22nd March 2016

NIGERIA’S MOST INFORMATIVE NEWSPAPER NO 16,462

TUESDAY, 22 MARCH, 2016

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Nigerian Tribune

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Nigerian Tribune

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Orphaned corps member killed in Rivers rerun —P2

•As INEC suspends further election matters, to probe alleged fake result sheets •APC calls for total cancellation of exercise •INEC has no power to cancel declared results —Wike •We are not cancelling them —INEC •State of emergency won't work in Rivers, Ekiti —Fayose DECLARED RESULTS

Constituency Candidates Mrs Betty Apiafi Mr Ewor Robinson

House of Reps Abua/Odual/Ahoada East constituency Party Votes PDP 19,188 APC 6,468

House of Assembly Constituency PDP APC Ahoada East 1 6,654 2,077 Ahoada East 11 3,417 1,429 Akuku-Toru 11,624 810 Emohua 13,621 5,413 Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni constituency 7,256 1,845 Omuma 5,568 3,241 Obio/Akpor 1 9,703 4,078 Opobo/Nkoro 3,465 9,546

Buhari directs APC govs to build 250,000 housing units per year —P4

Lafiaji/Java boys clash:

10 injured, 40 vehicles, 4 homes •Says power solution no longer a laughing matter, targets additional 2,000 destroyed mw for 2016 •Forex scarcity grieves me, he says —P9

2 news

Tuesday, 22 March, 2016

Orphaned corps member killed in Rivers rerun Adetola Bademosi - Abuja

A

member of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), Dumebi Samuel Okonta, has been confirmed killed in the violence that trailed the Rivers rerun held on Saturday.

In a statement by the head of Press Unit of NYSC, Mrs Abosede Aderibigbe, in Abuja, on Monday, the deceased, with corps registration number, RV/15B/5539, was, until his demise, posted to serve at Government College Secondary School, Ukpeliede.

Okonta was reportedly shot dead by some unknown gunmen in Ahoada West Local Government Area of Rivers State during the rerun.

In the statement by the NYSC on Monday, the scheme described the murder of the patriotic young man, who was an orphan, as primitive, barbaric, and ungodly.

“The management of the National Youth Service Corps regrets to announce the loss of a corps member Okonta Dumebi Samuel (RV/15B/5539) during the rerun held in Rivers State at the weekend.

“Corps member Okonta Samuel, who until his demise served at GCSS Ukpeliede, was shot dead by some unknown gunmen in Ahoada West Local Gov-

ernment Area,” the statement read.

The scheme also confirmed that two other corps members that were with

the deceased at the time of the incident escaped from the scene through the help of security agents.

“We also wish to inform

that another corps member Anana Aniekan Udoetor (RV/15B/5537), who was earlier reported missing, has been found and is hale

and hearty,” it said.

Confirming the development, the state Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Mr Aniedi Ikoiwak,

INEC suspends further election matters

•To probe alleged fake result sheets •PDP wins 8 Assembly seats, APC, 1 Dapo Falade - Port Harcourt with Agency Report THE Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has suspended further announcement of results in Rivers rerun, to conduct audit of materials and personnel used for the elections.

Disclosing this on Monday, the state Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Mr Aniedi Ikoiwak, said no date had been fixed for repeat of the poll in the eight local government areas where it cancelled the exercise due to violence and irregularities.

The commission also released the results of one federal constituency and nine state assembly seats in Saturday‘s rerun legislative elections in the state.

The result, signed by the state REC, showed that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) won the only House of Representatives seat of Abua/Odual/Ahoada East constituency Mrs Betty Apiafi of the

PDP polled 19,188 votes to beat Mr Ewor Robinson of All Progressives Congress (APC), who scored 6,468 for the House of Representatives poll.

The result also showed that the party won eight of the nine state assembly seats while the APC won one seat.

The state assembly result showed that Mr Martins Manah of PDP scored 6,654 votes to win Ahoada East 1 seat as against 2,077 votes polled by Mr Apia Chinedu of APC. Ehie Edison of the PDP recorded 3,417 votes to beat Ibiso Nwobuiyeuma of APC with 1,429 to win Ahoada East 11 seat; Mr Jack Major of PDP got 11,624 votes to defeat Mr Ineye Jack of APC with 810 votes for Akuku-Toru constituency 1.

Emohua constituency was won by Mr Samuel Ogeh of PDP, who polled 13,621votes to beat Mr Chidi Lloyd of APC with 5,413 votes.

For Ogba/Egbema/ Ndoni constituency, Mr

Christian Ahiakwo of PDP won with 7,256 votes at the expense of APC’s Gift Wokocha, who polled 1,845 votes.

Kelechi Nwogu of PDP polled 5,568 votes to beat Mr Anyanwu Leo of APC with 3,241 votes to win Omuma constituency.

It said Martin Amaewhule of PDP had 9,703 votes to beat Mr Collins Ordu of APC with 4,078 votes for Obio/Akpor constituency 1 seat.

In Obio/Akpor constituency 11, INEC said Michael Chinda of PDP won the seat but did not indicate the votes cast.

It said the only seat won by the APC so far was Opobo/Nkoro constituency where Mr Andrew Miller polled 9,546 votes to beat Mr Diri Adonye of PDP with 3,465 votes.

The rerun was conducted in 22 of the 32 state constituencies; 12 out of the 13 House of Representatives seats and the three senatorial seats in the state.

INEC endorsed the results of the legislative re-

run from 10 local government areas it released on Sunday, while the commission said it had not released any other result of the election.

It urged members of the public to discountenance information making the rounds that it had released results of the House of Representatives elections for Port Harcourt state and federal constituencies.

Some radio stations monitored in Port Harcourt had, on Monday, reported that Kenneth Chikere of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) polled 18,904 votes to beat Igochukwu Aguma of the All Progressives Congress (APC), who got 6,035 votes in Port Harcourt federal constituency I. It was also reported that Blessing Nsiegbe (PDP) polled 6,968 votes to beat Collins Owonda of APC who got 3,154 votes to emerge the winner in Port Harcourt Federal Constituency II. Other results announced at the various collation

INEC has no power to cancel declared results —Wike Says, ‘we have videos of atrocities committed by soldiers’ Dapo Falade - Port Harcourt GOVERNOR Nyesom Wike of Rivers State has said with the declaration of results by returning officers in the respective constituencies, no official of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is empowered by law to cancel or nullify such results.

This was as he said the state government had compiled videos of the atrocities allegedly committed by the military across the state

during the legislative rerun, adding that the videos would be made public at the appropriate time.

He further alleged that the what he termed militaryorchestrated violence in the state could be part of a plot by the All Progressives Congress (APC) to declare a state of emergency on the state, on the premise of heightened propaganda.

The governor said this in Port Harcourt, on Monday, adding that an attempt was made to declare a state of emergency in the state,

“We have videos of the atrocities committed by the military across Rivers State.

We shall release them at the appropriate time. There is an attempt to cause violence to declare a state of emergency in Rivers State,” he said.

The governor cautioned that a recent statement by the national secretariat of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), accusing the Federal Government of planning a state of emergency in the state should not be disregarded.

Stating that there was al-

ways an element of truth to every rumour, he said the main opposition party in the state was merely involved in propaganda to create the impression of violence.

Speaking on the yet-tobe scheduled rerun in the eight local government areas where the exercise was suspended, Governor Wike said measures should be taken by INEC to avoid the challenges noticed in the last elections.

He particularly suggested that one Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC)

APC calls for cancellation of exercise Dapo Falade - Port Harcourt RIVERS State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has called for an outright cancellation of the legislative rerun held in the state, saying the exercise was marred with violence

said the corps member was killed during the election, adding that the NYSC would contact the family of the deceased.

and irregularities.

Chairman of the party in the state, Dr Davies Ikanya, made the call while addressing a press conference at the party’s secretariat in Port Harcourt, on Monday.

This was as he accused Governor Nyesom Wike of undue interference in the

electoral process, adding that a fresh rerun should be conducted and should be devoid of the pitfalls that characterised the last exercise.

“The position of APC is that the entire rerun was marred by irregularities, violence and unlawful inter-

ferences by Nyesom Wike, the governor of Rivers State. “[There were also] inadequate security, compromised process, especially with indiscrimate, irregular and untrained ad hoc staff in some cases, amongst other very serious issues. continues I pg3

should be assigned to one local government area each, to ensure greater efficiency in the conduct of the poll.

He claimed that PDP won the election in the declared constituencies because Rivers was purely a PDP state, adding that “while we campaigned, they were not campaigning. With what I have done in a few months, it will be difficult to defeat PDP in the state.”

Making reference to the shooting incident at the state office of the DSS, on Sunday, the governor said it was unfortunate that APC used the media to lie that the Director General of NIMASA, Dr Dakuku Peterside, escaped assassination attempt.

He, however, conceded that though Rivers had been a one-party state since the 1970s, an opposition arose in 2015, adding that “now, we have a strong opposition for the first time. It is a healthy development.”

centres, according to the radio stations, also indicated that PDP’s Smart Adoki Ibisiki got 15,240 votes to defeat APC’s Irine Inimgba who polled 2,844 votes in Port Harcourt state constituency 2.

Reacting to the results, the state REC, Ikoiwak, said the commission stood on the result it declared on Sunday.

He said in the results released by the commission, PDP had won eight state constituencies, including Ahoada East 1and 2, Akukutoru 1, Emohua, Obio/ Akpor 1 and 2, Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni 1, Omuma and Opobo; while the APC won Opobo/Nkoro.

“The authentic results are the ones contained in the release we issued on the elections. We have suspended all issues relating to the Rivers State rerun since yesterday (Sunday).

So, any additional results purportedly released are not from INEC,” he said.

The commission also said it would investigate alleged distribution of fake result sheets in some polling units in the rerun.

The commission’s Director of Voter Education and Publicity, Mr Oluwole Osaze-Uzzi, made this known in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja, on Monday.

Osaze-Uzzi also told NAN that the commission would also investigate other allegations raised during the conduct of the election.

He, however, insisted that there was no way fake election materials could have been distributed by INEC’s election officers.

On when the commission would release the remaining results of the election, he said decision on it would be taken at the meeting tomorrow.

“We are not going back to the state until the atmosphere is conducive to have a violent-free election. I don’t want to pre-empt anything ahead of the Wednesday meeting,” he said.

On update about electoral officers abducted during the Saturday election, Osaze-Uzzi said he was yet to be briefed on the matter.

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Tuesday, 22 March, 2016

State of emergency won’t work in Rivers, Ekiti —Fayose

F

OLLOWING speculation that the Federal Government may be contemplating imposition of state of emergency on Rivers and Ekiti states, over perceived insecurity in the states, the Ekiti State governor, Mr Ayodele Fayose, has warned that such measure would not work in the two states.

Speaking to State House corespondents after attending the first day of the National Economic Council (NEC) retreat on the economy at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, on Monday, he said he had been waiting for President Muhammadu Buhari to declare state of emergency in Ekiti State.

He observed that power had gone back to the people and, therefore, admonished that leaders should beware of the actions they take in office, as they may turn out to hunt them in future.

Responding to a question on the possible declaration of state of emergency in Rivers State, he said: “They have been insinuating that too in Ekiti. We have been waiting for them. Power has gone beyond the leaders, power has gone back to the people.

“There are certain things leaders will do today, you will eat it tomorrow.

“You want to declare state of emergency, declare it and we will tell you that the state of emergency will not work too. This country belongs to all of us.”

Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State had also, at the weekend, alleged that some people were creating problems in his state to make the Federal Government to want to impose a state of emergency in the state.

Wike had said such ploy would not work, because the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) was more popular in the state.

The Department of State Security (DSS) recently raided the Ekiti State House of Assembly, where the personnel were reported to have arrested eight lawmakers, while one of the lawmakers was being detained by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

Fayose condemned last weekend’s National Assembly and state House of Assembly re-elections, especially because of what he said was their militarisation.

He described the situation in Rivers State as a

service of ego of some individuals, who believed they have control of the Federal Government.

Fayose said: “I want to condemn the election in Rivers State. I want to condemn the militarisation.

“Like I said to some people yesterday, if say Ekiti election, nobody was slapped, nobody died, the

person defeated congratulated the winner, do we now call this Rivers election Rivers of bloodgate?

“Because for a peaceful election in Ekiti and this in Rivers, the military has got no business in our election.

“Now, I want to say that if you watch the trend, PDP has always won all the elections after annul-

ment. Which means what happened in Rivers is just a service of ego of some individuals, who believe they have Nigeria in their pockets; those who can call the president at will to deploy the military and it is unfortunate that somebody would allow the military to kill his own people.

“I strongly condemn the

elections in Rivers and charge that we sustain the legacy of transparent elections.

“For me in Ekiti, we’ve learnt from that and we are prepared. We prepare for election everyday and we are fully prepared.”

Speaking on the Ekiti lawmaker detained by the EFCC, the governor was of

the view that the anti-graft body was trampling on the rights of citizens.

“And for the people detained in EFCC, it shows the rascality of the agency of government to the Federal Government to look away and allow innocent Nigerians’ rights to be taken away. I condemn it,” he added.

of them declaring results which is not their job,” he said.

He also said the election should be cancelled, based on the fact that PDP and Governor Wike had, at various times, publicly said the result sheets for the exercise were fake.

He said, INEC, by declaring results for PDP, using the alleged fake result sheets, had “created a big credibility problem for the process. We condemn the attempt by INEC to accept and uphold results declared on fake result sheets.”

APC calls for cancellation of exercise continued from pg2

“APC calls on the INEC chairman and its entire management team to cancel the Rivers State rerun, to enable all the pitfalls earlier enumerated to be corrected before a fresh rerun is held,” he said.

Ikanya alleged that the first strategy of Governor Wike was to deliberately saturate the atmosphere with his threat of death and violence against INEC personnel for the rerun.

He said, some few days to the election, Wike accused the INEC federal commissioner who was sent to conduct the election of plotting to swap election results without concrete evidence.

The Rivers APC chairman further alleged that the rerun election witnessed a well-planned spate of violence across rivers state, adding that the genesis of this was the repeated threats and the killing of two soldiers in two local government areas in the state.

“It was glaring that security was inadequate across the state. The only fairly secure areas were the local government area headquarters where a handful of police and army personnel were deployed, but were unable to effectively cover other volatile areas and population centres of the local councils.

“In some places like Emohua, no returning and collation officers reported for work, giving way for unknown ad hoc personnel to be recruited for a very sensitive job of result collation. In Gokana, Khana and Andoni, PDP thugs held electoral personnel hostage, leading to the suspension of the process,” he said.

The APC chieftain also alleged that strange and untrained ad hoc staff were used by INEC on election day, saying it became ob-

vious that the messages of threat by Governor Wike drove fear into trained ad hoc personnel.

The trained ad hoc staff, he said, got scared and refused to turn up for election duties, forcing INEC to engage the services of unknown persons with no

training and background checks whatsoever to work as ad hoc personnel.

“The situation led to confusion and alleged sabotage at various places and, in the process, electoral officers [EOs] took over the work of returning officers (ROs), with some

I wasn’t caught with military uniform, cash —Wike’s aide Dapo Falade - Port Harcourt CYRIL Dum Wite, the Special Adviser on Special Projects to Governor Nyesom Wike, has debunked the allegation that he was arrested by soldiers during the legislative rerun on Saturday, for being in possession of military uniform and large sum of money.

The pictures of the governor’s aide, along with three other men, went viral on the social media, as he was arrested in Khana Local Government Area with some cash and a security uniform displayed along with him.

However, Wite, who is on police bail, disclosed in Port Harcourt, on Monday, that he was neither in possession of military uniforms, nor the large amount displayed in his photograph.

This was as he blamed his ordeal on the state chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC), saying the soldiers who arrested him were manipulated by the party’s candidate in Khana state constituency 2, Friday Inkee.

He also denied knowing the three men who were paraded along with him when he was arrested, saying they were arrested for an offence that was different from what he was held for.

The governor’s aide said he was arrested by soldiers at the INEC office in Bori where he had gone to lodge a complaint that election materials for his Ward 12 in Lugbara in Khana constituency 1 had been allegedly hijacked.

“I had no uniform. What you saw on the video with

about three men wearing camouflage, I had no knowledge of them; I don’t know them from Adams.

I was seated on the floor when they brought them.

“I think they were arrested on the road; the police can attest to that.

I don’t know them; they were not arrested with me.

I was beaten and kicked to the floor at the INEC office in Bori; I was not arrested from anywhere.

“I had no uniform at all.

In this case, only one police uniform and it belonged to one of the four police officers that were to serve in my unit. All of them came to identify that uniform that it belonged to one of the officers there.

“What really happened was that they had been at the RAC centre in my village since last Thursday. A cousin of mine had assisted them to provide them with

food, water and where to take their bath.

“On this Saturday morning, the man has gone to his room to take his bath and left his bag in the car.

So when the information came that they were hijacking election materials at Bori, I just told my cousin who owns the car to let us go there.

“When they started beating us and searching his car, they saw a bag and when they emptied the content of the bag, a uniform was there and an identity card that belonged to that police officer who was posted to the RAC centre, clearly on election duties and who was assisted by the community where he was posted to,” he said.

According to him, “the man (the policeman) came and identified his uniform and said he was taken his bath and left his bag in the

owner’s car. The car is not mine. The man identified his bag, containing his uniform, ID card and his Bible.

They gave him his bag and allowed him to go back to the RAC centre.

“The owner of the uniform is not a fake police officer; he was posted on an election duty and he identified his bag. What is wrong in assisting the Nigerian police to work?

“The uniform does not belong to me; it does not belong to the owner of the car. The owner left the uniform in the car to take his bath and hurriedly we took the car to go and prevent the hijack of election material.”

Wite also denied being the owner of the money displayed along with his photographs when he was arrested as he claimed that the money belonged to his cousin.

PDP wants Amaechi, Peterside, others arrested CHAIRMAN, Rivers State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Felix Obuah, has called for an immediate arrest and prosecution of the Minister of Transport, Rotimi Amaechi, Senator Magnus Abe and Dr Dakuku Peterside over Saturday’s poll fiasco.

In a statement, Obuah said the APC leaders, alongside Jukaye Flag Amachree and others, masterminded the violence, killings and various electoral malpractices during the Saturday rerun in some parts of the state.

The PDP chairman also

demanded the arrest and prosecution of Mr Barry Mpigi for hijacking electoral materials in Tai Local Government Area to his home town, Koroma, with the aid of the military.

Obuah also accused the former Commissioner for Youth in the state, Mr Felix Nwaeke, who, in connivance with an army captain, absconded with all electoral materials for ward 2, Obeakpu, in Oyigbo Local Government Area.

According to him, Mrs Ibim Semenitari, aacting Managing Director of NDDC, “has shown that she lacks manners and

does not possess the honour of a woman, as she engaged in ballot paper hijack and falsification of polls results.”

He strongly condemned the involvement of the army in the elections which, he said, heightened tension in the state.

The PDP chairman also bemoaned the assassination attempt on the Chief of Staff, Government House, Emeka Woke; the assault on the Secretary to the State Government, Kenneth Kobani and other PDP leaders, who had been marked for arrest and detention.

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Tuesday, 22 March, 2016

Build 250,000 housing units per year, Buhari directs APC states Says poor power supply no longer laughing matter, projects 2,000mw for 2016 Leon Usigbe - Abuja

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RESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari has told the 22 states governed by the All Progressives Congress (APC) to build 250,000 housing units per annum, to enable the party to meet up with its election promise of providing one million houses per year for Nigerians.

Speaking on Monday, at the opening session of the National Economic Council Retreat on the economy at the State House Conference Centre, Abuja, he invited foreign investors and local construction companies to join the country to cover its housing deficit.

He said: “Some estimates put Nigeria’s housing deficit at about 16 million units.

In our successful campaign to win the general election last year our party, the APC, promised to build a million housing units a year. This will turn out to be a very tall order unless: “The Federal Government builds 250,000 units.

The 22 APC states together manage another 250,000 units.

“We invite foreign investors together with local domiciled big construction companies to enter into commercial housing building to pick up the rest.”

The president identified the concerns of Nigerians regarding housing sector to include severe shortage of housing, high rents, unaffordable prices for prospective buyers, especially middle and low-income earners.

He added: “In addition, red tape, corruption and plain public service inefficiency lead to long delays in obtaining ownership of title documents.

“Again, there are no longterm funding sources for mortgage purposes.

“These hurdles are by no means easy to scale, but we must find solutions to the housing deficit. This retreat might start by looking at the laws.”

Speaking on the poor power situation in the country, Buhari observed that it had become the subject of jokes of Nigerians, as he gave a target of 10,000 megawatts to be achieved in the three years remaining for his administration.

According to him, “Nigerians’ favourite talking point and butt of jokes is the power situation in our country, but ladies and gentlemen, it is no longer a laughing matter.

“We must and by the grace

of God we will put things right. In the three years left for this administration, we have given ourselves the target of 10,000 megawatts distributable power. In 2016 alone, we intend to add 2,000 megawatts to the national grid.”

He noted that despite the privatisation of the power sector, not much had been achieved in terms of performance as the old problems had remained.

According to him, “this sector has been privatised, but has yet to show any improvement in the quality of service. Common public complaints are constant power cuts destroying economic activity and affecting quality of life, high electricity bills, despite power cuts,

low supply of gas to power plants due to vandalisation by terrorists, obsolete power distribution equipment, such as transformers, power fluctuations, which damage manufacturing equipment and household appliances, low voltage which cannot run industrial machinery.

“These are some of the problems, which defied successive governments. In our determination to change, we must and will, insha Allah, put a stop to power shortages.”

He, therefore, suggested that the retreat should consider the privatisation exercise, noting “we are facing the classic dilemma of privatisation: Public interest vs Profit Motive.

“Having started, we must

complete the process, but National Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), the regulatory authority, has a vital job to ensure consumers get value for money and overall public interest is safe-guarded.

“Government to fast-track completion of pipelines from gas points to power stations and provide more security to protect gas and oil pipelines.

“Power companies should be encouraged to replace obsolete equipment and improve the quality of service and technicians,” he said.

The president also spoke on the situations in agriculture, manufacturing and health sectors, noting that today, both the peasant and the mechanised farm-

ers agreed with the general public that food production and self-sufficiency required urgent government action.

For too long, “government policies on agriculture have been half-hearted, suffering from inconsistencies and discontinuities,” he added.

According to him, the issues that worry the public included rising food prices, such as maize, corn, rice and garri; lack of visible impact of government presence on agriculture, lack of agricultural inputs at affordable prices.

He said cost of fertilisers, pesticide and labour compounded the problems of farming, while extension services were virtually absent in several states,

From left, Governor Abdulaziz Yari of Zamfara State; National Planning Minister, Senator Udo Udoma; Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo and President Muhammadu Buhari, at the National Economic Council retreat, held at the State House Conference Centre, Abuja, on Monday.

FG targets 25,000mw in 4yrs

As minister blames electricity troubles on Power Ministry Adetola Bademosi - Abuja MINISTER of State for Power, Works and Housing, Mustapha Shehuri, on Monday, announced Federal Government’s new power generation target of 25,000 megawatts (mw) by 2020.

This was even as he blamed the Power Ministry as the major reason slowing down pace of growth in electricity generation and supply across the country.

Shehuri stated this at the fifth induction ceremony of the National Power Training Institute of Nigeria Graduate Skills Development Programme in Abuja.

According to him, several months after privatisation, power firms in Nigeria were still struggling to generate and sustain 4,000mw of electricity.

He, however, expressed the government’s determination to transform the power sector in four years.

While making analysis from the keynote address made by Dr Abdullahi Aliyu, the Power Minister noted that improvement in Nigeria’s power sector had been on a snail pace, despite the establishment of the first electricity generation firm in the country in Ijora, Lagos, in 1896, with a generation capacity of 20mw.

“As the past speaker said, the journey from 1896 to 2016, that is 120 years, had been very long, slow and frustrating. And I think Nigerians deserve better than this. I came to the Ministry of Power some four or five months back and I am privileged to know the troubles.

“I understand the minis-

try is the reason Nigeria is not moving forward. It has been pulling back Nigeria from independence till date and I believe this government is here to change this for the better. I assure the inductees that after four years of this government, it will hand over to Nigerians a Power Sector that is better than what is obtainable today,” he said.

While speaking on the latest power generation target, he said: “Nigeria’s plan is to continually increase the level of electricity generation to the target of 25,000mw by 2020. This can only be achieved through a robust infrastructural development accompanied by a competent technical workforce. This is a national developmental agenda which the Ministry of Power is committed to.

“Globally, there is an increased challenge of supply, not just adequate energy, but also environmental-friendly energy. We must, therefore, learn new skills and harness opportunities based on research and meaningful development.”

Earlier, the keynote speaker had decried the sluggish growth in Nigeria’s power sector, stressing that increase in electricity generation in the past 120 years in Nigeria was about 50mw per annum, as against an expected 1,000mw annually.

Aliyu said: “Let us ambitiously assume that the current 2016 total power generation capacity in Nigeria is 6,000mw. That simply implies that the average power growth rate in Nigeria in 120 years is as low as 50mw per year.”

among others.

On manufacturing, he regretted that lack of foreign exchange had hampered import of industrial raw materials and spare parts, but gave assurance that the situation was temporary.

He added: “It grieves me that so many manufacturing industries in the country today are groaning and frustrated because of lack of foreign exchange to import raw materials and spare parts.

“Painful though, this is, I believe is a temporary phase, which we shall try to overcome, but there are deeper, more structural problems bedeviling local industries which this retreat should identify short and longterm answers to.

This, he said includes “Inadequate infrastructure: Power, roads, security leading to increase in costs of making made-in Nigeria goods pricier than imports, high cost of borrowing money. Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) has been hammering on the fact that high lending rates make manufacturing unviable and unprofitable.”

He further said: “Lack of longterm funding, the Nigerian capital market has not completely recovered from the 2008 worldwide crisis.

Banks’ funding sources are short-term in nature due to sources of the liabilities.

“Under-developed Science and Technology Research: As with Agriculture, Nigeria’s industries are in the main outmoded and industrial practices far behind those in advanced countries.”

The president recommended that a fresh campaign to patronise made-in-Nigeria goods should be launched saying: “Example: all uniforms in government-sponsored institutions should be sourced from local factories.”

On Labour, he said: “We need to protect our workers from exploitation, but unions must cooperate with entrepreneurs to substantially improve productivity and quality of products if we are to move forward.”

As for smuggling, he stated: “Smuggling: Need I say more?”

The two-day retreat is to generate immediate, medium and long-term viable policy solutions to the economic challenges facing us at both the federal and state levels.

Among the attendees were members of NEC, led by its chairman, Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo, state governors, ministers and other stakeholders.

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Tuesday, 22 March, 2016 Tuesday, Tuesday,22 22March, March, 2016 2016

PFN calls for withdrawal of state religious bill in Kaduna Muhammad Sabiu - Kaduna

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HE Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN), Kaduna chapter, has called for the immediate withdrawal of the state religious bill before the State House of Assembly.

Speaking with newsmen in Kaduna, on Monday, the chairman of PFN in the state, Reverend (Professor) Femi Ehinmidu, said the body will ensure that the rights of Christians to preach are not curtailed.

According to him, there is no reason for restricting and regulating religious activities in the state. “We expect the Government of Kaduna State instead of involving sensitive

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CONFIRMATION OF NAME OF NAME I,CONFIRMATION Gbolagade Oladipupo am the and the same personam bearing I,oneGbolagade Oladipupo the Odemakin Olubiyi.

Now one and the Ezekiel same person bearing wish to be known addressed as Odemakin Ezekieland Olubiyi.

Now ODEMAKIN EZEKIEL OLUBIYI. wish to be known and addressed as All documentsEZEKIEL bearing these names ODEMAKIN OLUBIYI. remain valid. bearing Generalthese public take All documents names note. valid. General public take remain note.

religious matters, should be concerned about how to assist the people.

He submitted that the bill is obnoxious and directly offends Christian faith.

While explaining that Bible commands Christians to,� Go ye into all the world

and preach the gospel to every creature. he urged the government to look into the issue.

Reverend Ehinmidu said that taking away the rights to preach and evangelise is telling the Christians not to practise their religion.

Imo govt appoints new SSG Joe Nwachukwu - Owerri A new Secretary to the Imo State Government (SSG), has been appointed by the state governor, Chief Rochas Okorocha.

He is George Eche, a former Accountant-General in the state as well as a permanent secretary in one of the ministries.

The Nigerian Tribune

learnt that Eche succeeded Chief Jude Ejiogu, who was removed last Friday by Governor Okorocha.

However, no reason was given on his removal by the state government.

Eche hails from Ngor Okpala Local Government Area of the state and had worked with the World Bank, as an accountant.

Nigerian Tribune

6

news

Tuesday, 22 March, 2016

PIB will be laid at NASS next week —Saraki

S

ENATE President, Dr Bukola Saraki, has said that the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) will be laid at plenary of the two chambers of the National Assembly next week.

Saraki made this known while delivering the keynote address at the maiden edition of the National Assembly Business Environment Roundtable (NASSBER) on Monday, in Abuja.

He said that the eighth National Assembly was poised to make laws that would contribute to the growth of the economy, particularly in view of the current economic challenges.

“As part of the activities leading to the inaugural NASSBER, a Business Environment Legislative review was conducted and the final peer-review report was submitted to the National Assembly on February 29.

“The report identified institutional, regulatory and legal instruments currently constraining and impeding business activity in Nigeria.

“The findings and recommendations of the Business Environment Legislative Review Report provide a framework for the assessment and improvement of legislation and policy affecting businesses in Nigeria,” he said.

Saraki said the aim of NASSBER was to ensure that the private sector played an active and effective role in the formulation of public policy.

He added that the platform would ensure collaboration among the private sector, legislature and executive to promote relevant and sound public policy.

“The NASSBER hopes to achieve a number of specific objectives, including legislative reform as it pertains to improving the business environment in Nigeria.

“We have to strengthen the foundation of Nigeria’s economy by ensuring smart and effective regulation and

embark on increasing competitiveness and private sector investment,” he said.

He added that the Federal Government should also encourage opening and expanding of markets through infrastructure de-

velopment and creating engagement, advocacy and consultation across key stakeholders.

Head of Economic Growth of the Department for International Development (DFID) in Nigeria, Mr

Simon Kenny, said that one of the major economic challenges confronting Nigeria was overdependence on oil revenue.

“If you look at the demands of oil produced in Nigeria and the low price

of oil, and divide that by the vast number of people in Nigeria, there is only around 200 dollars of oil per capital per year in the country.

“There is no way rising price of oil can raise Nigeria

Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki and the President of Heirs Group and chairman of United Bank for Africa (UBA), Mr Tony Elumelu. With them is the Chief Whip of the House of Representatives, Honourable Ado Doguwa, who represented the Speaker, Honourable Yakubu Dogara, at the National Assembly Business Roundtable, in Abuja, on Monday.

Economic challenges: We should hold NASS accountable —Elumelu CHAIRMAN, The Tony Elumelu Foundation, Mr Tony Elumelu, has said non-review of obsolete laws by the National Assembly was largely responsible for current economic challenges in the country.

Elumelu told newsmen in Abuja, on Monday, that review of laws fundamental to the survival of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) would go a long way in creating job opportunities for the teeming unemployed Nigerians.

“Instead of addressing the symptoms, let us address the fundamentals.

“Let us hold our National Assembly members accountable; let us knock on their door.

“They must sit and pass

bills; we need them to pass one bill per week.

“Nigeria as a country has seen difficult situations, so difficult times call for difficult reaction.

“We cannot afford to meet one hour a day and adjourn; we should sit down and pass bills.

“During the financial crises in America, lawmakers sat on Saturday and Sunday; we should do same.

“You can imagine what this country will become if we have these proper laws in place, we will not be thinking of oil again,’’ Elumelu said.

He also said that the nonaccess to credit facilities, as well as difficulty in acquiring land, were some of the major problems faced by MSMEs.

He called for the review of the Land Use Act, to make it easier for entrepreneurs to acquire land for their businesses.

He also called for the review of the Privatisation Act and other relevant laws that would change the economic trajectory of the country.

On diversification, Elumelu, former chairman of United Bank for Africa

(UBA), said the budget had little or nothing to do with effective diversification of the economy.

According to him, we should stop talking of budget in the bid to diversify the economy.

“The way to go is to create the enabling environment that would unleash the entrepreneurship in all of us.

“If a man, who is interest-

VICINITY surrounding the Benin Electricity Distribution Company (BEDC) was, on Monday, thrown into turmoil, following a clash at the entrace gate of the Benin headquarters of the company, between an Army officer and a woman, Mrs Joy Agboghide.

According to eyewitnesses, the fight between the army officer, a major and Mrs Agboghide was caused by traffic situation in front

of the BEDC office due to traffic congestion and indiscriminate parking of vehicles in the area.

It was learnt that the woman, who was driving from the Forestry Road axis, was asked to allow vehicles coming from the off Akpakpava axis pass and after allowing about five vehicles pass, she insisted on passing, thereby obstructing traffic.

Eyewitnesses also said trouble started when the major, who had just left the BEDC office, accosted Mrs

Agboghide and asked her to reverse her vehicle, so as to allow vehicles coming in the opposite direction pass.

It was learnt that the woman declined, leading to fight between the trio of the woman, the major and his wife.

In the melee that followed, it was learnt that tear gas cannister was used on the woman, while she retaliated by damaging the officer’s car.

The officer was said to have retaliated by inviting two army officers within

ed in fishing for instance, has access to finance, conducive environment to register the business immediately and tax duplication is avoided, he will be able to employ people.’’

He said if Nigerians were encouraged to establish micro businesses, there would be improvement in national productivity and less dependence on oil.

EFCC to dock Jonathan’s ex-aide, others today Sunday Ejike - Abuja THE Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) will today, arraign Kingsley Kuku, Special Adviser on Niger Delta Affairs to former President Goodluck Jonathan and his two former aides — Lawrence Pepple (Technical Assistant

on Reintegration to the Special Adviser on Niger Delta Affairs) and Henry Nonso Ugbolue (Special Assistant, Media & Communication to the Special Adviser on Niger Delta Affairs), before the Federal Capital Territory High Court sitting in Wuse Zone 2, Abuja.

They are to be docked on

Army officer, woman clash at BEDC headquarters area Banji Aluko, Benin City

to anything above a middle income country and I know that the aspirations of Nigeria have gone beyond that to become a high level income country.

“So, oil revenue has dropped and this is the reality we are facing at the moment. The low price of oil has offered a perfect opportunity to increase investment and to build industries,” he said.

Kenny urged the Federal Government to encourage import competitiveness as opposed to import substitution, adding that the private sector should also be encouraged to boost the competition.

He said: “I often hear the term import substitution as a policy for Nigerian government to help drive local industries. You need to replace the word import substitution with import competitiveness.

“The executive is there to implement policies but the legislature has a key role in ensuring that the right legal framework is in place.”

the vicinity, who joined him to beat Mrs Agboghide to a pulp and damaged her car, with the wind screen and the rear screen of her car being shattered.

Security was beefed-up in the area, as members of the civil society group and family members besieged the BEDC office, alleging complicity of BEDC in the beating up of the woman.

It was learnt that Mrs Agboghide was later taken to a hospital after she first reported the matter at a police

station.

A member of a civil society, Kola Edokpaye, alleged that the army officers called upon by the major were those attached to the BEDC, giving the name of one of them as A. Daniel.

Sources within the BEDC, however, said the company was not in any way connected to the fiasco, adding that attempts were being made to unravel the identity of the army officer, as he did not write his name in any register before he departed the BEDC.

two separate charges, bordering criminal conspiracy, false declaration of assets and fraudulent acquisition of property.

Kuku and Ugbolue were alleged to have conspired among themselves and awarded contracts running into millions of naira to companies in which they had interests.

Ugbolue is the sole signatory of Great & Gamaliel Alliance Limited, the company which provided integrated management of communications and stakeholders’ engagement chain for the office of the Special Adviser to the President on Niger Delta.

Pepple is director and sole signatory for KER Global Wave Limited, which was awarded a contract to provide reintegration support services by the office of the Special Adviser to the President on Niger Delta under the Presidential Amnesty Programme.

