24th February 2016 by Nigerian Tribune

NIGERIA’S MOST INFORMATIVE NEWSPAPER NO 16,443

WEDNESDAY, 24 FEBRUARY, 2016

Invest more in education, Awolowo Dosumu tasks —P5 South-West govs •Unveils programmes to celebrate Awolowo's 107th posthumous birthday

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I didn't approve $24bn crude oil swap deals without contract —Diezani —P41

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Organise national convention and go, PDP BoT tells Modu Sheriff •Senators withdraw defection threat —P6

Nigeria, Saudi Arabia commit to oil market rebound —P7

•Naira gains as dollar sells for N364 •FAAC records N17.38bn revenue shortfall —P10 UCH writes off hospital bills of quintuplets •Babies named —P7

Removal of 13 VCs violates University Act —ASUU

•Wants FG to exempt varsities from TSA —P40

Delta State governor, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa (left) with Obi Chukwuka Noah Akaeze, the Obi of Ubulu-Uku Kingdom, during a courtesy call on the governor, in Asaba, on Tuesday.

4 feared dead as soldiers, militants clash in Rivers —P12

TUC serves notice on minimum wage increase •Wants reversal of sales of DISCOs —P44

Wednesday, 24 February, 2016

Crude oil prices have changed. Many other things will change too.

In June 2014, crude oil sold for $114/barrel. Today, it is selling for $26. That is a 76.35% fall in the price of oil within 18 months! The CBN used to earn $3.2 billion on a monthly basis, but these earnings have fallen by over 60%! In June 2014, foreign reserves were $37.3 billion. Today, the account stands at $28.396, representing a decline of 23.8% in 18 months!

Is it possible for Nigerians to carry on as if nothing had changed in our economic situation? Is it possible for the CBN to continue to meet every demand for forex when the supply is drying up? Logically, we need to prioritise areas of urgent needs. We need to produce what we can at home and diversify our economy to earn more foreign exchange. But before then, we need to manage what we have.

THINK NIGERIA. ACT NIGERIA. BUY NIGERIA.

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Wednesday, 24 February, 2016

2016 Obafemi Awolowo posthumous birthday events Being a press statement delivered by the Executive Director, The Obafemi Awolowo Foundation, Dr Olatokunbo Awolowo Dosumu, ahead the 2016 Obafemi Awolowo birthday commemorative celebrations, at Efunyela Hall, Ikenne, Ogun State.

HIS year, the Obafemi Awolowo birthday commemorative celebrations will comprise two events. Firstly, a one-day symposium, themed, ‘AWO, Then and Now: Politics, Economics, and Education’, scheduled to hold on Thursday, March 3, 2016 at Efunyela Hall, Awolowo Residence, Ikenne, Ogun State, starting at 9.30am. The Obafemi Awolowo Foundation, the custodian of the intellectual legacy of the late sage, plans to devote the symposium to an examination of several aspects of the governance legacy of Chief Obafemi Awolowo. The aspects to be examined by a body of experts are; politics, economics, and education. We do this, as the title suggests, with a view to teasing out important lessons from the governance record of the sage, in order to provide a compass for the nation’s ongoing journey to political, economic and social transformation. It should be noted that this is in keeping with the Foundation’s forte of generating ideas, as well as provoking conversation to jumpstart national development. The event, which will consist of a keynote address by a distinguished scholar,will feature incisive brainstorming led by four eminent panellists on the political, economic, and educational aspects of Awo’s legacy. The symposium will be moderated by a scholar of global renown in what is billed as a high profile intellectual event. Apart from the Host Governor, other state governors across the political divide have been invited as Guests of Honour. Nigeria’s Fourth Republic has witnessed important gains in the direction of democratic consolidation, not the least of which is the watershed elections of 2015 in which power was peacefully transferred from an incumbent President and party to the opposition for the first time. The gains notwithstanding, the country faces sig-

Chief Awolowo nificant challenges still. The March 3 event will subject our gains, challenges, setbacks and prospects to detailed examination, in order to chart a way forward, using as template the seminal interventions in governance of the late sage. The symposium will be chaired by His Excellency, Malam Nasir el-Rufai, Governor of Kaduna State. The keynote address will be delivered by Professor Segun Gbadegesin, erstwhile Professor of Philosophy and Interim Dean, College of Arts and Sciences at Howard University, Washington. The panellists are: Dr Oby Ezekwesili, Professor Williams Alade Fawole, Professor Ayo Olukotun and Dr Femi Okurounmu. The symposium moderator will be Professor Ladipo Adamolekun. The symposium is intended, in keeping with the tradition of the foundation, as a public event with a notable element of public participation.

As much as possible, the event will be interactive so that public opinion on the important issues to be discussed can be gauged and factored. As previously, a communique outlining the main suggestions and resolutions will be issued at the end of the event. The second commemorative event is the 3rd edition of the Awo Memorial Kids’ Cup, the final match of which is scheduled to be played at Ajele Stadium, Lagos on Tuesday, March 8, 2016. Kick-off is at 2.00pm. Last year, we included female teams in the tournament. The innovation this year is the inclusion, at their request, of Ogun State-based grassroots kids’ soccer teams. We have also renamed the female tournament, ‘HID Obafemi Memorial Cup’. The Obafemi Awolowo Foundation cordially invites the general public to, once again, celebrate with us the life of this great icon at both of the above events. I thank you for your attention.

5 news

Wednesday, 24 February, 2016

Invest more in education, Awolowo Dosumu tasks S/West govs Unveils programmes to celebrate Awo’s 107th posthumous birthday Bola Badmus - Lagos

XECUTIVE Director, the Obafemi Awolowo Foundation (OAF), Dr Tokunbo Awolowo Dosumu, has charged all governors in the South-West states to invest more in education for the overall development of their citizenry. This was as she lamented the decline in the sector, saying it was disappointing and unacceptable. Awolowo Dosumu said this on Tuesday, while speaking with newsmen, shortly after addressing a conference on the forthcoming symposium to be held at Efunnyela Hall, Ikenne, Ogun State, on March 3, as part of activities to celebrate the sage, Chief Obafemi Awolowo’s 107th posthumous birthday. She also announced the kick off of the third edition of U-10 Boys and U-15 Girls of Obafemi & HID Awolowo Memorial Kids Cup 2016. Awolowo Dosumu, who recalled that the vote to education in the budget in the states was quite low and far below the suggestion made by the UNESCO, noted that, that was not the case in the

old Western Region when Chief Awolowo was the premier. According to her, what was deployed to education in then Western Region during the Awolowo-led administration was way in excess of what UNESCO now suggests should be the case, noting that the administration’s philosophy was that the priority in their budget would go to

those things that would enhance the quality of lives of the citizenry. She, however, enjoined the government to focus on training of teachers, while also enhancing their morale, even as she further urged that provision of basic tools with which knowledge would be impacted into the children be addressed. “ I would expect government from the South-West

to follow Papa’s footsteps in that regard and make sure eduction becomes their no one priority. In any case, we are already in and we are moving more and more into knowledge-driven world and there is no way by which we can compete with the developed world without developing individuals. “We are not saying there shouldn’t be access to pri-

vate education and private health and private everything, what Papa was saying was equality of opportunity. Those who go to public schools must also get quality education there,” she said. Speaking on the symposium, Dr Awolowo Dosumu said the event would be chaired by the Kaduna State governor, Mallam Nasir el-Rufai, while keynote ad-

dress would be delivered by erstwhile Professor of Philosophy and Interim Dean, College of Arts and Science, Howard University, Washington, Professor Segun Gbadegesin. The panelists, according to her, would be Dr Oby Ezekwesili, Professor William Alade Fawole, Professor Ayo Olukotun and Dr Femi Okurounmu, saying the moderator would be Professor Ladipo Adamolekun.

Arms deal: EFCC tenders more evidence against ex-PDP boss, son Sunday Ejike - Abuja THE Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), on Tuesday, tendered various documents in its four-count charge against the former chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Haliru Mohammed Bello and his son, Abba, before the Federal High Court in Abuja. The ex-PDP chairman and his son, Abba, are facing trial for allegedly collecting the sum of N600 million from the embattled former National Security Adviser (NSA), Colonel Sambo Dasuki (retd). The anti-graft agency, rep-

resented by Rotimi Jacobs, tendered the Certified True Copies (CTC) of the document through a prosecution witness (PW1), Ruqayya Ibrahim, whom he led in evidence when the matter came up on Tuesday. The document tendered in evidence included the CTC of the correspondences between the office of the Accountant-General of the Federation (AGF), Ministry of Finance and the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN). Other documents tendered in evidence by the prosecution were the statement of account of the company of the first defendant (Abba), Bam Project and Property Limited, payment

mandate of the N300 million from the CBN and the certificate of identification issued by the apex bank. Another document admitted by the court was a letter entitled: “An urgent demand notice for national security issues” written to the Finance Minister (State), dated March 3, 2015. According to the witness, on March 4, 2015, there was another letter written by the AGF to the CBN, authorising the transfer of N30 billion to the account of the Office of the NSA with the CBN. She said the payment was made from the statutory stabilisation and residual account and added that Bam

Project and Property Limited was paid N300 million for payment of safe house. “From the statement of ONSA account, N30 billion was paid on the 11th of March 2015, by the AGF to the ONSA and on the 17th of March, N300 million was paid out of the N30 billion to ONSA account. “When we requested for the details of transaction, it was revealed that Bam Project and Property Limited received N300 million from ONSA. The analysis of Bam Projects’ Sterling Bank account revealed that the account received a total of N300 million in two tranches of 150 million each on February 27.

“We interviewed the owner of the company and account and he said all the deposits mentioned earlier into Jappama-ado was made on the instructions of former Finance Minister (State), Bashir Yuguda. The disbursement of the fund into Bam Project’s account was on the instructions of Yuguda. “Yuguda is presently standing trial in respect to the same offence. They used the money for PDP election,” the witness told the court,” the witness said. They pleaded not guilty to all the charges preferred against them. The court adjourned till March 3 for cross examination of the witness.

6 news

Wednesday, 24 February, 2016

PDP gives Modu Sheriff three-month stay in office

•As BoT makes U-turn •He must go, ex-ministers insist •Senators withdraw defection threat Taiwo Adisa, Leon Usigbe and Jacob Segun Olatunji - Abuja

EPRIEVE came the way of Senator Ali Modu Sheriff on Tuesday, as the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) national caucus and Board of Trustees (BoT), in what appears to be a compromise agreement, limited his tenure to about three months. The caucus and members of the BoT met with most of the state governors present at the Ondo State Government Lodge, Asokoro, Abuja, where they resolved to support the former Borno State governor as the party boss as he begins the process of conducting nationwide party congresses and national convention within the next two weeks. The support of members of BoT for Sheriff is a turnaround from their initial opposition to his emergence, which the board reechoed on Monday. Members of the board, led by its acting chairman, Senator Walid Jibrin, joined state governors led by the forum chairman, Governor Olusegun Mimiko of Ondo

State and the Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, to announce the decision after Tuesday’s meeting. Mimiko said the party had got over the crisis of the last few days and had resolved to back Sheriff, who was also present at the meeting, in his position as the party chairman. He said the party boss, working with the rest of the National Working Committee (NWC), would, in the next two weeks, release the timetable for the congresses and national convention. “Ladies and gentlemen, as you can see, we are just coming from a meeting. You are all aware of some controversies generated recently because of resent development in our party. “I am happy to let you know that all the major organs of the party, the Governors Forum, the National Working Committee, the National Assembly caucus and the Board of Trustees, we have agreed to stand by our national chairman to ensure that our party moves forward. “We have put behind us all the controversies in the press in recent times. I

want to assure you that we are together as a party, we are strong. “We have also mandated the National Working Committee, the national chairman to put in motion immediately, the processes of ensuring that within three months, a national convention of our party is called and he briefs all our members nationwide in the next two weeks of our timetable in that direction. “In the next two weeks, the timetable will be out and all culminating in our national convention within three months. “I want to assure all of you that PDP is ready. We want to thank Nigerians that have expressed concern or showed appreciation for our party and we want to let them know that as one big family, we are set and ready to move forward with the party and to give good governance in this country,” he said. On the opposition of former ministers in the party, Mimiko said since the ministers belong to various states of the federation, the views of the national caucus cover them. According to him, “all I

can tell you is that every past minister is a product of the state caucus of the party. They emanate from the state. The caucus of the party is all designed that every state is represented by the chairman of the party. “Secondly, all the key organs in the party are also represented in the caucus. The governors are there, National Assembly members, National Working Committee members, BoT members are there. “And I tell you that every governor, NWC member, member of the National Assembly emanate from the state organ of the party. All state chairmen are members of the caucus, they are members of NEC. “They were part and parcel of the decision that led to this controversy. Everything is going on very well. There is no problem,” he added. In his remarks, the acting BoT chairman, Senator Jibrin, corroborated Mimiko, thanking the governor for what he termed their “tireless” effort to resolve the controversy. He said what Mimiko said was a true reflection of what the meeting resolved, while

Senate defers debate on Marafa’s probe Protest in NASS over his planned suspension Taiwo Adisa and Ayodele Adesanmi -Abuja MEMBERS of a non-governmental organisation, Open Society and Good Governance Initiative, on Tuesday, protested the planned suspension of the spokesman of the Senate Unity Forum, Senator Kabiru Marafa, over alleged uncomplimentary remarks against the Senate. The group, led by Emeka Ude, said the planned suspension was anti-democratic. Members of the group, with placards bearing various inscriptions, noted that the proposed suspension of Marafa would dent the image of the Senate because it was an attempt to prevent free speech among lawmakers. This was as the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions submitted its report on Tuesday. The committee, headed by Sam Anyanwu, laid the report on the Senate table and there are indications

that the debate could be opened on the matter today. It, however, emerged on Tuesday that a crack had crept into the ranks of the Senate Unity Forum, with indications emerging that the SUF spokesman, Marafa, was standing alone. Sources in the Senate confirmed that at a meeting of the body on Monday, members of the forum expressed displeasure at Marafa and accused him of personalising the issues. A source also said members of the forum declared that Marafa had always failed to consult members, while also passing off his personal views as that of the forum The forum also held another meeting on Tuesday, where Marafa was invited to clarify issues. It was gathered that the Tuesday meeting chided Marafa for allegedly making derogatory remarks against the entire Senate. It was further gathered

that the forum asked Marafa to always clarify the position of the members before granting interview to the media. A source said the Tuesday meeting told Marafa to “always differentiate between his personal views and that of the SUF,” adding that some members of the forum accused Marafa of organising the protest at the National Assembly on Tuesday without their knowledge. Marafa, in a telephone interview on Tuesday, however, said he had always sought the views of the SUF before speaking in the media. He also stated that no member had accused him of imposing his personal opinion on the forum, adding that it was wrong for the committee not to have properly invited him to its sitting. According to him, the explanation given by the clerk to the committee, Mr Freedom Osolo, that he (Marafa) shunned the sitting of the panel was a

fabrication. “The decision of the committee to have submitted their report without listening to me is wrong. They also failed to demand from the clerk, evidences that he invited me to the meeting held on Monday where the decision to write their report was taken and finalised. “I was a member of the committee for four years and I know how we operate. They were supposed to ask the clerk who lied against me to show proof of invitation he sent to me. I did not receive any letter or text message from him, yet they believed him,” he said. On insinuations that members of the SUF were angry with him, the senator said: “It was not true that members of the SUF had disowned me. I still remain their spokesperson and we met yesterday (Monday) to take a formal position on what our reaction will be whenever the Senate decides to debate on the report.”

he called on all members to be calm within the three months, as he was sure everything would be settled. However, the former PDP Ministers Forum rose from their meeting in Abuja, on Tuesday, resolving to maintain their opposition against Senator Modu Sheriff. In a communique issued at the end of the meeting, read by the forum’s chairman and former Minister of Special Duties, Tanimu Turaki, the forum said: “the forum of PDP ministers affirms the commitment of ideals and core values of founding fathers.We reject Sheriff as national chairman due to the illegitimacy that brought him into power. “The forum calls for the conduct of congress at all levels of the party, leading to the national convention to be held on March 27, so as to return power to the people. “The forum condemns all acts of impunity in the running of the party and calls for the respect of the party constitution. “The forum noted with dismay the threat to one of our own, Femi Fani-Kayode, by the chairman, Ali Modu Sheriff. We want to note that a threat to one is a threat to all.” Responding to a question on the U-turn made by the BoT on the matter, Turaki said by the time the former ministers took their position, which he said was guided by their conscience, “we felt that the process deployed to appoint national chairman was flawed.” Among the former ministers at the meeting were Femi Fani-Kayode, Bala Mohammed, Dr Suleiman Abubakar, Professor A.B.C. Nwosu, Professor Taoheed Adedoja, Professor Jerry Gana, Aminu Wali, Lawal Batagarawa, Professor Tunde Adeniran, Mrs Felicia Akwashiki, Mr Mike Onolememen, Chief (Mrs) Jumoke Akinjide, Musa Sada, Mr Steve Oru, Mohammed Wakil, Malam Ibrahim Shekarau, Edem Duke, Mrs Josephine Anenih, Mr John Odeh, Chief Ojo Maduekwe, Shettima Mustapha, Boni Haruna and Eyak Eneyin. Meanwhile, senators of the PDP met on Tuesday and agreed to give the new national chairman up to April to vacate the office. The senators, who met in a closed door at the Senate Hearing Room 1 of the White House wing in the Assembly complex, agreed

that Sheriff should remain in office till April. Sources at the meeting said the lawmakers agreed to drop the defection plan, adding that “it was agreed that the planned mass defection be suspended forthwith. Senators have now agreed to allow the chairman complete the tenure of the North-East as already stated by the PDP Governors Forum.” Senators also agreed to reach out to organs of the party to communicate their decision and await further directions on congresses and the national convention, another source said. Senators of the PDP had angrily objected to the choice of Senator Modu Sheriff last week, with many of them threatening to dump the party. The lawmakers and their counterparts in the House of Representatives had threatened to quit the PDP as a result of public perception of the new national chairman. But emissaries from the elected governors on the platform of the PDP had persistently bombarded the lawmakers in order to get them back out of the defection plan. I’m not afraid of Sheriff –Fani-Kayode Chief Fani-Kayode, on Tuesday, dared the national chairman of PDP, Senator Modu Sheriff, to court if he was not comfortable over his comment regarding his alleged association with Boko Haram sect. Fielding questions with newsmen shortly after the opening session of PDP Former Ministers’ Forum in Abuja, Fani-Kayode described as empty, the threat by Modu Sheriff that he would be dealt with for his comment. The former minister, who was also the director of media and publicity of the defunct PDP presidential campaign organisation for the failed re-election of former President Goodluck Jonathan, said it was unfortunate that Sheriff, who came as national chairman to move the party forward, was issuing threats to members from the take-off of his assignment. According to him, “I think this is unacceptable and nobody is intimidated. The fact of the matter is that he wants to set Nigeria on fire, he also wants to set PDP on fire and that fire is going to consume him and him alone.”

7 news Nigeria, Saudi Arabia commit to oil market rebound Wednesday, 24 February, 2016

Leon Usigbe -Abuja

resident Muhammadu Buhari and King Salman Bin Abdul-Aziz Al Saud of Saudi Arabia, on Tuesday, in Riyadh, expressed their commitment to a “stable oil market and a rebound of oil price.” This decision was reached at a bilateral meeting between Nigeria and Saudi Arabia in Riyadh, hosted by the ruler, King Salman Bin Abdul-Aziz. Mallam Garba Shehu, Senior Special Assistant to President Buhari, said the two leaders accepted the fact that their economies were tied to oil and that all cannot be well with both countries when the world oil market was unstable. “They, therefore, committed themselves to doing all that was possible to stabilise the market and rebound the oil price.” The two leaders, who engaged in extensive discussions on regional and global issues, also agreed that terrorism posed a common threat to their states and would require close cooperation to prevail over the threats. President Buhari, who was making his first pronouncement on the invitation to join the coalition of Islamic states against terror spearheaded by the Saudis, congratulated the kingdom on its formation. “Even if we are not a part of it, we support you. I must thank the kingdom of Saudi Arabia for the recent

creation of a coalition to address the menace of international terrorism. “Nigeria will support your efforts in keeping peace and stopping the spread of terror in your region. “This is in consonance with our own commitment and ongoing efforts in seeking to stamp out Boko Haram terrorists from the West African sub-region and the Lake Chad Basin Commission (LCBC),” the president said. On global terror, President Buhari said “international terrorism made a statement by attacking one of the advanced countries by carrying out an attack on Paris, in which 130 were killed. “Now, we have to come together to find a common solution to the problem of terrorism.” He thanked the Saudi government for its continued support to Nigeria in the fight against terrorism. On the ongoing crises in Libya, President Buhari expressed concern that the late Libyan leader, Muammar Ghaddafi, recruited, trained and armed citizens of many states in the Sahel region. “With his fall, these mercenaries have returned to their countries, doing nothing but to shoot and kill,” he lamented. He cited Burkina Faso and Mali as the main victims, but expressed delight that the countries neighbouring the Lake Chad had tightened their ranks to finish off the Boko Haram threat. “Luckily, we have cultivated

our neighbours. We are now working together against Boko Haram, otherwise the problem would have become worse,” he added. President Buhari and King Al Saud expressed hope that the Libyan factions would soon see reason to reunite and restore fully their own country, to

Tragedy struck at the council secretariat of Oredo Local Government Area of Edo State, as a pensioner, identified as Sunday Oboite, collapsed and died while waiting for his turn during a screening exercise. The screening exercise for the pensioners was ordered by the council as one of the conditions for the payment of their 10-month-old pension arrears. The late Oboite was said to have complained of hunger during the screening exercise and a colleague had reportedly bought him Viju milk and water. Secretary of Oredo Pensioners’ Association, James Erhunmense, said Oboite came to the screening venue alone and complained of not having any money to buy food and drugs. It was gathered that the pensioners had presented

themselves for screening at the council secretariat at about 8.00 a.m, but were later informed to move to Urhokpota hall, a distance of about 100 metres. The late pensioner was said to have informed his colleagues that he could not make the journey and chose to wait at the reception of the secretariat, where he later slumped and died at about 1.20 p.m. According to another pensioner, who simply called himself James, “Sunday (the deceased) said he had no money to buy food and medicine. For 10 months now, we have not been paid. Many others have died without collecting their pension benefits.” His death caused panic among the council workers and passersby, as people gathered to catch a glimpse of his corpse. The deceased’s age was put at 75 and was said to have worked and retired in

King Al Saud particularly commended the progress made by Nigeria in combating terrorism and promised to give further support and assistance. He welcomed Nigeria’s support for the new antiterrorism coalition and implored the president to consider its full membership.

He pledged his full support and cooperation to Nigeria under its current leadership and directed all agencies of his government to follow up on the discussions. “I now instruct my team to go and sit with your relevant agencies to push forward cooperation between our states,” King Al Saud said.

President Muhammadu Buhari, with King Salman bin Abdul-Aziz Al Saud, in Riyadh, on Tuesday.

Quintuplets: UCH writes off medical bill By Tunde Ogunesan THE University College Hospital (UCH) has waived the medical bill of Alfa and Mrs Yusuf Rasaq Ewenla, who gave birth to quintuplets, last week. It also stated that all

Pensioner collapses, dies during screening in Edo Banji Aluko -Benin City

save the world from further terrorism spin-offs from that country. The leaders also focused on trade between their states and agreed to give fresh impetus to the joint commission previously established to boost commercial and other activities to unify their people.

the Works Department of the council. The incident, however, did not stop the screening, as about five persons had already been screened at about 4.00 p.m. The pensioners said the computers broke down and that the officials brought chairs for them to sit after the death of their colleague. Chairman of the council, Mrs Sweet Ikpomwosa, could not be reached for comments, as she was said not to be in the office.

fund paid since February 15, when the woman put to bed at the hospital, had been refunded as at Monday, February 22. This was disclosed by the Public Relations Officer (PRO) of the health institution, Mr Deji Bobade. The Rasaqs, Nigerian Tribune gathered, had eight day prayers for the babies on Monday, at their No 2R, Akeem Street, Ijokodo area, Ibadan. Bobade, in a short message service (sms) sent to Nigerian Tribune, stated that “UCH waived the hospital bill of Baba Five.” Bobade further informed that “the amount cannot be ascertained now, since they are still on admission. The ones they have paid before Monday are to be refunded to them.” Efforts to speak with Alfa Rasaq as of the press time

proved abortive. AbdulRasaq Yusuf, the father of the quintuplets, had confirmed the news that UCH, Ibadan, had written off the medical bills of his wife and a set of quintuplets delivered in the hospital. Yusuf, who made the disclosure on Tuesday, during the naming of the babies at the hospital, expressed appreciation to the management of the hospital for the gesture. “My wife actually told me that the management of the hospital informed her that they are going to pay us back all we have spent. However, they have not done so as at this time you are talking to me. But we appreciate the management for this gesture. Allah will be with all of them,” he prayed. Asked whether naming

ceremony was done on Monday, the eighth day of the children’s birth, he said: “No, we did not have naming ceremony, we only did christening. I was not even there, because I was busy going about to buy drugs.” He appealed to pharmaceutical companies to assist his family with the drugs needed by his wife and the babies. He said the family spent between N18, 000 and N25, 000 daily on drugs and tests prescribed for the babies and their mother. He solicited the support of the wife of the governor, Mrs Florence Ajimobi and other public-spirited individuals, to provide assistance for the family. The babies were named Amod, Mohammed, Mahamud, Amudat and Amudalat.

Police arrest 13 ISIS suspects in Kano Kola Oyelere -Kano THE Kano State police command has arrested 13 suspects believed to be on their way to Libya to join ISIS. This was just as the state Commissioner of Police, Muhammad Katsina, said the command impounded drugs worth over N4 billion.

Speaking on Tuesday, in Kano, when inspecting various suspects arrested and drugs impounded by the state police command, Alhaji Katsina said he was so impressed by the level of commitment displayed by the police towards sanitising the society. Speaking with the newsmen, the state Commis-

sioner of Police said he would not rest until all the criminally-minded people who believed they could be using the state as their residence were arrested. Katsina, who further disclosed that the command was able to arrest the seven suspects who were on their way to Libya on the allegation to engage in a nefari-

ous activities, added that though investigation was still going on over their arrest. Speaking further, he said the command seized a large quantity of cocaine valued N2 billion, while unregistered intoxicating drugs impounded were 1068 kilogrammes, worth N600,000.

Wednesday, 24 February, 2016

Nigerian Tribune

Lagos 2 minors sue T.B Joshua, others over death of father AyomideOwonibiOdekanyin Following the collapse of a six-storey building within the premises of the Synagogue Church of All Nations (SCOAN), which killed over a hundred people mostly foreigners, two South Africans minors, Bulungu Malaika Wa Kalambaie, three-yearold and Nora Furah Wa Kalambaie six-year-old have approached a Lagos High Court, Igbosere asking the court for an order directing Pastor Temitope Joshua to pay them the sum of R 8,772,000.00 (eight million, seven hundred and seventy two South Africa Rand), as cost and damages for the death of their father. Specifically, the claimants’ mother, Amina Busseh

Alleged gay rapist for trial Olalekan Olabulo A Mallam who allegedly defiled a nine-year-old boy in Iju area of Lagos State, as of Tuesday evening, was still being detained by the police in the state. The suspect was, over the weekend, transferred to the Isokoko Divisional Police station in Agege area of Lagos State. The image maker in charge of the state police command, Dolapo Badmus told Lagos Metro that the police were trying to establish their case, before arraigning the suspect in court. She also assured that the police would do everything possible to ensure that justice is ensured, especially because of the nature of the case. The suspect had reportedly raped the primary one pupil on more than seven occasions, whenever he comes to him running an errand in his shop. Early test on the boy revealed that his anus had been widened as a result of the constant assault from the arrested suspect.

Bashi, a citizen of Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), through their lawyer, Bolaji Ayorinde, asked the court to order Pastor Joshua; the Registered Trustees SCOAN; Jadny Trust Limited; Hardrock Construction and Engineering Company; Oladele Ogundeji and Akinbela Fatiregun to pay the sum of R10, 000,000 (ten million Rand) as damages for loss of earnings and support, which they have missed due to the death of their father. They claim that their father died due to the negligent acts of the church and Pastor Joshua. They are also asking the court to direct the defendants to pay the claimants the sum of N30 million being the legal cost and solicitors fee incurred by the claimants in prosecuting the action. Also sued are: Lagos State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice and Lagos State Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development. The claimants are asking the court for an order declaring that Pastor Joshua and his church, SCOAN were negligent in their duties in failing to ensure that lives and properties of persons that come within their domain are safe and secure, and are consequently bound to bear their cost of living from September 12, 2014 to September 11, 2049 when the deceased husband was meant to reach the age of 70 and would naturally be unable to financially cater for them.

Classrooms located inside Lanre Awolokun Senior High School and Gbagada Senior Grammar School, Gbagada, with broken louvres and damaged ceiling. Photo: Sylvester Okoruwa.

Ketu tragedy: Residents raise

the alarm over pit latrine AyomideOwonibiOdekanyin Days after a young boy lost his life after falling into a 25feet pit latrine in Ketu area of Lagos, calls have gone to the state government to begin a massive clampdown on the users of such old fashioned convenience in the state. The incident occurred on February 17, at Alapere area of Ketu.

The boy, a primary one pupil, identified as Kehinde Toba, was said to have died after a bricklayer had sealed up the 25-feet pit without knowing that the boy was trapped inside the pit latrine. Some members of the community had reportedly embarked on a search for the boy before they were treated to the horrible reality of his death, after being

informed that the boy was last seen playing close to the open pit moments before it was sealed. Speaking concerning the incident, the Chairman, Lagos State House of Assembly Committee on Environment, Mr Dayo SakaFafunmi, on Tuesday called on the state government to discourage the use of such facilities in the state. The lawmaker, who sym-

NURTW, police, LASU hold talks aftermath students, union’s clash Olalekan Olabulo Officials of the Lagos State University (LASU), policemen from the Lagos State Police Command and members of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), in Lagos State are set to meet, in order to put a permanent stop to clashes between students and transport unionists. An officer of the Lagos

State Police Command, who pleaded anonymity, while speaking with Lagos Metro said that the meeting was aimed at preventing such crisis in the future. The police source said that the Monday clash between the students and the transport union members was as a result of the desire of the students to have more buses. The police source said “the DPO in the area has met

with the Chairman of the NURTW and representatives of LASU on how to permanently solve that problem. Everything is under control. The students have been pacified and the transport union members have also been enjoined to see the students as their brothers.” The police chief also stated that the police have also begun investigations into the clash with a view to forestalling a re-occurrence in the fu-

ture. A source at the NURTW also confirmed the peace meeting to Lagos Metro and expressed the commitment of the state leadership of the union to maintain peace “Our chairman, Alhaji Tajudeen Agbede has directed our branch chairman in that area to meet with the police and the representatives of the LASU management and students union,” the NURTW source said.

pathised with the family of late Toba, described the loss as ‘pathetic’ which he said was caused by negligence. “By all standards, the use of pit latrine should be deemphasised in Lagos. It should be outlawed. Pit latrine portends more danger than anything you can imagine. I only hope at this point that the government will clampdown on the use of pit latrine to forestall future recurrence of such a disaster,” he said. Saka-Fafunmi further indicated that since Lagos State was below sea level, then the government should not encourage pit latrine use so as to avoid contamination of the state’s communal water sources. “People with pit latrines often have wells in their homes and this infuses into the water and contaminates it. No wonder, we have a lot of water borne diseases. This is something that should be discouraged by the state Government,” he noted.

Wednesday, 24 February, 2016

metro 25-year-old man allegedly conspires with nurse to kill 40-year-old lover Gbemi Solaja Three persons have been arrested by the police after a 40-year-old woman identified as Helen Peters allegedly died in their custody. Uwadiegwu Henry, 25, Monday Ochonu 25 and Taiwo Adebiyi, 57, allegedly committed the offence at 36, Fashola Street, Papa Ashafa, Agege. According to the Police, Henry claimed that he was the boyfriend of the deceased. He was also accused of conspiring with Taiwo, who happens to be a nurse to kill the victim. Henry and Taiwo were accused of administering the Lagatine injection to incapacitate the victim so as to kidnap her and thereafter, extort money from her rich husband, which led to her unfortunate demise. Taiwo was said to have sup-

plied the injection that killed the victim, while the other alleged accomplice, Monday, tied the deceased’s hands and legs backward with a rope and also covered her mouth with a piece of cloth which suffocated her to death. Their plea was however not taken. The offences contravene and are punishable under Section 221 and 231 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State of Nigeria 2011. The Magistrate, Mrs K. A. Ariyo adjourned the matter till 31 March for (DPP) Director of Public Prosecution’s advice.

Edited by

Lanre Adewole

olanreade@yahoo.com

0811 695 4647

Land grabbers using AIG to harass me — 85-year-old land owner Olalekan Olabulo Eighty five years old Chief Ishau Ogunlana has accused the police of aiding land grabbers to subvert a valid court judgement. The octogenarian also alleged that the land grabbers are using an Assistant Inspector General (AIG) of Police to coerce the police in Lagos State. Meanwhile, the police in Lagos State have enjoined Chief Ogunlana to write a petition to the state commissioner of police on the incident. Chief Ogunlana has earlier sent a petition to the Inspec-

tor General of Police (IGP) to save him from constant threats to his life by the land grabbers. Chief Ogunlana also stated that an Ikorodu High Court, presided over by Justice H.A.O. Abiru had on January 14, 2011 delivered a judgment in his favour in a dispute over a parcel of land in Agunfoye Igbogbo area of Ikorodu area of Lagos State. “They threatened that they would ensure that I do not use the judgement, despite having the necessary papers to take possession. After getting all the necessary papers, including FORM O and other documents, the

Lagos State police commissioner ensured a peaceful execution of the judgment but the joy of taking over my land, after many years was cut short by the land grabbers. Each time any of the boys were arrested, the AIG would intervene and ensure their release,” the old man alleged.

