25th May 2016 by Nigerian Tribune

NIGERIA’S MOST INFORMATIVE NEWSPAPER NO 16,508

WEDNESDAY, 25 MAY, 2016

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Tuta absoluta: Pest that makes tomatoes expensive By Ruth Olurounbi

ON Monday, May 23, the Kaduna State governor, Nasir el-Rufai, declared a state of emergency on tomatoes farming in his state, saying that 80 per cent of tomatoes farms had been ravaged by a moth called Tuta absoluta. According to him, about 200 farmers in only three local government areas in the state lost N1 billion in the last one month. Tuta absoluta, in local parlance, is called tomato ebola. The tomato disaster in the North is being felt all over the country.

In Sasa market in Ibadan, Oyo State, for example, tomato marketers lamented the effect of the pest on the market. According to them, a basket of tomatoes, which cost N8,000 to N12,000, now cost between N23,000 to N35,000, depending on the variety of the fruits. A trader, who usually brings the fruits from Kaduna State, said he stopped travelling to the North to source for the commodity because of its unavailability. Many traders said they were having a harder time sourcing for the fruits. continues pg3

The larva inside a tomato

CBN to relax forex policy, says recession imminent

•Retains monetary policy rates at 12%

—P10

PDP crisis worsens: Courts sack Sheriff, Makarfi —P4

Kidnapping: IGP deploys helicopter, mobile police in Kogi —P36

From left, Governor, Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mr Godwin Emefiele; Director General, Economic Policy, Mrs Sarah Alade and the Director General, Operations, Mr Suleiman Barau, at the Monetary Policy Committee meeting, in Abuja, on Tuesday. PHOTO: NAN

Nigeria lost N447bn to waivers in 4 years—P38

EFCC declares Omisore wanted

•How can you declare someone you were with 9.00 a.m. wanted same day?—Omisore —P38

Wednesday, 25 May, 2016

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Wednesday, 25 May, 2016

Tuta absoluta: The pest that made tomatoes expensive continued from frontpage

A trader, who gave her name as Titi, said she previously bought and sold three baskets of the commodity per day but now, she could hardly get a basket for N30,000. Three pieces of tomatoes cost N200 in some markets. Tuta Absoluta, a South American originated pest known as tomato leaf miner, is an invasive moth that gained the pest status and it can spread rapidly, causing devastating effect on tomatoes and other solanaceous crops such as pepper, eggplant, white and red potato and tomatillo, according to Dr Olajumoke Alabi, an Entomologist at the Department of Crop Protection and Environmental Biology at the Faculty of Agriculture and Forestry, University of Ibadan (UI). The pest has the capacity to reproduce 10 to12 times of 250 to 300 young ones within 28 days in a favourable environment. “The multi-voltine nature of the pest (has the capacity to reproduce 10 to 12 times a year in tranches of 250 to 300 young ones within 28 days) coupled with favourable environment (high temperature, wind speed, etc) and lack of management knowledge for containment resulted in its spread like wild fire without any challenge,” Ogbeh said in a press conference on Tuesday in Abuja. According to Tuta absoluta information network, which tracks the pest after its first detection in Europe, it rapidly invaded more than 30 Western Palaearctic countries, becoming a serious agricultural threat to tomato production in both protected and openfield crops. “Until today, the presence of Tuta absoluta has been reported in Italy, France, Malta, United Kingdom, Greece, Switzerland, Portugal, Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya and Albania in the space of two years,” the network said. Reports have it that the pest was detected in Sudan in 2010 and the invasion has subsequently crossed the Sahara desert, finding its way to Kenya in 2014. The Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development said on Tuesday that the pest had earlier been detected in Nigeria in July 2015. Between that time and May 2016, the pest has affected six states, including Katsina, Kano, Kaduna, Jigawa and Lagos, the Minister of Agriculture and

Rural Development, Ogbeh, said at the press conference. The minister said “it entered Nigeria through Niger (as predicted at meeting held in Ethiopia, 2013) into Katsina, Kano, Kaduna, Nasarawa and spread to other tomato producing states in the North, as well as southern states of Lagos, Oyo and Ogun.”

Devastating impact of the pest

On May 15, 2016, it was reported that the $20 mil-

lion tomato processing facility in Kano, Dangote Tomato Processing Factory, had suspended its operations due to the unavailability of fresh tomatoes. Managing Director, Abdulkadir Kaita, confirmed to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that several tomato farms in Kano, Jigawa, Plateau, Katsina and Kaduna states were affected by Tuta Absoluta, which destroyed all the tomato farms, a situation that has resulted in scarcity and higher prices for the commodity.

A Lagos-based agronomist and entomologist, who also farms tomatoes, Dr Abiola Tajudeen, while speaking with the Nigerian Tribune on Tuesday, said damage from the pest reaches up to 100 per cent, hence its name, Tuta absoluta. According to him, the pest damage occurs throughout the entire growing cycle of tomatoes, and with its very high reproduction capacity, the damage usually is absolute. He explained that toma-

to plants can be attacked from seedlings to mature plant. In tomatoes, he said, pest infestation are usually found on apical buds, leaves, stems, flowers and fruits. As has been reported, the pest reduces yield and fruit quality of tomato grown in green house and open field, leaving attacked commercial tomato fruits to lose their value. In Nigeria, about 100 per cent losses have been reported on tomato in the last one month, he said. African subsistence farm-

er in Mozambique, Malawi, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Botswana, as well as South Africa and Nigeria are said to be at grave risk of the pest, mainly because there are no easy ways to get rid of it. In fact, the Managing Director, Russell IPM, Dr Shakir Al-Zaidi, said arbitrary application of synthetic pesticide had proven to exacerbate the problem by causing early resistance development. Rusell IPM is a company that provides customer focused solutions to the issues facing pest controllers. More frustrating to efforts to control the pest is the fact that it can breed between 10 to12 generations a year, with each female having the capacity to lay 250 to 300 eggs in her life time, Tajudeen said.

Possible solutions to control the pest

The adult Tuta absoluta

Niger to hand over Boko Haram militants to ICC —President Issoufou

NIGER government has arrested scores of Boko Haram militants and will hand them over to the International Criminal Court (ICC) for trial, President Mahamadou Issoufou has said. This was contained in a document from the World Humanitarian Summit, ongoing in Istanbul, Turkey

and made available to reporters in New York. The document said Mr Issoufou made this known on Tuesday during a high-level leaders’ roundtable, entitled: “Uphold the Norms that Safeguard Humanity.” He said the Nigerien government would ensure the militants were tried by the

ICC. “This is something that all countries should do,” he said. The best way to protect civilians, he added, was to ratify humanitarian conventions. “Political, military and administrative authorities must be aware of pledges made by governments and

of the sanctions provided for under those conventions,” he said. Mr Issoufou added that all countries must take on commitments to respect international humanitarian law and human rights instruments, as well as guarantee that populations in need received humanitarian aid.

Petrol price hike: FG begins renegotiation with NLC today PENGASSAN suspends planned strike Soji-Eze Fagbemi - Abuja THE Federal Government will re-open its negotiation today with the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), over the increase in the price of petrol. The negotiation came to abrupt end when the NLC walked out of the meeting chaired by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babachir Lawal, following the insistence of the government that there was no other option but to increase the pump price to N145 per litre. However, the Deputy Di-

rector, Information, Ministry of Labour, Samuel Olowookere, on Tuesday, said the meeting would be reconvened today. “Meanwhile the negotiation between the Federal Government and Comrade Ayuba Wabba-led NLC will reconvene tomorrow (today), at 2.00 p.m. and the venue is the conference hall of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation,” Olowookere said. Meanwhile, the ultimatum given by the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PEN-

GASSAN) to embark on a nationwide strike, effective midnight Tuesday, May 24, has been suspended. This is sequel to the intervention of the Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige and the Minister of State for Petroleum, Dr Ibe Kachikwu. In a conciliatory meeting held on Tuesday, Dr Kachikwu exhaustively briefed PENGASSAN and other stakeholders on the vexed issue of Joint Venture Cash Call (JVCC); the arrears of which had not been paid to the Joint Venture Partners,

which led to the threat by the International Oil Companies (IOCs) to lay off their Nigerian workers while refusing to pay some of their allowances due to an alleged shortage of cash. Dr Kachikwu explained that his ministry was restructuring the operational modalities of the Joint Venture Cash Call, especially in view of the low oil prices. He, however, assured the union, the JVCC partners and other stakeholders of positive and agreeable results when the meeting reconvenes late June.

As chemical control is said to exacerbate the prevalence of the pests, UI is currently working on bio-pesticides to manage the pest invasions in Nigeria and possibly across Africa. While that is underway, Afolakemi Alabi, an agrometeorologist, who has two hectares of tomato farm in Ogun State, told the Nigerian Tribune that pheromone-based control strategy could help manage the pest. According to her, a process called the pheromone trap helps give early warning of infestation and also exhibits the density of the insect accurately in low population to medium level infestation. With the knowledge, the investigator can reduce the pest’s population through mass trapping and lure and kill methods. Other measures such as biological control as well as chemical control are also used in managing the pest, she said. With agriculture bearing 22 per cent of all damage inflicted by natural hazards in the developing world, which cost the countries $70 billion in damage to crops and livestock over a 10-year period, devastating effect of the relatively new pest to Africa and Nigeria as countries is best imagined, Alabi said. As the government is currently engaging experts locally and internationally to find solutions on how to contain the pest, in the words of the minister, it is hoped that solutions would be found quickly to forestall the devastating economic challenges posed by the pest which devours absolutely.

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Wednesday, 25 May, 2016

PDP crisis worsens as courts sack Sheriff, Makarfi I’m not aware of court order —Sheriff From Dapo Falade, Ayomide Owonibi Odekanyin And Leon Usigbe

HE Federal High Court sitting in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital, on Monday, granted an interim injunction restraining the immediate past acting national chairman and the national secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Senator Ali Modu Sheriff and Professor Adewale Oladipo, respectively, from parading themselves as national officers of the party. Also, the Federal High Court in Lagos, declared as invalid, the caretaker committee constituted at the weekend, headed by a former Governor of Kaduna State, Senator Ahmed Makarfi, to take over the affairs of the PDP from Sheriff. Sheriff and Oladipo’s restraining injunction followed a motion ex parte, dated and filed on May 23, by PDP before the Federal High Court, joining Sheriff, Oladipo, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Inspector-General of Police and the Department of State Service (DSS) as defendants/respondents. The duo were removed from office via the PDP national convention, held in Port Harcourt, last Saturday and in which a caretaker committee, headed by Senator Ahmad Makarfi, was put in place to oversee the affairs of the party for the next 90 days. The presiding judge, Justice A. M. Liman, granted the restraining order, pending the hearing and determination of the Motion on Notice brought before the court by PDP. The court gave the order upon reading the Affidavit of Urgency in support of the motion ex parte sworn to by Rivers PDP chairman, Mr Felix Obuah and after hearing from the PDP’s counsel, Dejo Laminkanra. The trial judge ordered that the first and second respondents or any/or all of the PDP national officers, its NEC and National Working Committee (NWC) members, who had been removed from office through the national convention, should restrain from parading themselves, either individually or collectively, in those capacities, pending the determination of the Motion on Notice. Justice Liman also or-

dered that INEC should stop according recognition to the first and second respondents or any and/or all the PDP national officers, NEC and NWC members, having been removed from office in those capacities. Delivering the judgment on the caretaker committeee’s sack, Justice Ibrahim Buba directed the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Solomon Arase, to

enforce his order and also arrest whoever parades himself as member of caretaker committee of the party. Before the caretaker committee of the party was appointed at the weekend, the court had earlier, granted an order of interlocutory injunction, restraining the party and INEC from conducting any election into the offices of the National Chairman, National Sec-

retary and National Auditor occupied by the first, second and third plaintiffs respectively, pending the hearing and determination of the substantive suit. The judge warned the Makarfi-led committee not to act in that capacity in defiance of the order. Before the ruling, there was mild drama, as two lawyers, Ahmed Raji and Godswill Morakpor, were locked in a heated argu-

ment over who, between them, was authorised to represent PDP, as both announced appearance for the PDP. Morakpor said he was the one authorised to represent PDP, not Raji. “Today is like a nightmare to me. I never envisaged a situation, where I would be dragging a client with a senior member of the Bar. We have filed a notice of change of counsel

From left, Under-Secretary for African Affairs, Ambassador David Bala; Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr Geoffrey Onyeama; spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Mr Akinremi Bolaji and the Under-Secretary for Regions and International Relations, Ambassador Ade Ayoko, at a media dialogue on the one year anniversary of President Muhammadu Buhari’s government, in Abuja, on Tuesday. PHOTO: NAN

and served on the learned SAN,” he said. Raji claimed he was not served with an application for change of counsel for PDP. The court’s bailiff was sent for and he confirmed that he, indeed, served Raji with the application at his office. Ruling, Justice Buba held that Morakpor was the recognised counsel for PDP. Reacting, Senator Sheriff claimed ignorance of any court order barring him from parading himself as the party boss pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice now before the court. Speaking to the Nigerian Tribune on Tuesday, through his Special Assistant on Media, Inuwa Bwala, he said he was not aware of any court order. He said as a law-abiding citizen, he was obeying the orders already served on him and was not prepared to make further comments on order not run foul of the law. Asked if Sheriff was still claiming the post of the national chairman despite the latest court order, he said: “I don’t want to say anything that will run foul of the law.”

Again, Metuh’s ill health stalls trial Sunday Ejike - Abuja THE trial of the National Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Olisa Metuh, before Justice Okon Abang of the Federal High Court, Abuja, for the second time in one week, suffered setback following Metuh’s ill health. The matter was adjourned till Tuesday for continuation of the evidence in chief of the fifth defence witness, Richard Ihediwa, but at the resumed hearing of the proceedings, counsel for Metuh, Onyechi Ikpeazu, informed the court that Metuh could not make it to court because he was on bed rest. He presented a letter signed by one Dr O.O Oyeyele, a consultant neurosurgeon in the employment of the National Hospital, Abuja and prayed the court to adjourn the matter to enable him adequate time to recover and stand his trial. Counsel for the second defendant, Destra Investment Limited, Tochukwu Nwugbufor, who also sup-

ported the application, said it was proper for the court to adjourn the matter, as the trial could not proceed without the presence of the first defendant. On his part, the prosecution counsel, Sylvanus Tahir, said although the application did not meet the application of section 266 (a)(b) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA), which provides

that an accused person must be present in court to stand his trial, he is not opposing the application because it borders on the ill health of the defendant. He urged the court to grant him an adjournment to enable him have adequate rest. The trial judge, Justice Okon Abang, in a short ruling, held that even though the doctor’s report was not

helpful to the court because it did not specify the duration of the bed rest, it, however, accorded the defendant a good reason to be absent in court. He held that he would deliver his ruling on Metuh’s request to seek medical treatment abroad today. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) is prosecuting Metuh and his company,

Destra Investments Limited for allegedly receiving the sum of N400 million from the Office of the National Security Adviser in November 2014 and using same for the presidential campaign of the PDP. Metuh and Destra Investments Limited are also being tried on charges of money laundering involving alleged cash transaction of $2 million.

Conduct of elections: INEC to dump manual process AHEAD 2019 general election, chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Mahmood Yakubu, on Tuesday, hinted that the commission was planning to phase out manual conduct of elections in the country. The INEC boss, who dropped the hint while receiving in audience the executives of the forum of State Independent Electoral Commission (SIIEC), who payed him a courtesy call at the Commission’s Headquarters in Abuja, stated that the commission would, in place of

the manual process, introduce modern technology in the conduct of elections throughout the country. According to him, “we can no longer continue to conduct elections manually in Nigeria, we must introduce modern technology as being done in other countries. Very soon, the use of technology for the conduct of local elections in the country will be mandatory. “It will make the process transparent and very open as it should be. The use of smartcard, otherwise known as card reader machine has come to stay,

though it requires a lot of resources, we see we can do it, because it adds value and more credibility the electoral process in the country. Some states have been using it in the conduct of their elections, we are looking at how we can make it to go round,” he added. While assuring the visitors of the Commission’s adequate collaboration during his tenure as part of efforts to deepen democracy in Nigeria with the conduct of free,fair and credible elections,,the INEC boss said, “we “ll continue to collaborate and cooper-

ate with SEICs and other Organisations in improving elections management in th country Earlier, the chairperson of the Forum, Mrs Gloria Ukpong, who is also the chairperson of the Akwa Ibom State SIEC had said that the members came around to remind the INEC boss of the good working relationship that existed between the Forum and the immediate past commission under Professor Attahiru Jega, which assisted in no small way in carrying out their assignments in their different states.

Wednesday, 25 May, 2016

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Wednesday, 25 May, 2016

Railways reform critical to economic revival —Saraki

ENATE President, Dr Bukola Saraki, on Tuesday, said the reform of the nation’s railway system is critical to the much needed economic revival in the country, even as he reiterated the commitment of the eighth Senate towards the passage of the National Railway Commission Bill before the end of the first session of the National Assembly. In a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Sanni Onogu, in Abuja, Saraki disclosed this after receiving the report of the technical committee on the National Railways Commission Bill from the chairman of the Senate Committee on Land Transport, Senator Gbenga Ashafa, in his office. While saying he was delighted to receive the report, Saraki thanked the chairman and members of the technical committee for the timely completion of their assignment, adding that the report goes to show that the eighth Senate is committed to work with experts in the private

sector to put in place necessary machineries necessary to put the nation’s economy back on track. “I believe everybody will benefit from the content of

this report, because no economy can develop without an efficient mass transportation system. “We all acknowledge that the government alone can-

not provide the funding needed to upgrade the rail infrastructure, therefore, the Bill will make provision that would allow the private sector to participate and sub-

sequently take the burden of funding off the government. “There is no way we can address our mass transportation challenge without a direct engagement with the

Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki (middle), exchanging pleasantries with the chairman, Technical Committee on Railways Reform Bill, Mr Chris Okoye, during a visit to him, in Abuja, on Tuesday. With them is the chairman, Senate Committee on Land Transport, Senator Gbenga Ashafa.

FG to repatriate looted £300m from Jersey —Minister MINISTER of Foreign Affairs, Mr Geoffrey Onyeama, has said the Federal Government is in the process of repatriating from Jersey the stolen £300 million. Onyeama stated this in Abuja, on Tuesday, at a news

conference organised as part of activities to mark the one year anniversary of President Mohammadu Buhari’s administration. Jersey, an independent English-speaking territory with a mix of British and

French cultures, is the largest of the Channel Islands located between England and France. The minister said the money in Jersey would have been repatriated but for a last minute “objection” raised by the

FG requires over $50bn to develop transportation infrastructure —Minister MINISTER of Transportation, Mr Rotimi Amaechi, has said the Federal Government needs over $50.9 billion in the next five years to develop transportation infrastructure. Amaechi said this while fielding question at the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) Forum in Abuja, on Tuesday. “We need over $50.9 billion in the next five years to develop infrastructure and the money is not a joke. “One of the infrastructure we are trying to develop is the railway infrastructure; the president has kindly agreed that he will fund it because the contract was awarded by Chief Obasanjo, the former president; he awarded the contract for Lagos to Kano. “President Jonathan awarded the contract for Lagos to Calabar, what the president has agreed to do is to fund it; he said can we fund the ones we have already awarded; no more awards until we have developed the ones we have awarded. “So we are focusing on

the Lagos to Kano railway and the Lagos to Calabar rail line. “If you look at the communities surrounding this rail line; Lagos to Kano will start from Lagos to Ibadan; it will impact on so many sectors of the economy, including housing; people who ordinarily will not be able to pay for house rent in Lagos can live in Ibadan, Ogun and come to work in Lagos,” he said. Amaechi added that if all the infrastructure required were provided, the number of persons, activities, volume of trade and goods (cargoes) to be transported would be unimaginable. On the insinuation by some Nigerians that truck owners were sabotaging the rail transport development, Amaechi dismissed it, saying funding constraint was the reason. He said that the rail line from Lagos to Kano would cost about $8.2 billion, while the rail lines from Lagos to Calabar would cost $11.97 billion, adding that the volume of funding

for railways was about $20 billion. The minister said the Abuja to Kaduna railway was almost completed as the coaches had been purchased while the locomotive would be ready by August.

people, who were supposed to forfeit it. “We are just in the process of repatriating that in the UK itself. Sometimes, very often, what happens is that the people, who have ownership or who claim to have ownership (of the money) might bring up a defence. “Like if you take the one in Jersey, it is like £300 million or thereabouts; now everything had been done to repatriate the money. “It was no longer contested; and then at the last minute, an objection was raised by the people who were supposed to forfeit those funds.

“So, of course, the authorities in Jersey were obliged as much as they would have liked to just go ahead and repatriate it - to go through certain legal procedures, because the other party would have a lawyer and there were legal issues. “And then, we have to now start going through that all over again; so that is really the challenge,” he said. According to the minister, the important thing was that the process had been engaged. He said Nigeria would not relent in seeking to repatriate the alleged stolen funds.

private sector. With a good and efficient transportation system in place, people will talk less about the cost of fuel,” he said. The Senate president expressed optimism that the House of Representatives would give the Bill speedy consideration and passage when sent to the Lower House for concurrence by the Senate. “This is one way we can address the bottlenecks in the land transportation sector. History is being made as we have opened another chapter in our legislative functions. What we are doing this afternoon is to identify technicalities in the sector before the report could be laid before the Senate. “We must get the railways system on the right track. Public sector alone cannot address the issues. We need partnership from the private sector which was the essence of inaugurating this technical committee. “With this report, the Senate can comfortably debate the Bill and come out with acceptable policies that will give life back to the sector. I am confident that the NRC Bill will scale through third reading and passed in the Senate before the end of this session,” Saraki said. Earlier, Senator Ashafa had said the Senate, after the public hearing on the NRC Bill, gathered memoranda and reports which necessitated the commissioning of the technical committee to make input into the railways repeal and reenactment Bill, due to the sensitive and technical nature of the railway system. Chairman of the technical committee, Mr Chris Okoye, thanked the Senate for the opportunity to make input into the bill, especially “at this defining moment in the nation’s history.”

el-Rufai visits Sani at mother’s burial Muhammad Sabiu -Kaduna KADUNA State governor, Mallam Nasir el-Rufai, on Tuesday, was with the sena-

tor representing Kaduna Central, Shehu Sani, to commiserate with him over the demise of his (Sani) mother. This will be the first time

the two of them would be seen together in the public, after the governor won the 2015 election, with the duo believed not to be in good

Kaduna State governor, Mallam Nasir el-Rufai (left) with the chairman, Senate Committee on Foreign and Domestic Debt, Senator Shehu Sani, during the third day fidau for the senator’s late mother, Hajiya Fatima Sani, in Kaduna, on Tuesday. PHOTO: NAN.

terms. Governor el-Rufai arrived at Senator Sani’s family house at Tudun Wada, Kaduna South, around 8.00 a.m. On sighting his convoy, the crowd cheered el-Rufai, lauding him for identifying with the bereaved senator, despite their perceived differences. The governor was accompanied by some of his aides to the third day fidau for Senator Sani’s mother, Hajiya Fatima Abubakar Sani. The governor was received by Senator Sani, as the duo went inside the house for prayers before the senator escorted him back to his car. The governor also offered personal prayers for the soul of Senator Sani’s mother to rest in peace.