7

Tuesday, 22 March, 2016

8

Tuesday, 22 March, 2016

Nigerian Tribune

Lagos

Edited by

Lanre Adewole

olanreade@yahoo.com

0811 695 4647

Scenes of a fire outbreak at Kuramo Lekki, which razed down over 100 shanties, on Monday.

Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LSEMA) officials lining protective tape to prevent fire explosion at a site Sympathisers and affected traders at the scene of a fire outbreak at Kuramo Lekki, on Monday. in Ijegun due to PMS pipeline linkage on Monday.

2 dead, 100 shanties razed in Kuramo fire

Chukwuma Okparaocha

T

wo persons were feared killed in an early morning fire incident that razed over 100 shanties in Kuramo, near Lekki area of Lagos.

The sad incident was confirmed by Director of Lagos State Fire Service, Mr Rasak Fadipe who told newsmen that the burnt bodies of a

man and a woman were recovered at the scene.

When giving details of how the fire started, Fadipe said problem started in one of the shanties littering the beach, when a young woman living in one of the shanties was cooking close to a fuel container.

“Information we got was that a young lady was cooking in one of the shanties and there was a fuel con-

tainer nearby, which ignited the fire and spread to other parts. We met the man and woman in two different locations roasted after we finally put out the fire. The fire was said to have started at about 3.15 a.m,” he said.

Fadipe said it took fire fighters about four hours to put out the fire, saying they had no idea that there was anybody inside while

How doctors battled to save UNILAG student who committed suicide •Colleagues hold procession Naza Okoli Hundreds of students at the University of Lagos, on Monday, conducted a candlelight procession in honour of a 300-level microbiology student, names withheld, who committed suicide by reportedly ingesting a quantity of the insecticide, Sniper.

This is just as they provided an insight into his last moments. Mr Adeonipekun Adeyanju Oluyomi, Speaker of the Students’ Union Parliament, speaking with lagos Metro said, “At the moment, we cannot tell why he committed suicide.”

“His death came as a

shock. People who knew him said he was a gentle guy. We visited him at Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH) that night (Saturday). I was there with other members of the Parliament.

The doctors ran some tests, they gave him some injections. His uncle was there too. By the time we left him and his uncle at the hospital around midnight, we believed he would recover. But sadly, he didn’t. We learned his condition got bad around four or five in the morning of Sunday. An autopsy will be conducted on his body.

We, the students, are also awaiting the result.”

Jacobs was first rushed to the Medical Centre, shortly after consuming

the liquid, on the day of the incident. He was referred to LUTH, Idi-Araba where he eventually died in the early hours of Sunday.

It remained unknown on Monday what reasons might have prompted him to take his life, as both the university management and some of the students who spoke with Lagos Metro offered any answers.

A conflicting report also had it that Jacobs was forced to consume the chemical by unknown cultists.

Meanwhile, an official statement was still being prepared by the Information Unit of the University at the time of filing this report.

they were fighting the fire.

The director said that the

corpses were handed over to police officers from Ila-

son Division, who later took them to the mortuary.

Alleged sexual harrasment: Queen’s

college girls protest Students of Queens College, Lagos, on Monday, staged a protest in solidarity with their Biology teacher, Mr Olaseni Oshifala, who was accused of sexually molesting a Junior Secondary School (JSS) 2 student.

The protesters, who were all Senior Secondary School (SSS) 3 students and who were sitting their mock examination, left the examination hall and made attempts to take to the streets.

A mother had said in an article published on a blog that her daughter in JSS2 was attacked by Oshifala when she had gone out to pee at night. According to the mother, Oshifala had made previous similar attempts on her child and other children. She also alleged that the teacher was being shielded by the principal and vice rincipals.

However, the protesting students maintained that Oshifala was being framed.

They protested in support of the Biology teacher, Oshifala, carrying various placards.

During the protest, the members of staff of the col-

lege, and Chairman, Parents Teachers Association, (PTA), Mrs Beatrice Akhetuamen, all said Oshifala was innocent.

The Head Girl, Angel Tony-Ativie said: “This is a very untrue allegation against our Biology teacher; because most of the facts are baseless. Mr Oshifala does not live in the boarding house.

He is not an Integrated Science teacher, he teachers biology to SS1-SS3. I have known him for six years, he has taught me for three years.

He is our chief maintenance officer so the only time he is able to move to the boarding house, with the permission of the principal, is to check if the facilities are functioning. He leaves the boarding house around 9:00 or 10:00 p.m.”

For the PTA Chairman, Mrs Akhetuamen, Oshifala may have been targeted by people, who are envious of his excellent record, adding that a committee had been set up by the association to investigate the matter thoroughly.

She said: “The attention of the PTA has been drawn to online reports of sexual ha-

rassment said to have taken place at Queens College, Yaba, Lagos. Upon hearing the reports, the school authorities swung into action even though we are yet to receive any official report, oral or written from any parent or student to that effect,” she said.

The protesters were later persuaded to return to their examination hall.

Govt orders land integrity test on Bola Badmus Lagos State Materials Testing Laboratory (LSMTL) has called on property owners, especially distressed and dilapidated buildings in the state, to ensure that integrity and stability tests are conducted on their building to prevent sudden collapse of such buildings and unnecessary loss of lives and properties.

The Acting General Manager LSMTL, Rasheed Teslim Balogun made the call during a visit to the site of a partially-collapsed building at Alli Close, Mile 12, Ketu.

9

Tuesday, 22 March, 2016

metro

Lafiaji/Java boys clash: 10 injured, 40

vehicles, 4 houses destroyed Olalekan Olabulo No fewer than 10 people were injured as factions of hoodlums clashed at Oke Suna and Lafiaji areas of Lagos Island Goods worth millions of naira, including vehicles and houses were destroyed in the fracas, which has continued for three days in a row.

About 40 vehicles and four houses were vandalised by the warring hoodlums, who were about setting vehicles and houses on fire, before intervention of policemen from the Rapid Response Squad (RRS) and soldiers from the OPMESA prevented a total breakdown of law and order.

The clash, which reportedly started from a birthday party, involved Lafiaji boys and Java boys from Okesuna area of Lagos Island.

Nine people have since been arrested in connection with the clash which according to residents, has created panic on the Island of Lagos State .

Olasunkanmi who spoke with Lagos Metro said the clash started on Saturday, during a birthday party, organised by the leader of the Java Boys, simply identified as Jaga .

“Before then there had been misunderstanding between them on sharing of royalty on the island of Lagos State,” he said The Lafiaji boys reportedly accused the Java boys of shortchanging them, when-

lords to conduct buildings Balogun stated that the Agency would conduct a non-destructive test as well as study the structural elements of the affected Mile 12 building to examine and confirm the stability and the integrity on the remaining structure.

Balogun, while imploring all builders in the state to abide with standard specification for the construction of any building, maintained that the ongoing integrity test on all buildings at the Lekki Gardens as directed by Governor Akinwunmi Ambode would be completed this we ek.

ever they give money to hoodlums on Lagos Island.

During Jaga’ s birthday party on Saturday, some of his boys were injured at Okesuna by the Lafiaji boys, who also reportedly destroyed some vehicles.

In what appeared to be a

Nigerian Tribune

Criminals extorting intending pilgrims

Lagos Metro confirmed the arrest of nine of the hoodlums to Lagos Metro.

He added that the suspects were arrested after the hoodlums renewed their clash on Sunday, after the police has Bola Badmus restored normalcy in the Lagos State governarea on Saturday. ment on Monday debunked the rumour that it had stopped the sale of Hajj forms for 2016 as being rumoured disclosing that the decision to leave the sales of forms opened was not unconnected with the sharp practices of some individuals whose primary objective was to exploit pilgrims by misinforming the general public that the sales of forms for this year Hajj had closed.

Commissioner for Home Affairs, AbdulHakeem AbdulLateef, gave this assurance in a statement made available to newsmen on Monday, even as he Some of the miscreants arrested in the midnight raid by Lagos State Environmental and Special Offences Unit (Task Force), on Monday. disclosed that a stakeholder’s parley will on Thursday hold to deliberate and make clarifito between three and six to simply complied with the Agency Public Affairs cation on some issues.

Bola Badmus The issues, accordmonths imprisonment, the dictates of State Road Officer, Mr Taofik Adebayo, ing to him, include the Lagos State Environmen- including community ser- Traffic Laws of 2012 or risk maintaining that the en2016 Hajj operations, vices where applicable. stringent penalties raging forcement on restriction of tal and Special Offences reason for the increMeanwhile, the new from fines plus imprisonmotorcycles and tricycles Unit (Task Force) on Monwas still ongoing and that ment in this year’s Hajj day paraded 49 arrested Task Force Chairman, ment.

Egbeyemi gave the warn- operators must equally obey fare and other erronemiscreants who were ar- Egbeyemi, has warned ous beliefs or rumours rested during an overnight all road users in the state ing in a statement issued by the law. relating to the forthoperations led by the new coming exercise.

Task Force Chairman, Speaking on the Olayinka Egbeyemi.

A self-acclaimed prophet- gos Metro. scheduled parley, the Public Affairs Officer of ess, Victoria Okere, has been It was alleged that the victhe Task Force, Mr Taofik arrested by the police for al- tim was attempting to sell commissioner urged Adebayo, made this disclo- leged fraud and abduction. all intending pilgrims a house, belonging to his sure while speaking with planning to travel with The suspect was alleged to elder sister, to the suspect, the Lagos Metro, saying have abducted a man iden- when the bubble burst. the state contingent the miscreants were picked tified as Wisdom Aworegbe to ensure that they atWhile the police insisted up around Lagos Island, and swindled him of money that the prophetess abtended the meeting in Oshodi and Ikeja. order to get clarificarunning into N3,000,000. ducted the boy, Lagos According to him, out The ‘prophetess’ was ar- Metro gathered that the tion on issues of conof these 49 arrested mis- rested by policemen at- victim was brainwashed by cern. creants, 28 were screened tached to Ikeja divisional the prophetess .

He appealed to inout after diligent approach police station, after a comA police source said “what tending pilgrims not to which revealed that they plaint was lodged by rela- the man’s relatives told us be deterred by the rehave legitimate means of tives of the victim. was that the woman abcent increment in Hajj livelihood.

Okere was until her arrest ducted him and collected fare, adding that the He said 21 were immedi- in charge of New Revela- N3,000,000 from him, present administraately charged to the Lagos tion Church in Ogba Oke within a month. tion was working tireState Environmental San- Ira area of the state .

Badmos told Lagos Metro lessly to provide them itation Court this mornThe image maker in that the duo were perfecting all necessary items and ing at Ogba in Ikeja and charge of the Lagos State plans to sell the house, when comfort to ensure that were given different fines police command, Dolapo policemen arrested them. they got value for their ranging from N10,000 Badmos confirmed the arShe also said that the case money. to N20,000 as an option rest of the woman to La- was under investigation.

‘Prophetess’ Victoria retaliation attack, no fewer than 30 vehicles were destroyed at Lafiaji between Sunday and Monday in a renewed violence .

The hoodlums destroyed some of the vehicles parked around Lafiaji and had already set one of them on fire, when

the police arrived at the scene.

Efforts to get the reaction of the image maker in charge of the state police command, Dolapo Badmos failed as calls to her mobile phones were not answered.

A police source, who pleaded anonymity while speaking with

49 arrested in midnight raid, 21 charged

‘Prophetess’ arrested for abducting, duping man

— Govt

10

businessnews

Tuesday, 22 March, 2016

Audit report: NNPC yet to remit N4.9trn —RMAFC Gbola Subair-Abuja

F

ollowing the Auditor General’s report that the NNPC did not remit N3.2tr in 2014, the Revenue Mobilization Allocation and Fiscal Commission has confirmed that the sum of N4.9 trillion was yet to be remitted into the Federation Account by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC).

In a statement signed by the Commission’s Spokesperson, Ibrahim Mohammed, RMAFC observed that the figure of N3.2 trillion was from the 2014 Annual Audit Report obtained from the records of the FAAC Technical SubCommittee on Domestic Crude Oil Sales and reconciliation statement as contained in the NNPC’s mandate to Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), but available records at the commission’s disposal indicate that between January 2011 and December, 2015, the total indebtedness of NNPC to the Federation Account was N4.9 trillion, a figure that included NNPC’s claims for subsidy on petroleum products, crude and product losses, strategic reserves and the pipeline maintenance cost.

The statement added that while the said report claimed that NNPC owed the sum of N3.2 trillion to the Federation Account in 2014 from domestic crude sale, the commission’s records revealed that the Corporation owed the Federation Account the sum of N1.99 trillion only in 2014 from domestic crude sales.

Therefore, the figure quoted by the AuditorGeneral of the Federation must have included revenues from other sources.

With regard to the alleged payment of US$235

million realised from the sale of natural gas into an undisclosed Escrow Account by the NNPC, the commission explained that the NNPC on behalf of the NLNG had entered into agreements with three International Oil Companies (IOCs), that is, Nigeria Agip Oil Company (NAOC), Shell Petroleum Development Company

of Nigeria (SPDC), Total E&P Nigeria Limited (TEPNG) under a Modified Carry Agreement (MCA) proceeds from which are deposited in Escrow Accounts for funding the various gas projects under the NLNG. The total amount transferred to the various accounts from 2012 to November 2015 was $1.615 billion.

The commission, through the FAAC Post Mortem, has consistently requested the NNPC to provide it with updated financial statements on the projects but NNPC was yet to respond.

The commission had been working with NNPC to reconcile the figures following a tripartite meeting held with the NNPC, Fed-

From left: Representative of Royal Dutch Embassy, Sonia Odije; Acting Director-General, National Agency for Food Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Yetunde Oni; European Union (EU)/Dutch Mission Team Leader, Gijs Kleter, and Deputy Director in Charge, Laboratory Service, (NAFDAC), Abimbola Adegboyega, during EU/Dutch Mission’s visit the to NAFDAC office in Oshodi, Lagos, on Friday. Photo: Sylvester Okoruwa.

Customs to sack 500 newly recruited officers —Investigations Tola Adenubi-Lagos

The Nigerian Customs Service (NCS) is set to lay off about 200 newly recruited officers who were enlisted into the Service not up to a year ago and have already been posted to various commands. This is even as findings further revealed that the affected officers have been pencilled for sack due to irregularities uncovered in their employment processes.

According to investigations, some of the newly recruited officers were found to have submitted fake university certificates, while others did not attend the mandatory customs training college.

The third affected group were discovered to have been enlisted while they were still passing through the mandatory one year National Youth Service Scheme (NYSC).

According to a senior cus-

toms officer, who declined not to have his name in print has he is not authorised to speak on the issue, “this officers were recruited under the administration of the former Customs CG, Dikko Inde Abdullahi.

“These officers are children and relatives of highly placed Nigerians who used their parents and family friends influence to gain entrance into the Service back then. However, with the change mantra of the

Sterling Bank’s profit rises by 14.3% to N10.3bn Sterling Bank Plc said it has recorded growth in virtually all its performance indicators for the year ended December 31, 2015, pushing up profit before tax by 2.5 per cent to N11.0 billion. Similarly, profit after tax rose by some 14.3 per cent to N10.3 billion due to a higher retention of organic capital compared to the previous period.

Non-interest income grew by 13.7 per cent from N25.7 billion in 2014 to N29.3 billion largely due to a 57 per cent increase in trading income. Confirming the efficiency of the lender’s management, operating expenses decreased by 1.9 per cent from N50.6billion to N49.7 billion.

eral Ministry of Finance (FMF) and RMAFC in December 2015, where it was agreed that in view of the subsidy and other claims

by NNPC, the forensic audit of the NNPC was very critical in establishing which party was actually indebted to the other. The Forensic Audit was expected to be concluded by the end of March, 2016.

Net interest income however, declined by 8.1 per cent from N43.0 billion to N39.5 billion, driven by an 18.5 per cent increase in interest expense resulting in a 630 basis points reduction in net interest margin to 48.9 per cent.

Commenting on these financial results, Yemi Adeola, the Managing Director/Chief Executive, said: “I am pleased to report that we sustained our performance from the previous year driven by an improvement in operating efficiency. Cost-to-Income Ratio improved by 140 basis points to 72.2 per cent, Capital Adequacy Ratio stood at a record high of 17.5 per cent, while liquidity buffers remained strong

as the bank grew its after tax profit by 14.3 per cent.

“Clearly, our 2015 performance offered a clear vali-

dation of the underlying resilience of our business model.

current dispensation, the Customs CG, Hammed Alli has vowed to ensure due processes in their employement procedure, meaning most of them will get sacked. I think they should be around 500 in numbers.”

When contacted, the image maker of the Nigerian Customs Service (NCS), Wale Adeniyi, confirmed the development and admitted to uncertainty over the future of the affected officers.

He, however, could not verify the numbers of the affected Customs officers as at the time of filing in this report.

Expert cautions Fashola on planned adoption of nuclear power

By Paul Omorogbe Nigeria is not ready to adopt the use of nuclear energy to generate power due to the country’s security challenges and the inability to cope with the adverse effects of the technology.

This is the opinion of a onetime chairman of Nigeria Society of Engineers (NSE), Ibadan Branch, Mr Gbenga Ilori. The reaction comes on the heels of the announcement by Power Minister, Mr Raji Fashola that the Federal Government may adopt nuclear en-

ergy to double the nation’s electricity generation.

The engineer noted that a copy cat approach in adopting technologies from other countries should not be taken because Nigeria was a peculiar nation.

“Even in Australia where they have the richest deposits and Canada also, the utilisation of uranium deposits is not up to 10 per cent. There is hardly any developed country where electricity generated from nuclear sources is up to 30 per cent,” he said, adding that nuclear energy utilisa-

tion was declining globally.

“If the country finds it difficult safeguarding oil pipelines, what will be the fate of nuclear reactors?”

Ilori queried.

He said the cost and materials involved in running nuclear reactors and cleaning up the environment in the event of any disaster would be too expensive for the country to bear, citing the example of Japan where a meltdown occurred some years ago which involved the use of expensive robots which eventually broke down while in operation.

Nigerian Tribune

More millionaires emerge in Skye Bank promo Akin Adewakun-Lagos

More customers of Skye Bank Plc, over the weekend, in Calabar, enjoyed the benefits of savings, as three lucky winners of the bank were added to the long list of millionaires of the bank’s ongoing “Reach for the Skye consumer promotion draw, held in the city.

The market activation, which held at the city’s Watt Market, according to the bank, reiterates its commitment to empowering and satisfying its customers, while also encouraging savings culture.

Comfort Ekpin, one of the three millionaires at the promo draw, who learnt of her winning through a phone call, expressed surprise that she could be picked as one of the winners.

Speaking on the latest draw, the bank’s Group Head, Retail Banking, Nkolika Okoli, described the promo as one of the ways the bank intends to reward its teeming customers for their unwavering loyalty in the past few years, while at the same time encouraging savings culture.

Dangote fellowship lauds selection of 3 Nigerians as WEF young global leaders The Dangote Fellowship sponsored World Economic Forum (WEF)’s Young Global Leaders has released the names of the 121 laureates of the Class of 2016 of the Forum for Young Global Leaders (YGL) comprising government leaders, scientists, emerging entrepreneurs, government leaders, social activists and artists.

Three Nigerians are among the fresh list of Leaders, aged under 40, who are pushing boundaries and rethinking the world around them. Taken together, they represent the very best of this generation as they share a commitment to working with their peers to achieve results of genuine global significance.

The three Nigerians selected to join the prestigious YGL group are Ada Osakwe, Chief Executive of Agrolay Ventures; Muntaqa Umar-Sadiq, Chief Executive Officer of the Private Sector Health Alliance and Yomi Awobokun, Chief Executive Officer of Oando Downstream.

businessnews Buhari calls for concerted efforts to ensure food sufficiency 11

By Sulaimon Olanrewaju

P

resident Muhammadu Buhari, on Monday, said it was essential for both the federal and state governments to ensure adequate funding of the agriculture sector to ensure food sufficiency in the country.

The President said this in the keynote address he delivered at the National Economic Conference he convoked to proffer solutions to the country’s economic challenges.

According to the President, food production and self-sufficiency required urgent government action.

He said, “For too long government policies on agriculture have been half-hearted, suffering from inconsistencies and discontinuities.”

The president, who noted that rising food prices were a source of concern for Nigerians, added that extension services were virtually absent in several states.

He identified the importation of subsidized food products such as rice and poultry and the wastage of locally grown foods, notably fruit and vegetables, which go bad due to lack of even moderate scale agroprocessing factories and lack of feeder roads as major hindrance to food sufficiency.

“These problems I have enumerated are by no means exhaustive and some of the solutions I am putting forward are not necessarily the final word on our agricultural reform objectives,” he said.

He said the Federal Ministry of Agriculture, in collaboration with the states, should convene early meetings of relevant individuals and bodies to identify issues with a view to addressing them.

President Buhari said it was necessary “to inform the public in all print and electronic media on government efforts to increase local food production to dampen escalating food prices.”

While calling on banks to increase lending to farmers, the President advised state governments to increase their financial support through community groups.

According to him, the appropriate approach should be through leaders of community groups such as farmers’ cooperatives.

Going down memory lane, the President said, “When I was a schoolboy in the 1950s the country produced one million tons of groundnuts in two succes-

Tuesday, 22 March, 2016

main foreign exchange earners were groundnut, cotton, cocoa, palm kernel, rubber and all agro/forest resources.

“Regional Banks and Development Corporations in all the three regions were financed from farm surpluses. In other words, our

capital formation rode on the backs of our farmers.

Why was farming so successful 60 years ago?”

He added, “Now we have

better tools, better agricultural science and technology, and greater ability to process. With determination we can succeed.”

Group Head, Retail Banking North, First Bank, Idris Ado (first left); Group Executive, Retail Banking North, First Bank, Abdullahi Ibrahim (middle), principal, Harmony Secondary School, Lokoja, Mr Johnson Oladejo (first left) and students of the school, during the FirstBank Financial Literacy Day, in commemoration of the Global Money Week, in Lokoja, Kogi State.

Current realities affecting realisation of our revenue target —Customs Saliu Gbadamosi-Bauchi

THE Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has stated that the current economic realities will, no doubt, affect its meeting the about N900

billion revenue target given to it by the Federal Government for this year.

Speaking in an exclusive interview with the Nigerian Tribune, Customs’ Public Relations Officer (PRO),

Wale Adeniyi, stated that certain challenges Nigeria was confronted with currently were affecting many things, including the rate of importation, declaring that, “If we don’t get im-

Lagos assembly charges CBN on forex policy Chukwuma Okparaocha-Lagos

THE CBN has been tasked to stem the demand for dollars by Nigerians so that naira could regain its lost value in the international market.

The call was made by Rotimi Olowo, who led other lawmakers to move a motion on the floor of the Lagos State House Assembly on Monday, directing CBN to find a prompt solution to the

decline of the naira.

According to Olowo, the value of naira fell against the dollars due to importation of consumables by Nigerians and that the currency had almost been turned to toilet roll.

Olowo added that it was disturbing that some organisations were demanding for payment in dollars as against the CBN law that only naira should be accepted as means of ex-

change for goods in the country.

“We want the President of Nigeria to direct the Minister of Power to ensure regular supply of power in the country and to direct the Governor of the CBN to stop the demands for dollars in the country and the Minister of Information should embark on campaign for Nigerians to patronise locally produced goods,” he said.

Operators task SEC, NSE to address market downturn Some capital market operators on Monday suggested that the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) should hold a stakeholders’ summit to address market downturn.

They told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos that there should be synergy among operators and regulators in the interest of the capital market.

According to the operators, SEC and NSE market regulators need to do a holistic study of the market to address the challenges affecting its growth and

development.

A former President, Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN), Mr Okechukwu Unegbu, said that there was need for a paradigm shift on ways to address the developments at the nation’s bourse.

According to Unegbu, this is because impressive 2015 company results have failed to impact on the capital market.

He said that SEC and NSE needed to consult widely with all stakeholders on how to bring domestic investors back to the market.

Unegbu said that the exit of foreign investors due to government’s stance on devaluation, had taken toll on the market.

The Chief Operating Officer, InvestData Consulting Ltd., Lagos, Mr Ambrose Omordion, said that the market was passing through a critical period.

Omordion attributed the development to rising inflation rate, soaring foreign exchange rate, high interest rate, increasing unemployment rate, weak production capacity and high cost of living.

portation, we can’t get revenue.”

Adeniyi, a Deputy Comptroller-General of Customs, added that the restriction placed on access of foreign exchange for a list of 41 items by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) was affecting the rate of importation of goods into the country.

“If importers of these items do not have access to forex, if there is a limit to which they can have access to forex it means there is a limit to the volumes of importation they can make,” he said.

According to him, the exchange rate, which he described as highly volatile, also had negative effect on importation, saying it did not allow for planning for importers.

“We are certainly being confronted with some challenges. The first major one is obvious; there are certain policies over which we have no control designed to be in the best interest of the country but with some side effects on our revenue.

“One of them is the restriction on access to forex for a list of 41 items.This is really affecting the rate of importation. Added to that is the rate of the dollar/Naira exchange, which is also affecting negatively the rate of importation. Volumes have dropped drastically”

Nigerian Tribune

‘Eko Dicso to prosecute energy thieves’ The Management of Eko Electricity Distribution Company (EKEDC) said it would not hesitate to prosecute any customer found engaging in illegal electricity connection within its operations.

Mr Oladele Amoda, the Chief Executive Officer of EKEDC, gave the warning in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos on Monday.

Amoda decried the increasing cases of illegal connections to its network by customers, saying the menace was a major challenge to its operations.

He said that since the takeover of the company by the new management, it became a priority to stamp out the illegal act in the entire area.

Amoda said the company’s effort to fight energy theft had yielded positive results with the arrest of some electricity vandals and illegal by-passing of meter in some area within the network.

He warned customers who were in habit of connecting electricity illegally to desist as the act was a major source of leakages and commercial losses to the company.

Safety conference: Stakeholders to brainstorm on efficiency, safety Olatunde Dodondawa-Lagos

Stakeholders are set to brainstorm on safety, efficiency and new technology that affect oil and gas operations at Safety Conference next month.

The Oil and Gas Safety Conference and Exhibition are expected to hold between April 25th and 27th 2016 in Houston Texas, at Houston Astros-Minute Maid Park- Largest baseball location in USA. The oil and gas safety conference is organized by the industry for the industry.

The conference promises to help the industry with breakthrough technology that will allow the industry cut emissions, improve gas transmission and pipeline integrity design.

The World Bank will be participating to help the industry properly address the issue and also support the industry in its efforts.

“More than ever before, the oil and gas industry will focus on efficiency and new technology that can help reduce cost while improving the level of safety in its entire operation. The urgent demand rising from COP21 make it compelling for the industry, in addition to new regulations aimed at curbing emissions from oil and gas operations,” Ascenda Dolphins, the organiser said in a statement.

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Tuesday, 22 March, 2016

Ese Oruru’s alleged abductor granted N3m bail

Y

UNUSA Dahiru, the alleged abductor of Ese Oruru, was on Monday, granted bail in the sum of N3 million by the Federal High Court in Yenagoa.

Dahiru is also required to provide two sureties in like sum and who must be resident within the jurisdiction of the court, while one must be a civil servant of not less than level 12 while the second must be a title holder.

Ruling on the bail application, Justice H.A. Nganjiwa ordered that the suspect be remanded in prison custody pending the perfection of his bail.

The judge further said that the sureties must provide tax clearance for the past three years and adjourned the case to April 17.

Dahiru was on March 8 charged with abduction, kidnapping, unlawful carnal knowledge and sexual exploitation by the police.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that Dahiru had pleaded not guilty to the charges.

The counsel to Dahiru, Mr Kayode Olaoshebikan, who thanked the court for granting the bail, pledged

to work to meet the conditions.

The judge is expected to rule on the application of

the prosecution to obtain the evidence of Oruru in camera on the adjourned date.

Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal, Sadiq Abubakar (right) and others at the fire range to mark the opening of Nigerian Air Force Inter Command Combat Sports competition, in Kaduna, on Monday. PHOTO: NAN

Troops kill Boko Haram kingpin, rescues 67 hostages in Borno •NAF fighter jets attack suspected logistics base in Yobe •Buhari calls for more vigilance Chris Agbambu, Leon Usigbe and James Bwala with Agency Reports

A Boko Haram kingpin, Ameer of Dalore, has been killed by the military.

He was killed by 22 Brigade Garrison during a clearing operation at Dalore camp on Sunday in which they killed 19 Boko Haram terrorists.

The Nigerian Army also said on Monday that it had ambushed seven suspected Boko Haram terrorists after an operation in Dawashi, in Borno.

Colonel Sani Usman, the Acting Army Director of Public Relations, made the disclosure in a statement in Maiduguri.

He said “troops of the 7

Brigade have ambushed and killed seven Boko Haram terrorists at Dawashi early this morning.

“The gallant troops that laid in wait at the terrorists’ suspected crossing point engaged them on sight and killed the seven.”

According to him, the troops recovered one Peugeot Station Wagon loaded with 2,010 litres of petrol packed in 67 jerry cans, some uniforms and other materials.

The troops also recovered Improvised Explosive Device (IEDs) and other items, including dry cell batteries, one AK-47 rifle, tools and fish.

Usman added that the military also conducted another successful opera-

tion in Dalori village.

He stated that the 22 Brigade Garrison carried out clearing operation at the Dalori camp on Sunday and killed 19 Boko Haram terrorists, among them was Ameer (commander) of Dalore.

He added that “the troops also recovered two AK-47 Rifles, one small Machine Gun and one Hand Grenade and recovered four pickup vehicles.”

Usman said that the troops rescued 67 hostages from the terrorists’ enclave and were currently undergoing screening at Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camp in Dikwa.

The director, however, said one of the Mine Resistant Anti Personnel

We are on your side to crush Boko Haram, Germany tells FG Chris Agbambu-Abuja

GERMANY’S Deputy Defence Minister, Dr Ralf Brauksiepe, on Monday, said the country is on the side of Nigeria to curtail Boko Haram insurgents.

He further expressed his country’s determination to explore avenues of common economic and security interest that might benefit both countries, especially in the area of curbing sea piracy within the gulf of Guinea.

The Germany deputy defence minister stated this when he visited the Chief

of Defence Staff (CDS), General Abayomi Gabriel Olonisakin at the Defence Headquarters in Abuja to further boost the German– Nigeria’s military bilateral relations.

Dr Brauksiepe also observed that the Nigerian Armed Forces has displayed exceptional competence and professionalism in the fight against insurgents and criminal elements in line with global best practices.

He congratulated the CDS for the tremendous success recorded in the fight against Boko Haram insurgents in the North

Eastern part of the country.

Responding, General Olonisakin noted that the Nigerian military has over the years benefited a lot from the German government through various military aids and, therefore, solicited for more support from the German government in the area of provision of logistic support, intelligence gathering and technical assistance for the Multi-national Joint Task Force established to checkmate terrorists network in the West African sub-region.

(MRAP) vehicles was damaged as it ran into an IED and had a burst tyre.

However, as part of the collective effort by the Armed Forces of Nigeria (AFN) to expeditiously bring to an end the war against insurgency in the Northeast, Nigerian Air Force (NAF) Alpha Jet aircraft successfully attacked suspected Boko Haram Logistics Base at Allagarno, Yobe.

According to a statement issued by the Director of Public Relations & Information of the Nigerian Air Force, Group Captain Ayodele Famuyiwa, the target was selected after careful Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR)

by NAF Unmanned Combat Aerial Vehicle (UCAV).

The statement further stated that “the mission, which was carried out in support of surface forces in order to further degrade the fighting capacity of the remnants of the insurgents, was successful as can be seen in the video of the Battlefield Damage Assessment (BDA) carried out by the UCAV. “The target was probably an ammunition depot, a fuel dump or a facility housing other combustible materials. This effort is likely to create certain logistics constraints for the terrorists along the Allagarno axis.

“This is a follow-up to other interdiction missions previously carried out in Sambisa Forest, Kumshe, Iza and other suspected terrorists’ hide-outs. So far, the

NAF has carried out a total of 55 missions comprising 14 ISR, 30 interdiction/combat air support and 11 air logistics support missions in the month of March 2016.”

Meanwhile, following Boko Haram’s renewed attacks in Borno and Adamawa states, President Muhammadu Buhari has called on all Nigerians, especially those that are resident in areas previously ravaged by terrorists, to be more vigilant and ready to work with security operatives in ending the war against insurgency.

According to a statement issued by Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, in Abuja, on Sunday, Buhari reacted specifically to the spate of suicide bombings in Chibok market, Dolari Internally Displaced Person’s (IDP) camp in Borno State and the Gombi market in Adamawa State, saying that the insurgents had suffered immensely from the sustained bombardments of their camps and hide outs by the Nigerian military and had resorted to using desperate measures to gain cheap media attention.

In a related development, the Borno State Correspondents’ Chapel of the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ) has canvassed for better welfare package and insurance for members working in volatile areas to serve as motivation for the enormous risk they take in reporting events in such environment.

Easter: FRSC warns motorists against reckless driving THE Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) on Monday, warned motorists against reckless driving and speeding during the Easter holidays.

The Ore Unit Commander of the corps, Mr Kehinde Dahunsi, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Ore, that motorists abiding with traffic rules would help to stem road crashes on the highways.

“Road accidents which occur during festivals and celebrations are usually caused by human errors by persons who do not abide with all the traffic rules.

“Most of the road crashes recorded during festivities or celebrations involve mostly commercial vehicle drivers who want to make as many trips as possible, to make more money due to the increase in the number of passengers.

“We are imploring motorists and other road users to comply with all traffic rules to save lives and property because it is only the living that can celebrate,” Dahunsi said.

He said that his command would deploy more men on the Benin-OreSagamu highway to caution motorists and arrest erring drivers who flout traffic rules during the celebration.

School administrator urges focus on promotion of Nigerian cultures PARENTS and other stakeholders in the education sector have been advised not to relegate cultural promotion and enlightenment to the background in order not to allow Nigerian cultures to die.

The counsel was given by the Administrator of Childville Schools, Ogudu, Lagos, Mrs Jola Alokolaro.

Speaking at this year’s cultural day celebration, held recently in the school premises, with focus on southsouth culture, Mrs Alokolaro explained that it was the responsibility of every agent of socialisation to stifle cultural imperialism in Nigeria, stating that our young ones should be properly acculturated and assimilated to be proud of their culture.

“You will agree with me that schools being agent of socialisation should not be left behind in immersing students into their culture.

Childville as a school wants to be in the vanguard of elevation of Nigerian cultures, hence, the school’s passion about its cultural day celebration.”

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Tuesday, 22 March, 2016

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Tuesday, 22 March, 2016

Army/Shi’ite Clash: Judicial panel fails to collect army’s memorandum Shiite files criminal charges against army at ICC Muhammad Sabiu - Kaduna

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HE Judicial Commission of inquiry constituted by the Kaduna State government to look into the clashes between the Nigeria Army and the Islamic Movement of Nigeria (IMN) also known as the Shi’ite, has failed to take the memorandum of the army as promised in the last adjournment.

It will be recalled that the panel had, last week, ordered the counsel to the Shiite to presents its memorandum on or before Monday, March 21, 2016, while assuring that the commission would commence its

proceedings in earnest, by collecting the memorandum submitted by the Nigeria Army on the said date.

The panel failed to keep to its order as it again for the fifth time adjourned its sitting till Wednesday, March 23rd, 2016 for continuation of its proceedings.

The reason for the adjournment according to the chairman of the commission, Justice Muhammadu Garba Lawal, was to give the counsel to the IMN an-

other final opportunity to have access to their leader Ibrahim El-Zakzaky.

“The commission has considered the unexpected application by the counsel to the commission for yet another adjournment to enable counsel to the IMN have access to their leader.

“The inability of the counsel to the IMN to see the leader of the movement is the reason for the adjournment, now with the strong indication of the

possibility of seeing him on Monday it is reasonable to grant a short adjournment.

“The commission has granted the application and proceedings adjourned till Wednesday, March 21, 2016 and to also take the presentation from the army,” he stated.

Earlier in his application, one of the leading counsels to the commission, Yunus Ustaz Usman , informed the commission that efforts to have access to the leader

of the Islamic Movement is beginning to yield result.

