20th April 2016

NIGERIA’S MOST INFORMATIVE NEWSPAPER NO 16,483

WEDNESDAY, 20 APRIL, 2016 www.tribuneonlineng.com

Forex policy: Iberia Airline withdraws services from Nigeria

•More airlines to follow suit —P7

Nigerian Tribune

Buhari's popularity not waning —Presidency —P38

@nigeriantribune

TribuneOnline

No secret trial for Dasuki, court tells DSS —P7

Nigerian Tribune

N150

Army has explanations to make on Ogoni killings —Reps

CCT: Tension in Senate as Saraki presides for 43 mins —P3

•Anti, pro-Saraki forces strategise —P2 •Mark rejects offer of Senate presidency again •Saraki declared his assets, witness tells tribunal

GOC escapes assassination in Boko Haram's ambush

•Soldier, terrorists killed —P4

2016 hajj: Slots to be allocated to first timers only —Hajj commission —P10

From left, Managing Director/ Chief Executive Officer, Mr Yemi Adeola, Chairman, Mr Asue Ighodalo and the Company Secretary, Justina Lewa, all of Sterling Bank Plc, during the bank's 54th Annual General Meeting, held at Eko Hotel, Lagos, on Tuesday. PHOTO: SYLVESTER OKORUWA

Rivers rerun: DSS arraigns SSG, APC candidate —P3

2 news Tension in Senate as Saraki presides for 43 mins

Wednesday, 20 April, 2016

•Anti, pro-Saraki forces strategise •Mark rejects offer of Senate Presidency again Taiwo Adisa and Ayodele Adesanmi -Abuja

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ENSE mood pervaded the Senate proceedings on Tuesday, following the departure of the Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki, to attend the sitting of the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT), in respect of his ongoing trial for false asset declaration.

Though the senators carried on as if nothing was really at stake when Saraki left, sources in the Senate said the lawmakers had to carry on and await the conclusion of the matter.

Saraki presided over the Senate for only 43 minutes before handing over to the Deputy Senate President, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, who completed the day’s sitting at 1.00 p.m.

The Senate president had kicked off Tuesday’s plenary at 10.48 a.m. and left at 11.31 a.m., so that he could attend the proceedings at the CCT. The senators were yet to complete debate on the first order of the day when Saraki handed over to Ekweremadu.

The handing over process temporarily delayed the presentation by Senator James Manager, who was contributing to a debate on an Act to establish the Federal University of Petroleum Resources, Effurun.

Members of the Senate Unity Forum (SUF), who had earlier vowed not to attend any sitting presided over by the Deputy Senate President could not, however, carry out their threat when Saraki left.

It was gathered that the senators were unhappy at the development, especially with the symbol of the institution being kept in the dock during Senate sittings.

“We cannot shave someone’s head in his absence,” said a lawmaker, who added that the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has not debated the issue of who replaces Saraki if he is possibly swept aside through the ongoing trial,” sources said.

The lawmakers said the issue of who takes over at the helm of the Senate would only be taken within a few days when it became obvious.

The development was coming on the heels of the revelation that the immediate past Senate president, Senator David Mark, has rejected subtle offers that he takes over from Saraki, in case the Senate president is removed.

Sources close to the former Senate president told the Nigerian Tribune in Abuja that Mark was content with playing the role of an elder in the Senate, adding that he would continue to be a guide to the Senate at critical times.

“I can tell you that the

former Senate president is content with his role as the conscience of the eighth senate. He is of the view that the PDP should allow the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) run the show, so that the former ruling party could play its role as opposition.

“We in the PDP have had our time and Senator Mark is of the view that the APC should be allowed to run its government, so that they don’t turn around and blame anyone for obstructing them,” the source said.

It, however, emerged that the pro and anti-Saraki forces have continued their strategy meetings despite the daily sittings at the CCT. While some members of the

SUF, who have clamoured for a united APC caucus in the Senate, had also canvassed the emergence of a unity candidate in case Saraki was removed, the Like Mind Senators, the group loyal to Saraki, had continued to bank on the support of the PDP to dictate the pace.

It was gathered that the groups had agreed to field a unity candidate if Saraki was removed.

“One of the issues said to have been agreed to at the different caucus meetings is the fact that a unity candidate should emerge and that could lead to the emergence of a compromise candidate,” a source said.

It was gathered that some

names had been thrown up, but no conclusion had been reached so far.

Those being mentioned included Senator Shaba Lafiaji (Kwara), Barnabas Gemade (Benue), Abdullahi Adamu (Nasarawa) and the Deputy Senate President, Ekweremadu (Enugu).

In another development, the Senate announced on Tuesday that the National Security Adviser and service chiefs would appear before the lawmakers today.

Their appearance was in connection with the summon extended to them last week by the Senate over the missing Chibok girls, kidnapped

by Boko Haram elements in 2014.

Ekweremadu, who presided over the sitting, said the NSA and the service chiefs would be in the chamber by 10.00 a.m., while urging the senators to be punctual.

Ekweremadu said that the Senate was worried at the continuous disappearance of the abducted girls and apparent lack of information on what the security agencies were doing to secure their release.

In another motion passed on the floor of the Senate on Tuesday, the lawmakers approved the continued importation of used tyres, popularly called Tokunbo, into the country through land borders.

The motion followed the passage of the motion, enti-

tled: “the use of substandard or used tyres on Nigerian roads,” sponsored by Senator Shehu Sani.

Sani, in his motion, expressed worry about the growing deaths from road traffic accidents.

He said from 2010 to date, statistics had shown that over 5,000 lives had been lost on Nigerian roads as a result of burst tyres.

He said the development was either due to low quality or over-use of the tyres.

But the Senate failed to empower the Federal Roads Safety Corps (FRSC) and Vehicle Inspection Officers (VIOs) to conduct a random checks on tyres in use across the country.

Saraki won’t benefit from amendment of CCB/CCT Law —Senate Ayodele Adesanmi -Abuja THE Senate, on Tuesday, clarified its position on the proposed amendment of the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) and Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) Act. This was as it said under no circumstances could the amendment affect the ongoing case of its President, Dr Bukola Saraki, before the tribunal Spokesman of the Senate and chairman of the committee on Media and Public Affairs, Senator Sabi Abdullahi, made this known in a statement, adding that many of the comments on the proposed amendments were made by those who had neither read the bill nor understood the principles behind it.

Abdullahi said since the Saraki case commenced in 2015, any amendment of the law in 2016 could not retroactively affect an ongoing case, adding that the proposed amendment would still take a minimum of six months, given the long process that lawmaking requires.

According to him, the process include committee hearing; public hearing; report

back to Senate committee of the whole; the concurrence in the House of Representatives and assent by the President.

“There is no way we will

even complete the process of finally effecting the amendments before the completion of the Saraki case.

“So those who read selfish or ulterior motives to this

ordinary legislative activity are either mischievous or ignorant of legislative procedures,” he stated.

He stressed that the sole aim of the amendment was

to give effect to the right to fair hearing as enshrined in Section 36 of the 1999 Constitution and the recent pronouncements of the Supreme Court.

We bought only 36 cars not 108 —Senate Taiwo Adisa and Ayodele Adesanmi -Abuja THE Senate, on Tuesday, clarified reports about the purchase of its project vehicles, saying that the upper chamber only bought 36 cars, not 108.

Chairman, Senate Services Committee, Senator Ibrahim Gobir, who stated this in an interview with newsmen, said the chamber had earlier taken a decision to purchase cars for one senator per state.

Senator Gobir said the public was apparently misinformed about the purchase of the cars, saying that each of the Toyota Land Cruiser VXR V8 cost the Senate $90,000.

The senator said that the vehicles eventually cost Senate the sum of N36.5 million each, after tax was added, adding that the Senate did not obtain any loan to buy the cars.

“A lot has been happening within the last two days concerning the issue of cars vis-a-vis car loan and cost of the car and we feel it is necessary to come out and inform the public about what it is, so that people can have a better understanding of the whole thing.

“First, I would like to say that the issue that we bought 108 cars is totally wrong. It is not correct. We bought 36 cars. Yes, 36 cars because each senator in each state is either a chairman or a vice chairman and we gave one car to each state.

“We don’t have money to buy 108 cars. On the issue of buying cars without appropriation, this is totally wrong, because this has been appropriated for in the 2015 budget.

“So we used what we have in the 2015 budget to buy the 36 cars, so that it can go round each state.

“On the issue of the cost of the car, the showroom price is N36.5 million and we are surprised. The car we bought is Land Cruiser VXR V8 not V6. Therefore the showroom price is about N31 million minimum and when you put 10 per cent tax, it becomes 36.5 million.

“In fact, you can go to the internet and download it. It is very simple. We can give you the website, we have several items we downloaded from the internet, you can see them. This particular car costs about $90,000.

“By the time you multiply that, you will have about N28.8 million so when you add tax, you will end up with about N37 million.

“So I think what we have purchased the car for is very reasonable and we are sensitive to economic challenge.

“We are supposed to buy 109 cars, but because of the

paucity of funds, we bought only 36 to go round per state.

“There is no minister that hasn’t got about three or four cars. One Land Cruiser, maybe a backup and two Hilux pick-ups. There is no director in the civil service that hasn’t got a car, there is no permanent secretary that hasn’t got a Land Cruiser.

“In fact, every House of Assembly member has either a Prado or a Land Cruiser and here is a senator you say he cannot have one Land Cruiser,” he said.

Speaking on the issue of car loan, he said no senator was given car loan.

“Currently, we have money for 36 vehicles and we procured only 36. We had a close session and we all agreed that we should give one car per state. We sat down and agreed on who needs the car most and that was what happened,” he said.

Saraki declared his assets, witness tells tribunal Sunday Ejike -Abuja A witness of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), on Tuesday, told the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) that the Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki, declared his assets before and after his tenure as the governor of Kwara State.

The star witness of the EFCC, prosecuting the Senate President over allegations of false assets declaration, Michael Wetkas, said the Senate President submitted his assets declaration form to the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) during his first term of office as Kwara State

governor in 2003 and it was duly stamped by the CCB, confirming that he declared his assets.

The witness further told the tribunal that, when Saraki assumed office as governor of Kwara State for a second term in 2007, he also declared his assets and his declaration form was also stamped by the Bureau.

Wetkas also confirmed that in 2011, the Senate President equally declared his assets at the end of his second tenure as governor.

The witness, who was cross-examined by Saraki’s lead counsel, Chief Kanu Agabi, admitted that some

of the exhibits that were tendered through him before the Justice Danlami Umar-led tribunal were not investigated by him nor his team.

Wetkas, an investigator with the EFCC, admitted that he was not part of the team that investigated the petitions in exhibits 11, 12 and 13, which included the petition by the Kwara Freedom Network.

Exhibit 11, which was dated May 22, 2012, contained a petition written by Kwara Freedom Network, inviting the EFCC to investigate the Kwara State Universal Basic Education Board.

The witness had told the

court, on April 5, 2016, when he was led in evidence by the prosecution counsel, Rotimi Jacobs, that a certain petition from the Kwara Freedom Network, as well as other petitions formed the basis for the commencement of investigations into the case of alleged false assets declaration preferred against the Senate President.

Exhibit 12, an intelligence report, which was dated May 7, 2011, was addressed to the chairman of the EFCC, asking the anti-graft agency to investigate the Kwara State government on borrowings for projects described as phoney.

Exhibit 13, however, was a petition dated June 7, 2012, which was about mismanagement of local government revenue in Kwara State between 2003 and 2011, when Saraki was governor of the state.

When asked whether in the course of investigation, he had audience with the Accountant General of Kwara State, the witness said he did not, as that was not part of his assignment.

When also asked whether he invited any official of Kwara State government in the course of investigation, the witness also affirmed in the negative.

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Reps approve $300m diaspora bond Jacob Segun Olatunji and Kolawole Daniel - Abuja

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HE House of Representatives, on Tuesday, approved the request of President Muhammadu Buhari to increase the diaspora bond from $100 million to $300 million, captured under the Federal Government’s external borrowing plan 2016-2018.

The approval was granted by the House, at its Committee of Whole, chaired by the Deputy Speaker, Honourable Lasun Yussuf.

The president had requested for an increase in the amount to be raised through the Diaspora bond from the international capital market.

The ad hoc committee of the House, chaired by Honourable Babangida Ibrahim, in its report adopted by the House, observed that the Diaspora bond was a means of diversifying the sources of government funding and taking advantage of the large diaspora population of Nigerians.

The approved report added that the Diaspora bond reduced the interest cost of government’s borrowing, as it was an inexpensive way to raise funds for developmental projects.

The report also indicated that “proceeds of the issuance would be used to finance capital projects in priority sectors of the economy, such as roads, railways, power projects etc.”

The report indicated that Nigeria made its debut entry into the international capital market in January 2011 by the issuance of $500 million Euro bond and subsequently, successfully floated another $1 billion Euro bond in July 2013.

According to adopted reported, the first $500 million Euro bond was for a tenor of 10 years and issued at the rate of 6.75 per cent, with the subscription rate at 260 per cent.

The report of the committee equally stated that the second issuance of $1 billion Euro bond in 2013 was in dual tranches of $500 million Euro bond each.

The first tranches of $500 million Euro bond in 2013, according to the report, was for a tenor of five

years and issued at the rate if 5.125 per cent, with the subscription rate at 346 per cent.

The report also maintained that second tranche of $500 million Euro

bond was for a tenor of ten years, issued at the rate of 6.375 percent and at a subscription rate of 445 percent.

The report further stated that “as part of Federal

Government’s external borrowing plan of 20122014, National Assembly approved the $100 million Diaspora bond raised from the international capital market.

“In the Seventh Assembly, the Committee on Aids, Loans and Debt Management considered and recommended for approval the request for an increase in the issuance

amount from $100 million to $300 million, but the House was unable to consider the report of the committee before the expiration of its tenure,” the reported stated.

Army has explanations to make on Ogoni killings —Reps As APC, PDP bicker on Reps’ visit to Rivers Dapo Falade - Port Harcourt THE House of Representatives Committee on the Army has said the Nigerian Army has explanations to make over the killings and destructions that took place in some Ogoni communities between January and February.

To this end, the committee said the army would be invited by the National Assembly to explain their alleged involvement in the said killings.

The committee said this on Tuesday, shortly after it visited some of the communities devastated during the army invasion of some Ogoni communities, in Gokana and Khana local government areas, last February.

It will be recalled that the military had invaded some suspected criminal hideouts in Yeghe community, Gokana Local Government Area, leading to the death of 24 people.

The soldiers, who had reportedly visited to curb arms proliferation in the area and in search of an ex-militant leader, Chief Solomon Ndigbara, also demolished several buildings, including that of Ndigbara.

Subsequently and following a petition by the Civil Liberties Organisation (CLO), the House of Representatives’ committee was in Port Harcourt, on Monday, on a two-day fact-finding mission.

Several people who spoke at a public hearing on the issue indicted the army, pointing out that many of their people were shot and killed, allegedly by soldiers, during the invasion.

Addressing newsmen after the fact-finding tour of the affected two local councils, the chairman of the House of Representative Committee on Army, Honourabke Rimamde Shawulu-Kwewum, said the army would be invited for questioning.

According to him, the invitation became essential for the security agency to be given the privilege of

fair hearing on the matter.

He disclosed that after the committee had heard from parties involved in the petition sent to it by CLO, the matter would be forwarded to the floor of the House of Representatives for debate.

He also promised that adequate measures would be taken to implement the findings of the House after the reports were adopted by the house.

“We have come for a factfinding visit in the areas affected. We have seen two buildings that were vandalised and bullet-ridden walls. Our meeting was mainly with the stakeholders, the victims and some government officials from the area.

“We will go back and we are going to invite the security agencies that were mentioned in the petition and hear their part of the story and then we will report back to the House.

“We have heard from them and we have seen what they have shown us.

So, we will go ahead with the investigation by inviting the other groups involved. What we wanted to find out is, if anything like that took place and to hear from the victims.

“Our coming here today (Tuesday) shows that the government, which the National Assembly is part of, is lending a hearing ear to them (Ogonis) and the reports will be debated and adopted and appropriate measures will be taken,” he said.

Shawulu Kwewum urged the Ogoni people to embrace dialogue to restore peace and order in the area, adding that guns do not resolve problems and enjoined them to avoid using politics to cause unrest, stating that political party was transient.

“The point we have to make to every person or

group, particularly our Ogoni brothers, is that this is not the first time they have faced a serious challenge like this.

“Every group of people should always learn to live together. Guns don’t win battles; every battle is always resolved at the table.

Life is beyond political affiliations, so you need to resolve your challenges through peace.

Meanwhile, Rivers State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) resumed their hostilities over the House of Representatives Committee on the Army’s factfinding mission on the alleged invasion and killings by soldiers in some Ogoni communities.

The state APC chairman, Dr Davies Ikanya, in a statement issued on Tuesday, alleged that the visit by the federal lawmakers was contrived and spon-

sored by Governor Nyesom Wike.

He further said it was part of an alleged plan by the governor to blackmail and stampede the Nigerian Army out of Ogoniland before the conclusion of the outstanding rerun election in Rivers South-East Senatorial District.

However, his PDP counterpart, Mr Felix Obuah, denied the allegation, saying he was not surprised by the attitude and statement of Ikanya over the killing of over 24 people during the army invasion of Ogoniland, last February.

He said the statement by Ikanya on the fact-finding mission by the House of Representatives’ committee was an admittance that APC actually deployed soldiers to Ogoniland and the entire state during the March 19 rerun to do everything to deliver its candidates in the election.

Rivers rerun: DSS arraigns SSG, APC candidate Dapo Falade - Port Harcourt SECRETARY to the Rivers State Government (SSG), Chief Kenneth Kobani, was arraigned before the Federal High Court in Port Harcourt, on Tuesday, over alleged misconduct during the inconclusive legislative rerun in the state.

Kobani was arraigned before Justice Liman Mohammed on a three-count charge, but was later granted bail on self-recognition after pleading not guilty to the charges.

He was arraigned by the Department of State Security (DSS), alongside a chieftain of the All Progressive Congress (APC) in the state, Mr Azubuike Chikere Wanjoku.

The Rivers SSG, who is also a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state and others at large were, among other allegations specifically charged for an alleged offence punishable under the Terrorism Prevention

Act 2011.

The charges read: “That you, Kenneth Kobani, with others at large on or about March 3, at a meeting held in your residence at Bodo community, Gokana Local Government Area, did conspire to carry out activities that could cause the breach of the peace and breakdown of law and order on March 19, thereby committing an offence contrary to Section 516 of the Criminal Code Act. “That you, Kenneth Kobani and others at large, on or about March 19, at the premises of INEC office, Gokana Local Government Area, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court did conduct yourself in a manner that caused the breach of peace by leading and instructing your followers to barricade the entrance of the INEC office, prevented officials of the commission and other ad hoc staff from discharging their duties and causing stampede in the vicinity, thereby committed an offence contrary to

and punishable under Section 249 d of the Criminal Code.

“That on or about March 19, at the premises of INEC Office, Gokana Local Government Area, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, did hold Mr James Simon, an official of the commission and other ad hoc staff hostage until their eventual rescue by security personnel, thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 11 of the Terrorism Prevention Act, 2011.”

Kobani pleaded not guilty to all the charges and the presiding judge, Justice Liman Mohammed, granted him bail on self recognition and adjourned hearing on the matter to June 15.

However, Wanjoku, the APC candidate for Ikwerre State Constituency seat in the rerun was not that fortunate, as the judge ordered that he should be remanded in custody.

He was accused of falsefully accusing the INEC Electoral Officer in Ikw-

erre, Mr Kingsley Osifu, of collecting some amount of money from him to disrupt public order and security, thereby committing an offence punishable under Section 516 of the Criminal Code Act. The second count charge read that Wanjoku, by his conduct, allegedly obstructed the public officer (INEC staff) from discharging his official duty, an act punishable under the Criminal Code.

According to the third count charge, Wanjoku allegedly threatened to forcefully demand refund of the said money from the INEC officer and thereby, committed an offence contrary to the Criminal Code.

The APC chieftain also pleaded not guilty and Justice Liman granted him bail with the sum of N500,000, but was ordered to get a senior civil servant as surety in like sum.

The trial judge also ordered that Wanjoku be remanded in prosecution custody till the bail condition was met.

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EFCC detects 37,395 ghost workers in Federal Civil Service

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HE Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) said in Abuja, on Tuesday, that it had detected 37,395 ghost workers on the payroll of the Federal Civil Service.

Acting chairman of the commission, Mr Ibrahim Magu, announced the figure at an anti-corruption sensitisation programme.

Magu said apart from the widespread procurement frauds in Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), the issue of ghost workers was a source of serious concern for the commission.

He said current investigations by the EFCC had revealed that the Federal Government lost about N1 billion to ghost workers recently.

“The EFCC has uncovered 37,395 ghost workers in the Federal Civil Service. And investigation is still going on.

“Our investigations have so far revealed that the Federal Government has lost close to N1 billion to these ghost workers.

“The figure will definitely increase as we unravel more ghost workers buried deep in the Federal Civil Service payroll,’’ he said.

Magu also said that the commission had established a procurement fraud unit to handle the increasing number of petitions relating to violations of the public procurement laws.

He advised civil servants to avoid any act in breach of public procurement, warning that violators risked terms of imprisonment and dismissal from service.

“As regards procurement frauds, there has been a sharp rise in the number of petitions coming to the commission relating to violations of the Public Procurement Act 2007.

“That is what informed my setting up a procurement fraud unit, which has since commenced investigations of procurement fraud cases, with some of those cases already in courts.

“Let me warn that civil servants found guilty under the Public Procurement Act risk terms of imprisonment, ranging from five years to 10 years and in addition, may face dismissal from the service.

“The commission is determined, more than ever before, to rid all MDAs of all forms of fraudulent activities,’’ Magu said.

The chairman also said the commission intended to place suggestion boxes at

designated places for people to drop petitions and reports of corrupt practices to assist it in the fight against corruption.

Permanent Secretary (Works and Housing), Alhaji Abubakar Magaji, in his paper, said as the drivers of government policies,

MDAs should be in the forefront of compliance to public service laws and regulations.

“It is rather sad that over

time, the laws, regulations and standard practice governing the operations of the public service are being neglected and often abused, in

Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) Liaison Officer to the National Assembly, Mr Suleiman Bakari (left), decorating the Deputy Senate President, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, as an Anti-Corruption Ambassador, during a visit to his office at the National Assembly, Abuja, on Tuesday.

many cases with impunity.

“The MDAs are expected to be in the forefront of compliance to extant laws and regulations, because they collectively constitute the engine room of the government.

“They are responsible for the implementation of government policies and programmes.

“Therefore, the success or failure of such policies and programmes are fully on the shoulders of public officers,’’ he said.

Magaji said the works and housing sectors had resolved to regularly organise interactive sessions to educate officers on the importance of compliance to extant laws, regulations and guidelines.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reported that the programme was organised by the commission for workers in the works and housing sectors.

It featured paper presentations by staff of the EFCC on its legal and operational activities.

Ekweremadu now anti-corruption ambassador Ayodele Adesanmi - Abuja DEPUTY Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, on Tuesday, called for the establishment of special anti-corruption courts to reduce the burden on regular courts and fast-track trial of corruption cases.

Speaking in his office, while playing host to officers from the Economic

and Financial Crimes Commission, (EFCC), led by its National Assembly Liason Officer, Suleiman Bakari.

Ekweremadu, who was decorated by the EFCC on the occasion, as an anticorruption ambassador, believed that setting up special courts, was one of the surest ways to help the fight against corruption, as it would ensure speedy adju-

dication of corruption cases.

The Deputy Senate President, in a statement by his Special Adviser on Media, Uche Anichukwu, stressed that “I have been an advocate of special courts for the trial of corruption cases and I believe that other countries, which have enacted laws establishing such are not fools, because there are benefits to be derived there-

from. The idea is to expedite trial to make sure that those who are involved in corruption matters will have their day in court.

“When we have special courts, just as we have the National Industrial Court, such courts will do better than they are doing now.

The establishment of special courts is not just something that will be done by an Act of

Calabar-Lagos rail project: FG inciting Nigerians —Lawmaker Banji Aluko - Benin City A member of the House of Representatives Committee on Transport, Honourable Ehiozuwa Agbonnayima, has called on the executive arm of government to own up and accept responsibility for the mix up in the now controversial N100 billion CalabarLagos coastal rail project.

The lawmaker representing Ikpoba-Okha/Egor Federal Constituency of Edo State, noted that accusing the National Assembly of removing the project from the national budget amounted to inciting Nigerians against members of the National Assembly, adding that no provision was made for the project in the first and second budgets presented to the National Assembly.

Agbonnayima, a former member of the Nige-

rian Railway Corporations (NRC), added that the closest to the project sent to the National Assembly was contained in a letter written to the House Committee on Transport by the Minister of Transport, Honourable Rotimi Amaechi, adding that such move did not remove the fact that the project was never included in the budget.

“It was shocking to read

on the pages of the newspaper, that N100 billion was removed from the 2016 budget. This is just another way of blackmailing the National Assembly.

It is high time we stopped this blame game.

“The N100 billion the Honourable Minister of Transport talked about was never in the budget presented by President Muhammadu Buhari to the

two chambers of the National Assembly. I can also tell you that it was never in the second budget brought to the National Assembly.

“There was a time the minister wrote a letter to the committee of transport on the matter. However, there are rules to follow in these things. There rules are there and things should not be done through the back door,” he said.

the National Assembly. We have to amend the constitution to bring it about under section 6, for the purpose of trying corruption cases.”

He, however, advocated for value reorientation of Nigerians at all levels, with a view to returning to values of the good old days.

He also cautioned the EFCC to ensure that in fighting corruption, it must respect the rule of law and ensure that the provisions of the constitution regarding fair hearing and treatment of an accused are also respected.

Ekweremadu thanked the EFCC for decorating him as an anti-corruption ambassador, as he assured that he would live up to the trust reposed in him.

He added that the National Assembly would do everything within its powers to ensure that the Bills before it, aimed at strengthening the fight against corruption, got speedy attention.

GOC escapes assassination in Boko Haram’s ambush Soldier, terrorists killed Chris Agbambu - Abuja ACTING General Officer Commanding (GOC) 7 Division, Nigerian Army, Brigadier-General Victor Ezugwu’s convoy was about 8.30 a.m. on Tuesday ambushed by suspected Boko Haram terrorists en route Bama to visit the troops.

Although one soldier lost his life and two others were injured, they were able to clear the ambush, killing some of the terrorists, as well as recovered vehicle and weapons from them.

They recovered a Toyota Hilux vehicle, two AK-47 rifles and several ammunition.

Acting Director, Army

Public Relations Officer, Colonel S.K. Usman, who confirmed the attack, said the acting GOC had continued his operational visit to Bama, while the body of the soldier and the wounded had been evacuated to Maiduguri, the Borno State capital.

He disclosed that the Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant-

General Tukur Yusuf Buratai had also spoken with the GOC. The Army spokesman, however, reiterated the Nigerian Army’s unalloyed commitment and determination to continue to clear the remnants of the Boko Haram terrorists, wherever they might be hiding.

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No secret trial for Dasuki, court tells DSS Sunday Ejike -Abuja THE Federal Government, on Tuesday, failed in its efforts to conduct secret trial for the former National security Adviser (NSA), Colonel Sambo Dasuki (retd), in the charges of unlawful possession of firearms and money laundering brought against him in September 2015.

The trial judge, Justice Adeniyi Ademola of a Federal High Court in Abuja, in his ruling in an application for secret trial of the former NSA, said there was no point for the witnesses, billed to be called to testify in the matter, to wear masks and bear pseudo names and addresses.

Justice Ademola held that the Federal Government had, in the charge against Dasuki, listed the names and addresses of 11 witnesses to be called to testify against him and made same available to the general public, adding that as such, there was no basis for any hide and seek game in Dasuki’s trial.

The judge, in the ruling that lasted over one hour, said there was no basis to grant the request of government to make the witnesses wear special mask, bear pseudo names and addresses, because the charges

against him was not terrorism related and there was no information that the life of any of the witnesses was being threatened by anybody or group.

The court held that although it had discretion to look into such issues of protection of witnesses in a criminal matter, such dis-

cretions must be judicially and judiciously used only in cases where threat to life had been established by the prosecution.

In the instance case, Justice Ademola said the government failed to establish any fact that life of its witnesses was being threatened and as such, no court would accede

to such request without established reason.

Justice Ademola adjourned the trial of the former NSA till May 18 and 19, at the instance of lawyers in the matters.

In another development, the judge also refused to discharge Dasuki and prohibit the Federal Government

from prosecuting him on the ground of the refusal to allow him enjoy the bail granted him.

Justice Ademola said in his ruling that Dasuki ought to have filed contempt charge against the Federal Government for disobedience to lawful court orders made last year, admitting him to

bail and permitting him to go abroad for his medical check-up.

The court said since due process was not followed by a way of contempt charge, there was no way the court would have discharged the defendant and prohibit his trial by the Federal Government.

Forex policy: Iberia withdraws services from Nigeria Shola Adekola -Lagos THE refusal of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to exempt foreign carriers from its forex policy has claimed its first casualty, with Iberia Airline pulling out of Nigeria.

According to information gathered late Tuesday, Iberia, the Spanish national carrier, was said to have taken the decision, in view of the financial predicaments brought upon it by the CBN forex policy, which prevented it from repatriating its proceeds made in Nigeria for many months now.

Since the introduction of the policy, the foreign airlines have over $500 million trapped in the various banks which they ought to have repatriated to their various home countries.

Prior to the decision of Iberia, many of the foreign

carriers had expressed their displeasure at the CBN policy, with many threatening to withdraw their services

from Nigeria if nothing was urgently done to reverse it.

Information gathered on Tuesday indicated that apart

from Iberia, other foreign airlines had concluded plans to equally pull out of the country.

In view of the latest devel-

opment, the foreign carriers are expected to meet with Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo in Abuja, today.

We’re at tail end of Boko Haram operations —Chief of Air Staff Olalekan Olabulo -Lagos THE Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar, has stated that men of the military in Nigeria are at the tail end of the battle to defeat Boko Haram insurgency in the northern part of the country.

The Air Force chief, while speaking to newsmen on Tuesday, at the Sam Ethnam Air Force Base in Ikeja, during the commissioning of some projects executed by the force, also said the Nigerian military had performed “excellently well.”

Air Marshal Abubakar told newsmen that the military had succeeded in ensuring

that members of Boko Haram no longer enjoyed the freedom to move in a convoy of between 15 to 20 vehicles, occupying villages.

“Generally, we are making

a substantial progress in the operations against Boko Haram insurgency. We are at the tail end of the operations,” he said.

The Air Force boss com-

mended President Muhammadu Buhari for his resolve and commitment to end both the Boko Haram insurgency and insecurity in general in the country.

