osun lecturers protest non-payment of 9 months salary THE Council of Academic Staff Unions of Osun State-Owned Tertiary Institutions (CASUOSTI), on Monday, staged peaceful protest over non-payment of nine months’ salary by the state government. The lecturers, comprising members of the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnic and Colleges of Education Staff Union, stormed the state House of Assembly, Osogbo singing solidarity and war songs. They carried placards with various inscriptions such as ‘Change for prosperity and not for poverty’, ‘Pay us our salaries,’ `Save our lives.’ Addressing the legislators, the Chairman of CASUOSTI, Mr Lasis Jimoh, said it was painful that lecturers in the state had not been paid in the last nine months. He accused the govern-

ment of not remitting loan deduction from their salaries to banks, adding that the government had not remitted their contributory pension since September 2013. In an 11-page letter enti-

GOVERNOR Nyesom Wike of Rivers State has said that his administration will dialogue with the Federal Government with a view to address imbalances of revenue allocation to the state. He made this known while receiving a team of officials to review emoluments of public officials in the South-South zone in his office in Port Harcourt, on Monday. The governor said that the state government would parley with the Federal Government through the Revenue Mobilization Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC). He said the essence of the dialogue was to resolve the issues of oil wells of the state and ensure that the state gets its right revenue, adding that all avenues would be explored. “There is the likelihood that the Rivers State government will battle the RMAFC over the revenue allocation to Rivers State. We will dialogue with the Federal Government. We

tion for the lecturers to return to classrooms was for government to pay their salaries. Responding on behalf of the Speaker, the Chief Whip, Mr Folorunsho Bamisayemi, assured the

striking lecturers that the House would look into the issue. He commended them for their peaceful conduct and urged them to be patient as efforts would be made to resolve the issue.

Lanlehin presents evidence in 6 of 9 councils, closes case today By Dare ADEKANMBI

SENATOR Olufemi Lanlehin, on Monday, tendered before the Justice Usman Tanko-led National and State Assembly Election Petitions Tribunal, evidence of irregularities in six local government councils during the March 28 election in Oyo State. The councils, as of the time of this report, are Ibarapa East, Ibarapa North, Ibadan North-

Revenue imbalances: We’ll dialogue with FG —Wike Dapo Falade - Port Harcourt

tled ‘Save Our Soul,’ delivered to the House, Jimoh solicited the intervention of the lawmakers. Also speaking, Mr Olusegun Lana, the Secretary of CASUOSTI, told the legislators that the only condi-

shall explore all avenues of dialogue to ensure that we get our due revenue,” he said. Towards this end, Governor Wike urged RMAFC to consider working on the imbalance in the revenue sharing formula between the federal, states and local government areas. He admonished RMAFC to also consider the review of revenue that accrues to the different tiers of government to enhance the development of the country. He said the review of the emoluments of public officers was necessary at this time, noting that the fight against corruption should not be superficial, but must be fundamental to have the desired impact. Speaking earlier, leader of the team, Professor Afolabi Popoola, said the current emoluments of public officials came into force in 2008. He said the review of the emoluments was necessary and essential in order to bring it in line with present day economic realities.

West, Ibadan South-East, Ibadan South-West, and Ibadan North-East. Lanlehin of Accord Party is challenging the declaration of the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Soji Akanbi, as the winner of the election by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). Chief Olayinka Bolanle, counsel for Akanbi and Adeboye Sobanjo, counsel for INEC and the Resident Electoral Commission (REC) in the state, Ambassador Rufus Akeju, objected the admissibility of the documents on the grounds that they were not pleaded

and were not properly certified. But Richard Ogunwole, who is representing Lanlehin, dismissed the objections as unfounded. The tribunal, after entertaining the arguments for and against the evidence, reserved ruling till October. Lanlehin, who began to present evidence as a star witness in his own case Thursday last week, has

so far presented about 190 documents marked provisionally as exhibits as of the time of this report. The tribunal had earlier admitted in evidence documents such as the two judgments which declared Rufus Akeju, who was the state Resident Electoral Commissioner for the election, as unfit to conduct election, card reader log, voter register, result sheets, among others.

Government plunged the country into. The statement said the government must protect fully the interests of its real workers who toil day and night to ensure the growth and development of the state. “It is therefore pertinent for workers themselves to ensure effective conclusion of this process in order to ensure they reap the fruits of their labour and prevent the criminal and dubious activities of those who reap where they do not sow. “Therefore, we must agree that civil service reforms are absolutely critical at this stage in the life of our dear state. There is a need for the engagement of all critical segments of leadership of government and labour for the necessary actions that will make the service effective, efficient and economic. “If our state, and by all means, the entire SouthWest region will become financially and materially viable, a wholesome review of what works and what does not must be carried out and implemented with considerable alacrity and efficiency.”

Nigerian Tribune

Tuesday, 15 September, 2015

Lagosmetro

Edited By Lanre Adewole

Ban: Truck operators block Apapa-Oshodi expressway, govt summons owners

The defendant allegedly confessed to have committed the crime and promised to pay for the treatment. The presiding magistrate, Mr. N.A Layeni admitted

Tola Adenubi

ruck operators apparently not happy with the Lagos State government’s ban on articulated vehicles have left their long vehicles on the TinCan axis of the Apapa-Oshodi expressway, virtually blocking vehicular movement along the federal highway. When Lagos Metro visited the Tin-Can Island Ports Complex on Monday, it was observed that most of the trucks abandoned on the Apapa-Oshodi expressway were left without their drivers inside them. This, Lagos Metro confirmed, has rendered the Coconut Bus Stop to Apapa section of the road a no-go area for motorists. Many who intend connecting Apapa from the Coconut bus stop end of the road were forced to look for alternative routes or to use commercial motorcyclists popularly called ‘okada’ riders. When Lagos Metro sought the views of one of the motor boys of an abandoned truck, he simply said that since there

was a ban on articulated vehicles, most of them had to abandon their vehicles anywhere the restriction time catches up with them. “Lagos State government asked us to move between the hours of 9pm to 6am and we are still protesting that action. However, we had to leave our trucks on the road because there is no place we can park them. “We don’t have a holding bay, so where do people expect us to leave our trucks? If we leave it on the roads in Lagos, Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) officials will

come after us. “Therefore, since we work at the ports and have been told not to work beyond 9pm-6am, we have decided to leave our trucks on the road so that when the strike is called off, people like us on the road will be the first to get into the ports to lift containers.” In a related development, Lagos Metro reliably confirmed that truck operators under the aegis of the Joint Council of Seaport Truckers (JCOST) have been invited by the Lagos State Government to deliberate on how to resolve the

impasse the truck ban has generated. According to findings, the truckers were summoned to Alausa by the state government following appeals by the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) that the government should consider alternative options to the issue of container falling on Lagos roads. It will be recalled that the Lagos State government had enforced a truck ban on all articulated vehicles plying major roads in the state following the falling off of a container at Ojuelegba, killing three people on the spot.

Bidemi Olowofela A printer, Sulaimon Waheed has been arraigned before an Ebute-Metta Magistrate Court for allegedly assaulting one Adedoyin Idowu, a staff of the Nigeria Railway Corporation Lagos Terminus, Iddo. Waheed who resides at 21 Ondo Street, Ijoko, Ogun State is facing one count charge of unlawful assault. Idowu, a resident of 11 Olarenwaju Street, Itoki reported that while he was performing his lawful duty at the terminus gate, he discovered that the ticket presented to him by the defendant was an expired ticket. He therefore instructed Waheed to obtain the current ticket to board the train which he refused. At the point of argument, the defendant attacked him and he sustained serious injuries on his mouth and

lost one wristwatch valued at N2,500. According to the police report, the complainant was taken to the hospital for treatment.

A 22-year-old man, Ibrahim Ayelangbe, who is accused of allegedly biting off a policeman’s ear, has been remanded in prison. Ayelangbe, 27, who pleaded guilty to the crime, is facing three charges bordering on unlawful entry and grievous assault. The accused was caught trying to gain entrance into No. 21, Temple Road, Ikoyi, Lagos, when he was ac-

Shola Adekola The recently commissioned Tejuoso Main Shopping Complex by the Lagos State Government has been found to be lacking fire alarm system and fire trucks required during emergencies. The complex which was reconstructed under a public-private participation (PPP) by the state government in August 2014 at the cost of N12 billion, even before its completion had reportedly suffered several fire outbreaks.

According to a source, consistent fire outbreaks in the old mall led to the demolition and reconstruction of the complex by the government in 2014. The project was financed by FirstBank. The sub-contracting firms to the project, Unis Services Nigeria Limited and Charloo Engineering and construction Limited, disclosed this to journalists in Lagos, recently. Speaking, the managing directors of the two companies, Mr Charles Adeyinka and Kayode Ogunyomade told journalists that the project, which was financed by FirstBank was awarded to Stomberg Engineering Limited as a concessionaire while Hoten Engineering Limited was the sub-contractor, which also gave the companies parts of the projects to handle. Adeyinka told the media that his own outfit, Unis Services supplied the Fire Hydrant System at the sum of N86 million after receiving the Bill of Quantity through a consultant, Q-tech Nigeria, based on the quotation of N208. Charloo Engineering and Construction Limited handled the sewage plant for the project. He explained that while the company supplied the equipment as spelt out in the contract, Hoten Engi-

Again, 119 arrested for crossing the expressway Olalekan Olabulo Another 119 pedestrians who abandoned the pedestrian bridge and crossed the expressway have been arrested in Lagos State. The arrested offenders include 106 male offenders and 13 female offenders and they were arrested at Ketu along Ikorodu Road.

The arrest of the offenders came barely three weeks after about 100 people were arrested for crossing the expressway. The offenders were arrested by a joint patrol team of the Rapid Response Squad (RRS), Lagos State Task Force and officials of Kick Against Indiscipline (KAI).

Some of the residents, who witnessed the arrest of the offenders, commended the efforts of the RRS, a special security outfit of the state police command, for carrying out disciplinary measures in tackling the act of highway crossing in the state. Lagos metro gathered that the task force team

him to bail in the sum of N30,000 with two responsible sureties in the like sum and adjourned the matter till October 15, 2015 for mention.

Fire-fighting equipment supplied for Tejuoso mark et not installed —Contractor

Remi Fani-Kayode Street, Ikeja, GRA due to lack of drainage system remains waterlogged for days whenever it rains. Photo: Sylvester Okoruwa

costed. Ayelangbe was caught while trying to jump a fence into a private residence at Ikoyi. He attempted to escape from Corporal Omede Isaiah and Ebere Nwogidi which led to a scuffle. Ayelangbe then bit off Nwogidi’s left ear. The prosecutor, Inspector Benson Emuerhi, said the offences contravened Sections 172, 243 and 306 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011.

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Printer attacks Railway staff over expired ticket

Burglar bites off policeman’s ear to escape arrest AyomideOwonibiOdekanyin

Nigerian Tribune

and the police had to return to Ketu after noticing that people had continued to abandon the pedestrian bridge. Abimbola Olawuyi, a motorist remarked that “If this campaign can be sustained, the road will be free of gridlock as well as put an immediate end to incessant and prevalence

in-traffic robbery along the road. “The Governor of the state, Akinwunmi Ambode and the Commissioner of Police, CP Fatai Owoseni must be given kudos for this development. The government is acting now as being in charge because no one is superior to the government and the Law,” he added.

neering Limited, which gave out the contract to the firm refused to install the fire alarm system and acquire the two fire trucks, which cost N21 million each as spelt out in the system. He alleged that the Managing Director of Hoten, Abiodun Oshodi deceived the former Lagos State Governor Barrister Babatunde Fashola to commission the project on August 18, 2014 after he told him that the fire alarm system and other facilities that could be deployed in case of an emergency were in place. He said that the essence of the firm alarm system was to trigger alarm, activate the fire hydrant system automatically in case of any smoke that could lead to fire, but revealed that the equipment was not installed by the company. He emphasized that when the former governor discovered that the project was incomplete, he refused to commission the second phase of the scheme. He, however, absorbed Fashola and First Bank in the whole scam.

This canal filled with waste items is located behind Dolphin Housing Estate Phase 3, Lagos Island. Photo: Sylvester Okoruwa.

Angry La Casera workers protest ‘improper’ sack Akin Adewakun - Lagos About 780 irate workers of the soft drinks company, The La Casera, on Monday shut down the Mile 2 site of Apapa-Oshodi Expressway of the soft drinks company, in Lagos, over what they described as improper termination of their appointments by the management of the company. Lagos Metro learnt from a reliable source that trouble started on Sunday when the workers, mostly factory

hands, were told that their services were no longer needed by the company and that they should proceed to an office on Victoria Island to collect their severance stipends. This was said to have angered the workers who believed the management had not taken the proper step in carrying out the sack. Responding to Lagos Metro’s inquiry after an initial denial that the company was shut down, the Managing Director of BD

9 pump-action rifles, 42 cartridges recovered from ‘Okada’ riders in Festac Olalekan Olabulo The police in Lagos State have recovered a large cache of arms and ammunition from some commercial motorcyclists in FESTAC town area of the state. Nine pump action rifles and 42 cartridges were recovered from the motorcyclists, who were riding along the 7th Avenue, when they were intercepted by the policemen. The police were on the trail of the motorcyclists, who on sighting the policemen abandoned their motorcy-

cles and the bags containing the arms. Lagos Metro gathered that team of anti-robbery operatives, attached to Area E Command Headquarters, while on a routine patrol on Saturday, made the recovery. It was learnt that the motorcyclists were around 11:55 Saturday night moving the arms away from FESTAC, when the policemen swooped on them. A police source at Area E said: “Our policemen were on a routine anti-crime patrol along 7th Avenue, Fes-

tac Town, sighted one unregistered motor cycle with two passengers, carrying a suspicious bag. “When challenged by the policemen, the men suddenly abandoned their motorbike and their bag, and took to their heels. When searched, 9 Pump action guns and 42 live cartridges were found.” The image maker in charge of the state police command, Joe Offor, confirmed the recovery to Lagos Metro and added that the the police were on the trail of the owners.

Consult, the public relations firm of the company, Mr. Tola Bademosi, confirmed that the company actually shut down operations at its Mile 2 site of Apapa-Oshodi Expressway because “it could no longer guaranty the safety of workers.” In statement titled, “Labour Union Invades the La Casera Company.Why we shut down operations – La Casera,” the company’s spokesman had explained that the Mile 2 site of the company was invaded over the weekend by over 200 demonstrators led by representatives of the National Union of Food, Beverages and Tobacco of Employees (NUFBTE), leading to disruption of its production. “Caught unawares with no prior notice, security guards were unable to hold back the unruly group who broke into the complex, entering offices and production areas. Production line workers were compelled to stop work and assemble in the factory yard where they were forced to sign membership consent forms to join the union on the spot. Some of those who refused to sign were brutalized,” the statement read.

According to the statement, employees who tried to film the disturbance on mobile phones were manhandled and had their phones taken away, while others signed under duress before taking the opportunity caused by a heavy downpour to flee the scene. “Unable to guarantee the safety of its workers, management was compelled to shut operations and send everyone home. The plant has remained closed over the weekend with its fate uncertain as leaders of the mob have threatened to return again with an even larger force,” the statement concluded. But Lagos Metro’s findings, however, showed that the development was a direct consequence of the slide in fortune the company had been witnessing in the past few years, noting that some workers were actually sacked by the company’s management. “How sensible is the rebuttal? Is it possible for a group of people to just invade an office or plant, especially if things were normal? I think the management should come up with something more believable and credible,” argued the source.

10 businessnews

Tuesday, 15 September, 2015

N213bn NEMSF fund ’ll improve power generation, supply —CBN Chima Nwokoji - Lagos

HE Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has said its N213 billion Nigeria Electricity Market Stabilisation Facility (NEMSF) will improve generation, distribution and transmission of power in the country. Special Assistant to CBN Governor on Energy Sector, Mr Yinka Balogun, said this in Abuja on Monday at a round table on ‘Releasing private sector capital for investment in the power sector.’ He said the intervention fund would ensure that the power sector delivered tangible improvement in power supply for the benefit of all Nigerians.

“CBN will disburse these funds in partnership with ``deposit money banks’’ to address the shortfalls in revenue for operators to boost power supply and settle legacy gas debt. “We believe that once the power sector issues are fixed, Nigeria will return to the path of sustainability at other sectors,” he said.

Balogun said that the funds was mainly for distribution companies and would be monitored to ensure that they were used to purchase specific equipment such as meters and transformers. He said that the apex bank had started disbursement to power companies that met the conditions of the funds

and urged other interested parties to take part in the intervention fund. Also, Mr Obinna Ihedioha, the Vice President, Infrastructure Investment, Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority (NSIA), said that NSIA planned to invest in the power sector. “The power sector is very important and that is why

we are looking at creating a credit investment facility for investors to boost the sector. “We want to facilitate infrastructure development in the country, so we have also contributed 400 million dollars to the Nigerian infrastructure fund. “We are looking at allocating those funds into different sectors and power of

Drama, music at Ikorodu Glo Slide ‘n Bounce concert Tokunbo Oloke - Lagos

FirstBank unveils integrated mobile banking application FIRST Bank of Nigeria has unveiled its integrated lifestyle mobile banking app, FirstMobile. The mobile banking app, which is easy to use, is another secure platform that allows customers to execute banking transactions and access lifestyle news content on the go from their mobile phones. It is currently the only mobile banking app that the customer can download on their mobile phone, activate and transact on without having to visit a bank branch. The bank, in a statement, said with the smartphone app, customers could enjoy realtime mobile banking services such as domestic funds transfer from self-owned accounts to other FirstBank accounts and other bank accounts; as well as make quick airtime purchase for self and others on all mobile networks; bills payments; cheque services including confirm cheque and stop cheque, flight booking; and quick account services such as account balance inquiry, statement view and much more. In addition, the lifestyle banking app offers FirstBank customers unique access to the latest articles and videos across a wide variety of categories, including technology and gadgets, life and travel, the economy, local news, luxury goods, business, health, sports, entertainment, shopping and more.

course is one of the major areas we are looking at. “For gas, as a key fuel source for power generation in Nigeria, we are looking at finding the right gas deal to invest in,” he said. Ihedioha said NSIA was careful about the investments they were making and since it was investing in the future generation of Nigeria, it would make investments with manageable and safe returns.

From left, Mr M. E. J. Bassey, representative of Federal Ministry of Health; Mr Olusegun Awolowo Executive, Director/Chief Executive Officer of Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC); Mr Li Young, Director-General, UNIDO and Mrs Dupe Atoki, Director-General, Consumer Protection Council (CPC) at the Vienna Food Safety Forum, on Monday.

DPR moves against erring petroleum products marketers THE Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR), on Monday, re-stated that erring petroleum marketers would be heavily sanctioned. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the warning came as the DPR intensifies monitoring of filling stations in Lagos and its environs. The Deputy Director, Public Affairs of DPR, Mrs Dorothy Bassey, who confirmed the commencement of the monitoring, told

NAN that any filling station under-dispensing products to customers would not go unpunished. She said that petroleum products marketers and operators, engaging in unwholesome practices, especially selling of petrol above the pump price of N87 per litre would be sanctioned. According to her, government has declared zero-tolerance for operators sabotaging efforts toward seamless distribution of petroleum products across

the country. “The agency has directed all depots, marketers and operators in the sector to abide by the official pricing regime to avoid sanctions which may include denial of any marketer from further participation in the Petroleum Support Fund scheme and withdrawal of operating licenses. “The prevailing hike in retail prices of petrol and kerosene was as a result of the unscrupulous activities of some depot owners and ma-

jor marketers who are selling the products to various retailers at prices higher than the official ex-depot price of N77.66k and N34.51k, respectively,’’ she said. Bassey said that sharp practices by most operators had led to direct supervision of petrol and kerosene sales by the DPR. The DPR had between July and August this year, sanctioned about 187 erring petroleum products marketers for various offenses in Lagos and its environs.

Aviation union flexes muscle as NAHCO plans to retrench Shola Adekola - Lagos THE Nigerian Aviation Handling Company (NAHCO) has concluded plans to retrench another batch of workforce in what it called “rightsizing of the workforce.” But in a swift reaction, the management of NAHCO described the positon of NUATE as both speculative and pre-emptive

saying: “We would have expected that a better approach would be to thrash out all issues in contention at the meeting between management and unions called for Tuesday, September 15, 2015. We see this threat as an attempt by NUATE to coerce NAHCO to her pre-determined conclusion.” The aviation unions, particularly the National

Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE), have warned the management of the company to desist from the planned sack of the workers even as it accused the management of the company of failing to train and retrain its workforce in line with recommendations of the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO). In a petition sent to the

Managing Director of the handling company, which was copied to other organisations, including the Commissioner of Police, Airport Command, Director of State Security Service and State Controller of Labour, among many others, the union threatened that any form of retrenchment in the company at this period would be resisted.

IT was a mix of drama and music in Ikorodu on Saturday night at Globacom’s flagship music concert, Glo Slide ‘n Bounce, when resourceful Yoruba actor, Odunlade Adekola, made a guest appearance and added drama to the funsoaked atmosphere. The Ikorodu edition of the concert paraded Nigeria’s entertaining hip hop and gospel artistes. The show kicked off with female and male dancers from Ikorodu garnishing the event with local flavour. Over 2000 young and old residents of Ikorodu thronged the Ikorodu Musical Village, venue of the show, and turned the concert into a festival of sort as they sang, celebrated and jubilated with all the artistes who graced the stage with unrivaled passion and enthusiasm. The concert formally opened with the sensational female lyricist, Di’Ja, who thrilled the overflowing crowd with her hottest songs including “Awww”. She carried the crowd along and controlled the stage in a sublime manner that made her petite frame seemed larger than life. Next was the “Welu-Welu” exponent and the nation’s biggest gospel singer, Sammie Okposo. Okposo urged the crowd to surge forward so that he could feel their energy. They responded in good measure and reciprocated Okposo’s gesture by joining the gospel star in singing his mostly praise worship songs. The crowd propelled the Isokoborn singer to take the show to the spiritual level with his ecumenical lyrics.

11 businessnews

Tuesday, 15 September, 2015

BSMEC, Samsung, Hyundai reiterate commitment to $1.5bn Badagry project Tola Adenubi - Lagos

ADAGRY Ship Repair and Maritime Engineering Company (BSMEC), a consortium of five Nigerian companies and its technical partners, Samsung Heavy Industries and Hyundai Heavy Industries, have reiterated their commitment to the development of the ship repair

project in Badagry, Lagos. Speaking after its forth strategic partners meeting in Lagos, Dr Taiwo Afolabi, Chairman of BSMEC, said the project would be a game changer when completed. He said: “The vision of this facility is to establish a world-class ship repair and maintenance centre in Nigeria which will take care of the huge number

of vessels that currently operate in Nigeria. It will create jobs, develop both the maritime and oil industries and act as foreign exchange earner alongside some other benefits. “To deliver the worldclass services we aim at, we are working with various globally-tested technical partners and shipyard operators. Samsung Heavy

Industries and Hyundai Heavy Industries are part of the project, while we have also opened discussions with Damen Shipyard, the leading shipyard operator based in Holland. “All the partners are committed to see this project come to a completion. This meeting is also one of many we have been holding to review the progress

on the project.” Samsung and Hyundai will be investing in the facility, as promoters as well as adding their technical expertise. The facility will undertake the repairs and maintenance of large vessels and offshore units. Specific markets in which the yard has developed a string experience are VLCC, ULCC, Suez- and Aframax tank-

AMO Farms boosts poultry production with quality chicken THE AMO Farm Sieberer Hatchery Limited, Awe in Oyo State, has doubled its efforts to boost poultry products in the country, laying emphasis on international quality. The agro-allied company introduced natural premium low fat chickens that are reared from top grade dayold chicks. These chickens are also reared according to international standards of environments and are fed on a rich diet of maize and soya in order to ensure that the birds are low in fat but rich in vitamin, minerals and proteins. According to the Group Managing Director (GMD) of AMO Farm Sieberer Hatchery Ltd, Dr Ayoola Oduntan, the chickens “are reared in an environment that is free from bacterial contamination and under appropriate temperatures, humidity and good ventilation is maintained at desirable levels with the help of fans, cooling pads and electronic controllers.” The AMO Farm Sieberer Hatchery boss also gave insight into the processing of live chickens and frozen chickens in the farm. He said that precise steps are being taken to prevent contamination and to ensure that high quality chickens without skin blemishes are produced. Dr Oduntan, in his narration, explained that the live chickens were first caught with special blue light when they reach maturity stage and are kept in holding areas that are ventilated and misted. He explained further that the processing of frozen chickens begins by making the birds undergo “stunning, killing and bleeding processes before transferring them into the scaling tanks for hot water – loosens feather for picking, which after, scalding the chickens are kept moist so that skins do not begin to darken.”

From left, Zambian Permanent Secretary of Ministry of Labour and Social Security, Trevor Kaunda; Zambian Minister of Labour and Social Security, Hon. Fackson Shamenda; President/CE, Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote and Executive Director, Dangote Cement Plc, Olakunle Alake, during the Zambians’ Official visit to Dangote Industries Head Office in Lagos on Monday.

ers, LPG, LNG carriers, VLCS, ULCS and PCCs. Others include capesize & panamax bulkers, cruise liners, RoRo, Ropax, off shore platforms, semi-subs, jackups, PSV, OSV and various other off-shore working vessels, FPSOs and conversions works on various vessel types. The catchment area of the facility will also include the West African market. Hyundai Shipbuilding Division, the world’s number one shipbuilder, leads the global shipbuilding industry with a 15 per cent share of the market. The Hyundai shipyard stretches over four kilometers along the coast of Mipo Bay in Ulsan, Korea. Samsung Heavy Industries, on the other hand, has received orders for 1,054 units of ships from the world’s leading shippers (as of December 31, 2013). Its world-leading technological excellence is proven by its successful delivery of 942 units of ships. Damen Shipyard operates many shipyards worldwide while it also does both ship repair and conversion of ocean going vessels and platforms in a broad sense.

Food prices on the increase —Survey By Olaide Fadare BASED on a survey carried out in major markets in Ibadan metropolis, prices of most foodstuffs have been on the increase in the last few weeks. Major factors responsible for the increased prices of the foodstuffs, according to dealers in the markets, are poor harvest due to erratic rainfall, and the hajj

celebration coming which is far approaching. A bag of short grain rice previously sold for N7,000 now sells for N8,000 per bag. A bag of long grain rice was N7,800 and it sells for N9,300 now. A set of three small tubers of yam was N450 and now it sells for N600. However, it was found out that a bag of onions has reduced in price from N10,

500 to N10, 000. It was also discovered that the price of beans is on the decrease, with oloyin and drum varieties of beans reflecting a margin of N500 and N4000 per bag respectively. A bag of oloyin beans was N13,000, and has now reduced to N12,500, while a bag of drum beans was N18,000 but it now sells for N14,000. One bag of Sokoto beans was N12,500 and

it now sells for N13,000. For pepper, a big basket of tomatoes was N4,000 and has now reduced to N2,000. A small basket of tomatoes was N500 but now sells for N250, One big basket of rodo was N4,000 and has also reduced to N2,500,One big basket of red pepper was N5500 and has reduced to N5000. Also, the price of fish is on the increase. One kilo-

Ibadan Business School launches certificate programme in governance, leadership mgt By Doyin Adeoye THE Ibadan Business School has opened the maiden run of its Executive Certificate Programme in Governance and Leadership Management for Basic Level. This was inaugurated at an event held at the Abuja Hall of the Ibadan campus on Monday. Speaking at the opening ceremony, the president of the institution, Mr Yinka Fasuyi, said that resources were never enough to rise above the challenges in the developing world, hence,

there was the need for effective and efficient use of governance and leadership skills, which could only be acquired through continual knowledge upgrade. “The importance of capacity building today cannot be undermined. If it is true that a nation’s greatest assets are its healthy human capital, it becomes imperative that building the capacities of the workforce within the populace, particularly in public institutions, in an era where economic resources continue to dwindle and face stiff competition, is central to sustainable devel-

opment,” he stated. Fasuyi further noted that for any society, and indeed Nigeria, to realise the goals of sustainable development, the principal challenges of absence of appropriate and adequate human capital must be addressed and consequently, reinforced through capacity building workshops. The institution, over time, has reiterated confidence that delegates who have been participating in its Procurement Management, Monitoring and Evaluation Management, Project Management and Financial

Management Programmes, have been adding tremendous values to their organisations as a result of the experiences garnered from the different certificate levels of their programmes. Speaking on why it is important to encourage programmes on governance and leadership management, Fasuyi noted that thousands of public and private organisations, business and development projects still fail every year from lack of good governance, no matter how much is put into improving them.

gramme of Titus fish was N500, but it now sells for N600; one kilogramme of Frozen Stock fish was N650, but now sells for N700; one kilogramme of Croaker was N500, but it now sells for N900 and one kilogramme of Mackerel was N300 but is now being sold for N450. One kilogramme of chicken was N650 but it sells for N1,000 while one kilogramme of turkey was N680, but it now sells for N1,300. A pack of one-kilogramme Semovita was N1,950 but now sells for N2,080, and a pack of twokilogramme Semovita was N1850, but now sells for N2050 and a five-kilogram bag of semovita was N900 but now sells for N1000. The price of vegetable oil is also on the increase as the price of 500ml of vegetable oil was N370, but now sells for N400; 900ML of vegetable oil was N450, but now sells for N470. One liter of vegetable oil was N450 but now sells for N500, depending on the brand. Seven liters of palm oil was N700 but now sells for N1,300 and 25 liters of palm oil was N7,000 but has reduced to N6,500.

business

Tuesday, 15 September, 2015

Nigerian Tribune

DAILY SUMMARY (EQUITIES) FOR MONDAY, 14 SEPTEMBER, 2015

Tuesday, 15 September, 2015

news Boko Haram insurgency will soon be over –Army 14

Chris Agbambu – Abuja

HE issue of insurgency in Nigeria will soon be a thing of the past. Acting Director, Defence Information, Colonel Rabe Abubakar, who stated this on Monday in Abuja when a group of newsmen visited him, said that with the renewed commitment of the military leadership and the determination of the troops in the mission areas, the end to insurgency is imminent. He eulogised the heartwarming success of the brilliant coordination between the air element of the Nigerian Air Force and the troops of the Nigerian Army that has uprooted the Boko Haram insurgency from their strongholds, including their several camps in Sambisa forest. Colonel Abubakar, without mincing words, described as unpatriotic acts for any citizen, no matter under whatsoever guise, to carry arms against his/her own people and the country. He called the unrepentant members of the terrorist group to have a rethink,

Health insurance for military retirees remains free –DHML Chris Agbambu - Abuja THE Defence Health Maintenance Limited (DHML), the Health Maintenance Organisation (HMO) for the Armed Forces, said on Monday that health insurance for retired military personnel registered under its scheme was free. The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the organisation, Commodore Ahmed Abdullahi (rtd), disclosed this while answering questions from newsmen at military pension stakeholders’ forum in Abuja. According to him, the premium of the health insurance is paid by the Federal Government to the hospitals every year. He said the organisation was established by the Federal Government and saddled with the responsibility of administering health insurance to members of the Nigerian Armed Forces including ex-servicemen. He said that in 2012, the Federal Executive Council brought the armed forces retirees under the scheme and made provisions for their health care.