Bola Badmus Lagos State government said it has concluded plans to establish the first ever high-powered DNA Forensic Laboratory in Ni-

Dead student’s family writes Yabatech, demands public apology over sickle cell claim • We are probing her death — Yabatech The family of late Charity Oluwabukola Dazan, a final year student at Yaba College of Technology (YABATECH) has demanded a formal apology from the school authorities over official reports claiming the late Dazan suffered from sickle cell an-

aemia. According to a family source who spoke with Lagos Metro on Tuesday, a delegation from the college had paid a condolence visit to the family home at Oko-Afo, Badagry, last Friday. “We have no problem with the school,” he said. “But it was irresponsible on the part

of the school to claim that our sister died of sickle cell anaemia. It is strange to us. Everybody who heard it also said it was strange. Charity was full of life. She rarely fell ill. She was 27 years old. We are not aware of any document where it was stated that she had sickle cell anaemia. “At the meeting, we told

them (the school authorities) that we would want them to withdraw their former statement and apologise. They asked us to put it in writing and we have agreed to do so.” When contacted on Tuesday evening, an official at YABATECH, who did not wish to be named confirmed the development but added

The image maker in charge of the state police command, Dolapo Badmos, while reacting to the incident, urged Chief Ogunlana to write a petition to the police in the state. She also assured that “we will look into it and ensure that justice is done as soon as possible.”

Govt to establish DNA forensic lab to track rapists

Trailer pulling a damaged truck. Photo: Sylvester Okoruwa.

Naza Okoli

Nigerian Tribune

that a “high-powered committee” had been set up to investigate the matter. “When we met with the family, we agreed not to address the press concerning this yet,” the source said, adding that, “but a high-powered committee has been constituted. We are looking into it.”

geria which will take off within the next six to twelve months, disclosing that the centre will aid investigation on domestic, sexual violence cases, among others. The State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Adeniji Kazeem, said this while addressing journalists at the Bagauda Kaltho Press Centre in Alausa on Tuesday. Kazeem said the establishment of the centre was another eloquent testimony of Governor Akinwunmi Ambode’s sincerity and seriousness towards fighting all forms of criminality. According to him, the lab, which would be called the Lagos State DNA Forensics Centre (LSDFC), when fully operational, would fulfill an un-met need for DNA profiling which he said was a unique forensic technique that was now being used all over the world. Kazeem, who addressed the media alongside senior officials of the Ministry, said Governor Akinwunmi Ambode had been at the vanguard of the war against domestic, sexual and violent crimes, and that the centre was geared towards vigorous justice sector reforms. He said the forensic centre facility, which would be driven by the Ministry of Justice with active support of the governor, would focus on DNA analysis to support the justice sector in diverse areas such as “collection and preserving reference and evidentiary DNA which can later be used in identifying criminals; decoding familial relationships of individuals which could also be a tool for the judicial system; and identifying victims and remains after natural and manmade calamities.”

businessnews

Wednesday, 24 February, 2016

Naira gains as dollar sells for N364

•Ubah threatens to expose those behind forex crisis FromSulaimonOlanrewaju And Chima Nwokoji

HE Naira firmed 3 percent to N364 on the parallel market against the U.S. dollar for the second day on Tuesday. The local currency exchanged for N375 against the greenback on Monday at the same unofficial market, after importers started to reduce demand for dollars. This followed the president’s defiance over devaluing the currency, while the official rate remained unchanged at N197. Acting President of the Association of Bureau De change Association of Nigeria (ABCON), Alhaji Aminu Gwadabe said though the recovery of the Naira is due to perception arising from the statement made by President Muhammadu Buhari last Saturday, it might be sustained for a while. Buhari had once again rejected a devaluation of the currency which has been hit hard by a fall in oil prices. “Many people are now aligning with the government’s position of no devaluation,” one dealer said. Meanwhile, Nigeria’s

pegged exchange rate policy appears unsustainable and undermines government efforts to attract investment and diversify the economy away from oil, the chairman of local lender Stanbic said on Tuesday. The comments are among the toughest yet from business leaders who have criticized hard-currency curbs imposed by the central bank to preserve the country’s dwindling foreign reserves despite a slump in vital oil revenues. As a result, the naira has fallen on the parallel market by almost 50 percent in recent weeks as the central bank struggles to meet importers’ dollar demand on the official interbank market, funnelling demand to unofficial dealers. “The greatest policy uncertainty ...is an exchange rate policy regime that threatens the foundations of macroeconomic stability and appears to be unsustainable,”

Stanbic Chairman Atedo Peterside told an investor conference in the commercial capital Lagos. “Efforts at economic diversification are...hampered by exchange rate uncertainties,” he said. The Stanbic chairman said dollar shortages in Africa’s top oil producer had reached levels where “most investors here are currently caught up in a frenzied pursuit of the cheapest available dollars.” “Everybody wants to take foreign exchange out and nobody really wants to bring it in,” he said. “Without investment there will be no new jobs.” The Managing Director of Cowry Assets Management Mr. Johnson Chukwu believes that monetary authorities should adopt a flexible exchange rate policy to save the Naira. According to him, such exchange rate regime is like a silver bullet that can be effective for both demand

management and supply expansion. Traders said the central bank only allocated between $150 to $200million weekly to importers but this is considered a drop in the ocean compared with requests pilling up by commercial lenders seeking dollars for their customers. “The way out of the present situation is for the central bank to relax some of its rule of forex, otherwise the naira will trade above N400 soon,” one trader said. Meanwhile, Managing Director of Capital Oil Ltd, Dr. Patrick Ifeanyi Ubah, on Tuesday, threatened to expose those behind the persistent fall in the value of Naira. The Capital Oil boss, who said this in a statement on Tuesday, pointed out that the slide in the value of naira was artificial. Ubah had in a television interview last Sunday promised to ensure that a dollar did not trade for more than

N200 if contacted by the government. He went ahead to add that the government should take over his assets if he failed to make good the promise. Ubah, in the statement said the Naira had been gaining against the dollar since he granted the interview. “This shows that the earlier increase has been artificial as some people were manipulating and benefitting from it. “They will all be fished out in due course so that Nigeria will be better and the suffering of the masses will end. “With God and our efforts even when we have not been fully consulted, the dollar can srtill be brought down to N200 and below.” He urged Nigerians not to buy the dollar if sold above N200. “Pray for Nigeria and let the dollar go down to below N200,” the statement concluded.

Sterling and Wilson Solar division opens office in Lagos ONE of the top global solar EPC solution providers, Sterling and Wilson, continuing its aggressive expansion strategy throughout the Africa region, has opened an office in Lagos. Sterling and Wilson’s Solar division had revealed its plan to set up four offices in Africa by end of 2016, beginning with Lagos, Nigeria, before moving to Dar es Salaam in Tanzania, followed by Kenya and Ghana. Sterling and Wilson’s Solar division already has substantial presence in Cape Town and Cairo. The company said it will employ local talent for running its new operations in Lagos, as it already announced plans to execute EPC works for 500MW of solar photovoltaic (PV) plants across different parts of Africa in the next three years. “We believe Sterling and Wilson is well positioned for expansion as more investors are focusing aggressively on the African Solar Market. The industry is growing rapidly and we will continue to expand strategically to meet demand,” Bikesh Ogra, President, Solar EPC business for Sterling and Wilson said.

From left: Chairperson, LCCI Women Group, Agnes Shobajo; Managing Director/CEO, Northwest Petroleum & Gas Ltd, Winifred Akpani; General Manager, Technical & Commercial, O.P. Singh, and member, LCCI Women Group, Victoria Onafowokan-Obadina, during a visit to the Northwest Petroleun Company by the group in Calabar, Cross River State, recently.

FAAC records N17.38bn revenue shortfall •As FG states, LGs share N370bn allocation Gbola Subair-Abuja

THE Federation Accounts Allocation Committee ( FAAC) recorded a revenue shortfall of N17.38billion in January as the three tiers of government shared N370.388 billion in the month. Briefing journalists on Tuesday shortly after FAAC meeting in Abuja, the Chairman of FAAC and Minister of Finance, Mrs Kemi Adeosun, disclosed that N370.388billion was shared as allocation for January as against N387.771billion for December. According to the minister, the sum of N283.338 billion was shared as statutory allocation for the month under review.

Out of this sum, the Federal Government collected N137.473 billion( 52.68per cent), states N69.728 billion (26.72 per cent), the local government councils N53,757billion (20.60 per

cent) while N22,380billion was shared among the oil producing states as derivation fund. While N66.930 billion was collected as Value Added Tax within the pe-

riod, Mrs Adeosun said N10.040 billion was allocated to the federal government, states received N33.465billion while local government councils got N23.426 billion.

‘Nigeria is prepared for ICAO audit’ Shola Adekola-Lagos FEW weeks to the commencement of the audit of the Nigeria’s aviation sector by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO), Nigeria’s regulatory body, the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority has declared that it was ready for the international exercise. The General Manager, Public Affairs for the authority,

Sam Adurogboye, who made this known last week, said though preparation was still ongoing, that the audit was not new to NCAA since it has gone through a similar audit in 2007 at a time when the country was facing the challenge of air mishaps. Still speaking on the ICAO audit which comes up in March, Adurogboye said: “In the last ICAO audit in 2007, our performance was

93%. So when we are talking about NCAA, with past records, we can say categorically that we are doing well. “What we put together as safety roadmap in Nigeria aviation, have been recommended to other countries in Africa. If Nigeria is not safety compliant, a Nigerian cannot emerge as candidate for ICAO. Infact, he was nominated by us and seconded by Australia.”

Nigerian Tribune

LCCI urges Lagos to take lead in fighting multiple taxation ChukwumaOkpoaraocha-Lagos

THE President of the Lagos State Chambers of Commerce and Industry (LCCI), Chief Nike Akande, on Tuesday urged the State House of Assembly to work in collaboration with the Federal Government to address the issue of multiple taxation and traffic congestion in a way that will ultimately aid economic development of the state. Akande made the appeal during a courtesy call on the Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Mudashiru Obasa in Lagos, where she maintained that it was time for Lagos to set an example to other states in eradicating the problem of multiple taxation, as well tenancy and certificate of occupancyrelated problems in the country, saying those were some of the problems that had long kept the nation backward. “Lagos being the home for all, and commercial capital of Nigeria must show the lead by tackling the menace of multiplicity of taxes, challenges associated with certificate of occupancy, tenancy related issues, waste disposal and traffic congestion among others,” she said. Akande, a-two time former minister, also called for better working relationship between LCCI and the State Assembly, adding that an investment friendly legislation and oversight was critical for good governance and the progress of the Lagos economy. “We believe that this is the time for Lagos State to work with the Federal Government to address the factors that are stifling the investment climate in the State, especially in respect of development of infrastructures,” the LCCI president said. In his remarks, the Speaker promised that the State Assembly was poised to sustain the existing cordial relationship between the executive, citing the prompt passage of the 2016 budget, which he said was, among other things, aimed at expanding the state’s infrastructure, as an attestation to this. Obasa said, “we are ready to collaborate with any institution that will assist in improving the economy of the state. We are aware of the challenges facing our country today, and Lagos cannot be isolated from it.”

Nigerian Tribune Wednesday, 24 February, 2016 11 businessnews Market We did not cause naira depreciation —BDC operators NSE: capitalisation Chima Nwokoji-Lagos

UREAU De Change (BDC) operators, under the auspices of the Association of Bureau De Change Operators of Nigeria (ABCON) has dissociated its members from the sharp depreciation of the Naira in the parallel market. There have been allegations in recent times that BDCs are behind the depreciation of the local currency from N265 per dollar to near N400 per dollar today, especially since January 12th, 2016, when the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) stopped direct sale of dollars to Bureaux De Change. To the above allegation, the association says, “This is far from the truth.” Addressing newsmen in Lagos on Tuesday, the Acting president of ABCON, Alhaji Aminu Gwadabe made it clear that in an environment of uncertainty, unstable and sharp depreciation of the Naira is bad for BDC business. Depreciation of the Naira according to him, affects the working capital of BDCs and by extension their turnover. He added that BDCs are able to do more business when the exchange rate is stable and relatively close to the official exchange rate. Hence, BDCs cannot promote what is injurious to their business. Secondly Gwadabe stressed, BDCs are basically intermediaries. They buy dollars from the public and sell to the public. “Our incomes come from the margin between the selling rate and buying rate. To this end BDCs are more interested in turnover than in the exchange rate. “We make money from the rate at which we can

use our working capital to buy and sell dollars. Hence BDCs don’t determine the exchange rate; this is determined by the demand and supply for dollars in the market,” he stated. According to Gwadabe, with the intense scarcity of dollar in the market, and increased demand, the foreign exchange market has become a sellers’ market. The rate is largely deter-

mined by the sellers, and not by BDCs who are mere intermediaries. He stated that ABCON aligns itself with the stance of President Mohammadu Buhari who insisted that there would be no further devaluation of the Naira. While it is true that the country is experiencing shortage of foreign exchange inflows due to decline in crude oil price, fall

THE National Council of the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) has approved renewal of contract of employment for Oscar N. Onyema, for another term of five years as Chief Executive Officer of the exchange, effective immediately. According to the release by the Nigerian Bourse, Onyema’s initial five years employment contract would expire on March 31, 2016, having served as the CEO of the exchange since April 2011. Commenting on the renewal, President, National Council of NSE, Aigboje

exchange. While supporting policies that will diversify the economy, ABCON recommends that the CBN review the policy of dollar importation into the economy for the purpose of defending the naira. Rather, the apex bank should introduce a policy whereby the Naira is used to intervene in the real sectors of the economy to boost productivity.

From left: Managing Director, Insights Africa Connemara Limited, South Africa, Mark Leisegang; Chief Executive Officer, ThetaAlpha, Titilayo Akisanya; a former MD, Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria Limited, Executive Consultant, Newcross EP, Mutiu Sunmonu and Principal, Adeyemi Akisanya Associates, Adeyemi Akisanya, during the Insights Discovery breakfast launch in Lagos, on Friday.

NIWA reels out plans to ensure safety on waterways Tola Adenubi - Lagos

MR Mu’azu Sambo, the Lagos Area Manager of the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) has advised sand dredgers to always maintain a distance of between 500metres and one kilometre between one another. Sambo told newsmen in Lagos that this was one of the precautionary measures to enhance safety on

the waterways. He added that dredgers should also maintain a distance of 50metres between the shoreline and dump site so that they would not erode on the coastline. According to him, “There should be a distance of 500metres between a dump site and another for sand dredgers. All these instructions and more would be passed across to all the sand dredgers and boat

NSE CEO secures second term KehindeAkinseinde-JayeobaLagos

in external reserve, which makes it difficult to accommodate all demand for foreign exchange, the reality Gwadabe said is that devaluation of the Naira will not solve the problem. What we need are policies that will diversify our economy to increase nonoil export earnings, and reduce importation, leading to increased foreign exchange inflow and reduction in demand for foreign

Aig-Imokhuede, CON said “Mr Onyema’s tenure as CEO of the NSE is marked by outstanding achievements. The Council is confident that he can continue. The Exchange’s trajectory of transformation, innovation and marketplace recognition by implementing its business strategies which he has been instrumental in developing. The leadership qualities that he has demonstrated in his first term as CEO, in the face of such intense and challenging operating environment, have been exemplary. The Council believes that his vision and passion will ensure the Exchange re-

mains a force to be reckoned with in Africa and beyond”.

operators at a stakeholders’ forum NIWA planned to hold very soon.” Sambo also said that some seacoast boats had just been introduced to the Lagos waterways, adding that these were the best and safest boats that would ever be used in the country as at now. On safety enforcement, Sambo said that NIWA recently inaugurated some patrol boats meant to ensure constant patrol of the waterways and enforce laws and order on the waterways. In his words, “Each of the boats with a 300-horse

power engine can accommodate 12 officers through which NIWA officials can check speeding boat riders. We are also working on bringing in some boat companies into Lagos.” The Area Manager also expressed NIWA’s readiness to partner the Lagos State Government (LASG) through its Ministry of Waterfront and Infrastructure to achieve its goal of fortifying the coastlines. He said that the LASG and NIWA must, however, still fine-tune some grey areas to make the partnership works.

Kwara gov makes case for indigenous pilots Shola Adekola-Lagos THE Kwara State Goveor, Abdufatah Ahmed has called on airline operators in Nigeria to employ more locally trained pilots. This is just as the state owned International Aviation College (IAC) in Ilorin has commenced the training of helicopter pilots with the addition of 2XAB206 Helicopters to its training fleet. Speaking at the flag-of the training last week, the governor said the need for the Nigerian airline opera-

tors to employ more locally trained pilots as the Ilorin aviation college has shown through its accomplishments, facilities and partnership with elite organizations that the country has the training facilities, structures and personnel to train world class pilots. The training according to Abdulfatah which will however be done in partnership with the Nigerian Navy, will bring together IAC’s expertise and facilities with the Navy’s rotary facilities and experience

and reputation. The governor attributed the inclusion of helicopter training to efforts being made by the state government to transform the Aviation College into a one-stop aviation training institution and showcase the state as an aviation hub in the country. The growing reputation of IAC as a Centre of Excellence in aviation industry, the governor said has manifested in its partnership with various organisations, especially the Nigerian Navy and Airforce.

sheds N114.3bn as full persists

KehindeAkinseinde-JayeobaLagos

THE Nigerian Stock Exchange continued the bear trend as Market Capitalisation dipped further by N114.3 billion or 1.40 per cent on Tuesday. Similarly, the All Share Index depreciated further by 1.40 per cent to close at 24,090.98 basis points, compared with the 0.04 per cent depreciation recorded previously. Market breadth closed negative as Unity Bank Plc led 13 gainers against 26 losers topped by Diamond Bank Plc. Market turnover closes negative as volume declined by 94.16 per cent against 1,902.92 per cent uptick recorded in the previous session. First Bank of Nigeria Holdings Plc, Beco Petroleum Product Plc and Guaranty Bank Plc were the most active to boost market turnover. First Bank of Nigeria Holdings Plc and Nigerian Breweries Plc top market value list having traded N246.9 million and N285.9 million worth of shares respectively.

FG’s N500bn social protection programme to benefit traders, artisans Akin Adewakun-Lagos

OVER two million traders, farmers and artisans in the country will receive micro-credit, through a fund to be managed by the Bank of Industry, as part of the Federal Government’s N500 billion Social Protection Programme for 2016. Disclosing this in Lagos at his inaugural press briefing, the Honourable Minister Industry, Trade and Investment, Okechukwu Enelamah, said such support had become imperative if the federal government’s plans to diversify the nation’s economy were to come into fruition. Describing the nation’s Micro Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) as the unsung heroes of the nation’s economy, since it currently contributes about half of its Gross Domestic Product, the minister reiterated the ministry’s commitment to championing the cause of this sector and creating that enabling environment for it to thrive.

news

Wednesday, 24 Febraury, 2016

4 feared dead as soldiers, militants clash in Rivers community •Traditional ruler, MOSOP flay soldiers’ invasion •Military presence to enhance security —Wike •Our operation targeted at notorious ex-militant —Brigade commander Dapo Falade-Port Harcourt

O fewer than four persons reportedly dropped dead during a clash that broke out between soldiers and militants in Yeghe Community in Gokana and Bori, the headquarters of Khana Local Government Area of Rivers State, Monday night. Nigerian Tribune gathered that there was a shoot-out between the military men and the militants, following an alleged invasion and setting ablaze of the home of a former militant, Mr Solomon Ndigbara, in the community. According to the media aide to the former militant leader, Dum Nwine, nobody knew the whereabouts of Ndigbara, who was around when the soldiers stormed the community. Enraged by the military action, some ex-militants in the area were said to have had resorted to mob action, even as it was gathered that residents had deserted the community as the shooting raged and scores injured. The fracas, which started from Yeghe, spilled over to Bori, where the exmilitants set fire on the campaign office of Senator Magnus Abe, the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for the South-East senatorial rerun election scheduled for March 19, 2016. The shootings, however, became aggravated, on Tuesday, leading to the temporary closure of the Ken Saro-Wiwa Polytechnic, Bori, as students were asked to remain indoor to avert further damages. Effort to reach the Public Relations Officer (PRO) of the institution to speak on

the situation proved abortive as his telephone numbers could not be reached, as of press time. At the moment, the two communities remain calm, as residents of the areas flee their homes to neighbouring communities for safety, even a source in the area, who did not want his name mentioned, disclosed that two soldiers were reportedly gunned down during the raid, on Monday night. The source also said the casualties recorded by the military prompted the gun exchange that lasted till Tuesday afternoon, adding that the shooting was heavy and ear-deafening. Meanwhile, the paramount ruler of Yeghe Community, His Royal Highness Mene Baridam, has condemned the killing of two soldiers and other in-

nocent Ogonis in Bori and Yeghe communities. Speaking through his aide, Mr Confidence Ati, the traditional ruler expressed sadness over the destruction of properties belonging to the people of Ogoniland. He called on the Chief of Army Staff and the Rivers State government to intervene to stop further destruction of lives and property in the area, stressing that Ogoni was a peaceful nation that should not be turned into a war zone. Similarly, Senator Abe has appealed to his supporters in Rivers SouthEast senatorial district not to retaliate the attack on his Senatorial Liaison Office at Bori. He said the appeal became necessary to avert further bloodshed, wanton destruction of property

cent persons, infliction of serious gunshot injuries on others, paralysis of activities in the Ogoni capital and its environs, as well as arbitrary arrests, thereby forcing natives and residents to flee for safety,” the statement read. MOSOP also averred that the military had carried out similar invasions in Yeghe and Alode in Eleme Local Government Areas, earlier in the month, resulting in the killing of three persons and injuring several others. “We consider as extremely disappointing and unfortunate these unprovoked military violence against our people, which betrays repressively sinister motive and reminiscent of our sad past. “We find it difficult to rationalise the wisdom in this military campaign,

Senate begins collation of 2016 budget reports Taiwo Adisa and Ayodele Adesanmi-Abuja

THE Senate Committee on ,on Tuesday, commenced the final collation of the report of the various committees on the 2016 Appropriation bill. Committee Chairman, Senator Danjuma Goje, who made this known while briefing the Senate on the situation of the budget defence, said his committee had mandated the different sub-committees to make their submissions between Tuesday (yesterday) and Tuesday next week. Goje appealed to the chairmen and vice-chairmen of the Senate standing committees to cooperate with the Appropriations committee, by ensuring that the Tuesday deadline was met for the submission of their reports.

According to him, “Today is the beginning of the submission of reports to us by the various sub-committees. The Appropriations committee is ready; we are set to start receiving the reports. “I therefore, urge my colleagues, the chairmen and vice-chairmen of the various committees to cooperate with us to ensure that we conclude this exercise within the one week that was stipulated by this Senate. “This means that the submissions will start today and end next week Tuesday. If we don’t go by the programme, there will be

the council. A copy of the letter made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja, also stated that the position of the Registrar and CEO of the council should be advertised. “The Honourable Minister of Health has approved the advertisement of the post of the Registrar/CEO of the Medical Laboratory Science Council of Nigeria. “In view of the above, I am directed to inform you to hand over the administration of the council and government property under your purview to the most senior director in the council, with immediate effect.

problem of submission of our report. But because of the importance of this budget, it is incumbent that we go by the programme. “I want to inform the Senate that the Appropriations committee is ready to accept the reports. Immediately after my explanation, all the members will go to room 224 where we are ready to start receiving the reports. “The timetable has been distributed to you and the committees concerned are supposed to submit their reports as stated in that timetable. So, Mr Presi-

dent, I will like to ask my colleagues, chairmen, vicechairmen and members of the various committees to cooperate with us to ensure that we conclude this exercise within the one week stipulated by this Senate. “If we do not go by the programme, there would be a problem of submission of our reports. It is therefore, incumbent that we go by the programme during the exercise of receiving our reports within one week to allow us compile the reports and submitting it to this Senate for passing into law.”

Our judiciary very corrupt —Okurounmu Bola Badmus-Lagos

CHAIRMAN of the defunct Presidential Advisory Committee on National Dialogue, Senator Femi

FG orders council boss to vacate office THE Federal Government has ordered the Registrar/ Chief Executive Officer, Medical Laboratory Science Council of Nigeria (MLSCN), Professor Anthony Emeribe, to vacate office “with immediate effect.’’ The directive was contained in a letter to Emeribe by the Minister of Health, Professor Isaac Adewole, dated February 19, 2016. The letter, signed for the minister by Dr Patience Oshinubi, Head, Department of Hospital Services in the ministry, asked Emeribe to hand over to the most senior director in

and anarchy in the area and also sympathised with families that lost their people in the attack. Similarly, the Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People (MOSOP) has expressed outrage and condemned what it termed the invasion of Ogoni communities, allegedly by the Nigerian military and demanded the immediate withdrawal of the invading soldiers. MOSOP, in a statement issued on Tuesday, by its publicity secretary, Fegalo Nsuke, alleged that the military had extended the violence to Bori, shooting indiscriminately and advancing into adjoining communities, including Zaakpon. “The shooting, which is ongoing, had saddeningly (sic) seen to the coldblooded murder of inno-

“Please, accept the assurances of the Honourable Minister of Health’s best regards,’’ the letter read. Meanwhile, Emeribe has acknowledged receipt of the letter in a telephone interview with NAN in Abuja. The professor, whose second term of four years as Registrar/CEO of the council ought to end in 2018, however, said the letter was “sub judice.’’ He said there were subsisting cases in court in respect of the advertisement of the position of the Registrar/CEO of the council, awaiting judicial determination.

Okurounmu, declared on Tuesday, that the country’s judiciary was very corrupt, saying President Muhammadu Buhari should not fold his arms complaining about the judiciary being his problem in his war against corruption, but embark on immediate purge of the sector. Okunrounmu said this while fielding questions from journalists, at the Obafemi Awolowo Foundation office, at Gbagada, Lagos, disclosing that he had spoken several times and delivered lectures indicting the judiciary of corruption. Besides, he said the late Justice Kayode Esho and other jurists had, in the past, also written reports indicting the same judiciary of corruption. The Afenifere leader, who threw his weight behind war against corruption, was reacting to the report that the president

had, while speaking during one of his outside engagements, lamented that the Nigerian Judiciary was his headache in his war against corruption. “Buhari is just beginning to see the reality now, I have been saying that for a long time ago, I have been saying that for more than 10 years that the judiciary is one of the most corrupt sections of the polity. The judiciary is corrupt, it is not only the executive and the legislature and the politicians. The judiciary is very corrupt, I have delivered papers upon papers which I have indicted the judiciary. “Justice Kayode Esho once headed a panel on the judiciary where he wrote a report indicting so many members of the judiciary, there have been other reports headed by notable judges that have indicted the judiciary and all of us know what has happened.”

cruelly motivated by hidden and evil intent. No matter what may be adduced to have informed this appalling military approach, violence in our view, can not provide the necessary solution to civil issues but dialogue... “The military must, therefore, tread cautiously and maintain its independence and professionalism, as well as resist attempts by desperate politicians to drag them into the murky waters of politics, including being used to commit human rights abuses,” the statement further read. However, Governor Nyesom Wike has called on all fleeing residents of Khana and Gokana Local Government Areas to return to their homes, saying the heavy military presence in the areas was aimed at promoting security of lives and property and not to harm law-abiding people. The governor, in a statement issued by his media aide, Simeon Nwakaudu, said his administration would always enhance the security of all residents of the state, urging the people of the two local government areas to cooperate with the security agencies to maintain law and order. In the same vein, the Nigerian Army has said its operation in Yeghe community, on Monday, was largely focused on rooting out notorious ex-militant leader, Solomon Ndigbara. Addressing newsmen in Port Harcourt, on Tuesday, Commander of the 2 Brigade, Brigadier-General Stevenson Olabanji, said there was no loss of life during the operation. “Around 12 noon, on Monday, we received reports of gun fire in Yeghe community, Gokana Local Government Area and immediately dispatched my commanding officer to investigate the incident. “On reaching the house of Solomon Ndigbara, who had been declared wanted by the army for gun-running, some hoodlums fired at the commanding officer (with intent to kill). “The attack on the commanding officer led to a gun battle between our forces and hoodlums which resulted in them (hoodlums) being chased out from the community. “We learnt that the hoodlums who fled Yeghe community later went to Bori community in Khana Local Government Area and burnt down a campaign office belonging to the APC.

Wednesday, 24 February, 2016

tribune cartoons

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

GIANT IN THE TROPIC OF AFRICA

FUNOLOGY

Alhaji Shehu Shagari • Born on February 25, 1925 in Shagari v i l l a g e , Sokoto State, Nigeria.

CHURCH BOY

• Shagari is a Nigerian politician, a northerner of Fulani extraction. He worked as a teacher for a brief period before entering politics in 1954 upon his election to the Federal House of Representatives. • In 1970, Yakubu Gowon made Shagari a minister of Economic Affairs and later of Finance.

SEGELUULU

• 1979-1983, he served as the second President of Nigeria’s Second Republic, while Alex Ekwueme was the vice president. • He won the election with the help of his campaign manager, Umaru Dikko. • Alhaji Shehu Usman Aliyu Shagari will be 91 y e a r s old on Thursday, 25 February, 2016.

SPOT THE DIFFERENCE

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

Wednesday, 24 February, 2016

LETTERS TO THE

editor

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

Changing our value system

lived in the United States of America for about 15 years before I decided to return home a couple of years ago.

I travelled when I was 42 years old, and I can tell you that life is not easy abroad as well. You work for every dollar you earn, and

you pay back everything to the government through tax. Tax is something that is taken seriously in the West, unlike what we have

Oil price slump and IGR The Nigerian government and other oil producing nations are already feeling the impact of the slump in oil prices, and each of the countries have been devising ways through which they can survive the tough times. In the Gulf, governments have removed subsidies, while also introducing taxes. It may surprise Nigerians that the majority of the citizens of these states were not used to paying taxes. In Nigeria, we should focus on luxury and mansion taxes; we have a lot of things that we buy but are not really necessary for

Still on the Boko Haram insurgency ALTHOUGH it is still early to judge the Muhammadu Buhari administration on its handling of the Boko Haram insurgency, it is, however, painful that people are still being killed on a daily basis in the NorthEast. As it is now, all Nigerians, particularly Northern leaders, must come together to find a lasting solution to the problem of the insurgency; the fact that the military has dislodged the terrorists from their hide-outs, and particularly from Sambisa forest, is enough to halt the attacks, but what we are witnessing is still giving peace-loving Nigerians cause for concern. The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, keeps saying Nigeria has defeated the terrorists, but we want a halt to the bomb blasts. We hope that sooner than later, the terrorists will be finally silenced. •Jimoh Mumin jimohmumin@yahoo.com

our survival, and government should look at taxing those items. Nigerians are car freaks; some people have in their garages fleet of exotic cars. The government should tax all these. On the mansion tax, this is another way through which government can generate revenue. I have seen a family of four living in a ten bedroom-duplex in Lagos. There are many mansions in Lagos and Abuja that are occupied by less than four people; such mansions should be taxed. It will, therefore, force Nigerians to spend minimally. In the transport sector, everybody is desirous of owning vehicles, not minding the environmental ef-

fect. In a well-developed country, public transportation can serve the same purpose as owning one’s vehicle. Government should, therefore, tax those who take out their private cars every day. The huge number of cars on the roads is the reason we experience traffic build-ups in major cities across the country. Government should also tax non-essential imports like juices, wines, wrist watches, sunglasses, among others. This is the only way through which government can generate more income to make up for the slump in oil prices. •Idayat Kassim, Ilorin, Kwara State.

in Nigeria. There are no overnight millionaires in the United States; although one could start a business, which would then be sold to a larger corporation, thus making one a multimillionaire overnight, this is different from what we know in Nigeria. Somebody might have lived in an area for a long time, then he disappears for some years, only to reappear as a multi-millionaire; nobody will ask him what he had done within those years to justify his newly-found wealth. In the United States, one can give account of every dollar one makes; it is not that there are no criminals there, but no matter how smart a criminal is, he will never escape justice. This letter is, therefore, to serve two purposes; first, we should begin to ask ourselves questions. Criminals live among us, but why is nobody asking what kind of business the

millionaire down the street is doing? Secondly, our youths should also realise that there is no greener pasture anywhere. Instead of rushing abroad, we should be able to create something and nurture it here.

Nigeria’s development is our responsibility, and we must do everything in our power to make it great. •Festus Okonjo, Asaba, Delta State.

Need for reserve soldiers DO we really have enough soldiers to prosecute the Boko Haram war? What if the Biafra agitation develops into a full scale war, do we have enough military personnel to prosecute it? In countries like Isreal, Iran, Egypt, there are reserve soldiers who are drafted to the frontlines in the event of war. These reservists are youths who live normal lives in times of peace. They have regular jobs, but are called upon to serve the state during wars. Using reservists is also a good way of reducing expenses on full-time soldiers.

In my opinion, we can make youths who serve in the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) our military reservists. During their service year, which should be extended to five years, they will be made to undergo compulsory military training, and in the event of any insurgency, they will be drafted to fight alongside regular soldiers. We are having economic challenges now, and we cannot continue to recruit full-time soldiers. We can, therefore, use reserve soldiers, and this will make us save money in defence spendings. •Nelson Ekwale, Benin, Edo State.