Saraki declared his assets, witness tells tribunal Continued from pg2

When further asked why he tendered documents he did not investigate, the witness said he did not tender the exhibits on his own, but were tendered through him by the prosecution.

Also under cross-examination, the witness admitted that exhibits three, four and five, which were assets declaration forms of the de-

fendant, were duly examined and stamped by the CCB. He added that there was nowhere in the petition they investigated where Saraki’s asset declaration was in contention and further added that the investigation of the defendant by his team was based on intelligence report obtained by the former chairman of the EFCC, Ibrahim Lamorde and not the three petitions tendered as exhibits.

Meanwhile, the tribunal chairman insisted that the proceedings in the matter shall be from 10.00 a.m. to 6.00 p.m. everyday.

The chairman made the emphasis when Saraki’s lead counsel prayed the tribunal for an adjournment till next week or any other day, apart from today, to enable the defence to study the document tendered by the prosecution.

Trial continues today.

8

Wednesday, 20 April, 2016

Lagos

Edited by

Lanre Adewole

olanreade@yahoo.com

0811 695 4647

Labour union shuts down IKEDC •Consumers might experience longer darkness, if... — IKEDC • Protesters attack team leaders over ‘protesting fee’ Olatunde Dodondawa

L

ABOUR union has plunged Lagos State into darkness after shutting down Ikeja Electric facilities on Monday.

The protesters who continued their protest on Tuesday, sacked members of staff of the company office on Monday and none showed up on Tuesday.

Its affiliate offices have also shut down on the order of the management for security reasons.

The Union, under the aegis of Citizens Access to Electricity Initiatives (CATEIN), and working in collaboration with the Civil Society Group, delivered a 15-point demand list at the Corporate Headquarters of Ikeja Electric Alausa, Ikeja.

In his statement, the company’s Head of Corporate Communications, Felix Ofulue, expressed displeasure at the situation. He reminded Labor leaders that Ikeja Electric had approached the National Industrial Court to intervene and in the filed suit (NICN/ LA/228/2016 ), Ikeja Electric had secured a restraining order.

The order barred “the National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE), Senior Staff Association of Electricity and Allied Companies (SSAEAC), Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), their agents, officers, privies, representatives or otherwise, whether acting of their own accords or in concert with other bodies, persons or unions, from disrupting or shutting down the operations of the Company or barricading the entry and exit points of her Corporate Headquarters.”

He warned parties to the protest to desist from further obstruction of access points at all IE locations, noting that Ikeja Electric would seek further redress appropriately.

Ofulue, however encouraged Lagos residents to speak out and not allow a few individuals to hold many to ransom.

Nigerian Tribune

Meanwhile, some leaders of protesters had a raw deal on Tuesday, as they had to be rescued by the police from being mobbed by the angry protesters who turned against them for allegedly trying to reduce their ‘protesting fee’ from agreed sum of N2, 000 to N1, 500.

The ‘protesting fee’ is an agreed sum of money which the organisers have arranged to give to the protesters for occupying IKEDC. An eyewitness confided in Lagos

Metro that trouble started towards evening when the protesters were about leaving the spot and it was time for the organisers to deliver on their promise to pay them the agreed hired sum of N2, 000.

According to him, the leaders were now asking them to take just N1, 500 as they could not afford to pay N2, 000 that was earlier agreed upon.

Another eyewitness said he sighted an old woman among the protesters, who lamented

the meagre fee that the leaders were said to have offered, in spite of the fact that she had not been fed with anything since early morning when the exercise began.

The protesters were protesting against increase in electricity tariff amid darkness in the state, sacking of over 300 staffers of IKEDC, among others, and calling for the withdrawal operating licence of the IKEDC for incompetence to deliver on its mandate.

Baby, 9 others burn to death in auto crash •12 injured

Olalekan Olabulo TEN people, including a baby on Monday night burn to death while 12 others were injured, in an accident that occurred at Iyana Yafin along the Badagry Expressway in Lagos State.

The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) explained that the accident was caused by the commercial bus driver, who reportedly drove against traffic in a bid to avoid being arrested by men of the Nigerian Cus-

Protesters, who started protesting on Monday, continue to occupy IKEDC office, Ikeja using these BRT buses to block Obafemi Awolowo way, which leads to the office, on Tuesday. PHOTOS: SYLVESTER OKORUWA.

Assembly demands 13-year records for BRT, Lagbus operations Chukwuma Okparaocha THE Lagos State House of Assembly has demanded the scorecard of the Lagos State Metropolitan Area Transport Authority (LAMATA) since its existence in 2003.

The Chairman of the Lagos State House of Assembly on Transportation, Fatai Mojeed, made the demands in Lagos, while also noting that the move

had become necessary to ensure that the vision of government on transportation was met. Mojeed, who was in company of other members of the committee, made this known while on a familiarisation visit to the office of LAMATA in Lagos.

According to him, the visit was done in preparation towards an oversight function that would

be carried out in the next few days, adding that the House had received a number of petitions on the activities of LAMATA which the committee would have to verify.

In his reaction, LAMATA’s Acting Managing Director, Iyiola Adegboye, recalled that during the military regime in 1992 there was collaboration with World Bank on a master

toms Service.

Lagos Metro gathered that the commercial bus with Reg No KJA 654 XF was coming from the Seme end of the Badagry Expressway and drove against traffic from Gbaji bridge.

The driver of the bus in an attempt to beat the customs officers, who mounted road blocks along the road, reportedly switched off the bus lights and in the process, had a head-on collision with a coming Mazda car.

The collision sparked off an instant explosion in the two vehicles, with both burning down completely before fire fighters could arrive at the scene. Three people from the Mazda car, including the driver and seven people from the passenger bus including a baby were completely burnt to death in the accident.

The accident created serious traffic gridlock along the ever-busy road as drivers and other road users avoided the burning vehicles.

The Badagry Unit Commander of the FRSC, Fatai Bakare, while confirming the death of 10 people, blamed the incident on the driver, who drove against traffic.

The image maker in charge of the state police command, Dolapo Badmos also confirmed the death of the 10 people, but claimed that the accident was caused by the explosion of the petrol, loaded in one of the affected vehicles.

Court orders Yejide Gbenga-Ogundare plan to work out a model of transportation for Lagos.

According to him, the framework which was put in place was not executed until when the former Governor of the State, Bola Tinubu, came to office. He however appealed to the House to come up with appropriate laws that would assist the organisation to add more values to transportation efficiency in the state.

JUSTICE Muftau Olokoba of a High Court sitting in Epe, has ordered a company, Toll Systems Development Co. Limited, to recover possession of 1,561 hectares of land in Lakowe Village, Ibeju Lekki, Lagos.

The court made the order in a suit delineated LD/4320/2014 pursuant to an application for possession entered

9

Wednesday, 20 April, 2016

Nigerian Tribune

metro Synagogue: Court remands

2 building contractors 19 months after NINETEEN months after the collapse of a seven-storey building within the premises of the Synagogue Church of All Nations (SCOAN), which collapsed and killed 111 people, mostly foreigners, the two engineers that oversaw the construction of the building have been remanded in Kirikiri Prisons.

The Trustees of SCOAN and Akinbela Fatiregun, Ogundeji Oladele (the engineers) along with their companies were arraigned before an Ikeja High Court on 111 counts bordering on manslaughter and criminal negligence.

Justice Lateef LawalAkapo ordered their arraignment after dismissing the application filed by two of the defendants seeking to quash the charge.

Immediately after Justice Akapo dismissed the applications for lacking in merit, lead counsels representing the defendants made several attempt to convince the

court not to proceed with the arraignment.

While Chief Lateef Fagbemi representing SCOAN argued that since the business of the court was for ruling, it would be improper to proceed with arraignment.

On his part, Chief Akpofure, representing Hardrock Construction Company said he just lost his mother and would not be able to proceed.

Responding, the Director of Public Prosecution, Mrs Idowu Alakija however said that she too was bereaved and had not made it the business of the court.

Justice Akapo, however, overruled both Akpofure and Fagbemi and ordered that the charges be read to the accused persons.

The accused persons however pleaded not guilty to the 111 charge which took more than one hour to be read.

Justice Akapo ordered their remand in Kirikiri Maximum prison and subsequently adjourned the matter till April 26.

Air Force, should benefit tremendously from the helicopters and that such would go a long way in complementing the security architecture in the state on the land, water and in the air.

“This particular administration is very sensitive to security issues and in the last 11 months, we have tried as much as possible to put security in the front burner of our tripod in running Lagos.

“I am pleased to state that we have contributed some helicopters to the Rapid Response Squad (RRS) of the Nigerian Police. I like to also commend President Muhammadu Buhari for the recent approval given to the Nigeria Air Force to procure more helicopters and going by the fact that Lagos is the logistics base of the Air Force, we know we will benefit from that as well,” Ambode said.

Ayomide Owonibi Odekanyin and Oluwakemi Adebayo

Scenes of a fire incident at 17, Egberonbe Street, Ladilak bus stop, Bariga on Tuesday. PHOTO: LASEMA

LASUTH, others using obsolete equipment bought

by Jakande administration — Lawmakers Chukwuma Okparaocha The present state of facilities at the healthcare centres, including Primary Healthcare Centres and General Hospitals, as well as shortage of healthcare personnel across Lagos State has been described as worrisome by the state Assembly Committee on Health.

According to the Chairman of the Committee, Honourable Olusegun Olulade, despite the efforts of the past and current governors in the state, hospitals in the state lack adequate infrastructure and personnel, especially doctors and nurses.

Olulade said this during a

visit to the state Ministry of Health by the Committee on Monday, where he further stated that almost all the hospitals in the state, including the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH), lack adequate equipment, facilities and personnel.

“The equipment we saw in our hospitals is obsolete.

Some of them were the ones provided by the government of Alhaji Lateef Jakande and that of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu,” he said.

In his response, the state Commissioner for Health, Dr Jide Idris, stated that inadequacy of personnel was a major problem in the healthcare sector in

the state, adding that the state bore the brunt of the problems associated with over-population in the country.

He added that once the primary healthcare cent-

res were developed, there would be little pressure on the general hospitals, while promising to further discuss with the governor on the need to make the healthcare sector in the state better.

Ambode seeks air attacks on pipeline vandals Bola Badmus LAGOS State governor, Mr Akinwunmi Ambode, has solicited the support of the Nigerian Air Force (NAF), in curbing nefarious activities of pipeline vandals in the state.

Ambode made the plea when the Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Sadiq Baba Abubakar, paid him a visit at the Lagos House, Ikeja, saying there was the need for the

state government and the NAF to collaborate in mounting serious air surveillance on the waterways in the state to nip in the bud all criminal activities on the waters.

Ambode explained that the call became necessary in view the recent approval for purchase of surveillance helicopters by President Muhammadu Buhari to the Air Force, adding that Lagos being the logistics headquarter of the

firm to recover 1,561 hectares Lakowe village by the firm against the defendant, identified as an ‘unknown person’.

The application, which was supported by a 20-paragraph affidavit and a seven-paragraph further affidavit filed and deposed to by Mr Adewale Odutola of 1, Mekunwen Road, Off Oyinkan Abayomi Drive, Ikoyi made averments concerning the land ownership.

The applicant averred that Toll Systems De-

velopment was the genuine owner of the 1,561 hectares by virtue of a Certificate of Occupancy No: 17/7/2003T dated October 27, 2003.

The company’s counsel, Mr Ola Faro urged the court to grant the firm possession “from any person who occupies the lands without the consent or permission of the claimant.”

Justice Olokooba while upholding the company’s application

held that, “The claimant has shown that he is entitled to possession.

The unknown persons who are the defendants were served with the originating summons but they failed or refused to attend or file any process.

“It is hereby ordered that the claimant herein do recover possession of the parcel of land measuring 1,561.20 hectares covered by a Certificate of Occupancy.”

Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Saddiq Abubakar (left) and Governor Akinwunmi Ambode, during Abubakar’s visit to the governor, on Tuesday. PHOTO: NAN

10 news Reps to IGP: Fish out killers of NYSC members

Wednesday, 20 April, 2016

Jacob Segun Olatunji and Kolawole Daniel -Abuja

T

HE House of Representatives, on Tuesday, called on the Inspector-General of Police, Solomon Arase, to identify and arrest the killers of Samuel Okonta and other National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members

across the country.

The House also urged the Federal Government to put adequate security measures in place for all serving youth corps members through out the federation.

The late NYSC member was an ad hoc staff of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in the Rivers State rerun elections,

held on Saturday, March 19.

The resolution of the House was sequel to a motion sponsored by Honourable Segun Adekola, chairman, House Committee on Youths Development, entitled: “Motion on the gruesome murder of Samuel Okonta, a serving corps member in Rivers State.”

He noted that “incidents of this nature are becoming

too rampant with little or no regard for the lives of the youth corps members who are on national assignment across the country.”

According to him, “There is the urgent need to take drastic action to nip further shedding of innocent blood of our youths in the bud by taking concrete steps in fostering the security of lives of

From right, President Muhammadu Buhari, Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo and the Minister of Budget and National Planning, Senator Udo Udo Udoma, at the State House, on Tuesday.

Religious bill meant to curb emerging religious extremism —el-Rufai Muhammad Sabiu -Kaduna GOVERNOR Nasir el-Rufai of Kaduna State has told stakeholders that the preaching bill he sent to the state assembly was meant to curb emerging religious extremism that is reining its head in the state in the recent time.

Speaking at a round table dialogue organised by a non-governmental organisation(NGO), Carefronting Nigeria, in Kaduna, on Tuesday, el-Rufai’s spokesman, Samuel Aruwan, posited that security of lives and property formed the basis of government’s intention when it introduced the bill.

The governor’s aide, who spoke on behalf of his principal, said government appreciated the reservations and contributions of religious leaders and other critical stakeholders who had made their genuine positions known.

However, he lamented that some people had started politicising the good intention of government to restore peace in Kaduna.

He noted that if the bill was passed, Christians,

both CAN and JNI, would have a framework to get rid of some strange ideological beliefs that were not in tandem with both faiths, stressing that the bill was not yet a law and everybody was expected to make his own contribution.

According to el-Rufai, just before the present government came on board, there were killings in Southern Kaduna and Birnin Gwari axis of the state, which the government had successfully brought under control.

“Government wants to curb extremism associated with religious beliefs and not to stop evangelism in the state or stop people from practising their faith.

“Kaduna State government meant well for the people and wants to secure the lives and property of the residents of the state.

There are emerging threats and we need to take drastic action now. We should all support this bill.”

On his part, Carefronting Nigeria coordinator, Peter Maji, said they called the stakeholders for discussion because of the issues the bill had generated.

Maji said the roundtable

forum, tagged: “Kaduna State Religious preaching regulations Bill: Intention and perception,” was aimed at getting the views of the critical stakeholders and finding the way forward for peace and development of the state.

On his part, DirectorGeneral, Interfaith Mediation, Namadi Musa, noted that they had gone round the three senatorial zones in the state to sensitise the

people, calling on the state House of Assembly to make use of public hearing so that people could make inputs.

Among the stakeholders present at the preaching bill roundtable included the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Ja’amatu Nasir Islam (JNI), Christian Lawyers, Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN) and other religious groups and non-governmental organisations.

our corps members.”

The motion was adopted after it was put to a voice vote by the Speaker, Honourable

Yakubu Dogara, and referred to the Committee on Human Rights for further legislative input.

FG to cut pilgrimage expenses —NCPC

As unemployed graduate, 3 others win free trips to Israel THE Nigerian Christian Pilgrims Commission (NCPC) has said the Federal Government will, henceforth, cut down its expenses on the sponsorship of pilgrims to Israel, just as an unemployed graduate and three others won free trip to Israel for pilgrimage.

The Executive Secretary of the NCPC, Mr John Kennedy Okpara, who said this in Ado Ekiti, on Tuesday, at a “Win a free trip to Israel,” draw, said the scheme was “an initiative designed for poor Nigerians to enjoy the benefits of visiting the holyland for spiritual rejuvenation.”

At the raffle draw coordinated by Governor Ayodele Fayose, represented by the Head of Service, Dr Gbenga Faseluka, an unemployed graduate, Mr Segun Adeniran, Mr Olowoyo Emmanuel and two others won free trips to Israel.

Okpara said, aside from Ekiti, the programme had been launched in Akwa Ibom, Enugu and Plateau states, where those who procured the N500 ticket had won and would be sponsored free to Israel.

The Executive Secretary added that the scheme, which was prosecuted by Fortune Game Limited, owned by Senator Ayo Arise, was coordinated by the Nigerian Lottery Regulatory Commission(NLRC) and Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) for transparency and accountability.

He said: “This is a very difficult time for Nigeria and

we have to look inward. The Federal Government and the state governments can no longer bear the financial burden and that is the essence of this programme.

“All of us must key into the change agenda of President Muhammadu Buhari. Only one person cannot bring the desired change . Going to holy land is very crucial, because it makes one morally transformed and spiritually rejuvenated and these are what we need now in the country.”

Senator Arise, who described the exercise as very transparent, called on Nigerians to support the lofty scheme that would help in lessening the burden of holy pilgrimage sponsorship on government.

Arise added that the huge fund being budgeted by government at all levels for sponsorship of the annual exercise, would have been diverted for other landmark projects if Nigerians could embrace the programme.

“This is a very challenging time in Nigeria. Both state and federal governments are gradually backing out of the sponsorship of holy pilgrimage, so this is a veritable avenue for poor Nigerians to participate in the programme and those who won shall be sponsored through the money gathered in the sale of tickets.”

Fayose, who lauded the commission for the initiative, appealed that the body should ensure the protection of the kernel objective of the scheme, which was for spiritual rebirth and not fanfare.

2016 Hajj: Slots to be allocated to first timers only —NAHCON THE National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON), said, on Tuesday, that it had resolved that the 2016 Hajj slots would be allocated to first timers only.

This directive, contained in a statement issued by Alhaji Uba Mana, the Head of Media of NAHCON, in Abuja, said the new arrangement would give ample opportunity to those who had not performed the Hajj before to discharge their spiritual obligation.

The statement said the commission had resolved that all states pilgrims boards’ registration of intending pilgrims for 2016

hajj should be 100 per cent first timers.

“Sequel to the distribution of 2016 Hajj slots to the 36 states of the Federation, the FCT and the Armed Forces, NAHCON wishes to clarify as follows.

“The 2016 Hajj slots should entirely be allocated to first timers only in order to give ample opportunity to those that have not performed the Hajj to discharge their obligation.”

It advised those who had performed the holy pilgrimage before and were still interested to go through the private tour operators and not through the state

Pilgrims Welfare Board and agencies.

The statement, however, said hajj officials were exempted from this restriction due to essential nature of their duties.

It said all Pilgrims Welfare Boards, agencies and commissions were expected to collect payment deposits from intending pilgrims and remit same to NAHCON as at when due.

The statement noted that reservation of slots for any reason whatsoever, including government-sponsored pilgrims, beyond the stipulated deadline for pilgrims’ registration, was strictly not

acceptable.

“Failure to abide by this instruction will undermine Nigeria’s full compliance with the Saudi Hajj e-track requirement which usually results to loss of Hajj slots,” the statement said.

Later in an interview, the Executive Chairman of NAHCON, Alhaji Abdullahi Muhammad, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that the commission would go through its archives to fish out old timers who wanted to go to hajj.

Muhammad also said the commission would collaborate with embassies to track down visas of such persons.

11

businessnews

Wednesday, 20 April, 2016

Taxes favour the rich, corporation in developing countries —IMF

By Sulaimon Olanrewaju

T

he failure of many developing countries to strengthen tax administration with a view to stalling tax avoidance is what enables the rich and big corporations to avoid taxation while the poor are left to pay more taxes.

This was the submission of a panel of discussants on the Future of International Taxation at the just concluded World Bank/IMF Spring Meetings in Washington DC. The panel, which comprised of Ms Christine Lagarde, IMF Managing Director; Magdalena Andersson, Minister of Finance, Sweden; Winnie Byanyima, Executive Director, Oxfam International; William Morris, Director, Global Tax Policy, General Electric; Joseph Stiglitz, Professor of Economics, Columbia University; and David Wessel, Director of the Hutchins Center on Fiscal and Monetary Policy, Brookings Institution; reasoned that the world should emplace a fair international tax system to guard against the poor being continually shortchanged.

Emphasising this, Byanyima said, “Because developing countries are not able to raise all the domestic revenues they could raise, due to the leaking system, they are forced to do two things: first, taxing regressively, with many developing countries relying more and more on consumption taxes, which passes the burden of taxation from rich companies to the poorest people, particu-

larly women; and second, cutting public spending, including health, education, social protection.”

She added that to offset the loss of revenues from multinational companies’ tax avoidance, developing countries are forced to implement policies that will

prevent them from achieving the sustainable development goals.

Andersson also noted that in a globalised world, it is more difficult to tax capital, saying this is partly due to the complexity of tax systems that make it easy to avoid taxes for

Shareholders of Sterling Bank Plc has appreciated the efforts of the Management of the bank for turning in N110.2 million in its gross earnings for 2015 full-year financial result, representing 6.3 per cent year-on-year increase as against N103.7 million recorded in 2014.

At the 54th Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the bank, on Tuesday in Lagos, shareholders noted that despite the challenging operating environment, Sterling Bank was able to record profit.

“Despite foreign exchange rate, low oil price, declaring nine kobo dividend, is commendable even though we are expecting more.

But looking at some other banks, Sterling Bank did well enough,” Dr Farouk

On her own, Lagarde stressed that developing countries suffer the most from the “optimisation of tax schemes” put in place by large corporations, as developing economies are the ones which rely relatively more (in percentage of GDP) on corporate taxes.

From left: Chairman, Dangote Cement Plc, Aliko Dangote; Group Managing Director/CEO, Dangote Cement Plc, Onne van der Weijde and Executive Director, Dangote Cement Plc, Devakumar V.G. Edwin, at the 7th Annual General Meeting of Dangote Cement Plc, held in Lagos on Tuesday.

High prospects of better returns excite Dangote cement shareholders AS returns from African projects lifted the earnings and profits of the company, shareholders of the Dangote Cement plc have endorsed the pan African expansion of the company and urged the management to make a foray into other countries in a bid to make the Company the foremost cement manufacturer in the world.

The endorsement came just as the Chairman of the Company, Aliko Dangote, at this year’s Annual General meeting of the company held in Lagos, assured the shareholders that the company would continue to deploy strategies that would increase profitability in spite of the prevailing harsh operating climate.

He explained that with

Shareholders commend Sterling Bank for 6.3% increase in earnings Kehinde Akinseinde-Jayeoba Lagos

multinational corporations and wealthy individuals.

She also noted that at the moment, the benefits of globalisation are not distributed in a fair way, and higher taxes on multinational corporate profits could be a way to address the issue.

Umar, President, Association for the Advancement of the Rights of Nigerian Shareholders said.

Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Sterling Bank Plc Mr Yemi Adeola, explained that notwithstanding the developments in the economy, the bank sustained previous year performance, driven by an improvement in operating efficiency.

“Operating efficiency improved as total Operating Expenses declined by 1.9 per cent year-on-year.

This resulted in an overall growth in the Bank’s bottom line as Profit before Tax grew by 2.5 per cent over the prior year to N11,02 billion,” he said.

He, however, noted that Total Assets of the financial institution decreased by three per cent as a result of an 8.8 per cent decrease

in Loans and Advances, following the transfer of State Governments’ loans to the Federal Government’s balance sheet.

the measures put in place, the foreign exchange volatility would not affect the operations of the company significantly more so when its other African plants are operating maximally and yielding positive results to cushion the effect of the scarce foreign exchange at home.

“We have good strategy in place, the volatility of the fporeign exchange will not affect our operations. I am not an advocate of devaluation of our currency, even if that had happened, it would not have affected your company.

“Diversification is key to our strategy and that is why we have intensified our expansion. The way we have

gone about our expansion, it would appear we have over invested in capacity expansion in Nigeria given that at 29 million mtpa and we have another 12 million mtpa capacity plants under construction. But the truth of the matter is that investments can never be enough in Nigeria. We need it,” he said.

Dangote, in his statement to the shareholders said Africa is rapidly developing that the United Nations (UN) estimated that its population would rise from about one billion now to 2.4 billion in 2050 with the urbanized population rising from 400 million to 1.4 billion.

Comptia to partner Babcock, Caleb on IT skills devt

By Bode Adewumi Gareth Foulkes-Morris, senior Africa executive, Comptia International, a global provider of Information and Communications Technology (ICT) entrepreneurial skills to higher institutions and training institutions will this week visit Babcock and Caleb Universities to collaborate on enhancing the technology skill-sets of undergraduates.

The visit is part of Comptia’s collaborative strategies to help Africa achieve parity with Western and Asian universities and consequently enable university

graduates be in a position to surmount the pervasive unemployment syndrome as well as become successful technopreneurs in diverse technology-related fields.

Foulkes-Morris will use the occasion to hold executive sessions with the authorities of the universities. Also part of the benefits of the meeting will be a formal offer to license the institutions as Comptia academies with attendant free technical deliverables to the universities.

Likewise, the engagements with the students will serve to further expose huge technology

potentials which are yet untapped by Africa and more importantly Nigerian youths but which when explored, will serve to set them apart and in hot demand in the national as well as international job markets and most importantly empower them to become self- employed as wealth creators.

In the same vein, the visit to Babcock University will serve as the icing on the cake by equally extending the technology mentorship sensitisation programme to select secondary students from 40 secondary schools in the Lagos Zone.

Nigerian Tribune

‘Nigeria to boost tourists’ traffic through culture, new visa regime’ By ’Wale Olapade

IN its resolve to give tourism its rightful place in the Nigerian economy, the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, has stressed the need for a flexible visa regime to boost tourists’ traffic to the country.

The minister, who spoke about tourism, art and culture as veritable income generating sectors of the economy, disclosed this at a round table briefing with journalists in Lagos on Sunday, April 17, 2016.

He emphasised that it had become imperative to revamp the Nigerian visa policies and other challenges militating against the growth of tourism in the country.

“The process of getting Nigerian visa abroad is too cumbersome and too rigorous as it will not help in encouraging the growth of tourism.”

He cited the example of Ghana that has concluded arrangements to introduce visa on arrival which is a step towards boosting tourism.

He also observed the need for accurate tourism statistics for reference and planning purposes.

Mohammed noted that the Calabar Carnival can compete favourably with other international Carnivals because it is better organised in terms of decency, and quality, adding that the Carnival is worthy of international promotion and marketing abroad to attract tourists to Nigeria.

He stressed the need to train officials at the country’s border post to be more tourism friendly in order to promote tourism growth.

The minister called for the collaboration of the different tourism stakeholders in different ministries in the likes of Interior, National Security, Aviation, Immigration and others to turn the country’s tourism fortunes around.

He said the country is going to witness improvement in tourism infrastructure so as to drive traffic, including the need to also get the stakeholders involved.

The minister observed that despite the challenges of poor infrastructure, location of some of the tourism attractions in remote areas among other attractions, “we know what to do to grow tourism and what to put on ground to develop our creative industry.”

12

businessnews

Wednesday, 20 April, 2016

Asset stripping: ICPC to go after investors Sanya Adejokun-Abuja

A

gainst the backdrop of allegations of massive asset stripping of many privatised companies, the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has commenced the monitoring of such enterprises to stop the act and prosecute offenders.

Chairman of the ICPC, Ekpo Nta said in Abuja, while receiving the management of the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE), that the commission craved the collaboration of the privatisation agency in getting to the root of the trend.

There have been allegations of asset stripping of some former public companies by their new owners who are obviously never interested in reviving the entities in the first place but dispose the assets, make their profit and move on thus negating the essence of privatisation.

Staff of a newspaper, iron company and another big company in the southsouth have written series of petitions to government complaining the new owners were rather removing valuable materials from such companies and taking them to service other factories in other parts of the world or even selling off landed properties.

Nta commended the initiative by the BPE to partner with the commission and gave the assurance that apart from getting involved as observers in the transaction processes of the Bureau, saying “ICPC will also collaborate in the postprivatisation activities of the

BPE since some of the investors after takeover often engage in assets- stripping thus, negating the essence of privatisation.”

He expresses his desire in strengthening public institutions to ensure that public funds do not enrich individuals.

Earlier, the Acting Direc-

tor- General of the BPE, Dr Vincent Onome Akpotaire, who led his team had disclosed that the bureau was poised to step up its privatisation processes in line with international best practices.

He called for increased synergy between both agencies to ensure an all-

The Executive Director, Environmental Right Action/Friends of the Earth Nigeria, Dr Godwin Ojo, has said the Petroleum Industry Bill, renamed Petroleum Industry Governance Bill, lacked the strength to address corporate impunity pervading in the oil industry.

Ojo, who spoke in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State capital, during an Environmental Parliament on PIB 2016, said the bill is weak and “wishy-washy, with no strong teeth to bite.”

He explained that as major stakeholders in the legislative interactive process, the views of community people count for a people’s PIGB to be passed into law and expeditiously too.

Ojo said that the environmental parliament was one in a series of continuous

main key in the Bureau’s existing transaction processes and the proposed upgrade especially against the backdrop of “the growing trends of white collar crimes across the globe which makes it necessary to close the gaps and help the Commission to be familiar with our processes.”

From left: Group Co-Chief Executive Officer of Jagal, Mr Maher Jarmakani; Minister of Communication, Adebayo Shittu and the Managing Director of Rack Centre during the visit of the minister to the centre in Lagos.

Inflation, lower rates take shine off bank savings —CBN Sanya Adejokun-Abuja

The combination of a traditionally high level of inflation and low deposit rates in the banking sector have are conniving to pose a formidable barrier to the evolution of popular savings culture, which the Federal Government and Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) have been promoting in the last few years.

This is in addition to the fact that there is a disproportional gap between banks’ lending rate and interest rates.

A comparative analysis of the annual reports of the CBN over the last few years attests to these facts.

In the latest CBN annual report, which was that of 2013 but only recently published, interest rates for the year “were gener-

‘PIB lacks strength to address impunity in oil industry’ Austin Ebipade-Yenagoa

encompassing upgrade of the transaction process.

According to him “ICPC is an integral partner in the Bureau’s transactions and its input will be beneficial to the upgrade initiative and the national economic objective in its entirety”.

He said transparency and integrity would re-

engagements in environmental policy initiatives to provide technical support and suggestions to lawmakers for people-oriented laws to be enacted in Nigeria.

He said unfortunately in the 7th session of the National Assembly, the bill was not passed.

He alleged that due to the development, some federal lawmakers became the mouthpiece of the oil companies threatening to pull out of Nigeria’s oil and gas operations and arguing that it would be unviable if the PIB with peopleoriented provisions was passed.

He said in some other fundamental areas on environmental and livelihoods protection, the bill failed to imbibe lessons learnt.