Meanwhile, IMN has filed criminal charges against the Nigerian Army at the International Criminal Court in Hague.

Speaking in at news conference in Kaduna, on Monday, the spokesperson for the movement, Ibrahim Musa said they decided to take legal action because what took place in Zaria in December, was a genocide against their group.

N2bn for small, medium scale industries fund missing in Plateau Isaac Shobayo - Jos AS part of efforts to recover the money looted by the previous administration in Plateau State, the government has uncovered the disappearance of N2 billion meant for the small and medium scale industries in the state.

The Secretary to the State Government, Honourable Rufus Bature, who disclosed this in an interview with the Nigerian Tribune in Jos, said the money was released to the state, for the development of small and medium scale industries, towards the end of the last administration.

According to him, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) had written to the state government to verify if the money was disbursed for the purpose it was meant for, adding that the present administration in the state had no record of such disbursement to small and medium scale industries.

“There was a money that came towards the end of the last administration that was supposed to be given to the small and medium scale industries in the state.

The money is about N2 billion, but the money suddenly disappeared and the CBN has written to us on what we have done with the money, but we didn’t inherit such money,” he said.

Honourable Bature further pointed out that the APled government in the state, had made some recovery in terms of money looted, adding that parts of the money in some private accounts had been discovered.

Executive Secretary, Nigerian Christian Pilgrims Commission (NCPC), Mr John Kennedy Opara (middle), with the NCPC Federal Commissioners (left), and the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) representatives (right), after the kick-off of the first batch of Easter pilgrimage, at Port Harcourt International Airport, Rivers State.

FG didn’t withdraw charges against Orubebe —CCT Sunday Ejike - Abuja THE Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT), on Monday, said the Federal Government did not withdraw the charges against former Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Mr Godsday Peter Orubebe.

The Head, Press and Public Relations of the Tribunal, Ibraheem Al-hassan, in a statement made available to newsmen in Abuja, said the report in some national dailies that the charges preferred against the former minis-

ter had been withdrawn is not true.

The statement said, “Our attention at the Code of Conduct Tribunal has been drawn to recent publications from some section of mass media indicating that the Federal Government has withdrawn charges against former Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Mr Godsday Peter Orubebe.

“The Tribunal is compelled to refute the said publications, specifically contained in ThisDay Newspaper, Leadership and Online media,

dated March 21, 2016. The purported withdrawal quoted to be based on the case being fundamentally defective,” the statement stated.

The spokesman of the Tribunal further stated that the information was misleading, distortive, and should be ignored.

“The case of Mr Godsday Peter Orubebe before CCT in Charge NO: CCT/ ABJ/02/15 is still ongoing.

What transpired in court in the last session held on March 8, 2016 was a substitution of the initial charge

with a newly filed charge by the prosecution, of which leave was sought from, and granted by the Tribunal, thus; there is no withdrawal of the case by the prosecution,” the statement added.

At the last hearing of the case against Orubebe on March 8, 2016, the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP), Mohammed Diri, secured leave of the Justice Danladi Umar-led tribunal to withdraw the four-count corruption charge the government entered against Orubebe on October 8, 2015.

Ex-NIMASA DG again loses bid to stop trial Ayomide Owonibi Odekanyin - Lagos EMBATTLED former Director of the Nigeria Maritime Administration Safety Agency (NIMASA) NIMASA Patrick Akpobolokemi and two others, on Monday, challenged the jurisdiction of an Igbosere High Court to hear the suit instituted against them by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), over alleged stealing

of N754,740,680.00 million belonging to NIMASA. It will be recalled that Akpobolokemi was arraigned before Justice Raliat Adebiyi alongside Captain Ezekiel Agaba, Ekene Nwakuche, Governor Amechee Juan, Vincent Udoye, Captain Adegboyega Sahib Olopoenia and a company, Gama Marine Nigeria Limited, on a 13-count charge bordering on stealing of N754, 740,680 million belonging

to NIMASA. Akpobolokemi had, through his lawyer, Dr Joseph Nwobike , filed a notice of preliminary objection dated February 12, challenging the jurisdiction of the court to hear the suit.

He argued that by the virtue of the provisions of Section 251 (1) (a) and (3) of the Constitution only Federal High Court has exclusive jurisdiction over matters and causes arising from,

pertaining to and or is connected with the revenue of the Federal Government of Nigeria and its agencies.

Also, the fourth defendant, Governor Amechee Juan, through his counsel Ige Asemudara, also filed a similar application.

Ruling on the preliminary objections, Justice Adebiyi on Monday dismissed all the objections raised by the applicants on the ground that they lacked merit.

Musician, Nomoreloss dies of undisclosed illness

By Rotimi Ige VETERAN Nigerian musician, Olumuyiwa Osinuga, better known as ‘NoMoreLoss’, whose hit track ‘Iyawo Asiko’ dominated airwaves back in the day, is dead.

His death was confirmed on Monday, after news filtered in from different sources that he had died at an undisclosed hospital, after battling with an undisclosed illness. According to reports, several calls to his mobile phone were not answered when friends and colleagues tried to reach him, thus, fuelling rumours that he had, indeed, passed away.

However, an online source confirmed his death, when it reported that a lady, who didn’t identify herself, answered the call and made the disclosure.

“He cannot answer the phone,” the lady was quoted to have said. “The news is true. ‘No More Loss’ passed on this morning. I can’t disclose what happened right now.

“The family will make an official statement, disclosing what happened.

You can call back in the evening. I will be able to speak by then.”

His manager, Joyce Iyamu, also confirmed that the multi-talented entertainer is, indeed, dead.

Nomoreloss’ social media page was last updated a couple of days ago on March 10.

It was gathered that the singer was hospitalised two weeks ago after being diagnosed of Typhoid, and that he was discharged and recuperating, before the relapse on Monday that sadly led to his death.

Born in Lagos in the 70s, Nomoreloss attended A.D.R.A.O. International school in Victoria Island for his primary and secondary education.

He will be greatly remembered for the role he played as the cordinator of the ‘Save OJB campaign’ during OJB Jezreeel’s kidney ailment in 2013.

Some of the his popular songs include ‘Iyawo Asiko’, ‘Oro Re’, ‘Ololufe’ and others. He was also sang the hook in Ruggedman’s famous track ‘Ehen pt 1’.

He leaves behind a wife, Phoenix and a five year old daughter, Mo.

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Tuesday, 22 March, 2016

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Tuesday, 22 March, 2016

Nigerian Tribune

agriculture FG to provide motorised harvesters to oil palm farmers Collins Nnabuife - Abuja The Minister of state for Agriculture and Rural Development Senator Heineken Lokpobiri has disclosed that the Federal Government would provide seventy three motorized harvesters to boost oil palm production in the country.

The Minister made this statement when Oil Palm Growers Association (OPGAN) paid him a courtesy visit in his office recently.

To that effect, the Minister said the Federal Government has procured 73 motorized oil palm harvesters to ease the suffering and loss that the farmers experience while harvesting and also to help in providing quality and world standard palm oil.

Senator Lokpobiri also said that the motorized harvester will be given to the farmers at a subsidized price and that farmers will be trained on how the harvester will be operated.

He assured the leadership of the association that, they are going to be carried along in all the activities between the government and the farmers and assured them that government is committed to helping the farmers to access a single digit loan from CBN, Bank of Agriculture and Bank of Industry which will help the farmers to expand their farms and boost production to attain food security.

The Minister also said that on issues of land tenure and land clearing, the Federal Government will partner with State Governments and the communities to achieve the required result.

He therefore said State Governments will be sensitized and encouraged to key in to the program so that with their support the farmers will have more support because the issue of food security is everybody’s concern.

On his part, the National President of Oil Palm Growers Association (OPGAN) Igwe Hilary E. C. Uche thanked the Federal Government for the response and urged the government to come to their aid in assisting the oil palm farmers with high yielding seeds, as farmers need less than 9million high yielding seeds, land clearing and loans from banks at a single digit.

Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Audu Ogbeh (secosnd right), receiving the preliminary report from Oloche A. Edache, a leader of the policy working group (second left), at the end of the strategy retreat on agricultural policy road map. With them are Minister of State, Senator Heineken Lokpobiri (left) and Permanent Secretary, Dr Shehu Ahmed.

Youths in Africa seek stakeholders’ support to develop agriculture Collins Nnabuife - Abuja Youths in Central and West Africa on Thursday, canvassed the support of stakeholders to develop agriculture and agribusinesses in rural areas of the region.

The youths spoke during the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) 9th Annual Regional Workshop titled “investing in rural youths; how do we plant the seed for the future.”

The workshop which draws participants from across West and Central Africa is aimed at

reawakening the consciousness of all stakeholders to the role of youth in agriculture to the future of Africa.

Nnaemeka Ikegwuonu, who represented the youth farmers maintained that they had the required expertise to grow rural economy.

“We will like to use this opportunity to invite the Federal Government of Nigeria, IFAD, and development finance institutions, corporate organisations, development projects and interested individuals to invest in the youths especially in the rural areas.

“I want to re-echo the voices of the many young people far and near and call on Governments and all stakeholders to deepen and broaden engagement with us young agroprenuers and see us an incredible opportunity of job and wealth creation and rural transformation,” he said.

Ikegwuonu said the success of the few youths practicing agriculture at the moment will inspire many more young people to join the venture as a business.

He, however, stressed the need for effective communication strategy to elevate and celebrate the successes to create a positive

image for agriculture.

Ikegwuonu said existing agricultural credit facilities rarely supports young people who want to set up or grow agribusiness, adding that youths had been advocating restructuring of agricultural credit facilities in West and Central Africa to make it more youth friendly.

According to him, high interest rates, demand for huge collaterals and inherent lack of transparency in the application process had often made the credit facility not interesting to young people.

Afe Babalola seeks $2.5m IFAD facility for ABUAD’s ‘youth empowerment in agri business’ Sam Nwaoko -Ado Ekiti Afe Babalola University, Ado Ekiti (ABUAD) has approached the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) for a $2.5 million grant for its initiative in youth agriculture empowerment and agribusiness.

ABUAD, which received the leadership of IFAD in the university at the weekend, said the facility it is seeking from IFAD “is targeted at stimulating agribusinesses to benefit the larger rural communities in Nigeria and Benin Republic.”

The founder of ABUAD, Chief Afe Babalola (SAN), who received

the President of IFAD, Dr Kanayo Nwanze, and his team in the university campus, said the initiative would be achieved through, among other things, decent employment, contract-farming opportunities and income generation.

Babalola said the project, to be undertaken by ABUAD and its partners, “is targeted at development of in-house enterprise and infrastructure for training millions of youth; and 40 per cent increase in agribusiness enterprises and income generation for over 750,000 youths (students and non students) in Nigeria and Benin Republic.”

According to him, over 500,000 rural and urban agribusinesses would have access to trained youth in agribusiness and over 200,000 new mini agribusiness enterprises private sector will emerge, using starter-pack funds that will be provided to trained youths.

ABUAD and its partners - the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA); Africa Rice Centre (AfricaRice) and ABUAD Farms - are proposing 36 months implementation period to IFAD. Babalola said ABUAD and the partners had developed “a potent mechanism for empowering rural youth and directing them to careers in agribusiness,” and added

that participating youth, designated as “agripreneurs” (agricultural entrepreneurs), had been conducting agribusiness incubations leading to profitable rural enterprises with good returns on investment.

He told Dr Nwanze and the IFAD team that “by the time you go round you will see the reason why NUC- the regulatory body described our university as a benchmark, model and reference point for other universities and why UNESCO described our university as a 21st Century world class university and why the former Minister for Agriculture now AFDB President, Dr Akinwumi

Adeshina, said he had gone round all Nigerian universities and had not seen any with such large commercial farm.”

Among others, ABUAD has a mango farm on 500 hectatres with 110,000 trees, moringa plantation with over 5,000 trees, moringa factory producing tea, soap, cream, oil, capsule, powder etc, with Chief Babalola saying “our feed mill which produces the feed for ABUAD Farm fish and for many states in Nigeria.”

The IFAD President, Dr Nwanze, who said the potential of agriculture to develop the nation’s youth was high, spoke on the need to invest in the younger ones.

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Tuesday, 22 March, 2016

‘Aregbesola has revitalised farm activities’

How to plant tomatoes in your backyard Tomatoes are fairly easy to grow and will produce a bumper crop with proper care. However, tomatoes are susceptible to a range of pests and diseases.

Here are some tips on planting and caring for your tomatoes.

If you’re planting seeds (versus purchasing transplants), you’ll want to start your seeds indoors six to eight weeks before the average last spring frost date.

See our post on “Tomatoes From Seed the Easy Way.” Select a site with full sun and well-drained soil.

For northern regions, is is VERY important that your site receives at least 6 hours of sun. For souther regions, light afternoon shade will help tomatoes survive and thrive.

Two weeks before transplanting seedlings outdoors, till soil to about 1 foot and mix in aged manure, compost, or fertilizer.

Harden off transplants for a week before moving outdoors.

Transplant after last spring frost when the soil is warm.

Establish stakes or cages in the soil at the time of planting. Staking keeps developing fruit off the ground, while caging let’s the plant hold itself upright. Some sort of support system is recommended, but sprawling can also produce fine crops if you have the space, and if the weather cooperates.

Plant seedlings two feet apart.

Pinch off a few of the lower branches on transplants, and plant the root ball deep enough so that the remaining lowest leaves are just above the surface of the soil.

Water well to reduce shock to the roots.

Culled from www.almanac. com/plant/tomatoes

Nigerian Tribune

By Tunde Ogunesan THE administration of Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola as the State governor has really transformed Agricultural activities in Osun state, in the last five years.

This was disclosed by the General Manager, Osun State Agricultural Development Corporation (OSADEC), John Olanipekun, while reviewing the effort of the state government in revitalizing farm settlements in the state.

The state currently owns nine worki n g

farm settlements in the state, both resident and non-residential. The settlements are: Ago-Owu, Esa-Oke and Oyere which were established in the 1960s by the former Premier of the defunct Western Region, Chief Obafemi Awolowo; Igbaye, Ifon-Orolu and Oluponna settlements established by the military regime of Colonel Theophilus Bamigboye between 1997 and 1998 While the administration of Chief Adebisi Akande between 1999 and 2003 also made concerted efforts and created three non-residential settlements at Mokore, Iwo and Ila-Orangun.

According to Olanipekun, the state government provided free mechanisation services for clearing and preparation of farmland of over 7,000 hectares owned by farmers to boost massive food production in the state.

“Since the coming of the present administration in the state, there had been radical transformation in term of agricultural activities in the state. When the government came to power, it realized the need to diversify the economy of the state, which is changing tune from over reliance on oil to agriculture. This is also seen in the attention given to farm settlements in the State.

“OSSADEC has also cleared 754 hectres of land, and provided for various group of farmers outside the farm settlements at subsidised rate, thus making farming easy for farmers in the State of Osun.

The state government has also assisted farmers in the settlements and in other parts of the state to access credit facilities.”

Olanipekun further disclosed that since the Aregbesola-led adminis-

Women processing casava at Ago-Owu farm settlement, in Osun State.

tration came into office, no fewer than 3,645 farmers have benefitted from loan facilities of N429, 740,000.00, while in 2015 it commenced the disbursement of N500million to about 5,500 farmers across the state.

“The loan is interest free to farmers. The state Government paid the interest on behalf of the farmers to the Bank of Agriculture (BOA), which is collaborating with the state on the implementation of the loan scheme.

“The Government made it zero per cent interest to make it accessible to farmers, so as to boost their morale. This loan covered virtually all aspects of agriculture, ranging from crops, livestock, fishery, piggery and agricultural marketing like agro chemical and insecticides.

“Aside from the cash loan, there are other kinds of loan facilitated by the State government to farmers. For instance, the State under O-REAP, gave agro chemicals, seeds and seedlings to identified farmer groups and individuals.

“The State has also assisted farmers in adding value to their produce through the provision of storage facilities to farmers. It constructed over 120 Cribs for storage, which is highly subsidized by the state government,” he said.

Olanipekun added that OSSADEC has 10 set of cassava processing equipment, another 10 set of cassava chipping machines, three set of yam flour (Elubo) processing equipment, four set of multi grain threshing equipment, 20 rice harvesting equipment to sell to farmers, group of farmers and farmer cooperatives at 40 per cent subsidy.

College of Animal Health Ibadan urges new students to be good ambassadors

By Wale Olapade The Provost, Federal college of Animal Health and Production Technology, Ibadan, Dr Olufunmilayo Adejinmi has, admonished students of the institution to renew commitment to development of themselves in their course of studies in order to be good ambassador of their different de-

partment afterwards.

The provost made the call recently at the 2015/16 matriculation exercise for the new intake into the ND and HND in full and part time programme in different department of the college.

While speaking on adequate documentation at different department of the institution, Dr Adejinmi urged the students to be

prompt in their registration exercise, adding that it confers on the students certain rights and privileges under the laws establishing the college.

“On the other hand, matriculation documentation also imposes on you certain obligations in your relationship with the college where by every student is expected to be of exemplary

behavior that would enhance the college corporate image as well as smooth administration.

“In the course of your training, you will be faced with a new learning situations in course unit system, which will keep you on your toes academically at all times,” she said.

In addition, the introduction of entrepreneurial

skills (theory and practical) is another development in Nigeria educational curriculum.

“I enjoined you to be more serious as the course will enable you to learn more skills, not only in college mandate areas, but also other skills capable of providing employment opportunities and sustaining your future,” she added.

18 LETTERS TO THE

Tuesday, 22 March, 2016

editor

Letters to the editor should be sent to letterstribune@yahoo.com or by sms to 08078891826.

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

A critical analysis of the 2016 UTME

P

ERMIT me to use this medium to present my stand on the 2016 UTME, as well as the way forward for the organising body.

I want to give kudos to the officials of the Joint Admissions and Matriculations Board (JAMB), and in particular, the boss, Professor Dibu Ojerinde, for his gallant efforts in taking university entrance examination to its desired international level. His efforts should be commended rather than condemned, and I want to say that the cry to return to the paper-pencil examination is like a cry for re-colonisation. These are my sincere analyses of the 2016 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).

The examination experienced some hitches.

The hitches include, shut down systems, malfunction systems, officials sending students out, not minding if they have been affected, release of miraculous (unexpected, below expectation) scores, mix up of subjects, among others. There are other student-made hitches too like late arrival, going to wrong centres, trying to manipulate etc.

Now, the fact on ground is, which no one must try to sweep under the carpet, and which pains more (can lead to depression on the candidate’s part) is

when brilliant candidates get low scores, while below-average students got 200 marks and above.

Although JAMB may want to deny it, if the body is serious about taking examination to the international level, then it won’t get there if if always puts up no-error stance!

If for any reason, candidates with malfunction systems are chased out, don’t we all know their future is involved? And these Information, Communication and Technology (ICT) centres staff will say it’s not true? Can we for once in Nigeria admit error, trace error, and apologise?

The ICT-based exam is the most reliable, as it cannot be manipulated because it goes into the data base once it is clicked!

The hurdle now is, are we sincerely devoted to diligently confirming the cases raised? Can JAMB not pile up these complaints and re-trace each child’s case?

It does not take time! It’s the easiest thing to do!

But Nigerians are lazy in doing their work, so they complain it can’t be done!

Our righteousness is not in the workplace, but in our religious centres.

JAMB’s Professor Ojerinde must order an investigation into all complaints, while the outcome must be to determine whether they are genuine or fake complaints.

A child who has been coming first in his ex-

aminations from primary school to Senior Secondary School (SSS) 3, will definitely not score 170 in the UTME. JAMB must definitely revisit the complaints arising from this year’s examination, even if it means that all the ICT experts will sleep in their workplace for one week.

If it is discovered that systems malfunctioned during the examination, then such centre must give

candidates more time.

In other external examinations like the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE), Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE), students call for remark of their papers, so why is retracing their ICT data base not possible with JAMB? Machine-marked exam is the easiest to retrace. The change we desire in Nigeria is to have every voice

heard, and not trampled upon.

I hope that JAMB will get to the level of GRE, GMAT, TOEFL and other international examinations that display scores immediately a paper section is completed.

The data base of JAMB can show scores like these international exams as students complete each subject.

There may be the need for more expert touch on

the Computer Based Test (CBT) programme being currently used.

Nigerian graduates can do this perfectly, not companies that would take money and install inadequate programmes that cannot meet various challenges of e-examinations.

•Dr (Mrs) Victoria Akintoye, Ibadan.

(08026990008)

Still on Ocholi’s death THE recent road accident which claimed the lives of the former Minister of State for Labour, Mr James Ocholi, and some members of his family was such a terrible one. However, we must not forget that more people are dying on our roads on a daily basis because of excessive speeding and the bad condition of the roads.

It is as a result of this that I want to call on the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) to do more towards sensitising Nigerian drivers on the speed

limits on expressways across the country.

Due to the fact that some drivers are behind the wheels of state-of-the-art vehicles, they travel at very high speed.

The FRSC should, therefore, start a campaign informing drivers that ‘Speed kills.’

I, however, pray that God will grant the family of the late minister the fortitude to bear the loss.

•Jimoh Mumin, jimohmumin@yahoo.com

Waiting for Dangote’s refinery THE ongoing construction of the Dangote Refinery, which will take-off in 2018, will definitely bring an end to fuel shortages in the country.

The refinery has the capacity to meet local demand, while exporting the remaining petroleum products.

One good thing about

this project is that it will bring an end to the reign of some fuel importers in the country. While these fuel importers held Nigerians by the jugular, they never thought that one day, their stranglehold on the economy would come to an end.

Instead of them to have come up with plans to construct their refineries here

in Nigeria, they felt the nation’s refineries would never work, and they would continue to hold Nigerians down economically.

Now, with the coming of the Dangote refinery, most of the tank farms that dot Apapa, in Lagos will be rendered useless.

I, therefore, want to thank the president of the

Dangote Group, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, for investing in the country and on the African continent.

Here is a man who believes no foreigner can save Africa, except by ourselves.

May he continue to invest on the continent for the development of the people.

•Nelson Ekwale, Benin.

19

editorial

Tuesday, 22 March, 2016

Nigerian Tribune

The Nigerian elite and road safety rules

R

ECENTLY, a tragic accident claimed the lives of Mr James Ocholi, the erstwhile Minister of State for Labour, and his wife and son on the Abuja and Kaduna expressway. Since the event, there has been an outpouring of emotions across the country indicating that the late minister touched people’s lives in many significant ways. The incident indeed demonstrated, once again, the fickleness of human existence. However, the event, tragic though it was, has brought the issue of Nigerians’ compliance with road safety rules to the fore of national discourse once again. Truth be told, the tragedy was annoyingly avoidable. All warnings about safety went unheeded and it was difficult for many Nigerians to resist flinching at the details which the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) brought out in its analysis of the accident.

The late Ocholis were, during the ill-fated trip, chauffeured by an unlicensed driver in a Sport Utility Vehicle (SUV) that reportedly exceeded speed limits. The SUV, by its design, is not suitable for any speed beyond the recommended 100 kilometres per hour. Speeding in it could, as in this instance, be easily catastrophic. As the FRSC found out, none of the dead victims had even deigned to fasten the safety belts provided in the vehicle. As the vehicle experienced a burst tyre at a top speed, it is possible that the unlicensed driver slammed the brakes, an ill-advised reflex action that could only have produced a tragic result.

The sad truth is that the bulk of the Nigerian power elite are contemptuous of safety rules as if those rules were the exclusive preserve of the ordinary motorists who, in turn, also merely comply in order to avoid the FRSC’s sanctions, rather than strictly for their safety. Previously, the FRSC had been rebuffed by the state governors when it was suggested that its men should accompany the governors’ convoys to ensure strict compliance with speed limits.

Do the power elite need reminding that the safety gadgets in vehicles were provided by the manufacturers after a lot of research had been conducted to reduce the loss of lives on the roads? Do they need to be told that the gadgets have been specified by the relevant authorities as the basic minimum requirements for safety irrespective of the socio-economic class of the vehicle user? Seen in the proper perspective, we believe, non-compliance is effectively an attempt to commit

suicide on the part of the dissenter. The condescending attitude of the power elite in disobeying standard rules is despicable, to put it mildly, and it is exasperating that the respective agencies that should sanction non-compliance lack the courage to enforce these rules on the powerful members of the society.

It is curious that this social class, which is conscious of its security and deploys armed personnel for this purpose, sees compliance with road safety rules as the ineluctable fate of the underprivileged. The airs members of this class assume have unfortunately been their undoing, invariably seeing a majority of them to their early graves and maiming the rest. The power elite erroneously think they are too big to be sanctioned by any law enforcement agency and, as such, they commit suicide without permit. Sadly, the FRSC’s strident warning that “speed kills” is always flagrantly breached by those who are supposed to be the standard-bearers of the society’s laws and it is instructive that the survivors in the fatal accident which claimed the Ocholis’ lives were the passengers who obeyed the seat belt rule.

Given the foregoing, the FRSC should devise a campaign targeted at the power elite, showing them that using the seat belt is a safety requirement and not a status symbol. In any case, even if a passenger dies in an accident putting on the safety belt, it is likely that his or her corpse will still be in one piece in the vehicle, something quite unlikely if he or she is flung out of the vehicle as a result of the refusal to use the seat belt. It is also important that drivers are equipped with specific detailed instructions on the vehicles they drive, including their features and limitations. Many of the chauffeurs get overly excited behind the SUVs. Impressed by the stability and luxury of the vehicle, they tend to go overboard, exceeding the speed limit. Even when this registers on the speedometer, the errant drivers often fail to take caution. Vehicle owners who wish to remain alive therefore owe themselves a duty to call their driver to order if and when they detect speeding.

If it is naturally thought that the literate members of society should be easier to govern than their uneducated compatriots, the Nigerian situation where simple obedience to safety rules is misconstrued as the lot of the common people easily negates this impression. Staying alive, then, is ultimately a personal choice.

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20 opinion

Tuesday, 22 March, 2016

It’s our Senate, not a Sharia court

L

ATE last week, a premonitory event, which could most likely precede the eruption of fiery molten magma from Nigeria’s crust, played out and its epicenter was infuriatingly the floor of the Nigerian senate.

My initial prerogative at the looming hullabaloo was to sit quietly on the bleachers and contribute nothing but my undiluted spectatorship.

However, I woke up to the harsh reality that woe betides not just Veracity, but posterity if I act like ‘Dumbo,’ the circus elephant, refusing to lend my unique ‘flying’ weapon to my fellow mortals with the XX chromosome when they are being confronted with an annihilation of their essence because I cowered at being tagged a ‘feminist.’ While in reality, I have been labelled as the same, long before now by chauvinistic male homosapiens. So, I might as well throw the rabid myopic dogs a huge bone!

Exactly a week ago, on Tuesday, March 15, 2016, the 8th National Assembly of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, inaugurated on June 9, 2015 and led by Senate President, Bukola Saraki, squashed a bill cited as the Gender and Equal Opportunities Bill, during its plenary session, AGAIN! Horrifyingly, the bill didn’t even pass the second reading before it was axed down in the face of smoldering nays and alas, history repeated itself about half a dozen years after a similar bill was presented at the sixth and seventh Senate by Chris Anyanwu, a former Senator from Imo East.

Well, it wasn’t surprising that the bill was rejected AGAIN, only unnerving, outraging and disgusting. Do we need a sangoma to proclaim that Nigeria needs a legal structure that would protect and preserve the wives, mothers and daughters of this nation before we sweep into action?

Do we rather fold our arms and watch, with flatulent criticism or abhorrent indifference, the heart wrenching desolation of several innocent girls like the Ese Orurus of this nation, the barbarity with which widows are treated because of some demonic obsolete tradition, the fast shrinking population of women in politics, the devastating upsurge in rape, violation, violence, sexual harassment and a myriad of other dehumanising treatments the Nigerian woman suffers than give breath to a solid legal substratum that would, if not obliterate these perplexing realities, at least mitigate them?

Being a mortal with the XX chromosome in Nigeria is fast becoming a similitude of the life of a school of herrings, a forage fish that feeds near the base of the aquatic food chain and are preyed upon by almost everything else in the marine wild.

veracity with Vera Onana

veraonana@gmail.com 08054680688

I stand to reiterate that all carriers of the XY must take note that if you think it is a walk in the park to be female in Nigeria, then you must have had a concussion that wiped off a huge part of your mental storage system. This is a country where there is a notorious prominence of child brides. According to UNICEF, 43 per cent of girls are married off before they turn 18. In this country, nearly three in 10 women have experienced physical violence since age 15 while 7 per cent have experienced sexual violence. One in every four married women have experienced physical, sexual or emotional violence. Women are constantly being sexually harassed in schools, work places are constantly marginalised in not only politics, but other corporate establishments. How will a Gender and Equality Opportunities Bill pass in a male dominated Senate where casual misogyny is almost norm?

Of Nigeria’s 109 senators, only eight are female, carriers of the XX chromosome! Ironically, that statistic got me guffawing in the face of such an enormous national issue, but salient points must be made. In the middle of 2015, females in Nigeria took to twitter and with the hastag #beingfemaleinNigeria shared the hardships that encumbered the Nigerian woman. I would do us all a favour by not revisiting the paralysing experiences of females in Nigeria that were shared on twitter, but they cannot be overemphasised.

Hitherto, is it a criminal offence for the Nigerian female to seek a little window to climb through in the face of all these oppositions? Senator Biodun Olujimi of PDP, Ekiti South, should be lauded for presenting the Bill for consideration and not vilified by some stereotypic Northern male senators who spat fire and brimstone, leading the onslaught against the Gender

and Equal Opportunities Bill with the porous excuse that the proposed law was in breach of the Nigerian Constitution and in conflict with the Sharia Law. When did the Nigerian Senate become a Sharia court? How does an innocuous struggle for some self respect and dignity breach the Nigerian constitution?

I could care less about those Northern naysayers because they stink of desperate self preservation. It is stale news that the chief naysayer’s harem features at least one minor!

However, our Senate is not and must never be converted into a Sharia court.

All the Nigerian female is simply requesting for is a legal pedestal that would serve as an aegis in the face of opposition and provide some traction for the proper legal action against perpetrators. Is that too much to ask?

Though the Senate President, Bukola Saraki, in his reaction to the rejection of the Bill, has said “unfortunately, the bill suffered a slight set back because there were some parts of the bill that some senators disagreed with along the lines of religion and tradition. I have it on good authority that Senator Biodun Olujimi, who introduced this Bill, will reintroduce it after re-drafting it to address some of the reservations that were expressed on the floor of the Senate,” I wonder what redrafting he is talking about because tampering with the contents of the Bill or a compromise of any sort is the beginning of a lost course. The Bill is apt as it is and everything interred therein addresses the vindication of the Nigerian female.

While we wait for events to unfold, I see Nigeria tottering at the brink of a mutiny that brings to mind the first comedy by my kinsman, renowned poet and playwright, J.P. Clark’s The Wives’ Revolt, but I can assure you this one thing; the Nigeria Female’s mutiny would be nothing like hilarious! The Nigerian female will say NO in this patriarchal nation regardless of whose ox is gored.

In J.P. Clark’s Erhuwaren, men shared the money paid to them by the company that drills oil from their community into three parts – one for the elders, one for the men and the last for the women. The problem was that the ‘elders’ were also all men.

So, the women said “no!” To make it fair, they demanded the money be split into two – a simple division between the sexes.

But the men also said “no!” and a cycle of ‘do me, I do you’ ensued. I hope that doesn’t become the case in Nigeria, but after three rejections, even the most demure female could become an unbridled shrew!

Nigeria and the war against malnutrition

By Odeyinde Ebunoluwa

Optimal nutritional status is the state where the body gets all the nutrients that provide good health and optimal utilisation.

Presence of problems like inadequate food intake, infectious and parasitic diseases, and adverse environmental factors often associated with poverty, cause low nutritional status and, therefore, prevents people from realising their full growth potential.

Malnutrition can be defined as a physical weakness caused by not eating enough food of the right kind. It can also be described as a state in which the physical functions of an individual is impaired to the point where he/she can no longer maintain an adequate level of performance at such things as physical work, resisting or recovering from effects of disease, maintaining an adequate level of growth, or the process of pregnancy or lactation. Nutritional status is, therefore, a sensitive indicator of health status and nourishment levels of a population.

Malnutrition, which is a serious condition that occurs when a person’s diet doesn’t contain the right amount of nutrients, simply means poor nutrition, and can be referred to as “under nutrition” when the victim does not possess enough nutrients or “over nutrition,” when the victim has more nutrients than he/ she requires. It is caused by having inadequate diet or a problem absorbing nutrients from food. There are several reasons either of these conditions may occur to include having reduced mobility, a long-term health condition such as a chronic disease, or a low income. Malnutrition could be in form of kwashiorkor, anemia, obesity, xerophthalmia, pellagra, among others.

Additionally, some medical conditions can lead to malnutrition; these include, a condition such as liver disease or cancer which results in lack of appetite; a mental health condition including depression or dementia which may affect one’s ability to look

after him/herself; a condition such as ulcerative colitis, that disrupts the ability of one’s body to digest food particles or absorb nutrients; and a condition such as dysphagia that makes swallowing difficult or painful.

Good nutrition is a prerequisite for the national development of countries and for the well-being of individuals. Nutrition’s story over the years has taught us that the 1,000 day window of opportunity between pregnancy and a child’s second birthday is the period which represents the best shot in helping a child reach his/her maximum potential and sets the stage for life.

Starting from the womb, the foetus is at risk if the mother lacks essential vitamins, minerals and nutrients needed for brain, bone and organ development. Many pregnant women in Nigeria suffer from anemia during pregnancy, which can cause health problems for the baby. Once the baby is born, from birth to the first six months, early and exclusive breastfeeding without adding other foods or liquids is the very best way to ensure a very healthy baby. After the first six months of life, adding sufficient quantities of nutritious solid foods along with continued breastfeeding is absolutely necessary to make sure that the child grows correctly. Most stunting happens during

this period and the cost of malnutrition during this 1,000-day window is almost always irreversible: damage to the brain, leading to poor educational performance and lower IQ; poor growth and development and remarkably, this early deprivation increases a child’s risk of developing chronic diseases such as diabetes, high blood pressure and heart disease-all requiring medical attention later in life.

Another huge challenge is that malnutrition in children can happen and persist for years and we can’t always see it. The invisible nature of chronic malnutrition sets up a pattern that we see happening generation after generation. This intergenerational cycle of growth failure starts with the malnourished woman. When mothers are malnourished or stunted, they are at greater risk of complications during pregnancy and childbirth; they also have greater risk of delivering a child with low birth weight, higher risk of illness, higher risk of delayed emotional and intellectual development and also more likely to suffer from growth failure in those important early developmental years. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO) recommendation, after exclusive breastfeeding in the first six months of life, children must be fed a variety of foods to make sure they receive all the nutrients they need. However, a national survey shows that two out of every three infants and children are not being fed appropriately. Malnutrition is a national problem; finding solutions must be a shared responsibility.

Therefore, in our individual capacities, we ought to note that malnutrition can easily be prevented if we are continually mindful or conscious of whatever we eat, drink as well as our lifestyles. Most importantly, we mustn’t fail to remain close to our health counsellors or those who are more informed than us as regards dietary matters. This approach alone would go a long way to keep us healthy at all times.

•Odeyinde is of the University of Ibadan.

21

Tuesday, 22 March, 2016 Taiwo Adisa - 08072000046 Group Politics Editor tai_adis@yahoo.com

Ganduje

Kwankwaso

As Ganduje, Kwankwaso’s rift tears Kano APC apart

In recent times, things seem to have fallen apart between Kano State governor, Abdullahi Ganduje and his predecessor, Rabiu Kwankwaso. KOLA OYELERE reports the impact of the crisis on the ruling party in the state

T

HE general question in the minds of the teeming masses in the ancient city of Kano is how things fell apart between the immediate past governor of the state, Dr Rabiu Kwankwaso and the incumbent governor, Dr Abdullahi Ganduje. As the saying goes, there is no permanent friend in politics, but a permanent interest. The crisis within the rank and file of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state has evidently confirmed the aptness of this saying.

