23rd May 2016

NIGERIA’S MOST INFORMATIVE NEWSPAPER NO 16,506

MONDAY, 23 MAY, 2016

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MPC meeting: Will CBN further hike rates?

Sanya Adejokun - Abuja THERE are indications that the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) may further hike its baseline rates as the 250th meeting of the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) opens for its quarterly two-day meeting this morning at the corporate headquarters of the apex bank in Abuja.

Although analysts are being cautious about their forecast

of the two-day meeting, most of the developments leading to the decisions taken in March to increase Monetary Policy Rate (MPR) by 100 basis points from 11.00 per cent to 12.00 per cent and Cash Reserve Ratio (CRR) by 250 basis points from 20.00 to 22.50 percent are still raging.

The meeting also, however, voted to retain Liquidity Ratio at 30.00 per cent but narrowed the asymmetric corridor from

+200 and -700 basis points to +200 and -500 basis points.

In arriving at those decisions, members considered “the weakening macroeconomic environment, reflected particularly in foreign exchange shortages, slowing GDP growth rate and rising inflation. Overall economic growth slowed significantly in 2015, particularly in Q4. continues pg12

Buhari cancels visit to Lagos, sends Osinbajo —Pg5

Police seal off PDP headquarters —P2

•No faction in PDP —Ekweremadu •P/Harcourt convention illegal —Sheriff •How govs removed him How to survive during economic downturn —P23

NLC suspends strike —P2

Abducted Kogi judges regain freedom From left, Executive Director, Corporate and Investment Banking, Sterling Bank Plc, Mr Kayode Lawal; President and Chairman, Board of Directors, African Export-Import Bank, Dr Benedict Okey Oramah; Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Sterling Bank Plc, Mr Yemi Adeola and the Executive Vice President-Corporate Governance, Legal Services and Executive Secretary, African Export-Import Bank, Dr George Elombi, after a meeting with Dr Oramah by the executive management of Sterling Bank Plc, in Cairo, Egypt, at the weekend.

•Bello declares war on kidnappers —P6

Rival militants clash, blow up pipeline in Bayelsa •MEND condemns bombing of oil facilities in Niger Delta

—P36

2 news Police seal off PDP headquarters From Taiwo Adisa, Leon Usigbe, Jacob Segun Olatunji and Dapo Falade

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detachment of anti-riot and regular policemen, on Sunday, took over the national headquarters of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), adding yet another twist to the lingering crises besetting the former ruling party.

It was learnt that the Inspector-General of Police, Solomon Arase, ordered the takeover in order to forestall a breakdown of law and order, following the division of the party into three contending factions.

Former national secretary, Professor Olawale Oladipo, had been scheduled to address the media at about 4.00 p.m., apparently to drum home his opposition to the outcome of Saturday’s national convention in Port Harcourt, which dissolved the National Working Committee (NWC) and appointed a national caretaker committee to run its affairs for the next three months.

However, before he could come to the office, it had been taken over by the police.

The former national secretary was believed to be working with the former national chairman, Senator Ali Modu Sheriff and other members of the dissolved NWC, who were resisting the dissolution.

Nobody, including some staff of the party who attempted to gain entry, were allowed access on Sunday.

When approached, the most senior officer among the policemen, Temitope Kolawole, told the Nigerian Tribune that he was not competent to talk to the press.

“We have a chain of command. There is no one here capable of answering your questions. Go and meet the PPRO (Police Public Relations Officer),” he said.

No factions in PDP, only contending interests —Ekweremadu Deputy Senate President, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, on Sunday, said that there were no factions in the PDP, contrary to media reports.

Ekweremadu, in a statement endorsed by his media adviser, Uche Anichuikwu, said reports of factionalisation of the party were false, baseless and misguided.

The statement quoted Ekweremadu as saying that what existed within the PDP were contending interests, which, according to him, were normal in any political

family.

“For the purpose of clarification, there are no factions within the PDP family as I speak. What we have are contending interests. Such is common in any party. Yes, there were some disagreements, but the good thing is that we have not allowed such disagreements to degenerate into a major crisis that would warrant factions.

“Instead, what happened in Port-Harcourt at the weekend further confirms PDP’s capacity to resolve issues in favour of laid down precepts and in the overall interest of our great party and nation.

I am sure what happened in Port-Harcourt remains a disappointment for those who were expectant of major crisis and factions in the PDP, because we emerged from the convention more determined to change the change, to save our economy, reposition the electoral process and make life more bearable for the suffering masses of Nigeria again,” the statement read.

The senator also said there were no legal or judicial encumbrances to the convention in Port Harcourt, adding that the party did not conduct any election at the convention.

According to him, the party acted within the constitutional powers of the highest decision-making organ of the PDP to appoint an interim NWC to oversee the affairs of the party and also conduct elections into the NWC positions within 90 days.

Sheriff’s issue destabilised the party —Wike Chairman of the 2016 PDP national convention planning committee, Mr Nyesom Wike, on Sunday, said Senator Ali Modu Sheriff was relieved of his job as PDP national chairman because he was a destabilising agent in the party.

The Rivers State governor said this as contained in a statement issued in Port Harcourt, on Sunday, by his media aide on electronic, Mr Simeon Nwakaudu.

While Sheriff insisted that the convention had been postponed, he was relieved of his position, even as the convention appointed a caretaker committee, headed by Senator Ahmad Makarfi, to direct the affairs of the party for the next three months.

“All along, the crisis has been about the former acting chairman whose emergence was strongly opposed. This is destabilising the party and so we had to let him go. What is important is the party and not the individual. No sacrifice is too much for anyone

to make as far as PDP is concerned,” the statement read.

The governor said he had no personal interest and neither did he regret supporting Senator Sheriff, noting that he was the best option at the time he emerged.

P/Harcourt convention illegal –Sheriff The sacked national chairman of PDP, Senator Sheriff, at a meeting of the defunct NWC at a secret location in Abuja, on Sunday, said the Port Harcourt convention of the party was illegal.

The former Borno State governor, who announced the cancellation of the Port Harcourt convention before it went ahead to hold, had maintained his opposition to the conduct of the exercise, claiming that he remained the national chairman of the party.

His special assistant, Inuwa Bwala, told reporters in Abuja on Sunday, that Sheriff was adamant that the Port Harcourt convention was a nullity, because there were several court orders against its conduct.

“By Friday evening, the chairman was served four court papers. At that point, the chairman summoned a meeting of the NWC and told them he was aware of a court process but could not act on it because he had not been served.

“All the orders were parallel. But he told the governors that if the conference goes ahead, it will spell trouble.

“The chairman insisted that they must abide by the court orders as he reasoned that all of them could not be fraudulent.

“He advised that they should shift the convention, but because of conflicting interests, there was no agreement.

“Some of the NWC members are party in the suit.

Naturally, they would ask him to stop the convention.

So, he addressed a press conference and announced the cancellation.

“We got to know about the national convention on television with the deputy national chairman, Uche Secondus, claiming to represent the chairman without his consent.

“As far as he (Sheriff) is concerned, what happened in Port Harcourt was a nullity. That’s why they are meeting now,” he said.

How govs pulled rug off Sheriff’s feet It emerged on Sunday that two governors of the PDP,

who had been suspicious of the role of Senator Sheriff spearheaded the bid to dissolve the NEC and appoint a caretaker committee.

Sources close to the party told the Nigerian Tribune on Sunday that Ondo State governor, Dr Olusegun Mimiko and his Bayelsa State counterpart, Honourable Seriake Dickson, had been silently opposed to the choice of Sheriff, even before his imposition in February.

It was learnt that the governors saw the opportunity of correcting the wrong in the Port Harcout convention, following emerging cracks in the ranks of the party.

Members of the National Assembly, who had also not been comfortable with the choice of Sheriff as chairman, saw the opportunity to move in, following the series of court cases against the party.

The governors, who objected to Sheriff taking over in February, were persuaded that the man would only complete the term of the North-East and quit in May.

Monday, 23 May, 2016

There was the understanding that his emergence would facilitate the defection to the PDP of some disgruntled members of other political parties.

Other governors and members of the National Assembly caucus, as well members of the Board of Trustees (BoT) relunctantly agreed to the choice of Sheriff with the understanding that he would

quit in three months.

But with moves indicating that he would be retained beyond three months, sources said more governors and members of the National Assembly caucus started feeling concerned.

Sheriff was also said to have angered a lot of stakeholders who believed alienating them from the decision making process of the party.

There won’t be religious crisis in Oyo —Makinde

By Rita Okonoboh FORMER Prelate of Methodist Church Nigeria (MCN), Dr Sunday Ola Makinde, has said as result of the robust religious interaction among indigenes and residents of Oyo State, there won’t be religious crisis.

He stated this at the third service of awards, organised by the Progressive Association in Christ (PAC) of the Methodist Cathedral, Apaara, Oyo State, on Sunday, with the theme, “Honour to Whom It is Due.”

Makinde commended the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba (Dr) Lamidi Adeyemi, for his efforts at ensuring peace and stability in the state, the Ooni of Ife, Oba Enitan Adeyeye Ogunwusi, for his courage and humility, and, especially, his efforts at fostering unity in Yorubaland, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo for his support for the spread of the gospel, especially with the building of the National Ecumenical Centre in Abuja and Chief Lere Paimo for his significant contribution to entertainment in Nigeria.

Omatseye’s lawyer files appeal against ruling Says offence does not exist in law MR Edoka Onyeke, lawyer to Raymond Omatseye, former Director-General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), has appealed against the five years sentence Justice Rita OfiliAjumogobia clamped on his client.

Ofili-Ajumogobia of the Federal High Court, Ikoyi, Lagos, pointing to approval above his threshold of N2.5 million, sentenced Omatseye to five years imprisonment without an option of fine.

She also sacked him from the employ of NIMASA. Arguing that his client was being persecuted and not prosecuted, Edoka pointed out that yes, contract split-

ting exists in the law, but approval above threshold does not exist.

Ofili-Ajumogobia had, in delivering the judgment, noted that the embattled former DG of NIMASA, facing a 27-count charge bordering on bid rigging and contract splitting worth N271 million while he was the boss of the maritime regulatory agency, is on suspension.

The judge, who had been transferred to the Kwara State jurisdiction, threw out a January 23, 2013 dated letter from the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP), which cleared Omatseye of any wrongdoing while in the agency.

The letter, addressed to

former President Goodluck Jonathan, signed by Emeka Ezeh, former DG of the BPP, informed the president that after a scrutiny of the case, the Bureau was of the view that the 27-count charge were breaches brought under sections of the Procurement Act that deals with administrative breaches rather than real offences under the Act that could attract conviction or sanctions from the regular courts.

However, in delivering the judgment, Ofili-Ajumogobia jettisoned the report admitted as evidence in court, while relying on a circular issued in 2007 by the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation.

NLC suspends nationwide strike, to resume negotiation with govt Soji-Eze Fagbemi -Abuja FOLLOWING the intervention of the national leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Bola Tinubu and the National Assembly, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), on Sunday, suspended its nationwide strike and street protest over the increase in price of petrol by the Federal Government.

The strike was called off after the NLC emergency National Executive Council (NEC) meeting held at the Bolton White Hotel, Abuja,

on Sunday.

Senator Tinubu had stormed the Labour House, Abuja, on Friday, where he held meeting with the NLC leadership, while the leadership of the Senate, led by the Senate president, Senator Bukola Saraki and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Honourable Yakubu Dogara, also met with the NLC leadership and appealed to them to suspend the strike.

Addressing a press conference after about threehour meeting on Sunday, president of NLC, Comrade

Ayuba Wabba, said the congress would resume negotiations with the Federal Government on the twin issue of petrol price increase and hike in electricity tariff.

“Congress singled out for commendation, its state councils, affiliates and other patriotic Nigerians who at very short notice picked up the gauntlet for this struggle. Congress commends the leadership of the National Assembly and APC, led by Senator Bola Tinubu.

Continues pg5

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Monday, 23 May, 2016

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Monday, 23 May, 2016

SENATE COMMITTEE ON TERTIARY INSTITUTIONS AND TETFund and

THE FEDERAL MINISTRY OF EDUCATION In collaboration with

DAILY TRUST Present

A Two-day Roundtable on Legislative Agenda for Tertiary Education in Nigeria Theme:

Towards Positive Change in Tertiary Education: Relevance, Competitiveness and Sustainability.

Dates: Time: Venue:

st

st

Tue. 31 May and Wed. 1 June, 2016 9am daily A-Class Park, Along Kashim Ibrahim Way, Maitama, Abuja

Distinguished Guest of Honour H.E. MUHAMMADU BUHARI, GCFR President, Federal Republic of Nigeria Chief Host SENATOR BUKOLA SARAKI, GCON President of the Senate,, Federal Republic of Nigeria

Host SENATOR BINTA MASI GARBA Chairman, Senate Committee on Tertiary Institutions and TETFund

Special Guest Speaker PROFESSOR JUMA SHABANI Special Guest of Honour MALLAM ADAMU ADAMU Hon. Minister of Education

Under the Chairmanship of MALLAM ADAMU FIKA, CFR (Wazirin Fika)

For further enquiries, please contact The Committee’s Clerk on 08052202127 or ngo.nkemdirim@yahoo.com

5 news

Monday, 23 May, 2016

Buhari cancels state visit to Lagos Leon Usigbe -Abuja

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RESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari has canceled his planned two-day state visit to Lagos, which was scheduled to kick off today.

It was the second of such cancellations in three days, as he had previously “stood

down” a similar trip for Edo State last Friday.

There was no official reason as to why he would no longer be going to Lagos for a trip which would have seen him commissioning some projects executed by the state government.

The presidency had already dispatched an advance team

made up of security, protocol officials, journalists, among others, to Lagos ahead of the visit.

Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Mr Femi Adesina, however, told the Nigerian Tribune that Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo would represent the president on the Lagos visit.

Anti-corruption war: Don’t give impression of witch-hunt, Onaiyekan tells FG THE Federal Government has been told to ensure fairness and transparency in the way the anti-corruption battle is being fought, in order not to give the impression of witch-hunting any particular set of people.

The piece of advice was given by the Catholic Archbishop of Abuja, John Cardinal Onaiyekan, at the weekend.

According to him, Nigerians had agreed that there was an intolerable level of corruption in the country and that something should be done about it, but it should

NLC suspends nationwide strike Continued from pg2

“In consideration of the above, NEC, after due consultation with its constituents, resolved to suspend with immediate effect, the action it commenced on Wednesday, May 18. The action is thus hereby suspended,” he said.

Wabba added that the congress would resume negotiations with government on the twin issues of the hike in electricity tariff and an increase in the pump price of petrol and any other issue that may arise thereof.

The NLC president noted that the NEC reviewed the protest action and its impact across the nation, noting the sacrifices of its members, response of the generality of Nigerians, government’s attitude and the brutality of the police in some states.

He pointed out that the NEC took special notice of the Ebonyi State police command, where their members were intimidated, harassed, arrested and detained unjustly.

He, however, said the protest and strike were taken in the best interest of the poor and the weak and in drawing government’s attention to the dangers of relying on importation as a sustainable strategy for making available petroleum products in the country.

not be done by just rounding up a few people.

The Cardinal noted that it would be difficult to find anybody who had a hand in the affairs of this country in the last 20 years and not to have something against him or her.

He, however, warned government against creating the impression of witch-hunting.

While reacting to the trial of former Head of Service of the Federation, Mr Stephen Oronsaye, the archbishop said government should be careful and protect those who could be facing trial based on having made enemies while in government.

Onaiyekan also advised that judges be allowed to do their work without harassment and intimidation.

“When I talk about structures, we are to include not only how business should be conducted in the civil service, but how the law should be administered.

The whole scenario of 100

lawyers invading a court over one case is ridiculous.

We should find a way to prevent such charade.

“We have to see that judges are in position to do their work without intimidation, without harassment. We are talking of separation of power, without anybody telling them what to do.

“When we see the way some of the cases are going, one becomes a bit worried. Some of the judges have also come out to say that they were under strong influences, that they are not free to do their work. How many of them can resist any influences from above and from different places?

“We are back to the rules and to how things are done properly. I would have hoped that the whole process of dealing with the cases of corruption can be dispensed with without too much rigmarole and we still ensure that justice was done,” he said.

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Monday, 23 May, 2016

Nigeria can’t afford another war —Anglican Church

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HE Diocese of Abuja of the Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion), has noted that the renewed pipeline vandalism in the Niger Delta was not in the best interest of Nigeria.

This was as he urged those behind the bombing of oil installations in the region to desist from the act forthwith.

The church called on the Niger Delta Avengers (NDA) to cease hostility against the government while embracing dialogue, noting that Nigeria, which was presently engaged with too many battles could not afford to start another one with militants in the oil-producing areas of the federation.

Primate of The Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion) and the Archbishop of Abuja Diocese, The Most Reverend Nicholas D. Okoh, made this remark in his presidential address to the third Session of the ninth Synod of Abuja Diocese, held at All Saints Church, Wuse.

While urging the Federal Government to also tread cautiously in its attempts to resolve the growing crises in the Niger Delta, the church called on it to seek collaboration with the host communities in its efforts to secure all pipelines.

He also urged the Federal Government to open the space for immediate revival of the dwindling Nigerian economy, by creating investment-friendly atmosphere for more foreign investors to henceforth, take Nigeria a preferred destination.

He lauded the efforts by President Muhammadu Buhari towards diversifying the Nigerian economy, urging his government to initiate more cuttingedge approaches aimed at

meaningful engagement of foreign investors for revival of the economy of the country.

He based his talk on the

theme of this year’s Synod: “The poverty of riches,” taken from the book of Revelation, 3 vs17, stating that notwithstanding the

DESPITE the seeming increase in crime rate in Benue State, the governor, Samuel Ortom, has expressed optimism that investors would still have interest to come and invest in the state.

According to statement issued by the Senior Special Assistant to the governor on media, Mr Godwin Akor, Ortom, who regretted the killing of his security aide at the weekend, said his administration would not be deterred, ensuring that peace reigns in

leaders and the led are careless and Godless.

The Primate said the Federal Government and Nigerians in general should

National President, Nigerian Association of Small Scale Industrialists (NASSI), Mr Ezekiel Essien (left); acting Managing Director, Bank of Industry (BOI), Mr Waheed Olagunju and the Executive Director, Corporate Services and Commercials, BOI, Mr Jonathan Tobin, during the NASSI’s visit to BOI, in Abuja, last week. PHOTO: SUNDAY OSUNRAYI.

collectively find lasting solutions to the problem of insurgency, killings by herdsmen, fuel scarcity, pipeline vandalism and widespread corruption, all he noted, were factors that often inhibited the growth of economy and the nation in general.

On the menace of herdsmen across the federation, the Primate said, “The Federal Government should make a policy to deliberately disarm the herdsmen” as a means of preventing the springing up of ethnic militias in all the regions of the federation in attempts to resist the rampage by herdsmen” He advised the government against the plan to set up grazing reserves for herdsmen across the country, stating that the Synod was of the view that such reserves should be built in regions where the Fulanis were more familiar.

Court orders Okonjo-Iweala, FG to account for missing N30trn A yomide Owonibi Odekanyin - Lagos JUSTICE Ibrahim Buba of the Federal High Court, in Lagos, has ordered a former Minister of Finance, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala and the Federal Government to provide information on

the spending of the alleged missing N30 trillion which represents some accruable income to the Federal Government during the last four years of the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan.

The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability

Project (SERAP) had filed a Freedom of Information suit number FHC/L/ CS/196/2015, following claims by the former governor of Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Charles Soludo, that at least N30 trillion had either been stolen or unaccounted for or grossly

mismanaged over the last few years under OkonjoIweala’s watch.

Justice Buba said in the judgment that Mrs Okonjo-Iweala and the Federal Government have no legally justifiable reason for refusing to provide SERAP with the information re-

2 Kogi judges regain freedom •As Bello declares war on kidnappers Yinka Oladoyinbo - Lokoja with Agency Report AREA Court judge, Mr Timothy Salihu and the retired Chief Inspector of Area Courts in Kogi State, Alhaji Aliyu Okeme, kidnapped on May 19, have regained their freedom.

The News Agency of Nigeria of Nigeria (NAN) recalled that they

were abducted at gunpoint on Idah-Lokoja Road, in the Eastern flank of the state, on their way to Idah.

The state Commissioner of Police, Mr Yakubu Usman, who confirmed their release, said they were found between Itobe and Ajegwu, on Itobe-Anyigba Road.

It could be confirmed if their families paid ransom

Rise in crime rate will not stop investors, Ortom tells critics Johnson Babajide -Makurdi

prosperity that a country enjoys, it may suffer spiritual poverty and then end up being poor (on the real in all ramifications) if the

the state.

The governor, according to the statement, gave the word of encouragement during the prayer session at the Chapel of Grace, Benue People’s House, that ‘the seeming rise in crime would also not scare investors who already know that the trials would be shortlived’.

According to him, “those who have hand in Denen Igbana’s death would be exposed because he anchored the amnesty programme and rescued many of those abducted without the payment of ransom.

“As I stand on the altar of God, I say anyone that has hand in his death will reap what he has sowed,” Ortom emphasised.

He disclosed that at another operation, some unidentified killers went to the residence of a divisional police officer, but killed a policeman, noting that the devil was not happy because its plans failed.

He asked Christians in the state to fortify themselves with prayers and declared that anybody waiting to see if his administration would fail, would be put to shame.

for their release, though the kidnappers had demanded one million naira.

Meanwhile, following the incessant abduction of people in the state, the Kogi State governor, Alhaji Yahaya Bello, on Sunday, said his administration had declared war against kidnappers and cultists that have laid siege on the state in recent times.

The governor said this in Lokoja, the state capital, following the kidnapping of the traditional ruler of Ellete community, Chief Aminu Ahmed Aku, in Ajaokua Local Government Area of the state, by yet-tobe-identified persons.

The monarch was said to have been kidnapped by suspected hoodlums on Ajaokuta-Lokoja Road while coming from Adogo, headquarters of the local government area at about 9.00 p.m. on Friday.

A statement by the senior Special Assistant to the governor on print Media, Ademu Idakwo, said Bello, who received the news, said though his efforts to reduce crime rate

in the state from what it was before he was inaugurated, was yielding positive result.

He vowed that he would ensure those behind the recent acts were fished out and made to face the wrath of law.

He said the kidnapping of the monarch ranked among the high profile cases of such acts within a very short time.

The governor further disclosed that he had donated 12 operational vehicles to the law enforcement agencies in the state, to help them combat crimes.

He, therefore, read a riot act to the law enforcement agencies in the state to step up action by embarking on aggressive manhunt on the criminals in the state, who have constituted themselves to threat to life, peace and security, through kidnapping and cultism.

Bello also charged the community leaders in the state to close ranks with one another by being vigilant and report any suspicious activities to the security agencies in their areas.

quested for.

The judge held that SERAP’s application had merits and the argument was not opposed.

“SERAP’s application is granted as prayed,” Justice Buba ruled.

The court agreed with the arguments by SERAP’s deputy director, Olukayode Majekodunmi, that Mrs Okonjo-Iweala and the Federal Government should have either supplied the information requested by SERAP or communicate her denial within seven days of receipt of the letter from SERAP if she considered that the request should be denied.

SERAP had, in February 2015, dragged Mrs OkonjoIweala to court over a failure to provide information about spending of the alleged missing N30trillion, which represents some accruable income to the Federal Government in the past four years.

Commenting on the judgment, SERAP’s Executive Director, Adetokunbo Mumuni, said “this judgment shows the important role that Nigerian courts can play in the efforts to promote transparency in government and combat corruption and the impunity of perpetrators.

“It also confirms that high-ranking government officials can no longer escape accountability for their actions while in office. We urge Mrs Okonjo-Iweala to cooperate with the authorities in the efforts to ensure the full and effective enforcement of the judgment.”

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Monday, 23 May, 2016

Lagosmetro I steal while moving cows at midnight — Fulani herdsman Olalekan Olabulo

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Fulani herdsman, Musa Abdullai, who was a few days ago arrested for burgling a phone shop, where phones worth over N2.5 million were carted away, has insisted that he used a goading stick to break into the shop while moving cows at midnight.

Abdullai and ten others, including a phone dealer, were arrested by operatives of the Rapid Response Squad (RRS), who investigated the incident after the owner of the shop; Nelson Mende had reported the incident to the police.

Nelson had on April 24, 2016 lodged a complaint at Ogba Police Station, that his shop was burgled while the then yet-to-be identified suspect stole 65 phones.

“I reported the case to RRS on Thursday last week and gave them some of the phone packs. On Friday, they invited me to their

office to come and see the suspects. I was very shocked that a Fulani guy was the one that stole the phones. I saw 15 of my stolen phones.

As it is now, I want my money back because those who bought the phones have been using them,” Nelson said.

In his confessional statement, the suspected burglar said that he broke the shop’s locks and burglary with ‘Sanda’ (herdman’s stick) which he used to control cows.

“I saw the shop when I was taking a cow to Ojodu Berger. I broke into the shop around 1:30 a.m. and took all the phones. I left the phones packs with accessories in order to make carrying the phones easier for me.

“I have four wives and five children. They are all based in Kano. I sold all the phones at Railway Line Market, Agege for N150, 000,” the suspect confessed.

The buyer of the stolen

phones, Yusuf Ibrahim, stated that he bought 15 phones with no accessories from Musa for N150, 000.

“The phones are very expensive. Some of the phones cost nothing less than N75, 000 each. I sold the phones to 15 people because I sell second hand goods. I regretted buying the phones from him,” he said One of the stolen phones users who bought a Samsung Galaxy Tab and Samsung Galaxy Cone 2, both at N35, 000 claimed that he was told the phones were England used phones and that he never knew that they were stolen.

Confirming the arrest of the suspects, the acting Police Public Relations Officer, (PPRO), Damasus Ozoani, stated that the force was on its guard and poised to rid the state of criminals.

The suspects have been transferred to Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) for further investigations and prosecution.

The suspects with the stolen phones.

— Fake Policeman • Says, ‘I only pose as policeman to get free danfo ride’ A fake policeman, Nathaniel Benjamin, who is also an applicant in the ongoing police recruitment, has blamed greed and his desire not to be paying transport fares in

Lagos for parading himself as a policeman.

Benjamin was arrested fully kitted in anti-robbery squad T-shirt, a camouflage face cap, a back bag, a black trouser with black boots to match was arrested few

days ago at Alakija area of the state.

The suspect, who was reported by some members of the public who were suspicious of him, has been transferred to the Special Anti Robbery Squad (SARS) of the state police command, where he confessed to being a fake policeman.

“I am a private driver at the FESTAC Town area of Lagos and I get N30, 000 as monthly salary but this is not enough to cater for my needs. I decided to dress as a police officer so that when I board a commercial

vehicle, the driver will not collect fare from me,” the suspect said.

When explaining how he got the police accoutrements, Benjamin claimed to have inherited them from his late brother, who was a policeman.

“I got the uniform after my elder brother who was a policeman died in a road crash.

My brother had not spent one year in the Police Force when he was killed in a road accident last year. After his burial, I decided to use his uniform. I have been wearing it to get free ride for three

months. I love police work.

I have been applying to the police Force for recruitment for a long time but I was not selected. I have also applied for the recent recruitment.

“I don’t know that dressing in police uniform is an offence. It was my love for the Force that made me impersonate police and also the free ride that comes with being a police officer.”

The acting image maker in charge of the state police command, Damascus Ozoani confirmed the arrest of the suspect to Lagos Metro.

Man arraigned for destroying egg roll Opeyemi Owoaseye

Benjamin

A man, Adams Musa was on Friday charged before an Ebute Metta Chief Magistrate’s Court for allegedly destroying pieces of egg roll valued N20,000 belonging to a market woman at Oyingbo

Edited By

Lanre Adewole

olanreade@yahoo.com

0811 695 4647

Task force warns land grabbers, prosecutes 5 Bola Badmus

I didn’t know dressing in police uniform is a crime Olalekan Olabulo

Nigerian Tribune

Market.

Musa, whose address is unknown, was also accused by the police of behaving in a manner likely to cause the breach of peace by fighting in a public place.

Musa, however, pleaded not guilty to all the charges levelled

against him.

He was thereafter granted bail of N10,000 with one surety which must either be his parents or a close relative by the Magistrate, Mrs B. O. Ope-Agbe.

The case was adjourned till June 9, 2016 for mention.

CHAIRMAN, Lagos State Environmental Sanitation Enforcement Agency (Task Force), Saheed Egbeyemi, has warned land grabbers in the state, popularly called Ajagungbale, that it is no longer business as usual, saying he would henceforth arrest and charge them to court if they refused to desist from their illegal activities of using thugs to take over landed properties that do not belong to them.