Appeal to Osun doctors I want to use this opportunity to appeal to doctors in Osun State to reach an agreement with the state government and end the ongoing strike. It is the people who are suffering as a result of this hard stance between the doctors and the state. There is a saying that when two elephants fight, it is the grass that suffer. The doctors should look at the suffering of the people and accept whatever pay the government is offering. The truth is that the state is facing economic challenges now, and that is why it is finding it difficult to meet the demands of the doctors. I hope the doctors will take pity on patients who cannot afford patronise private healthcare providers. •Yomade Afolabi, Osogbo, Osun State.

editorial

Wednesday, 24 February, 2016

Nigerian Tribune

The new tax offensive

ECently, the Minister of Finance, Mrs Kemi Adeosun, mandated the Federal Internal Revenue Service (FIRS) to generate N4.9 trillion in the current fiscal year to stabilize the economy, warning that there should be no laxity in meeting the target. According to media reports, given the objective of the Nigerian tax system to achieve economic growth and development, the directive of the minister and the resolution of FIRS to generate the said sum from taxation were driven by the financial difficulties that the nation is currently experiencing as a result of the fall in the global price of crude oil and the attendant need to fund the 2016 budget sufficiently. We are not oblivious of the fact that, inebriated by oil revenues since 1973, the Nigerian government has been handling taxation with a lackadaisical attitude. Oil prices have hovered in recent times between $20 and $25 per barrel, a far cry from the $100-plus per barrel recorded until around August 2014 when a combination of external economic factors forced oil prices into a free fall. It is worth reiterating that a modern state runs on taxes, not on commodity sales. The oil economy has created a rentier state, causing distortions and a classic “resource curse” scenario where, despite a $565 billion rebased Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and abundant agricultural assets, 61 per cent of the population, as shown in various economic reviews on Nigeria, still live below the United Nations poverty threshold of $2 per day. It follows then that unless the federal and state governments shift focus to taxation rather than crude oil sales, it might be difficult for the country to rank among the financially buoyant nations of the world. However, the set target for the FIRS is offensive, unpopular and unable to withstand scrutiny. To start with, the blanket rise in taxable descriptions which the FIRS would inevitably resort to is counter-productive in an economy that is yet to be production-driven, and with a high rate of unemployment. In 2015, the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) indicated that about 1.8 million fresh graduates were in the Nigerian labour market which was already saturated with a 24.1 per cent unemployment rate. The Federal Government’s new tax drive is also unmindful of the fact that Nigeria still operates a system in which erratic supply of power is a major inhibition to entrepreneurship and industrialisation.

A good tax system should be production-driven and a catalyst for investment. Indeed, it is a mechanism for growing a country’s economy without stifling entrepreneurship and productivity, as it is only through sustained economic growth that the potential ability of the citizenry to pay higher taxes would arise. Thus, the Federal Government needs to exercise caution in implementing the new tax policy so as not to squeeze Nigerians too hard. In this connection, while the hint that toll gates would once again be mounted on the highways has become a topical issue in terms of what road users would be requested to pay, the justification for the recently imposed stamp duty charge on bank debit transactions is feeble, and negates the duty of government to make life conducive for the citizenry. Disappointingly, the stamp duty issue generated conflict between the Nigeria Postal Services (NIPOST) and the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) over the usurpation of statutory rights, an exemplification of lack of internal synergy in managing overlapping responsibilities. In our view, the exploitation of Nigerians through an offensive tax regime is not an ideal way of stabilizing the distressed economy. The essence of governance is to cater for the people, and taxation is not just about providing funds for government but a way of showing the relationship between government and the people. Production must come before taxation and it is the responsibility of the government to enhance productivity. Given the country’s current unfortunate situation of lack of production and productivity, what the government should do is to come up with strategies and policies that would encourage and bring about production, rather than squeezing money out of a groaning populace. Certainly, a good tax system should not discourage investment and the propensity to save, but should be applied proactively to stimulate economic growth and development. Sadly, many companies previously thriving in the country folded up as a result of the unproductive environment. Again, rather than resorting to offensive taxation as a way of stabilizing the economy, the FIRS should be up and doing in clamping down on tax evaders and defaulters in both the private and public sectors of the economy. Speculations are rife that the ‘big ones’ often do not pay tax in Nigeria, and that those who pay do so after doctoring the books. Efforts therefore need to be redoubled to restructure the FIRS for efficiency and zerotolerance for corruption and tax evasion.

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opinion

Wednesday, 24 February, 2016

If NITEL rebounds... By Ikeogu Oke

HERE are several reasons why the news of the possible rebound of the Nigerian Telecommunications Limited (NITEL) should cheer every Nigerian. One is plain patriotism. Or shouldn’t we be happy that our “national carrier,” if one may use a phrase usually applied in aviation to refer a telecom concern, could be revived after many years of being comatose, even though rejigged and relaunched under the ownership and management of a private investor? And ours would become like other countries that continued to profit from the services of a national telecom company, with its fixed landlines, fax facilities and whatnot intact, despite having subscribed to mobile telephony, with the result that its citizens are provided with other means of enjoying telecom services than just through the GSM system with its paradoxically liberating and restrictive characteristics. The other is that it will strengthen competition in the telecom sector. And competition, the bane of monopoly, is the heart that pumps oxygenated blood in business, energising it in the greater interest of the customer. We already know how it led one of our leading telecom companies to introduce per-second billing, ending an exploitative regime of per-minute billing where GSM calls were so calibrated that a caller was billed for a minute even for a call that lasted one second. We also know how, following the introduction of more telecom companies eager to impress subscribers and grab chunks of the market share, it forced down the cost of SIM cards, and fostered a strong “promo” culture by which GSM companies seek to retain existing subscribers and woo new ones with freebies like corporate gifts, bonus airtime and free data bundles. Without a doubt, the rebound of NITEL will further strengthen such competition in the telecom sector in the overall interest of the Nigerian telephone subscriber. With the expected rollout of its mobile network and the restoration of its fixed landlines, it will be a case of “the more the merrier” in the telecom sector, resulting in competition-inspired improvement in efficiency and affordable service in the sector. The third reason is purely economic. It will create jobs and new streams of income for the citizens and government through salaries, taxes, the production and sale of consumables, with a ripple effect that would foster business transactions with sev-

eral other sectors connected with telecoms. And the significance of this cannot be overemphasised for a country whose economy is, to put it mildly, on hard grounds, for it would be a veritable stimulus for economic growth. I, for one, have had a personal experience that makes the news of NITEL’s possible revival especially gratifying. It was in 2008 while I worked as the Deputy Director of Communications in the American University of Nigeria, Yola. I needed to send a document by fax, as required by an institution based abroad in connection with an important transaction. On inquiring, I realised that the institution in which I worked, regarded as one of the best private universities in the country, did not have a fax line, which I found curious, to say the least. Anxious to beat a close deadline, I began a frantic search for an alternative means of sending the fax, and a colleague directed me to the NITEL office in Yola. On reaching the office, the staff told me that the entire fax system that used to be supported by NITEL facilities nationwide, with its fixed landlines, was out of use, as one of the fallouts of the introduction of the GSM system, and so that even if I went round the entire country, I would not find a place to send the fax in a NITEL facility, which explained why my university did not have a fax line – the unavailability of fixed land lines nationwide. I then inquired from the NITEL staff if other countries that had introduced the GSM system still retained their fixed landlines unlike ours, including African countries, and the answer was yes. So why should we settle for less? In the end, I had to scan the document and take the convoluted route of emailing it as an attachment to a friend abroad to fax to its intended destination. And I needed to explain why I was asking for such a needless favour from my friend who found the request curious, coming from a citizen of “the giant of Africa” living in the undeniably

rich estate of that giant. Was it a reasonable explanation that my country does not have functional fax facilities because its fixed landlines that should support the facility had fallen out of use in the aftermath of the privatisation of its telecom sector? This situation has lingered for over a decade, resulting in the denial of the average Nigerian telephone subscriber of what should be an essential, affordable and and easily accessible service and in huge revenue losses to the economy. In Abuja, my current city of residence, I have since resorted to sending fax from the business centre of a five star hotel, which I realise is about the only option available to the public in the city, for a facility that citizens of far less endowed countries can subscribe to from the comfort of their homes. So, if NITEL rebounds, one expects it to solve such problems on a mass scale for the Nigerian telephone subscriber in due time, besides stimulating the said improvements in the economy and telephone services across the sector. I cannot see how Nigeria won’t be better for it. But the story of NITEL’s rebound won’t be complete without being recognised as the culmination of the success story of the country’s choice, made on its behalf by the National Council on Privatisation (NCP) and its secretariat, the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE), to embark on its “guided liquidation” as a special means of privatising the public utility, which essentially saved it from asset stripping, among other benefits. As the Chairman of the Technical Committee of NCP, Atedo Peterside, explained during the privatisation bid for NITEL, “Under the guided liquidation strategy, all the core assets and business undertakings of NITEL … will be sold as a single or multiple lots to a qualified bidder. Thus, the bidder that acquires the assets of NITEL … will pledge to continue to operate the assets to provide telecoms services. This is as against the traditional liquidation of an enterprise by assets stripping.” Also, the former Director General of BPE, Mr. Benjamin Ezra Dikki, expressed a strong hope that the winner of the bid for NITEL “will deploy the required resources to rehabilitate and grow” the company “to play a significant role in the Nigerian telecoms sector.” Indeed, doing this will be crucial to the success of NITEL and the fulfilment of what should be its new, progressive mandate under the management of NATCOM Consortium, the winner of that bid, if the recent news of its possible rebound becomes reality. •Oke lives in Abuja.

Still on power generation in Nigeria By Yusuf O. Ali

Right in the centre of the homepage of the Presidential Task Force on Power lies a small tab titled “GENERATION REPORT.” This tab provides a snapshot about the status of the country’s electricity system for the previous day and is perhaps the most succinct summary of the rather sorry state of Africa’s largest economy’s power system. Looking through this must be very disconcerting for every Nigerian; the peak electricity generated is barely 30 percent of the peak demand. However, the more poignant issue is that many power industry experts like myself believe that peak supply-demand ratio is much lower; 15 percent at best! This is because we believe the government’s estimate of a 12GW peak demand vastly underestimates the true demand. The government’s 12GW peak demand estimate means that the Africa’s largest economy’s peak demand/capita is 71W/capita, while South Africa’s (Africa’s second largest economy) stands at over 600W/capita. Admittedly, South Africa’s GDP/capita is slightly above double of Nigeria’s; still, this does not explain the vast disparity in peak electricity demand per capita. If we pretend for a moment that government’s estimates are correct, the next logical question is: why is there an 8GW supply shortage? This question does indeed have many answers but for the sake of brevity, I will just mention the two dominant ones – lack of adequate generating capacity and unavailability of some existing generation plants. With a total installed capacity of 8457.6MW (81 percent of total) in early 2014, thermal plants (gas-fired plants) dominated the Nigerian power supply mix. The rest of Nigeria’s capacity is in the form of hydropower plants. On face value, the thermal capacity alone is nearly double of Nigeria’s recorded peak generation (4600MW generated 11/11/2014). This immediately prompts the question: why is Nigeria not using all its installed capacity considering the huge demandsupply shortfall?

Sadly, it is not that simple. The quantity of electricity that can be generated at any point in time is not determined by the total installed capacity but rather by the total available capacity. The available capacity is the percentage of the total capacity that is not prevented from working through planned/unplanned outages and/or the lack of required fuels. While the poor maintenance culture in several Nigerian power plants means they have considerable unplanned outages, the main problem facing Nigeria’s thermal power plants is the lack of fuel – natural gas. How then is Nigeria, the country with the ninth most proven natural gas reserves in the world unable to provide the natural gas needed by her thermal power plants? In November 2014, then Minister of Power, Professor Chinedu Nebo, stated that Nigeria was losing over 60 percent of its installed gas-fired capacity due to the lack of gas. He declared that while 1.9 billion cubic feet of gas was needed per day to power the country’s total capacity, the gas plants were only able to produce approximately 900 million cubic feet per day. In addition to this outright gas supply shortage, another issue that is to blame for the unavailability of Nigeria’s thermal plants is pipeline vandalism. Sadly, this is an issue that has

been around for a long time with the government seemingly being unable to arrest it. Pipelines are essentially the veins of gas-powered generation; they provide the route for the transportation of natural gas from where they are mined to the power plants where they are needed, which are often numerous hundreds of kilometres away. Unfortunately, the adverse effects of this gas supply shortages are not limited to existing thermal plants. More importantly, they could spell real trouble for the government’s commitments to expanding gas-fired generation in Nigeria. In a country where policy U-turns is all too frequent, one policy that seems to have lasted is the government’s commitment to encouraging gas-fired power generation. Gas-powered plants are viewed as the cornerstone of the capacity expansion needed to develop Nigeria’s power system to the levels required for sustained and high-end economic development. Not only does this gas supply shortage mean it will be harder for the government to find prospective buyers for these plants, it also potentially leaves the government vulnerable at the negotiating table. The inability of the government to get good value for its investment could have repercussions on the social welfare side, especially at the local government level. Equally alarming is the adverse impact of the gas shortage problem could have on the willingness of foreign investors to invest in Nigeria’s power sector. Historically, the biggest challenge the government has faced when attempting to procure natural gas for local power plants is price. The price of the raw material – natural gas – will undoubtedly affect the final cost of electricity. Electricity is highly subsidised in Nigeria. As a result of this, the government has consistently attempted to coerce gas producers to sell their gas to Nigerian utilities at prices much lower than the international going rates. •Ali is a doctoral candidate in the Department of Engineering, University of Cambridge, UK.

Wednesday, 24 February, 2016

Nigerian Tribune

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

Twins with Chris Diaz, Marketing Director, Kenya Airways.

Oguntoye twins sharing experience with other tourism young professionals.

President Barack Obama’s grandmother, Mama Sarah Obama with Taiwo and Kehinde Oguntoye.

Nigerian twins named most famous in African Tourism Dine with Obama’s grandmother Train 53 African young tourism entrepreneurs in Nairobi By wale Ojo Lanre

HE African Sun Times, Africa’s largest and first newspaper in America has named Nigerian twins, Taiwo and Kehinde Oguntoye as the Most Famous Twins in African Tourism. The brothers who were recently in Nairobi, Kenya as speakers at the Africa Travel Association’s 40th World Congress, which took place at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC). The one-week long event with the theme “Africa rising: Enhancing New Tourism Opportunities” was declared opened by the President of the Republic of Kenya, His Excellency, President Uhuru Kenyatta represented by Vice President William Ruto. The ATA’s 40th world congress which attracted over 500 delegates including tourism ministers, tourism boards, travel and tourism professionals, buyers and supplies, airlines and hotels representatives, diplomatic representatives, business leaders, multi-lateral representatives, investment groups, african diaspora leaders, travel trade and consumer media, university faculty and students drawn participants from Nigeria, Kenya, Cameroon, South Africa, Rwanda, Zimbabwe, USA, Canada, India, China, Malawi, Tanzania, Ghana, Uganda, Germany, Jerusalem, United Kingdom, Turkey and others. The first twins in Africa to jointly host tourism programme on air, Oguntoye twin brothers, who became side attraction upon their arrival at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport with their unique branded costumes which showcased the cultural values of Nigeria, were one of the numerous

speakers at the opening session of the congress. They engaged the young professionals in the hospitality and tourism sector at a forum discussion on the latest trends for youth employment and skills development with a sub-theme “Increasing opportunities as African Young travel professionals in the tourism sector”. The duo highlighted some of the challenges that African youth face while entering the tourism sector as self identity, limited knowledge/ capital, pursuit of happiness or putting a meal on the table, coping trends, partnership etc. In emphasising self identity, Oguntoye twins said, “Who Are You? Who you are is your self identity, the way you look at yourself and your relationship to the world. Understanding this, allows you to examine who you are and more importantly create who you want to be. Self identity begins with understanding oneself which include discovery of innate potentials and talents, getting used to one’s environment (internal and external). Your identity can be discovered by you or others can help you identify yourself. Find out what your talents are? What comes naturally out of you? What instinctual abilities do you have? Our identity has to do with our names, clothing, food, family orientation, culture and product. In simple term, our identity is our gifts and abilities. Self identity energizes your creativity and empowers your speed and enterprise.” Also, in a group training session, Oguntoye Taiwo and Kehinde trained about 53 young professionals on Personal branding, Networking and Partnership. The duo shared their story and experience on start-up, “We started with just $2 (500naira) about a decade ago; our passion is bigger than what capital can stop. To the glory of God, we are the world initiators of a new brand of tourism called Twins Tourism, (with a 27 unique sub-brands of tourism

Twins with Aaron Munetsi, Regional General Manager, South African Airways.

Twins with Hon. Dr. Maria Mutagamba, ATA President & Minister Of Tourism, Wildlife & Antiquities, Uganda products in-built) which aimed at promoting and selling products, destinations/attractions with the uniqueness of twinning. Nigeria being the country with the world highest concentration of twins with credit to the land of twins, Igboora land, Oyo State, we are currently working on a Guinness Book of records category,” the duo concluded. Other sessions at the congress included; Tourism Ministers’ Roundtable, Africa Hotel Innovations & Development, Africa Tourism Trends, African Aviation (Increasing Accessibility, Affordability, and Safety), Wildlife Conservation & Preservation, Demystifying the Online Travel Marketplace, Sport Tourism etc. Also at the Congress was offsite visit to Nairobi National Park, Ol Pejeta Conservancy, and Olorgesailie Karen Blixen & Giraffe Centre where delegates were able to feed the giraffe with pallets. Other activities that spiced up the congress were the Kenya Culture Night & ATA Awards Ceremony hosted by East African Affairs, Commerce and Tourism, Republic of Kenya and the Spotlight on Uganda: “Pearl of Africa” dinner hosted by the Uganda Ministry of Tourism, Wildlife & Antiquities and the Uganda Tourism Board held at Safari park Hotel and Intercontinental Hotel Nairobi respectively. United States of America President, Barack Obama’s grandmother, Mama Sarah Obama, founder of Mama Sarah Obama Foundation also attended the congress which came to a close with a host country day lunch.

tourism

Wednesday, 24 February, 2016

Nigerian Tribune

Highfliers Hotel is a new entrant in the hospitality sector in Ekiti State, and one that promises to offer unique services to customers particularly in packaging inbound and domestic tourism for lodgers and students who are interested in visiting tourism sites at affordable rates . In this interview with WALE OJO-LANRE, Prince Kayode Oni, the proprietor of the hotel explains the reasons to promote domestic tourism and package tours for students and lodgers.

36 rooms, and as we speak, we already have half, so, in the next two months the room capacity will increase.

In most hotels tourists and lodgers are bored with films on the television, and most of them want to go tourism sites and other places for to sightseeing, I don’t know if you have any plan to take guests especially from corporate organisations on tour of sites in the state and others? Like I said earlier, we will be partnering with our friends in the tourism sector in this regard. We will not bore our guests, we have designed a lot of packages for people coming from outside the state who may desire to visit some tourism sites in the state. As an experienced tourism expert, I can take them round some sites in the state. Ekiti State has a lot of tourism sites and we cannot pretend as if we don’t know them and that is why we are also poised to promote tourism alongside our hospitality effort. We will liaise with hospitality experts to package tours so that when that is in place we will be able to open up Ekiti to our numerous guests and it’s not going to cost much. It is when we market the sites in Ekiti that we will also have our business boosted and the multiplier effect will reflect on the economic activities in the state. I am hopeful that things will take shape in the sector too.

How would you convince a guest in town to lodge at Highfliers Hotel? That we built this hotel here is to improve the quality of service of hospitality business in Ekiti State and Highfliers is standing high among all other hotels. We can say our target is to be among the best in the state and we are sure that our customers will always want to come back. Highfliers is a place to be anytime any day, with the little publicity we have given this place on social media, we have been receiving calls for bookings from Europe and America and we are also getting in touch with our friends in the tourism sector to also partner with us.

IGHFLIERS Hotel is about to fly, what are your plans to make it soar than other hotels in

Ado Ekiti? Well, I am being modest by saying that it is a unique hotel, unique in the sense that the comfort of the customers is our major concern. From my experience in the tourism industry, I’ve tapped a lot of knowledge from hotels around here, within and outside Nigeria. What you are seeing around here is a product of that experience. In Highfliers, we are starting with 18 rooms with comfortable beds, air conditions, modern baths and other things that will make their stay pleasurable and memorable. The rooms are connected to the DStv and internet, all our guests are also entitled to free breakfast and free newspaper. Considering the location, what are your plans to ensure guests security? The security of our clients and their properties is guaranteed. This area is secured, it is a quiet place, there is no horn blaring and noise This is even the reason why we chose this location. We want our guests to be comfortable in an area where there is no noise. We have employed qualified personnel who have experience in all aspects of hotel management, the chief security here is an experienced retired police officer, and we are also making use of private security.

Does it mean your guests will enjoy the value of their money? Definitely, we are even going to add more to the facilities. For instance, at the open bar, we are giving people free access to watch football matches and other sporting and entertainment activities. What about the restaurant?

Hotel rate should be student-friendly

—Kayode Oni, CEO, Highfliers Hotel, Ado- Ekiti Our restaurant is manned by qualified people, both the chef and steward are experienced and they can cook both local and continental dishes. During the test running, people who came here have been testifying to the good services that we offered. How affordable are your rates? This is an area where we are also considerate and customer-friendly, we charge moderately; our rates are not too

high and not too low. What is the average? Our standard room goes for N5, 500 while our VIP rooms are between N12,000 and N20,000. As an experienced person in tourism and hospitality industry, what is your rating of this hotel? With what we offer here we are in the three star category. We plan to have

Schools may want to lodge their students, will you be able conduct them round the sites? Do you have other plans to accommodate and make them feel comfortable? We have plans for pupils and students in higher institutions. We will take them round the state depending on their capability and time. We will not charge them the way we charge adults, children need to be adequately catered for and tourism is part of education; we will ensure they are adequately informed about the tourism culture and tradition in the state.

2016 African Diaspora World Tourism Awards, Travel expo beckon THE African Diaspora World Tourism (ADWT) Awards and Travel Expo, will once again hold between April 15 and 17, 2016 in Atlanta, Ga. (USA) at the Westin Atlanta Airport (4736 Best Road). After the success of the inaugural awards that was attended by people from around the world, the prestigious ADWT- Awards event will again be presented by African Diaspora Tourism with publisher Kitty J. Pope as the founder/director and executive producer of the historical event. Co-presenter

is the AD King Foundation and its Co-Founder/CEO Dr. Babs Onabanjo who serves as ADWT-Awards executive producer/ producer. Helping to produce this year’s awards event are Africa’s tourism guru Ikechi Uko of Nigeria, founder of Akwaaba-African Travel Market, the largest travel expo in West Africa, who will present an African Tourism component; and socio-economic developer Rev. Eugene Franklin, founder/president and CEO of the Pan African Cultural Heritage Initiative

who will present a Pan African Tourism component. Lou D’Amore, founder/CEO of the International Institute for Peace through Tourism (IIPT) is also partnering to help with the 2016 ADWTAwards and Travel Expo. Like the previous awards event, the 2016 week-end event will include the awards Gala, cultural entertainment, a Hall of Fame Luncheon and a Travel Expo. In addition, this year’s ADWTAwards event will feature two new components where event attendees can learn various

aspects about African Tourism as well as Diaspora Tourism. The two new components are: Bantaba: Africa Comes to her Diaspora and the Green Book Summit: The Pan African Cultural Heritage Tourism Roundtable. Bantaba and the Green Book Summit will also be a part of the ADWTTravel Expo. Rev. Eugene Franklin, creator of the Green Book Summit will be the keynote speaker for the Pan African luncheon and Ikechi Uko, creator of Bantaba will be the keynote speaker for the African

Cultural Heritage Dinner. Rev. Eugene Franklin, founder of the Pan African Cultural Heritage Institute and the National Cultural Heritage Tourism Center will present the Green Book Summit, a seminar/ forum regarding the evolution of black travel. Ushering in the “ModernDay Pan African American Cultural Tourism Movement,” Rev. Franklin’s goal is to bring the black cultural heritage tourism industry together in such a way that will move those involved to the next level.

tourism

Wednesday, 24 February, 2016

Nigerian Tribune

Highlife music lures Communications Minister to Agodi Gardens on Valentine’s Day

Deolu Ogunsanya, blowing the trumpet.

From right, Oloye Lekan Alabi, Barrister Adebayo Shittu, Communication Minister and Tunde Odunlade , at Agodi Garden on Valentine’s Day.

By wale Ojo Lanre

F tourists’ site managers in Nigeria could be resourceful, think out of the box, collaborate with others, adopt innovative programmes and events , it will not only lure passive tourists out of their cocoons to tourism sites for patronage, it will also stoke tourism habits in others, generate income and reap bountifully from tourism. This strategy wrought wonders for the Management of Agodi Gardens, Ibadan, Oyo State on Sunday 14 February which was Valentine’s Day when it collaborated with Parapo Highlife Heritage for the hosting of the first ever Orijinal Highlife Music show. If the management had refused to collaborate with the group,

the garden would have denied itself hosting the rare and eminently distinguished Nigerians who would have not necessarily stepped out of their homes to ‘waste’ time in Agodi’s Garden on a day for the young boys and girls searching for love. But the strong tonic of Highlife and its aromatic effect lured even the Minister of Communications, Alhaji Adebayo Shittu, Oloye Lekan Alabi, Mr Ayo Afolabi, APC chieftain, Mr Tunde Olaniyan, Media Consultant, guru and journalist of repute,Uncle Jimi Solanke, who came with his band all the way from Ile-Ife, Mr Remi Omowon, former Oyo State National Orientation Agency (NOA) Director, Mrs Yemi Alade, Dr Ademola Araoye and Mr Dejo Olugbodi, among others. The line up of those who dished

out the melodious tunes of the yesteryears were Deolu Ogunsanya, who handled the trumpet and the saxophone like Jim Lawson, Segun Ojo, thrilled all as one of the masters who is still alive, Steven Osezua was extraordinary.” His tunes attracted the Deltans and Edos, Uncle Jimi Solanke became the tourist’s object with his baritone voice pulled the youths, the teens, ladies and boys away from the discotheque music to the highlife arena. Oloye Lekan Alabi who chaired the event commended the initiators of the programme for striving to revive, sustain and enhance the music which added value to life and which inspired the vibrancy of the years when value was valued. “I must congratulate the Parapo Highlife Heritage group for initi-

Behold! Princess Court and Resorts, Oyo Alaafin By wale Ojo Lanre LOOK at this structure. Is it a palace or just too palatial? Whatever is your choice, you are not out of the way. But it is not the palace you are conversant with. This palace is unique and not solely for the kings and those with blue blood running in their veins. To cap it all, this palatial palace called Prince and Princess Court and Resorts is situated in Oyo Alaafin, a historical town where the Lord of the palace, the Alaafin of Oyo, His Eminent Majesty, Oba Lamidi Olayiwola Adeyemi 111, reigns and rules in his majesty. It is a 35-exotic room affair which is planted where

it should be with all entrapment only for those who love to have the kingly services which befit Princess and Prince only . This hospitality haven is being decked with beyond your imagination decor and effect which will change the tone of hospitality service in Oyo State. According to Goke Ade: “We don’t know how Tribune Tourism magazine got to know about this place. I am assuring you all that by the time we open for operation, the hospitality sector will be better off. We are offering something unique, different and beyond your imagination. We keep you informed through this source.”

ating this original highlife. I will mention their names for emphasis sake, Tunde Odunlade, one of the most wonderful Artists in Africa, Ayo Thomas, a highlife buff of international repute, Anjola Aboderin an enigmatic musician who waltzes Jazz like a gnome and Dele Morakinyo, one of the finest copy writers Nigeria ever produced and a social mobiliser par excellence and others who I cannot remember now. What they have done today signified the fact that good old times is not only still relevant in adding value to today, but also in shaping tomorrow “ Oloye Alabi pointed out: “I must also confess that as I am proud of them all and thank them for reminding the world that Ibadan was the centre point of almost socio – entertainment/ touristic activities in those days. Ibadan was the house of highlife and today; these great men are reviving highlife again in the city of Ibadan.” The Minister of Communications, Alhaji Shittu who joined others in wriggling their waists and tapping their feet to the highlife tunes of old said that it was an opportunity to feel the vibration of the old. “It is lovely listening to the melodious song and soulful music of our time. It was great in those days. I was having and feeling the vibration of the time when we were growing up.” Alhaji Shittu called on Nigerians to continue supporting the policies

From left, Tunde Odunlade, Jimi Solanke , Wumi Bello , Tope Eluyefa and Olasunmade Akano.

of President Mohammed Buhari assuring that “He is a promise keeper who will fulfil all the promises made to the electorate.” He urged Nigerians not to be wary because “very soon, we all shall be happy, joyous and proud to be Nigerians.” Revealing the essence of the day , Mr Odunlade said “We just determine not only to stoke the dying ember of highlife music in Nigeria, but also putting on shows that will attract visitors to Ibadan and designated tourism sites “. He pointed out: “If you see the set up , it is not only that we are promoting highlife music for dancing sake but we are also promoting arts and culture as you can see the arena decorated by art works . It is just to tell that Highlife Heritage showcasing is not only about entertainment but also tourism, arts, and money making.” Mr Odunlade revealed “it is not going to be a flash in the pan but definitely, we are sustaining this as we are preparing for another event in April. Highlife is our heritage and we will live it.”

Faces of NANTA Western Zone new excos

NATIONAL Association of Ni- Mr Hezekiah Afolabi zonal gerian of Travel Agencies has secretary, Mr Samuel Bayewumi elected a new set of executive as financial secretary and Mrs members in Ibadan. Lola Adeyemi as the public relaThe Western zone consists of tions officer. Oyo, Ogun, Osun, Ondo, Ekiti, Other executives are Mr Ajibade Kwara, and Edo states. Olaleye, welfare/social officer, The election which was Mr David Kayode as auditor and adjudged free and fair by the immediate past vice president majority of the members have a of the association, Salami member of the Board of Trustees Olumuyiwa Adebayo as the ex of the association, Prince Jide officio. Sarayi of Centre Point Travels In his inaugural speech, the as electoral chairman while Mrs zonal vice president, Mr DagunAjoke Akanni Aluko and Mr duro Olatokunbo said the new Adebiyi were members. executive will continue to chamThe new executives include, pion the course of strengthening Mr Dagunduro Olatokunbo and advancing the course and of Rhapsody Travels as policy welfare of its members vice president, Mr Akanbi and the tourism industry in NiOlalekan deputy vice president, geria.

Wednesday, 24 February, 2016

Ex-Vanuatu PM talks climate change with Zuriel By Doyin Adeoye THIRTEEN-YEAR-OLD Zuriel Oduwole recently met with the former Prime Minister of Vanuatu, Honourable Sato Kilman, to discuss the threat of climate change to his country’s future generation, which are the children, a demography Zuriel has a passion for. Republic of Vanatu is a Pacific Island nation in the South Pacific Ocean. Known for conducting interviews with leaders across countries, especially on their focus for the children, Zuriel has interviewed presidents of Kenya, Cape Verde, Tanzania, South Sudan, Liberia, Mauritius, Nigeria, Guinea, and the Prime Ministers of Lesotho, Jamaica, Saint Kitts and Nevis and others. The issue of climate change has become as enigmatic to some, divisive to others, yet its effects are now felt around the world more than before. Yet, nowhere is this effect of climate change felt even more than the Pacific Island

region, where up to one foot of coastal land is lost annually in some areas. This has prompted the regions leaders to form a strong voice alliance, as they continue to make their case for the world to help address the issue of climate change, now threatening their cultural, social and physical existence. In recognition of the growing platform Zuriel has created in the international community, Kilman who was in office as the Prime Minister till 11 February 2016, hopes her voice would make a difference to his country’s call for urgent assisting. “I hope she and I would be remembered for our work on this important issue,” Kilman said. In September 2015, Zuriel met the President of Guyana on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, to mediate peace between that country and Venezuela, two days after both leaders met with the UN Secretary General, Ban Ki-Moon in New York, on the disputed oil rich Essequibo region.

ecoscope

destroying It is not an investment if it isom e the planet. In nature’s econlife.y th currency is not money, it is

with Doyin Adeoye

m:08058130577 e:doyinadeoye@tribuneonlineng.com t:@kreatif_ink

d — Vandana Shiva, Indian scholar an environmental activist

Ecological challenges: CGGEJ commends Okowa’s approval of N500m counterpart fund By Festus Abiodun THE Coalition for Good Governance and Economic Justice in Africa (CGGEJ), last week commended Delta State Governor, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, for approving N500 million as counterpart fund for World Bank to address ecological challenges across the state. In a statement, the CGGEJ’s Media Coordinator, Mr Patrick Omene said that the group is pleased with the governor for his takeoff policies since assumption of office, adding that the approval of the N500 million counterpart fund is a conviction of his resolve to address the enormous ecological challenges facing the state. “This is commendable and

must be pursued with zest. ernor must keep his eye on the In addition, your far reachmark so as not to be swayed ing reforms geared towards from the purpose of goverreinvigorating and restructurnance, since the Supreme ing the economy of the state, Court which is the final arbiter anchored on accountability, in the governorship election transparency and fiscal has delivered judgment and prudence is no doubt a sure there is nothing anybody can way of telling what manner of do about it. governance we should expect,” “We congratulate the the Coalition said. governor and the law abiding Urging the governor people of Delta State. And we to focus on delivwould also like to call on all ering the goods stakeholders in the state to of democracy to see themselves as one, as the people, as the purpose of politics and it was time for governance is for the bengovernance and efit of the generality of the people. Delta State must not politics, the unite for once, because group said “There experience in the is time for everypast is a lesson for thing; time for polius all, both at the tics and time for intra party and governance. inter party levels.” The govGovernor Okowa

Open defecation:

Old problem in a new world

Zuriel Oduwole and former Prime Minister of Vanatu, Sato Kilman.