Prior to the emergence of Kwankwaso and Ganduje as governor and deputy governor respectively in 1999, both had contested the governorship primary election on the platform of the People Democratic Party (PDP). However, Kwankwaso emerged the winner, and Ganduje came second. But chieftains of the PDP then, including former Minister of Labour, Alhaji Musa Gwadabe, Ambassador Aminu Wali and late Dr Abubakar Rimi, felt that it would be nice for both to go into the governorship race proper on a joint ticket.

As luck would have it, the duo won the election and ruled the state from 1999 to 2003, before their second term ambition was thwarted by the then candidate of the defunct All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP), Malam Ibrahim Shekarau, who eventually ruled the state for two terms consecutively. Interestingly, even when the coast was clear for Ganduje to contest the governorship seat in 2007 after Kwankwaso was tactically denied the chance of contesting for the post, he (Ganduje) refused to

signify interest in the race because of his respect for his boss, even though many favoured him as the candidate to beat.

Indeed, Ganduje graciously accepted the job of Personal Assistant (PA) to Kwankwaso when the then president, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, appointed him as the Defence Minister. To cut the long story short, both were siamese twins in the political engagement, until the PDP lost power to the APC. But as luck would have it again, when election time came in 2011, Kwankwaso and Ganduje came on board, going on to win the election like they did in 1999. And when the popular tsunani of the “CHANGE” came and many members of the PDP defected to the APC the duo joined the train, even while their tenure was yet to expire.

During the 2015 general election, Ganduje was elected governor on the platform of the new APC, while Kwankwaso headed to the Senate. According to investigations, the cracks set in within the Kano APC when loyalists of the former governor, now senator representing Kano Central, started grumbling that they were sidelined by Ganduje when he formed his government .

There were various attacks and counter attacks thrown from both camps, with members criticising and abusing one another over the state radios. But the last straw that broke the camel’s back came, when Governor Ganduje lost his mother, Hajiya Fatimah Ganduje. As was normal, the entire Ganduje, the home of the incumbent governor, was turned into a Mecca, and large numbers of lowly and highly rated politi-

cians both from within and outside the state besieged the place on condolence visits. Dr Kwankwaso, who also happened to be a son of the soil, decided to pay a condolence visit to his former deputy.

Being a highly placed politician, his teeming admirers believed he must be given a rousing welcome to the state capital, particularly as he had not visited home since being elected senator. The supporters mobilsed themselves in hundreds and, with pomp and ceremony, arrived the Malam Aminu Kano International Airport (MAKIA) , waiting for their man to arrive from Abuja. This festivity did not however go down well with many supporters of the governor, who alleged that hoodlums had taken over the airport, brandishing dangerous weapons and shouting political slogans. But the question posed by other politicians was: did the senator send these people?

The army of Kwankwaso’s supporters accompanied him to Ganduje, where the former governor condoled his former deputy.

Critics however stressed that they turned the visit to a political gathering where party slogans were shouted.

Addressing a press conference on that day, the state chairman of the APC, Alhaji Haruna Doguwa, said the party expressed dismay over the lack of respect for the constitution of the party displayed allegedly by Kwankwaso during his condolence visit to the incumbent governor. He said: “As you have all witnessed, quite a number of eminent personalities across the width and breadth of Nigeria came to Kano and condoled

Governor Ganduje over the loss of his dear mother. Interestingly, some were from the opposition camp, but all exhibited unprecedented sense of sympathy, consideration, compassion, kindness and brotherhood.

“The only unfortunate incident was the one associated with the visit of the immediate past governor, who specifically made the visit a misdemeanor to our party spirit of discipline and brotherhood. The visit was purely political as against the mission of condolence. We wish to unequivocally state that the leadership of APC in Kano was not officially informed about the intention of senator to pay a condolence visit to the bereaved governor, let alone the display of seeming presidential campaign slogans and chanting of hatred and vulgar vituperations against the incumbent governor during the visit.”

He, then stated: “There is no presidential vacancy in the first place. Our loyalty and commitment is to our able president, Muhammad Buhari, and his policies and programmes.”

Doguwa declared that the case of indiscipline associated with the visit of Senator Kwankwaso would be thoroughly investigated and dealt with in accordance with the constitution of the party. Surprisingly, however, the same chairman went on air again to address another press conference, wherein he withdrew his earlier statement against Kwankwaso, claiming that he was forced to indict the senator for alleged sponsorship of armed thugs during his condolence visit.

Doguwa told reporters at the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ) conference hall: “The previous press statement read and signed by me was not written by my humble self; neither did I participate in the drafting, but rather, I was coerced to sign under duress and under the close marking by the state apparatus. What makes it more curious for me to recant this is the fact that the Elders Committee is not part of the party executive, hence, procedurally, we cannot issue a joint statement. I therefore, consider this as an oversight on the part of the party to issue such statement.”

According to him, the executive arm of the government “has confused purely social event with politics. The visit by the former governor to fraternise and condole his former deputy and now governor of our great state has been politicised out of proportion.

We have observed this with concern and this action is capable of pitching our members against one another.”

Doguwa noted that other politicians, including those from the opposition parties, exhibited activities similar to that which Kwankwaso was accused of. “In order to forestall unpleasant consequences on the party and its teeming supporters, I find it necessary to profusely apologise on the statement earlier issued and hereby withdraw that statement. The said press statement which I hereby disassociate myself from; is indeed a product of warped and mischievous elements whose stance and antics are causing confusion and disunity amidst the rank and file of our great party.”

Barely hours to Doguwa’s press conference, the state secretary of the party, Alhaji Sani Abbas, alongside other party executives, urged the members to disregard the unauthorised second press statement made by the party chairman and should await further action by the party executive .

The APC decried the action of its state chairman saying he allegedly signed the statement to suspend the former governor for anti-party activities under duress as a. betrayer of trust.

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fortherecord

Tuesday, 22 March, 2016

Issues and challenges of governance in Nigeria Continued from yesterday

By Akin Mabogunje

W

ith the continuing and increasing in-flow of the windfall from petroleum, the military government with its unified command structure was no longer comfortable with a fiscal arrangement in which the governor of an oil-rich state could start to have a revenue-base close to that of the Federal Government itself. In consequence, the Federal Military government set out to subvert the existing fiscal arrangement of the Federation. Instead of the “derivation principle” of revenue allocation, it passed the Petroleum Act of 1969 which decreed that all royalties and rent from petroleum accrued to a Federation Account from which all levels of government, in consonance with the unified command structure of military administration, can have a share on some agreed formula. This Act allowed the Federal Military Government to begin the process of “gratuitously” creating States and local governments without any consideration as to their economic viability. It was assumed that they could all enjoy their “awuff” share from the Federation Account which in popular parlance came to be referred to as “the national cake”.

The “awuff” mentality, however, had a down-side to it. Since the resources being shared is largely not the product of the tax revenue from the labour of the citizens, there was no compunction or moral restraint in misappropriating or stealing significant part of it. Consequently, state governments had no compunction in misappropriating the share of the Federation Account meant for the local government which, in turn, had no compunction misappropriating part of the share that was eventually allowed to reach them into personal use. And since the misappropriated share did not come from the taxes which the citizens were no longer compelled or encouraged to pay, they too became compliantwith the situation.

This negative aspect of the “awuff” mentality began to permeate all segments of society, promoting the acquisition of wealth by whatever means, preferably with little or no labour, as the goal of existence.

With growing impunity, this “awuff” mentality fostered and promoted corruption in the public sector, blunting the moral conscience of leaders and officials, and bringing us to the present impasse in which in the middle of a very destructive insurgency, the resources for acquiring needed ammunitions to win the war could be diverted for political and personal aggrandizement. In the meantime, the trade unions, noticing this apparent morass at the governmental level, would go on strike at the slightest provocation and expect to be paid for days their members were not working, clearly in contravention of the trade union law and practice which required that the union pay their members when they go on strike. Such “awuff” payment for work not done was seen as their own share of the national cake. The youths of the country, in their turn, also imbibed this culture and with technology on their side, managed through wide-ranging scams and fraudulent activities, to seek access to “awuff” money all over the world, thereby destroying our image internationally. Within the country, religion provided an easy platform for people with a gift of the gab to fraudulently exploit the weaknesses and gullibility of the masses by preaching the gospel of easy prosperity for their own personal gains, leading to the

President Muhammadu Buhari dubious correlation of a country with high religious pretensions and a high criminal propensities.

There is the expectation that the dramatic drop in the price of petroleum and the anti-corruption posture of the new administration may represent, if nothing else, the beginning of the end of the “awuff” society. Nonetheless, it is my contention in this lecture that the structure of the governance system bequeath to the country by the military and which it continues to operate is the fundamental factor in the blossoming and sustenance of the “awuff” syndrome and corruption in the management of the affairs of the nation. Until this whole set-up is re-visited and re-structured in a way to elicit and promote appropriate democratic reactions to governance among the citizens, corruption may not be easy to tame and the nation would remain hostage to a dysfunctional and disempowering governance system. I shall now proceed to adumbrate this thesis by reference to issues and challenges at each level of our present governance system.

Issues and challenges of governance: (a) the Federal Level The 1962-1966 political imbroglios in the country led to the collapse of the First Republic and the end of the parliamentary sys-

This negative aspect of the “awuff” mentality began to permeate all segments of society, promoting the acquisition of wealth by whatever means, preferably with little or no labour, as the goal of existence.

tem of government which the country had adopted from the experience of its colonial master. The military government that took over the administration of the country noted that, apart from re-structuring the country from four regions to twelve states, there was need to design a more robust Constitution that takes cognizance of Nigeria’s peculiarities especially its multi-ethnic character, its religious differences, the different levels of socio-economic and socio-political development of the various nationalities that make up the country. There was need for a system in which all these nationalities and ethnic groups could have a say in the selection of their Head of State and of Government of the Nigerian Republic. It was reckoned that such a system would ensure that the Head of State/Government would strive to be sensitive to being acceptable to all parts of the country and not just his small constituency as was the case in the single-member constituency structure of the parliamentary system of government. It was also felt that there was need to minimize the importance of regional political parties in the determination of national affairs..

The 1979 Military Constitution thus chose a Presidential System of Government of the American type which it believed provided the answer to all of these national challenges. This system requires that the President is elected by the majority of the Nigerian population in their different nationalities and states.

It emphasized the separation of powers as between the Executive (the President and his Ministers), the Legislature and the Judiciary. It empowered the President (the Executive) to man the different Ministries of Government with personnel brought generally from outside of the elected members in the legislature. It also empowered the President to employ in addition needed advisers and special assistants from outside the Legislature to facilitate governmental operations. The system required that policies and programmes derive essentially (but not exclusively) from the President so as to provide a focused, consistent and decisive strategy for national development and security with the Legislature having principally an oversight function to ensure transparency and accountability on the part of the

Executive, apart from passing the budget for implementing the policies and programmes.

In spite of being an apparent answer to the challenges of Nigeria at the Federal level, the American-type Presidential system has many striking demerits in a country like Nigeria which is still trying to find its feet as a democratic and a developing nation. For one thing, the idea of a governance system based on the separation of power sends up, as it were, positioning the Legislature almost as the opposition to the Executive, even when the President’s party has a majority in the National Assembly. In other words, the system does not necessarily align the majority party behind the policies and programmes of its President, thus rendering party manifestoes of little importance in evaluating the postelection performance of the party in power.

It thus makes for weak party control and discipline of the legislators as we’ve seen in the present National Assembly. It provides virtually little opportunity for serious political education of politicians by denying legislators the reward system of ministerial promotion for those showing good grasp and expertise in tackling the intricacies of particular sectors of national socio-economic life and loyalty in promoting the policies and programmes of the party whether in government or in opposition. More than this, the Presidential system is very costly especially in terms of the range of personnel appointable by the Executive (ministers, advisers, special assistants, etc.) and the need to provide separate constituency development fund to the legislators even those whose party is in power. More seriously, the Presidential system tends to foster and promote corruption in the decision (or budgetary) interface between unelected Ministers sitting on and dispensing large national resources while elected legislators are confined, as it were, simply to legislative duties and oversight functions. This, of course, is where the “awuff” mentality comes into play.

By 1979, when Nigeria was opting for the American-type Presidential System of Government, there was another Presidential System which was emerging world-wide as an alternative to either the Parliamentary System of government. Indeed, this system combines the best features of both the parliamentary and the American-type system and is often referred to as the Semi-Presidential system of government. The system admits of an Executive President elected by all of the electorate in the nation and has powers over defined areas of government such as Foreign Affairs , Defence and Security whilst having a Legislature from amongst the majority party of which a Prime Minister and Ministers are chosen, whose performance is constantly under the direct scrutiny of the Legislature. There is no Vice-President in the system and the division of functions as between the President and the Prime Minister varies from country to country. Similarly, the question of the tenure of office of a government under a Prime Minister is based on the ability to muster a majority in the legislature and can be determined by a negative vote of confidence in the National Assembly.

Continues tomorrow

Being text of the Guest Lecture delivered by Professor Mabogunje, on the occasion of the launching of the endowment fund for the Oba Sikiru Adetona Professorial Chair in Governance, Department of Political Science, Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago-Iwoye, Ogun State at the Oriental Hotel, Lekki, Lagos on Thursday, March 10, 2016).

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Tuesday, 22 March, 2016

leadership &

management

Nigerian Tribune

Quote LEADERSHIP

Lucky breaks come by chance, success comes by choice — John Addison

with Sulaimon Olanrewaju

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

The 60-second

business coach PAGE 24

PAGE 24

Leaders’

forum PAGE 24

How leaders get more out of life

By Sulaimon Olanrewaju

S

UCCESS in life is largely a function of how time is handled.

This is because the accomplishment of goals, visions, aspirations and objectives is done within a time frame. Therefore, those who are able to make the most of their time invariably make the most of their tasks and make the most of their lives. They achieve their purpose, they accomplish their goals and they are regarded as successful.

Those who fritter time end up on the wrong road of life with lamentation as their companion, because they find out to their eternal sorrow that lost time is lost treasure. Any lost time is irrecoverable, once it is gone, nothing can be done to bring it back. Lost time cannot be recreated; it cannot be recalled; it cannot be regained. As observed by Richard Whately, anyone who loses an hour in the morning will spend the rest of the day looking for it.

Continues on pg24

Adebola Akindele, Group Managing Director, CourteVille Business Solutions Plc

24

25

Tuesday, 22 March, 2016

leadership&management BOOK

Adam Grant’s Give and Take

By Stephen Roulac PAY it forward—the idea to give and create value before you expect to be compensated for your work—is a central premise of modern marketing. A parallel old school classic success principle is to do more than you’re paid for— in the vocabulary of commerce, to give more than you get—and in time you’ll be paid for more than you do. Another human relations 101 idea is to invest in the trust bank: Do good now, continue to do good over time, and eventually your virtue will be rewarded.

Adam Grant writes: “Takers have a distinctive signature, they like to get more than they give. They tilt reciprocity in their own favor, putting their own interests ahead of others’ needs.

Takers believe that the world is a competitive, dog-eatdog place.

By contrast, givers . . . tilt reciprocity in their direction, preferring to give more than they get. Whereas takers tend to be self-focused . . . givers are others focused.”

The author sharply differentiates the two styles, writing, “Givers and takers differ in their attitudes and actions towards other people. If you’re a taker, you help others strategically, when the benefits to you outweigh the personal costs. If you are a giver, you might use a different cost-benefit analysis: you help whenever the benefits to others exceed the personal costs.”

In between are matchers, who seek balance in their interactions through returning the favors done to them and expecting others to reciprocate in kind.

Give and Take combines the author’s own path-breaking studies; summarizations of the collective research in the field, very much in the spirit of Daniel Kahneman’s Thinking, Fast and Slow; and case studies of those who have been extraordinarily successful in ways that may seem counterintuitive, including venture capitalists, Abraham Lincoln, entrepreneurs,

lawyers, and sports executives.

Adam Grant advances the provocative proposition that givers enjoy a powerful comparative advantage over takers. His message is that the succeed-at-any-expense takers’ tactic is a dangerous, ultimately ill-fated success strategy.

In particular, Give and Take is a searing indictment of the takers’ tactics of grasping, maneuvering, and manipulating corporate executives who literally take from their colleagues and customers; and who by their pursuit of egregious unethical misconduct literally take from their company’s customers, colleagues, and shareholders. The putative poster boy of this unsustainable style is Ken Lay, former Enron CEO, who exemplified that “takers may rise by kissing up, but they often fall by kicking down.”

Importantly Adam Grant outs the ill-conceived and ultimately destructive policies of such heavy-handed, hard-hearted executives as Jack Welch, who insisted that employees rated in the bottom 10 percent regularly be terminated.

Such fear-inducing policies both suppress giving, and also blatantly disregard the proven managerial workplace psychology principle that workers’ performance is strongly influenced by their superiors.

He writes, “If I asked you to guess who is the most likely to end up at the bottom of the success ladder what would you say? Takers, givers or matchers?”

The provocative answer: “The worst performers and the best performers are givers; takers and matchers are more likely to land in the middle.”

At a time when marketing is moving from manipulation to meaning, when consumers seek the authentic over the plastic, when people more and more seek work that embodies their values and purposes, the implications of the message of Give and Take are profound, for “There’s something distinctive that happens when givers succeed: it spreads and cascades . . . creates a ripple effect, enhancing the success of people around them.”

Leaders and time management they can’t do without checking their mail, twitter, Facebook, Instagram etc. They never stop posting pictures or replying to online messages. As good as the social media is, spending too much time on it is nothing but counterproductive. Time, being irreplaceable, any part of it that is expended on the social media is gone and cannot be deployed to any productive use. So, leaders knowing the danger inherent in being obsessed by the social media, try to refrain themselves from getting sucked in by it and attend to crucial issues first before paying attention to the social media.

They do not relegate the importance of the social media but they do not allow it to stop them from focusing on the real issues.

Dr Enase Okonedo, Dean, Lagos Business School (LBS) Continues from pg23

Sometimes, the difference between success and failure is a nanosecond.

The person who makes the most of the nanosecond is celebrated; he towers above others and is rewarded for appropriate utilization of a fraction of a second. As the saying goes, “If you want to realize the value of one minute, ask a person who missed the train. To realize the value of one second, ask a person who just avoided an accident. To realize the value of one millisecond, ask the person who won a silver medal in the Olympics.”

Why time is important The importance of time is rooted in the fact that it is the essence of life itself. Life is calibrated in seconds, minutes, hours, days, weeks, months and years. In other words, life is made up of time. Wasting time on a consistent basis is tantamount to wasting life; it is akin to one cutting one’s vein with a razor. It does not result in instant death but as the loss of blood persists, death becomes imminent. So, those who constantly waste time die slowly.

The greatest opportunity nature provides everyone is time. Because nature is fair to all, everybody gets the same quantity of time daily. The poor are not at any disadvantage as far as time supply is concerned neither do the rich have any edge over the poor with respect to time allocation. The rich cannot increase their own supply of hours in a day to 25 or 26 or any other amount. The quantity supplied everyone is constant. What makes the difference between the two is what they each choose to do with the time allocated to them. Hence, the obser-

Chidi Okoro, Managing Director, UAC Foods Limited vation of Peter Drucker that time is the scarcest resource and unless it is properly managed nothing else can be managed.

Waste, spend or invest time People treat time differently and this reflects in the result they record. For some people, time is to be wasted.

They have little or no respect for time; theirs and others’. They squander it and deploy it to unprofitable or unnecessary activities. According to Thomas Edison, time is the only capital that any human being has which he cannot afford to lose. Whatever is wasted does not give any value. But only fools waste time. The dictionary definition of foolishness is a lack of good sense or judgment. Anyone with a good sense will never fritter time away. So, only fools waste time.

Ordinary people spend time. Time is a resource; therefore, it is expected to be invested so that it can generate a return. But when time is spent, it is expended and it can only give momentary reward. Those who spend time do not get much from it or out of life.

Fools waste time, ordinary people spend time but great people invest time.

Lazarus Angbazo, President and CEO of GE Nigeria

Great people invest their time. Time is nature’s gift to man to trade with.

Time is a resource. It is a capital. It is a seed. A resource that is not put to productive utilization does not benefit the owner. A capital that is kept idle will depreciate in value. A seed that is not sowed dies. Great people understand this and never fail to invest their time.

They invest their time in their work or business and expect to haul a harvest of financial returns and fulfillment.

They invest their time in recreation and expect to be rejuvenated. They invest their time in rest and look forward to reaping a healthy life. They invest their time in relationships and expect social network. They invest their time in self development and expect personal growth.

So, time can be wasted, spent or invested. Fools waste time, ordinary people spend time but great people invest time.

How leaders invest their time Leaders make the most of their time by doing a number of things. Hereunder are some of them.

Mind your minutes To make the most of his time a leader has to know where his time goes. This requires making conscious effort to properly allocate the minutes and hours that make up a day to predetermined tasks. If a leader can effectively account for every minute in a day, his productivity will soar because he will only deploy his time to those activities that are bound to add value to him and the people around him.

A very good way to accomplish this is to keep a journal in which are listed the activities meant for a particular

Victor Banjo, Director General CEO of the Institute of Directors Nigeria

day from the very important ones to Avoid time wasters the least important. With this, the Some things are good on the surface but when properly leader sets out knowing what he has to analyzed, they are time wasters. One of these is the sodo to get the results he desires daily. cial media. The social media has made life much easier, He will also be able to assess whether being an enabler which makes communication possible he is able to do what he plans to do or at the click of a button. However, being ubiquitous, it not. If properly done, he will be able to can also constitute a hindrance to effectiveness because identify those activities that steal his of the amount of time a lot of people devote to it. Some time and devise ways of getting rid of people are hooked on to the social media all day round; them.

Set priorities One thing that sets great leaders apart from others is the ability to prioritize their activities. A leader knows he does not have to do everything. He knows that everyday there will be urgent and important tasks, which he has to personally handle. He also knows that there will be urgent but unimportant tasks, which he can assign to others. He gets the most out of his time and scales up his productivity and efficiency by concentrating on those activities that shoot up his productivity and give him the highest returns.

Those who try to do everything end up achieving inconsequential results.

Avoid procrastination The life of a leader is made up of decision-making. If a leader keeps postponing making a decision or taking a step that is required in the course of his duty, he cannot make the most of his time or life.

Fact is that a task does not become any easier because it is delayed neither will a decision become more suitable because of procrastination. Those who linger only litter. The earlier a task is

performed, the easier it is to move on to other things.

Procrastination is the graveyard of many lofty ideas. Talking about an issue is not synonymous with doing it. Analyzing a matter is not the same as tackling it. Things do not change until actions are taken.

Many people do not have any problem making decisions but they run into difficulty when it comes to executing their decisions.

They say ‘No’ to anything that can take them off course Warren Buffett once said that the difference between successful people and really successful people is that really successful people say ‘no’ to almost everything. The import of this is that very successful people do not allow anybody to steer them off their course.

They do not accept invitations that have no direct bearing on the goals they have set for themselves.

They do not align themselves with those who have nothing of importance to contribute to their goals. They reject anything and everything that is not vital to their goals. This helps them to concentrate the whole of their energies on only those things that can take them to the end they have carved for themselves.

THE 60-SECOND business coach

The worst leadership myths and their realities

By David Sturt and Todd Nordstrom THERE’S a lot of terrible advice floating around for leaders and managers. Not only is much of it nonsensical, but it also often makes leaders worse at understanding, motivating, and empowering their teams.

Here are some of them.

Myth #1: Stick to the plan to get things done.

This one is a double-edged sword. On the one hand, a goal without a plan won’t come to fruition. That is why to-do lists, organized schedules, and planned out meetings are all good ideas. But when it comes to Focus on the big picture long-term projects, or mapping out the big Leaders know that all their activities picture, leaders must leave room for the must be geared towards achieving set inevitable. Delays, mistakes, changes in goals. So, they never lose sight of the direction or scope or budget—these things big picture. They ensure that everyhappen. Great leaders know that being thing that they get involved in contrib- flexible in the face of inevitable changes, inutes in a specific manner towards the stead of obstinately sticking to the original actualization of the vision they have plan, is what truly gets things done. carved for themselves or their organizations. Whatever does not contribute Myth #2: Great leaders are born, to the vision is not important, so they not made.

This is a phrase preached in history avoid such. By doing this, they avoid getting sucked into trivial issues and books, but it’s simply not true. Believing that great leaders are born, not made, is have ample time for vital tasks. like believing that an athletically gifted

child who never steps foot on the court will still wind up in the NBA because it’s his destiny. How often have you seen that happen? It’s true that some individuals are naturally gifted speakers, or are especially charming and charismatic. But what truly sets great leaders apart—their ability to inspire, motivate and empower people to achieve greatness—can indeed be learned.

Myth #3: No news is good news.

While observing a small child, you know that total silence is often ominous, and typically followed by a large crash, smash, or scream. As a leader, you should be aware of the same principle. No news is not good news. No news means you’re not connecting with your people. Perhaps you don’t leave the door open for their questions and concerns. Maybe you spend too much time in meetings to know what your team does day-to-day. And probably, you haven’t been as appreciative as you should be for the great work they deliver for your organization. If that’s the case, break the radio silence. To be a great leader, you need to be in the thick of the action—communicating, cooperating and celebrating with your team every day.

Myth #4: Good is the enemy of

great.

This piece of advice gets thrown around a lot in our perfection-seeking, results-oriented world. Motivational speakers sometimes use it to insinuate that people doing good work are merely settling for less than great. But we fervently disagree. Good work is what keeps a business running. Completing tasks on time, following through on commitments and delivering the expected: Those are all examples of good work. Great work is truly a step above: It delivers a difference that people love. But great work could never happen if good work wasn’t also being done. So don’t believe that starting at good means you’re not aiming for great. In fact, it’s the first step you can take to get there.

The world is full of well-meaning advice. It’s packaged up in catch phrases, printed on motivational posters and distributed to everyone from college graduates to almost-retirees.

It all sounds great on paper, so people buy into it. But truly great leaders don’t believe a saying just because they’ve heard it again and again. Instead, they do their research, use their own experiences and lead in a thoughtful, purposeful way. Eliminate these leadership myths from your mindset to become a better leader today, and watch great work ignite throughout your team and organization.

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leadership&management

Tuesday, 22 March, 2016

Nigerian Tribune

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

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

“Surely, oppression maketh a wise man mad...”

Ecclesiastes 7:7a In my line of work, I am privileged to meet several people with differing degrees of challenges that seem to defy imminent solution. When some people come to see me for counseling, they come as if they have the worst case anyone can think about. Some would even say that they have evidently come to the end of the road because they cannot think of a possible exit route from their dilemma.

There is no leader that I know that has not had that feeling of exasperation where they cannot seem to fathom a way out of certain situations that task not only their resources but also their reasoning. The end of the road feeling happens when present experience is in stark conflict with our loftiest dreams, in spite of having put in what we consider to be our best efforts. It is the kind of feeling you get when you need to make an important journey and you arrive at the airport only to be told that the last flight to your destination took off an hour earlier and there would not be another for the day. Or what you feel when you have an assignment that has a deadline and as that deadline stares you in the face, you have no clue what to do. The end of the road feeling is something common to every dreamer who feels that his dreams have become scary nightmares. You probably know the feeling.

When we feel that there is no way out of our dilemma, there is always a tendency to become desperate in the search for a way out, especially when going back to ground zero is not an option. I can imagine the feelings of the children of Israel as they approached the Red Sea. While they were still wondering how they would cross the Red Sea, they looked behind and saw the host of the Egyptian under the leadership of the Pharaoh himself not only in pursuit but closing in on them so fast they did not know which would come first, being drowned in the sea or being completely overrun by the Egyptian army. They could not see any solution in sight. It was a clear situation of ‘heads you lose, tails you still lose’! In

End of the road?

their desperation, they began to rail against the leadership of Moses and the vision he claimed to have had for their liberation from Egyptian bondage. They actually expressed a desire to return to Egypt and continue being slaves instead of being given a mass burial in the sea! Until God intervened through their leader Moses, whose conviction that God had an answer even if he didn’t, made him cry out to the One who had brought them out of Egypt in the first place.

A few lessons from this story found in Exodus 14 in the Bible. The first casualty of a desperate situation is our thinking faculty. Desperate situations engender desperate thoughts.

Desperate thoughts in turn produce desperate people. In a dilemma, we seek the easiest way out even if it involves a significant setback. The Israelites had been in slavery for more than four hundred years and had been rescued with attendant signs and wonders, as the Bible says ‘with a mighty hand’. But when faced with a desperate situation, they forgot the miraculous circumstances that brought them out and kept them up till the point of getting to the Red Sea. When faced with a dead-end situation, learn to be quiet. In desperation, we tend to speak words that betray our frustration. Most of such words are said without thinking and can only take us farther away from our desired destination. The despair we feel, if not properly handled, can actually turn us to impossibility thinkers.

Every crisis is, however, an opportunity for creative thinking.

Unfortunately, when we feel heavily mentally oppressed, the opposite is usually the case. In a logjam, there is the tendency to believe that no one can understand the way we feel or what we are going through because they do not or have never had an identical experience. This is the attitude that makes many people in desperate situations reject or shun good counsel. More often than not, what they seek is someone to reinforce their hopelessness. Desperate people will usually seek and gravitate towards partners in misery who simply help them to magnify their image of forlorn hopelessness as if to console themselves that at least they are not the only ones in a grind! A desperate

person who is locked in a negative mindset is like a bull entering a china shop. It is guaranteed to cause significant damage to persons, morale and materials.

So what do you do when you get to that point in your life where you feel that you are at the end of the road? Pause and think. Let your imagination create a reality beyond the barrier that you currently see. Never be in a haste to conclude that your situation is peculiar to you. For every problem that confronts you, you will find out if you are observant enough that there are many people who had not only experienced worse but were able to successfully navigate their way out.

There is a scripture that I have grown to love so deeply over the years. It is found in 1 Corinthians 10:13. I quote it in part from the Amplified Version.

“For no temptation...[no matter how it comes or where it leads] has overtaken you and laid hold on you that is not common to man [that is, no temptation or trial has come to you that is beyond human resistance and that is not adjusted and adapted and belonging to human experience, and such as man can bear]. But God is faithful... and He [can be trusted] not to let you be tempted and tried and assayed beyond your ability and strength of resistance and power to endure, but ... He will [always] also provide the way out (the means of escape to a landing place), that you may be capable and strong and powerful to bear up under it patiently.”

When you get to that point in life where you feel that things are so bad that you cannot see an end to the problem, always remember that your case is not peculiar. Second, always remind yourself that with God, there is always a way of escape! Nobody with God on his side is ever really stranded no matter how bleak the situation appears. You are never stranded until you have lost God-consciousness!

End of the road? There is no such thing until you have lost all capacity to dream again. So when you get to the end of the road, not to worry. Simply take the road and stretch it to the end of your dreams. You will find God waiting there!

Remember, the sky is not your limit, God is!

How to become a priceless leader SOME say great leaders are born, not made. And while there are some born leaders, many more have honed their leadership skills through extensive practice. So, if you’re not a born leader, but want to learn how to be, this piece of writing will show you what you need to do to become the most valuable leader you can be.

Please understand that successful leadership is much more than simply giving assignments and direction. It requires vision, collaboration, planning and practice. And this takes time and a lot of hard work. If you aren’t one of those “born” leaders, be prepared for a serious commitment to honing your leadership skills. Also, a good leader excels in some areas, but also understands his or her limitations.

Knowing these strengths and weaknesses will help you delegate responsibility accordingly, hire people who complement you, and know what areas you need to work on to become a better leader.

Good leaders have a thorough understanding of how they are perceived. This knowledge will make you better able to communicate with human resources and understand what qualities you need to work on to manage more effectively.

For example, if you are known as being a bit too harsh, you can work on your tone of voice and use more praise. It is often hard to know how recruits perceive you, so try to observe them closely or ask them in a non-threatening way.

There is no one-size-fits-all leader. To be a helpful leader for a certain group, you will need to understand what qualities the group values. Trust? Creativity? Organization? You should hone whatever qualities they value (ones that will also inspire them to work smarter and harder). If you do not know the answer to this question, observe your group members or simply ask them what makes a good leader. They will likely appreciate your commitment to their concerns.

Additionally, members of a group need to know what they

are working toward. Your job as a leader is to work with your employees to set measurable goals with achievable milestones along the way. Your team members should know your vision for the group as a whole and for them as individuals. Kindly know that key leadership skills include communication, team-building, vision and planning, knowing when to take risks, motivating individuals and the group, delegating responsibility, and more. To become a good leader, you will need to practise these skills.

A priceless leader knows the purpose and goals of his or her group, the purpose and goals of the overall organization, and the best strategies to achieve these goals. The leader understands not only how his or her group operates, but also how it operates in the context of the entire business. You should know what each department and individual (assuming your business is relatively small) does and how it affects the organization as a whole. You should also understand the external operations of the organization.

You should know the industry trends, major players, marketplace and other relevant information for the industry in which you work. As a leader, when you call a meeting, you need to know how to make it productive and lead to concrete action. The first step in this process is to set an agenda for the meeting and follow it. End the meeting by clearly outlining the “action items” or important points from the meeting. Follow up the meeting with notes about what happened in the meeting as well as any specific action items and who is responsible for executing them.

Do not forget that a good communicator should not only speak clearly and with confidence, but must also be a good listener. Here are a few guidelines to speak with confidence and clarity:  Prepare what you have to say: this includes thoroughly researching your subject matter and outlining your

speech.  Practice: practice your speech in front of others if possible. It might also be useful to take a public speaking class.  Know your audience: tailor what you are going to say to your audience. Make sure you make it clear why this speech matters to them. Also, know what they want out of a speech - do they just want you to hurry up? If so, keep it short…

One of the biggest motivators for human resources is recognition for their good work and encouragement along the way. Motivate your workforce to continue with a project, and then praise them as they do good work along the way.

This will help you a great deal as a leader who knows his or her onions in the 21st century.

A priceless leader usually does not, and should not, work alone. He or she should communicate with members of the team, as well as show team members how to work well with each other. All members should be encouraged to participate in the group. Do not be afraid to innovate and take risks. An organization that neither innovates nor takes risks is likely to fail in the long run. A good leader will step out of the safe zone for a good idea.

A good leader is usually passionate about the organization and his or her work, exudes confidence in his or her abilities, can organize and makes sense of complex situations, maintains high standards and inspires others to do the same, can motivate and inspire employees, and is generally looked up to as a person of vision.

Lastly, becoming a priceless leader takes practice. Work on your skills. Seek feedback so you can improve. Try new methods when something does not work. The more you work on becoming a successful leader, the more likely you are to get there.

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Tuesday, 22 March, 2016

Nigerian Tribune

CREW

The

South-West Editor Wole Efunnuga 08111813056

Tunde Busari 08127593530 Yejide Gbenga - Ogundare 08116706853 Tunde Ogunesan 08116954634

Got news for us; contact: southwesttribune@yahoo. co.uk or southwesttribune@ gmail.com

The

politics

of LCDAs

By Kunle Oderemi

T

HE frenetic move by the ruling elite to configure the South-West in terms of the number of local government is throwing up a number of critical issues. In a similar fashion pioneered by Lagos, Osun and Ogun states have enunciated new Local Government Development Areas (LCDAs) which have become a core issue in public discourse.

Osun, with existing 31 local council areas, announced the carving out of 37 LCDAs, just as Ogun set the necessary machinery in motion to legitimise the creation of 31 LCDAs. As part of the constitutional requirement for the creation of local government, Osun last year, conducted a referendum on the proposed LCDAs, through the State Independent Electoral Commission (OSIEC).

Before the creation of 37 additional LCDAs, the case of Lagos was such that the 20 councils catered for its bulging population estimated at about 20 million. Kano, where Jigawa was carved out as a state, has

44 Local Government Areas.

Section 8 (3) of the Constitution specifies the processes for the creation of new local councils. The section empowers state to determine the number of councils they can afford, conduct a referendum on the subject matter, get approval of the state House of Assembly before sending the report to the National Assembly for ratification.