Wednesday, 25 May, 2016

businessnews

Wednesday, 25 May, 2016

CBN to relax forex policy, say recession imminent •Retains monetary policy rates at 12% By Sulaimon Olanrewaju and Sanya Adejokun

ENTRAL Bank of Nigeria (CBN) on Tuesday announced that it is adopting a flexible foreign exchange rate regime in order to ease the pains of manufacturers especially who have to import machinery and raw materials for production. However, the MPC voted to retain the extant monetary rates arrived at in the March meeting, while warning that the economy was headed for recession. These were contained in the communiqué issued at the end of the committee’s two-day meeting held at the CBN headquarters in Abuja. The communiqué, signed by Godwin Emefiele, CBN Governor, read in part, “The Committee, in its assessment of the relevant risk profiles, came to the conclusion that although, the balance of risks remains tilted against growth; previous decisions need time to crystalize. “Consequently, in a period of stagflation, the policy options are very limited. To avoid complicating the conditions, the Committee decided on the least risky option to hold. “The foreign exchange market framework, now ready, the MPC voted unanimously to adopt greater flexibility in exchange rate policy to restore the automatic adjustment properties of the exchange rate. “Consequently, all 9 members voted to hold and introduce greater flexibility in managing the foreign exchange rate. The Bank would however, retain a small window for funding critical transactions. Details of operation of the market would be released by the Bank at an appropriate time.” On baseline rates, MPC retained the Monetary Policy Rate (MPR) at 12.00 per cent; Cash Reserve Ratio (CRR) at 22.50 per cent; Liquidity Ratio at 30.00 per cent; and also retained the Asymmetric Window at +200 and -500 basis points around the MPR. In arriving at those decisions, the Committee acknowledged the severely weakened macroeconomic environment, as reflected particularly in increased inflationary pressure, contraction in real output and rising unemployment. While alerting the country to the possibility of the

economy going into recession, CBN said, “The Committee recalls that in July 2015, it had hinted on the possibility of the economy falling into recession unless appropriate complementary measures were taken by the monetary and fiscal authorities. Unfortunately the delayed passage of the 2016 budget constrained

the much desired fiscal stimulus, thus edging the economy towards contractionary output.” It added, “With some of the conditions that led to the contraction in Q1, 2016 still largely unresolved, the weak outlook for growth which was signaled in July 2015 could extend to Q2.” According to the CBN, the passage of the budget

would not do much to stave off the recession because “the initial monetary injection approved by the Federal Government may not impact the economy soon, as the processes involved in MDAs finalizing procurement contracts before the disbursement of funds may further delay the much needed financial stimulus to restart

growth.” The MPC stated further, “As a stop-gap measure, the Central Bank continued to deploy all the instruments within its control in the hope of keeping the economy afloat. The actions, however, proved insufficient to fully avert the impending economic contraction. To this effect, today’s policy actions

From left: Managing Director/CEO, Dharnesh Gordhon; Chairman, David Ifezulike and Company Secretary/ Legal Adviser, Bode Ayeku, all of Nestle Nigeria Plc, at the Company’s 47th Annual General Meeting held at Muson Centre, on Monday, in Lagos. PHOTO: SYLVESTER OKORUWA.

have to be predicated on a less optimistic outlook for the economy in the short term.” The Committee noted that the CBN had implemented accommodative monetary policy from July 2015, with the hope of achieving growth, up until March 2016, when the MPC switched into a tightening mode. “However, while the underlying conditions necessitating tight monetary policy remained largely in place, sundry administrative measures implemented by the Bank and recent macroeconomic conditions on the back of the 2016 Budget are expected to significantly dictate a key policy preference in the dilemma now faced by monetary policy-stagflation “Given the current limited policy space, it is imperative to balance stability with growth stance while working on options that in the short term, are certain to isolate seasonal and transient factors fuelling the current price spiral,” the communiqué also stated.

Stakeholders wait for CBN’s flexible exchange •As experts estimate $20bn forex inflows rate modalities Chima Nwokoji-lagos

STAKEHOLDERS in the Nigerian economy have insisted that the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) should quickly roll out modalities for its intended new foreign exchange policy, which in their estimate, may lead to foreign exchange inflows of about $20billion from domiciliary accounts. Though a herd of experts welcomed the decision of the CBN’s Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) which seeks to introduce flexibility in the foreign exchange market, others believe that the Central Bank has not said what it means by flexibility in the exchange rate. “We can’t begin to put words in their mouth. We have to know what modalities it is going to take and what that means before we can make meaningful analysis,” said Ayodele Teriba, the Chief Executive Officer of Economic Associates in a telephone conversation with Nigerian Tribune. To analysts at Cowry Assets Management Limited, a flexible exchangerate system is a monetary system that allows the exchange rate to be determined by supply and de-

mand. The assets managers believe that the policy decisions taken by MPC would impact the economy in many ways. They said in a research note to investors: “In our opinion, the policy decisions will impact the economy in several fronts: We expect current inflationary pressure will continue unrestrained as budgetary disbursement commences. Also Interest Rate is expected to continue to hover at current levels with an increased double digit outlook. “There will be likely increase in liquidity mop up

through Open Market Operation in response to expected increase in budgetary spending.” They expect Naira to remain under pressure as market forces adjust the fixed CBN’s clearing rate to a more realistic parallel market rate, stressing that, there may likely be “foreign exchange inflows from domiciliary accounts estimated at USD20 billion as currency exchange risk minimises, while Capital Market activities are expected to witness gradual recovery as foreign exchange risk diminishes with the adoption of a more flexible exchange

rate regime.” Similarly, the head of research at Afrinvest West Africa Limited, Mr Ayodeji Ebo, described flexible exchange rate as a market determined rate, with less intervention from the CBN. The exchange rate, he said, would be based on demand and supply. According to Ebo, “Pending when we get further details on the nature of flexibility policy, we can only say at this point that it is going to be a step away from previous stance on exchange rate.” He said if this is well implemented, it would instill confidence in both local

and foreign investors. Ebo further said that “the gap between the official and black market will reduce when the new policy is introduced, so also will speculation reduce because there will be easy access to dollars at the interbank market, as determined by the forces of demand and supply.” The MPC in a communique issued after the meeting said the Central Bank would however, retain a small window for funding critical transactions and that details of operation of the market would be released by the Bank at an appropriate time.

MPC: Rates hike will worsen forex crisis —Financial expert SOME financial experts on Tuesday commended the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) for rate retention saying that hike would escalate foreign exchange crisis. They told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos that the nation’s foreign exchange problem would escalate with rate hike. NAN reports that the MPC retained the Monetary Policy Rate (MPC) at 12 per cent, while Cash Reserve Requirement (CRR)

and liquidity ratio were also retained at 22.5 per cent and 30 per cent, respectively. The committee also asked the CBN to work on a flexible exchange rate system, with no mention of devaluation, adding that details of the framework would be released at the appropriate time. The MPR is the benchmark interest rate at which the CBN lends to banks to cover their immediate cash shortfalls. Mr Okechukwu Unegbu, former President, Char-

tered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN), said that rates increase would worsen the nation’s economic challenges. Unegbu stated that foreign exchange crisis was the major problem of the country at the moment, noting that the margin between the official rate and parallel market rate needed to be curtailed. According to him, premium on foreign exchange at over 100 per cent when compared with the official rate is outrageous. On devaluation, Uneg-

bu said that devaluation would not be favourable to the country because of its mono-economy. He explained that Nigeria was not producing anything that could be exported, adding that devaluation would not bring any advantage at the moment. Unegbu urged the Federal Government to pursue diversification programme and strengthen the agricultural sector. “We can devalue when we have agriculture produce we can export to other countries,” he added.

businessnews

Wednesday, 25 May, 2016

CBN collaborates with power ministry to reduce supply challenges Chima Nwokoji-Lagos

HE Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) in conjunction with the Ministry of Power have pledged to work hand in hand in order to reduce challenges being faced by power generation and distribution companies in Nigeria. To this effect, the apex bank has disbursed a total of N55.456billion to 24 electricity distribution and generating companies as part of its N213 billion Nigerian Electricity Stabilsation Facility to the power sector. This is even as the Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Mr Babatunde Fashola, has expressed hope that all direct and indirect problems of the sector would be solved. Among beneficiaries of the latest fund are three Distribution companies (Discos), 14 Generating companies(Gencos), one Service Provider and six Gas distribution (Gascos) to further address the challenges of the sector. The earliest beneficiaries of the special CBN power sector intervention facility include the Eko Electricity Distribution Company Plc and Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company Plc, which received cheques valued at N5.16 billion and N11.36 billion respectively. CBN Governor, Mr Godwin Emefiele at the signing ceremony in Lagos on Friday, said the latest deal brings total disbursements to the Discos to N49.73 billion (91.7 per cent), Gencos N54.29 billion (62.5 per cent), gas companies N15.73 billion (36.9 per cent) and service providers N0.46 billion (1.7 per cent). “With today’s event, the total disbursements under the initiative will be N120.2 billion, representing (57 per cent) of the total amount earmarked,” the Governor disclosed. He added that the Intervention has enabled the Electricity Distribution Companies (Discos) to provide bank guarantees to Nigerian Electricity Bulk Trader (NEBT), purchase of over 171,071 units of meters comprising both maximum demand and single phase meters. For instance he said Kano Electricity Distribution Company (KEDC) alone acquired 62,021energy meters with the facility within the period. Rehabilitation of over 332kms of 11KV lines and 130km of 0.45KV lines; 70,310 No 500 KVA transformers procurement and construction of 34 new distribution substations and acquisition of one mobile injection substation under confirmed permitted utilisation by the

initiative. In the same vein, the minister of power assured that with collaboration with other stakeholders, the problems of power in Nigeria will be solved; stressing that the CBN fund is a stabilisation fund that will be repaid over a 10-year period.

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) initiated a N213 billion Nigerian Electricity Market Stabilisation Facility (CBN-NEMSF) as a follow up to commitments it reached with other stakeholders to address debts owed by generating companies to gas suppliers. The first disbursement

was effected on February 12, 2015 to industry participants. One year into the progamme, the sum of N64 billion or 30 per cent of the facility was disbursed to 18 participants, which include five distribution companies (N41.06bn), seven generating com-

panies (N18.46bn), gas companies (N5.24bn). These companies committed to using the funds to upgrade/refurbish their equipment and acquire new ones so as to improve service delivery. The facility was given at 10per cent interest rate and repayment has commenced.

From left, Mr Ibrahim Mohammed, Director, Business Development for Africa; Mr Michael Simeon, Co-founder/CEO), Mr Geoffrey Weli-Wosu, Co-founder/ Director, marketing, legal and compliance; Mr Daniel Steeves, Board Advisor; and Mr Ogunlade Oluwole, Head, Digital Media all of VoguePay Limited with Mr. William Mathew Tevie, Director General, National Communication Authority of Ghana during the presentation of the ‘Best Emerging Online Payment Platform in Africa’ award to Voguepay.com at the African Information Technology and Telecom Awards (AITTA) 2016 held in Accra, Ghana, recently.

Marketers assure of decrease in pump price soon Olatunde Dodondawa-Lagos PETROLEUM marketers have assured that pump price of premium motor spirit (PMS) otherwise called petrol will drop very soon. This was said to allay fear of many Nigerians including the civil society groups that marketers may take advantage of deregulation and sell at above N135N145 per litre being the price band approved by the government. Addressing journalists in Lagos on Tuesday, the

Executive Secretary, Major Oil Marketers Association of Nigeria (MOMAN), Obafemi Olawore, stated that despite non availability of foreign exchange at official exchange rate of N197 to $1, major marketers are relying on their upstream divisions to get dollars to finance their imports. According to him, “I’m assuring Nigerians that pump price of petrol will soon drop as against claims that it will rise above the present band. Price won’t go up as long as the Nige-

rian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) is bringing in products. “Although, we are expected to source for dollars at the parallel market but the good news is that we are getting dollars from our upstream divisions. “Shell supports Conoil, Agip to support Oando, ExxonMobil supports Mobil Oil Nigeria, Total supports Total Nigeria, MRS and Forte get support from NNPC,” he said. However, he stated further that full deregulation is the answer to the chal-

lenges fuel scarcity in Nigeria. “The solution to fuel scarcity is full deregulation. If there is no policy reversal, marketers will bring in products. The situation will encourage us to bring in more investment. We have invested in meters presently to ensure adequate metering. “Others are doing their calculations in how to bring in investment in refineries and once we begin to refine domestically, it means we have attained full deregulation,” he said.

Fire outbreak at Ajimobi’s wife office not due to power surge —IBEDC THE Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company Plc. (IBEDC) has debunked news that the recent fire outbreak which gutted the Information Technology (ICT) unit of the office of the Oyo State Governor’s wife, Chief Mrs Florence Ajimobi, on Sunday, 22 May, 2016, was due to a power surge. The management of the company and its staff, however, empathised with the staff of the ICT office and the people of Oyo State at large over the unfortunate incident, adding that it was confident that the setback caused by the fire would be temporary and the office would be up and running sooner than later. In an issued press statement, the management of the company, however, noted that it was not comfortable with the state-

ment that the fire outbreak was occasioned by a power surge resulting from numerous power interruptions from IBEDC. “The management of the Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company Plc. (IBEDC) is, however, saddened by the publication in the Nigerian Tribune published on the 22 May, 2016 on page 41, ‘Fire guts Oyo Gov’s Wife’s Office,’ alleging that the fire outbreak at the ICT Centre For Female and Public Civil Servants was occasioned by a power surge resulting from numerous power interruptions from IBEDC. “The publication shows a lack of understanding of how the distribution network functions and may result in an unnecessary development of ill feelings by the people of Oyo State which will impact nega-

tively on the work of the company. “The Technical Department of IBEDC, upon receipt of the report of the fire incident, carried out an immediate investigation and evaluation of circumstances which may have caused the fire incident. A physical inspection of the building, the transformer that provides electricity to the said building and other buildings on the transformer was equally carried out by the technical team. Also examined were the service wires, fuses and cut-outs including the metering accessories and gear switch within the premises of the main building. The findings were analysed, taking into consideration a report from the dispatch office of IBEDC which showed that there was no record of numerous inter-

ruptions to the power supply to the area on the said day and time,” it said. It further revealed that the preliminary report of the technical team revealed that the fault which resulted in the fire incident was purely internal to the building. Such faults, it said could be the result of appliances being switched on for a prolonged period without cooling or left uncared for after the close of business. It may also have resulted from insulation failure of the electrical infrastructure in the house which may have led to burning or an explosion. “If in fact there was an electrical surge from the public supply, it would have affected all other buildings connected to the same transformer/feeder.”

Nigerian Tribune

N100m suit: Sacked Chevron workers decry delay in court processes Ebenezer Adurokiya-Warri SACKED workers who have slammed a suit against Chevron Nigeria Limited (CNL) and four of its contractors have decried a plot to unduly delay the court processes. The workers, who said they were dying of frustration, hunger and misery, made the appeal to the National Industrial Court of Nigeria (NIC) holden in Awka, Anambra State after returning to their Warri base, Delta State following the failure by Chevron Nigeria Limited (5th Defendant/Respondent) to turn up for hearing in the matter. The sitting, which held last Thursday, was to hear Chevron’s motion for preliminary objection to the substantive Suit NO NICN/AWKA/39/205. The dejected workers, in the suit, are asking the court to compel Chevron and four others to pay N100M as damages suffered and all severance entitlements including pension they were allegedly denied since August 2014 when about 235 of them were sacked without benefits.

Careers24 unveils company review By Bode Adewumi

NIGERIA’S leading online job platform, Careers24, has launched Company Review, a feedback mechanism that provides unfettered access to employees to rate their employers, thereby driving employer/ employee relations. Company Review, which is a feature on the careers24 website, provides an opportunity for employees to give completely anonymous feedback to their former or current employers. The platform also provides potential employees or candidates with reliable information and gives them valuable insights while researching potential employers. The Company Review feature was created as a suitable platform for people to find and share reliable information about what it is really like to work for companies across Nigeria. The platform is also designed to help businesses attract more relevant talents and ultimately, employees who are engaged and are a great cultural fit.

Wednesday, 25 May, 2016

editorial

Wednesday, 25 May, 2016

Nigerian Tribune

The Niger Delta situation

HE relative peace in the Niger Delta region initiated by the administration of Umaru Yar’Adua and which was sustained by the regime of Goodluck Jonathan would appear to have been shattered. At the last count, three militant groups, the Niger Delta Avengers (NDA), Egbesu Red Water Lions and Concerned Militant Leaders (CML) have sprung up and have already done collateral damage to oil and gas facilities in the region. While it is believed in the official circles that these groups have links with the Movement for the Emancipation of Niger Delta (MEND), the umbrella body of militant associations that were thought to have become moribund sequel to the successful commencement and implementation of the Amnesty Programme, MEND has dissociated itself from them and condemned their activities. The nascent groups have set some conditions precedent to a ceasefire, including the release of Nnamdi Kanu, currently facing charges in the law court for illegal operation of Radio Biafra and promoting secession of the South East from the Nigerian state; and the freedom from incarceration of Sambo Dasuki, a former National Security Adviser under the Jonathan administration who is being accused of monumental fraud and misallocation of fund in the procurement of arms to fight Boko Haram insurgency in the North East. They also want a fair deal for indigenes of the region in the allocation of oil blocks, which, of course, is quite legitimate. The activities of the militants, notably bombing of oil and gas pipelines, have led to unacceptable cuts in oil production and power supply. The cut in power supply has meant that the average Nigerian, who is currently agonizing under the yoke of the hike in petrol price, also has to contend with the hardship associated with grossly inadequate power supply. And, of course, a reduction in daily production of oil by almost a third has grave implications for the 2016 budget which already has substantial deficit component. Obviously, the situation should not have got to this sorry pass before official action. Sadly, there is even a sense in which it can be said that there has been no credible official action or response. On the whole, the Niger Delta situation has, since 1999, hardly been bettered by governance at the state level. The state governors have failed to significantly address the core challenges of life in the zone, with monumental corruption virtually defeating the modest efforts of the Federal Government to develop the zone. Thus, while the government initially succeeded in stemming the tide of militancy in the zone, the tide of abject poverty and despair continue unabated. The oil companies continue to deploy technology that is manifestly unfavourable to the environment, making life nasty

and brutish for the majority of the populace, and the various intervention agencies set up by the Federal Government have been less than stellar in the discharge of their duties to the long-suffering people of the zone. Worse still, by its pronouncement and the body language of its key officials, the current Federal Government has yet to recognize that there is a Niger Delta situation demanding deft political craftsmanship to resolve. Otherwise, it would not have ordered military action where sincere and effective dialogue promises to be the veritable solution. The Federal Government’s over-hyped language of engagement, “kill, destroy and crush the militants,” is unlikely to help. Pray, how often has military action proved effective in combating ethnic militancy and economic sabotage in Nigeria? Should the country engage the militants in what promises to be a protracted military confrontation that may benefit neither party? For an administration that is understandably hamstrung to fully match its electoral promises with action owing to the many socio-economic challenges besetting the country, a Niger Delta distraction could be incensing. But it must be noted that, through their nefarious and highly condemnable activities, the militant groups were actually trying to make a statement. And regardless of the half-hearted condemnation of the groups’ activities by very few leaders from the region, the militants have the sympathy of many citizens in that enclave. Many people in the region have the notion that the Buhari administration has alienated them. While nothing can be done about the loss of the presidency by the region in the 2015 general election, something can be done to address any injustices that may exist in the region which is a vital component of the federation. It is time the government began to review the intervention programmes in the region such as the 13 per cent derivation from oil receipt, the Niger Delta Development Commission ( NDDC), the Ministry of Niger Delta and, more importantly, the Amnesty Programme. How have these programmes impacted the lives of the ordinary people in the region? Should the programmes be re-jigged so that they become more impactful? The truth is that in spite of the seeming multifarious intervention programmes that tend to channel additional national resources exclusively to the region, the majority of the people still live in abject poverty. Thus, whether it is in the quantum or application of resources, wherever the challenge lies, it should be tackled head-on. Again, we strongly counsel against any military action that may worsen the situation.

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14 LETTERS TO THE

Wednesday, 25 May, 2016

editor

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NBS data: Unemployment as a time bomb

HE latest data from the Nigeria Bureau of Statistics (NBS) reveals that the unemployment rate in the country is rising, and this tells us that something must be done urgently about it by government. Just last month, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) advised the Federal Government that the country needs to create about 10 million jobs in the next decade in order to develop. What the IMF suggestion highlights is that we need to provide jobs for the country to achieve economic prosperity, as well as to curb youths’ involvement in crime and other unproductive ventures. The truth is that unemployment is the reason we have high crime rate, but when jobs are created, our youths will be gainfully employed, thereby taking them away from criminal

activities. It is, therefore, expected that the Nigerian government, under the leadership of President Muhammadu Buhari, will take the advice from the IMF seriously by working towards creating jobs for the youth for the country’s economic development, while the statistics reeled out by the NBS ties insecurity to the high unemployment rate we are currently battling. While it is the responsibility of government to tackle this challenge, it cannot provide all the jobs for our youths. However, it can focus on entrepreneurship to create the needed jobs. Youths should be supported to set up businesses, particularly small scale businesses. When I visited Italy several years ago, I discovered that most of the popular shoe brands known all over the world were produced in cottage industries. Each

of such businesses employed over 10 people. We can replicate this in Nigeria. We must support small businesses in the South East with loans to expand.

We should also focus on developing agribusiness in the South West and the North; this is the only way we can create jobs for our youths.

However, if government does not succeed at this, then we will continue to experience high crime rate, and nobody will be safe in the country any longer.

The data by the NBS is a pointer that there is ‘fire on the mountain’ for us in Nigeria. •Dr Taju Alalade, Ilorin.