Tuesday, 15 September, 2015

lay down their arms and abandon their strange and uncivilised ideology for the betterment of mankind. The defence spokesman used the occasion to eulogise and commend the troops for their ever-ready posture to tackle all forms of criminality by the terrorists. He attributed the

feat recorded so far to motivation and injection of right arsenal in the prosecution of the battle against insurgency. Commenting on the issue of suicide bombings, Colonel Abubakar re-assured the public that the defence headquarters is re-strategising to halt such inhu-

man activities. He brought into limelight how a suicide bomber attempting to blow up Yankari Motor Part in Bauchi was arrested before he could commit his heinous crime. He, therefore, appealed to the citizens to be on alert and conscious of crowded and populated public plac-

es including markets and places of worship. Abubakar charged members of the public to collaborate with the military and other security agencies in the supply of timely information that could assist the agencies to be pro-active in their resolve to contain insurgency.

Ondo State governor, Dr Olusegun Mimiko, addressing members of the state chapter of the Association of Motorcycle Operators of Nigeria, during a meeting to announce the lifting of ban placed on commercial motorcycle operations in the state capital, at the Governor’s Office, Akure, on Monday.

Ekiti set to clear outstanding salaries, arrears Ekiti State government is to clear all outstanding staff salaries and leave bonuses as well as pension arrears to its retirees from the N9.6billion special intervention fund it was negotiating with the Federal Government. The state Head of Service, Dr Olugbenga Faseluka, who made this known in Ado–Ekiti while addressing the press as part of activities marking the on-

going 2015 Civil Service Week, said that the approval of the State Executive Council and the State House of Assembly had already been secured to enable the state access the credit facility. Faseluka explained that the arrears of workers’ salaries to be cleared from the facilities included the September 2014 salaries of the entire workers as well as the arrears of the Au-

gust 2014 salaries of staff of some government parastatals and agencies which were owed by the immediate past administration in the state. While stating that the outstanding gratuities of pensioners who retired from the state civil service from September 2012 to date were not captured in the N9.9billion intervention fund, he assured that steps to clear the outstand-

Ondo govt lifts ban on Okada Hakeem Gbadamosi - Akure THE Ondo State government on Monday lifted the suspension order placed on the activities of commercial motorcycle operators in Akure, the state capital. The state governor, Dr Olusegun Mimiko, made the announcement while addressing stakeholders in transport business in Akure at a meeting attended by members of the state executive council and heads of security agencies in the state. Governor Mimiko also announced that ticketing by the commercial motorcycle operators in the state which was equally sus-

pended would commence in October this year after all necessary regulatory procedures might have been finalised, stressing that “obtaining tickets will now be regularised and it will be an arrangement between the various stakeholders and the representatives of the state government. “From October 1, you will start to collect your tickets. We said October so that every arrangement must have been concluded before then and all disagreement that may arise must have been resolved. “There will be no room for illegal fees anywhere. All registered commercial

motorcycles will be painted, but you are not going to pay for the painting. There will be special jackets for the operators so that our people can be sure of the genuineness of the Okada operators. We are doing all these for the safety of our people and peace in our state,” Mimiko said. However, the governor said there would be total restriction of commercial motorcycle activities on FUTA North Gate to Shasha along Owo Road, FUTA South Gate to Oyemekun/ Adesida/Fiwasaye Road, Fiwasaye to Oke-Ijebu Road junction and Army Barrack/Arakale/ Igbatoro Road junction.

ing gratuities would be taken as soon as outstanding salaries and leave bonuses of workers were paid. The head of service reiterated the commitment of the state government to the welfare of its workers, noting that not only has the present administration released a sum of N200,090,000.00 to 677 beneficiaries as car loan and another N102,150,000.00 as housing loan to 464 workers, it has persistently maintained a very cordial relationship with labour leaders in the state. According to him, “Governor Ayodele Fayose believes in all inclusive administration thereby maintaining a very cordial relationship with the labour leaders by involving them in taking major decisions towards enhancing the welfare of the workforce which has culminated in the prevalent industrial peace and harmony in Ekiti State.” He, however, cautioned the workers against taking undue advantage of Government’s gesture, stressing that the Civil Service Transformation Strategy (CSTS) was also particular about discipline.

Nigerian Tribune

ERA/FoEN demands probe of Agip over explosions THE Environmental/ Friends of the Earth Nigeria (ERA/FoEN) has demanded a Federal Government probe of explosions caused by Nigerian Agip Oil Company (NAOC) operations in several communities in Bayelsa State where the company has facilities and a revocation of the company’s operational licence. Explosions from Agip pipelines and resultant deaths have been recorded since 1995 and have escalated in the last three years, with the latest incident in Azuzuama in Bassan Clan, Southern Ijaw Local Government Area on July 9 which claimed the lives of 14 persons. ERA/FoEN through its field monitors verified that the 14 persons died along Agip’s Tebidabe-Clough Creek pipeline at a damaged section of the pipeline during a Joint Investigation Visit (JIV) while several others received burns. ERA/FoEN Executive Director, Godwin Uyi Ojo, said “A clear pattern of ecocide has been observed in the Niger Delta. The incident in Azuzuama is yet another sad episode from NAOC operations as the testimonies from bereaved families and officials of the Bayelsa State Ministry of Environment indicate.”

Tantalizers welcomes pupils with promo Tantalizers Plc, quick service restaurant chain, is welcoming back pupils in nursery and primary schools to the new session with its special “Back to School” packs. The Deputy Managing Director of Tantalizers Plc, Mr Gbolahan Labinjo, stated that the special pack includes the Tantis Kids meal with its accompanying kids drink, a beautiful water bottle, a 30g Minimie chin-chin and a 500ml PET Drink. In addition, Mr Labinjo stated that this special package goes for very low price making it very affordable for many families. Mr Labinjo revealed that Tantalizers is partnering with Minimie to include a 30g pack size of the product in all its Tantis Kids meal to the end of the year starting with the “Back to School” season. Mr Labinjo said that tantalizers is partnering with 7-up Plc for the inclusion of PET Pepsi and Mountain Dew in the Tantalizers “Back to School” packs and therefore welcome other beverage partners.

15 news

Tuesday, 15 September, 2015

INEC working with NASS to review necessary clauses of Electoral Act —Zakari

HE Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) says it is working with the National Assembly to review the country’s Electoral Act for improved electoral processes. The Acting Chairman of

INEC, Hajia Amina Zakari, made the statement on Monday, when she received some Foreign Defence Attaches with the Defence Intelligence Agency at the commission’s headquarters, in Abuja. Zakari said that in the cause of carrying out the

commission’s assignment, INEC had noticed some lapses in the electoral act which needed to be reviewed. She said while INEC had recommended certain reviews to the National Assembly, it had also reminded the current lawmakers

on the need to review those clauses to improve the electoral processes. “We will continuously try to improve the electoral process through legal reviews. “Election laws are not static, they are dynamic. You have to keep on im-

From left, Mrs Wura Ogunkeye, Miss Jade Eyitayo, Mrs Bisi Yomi-Layinka, Mr Femi Babalola and Mr Gbenga Ilori, at the grand opening of Jade’s Cuisine Restaurant, on Elizabeth Road, Mokola, Ibadan, on Monday. PHOTO: YEMI FUNSO-OKE.

Unilorin can only admit 7,800 out of 65,000 candidates —VC Biola Azeez - Ilorin

THE Vice Chancellor, University of Ilorin, Professor Abdulganiyu Ambali, has said that only 7,800 applicants out of 65,000 candidates that sat for the just concluded post- UTME examinations of the university will be admitted into the university. Speaking with journalists in Ilorin, on Monday, to commence the 40th anniversary of the institution, the vice chancellor said that the management had complained over low allocation to the JAMB through the National Universities Commission (NUC). “The management of the university had written a letter to the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB) through the National Universities Commission (NUC) over the matter with a view to look into it so the allocation could be increased for the university,” he said. Professor Ambali, who said that the university expected a higher allocation of admission slots with the present developments in the institution, added that it had more facilities, more academic programmes, more staff, more patronage in terms of candidates seek-

ing admission, among other infrastructures. While speaking on the reason for conducting UTME for a total number of 65,000 candidates, knowing that the university could only take 7,800 candidates, the vice chancellor said that the reason was borne out of the quest to have the best students admitted out of the good lot. Professor Ambali, who said that academic stability

is the highest selling point of the university, added that the institution had been able to set sustainable standard that had now been an envy of all universities in the country. He said the university was lucky to have academic staff with constructive unionism, adding that the management members had also complemented that factor with openness and transparency. “Usually, the issue be-

tween the academic staff and the management bothers on salary, allowance, unconducive environment, lack of infrastructure like water, light and other amenities, gagging of lecturers and others. And as the chairman of all the chairmen in the university, everyone’s welfare is my priority. When there’s money, we share and if there’s none, we share the moment together,” he said.

Ondo govt to query absent teachers on resumption THE Ondo State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) on Monday said it would issue a query to all teachers who failed to resume for the 2015/2016 academic session. The Secretary of the board, Mrs Olufunmilayo Oni, made this known in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Akure, after monitoring resumption of schools for the new session. Oni said that all absent teachers must give genuine reason for staying away from work on the first day of the academic session after a long holiday. “We are sincere about questioning all those teachers that are not present today because we need to set

good examples. “If we from SUBEB can be out at this hour, no teacher should be left alone without correction. “This is because being in school is the first primary assignment of a teacher,’’ she said. Oni also instructed the Head Teachers to ensure that schools’ environment were kept tidy, urging them to liaise with their local government councils for acquisition of mowers for thorough clearing of bush. She said that books in the libraries should be given to pupils to read instead of allowing them to rot away on the shelves. In her assessment on the schools visited, she said that the turnout of pupils

and response from the teachers was encouraging and commendable. “From what we have seen so far, we appreciate what our teachers are doing and we can see that most of the schools are prepared for work. “This is what we want them to keep doing,’’ Oni said. The schools visited were St Paul’s Anglican Primary School, Akure, St Luke’s Primary School, Akure, Alagbaka Estate Primary School, Akure and Special Primary School, Oba Ile. Others were St John Primary School, Oba Ile, St James’ Mega Primary School, Akure, Saint Paul’s Caring Heart Mega School, Idanre, and Muslim Primary School, Idanre.

proving on them especially when something comes up, like the issue of Diaspora voting, the issue of electronic voting. “These are issues that require review and we will keep on recommending to the National Assembly for these reviews,” Zakari said. Zakari listed other challenges confronting the commission in carrying out its functions to include election violence, lack of internal democracy among political parties and difficulties in monitoring their election finances. The acting chairman said that INEC was already working on necessary measures to mitigate the challenges by introducing modern technologies, including the Permanent Voters Cards into the electoral process. “We have already achieved some success in those regards but we are looking forward for more. “On electoral violence, we have been able to mitigate that with the deployment of our Election Risk Management Tool and with our collaboration with the Inter-Agency Committee on Election Security (IACES),’’ Zakari said. Chief of Defence Intelligent Agency, AVM Monday Morgan said, the foreign attachés were at the commission in recognition of its roles in national development, especially the promotion of democracy. Morgan, represented by Colonel Everest Okoro, the leader of the delegation, said that the visit of the foreign attaché to INEC was due to the accolades that followed the 2015 general elections. Okoro said the attachés were at INEC basically to familiarise themselves with the activities of the commission as part of its routine visits. “We are all aware that we just concluded the last general elections which were internationally and widely acclaimed to be a huge success. “So it is not surprising that there is a lot of interest to finding out what led to the successes. “Most of the attachés are from African defence agencies and you know democracy in Africa is something that is just growing. “So there are interests to understand how it is done, possibly to pick one or two things which they will take back to their countries.” The attaches are from different countries, including the U.S., France, Sudan, Angola, United Kingdom and Niger among others.

Buhari felicitates with Bamanga on 80th birthday Clement Idoko - Abuja

PRESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari has congratulated the former Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, on his 80th birthday anniversary today, September 15. A statement by the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Mr Femi Adesina, on Monday, in Abuja, described Tukur as one of Nigeria’s foremost entrepreneurs, political leaders and elder statesmen, who has contributed immensely to the development of the country. Buhari said he joined Bamanga’s family, friends, associates and well-wishers in rejoicing with him as he marks another notable milestone in a very worthy and fulfilled life. The President used the opportunity of the Tafidan Adamawa’s 80th birthday to reaffirm the nation’s enduring gratitude for his significant contributions to Nigeria’s political and socio-economic development over many years. Buhari particularly commended Alhaji Tukur’s diligent and patriotic service to his community, state and country as a public servant, political leader and accomplished businessman of international repute.

Olubamiwa delivers 6th inaugural lecture of Ibadan Poly THE sixth inaugural lecture of The Polytechnic, Ibadan, which will be delivered by Mrs Abiodun Olubunmi Olubamiwa, a Senior Principal Lecturer in the Department of Biology, Faculty of Science of the institution holds on Wednesday, September 16, at the North Campus Assembly Hall of the institution. A statement from the inaugural lecture committee of the institution indicated that the theme of the lecture is “Fermented Foods: A blessing to mankind” which holds under the chairmanship of the Rector of the institution, Professor Olatunde Fawole. The lecture is expected to be attended by members of The Polytechnic, Ibadan community, the neighbouring University of Ibadan and other institutions as well as captains of industries and other interested members of the public. Industrialists interested in food processing, fermentation and production of food items are to benefit immensely from this lecture.

Tuesday, 15 September, 2015

Nigerian Tribune

Femi Ibirogba adefemi2007@yahoo.com 0811 695 4646

How cassava can transform Nigerian economy —Thai Farms boss

‘

NN Marketplace Africa’ reports from Nigeria, exploring how a simple plant, cassava, may be transforming the Nigerian economy and the livelihoods of Nigeria’s cassava farmers. Nigeria is the world’s largest producer of cassava, a starchy and versatile root which is a staple food in the developing world and can be baked, fried, boiled or steamed. Now, the plant is being used for something else –flour. In 2012, in an effort to reduce Nigeria’s wheat import costs, the Nigerian government implemented a policy which stated that companies must add 10 per cent cassava flour to all wheat flour. Louw Burger, Chief Executive and Managing Director of Thai Farms International, a Nigerian company that buys cassava from local farmers and processes it into flour, tells ‘CNN Marketplace Africa’ that cassava is widely grown in Nigeria and around the world. He explains to the programme: “It’s almost an indigenous plant. It’s grown

right across the world in the equatorial belt. It grows like weed, and a farmer with a $3 cutlass can become a cassava farmer. We found at our factory we have nearly 4,000 small farmers who supply us with cassava, very few have mechanised, and they can effectively grow large volumes of cassava.” Burger believes that the cassava industry has the potential to help create jobs in Nigeria. He tells ‘CNN Marketplace Africa’

that, “Looking at the whole of Nigeria, it grows around 50 million tonnes of cassava a year. You put all these things together, you’ve got huge unemployment, a need for work for young people, you’ve got a crop and a plant that lives here, that can be used to create industrial products, and the elements are all there for a good recipe to develop this thing and to put people to work.” However, Burger tells ‘CNN Marketplace

Africa’ that there wasn’t always such a demand for cassava: “When we started, we struggled. In the first year we probably produced 900 tonnes. Last year we produced 8000 tonnes. This year, we’ll produce 16,000 to 17000 tonnes. And the policy wasn’t the only factor; this awakening to the fact cassava you can do more with it than just make curry out of it, but the policy and the drive has made people sit up and take notice.” The positive effects of the flour policy have also been felt by the cassava farmers. Alhaji Sherif Adewale Adenuga tells ‘CNN Marketplace Africa’ that the cassava market has grown since he first began farming. “I have been in farming since 1986. Though it was on a very small scale until recently, when we began to have a market for our cassava…. This policy has helped farmers a lot. We are able to cultivate more area, and as such, we are able to employ more people, our own lives have been better.” The Association of Master Bakers and Caterers of Nigeria is also positive about cassava’s future. Jacob Adejorin, Lagos chairman of the body, said: “You know, locally made products are going to be cheaper than the imported ones. That’s what we are expecting. If all bakers start using the cassava flour, included in bread, the price of bread will come down. And we’ve embraced it. The future of cassava bread is going to be very bright.” Though it is still not clear whether the cassava flour policy will have a significant impact on Nigeria’s economy and its import costs, Burger thinks that the basic concept of fostering a strong cassava industry is one that could be replicated in other countries. He said: “I think it’s got huge potential. The countries we’ve looked at, and we’ve looked at a few countries in East Africa, these folks are all importing the same things we are. And we’re looking to have a look at some of the other countries to see if we can replicate what we’ve done here. Gather a few thousand farmers, get them to grow cassava, put up a plant, process that cassava into an end product that the multi nationals are importing at the moment in those countries, with the same benefits. Create employment, domestically in agriculture, and on the other side save on your imports. So it’s a double winner for the country that looks at that.”

‘FG is determined to establish sustainable agric sector’ The Federal Government is determined to establish a sustainable agricultural sector that raises the incomes of the rural population while underpinning the national economy. This was disclosed by the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (FMARD), Sonny Echono, while declaring open a staff training programme on innovative Collaboration for Development (CTA) in Abuja, recently.

The permanent secretary said the ministry seeks, through the training, to strengthen the staff capacity in developing and maintaining its online presence and relationship with the Nigerian public, as well as play an effective role in influencing policy development processes and in supporting the development of effective value chains. He declared that the ministry had built a vibrant agriculture in Nigeria and cleaned

decades of corruption in the fertilizer sector through the electronic wallet scheme. According to him, Nigeria is the first country in Africa to develop the system through which farm inputs were delivered directly to farmers via electronic vouchers on their mobile phones, adding that within two years, the e-wallet system reached 6.4 million farmers and helped improve the food security of 30 million people.

agriculture

Tuesday, 15 September, 2015

Nigerian Tribune

2 new hybrid maize released in Nigeria Stories By Femi Ibirogba

r Samuel Adelowo Olakojo and his team at the Institute of Agricultural Research and Training (IART), Obafemi Awolowo University, in Ibadan, have successfully released two new maize hybrids – Ife Maizehyb-07 and Ife Maizehyb-08. The new hybrids have potential yields of 7.0/ha and 8.5t/ha respectively, attracting preference from most farmers, mainly because of other qualities including early maturity, which has an advantage during erratic rainfall seasons, especially in the second planting in South West Nigeria, and grain size as well as high starch content, which are good for livestock feed mill. There is a real gap between production and needs of maize in the southern part of Nigeria, which is mainly due to demographic increase, drought, diseases, new requirements from end-users (poultry feed, livestock feed, breweries, processors, etc.) and appearance of agri-business farmers who are requesting hybrids. The humid forest ecologies of Nigeria are great potential zones for maize production which can help to reduce this gap with the availability of high yielding adapted hybrids such the Ife Maizehyb-07 and Ife Maizehyb-08. Dr Toure Aboubacar, AGRA’s Programme Officer for Crop Improvement and Variety Adoption, said: “AGRA’s strategy to meet the needs of smallholder farmers across Africa is yielding great results. We are very happy that

our support to national research institutions to develop, register and release improved varieties of staple crops such as maize is paying off as exemplified by the release of these two new maize varieties. Our work is aligned with the

Nigerian government’s policy on maize value chain development.” The Ife Maize hyb07, which was formerly called SW5-OB x IARTINBRED1, is a top cross hybrid of ART/98/SW5-OB x IART Inbred 1 pedigree.

It has forest and derived savanna agro-ecologies adaptation with 98 days maturity period, and 7.0t/ ha potential yield character. It is also tolerant to maize streak virus, rust, leaf blight, and curvularia leaf spot with an outstanding

Chairman of Oyo State All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN), Mr Olumide Ayinla (third right), distributing fertilizer and agro-chemicals to farmers on behalf of Olajumoke Akinjide Foundation (OAF), in Ibadan, recently.

characteristics as the Ife Maize hyb-07. The release of these varieties has been made possible through AGRA’s grant to the IAR&T, Obafemi Awolowo University, in Ibadan, and the hard work of Dr Samuel Adelowo Olakojo and his team, who managed a team of professional breeders. The grant seeks to increase the production and productivity of smallholder farmers in the humid forest ecologies of Nigeria by developing and promoting 10 top cross hybrid maize varieties adaptable to the region. It took over five years of intensive research work to develop, register and release the varieties. Having achieved this major milestone, AGRA, in collaboration with IAR&T, will now engage in demonstration and awareness creation activities to prepare for a major commercialisation of these new varieties which are expected to transform the farming lives of millions of rice farmers, not only in Nigeria, but across West Africa and beyond.

Akinjide distributes 900 bags of fertiliser, 2000 litres of chemical to farmers By Mustapha Adeitan Olajumoke Akinjide Foundation, in conjunction with Oyo State branch of the All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN), has distributed 900 bags of fertiliser and 2,000 litres of agro-chemicals to active farmers in the state. The National Project Coordinator of OAF, Dr Adamu Shuaib said

the programme was sponsored by Chief Mrs Jumoke Akinjide, and expectation of the the association and the sponsor was to see the members put the materials to proper use for bumper harvest. He said when they have good harvest, they would have enough resources and food security would be guaranteed.

“Poverty would reduce in the society, empowerment and development of the people at the grass-roots level could then be seen as the primary aim of the sponsor of the project,” Dr Shuaib said. He further said that farmers would also be able to build their own houses and also pay their children’s school fees when they put the materials into proper use.

Improvise agric machinery, FG urges fabricator The Federal Government has challenged local fabricators to come up with locally fabricated agricultural equipment and machinery to promote indigenous technology. The Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Sonny Echono, made the call recently at a meeting he held with members of the Tractors Owners and Operators Association of Nigeria (TOOAN) at the ministry’s headquarters. Echono stated that the government was interested in the benefits to be derived

dent floury grain character containing starch, ash, fat, and protein. Similarly, the Ife Maize-hyb 08, formerly called Ile 1 –OB x IARINBRED 1, has a potential yield of 8.50/ha and 110 days to maturity. Ife Maize hyb-08 has similar other

from mechanisation, hence the need for additional 60 AEHEs. He said the benefits must include increased land under cultivation, improved yield and productivity, reduction in the amount of labour used and creation of jobs for the youths in the agricultural sector. The permanent secretary explained that the mechanisation programme was structured towards increasing the mechanisation facilities in the country with 15 per cent local content of tractors accessories to be achieved within three years and assured of his ministry’s

readiness to partner with the association. He approved the request of TOOAN for the release of tractors for four centres, namely Kebbi, Niger, Nasarawa and Oyo states, while also imploring the association to prepare their members for a special training at no cost to TOOAN since the next phase of the mechanization programme would involve tracking of equipment before release. Earlier in his remark, the National President of TOOAN, Mr Bitrus Elesha, said the association had the technical capacity to provide

land clearing, seed planting, chemical application and harvesting services if supported with machinery and equipment. Elesha commended the Federal Government’s sustainable mechanisation intervention programme, saying “mechanisation service providers never had it so good, the programme should please be sustained.” The TOOAN president, however, advised that successful and sustainable agricultural mechanisation could not be achieved through continued importation of farm machinery.

According to Dr Shuaib, “manual farming has a lot of drudgery which drives away youths from farming. We have provided the farmers with tractors, seeds and we have given fertiliser and agrochemicals to empower and motivate the farmers and also make them have less laborious work to do on farm.” The chairman AFAN, Oyo State chapter, Mr Olumide Ayinla, said that it was the second phase of the empowerment made to farmers to help them have good output on their farms. “Members of the association are spread throughout the 31 local government areas of the state with 74 groups legally registered under the association. “Each group has a minimum of 10 members, who have been beneficiaries in the first-phase of the programme in May where seeds and fertilizer were given to members of the association.” He further said “more members were present to benefit from the second-

phase of the programme where fertilizer and agrochemicals were given out to farmers.” He also urged all members of the association to put the materials to effective use as that would be the joy of the exminister, Mrs Akinjide, who sponsored the programme. The State Project Supervisor, Mr Oladayo Opatokun, said he really appreciated all members of the various groups. He said from their tour round the state, they had seen positive results on various farms as farmers had put the farm inputs given to them in the first phase to proper use and urged all farmers to beckon on the association whenever their attention could be needed. In her speech, Mrs Aderibigbe Arinola, who is the women leader of the group, appreciated Chief (Mrs) Akinjide for her philanthropic gesture. She said the ex-minister had been concerned with the affairs of the farmers and urged all other members of the association to also contribute maximally to the development of the association.

18 LETTERS TO THE

Tuesday, 15 September, 2015

editor

Letters to the editor should be sent to letterstribune@yahoo.com or by sms to 08055001747 or 08054005323. It MUST be accompanied by the full name and address of the writer.

Towards making Nigeria great again

NE thing that I discovered about Nigerians is that for our country to develop, we need to change our mentality. We have come to see corruption as a way of life that we don’t see any big deal when someone steals from the country. It has reached

Bayelsa: Experience, integrity count for Alaibe STORIES about those jostling to succeed the incumbent Bayelsa State governor, Henry Seriake Dickson, have been impressive so far. The most amazing aspect is the fact that no fewer than 12 twelve people have indicated interest for the job, in a remarkable departure from the past when only a few people dared to challenge an incumbent in the state. The rise in this number is indicative of the rejection of Dickson by over two million Bayelsans. Of this 12, Chief Timi Alaibe, stands very outstanding considering the fact that he is a household name in Bayelsa, NigerDelta region and the country. Having served meritoriously as the chairman of the Niger-Delta Development Commission, NDDC, during the period of militancy in the zone, Alaibe comes across as an experienced administrator and manager of resources. At various times, he sought to govern the state in the past, but dropped his ambition for others at the behest of leaders of the state. His popularity is such that cuts across every part of the state. At this time, considering the prevailing peculiarities in the state, an Alaibe is needed to send the PDP out of the government house in Yenagoa. •Godwin Tare, Tombia, Bayelsa State.

a situation whereby those who are criminals are celebrated, as long as they can part with money. We have turned money into a god which we worship; we have forgotten the values instilled in us by our forefathers. I could remember that my grandmother once told me that in the olden days, sellers don’t need to stay with their wares. They just put the money value of the items by the wares, and people would buy and put the money there, and in the evening, the seller will come and take the money. This is definitely not possible again in the country. Everybody is looking for the opportunity to steal. It is this same value that makes our judges sentence a criminal who has stolen a mobile phone to 10 years imprisonment, while a public office holder who has stolen billions is allowed to negotiate his

punishment through plea bargain. However, it is high time something was done about this negative attitude of ours. Those in charge of the country’s education should start changing the younger ones’ attitude from the schools. We should have Attitudinal Studies in our

primary and secondary schools curriculum. This subject will teach our children morals, and how to behave as true Nigerians. We will never achieve anything if the future generation already have it at the back of their minds that they want to go into public service to make

money. We should teach selfless service to the nation. This is what makes Americans different from us. An average American is happy to lay down his life in the service of his country, while the average Nigerian is out to steal from his country. We must start chang-

ing our values today; if the current generation cannot make any difference, we should start targeting the younger ones now. This is the only way to make Nigeria great again. •Esther Ajakaiye, Ado Ekiti, Ekiti State.

Attention, new Oyo Commissioner of Police FIRST, I want to congratulate the new Oyo State Commissioner of Police on his appointment, while also charging him to follow the footsteps of his predecessor, Mr Muhammed Katsina, in order to protect the lives and properties of the people of the state. The former CP was an action man who led many operations that led to the arrest of criminals in the state. When police officers see the zeal in their com-

missioner, they will have no choice than to fall in line. Now, I want to charge the new CP to focus on those who kidnap people with cars, particularly Micra cars which is used as commercial taxis in the state. I also want the CP to ensure the sustenance of the peace we have been experiencing in the state for many years now. Peace is crucial in the developmental process of a state or country; when there is no

peace, no one will be able to embark on economic activities, which brings about development.