Egbeyemi gave the warning while speaking with journalists in his office at Alausa, Ikeja, even as he disclosed that he had arrested no fewer than five Ajagungbales in different places in the state since he assumed office two months ago.

The Task Force boss disclosed that the state governor, Mr Akinwunmi Ambode, equally detested it and was; therefore, supportive of any legal and legitimate move to end it, saying no one would be allowed to take any portion of Lagos because he had capacity to hire a number of thugs.

“You are supposed to go to court, not to employ thugs, using an unauthorised means. We’ll arrest you and charge you to court as criminal, accordingly. We have arrested nothing less than five since I came into office from Gowon Estate. Even at Gbagada area, we have arrested there,” Egbeyemi said.

The Task Force boss, while acknowledging the partnership he enjoyed with members of the public, including the special body called, Lagos Neighbourhood Watch, enjoined members of the public to readily assist the Agency with relevant information to enable it carry out its assigned task to rid Lagos of criminals and criminalities.

Elegbeyemi, who noted that criminal elements lived among the people and would amount to jeopardy if they kept quite for one reason or the other, assured that the era of people exercising fear that police would expose them if they gave information was gone.

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Monday, 23 May, 2016

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Monday, 23 May 2016

Thanksgiving service for 3rd Session of the 11th Synod of Diocese of Remo, held at St James’ PHOTOS: D’ TOYIN Anglican Church, Iperu Remo, on Sunday.

Nigerian Tribune

The Rigth Reverend (Dr) M. Olusina Fape, Diocesan Bishop of Remo (centre), with Rigth Reverend Olubayo Obijole (left) and Reverend Gbenga Ohu. Bishop, Methodist Central Diocese, during the service.

From right, co-chairman, African Newspapers of Nigeria (ANN) plc. Ambassador Olatokunbo Awolowo Dosumu; Mrs Titilayo Solarin and Mrs Moriyike Osinbajo.

From left Mrs Toyin Fape, wife of Diocesan Bishop of Remo; Mrs Obijole Olajumoke and Mrs Ruth Ohu.

Oba Omosanya Akinyemi, the Ebi of Idena Remo and Olori Ajike Idowu, wife of the Alaperu of Iperu.

From left Mrs Enike Omotayo, Mrs Fadugba Titilayo, Mrs Babatunji Foluke and Olaleye Olutoyin.

Diocesan Legal Officers at the service.

Chief Ebun Sonowo, Iya Ijo of the host church (left) and Mrs Omowunmi Ogunlesi.

From left Asiwaju of Remo, Solomon K. Onafowokan; Omo-Oba Micheal Oyedele, Chief E. O. Sokoya and Professor Theophilus Ogunlesi.

Clergy wives ministering at the service.

Bishop Fape and wife dancing during the thanksgiving.

Nigerian Tribune Monday, 23 May, 2016 11 businessnews Debtors forfeit N31.76bn worth of assets to AMCON ‘We’ve improved on Chima Nwokoji-Lagos

F

RESH facts have emerged that some delinquent debtors in the books of the Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON),have forfeited to the bad Bank a total assets worth N31.76 billion in 2015 .

This is just as its total recoveries for 2015 amounted to N88.98 billion, comprising cash recoveries of N55.23 billion and asset forfeitures of N31.76 billion.

In its Financial Stability Report (FSR) as at December 2015, available in the bank’s website, Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) stated that AMCON’s total recoveries during the second half of 2015 amounted to N25.94 billion, comprising cash recoveries of N23.63 billion and asset forfeitures of N2.31 billion.

While the corporation generated N176.99 billion during the year, internal recoveries generated by AMCON as well as the contributions to were utilized to repay the Corporation’s debt obligations that fell due for payment on December 31, 2015.

It should be remembered that the AMCON’s Bonds were fully repaid to the public in December 2014, in a restructuring exercise that led to the conversion of N3.8 trillion into 6.00per cent AMCON Notes for the CBN to hold as sole investor at a tenor to mature in 2023.

Thus, CBN remained the only holder of AMCON Bonds within the period under review 2015.

Meanwhile, the Corpo-

ration has appointed Asset Management Partners (AMPs) to assist in the

resolution of over six thousand accounts with loan balances of N100 million

cover and resolve debts in banking, legal, valuation and accounting.

Sunlight’s quality’

By Tunde Ogunesan

From left, Product Manager , OTC, Fidson Healthcare Plc, Mr Femi Ajala; April star winner of the Astymin Get Alert Promo, Miss Shakirat Akanni, and Corporate Services Manager, Fidson Healthcare Plc, Oladimeji Oduyebo, during Astymin Get Alert Promo cheque presentation in Lagos on Thursday. PHOTO: SYLVESTER OKORUWA.

BEDC to sign MoU with USAID to boost electricity access BENIN Electricity Distribution Plc. (BEDC) will today take a bold step towards boosting access to electricity and improved services to customers in its franchise as it signs a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with United States Agency for International Development (USAID).

The event will enable USAID through the Power Africa Project to officially commence its support for the development of Nigeria’s power sector through credit enhancement, grants, technical assistance and investment promotion efforts. President Barrack Obama of United States had launched the Power Africa Initiative to bring

together technical and legal experts, the private sector and governments from around the world to work in partnership to increase the number of people with access to power in Africa, including Nigeria.

BEDC management is expected to sign the MOU with USAID agents, Tetra Tech Inc. one of the contractual vehicles funded by the agency under the Power Africa Transactions and Reforms Program, (PATRP); a five-year USAID technical assistance project implemented by Tetra Tech designed to bring more electricity to sub-Saharan Africa by utilizing a transaction-centered approach.

IPMAN, Star Petroleum sign 5-year oil supply deal THE recent deregulation of the oil sector by the Federal Government is beginning to take a positive effect as the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria; IPMAN has expanded its mode of service delivery of the black gold across the nation.

The umbrella body of the oil and gas distribution chains in Nigeria recently signed a five-year thruput and trading agreement with Star Synergy Petroleum Services Limited.

The agreement includes storage and supply of PMS, AGO, DPK and Aviation across Nigeria.

The new agreement will boost IPMAN over 2,500 gas stations in the length and breadth of Nigeria and as a direct move to play a

and below.

The AMPs are consortia with specialist skills to re-

major role in the deregulation of the sector by the Federal Government of Nigeria, declared Managing Director of Star Synergy Petroleum Services, Mr Babatunde Babalola.

“The arrangement between IPMAN and Star Petroleum is coming at a time the Nigerian government is doing all in its power to make petroleum products available in good quantity to all Nigerians and as such we must play our role positively to enhance the government gesture.

“Though the recent increase in pump price of petroleum products especially PMS otherwise known as petrol came at a time the nation economy is going through one of its worst moments since nationhood, with the assur-

ance from the President Muhamadu Buhari led Federal Government Nigerians would soon smile,” Baballa said.

Tetra Tech, as directed by USAID is offering to provide commercialization assistance to BEDC for over a period of about two years focusing on management support to address losses, strengthen management controls and help with the required performance turnaround in its operations.

Meanwhile, the company is planning to relocate its head office from Benin, capital of Edo state, Tribune has learnt.

Sources, confided to this newspaper that the planned relocation was triggered by the increased hostilities faced by the company from its host community, which was disclosed to the Edo House of Assembly.

Hinting that the power supply load shedding in Benin City may fall further if the power firm goes ahead with its plan, the source disclosed that out of a total of the 1,271 Mega Watt (MW) power generations nationwide,

the BEDC as one of the 11 Disco beneficiaries had an allocation with a share of 109 MW. “Out of this 109 MW, the host Benin (Edo State) receives 50 MW, while the remaining 59 MW is shared among the three other states; Ondo, Ekiti and Delta.

Further investigation revealed that the Disco might be forced to balance better the power among all the states covered by BEDC if its head office is relocated from Benin, the source said; “What this means is that the Mega Watt supply in other states would improve and the excess given to Benin would also reduce. The company will equate the supply balancing if this is done.”

BEDC had earlier lamented the harassment of its staff by major stakeholders including youths and civil society in Edo State over a disagreement with its officials and security agents attached to the company.

African identity stakeholders meeting holds in Rwanda Sanya Adejokun-Abuja

OVER 650 delegates from 36 African and 29 nonAfrican nations will spend three days exchanging knowledge and experience related to digital identity at the 2nd annual government meeting of the ID4Africa Movement, which opens tomorrow in the Rwandan capital.

The meeting will set the working agenda and priorities for the year to come for development of identi-

fication systems in Africa.

ID4Africa is a multistakeholder movement that promotes the transparent and responsible adoption of digital identity in the service of development in Africa. The aim is to share experience and establish real world best practices that set the correct expectations for what is involved in launching and sustaining successful identity programs.

This year, presentations and workshops will be

given by government officials as well as some of the world’s leading experts in identity aiming to deliver the requisite know-how.

Topics will include the linkage of civil registration and national ID, the application of identity systems in support of democracy and elections as well as social protection, and will cover important governance and legal framework matters including privacy and data protection.

THE Brand Manager, Sunlight Detergent, Ojeabuo Akhiojemi has disclosed that Unilever Plc, manufacturer of Sunlight detergent has improved on the quality of the product, especially it’s cleaning power and fragrance.

Akhiojemi made this known recently during a ceremony to draw curtain on the 13-week long Sunlight’s Alarambara radio drama series for 2016, tagged the second Alarambe Owambe event held at Mauve 21, MKO Abiola way, ring road, Ibadan.

He said the essence of Sunlight detergent can be captured in two words, “Fragrance” and “Cleaning”, adding that these are two the benefits customers will get anytime they use Sunlight detergent.

According to Akhiojemi “As it is our tradition at Unilever to always follow trends, we recently improved on what Sunlight detergent is known for in terms of fragrance and cleaning power and demo washes held in Lagos and Abuja. This has once again proved Sunlight 2-1 as the only detergent that offers customers burst after burst of freshness.

Skye Bank rewards customers in reach for the Skye promo in Ondo Hakeem Gbadamosi-Akure

AS part of effort to encourage saving habit, one of the leading commercial banks in the country, no fewer than 33 customers of then Skye Bank Plc, has been turned to millionaire in its Reach for the Millionaire” savings reward scheme.

Speaking about the scheme in Akure, Ondo State capital, the Group Head, Retail Banking, Mrs Nkolika Okoli said the scheme was designed to encourage individual in all income segments to cultivate the habit of savings.

Okoli said apart from encouraging the Skye Bank customers to save with bank, the bank is also rewarding their customers and said “This is the chance for our people in Akure to win this ‘awoof’ because another set of millionaires will soon emerge.”

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businessnews

Monday, 23 May, 2016

MPC meeting: Will CBN further hike rates?

Continued from front page

“Apparently, the conditions responsible for the slowdown – uncertainty around fiscal policy, adverse external environment, security challenges in some parts of the country affecting production and distribution of agricultural produce, low electricity supply, fuel shortages, and sluggish growth in credit to the private sector – have continued in the first quarter of 2016.”

The Committee noted that contrary to the notion of liquidity overhang in the financial system, the wider economy appears starved of the needed liquidity to spur growth and employment.

“Recent performance of the monetary aggregates lends credence to this fact. With the exception of credit to government, growth in all the monetary aggregates remained largely below their indicative benchmarks, yet; headline inflation spiked to 11.38 per cent in February 2016, substantially breaching the policy reference band of 6 9 per cent.

“Apart from liquidity, the increase in inflation was driven by structural factors such as fuel scarcity, increased electricity tariff, persistent insecurity, exchange rate pass through and seasonality of agricultural produce.

“The conflicting signals from slowing growth and rising inflation present a difficult policy challenge.

Though mindful of the limitations of monetary policy in influencing the drivers of the current price spiral, the Committee stressed the need to urgently address the key sources of the pressures.

“In this regard, the Com-

mittee reaffirmed its commitment to closely monitor the development while encouraging relevant authorities to address the structural bottlenecks.”

From the monetary data, the Committee noted that the excess liquidity in the banking system was contributing to the current pressure in the foreign exchange market with a strong pass-through to consumer prices.

“The Committee further noted that previous efforts to reflate the economy in order to spur growth did not elicit the required response from DMBs, hence; the surfeit of liquidity in the interbank market. Obviously, the attendant low rates at that market have not transmitted to the term structure of interest rates.

“Concerned about the need for low interest rates

to support growth and employment, the Committee urged the CBN to explore innovative ways of ensuring the unhindered flow of credit at low cost to key growth sectors even as monetary policy has to, under the circumstance, address the liquidity surfeit in the banking system as well as the pressure on exchange rate and consumer prices.”

Observers have noted

that most of the reasons why MPC arrived at its decisions in March are still subsisting with some even spiraling beyond previous levels like the rate of inflation, which is now over 13 per cent; widening gap between the official foreign exchange rate and parallel markets; and the 2016 budget, which though signed, has yet to become fully operational.

From left; Chiarman Dangote Flour Mills PLC , Ighodalo Asue; President \ Chief Executive Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote and Managing Director of Dangote Flour Mills PLC,Thabo Mabe, During the tour of the plant, at the official re-opening of Dangote Flour Mills PLC, Kano Mill. Kano State, recently.

Dogara to declare national economic stakeholders summit open in Abuja SPEAKER of the House of Representatives, Hon Yakubu Dogara will on Thursday this week formally declare open the 1st Nigerian Economic Stakeholders Summit holding at the Sheraton Hotel in Abuja The Speaker will essentially use the forum to further highlight and deepen the sectoral debate on the economy which is currently taking place in the House of Representatives.

Sponsored by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS); Pension Commission (PenCom); Sterling Bank and a host of other agencies, the event which is being organized by the African Independent Television’s Money Show and Disciplines of Democracy Magazine comes under the broad theme: The Nigerian Economy: Navigating a Sustainable Landscape.

MPC: Expert predicts rise in lending rate to 15% THE Chief Executive Officer of Time Economics, Dr Ogho Okiti, has predicted that the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) would tighten the Monetary Policy Rate(MPR) from 12 to 15 per cent.

Okiti made the prediction in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday in Abuja.

He expressed the firm’s prediction ahead of the Monetary Policy Commit-

tee Meeting scheduled to hold between Monday and Tuesday.

NAN recalls that at the last MPC meeting in March, the MPC raised MPR by 100 basis points from 11 per cent to 12 per cent and raised the Cash Reserve Ratio by 250 basis points from 20 to 22.50 per cent.

The Liquidity Ratio was retained at 30 per cent and the asymmetric corridor was narrowed from +200

and -700 basis points to +200 and -500 basis points.

“Following the decisions made at the last meeting along with the committee bias towards price stability, we anticipate that the committee will move toward further rate tightening by raising the Monetary Policy Rate.

“However, we expect they will make little or no adjustment to the Cash Reserve Requirements and the Li-

quidity Ratio, following very poor growth figures.

“In summary, we anticipate MPR to be increased by 200 basis points to 15 per cent, maintain asymmetric corridor of +200/– 500 basis points around the midpoint of the MPR and maintain CRR at 22.5 per cent.

“Also, the Liquidity Ratio will be maintained at 30 per cent,” he said.

Okiti said it was unlikely

Dangote Flour restructures operations, to grow wheat in Kano for more jobs AS part of its restructuring process for greater market share, Dangote Flour Mills has reopened its plant in Kano with plans to grow wheat in the state. The plant was shut down by Tiger Branded Consumer Goods of South Africa following its acquisition of the flour mill.

The reopening ceremony and commissioning of new machinery at the plant location in Kano also witnessed rewarding of distributors at various categories.

Speaking at the commissioning of the plant in Kano at the weekend, President/ CE, Dangote Industries Limited, Aliko Dangote assured stakeholders that the mill is back for production and will not be shut for any interest.

Nigerian Tribune

“I will like to assure you that we are back for good and we will never close this mill again. It has always been my desire to increase our investments in Kano.

We are also looking forward to venturing into farming in the State where we can create a lot of jobs and I think this flour mill will help us achieve this feat in Kano.

“Kano is very strategic because most of our products, be it flour, sugar, pasta, enjoy a lot of patronage and support. I want to announce that we have successfully re-engineered Dangote Flour Mill so as to meet the emerging challenges in the market place and also to meet the ever changing demands of our esteemed and loyal consumers.

“We decided to make this investment in November

when Tiger Branded Consumer Goods decided to leave the country and we do not want over 3000 jobs to be lost. You can imagine these 3000 people going back into the job market in Nigeria. So we decided to seek ways to assist to ensure that these jobs are secured by injecting fresh cash of about N10 billion into the business.

“Our return to Kano is ac-

tually a sign of good things to come and it is our hope that by this move, we will create thousands of employment in the State and not just in flour but other products.

“Very soon we will start growing wheat in Kano, I want to assure our customers that we will continue to support you to make sure that we assist you with the necessary

AUDITOR General of the Federation, Mr. Samuel Ukura is set to bow out of service on June 5, 2016, having attained the mandatory 60 years retirement age.

Ukura, who was appointed by the late President Umaru Yar’ Adua, became

the Auditor General in 2009.

The outgoing AGF, who has contributed his quota to improving the service, was born on June 5, 1956.

His retirement is in line with the provision of Section 87(2) of the nation’s

things needed to make your businesses a lot easier and more profitable.

“I am looking forward to you supporting the entire team to make sure the company surpasses its target of 900,000 metric tonnes of wheat yearly. I want to assure you that with the new board we have, this company will definitely excel with or without my presence”, he added.

Ukura bows out as auditor general of the federation constitution that “The Auditor General shall not be removed from office before such retiring age as may be prescribed by law (i.e.

60 years of age or 35 years length of service).

The Federal Government has yet to announce who will take over from him.

that the committee would make changes on the exchange rate, given that there was already an expectation of devaluation.

He said the expectation was responsible for the further widening of the gap between the official and the parallel rates, adding that the committee was unlikely to bow to market pressures.

Okiti explained that the slowing economic growth, continued rise in inflation and fuel price would play a key role in the decisions the committee would take at its meeting.

“The meeting will hold amidst what is probably the most severe combination of shocks in the economy since the start of the century.

“The pace of economic growth in the first quarter of 2016 fell by -0.4 per cent from the 2.11 per cent and 3.96 per cent recorded in the fourth quarter, 2015 and the first quarter of 2016.

“Headline inflation index continued its northward movement for the third consecutive month to advance to 13.7 per cent in the month of April.

“The upward advancement in general price levels by 90 basis points were driven by marked increase in both food and core subindex.

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editorial

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Monday, 23 May, 2016

Nigerian Tribune

Cameron’s gaffe

AVID Cameron, the British Prime Minister, at the Anticorruption summit held in London on 12 May 2016, described Nigeria and Afghanistan as “fantastically corrupt” in the world. He made the statement in a private conversation he had with the Queen of England, Elizabeth II, with Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, in attendance. The statement occasioned no little controversy in Nigeria and around the world, with the Prime Minister coming under fire. While it has attracted the condemnation of some Nigerians, others have argued that Cameron was right in his assessment.

Those who condemned the British Prime Minister have argued that it was undiplomatic for a host to speak so negatively about his guests. They argued further that Cameron was not right in his submission judging by the latest Transparency International’s report on Nigeria. According to that report, neither Nigeria nor Afghanistan is listed as the most corrupt country in the world.

Indeed, Nigeria is not among the ten most corrupt countries in the world. They suggested that the Prime Minister should apologise. In an interesting response, President Buhari was reported to have said that he would not ask him for an apology but a return of Nigeria’s stolen money housed in Britain.

Later, at the House of Commons, which summoned him over the disparaging comments about Nigeria and Afghanistan, Cameron made a U-turn, saying both countries were making “remarkable steps forward” in their war against corruption. He admitted making many “unforced errors” during the summit.

Those who didn’t find anything wrong with Cameron’s statement argue that Nigeria is stinking with corruption and there was no doubt that Nigerian was “fantastically corrupt” given the series of scandals and ongoing court cases where some former government officials and private companies are being prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission for corruption involving sums running into billions of dollars.

President Buhari himself had described the corruption in Nigeria as bewildering, maintaining that if Nigeria does not kill corruption, corruption will kill Nigeria.

We think both positions are plausible. We however focus on the consequences of Cameron’s statement and emphasise the need to make capital of the summit to support the anticorruption effort in Nigeria and globally. Recent developments such as the leaked information in the Panama Papers from the law firm Mossack Fonseca call to question the global level of commitment to anti-corruption. They introduce a new dimension to the anti-corruption effort. There is an urgent need to address legal corruption, corruption that is promoted by establishing havens in the form of secret shelters and corporate shells recognised by law, where criminals and kleptocratic leaders especially Africa hide their ill-gotten wealth free from

the prying eyes of government and its anti-corruption agencies.

The US and the U.K. are important enablers of corruption; they are among the world’s most appealing destinations for illicit wealth. The British Virgin Islands, for example, were the favoured location for thousands of shell companies set up and used by Mossack Fonseca. In both countries and several others in the developed and developing world, real estate and other investments also provide opportunities for thieves to hide their ill-gotten funds. Corruption has long become a global phenomenon. It involves a network of elite across countries.

These elite are mostly political leaders, organised crime leaders, and leaders of corporate organisations, including religious organisations. This brings to the fore the need to address the role of countries which receive the proceeds of corruption as receivers of stolen property. To this end, we commend the leaders at the summit for setting up a Global Forum for Asset Recovery that will bring governments and law enforcement agencies together to discuss returning stolen assets to Nigeria, Ukraine, Sri Lanka and Tunisia. We hope this will become a game-changing event. The West has for too long been a receiver of proceeds of corruption from Africa, and the developing world.

Cameron’s statement has implications for Nigeria’s corruption perception index globally and how Nigerians travelling around the world are treated. If his statement had gone unchallenged, it would have been re-echoed around the world by political and business leaders, many of whom are respondents in the series of surveys around the world on which assessment of countries with regard to corruption are based. It would have rendered current anti-corruption efforts unrecognised. Nigeria would have suffered reputation deficit arising from the echo-chamber effect.

We commend the going effort by the Buhari government to fight corruption in Nigeria. We also commend his effort to reach out to countries where stolen funds from Nigeria are stashed.

We nonetheless remind him that the anti-corruption war cannot be won in the media. Nigerians want the government to demonstrate the claim of massive corruption by ensuring that convictions are achieved in the law courts and severe sanctions are meted out to those convicted as a demonstration of commitment to anti-corruption and as deterrent.

Happily, countries at the summit have committed to “expose corruption wherever it is found; to pursue and punish those who perpetrate, facilitate or are complicit in it; to support the communities which have suffered from it, and to ensure it does not fester in our government institutions, businesses and communities.” We hope that this shared commitment to ‘substantially reduce corruption and bribery in all their forms’ will be realised in no distant future.

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14 LETTERS TO THE

Monday, 23 May, 2016

editor

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

PDP crisis not good for democracy

I

T seems the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is yet to come to terms with the fact that it has lost the presidency. Since the 2015 general election, the party has been moving from one crisis to the other, and I want to say that this is not good for our democracy.

When the PDP was at the helm of affairs at the Federal level, the All Progressives Congress (APC) stood as a viable opposition party, and this made the government think twice before taking certain national decisions.

Before the merger of different political parties to form the APC, no other party could tackle the PDP. However, the reality today is that Nigeria is better-off as a two-party state.

Former President Ibrahim Babangida almost got it right when the Social Democratic Party (SDP) and the National Republic Convention (NRC) participated in the political process at that time. It is so unfortunate that the 1993

presidential election which the late Chief MKO Abiola won was annuled, as we would have gone far in our democratic experience.

After that, we began a multi-party experiment in 1999, but today, all progressive and conservative elements have aligned to form just two political parties. We can now say that we have aligned our political process to that of the United States of America, which has just two major parties, the Democratic Party and the Republic Party.

Having highlighted the importance of our newfound two-party political system, it is so unfortunate that the PDP is setting us back with the crisis within its fold.

The PDP, if nothing is done on time, is likely to break into factions, and this will only benefit the APC and not the Nigerian people.

Despite not being a politician, I feel that it is best we have two strong political parties so that when

one fails the people, voters will have a choice at the next election. This is also what happens in America’s political process.

I hope members of the PDP will come together and chart a way forward for the party. Factionalising the party will only

make it weaker ahead of the 2019 general election, and if anything, the party can win back the presidency in 2019 if it puts its house in order.

I, therefore, want to charge members of the PDP to look beyond personal gains and work for

the survival of the party.

If the PDP fails to perform its role as a true opposition party to the ruling APC, then it has failed Nigerians, and it has no moral right to seek for votes from Nigerians in the forthcoming 2019 general election.

The survival of Nigeria’s democratic experience depends on the PDP getting its acts right. The APC needs a strong PDP in order to thrive in governance.

•Dr Taju Alalade, Ilorin, Kwara State.

Promotions: IGP, come to the aid of traffic wardens I want to first commend the efforts of the Inspector General of Police, Mr Solomon Arase, towards sanitising the Force. Since he came on board, many wrongs against police officers have been attended to.

Having said this, I want him to also look into the case of traffic wardens with delayed promotions.

The IGP had promised to promote about 5,000 traffic wardens before he leaves office in June, but after promoting 2,000 traffic wardens recently, the remaining 3,000 are still awaiting their promotions.

The truth is that traffic wardens suffer a lot in the

police force. They are not always promoted on time, and I can say confidently that many of them have spent more than 24 years on the same rank.

I want the IGP to look into the case of these traffic

wardens before he leaves office, as they are being denied their rights.

I believe if one works hard, then he should get his promotion, but a situation whereby traffic wardens work for years with-

out promotion is not fair enough. I hope something can be done urgently.

•Jimoh Mumin, jimohmumin@yahoo.com

Of NLC’s unpopular strike THE call by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) for workers to go on strike due to the increase in the pump price of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) has exposed the labour union as a divided house; already, a faction of the NLC has pulled out of the strike.

Unlike during previous

labour protests, everything is going on as if nothing is happening, and this sums up Nigerians’ understanding of this economic policy to deregulate the oil sector.

Also, labour union officials have betrayed Nigerians’ trust during past strike actions, and this has not gone down well with the people. The manner in which labour called-off the January 2012 national strike comes to mind, with many believing that ‘something’ happened behind the scene at the detriment of the Nigerian people.

Today, many Nigerians also believe that the strike is unnecessary because of the economic situation we find ourselves in the country, with the hope that the deregulation will help boost our economy in the face of the dwindling foreign reserves.

That is why many are giving their total support to government’s deregulation policy, while also not forgetting the trust they have for President Muhammadu Buhari, believing that he fulfils all the promises he made to the people.

Now, in order to make future strike actions impactful, it is important that the Comrade Ayuba Wabba-led NLC reconciles with the other faction, while meeting the Federal Government to ensure the welfare of Nigerian workers, particularly on the upward review of the minimum wage for workers across the country.

•Bala Nayashi, No 1 Yashi Area, Lokoja, Kogi State.

NLC,fight statesowingworkers INSTEAD of going on strike against the increase in the pump price of fuel, I think the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) should declare strike in states that are owing workers several months’ salaries.

It is so funny that some state governors expect civil servants to continue working when they have not been paid for several months. In these states, it is believed that the governors have bought the NLC leaders who are supposed to have declared indefinite

strike actions.

It is now surprising that the national body of the NLC has now found its voice to declare a national strike when some workers are still suffering.

In declaring the strike, the NLC charged Nigerians to buy foodstuff as the strike would be total, but where does it expect workers who are being owed several months’ salaries to get money to stock foodstuff at home?

•James Onyia, Asaba, Delta State.

15

opinion

Monday, 23 May, 2016

Lasisi Olagunju Lasgunju@yahoo.com (08111813053)

Conversation with my friend in government

I

“

have before me a story published by Daily Mail of the United Kingdom. It speaks about a country in abject hopelessness, a nation in coma because oil price crashed. The report says: “No electricity, no antibiotics, no beds, no soap: A devastating look inside ... hospitals where seven babies die a day, bleeding patients lie strewn on the floor, and doctors try to operate without tools. Death rates are soaring and hospitals are filthy as supplies run low and electricity is shut off. The nation is in economic crisis after price of oil - their main monetary reserve - plummeted.”

“That must be a story told by an idiot. Nigeria is not in coma; there is hope; there is no abjectness here. Ore, stop reading subversive reports written from the pit of hell by those who don’t wish Nigeria and the government well.”

“Can you just listen to me...”

“Listen to you and allow you to continue reading imperialist stories about non-existing challenges in Nigeria? No, my friend. I don’t suffer fools gladly, and you know. Some elements outside the country are poorly using some news outlets to paint this government black- and they have failed.”

“So, you won’t allow me to explain?”

“No, because I am surprised that you believed the story in the first instance. The facts in that story, how believable do you think they are? How could an otherwise intelligent person like you believe Nigeria has suddenly crashed into an ocean of abject hopelessness? I’m surprised at the way you reason these days.”

“There are protests everywhere over the hike in petrol price.”