Factionalisation: Need for NLC to close ranks THE factionalisation of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) is not good for the country. In times past, the NLC had stood as the defender of the people in the face of harsh government policies. No anti-government movement in Nigeria ever succeeded without the support of the NLC. The toughest anti-government movement in the country was against the annulment of the 1993 presidential election, which the late Chief MKO Abiola won, and labour participated actively. It is, therefore, so un-

fortunate that the NLC, which every government feared, is now a shadow of itself, and this has to do with the battle of supremacy which has seen the union split along two parallel lines. When one faction of the union declared the strike action against the increment in the price of petroleum to N145 per litre, the other faction refused to join, and for the first time in Nigeria’s history, a strike action declared by the NLC did not move government. While some supporters of the Muhammadu Buhari government may be

happy that the strike did not go down well, it is, however, at the detriment of Nigerians who need a strong labour movement to tackle government’s anti-people policies. It is as a result of this that I want to call on previous labour leaders in the country to work towards unifying the two factions of the NLC. When government realises that the NLC is no longer as powerful and influential as it used to be, then it will begin to treat Nigerians anyhow. Already, I am against the manner in which the government announced the withdrawal of the

fuel subsidy; it should be noted that without prior consultations, the government just made the announcement. Even former President Goodluck Jonathan held several town-hall meetings to sensitise Nigerians on the benefit of the removal of fuel subsidy. Having said this, it is to our benefit as Nigerians to have a strong labour union, and efforts must be made to return the NLC to its old glorious days. The leaders of the two factions should also set aside their egos and allow common sense to prevail. •Hussein Ahmed, Lokoja.

On bailout for retirees IT was a relief for workers and retirees in several states when the Federal Government, under the leadership of President Muhammadu Buhari, approved bailout for some states last year. Before the approval, many states were finding it difficult to pay their workers and retirees. With the bailout, we thought that the suffering of retirees had come to an end, but it was not to be. We had thought state governors would pay workers’ gratuities with the bailout, but the governors could not really use the money for the purpose for which it was released. So, after paying just a month’s pension, the governors said the bailout had been exhausted. Although President Muhammadu Buhari had said that the Federal Government would no longer provide bailout to states, I want him to reconsider his stance. Nigeria is broke, and everyone is aware of that, but retirees

who had served the country through their states are suffering today because they don’t get their benefits on time. Many retirees are even yet to get any pension this year; it is as bad as that. In the event that the president changes his mind, I wouldn’t want the Federal Government to release the bailout to the state governors. The government can set up a committee that will be responsible for the disbursement of the funds to retirees in each state of the federation. Apart from pension arrears, many retirees have also not been paid their gratuities. It shouldn’t surprise no one that there are people who retired more than 10 years ago in some states who have not been paid their gratuities. I hope the National Assembly can criminalise the non-payment of gratuities within two years. •Akin Odesola, akin_sola@gmail. com

opinion

Wednesday, 25 May, 2016

Time to treat corruption with the seriousness it deserves By John Kerry

N nearly every corner of the world in recent years, from the Arab Spring to Latin America and many places in between, political turbulence has made clear that governments are unwise to shrug off their citizens’ growing concerns about corruption. It is a poison that erodes trust, robs citizens of their money and their future and stifles economic growth in the places that need it most. And this epidemic is pervasive and growing: one in three people living in the Middle East and North Africa have been forced to pay a bribe for essential public services. And corruption persists in every region and country around the world, including my own. It is long past time for the international community to treat corruption with the seriousness and attention it deserves. That is why, this week, I will join representatives from over fifty nations, multinational organizations, and civil society for the firstof-its-kind global Anti-Corruption Summit in London. There, we will announce practical steps to strengthen the fight against corruption, from launching an International Anti-Corruption Coordination Centre that will improve data sharing between major financial hubs and cooperation on investigations, to expanding support for journalists struggling to uncover graft across the globe. By crippling basic functions of the state like security and justice, corruption creates a frustration and vacuum that violent extremists eagerly fill with false promises of a better deal. That helps explain how Daesh took root in Iraq and why the Taliban endures in Afghanistan. Until we prioritise the fight against corruption, these heinous groups will continue to prey on grievances and recruit new followers who feel disempowered, disrespected and convinced that the traditional system is rigged against them. Traffickers and cartels also thrive on corruption, and the most

vulnerable — women, children, and minorities — often pay the greatest price. Corruption also enables bad actors to impact government decisions in ways that almost always harm ordinary citizens. Open any newspaper and you’ll find reports of ministers captured by graft, border guards bribed to look the other way, or criminals set free for a small fee. Equally troubling, corruption not only fuels many of today’s greatest threats; it can also handicap governments’ ability to address them. For example, when President Muhammadu Buhari of Nigeria took office last year, he found an army hollowed out by graft and unready to confront Boko Haram. Similarly, when Iraqi Prime Minister al-Abadi assumed power in 2014, he exposed 50,000 “ghost” soldiers on the payrolls costing $380 million each year and leaving the army undermanned to fight Daesh. These realities demand that we make anti-corruption a firstorder priority in our foreign policy. To meet that charge, we need an approach that is both broad and bold. Stronger penalties and enforcement are important, but as a former prosecutor, I know that focusing on punishment alone won’t solve the underlying problem. We have to match our emphasis on punishing corruption with new efforts to prevent corruption in the first place. We can do that by helping governments create more transparent and streamlined processes to reduce opportunities for graft. We can train citizens and jour-

nalists to provide oversight and deter wrongdoing. And we can embrace new technologies to expand access to information and empower civil society to partner with law enforcement. The global community can also better seize narrow windows of opportunity when the moment for reform is ripe. That could be the election of a new leader who campaigned to end corruption. Or it could be public outcry about new evidence of corruption coming to light, as we saw in Guatemala last year, where 19 weeks of peaceful protests led to the resignation and prosecution of a sitting president. No effort to end corruption can succeed without political will on the ground, and we should ensure that committed reformers receive assistance in time to make a real difference. And certainly, we all bear a responsibility to tackle corruption within our own nations, including the United States. That’s the goal of new legislation proposed by President Obama last week that would collect, for the first time, ownership information on shell companies from all U.S. states and territories to help law enforcement prevent and investigate financial crimes. The Obama Administration also pledged to shed more light on shady real estate transactions in places like New York City and Miami, which are often used to shelter illicit funds, and to close a loophole that allows foreigners to hide potentially illicit financial activity behind anonymous U.S. entities. With these steps, we are escalating the fight against corruption and urge governments across the globe to join us. After all, governments spend a lot of time — and resources — on threats like violent extremism, transnational crime and fragile states. Yet by ignoring their profound links to corruption, we make our work that much harder. Today, we can no longer plead ignorance. If we are serious about taking on these threats and building a safer and more secure world, then we must get serious about tackling corruption. •Kerry is the American Secretary of State.

Tompolo: Between dialogues and confrontation By Yushau A. Shuaib “NEMA Registers 3500 Displaced People in Warri.” THE above quotation was the title of a press release I issued as the spokesperson of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) on June 25, 2009 after the completion of our assignment in setting up Internally Displaced Persons’ (IDPs) camp in Gbaramatu Kingdom, Warri South West, Delta State. NEMA’s intervention followed a clash between the militaryled Joint Task Force (JTF) and Tompolo-led Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND), which had claimed responsibility for the deaths of some soldiers and displacements of citizens. Even though the military endorsed our passage to the creek in May 2009, some of us were scared stiff of the possibility of being captured by militants on the suspicion of being government’s spies. Surprisingly, we were well-received by community leaders and local government council officials which was then under the chairmanship of the younger brother to Government Tompolo, the most wanted militant leader. To our amazement, we discovered some Hausa-Fulani folks within the hinterland who had adopted Ijaw-land as home away from home, speaking the local dialect fluently and even enjoying the locally-brewed gin! It was a scary adventure for NEMA responders as we persuaded women and children to come out from their hideouts in the bush. Their plights were better imagined as we had to close down some schools and health centres and converted them to IDP camps. Some pregnant women delivered babies in the thick forest; their men languished in the bush and stayed on water as thousands of other displaced persons had scattered into the neighbouring states of Bayelsa, Edo, Ondo and Rivers. While the Nigerian troops were still hunting for the militants, NEMA’s reports and intelligent information from other sources, persuaded the peace-loving President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, a Muslim Northerner from Katsina State, to endorse the Amnesty agreement. The elusive Tompolo and other ex-militant leaders emerged from their hideouts and agreed to the amnesty programme at the Presidential Villa as they surrendered their sophisticated weapons and were eventually pardoned by Yar’Adua’s government. The risky decision of President Yar’Adua in embracing dialogues and approving the amnesty for the Niger Delta militants rather than confrontation through military might, quickly stabilised the region, boosted the volume of crude

oil production, steadied supply of gas to electricity power stations, increased revenue to the Federation Account and ensured engagement of many youths of that region in various productive ventures, including capacity building programmes at home and abroad. Precisely seven years after, we are back to the old story as militants have staged a resurgence of hostilities through a new group, Niger Delta Avengers (NDA) which is attracting global media attention by destructions of oil facilities in the region. This unfortunate development is coming at a period when Nigerian troops are contending with Boko Haram menace in the North-East. The activities of NDA and other similar groups are reminiscence of Pre-Yar’Adua’s amnesty when the militants engaged in abductions of oil workers, especially the expatriates, rampant sea-piracy, destructions of oil facilities and killing of ordinary citizens and security personnel. There are concerns expressed by some ex-militants that the amnesty programme may soon be jettisoned by Buhari’s administration as the Coordinator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme, Brig. Gen Paul Boroh (rtd), recently disclosed that the programme is very expensive and cannot be sustained in perpetuity. Coupled with that fear are the unfounded allegations that the current administration is after ex-militant leaders who supported Goodluck Jonathan in the last presidential election, some are even claiming that the prosecution of Tompolo by Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over corrupt practices is political witch-hunting. There are certainly those that are not comfortable with military threats to ‘crush’ Niger Delta militants like Boko Haram terrorists considering the fact that Nigerian troops are already overstretched as they engage in war on terror in the North-East. The Niger Delta creek is also a precariously impenetrable terrain. Such threats, according to some critics, portray the government as adopting confrontational stance rather than diplomatic approach at addressing the youth restiveness.

In the face of military threats to crush the vandals, it is the unidentified militants who are currently ‘crushing’ and crippling Nigeria’s economy through the destructions of oil installations that provide gas for domestic power generation and crude oil for export. For instance, after the attack on the Nigeria Gas Company’s pipeline in January 2016, the Minister of Power and Works, Raji Fashola, announced that the country was losing N470m daily. On the other hand, the Minister of State for Petroleum and Managing Director of NNPC, Dr Ibe Kachikwu, also disclosed that Nigeria losses 800,000 barrels of crude oil daily due to pipeline vandalism, which easily translates to the revenue loss of over N7bn daily. And just recently, the Ad-hoc Committee on Crude Oil Theft Prevention and Control of the National Economic Council (NEC) revealed that the Federal Government does not have adequate operational vessels to patrol and secure the network of pipelines in the Niger Delta. While we must condemn the destruction of oil facilities by the Niger Delta militants, the government should tread a political line through dialogues. President Buhari should ignore any misleading advice as some zealots would rather want our President to act like a no-nonsense cowboy in Hollywood movies. At over 70 years, President Buhari does not have that youthful strength and excessive power of military dictatorship to re-enact forceful compliance to orders because of democratic ethos. As the father of the nation, Buhari should employ humane and thoughtful strategies that would not exacerbate the already tense political and economic situations in the country. He should demonstrate exemplary leadership qualities through compassionate disposition and diplomatic overtures to the belligerent militants whose sponsors are yet to be identified. Since the most wanted Niger Delta militant, Government Tompolo, has issued Open Letters, appealing to President Buhari to intervene on his plight, the government should temper justice with mercy and capitalise on that and woo other leaders in the region for amicable solutions to the crises. After fruitful dialogues, government should work out concrete structures that would permanently address the plight of people whose environment provides the chunk of our national revenue. The government should also pursue aggressive economic diversification programmes for other geopolitical zones towards economic self-reliant and sustenance. •Shuaib, a public affairs analyst, sent in this article from Abuja

Wednesday, 25 May, 2016

tribune cartoons

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

GIANT IN THE TROPIC OF AFRICA

SEGELUULU

CHURCH BOY

FUNOLOGY

Oba Adeyinka Oyekan HRM •

He was the Oba of Lagos from 1965 to 2003.

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Adeyinka Oyekan (Oyekan II) was born on June 30, 1911.

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He attended the Methodist Boys High School and King’s College, Lagos before studying Pharmacy at Yaba College of Higher Education. A devout Christian, he was a member of the Tinubu Methodist Church and former Sunday School teacher.

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In 1965, Adeyinka was installed Oba of Lagos. He reigned as Lagos monarch from 1965 till 2003.

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Adeyinka Oyekan was the second Christian Oba of Lagos.

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He died on March 1, 2003, aged 91.

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Place of burial: Iga Idunganran, Lagos Island.

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Predecessor: Adele

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Successor: Rilwan Akiolu.

Adeniji

THERE ARE 10 DIFFERENCES IN THE CARTOONS BELOW. THE DIFFERENCES SHOULD BE MARKED IN B

SPOT THE DIFFERENCE

Wednesday, 25 May, 2016

inside

nigerdelta Herdsmen members: Grazing reserves should be sited in the North —Okowa

Femi Olukunle Co-ordinating Editor 08158610216

Okowa during inspection of some of the road projects recently.

Ebenezer Adurokiya-Warri GOVERNOR of Delta State, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, has stated that the proposed grazing reserves before the National Assembly is a good one provided the reserves will be limited to the Northern part of the country. He added that given the fact that the North is blessed with vast land mass, the reserves should be sited in the North with proper provision of irrigation system in order to limit the movement of Fulani herdsmen down south. The governor stated this on Monday in Asaba on the occasion of an interactive session with journalists in the state ahead of his one-year anniversary celebration in office. Okowa said his government was trying very hard to create an interface between communities and Fulani herdsmen to avoid further clashes in the state. Describing the Fulani menace across the country as worrisome and unfortunate, the former Senator said to ensure communality between communities and Fulani herdsmen, his government had appointed a Special Adviser from Fulani stock to liaise with the government on activities of the nomads.

As Okowa celebrates 54 road projects Alphonsus Agborh-Asaba

HE paucity of funds facing states notwithstanding, Delta State inaugurates 54 road projects to celebrate one year of Governor Ifeanyi Okowa in the saddle. This is the appropriate time for stock taking. Time to look back by politicians and political parties to have self examination for their tenure in office so far. It is time for the president of the country and governors of the 36 states to celebrate their achievements. As the nation marks another democracy day, Delta State is taking stock of what it has done since May 29, 2015, when Governor Ifeanyi Okowa was sworn in with a promise to prosecute its SMART agenda with the veracity to create jobs, build roads, accelerate agricultural reforms and transform environment through urban renewal. Others include meaningful peace build-

ing platforms aimed at political and social harmony and relevant health education policies. Encapsulated in the agenda packages are “goodies” that were meant to ensure the state government does not depend on oil in laying a solid foundation for economic growth and infrastructural development. Downloaded in brief, the SMART was a programme also designed to sustain businesses, stabilise families and communities within a framework of equity, fairness and justice. Despite the short fall in revenue, Delta State has continued to maximise the meager resources to give optimal impetus to the execution of its capital projects across the state. Already, commissioning of projects has started in earnest as some cynics of the administration have been proved wrong that after all, something good could still come out of Nazareth.

Peace within would guarantee operational peace —Monarch after his electoral victory as the IbenanAustin Ebipade-Yenagoa

AGAINST the backdrop of recurring cases of crisis between youths of host communities and Oil-Multinationals, the newly elected paramount ruler of Ekpetiama Kingdom in Yenagoa Local Government Area of Bayelsa State, King Bubaraye Dakolo, has said that he would enforce the promotion of law and order as well as the sustenance of peace in his domain. The Ekpetiama Kingdom is made up of seven communities of Tombia, Agudama, Bomoundi, Akaibiri, Gbarantoru, Bomoundi Gbene and Ikibiri. Dakolo, who hails from Gbarantoru community, spoke to journalists shortly

aowei of Ekpetiama Kingdom with 63 votes to beat Nathaniel Kaka, 61 votes, Oyadongha. Timipa, 49 votes and Emmanuel Dakolo, 41 votes, dedicated his victory to the youths and women in his community. He noted that peace is the most priceless ingredient needed as catalyst for growth and development to thrive, even as he tasked operators of multi-national oil companies in his domain to do everything possible to promote peace which would invariably guarantee peace around at their operational base, installations and facilities.

The state took advantage of the dry season to quicken its steps before the rains which are unfriendly to road construction and swiftly did many of its roads projects. From the three senatorial districts, the Okowa administration has stamped its foot on the sand of time by carrying out projects which ordinarily, because of paucity of funds, would have been impossible. So far, over 54 road projects are being inaugurated in phases to commemorate the first anniversary of the administration. Among them are Okpanam road dualization and drainage which is envisaged to permanently arrest the worrisome perennial flooding between Okpanam and Asaba, the state capital; Cable Point dualisation, Federal Medical Centre Internal road, Usonia street, Christ Embassy road, Okalotu-Anonye-Maduemezia and Ezenwa roads in Asaba. There are also the dualisations of old Lagos/Asaba road in Boji Boji Urban (Agbor and Owa), the Ozanogogo-Alisimie road in Ika South. Amukpe-Okiri – AT&P road dualization project in Sapele, Okuvo-kpokpogri-lriam, Ejmyere – Orodje street and Orerokpc modern market, Jeddo- Ughoton road in okpe area. Also the Ughelli- Asaba dualisation, Effurun-Enerhen dualisation, the OlehEmede- road in Isoko axis and Oteri township road: Ughelli-Afiesere-Ofuoma (Ughelli) as well as Dederu-Ejiyere street and nine other link roads in Okere/ Urhibo in Warri etc. The reconstruction of taxi and run ways at the Asaba international airport are receiving attention. Suffice it to say that aviation authorities downgraded the airport in 2015 because of lack of basic requirements including

perimeter fencing, taxi run ways, watch tower and control room and landing problems posed by surrounding hills. As part of its job creation, at least 2000 youths have been trained and empowered through different programmers in the area of shoe making, electrical and electronics, fashion designing, event management, hair dressing, tiling, interior decorating and agriculture etc. The essence of giving them starter packs, however, was to make the beneficiaries solid and become employers of labour and it is expected that its chain value would help reduce unemployment. In his conviction that technical education is a veritable tool to empower youths to be self sufficient, Okowa rehabilitated three technical colleges in Sapele, Ofagbe and Agbor. The health sector also received a boost. Apart from the health insurance scheme, the governor completed the General Hospital in Abavo in Ika South, which he started in 2006 when was the state commissioner for health.

CREW

Dapo Falade -Rivers 08078891924 lasep09@gmail.com Ebenezer Adurokiya -Delta 08060113609 ebenezeradurokiya@gmail.com Banji Aluko - Edo 08067030572 adebanjialuko@yahoo.com Austin Ebipade - Bayelsa 08065400743 austinebipade@gmail.com Alphonsus Agborh 08035838703

Wednesday, 25 May, 2016

Nigerian Tribune

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

African ambassadors rally support for Ooni of Ife’s HURP crusade

IS ascension to the throne came in an extraordinary fashion as it was never foretold and since assuming the majestic stool of his forefathers as the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi Ojaja 11, has taken on the world in an extra-ordinary manner defiling the norms in his carriage, actions and words. Clearly, Oba Ojaja 11 has struck a different cord in the people, making it obvious that his reign will be a distinct departure from other obas before him. His devotion and calling, he said is to the people as his reign is to change the status quo by using his powers and every resources at his beck and call to change the narrative of his people through rekindling a prosperous future for his people. The Ooni’s championing of a rebirth has come to find meaning, expression and given life to the doctrine of Hope, Unity, Rebirth and Prosperity (HURP) that his adviser and consultant, Otunba Wanle Akinboboye, has over the years, consistently preached. This commitment has not escaped many who have watched and followed the activities of the Ooni ever since he assumed the throne particularly African ambassadors in Nigeria who are not only queuing behind him in this new crusade, but has adopted him as the peace, unity and prosperity traditional leader of Africa. His new zeal and HURP campaign has also resonated across the world with many world leaders, envoys, business moguls and political leaders paying homage to him and receiving him in audience at different times. These include the Brazilian envoy to Nigeria and that of Cuba as even the Cuban envoy hosted him to a world class dinner at his Abuja residence, which was attended by the cream of the society. The African envoys who have always formed part of his entourage to many events said the Ooni deserved to be celebrated for turning his attention to the wellbeing of his people, Nigerians and Africans in general and seeking to serve and not to be served. They said that the Oba has demonstrated that he can be trusted to carry through this new vision as they outlined some of his activities to include the launch of a N6.7 billion grand resort in Ile – Ife, the declaration of Ile-Ife as a tourism zone, throwing his palace open to the public and tourists, employing over 200 widows of the Ife – Modakeke war. Another action of his also applauded by the African envoys is his commitment to the unity of his people and that of all the traditional rulers in Yoruba and down playing of his supremacy in his bid to forge understanding and unity among the Obas and break the traditional barriers that have long existed among them thereby depriving the people the much desired unity and wealth creation through their offices. To this end, the Oba has embarked on

The Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi Ojaja 11 and his wife, flanked by representatives of the HURP crusade at Ooni’s palace. visit to many of the highly respected traditional rulers in the South West including the Alaafin of Oyo, Soun of Ogbomosho, Alake of Egbaland and most importantly, visiting Modakeke with his gospel of unity thereby consigning to history the aged long enmity between the two people. He has also recently instituted the Clean Ife Competition (Gbafemon) with each street in the town organising themselves into a team with a captain for the purpose of cleaning their respective streets. Each week, a team of sanitary inspectors are expected to inspect the streets and give verdict with the cleanliest street awarded N100, 000 while any street that wins the award for three consecutive weeks is awarded N500, 000 by the Ooni. Delighted by Oba Ojaja 11 crusade, Akinboboye, the originator of the HURP concept said the Oba’s action is a welcomed development and a jumpstart of ‘‘HURP and a rebirth process so that we can all prosper with his focus on what will enhance the life of his people and create wealth for them. ‘‘If we create hope in our people, foster unity among our people and leaders and jumpstart a rebirth process as Oba Ojaja 11 is doing now, it will lead automatically to prosperity for our people and that is what we should all focus on,’’ said Akinboboye, who is also the founder and president of La Campagne Tropicana Beach Resort. Akinboboye revealed that this is what has endeared him to the African envoys and others, who are determined to see that the Oba’s vision is brought to fruition. The fact that the Oba is young, educated and a business mogul, he said makes his commitment to the growth and development of his people, Nigeria and Africa a course to be taken on by everyone because he has aptly displayed a high sense of history, duty, responsibility and inspires confidence and trust.

The HURP vision, Akinboboye said is designed to produce a truly Nigerian society and transform Nigeria from the ‘Niger Area,’ a mere geographical expression, which it is presently to a real nationhood. Lamenting the fact that Nigeria is corruption ridden with self-centred individuals parading the religious, traditional, educational, political and business spaces, hence Nigeria has remained under development. He insisted that not until Nigerians make concerted effort to transform the country as the Ooni is doing presenting that the nation will remain in its poor and beggarly state. ‘‘USA did not become united until fighting

two major wars and through concerted effort and that is the same concerted gospel that the Ooni is preaching today. ‘‘It is this concerted effort that will build a better future for us as a people and we need to start showing our leaders and people that there is reward in doing the right thing and that the whole world is watching,’’ he said even as he insisted that one of the biggest problems of Nigeria today is that we don’t celebrate our heroes and heroines and showcase our role models, rather we celebrate failures and glorify people who have plundered our commonwealth and consigned the future of generations unborn to a bleak future.