•Jimoh Mumin, Akobo, Ibadan jimohmumin@yahoo.com

Liberia’s victory over Ebola I am so happy that Liberia has been declared free of the Ebola virus again by the World Health Organisation (WHO). This West African country was one of the worst-hit countries. I now hope that the country will do everything

in its power to ensure that it maintains its Ebola-free status. However, there is need for the African continent to come together and work for its development without necessarily seeking foreign support. While the Ebola crisis was at its peak, healthcare professionals from developed countries were those we found in Liberia, Guinea, Sierra Leone. There was no coordination by the African Union (AU) to save the lives of fellow Africans, although I must commend the Nigerian government for taking the initiative to send medical personnel to the three worst-hit countries to assist in the recovery process. At this period, I think Africa should hold its destiny in its hands; if we continue to rely on the Western world, then we will be at their mercy. Nothing stops the AU from organising witch- doctors or traditional healers on the continent to find ways through which the virus could be eradicated. I am just using this opportunity to call on countries on the African continent to be united so that we won’t continue to look for support indefinitely from Western countries. The more prosperous nations on the continent like Nigeria, South Africa, Egypt, Tunisia, among others, should lead the way while others follow. •Festus Umez, Ojodu Berger, Lagos.

editorial

Tuesday, 15 September, 2015

Nigerian Tribune

Illegal bunkering site near Govt House

HE report by the Commander of the 2 Brigade of the Nigerian Army, BrigadierGeneral Stevenson Olabanji, that a massive oil bunkering site in Port Harcourt near the Rivers State Government House and closer to the office of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) in the city has been discovered should be of concern to all Nigerians. This is because the report is a sign that the security agencies are awake to the task of policing and ensuring that miscreants and criminals do not disturb the peace of society. In line with the pre-occupation of the new government of President Muhammadu Buhari in ensuring the rule of law and security of life and property, the security agencies are apparently aware that they have to demonstrate visible action against criminals for them to justify their existence. Brigadier-General Olabanji was quick to point out that in line with the new directive of the military authorities, soldiers are prepared to flush out all those illegally lifting or dealing in oil, such that the discovery of the massive oil bunkering site is also part of the new offensive against oil bunkerers. The point of concern here, however, should be that the new activism of the security agencies should also not be erected on faulty foundations in order for it to sustain the success. For if the soldiers are now prepared to wage a frontal battle with criminals and oil bunkerers in particular, the corollary is that such frontal engagement did not happen in the past in spite of the fact that the government and the people were aware of the activities of the bunkerers. This should make it clear that Brigadier-General Olabanji must evidently be pushing the facts too hard for him to pronounce the activity on the massive oil bunkering site as a discovery. We are aware that the Commander also reported locating at the site, four petrol trucks, over 5,000 drums of diesel and an oil barge loaded with 165,000 liters of diesel, in addition to many canoes and boats. These are obviously items that could not have been moved to the site in a single day and it is inconceivable that the business of setting up the bunkering site, very near to the Rivers State Government House, would have been done without the security forces suspecting anything. In which case, it is a wonder that the Commander would call a massive oil bunkering site near the center of their

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activities a discovery. This would give the impression that the security forces in Nigeria are not involved in intelligence gathering at all, as they could not just be discovering the massive oil bunkering site with even only a modicum of intelligence gathering. The people know that criminals are no ghosts and that criminal activities could be monitored by security agencies if they are attuned in that direction. The ineffectiveness of the security forces in this area of operation should be of concern and should be addressed rather than such deficiency being denied. The reality therefore is that the security agencies have to re-orientate themselves in a different fashion to the responsibility of catering to the security of life and property in the country. The task of securing the country is not one to be approached from the platform of playing to the gallery by pretending about discovering what has always been in the open. Indeed, given the level of security challenge facing the country, the importance of intelligence gathering cannot be over-emphasised and this means that the time has come for the security agencies to face anew the responsibility of nipping crimes in the bud before they are committed through effective intelligence gathering. Fortunately, beyond the oil bunkering site near the Rivers State Government House, there have been reports of busting of other bunkering sites, particularly in the creeks by the security officials. This momentum has to be sustained through intelligence gathering, as such massive criminals acts ought not to be performed or engaged in without the security agencies getting the whiff of them. We are also told that the government is ready to support the security agencies with all they required such that there would be no excuses for not confronting criminals and apprehending them. We call on security agencies to be alive to their responsibility and to realise that they would only be able to count on the support and confidence of the people when they see them actually fighting against criminals and not engaging in shadow boxing. There should be no theatrics in the act of fighting crime as what are called for are strict acts of confronting the criminals in order to continue to enjoy the support of the people.

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opinion

Tuesday, 15 September, 2015

Where is our pound of flesh?

glanced at my watch for the umpteenth time as if the answers to my foreboding were synchronised with its tick-tock, but like lightening in thunder, something struck me. Though it wasn’t in the ticktock of the clock, my epiphany came as I locked eyes on the date- September 11. Over a decade ago, on 11 September, America, proudly called the free world and often humbly referred to as God’s own country, witnessed a stupefying storm that formed a huge part of her tragic histories, one that could never be obliterated from the sands of time. Barack Obama, the American president, spoke of 9/11 thus: “a bright September day was darkened by the worst attack on the American people in our history. The images of 9/11 are seared into our national memory - hijacked planes cutting through a cloudless September sky; the Twin Towers collapsing to the ground; black smoke billowing up from the Pentagon; the wreckage of Flight 93 in Shanksville, Pennsylvania. And yet we know that the worst images are those that were unseen to the world. The empty seat at the dinner table, children who were forced to grow up without their mother or their father and parents who would never know the feeling of their child’s embrace.” I read about it fourteen years ago just as I watched the tumultuous tragedy on both local and international television, but as sympathetic as I was about the plight of the Americans, I wouldn’t come close to understanding her colossal national twinge until years later. The aftermath of 9/11 was traumatic, bodies buried deep under rubbles, wounds whose scars may never heal, deformities, lacerated coriums and pools of scarlet gore epitomised the acts of some depraved sardonic fiends. The centre of the universe had been attacked and its streets were flooded by distraught family members searching for missing loved ones while simultaneously, men of valour, fearless in the face of adversity without any deterrence jumped into their suits to save lives of Americans. 9/11 was a deadly day for New York City fire fighters as over 300 of them were KIA. That Tuesday morning, 19 terrorists hijacked four airliners and carried out suicide attacks against targets in the United States. Two of the planes were flown

into the towers of the World Trade Center in New York City, a third plane hit the Pentagon just outside Washington, D.C., and the fourth plane crashed in a field in Pennsylvania. The attacks resulted in extensive death and destruction as over 3,000 people were killed in New York City and Washington, D.C. The attackers were Islamic terrorists from Saudi Arabia and several other Arab nations. They had been reportedly financed by Saudi fugitive, Osama bin Laden’s al-Qaeda terrorist organisation whose origin can be traced to 1979. Though, posterity would be elated to discover that ten years after the horrendous attacks, America got her pound of flesh by launching a targeted operation against a compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan which was Bin Laden’s fortress. After a firefight, Osama bin Laden was killed and Americans took custody of his body. Harrowingly, the cancer of terrorism has evaded chemotherapy and steadily, it infiltrates into the world. The terror attacks in the Northern part of our dear country by the terrorist group, Boko Haram, have helped me relate more coherently with the gargantuan sting Americans felt on 9/11. Who ever thought that Nigeria would come under such a blazing furnace of insurgency? Boko Haram, a group which initially had links to alQaeda but later pledged formal allegiance to ISIS in March 2015, has killed more than 17,000 people since

veracity with Vera Onana

veraonana@gmail.com 08054680688 2009, including over 10,000 in 2014, in attacks occurring mainly in the Northeast. 650,000 people fled the conflict zone by August 2014 and by the end of the year, over 1.5 million people had been displaced. Boko Haram carried out mass abductions in the Northeast but the most distressing was the kidnapping of 276 schoolgirls from Chibok in April 2014. It is over a year now and our girls are still missing. While I commiserate with the American people over 9/11, simultaneously, I would also like to laud America for nailing that heinous culprit and dismantling his network. However, I would like to admonish Nigeria to follow suit. One minute silences would not suffice; we must find a way to deliver justice so that posterity will not mock us and scoff at our fight against terrorism, but how do we triumph over such grave evil when our girls are still missing and Shekau reigns unequivocally free? Where is our pound of flesh? Fellow Nigerians, nothing on this planet would give me more satisfaction than listening to Nigeria’s president say some day, like President Obama did on May 1, 2011, that “JUSTICE HAS BEEN DONE.” RE: DECLARED ASSETS: BREAD CRUMBS FOR A RAVENOUS NATION Onana, you have made my day with this write up on assets declared by PMB and the VP. You forgot to ask if the president has paid the 27million naira loan and if yes, what was the source? What collateral was used in the first place to obtain such loan? Was it the mud houses? Can anyone just walk into the bank and get such loan? I will not run for Nigerian presidency with such humongous amount because that alone is corruption at its peak. These assets as vaguely declared by the presidency will only trigger much ado about the plans of this administration. 0803346**** The man has declared his assets. It is now your duty to embark on investigative journalism in other to find answers to those repeated questions in your opinion. The numbers of cows, location of houses, exploit the FOI bill and find answers. Buhari and his vice deserve to be praised for the uncommon feat. 0703742****

Reforming the civil service By Uwakwe Roland

NO nation can develop without an effective, efficient and a vibrant public service which is the engine room of any government. This is why no nation develops beyond the capacity of its public service. The Nigeria public service consists of the core civil service, National Assembly service, judiciary, employees of parastatals, agencies and commissions, public officers in the military, police and paramilitary services, etc. Going by the current trend and the state of the nation’s economy, the public service is relatively well remunerated. However, there is a slanderous disparity in the recompense of the federal public service salary structure, and the ugly trend in most cases are that some agencies of government fashion out their own salary structure with no regard to the powers invested in the National Salaries and Wages Commission. The National Salaries and Wages Commission is the institution charged with the responsibility of managing all issues pertaining to compensation and remuneration in the public service, the function of the Commission is to advise the Federal Government on national incomes policy; recommend the proportions of income growth which should be utilised for general wage increase; inform the Federal Government of current and incipient trends in wages and propose guidelines within which increase in wages should be confined; keep the Federal Government informed on a continuing basis of movement of all forms of income and propose guidelines relating to profits, dividends and all incomes other than wages; encourage research on wages structure (including industrial, occupational and regional and any other similar factor), income distribution and household consumption patterns; keep

prices under continuous surveillance, interpret price movements and relate them to other developments in the national economy; propose measures for the regulation of prices and wages in the various sectors of the economy and for the control of hoarding; encourage and promote schemes for raising productivity in all sectors of the economy, among others. For the benefit of hindsight, the civil service is the organ of government saddled with the responsibility of fashioning out government policies coupled with the responsibility to supervise agencies under their control. One now wonders why such a sensitive arm of government is shortchanged in the Federal salary structure such that a new graduate employed in ministry earns less than N60, 000 while his counterpart in an agency or commission earns as high as N130, 000, not to talk of what paramilitary services take home. It may be understandable that due to the technical nature of some jobs and the risk involved, some peculiar institutions should have well-de-

fined allowances. On the other hand, the right question is, even if they are paid higher, with what margin? Should it be as high as N70,000 and what is the rationale for paying a supervisor lower than the supervised? The current Public Salary Structure does not help the economy, largely because all the public servants in Nigeria go to the same market, and the prices will not go down because a customer is working in the ministry, the same goes to housing, the high cost of rent in Abuja alone means that the average civil servant cannot survive with his annual salary without indulging in one corrupt practice or another. Added to this is the value for money. If on the average all public servants earn relatively similar amounts, that means with that little amount a civil servant can afford some basic human needs with ease, but when you earn low and the other persons within your neighborhood earns high, the prices of commodities may not be affordable to the one who earns low because of the unseen hands in market forces. In the competitive business market, it is believed that when you pay little, you should expect monkeys to work for you. This is largely due to the fact that smart people always run to companies that can afford their worth. Wellpaid institutions attract bright people with spirit of hard work and excellence. This is the major reason why the Nigeria civil service retains dull, lazy and venal workforce despite all attempts to reform it. That is why so many of her best work-force voluntarily opt-out of service due to poor remuneration, nepotism and mediocrity. •Roland sent this article via rolanduwakwe@ gmail.com

Tuesday, 15 September, 2015 Femi Olukunle Coordinating Editor 08065167178

Motorists commend Buhari for ending sufferings at fuel stations Christian Okeke - Abuja MOTORISTS in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) have commended President Muhammadu Buhari for ending their sufferings at fuel stations where they claimed they went through hell trying to buy the product. They recalled the hardships which they had to pass through before purchasing the product, expressing joy that the whole thing is now history. Abuja Xtra, which monitored the situation, noted that normalcy had since been restored as the residents have almost forgotten that such situation prevailed. Also, it was observed that black fuel marketers have since disappeared from the streets. A motorist recounted his ordeal and urged the present administration to ensure that such a time never returned. The motorist, who gave his name as Aliyu Ibrahim, told Abuja Xtra that at the time, he spent long hours at stations and could not buy the product until the third day. “The battle was not even having money to use to buy fuel or not, but getting to buy it at the end of the day,” he said. Another resident, Kingsley Mgbemena, a resident of Garki 2, said no one expected the return of such a period. He recounted how he could not attend a brother’s wedding outside Abuja as he was unable to buy the product. He observed that many residents would not be able to finish, talking about the frustrations they faced. Mgbemena said: “It does appear now that nothing of such a suffering ever happened, but I think we will all risk being termed ingrates if we fail to commend President Buhari for tackling that challenge.” He went further to say, “Each time I remember the long queue we had, I still shudder. “Do you know, any time I drive pass fuel stations now, I pay attention to check whether long queues are returning. The thing is becoming a sort of reflex action now.”

An accident on Abuja-Lokoja road

Behold, strange spots where road crashes occur

bridge by Wuse 2 exit. When one is driving towards Mabushi from National Mosque, one is bound to use the bridge, sometimes without believing that a number of road crashes had taken place at the spot. Few of the amazing accidents had the vehicles ramming through the stopper in-between the bridge and plunging beneath it. Deaths had resulted in the previous incidents. Last year, a tragic accident involving two taxi cabs occurred by the bridge, resulting in casualty. Only recently, a utility vehicle also crashed on the same bridge with yet another casualty. As usual, recklessness on the part of the driver was cited as the cause.

CREW Another accident in Abuja Christian Okeke - Abuja

HERE are unusual spots right at the city centre in Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), notable for road crashes and which have called for concerns from residents. A fact about the spots is that

Area council chairmen get ultimatum to evacuate waste —pg22

crashes have continued at same spots despite efforts to halt them. Part of the efforts was the traffic lights mounted at the spots to control traffic flow and ensure that accidents cease from happening there. Findings by Abuja Xtra revealed that it was not the instru-

Vehicles plying villages to undergo compulsory test —pg22

ments that escalated the crashes but recklessness of the drivers. One of such spots is Bolingo Hotel junction, close to the Ship House. The rate of accident at the junction is high and unabating. In fact, policemen are currently stationed there to arrest traffic offenders. It was around the spot that the former governor of Akwa Ibom State, Godswill Akpabio, survived car crash recently. Besides the particular accident, a number of other crashes had occurred at the spot as drivers attempted to beat traffic lights. Another such spot is a notorious

1. Christian Okeke chidiabujatribune@yahoo.com 08030947856 2. Clement Idoko idokoajiga@yahoo.co.uk 08034412281 3. Kolawole Daniel kolawoledaniels@yahoo.co.uk 08030763782 4. Collins Nnabuife chideraacollins@yahoo.com 08039521408 5. Adetola Bademosi gloriaadetola@gmail.com 08182214290 Abuja Xtra email & GSM: abujaxtra@gmail.com 0805450140

abujaextra

Tuesday, 15 September, 2015

Area council chairmen get ultimatum to evacuate waste Christian Okeke - Abuja

REA Council chairmen in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) have been given an ultimatum to clear all the accumulated refuse in their respective councils. The councils, just like the other local government areas in other parts of the country, have been facing myriads of challenges over paucity of funds. The situation has ensured they don’t deliver on most of their mandates. In Abuja, the councils’ leadership has raised the alarm that they found it difficult meeting up with other responsibilities after expenditure on personnel cost. It is not known if the councils still receive their statutory quota from revenues accruable to FCT Administration as the FCT joint accounts allocation committee meeting where monthly revenues were declared and shared is hardly open to media any more. While the media were invited to the meeting at a time, it was stopped with time as the media’s strict inquiries into details made authorities uncomfortable. In fact, some council chairmen disclosed

From right, FCT Permanent Secretary, Mr John Obinna Chukwu; Chairman, Abuja Municipal Area Council, Micah Y. Jiba; Chairman, Abaji Area Council, Yahaya Garba and the Chairman, Bwari Area Council, Peter Yohanna Ushafa, during an emergency meeting in Abuja to discuss the environmental situation in the area councils and satellite towns under anonymity that the meeting became irregular. Under anonymity, they maintained their grounds that they were hardly given free hand to operate, a claim they denied officially. FCT authorities equally fault-

ed the claim. While speaking under anonymity, the chairmen however cited the controversies over revenue control and maintenance of Jabi Motor park. A chairman disclosed that

Vehicles plying villages to undergo compulsory tests Christian Okeke - Abuja RICKETY vehicles plying village roads in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) are to be phased out as a measure to withdraw them from the roads has been introduced by the FCT administration. In fact, the Directorate of Road Traffic Services has already been directed to establish vehicle testing centres in all the six Area Councils of the territory for that purpose. The directive for the establishment of the centres was with a view to subjecting the vehicles to tests and tactically withdrawing them from the roads. It also sought to provide easy access to motoring public in and around the satellite towns who would like to get their vehicles tested for road worthiness on their own. In issuing the order, the FCT administration said it aimed to reduce the high rate of road fatalities caused by unworthy vehicles in the rural areas. Permanent Secretary of FCT, Mr Obinna Chukwu, handed down the order, warning that serious sanctions awaited motorists caught violating road traffic rules in the entire territory which did not exclude satellite towns. A statement issued by the administration hinted that Chukwu inspected the computerised vehicle testing centre at Katampe District where he appealed to all road users to obey traffic rules and road signs to ensure safety on Abuja roads. The statement further said that the Permanent Secretary directed the FCT Directorate of Road Traffic Services to synergise with operators of the centre to ensure that all vehicles in the territory were subjected to the clinical diagnosis before road worthiness certificates could be issued to the owners.

FCT Permanent Secretary, Mr John Obinna Chukwu (2nd from left) and others observing a vehicle undergoing computersed testing in Abuja recently He said: “Where the state of the vehicle is largely compromised, the resultant ef-

fect can better be imagined and therefore every effort must not be spared to keep ve-

during the JAAC meetings, they were hardly allowed to object to a policy of the FCT administration which they thought impinged on their functions as elected officers. “Then, it was like a taboo when any chairman objected to a statement, order or policy. So, we attended the meetings for mere sake of it, not as if it was really worth its name,” a chairman told Abuja Xtra. The heaps of refuse at the councils could then be an offshoot of the bad situation. However, dissatisfied with the health dangers posed to residents by the filthy environment, FCT Permanent Secretary, John Chukwu, summoned the chairmen to an emergency meeting to look into the state of environment in the area councils and satellite towns. Abuja Xtra gathered that Chukwu, during the meeting, expressed disappointment over the poor state of the environment as well as the pillage of the wastes. The Permanent Secretary reminded the chairmen of their statutory responsibilities regarding environmental issue in their respective councils, insisting that the heaps of garbage be immediately cleared in line with the change mantra of the Federal Government. Chukwu warned the chairmen that their laxity towards maintaining hygiene in their councils could no longer be tolerated. He challenged them to be mindful of their constitutional duties.

Crime control: Police intensify patrol, increase presence Christian Okeke - Abuja THE presence of policemen in all nooks and crannies of Abuja is becoming more pronounced by the day as police authorities implement plans aimed at providing water-tight security in the territory. Checks carried out by Abuja Xtra revealed that the police had also stepped up its patrol in the nation’s capital. The checks equally revealed that there was tighter security at satellite towns. The development appeared to have been an offshoot of a pledge to provide security to lives and property in Abuja, especially as crime rate was expected to go up with the daily influx of people into the territory. Part of the measures adopted by the police is stationing of vehicles at strategic locations to counter any ugly incident. It was observed that response level of the force has gone up, prompting greater confi-

dence being reposed in the security personnel by the residents. Last month, Abuja Xtra observed a senior female officer in a police patrol vehicle giving directive to a policeman on duty without his cap to promptly do so. The incident happened at Maitama, a highbrow area. An officer of the Nigeria Police Force, who spoke under anonymity because she was not cleared to speak to the media, told Abuja Xtra that there was a new thinking in the force regarding crime prevention and control since the current Inspector General of Police, Solomon Arase, took over and the new government inaugurated. The officer drew the attention to the constant changes in leadership of all the units, formations and commands in the force. She said the new police leadership did not waste time to reward acts of gallantry and would not relent in punishing all forms of

indiscipline. The officer hinted that with the welfare of police officers currently receiving attention, rank and files had to key into the change mantra of the Federal Government. She said: “Yes, police is doing much more than you know in Abuja. I cannot tell you the details because of some reasons, but all I can tell you is that what you see here is just a tip of the iceberg; a lot is happening in other states too. “The plan here is to nab a criminal right at the point of his action. That means that response time is seriously being worked on. And the target is to find combat-ready police teams less than two kilometres apart “Security cannot be concentrated alone in Abuja and I hope you understand why. And collection of bribes or whatever you call it is almost gone and I can tell you that much-more amazing operational directives are being expected.

Tuesday, 15 September, 2015

& management

Nigerian Tribune

leadership

with Sulaimon Olanrewaju

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

Building collaborative

Book review

teams By Sulaimon Olanrewaju

AISING the right team is critical to achieving a goal. This is because getting a task accomplished often requires input from different people. Therefore, great leaders spare no effort to get good members on their teams. They painstakingly and deliberately source men and women who they believe have the capacity to contribute to the realization of the vision which they have for their organization or group. They go after those who will bring their expertise and experience to bear on the group’s aspiration to achieve a goal. With a good team in place, the aspiration of the group becomes realizable. The strength of a team is its bonding. A team enjoys synergy when the activity of each member synchronizes with others’ and builds on them just as it is with the movement of a millipede. A millipede is able to advance because the movement and the pace of its many limbs

INSIDE

Reverse branding: Mining the core - 1

leaders’ forum

Stop enfeebling your vision!

Continues on pg24

Leadership Quote

If excellence is the end, convenience can’t be the means. —Sulaimon Olanrewaju

The 60-second business coach

Leading through crisis

Ibukun Awosika, chairman-designate, FirstBank of Nigeria

Tuesday, 15 September, 2015

leadership&management Book review

On becoming a leader By Warren Bennis On Becoming a Leader is about how we can make leadership a personal habit. It arose out of more in-depth dialogue with a smaller number of people including director Sydney Pollack, feminist author Betty Friedan, and musician and A&M records founder Herb Alpert. What is a leader? The book provides many fine insights. Perhaps the key one is that true leaders are not interested in proving themselves; they want above all to be able to express themselves fully. Proving oneself implies a limited or static view of the self, whereas the leader, by continually seeking his or her fullest expression, must be willing to engage in periodic reinvention. For Bennis’s leaders, life is not a competition, but a flowering. Structured education and society often get in the way of leadership. Real learning is the process of remembering what is important to us, and becoming a leader is therefore the act of becoming more and more yourself. Becoming a leader involves: • Continuous learning and never-dying curiosity; • A compelling vision; leaders first define their reality (what they believe is possible), then set

about ‘managing their dream’; • Developing the ability to communicate that vision and inspire others to follow it; • Tolerating uncertainty and taking on risk - a degree of daring; • Personal integrity: selfknowledge, candour, maturity, welcoming criticism; • Being a one-off, an original. “Leaders learn from others, but are not made by others”, Bennis notes; • Reinvention. To create new things sometimes involves re-creating ourselves. We may be influenced by our genes and environment, but the leader takes all his or her influences and makes something unique; • Taking time off to think and reflect, which brings answers and produces resolutions; • Passion for the promises of life; a belief in the best, for ourselves and others; • Seeing success in small, everyday increments and joys, not waiting years for the Big Success to arrive; • Using the context of your life, rather than surrendering to it. What does the last point mean? Bennis believes that late 20th century business life was mostly about managing rather than leading, with people and organizations focusing

on small matters and short-term results. His message is, stop being a product of your context, of your particular place and time. We can see our context as the backdrop for our particular genius to develop, or we can let it enslave our minds. In many ways the path of a `driven’ person is an easy one, since it does not require much thought. The leader’s path is consciously taken, may be more challenging, but has infinitely greater potential and satisfaction, not to mention better health. To lead, we have to make a declaration of independence against the estimation of others, the culture, the age. We have to decide to live in the world, but outside existing conceptions of it. Leaders do not just ‘do well’ by the terms of their culture; they create new contexts, new things, new ways of doing and being. Some examples Personal integrity, a compelling vision and the ability to enjoy risk and uncertainty define leadership. Bennis uses the example of television writer/producer Norman Lear, who revolutionized American television by making shows such as All in the Family and Cagney and Lacey. For the first time, TV shows reflected real American people rather than cowboys, private eyes and caricatured families.

The 60-second business coach

Leading through crisis By John Maxwell RECENT events have reminded us of a stark reality: we cannot escape crisis situations. Although unable to avoid them, we can learn to lead people through them. In fact, dark, difficult times may be the moments when leadership is needed the most. While very few of us will ever be responsible to lead in the aftermath of a large-scale catastrophe, we all encounter times of intense difficulty within our organizations. By nature, a crisis urgently demands attention, and yet it can be difficult to know how to respond to sudden adversity. My hope is that this lesson equips you to lead others with poise and confidence through the storms of life. 7 Principles for handling crisis 1) Discover and define the real problem As Max De Pree noted, “the first responsibility of a leader is to define reality.” Leaders must wade into the mire in order to learn precisely what has happened and to make sense of current conditions.

2) Act quickly 3) Provide reassurance The place to handle a crisis is not from behind a desk but in front of the people. A leader’s visible presence during times of crisis inspires confidence and gives others a sense of security. Certainly, the ability of leaders to control their own emotions is paramount during crisis. In addition, preparation is key. Obviously, some crises are completely unforeseeable. Still, organizations can drawn up strategy plans in anticipation of an emergency. Companies with an emergency plan in place are far better positioned to handle a sudden crisis than those in which the leaders must operate on the fly. 4) Simplify the situation In times of crisis emotions run high and circumstances appear overwhelming. To make clear-headed decisions, a leader has to step back from events to determine the aspects of a situation that are beyond repair and to identify the main issues at stake moving forward. During a crisis, I make a point to withdraw from everything momentarily to list out my top concerns. I then assemble my core leadership team, gather their input,

and amend the list accordingly. Putting the main issues on paper helps me to wrap my mind around the crisis and to stay focused amid chaos. 5) Enlist support of influencers In every organization, a small group of people holds the majority of influence. During a crisis, devote extra attention to making sure key influencers are on board with your plan to handle the crisis. 6) Decide to take action one step at a time In crisis, conditions are in a state of flux. For this reason, plans extending too far into the future are doomed to failure. When confronting a rapidly changing situation, it’s wise to concentrate on the nearterm. Focus on making the next step, let the dust settle, and then reevaluate the situation. 7) Do what is right and not what is easiest Difficult problems seldom have simple solutions. Refuse to cut corners or to lower your ethical standards to make the situation easier. Instead, hold to your convictions and put the needs of your people ahead of your personal comfort and convenience.