“Yes, protests by a few misguided persons who won’t appreciate what this government has been doing in the past one year.”

“What has the government even been doing in the past one year?”

“They are visible to those who want to see. You can’t see anything because you don’t want to see anything. You are a wailer, friend of enemies of progress...”

“Ah haaa! Has it come to that? You are too emotional today. I have never seen you this combative. Or, maybe I didn’t know enough of you...”

“He doesn’t get angry, it is the child of the concubine that must have annoyed him...”

“Excuse me?”

“Oh. That was a poorly translated Yoruba proverb. Don’t take that personal. I couldn’t have insulted you...”

“You haven’t insulted me. I know. But you know the one who thinks himself the only wise man around is actually the father of lunacy?”

“Hmmmmm.”

“Congratulations. The government will be one year old this week.”

“Thank you. It’s not been easy with all the distractions, but God has been very faithful.”

“Really, you have done very well with security. When did we last hear of any major incident? You impress me.”

“Enh. Good words from your mouth. I thought you are generally bad. From a wailer to a hailer! To God be the glory!”

“Well....but the people are suffering o.”

“Who is complaining? Everyone will enjoy soon. We are taking stock of the loots from your people. We will use the money to banish poverty from the land.”

“I hear.”

“Thank you, Mr Wailer.”

“Can we go back to the Daily Mail story?”

“What again about that story? I told you I am sick of reading fictions as facts. If you are enamored by such trash, you may continue to chew them. As for me, I have moved on to...”

“To where ? My friend, listen. Can you slow down a bit?

Overdrive can knock your engine o. What if Daily Mail wasn’t writing about Nigeria?”

“Come again.”

“I said what if I tell you the report in the Daily Mail is not about Nigeria, how will you look? And, in fact, I am telling you the story isn’t about your government neither is it about Nigeria.”

“Really?”

Of herdsmen’s atrocities and buck-passing

By Dejo Olatoye THE menace of the herdsmen would not have attained the present dimension if the people in authority had taken the necessary and decisive steps to nip the problem in the bud.

It is worrisome and unfortunate that even in the face of the mind-boggling atrocities being unleashed on innocent farmers by the ferocious herdsmen, the main issues are being sidestepped. Unceasing criminality has been receiving scant attention while suffering farmers are being given a short shrift.

In the aftermath of the abduction of former secretary to the Government of the Federation, Chief Olu Falae, the Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Solomon Arase, came up with the argument that the offending herdsmen were not Nigerians. To the police boss, the herdsmen who have been leaving death and destruction in their trail for so many years are migrants from Mali or Niger Republic. His questionable conclusion was that Nigerian herdsmen were peaceful and law-abiding.

And just recently, the Minister of State for Agriculture, Mr. Heineken Lokpobiri, reechoed Arase’s views. According to the minister, the herdsmen attacking farmers across the country are not Fulani but another gang of Boko Haram insurgents from other countries. His contention was that those arrested could not speak Fulani or any other Nigerian language. He said Fulani herdsmen were going about their legitimate business looking for something to take care of their families. He, however, did not state the number of Nigerian languages in which the herdsmen’s interrogators could lay claim to proficiency. It is, indeed, unfortunate

that the time and energy that should be committed to finding a lasting solution to a serious security problem is being wasted on the invention of diversions to sidestep the crux of the matter.

The honourable minister would probably have been better informed if he had read the exclusive report of the Premium Times published on March 19,2016 in which a Fulani leader, Mr. Saleh Bayeri, justified the massacre in the Agatu Local Government Area of Benue State. Bayeri, who is the interim national secretary of Gan Allah Fulani Association, stoutly rose in defence of his kinsmen and his argument was that the bloody attack was in reprisal for the killing of two prominent Fulani men by the Agatus in 2013. He said about 20 Agatu and Tiv militia on April 20, 2013 invaded the compound of one Shehu Abdullahi, killing him and carting away more than 200 cows. This, Bayeri said, was followed by the killing of another Fulani leader three days later. This was his justification for the large-scale bloodletting in which about 500 Agatus were reported to have been brutally murdered.

The honourable minister cannot be unaware that the menace of herdsmen is not a new development because it clearly predates Boko Haram. What is new about it is the sophistication of the arms they now bear and the alarming scale of brutalities they visit on peasant farmers. The House of Representatives in April 2013 had cause to condemn what it described as the brutal killing of 10 youths in Ogume village in the Ndokwa West Local Government Area of Delta State by herdsmen. The bestiality of the herdsmen is constantly on display in the different parts of the country into which they wander in search of fodder for their animals.

What has been most disappointing is the evasive approach

“See your life now. Have you heard of happenings in Venezuela?”

“Venezuela?”

“See you! You look lost because you read only what your gang members post on Facebook and what is translated for you from BBC Hausa service. Open your eyes. Get back your life, my brother.”

“You mean that report is about Venezuela? It is an oil producing country. Very promising some years back. So what could have happened?”

“Very bad situation there. The country is one hell of a refugee camp. It is not only hospitals that have supply problems.

Supermarkets are empty. Everywhere, there has been a scramble for non-existent food. All these because the country has an elite government that will not see that one day oil won’t sell again. That day has come and the government is caught flat footed.”

“O ga o. But ours won’t be like that. We have a government you can trust.”

“You threw tantrums because you were scared the facts are almost the same. We are shouting that you listen to sound counsel because we are all in this plane. When it happened in Venezuela, the crash hasn’t spared anyone, except, probably the guys in government and their family members. The crash there has been all passengers dead.”

“Thank you, Mr. Scaremonger. Nigeria isn’t Venezuela. We will shame all prophets of doom?

“Amen, Pastor. But the Minister of Information said the country is broke.”

“It was broken by your friends in the last government. They shared all the money.”

“Yes, they shared all the dollars. but...”

“But what? Are you going to start defending those rogues?”

“I won’t defend any rogue. I only wanted to ask how much you have made in the last one year.”

“Are we in some business here?”

“Oh. You don’t know? Government is big, good business.

That is why guys borrow money, steal and rob to contest and win elections. How much have you made in one year?”

“You want the balance sheet of the government.”

“Balance sheet, yes. How much revenue came in? How much of the loot of yesterday’s rogues has been recovered?

How much have you spent on our behalf and on what? We need to know these in order to agree that truly, the country is broke.”

“So, you don’t trust the minister?”

“Trust?”

of those who should have initiated a constructive approach to the lingering problem. When they are not coming up with unworkable propositions, they are engaged in a search for untenable alibis. How logically defensible is the argument that the violent herdsmen are not Nigerians? What then is the justification for the idea of establishing grazing routes and reserves so as to put an end to the constant conflicts between them and the farmers? Is it to appease a band of rampaging terrorists whose presence in Nigeria should be called into question?

The primary responsibility of any government to its citizens is the provision of security. The implication of what the protagonists of this argument are saying is that government has failed in its responsibility to protect its citizens by choosing to look the other way while bands of marauders masquerading as nomads are making incursions into its territory - setting habitations ablaze and revelling in murder, pillage and rape. From the far north to the Atlantic coast, farmers on the routes along which the herdsmen have been grazing their cattle do not have any pleasant story to tell.

Is the minister telling Nigerians that the culprits are a set of untouchable or unchallengeable Fulani herdsmen from neighbouring countries?

The high frequency of the herdsmen’s murderous onslaughts provides ample evidence of the impunity that hallmarks their bestial behaviour. The government should see the menace of the Fulani herdsmen as a serious security challenge and respond to it appropriately. They should not be allowed to set the country ablaze. The argument that the herdsmen who have been on a killing spree are not Nigerians is tantamount to a search for an alibi where none exists.

•Olatoye, a veteran journalist, lives in Ibadan.

16

Monday, 23 May, 2016 Taiwo Adisa - 08072000046 Group Politics Editor tai_adis@yahoo.com

Whither labour movement in Nigeria?

By Kunle Oderemi

A

LL over the world, workers play a leading role as the conscience of the people. They act as checks and balance in any organization and institutions, especially in the running of government, protecting workers’ rights.

Through the weapons of passive resistance to revolutionary steps, they keep bureaucrats and the political and business elite in check particularly over policies perceived as undermining the rights of workers and against collective interest of the citizens of a country.

During the pre-independence era of Nigeria, the labour movement was proactive. The first major labour activism was recorded in 1912, with the birth of a civil service union, which later became the Nigerian Union of Civil Servants after the merger of the Northern and Southern Protectorates of Nigeria in 1914. By 1931, the Michael Imoudu-led Nigerian Railway Workers Union and the Nigerian Union of Teachers joined the fray. Gradually, labour activism rose sharply about 43,000 workers on essential services embarked on a strike that lasted more than 40 days over wages. From then, the Nigerian labour movement began to witness a geometric progression in terms of number of unions and membership. The struggle by workers for improved welfare became sustained with occasional face-off with the colonial authorities. For instance, the disparities between the wages of white-collar and those of blue-collar workers soon became an issue for the labour movement to take up with the authorities. It was said that supervisors were paid 33 times as much as daily-wage workers and semi-skilled workers in public service. The workers were miffed that the political leadership did no show any sign of addressing the inequalities of the wage and benefit structure inherited from the colonial masters.

So, the 1963 pay raise for ministers and members of parliament provoked labour with the five super-ordinate central labour organisations forming the Joint Action Committee (JAC) to embark on a strike for 12 days in 1964.

But, the labour movement in the country soon suffered a major setback when the military seized power in 1966. It promulgated a decree banning strikes, while employing Machiavellian tactics to split the ranks of workers when they defied the authorities.

Somehow, the organized labour was still able to make a strong impression when it mattered most, as evident in its standoff with the authorities over the introduction of the Structural adjustment Programme (SAP) during the military era and the bitter struggle against the annulment of the June 12, 1993 presidential election.

It was not NLC alone that bore the brunt of militarism. The military also inflicted a crack in the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), another body that constitutes a pain in the neck of the establishment then. But while the NBA has since overcome the challenge of division, the labour movement is current faced with a fresh crack, with the gulf wid-

NLC members on the street ened by issues arising from the petrol price hike from N86 per litre to N145.

The attendant strike by workers has led to schism in certain quarters, with a lot of Nigerians raising posers on the influence and integrity of the organised labour. Some of the questions bother on the polarisation in the NLC, with the two factions engaging in a cacophony over the initial negotiation of the union leaders with government to avert the strike. Other teasers are premised on the last-minute decision of members of the Trade union Congress (TUC) not to join in the strike, despite the initial impression that they were on the same page with NLC while negotiation was in progress. The consequence of these and other issues is the partial compliance of workers to the strike action, necessitating union leaders to resort to coercions in some public establishments.

It should be noted that labour had, over the years, led workers in the struggle on such issues as minimum wage, SAP, fuel price hikes; negotiated conditions of service, cost of living, jobs and industrial capacity utilization.

For example, the threat by NLC then led by its president then, Comrade Hassan Sunmonu to lead workers on strike compelled the administration of Second Republic President, Shehu Shagari, to raise minimum wage of N120 to N125, and which was later upped to N7,500 for Federal workers and N5,500 for workers of state governments at a time; N18,000 is the current minimum wage. But most of the gains for workers did not come easy as, for instance, NLC opposition to increased prices of petroleum products sometimes led to proscription, detention and even death for its members.

Labour and democracy As part of its contribution to democracy, labour had played a leading role in the struggle for free and fair elections and debates on the political future of the country.

For instance, NUPENG and PENGASSAN, which are affiliates of the NLC, led the battle against the annulment of the June 12, 1993 presidential election. The organized labour was touted as part of the forces that floated the Labour Party (in 1989), which later dissolved into the defunct Social Democratic Party (SDP), now rebranded. The late don, Dr Fesyus Iyayi emphasized the strategic place of the labour union in democracy.

He had opined that Nigerians expect “NLC to act when elections are rigged, when fuel prices are increased, when wages are not paid, when the rulers steal the nation’s resources, when some foreign loan is being taken through the back door, when bogus foreign debts are being paid or student activists are expelled by some high handed Vice-Chancellor.”

Challenges From experience, political parties have compounded the challenges of the organised labour. They often adopt covert measures with the aim of infiltrating labour through fifth columnists during union elections to favour the establishment or powerful opposition. An NLC election to elect a new president was almost hijacked by demagogues from the main parties in the country. There is equally the issue of poor morale among workers owing to the abysmal neglect of their welfare. They are being owed salaries running into months with the attendant severe socio-economic dislocations. Coupled with this are threats by the authorities to

It is important that in terms of taking decision that will affect the masses, one does not take a fanatical position and eventually mislead people

evoke the rule of no work and no pay in the civil service each time workers indicate their intention to protest against governments for allegedly undermining their right as stipulated in labour laws.

But, what does the general development portend for the labour movement in the country? Will it be able to retain or enjoy the confidence of majority of workers if it cannot speak with one voice on critical issues concerning their welfare? Won’t the situation make it more convenient for the political and business elite to undermine the democratic process and rights of the citizens? In one of his works on the labour movement in the country, Dr Iyayi, noted that a country may be democratic and developed but may not be liberated from foreign rule and domination. Therefore, he submitted that what the NLC had been involved in over the period had not just been the struggle for democracy and development but more fundamentally for Nigeria’s national liberation, especially when viewed from the positions and struggles of the NLC on economic, political and social issues.

Though the government has rolled out its plan for palliatives to cushion the negative effect of the petrol price hike, one major reality labour might face is over the demand

by NLC for a new national minimum wage.

Will it pander to the whims and caprices of the establishment or adhere to the cardinal objective and goal of the movement? Meanwhile, the national leader of the governing All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Bola Tinubu; president of the Senate, Dr Bukola and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Honourable Yakubu Dogara have intervened in the crisis between NLC and the authorities that has led to the workers strike with the aim of NLC going back to the negotiating table.

The national president of Trade Union Congress (TUC), Comrade Kiagama Bobboi has explained that the decision of his members not to partake in the workers’ strike was because of the need to critically analyse all issues so as to be able to take a position favourable to the majority of Nigerians. He said: “It is important that in terms of taking decision that will affect the masses, one does not take a fanatical position and eventually mislead people.

17

Monday, 23 May, 2016

Nigerian Tribune

Group Business Editor Sulaimon Olanrewaju | 08055001708 | lanresulaimon@yahoo.com | @lanresulaimon

analysis

entrepreneuership

markets

leadership & management

When GDP goes negative The announcement last Friday by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) that the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) was negative in the first quarter signals the imminence of recession.

SULAIMON OLANREWAJU looks at the implications of this and the way out of the quandary.

N

IGERIANS were shocked to their bone marrows last Friday when the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) announced that the country had recorded negative growth in the first quarter of the year. What many Nigerians had expected was slow growth, not negative growth. Although slow growth is nothing to be excited about, it is still preferable because it comes with a glimmer of hope.

But when growth is negative, both economic watchers and managers lose their calm.

The NBS had announced last Friday that the nation’s Growth Domestic Product (GDP) for the first quarter of 2016 grew by -0.36 per cent (year- on-year). The growth, the lowest since 1995, was lower by 2.47 per cent points than the one recorded in the preceding quarter and also lower by 4.32 per cent points than the growth recorded in the corresponding quarter of 2015. Quarter on quarter, Real GDP slowed by 13.71 per cent.

During the quarter, Aggregate GDP stood at N22,262,575.97 million (in nominal terms) at basic prices. Compared to First Quarter 2015 value of N21,041,701.10 million, nominal GDP was 5.80 per cent higher. Nominal GDP growth was, however, lower by 14.15 per cent points compared with the levels recorded in the last quarter of 2015.

It was a widespread growth decline as nearly all of the 18 major sectors the NBS report covered experienced negative growth in the quarter under review. Mining and Quarrying Sector recorded a decline in growth. So did the Manufacturing Sector, Construction, Trade, Accommodation and Food Services, Information and Communication, Entertainment and recreation, Financial and Insurance, Real Estate, Administrative and Support Services, Professional, Scientific and Technical Services, Education, Public Administration, Health and Social Services as well as other Services Sector. Only Agriculture and Transport and Storage Sectors experienced positive growth.

Commenting on this, Professor John Adeoti of Economic Policy Research Department, Nigerian Institute of Social and Economic Research (NISER), Ibadan, said the negative growth of the GDP was not surprising given the development in the economy over the past few months.

“The economy has been undergoing a lot of stress lately and this has resulted in a number

of negative developments,” he said. “For instance, since early in the year, fuel scarcity has been with us. There was a time when fuel was not available and people had to pay quite a lot to get the commodity. Similarly, sourcing raw materials has been difficult for many manufacturing companies. These and other factors affected the economy. I am sure you are aware that many companies have downsized. Banks, manufacturing companies, service providers are all downsizing.

Apart from downsizing, they are also scaling down their operations. This definitely will affect the GDP. GDP is nothing other than the value of the goods and services produced within a country. If companies are not operating at their installed capacity, the GDP will definitely be reduced.”

Adeoti, a Professor of Development Economics, added that the delay in the passage of the 2016 budget had also contributed to the negative growth. “If the budget had been passed early enough we might not have found ourselves in the kind of situation we are now in. When the budget is not passed, investors are cautious about deploying their resources because they want to be clear about government policies before swinging into action.

So, the delay in having the budget passed contributed to this situation.”

He also said the non-payment of salaries and pensions by many state governments had contributed to this. “It is a cycle. When people are paid their wages, they will be able to buy what is produced by the productive sectors. But when salaries are not paid, it affects the productive sectors because they do not have the patronage needed to continue in business.”

Speaking in a similar vein, Professor Festus Epetimehin of Joseph Ayo Babalola University (JABU), Ikeji Arakeji, said the negative growth of the GDP was indicative of the decline in the nation’s productivity.

Epetimehin, a Professor of Insurance and Risk Management, said, “There is no magic about growing the GDP. The GDP is a function of the level of productivity in a country.

It rises when productivity rises and goes down when there is a decline in the productivity level of a country. The GDP shows how buoyant or broke a country is. What the negative GDP recorded in the first quarter of the current year shows is that in that quarter, Nigerians did not produce as much as they

produced in the last quarter of last year.”

Speaking on the implication of the negative GDP, Epetimehin, who is the Dean, College of Management Sciences, JABU, said, “It is something to be worried about because what it means is that the economy shrank between January and March this year. It also means that the country did not generate enough resources during that period. The danger in this is that if it continues in the current quarter, we will be in recession. And that is not something we should even contemplate.”

The Professor of Insurance and Risk Management explained that recession, also known as negative growth, sets in when businesses do not expand but either shrink or remain stagnant, and there is a spike in the rate of unemployment while the GDP nosedives for two consecutive quarters. He added that the major cause of recession is inflation, saying inflation limits the reach of the disposable income and forces consumers to embark on discretionary expenditure by spending their limited resources on only basic needs.

Adeoti, speaking on the effect of recession, said it would result in large scale poverty because many people would lose their jobs as there would be reduced productivity in the country. According to him, more companies will close down and inflation rate will rise.

He added that recession could result in lower investment, noting that this might affect the long-term productive capacity of the economy.

Epetimehin, while agreeing with the submission of Adeoti, added that recession foists poverty on everybody and wipes out the middle class. “What happens in a recession is that the middle class is effectively wiped out.

What you have is just the rich and the poor.

Even the rich are very cautious because they do not know for how long the recession will last.”

On what the government should do to ward off the threatening recession, Professor Adeoti said the onus was on the government to reflate the economy. “The way to avert recession is to get the people to work.

Negative GDP shows that there is a decline in economic activities. The way to reverse the trend is to increase economic activities in the country. The government should get the people to work. The higher the number of people who work, the higher will be the productivity level and the better our chances of averting

recession.”

Professor Adeoti also added that the government should embark on the full deregulation of the downstream of the oil sector so that funds could be freed up for productive activities.

“What we have now is not full deregulation.

What we need is full deregulation,” he said.

“There is no point subsidizing consumption.

What the government should subsidize is production. Let marketers buy petroleum products and sell at market rates. When the sector is fully deregulated, there will be more players in the sector,” he said.

The Professor of Development Economics also called on the government to immediately embark on the implementation of the 2016 budget so as to energize the economy.

“If the government immediately commences the implementation of the 2016 budget, we have a chance of escaping recession. The employment opportunities the government plans to create in the year should be immediately created. The construction work planned for the year should take off immediately. The antidote to recession is increased productivity. Let us get our people working so that we can increase economic activities in the country and beat the recession trap,” Professor Adeoti said.

Epetimehin called on the government to create more job opportunities for the people.

According to him, “As it is, it is only the government that can stop the slide into recession. The way to do it is to increase economic activities. The government should embark on policies that will lead to massive job creation immediately. If there are more economic activities, the economy will expand. Once the economy expands, we cannot experience recession. It is only the government that can ensure this.

“The government should also ensure that workers’ wages are paid. One of the factors that brought us to the point we are in now is the non-payment of salaries. So, the Federal Government should ensure payment of salaries. If there is a need to give the governors another bailout so as to enable them pay salaries, the Federal Government should do it and probably set up a mechanism of monitoring to ensure full compliance by the state governors,” Epetimehin said.

18

Monday, 23 May, 2016

Nigerian Tribune

Impossible trinity: CBN faces hardest

choices in Nigeria’s history

By Chima Nwokoji-Lagos

N

IGERIANS are extremely nervous about the possible outcomes of the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) meeting holding today and tomorrow.

This nervousness arises because of the negative developments ranging from a sharp fall in the production of oil, dwindling external reserves, subsidy removal leading to petrol market crisis, deregulation, deteriorating local currency, spiraling inflation and sharply lower Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth. Others are, delayed budget implementation, dragging consumer spending and weaker corporate earnings, all happening at the same time.

On Friday, May 20, 2016, the National Bureau of Statistics published the nation’s GDP for first quarter (Q1) 2016 which grew by -0.36 per cent (year- on-year) in real terms – the lowest in 21 years.

Exchange rate has depreciated by 33.6 per cent since 2015 year to date (YTD) at the parallel market while forex scarcity has impacted on business operations leading to loss of jobs.

Pressure on consumer prices drove inflation to 13.7 per cent as of April 2016 from 2015 average of 9.0 per cent even as the cost of credit further increased when the MPC, in response, raised monetary Policy Rate (MPR) to 12.0 per cent in March from 11.0 per cent.

Given the under-performance of the stock market with a negative year to date (YTD) return of 6.35 per cent, it is even expected that there will be more capital outflow from the Nigerian bourse, as investors become attracted to high interest fixed income instruments.

The overall impact according to stakeholders is a drag on economic activities and taking another decision under this prevailing environment is extremely difficult.

As a result of the above, finance and economic experts, drawn from Financial Derivatives Company (FDC) Limited, concluded that there has hardly been a time in the history of Nigeria that the Central Bank has “been faced with such stark and hard choices.”

Unfortunately, there is no silver bullet to satisfy stakeholders’ expectation of a cocktail of measures or a sequence of steps aimed at controlling inflation, maintaining currency stability and stimulating growth.

“The order in which these decisions will be taken is a subject of great uncertainty and anticipation,” the FDC experts agreed.

However, no matter the line of policy choice taken, there must be a costly trade-off as a member of the MPC, Garba Abdul-Ganiyu, put it in his comment at the last MPC meeting.

“In a policy choice context, the framing of options is rather limited and costly trade-off may be the price to pay for strategic and coordination weaknesses,” he submitted.

But what is the stand of CBN in terms of removing restrictions and devaluing the naira? In answering, the bank says foreign currency restrictions will be lifted only when reserves have been built up to an appreciable level.

Addressing journalists in Abuja on limits placed on the use of debit cards overseas, CBN’s Director, Monetary Policy Department, Mr. Moses Tule, said the restrictions would be lifted “as soon as we build up reserves: when you see us building reserves to $50 billion, $60 billion, $70

Godwin Emefiele, CBN Governor billion, $200 billion or more.”

The nation’s foreign reserves have dropped 29 per cent since mid-2014 to $26.7 billion as the central bank defends the currency while oil revenue and foreign investments dwindle. Foreign investors from Alliance Bernstein LP to Morgan Stanley have sold naira stocks and bonds since CBN started pegging the currency and introducing capital controls, which included restrictions on foreign-exchange trading and imports.

It was in view of all these that, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo on May 11 announced a review of the currency regime that “may feature” a devaluation as a way of boosting inflows.

The Impossible Trinity When a major policy decision is taken, like the recent partial deregulation of Nigeria’s downstream oil sector, its effect usually transmits to government, household, business sector, economy, financial, capital, commodity and labour markets.

The pass-through effects, especially on inflation, employment, investment and price stability, often require hard choices involving control of a fixed and stable exchange rate, independent monetary policy as well as free and open international capital flows.

A fixed exchange rate, sometimes called a pegged exchange rate, is a type of exchange rate regime where a currency’s value is fixed against either the value of another single currency, to a basket of other currencies, or to another measure of value, such as gold.

Among management, legal and operational independence, a central bank’s monetary independence fits well in this context. Policy or monetary independence gives the power to set short-term interest rate or the money supply . It can buy treasury bills or sell them to control money supply and check inflation. Well exercised, that power can support the stability of both prices and output; poorly exercised, it can create economic havoc.

Kemi Adeosun, Finance Minister Types of capital control include exchange controls that prevent or limit the buying and selling of a national currency at the market rate, caps on the allowed volume for the international sale or purchase of various financial assets, transaction taxes such as the proposed Tobin tax, minimum stay requirements, requirements for mandatory approval, or even limits on the amount of money a private citizen is allowed to remove from the country.

Economists call it the Impossible or ‘Unholy Trinity.’ They believe that a country cannot have it all. It must choose two out of the three. The theory is that a country that attempts to get all three at once will be broken by the international markets as they force a run on the currency.

If an independent central bank imposes low interest rates to stimulate the economy, capital will flow out in search of a decent return or yield, and the local currency will willy-nilly depreciate.

Deputy Governor (Operations) at Central Bank of Nigeria, Suleiman Barau, underscored this difficulty in making choices at the last MPC meeting. According to him, “an open economy like Nigeria’s that seeks to control inflation must of necessity take into consideration movement in the exchange rate.”

Most times monetary authorities will eventually have to release their currency pegs and devalue or impose strict controls to stop capital fleeing the country.

But Nigeria’s president Mohammadu Buhari has insisted that the country will not release its currency peg and will not devalue.

At the moment, however, official market rate is pegged at N197.00/$1.00 whilst the interbank rate steadied at N199.10/$1.00.

Ayodeji Ebo, head of research at Afrinvest West Africa Limited, noted that the recent announcement by the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) is a technical endorsement of the foreign exchange (FX) parallel market rate for

petroleum product importation given the assumed N285.00/$1.00 exchange rate in the pricing template.

The CBN has been silent on this pronouncement and it is not yet clear what will happen next for the Naira, especially after the directive of the government that marketers should now source their FX requirement for imports from autonomous sources. This pin-drop silence of CBN is therefore expected to be broken at the end of this MPC meeting tomorrow May 24.

Way forward “The logical way forward is to reduce the level of import by stimulating domestic production through appropriate policies,” says Barau. But what policy is appropriate among many policies at this moment, is what Nigerians expect MPC to resolve tomorrow.

Consequently, most investment bankers suggest the reintroduction of the interbank FX market (Wholesale Dutch Auction System) which provides a platform where secondary FX sources can transact at competitive rates.

Although, predicting the actual line of action of the MPC appears dicey according to investment bankers from Afrinvest in a note to investors, “we imagine the Committee to choose amongst the following; Option 1: Adjust the peg on FX rate close to the N285.00/$1.00 rate as guided

by Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency (PPPRA), remove the restrictions earlier imposed on 41 items allowing for flexibility of interbank market and choosing when to intervene if need be. (50.0 per cent probability) “Option 2: Adjust the peg on FX rate close to the N285.00/$1.00 rate as guided by PPPRA, remove the restrictions earlier imposed on 41 items allowing for flexibility of interbank market while also hiking MPR by 200bps to ensure a positive real interest rate. (30.0 per cent Probability).

Continues on pg26

Monday, 23 May, 2016

INSIDE PAGE 20

The 60-second

business coach PAGE 20

Leaders’

forum PAGE 20

Quote LEADERSHIP

The key to successful leadership today is influence, not authority — Kenneth Blanchard

How leaders engender organisational growth T

By Sulaimon Olanrewaju

HE most potent force in driving organizational performance is the leader’s style. The leader’s style determines the culture of the organization, the culture dictates the tone of the workplace environment and this plays a critical role in what the bottom line

turns out to be. A leader’s style can choke productivity or give vent to it. It can either stimulate creativity or stifle it. It can inflame positive passion or take the wind off employees’ sail.

The leader’s style is responsible for whether the organization remains a going concern or a sinking one. It can turn a prosperous business upside down or turn

a struggling business right side up.

The reason for this is not shrouded in any mystery.

Business growth is engineered by customer loyalty.