He added that since 2008 when it was first in-

troduced, it was to serve as a conflict resolution law to ensure that the multifaceted problems of the industry - inefficiency, corruption and environmental degradation were curtailed.

ally influenced by the liquidity conditions in the banking system. The MPR and LR were maintained at 12.0 and 30.0 per cent respectively, all through 2013.”

While developments in the money market during the review year reflected the credit and liquidity conditions in the banking system, the average money market rates were generally lower than their levels at End-December 2012, despite the introduction of the 50.0 per cent CRR on public sector deposits, which was expected to raise rates.

Although the bank noted that money market rates were generally lower than their levels in 2012 despite the surge in rates as a result of the introduc-

tion of 50.0 percent CRR on public sector deposits, available data showed that, in general, DMBs’ deposit rates declined in 2013.

“With the exception of the average savings deposit rate, which rose by 0.47 percentage point to 2.17 per cent, all other rates of various maturities fell to a range of 4.87 –7.95 per cent, from a range of 4.69 –8.38 per cent in 2012.

Similarly, the average term deposit rate fell by 0.50 percentage point to 6.66 per cent in 2013.

“With the exception of the average savings deposit rate, which rose by 0.47 percentage point to 2.17 per cent, all other rates of various maturities fell to a range of 4.87–7.95 per cent, from a range of 4.69– 8.38 per cent in 2012.”

BATN’s irrigation facility to boost vegetable farming in Badagry

By Rotimi Ige The British American Tobacco Nigeria Foundation (BATNF) recently empowered vegetable farmers in Ajara Vegetable Enterprise Development Project, Ajara, Badagry, Lagos, with the donation of irrigation facilities to boost their productivity.

The facility was handed over to the farmers at a ceremony held on April 14, 2016 at the farm settlement.

Seyi Ashade, Executive

Director of BATNF, who represented Chief Kola Jamodu, Chairman of the foundation, expressed confidence that the irrigation facility will “stimulate good production practices that will translate into higher yield, increased income of the farmers and socio-economic development of the beneficiaries and the community.”

Mrs. Ashade noted that vegetables, which is the primary produce of the farm-

ers, plays a very important role in human nutrition.

“Vegetable farming, despite its key role in the nutrition mix, requires more support in meeting the food needs of Nigerians,” she said, and reiterated BATNF’s commitment to “supporting smallholder farmers in rural communities, helping them to identify and implement projects in order to reduce poverty and make sustainable positive impact in communities across the country.”

Nigerian Tribune

CDK to aid ceramic export in Nigeria Tola Adenubi-Lagos

CDK Integrated Industries has revealed that it is set to help Nigeria reduce its reliance on importation of ceramic tiles with the establishment of its state-of the-art Porcelain and Ceramic factory in Shagamu, Ogun State come May 2016.

Disclosing this to newsmen in a media chat recently, the Chief Executive Officer, CDK Integrated Industries, Dr Khater Massaad bemoaned the over reliance of ceramic importation by the Nigerian economy.

According to him, “Over sixty five million square meters of ceramic tiles are imported into Nigeria according to Ceramic World review magazine published in Italy.

CDK Integrated Industries plan is to help Nigeria address this challenge of importation by producing the highest quality of tiles and Ceramic products that will shift the world focus to Nigeria in the area of ceramics and sanitary wares.

“Our aim is to produce high quality ceramic tiles and sanitary waresproducts; everyone is in need of high quality products,” he said.

Overland set to launch flights to Akure via Abuja Shola Adekola- Lagos Nigeria’s Overland Airways yesterday announced of plans to launch scheduled flight services from Akure, the Ondo State capital, to Abuja, Nigeria’s Federal Capital Territory from April 25, 2016.

According to the airline management, the flights which will be operated three times weekly on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, demonstrate a strategic partnership with the government and people of Ondo, the Sunshine State, to accelerate economic development in the state and its environs.

“As the only airline older than six years in existence in Nigeria not taken over by the Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON) today, Overland Airways has the economic stability to continue to empower Nigeria’s hinterland economies with sustainable, safe and comfortable flight services,” declared Aanu Benson, Chief Operating Officer of Overland Airways.

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editorial

T

Wednesday, 20 April, 2016

Nigerian Tribune

Conducting better elections

he problems associated with the elections conducted the present Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) headed by Professor Mahmood Yakubu have brought up the continuing relevance of the nature and integrity of elections as key components of democratic practice in Nigeria. With the peaceful transition from one government to another formed by the opposition party for the first time in Nigeria, many called attention to the efforts of the Professor Attahiru Jega-led INEC to conduct a fair national election as part of the momentum that made it possible for the defeated party and president to graciously concede defeat and allow the transition to proceed peacefully. We recall, for instance, the introduction of biometric registration and the card reader as part of the innovations meant to contribute to the integrity of elections in the country, and not a few Nigerians commended the then INEC and its leadership for the efforts.

Unfortunately, the current INEC has received no such commendation, especially because of the controversy associated with the way it was constituted and the perceived failings of many of the elections it has conducted so far. The Professor Mahmood Yakubu-led INEC is accused of transforming itself into a specialist in inconclusive elections going by the number of elections that turned out inconclusive under its watch. We hasten to state, however, that the provision for inconclusive election is made by the Electoral Law, and INEC must have simply been following the rules by pronouncing any election meeting such specified guidelines as inconclusive.

While there is always room for improvement, it must be recognised that it is not entirely the handiwork of the present INEC that the elections are turning up inconclusive to the extent that the commission is sticking to the rules and regulations in arriving at such pronouncements. Indeed, it has to be said that the current INEC seems to be very enamoured of strict respect for the law as it has, more than the others before it, obeyed the rule to disqualify candidates and parties indicted by the courts of electoral offences in rerun elections. We believe it deserves commendation in this respect even as it should be urged to act in every respect in a fair and impartial manner so as not to be consigned to the vagaries of the inelegant politics preceding and surrounding its composition.

Nonetheless, the current INEC should not stop at the level of the achievements of the commission preceding it, but strive to improve the conditions associated with voting in Nigeria, such that the country would achieve better elections in terms of integrity and respect for the results of elections. Fortunately, the innovations of the past have helped to address some of the ills such as voting in unauthorized places and voting by unregistered people. What is required is to build on this and address other issues cropping up,

as politicians ordinarily seek to circumvent the rules to achieve success by all means in the elections.

One of such areas would be to improve the workings of the card reader. The card reader was introduced as the second layer of verification to check the authenticity of those presenting themselves to vote. Unfortunately, it has not contributed greatly in this respect because of its malfunctioning many times, leading to its being jettisoned in many places, and thus constituting the ground for litigation in many of the election petitions. INEC needs to look into the operations of the card reader to make it more functional and less susceptible to breakdown.

Another complaint is about underage voting, which is rampant in some parts of the country. Since it is difficult to ascertain the date of birth of many people in the country, it would be a difficult task working out how to weed out such underage voters; but this is what INEC should do if it truly desires to ensure that elections in the country follow the law, which only provides for voters who are 18 years and above.

A noteworthy development arising from the last general election in the country is the compromising of the integrity of the elections through large-scale payment for votes by politicians. Whereas elections in the country are meant to be secret ballot, the fact that ballot boxes were snatched in some of the past elections made it imperative that ballot boxes be placed in open places where all party agents and interested voters could see them. Thus, voters are required to cast their ballot in an enclosed space and come out to drop it in the ballot box in the open glare of all. It is instructive, however, that politicians have exploited this simple procedure to make it possible for every voter that wants to be paid to show evidence of how he/she voted before dropping the ballot in the ballot box.

Whereas many politicians were disappointed that they paid for votes in the 2011 general election without getting the benefits of such payments as voters simply voted according to their consciences, the experience in the 2015 general election was that politicians decided to pay only after evidence of voting preference, and the results turned out to be heavily procured through the influence of money in many places.

We believe that this is a very dangerous compromise of the elections which would make the country available to the highest bidder, to the detriment of its political and economic development.

INEC evidently needs to work on how to maintain and preserve the secret nature of the ballot as a way of preventing the corrupting influence of money on the outcome of the elections. The country deserves to have its elections untainted through payment for votes and Nigerians are looking up to the present INEC to further the cause of genuinely free and fair elections by addressing this and other problems still afflicting the electoral process in the country.

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14 LETTERS TO THE

Wednesday, 20 April, 2016

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China loan: FG, access Nigerians’ forex deposits

J

UST a couple of months ago, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor, Mr Godwin Emefiele, said there are about $20billion dormant deposits in Nigerian banks.

The CBN governor further said the bank was, however, not looking at taking over the deposits despite the economic challenges we are facing at the moment. However, in my opinion, I think the situation determines what steps we need to take in order to overcome the economic crisis.

First, due to the fact that we import almost all the products we use in the country, and since dollars in no longer flowing as it used to, we have used our foreign reserve to support importers, particularly oil and food importers. This has made our foreign reserve to go down drastically. I think we have a little

about $30billion left in our reserve at the moment. We shouldn’t forget that we also need money to support our budget, which will soon be signed by President Muhammadu Buhari.

Now, I must commend the CBN for the manner in which it has managed our foreign reserve; if it had not banned importers of some 40 items from sourcing for dollars from the apex bank, then we should have been broke by now.

Just last week, President Buhari returned from a trip to China, where he had gone to borrow about $2billion, and now, coming to the statement of the CBN governor, we cannot have that amount of dollars in deposits in the country and still be suffering.

Those who own the deposits will know that it is a sacrifice they have to make for the country’s economy to stabilise. The banks should just change the de-

posits to the naira equivalent at the official rate, and then the FG will have $20billion to spend.

This is better than obtaining loan from China, as a debtor will always be a debtor, and this is what we will leave for our coming generation.

Former President Oluse-

gun Obasanjo understands the issue of debt better, and that was why he did everything in his power to clear the country’s debt when he was in power.

Unfortunately, successive governments didn’t share his vision of a debtfree nation, and today, we are billions of dollars in

debt again.

That is why I wouldn’t support President Buhari’s decision to borrow money from China, or the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank.

Accessing the dollar deposits in Nigerian banks is the best way to source for foreign currencies at this

period in time.

If we can’t leave a better country for our coming generation, then we shouldn’t also leave them in debt, which will make them slaves of their foreign peers.

•Ngozi Chuka, Ikoyi, Lagos.

Of ‘illegal’ refineries and fuel scarcity IT is so absurd that we are passing through a difficult period in which the government cannot provide enough fuel for its citizens, and yet, some government agencies still destroy ‘illegal’ refineries.

Shouldn’t we even commend the brains behind these ‘illegal’ refineries?

At a time when our ‘legal’ refineries cannot produce at optimal capacities, the ‘illegal’ refineries are thriving.

If the operators of the

‘illegal’ refineries were Americans, the government would just harness their brains to develop its refining technology. It still sounds funny to me that we are destroying what we lack, while people are suffering endlessly because of fuel scarcity. This is the reason Nigeria will never develop.

According to a popular saying, we can use two stones to kill a bird, meaning that we can solve the unemployment situation

in the country, have many ‘small refineries,’ as well as provide employment opportunities for those who will be working there.

I, therefore, want to call on the Federal Government to warn its agencies to stop destroying these illegal refineries; instead, government should look for ways to make them legal, thereby collecting taxes from the operators.

I want the Minister of Science and Technology,

Dr Ogbonaya Onu, to bring the operators of the ‘illegal’ refineries to a stakeholders meeting, and work out ways through which we can develop our own refineries with local technology.

We should learn to start appreciating our people who are creative enough to develop the technology that we lack for our development.

•Dr Tajudeen Alalade, Ilorin, Kwara State.

Ososami water project: Attention, Gov Ajimobi RECENTLY, contractors began digging the side portion of the road on Ososami Street, in Oke Ado, Ibadan, while also laying water pipes, and according to residents of the area, a water project is being embarked upon.

I really don’t know if it is the Oyo State government, or the World Bank that is funding this project, but whatever the case, it is a good development for the people of this area.

However, my concern in this is that after the pipes had been laid, the contractor just covered the dug portion with sand.

Before the project started, the asphalted road was in good condition, but this project has made the road to be in a terrible state; I believe if we have such a project that necessitates the digging of the road, then arrangement should be made to asphalt the dug portion back; it is like giving us something, while taking another thing away from us.

We should not forget that it takes government

several pleas before it comes to the rescue of communities that have terrible road networks. I, therefore, wonder why, because of a project, our roads will be destroyed.

A couple of years ago, the same thing happened on major roads around the capital city, with contractors laying pipes for some telecommunication companies. I believe these firms made arrangement for asphalt to be used to cover the dug portion, but due to the greediness of those handling the project, they just covered the dug portion with sand.

I am, therefore, using this opportunity to call on the Oyo State governor, Senator Abiola Ajimobi, to call those handling the water project in Ososami to order; they must use asphalt to cover the destruction they have made on the street.

•Saheed Olaoluwa, Anfani, Oke Ado, Ibadan.

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opinion

Wednesday, 20 April, 2016

Between Nigeria and other emerging economies

By Femi Fabiyi

G

LOBALISATION has redefined the socio economic affairs in many developing and underdeveloped countries. Many countries are relishing robust trade deals in lieu of more liberal international economic laws, promoting less barriers and reduced tariffs in an effort to create real and valuable assets-based-opportunities, tailored towards growing economic and social wealth, particularly in the emerging markets. Many emerging market economies, including Nigeria, have struggled to simulate the dynamics of the global concept, resulting in some cases – repressive and damaging socio economic policies. Below expectation economic performances from the BRIC countries — Brazil, Russia, India, China — per their last five years economic metrics, have provided deep insight into two different economic models that may have been employed by many other emerging markets. In the case of Nigeria, on one part is the economy system driven solely on natural resources. And the other is the economy structure that is aligned with human capital.

On a consistent note, Nigeria has been measured by experts as a country with enormous potentials, similar to some of the BRICs. But Nigeria’s economic growth deterrence lies in her inability to align its powerful human capital with its massive natural resources.

The crash in the oil market becomes a wrench in many oil producing nation’s policies and economic strategies, making a long term fiscal and economic projections a notoriously delicate endeavour. The unprecedented situation complicates economic trajectory for emerging economies that rely heavily on petrodollar, creating a sense of urgency for oil nations’ managers to exert their leadership skills in resource management.

At the height of commodities boom, the emerging market economies ushered in various power brokers or political juggernauts, and they were, and still very close to the helms of their respective government affairs. They have steadily upended their influence in channeling state resources to meeting unguarded goals and objectives. In Nigeria, mafia-like groups took over key institutions, and run the systems with little or zero ethics.

The oligarchies are the gun powders of day-to-day business activities in Russia’s most lucrative markets, and the Odebrecht and Petrobras decides what goes into Brazil fiscal policies. Just as the promising emerging markets got clobbered with market uncertainties, the power brokers in India and China pulled together their think-tanks and unconventionally began to develop a workforce that is turning Asia market a force to reckon with.

The Chinese stakeholders spread their risks across all economic

sectors – strong manufacturing sector, promotes financial prudency, introduce competitive educational systems, reinvigorate its service industry, and spend years constructing roads, bridges and residential houses for their middle class. Strategically, it also encourages disruptive technology in the area of intellectual property, and has maintained an era of trade surplus, helping its economy to continue to build a middle class workforce. Over the years, the smartest of the Indians have come together to reinvent India’s education system, building a competitive high-tech workforce and a branded medical service. India professionals in IT have reshaped global service industries, attracting more than 500 US off shore corporations. The West corporate inversions to China and India have helped both nations’ major stock indexes in positive territory. And both countries have performed far better than Brazil and Russia, whose economic growth model relied heavily on natural resources just like Nigeria.

Assessing the efforts of Nigeria think-tanks or the smartest guys that found themselves at the corridor of affairs, it is appalling what seems to be on Nigerians score sheet. My research found that, unlike the Oligarchies, the Odebrecht and Petrobras who to some extent invested in other sectors of their respective local economies, Nigerian politicians are predominantly found in off shore business activities, siphoning the little earned petrodollar premium back to the Western economy.

Many of Nigerian mafias have invested their stolen monies in personal homes abroad (USA, Britain, Dubai, South Africa and a host of other countries). Why should a Nigeria-based politician maintain a residential home in the USA? I honestly cannot find a reasonable answer to this question. For my readers who do not understand the US real estate market, here is a hypothetical case – A Nigeria-based politician who owns a $1,000,000 house in America is expected to pay at least 2% of $1,000,000

in property taxes and between 1.5% and 2% of $1,000,000 for maintenance on a yearly basis. So, what sense does it make for a Nigerian politician to pull an average of $35,000 from the local economy every year and send it to America to help develop American cities and counties?

Unlike the Chinese and Indian stakeholders, Nigerian mafias are notorious of importing high end luxury cars, and even private jets, for recreational purposes. A personal friend calls his luxurious car “my toy”. Again, the question is, does this toy fit an environment where roads are very bad and unsafe? Remember, they will need hard-earned community dollars to fix the slightest hiccup in the engineering of the car or private jet.

I personally expected Nigerian high rollers to be loyal to their economy where returns on equity could be higher. But Nigerian mafias favour stocking their monies in Western economies where equity returns has been very low. Investment in bonds and treasury instruments performed even worse in the West.

Understandably, celebration of life and occasions are part of the Nigerian culture, but the culture may be at stretch when our smart leaders are seen throwing scarce dollar bills in the air at parties. Interestingly, the new trend is even more worrisome – the urge for privately brewed imported drinks at ceremonies.

This indicates another way of redefining the class structure in Nigerian society. It is imperative to note that this is happening in a country where unemployment has ballooned through the roof and middle class is pretty much on its knees.

In consideration of Nigeria’s numerous challenges and the enormous opportunities within reach, I was hoping the smart politicians will show some sense of creativity by recycling the stolen money in the Nigerian emerging economy such that, it at least add values to the system they have looted. May be a good way to begin to seek forgiveness for their deeds!

Recent shortages in petroleum products and nation-wide electricity blackout have proven to the investment world that Nigeria is not ready to be a formidable player in the emerging economies.

This is particularly sad because the economic situation in the country now is dire, and there is urgent need for a turn around.

The government seems to show some calmness at time of desperation, where life of an average Nigerian is getting eroded by the day. Business is stagnant; manufacturers are either relocating outside the country or closing shops. The naira is losing value, inflation is off chat and the government is yet to demonstrate a path to resurrection. Nigerians home and abroad have banked a little hope on the news of recovered looted money, but what is been done with the money can only be imagined.

•Fabiyi lives in Connecticut, USA.

Nigeria/China forex deal: Aid or bondage?

By Maxwell Adeleye Development, according to Tomi Adetomiwa, a social commentator, is a culture and not a product; we can’t buy development, no matter how much money we have or borrow.

Today, some sections of the country are jubilating that freedom has come; they are happy that God, through the Peoples Republic of China, is about to deliver us from the formidable hegemony of the United States of America. They are happy, and they want everybody to be happy.

However, Iet me, as a citizen of Nigeria, say that I have an objection. I don’t just jubilate because people are jubilating. I censor why people jubilate before I chose to jubilate or walk away. Therefore, on the China-Nigeria forex deal, I am of the opinion that the media handlers of President Muhammadu Buhari are just taking the ignorance of some people for granted, while those who are well-educated to know the truth are not talking; apparently, they don’t want to offend some certain interests.

Let me state here that nothing goes to the developing nations from developed nations free of charge. Any president taking a foreign loan is not helping his people. That is the rule in international political economy. The more we borrow, the more pauperised we become; the more we subject our citizens to slavery and economic bondage; the more we subject the independent and sovereignty of our country to foreign encroachment.

Simply put, according to the empirically-analysed and wellcritiqued Marxist perspective to the study of international political economy, a foreign loan or foreign aid is defined as an instrument which the developed nations have consistently been using institutionally to colonise developing nations.

Consequently, I am saying without any fear or favour that I would not be carried away by the current media conspiracy from the Nigerian presidency concering the loan being sought from China. This Asian giant, like other Western hegemonies, is not a Father Christmas. China wants to borrow the Nigerian government $2 billion, but they want to give us its Yuan equivalent, and not the dollar itself. How sensible is that?

Moreso, let it be on record that China is not handling the cash to Nigeria. What the country wants to do is what is called “service exchange” in international business; meaning that if we want to buy stove, we buy it from a Chinese company to be recommended by the Chinese government, and they pay the company on our behalf. If we want to construct railway, they will construct it for us; all equipment to be used are to be made in China, the contract will be executed by a Chinese firm, while the Chinese government will pay the contractor. With this, nonChinese firms can’t bid, or compete for such projects, thereby reducing the contract cost.

Also, as equally posited by Adetomiwa, the Chinese government values the contract and determines the price.

The implication of this is that they can sell something that is actually worth N300 for N3,000, and we don’t have a choice than to accept it. Now, before accessing the loan, China wants us to convert part of our foreign reserve from dollars to Yuan, a

currency that is manipulated openly by the government.

Today, many Nigerians are jubilating about the deal with China, not knowing that they are celebrating oppression. It is so funny that many Chinese businesses don’t even transact global trade with the Yuan; they use the dollar. Funny enough, the Chinese government has its foreign reserve in dollars, so why is it after converting ours to the Yuan? What a contradiction! For the records, China, as at today, remains the largest holder of United States bond in the international financial market.

Now, my country people, why don’t we normally question the decisions of our government? Why would the government go to borrow money from China without first seeking the approval of the National Assembly?

The reality is that China will continue to inflate the contract price; it will refuse to complete the projects, while it will continue to deceive us. I really don’t blame the Chinese leaders for trying to gain a foothold on Nigeria, I blame our leaders for not being smart enough. On this note, I want to say that only Nigerians can help Nigeria. The solution to our economic challenges is not a foreign loan, because the more loan we obtain, the poorer we become. The solution to our challenges is for the Nigerian government to create an open economy in the country; states should be able to harness the resources in its boundaries for economic prosperity. Nigerians should also shun those foreign items which can be produced in the country. Everybody, from the president, to those at the lowest rung of the societal ladder, should patronise only products made in Nigeria, and with time, we will get our economic bearing right; I, therefore, say again that foreign loan will only add to our problems, now or in the future.

•Adeleye sent this piece from Magodo, Lagos.

16

Wednesday, 20 April, 2016

tribune cartoons

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

GIANT IN THE TROPIC OF AFRICA

Christopher Okigbo • Born on 16 August 1932, in the town of Ojoto, Onitsha in Anambra State.

FUNOLOGY

• He was one of the best and most widely anthologized African poets.

CHURCH BOY

• He graduated from Government College, Umuahia, Abia State, Nigeria, two years after Chinua Achebe, another noted Nigerian writer. The following year, he was accepted to University College in Ibadan. Originally intending to study Medicine, he switched to Classics in his second year. Upon graduating in 1956, he held a succession of jobs in various locations throughout the country and abroad.

• He was awarded first prize for poetry in the 1966 Festival of the Negro Arts in Dakar.

SEGELUULU

• He was a Nigerian poet, who died fighting for the independence of Biafra.

He is today widely acknowledged as an outstanding post-colonial English Language African poet and one of the major modernist writers of the twentieth century.

• In September 1967, he was killed near Opi Junction, Nsukka, during one of the civil war’s first battles, aged 35.

There are 10 differences in the cartoons below. the differences should be marked in b

SPOT THE DIFFERENCE

A

B

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Wednesday, 20 April, 2016

Nigerian Tribune

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

T

he Lagos State House of Assembly is proving to be purposeful legislature which is willing, to effect and inject legislative etiquettes and strings needed to reinforce tourism development in the state.

This proactive stance was flashed recently when the House Committee on Culture, Arts and Tourism, led by the Chairman, Honourable Desmond Elliot took a leave of the hallowed chamber and holed up in the ecotourism enclave of the La Campagne Tropicana Beach Resort, Ikegun Village, Ibeju Lekki, Lagos State.

For three days, 8th to 10th April, all the members of the Lagos House Committee on Culture, Arts and Tourism Committee converged on La Campagne Tropicana Beach Resort and engaged its management, led by its President, Ambassador Wanle Akinboboye, in a strategic tourism debate, recorded as the first of its kind in Nigeria.

The meeting was structured in a three-dimensional format of interactions with sessions on aquatic ecotourism, tourism overview and business.

For the two days, the Desmondled Lagos House Committee were able to share experiences, analyse topical tourism issues, identify areas of challenges and had a comparative cross fertilisation of ideas on variables towards making the tourism sector vibrant with the team of La Campagne Tropicana beach resort.

After series of sessions, the two parties put in place a sustainable tourism agenda, and first on the list is the lawmakers’ intention of stimulating a bill which will legalise and back the declaration of a 20 – kilometre area of the Lacampagne Tropicana Beach Resort as tourism zone.

Speaking after the tourism business engagement, Ambassador Akinboboye said, “what has taken place here between the members of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Culture, Arts and Tourism Committee apart from being a first of its kind in the history of the nation, is a great leap for the tourism industry.

“This is because for the sector to move, the legislators must be conscious and curious about the industry. I am happy with the crop of the Honourable members in the Culture, Arts and Tourism Committee at the Lagos State for not being only curious, but also conscious and well abreast of the import of the tourism industry.”

Desmond Elliot leads Lagos House Tourism Committee to La Campagne Tropicana Beach Resort

It is a synergy of purpose —Wanle Akinboboye Legislation is fundamental to tourism advancement —Desmond

Desmond Elliot Ambassador Akinboboye disclosed. “The Honourable members proved to us, during our engagement that they know their

onions and ready and willing to do their best for the industry to grow.”

He revealed, “We have been

able to structure and initiate a Private Public Partnership (PPP) platform which is needed for tourism to move forward. We have designed an agenda which first will focus on and take tourism inventory or audit of Lagos State, particularly Ibeju – Lekki Tourism zone; set in motion, necessary bills that will engender proper enhancement of the sector, and ensure proper legislation are put in place.

Ambassador Akinboboye pointed out “This synergy is going to work. It is going to affect all aspects of tourism, but we are going to commence the revolution from the aquatic blessing of Lagos State. We are going to start from the easiest one, which is the ocean economy. We are looking at the economic benefits of the ocean of Lagos State. We are looking into how we can use tourism to bring attention to it. With 198kelometre beach property in Lagos, close to 216 kilometres of fresh water, a long stretch from Epe to Badagry, we are planning to cause a tourism economic revolution from tapping the ocean economy. We are going to tinker with water sport (kayaking) and park riding as never seen before.

We are going to stimulate the sporting aspect of aquatic tourism and bring about economic development for the people of Lagos State and Nigeria”.

He expressed optimism about the synergy saying, “Like I said earlier, we have commenced implementation already. Immediately an idea is muted and diagnosed, its implementation is started. What we need to do is to firm up and lock the loose ends.

From my end, we are ready and have started creating the awareness. And to show you that the state is ready, remember, Lagos recently had a very successful marathon on land. Now, we want to have one on water in stages.

You can imagine kayakers from Epe, all the way to Badagry. We’ll use that to bring attention. Kayaking is an individual sport and

We have been able to structure and initiate a Private Public Partnership (PPP) platform which is needed for tourism to move forward. if you look at our riverine areas in Lagos, a lot of this kids grew up kayaking in local canoe, with paddles. I have watched them and I believe strongly that we will find olympic quality contestants once they are groomed and trained with techniques.”

Reinforcing this optimism, Hon. Elliot said, “We are here for a purpose. We are confident of our resolution and resolve to jointly give and enhance the tourism sector in Lagos State. We are going to start with the aquatic or ocean economy and by the virtue and responsibility placed on our shoulders, we will ensure the drafting and passing of necessary laws needed to boost and buffer the sector .”

He revealed, “We are going to make a formal report to the House about all we discussed here. We are going to liaise with the executive also because of the procedure of implementation.

“Our venturing into this ecotourism aquatic enclave called La Campagne Tropicana Beach Resort has been so rewarding, both on the intellectual/business level and of relaxation.”

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Nigerian Tribune

ncpc boss sensitises US embassy in London to become a luxury Eyn on ‘win a trip to Israel’ promo

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he Executive Secretary, Nigerian Christian Pilgrim Commission (NCPC), John Kennedy Opara, has encouraged Christians to key into the ‘Win a Trip to Israel’ programme of the commission which affords many Christians the opportunity to go on pilgrimage at no cost to the federal or state government. He disclosed this at Ekklesiyar Yan’uwa Nigeria (EYN) also known as Church of the Brethren in Nigeria 64th annual convention held recently at Jos, Plateau State.

The NCPC boss explained that the commission decided to introduce ‘Win a Trip to Israel’ in order to relieve the federal and state governments of sponsorship of Christians to the Holy Land on pilgrimage. In his words, "Win a Trip to Israel” is at no cost to the federal and state governments: “He added “this innovation will make pilgrimage more accessible and affordable”.

He further explained that in order to win a trip to Israel, an individual had to purchase a ticket at the cost of 500 naira which would qualify him/her to participate in the raffle draw; the lucky winners would travel to Israel from the money drawn from the sales of the tickets.

Mr Opara informed that the commission runs four pilgrimage programmes in one calendar year namely: Easter Pilgrimage, which holds between March and April, Youth Pilgrimage which commenced last year and was held between June and July, Family Pilgrimage in August and Main Pilgrimage in October to December.

He further informed that skills acquisition programme and leadership training had been introduced into the youth pilgrimage programme. He urged church leaders to support youths to be part of the Youth Pilgrimage so that they can benefit from the skills acquisition, which would in turn develop the country and better their lives.

The NCPC helmsman intimated about the commission's Pilgrims' Saving Scheme which enables intending pilgrims to save for pilgrimage at their own pace.

He further stated that the Commission has been given approval to build a 15-storey edifice in the central business district called 'Mini Israel' to enable Christians enjoy the Holy Land experience here in Nigeria, adding that the project will be built on transfer arrangement with private sectors.

The President of EYN, Dr Samuel D. Dali, thanked the executive secretary and his management team for coming to enlighten them more on the activities of the commission and urged his members to participate in the ‘Win a Trip to Israel’ promo. He added that through this scheme more Christians would visit the Holy Land.

Kennedy Opara

Plans have been unveiled to turn the historic US embassy building in Mayfair, which dates back to the 1950s, into a luxury hotel.

The Grade II-listed landmark will be converted into a 137-room fivestar hotel as part of a £1 billion restoration of Grosvenor Square, theEvening Standard reports.

The new hotel, developed by real estate group Qatari Diar and designed by British architect David Chipperfield , will offer a spa, five restaurants, six luxury shops and a ballroom for 1,000 guests, according to plans to be submitted to Westmin-

ster City Council next month.

The protected building, America’s largest European embassy since 1960, will receive a new lease of life when US ambassador Matthew Barzun and his 1,000 staff move to a new home in the Nine Elms district of Wandsworth early next year.

The square, which has been historically associated with the US for more than 200 years since John Adams, the first American envoy to Britain and second US president, was sent to the Court of St James, will be restored as an “open, expansive green space for residents and visitors to

enjoy”, Qatari developers say, following a revamp which will include the demolition of the bollards and barriers built around the embassy after the 9/11 attacks.