Tony Chukwueke, Director, Transcorp Energy

Rumundaka Wonodi, Managing Director The Nigerian Bulk Electricity Trading PlC (NBET)

Chika Mordi Chairmain, UBA Asset Management Limited

Dr. Emmanuel Ibe Kachikwu, GMD, NNPC

Raising cooperative teams Continues from pg23

are in harmony with one building on the other. If any of the limbs is out of sync with others, the movement of the millipede is impeded. The same goes for a team; the success of a team is hinged on harmony among its members. Without bonding in a team, everyone works at cross purposes and what should give it momentum saps it of drive. One of the major factors that weaken a team is competition among its members. Team members are supposed to complement one another for the purpose of achieving a goal. But if team members move away from complementing to competing with one another, they become a cog in the team’s wheel of progress and turn the actualization of the group’s aspiration into a mirage. Therefore, raising a team and ensuring harmony among the various members is a major task of the team leader. How leaders raise great teams To raise a collaborative team, a leader has to do the following. It starts with the leader Building a great team starts with the leader because to attract the

right kind of people, the leader must connect with the people. Most people follow the leader they respect and trust. While respect may be a product of competence, charisma and relational ability, trust is an outcome of character. So, to attract the right kind of people, the leader must be able to demonstrate competence in the core area of the task or in mobilizing people for the task and must also be able to communicate trust to the people. He must demonstrate enough character for the people to be willing to commit their future into his care. Like attracts like. Great leaders attract great people; other types of leaders are also fascinated by their likes. So, every leader who aspires to raise a great team must himself develop the attributes of a great leader and people of like attribute and passion will naturally flow towards him. Team must be built around a vision A team must be built around a vision. A team is one because the members are driven by the same purpose and strive towards the same goal. It is the commitment to the shared vision that builds cohesion in the team. So, the starting point for the leader is to be able to

effectively communicate the vision so that people can buy into the vision of the team. Without a buy-in, committing to the vision will be difficult and without members’ commitment to the vision, they will be ready to jump the ship or rock the boat at any point. Without commitment to a shared vision, there cannot be team spirit. Personal competencies are good and helpful but without a commitment to the vision, they account for little because it is when there is no shared vision that personal weaknesses of members are escalated and allowed to affect the smooth running of the organization. When there is a commitment to the common goal, members will be willing to sacrifice personal ego. Have clearly defined roles Disharmony, envy and compe-

tition stem from a situation in which roles of team members are not clearly defined or are allowed to overlap. The leader has the duty to clearly explain the role of each team member and lay out the expectations for each role, along with the responsibility each role has in achieving the common goal. This helps both parties as there are no grey areas about what to expect. He must also come clear on what the boundaries of each role are. The leader is similarly expected to make it crystal clear to everyone on the team the importance of their role to the actualization of overall goal of the group. This is an essential morale booster as those who are on the fringes are assured that their supporting efforts also play a major role in the actualization of the team’s overall goal and have no cause to compete with those who are en-

When there is a commitment to the common goal, members will be willing to sacrifice personal ego.

gaged in the core part of the task. The importance of clearly defining the role of each member of a team came to the fore recently in an interview granted by Luis Suarez, a member of the all-conquering Barcelona football club of Spain. Speaking about his relationship with Lionel Messi and other members, he said, “We are all rowing in the same direction -- to give Barcelona titles. The relationship on and off the pitch is very good. We all know that Leo (Messi) is the best. None of us attempts to overtake him or equal what he does. There is no jealousy. We are part of a team, and we don’t compete with anyone. “If you had several players wanting to compete to be No. 1, it would be complicated. I’m just here to help. I don’t feel jealousy.” Any wonder that the all-conquering Barcelona seems unconquerable? Create a sense of community In order to have a strife-free team, the leader must strive to create a sense of community. Members should not see the team as a work group but as a community where every member is wanted, appreciated and given a voice. In 1986, David McMillan and Da-

vid Chavis propounded the sense of community theory. According to them, sense of community is a feeling that members have of belonging, a feeling that members matter to one another and to the group, and a shared faith that members’ needs will be met through their commitment to be together. According to them, four factors are responsible for creating a sense of community. The first is a sense of belonging and identification. They say this involves sharing a feeling of personal relatedness. The second is influence with members feeling like they have influence over the community and the community having influence over the members. This works by giving members a say in what is happening. The third is integration and fulfillment of needs. This, in essence, means that a member gets what they hoped to get by joining the team. The last is shared emotional connection. This is having a relationship that transcends the workplace. The leader is responsible for creating a sense of community among the team members. If he believes in it and works towards it, it will

be achieved. He can ensure this by coming up with activities that bring members of the team together outside the call of duty. The leader should not be so task-oriented that he turns his team members to robots. He should encourage healthy relationships among the members. If he does not, no matter how much team members try, they will only operate as individuals, not as a team and this will tellingly impact overall performance. Mutual accountability One factor that can enhance team bonding is mutual accountability, which is a reciprocally authorized behaviour among team members of evaluating one another’s progress on the team’s task. Mutual accountability is positively associated with team performance, because all team members realize that though a particular task has been assigned to a particular individual, his performance of the task will eloquently affect the overall performance of the team. Therefore, the individual is not left to his devices but everyone regularly checks on everyone else to ensure that everyone is moving at the same pace in the same direction. Mutual accountability means that individual members take responsibility for the overall team goal. With this in place, it is very difficult for any member to fail. Once no member of the team fails, success is assured for the team.

tribunebusiness

Tuesday, 15 September, 2015

Nigerian Tribune

TOPE POPOOLA is a Human Capital developement Consultant and Pastor. Please feel free to send questions, feedback comments on this column to

topheritage@yahoo.com or visit http//turbochargedforsuccess.blogspot.com

Reverse branding: Mining the core - 1

Better to be a nobody and yet have a servant than pretend to be somebody and have no food. Proverbs 12:9 (NIV) Again Jesus called the crowd to him and said, “Listen to me, everyone, and understand this. Nothing outside a man can make him ‘unclean’ by going into him. Rather, it is what comes out of a man that makes him ‘unclean.’ “ After he had left the crowd and entered the house, his disciples asked him about this parable. “Are you so dull?” he asked. “Don’t you see that nothing that enters a man from the outside can make him ‘unclean’? For it doesn’t go into his heart but into his stomach, and then out of his body.” (In saying this, Jesus declared all foods “clean.”) He went on: “What comes out of a man is what makes him ‘unclean.’ For from within, out of men’s hearts, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance and folly. All these evils come from inside and make a man ‘unclean.’ Mark 7:14-23 (NIV)

Have you ever been sucked in by the hype around a particular brand and invested good money on it, only to end up feeling that you had been conned; because the experience with the product was a far cry from its promise? Have you ever been attracted to a book by its cover or sensational title, shelled out some money to buy it only to find yourself struggling to go beyond the first few pages! I know the feeling. In one of His tirades against the Pharisees whose hypocrisy never ceased to rile His nerves, Jesus accuses them of a patent externalization of religion that left the main essence of faith relegated to the background. He compared them to specially ornamented tombs that convey impeccable aesthetics externally but are inwardly filled with rotten flesh and bones! He also accused them of outwardly appearing very righteous before men while being full of unbridled iniquity and hypocrisy within. This clearly underscores the fact ALAN Bloom of this world said and I quote verbatim: “The failure to read good books both enfeebles the vision and strengthens our most fatal tendency the belief that the here and now is all there is.” I am enormously in concurrence with Bloom. Many dreams have become enfeebled today because reading culture is fast dying out in Nigeria. How many Nigerians do read through good books again? There are too many people who call themselves visionaries today, but do not have functional libraries. When people do not read through good book, they become blind to the future. And when people become blind to the future, they start to live thoughtlessly. Many years ago, I was part of a team of those—who interviewed a notable professor in the field of medicine in Nigeria. It was a remarkable occurrence that I can never forget as long as I breathe in oxygen and breathe out carbon-dioxide. We went to the man’s office to unearth out how he became successful in the field of medicine. We believed that if we could do what he did, we would get the same result that he got. Success is no respecter of persons! En route to the end of the interview, I asked: “Sir, what is the secret of your success in life?” To which he responded: “Books, good books.” After saying that, he went ahead: “I started reading very early in life...” We were expecting him to unravel to us one mysterious secret that could only be found in far away Ivy League Schools. We were shocked to learn that reading through good books gave birth to his unusual success in the field of medicine. He is an outstanding, terrific and dazzling medical practitioner, not only in Nigeria, but in Africa as a whole. Before leaving his good-looking office that day, I asked him to give us his parting shot. To which he said: “I am afraid…I am afraid for the future of Nigeria. I am afraid because your generation does not read anymore. Even most medical students do not study hard anymore...” I will never forget those moving and touching words as long as I live. What he said many years ago is still true today. The present crop of Nigerians does not like to read through good books. It is easier for them to watch ten seasonal films without blinking than to read through even a mini-book. This is one of the reasons why people are no longer using their imagination. And when they are not using their imagination, they cannot be creative and future-driven.

that the hood does not make the monk! This seems to be a clear reflection of today’s marketplace where it seems some organizations are not in business to stay, judging from the patent disconnect between what they promise through their presentations to the public and the actual experience of the market! The problem with an undue predilection for externalities is that even though it may give short-term benefits, it can also be the death-knell of the brand when the customer votes with his pocket especially when he sees a preferred alternative. First, external presentations of the brand are more concerned with visibility than impact. Second, they seem to be more concerned with creating alluring impressions and seductive perceptions than they do exciting experiences. Third, they focus more on catchy images, colours, designs and even promotional offers than they do ultimate satisfaction. Perhaps more potentially damaging to the brand is the fact that it costs more to keep up those appearances than to actually generate the required pockets of experience that should plant the brand solidly in the market! Simply put, when external buzz becomes the preoccupation in showcasing a brand, the resultant charade is high-maintenance. Without corresponding experience, none of these is sustainable on the long run. If the market experience negates the projected promise of a brand and the accompanying razzmatazz, it is only a matter of time before the bubble bursts and the brand becomes history. The king of the marketplace (read customer) will guarantee its death, burial and indeed extinction! Brand attrition is not an uncommon phenomenon in a marketplace that consistently throws up alternatives, ensuring that today’s market giant can become tomorrow’s dinosaur! To succeed significantly and sustainably in the market therefore, it is imperative that creators and managers of any brand learn to mine the core of the brand. The core of any brand is the intrinsic quality at the very heart of the brand. This is the crux of the matter. In this series, I intend to take the reader through the process involved in effectively mining the core of any brand.

leaders’ forum

It entails five critical stages. The first stage of the process is to identify the core, the very essence of the brand. The core of the brand is the foundation of everything else about the brand. It is the MOTIVE behind the brand. At this level, it is vital for the creator of the brand to ask the questions “WHO” and “WHY”? There must be a link between the persona of the brand creator (individual or corporate) and the rationale behind the brand. The most powerful factor in the brand is the WHY of the brand. If a brand is in the market only for the money, it will play on people’s intelligence, use them and hold their emotions hostage just to get it! The downside of that is that, in the words of a song by the late reggae music legend Bob Marley, you can fool some of the people sometimes but you cannot fool all the people all the time. When people get to know that their interest are furthermost in your mind, they will soon confine your brand to the dustbin of their memories. On the other hand, if the brand ‘purposology’ is very clear about helping people to solve specific and significant problems, meeting a felt or perceived need, they will flow in its direction like ants do towards sugar! As Jesus once said, wherever the carcass is, vultures will beat a path there! Value always attracts those who can connect with it at a more intimate level than billboard images. These two fundamental questions were answered in the life of Jesus before He ever connected His brand with His audience. Luke 3:21 answered the question ‘WHO’ when at baptism Jesus was affirmed from heaven as God’s beloved Son empowered from above for a specific purpose. The purpose is clearly stated in Matthew 1:21; to save His people from their sins. Any brand that will stay long in the market must be the product of a genuine burden that produces a compelling vision to help as many people as possible solve a problem that they would otherwise be incapable of solving by themselves either because they do not know there could be a solution or how or where to find it. Great brands are nothing but coded answers to specific questions. As long as those questions continue to find answers in the brand, success is the natural outcome!...continued. Remember, the sky is not your limit, God is!

with Ademola Adeoye 07067869718

leaders_forum@yahoo.com

Stop enfeebling your vision! There was an interview conducted by “The Independent” on the 15 October 2005. It reads and I quote: “People do not read any more. It is a sad state of affairs. Reading is the only thing that allows you to use your imagination. When you watch films it’s someone else’s vision, isn’t it?” I cannot agree more that reading through good books is the only thing that allows people to use their imagination. Once again, when people do not use their imagination, they stop being future-driven. And when they stop being future-driven, they stop being visionary and they start leading their lives carelessly. Additionally, when people stop being visionary, they start wasting resources. It is with your imagination that you can pre-play the future and with your memory, you can replay the past. With your imagination, you can quickly travel to forty years from now and return to the present. And it is with your imagination that you birth creative things that are not in existence right now. Original ideas are put to bed by making use of one’s imagination. But when you are not a booklover and bookworm, you will not be able to make use of your imagination. And when you do not use your imagination, you cannot but be poor. Also, when you do not use your imagination; the whole world cannot but suffer for it. How do I mean? Your brainchildren will not be able to add any value to the entire planet earth. When a vision becomes enfeebled, the carrier of it cannot but become enfeebled. And this is why there are too many feeble men and women in Nigeria and on this continent. Why? Because they do not feed their vision with relevant knowledge. There are many Nigerians who wear good cloths, ride good cars, use expensive phones, live in good houses…but daily

starve their dreams. When you do not read through good books, you are starving and enfeebling your vision. How many folks, who have dreams in Nigeria, do have functional libraries? They can be counted on finger tips. We live in a time when people refer to buy extraneous things to buying relevant books. We live in a generation where young people prefer to stay at shopping malls, gisting for countless hours to reading through relevant books. Folks have countless shoes and clothes, but they do not have just a book. Not long, I was speaking to about three hundred young men and women and to my chagrin; I found out that about 98% of them do not have functional libraries. Recently, I was teaching some leaders and what I found out shocked me to the marrow. I asked during one of my sessions with them: “How many people here do have functional libraries?” About 93% of them do not have a book at home! And they are all teaching those who are following them. The rest of them did tell me that they are having at home between six and eight books. This is one of the reasons why we are no longer having effective leaders in our nation. When leaders are no longer panting for knowledge as the deer pants for the water brooks, how will it not adversely and unfavorably affect those who are under their leadership? Lastly, once again, failure to read through good books enfeebles dreams. And when dreams are enfeebled, the dreamers cannot but be enfeebled too. When you read through relevant books, you are strengthening your dreams. On the condition that you do not have a functional library yet, I encourage you to start building one today. I began to build mine many years ago and it has made a world of difference in my own life.

property

Tuesday, 15 September, 2014

Surveyors seek govt patronage for national development Stories by Gbemi Solaja

he Nigerian Institution of Surveyors has insisted that the more the government neglects the surveying profession, the more damage is done to the nation and national development in general. Secretary General of the institution, Olumide Adewebi, in a chat with Nigerian Tribune maintained that one of the major challenges facing the surveying profession was not being fully and properly engaged by government for development. While highlighting the challenges facing surveyors, Adewebi lamented that the nation had a very high deficit in terms of requisite spatial and mapping data, as well as infrastructure which had had adverse effect on the practice of the profession and national development in general. He pointed out that addressing the deficit and also ensuring that the improving public understanding on the benefits of engaging surveyors had been a major at the fore front of its plans, just as he tasked the government on such infrastructure to avail the country of desired development. “Another major challenge the profession faces is lack of patronage and engagement by both the government and the public with particular reference to direct involvement in major engineering projects. While this has had an adverse effect on surveyors, it has also had a far greater negative effect on the nation. “Most engineering projects have their survey components bundled within the engineering component. This in turn makes it impossible for critical aspects of an engineering project to be independently evaluated. If the survey component of engineering projects were unbundled, it will go a long way towards ensuring that this important and very critical aspect of an engineering project gets the due attention it requires and this will ultimately impact positively on any engineering project. ” He decried that the challenge of local content and role shifting had been a worrying issue, adding that over the last few years there has been a very great departure from the use of Indigenous surveyors being engaged in projects. “This is not specific to surveyors alone. I believe almost all the professions in the building environment are affected by this trend. Regarding role shifting we have also noted that many government agencies have shifted from their traditional roles of conceptualising projects and supervising their good delivery to actually becoming the executors under what is commonly known as direct labor practice,” he added. He said the proponents of the

From left, Mr Olawale Timothy, Founder/CEO of Akigsag Ventures; Mr Akin Naphtal, CEO of Instinctwave/Group Publisher of InstinctBusiness, and Group Editor of InstinctBusiness, Mrs Kehinde Olesin at the Nigeria Construction Awards press conference in Lagos, recently. practice hinged its desirability on lower cost which on paper might be true, but experience had shown that the continued use of the strategy had not only robbed the same government of quality jobs that would have been timely executed, but also robbed the same projects of proper supervision and quality control they would have had if the same agencies had restricted themselves to their traditional roles.

“How will they ever be able to effectively supervise themselves” he wondered. However, while tasking surveyors on professional conduct, he maintained that the association’s core strategy was education of the users of surveying products on the need to ensure that they patronise only duly qualified surveyors, noting also that there was in place a virile disciplinary process that en-

sured that members of the institution and non members perpetuating unethical conducts were brought to book. “Finally we also ensure that all our members have access to and are required to avail themselves of continuous professional development training. This ensures that they are up to date with international best practices and are adequately equipped to deliver quality services to all our clients”.

Instinct Wave, organisers of the Marketing World Awards and Africa Brand Conference, has announced the first ever Nigeria construction awards. Instinct Wave, also the publisher of Instinct Business magazine, stated that the awards ceremony is scheduled to hold on November, 20th 2015 at the Eko Hotel and suites, Victoria Island, Lagos. According to the organisers, the awards will help showcase how the construction industry is pivotal to the economy of the nation, while also recognising and rewarding companies and individuals who are pushing new frontiers in the industry and have been exceptional in the past years. Speaking at a press conference held in Lagos last week, the Chief Executive Officer, Instinct Wave, Mr Akin Naphtal noted that the construction sector played an important role in economic growth, adding that the construction sector had been overlooked in terms of rewarding innovation and creativity. He said the goal of the company was to celebrate the achievements of construction companies

and individuals who had made it their responsibility to transform the construction industry and advance the country’s infrastructural development. “In Nigeria, organised construction began in the early 1940’s with few foreign companies. The oil boom that followed about 10 years after independence led to an upsurge in construction and demand for construction services, as the country at that period opened up to foreign and local investments and the obvious needs for infrastructure to drive economic growth,” he said. According to him, the award will honor companies and individuals for their accomplishments and strides in Nigeria construction industry. He, however, said the Nigeria Construction Awards would also present opportunities for stakeholders to advocate for the industrialization of the country by way of investments in the area of civil engineering, building construction, industrial construction and residential construction and beautification. According to Naphtal, every

ambition that the Nigerian government has, such as creating the much needed housing, improving public services, developing its tourist sector, improving transport links, creating new jobs and eradicating poverty can be linked to the construction sector. “The awards ceremony will not be just another networking opportunity but companies and individuals will have the platform to tell their success stories and accomplishments while creating inroads to generate synergies in the sector’’ he added. While also commenting on the various categories for the award, the Instinct Wave boss said that the award categories were concluded after careful research based on market intelligence. According to him, the award categories though not exhaustive of the industry, cut across major segments of the industry. He however hinted that nominees would be announced in two weeks “Our team left no stone unturned in arriving at the shortlisted categories. The research team has been working on this for the past three months and their findings show just how robust the industry is,” he said.

Instinct Wave unveils first Nigeria construction awards

Nigerian Tribune

3Invest announces agenda for Real Estate Unite 2015 Chief Executive Officer, 3Invest Limited, Ruth Obih, has said that activities for the Real Estate Unite 2015 have commenced. At a press briefing to roll out activities for the summit, entitled “Connecting the D. O. T. S in Africa‘s Real Estate – START,” held in Lagos recently, Obih stated that the primary aim of the annual event was to unite players in the sector whilst opening up the immeasurable potentials in SubSahara‘s real estate sector for sustainable growth. The summit, which is now in its fourth year, is scheduled to hold on the 29th and 30th of September, 2015 at Eko Convention Centre, Victoria Island, Lagos. Real Estate Unite is a 3-tiered event hosting a conference, exhibition and awards with exclusive roundtable sessions. Real Estate Unite – the Industry Annual Flagship Summit provides an important platform for global real estate leaders to discuss most pertinent opportunities and issues in Africa’s Real Estate sector yearly. Confirmed speakers at the event include the Ogun State Governor, Ibikunle Amosun, Managing Director, UPDC, Mr Hakeem Ogunniran, Chairman, JLL Sub – Saharan Africa Mark Bradford, Chief Executive Officer, 3Invest Limited, Ruth Obih among others. According to 3invest, the 2015 edition will be reverted to the twoday format, which features sessions such as “Leaders Meeting” which is a closed-door meeting between industry stakeholders, government officials, investors and 3Invest with emphasis on interacting and building relationships “African Women in Real Estate meeting” (A.W.i.R.E) is a Networking platform that fosters growth and economic prosperity for women in real estate. “The D.O.T.S Conversations” These are engaging conversations by experts on Drivers, Opportunities, Transformation, and Sustainability (D.O.T.S) which we believe are the four building blocks that contribute to the long-term viability of the sector. Drivers are harnessed to create opportunities, resulting in transformation that must be hinged on the principles of sustainability for it to be effective”. Other activities on the run up of the event will include exhibitions which will run on both days of the convention and will feature exhibitors at the top echelon of the industry. The Awards Dinner will round off the event which will hold in the evening of Day two. According to her, in addition to the lineup of activities, the company is also set to launch its “Run to Build” initiative in honor of the millions of displaced Nigerians and those living in slums, stating that of all the challenges the building sector is riddled with, housing deficit looms large above all.

Nigerian Tribune

Tuesday, 15 September, 2015

brands& marketing

anchor Akin Adewakun

m:08054683584 e:akadewakun@yahoo.co.uk

NIMN: Re-positioning for the 21st

century challenges AkinAdewakun— Lagos

ean purse, low staff morale and the need to up the stakes in the nation’s marketing space remain some of the chief reasons the council of the National Institute of Marketing of Nigeria (NIMN) is beginning to think of embarking on another repositioning trip, few years after the completion of a similar project that witnessed a 360 degree rebranding of the marketing institute. No doubt, the marketing institute is not without its history. Coming from a past that was marred with bickerings, in-fighting and factionalisation among members, not a few would readily agree with the decision of the Ganiyu Koledoye-led council to re-brand the institute and reposition it, to be able to create and deliver value, while at the same time, impressing it on the rest of the world that those days of crisis were gone. “We needed to change everything that would remind us of those sordid days I mean those days when members were being asked the faction of the institute they belonged,” Koledoye had once said, while giving reasons for the change in the institute’s corporate identity then. Interestingly, few years after, Koledoye is aiming at another re-positioning. The quest for a virile marketing practice and the need to further position the institute, he argues, are becoming increasingly imperative. The institute must be repackaged in a way that it would be abreast of developments in the global marketing scene. While this may not really translate into a logo change or change in any of the institute’s corporate identity, this time around, it may, however, witness a complete overhaul of its internal workings. Intimating the media recently on the expected reforms and overhaul, Koledoye had argued that while the needs of the marketing institute had continued to snowball, its revenue had continued to take a slide. More worrisome, he argued, was the fact that as presently constituted, over 75 per cent of the institute’s annual income is spent on recurring expenditure, such as payment of staff salaries, thereby leaving the institute with very little or nothing to actually fund capital projects. Besides, the quality of man-

Ganiyu Koledoye power has also become a huge nightmare for Koledoye and members of his council, “If we had listened to comments from the media, and other members of the public, perhaps only very few of the staff you are seeing now would be left,” he had argued. According to the NIMN boss, for the institute to actually make the required impact, regulate marketing practice effectively and win stakeholders’ confidence, there is the need to also overhaul the workforce. For instance, the council had decided to collapse its existing seven directorates into three. The seven directorates: Chief Operating Officer, Director of Administration, Director of Marketing Services, Assistant Director, Examination and Training, Assistant Director, Membership Services, Assistant Director, Marketing (East), Assistant Director Marketing (in charge of the North), are now: Corporate Affairs, Finance and Administration and Marketing Services. The NIMN boss, however, insisted that as a way of ensuring that competent hands are drafted to manage these new directorates, a competency test is in the offing for qualified staff of the institute, adding that the coun-

cil might be left with no option than to source for capable hands outside if none of the staff of the institute lived up to expectations of the office. To further enhance marketing practice in the country, the

Council also announced its plans to ban those who are not certified members of the institute from practising marketing as from the first quarter of next year, 2016. The NIMN boss explained that such move had become impera-

tive to allow the practice create value and, in turn, attract the attention of stakeholders. Besides intensifying the war against quackery, the council, Koledoye stated, had also lined up series of activities that would spread over the last quarter of the year, to enable the institute end on a high note. He stated that the institute had concluded plans to hold its Best Marketing Award, designed to encourage and celebrate marketing students in the nation’s higher institutions that have distinguished themselves in that practice. Perhaps as a way of intimating the rest of the world of the Council’s intention to observe best practices in its administration of the institute’s affairs, Koledoye also announced that a four-member Electoral Committee had been constituted to conduct the forthcoming elections into the offices of the institute’s First and Second Vice Presidents, expected to be vacant at its next Annual General Meeting (AGM), scheduled for Enugu, in November. And interestingly, the Committee, headed by a fellow of the institute, Chidi Nwankpa, has since swung into action, calling qualified members interested in vying for the offices to signify their intentions. No doubt, the task before the incumbent council of the institute is herculean, though not insurmountable.

Lafarge Africa wins 2015 Best HSE Practice Award For its high standard and commitment to health, safety of workers and the environment, Lafarge Africa Plc has been awarded the Best Health, Safety and Environment (HSE) Practice in the manufacturing sector at the Nigeria Safety Award for Excellence Hall of Fame 2015. Also known as 9Ja Safe Awards, the event which was held recently in Lagos, was a convergence of HSE professionals in the country, as well as top players from the oil & gas, manufacturing, property and construction, telecommunications, Power, Banking, Finance, insurance, maritime and aviation industries, among others. Lafarge Africa Plc won the award in the category which had other manufacturing giants in Nigeria as nominees.

Managing Director, Concrete and Aggregates Readymix (an arm of Lafarge), Mr Loren Zanin, received the award on behalf of Mr Peter Hoddinott, the Group MD/CEO, Lafarge Africa Plc. While receiving the award, Zanin commended the organisers of 9ja Safe Awards for raising the standard of health and safety in Nigeria through the initiative. “We are not doing health and safety because of awards, but we strongly believe in health and safety that is why we look after our workers and we ensure that families of our workers have safe working places. “Awards are nice but what is more important to us is being a good health and safety provider always. Every organisation has got the responsibility to look af-

ter its workers and we are doing what we know is morally right,” he stated. He described the award as a testimony that the company’s strict adherence to health and safety rules is being noted and rewarded. The Chief Coordinating Officer, 9Ja Safe Awards, organisers of the award, Femi Da-Silva, said award was not ceremonious but prestigious because the companies and individuals who emerged winners in the Nigeria Safety Award for Excellence Hall of Fameall merited the awards, as nominees were carefully selected by reputable safety stakeholders. Thereafter, a committee using pre-determined criteria and scoring methods carried out a verification exercise.

brands&marketing

Nigerian Tribune

Tuesday, 15 September, 2015

Hajj pilgrims commend MTN free incoming calls in Saudi Pilgrims embarking on the 2015 Hajj have commended leading ICT Company, MTN Nigeria, for offering free incoming calls while

Voices, faces of Nigeria’s first women radio station, WFM 91.7, unveiled St. Ives Communications, owners of WFM 91.7, Nigeria’s first Radio station for women and their families, presented the voices and faces that will be its core on-air-personalities to a select cream of media practitioners. In what’s akin to a scene from an episode of ShowTime, the quartet of Abisola Grace Aiyeola, Nigerian British-born, currently studying Business Management at the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN); budding actress and singer, Funmi Jinadu, who cut her teeth in radio broadcasting at BBC Bristol, UK, as well as an active member of the National Union of Journalists, (NUJ), United Kingdom; Bolatito Bez Idakula, a former banker; and Chinedu Faith Nwagha, a public speaker, customer service consultant and an advocate of personal development, were presented to the media as the leading voices and faces that will run things at WFM 91.7, as the station’s core on-air-personalities. Presenting the young and talented broadcasters at the event which took place inside the cozy environs of Protea Hotel, GRA, Ikeja, Lagos, Toun Okewale-Sonaiya stated that the quartet were selected from over 5,000 applicants that showed interest in working for WFM 91.7. “The selection process was thorough and painstakingly executed. We were lucky to have veteran broadcasters like Femi Sowoolu, Seun Olagunju, Sydney Ufeli of Spik Rait, Saund Rait, etc. on the selection panel. So, what we are serving the listening public are the best of our bests,” she said. Toun, herself a broadcaster of many years’ experience whose career traverse Nigeria and United Kingdom, added that “One of the amazing qualities of these on-air-personalities is that each of them can function in any arm of the station’s operations. They are all undergoing training that will see them performing creditably well on any programme,” she enthused. According to Toun, though WFM 91.7 prides itself as an “unapologetically for women radio station,” she reiterated that “it is not just about women or straight-jacketed tailored for women; it is a radio station for women, the men in their lives and for the whole family. The station will cover and discuss every aspect of our lives, be it sports, business, politics, governance, economy, health, family, relationship issues, youth etc. However, all these issues will be presented from the women perspective. How we (women) see it.”

roaming in Saudi Arabia. This is in addition to special discounted rates for calls and data services. MTN, as part of its efforts towards making the Pilgrimage a worthwhile experience for the pilgrims, commenced specially discounted rates on Voice, SMS and Data to all roaming customers in Saudi Arabia during Hajj. The offer will give opportunity to pilgrims to receive calls and SMS from family and friends in Nigeria for free, and pilgrims will touch base with their loved ones for as low as N35 per minute while in

Saudi Arabia. In addition to the discounted rates, MTN Nigeria also distributed travel kits such as sling bags, money pouch, slippers and free MTN SIMs to intending Pilgrims across 14 Hajj Camps in Nigeria. Seeing the efforts made by MTN, Alhaja Kudirat Badmus, a business woman as well as a pilgrim from Oke-Ogun in Oyo State, commended MTN for the opportunity. “I like to keep in touch with my family during the pilgrimage and I prefer using voice calls to do this so. I am delighted that calls to my

family will not only be hitch-free, but also affordable during the Hajj season,” she said. Dr Saliu Abdulwaheed, a medical doctor and one of the pilgrims, while speaking at the Lagos Mobilisation Camp before departing for the holy land, commended MTN for the initiative, describing it as a boost to their trip to the holy land. “From experience, receiving and making calls during the Hajj has always been an expensive experience for people like me who roam their lines, but MTN’s initiative on this discounted rates will surely be

a boost to my pilgrimage.” The General Manager, Consumer Marketing, MTN, Richard Iweanoge, said: “MTN as a brand is always seeking ways to make its customers’ lives better through our products and services. We also deemed it fit and important that during this special period for our Muslim subscribers, we could help them connect and stay stronger in their faith and belief. “It is for this reason that we have given them this support to make them achieve their religious obligations.”

From left, representative of the Regional Director, South East1 region, Skye Bank Plc., Nkemdilim Anerobi; Enugu Zonal Coordinator, National Lottery Regulatory Commission, Mr Eke Michael; Head, Retail Banking Group, Skye Bank, Nkolika Okoli; and Senior Manager, National Lottery Regulatory Commission, Mr Nwafor Ramsay at the Bank’s “Reach For The Skye” reward draw, held in Onitsha Main Market, Anambra State, recently.

Mellanox Technologies, ConSol sign distributorship agreement

echnologies (NASDAQ: MLNX), a supplier of end-to-end InfiniBand and Ethernet interconnect solutions has signed an agreement with Contact Solutions Limited (ConSol), an ICT and customer management solutions provider, for the distribution of Mellanox Technology solutions in Nigeria. With the new agreement, ConSol becomes Mellanox’s official channel distributor/partner responsible for the distribution of Mellanox Technology solutions in Nigeria. Speaking at the agreement signing ceremony, the head of Sales, EMEA for Mellanox, Ronen Bass, stated that ConSol was chosen to be the sole distribution partner in Nigeria based on its track record as an ICT solutions provider and her channel distribution capabilities. “Mellanox Technologies has a wide and valued community of customers within the finance, e-commerce telecom and retail sectors. Our solutions empower more than 10,000 carrier customers worldwide to adapt to market challenges quickly, maintain business continuity and achieve maximum produc-

tivity while keeping down cost,” Ronen stated. He expressed the company’s belief that the new business relationship with ConSol would enable more businesses in Nigeria benefit from the company’s

solutions. Meanwhile, the Executive Director of ConSol, Damoye Oyesiku, expressed his joy at the new business relationship with Mellanox, noting that the business alliance would enable the

company enhance the pre-sales, sales and after sales support of Mellanox solutions in Nigeria. “ConSol is pleased to work with Mellanox to deliver scalable performance at speeds up to 100G,” he stated.