The last phase of the process, which required approval by the National Assembly, triggered the face-off between former President Olusegun Obasanjo and the then Lagos State governor, Senator Bola Tinubu, after he carved 37 LCDAs out of the 20 constitutionally listed local government areas in the state. The administration of Obasanjo had withheld federal allocations to Lagos councils for about five years, only for the Supreme Court to rule that the former president lacked the power to have seized the funds, though the apex court in another breadth declared that the creation of the LCDAs was inchoate. .

Justifying the creation of the councils

then, Tinubu had said they were designed as catalysts for development by bringing government closer to the people. Besides, he was miffed that the military created the confusion over the true status of local administration in a true federation. Tinubu said: “If I have to rank them (hottest battles he fought as governor), I think the creation of local governments was my favourite because the processes are clearly stated and well-articulated in the Constitution. And if you do all of that and comply with the constitutional requirements, then you should not be denied. I believe in true federalism.

I believe in local government administration, which I think is a service centre for the state. It is wrong to even think that there are three tiers of government in a federal system of government.�

The separate initiatives by Osun and

Ogun to create additional councils has thrown up a number of issues and theories.

This is because of the frantic moves being made by the two to justify their action, in view of a larger political configuration not withstanding what some regard as the cost implication of the latest initiative. Another theory fast gaining is if the creation of the LCDAs is a subtle but grand plan by the political elite to hit the ground running ahead the 2019 general election. While there are talks about some politicians forging new alliances that may lead to the formation of a new mega party, a governorship election is slated for later in the year in Ondo State currently under the control of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), just as it is the governing party in Ekiti State. .

The Lagos experience was remarkable because quite a number of other states in the federation that initially created additional local councils reverted. Rather than defending the constitutionality of their action, they succumbed to pressure from higher politiContinues on pg28

Inside: DAWN: S/West agenda on mineral resources

28 thesouth-west

Tuesday, 22 March, 2016

Nigerian Tribune

How expedient are LCDAs now? rents paid for using any land or building belonging to a local government; gifts and donations from individuals, philanthropists and corporate bodies.

The predicament of the local governments is made more precarious because of the unending compromise by unions of local council employees on the issue of autonomy for that tier of government. It prefers the current status quo of funding, whereby local government enjoys statutory allocations from the federation account, ostensibly because of the overbearing influence and utter disregard for the letters of the constitution by states over issues concerning local government, especially funding. The State Houses of Assembly too have equally allowed opportunities to be truly independent slip by because of the fear of the executive arm of government. This was amply evident during the various attempts to review or amend the 1999 Constitution as they blatantly spurned those opportunities because of the overbearing influence of the executive. All this has crystallised in the mutual suspicion between opposition parties and those in power on the desirability of LCDAs.

Continues from pg27

cal quarters, especially the Presidency and the top echelon of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). Such states included Jigawa and Katsina, then under the control of the governing party at the centre.

How expedient is LCDAs now?

There is a seeming consensus among stakeholders in the South-West, regardless of political divide or affiliation, on the need for additional council areas in the geo-political. The mutuality is premised on the lopsidedness in the distribution of local government across the six political zones in the country. The zone ranks third as the three zones in the North have the largest number of local councils. The figure is among the criteria for the allocation of federal revenue. The disparity in the distribution of local councils which is skewed against the South-West undermines the fact that the zone contributes the bulk of revenues from other sources other than the sale of crude oil.

Perhaps, the only clear points of departure among a few stakeholders are the timing of the creation of the LCDAs and the perceived political undertone, especially on the part of party that is in government This has sustained the debate on the expediency of the creation of councils in the SouthWest. The promoters of additional local councils said it was desirable because they will appropriately bring governance closer to the people. Proponents of LCDAs also believe that the new structures will further foster transparency and accountability, as the administrators will be subjected to constant public scrutiny, in view of the new social order being cretaed by the social media, coupled with the increasing awareness and enlightenment on their privileges, rights and responsibility as citizens in a democracy.

While not absolutely opposed to the idea of new councils, some stakeholders in the South-west have expressed reservations on the carving out of LCDAs from existing local council areas listed in the 1999 Constitution, because of the political temperament of a few political leaders. Their contention is that those behind the new councils cannot be wholly considered to altruistic in their motive.

The suspicion is that they are more concerned with expanding their areas of political influence ahead of major political contests in the future. So, according to some critics, such councils are designed to expand the existing political empires of those ‘demagogues,’ to further weaken perceived opponents, as new councils will require more enormous resources to establish new individual political structures ahead of elections.

Another school of thought is that the existence of the new council will translate to the duplication of structures of governance with the concomitant bloated bureaucracies and huge overhead cost. Simply put, more resources will be required to run the councils: capital and recurrent expenditure, as well as sundry huge expenses in establishing and oiling the machinery of local administration.

Thus, some experts contend that the argument that the new councils will help to boost revenue generation and act as catalysts for grassroots development was indicative of poor leadership. This is because a responsible leadership should be able to demonstrate the capacity and resourcefulness to galvanise resources at any point in time towards carrying out the duty of government to the citizenry.

They are of the view that the seeming collapse of local government administration in the country was more about the greed, lack of capacity, honesty and transparency and accountability by the ruling class.

Notwithstanding the mixed feelings in certain quarters on the necessity or otherwise

Chief Justice of Nigeria, Mahmud Muhammed of additional local council areas in the SouthWest, the preponderance of opinion indicate a welcome development. Many share the sentiments in official quarters that the LCDAs will buoy or fast track development by bringing governance closer to the grassroots. Their position is that the gains indeed outstrip the demerits going by the Lagos experience, where the people now see the need to claim ownership of the LCDAs nearest to them.

Critical issues of development, especially on infrastructure are taking to the door steps of those administrating the LCDAs, and where it fell under the purview of state, the matter is referred to the higher quarters.

Besides, the thinking among stakeholders is that Nigerians could start interrogating the issue as it returns to the front burner of national discourse. Critical issues of constitutional incongruity that hampers states from determining the number of local government they can afford to cater for, status of local council as its present designation as the third tier of government is antithetical to the principle of federalism, and the imbalance in the structure in terms of number of councils among the states and zones with its attendant unjust formula for wealth distribution and allocation from the centre, since government is about generating wealth. It is important to address the constitutional confusion which has paved the way for individual states trying to cut corners.

However, the local government reform of

1976, which provided the guidelines for local governments in the country, for the first time, involved the Federal Government in the funding of local governments. The local councils began to receive statutory share of federation accounts and state revenue. But one of the reforms that many found most nauseating was the decision to legitimise local councils as the third tier of government, which a lof of experts described an an outright aberration to the principle of federalism. The government soon established the Local Government Service Commission and increased the local government share of the federation accounts to 25 per cent thereby boosting their revenue base and confidence and power to equip them for their constitutional role. Section 162 of the 1999 constitution guarantees the right of the local government to receive statutory allocation of the revenue from both the federation account and state resource, while the fourth, schedule of the same constitution spells out the functions of the local government. At present, the 774 constitutionally recognised local government areas are empowered to provide social services like healthcare centers, electrification, pipe bore water and accessible roads.

Their eight main sources of revenue include rates, grants, statutory, allocations, fees and charges, fines, earnings and profits, loans and miscellaneous. Under miscellaneous, revenue can be generated from the payment of levies like developmental and educational levies;

The suspicion is that they are more concerned with expanding their areas of political influence ahead of major political contests in the future.

Osun State In the midst of raging controversy for the delay in conducting local government election in Osun State, Governor Rauf aregbesola announced the dissolution of dissolved the caretaker committees in all the 30 local government areas in the state and the creation of 31 Local Development Council Areas (LCDAs). It brought the number of the local councils in Osun to 61.

Besides, he appointed 61 council managers, who are civil servants on Grade Level 14 to pilot the affairs of the local governments. He justified the carving out of the LCDAs from the existing local councils despite the current financial challenges of the state on the need to bring about rapid development. He said his administration gave a sufficient consideration to the matter, stressing that necessary procedures had been instituted to reduce cost, as the new LCDAs are to pursue aggressive mobilisation drive.

“The primary responsibilities of our new local government system are sanitation, market management and revenue mobilisation and generation. This is consistent with local government administration worldwide.

“The beauty of this new system is its parliamentary nature, which requires the chairman and the vice chairman to be elected by the councillors from among their own ranks, thereby saving cost”, Aregbesola added.

However, some pundits believe that the decision of Aregbesola to create the LCDAs was politically motivated, especially ahead of the 2018 governorship election. To them, creation of the LCDAs was targeted at giving a relative advantage to his party, APC, over rival parties, as the councils but nothing but baits for the people at the grass roots. A political analyst, who pleaded anonymity, averred that “The governor is a political strategist, who knows the dynamics of politics and how to explore new policy to achieve a long-term political gain. Of what benefit will the creation of the new LCDAs be to the people? The existing local governments are not being properly funded due to lack of financial autonomy. Salaries of council workers are not regular and you are creating additional 31 LCDAs. The claim that the new LCDAs will bring development closer to the masses is deceptive and a calculated move to influence the people ahead of the 2018 governorship poll.”

Since he became governor via a Court of Appeal judgment in Ibadan which sacked the government of former Governor Olagunsoye Oyinlola, on November 10, 2010 the Aregbesola’s administration is yet to conduct a local government election. The development is generating concern among major stakeholdContinues on pg29

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Nigerian Tribune

LCDAs: In whose interest?

Aregbesola

Mimiko

Ajimobi Continues from pg28

ers in the state, with the leading opposition party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) claiming that fear of defeat in the council poll if held is the major cause.

But, Aregbesola blamed the opposition for the delay, citing litigations as the major impediment to the processes that would culminate to the conduct of the council poll, where councillors and chairmen would emerge.

Shedding light on the controversy, he said the matter was before the court, and that since he came into office through a judicial process, he would allow all the litigations surrounding the councils before his coming into the office to be settled or resolved through a court of competent jurisdiction.

Speaking on the development, former Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Matters in Osun, Barrister Kolapo Alimi laid the blame over the failure to organise council poll at the doorstep of the PDP, accusing them of instituting litigations at the Court of Appeal and Supreme Court, in Abuja over the matter.

Alimi, who spoke in a telephone chat said “when this government came on board, there was a democratically elected government at the local government level. But, in December 2011, the Supreme Court dissolved the elected executive chairmen at the councils.

Then, the constitution of OSSIEC, which was in place was challenged by a member of the State House of Assembly at the High Court”.

“The PDP challenged the dissolution of the OSSIEC. They could not challenge the sack of the local government chairmen because it was a Supreme Court ruling. They went to the Court of Appeal in Akure to challenge the High Court judgment that dissolved OSSIEC and the Appeal Court upheld the High Court ruling. After the Court of Appeal ruling, Governor Aregbesola constituted another OSSIEC”, he asserted.

According to Alimi, they subsequently appealed the ruling at the Supreme Court. The case is, at present, before the apex court. They included in their brief that we constituted OSSIEC during the interval they filed their appeal. That was why we asked OSSIEC to stay action on the preparations for the poll.

But, the PDP denied being responsible for the delay in the conduct of council poll, arguing that the litigation instituted by the dissolved members of OSSIEC at the Supreme Court is not justifiable excuse for the failure of Aregbesola’s government to organise the election at the grassroot level six years after he assumed power as the governor of Osun State The publicity secretary of the Osun PDP, Prince Bola Ajao, who spoke to our correspondent in Osogbo posited that “the APC-led administration is taking Osun people for a ride. At one point in time,they would blow hot, at another time, they would blow cold. At a time, when it sooths them, they would say we are going to conduct local government election. In another breath, they

would say it is one imaginary opposition that is responsible for their failure to do so”.

While accusing the government of playing politics with the council poll, he argued that “it is unfortunate that they are shying away from the dictates of the Nigeria’s constitution, which says we must have a democratically elected government at the third tier”.

LGs and LCDAs in Ekiti State The games that had been played with the conduct of local government elections by politicians caused the people’s scepticism about incumbent Governor Ayodele Fayose’s promise to conduct LG polls. What is more, a few weeks before the end of his tenure, former Governor Kayode Fayemi, had announced the creation of 19 LCDAs in the state and appointed caretaker chairmen to head the councils. The creation of the additional councils caused mixed feelings in the state. And the fate of the LCDAs was already decided because Fayose, who would take over government in a few weeks then, had repeatedly expressed his opposition to the creation of the new councils. Thus, it was not a surprise that the LCDAs died a natural death when Fayose took over.

To many Ekiti people, the LCDAs were dead on arrival because of both the timing of their creation and the funds with which to fund them. Some even claimed that the new councils were created as a trap, alleging that they were meant to set the benefitting communities against the government which was sure to ignore them.

The 19 LCDAs were in addition to the 16 local government areas already existing in the state, thereby bringing their number to 35.

How to fund the new councils, as well as how to resolve the numerous issues that cropped up in the build-up to the announcement of the councils, was also believed became an issues among various people in the state.

However, on December 19, 2015, local government elections were held in Ekiti. To many in the state, the poll was “a promise kept” by the state governor, who had promised among other things on his assumption of office on October 14, 2014, that he would conduct local government elections.

There was scepticism when the governor made the announcement that elections would be conducted into the councils because there hadn’t been any election in the state in about 12 years. The last time local government elections held in the state was when Chief Segun Oni was the governor.

Amosun

Ambode

Kwara State In Kwara State, agitators for new council areas have kept in suspense by the government over their demands as a proposal for the creation of new LCDAs which was muted by the state government in 2014, remains on the drawing board. A committee saddled with the assignment was under the chairmanship of a chieftain of the APC and the former chairman of Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC), Alhaji Kawu Baraje.

The current financial situation of the state, coupled with dwindling allocation accruable to the state appear to have made the state government to keep the matter in the cooler.

Speaking with the Nigerian Tribune, the Senior Special Assistant to the governor on Media and Communication, Dr Muideen Akorede, simply said the government was still studying the report on the creation of LCDAs. However, the decision will also be based on a sustained improvement in state finances, he said.

Alhaji Muyideen Aliu, who is a community leader at Adewole/Madawaki area of Ilorin West Local Government Area of the state, said the proposal for creation of LCDAs was a welcome development.

“It is good, as it will bring governance to the grassroots. More opportunities will be created for youths that are not at present engaged.

At Adewole/Madaki area of Ilorin, we want an LCDA created, as it will increase our level of participation in government. We have resources; we have the land. We can maintain and generate money for its sustenance,” he said.

The last council election in Kwara State was held in October /November 2013. So, the expectation is that fresh local government election will be conducted this year because the tenure of the council chairmen is a three-year term. All the 16 local government chairmen are made up of APC members.

Kogi State In Kogi State, local government authorities will wind up by May 5 as the present executives in the 21 Local Government Areas of the state were inaugurated on May 6, 2013 after an election that was conducted on May 4, 2013.

However, upon the assumption of office of the chairmen, they were faced with series of litigations following which they were eventually sent packing in November 2014. The then govenor, Capt Idris Wada thereafter ap-

Some pundits believe that the decision of Aregbesola to create the LCDAs was politically motivated, especially ahead of the 2018 governorship election.

Fayose pointed Senior Special Assistants to oversee the administration of the councils.

But the Court of Appeal, in November 2015, ordered that the chairmen be returned to office and that truncated the tenure of the SSAs. The chairmen returned to office and continued with their tenure which is expected to end after three years of taking oath of office.

However, the raging political drama in the state does not make the conduct of a local government election a priority at the expiration of the tenure of the present chairmen in the next two months.

The state governor, Alhaji Yahaya Bello, had, after his inauguration, dissolved the board of the Kogi State Independent Electoral Commission (KSIEC) without any replacement yet. With the constitutional provision that the SIEC must be in place for at least 90 days before it can conduct election, then elected officials will not succeed the present occupiers of the chairmanship seats.

Ogun State The proposal by the state governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun for 31 LCDAs is already being debated by the state House of Assembly. He had forwarded the proposal to the assembly barely 24 hours after his Osun State counterpart, Aregbesola announced the creation of 31 from the existing local government areas in the state.

Amosun’s reason for taking the initiative was similar to the ones advanced by his colleague, which is to bring governance to the door step of the people. He said the creation of the LCDAs was in furtherance of the government’s attempt to meet the yearnings of the people of the state through the delivery of democratic dividends. He explained the initiative would bring government nearer to the people and engender development.

Judging from the debate on the floor of the State House of Assembly so far, the decision of the governor on the matter appears to have gone down well with majority of the stakeholders in the state. All the lawmakers, who contributed to the debate, applauded the move and stressed the need to expedite action on the proposal for the LCDAs. Lagos State The creation of 31 Local Council Development Areas LCDAs in Osun State by the state governor, Mr Rauf Aregbesola again brought to the fore the politics and intrigues that usually go with the administration of that tier of government in Nigeria.

Interestingly, Aregbesola’s recent action has re-ignited in the minds of Nigerians, especially those in the South-West, a similar episode in Lagos, some years ago, when the then state governor, Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu decided to create an additional 37 Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs) from the existing 20 local government councils, an action that drew the wrath of the Presidency.

The exit of Obasanjo did not bring an end Continues on pg30

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It is not a priority in Kogi Continues from pg29

to the face-off between the Federal Government and Lagos State over the creation of the new councils and other attendant issues. His predecessors, late President Umaru Yar’Adua had written a letter to Governor Babatunde Fashola, on the intention of the Federal Government to seek true, correct and proper interpretation of Section 8 subsection (3) and (5) of the 1999 Constitution, as the apex court had declared that the creation of the 37 LCDAs was incognate.

While Lagos State has always been seen by many as an epitome of positive developments and good governance, not a few believe that constituting local government administrations in the state has not always been without its issues.

For instance, since the last set of council chairmen was elected in October 2011, more than four years ago, the state has not been able to conduct any election at that level, even after their three-year tenure expired in October 2014.

Instead of conducting elections into the various offices within the councils, the immediate past governor of the state, Mr Babatunde Fashola (SAN), only directed council chairmen to hand over the management of the councils to Executive Secretaries, a supposedly temporary arrangement, but which seems to be having a life of its own since the administration of these councils is still in the hands of these Executive Secretaries today.

But, the questions on the lips of Nigerians, especially residents of the state have been: why has it been difficult for Lagos State to organise elections at this tier of government, despite its much-touted sophistication? Besides, why would a state that prides itself as running a populist government always develop cold feet whenever the issue of constituting new administrations at that level, considered nearest to the people, arises?

Opinions are however divided among those who spoke concerning this contentious issue.

For instance, while defending the state over the issue, sometime ago, the then Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Mr. Ademorin Kuye, had attributed the failure of the state to hold elections at that level to inability of Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to provide outstanding permanent voters cards (PVCs) belonging to the state.

According to him, the state had some outstanding Permanent Voters’ Cards (PVCs) to collect from the nation’s electoral body, a development the commissioner argued had hindered the state electoral commission from conducting the local government polls, a claim that has since been punctured by many.

‘I’ve listened to this argument, but you will discover that it sounds logical. For instance, the state that was complaining about having outstanding cards with INEC had since gone ahead to conduct a governorship election after this period,’ argued Mr. Owoseni Mayowa, a resident of Iyana Ipaja, a suburb of the metropolis.

Mayowa insisted that the LASEIC was just being economical with the truth and that there should be more to this than meet the eye.

Expectedly, the main opposition party in the state, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) is also unrelenting in its criticism of the entire process.

Recently, the Party criticised the composition of the state’s electoral commission, noting that some members were simply too biased to be part of the commission.

The state chapter of the party had strongly criticised recent selection and eventual confirmation of four commissioners of the State Independent Electoral Commission (LASIEC), accusing Governor Akinwunmi Ambode and the state House of Assembly

of “nakedly neglecting due process and flouting the sLate electoral laws.”

According to the party, the law prohibits members of political parties from being part of membership of LASIEC. The party’s Publicity Secretary, Mr. Taofik Gani, described the inclusion of Mr. Lateef Raji as LASIEC commissioner to conduct council polls in the state as an unequivocal resolve by the governor to rig the proposed exercise in favour of his party, the All Progressives Congress (APC).

“Lateef Raji has always been a card carrying member of parties from AD, which he acted as chairman during the factionalisation, to being a member of AC; ACN and now APC. He just served as Special Assistant to former Governor Fashola. He presently has his posters and banners in Lagos and Ondo to contest the Ondo governorship election. He is thus unfit and improper to act as umpire in a contest which APC will contest in,” the party said.

According to the PDP, the continuous

retention of Justice Fatai Adeyinka (retired) as LASIEC chairman and now confirming Lateef Raji as LASIEC commissioner is conclusive of APC and Governor Ambode as anti-democrats, despot who are desperate to control all the councils in the state.

‘This is insulting the sensibilities of Lagos voters, all well meaning persons must condemn this act. The purported commissioner and the LASIEC chairman must be removed to allow for reasonably fair polls.

‘If they are not removed, the APC can as well continue to violate the political rights of Lagosians to vote for their choice in a free and fair election. They should continue in the illegal, unconstitutional and fraudulent local councils now headed by aberration executive secretaries,’ the PDP said.

But, a lawmaker, Hon. Moshood Oshun, Chairman, House Committee on Public Accounts (State) and representative of Lagos Mainland Constituency 2 in a chat with the Nigerian Tribune argued that the council polls had not held because the state’s elec-

toral commission had not been briefed on electoral rule by INEC. ‘The LG elections have not been held because the Lagos State Independent Electoral Commission (LASIEC) is waiting on INEC for the electoral rule, without which it cannot conduct LG elections. So the delay is not LASIEC’s fault but INEC’s.

‘But I can assure you as soon as the electoral rule is made available, LG elections will be held because Lagos State is ready and LASIEC is ready to conduct the elections. There is nothing stopping the state because we are committed to the rule of law which involves the conduct of LG polls so as to guarantee that our democratic set up is not in any way compromised,’ argued the lawmaker.

Ondo State In less than six weeks, the local government election in Ondo State would have Continues on pg31

Creation of LCDAs is a win-win situation — Ogun House c/man on Justice, ethics and public petitions

Honourable Adebowale Ojuri is a member, Ogun State House of Assembly representing Odogbolu state constituency and Chairman, House Committee on Justice, Ethics and Public Petitions. He spoke on why the House is giving priority attention to the issue of creation of LCDAs. Excerpts: THE Executive Governor of Ogun State, Senator Ibikunle Amosun recently sent the list of proposed LCDAs to Ogun State House of Assembly for approval. Do you think LCDAs creation is necessary at this point?

The answer is Yes. If you look at the whole essence of the various tiers of government, moving from federal, to state to local government, it is to bring governance closer to the people. The essence of administration is to ensure that the dividends are better seen and appreciated.

For example, now we have a local government as big as Odogbolu with 15 wards. If the council secretariat is at Odogbolu, people living at Mobalufon area will have to travel half an hour to get to the council secretariat. With the new LCDA (Leguru LCDA), we at Ala and those living at Mobalufon area will get to Ala within 10 minutes.

That is one of the advantages.

LCDAs give the Chairmen the opportunity to look inwards. This will result in a shift in paradigm as regards the Internally Generated Honourable Adebowale Ojuri Revenue (IGR). As we already administration and development. It beknow, the same experiment worked in comes obvious overtime that to effectively Lagos State, it has actually brought much develop, the people must be adequately development to the rural areas of Lagos mobilised because a purposeful combinaState than the old LGs. If we look at Victotion of the local effort with that of govria Island and Lekki, a lot of development ernment with the objective of improving is going on in Lekki phase I, Lekki phase socio-economic conditions and encourage II and Ajah than Victoria Island axis ditto political participation is a key factor in here, because we have a lot of development rural development. in areas close to Ijebu Ode and Odogbolu.

The LCDAs, when created, will represent With LCDAs, that development can spread the objective expression of the people more evenly. So, I agree with the LCDA and it will enhance political participation, concept. efficient service delivery, resource mobilisation and a good number of local citizens What is really going to be the funcwill have the opportunity of being involved tion of the Local Council Developin the management of local affairs. ment Areas?

There is need for efficient service delivery Local Council Development Areas are to to the local people and this can be met enhance government interest in grassroot speedily and as efficiently as possible if

the LCDAs are created. Also, LCDAs have a way of promoting economic development from below which gives priority to rural development; enhances a more effective use of land and labour, and inculcates collective action in solving many of the problems confronting agriculture.

If the system is truly local, it provides special opportunities for people to complain about the quality of service it renders and about the conduct of the council officials.

Local Government Areas and Local Council Development Areas have for a very long time been regarded as the training ground for democracy. So, in a sense therefore, the creation of local council development areas is often linked with the desire to promote grassroot democracy.

It is necessary because some wards for the election of councilors are exceptionally large to the extent that some communities don’t know their councilors.

So, local council development areas are needed to open the state to greater opportunities and to achieve the socio-economic development being emphasized by the present administration in Ogun state.

In the face of the current dwindling revenue, do you think the LCDA will be able to fund itself or is there any particular source been looked at by the state government to finance it?

I don’t see local government finance only coming from the central purse. As you are aware, the drop in oil revenue means that the allocations to the local governments are also reducing. The survival of a local council development area should be based on the ability to generate new lines of IGR. In Odogbolu state constituency, we have fantastic opportunity to use agriculture as a new source of income. So, it’s a win win situation.

31 thesouth-west

Tuesday, 22 March, 2016

Nigerian Tribune

Kwara muted the idea in 2014 but...

Continues from pg30

come and gone, as the state government last December announced its determination to conduct the election before the expiration of its tenure next year.

All machineries towards the conduct of the election have been put in motion to ensure the success of the election while the State Independent Electoral Commission (ODIEC) had since rolled out time table for the April 23, 2016 local government election in the state.

The last time local government election was held in the state was in December 2007, but all the elected council chairmen and councillors in the 18 local government areas, who were elected then, were relieved of their positions by the present administration.

This followed the removal of The late Dr Olusegun Agagu as governor of the state by the Court OF Appeal and since then, the local councils have been administered without elected officials.

The sacked council administrators headed for court to challenge the perceived illegality of their removal and the state government has been appointing caretaker chairmen for the administration of all the 18 local government area in the state whose tenure was revalidated by the State House of Assembly every six months.

The litigation against the state government by the former Chairmen has been one of the factors the state government and the State Assembly had been clamouring for

the conduct of local government election, but the coming together of the Labour Party (LP) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state in 2014 put an end to the tussle between the sacked chairmen and the state government which was settled out of court.

The announcement of the local government election was however greeted with mixed feelings. Most politicians at the grassroots received the news with enthusiasm, while some parties have signified their intention to boycott the election.

A lot of members of all the parties across the 18 local governments described the election as a welcome development. They said it would afford them opportunity to participate in the running of the administration of the local government. But, the leadership of the two leading parties are not at home with the planned election, as they said it was coming too late and close to the governorship election in the state.

The APC chairman in the state, Isaac Kekemeke said while the party supported democratic structures at the local level, the pending suit at the Supreme Court remained an impediment.

Kekemeke said: “One of the things that the state government has said repeatedly is that it is not conducting the local government election because of this pending suit.

This suit is still pending, for seven years it has been pending and local government election has not been conducted.

“This suit is coming up sometime in April, Why the sudden u-turn to conduct this

election during the pendency of this case at the Supreme court. We believe that it is not proper, it is not respectful of the judiciary and we do not want to be part of this contempt and disrespect for the judiciary.”

But the publicity secretary of the PDP in the state, Honourable Banji Okunomo wondered why APC in the state that had been clamouring for a local government election was threatening to boycott the election. According to him, the party’s recent position confirms that the party is not popular in the state.

He faulted Kekemeke’s claim on the impending suit and said it had since been withdrawn. He explained that “the suit is an internal affair of the party and the issue has been resolved since it’s a family affair.” Okunomo also said that APC’s claim over opposition not winning local council election in other states lacked merit, noting that opposition parties in Lagos State won some seats during the last local council election. He stated: “The fear they have is the fact that they are not popular and not acceptable to the people. They have no excuse not to participate but they are afraid of defeat.”

But despite all these arguments, the electoral umpire has confirmed that at least 17 parties had shown their intention to participate in the election, while some candidates had been screened as stipulated by the Electoral Act. As ODIEC prepares for the election on April 23, posters of candidates already adorning all the nooks and crannies of the state.

LG autonomy is sacrosanct — Osiefa Otunba Adisa Osiefa is a public analyst of high repute covering socio-political subjects. In an interview with TUNDE BUSARI, he speaks on local government system in Nigeria. Excerpts: SOME states are accused of suppressing local government council and reducing them to non-existent level of government. Is this proper or not?

It is not proper for state to take over the responsibilities of local government. As long as federal government duly recognizes the state and allows them to perform their function, there is no reason local governments are denied their autonomy. But I agree with state government performing such oversight function to some extent because some local government chairmen are fond of abusing their office at the expense of the grass root people who elected them.

Should that alone justify the state action?

It does not mean the states should sit on them. Erring local government chairmen must be made to face the EFCC (Economic and Financial Crime Commission) and ICPC (Independent Corrupt Practices Commission). What I am saying is that the anti-corruption agencies should go after them instead of state government taking over their duties.

Some states are also accused of refusal to conduct local government elections.

Election is the only means through which popularity or otherwise of an office holder is assessed. In a situation there is no election, what we have is selection which is not part of democratic norm. In Lagos State, local government heads are called executive secretary instead of chairmen. Local government election is a must and I want states to conduct it. Let the aspirants go to the field and test their popularity. This will serve as a platform to know the quality of aspirants.

I overheard discussion on who should become the next Epe local government chairman. Should there be a debate over this?

Naturally political position attracts comments, arguments and the rest. On

Osiefa the issue of the election, there is a feeling that Eko Epe should be allowed to be the next local government chairman.

When we were young there was Alhaji A.B. Egberongbe as the chairman before independence. Later Chief S. L. Edu was a member of the Federal House of Representatives and Western House of Parliament.

But in his wisdom and particularly for the sake of unity, he relinquished House of Parliament n Ibadan and offered it to Chief Tobun. But since the new local government system was introduced every chairman comes from Ijebu-Epe. To those of us not into politics but want unity we say the time is ripe for political leaders, Obas and chiefs to put self interest aside and allow EkoEpe to emerge for the first time. A situation where a section dominates the other cannot promote genuine unity. Hausa/ Fulani realized this in 1999 and supported

Obasanjo. Epe is as old as Kano. For the first time ever, Eko-Epe should be given a chance. House of assembly is occupied by Honourable Abiodun Tobun who is doing his second term in office. For the first time, Eko side produced Wale Raji, a former permanent secretary, in the House of Representatives. If that can be accomplished, this one too is possible and it will calm a frayed nerves.

How is this going to be achieved?

That is what I am talking about. The politicians should meet and agree that Eko-Epe has the turn. And those of them who have come to me said they would go to primaries and win. The position is not forever. Numerical strength of any of the side should be set aside for the interest of love and unity. This is what we should embrace now.

Oyo State In Oyo state, the last time local government election held was under the immediate past governor of the state, Otunba Adebayo Alao-Akala. Thus, since 2011, the 33 councils in the state have been administered by caretaker committees. Alao-Akala had promised to conduct a fresh local government election if he was reelected in 2011. He lost to the ACN candidate, Senator Abiola Ajimobi. As soon as he settled down in office, he explained that it would amount to contempt of court to conduct local government election, following a ruling by a High Court sitting in Ibadan that the dissolution of the Oyo State Independent Electoral Commission (OYSIEC) by the Oyo State government on June 2, 2011, was unconstitutional, null and void. The court also declared that the dissolved members were entitled to continue functioning as officers in their various capacities until their tenure lapsed on September 5, 2012.

This position of the court, according to Governor Ajimobi, incapacitated his government to dabble into local government election. So, the government has continued to appoint heads of transition committee to administer the affairs of the local government councils in the state, with intermittent renewal of their tenure within six months.

The OYSIEC, according to its website, on March 17, 2016, has only conducted elections into the Council areas in the state on four occasions: 2002, 2004, May 2007 and December 2007.

Some opposition parties in the state said the absence of democratically elected government at the council level had negatively impacted on local government administration in the state.

The Public Relations Officer (PRO) of Social democratic Party (SDP) in Oyo state, Alhaji Akeem Azeem posited: “The reason local government election has not been held should be directed to the APC-led administration in the state. They owe the public explanations on the matter. However, they have announced that the poll will hold his year and we pray this happens and if it does, we shall participate and hope the outcome will be a true reflection of the wishes of the people.”

The image maker of PDP in the state and former member of the state House of Assembly, Honourable Kehinde Salawu, decried the absence of elected government at the local council level. His words: “The refusal of the APC administration to conduct the council election almost five years of their ruling is very unfortunate and undemocratic. They are not practising democracy. They deprive the good people of Oyo State dividends of democracy.”

Meanwhile, the Special Adviser, Communication and Strategy, Yomi Layinka informed Nigerian Tribune that the governor should not be blamed for the state’s inability to conduct the election in the past years. He revealed that the issue had been resolved, and the election would hold as promised by the governor. He added that the government was currently working on the list of the likely members of the Oyo State Independent Electoral Commission (OYSIEC) for onward presentation to the House of Assembly for ratification.

Layinka, in a statement, also corroborated Sadare’s claim in reference to Governor Ajimobi’s statement that elections shall hold in the next few months into all the 33 local governments across the state.

Additional report by Oluwole Ige, Yinka Olukoya, Sam Nwaoko, Biola Azeez, Yinka Oladoyinbo, Akin Adewakun, Lekan Olabulo, Chuks Okparaocha, Hakeem Gbadamosi and Tunde Ogunesan

32 thesouth-west

Tuesday, 22 March, 2016

Nigerian Tribune

From left, Commissioner for Commerce and Industry, Otunba Bimbo Ashiru; Director General, DAWN Commission, Mr Dipo Famakinwa; Group Managing Director, Odu’a Invesment Limited, Mr Adewale Raji and Coordinating head Homeland Affairs, DAWN Commission, Mr Seye Oyeleye during the round table discussion on South West Agenda on Mineral Resources held in Ibadan, last week.

DAWN: S/West agenda

on mineral resources T

HE feat recorded by former leaders of the South Western region has continued to vibrate in the minds of many, even over a half of century ago. Decades after, the closest feat to that achievement was the performance of civilian governors during the aborted second republic, 1979-1983.

Today, recent happenings have become a pointer to the effect that though, the Southwest region cannot go back to that regional single government again, but can operate in joint economic regional operation to the betterment of all the states and somehow bring back the good old memories of that era.

Having realised this, the six states in the region--- Oyo, Ogun, Lagos, Osun, Ondo and Ekiti states forged a common font under a new platform – Development Agenda for Western Nigeria (DAWN), to rekindle the success strong educational, infrastructural and economical independence of the founding fathers of the region. The course, if properly executed should chart a way forward for this generation and even the unborn, and thus make it a viable and investment driven region.

With the vision to achieve this purpose, one of the very proactive steps taken by the commission was an organization of a roundtable discourse on solid and natural mineral resources at disposal, especially when the oil boom seems spelling doom for the country Nigeria and all the regions.

In order not to be totally enmeshed in the outcome of financial and infrastructural desert, DAWN Commission invited stakeholders from the states to brainstorm on how to use the existing and available mineral resources to improve the economical condition of the region and as well as pilot the states together in forging a powerhouse in trade, business and industrial sector.

According to the Director General of DAWN commission, Dipo Famakinwa, the Honourable Minister of Solid Minerals, Dr Kayode Fayemi is fully briefed and has promised to align the policies of his Minis-

try on Solid Minerals with the aspirations of the Region as a bloc.

Famakinwa said “DAWN provides the roadmap of plans and actions towards Regional Integration and Cooperation amongst all the States of the Southwest Region. The Roadmap seeks to restore deliberate thinking, planning and acting together in critical areas of development possibilities. The objective is to merge strengths, leverage comparative and competitive advantages, encourage peer learning and minimize duplication or multiplication of efforts.

“The governments of the Southwest regional States of Nigeria have agreed and are committed to a common set of development strategies across all spheres of existence i.e. economic, technological, social, educational, human capital for the Region and its indigenes. The roadmap brings this to life.

“The roadmap represents the Region’s first attempt since the exit of the military government at having one coordinated development plan for the States of the Southwest region of Nigeria. This plan addresses the imperative to create in the region a thriving and prosperous Southwest. DAWN Commission has mapped the region’s resources and identified sources of devel-

We are taking a lot from this because in south west alone, we are endowed and blessed with a lot of solid mineral and natural resources.