Berlin Convention Office tops chart as number one BESTCITIES Global Alliance has congratulated Berlin on its ranking as world leader in this year’s annual statistics report from the International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA). With Singapore and Copenhagen also listed in the top 10 and 10 of the Alliance partners placing in the top 60, BestCities has reaffirmed its position as the leading strategic global destination alliance. This ICCA ranking is one of the most important indicators of success in the meetings industry, with strong influence on the awarding of major congresses, positioning the alliance and its partners strongly for a successful year ahead. Four of BestCities partners climbed places from 2014, including Berlin Convention Office (BCO), which was named number one meetings destination in 2015 for the first time. With 195 events hosted last year, Berlin surpassed both Paris (186) and Barcelona (180), followed by Vienna, Madrid and London. Singapore, another of BestCities partners also topped the charts at number seven with the most events outside Europe (156), followed by Copenhagen

who climbed three places to a top 10 world ranking. Cape Town held onto its spot as the number one destination in Africa, hosting 54 meetings in the past year, while Vancouver climbed nine places to a global ranking of 29. Paul Vallee, managing director of BestCities, says: “These results demonstrate the impact that BestCities and our partners have on the global meetings industry. With 926 meetings hosted last year, our Alliance continues to grow and build loyalty with association clients around the world. “As members of the Alliance, our partners work collaboratively to support each other, sharing knowledge at the bidding stage and helping each other broker strategic partnerships to boost delegates and create a lasting impact from each event and congress. With partners operating in mature and emerging markets, we are well positioned to build on this success yearly, and through this network also assist our clients with creating a meaningful and lasting impact globally.” Burkhard Kieker, visitBerlin CEO commented on BCB success: “This is a great

tourism

Wednesday, 25 May, 2016

Nigerian Tribune

Tourism, alternative to oil, says Mbanefo, Director-General, NTDC THE Director General of the Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation (NTDC), Dr Mrs Sally Uwechue-Mbanefo has reiterated that tourism is an alternative to oil. Mrs Mbanefo emphasised that tourism is a sector that can give the Nigerian economy the paradigm shift from the absolute dependence on a dwindling oil sector to a vibrant and sustainable multi sector driven by tourism. She made this assertion known during the 7th Annual National Conference of the Academy for Entrepreneurial Studies, Nigeria (AES) recently held at the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs in Lagos with the theme” Nigeria Beyond Oil”. She emphasised that what the country needs now is to increase its production capacity by investing in sectors that are labour intensive like tourism, agriculture and manufacturing. She highlighted the role of government through her corporation to market Nigeria as a foremost destination for business, sports, religious, leisure and cultural tourism. Saying that the current administration’s change agenda has provided the right platform to attract the much needed investment into tourism ventures. Mbanefo also said the contributions of tourism activities which range from transportation (carhire, buses, trains and airplanes) to accommodation facilities (ho-

The Director General, Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation (NTDC) Chief . Dr. ( Mrs.) Sally Uwechue – Mbanefo flanked by Former Minister of Industries, Chairman, Academy for Entrepreneurial Studies(AES) , Excellence Club Dr. (Mrs) Nike Akande(Right); President , AES, Ausbeth Ajagu (2nd Right) and Admiral Superintendent Naval Doctrine & Assessment Centre , Rear Admiral Kenneth Bolanle Ali-John(Left); Honourable Commissioner for Wealth Creation and Employment, Lagos State, Fuad Babatunde Durosinmi (2nd Left) during the Academy for Entrepreneurial Studies(AES) 7thAnnual National Conference with the theme: Nigerian Economy: Beyond Oil recently held at the Nigeria Institute of international Affairs(NIIA) Victoria Island, Lagos. tels, motels, guest inns) and food (bukkas, restaurants) have not been properly captured in the statistical data of Nigeria as defined by UNWTO criteria, saying that “if this is done, the huge earnings of tourism sector will be seen and government, donor agencies, Nigerian and internal business owners will be convinced to fund and invest in the sector”. Promoting and preserving our tourist and historical sites and assets she said will empower local communities, states where they are located which would reduce rate

of urban migration. The NTDC boss, Mrs Mbanefo defined tourism from a United Nations World Tourism organisation (UNWTO) and said the tourismvalue chain means we must apply a holistic approach to what tourism is, the prospects and the challenges. She further said that tourism is the greatest employer of labour in the world, as one in every 11 jobs is a hospitality employee, so we must not under estimate the power of tourism to generate revenue and boost the Gross Domestic Products (GDP)

Olajubu, De Jewels apartment CEO to commission boreholes @ egungun festival ALL roads to Ilare-Ijesa, the headquaters of Obokun East Local Council Development Area of Osun State, will, on Saturday this week, welcome dignitaries from all walks of life to the annual Egungun festival of the Olajubu’s family in Ilare. Egungun Olajubu is a unique Egungun festival celebrated by the Agunbe decendants of Ilare in May annually. It would be recalled that the patriach of the family, Professor Oludare Olajubu was a doyen of Yoruba culture, tradition and oral literature, who conducted series of academic researches into African traditions with special bias for the Egungun cult in Yoruba land. His book, ‘Akojopo Iwi Egungun’ and other publications on the Egungun cults and performance are inestimable values in various libraries

meetings destination confirmation of the work being done by the visitBerlinBerlin Convention Office and the entire meetings industry in our city. We also wish to thank our partners Messe Berlin and Estrel Berlin for their continued cooperation and our partners of BestCities Global Alliance, who have also been a support as we strive to deliver valuable and strategic guidance to associations operating in our city. In order to play at the top of the league, Berlin needs to begin planning the expansion of its capacities wisely, and we are confident the expertise and knowledge within BestCities Global Alliance will be a great support in that endeavor.” BestCities newly appointed Board Chair, Jonas Wilstrup, Convention Director of Wonderful Copenhagen Convention Bureau said: “It’s fantastic to see BestCities’ partners performing and ranking so highly, and I have no doubt their partnership via the alliance has been a variable in making their goals a reality. We’d also like to extend our congratulations to our colleagues at Berlin Convention Bureau who consistently raise the bar, and this year have set the standard for CVBs to strive for over the next year.”

and archives of the world. This year’s festival, according to one of the children of the deceased Yoruba traditional icon, Asiwaju Oyedeji Olajubu, who is the Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director of Three Os Nig. Ltd and De Jewels Apartments, Ado Ekiti, will make a difference with the official commissioning of five boreholes donated to various quarters of Otan-Ile and Ilare communities by the Olajubu family to mark this year’s Egungun festival, in remembrance of their father. Asiwaju Olajubu enthused that two

boreholes have been donated to Otan-Ile community, while another three have also been donated to Ilare community for the usage of inhabitants of the towns. In his remark, Oba Adejoro Otebolaku, Ogidan III, the Owalare of Ilare, who spoke through the spokesperson of the town, Mr Tope Abiola commended the Olajubu family, noting that “the family has contributed immensely to the development of the community in various ways”, saying that “the Egungun festival is a promotion of the community’s culture and tradition”.

of any economy. The event had various speakers from both the government and private sector, who presented papers focused on the need for economic diversification from oil dependence as captured by the conference theme. Speaking earlier, the Director General of the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN), Mr Remi Ogunmefum opined that “the future is bright for Nigeria, with landmass population of 9237km abound in human and natural resources. He further emphasised on the relevance of manufacturing to the economic growth of the Nigerian economy, stating that interest rates on credit facilities must be reviewed to make facilities accessible and profitable for Nigerian entrepreneurs. Lagos State Governor, Mr Akinwumi Ambode, represented by the Honourable Commissioner for Wealth Creation and Employment, Mr Babatunde Durosimi said, “My administration’s commitment to wealth creation and youth empowerment initiatives is a top priority of our programmes. While he also pledged to support the goals and aspirations of AES to enhance good governance and economic development in Nigeria. Dr Nike Akande, former Minister of Industries and Chairman of the AES Excellence Club, in her speech, said that the forum is timely despite the setback Nigeria is witnessing due to over dependence on oil over the years. She further clarified that the AES is a non-political group rather it comprises of Nigeria of impeccable character, high integrity, technocrats and proactive professionals who are passionate about Nigeria. Speaking earlier, the registrar of AES Mr Paul Umukoro, emphasised on the need to shift attention from oil. He noted that part of the problems bedevilling the country has been lack of transparency and saving culture. “A country with a large deposit of gold and the oldest forest in the world has no business with poverty if we properly explore and harness our endowments to unravel the economic challenge that befalls us”, he said.

Tor Uja, NCPC new helmsman resumes THE New Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Christian Pilgrim Commission (NCPC), Mr. Tor Uja assumed duty at the Corporate Headquarters of the Commission. At a short handover ceremony with the Pioneer Executive Secretary of the Commission, John Kennedy Opara, he congratulated him for his years of profitable and sacrificial leadership. He prayed that the lord will uphold him in his future endearours. He assured the former NCPC boss that he

Mr Tor Uja, new Executive Secretary NCPC receiving hand over note from his predecessor John Kennedy Opara

would move the Commission forward beyond where he met it. His words: “Anywhere you stop, we will make it better”. He added, “I am going to be interfacing with you”. He promised to make a progressive link with the staff to move this nation forward. Mr. Uja who had addressed the management team of the Commission earlier, said he believes so much in the efficacy of prayer. His words: “I believe that if we have the attitude for prayer, I know Nigeria can be helped”.

He appreciated all the good works that have been done in the Commission over the years. According to the New NCPC boss “I think the Commission has done well in creativity and advancement”. Mr. Uja affirmed that his administration would market Jesus Christ and his value here and globally. He equally promised that he would ensure that those who have contact with the Commission have deeper understanding of Christ. He also maintained that Christians should be in the vanguard of promoting Nigeria, and would want the Commission to market Nigeria so as to bring back the dignity of our dear country. Earlier in his remark after handing over to the new Executive Secretary, the pioneer Executive Secretary of NCPC, John Kennedy Opara briefed the new NCPC boss on the journey so far, especially how the Commission rose from grass to grace. Mr. Opara stated that God helped the Commission to establish a system that worked very well. He described NCPC as “Centre of Excellence”. He stressed the need for Mr. Uja to have a robust synergy with stakeholders, stressing that government is a continuum and a process. The Former NCPC boss hinted that the Bilateral Air service Agreement (BASA) between Nigeria and State of Israel was signed in 2013, but there was need for its activation to reduce hours pilgrims spend while flying to Israel. Mr. Tor Uja is a seasoned Journalist and a Missionary.

20 with Doyin Adeoye

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

Protecting ecosystems can lift Africa out of poverty —Minister

AFRICA’S transformation lies in the continent’s rich soil. If we protect the ecosystems that sustain us, we can lift Africans out of poverty, achieve food security, build climate resilience, create wealth and end hunger These were the words of the Environment Minister, Mrs Amina Mohammed, in a piece published by Xinhua. According to her, Africa is facing a harsh reality, as one in every two people on the continent lives in extreme poverty. “In 15 years, most of the world’s poor will reside here in Africa. Sadly, as I write, about 240 million people go to bed hungry every night, while malnutrition kills more than 50 per cent of the African children who die before they reach the age of five. “These stark statistics are hard to grapple with. But imagine for a moment the pain of a mother who cannot feed her new-born daughter with the proper food she needs to live beyond the age of five. Imagine the mother who toils all day in the field, but still goes to bed with a stomach aching from hunger because she cannot afford enough food to feed her family. “And now picture this: millions of perfectly good, nutritious tomatoes rotting in the hot Nigerian sun. For this is the reality: that, while 13 million Nigerians suffer from hunger and more than one million children suffer from malnutrition, the country wastes 75 per cent of the 1.5 million tonnes of tomatoes it grows every year. “And yet, despite the waste of this nutritious fruit, Nigeria spends $1 billion every year on importing tomato paste.” She also noted that Sub-Saharan Africa spends $35 billion on importing food every year and the region loses a further $48 billion from food that is wasted post-har-

vest because of poor roads, inadequate storage and poor access to markets. She added that these are enormous sums of money that when added to the $68 billion the continent loses every year because of depleted soils and degraded land, could be ploughed back into African economies to drive the transformation that the continent so badly needs. “The money saved could be used to empower more women, end hunger, achieve food security, improve nutrition, combat climate change, create jobs and promote sustainable agriculture, all of which are key goals set out in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. “What makes the situation even more frustrating is that 65 per cent of the world’s arable land and 10 per cent of its inland water resources are found right here in Africa. “But if these numbers are alarming then they should also give us cause for hope for they tell us that the roots of Africa’s transformation lie in the continent’s rich soil. These are not just fine words: simply raising crop yields by 10 per cent reduces poverty by about seven per cent. Neither the manufacturing nor service sectors can boast to have such a profound impact on poverty. “The challenge will be in harnessing the fertile soil of Africa at a time when climate change will make it increasingly difficult to grow enough food to feed the continent’s booming population, which is expected to double in Sub-Saharan Africa by 2050. Today, we already have the knowledge to do this. Simply raising agricultural productivity is not enough. If we want to achieve food security we must ensure that we look after the vital ecosystems that allow us to produce our food,” she said.

thus defining the internationally binding aspirations, but also to a large extent the trajectory towards sustainability and development. The dedicated water goal (SDG 6): ‘Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all,’ with its eight targets explicitly addresses the improvement of water quality and the health of freshwater ecosystems. In 2011, a UN Water Policy Brief noted that nutrient enrichment had become one of the most widespread water quality problems, but recent

The world’s forests are a shared stolen treasure that we must put back for our children’s future. — Archbishop Desmond Tutu

ecoscope

‘Rate of environmental damage increasing across the planet’

Amina Mohammed, Environment Minister

THE environmental change sweeping the world is occurring at a faster pace than previously thought, making it imperative that governments act now to reverse the damage being done to the planet, says the most authoritative study that UNEP has ever published on the state of the global environment. Under the title Global Environmental Outlook (GEO-6): Regional Assessments, six separate reports provide highly detailed examinations of the environmental issues affecting each of the world’s six regions: the Pan-European region,

North America, Asia and the Pacific, West Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean and Africa. The regional assessments find that the world shares a host of common environmental threats that are rapidly intensifying in many parts of the world. According to the report, which involved 1,203 scientists, hundreds of scientific institutions and more than 160 governments, in almost every region, population growth, rapid urbanisation, rising levels of consumption, desertification, land degradation and climate change

Biodiversity Day: UN highlights biodiversity’s role in underpinning development

IODIVERSITY and the ecosystem services it supports are the foundations for life on earth and the livelihoods and well-being of people everywhere, United Nations, Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon said on Sunday, as the world marks the International Day for Biological Diversity. The day is marked around the world every year on 22 May and this year’s theme is ‘Mainstreaming Biodiversity; Sustaining People and their Livelihoods.’ In his remarks, Ban Ki-moon urged the international community to preserve and sustainably manage the variety of life on the planet. “Protecting biodiversity and preventing further losses is an essential investment in our collective future. On this International Day for Biodiversity, I urge all governments and stakeholders to preserve and sustainably manage the variety of life on earth for the benefit of current and future generations,” he said. The Secretary-General, also highlighted that biodiversity is an important cross-cutting issue in the message marking the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. According to a United Nations Environment Programme’s (UNEP) publication, he also noted that Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 15, explicitly recognises the importance of halting biodiversity loss, and other SDGs recognise the importance of biologi-

Water guidelines: Practical help for policymakers UNTIL recently, policymakers have not had clear guidelines on how to manage and maintain freshwater systems in the face of human population growth, accelerating economic activity, land use changes and climate change, which have all increased pressure on the quality and quantity of water resources, and threaten freshwater systems as well as ecosystems in general. The United Nations General Assembly adopted in September 2015 the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) with their 169 targets,

Wednesday, 25 May, 2016

blooming phenomena in many parts of the world indicate that this problem is far from resolved. Now, UNEP in collaboration with the United Nations University’s Institute for Environment and Human Security, has produced a 59-page manual aimed primarily at governments which presents the latest scientific advice and suggested analysis and monitoring procedures in an easily accessible format. The International Water Quality Guidelines for Ecosystems (IWQGES), published on 15 March 2016 as a draft for regional consultation, provides a framework and contains the most relevant information required to develop water quality guidelines for ecosystems, including approaches to identify indicators and set target and threshold values.

cal diversity for eradicating poverty, providing food and fresh water and improving life in cities. “It is critical that we make progress in mainstreaming biodiversity and transforming how societies value and manage it,” the UN chief said. Mr Ban noted that despite numerous commitments, biodiversity loss continues to accelerate in all regions. Only 15 per cent of countries are on track to achieve the Aichi Biodiversity Targets by the agreed-upon date of 2020. The Aichi Biodiversity Targets is a 10-year framework for action by all countries and stakeholders to save biodiversity and enhance its benefits for people. Its vision is that by 2050, biodiversity is valued, conserved, restored and wisely used, maintaining ecosystem services, sustaining a healthy planet and delivering benefits essential for all people. He also noted that the anticipated expansion of sectors that both depend on and affect biodiversity, including agriculture, forestry, fisheries and aquaculture, will pose a significant challenge to halting biodiversity loss in the coming decades. “Reversing these trends will require action by all sectors and stakeholders, from UN Member States and agencies to civil society, academia and business. We need better research and we need to act on the evidence that biodiversity is integral to

achieving social and economic goals,” he stressed. Mr Ban also emphasised that the responsible use of natural resources is essential to sustainable development, as mainstreaming biodiversity will ensure that addressing development needs and protecting the environment are mutually supportive. In his message on the day, Executive Director of the UN Environment Programme (UNEP), Achim Steiner, said that while marvel at iconic species in other parts of the world and on our digital screens, such as elephants, tigers and pandas, many of us are much less familiar with the sheer magnitude of diversity of plants and animals on this planet or the habitats that support them. “Awareness about our current global challenge of biodiversity loss is also low, a challenge that will expand along with the sectors affecting biodiversity, such as agriculture or forestry,” he said, stressing that at the same time, biodiversity provides us with the ecosystem services that are our foundations for life, everywhere on this planet, from fishermen depending on coastal waters, to farmers depending on crops, to tropical communities depending on forests. In another message on the day, the Executive Secretary of the Convention on Biological Diversity, Braulio F. de Souza Dias, stressed that addressing the indirect and direct drivers of biodiversity loss requires a focus on primary sectors, such as agriculture, forestry, fisheries and aquaculture. “These sectors both impact biodiversity and are dependent on biodiversity. The demand for the goods and services produced by these sectors is projected to increase over the coming decades as a result of population growth, increasing average wealth, and other demographic changes,” he said.

have combined to leave countries suffering from severe water scarcity. These worrying trends are also making it increasingly hard for the world to feed itself. The Executive Director of UNEP, Achim Steiner, said: “Today, thanks to this report, we now know more about the state of the world’s environment than ever before. With these assessments, UNEP has presented the world with the very latest evidence on the state of the world’s environment, providing them with the tools they need anticipate and avoid the damage that is being done to our planet. “If current trends continue and the world fails to enact solutions that improve current patterns of

production and consumption, if we fail to use natural resources sustainably, then the state of the world’s environment will continue to decline. It is essential that we understand the pace of environmental change that is upon us and that we start to work with nature instead of against it to tackle the array of environmental threats that face us.” The assessments, which are based on scientific data and peer reviewed literature, find that there is still time to tackle many of the worst impacts of environmental change, such as the damage to marine ecosystems and the rising level of air pollution, which has become one of the world’s most widespread environmental health risks.

Ongoing UNEA-2 focused on tackling critical environmental issues HUNDREDS of key decision-makers from all over the world are currently meeting in Kenya for the second United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA-2), where they will tackle some of the most critical issues of our time, from the air pollution that kills millions of people every year to an illegal trade in wildlife that is pushing species to the brink of extinction. Held at the headquarters of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) in Nairobi, UNEA is the world’s most powerful decision-making body on the environment. This year, leaders are seeking to pass a raft of resolutions that address a number of the world’s most pressing challenges, including food waste, the fading health of our oceans, the world’s natural capital and sustainable consumption and production. A series of ground-breaking UNEP reports that shine a light on the state of the world’s environment will also be released during the assembly, offering solutions that will help the world overcome these challenges. More than one thousand delegates from across the world, from

governments, businesses and civil society are attending the UNEA-2. All 193 UN member states, along with major stakeholders, are represented at UNEA-2, which convenes from Monday, 23 May to Friday, 27 May, 2016. With this wide reach into the legislative, financial and development arenas, the body presents a ground-breaking platform for leadership on global environmental policy. For many, the creation of UNEA represents the coming of age of the environment. Since UNEP’s inception in 1972, the environment has moved from the margins to the centre of the world’s sustainable development agenda. The United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA) is the world’s most powerful decision-making body on the environment and is responsible for tackling some of the most critical issues of our time. The assembly holds the power to dramatically change the fate of the planet and improve the lives of everyone, impacting everything from health to national security, from the plastic in our oceans to the trafficking of wildlife.

Youths in Nairobi host Solar Soccer Cup final match UNITED Nations Environment Programme’s (UNEP) Executive Director, Achim Steiner, on Sunday, joined youths in Mathare, an informal settlement on the outskirts of Nairobi, to kick off the final of the Solar Soccer Cup at the Philips Community Lighting Centre. The game, the final for the Under-15 boys’ teams, which was played as night fell under LED outdoor lighting powered by a sustainable solar power unit, highlighted the positive impact of after-dark lighting on community activity. “Having access to sustainable and reliable lighting after dark changes the complexion of a community entirely. The activities that can be conducted in a public space after night falls can help build social cohesion and stronger communal bonds. We have seen what it means to Mathare, but a soccer tournament is just one example. Markets and businesses can operate

outdoors, and citizens feel safer socialising in public spaces. That the lighting is solar-powered, and therefore sustainable and reliable, means communities can enjoy these benefits without worry of scarcity or effects of pollution,” Mr Steiner said. The tournament was organised by Philips Lighting to mark the successful implementation of more than 100 Philips Community Light Centres (CLCs) at football pitches in Africa, Asia and Latin America. In partnership with Dutch football association KNVB’s WorldCoaches programme, local coaches at CLCs have delivered training for local people in both soccer technique and life skills, spanning issues from crime to health and the social position of girls and women. Philips Lighting Africa’s CEO, Tamer Abolghar, was also in attendance to introduce the final match of the tournament.