Skye Bank’s reward scheme produces more millionaires Skye Bank again made another set of millionaires in the on-going Reach for the Skye Millionaire Reward Scheme. Onitsha, the Anambra State commercial city, recently hosted the Pan-Nigerian Scheme, where 17 Nigerians who operate the bank’s flagship savings and financial inclusion account (Skye save plus and Skye Ease accounts) smiled home. With the win, Skye Bank has given out over N14,000,000 to more than 50 people since the reward scheme began in June this year. The Mega winners of the N1, 000,000 category include: Titilayo Olufunke from Ilorin Branch, Obiayo Patience, from Lugbe, Abuja Branch and Oloyede Abiodun from Ilaoro-

gun. While expressing her delight at the promo, one of the winners, Obiayo Patience, stated that she was at first skeptical of the reward initiative, because of the deluge of scams that had been going on in the nation’s lottery industry, in the name of promo. The reward draws session which was hosted by Nollywood actor and celebrity host, Kingsley Ogbonna , alias Dauda had series of rigorous and authentic selection processes using a verification software to help validate the winners based on their N2000 minimum balances. The winners that emerged were prompted to wait for a follow-up calls that would advise on the payment details and further engagements.

Speaking at the reward scheme, Head, Retail Banking, Skye Bank Plc., Nkolika Okoli, stated that, “the reward scheme provides a unique opportunity for the bank to stay in touch and reward its SavePlus and Easy Save account holders, who have a unique role to play in the country’s future economic growth which will be largely driven by a cashless model,” he said. Validating the authenticity of the scheme, the Enugu Zonal Coordinator, National Lottery Regulatory Commission, Mr Eke Michael said: “we are here to ensure that this process is seamless and void of any form of deceit and this is what we have seen today. The process is true, the process is real and we throw our support behind its success.”

Tuesday, 15 September, 2015

infotech

anchor Bode Adewumi

m:08055001765 e:bodekafi@yahoo.com

LG Electronics and the quest for ideal global ecosystem By Bode Adewumi

sk one hundred people what environmental activism looks like and you are likely to get different answers. While the initial green revolution was couched in radical, anti-business language, the vast majority of environmentalists today believe that corporations have a valuable role to play in preserving the environment and practicing responsible stewardship over its resources. In fact, large corporations now regularly partner with environmental activists in order to ensure that the company meets sustainability goals. The growing collaboration between business interests and environmental groups is helping to reinforce the notion that pursuing business opportunities doesn’t mean neglecting environmental responsibilities. Companies are evolving beyond their former roles as mere profit-making enterprises and taking on additional responsibilities as leading guardians of the environment. In spite of this, it is important to consider the increasing role environmental protection plays in defining the conversation surrounding corporate social responsibility. While it certainly is important for the environment that companies take a greener approach to business, it is now proving to be more important for the bottom line, as studies have shown consumers are indeed concerned about the global eco-system. Most even say that they are willing to buy products from, work for, or invest in companies that are environmentally and socially responsible. On top of that, a majority said they would spend even more for products from these companies. In many ways, the environmental efforts of a company put consumers’ minds at ease. Globally, leading companies are now adopting an environmentally-friendly posture. One of such companies is LG Electronics with its innovative, eco-friendly and energy-saving products. LG strongly believes in responsible environmental stewardship and the company has an established track record of producing eco-friendly appliances, air conditioners and other products designed to help users reduce energy consumption. By decreasing overall energy use, these cutting-edge products save consumers money in the long run through lower energy bills, and the corresponding decrease in

Some members of staff of LG Electronics planting trees during the flag-off of the LG Tree Planting campaign in Lagos, recently. electricity demand leads to a drop in pollution. In 2014, an incredible 300 LG models were named to the U.S. EPA’s ENERGY STAR certified products list. The company additionally increased sales of ENERGY STAR certified products by 18 per cent since 2013. LG has pledged itself to reducing hazardous substances such as heavy metals and chemicals in its products. This is part of the company’s vision to increase the recyclability of its products and allow for easy, eco-friendly disposal at the end of the product’s lifespan. This sustainable approach leads to an overall 29,650 ton reduction in greenhouse gas emissions in 2012. With consumers all over the world facing higher energy costs and growing concern over the impact of global warming in recent years, it is no surprise that shoppers in a number of markets have repeatedly indicated their preference for energy efficient products. In order to save money and do their part in protecting the planet, many consumers have opted to purchase products that consume less energy. Eco-friendliness increasingly resonates with consumers across all income levels. LG has a track record of producing energy conserving products that help users cut down on their energy consumption. By reducing the energy consumed, these products not only save consumers

Nigerian Tribune

money in the long run through lower energy bills, but the decrease in power demanded helps eliminate pollution as well. LG leads the way in designing competitive washing machines that do not compromise performance for efficiency. LG’s 6 Motion Direct Drive is not only efficient, its energy usage figures make it 40 per cent more efficient than is required for the EU’s A+++

We are here to promote the interest of Nigeria and Nigerians. We know this will boost our country’s business interest and also offer an additional window to showcase the strong and positive attribute of Nigeria as a country.

grade, the highest level of certification given to home appliances. From its construction to eventual disposal, the 6 Motion Direct Drive creates minimal ecological impact over its lifespan. Compared to conventional models, the 6 Motion Direct Drive reduces acidification by 9 per cent, resource depletion by 23 per cent, greenhouse gas emissions by 12 percent and ozone-depleting substances by 34 per cent. LG 6Motion Washing Machines are equipped with the high-efficiency Direct Drive motor that cut energy costs and water consumption, compared to conventional washing machines. LG’s Direct Drive system increases the motor’s efficiency. This not only cuts back on energy use and makes it less susceptible to breakdown, but also helps reduce noise levels. Part of its environmentalfriendly technologies is the premium Door-in Door refrigerators with the Inverter Linear Compressor. LG refrigerators featuring the Inverter Linear Compressor have been recognised for their energy saving capabilities and quiet performance. The company’s refrigerators achieved excellent results in tests carried out by the Association for Electrical, Electronic and Information Technologies (VDE), one of Europe’s largest and most respected scientific and technical associations. The LG Door-in-Door (DID) refrigerator was designed to meet

many families complaining of certain types of food going bad due to constant opening of the fridge to get “go-to” foods during the regular quick grab and go visits. In most busy households, the refrigerator door is opened between 20 and 50 times each day; during this times cool air escapes and ambient air sneaks in each time the refrigerator door is opened which results to food spoilage, thereby causing owners to discard them which not only amount to wastefulness but also finally harm human health as a result of the disposal in the environment. LG DID refrigerator also runs quietly and has an efficient compressor that keeps noise to a minimum and empowers the environment by using less energy. LG’s Linear Compressor technology enables its refrigerators to be industry leaders in energy savings, freshness, and noise levels. LG’s revolutionary Inverter Linear Compressor provides up to 32 per cent energy saving and 25 percent less noise2. Employing a linear piston drive instead of a conventional reciprocating drive, LG’s advanced Inverter Linear Compressor generates less internal friction resulting in lower energy requirements and noise as well as greater reliability and durability due to the reduction of friction points. By adding an extra set of doors to its Dual Door-in-Door refrigerators, LG shows how advanced design can enhance convenience for consumers and make products more environmentally friendly. These advanced refrigerators also use LG’s revolutionary Inverter Linear Compressor, allowing them to consume 36 percent less energy and produce 25 percent less noise. Apart from developing energy efficient, health and environmental friendly products which are much beneficial to its consumers, LG Electronics in Nigeria has proven itself to be socially conscious company who has overtime engaged in socially responsible programs. Over the years, LG Electronics has constantly marked the World Environment Day (WED) with a tree planting activity; this has not gone unnoticed given the fact that in recognition of its pioneering work in the area of tree-planting and environmental protection initiatives, the company was, in 2012, honoured as the corporate organisation with the best nurtured trees by the Lagos State government. The company has also commemorated the WED by embarking on a beach cleaning exercise at an expansive beach in Epe, a Lagos suburb as part of showing its commitment to issues that affect the environment.

infotech

Tuesday, 15 September, 2015

Nigerian Tribune

Gl First Monie, others reiterate commitment to security on mobile money platform Stories By Bode Adewumi

ustomers carrying out mobile money transactions on GloXchange have been assured of advanced security measures by national telecoms carrier, Globacom and partner banks to safeguard their money and identity and ensure that transactions are carried out using international best practices. Explaining the advanced security features on the GloXchange platform during the recent launch in Lagos, Globacom’s Head of Mobile Money Financial Business, Mr. EsaieDiei, said that GloXchange is well secured and encoded such that the agents “cannot even see customers’ transactions” Diei reiterated that fraudsters will find it extremely difficult to hack into the transactions of customers as a dedicated toll-free Agent Care short number 33003 has been created to forestall such occurrence. “The customer can send an SMS with the phone number of an agent to the short code, 33003 to confirm if the particular agent is genuine or not”, Diei clarified. He also revealed that the short code will provide the customer with the nearest GloXchange agent location and also answer other enquiries, free of charge. GloXchange agents he said, can also access the services of Mobile Money Operators across the country through a dedicated short code, *800#. During the launch, over 1000 mobile money agents

EMC XtremIO achieves $1 billion in aggregate bookings EMC Corporation has announced that the EMC XtremIO all-flash array business has achieved $1 billion in aggregate bookings in just over 18 months since its commercial market debut, making it, quite possibly, the fastest-growing product in EMC’s 36-year history. As reported in EMC’s second quarter 2015 earnings, XtremIO revenue growth exceeded 300 per cent year over year, and remains the all-flash array market segment leader. The industry’s first and only all-flash array provides consistent and predictable extreme performance to any application workload over any period of time, EMC’s XtremIO features several unique flash innovations: a scale-out multi-controller architecture with linear scalability; deduplication that is always on, and always inline, and data protection that is six times more efficient and four times faster than traditional RAID (redundant array of independent disks). XtremIO is integrated within the EMC ecosystem to provide additional capabilities, ease-of-use, compatibility, and simply meets the right market need.

were commissioned to operate the GloXchange, making it Nigeria’s first mobile money super-agent network. Globacom had earlier last year, trained thousands of potential agents nationwide. Ebenezer Kolawole, Globacom’s Coordinator, Gloworld, who gave an opening remark during the launch, said 10,000 well-trained and pro-

ficient GloXchange agents will join the network in the next one year to deliver the much expected mobile money revolution in Nigeria. He revealed that the agents will operate from designated mobile money outlets such as kiosks, shops, pharmacies, supermarkets and mega stores in strategic locations nationwide. The outlets he added, will be in ad-

dition to the over 160 Gloworld and Glozone shops, which are already offering GloXchange services to customers along with branches of all Globacom’s mobile money partners such as First Bank, Ecobank, Stanbic IBTC Bank and Zenith Bank. Kolawole enthused that GloXchange is an initiative introduced push financial inclusion in the coun-

try and take cashless transactions and e-payments to rural settlements in order to enable mobile phone users make payments, do transfers, buy airtime, pay utility bills such as, Dstv, GoTV, and PHCN among others; pay expressway tolls and conduct any such financial transactions without cash exchange, but through the mobile phone.

Samsung launches new brand theme, unveils competition

From left: Director of Corporate Strategies, Olatunji Vincent; Head of Corporate Communications, Hadiza Umar; Director of Finance, Abdulsalam Raheem Olalere, all of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) and the Nigeria Consul General in Dubai, Ambassador Mike Omotosho, at the Nigerian Consular General Office in Dubai,United Arab Emirates, recently.

UAE supports Nigeria’s participation in GITEX 2015 The Nigeria foreign mission in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) through its Consulate in Dubai, has expressed support for the country’s participation in the GITEX Technology Show scheduled to hold in Dubai next month, October. Nigeria Consul General, Dubai, UAE, His Excellency Ambassador Dr. Mike Omotosho, affirmed that the foreign mission in the UAE would mobilise business ventures in the UAE representing different countries to pally with Nigeria’s technology ventures during the five-day ICT expo touted as the 3rd largest in the world. Africa’s largest economy would be welcoming investors and global partners to explore the country’s

diverse opportunities inside the Nigerian Pavilion at the Sheikh Rashid Hall where Nigerian is hosting 20 established local companies and startups. The exhibiting companies include Nigerian Communication Satellite (NIGCOMSAT) Limited, Data Sciences Nigeria Limited, Precise Financial Systems (PFS) Limited, RLG Communications Nigeria Limited, Sidmach Technologies Nigeria Limited, SKtel Nigeria Limited and the Association of Telecommunications Companies of Nigeria (ATCON), a professional, non-profit, non-political umbrella organisation of all telecommunications companies of Nigeria. Others are Sasware, ChamsPlc,

Dimension Data, VCE co-sponsor Innovation Dinner in Nigeria

IT News Africa, has announced that Dimension Data will be the lead sponsor of the next edition of the IT News Africa Innovation Dinner Series in Nigeria, in partnership with VCE. On 16 September, senior technology executives will converge on Wheatbaker Hotel in Lagos, for another edition of the Innovation Dinner series, under the theme: Transform to Better Perform: Information Technology’s role in driving competitive advantage, customer value and business growth in an uncertain economic environment. A recent World Bank report warns that Nigeria will face a series of tough challenges in 2015 and

2016. These challenges include the looming prospect of higher borrowing costs as the country adapts to a new era of low prices for oil and other key commodities. This was according to the World Bank Group’s latest Global Economic Prospects (GEP) report released recently. Low oil prices have considerably reduced growth in commodityexporting countries (Angola, Nigeria), and also slowed activity in non-oil sectors. In responding to the challenging business environment, senior management is increasingly looking to ICT to provide innovation and transformation, reduce costs and improve business efficiency.

Agrovative Limited, Blubird Retail Management Limited, Cribpark Systems Limited, Hutbay Limited, Largeminds Enterprise Limited, Medrep, Smart City and Truppr. The 20 exhibitors feature eight startup companies that the NITDA is promoting to the global event to facilitate business pitches for the budding ventures. “We are here to promote the interest of Nigeria and Nigerians. We know this will boost our country’s business interest and also offer an additional window to showcase the strong and positive attribute of Nigeria as a country not only in the ICT sector but other economic areas. Let me assure you that you have our full support,” said Dr. Mike Omotosho to the NITDA delegation led by the Director of Finance, Abdulsalam Raheem Olalere who represented the Director General Peter Jack. Also in attendance were NITDA’s Director of Corporate Strategies, Olatunji Vincent, and Head of Corporate Communications, Hadiza Umar. Others are President of Pinnacle Consult LLC, Akande Ojo, and Chief Executive Officer of Knowhow Media International (KMI), media consultants to Nigeria at Gitex 2015, Segun Oruame. Jack said NITDA’s courtesy visit was part of the desire to solicit in -country support in the UAE for Nigeria’s presence at GITEX 2015 and to collaborate with the Consular General in promoting local content and Nigeria’s companies itching to have a stake in the global ICT industry.

Samsung Electronics West Africa recently announced the launch of a new brand theme, Dream Your Dream, which seeks to nurture the aspiration of young Nigerians who have great dreams with the potential to impact the country positively. Speaking on the new theme and forthcoming campaign, Managing Director, Samsung Electronics West Africa, Mr. Brovo Kim, stated that the company understands that the desire of people to succeed in the pursuit of their dreams is enhanced by their ability to access the needed resources. “Samsung’s culture of innovation is reaching beyond products, helping people realise their dreams by drawing on our entrepreneurial spirit to provide our customers a window to the world. Our commitment to the success of the country has led to the launch of our new theme, Dream Your Dream,” Kim said. Dream Your Dream tends to inspire progress and spur dreams to success. Nursing a dream is one thing, seeing it to fruition is another, said, Director, Information Technology and Mobile, EmmanouilRevmatas. “Samsung is on a mission to provide the required tools needed to propel the future of our customers by delivering solutions that enrich their lives. We are expanding the boundaries of technology helping our customers succeed in their daily lives, encouraging them to take the required steps to becoming the change the country has been waiting for,” remarked Revmatas. The company stated that it would be kicking off the new theme campaign with the launch of the Samsung J7 device, which is being launched with the slogan, “Picture Your Dream”. The Picture Your Dream slogan will drive a palm selfie competition with one lucky Nigerian having his dream actualized. The Picture Your Dream campaign is expected to kick off in September. Individuals will be requested to participate in a palm selfie competition where their dreams will be written on their palms, uploaded to www. pictureyourdream.ng. “The idea is to select seven finalists based on internal judges’ discretion who will be rewarded a Samsung Galaxy J7 each.

Tuesday, 15 September, 2015 Group Politics Editor Taiwo Adisa - 08072000046 tai_adis@yahoo.com

Suspense as Tribunal sits over Adeyemi, Melaye matter The sitting of the tribunal over the petition of the former senator representing Kogi West senatorial district, Smart Adeyemi against the election of the incumbent, Dino Melaiye resumes at the tribunal sitting in Lokoja, Kogi State, YINKA OLADOYINBO, writes on the proceedings so far and the expectations of the parties.

HE legal battle of the true owner of the Kogi West senatorial seat in the National Assembly last week entered the crucial stage with the commencement of hearing by the National Assembly Election Petitions Tribunal sitting in Lokoja, the Kogi State capital. The proceedings resumed Wednesday with the calling of witnesses by the petitioner. The three-man panel headed by Justice Akon Ikpeme, had rounded off the prehearing of the petition brought by the former Senator representing the senatorial district, Senator Smart Adeyemi, against the victory of Senator Dino Melaiye. While bringing the pre-hearing to a close, the tribunal ruled on the earlier argued motions that the petitioner could call additional witnesses to prove his case. The petitioner, had through his counsel, Chief Wole Olanipekun (SAN), brought a motion to amend his statement of claims to enable him bring in additional witnesses and also present the report of the recount of the ballot papers used in the election. The motion was also to allow the petitioner bring in the report of the recounted ballot papers in the disputed 21 polling units in the senatorial district. Granting the motion, the tribunal, therefore, allowed all the prayers of the petitioner, which also include the request for determination of primary -election of Melaye, who is the first respondent in the suit and the All Progressives Congress (APC), 2nd respondents. Another major motion granted by the tribunal was the prayer of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to withdraw its amended motion of reply to the petition, which the commission filled on April 3rd; as well as grant the oral application to strike out some paragraphs of its response to the petitionerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s prayer. With the development, the commission has no response to the entire petition However, following the granting of the motion to call additional witnesses, another round of legal fireworks opened when Adeyemi attempted to present the reports of the recount of the ballot papers for the disputed units when the hearing proper started. At the resumed of the sitting of the tribunal, counsel to the petitioner, Kayode Olatoke SAN, sought the relief of the court to call the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC)

Adeyemi in the state, who had been subpoenaed to tender the necessary documents. The REC, who was represented by two officials of the commission had brought many bags containing the required documents to the sitting of the tribunal. While preparing the ground for the admission of the document, the learned silk told the tribunal that the documents were brought in accordance with Section 218 of the Evidence Act, saying that admitting them would not breach the section. He said the documents met the three conditions for admissibility in court, which include whether they were pleaded, whether they were relevant and whether they were admissible. While claiming that the documents were admissible by virtue of Section 83 of the Evidence Act, Olatoke urged the tribunal to admit them as exhibits to be used in prosecuting the petition. However, counsel to Melaiye, who is also the first respondent, F .C. Ani, vehemently

objected to the admission of the documents, saying that the INEC officials that brought the documents could not give evidence on them. According to him, since the petitioner had not told the court while applying for the supeana that he would make the makers give evidence on them outside the box, the tribunal should not allow it. In his argument, counsel to the APC, Ayotunde Ogunleye, noted that the court should be bound by the prayers of parties in a suit, claiming that the arguments and the authorities cited by Olatoke were not relevant to the petition. He said the witnesses were not competent to give evidence on the documents and urged the tribunal to reject the documents and mark them as rejected. After listening to the arguments of the parties, the tribunal adjourned briefly to rule on the arguments. The tribunal in its ruling accepted all the documents, including the report of INEC on APC primary, which was meant to prove the

As the legal battle resumes tomorrow, the camps to the petition are expected to storm the court with the aim of putting up performances that will enable them achieve victory when the Ikpeme-led tribunal delivers its final judgment

Melaiye claim of the petitioner that Melaiye did not participate in any primary election before emerging as the candidate of the APC. Other documents admitted as exhibits by the tribunal include INEC manual and guideline for the election, original ballot papers used for the disputed units, form EC8c1 for Kabba/Bunnu. The chairman of the tribunal said they accepted the document based on the rulings of the Appeal and Supreme Courts on such matters. The tribunal stated that the rule of admissibility did not need calling the makers of the documents to give evidence on such documents, saying Section 183(1) of the Evidence Act made the documents admissible. With the acceptance of the documents, the stage was set for the calling of witnesses by the petition to further prove his case of irregularities in the units mentioned in the petition. The first and only witness called at the last sitting was Dada Feyinti, who told the court that the election in his area was conducted in accordance with the provisions of the constitution. However, as the legal battle resumes tomorrow, the camps to the petition are expected to storm the court with the aim of putting up performances that will enable them achieve victory when the Ikepemeled tribunal delivers its final judgment. How they are able to achieve this will however, not depend only on the theatrical performances they put up in court, but on the facts of their cases that are before their Lordship and the positions of the higher courts on such matters.

politicscommentary

Tuesday, 15 September, 2015

The initiatives of Tambuwal in 100 days By Imam Imam

HEN former Speaker of Nigeria’s House of Representatives, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, was sworn-in as Governor of Sokoto State on May 29, attention of the nation was shifted to the historical state, with genuine prospect of ‘continued change’ rising among citizens. This was expected largely because of the pedigree Tambuwal built while representing the people of Kebbe-Tambuwal Federal Constituency in the National Assembly and his subsequent success as the Number Four citizen in the hierarchy of protocol in the federation. Tambuwal had campaigned for the new position on the premise of continuing with most of the programmes of the previous administration of Aliyu Magatakarda Wamakko in Sokoto state. This was much evident in his numerous speeches before, during and after the elections. The need for the ‘continued change’ mantra was necessary since both politicians not only belong to the same political party, but were from the same political family whose cord was coupled together years back. But like all individuals, it was an established fact that even though continuity of policies is guaranteed, governance style is a product of individual peculiarity since all persons are born different and unique. Rather than feel any difference in individual composition between the last and present administration, foundation laid by Tambuwal in the last 100+ days have heightened the already spiraling expectation from the public. The new approach to governance has galvanised the populace and attracted attention not just nationally but among development partners and other interest groups. The people have been co-opted and their inputs sought in efforts to improve their well-being and build on the foundation laid in preceding years. A priority to him at the moment is institutional reform. He has repeatedly said that when the institutions are on sound footing, the journey will be smoother. What we have been served by Tambuwal is a development module that integrates Sokoto’s historical peculiarities and huge potential while seeking to modernise all aspect of its life. Knowing fully-well that no human endeavour will move successfully without quality education, Tambuwal made the revamping of the sector his number one priority. Within days of taking over the reigns of affairs , he received an unusual request from Sultan Sa’ad Abubakar to introduce school transportation system for kids in the state. His thinking was that with this kind of arrangement on ground, learning will be enhanced. Tambuwal promptly took up the challenge. Modalities for implementation are currently being developed pending budgetary approvals from the state legislature. In a bid to boost enrolment figures and halt historical anomaly, government announced a policy that will criminalise refusal to send children to schools. The policy, seen as both radical and revolutionary, has drawn wide applause from social commentators and other stakeholders. This was followed immediately by recruitment of 500 teachers to address shortfall in teaching personnel in public secondary schools. At a meeting with UNICEF, Tambuwal ordered immediate payment of counterpart funding for training of primary school teach-

Tambuwal

The new approach to governance has galvanised the populace and attracted attention not just nationally but among development partners and other interest groups. The people have been co-opted and their inputs sought in efforts to improve their well-being and build on the foundation laid in preceding years.

ers whose services will be employed upon completion of the trainings. The government has also abolished the discrepancy in the payment of school fees between indigenes and non indigenes in all public schools in Sokoto State. The entire operational manual for the tsangaya system of education, which integrates western and Islamic school system, has been redrawn. From the next academic session, designated teachers will lecture the students in their areas of learning pending when better facilities are provided to create a condusive learning environment. Then also, in Sokoto, emphasis is now on technical education to ensure all students who graduated from O’levels are equipped with necessary skills for self reliance. Feasibility studies have been completed for the opening of entrepreneurship development

centres in the three senatorial zones of the state. In the areas of employment and youth empowerment, few weeks back, government started registration of 25,000 youths expected to benefit from a skills acquisition scheme over a two year period. In the coming weeks, government will unveil a special training scheme for artisans and semi-skilled professionals to enhance output and marketing potential for their products. Sokoto government has also signed an MoU with the Usman Danfodio University for the training of nurses and birth attendants whose services will be deployed in all parts of the state. To appreciate Sokoto indigenes studying health related courses, government has offered automatic employment for them upon successful completion of their studies.

Much has happened in the health sector in Sokoto in the last 100 days. After paying unscheduled late-night visits to public hospitals to assess things for himself, Tambuwal announced increment in allowances paid to itinerant health care workers who frequent rural areas daily to render services to those in need. To enhance use of life-saving drugs, government began distribution of free drugs to pregnant women and those who gave birth in public hospitals or private health care centre under government supervision in the rural areas. Consultations have also started on efforts to introduce health insurance scheme in Sokoto State. The scheme is part of measures to decentralise the National Health Insurance Scheme for optimum performance. Governor Tambuwal said seeking the views of religious scholars and traditional rulers is essential for its future success. Due to space constraint, let me say that social welfare schemes met by Tambuwal have been enhanced, with the ultimate objectives to ensure all citizens feel the impact of government at all levels. In agriculture, Tambuwal started off by reclaiming a huge irrigation land abandoned since colonial times. With it on board, the new drive to enhace rice farming received a boost. Government has also opened discussion with the Central Bank of Nigeria to open new credit line in addition to existing facilities so as to modernise the farming, packaging, storage and export of rice from Sokoto. Tambuwal has already appealed to the federal government to stop granting waiver to rice exporters in order to assist local producers. In housing, Tambuwal laid the foundation stone for a 250-housing unit Caliphate Workers estate to be sited at Kasarawa, along airport road in Sokoto. Three other estates, initiated by the last administration, will be commissioned early next year with a combined capacity of 1300 housing units. At the last Sokoto Business Forum, Aso Loans and Savings Ltd announced that it will construct 4000 units of houses over four years’ period in Sokoto. On security, apart from sustaining cooperation with various security agencies serving in the state, Tambuwal ordered all hotels in Sokoto to, from next year, ensure that all guests present valid ID cards as a condition for lodging. An innovative approach to environmental sanitation was unveiled where government gave a monetary incentive to the cleanest neighbourhood in Sokoto. The policy has attracted interest from all parts of the state. On days designated for sanitation, huge crowd flock to streets with brooms and shovels in bid to win Tambuwal’s N2.3m Naira on offer. On the important matter of bills and legislations, to demonstrate government’s commitment to have legal framework and institutionalise reforms, work on nine bills have been completed. They are the Sokoto Commodity Board bill, Sokoto Criminal Justice Law Reform bill, Anti-Child Ponography and Cyber Crimes bill, State Mortgage bill, Sokoto Education Reform bill, Sokoto Geographic Information Systems bill, Sokoto Transport Management Agency bill, Sokoto Primary Healthcare Development bill and Sokoto Environmental Protection Agency bill. •Imam is the Special Adviser on Media and Public Affairs to Governor Tambuwal.

34 politics&policy

Tuesday, 15 September, 2015

Why Oyo Assembly is considering bill on its financial autonomy —Minority leader In this interview with WALE AKINSELURE, Minority Leader, Oyo State House of Assembly, Mr Ojo Joshua Olagunju, speaks about the disquiet in the Assembly over unpaid salaries and allowances, among other issues. Excerpts:

coming months. You are a co-sponsor of the Oyo State House of Assembly Self-Accounting Bill. What are the intentions of this bill? The intention of the bill is towards ensuring the autonomy of the Assembly. We want to stop a usual situation where we have to look up to the executive for a penny. For example, the National Assembly, at the beginning of each year has a statutory allocation. They have a budget. The Lagos State House of Assembly also operates in this manner. Once this bill becomes law, it becomes mandatory for the governor or Accountant General, as the case may be, to allot a certain amount to the House of Assembly once the state government receives the monthly Federal Government allocation. Even if Ajimobi fails to assent to the bill, we will retrieve and veto it with two-third majority. Vetoing the law will also erase the wrong impression of the House of Assembly being a rubber stamp. Let us assume that the executive wants our approval of a request and we also have a request. The rubber stamp picture comes from the fact that we are compelled to accede to the executive’s demands so as to get our request. There is a saying that exchange is no robbery. This law will enable us to be more effective in the performance of our duties.