There can’t be customer loyalty without customer satisfaction and customer satisfaction is a function of employees’ actions, which is a whole gamut that starts with quality production and

ends with excellent customer service. Employees don’t act in a vacuum; their actions are a reflection of their state of mind, their perception of their worth to the organization and their satisfaction with the organization, all of which are influenced by the workplace environment created by the leader.

So, the leader can make

the workforce work their hearts out for the organization even when the remuneration is not the best in the industry. In the same vein, he can make the workforce contribute just a fraction of their ability despite being well remunerated. The difference is in employee engagement.

Continues on pg20

Ndidi O. Nwuneli, Founder CEO, LEAP Africa

20

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Monday, 23 May, 2016

Leaders and employee engagement

A free environment unleashes creativity. Companies that produce most impactful gadgets or devices are those that have made employees’ freedom a part of their culture. Apple, Google, Konga and Jumia are organizations that value employees’ freedom and they are some of the companies that have transformed the way we live through the innovations put forward by their employees.

When employees see their supervisors as overbearing, they become too careful and are unable to try new things. On the other hand, when they are given the free hand to explore, they give their best. Beyond that, getting them to buy into the vision of the organization becomes quite easy because they see themselves as playing a vital role in the organization.

One way to kill creativity is to mi-

Continued from pg19

What is employee engagement?

The term employee engagement is used to describe an employee’s commitment to the vision, mission and essence of an organization. It is making the workforce one with the organization. Where there is engagement, energy is never in short supply and targets are regularly exceeded. Employee engagement is critical to the realization of corporate objectives.

As observed by Marcus Buckingham and Curt Coffman in the book, First Break All the Rules, “Engagement refers to an employee’s willingness to work for the success of his or her job and organization. It consists not just of traditional notions of job satisfaction but of an active commitment to doing the job well and helping the organization achieve its goals and strategies. Engaged employees take pride in their organization and work; take ownership of their projects; talk positively about themselves, their employer and the goods and services they help deliver; view working for their organization as a career, not just a job; and, above all, perform better.

A highly engaged workforce is 50 per cent more productive than an unengaged workforce and displays retention rates that are 44 per cent higher.”

Also writing about employee engagement in his book, Getting Engaged: The New Workplace Loyalty, Tim Rutledge says engaged employees are not just attracted to their work, they are also inspired by it and committed to it. According to him, engaged employees say, “I want to do this”, “I am dedicated to the success of what I am doing” and “I love what I am doing”.

Engaged employees are not doing the work for what they stand to gain but do it because they see them-

cromanage. Leaders who micromanage implicitly tell their team members that their confidence in the team members’ ability is limited.

Communicate the vision For a leader, communication is not just for the purpose of disseminating information but an avenue to transform employees.

So, he continually engages them in communication, selling the vision of the organization to them so that they can buy into it and share the aspiration of the leaders.

This is not a one off thing; it has to be continuous and consistent to achieve the desired result.

Build trust The leader has to earn the trust of the employees for them to be engaged. To earn the trust, they have

to show that they care not just about the work but also about the worker.

The leader has to build personal relationship with his team members.

He has to show that what matters to them are of importance to him as well. He has to create opportunities for them to also accomplish their career goals and personal aspirations. He must let them know that he is not just using them to achieve his target but will also avail them of his skills and wherewithal in their quest to move up in life. If the leader does these, he wins the employees over and buying into the vision of the organization becomes a given.

Last line Employee engagement will ensure the sustainability of any organization but the onus is on the leader to adopt the style that will make this a reality.

THE 60-SECOND business coach Ibada Ahmed, Vice President, Africa’s Young Entrepreneurs Organisation selves as part of the present and the future of the organization. They are not working for the organization just to earn a pay but they work with a target to accomplish corporate goals. Thus, they are willing to make sacrifices and go beyond the call of duty to ensure that corporate objectives are accomplished.

Leaders and employee engagement A leader may have the vision to turn around the fortunes of a unit, department or even a company but he cannot accomplish this all by himself, he needs to work with people who will share his vision of actualizing the objective. To achieve his objective he needs to effectively engage employees who work with him. However, employee engagement is not automatic; it is contingent on the style of the leader. So, the leader has to be open, accessible and conduct himself in a manner that will make him earn the respect of his

BOOK

By Brian Tracy EAT That Frog! is a fairly short book divided into a number of short essays on how to overcome procrastination. Here are the most compelling of the chapters.

Apply the 80/20 rule to everything The 80/20 rule, also known as the Pareto Principle, simply says that 20 per cent of the time you invest in something will produce 80 per cent of the results.

One big key to avoiding procras-

Amaechi Okobi, Group Head, Communications & External Affairs, Access Bank

Tonye Cole, Co-Founder, Sahara Group

chance of being profitable and making positive social impact than those that do not.

team members so as to really engage them.

Importance of employee engagement According to Gallup Poll, “A job has the potential to be at the heart of a great life, but only if its holder is engaged at work.”

Stretching this further, The Conference Board, in 2006, noted that almost twothirds of all employees are 33 per cent as productive as they could be because they don’t understand what they are asked to do. Similarly, Harter, J.K., Schmidt, F.L., and Hayes T.L in an article published in Psychology, posited that businesses with more engaged employees have 51 per cent higher productivity.

So, workforce engagement is at the heart of productivity and achieving corporate objectives. Organizations that effectively engage their staff members stand a better

Uzoma Dozie, GMD, Diamond Bank

Employee engagement will ensure the sustainability of any organization but the onus is on the leader to adopt the style that will make this a reality.

How leaders engage employees Since employee engagement plays a vital role in the leader’s task of achieving corporate goals, every leader must learn how to ensure this.

Value their person The fundamental factor that determines whether an employee will be fully committed to the vision of the organization is what he perceives to be the value placed on him by the organization. Nobody enjoys being taken advantage of. No one likes it when his person is disparaged. Nothing turns a workplace into a toxic environment faster than when employees feel their worth is not duly recognized.

Therefore, to successfully engage employ-

Eat That Frog tination is to learn to recognize and harness that 20 per cent.

When you’re productive, ride that train until you stop being productive, and do this regardless of when the project is due. It’s far better to spend an hour now when your mind is in gear and you’re able to really knock out some work than to spend four hours later where it takes all you’ve got to squeeze out just a little result.

Use the ABCDE Method Continuously The “ABCDE method” refers to

simply grouping your tasks to be done by priority in addition to by due date. A tasks are of the highest priority, whereas E tasks are ones that you can basically drop because they’re unimportant.

If you prioritize your to-do list as well as look at it by due date, then it will become clear exactly what you should be working on – the A-1 task. Focus on that, and only that, until it’s complete.

Upgrade Your Key Skills If you put regular time into building up your key skills, then

large projects that utilize those skills seem less frightening and much more manageable. If you can type at ninety words per minute rather than twenty, putting together that report is much easier.

Since many of the tasks we face come down to execution of our basic skills in some combination, the sharper our basic skills, the easier any project we face becomes and the less likely we are to procrastinate about it.

Get Out of the Technological

Time Sinks Cell phones. Web browsers.

Twitter clients. Facebook. All of these things are giant technological time sinks. They’re constantly available, making it incredibly easy to just send a text or check a website or send a Facebook update or tweet something. Boom – concentration is broken.

The solution is to turn all of these things off. Turn off the internet connection. Turn the cell phone completely off.

ees with a view to stimulating growth and engendering profitability, the leader must ensure that he creates an environment where every staff member feels appreciated; an atmosphere where no one operates with the impression that he is seen as being of lower value than others in the establishment.

When team members understand that they are valued as individuals and not seen as mere statistical figures, they go the extra mile to ensure that the organization remains sustainable. They do not see themselves as outsiders or strangers; they see themselves as critical stakeholders and this makes it easy for them to buy into the organization’s vision.

Value their contributions An organization is a system with different units and segments contributing different values to the actualization of corporate goals. In a properly run workplace, every staff member contributes one way or the other to the realization of the organization’s overall objective.

When employees, whether in the core operation of the organization or its ancillary, are made to know that their contributions are critical to the overall objective of the organization, they own that particular process. They transit from being mere ‘space fillers’ or marginal contributors to invaluable contributors. They bring in their best to the job and surpass expectations.

Allow for freedom

4 fundamental things good leaders always do — and never do

By Dave Ulrich BY “leaders,” I mean those in management at any level of an organization. A supervisor on the shop floor can be as effective a leader as a CEO, within his or her own span of control, if that supervisor’s actions and behavior genuinely inspire. We often tend to think of leadership only in terms of senior management, but in fact it resides at all levels. Accordingly, here are four fundamental things good leaders always do… and never do.

1. Make sure praise flows to those who deserve it. As the old (but true) leadership saying goes, “Give credit, take accountability.”

Effective leaders know that thoughtful recognition for strong performance is a fine way to encourage more of the same in the future, and are eager to provide praise when well deserved.

Seek glory mostly for themselves – Being overly focused on praise for oneself is an efficient way to ensure you’ll likely have a hard time getting it. Effective leaders thrive on the success of their people and teams, and realize that such success more than anything reflects well on the leadership above.

2. Think long term – The best leaders are always looking be-

yond the horizon, toward circumstances that haven’t yet occurred, assessing how the events of today will shape the environment of the future.

In the famous words of Peter Drucker, “Managers think about today. Leaders think about tomorrow.”

Be guided just by the interests of today rather than a month or year ahead – On the reverse side of this forward-looking coin is a management mindset focused relentlessly on the present to the exclusion of the future. Whether that focus is tomorrow’s stock price, shortterm profitability or bonus, it’s rarely a sound way to manage a business or department for the long haul. A tsunami of short-term thinking, for example, led us up to the financial crisis of 2008.

3. Be cognizant of the damaging potential of risk – This isn’t to say one should never accept risk, as plenty of business risks of course are well worth taking. But to return to the example noted above, the damages of 2008 (and well beyond) are a prime example of what can happen when awareness of risk is nowhere near the forefront of managerial consciousness. At a more micro level, every supervisor has risks to manage: risks to departmental operations, to

company security, to budgets, and so on. Strong managers at all levels recognize that vigilance toward risk is an integral element of the management process.

Feel invulnerable – There’s a difference between confidence and cockiness. When leaders grow overly confident, and start to feel that the same rules that apply to others don’t apply to them, it’s a good bet they won’t be managing their operations with the perspective and caution needed.

4. Lead with humility – Leadership is a privilege, not a right. Good leaders focus on others: their employees, their clients, their shareholders, etc., and recognize that if their needs are met it naturally speaks well of management.

From a purely practical standpoint, leaders from the c-suite to the shop floor need to be respected and followed, and humility is a much easier leadership style to follow than: Hubris – Pride in one’s accomplishments is natural, but when it becomes excessive it rarely leads to a positive place. Leadership in business at its core is all about humans relating to other humans, and ideally leaders will act in a way that makes it easy for others – many others – to want to follow them.

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leadership&management

Monday, 23 May, 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

THE concluding part of this series should have been featured last week but there was a mix-up. I apologize for the gaffe. It is now featured. Enjoy!

Innovation is a product of a vibrant, active imagination that sets its own frontiers. We must begin to question the paradigms that got us to where we are. It is obvious that those paradigms cannot take us further than where we are. If we continue to do the things that have brought us to this grind, it is foolhardy to expect different outcomes. To change the outcomes we are currently getting we must begin to think differently. No government has ever had all the answers to national dilemma. Innovators do. Joseph was a prisoner in Egypt. His innovative ideas saved Egypt in crisis and fed the world of his time. He preserved his family and the Abrahamic covenant.

Crisis is the raw material that feeds the innovator’s spirit.

When ordinary people only see the calamity in every opportunity, innovators only see opportunity in every calamity. The situation in Nigeria today presents us all with two options.

Scream, complain and grumble to high heavens. Write as much junk and songs of lamentation on social media. Lampoon government and its officials. Lament delayed salaries, power cuts, fuel shortage.

Or simply pull back. Isolate yourself from the cacophonous din of the environment and listen to your inner man. Is there something that is missing in the collective jigsaw puzzle but which you can supply to enhance the realization of the bigger picture? Where are the scientists and potential inventors that have bogged down our university systems playing local campus politics instead of embarking on meaningful research?

It’s time for them to stand up and be counted. Those who love the taste of omelettes must understand that eggs must be cracked.

Where are the Professors of Agriculture who have bombarded the world with papers on food security and all the “academese” that go with it? What can they now teach us about the value chain in food production? I challenged one recently on research results from his university that could be shared with the rest of society to enhance the food chain. He had no satisfactory answer. What are the alternative sources of energy generation that can be exploited as substitute for natural gas?

Innovate or... 4

Recently, I heard about a company in California that builds power plants that can generate 10-20KVA of electricity using bio-fuels, particularly chipped wood and the dried shells of some crops. A few weeks ago, I hopped on a plane and paid them a visit. The project started seven years ago. It is still at pilot stage even though it is already being tried out in several countries with a few in Africa.

By next year, they will be rolling out a containerized version that can generate about 100kva. They are still working on correcting some of the perceived flaws in the design before fully rolling out.

Then it hit me. These people do not have the kind of energy challenge that we have. Yet they keep thinking on our behalf and consistently profit from our consumerist complacency. I know that most of those equipment would eventually be sold in Africa and the rest of the developing world. Whatever happened to the generator that is powered by urine invented a few years ago by some secondary school girls in Nigeria? It seems to have joined others in the archives of our collective amnesia. The temperate regions of the world do not need air conditioners like we do. But they invented it all the same and we simply buy and use.

This is the age of new technologies. Nations and peoples don’t significantly prosper anymore by the wholesale exploitation of raw materials. Those who sell raw materials only feed the wealth pipeline of the ones who buy from them to process. At the end of the day, raw material sellers are always left holding the short end of the stick when they have to pay top dollar to import the finished products from the same raw materials that they sold.

Our forest woods have been practically depleted and sold off mainly to China at ridiculous prices determined by the Chinese who simply bring them back to us as very expensive furniture. Our cassava is made into industrial starch and a few other products used in our local industries and sent right back to us to pay a premium for. This is the price we are currently paying in the oil industry. It explains why we produce crude oil and cannot run an efficient refinery. So the fuel queues continue and instead of thinking with government how this can be reversed in our favour long term, we throw tantrums and curse government over pricing. Now with the

deregulation of the downstream sector, it is expected that private enterprise will thrive in a way that only the innovative spirit will understand.

With the intention of moving from oil dependency to agriculture and mining, the government has only shifted dependency. We will eventually come back full cycle to square one unless of course we are adding significant value to those things.

While we go through the tantrum-throwing stage that should detoxify us of our consumerist propensity, we should also learn to take responsibility for the new outcomes that we seek. Like the addict undergoing rehabilitation, it involves a lot of risks, pain and discomfort and sometimes sleepless nights while the system is being detoxified of the poisonous effects of protracted abuse. Once he survives the process, chances are that he will not return to the habit.

Government on its own part must now begin to rethink its systems and begin to create a sincere, transparent, corruption-free enabling environment for creative enterprise to thrive. The banks must shed the toga of armchair banking that manifests in financial warehousing and rent-seeking and consequent obscene profits. They must get involved in the productive sector if they also want to survive. Their cancerous growth portends danger even for them. When the host of cancer is killed by the ravenous radical cells, the cancer too dies!

As a way forward, can we begin the revolution by criticizing less and concentrating more on suggesting well-thought out ways forward?

If you have any radical ideas especially technological that you believe can change our landscape for good, send an email to topheritage@yahoo.com Let us begin to warehouse these ideas now and see how we can get the people in authority to pay attention. Your idea must have been tested on a pilot scale and ready to roll out. We will compile these into an innovation data bank and draw attention of government to them from time to time.

Not to innovate is to aestivate and eventually die!

This is the advent of Nigeria’s season of prosperity. Let’s write the story together!

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

How not to fail in leadership

DONALD Trump, quintessence of the real estate world, filed for bankruptcy. Richard Nixon, 37th U.S. President, resigned the presidency over the Watergate scandal. Jennifer Capriati, rising tennis star, entered a rehabilitation center for drug addicts. Jim Bakker, renowned televangelist, was convicted of fraud. In the recent past, the present world has witnessed the public downfall of leaders from almost every area of endeavor—business, politics, religion, and sports. One day, they are on top of the heap, the next, they are under the heap.

Of course, we think that such cataclysmic failure could never happen to us. We have worked hard to achieve our well-deserved positions of leadership—and we will not give them up for anything! The bad news is: the distance between beloved leader and despised failure is shorter than we think. Please, do not forget this truth.

There are some warning signs of looming failure that you shall need to watch out for. I am going to point out some of them to you today: Often, leaders simply lose sight of what is important. The laser-like focus that catapulted them to the top disappears, and they become distracted by the trappings of leadership, such as wealth and notoriety.

Leaders are usually distinguished by their ability to “think big.” But when their focus shifts, they suddenly start thinking small. They micro manage, they get caught up in details better left to others, and they become consumed with the trivial and unimportant. And to make matters worse, this tendency can be exacerbated by an inclination toward perfectionism.

A more subtle leadership ‘derailer’ is an obsession with “doing” rather than “becoming.” The good work of leadership is usually a result of who the leader is. What the leader does then flows naturally from inner vision and character. It is possible for a leader to become too action-oriented and, in the process, lose touch with the more important task of self-development.

What is your primary focus right now? If you cannot write it

on the back of your business card, then it is a sure bet that your leadership is suffering from a lack of clarity. Take the time necessary to get your focus back on. It is very important.

Further, would you describe your thinking as expansive or contractive? Of course, you always should be willing to do whatever it takes to get the job done, but try never to take on what others can do as well as you. In short, make sure that your focus is on leading rather than doing.

Sometimes, leaders fall into the clairvoyance trap. In other words, they begin to believe that truly committed followers automatically sense their goals and know what they want without being told. Misunderstanding is seen by such managers as a lack of effort (or commitment) on the listener’s part, rather than their own communication negligence.

“Say what you mean, and mean what you say” is timeless advice, but it must be preceded by knowing what you mean!

An underlying clarity of purpose is the starting point for all effective communication. It’s only when you’re absolutely clear about what you want to convey that the hard work of communicating pays dividends.

Also, leaders at risk often begin to be driven by a fear of failure rather than the desire to succeed. Past successes create pressure for leaders: “Will I be able to sustain outstanding performance?” “What will I do for an encore?” In fact, the longer a leader is successful, the higher his or her perceived cost of failure.

When driven by the fear of failure, leaders are unable to take reasonable risks. They want to do only the tried and proven; attempts at innovation—typically a key to their initial success— diminish and eventually disappear.

Which is more important to you: the attempt or the outcome? Are you still taking reasonable risks? Prudent leadership never takes reckless chances that risk the destruction of what has been achieved, but neither is it paralyzed by fear. Often the dance of leadership is two steps forward and one step backward.

A leader’s credibility is the result of two aspects: what he or she does (competency) and who he or she is (character). A discrepancy between these two aspects creates an integrity problem.

The highest principle of leadership is integrity. When integrity ceases to be a leader’s top priority, when a compromise of ethics is rationalized away as necessary for the “greater good,” when achieving results becomes more important than the means to their achievement—that is the moment when a leader steps on to the slippery slope of failure.

Often such leaders see their followers as pawns, a mere means to an end, thus confusing manipulation with leadership. These leaders lose empathy. They cease to be people “perceivers” and become people “pleasers,” using popularity to ease the guilt of lapsed integrity.

It is imperative to your leadership that you constantly subject your life and work to the highest scrutiny. Are there areas of conflict between what you believe and how you behave? Has compromise crept into your operational tool kit? One way to find out is to ask the people you depend on if they ever feel used or taken for granted.

Tragically, if a leader doesn’t take care of him- or herself, no one else will. Unless a leader is blessed to be surrounded by more-sensitive-than-normal followers, nobody will pick up on the signs of fatigue and stress. Leaders are often perceived to be superhuman, running on unlimited energy.

The last caveat sign of impending disaster that leaders need to heed is a move away from their first love and dream. Paradoxically, the hard work of leadership should be fulfilling and even fun. But when leaders lose sight of the dream that compelled them to accept the responsibility of leadership, they can find themselves working for causes that mean little to them.

They must stick to what they love, what motivated them at first, to maintain the fulfillment of leadership.

See you where great leaders are found!

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Monday, 23 May, 2016

Nigerian Tribune

First steps to starting a small business PAGE 22

#MyStartupStory:

Anthony Iboro Simon

Merging ICT, entrepreneurship for social impact PAGE 22

PAGE 22

Strategies to stay afloat during economic downturn

By Ruth Olurounbi

U

NARGUABLY, Nigerian economy is in shambles at the moment, making the thought of starting a business a lot more scary, given that small business owners are facing severe challenges keeping their doors opened. In fact, if what Dr Peregrino Brimah, an international business person and coordinator of ENDS says is true, a large of small business owners in Nigeria are already closing their shops, as they face challenges most of them are not equipped to face.

Some challenges are consistent, others are not. As a result of consistent lack of power

supply, shortage of forex, and well, the current increase in fuel prices from N86.50 to N145, cost of production has escalated, same with taxes, resulting in as predicted, salary cuts and in dire situations, job cuts.

How then do small business owners stay in business despite economic downturn?

Invest in R&D Paul Hohnen, an independent consultant on sustainability issues, says to pursue only strategies that are “competitive and cost-effective in current market conditions, and accepting the associated sustainability risks and higher costs down the road.”

Continues on pg25

Applications for SLA’s N2m grant end May 31

Application s Leads Afric for the She a (SLA) Acc elerator, a threem designed to onth program id and fund th entify, support e next gener ation of Nigeria’s bri entrepreneu ghtest female rs week Tuesd , will close next ay, May 31, 2016.

SLA is a so ci dedicated to al enterprise supporting African wo y men and th oung eir journey tow ards profess ional success.

The winner of a Demo will receive D a N2 millio ay n-investment fr om She Lea ds Africa Fun d.

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By Paul Omorogbe

A

T a time when the term deregulation is trending, especially as regards the oil industry, one sector where deregulation exercise has worked, leading to a remarkable revolution of global reckoning is in Nigeria’s telecommunications industry.

The International Telecommunications Union (ITU) on May 17 celebrated its World Telecommunication and Information Society Day 2016, with the theme: “ICT entrepreneurship for social impact”. In the thinking of the union, ICT entrepreneurs and small to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) have a particularly relevant role in ensuring economic growth in a sustainable and inclusive manner. They are involved in the development of innovative ICT-enabled solutions with a unique potential to make a long-lasting impact in global, regional and national economies and as an important source of new jobs, especially for youth, in the current knowledge economy.

ITU Secretary-General, Houlin Zhao, said, “The ICT sector is amongst the most profitable and successful and has revolutionised the way the world communicates. Through a combination of forward-looking government policies and regulatory reforms, international standards, industry innovation and investment in infrastructure, and new services, billions of people

Monday, 23 May, 2016

Nigerian Tribune

Merging ICT, entrepreneurship for social impact have been brought into the information society in a remarkably short period of time.

“Building on this foundation, we are now in an increasingly smart, networked environment encompassing cloud computing, big data, and new applications in diverse areas from health to finance, while moving towards a future of smart transport systems and cities. As we advance the rollout of infrastructure and connectivity, the role of services and applications will grow along with the potential for many innovative smaller players to enter the market with solutions to address local needs. ICT entrepreneurship is set to bring about a paradigm shift in making significant social impact. We need their expertise, innovation and investment to achieve our common goals of sustainable economic and social development.

“Small to medium-sized

enterprises (SMEs), startups and technology hubs are the drivers of innovative and practical solutions for catalysing progress especially in developing countries. SMEs make up more than 90 per cent of all businesses worldwide, and

represent a ‘path out of poverty’ for many developing countries.”

“Working poverty and unemployment rates are strongly negatively correlated in Africa, suggesting that many young people prefer unemployment over

working poverty and will choose unemployment in the hope of finding a better job when they can afford it,” the African Economic Outlook, a youth partnership forum, testified.

Since these “better jobs” are scarce as finding a

#MyStartupStory: Anthony Iboro Simon Anthony Iboro Simon is the owner of ibCouture, a clothing line that specialises in repackaging fabrics into high-end custom made apparels. He tells his start-up story.

More often than not, a man’s sojourn to success is sandwiched by storms, disappointments and stumbling blocks. Our story started in the face of innumerable disappointments. Fortunately for us, we have been able to overturn these situations, using them as a saddle to propel us to greater heights. ibCouture originated from a passion to look good. ‘Is looking good driven by passion?’ one may ask but in ibCouture, it is.

Having faced so many let downs after graduating from school ranging from unsuccessful job aptitude tests to unfruitful interviews, I had always wanted to get attention from people by looking good.

My job hunt story took an entirely different direction from that of my friends as many of them were well placed just after graduation. But I noticed this: each time I go out with these friends, I always stand out-attire-wise. This got people asking questions like ‘where did you make this attire?’

A question I had to answer even from my friends who were well placed in terms of social stratification. This got me thinking, hence, the thought to set up a clothing line, ibCouture.

Even though I had this idea, I couldn’t just implement it, reason being that I was afraid to fail; I was scared of taking this bold step. I wanted to do it, ‘but what if it fails?’

I asked myself. ‘What if it doesn’t work out?’ I had so many questions, all channelled towards failure. Days were drawing by, time was passing

me by. People were achieving greater heights, friends were making giant strides, and I still was pondering which direction to go even with my reservoir of fashion ideas.

One day, a friend unknowingly unlocked my potential by claiming responsibility of a cloth I wore and making some cool cash from it. He went about telling friends that he

makes some of the attires I wear and this for sure wasn’t true. I wear the clothes, but he was being contracted to make a replica of my apparels for others. I over time keyed into this idea and followed suit. The journey of a thousand miles they say begins with a step.

Just that bold step I took to claim responsibility of what I wear gave birth to a fashion line that specialises in repackaging fabrics to high end custom made apparels ranging from suits, to shirts, traditional, gowns, pants and lots more.

And today, I am grateful that I took those steps, because I have not regretted it ever since. I guess the point to my story is to never doubt yourself, and your ability to succeed. It’s okay to be afraid, but it’s not okay to give into your fears.

You can follow Simon on Twitter via @ibCouture1.

winter coat in the Sahara, indeed it seems that several millions of Nigerians have taken this “path out of poverty” using ICT as a vehicle.

Ernest Ndukwe, former Chief Executive Officer, Nigerian Communications Commission, in his 2008 paper titled, “The Latest Government Initiative to Stimulate Investment and Private Sector Involvement,” noted that, “In

First steps So you’re planning on starting a business but you don’t know what to do yet? Alexis Writing, Demand Media has some ideas on what you need to know to start a business.

Any small start-up business, whether local or online, must begin with a strong mission and vision, an organized business plan and sound financial advice, to form a solid foundation and road leading

25

1999, Nigeria had about 400,000 fixed lines and about 20,000 analogue wireless lines. Following the liberalization of the telecommunications industry by the democratic government in 1999, and the subsequent auction of the mobile licences in year 2001, the telecommunications industry in Nigeria has witnessed tremendous growth. From teledensity figures of 0.4

Monday, 23 May, 2016

lines per 100 inhabitants recorded in year 2000,

by October 2008, Nigeria had recorded teledensity figures of 42 lines per 100 inhabitants, and an active subscriber base of nearly 59 million lines.”

The numerous mobile phone dealerships, phone call centres, customer care franchises, recharge card dealers nor several spinoff businesses, in Nigeria today would not exist had it not been for that policy that made GSM telephony a reality early in the advent of the nation’s current democratic dispensation.

In a chat with Nigerian Tribune, Mr Yomi Adegboye, Founder, MobilityArena.com and Head, Mobile, Web & Content Development at DomainStandard Networks, said, “ICT has made a huge impact on entrepreneurship in Nigeria. The new generation of young entrepreneurs in the country are mostly able to do what they do because of ICT services. There is a whole new industry booming out there - straddling almost any field: law, commerce, agriculture, education, food and drinks, banking, publishing, software and app development, web services - all riding on ICT infrastructure and services.

“Almost every business located in major towns and cities have websites. Some are able to deliver services and goods more effectively because of the use of ICT tools. There is no question about it: ICT has done Nigerian entrepreneurs tons of good.”

However, 15 years after history was made, there is still much to be desired in taking advantage of ICT for entrepreneurship purposes.

Nigerian Tribune

How to survive economic downturn

Continues from pg23

Hohnen wrote on how to sustain sustainability in an economic downturn for the Gaurdian UK. Invariably, what this means, according to Michael Roberto, assistant professor of business administration at Harvard Business School, is to “invest heavily in research and development (R&D) now so that new products and services are ready for launch as the economy begins to grow again.” Roberto wrote this in his 4 Steps to Growth During a Recession, in Harvard Business Review.