Achim Steiner, Executive Director of United Nations Environment Programme, speaks to the public before the final of the Solar Soccer Cup on Sunday, in Mathare of Nairobi, Kenya. [Photo: Chinaplus / Xing Yihang]

ecofact

OCTOPUSES are sea animals famous for their rounded bodies, bulging eyes and their long arms and legs. The octopus is a cephalopod mollusc of the order Octopoda. It has two eyes and like other cephalopods, it is bilaterally symmetric. It has a beak, with its mouth at the centre point of the arms. It has no internal or external skeleton, allowing it to squeeze through tight places. Here are some amazing facts about octopuses: • Octopuses have three hearts. • Around 300 species of Octopuses are recognised. • An Octopus doesn’t have eight arms, but six arms and two legs. • The Mimic Octopus can impersonate up to 15 marine species, including sea snakes, stingrays, lionfishes and jellyfishes. • Octopus wrestling

was a popular sport in the 1960s. A diver would fight an octopus in shallow water and drag it to the surface. • The Blue-ringed octopus is one of the world’s most venomous marine animals: it can kill one in one bite, there is no anti-venom. • An octopus will eat its own arms if it gets really hungry. • Giant Pacific octopus moms have over 50,000 babies, of which, only a few survive, while moms die.

Wednesday, 25 May, 2016

Nigerian Tribune

with Tunde Dodondawa m:08029370304 e:mrdodondawa@yahoo.com

Should govt remain in

oil and gas business? I T is no news that the Federal Government, on several occasions, has compared Nigerian scenarios with that of advanced countries like Great Britain and the United States when it wants to introduce policy that will affect the masses but favour its agenda. When the government wants to liberalise the downstream sector which will translate to subsidy removal and increase in pump price of premium motor spirit (PMS) otherwise called petrol, it will state that a litre of petrol in US is sold at $2 per litre and may want to justify the fact that after subsidy removal, a litre of petrol won’t cost as much as $1 per litre. What the government usually fails to tell Nigerians is that in those advanced countries, their per capita income is far greater, their governments have no role in oil and gas business except to regulate product quality, provide the much needed infrastructure and collect royalties and taxes. In Nigeria, the government regulates through the Ministry of Petroleum Resources and the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) and it also acts as an operator through the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and its 12 subsidiaries. These include Nigerian Petroleum Development Company (NPDC), Nigerian Gas Company (NGC), Products and Pipelines Marketing Company (PPMC), Integrated Data Services Limited, National Engineering and Technical Company Limited (NETCO), Hydrocarbon Services Nigeria Ltd (HYSON), Warri Refinery and Petrochemical Company Ltd, Kaduna Refinery and Petrochemical Company Ltd, Port Harcourt Refining Company Ltd, NNPC Retail, Duke Oil and National Petroleum Investment Management Services (NAPIMS). Major challenges confronting oil and gas sector in Nigeria, daily crude oil production has fallen to a record low of 1.4 million barrels per day (bpd) in recent years according to the government, though many stakeholders opposed the claim stating that it has fallen below that figure. According to an industry source, Joint Venture (JV) production has fallen to one million barrels per day, and he said if the government does not meet its $6billion deficit in JV funding, production will soon fall to 800,000bpd from JV production. The JV agreements stipulated that both the operator and its partner (NNPC) will contribute equity based on their equity ratio. NNPC controls between 55-60 per cent of the JVs but has failed in its responsibility to provide counterpart funding. The source further stated that if the government continues to sustain its non-commitment to the JV funding, production will fall to 440,000bpd by year 2020 and 300,000bpd by the year 2025. “NNPC payment restrictions continue to

The Nigerian oil and gas sector has suffered several challenges that may not pass away in the near future. These challenges range from insecurity, nonprovision of basic infrastructure, over-regulation and inability to meet cash call obligations among others and this has prompted stakeholders to ask if government should remain in oil and gas business? OLATUNDE DODONDAWA reports.

delay execution of business plans which accelerates declines in production over the years. As we speak, cash call arrears is $6billion, crude lifting disputes under Production Sharing Contracts (PSCs) is $10 billion while the industry is grossly underfunded to the tune of $3 billion per year by the federal government,” he said. The source expressed concerns over the attitude of the government to sanctity of contracts. “The NNPC will lift its 60 per cent crude and refuses to pay its counterpart funding of 60 per cent as cost. It takes crude and sells all because nobody can stop its cargoes from lifting but it refuses to pay. The same thing applies under the PSCs. If you invest $100 million under PSC and you don’t find any oil, the agreement stated that you will lose everything because the government will not share the losses with you. “But if you make discoveries, the agreement stated that you will be allowed to recoup your investment and get 50 per cent of your investment. But when oil is discovered, government reneged in its agreement and changed it to 25 per cent. All this cannot encourage investment in the sector and the reason why there are no new discoveries for more than 10 years because of the attitude of government to sanctity of contract,” he said. On moves by the Federal Government to design zero-funding for its JV obligations, the source said “it won’t work because we don’t trust the government. There is no way you lift oil without payment. The mode of payment may differ, but you must pay you can pay through cash, crudeor secure loan from creditors and use your crude equity ratio as collateral.” He argued further that cash call arrears by the government is affecting operators’ profit line and also affecting government revenue from tax and royalties. Emerging militancy in the creeks is another challenge confronting the sector is renewed attacks on oil installations by Niger Delta Avengers (NDA). Nigeria may not be ready for the latest rounds of attacks on oil installations by the militants considering the state of the economy and the projection of 2.2 million bpd production as captured in the 2016 budget. The group wants a fairer share of oil revenue for local people and wants a government amnesty programme

that brought similar unrest to an end in 2009 to be continued. Shell reportedly evacuated personnel from an offshore installation

recently after militants targeted Chevron installations, while last Wednesday saw, rebels bombed a gas pipeline owned by a subsidiary of Italy’s Eni, Agip and later bombed its crude pipeline on Sunday. The Niger Delta Avengers in February claimed responsibility for an attack on an undersea pipeline that forced Shell to shut its Forcados terminal. Early last Friday, suspected militants blew up another gas pipeline operated by the NNPC in Delta State. In August 2008, the Nigerian government launched a massive military crackdown on militants. They patrolled waters and hunted for militants, searched all civilian boats for weapons, and raided numerous militant hideouts. On May 15, 2009, a military operation, undertaken by a Joint Task Force (JTF), began against MEND militants operating in the Niger Delta region. It came in response to the kidnapping of Nigerian soldiers and foreign sailors in the region. On June 26, 2009, the Federal Government announced that it would grant Amnesty and an unconditional pardon to militants in the Niger Delta which lasted for 60 days beginning on August 6, 2009 and ended October 4, 2009. Former Nigerian President, late Umaru Musa Yar’Adua signed the amnesty

Government’s duty is to regulate the oil and gas sector, collect tax, royalties and utilise the tax proceeds for the development of the country

after consultation with the National Council of States. During the 60 days period, armed youths surrendered their weapons to the government in return for training and rehabilitation by the government. Militants led their groups to surrender weapons which include; Rocket-propelled grenades, guns, explosives, ammunition and even gunboats were surrendered to the government. The Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP) proved to be a success with violence and kidnappings decreasing sharply. Petroleum production and exports increased from about 700,000 barrels per day (bpd) in mid-2009 to between 2.2 and 2.4 million bpd since 2011. Further attacks on oil installations may worsen the situation as experienced between 2005 and 2009, prior to amnesty programme. With the present state of the economy and low crude price regime, the government must act fast to arrest the situation. The way forward many stakeholders have argued that the government should focus on protection of lives and properties, development of the Niger Delta region and provision of conducive environment for investors to operate and leave the business of oil and gas for investors to manage. According to the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Oilserv Limited, Emeka Okwuosa, “the way forward is to continue to build local capacity in a very structured manner looking at long term plan. ‘‘Finally, government need to understand they have no business owning assets in oil and gas sector.” He stated clearly that “Government’s duty is to regulate the oil and gas sector, collect tax, royalties and utilise the tax proceeds for the development of the country. Anytime you allow government to claim ownership of assets through JV or other means, it will not work because they are not structured to manage business. “Countries like the US doesn’t own any oil and gas assets, so far as you collect your tax and allow the private individuals to run their businesses, they will create capacity and make you collect more money in tax revenue which is a better way of doing business.” Another industry source suggested that one of the solutions to the cash calls deficit by the government would have been to transform JVs into PSC models. “But this will not work unless the underlying issues of PSCs are addressed. Disputes are preventing optimisation of PSCs in Nigeria. Except the government privatises NNPC and makes it run as a private business, the challenges may never cease,” he said.

Wednesday, 25 May, 2016

Nigerian Tribune

Local content: Royal Niger invests $24m in umbilical plants Stories by Olatunde Dodondawa - Lagos

leading indigenous oil and gas firm, Royal Niger Emerging Technologies Ltd., has announced it has invested $24 million in the construction of umbilical plants in Nigeria. An umbilical provides a control and feedback link between the surface and the wellhead. It provides the right connections for offshore oil and gas installations. Addressing journalists during the facility tour of the project situated at Ago-Ajo village, Badagry, Lagos State, the Managing Director, Royal Niger Emerging Technologies Ltd, Mr Anthony Okolo, stated that “The first phase of the project costs about $6 million. The cost included the acquisition of sites in Port Harcourt, the out-fittings of the facilities, upgrade of the existing facilities and the purchased equipment including the training that we have be providing to our Nigerian colleagues. “The second phase of the project cost $18 million and this covers the factory and the facilities around it, but excluding the key site where we have the jetty which we are currently constructing.” He explained that “This is the progress that we have made following our announcement last year that we are going to build finished umbilical manufacturing plants in Nigeria. Not just in that facility, but also in developing the facilities around it. The 2km road which we are currently constructing and the proposal for the future jetty which will be located at the base of the development will be called ‘Angel Park’. “We have completed the foundation that is capable of withstanding 35-tons of squared-meter of load and the initial steel works we are putting to be able to erect the new facilities. We are very pleased to announce also that we have completed our phase one commitment which is the establishment of assembly and integration facility. We have already performed work at one of our facilities in Port Harcourt. But really, the capability that we have achieved is a mobile container which contained all the equipment for assembly, integration and testing of any type of umbilical. “Since we have established that, we have gone ahead to do work for at least two major International Oil Companies (IOCs) and we are involved in one of the recent developments in Lagos State.” On development of new

technologies for umbilical in Nigeria, Okolo said the intention of the company was to help the majors to achieve their local content

requirement by not producing our own umbilical, but to provide a facility that assists an umbilical manufacturer to comply with the law

and completes his umbilical in Nigeria. What we believe is more cost effective solution and we also meet international standards in terms

of quality.” What is commonly obtainable in the industry is that many companies build facilities in anticipation of

From left, Mr Taiye Williams, Managing Director Lubcon Limited, official blender of Yamalube engine oil for Yamaha products in Nigeria displaying Lubcon’s congratulatory message to the visiting President and CEO of Yamaha Motor Corporation, Japan, Mr Hiroyuki Yanagi and other officials from JSNippon and Yamaha Motor Corporation, Japan at the official opening ceremony of the CFAO Yamaha Plant and Showroom penultimate Friday, Lagos.

certain contracts, but Royal Niger boss said although the company was looking forward to the Bonga SouthWest project, which is one of the main projects that will go through the facility. “But we do know that the project itself is on hold because the announcement of Final Investment Destination (FID) of the projects has been postponed. We have not dependent on that project otherwise; this facility construction would have stopped until we get further information. “But there are at least 1214 kilometres of umbilical of different types that are manufactured and repaired in Nigeria every year for the deep water contracts which include Bonga fields, Bonga North west, ERHA, USAN, etc. We are again calling on all stakeholders to take the time to liaise with us to find out what is it we can do for their projects and how we can assist to give them a more cost effective Nigerian Content compliant solutions.

How new pump price regime may spur investment in refineries SEQUEL to the intrigues that ensued from the deregulation of the downstream sector, the Federal Ministry of Petroleum has said the new price regime would spur interests in both refineries and fuel retails with potentials to drive about $3 billion investments this year. The ministry said in a statement that, “Nigeria will only stop importation when it attains local production sufficiency and the government is working on key initiatives towards boosting local refining capacity. The overarching objective is to create a competitive downstream market in Nigeria and be a net exporter of petroleum products by 2019,”

Insisting that it has not deregulated the sector, it stated that the Federal Government through the new price regime will ensure that the price of products are monitored and modulated to ensure that citizens get a fair value for products they purchase. According to the ministry, the new regime would permanently eliminate subsidy payment which was estimated at N1 trillion in 2015 and about N16.5 billion between April and now. Indeed, it noted that Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) lost about N12.5 billion monthly when it took up the responsibility of fuel importation at subsidised pricing using

crude oil as a means of exchange. Commenting on the renewed insurgency and pipeline vandalism in the Niger Delta, the ministry said it has drastically reduced national crude oil production to 1.65 million barrels per day against 2.2 million barrels per day planned in the 2016 budget. This, it said would further reduce income to federation account and also affecting crude volumes for Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) conversion and impacting foreign exchange (forex) earnings. “In the absence of available forex lines or crude volumes to continue massive importation of PMS, it is clear that unless immediate action is

taken to liberalise the petroleum supply and distribution, the queues will persist, diversion will worsen and the current prices will spiral out of control,” it stated. The statement noted that the Federal Government already has an ongoing strategic plans and investments to ramp up the country’s refineries to attract investors and in the long term become a net exporter of petrol. “This government was elected on the foundation of trust and based on the implicit confidence in Mr. President’s ability to ensure strict compliance to the new framework and also to manage the proceeds from new pricing,” it stated. Besides, it pointed out the

Marginal field operators to meet at London conference MARGINAL field operators in Africa are set to meet at the Africa Small & Marginal Oil Field Development Conference, London. The organisers of the conference, Energy & Corporate Africa, said the theme for the conference is: “Find it, Commercialise it.” They also announced the list of some of the confirmed speakers for the event and also indicated that Nigeria, Ghana, Senegal and many other countries in the region will participate in this year’s conference. Some of the confirmed speakers include Emmanuel Bekee, Deputy Director/Head, Upstream Department of Petroleum Resources Nigeria; Dam-

ien Mauvais, Managing Director/Head, Oil & Gas Standard Bank London; Kyeretwie Opoku, Chairman Explorco GNPC/ Director Ghana, National Petroleum Corporation; Joseph Medou, E & P Director, Petrosen Senegal; Dr Amy Jadesimi, Managing Director LADOL; Kirk Rovang, Exploration Manager, Africa at Noble Energy;, Professor Anthony Adegbulugbe, Chairman All Grace Energy; Mike Aryeetey, Chief Operating Officer E & P Company of GNPC; Dr Keith Millheim, Chief Executive Officer Strategic Worldwide; Rogers Beal, Chief Executive Officer Fortesa International; Felix Amieye-Ofori, Managing Di-

rector Energia Limited; Luis Prazeres, Chairman/ Executive Director, Commercial Nigeria, Sao Tome & Principe JDA ; Bill Jackson, Vice President Allison Marine; Kwaku Boateng, Director, Special Services, Petroleum Commission Ghana and others. According to Sir Sunny Oputa, the Chief Executive Officer, Energy & Corporate Africa, “Africa has been recognised as a continent of great promise for hydrocarbon exploration and production. With a high potential and success rate in discoveries and reservoirs, the region is also endowed with significantly large number of onshore/ offshore small and marginal fields.

“Majority of these fields that have been discovered remain abandoned without been developed. Many of such fields will still be discovered in the near future. It will also provide participants insight on why billions of barrels of marginal oil and gas fields, already discovered, will not be developed in the foreseeable future. It will address solutions on how these fields could be developed beyond the conventional method and also using unconventional technologies. The conference will touch on issues why companies will not pursue a great many hot prospects for exploration in onshore and deep water when the prospects look too small.”

non-availability of foreign exchange to import petroleum products, adding that marketers have drastically reduced their importation since third quarter 2015 due to a scarcity of forex, and there was a need for them to source forex independent of CBN to be able to meet the nation’s demand. To explain the prevailing high prices in certain states, it said marketers who source forex independently of CBN in order to carry on participation in PMS supply will continue to sell at prices that enable them achieve full cost recovery. Meanwhile, it argued that as a result of the regulation of the downstream sector, the Federal Government has continued to incur N13.79 per litre under recovery in form of subsidy, while states fail in their fiscal responsibilities. This, it said indicated that g rowing subsidy differential is a threat to state debt profile. “As at April 29, 2016, under-recovery of N13.79 per litre was recorded in the price of PMS, thus the need to urgently address the trend, as government has no budgetary provision for subsidy payment in the 2016 Appropriation Bill. “Deduction from FAC payments of N13.61 billion was recorded monthly while state debts accrue to N34 billion per month. If subsidy was removed, a deduction of the estimated subsidy claim will reduce governmental exposure and support states in their fiscal obligations,” it stated.

Wednesday, 25 May, 2016 Taiwo Adisa - 08072000046 Group Politics Editor tai_adis@yahoo.com

Corruption war:

The quest for equity

In the last one year, the government of President Muhammadu Buhari has taken the issue of war against corruption as its key assignment but cries of a selective war have almost dimmed that battle. Last week, a Civil Society Organisation, Coalition for Equity, again raised the imbalance in the antigraft war. Group Politics Editor, TAIWO ADISA examines the different voices on the issue.

ARLY in April, the London-based Daily Mail did a preview of President Muhammadu Buhari’s trip to the London Anti-Corruption Summit. It gave an unfavourable report of the President’s war on corruption at home so far and gave impressions that the war on corruption was a battle largely against political opponents. The newspaper wrote: “The presence of Nigeria’s president at David Cameron’s anti-corruption summit this week may surprise many in his nation – which receives vast amounts of UK aid. Self-proclaimed ‘People’s President’ Muhammadu Buhari began a war on corruption after taking power last year, but critics allege it is a political witchhunt.” Though the Nigerian government chose to ignore the report, it reacted to a similar comment made by the British Prime Minister, David Cameron, who described Nigeria as one of the “fantastically corrupt” nations whose leaders were attending the anti-corruption summit. But the comments published by Daily Mail are echoes of similar postulations by Nigerians here at home who have dubbed the anti-graft war selective. The Senate Caucus of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), late in 2015, said that the war on corruption was targeted at leaders of the party and therefore selective. The lawmakers, in a press briefing addressed by the Senate Minority Leader, Godswill Akpabio, alleged that the antigraft war lacked fairness and transparency and had become a witch-hunt. Many other members of the PDP have expressed similar positions. That position was however countered by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, who insisted that the accusation of selective anti-graft war against the Buhari administration was unfounded. Osinbajo said: “It is not about a probe of a past government, that’s not what this is about. We are talking about our future; we are saying that we must put in place a clear strategy going forward. It is not just about ensuring that people are made to pay for looting the treasury, our system of justice must be fair to ensure that anybody who does anything that is wrong is brought to account.” If anything, the statistics stand to prove the opponents of the government right in their claims. Many of those under probe at the state and federal levels happen to be PDP members. Even though a former Governor of Bayelsa State, Timpre Silva, is being prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), conflicting signals ahead of the December 2015 governorship election in

the state, which he participated in, continue to confound critics of the government. The EFCC had at a stage withdrawn charges against him. Outside the emerging statistics, the zeal with which the government is probing the campaign funds of the PDP in the 2015 election has however provided an avenue to critics to up the ante of criticism. One civil society group, the Coalition for Equity (CE) led by its National Coordinator, Alhaji Abdullahi Bello has, however, stuck out its neck to challenge the order of the day as far as the anti-graft war is concerned. The coalition, in a statement last week, announced it had petitioned the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), the National Assembly and the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), as well as the Inspector General of Police, seeking a thorough probe of the campaign funds used in prosecuting the 2015 general elections by the major political parties. The coalition, in a petition sent to NHRC and copied the other agencies, including the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), said that the EFCC, which is probing campaign funds of a political party, should ensure a holistic probe. According to the group, it is wrong for any government agency to restrict its probe of the 2015 election campaign funds to just one or two political parties if it is to ensure fairness and clean the Aegean’s table. The coalition said that it was aware that the political parties, especially the top parties spent almost at equal rates, adding that the advertisements and live television coverage paid for by the major political parties during the campaigns indicated almost equal level of spending. The statement read: “By singling out PDP members for labeling and harassment over election campaign funds, the

“What do they mean by being selective? Do they expect the government to question those who have nothing to do with public funds?

EFCC has dropped its hitherto pretentious status and has fully and clearly shown the world its partisanship, partiality and above all sycophancy to the government in power - the All Progressive Congress. “Otherwise, how would one comprehend the fact that the PDP launched its campaign fund in December 2014 and realised a princely N21.27 billion then. Is the EFCC saying that nothing from this fund went into the elections? That every kobo spent to prosecute the election was drawn in the near cliché $2.1 billion arms deals money or the now fangled $115m allegedly ascribed to Mrs Diezani Allison-Madueke? “Assuming but not conceding, were the people now haunted told the source of the money they were given for campaigns? Then it trickles down that a printer would inquire of the sources of funds before he prints a political poster. The aircraft owners would ask before he goes on charter and so on. “Come to think of it, can the APC people swear by Ogun (apologies to Fela who said other media of oath hardly kill) that all funds used for the campaigns were legitimately earned through selling of party cards, souvenirs, and N1 contributions from each member as they have been orchestrating? If so, why are we having after-elections storms and bringback-our-money cries from indigenes of Rivers, Lagos, Kwara, Osun states among others? EFCC has refused to investigate any of these allegations even when valid petitions have been written and receipt acknowledged by them. “Nobody has refuted the widely reported dollars rain at the APC primaries in Lagos. Who was paying to mobilize party supporters and hired crowd from the 774 local government areas to the 36 State capitals and Abuja? Who paid for the stadiums and other venues in all

the States and the local government areas that hosted the APC campaigns in the country? “We implore you, all the agencies we have written to, to cause an impartial investigations to be launched on all campaign funds of all parties that took part in the 2015 general elections and not the PDP alone.” But the national chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, said in an interview that the anti-graft war of the ruling party was in no way selective. He said that the PDP ruled the country for 16 years and during the period, the party distributed the wealth of the nation among its members, adding that the current inquiry can only go after those who are seen to have diverted public funds and not members of the opposition who were not part of the government. “What do they mean by being selective? Do they expect the government to question those who have nothing to do with public funds? Those who have questions to answer are being called to question,” the APC chairman said. His views were echoed by the APC Support Group in Abuja led by Comrade Jamilu Yusuf, which said that it received the criticisms of selective anti-graft war by President Buhari with “great dismay.” The group said: “What is even pathetic is the fact that people who should know better are part of the clique that are pulling the wool over the eyes of Nigerians and feeding them with spurious lies that the President is only fighting the opposition, in a bid to silence them .” The argument in the opposition camp is however less simplistic. Many opposition parties have claimed that some political actors suspected to have partaken in the looting of government resources appear to be granted amnesty as soon as they get clad in APC robes. That is a challenge the government must tackle.

politics&policy

Wednesday, 25 May, 2016

‘Ondo plagued by leadership problem’ Honourable Niran Sule-Akinsuyi, a former Commissioner for Special Duties under Governor Olusegun Mimiko in Ondo State, is eyeing the ticket of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the forthcoming governorship election in the state . He speaks with HAKEEM GBADAMOSI on his ambition. Excerpts:

APC’s ticket? We are relying on what we are bringing into the system. We are going to establish an enduring political structure under which a lot of our people can maximize their opportunities and potentials. We are going to empower talents and solve the problem militating against the economic growth of Ondo State which is capital flight. Ninety per cent of our earnings never stay with us. As soon as they are received, they develop wings and disappear. So, we are coming with policies that will stop capital flight and ensure that there is fair and equitable distribution of resources in the state. We have been able to identify part of the reasons the economy of our state has not been opened to the outside world, which is the problem of leadership.