That open defecation have remained a crucial global menace in this age is a shocker to many. From rural communities to the urban areas, many people across the world do not have access to toilets and so resort to open defecation, which has adverse effects on the environment. DOYIN ADEOYE writes.

Scientist discovers boiling river in the heart of the Amazon A mysterious, four-mile long river, deep in the heart of the Amazon is so hot that it boils. The river has long been a legend in Peru, but when geoscientist, Andres Ruzo heard about it, he thought such a phenomenon couldn’t possibly exist. He believed that it would require a huge amount of geothermal heat to boil even a small river, and the Amazon basin is far from any active volcanoes. According to DailyMail, Ruzo first heard

about the Mayantuyacu River when his grandfather told him a story of how some Spanish conquistadors headed into the Amazon rainforest in search of gold. When they returned, the men spoke of a terrifying experience that involved poisoned water, man-eating snakes and a river that boils from below. Despite his skepticism, Runzo found himself hiking into the jungle and he said that what he saw was beyond his imagina-

tion. “Dipping my hand into the river would give me third-degree burns in less than half a second. Falling in could easily kill me,” Ruzo told Ted.com. Parts of the river are so hot that any animal that falls in boils instantly. “I’ve seen all sorts of animals fall in, and what is shocking to me is that the process is pretty much the same. They fall in and the first thing to go are the eyes. Eyes,

apparently cook very quickly. They turn to a milky-white colour. When the stream is carrying them, they try to swim out, but their meat is cooking on the bone because it is so hot. So they lose power until finally they get to a point where hot water goes into their mouths and they cook from the inside out,” said Runzo. For some reason, the river has escaped scientific scrutiny. But Ruzo is on a mission to change that.

ITH the revelation over the weekend that 1.8 million out of a total population of 2.7 million residents in Ekiti State practise open defecation, Nigeria is obviously still drowning in the ugly anomaly, as one of the countries where the menace is mostly common. Many Nigerians do not have access to decent toilets in their homes and therefore are left with the choice of defecating openly. Although the fight against open defecation is ongoing across many states in the country, the situation seems to be worsening as the days go by. Leading other states of the federation in open defecation, it will be recalled that in December 2014, Ekiti State governor, Dr Ayodele Fayose, gave a two-month ultimatum to defaulters to provide toilet facility in their homes or face

prosecution. Although some may have met the deadline, it is now obvious that the motive behind the decision was not met, judging by the new sanitation statistics in the state. According to a 2012 World Health Organisation (WHO) and United Nations Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) joint monitoring report, 1.1 billion people, which is 15 per cent of the global population practise open defecation, while 949 million of the open defecators live in rural areas. Nigeria in the report, made the list of the first five countries that account for almost three-quarters of the people who practise open defecation, as 34 million Nigerians still relieve themselves in the open, posing great environmental concerns. Speaking at a two-day media networking and alliance building workshop on water

sanitation and hygiene and open defecation free campaign over the weekend, the United Nations Children Fund and European Union (UNICEF/EU) noted that over 2.5 billion of the global population

lacked access to improved sanitation and that of the figure, one billion people are engaged in open defecation. Ending open defecation is crucial, as the health implication include the spread of diarrhoea, chickenpox, measles and cholera, among others. There have been a lot of achievements by various bodies in recent times to end the menace, but a lot still needs to be done. In an interview with Ecoscope, National Coordinator, Water and Sanitation Collaborative Council (WSSCC), Achakpa Priscilla, said that the Rural Sanitation and Hygiene Promotion in Nigeria (RUSHPIN) which was inaugurated in 2013, is aimed at improving sanitation access and hygiene behaviour for 2.2 million persons. “By training facilitators at LGA level RUSHPIN will trigger 1,271 communities in order for them to appreciate the benefits of improved sanitation and hygiene behaviour. The programme will reach 2.2 million persons with sanitation and hygiene messages. By doing so, 1.3 million people are expected to change from open to fixed place defecation. “The RUSHPIN programme has recorded remarkable progress following the signing of the MoU and involvement of the Community Led Total Sanitation (CLTS) Foundation. In three years, the programme had reached 820 communities, out of which 506 have attained Open Defication Free (ODF),” she said. The Ebonyi State Government also recently prosecuted over 138 residents for defecating in open places. Speaking in Abakaliki, the state capital, the Commissioner for Environment in the state, Ogodo Nome, noted that over 60 landlords in the state capital alone have been prosecuted for refusal to install toilet facilities in their houses. According to him, anyone who erects buildings in the state without toilet facilities will be sanctioned. People openly defecate for various reasons, ranging from non-availability of toilets or habitual preference for just defecating in the open air. Sharing her experience, Olajumoke Adesola, a caterer said: “Individuals shouldn’t be blamed most times, as there are times when you will be forced into defecating in the open. I remember when I went for my

Governments set UNEA-2 agenda By Doyin Adeoye STAKEHOLDERS across various countries gathered in Nairobi, Kenya last week, to channel a focus for the forthcoming United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA-2). The week-long event was the second meeting of the Open Ended Committee of Permanent Representatives of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) (OECPR-2), where environment ministers, high-level government delegates and representatives of major groups set the agenda for the UNEA-2, which will be held at the United Nations Environment Programme’s Nairobi headquarters

from May 23-27. At the meeting, key actors set the stage for key decisions on the implementation of the environmental dimension of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, including addressing the environmental aspects of global humanitarian crises and human health risks. UNEP’s Executive Director, Achim Steiner said: “At the United Nations Environment Assembly, every nation has a seat at the table. Since its first meeting in 2014, UNEA has become the world’s de facto Parliament for the Environment. “When ministers gather here in Nairobi in May for UNEA-2, the decisions they take will again set the global

Many Nigerians do not have access to decent toilets in their homes and therefore are left with the choice of defecating openly . National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), the experience at the three-week orientation programme was pathetic. “The odour oozing from the pit latrine at the back of our hostels was enough to deter anyone from even using the toilet. I didn’t have a choice than to buy nylons and ‘shotput,’ an option I wouldn’t have made even in my wildest dreams. And unfortunately, that was the same situation for many others at the camp. So I believe that if people have good and decent toilet facilities, open defecation wouldn’t be an option,” she said. There is a need for more rigid enforcement of policies from governments at all levels to eradicate open defecation in Nigeria. Access to water and decent toilets, will also go a long way in addressing this issue, especially as regards the behavioural aspect of it. “Many are just naturally dirty. Sometimes, open defecation has nothing to do with the availability of toilets, some just prefer to defecate in the open than use the loo. I have a piece of land that I am yet to develop. The environment is good and one would assume that the residents in the area are learned. But I find it absurd when I get there sometimes and see human faeces all around. “It has become a lifestyle for many and this need to be addressed. Why would anyone build a house and not make provisions for a toilet facility, it just shows that such person has a mentality that defecating in the open is normal. Another situation I find pitiful is houses where there are about 20 residents and they all have to use a little shed behind the house as the bathroom and the toilet. With such plan, the place is often never clean. So ministries of environment at the state level need to do more in enforcing that every compound has a toilet facility,” Mr Tunde Collins, an environment activist said.

environmental agenda. Keeping the global environment under review through science and policy dialogue enables governments to build the international agreements that will result in improvements for both the environment and human development.” Nigeria’s Minister of Environment, Anima Mohammed, at the event, urged for a synergy in order to have a better planet, nothing that no one should be left behind as nations prepare for the UNEA-2. “Our planet is our commonwealth, our dignity and hope. Leaving no one behind will be fundamental as we prepare for the second United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA2) coming up in May.”

Wednesday, 24 February, 2016

Nigerian Tribune

Group Business Editor Sulaimon Olanrewaju

energy

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

anchor Tunde Dodondawa

m:08029370304 e:mrdodondawa@yahoo.com

Confronting challenges of Nigeria’s refining capacity No doubt, Nigeria is the largest producer of crude oil in Africa, yet the only OPEC member that relies heavily on importation of refined petroleum products for its teeming population. In this report, OLATUNDE DODONDAWA examines how the challenges confronting domestic refining capacity can be addressed.

N the last 18 to 20 years, Nigeria’s local refineries have operated at a combined average capacity utilisation of about 22 per cent, placing the country at the bottom of the ladder among African refineries. In addition, all the indices for profitable operations of the refineries are absent as fuel and loss combined statistics for the last 10 years for the four refineries, namely Kaduna, Port Harcourt I&II and Warri refineries, averaged over nine per cent on crude oil processed. Good performing refineries average 5-5.5 per cent in fuel and loss. According to Solomon Associates, a renowned energy benchmarking organisation, a two per cent improvement in fuel and loss in 100,000 barrels of crude oil per stream day (BPSD) refinery is reported to save a refinery of over $20 to $30m a year. Nigeria’s refineries were built using technologies that were available in the early 1970s and mid-1980s. Today, several of these technologies and equipment are obsolete and have become difficult to maintain and unsafe to operate. While the industrialised world and most developing economies have taken advantage of advancements in refining and petrochemical technology in areas of processes, automation, and information/computer technology to significantly improve operations and profitability, our government-owned refineries are yet to catch on. The analogue instrumentation control system in the Kaduna refinery is an example of obsolescence of vital equipment in the refinery. The control system is completely obsolete as there are no manufactured spare

parts to maintain it. The refinery has since been slated to have a modern distributed control system over the years, but failed due to funding constraints. However, it is worthwhile mentioning here that refinery availability at 90 per cent plant capacity utilisation strictly depends on a secure business environment, where pipeline vandalism is completely absent. Unfortunately, security remains a very serious threat to the downstream petroleum assets and the security issues have impacted so negatively on the industry within the last decade, needed to be addressed once and for all. The entry of Dangote refinery in 2018 may threaten the survival of government-owned refineries if measures are not taken to upgrade them so that they can profitably compete in the domestic market. By first quarter of 2018, Dangote refinery is scheduled for commissioning. The refinery is expected to bring into the market on daily basis, Euro-5 compliant additional high quality 44.23m litres of PMS, 20.18m litres of ATK/HHK and 9.31m litres of Auto Gas Oil (AGO) otherwise called diesel. Hopefully, this additional capacity shall eliminate importation of refined petroleum products and make Nigeria selfsufficient in petroleum products and may even earn foreign exchange for Nigeria through export. To upgrade the existing four refineries to produce environmentally friendly fuels that meet Euro-5 fuel quality specifications, experts posited that it will require an estimated investment of about $7 billion. However, if the necessary invest-

ments are not done by government now to upgrade the refineries, the local refineries risk being put out of business in the very near future. Furthermore, industry sources claimed that it is impossible for NNPC to operate its refineries, crude oil and products pipelines nationwide profitably, unless government takes drastic measures to eliminate all acts of pipeline vandalism in the country. The repeated repair intervention by PPMC after each act of vandalism for several years calls to question, the integrity of existing pipelines that are over 35 years of operation without adequate maintenance on them. Reports from the NNPC revealed that as from January to August 2015 alone, there has been over 1824 cases of line breaks on PPMC pipelines. The corporation at least spends billions of naira each year to maintain and secure pipelines with the assistance of security personnel and community personnel in the Niger Delta. “With this level of financial expenditure on dilapidated pipelines coupled with low capacity utilisation of local refineries, there

With this level of financial expenditure on dilapidated pipelines coupled with low capacity utilisation of local refineries, there is no way the corporation can remain profitable.

is no way the corporation can remain profitable,” they claimed. Studies carried out by a risk management firm, AON, also revealed that it will require about $9 billion to replace with new ones all defective equipment in pump stations, oil depots and terminals nation-wide as well as construct new pipelines to convey crude oil to refineries and distribute products nation-wide. Meanwhile, measures put in place by refineries to receive crude oil through coastal vessels, come at an additional cost of a minimum of $4 per barrel. This additional cost can simply eliminate the net margins of refineries that are struggling to remain competitive and profitable. The government needs to invest in necessary refining processes’ upgrades in the local refineries so that they can compete and remain profitable. The capital investments required for the three local refineries to upgrade their facilities so that they can comply with Afri-5 fuel quality specifications is estimated to about $7 billion. It was, however, discovered that the most significant of the causes of lack of adequate refining capacity is that the current ownership structure and business model in the NNPC have failed to promote business excellence and sustainable operations of the refineries and PPMC facilities. The inability of the refineries to keep to the two years schedule of turnaround maintenance since 1994 (21 years) are examples of the disastrous effects that the existing business model, ownership and control arrangeContinues on pg28

energy

Wednesday, 24 February, 2016

Nigerian Tribune

Shell to earn $3.5bn from BG deal

Nigeria falls short of OPEC quota Olatunde Dodondawa with agency Reports

IGERIA has declared that it still run deficit of the oil exports quota given to it by the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC). The Minister of State, Petroleum, Ibe Kachikwu, who revealed this

to reporters in Doha, stated that Nigeria backs Saudi Arabia and Russia in freezing oil production while giving Iran and Iraq a way out to regain some of their lost market share due to sanctions and war. “Right now, we are not even exporting the quantity that OPEC has given us. Nigeria’s oil production will be 2.2 million barrels a day this month, unchanged from

January,” Kachikwu said. “Countries like Iran and Iraq have been out of the market for a while and if they are to come back you shouldn’t freeze them out where they are, but you should freeze them at a higher level. By June, we will come very close to tightening the market,” Kachikwu said. Saudi Arabia, Russia, Venezuela

Iran refuses to cut crude production ATTEMPTS to arrest decline in crude oil price at the international market suffered a setback at the weekend when Iran said it will not join in freezing output. Iran’s representative to the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), Mehdi Asali, told an Iranian daily newspaper Shargh that “Asking Iran to freeze its oil production level is illogical. When Iran was under sanctions, some countries raised their output and they caused the drop in oil prices. How can they expect Iran to cooperate now and pay the

price?” Iran has only just had its sanctions lifted and it is not looking at reducing the amount it can produce while it is trying to rebuild its battered economy with lucrative oil reserves. Oil production constitutes 23 per cent of Iran’s wealth, according to Trading Economics. There is no love lost between Iranians and the Saudis. And the Iranians are going to put their own economy before the interests of the Russians and the Venezuelans.

Oil prices reacted to the agreement between Saudi Arabia, Russia, Qatar, and Venezuela last week to freeze oil production at January levels. Crude oil prices are currently at about $30 per barrel. That’s a massive drop from the $100plus highs of the summer of 2014. Analysts believe that the deal between Saudi Arabia, Russia, Qatar, and Venezuela is only prolonging the pain of low prices. The only benefit it brings is the promise of not making things even worse.

and Qatar agreed last week to keep production at January levels, as long as others follow suit, in an effort to revive prices from a 12-year low. Iran’s production has slumped since international sanctions were imposed on its exports and Iraq is seeking to rebuild following years of war and underinvestment. Kachikwu speaking with reporters after meeting with Qatar’s Energy Minister, Mohammed Al Sada and Qatar Petroleum Chief Executive Officer, Saad Sharida Al Kaabi in Doha. He’s scheduled to meet with Saudi Arabian Oil Minister, Ali al-Naimi on Monday, according to a person familiar with the matter, who asked not to be identified because his itinerary isn’t public. “Nigeria will continue to look at the possibility of increasing production, not to sell it, because we have local consumption that is essential for us. Right now, we are not even exporting the quantity that OPEC has given us. Demand from domestic refineries is at least 500,000 barrels of oil per day,” he said.

...NNPC clamours for improved local refining capacity Continues from pg26

ment has produced. This situation continues to make it difficult for the refineries to meet their obligations with serious consequences to the nation’s economy. Why government must investment in modular refineries, experts have argued that the country does not need to invest in conventional refineries which are capital intensive, but rather, it should promote investment in modular refineries across the country. A modular refinery is a refinery whose parts or equipment are constructed in modules designed to be transported quickly and easily anywhere in the world and comes in a variety of sizes with capacities that range from 500 to 20,000 barrels per day, while a typical conventional refinery costs billions of pounds to build, and millions more to run and upgrade. It runs around the clock, 365 days a year, employs hundreds of people and occupies as much land as several hundred football pitches. Currently, there is only one modular refinery of 1000 barrels per day capacity operating in the country at Ogbele in Rivers State. The refinery produces only diesel and injects back the residual fuel oil and other products obtained from its crude distillation unit into

the crude oil the company produces. The diesel cut from the refinery is about 30 per cent of the crude it processes. This practice of injecting about 70 per cent of residual oil and other components back into the crude oil on a continuous basis degrades the quality of crude oil. The 1000-barrel refinery, which is being operated by the Niger Delta Petroleum Refinery, is too small to make an impact in product availability, as it produces only diesel of relatively low quality when compared to existing African fuels quality standards today (AFRI 3 Fuel Specifications). Hence, there is need for further investment in modular refineries which must be cited very close to its source of raw material which is crude oil. Another indigenous company, Integrated Oil and Gas Ltd announced it has been given initial license to commence preliminary work for a 20,000 capacity modular refinery in one of the islands on the coast of Lagos. The CEO of the company, Capt. Emmanuel Iheanacho, said his company has gotten preliminary approval from the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) and has commenced work on the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA). He explained that the

company is working on other necessary requirements needed before the final approval for the refinery can be granted. However, it is imperative to state that several indigenous firms, about 20 of them, were given license in the early 2000, but no single refinery was built afterwards. On the way forward Discussions with NNPC personnel recently revealed that the business model that allows refineries to buy crude, refine and sell products to marketers at deregulated prices is preferred. Secondly, they also prefer the ownership model that allows a strategic investor with a minimum of 51 per cent equity participation to operate and manage the refineries. They also clamoured for improved local refining capacity, reduced or elimination of import of refined petroleum products into the country. They argued that the government must do more to increased insulation of the economy from the vagaries of the global crude oil market, especially from the threat of shale oil & gas, as more of Nigeria’s oil production would be refined domestically, thus adding value to her hydrocarbon assets and thereby increasing revenues to all stakeholders including government.

OIL giant, Shell has inched into becoming world super major company leading in deep water Exploration Company in a new BG deal. These portfolios would be added to Shell assets with the acquisition of BG Group. BG will bring some attractive long term assets into Shell, cementing its position as one of the handful of super major oil companies. The deal is reportedly the most significant in Shell’s history since Royal Dutch and The Shell Transport and Trading Company agreed to pool their resources in 1907. Shell also targets $3.5 billion a year of cost benefits from the deal, by 2018, and up to $30bn of proceeds from asset sales. The enlarged Shell group will have a vast portfolio, with key strengths in deep water fields offshore Brazil, SE Asia, Nigeria and the Gulf of Mexico. Shell will claim global leadership in LNG once BG’s assets are added, with projects in Australia, Nigeria, and Qatar. Shell has big oil sand reserves in Canada and is a huge player downstream, with key assets including the giant Pearl gas-to-liquids facility in Qatar and America’s largest refinery complex at Port Arthur. BG will establish Shell into a bigger position in both Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) and deep water oil production. Shell also gets access to BG’s giant oil discoveries offshore Brazil and an innovative LNG project in Queensland, Australia, which together offer the prospect of substantial growth in production volumes. But the current level of oil prices is so low that in the short term, adding BG to the portfolio could well just serve to increase the financial pressures on Shell, because the dividend bill is set to rise by more than the earnings BG may bring. Disposals could buy time, but until oil and gas prices recover to levels that leave the dividend well supported by earnings, doubts as to whether Shell can really afford to continue being so generous to its shareholders will remain. Shell, like other large oil companies had been struggling to replace reserves with new discoveries. Adding BG will replenish Shell’s reserves and boost production for years to come. Combining the two companies creates cost cutting opportunities and both companies’ portfolios will be pruned to focus on the most attractive assets. Most big oil companies struggle to find enough new reserves to replace the oil and gas they produce each year. Last year, for instance, BP replaced just 61 per cent of the reserves it produced, and Shell saw reserves shrink, because low oil prices left a proportion of its reserves uneconomic. BG Group, with production expected to rise steadily out to the end of the decade, will ease a lot of pressures on this front.

tribunebusiness

Wednesday, 24 February, 2016

We’ll increase domestic travel within Africa by 120 million if... — Uko, Team Africa

Mr Ikechi Uko is a co-founder Team Africa and expert in practical tourism, statistics and content development skills, in this interview with WALE OLAPADE, he speaks on the vision of Team Africa and how it can boost domestic travels in Africa.

ECENTLY, there was a trumpet on a new body called Team Africa, what is it about? We found that there is a need for Africa to market itself to African. A lot of Africans travel, but they travel mostly abroad. 80 per cent of the traffic out of Africa and within Africa is carried by foreign carriers which means Africa travel mostly outside Africa, that is why the foreign carriers control 50 per cent of our market and Africa gets up to 53 to 56 million tourists every year from population of 1.2 billion people. France, I always like to use that example, has less than 80 million people and they get close to 80 million visitors than a whole of Africa, which is shameful. Those 54 nations cannot market as well as one destination. France doesn’t have more beaches than Nigeria or Africa. France doesn’t more hotels than Africa. France doesn’t have more wildlife, so why are we performing badly? Part of it is because we don’t work together. Therefore, what Team Africa want to do, is to improve the ability of Africans to work together and to market Africa as a destination. But our major objective is to get Africans to travel within Africa. If we can get 10 per cent of Africans to travel within Africa, that is a 120 million people alone and that is twice the number of visitors Africa has received. So, what are we looking for outside, when we can actually deliver at home. Team Africa, in the next two to three years, will work to deliver this number for Africa. We know there are obstacles like visas, air access, and those things will be targeted. And we also know that it is because Africans don’t know anything about Africa, so. In doing the 21 wonders of Africa, we want to communicate these locations in Africa to Africans. What is the idea behind the 21 wonders of Africa and is it part of the Team Africa project? Team Africa (TA) is going to do quite a whole lot of things, but the immediate thing is to get people to know how lovely and beautiful Africa is, and we think the 21 wonders of Africa would be the easiest way to communicate these beauties to Africans. With the numbers of countries in Africa (54) and Team Africa plans to roll out the search for the 21 wonders of Africa; don’t you think it would be difficult to do such selections? Yes, we have 54 countries in Africa, but from my experience, doing the Seven Wonders of the World, Seven Wonders of Nigeria, I learnt something. And at the end of Naija 7 wonders, we didn’t have litigation and four of those seven locations are now developed and have resorts. So there are intangible results that we got, that we didn’t have litigations, which was the biggest fair we have at the beginning that people will not agree, that people will fight us. The same way, if people see that the process is transparent and thorough and your own people make a presentation, everybody in Africa will be allowed to vote, at least the stakeholders in Africa will be allowed to vote. The aim is not victory; the aim is to expose these destinations in Africa to Africans. It is not that some destinations are going to win, no, everybody in Africa will win. You mean it going to be a win-win thing for all? Yes it will be a win-win for all and the continent. Let’s think for Africa. Apart from what you have highlighted, what do you think Africa is not doing well? First, we de-market Africa, every Africans is meant to believe that

t h e other African countries have problems and they also have problems. Nigeria would say derogatory things about another country and other countries would say derogatory things about Africa. This self fulfilling prophecy where we are told that we are third world countries and we believed we are third world and we start acting like third world. So it is a perception issue, we have to first destroy that, see Africa as beautiful because it is. No country in Africa and the world have the amount of wealth underground like Congo Brazzaville and South Africa. No country has diversity as Uganda in the world. But why are they not exploring these rich potentialities? It is because nobody knows. What you don’t know, you can’t take advantage of it. However, it is for us, Africans to put together our strength and make it work. For a continent of 1.2 billion people with a combine GDP that is in trillions of dollars to begin to work for Africa thing will change in no time. Considering the global politics in the tourism world, do you think this big ship of fortune (TA) can sail successfully? We don’t see ourselves in competition that is why I am not interested in what happens outside Africa. If there is cohesion and Africa market to Africans, the world will come to us. If we say we are ready, the world will come to us and if we say were are not, the world will call us the name we call ourselves. If I tell you my name is Ikechi, you will call me Ikechi. You cannot come and call me a name I did not call myself, I won’t listen or even answer you. So Africa has to give itself a name. Africa was named by others and its still named by others. On the global politics, I know the people will want to intermeddle with what we want to do in order to put us in the position that makes them comfortable. I don’t border myself about them; I am interested in getting Africans to believe in Africa and work for Africa, if we do that, we are okay. With 100 million tourists within Africa, we don’t need grants and with 200 million people within Africa, we would be giving people money.

Do you think we have what is taking people outside here in Nigeria and in extension Africa? I have travelled round, to come to know that outside city lights, fancy shopping malls and sometimes government and justice, I do not see what most places in the world have that you cannot find in Africa. If we think people are going for leisure, even at the shopping, we still have fantastic shopping places in Africa.

If we can get 10 per cent of Africans to travel within Africa, that is a 120 million people alone and that is twice the number of visitors Africa has received. So, what are we looking for outside, when we can actually deliver at home.

Nigerian Tribune

Ikechi Uko

Can o u n a m e them? If you are taking of luxury, you can shop in South Africa. You can shop in Egypt, anything you can buy anywhere, you can also get in Africa. If it is luxury, some of the most luxurious places in the world can be found in Africa. An Italian has a billionaire resort in Malindi, in Kenya. Why didn’t he build billionaire resort in Italy? The biggest and richest asset that is missing elsewhere; sunshine, wildlife, green grass etc, we have all of that in abundance in Africa, so i don’t see anything that will stop Africa from reaching its goal, except the will-power and the decision to go ahead. We are the people we are waiting for, if i will quote president Obama of United State America. y

The group, Team Africa is a selected individual like you and I who are passionate and want to put Africa in its rightful place as far as tourism is concerned but do you think you can do it alone without the government? We are Africans and we believe that if the people of Africa decide that this is where Africa will go, the government will support us and I am telling you, government does not fund travel in Africa. All the Africans who travel to Europe, did they have the backings or funded by their government? They go there because something has been sold to them and they bought the products in their minds first. So in making a case in this regard, let us attract the minds; let us present Africa to Africans, then the government will flow along, stakeholders will always design an agenda and the government will fulfil it. If we say we should wait for government to lead, things will drag. I can tell you that the longest servicing Minister of Tourism in Africa is six year. As a person, I have stayed in tourism Industry than any of the government officials. Who are the members of Team Africa? Team Africa is for all African countries. I mean the founding members of TA? They were five of us that are founding members namely, Nigeria, Congo Brazzaville, Kenya, Uganda and Burundi, and it encompasses everybody. We are launching the first 100 members at the end of March 2016, and these hundred members are going to come from so many countries and by the end of 2016, we will be having like 1000 members from minimum of 20 countries. Where do we see Team Africa in the next five years? In the next, Team Africa would have achieved 10 million tourists in the whole of Africa that is the minimum. Team Africa would have helped to improve tourism asset through the Africa passport, visa; people don’t need visa to go to most African countries. TA would have help drove the open skies in Africa, so that it would be easy to move around Africa. Because those are the difficulties we face in Africa; visas and access. In five years, Team Africa should have had 5000 members and above across Africa and we should be looking at 10 million visitors internally.

Wednesday, 24 February, 2016 Editor: Kehinde Oyetimi featuresdesk@yahoo.com 0811 184 5048

features

The new Orange Market under construction

hough it is almost three weeks now that the Orange Market in Mararaba in Nasarawa State was gutted by fire, traders are still counting their losses, wondering why it happened to them. The market was on January 28 this year burnt to the ground during an early morning fire. Till date what caused it is still unknown. This latest inferno, according to sources, is the third and the most serious of them all as nobody could salvage anything. The fire which occurred around two o’clock in the morning was probably assisted by harmataan winds. The first fire incidence was in 2012 and the second one was in February 2013. Though the affected traders did not suspect any foul play, they lamented that the fire had occurred too many times and that they were fated to be the victims. According to history, the market moved to its present site on Keffi Road on August 25, 2004 when the former site could no longer accommodate the traders and expansion had become difficult. There are, however, no permanent structures at the present site. The only structures one can find are collapsible and makeshift. This may be the reason why any time fire incidents happen they are devastating as most of the stalls are built with wood, sack and different types of paper and packaging. When Nigerian Tribune visited, the market looked deserted, the buying and selling and noise associated with a typical market were absent. Victims, however, were seen packing up the debris and making efforts to construct new stalls. The victims who lost millions of naira worth of property were still in a mournful state. Most of them were seen in groups holding meetings and strategizing on how to make a comeback. It was learnt that most of the traders borrowed from a microfinance bank located near the market to galvanize their businesses. Those who spoke to Nigerian Tribune disclosed that they have to renegotiate their loans. The orange market is specifically known for fruits of different types and condiments. Though the market opens for business daily, its ‘market days’ are five days apart.

The burnt Orange Market

Orange Market fire:

Victims count losses

AYODELE ADESANMI writes on circumstances that led to the destruction of one of the largest fruit markets in the North. Here, customers usually buy in bulk and interestingly, patronage is not limited to only Abuja residents. Buyers came from the satellite towns and adjoining states like Niger, Kaduna, Kogi among others not only for the bulk purchase advantage, but also for the freshness of the fruits and cheap prices. Perhaps in sympathy over the incident, the officials of the Orange Market have begun work to complete the long abandoned New Orange Market. Their belief is that the present place is not big enough and the incessant fire incident was due to lack of enough space for the traders to display their goods. The new market which is at the last stage of completion is big enough to accommodate all the traders in the old market. It was put on hold because of cash crunch according to Alhaji Baba Ali Ibrahim, the chairman of Orange Market Traders Association. He promised that within the next few months all traders would move to the new market. He said the new market was 100 per cent owned by the Traders Association.

Adamu Musa said that all his savings had gone with the fire incident. He disclosed that he had planned that by the end of this year he would move to his own private building

Ibrahim lives in Keffi, a town that is about 20 kilometres away from the market. He said that he was informed about the fire incident through mobile phone and immediately he called the fire brigade which responded but could not stop the fire. He said that he lost everything to the fire incident, adding that when he came the following morning he could not locate where his shop was. Ibrahim who reiterated that the new market belonged to the members, called on the state government for financial assistance in order to complete the market. The government has responded by commencing the construction road that leads to the new market. Heavy equipments were seen on site working. In his own account, secretary of the association, Richard Elong, who is from Gombe State, said that the pain and loss from the incident was too much for him to bear. He explained that he along with most of the traders had just gone to restock as is the normal practice monthly, especially towards the end of the month. Elong narrated his ordeal saying that “I left the market around six in the evening. That day many people bought goods on credit and promised to pay back the following day, but unfortunately fire destroyed our arrangement as I cannot go to ask for the money because all of us were affected. I was informed by a friend who called around two about the fire. We all made efforts to call the fire brigade who reacted promptly but there was nothing they could as the fire was too much for them. They came with three trucks filled with water all to no avail. “Nobody can say exactly what caused the

fire. When it happened, l called my wife and explained to her that we would cope; although we would feel the impact we would manage the situation. She instantly understood and prayed that God would make a way. I have to start from scratch again.” Another victim, Adamu Musa said that all his savings had gone with the fire incident. He said he never borrowed and that he was in the business with his own savings. He disclosed that he had planned that by the end of this year he would move to his own private building. However, due to the incident, he was uncertain over the completion of the building which he said “is now in the hands of God as I have lost where I can get money from because of the inferno.” Musa said he was left with only two thousand naira after the fire, but added that “as a Muslim l believe in fate. Good and bad things come from Allah and by his will, l will bounce back again in full, though l felt it.” Abdulahi Mohammed Nadada, an indigene of Kano metropolis, was also a victim who lost goods worth thousands of naira. He said he was not aware of the incident until the following morning when he got to the market and met the debris and the left over. He said the battery of his mobile phone was flat therefore getting to him on the night of the inferno was impossible. He said he was initially unsettled, but later pulled himself together. According to him, “What has happened has happened. l only need to pray to Allah for support and provide me with money.” He called for assistance from the government for the quick completion of the ongoing new Orange Market.

30 features

Wednesday, 24 February, 2016

Youths benefit from group’s empowerment programme By Yejide Gbenga-Ogundare

ix months ago, before they came in contact with the Human of Substance Empowerment Initiative (HOSEI), sixty young people within Ibadan had no hope or inkling of what their life or future will be or what they were going to do with their lives. Even when the clarion call sounded that youths should come for a mentorship programme where they will be taught skills that will take them to the next level, few still knew that it is time for their lives to take a new turn. Their case was that of many were called but few are chosen as the most determined of the teeming thousands that attended the event finally got into the programme as beneficiaries were selected based on the first 60 to arrive the venue. Many got to the Jogor Center with their parents even before the convener woke up in her own home but today, the story has changed and this is now history. The 60 youths that had no plans or hope for their future before going for mentoring, have now evolved into independent adults that can stand for themselves and their rights and also fend for themselves and be useful to the

community. An activist identified as the Essential Rumi once stated that everyone must take charge of his own life. According to Rumi, “Don’t be satisfied with stories, how things have gone with others. Unfold your own myth.” This is the counsel that a lawyer and rights activist Abiade Olawanle Abiola, the founder of Human of Substance Initiative, a nonprofit organization, followed when she decided to give some youths a chance not only to dream but to also pursue their dream and rewrite their own stories. She took in over 60 youths and turned their lives around by giving them scholarships to learn a trade of their choice free of charge for six months while giving them the required moral guidance to chart the new course that they had set for themselves. Abiade through HOSEI took in 60 young people that she didn’t know and encouraged them to take charge of their lives by training them, creating opportunities for them, taking them on a road to self discovery and generally addressing their situation. She gave them opportunities of learning a trade of their choice free, improved their access to resources and transformed their consciousness,

The beneficiaries of the programme. beliefs, values, and attitudes with the I can and I will attitude and consequently, those that could not stand up for themselves had a reason to stand tall, those that couldn’t speak among peers especially when they have to communicate in English Language had their confidence boosted. Indeed, HOSEI improved the quality of life of these youths and developed their individual capacity in a way that will enable them stand their ground and hold their own among their peers and the society at large.