According to him, business owners may

be inclined to cut R&D, particularly if they face high interest payments, substantial drops in revenue, and the like.

It is easy to see this strategy as counter-intuitive, as the most reasonable thing to do would be to cut all functional budgets by 10 per cent or so, as strategic response to economic crisis.

So, while R&D costs may seem like the most sensible target for budget cuts, understand this: “the innovation that they might provide for the business could give it a long-term competitive advantage,” as Jim Riley, an economist and former director at Thomson Travel Group Plc and a Corporate Finance and Strategy spe-

cialist at PwC, put it.

Invest time in learning about weakest customers competitors While it may seem smart to want to grab your competitors’ largest and most attractive clients, Roberto advises not to.

Reason is simple: your rivals are probably fighting hard to keep those clients.

However, unlike you, they may not have the time and resources to focus on smaller clients.

Therefore, he advises that you “focus your attention on these potential new customers, particularly those with attractive growth prospects and strong balance sheets.”

Lend a helping hand For those who have relationships with suppliers and distributors, Roberto advises that you identify your most critical suppliers and distributors with the aim of helping them reduce possibility of severe impairment to their business due to the economic downturn.

“Assess the risk to your business if they should falter badly or even fail completely. Then, examine ways in which you might help those supplies and distributors weather the downturn. Even the smallest gesture can sometimes build an enduring loyalty that will pay off for years to come,” he says.

to starting a small business to success. Starting a small business is very exciting and enlightening, yet is risky, and all-consuming. Hopefully, it is also profitable. Preparation is just as crucial as execution.

Unfortunately for some entrepreneurs, they tend to neglect this very critical phase. They’re in a hurry and jump on the journey without first laying out a detailed road map.

In any business, you

will be devoting a lot of time and energy in building and maintaining its success so it is really crucial that your business be something that you love. Are you passionate about cooking? Open a small takeout counter. Do you love to shop and to dabble into fashion design? Set up an online boutique. Just do what interests you. You’ll enjoy it so much that it wouldn’t even feel like

work.

Educate Yourself To start a small business, you have to be informed, especially if you did not major in business while you were in college. Sign up for seminars and classes dealing with Small Business Administration.

Be humble and always act like a student, ready to learn something new. Research your

business ideas thoroughly. Determine your demographics, target market, and your list of products and services.

Consult with friends and relatives, perhaps even conduct a survey about your products and services.

Stay employed Start your business while you are still employed. It is risky to leave your job right away because it may

take a while before you make regular profit from your business. Remaining an employee while you start up your business provides a safety net and provides extra income for support.

Understand law and taxes To avoid any mess, be sure to address all legal and tax issues right away. Consider registering your business,

and if you are going to hire employees, learn about workers’ compensation insurance and payroll taxes in your state. Consult with a lawyer and/or accountant to learn about what the tax and legal responsibilities are to start your business operations smoothly and to avoid any problems later on.

This article first appeared on smallbusiness.chron.com.

26

Monday, 23 May, 2016

N83.82bn worth T-Bills maturity, FAAC disbursement to dictate rate trends THERE are expectations that treasury bills worth N83.82 billion will mature on Thursday, 26 May through Open Market Operation (OMO).

Though dealers expect a spike in interbank rates in response to the likely increase in the benchmark interest rate by the monetary policy committee. This may however, be moderated by the expected liquidity injection from Federation Account Al-

location Committee (FAAC) disbursement.

The major determinant of yields movement in the bond market according to Mr Johnson Chukwu, Managing Director Cowry Assets Management Limited will be premised on the decision of the MPC about Monetary Policy Rate MPR. “Whilst we somewhat hold a view that interest rate does not necessarily have to go up

to correct the rising inflation, we suspect that the MPC may stick to its real interest rate target to increase the rate. Hence, bond yields will likely respond with a price correction as the current levels already factored in this expectation,” Chukwu led Cowry Assets Management analysts said.

In the just concluded week, the Nigerian Interbank Offered Rates(NIBOR) retained its upbeat as financial sys-

tem liquidity remained low partly on the ripple effects of previously auctioned Federal Government bonds worth N105 billion. Consequently, NIBOR for overnight funds, 1 month, 3 months and six months increased to 11.62 per cent (from 8.04 per cent), 12.0 per cent (from 9.41 per cent), 13.63 per cent (from 11.47 per cent) and 15.12 per cent (from 12.67 per cent) respectively.

with Chima Nwokoji m:08032637535 e:chimatitus@yahoo.com

MPC: Analysts predict further increase in interest rate

I

N view of the pressure on foreign exchange, slowing Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth rate and increased inflation outlook and likely Naira devaluation, most analysts from investment research companies have predicted that the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) may increase benchmark interest rate known as Monetary Policy Rate (MPR).

“We expect an upward adjustment in the Monetary Policy Rate from 12per cent to 12.5per cent while still maintaining the corridor.

Also, we expect an adjustment in the Cash Reserve Ratio from 22.5per cent to 25per cent particularly with the expected impact of the Budget Implementation on Money in circulation,” analysts from Cowry Assets Management Limited said in Lagos.

The average opening position of banks in April of N423.58bn, confirms a situation of excess liquidity in the system. That coupled with petrol prices now at N145, a weak currency and inflationary pressures intensifying, the Nigerian labour union is agitating

for an increase in minimum wage to N56,000. This is a 211per cent increase from the N18,000 minimum wage, which took effect in March 2011.

An increase in minimum wage will increase money supply, stoking inflationary pressures.

Another team of economists and finance experts has this to say: “Whilst we largely attrib-

ute the current pressure on exchange rate to past policies introduced by the CBN, we believe that the Apex Bank is left with no other choice than to initiate a currency adjustment that will substantially address the monetary policy issues that the fuel price hike has created. We believe the CBN or the Monetary Policy Committee, in its next/emergency meeting, needs to take

the following steps.

“Initiate a currency adjustment/devaluation that will take the official/interbank market rate closer to the exchange rate of N285/US$1.00 assumed by the PPPRA in its pricing template; take major monetary policy moves that will help balance the various macroeconomic variables that have been affected by the hike in petrol price.”

Markets, investors wait as CBN faces hardest choices in Nigeria’s history Continued from pg18

“Option 3: Hold all rates constant, with a leeway for the Central bank to continue to adopt administrative measures in managing FX in line with recent trend and continue to harp on structural reforms and fiscal impulse in anticipation of improvement in the economy going forward. (20.0 per cent probability).”

The company believes that two likely options among the impossible trinity are: a liberalization of the FX market, which is also expected to lead to the second option of an influx of foreign (capital) investments which are currently waiting on the side-lines. This they said, will lead to improved transparency in FX management thereby strengthening the government’s foreign currency position.

Another pertinent question is: Will this decision if taken, curb rising inflation especially now that pump price of fuel has increased?

Without doubts, empirical review of past increases in pump price of fuel shows it always mounts pressure on domestic prices. The recent steady rise in Inflation (from 9.6per cent in Jan-2016, to 11.4per cent, 12.8per cent and 13.7per cent in February, March and April respectively) is linked partly to high fuel prices across States in Nigeria.

As such, analysts are concerned that the increase in pump price

of fuel, coupled with the attendant impact on transportation cost and staple food prices, should mount at least a 1.9 per cent Month on Month (M-o-M) pressure on the overall Consumer Price Index (CPI) which would translate to 14.6 per cent headline inflation for May 2016, the analysts emphasized. Every stakeholder is aware that the impact of a higher inflation will be too hard on households, investment and saving.

FDC, in its economic bulletin for May, wants the MPC to seriously consider the consequence of high inflation on investor returns. It said a tighter monetary environment (hiking interest rates) could result in investors shifting to the fixed income market due to attractive interest rates.

In addition, Nigeria Interbank Offered Rate (NIBOR) and Treasury-Bill rates would be expected to increase.

Economists are emphatic that a nation that has a fixed exchange rate must defend its currency and will sell its reserves to buy its currency back. But unless the monetary policy is changed back, the international markets will invariably continue (not stop) until the government’s foreign exchange reserves are exhausted, causing the currency to devalue, thus breaking one of the three goals and also enriching market players at the expense of the government that tried to break the impossible trinity.

GTBank redeems $500m Eurobond

From left, Director, Administration and Human Resources, Lagos State Internal Revenue Service (LIRS), Mrs. Arinola Kola-Daisi; Executive Chairman,LIRS, Mr. Olufolarin Ogunsanwo; and Director, Tax Audit, LIRS, Mrs. Bolaji Akintola during the Chattered Institute Of Taxation of Nigeria (CITN) 18th Annual Tax Conference in Abuja, recently.

Heritage Bank renews commitment to financial Inclusion

HERITAGE Bank Limited has renewed commitment to drive financial inclusion as it is set to launch a book that will promote financial literacy among children.

The launching of the book is one of the highlights of the bank’s Children Banking Month 2016, which is a financial literacy campaign to commemorate the May 27th Children’s Day celebration.

In a personal letter conveying details of the Children Banking Month 2016 of young customers of the

Nigerian Tribune

Bank, Managing Director/ Chief Executive, Heritage Bank, Mr Ifie Sekibo said, “May 27 has been set aside nationally as Children’s Day and to honour you, our leader of tomorrow, for the second year running. We at Heritage Bank have declared the entire month of May as Children Banking Month.”

He said the bank is dedicating this month to young customers, because of the important position they hold in the destiny of “our

great nation, Nigeria.”

The theme for this year’s celebration Sekibo stated is “Taking the Early Lead” and aligned with this is the bank’s financial literacy campaign geared towards equipping children with the requisite knowledge to make them remarkable leaders in future.

“This is also in keeping with the bank’s vision of creating, preserving and transferring wealth across generations.

“I personally want to con-

gratulate you on behalf of the management and staff of Heritage Bank ahead of the Children’s Day celebrations on the May 27 and to urge you to stay in school and stay focused on your academics. I also want to let you know that you can be anything you want to be in future if you listen to mummy and daddy and also to your teachers in school.

As the buds of today and the stars of tomorrow, we are counting on you to make the difference in our great nation,” the bank’s boss said.

GUARANTY Trust Bank plc last week Thursday announced the redemption of the outstanding portion of its $500,000,000 Eurobond Notes due May 19, 2016.

In February 2016, the bank successfully issued a Cash Tender Offer to repurchase any and all the outstanding US$500million 7.5 per cent Eurobond Notes due May 2016 (the “Securities”) as part of its effective liability management strategy.

The bank noted that the tender was the first of its kind involving a Nigerian corporate in any capacity in the international capital markets and was well received by analysts and investors.

The Securities were issued by GTB Finance B.V. (“ GTB Finance”) - a direct, wholly owned subsidiary

of the Bank – GTB Finance B.V. (the “Offeror”) – on the back of an unconditionally and irrevocably guarantee of the bank.

At the expiration of the Tender Offer, an aggregate principal amount of US$ 126,586,000 of the Securities were successfully and validly tendered.

Upon final maturity of the Eurobond in May 2016, the outstanding principal portion of $373,414,000 as well as the coupon value of US$14,003,025 were redeemed using the bank’s available cash reserves.

Launched in May 2011, the US$500 million Eurobond represented the first Sub-Saharan Africa financial sector benchmark Eurobond without a sovereign guarantee or credit enhancement from any international financial institution.

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Monday, 23 May, 2016

Nigerian Tribune

Infrastructure investment’ll promote stock market liquidity —NSIA Stories by Kehinde Akinseinde-Jayeoba -Lagos INVESTMENT in infrastructure development of the country through the government sovereign wealth fund will create liquidity in the nation’s capital market.

Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority, Mr Uche Orji, said while the mandate of the agency was not to stabilise the stock market, when private investors bring in their money through platforms created for infrastructural

investments, this will create liquidity in the Nigerian bourse.

Speaking with the Nigerian Tribune at the exchange, Orji said the authority hoped that through its investment in private entity, new companies would be listed on the Exchange, adding that the infrastructure programme would also raise funds in the market.

Orji said the Authority over the past three years has been investing globally as well as domestically on infrastructure which is the mandate, noting that the total CAR

stands at US$1.52 billion.

He explained that the immediate focus of infrastructural investment of the Authority in 2016 was healthcare, agriculture, real estate, power and toll roads, saying healthcare programmes has started with Public Private Partnership (PPP) with teaching hospitals and medical centres.

In February, the Federal Government allocated additional $250 million to the authority to fund on-going. Infrastructure projects on behalf of the government.

with Kehinde Akinseyinde-Jayeoba

m: 08057336640 e: kehinde_07@yahoo.com

CSCS plans diversification, to clear for other African Exchanges

From left, Synergy and Business Performance Analyst, Lafarge Africa Plc, Sharafa Onaolapo; Internal Communication Manager, Ginika Frank Durugbor and Production Coordinator, RMX, Kamoru Adediran (middle) receiving his award for participating in the NSE Corporate Challenge held in Lagos, recently.

UPDC to raise N10bn additional capital

T

HE UACN Property Development Company (UPDC) Plc has expressed its readiness to leverage emerging opportunities in the industry and enhance profitability in the current financial year, thus it’s decision to raise additional capital by way of rights to boost business.

The company is seeking N10 billion commercial paper bond to enable it dispose of low performing assets and move its exposures into commercial paper.

The Chairman of the company, Larry Ettah, while addressing shareholders during the company’s 18th yearly general

meeting, held in Lagos, explained that the company has submitted the proposal for the rights issue to the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) for approval. He pointed out that once the proposal was endorsed, the company would seek shareholders’ consent on when to commence the rights issue.

The Chairman said the company would also leverage on partnership and alliances that are similar to the company’s long-term goal.

He added that the firm is also boosting the retail segment of the business and has put in place strategies to enable it take advantage of emerging opportunities in the segment.

THE Central Securities Clearing System Plc (CSCS) has made known plans to go beyond clearing for Nigerian bourse just as it was set to diversify its business operations into other areas of the economy.

Chairman of the company, Mr Oscar Onyema, during the 22nd Annual General Meeting in Lagos, explained that due to challenges facing their traditional source of revenue, they want to move into other lines of business in order to mitigate economic challenges, adding that CSCS also planned to clear for other exchanges’ in Africa.

On the company retained earnings, Onyema explained that a lot of money is going into investments and if there are left over, they can pay to shareholders as requested, while noting that the board are aware of the situation in the economy and wants to build a company for the future with sustained growth.

For the 2015 financial year ended December

NASCON shareholders get 70% pay-out SHAREHOLDERS of Nascon Allied Industries Plc, producer of Dangote Salt, has approved a dividend of N55 kobo per share at its Annual General Meeting in Lagos.

Aliko Dangote, the outgoing Chairman of the company, said the dividend represented a pay-out ratio of 70 per cent at N1.46 billion, an improvement from the previous year dividend payout of N1.32 billion, which according to him was achieved by being more cus-

tomer focused, managing our cost and improving our efficiencies.

Dangote explained that against the backdrop of various challenges business faced in 2015, the company was able to deliver sales and revenue growth in its core salt business with moderate contribution from the newly established product lines.

“For the financial year ended December 31, 2015, the total turnover of N16.2 billion represents a 43 per cent increase against the

previous year. Profit after Tax increased by 11 per cent to N2.1 billion. The overall financial stability continued to remain strong, with N2.5 billion of cash and it’s equivalents as reserves,” he said.

He added that the company has shown resilience, establishing new product lines, improving service delivery for customers and value for shareholders, while noting that that as he exit the management board, he leaves an excellent team in place to continue to grow

the company.

“The past three years have seen substantial investment in expanding our product lines, strengthening and restructuring almost every aspect of our existing operations. In 2015, our objective was to grow seasoning, refined oil and tomato paste businesses to ensure that these new product lines complement and strengthen our existing refined salt business, contributing to revenue and delivering profit,” he said.

According to the newly

elected Chairperson, Yemisi Ayeni, the company’s consistent revenue growth and strong profitability since its reverse takeover of Dangote Salt in 2007, is evidence of the commitment and determination of the employees.

Ayeni explained that the company would continue to invest appropriately in existing and new product lines.

“We will achieve our strategy of growing revenues within the context of improved profit margins and enhanced shareholder returns.

31, CSCS recorded a total operating income of N7.60 billion which is below N8.24 billion that was reported same period in 2014. Profit before tax dropped by 14.79 percent to N5.01 billion in 2015, when compared to N5.76 billion posted in 2014.

Profit after tax for the period also decreased by 3.63 percent from N4.62 billion in 2014 to N4.46 billion in 2015.

Nestle doubles profit in Q1 2016 NESTLÉ Nigeria Plc in its recently released unaudited 2016 first quarter results recorded revenue rising by 31.1 per cent Yearon-Year to N36.1 billion.

Profit Before Tax and Profit After Tax of the consumer goods company doubled to N8.7 billion and N6.7 billion respectively.

The strong Q1 growth reading essentially reflects a weak base in 2015 when Nestle was hit by supply chain issues and naira devaluation.

In 2015, consumer goods companies were faced with higher raw materials for those with sizable import input requirements and rising interest expense for those with dollar loans.

However, Nestlé’s gross margin expansion bucked the industry trend, reflecting the firm’s high percentage of locally sourced raw materials in total input mix of 66 per cent in 2015. Moreover, slower cost growth at 19.4 per cent relative to that revenue pushed gross profit to its highest level, 45.9 per cent.

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Monday, 23 May, 2016

Nigerian Tribune

with Akin Adewakun

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

MTN, feeling the pulse of youth subscribers Stories by Akin Adewakun

O

NE thing that is becoming increasingly obvious in today’s market space, especially in Nigeria, is the power, potency and virility of the nation’s juvenile population.

Today, in Nigeria, the youths, obviously in the majority by every standard, have suddenly become every brand’s beautiful bride, playing key roles in the survival or otherwise of brands, especially those that play in the ICT sector of the nation’s economy.

Market analysts have therefore ascribed the sudden surge in the number of youthfocused offerings across all market segments in the country today to the realisation of the huge and obvious opportunities this

demographic segment holds for brands to shore up their sales deepen their equity and increase their bottom-line.

And, interestingly, brand analysts have identified MTN Nigeria as one of such brands that has consistently not hidden its avowed commitment to identify with the youths market and leverage some opportunities in there.

But, according to these experts, unlike some other brands, the distinction between this telecoms service provider and others identifying throwing their hats in that youth market ‘ring, is the fact that it is borne out of the need to really meet a yawning gap within that demographic segment, rather than for pecuniary returns, which has always been the primary aim for most brands.

For instance, market watchers believe that the MTN Pulse, launched by the telecoms company recently, is really feeling the pulse of its teeming juvenile subscribers and will really go a long way to empower, energise and enable these youthful subscribers be whatever they choose to be, going by the different youth-friendly features of the package.

Perhaps a pointer to that fact is its accessible cost, which allows subscribers enjoy unlimited streaming of the latest and exclusive hit jamz on Music, for a token sum of money.

Interestingly, another way it has made the new package irresistible to this target market is the inclusion of the facilities to browse and download movies all night for another token; a pointer to the fact that the brand must have done a huge consumer insight before coming

up with the product.

According to the General Manager, Consumer Marketing, MTN Nigeria, Richard Iweanoge, besides providing exciting data package, the new offering also empowers the youths with relevant offerings fit for their daily academic and lifestyle needs.

“MTN Pulse is much more than a tariff plan; it’s a lifestyle and a movement of individuals who want to stand out from the crowd, proud of their originality, pacesetters, and trendy.

With MTN Pulse, you can enter into an unlimited world of possibilities,” he stated.

The choice of the trending trio of Falz, Skales and Tekno that feature in MTN Pulse debut short movie and a hit track, which has since been dominating the social media space and air waves, many believe, will, without doubt, resonate with the youths, since these three Nigerian artists command cult followership among the youths in the nation’s entertainment scene.

“I believe the youth population holds the four aces in the nation’s market space. It is huge, very active and highly sophisticated,’ argued Daramola Edward, a brand analyst.

According to him, brands are gradually shifting their attention to this critical segment of the market, but however expressed regrets that most brands are not doing it well.

“Some brands see the segment as that to be milked and dropped. They are not really meeting the needs of this market. But I think one of the reasons the MTN Pulse will continue to resonate with the youths is that it has been tailored down to really meet specific needs of the nation’s youths,” he stated.

CDK set to commence operations From left; Great Place To Work (GPTW) Master Trainer, Olumide Ajomide; Legal, Public Affairs and Communications, Director, Nigerian Bottling Company Ltd, Sade Morgan; Human Resources Director, Nigerian Bottling Company Ltd, Grace Omo-Lamai. and Managing Director, Nigerian Bottling Company, Ben Langat during the Great Place to Work Awards night held in Lagos, recently.

Noah’s Ark relocates to new office Promises enhanced services THE nation’s advertising industry received a huge boost recently as one of the nation’s creative advertising agencies, Noah’s Ark Communications Limited, relocated from its Maryland Estate office to a bigger one in the highbrow Government Reserved Area (GRA) in Ikeja.

The relocation is seen by many as a major boost to the industry that had been faltering since the beginning of the year. The new office, according to the management of the company, boosts of state-of-the-art facilities

and technology that would make the agency continually deliver value to its teeming clients.

According to the Managing Director, Noah’s Ark Communications Limited, Mr Lanre Adisa, the new office became very imperative considering the growth experienced by the company, in recent times, which had witnessed an increase in the clientele base of the Agency and its human resources.

Adisa further explained that the relocation of the company to its new office is in line with the vision and mission of the company to cre-

ate an excellent working environment for the staff, who are the most valuable assets of the company.

“With the new office, we have made a very bold statement; although we pride ourselves as young and nimble, sometimes size does matter,” he added.

Lanre Adisa stated that the new office for the agency is very symbolic at this time, as the Agency would be celebrating its 10th anniversary of redefining creativity in the advertising industry in Nigeria in the next two years.

StarTimes wins LCCI’s Fastest Growing Pay TV Award DIGITAL television platform, StarTimes, had its profile boosted again, in Lagos, at this year’s Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industries (LCCI) awards, as it bagged the Fastest Growing Pay TV award in Nigeria, recently.

The pay TV platform won the prestigious awards for its consumer-friendly offerings at the event that featured business leaders, CEOs, industry captains and top brands.

Explaining the rationale behind Award, Chamber stated that the annual award was put in place to recognise, celebrate and pro-

mote private and public institutions who have exhibited the core values of best business practices, growth through innovations, business sustainability and have impacted positively on the society.

In his response, the company’s Marketing Director, Oludare Kafar expressed appreciation to millions of StarTimes subscribers who he said actually made the award possible, while assuring them of the pay tv channel’s commitment to delivering better offerings.

He stated that the pay TV platform had

already embraced innovation and cuttingedge global technology solutions to deliver compelling digital television experience to its teeming subscribers.

According to him, the pay TV platform had also grown from a 40 channel platform to offering over 100 quality channels.

“We are committed to giving more to our subscribers with various life enriching engagements. With this award, we are highly motivated to continue offering more robust experience for viewers,” he added.

CDK Integrated industries, has disclosed plans to commence production of porcelain tiles and sanitary wares soon in its factories in Shagamu, Ogun state.

According to company’s Chief Executive Officer, Dr Khater Massaad, the company is building a world class factory in Shagamu, Ogun State, with a global standard that will stem the importation of ceramic tiles and sanitary wares from outside.

“It is clear that Nigeria imports over sixty five million square meters of tiles according to an international magazine with specialization on ceramic tiles and sanitary wares.

“We are going to change the Nigeria narratives in this area as we build the CDK Integrated Industries with the most sophisticated modern equipment known in the world for manufacturing of tiles and sanitary wares,” he stated.

According to him, the company’s goal is to be the hub of ceramic tiles and sanitary wares in West Africa, noting that with the building two world class factories, the company is on its way to achieving that.

He stated that the company is presently developing its manpower by training Nigerians and investing in equipment that will make it deliver quality offerings to the people.

While CDK Integrated Industries Sanitary Wares factory will be producing five hundred thousand pieces of several models of European designs collections, annually, CDK Integrated Industries Porcelain Tiles factory will be producing tiles of different types and hues.

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Nigerian Tribune

Sanya Adejokun - Abuja

A

government budget is an itemised accounting of the revenues of government (taxes and other fees) and the payments made by government (purchases and transfer payments). A budget is broadly divided into recurrent and capital components. While recurrent keeps government running by providing for salaries, stationery, travels, trainings and other sundry issues, majority of the population look up to capital aspect of budget for benefit.

The purpose of capital budgeting is to help poor people and others improve their life. One of the most important goals of government policy is to address inequalities in the distribution of income and to try to improve the welfare of the poor. An important part of the theory and practice of public finance is dedicated to conceptualizing and measuring how the revenue and expenditure sides of government budgets affect the distribution of income among households.

A budget deficit occurs when a government spends more money than it takes in. The opposite of a budget deficit is a budget surplus.

Over the years, however, emphasis of government budgets has been on recurrent and not capital to the point that by 2015, only N553.03 billion was devoted to capital out of a total N5.067 trillion equivalent to just over 10 percent. This resulted in high incidence of unemployment, which reached almost 25 percent in 2014 before a recalculation by the National Bureau of Statistics. Even now, it has been escalating every month since last year. Also last week, British Foreign Secretary put poverty rate in Nigeria at 85 percent. The United Nations regards anybody living below $2 per day as poor and those below $1 per day as extremely poor. A devaluation of naira in 2015 plus market depreciation of the currency has further compounded the incidence of poverty in the country.

Infrastructure development has suffered such that Nigerian roads, declared the best in Africa in the 1970s, are now some of the worst on the continent.

In terms of percentage, Nigerians are also the worst with access to electricity on the continent with about 12,000 megawatts installed capacity but power distribution often dropping as low as 1,200 megawatts for a population of 185 million. School children sit on unpaved floors or under tree shades. Malaria, HIV/AIDS and other diseases have reduced life expectancy, while infant mortality rate is one of the highest in the world.

Giving a review of the 2015 budget in Abuja last week, Minister of National Planning and Budget, Senator Udoma Udo Udoma said both the main and supplementary components was premised on a crude oil benchmark price of $53/barrel; oil production of 2.2782 million barrels per day and exchange rate of N190/ barrel. Projected budget revenue for 2015 was N3,452.35 billion, which was later revised downwards to N2,855.80 billion due partly to failure to achieve projected oil production levels arising from pipeline vandalism and oil theft. Actual revenue performance for the year was N2,745.68 trillion.

In preparing the 2016 budget, the problem of scarce resources had been compounded by a further decline in oil prices from a high of $114/barrel in 2014 to $38/barrel in December 2015. The budget was anchored on six pillars of economic reforms; infrastructure; social development; governance and security; environment; as well as states and re-

2016 budget:

Are there any real hopes? gional development.

The key objectives also include ensuring a stable macro-economic environment for real sector development; investments in critical infrastructure, science, technology and innovations that will enhance productivity and lower costs of doing business; creating a significant number of jobs to reduce unemployment and underemployment especially among the youth.

Other key objectives are: to protect the poor and vulnerable by special social intervention programmes; and building an economy that is less vulnerable to oil price shocks by vigorously pursuing economic diversification.

The 2016 budget would rely on non-oil revenue for funding. “The 2016 budget envisages a net distributable revenue of N5.72 trillion comprising of main federation account revenue of N4.303 trillion and N1.416 trillion from the Value Added Tax (VAT) pool account.”

Of this distributable revenue, Udoma said “net oil receipts amount to N1.48 trillion or 25 per cent while net non-oil receipts accounts for the balance of N4.22 trillion or 75 per cent.” Of this, federal government budgeted revenue is projected at N3.855 trillion largely contributed by its internally generated revenue (IGR) of N1.51 trillion which is 35 percent increase over the N2.855 trillion for 2015.

Growth in the federal government revenue would be mainly derived from the growth in non-oil resources namely: Corporate Tax; VAT and dividend from government corporations and independent revenue. Projected Corporate Tax will

Already, there is cautious optimism in parts of the country with funds already being released for some long abandoned projects

fetch N1.88 trillion in 2016 from N1.42 in 2015 and VAT collection will fetch N1.48 trillion during the fiscal year as against N1.28 trillion the previous year.

Some of the key allocations for 2016 will be Power, Works and Housing-N456.93 billion; Transportation-N202.34 billion; Defence-N443.07 billion; Interior-N513.65 billion; Education-N403.16 billion; Health-N250 billion; Agriculture-N75.8 billion; Solid Minerals-N16.73 billion and the much expected Special Intervention Programmes-N500 billion.

To make a success of the 2016 budget, the federal government has designed a Strategic Implementation Plan (SIP). Priority actions for implementation under these areas are: Achieve an appropriate foreign exchange regime; increase low interest lending to the real sector; maintain capital spending in the budget at a minimum of 30 per cent complement this with funds from the infrastructure fund for commercial projects; intensify the implementation of the public financial management reforms to grow revenue and cut costs; maintain a sustainable debt management strategy; introduce fiscal incentives to improve collections; intensify the fight against corruption by increasing transparency, accountability and compliance with law and order; intensify public procurement reforms in projects to obtain value for money and cut cost; sustain the fight against insurgency, kidnapping and other violent crimes, terrorism, cyber-crimes, piracy, oil theft and illegal mining activities. Intensify the reorientation of the populace through integrity campaigns.