ECENTLY, there has been disquiet among members over unpaid salaries and allowances. It has not been well with members of the Eighth Assembly since inception. We started rough. However, whatever will have a good ending, at times, usually starts rough. Due to unpaid salaries and allowances, members have struggled to cope,especially with financing their accommodation, transportation. We have not been paid our wardrobe allowance, running cost allowance; the principal officers have not received their official vehicles. So far, what we have received are stipend which is about N100, 000 cannot cater for our needs and that of our constituencies in two or three days. Every month, each office is expected to receive a specific amount as running cost allowance, constituency allowance, transportation allowance, wardrobe allowance, housing allowance, including a statutory allowance for members. Some members have to travel from Saki, Ogbomoso, Ibarapa, Igboho,Oyo for our various sittings. These members cannot continue to spend hugely on hotel bills. Such allowances, if paid, will enable the lawmakers comfortably perform their legislative responsibilities. The principal officers should get vehicles and other members should receive car loans. It is not honourable for members to be seen on motorbikes. We have de-emphasised the issue of payment of our salaries because we understand that even civil servants are being owed salaries for months. But, the running cost should be paid to sort out our inconveniences. In a nutshell, things have not gone as expected. But some of these expenses like purchase of office equipment, cars, for every tenure of a public official, amount to recurrent expenditure. How do legislators help government reduce the cost of governance and maximise available revenue? Since our return to democracy in 1999, everything has become monetised. Whenever there is a new government in power, money must be made available for that public official to purchase what suits him or her. For instance, if my predecessor got a Hyundaicar, it is not ideal for such to be handed down to me. I should be allowed to purchase what I think will make me effective on the job. Even at the national level, one will recall that we previously had Apo Legislative quarters for members. But this system was later suspended. Moreover, if legislative quarters subsist, the amount that will be spent on renovating and equipping the quarters, at the end of each dispensation will be twice the allowance that will be given to the incoming members. It is most appropriate for funds to be made available for members to cater for their individual needs. Principally, our duty is to make laws. Also, we make laws that will facilitate government’s plan to generate more revenue. For

Olagunju instance, we just passed a resolution on the need to enforce traffic rules and regulations in Oyo State. If the Federal Road Safety Corps, the police, Vehicle Inspection Officers, Oyo State Road Traffic Management Authority (OYRTMA), enforce the laws, there will be increased revenue for government. Then, vehicle owners know that they have to get their driver’s licence and vehicle particulars up to date. Also, there are other areas that we can make laws to increase the revenue generating ability of the state. We have also passed the Revenue Administration Bill which allows for the restructuring of the Board of Internal Revenue.In particular, these revenue generating agencies must be properly monitored because one realises that many of them do not remit the total amount generated. And we have also passed a law to enforce the reduction of the number of ministries from 23 to 13.In fact, to show

our commitment, we have slashed our salaries, though we are yet to make it public. You have painted a picture of performance of your legislative duty which is not reciprocated by the executive through payment of your allowances. The executive acknowledges that we have performed our duties as expected. Therefore, it is left for the executive to compensate us accordingly. We do not have to beg; what we ask for are our statutory rights so as to carry on our duties as expected. Initially, the government talked about lack of funds, but we now that the Federal Government has provided some relieve funds for the state. The government is indebted and until those debts are settled, there will be no meaningful development. However, I am optimistic that things will begin to take shape in the

Even if Ajimobi fails to assent to the bill, we will retrieve and veto it with two-third majority. Vetoing the law will also erase the wrong impression of the House of Assembly being a rubber stamp.

You are leader of the minority with 14 members. The ruling party is in the majority with 18 members and may always have its way. To what extent does the minority determine the shape of events in the Assembly? For any bill to be passed into law, twothirds of the 32-member Assembly, that is, at least 21 members are required to stamp approval on it. So, the majority requires our involvement of the minority for progress in the Assembly. Without the minority, no law can be made in the state. At times, the majority might have its way on motions, but not on the making of laws. However, this distinction is not spelt out on the floor of plenary as we have worked harmoniously so far. The state government has set a monthly IGR target of N2.2 billion by next year and N7.6 billion by 2020. It is interesting that we are now being compared with states like Lagos, Ogun, AkwaIbom. But Ibadan, the state capital, is just very big; we do not have many industries. It will be very difficult for the state to attain those set targets. Well, this can be achievable only if we have more industries and electricity supply is regular. We can only hope. Moreover, I think government policies should be targeted towards improving our maintenance culture. Government does not have to construct roads, bridges, every time and then. Our maintenance culture in the state is poor. The state government should concentrate on the maintenance of existing infrastructure. For example, the roofs of the Ladoke Akintola Teaching Hospital, Ogbomoso are being blown off. Many roads in the state have gone bad. At the local government level, chairmen fail to maintain existing projects; rather, they start new ones just for their selfish interests. Across the state, the classrooms in public primary and secondary schools are dilapidated. The state government should focus on the maintenance of existing projects rather than embark on gigantic projects which may not be completed before the end of its tenure.

Tuesday, 15 September, 2015

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Anti-Corruption War: The David, Goliath symbolism By Yisa Eneyiramoh At the heart of ancient Palestine is the region known as the Shephelah, a series of ridges and valleys connecting the Judaean Mountains to the east with the wide, flat expanse of the Mediterranean plain. It is an area of breathtaking beauty, home to vineyards and wheat fields and forests of sycamore and terebinth. It is also of great strategic importance. Over the centuries, numerous battles have been fought for control of the region because the valleys rising from the Mediterranean plain offer those on the coast a clear path to the cities of Hebron, Bethlehem, and Jerusalem in the Judaean highlands. The most important valley is Aijalon, in the north, But the most storied is the Elah. The Elah was where Saladin faced off against the Knights of the Crusades in the twelfth century. It played a central role in the Maccabean wars with Syria more than a thousand years before that, and, most famously, during the days of the Old Testament, it was where the fledgling Kingdom of Israel squared off against the armies of the Philistines. The Philistines were from Crete. They were a seafaring people who had moved to Palestine and settled along the coast. The Israelites were clustered in the mountains, under the leadership of King Saul. In the second half of the eleventh century BCE, the Philistines began moving east, winding their way upstream along the floor of the Elah Valley. Their goal was to capture the mountain ridge near Bethlehem and split Saul’s kingdom in two. The Philistines were battle-tested and dangerous, and the sworn enemies of the Israelites. Alarmed, Saul gathered his men and hastened down from the mountains to confront them. The Philistines set up camp along the southern ridge of the Elah. The Israelites pitched their tents on the other side, along the northern ridge, which left the two armies looking across the ravine at each other. Neither dared to move. To attack meant descending down the hill and then making a suicidal climb up the enemy’s ridge on the other side. Finally, the Philistines had enough. They sent their greatest warrior down into the valley to resolve the deadlock one on one. He was a giant, six foot nine at least, wearing a bronze helmet and full body armor. He carried a javelin, a spear, and a sword. An attendant preceded him, carrying a large shield. The giant faced the Israelites and shouted out: “Choose you a man and let him come down to me! If he prevail in battle against me and strike me down, we shall be slaves to you. But if I prevail and strike him down, you will be slaves to us and serve us.” In the Israelite camp, no one moved. Who could win against such a terrifying

Nta Ekpo, ICPC boss

Itse Sagay

opponent? Then, a shepherd boy who had come down from Bethlehem to bring food to his brothers stepped forward and volunteered. Saul objected: “You cannot go against this Philistine to do battle with him, for you are a lad and he is a man of war from his youth.” But the shepherd was adamant. He had faced more ferocious opponents than this, he argued. “When the lion or the bear would come and carry off a sheep from the herd,” he told Saul, “I would go after him and strike him down and rescue it from his clutches.” Saul had no other options. He relented, and the shepherd boy ran down the hill toward the giant standing in the valley. “Come to me, that I may give your flesh to the birds of the heavens and the beasts of the field,” the giant cried out when he saw his opponent approach. Thus began one of history’s most famous battles. The giant’s name was Goliath. The shepherd boy’s name was David. Then David appeared. Saul tried to give him his own sword and armor so at least he’ll have a fighting chance. David refused. “I cannot walk in these,” he said, “for I am unused to it.” Instead, he reached down and picked up five smooth stones, and put them in his shoulder bag. Then, he descended into the valley, carrying his shepherd’s staff. Goliath looked at the boy coming toward him and is insulted. He was expecting to do battle with a seasoned warrior. Instead, he saw a shepherd – a boy from one of the lowliest of all professions – who seemed to want to use his shepherd’s staff as a cudgel against Goliath’s sword. “Am I a dog,” Goliath asked, gesturing at the staff, “that you should come to me with sticks?”

What happened next was legendary. David put one of his stones into the leather pouch of a sling, and he fired at Goliath’s exposed forehead. Goliath fell, stunned. David ran toward him, seized the giant’s sword, and cut off his head. “The Philistines saw that their warrior was dead,” the biblical account reads, “and they fled.” The battle was won miraculously by an underdog who, by all expectations, should not have won at all. This is the way we have told one another story over the many centuries since. It is how the phrase “David and Goliath” has come to be embedded in our language – as a metaphor for improbable victory. Ordinarily, this should have been captioned “an open letter to President Muhammadu Buhari’’ except that I felt I should start the discourse with the scintillating but not-too-Biblical story of the ‘fight between David and Goliath’ of about 6000 years ago. ‘If tomorrow come’ for the much expected epic fight between Buhari and the crowd of looters in the immediate past President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration with the bid to recover looted funds, of course, it won’t be short of resemblance to David vs Goliath’s duel. We are indeed in democracy, and the battle must be fought under the rules of

It is the spirit and not the form of law that keeps justice alive.

law; ably represented by the courts. Just as one time American President, Theodore Roosevelt had remarked on his country’s senate that “When they call the roll in the Senate, the Senators do not know whether to answer ‘Present’ or ‘Not Guilty’,” so our judges, wrongly or not appear to be held in Nigeria of recent. William Shakespeare of course noted in his “Measure for Measure’’, that “Thieves for their robbery have authority when judges steal themselves’’, which is the case if a nation’s judiciary is corrupt. David avoided the formal rule of engagement in order to defeat Goliath. The late President Umaru Musa Yar’adua appealed to the Niger Delta militants’ “mental homes’’ before they submitted their guns to his government in exchange for amnesty programme. Buhari doesn’t need rocket science principles but native intelligence or common sense to recover the loots. Ostensibly, it must be majorly done through the courts. But that Buhari is unhappy with Nigeria’s judges is not in doubt; and he need not to be totally blamed. When he constituted the Professor Itse Sagay (SAN)’s Presidential Advisory Committee against Corruption and Reform of Criminal Justice system, no single Judge in Nigeria was made a member. That was reminiscent of the twin cities of Sodom and Gomorrah where no one could scale through moral and spiritual rectitude, which to some stakeholders, was what he meant. Three times he went to court to recover his “Presidential mandate’’, and three times he was denied ‘’justice’’, even when Yar’adua openly confirmed in 2007 that the election which brought him to power was flawed. But Buhari must pause and ponder too over the output of the same judges who penultimate 2015 General Election unanimously refused to be used by desperate politicians to truncate the democracy. The judges, though did not say it, but simply asked the politicians to go to the field to slug it out first and come back to them for the determination of suits against “the use of Card Reader by INEC, Buhari’s certificates and even suits against Jonathan’s the then anticipated third oath of office’’, just to mention a few. In 1993, their pronouncements led to the annulment of the presidential election popularly adjudged to be won by the late Chief M K O Abiola. Buhari needs not to show hostility to them, but rather finds ways to partner with the ‘’devils’’ (judges) to fight the “satans’’ (looters), as the saying goes in diplomatic parlance. The starting point for Buhari, at the risk of sounding immodest, is to invite the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), the head of Judiciary Arm of Government for a meeting to design ways or evoke strategies for recovery of the loots. To be continued

lawnews

Tuesday, 15 September, 2015

N5bn suit: Court restrains EKEDC from operating parallel account Ayomide Owonibi Odekanyin -Lagos

ustice Mohammed Yunusa of a Federal High Court sitting in Lagos, has restrained the Eko Electricity Distribution Company (EKEDC), from further operating parallel account called ‘Eko Distribution Electricity Company Meter Account’ with number 2562128948 domiciled with ECOBANK Nigeria Plc . The judge gave the order following a motion ex-parte brought against EKEDC, after hearing the submission of Wahab Shittu and Olawale Ajia, counsel to the applicants Momas Systems Nigeria Limited and Momas Electricity Meter Manufacturing Company Limited (MEMMCOL), first and second respondents respectively. The applicants are claiming N2.050 billion as special damages and another N3 billion as general damages against the first and third respondents respectively. The second and third respondents in the matter are Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Respondents Commission (NERC) and ECOBANK Nigeria Plc respectively. Justice Yunusa also compelled EKEDC to direct electricity consumers in the area exclusively assigned to the applicants to pay fees for the supply and installation of meters into an Es-

crow CAPMI bank account controlled jointly by the applicants and the first respondent under the CAPMI Scheme called Momas/Eko Distribution CAPMI account number 5712006231 domiciled with third respondent. The trial judge said the orders will subsist, pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice brought against the respondents. In a 41 paragraph affidavit he deposed to, the Chairman/Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the applicants, Engineer Kola Balogun, averred that he was aware that the second respondent is an agency of the Federal Government charged with the responsibility of regulat-

ing and monitoring the Nigerian electricity industry, issuance of licenses to market participants and ensuring compliance with market rules and guidelines. According to him, sometimes in May, 2013, the second respondent licensed the first and second applicants in the CAPMI Scheme, as Metering Service Providers (MSP) and also approved the participation of the companies as Metering System Vendor and as Metering System Manufacturer respectively. He added that further to the CAPMI guidelines, the applicants applied, made huge deposits and furnished bank guarantees to the first respondents, consequent upon which it as-

sessed and appointed the first applicant as its contractor for both supply and installation of various types of meters specifically for Island Region comprising of six business districts Ijora, Ojo, FESTAC, Ibeju, Island and Apapa Districts under Eko Electricity Distribution Zone. He deposed that the first respondent and the first applicant subsequently executed a Memorandum of Understanding(MOU), following which he claimed the third defendant opened and maintained a joint Escrow CAPMI account at the instance and in the name of the first applicant and the first respondent, with both parties controlling the account through their

respective representatives who were signatories to the account. He claimed that the first applicant and the first respondent thereafter opened a joint Escrow account with the second respondent which the CAPMI guidelines required both parties to jointly controlled through their account through their respective representatives, who were signatories to the account, adding that both parties, for sometime, operated and controlled the account titled MOMAS/Eko Distribution CAPMI account number 5712006231 domiciled with the third respondent. He averred that contrary to the CAPMI guidelines and agreement between the

Piracy: NCC arrests 35 suspects in Lagos The Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC) on Monday arrested 35 suspected pirates, who were parading the street of Lagos with illicit copies of home videos and audio CDs. The Lagos Zonal Director, Mr Chris Nkwocha, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos that the suspects contravene the Copyright Law of Section (38), Sub-section 1. Nkwocha said that the suspected pirates were arrested on the street of Iyana-Ipaja, Iyana-Oba, Ojo, Obalende and Oshodi respectively. “The suspected pirates

were arrested during our operations and are now in police custody. They will be charged to court after a thorough investigation for prosecution.’’ He said that about 50,000 copies of CDs and DVDs estimated at about N2million were seized from the suspects. Nkwocha said that the anti-piracy raids were carried out in major markets and street of Lagos, a commercial hub for pirates who sell unauthorised works. “The raids carried out based on complaint brought to the commission by Yor-

When an accused is presumed innocent The matter for discussion today revolves around a scenario that is currently playing out in a criminal matter pending before a court of law. Since the issues to be discussed here are facts that could form the basis of further steps by parties in the criminal matter, we would leave out the details of the name of the court where the case is pending and the names of the parties involved. A man was charged to court for the criminal act of kidnapping by one of our security agencies. He engaged the services of lawyers as he is entitled to under our organic law, the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. For him to pay his lawyers and to take care of his numerous responsibilities, which he owes his family, he desired to make transfers from his account with a commercial bank to his lawyers’ account. This was to enable his lawyers get his fee as agreed and distribute the remaining sum according to his instructions. The snag however is that the accused person is remanded in prison custody pending his trial on the Order of the Court and his physical presence was needed in the bank to do the transfer, because he operates a savings account with the bank.

Then, the accused person wrote a letter to the bank, informing it of the accused person’s desire and requesting them to do whatever was necessary to have the transfer. The letter was backed up with a power of attorney duly signed by the accused person himself. The bank responded by saying that there was an order of a Magistrate court, which would not make the bank to honour the accused person’s request and that the account itself was dormant. The bank agreed to bring account re-activation form to the accused in court which he filled and signed. He also signed the withdrawal. The lawyers studied the nature of the Magistrate Court’s Order and discovered that it did not restrain the bank from allowing the accused person to withdraw from his money. I had the privilege of reading the order too. It only authorised the security agency to have access to the account in the course of its investigations, which obviously had been concluded by the charging of the accused person to court. Nonetheless, the accused person’s lawyers brought an application before the court where the accused person is standing trial to set aside the Magistrate Court’s

uba Movie Marketers Association. “The commission had to speed up action to come to the aid of the association because piracy is a punishable offence in the copyright law. “The commission has the right to arrest anyone who is involved in illegal copyright activity. We then ensure that such person goes to court for prosecution,” he said. Nkwocha told NAN that the raids were successful with the assistance of officers of the Nigerian Army, the Police, the Lagos State Video Censors Board and

that of Kick Against Indiscipline (KAI). “In the course of the raids, operative of the commission confiscated huge amount of pirated CDs and DVDs from sellers on the street and in some popular markets around the city,`` he said. Nkwocha said that the commission would not relent in its efforts until it brought piracy to the barest minimum or completely eradicated in the country. He appealed to the Federal Government to support the commission with necessary funds for effective discharge of its mandate.

parties and without prior notice or consent of the applicants, the first respondent allegedly unilaterally opened and operated solely another parallel account with the third respondent under the name Eko Electricity Distribution Company Meter Account (CAPMI) number 256218948 and to which only its management staff are signatories. He claimed further that in breach of statutory provisions and contractual agreement between parties, the first respondent allegedly directed electricity consumers within the region assigned to the applicants to pay fees for meters into the illegal account to the knowledge and or connivance of the third respondent. Balogun averred further that at a stage, the first respondent stopped giving work orders to the applicants to supply its locally manufactured meters and only directed it to install non-certified and sub-standard meters imported into Nigeria by persons not licensed to operate within the applicants’ area of operation. He contended that before the first respondent commenced breaching the agreement between the parties, it directed the first applicant to supply and install on weekly basis, single and three-phase smart energy meter within the Island region.

legal clinic

By Olatunde Femi Abegunde Esq.ACOArb

m: +234-0803 967 7683; +234-0809 401 7911 e: pinnacle.chambers@yahoo.com, femabed2007@gmail.com f: Olatunde Abegunde & Associates-Pinnacle Chambers

order. The Court granted the application and ordered the bank to accede to the accused person’s request. The accused person’s lawyers again wrote the bank attaching the Order of the Court and up till now, the bank has refused to honour the accused person’s request. The excuse this time is that the accused person’s lawyers should route their client’s request through the Prison Service. Now, the prison officials approached, stated pointedly that the accused person’s lawyers must ensure that the money, in few millions, is brought in cash to them and afterward, the accused person can direct on how the money should be distributed. This piece is only intended to consider the rights of the accused person, while he is standing his trial. Does the fact of his being kept in custody deprive him of his constitutionally guaranteed right to fair hearing? Does it deprive him of having access to his money, when especially there is no Court order

legally stopping him from so doing? It is important to let security and law enforcement agencies know times and again that it is not for the fun of it that the law presumes the innocence of an accused person under Section 36 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Frustrating the accused person from accessing his fund for the purpose of defending himself before the court of law, is a breach of his fundamental right to fair hearing, especially when there is no order of court stopping him from so doing. It is equally very unfortunate that the bank would disobey the court’s order under whatever disguise. A civil trial, where the court would decide on this interesting dimension to banker-customer relationship would certainly not be a bad idea. This is the era of positive change and it must be felt in the way those who man our criminal justice systems respect the rights of accused persons.

Tuesday, 15 September, 2015

Nigerian Tribune Editor:

Bayo Alade

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Quranic school building collapse: I can’t explain how I got to hospital —Survivor

An injured victim

A survivor with his mother

Isaac Shobayo - Jos

tudents of Naib Islamic School in Bukuru town, Jos South Local Government Area of Plateau State filed out last Sunday for their Islamic study class at about 4:30 pm from their respective homes within the town without any premonition of the danger ahead. They arrived at the school and proceeded to their various classes, willing and ready for the day’s lessons. A senior teacher in the school who craved anonymity said few minutes after the pupils settled down, parts of the building comprising two classrooms suddenly collapsed thus creating confusion and pandemonium within the school premises and the neighbouring community. The teacher who said there were over one hundred students in the school when the building collapsed said the ten pupils who lost their lives and over thirty others who sustained various degrees of injuries were in the affected parts of the building, adding that six pupils died on the spot while the remaining four later died as a result of fatal injuries they sustained. Nigerian Tribune learnt that the incident caused pandemonium in the community as parents besieged the school premises to ascertain the safety of their wards. However, a source who was part of the rescue team said some of the students would have been buried alive if not for prompt rescue operation carried out by the National Emergency Management Agency and other good Samaritans. Most of the affected pupils are within the ages of seven and twelve. When Nigerian Tribune visited Plateau State Specialist Hospital where the survivors were receiving treatment those still on admission in

Some of the injured pupils the hospital were seen writhing in pain at the emergency unit. A parent who identified herself as Amina Ibrahim whose child was receiving treatment at the hospital said she lives close to the school saying that “ the students were in their various classes when the building collapsed; it collapsed at exactly 5:24 pm. We just heard a loud noise, initially I didn’t know what happened, it was later that I learnt that the school collapsed and I dashed to there to find out about the safety of my child. “On getting there, there were quite lot of people and parents who had besieged the place but I forced myself in and saw a man carrying my son out of the rubble with

bruises all over him and I joined them in taking him to the hospital.” A survivor, Ruafa Babangida, a ten-yearold boy who was still in pains when our correspondent got to the hospital said he could not explain how it happened adding that after the bang of the collapse, he ran out of the class along with other students but only to find himself in the hospital. Another survivor, Mamunat Mohammed a ten-year-old who is receiving treatment at Plateau State Specialist Hospital said: “we were in class on Sunday evening receiving Quranic lessons when we heard a loud noise and then I found myself on this hospital bed. My waist is broken, my legs aches, the doctors should help me,” she

said. Mrs Zuwabia Ibrahim, a mother of one of the victims said her daughter, Amina Ibrahim, a 10-year-old, left home at about 5 p.m on Sunday to attend quranic lessons not too far from her house in Bukuru. According to her, “about one hour thirty minutes later, we got a call from our friend that the school my daughter attends to receives Quranic lessons had collapsed. I immediately called my husband and we rushed to the scene and was told that our daughter was alive and had been rushed to the hospital, but badly injured.” Most of the pupils on admission in the hospital were writhing in pain and could not speak as of the time Nigerian Tribune visited. A cross section of parents who volunteered information blamed the management of the school for erecting substandard structure and appealed to the state government to close down the school to protect the lives of other children. The chairman, Jamatul Nasir Islam (JNI) Jos South, Mallam Danlami Garba said based on what was seen of the rubble it was clear that the structure was built with standard materials. Meanwhile, the Governor of Plateau State, Mr Simon Bako Lalong has expressed deep concern over the loss of lives adding that the incident brings to bear on the necessity to ensure that public buildings conform to standards and the need for them to be certified good enough for habitation and usage. In this wise, the governor has assured that all agencies of government saddled with the responsibility of ensuring that all public buildings, particularly schools are fit for use will be up and doing in ensuring safety of people using the structures.

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Tuesday, 15 September, 2015

12 hours

with Ayodele Fayose By Biodun Awolaja

yo Fayose, as Nigerians have come to know him, is not famous merely for the many things he says. It is true that hardly a week passes that he does not make a comment on burning national issues, but Fayose’s presence in national consciousness is increasingly lubricated by the many unusual things he does and the alternative that he represents. Fayose, it was, who appointed a 72-year-old illiterate carpenter to run a local council. Fayose, it is who goes to the market to buy ponmo, fish, yams and whatnot (something that many men who have not made anything out of life would loathe to do). These he distributes to the needy. He rides trucks and replies text messages personally, including requests for money, and sits down with the people to discuss developmental issues at a palm wine joint. Almost in all cases, he addresses the people in their own language. His dressing presents him as one with the people. So, it is perhaps natural that an observer coming in contact with Ayodele Fayose, the Ekiti State governor, for the first time should be looking out for the exhibition of all the traits associated with the names that he has been, and still is being, called, particularly by critics. From ‘tout’ to man of the people, and from unconventional to complicated and brash. Ekiti, the land for which Fayose waxes eloquent (or, as his critics would say, garrulous), is a relatively quiet enclave compared to Lagos or Ibadan though eerily busy with agricultural production, one locale where you can breathe the fresh air, inspired by lush vegetations. The terrain inspires civility almost mechanically, but Fayose hardly masks his emotions, and he is just as passionately loved by his people as he is morbidly detested by his critics. So, who really is this Ayo Fayose and what makes him tick? This was the quest that led this writer to Ekiti, to observe the ‘enfant terrible’ of contemporary Nigerian politicking at close range. The observation began at 11 am on the day after he gave latecomer civil servants in the state a dressing down, insisting that they owed the state a bounden duty to arrive early to work if they were being paid salaries in spite of the difficulties of the present times. At the tastefully furnished Government House, Fayose seemed to be his natural self, completely devoid of guile. When his mother came, they (mother and son) read the newspapers together. On this day, he was apparently miffed by a particular newspaper that called him emperor over the workers’ episode: “You don’t have to like me, but practice journalism,” he lamented and admonished at the same time. The workers had prostrated and genuflected on their own accord, and the governor had accepted their appeals for clemency. It was a rainy day, and he was dressed simply in a Navy blue shirt and jean. As you may have guessed, the day’s work began in his house. He signed project documents brought to him with all the care in the world - eight years back and forth at offices of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) have probably taught him a huge lesson. Fayose asked all the questions that could frustrate

Governor Fayose in his 1965 Mercedes-Benz model driving through town with the glass wound down as always. whoever was involved in the execution of a project, and meticulously insisted on evidence of job done. “It’s not about report o,” he told an official. Red tape or bureaucracy was obviously not his style. Time to go out The Oluyin of Iyin, HRM Adewole Ajakaye, rode with him in his 1965 Mercedes-Benz 280 SE model. As the engines came alive and the convoy hit town, Fayose, who had not wound up the glass, waved to all. From the moment he got to town with his entourage, everyone wanted a high five with the Oshokomole - what they called him - and his expression showed he loved the title. When asked what the name meant, he proudly said: “Governor Emeritus loved by his people.” Fayose became a law enforcer on the road: displaying of wares on the road plus parking outside particular yellow lines attracted sanctions, yet the people still hailed him. From Oja Oba to Ajilosun street in Ado-Ekiti, the people hailed their Oshokomole. Was he putting on an act? “It’s a natural gift for me. It’s not about what you give: they see the sincerity of your heart,” he said of the people crowding and milling around him. He added: “Nothing will happen overnight, they understand. As governor, you are representing their interest to maturity.” Hope, the governor said, “is the key”. For him, it is a golden rule to keep hope alive, even when dividends have not started arriving. The people, he said, have unfettered access to him, and would continue to love that. “I don’t wind up, they stop me. That is the difference between newspaper and grass-roots politics. The critics are outside Ekiti and are not even indigenes.”Next, Fayose offered a glimpse into his ideology, saying that he detested ostentation in public service. His lifestyle, he noted, was completely selfdesigned, and everyone should be free to choose their

They love my unconventional way of leadership. I am not one of those leaders who live in heaven and peep on the people on earth once in a while to see if they are doing fine. I have no reason not to forgive people.

own course. Hear him: “Most leaders don’t even inspire confidence by their conduct, riding bullet proof cars in a society where people want to share. Redtapism is not for me. They respect your style, I don’t want anyone to design a way of life for me. They know I will get to the root of a matter. I take the blame and the praise.” Here, Fayose is in perfect consonance with the sage, Chief Obafemi Awolowo. In a lecture entitled “Politics and Religion” given to students at the Adventist College of West Africa, Ilishan-Remo, on 27th January, 1961, Awo had noted that : “The community which a politician seeks to serve is an amalgam of saints and sinners, with a sprinkling of the former as against an over-abundance of the latter. The gentle rebuke and occasional eulogy of the one may be fascinating, but the constant taunting of the other must be accommodated. Politicians are born not made; and anyone who has not the stomach for the railings of the masses and is only interested in their occasional hosannas, has no right to enter into public life.” To Fayose, the people he serves love him because he has chosen to be just one of them. His words: “They love my unconventional way of leadership. I am not one of those leaders who live in heaven and peep on the people on earth once in a while to see if they are doing fine. I have no reason not to forgive people, I make sure I forgive readily, those who impeached me now have appointments from me. I assisted them and gave them their heart’s desire. I am a man approved of God. Gov Emeritus, Oshokomole, an institution to represent the mindset of the people. “A lot of the people who criticise me know they cannot match the love of the people for me. They simply pervert the truth. I represent the common man and his feelings. Courage is a virtue from God, the righteous are bold as a lion. Giving and sharing is a virtue.” While calling on beneficiaries to decide how monthly allocations would be spent, Fayose quipped “Transparency is key now. When the people own the government, they defend you. All beneficiaries have representatives.” Neither did Fayose seem to care about his free, unhindered movement in town. He must be giving the security men around him a lot of challenges over this! To Fayose, this should not be a challenge at all, “When you are doing the right thing, the people will protect you.” There was some colour to the day as the Ondo State governor, Dr Olusegun Mimiko, paid Fayose a brotherly visit. He may not fit anyone’s textbook ideas of a governor, but Ayodele Fayose is sure to inspire many textbooks in the years to come, and to continue to inspire governance without guile, anchored on an integral bonding with the people, encapsulated in his idea of Stomach Infrastructure. He might yet turn out Nigeria’s man for all seasons.

39 news

Tuesday, 15 September, 2015

German firm to build N14bn factory in Lagos Bola Badmus - Lagos

HE investment drive of the Lagos State government has on Monday received a major boost as a German company, Knauf Group International, has expressed readiness to commence work on a N14 billion tool manufacturing firm in the state. Representative of the company, Mrs Isabel Knauf, made the disclosure when the German Ambassador, Michael Zenner, led a group of German diplomats and investors on a visit to Governor Akinwunmi Ambode at the Lagos House, Alausa, Ikeja. “We are looking to invest and build a factory here. We are looking for your support. We have been to Lekki Sea Port and want to proceed on

investing straight off. I wish to express our interest in investing about 70 million US dollars in construction tools factory in Lagos for the first stage,” Knauf said. Ambassador Zenner, while canvassing for an increased presence of German businesses in Lagos, also sought for improved bilateral trade relations with the State Government. “We are here to introduce and express our interest in business and economic

cooperation, especially on food processing and building materials. A lot of allied companies in Germany also wish to join hands in the investment drive of the governor,” the Ambassador said. Governor Ambode, in his remarks, expressed his administration’s readiness to receive German investors, describing Lagos as the economic hub of Nigeria and fifth largest economy in Africa, thereby making it

investors’ first choice of destination in Nigeria. “As the economic hub of the country, we pride ourselves as the largest of the nation’s economy with the GDP of $131 billion. For any German company that wants to do business in Nigeria, Lagos is your best bet. We are committed to the rule of law and we assure you of a safer and secured environment,” he said. The governor, who described the visit by the Ger-

man envoy as the first by an Ambassador to actually visit and commit to commence immediate foreign direct investment, lauded their confidence in the economy of the state. Ambode assured the delegation of his administration’s commitment to do everything possible to ensure smooth take off of the project and sought to activate a state sister relationship with the city of Hamburg to further boost cooperation.