TUNDE OGUNESAN was at the round table conference of the Development Agenda for Western Nigeria (DAWN) where issues on mineral resources in the region were discussed. His report

opment deficit and recommendations for transforming what has become a dormant region in the last 30 years. The roadmap identifies important issues of development from agriculture to technology and tourism to name a few.”

On the optimization roundtable on solid minerals in the region, Famakinwa said “We have to explore the collaborative space, create a programme of action that is regional in nature and that’s only way we can build on synergy that we currently have and also create economies of scale that will make sense.”

In his presentation entitled “Strategic document for repositioning the solid minerals sector in Southwest Nigeria” Professor Gbenga Okunlola relayed various mineral resources domiciled along border lines and in each of the state in the South West.

The Geologist said if the mineral resources at the disposal of the states are properly annexed, and in agreement, it will reduce their dependency on monthly allocation from Abuja, generate employment and make them economically viable.

Representatives of Oyo, Ogun and Osun states, in their positions expressed that it is high time the region look in the direction of opportunities abound in jointly harnessing the solid minerals in advancing their financial capabilities.

The commissioner for Commerce and Industry, Ogun State, Mr Bimbo Ashiru said the states must come together as brothers and begin to look inward to get things done together in terms of economic transformation of the region.

According to Ashiru, “We are taking a lot from this because in south west alone, we are endowed and blessed with a lot of solid mineral and natural resources. Take for example we have limestone, bitumen, quarts and other all in commercial quantities. What we are saying here today is that we should take advantage of areas where we have competitive and comparative advantage over others. We should now come together and take advantage as said.

In his view, representative of Osun State,

Dr Ajibola Bashiru revealed that the recent drop in oil revenue is a tonic for the states in the region to find alternative to windfall from the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

He said “the resource of the states and the federal government is actually going down in abysmal manner, particularly because of the fall in oil revenue. Within the past four months, what accrued to the entire federation account is far less to what is used to accrue to the Federal Government alone.

About three years ago, the income of the Federal Government has reduced drastically, a situation which has also affected the states.

“This really calls for soul searching and the need for government to see how we can explore other sources of revenue, and solid mineral is one of the key areas that governments in the South West region are looking towards to be able to ensure that over dependence on oil revenue, which is no longer even there can be addressed.

“So, this round table is trying to create a synergy, looking at the existing scenario and trying to make projections forward on how best to achieve solid mineral exploration and of course, industrialization aspect of it within the context of regional integration. And as you know, issues of economy of scale has been looked at and then the fact that the kind of resources that you require to be able to optimally utilized this window of opportunity is so large that it is with cooperation within the region that you can achieve this.

In his contribution, the Special Adviser to Oyo State governor, Senator Abiola Ajimobi on solid minerals, Honourable Matthew Oyedokun, commended the development.

He added that there are hundreds of minerals lying fallow on the border line of the region untapped.

Oyedokun said “it is a very good development that the southwestern Nigeria is coming together to see how they can annex the mineral potentials in their domains.

We are privileged to have people that are in charge of solid minerals in all the states of the region here today, meeting to see the way forward.

33

Tuesday, 22 March, 2016

infotech

Nigerian Tribune

anchor Bode Adewumi

m:08055001765 e:bodekafi@yahoo.com

MasterCard/ UN partnership: Enhancing the value of Nigerian women

By Bode Adewumi

N

igeria recently joined the rest of the world to celebrate the International Women’s Day, which is held annually on March 8, to celebrate women’s achievements throughout history and across nations. It is also known as the United Nations (UN) Day for Women’s Rights and International Peace.

The essence of the day is aimed at having equal rights and opportunities for women as men.

Several organisations in the country organised events to mark the day for women but one of such outstanding organisations was MasterCard, the payment solution company.

MasterCard leveraged the occasion to partner with the UN Women, a division of the United Nations (UN) in a bid to drive financial inclusion of women, using Nigerian as a pilot in Sub-Sahara Africa.

Under the initiative, MasterCard and UN Women will further explore how far Nigerians have signed up for the country’s national identity card programme and based on these insights, a targeted programme will be launched to educate women on the benefits of the programme and enrol them for the identity card.

The campaign will help at least half a million women in Nigeria gain access to financial services, many for the first time, and get the support they need to enter the country’s formal economy.

The pilot stage will be carried out in Lagos, Edo, Kaduna and Adamawa.

MasterCard, which is listed on the New York Stock Exchange, is a technology company in the global payments industry. It operates the world’s fastest payments processing network, connecting consumers, financial institutions, merchants, governments and businesses in more than 210 countries and territories while the UN Women was created by the United Nations General Assembly in July 2010 as the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women.

In doing this, UN Member States took an historic step in accelerating the Organisation’s goals on gender equality and the empowerment of women. The creation of UN Women came about as part of the UN reform agenda, bringing together resources and mandates for greater impact. It merges and builds on the important work of four previously distinct parts of the UN system, which focused exclusively on gender equality and women’s empowerment.

Omokehinde Ojomujide, Vice-president and Area Business Head, West Africa, for Mastercard observes that around the world, nearly 2.4 billion people live without any form of official personal identification, and the majority of them are women, adding that, “As part of broader International Women’s Day activities, MasterCard and UN Women have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to address this imbalance and advance gender

From left, Lakshmi Puri, United Nations Assistant Secretary-General; Omokehinde Ojomuyide, Vice President, MasterCard and Area Business Head, West Africa and Titilayo Ejiofor, Lagos State Coordinator, National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), during the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between MasterCard and UN Women to advance gender equality and women’s economic empowerment in Lagos, recently. equality and women’s economic empowerment.”

According to her, the first initiative in this relationship is the launch of a pilot in Nigeria, which aims to provide half a million Nigerian women with ID cards enabled with electronic payments functionality.

“Our partnership with UN Women is the result of a shared vision of a world where women are empowered to achieve their true potential. Lack of identity is a critical barrier for women seeking to do something as simple as vote, own property or open an account to receive or send money. Together, we can make a real difference in these women’s lives,” she said.

According to the World Bank, only 47 per cent of women worldwide have access to formal financial services, compared to 51 per cent of men. In Africa, this number increases to more than 70 per cent of women.

One of UN Women’s main objective is to increase women’s economic empowerment.

The partnership with MasterCard will help pave the way to economic freedom and financial inclusion for women, initially in Nigeria.

Commenting on the partnership, Assistant secretary-General/Deputy Executive Director of United Nations, Lakshmi Puri notes that, “One of UN Women’s main objective is to increase women’s economic empowerment. The partnership with MasterCard will help pave the way to economic freedom and financial inclusion for women, initially in Nigeria.”

According to her, “we look forward to working together and see the potential of expanding the model to benefit women also in other countries. It is also encouraging that we will collaborate on knowledge generation, advocacy and resource mobilisation for greater investment in gender equality and women’s empowerment - reflecting MasterCard and its CEO’s deep commitment to a Planet 50/50 and to supporting UN Women’s efforts.”

Also speaking, Mrs Adjaratou Fatou Ndiaye, Deputy Country Representative, UN Women said: “The global partnership between the UN Women and MasterCard was launched recently ahead of the International Women’s Day. The necessity of this partnership announcement in Nigeria is that Nigeria is piloting it and it is the only place where things are happening on the continent now. There are flurry of events in Nigeria. We are very happy that Nigeria is piloting this initiative; this is because Nigeria is the biggest market in Africa in terms of population.

“It is strategic to our event. However, when you reflect on the situation of Nigeria, it is clear that women have not benefitted from its economic and democratic gains. The situation of women in Nigeria is not the brightest. 65 per cent of Nigerian women live below the poverty line and re-

search has categorised the poverty level in terms of increasing challenges in financial distribution faced by vulnerable groups.

“70 per cent of women are illiterate compared to 40 per cent of the male population. Added to this imbalance is the financial exclusion of women. The number of women elected in the National Assembly is also less than 7 per cent, which makes Nigeria one of the countries of the world recording delineation in the number of women in government.”

According to Mrs Titilola Ejiofor, the Lagos Coordinator of the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), “For several years, there had been the quest to have a comprehensive national identity data base. But due to the failure of the past national identity card projects, when NIMC’s national electronic identity card project began, it was thought it would be a failure. Contrary to perception about the on-going registration of Nigerians for the national electronic identity card (e-ID Card) scheme, that most Nigerians will be evasive of the exercise, investigations revealed that citizens are so much eager to get their biometric data captured so as to own cards when they will be issued.”

She said that, NIMC is proud to be identified with MasterCard to empower Nigerian women that have suffered neglect for so long. She added that already, the Federal Government has secured global certification for the electronic national identity card, e-ID through the National Identity Management Commission, NIMC. NIMC got the certification for its facilities, which produces the e-ID from the Global Vendors Certification Programme, GVCP, by MasterCard.

34

infotech

Tuesday, 22 March, 2016

Nigerian Tribune

ICT is tool for employment generation —Ex-Lawmaker Olayinka Olukoya -Abeokuta

From left, Mr Sachin Verma, iStore Country Manager; Mrs Adebisi Ade-Onojobi, iStore customer; Mr Kolapo Agunloye, iStore Manager and Mrs Aderonke Adebule, Executive Director, JSP Communications, during a breakfast presentation of iPad Pro in Lagos on Friday.

A former member of the Ogun State House of Assembly, Honourable Adijat Adeleye-Oladapo, has described Information and Communication Technology (ICT) as one of the tools for employment generation.

Adeleye-Oladapo, a two-term member of the Assembly, stated this while addressing the graduating students of the Motunrayo-Adeleye Free ICT centres in Akute area in Ifo Local Government Area of the state.

The graudands were the 9th batch of the scheme established by the lawmaker while in office.

She urged the youths to embrace the principles and practices of ICT to further reduce unemployment rate in the country.

The former lawmaker said that

It’s too late to devalue naira — Ekeh, Zinox boss Stories By Bode Adewumi

C

hairman of Zinox Group, Nigeria’s foremost integrated Information and Communication Technology (ICT) conglomerate, Mr Leo Stan Ekeh, has lent his voice to the on-going debate over the calls for the devaluation of the naira, noting that prevailing circumstances in the nation’s fiscal and monetary frameworks aligned to developments in the global oil market makes devaluation a needless venture at this material time.

Since the turn of the year, the country has had to contend with reduced government earnings from the sale of crude oil, with the current administration especially hard-hit by the dwindling prices of the commodity in the global market, prompting the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to impose strict forex rules to save its reserves while battling the pressure from various quarters to devalue the naira.

Speaking at a reception organised in honour of his 60th birthday at the Sheraton Hotel Ikeja, recently, Ekeh noted that it was too late to devalue the naira as the move will only serve to further impoverish the masses and plunge the country into a state of hyper-inflation.

“What do you think would happen to already stretched wage earners? Would their salaries be linked to rate of inflation as is the standard globally? As I speak, a lot of states cannot pay the minimum monthly salary.

“If devaluation happened midlast year, it would have made sense and encouraged in-flows from investors but devaluing now would compound our already difficult situation and investors will only wait in anticipation of a further devaluation. It will rubbish our currency forever and strengthen the purchasing power of our trading partners,” he said.

Ekeh, who claimed that his company is one of the casualties of the current forex scarcity with

increasing difficulty to meet overseas business obligations, believes Nigerians and Nigerian corporates have reasonably adjusted to the realities of the hard times with pains as most people are now prioritising critical needs which should be the case most times. In his view, the dire situation has most importantly impacted common sense which is not too common in many Nigerians.

“It’s too late to devalue the naira

at this point in time. I can see reason behind the refusal of the President to consider devaluation as it is a move that will certainly erode the buying power of the middle class and push millions of Nigeria already living below the poverty line into abject penury,” surmised Ekeh, who is also a renowned Third World Economist.

“The country is hugely dependent on imports as it were and with the status quo ante, any attempt to de-

value the currency will only usher in inflation and leave the country at the mercy of the vested interests in the global economic set-up who have been voluble in their calls for devaluation,” he added.

Rather than consider devaluing the currency, Ekeh counselled the government to explore other options which will shore up the value of the naira and make the country less dependent on imports as it used to be in the past.

EchoVC Partners secures seed funding for S&T Media Nigeria’s leading digital advertising company, S&T Media, has raised a six figure seed round from EchoVC Partners, an early stage technology venture capital firm.

S&T Media pioneers several innovative digital advertising platforms, including AdPump, a digital advertising network targeting consumers at petrol pumps, and AdEdge, an in-store digital adver-

tising screen, which secured its first retail deal with retail giant, Spar recently.

The seed round, which could go up to $1,000,000 according to the investment details, which have not yet been fully disclosed, will be dedicated to growing S&T Media including increased investments in AdPump’s expansion, product development, and further hard-

Intel partners Airtel, Lenovo, others to empower Nigerians Intel has announced an initiative to educate and bring more accessible and affordable Information and Communications Technology (ICT) solutions to Nigerians as part of its continued commitment to the economic growth of Nigeria and the improvement of ICT skills in youth and entrepreneurs in Nigeria, working closely with Airtel, Diamond Bank, Microsoft, Dell, HP, Lenovo, Asus, Tecno, RLG and Zinox .The objective of this initiative is to help Nigerians better understand how an affordable PC, that has more functionality and features can improve their lives.

According to a new study from Capital One Financial Corporation and Burning Glass Technologies,”Digital and computer skills have become essential for nearly 80 per cent of middle-skill

jobs, as the study found that middle-skill jobs that require digital expertise have been growing at a faster rate than those that do not.They also, on average, offer wages that are 18 per cent higher.” This is why Intel is leading the Nigerian computer industry and ecosystem to drive this computer adoption programme.

This will be a multi-year programme that leverages partnerships from both private organisations and the government to ensure that a Laptop and internet are affordable and accessible to Nigerians from all walks of life. The goal is to expand the laptop and broadband market reach to other states, partnering with Diamond Bank and Airtel to achieve a truly smart and connected Nigeria.

ware and staff acquisition.

Launched in 2014 as AdBox, S&T Media has since installed 160 AdPump screens across Lagos in 17 strategically located filling stations and successfully entering into distribution deal with a number of Nigeria’s petroleum products marketing companies, including Oando Plc, Forte Oil and Total Plc which boasts more than 1,000 filling stations capacity across the country. The company has also recently signed up key advertising partners including Etisalat, Jumia, Smile Communications, House on the Rock, Guaranty Trust Bank and Mall for Africa.

Speaking on the deal, CoFounder of S&T Media, Mr Tolu Roberts said: “Since inception we wanted to create platforms that can give brands the reach they crave in a more efficient and targeted manner. Securing institutional funding with the right investor has allowed us to accelerate that vision, as we rapidly develop and install platforms that connect brands with captivated consumers. With EchoVC on board, we have found more than just an investor but also a partner who understands effective growth of tech start-ups. We are confident that we can penetrate the advertising market with our innovative platforms whilst leveraging on EchoVC strategic partnerships.”

the establishment of the centre was part of her efforts towards ensuring that everyone in Ifo II constituency especially the indigent ones, acquired necessary information and communication technology skills.

“ICT knowledge is very important especially for the Youths both male and female and it is necessary in this 21st Century.

“I want to pledge my commitment towards running the free training and I want to tell you that the centres has been affording youths in the area the opportunity to enhance their technological skills for meaningful impact in the society,” she said.

In his remarks, the Director of the Centre, Mr Ademola Akintoye, stated that the centre had in the last three years produced over 1000 graduands in Desktop Publishing and Computer Engineering.

Akintoye said that a good knowledge of computer technology and its other related concepts would put ICT literates at a better edge in the labour market as everything in the world was technologically driven.

Apple’s iPad Pro hits Nigeria As the home of everything Apple, iStore is proud to continue its efforts in making the latest Apple products available to customers. iPad Pro, Apple’s most expansive and productive tablet, is now available at iStore. iPad Pro has a large 12.9-inch Retina display, nearly double the CPU performance of iPad Air 2 and refined MultiTouch technology.

With 5.6 million pixels, iPad Pro features the highest-resolution Retina display of any iOS device. The 12.9-inch screen makes everything you do — editing 4K video, designing presentations, running a business — easier, faster and more engaging. iPad Pro has a slim and light design, it’s just 6.9 mm thin and weighs just over 700g. It’s available in silver, gold and space grey. iStore will also offer the new range of iPad Pro Apple accessories namely the revolutionary Apple Pencil, Apple Smart Keyboard and Smart Covers.

The Apple Pencil uses incredibly sensitive pressure and tilt sensors to instantly recognise when you are pressing harder or shifting its angle. Apple’s iPad Pro Smart Keyboard combines an array of new technologies and materials to create a keyboard like no other.

It’s a full-size keyboard that’s fully portable, and connects to iPad Pro with the Smart Connector, an innovative new interface that allows for a two-way exchange of power and data. Finally the Smart Cover, which folds into different positions, creates a versatile stand for reading, typing, or watching videos. All accessories are sold separately.

35

Tuesday, 22 March, 2016

brands& marketing The President and Chairman of Council, Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR), Dr Rotimi Oladele, In this interview with AKIN ADEWAKUN, speaks on various issues affecting the nation’s integrated marketing communications industry today, noting that governance has become so sophisticated in the public sector that those at the helm of affairs must market their policies to be able to resonate with the people.

What PR can do to brand Journalism?

Our symbiotic relationship should form knowledge- driven collaboration that will add value to both parties.

I am not a petty person, people know me for that, and that is why I don’t play politics. I am not a card carrying member of any political party. I only go and vote. For brand journalism that will make for recognition and relevance, the law of balance is a necessity. If you are reporting a brand don’t forget the stakeholders, the customers, the manufacturers, the middle chain and the ultimate consumers. If you leave anyone out, you don’t have a balance.

Brand is a living being and it talks on its

anchor Akin Adewakun

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

‘Government needs to embrace policy marketing to meet people’s needs’ professionals.

B

RAND Reporting and consumerism.

For me what I look forward to seeing is the new knowledge we are bringing into brand reporting , what new pages are we looking at , what television programs can drive brands. I want to see a situation where consumerism for example is challenged in our service industry. I alighted from an oversea trip at our airport recently and the first scenario, was that of the air-conditioners that were malfunctioning at the place. From the toilet you smell very offensive odour. Meanwhile Nigerians and foreigners were kept on the queue for almost two and half hours. Out of ten counters there were three attendants all other counters were empty. These, for me, are brand issues, because service industry in Nigeria is badly managed both in public and private sector, and who can drive it, who can remind us of our essentials in terms of service, in terms of management, in terms of design it should be the brand journalists. If you look at it, even when your are reporting politics as a brand jounalist, what you are concerned about is the human brand which is either the Governor, the Minister or chairman of the local government. As a brand how is he positioned? Is it competitive with his peers? How has he presented his manifesto which are his own packaging to us?

Was he actually tested? And of course, what are the promotional support given to it?

Then is it available? And if it is available, is it acceptable because most products are available in Nigeria, but they are not accessible?

Those are brand questions.

For me these are the concerns of brand Journalism, I think we should work out joint platform of training locally and externally.

Nigerian Tribune

Dr Rotimi Oladele own, nobody talks for the brand.

For me, I want to see how NIPR and my person can simply intervene in your logistics and training and leverage the opportunities we all have. If we don’t do that we are only short changing ourselves.

Brand Reporting and public service We are poorly covering public service, we have forgotten that the major brand that actually determines what should be the standard of living in Nigeria is in the public service. For instance, all the brands in Aviation, telecomms, agriculture sector

and health, what are we doing to them?

The need for developmental journalism There is the need for the nation’s media to imbibe what I will call developmental journalism. Everyday in India, within three hours a minimum of five ladies are raped, in South Africa within ten hours cars are burgled, but then when you read their newspapers is that what you are reading?. America is one of the most notorious societies in the whole world, but is that what they are reporting. These are the questions I want us to ask ourselves as

Why the public service must embrace policy marketing Even before government makes policy at all the public should have been sounded out through the media. The government should have run those checks on such policies through the media as news, make them debatable, that way people start talking about such policies. Look at Britain what is going on now, the government in Britain wants to opt out of EU, but what the government has done is to say should we or should we not? Every newspaper, television or radio is running it, while the government is waiting and collating information and responses. At the end of the day, it will take public decision. Policy marketing is the only way out for government to engender its achievements in the hearts of the populace, because it is going to be the decision of the people, not the decision of government.

But when there is no such policy marketing, you will always see the leader coming up with policies that are not in tandem with the people’s expectations.

I remember a governor that built boreholes in all the local governments of the state and the people told him what they needed were secondary schools. So just like in marketing, you must first find out what they want, before you manufacture the product.

Chi introduces Hollandia Yoghurt Grab ‘n’ Go pack AS a way of continually sustaining its market share in the fruit juice and yoghurt segment, Chi Limited, Nigeria has again announced the introduction of its new 315ml ‘Grab ‘n’ Go mixology pack, that enables consumers mix Hollandia Yoghurt with their preferred drinks.

According to the company, the mixology Grab ‘n’ Go Pack had already become an instant success in the market,; since a lot of consumers in that market segment always

love to mix drinks, as the smooth texture and great taste of Hollandia Yoghurt goes well with one’s chosen beverage.

Commenting on the new product, the Managing Director Chi Limited, Mr Deepanjan Roy explained that the idea behind the introduction of the product was to ensure that the company’s loyal consumers continue to get value and satisfaction from its products.

‘Our customers are being offered great

value with the new Hollandia Mixology Grab ‘n’ Go packs which provide them a tasty and nourishing option to mix with other beverages.

‘Mixing drinks just got better with the new Hollandia Mixology Grab ‘n’ Go Pack. Consumers can now enjoy the smoothest blend and the greatest taste just the way they like it with a handy 315ml pack of their favorite yoghurt to mix with a variety of beverages,’ he added.

36

brands&marketing

Tuesday, 22 March, 2016

Nigerian Tribune

RB Nigeria launches campaign against diarrhoea

From left, Customer Marketing Director, Mr Obinna Anyalebechi; Marketing and Innovation Director, Mr Gavin Pike and Corporate Relations Director, Mr Sesan Sobowale all of Guinness Nigeria Plc at the Media Launch of Orijin Zero Non-Alcoholic Drink, held in Lagos, recently.

Mothers’ Day celebrations and Peak Milk’s unwritten pact with the feminine gender

A

LL over the globe, the crucial role of the feminine gender in bringing forth lives and sustaining such has no doubt continued to generate acclamations, a development that has culminated in the setting aside a whole day for the celebration of motherhood by different countries such as US, UK, India, Denmark, Finland, Italy, Turkey, Australia, Mexico, Canada, China, Japan and Belgium; albeit on different dates.

It is always an occasion for people to celebrate their mothers, while at the same time expressing gratitude to them for all their love and support, over the years; a period of presenting gifts of flowers, cards, perfumes, jewelry, diamonds, chocolates, gourmet gifts, spa visits and short vacations to mothers too.

Interestingly, while the dusts raised by this year’s Mothers’ Day, celebrated in Nigeria few days ago, seems to be gradually settling down, one brand that has continued to re-igniting the celebrations in the consciousness of Nigerians, especially its teeming consumers, is the Peak Milk brand from the stable of Friesland Campina.

For instance, besides developing customized special limited edition packs of Peak Milk with messages such as ‘Love You’, ‘Thank You’ and ‘Sweet Mother’, at the same price, as celebration packs for consumers who want to celebrate their mothers in a unique way, the brand has also rolled out a Television commercial as a way of further etching the day in the memories of Nigerians.

Tagged Sweet Mothers, the TVC which is already running on different television stations across Nigeria has been aptly de-

scribed by many Nigerians and consumers alike as captivating in view of the need to strengthen emotional affiliations among families.

Captured in four major Nigerian languages, the song stresses the huge role of mothers and the bond they enjoy with other members of their families especially the children.

The TVC song titled “Mama Oyoyo” which features top hip hop artistes that include Selebobo, Olamide, Inyanya, Tekno and Yemi Alade, a past winner of the rested Peak Talent Show emphasises a great deal on the significant guidance offered by mothers in reaching the peak in one’s lifetime journey and career.

One of the highlights of the TVC is its ability to establish a common ground in the way motherhood is being perceived and celebrated across the three major ethnic groups in the country.

Not a few have described the new TVC as, again, demonstrating the unwritten pact of

TechPlus: Organisers unveil plan

for 2016 event

RIDING on the success of its maiden edition, Connect Marketing Services has unveiled plans for the 2016 edition of Nigeria’s biggest tech event, TechPlus.

According to the organisers, the 2016 Techplus event is billed to hold in the month of July, in Lagos, with this year’s theme, A Connected World.

In its second year, Techplus is a gathering of everything technology, providing a robust tripartite tech experience through its conference, exhibition and gaming structures whilst

Nielsen’s MD, Omoyele, speaks on research at 6th PRCAN Business Meeting THE Public Relations Consultants of Nigerian (PRCAN), has announced the choice of Mr. Lampe Omoyele, Managing Director of Nielsen West Africa, a foremost research company, as its Guest Speaker in the sixth edition of its Breakfast Meeting, schedluled for Lagos, this week.

Omoyele, who will be speaking on Research as a Strategic IMC Function, has a rich experience in gathering data on consumer habits and choices across 100 countries and has been in brand management and sales for about 25 years.

The previous sessions had featured speak-

the brand to always exhort womanhood and anything that has to do with the feminine gender.

‘The brand is on a familiar ground, with this commercial. I think the Papilo TVC, involving Kanu Nwankwo and the ‘mum’, where ex-Eagles Skipper Nwankwo Kanu plays the protagonist is still fresh in our memories,” argued Mr Kola Abel, a marketing communications expert.

Analyzing the communication trends and history of the brand, Abel argued that the commercial is only reinforcing the commitment of the Peak Milk brand to be at the fore-front of the feminism cause.

‘I think the brand has done its home-work very well, that is why all these communications have continued to resonate with the audience. Women are key in this society, the more reason a commercial was brand by a frontline telecommunications brand some years ago for being insensitive to the feminine gender,” he stated.

ers from various segments of communications and marketing, including Kufre Ekanam, Corporate Affairs Adviser of Nigerian Breweries; Emeka Oparah, Director of Corporate Communications and CSR at Airtel Networks; and David Okeme, who was then Brand Building Director at Unilever Plc and President of the Advertisers Association of Nigeria (ADVAN).

Others were: Tony Ojobo, Director of Public Affairs at Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) and Mrs Nkiru Olumide-Ojo, Head, Marketing and Corporate Communications at Stanbic IBTC.

serving as a platform for knowledge sharing, networking and marketplace for consumers and businesses.

Convening over 6,000 techy and non-techy participants with 30 other speakers and panelists at its 2015 edition, Techplus has positioned itself as the premier and most authoritative tech gathering in Nigeria. The maiden edition of the event also saw the display of hi-tech innovations and gaming solutions, recording over 1,096 gamers.

In a statement published on the event website, this year’s edition of the event will provide an avenue to advance technological discourse, ideas, displays and networks in and around Nigeria.

‘Techplus Conference and Expo is a place where new technology comes to life, new products are launched and innovations converge, providing manufacturers, concept generators, software and hardware companies, content developers a platform to bring their products and services to life,’ the statement read.

Relating the plans for Techplus 2016, Executive Director, Connect Marketing, Kazeem Abimbola, noted that the event will capture emerging realities of global technological revolutions and how Nigeria can benefit from such.

RB Nigeria has announced its RB/Save The Children charity ball for the Stop Diarrhoea programmes, a partnership programme, aimed at eradicating child deaths from diarrhea, piloted in Shomolu Local Government Area of Lagos State.

According to the company, the partnership since 2013 had resulted in innovative new hygiene and sanitation products by RB alongside Save the Children’s sustainable Stop Diarrhea programme in Nigeria, that would help prevent, control and treat the unnecessary killer.

The General Manager, RB West Africa, Rahul Murgai noted that the the combination of RB’s expertise in product development and research, and Save the Children’s experience of delivering life-saving work, had helped save thousands of young lives annually.

According to the GM, the company had completed its fully-funded Inception Phases, involving the research and set up of large-scale, innovative programs to combat diarrhea in Nigeria and Pakistan.

Murgai added that the facilities are now in execution phase in Shomolu community in Lagos to fully implement the World Health Organisation and UNICEF 7-point plan to ensure comprehensive diarrhea control.

“RB and Save the Children have committed to working with national governments and other partners to implement the 7 Point Plan by developing unique products to improve hand washing and community sanitation,’ he added.

Orijin gets non-alcoholic variant GUINNESS Nigeria has announced the launch of its new Orijin variant, the Orijin Zero Non-alcoholic Orijin drink, aimed at meeting the needs of non-alcoholic consumers in that market segment.

Describing the product as another innovation coming from the company’s stables, its Marketing Director, Mr Obinna Anyalebechi stated that the idea to come up with Orijin Zero Non-alcoholic drink was informed by the need to also cater for the needs of consumers, desirous of the bitter-sweet taste of the drink, without its alcoholic content.

He expressed the determination of the company to ensure that the new product is sold at the prescribed price in the open market, noting that one of the ways of ensuring this is to put a price tag on the cans as a way of making sure that they are not sold above the recommended retail price.

According to him, the Orijin Non-Alcoholic drink, which is a product of consumer insight, would go a long way in further boosting the profile of the company as an organization desirous of always ensuring that consumers get value for their hard-earned funds.

‘This is another innovation coming from us.

For instance, when we came up with the Orijin drink, the drinks market was caught unawares, a development that resulted in that huge acceptance of the drink by consumers in that segment, because of its uniqueness and the innovation that goes with it.

“Today, we’ve decided to take it a bit further because we realised we were living out a sizable number of consumers who would have preferred the drink, without its alcoholic content. With, the new Orijin, the consumers’ array of choices has been further widened,” he stated.

37

Tuesday, 22 March, 2016

property

Nigerian Tribune

anchor Chukwuma Okparaocha

m:08038984495 e:chukscop2005@yahoo.co.uk

Rising number of slums, unapproved buildings in Lagos Chukwuma Okparaocha - Lagos

A

s of the time this report was being pieced together, a faulty building in Mile 12 area of Lagos just gave way, as a section of its balcony collapsed killing a woman.

This came just over a week after a multi-storey building collapsed in Lekki area of Lagos, ending the lives of over 30 people and maiming others.

An alarm has been raised for Lagosians to be wary of over 500,000 of unapproved as well as distressed buildings in different parts of the state.

This was made known by the management of the Lagos State Physical Planning Permit Authority (LASPPPA), whose office was visited by the Lagos State House of Assembly Committee on Physical Planning and Urban Development.

The committee also visited Lagos State Building Control Agency (LASBCA) which shares the building with LASPPPA. Citing a November 2011 report, the LASPPPA management indicated that just over one million buildings were recognised in the state, and that less than half of those were covered with approval. But the lawmakers have vowed and began taking steps to end this trend.

Tribune Property got the information during a tour of the offices of the Lagos State Building Control Agency (LASBCA), led by the Lagos State House of Assembly Committee on Physical Planning and Urban Development.

The committee also noted that ‘negligence’ on the part of LASPPPA and LASBCA as being responsible for the building collapse that occurred in Lekki area of Lagos, last week.

Mr Setonji David, who is the chairman of the committee, said that the negligence of the agencies resulted in the building col-

lapse at Lekki Garden on March 7 which claimed 34 lives.

“We have planned to visit all agencies under Physical Planning and Urban Development to have on the spot assessment.

“But personally we have issues with your agencies. What you have are theories and not practical. You are not doing the monitoring as expected, as there are haphazard structures all over the state.

“We are here to tell you that it is no more business as usual. It is not enough to serve notice of illegal structures, you must ensure enforcement of regulations.

“We cannot continue to lose innocent lives. You cannot exonerate yourselves from Lekki Garden disaster. You don’t really have the control.

“So you are part and parcel of all the unfortunate incidents. You are toothless bulldogs who seal properties and the occupant would still have the effontry to remove the seal without you doing anything,” he said.

The lawmaker alleged that some of the officials of the agencies connived with people to erect illegal structures.

He frowned at a situation when a person had an approval for a-storey building and the owner would go ahead to erect three or four, stressing that the agency must make such impossible.

The lawmaker also urged agen-

LASBCA is not a money-making venture but a service-rendering agency to curb illegal structures, sit up, wake up and be alive to your responsibility.

A slum in Apapa Iganmu cies to do something urgently to correct all anomalies and ensure compliance with their mandate.

David urged the agencies to remove all the bureaucracy in the issuance of permits and other documents.

Other committee members, Mr Akeem Bello, the Minority Leader; Mr Victor Akande (PDP-Ojo I); Mr Nurudeen Saka-Solaja (APC-Ikorodu II) and Mr Rasheed Makinde (APC-Ifako/Ijaiye I), also urged the agencies to reduce illegal structures in the state.

Makinde, who said that building collapse would never end in the state, but the agencies could reduce it to a bearest minimal, called for synergy between LASPPPA and LASBCA. “You need to educate developers in a mild way without intimidating them. You must make the applicant obtain the necessary documents. There should be synergy between LASPPPA and LASBCA. “LASBCA is not a money-making venture but a service-rendering agency to curb illegal structures, sit up, wake up and be alive to your responsibility,” he urged.

Earlier, Mr Kunle Osude, Acting General Manager of the LASPPPA said that the attitude of many land owners had not been helping the agency.

Osude, who said that the agency had been working to check all delays in the issuance of building approval, urged the lawmakers to support the agency.

Mr Joseph Oyewale, the Acting General Manager of LASBCA said that the agency had insufficient professional staff, operational vehicles and subventions to carry out their mandate.

Similarly, the lawmakers have urged the Lagos State Urban Renewal Authority (LASURA) to redouble efforts at developing slum areas in the state.

Mr Setonji made this appeal dur-

ing the committee’s oversight to the agency in Ikeja with four other members of the committee.

David, who regretted losses of lives to incidents of building collapse, said that a lot should be done on slum development to make the state a real mega city.

According to him, many people in the state are still living in slums and shanties.

“This agency is very key to the state. It has a lot to do on slum development. It has very serious tasks that should not be toyed with.

“We are not happy with the level of development in Lagos. We need a change of approach and heart because we are in a mega city.

“The kind of development we are experiencing is not good enough, we can avert all these kinds of slum disasters. You need to be on top of your job,” he said.

The chairman also noted that the Lagos State House of Assembly was ready to assist the agency for the development and redevelopment of the state in any area.

He added, “Anywhere you need our assistance, we are ready. We are ready to assist you to ensure that this place is conducive.

“We know that the regulation is not perfect yet, wherever you what innovation, the Assembly can consider them.”

David described the General Manager of LASURA, Mr Lateef Sholebo as a ‘round peg in a round hole.’

The lawmaker, who noted that Sholebo had experienced directors on city development around him, called for cooperation, courage and focus to reposition the state.

He urged the agency to clamp down on people who sidelined regulations on physical planning and urban development.

Commenting on the ‘tax increment finance’ introduced by the agency to enhance the delivery

of its mandate, David urged the agency to do more on internally generated revenue.

Earlier, Sholebo, who noted that the agency was not impressed with the 2015 budgetary allocation for LASURA, said that the 2016 allocation looked better but not enough to do what was expected.

The general manager said that he had introduced ‘tax increment financing’ to aid the development and redevelopment of the state through private investments.

According to him, the method allows a private investment to develop an area and increase the taxes which is further used for the redevelopment of the same area.

“People continue to build in slum on a daily basis in Lagos. Everyday there is migration from other states and countries into Lagos.

We need to do something to control the growth of our population.

“Urban infrastructures have been stressed and over stressed and government alone cannot fund it. We need to bring investors to these communities for more genuine redevelopment.

“Forty-two slums have been identified in the state and we need to stimulate private investment development.

“There is no amount of money that the state would pump in to develop these areas except we stimulate private investments,” he said.

Sholebo, who noted that the state only has a development law, called for the development of Redevelopment Law to improve housing.

He lamented that the flagrant disregard to regulations had prevented communities from having recreation centres, library and other facilities.

The general manager noted that staff of the agency had not been regularised by the state government, but received their salaries from the subvention given to the agency.