Other policy actions to be taken in the fiscal year also include: implement measures to achieve self-sufficiency and become net exporter of certain agricultural items: rice -2018, tomato paste-2016, wheat-2019. Increase local production of maize, soya poultry and livestock, so as to achieve self-sufficiency: deadline to be announced in due course. Revitalise and expand Agro-Allied processing to intensify local production and processing of cassava, cocoa, cashew, fruits and sesame seed. Utilize 5,000 hectares of irritable land in the 12 River basin development authorities and utilize 22 dams for commercial farming activities by prospective investors. Concession the Dadinkowa, Gurara (phase I) and Oyan dams with capacity to contribute a total of 82.5MW

to the National Grid.

Government will also adopt and implement a road map to stimulate investment into the solid minerals sector and plug revenue leakages in the sector; implement the national industrial revolution plan and launch made in Nigeria campaign. Increase Manufacturing capacity by operationalising industrial parks, free and export processing zones etc; enhance support facilities to provide increased financial technical assistance, networking and information to new investors and existing enterprises.

The government is optimistic that it may be able to access some of the foreign loans on a concessionary basis and to make this possible, the Ministry of Finance is currently negotiating with multiple sources to secure the external financing.

Already, there is cautious optimism in parts of the country with funds already being released for some long abandoned projects. The budget highlights over 40 major projects to be executed during the fiscal year. Some of them include N40 billion for dualisation of Kano-Maiduguri road; N13 billion for concession of second Niger Bridge; N6 billion for dualisation of Odukpani-Itu-Ikot Ekpene road in Cross River State and Akwa Ibom State; N4.8 billion for rehabilitation of Ilorin-Jebba-Mokwa road; N40 billion for rehabilitation of Lagos-Ibadan Expressway; N6 billion for dualisation of Oyo-Ogbomoso road; and N5.5 billion for rehabilitation of Enugu-Onitsha road among others.

There is also power, railway, aviation, water, housing, agriculture, education, health and special intervention projects.

A sum of N500 billion was allocated to the Special Intervention Projects under which 500,000 teachers and 100,000 artisans would be recruited with N191.5 billion; Five million, five hundred thousand school pupils will be fed for 200 days with N93.1 billion. One million beneficiaries will be paid N5,000 monthly amounting to N68.7 billion.

If properly implemented, there is no doubt that the 2016 budget will tee off the process of improving the nation’s infracstructure which is critical to economic resurgence. But the question is will there be a departure from the past with respect to budget implementation?

The answer lies in the belly of the ensuing months.

Monday, 23 May, 2016 30 news Save Nigeria Group’s protest in 2012 not just about petrol price —Bakare

•Says NLC, CSO, Nigerians should engage FG for solution Bola Badmus- Lagos

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S the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and its affiliates spoil for war to continue with their strike over the recent fuel price hike, pastor and founder of Latter Rain Assembly, Pastor Tunde Bakare, has said the Save Nigeria Group (SNG) was not under any influence beyond the protection of interest of an average Nigerian in doing what it did during 2012 protest, tagged ‘Occupy Nigeria.’

He said what Nigeria was subsidising then was laziness and an entrenched corrupt order by which the government, in connivance with crony capitalists, fleeced Nigerians.

This was as he appealed to the Labour unions and Nigerian people to come together to engage the government intelligently, in finding solutions to the subsidy conundrum.

Pastor Bakare made this plea on Sunday, in the state of nation address themed: “The courage to do the right thing” which he delivered during the service in Lagos.

The cleric, who said he felt much concerned with the fuel price hike, which news, he recalled came to him while he was on a delegation of President Muhammadu Buhari outside the country, however, contended that contrary to charges that the SNG had kept silent over the issue, the reason that led to the group joining the protest in 2012 fuel saga was far beyond the removal of fuel subsidy.

According to him, it also included call for elimination of corruption in the oil sector through alleged payment of subsidies running into trillions of naira and the prosecution of those that might have been indicted prosecuted.

“I appeal also to civil society, Labour and the Nigerian people to come together to engage the government intelligently in finding solutions to the subsidy conundrum.

“We believe it is more productive for us to engage the government at the level of policy dialogue, with a view to detecting subsisting cracks in the system, proffering sustainable interventions and identifying the vestiges of the corrupt order who are resisting the clean-up of the system,” he said.

Bakare, while maintaining that the SNG was not

under any influence beyond the protection of interest of an average Nigerian in doing what it did in 2012 protest, said the then Federal Government was not subsidising the cost of production of refined oil in our nation, but subsidising the alternative cost of importation, which he said was a pointer to the fact that Nigerian leaders had allowed their laziness to envelope the entire nation to the extent that Nigeria had corporately become a lazy nation.

“I recall stating on this platform, in a message entitled: “The simple arithmetic of fuel subsidy,” that the Federal Government is not subsidising the cost of production of refined oil in our nation. What the government is subsidising is the alternative cost of importation. This shows clearly that our leaders have allowed their laziness to envelope the entire nation so that we have corporately become a lazy nation according to the biblical definition.

“On this premise, mindful of the sufferings of the Nigerian people, even though critical of the subsidy regime, I added that: By removing the subsidy if we ever allow this to take place - Nigerians will be made to pay for the ineptitude of their leaders and the kleptomania of government functionaries. Like other nations, some less endowed, we have the opportunity to set up our own refineries, refine our products, sell and export refined products, and make money.

“Instead of doing that, both NNPC and the government ‘explore sleaze, refine roguery and market sharp practices.’ They cannot complain that they import at a high price. It is their idiotic choice and Nigerians should not be made scapegoats for their poor choices.

“On the heels of this position, when the government suddenly removed the fuel subsidy without admitting to its complicit and compromised involvement in the maladministration of petroleum resources in

From left, national chairman, All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief John Odigie-Oyegun; Senator Domingo Obende; Minister of State for Petroleum, Dr Ibe Kachikwu and Governor Adams Oshiomhole, at a special thanksgiving to conclude a seven-day programme of Rock of Ages Christian Assembly International (RACAI), in Benin City, Edo State,

PENGASSAN may split from Labour Soji-Eze Fagbemi, Abuja

THE president of Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN), Comrade Francis Olabode Johnson, has warned that his union will stand on its own if the Labour centres, as represented by the Trade Union Congress (TUC) and the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) did not resolve their differences and come together.

Though the PENGASSAN president exonerated the TUC from the initial crisis affecting the ongoing Labour struggle against the government’s unilateral increase in petroleum price, he blamed the division in the NLC leadership for the discordant tunes and the division that was witnessed during the recent Labour negotiation with the Federal Government.

Reacting to this problem in an interview with the Nigerian Tribune in

Abuja, the PENGASSAN president threatened that if NLC could not resolve its leadership crisis and both TUC and NLC could no longer work together as before, then “PENGASSAN

can stand on its own.”

He warned that if as Labour movement, they don’t look at and pursue the interest of the people and they want to continue as TUC and NLC, if they don’t

come together, PENGASSAN can stand on its own, likewise few other unions like the Association of Senior Staff of Banks Insurance and Financial Institutions (ASSBIFI).

Nigeria, the SNG rose to the occasion in defence of truth and justice. Maximising the moment created by the strike called by the labour unions, we mobilised the Nigerian people to stand up against oppression.

“However, we made it clear to our allies that the SNG was raising the bar beyond mere removal of fuel subsidy to the fight against corruption in the system. So, while the rallying cry of our allies was ‘N65 or nothing,’ we wore branded T-shirts with the inscription ‘Kill corruption, not Nigerians’.

“Even though we identified with the sufferings of the Nigerian people that would be occasioned and intensified by subsidy removal, our position was that subsidisation was not sustainable in the longrun and would have been utterly unnecessary if the rot in the sector was confronted. We, therefore, insisted that if the government dealt with corruption and sanitised the system, there would be no need for a subsidy,” he said.

Speaking on the current hike, which he said was borne out of global economic recession leading to fall in crude price at international market, the drop in foreign reserve, just as OPEC members were also adjusting petroleum products prices locally, Bakare called for certain proactive actions on the part of the government to totally address the fuel subsidy saga in the country.

He urged the government to rework its communication strategy to ensure that Nigerians were carried along prior to, during and following the implementation of new policies.

Fuel subsidy: Why I support FG—Oshiomhole Banji Aluko, Benin-City

GOVERNOR Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State, has disclosed that the government of former President Goodluck Jonathan spent as much as N1.2 trillion on fuel subsidy.

This was as he said he supported the removal of subsidy because it did not make economic sense for government to spend more than half its earnings on subsidy payment.

The governor described the subsidy removal as difficult pain Nigerians must undergo before reaping the gains later.

He spoke at a special thanksgiving service or-

ganised by Apostle Charles Osazuwa, founder of Rock of Ages Christian Assembly International (RACAi), Benin City, to round off a seven-day programme of the church on Sunday.

He said he had, in the past, fought against pump price increase, but the present time was not ideal to campaign against subsidy removal as “the fundamentals have changed.”

He said: “I have listened to our chairman, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun and he reminded us that the Minister of Petroleum, Dr Ibe Kachikwu, has been under fire. I believe the fire will continue for some time. The fire that he is

going through, the end of it will translate to prosperity for our people.

“Under President Olusegun Obasanjo, we were talking of N20 billion for subsidy. Obasanjo would ask me, ‘Comrade, N20 billion can build XYZ road. I think the last one was about N40 to N45 billion a year for subsidy’.

“However, the last government under President Jonathan quadrupled the figure to N1.2 trillion.

When your total earning is about N2 trillion and you spend more than half for petrol, how much will you use for your house?

How much money will

you use for clothing of your children? How much will you use to send your children to school?”

Also speaking, the Minister of State for Petroleum, Dr Kachikwu insisted that the government of President Buhari was a government of hope, explaining that things could not continue the way they had been.

In the same vein, the national chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief Odigie-Oyegun noted that the country was going through difficult times, but the people had to change their ways for things to get better.

31 news

Monday, 23 May, 2016

How Buhari can fight herdsmen attacks, move Nigeria forward —Ofeimun

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OTHERED by the string of crises Nigeria is facing, scholars and other eminent Nigerians gathered in Ibadan, at the weekend, and agreed that the only way to get the country out of her economic, political and

social problems was to get Nigerians to take the country seriously.

They came to this conclusion at a book reading, held at the International Conference Centre of the University of Ibadan.

The gathering was put to-

gether by the Readers’ Club of the Ibadan School of Government and Public Policy (ISGPP) to brainstorm on Nigeria, through the reading of one of the recent books of a poet and gubernatorial aspirant in Edo State, Odia Ofeimun.

In his opening speech, the deputy vice chairman of the school and retired permanent secretary, Dr Tunji Olaopa, said the club was one of the school’s efforts at “contributing to the knowledge industry in Nigeria,” stating that authors whose

Vice Chancellor, University of Jos, Professor Hayward Mafuyia (left) with the General Overseer, The Redeemed Christian Church of God, Pastor Enoch Adeboye, during a visit to the vice chancellor, in Jos, Plateau State, at the weekend. PHOTO: NAN.

‘Over 1,600 cattle stolen in Plateau’ Isaac Shobayo -Jos AFTER months of respite, Plateau State branch of Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN) has stated that no fewer than 1,600 cattle belonging to its members were recently stolen at gun point in Plateau State.

The association, in a petition to the state governor, Simon Lalong, signed by its state chairman, Muhammad Nuru Abdullahi and secretary, Abdullahi Ardo respectively, pointed out that from January to date 1,653 cows had been stolen, but said due to the efforts of ‘Operation Safe Heaven (OPSH),’ 1,591 were recovered with the whereabouts of 62 cows unknown.

“In February, Berom rustlers had killed a herder and rustled 13 cattle into Kanakon village of Fan district, adding that “the 13 cattle were housed by one Bulus Aboyi, his wife, Esther and brother, Yakubu.

This attracted the attention of the community who gathered and started beating and macheting us and the officers of OPSH Sector 7 when we tried to recover the cattle.”

It further stated that seven Berom youths, armed with AK47, rustled 45 cows while they were grazing around Ndig village into Foron, adding that efforts of OPSH led to the discovery of two cows, which were at the

time being slaughtered and its meat shared among the Berom.

“As a result of that, an emergency meeting called by the sector 7 commander with the Berom community of Fan and Foron and the pressure mounted on the traditional rulers led to the

return of 19 calf out of the 45 to the OPSH Commander.”

When contacted, the Director of Press and Public Affairs (DOPA) to Governor Lalong, Samuel Emmanuel Nanle, said government discussed the matter of cattle rustling in its last Security Council meeting on Tuesday

with the aim of addressing the situation.

Nanle said “Government will not rest on its oars to ensure that it nips this in the bud, as well as deal decisively with the perpetrator of this act, particularly because they want to return us to the dark age of violence.”

Police rescue abducted woman in Kano Kola Oyelere -Kano KANO State police command, on Saturday night, at Hotoro quarters of the metropolis, rescued a mother of three, identified as Khadeja Ibrahim, who miraculously escaped from the hands of her abductors,in Maiduguri, Borno State.

The state Commissioner of Police, Alhaji Abbati Maigari Dikko, who disclosed this to newsmen, said Khadija’s captives picked her from a bus stop, pretending to offer her a lift.

The police commissioner noted that the moment she boarded the vehicle, she was hypnotised with some undisclosed substances, which promptly rendered her unconscious, not realisiing where she was until the vehicle in which they were travelling developed a technical hitch on the outskirts of Kano.

However, while the vehicle was on transit, the

police boss said her captives asked her whether she was familiar with Kano metropolis, but she replied that she had no idea.

According to Dikko, “Her abductors told her that they were taking her to Kano to perform Aiki Allah (like a Jihad).”

Furthermore, he disclosed that as soon as Khadeja regained consciousness, she realised that the clothes she wore had been removed and substituted with something that looked like a locally-made bullet proof jacket, adorned with so many chains and nails.

The police commissioner added that while efforts were being made to fix the vehicle, which was also carrying two men, Khadija and another woman, she attempted to remove the jacket because she heard about the Aiki Allah, which aroused her suspicion that she was in the wrong hands (Boko Haram

insurgents).

“Fortunately for Khadeja, she was able to remove the jacket, jump out of the car and ran out. One of the abductors pursued her, threatening that wherever she escaped to, she would be traced, and that they are all over the environment,” he said.

Dikko, however, noted that God enabled her to make good her escape, when some security operatives rescued and took her to Hotoro police station, from where she was transferred to the Kano State police command headquarters in Hotoro, in the midnight of Saturday.

Meanwhile, the state governor, Dr Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, has cautioned Kano people to be vigilant, particularly market men and women, following information that Boko Haram insurgents might launch an attack in any of the markets in the commercial city of Kano.

books stimulated discourses on Nigeria would be a periodic affair of the club.

Ofeimun, who kicked off the debate by reading from the nine-chapter book, entitled: “Taking Nigeria Seriously,” said the bulk of the nation’s woes could be linked to the fact that Nigerians and their leaders did not take the country seriously in all their interaction with the nation.

According to him, the book, which he said was a “concise image of Chief Obafemi Awolowo’s views of Nigeria,” was a composite of all the articles he had ever written, his thoughts, beliefs and poetry, which he said sought to look at the thoughts of Awolowo after he (Ofeimun) stopped being his private secretary.

He called for a holistic tackling of the issue of herdsmen attacks by President Muhammadu Buhari, stating that if not well tackled, it was capable of destroying the country.

“If we don’t deal with the issue of herdsmen, there may be no Nigeria tomorrow. Almost all Nigerian groups are brought up not to take Nigeria seriously; they fight against themselves and the future of their children by feigning to be fighting for the interest of their people.

The Fulani must be made to move to where they have cultural empathy – dairy industries, corn-beef industries. Government must build a global industry around their cattle-rearing,” he said.

Ofeimun lamented that Nigerian leaders were what

he called “hunter-gatherers” who move into a virgin environment which they graze to zero until it becomes a desert and then move to the next land, failing to plan for tomorrow in the process.

“In the Niger Delta for instance, an average of 260 makeshift refineries, built by those stealing crude oil, are destroyed every year and these people end up rebuilding the ‘refineries’ in three days. If an individual can build a ‘refinery’ in three days, why not a nation?

“This is prevented by corporations and individuals who determine that scarcity continues. If we were in a war situation and the enemies destroy our refineries, would we surrender or ensure that we move on? It should take not more than 10 days to build a refinery.

“Even in Biafra, shortchanged by their leaders and Nigeria, they made makeshift refineries,” he said.

Renowned educationist, Professor Bolanle Awe, lauded what she called “extremely provocative” issues dealt with in the book, especially the issue of indigene/ settlers, and education of children of tomorrow, concluding that the removal of History from the curriculum of schools was capable of making Nigerians not to take their country seriously.

“We should learn about our culture, tradition and be proud of them… If we do not know History, how can you get far in life? America won’t give you a degree unless you learn American history,” she said.

Group urges FG to establish grazing reserves commission Adelowo Oladipo -Minna THE national president, Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore, Ardo Bello Abdullahi Bodejo, has appealed to the Federal Government to, as a matter of urgency, establish grazing reserves commission to cater for the needs of nomads and their cattle, goats and sheep with a view to minimising the incessant pastoralist and farmers’ clashes in some parts of the country.

He gave the advice while fielding questions from newsmen in Minna, the Niger State capital, at the weekend. He added that the commission should have a minister that should be involved in articulating the problems bedeviling the pastoralists, with a view to resolving them.

Bodejo, however, cautioned Nigerians against politicising the issue of

pastoralists and farmers’ clashes across the country for their perceived selfish interests in the overall interests of enduring peace and national development.

He, however, warned that if some unpatriotic Nigerians failed to stop their campaign of calumny against his members, he threatened that the Miyeti Allah Kautal Hore group would not hesitate to revisit its case now pending at the ECOWAS court, challenging the killings of their members in some parts of the country by some hoodlums.

Speaking further on the move by the Federal Government to provide grazing reserves for the nomads, the group’s national president, described those kicking against the idea as enemies of Nigeria and appealed to the Federal Government to expedite action on the matter without further delay.

32 news DPR warns independent marketers against sharp practices Monday, 23 May, 2016

Adelowo Oladipo -Minna

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HE Niger State Controller of the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR), Mr Abdullahi Isah Jankara, has warned petroleum marketers in the state against all forms of sharp practices, such as diversion of the product, hoarding, selling above official price and under delivery of the product, or face the full wrath of the law.

He handed down the warning in a media briefing, held at the weekend, in Minna, the state capital, after the surveillance team of the department paid unscheduled visits to three local governments of Bida, Agaie and Lapai respectively.

Jankara expressed dismay over non compliance with the new N145/per litre pump price policy of the Federal Government by the affected petrol stations.

He reiterated the commitment of the department to ensuring absolute compliance with the regulations sequel to a memo received from the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Dr Ibe Kachikwu, to effect the new price of petrol at N145 per litre in the country, adding that stringent measures await defaulters.

The Nigerian Tribune,

however, gathered that most of the petrol stations visited by the DPR team were selling at between N150 and N170 per litre after which they were forced to reverse their pump price during the visit of the team.

The state DPR controller, who called for the support of the Federal Government to deregulate the down stream sector of the nation’s oil industry, with a view to doing everything possible to ensuring availability of the product in the country,

highlighted that one of the steps being taken by the government was the recent partial deregulation that had started yielding positive results.

Jankara disclosed further that the department had also intensified its surveil-

lance across the state to ensure full compliance, especially at the inter land, where most sharp practices were being observed to be perpetrated by some marketers.

He noted that no fewer than about 750 litres of pe-

troleum products was confiscated from some stations and individuals buying in jerricans recently in some parts of the state, adding that the product would be distributed to the public free of charge this week to serve as deterrent to others.

NUPENG threatens to shut down Mosinmi depot over state of road Olayinka Olukoya -Abeokuta THE National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) has threatened to shut down Mosinmi depot serving states in the South-West zone, if the Federal Government failed to reconstruct the Sagamu-Ogijo-Ikorodu Road.

The union said the deplorable state of the road had been a major concern to the body and other road users, saying the urgent rehabilitation of the road would make transportation of petroleum products easy.

Speaking at the weekend, during the official inauguration of the secretariat of the Independent Marketers branch, at the depot, was the Lagos zonal chairman of NUPENG, Comrade Tokunbo Kodoro, who said the Federal Government made large percentage of money from the depot, but had failed to repair the road.

Kodoro said the union

would not hesitate to suspend loading of petrol at the depot.

He said: “The state of Sagamu -Ikorodu Road is in a very bad shape and very sympathetic. The Nigerian government is getting volumes of money from Mo-

simi depot and the road that is doing that is not rehabilitated.

“This is the only road that connects Ogun and Lagos states together, apart from the Ibadan expressway, it is also an alternative route. If

any tanker falls and spills its content, such situation will be disastrous. God forbid!

“That is why we are using this medium to call on the government to urgently come and ensure proper rehabilitation. If government

fails to do this, we will not hesitate to shut down the loading at the depot and that will be too bad because Ogun, Lagos and other states that are making use of the petrol will experience scarcity.”

Why TUC boycotted strike —President Sylvanus Viashima -Jalingo

THE national president of Trade Union Congress (TUC), Comrade Kiagama Bobboi, has explained why the union boycotted the industrial action embarked upon by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) since last week, following hike in the pump price of petrol.

Addressing journalists at the weekend, in Jalingo, the Taraba State capital, Bobboi explained that TUC pulled out of the strike because it believed that there was the need to look at all the issues holistically and take a stand that would be in the best interest of Ni-

gerians and not only the reversal of the new pump price.

Bobboi explained that it was the resolution of the TUC national meeting held in Lagos to engage the Federal Government on possible reversal of the hike or to provide all necessary palliatives to ameliorate the hardship occasioned by such hikes and to work out a template for realistic minimum wage for workers and other ways of resolving the recurring challenges of the oil sector.

“Following the outcome of our meeting in Lagos, we engaged our counterpart from the NLC whose only

mandate was the reversal of the hike or downing of tools.

“We also engaged the government and realised that the choice was between the reversal of the new pump price or risk non-payment of salaries at all levels,”saying “most of the revenue will be expended on importation of petrol to meet local consumption on one hand and the negotiations for a new and better minimum wage for workers, provision of palliatives to cushion the effect of the hike and provision of funds for sustainable development of all sectors of the economy.

“Of course, we went for the second option as it is the

most reasonable thing to do.

Our comrades from the NLC understand and respect our position, just as we understand their dilemma,” Bobboi said.

The TUC boss further informed that the union presented three proposals to the government for an increase in the minimum wage, setting up of a technical committee to map out palliative measures to cushion the effects of the new price regime and the reorganisation of the Petroleum Product Pricing and Regulatory Agency (PPPRA); proposals the government has approved and is already taking measures to implement.

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south-westnews

Monday, 23 May, 2016

Afe Babalola canvasses return to regional govt Sam Nwaoko - Ado Ekiti

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EGAL mogul and the founder of Afe Babalola University, Ado Ekiti (ABUAD), Chief Afe Babalola (SAN), has expressed dismay at the poor pace of growth of the country and advocated for a return to regional government as it was in the 1960s.

Chief Babalola gave the suggestion at the weekend, while speaking at “Diplomatic Talk,” a programme organised by ABUAD’s Department of International

Relations and diplomacy, where the Malaysian High Commissioner to Nigeria, Mr Lim Juay, addressed the gathering.

Babalola noted with dismay, the overtaking of Nigeria by Malaysia, saying it was unbelievable to realise that Malaysia, a rather smaller country which could not compete with Nigeria in anything many years back, had overtaken it.

He therefore, canvassed a return of the country to the days of smaller units of re-

gional governance, so that too much power would not be concentrated at the centre, while the country would be easier to administer.

He said: “If we had maintained the regional government as found in the 1960s, we would have developed even better than Malaysia.

“Our forefathers considered the population, land and resources as very large, that was why they introduced regional government. It has always been the smaller, the better.”

The Malaysian envoy, in

his speech, said no fewer than 9,000 Nigerian students are currently pursuing various courses of studies in Malaysian universities.

Juay said the affected Nigerians chose to study in Malaysia, having realised that his country was one of the top tertiary education destinations in the world.

He said the students were studying at all levels of education, including undergraduate, masters, as well as doctoral studies.

The envoy attributed the

development to availability of facilities, affordable fees, friendly learning environment, quality tutors, good governance and stable economy, comparable to what obtained in Europe and America.

Juay said the GDP of his country with a population of just 30 million people, currently stands at $237 billion while her per capita income is $8,800.

He said Malaysia was also making the waves in the areas of agriculture, especially palm oil, which he said his country that gained independence from Britain in 1957 had been able to use to advantage.

The envoy, who expressed the desires of his country to further deepen its bilateral relations with Nigeria, disclosed that a total of 450 Nigerians had so far attended Nigeria/Malaysia Technical Cooperation Programme (TCP).

Mimiko set for Aboto water project inauguration

From right, the Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Saliu Adetunji and the newly wedded couple, former Minister of Sports, Professor Taoheed Adedoja and his wife, former Miss Jamila Tukur, at the Civic Centre, Idi-Ape, Ibadan, on Sunday. PHOTO: TOMMY ADEGBITE.

2 kidnapped nuns, driver regain freedom Hakeem Gbadamosi - Akure

SEVEN days after being abducted at gunpoint at Kajola village, in Odigbo Local Government Area of Ondo State, along BeninIjebu Ode expressway, two Reverend Sisters, Apo Perpetual and Roseline Familade and their driver, Zwugwa Zibai, on Sunday, regained their freedom.

The three victims were abducted last Sunday when traveling to Ogun State for a programme.

The three victims were rescued by a team of security operatives from the state and men of the Intelligence Squad drafted from Abuja, by the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Mr Solomon Arase, for the rescue mission.

Confirming the development, the state Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Femi Joseph, said the victims regained their freedom on Sunday morning.

Joseph, who declined to give details of how the victims were rescued, however, said no ransom was paid for the release of the two Nuns and their driver.

He explained that the kidnappers abandoned the three victims when it dawned on them that security men were on their trail.

Joseph said “what I can tell you for now is that the Reverend Sisters and the driver have been rescued

by our men and the intelligence squad sent by the IGP from Abuja.

“We are still on the trail of the suspects and we will soon arrest them because we are presently combing the area where the victims were rescued.

“The kidnappers quickly

abandoned their victims when they discovered that we were closer to their hideout.

“No ransom was paid before we secured their release but very soon, the police will arrest those behind the abduction of the three people.”

Strike: No work, no pay, Oyo govt warns workers

By Wale Akinselure

THE Oyo State government has warned that the “No Work, No Pay” rule would apply to any worker that participates in the ongoing industrial action called by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) over petrol price hike.

Secretary to the State Government, Mr Olalekan Alli, who sounded this warning in a statement on Sunday, held on to the National Industrial Court ruling as rendering the current strike as illegal.

Ali maintained that the deregulation of the downstream oil sector was the best option for the Federal Government to make fuel

more available to Nigerians.

He, however, beckoned on the Federal Government to provide palliatives to cushion the adverse effects of the new petrol pump price regime on the citizens.

“Deregulation appears the most realistic approach to solving the unpalatable experiences of the public in getting fuel at affordable price pending the time the necessary infrastructure for local refining of crude oil will be upgraded and expanded.”

“Similarly, we assert that it is the responsibility of those who are against this government policy thrust, e.g. the organised labour, civil society groups, etc, to canvass public opinion against such

policies without resort to threat and the intimidation of those who may choose not to agree with them.

“Consequently, government warns protesters and dissenters from taking the laws into their hands under any guise that may be construed as constituting public nuisance and a breach of the peace. For the avoidance of doubt, as ruled by the National Industrial Court, the current strike is illegal and consequently the ‘no work no pay’ policy shall apply in the state’s public service.”

Furthermore, Alli advised labour leaders to embrace the Federal Government’s call for further dialogue over the matter.

ONDO State government said arrangements are being concluded by the governor, Dr Olusegun Mimiko, for the commissioning of the ongoing multi-billion naira water project at Aboto and the 36 kilometres Igbokoda/Ugbonla road project where works have reached advanced stages, all in Ilaje Local Government Area of the state.

Construction of the water facilities has reached 75 per cent completion, while the 36-kilometre road project is also 92 per cent completed with the entire road already overlaid with asphalt.

Briefing newsmen on the project, the state’s Commissioner for Information, Mr Kayode Akimmade, said with the level of work done, the water project, which has reached 75 per cent completion, would be commissioned by the governor in July.