S the number of aspirants jostling for the APC ticket not too unwieldy? It depends on your interpretation of it. The Yoruba will say you don’t compete for something bad. If something is good and is of benefit to the society, you find it difficult at times to limit the numbers of ideas that you will get or numbers of people showing interest. I think the party will use its own internal mechanism to look into that. We are not disadvantaged as a result of the large number of people showing interest in the governorship. Will the present challenges facing the country in terms of security, high cost of food items not affect the chances of your party during the election? The lesson of history is very important in our quest to serve the interest of our people. The issue of subsidy removal and the fraud associated with it have been on the table for a long time. The decay in the economy and in our financial system; the level of corruption in the system will be on the table as well. What is coming out now is that past government had treated this vital issues with kid gloves. So, this is the very first that we are having a leader with that courage to do the right time thing, courage to take decision and stand by it. The rot in the oil and gas sector, the rot in the management of the resources of this country—these are stories that have been coming up more than 20 years. Fela musically described all these problems in many ways and it is time for us to begin to take steps by providing answers to some of the problems facing us as a nation and the issue of oil subsidy

Sule-Akinsuyi

is one. Happily, majority of Nigerians are beginning to show understanding. Initially, the opposition tried to fight back to distract the present administration. At a time, they were talking about frequent foreign trips. But everybody has come to the realisation that the president should not live in Nigeria; he needs to go out there because half of our resources are stacked away in foreign lands. He needs to take the battle to those countries because, today, we are faced with many challenges including the non-payment of workers’ salaries and the challenges of foreign exchange to activate the economy. What gives you the confidence that you clinch

What is this problem of leadership? The major problem is greed and avarice and that is what is responsible for the failure of structure that has now put us at a very disadvantage position; politically and economically. We have been having an epileptic political structure in Ondo State. We took off from 1999, with Afenifere structure which the Alliance for Democracy (AD) used to ascend to various offices. Unfortunately, that structure was unknowingly relinquished by the leadership when they engaged in the Olusegun Obasanjo second term project which gave the PDP opportunity to start all over again. So, the structure that was put in place by the PDP under that arrangement when they took over in 2003 was also troubled and dismantled through a popular movement by the people and the Labour Party (LP) which came power. We are all living witnesses to what happened to LP’s structure as it was abandoned for a return into the PDP. So, the problem is that people who are supposed to be standing on these structures, leaders who are supposed to acquire training through the system and move up on the ladder like their counterparts in other states, especially Lagos, have been relegated because the system is not enduring. I am talking about Lagos because you can feel and touch the benefit of enduring political system in Lagos state. On the economy side, you see the continuation of policies and programmes. You can point today to more than five successful Public Private Partnership (PPP) models in Lagos.

Nigeria: Imperative of revolutionary change By Kola Ibrahim THE Nigerian society has undergone various experiences in its social, economic and political history in the past one and half decades of civil rule. These experiences are situated within the context of global developments. In spite of the enormous resources in the country since independence, Nigerian society has not gone beyond the rudimentary state of nationhood. Working people and the youth have continually been the sacrificial lamb for the failure and inability of the capitalist and pro-capitalist ruling classes before, during and after independence, to break Nigeria from the stranglehold of imperialismorchestrated underdevelopment. The emergence of civil rule since 1999, which the capitalist class, both local and international, promised will allow for flourishing of democratic activities, and engender economic prosperity, has not changed things fundamentally. On the contrary, it has made working people and youth continue to live in misery in the midst of inexhaustible wealth. However, working people have not accepted this fate, but have challenged the capitalist ruling class and the capitalist state that superintend over this situation. Between 1999 and 2007 alone, at least seven general strikes were called by the central labour unions, Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC), especially over incessant hike in fuel prices. This is aside several student protests, community actions and isolated workers’ mass actions at local, industrial and sectorial level. Many of these actions have won some minimal concessions from the ruling class at various levels. However, they have not changed the general course of degeneration of the Nigerian society. For instance, in spite of the mass struggles and protests as exemplified in not just the seven general strikes mentioned earlier, but more importantly the uprising against hike in fuel price in January 2012, fuel prices have not been reversed substantially; neither have they stopped other attacks on the working people. Education sector,

in spite enormous struggles undertaken by students and education workers over years, has seen further decline in funding, standard and quality, while fees across tertiary institutions have been increased by an average of over 5000 per cent since the emergence of the civil rule. Moreover, poverty rate has increased substantially since the end of the military era. The missing link in this process is the absence of pannational resistance platform with clear-cut anti-capitalist agenda. While there are central labour centres and national students’ platform, NANS; the practical absence of a revolutionary anti-capitalist and socialist programmes for these platforms have limited the capacity of these platforms to challenge the basis of generalized misery in the country. In the real sense, these platforms have collapsed ideologically, while as a result of lack of full democracy in the running of these platforms, inability to produce radical leadership, even in the period of rise in popular consciousness, has entrenched the ideological and structural degeneracy in these platforms.

The other aspect of this is the absence of a working class political structure to aggregate various struggles of the working and oppressed people by seeking permanent political solutions to the seemingly eternal underdevelopment of the country. This has meant that various struggles of the working class have no political expression in terms of working people translating their anger to political power. The implication of this is that various struggles of the working people have been appropriated by various sections of the rotten capitalist class in Nigeria in furtherance of their class interests. Aside creating political confusion for working class people and disorienting them, it has also helped various ruling political class to get away with massive mismanagement and corruption. Working and young people have been made mere sideline cheering crowd for various sections of the bankrupt capitalist political class, who, while seemingly fighting over who will control the spoils, are united in their collective commitment to anti-poor capitalist policies that are detrimental to the interests of the working people. This was clearly depicted by the fact that all sections of the capitalist political class and their big business partners have been united at one time or the others, and under various platforms in defence of their united class interests. The 2015 elections that have been touted as that of “Change” has not fundamentally and cannot fundamentally change the under-development status of the country. In the past months of Buhari presidency, there has not been any serious change in economic and political orientation. Mere basic transparency in terms of public declaration assets has become a herculean task for the “Change” politicians. Even the president and his vice had to be pressured until late into the government’s third month before declaring their assets. Other politicians in the ‘change’ party, the All Progressives Congress (APC) have refused to declare their assets. Ibrahim is the secretary of the Osun State chapter of the Socialist Party of Nigeria.

politicscommentary

Wednesday, 25 May, 2016

We cannot be free until N/Delta is free By Eric Teniola

HE name Sir Henry Urmston Willink (1894-1973) does not ring a bell in the modern day Nigeria. It was not so about fifty-nine years ago. Sir Willink was a British Politician and Public Servant. He rose to be British Minister of Health from 1943-1945. He later became Vice-Chancellor University of Cambridge between 1953 and 1955. His papers are held till today at the Churchill College Cambridge. On September 2,1957, Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa (1912-1966), deputy leader of the NPC and Federal Minister of Transport was appointed Nigeria’s First Prime Minister by the then second Governor General of Nigeria, Sir James Wilson Robertson(1899-1983) who served from June 15 1955 to November 16 1960. On September 26, 1957, the British government appointed Sir Henry Willink to chair a commission to inquire into the fears of Nigerian minorities and means of allaying them. The commissioners arrived in Lagos on November 23 1957 and between that date and April 12 1958, they held public sittings and had private meetings and discussions in each region, in Lagos and in the Southern Cameroons.They returned to London on April 12 1958. In its report published on July 30 1958, the Commission stated that although real fears existed in every region, it was satisfied that setting new states would create problems as great as those they sought to eliminate.” In every region the fears expressed were of a government based on a tribal, or in the North a religious, majority. Rightly or wrongly, it was feared that the Regional governments, secure in their majority, would not be ready to respond to criticisms or to meet the wishes of the minorities”. Other members of the commission were Gordon Hadow, Phillip Mason, J.B. Shearer while K. J. Hilton served as the Secretary. The commission published 108 pages for its conclusions and recommendations. In paragraph 26-30, the Willink recommended as follows: “We suggest that constitutionally, it would be necessary to place on the concurrent list a new subject which might be “The Development of Special Areas”. It would be open to the, Federal Government to announce in the Gazette that a certain area had classified as” Special” and from that moment special plans for its development would become a Federal as well as a Regional Responsibility. “We suggest that there should a Federal Board appointed to consider the problems of the area of the Niger Delta. In this we would include the Rivers Province without Aboada or Port Harcourt and would add the Western Ijaw Division. 29- We suggest that constitutionally it would be necessary to place on the concurrent list a new subject which might be “The Development of Special Areas”. It would be open to the, Federal Government to announce in the Gazette that a certain area had classified as” Special” and from that moment special plans for its development would become a Federal as well as a Regional Responsibility. “The Board would be required to submit its annual reports to each of the three Governments, Federal, Western Region and Eastern Region, and it would be necessary to make provision of time in each House for discussion of the report of this board. We do not contemplate that the

Usani Uguru, Niger Delta Minister Board should carry out the works which it recommends; this would be left to the Regional Government(except in the case of exclusively Federal schemes) and the annual report of the Board would include a report on actual progress. “We consider that this arrangement should be temporary and it should be the object of the Board to conclude its work within ten or twelve years when provision for development had gone far enough to make it possible for this arrangement to be abandoned. It would then be for considerations whether the Area should become a Minority Area as discussed below”. “The declaration of the Ijaw country as a Special Area would direct public attention to a neglected tract and give the Ijaws an opportunity of putting forward plans of their own for improvement. It would be difficult for either Government to justify to the electorate either a blank refusal to accept a plan recommend by the Board or a failure to implement an accepted plan;

With billions of naira poured into that region by the central, states and local governments and oil companies also for developments, it is still the same old storymisery, frustration, poverty, neglect and militancy.

in this, as in all our recommendations, we assume a desire to continue with democratic institutions;it is on this assumption that all the steps leading to independence are based.” These were part of the suggestion by the Willink commission. We cannot but make reference to the British in discussing our national problem because they created Nigeria along with the mess that we are still coping with. It should be noted that the first discovery of oil in Nigeria in-bloc OML 29 onshore at Oloibiri in Ogbia Local government of the present Bayelsa state was made on January 15, 1956 and production did not start until 1958. I am not sure Sir Willink was aware of the discovery of oil before making the suggestion. But the 1963 Constitution married the suggestion of Sir Willink. in Section 159 of that constitution “(1) there shall be a board for the Niger Delta which shall be styled the Niger Delta Development Board. (2) The members of the Board shall be- a person appointed by the President, who shall be chairman; a person appointed by the Governor of Eastern Nigeria; a person appointed by the Governor of Mid-Western Nigeria; and such other persons as may be appointed in such manner as may be prescribed by Parliament to represent the inhabitants of the Niger Delta. (3) A member of the Board shall vacate his office in such circumstances as may be prescribed by Parliament. (4) The Board shall be responsible for advising the Government of the Federation and the Governments of Eastern Nigeria and Mid-Western Nigeria with respect to the physical development of the Niger Delta, and in order to discharge that responsibility the Board shall---cause the Niger Delta to be surveyed in order to ascertain what measures are required to promote its physical development; prepare schemes designed to promote the physical development of the Niger Delta, together with estimates of the costs of putting the schemes

into effect; submit to the Government of the Federation and the Governments of Eastern Nigeria and Mid-Western Nigeria annual reports describing the work of the Board and the measures taken in pursuance of its advice, Parliament may make such provision as it considers expedient for enabling the Board to discharge its function under this section. In this section, the Niger Delta means the area specified in the Proclamation relating to the Board which was made on the twenty-sixth day of August, 1959 and lastly this section shall cease to have effect on the first day of July, 1969, or such later date as may prescribed by Parliament.” No region in Nigeria has so far been designated as “special areas” except the Niger Delta and no region also has suffered environmental calamity as Niger Delta now with no land and no water with heavy military presence. It was the spirit of Willink report that gave birth to Decree 22 of 1992 which led to the creation of Oil Minerals Producing Commission (OMPADEC). Same to NDDC. Same to the Amnesty programme. Contrary to recommendations of Sir Willink, states have been created in the region as well as local governments yet the problem persists. So, when you read about oil fields being bombed in Niger Delta and ugly incidents, one is bound to ask, ‘what do these people really want?’ We need to go beyond asking such a question. There seems to be a disconnect between them and us. We don’t seem to understand them and they don’t understand us. At times they don’t understand themselves. The situation in the region is much more complex than imagined. One of their leaders, Major Isaac Jasper Boro (1938-1968), while being sentenced to death by hanging for fighting the cause of Niger Delta as the leader of the Niger Delta Volunteer Force by Justice Phil Ebosie inPort Harcourt on March 27 1966 under the regime of GeneralT homas AguiyiIronsi (1924-1966), said his people “had long sought to separate not because they loved power but because their conditions were peculiar and the authorities did not understand our problems. There is nothing wrong with Nigeria. What is wrong with us is the total lack of mercy in our activities”. To the people of Niger Delta, I plead that violence has never solved and will never solve any problem. I have visited the Niger Delta area several times and with billions of naira poured into that region by the central, states and local governments and oil companies also for developments, it is still the same old story-misery, frustration, poverty, neglect, militancy, etc. A leadership that emerged from there recently, failed to address the chronic problems of the region and made worse their plight by distributing massive wealth to just few who eventually lost focus.Pity. In spite of that, the central government cannot give up on Niger Delta which at present provides most of Nigeria’s wealth, just like the government cannot give up on other parts of the country too including the north east region that is completely devastated today as a result of religious insurgency. In the words of James Baldwin(1924-1987), the black American novelist in his essay titled, MY DUNGEON SHOOK,” We cannot be free until they are free”. Teniola, a former director at the Presidency, resides in Lagos.

Wednesday, 25 May, 2016 Editor: Kehinde Oyetimi featuresdesk@yahoo.com 08111845048

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Kabba-Obajana: One highway, unending lamentations We are very worried about the situation and it is above our capacity. We are concerned about the influx of people and miscreants into our area. Kidnappings are giving us a bad image as innocent people cannot go about their lawful activities anymore

Kabba-Obajana Road

Kidnappers have capitalised on the deplorable state of Kabba-Obajana Road to phy their trade by regularly abducting unsuspecting travellers. The trend, however is about to change with the approval of the Federal Government for Dangote Construction Company to fix the road using cement. YINKA OLADOYINBO reports.

IDNAPPING is one crime that has put Kogi State in the news in recent times and the development has created fear in the people of the state, particularly those that ply some of the major roads where the incident is rampant. When kidnapping crept into the Nigerian society, the victims were either expatriates or wealthy Nigerians, but the situation in Kogi State in the last six months shows that the kidnappers no longer do any background checks before abducting their victims. No one is spared. They now abduct judges, traditional rulers, civil servants, businessmen, traders among others. In Kogi, those engaging in this criminal act have made some routes their areas of operation and this has therefore made travelling on those routes something to be carefully considered. Kabba-Obajana-Lokoja Road, Okene-Lokoja and lately Ajaokuta-Lokoja Road are the common places where innocent Nigerians are whisked away only to be freed after their loved ones have parted with money running into millions of naira. It has been observed that kidnapping takes place virtually every day on the highways and within the communities, but only a few of them are reported to the police or reach public knowledge as relatives of the victims prefer to negotiate privately to secure the release of their loved ones.

Many factors have also been attributed to the rising cases of kidnapping in the state and these include the geographical location of the state. According to the Commissioner of Police, Kogi State command, Yakubu Usman, there is a high influx of criminals into the state because it shares boundaries with 10 other states. The nature of the roads where this act takes place also enables the kidnappers to take advantage and operate with ease. The Kabba-Obajana-Lokoja road is one that is in a terrible state and is always deserted. Motorists are forced to move at a slow pace without police checking point along the road, particularly from Obajana to Kabba. In the last two weeks, several cases of kidnapping were recorded in the state; prominent among them were the abduction of the traditional ruler of Ellete community in Ajaokuta Local Government Area of the state, Chief Ahmed Aku. The third class chief was said to have been kidnapped at about 8.30 pm while returning from Ajaokuta to his community. The abductors were said to have laid siege for the monarch and accosted him as he was about to enter his house and took him away. However, about 24 hours after the traditional ruler was abducted, the kidnappers were said to have contacted the family and demanded for N10 million ransom before Aku could be released. Reports also said an unidentified naval officer who was passing through the state from the Eastern part of the country to Abuja was also abducted at about 5.00 pm on Friday. Another was the case of two judicial officials of the Kogi State judiciary that were abducted by gunmen at different locations in the state. The officials, identified as Justices Aliu Okeme and Timothy Ali, were said to have been kidnapped same day in the Eastern senatorial district of the state. Nigerian Tribune gathered that while Okeme was abducted at Ojuocha in Ofu Lo-

cal Government Area of the state during an inspection of his farm, Ali was kidnapped while on his way to the court in Anyigba in Dekina Local Government Area of the state. The kidnappers also struck and abducted a permanent secretary in the employ of Osun State, Adebimpe Ogunlumade, a director, Mr Tajudeen Babalola and a driver Olajide Ajani along Obajana-Lokoja Road. Also last week, the Kwara State chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Alhaji Ishola Balogun-Fulani and the secretary of the party in the state, Bode Adekanye were kidnapped on the same route. The developments have, however, heightened tension in the state with many calling to question the ability of the security agencies at stemming the tide of kidnapping in the state. Many residents of the town are of the opinion that the police are not doing enough to curb the menace. The Bajana of Obajana kingdom, Oba Idowu Isenibi, expressed worries over the situation. He said it was unfortunate that traditional rulers are not being spared nor respected by those engaging in the act. The monarch said, “We are very worried about the situation and it is above our capacity. We are concerned about the influx of people and miscreants into our area. Kidnappings are giving us a bad image as innocent people cannot go about their lawful activities anymore. We are hosting the largest cement factory in Africa, and if the situation is not checked people will not want to come to our community to site their industries.” He said, “There is the need for the police to mount check points in our area to check movement of miscreants because the absence of check points has made it easy for these criminals to operate without any hindrance. Government should come to our aid; they should employ the local vigilante groups to complement the efforts of the se-

curity agencies. The vigilante groups know the terrain, the police cannot do it alone.” The state government has, however, expressed its determination to tackle the menace on all fronts, starting with the education and enlightenment of the residents on the development. The special adviser to the governor on security, Brig. Gen. Paul Okutimo (rtd) said, “Government is prepared to go to the three senatorial districts to spread the news of security consciousness. We will talk to the youth, the traditional institutions and everybody on the need to be security conscious. These people (kidnappers) live among us, so people should be ready to offer information. Everybody including the police, the army, the Civil Defence, hunters, vigilante have roles to play and that is how we can help to improve the security of lives and properties.” Worried by the rising wave of kidnapping in his domain, the state governor, Alhaji Yahaya Bello, said his administration was ready to wage a total war against the menace. The governor in a statement by the senior special assistant to the governor on print media, Ademu Idakwo, said his efforts to reduce crime rate in the state from what it was before he was inaugurated was yielding positive result. He vowed that he would ensure that those behind the recent acts were fished out and made to face the wrath of the law. The governor further disclosed that he had donated 12 operational vehicles to the law enforcement agencies in the state to help them combat crime. He therefore read a riot act to the law enforcement agencies in the state to step up action by embarking on aggressive man hunt on the criminals in the state who have constituted themselves to threat to life, peace and security through kidnapping and cultism. Recently, the Federal Government approved the proposal for Dangote Construction Company to use cement to build the Obajana-Kabba road. It is hoped however that with this development, the menace of kidnappings in around the area would become a thing of the past, as smooth road would no longer be conducive for kidnappers to lay siege on travellers.

features

Wednesday, 25 May, 2016

Ogoni Four were murdered on day they were suing for peace —Suage Badey On May 21, 1994, four prominent Ogoni indigenes were controversially murdered in cold blood. The death of the Ogoni Four led to the controversial trial and eventual execution, by hanging, in 1996, of the late environmentalist and poet, Ken Saro-Wiwa and eight other Ogonis, known as the Ogoni Nine. However, Suage Badey, son of one of the Ogoni Four, in this interview with DAPO FALADE, said there is a need to honour the memory of the Ogoni Four.

That was the first attempt on their lives, if not for the late Chief Kobani who was more of a grassroots politician. He was able to mobilise boys to that particular meeting in Giokoo. There was a very stiff and fierce fight and Kobani›s boys were able to overcome and escorted them out of the place. 22 years is a long period in history, if what you are saying now that many facts had been distorted is the truth, why the long silence? Silence! Yes, of course, keeping silent can be misunderstood but it is a period of observation and a period of tolerance. It is a period in which we want to reflect and see how we can also come in and proffer solutions that would bring about approach to the Ogoni issue. We have not just been silent as there are many factors around that. You cannot propagate the truth if your financial situation is also not very good enough to do that. They found themselves in a position where they move from one to another and from one conference to the other. They have NGOs and donor agencies all around the world giving them money. So they have all the money and the wherewithal to propagate untruth. I didn›t have that but I think it will be wrong for me to just remain quiet all through.