Full details of the renovation scheme for Grosvenor Square can be viewed in a public exhibition from April 11 to 16 at 24 Grosvenor Hill.

“We have studied the building’s design and its history as well as its surroundings to deliver an architecturally and socially coherent proposal, which will transform this purpose-built embassy into a worldclass hotel,” says Mr Chipperfield.

Cultural tourism, a way out of Nigeria economic predicament —Wole Duro-Ladipo Hakeem Gbadamosi - Akure Cultural tourism has been identified as an alternative to oil that can help the country out of its present economic predicament if government at all levels provides the enabling environment.

This was disclosed by an international tourism ambassador and the Chief Executive Officer of Impeccable First Eye Concept, Wole Akanni Duro- Ladipo, in Akure, Ondo, while speaking with journalists, he said cultural tourism can augment and provide alternative revenue source for the ailing economy.

He noted that the country was blessed with abundant resources capable of drawing international attention to various tourist centres in Nigeria which would bring more financial gain to communities and the country at large.

He explained that some cultural values of the Yoruba nation have been moving gradually towards extinction especially among Yoruba citizens in Diaspora who have relegated Yoruba core cultural values to the background.

According to him, “ Research revealed that most of the African children, especially Yorubas growing up in America love African culture, but their parents are not helping them in understanding Yoruba culture, customs and heritage”.

He, however, said this was one of the reasons the Impeccable First Eye Concepts has been organising annual Yoruba Cultural Festival in Dallas, America by bringing people of Yoruba extraction together to educate and talk to them about core Yoruba cultural values.

The cultural ambassador who is the son of late actor, Duro-Ladipo, disclosed that the fifth edition of the festival will come up in September 2016 and will feature symposium, lectures, cultural display of Yoruba value and ethics and dance.

He said, “ For instance, lesbianism and gay are alien to African and Yoruba culture, ethics and values and we

must educate our growing children on these and other things that are regarded as taboos to Yoruba nation and its culture.

“About five traditional rulers, leading Yoruba cultural ambassadors and artists have been billed to witness and partake in this year edition of Yoruba Cultural Festival. The wife of the late actor, Mrs Abiodun Durodola-Ladipo and another actor, Aderupoko will be in Dallas for this special edition of Yoruba Festival in Dallas.”

He, however, encourages Nigerians on cultural tourism, urging them to take time to go on vacation by visiting tourist attractions while he advised Nigerians to visit this year’s edition of cultural festival in Dallas.

Akanni Duro-Ladipo said plans were on going to replicate the Yoruba Cultural Festival in Nigeria, saying that the first edition of the programme might come up in Ile Ife next year where the cultural value and ethics of Yoruba will be showcased.

He said this would boost the economy of the country explaining that people who are culturally inclined will travel from all parts of the world to witness the display of Yoruba culture and heritage.

He called on government and private investors to invest in the cultural tourism saying “this will reduce the level of unemployment and increase economic value of hotel business in the country.”

He highlighted some challenges facing the tourism world in the country that must be overcome in order to have an effective and income-generating tourist industry, which include; provision of necessary infrastructure and creation of enabling environment for these products.

He explained that personnel needed to be trained to provide the necessary services to tourists must be trained, especially those providing hospitality and entertainment services to make the country friendly to international visitors and make them feel comfortable.

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Wednesday, 20 April, 2016

Lawmaker decries neglect of tourism sector in Oke Ogun

hotel “A new chapter in our special relationship begins in early 2017 with our move to a new U.S. Embassy in Nine Elms. Grosvenor Square will write a new chapter of its own, one that I hope retains an imprint of America’s deep and abiding history here,” said Mr Barzan.

Other current London projects managed by Qatari Diar include the Southbank Place riverside complex as well as the joint development of the East Village on the former Olympic site and the Elephant and Castle town centre.

Tourists run Cuba out of beer!

A surge in tourism to Cuba, after relations improved with the US, could see the country run out of beer.

The ubiquitous fridges that dispense beer in Cuba’s bars, cafes and gas stations are running out of the island’s favourite Cristal and Bucanero brands in recent weeks, as a surge in American tourists and new private watering holes strain the main brewery.

Brewer, Bucanero needs a new plant to keep pace with demand from tourists and a burgeoning private restaurant sector that competes with state-run outlets for supplies, Mayle Gonzalez, a sales executive at the company said on Friday.

Its namesake, Cerveceria Bucanero makes the communist-led country’s most widely consumed brew, Cristal. The company is a government joint venture with the world’s largest brewer, Belgium’s Anheuser Busch InBev. After US President, Barack Obama, eased travel restrictions to Cuba, in his bid to end more than 50 years of enmity with the Caribb e a n nation, Americ a n tourists h a v e b e e n arriving in signific a n t num-

Nigerian Tribune

bers on the streets of Old Havana.

Hundreds will step off a cruise ship from Miami into the city next month, the first such voyage since the U.S. embargo that followed Fidel Castro’s 1959 revolution.

While the embargo remains in place, ordinary Cubans have warmed to their ‘Yanqui’ neighbors, especially after Obama’s visit to Cuba last month, the first by a sitting US president in 88 years.

Brewer Bucanero needs a new plant to keep pace with demand from tourists and a burgeoning private restaurant.

Cuba received a record 3.5 million visitors last year, up 17 per cent from 2014. American visitors rose 77 per cent to 161,000, in addition to hundreds of thousands of Cuban-Americans, testing the country’s supply of hotel room, rental cars and beer.

The most recent tourism figures, for January, showed a similar pace of growth.

Small restaurants that cater to both tourists and Cubans have blossomed on the Caribbean Island since President Raul Castro five years ago formalised changes designed to remove the Communist state from many small-scale economic activities.

“Private bars can go out and find supplies where they can, I can only sell what the government gives me,” said the manager of a state-run bar that ran out of beer, while a private locale upstairs had a fridge full of cold bottles.

At its seventh Communist Party congress next week, Cuba’s leadership is expected to push ahead with economic reforms outlined in 2011, although the tight-lipped party has given little sign of what will be discussed.”

The congress is the country’s main forum for defining leadership and economic policy for the next five years.

A member of the House of Representatives, Honourable Bosun Oladele, has decried the neglects and underutilisation of tourism potentialities in Oke-Ogun area of Oyo State for economic development and job creation.

Honourable Oladele, who is representing Olorunsogo /Oorelope Federal Constituency, in an interview with journalists in Ibadan, recently, said, “Oke-Ogun is blessed with veritable tourism potentialities which can corroborate with agriculture as the mainstay of the economy to transform the region and generate revenue for both state and federal governments”.

He lamented that no government in the state, either past or present, has given the development of these potentialities in the region while the various sites remained unenhanced and useless to the people.

“It is a pity that past governments have failed in utilising the tourism potentials in the region, but with the current global trend of downfall in the price of oil and the need to generate income through alternative means, we have to be more serious and focus in the sector.

“Apart from generating revenue, tourism creates wealth and employment opportunities for our teeming youth and at the same time, enhances creativity in the area of arts and crafts. The overall effect will be on the economy because influx of tourists both local and foreigners will lead to increase in the demands of goods and services including consumable products”.

The former Commissioner for Information in Oyo State noted, “Oke-Ogun is a paragon of tourism in Oyo State; in Igbeti where I come from, we have 16 mountains and all these are significant in the history of the community.

Also, we have Oke Agbele, which was naturally created by the nature. Also, not far from my community is Igbo Oba which was the first old Oyo empire, old Oyo National Park and others, but all these have not been fully utilised for economic advantage .

The legislator, who is the major financier of Iyamapo Festival 2016, said the festival which is always held during the Easter period, is a festival, that attracts hundreds of local and foreign tourists to Igbeti “Hundreds of local and foreign tourists attend the festival every year, we move to the mountain top with food and drinks, host competition dance and generally have fun”.

Speaking on his plan to ensure that domestic tourism is developed in Oke Ogun, Honourable Oladele said, “I have to lobby my colleagues in the tourism and culture committee to include my constituency into the sites which will benefit from Federal Government’s projects.

We will not also relent in ensuring that state governments also take serious steps too”.

He pointed out, “I will play my part to bring attention to tourism sites in Oke – Ogun. I will not only do this, but ensure the enhancement and development of some of these sites. If these sites are enhanced, they will attract more development, more hotels, restaurants and side businesses will spring up and properties will appreciate”.

Bosun Oladele

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ecoscope

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

Ron Bills is the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Envirofit International, a social enterprise designing and producing technologies that reduces pollution and enhances energy efficiency in developing countries. He speaks with DOYIN ADEOYE on how clean cookstoves are creating environmental, health and social impacts for homes and institutions across many developing nations.

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Ron Bills

With millions of people reached over the years, how did the company achieve it?

It is hard because the people we serve many times are in the very extreme rural communities, so we have good quality distributors and company representatives in countries, who are reaching out to people in these communities and doing demonstrations and awareness building to show people the clean cookstoves, because in many cases, rural people have not seen those type of products before.

How was it convincing people in the rural communities to use these cookstoves?

It wasn’t easy because people have a traditional way of cooking. However, we’ve designed the products around the voice of the customer which is very important. So the creation of our product has really been driven by the users because it is difficult to show people a new product and expect them to buy it when they have never seen or tried it before.

What is the power source of the cookstoves?

There is the firewood version, the charcoal version and the institutional versions for schools, hospitals or restaurants. So the power source is the same as what people are used to, such as charcoal or wood, but it is designed in a way that the combustion chambers superheats the gases and burns up the bad emissions and allows the product to be very clean and efficient.

So we can get the same energy out of the wood to heat the pot, but use less wood. So we can use 60 per cent less wood or charcoal depending on the stove and get 80 per cent cleaner emissions. So the air we breathe in our homes is cleaner.

Did you start the clean cookstoves basically as a business venture or to address the environmental issue of air pollution?

It was both. To create a sustainable business, it had to make business sense for both the customer that is buying the product and the company that is designing and manufacturing the product.

So with the voice of the customer, we

assure that they get a good benefit from the product.

We are a social enterprise, but we still need to be able make money to pay for the product and the engineering and designing work around the product. So it has to make business sense as well.

What is the lifespan of one cookstove?

We estimate that it is around five years, depending on how well the product is taken care of, or more, if well taken care of.

— Bill Nye, American science educator

is buying the product. With the product, they are saving 50 to 60 per cent in wood or charcoal, which is a lot of money they can save to do other things.

Paris Agreement opens for signing Friday

Despite the awareness, many developing countries are yet to really grasp the idea of clean cookstoves.

Where do you think lies the problem?

The awareness building, which is making people aware of the product and the benefit that they can have, is probably one of the biggest challenges we have, because a lot of people have not seen the product. So doing a demonstration is a big piece of our activities and also with the word of mouth, people that have used it share their experiences, because it is quite a very substantial financial savings for people that buy the stove.

Stories By Doyin Adeoye

Is the product affordable to people in the rural communities that is basically meant for?

It is affordable, especially with the cut in cost of buying charcoal or wood, there is money to be made. The product pays for itself in a short period of time.

However, people may not have the money to buy the products immediately, so having a microfinance organisation involved, where people can pay on installment basis is very important, so we do that. We work with various microfinance organisations and banks across the world to help make the products affordable at the consumer level.

— Ron Bills, CEO Envirofit

well designed clean cookstove.

Climate change is happening, humans are causing it, and I think this is perhaps the most serious environmental issue facing us

with Doyin Adeoye

Addressing climate change through clean cookstoves

hat inspired the clean cookstoves produced by Envirofit?

Envirofit started in 2004 when we were working on some technology development around clean engines.

We started the development of clean combustion engineering around wood cookstoves and charcoal cookstoves in 2007 because we saw a huge need, as over half of the world’s population burns biomass on a daily basis using wood, coal and the likes, and there is a huge inefficiency in that burning.

So with the clean technology combustion chamber, we can actually reduce the amount of indoor air pollution, which according to the World Health Organisation (WHO) kills up to four million people annually from breathing smoke over time. And 70 per cent of those are women and children under the age of five, who spend most time in the kitchen. So the clean burning combustion chamber reduces the amount of fuel used despite using the same type of fuel, whether charcoal or the likes, but with 50 to 60 per cent less, as a result of having more efficient combustion in a

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Wednesday, 20 April, 2016

How have you modified your products to fit into specific geographical regions or climates?

Cooking habits are different across regions. For instance, we were recently in Ghana and they cook donkunu, made from corn flour, which takes a lot of firepower and energy. And the women were absolutely amazed as it was cooked it in just 10 minutes.

They now call it the ‘Queen of the kitchen’ because of the firepower of the stove, which has afforded them a means of saving because the fuel saving means a lot of money. A family once told me that were able to save enough money from the charcoal saving that they could afford for their oldest son to go to high school, not to mention the cleanliness of not breathing the bad smoke.

Where do you think the clean cookstove sector is headed?

The clean cookstove sector started basically in 2007 with the help of the Shell Foundation and some initial You were recently recognised by programmes in India and at the time, the Schwab Foundation as a Social there was hardly anyone building well engineered, mass produced and high Entrepreneur of the Year… quality cookstoves. But now the sector is Yes, that was an award given regrowing and through the first quarter of cently to Envirofit around our social this year, we have seen good growth in entrepreneurial activities in creating all of our big business sectors across the a sustainable business that does good globe. for people, because for something like So that tells me that awareness building the clean cookstoves that affects half of is growing and people are becoming more the world’s pollution, charity is not the aware that there are products out there answer. like ours that save 50 to 60 per cent in There is not enough money that you can really impart across the globe; it has fuel and even clean the air they breathe to be sustainable business, which means by 80 per cent reduction in indoor air pollution and make a healthier life. it has to be viable to the customer that

Over 154 countries have stated their intentions to partake in the landmark signing of the Paris Climate Change Agreement which will be held at the United Nations (UN) Headquarters in New York on Friday, 22 April.

Coinciding with the Mother Earth Day, the agreement was adopted by all 196 Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) at COP21 in Paris on 12 December, 2015.

In the agreement, all countries agreed to work to limit global temperature rise to well below 2 degrees Celsius, and given the

•As world celebrates Earth Day grave risks, to strive for 1.5 degrees Celsius.

Secretary General, Ban Ki-moon, will host the signing ceremony on Friday.

According to the UN, the signing ceremony is the first step in ensuring that the agreement enters into force as soon as possible. It will take effect 30 days after at least 55 countries, accounting for 55 per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions, deposit their instruments of ratification or acceptance with the secretary general.

Nigeria, among many other nations, has indicated that it will partake in the signing ceremony.

Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo, while receiving French Minister for Envi-

ronment, Power and Marine Affairs, Ms. Segolene Royal, at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, last month, said that Nigeria will in due course join in the signing of the Paris Agreement.

“COP21 outcome is important for everyone, it is the largest landmark agreement on climate change,” the vice president stated.

UN Secretary General’s spokesperson, Farhan Haq, in a press conference on Friday, said “The number of countries that have indicated their intentions to attend and sign the Paris Agreement on 22 April is now up to 155.

On the same day, many people across the world will celebrate the

annual Earth Day. First celebrated in 1970, the Earth Day, which is now coordinated globally by the Earth Day Network, has a mission to broaden and diversify the environmental movement worldwide and to mobilise it as the most effective vehicle to build a healthy, sustainable environment, address climate change and protect the earth for future generations.

With the theme: Trees for the Earth, the 2016 edition focuses on tree planting, with a goal of planting 7.8 billion trees over the next five years, as Earth Day moves closer to its 50th anniversary.

Trees are important to human existence as they help in combating climate change.

‘The Valuable Waste is not just a movie, it is a revolution’

Adesoji

In his bid towards contributing his quota towards saving the planet, young environmentalist and filmmaker, Adesoji Ade-Ajejolu, a graduate of Biochemistry from the University of Lagos (UNILAG), is putting together a documentary on waste management activities, titled ‘The Valuable Waste.’

Speaking with Ecoscope, Adesoji noted that the documentary is aimed at creating awareness about environmental challenges, impacts and potential solutions.

“The ‘Valuable Waste’ is not just a movie, it is a revolution inspired by the need to create awareness on proper waste disposal, recycling culture and environmental sustainability in Nigeria. It is aimed at orienting people on the benefits

of recycling, as well as creating awareness on our individual contributions in making Nigeria a clean and healthy environment,” he said.

According to him, his passion for environmental sustainability started during his undergraduate days.

“As a biochemist, I was opportune to do my industrial training programme at an environmental laboratory instead of a medical laboratory. And it was there that I got exposed to situations where industrial companies discharge effluent indiscriminately into the lagoon and other water bodies.

“So to further develop this passion, I went back for my Master’s degree, where I studied Environmental Toxicology and Pollution Management. And with a pas-

sion for media and filmmaking, the documentary came to live after a long search of a common ground between the two fields,” he said.

With a focus on presenting to the general public waste to wealth schemes, Adesoji said “considering the fact that Nigeria currently ranks 133 out of the 180 countries surveyed in the 2016 Environmental Performance Index (EPI) report, I believe that we can do more for our environment.

“An average Nigerian has the orientation that environmental management is solely government’s responsibility. However, it is now obvious that it is a collective duty, as an advanced society can only be achieved once everybody takes responsibility of the environment,” he said.

Strong policies, legal enforcement could bring more sustainable welfare to Africa — UNEP Deputy Executive Director •As Africa’s natural reserves, climate pact top AMCEN agenda Deputy Executive Director of the United Nations Environment Programme, Ibrahim Thiaw, has said that stemming the world’s environmental crime could generate twice as much as Africa receives through overseas development assistance.

He made this known while speaking at the just concluded African Ministerial Conference on the Environment (AMCEN), which was held in Cairo, Egypt.

In his remarks, Thiaw said that “strong policies and legal enforcement could see the income from African resources, tackle African priorities and bring the African people more sustainable welfare.

“So there is an urgent need to recon-

cile social, economic and environmental interests regionally, nationally and locally. If we succeed, we can harness the full potential of Africa’s incredible natural heritage to deliver the 2030 Agenda. If we fail, we condemn Africa’s priceless patrimony to oblivion, along with the people who rightfully depend on it,” he said.

He further noted that stakes have never been higher, which puts both the environment and the population in real danger.

The need to sustainably harness Africa’s vast reserves of natural capital and the implications of the Paris Agreement dominated the opening session of the AMCEN, which was attended by

ministers of environment and high-level officials from more than 40 African countries.

The sixth special session of the AMCEN has ‘Agenda 2030 and Paris Agreement: From Policy to Implementation in Africa’ as its theme.

Minister of Environment of Egypt and President of AMCEN, Dr Khaled Fahmy, said “To meet the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), it is crucial that Africa confronts some of the biggest problems facing the continent, be it climate change or disease, poverty or the degradation of our ecosystems.

“It is of paramount importance that this session addresses the way forward for swift implementation of the African

Thiaw Renewable Energy Initiative as well as the African Adaptation Initiative. The outcome of this important conference will be communicated at the upcoming United Nations Environment Assembly, where our work here at AMCEN will feed into global efforts to find solutions to some of the most critical issues of our time,” he said.

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Nigerian Tribune

Group Business Editor Sulaimon Olanrewaju

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

energy

anchor Tunde Dodondawa

m:08029370304 e:mrdodondawa@yahoo.com

Subsidy on PMS hits N285.2m daily as crude price rises Stories By Olatunde Dodondawa with Agency Reports - Lagos

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UBSIDY payment on premium motor spirit (PMS) otherwise called petrol has hit N285.2 million per day as crude oil price rose above $40 per barrel last week.

According to the new figures posted on the website of the Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency (PPPRA) on the 17th April, 2016, the Expected Open Market Price (EOMP) N93.63 per litre while recommended retail price for NNPC Retail stations was N86 per litre while for other marketers was N86.50 per litre.

Using the retail price for marketers as a benchmark, the Federal Government is now subsidising every litre of petrol by paying N7.13 per litre and expectedly, the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) had put daily petrol consumption at about 40 million litres.

By multiplying 40 million litres by N7.13, it was discovered that daily subsidy payment on petrol is about N285.2 million.

By implications, what this means is that existence of subsidy regime will automatically negate all benefits accruable from potential increase in crude oil price from below $30 per barrel in February 2016 to above $40 per barrel in April 2016.

However, a source within the NNPC who pleaded anonymity told Nigerian Tribune that there is no cause for alarm because the government had saved enough that will cushion the effect of rising subsidy payment in the short term.

According to him, “the government has saved enough from over-recovery during the period when crude price was selling below $30 per barrel.

Pump price of petrol should have been below N60 per litre, but the government pegged it at N86.50 per litre using price modulation system.

“It won’t affect government spending in the short run and there is every likelihood that crude price may

plummet soon due to the collapse of Doha talks.”

Earlier in the year, the crude oil price was below $30 per barrel, but recently, it started to appreciate as data from the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NPC) showed that as at April 8, 2016, the price of Brent

Crude was $44.69 per barrel.

The marginal rise in the price of crude oil resulted in a commensurate increase in the landing cost of petrol.

As at April 18, the PPPRA, in its pricing template, put the landing cost of petrol at N79.33 per litre, while the sub-total margins such

as the retailers charge, transporters cost, dealers fee and admin charge were pegged at N14.30 per litre.

The summation of the landing cost and the subtotal margins refer to the EOMP, which was N93.63 as at the period under review.

However, stakeholders have continued to call for removal of subsidy to give room for efficiency, transparency and adequate supply of petrol.

But the government had stated that price modulation is in the best interest of the Nigerian public and that it is not paying subsidy.

From left; Managing Director, NIPCO Plc,Venkaraman Venkatapathy, Chairman, Chief Bestman Anekwe, Company Secretary, Paul Obi and Executive Director, Corporate Services, Alhaji Abdulkadir Aminu, at the 12th Annual General Meeting (AGM) of NIPCO Plc held in Abuja, recently.

NIPCO Plc raises storage facility to 84m litres NIPCO Plc, an integrated oil and gas company, has announced that it is expanding its storage capacity 84 million litres to boost the company’s efforts at meeting the needs of stakeholders at all times.

The Managing Director, NIPCO plc, Mr Venkataraman Venkatapathy, disclosed in a statement that “the new storage facility can store 34 million litres of petroleum products, a feat that would drive the company to further consolidate the company’s leadership role in the downstream.”

He affirmed that going into construction of new projects at this time is a vindication of the company’s belief in the resilience of the Nigerian economy stressing “even though this is a very challenging period in the nation’s his-

tory, we are still upbeat of better days ahead.”

He told the excited shareholders with the additional storage, NIPCO ‘s efforts to store petroleum products has now increased to 84 million from the erstwhile

50 million litres thereby enhancing her capacity to take deliveries of bigger vessels laden with huge products with no stress on where to discharge.

Venkatapathy informed that the project which was

built to international standard can store all grades of white products and has been effectively linked with the Apapa jetty reception point as well as the 10 point loading gantry in the terminal.

Lekoil, GEIL JV commence Otakikpo crude exploration LEKOIL and its Joint Venture (JV) partner, Green Energy International Limited (GEIL) have announced the commencement of crude exploration at the Otakikpo marginal oil field in Oil Mining License (OML) 11.

In a statement by the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the company, Mr Lekan Akinyanmi, and made available to the Nigerian Tribune on Wednesday, the CEO said “In about a year and half, Lekoil and its partner GEIL have managed to bring to life a marginal oil field which is expected to produce 10,000 barrels per day (bpd) by yearend demonstrating its technical and financial strengths as well as illustrating the fasttrack approach by the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) to developing previously marginal fields and unlocking value for the benefit of Nigeria.

“Lekoil as a Financial and Technical partner also commends the support of its stakeholders and host communities whose people and services stand to realise sustainable value. These successful tests represent another major step towards continuous production and are the most significant accomplishment since operations began demonstrating our disciplined approach to developing an asset efficiently.”

Why Shell may exit from Bonga South West/Aparo IN February 2016, Royal Dutch Shell plc announced in its fourth quarter 2015 financial statement that it was postponing the final investment decision (FID) on the Bonga South West/Aparo (BSWA) deep water project offshore Nigeria, in an effort to curtail spending amid the current low oil price environment.

Shell’s decision to postpone the FID on BSWA comes after Shell Nigeria Exploration and Production Company (SNEPCo) announced

last year that it was committed to the project. In February 2015, the company’s managing director, Tony Attah, denied reports that the energy firm had stopped the development due to the slump in oil price and confirmed that it was progressing the tender for engineering, procurement and construction contracts related to BSWA. Located in the Gulf of Guinea, BSWA straddles the OML 118, 132 and 140 block boundaries, in water depths of 3,805 feet

to 4,396 feet. The development resides 11 miles south of the Bonga Main project, Nigeria’s first deep water venture which started its Phase 3 project production in October, and 22 miles south of the Bonga North West development, which came on-stream in 2014.Under Phase 1 of the BSWA development, 24 wells would be drilled, of which 12 would be producers and 12 would be water injectors. Phase 2 would see an additional 20 wells brought online,

10 of which would be producers and 10 of which would be injectors. The project also includes the construction of a new floating production, storage and offloading (FPSO) facility with an expected peak production of 225,000 barrels of oil per day.

BSWA is operated by SNEPCo, which owns 44 percent of the asset, with Chevron Corporation, Esso, Eni S.p.A, Total S.A and Sasol holding 19.625, 16, 10, 10 and 0.375 percent interests, respectively.

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Wednesday, 20 April, 2016

Nigerian Tribune

Oil may keep crashing as Doha talks fail Stories by Olatunde DodondawaLagos

T

he increase in crude price in recent weeks to above $40 per barrel may shortlive as major crude oil exporters could not reach an agreement to freeze output.

Oil prices had moved above $40 per barrel in recent weeks, about 50 per cent higher than their low point in February when OPEC and Russia originally announced a preliminary agreement to freeze output.

Since the Doha summit was put on the calendar several weeks ago, a production freeze looked all but certain. Even though there were murmurings about certain parties holding out, particularly the Saudis who vowed not to agree to a deal without the participation of Iran, most people thought the comments were bluster.

It seemed hard to imagine that OPEC, having been subjected to ridicule and questions about its relevance since the collapse of oil prices a year and a half ago, would put its credibility on the line once again only to come up empty. That was particularly true since the objectives for the Doha meeting were not all that ambitious; a freeze at record levels of production for nearly all parties involved was never going to have a major impact on the global oil supply imbalance.

That meant that OPEC surely would leave Doha with at least a token agreement in hand. But Saudi Arabia held its ground at the last minute and insisted that any deal must include Iran.

Iran, of course, was never going to sign up, having just been relieved of several years of sanctions. Iranian officials said as much from the beginning. That makes the Saudi position all the more puzzling. If Saudi Arabia was not going to go along with the freeze deal without Iran, why agree to a meeting in the first place?

One possibility is that Saudi Ara-

bia had at least some intention of signing up to the freeze, but let its antipathy towards Iran get in the way at the last minute.

“The fact that Saudi Arabia seems to have blocked the deal is an indicator of how much its oil policy is being driven by the ongoing geopolitical conflict with Iran,” Jason Bordoff, the Director of the Center on Global Energy Policy at Columbia University, told Bloomberg.

Another possibility is differences between Saudi officials themselves on how to approach Doha. Doubts over a potential success in Doha surfaced in recent weeks following comments from Saudi Arabia’s Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who laid out Saudi Arabia’s position not to freeze without Iran following suit. He reiterated those comments three days before the meeting.

“If all major producers don’t freeze production, we will not freeze production,” Prince Salman said on April 14. “If we don’t freeze, then we will sell at any opportunity we get.” Much of the world, including many negotiators, again thought that this was bluster.

Nigeria’s delegation to the Doha talks was led by the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Dr. Ibe Kachikwu, and was with the hope that the talks would be successful and that both parties, especially, Saudi Arabia and Iran would agree to a freeze in output. But the hopes were dashed after the talks.

The Wall Street Journal hinted at the fact that Saudi Arabia’s delegation to Doha, led by the iconic oil minister Ali al-Naimi, had quite a different tone from the powerful young prince. As late as Saturday, the Saudi delegation appeared to be willing to sign a deal despite what they described as political statements from Prince Salman,” the WSJ wrote, based on comments from its sources familiar with the talks. On Sunday, al-Naimi unexpectedly backtracked, and the Doha negotiations dragged on for hours before ultimately falling apart.

From right; Mrs Lillian Ikokwu, Head Lubricants, Oando Marketing PLC; Mr Mohammed Dahiru, Lubricants Research and Development Manager; Oando Marketing PLC; Mr Seun Adeosun, Head, Marketing Communications, Oando Marketing PLC with Mr John Kelvin, and Mr.Olumide Jesumodupe during a vehicle diagnosis and servicing session at the second edition of OandoOleum SYN free car diagnostics at National Stadium Lagos, recently

NLNG announces plan for Train 8 The Nigeria LNG Limited (NLNG) has announced plans to introduce an additional train to its six existing trains at its operational base on Bonny Island, Rivers State.

The new train, added to the existing six and a seventh train that had been on the drawing board for over 10 years, brings the total number of trains at the NLNG plant to eight.

Announcing this in Lagos, the company said the new Train 8 would be integrated to the Train 7 project and would be developed together with it.

Managing Director of the NLNG, Mr Bab Omotowa, who disclosed this when he officially presented the 2016 Facts and Figures of the company to newsmen, said: “Are we doing Train 7 & 8 together? The answer is true. Previously we were looking at Train 7 as a mega project, which is similar to what the Qataris has built which is a 8.7 million tons per annum Train.

“The current set of Trains which we have is between 3.8 and 4.3. But this new one would have been 8.7 but after much

Nigeria to host largest energy gathering in Africa in June The 16th Annual Nigerian Oil and Gas Conference and Exhibition organised by CWC will be held in Abuja, Nigeria, from 13 to 16 June, 2016 The forum will feature participation from government and industry leaders.

The event will facilitate a strategic conference on Day 1 and an exhibition on oil, gas and power from 14 to 16 June.

The event is aimed at bringing together the entire value chain to discuss and debate critical issues, challenges and opportuni-

ties facing the Nigerian industry post-privatisation.

The event is organised with official support from Nigeria’s Federal Ministry of Power, Works and Housing, NERC, NBET and the Presidential Task Force on Power.

Nigeria’s Minister of Power, Works and Housing Babatunde Fashola and Minister of State for Power, Works and Housing Mustapha Baba Shehuri have been invited to speak at the event.

NBET managing director and CEO Rumundaka Wonodi,

Transcorp Power Ltd managing director Adeoye Fedeyibi and Association of Nigerian Electricity Distribution (ANED) CEO Matthias Onweazuka Obiaya are among the leading industrialists who will be a part of the conference.

The organisers claim the event to be Africa’s largest exhibition gathering of the Nigerian and international energy industry, with participation from more than 200 companies and attracting more than 6,500 visitors.

review, we said that it is much better to replicate what we have rather than complicate our problem.