He said when completed, the water project would ensure regular supply of clean and potable water to communities like Ugbo, Ugbonla, Igbokoda and Mahin, all in Ilaje council area.

“From what is on ground, significant progress has been made and from all indications we are sure that come July, everything will be completed and Mr Governor will commission it.

The quality of work done there is excellent and fantastic, and we are satisfied,” he stated.

Nigerian Tribune

Ajimobi appoints 2 more officers THE Governor of Oyo State, Senator Abiola Ajimobi, has made two additional appointments as the new cabinet continues to take shape and form.

A statement by the Special Adviser to the governor on Communication and Strategy, Mr Yomi Layinka, on Sunday, announced the appointment of Alhaji Waheed Gbadamosi, as Special Adviser on Environment.

The governor also named Mr Dayo Iyaniwura, as his Personal Assistant.

This was in addition to the recent appointment of the Secretary to the State Government, Chief of Staff, Deputy Chief of Staff and nine special advisers.

Layinka said that other appointments would be announced in due course.

OBJ, Alaafin, others for summit on female genital mutilation

By Tunde Ogunesan

FORMER President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi III, wives of governors of Oyo, Osun and Ondo states, Mrs Florence Ajimobi, Alhaja Serifat Aregbesola and Mrs Olukemi Mimiko, respectively, were among other dignitaries expected at a oneday international summit on female genital mutilation and circumcision holding today at Mapo Hall, Ibadan.

The summit will be addressed by experts from United Kingdom, some traditional rulers and United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) representatives and spokespersons from other international organisations.

Addressing reporters at the weekend, the grand patron and co-ordinator of the Circumcision Descendants Association of Nigeria, Chief Abiola Ogundokun, informed that the event was being hosted by his association in collaboration with the Oyo State government and the U.K. Guardian News and Media.

Ogundokun said female circumcision was an age long cultural practice among the Yorubas and other ethnic groups in Nigeria, adding that many reasons were accounted for the adoption and sustenance of the practice.

He said “part of the reasons and belief was to keep the girl-child naturally insulated from the pressures of sexual excitement,” which he said in the process could get such a girl-child negatively involved in premarital sexual behaviours.

Nigerian Tribune 34 news Monday, 23 May, 2016 Edo 2016: Braimoh, Edo North PDP stalwarts endorse Ize-Iyamu Banji Aluko, Benin City

A

HEAD of the governorship primaries of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Edo State next month, more support has come the way of one of the aspirants, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, as a former member of the Senate, Senator Yisa Braimoh, at the weekend, led some other PDP stalwarts in Edo North senatorial district to endorse him.

Yisa Braimoh, who is a foundation member of the PDP and a member of the Nigerian Senate between 2007 and 2011, said Ize-Iyamu towered above other PDP governorship aspirants in terms of energy, intelligence, integ-

rity, achievements and godliness, adding that “in about a month’s time, we shall confirm our statement with the result of the primaries.”

Speaking at his residence in Ihievbe, Owan East Local Government Area, when Ize-Iyamu and his supporters visited him, the former deputy governorship aspirant of the defunct National Republican Convention (NRC), said Ize-Iyamu had been tried and tested, hence the resolve by the entire leadership of Edo North PDP to endorse him.

Speaking to the audience that consisted of PDP leaders in the Edo North, Senator Braimoh said, “I know there are four aspirants in

the race. The Bible says we should knock and the door shall be opened unto us. As a senator, none of the other aspirants has knocked at my door.

‘The only one, who has consistently knocked is Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu.

Good thing he is not an upstart politician. He is a successful lawyer, farmer and politician. Look at his track record. Beyond envy, it is intimidating.”

While appreciating Senator Yisa Braimoh, and the Edo North PDP leaders, Ize-Iyamu regretted that the two local government areas in Owan were neglected by the state government despite the huge human resources in the areas, saying “even in Etsako West, the develop-

Why I lost Edo South senatorial election —Osagie Banji Aluko, Benin City

MORE than a year after the contest for the Edo South senatorial election ended, the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate in the election, Honourable Samson Osagie, has disclosed that he did not lose because of his unpopularity, but due to the fact that his election was conducted the same day as the presidential election.

The former Minority Whip in the House of Representatives was reacting to a media report credited to Governor Adams Oshiomhole that he lost the election because he was unpopular and could not even win his constituency.

Osagie, who is now backing the Edo State deputy

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governor, Pius Odubu, in the race for the APC governorship primaries slated for June 18, said he lost to Jonathan, adding “everybody knew that if that election was not combined (with presidential election) there was no way I would have lost.”

He said the implications of his loss to the Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP) Matthew Urhoghide was grave for the Edo APC, pointing out that it has become imperative for him to set the record straight, in view of what had been said by Governor Oshiomhole about his loss.

He described himself as a popular politician, who twice won elections into the House of Representatives, promising to give his all to ensuring that the

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APC wins the September 18, 2016, Edo State governorship election.

“For some people to say that I lost that election because I was not popular is to be economical with the truth.

Everybody knew that if that election was not combined, there was no way I would have lost.

“The point is clear that those who have continued to echo the loss of that election to my candidacy remains the sycophants they are and they are not telling the world the truth.

“For those who want to give the impression that I lost that election because I was not popular, they just want to sweep under the carpet the various issues that accounted for the loss of that election,” he said.

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I, formerly Miss Fadiji Oluwaseun Ayobami now MRS ADESINA OLUWASEUN AYOBAMI. All former documents remain valid. The Polytechnic, Ibadan and general public take note.

CONFIRMATION OF NAME

I, formerly Oba Yetunde Hamdalat now ADEWOLE YETUNDE HAMDALAT. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

I, formerly Bamigbose Simiat Folasade am the same person bearing Bamigbose Simiat now MRS OLA-BALOGUN SIMIAT FOLASADE. All former documents remain valid.

TESCOM, Oyo State and general public take note.

I, formerly Miss Bamisaye Olabisi Mistura now MRS AJILEYE OLABISI MISTURA. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

I, formerly Miss Amusat Misitura Mosunmade now MRS OJELERE MISITURA MOSUNMADE. All former documents remain valid. Oyo SUBEB, First Bank Plc and general public take note.

I, Ajani Stephen Adebayo Ajani am the same person bearing Ajani Bayo and Ajani Stephen Adebayo and Ajani Adebayo. Henceforth, I wish to be known and addressed as AJANI STEPHEN ADEBAYO AJANI. All documents bearing these names remain valid. First Bank Plc, Skye Bank Plc, BVN and general public take note.

I, Odunfa Yemisi Abidemi formerly known as Odunfa Yemisi Abidemi now FATOKUNBO YEMISI ABIDEMI. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

I, formerly Ayorinde Oluwaseyi Oluwatobi now AIBINUOMO OLUWASEYI OLUWATOBI. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

I, formerly Akinade Kolawole Olugbade now AKINADE OLUGBADE AMOS. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME I, formerly Miss Ogunniyi Bunmi Doyin now MRS AKANJI BUNMI DOYIN. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

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I, formerly Good Friday Thompson now UDI THOMPSON FRIDAY. All former documents remain valid. Diamond Bank Plc and general public take note.

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I formerly Mrs Adeniyi Victoria Adenike now MS OYADIRAN VICTORIA ADENIKE. All former documents remain valid.

Stanbic IBTC Bank and general public take note.

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CHANGE OF NAME I, formerly Ajayi Busayo Basirat now BOLAJI BUSAYO BASIRAT. All former documents remain valid. General public note.

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CHANGE OF NAME I, formerly Oluseyi Adeola Odunlami now OLUSEYI ADEOLA ODUNUGA. All firmer documents remain valid. GTBank Plc and general public take note.

CONFIRMATION OF NAME

I, Adebimpe Folasade Nike am the same person as Adebimpe Racheal Folasade Nike. Henceforth, I wish to be known and addressed as ADEBIMPE FOLASADE NIKE. All documents bearing these names remain valid. GTB Plc, and general public take note.

ment was restricted to a small community.”

Among the Edo North PDP leaders in Edo North that attended the event

were the Edo North PDP youth leader and woman leader, Idodo Abdulrazaq and Osamojie Maria respectively; the Etsako

East PDP leader, Joshua Oghene; Owan West PDP leader, Solomon Amu; Mr Jaret Tenebe, among others.

Life expectancy increased by 5 years since 2000 –WHO

By Sade Oguntola

LIFE expectancy increased by five years between 2000 and 2015, the fastest increase since the 1960s, reversing the declines during the 1990s when life expectancy fell in Africa because of the AIDS epidemic, and in Eastern Europe following the collapse of the Soviet Union, World Health Organisation has said.

According to WHO, the increase was greatest in the African Region of WHO, where life expectancy increased by 9.4 years to 60 years, driven mainly by improvements in child survival, progress in malaria control and expanded access to antiretrovirals for treatment of HIV. Data from this year’s “World Health Statistics: Monitoring Health for the SDGs” released by WHO indicated that this dramatic gains in life expectancy had been made globally since 2000, noting that major inequalities persist within and among

countries.

The report showed that global life expectancy for children born in 2015 was 71.4 years (73.8 years for females and 69.1 years for males), adding that an individual child’s outlook depends on where he or she is born.

In addition, it showed that newborns in 29 countries-all of them high-income, have an average life expectancy of 80 years or more, while newborns in 22 others – all of them in sub-Saharan Africa — have life expectancy of less than 60 years.

With an average lifespan of 86.8 years, women in Japan can expect to live the longest.

Switzerland enjoys the longest average survival for men, at 81.3 years. People in Sierra Leone have the world’s lowest life-expectancy for both sexes: 50.8 years for women and 49.3 years for men.

Healthy life expectancy, a measure of the number of years of good health that a newborn in 2015 can expect, stands at 63.1 years

globally (64.6 years for females and 61.5 years for males).

Director-General, WHO, Dr Margaret Chan in a reaction said : “The world has made great strides in reducing the needless suffering and premature deaths that arise from preventable and treatable diseases.

“But the gains have been uneven. Supporting countries to move towards universal health coverage based on strong primary care is the best thing we can do to make sure no-one is left behind,” she stated.

This year’s “World Health Statistics” shows that many countries are still far from universal health coverage as measured by an index of access to 16 essential services, especially in the African and eastern Mediterranean regions.

Furthermore, a significant number of people who use services face catastrophic health expenses, defined as out-of-pocket health costs that exceed 25 per cent of total household spending.

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Monday, 23 May, 2016 CORRECTION OF NAME

CORRECTION OF NAME

I, Oyabure Joshua Orumens wish to reinstate that my name was wrongly written as Oyabure Joshua Isaac. My correct name is OYABURE JOSHUA ORUMENS. All documents bearing these names remain valid. General public take note.

I, formerly Femi Odede now wish to be known and addressed as OLUFEMI JAMES ODEDE. All former documents remain valid. CBN, GTBank Plc, FCMB Plc, UBA Plc and general public to take note.

My name is Nwankwo Anselem Obiefuna and not Nwankwo Anselm Obiefuna as erroneously stated in some of my documents. Henceforth, I wish to be known and addressed as NWANKWO ANSELEM OBIEFUNA. All documents bearing these names remain valid.

NECO, WAEC, all authorities concerned and general public take note.

I, formerly Adebamiji Jelili and Abdul Waheed Jeleel now WAHEED JELEEL OLANREWAJU. All former documents remain valid. Oyo State TESCOM, First Bank of Nigeria Plc and general public take note.

I, formerly Miss Salako Yemisi Oyekemi now MRS ADENIJI YEMISI OYEKEMI. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

I, formerly Ogunniyi Tayo now AJIFOLUSE OLUWASEUN MICH. All former documents remain valid. Yale Foods Limited and general public take note.

I, formerly Mrs Adebogun Janet Kehinde now MRS ADEBOGUN KEHINDE JAMEELAH. All former documents remain valid.

Nigerian Institution of Surveyors and general public note.

I, formerly Miss Folarin Ibukun Omolade now MRS O LU WA F E M I - AJ I BU WA IBUKUN OMOLADE. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

I, formerly Miss Omotosho Oluwakemi Moriselola Oludayo now MRS. YAGBOYAJU OLUKEMI RADHIYA OLUDAYO MORISELOLA. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

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I, formerly Miss Bilikisu Bolatumi Sanusi now MRS BILIKISU BOLATUMI ISHOLA-GBENLA. All former documents remain valid. Oyo State Teaching Service Commission and general public take note.

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I, formerly Ogunleke Florence Foluke now MRS. OGUNLEKE FOLUKE ADEOSUN. All former documents remain valid. First Bank Plc and general public take note.

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I, formerly Miss Adeyanju Grace Bosede now MRS IDOWU GRACE BOSEDE. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

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I, formerly Afolabi Oluwatosin Elizabeth now OGUNLEYE OLUWATOSIN ELIZABETH. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

CONFIRMATION OF NAME

I, Onwuegbuzia Okonkwo Ahagbonam am the same person bearing Onwuegbuzia Christian in separate documents. Now, I wish to be known as ONWUEGBUZIA CHRISTIAN. All documents bearing these names remain valid. UBA Plc, EcoBank Plc and general public take note.

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I, formerly Abdul-Mumin Rasheed now RASHEED TUNDE. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

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I, formerly Miss Fakayode Ife Oyindamola now MRS ADEAGBO IFE OYINDAMOLA. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

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I, formerly Folowosele Temitayo Dorcas now MRS AJAYI TEMITAYO DORCAS. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

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CHANGE OF NAME I, formerly Alaba Akanbi Oke now YUSUF ALABA OKE. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME I, formerly Sule Aderemi now SULE ADEREMI AREMU. All former documents remain valid.

FCMB Plc and general public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME I, formerly Miss Maria Motunrayo Oyeyemi now MRS MARIA MOTUNRAYO OGAR. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CONFIRMATION OF NAME I, Mr. Olaoye Oloyede O. am the same person bearing Olaoye Olusegun Oloyede. Henceforth, I wish to be known as OLAOYE OLUSEGUN OLOYEDE. All documents bearing these names remain valid. Skye Bank Plc, Oyo SUBEB and general public take note.

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I, formerly Miss Babatunde Adeola Bukola now MRS. TAIWO ADEOLA BUKOLA. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

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I, formerly Miss Alagbe Oluwatoba Abimbola now MRS. OGINNI OLUWATOBA ABIMBOLA. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

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I, formerly Ganiyu Olukemi Oduntan now EMIOLA KEMI ODUNTAN. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

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CONFIRMATION OF NAME

I, Miss Adedokun Toyin, Akanmu Juliana Olubunmi am same person as Mrs. Oluwatoyin Juliana Akanmu.

Henceforth, I wish to be known and addressed as MRS. OLUWATOYIN JULIANA AKANMU. All documents bearing these names remain valid. General public take note.

I, Miss Jaiyesinmi Iyabode Morenikeji am same person as Miss Iyabo Morenike Jaiyesimi, Miss Iyabode Morenikeji Jaiyesinmi and Miss Jayesinmi Fausat.

Henceforth, I wish to be known and addressed as MISS JAIYESIMI IYABODE MORENIKE. All documents bearing these names remain valid.

TESCOM, Oyo State and general public take note.

I, Agbaje Idowu Omodele am same person as Agbaje Idowu Oluwadamilola.

Henceforth, I wish to be known and addressed as MRS. AGBAJE IDOWU OMODELE OLUWADAMILOLA. All documents bearing these names remain valid. Banks and general public take note.

I, formerly Omoniyi Toba Omobolaji now ADEYEMI TOBA BOLAJI. My correct date of birth is 1st Day of February, 1981 and not 1st day of February, 1982. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

I, formerly Agboluaje Rasheed Adeyinka now MOHAMMED RASHEED ADEYINKA. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

I, formerly Miss Noimotu Alli am same person bearing Afolabi Oluwakemi. Henceforth, I wish to be known and addressed as MRS. AFOLABI OLUWAKEMI. All documents bearing these names remain valid. General public take note.

I, formerly Miss Akinrinola Ibukun Ore-Ofe now MRS. AJAYI IBUKUN ORE-OFE. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

I, Adam Afolabi Salami am same person as Adam Ishola Salami. Henceforth, I wish to be known and addressed as ADAM AFOLABI SALAMI. All documents bearing these names remain valid. General public take note.

I, formerly Oke Elijah Olorunsogo now OLALEYE ELIJAH OLORUNSOGO. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

I, formerly Oladapo Ayoade Mark now OGUNRINDE AYOADE OLADAPO MARK. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CONFIRMATION OF NAME

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I, formerly Akinnibi Lawrence Oladunmoye now AKINNIBI LAWRENCE. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

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I, formerly Mrs. Oladoyinbo Wosilat Aderonke now MRS. OLADOYINBO WASILAT ADERONKE. All former documents remain valid.

TESCOM and general public take note.

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I, formerly Obembe Esther Arinade now OBEMBE FUNKE ABIDEMI. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

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I, formerly Rasidat Funmilola Leigh now MRS. RACHEAL FUNMILOLA LEIGH. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CONFIRMATION OF NAME

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I, formerly Miss Olakanmi Kehinde now MRS. ADEGBOLA MARGRET KEHINDE. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

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I, formerly Ogunjumo Mary Abimbola now MORADEYO MARY ABIMBOLA. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

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I, formerly Ogunkoya Olumide Adeyemi now JESUKOYA STEPHEN AKINTOYE ADEYEMI. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CORRECTION OF NAME

I, Mr Olajide Babatunde Iyiola am same person as MR. Olajide Babatunde Fisayo. Henceforth, I wish to be known and addressed as MR. OLAJIDE BABATUNDE IYIOLA. All documents bearing these names remain valid. Osun State Polytechnic, Iree and general public take note.

I, Adeleye Haleemat Adebisi, my name was erroneously written as Adeleye Alimat Bisi instead of Adeleye Haleemat Adebisi.

Henceforth, I wish to be known and addressed as ADELEYE HALEEMAT ADEBISI. All documents bearing these names remain valid. General public take note.

I, formerly Olakunmi Adeleke Bankola now BANKOLE ADEBANJI JAMES. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

I, Odunola Olaboye, my name was erroneously written as Odunola Olabode instead of Odunola Olaboye. Henceforth, I wish to be known and addressed as ODUNOLA OLABOYE. All documents bearing these names remain valid. General public take note.

I, formerly Miss Olowu Olajumoke Omolewa now MRS. OLODUN OLAJUMOKE OMOLEWA. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

I, formerly Mr. Adejoorin Adewale Ayodeji now MR. ADEJORIN ADEWALE AYODEJI. All former documents remain valid.

Guaranty Trust Bank Plc., and general public take note.

I, formerly Miss Ayandele Victoria Ayandunmade now MRS FAJINMI VICTORIA AYANDUNMADE. All former documents remain valid. SUBEB and general public take note.

I, formerly Adesoye Oluwaseun Kehinde now ADESOYE OLUWASEUN TAIWO. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

I, formerly Idris Glory Omociboh now IDRIS RUKAYAT OMOCIBOH. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

I, Salawu Moriliat Funmilola, my name was mistakenly written as Salawu Mordiyat Funmilola instead of SALAWU MORILIAT FUNMILOLA. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

I, formerly Miss Farinde Olanike Beatrice now MRS. AJETUNMOBI OLANIKE BEATRICE. All former documents remain valid.

SUBEB and general public take note.

I, formerly Babalola Oladipo now AJAYI AKINWUMI OLADIPO. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

I, formerly Miss Adebiyi Ruth Adewumi now MRS. OJENIYI RUTH ADEWUMI. All former documents remain valid. TESCOM, Oyo State and general public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Michael David now ASIGNON DAVID. All former documents remain valid. Diamond Bank Plc and general public take note.

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CORRECTION OF NAME

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I, formerly Samuel Ekuwhovwve Urusheri now SAMUEL MISTERKAY. All documents bearing former name remains valid. General public take note.

CORRECTION OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME

CONFIRMATION OF NAME

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CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Miss Toyin Risikat Banjo now MRS. TOYIN FOLAKE AWONUGA. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CORRECTION AND ARRANGEMENT OF NAME

I, formerly Miss Ibitayo Funke Olufunke now MRS ABOKEDE VICTORIA OLUFUNKE. All former documents remain valid.

SUBEB, Oyo State and general public take note.

I, formerly Miss Ayodele Roseline Abiola now MRS. OLAJIDE ROSELINE ABIOLA. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

I, formerly Miss Akinseloyin Oluwakemi now MRS. SALAKO OLUWAKEMI. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME

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I, formerly Durojaye Idowu Oluwatoyin now OGUNDANA IDOWU OLUWATOYIN. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

I, formerly Miss Ojediran Hannah Adebola now MRS. ADEBAYO HANNAH ADEBOLA. All former documents remain valid.

Oyo State Local Government, Atisbo Local Government and general public take note.

I, Emmanuel Nancy Chinemerem am the same person as Emmanuel E. Nancy and Emmanuel C. Nancy in separate documents. Henceforth, I want to be addressed as EMMANUEL NANCY CHINEMEREM. Documents bearing these names are mine and remain valid. General public take note.

I, formerly Miss Adebisi Anuoluwapo Rafiat now MRS. ADEYINKA ANUOLUWAPO REBECCA. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

I, formerly Mrs Omomo Olufunke Oyeladun Mary now MRS OMOMO OLUFUNKE OYELADUN. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

I, formerly Miss Ajibola Mary Bamgbose now MRS AJIBOLA MARY ADEJUWON. All former documents remain valid. Oyo State TESCOM and general public take note.

I, formerly Ademi Paul Legbe now ADEMI PAUL OLAMIDE. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

I, formerly Miss Ewere Osatohanmwen now MRS BELLO OSATOHANMWEN. All former documents remain valid. SUBEB, Oyo State and general public take note.

I, Mary Amao am the same person bearing Abioye Mariam Adeniun.

Henceforth, I wish to be known as ABIOYE MARIAM ADENIUN. All documents bearing these names valid. Stanbic IBTC Bank and general public take note.

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I, formerly Miss Rasheed Ahwahu Titilope now MRS ABDULSALAM AHWAHU TITILOPE. All former documents remain valid.

NYSC and general public take note.

I, formerly Lawal Mary Tejumade now MRS SUNDAY AKANDE MARY TEJUMADE. All former documents remain valid.

Surulere Local Government, Iresaadu, Ogbomoso, Oyo State and general public take note.

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CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Paul Omolowo Olayemi now OLAYEMI AYOMIDE PAUL OMOLOWO. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

I, Mrs. Aremu, Alaba Bose am the same person as FAYEMIWO, ALABA BOSEDE, AREMU, ALABA BOSEDE and AREMU, ALABA BOSE (as wrongly mis-arranged in my certificates). Henceforth, I wish to be known and addressed as MRS. AREMU, ALABA BOSE.All former documents remain valid. All authorities concerned and general public take note.

I, formerly Miss Aboyade Abosede Mary now MRS ODEGHE ABOSEDE TEMITOPE. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

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I, Kolade Aderonke Sadiat am the same person bearing Kolade Ronke. Henceforth, I wish to be known and addressed as KOLADE RONKE SADIA. All documents bearing these names remain valid.

First Bank Plc., GTBank Plc., and general public take note.

I, formerly Miss Akinmola Olubunmi Folayemi now MRS ALABI OLUBUNMI FOLAYEMI. All former documents remain valid.

Ondo East Local Government, Bolorunduro and general public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

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I, formerly Miss Oyelayo Deborah Oyenike now MRS. OGUNGBADE DEBORAH OYENIKE. All former documents remain valid. Oyo State Hospital Management Board, TEDE and general public take note.

I, formerly Olaniran Kazeem Damilare now AKIBU KAZEEM DAMILARE. All former documents remain valid. Police Command and general public take note.

My name, Ebily Kaduna, was wrongly spelt as Ebily Kadunna in my BVN. My correct name is EBILY KADUNA. All documents bearing these names remain valid. Banks and general public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

CONFIRMATION OF NAME

I, formerly Mrs. Folashade Abimbola Ademokun now MRS. FOLASHADE ABIMBOLA SIWONIKU. All former documents remain valid.

Ministry of Environment and Water Resources and general public take note.

I, formerly Miss Adebayo Janet Bolatito now MRS. OLANIYI JANET BOLATITO. All former documents remain valid. Local Government Service Commission, Ogbomoso South Local Government, Arowomole, GTBank Plc., and general public take note.

CONFIRMATION OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME

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CONFIRMATION OF NAME

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I, formerly Morenikeji Sulaimon now AZEEZ KAFAYAT IYABO OSENI. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Francis Blessing Umukoro now FRANCIS BLESSING OGHENETEGA. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Miss Oseni Fatimah Yetunde now MRS HUSSEINLAWAL FATIMAH YETUNDE. All former documents remain valid. O.L.A. Catholic Hospital, Oke-Ofa and general public take note.

news 'Ogoni 4' are martyrs —MOSOP president 36

Dapo Falade -Port Harcourt

T

WENTY two years after their killing, the slain 'Ogoni four' have been recognised as true heroes, who paid the supreme sacrifice to ensure the continued existence of Ogoniland and its people.

President of the Movement for the Survival of Ogoni People(MOSOP), Mr Legborsi Pyagbara, gave the recognition in a preas release issued by his Media/Public Affairs Adviser, Bari-ara Kpalap, at the weekend.

The release, tagged "MOSOP remembers her fallen heroes, Chief Edward Nana Kobani, Mr Albert Tombari Badey, Chief Samuel Orage and Chief Theophilous Orage" was made available to the Nigerian Tribune.

"This occasion should therefore, provide the platform for the reform of our attitude and approaches with recourse to the peaceful and non-violent disposition of the martyrs.

It will be recalled that Chief Kobani, Mr Badey, Chief Orage and Chief Orage were murdered on May 22, 1994.

The late environmentalist and poet, Ken Saro-Wiwa and eight other prominent Ogoni leaders were subsequently executed by hanging in 1996 by the late General Sani Abacha -led administration, after a military court had found them guilty of the killing of the Ogoni four.

While Saro-Wiwa and the other eight, known as the "Ogoni nine", had been receiving accolades for their effort to ensure the development of the ecologically devastated Ogoniland, the "Ogoni four" had been described as vultures, who were out to frustrate what Saro-Wiwa stood for.

However, Suage, one of the children of the late Albert Badey, in an interview published by the Saturday Tribune, last weekend, said the Ogoni community and its leaders were doing a great disser-

vice to the memory of his late father and the other three leaders.

He claimed that, contrary to insinuations and falsehood, the 'Ogoni four', during their lifetime, contributed to the socio-economic

and political transformation of the area.

Pyagbara, in the press release, on May 21, 2016, said the Ogoni people, under its auspices, remembered the fallen heroes "who paid the supreme

THE proposed plan by the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Mr Solomon Arase, to replace firearms with stun guns, as part of measures to reduce casualties resulting from the misuse of firearms by the police personnel, has been described as inappropriate.

A member of the House of Representatives, Honourable Ayodele Oladimeji, who said this, urged Arase to suspend the in-

statement read.

According to the press release, the MOSOP president spoke from New York, United States of America, where he was attending the permanent forum on indigenous populations.

From left, Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Ibok Ibas; representative of Chief of Defence Staff, Major-General Barry Ndiomu; Chief of Naval Safety and Standards, Naval Headquarters, Rear Admiral Emmanuel Ofik; representative of Chief of Army Staff, Major-General John Malu; representative of Inspector-General of Police (IGP), CP Adeyemi Ogunjemilusi and the Commandant, National Defence College, Rear Admiral Samuel Alade, during an interdenominational church service to mark 50th anniversary of Nigerian Navy, at Our Lady Queen of Martyrs Catholic Church, Mogadishu Barracks, Abuja, on Sunday. PHOTO: NAN.

Rival militants clash, blow up pipeline in Bayelsa •MEND condemns bombing of oil facilities •Navy reads riot act From Chris Agbambu and Dapo Falade, with Agency Report A clash between two rival militant groups, on Sunday, resulted in the blow up of crude pipeline at an oil field operated by the Nigerian Agip Oil Company (NAOC), located in Ikeinghenbiri community in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of Bayelsa State.

The clash forced residents of the community to flee the area.

A resident of the area, Ebidimo Joseph, told Premium Times by phone that the groups were struggling for the control of the Ogboinbiri-Tebidaba crude trunk line, which passed through the area, adding that residents became scared and were leaving for neighbouring villages.

“The sound of the gunfire

is scary and there is no sign of the Joint Task Force soldiers who are supposed to be patrolling the area,” he said.

According to him, the pipeline was set ablaze while the two groups engaged each other in gun battle, adding that there was no way to ascertain if there was any casualty yet.

Spokesperson for the joint military force deployed to protect oil infrastructure in the Niger Delta did not answer telephone calls put through to him.

Meanwhile, the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) has condemned the sustained bombing of oil pipeline installations by a group known as the Niger Delta Avengers in the Niger Delta region.