HAT do you know about the Ogoni Four who were said to had been murdered in May, 1994. My name is Suage Alexander Badey. My father, the late Albert Tombari Badey, Chief Edward Kobani, Chief Samuel Orage and Chief Theophilus Orage were the four prominent Ogoni indigenes that were murdered on May 21, 1994 under mischievous and mysterious circumstances. 22 years after the incident, what are you looking out for? Actually, on that day when they were murdered, they were suing for peace. They gathered the Gokana people when they noticed that there was a culture of violence creeping into the Ogoni system. Their idea was to reconcile all parties and ensure that we begin to adopt a peaceful approach and stop simulating false information and running down individuals. That was the purpose but unfortunately, the process consumed their lives. What one should be looking at now is that peaceful approach which they adopted and which Ogoni has lost right now completely. You can see that in Ogoni today, there is so much violence and killings, a repetition of what happened in the past. What we are now saying is that there should be peace. May 21, 2016, which marks the 22 years of the murder of my father and the other three Ogoni leaders, should be a memorable day for us to begin to embrace peace. Ogoni needs to come back to the drawing board. Ogoni was known for hospitality. Today, no family that resides outside Ogoniland can visit the area comfortably and spend time with their family and children; everybody runs away from the place. We need to now sit and look back. Again, the untruths that are being peddled are the issues we need to address. I think the leadership of the Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People (MOSOP) needs to change the rhetoric. Why don’t you also speak about this four who contributed immensely, not only to Rivers State but to the development of Ogoni? The rhetoric is quite insulting and bruising to the families of the Ogoni Four because it does not portray good leadership. 22 years after the incident, peace remains elusive to Ogoniland. Looking back, what do you think could be the problem? If I take my mind back, then I was in my 20s and sitting around with my father in the sitting room when they were having meetings with the cream of the leadership then, one would say what led to the problem in Ogoni was simple. There was so much disinformation and misinformation in the place and most of the people were benighted. At the end of the day, a person who was benighted and did not really understand and was unable to filter what was going on could assume a callous state in reaction to things they were being fed with. The Ogoni crisis erupted out of this kind of situation that I am mentioning to you. I am being careful about mentioning names because it is not necessary as we don’t want to go back to that type of crisis which engulfed us then. But do you think the MOSOP leadership, over the years, had not given due recognition to the Ogoni Four as they are doing to the Ogoni Nine? Definitely! This is 22 years. The archives are there; you can through all the reports they write and that has been going. In fact, about a month ago, there was a report that in one national newspaper which described the Ogoni Four as sell outs; as those who sold Ogoni for some pot of porridge. I was so edged by it and I reacted on the Internet, though calmly and intruded to let the writer know that he is not an Ogoni and that he needs to get into Ogoni for him to be able to appreciate what he was talking about; that the Ogoni Four were people who contributed to the development of

Suage Badey

Today, no family that resides outside Ogoniland can visit the area comfortably and spend time with their family and children; everybody runs away from the place

Ogoniland; they were part of the process of the formation of MOSOP. Today, MOSOP is being tied to the late Ken Saro-Wiwa, so to speak. But the name, MOSOP, emanated from KAGOTE, the elitist association of the Ogoni people. They were having a meeting in Kana and they looked at the mangroves and discovered that mangroves were being decimated and that a lot of things were going wrong. While they were sitting there by the river side, they decided that they needed to do something about this and a committee was set up. The name MOSOP came from the recommendation of the committee and it was formed. So back to your question, having given you this historical background, the Ogoni Four were part of the process, but they have not been given that due recognition. This is because the rhetoric then was that they were described as the vultures; they saw them as the people standing in the way of the development of the Ogoni people. The leadership at that time, developed an arbitrary and autocratic way of leafing the movement. That poisoned the mind of the people. You can to imagine when you tell the people that look, Ogoni is going become a country; over the years, the least person is going to drive a Mercedez Benz. The ordinary artisan will not be able to analyse all the information that is getting to him and at that same point in time, you now say this particular people are stopping that process from taking place. Obviously, you have set a time bomb in place and that is what led to the killing of the four. Actually, they were supposed to have been murdered on November 13, 1993.

Why do you think the Ogoni Four deserve to be honoured? Why didn’t they deserve to be honoured? For instance, my late father, in terms of Ogoni, he single-handedly brought the state-owned polytechnic (now Ken Saro-Wiwa Polytechnic) to Bori. He was a District Officer (D.O.) in his early years in service. He mapped out the town planning of Bori. Before him were some people who did a lot for Ogoni. Also, Gokana Local Government Area was his (Albert Badey’s) handiwork. If you take a look at history, you will discover that Ogoni had only one local government area, BOLGA. Then you had Tai/Eleme/Okrika Local Government Area in those days. Ogoni was marginalised in this state. It took quite some time before people like my father emerged as leaders in the state. As soon as that happened, he was able to say Okrika does not share the same tongue with Tai and Eleme. So he created Gokana/Tai/Eleme Local Government Area and now made Okrika a single local council. That, in itself, served as a springboard to the creation of other local government areas in Ogoni. The reason why I am saying this is that the riverine communities of Rivers State could not argue at the executive council level why Ogoni should not have more local government areas because we have the landmass. Subsequently, my father was able to create Gokana Local Government Area and Tai and Eleme were now together and Khana was on its own. Subsequently, we had Tai and Eleme local government areas on their own. So that kind of service to his people is not something that should be forgotten because chairmen and all sorts of people have emerged through that process and who have gotten closer to the seat of government. That is for my father. Then, if you talk of Chief Edward Kobani (the father of the present Secretary to the State Government, Kenneth), he was among the fighters for the creation of Rivers State. Samuel Orage was also part of it. Theophilous Orage, who was the brother of Samuel, was more of a community leader and he was doing his best, interfacing with them who were at the state level to ensure that whatever was needed got to the grassroots. So, these people made very good contribution service to Rivers State. So, why should they not be remembered? In the first instance, they sacrificed their lives for Ogoni and Rivers State. One of the problems associated with the clean-up of Ogoniland is money. Now that the Federal Government is about implementing the UNEP Report, how do you think the government should go about the implementation? They have their guidelines; the UN has already recommended the guidelines for the clean-up exercise so that it would meet international standards. What I expect them to do is to follow the UN guidelines. I am not in support of the politicisation of the cleanup. I don’t see any reason why APC and PDP should have divergent views in this issue. This is an issue that has to do with the humanity and the deteriorating condition of the Ogoni people. When such issues come up, I believe that leaders in political parties should come together at that point and agree and be harmonious in their decision-making as regards the clean up.

Wednesday, 25 May, 2016 PHOTOS: Dâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;TOYIN

60th birthday celebration of Bishop Akinfenwa

The celebrant and Lord Bishop of Ibadan Anglican Diocese, The Most Reverend (Dr) Joseph Olatunji Akinfenwa and his wife, Comfort, singing during the 60th birthday service of Bishop Akinfenwa, at Cathedral of St. James, Oke-Bola, Ibadan, on Tuesday.

Cross-section of children of the celebrant at the service.

Bishop Akinfenwa and his wife, with the Oyo State Head of Service,Mr Soji Eniade.

Bishop Akinfenwa and his wife, with the Olubadan of Ibadan, Oba Saliu Adetunji and the Oloris.

Bishop Akinfenwa with the Diocesan Bishop of Remo, Right Reverend (Dr) Olusina Fape.

Bishop Akinfenwa, his wife, Comfort and the Diocesan Legal Officers.

From right, Bishop of Egba Diocese, Right Reverend Daisi Adekunle; Mrs Florence Awosoga and Mrs Toyin Fape.

From right, the Aale of Okeelerin, Ogbomoso, Oba Samuel Babatunde Oyebamiji Amao; the Onpetu of Ijeru, Oba Sunday Oyediran and his wife, Olori Subuola.

Bishop Akinfenwa with Right Reverend Gideon Olajide (retd).

The celebrant, Bishop Akinfenwa, assisted by his wife, Comfort, to cut the cake.

Cross-section of bishops at the event.

Bishop Akinfenwa and his wife, Comfort, flanked by the Provost, Cathedral of St. James, Venerable David Olagbaju (right) and Venerable Wole Ogunseinde.

30 news FG saves N185bn from IPPIS, gets rid of 65,000 ghost workers

Wednesday, 25 May, 2016

Chris Agbambu -Abuja

R Joe Abah, the Director-General, Bureau of Public Service Reforms, has said the Federal Government has saved over N185 billion since the implementation of the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS). Abah said this while presenting the “Status Report of

Reforms,” at a five-day Specialised Reforms/SERVICOM training programme in Abuja, on Tuesday. He said a lot of remarkable reforms had taken place in the civil service, including removal of 65,000 ghost workers from IPPIS. “We started off with a completely inaccurate and unreliable payroll system since we put IPPIS in 2007, government has saved in the

region of N185 billion and weeded 65,000 ghost workers. “Recently, the Work Efficiently Unit has seen the identification of another 23,000 people that were collecting multiple salaries. “IPPIS has been a great success, but it has some challenges and it has some weaknesses. “One of the weaknesses is that as soon as BPE put in

place IPPIS, after piloting it for a couple of years, it was basically taken over by accountants and they started with payroll instead with the HCSC – Head of Civil Service Commission. “It is possible to get on the payroll without being known by the Federal Civil Service Commission that is why we still have issues with IPPIS, but we are working on that and we hoping that

From left, Finance Minister, Mrs Kemi Adeosun; Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Interior, Mr Bassy Akpanyung and the Controller-General, National Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Mr Abdullahi Gana, at a meeting with security agencies to discuss payroll matters, in Abuja, on Tuesday. PHOTO: NAN.

Borno emirs return home 2 years after fleeing from Boko Haram insurgents TWO out of the five Borno State, who were forced to flee their domains by Boko Haram terrorists, have returned to their palaces. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reported that the emirs fled to Maiduguri two years ago when the insurgents took control of their domains in Askira/Uba Local Government Area of the

state. The insurgents took control of the area in August 2015 and announced establishment of Caliphate rule, forcing residents, including the emirs, to flee. The insurgents were, however, mauled down by the military who took total control of the area and restored normalcy.

The two emirs, Alhaji Muhammadu Askirama of Askira, and Alhaji Ismaila Mamza of Uba, returned to their respective palaces on Tuesday, in company of Borno State deputy governor, Alhaji Mamman Durkuwa. Speaking at a short ceremony at their palaces, the emirs commended the military for their gallantry in routing the

PDP crisis: Police review security presence at Abuja headquarters Jacob Segun Olatunji and Leon Usigbe -Abuja THERE was a tactical security adjustment at the national headquarters of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Abuja, on Monday. The office complext, it will be recalled, was sealed off by the police on Sunday. Though the police trucks used to block the street leading to the entrance of the party headquarters had been withdrawn, staff of the secretariat and others were not allowed access to the premises. The security adjustment took place just as governors of the party were meeting at the Ondo State Governor’s Lodge, over the impasse in the party. The heavy trucks at the secretariat were replaced with Hilux vans, which were strategically positioned to block the entrance. One of the security operatives told reporters that they

got a call from the headquarters to bring back the big trucks for another assignment, saying “we will have smaller trucks to replace them soon.” Meanwhile, the Board of Trustees of the party, after its meeting on Tuesday, regretted the unending crisis rocking

the party and pleaded with all aggrieved members to forget their differences. Addressing newsmen in Abuja last night, secretary of the BoT, Ambassador Ojo Maduekwe, said the BoT was worried with the development.

Boko Haram terrorists. They expressed optimism that terrorism would end soon in the country, going by the successes being recorded by the military. Also speaking, Durkuwa assured the emirs that the government would undertake projects to restore life back to the area. The deputy governor urged residents to be law abiding and report any sign of security threat to relevant agencies. NAN reported that three other emirs, yet to return to their domains, included the Emir of Bama, Alhaji Kyari El-Kanemi, Emir of Dikwa, Muhammad Ibn Masta and the Chief of Gwoza, Alhaji Muhammad Timta. The three are still residing in Maiduguri, the state capital.

Presidency unaware of Chibok girl’s brother’s fate —Spokesman Leon Usigbe -Abuja THE Presidency, on Tuesday, denied knowledge of alleged ill-treatment of Noah, the brother of Amina Ali Nkeki, the abducted Chibok schoolgirl who recently regained freedom from the Boko Haram terrorists. Noah and Binta their mother, had last week Thursday, accompanied Amina to the presidential Villa, Abuja, where they were received by President

Muhammadu Buhari. But, according to reports, he is now claiming that the military which arranged his trip with the rest of the family members to the presidency, have now separated him from his mother and sister and abandoned him in Abuja. He said he was worried as he had been unable to contact them to find out how they were faring. But speaking with the Nigerian Tribune in Abuja,

on Tuesday, Senior Special Assistant to the president on media and publicity, Garba Shehu, said he was not aware of any such development. However, he noted that Amina was of “security interest to government and her brother is not.” The presidential spokesman also pointed out that the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) was best suited to respond to enquiries on the matter.

complete HCSC switch will come on board in July.’’ He said BPE was also working with the Work Efficiently Unit to ensure that the salaries were linked with the Bank Verification Numbers (BVN). Abah said the civil servants shouldn’t allow people to accuse them of not doing well, saying that some of the reforms were working in spite of challenges. He said one of the reforms that had also worked in the civil service was the Contributory Pension Scheme. “Before 2004, if you retire; you will be entitled to a pension, whether you actually get it, it is another matter because in 2004, we had pension deficit of N43 billion. “So, really, the chance is that you could retire but wait for 10 years and you will actually not see the contributory pension scheme.

Buhari appoints Babandede CG Immigration, Ja’afaru, CG Prisons Clement Idoko -Abuja

PRESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari, has approved the appointment of Mohammed Babandede as the Comptroller General of the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS). This was just as the president also appointed Ahmed Ja’afaru as the Controller-General of the Nigeria Prisons Service. These appointments were contained in a statement by the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Interior, Mr Bassey Okon Akpanyung, on Tuesday, in Abuja. The statement indicated that the appointment of Babandede took effect from May 15, 2016. Until his appointment, Babandede was a Deputy Comptroller General (DCG) of the Nigeria Immigration Service Headquarters. He replaced Mr Martin Kure Abeshi, who retired from the Service at the end of his tenure. The statement also added that the appointment of Ja’afaru took effect from May 17, 2016. Until his appointment, Ja’afaru was an Assistant Controller General of the Nigeria Prisons Service Headquarters. He replaced Dr Peter Ezenwa Ekpendu, who retired from the Nigeria Prisons after the mandatory 35 years in service.

Economic crunch: Al-Makura inaugurates 23-man committee to review workers’ salary Godwin Agwam -Lafia NASARAWA State governor, Umaru Tanko AlMakura, has inaugurated a 23-man committee to review the salary of workers in the state. Speaking at the inauguration ceremony of the committee in Lafia, the Nasarawa State capital, on Tuesday, the governor said the move became imperative in view of the dwindling revenue accruing to the state from the federation account as a result of the economic downturn in the country. The governor explained that” the problem of salaries started in 2011 when the committee, saddled with the responsibility of reviewing salaries of workers in the state did a wrong job by jacking up the wage bill of the state.” He said the general salary increase for all workers had placed the government in a vulnerable situation that it could not evenly distribute the resources of the state to other indigenes who were not government workers. He added that the civil servants in the state were few and could not continue to collect the whole money accruing to the state. “Let us see what we can do to ensure that while we take care of our civil servants, we should also take care of the 99 per cent of indigenes who are not civil servants.” He said government was not oblivious of the fact that no state was expected to pay below the N18,000 minimum wage as stipulated by the law and urged the committee to work within the law. He called on the people of the state to accept the salary review in good fate, to enable the resources of the state to be evenly distributed. The governor outlined the terms and references of the committee to include: “To ascertain the revenue accruing to the state government and the 13 local government from the Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC).” “To study the National Minimum Wage Law operational in the Federation from 2011, Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission Remuneration Package for Political, Public and Judicial Office Holders in Nigeria (2007).

Wednesday, 25 May, 2016

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I, formerly Bamigbade Abiodun Adeyinka now BAMIGBADE EMMANUEL ADEYINKA. All former documents remain valid. GTBank Plc and general public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

CONFIRMATION OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME

CONFIRMATION OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME

CONFIRMATION OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Miss Omole Rosemary Oyebisi now MRS OLADIMEJI ROSEMARY OYEBISI. All former documents remain valid. TESCOM, Oyo State, Skye Bank Plc and general public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Mrs Bamimore Afusat Omobola now MRS IDRIS AFUSAT OMOBOLA. All former documents remain valid. The Oke-Ogun Polytechnic, Saki and general public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME I, formerly Aishatu Mohammed now JULIANA ENIWOAREKE. All former documents remain valid. General public take note. CHANGE OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Lawal Taiwo and Lawal Taiwo Hassan now M U HA M M E D - LA WAL HASSAN. All former documents remain valid. Oyo State SUBEB and general public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME I, formerly Okiki Omewere now TIEMO TOMA EBIWE. All former documents remain valid. General public take note. CONFIRMATION OF NAME

I, Lawal Fatimo Bintu am the same person as MRS LAWAL BINTU MOJIRAYO. All documents bearing these names remain valid. Skye Bank Plc, SEAP Advancement Programme and general public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME I, formerly Olori Bose Brown now OLABISI BOSE AJIMOBI. All former documents remain valid. General public take note. CHANGE OF NAME I, formerly Mr Lawal Idris now MR LAWAL DISU. All former documents remain valid. Skye Bank Plc and general public take note. CHANGE OF NAME I, formerly Ekadi Sunny now DIMMAH APPEAL RICHARD. All former documents remain valid. General public take note. CONFIRMATION OF NAME I, formerly Miss Uwadione Ojieh Florence now MRS NGBAKOR FLORENCE UWADIONE. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME I, formerly Ebilu Kadunna now EBILY KADUNA. All former documents remain valid. General public take note. CHANGE OF NAME AND CORRECTION OF DATE OF BIRTH

I, formerly Ogunlolu Funke Fisayo now OLOWE OLAMIDE REBECCA. My correct date of birth is 26-08-1983. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Alade Titilope Roseline now ASOLO TITILOPE ROSELINE. All former documents remain valid. Wema Bank Plc and general public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Miss Ogungbenro Seye Josephine now MRS OJEBISI SEYE JOSEPHINE. All former documents remain valid. Oyo State TESCOM, UBA Plc and general public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME I, formerly Kwode Paulina Favour now KWODE PAULINA AKPORAIRU. All former documents remain valid. General public take note. CONFIRMATION OF NAME

I, Obinna Chidiebere Okafor am the same person bearing OBINNA CHIDERAH OKAFOR. All documents bearing these names remain valid. Banks and general public take note.

This Box is for Sale

35 CONFIRMATION OF NAME

Wednesday, 25 May, 2016 CHANGE OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Miss Akande Balikis Oluwatoyin now MRS FADELE BALIKIS MOTUNRAYO. All former documents remain valid. EcoBank Plc and general public take note.

I, formerly Olarewaju Muibat Bunmi now OLANREWAJU MUIBAT BUNMI. All former documents remain valid. Oyo State Government and general public take note.

I, formerly Miss Oluwatosin Giwa now MRS OLUWATOSIN ILESANMI. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

I, formerly Miss Adegbola Moyinoluwa Rachael now MRS DUROJAYE MOYINOLUWA RACHAEL. All former documents remain valid. The Nigerian Nursing and Midwifery Council, OYSHMB and general public take note.

I, formerly Miss Ayodeji Sikirat Olayinka now MRS AKANDE SIKIRAT OLAYINKA. All former documents remain valid. Ondo State SUBEB and general public take note.

I, Mr Ikechukwu Jude Stephen am the same person as Mr Jude Ikechukwu. Now, I wish to be known and addressed as MR IKECHUKWU JUDE STEPHEN, and my correct date of birth is 16/06/1970 and not 16/06/1972 as written on the BVN. All documents bearing these name remain valid. GTB Plc, FBN Plc and general public take note.

I, formerly Mrs Salau Olabisi Ganiyat now MRS SALAUDEEN OLABISI GANIYAT. All former documents remain valid. SUBEB and general public take note.

I, formerly Anjorin Olusola Christianah now HASSAN OLUSOLA CHRISTIANAH. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

This is to confirm that Bolarinwa AkinyeleAkintewe and Akin Akintewe Bola refer to one and same person. Henceforth, I wish to be known and addressed as MRS BOLARINWA OBISESAN. All documents bearing these names remain valid. Ondo State Local Government Service Commission, Ondo West Local Government, Ecobank Plc and general public take note.

CONFIRMATION OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME I, formerly Oluwadare Bose Titilope now MRS AYEBAMERU BOSE TITILOPE. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

I, Adedokun Fadekemi am same person as Adedokun Christiana Oluwakemi. Henceforth, I wish to be known and addressed as ADEDOKUN FADEKEMI. All documents bearing these names remain valid. GTBank Plc and general public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

CONFIRMATION OF NAME

I, Adewumi Salawu am the same person bearing Simibiat Salawu. Now, I wish to be known as SIMIBIAT SALAWU. All documents bearing these names remain valid. First Bank Plc, GTBank Plc and general public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME I, formerly Ayuba Paul now AYUBA KABIRU PAUL. All former documents remain valid. General public take note. CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Miss Otegbade Olaide Oyinkansola now MRS EUNICE OYINKANSOLA AFOLABI. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

I, formerly Miss Popoola Basirat Romoke now MRS SANUADE BASIRAT ROMOKE. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

I, Miss Fadare Grace Olusunnbo Olawumi am the same person bearing Miss Fadare Sunnbo Olawumi, Mrs Lafenwa Grace Olusunnbo Olawumi and Mrs Lafenwa Sunnbo Olawumi. Now, I wish to be known as MRS LAFENWA SUNNBO OLAWUMI. All documents bearing these names remain valid. Oyo State TESCOM and general public take note.

I, formerly Miss Afolabi Oluwatoyin Modupe now MRS MAKINDE OLUWATOYIN MODUPE. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CONFIRMATION OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME I, formerly Unyime Aniedi Essien now UNYIME ANIEDI GEORGE. All former documents remain valid. General public take note. CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Miss Olamitan Ajayi and Miss Ajayi Margaret Mosanola now MRS AKINBOSOLA MARGARET MOSANOLA. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME I formerly Aroma Oriade now OLATUNJI ODUNAYO. All former documents remain valid. UBA Plc and General public take note. CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Miss Akindele Abimbola Olufunmi now MRS OLAWALE ABIMBOLA OLUFUNMI. All former documents remain valid. General public take note. CONFIRMATION OF NAME/DATE OF BIRTH

CONFIRMATION OF NAME AND CORRECTION OF DATE OF BIRTH I, Salawu Bayonle Tirimisiyu am the same person bearing Salaudeen Tirimisiyu Bayonle. Now, I wish to be known and addressed as MR SALAWU BAYONLE TIRIMISIYU and my correct date of birth is 5th September, 1959 and not 22nd May, 1959. All documents bearing these names remain valid. First Bank Plc, SUBEB and general public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME I formerly Temitope Ifeoluwa Dayo now TEMITOPE IFEOLUWA OPEYEMI. All former documents remain valid. General public take note. CHANGE OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME I, formerly Mr Felix Adegboyega now MR FELIX ADEGBOYEGA ADENIYI. All former documents remain valid. General public take note. CHANGE OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME I, formerly Ismail Lateefat Olamide now MRS SHITTU LATEEFAT OLAMIDE. All former documents remain valid. SUBEB, Oyo State and general public take note. CHANGE OF NAME

CONFIRMATION OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME I, formerly Kudirat Akintoye now KUDIRATU AKINLEYE. All former documents remain valid. Wema Bank Plc and general public take note. CHANGE OF NAME I, formerly Musili Amoke Adeaga now MRS MUSILI DORCAS ADEAGA. All former documents remain valid. GTBank Plc and general public take note.

I, formerly Adedokun Samuel Ogundeyi now ADEDOKUN SAMUEL OGUNDEJI. All former documents remain valid. Oyo State Government and general public take note.