It was therefore a nostalgic team that converged at the Jogor Centre last week Thursday to bid farewell to their mentor after satisfying all conditions of training. The six months is indeed over but the transformation is massive; everything used for the graduation ceremony was produced by the graduating beneficiaries, who took the opportunity to exhibit what they had learnt to family and friends. They were taught bead making, catering, fashion designing photography, video recording,

graphics and decoration, make up, hair dressing and baking among other trades and are now professionals in their chosen fields. HOSEI didn’t manage this feat alone. She got support from experts who took only stipends to train the beneficiaries while some trained these students free. One of those that offered free services and was recognised with an Award for her compassion and humanitarian services is the founder of Comely Hands, Tinuola Ayanniyi.

Job creation: Educare advocates use of biotechnology By Adewale Oshodi CONCERNED by the high rate of unemployment in the country, the Educare Trust Youth Centre, Ibadan recently organised a lecture entitled, Expanding biotechnology and Entrepreneurship in Nigeria: The Way Forward, which is aimed at sensitising young Nigerians, particularly secondary school students on the opportunities available to them in creating wealth through biotechnology. In his opening speech on the occasion, the chairman, Emeritus Professor Ayo Banjo, admitted that in today’s world, science and technology offered the greatest opportunity to create wealth and jobs. “Science and technology dominate the world, and it is doubtful if mankind can survive without the innovation of scientists. “As a result, it is important that our coming generation, particularly the students, take science and technology seriously, so that they can use it to impact the world,” Professor Banjo, a former vice chancellor of the University of Ibadan, said. While giving his overview of the symposium, Dr Tony Marinho, founder of Educare Trust, lamented the lack of practical in Nigerian schools for science students. “The deliberate withdrawal of funding for chemicals, disposables like litmus paper, test tubes, gas for Bunsen burners, among others, has brought about the main

Cross section of participants after the seminar. science subjects being officially converted to theoretical subjects. “This lack of practical in schools is a deliberate sabotage by those charged to build the brains of the youth, but in spite of these drawbacks, many millions of Nigerians have managed to climb through the cracks and excel at home and abroad,” Dr Marinho said. On the topic, Dr Marinho said everybody in the world sees the stamp of biotechnology, from the handbag, to the mobile phones, paints, cars, etc. In short, every living person benefits from biotechnology, and this is why we thought

it wise to sensitise our students on the need to delve deeper into this important area in order to create jobs and wealth in the nearest future.” In the main lecture of the day, Professor Enitan Bababunmi, charged students to capitalise on the opportunities that abound in biotechnology to create wealth in the future. Professor Bababunmi, a former vice chancellor of the Lagos State University, Ojo, challenged the students that they can achieve anything using biotechnology. “Biotechnology is just so wide, and young Africans must begin to think of taking part

in the revolution; we cannot continue to leave our existence to the Europeans and Americans. “Today’s young people should now begin to think of what they can do to positively impact the lives of people and the world. “Since jobs can be created and wealth acquired through biotechnology, I think this is one area that we should start focusing on so that we can build a brighter future for our country,” Professor Bababunmi said, while charging the students to be prepared to invent. The former vice chancellor gave an example of an American student who invented a chip which is being used in mobile phones and computers, “and today, he is employing hundreds of thousands of people all over the world, and he is also a billionaire. “So you need to think deeply to come up with something that will be useful for humanity, through which you will create jobs and wealth,” Professor Bababunmi concluded. In the second lecture of the day, Dr Esther Uchendu of the University of Ibadan, spoke on the opportunities that abound in the plant tissue culture. Dr Uchendu said plant tissue culture is used to regenerate or clone plants that are genetically true to type. “Plant tissue culture can be used to multiply plants faster than through the natural process; it can also be used in the conservation of plants, extraction of medicinally important chemicals, saving endangered plant species, production of diseases free plants, among others.

Wednesday, 24 February, 2016

Taiwo Adisa - 08072000046 Group Politics Editor taiadis@yahoo.com

The fresh handshake across River Niger

JUDE OSSAI writes on the renewed moves by leaders of thought from the North and the South-East to build a bridge of understanding between them.

LANS for the crucial meeting were kept under wraps, especially from the prying eyes of the media. It was unlike four years ago when leaders of thought from the North and the South-East held a similar parley meant to foster unity and understanding. Then, under the aegis of the pan-Igbo organisation, the Ohanaeze Ndigbo and the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF), the leaders had met in Enugu for the cause, which last Sunday, was not different. The only slight difference this time was that the leadership of the two bodies had changed. While the 2012 delegation of the ACF was led by Alhaji Aliko Mohammed, that of Ndigbo was under the chairmanship of Ambassador Ralph Uwuche, of blessed memory. The latest reapproachment, which some observers described as another warm handshake across River Niger, came against the backdrop of the tension occasioned by the pro-Biafra agitations by some groups and individuals in the South-East. The protests have led to a crackdown on some of the agitators leading to a number of casualties. Thus, the Sunday meeting by Arewa and Ohanaeze leaders did not come to many as a surprise. Curiously, the meeting was held behind closed-doors. Though the communiqué issued by the leaders was silent on a few critical issues that bothered on security, feelers indicated that discussions among the stakeholders during the meeting were exhaustive and frank. On the whole, the leaders agreed to work together for the promotion of the welfare of their people. Apart from internal regional interest, they said the new partnership would help them discuss on national issues affecting their people, as well as advise the government on issues that could engender national development. Extolling President Muhammadu Buhari on the war against insurgency in the North-East, they observed that the crusade against corruption was already yielding positive results. Although a source informed Nigerian Tribune that the issue of Biafra agitation topped the agenda of the meeting, the leaders did not reveal their resolution in form of suggestion to be forwarded to the authorities. However, they were said to have expressed concern on the killing of some Biafran agitators by security agents, just as they appealed to the Federal Government to release Nnamdi Kanu, Okechukwu Isiguzoro, and other detained Igbo activists. The communiqué was silent on those issues, ostensibly for tactical reasons, as the source, who preferred to remain anonymous, claimed that the issue of the Radio Biafra Director, Kanu and other detained separatists was discussed by the leaders. “Despite the fact that we did not make it open, we condemned the killing of the unarmed Biafran agitators. We called on the Federal Government to release the detained Biafran agitators from Nnamdi Kanu, to Ben Onwuka, and to compensate those who lost their lives. Okechukwu Isiguzoro. We are happy that all is well, and this is the beginning of greater things to come in Nigeria. If the various groups should be coming together to discuss issues affecting Nigeria, then it will be good for the country,” the source stated. According to the communiqué read by the national publicity secretary of the ACF, Alhaji Muhammadu Ibrahim, the cooperation between the ACF and Ohanaeze will be extended to other areas of interest for the two organisations. It explained that the groups agreed to meet regularly to discuss issues affecting their wellbeing, stressing that decisions reached therein would be transmitted to the Federal Government to aid good governance in the

Coomassie country. “We will also continue to meet with our other brothers, the Afenifere, the South-South Peoples Assembly, the Ishekiri, the Uhorbo, and many other socio-cultural groups to promote peaceful co-existence and unity of Nigeria,” it added. The President-General of Ohanaeze, Igariwey equally shed light on the regional alliance, which he said would enhance cooperation among the two ethnic groups, and the occasional mutual suspicion among their people in the North and the South-East. “We think that this kind of joint cooperation will solve some of the problems we keep

We think that this kind of joint cooperation will solve some of the problems we keep having from time to time. It means that we don’t need to come to the North to address issues.

Igariwey having from time to time. It means that we don’t need to come to the North to address issues. It means that we will contact Arewa to tell them about the problems confronting our people there. The major issue is that we are starting on a good note of cooperation that will ensure that we have other good results in the future. These meetings will be very regular,” he promised. The AFC boss and former Inspector-General of Police, Alhaji Coomassie, was equally enthusiastic about what he saw as a new dawn in the relationship between the North and the South-East. He expressed happiness that the groups had come together, noting that it marked the beginning of greater things to come in Nigeria. “The problem of Nigeria has nothing to do with its size, diversity or attempt by any group to marginalise other nationalities. We at the Arewa Consultative Forum had long ago realised that unless and until we have a credible leadership in Nigeria, the issue of meaningful development, peaceful and harmonious coexistence between Nigerians will continue to elude us. One of the principal goals we set for ourselves is to build bridges between the various ethnic nationalities in Nigeria. We have reached out to the Yoruba Elders (Afenifere), Ohaneze Ndigbo, the South-South Peoples Association, as well as the leaders of Itsekiri and Urhobo Peoples and Nigerians in Diaspora. We will not relent until we extend the hand of fellowship and cooperation across all Nigerians.” Will the newly found relationship between the two groups endure? Time indeed will tell.

politics&policy

Wednesday, 24 February, 2016

APC leaders should face Buhari’s failure, not PDP leadership —Edo PDP chair Chief Dan Osi Orbih, is Edo State chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and member of the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC) which last week picked Senator Ali Modu Sheriff, as national chairman. In this interview with Group Politics Editor, TAIWO ADISA, Orbih defends the choice of the new PDP helmsman. He also speaks on other issues in the polity. Excerpts:

our party seems divided on the process leading to the emergence of the new national chairman, Senator Ali Modu Sheriff. Don’t you see this adding more troubles to the travails of the party which lost power at the centre in 2015? I want to say with emphasis that there is no division in the emergence of a new national chairman. You will agree with me that in a democratic process, there are different levels of approval before the emergence of a chairman. I think all the processes were followed to the letter. Of course, that will not prevent people from airing their personal opinions about the candidates they were proposing for the position. Different people had different reasons to support or oppose. But at the end of the day, we have a national chairman whose immediate task is to rally every person together and organize a credible and acceptable convention that will put the party on the track to recovering government. I don’t think there is any noise, apart from the noise coming from the APC, who are more interested in what happens within PDP than those who are in PDP. Let them leave us alone; let us manage our affairs. We will manage our affairs until we get them out of government. You seem to be saying that party members should give the new chairman a chance. Are you talking as a member of the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC) or as chairman of Edo State chapter of the party? We have a chairman who, under our constitution, is to serve out the tenure of the zone where the former national chairman comes from and if you look at the period in question, it’s a very short period. I don’t know why the noise is coming from APC louder than PDP. They should leave us to manage our internal affairs. It is not for APC to determine or dictate to us who should run the affairs of the party at any point in time. If the National Executive Committee, the highest organ of the part has approved the appointment of a new chairman, so should it be. We are moving on as a party. We are not even bothered about the noise coming from APC. They should be more concerned about the leader of APC, Chief John Odigie Oyegun, who is talking too much. He is even dabbling into probing Supreme Court justices, just because the justices gave what the APC believed were unfavourable verdicts in cases involving that party. So, they should be more concerned about the leadership of APC than that of PDP. The leadership of the APC has not been able to differentiate the difference between the leadership of the Executive, the Legislature and Judiciary. As far as the leadership of APC is concerned, once you produce the president of the country, you should control every other arm of government, even up to the extent of saying there is internal sabotage by agencies and parastatals in government; even accusing INEC of internal sabotage. Is he saying that all of them

should be replaced by APC members? These are the things that should concern Nigerians and APC – that they have a leadership which has not been able to come to terms about what democracy is all about. Instead, they are talking about the PDP National Chairman. But the APC national chairman was only saying that the President should weed out PDP-appointed heads of parastatals so as to give room for appointment of members of APC… I don’t understand what Chief Oyegun means by internal sabotage. We are facing very hard times brought about by lack of knowledge on the part of the APC government to tackle very critical areas of our economy and put the country on the right track towards full economic recovery. Instead, they are babbling about how to probe judiciary, probe the Supreme Court because of perceived unfavourable judgments; they are dabbling about how to replace personnel in INEC with APC members and appointees, forgetting that these are institutions. They should look at the laws setting up these institutions. The judiciary derives its powers from the Constitution of the country, just like the executive arm of government and the legislature. Some of the agencies he is talking about, like the INEC, are independent, and they should respect the law setting up these institutions. They should not drag some of these institutions into partisan politics all in a bid to satisfy their own selfish interest. I should expect Oyegun at this point in time as the National Chairman of a ruling party at the federal level to speak more like a statesman than somebody whose statements are driven by parochial party interest. Critics of your party are of the view that it has enough baggage following the prosecution of some of its members over corruption allegations. Don’t you think that the controversy over the emergence of the National Chairman is like sounding the death knell of the party? I must tell you at this point that the party is strong and alive to its responsibilities. As a political party that is in opposition, we have a duty to play our role under the present democratic setting effectively because, at the end of the day, it is not about whether we are in government or we are out of government. The essence of our role as a political party is to ensure that political institutions of democracy, as established under the present separation, survive, not to the dictates of those who are seeing things from a very partisan angle. As a party, we have said over times that we are not against any probe of any kind. But what we keep emphasizing on is that when you want to wage your anti-corruption war, it should be open and it should be all embracing. It should not be selective. What we have now is that even those who are indicted over corrupt practices while they were in one position or the other, overnight they become saints. Once they proclaim mem-

They should be more concerned about the leader of APC, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, who is talking too much. He is even dabbling into probing Supreme Court justices, just because the justices gave what the APC believed were unfavourable verdicts.

bership of APC, everything they’ve done in the past is consigned to the dustbin of history. All that is important is that they are members of APC. So, anybody who served in government as a PDP man and is still a PDP member should be open to this probe and labelled as corrupt people. There should be no selective treatment of past political office holders because of their political affiliation. We want to see a government that is genuinely interested in prosecuting the anti-corruption war, irrespective of those who are involved, even if they are members of the same party. Then all of us will join hands and ensure that others will learn a lesson from what is going on, that the

fact you are in office does not give you the right to just take money from the public purse without knowing that one day, you will be called to account for your actions while in office. That is the position of our party. In trying to describe the Nigerian political scene, a commentator said recently that it appears that the APC was not prepared for governance and that the PDP was not prepared for opposition. So, the two parties find themselves is a confused state. Do you agree with that analysis? I agree with the fact that APC was not prepared for governance. It is very clear now. We have seen over eight months of APC in government and they’ve not taken one positive step forward. Instead, they are taking us ten steps backwards and this is of great concern to many Nigerians. To say PDP was not prepared for opposition, I don’t think there is any party in government anywhere in the world that will be preparing for an election and instead of preparing to win an election, preparing on how to play opposition in government. So, to that extent, you can say that there appears to be some common sense analysis that can give rise to such a position. But, more importantly, I must appreciate the type of opposition that the PDP has provided for the number of months they’ve been in opposition. They’ve done it so well that principal officers, indeed the mouthpiece of the party, who has been giving the public our informed position on issues, has been selected as one of those who must face the anti-corruption crusade, so that he can be silenced. To that extent, I don’t think it is really right to say the PDP was not prepared for opposition. But I don’t think there is any government Continued on pg33

politics&policy

Wednesday, 24 February, 2016

Faleke is Kogi gov in waiting —Hon Meseko Honourable Duro Meseko represented Kabba/Bunu/Ijumu Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives between 2003 and 2007. The Director of Media and Publicity of the Audu/Faleke Campaign Organisation, in this interview with KOLAWOLE DANIELS, insists that Honourable James Faleke will soon be sworn as Kogi State governor. Excerpts:

an you share with us the vision of the Audu\Falake Campaign Organisation? The organisation was based mainly on welfarism: the need to adequately lift Kogi State out of the woods by providing essential infrastructure that was criminally lacking in the state, like good roads, potable water and good hospitals, among others. You will recall that the late Prince Abubakar Audu provided about 90 per cent of the infrastructure in the state and, up till now, nothing has been added to it. So, the Audu\Faleke movement is what I will call a continuation of the Audu revolution. Some people called him Mr Infrastructure. When he came in as governor in 1999, within the first 100 days to 200 days, we saw what he did by providing housing units and good roads, so Kogi people who were yearning for him to come back to continue his good work only just keyed into what he had drawn up for the people.

After the death of Prince Audu, his running mate, Honourable James Faleke, your principal, said he should be declared the governor. How feasible is this, especially with the swearing-in of a new governor? Yes, it is feasible, even though a governor has been sworn in. The governor that was sworn in can also be asked to leave the office by the relevant authorities, in this case the court, which has the power to say “Look, you are not supposed to be there. This is the man that is supposed to be there.” On November 21, 2015, a governorship election was held in Kogi, after which the

entire result of the 21 local government councils in the state were announced. Out of the 21 local governments, APC won conveniently in 16 local governments, while PDP won in five. We led by 41, 000 votes and we were expecting the Chief Returning Officer to declare the APC candidate winner, only for him to adjourn and say in about two or three hours’ time, he would come back to make the announcement. But when he came back, it was another thing. The man said, “Well, INEC realised that there were votes cancelled in 91 units across the state and when they totalled, those votes amounted to 49,000 and if the result is announced as it is, then some people might still lay claims.” We felt that this was not good enough, because we were expecting INEC to look at the number of accredited voters and see how many voters were accredited to vote out of the 49,000 mentioned. Then, how many registered voters had PVCs in those places, because if you don’t have PVC you can’t vote. It came to light that the number of PVCs officially from INEC was around 38,000, so even if you now give the whole 38,000, for instance, to the PDP candidate, it would still not have been up to 41,000, so we would still have won. We expected INEC to be more diligent by doing its homework before saying that the election was inconclusive. And, of course, INEC declared a supplementary election and the rest is history. So, what we are saying is that the Constitution is supreme to any other law in this country. INEC depended on its in-house guidelines which was drawn up by it and not the law of this country.

Section 179 of the Constitution says that a person running for the position of governor of a state shall be deemed to be duly elected, (a) if he scores the highest number of votes (b) if he scores one-third of the votes in twothirds of the state, all that we fulfilled. But while we fulfilled all that, INEC did not declare us elected. So, we felt that there was no need for a supplementary election. We felt that, having satisfied what the constitution says, INEC should have gone ahead and declared us elected, leaving anybody that was not satisfied to go to the tribunal to make their case. INEC did not do that, and that was why Faleke was saying “I am supposed to be the one to step into the shoes of Audu, not any other person.” This is because the constitution recognizes Faleke as candidate, and once a deputy governorship candidate is picked, he or she is already deemed to have gone through the primaries. Why do you think the party looked the other way? I am surprised. But for political intrigues within the party, there was no way anybody could have ignored somebody who went through an election with his principal. How could you overlook that person and now say “let’s go and pick the person who came second in the primary election?” The primary election was deemed to have been overtaken by events. In fact, at that time, they even recommended a fresh primary; it was the party that said there was no need for a fresh primary and settled for the runner up. Fair-minded people across the globe felt scandalized that such a decision

could be taken because the Constitution is very clear on the issue of deputy governor, and the constitution refers to him as a candidate. In this wise, since Prince Audu had picked Honourable Faleke as his deputy, and along the line he died, of course, naturally, his deputy who shared the same philosophy with him was the best placed person to continue the journey.

‘APC not prepared for governance’ Continued from pg32

in power who will set out to conduct an election and say the outcome of this election is going to throw us out of government; so, let us start preparing on how to play opposition. Your state will be holding the governorship election very soon. How prepared is the PDP for that election? I must start by commending the very loyal, committed members of PDP in Edo State. In the past seven years and some months, they’ve been able to show what it is to remain loyal to a cause you believe in; to remain committed to the party you believe in. At the commencement of Adams Oshiomhole’s administration, he virtually promised Edo people heaven and earth and we saw

even those who were elected to offices on the platform of the PDP moving over to him, thinking that what he was promising Edo people, he was going to do for them. But you have seen it all; even those who left us at that time, believing that Oshiomhole was telling them truth, have since found out that the man is not what they were told. They’ve all found their way back to PDP and we have accommodated them under my leadership because the PDP umbrella is big enough to accommodate all. We have learnt very deep lessons from the teachings of the Bible. The prodigal son who went away with the father’s wealth squandered them, he came back and the father held a feast for him. I think the lesson of the prodigal son has guided our actions in welcoming back those who left the party at one point, thinking that Oshiomhole was going to bring about solutions to the problems of our people in Edo State. They have seen it all and they have come back to us. We have welcomed them back and together, we are now fighting the cause of enthroning the next Governor for the State that will be responsive to the needs of our people. But people have said that the governor has a lot of developmental projects in place, which they claimed endeared him to the people and also won him the second term? I don’t think I will want us to discuss how he won his election to serve out a second term. But if he is sincere enough, he will tell you; I recall the statement of Olisa Metuh about how he crawled on his knees to the Villa to be supported to come back with a very firm promise

that as soon as the elections are over, he was going to come to PDP. All that is now history. I think we should talk more of critical issues and how he has negatively impacted on the average man in the streets of Edo State. Let us look at the various sectors. You don’t assess him by the amount of noise he is making in the pages of newspaper. Of course, I sympathize with him; I also sympathize with the situation he has found himself. From the situation in 2012 where he claimed to have 18 over 18, he is now in the twilight of his administration; we have suddenly found out that, today, PDP is in control of two senators out of the three in the State. We are controlling majority of the members in the House of Representatives and even recently, I’m proud to say that even in Oshiomhole’s own constituency, the member representing him in the State House of Assembly is a PDP member. I think that speaks volumes about how the people now see him; why the people have decided to embrace PDP, support PDP and ensure that PDP wins the next governorship election. So, I cannot thank Edo people and members of the party enough. They have joined us in the forefront of the battle to bring about a people-oriented developmental government in Edo State. The other day, we were trying to rate Oshiomhole’s performance in government and I said in terms of insulting elders, you can give him distinction. If you want to rate him, you can give him A1 on insulting elders and showing ingratitude to all those who helped him at one time or the other. In terms of noisemaking, you will also give him A1. But for every other area, he has scored F9. So, I don’t know as a lecturer, what your verdict will be. Do

you think he has passed? In the health sector, the only thing he has done since he came into power is to build a new emergency ward in an existing hospital in Benin City, that is the Central Hospital. So far, he has committed over N12 billion to building a ward. When I tried to do a comparative analysis between what Bauchi did; Bauchi State built a 300-bed hospital. He is building a 200-bed emergency ward. But in Bauchi State, they built a 300-bed hospital at the cost of N2.5 billion with doctor’s quarters, state of the art facilities fully equipped. Oshiomhole has spent over N12 billion in building a ward. So, if you want to assess him in the health sector, I don’t think he can earn a pass mark. I recounted the story of the medical doctor at the General Hospital in Agenegbode, who said that they operate with candle light. That story got headlines review when it was first reported. They don’t even have a functional generator and the hospitals are not well staffed. Now you talk about roads or the so-called water stem project, he has borrowed over N30 billion. Recently, his commissioner came out to tell the public that it will take many years to actually do the erosion control in Benin City. Of course, if you look at the cost and you assess what has been done so far, you will also agree with me that he has failed woefully here again. Today, residents of Benin are always praying that God would postpone the evil day of rainfall. It used to be the prayer of every person that rains should come so that we will be able to farm and have a bountiful harvest at the end of the season. But these days, because of the erosion problem in Benin, people don’t pray for rain to fall.

Wednesday, 24 February, 2016 Femi Olukunle Co-ordinating Editor 08158610216

maka nd’igbo

Joy, relief as HIV/AIDS control agency visits South-East Jude Ossai - Enugu

T was joy galore for the people of Umunneochi and Nkanu land in Abia and Enugu States, respectively as people living with HIV/AIDS scourge and others with different ailments benefitted from recent free medical care package initiative of National Agency for the Control of HIV/ AIDS (NACA) sponsored by Subsidy Re-investment Programme (SURE-P). Maka Ndigbo learnt that the free medical service outreach of the Federal Government brought relief to many people in the two communities as people of the areas were treated and counselled on how to live and manage their lives so as to be healthy again. Speaking during the flag-off of ‘Multi-Disease HIV Counseling and Testing Outreach’ in Umunneochi Local Government Area of Abia State, Dr Uduak Essen, the Prevention Focal person, NACA, said the programme was part of the Federal Government’s resolve to give quality health services to the indigent in the country. The programme, which she said was targeted at 65,000 residents of Umunneochi Local Government Area of Abia State, encouraged people to always avail themselves of the opportunity to be tested and counselled as it is completely free of charge. “This outreach, happening in 30 states in Nigeria and Umunneochi Local Government Area in Abia, happens to be one of the selected centres. The target is 65,000 persons. “There are many indigent Nigerians who cannot afford quality health care and the programme is free in all sense of it,” she said. Essen added that there were no fewer than 100 health personnel on ground, including doctors, pharmacists, nurses, laboratory scientists all trained to make sure things went well. Mrs Ijeoma Uruakpa, vocal person for Abia State agency for the control of HIV/Aids prevention, while declaring the free health outreach open, explained that the participants were given health

Medical experts attending to people in Umunneochi Local Government Area talks and counselled in areas that covered diabetes, hypertension, HIV/AIDS, and personal hygiene. “They are tested for HIV/AIDS and their weight and height checked to know their body mass index to determine whether they are fat, normal or obese. “There is also the blood pressure and blood sugar stands where their blood pressure and sugar are checked after which they go to the waiting areas to see the doctors”, stressing that they were proper referrals for the ailments they would handle. “The most important thing is that we have created the awareness in them about their health and that HIV/AIDS and hypertension are not death sentences. There are drugs and structures on ground to handle them,” she said. The 4-day free healthcare services were also carried out in Enugu State where over 45,000 rural dwellers were penciled down for free health tests, counsellings and

Day Aisha Buhari rekindled hope in Enugu women

—pg35

A man undegoing HIV test. drugs. Participants at the exercise, which took place in two locations in Nkanu West LGA of Enugu State, were tested for HIV/AIDS, malaria, typhoid, blood sugar and blood pressure as well as weight check and eye care services. Declaring the exercise open in Akpacha community in Nkanu

Revocation of land: Aggrieved owners want FG to stop Anambra govt —pg35

West LGA, the member representing Nkanu Federal Constituency, Mr Chukwuemeka Ujam, thanked the Federal Government, National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA) and Subsidy Re-investment Programme (SURE-P) for the initiative. Ujam noted that the exercise was one-way the rural people would directly feel the impact of good governance in the country. “This exercise and the lots of health benefit it holds would go a long way to ameliorate the plight of our people and make them have a sense of belonging that government cares for them. “As their representative, I would ensure that more people-oriented

programmes are attracted to our locals while I am still pursuing the rural development agenda I have for my people,” he said. Also speaking, the Director of Policy and Strategy in NACA/ SURE-P, Dr Chukwugozie Ujam, said that the prgramme would target a minimum of 11,500 people, especially the aged ones living in communities of the Nkanu West LGA. The director said that the health experts would give referrals to those health ailments their mobile health vans could not attend to, adding: “For HIV/AIDS test, we want everybody to know their status and as well refer those positive with the condition to hospitals for a comprehensive care’’. “For two weeks, we have been mobilising people through worship places, traditional rulers and community based organisations for people especially the aged in this council area to attend the four-day programme.

CREW

Jude Ossai-Enugu -South East Bureau chief 08052817955 Joe Nwachukwu- Owerri 08033271227 Suzy Oruya- Onitsha 08063653735

35 makandigbo

Wednesday, 24 February, 2016

Day Aisha Buhari rekindled hope in Enugu women Jude Ossai - Enugu

HE pet project of free health care for women and children by the wife of President Muhammadu Buhari, Hajia Aisha, is yielding fruits in Enugu State as the wife of the Enugu State Governor, Mrs Monica Ugwuanyi, last week, took the crusade to Agbani in Nkanu-West Local Government Area of the state. Indeed, all local government caretaker committee chairmen in the state were urged to help in sensitising women and children in their local government areas on the on-going health screening exercise. Mrs Ugwuanyi told the people of Agbani at the occasion of the health screening exercise that women were bedrock of the society, adding that it was against the backdrop that the First Lady initiated the programme. She noted that the health screening exercise involved cervical examination, dental/eye checks, breast examination and blood system tests. Others are surgical and health tests, blood pressure test, kidney function test and blood sugar test. She enjoined women in the state to avail themselves of the opportunity provided by this exercise to participate in the screening to enhance their health conditions. Earlier in an address, the wife of the caretaker committee chairman of Nkanu West Local Government Area, Mrs Ugochi Afam Okereke, commended Mrs Ugwuanyi and her husband for their zeal to ensure effective health care delivery in the rural areas of the state. Mrs Okereke noted that the free health screening exercise would help women identify silent killer diseases early enough for necessary medical action so as to forestall maternal mortality in the state. She affirmed that the women of the state were also grateful to the wife of the president of Nigeria,

Commissioner for Health, Enugu State, Dr Sam Ngwu; wife of Enugu State governor, Mrs Monica Ugwuanyi and wife of the chairman, Nkanu West Local Government Area, Mrs Ugochi Afam Okereke during the official visit of Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi’s wife to continue the Health Screening Initiative launched by wife of the president, Mrs Aisha Buhari at Agbani, Enugu State. Mrs Aisha Buhari for bringing health care services to the grassroots.

In a brief remark, the State Commissioner for Health, Dr Sam Ngwu, commended Mrs

Ugwuanyi for sustaining the pet project of the wife of the president of Nigeria in the state, urg-

AMATAS boss urges traders to support govt policies, programmes Suzy Oruya - Onitsha THE President-General of the Anambra State Markets Amalgamated Traders Association (AMATAS), Chief Okwudili Ezenwankwo, has charged the newly elected market leaders to support the policies and programmes of the Anambra State government. Chief Ezenwankwo spoke at Godwin Achebe Memorial Stadium, Fegge, Onitsha during the election of the executive of Ogbaru Main Market. He charged the market leaders to as well work for the overall interest of their members by resisting the imposition of unnecessary levies. Chief Ezenwankwo, however, urged the traders to support their leaders so that they could get the best out of their administration even as he warned them against confrontation either with their leaders or state government. Chief Victor Nwawuzie was newly elected chairman of Ogbaru Main Market while Chief Chinedu Ejezie emerged the first vice-chairman among other elected officers.

Anambra State governor, Chief Willie Obiano cutting the tape to commission Nnanka Borehole. Meanwhile, Anambra State Governor, Willie Obiano’s democratic disposition which gave Anambra traders free hand to conduct election into the various market associations in the state has elicited the commendation of some market leaders in the state. Chief Gabriel Obumneme, who is the Vice-President, Ochanja

Market in Onitsha, said that Obiano’s free hand to the market association in the state to conduct free and fair election was a clear indication that he was a democrat. He said that this was at variance with the posture of his predecessor, Mr Peter Obi, who for a long time held market association to a

Revocation of land: Aggrieved owners want FG to stop Anambra govt Suzy Oruya - Onitsha AGGRIEVED owners of plots of land at Amansea Community, Awka North Local Government Area, Anambra State, have appealed to the Federal Government to prevail on Anambra State Government to stop revocation of plots of land allocated to them by the Federal Government in 1996 under the Federal Government Housing Site and Service Project Scheme. Making this appeal at Inland Town Onitsha, after rising from a closed door meeting, the aggrieved owners recalled that such development housing scheme plots of land were allocated to

ing her not to relent in taking the initiative to the local communities. He also thanked volunteer doctors participating in the screening exercise in the state. Numerous women of the council area turned out in their numbers for the screening exercise. Maka Ndigbo recalled that the wife of the President, Hajia Aisha had, during her visit to Enugu in October last year, urged the Nigerian women, especially the pregnant and nursing mothers, to always present themselves for proper medical attention in order to avert unnecessary health hazards. She maintained that every pregnant woman should attend antenatal clinic to know her health status and that of the unborn child and to ensure safe delivery.

each state of the Federation, stating that the state government should not talk of revocation of a land that does not belong to it. According to their spokesman, Mr Okechukwu Arinze, an estate surveyor and property manager, “the former Ministry of Lands and Urban Development, now Federal Ministry of Works, Housing and Power, allocated the said plots of land to us after paying compensation to the Amansea land owners”. “We are surprised that the state government came into the land and removed the beacons by way of revocation of the land that belongs to us, the land we procured

from the Federal Government”. “The verification exercise has since been done by the Federal Government to ensure proper allocation. The idea of revocation of the plots of land is capable of causing chaos and anarchy in the state if not stopped”, he said. We appeal to the Federal Government to caution the state government to desist from the revocation exercise and we appeal to Chief Victor Umeh, the former National Chairman of All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA), as an estate surveyor and a fellow of Institute of Estate Management of Nigeria, to advise Governor Willie Obiano on the implication of the

revocation”. “Chief Victor Umeh as a Knight in the Catholic Church should understand better and render good explanation on the implication of what the state government is doing, in the interest of peace and progress of the State. APGA is said to represent the Igbo interest, but the revocation of the land by APGA-led state government is anti-Igbo”, Mr Arinze stated. “We remember that Federal Government Permanent Secretary wrote a letter to the state government on this effect asking the state government to steer clear of the land” Arinze stated further.

ransom by using caretaker committees in the markets. Obumneme, who is a contestant for the post of chairman in the cancelled Ochanja election, said that Governor Obiano had shown that he had the interest of the traders in Anambra State by providing security of lives and property in the entire state, particularly Onitsha, the commercial nerve centre of the state. “First, we want to thank Governor Obiano for the big job he is doing in Anambra State, especially by providing security to everybody in the state” said the Market leader. He said that part of ensuring security, peace and order in the state was the deepening of democracy in the markets in the state, saying that it had reduced tension and bickering associated with caretaker committees, which was the old order. Obumneme also lauded the President-General of Anambra State Markets Amalgamated Traders Association (AMATAS) for his humility in piloting the affairs of traders in the state in particular and the South East in general.

south-westnews

Wednesday, 24 February, 2016

Ajimobi enjoins accountants to improve their communication skills •As ICAN donates 350-seater hall to Ibadan Poly By Wale Akinselure with Agency Report

OVERNOR of Oyo State, Senator Abiola Ajimobi, has charged the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN) to expand the curriculum of accountants to cover the management of resources rather than focus on record keeping of financial activities. Especially, Ajimobi charged accountants to improve their communicative ability aside from ensuring professionalism in accounting practice. Ajimobi made these prayers when the ICAN management team led by its National President, Olufemi Deru, were at the governor’s office, Ibadan, for a courtesy visit, on Tuesday. He said this admonition was necessary to boost the image and reputation of accountants and the accounting practice in Nigeria. In another charge to ICAN, Ajimobi said the institute should regularly come up with measures that will engender the plans of state governments to boost its Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) as well as measures to address the current dwindling economy. Furthermore, Ajimobi expressed commitment towards the desire of ICAN to have an Ibadan district office. “Those who keep records should be able to manage the records, manage resources, finance and personnel. More importantly, accountants have to improve their communication ability. Some accountants are not good at communicating their professional practices.” “ICAN should be more involved in how government is run. The Institute should come up with financial advice that will enable the state improve its Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) to prevent reliance on FG allocation and address the issue of a dwindling economy.” President, ICAN, Olufemi Deru, in his earlier remarks, noted the need for government at all levels to key into world best practices in the preparation of general purpose financial statements by embracing International Public Sector Accounting Standards (IPSAS). Deru noted that adapting IPSAS to governance guaranteed quality, consistency, and transparency in

public sector accounting. Harping on the need for technology in governance, he also charged state governments to utilise technology in actualising plans to diversify the economy

from reliance on Federal Government allocation, increase the tax base, while also providing an enabling environment for government to thrive. In his charge to the Oyo

State government, Deru noted the need for government to sponsor members to training programmes and capacity building programmes organised by ICAN on the essentials of

Vice-President, Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN), Deacon Titus Soetan; Oyo State governor, Senator Abiola Ajimobi; ICAN President, Chief Samuel Deru and the institute’s second Vice President, Alhaji Razak Jayeola, during a courtesy visit on the governor by members of the institute, at the Governor’s Office, Ibadan, on Tuesday.