“So, we are building a replica of Train 6. So when we do that (4.3, 4.3 capacity each) we have 8.6 which is the same 8.7. It will be easier to maintain and it is the same technology. So, we are working the two Trains (7 & 8) together,” Mr Omotowa said.

Commenting on when the Fi-

nal Investment Decision (FID), on Trains 7 & 8, would be concluded, Mr Omotowa said it will be done during the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari.

The NLNG boss noted that embarking on Train 7 & 8 projects now would be much cheaper because of low oil price, adding that $300 million has already been spent in site preparation for the project.

Former OPEC member, Gabon, wants to rejoin oil group The African nation of Gabon wants to rejoin Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) after more than two decades, two OPEC sources said, becoming the second former member in a year to seek a return to the oil exporters’ group just as it is taking the first steps in years to prop up prices.

If it returned, Gabon would be the smallest producer in the OPEC and bring its ranks to 14 countries following last year’s return of Indonesia, which had quit in 2008.

“They sent the request to OPEC officially,” said one of the sources, an OPEC delegate.

An oil official in Gabon declined to comment. Gabon joined OPEC in 1975 and left in 1995 over the exporter group’s refusal to grant its request for reduced annual contributions in line with the country’s small production, news reports said at the time.

The move to rejoin comes as key OPEC members and outside producers such as Russia are attempting to support prices through a deal to freeze output which will be discussed this weekend in Doha.

The initiative has helped oil prices to start recovering from a 12-year low reached in January.

OPEC in 2014 had abandoned its traditional role of cutting supply to support the market, accelerating a drop in prices which were falling due to oversupply and prompting critics to question its relevance.

Gabon produces 200,000 barrels of oil per day (bpd) according to the International Energy Agency, and output is in decline.

Last year, the government launched an offshore licensing round in a bid to boost exploration. Ecuador, which pumps 530,000 bpd, is currently the smallest OPEC producer.

The next step, the sources said, would be for OPEC oil ministers to discuss Gabon’s request.

They hold their next meeting in June. OPEC rules state that a country needs to have “a substantial net export of crude in order to become a full member. Still, the ministers waived this requirement with the decision to welcome back Indonesia, now a net oil importer.

Whether Gabon’s return would be as straightforward is not clear.

Indonesia was deemed by OPEC to have “suspended” its membership, while it calls Gabon’s departure a termination, implying a more formal severing of ties. City in 2007 and has grown to hundreds of millions of people around the world.

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politics&policy

Wednesday, 20 April, 2016 Group Politics Editor Taiwo Adisa - 08072000046 tai_adis@yahoo.com

Growing discontent over grazing reserves bills

Dogara

The House of Representatives will any moment from now begin debate on two National Grazing Reserves bills which are being consolidated. Group Politics Editor, TAIWO ADISA, examines the essence and intent of the bills.

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RDINARILY, the Grazing Reserves bills currently in the National Assembly, which are being considered by the House of Representatives, are designed to solve some problems. But, indications have started emerging quite early in the day that the bills are fast becoming the source of problems themselves.

Designed as the panacea for incessant conflicts and squabbles between Fulani herdsmen and crop farmers across the country, the bills aim at creating grazing reserves, ranches and cattle reserves across the 36 states through the establishment of a National Grazing Reserves Commission, an agency under the direct control of the president.

One of the bills published in the official National Assembly Gazette of February 1, 2016 and the second, published in the March 16, 2016 edition of the National Assembly Journal, gave details of the proposed law.

The first bill with number HB.16.02.388 is titled: “A bill for an Act to Establish the National Grazing Route and Reserve Commission, to establish and control Grazing Routes and Reserves in all parts of Nigeria and other incidental matters thereto…” It is sponsored

by Honourable Sunday Karimi from Kogi State. The second bill, published on March 16 also titled: “A Bill for an Act to Establish Grazing Reserve in each state of the Federation of Nigeria to improve Agriculture yield from livestock farming and curb incessant conflicts between Cattle farmers and crop farmers in Nigeria and for Related Matters,” is marked HB.16.03.448. It appears from page 931 to 941 of the National Assembly Journal, volume 13, is being sponsored by Honourable Sadiq Ibrahim, representing Fafure/Song Federal Constituency of Adamawa State.

Though presented by different sponsors, the bills have almost all sections in common.

While the one presented by Ibrahim seeks a seven-year jail term for herdsmen who graze outside the designated areas on the commencement of the proposed law, the one by Karimi does not have such a provision. But both bills seek to establish grazing routes,

ranches, cattle reserves to, on the one hand, improve agricultural yields and, on the other, curb incessant conflicts between crop framers and Fulani herdsmen. The details in the bills are just the same, save for the provision in Section Five of the one by Ibrahim, which prescribes a seven-year jail term.

According to the publications, the bills are seeking the establishment of a Commission to oversee the acquisition of lands for grazing purposes across the country. The bill dated March 16, provides that it shall be a criminal offence for anyone to graze outside the Grazing Reserve upon the commencement of the Act. The law provides that anyone who contravenes the provisions of the bill shall be liable to seven years imprisonment. “Whoever contravenes the provisions of this Subsection (1) of this Section shall be liable upon a maximum imprisonment of seven (7) years,” the bill stated.

In the explanatory notes, the other bill dated February 1, indicates that grazing reserves shall be interpreted as “farm camps, grazing areas, farm settlement established by the Commission for the furtherance of the mandate of the Commission under this Act.” The Commission refers to the National Grazing Reserves Commission to be established under the Act. The bill dated March 16, in its explanatory notes, explained that Grazing Reserves mean cattle reserves, farm camps, cattle farms, ranch established by this (proposed) commission to improve agriculture yield (livestock and diary), eradicate trans-human and

clashes between herdsmen and crop farmers. Both bills provide that the Grazing Reserves Commission is to be set up under the Act and will be headed by a Director General, who would be appointed by the president on the advice of the Minister of Agriculture.

The commission is also to have a board with members across the 36 states and the Federal Capital, as well as a Chairman, appointed by the President. The appointee, according to the bills, will be responsible to the President and Minister of Agriculture, but the appointment is not subject to the approval of the Senate.

Section 3 of the bills indicate that a member of the Commission shall hold office for a period of four years and may be reappointed for another term of four years. The Minister of Agriculture can however remove any member of the Commission with the approval of the President “if the Minister is of the opinion that it is in the interest of the Commission for the member to continue in office and shall notify the member of the Commission in writing to that effect.”

This provision, however, runs contrary to the provision for executive bodies in the 1999 Constitution, whose members can only be removed through a resolution passed by two thirds majority of the Senate. According to the bills, the general functions of the Commission shall include establishment of at least one cattle reserve in each state of the Federation; management and control of the reserves; issuance of licenses to those allowed to operate in the reserves; determining the number and type of number of stocks permitted; fixing charges for the Grazing Reserves, as well as developing infrastructure and basic amenities, including clinics and schools.

The commission shall also issue grazing permits to those operating within the Reserves, while it is also empowered by the law to acquire land in any part of Nigeria to establish Grazing Reserves. It shall do so by liaising with the governors and Minister of the Federal Capital Territory. Section 20 (1) of HB 448 stated that: “The Commission shall undertake a physical and geographical analysis of land use in each state in order to ascertain the best and most appropriate place to establish a National Grazing Reserve within the state.” Subsection 2 reads: “After the commission identifies land suitable for grazing reserve, it shall liaise with the Governor or Governors of the state where the land is situate to acquire such land for Grazing purposes.”

The bill equally proposes that when a land is found suitable, the Commission, in agreement with the governor of the affected state, shall acquire the land and pay compensation.

The said land will then be transferred to the Commission as a “National Cattles Reserve.”

The bill mandates the Grazing Reserves Com-

The proposed law is seeking to turn cattle rearing, which he said is ordinarily a private business, into a national affair through the establishment of a federal body that would be in charge of interests and occupation of the herdsmen.

mission to, upon the commencement of the Act, establish one grazing reserve in each of the geopolitical zones.

But the contention thrown up by the bills even before the debate on the general principles in the chambers is already earth-shaking. The pan-Yoruba organisation, Afenifere, said the bills should be rejected as it attempts to rob a section of the country to pay the other. Afenifere, in a press conference addressed by its leader, Chief Reuben Fasoranti, in Akure, Ondo State, said the bill was “ obnoxious and unacceptable to the Yoruba Nation. ” Ondo State governor, Dr Olusegun Mimiko, also said the proposed law could not work in the state as, according to him, rather than solve a problem, the proposed law would aggravate the problem. Pa Fasoranti said in his press conference that the proposed law is seeking to turn cattle rearing, which he said is ordinarily a private business, into a national affair through the establishment of a federal body that would be in charge of interests and occupation of the herdsmen. He urged the National Assembly to throw out the bill which he said “is bound to generate unnecessary crises across the country.”

He added: “We stand with the decision of the 2014 National Conference, which recommended the scrapping of grazing route for the establishment of ranches. Our attention has been drawn to a vexatious, obnoxious and provocative bill entitled ‘An act provided for the establishment and development commission for the preservation and control of national grazing reserves and stock routes and other matter connected therein.”

While speaking in like manner, the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) blasted lawmakers from the South-East and SouthSouth for allowing the introduction of the bill, adding that their inability to stop the bill showed that they were being used by their colleagues from other zones. IPOB, in a statement by its Secretary, Media and Publicity Secretary, Mr Emma Powerful, said that the bill could not work in the South-East and South-South.

The fears expressed by Afenifere, Mimiko and the IPOB may not be completely unfounded, as land in the different states is guided by first family values and then government laws. Again, raising a federal agency to supervise activities of the herdsmen could amount to asking too much from a Federal Government which is already burdened by multiplication of agencies and parastatals. Even at that, the Nomadic Education Commission is already in existence to cater for the interests of the herdsmen.

One other issue many states would have with the proposal is the intent to establish reserves rather than ranches on a commercial scale.

Establishing reserves could mean that the proposal would mortgage the growth and expansion of cities, whereas the population would keep growing. Rather than establish a government agency to supervise establishment of Reserves and Grazing routes in a fast-developing population, the government could do more by encouraging the herdsmen to form cooperatives and purchase land for ranches, which the various governments can help develop by building connecting roads, schools and clinics.

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politics&policy

Wednesday, 20 April, 2016

Northern elders, Buhari and Nigeria The Northern Elders Forum (NEF) recently wrote President Muhammadu Buhari to intimate him about the state of the North. Group Politics Editor, TAIWO ADISA, examines the key issues in the communication.

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HE Northern socio-political groups, including the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) and the Northern Elders Forum (NEF) have been largely silent in the aftermath of the election of President Muhammadu Buhari, in the 2015 general election. Contrary to their ebullient posture during the electioneering campaigns, the groups returned to their cocoons, so to say, after the elections. Save for occasional hits on the headlines, which tended to defend some actions of the president, not much was being heard from the Northern socio-cultural organisations. But the NEF decided to break the dice in March, almost a year after the historic election that brought Buhari back to power. The Forum, in a five-page letter on the state of the North, alerted the President to a number of missing links as far as the North was concerned.

There were governance issues, the structure of the administration, budget matters and issues of security. So many areas were touched in the 10-paragraph letter, which tells of the mindset of the Northern political establishment in relation to the rest of Nigeria. The letter, endorsed by elder statesman, Ambassador Yusuf Maitama Sule, as the Leader of NEF, asked the President to redress the marginalisation of the region, in what the Forum called imbalance, especially as regards budgetary allocations as well as the region’s standing in the banking and finance world.

The Forum, in the letter dated March 7, 2016, indicated that the North was being shortchanged through the instrumentality of the 2016 budget, a development they said could be counter-productive for the administration which has the North as its political backbone.

The letter read in part: “We convey to Mr President our sincere felicitations and pray to God continue guide you as you steer our national affairs through these difficult times. We have consulted a broad spectrum of opinions in the North, and decided to meet with you and present advice and suggestions that will assist your administration. This is our token contribution to your efforts, and it is made with sincere intention to assist you.”

The Forum stated that the 2016 budget lacked equity towards the North, a region which they insisted is desirous of massive investments in infrastructure and development. According to the Northern elders, apart from shotfalls in the capital spending, the Federal Government’s spending on recurrent aspect of the budget was also allegedly skewed against the North as, according to them, 75 per cent of the civil service is made up of citizens from the three geopolitical zones in the South.

The NEF said: “We have conducted some analysis on the 2016 budget estimates which Mr. President submitted to the National Assembly. We are concerned over the absence of equity in the allocation of particularly capital spending. The three geopolitical zones in the North are severally shortchanged.

“For a region deserving greater resources and attention, as well as the political backbone of your administration, this situation will pose serious problems for your administration. We advise Mr President is to review the proposed allocations in consulta-

Maitama Sule tion with the National Assembly. We wish to draw Mr President’s attention to the fact that over 75 per cent of all Federal Government public service employees are from the three geopolitical zones in the South. This means that virtually the same percentage of recurrent spending will go to Nigerians from the South.

The Forum however advised the President to shore up the quality of inputs from his immediate cabinet as, according to them, the quality of advice in that regard needed to be raised. In describing the president’s team as weak, the NEF urged Buhari to immediately establish an Economic Management Team. The Forum said: “We have noted the need for improvements in the human and institutional capabilities which aid Mr. President in governing the nation. As economic difficulties and demands for good governance become more challenging, the quality of advice and support Mr President will require will need to be substantially raised.

On the fight against Boko Haram, the NEF asked the president to probe indications that the sect still controls some areas near Maiduguri, as well as possible foreign conspiracy in the insurgency war, adding: The NEF also asked the President to deal with elements of the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (IPOB) and isolate them among the Igbo. It said:“We commend Mr. President’s stand and disposition to the threats posed by the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (IPOD), and advise that in addition to allowing the full weight of the law to be deployed against this threat, Mr. President should support initiatives which isolate this threat among Igbo people,” the NEF wrote.

On how Buhari could rehabilitate the devastated North-East in the wake of Boko Haram insurgency, NEF called for the establishment of North-­ East Development Commission in addition to other development strategies. According to the group, the commission should be well funded and deliberately assisted to function effectively.

While writing on the need to revive Northern economy, the Forum asked the president to ensure deliberate empowerment of the region to shore up its influence in the banking and finance sector.

It wrote: “We recognise that Mr President has a national mandate and we do not intend to ask for what does not belong to the North. However, the level of poverty, which is increasing particularly in relation to the rest of the country, represents a serious threat to the region and the unity and survival of our dear country.”

Also, on the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), the Northern elders stated that the situation in the camps was desperate, adding the president should galvanise the agencies and personnel to manage the over two million IDPs firmly.

The Forum did not leave out the power sector, which it said remained critical to the economy of the North. It was in support of a review of the privatization policy undertaken by previous administrations, adding that there was the need to scrutinize all policies including the reforms taken by the last administration in the sector.

They however warmed against increases in tariffs in the sector, as increment in cost could be detrimental to Northern economy.

“The Northern economy is heavily de-

Over 75 per cent of all Federal Government public service employees are from the three geopolitical zones in the South. This means that virtually the same percentage of recurrent spending will go to Nigerians from the South.

pendent on power, particular small users who provide the backbone of the informal sector and rural economy. Costs which are being raised have the potential to cripple the economy further, and the North will be worse hit, with virtually no viable industries growing its economy,” the Northern elders said.

“People of the North recognize that substantial amount of work has to be undertaken by themselves particularly in the area of improving our assets in the banking and finance sector and in industrializing the North. We appeal to Mr. President to remain sympathetic to initiatives which channel funding and expertise to the North from the country as well as from international financing and other support sources,” the letter read.

But the elders were somewhat circumspect in joining the fray on the war against corruption. The NEF commended the president on his resolve to fight corruption but urged him to address institutional weaknesses that make corruption to thrive.

The NEF wrote: “We urge Mr. President to address institutional weaknesses and processes that make it easy for corruption to thrive. We further advise Mr. President to broaden the target of impact of your administration, so that the fight against corruption will be straightened by a citizenry that feels the impact of your economic policies in their lives. We recommend Mr. President engages the judiciary in a positive manner to enhance the operations of the judicial system in the fight against corruption.”

As an interest group, the Forum did not shy away from advising the president to closely monitor the ongoing constitution amendment process flagged off by the National Assembly, asking him to pay close attention to issues that affect the North such as cost of governance, the war against corruption and improving democratic processes. The NEF also asked President Buhari to tackle insecurity of lives and property in the North, especially kidnapping and cattle rustling, which they said has been on the increase.

The Forum wrote: “Cattle rustling on industrial scale has devastated one of the major pillars of the Northern economy.

This disaster is now being compounded by kidnapping of persons at an alarming rate.

Inter-communal conflicts particularly in states in the North Central are also resurfacing, after a lull following Mr. President’s election.

“We appeal to Mr. President to direct major improvements in basic policing of our communities and investigate possible collusion of law enforcement agencies in these crimes.”

It was not the first time a sociopolitical organisation would be reaching out to a president of its extraction at the helm of the Nigerian authority but there are questions as to the possibility of equity and fairness if Buhari must see the demands put forward by the NEF through.

For instance, the Forum claimed that 75 per cent of the nation’s workforce is from the Southern part of the country, a claim that is difficult to justify in real time statistics, especially where more than half of the headship of the parastatals and agencies are from the Northern geopolitical zones.

It also remains to be seen how the president would midwife a system that diverts foreign aid to deliberately enhance Northern capacity in the banking and finance sector without offending the laws of the land.

Rather than ask Buhari to deliberately develop the North, the elders would do well by seeking an all-inclusive national growth that would enhance peace and development across the geopolitical zones.

politicscommentary A farewell to election petition

26

Continued from yesterday

By Itse Sagay

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hus once there is substantial non-compliance, the election is invalid CaditQuaestio! There is NEVER any further enquiry whether or not the non-compliance affected the result of the election. It is only when the non-compliance is not substantial, that its impact on the election is considered.

3.

Polling Unit to Polling Unit Thirdly, the Supreme Court wrongly asserts that to establish non-compliance, the Petitioner has to provide evidence from polling unit to polling unit throughout the State. Again this is incorrect.

In Hackney Case, Gill v. Reed and Holmes (1874) 2 O’M & H 77, 31 Lt 69, a leading English case, it was shown that only two out of 19 polling stations (units) were closed on election day and 5,000 out of 19,000 were unable to vote. The election was invalidated for substantial non-compliance with the relevant election law.

Can an election that was marked by killing, extensive blood shed, intimidation, mayhem and chaos require a meticulous examination of polling unit after polling unit, to establish non-compliance? No. The elections were canceled by outright violence involving, killings, election materials seizure and intimidation of voters as was overwhelming established at the tribunal. Where there was effectively no election, it is futile going from polling unit to polling unit, looking for what never existed in the first place.In Buhari v. Obasanjo [2005] 2 NWLR (Pt. 910) 241 at pp. 520 – 522) Nsofor, JCA, nullified the whole presidential election based on events In 7 States out of 36 States.

Clearly a petitioner does not need to establish substantial non-compliance in all aspects of the election or in all places in which election was held. It is not the individual (polling unit by polling unit) that matters. It is the impact of the totality of allegations, the trend they establish and the totality of the perception they create.

4.

Presumption of Validity The Supreme Court also stated that there is a presumption of validity in favour of INEC declared results and the Onus is on the petitioner to prove that the declared outcome is wrong. This is not always the case. Where the Petitioner’s case is that there was no election, the onus is on the Respondent who asserts the positive, i.e., that there was an election.

The Court of Appeal, Benin Judicial Division put it brilliantly in this passage from the judgment of DongbanMensen, JCS, inOgboru v. Uduaghan [2011] 2 NWLR (Pt. 1232) 538.

“In Imana v. Robinson (supra), Aniagolu JSC delivering the unanimous judgment of the Supreme Court, approvingly adopted the exposition in Phipson on Evidence (supra) as the Nigerian law on the subject: “The burden of proof, in this sense, rests upon the party, whether plaintiff or defendant, who substantially asserts the affirmative of the issue. It is an ancient rule founded on consideration of good sense, and it should not be departed from without strong reasons’. It is fixed at the beginning of the trial by the state of the pleadings, and it is settled as a question of law, remaining unchanged throughout the trial exactly where the pleadings place it, and never shifting in any circumstances whatever. If, when all the evidence, by whosoever introduced, it is in, the party who has this burden has not discharged it, the decision must be against him.

We have no reason whatsoever for departing from this eloquent exposition of the law. In our view, that is a correct restatement of the consistent posture of the Supreme Court on this question, see, Elemo&Ors v. Omolade&Ors (1968) NMLR 359; Atane v. Amu (1974) 10 SC 237; Fashanu v. Adekoya (1974) 6 SC 83; Kate Enterprises Ltd. V. Daewoo Nig. Ltd. (1985) 2 NWLR (Pt. 5) 116, etc. There is no gainsaying in the fact that we are bound by these illuminating decisions of the apex court. Hence, we are under obligation to ignore any other decision, including decisions of this Court, which, to employ the apt expression of the Supreme Court, fail “to distinguish [between] the two distinct and frequently confused meanings which have always been attached to the words ‘burden of proof’”, see, Elemo&Ors v. Omolade&Ors (supra) at 361. Unarguably, any contrary decision of any other court on these two distinct meanings of the expression “burden of proof” could be, justifiably, classified as a decision reached per incuriam.

It is from this perspective, therefore, that we are endorsing the submissions of the counsel for the appellants. We, entirely agree with him that having regard to the above negative averments which the appellants made in their pleadings

that no elections known to law were conducted on April 14, 2007, the respondents, who positively asserted that elections were duly conducted, had the burden of proof on the pleadings to plead the constitutive activities that define an election, namely, accreditations, Ajadi v. Ajibola (2004) 1 LRECN 255, 355 – 356 ETC. In this regard, they had the burden to plead Form EC25, a form which shows that result sheets were issued; Form EC40C, a form which shows that the said result sheets were distributed before the results in EC8A were recorded; Amgbare v. Slyva (supra) 6063; voters’ register, Nweke v. Ejims (1999) 2 LRECN 84, 99; Nwakanma v. Abaribe (2010) All FWLR (Pt. 505) 1767, 1880; Form EC8A which is the primary evidence of votes cast in the election; the foundation or base on which the pyramid of the election process is built” Clearly since the case of Peterside and the APC was that due to the violence, carnage and war conditions on 11th and 12th April 2015, there were no governorship elections known to law, the onus fell on Wike and the PDP to establish that there were valid elections on those dates. Not only did the Supreme Court overlook the law in this regard, but Kekere-Ekun, JSC, went so far as to say that even if Wike and the PDP had confessed that there had been no election, it would have made no difference. This is simply unbelievable.

5.

Proof Beyond Reasonable Doubt The insistence that in a civil case, which is what an election petition is, the petitioner must prove his case beyond reasonable doubt if the commission of a crime is involved, is wrong. If the killer, or maimer or character engaged in violence during an election is actually on trial, then proof of his offence, which may send him to prison, must be beyond reasonable doubt.

However, if all that the Petitioner is claiming is that elections were frustrated by wide spread violence, he does not need to prove the commission of any offence beyond reasonable doubt since no one is on trial.

The question of the applicability of “proof beyond reasonable doubt” had long been laid to rest by Obaseki, LSC. In Onoh v. Nwobodo, (Reported in [2004] 10 WRN 27 at 108) when he held that: “the commission of a crime by a party to this proceeding is not directly in issue and the petitioner is not required in law to discharge the burden of proving the crime or offence of falsification against any party to the proceeding. The standard of proof required of the petitioner in these proceedings to succeed is the balance of probabilities..” (Emphasis added) [2004] 10 WRN at pp. 131-2 For this, Obaseki, JSC, relied on Benson Ikoku v. Enoch Oil [1962] 1 All NLR 194 at 199, where Unsworth F.J. held as follows: “The provisions of section 137(1) were considered by this court in the case of Sunday E. Oso v. Chief Festus OkotieEbohunreported suit (FSC. 407/1959) where we held that the issue of a crime must arise on the pleadings. We have not, however, previously considered the scope of the subsection. In my view, the subsection only applies where there is a specific allegation of a crime in the pleadings so that the commission of a crime can properly be said to be a basis or foundation of the claim or defence as the case may be. For example, the subsection would apply where a defendant in an action for libel pleaded justification of an allegation that the plaintiff committed a criminal offence or where a petitioner sought divorce under the Matrimonial Causes Act, on the grounds of rape, sodomy or bestiality. In the present case, the matter directly in issue is not whether a crime has been committed but whether the prosecution was without reasonable and probable cause and malicious ….” Thus where no one is on trial, the issue of proof beyond reasonable doubt should not arise. In any case, the nature of the evidence in the Rivers

Going by the implications of the Supreme Court decision, the election was perfect with regard to balloting in the governor’s case, but massively irregular when it came to the House of Assembly balloting – same polling unit, same voters, same INEC Officials, same date, same time!

Wednesday, 20 April, 2016

State governorship case was such that its level was definitely beyond reasonable doubt.

6.

Some Matters of Significance It is of great significance that the elections into 23 Seats out of 31 in the Rivers State House of Assembly were nullified by both the Legislative Houses Election Tribunal and the Court of Appeal. Those nullified “elections” were conducted in the same polling units, by the same INEC Officials on the same day (11th April 2015) and at the same time as the Governorship election. They were all voided for reasons of violence, mayhem, killings, chaos, ballot snatching, intimidation, gross violations of the Electoral Law, Massive irregularities, etc. They ‘voters’, polling units, Election Officials and all other factors and personnel were exactly the same as those that applied to the governorship election. Yet going by the implications of the Supreme Court decision, the election was perfect with regard to balloting in the governor’s case, but massively irregular when it came to the House of Assembly balloting – same polling unit, same voters, same INEC Officials, same date, same time!

Only the Supreme Court was able to salvage a valid governorship election from the ruins surrounding all the other elections at the same polling units, at the same time, at the same date, by the same people involved in the House of Assembly elections.

It is also significant that all the elections to the Senate (3 Seats) and all of the House of Representative (6 seats) from Rivers State, this time held on 28 March, 2015 were nullified for the same reasons as the House of Assembly elections were nullified by the Tribunal and the Court of Appeal.

And so we have the following situation: elections to 23 House of Assembly seats were nullified by Legislative Houses Tribunal and the Court of Appeal. All elections to the Senate and House of Representatives were nullified by the Tribunal and the Court of Appeal. The governorship election was nullified by the Tribunal and the Court of Appeal.

In the midst of all this, the Supreme Court snatched the governorship election from the devastation and massive irregularities upheld on all other elections held at the same time, on the same day, at the same venues, by the same officials. How could the governorship election smell like fresh roses, whilst all other elections conducted together with it, smell like sewage and refuse? This is a puzzle that will never be resolved. In addition to the above, when re-run elections were to be held to fill the Senate, House of Representatives and House of Assembly seats in Rivers State on 19 March, 2016, the Federal Government flooded the State with Soldiers, well-armed Policemen and DSS operatives. The Police alone constituted 6000 men. This was intended to discourage and deter the private armies of Rivers State from frustrating the holding of the elections.

What happened? Days before the election and in total disregard of the Federal Armed Forces brought in to enforce peace and establish stability, the Rivers State private army emerged again, commenced killing, not only innocent civilians, but even army and police officers brought in to enforce peace. They not only neutralized the Federal armed forces, but caused so much violence, mayhem and disorder and instability that the elections were cancelled in a large number of Constituencies and the INEC has refused to go back to Rivers State to conduct fresh elections until peace and stability can be guaranteed.

What an election? What a war victory?

The Wike v. Peterside Supreme Court decision constituted the most devastating judicial blow on Democracy, the Rule of Law and Free, Fair and Credible Elections this country has ever seen. Not only have incredibly high and insurmountable barriers against election petitions been erected by that decision, it also gives an indomitable rock-like status to anyone, who by blood, mayhem, violence, massive irregularities, fights his way on to the governorship seat; indeed, any electoral office. He is assured of unshakeable, solid tenure for 4 years. The full implication of the Supreme Court’s decision in Wike v. Peterside is: “when you prepare for Elections, prepare for War”. This judgment constitutes, “A Farewell to Election Petitions.”

Reflecting on another oddity, all Supreme Court decisions on governorship elections were unanimous: 7/7. This is very unusual in an institution made up of top jurists and intellectuals.

In 1979, in the Awolowo v.Shagari case, the vote was 5/2.

Eso, JSC, dissented openly. Obaseki agreed that Shagari had not won 122/3 States, but had performed substantially in accordance with the relevant law. In 2007, in Atiku v.

Yar’Adua and Buhari v. Yar’Adua, the Supreme Court split, 4/3 with Mariam Mukhtar, Oguntade and Onoghen, JJSC, dissenting. What really happened this time?

Professor Sagay (SAN) is chairman, Presidential Advisory Committee on Corruption.

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features

Ghanaian varsities not better than ours —Prof Afolami, VC Augustine University Professor Stephen Afolami is the pioneer vice-chancellor of Augustine University, the Catholic University of Lagos Archdiocese. Currently in its first year of admission, the VC spoke on the uniqueness of the university and clarified issues on Catholic tertiary education and parenting.

PAUL OMOROGBE brings the excerpts.

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ell us the philosophy of Augustine University and what makes it unique, not being the only Catholic university in Nigeria The philosophy of the university is the philosophy of the Catholic Church on higher education. It is clearly known that the Catholic Church pays a lot of attention to the entire person- the spirit and the body. There is the Catholic university in Abuja called Veritas University. Augustine University is the Catholic university of the Lagos Archdiocese. What makes the Catholic Church unique is what makes Augustine University unique. The intention is to let the physical environment of the university reflect the wholesomeness of the philosophy of education itself. You can see the serenity of our campus. It is a deliberate ambience that is supposed to create an environment that stimulates confidence and that makes it possible for students to want to excel. So in its totality, the buildings, the structures, the services provided, the workers that are employed, the formation of the workers, the students that are taken into the university and the rigours of the interview and the processes that they go through to become students, are targeted at ensuring that we take in the appropriate kind of students in terms of quality and that we give them quality service delivered by quality staff in a quality environment.

Is Augustine University affordable?

Yes, I will say the fees are affordable.

If you mention the amount of money, it may sound big. But you have been to the campus. The proprietor and the entire archdiocese has spent more than N4 billion on the facilties that are on ground.

You can imagine what we would be charging if we wanted to divide that amount by the number of students we are supposed to take in the next five to 10 years and charge the students accordingly; only few Nigerians would afford that. So what has happened is that chance has been given to the average middle class Nigerian to be able to afford it. And where the child is brilliant enough to benefit from education from the university, the parishes are encouraged to sponsor. Already we have at least three students whose fees are paid by their parishes because either they have only one parent, or the two parents cannot afford the cost and they have gained admission. You know how much we charge: the least is N630,000 and the highest is N760,000.