Mimiko will not be distracted —Ondo PDP Hakeem Gbadamosi - Akure THE Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ondo State, on Monday said the state governor, Dr Olusegun Mimiko will not be distracted by the All Progressives Congress (APC) unfounded allegations and criticisms. This was contained in a statement issued and signed by the state Publicity Secretary of the party, Banji Okunomo, who condemned a statement credited to the lawmaker representing Ondo North Senatorial districts, Senator Ajayi Boroffice. Boroffice was said to have criticised Governor Mimiko over his stand on President Muhammadu Buhari’s economic policies, describing Mimiko as an accidental critic, alleging Mimiko of failing the people of the state in the last six years of his administration. However, Okunomo who was apparently reacting to an allegation raised by the lawmaker said the governor will dissipate precious time and period to concentrate in delivering dividend of democracy to the people of the state rather than trade words with the lawmaker. The Publicity Secretary noted that the governor has successfully changed the face of the state in the last six years with life changing projects, put in place in all the local government areas of the state.

Lagos State governor, Mr Akinwunmi Ambode (right) discussing with the Ambassador of Republic of Germany to Nigeria, Mr Michael Zenner (second left); Consul General of the Federal of Republic of Germany, Lagos, Mr Ingo Herbert (left) and the Group Management Committee, Knauf Region Southern Europe, Middle East, Africa, Mrs Isabel Knauf, during the ambassador’s visit to the governor, at the Lagos House, Ikeja, on Monday.

Niger Delta students express frustration over non-payment of fees Austin Ebipade - Yenagoa NO fewer than 2,000 students from the Niger Delta on the Amnesty Programme have expressed frustration and alerted Nigerians and the international community of alleged disillusion which the Amnesty office has thrown them into, over delay in paying their tuition fees, in-training allowances, accommodation fees and other stipends. Speaking with newsmen in Yenagoa, the students currently studying in United Kingdom alleged that since the appointment of the new substantive Coordinator for the Amnesty Office, their conditions had worsened. The students, who expressed their grievances through their coordinators in Swansea University, United Kingdom, Mr Elliot Yibakeni, and Emomotimi Ziprebo of Birmingham City University, United Kingdom, noted that the Federal Government’s indifference had left them frustrated and disillusioned. They said, “We are pro-

testing on behalf of the over 2,000 abandoned and dejected Nigerian students of Niger Delta extraction studying in the United Kingdom and other parts of the world under the Presidential Amnesty Programme. “We are now a bout of joke around the world especially in the United Kingdom and have practically turned refu-

gees and laughing stock in our respective cities where the institutions are. We have just received the news of the death of one of our fellow students in the University of Belarus due to the present hardship faced by the students.” The students claimed that some students on the amnesty programme in Ma-

laysia had been arrested and were daily subjected to inhuman treatment because they could not meet their obligations. They wondered why the Amnesty office had failed to implement President Muhammadu Buhari’s directive that the students should be paid their allowances urgently.

3 die as police, robbers engage in shootout in Delta Ebenezer Adurokiya - Warri A bloody shoot-out between operatives of the Nigeria Police and suspected armed robbers has left three of the suspects dead from bullet wounds. The incident look place last weekend at Oghara road, Agbarho in Okpe Local Government Area of Delta State. The police operatives from Orerokpe Division had intercepted a Toyota Corolla saloon car with

registration number BWR 532 HL, when occupants of the car made a sudden U-turn. The security men, however, gave them a hot chase and a gun duel ensued. With the aid of vigilance men from Agbarho neighbourhood, three of the fleeing suspects sustained fatal injuries that eventually led to their death. Some others were said to have escaped with bullet wounds while the car was recovered from the hoodlums.

Nigerian Tribune gathered that the hoodlums had earlier kidnapped one 48-year-old Mrs Paaga Emabari at Okuokoko in Okpe Local Government Area with the said vehicle. The woman, it was gathered, escaped from the den of her abductors before luck ran out on the suspects. Meanwhile, the Safer Highway Patrol Team 013 at the weekend also intercepted a Toyota RAV4 Jeep with registration number LEH 550 AA.

Secondary sch students receive free ICT training in Ogun By Joseph Ajayi THE South-West Resource Centre, under the Bureau of Information Technology (BIT), has offered free Information Communication Technology (ICT) training to secondary school students across the state to broaden their knowledge on computer applications. The General Manager of the Gateway ICT, Mrs Irene Ayorinde, who disclosed this in Abeokuta, Ogun State capital, said the training was embarked upon to equip secondary school students with basic computer appreciation skills needed to prepare them for the newly introduced Computer Based Test (CBT) being conducted by the University Matriculation Examination (UTME) Board. Mrs Ayorinde added that apart from examination purpose, it would also assist the students in their studies by searching for data and information on the internet, adding that businesses today relied mostly on technology to promote products and services.

Service chiefs should put mechanisms in place to end insurgency —Rep Bola Badmus - Lagos HOUSE of Representatives member, Honourable Jide Jimoh representing Lagos Mainland Constituency has said that the Service Chiefs must put necessary mechanisms in order to put an end to insurgency in the country. The lawmaker said this while condemning the recent attack at Maikohi Internally Displaced People’s (IDP) Camp in Adamawa State. Jimoh, who was immediate past chairman of Yaba Local Council Development Authority (LCDA), said the Service Chiefs should consider it their equally responsibility to safe the lives of abducted Chibok Girls and ensure adequate security at IDP camps to avoid reoccurrence of what took place recently in Adamawa.

40 news Fears as NIPOST commences ‘operation show your primary school cert’

Tuesday, 15 September, 2015

Akin Adewakun - Lagos

ALPABLE fears has gripped the rank and file of the staff of Nigerian Postal Services (Nipost), as the

organisation commenced its ‘Operation show your primary six school leaving certificates’ nationwide. The exercise, which commenced four weeks ago, with a circular from the

management, intimating employees of the organisation of the need to show their certificates to the organisation as part of its head count exercise, eventually took off on Monday,

in Lagos, with workers from the different branches reporting at the head offices to tender their certificates. A source at the Lafiaji office of the organisa-

Director-General, National Emergency Management Agency (Nema), Alhaji Sani Sidi (left), during a visit to victims of bomb blast at Malkohi internally displaced persons camp, at the Federal Medical Centre, Yola, Adamawa State, on Monday. PHOTO: Nan

Security at IDP camps will be tightened —NEMA DG Visits Adamawa bomb blast victims Kabeer Gwangwazo - Yola The Director-General of National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Mallam Sani Sidi, on Monday, commiserated with victims of the Malkohi bomb blast currently receiving treatment at the Federal Medical Centre, Yola, Adamawa State, with an assurance of tight security around all the Internaliy Displaced Persons (IDPs) camps across the region. During a visit to the Malkohi camp, which came under attack last Friday, Sidi promised the displaced persons from Borno State that very soon, the Federal Government will ensure that they are evacuated back to their state in no distant future.

He noted that his organisation is working with security agencies to increase the presence of security personnel around all IDP camps across the region to ensure security of inhabitants. Sidi noted that as a last resort, Boko Haram whose fighting power had been degraded, will resort to guerrilla fighting and bombing of soft targets, urging inhabitants of the IDP camps across the region to be more vigilant and report suspicious movements and persons to security operatives. He told IDPs at Malkohi camp that enough drugs would be provided for them, saying that NEMA had entered an agreement with two hospitals in the state capital to provide medical care to IDPs.

Earlier, the deputy governor of Adamawa State, Mr Martins Babale, said that security agents need to screen all the IDPs deported from Cameroon to the country to avoid reoccurrence of suicide attacks witnessed at the Madagali Market and Makohi IDPs

Industrial court takes off in Ekiti Sam Nwaoko - Ado Ekiti Ekiti State government, will within the next three months, provide a land that will serve as a permanent site for the National Industrial Court of Nigeria. In the interim, it has provided a temporary place for the take off of the court as well as the accommodation for the judge that will

NSCDC, AEPB, police officers clash in Abuja Collins Nnabuife - Abuja It was a show of shame on Monday, when members of Abuja Environmental Protection Board (AEPB), Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and Nigeria Police exchange blows at NSCDC headquarters, Abuja. The incident which occurred around 1100am, attracted some onlookers as the para-military group exchange physical combat with the AEPB officials and the policemen attached to the board.

When the Nigerian Tribune visited the scene, it learnt that the incident occurred when the officials of AEPB, Naval officers and policemen attached to them, was on a raid to arrest marketers selling food items at the gate of NSCDC. The Nigerian Tribune gathered that NSCDC resisted the arrest of the marketers close to their headquarters in Abuja, which resulted in heated argument among the NSCDC, AEPB and the Na-

camp. The Commissioner for Information in the state, Ahmed Sajoh, receiving the NEMA boss, on behalf of the state government said that Governor Jibrilla Bindow, would not relent in making the state safe for IDPs.

tion, stated that though, an annual exercise, but this year’s exercise would be the first time workers would be asked to come with their primary six certificates. The source, who was also among those that tendered their primary six certificates for the head count exercise in Lafiaji, on Monday, stated that the idea of asking for the primary six certificates had continued to fuel insinuations and rumours, in some quarters, that the management of the organisation was planning a re-organisation exercise, with the head count exercise being the first step. ‘Many workers of the organisation believe it could be a way of looking for evidences that would be used in future to nail those that must have tampered with their ages or doctored some of their personal details with the management, while they were filling their employment forms, otherwise, why primary six school certificates,? he said. At the EMS head office in Lagos, some of the staff, who spoke with the Nigerian Tribune, confirmed that the exercise was ongoing, but however, stated that the staff in the department had been asked to come on Tuesday (today), to commence their own verification.

val officers. It was also gathered that some of the top officials of NSCDC waded into the rift, but the AEPB officials had already felt that they were stopped from discharging their duties. However, the argument became uncontrollable, which led to physical combat among AEPB officials and the NSCDC workers Earlier, the AEPB officials had verbally assaulted a police officer attached to Heritage Bank, Wuse Zone 5, Abuja.

preside over the court in the state. The state governor, Mr Ayo Fayose, gave the assurance in Ado-Ekiti, when the president of the court, Justice Babatunde Adejumo, paid him a visit at the governor’s office. In a statement on Monday, by the governor’s Chief Press Secretary (CPS), Idowu Adelusi, the governor said his administration would do everything possible to assist the court to function well in the state. “When I got the wind of your court coming to Ekiti, I did not waste time to take advantage of the visit. Everybody can manage infrastructural development, but not all can manage human resources. We are saving a lot of resources by bringing the court here. “I live within the ambit of the law so that I don’t have to want to manipulate judgment. We will look for land for a permanent site for your court within three months and we have shown you the

accommodation for the judge that will be here,” he said. Justice Adejumo, in his remarks, expressed satisfaction with the temporary site provided for the court and the judge’s residence. He added that the court would take off within the next few weeks. “Lawyers and litigants having matters relating with us have been going to Akure but that is not tidy and safe enough. Thank you for the quick approval of our requests. We will be asking for a land for us to build our court complex. Within the next two months we will start operating. We will do justice to all manners of people. We are to ensure industrial harmony in the country,” he said. The Commissioner for Justice, Mr Owoseni Ajayi, said the court already had divisions in 26 states of the federation. Owoseni said a permanent site for the court would be sought in the Government Reserved Area of Ado-Ekiti.

Emir apologises to NYSC over arrest of 3 corps members Adetola Bademosi - Abuja Emir of Suleja, Mallam Muhammad Ibrahim, has apologised to the management of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), over the wrongful arrest, harassment and detention of three corps members serving in Suleja, Niger State. Mallam Ibrahim, who received top management of NYSC led by its DirectorGeneral, Brigadier-General Johnson Olawumi, in his palace, condemned the incident and promised to educate his subjects on how to treat strangers in his domain. Three corps members alleged to have resembled a gang of armed robbers that robbed a market, were said to have been arrested, harassed and detained by local vigilance group working in the area before it was discovered to be a case of mistaken identity. Director-General, The who said corps members are deployed round the country to contribute their quota to the socioeconomic development of their host community, described the arrest of the three corps members as a case of mistaken identity.

Revival The Christ Apostolic Church (CAC), Egba Districts Coordinated Council (EDCC), is organising a four-day revival, tagged: ‘Encounter with God 2015’ from Monday, September 14, till Thursday, September 17. The programme which has the superintendent, CAC Egba EDCC, Pastor P.K. Bankole, as the host and Pastor E. O. Ogunyemi as the revivalist, will take place at the church auditorium beginning from 5.00 p.m. daily just as Friday, September 18, has been set aside for vigil from 11.00 p.m.

Pa Fatoberu for burial

Burial activities for the late Pa Simeon Olawole Fatoberu, who died on Tuesday, August 11, will begin with a Christian wake at his family compound, 9, Oke Ese Street, Ibokun, Obokun Local Government Area, Osun State, on Thursday, at 4.00.pm. His remains would be buried after a funeral service at St Peter’s Anglican Church, Ibokun, Osun State, by 10.00 am, on Friday, while entertainment of guests is at Ajayi memorial hall and church premises, Ibokun.

41 news

Tuesday, 15 September, 2015

FG recommends AU peace, security council to the world Clement Idoko - Abuja

HE Federal Government has recommended Peace and Security Council to the African Union, for providing the continent with an effective mechanism and tool in conflict management. Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, made this remark at the opening of a retreat for members of the AU Peace and Security Council and Regional Economic Communities (RECs), holding at the Sheraton Hotel and Towers in Abuja. Senior Special Assistant to the Vice President on Media and Publicity, Mr Laolu Akande, on Monday said the retreat was focused on the promotion of peace, security and stability in Africa. Osinbajo, said the Peace and Security Council has been a novel African initiatives in many respects, one that has proven an effective tool in conflict management. Speaking to an audience of Ambassadors and diplomats from several African countries, the Vice President noted that the achievements of the Council in its 11 years of existence has set it out as an outstanding best practice, worthy of emulation by other regions in the world. He said the Peace and Security Council has been AU lead response agency in tackling numerous conflicts and other security challenges in all respects, ranging from political

crisis, armed conflicts to humanitarian crisis as exemplified in the Council handling the recent Ebola Virus Disease in some of our countries. The Vice President also underscored the significance of the needed synergy between Regional Economic Communities and the Peace Security Council (PSC), an organ of the African Union

(AU), stressing that such cooperation is crucial for the African Union as a continental body. “The importance of the two having stronger coordination and synergy of functions can never be over-emphasised. Indeed, if the AU is to deliver on the goals set out in the Constitutive Act, closer cooperation and synergy with the RECs is one

requirement that is absolutely imperative,” he said. Addressing the participants at the retreat on the task before them, Professor Osinbajo said, “I would like to remind you that attention should be focused on how the PSC and the RECs can enhance effectiveness and efficiency using their comparative advantages and various ca-

From left, former Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassodor Aminu Wali; former Nigerian Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Professor Ibrahim Gambari and Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, during the Peace and Security of African Union retreat, in Abuja, on Monday.

EFCC quizzes suspended Immigration boss Lanre Adewole -Lagos SUSPENDED Comptroller General of Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), David Parradang, was, on

Monday, quizzed for several hours by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). Commission’s spokesperson, Wilson Uwujaren,

confirmed his interrogation. He was summoned by the anti-graft agency over the alleged scam in the botched recruitment ex-

Lagos Assembly summons LASTMA, LFSA chiefs over incessant disasters ChukwumaOkparaocha-Lagos WORRIED by the incessant loss of lives in firerelated incidents and road accidents in the state, the Lagos State Assembly has summoned the General Manager of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) and the Director of the Lagos State Fire Service Authority to appear before it on Monday September 21. The speaker of the House, Honourable Mudashiru Obasa, who gave the order which was expressly backed by his colleagues, said members of the Assembly could no longer sit back and watch as residents lose their lives in such carnages almost on a daily basis. Obasa remarked that it had personally become a

pacities within the context of subsidiary and complementarities in the areas of early warning and early action, conflict prevention, peacemaking, postconflict peace building, reconstruction and development, strengthening of democratic practices and governance, as well as in combating terrorism and violent extremism.”

frightening trend for him to be receiving messages from the director of fire service in the state about fire incidents almost on daily basis, saying it was time something was done to put an end to the worrisome trend.

“Almost on daily basis, I get text messages from the Director of the Lagos State Fire Service. Usually such incidents result in the loss of property, while at times they claim lives. This cannot continue because we hold the lives of all Lagos

residents dear, a lasting solution must be found. It is in the light of this that we are summoning the director of the Lagos State Fire Service and the General Manager of LASTMA here next Monday,” he said.

Kogi: MPPP, DPP elect candidates Oluyinka Oladoyinbo AS the deadline set by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for submission of candidate names towards the Kogi State governorship election approaches, the Mega Progressive Peoples Party (MPPP) and the Democratic Peoples Party (DPP) have picked their candidates for the election. While MPPP picked Mr

Methuselah Alonge as its candidate for the governorship election slated for November 21, the DPP nominated Mr Abubakar Ibrahim. A statement issued in Lokoja, the state capital on Monday by the MPPP, said that Alonge became the candidate of the party after scoring 197 votes to beat four other aspirants during the governorship primaries held on Sunday. Announcing the result of

the election, the chairman of the electoral committee, Afolabi Gbajumo, said 224 delegates participated in the primary election that was witnessed by officials from the INEC. He said the result of the primaries showed that Mr Emmanuel Olukotun scored 18 votes, Mallam Abdulahi Kolo, three votes, Honourable Bunu Usman, two votes and Mr Auwal Musa, four votes.

ercise that claimed tens of applicants. He reportedly honoured the commission’s invite on Monday, walking straight into the arms of a team of investigators assigned to the case. As of press time, he was still under interrogation. A commission source, however, said an administrative bail was likely. Hundreds of million naira were collected from thousands of applicants, despite the limited space available for successful candidates. The rowdy conduct of the recruitment exercise led to nationwide stampede that claimed many lives. Though Parradang had continued as the CG under the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari, he was suspended, following the report that a wanted ISIS terrorist acquired Nigerian visa illegally. The presidency, however, said Parradang was suspended over the fatal recruitment exercise. Despite being on suspension, Buhari had appointed Mr Martin Abeshi as Parradang’s replacement, sealing his fate on a possible return to his job.

FG to review employments, promotions in NIMASA THE Federal Ministry of Transport will review employments, placements and promotions in Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) since 2010. This is contained in a statement issued by Hajia Lami Tumaka, Head of Public Relations and made available to newsmen on Monday in Lagos. The statement said a committee headed by Mr Lawal Ibrahim, the ministry’s Director of Human Resources, had been constituted to carry out the review. It added that the committee would determine whether employments, placements and promotions in NIMASA from 2010 to date conformed to civil service procedures. The statement said the committee would also determine if the employments, placements and promotions were in line with the Principle of Federal Character. It said the nine-member committee which had since commenced sitting, had two weeks to complete the assignment and submit its recommendations to the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Transport, Mallam Mohammed Bashar.

Ganduje distributes N80.5m to victims, relatives of bomb blast Kola Oyelere - Kano KANO State Government in its effort to ameliorate the problem relatives of bomb victims were passing through, the government has disbursed N80.5 million to victims and relations of those who were affected. The state Governor, Dr Abdullahi Umar Ganduje disclosed that the victims identified by the state government were 288, in which 139 died while 150 were injured. These people were affected by bomb blast that occurred at Kano Central Mosque, Kwari Market and a filling station at Hotoro Quarters in the state capital. The cheques were distributed to beneficiaries at the Government House, Kano, by the governor on Monday as the donation according to him did not serve as a means of compensation but a gathering to pray for the souls of the victims.

Tuesday, 15 September, 2015

US Envoy: ‘Remarkable progress’ made against Islamic State

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Egyptian forces kill 12 tourists, mistaking them for terrorists

gyptian security forces has killed 12 people and injured 10 more after firing upon a tourist group they had mistaken for militants, the country’s Interior Ministry said. Members of Egypt’s military and police were chasing “terrorist elements” in the country’s vast Western Desert, when they came upon the tourists. Among the victims are people from Mexico and Egypt, the ministry said. The attack happened on Saturday, within a so-called restricted area. The tourist group, was in cars that were not authorised for tours, and they did not have permits for the trip, MENA state news agency reported citing Egypt’s tourism ministry. An investigation is ongoing. Meanwhile, the Mexican government has condemned the incident, which had two of their citizens killed and at least five injured. The country’s ambassador to Egypt, Jorge Alvarez Fuentes, spoke to five of the Mexicans who were hospitalised, according to a statement.

Mexican President, Enrique Pena Nieto, mourned the loss of his country’s citizens in posts to Twitter. “Mexico condemns these acts against our citizens and has demanded that the Egyptian government conduct an exhaustive investigation of what happened,” he said.

Tourists at an Egyptian desert PHOTO: REUTERS.

EU ministers convene emergency talks to formulate refugee plan Interior ministers from the European Union’s 28 nations gathered on Monday for emergency talks in Brussels, in an attempt to narrow a divide over how to share responsibility for the thousands of refugees arriving daily. Their talks will focus on distributing 160,000 refugees over the next two years, but

at least four Eastern European countries have strongly rejected suggestions that they should take in any more people. The decisions by some EU countries to have checks at borders that have been openn as part of the EU’s landmark, Schengen passport-free zone has added urgency to the talks.

Australian PM ousted Seven months after surviving a no-confidence vote, Australian Prime Minister, Tony Abbott, was toppled on Monday in a leadership challenge from his popular former communications minister. Malcolm Turnbull won the Liberal Party room vote 5444 in Canberra, hours after declaring his leadership bid.

Australian PM Tony Abbott

The EU has been largely unprepared for the arrival of approximately 500,000 refugees this year. Germany warned on Monday that those figures would swell further. Hundreds of thousands of refugees have been fleeing to Europe per year from wartorn countries such as Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan.

Germany announced Monday that it expects to handle one million people fleeing their homelands this year, and Slovakia joined Berlin in reintroducing border checks with Austria, underscoring the need for EU countries to quickly forge a common strategy to deal with the refugee crisis.

A former lawyer turned businessman, Turnbull, told a late-night press briefing that his new government would be “thoroughly consultative.” “The prime minister of Australia is not a president. The prime minister is the first among equals,” he said, flanked by Julie Bishop, who was returned as the party’s deputy leader.

The remark could be seen as a criticism of Abbott’s leadership style. He was considered a leader prone to making “captain’s calls” decisions made without any consultation. Turnbull wouldn’t comment on any departures from current government policy, saying that any decisions would be made in a “thoughtful and considered manner.”

The special U.S. envoy to the Global Coalition to Counter ISIS (the Islamic State), retired Marine General John Allen, said “remarkable progress” has been made against the Islamic State (ISIS), in the past year. However, Allen also said that only a political solution and not a military victory, will finally bring the nearly five-year Syrian conflict and its humanitarian and refugee crisis to an end. Allen, in a U.S. television interview on ABC’s this Week, said when he took up his current post a year ago, he wasn’t sure Iraq would survive the early successes of the Islamic State group, or Daesh. “In the intervening months, we’ve seen remarkable progress in many respects. We’ve seen the emergence of a capable leader and partner in Baghdad in Haider alAbadi,” he said.

John Allen PHOTO: AP

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Saudi Arabia launches crane collapse investigation Saudi Arabia’s King Salman has pledged to find out what caused a crane collapse that killed 107 people at Mecca’s Grand Mosque in the runup to the annual Hajj pilgrimage. The Hajj, a pillar of the

Muslim religion, which last year drew about two million faithful worshippers, will take place despite Friday’s tragedy, Saudi authorities said on Saturday as crowds returned to pray. Parts of the Grand

Mosque remained sealed off around the wreckage of the crane, which also injured about 200 people when it crashed into a courtyard on Friday. Hundreds of thousands of pilgrims had already arrived in Mecca when

the red-and-white crane toppled over during a thunderstorm. But there was little mourning among pilgrims, who snapped pictures of the collapsed metal and continued with their prayers and rituals.

“We will investigate all the reasons and afterwards declare the results to the citizens,” Salman said after visiting the site, one of Islam’s holiest. Salman, the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, said: “My visit

today is to check what had happened and know how we can rehabilitate the site again.” “We will open investigation into the causes of the accident and then announce the results to the public.”

Gabon president names new opposition figure to cabinet Ali Bongo

Gabon’s president on Sunday, named a new opposition figure to a senior ministerial post, a day after another senior opponent declined the job, in a setback to his efforts to forge a united government ahead of next year’s election.

President Ali Bongo named Mathieu Mboumba Nziengui, executive secretary of the opposition Union of the Gabonese People, or UPG, as Minister of State for Agriculture. On Saturday, the leader of another wing of the UPG, Dieudon-

né Moukagni Iwangou, rejected the offer of the position, calling for political change in the oil-rich central African country. The reshuffle, announced in a presidential decree on Friday, expanded the Cabinet to 41 members from 34 and was seen

as an attempt to silence critics of of the Bongo family’s domination of Gabonese political life since independence from France in 1960. The UPG has been divided into three wings since the death of its founder, Pierre Mamboundou, in 2011.

foreig naffairs

Tuesday, 15 September, 2015

Corbyn under fire over senior roles for men

abour leader, Jeremy Corbyn, on Monday boasted that he had assembled a ‘unifying’ frontbench team from the wreckage of the shadow cabinet walkout triggered by his extraordinary leadership victory. As he plotted how to take Labour dramatically to the left, he claimed the ‘dynamic, inclusive’ team would for the ‘first time ever’, have a majority of women. But he faced immediate criticism for handing all the roles shadowing the great offices of state to men, while reaching his target by handing women ‘made up or less important jobs’. There is also dismay at his decision to hand the plum role of shadow Chancellor to hard-Left MP John McDonnell, who wanted to ‘ferment the overthrow of capitalism’ and once declared he wanted to ‘go back to the 1980s and assassinate Thatcher’. Mr Corbyn insisted that he has a huge party mandate after winning

almost 60 per cent of the vote in the leadership election. He was applauded for creating a new role of shadow minister for mental health in the shadow cabinet, in recognition of its importance. But he has faced criticism for the lack of women at the top of the party, while creating new roles including a ‘shadow minister for young people and voter registration’, to meet his target. Andy Burnham, who he resoundingly defeated to the leadership, will become shadow home secretary, replacing Yvette Cooper, who refused to serve the left-winger. Hilary Benn remains as shadow foreign secretary. By contrast, women have taken lower profile roles, including environment, Wales international development and shadow attorney general. One Labour insider said: “So, he has got a majority of women, in made-up or less important jobs.”

Announcing his frontbench team, Mr Corbyn said people who thought the economy, foreign affairs and law and order were the most important jobs in the Cabinet, were ‘living in the 18th century’. He added: “We have delivered a

unifying, dynamic, inclusive new shadow cabinet, which for the first time ever, has a majority of women. “I am delighted that we have established a shadow cabinet position for mental health, which is a matter I have long been interested

Jeremy Corbyn PHOTO: independent UK

Ferguson Panel: Police reforms needed A reform panel established in the wake of a black teen’s shooting to death by a white police officer, last year in Missouri, on Monday released the results of its 10-month review into racially inequalities the state faces. Among the 189 “calls to action” is the recommendation to consolidate the police agencies and courts in and around St. Louis, including Ferguson, where Officer Darren Wilson fatally shot unarmed Michael Brown during an August 2014 confrontation. It also suggests a monitoring system for the use of force by police agencies. The commission scrutinized the problems highlighted by Brown’s death, as well as by the public outcry that followed. A federal investigation found systemic discrimination by the Ferguson police force, and the grand jury decision not to indict Wilson sparked massive protests in the area and around the United States. Protesters and journalists were arrested during several days of intense clashes in the St. Louis suburb. Included among the suggestions is a statewide plan to deal with mass demonstrations while protecting the lives of protestors and the upholding the media’s right to cover events without fear of arrest.

“The law says all citizens are equal,” the commission states early in the report, “but the data says not everyone in treated that way.” Tasked by Governor Jay Nixon in October 2014, the Ferguson Commission published the nearly 200-page report several days ahead of its September 15 deadline.

Brown’s death, and the violence between police and demonstrators that followed, gave rise to the Black Lives Matter campaign. Activists have used the slogan and the movement to raise awareness over institutional and systemic racism. While the 16-member commission does not have the authority to enact the policy

changes it suggests, Governor Jay Nixon said last year that the group has the “full authority” of his office behind it. The panel included members from the business, education, religious, legal, health, police and non-profit sectors. Nixon is expected to speak about the report at a news conference Monday afternoon.

in. “Angela Eagle’s appointment as the shadow first secretary of state means she will deputise for me when David Cameron is not available for Prime Minister’s questions. “The shadow cabinet is a strong combination of change and continuity that will now come together to hold this Government to account, starting today with this pernicious Trade Union Bill. Mr Corbyn began announcing his new shadow cabinet late last night after spending his first full day in the job dodging the media. He pulled out of an appearance on the BBC’s flagship Andrew Marr show to visit a mental health fun day, where he posed for pictures with supporters and fans. He also reportedly cancelled a planned interview on BBC Radio 4’s programme on Moday morning. In a bizarre encounter with TV crews last night he walked through central London in silence refusing to respond to questions about his refusal to give more senior jobs to women. But the most controversial decision so far has been the decision to reward Mr McDonnell, his leadership campaign manager, with the key role of Shadow Chancellor. He will now push through the new Labour leader’s plans for swingeing new taxes on middleclass families, renationalisation of industry and printing billions of pounds to bankroll more public spending.