IPSAS. Specifically, he prayed that the state government approves the institute’s request for a land to site the Ibadan District office of ICAN. Meanwhile, the Rector of The Polytechnic, Ibadan, Professor Olatunde Fawole, on Tuesday, urged key players in the economy to invest more in the country’s education sector. Fawole spoke at the inauguration of a 350-seater lecture hall donated to the institution by the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN). The rector urged professional bodies with affiliation to the education sector to come up with proposals to support tertiary education in the country, particularly with reference to provision of infrastructure. He said that in most developed countries, the products of the various ter-

Disregard govt directive on submission of BVN, Osun NLC, TUC tell workers Oluwole Ige-Osogbo

ICAN President, Chief Samuel Deru (right) and the Rector, The Polytechnic Ibadan, Professor Olatunde Fawole, cutting the tape to commission the ICAN Lecture Theatre, at The Polytechnic Ibadan, on Tuesday. PHOTO: ALOALDE GANIYU

AS varied reactions trail Osun government’s order to civil servants, directing them to submit their Bank Verification Numbers (BVNs), the state chapter of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Joint Negotiation Council (JNC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC), on Tuesday, informed workers to disregard the order. The labour unions said civil servants in the state should henceforth shun the directive, which they claimed negated the agreement it had earlier reached

Ondo LG election: PDP faction submits parallel list Hakeem Gbadamosi-Akure

AHEAD of the local government election in Ondo State, a new crisis seems to be rocking the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state, just as the Dr Olu Ogunye-led faction of the party, on Tuesday, submitted a parallel list of candidates to the state Independent Electoral Commission (ODSIEC). Speaking during a press briefing in Akure, Ondo State capital, the factional chairman described the Clement Faboyede - led committee as usurpers and impostors, whom he said would not be allowed to hijack the party and discredit the party in the eye of the public.

Ogunye, who said he was the authentic chairman of the PDP in the state, premised his argument on the declaration of the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, which pronounced him as the chairman of the party after the resignation of Honourable Ebenezer Alabi as the chairman of the party. However, the party Publicity Secretary in the state, Honourable Banji Okunomo, described Ogunye and his executive as dreamers and clowns, saying “for anyone to at this stage want to masquerade himself as the chairman of the party in the state, having gone this far, is an exercise in futility.” But Ogunye maintained that he was backed by the

judgement of Justice Ademola of the Abuja High Court delivered in November 2014, which directed the National Secretariat of the party and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to relate with him as the PDP chairman in Ondo State. He said, “Upon the resignation of Mr Ebenezer Alabi as the past chairman and my subsequent election as his successor, an order of the Federal High Court, Abuja recognised me as the authentic chairman of PDP in Ondo State.” He, however, said as the chairman of the party, he had ordered the party to organise and conduct party primaries for the chairmanship and councillor-

tiary Institutions are key players in the funding of such institutions. Fawole lauded ICAN for making a donation of such magnitude to the polytechnic. He said that the gesture was the first of its kind in almost five decades of its existence as an institution of higher learning. “You have made history by making this big donation during my tenure as the head of this institution and I am very proud to be associated with you,” he said. The ICAN President, Chief Samuel Deru, who is the 51st president of the institute, said that the project was very dear to the hearts of his members. Deru said that the completion of the edifice was one of the eloquent testimonies to show that the institute was not only making a difference, but living up to its expectation.

ship aspirants of the party, using the statutory delegates, saying, “Faboyede is not the state chairman of the party and lacks capacity to conduct the business of the party in whatever guise.” He described the list submitted by Faboyede - led executive as ‘fake,’ saying, “Faboyede and his executive are riding on the unavailable authority bestowed on themselves as the executive committee members of the state chapter of PDP.” Okunomo however, maintained that there was no faction within PDP in the state and disclosed that Ogunye and his executive have ceased to be members of the party in the state.

with the government. This development came against the backdrop of directive issued last Friday by Governor Rauf Aregbesola-led administration, ordering workers to submit their BVN or forfeit their salary. Reacting to the directive for the first time, the labour, in a circular signed by the NLC and JNC chairmen, Comrades J.B Adekomi and Bayo Adejumo respectively and made available to newsmen in Osogbo yesterday, observed that the directive was contrary to the agreement between the leadership of workers and government. According to the circular, there was consensus between both parties that issues relating to workers’ welfare, especially salary should be discussed with labour, stressing that labour was not carried along on the purpose or reasons for the submission of the document. They further submitted that carrying out another round of cleaning of payrolls of the state and local government workers at this particular period was inauspicious. While justifying its decision to disregard the directive on BVN, the labour maintained that previous report on cleaning exercise of the payroll had not been released to the leadership of labour by the state government.

south-westnews

Wednesday, 24 February, 2016

‘Quackery killing herbal medical practice’ Sam Nwaoko - Ado Ekiti

EMBERS of the National Association of Nigerian Traditional Medicine Practitioners (NANTMP), Ekiti State chapter, has raised the alarm over what they said was “the existence of too many quacks in the herbal medicine system.” They said in Ado Ekiti, on Tuesday, that “this has been the reason why traditional medicine has refused to grow in Nigeria.” NANTMP after their congress in Ado Ekiti recently, however, expressed hope that the task force being jointly set up by the body and the Ministry of Health in each of the 36 states of the federation would help in arresting quackery in the system. The chairman of NANTMP in Ekiti State, Mr Jacob Osamika, told newsmen that “the task force must work assiduously to tackle the menace that was crippling the trado-medical practice in Ekiti and in Nigeria at large.” The NANTMP boss also said the crisis between his

group and the one led by Chief Dauda Arowa, had been resolved, and promised to give quality leadership that would sustain the present unity being enjoyed by members. He said: “We want to assure Nigerians that with good and enabling environment, NANTMP can com-

plement orthodox medicine to ensure quality healthcare delivery to Nigerians. “Members of this association produced bitters, energy drugs in syrups, capsules and many other forms that are of great benefits to Nigerians. I believe that with empowerment of our members and better expo-

sure to modern practice by government, we will surely go a long way.” Osamika said the association had been organising workshops and seminars for members in conjunction with the Ekiti State Trado-medical board, in view of the existence of Lassa fever breakout in Ni-

geria. He said the seminars and workshops would expose members to hygienic practice and new trend in the world of traditional medicine. Osamika called on Governor Ayodele Fayose to appoint the chairman of the board from practising

7th Anniversary: Mimiko says Mega Schools’ initiative is promise fulfilled Wife of the Ondo State governor, Olukemi Mimiko (middle) and others, at the special edition of the monthly women meeting with the wife of the governor, in commemoration of the 40th anniversary of the state and seventh anniversary of Mimiko-led government, in Akure, on Tuesday.

Don’t drag us into Fayose-Aluko political feud, Ekiti monarchs warn •Deny rift with Fayose Sam Nwaoko - Ado Ekiti MONARCHS in Ekiti State under the aegis of Ekiti State Council of Traditional Rulers have warned politicians not to drag them into the feud

between Governor Ayo Fayose and a former secretary of the state chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Dr Tope Aluko. The monarchs, who addressed newsmen in Ado

Ekiti on Tuesday, denied that they had any issue with Governor Fayose over the Aluko matter and warned politicians to maintain decorum and desist from their online campaigns to smear

their royal robes. Speaking on behalf of the traditional rulers, the chairman of the council and the Ologotun of Ogotun-Ekiti, Oba Samuel Oyebade the monarchs said they were

Olukere not an Oba, must apologise to state govt —Ekiti Assembly

Sam Nwaoko - Ado Ekiti THE Ekiti State House of Assembly has urged the Olukere of Ikere-Ekiti, Oba Ganiyu Obasoyin, to be decorous in his pursuit of the status of his chieftaincy title, so as not to undermine the peace currently reigning in the state. The Assembly, after its plenary on Tuesday, said no Ekiti State government had ever recognised the Olukere as an Oba and charged him to maintain peace as he pursues his recognition as a monarch in the state. A statement by the chairman, House Committee on Information, Chief Olugboyega Aribisogan, said the house arrived at the resolutions after debates under matters of urgent public importance at its plenary led by the Speaker, Kola Oluwawole. According to the statement, Leader of Business, Akinyele Olatunji, had told the house that the Olukere came to the Assembly “sometime last week with a

and certified members in Ekiti, “for professionalism to be maintained.” The NANTMP boss, appealed to government to also empower members by way of provision of soft loans to boost their businesses. He promised a donation of money to all the local chapters in the 16 council areas in the state for them to acquire secretariats, to enhance membership drive and thorough supervision of the practitioners. The South West President of the Association, Chief Samuel Banjo, urged members to stand by the leadership of Chief Osamika and work against any form of division in Ekiti NANTMP. Banjo harped on the need for the South West zone to remain united, so that they can have a strong voice at the national level.

•Resolution saddening —Olukere

petition seeking for recognition as a traditional ruler (Oba) as well as a staff of office.” The statement added: “It is unfortunate that this Olukere that is seeking recognition from Ekiti State Government is still going here and there to embarrass this present government. “He should stop parading himself as an Oba. He has to wait for his petition to be heard. According to history and as represented by the Morgan Commission, no other Olukere has been confirmed as an Oba by any Ekiti State government. The only recognised Oba in Ikere-Ekiti is the Ogoga. “In his contribution, Honourable Akinleye Ekundayo said that “the petitioner should not allow anybody to push him. “Chairman of the House Committee on Health, Dr Babajide Omotoso, also said; “for anyone to be called an Oba, the history and records must be able

to tell. “He condemned the way the petitioner presented himself when he came with his petition and warned that anyone who wished to come to the House with a petition should comport themselves and desist from storming the House with drummers, singing and dancing.” The statement also stated that the House “said it was ready to listen to all petitioners, while advising Chief Obasoyin to tender unreserved apology to the Ekiti State government. “He was also advised to let the peace in the town of Ikere-Ekiti continue, since the Ogoga is the only recognised Oba in the town at present.” It quoted the Speaker, Oluwawole, to have said that “the state was enjoying peace and tranquillity at the moment, adding that the peace ought to be maintained. “He challenged the chief to ensure maintenance of peace in the community.”

The assembly said: “This is a House with high sense of decency. Anyone that wants to submit petition should do it with an equally high sense of decency; not with drumming and dancing. This place is not a fanfare venue. This House is not opposing any petition. But they have to be brought within ambit of the law; under an atmosphere of peace. That is when we can serve and perform our duties. “Olukere should maintain peace in that community. Ogoga is the only recognised Oba by Ekiti State government right now.” Reacting, Oba Obasoyin described the resolution of the House of Assembly asking him to stop laying claim to kingship as “unbelievable and saddening.” Obasoyin, who claimed that the lawmakers were being “teleguided” by Governor Ayo Fayose, expressed regrets that the lawmakers arrived at the resolution when the process was yet to be completed.

neither lobbied nor compelled by Fayose to write any communiqué condemning Aluko over his interviews on the television in which he claimed that the last governorship election in the state was rigged. The monarchs decried a publication on the social media which they said claimed that the traditional rulers had disagreed with Fayose over his intention to conscript them to write a communiqué condemning Aluko. They said the online publications further claimed that they (the monarchs) had been told to issue the communique allegedly at a recent meeting with the governor in Ado Ekiti. Oba Oyebade denied such meeting and warned that monarchs should not be dragged into politics under any guise. He said: “We note that the said online publication names specific traditional rulers as arrow-head of anti-Fayose’s stance. “Council says unequivocally that the content of that publication was a blatant lie, a fabrication arising from the imagination of the writer. It was also a deliberate attempt to smear the image of the traditional rulers and set the government and the council against each other.”

ONDO State governor, Dr Olusegun Mimiko, has submitted that the Mega Primary Schools Initiative introduced by his administration in the state was a promise fulfilled. The governor noted that his administration made a concerted effort to break the traditional jinx of lopsidedness in access to qualitative education between the children of the rich and the poor, mentioning that before his intervention, the children of the poor had to make do with the public zschools, while the children of the rich received early education in cosy environment and as such creating a man - made disparity and discrimination he opined, is almost worse than the apartheid situation in the South Africa of old. “We took the bull by the horns; we came up with a creative and well thoughtout idea of a long lasting and enduring legacy that could make a difference in design, structure and in outlook. This marks the beginning of a new era, an era that puts both the rich and the poor together on a common platform.” Apparently savouring the joy of the successful initiative, Mimiko said “this is our home-grown idea of a near perfect study and learning environment, we can beat our chest, that we are close to our destination, a destination that showcase an unprecedented educational development, using the basic education as our benchmark.”

38 news FG will soon revoke licences of dormant sites —Fayemi

As Buhari appoints him chairman NEITI board INISTER of Solid Minerals Development, Dr Kayode Fayemi, has declared that the Federal Government would soon revoke licences of owners of minerals mining sites, who had laid dormant, to pave way for ministry whose President Muhammadu Buhari, has given mandate to be a major contributor to the nation‘s economy. He made this declaration during a working visit to an informal gold mining site at Korokpa in Chanchaga Local Government Area of Niger State. Dr Fayemi, who said any site that had laid dormant for years would lose its licence, therefore, explained that the action was not intended to criminalise activities of anybody, but to ensure that solid minerals play major role in the diversification of Nigerian economy as directed by President Buhari. The minister advised labourers to stop illegal mining, urging them to form a

unified body that could do legal business and benefit from training and access to credit facilities. He implored the state government to get itself involved in the required partnership that would benefit both the state and Federal government. Meanwhile, President Buhari, has approved the appointment of a new National Stakeholders Working Group (NSWG), otherwise known as Governing Board for the Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI). He has also approved the appointment of Dr Fayemi as the chairman of the board while Mr Waziri Onibiyo Adio, has been appointed as the executive secretary of NEITI. Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Mr Babachir Lawal, announced this in a statement on Tuesday, in Abuja, saying Adio’s appointment takes immediate effect. Until his appointment, Adio was a Communication Consultant and Publisher of Metrolope Magazine.

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CHANGE OF OF NAME NAME CHANGE formerly Iyiola Iyiola Esther Esther I,I, formerly now TANIMOMO now TANIMOMO FOLAKE. All All former former FOLAKE. documents remain remain valid. valid. documents General public public take take note. note. General

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CHANGE CHANGE OF OF NAME NAME I,I, formerly formerly Abiola Abiola Rotimi Rotimi Olusegun Olusegun now now ABIOLA ABIOLA ROTIMI ROTIMI WILLOUGHBY. WILLOUGHBY. All All former former documents documents remain remain valid. valid. General General public public take take note. note. CHANGE CHANGE OF OF NAME NAME I,I, formerly formerly Miss Miss Ramat Ramat Alade now MRS Alade now MRS ADEYANJU ADEYANJU BOSE BOSE JANET. JANET. All All former former documents documents remain remain valid. valid. General General public public take take note. note. CHANGE CHANGE OF OF NAME NAME

I,I, formerly formerly Miss Miss Esther Esther Toyin Toyin Ejiofor Ejiofor now now MRS MRS ESTHER ESTHER TOYIN TOYIN AKINLEYE. AKINLEYE. All All former former documents documents remain remain valid. valid. General General public public take take note. note.

CHANGE CHANGE OF OF NAME NAME

I,I,formerly formerlyOduwole OduwoleFunmilola Funmilola Bolanle Bolanle now now OYEYINKA OYEYINKA FUNMILOLA FUNMILOLA BOLANLE. BOLANLE. All All former former documents documents remain remain valid. valid. General General public public take take note. note.

I,I, formerly formerly Olaniyan Olaniyan Bolatito Bolatito Bamidele Bamidele now now OMOTOSO OMOTOSO BOLATITO BOLATITO BAMIDELE. BAMIDELE. All All former former documents documents remain remain valid. valid. General General public public take take note. note.

I,I, formerly formerly Mrs Mrs Elizabeth Elizabeth Adenike Adenike Ojo Ojo now now MRS MRS ELIZABETH ELIZABETH OREOLUWA OREOLUWA OGEDENGBE. OGEDENGBE. All All former former documents documents remain remain valid. valid. General General public public take take note. note.

CHANGE CHANGE OF OF NAME NAME

CHANGE CHANGE OF OF NAME NAME I,I, formerly formerly Miss Miss Ajileye Ajileye Maryam Maryam Olabisi Olabisi now now MRS MRS AL-AMEEN MARYAM AL-AMEEN MARYAM OLABISI. OLABISI. All All former former documents documents remain remain valid. valid. General General public public take take note. note. CHANGE CHANGE OF OF NAME NAME

I,I, formerly formerly Miss Miss Ibrahim Ibrahim Adebimpe Adebimpe Olubusayo Olubusayo now now MRS MRS KOMOLAFE KOMOLAFE ADEBIMPE ADEBIMPE OLUBUSAYO. OLUBUSAYO. All All former former documents documents remain remain valid. valid. General General public public take take note. note.

CHANGE CHANGE OF OF NAME NAME

I,I, formerly formerly Miss Miss Adewumi Adewumi Omolara Omolara Ebironke Ebironke now now MRS MRS YUSUF YUSUF MULIKAT MULIKAT OMOLARA. OMOLARA. All All former former documents documents remain remain valid. valid. Moba Moba Local Local Government, Government, Otun-Ekiti Otun-Ekiti and and general general public public take take note. note.

CHANGE CHANGE OF OF NAME NAME

I,I, formerly formerly Miss Miss Adeboye Adeboye Abimbola Abimbola Iyabo Iyabo now now MRS MRS ADEWALE ADEWALE ABIMBOLA ABIMBOLA IYABO. IYABO. All All former former documents documents remain remain valid. valid. SUBEB, SUBEB, Osun Osun State State and and general general public public take take note. note.

CHANGE CHANGE OF OF NAME NAME

I,I, formerly formerly Miss Miss Aromolaran Aromolaran Bosede Bosede Adesola Adesola now now MRS MRS ALABA ALABA BOSEDE BOSEDE ADESOLA. ADESOLA. All All former former documents documents remain remain valid. valid. General General public public take take note. note.

CHANGE CHANGE OF OF NAME NAME

I,I, formerly formerly Miss Miss Badusi Badusi Mary Mary Omoyemi Omoyemi now now MRS MRS OLATONA OLATONA MARY MARY OMOYEMI. OMOYEMI. All All former former documents documents remain remain valid. valid. General General public public take take note. note.

CHANGE CHANGE OF OF NAME NAME

CHANGE CHANGE OF OF NAME NAME I,I, formerly formerly Ishola Ishola Faith Faith Fatimo Fatimo now now SORUNKE SORUNKE FAITH FAITH FATIMO. FATIMO. All All former former documents documents remain remain valid. valid. General General public public take take note. note. CHANGE CHANGE OF OF NAME NAME

I,I, formerly formerly Mr Mr Waliyu Waliyu Babatunde Babatunde Adediji Adediji now now MR MR AJIBOYE AJIBOYE MUNIRU MUNIRU OLAYINKA. OLAYINKA. All All former former documents documents remain remain valid. valid. FCMB FCMB Plc, Plc, Osogbo Osogbo and and general general public public take take note. note.

CHANGE CHANGE OF OF NAME NAME

I,I, formerly formerly Princess Princess Yemise Yemise Onoabhagbe Onoabhagbe now now PRINCESS PRINCESS OPEYEMI OPEYEMI OYELEYE. OYELEYE. All All former former documents documents remain remain valid. valid. General General public public take take note. note.

CHANGE CHANGE OF OF NAME NAME

I,I, formerly formerly Miss Miss Okolo Okolo Favour Favour Nwakaego Nwakaego now now MRS MRS OBI OBI FAVOUR FAVOUR NWAKAEGO. NWAKAEGO. All All former former documents documents remain remain valid. valid. General General public public take take note. note. CONFIRMATION CONFIRMATION OF OF NAME NAME

I,I, Segun Segun Oguntola Oguntola Olainukan, Olainukan, Alamoyekeen Alamoyekeen Lawal Lawal Olainukan Olainukan am am the the same same person person bearing bearing Segun Segun Oguntola. Oguntola. Now Now wish wish to to be be known known and and addressed addressed as as LAWAL LAWAL YEKEEN YEKEEN KOLAWOLE. KOLAWOLE. All All documents documents bearing bearing these these names names refer refer to to me me and and remain remain valid. valid. UBA UBA Plc, Plc, Stanbic Stanbic IBTC IBTCand andgeneral generalpublic publictake takenote. note.

CHANGE CHANGE OF OF NAME NAME

I,I, formerly formerly Miss Miss Arogunmatidi Arogunmatidi Funmilola Funmilola Racheal Racheal now now MRS MRS JEGEDE JEGEDE FUNMILOLA FUNMILOLA RACHEAL. RACHEAL.All Allformer formerdocuments documents remain remain valid. valid. Osun Osun State State SUBEB, SUBEB, Ilesa Ilesa West West LGEA, LGEA, Osun Osun State State and and general general public public take take note. note.

I,I, formerly formerly Akinwale Akinwale Sunday Sunday Olaide Olaide now now OLADOSU OLADOSU SUNDAY SUNDAY OLAIDE. OLAIDE. All All former former documents documents remain remain valid. valid. EcoBank EcoBank Plc Plc and and general general public public take take note. note.

CHANGE OF OF NAME NAME CHANGE formerly Miss I,I, formerly Miss Ekweoba Joy Joy now now MRS MRS Ekweoba OWUAMANAM JOY. JOY. All All OWUAMANAM former documents documents remain remain former valid. General General public public take take valid. note. note.

CHANGE OF OF NAME NAME CHANGE formerly Asuquo Asuquo Blessing Blessing I,I, formerly now JULIUS JULIUS BLESSING BLESSING now VICTORIA. All All former former VICTORIA. documents remain remain valid. valid. documents General public public take take note. note. General CHANGE OF OF NAME NAME CHANGE formerly Vicky Vicky Paul Paul now now I,I, formerly ROSEMARY PIUS PIUS KING. KING. ROSEMARY All former former documents documents All remain valid. valid. First First Bank Bank remain Plc and and general general public public take take Plc note. note.

CHANGE CHANGE OF OF NAME NAME

I,I, formerly formerly Miss Miss Adesina Adesina Olawumi Olawumi Oluwaseun Oluwaseunnow nowMRS MRSADENIRAN ADENIRAN OLAWUMI OLAWUMI OLUWASEUN. OLUWASEUN. All All former former documents documents remain remain valid. valid. Oyo Oyo State State Ministry Ministry of of Education, Education, Oyo Oyo State State SUBEB SUBEB and and general general public public take take note. note.

Wednesday, 24 February, 2016 CHANGE OF NAME

CONFIRMATION OF NAME I, Atemo-Shittu Ademola Nafiu am the same person as NAFIU ADEMOLA SHITTU ATEMO, ATEMO NAFIU ADEMOLA AND SHITTU NAFIU ADEMOLA. All documents bearing these names remain valid. General public take note.

I, formerly Daniel Sule now SULE BOSE. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

I, formerly Nwankwo Philip Nicholas now CHRISTOPHER PHILIP ONYEABO NICHOLAS. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CONFIRMATION OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME

I, Mrs Opara Fatimo Oluwatoyin am the same person as Opara Fatimo Mrs. Oluwatoyin and MRS. OPARA OLUWABUKOLATOYIN. All documents bearing these names refer to me and remain valid. General public take note.

I, formerly Sule Adeleke now SULAIMAN ADELEKE. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

I, formerly Miss Adeleke Keji Victoria now MRS CHRISTOPHER KEJI BISOLA VICTORIA. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

I, formerly Miss Bankole Oluwatosin Hannah now MRS. BUKOLA OLUWATOSIN HANNAH. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

I, formerly Teddy Oscar Ngozika now CHARLES AFAMEFUNA AGWU. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

I, formerly Miss Oluwa Adejoke Toheebat now MRS OLATUNJI ADEJOKE TOHEEBAT. All former documents remain valid. NYSC and general public take note.

I, formerly Showole Jacob Oluwamuyiwa now JESUWOLE JACOB OLUWAMUYIWA. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

I, Ife Elizabeth Omolayo am the same person bearing Ife Sunday Omolayo Now, I want to be known and addressed as IFE ELIZABETH OMOLAYO. All documents bearing these names refer to me and remain valid. FCMB Plc., and general public take note.

I, formerly Miss Risikatu Iyabo Lala now MRS. OGUNDELE RISIKATU LALA. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

I, formerly Basirat Busari Bose now BASIRAT RAFIU BOSE. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

I, formerly Joshua Osinowo Apena now OSINOWO ALFRED O. All former documents remain valid. First Bank Plc., and general public take note.

I, Miss Sodiq Wuraola Nafisat now my name on some of my documents is Sodiq Wuraola Nafisat but on my International Passport is Runsewe Wuraola Nafisat and I want my names to be written as SODIQ WURAOLA NAFISAT. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

I, formerly Miss Akinbolusere Sandra Yetunde now MRS. LAWAL YETUNDE SANDRA. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

I, formerly Cyprain Obere now CYPRAIN OKAFOR. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

I, formerly Miss Tella Sadiat Nike now MRS BADMOS SADIAT NIKE. All former documents remain valid. Saki East and general public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME I, formerly Oladepo Abibat Olawumi now OLADEPOALIM ABIBAT O. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

I, Miss Florence Gbemisola Fadoju now MRS. GBEMISOLA ADETUBOKUN ADESIOYE. All former documents remain valid. General public take note. I, formerly Miss Atetiokhai Rosemary Sola now MRS. ABOLUSODUN ROSEMARY SOLA. All former documents remain valid. GTBank Plc., Espam Formation University, Benin Republic, Nysc, Uba Plc., and general public take note.

I, formerly Miss Abisoye Olateju Omobambo now MRS ADEMILUYI OLATEJU OMOBAMBO. All former documents remain valid. NYSC and general public take note.

I, Festus Olawale Babatope am the same person bearing ARIJE BABAYEMI OLAWALE. Now wish to be known and addressed as FESTUS OLAWALE BABATOPE. All documents bearing these names refer to me and remain valid. General public take note.

I, formerly Miss Joseph Naomi Ojonugwa now MRS. SAMPHILIP NAOMI OJONUGWA. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CONFIRMATION OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME I, formerly Ogunleye Wale Samuel now OLAMIOTAN OLAMIDE WALE. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

I, formerly Miss Adebanjo Olasinbo Mary now MRS. ADEYINKA OLASINBO MARY. All former documents remain valid. NYSC and general public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Salahudeen Semiu Olaiya now SALAHUDEEN SEMIU ALAUSA. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, Taiwo Lateef Adufe am the same person bearing Taiwo Latifu Adekunle. Now wish to be known and addressed as TAIWO LATIFU ADEKUNLE ADUFE. All documents bearing these names refer to me and remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

CONFIRMATION OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME I, formerly Miss Okonedo Elizabeth Ese now MRS ELIZABETH MBIDOM. All former documents remain valid. General public take note. CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Oyewumi Basirat Yinka now MRS OYEWUMI FOLORUNSO BASIRAT. All former documents remain valid. Ibarapa North Local Government, Oyo State Local Government Service Commission and general public take note.

I, formerly Ojediran Rebecca Modupeola now MISS EMMANUEL ANUOLUWAPO REBECCA MODUPEOLA. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

I, formerly Akinbo Opeyemi Adams now BILESANMI OPEYEMI ADAMS. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME I, formerly Ani Simon now AGWU SIMEON. All former documents remain valid. General public take note. CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Miss Oluwayomi Atinuke Moradeyo now MRS OLUWAYOMI ATINUKE ODEYEMI. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

I, formerly Mrs Bosede Oladairo now MRS FOLORUNSO SULIAT BOSEDE. All former documents remain valid. General public take note. CONFIRMATION OF NAME

I, Olalemi Dolapo Veronica am the same person bearing OLALEMI DOLAPO BOLAJI. All documents bearing these names remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Arolaje Shakirat Adeola now MRS IBRAHIM SHAKIRAT ADEOLA. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

CONFIRMATION OF NAME

I, Odegbaroye James Adeyinka am the same person as Odegbaro James Yinka. Henceforth, I wish to be known and addressed as ODEGBARO JAMES YINKA. All documents bearing these names refer to me and remain valid. UBA Plc, Union Bank Plc, First Bank Plc and general public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Miss Olarewaju Adeola Jumoke now MRS ODEYEMI JUMOKE MONSURAT. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Miss Akingbade Tomilola Adenike now MRS OLABIYI TOMILOLA ADENIKE. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

CONFIRMATION OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Miss Kazim Temitope now MRS. AFOLABI TEMITOPE. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Miss Babalola Sorunke Abidemi now MRS. ADEYEMI ABIDEMI MARIAM. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Miss Adenike Esther Atobatele now MRS ADENIKE ESTHER OYEYEMI. All former documents remain valid. OAUTHC, Ile-Ife and general public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME I, formerly Moses Bezi Aya now MOSES AJAGBAWA AYA. All former documents remain valid. Banks and general public take note. CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Miss Olatunji Nafisat Oluwafunmilayo now MRS OJIKUTU NAFISAT OLATUNJI. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Miss Ojo Aderonke Yetunde now MRS ADEWUSI ADERONKE YETUNDE. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Miss Odedina Olunike Deborah now MRS. ADEBISI OLUNIKE DEBORAH. All former documents remain valid. Employer African Alliance Insurance Ltd., and general public take note.

I, Bankole Raymond Akinmoladun whose first name was wrongly written as BAMIKOLE. That my correct and full name is BANKOLE RAYMOND AKINMOLADUN and my correct date of birth is 06-061973. All former documents remain valid. EcoBank Plc., FCMB Plc., and general public take note.

I, formerly Priscilla Nkechi Chukwu now MRS. PRISCILLA NKECHI AGWU. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

I, formerly Miss Okerinde Funke Omolara Okekemi now MRS. OYEDIRAN FUNKE OMOLARA. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

I, formerly Akerele Olawale Precious now DAVIDS OLAWALE PRECIOUS. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

I, Tafa Mufutau am the same person bearing Mustapha Mufutau Ayobami. Henceforth, I want to be known and addressed as TAFA MUFUTAU. All documents bearing these names refer to me and remain valid. First Bank Plc., and general public take note.

I, formerly Miss Adekanmi Nusirat Adekemi now MRS. ALLI OBALOKUN NUSIRAT ADEKEMI. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

I, Oladimeji Bola am the same person bearing Oladimeji Yetunde. Henceforth, I wish to be known and addressed as OLADIMEJI BOLA. All documents bearing these names refer to me and remain valid. General public take note.

I, formerly Miss Modupe Abidemi Sokunbi now MRS. MODUPE ABIDEMI OBAKOYA. All former documents remain valid. TASUED, Ijebu Ode, University of Ibadan, Ibadan and general public take note.

I, Olarotimi Olalekan Adesiji am the same person as Adesiji Olalekan Samuel. Henceforth, I wish to be known and addressed as OLAROTIMI OLALEKAN ADESIJI. All documents bearing these names refer to me and remain valid. GTBank Plc., First Bank Plc., and general public take note.