Many parishioners contributed towards the building of this university, but many of them cannot afford to send their children to this univer-

Afolami sity.

Don’t put it that way. Many can afford it, but would prefer to spend money on something else. One of the monsignors visited the campus a few days ago, and jocularly told us as we discussed the first student to report on campus who was a Muslim student, and that is the beauty of Catholic education, that one of his parishioners was saying ‘but we contributed,’ and his response was, well, you probably contributed N1,000; if you subtract N1,000 from N630,000 you will see that you are still left with a huge amount. There are some people that have donated a whole building. There are parishes that have donated a whole hall of residence for about 360.

So the donations have been in categories: there are people who have donated N100.

So, you aggregate all of these and you come up with what you think is average for the average parishioner to pay. But please be reminded that it is a Catholic university, but it is not for Catholics alone.

The Catholic Church makes education to all and sundry from any religion or even if they don’t profess any religion at all. But it presents to them the totality of education in such a manner that they can make up their minds on religion.

How crucial are private universities to Nigeria’s educational system?

I have spent the last 35 years of my life in public institutions. During my time as an undergraduate and postgraduate student there were no private universities.

So, naturally you would expect my bias to

be for public education, in the sense that the country owes the duty to educate its citizens. But as things have turned out in the past 20 years, there has been serious need for private initiative to complement what that public has to offer. As you see in Augustine University, I do not think that any public university in its first year of student intake would offer the kind of facilities we have. Public and private sector participation in education will offer Nigeria a very good template so people can pick and choose. If you can afford it or if you cannot, you have choices you can make. I think Augustine University comes in the midway to offer quality at an affordable price.

People send their children to Ghana for education and spend dollars to achieve that. There are hundreds and thousands of Nigerians outside our borders and there is nothing they offer that you cannot find for instance at Augustine University. There are other private universities

Public and private sector participation in education will offer Nigeria a very good template so people can pick and choose

that are well equipped. And for a starter, we are offering free internet service, full automated administration, there are 21st century facilities made available by a university in its first year of admission, I don’t think you can get it better anywhere else.

If that is being offered for the amount we are charging, I insist that it is not overcharging.

Some parents feel sending their children to a Christian university when they have failed to bring them up properly at infancy will save them and make them turn out well.

What’s your view?

That’s like a reformatory. I believe that a dry fish is very difficult to bend without breaking it. I am a strong believer in the principle of forming a child even before that child is born. My father used to tell me that the time to begin to train a child is when the mother has just conceived the child. The way you treat the mother of that child as a husband, the way you relate to the mother, and the way both of you relate to that child while expecting the arrival of that child contributes to what that child becomes in the future. He told me the history of the conception of each one of us and I took him seriously. So, in raising each of my children, I put that philosophy into action as much as possible. There is a lot to gain by forming the child early. You start by forming yourself.

A priest used to tell me that whatever you want your child to become, you become it first; or at least be making conscious effort to try to become what you expect your child to become. So that you won’t have to be preaching to that child because they learn by imitation. If you are lucky and your child sees you as a hero, someone they can imitate, naturally they want to imitate you whether you are good or you are bad.

The society of a child is limited to the home environment for the first six years of his life. So you better believe it that you and your wife and the environment in which you are raising that child is the school that the child can see for the first six years. In those days, a child will not leave home until he is six or seven, but now at three years they have to go to nursery or pre-nursery school.

Can you reform them later? well nothing is impossible for God. We all know Saul became Paul, but he was not stupid in his person. So is Augustine University a reformatory? Well, we don’t want it to be a place where you dump people that have been badly brought up. However, if a child is brilliant enough to gain admission, and does not have tendencies that will make him commit murder within the university, the university will do its best to offer him what is good and hope that he will become a better person for it. But ideally we will prefer to help parents train children that are properly brought up so will perfect and help to improve upon what they hand over to us, and give them back to society as better formed individuals that will help to contribute society and good citizenship in the country and the world.

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Wednesday, 20 April, 2016

We’re breathing life into our health sector—Umezuruike

Victor Ogunyinka spoke with the Ebonyi State Commissioner for Health, Dr Daniel Umezuruike, who explained what the present administration is doing towards reforming the state’s health sector.

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bonyi State is not one of those states that make the news regularly. Since the change of administration about a year ago, the state has had its fair share of circumstances in the health sector.

A recent visit to the state gives an insight into how the state government is trying to stay on top of the health challenges, having recorded deadly episodes of cholera in the past, perceived cases of guinea worm, incessant malaria (which is a national malady), HIV/AIDS and most recently, Lassa fever, which claimed no fewer than six lives.

The Ebonyi State Commissioner for Health, Dr Daniel Umezuruike, while discussing the state of the State before his emergence, recalled that a survey on the health sector was conducted to familiarise the Governor David Umahi-led administration with the state of the sector and devise necessary interventions to improve the sector.

Dr Umezuruike explained that just before his appointment in July 2015, the state was ravaged by cholera outbreak in February 2015, which had in the past affected about 38 communities.

He stated that the state governor gave the new team a mandate to find a solution to the outbreak, which they were able to achieve in two weeks.

But that is not all. He said: “We have had a lot of interventions in major diseases like malaria, tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS. These were the three major diseases we targeted for control. The state government, in collaboration with USAID, procured 1.7million long lasting treated mosquito nets and distributed to the people of the state to combat malaria surge; it was quite a huge success. We also attracted an ultra modern chest clinic in one of our missionary hospitals in the state through one of our partners. This clinic has all the equipment and facilities for diagnosing and treating tuberculosis. Because of our intervention in the area of malaria control, Ebonyi State came first in the country in the National Malaria meeting held in Abuja, August 2015.

“USAID has been a very dependable partner; they have been supporting the state immensely. Recently, they donated equipment worth N47 million to Ebonyi State. There was collaboration with my office on need assistance

Umezuruike for 70 primary health centres they were supporting and also the National Obstetrics Fistula centre.

Need assistance means that when I come to your house and I see that you need a particular thing, I’ll supply. The equipment were loaded in two trucks. They officially handed them over to the governor on that occasion.”

While giving an account of how the state has been coping with the perennial outbreak of Lassa fever, Dr Umezuruike noted that since the first episode of Lassa fever in 2005, there have been continual occurrences in 2008, 2012, 2014 and 2016, which have led to the deaths of health workers and some dwellers in the community.

The commissioner stated that there has been continuous awareness around the state on how to prevent further occurrences in the future. He added that “The Federal Government once said that a virology centre would be built in Ebonyi State because of the incessant outbreak, but nothing has been done yet. Then, the governor said we can’t continue to wait, so we started something that is quite commendable and I can say we have covered some ground in making this project a reality.

“Also, to ensure that our health facilities are ready for any subsequent outbreak whatsoever and to give adequate healthcare to the good people of state, we are working on upgrading the 13 general hospitals in the state. Five of them are entirely new projects, while the other eight are renovation works to adequately equip the hospitals, supply constant electricity, potable water and sufficient manpower.

But we are starting with six out of the 13; two in each senatorial zones because the economy are terribly bad.

“We also want to upgrade five primary health centres in each local government area, which will make it 65 in the whole state. If we upgrade these 65 primary health centres to function for 24 hours, with electricity, water and full support staff, these would go a long way in putting Ebonyi at the fore in terms of health.

“The governor understands the importance of qualitative primary

health centres very well. From the beginning, his emphasis has been on primary healthcare centres (PHC) and that is why he appointed three special assistants from each senatorial zone on primary healthcare. Our target is to have one standard in each ward that is not to say others will not be functioning well, but then again, because of the economy, we started with five in each local government area until we get to the 171 wards in the state,” he said.

To some extent, the fall in price of oil in the global market has exposed other sectors of the economy that have potential to generate revenue. Being one of the states with the lowest revenue, Ebonyi State’s attention has been shifted to how the health sector can become a source of revenue for the state.

Dr Umezuruike hinted that one of the “best health financing policies” was about to commence in the state and that is the state health insurance scheme.

“The health insurance scheme ensures universal coverage and it also supports health facilities. It limits out-of-pocket expenses on health; removes pressure from governance because presently, the state supports lot of in-patients. If the health scheme is well organised, some of the vulnerable groups will be well accommodated. It is a very good policy and we are almost at the verge of starting it in Ebonyi State.”

Masquerade treks from FCT to Okene to celebrate gov’s victory Yinka Oladoyinbo - Lokoja A new innovation was introduced to political support and celebration of victory at elections in Nigeria during the last presidential election, when President Muhamadu Buhari won the election and people started leaving their abode to trek from their various destinations to Abuja to identify with the president.

Nigerians will not forget quickly the famous Suleiman Hashimu, who reportedly trekked from Lagos to Abuja following the declaration of Buhari as the new leader of the country.

However, the recent election and inauguration of Alhaji Yahaya Bello as the governor of Kogi State brought out a different form of walk and celebration as the people of Ebiraland, where the governor hails from, introduced another dimension into the celebration, with a popular masquerade from the town walking from Zuba in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) to Okene, the home town of the governor to celebrate him.

The masquerade, popularly called “Anupo” and its custodian, Mallam Kabiru Sule and others went through the six-day trek to exhibit part of the rich culture of the Ebira people.

Despite being heavily populated

by Muslims, masquerading cannot

be taken away from Ebiraland as it is part of the culture for which the people are known. Masquerading is so popular in the land that there is hardly any major event held without the masquerade. While there are friendly masquerades in the town, we also have some that are violent, depending on their background and their custodians. The situation was confirmed during the inauguration of Bello when the Ohinoyi of Ebiraland, Dr Ado Ibrahim, and the state Police Commissioner, Bensan Gwana, warned that masquer-

ades should not be brought to Lokoja, the state capital for the event.

The warning of the monarch and that of the police commissioner, however, further elongated the journey of Anupo, who had to take a longer route so as not to flout their orders.

The masquerade and its entourage therefore, were on the way for six days, walking, drumming and dancing to celebrate one of their own, who has just broken the jinx of an Ebiraman becoming the number one citizen of

Kogi State.

The custodian of the masquerade said their decision to trek from Zuba to Okene was borne out of their desire to solidarise with their kinsmen in the central senatorial district over the governor God gave to the district.

“We have been celebrating since Yahaya Bello took the oath of office as the fourth governor of the state and we decided to hit road by trekking to Okene. We started the journey six days ago from Zuba through Abaji, Lokoja to Okene to rejoice with our people”, he said.

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Wednesday, 20 April, 2016

No confidence vote: APC groups accuse Faleke of plotting against Bello •Leave me out of your problems —Faleke Ynka Oladoyinbo-Lokoja

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HE crisis rocking the Kogi State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) escalated on Tuesday, as some sections of the party in the state blamed the deputy governorship candidate of the party in the November 21, 2015 election for the vote of no confidence passed on the state governor, Alhaji Yahaya Bello.

The youth wing of the party, drawn from the 21 local government areas and some local government executives of the party, at separate press conferences, accused the party’s state executive council of instigating disunity.

But Faleke has asked the governor and the groups to face the challenge thrown by the vote of no confidence passed on him and leave him out of the crisis.

Speaking on behalf of the youth, the state APC youth leader, Emmanuel Ayobami and the deputy state woman leader, Deborah Isiguzo, who spoke for the executive, alleged that those that passed vote of no confidence on the governor were being sponsored by the Faleke group within the party.

Ayobami explained that he was part of the meeting held at the APC Secretariat in Lokoja penultimate Monday, saying the executive failed to carry out the resolution of the meeting, noting that the youths of the state would continue to support Bello to enable him implement his programmes as encapsulated in his New Direction agenda for the state.

Also speaking, Isiguzo debunked the claim of the state leadership of the party that the governor has had nothing to do with the party since his inauguration, arguing that the governor had been supporting members and the party as a whole financially.

She also said there was nothing wrong in the de-

cision of the governor to appoint those he felt could help him move the state forward, no matter where they come from, claiming

that all those appointed by Bello were not misfits.

Accusing the state chairman of plotting disunity in the party, she said, “the

MINISTER of Solid Minerals Development, Dr Kayode Fayemi, has promised to ensure that the ministry uses its best judgment to support the activities of the National Steering Committee on the Elimination of Child Labour (NSCCL) in Nigeria.

Dr Fayemi, who opined that eliminating child labour in the mining sector, was a task that must be located within the context of poverty elimination, made

cause confusion, disaffection and disunity among the state executives and Kogi State at large.”

However, speak-

From left, Director, Centre for Renewable Energy Technology, Federal University of Technology, Akure (FUTA), Professor Olurinde Lafe; Vice Chancellor, Professor Adebiyi Daramola; Managing Director, Engineering Materials Development Institute, Dr Gbenga Olusunle and the Director, ECOWAS Centre for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency, Mr Hannes Bauer, shortly after the opening ceremony of the training programme in small hydropower systems for experts from the West African sub region, in FUTA, on Monday.

ing through the Director, Media and Publicity, the Audu/Faleke Campaign Organisation, Duro Meseko, the deputy governorship candidate, Faleke, described the allegation as “very hollow and ridiculous by a negligible faction of ward and local government executives of the APC in Kogi State.”

Faleke said he had no hand in the action of the state executive council of the APC, saying the SEC members were mature men that could not be pushed around before taking decisions.

“We, hereby, reiterate once again that Honourable Faleke has no hand in the vote of no confidence passed on Yahaya Bello by more than 99 per cent of the state executive. From what we know, the state executive is peopled with patriotic men and women of integrity. Men who cannot be bought,” the organisation said.

Badeh: I admit error in my evidence before EFCC —Witness Chris Agbambu-Abuja

A witness of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), in the ongoing trial of the former Chief of Defence Staff, Air Chief Marshall Alex Badeh (retd), on Tuesday, told a Federal High Court in Abuja that there was an error in the statement he made to the anti-graft agency during interrogation.

The witness, Air Commodore Abdullahi Yushau, a former NAF’s Director of Finance, in his evidence at the resumed hearing of the matter on Tuesday, said in his evidence before the court, that one of the buildings allegedly purchased by Badeh was paid for instalmentally, but told EFCC earlier in his statement that the property was paid for at once.

Badeh is facing trial on a 10-count charge slammed against him and Iyalikam

Nigeria Limited, a company believed to be owned by him.

When the witness was confronted with the fact on how the property was purchased by Badeh’s counsel, Chief Akin Olujimi (SAN), he admitted that it must have been an error on his part.

The former NAF’s Director of Finance told the court that the shopping complex, which he told the court in his testimony, was bought in the sum of N650 million, was not captured in details in the statement he made to the EFCC. In his words: “I cannot remember everything I said in my statement to the EFCC, because I was answering the questions based on how they were being put across to me by investigators.

“I know that it is not everything I am telling the court here that was cap-

Elimination of child labour a task for all —Fayemi Ademola Adegbite-Abuja

state chairman who has never called for a state executive meeting since he became the chairman in 2014, was sponsored to

this known while playing host to members of the committee in his office, in Abuja.

The minister stressed that it was high time for all and sundry to support child labour elimination, assuring the committee members that their expectations and requests would be considered.

Earlier, the spokesperson of NSCCL and Director, Labour Inspectorate in the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment, Solomon Ajibola, ex-

plained that child labour was a multidimensional problem that required a combined and integrated approach of all key actors, with a view to reducing or eliminating it.

He said with the renewed vigour of the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari, there was need for an effective synergy under the platform provided by the committee, which was in line with the international labour standards.

tured in my statement, but the fact is that everything I told the EFCC was within my knowledge and the records are there,” he said.

The prosecution witness also told the court that Badeh and one Barrister Hussein Umar inspected some properties in Maitama and Wuse 11, Abuja, and thereafter, purchased the property in the name of Iyalikam Property Limited and Alex Badeh Junior.

“After we inspected the property and after being satisfied, he (Badeh) gave me a name, in which the property should be purchased and I forwarded the name, following the

instruction of my boss.

“I did not say all this in my statement, because I was answering the questions as they were put through to me by the EFCC,” he added, and further told the court that when he was appointed Director, Finance and Account of NAF, he told his boss that he wanted to leave the service before his due date of retirement.

The court adjourned till 11.30 a.m today for continuation of trial.

Badeh and his company were also accused of removing from the accounts of the NAF, and did use Dollar equivalent of N650 million to purchase a com-

mercial plot, at Plot 1386, Oda Crescent, Cadastral Zone Ao7, Wuse ll Abuja.

The offence, the EFCC said, was contrary to Section 15 (2) (d) of Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 (as amended) and punishable under Section 15 (3) of the same Act. The defendants were said to have, between March 28 and December 2013, in Abuja, did use an aggregate sum of N878,362,732.94, removed from NAF accounts and paid into account of Rytebuilders Technologies Ltd with Zenith Bank Plc for construction of a shopping mall on Plot 1386, Cadastral zone.

Police recruitment: PSC receives 705,352 applications Chris Agbambu-Abuja

THE Police Service Commission (PSC), as of 7.30a.m, on Tuesday, received 705,352 applications from applicants who were seeking employment into the recently-advertised 10,000 vacancies into the Nigeria Police.

President Muhammadu Buhari, at last year’s National Security Summit, approved the recruitment of 10,000 policemen into the nation’s Police Force to reinforce the police for better service.

A breakdown of the applications showed that 202, 427 applicants had successfully applied for the position of Cadet Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP); 169,446 for the position of Cadet Inspector

and 333,479 for the position of Constables.

However, the commission will be recruiting 500 Cadet Asps, 500 Cadet Inspectors, 1,500 Specialist Officers and 7, 500 Constables to meet the President’s approved 10,000 new entrants into the Force.

The chairman of the commission, Dr Mike Mbama Okiro, retired Inspector-General of Police, confirmed in Abuja, that the process of receiving the forms had been smooth and transparent.

He explained that the commission was committed to making the recruitment exercise a huge exercise, adding that the commission would continue to make the process of the recruitment trans-

parent.

Okiro assured the applicants of fairness and equal opportunity since the commission was only interested in recruiting for the police the best brains in the society.

Meanwhile, the PSC has said it will ensure accountability in the conduct of police officers, as it vows to stop impunity in the line of duty of the officers and men of the force.

Justice Olufunlola Adekeye, retired Justice of the Supreme Court and commissioner in the commission, conveyed the commission’s position, at a capacity building workshop for the commission’s public complaints committee on police conduct, held in Abuja.

30 news

Wednesday, 20 April, 2016

EFCC moves to sanitise lottery operations Christian Okeke - Abuja

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milestone was, on Tuesday, recorded in the effort to sanitise lottery operations in the country as the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) announced it has teamed-up with the National Lottery Regulatory Commission (NLRC) to prosecute all illegal lottery operators.

The announcement was a follow-up to a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), signed between both commissions a year ago, anchored on the need to cooperate and collaborate for an effective implementation of the National Lottery Act. Both the chairman of the anti-graft agency, Ibrahim Magu and the DirectorGeneral of NLRC, Adolphus Joe Ekpe, held a joint press conference, where they announced the partnership to sanitise the industry.

At the briefing, Magu stated that his commission fully support the lottery commission’s efforts to sanitise the sector and warned that it will no longer be business as usual for fraudulent players in the sector.

“Let me re-affirm the commitment of the EFCC to team -up with the NLRC to ensure that our MoU is vigorously implemented,” he said.

The EFCC boss called on all lottery industry stakeholders to show more patriotism by playing lottery the right way as well as on all those involved in illegal lottery business to approach the lottery commission so as to regularise their operations.

He said that since licensed lottery operators have been told to certify their agents and sub- agents and to migrate willingly to the NLRC’s newly-developed SMS Transactions Monitoring and Archival Platform (STRAMAP), anyone caught contravening the law will not be spared.

Magu said that since the MoU was signed, the EFCC has taken steps to enhance the capacity of the lottery commission to discharge

its responsibility, including training programmes for its officials at the EFCC Academy in Karu ,as well as placing its investigative resources at the disposal of the commission.

He said the anti-graft agency took the steps in realisation of the challenges which quacks and saboteurs in the sector pose to the country’s economy.

Also speaking, the NLRC boss, insisted that his commission, together

with the EFCC and other law enforcement agencies will not allow the lottery industry being over-run by illegal operators.

He said that as a major step in riding the industry of illegal operators and to strengthen its regulatory functions, the NLRC had already developed an action plan for the development of the sector to ensure transparency and accountability as required by the law.

Director-General, National Lottery Regulatory Commission (NLRC), Mr Adolphus Joe Ekpe (left) and the acting chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ibrahim Magu, during a meeting in Abuja.

Borno in dangerous situation like Ethiopia —Emir of Kano

By Saheed Salawu “IN the next few months, if we are not careful, the way we saw pictures of children dying of hunger in Ethiopia, we are going to see children in Borno State on the ground on the streets.”

These were the words of the Emir of Kano, Lamido Sanusi Lamido, when he was painting a deplorable state of living in Borno State, on Sunday, in Lagos, in a remark while chairing the grand finale of the University of Lagos Muslim Alumni (UMA’s) 30th anniversary.

He emphasised the need to rebuild Borno State after the devastation done to it by the menace of Boko Haram and equally underlined the need for Nigeria to get its priority straight and determine whom development is actually meant for between the elite

class and the masses.

According to him, there had been no farming in Borno State for three years because of Boko Haram, just as industries had closed down, as well as fishing by the people.

“I came in last night from Maiduguri. The governor of Borno State was speaking at a public event and he broke down in tears and everybody was crying.

“You know, we are all in Lagos in this fantastic hotel and we are probably going to have a very lavish meal. In the next few months, if we are not careful, the way we saw pictures of children dying of hunger in Ethiopia, we are going to see children in Borno State on the ground on the streets.

“There has been no farming in Borno State for three years because of Boko Haram. Industries have closed

down for three years.

“The vast majority of the people in Borno State wake up and if they have breakfast, they don’t know if they are going to have lunch. That is how bad it is. There is a commissioner in Borno State today who has 370 internally displaced persons in his house. Do we know this? Does the Federal Government know this?

“So, if you want sustain-

FG reiterates commitment to food security Ademola Adegbite - Abuja THE Federal Government has reiterated its commitment to ensuring food security before the expiration of President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration’s tenure.

The Minister of Science and Technology, Dr Og-

bonnaya Onu, disclosed this while receiving the Argentina Ambassador to Nigeria, Gustavo Dzgala, in his office, in Abuja.

He said that with the ongoing research, Nigeria would soon begin to preserve and export its products rather than relying on foreign products,

adding that the country would also work hard to ensure enough food security through preservation of local products.

“We are working hard to ensure that our economy grows to compete with other countries of the world.

Let me commend you for your efforts to promote re-

Agric key to food security, poverty alleviation —OAU VC

By Ronke Sanya THE vice chancellor of Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife, Osun State, Professor Bamitale Omole, has re-emphasised the importance of agriculture in alleviating poverty, unemployment and creating food security in Nigeria.

Speaking during the 2016 Annual in-House Review

ability, you have to ask those questions, otherwise Boko Haram is just one manifestation of reaction to this lifestyle. It can happen in different parts of the country.

“So, whom is development for? Whom is infrastructure for? Whom is housing for? Ministry of Works, Housing and... housing for whom? For people like me or for those who live with no roof over their heads?

Exercise of the Institute of Agricultural Research and Training (IAR&T), OAU, Moor Plantation, Ibadan, tagged “Growing the Nigerian economy through agricultural research for enhanced productivity,” Omole commended the current step of the Federal Government “to vigorously pursue the diversification of the economy,” “Agriculture remains the

only sector with enormous potential of addressing the multi-dimensional development goal of food security, employment generation and poverty alleviation,” he said.

Earlier in his address, the Director of the IAR&T, Professor James Adediran, who appreciated the support of Professor Omole while being the chairman of the governing board of

the institute, also lauded his commitment in ensuring industrial harmony in the institute.

The permanent secretary, Oyo State Ministry of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Mr Victor Atilola, who representated Governor Abiola Ajimobi, at the event, enjoined all to support the state government agric crusade.

lationship with our country. In this ministry, we are working hard to ensure that we support the president to achieve our goal,” he said.

“Our real focus is to revive our economy through local products, especially, in the area of food. Our economy is not good for now and we are working hard to revive it,” he said.

“We want to move from consuming economy to producing economy because it will make our economy strengthened.

“There are many things Argentina can learn from us and there are many things we can also learn from your country,” he said.

Earlier, the ambassador had informed the minister about his mission in his office to establish relationship between the two countries in the area of science and technology.

Nigerian Tribune

Mrs Oshiomhole trains 160 IDPs on ICT, others

THE wife of Edo State governor, Mrs Iara Oshiomhole, has concluded the training of 160 Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), on Information and Communication Technology (ICT), food processing, Creative Arts and others.

The training was undertaken under Mrs Oshiomhole’s pet project, ‘We Care Trust,’ to prepare the IDPs for productive life after camp.

Speaking at the closing ceremony where certificates were issued to the participants, Mrs Oshiomhole said she was impressed with their performance “We came here 10 days ago for the the flag off of the programme and we returned a few days after to see how they were performing. To my surprise, they were doing well., she said “Of course, when you have a wonderful training, you cannot do anything less than extremely well.

So, I thank the facilitators for the training and I thank the IDPs for dedicating time for the training,” she said.

Also, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Special Duties, Hajia Mamunat Momodu, thanked Mrs Oshiomhole, for organising the training programme.

Programme THE CHRIST Apostolic Church, Prayer Mountain of Mercy, (Ori-Oke Aanu), will commence its three-day programme tagged, ‘They that wait upon thy Lord’, today (Wednesday), at Odusokun, Ojoo, Igbooloyin Road, Ibadan, Oyo State.

Morning session will commence at 9:00a.m and end by1:00p.m, while vigil will start at 11:00p.m and end by 4: 00a.m. The programme continues tomorrow (Thursday) and ends on Friday. Ministering are Pastor David Olaiya, Prophet Sola David, Pastor Isaiah Alade (host) and Prophet Moses Aladeolu (Baba Ori-Oke).

Pastor Isaiah Alade

31 news Strike: No going back on 21-day ultimatum —Doctors

Wednesday, 20 April, 2016

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HE National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) said there is no going back on the 21-day ultimatum issued to the Federal Government unless the association’s demands are met.

The Public Relations Officer of NARD, Dr Eugene Uhuaba, told the News Agency of Nigeria

(NAN), in Lagos, on Tuesday, that the association’s demands had not been met.

According to him, no meaningful agreement has been reached at the series of ongoing meetings between the association and the government.

NAN reported that NARD, had on April 4, given the government a 21-day notice to meet their demands or

face an indefinite strike.

Their demands include payment of members’ salaries up to date and appropriate placement of members in states and federal tertiary hospitals across the nation.

Others are the reversal of sacked members in some hospitals, as well as appropriate funding of residency training.

The President of NARD,

Dr Muhammad Askira, had in Abuja, told newsmen that the ultimatum took effect from April 4.

“We had series of meetings and billed to have more in coming weeks. While the ultimatum still stands, collective efforts are ongoing to reach reasonable conclusions.

“The government has shown the readiness to tack-

le some of the issues, but we wait to complete resolution of our demands.

“But so far, we have not had any meaningful conclusions and until the ultimatum lapses, we are not going back on decisions to go on strike.

“What we need is result and the essence of the ultimatum is to bring about palpable results.”

Rivers people endorsed our leadership on March 19 —Wike Dapo Falade -Port Harcourt

Oyo State Head of Service, Mr Soji Eyinade (middle), commissioning Blood Mobile Bank, assisted by past District Governor, Rotary International District 9140 Nigeria, Mr Yinka Babalola(left) and others, during the commissioning of the Blood Mobile Bank, donated by Christiana Ronaldo Foundation, facilitated by Safe Blood for Africa Project USA and Rotary Club of Iyaganku, Ibadan, at the National Blood Transfusion, South West Zonal Centre, Total Garden, Ibadan, Oyo State.

Grazing Reserve Bill not in Senate —Omoworare

Nigerians harassing senators unduly over Bill —Senator Abaribe Taiwo Adisa and Ayodele Adesanmi -Abuja CHAIRMAN Senate Committee on Rules and Business, Senator Babajide Omoworare, on Tuesday, said the Grazing Reserve Bill was not before the Senate.

The Senator, in a statement in Abuja, said his statement was in response to inquiries from many senators over the issue.

“Several distinguished Senators of the Federal Republic of Nigeria have been inundated with the request by members of the public concerning the pendency of a National Grazing Bill in the Senate.

“This is to clarify that no such Bill has been presented by the Executive arm of Government and none has so far been filed by any Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in the Eighth Senate.

“For the avoidance of doubt, a “National Grazing Reserve Establishment and Development Commission Bill” (SB. 60) was presented by Senator Zaynab Kure (Niger Central) during the Seventh Senate (2011 – 2015) which

has now expired by the operations of law on June 6, 2015 in furtherance of Section 64(1) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended,” the statement read.

Meanwhile, Chairman, Senate Committee on Information, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, on Tuesday, said some Nigerians have been occupying telephone

lines of senators unduly over the Grazing Reserves Bill, which he said, is not before the Senate.

Abaribe, who raised the issue on the Senate floor at Tuesday’s sitting, said he had received more than 1,000 calls and text messages in the last one week from persons warning him not to have anything to do with the Grazing Bill.

The Senator, who raised

Order 43, of the Senate Standing Rules 2015, as amended, which guarantees the senators’ power of personal explanation, said the harassment of senators had been overwhelming.

The Senator said he was surprised that Nigerians had unduly occupied the telephone numbers of senators, over a bill that is not before the Senate.

GOVERNOR Nyesom Wike of River State has, again, described the legislative rerun, held on March 19, 2016, as a referendum of the people of the state on the performance of his administration.

He said, by voting candidates of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the inconclusive election, the people had approved his proactive efforts to improve their lives, through quality developmental projects and programmes.

He made this known while addressing the 103rd Quarterly Meeting of the Rivers State Council of Traditional Rulers, held in Port Harcourt, on Tuesday.

The meeting had in attendance traditional rulers from the 23 local government areas in the state.

“The March 19 elections were a referendum on our administration. It was a resounding approval of the good works we have done,” Wike said.

He said his administration had demonstrated commitment to the development of the state, through the judicious application of resources.

Court to rule on private evidence-taking for Ese Oruru May 12 As Yinusa remains in prison custody Austin Ebipade -Yenagoa A Federal High Court in Yenagoa, will on May 12, rule on whether or not the court will take the evidence of Ese Oruru in private.

The prosecuting counsel, Keneth Dike, had applied that the evidence of the minor should be taken in private.

The judge, Justice Aliya Nganjiwa, while adjourning the case for ruling, reiterated that the court would ensure that justice prevailed on the matter.

Dike explained that the prosecution’s application

was to take the evidence of Ese Oruru in private.

“We are sitting for the constitutional right of the victim, and for fair trial.

“For the interest of justice, we must protect her image and future.

“We are seeking the leave of the court to take the evidence of the victim in private, excluding every other persons except the parties and their counsel,” Dike said.