State of emergency for California wildfires A wildfire that raced through dry brush in Northern California on Sunday heavily damaged the small town of Middletown, burn-

ing buildings in the downtown and reducing other parts of the town to ash. The blaze in Lake County is one

Fire fighter at the scene of the California wildfire. PHOTO: AP

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of two wildfires that sped through parched Northern California on Sunday, destroying at least 81 homes, forcing thousands to flee, injuring four firefighters and prompting the governor to declare a state of emergency. Residents streamed from Middletown Sunday morning and had to dodge smoldering telephone poles, downed power lines and fallen trees as they drove through billowing smoke. George Escalona told The Associated Press that parts of his town, including his home, have burned to the ground. In some areas of town “there is nothing but burned houses, burned cars,’’ Escalana said, adding that he had nothing left but the clothes he was wearing. The 60-square-mile

(155-square-kilometer) fire in Lake County erupted Saturday afternoon and rapidly chewed through brush and trees parched from several years of drought, the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection said. Entire towns as well as residents along a 35mile (56-kilometer) stretch of highway were evacuated. Gov. Jerry Brown on Sunday declared a state of emergency to free up resources. The four firefighters who were injured were all members of a helicopter crew. They were airlifted to a hospital burn unit, where they were being treated for second-degree burns and were listed in stable condition, department spokesman Daniel Berlant said.

Man with ‘bionic penis’ encounters erection for two weeks after surgery A man fitted with a ‘bionic penis’, after losing his own in a freak road accident, has revealed he had an erection for two weeks following the surgery. Mohammed Abad lost his penis and testicle when he was run over by a car at age six. But last month surgeons finally fitted him with an eight-inch penis

implant. The contraption - complete with ‘on’ and ‘off’ buttons in his testicles to pump it up or deflate it - was made from the flesh of his arm and fitted by surgeons at University College London. On Monday, Mr Abad gave an honest interview to ITV’s This Morning programme about how

his new manhood has changed his life, and how he now hopes to lose his virginity. The 43-year-old revealed he had an erection for a whole fortnight after the surgery. “I got out of hospital on the 10th of July and got a train back up to Scotland. I had to keep it erect for two weeks,” he told presenters

Phillip Schofield and Holly Willoughby. “I had to do that for it to heal, because that’s the way it works. “I managed to do something to not get noticed.” Mr Abad was pushed into the road as a child, falling under a moving car which dragged him for 600 yards, resulting in serious injuries

Mohammed Abad

MATO MATO INDESIGNS FOLDER/COMMUNITY NEWS PAGE /K2/USERS/PUBLIC 1

Tuesday, 15 September, 2015

08050498505, 08055444397 tribunecommunitynews@yahoo.com

Oil spill: Community cries out for assistance

he Amibo Oguduasa community in Isuikwuato Local Government Area of Abia State, led by the member representing Isuikwuto state constituency in the Abia State House of Assembly, Mrs Uloma Onuoha and some traditional rulers, have drawn the attention of the Federal Government and the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) to the pollution of their only source of drinking water, the Ogele Amibo stream, and the devastation of their farmlands by the recent spill from one of NNPC’s pipelines that traverses the community. The lawmaker, who

undertook an inspection tour of the spill location, said NNPC did well by responding promptly to the distress call to stop the leakage but added that the sealing of the pipeline was not enough. She urged the corporation to do something about the polluted source of drinking water and the devastated farmlands. According to her, the farmland is the people’s source of livelihood even as there is no alternative source of water for them. “The Federal Government should intervene and save the community. It should, as a matter of urgency, embark on clean-up of the area, including the polluted stream; it’s an emer-

gency situation,” she said. She also called for the immediate replacement of old pipelines to avoid recurrence, urging the NNPC to do something about exposed pipelines to avoid rupture and its devastating consequences. In his contribution, the traditional ruler

of Oguduasa clan, Eze Barnabas Okoronkwo, said the incident had affected the people adversely. “For over two weeks now, nobody has taken water from the stream and that is our only source of drinking water,” he said. He said in 2003, a

pipeline spillage on the Uturu federal road killed thousands of people, noting that they do not want a repeat of the sad incident. Also speaking, the traditional ruler of Amiyiuhu, Eze Ifeanyichukwu Ugoagha, said the devastation of the farmlands would deny the

people of their sources of livelihood, saying it would take time to cultivate the lands again. “We need aid to resuscitate our lands again,” he said, stressing that if the government delays to take action, the community might be forced to take legal action.

‘Make agriculture attractive to youths adelowo oladipo-minna

The Etsu Nupe and Chairman, Niger State Council of Traditional Rulers, Alhaji Yahaya Abubakar, has urged government at all levels and other stakeholders to make Agriculture attractive to youths in the country and key into the ongoing efforts by the Federal Government to diversify the economy through agriculture. The monarch said this while being decorated as the Grand Patron of Arewa Young Farmers Initiative (AYFI) in Bida. According to him, with the fall in oil prices, the need to encourage youths to engage in agriculture could not be overemphasised. He, therefore, called on government at all levels and stakeholders in the agriculture sector to provide enabling environment for youths to engage in agriculture as an alternative source of revenue for the country.. The Etsu Nupe also called on leaders in the North to device strategies using agriculture to check unemployment and take idle youths away from the

streets in the region, saying that the problems of unemployment and poverty could be tackled through agriculture. He pledged to support any organisation or group that is ready to boost agriculture in Niger State and Nigeria. Earlier, the National President of AYFI, Comrade Sulieman Salisu, said the objective of the group is to ensure a hunger-free Nigeria through agricultural rejuvenation.

The incoming President of Rotary Club of Oyo Metro, Faosat Fadeke Kasika (middle), being decorated by the outgoing President, Victor Ajibola (left). With them are past executive members.

Rotary to provide VIP toilets, potable water in Oyo Communities in Oyo town have been assured of potable water and improved general

sanitation through the provision of VIP toilets. The assurance was made by the newly in-

Kaiama community laments 7-month blackout biola azeez-ilorin

The people of Kaiama in Kwara State have appealed to the Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company (IBEDC) to come to their aid by restoring light to the community after seven months of total blackout. Chairman of the council, Alhaji Alhassan Bagudu, who made the appeal in a statement, said despite the fact that the council had committed funds to the replacement

of damaged cables and other electrical materials, the community was still experiencing darkness. The council chairman lamented the insecurity of life and property in the area as men of the underworld hide under the cover of darkness to commit crime. He added that the economic and social activities of Kaiama had been adversely affected while local government ac-

tivities had been slowed down. Alhaji Bagudu, however, commended the Emir of Kaiama, Alhaji Muazu Shehu Umar, for donating a 15 KVA generating plant to the hospital in the area. Meanwhile, a sevenmember committee headed by the vice-chairman of the council, Alhaji Usman Yusuf, has been set up to investigate the cause of the blackout.

ducted President of Rotary Club of Oyo Metropolis District 9125 Nigeria, Rotarian Fadeke Faosat Kasika, during her investiture as the 11th President at Plaza De Aruna Hotel, Elekara, Oyo. Rotarian Kasika, who is the first female president of Oyo Metro, said Rotary’s theme for this year is: “Be a gift to the world”, which means whatever she has with her will be used for the good of the underpriviledged. She also said that her project would revolve round the provision of clean water and good sanitation. A lot of people in our communities still drink

from the river, so I will look into that area and provide boreholes. I will also look at areas where they don’t have toilet and ensure the provision of modern VIP toilets,” she said. The president further said that she would enlighten marketwomen and men, youths and the entire society on the dangers of using unprescribed drugs, saying whenever they fall ill, they should go to the general hospital where they will meet qualified doctors, pharmacists and nurses for proper treatment. She also promised to educate pupils in public schools on misuse of drugs.

communitynews

Tuesday, 15 September, 2015

Rumuowoji market traders want replacement of high tension pole uduakabasi patrick-port harcourt

TRADERS at Rumuowoji community market in Rivers State have called on the electricity distribution com-

Ajimobi pledges support for music promotion by gbenga olumide

OYO State governor, Senator Abiola Ajimobi, has pledged his support for the promotion and development of music in Oyo State and Nigeria in general. Senator Ajimobi gave the assurance during the award ceremony organised by the Ajimobi Youth League in conjunction with the Department of Music and Technology, The Polytechnic, Ibadan, at SABLAK Events Centre, on Thursday. Ajimobi, who was represented by his deputy, Chief Moses Adeyemo, said that apart from the pleasure music gives, it is also a source of livelihood for the younger ones, adding that he will use his position to upgrade the music industry in the state. Earlier in his address, the leader of the youth league, Mr Abiodun Ambali, said the group deemed it fit to celebrate some sons and daughters of Ibadan land for their contributions to the growth and development of their community both socially and economically. While eulogising the virtues of the state Chairman of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), Alhaji Taofeek Oyerinde and fuji maestro, Alhaji Rasheed Ayinde Merenge, who were among those awarded, Ambali urged them to continue to proclaim things that would bring peace and tranquility to every community in Oyo State. Alhaji Oyerinde was conferred with the Mayor of Peace award, while Alhaji Merenge was honoured with the Director of Music award and Fellow of The Polytechnic, Ibadan. Reacting to the honour on behalf of other recipients, Alhaji Oyerinde promised that they would continue to give their best in the discharge of their duties to ensure that peace reigns supreme in Oyo State.

pany in the area to replace the high tension electricity pole that had fallen on the roof of one of the shops in the market or make it to stand erect. Speaking with Community News, the chairman of the market, Mr Nze Peter Eze Ugo, said the incident was caused by an unidentified truck driver, who hit a transformer that was connected to about seven poles. “The high tension pole with cables is connected to a transformer . The transformer was hit by a trailer driver, who ran away immediately. But we thank God that there was no light at the time the incident occurred. If it were not so maybe this market woild have been burnt down. “The situation has affected us because we no longer have light. Those living in Obudu street and other areas have also been affected. “We are appealing to the electricity company to come to our aid. If there is need for them to change the pole, they should go ahead and change it or they should make it to stand dierect,” he said. When Community News contacted the electricity company in Mile One axis of Port Harcourt, an official said they would look into the matter and commence work soonest.

Fallen high tension pole at Rumuowoji community market, Rivers State. PHOTO: UDUAKABASI PATRICK.

Oluyole residents appeal to Oyo govt to rechannel drainage by tunde ogunesan

ESIDENTS of zones five and six of Oluyole Extension area of Ibadan, Oyo State, recently staged a peaceful protest, appealing to the state government to divert the drainage to the areas following the ongoing rehabilitation of the

Wema Bank/Mobil Ring Road by the state government. The residents were protesting against the construction of a drainage to channel water from the major road to their area instead of allowing the drainage to run into a stream as it was before the construction began. The residents, who dis-

played placards with various inscriptions to express their anger and fear of possible destruction of no fewer than 200 houses in the areas if the drainage is constructed stormed the site of the construction of the contentious drainage in front of a private fuel station. The messages on the

IDSL presents items to schools, youths in host communities abiodun jimoh-benin city

AS part of its corporate said responsibility to its host communities, the Integrated Data Services Limited (IDSL) has donated materials worth millions of naira to two schools and 22 youths in its host communities in Edo and Rivers states respectively. Some of the items donated by IDSL, a subsidiary of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), include 50 sets of 2-in-1 classroom chairs and desks, 15 sets of teach-

ers’ tables and chairs, five desktop computers with accessories and two gold trophies. Furthermore, sets of hair dressing salon equipment and iron welding equipment with generating sets and educational financial assistance of N50,000 each were presented to undergraduates from Oko and Ekhaguere communities in Benin City, Edo State and Aleto-Eleme, Eleme Local Government Area of Rivers State. Speaking at the presentation, the IDSL manager,

Public Affairs, Mr. Samson Makoji, noted that the donations served to underscore the importance IDSL places on the concept of harmonious relationship with its host communities. “Though the gesture would not remove all the hardships and concerns of beneficiaries, it shows that the company is nevertheless committed, through empowerment support, to provoke the talents of young people and help them to excel and be useful to the society at large,” he said.

placards read: “Oyo State should take immediate action on the diversion of drainage to zones 5 and 6 to prevent imminent flood that may wash away our buildings,’’ “Save our zones from flood “Please resident drainage to the river. Save us from flood,” among others. The residents then led reporters on a tour of the whole community, noting that even before the ongoing construction of the drainage, the areas had been flood prone. One of the residents, Mr Omoniyi Emmanuel, while speaking with journalists, said: “Whenever it rains, we usually experience flood here. What happens when a drainage is constructed to divert water to our community?’’ Chief Moshood Akinade and Mr Peter Okewumi also told journalists that they “are not against the construction of the road but what we are saying is that the construction should not

lead to mass destruction of our property because of the diversion of water to our community through this drainage.” The residents added they had met the representatives of the construction company and had also written the state government over their plight but without any response. They tendered a copy of the letter dated July 28, 2015 and written to the state government through the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Works and Transport where they suggested several alternatives, including “redirecting the run-off to the side drainages to be constructed and the stream at Rhema Chapel area and reconstructing the drainage in such a way that the volume of runoff to our zone would reduce drastically.” Persistent efforts made to seek the views of the state government and that of the construction company proved abortive.

46 tribunesport

Tuesday, 15 September, 2015

The victorious Nigeria’s men table tennis team who won the gold at Brazzaville 2015.

Brazzaville 2015

Quadri inspires Nigeria to victory A runa Quadri lived up to his billing in table tennis when he guided

Team Nigeria’s fight back to win the gold in the men’s table tennis event of the ongoing 11th All Africa Games in

Brazzaville, Congo. The Egyptians who won the women’s gold medal at the expense of their Nigerian

Dream Team, B/Faso clash in Semis

Burkina Faso’s U-23 reached the last four of the All Africa Games ongoing after emerging the lucky side in a drawing of lots with Sudan on Monday morning. Both sides had scored and conceded two goals in their first two group A outings before playing a goalless draw in their final tie on Sunday, to finish perfectly level on four points apiece, two adrift of hosts and group leaders Congo. Sudan had launched its campaign with a 1-2 loss to the Red Devils before bouncing back with a 1-0 victory over Zimbabwe, while Burkina Faso had got their AAG journey off to a perfect start with a 1-0 win over the Young Warriors before falling 1-2 to the hosts. The only way to separate the two teams was to con-

duct a drawing of lots, which saw the Sudanese losing out in cruel fashion. The Stallions will battle with group B winners, Ni-

geria’s Dream Team for a spot in the final today, with Congo facing group B runners-up, Senegal in the other semi-final.

counterparts won the first set but Segun Toriola restored parity for Nigeria when he dumped his opponent 3-1. That set the stage for Africa’s number one, Quadri to offset his bitter rival, Mohammed Umar to hand Nigeria the gold medal. The victory qualifies Nigeria for the table tennis event of the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Glo charges Dream Team, Falcons to go for victory National U-23 team, Dream Team VI and the women’s national team, the Super Falcons have been urged by National Telecommunication company, Globacom, to work assiduously towards qualifying for the finals of the tournament. In a statement in Lagos on Monday, Globacom saluted the fighting spirit and doggedness of the Dream Team which saw them trounce Ghana’s Black Meteors 2-0 in the first match and force the Senegalese to a draw in the second match, adding that victory against Burkina Faso is a-must. The country’s biggest

Nigeria’s Edith Ogoke-Agu (second left) on the podium after her victory in the women’s middleweight boxing event at the ongoing Brazzaville 2015.

supporter of football said: “We urge the team to remain focused on the task ahead. We believe that victory is achievable and we stand by you as ever, believing fervently that you

will do Nigeria proud”. Globacom also advised the technical crew to use the best players who can withstand the pressure associated with matches of this magnitude.

Nigeria’s Super Falcons will require something special to get past Cameroon today in the semi-final of the ongoing All Africa Games. The Chris Danjuma-tutored side emerged runner up in group A after a 1-2 defeat to the Elephants of the Ivory Coast. The reigning African champions had previously

looked unstoppable pounding teams and leaving them for dead, reaching a ninegoal haul at the end of two group matches but looked pale and out of sorts against fellow World Cup returnee, Ivory Coast; who sealed a famous win from the spot in the 77th minute. Danjuma who may be on his final grace to save face will have the unenviable task of facing the best Africa team at the 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup and runner up to the 2014 African Women Cup of Nations in Namibia which Nigeria incidentally won. However, the Indomitable Lionesses handled by Ngachu Enow qualified for the semis with just two points after CAF cast lots to determine which country topped the group that also contained South Africa and Ghana. Cameroon had the edge

Team Nigeria returns from Youth Commonwealth Games Nigeria’s contingent to the fifth Commonwealth Youth Games, which ended in Samoa last weekend arrived in Abuja yesterday after a brilliant performance. Team Nigeria finished seventh out of 62 countries which featured in the championship having amassed six gold, two silver and three bronze medals. On hand to receive the contingent at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport was the Director, Grassroots Sports Development, National Sports Commissionn (NSC), Dr Ademola Are who lauded their heroics. “We are proud of you for making Nigeria proud. You have displayed the ‘nevergive-up’ Nigerian spirit that saw you dominate, despite being represented by only 13 of you, Nigerian flag flew high at the games,”

Are said. The leader of Team Nigeria to the Games, Deputy-Director of Grassroots Sports, Shuwa Umar Talba explained that the athletes were determined and disciplined throughout the Games. “We have seen a crop of athletes that are good and we would ensure that we keep a tab on them, prepare them ahead of the Commonwealth Games which holds in two years,” he said. Nigeria’s discovery at the Games, Praise Idamadudu Oghenefejiro, who won four medals said she was happy to see her dream come true. “By representing Nigeria at the Commonwealth Youth Games, I have been able to achieve one of my dreams. I won gold medals in 4x400m, 200m and 4x100m, while I also won a bronze in 400m,” she said.

...As Falcons face Cameroon in grudge match according to article 12 (D) of the competition’s regulations having scored more goals – two against one each by Ghana and South Africa.

Falcons striker, Desire

It will be recalled that Nigeria last beat Cameroon in the final of the 2014 Africa Women Championships in Namibia.

tribunesport

Tuesday, 15 September, 2015

Champions League:

Pogba not in Toure’s class yet —Pellegrini

Paul Pogba (right) battles for ball possession with Onazi Ogenyi of Lazio.

anchester City manager, Manuel Pellegrini believes that Juventus and France midfielder, Paul Pogba has not yet reached the same level as Ivory Coast star, Yaya Toure. With Man City and Juventus set to meet in their first UEFA Champions League group stage match tonight at the Etihad Stadium, Toure and Pogba will go head-to-head in a ‘battle royale’ in midfield. While many football followers believe Pogba has developed into one of the finest midfielders in the world today, Pellegrini insists he still has a way to go before he can be compared to Yaya Toure. “I don’t think it’s fair to compare a young player who is just starting with Yaya Toure who has had a brilliant career. He (Pogba) must

arrive to do what Yaya has done in his career,” said the City manager. “Pogba is a very young player and when you’re young you have the chance to continue improving. That’s why it can be important to buy young players because they have more chances to improve.” Manchester City is likely to be without Sergio Aguero for the match against Juve, with the striker having suffered a knee injury in its 1-0 win over Crystal Palace last Saturday.

Champions League fixtures Benfica Galatasaray Man City PSG PSV Real Madrid Sevilla Wolfsburg

vs vs vs vs vs vs vs vs

Astana A/Madrid Juventus Malmö FF Man Utd S/Donetsk B/M’gladbach CSKA Moskva

Olubadan Stadium and IFA suspension, the untold story By Ganiyu Salman and Nurudeen Alimi The Ibadan Football Association recently gained publicity but this time negatively following the suspension of its management by a superior authority, the Oyo State Football Association (OYSFA). Before now, only a few football stakeholders in Oyo State saw the suspension of IFA caretaker committee which has been in office since 2003 coming. To them, the way the Olubadan Stadium is being managed by IFA is worrisome as they believed it is becoming a measure to destroy the heritage of the people. This came on the heels of the construction of a shopping complex at the Seventh Day Adventist end of the stadium and the leasing of the land space for 25 years. A football coach who pleaded anonymity claimed that part of the land space inside the stadium (at the tennis club end) has also been leased out to another developer for 25 years. OYSFA led by Chief James Odeniran, while justifying the suspension of IFA said it was based on the complaints and petitions it received from football stakeholders in the state. “Over a period of time, we have been inaudated with petitions and oral complaints by various stakeholders in Ibadan and Oyo State in general over the activity of the board members of IFA. “Some of these allegations are related to lack of transparency in the running of IFA. Some of them are that IFA is now involved in non-football related matters which are contrary to

their mandate as an affiliate of the Oyo State Football Association. “As the only body with supervisory authority over Ibadan Football Association, we have no choice but act before the matter degenerate beyond remedy. The chairman and members of Ibadan Football Association are hereby suspended pending the conclusion of the sitting of the panel of investigation and the submission of its report to the State Football Association,” Odeniran, a retired FIFA-badged referee had said at a press briefing. Tribunesport reveals that there was a petition written by the Ibadan Football Supporters Club and signed by its secretary, Segun Onaolapo, which questioned IFA on the leasing of the Olubadan Stadium for 25 years without the approval of any of the affiliated bodies or the property owners. It was also learnt that the N5million was allegedly collected from developers to construct a shopping complex which the Ibadan Football Supporters Club claimed was shared among the committee members. Another petition alleged that the chairman of IFA used his influence to award the contract to sandfill the stadium to his private company (Messrs Akintayo and Co Ltd) to the tune of N5million without obtaining approval from Oyo FA and Ibadan Local Governments Properties Co. Ltd. The IFA management headed Alhaji Banji Akintayo, was also alleged to have usurped the ownership of IFA by registering

it a new name with the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC). They also claimed that Messrs Akintayo and Co Ltd which was said to be owned by the chairman of IFA is the sole consultant to all developers on the site, while it was believed that there was no proper accountability in IFA in the last 12 years. The football supporters in their petition also berated the IFA for not utilising the money accrued to Ibadan FA from gate takings, launchings, donations, clubs’ registration to regrass the field and renovate the stadium hostel; while they demanded that the Ministry of Youth and Sports should mandate OYSFA to dissolve the IFA caretaker committee with immediate effect. The embattled IFA management, however, in a letter dated September 5, 2015 and addressed to the secretary of OYSFA, Kehinde Ojelowo in protest against the suspension which was jointly signed by Banji Akintayo and Adeniran Adeyemo (secretary) and made available to Tribunesport, claimed that OYSFA had no right to query its financial activity. “Our affiliation is a matter of courtesy borne out of the spirit of football fraternity. Otherwise our association can exist independent of Oyo State Football Association. “We want to reiterate that since you did not appoint us, and had never appointed members to the board of Ibadan Football Association, you have no right and authority morally or legally to meddle in the affairs of IFA in so far as it relates to the control and management of the Olubadan

Stadium complex.” The letter further reads: “It may interest you to note that football competition organisation is totally different from the functionality of the board of IFA put in place by democratic mechanism rooted in the rule of law. In other words, the office of each member of the board of IFA is not held at the mercy of your association. “Rather, IFA owes its duty to its appointing authority. Therefore, you cannot suspend the board of Ibadan Football Association. It is way out of your functions.” Also, Mr Folorunso Oyelakin, IFA’s Head of Communications, Media and Strategy told Tribunesport that the suspension of IFA was a misplaced priority. “We have done a lot towards soccer development in the state and IFA has even been assisting the Oyo FA in its responsibility. It is on record that we started women football here. Referees have also used our matches to upgrade their rankings. “There is no local football association that is as functional as IFA today in this country. Our ultimate target is to develop the Olubadan Stadium, we allowed the construction of a shopping complex around the stadium as it is done elsewhere. “There are shops at the Lekan Salami Stadium and other stadia across the country, why should Olubadan Stadium be different? We always go cap in hand to run this stadium and what we did was to design measures to generate funds for the effective running of the stadium. “Yes, the leasing agreement covers 25 years and the devel-

oper for the constructed shopping complex paid N3million as initial payment. We have leased out the other portion (at the tennis club end) to another developer who has agreed to construct secretariat for us as well as the offices for the youth coaches and Ibadan Referees Society, while the top floor will be a shopping complex and the agreement also covers 25 years. So, N5.2million has been paid into IFA, while about N12million is yet to be paid. That is the land space at the tennis club end. Before now, we have carried the Oyo FA along on these projects. “In fact, we begged the chairman (Akintayo) to handle the sandfiling of the stadium when all the firms we approached turned it down on the premise that we might not have money to pay them if they accept the project. We have it documented,” Oyelakin said. He added that the body then known as the Ibadan District Amateur Football Association (IDAFA) formed by the colonialists with indigenes in 1937 was registered with the CAC in the 1950s with registration No. 365. “So, we intended to register IFA but when we got to the CAC, it was established that it had already been registered. So, what we have now is a case of where the son is claiming to be the elder to his father. “We want to leave the Olubadan Stadium better than we met it and leave a legacy that those coming would build on to see that this heritage, the Olubadan Stadium is sustained,” Oyelakin stated.

SIDELINES

NO 16, 327

N150

TUESDAY, 15 SEPTEMBER, 2015

Brazzaville 2015: Onyegbule wins gold for Nigeria in para-athletics

Zenith Bank to pay Oliseh's salary for 1 yr

Nigeria's Ndifreke Udo (left) challenged by Ghana's Alhassan Sadiq during their group game at the ongoing Brazzaville 2015. The Dream Team will today face Burkina Faso in the semi-final of the competition.

TEAM Nigeria again on Monday registered her name on the medals table with the gold won by Lovina Onyegbule in women's 100m T11 in para-athletics at the ongoing Brazzaville 2015. Onyegbule ran 12.64 seconds to grab the gold medal at stake in a race decided at the Stade Lumite in Kintele. Nigeria's Gbolahan Olaiya won bronze in the men's Discuss, while Segun Rotawo qualified for the 100m T11 for male in a time of 11.63 seconds. The finals hold today at the same venue. Onyegbule will also participate in the 200m today, while her colleague, Sulaiman Taiwo failed to advance to the next stage due to an injury during heat two on Monday.

Champions League fixtures Benfica Galatasaray Man City PSG PSV Real Madrid Sevilla Wolfsburg

U-23 Nations Cup:

Nigeria is in tough group —Siasia By Olawale Olaniyan

IGERIA'S national U-23 football team head coach, Samson Siasia has described the draw of the U-23 African Nations Cup which pits the Dream Team alongside Egypt, Mali and Algeria in group B as tough. The tournament holds from November 28 to December 12, 2015. Speaking from Congo where his team is set to take on Burkina Faso in the semi-final of the ongoing 11th All Africa Games today, Siasia said none of the teams in the group is a push over. "For now my concentration is on my semi-final

There is tension across the country as governors are reportedly sitting on the bailout funds meant for payment of salaries. The governors had better learn from history and pay up before the workers remove their seats or even their bottoms in anger!

game, but I must confess that this group is tough, all the teams in my group have a pedigree that can not be underrated, but I can assure Nigerians that we will pick one of the tickets for the football event of the Rio Olympic Games," he said. Siasia added that even though it is agreed that the group is tough, he is sure of picking one of the tickets as his boys play better when faced with tough oppositions. He appealed that his

team should move into camp immediately after the All Africa Games so as to get the new players he intends to add to the team blend well with the others. The former Super Eagles coach stated that aside one or two additions to the defence line he has in Congo, he will be scouting around Europe to set up discussions with some strikers that would add competition to the striking position at both the Senegal event and the Olympic Games proper.

11th ALL AFRICA GAMES

SEPT. 4 - 19, 2015

Niyi Alebiosu

reporting

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PRESIDENT of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Mr Amaju Pinnick has disclosed that Zenith Bank Plc has agreed to foot the salary of Nigeria coach, Sunday Oliseh for a year. Oliseh, who is on a N5 million monthly salary (about $25,000), took over the Super Eagles in July this year. “Zenith Bank have undertaken to pay Oliseh’s salary for a year. This will take a lot of burden off the federation,” said Pinnick. “The bank has also sponsored the country’s top referees for refresher courses in London.” Cash-strapped NFF has often struggled to pay the country’s coaches as and when due with the immediate past coach, Stephen Keshi owed for several months before he was eventually paid.

Oke wins gold in triple jump Former Commonwealth Games gold medallist, Tosin Oke on Monday won gold in the men's triple jump at the ongoing 11th All Africa Games. Oke who represented Nigeria at the just-ended 15th IAAF World Championship in Beijing clinched the gold in Brazzaville with a jump of 17.00 metres, while his compatriot, Olamigoke Olamide settled for the silver with a jump of 16.98 metres. Ogho Oghene Egwero was beaten to the gold in the men's 100m as he returned in a time of 10.17 seconds behind Cote d'Ivoire's Ben Youssef Meite who clinched the gold in a time of 10.04 seconds. Seye Ogunlewe placed fifth in a time of 10.45 seconds. However, the dream of Doreen Amata to make it a treble was dashed as she settled for the silver this time in the women's high jump. It will be recalled that Amata won the last two editions of the All Africa Games, Algiers 2007 and Maputo 2011. Tryone Akins also won a bronze medal for Team

Nigeria in the men's 110m when he returned in a time of 13.54 seconds. In 800m women's final, Nigeria's Abike Egbeniyi

finished eighth in the event won by Caster Semenya of South Africa, while Cecila Francis also finished eighth in the final.

Printed and Published by the African Newspapers of Nigeria PLC, Imalefalafia Street, Oke-Ado, Ibadan. E mail: editornigeriantribune@yahoo.com Website: www.tribuneonlineng.com MANAGING DIRECTOR / EDITOR-IN-CHIEF: EDWARD DICKSON. Ag. EDITOR: TINU AYANNIYI. All Correspondence to P.O. Box 78, Ibadan. ISSN 2712. ABC Member of the Audit Bureau of Circulation. 15/9/2015.

Oke