I, formerly Miss Ogunmodede Nafisat Bola now MRS. AJIBADE NAFISAT BOLA. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

I, formerly Miss Olonode Felicia Ajibike now MRS. WALODE FELICIA AJIBIKE. All former documents remain valid. GTBank Plc., and general public take note.

I, formerly Ibrahim Memunat Vicky now ADETULA VICKY BETTY. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

I, formerly Miss Atoyebi Olubukola Eunice now MRS. IBITOYE BUKOLA EUNICE. All former documents remain valid. Osun State SUBEB and general public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

CONFIRMATION OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME

CONFIRMATION OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Miss Fasogbon Aderonke Abiola now MRS. HASSAN ADERONKE ABIOLA. All former documents remain valid. Teachers Establishment and Pension Office (TEPO) Osun State and general public take note.

I, formerly Miss Munritala Omowumi Bisola now MRS. AFOLABI SULIYAT OMOWUMI. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

I, formerly Miss Oluwasemire Folashade Lizzy now MRS. OLADIRAN FOLASHADE LIZZY. All former documents remain valid. NYSC and general public take note.

I, formerly Miss Bejide Olasimbo Caroline now MRS. OMOTUBI OLASIMBO CAROLINE. All former documents remain valid. Ondo State Local Government Service Commission and general public take note.

I, formerly Aremu Olubunmi Damilola now ATANDA OLUBUNMI DAMILOLA. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

I, formerly Miss Olubunkola Oluyomi Ogunkoya now MRS. OLUBUNKOLA OLUYOMI OMILOLA. All former documents remain valid. Ogun State Forestry Plantation Area J4 and general public take note.

I, formerly Miss Adeite Titilayo Oluwakemi now MRS. OLANLEGE TITILAYO OLUWAKEMI. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

I, formerly Ojo Oluwaseun Odunayo now MRS. ADEDEJI OLUWASEUN ODUNAYO. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

I, formerly Miss Azeez Kafayat Adenike now MRS. ADEGBOLA KAFAYAT ADENIKE. All former documents remain valid. Oyo SUBEB and general public take note.

I, Okesola Oluwafemi Lekan am the same person bearing Okesola Oluwafemi Daniel. Hencefoth, I want to be addressed as okesola Oluwafemi Lekan Daniel .All documents bearing these names refer to me and remain valid. MAPOLY and general public take note.

I, former Adeboye Folasade Felicia now OLAJIRE FOLASADE FELICIA. All former documents remain valid. GTBank Plc., and general public note.

I, Ajibade Adewale Emmanuel, I mistakenly wrote my name as Ajibade Adewale instead of AJIBADE ADEWALE EMMANUEL. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CORRECTION OF NAME

CONFIRMATION OF NAME I, Gagu Godspower Agoddy am the same person as Gagu Godspower but now wish to be known as GAGU GODSPOWER AGODDY. All documents bearing these names remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME AND CORRECTIONOFDATEOFBIRTH

CHANGE OF NAME I, formerly Miss Tosan Sophia Okuku now MRS SOPHIA MOMODU. All former documents remain valid. General public take note. CHANGE OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME

CONFIRMATION OF NAME

I, formerly Emmanuel Iyayei now JONAH IYAYEI and that I was born April 17, 1972 and not June 16, 1966. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME I, formerly Ajani Yekini Adisa now AKINADE YEKINI ADEBAYO. All former documents remain valid. General public take note. CHANGE OF NAME I, formerly Miss Ruth Oluwakemi Amao now MRS RUTH OLUWAKEMI AYANWALE. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Miss Hassan Iyabode Titilope now MRS IGBOKOYI YETUNDE TITILOPE. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Miss Adefegbe Bukola Damilola now MRS EGUNJOBI BUKOLA DAMILOLA. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

THIS BOX IS FOR SALE CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Thiokpassou Christiana Olajumoke now AKINYEMI CHRISTIANA OLAJUMOKE. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME I, formerly Kpoma Billy now OKIMIJI BILLY. All former documents remain valid. General public take note. CHANGE OF NAME ONALAJA: I, formerly Miss Onalaja Modupe Oluwabunmi now MRS ABIODUN MODUPE OLUWABUNMI. All former documents remain valid. NYSC and general public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Miss Adebukunola Kemi Adebambo now MRS ADEBUKUNOLA KEMI POPOOLA. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

news Removal of 13 VCs violates University Act —ASUU

Wednesday, 24 February, 2016

•Threatens nationwide strike in varsities Clement Idoko Adn Soji-Eze Fagbemi-Abuja

HE Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), on Tuesday, described as illegal the sacking of the 13 vice chancellors of some Federal Universities by the Federal Government and the appointment of new ones to replace them by executive fiat. The union threatened to return to the trenches if urgent steps were not taken by the Federal Government to implement the agreement reached in 2009 and subsequent memorandum of understanding signed with ASUU in 2013. ASUU has also disclosed that the Federal Government is currently indebted to the Nigerian universities to the tune of N495 billion under the Needs Assessment implementation framework and demanded immediate payment of the sum. President of ASUU, Dr Nasir Fagge, speaking at a news conference on the state of the nation, made these known in Abuja. Fagge warned that the 2016 budget, as presented by President Muhammadu Buhari to the National Assembly, would return Nigeria to the debt trap it exited a few years ago. He listed some of the areas the Federal Government had failed to abide by the terms of agreement with ASUU to include payment of outstanding earned academic allowances, establishment of the Nigerian Universities Pension Management Company (NUPENCO) and commencement of the renegotiation of the 2009 FG/ASUU Agreement. The ASUU president also condemned the decision of the Federal Government to stop funding of University Staff Primary Schools, which he said, had been under lock and key, following massive protests that greeted the enforcement of the directive. Fagge said: “ASUU is constrained to address the issue of implementation of the 2009 FG/ASUU Agreement. We note with disappointment that while there have been half-hearted attempts by the government to address some components of the agreement, these efforts fall far short of the terms of the agreement and subsequent MoU of 2013. “Indeed, some recent actions by the government amount to abrogation of some sections of the agreement. A case in point is the recent development in the University Staff Schools. Consequently, our children are out of school at the time the children of lead-

ing politicians and policy makers are undertaking serious academic work in elite, dollar-paying private primary schools home and abroad. “The union has demonstrated abiding interest in the development and smooth-running of Nige-

ria’s public university system. But the patience of our members is running out. “Obviously, insincerity on the part of government in the light of the MoU it signed with ASUU in November, 2013, is beginning to dampen the morale of

•Wants FG to exempt varsities from TSA

our members nationwide and may threaten the fragile industrial peace on our university campuses if government fails to act expeditiously,” he said. He said it was disheartening that after the Federal Government had signed an agreement with ASUU that

it would inject N1.3 trillion into the university system under the Needs Assessment implementation programme, up till now, only N200 billion for 2013 instalment has been paid. He said: “The only amount that was credited into what is called Public

From left, Resource Person, Mr Ahmad Yakasai; member, Board of Trustees, Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Mr Sule Kaino and the ASUU President, Mr Nasiru Isah, during a news conference on planned ASUU strike, in Abuja, on Tuesday. PHOTO: NAN

Govt refuses NLC president, Wabba, entry into Togo •Rejects ECOWAS travel certificate Soji-Eze Fagbemi-Abuja

IN what looks like a further dent on the image of Nigeria and disrespect for the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and its 16-member states, the Togolese government, on Monday, refused the president of NLC, Comrade Ayuba Wabba, entrance into Togo. Besides, the government of Togo rejected the valid ECOWAS travel certificate, which allowed any person from the16-member countries entrance into all ECOWAS states; and which the NLC president tendered on his way to Togo. Wabba was on his way to Lome, on Monday morning, for an activity of International Trade Union Congress (ITUC-Africa), but at the point of boarding, officials of Asky Airline, turned him back, claiming to be acting on the instructions of the Togolese government. In a swift reaction, however, the NLC has written to the Minister of Interior, Major General Abdulrahman Dambazau (retd), requesting for urgent intervention and action from the Federal Government. The letter, signed by the General Secretary of the congress, Dr Peter OzoEson, was also sent to Min-

ister of Foreign Affairs; the Executive Secretary, ECOWAS Commission; the Ambassador, Embassy of the Republic of Togo in Nigeria and the ControllerGeneral, Nigeria Immigration Service. Dr Ozo-Eson said the congress, considered to be a matter of national significance, demanded the urgent intervention of the Nigerian government. He explained that the president of the congress was prevented from travelling from the Nnamdi Azikwe International Airport, Abuja, to Lome, Togo, by officials of Asky Airline. The NLC scribe said: “Officials of Asky Airline who denied Comrade Wabba boarding on account of his tendering an ECOWAS travel certificate duly issued by the Federal Government of Nigeria on behalf of ECOWAS, said they were acting on the instructions of the Togolese government. In other words, according to them, the government of Togo, a member of ECOWAS, does not recognise this document. “Comrade Wabba’s ECOWAS travel document, as could be attested to from the attached photocopies, was issued on July 16, 2015 and has an expiration date of July 15, 2017. He has

used the same document to enter into Senegal and Ghana in the past. “Immigration officials, who witnessed this incident, said many Nigerians had been subjected to this humiliating experience. It is curious that at the time of ticket purchase, Asky Airline did not deem it necessary to warn prospective passengers of ECOWAS origin that the Togolese government does not accept or recognise the ECOWAS travel certificate. “We are not aware of the fact that the Republic of Togo has withdrawn its

membership of ECOWAS. And if it is a subsisting member of ECOWAS, we find it inexplicable that it could mete out this kind of treatment to travellers of Nigerian origin. “We hold the view that Nigerians, wherever they are, are deserving of protection if they act within the law. The disruption of his travel plan and by extension, denial of his participation at this major activity, has caused him considerable embarrassment, as well as constituted a set-back to the Nigeria Labour Congress and Nigeria.

Universities Revitalisation Account with the Central Bank of Nigeria, from the last information we got was the N200 billion for 2013.” “We have mentioned elsewhere that to date, government is indebted to that account to the tune of N495 billion. N220 billion for 2014, another N220 billion for 2015 and then the first quarter N55 billion for 2016,” he said. Speaking on the 2016 budget, ASUU President, said the budget risked returning Nigeria to the debt trap, saying the government would have to go borrowing in order to fund the recurrent expenditure. According to him, the country’s debt profile would increase by about 14 per cent of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP), with danger of beginning another debt trap, He stressed that the union strongly opposed the borrowing option and urged the Federal Government to plough back the N2.2 trillion allegedly recovered from the implementation of the Single Treasury Account (TSA) and whatever else is recovered from the looters to finance the 2016 budget. Fagge, who noted that the 2016 budget was an IMF/World Bank imposed envelope style budgeting, said: “Even though we have been talking about zero-based budgeting, I want to assure you that when we looked at the budget as presented, there is nothing like zero-based budgeting there.” “It is the same envelopestyled budgeting. So, what we are saying that it is about time since we are talking of change in this country, to review the country’s budget-making techniques. We should deviate from IMF/World Bank imposed envelope style budgeting.

Kogi assembly crisis: Reps set up 10-man panel Jacob Segun Olatunji And Kolawoel Danieli-Abuja

THE House of Representatives, on Tuesday, set up a 10-man investigative panel to intervene in the crisis rocking the Kogi State House of Assembly. Members of the investigative panel include: Honourables Zakari Mohammed; Dasuki Abdulsamad; Nnenna Elendu Ukeje; Sunday Adepoju; Bassey Ewah; Parry Iriase; Dauda Jika; Obinna Chidoka and Edward Pajwork. The assembly was engulfed in crisis, following the impeachment of Honourable Momoh Jimoh as

Speaker by five out of the 20-member assembly. It will be recalled that Honourable Jimoh and 14 of his colleagues had petitioned the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Honourable Yakubu Dogara, to intervene in the crisis rocking the assembly. The House resolution was sequel to a motion of urgent public importance moved by Honourable Sunday Karimi entitled: “motion on the illegality in the Impeachment of the Kogi State House of Assembly,” on the floor of the House. While moving the motion, Honourable Karimi

informed the House that on February 16, 2016, five out of the 20 elected members of the Kogi State House of Assembly, in a commando style, impeached the Speaker of the assembly, Honourable Jimoh. He also informed the House that Section 92 (2) (C) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999, which provided that the Speaker or Deputy Speaker of a State House of Assembly shall vacate office if he/she is removed by a resolution of the House or by votes of 2/3 majority of its members.

news

Wednesday, 24 February, 2016

I didn’t approve $24bn oil swap deals without contract —Alison-Madueke

ORMER Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs Diezani AlisonMadueke, currently undergoing cancer treatment in London, has refuted claims that she gave $24 billion oil swap deals without contract. In a release issued to journalists in Abuja, Mrs Alison-Madueke rejected some newspaper and online reports which claimed that she granted an “extension” instead of approval for the renewal of contracts for the swap arrangements.

She described the latest attack on her person as fabricated tissues of lies deviously concocted to sustain the escalating evil narratives against her person. Recalling the events and putting the facts in proper perspective, the former minister, who spoke through her spokesman, Mr Clem Aguiyi, insisted that what she gave were “approvals for renewal of contract for firstly, a one-year term each for both Messrs Trafigura Beheer BV and Messrs Society Ivo-

irienne de Raffinage (SIR) in August 2010 and then for a two-year term in August 2011 for the same companies. “The NNPC subsidiary, Duke Oil, was given approval for a one-year term in January 2011. Two other approvals were consequently sought by the GMD, NNPC, the first of these on August 29, 2014 seeking to ratify all three aforementioned approvals which had apparently variously expired during the course of 2013. “In view of the criticality of

the situation, the minister immediately approved/ratified all three renewals. Expiry of those terms were put at December 31, 2014, following assurances to the minister that the contractual obligations of the parties to NNPC had, in fact, been fully met, despite the regrettable lapse in renewal time. “The minister noted the said lapses in expiration to renewal dates to be seven months for Duke Oil, 10 months for SIR and 12 months for Trafigura.

A cross-section of widows from seven local government areas in Adamawa State, affected by Boko Haram, being assisted with grinding machines, foodstuffs and other items by Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA), an Abuja-based non-governmental organisation, in Mubi, on Tuesday. PHOTO: NAN.

N2.6bn fraud: Court adjourns trial of former NIMASA DG, others Ayomide Owonibi Odekanyin Lagos JUSTICE Ibrahim Buba of a Federal High Court sitting in Lagos has adjourned the trial of former DirectorGeneral, Nigerian Maritime Safety and Administration Agency (NIMASA), Dr Patrick Ziadeke Akpolobokemi and nine others, till February 25. At yesterday’s proceedings, a witness told the court that all he got from the N29million paid into his account was N600,000. Mr Uchenna Emenalo, the witness, said he used the money for logistics anytime he comes to Lagos, as he resides in Owerri, Imo State. Uchenna, who said this while being cross examined by Mr Sheni Adio, lawyer to the fourth accused person, said when he heard that his friend (third accused) had secured a job with NIMASA, he called and told him that he should remember him whenever there is an opening. He added that in 2014, the third accused called and asked him to send his company name and account details, and that he sent his brother’s company, O2 Services Company Limited. He also informed the

court that he never met the tender board neither did he bid for any contract with NIMASA. He also insisted that he did not write any letter bidding for contract to NIMASA, and the company’s

details which included the account details were sent to the third accused person through text message. He also reaffirmed to the court that his brother’s company is not a security services company, and that he

informed the third accused who told him that he will register it as Registered Security Organisation (RSO). The matter has been adjourned till tomorrow, for continuation of trial.

USAID, NIPC to maximise economic value of agric business among Lakaji corridor states By Remi Anifowose IN the bid to strengthen the non-oil sector and address the economic challenges facing the country, the Oyo State government, through its Ministry of Trade, Commerce and Cooperatives, in collaboration with the United Nations Agency for International Development (USAID) and the Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission (NIPC), is set to maximise the economic value of agricultural products among the Southern (Lakaji) corridor states. The state governor, Senator Abiola Ajimobi, who played host to an investment facilitation workshop for Lakaji Southern Corridor states of Oyo, Ogun Lagos, Kwara and Osun, organised by USAID, in

collaboration with NIPC, at the Conference Hall, House of Chiefs, Secretariat, Ibadan, on Tuesday, said it was imperative to expand knowledge, increase awareness of the vastness of the wealth and natural endowment of the southern region and the country at large. Governor Ajimobi, who was represented by the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Trade, Commerce and Cooperatives, Alhaji Wasiu Amoo, reiterated the need to boost exports, create job opportunities for the youth and women, as well as improve the standard of living of rural dwellers through the Lakaji Investment project of USIAD/Nigerian Expanded Trade and Transport (NEXTT.) Ajimobi, who said the efficiency of rail transportation

could not be undermined in the development of the agricultural sector, emphasised the need to embrace the effort of the Federal Government, USAID/ NEXTT working team. Also speaking, Mr Jude Aidoo, who represented USAID’s Mission Director in Nigeria, Mr Michael Harvey, stated that the most recent round of US assistance programming in Nigeria was designed to promote trade and investment in the economy, especially the agric business. The representative of the NIPC, Takuma Aminu Sulaiman, noted that government no longer had business doing business, but should ensure the development of the MDAs, which, according to him, was the easiest way to foster investment in Nigeria.

“Secondly, on October 28, 2014, following the recommendation of the then GMD, NNPC, the minister approved OPAs for a new term of two years commencing from January 1, 2015. “The entities recommended by NNPC were Sahara Energy Resources Ltd, Aiteo Energy and Duke Oil. NNPC strongly recommended and outlined the benefits of the OPA over the SWAPs and put forward the case for migration from the OPA and crude exchange (SWAP) Contracts to OPAs fully. “NNPC posited that the ‘experienced benefits of the OPA to the Federation’, would be much greater. All approvals were due process driven and were only given by the minister following formal statutory written requests, which contained the technical basis for the renewal and were sent to the Minister by the GMD-NNPC, as is the normal practice. “Whereas it is the minister’s responsibility to either give or refuse ‘approval’, it was not within her purview as minister to draft, initiate or conclude the processes of signing the final contracts as it is the statutory responsibility of NNPC to ensure that all technical areas are duly covered and all requisite due process parameters are duly implemented.”

Kogi guber: Tribunal fixes dates for pre-hearing in 6 petitions Sunday Ejike - Abuja THE Kogi State Governorship Election Petition tribunal, on Tuesday, fixed dates for pre-hearing sessions in the six petitions filed by different parties challenging the outcome of the last governorship election held in the state. The tribunal had, on the last date, adjourned till yesterday for the commencement of pre-hearing sessions in the petitions, but was made to reschedule the session for later dates in view of the late filing of processes by parties. As of Thursday, some of the parties in the various petitions were yet to put in all the processes. Upon agreements by lawyers in the petitions, including Chief Wole Olanipekun (representing James Faleke), Alex Iziyon (representing Independent National Electoral Commission), Mahmud Magaji (representing Yahaya Bello), Chris Uche (representing Idris Wada and Peoples Democratic Party), among others agreed to ensure that all the necessary processes were filed before the next dates.

Nigerian Tribune

Bello appoints SSG, AG, 31 others Yinka Oladoyinbo - Lokoja KOGI State governor, Alhaji Yahaya Bello, on Tuesday, approved the appointment of Mrs Folashade Ayoade, as Secretary to the State Government (SSG). Apart from the SSG, the governor also appointed Alhaji Momoh Jubril as the new Accountant General of the state. The appointments, contained in a statement by the Chief of Staff (COS), Mr Edward Onoja, showed that 31 others were also appointed into various offices including the Chairman of the Correspondents Chapel of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Ademu Idakwo, who was appointed the Senior Special Assistant on Print Media. The governor appointed General Paul Okutimo Olusola as Security Adviser; Ibrahim Sani Mohammed as Legal Adviser and Abdulkareem Jamiu Mohammed as DirectorGeneral, Protocol. On his media team are Petra Onyebule and Gbenga Olorunpomi, SSAs on Electronic and New Media, respectively. Also appointed are 20 special advisers to the governor and five special assistants to the deputy governor.

Kwara assembly approves appointment of 3 additional SAs Biola Azeez - Ilorin KWARA State House of Assembly has approved the appointment of additional three special advisers for Governor AbdulFatah Ahmed. The approval followed a request to that effect in a letter sent to the House by the governor and read by the Speaker, Dr Ali Ahnad, during Tuesday plenary session. The governor had said in the letter that appointment of additional three special advisers became imperative in view of exigencies of government activities. He said the appointees, whose names were not mentioned, would assist in effective distribution of dividends of democracy. The House, which unanimously approved the governor’s request without any debate, said the approval brought to18 the total number of Special Advisers in the governor’s cabinet.

news

Wednesday, 24 February, 2016

Ishaku suspends 4 district heads, 3 village heads

For thwarting peace efforts SylvanusViashima-Jalingo

overnor Darius Ishaku of Taraba State, on Tuesday, suspended four district heads and three village heads from Bali and Gassol Local Government areas of the state for allegedly sabotaging his peace efforts. The governor, who said the action was based on security reports available to him, explained that the

affected local chiefs had embarked on indiscriminate selling of lands belonging to people displaced by internal crisis in the state. Ishaku further said the chiefs have been encouraging the influx of migrants from the other North-East and North West states into the state, especially in Bali and Gassol Local Government areas by allocating lands belonging to Internalhy Dispaced Persons (IDPs), mainly to

stop them from returning to their homes. “This development has given rise to spate of arm robbery, cattle rustling, kidnapping and other criminal activities in the state. “The actions of the chiefs have become very worrisome given that my administration has been battling to resettle the IDPs and promote peaceful coexistence among the people of the state and I cannot fold my hands and watch this

trend continues,” he said The chiefs suspended from Bakundi chiefdom in Bali Local Government Area, included the district heads of Kungana, Takalafiya, Maihula and the village head of Sabon Dale, while in Gassol chiefdom, the district heads of Tella and the village heads of Sandirde and Taka ,were also affected by the three months suspension. It will be recalled that there have been massive

Members of Open Society and Good Governance demanding the suspension of the Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki, at the National Assembly complex, Abuja, on Tuesday. photo: Sunday Osunrayi

Teachers protest plan to pay 35% salary in Kogi YinkaOladoyinbo-Lokoja Primary School teachers in Yagba West Local Government Area, Kogi State, on Tuesday, protested against the plan by the authorities of the council to pay them 35 per cent of their salary. The teachers were said to have rejected the bid by the council to pay them the 35 per cent salary contrary to the directive of the state governor, Alhaji Yahaya Bell. Eyewitness accounts said the teachers stormed the local government secretariat at Odo-Ere, at about 900am to register their displeasure over the council’s plan. It was gathered that the protesters, who carried placards with different inscriptions, said they would not accept anything short of their full salary. The protesters chanted war songs while carrying placards with various inscriptions “Primary school teachers are human beings. We say No to 35 per cent payment of salary. Governor Bello has not approved percentage payment for teachers.” The Nigerian Tribune gathered that the leadership of the Nigeria Union

of Teachers (NUT) in the local government, had mobilised its members to the council for the protest after a meeting with the education secretary of the local government. The education secretary was said to have informed NUT executive members that the council would only pay 35 per cent of their salary. It was further learnt that the situation took a dangerous turn when policemen drafted to maintain peace during the protest, shot into the air to disperse the protesters. Many of the protesters, who were scampering for their lives, fell down

and were in the process, wounded, making the teachers to be more infuriated and insisted on receiving their full salary. The spokesperson of the teachers, Pastor Ige Andrew, said the protest was to make their suffering and condition known to the public. Ige explained that the meeting with the local government chairman, Mr Ayorinde Makanjuola, did not yield positive results, saying that the council had been reluctant paying their salary and discussion in the meeting suggested that political appointees would get full salary. However, the chairman

of the local government area, Mr Makanjuola, said it was unfortunate that the teachers embarked on the protest because of rumour. Makanjuola explained that no decision had been taken as he had never met with the leadership of NUT in the state. He said he invited the people for a meeting on Tuesday (yesterday), but they did not turn up for the meeting. “I don’t know where they got their information because this is an ordinary rumour, we have never met to discuss this and it is unfortunate that this has happened,” he said.

Village head arrested in Kano

For allegedly defiling13-yr-old girl The Kano State Hisbah Board said it has arrested a village head in Danbatta Local Government Area of the state (names withheld) for allegedly defiling a 13-year-old girl. The Director-General of the board, Dr Abba Sufi, who disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), in Kano, on Tuesday, also said the Village Head was suspected to

have infected his victim with HIV virus. He said the suspect was arrested on Monday following complaint from parents of the girl. Sufi said the case had since been forwarded to the Emir of Kano, Alhaji Muhammad Sanusi II ,who ordered for his immediate suspension from office. “The girl was to be given out in marriage to her suitor, but three days to

the wedding ceremony, the girl was tested and found to be HIV positive.” “When interrogated, she said the suspect was the person, who infected her as he had been sleeping with her,” he said. He said that the suspect had also been tested and found to be a carrier of the deadly virus. Sufi said the suspect would soon be charged to court .

influx of people into the state in recent times, Local residents in the state have also blamed series of killings, maiming and high profile kidnappings ongoing in the state for the massive influx of people into the state which has forced IDPs to remain in camps despite efforts by the governor at ensuring security of lives and property.

Police arrest undergraduate for beheading motorcyclist A student of the University of Ilorin (UNILORIN), Kwara State, has been apprehended by the police for allegedly beheading a commercial motorcyclist. The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) of the Kwara State Police Command, DSP Okasanmi Ajayi, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), on Tuesday, in Ilorin, that police operatives had identified the motorcyclist as one Mohammed Lawal of OkeOdo, Tanke in Ilorin. Ajayi said the corpse was seen near a river at OkoOba with throat slit. “Policemen, who arrived at the scene met a mob beating the suspect, a UNILORIN student,” he said. The spokesman said the corpse had been evacuated and taken to a morgue, adding that investigation into the incident had commenced. Meanwhile, a resident of Tanke told NAN that skirmishes had erupted between some commercial motorcyclists and policemen with the motorcyclists throwing stones on policemen. The resident, who identified herself as Iya Shakira, told NAN that people had to close their shops and run for cover as the policemen dispersed the mob with teargas. An official of the UNILORIN, who pleaded anonymity, confirmed that the suspect was a law student of the institution. The official told NAN that the student claimed that he went to the bush where the body was found to study. According to him, the suspect is currently receiving treatment at the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital for injuries sustained during a mob attack.

Nigerian Tribune

Police recover charms, hard drugs from cultists in delta EbenezerAdurokiya-Warri Local charms, hard drugs, initiation pots containing five expended cartridges and two Eiye nonstick blue berets are some of the items recovered by detectives of the Nigeria Police attached to Kwale division, Delta State, recently. Other items also recovered included native bullet-proof ram band, seven live cartridges, one loaded cut-to-size barrel gun, machetes, black face masks, nine cell phones and one blue TVs tricycle with registration number Enugu AGN 422 QR. The items were recovered from six Eiye cult suspects last Sunday in their hideout at Kwale axis in Kwale Local Government Area of the state. It was gathered that the police detectives were assisted by leaders of Umusetei, Emu-Uno and Ebendo communities in Kwale during the raid of homes of the suspected cultists. Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) of the Delta State Police Command, DSP Celestina Kalu, in a statement, confirmed the recovery.

Union shuts down PPPRA operations over leadership tussle Activities at the Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency (PPPRA), were on Tuesday, paralysed by its union over dual appointment of acting chief executive. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), reported that the gate into the office was shut down by protesting members of the union who denied workers and visitors access into the premises. Mr Victor Ononokpono, the chairman of the union under the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN), said it shut down operations to register its displeasure over the leadership tussle in the office. Ononokpono told newsmen in Abuja that the Federal Government should name a substantive executive secretary to ease the confusion in the agency. “We have two acting executive secretaries right now; one took over from the former head on Thursday and another one came in on Monday Feburary 22. “There is confusion; we do not understand why we have two people in acting capacity.”

43 news

Wednesday, 24 February, 2016

We’re perfecting migration into CBT examination mode —WAEC

The West African Examinations Council (WAEC), on Tuesday, said it was perfecting plans to migrate into the Computer Based Test (CBT) mode for its examinations. The Registrar of council, Dr Iyi Uwadiae, disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos. According to him, the council is considering all variables available to ensure that the entire process is not messed up. He, however, noted that the council was not in a hurry to migrate because the council basically conducts achievement tests and not selection tests. “We have looked at the issue of CBT and found that this is not a selection test, where one can deal with paper and pencil. “With that, you can easily migrate to CBT, but for an achievement test where you train people to become engineers, medical doctors and others, there will be need for practical experience. “So, they do not just train them practically in the class, they equally need to be tested on theory. “Again this background, therefore, we are collaborating with other examination bodies and experts outside Nigeria to ensure that when we start, we will not mess up the entire process. “And what is expected of the candidates can still be achieved,’’ he said. Uwadiae noted that the council was being cautious in getting it done because there were many things involved. “We are not in a hurry to move in there but with time, we are going to migrate into it and start with the objective tests. “We have to still do the practical aspect because we want to be sure that all schools are on the same level.

Senator lauds Ambode over Wealth Creation Ministry Bola Badmus -Lagos

Executive Secretary, Nigeria Christian Pilgrims Commission (NCPC), Mr John Kennedy Opara (left), with the Speaker, House of Representatives, Honourable Yakubu Dogara, during the second Christian Pilgrimage Stakeholders Summit, in Abuja, on Tuesday. Photo: Sunday Osunrayi.

Several persons feared dead as suspected Fulani attack Agatu again Johnson Babajide -Makurdi

GAIN, the troubled Agatu Local Government Area of Benue State boils as several persons have been feared killed in an invasion of some villages by armed men suspected to be Fulani herders. Although information about the invasion was still sketchy as of the time of this report, the Nigerian Tribune gathered that the invaders around 3.00p.m., on Tuesday, invaded some villages; Akwu, Adagbo and Ayila villages all in the council area Nigerian Tribune gathered from source that several persons had been killed while many houses and farmlands had also been destroyed by the invading armed men. According to the source, “the invaders launched an attack on some communities in Agatu, as I am talking to you now many villages like Akwu, Adagbo and Ayila have been overrun by the invaders,” adding that the attack had put fear in

the minds of residents of the headquarters of the local government in Obagaji, where several persons from the villages under attack, were already taking refuge. Our source also hinted that there were no security personnel on ground at the time of the attack, adding that one helicopter was sighted hovering around Agatu without knowing its mission.

that the police had received report on the attack at the office in Bori, Khana Local Government Area. He said the office was attacked on February 22 by unknown persons, adding that the police had commenced investigation. “The police have received report on the incident. We have already commenced investigation and will keep you informed on developments,” he said. Meanwhile, Abe said that

the state to speak on the matter failed as the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), ASP Moses Yamu neither picked calls to his phone nor replied text message sent by our correspondent as of the time of filing this report. It will be recalled that some communities in Agatu were attacked about two weeks ago, leading to death of 15 persons.

Support me to move Ubulu-Uku forward, 17-year-old monarch tells indigenes Ebenezer Adurokiya -Warri Newly-crowned heirapparent of slain HRM, Obi Edward Ofulue III of UbuluUku kingdom, in Aniocha North Local Government Area of Delta State, HRM Agbogidi Chukwuka Noah, Akaeze I, has appealed to his people for support as he charts a new course for his kingdom. The 17-year-old monarch, who ascended his fathers’ throne last week, made the plea when he paid a visit to

Rivers: Police confirm attack on Abe’s liaison office Rivers Police Command, on Tuesday, confirmed an attack on the Liaison Office of Mr Magnus Abe, the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate for the March 19 re-run in the state. Abe is contesting the Rivers South-East Senatorial District. Public Relations Officer of the command, DSP Ahmad Muhammad told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Port Harcourt,

When contacted, running mate to the PDP gubernatorial candidate in the last general election in the state and former commissioner, Honourable John Ngbede confirmed the report, but said he was yet to be fully briefed about the crisis. “Yes, that is what I am hearing, but I am yet to be fully briefed,” he stated. Efforts to get the Police in

the office was attacked about 5.30 p.m on Monday by unknown persons. “Information available said that my Senatorial Liaison Office in Bori was attacked with bombs and burnt. “Staff on duty had to run for their lives, abandoning everything they were doing. That office also doubles as senatorial liaison office of the APC for Rivers South-East Senatorial District,” he said.

Governor Ifeanyi Okowa, at the Government House, Asaba, on Tuesday. Obi Akaeze I was accompanied on the visit by the Chairman of the Ubulu-Uku Council, Chief Isaac Anwuzia; the Regent, Prince Anthony Ofulue; his siblings, relatives and Palace Chiefs. The handsome monarch thanked Governor Okowa, the government and people of Delta State, for the immense show of love during the trying times of his Kingdom, caused by the dastardly suction and subsequent murder of his late father, last month. He called for support to enable him to succeed as the new Obi of Ubulu-Uku, being a teenager who is still in school. Governor Okowa, while addressing the Obi and his guests, lauded the UbuluUku people for the peaceful and successful emergence of the monarch. Okowa observed that though the manner with which the immediate past monarch, HRM Edward Ofulue III, joined his an-

cestors was condemnable, the successful emergence of HRM Agbogidi Akaeze I was a signal that Ubulu-Uku kingdom was on the path of progress. He noted that the new Obi was still in school, hence, the appointment of a Regent, adding that the Delta State government would give him, members of his family and his kingdom all necessary support. Governor Okowa advised the Obi to be conscious of the fact that while he continues his studies abroad, his people and members of his kingdom would be waiting earnestly for his return to apply his academic experience in leading them. “We want to encourage you to know that as you study, you have your people back home that you would have to administer their culture and customs as their royal father and we hope that soon, you will be through with your studies and bring your experience to bear on the administration of your Kingdom,” the governor said.