But Defence Counsel, Kayode Olaosebikan, opposed the application, saying there was no merit in taking evidence in private.

He said the pictures of the victim, Ese Oruru, were already in the Internet, print and electronic media.

On the bail condition, Olaosebikan said the defence could not meet with the bail conditions.

In another development, Yinusa Dahiru, an alleged abductor of Ese Oruru granted bail on March 21, for N3 million and two sureties in like sum, has remained in prison custody for failure to meet with bail conditions.

The sureties must be residents within the jurisdiction of the court, and one

of them must be a civil servant of not less than level 12, while the second must be a title holder.

Counsel to Dahiru, Mr Kayode Olaosebikan, addressing the court at the adjourned hearing of the case, expressed worry over the conditions of the court, saying that they could not meet with the conditions.

The accused, Yanusa Dahiru, would remain in custody till May 12. The court, on Tuesday, adjourned trial till May 12 to determine ruling on private trial for Ese Oruru.

19 candidates jostle for UNIJOS vice chancellorship seat A total of 19 candidates are jostling for the vice chancellorship seat of the University of Jos, an official has confirmed.

The institution’s Assistant Registrar (Information and Public Relations), Mr Abdullahi Abdullahi, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Jos, on Tuesday, that the eventual appointee would replace Professor Hayward Mafuyai, whose tenure would end in June.

“Nineteen professors applied for the job. The screening by the selection committee will start today —April 19,’’ he said.

According to him, the selection board will recommend three of the candidates to the university’s governing board.

Abdullahi told NAN that majority of the applicants were from the university community, while others were from other institutions.

NAN recalled that the job was advertised in December 2015.

CCC hosts crisis communication seminar for security, response agencies IN a determined effort to chart a way forward on effective crisis communication in Nigeria, the Centre for Crisis Communication (CCC), with the support of Nigeria Stability and Reconciliation Programme (NSRP), will host a three-day seminar on ‘Media Engagement in Crisis Situation’ for public relations and information officers of the military, security and response agencies in the country.

The seminar which is slated for April 26 to 28, 2016 at the Sandralia Hotel, Jabi, Abuja has as its theme: ‘Enhancing the Capacity of Public Relations and Information Officers in Addressing Crisis Situations’. The objective of the seminar is to partner with key stakeholders in the military, security and response agencies in the country to develop effective, efficient and responsive cadre of public relations and information officers, who will be better equipped to carry out the onerous responsibility of managing sensitive crisis information most professionally.

32 south-westnews

Wednesday, 20 April, 2016

Ibadan Micra drivers protest police extortion

By Joseph Ajayi

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ICRA drivers within Ibadan metropolis embarked on protest on Tuesday, over what they described as police extortion and unwarranted arrests while doing their job.

Narrating the ordeal of the drivers, who thronged Nigerian Tribune office on Tuesday, Mr Daniel Oke, a graduate, said the police in Ibadan had nearly snuffed life out of them with their daily extortion and threats to their lives.

“I am Daniel Oke, a Micra driver along Mokola/ Orita Challenge axis. We, Ibadan taxi drivers have come here to bitterly complain of the way and manner police obstruct us in the city and take our vehicles to their stations after which they ask us to part with 1000 naira without any substantiated offence.

“Many times, when we park by the road to pick passengers, they suddenly appear from nowhere, and ask us to drive them to their stations on allegation that we parked illegally to pick passengers.

“Everybody knows that in Oyo State, there are no bus stops for us taxi drivers and that we, conscious of their antics, do make sure we don’t obstruct the road any time we want to pick or disengage passengers. All of us have been rendered penniless by these men in uniform.

“This morning (on Tuesday) at Conoil Filling Station, Mokola Roundabout, as we were loading passengers on the permission of the manager of the station, some police officers came and started harassing us, asking us to follow them to their station to know what our offence was. While this argument was ongoing, another female police officer came to tell them we had committed no offence as the filling station was not a government road. Embarrassed, the men left only for another set of police officers from the same station appeared not long after.

“The arrival of the second batch, who started harassing, beating and asking us to drive our vehicles to their station sparked off

crisis as our boys, all taxi drivers, came out to resist them,” Daniel narrated.

The angry drivers carried placards reading “No more

obstruction,” “No parking space,” We are disturbed by the police.”

“We need our freedom,” “Pls Commissioner, say a

THE Oyo State chapter of Social Democratic Party (SDP) has been described as a force to reckon with when it comes to politicking in the state.

The description was made in Ibadan by the chairman of the party in Ona-Ara Local Government, Alfa Kehinde Adeyemo, during a meeting of

ments, extortions and illegal arrests of taxi drivers in Ibadan while at the same time calling for erection of charts that illustrated bus-

stops for all the taxi drivers within the town where they can park and pick or disengage passengers.

Ilaje forum demands Ondo guber slot Taiwo Adisa-Abuja

Ibadan Micra drivers and their vehicles on Imalefalafia Street in Ibadan, on Tuesday. PHOTO: D’TOYIN

Mimiko promises non-interference in April 23 LG poll GOVERNOR Olusegun Mimiko of Ondo State has promised not to interfere in the state’s local government election slated for April 23.

Mimiko made the promise on Tuesday, in Akure, at a stakeholders’ meeting ahead of the poll.

The governor, who was represented by his Special Adviser on Political Matters, Mr Akinsola Akinbobola, urged the Ondo State Independent Electoral Commission (ODIEC) to play the game by the rules.

According to him, grassroots democracy is very important because it is the closest to the people.

“You need to give a fair playing ground for all to participate in the election,’’ Mimiko said.

He warned all stakeholders to shun hooliganism that could tarnish the image and existing peace in the state.

In his remarks, the Chairman of ODIEC, Professor Olugbenga Ige, said that conducting the elec-

tion was a joint responsibility of all citizens.

Ige tasked all eligible voters to come out and vote, assuring them that their votes would count.

He said that 13 political parties would participate in the election.

The chairman urged all and sundry to strengthen democracy at the grass-

party members and other stakeholders last weekend.

He pointed out that SDP has learnt from its mistakes in the 2015 general elections and has set up machinery in motion to make amendments where necessary in order to continue to be the preferred political brand in Oyo State and Nigeria as a whole.

“There is no doubt about the fact that SDP under our able leader, Mr

roots because that was the only way forward to national development.

Earlier, the Commissioner of Police in the state, Mrs Ibifuro Harison, said the meeting was an interactive session in preparation for the poll.

Harison said that it was incumbent upon all security agencies to maintain

law and order during the election.

She encouraged all stakeholders to tolerate one another and show love irrespective of political divides.

Harison warned that the police would deal decisively with anyone caught fomenting trouble, stressing that election must not be a do or die affair.

Hajj 2016: Oyo kicks off orientation, biometric registration of intending pilgrims

By Oluwatoyin Malik and Saheed Saalwu

THE Oyo State Pilgrims Welfare Board has flagged off the orientation and biometric registration of intending pilgrims to this year’s holy pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia.

At the event, held on Tuesday, at the Hajj Camp, Olodo, Ibadan, the chairman of the board, Alhaji Taofeek Akeugbagold, urged the intending pilgrims to perfect their registration so as to avoid being denied the opportunity

‘Oyo SDP, a force to reckon with’

By Nurudeen Alimi

word to this problem,” “No more money” etc, appealed to Oyo State government to address this perennial problem of police harass-

Oluseyi Makinde, an engineer, has now become the preferred political party in Oyo State. Because the people of the state have now known the difference between right and left in terms of good governance.

By the special grace of God, SDP will make a meaningful impact in the forthcoming proposed local government election later this year as well as the 2019 general elections.”

to participate in this year’s Hajj.

He warned that no person indebted to the board would be allowed to participate in the Hajj exercise, just as any intending pilgrim who fails to participate in the Hajj orientation would be disqualified from taking part in the holy pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia this year.

According to Alhaji Akeugbagold, strict security measures have been taken by the board with the cooperation of concerned security agencies like the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) and Department of State Services (DSS) to discourage the possession of banned substances by any pilgrim.

Announcing the decision of the board to plant the security personnel among pilgrims, he warned any individual with criminal intent to steer clear of this year’s Hajj because, according to him, “their plans will fail.”

Apart from cocaine and heroin which, he said, are

well known contrabands the world over, Alhaji Akeugbagold appealed to the intending pilgrims to avoid regrets by staying away from Tramadol, a pain medication, which is a banned substance in Saudi Arabia.

THE Ilaje Forum, the sociopolitical organisation of the Ilaje people in Ondo South Senatorial District, has demanded the governorship slot of the state in the November 2016 election.

The Forum, in a communiqué released after two strategic meetings in Lagos on February 6 and April 2, 2016 said that the 2016 election is the turn of the Ilajes to produce the next governor.

The communiqué, endorsed by Professor Edamitan Temiye, indicated that all political parties in the state should identify candidates of Ilaje origin as their governorship hopefuls in the forthcoming election.

“The Forum unanimously resolved that it is the turn of Ilaje to produce the next governor of Ondo State and therefore called on all registered political parties and opinion leaders in Ondo State to begin the process of identifying electable candidates of Ilaje extraction as governor of Ondo State in 2016.

“That Ilaje nation is not only neglected in terms of economic and environmental development in Ondo State, it’s also unacceptably marginalised politically as it is the only sub-Yoruba ethnic group that has not been given any chance to produce the governor of Ondo State.”

The Forum also urged all Ilaje indigenes to commence necessary political networking with a view to securing their parties’ tickets for the governorship polls.

Ex-FERMA chief, others defect to APC in Ekiti Sam Nwaoko-Ado Ekiti

A cousin of the Chief of Staff to Governor Ayò Fayose, who was a former board member of Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA), Mrs Remi Anisulowo-Fadipe and some other people in Ekiti State, have dumped the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the All Progressives Congress (APC).

The deputy chairman of APC in the state, Mrs Kemisola Olaleye and other leaders of the party including Ekiti Central chairman, Chief George Ojo; publicity secretary, Chief Taiwo Olatunbosun; women leader, Mrs Dupe Bakare; ward and local

government executives of the party.

Anisulowo-Fadipe, who spoke on behalf of the new APC members, said they were attracted to their new party “because of the quality of leadership and sincerity exhibited by President Muhammadu Buhari in tackling the problems created by the 16-year leadership of the PDP.” The former FERMA chief, who officially joined the APC in her Are Ekiti Ward in Irepodun/ Ifelodun Local Government Area of the state with about 60 of her supporters, said she left PDP because of “marginalisation, injustice and dictatorial tendencies.”

33

south-westnews

Wednesday, 20 April, 2016

Nigerian Tribune

Oyo farmers protest land allocation revocation by govt

By Wale Akinselure PERATORS of farm settlements in Oyo State have protested the revocation of land allocations of farm settlements by the state government.

The farm settlers, on a protest to the state Secretariat, Ibadan, on Tuesday,

O

urged the Governor Abiola Ajimobi-led government to abort the revocation exercise in view of the present challenging economic situation in the country.

Led by the president, Association of Farm Settlers, South-West Nigeria, Oyo State chapter, Alhaji Lasisi Giwa, the farm settlers de-

cried the revocation, pointing out that the decision of the state government had dire consequences on many who relied on the settlements for means of livelihood.

They made reference to an announcement on the Broadcasting Corporation of Oyo State (BCOS) that the state government had

revoked land allocation of all farm settlements in the state.

Giwa said, “The revocation has affected many settlers that were 65 years and above, who have spent their lifetime and life savings on the farm. We mean people that planted economic crops such as cocoa, teak, oil palm, cashew and so on. This cat-

egory of people has nothing else to fall back on and they are heavily indebted through bank loan, cooperative loan and the likes.”The youths are not also spared of this horror; machineries up to the tune of millions have been bought and labour have been hired and paid for in advance, everybody is preparing and anxiously waiting for the rain.

“The late Premier of the defunct Western Region, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, meant well to establish the farm settlements over 50 years ago to alleviate poverty, discourage urban migration and provide employment opportunities.

We urge the government to examine the noble vision of farm-settlements and the lofty achievements in the development of the defunct

Western region of Nigeria as well as its units, now known as Oyo State.”

“Our prayer is that your Excellency should have a rethink on this pronouncement because it is affecting thousands of families. We do not want to regret going into farming because that pronouncement will not encourage agriculture in Oyo State and Nigeria in general.

We don’t pray for famine in Oyo State.”

When contacted, Press Officer, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Mr Cosmas Oni, confirmed that the state government revoked the settlements four weeks ago. “The government has asked the farm settlers to re-apply. This will help the government to ascertain the ingenuity of the settlers.”

Yoruba Obas’ conflict resolution committee appeals to traditional rulers to shun rivalry

By Tunde Ogunesan

A cross section of traditional rulers led by the Olugbo of Ugboland, Oba Obateru Akinruntan, during the meeting of Yoruba Obas’ Conflict Resolution Committee, at the Premier Hotel, Ibadan, on Tuesday. PHOTO: TOMMY ADEGBITE.

LCDA: Sango indigenes appeal to Obasanjo over boundary dispute OlayinkaOlukoya-Abeokuta

HUNDREDS of indigenes and residents of Sango area in Ado-Odo/Ota Local Government Area of Ogun State, on Tuesday, appealed to former President Olusegun Obasanjo to intervene in the boundary dispute surrounding the proposed Sango-Ijoko Local Council Development Area.

The protesters, who stormed the Abeokuta residence of the former president, urged him to assist them over what they described as “unjust boundary adjustment.”

Although, Obasanjo was not on ground to receive the protesters, a petition was submitted for his attention,

while same was done when the protesters stormed the State House of Assembly Complex.

The protesters led by Chief Aderemi Quadri and Chief Idowu Olaniyi, expressed concern over move to excise their communities and merge them with Ota communities.

“Our primary purpose of coming here is to press forward our agitation that our community should not be separated or divided.

We are hearing as a matter of rumour that part of our community will be merged with Ota and basically these areas, Araromi, Ketere and others are the core settlers of Sango,” Quadri said.

Olaniyi, who is the Baale

of Egan, submitted that the boundary issue had been an age long contention between Sango and Ota communities in the local government.

He, however, said that necessary measures must be put in place to forestall communal crisis in the area over

Drama in Oyo Assembly over violence against women bill

By Wale Akinselure

THE second reading of the Violence Against Women Bill, 2015 was not without drama at the plenary of the Oyo State House of Assembly, on Tuesday.

The bill, which was sponsored by the executive, aims at prohibiting violence against women in public

Gov election: Ondo South youths demand slot Hakeem Gbadamosi - Akure

AHEAD of the 2016 governorship election in Ondo State, a group within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state, Youth Solidarity Assembly, has advocated for a special consideration for the people of the Southern senatorial district to produce the next governor of the state.

The group, which hinged its plea on the premise that the area has been the stronghold of the PDP since 1999, noted that the district had

recorded huge successes for the party in all the elections held in the area, saying now is the payback time for the party.

The group agitation was contained in a communiqué issued and signed by its Director of Publicity, Ojo Ayokunle, after its meeting held in Ore in Odigbo Local Government Area of the state.

According to the group, the southern district has evolved a political culture of solidarity for a common cause as demonstrated in

the creation of LCDA. Addressing the protesters, the Speaker, Honourable Suraj Adekunbi, said the Assembly had received over 100 petitions and promised that the legislature would look into their agitation and their petition.

THE Conflict Resolution Committee of the Yoruba Obas has called on all traditional rulers in the land to shun undue rivalry and anything that is capable of injuring the feelings of fellow Obas.

This position was stated in a communiqué issued and signed by the secretary of the committee, the Sabiganna of Iganna, Oba Saliu Oyemonla Azeez, at the end of its meeting held at Premier Hotel, Mokola, Ibadan, on Tuesday.

the electoral behaviours of the people in the past years and deserved the seat to be ceded to the district.

The communiqué read in part: “The outcome of the 2015 elections was eloquent testimony of the District’s belief in, acceptance of and solidarity with the PDP, delivering to the party one hundred per cent of the available seats, thereby saving the party from monumental electoral defeat and well designed political embarrassment for PDP as the party in power in the state.”

and private life, cautioning on harmful traditional practices and prescribing punishment for offenders.

Deliberating on the bill, members strongly criticised the intent of the bill which they termed was alien to our culture and tradition, enslavement of men, and gravely punitive in measures against offences.

Honourable Olusegun Olaleye, representing Ibadan North II constituency, called for a “surgical operation” of the bill, noting that certain offences and punitive measures had to be well defined and ascertained.

He said the bill, if passed into law, could amount to enslavement of men.

Similarly, member representing Atiba constituency, Honourable Gbenga Oyekola, advocated a bill on Contract Marriage for the Violence Against Women Bill to become considered.

Honourable Fatai Adesina, Ibadan South East 1 Constituency, described the bill as alien to our culture while Safiu Olalere of Ido constituency, in the same vein called for the outright ‘death’ of the bill, adding that the call for contract marriage was also at variance with our culture.

The meeting was attended by 11 traditional ruler members of the committee namely chairman of the committee: Olugbo of Ugboland, Oba Obateru Akinruntan; secretary Sabiganna of Iganna, Oba Saliu Oyemonla Azeez; Olojodu of Ojuduland Ijebu, Ogun State, Oba Sikirulai-Alabi Adelani-Obatula; Olubaram of Ibaram Akoko, Ondo State, Oba Senior Apostle R.O. Atibioke and the Odoka of Ogbaro, Oba Obafemi Ogbaro.

Others include Olugedede of Akoko, Oba Walihu Sanni; Oosunla ErusuAkoko, Oba Sunday Mogaji; Eleriti of Eriti Akoko, Oba Ogunleye Amos; Oluyani of Yani, Oba Joel Daodu; Owa of Ogbagi-Akoko, Oba Victor Adetona; JP and Olupoti of Ipoti-Ekiti, Ekiti State, Oba Oladipupo James Kolade.

According to the statement read by the secretary of the committee, Oba Saliu Oyemonla, “In order to ensure that the current peace is not eroded, the committee admonished all the traditional rulers in Yoruba land to shun undue rivalry and anything capable of injuring the feelings of fellow Obas.”

Power outage: Ondo govt, BEDC sign MoU Hakeem Gbadamosi - Akure

AS part of efforts to restore electricity in the Ondo South Senatorial district, the Ondo State government, on Tuesday, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the management of the Benin Electricity Distribution

Company (BEDC) in Akure, Ondo State capital.

Speaking during the signing of the MoU, the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Dr Rotimi Adelola, said the agreement became imperative in order to restore life to all the towns and communities within the southern senato-

rial districts.

Adelola, who disclosed that the restoration of power to the southern senatorial district would commence from Ore in Odigbo Local Government Area of the state, said it would be extended to other local government areas in the district.

34 CHANGE OF NAME I Formerly Patricia Esemuze now PATRICIA OSE OFOMA. All former documents remain valid.

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I, Okafor Julius Hyginus Ugochukwu am same person bearing Okafor Julius Hyginus. Now, I wish to be known and addressed as OKAFOR JULIUS HYGINUS UGOCHUKWU. All documents bearing these names remain valid. General public take note.

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I, Owoeye Olasunkanmi AdeyemiAbimbola am the same person as Owoeye Olasunkanmi Michael.

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I, Olosunde Sulkifil Ayodele am the same person as Olosunde S.A. Henceforth, I want to be known and addressed as OLOSUNDE SULKIFIL AYODELE. All documents bearing these names remain valid. Osun State Polytechnic, Iree and General public take note.

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35

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I, Azeez Qazeem Babatunde am the same person bearing Kazeem Alaserilegbe Azeez. Now, I wish to be known and addressed as AZEEZ QAZEEM BABATUNDE. My correct date of birth is 28th February, 1982 not 28th March, 1982. All documents bearing these names remain valid.

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Wednesday, 20 April, 2016 CHANGE OF NAME

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I, Oluwafadekemi Oluwayemisi Ojeyemi am the same person as OLUFADEKEMI OLUYEMISI OJEYEMI. All documents bearing these names remain valid. General public take note.

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I, formerly Miss Abidakun Oluwakemisola Betty now MRS OLUBUSE KEMISOLA BETTY THERESA ABIDAKUN. All former documents remain valid.

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I, formerly Michael David now ODEDAYO DAVID OLUSOLA. All former documents remain valid.

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I, formerly Miss Adenika Olamibo Evelyn now MRS. AKINSIKU EVELYN OLAMIBO. All former documents remain valid.

Zenith Bank Plc., Diamond Bank Plc., and general public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Mrs. Oladeji Oyeronke Temitope now MRS. ADEBAYO OYERONKE TEMITOPE. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

I, formerly Emel Kingsley now EMENIKE CHIMEZIE. My correct date of birth is 04/06/1990 and not 02/04/1992.

All former documents remain valid. UBA Plc and general public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME I, formerly Miss Olakunleyin Romoke Kafilat now MRS ALAO KAFILAT ROMOKE. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CONFIRMATION OF NAME

I, formerly Eprince Edonyabo now EDONYABO MORENTEI WARE-EBI. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Miss Adeyemi Damilola Adeola now MRS. ILORI DAMILOLA ADEOLA. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CONFIRMATION OF NAME

I, Azeez Jamiu am the same person bearing Afolabi Jamiu. Henceforth, I wish to be known and addressed as AFOLABI JAMIU. All documents bearing these names remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Miss Akinjole Busayo Mariam now MRS. ARE BUSAYO MARIAM. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

I, ADEOYE YEKINI KOLAWOLE am the same person as ADEOYE BOLANLE YEKEEN. My date of Birth is 10/2/1969.

All documents bearing these names remain valid. General public take note.

I, formerly Akintamide Temitope now AKINTOMIDE TEMITOPE. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

I, formerly Miss Ogunsiji Zainab Oluwatoyin now MRS BALOGUN ZAINAB OLUWATOYIN. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

I, formerly Amos Fadekemi Omowumi now MRS. DAPPER FADEKEMI OMOWUMI. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

I, formerly Adewusi Yinka now ADEYEMO AKEEM ADEKUNLE. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

I, Mr. Okoi Okoi Otu am the same person bearing Spaco Okoi.

Henceforth, I wish to be known and addressed as MR. OKOI OKOI OTU. All documents bearing these names refer to me and remain valid. General public take note.

I, formerly Miss Olayemi Tope O. now MRS. OLAYEMI TOPE GANIYAT. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

I, formerly Okikiri Helen Alaba now OKIKIRI HELEN AFSAT. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

I, formerly Miss Aferi Kafayatu Mabel now MRS. FANIRAN KAFAYATU MABEL. All former documents remain valid. Nigeria Police Force and general public take note.

I, formerly Mrs. Abiodun Mary Asunke now MRS. OLASUPO DORCAS ASUNKE. All former documents remain valid. First Bank Plc., and general public take note.

I, Akingbile Tolulope Ayodeji am the same person as Akingbile Tolu.

Henceforth, I wish to be known and addressed as AKINGBILE TOLULOPE AYODEJI. All documents bearing these names refer to me and remain valid. GTBank Plc., Union Bank Plc., Diamond Bank Plc., and general public take note.

I, formerly Adeoye Adegoke Phillip now ADENIYI ADEGOKE PHILLIP. All former documents remain valid. SkyeBank Plc., and general public take note.

I, formerly Miss Akadiri Kudirat Mubo now MRS. ADENIYI KUDIRAT MUBO. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

I, Samuel Mabayomije Ilesanmi am the same person as Samuel Abayomi Ilesanmi. Henceforth, I wish to be known and addressed as SAMUEL MABAYOMIJE ILESANMI. All documents bearing these names refer to me and remain valid. UBA Plc., Skye Bank Plc., and general public take note.

I, formerly Olujoba Omoyemi Abike now OLAYEMI FOLASADE BOLARINWA. All former documents remain valid. SEAP and general public take note.

I, formerly Miss Ajayi Opeyemi now MRS OLUWAJUWONLO OPEYEMI GRACE. All former documents remain valid.

Access Bank Plc, First Bank Plc and general public take note.

I, Agbebaku Rita Idobomenma am the same person bearing Agbebaku Rita. Now, I wish to be known and addressed as AGBEBAKU RITA IDOBOMENMA. My date of birth is 29th day of September, 1986. All documents bearing these names remain valid. GTBank Plc, Diamond Bank Plc and general public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

CONFIRMATION OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Mrs. Olanrewaju Muyibat Ajiboso now MRS. OLANREWAJU MUYIBAT ADEJORO. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Taiwo Funmike Deborah now MRS. ADETOYE FUNMIKE DEBORAH. All former documents remain valid.

SEAP and general public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Miss Olatunji Tolulope Eunice now MRS AKINLOYE TOLULOPE EUNICE. All former documents remain valid. Oyo State Local Government Service Commission Ibadan, Irepo Local Government, Kisi, Wema Bank Plc and general public take note.

I, Olayiwola Ayodele am the same person bearing Olayiwola Temitope and Sunny Olayiwola Temitope.

Henceforth, I wish to be known and addressed as AYODELE AYODELE OLAYIWOLA. All documents bearing these names remain valid.

General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME

CONFIRMATION OF NAME

CONFIRMATION OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Miss Oluwafemi Adelekan now MISS OLUWAFEMI OMOBOLAJI ADELAKUN. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Miss Umeh Gladys Oluchi now MRS. ONYEBUCHI GLADYS OLUCHI. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME

CONFIRMATION OF NAME / DATE OF BIRTH

36 news

Wednesday, 20 April, 2016

Be patient with Buhari govt, Methodist Prelate tells Nigerians

By Taiwo Olanrewaju

P

RELATE of the Methodist Church Nigeria, Dr Samuel Chukwuemeka Kanu Uche, has urgedNigerians to be patient with the Muhammadu Buhariled Federal Government, as it tries to reduce the suf-

Gunmen kidnap wives of Kano politician GUNMEN suspected to be kidnappers, on Monday night, abducted the two wives of a Kano politician, Alhaji Garba Fammar, in Kibiya, the headquarters of Kibiya Local Government Area in the state.

Eyewitness told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), on Tuesday, in Kano, that the suspects stormed the residence of the politician around 2:00 a.m.

The witness said the suspects, numbering about 40, arrived the town on motorcycles with dangerous weapons.

The witness also said that shortly after their arrival, the suspects fired several shots into the air to scare people before whisking away the two women to an unknown destination.

Two members of the vigilance group lost their lives during an encounter with the hoodlums.

When contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) of the state police command, DSP, Magaji Majiya, confirmed the story.

He said the state Commissioner of Police, Mr Maigari Dikko and some top officers had already visited Kibiya town to assess the situation.

ferings of Nigerians.

Speaking with newsmen after the official opening ceremony of the 34th Bishops’ Council in Ibadan, on Tuesday, Dr Uche noted that Nigerians were impatient people , adding that a year was not enough to repair the broken walls of Nigeria and make it a great nation.

According to him, “Nigeria is a great country, created by God. What we are

experiencing is a passing phase. The economy will recover,” even as he urged Nigerians to work as a patriotic team in order to make Nigeria one of the leading nations of the world.

“Shun tribalism, ethnic chauvinism and religious bigotry,” he said On the president’s trip to China, Prelate Uche said he believed that President Buhari is knowledgeable

enough to lead this country and he must have had a good reason to be in China, more so that “I read in the newspaper that he said he did not go to China to borrow money.

“Allow him and his economic team to direct the affairs of this country. I believe he knows the best for this country,” he added.

While reading his address to the plenary session at the Methodist Ca-

Prelate, Methodist Church Nigeria, His Eminence, Dr Samuel Kanu Uche, flanked by secretary of conference, Right Reverend (Dr) Raphael Opoko (left) and the Archbishop of the Archdiocese of Ibadan, Most Reverend Kehinde Stephen, at the official opening ceremony of 34th Council of Bishops, held at The Methodist Cathedral, Agbeni, Ibadan, on Tuesday. PHOTO: ALOLADE GANIYU.

ANN Plc pledges support for Scout Council

By Olawale Olaniyan

THE management of the African Newspapers of Nigeria (ANN) Plc, has pledged total support for the Scout Association of Nigeria.

This was made known on behalf of the company, by the Associate Editor (Saturday Tribune), Mr Wale Emosu, when the group paid a visit to the Tribune House, Imalefalafia, Ibadan, on Tuesday.

He said the company was ready to give the associa-

tion the needed support to move forward.

“We know the essence of this association and as representatives of this organisation, we assure you what you always desire and we won’t fail you in that respect.”

While reacting, the Acting State Scout Commissioner, the Scout Association of Nigeria, Oyo State Council, Olusegun Fatope, said the association is an international movement of young and dynamic people committed to the develop-

ment of the character of youths, and training them for the responsibilities of adult life.

He said the association equipped the youth with useful skills in a friendly environment and diverts their energies from all forms of social vices.

According to him, the Nigerian Tribune is the famous heritage of Yoruba race, the foremost and oldest privately-owned newspaper in sub-saharan Africa.

“Nigerian Tribune is

Kogi varsity ASUU starts ‘no pay, no work’ action YinkaOladoyinbo-lokoja MEMBERS of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Kogi State University, Anyigba branch, has commenced “No pay, No work” action, following the failure of the management of the institution to pay the five months arrears of salary owed them.

The branch chairman of the union, Dr Daniel Aina, said in a statement on Tuesday, that the action, which started

thedral, Agbeni, Ibadan, the Prelate noted that the economic and security challenges the country is facing call for prayers, as he asked the government to work towards eradicating the problems.

He, however, commended the giant strides of Governor Abiola Ajimobi in the area of providing infrastructure in Oyo State, especially accessible roads.

on Monday, was meant to make the government see to the demands of the members.

He, however, clarified that the academic staff of the university were not on strike, but have withdrawn their services .

According to him, “This means that we shall come to work but we will not teach, we will not attend statutory meetings like the boards of department, faculty, senate, no conduct of examination or supervision of students at

all levels ,until all our arrears of salaries are paid” Aina, who said that their decision was devoid of any political motivation and neither against the administration of the university nor students, noted that the action was purely to pursue their rights in the area of the non- payment of salaries.

He stated that the union had reiterated its zero tolerance for corruption in the university system on many occasions, urg-

ing the management of the institution and the government to live up to expectation and respect the operational standards of the university.

He added that they have equally resolved that any month in which the payment of salary is delayed beyond the 7th of the following month, the union shall invoke the “No pay, no work” action, after due consultation with the National Executive Committee (NEC) of ASUU.

locally and Internationally accepted. It is the only newspaper with trusted and unbiased coverage of news event, we wholeheartedly salute your courage, and we urge you to maintain credibility and examplary professionalism.

“Scouting is a movement with a purpose, a method with principle that is a common guide for all its members, everywhere, regardless of origin and race.

This is a voluntary, nonpolitical, non-sectarian, educative and informative organisation.

“We are to contribute to the education of young people, through a value system based on the scout promise and law, to help build a better world where people are self-fulfilled as individuals and play a constructive role in society.