38

property

Tuesday, 22 March, 2016

Nigerian Tribune

Legacy Estates opens houses in Ibadan

By Wale Olapade In apt commitment to meet the housing needs in Nigeria through affordable, well laid out finished housing unit and flexible payment plan, Structura Casa Legacy opens another housing estate in Ibadan.

Legacy Estate, tucked in one of the serene areas of the Kolapo Ishola Estate has opened a set of finished housing units for public its numerous projects in Ibadan.

The Legacy Estate has a well landscaped and friendly environment with housing units with three prototypes ranging from three bedroom detachable bungalows and attached BQ, four bedroom semi detached duplexes and five bedroom fully detached duplexes.

Amenities displayed at the Legacy Estate are detailed with paved road, adequate drainage system, street lights and a functional source of water supply.

Also there are well secured walls surrounding the community to complement the additional fence and gate built around all plots in the estate.

Speaking during a tour of the housing facilities, the Account Manager, Legacy Estate, Mrs Ololade Elemo said the vision of Legacy Estate is a new community inspired by the history of the land, its people and their dreams for the future.

“Legacy Estates makes a statement to the people of Nigeria that strides are being made towards the betterment of the community for generation to come.

“It is a representation of a significant new standard of living for the middle class, wherein a quality community environment can be experienced,” she said.

The achievement of the community, Elemo said symbolises progress envisaged by the Oyo State government in partnership with Structural Casa to provide housing to the people.

According to the Account Manager, “the estate has been divided into phases 1&2 with both phases also divided into 10 streets, which include Casa Road, Topaz Crescent, Pearl Drive and Legacy Drive.

Others include Ruby Road, Emerald Court and Diamond Court.

Elemo added that Legacy Estate has designed flexible payment plans for anyone interested in the property.

“We have made our property easy and convenient to buy for any of the housing unit which is spread for a period of 12 months, depending on the design of each clientele.”

“Apart from the already finished buildings we have at our disposal, we also have available plots of lands for customers who have different specifications and designs to build the choice of houses they want.”

Newly opened Legacy Estate property, Kolapo Ishola Estate, Akobo, Ibadan.

At 0.5%, Nigeria’s mortgage loan, one of world’s lowest —Report Stories By Chukwuma Okparaocha - Lagos

W

hen compared to other countries, mortgage loan as a percentage of Nigeria’s GDP is currently low at 0.5 per cent, a report compiled by mortgage experts has indicated.

According to the report, which was made available by online business platform, Proshare, Nigeria’s mortgage loan of 0.5 per cent falls low when compared to those of the United Kingdom, United States, South Africa and Botswana whose loans are 80 per cent, 77 per cent, 31 per cent and 2 per cent respectively.

The report, however, gave a hope for the future, when it indicated that over the next five years, the Nigerian Mortgage Refinance Company (NMRC) hopes to increase mortgage loans as a percentage of Nigeria’s GDP to 2 per cent.

“Nigeria’s real estate market presents substantial opportunities

as well as a number of risks for property investors. Existing problems such as poor access to credit and an underdeveloped mortgage market are areas that need to develop in the near future in order to move this sector forward.

In the third quarter of 2015, the real estate sector grew by 2.1 per cent, compared to the 5.9 per cent recorded in the corresponding period in 2014,” the report said.

“The sector has been known to

grow at a faster rate. In the past eight quarters it has expanded at an average of 4.8 per cent. We attribute the sluggish movement to the current macro challenges,” it further noted The report also identified building costs in Nigeria, when compared to other countries, as being very high, saying this is usually passed on to consumers in the rental and real estate market.

“The cost of building a three

Why PMBs’ 28% interest rate is ‘killing’ affordable housing —Experts The interest rate of 28 per cent issued by some Primary Mortgage Banks (PMB’s) affiliated to commercial banks as against the 6 per cent interest rate by Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria (FMBN) has made the provision of affordable housing to Nigerians impossible, housing experts have revealed.

To help solve this problem, the experts called on the Federal Government to provide counterpart

funding, flexible interest rate and recapitalisation of FMBN for effective service delivery as part of efforts to reposition the industry.

According to the acting managing director of Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria (FMBN), Mr Richard Essien, there is a need for the three tiers of government to provide funds for mass housing through the budget stressing that the issue of Foreclosure law

OAU estate management alumni mull latest valuation methods The year 2000 graduates of Estate Management Department of Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife held its first reunion, where discussions on the latest estate valuation and allied professional trends around the world were held.

The avenue also provided an opportunity for members to chart a roadmap for the group in their chosen professions, as well as celebrate their 16 years of excellence in different spheres of life.

The event, tagged “Class 2000 Reunion” was held in Lagos.

While welcoming the members of the Class 2000, Mr Olakunle Olayiwola, Coordinator of the reunion, said the gathering was a unique opportunity to members to celebrate,

bedroom apartment runs up to $50,000, compared with $36,000 in South Africa,” it said.

The report also indicated that in its attempt to boost liquidity in the mortgage market in order to improve access to affordable housing, the NMRC issued an N8bn 15year fixed rate bond with a coupon of 14.9 per cent under a N140bn medium-term note programme.

Proceeds are to be deployed for mortgage refinancing.

rub minds together and discuss latest estate valuation and allied professional trends around the world.

“This is our first reunion meeting after graduating from Great Ife and majority of the members of the reunion will use the opportunity to network, reconnect with each other for the first time in 16 years.

We also decided to invite one of the illustrious lecturers of the Department of Estate Management as our special guest of honour because of his immense contributions to the development of the profession,” Olayiwola said.

The guest of honour at the gathering, Professor Bioye Tajudeen Aluko, the Dean of the Faculty of Environmental Design and Management of the Obafemi Awolowo

University, Ile-Ife, reflected on the opportunities given to the Year 2000 Class of the Estate Management Department.

“I am glad today that quite a number of these young career professionals have been very creative while defying conventional estate management practice which has helped them to excel in different careers and spheres of life in the last couple of years,” Aluko reiterated.

The Faculty Dean, who honoured the alumni group with his distinguished presence as lecturer and role model, expressed joy at the honour done him and thanked the Graduate Class of Year 2000 for inviting him for the reunion cocktail.

should be consciously addressed by the government.

The MD who spoke through the General Manager Operations of FMBN, Mrs Mojisola Babatunde, posited that relevant financial instrument should be developed to exploit financing from the pension fund, adding that there should be public funding for affordable housing development.

Also, the General Manager of Federal Housing Authority (FHA), Hajiya Maryam Ndalolo, was optimistic that the housing sector needed five to six sectors to survive stating that the GFG FHA, FMBN, REDAN and federal government had defaulted in their roles.

“There is nowhere in the world where social and affordable housing is left on the hands of parastatals alone but FHA doesn’t get any form of subvention from the government,” she said, while insisting that affordable housing could only be achieved when stakeholders joined forces with the government.

Similarly, Managing Director/ Chief Executive officer of Nigerian Mortgage Refinance Company (NMRC), Professor Charles Inyangete spoke on the need for stakeholders’ collaboration to create enabling environment to grow mortgage.

39

news

Tuesday, 22 March, 2016

We don't use torch for surgeries —UITH management Biola Azeez - Ilorin Management of the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital (UITH), has debunked a report that the hospital uses handsets and torch to perform surgical operations.

In a statement by the hospital's head of Information, Mrs Olufunmilayo Omojasola, management reiterated its commitment to quality health care delivery, saying the strike would soon be called off.

Mrs Omojasola said the report on the use of torch for surgeries should be discountenanced, added that it did not appeal to reasoning under modern medical practice.

Omojasola, while describing the ongoing strike of the UITH chapter of ARD as unfortunate, said the hospital management noted that the publication was borne out of inadequate information.

"The hospital (UITH), is an internationally recognised health institution and as such, would never resort to using lantern, torch and handset for surgeries. The epileptic power supply in the country has affected every sector of the Nigerian economy, the UITH inclusive and the hospital management has provided alternative sources of power such as solar power plant, generating sets as well as inverter, which has reduced effects of the erratic power distributions to about 20 per cent.

"Power allocation within the institution has been prioritised. Very sensitive centres such as the acci-

dent and emergency unit, trauma centre, gynaecology and obstetrics units, the operating twin theatre in the hospital have dedicated alternative sources of power.

In addition, work is ongoing to further expand the

distribution of power within the hospital", she said.

It will be recalled that the AR D had few days ago, embarked on an industrial strike action to, among other issues, press for removal of clauses 11 and 12

in their letters of employment. These clauses basically precludes that House officers must not join in any industrial action as they are on a training programme.

Omojasola added, "it

From left, Synod Secretary, Very Reverend Amos Olalere; Bishop of Ijebu Diocese, the Right Reverend Isaac Bola Osunjuyigbe; his wife, Olusayo; Diocesan Lay President, Sir (Professor) Tola Atinmo; his wife, Olabisi and the Very Reverend (Dr) Sunday Onadipe, during the 21st Annual Synod thanksgiving service, at Methodist Church Nigeria, Awa Ijebu, Ogun State, on Sunday. PHOTO: D'TOYIN

OBJ blasts Britain, France for stoking conflicts in Africa

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ome of Africa’s leaders are responsible for instability on the continent because they have failed to manage diversity in their societies.

This was the position of former President Olusegun Obasanjo.

By the same token, Obasanjo noted that outside interference in Africa has been responsible for conflicts, citing the NATO air strikes in Libya in 2011 that led to the removal from power of Colonel

Muammar Gaddafi.

“The repercussions are now being felt in Mali, Nigeria and the Sahel,” Obasanjo told a press conference on the upcoming Tana High-Level forum on security in Africa to be held in Ethiopia.

Asked whether African leaders were to blame for the conflicts on the continent, he said: “Yes and no.”

Obasanjo said leaders were failing their people because they had not been able to prevent marginalisation in their societies,

prevent injustice, reduce unemployment, poverty and that they had not embraced democracy and good governance.

The theme of 2016 forum is tagged: Africa in the global security agenda.

This is apt, given the continuing fallout from the NATO intervention in Libya, for which United States President Barack Obama recently criticised the British and French governments for getting rid of Gaddafi without having plans in place for effective

Nigerians unnecessarily patronise foreign products —Sanusi The Emir of Kano, Alhaji Muhammad Sanisu II, at the weekend, expressed concern over Nigerians seeming lack of willingness to patronise local products.

This attitude, he observed, has kept the country underdeveloped and dependent on other countries for basic amenities.

The emir, while inaugurating the remodeled secretariat of the Kaduna Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (KADCCIMA), at the Kaduna International Trade Fair Complex, said "the major problem of the country is that it imports what it has and exports what it does not have."

He described as unfortunate the fact that Nigeria has crude oil but imports refined petroleum products for its consumption. “The country also has gas but could not generate electricity from it.

“I have always said it, the problem of this country is

prescribes a termination of internship of any House officer, who is guilty of any serious misconduct such as neglecting a patient and or engaging in or making profit from any private practice or business.

that, we are in a country where we import what we have and we export what we don’t have. It is only in Nigeria we do that. We have cotton but we will not process it to make cloth, except we go to China to buy them. We have crude oil but we cannot go to the filling station and

get fuel refined in Nigeria, except we take our crude to England and go there to buy refined products. We have refinery here in Kaduna but the fuel you will buy is not refined here.

From time immemorial, tie and dye used to be a major business of Kano people, but

now, it is Chinese that bring dyed clothes for us to buy.”

Earlier, the President of KADCCIMNA, Dr AbdulAlimi Bello, had commended the emir for his assistance to the chamber and his consistent advocacy to promote local industries.

Ex-PDP guber candidate expresses concern over Ortom govt Johnson Babajide - Makurdi FORMER governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Benue State, Dr Terhemen Tarzoor, has expressed concern over the manner the state is being run under the current administration, saying the state is sitting on a time bomb.

He explained that it was an irony that the person at the helm of affairs in the state lacked the wherewithal to take the state to a greater height.

Tarzoor, who spoke to newsmen in Okpokwu, on

Monday, explained that Governor Samuel Ortom is stagnating the economy of the state and impoverishing the people with heavy taxation.

He explained that it was economically unwise to continue to borrow to finance recurrent expenditure just as he stated that with the manner the government is borrowing, "Benue is sitting on time bomb, which can explode anytime because a situation when you continue to borrow money, is tantamount to mortgaging the future of the state."

“As an economist, I am the best candidate to handle the state at present, when the nation’s economy is at its lowest ebb, this can be done by looking inward to harness the potentials abound in the state because the state has great potentials to make it ranked among the best states in the country.”

Speaking on the Fulani invasion on Benue communities, Tarzoor, who condemned the attacks, however, lamented that the state government was not proactive enough in tackling the situation.

“follow-up”.

On the issue of African peacekeeping operations, Obasanjo agreed that lack of funding from African Union member states was a major setback for peace and security on the continent.

He said when he was the Head of State, he was in charge of a high-level panel to search for alternative sources of funding for the AU but this came to nothing.

He noted that when the AU was looking for funds to counter the Ebola virus in Sierra Leone, Liberia and Guinea, member states failed to provide the money.

“The AU eventually had to turn to the private sector and it was able to raise $40 million,” said Obasanjo, who is the chairman of the Tana Forum.

He was critical of AU member states for not contributing to the AU’s general budget, adding: “I think this is due to lack of political will.”

Obasanjo noted that Ebola and migration from Africa had security implications not just for the continent “because we now live in a global community whereby if something happens in Africa, it affects the rest of the world”.

The deputy chairman of the forum, Professor Andreas Eshete of Ethiopia, said Africa had to have not only a stronger voice in the global security architecture but also for its perspectives to be taken into account and incorporated into the global security agenda.

Oshiomhole raises health workers’ pay by 5% Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State has approved a five per cent pay rise for health workers in the state, emphasising that the wage increment is for all health workers, including laboratory technicians, nurses and midwives.

The government, had earlier in the month, raised doctors’ pay by five per cent.

This is coming even as many states in the country find it difficult to pay their wages with many owing salaries for up to five months.

Governor Oshiomhole announced the five per cent pay rise for the state health workers when he received members of the Joint Health Sector Union (JOHESU), who paid him a visit at the Government House, Benin City.

“I asked you to come over because I know that two years ago, we had a wage review based on certain criteria which you preferred to call 90 per cent but for me, that was what we were willing to pay and were able to pay at that time. And I did say that when situation improves, we would look at it and make some further upward adjustment," he said “At that time, our main source of revenue which is oil was at about $60, $70, $80 and today, it is hovering around $30 per barrel but certainly, under $40 and nobody knows what it is going to be."

Anniversary

The 20th anniversary of Triumphant Baptist Church, Holy Ghost Compound, Akowonjo, commenced with a revival service last Sunday and will end on Wednesday (tomorrow), with the theme: "I will break their yoke from your neck", at the church auditorium, No 19, Olufemi Ojo Street, Shasa Road, Akowonjo, Lagos.

There will also be an empowerment programme on Thursday, while a music opera will hold on Friday. A special thanksgiving service will hold on Sunday to end the whole programme.

Pastor in charge of the church, Dr Sunday Oladejo, said the anniversary will provide an opportunity to celebrate God and appreciate His faithfulness in the life of the church, despite its challenges.

south-westnews Don’t allow Akanni to die in custody, Ekiti lawmakers beg NBA, Amnesty International 40

Tuesday, 22 March, 2016

AS Ekiti youths give DSS two-week ultimatum

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OLLOWING the continued detention of a member of the Ekiti State House of Assembly, representing Efon Constituency, Honourable Afolabi Akanni, by the Department of State Service (DSS), his colleagues, on Monday, pleaded with the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) and the Amnesty International not to allow the detained lawmaker die in custody.

In separate petitions to the two bodies, submitted in Abuja yesterday by the trio of Honourable Segun Adewumi, Deputy Speaker, Honourable Gboyega Aribisogan, Chairman, House Committee on Information and Honourable Samuel Omotoso, Chairman, House

Committee on Health, the lawmakers pleaded with them to prevail on the DSS to obey a court order directing the immediate release of Honourable Akanni.

The lawmakers pointed out that the game plan was to eliminate some members of the state House of Assembly including Honourable Akanni to pave the way for bye- elections in the state so that the All Progressives Congress (APC) could take over the state through the back door.

They challenged the likes of a frontline lawyer and human rights activist, Mr Femi Falana, who is an indigene of the state, to rise up against the injustice being perpetrated in the state by the DSS and others, saying that it was

a bad signal for him to keep mute at a time like this going by his antecedents.

Speaking with newsmen shortly after submitting the petitions at both the NBA headquarters and Amnesty International office in Abuja, Honourable Omotoso raised the alarm over the health condition of the detained lawmaker, saying: “Honourable Akanni said on Thursday, when he was paraded before the press, that he slumped twice and no medication was given to him even when he asked for drugs.”

According to the lawmaker, who could not control his emotions while addressing the press as he wept profusely, “since it is now obvious that they can-

not coerce us into impeaching our governor and leader, Mr Ayodele Fayose, it appears that these people are now working on a sinister theory of snuffing life out of Honourable Akanni and some of us so as to pave the way for the conduct of byeelection through which they hope to rig APC members into the House of Assembly.

“We have, therefore, come here to alert the NBA and the Amnesty International of this blatant disregard for orders of our courts by the DSS and infringement on the fundamental rights of our members, especially Honourable Akanni, who is dying in detention.

“We are putting the entire world on alert that should anything untoward happens

Youths protesting in Ado Ekiti, Ekiti State capital, against continued detention of a member of the state House of Assembly, Honourable Afolabi Akanni, by the Department of State Services (DSS), on Monday.

Rep escapes mob attack as communities protest new LCDA in Osun Oluwole Ige - Osogbo

MEMBER representing Ifelodun, Boripe and OdoOtin Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Honourable Yinka Ajayi, narrowly escaped mob attack weekend when some enraged youths attempted to mob him at the palace of Olona of Ada. Ajayi, a native of Ada, was at the palace of Olona to attend a meeting summoned over the location of the headquarters of the new Boripe North Local Council Development Authority.

He, however, incurred the wrath of some of those present at the meeting who accused him of complacen-

cy, thus leading to attempt to attack him before he was whisked away by the police when the situation became uncontrollable.

The development came as three communities in the state, namely Aagba, Ada and Ororuwo rejected the citing of headquarters of the recently established Boripe North Local Council Development Authority (LCDA) in Iree.

Demanding for the reversal of the citing of the LCDA in Iree, the concerned communities, in a letter written to Governor Rauf Aregbesola and signed by Alaagba of Aagba, Oba Rufus Olayinka Ogunwole; Olona of Ada, Oba Abimbola Abioye

and reagent of Ororuwo, High Chief James Dada, said their agitation was germane because it was at variance with the content of the white paper released on the memorandum written by the three communities in 2012.

According to the letter, “Iree was not part of the struggle for the creation of the new LCDA in the area,” adding that, in the proposal, the three communities presented before Professor Mojeed Alabi-led committee, Ifesowapo Local Council Development Authority, with Modaa, Ada proposed as its headquarters.

It reads in parts: “Creation of Boripe North Council Development Area and its

headquarters at Modaa, Ada was corroborated and confirmed via the white paper released on the exercise by your good government upon discreet and meritorious consideration of our memorandum.

to Honourable Akanni, who is being detained without access to his doctors despite being terribly sick and any of us, the DSS and by extension, the Federal Government should be held responsible.”

On his own, the Deputy Speaker, Honourable Adewumi lamented that all the members of the assembly as well as the members of their families “are now being haunted by the agents of the Federal Government for no just reason.”

Speaking in the same vein, the Chairman, House Committee on Information, Honourable Aribisogan declared that the lawmakers would not be intimidated by any means to impeach the governor who had been the target because of his hard criticism of the President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration.

Meanwhile, youths in Ekiti State under the aegis of the National Youths Council of Nigeria (NYCN), Ekiti State chapter, yesterday staged a peaceful protest against what they described as unlawful detention of Honourable Afolabi Akanni, lawmaker representing Efon constituency at the Ekiti State House of Assembly.

Many of the youths, who massed at the Fajuyi Park, in Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State capital and walked in peaceful protest to Oke-Isa, Ejigbo, and the Federal High Court, stopping at each vantage point to address the teeming crowd following them, argued that the continued detention of Akanni since March 4, during the alleged invasion of Ekiti Assembly Complex by men of the DSS, is not only illegal but a deliberate slap on the constitution of Nigeria.

Comrade Olumide Fasuba, spokesperson for the NYCN, said: “Our protest this morning was against the illegal abduction of our lawmaker, Honourable Afolabi Akanni, by the Department of State Security (DSS) for weeks now without any legal action taken against him.”

Assault on doctor: UCH resident doctors demand justice THE Association of Resident Doctors (ARD), University College Hospital (UCH) branch, on Monday, in Ibadan, demanded justice from the hospital management in the case of assault on a resident doctor by a laboratory scientist.

The doctors made the call

in a statement, a copy of which was obtained by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).

The statement was signed

by Dr Luqman Ogunjimi and Dr Olusegun Olaopa, the association’s President and General Secretary, respectively.

Nigerian Tribune

Osun’s N6.2m Feb allocation: FG, Ministry of Finance must speak out —Osun PDP OSUN State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), on Monday, urged the Federal Government to speak out on the financial status of Osun State and why the state has been getting least allocation in the last six months.

In a statement issued yesterday by the PDP’s spokesperson in the state, Prince Diran Odeyemi, the party said “Rather than keep on shielding Governor Rauf Aregbesola, the Ministry of Finance, Debt Management Office (DMO) and other relevant agencies of government must explain to Nigerians why Osun got a paltry N6.2 million out of N2.4 billion due to the state.”

PDP based its reason for the call on the Federal Government and its agencies that oversee finances of states on the revelation that Osun State got N6.2 million from the federation account for the month of February.

Odeyemi said the actual debt status of the state should be publicly displayed and the terms of repayment be disclosed to rest the growing apprehension among the people of the state at home and abroad.

According to Odeyemi, “Governor Aregbesola and his handlers have been giving conflicting figures as debt portfolio of the state.

The party said workers in the state and retirees have not been paid full salaries and pension since August 2015, adding that since last year September, half salaries are being paid to workers while pensions are not paid at all.

“We insist that Osun is owing close to N500 billion with repayment term of 40 years. The N2.5 billion monthly debt servicing that Osun is paying is gradually killing its economy,” Odeyemi declared.

“The excuse by government that it has been paying salaries even with zero allocation raised more questions. Is government borrowing to pay half salary it has been paying? Or does it mint money? All these are puzzles Federal Government and Ministry of Finance must help us solve before it is too late,” Odeyemi concluded.

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south-westnews

Tuesday, 22 March, 2016

Trial census: Olubadan condemns attack on NPC officials

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HE Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Saliu Olasupo Adetunji, has condemned in totality the alleged attack by some area boys on officials of the National Population Commission (NPC) at the Ibadan North West Local Government Area of the state.

He, however, called for cooperation from all and sundry for a hitch-free exercise.

Speaking through the Otun Olubadan, High Chief Lekan Balogun, on Monday, after the monthly meeting of the Olubadanin-Council, held at his Popoyemoja, Ibadan Palace, Oba Adetunji condemned the alleged attack.

The State Director of National Population Commission (NPC), Mr Olajire Balogun, has raised the alarm over the weekend that his official is facing challenges from social miscreants,

popularly called area boys, and residents in the ongoing demarcation in the local government area.

The NPC director said the commission needed the cooperation of the community leaders and residents of the council to make the exercise a success.

He said the challenges would continue to hamper

the commission’s work if it did not enjoy the co-operation of the residents.

Olubadan, however, frowned on alleged demand for gifts by some of the residents from the commission’s officials.

“Some of the residents were also running away from the commission’s field officers and not oblig-

ing them with answers to questions directed at them by the NPC officials. These were parts of the obstacles being experienced by the commission’s staff on the field,” he said.

The monarch said “I hope it is not true. They have no right asking for money or anything for them to be counted. The idea of head

count is to ensure that government can provide for all the people in the country.”

It will be recalled that 11 wards of the council were being used for demarcation ahead of the 2017 census and the seven out of the 11 wards have been concluded with the officials still on the field and the bulk of the work has been completed.

Cleric appeals to govt over menace of land grabbers AN appeal has gone to federal, state and local governments in Nigeria to save masses from the activities of land grabbers, popularly known as ‘Omo onile’ in Lagos State and environs.

The appeal was made by a cleric, the founder and general overseer of Christ Apostolic Church (CAC), Warrior for Christ Mission, Prophet Dr Solomon Olukunmi Ajao.

Speaking at the headquarters of the church at Railway Line, off Jonathan Coker Road, Fagba Iju, near Agege, he recalled that some senior citizens, who had struggled to erect buildings, have been rendered destitute by ‘Omo oniles.’

“After having struggled to pay exorbitantly to purchase a plot or half of land, after paying for ‘foundation’, ‘roofing’ and making other payments under duress, years later, the younger brother or half brother of the ‘first land owner’ will now rise to eject landlords or demolish their property,” Ajao lamented.

While commending the initiative of the Ogun State governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, on issuing of certificate of occupancy to landlords with dispatch, he advised all tiers of government to emulate this gesture and suggested that the government, at all levels, should have a final say on acquisition of landed property.

From left, Professor Charles Egbu of London South Bank University; Professor Adebiyi Daramola, Vice Chancellor, Federal University of Technology Akure (FUTA) and Professor Obas Ebohon of De Montfort University, Leicester, after the opening ceremony of three-day International Conference on 21st Century Human Habitat, jointly organised by the three universities and hosted by FUTA, in Akure, on Monday.

Levy: Ekiti govt reopens sealed private schools Sam Nwaoko - Ado Ekiti

THE Ekiti State government has reopened private schools it sealed following its accusation that the schools were defaulting in the payment of certain dues.

The deputy governor of the state, Dr Kolapo Olusola, who announced the reopening of the schools on Monday, said the government was not out to witch-hunt any school or retard the progress of private schools or private investment in the state.

Dr Olusola explained that the action of government was to ensure that “everybody makes his own contribution to the overall development of Ekiti.”

Olusola said this while reopening some of the defaulting private schools, which were sealed off last week for not complying with a government directive on the payment of educational developmental levy and updating their operating papers.

He said the contrary directive given by the executive of the National Association of Proprietors of Private Schools (NAPPS), Ekiti State chapter, to its members was “quite unfortunate, anti-government

and counter-productive to educational development in Ekiti State.”

The deputy governor urged “lovers of Ekiti development among the proprietors to disregard any counter-productive directives and instructions from any unscrupulous individual or association and comply with the government directives on the payment of Educational Developmental Levy and other statutory dues in the interest of their investment in education and overall development of Ekiti State.”

The deputy governor, who emphasised that all stakeholders in the state, particularly in the educational

sector including the NAPPS were adequately consulted before the policy was formulated, reiterated that government would not rescind its decision.

He enlightened the students that the money was Educational Development Levy and will be used to fund the education sector and not imposition of tax on students of private schools as been erroneously presented by some proprietors to incite parents against the government.

The proprietor of one of the reopened private schools, Honourable Akomolafe Bolu, who said he had now fully paid the entire required levy and dues

expected from his school, thanked the government for lifting the ban on his school.

He urged all other proprietors of private schools who have not complied to do so in their own interest and in the interest of educational and socio-economic development of the state.

Speaking in the same vein, another proprietor of a private school, Mr Adesina Oguntuase, also thanked the government for its decisive steps at restoring sanity and excellence in the education sector, while assuring that NAPPS will in no way work against the government policy to restore the glory of education in the state.

Oyo APC loses legal officer THE camp of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Oyo State has been thrown into mourning with the death of its Director of Legal Services, Mr Adewale Diya.

Diya died at the University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan, last Thursday, during a brief illness. He was aged 48.

In a statement by its Director of Publicity and Strategy, Olawale Sadare,

the APC described the deceased as an enterprising legal practitioner, committed party member and a gentleman who would be missed by family, friends and associates.

“The unfortunate death of Wale Diya is, no doubt, a sour grape that would be difficult to swallow by anyone who knew him while he was alive. He was dedicated to the cause of justice and fairness as a le-

gal practitioner and politician as this endeared him to many people across the globe.

“His positive contributions to the electoral success of the defunct ACN in 2011 and the APC in 2015 will go down well in the annals of Oyo State. We pray the Almighty to grant him eternal rest as his remains will be interred this Thursday at Elebu, Ibadan,” the statement added.

Nigerian Tribune

Falana to speak at book presentation on human rights

By Yejide Gbenga-Ogundare

LAGOS-based legal luminary and Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Femi Falana, is scheduled to speak on the fundamental issues of child rights in Nigeria at the public presentation of a book, entitled: Nigeria: The story of a Giant, on April 12, in Lagos.

The book, written by a Nigerian author and poet, Kayode Fabunmi, will be presented to the public at the Elysian Events Hall, Caaso Bus/Stop, Alagbado.

Also expected at the occasion alongside Falana, who is the guest speaker, is Special Apostle Aderemi Awode, Chairman/CEO of Chemstar Paints Limited, who is also the book presenter and the Olu of Ojokoroland, Oba Oluwalambe Taiwo.

The book will be reviewed by a former National Secretary of the Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA), Mr Tanko Okoduwa.

Ona-Ara LG boss assures of good governance THE chairman of Ona-Ara Local Government Area of Oyo State, Mr Adeshina Adeagbo, has assured the people of the council of good governance.

Honourable Adeagbo made the statement during the maiden meeting with members of staff of the local government at the council’s secretariat, Akanran.

He informed them that he will emulate the leadership style of the state governor, Senator Abiola Ajimobi, which is predicated on the fear of God, humility, honesty and transparency.

Speaking further, he charged members of staff to be diligent, hardworking and focus on all areas that can boost the internally generated revenue of the council and desist from unethical practices.

The council boss thanked the state governor, Senator Ajimobi, for appointing him as the chairman of the council and pledged to follow the footstep of the governor on his transformation, reformation and repositioning agenda in order to justify the confidence reposed in him.

While welcoming the chairman, head of the Local Government Administration, Mr Segun Ajekigbe, expressed the cooperation and loyalty of all members of staff in moving the local government to an enviable height.

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Tuesday, 22 March, 2016

LCDA: Sango/Ijoko indigenes call for boundary readjustment Olayinka Olukoya-Abeokuta

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ndigenes and residents of Sango/Ijoko numbering hundreds, on Monday, called on the Ogun State government to readjust the boundary between the newly created Sango/Ijoko Local Council Development Area (LCDA) and the Ado-Odo/Ota Local Government Area of the state .

The state governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, in fulfilment of his electoral promises, recently created Sango/Ijoko LCDA out of Ado-Odo/Ota council area.

Addressing newsmen during a peaceful procession at Sango roundabout, the Chief Imam of Sango, Alhaji Tajudeen Shafi, said the procession was a token of appreciation by them for the creation of the LCDA, which he said, was long overdue and a means of expressing their grievance.

The religious leader noted that 21 Sango communities had been wrongly merged with Ado-Odo/ Ota Local Government Area.

He said the affected communities are Araromi, Orente, Joju, Igbala, Ejigbo Titun, Irepodun, Abule Olodo, Ketere, GRA, IdiOrogbo and Chicken Joe.

Others are Egbatedo, Gangan, Ali Isaba, Wisdom Estate, Madoju, Victory Estate, Tomori Estate, Tollgate, Isorosi and Ewupe.

The indigenes and residents carried placards with inscriptions such as “we, youths of Sango/

Ijoko are clamouring for our rightful boundary,” “the boundary between Sango and Ota is the fence of Ansar-ud-Deen Comprehensive College”, “The Hausa community in Sango belongs to Sango/Ijoko LCDA,” “we are grateful to His Excellency for the

creation of Sango/Ijoko LCDA.” According to Shafi the age-long dispute between Sango and Ado-Odo/Ota people bordered on unresolved issues about the boundary between the two towns.

He said returning the

21 communities to Sango/Ijoko LCDA would permanently resolve the boundary dispute, while calling Governor Amosun to use the fence of Ansarud-Deen Comprehensive College in Ota as the boundary between the two towns.

Gbagyi group decries distortion of history Adelowo Oladipo-Minna

Ijokodo-Apete Road in Ido Local Government Area of Oyo State in a state of disrepair. PHOTO: NAN

Benin crown prince begins chieftaincy rites Banji Aluko-Benin City

The Benin crown prince and Edaiken N’ Uselu, Prince Eheneden Erediauwa, has started the IyanEhien chieftaincy rites.

Iyan-Ehien is considered as the highest level of chieftaincy rites and serves as a gateway to the peak of spiritual attainment, even as chiefs that perform the Iyan-Ehien are accorded special respect.

The crown prince, on Sunday, evening embarked on a walk from Uselu to the Oba’s palace, where he is expected to perform the rites for 14 days.

He had earlier conferred chieftaincy titles on some individuals in Uselu community before commencing the journey to the palace.

Among the chieftaincy titles he conferred on some people are Ese N’ Uselu, Oshodi N’ Uselu and the Omuemu N’ Uselu.

The crown prince arrived the palace at about 8:00 p.m. on Sunday in the company of a crowd, some people had walked with him from Uselu.

Before his arrival, many Benin chiefs had been pa-

Alhaji Shafi said: “We want to thank Governor Amosun for saving us from slavery by creating Sango/ Ijoko LCDA. We are saying that Ward 3 belongs to Sango and not Ota. “The governor and the House of Assembly should complete the job by readjusting the boundary to ensure justice.”

The first elected councillor in the area, Honourable Olalekan Balogun, in his comments, urged the governor and the assembly to right the wrong in the current arrangement.

Balogun, who maintained that the boundary between Sango and Ota was the AUD Comprehensive College in Ota, said it was high time the “cheating” perpetrated long ago against the people of the area was rectified.

tiently waiting for him.

Upon his arrival, the

crown prince headed straight for the inner chambers of the palace.

It was learnt that the Ogbe group under the Ihama N’ Ogbe will play a major role

during the 14-day rites.

Smuggling: Seme Customs Command solicits cooperation of host communities tola daenubi-lagos

THE Seme Customs Command of the Nigerian Customs Service (NCS) has solicited the cooperation of host communities in the command’s fight against smuggling of poultry products and sundry items.

Speaking during a Customs Community Consultative Forum (CCCF) held recently with leaders of the various communities around Seme, the Customs Area Controller, Seme border command, Comptroller David Dimka, reiterated that the Nigerian Customs Service does not live in a vacuum and that host communities were critical to the realisation of the mandate of the service.

He emphasised the need for peaceful coexistence in order to achieve the core mandate of the service.

The controller also stated that the CCCF is an aspect of public relations that pro-

vides better understanding between the service and host communities.

Dimka also used the forum to sensitise participants on the negative effects of smuggling and consumption of imported frozen poultry products.

He stressed that the formalin chemical which might

have been used to preserve the products for months or years is disastrous to the health of Nigerians and the Nigerian economy.

He further said that Seme command would sustain relationship with key individuals, groups and host communities.

Dimka further said the

service would continue to demonstrate sensitivity to community concerns as anything that affects the community would also affect the service performance and its responsibilities to the Nigerian people.

Also at the forum, public relations professionals recommended that, in build-

Be dutiful or incur govt’s wrath, Oyo LG boss warns workers

By Dare Adekanmbi

Workers in Saki East Local Government Area of Oyo State have been enjoined to protect their jobs by going to their respective places of work regularly and punctually, to avoid unfriendly policy from government.

The caretaker chairman of the council, Alhaji Salawu Ajani, according to the council’s information officer, Alhaji Khalid Ajibade,

gave the charge in his maiden address to workers.

The chairman enjoined the workers to be ready to discharge their responsibility as workers since government was alive to its own functions.

He said the current hardship being faced by Nigerians was the consequence of the misrule of the past federal administration which he accused of destroying virtually all sectors of the

economy.

According to the local government boss, “only God knows what we would have been passing through now if they had won the election. .

“For the first time in the history of the country, Nigerians voted for change, a beautiful and timely change. Otherwise, we would all have been scattered all over the globe seeking sustenance.”

A pan- Gbagyi socio-cultural association, Gbegnu Boknu Yakwo Youth Association, Chanchaga Local Government Area branch, has decried the distortion of Gbagyi history by some groups seeking relevance in Minna, the state capital.