Senator Gbenga Asafa has lauded the Lagos State governor, Mr Akinwunmi Ambode for the establishment of the Ministry of Wealth Creation and Employment, urging other states in the federation to emulate him by establishing such ministry in their various states in order to arrest mounting unemployment in the country, especially among the youth. Asafa representing Lagos East Senatorial District, made this call while speaking at the programme tagged: ‘Empowerment and Wealth Creation Scheme’ organised by a House of Representatives member, Honourable Rotimi Agunsoye, to empower, through skill acquisition in oil and gas, constructions, ICT and agriculture, 200 graduates of Kosofe Federal Constituency of the state.

Kwara gov appoints Nollywood actor, Femi Adebayo as SA Femi Adebayo, a lawyer, actor, producer, and trophy ambassador has been appointed Special Assistant (SA) on Arts, Culture, and Tourism to the Kwara State Governor, Abdulfatah Ahmed. In a statement issued to newsmen on Tuesday, in Abuja, Adebayo expressed joy over the new appointment, and urged his fans to continue to support him. “I was appointed as Special Assistant (SA) to the Kwara State governor, on Arts, Culture and Tourism. “I thank God for an opportunity to transform my state into a foremost tourist state that will attract foreign and domestic tourists. “My fans, I need your support; leave me not,” Adebayo said. NAN reported that following his new appointment, Adebayo had joined the league of Nollywood stars, who have held and still holding political offices. The Nollywood stars included Richard MofeDamijo, Kate Henshaw, Desmond Eliot and Ini Edo, who was recently appointed SA Tourism to Akwa Ibom governor.

44 news

Wednesday, 24 February, 2016

EFCC to arraign Moro, others for defrauding 6.5 million applicants

Says China, Asian countries not cooperating on financial investigations Saliu Gbadamosi - Abuja

HE Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) will, any moment from now, arraign in court, the immediate past Minister of Interior, Comrade Abba Moro, who was arrested by the commission on Monday, over the March 15, 2014 tragic Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) recruitment exercise, over his roles in the recruitment saga. A reliable source within the commission told the Nigerian Tribune on Tuesday that barring any last minute change, the anti-corruption agency would take Moro to court, where 11-count charge would be slammed on him and three others and a company. According to the source, the charge against the former minister and others, Anastasia Daniel Nwobia, F. O. Alayebami, Mahmood Ahmadu (now at large) and Drexel Tech Nigeria Limited. bordered on obtaining by false pretence, procurement fraud and money laundering. The former minister, the source informed, allegedly defrauded a total of 6.5 million Nigerian applicants to the tune of N676,675,000, which the source stated was the total amount realised from the N1,000 per applicant through e-payment for their online recruitment exercise into the NIS. Nigerian Tribune further gathered that the accused allegedly contravened the Public Procurement Act, No. 65 of 2007 in the contract awards by not following the necessary procedure laid down by the government, as the award of the contract to Drexel Tech Nigeria Ltd had no prior advertisement, no needs assessment, while a procurement plan was not carried out before award of the contract. The contract, it said, was awarded through selective tendering procedure by invitation of four firms without seeking approval of Bureau for Public Procurement (BPP), contrary to sections 40, 42 and 43 of the Public Procurement Act, No. 65 of 2007 and punishable under section 58 of the same act. The source added that Drexel Tech Global Nigeria Limited, the company that provided the online enlistment and recruitment services, was said to be unregistered and had no legal capacity to enter into the said contract. Also, it was gathered that

no budgetary provision was made for the exercise in the 2014 budget, hence the applicants were made to bear the responsibility of funding the project without approval of the board, contrary to section 22(5) of the Independent Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences Act 2000. One of the accused, Mahmood Ahmadu, who is at large, in connivance with Drexel Tech Nigeria Ltd, was said to have lavished the total of N423,800,000, part of the N676,675,000 got from the applicants on the purchase

of a property in a choice area of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, worth N202,500,000; upgrade a property in Abuja to the tune of N120,100,000, while a total sum of N101,200,000 was converted to United State (US) dollars for personal use. Meanwhile, the country’s anti-corruption commission, on Tuesday, lamented the uncooperative attitude of China and some other Asian countries in financial investigations, particularly in tracing funds transferred without due process.

This was even as the commission and the Association of Chief Audit Executives of Banks in Nigeria agreed to synergise on financial investigations both within and outside the country. Speaking while receiving members of the association in his office in Abuja, EFCC’s acting chairman, Ibrahim Magu, stated that the level of China’s cooperation with the anti-graft agency was not encouraging. He stated that in view of the Chinese attitude to Nigeria’s anti-corruption war, the commission could either

involve the International Police (Interpol) or deploy diplomacy in carrying out investigations. “We can go either through Interpol or government to government,” he said, informing, however, that both the United States and the United Kingdom, to some extent, had been cooperating with Nigeria in terms of financial investigations. He stated that there was a case of $2 billion involving an old generation bank, which the UK had not been forthcoming.

Magu pledged EFCC’s support to the auditors, saying that “we are ready to synergise with you. We also ask for your support beyond banks.” Speaking earlier, chairman of the Auditors’ Association, Bimbo Dawodu, who was in company with auditors from various banks in the country, stressed the need for the two bodies to collaborate, with a view to achieving progress in the areas of capacity building and investigation of financial frauds both within and outside Nigeria.

TUC serves notice on minimum wage increase •Wants reversal of sale of Discos Leon Usigbe - Abuja THE national leadership of the Trade Union Congress (TUC), on Tuesday, met with Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo, serving the Federal Government notice for the upward review of minimum wage. The congress also called on the government to reverse the sale of the Electricity Distribution Companies (DISCOs) as it noted that the current owners lacked the capacity and competence to properly manage them. Speaking to State House correspondents after the meeting with Vice-President Osinbajo at the State House, TUC President, Mr Bobboi Kaigama, said the National Minimum Wage (Amendment) Act 2011 would be five years in March. He said in recognition of the International Labour Organisation’s Minimum Wage fixing Convention 131 of 1970, there was the need to raise an ad hoc committee to review it. “We use this opportunity to serve notice that it is time the FG to set up that committee and mandate it to kick start work on the fixing of a new minimum wage. “We trust that this will be done immediately to save Nigerian workers from the harsh effects of present day economic realities, which is taking tolls on their meager incomes,” he said. On power supply, Kaigama said current electricity tariff was “anti-people,” while he argued that the Act of the National Assembly empowering the electricity regulator the unilateral power to increase and, at the same time, disallowing same legislature from tampering with the Act as was “very lame, too simplistic

and misleading.” According to him, “any Act that preys on the masses that it is supposed to protect negates the very essence of public policy. “In the same vein, any Act that compels the citizens to pay for services not delivered is not only flawed and undemocratic, but ultra vires to the power of the National Assembly to make laws for the good of the country.” He noted that while telecommunications operators brought funds, expertise,

service delivery and competition in their business, the sole aim of the Discos “is profiteering through fraud.” According to him, the DISCOs had failed to implement their own part of the contract with poor electricity and non-availability of meters being experienced nationwide. “We expect the presidency to issue a categorical statement affirming a return to status quo ante regarding the unit price of electricity,” Kaigama said. The TUC leader urged

government to intervene in the lingering crisis in the health sector by distributing appointments in the health sector to, at least, 20 professional bodies in the sector rather than to the Nigeria Medical Association (NMA) alone, saying “for the avoidance of doubt, we affirm that no single profession in the health sector can go it alone.” He similarly appealed to government to honour and implement all agreements reached between it and the Joint Health Sector Union

(JOHESU) since 2009. The TUC also asked government to resolve the outstanding issues in the ministries, departments and agencies regarding non-payment of promotion arrears outstanding since 2007, non-payment of first 28 days allowance in lieu of hotel accommodation and non-payment of duty tour allowances (DTAS) to workers, non-payment of mandatory allowance for training programmes as well as non-payment of repatriation allowance.

Ogun assembly orders probe of DPO over alleged extortion Command not aware of any probe —PPRO Olayinka Olukoya - Abeokuta THE Ogun State House of Assembly has ordered the probe of the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) of Sagamu Division, Mr John Mark, over alleged extortion. The issue was raised by the assembly majority leader, Honorable Yinka Mafe, under personal explanation during plenary, accusing the DPO of demanding huge sum of money from accused persons before they could be granted bail. Mafe alleged that the DPO was fond of arresting residents unlawfully on a daily basis and demanding money from them. The lawmaker representing Sagamu 1 state constituency in the assembly submitted that residents of the area were ready to stage protest against the police boss. “I want to tell you that the people of Sagamu are ready to stage a protest. The matter has been reported to the police command but nothing has been done. This

same DPO walked out a first class Oba from his office. “Immediately he assumed office as the DPO of Sagamu division, he withdrew the security details of a former governor. He should be removed before the situation gets out of hand,” Mafe said. Responding, the speaker, Honourable Suraj Adekunbi, urged the state Commissioner of Police, AbdulMajid Ali, to investigate the matter. He appreciated the lawmaker for bringing the issue to the assembly, saying that the people should remain calm and maintain peace. “I appreciate the member for bringing this issue before the house. It is a very serious allegation and I want to urge

the people to remain calm. “The House of Assembly will not relent in its efforts at ensuring peace across the state. The assembly has been enjoying good relationship with the police. “I want the Commissioner of Police to look into the matter before it will degenerate into breakdown of law and order,” Adekunbi said. Reacting, the state Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Muyiwa Adejobi, said the state command was not aware of any complaint against the DPO, arguing that Mr mark remained the best DPO in the state. He said if the allegation was coming from another person or group of persons

from Sagamu, the command would have taken it seriously. “Mafe is one of the suspects in many cases being investigated by the command. The lawmaker does not have moral right to raise the allegations against the DPO at the chamber of the state assembly. “He only wants to use his position as a lawmaker to demystify and intimidate an officer of the command. Nobody can stampede or intimidate the command in the course of carrying out its constitutional roles. We have to step up our investigations on the many cases involving the lawmaker,” he said.

JAMB reopens website for applicants to complete registration process By Moses Alao THE Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has given a 48hour grace to applicants for the 2016 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), who were unable

to complete the registration process as of Friday, February 5, when the registration closed. However, the board has indicated that the website will only be opened between 12 midnight today and 12 midnight on Thursday, for

applicants who had initiated the process of registration for the 2016 UTME but could not upload and complete the process, noting that the grace would not cover applicants who wanted to start fresh registration process.

communitynews

Wednesday, 24 February, 2016

Former council boss commended for electrification of community Muhammad Sabiu - Kaduna

Youths of Bajju community in Kaduna have lauded the immediate past chairman of Zangon Kataf Local Government Area, Honourable Anthony Wakili, for the electrification of their community. The youths made the commendation when they paid a solidarity visit to the former chairman at his residence in Barnawa Narayi, Kaduna. The youth leader, Mr Barnabas Philip, noted that the entire Bajju community was not connected to the national grid for many years. “Most of us grew up in the community without light. We did not enjoy light for a single day. As you can see, some of us are now in our 30s. “This is the reason we are in your house to thank you and to appeal to you to consider other communities that have not be connected whenever you have another opportunity to do so,” he said. According to him, businesses are now thriving in the community as many youths who, hitherto were jobless, are now engaged. “Some of the youths are learning trades like welding and wiring while some have established barbing salon etc. The joy in their

homes is beyond imagination. Responding, Honourable Wakili remarked that the electrification of the area was an obligation, adding that, “the entire area suffered neglect for many years.” He disclosed that he is gladdened each time he passes through the villages at night and he sees light in different homes. Wakili lamented that his committee could only undertake a few projects, saying that, “these areas also need good network of roads.”

Otunba Gbenga Elegbeleye, with his wife, Solape, after he was installed as the Otunba of Ikareland, Ondo State, on Saturday by His Royal Highness, Oba Akadiri Saliu Momoh IV, the Olukare of Ikareland, at the oba’s palace in Ikare.

Mimiko, Siasia, Nollywood actors grace Elegbeleye’s installation

NDO State governor, Dr Olusegun Mimiko, at the weekend, led other dignitaries in the state, including about 50 traditional rulers, to the installation ceremony of former Director-General of the National Sports Commission (NSC), Honourable Gbenga Elegbeleye, as the Otunba of Ikareland by His Royal Highness Oba Akadiri Momoh, the Olukare of Ikareland and the Olukare-in-Council, who found the sports administrator-cum-politician worthy of the title. Elegbeleye thus becomes the second person in his-

tory to hold that chieftancy title after the late elder statesman, Otunba Mohammed Jobi Fele. The installation ceremony took place at the Olukare’s palace, Ikare-Akoko, Ondo State, with Governor Mimiko leading a powerful delegation to the Victory College, venue of the reception shortly after the intallation. Otunba Elegbeleye’s intallation also attracted top stars in the sports industry which included the Dream Team VI Chief Coach, Samson Siasia; Olympians Mary Onyali and Chika Chukwumerije. Former Super Eagles player, Waidi Akanni, also attended.

Delta partners communities, unions on employment Ebenezer Adurokiya - Warri

In order to arrest the spate of unemployment among youths in the state, the Delta State governor, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, has promised to partner communities and unions of the various ethnic groups to engender employment and investment. Okowa made this known in Asaba recently when members of the interim executive committee of the Urhobo Progress Union (UPU), led by its President-General, Chief Gabriel Ofotukun, paid him a courtesy visit. He said community leaders and stakeholders have a duty to provide a peaceful and secure environment for investments and industrialisation as this

would also provide employment for the teeming youths. “We will work with you to keep our state peaceful for investors to come in. Until we provide the enabling environment for investments and industrialisation, we cannot provide the much needed jobs for our youths, the time of oil politics is gone. “We will partner with you in youth engagement within the limits of available resources; we will continue to do the best we can to equip our youths with skills so that they can engage themselves in agricultural programmes and other empowerment programmes and the scheme is being carried out without discrimination but on

the basis of equity across the various local governments areas. “We will try to ensure fairness and justice and it is also largely driven by merit,” the governor noted. Okowa assured the interim executive committee that his administration would continue to give consideration to the needs and aspirations of all Deltans in its decisions and activities. He urged Deltans to see themselves as one united people, stressing that: “I see all Deltans as one and Deltans need to begin to see themselves as one and that is why I find comfort in the fact that my cabinet is ethnically balanced and most of the key players in my cabinet are Urhobos.”

Also in attendance were Senator Yele Omogunwa, Honourable Yomi Akinruntan, Prince Rotimi Ibidapo, Banji Alabi, Kayode Alifa, Bashorun Kasali Alo and Dr Ade Abitoye. Others were Colonel Roland Omowa, Gbenga

Familoni, Modupe Oshikoya, Sir Lucky Mayor, Dr Tunji Abayomi, while the Speaker of Ondo State House of Assembly stormed the occasion with the full compliments of his members. Other eminent person-

alities that graced the occasion were Ehigie Edobor Uzamere; Olori Odun Sijuwade, wife of the late Ooni of Ife, Oba Okunade Sijuwade; Nollywood stars like Fathia Balogun, Rose Odika, Orisabunmi, Foluke Daramola and Dorothy Njemanze.

Wednesday, 24 February, 2016 Editor: Ganiyu Salman tribunesporteditor@yahoo.com 08053789060

StarTimes secures African Basketball league deal

Executive Director, Chief Obafemi Awolowo Foundation, Dr. Tokunbo Awolowo Dosumu (second left) presenting the tournament Trophies to the Secretary, National Youth Soccer Association; Mr. Ganiyu Aliu (left) while the the Assistant Secretary, Lukman Salako (second right) and Public Relations Officer, Taofeek Ajibola (right) both of National Youth Soccer Association watch during a press briefing and presentation of Trophies for the third edition of Chief Obafemi and HID Awolowo U-10 Boys and U-15 Girls Memorial Kid’s Cup Football Tournament held at Obafemi Awolowo Foundation Office, Gbagada on Tuesday in Lagos. PHOTO: SYLVESTER OKORUWA.

Awo/ HID Memorial Kids’ tournament:

Finalists to win N1.1m

Sylvester Okoruwa - Lagos

WENTY four boys’ football teams and sixteen girls football teams from Lagos and Ogun States are presently engaged in a fierce battle to win the third edition of the Chief Obafemi and HID Awolowo coveted memorial trophies and a cash prize of 1.1 Million Naira. At a press conference to announce the tournament and presentation of trophies, the Chief Executive Director, Obafemi Awolowo Foundation (the tournament sponsor), Dr. Tokunbo Awolowo Dosumu told Tribunesport that the tournament was aimed at discovering young talents at the grassroots, thereby helping them to get the needed exposure to excel in their chosen career. Winners in boys and girls’ category will go home with N200,000 each, the first-runners-up will get N150,000 each and the third-place teams to get N100,000 each. There is also a consolation prize of N50,000 each for the fourth-place teams. The Chairman of the National Youth Soccer Association ((the event Organisers), Samuel Omolola while delivering his speech

said that the yearly Obafemi and HID Awolowo Memorial Kids’ competition was aimed at marking the 107th posthumous birthday anniversary of the sage, Chief Obafemi Awolowo thereby immortalising his name. He further went on to say that considering the role played by the elder statesman in sport development and youth empowerment in Nigeria during his life time, there was a need to continue keeping his legacies in the hearts and minds of kids by engaging them in competitive tournaments. The second edition of the tournament in 2015 led to the discovery of two young boys who are currently in the National under-13 boys’ team and two young girls Yetunde Fojabi and Esther formerly playing for Vijay Babes both presently in the National Female U-16 team. The tournament which is currently at the preliminary stage will move to the quarter final stage on Saturday 27th February while the semi finals will hold on February 30. The grand finale is expected to hold on March 8 by 2.00 p.m. at Campos Mini Stadium, Ajele, Lagos Island and will be graced by top dignitaries from all

walks of life. Some of the teams in the boys U-10 category are Greater Tomorrow, Lagos Island, Coker FC, Iwaya, Yaba, Ultimate Stars, Ikorodu and many more while in the girls category,

there are; Alake Queens of Abeokuta, Highlander Queens, Santos Girls, Iwaya, Lagos, Vitali Queens, Oshodi and others. Ogun State government has joined in the sponsorship of the tournament.

STARTIMES is delighted to announce it has secured live broadcasts rights of the Best of African Basketball action on the TRACE Sports Stars channel from March 4th 2016. Basketball fans will be able to enjoy the African Basketball League (ABL) at its best; including the All Star Games, Play offs and behind the scenes shown live on TRACE channels and TRACE Sport Stars, the first global entertainment channel dedicated to the lives of stars in the world of sport. Nigerian teams Lagos Islanders, Stallions and Lagos Warriors join other Africa clubs Dakar Rapids from Senegal, Abidjan Ramblers from the Cote d’Ivoire and Izobe Basketball Club from Libreville in what will be nail biting matches. Commenting on the new development, Michael Dearham, Managing Director of Media Department and VP-StarTimes Group said “We are very excited to bring African basketball onto the StarTimes platform and believe the various matches will provide our sport loving subscribers with some high quality entertainment.” The Landmark stadium with a capacity of over

4,000 will be the venue for all of the Lagos team’s home games. “This is a historic moment for the ABL and will contribute greatly to the growth of professional basketball within the African continent. We are excited to feed the appetite of basketball lovers all across the world” Said the CEO of ABL, Ugo Udezue

Brazil, Nigeria’s Dream Team friendlies get dates NIGERIA’S Dream Team will face Brazil in a series of friendlies between March 21 and 29, officials have informed AfricanFootball. com. This will be part of the build-up for the Nigeria Olympic team under coach Samson Siasia ahead of the Rio Olympics in August. Siasia has already began compiling the names of players for the Brazil friendlies and he could call up players from Europe as those dates fall within the FIFA friendly windows, officials further. In December, Dream Team VI won the U-23 AFCON in Senegal to qualify for the Olympics alongside Algeria and South Africa.

Mini sports centres’ assessors inaugurated AN eight-man committee on Assessment and Evaluation of all sporting facilities in the country has been inaugurated. The committee headed by Dr Agboola Adewale Dixon voluntarily offered to carry out a comprehensive inspection of all national mini sporting facilities in the country and generate an information data bank for the ministry. According to Dr Dixon, the report will enable the ministry to know how many facilities there are in the country, their locations, their present state and what is needed to make them functional. “This data could be used within or outside the country for the world to know what we have. We’ve already done some research work. We’ve gone round to take some photographs showing the various mini sports complexes in the country. They’re about eighteen in

number. Some are yet to be completed while the Afuze National Training Centre, Mambila Middle and long distance training centre and the Rayfield sports center which produced many Olympians and national re-

cord holders have been lying fallow for many years” Dr Dixon explained. Also speaking at the inauguration, a member of the committee and also a journalist, Clement Nwankpa said that the country’s in-

ability to win medals at the last Olympics was due to the absence of functional training facilities. He stressed the need for every local government council to have at least one functional sports center.

Lagos U-15 Tennis championship serves off By Niyi Alebiosu THE Lagos State government, through the office of the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Sports, Anthony Adeyinka Adeboye has unveiled plans by the state government to discover more talent amongst the youth of the state. Speaking at the opening ceremony of the Inaugural Lagos U-15 Secondary School Tennis Championship, Adeboye said: “We intend to organise several competitions across ten different sports designed towards discovering new talented sports men and

women for the State in particular and the country in general”. “Our plan is to create an avenue for all the young sports people in Lagos to display what they are capable of sport wise, today (Tuesday) we start with tennis and by the end of the year we would have touched on at least ten sports.” We thank Winners Golden Bet for their support which has gone a long way towards actualising this event and we would like to seize this opportunity to call on corporate Nigeria and well-meaning individuals to come and partner with us as we continue to

use sports as a tool for youth development, job creation and social re-engineering Adeboye stated. Also speaking at the opening ceremony, the Director General of the Lagos State Sports Commission, Mr Ayo Agbesanwa commended the media for their support for all Lagos State Sport projects and affirmed the support of the project. Agbesanwa also revealed that the Lagos Marathon was already yielding results as the fastest Nigerian male and female were about to get sponsors who are interested in helping them advance their careers.

Wednesday, 24 February, 2016

corporatesport

With Niyi Alebiosu adeniyi70@yahoo.com 08116954642

West Africa Golf Tour:

Smokin Hills set to host over 200 Golfers By Olawale Olaniyan

SMOKIN Hills in Akure, Ondo State capital will host golfers across the world as the state is set for the West Africa Golf Tour. The event is scheduled to hold from March 1 to 7, 2016 at the Smokin Hills Golf Resort Ilara-Mokin, Ondo State. The seven-day tourney is expected to bring professional and amateur golfers to compete in different categories. Speaking with the coordinator of the programme who doubles as the Manager, Marketing and promotion of the resort, Prince Bayo Aderinto, he disclosed that golfers from West Africa, Europe and South America have shown interest in participating in the tourney. Aderinto, a former Captain of Ibadan Golf Club expressed optimism that the tourney will be one of the best tournaments in recent times. He said Smokin Hills Golf Resort Ilara-Mokin is number one golf course in Nigeria and one of the top three in Africa with standard facilities which includes a practice area, driving range and a Par 3 course for beginners. “We decided to bring together professional and

Aderinto

amateur golfers from all over West Africa to IlaraMokin in particular and this is going to be the first time Supersport cover any golf tournament in Nigeria, so it is unique indeed for the whole of West Africa to come and see what Chief Ade Ojo has been able to do in Ilara-Mokin for golf development which he has chosen as his own way of fostering national unity. “We are expecting no fewer than 200 professional and amateur golfers for the PRO-AM starting on March 1. “We are expecting participants even outside West Africa, five players are coming from Spain, three from Mauritius. So we are taking golf to the next level. “The Smokin Hill Resort was built at a cost of N3billion in 2010 and maintained at a cost of N1billion every year, the resort is blessed with facilities of international standard and it has become a Mecca for all golfers to visit. “This is an 18-hole fully mature golf course was built to the latest United States Professional Golf Association (PGA) standards. From the championship tees, the course measures a healthy 6510 meters and from the members tee, the course measures in at 6044 meters. With a course par of 72, there are two par 5’s each on both the front nine and back nine. “The golf course which is presently the biggest in Nigeria and proudly one of the most challenging in Africa, south of the Sahara was designed by Ron Garl in 2012 and constructed by one of the top leading certified golf course builders in the world – Messers Total Golf Construction of Florida. It was opened for play in 2012.” Professional golfers are expected to compete between March 3 and 6, while amateur golfers are to play from March 6 to 7 which is the closing ceremony day.

From left: Secretary General, Nigeria School Sport Federation; Mrs Olabisi Joseph, Category & Beverages Manager, Nestle Nigeria plc, Olufemi Akintola,Managing Director& Chief Executive,Nestle Nigeria plc Dharnesh Gordhon, Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education Delta State; Chiadu Ebie and chairman, Delta State Sport Commission; Tony Okowa in a group photograph at the presentation of hosting flag to the Delta State government officials for the Milo Basketball National finals.

Milo basketball:

Delta govt assured of adequate security F OLLOWING the naming of Asaba as the host of the National finals of the 18th edition of the annual Nestlé Milo Basketball Championship, Delta state government has assured athletes and officials of adequate security. This came on the heels of

series of kidnapping cases been recorded in the Niger Delta area. But in swift reaction to this, the honourable commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education, Chiadu Ebie, having informed of the readiness of the state to host the National final of the championship said that all necessary

arrangement have been put in place to host a hitch free championship,adding that security is topmost on their agenda. According to him,the state government cannot take with levity the security of the participants hence it’s determination to deploy all security machineries in the state

2016 Nigeria Police Games: CP Jitoboh hails IGP

Arase on welfare package for Police athletes THE 2016 edition of the Nigeria Police Games is fast approaching and all zones are carrying out screening to select athletes who will represent it at the Games. One of such zone is the Force Headquarters that concluded its screening last Friday at the Police College Sports ground in Ikeja, Lagos. The headquarters led by its Sports Chairman, Moses Jitoboh a Commissioner of Police has declared its readiness to carry the day at the March 14 through 26 Games slated for the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja. According to CP Jitoboh who once played for the Ni-

geria Police basketball team – The Police Bombers basketball team in the 1990s says the Headquarters has selected over 200 athletes from the initial over 400 called up in various sports. “I am very optimistic that the Force Headquarters will beat other Police formations to the top price at the coming Games. Jitoboh also praised the welfare package put in place by IGP Solomon Arase as morale booster to Nigeria Police sportsmen and women. The former basketballer says the Inspector General of Police is a man with a large heart who want the best for

his men and officer especially appreciation of outstanding sportsmen and women. “The IGP must be commended for his welfare package as a sign of motivation to Police Officers who engage in sporting activities. “With the introduction of such welfare package of IGP Arase the Nigeria Police is set to produce more talents that will do Nigeria proud in global sporting events. “The Nigeria Police Games will an avenue for such discovery and I bet you we (Police) will stop at nothing to always be good ambassador of Nigeria in any sphere we found ourselves, CP Jitoboh concluded.

to work during the championship. Reiterating the commitment of the state government, the state Chairman, Sport Commission Tony Okowa who commended the sponsor, Nestle Nigeria Plc and the organiser; Nigeria Schools Sport Federation for giving the hosting right to the state said that the state will not only successfully host the national find but will also emerge the overall champion of the championship in both male and female categories. Okowa,who was highly optimistic of hosting a hitch free championship further informed that they will ensure adequate participation of schools from the state in the championship, adding that “hosting of the school championship will help in encouraging youths taking to sports and bring out hidden talents from all crannies and cornets of the state”, he said. The Delta State Sport Commission boss however disclosed that the indoor Sports Hall of Asaba will be renovated to high standard befitting of such championship.

SIDELINES

NO 16,443

N150

WEDNESDAY, 24 FEBRUARY, 2016

Minister of Information has revealed that Nigeria was a pariah nation under the immediate past administration. Nigerians surely have Mohammed and Change to thank for Nigeria’s current glory in the comity of nations!

FIFA elections:

Prince Ali calls for suspension

Pinnick

Oliseh dares NFF N •Coach explains why he can’t meet with c’tee

IGERIA coach Sunday Oliseh has said he will not be appearing before the Technical Committee of the Nigeria Football Federation on Friday. The embattled coach was summoned by the committee to appear before it to present and defend his programme, team list and tactics for the back-to-back 2017 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers against Egypt next month. Speaking in a radio interview on Tuesday, Oliseh stated categorically that he will not be coming to Nigeria to appear before the committee on Friday, as he is still monitoring overseas based players he intends to invite for the games. “I would have loved to meet them this week, but there are certain things we must understand,” Oliseh said on Brila FM. “The problem is that I have this weekend scheduled and I mapped out this programme out to them (NFF) that I am to be in Mainz to watch one of the players that we might use. “I have already been to Holland to watch one of our hopefuls play, I have been to Belgium to watch two of our hopefuls play, so if I come to Nigeria to meet the committee now, that means for the next two weeks I will be sitting in a hotel room without anybody to train and I cannot even afford to pay for hotel rooms or accommodation at the moment. “So I have communicated to them that it

is reasonable that when camp opens, we all meet and we will all discuss before the camp opens,” stated Oliseh. The 41-year old has been involved in a running battle with the NFF since Nigeria’s group stage ouster from the CHAN tournament, and it remains to be seen how they will react to his latest decision not to honour their invitation to appear before its Technical Committee this week. Meanwhile, Oliseh has asked that the country put behind recent misgivings so as to forge a united front that will beat Egypt in an AFCON 2017 qualifier next month. Nigeria will battle Egypt in a decisive AFCON qualifier on March 25 with the reverse leg in Egypt a couple of days later. Seven-time African champions Egypt are top of the qualifying group with six points, while Nigeria are two points behind with only the group winners assured of automatic passage to the AFCON in Gabon in January 2017. Oliseh has therefore urged that all be forgiven and forgotten after the country failed to go past the knockout stage of the 2016 CHAN, followed by his YouTube outburst and the fallouts thereafter. “We have to move on, the interest of our nation should come first,” pleaded the coach, who has already tendered an apology to his employers. “We have to fight Egypt and not ourselves now. We have to come together. Nigeria comes first.

Oliseh

Tonight’s Champions League fixtures

Dynamo Kyiv vs Man City 8:45 PSV vs Atletico Madrid 8:45

PRINCE Ali bin al-Hussein has appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) to have Friday’s FIFA presidential elections suspended. The Jordanian prince, one of the five candidates to succeed Sepp Blatter as the head of football’s governing body, had requested for transparent voting booths to be used at the congress in Zurich rejected by the election commission. “FIFA opposed our request for an accelerated procedure so that these questions could be decided before February 26,” a statement issued by his legal team read. “It was therefore natural that Prince Ali goes to the CAS.” It is understood the appeal was lodged on Monday. Ali’s request for the transparent booths was made as part of a commitment to increased transparency in FIFA proceedings, following the corruption investigations which have blighted the organisation in the past year. The 40-year-old is due to stand against Sheikh Salman, Gianni Infantino, Tokyo Sexwale and Jerome Champagne in the FIFA elections.

I want to give back to Nigeria —Atere By Wale Emosu FORMER Golden Eaglets player, Fatai Atere says he would love to give back to Nigeria in coaching capacity, having been a player and coach at different times. Specifically he says he would have loved to handle the Nigerian national U-17 team, which was without a coach for a few days after, the team’s last gaffer, Emmanuel Amuneke was

deployed to the Flying Eagles. On Thursday last week, Manu Garba was returned to the helm of the team he guided to win the 2013 FIFA U-17 World Cup, but Atere, a member of the Nigerian team that won the maiden edition of the FIFA U-16 World Championship in 1985, had expressed his desire for same. “I want to give back to the system, I have the passion,

Nwakali, Chukwueze Arsenal deals still on course —Consultant

Nwakali

CONTRARY to reports from an online news website that the transfer of Golden Eaglet’s FIFA U-17 World Cup winning duo Kelechi Nwakali and Samuel Chukwueze to Arsenal is about to hit the rocks due to the insistence of the English Premier League club that both players undergo trials, negotiations progressed smoothly between all parties when the boys visited Arsenal recently.

According to Barrister Johnny Precious Ogbah, legal consultant to the boys’ academy Diamond Football Academy, the news couldnt be further from the truth as there was no issue whatsoever of the players being involved in trials or being asked to undergo trials by Arsenal at any point. “Like is normal in any such transfer, the players and their guardians visit the clubs to take a look at the

facilities on ground and ask questions and discuss issues that will help them in making up their mind whether or not to accept the club’s offer before them. That’s exactly what happened. Same way Victor Osimhen visited Germany first before accepting to finally move there. Nobody asked any of the players to train with any of the Arsenal teams. I know this because I was there and involved in it all.

I want to give back to Nigeria,” Atere said while speaking to Tribunesport at the weekend. Asked what prerequisite he possesses for such job, the former Flying Eagles player who has not returned to his base in the United States since President Muhammadu Buhari hosted the Golden Eaglets set of 1985 and other athletes last month, was quick to underline his coaching certification, among others. “I have been coaching in the US for a long time, I have my certificates, besides, I am the commissioner for NSFUSA, I know this system, I have been in this system, so I know what is going on to win the laurel again,” Atere told Tribunesport. The NSF-USA (Nigeria Soccer Federation - United States of America is a nonprofit organisation that organises soccer tournaments among Nigerian youths across the United States.

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