MEND, in a statement issued in Port Harcourt,

Suspend introduction of stun guns, Reps member tells IG Ayodele Adesanmi - Abuja

price that we may live.

"These martyrs were murdered in cold blood at Giokoo, the traditional capital of the Gokana people of Ogoniland in controversial circumstances some 22 years ago," the

Monday, 23 May, 2016

troduction of stun guns till such a time when the state of insecurity in the country would have been abated.

He said Nigerians today live in fear, arising from insecurity, adding that "what happens if fire arms are now replaced with stun guns?”

Oladimeji, who is representing Ado Ekiti/Irepodun Ifelodun federal constituency of Ekiti State, in a motion he sponsored to support his stand on the issue, noted that replacement of fire

arms with stun guns would expose the officers and the citizenry to dangers in the hands of hoodlums.

"The current high rate of robbery, kidnapping and general insecurity of lives and property in Nigeria needed concerted efforts of well-equipped police force,” he said.

He, however, urged the police authority to regularly train and retrain its personnel on the use of fire arms.

Rivers State, on Sunday, a copy of which was made available to the Nigerian Tribune, said it would not support any attack on the country's key economic interests.

The group, in the statement signed by its spokesperson, Jomo Gbomo, said it arrived at the decision after a robust analysis of political events in the state in the last 12 months.

“After a rigorous and robust analysis, debate and review of political events in Nigeria within the past 12 months; particularly, as they affect the Niger Delta, MEND has resolved to continue to respect the unilateral ceasefire of hostilities declared on May 30, 2014 against key economic interests of the Nigerian state.

“The painful but necessary resolution to respect the ceasefire was borne out of MEND’s belief that as President Muhammadu Buhari marks his first year in office, he deserves more time to stabilise the country.

“MEND wishes to condemn and dissociate itself from the recent activities carried out by a group known as the 'Niger Delta Avengers'.

“Their sudden emergence has absolutely nothing to do with the Niger Delta struggle but rather, a tool by certain elements to destabilise the current government.

“Going by their actions and subsequent statements, it has become very apparent on who the spon-

sors of these group are,” the statement read.

Navy vows aggressive action against oil pipeline vandals The Nigerian Navy has vowed to adopt stringent actions against vandalism of oil installations in the Niger Delta region, as it marks its 50th anniversary.

It said the formation was working with all other security agencies to address the issue of insecurity in the region and restore sanity Chief of Policy and Plans, Nigerian Navy, Rear Admiral Jacob Adekunle Ajani, who said this in Abuja, as part of the activities marking the event, said there was no justification for the attacks on oil facilities.

He noted that the Navy had been able to carry out surveillance of Nigeria’s maritime domain, using the Regional Maritime Awareness Capability (RMAC) facility, which, he said, was fitted with radar and integrated video cameras.

The surveillance was complemented by aerial surveillance routinely carried out by naval helicopters from Naval Air Base, Ojo and the NAF ATR 42, based at 81 Air Maritime Group,Benin.

Ajani said ships had been deployed to carry out routine patrol of the maritime environment to curb criminal activities and facilitate response to any reported maritime incident.

More groups flay N/Delta Avengers over attacks on oil installations Christian Okeke - Abuja MORE groups operating in the Niger Delta region have condemned the destruction of oil installations by Niger Delta Avengers.

They have also decried the threat issued against the Federal Government

by Egbesu Red Ties group over revenue control in the region.

Two freedom fighting groups, AkwaCross Freedom Movement (AFM) and Bakassi Strike Force (BSF), at the weekend, said they were not in support of blasting of the oil and gas installations in the region .

Speaking on the outcome of a meeting, leaders of the groups, Master Simply and Ibok Eyo, called on the law enforcement agencies to use everything at their disposal to reject such agitations.

They called on all Niger Delta Avengers group and other agitators to embrace dialogue and negotiation with the Federal Government.

“We join in widespread condemnation with all wellmeaning and responsible individual, leaders, elders and groups in the Niger Delta region and the nation at large, against the attacks and vandalism of oil and gas installations.

NSCDC arrests 2 over pipeline vandalism in Enugu Jude Ossai - Enugu TWO suspects have been paraded by the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Enugu, for allegedly vandalising pipeline cables.

Disclosing this to newsmen in Enugu, at the weekend ,shortly after parading the suspects, the state commandant of the corps, Steve Ayogu, said that items recovered from them included four motorcycles, a Jetta car with registration number, Bauchi AE332 TRR, hoe and 67 empty cans.

Ayogu said that some criminal elements in society were constantly sabotaging government effort at building a viable economy, adding that security operatives will not relent in bringing the criminals to book.

He appealed to traditional rulers in the state to cooperate with security operatives with a view to combating pipeline vandalism in the state.

"We have about 22 cases in court and I promise to bring more if they refuse to stop pipeline vandalism," he said.

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Monday, 23 May, 2016

foreig naffairs

Obama to make historic visit to Vietnam

U

NITED States President Barack Obama left Washington on Sunday for his first visit to Vietnam, a trip aimed at sealing the transformation of an old enemy into a new partner to help counter China’s growing assertiveness.

Four decades after the Vietnam War, Obama was expected use the visit to deepen defence and economic ties with the country’s communist government.

“What we want to demonstrate with this visit is a significant upgrade in the relationship between the United States and Vietnam ... even as we have areas of difference,” Ben Rhodes,

President Barrack Obama.

08116954632 with seyi gesinde foreignn ewseditor@gmail.com

Obama’s deputy national security adviser, told the Reuters news agency.

Pressure has mounted on Obama to use the landmark three-day visit, which begins on Monday, to roll back a 32-year-old arms embargo on Hanoi, one of the last vestiges of wartime animosity.

Lifting the ban - something Vietnam has long wanted would anger Beijing, which resents US efforts to forge stronger military bonds with its smaller neighbours at a time of rising tensions in the disputed South China Sea. But there was no immediate word of a final US decision.

The visit comes just days after Chinese fighter jets carried out what the Pentagon said was an “unsafe” intercept of a US military reconnaissance plane in the South China Sea. Beijing is pursuing territorial claims there that conflict with those of Vietnam and several other countries.

In a separate development, Vietnam will showcase its five-yearly day of democracy on Sunday with an election for a parliament tightly controlled by a Communist Party that is seeing unprecedented challenges to a four-decade monopoly.

EgyptAir: Submarine searches for missing flight data recorders EGYPT has deployed a submarine to search for the flight data recorders of the missing EgyptAir plane.

“We are moving hard to retrieve the two boxes,” President Abdul Fattah al-Sisi said in his first public comments on the crash.

BBc revealed that the Airbus A320 was en route from Paris to Cairo with 66 people aboard when it vanished from radar early on Thursday.

Mr Sisi said there was “no particular theory we can affirm right now” for what caused flight MS804 to crash.

tions, the army’s media unit said, according to a broadcast on Sunday.

Fallujah was the first Iraqi city to fall to ISIL (also known as ISIS) in January 2014, six months before the group swept through large parts of Iraq and neighbouring Syria, according to Al Jazeera.

Remains of a terrorist attack environment in Yemen.

PHOTO: REUTERS

EgyptAir

Investigators say smoke was detected in various parts of the cabin three minutes before it disappeared.

Egypt’s civil aviation minister has said the possibility of a terror attack was stronger than technical failure, but Mr Sisi said establishing the cause could take a long time, adding “all scenarios are possible”.

The Egyptian military re-

leased images on Saturday of life vests, personal items and debris showing the EgyptAir logo which were found during the search in the Mediterranean Sea. The search has also reportedly found body parts and luggage.

The main body of the plane and the two “black boxes” which record flight data and cockpit transmissions have not yet been located.

Man mauled by lions in Chile zoo in apparent suicide attempt A man who stripped naked and entered a lion enclosure in a Chilean zoo has survived the incident, but the lions were killed.

Authorities in Santiago confirmed that the two African lions were put down

Iraqi army tells Fallujah residents to flee city IRAQ’S army has told residents of Fallujah to get ready to leave ahead of what may be an attempt to take the city back from the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant group, state TV said.

Families who cannot leave should raise white flags to mark their loca-

Afghan confirms death of Taliban leader

The army “is asking the citizens that are still in Fallujah to be prepared to leave the city through secured routes that will be announced later,” the channel said.

The city on the Euphrates River, 50km west of the capital, had a pre-war population of about 300,000.

A 20-year-old man took off his clothes and broke into a lion enclosure at Santiago zoo Saturday, where he was mauled by lions.

PHOTO: NOTICIAS CHELMEVISION

as they severely mauled the 20-year-old man who had broken into their cage early on Saturday.

The man, who has been named by local media as Franco Luis Ferrada Roman, was taken to a nearby hospital for treatment and was said to be in grave condition.

The young man broke into the enclosure, took off his clothes and jumped into the middle, horrifying other visitors who witnessed the attack.

Once inside, the lions reportedly immediately pounced on him and began to ‘play’ with him.

At this point, zookeepers

intervened in the attack and shot the two lions in order to save his life.

The director of the zoo, Alejandra Montalva, said: “We believe that this person entered as a visitor and paid for his ticket.

She told local media the park was crowded with visitors at the time of the incident.

“Later he trespassed into an area where the public are not normally allowed and we understand that he forced the roof of the lion’s enclosure.

“It was from there that he jumped, took off his clothes and started to attract the lions.”

AFGHANISTAN’S spy agency has confirmed that Taliban leader Mullah Akhtar Mansour has been killed, after the United States targeted him in a drone strike.

The drone targeted his vehicle in a remote area of south-west Pakistan, near the Afghan border, on Saturday, BBC said.

US Secretary of State John Kerry said Mansour had posed “a continuing, imminent threat to US personnel”.

Mansour assumed the leadership in July 2015, replacing Taliban founder and spiritual head Mullah Mohammad Omar.

The Afghan National Security Directorate (NDS) said on Sunday that Mansour had been killed in the Dalbandi area of Balochistan province - the first official confirmation of the killing of the Taliban leader.

Afghan Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah and defence ministry spokesman Daulat Waziri also said that Mansour had been killed.

Pakistan’s government said on Sunday the drone strike was a violation of its sovereignty.

The passenger thought to be Mansour had a passport under the name Wali Muhammad and was returning from Iran, it said.

He had yet to be formally identified, Pakistan said.

Mullah Akhtar Mansour . PHOTO: REUTERS

otherNEWS War in Yemen: 13 Al Qaeda fighters killed

“Special forces and the army gained complete control over the site backed up by helicopters from the Arab coalition, which dealt with groups of terrorists spread around the area who were fleeing,” Yemeni YEMENI troops killed 13 fighters in a raid army said in a statement on outside the southern city of Mukalla, which Sunday. was ruled by Al-Qaeda until last month.

“A search confirmed that

these fighters were about to carry out a surprise terrorist attack on some military command centres at dawn this morning.”

A security official said the fighters were from Al-Qaeda.

Hours after the raid three more fighters were killed as a car bomb they were prepar-

ing detonated in the courtyard of a house in the Rawkab area where the raid had taken place, residents and a security official told Reuters news agency.

They said that security forces were combing the area for more gunmen and explosives.

Before being forced out, Al-Qaeda fighters took advantage of more than a year of war between Iran-allied Houthi forces and supporters of President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi to carve out a mini-state stretching across much of the country’s southern coast, including Mukalla.

38

Monday, 23 May, 2016

Editor: Ganiyu Salman tribunesporteditor@yahoo.com 08053789060

ITTF confirms Team Nigeria for Rio Olympic Games

By Niyi Alebiosu

T

HE International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) has formally confirmed Team Nigeria as one of the 16 countries that will compete in the men’s team event of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games in Brazil.

In the list released by the world table tennis ruling body, Team Nigeria will fly Africa’s flag in the event alongside world and Asia champion, China as well as Germany, United States, Australia and host – Brazil.

Other countries that made the cut based on their world rating are Japan, hong Kong, Portugal, , Korea Republic, France, Sweden, Austria, Poland, Chinese Taipei and England.

With this development, aside Segun Toriola and

Aruna Quadri who have qualified to play in the singles event, the team will have Bode Abiodun, who is the third highest ranked Nigerian in the world as the third player to complete the required number of players expected to form a team for the Olympic Games.

However, in the women’s team event, Egypt will represent the continent alongside, China, Germany, United States, Australia and host – Brazil. Others are Japan, Singapore, Hong Kong, Korea Republic, Chinese Taipei, Korea DPR, Netherlands, Romania, Poland and Austria.

Meanwhile, Paraguay’s Marcelo Aguirre and Syria’s Heba Allejji are the players to receive the Tripartite places for the respective Men’s Singles and Women’s Singles events at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games. The

FIFA boss congratulates Yobo

FIFA president Gianni Infantino has congratulated former Nigeria skipper Joseph Yobo on his testimonial slated for Friday in Port Harcourt.

FIFA, in a letter personally signed by Infantino and addressed to NFF president, wrote: “Many thanks for

your letter dated 17 May 2016 and informing us of the testimonial match in honour of former international player and Nigeria Captain Joseph Yobo.

“On this occasion, allow me to congratulate and send my best wishes to Joseph Yobo for his future activi-

Guardiola weeps as Bayern Munich wins double

Guardiola holds the trophy while giving his emotional speech.

BAYERN Munich beat Borussia Dortmund on penalties in the DFB Pokal final to seal the domestic double and send Pep Guardiola off to Man City on a river of tears.

Once the final shot was taken, Guardiola broke down in tears. It’s unclear if this was because his time with Bayern was ending on a high note or because he had heard the reports about Jose Mourinho going to Man United.

Either way, Guardiola ends his three seasons with Bayern as a three-time Bundesliga winner, two-time DFB Pokal winner, one time Club World Cup winner, and zero time Champions League winner.

decision was announced by the International Olympic Committee (IOC).

Both players have received formal approval from their respective National Olympic Committees.

Marcelo Aguirre i s the winner of the Men’s Singles title at the 2013 Latin American Championships in San Salvador, it will be the third consecutive time that Aguirre has competed in the Olympic Games.

He was present in Beijing in 2008. when likewise he receive the Tripartite place, before qualifying for London 2012 Olympic Games by emerging successful in the Latin American Qualification tournament staged in Rio de Janeiro.

ties.”

The Nigeria Football Federation have released Super Eagles skipper John Mikel Obi and his assistant, Ahmed Musa, to honour Yobo in Friday’s testimonial game, leaving them out of the international friendly with Mali in France on the same day.

Joseph Yobo’s testimonial game, slated for the Adokiye Amiesiamaka Stadium, will feature a Team Joseph Yobo (comprising of Super Eagles’ players of Yobo’s generation) and a Rest of The World squad.

Quadri

Adegunle re-elected as Ibadan Polo Club president

By Nurudeen Alimi ADESINA Adegunle has been re-elected as the president of Ibadan Polo Club.

He was re-elected to continue in office during the annual general meeting of the club held during the week on the club premises, Eleyele, Ibadan.

Adegunle, who became one of the very few to enjoy serving the club for a second term in office was delighted and full of appreciation to the trustees, members and friends of the club.

He, however, made known his resolve to do everything within his capacity to uphold the good image of

the club and enhance the acceptability of the game especially at the grassroots.

Meanwhile, The Chairman, Governing Council, Lead City University, Ibadan, and a polo enthusiast who is

one of the trustees of theClub, Prof. Jide Owoeye, has congratulated Adegunle, urging him not to rest on his oars but rather continue the good work that earned him the second term.

Adegunle

Bendel Insurance wins trophy after two years Abiodun Jimoh- Benin City

BENDEL Insurance FC of Benin supporters across the country will have cause to smile this year as the club won its first trophy for the first time in two years at the 2016 maiden South-south Champion of Champions football tournament concluded over the weekend in Benin City.

The tournament live up to expectation as the final was graced by the chairman FROT Group, Frank Momoh, Edo state commissioner for

sports, youths and social mobilization, Hon. Presley Ediagbonya while Edo FA chairman, Frank Ilaboya played host to the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) President, Amaju Pinnick, Barrister Chris Green, and other NFF members.

It would be recalled that the tournament featured a total of eight football clubs from Bayelsa, Delta, Rivers, Akwa Ibom States and host, Edo state was bankrolled by Frot Group organised by the Edo FA as part of measures to prepare the clubs represent-

ing the zone and to ensure that the federation cup trophy won by Akwa United FC in 2015 is retained by one of the clubs from the zone this year.

The Benin club tutored by Coach Roland Ewere put smiles on faces of their teeming supporters that turned out in their large numbers into the stadium to cheer their darling team to victory in the final of the tournament against Akwa Starlet FC of Akwa Ibom by a lone goal courtesy of Iyamu Peter in the second half of the tension

soaked match.

However, Bendel Insurance pocketed the sum of one million naira as prize money while runner-up Akwa Startlet FC received five hundred thousand naira for their efforts.

In a chat with sports writers after the game, coach Ewere lauded his players for winning the trophy, adding that this victory would spur the club to do well in their campaign in the Nigeria National Leagues commencing on Saturday across the country.

39

Monday, 23 May, 2016

schoolsport

Nigerian Tribune

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

Inconsistency bane of school sport in Nigeria —Former NUGA president

Shadrack Tejumola Adeoti is the former president, Nigeria University Games Association (NUGA) and Director, University of Ibadan Sports Council. In this interview with NURUDEEN ALIMI, shares his experience as NUGA boss and suggested the way forward for school sport in Nigeria. Excerpts:

also supported sports, the late MKO Abiola did a lot for sports promotion in this country. Industrial General Insurance (IGI) also did well in giving sport a facelift. It is not that government does not provide money for sports but it is not enough. Another problem we have in this country is the fact that those who runs sport especially at the Federal Ministry of sport level, every Minister that comes in brings his own idea and as soon as he leaves office, the idea goes with him. I want to make reference to somebody like Air Comodore Ikhazobor, He decided to start up with some school sport programmes, he started very well and we were in support of the programme.

He will bring athletes from NIPOGA, NUGA and others together and pick the best and I mean only the best will represent the country. But as soon as he left, another person came in with another idea so, there is this inconsistency with the way we run sports in this country and that is a big problem. Look at NUGA for instance, I have had the opportunity of leading Nigeria’s contingent to the World University Games for about six times. During these periods, It was not easy for us to even get money to travel. Sometimes we would have gone and returned before government start to pay our allowances. Those were the unhealthy situations we found ourselves then, but as much as possible, we tried to do our best to make sure that we put Nigeria’s name in the global map so that we will not be find wanting.

A

s a former president of NUGA, Can you say the body has succeeded in producing adequate number of sportsmen and women for Nigeria?

I say with emphasis that we have contributed our own quota to the development of sports in this country by way of producing topflight athletes for Nigeria. Although some of them are based abroad, they have represented the country in so many event international. In fact, before I left office as NUGA president, I know that they were relying on us to make sure that they relate with us so as to be part of our athletes that will go to the Olympics. By and large, I am confident to say we have contributed our own quota to the development of sports in Nigeria by way of producing quality athletes.

How can you describe school sport in the country?

You just saw Mr Bola Orodele who is the secretary of NUGA now, he is a member of the Godwin Kienka led committee which was set up by the minister of sports, Barrister Solomon Dalung. The idea is geared towards sports development in Nigeria and for them to look at all the areas that need prompt attention and promote youth sport in Nigeria.

By and large, let me explain to you, the main source of raising the standard of sport in this country is school sports. To care of this, we have NIPOGA, NUGA and so on, but it is so unfortunate that these bodies are not being

Adeoti

treated well in this country. There is no money, they have series of programmes to carry out but unavailability of funds has rendered them incapacitated. I want to say without any apology that the way government is treating the sports sector is not right. If you want sport to develop, it is capital-intensive you need to spend money for sports to develop. Also, the best thing for us to do now is to encourage our young athletes to participate more in sports.

The likes of Nigeria School Sports Federation (NSSF), Nigeria Polytechnic Games (NIPOGA), Nigeria University Games Association (NUGA) and other bodies have a major role to play, they are expected to be factories house

where you train athletes and deliver them to whether the Ministry of Education or Sport which will nurture them till they are ripe to represent Nigeria at International competitions.

Are you blaming the government for the misfortune of school sport?

I can not blame government. Sports as I said earlier is capital intensive, you can not leave government alone to take care of it. There are some companies in Nigeria that used to participate very much in sports in terms of sponsorship. And also there are some eminent citizens of this country that have

On a final note sir, what do you think is the way forward for school sport development in Nigeria?

I think we should shift focus on football alone.

There are other 18 sports that can fetch medal for Nigeria at international competitions.

Schools should take note of this and ensure adequate training of young athletes in these sports. Corporate bodies should also join hands with the government to develop school sport by way of sponsoring series of competitions. Although some of them are already doing it but I think more companies should come in too

NUJ boss wants sports included in school curriculum

By Oluwabunmi Ajayi CHAIRMAN, Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ), Oyo State council, Comrade Gbenga Opadotun, has called on school proprietors to include sport in their curriculum as part of measures to discover talents among pupils.

Opadotun who was represented by the Assistant Secretary of the union, Pastor Wole Oladele stated this during the biennial sports competition of Trail Blazers Montessori Academy, Ibadan, held at the University of Ibadan Sports Complex weekend.

He noted that sporting activities help pupils discover their talents, improve on them and nurture them to stardom He said: “Education is not all about ac-

ademic, sport is also part of learning and should be included in school curriculum so that athletes can represent the country both at national and international competitions like Austin Okocha, Blessing Okagbare, Mary Onyali, just to mention a few.

“I’m also calling on parents to allow their wards engage in sporting activities which will help them to be able to make use of their talents,” Opadotun said.

The Anointed House (Blue) emerged as the winner of the competition with eight gold, five silver and four bronze, while Cornerstone House (Yellow) claimed the second position with six gold, one silver and six bronze as Glorious House (Green) settled for the third position with four gold, five silvers and two bronze medals.

Assistant Secretary, Nigeria Union Journalists (NUJ), Oyo State council, Pastor Wole Oladele, presenting the winner’s trophy to the representatives of Blue House, during the annual Inter-House Sport of Trail Blazer Montessori Academy, Ibadan, held at University of Ibadan sports complex. PHOTO: YEMI FUNSO-OKE

SIDELINES

NO 16,506

MONDAY, 23 MAY, 2016

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HESE are certainly delicately unfortunate times we are living in. All of us, young or old, of this generation, this vulnerable generation, every passing day experience one confusion or puzzlement or the other. Our confusion and puzzlement are rife indeed. As a garden rife with flowers, is our country rife with delicate passions that underline our insensate times. The dramatis personae in the play or narrative of our unfeeling, confusing, puzzling times are too carried away by their insentient mannerisms to know the difference between positive passionate intensity and beastly sovereign passion of death.

Indeed, the dramatis personae in the play or narrative called “Nigerian Politics” have infected everyone, every member within the conclave and outside the conclave of the dying middle class, with their inanimate enchantment of beastly passion. Hence men and women, women and men who used to look at one another very attentively with great admiration have suddenly become beasts and terrible and terrible beasts indeed.

The majority of us are familiar with tales reported in our newspapers relating to lovers, to husbands and wives, who yesterday drank the wine of deep love and affection from the glasses of deep love and affection, but who today have become bad husbands and bad wives. Endearing words such as “my beautiful lady,” my honey,” “my charm,” my prince,” “my princess,” “my lion,” “my lioness” have since lost their true and flattering meanings to our emperors and empresses of wonderful passions of yesterday. And their emperies are no more. Their emperor moths, purple emperors and emperor penguins are all gone. “What beauty!” What charm!” “O my heart, my soul!” - These heavenly words are no more echoing to our hearing.

The burning news now relates to a “killer-husband” called Lekan Shonde who recently “killed” his wife, Ronke Bewaji Shonde. We say “killed” – in quotation marks – because we assume

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The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), had, before its convention, said it would wrestle power from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). Surprisingly, rather than coming out stronger on Saturday, the party eventually broke into pieces, as it produced three different national leaders, Ali Modu Sheriff, Ahmed Markafi and Ibrahim Mantu, in its parallel conventions held in three different zones of the country. If the PDP still stands by its stance of bouncing back to power in 2019, with the present state of things, it is good to ask: Can a house divided against itself stand?

in&out with Tony Afejuku 08055213059

Bad husbands, bad wives he is yet to be legally proved to be an unworthy husband who actually opened his unworthy eyes to murder his enchanting Ronke. Did he actually kill Ronke whose forehead, checks and lips he used to kiss and kiss without inhibition and without precaution because of his enchanting affection for her? But I am only speculating as a creator and re-creator of visible and invisible princes and princesses of passion.

The other day, I saw a picture of Lekan in one of our dailies. He appeared to me as a gargoyle. My God! What did Ronke find in him? Princess Ronke of incomparable charm, what kindled in you, in your heart an instant flame that lifted you to Lekan’s arms, chambers and loins? See where you are now.

See what has befallen you pretty one, see, see pretty, pretty little one what unfortunately you have become. And your two little things, your two pretty urchins now without their mother, now without you their mother, what remembrance of you in that state they awoke suddenly to find your lifeless body, will forever ring in their memories?

I have read and read the different versions of the incident that terminated Ronke’s life. In fact, I am still reading the versions. I must confess that

Maybe murderous husbands and wives are enchanted by the insentient postures of our country’s political dramatis personae. what my eyes contemplate is visibly disturbing, sickeningly sickening and shockingly shocking. But I must keep my judicial opinion to myself for now. Yet let me state this: let bad husband Lekan keep on dishing his cock and bull stories to those who will savour and relish them until he has no more tales to deliver to their palates.

As I contemplate the unfortunate death of unfortunate Ronke, I remember the other one of Mrs Arowolo, I think, the Lagos banker who was allegedly hacked to a horrible death by her insentient husband who once loved her tenderly.

I think the incident pertaining to her case happened somewhere at Isolo area of Lagos of excellence where things unexcellent happen every now and then.

What has become of that case? Governor Ambode should please wade through the book of that case as he should also wade through that of the present one and give us justice. He should cast his eye on the books and tell officers and personnel in charge of the cases to tell us, without favour, what we must be told. Examples must be made of bad, murderous husbands.

Even if their enchanting wives of yesterday changed along the line of their marital love and vow, they do not have the marital right to kill them. They must face the music of the marvellous fit that led them to their heinous crime. They must face the music of their marvellous fit marvelouslly. The same thing must apply to killer-wives like the Ibadan female lawyer who not long ago allegedly killed her husband in her strange fit of contemplated jealousy.

After all said and done, maybe murderous husbands and wives are enchanted by the insentient postures of our country’s political dramatis personae.

What a tall thought.

•Last line. The columnist is at large.

Make no effort to reach him.

Hiddink to lure Drogba, Cech back to Chelsea

Hiddink

GUUS Hiddink has confirmed he is to stay at Chelsea in an advisory role and will try to lure club legends such as Didier Drogba and Petr Cech back to Stamford Bridge once they hang up their boots.

The Dutchman replaced Jose Mourinho as the man in charge following the latter’s departure in December 2015, but will make way for new manager Antonio Conte next season.

But Hiddink says he will not leave the Premier League club altogether and shed light on the position awaiting him behind the scenes.

“Technical advisor is a big word, but I will indeed hold an advisory role,” he told Fox Sports.

“I want to involve former Chelsea players. I spoke with Drogba last week, I have spoken with Cech. These guys are true Chelsea legends and have had such

an impact at the club.

“Chelsea are an old club, but they have only been there at the highest level for about 15 years or so. These older guys want the best for Chelsea and can do a lot for the club once they have ended their active careers.

“One might go for a commercial career, another might pursue a job as assistant manager and another might be interested in a scouting position. You can make such good use of guys like them. I have the freedom to approach former players for things like that.”

Trying to get former players involved will not be Hiddink’s only job, however, as he also aims to help more youngsters make the step up from the club’s youth academy into the first team.

“You often see that young players struggle to make the step up to the first

team. You have to slowly ease them into it, or they will do too much,” Hiddink added.

RESULTS NPFL

Warri Wolves 3 El-Kanemi Wikki

1

3 Ikorodu Utd 0

Abia Warriors 1 Sunshine

2

Akwa Utd

2 3SC

0

Lobi

1 Rivers Utd

0

FC Ubah

2 Tornadoes 0

Plateau

0 Pillars

Printed and Published by the African Newspapers of Nigeria PLC, Imalefalafia Street, Oke-Ado, Ibadan. Telephone: 08165728976; 08073598322. E mail: editornigeriantribune@yahoo.com Website: www.tribuneonlineng.com MANAGING DIRECTOR / EDITOR-IN-CHIEF: EDWARD DICKSON. EDITOR: DEBO ABDULAI. All Correspondence to P.O. Box 78, Ibadan. ISSN 2712. ABC Member of the Audit Bureau of Circulation. 23/05/2016.

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