The Chairman, Chanchaga Local Government Area, Alhaji Yusuf Fuka, made the declaration when members of the association paid him a courtesy visit in his office.

Fuka is also a member of the association.

While lamenting the deliberate distortion of Gbagyi history, he noted that Gbagyi history could better be told by Gbagyis themselves.

He reitrated that Gbagyi people have a lot of potential apart from being peace loving, accommodating and hospitable, while assuring of his contributions to the development of the association.

Expressing appreciation for the visit he urged members of the association to identify with their language by teaching their wards as well giving them Gbagyi names.

He also promised to provide enabling environment for traders at the Kure ultra-modern market in Minna.

On his part, the association chairman, Mallam Ahmed Isah, decried the renaming of many schools named after Gbagyis in the state capital by the previous administration in the state.

43

fortherecord

Tuesday, 22 March, 2016

As Adeyeye delivers inaugural lecture today

I

N Nigeria’s peculiar brand of federalism, the local government is cast in the frame of a federating unit. Local governments were listed in the Constitution following (in)famous 1976 Local Government Reforms which further strengthened the unitarist misadventure embarked upon by the Nigerian military in 1966, and it is no wonder that they have become, in 2016, mere pawns in the hands of unscrupulous governors, in spite of the attempt made at the outset of the current Republic to inject some life into them, an attempt which unfortunately witnessed pervasive corruption and strengthened the resolve of the state governors to hijack their allocations in the name of monitoring. Today, not only are the local governments far from the people they are supposed to be closest to in terms of the actualization of local needs and aspirations by virtue of lack of access to funds, they are in fact often no more than mere salary distribution points, thrust in the hands of caretaker chairmen appointed by governors rather than democratically elected administrators.

Ultimately, it would appear, the issue still boils down to the structure of Nigerian ‘federalism’ and its myriads of contradictions, and the responsibility thrust on the gown to point the way forward in a dynamic interplay with the town. It is therefore not fortuitous that, as erudite scholar, Mike Ola Adeyeye, a lecturer in the Department of Local Government Studies of the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Osun State, delivers his inaugural lecture today, issues of governance and public policy will be sharply focused. Adeyeye’s research and publications on intergovernmental relations (IGR) and federal studies have utilized different contributions from diverse sources, including democratic studies, the military and bureaucracy, to shed light on the inevitability of an appropriate constitutional framework for a viable institutional structure that would engender smooth operation among the levels of government.

In collaboration with other scholars, he has not only been able to identify the major impetus for creating an enabling environment for indigenous organizations to thrive, but also drawn attention to certain challenges of critical awareness in the interpretation of a controversial federal template for the growth of local governance. In the process of seeking permanent space

in the dual world of technology and governance, he has currently veered into contemporary discourse of electronic governance or e-government, and its contradistinction with e-governance. Likewise, the transition from e-governance to e-local governance has also occupied his attention, not only from a technological point of view but mainly as the framework in which institutional redesign can take place.

Born on July 22, 1961, the Obokun, Osun State-born Adeyeye was educated at the University of Ibadan, Ibadan where, in 1983, he obtained the B.Sc in Political Science, following this up with the M.Sc. (Local Government Studies) degree of the Obafemi Awolowo University in 1986. Adeyeye then returned to the premier university, where he was awarded a Ph.D. (Political Science) in 2003.

From his initial interest in separation of powers and the presidential system of government in Nigeria, he had turned his attention to the problems of inter-governmental relations during the Nigerian Second Republic, before finally engaging the dynamics of administrative reform, addressing local reform implementation in Osun State.

Outside the university system, he served as secretary to Obokun Local Government, Ibokun, Osun State between 1991 and1993.

At OAU, he was Assistant Lecturer (1986 – 1988), and rose to the position of Reader on October 1, 2009.

In 2012, he obtained his chair at the university. To date, he has supervised two doctoral candidates on the titles ‘State Local Relations and the Operation of Joint Account Allocation Committee in Southwestern Nigeria, and ‘A Comparative Study of Local Government and the Implementation of Decentralization Reforms in Nigeria and Ghana.’ Adeyeye is a member of various professional associations, including the Nigerian Political Science Association, African Association of Political Science, International Political Science Association, Political Studies Association of Ireland, and he is a Fellow, Center for Gender and Social Policy Studies, O.A.U, Ile-Ife Books, monographs and chapters have come in torrents. They include ‘Local Government as a Third Tier of Government: Myth or Reality,’; ‘Decentralisation versus Local Level Governance: The Congruence Problem’; ‘Local Government as Agents of SocioEconomic Development in Nigeria’; ‘Revitalising

Professor Adeyeye

Today, not only are the local governments far from the people they are supposed to be closest to in terms of the actualization of local needs and aspirations by virtue of lack of access to funds, they are in fact often no more than mere salary distribution points, thrust in the hands of caretaker chairmen appointed by governors rather than democratically elected administrators.

Community Development through Non-Governmental Organisation’; ‘The Crisis of Administrative Reform: An Analysis of Nigerian Local Government”; “Reinventing the Grassroots Level: The Challenge of Governance in Nigeria,’ ; “Decentralised Governance: Structure and Process”; “Intergovernmental Relations and Local Government Capacity for Service Delivery” ; “The Military and Local Government Reforms in Nigeria: An Examination of a Paradox; “The Local Government Legislative Arm in Nigeria: A Review’; “Local Government and Policy Reform in Nigeria: Assumptions and Realities; Local Government and the Dilemma of Democratic Decentralisation in Nigeria”; and “Federalism and the Logic of Local Government Autonomy in Nigeria; ‘Local Government Reform and the Challenges of Bu-

reaucratic Ethics in Nigeria.’

Adeyeye was co-editor of “Cooperative Societies and Financing Small-Scale Enterprises in South-Western Nigeria: Evidence from Survey Data”; “Epistemic Grounding for the role of Literacy in Sustainable Development at the level of Local Governance” ; “Globalisation: Implications for Federal University Libraries in Nigeria; “State Fragility and Weak Institutions: Strategising for Gender Equity”; “Situated Literacy Practices amongst Artisan in the South West of Nigeria: Developmental and Pedagogical Implications”; “Aligning ICT for service Delivery in Nigerian Local Government” and “Re-inventing Local Government Capacity in Nigeria: The egovernance Imperative.’ He also authored ‘Local Government and the Challenges of Democratic Consolidation in Nigeria’; ‘Exploring

Democratic Decentralization: Lessons from Africa, Governance and Social Accountability in Africa; ‘A Study of Democratisation Practices at the Grassroots, Osun State, Nigeria (19992011) and ‘ A Report on Research Exercise Organized

by INEC Nationwide on the title, ‘Democratization at the Grassroots in Nigeria from 1999-2010’; The Military, Local Government and Democracy in Nigeria: A Commentary.’

Again, the vastly experienced academic has been involved in various technical reports, including ‘A Technical Report on the National Orientation Workshop for the Installation of Model Financial Memoranda Conducted in Edo State,’ ‘Research and Curriculum Development Programme for Local Government Health Services. Ford Foundation Sponsored Programme, and the ‘Report Prepared and

Submitted to the Technical Committee on the Review of Local Government Reform in Oyo State, Nigeria (19992003).

For almost three decades, he has been involved in the training and development of personnel of local governments in Nigeria, especially through teachings, workshops, seminars and public lecture. In addition, he contributed to the practical aspect of Nigerian local government reform in his management capacity as pioneer Secretary to a Local government, an appointive position, and has of late been involved in Open and Distance Education through training and management of instructors and students.

He has been editor, Nigerian Journal of Local Government; Acting Head of Department (2006 to 2008); member, Editorial Board, Nigerian Journal of Local Government, and coordinator, Post Graduate Programme. He has also served, at various times, as member, Faculty Postgraduate Committee; Vice Dean, Faculty of Administration; coordinator, Faculty Seminar Series; member, Faculty Review Panel; Dean’s Rep. to Faculty of Environmental Design &Management and member Faculty of Administration Board. In addition, he has been Congregation Representative in Senate; Congregation Representative in Appointment and Promotion Committee (A&PC) and Deputy Director, Centre for Distance Learning, 2015 till date.

In his own words: “My research focus continues to be of theoretical and practical value to students, scholars and policy makers as reflected in my specific areas of interest which are governmental/administrative reform processes, democratic decentralization, intergovernmental relations, federal studies, e-governance and elocal governance. My focus in administrative reform has been on the growth and development of local government as an effectual and competent sphere of the field of public sector reform; thus underscoring efficient administration as a process imbued with the requisite human material resources needed for efficient governance. I have contributed to the analytical exposition and evaluation of comparative aspects of local government administration as a relevant tool to local government viability generally in Africa and, specifically, in Nigeria.”

These concerns have taken him to conferences across the globe, and will form a major thrust in today’s lecture.

44

Tuesday, 22 March, 2016

foreig naffairs with seyi gesinde

08116954632 foreignnewseditor@gmail.com

Change is going to happen in Cuba —Obama

President Obama with his family during his visit to Cuba. PHOTO: INDIAN EXPRESS.

Obama and Castro

RESIDENT Barack Obama is in Cuba for a historic threeday visit to the island and talks with its communist leader.

He is the first sitting United States president to visit since the 1959 revolution, which heralded decades of hostility between the two countries.

Mr Obama said change would happen in Cuba and that Cuban President Raul Castro understood that.

The two leaders met later on Monday to talk about trade and to hold a joint news conference.

For a US president to touch down at Jose Marti airport in Havana and be warmly greeted by Cuban’s foreign minister was until recently unthinkable.

For decades, the US and Cuba were engaged in a bitter stand-off, triggered by the overthrow of US-

Washington DC.

P

backed Cuban dictator Fulgencio Batista by Communist leader Fidel Castro in 1959.

The US broke off diplomatic relations and imposed a trade embargo.

But President Obama undertook two years of secret talks which led to the announcement in December

2014 that the two countries would restore diplomatic relations.

Since then, there have been a series of symbolic moments, such as the first formal meeting of Presidents Obama and Castro at a regional summit in Panama and the opening of embassies in Havana and

Republican criticise Obama’s Cuba trip Meanwhile, Republican presidential candidates greeted President Barack Obama’s historic visit to Cuba with criticism on Monday, in sharp contrast to the excited crowds of

DR Congo ex-warlord guilty of war crimes FORMER Congolese rebel leader Jean-Pierre Bemba has been found guilty of war

Jean-Pierre Bemba.

PHOTO: REUTERS

crimes in a landmark trial at the International Criminal Court (ICC).

Bemba was accused of failing to stop his rebels from killing and raping people in neighbouring Central African Republic (CAR) in 2002 and 2003.

He had sent more than 1,000 fighters to help put down an attempted coup.

Bemba, once vicepresident of the Democratic Republic of Congo, will remain in custody until

sentencing.

The court in The Hague found him guilty of several charges including rape and murder. He is expected to appeal.

It is the first time the ICC has focussed on sexual violence as a weapon of war.

Geraldine Mattioli from campaign group Human Rights Watch tweeted that the case “shines a spotlight on use of rape and sexual violence as a weapon of war”.

Cubans who welcomed him to old Havana a day earlier with chants of “USA! USA!” Republican presidential front-runner Donald Trump tweeted Sunday after Air Force One touched down in Cuba, “Wow, President Obama just landed in Cuba, a big deal, and Raul Castro wasn’t even there to greet him. He greeted Pope and others. No respect.”

Trump had previously said he was “fine” with the U.S. pursuing a new approach in its Cuba policy.

Cuban-American Republican presidential candidate Ted Cruz, writing in an opinion piece for U. S. political publication Politico Monday, said freedom cannot come to Cuba “by enriching and empowering the dictatorship, while they export terrorism to Latin America.”

The Texas senator said his father was tortured by

the Batista regime while his aunt was “brutalised by Castro’s thugs” before fleeing to find “freedom in the United States.”

Cruz is the remaining Cuban-American candidate in the presidential field after Florida Senator Marco Rubio dropped out of the race last week.

Despite his departure from the race, Rubio has remained vocal in his opposition to the Obama administration’s policy, writing in a Facebook post Saturday that the president’s arrival in Cuba marked the beginning of “one of the most disgraceful trips ever taken by a U.S. president anywhere in the world.”

Rubio’s position is common to some Republicans who say that isolation is the best way to extract concessions on human rights concerns from the regime in Cuba.

otherNEWS Mark Zuckerberg criticised for running in Beijing without mask THE Facebook CEO ran through Tiananmen Square earlier this week and posted a photo of it from China on Friday morning.

Some people criticised him for associating himself with a symbol of communism. Others said they were surprised he ran without a face mask given Beijing’s pollution problems.

A few mused at the irony of the post itself: Facebook is banned in China, yet here he is, the leader of the company, posting from China.

Those who judged the run most harshly said this was Zuckerberg’s way of “sucking up” to the Chinese government -- the people who can let Facebook operate in China and

unleash the company’s biggest untapped customer base.

“Are you praising communist leaders for allowing you to post your FB update at Tienanmen Square where 26 years ago they crushed young students with tanks?” Tran Vi wrote in the comments section.

“The pollution in Beijing is so bad today that most people

won’t even go outside without face mask on, and this guy takes a jog past Mao Zedong like he doesn’t have a care in the world,” Sam Overholt wrote.

A Facebook spokesperson did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Zuckerberg has responded to a few comments on his photo, Mark Zuckerberg (middle) jogging but none that criticize his run. with friends. PHOTO: CNN

Rubbish pickup resumes in Lebanon in bid to end crisis

Rivers of rubbish have polluted Beirut since last summer PHOTO: AP

THE Lebanese government has launched a bid to dispose of the mountains of rubbish swamping the suburbs of the capital Beirut, in what residents hope will lead to the end of the country’s eightmonth garbage crisis.

On Saturday, dozens of trucks started carrying rubbish to the Naameh

landfill just south of the city - one of three landfills opened as part of a temporary solution announced by the government a week ago.

The government said that Naameh, the country’s main landfill, will open again for just two months. The crisis began in July, when the

landfill was scheduled to close with no realistic alternatives.

Residents of the Naameh area said the dump was over capacity and began blocking the roads to prevent rubbish trucks from reaching it.

Despite anger by residents, there were no protests against the reopening of the landfill

on Saturday.

In the north Beirut suburb of Jdeideh, home to one of the largest rubbish piles, a bulldozer loaded thousands of rubbish bags into trucks.

Fadwa Saad had to wear a mask to avoid the smell of the rubbish that could be seen from her balcony.

45

foreig naffairs

Tuesday, 22 March, 2016

Russia demands urgent action to combat Syria violations

Putin

Kerry

R

in response to alleged ceasefire violations by opposition groups in Syria.

The country’s defence

LESS than an hour after a car bomb exploded wounding his leg in the Syrian province of Quneitra, Dr. Abu Hamzeh was in Israel.

The Israelis opened a passage at the border and took him to a hospital in Safad. There, he, a surgeonturned-patient, found himself in pajamas with Hebrew letters and an Israeli doctor tickling his foot and asking, “You feel?”

Abu Hamzeh is not his real name. Journalists were allowed to see wounded Syrians on condition they do

not publish their names or pictures that could put them at risk when they go home. So the 35-year-old doctor gave one name, changed his mind and gave another, which means Hamzeh’s father.

Abu Hamzeh is a SunniMuslim and a rebel. In the bed next to him was a farmer, Fares, 24, a ShiiteMuslim who was wounded when he accidentally stepped on a bomb near Damascus. The Shi’ites support President Bashar Assad, but Fares said he did not belong to any militia.

USSIA is demanding urgent talks with the United States

ministry said on Monday that it would act unilaterally from Tuesday to end alleged violations of

Israel-Syria border quiets as humanitarian aid increases The medical treatment given them and more than 2,100 other Syrians in recent years is one of the reasons why Israel’s border with Syria became so quiet.

“For months there has been no cross-border fire,” the Israel Defence Forces Deputy Chief of General Staff Major General Yair Golan told VOA. The border is 100 kilometers-long. The Syrian army, backed by Hezbollah, which Western countries and the Arab League consider a terrorist organisation, is in

the north.

Thousands of Palestinian children injured in conflict ELEVEN-YEAR-OLD Khalid Ishtawy is among more than 2,100 Palestinian children injured during direct conflict in the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem since the start of October, according to the United Nations.

Khaled was shot in the thigh on March 5, during

what residents in the northern West Bank village of Kufr Qaddum called a peaceful protest. His face was etched with pain as his father, Fatah spokesperson and protest organiser Murad, slowly helped him into the family’s living room.

“We were ambushed,” Murad told Al Jazeera,

one hand resting on his son’s uninjured leg. “The younger kids ran ahead of us because there were no soldiers in sight.”

Murad believes his son was targeted in an attempt to scare the other children in Kufr Qaddum, noting the boy was shot at the start of the village’s weekly protest, before clashes kicked off.

the cessation of hostilities agreement, unless Moscow and Washington could reach an agreement on how to deal with the violations.

“Further delays with implementing the agreed rules of reaction to

violations of the ceasefire regime in Syria are unacceptable,” the ministry said in a statement.

“Peaceful residents die daily there as a result of provocative actions and shelling.”

The agreement between the Syrian government and rebel forces has largely held, but there have been a number of alleged violations, including government air raids on opposition areas and the downing of a Syrian air force jet by rebels.

Groups considered to be terrorist organisations by the United Nations, such as al-Nusra Front and the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL,also known as ISIS) group have been excluded from the ceasefire.

The warning by Moscow came as rebel factions and government representatives continued gathering in Geneva under mediation from the UN in an attempt to bring an end to the five-year-old conflict.

Al Jazeera’s James Bays, reporting from Geneva, said the situation at the meeting was “puzzling” as US, Russian and UN officials tried to analyse violations of the cessation of hostilities agreement.

“They [the officials] are saying there have been violations, but there’s still been a significant drop in the level of violence ... It seems the Russians have a dispute with the US over taking action against those that are violating,” Bays said.

Uganda opposition leader marks 1 month under house arrest IT has been a month since Ugandan police placed opposition leader Kizza Besigye under house arrest following the February 18 presidential election.

Besigye has since been arrested about nine times whenever he tries to leave his house.

The U.S. and European Union have both called for Besigye’s immediate release. But Ugandan police spokesperson Fred Enanga says Besigye is being held lawfully.

“You could be aware of the circumstances that led to the police enforcing the preventive action under Section 24 of the Police Act where under that section we are empower and of course obligated

to undertake preventive arraignment where we have reasonable belief that the unrestrictive movement of an individual or a group of persons can basically lead to either injury to the wider public as well as obstruction to traffic flow on the major highways,” he said.

Enanga said the police had reliable intelligence that indicated Besigye, if left alone would cause public disruption.

Besigye has asked the courts to declare the siege of his house illegal and award damages for the inconvenience and mental anguish it has cost him.

Besigye

otherNEWS Key Paris attacks accomplice identified Belgian authorities have identified a key accomplice of Paris attacks suspect Salah Abdeslam, as new developments underscore the tangled and far-flung network behind the November 13 terrorist attacks and rising

new threats.

Investigators are searching for 24-year-old Belgian Najim Laachraoui, who went by an alias Soufiane Kayal, and is on the run. A statement by Belgium’s federal prosecutors’ office

said he went to Syria in 2013.

He was identified by his DNA during police searches in Belgium linked to the attacks.

According to French and Belgian media, his DNA was also found on one or more of the explosive

belts used by the suicide bombers during the attacks.

Laachraoui had travelled to Hungary last September with Abdeslam and a third man, Belgium’s federal prosecutor office said.

Najim Laachraoui.

PHOTO: AP

Russian judge says Ukrainian pilot Savchenko killed reporters

Russian jet

A Russian judge on Monday said Ukrainian pilot Nadezhda Savchenko was complicit in the killing of two Russian journalists, an assertion certain to inflame already dire relations between Moscow and Kiev.

Savchenko, 34, was captured by pro-Moscow rebels in eastern Ukraine in June 2014 during the separatist

conflict there and handed over to Russia where she was charged with directing mortar fire which killed two Russian journalists.

She has denied wrongdoing.

Regarded as a national hero by many in her homeland, Savchenko has been depicted by Russian state TV as a dangerous Ukrainian nationalist with the

blood of civilians on her hands.

The United States and the European Union have called on Russia to free Savchenko, who has undertaken various hunger strikes to try to speed up her trial, on humanitarian grounds.

The judge, Leonid Stepanenko, told a courtroom in southern Russia that Savchenko had “deliberately

inflicted death on two persons, acting according to a conspiracy and motivated by hatred and enmity.”

The judge later adjourned proceedings until Tuesday.

Savchenko is not being tried by jury and Russian news agencies said the judge’s words amounted to a formal guilty verdict.

46

Tuesday, 22 March, 2016 Editor: Ganiyu Salman tribunesporteditor@yahoo.com 08053789060

Mikel (right) challenged by Giannelli Imbula of Stoke City during their Premier League clash this season.

I’m happy with new Chelsea role —Mikel

ITTF Junior Circuit:

N

IGERIAN international, John Mikel Obi, has stated in clear terms that he is pleased with his role in the Chelsea squad despite only regaining his place in the team under interim boss, Guus Hiddink.

In March’s edition of the Chelsea magazine entitled ‘Elegant Enforcer’, Mikel revealed how he has developed over the years playing in the defensive midfield role for a decade at the club.

“I love doing my defensive duties, but at the same time, I love having the ball and always trying to be available so we can play out from the back,” the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) winner said.

“This is something we’ve talked about, something the manager has stressed – trying to play out from the back so we can always be in control of the game. I think doing this we have much more possession of the ball.

“I like having the ball and making the team play.

When I was young, my natural position wasn’t as a defensive midfielder, so maybe that gives me a bit of an edge.”

Mikel who is expected to make his wealth of experience count when the Super Eagles cnfront the Pharaohs of Egypt in a 2017 African Nations Cup (AFCON) double header, recalled how he was dazed by the calibre of players he walked into on his first day at the Chelsea dressing room.

“I came into the dressing room that day literally shaking. I saw the players that were in there – the likes ofJohn Terry, Frank Lampard, Didier Drogba, Claude Makelele, Geremi, Michael Essien, Michael Ballack, Andriy Shevchenko – it was crazy. And I was just 19.

“I was shaking the whole day because I couldn’t talk to any of them. I didn’t know what to say to guys like that.

They were really nice guys, but it was scary. It can be tough coming into a dressing room like that as a younger player. You had to earn the right to be among them,” said the midfielder said.

Team Nigeria departs for Egypt

AFCON qualifiers:

Iwobi, Ighalo will destroy Egypt —Pinnick PRESIDENT of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Mr Amaju Pinnick believes the devastating form of Alex Iwobi, Odion Ighalo and Mikel Obi would make Nigeria’s Super Eagles to fly over the Pharaohs of Egypt.

Both countries clash this month in the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers first on Friday in Kaduna and on March 29 in Alexandria for the reverse fixture.

In an interview monitored, Pinnick said the Eagles would have a remark-

able outing on Friday.

“Our boys are in the best form for the Egypt game, and if they reproduce such form in Kaduna on Friday, goals will rain against the visitors. Already, some of the players have called to reassure us that they would show no mercy against Egypt and I believe them.

We are not taking any chances against the Pharaohs.

“With the form of Iwobi, Mikel, Odion and other players in England and other leagues of Europe, Egypt know they are in real trouble and will not escape

defeat in Kaduna. What we are praying for is that our foreign-based players give the game their best and win the first leg before going for the final kill in the second leg duel.

“They (Egypt), might also boast of the form of Salah [Mohammed] and [Mohammed] Elneny, but we have better quality players whose experience will get us this much needed victory.

The boys are self motivated to beating the Pharaohs and the NFF on our part will give them all the necessary support and logistics to win,” Pinnick said.

...Eagles better placed to win –Egypt coach

Iwobi

ASSISTANT coach of Egypt’s national team, Osama Nabih, has said the Pharaohs may lose to the Super Eagles in the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifying matches based on three indices.

Three-time champions, Nigeria, will face Egypt first on Friday at the Ahmadu Bello Stadium, Kaduna, while the reverse fixture holds on Tuesday, March 29 at the

Borg El-Arab Stadium in Alexandria.

“The first difficulty is Nigeria is a big name on the African continent, despite failing to reach the last edition of the Africa Cup. “Nigeria is coached by Samson Siasia who reached the Olympic Games by (winning a silver medal) first with the Under-23 team.

“Moreover, Nigeria have 22 foreign-based players along-

side well-prepared ones in the domestic Nigerian league. So Siasia possesses all the tools that lead to success.

“Despite the difficulty of the Nigeria game, we are working to improve our chance of qualifying for the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations finals in the coming Nigeria game,” Nabih told Egyptian media outfit, www.nilesports.com.

A four-man Team Nigeria contingent will today depart Lagos for Egypt for the 2016 International Table Tennis Federation, ITTF Junior Circuit tagged Egypt Open.

The contingent will leave aboard an Egypt Air to Cairo for the tournament which serves off tomorrow and run till March 27 at the Cairo International Stadium.

With Abayomi Animasahun and Amadi Omeh returning to Egypt where they won medals at the 2015 edition of the championship, Azeez Solanke and Sunday Akomolafe will be making their international debut at the tournament.

The team will be coached

by Dotun Omoniyi as 132 players made up of 74 boys and 58 girls from Saudi Arabia, India, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait and Portugal will be in action at the five-day championship.

For African players taking part in the competition, it will help them to hone their skills ahead of the ITTF African Junior Championship holding in Algiers from April 6 to 12.

According to the President of Egypt Table Tennis Federation (ETTF), Alaa Meshref, the tournament promises to be exciting as host – Egypt would be registering no fewer than 110 players.

He however, admitted that he expects stiff opposition from Nigeria and Saudi Arabia.

47

tribunesport

Tuesday, 22 March, 2016

Gateway Utd, Almar clash in Ogun FA Cup final

By Niyi Alebiosu THE stage is set for the final of the 2016 Ogun State Federation Cup between Gateway United and Almar FC of Ijebu Ode. Chairman, Ogun State Football Association, Alhaji Ganiyu Majekodunmi who spoke with Tribunesport by phone said the final will hold on Saturday, April 2 at the Gateway International Stadium, Ilaro.

To qualify for the final, Gateway United defeated FC Ebedei 3-0, while Almar secured a 1-0 victory over AGO FC Itori in the second semi-final.

Majekodunmi further told Tribunesport that logistics have been put in place to make the final, to be graced by top government

Ilya Pam wins 8th Splash FM marathon

functionaries in the state a huge success.

“We have made adequate arrangement to ensure that the final is hitch-free and adequate security arrangement has also been put in place because we want spectators to enjoy the final to the fullest,” he said.

By Olawale Olaniyan ILYA Pam from Nasarawa State on Sunday won the 8th edition of the Splash FM Integrity Marathon held at the Obafemi Awolowo Stadium, Ibadan.

Pam who came fourth last year this time, won the race in a time of two hours, 39 minutes and 27 seconds to clinch the star prize of N6000,000, while Peter Istiphannun from Plateau State came second in two hours, 42 minutes and 20 seconds.

Danjuma Gyan also from Plateau State finished third in two hours, 47 minutes and 49 seconds.

In the female category, Olamide Oluwaseun from Lagos State came first with in a time of 3 hours, 25 minutes and 20 seconds.

Olamide who also won the Lagos City International Marathon among Nigerian athletes held last month, confirmed her supremacy on the home front as she clinched the star prize of N400,000 in Ibadan.

Njoku Genevieve from Imo State came second while Kitsinwa Stephen from Plateau State finished third.

Moses

AFCON qualifiers:

Moses assures Nigerians of victory

ITF set to reward Osewa with European Tour

W

EST Ham United of England player, Victor Moses has assured Nigerians that the Super Eagles will pick the three points at stake when they confront the Pharaohs of Egypt in the 2017 AFCON qualifier billed for the Ahmadu Bello Stadium, Kaduna on Friday.

Speaking during a courtesy visit to Globacom in Lagos on Monday, the Glo ambassador said the Super Eagles players will play as one united team with the determination to win and make Nigeria proud.

“The Egyptians are leading the group at present, but we will work hard to pick the three points in Kaduna and go for a win or draw in the return leg in Cairo. This will make it easy for us to qualify from the group,” Moses added.

The 2013 AFCON winner also dispelled rumours doing the rounds that the recent change in the coaching crew will affect the team.

“The current Super Eagles comprises both experienced and upcoming players, I am optimistic that we will blend and play to win under the

guidance of our coaches; so there is no cause for alarm,” said the player who is on loan from Chelsea.

Moses stated that the new players in the senior national team would be assisted to

adapt as soon as possible.

“We will help the new boys to settle down quickly and give them confidence to excel in the national team colours. Other countries like Spain and England are also

doing it to strengthen their teams and Nigeria is not an exception. It will also give the coaches more talents to utilise as they try to build a winning squad,” Moses said.

NIGERIA’S Micheal Osewa looks set to be rewarded by the International Tennis Federation (ITF) with a European Tour following his brilliant display at the justconcluded 39th ITF/ CAT African Junior Championships in Pretoria, South Africa.

Although Osewa failed in his bid to be crowned Africa’s best player in the Boys’ 14&under category by losing to Damien Laporte of the Seychelles in the final held last weekend, he

Police Games: A platform to create world-class athletes –Arase Saliu Gbadamosi - Abuja THE Inspector-General of Police, Mr Solomon Arase, has stated that the ongoing 11th biennial Police Games provides an opportunity for the Nigeria Police Force to once again create a platform that will throw up potential world-class athletes who will attain international stardom.

He stated this last weekend at the National Stadium, Abuja, at the opening ceremony of the games, adding that it would also remind officers and men of the force on the importance of

keeping fit “in order to effectively remain mentally and physically sound to meet the rigours of policing a nation like ours.”

“The event presents a unique opportunity to build and strengthen a healthy and professional friendship within all cadres of the force on one hand and with other sister security agencies within the country and the West African sub-region on the other hand.”

Arase stated that the games had over the years placed Nigeria on the world sporting map, declaring that

the police games had produced star athletes who had made the Nigeria Police and the country proud.

“It should be noted that Nigeria’s ever first gold medallist at the Olympic Games is Officer Chioma Ajunwa, a serving police officer who won the long jump event at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics in the United States of America.

“Other sporting heroes produced by the police and who have made our country proud include: Samuel Peters (world boxing champion), Kikelomo Ajayi (former

captain of the Super Falcons), the late Sunday Bada (Olympic silver medalist), Ikpoto Eseme, Sam Igun, the late Joseph Adeola (the flying baton policeman), Lanre Durodola and Loveth Ekufu (female kick-boxing champion),” he said.

The police games, which started modestly in 1946, Arase noted had today evolved to become a biennial event which drew participants from all police commands and formations nationwide with athletes participating in 28 different sporting events.

seems to have done enough to be among the few players that will be chosen across all the continents by the world governing body of tennis for the tour.

Osewa’s silver medal outing was the best in Nigeria’s history at the 25-nation event which is the biggest junior tennis in Africa.

Nigeria’s junior tennis head coach, Mohammed Ubale said on the team’s arrival in Abuja last Sunday that the 14-year-old, alongside Laporte, Ryan Randiek of Kenya Khololwalm Monsti of South Africa and a host of other players, will now be upgraded to the 16&under category in next year’s edition having been identified as one of Africa’s talented prospects in tennis.

“From all indications, Osewa should be among the players that will be in the European Tour where players feature in junior tournaments across five European countries namely England, France, Germany Belgium and Holland. The players will be assembled for a week or two by the ITF before embarking on the tour which could last for about two months,” said Ubale.

SIDELINES

NO 16,462

TUESDAY, 22 MARCH, 2016

N150

Colette Bourlier a few days ago completed her Ph.D programme which she started in 1983 and was awarded “high distinction” after she defended her thesis at 91. If one may ask, was Colette's resilience not enough to earn her a distinction, even if some element of senility reflects in her thesis?

Ighalo (left) during the game against Swaziland. PHOTO: BAMIGBELU ADEMOLA.

AFCON qualifiers:

Mikel, Ighalo, Iwobi, Moses, others arrive As Eagles move training to Kaduna

Saliu Gbadamosi-Abuja

T

HE camp of the Super Eagles came alive yesterday as more foreign-based players invited for the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers against the Pharaohs of Egypt arrived in Abuja.

At the time of filing this report, no fewer than 10 of the overseas-based players have already landed in the camp.

The Eagles will later today move to Kaduna, venue of the match, after the morning training session at the National Stadium, Abuja which will be open to the media.

The game is billed for the Ahmadu Bello Stadium, Kaduna, with the reverse

fixture billed for the Borg El-Arab Stadium, Alexandria.

Arsenal star, Alex Iwobi according to thenff.com was the first to arrive in the Eagles’ Bolton White Hotel camp on Sunday, before the arrival of his fellow England-based Watford's Odion Ighalo and Chelsea’s John Mikel Obi, as well as Aaron Samuel, who is on loan at CSKA Moscow from Chinese club Guangzhou R&F. Also in the country for the AFCON qualifiers are West Ham's Victor Moses and Scotland-based Efe Ambrose.

South Africa-based goalkeeper Daniel Akpeyi, defenders Stanley Amuzie and Elderson Echiejile and midfielder Ogenyi Onazi

were due to arrive in Lagos on Monday night and travel to Abuja by first flight today.

Germany –based defender Leon Balogun, who has hamstring trouble, is being programmed for the reverse fixture in Alexandria next Tuesday.

Others who had earlier arrived in the camp are Turkey based Aminu Umar, Uniao da Madeira’s Abdullahi Shehu and Godfrey Oboabona.

Mourinho 'signs £15m pre-contract Man U deal—Report

...We will beat Eagles —Elneny

By Ganiyu Salman EGYPT international, Mohamed Elneny, believes the Pharaohs have what it takes to run away with three points as they face the Super Eagles on Friday in a 2017 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifier billed for the Ahmadu Bello Stadium, Kaduna.

The Arsenal midfielder told MBC TV channel that he had previewed the match with team-mate, Alex Iwobi, and was confident that the Pharaohs stand good a chance of recording their second away win in the qualifying series on Friday.

“I told him (Iwobi) that it will be hard for

Nigeria to beat Egypt. I have a good feeling that we will be able to win the match. Nigeria is a good tough team but we’re good too. I also feel that I am surrounded by support from everyone encouraging us to get back to winning,” said the former FC Basel player.

The Pharaohs coach, Hector Cuper is equally anticipating the fall of the Eagles before their teeming fans in Kaduna this weekend.

"We can beat Nigeria, they

are very good side but they are beatable and I can assure you all that what happened in Kumasi, Ghana, in 2013 when Egypt lost 6-1 will not happen again in Kaduna," said Cuper said in a press conference.

The reverse fixure is scheduled to hold on Tuesday, March 29 at the Borg El-Arab Stadium, Alexandria.

Egypt tops group G with six points from two games as Nigeria follows on the table with four points.

Elneny

​ EPORTS from Spain claim that Jose R Mourinho has signed a pre-contract agreement at Manchester United ahead of a summer move to replace Louis van Gaal as the club's manager.

The 53-year-old has been linked with a move to replace Van Gaal at Old Trafford since he was sacked by Chelsea last December, and recently confirmed that he wanted to be in place at a new club by the summer, saying: "The reality is that I want to work and normally July, mid-July, new pre-season starts and somewhere I want to be there.”

Now, a report from El País in Spain claims that Gestifute, the company of Mourinho's a g e n t Jorge Mendes, has confirmed that the Portuguese manager signed an agreement last month to take him to Old Trafford.

However, there is room in the deal for United to back out if they change their minds.

Recent reports have suggested that the club's stance on Van Gaal's continued employment is softening, with Ed Woodward and Van Gaal reportedly already beginning to map out the club's transfer plans for the summer window. However, the Spanish report says: “If United do not sign the final contract (with Mourinho) before May 1, they must pay £5m; If by June 1 he’s still not signed, they shall pay another £10m. May is the key, because it’s the month in which the vast majority of the signings of players are closed and the plans formed.”

They claim that the get-out for United has been introduced due to the concerns of senior club figures including Sir Alex Ferguson and Sir Bobby Charlton, who are said to have viewed Mourinho's antics at Chelsea with some distaste.

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. 22/3/2016.