“And by 2023, it is our belief that scouting will be the world’s leading educational youth movement, enabling 100 million young people to be active citizens creating positive change in their communities and in the world based on shared values,” he noted.

EDSIEC blames INEC for LG poll delay

THE Edo State Independent Electoral Commission (EDSIEC) has blamed the Independent National Electoral Commission’s inability to update the voter register for the delay in conducting council polls in the state.

A commissioner in the commission, Professor Stanley Orobotor, made this known on Tuesday, when he briefed the Edo State House of Assembly, on the delay in the conduct of the polls.

Orobotor said, “We are fully aware of our responsibilities. We are waiting for INEC to update the voter register and put the card readers in good condition so that nobody will be left out.

“These are the two things that have held us from conducting the local government elections.”

The speaker of the house, Mr Victor Edoror, urged the commission to, as a matter of urgency, liaise with the INEC to update the voter register on time so as to conduct a credible election in the state.

Young Delta entrepreneurs protest starter packs shortage

AlphonsusAgborh–Asaba Young entrepreneurs in Delta State have “confronted” the state governor, Dr Ifeanyi Okowa, claiming the government, after assisting them to be self-reliant, gave them starter packs short of tools.

The Nigerian Tribune learnt that about 540 beneficiaries in three categories of computer hardware, electrical installation, fashion and design, received their tools with N10,000.00 each, for a period of three months, under the skills training entrepreneurship programme, from the office of the job creation officer, Professor Eric Eboh, at the Cenotaph, Asaba.

So far, about 1,000 persons have benefited from the empowerment programme.

The atmosphere at the venue was charged as the repairers of electrical installation category, realised that they were short-changed and decided to embark on a protest.

It took Governor Okowa about half an hour while standing in the sun to pacify the aggrieved entrepreneurs.

37

Wednesday, 20 April, 2016

foreig naffairs with seyi gesinde

08116954632 foreignnewseditor@gmail.com

UN ambassador’s motorcade kills boy in Cameroon

to the United Nations, struck and killed a young boy Monday while traveling through northern Cameroon.

A U.S. official said the ac-

cident occurred near the northern town of Maroua where Power was visiting refugee camps and talking with officials about the threat of Boko Haram Islamist militants in the region.

According to news reports, villagers had lined the roadside to watch the motorcade speed by when a seven-yearold boy darted into the road.

One of the cars in the motorcade, an armored Jeep, was not able to serve away. The driver is reported to be Cameroonian.

U.S. officials say Power later returned to the scene of the accident and visited the family of the young boy to offer her condolences.

The Associated Press reports the motorcade was moving quickly, at times exceeding 60 mph. It said the vehicle that hit the boy initially stopped, but was told by U.S. security officials to keep moving through the unsecured area. An ambulance in the U.S. caravan did stop and rushed the boy to a local hospital.

was described as huge by witnesses, armed men and more suicide bombers stormed the heavily-guarded compound, police said.

Al Jazeera’s Qais Azimy, reporting from Kabul, said Tuesday’s attack, which was

quickly claimed by the Taliban, was likely the biggest such incident to hit the capital since 2001.

With the attack happening during morning rush-hour in a crowded area, the number of deaths was likely to

rise, according to police.

“Our sources are telling us that at the time of explosion there was a graduation ceremony going on for new recruits when the suicide bomber detonated himself,” Azimy said.

The security agency attacked is responsible for protecting government ministers and VIPs.

US Ambassador to the United Nations Samantha Power meets with a woman and her children who fled to Mokolo, Cameroon to escape Boko Haram. PHOTO: AP

A

vehicle in a motorcade transporting Samantha Power, the United States’ ambassador

30 killed, 300 injured in Afghanistan suicide bombing AT least 30 people were killed and more than 300 wounded when a suicide bomber blew up a bus full of explosives near a government security building in the heart of Kabul.

After the intial blast, which

Ecuador earthquake: At least 413 people confirmed dead

Remains of the affected buildings after the earthquake in Ecaudor

AT least 413 people are now known to have died in the earthquake that struck Ecuador, the country’s government says.

The 7.8-magnitude quake struck Ecuador’s Pacific coast on Saturday, and the search for survivors continues.

The cost of rebuilding is likely to be in the billions of dollars, President Rafael Correa said during a visit to the worst-affected region.

He said it was the biggest tragedy to hit Ecuador in the past seven decades. Some 2,500 people were injured.

Late on Monday, six people, including two girls - one three years old and the other

nine months old - were rescued from the ruins of a hotel near the coastal town of Manta.

Elsewhere, funerals for some of those killed were held in Portoviejo and Pedernales, two towns that were the worst hit.

“I fear that figure will go up because we keep on removing rubble,” a shaken Mr Correa said in a televised address.

“There are signs of life in the rubble, and that is being prioritised.”

The quake comes at a time when the oil-producing country is already reeling from the slump in global crude prices.

Assad’s future is not up for negotiation – Chief negotiator

Afghan security forces inspect the site of a Taliban-claimed deadly suicide attack in Kabul, Afghanistan. PHOTO: AP.

THE Syrian government’s chief negotiator has said his side is pushing for an expanded administration led by President Bashar alAssad, and that Assad’s own future was not up for negotiation.

The Western-backed Syrian opposition said on Monday that it was taking what

it called a pause from UNsponsored talks in Geneva aimed at ending the fiveyear-old conflict.

The oppositon wants some form af transitional governing body with full executive powers - but without Assad.

But Bashar Jaafari told Lebanese TV news channel al-Maydeen on Tuesday

that a bigger government was needed to preserve the country’s existing institutions.

“In Geneva, we have one mandate only: to arrive at an expanded national government. This is our mandate this is the goal we strive to achieve,” Jaafari said on Tuesday.

the first buses arrived to move them to newly reopened Luwani camp.

The buses traveled 320 kilometers to the camp.

Upon arrival, the U.N. refugee agency gave the refugees food and utensils and assigned each family a plot.

Tents were already set up.

Before its official closure

in 2007, the Luwani camp hosted more than 300,000 Mozambican refugees who had fled civil war between 1977 and 1992.

The people being relocated here are from Zambezia province, one of five opposition strongholds where there has been sporadic fighting since the disputed

2014 elections.

Increased tensions late last year pushed thousands of civilians to flee.

Pensulo Loponi said progovernment FRELIMO fighters were torching houses and killing people they accuse of harboring opposition RENAMO fighters.

otherNEWS Malawi moves 10,000 Mozambique asylum seekers to camp

Mozambican refugees board a bus from Nsanje reception center to Luwani refuguees camp in Neno district, south of Malawi. PHOTO: (L. MASINA/VOA)

MALAWI has started moving 10,000 Mozambique asylum seekers back from the border to the newly reopened Luwani camp in southeastern Malawi.

Nearly 12,000 Mozambicans seeking asylum have crossed the border into Malawi since December.

There was excitement as

US election 2016: New York primaries crucial for Clinton, Trump NEW York is holding presidential primaries seen as key for both Republican and Democratic front-runners after their recent defeats.

Democratic hopeful Hillary Clinton, a former senator for New York, is expected to win against Brooklyn-born Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders.

For the Republicans, Queens-born Donald Trump is likely to come ahead of Texas Senator Ted Cruz.

Wins will put Mrs Clinton and Mr Trump closer to securing their nominations, BBC said.

As Mr Trump cast his votes at Central Synagogue in Manhattan on Tuesday morning,

he said: “It’s just an honour, and my whole reason for doing this is to make America great again.”

Mrs Clinton voted with her husband, former President Bill Clinton, near their home in upstate Chappaqua.

They hope big victories in the delegate-rich state will help them regain momentum

and overcome criticism over the strength of their campaigns.

It has been a fierce campaign in the state, with the leading candidates using their local ties to attract voters.

Hillary Clinton was twice elected senator for New York, and a defeat there would be a devastating political blow.

Donald Trump

Hillary Clinton

38

communitynews

Leadership tussle:Ilaje community sends SOS to govt Hakeem Gbadamosi -Akure

T

HE people and residents of Ayetoro in oil-rich Ilaje Local Government Area of Ondo State, have called on the state government to rescue the community from the hands of some undesirable elements who have been disrupting the peace enjoyed by the people due to claims to the leadership of the community.

The appeal was contained in a press statement issued and signed by the Ogeloyinbo-In-Council which consists of six traditional and spiritual leaders from the town known as Igharafas.

The council alleged that the crisis in the town was being masterminded by a fanatical group led by one Oluwanbe Ojagbohunmi, who has been parading himself as a spiritual leader of the community.

According to the spokesperson of the Igharafas, Archbishop Eremibo Eretan, trouble started after the Ogeloyinbo-In-Council ratified and installed Micah Olaseni Ajijo as the traditional ruler of the town, Ogeloyinbo of Ayetoro and the spirutual head of Holy Apostles’ Church, Ayetoro.

He explained that the community, which was founded by the holy apostles in 1947, had the agelong tradition of appointing the community head and spiritual head of the church through Ogeloyinbo-InCouncil after consultations and deep reflections on spiritual revelations as may be observed from the “Covenant Box.” He said they followed the same process which had been laid down by the coun-

cil and incorporated trustees of the Holy Apostles’ Church, Ayetoro to pick and install Ajijo as the traditional ruler of the town.

He, however, faulted the formation of a parallel executive for the church which led to the closure of the main worship centre in the town and called on the state government and security agencies to intervene before the crisis degenerates.

He said: “ the truth of the matter is that the Ogeloyinbo-In-Council possesses the absolute right of appointment and such decision is usually first taken within the confines of the palace of Ogeloyinbo and in the council’s absolute discretion, may decide to present the appointed person to the congregation of the church.

“In other words, the council only makes a presentation of Ogeloyinbo of Ayetoro Community and Spiritual Head of the Church, already appointed by it, to the church congregation.

“It is only at this stage that the congregation of the church becomes aware that the spiritual head of the church and Ogeloyinbo had been appointed. If and when a prophet is privileged to make the presentation of an appointee spiritual head and Ogeloyinbo to the church congregation, such prophet must have been a member of OgeloyinboIn-Council” Eretan described the allegation by Ojagbohunmi and his group that Ajijo was imposed on the people of Ayetoro as false, malicious and a deliberate misinformation, saying that “the appointment painstakingly

followed due process in accordance with tradition and the constitution of the Holy Apostles’ Church of Ayetoro.”

He alleged that Ojagbohunmi had threatened to make life unbearable for the people of the town unless he is installed as the spiritual head and traditional ruler of Ayetoro Eretan, however, said the whole of the community has rejected the fanatical group, saying the people of Ayetoro are peace-loving.

In his reaction, Ojagbohunmi said the Igharafas were the brains behind the crisis, adding that, “a large percentage of people resident in Ayetoro are against the enthronement of Ajijo as the Ogeloyinbo and the spiritual head of the church.

Over 95 per cent of the congregation have said that they cannot worship under him.”

He accused the Ogeloyinbo-In-Council for the locking up of the church, noting that the church had been under lock and key before Ajijo was crowned as the traditional ruler of the town.

“The enthronement was performed outside the church which is against the doctrine of the church and the community. They had to perform the enthronement somewhere else because people would say No,” he said.

Ojagbohunmi, who said he was not interested in the throne, maintained that the only way out is to appeal to the people of the community because the new king was installed and crowned through the backdoor, describing it as strange in the history of the community.

Onidera advocates greater roles for traditional rulers Biola Azeez -Ilorin A traditional ruler, Oba James Oladipo Aroko-Ola Buremoh Ajagungbade I, has advocated greater roles for traditional rulers in the task of nation building.

Oba Buremoh Ajagungbade, who is the Onidera of Idera in Kwara State, made the call while fielding questions from journalists on the sideline of his 10th coronation and 25th wedding anniversaries.

The traditional ruler noted that it was pertinent to involve traditional rulers in governance, pointing out that it would enable development to cut across the nooks and crannies of the country.

According to him, as custodians of cultures and tra-

ditions the involvement of traditional rulers in governance would not only pave way for the overall development of the country, but also enable government to carry rural dwellers along in the execution of its programmes.

Speaking on developments in football administration in the country, the traditional ruler, who was formerly a wrestler, attributed the crisis to politics.

He counselled that politics should be separated from the sports sector as part of measures to reposition the sector.

The royal father also stressed the need for the development of sports at the grass roots, calling on government to embark on talent hunt.

On his achievements since his ascension to the throne, the Onidera disclosed that the economy of the community had been diversified and the people of the community encouraged to grow cash crops, adding that investors were also being attracted to the land.

He, however, appealed to the state government to provide the community with motorable roads to fast-track the development of the area.

Speaking on his 25 years of marriage, the traditional ruler attributed the success story to good communication and God’s mercy.

He advised young couples to show love to each other and be committed to their union.

news

Wednesday, 20 April, 2016

Buhari’s popularity not waning —Presidency Leon Usigbe -Abuja DESPITE mounting criticism over his handling of the state of economy, the Presidency, on Tuesday, insisted that President Muhammadu Buhari is not losing his popularity among the people.

It maintained that those who are criticising his administration’s actions or inaction were a minute part of the population, which it described as a vocal minority.

In an interview with the Nigerian Tribune in Abuja, the Special Adviser to the President (Media and Publicity), Femi Adesina, said the apparent upsurge in the criticism of President Buhari was

not scientific, as he had continued to enjoy the massive support of the over 15 million Nigerians that voted for him in the last presidential election.

“There are about 170 million Nigerians and about 15 million Nigerians voted for the president. Now, you have what you call the tyranny of the vocal minority.

“All those voices you are hearing, it’s possible they are not up to 500,000 or one million and you just have an impression that they are so many.

“This administration and this presidency enjoys very very massive support. Despite what you can call the tyranny of that minority, the

massive support base is still very wide,” he said.

Adesina observed, however, that opposition critics were important in any democracy, to provide a self-corrective mechanism for government.

Asked whether the presidency is not worried about the existence of such criticisms, even if from vocal minority, the presidential spokesman said: “there must be opposition in any country, there must be criticism. In fact, woe betides a country that does not have critics.

There would not then be a self-corrective mechanism in that kind of country. Criticism is good for any polity.”

NJC sacks judges for forgery, misconduct Orders another to refund 9-month salary Lanre Adewole -Lagos THE National Judicial Council (NJC) has compulsorily retired two judges for falsification of age and misconduct.

Another judge was also ordered to refund nine-month salary, crookedly received.

The council took the decisions at its last week’s meeting.

A statement issued by the council’s spokesperson, Soji Oye, read: “The National Judicial Council, under the chairmanship of the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Mahmud Mohammed, at its meeting held on 13th and 14th April, 2016, recommended the compulsory retirement from office of Justice O. Gbaja-Biamila of Lagos State High Court and Justice Idris M. J. Evuti of the Niger State High Court with immediate effect.

“Justice O. Gbaja-Biamila was recommended for compulsory retirement from office to the Lagos State governor, pursuant to the findings by the council on the allegations contained in the petitions written against him by Mr C. A. Candide Johnson. The allegations are: “That the judge delivered judgment in Suit No ID\1279\2007 P. K. Ojo Vs SDV & SCOA Nigeria Plc, 22 months after written addresses were adopted by all the counsel and 35 months after the close of evidence in the suit, contrary to the constitutional provisions that judgments should be delivered within a period of 90 days; “That His Lordship did not publish a copy of judgment he delivered on December 24, 2013 until after 40 days, contrary to the provision of the constitution which required that a copy of the judgment of a superior court of record be given to parties in the case within seven days of delivery.

“That the judge continued to hear the suit in his court, after he had been notified of the pendency of a motion for a stay of execution at the

Court of Appeal and that an appeal had been entered...

“In the interim, the NJC, in exercise of its power under Paragraph 21 Sub-Paragraph (d) of the Third Schedule of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, as amended, suspended Justice O. Gbaja-Biamila from office with immediate effect.

“Council also considered a petition written by Mohammed Idris Eggun against Justices Idris M. J. Evuti and Tanko Yusuf Usman of the High Court of Niger State on falsification of their dates of birth.

“He alleged that Justice Idris M. J. Evuti falsified his age from 15th September, 1950 to 10th April, 1953 and Justice Tanko Yusuf Usman falsified his age from 27th June, 1950 to 27th June, 1951.

“A fact finding committee set-up by the council found from the records made available to it that the Justice Evuti used three different dates of birth over the years as 15th September, 1950, 10th April, 1953 and 1st April, 1953 and, therefore, recommended his compulsory retirement with immediate effect.

“Apart from the recommendation for compulsory retirement of Justice Idris M. J. Evuti, council recommended to the Government

of Niger State to deduct all salaries received by him from September, 2015 till date from his gratuity and remit same to the National Judicial Council that pays salaries of all judicial officers in the federation.

“With respect to the Justice Tanko Yusuf Usman, council did not recommend his compulsory retirement because it had already accepted his retirement with effect from 1st March, 2016.

“However, council decided to write to the government of Niger State to deduct from the gratuity the salaries received by him from June 2015 when His Lordship should have retired from the Bench.

“Council at the same meeting exonerated Justice Saliu Saidu of the Federal High Court, Lagos, of misconduct as it found unsubstantiated, a petition of alleged misconduct written against him

by Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

“The judge was alleged to have been biased in granting ex-parte orders of injunction against the commission in Suit No FNC\L\CS\767\15: BGL Ltd and Ors V. Securities and Exchange Commission without due regard to the relevant factors and circumstances of the case.”

OAU postpones resumption MANAGEMENT of the Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) has postponed the university’s resumption by 56 days.

The postponement was attributed to the approval of the 56-day leave requested for by university’s branch of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).

In a letter dated April 18, 2016, Professor Bamitale Omole, vice chancellor of the university, through Awoyemi D.O., the registrar, directed the union to proceed on an annual leave for the 2014/2015 session, which took effect from April 6 and will end on June 24.

The fresh students of the university were directed to resume at their halls of residence on May 28 and the returning students on June 27.

According to the proposed calendar seen by TheCable, the matriculation ceremony is scheduled to hold on July 21, while lectures commence June 28.

“I write to inform you that the Vice Chancellor has approved the request that all academic staff should take their 56 working days annual leave for the 2014/2015 academic session with effect from 6th April, 2016 to June 24th 2016,” read a part of the statement.

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Wednesday, 20 April, 2016

corporatesport

With Niyi Alebiosu adeniyi70@yahoo.com 08116954642

Ajala wins Seyi Makinde Women Support Golf tourney

By Olawale Olaniyan

From left: Captain, Ibadan Golf Club, Barrister Idowu Salami; Winner, Seyi Makinde WomenSupport golf tournament, Folasade Ajala; the sponsor of the tournament, Engineer Seyi Makinde and the lady captain of the club, Mrs Anne Oladejo­­during the presentation to the winner of the competition at the club’s promises, last weekend. PHOTO: OLAWALE OLANIYAN.

Swimmers battle for N10m cash prize

A

LL is now set for this year’s Lagos Open water international championship with mouthwatering ten million naira up for grabs.

According to the event’s coordinator, Mr. Olarenwaju Saheed, the event has been rescheduled for 4th and 5th of June.

The change in plans was to enable foreign countries who have indicated interest

to properly fine-tune their arrangements ahead of the event.

Mr Olarenwaju explained that this is the first time Nigeria will be hosting such an event which will include countries like Ghana, Cote d’ivore, Togo, Mali, and Benin Republic.

About three hundred swimmers from Lagos State have indicated their interest in the championship and would be

vying for honours with their counterparts from other states.

The board member of the Lagos State Swimming Association also stated that, the foreign umpires that will officiate at the Lagos open water, will start arriving from June 1st to 2nd However, Mr Olarenwaju stated that, due to the high volume of entries and participation of some foreign ath-

letes, the association is seeking for more sponsorship for the championship.

He urged corporate bodies in Nigeria to come and join hands in promoting swimming in Nigeria as it would add value to their money.

The Lagos Open Water is to project the image of Nigeria as international swimming federation has included the championship in their programme calendar.

NBSF: Washington Knights Youth Sports adopts six Nigerian baseball, Softball teams SIX baseball and softball teams have been adopted for full sponsorship by sports organization in the United States.

This was contained in a mail sent by the founder of DC Knights Youths Sports, Coach Gerard Hall, to the District Administrator of Little League International, Nigeria, Mr Kehinde Laniyan.

Coach Hall said that his organisation has adopted a baseball and a softball team in Owena league which is based in Akure, while he is also in touch with another sporting organisation to tidy up adoption of 4 other teams in Ibadan.

Coach Hall reiterated that: “We would like to offer our support to your league through the sponsorship of one baseball and one softball chartered team with the following items; uniform jerseys, pants/shorts, caps/ visor, belt, socks, gloves, catchers equipment and

bats. We will work in earnest to ship these items to insure their arrival prior to your season end.”

It would be recalled that Travelling Eagles of Florida, a United States-based team, adopted Oluyole Plate Burners little league fortnight ago.

Names of the teams adopt-

ed by DC Knights are Swift Eaglets of Akure and Golden Starlets. Among the new teams adopted in Ibadan are Adebayo braves and Nikky Angels. These teams are in Excellers LL. The latest adoptions bring to 10 the total number of baseball and softball teams being sponsored

by the United States sporting organisation. These are coming barely three months after Nigeria gained recognition by Little League International with the appointment of a district administrator and establishment of 6 new charters in the country.

Bringing Back Netball Club partners Lagos State Sports Commission

By Doyin Adeoye THE Bringing Netball Back (BNB) Club, an organisation with a strong desire to introduce netball into Nigerian schools, is excited to announce their partnership with the Lagos State Sports Commission.

The opportunity has opened the door for BNB Club to introduce netball to Lagos State Schools.

BNB Club will be rolling out a Netball4Schools Programme with a pilot of

12 schools which will involve at least 120 young Nigerian girls. The pilot will train and equip the girls to partake in an inter-school tournament later on this year.

The strategy, adopted for the introduction of netball into Nigerian schools is to empower the coaching staff of participating school with the knowledge and skills to be able to play, teach and umpire the game of netball. This approach ensures that our reach is wide and sustainable.

Founder, BNB Club, Bimbo

Smith said: “We strongly believe that exposing girls to team sports, such as netball will enable them to develop key skills that will lead to well-rounded individuals.

We want to empower girls, instill in them confidence and create sporting opportunities for them.”

Coach Director, BNB club, Fehintola Soetan, said: “We look forward to working with Lagos State Sports Commission to engage girls in a positive activity that will add value and change lives.”

THE lady captain, Ogbomoso Golf Club, Mrs Sade Ajala has won the second edition of Seyi Makinde Women Support Golf Tournament held last weekend at the Ibadan Golf Club (IGC).

Ajala beat the likes of Sade Opawumi, Hannah Obadina to win the tournament after she played 99 Gross and 76 Net at the one-day event.

The tournament which was designed to popularise golf and to encourage people especially women to engage in sporting activities attracted golfers across from the country.

Speaking, with Tribunesport, Ajala expressed joy at her feat just as she attributed the victory to the support of her husband.

Meanwhile, the initiator of the tournament, Ronke Adepetu gave kudos to Engineer Makinde for engaging women through golf and other sporting activities.

“I can say Engineer Seyi Makinde is truly a man of his words because he has promised to make this tourney a yearly event and thank God, we can all see that this year’s edition was better than that of last year, but my belief is that the next edition will even be better than what we are witnessing today.

“The sponsor is King David of this generation, a man who has made huge impacts on the development of the society, generous, kind and humble to the core.”

Engineer Makinde in his

remarks said the competition has come to stay saying next year’s edition will attract more professional golfers in order to add glamour to the next edition.

“A lot of people thought we only organised that of the last edition because of my political ambition but it goes beyond that, golf has nothing to do with politics, it is an avenue to engage in sporting activities.

“I’m a sport person, apart from golf, I do play tennis. sports enhance the wellbeing of an individual.

“Golf is very challenging, you never know what is going to happen until you actually put the ball in the hole, it’s very challenging, a round of golf will probably take you like six hours to go through the 18 holes, it’s just fun and relaxing.

“This tournament is going to be a continuous exercise as we are ready to sustain it over the years,” he said.

Also, the captain of IGC, Barrister Idowu Salami, lauded the sponsor of the tourney for engaging women in golf.

“It gladdens my heart that Engineer Makinde deems it fit to use the platform of golf as a vehicle to propagate women empowerment Initiatives.

“The game of golf transcends politics and it is political in nature, the game is on a higher pedestal than politics, its language is entirely and absolutely nonpolitical,” he concluded.

Metro Pro League: Bridge Boys claim top spot LAGOS darling club, Bridge Boys FC has claimed the top spot after defeating Nath Boys 3-2 at Agege Stadium in the Week 2 of the Metro Pro League 2015/2016 season.

Goals from Olaniyi Lawal, Imoh Michael and Richard Godwin earned Bridge Boys the maximum three points at stake and have so far amassed four points from two games, while Nath Boys are second with three points.

In the other game on Thursday, 36 Lion FC forced 10-man Pepsi Academy to a two-all draw in a pulsating encounter at the Agege Sta-

dium.

Onuh Nonso scored in both halves to save 36 Lion’s blushes after Tukur Bello nets a 25-yard screamer that erupts the arena.

Pepsi’s Elegbede Mohammed, who was later given the marching order grabbed an equalizer after Onuh broke the deadlock in the 17th minute.

The Week Two games of the Metro Pro League will be completed on Saturday with The Saints FC playing as hosts to Remo Stars at Children International School, Lekki. The tie kicks off at 3pm.

SIDELINES

NO 16,483

WEDNESDAY, 20 APRIL, 2016

N150

An alleged polyandrous wife at the weekend in Delta State alledgedly bit off her daughter’s ear and stabbed her with broken bottles over her boyfriend. If one may ask, what would she have done if she had seen her husband with another woman?

LMC fined N6.75m, banished to Ilorin

Agbonlahor

To complete match against Rangers in Abuja

Agbonlahor suspended at Aston Villa

A

STON Villa has suspended long-serving striker, Gabriel Agbonlahor and launched an internal investigation after he was pictured by British media on a laughing gas and booze binge on the day his club were relegated from the Premier League.

“Aston Villa Football Club has today (Tuesday) suspended Gabby Agbonlahor pending an internal investigation. This is following allegations concerning his conduct at the weekend,” the club said on its website (www.avfc.co.uk).

“There will be no further comment from the club in relation to this mat-

ter until the investigation has been completed.”

It is not illegal to possess laughing gas, or nitrous oxide, in Britain. The gas can induce a feeling of euphoria when inhaled.

Prior to Saturday’s league defeat by Manchester United which confirmed Aston Villa’s drop to the second tier, caretaker manager, Eric Black had dropped Agbonlahor, who has scored once this season, saying he would spend the next two weeks on an individual fitness programme.

This was not the first time during this campaign that the 29-year-old club captain and former England in-

ternational has courted controversy.

Pictures emerged of him apparently smoking a shisha pipe after Villa’s 4-0 loss to Chelsea on April 2.

However, an investigation by the Premier League’s bottom club resulted in no further punishment.

GIWA FC has been fined N5 million and ordered to play their next three home matches at the Ilorin Township Stadium amongst other sanctions placed on the club and it’s Media Officer by the League Management Company (LMC) following investigations into the circumstances that led to the abandoning of the Match Day 12 fixture between the club and Rangers last Sunday.

The LMC issued Giwa FC with a Summary Jurisdiction Notice containing six separate breaches of the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) Framework and Rules and accordingly sanctioned the club on each count while the club’s Media Officer, David King was fined N100, 000 for breach of Clauses 1.1 and 1.5 of the code of conduct for club officials.

Some supporters of the club disrupted the fixture severally by hauling dangerous objects on the field aimed at the Second Assistant Referee forcing the Referee to a finally call off the match on the 74th minute.

The LMC in a statement on Tuesday said after careful study of the match report and assessment of video evidence, charged Giwa FC for breaches of Rule B13.18, B13.21, B13.52, C9, C12 and C1.

For the discontinuation of the match due to the unruly conduct of the supporters, Giwa FC was fined N5, 000, 000 in line with B13.18 while the match will be concluded behind closed doors from the 74th minute on Wednesday, April 27 at the Abuja National Stadium with scores at 1-0 in favour of Rangers.

Giwa FC was ordered to play their next three home games at the Ilorin Township Stadium for the unruly conduct of their supporters which included throwing of objects towards the field of play and to the Second Assistant Referee and causing disturbances in the course of the match which was in breach of Rules B13.21.

The LMC further ordered that “due to the persistent nature of such disturbances by supporters of Giwa FC, the club shall play its remaining home matches behind closed doors and supporters of the club are banned from all League match venues for the remainder of the season.

NFF technical committee meets today report is next week.

The minister has said he will approve the engagement of a foreign coach should the NFF convince him, but at the same time warned that the government will not pay for the services of the coach.

The draw for the 2018 World Cup qualifiers will be staged on June 24 with the series beginning in October.

Five teams will represent Africa at the World Cup scheduled to hold in Russia 2018.

0

Eguavoen canvasses Ighalo, Mikel’s inclusion in Dream Team squad

Foreign coach for Eagles:

THE technical committee of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), will meet today in Abuja in order to come up with a concrete reason the country need to hire a foreign coach for the 2018 World Cup qualifiers.

Minister for Youth and Sport, Solomon Dalung, has demanded for a technical report from the NFF in support of a foreign coach for the Super Eagles after the country failed to qualify for a second straight African Cup of Nations.

The deadline for the submission of this

NPFL Result Nasarawa 1 3SC

Mikel

Ighalo

JOHN Obi Mikel and Odion Ighalo will be good inclusions in Nigeria’s final squad for the Rio Olympics ex-Super Eagles and U-23 national teams coach Austin Eguavoen has suggested.

Eguavoen who could not qualify Nigeria for the 2012 London Olympics said the country will need to aggregate her best players if the country hopes to do well in the men’s football event showdown in Rio. “I think the duo of Ighalo and Mikel should be added to that team, we need our best legs in Brazil and Siasia is very aware of that” Eguavoen submitted.

While Siasia has declared that he already knows who he want as overage players, it is ye to be seen if Mikel and Ighalo are in his plan.

Before now, Fcnaija had exclusively revealed last week that the likes of Kenneth Omeruo, Alex Iwobi and Kelechi Iheanacho have already been included in the original list drawn up by Siasia.

Nigeria is in Group B of the men’s football event where they are pitched alongside Sweden, Japan and Colombia.

Printed and Published by the African Newspapers of Nigeria PLC, Imalefalafia Street, Oke-Ado, Ibadan. E mail: editornigeriantribune@yahoo.com Website: www.tribuneonlineng.com MANAGING DIRECTOR / EDITOR-IN-CHIEF: EDWARD DICKSON. EDITOR: DEBO ABDULAI. All Correspondence to P.O. Box 78, Ibadan. ISSN 2712. ABC Member of the Audit Bureau of Circulation. 20/4/2016.