I, formerly Saibu Omotoyosi Rasidat now ALAGA OMOTOYOSI RASIDAT. My correct date of birth is 11/11/1990. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Miss Durowoju Hiqmat Ayobami now MRS SULAIMON DUROWOJU HIQMAT. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CONFIRMATION OF NAME

I, Miss Onagbeso Olawumi Onajoke, Mrs Raji Olawumi Onajoke am the same person as Mrs Raji-Ajao Olawumi Onajoke. Now, I wish to be known and addressed as MRS RAJI-AJAO OLAWUMI ONAJOKE. All documents bearing these names remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Mr. Thomas Olagoke now MR. THOMAS OLAGOKE FABUNMI. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Eguavoen Lucky now EGUAVOEN LUCKY ESEOSA. All former documents remain valid. EcoBank Plc, CRIN and general public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME I, formerly Kasimu Mudasiru now MUDASHIRU KAZEEM KOLAWOLE. All former documents remain valid. General public take note. CHANGE OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME I, formerly Azuibi Peremobowei now AJUBE PEREMOBOWEI. All former documents remain valid. UBA Plc and general public take note. CONFIRMATION OF NAME/DATE OF BIRTH

CHANGE OF NAME AND DATE OF BIRTH

CHANGE OF NAME I, formerly Miss Olabanji Mabel Olamide now MISS OLABANJI MABEL OLAMIBO. All former documents remain valid. General public take note. CHANGE OF NAME

I, Fadayomi Celina Taiwo am the same person bearing Fadayomi Taiwo Olagundoye Alaba. Henceforth, I wish to be known and addressed as FADAYOMI CELINA TAIWO with date of birth 17th December, 1936. All documents bearing these names remain valid. Union Bank Plc and general public take note.

I formerly Miss MoyinOluwa Rowoli Onayemi now MRS MOYINOLUWA ROWOLI ONIFADE. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME I formerly Benjamin Awoke now SUNDAY NWORIE. All former documents remain valid. General public take note. CHANGE OF NAME

I formerly Adeyemo Sunday Enny now ADEYEMO M O B O L U WA D U R O SUNDAY. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME I, formerly SulaimonSikiru now ALAMU SULAIMON SIKIRU. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME I, formerly Lateef Taofeek Adekunle now LATEEF TAOFEEK OPEYEMI. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME I formerly Ayeni Aileonafe Gideon now AYENI ABUDU RAZAK. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

I, formerly Mrs Oluwabusola Seun Olubisi now MRS OYEMOMI SBFOLUKE OYEBOLA. All former documents remain valid. Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) and general public take note.

I, formerly David Phillip Victor Precious now DAVID PHILLIP PRECIOUS. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CONFIRMATION OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Miss Adepoju Kafayat Ololade Eyitayo now MRS OGUNRINDE KAFAYAT EYITAYO. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME I formerly Miss Aniyeloye Bola now MRS OMILEKE BOLA. All former documents remain valid. NSCDC and general public take note. CHANGE OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Miss Folorunso Oluwatoyin Bibitayo now MRS FOLARIN OLUWATOYIN BIBITAYO. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

I, formerly Rotimi Williams now ROTIMI WILLIAMS MATHEW but wrongly spelt as Williams Rotimi Mattew on my Voterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Card. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Miss Akintoye Omolara Adenike now MRS ADEFOKUN OMOLARA ADENIKE. All former documents remain valid. State of Osun Civil Service Commission and general public take note.

I, formerly Miss Muslim Nasimat Funsho now MRS ABDULKADIR NASIMAT FUNSHO. All former documents remain valid. Oyo State Civil Service and general public take note.

CORRECTION OF NAME

I, formerly Oso Oluwaleke Olayinka now AGBE ADENIYI OYEWOLE. All former documents bearing Oso Oluwaleke Olayinka remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Jimoh Ibrahim Samson now JIMOH IBRAHIM OLATILEWA. All former documents remain valid. First Bank Plc, Union Bank Plc and general public take note.

I, Sajobi Abigael Olubisi, my name was erroneously written as Olusajobi Abigail instead of Sajobi Abigael Olubisi. Now, I wish to be known and addressed as SAJOBI ABIGAEL OLUBISI. All documents bearing these names remain valid. General public take note.

I formerly Mrs Omolola Bosede Orabiyi now MRS CHRISTIANAH OMOLOLA BOSEDE ORABIYI. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

I, formerly Miss Adebayo Kafilat Adejoke now MRS OLATUNJI ADEJOKE TENIDADE. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, Paye Kaye Ninwlay am the same person bearing Paye Kazim Pouh, Paye Kaye Pouh. Now, I wish to be known and addressed as PAYE KAYE NINWLAY. All documents bearing these names remain valid. Skye Bank Plc and general public take note.

I formerly Akintayo Abimbola Monsurat now MAKANJUOLA-AKINOLA MONSURAT ABIMBOLA. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

I, formerly Miss Ismail Lateefat Olamide now MRS SHITTU LATEEFAT OLAMIDE. All former documents remain valid. Oyo SUBEB and general public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

CONFIRMATION OF NAME

I, Solanke Bernice Ajiun am the same person bearing Solanke Bernice Omoboladale. Now, I wish to be known and addressed as SOLANKE BERNICE AJIUN. All documents bearing these names remain valid. First Bank Plc, Skye Bank Plc and general public take note.

I, formerly Miss Oladimeji Olawumi Anuoluwapo now MRS BABALOGBON OLAWUMI ANUOLUWAPO. All former documents remain valid. NEPTUNE Software Ltd., Apapa, Lagos and general public take note. CONFIRMATION OF NAME I, Yekeen Dhikrullah Sola am the same person bearing Yekeen Sikiru Sola. Now, I wish to be known and addressed as YEKEEN SIKIRU SOLA. All documents bearing these names remain valid. General public take note.

I, formerly Miss Olapegba Abiola Idayat now MRS OLALERE ABIOLA IDAYAT. All former documents remain valid. Nigeria Police Force and general public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

CONFIRMATION OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME I, formerly Atinuke Adeyemi now MRS ATINUKE BALOGUN. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

I, Adaradohun Olusola Ojo am the same person as Awopetu Sola. Henceforth, I want to be known and addressed as ADARADOHUN OLUSOLA OJO. All documents bearing these names remain valid. Osun State Local Government Service Commission and general public take note.

I, formerly Miss Shalom Emikele Ikhazuagbe now MRS SHALOM EMIKELE ROLAND. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Hamzat Ruth Bolanle Temitope now MRS OLADEJO BOLANLE TEMITOPE. All former documents remain valid. Eco Bank Plc and general public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Miss Mosunmola Oluwaseun Popoola now MRS ONAKUNLE MOSUNMOLA OLUWASEUN. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

I formerly Mrs Aikulola Omolara Felicia now ERETILOYE OMOLARA FELICIA. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

I, formerly Olaniyan Funmilayo Felicia now MRS OLANIYAN IYABO FUNMILAYO. All former documents remain valid. GTBank Plc and general public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME I, formerly Buraimo Morufu now IBRAHIM MORUFU AKINTUNDE. All former documents remain valid. General public take note. CHANGE OF NAME I, formerly Miss Raheem Morufat Abiodun now MRS BELLO MORUFAT ABIODUN. All former documents remain valid. General public take note. CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Akinsemoyin Risikat Olasunkanmi now OWOLABI RISIKAT OLASUNKANMI AKINSEMOYIN. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I formerly Mary Magdalene Momoh now MARY MAGDALENE TONY AGIM. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

I, formerly Abass Mufutaudeen Arikeuyo now ABASS MUFUTAUDEEN AJAO. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

I, Alli Abdulramon Iyanda am the same person bearing Ali Abdulramon Kolawole and Alli Abdulramon Iyanda. That I wish to be known and addressed as ALLI ABDULRAMON IYANDA. All documents bearing Alli Abdulramon Kolawole remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME I, formerly Miss Juliet David now MRS JULIET FORTUNE. All former documents remain valid. Nigeria Police Force and general public take note. CHANGE OF NAME I, formerly known as Falore Olanike Ayotunde and later as Barek Olanike Ayotunde now RAFIU OLANIKE AYOTUNDE. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME I, formerly Abdulrasaq Abiola Thanni now AYANTUNJI ABIOLA THANNI. All former documents remain valid. General public take note. CHANGE OF NAME I, formerly Miss Eyeregba Dupe Mary Eguriase now MRS IBODJE MARY EGURIASE. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

I, formerly Afolabi Raymond Adeleke now FASANYA RAYMOND KAYODE All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CONFIRMATION OF NAME

I, Tejumade Oyeyemi am the same person as Modupeore Oyeyemi and Osasume Oyeyemi. All documents bearing these names remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME I, formerly Samson Olufemi Olajube now SAMSON OLUFEMI OLAJUBELO. All former documents remain valid. General public take note. CHANGE OF NAME I, formerly Miss Modinat Omotayo Ogunse now MRS MODINAT OMOTAYO SAADU. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

36 news FG denies fraud allegation in board appointments

Wednesday, 25 May, 2016

Clement Idoko -Abuja

HE Federal Government has refuted allegation of fraud in the ongoing process of appointment into the boards of Federal parastatals and agencies, as reported in a national daily (not the Nigerian Tribune). Secretary to the Govern-

ment of the Federation, Mr Babachir Lawal, in a statement he personally signed on Tuesday, in Abuja, described the report as baseless, mischievous and politically motivated. “The attention of the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (OSGF) has been drawn to a publication in

the Saturday edition of the Newspaper with the caption ‘Fraud rocks Board Appointments’. “The report has alleged, among other things, that “some top officials in the Office of the SGF, SGF, Babachir David Lawal, are collecting as much as N50 million from candidates seeking appointments into

the Board of Grade ‘A’ Federal Agencies and Parastatals. “The Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation is not known to join issues with the Press on unfounded allegations made in the Press. “It has, however, become necessary to issue a rejoinder to this particular

baseless, mischievous and politically motivated publication, if only to set the record straight, as well as protect unsuspecting members of the public from possible fraudulent activities by scammers, using the name of the OSGF,” he stated. Lawal clarified that OSGF did not make political appointments, including those

Kidnapping: IGP deploys helicopter, mobile police in Kogi Yinka Oladoyinbo - Lokoja FOLLOWING the increase in criminal activities, particularly, kidnapping in Kogi State, the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Mr Solomon Arase, has deployed four units of mobile policemen and 32 special anti-robbery

squad and a helicopter in the state to stem the tide. Receiving the squad and the materials at the Government House, Lokoja, on Tuesday, the state governor, Alhaji Yahaya Bello, warned criminals and their sponsors to relocate from the state or face the full wrath of the law.

The governor said the state government was ready to collaborate with security operatives to ensure that criminals are flushed out of the state. “The state government is ever ready to give all the necessary support to security agents in the state to assist

in tackling the menace of kidnapping, which he noted, had given the state a bad image,” he said. “In my inauguration speech, I vowed to have a state where citizens will sleep with their two eyes closed, where people will do their legitimate businesses

Kogi screening exercise: Labour demands sack of chairman •They are crying wolf —Okuntimo Yinka Oladoyinbo - Lokoja ANOTHER round of industrial crisis looms in Kogi State as the organised labour in the state, on Tuesday, demanded the removal of the chairman of the screening committee set up by the state government, Brigadier-General Paul Okuntimo (retd), and also that he should be relieved of his appointment as the special adviser to the governor on security matters. This is just as the state chairman of Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Onuh Edoka, was said to have been screened out of the civil service and categorised

as one of the ghost workers on the payroll of the state government. The labour unions, comprising NLC, the Trade Union Congress (TUC) and the Joint Negotiating Committee (JNC), accused the chairman of high handedness and taking unilateral decisions on issues that affected the screening of the state and local government workers. Addressing newsmen on behalf of the unions, the state chairman of TUC, Ranti Ojo, said Okuntimo should be removed as he cannot deliver on such sensitive assignment, adding that the labour unions had, since last Thursday, with-

drawn their members from the committee. The organised labour, which rejected the purported list of local government workers released by the committee, however, issued a seven-day ultimatum to the state government, after which they would resume the strike that was suspended earlier in the year. However, while reacting to the allegations by the unions, Okuntimo said the labour leaders were only crying wolf because of their involvement in the acts ongoing in the state public service. He said the unions lacked locus standi to call for his

May 27: FG worries over increasing violence against children Adetola Bademosi -Abuja THE Federal Government, on Tuesday ,expressed renewed worry over increasing violence against children (VAC) in the country. It said despite children’s vulnerability, they are mostly at the receiving end of violence ranging from child rape, defilement, abduction, kidnapping and baby farming. The Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, Senator Aisha Jummai Alhassan, stated this in Abuja, on Tuesday, in a briefing to mark the 2016 National Children’s day celebration. According to her, VAC are often perpetrated by adults who have the primary responsibility of caring and protecting the children. Speaking on the theme for the 2016 celebration, “Protect the Rights of the Child in the Face of Violence and Insecurity: End Child Marriage,” she said it was directed at sensitising the populace on the need to protect children

from all forms of violence and abuse. The Minister, who was represented by the Ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Hajiya Binta Bello, said according to survey carried out by the

Ministry and the National Population Commission with the support from UNICEF, there is a high prevalence of sexual, physical and emotional violence against children in Nigeria.

Burial A community leader in Eruwa, Ibarapa East Local Government Area, Oyo State and a patron of the Royal Ambassadors, Ebenezer Baptist Church, Aborerin, Eruwa, Chief (Dr) Ayoade Folorunso Kolawole, who died March 26, at the age of 85 years, will be buried this week. According to the burial arrangements released by the family, a night of tribute, organised by the Eruwa Youth

Chief Kolawole

Movement, will hold on Wednesday (today), while Christian wake keep will take place at his residence, No 3, Stone House, Off Water Works, Aborerin, Eruwa, on Thursday, (tomorrow), by 5.00 p.m. Church service for the late Sobaloju of Eruwa land and Gbobaniyi of Ilora, will hold on Friday, at the Ebenezer Baptist Church, Aborerin, Eruwa, while interment will take place at his residence. During his life time, he served as local government councillor in the old Ibarapa Local Government Area, board member at state and federal levels, among others. He was survived by wife, children and grandchildren.

removal as they were not consulted by Governor Bello before he was appointed. Okuntimo said: “What I saw in those union leaders is that they are not sincere, they were found compromising their position in the field, when I discovered this, I confronted them. I am preparing my case against them.

without hindrance, where travellers will pass through without any harassment or molestation by any criminal. “But in recent time, the increase in crime wave is worrisome and as a result of that, I cried to the president of this country and the IGP and today, we are receiving four units of mobile policemen from IGP, including special antirobbery squad and a helicopter. These men will face the criminals squarely until they bring them to their knees. The Commissioner of Police in the state, Mr Yakubu Usman, said that the IGP deployed 32 special squad to the state and four unit of mobile policemen to get rid of kidnappers, who have been terrorising the people of the state.

into Boards of Parastatals, saying it is the prerogative of the President. He added that the Office is never involved in employment activities, being the responsibility of the Federal Civil Service Commission or the respective Agencies as the case might be. He explained that regarding the appointment of Boards of Federal Government Parastatals and Agencies, there was a Presidential Committee on Board Appointments with membership drawn from the six Geo-political zones of the Federation, none of whom is an official of the OSGF. “The Committee comprised men of unimpeachable integrity and honesty in whom Mr President reposes unqualified confidence to carry out this assignment to his satisfaction. “It is, therefore, a sad and regrettable reflection of the level of degeneration of some journalists to have made such crude and mischievous allegation of corruption in the ongoing process of Board appointments. “Members of the public are accordingly strongly advised to ignore the activities of these syndicates who are indeed fraudsters and out to defraud unsuspecting persons in the name of the OSGF,” the SGF stated.

south-westnews

Wednesday, 25 May, 2016

Alleged murder of husband: CJ orders conclusion of lawyer’s trial in 2 months

•Warns against controversies •DPP withdraws from suit as independent prosecutor takes over Yejide Gbenga-Ogundare

HE Chief Judge of Oyo State, Justice Muktar Abimbola, on Tuesday, ordered that murder trial of 28-year-old Yewande Oyediran (nee Fatoki), a lawyer with the Oyo State Ministry of Justice, who was alleged of unlawfully causing the death of her 38 years old husband, Oyelowo Oyediran, be expeditiously handled and

successfully concluded before the commencement of the annual vacation of the High Court in July. He further sought for the cooperation of all legal counsels and warned them to avoid controversies, adding that he would not give room for unnecessary adjournments in the matter as he had given every part room to prepare for trial. Earlier when the case was called, the state Director of Public Prosecution, Taju-

deen Abdulganiyu, had informed the court formally that he was withdrawing from the case to allow independent prosecutor appointed by the state take over the matter and the defence counsel and the counsel for a non-governmental organisation, Women Arise for Change that announced itself as an interested party raised no objections. Also, lawyer to the deceased’s family, Chief Yomi Alliyu, raised no objections

but thanked the state government for doing the right thing in the circumstance. The court consequently granted the application and allowed the private prosecutor take over the matter officially. After announcing his appearance, the private prosecutor, Mr S.S. Akinyele, informed the court that he had filed his response to the Notice of Preliminary Objection to the charge which was filed by the defence

President, Women Arise for Change, Dr Joe Okei-Odumakin (fourth right), with members, during a peaceful protest on the Oyo State High Court premises, Ibadan, on Tuesday, against a woman lawyer that allegedly killed her husband. PHOTO: NAN.

Street boys unleash mayhem in Ibadan By Tunde Ogunesan THERE was pandemonium on Tuesday morning around Idi-Arere area of Ibadan South East Local Government area of Oyo State, as street gangs unleash mayhem on one another, making people to scamper for safety. Though, no known injury was reported, Nigerian Tribune learnt that the crisis involved a group of gang known as “One million boys” around Kudeti area. Eyewitness account informed that residents began to hear the sound of gunshots around few minutes to 7.00a.m. while there were also suspected and targeted movements among the group within the vicinity. One of the sources informed Nigerian Tribune that he and the okada rider who lifted him “had to run to safety when we heard gunshots from all sides.” He further added that their attempt to run to safety led them to run through IdiArere/Kudeti road only to notice that the sound was louder and more constant at

the end. During the few hours that the crisis lasted, broken bottles littered the road while police officers were drafted to the scene of the incident from the nearby division to restore peace to the area. When Nigerian Tribune visited the scene, the trou-

bled situation had been averted by police presence but some residents, who spoke under condition of anonymity, informed that the peace could be tentative. They alleged that the age long rivalry between the groups and that even “the internal crisis within

some gangs along Idi-Arere, Oja’ba and Gege axis is what security operatives must solve courageously once and for all.” When contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Adekunle Ajisebutu, said that the situation was under control.

Oyo government doles out N7.45m to industrial graduates By Olawale Olaniyan IN his bid to engage the youths of the state in entrepreneurship programme, Oyo State government has doled out N7.45 million to graduates of Industrial SelfEmployment Scheme. The programme, which was to assist the Graduate Loan Scheme, is a twin credit scheme in the department of industry, which complements the Small Scale Credit Scheme, for technological and industrial development of the state. Speaking at the distribution of cheques to 31 beneficiaries of the programme on Tuesday, at the confer-

ence room of the Ministry of Trade, Industry, Investment and Cooperatives, Secretariat, Ibadan, the Secretary to the State Government, Alhaji Olalekan Alli said it was necessary to promote entrepreneurship. He said the present administration in the state was presently in talks with the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO), for an inclusive and sustainable industrial development, including international industrial cooperative with Oyo State. He said Nigeria’s economy had, for many years, been predicated on weak and volatile pillars held by oil and

gas, despite the abundance of other natural resources like cocoa, timber, cotton, groundnut, cereals and solid minerals. Alli noted that “Despite the availability of vast resources, the industrial sector is yet to take full advantage of value addition and inter and intra-sectoral linkages. Recently, global events have proved that earnings from oil and gas cannot guarantee economic growth, progress and stability, as we can only attain genuine and sustainable economic growth and development, if our economy is built on the pillars of strong agricultural and industrial sectors.”

team, asking the court to strike out the charge. The lead defence counsel, Abioye Oloyede Asanike, had then raised the issue of the Women Arise for Change sending a legal representative, Mr Bolaji Alabi, to court to watch brief, stating that the court was bending over to accommodate people that should not be interested parties to be a part of the suit. The court, however, ruled that it was not bending backwards for any party, adding that it was the fundamental right of any rights group to express interest in a matter and cautioned counsels to allow the matter go on and stop making the case controversial. Consequently, the defence was called to argue its application and Mr Bayo Adegbite, who took the arguments, predicated the objection of the defence team on four grounds. According to him, the filing of ordinary charge or complaint was not a procedure for the trial of a capital offence of murder. Further, he argued that the process wasn’t in conformity with the law and a clear violation to fair hearing of Yewande’s right, adding that the court lacked jurisdiction to hear the suit emanating from such a faulty process. “The prosecution pitched their argument on Section 77 and 340 of the Criminal Procedure Act, it is thus a procedure and not a charge since it is lumped together. Both sections stand independently. It is trite law that there is no hybrid procedure in law, this is an innovation not allowed in criminal trial,” Adegbite said. He also argued that the process filed was a mere paper that has no authority as it emanated from the office of the Directorate of Public Prosecution and not from the Attorney General as mandated by law and as such did not follow due process, asking the court to strike out the charge and declare it null and void. In his response, the independent prosecutor stated that two issues were formulated, adding that the complaint of fair hearing was premature since trial had not commenced. According to him, Adegbite, in his argument, was shooting down a process that he himself had followed before as a law officer in the Oyo State Ministry of Justice and describing the argument as a guerrilla advocacy.

Nigerian Tribune

Don’t patronise illegal private schools, perm sec counsels parents THE Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, Oyo State, Mrs Aderonke Makanjuola, has charged parents and guardians to ensure that their children were enrolled in government approved schools in the state. She made this known during the enforcement visit to Akinyele and Ona-Ara local government areas of the state, where 38 unapproved schools were shut down in different areas of the local government. The Permanent Secretary said the rate at which illegal private schools sprang up in the state was alarming, hinting that any school operating without the approval of the Ministry, would be shut-down without fear or favour. She explained further that some of the schools shut down failed to meet the basic requirements for the establishment of private schools in the state, while others did not register their existence with the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology before they commenced academic operations in the state.

TASCE PRO loses mother CHIEF (Mrs) Cecilia Adenike Osoteku is dead. She died peacefully on April 8, 2016, aged 74. Late Chief (Mrs) Osoteku will be buried on Friday, May 27, 2016, after a burial service at St James Anglican Church, Egbe via IjebuOde, Ogun State by 11a.m. A Christian Wake is scheduled for Thursday, May 26, 2016 by 5p.m. Late (Mrs) Osoteku, a retired teacher and the Iya Ijo of St James Anglican Church Egbe via Ijebu-Ode, is survived by her husband, children, grandchildren and great grandchildren. One of her children is Mrs Fisayo Olajide, the Public Relations Officer of Tai Solarin College of Education, Omu-Ijebu, Ogun State.

Chief (Mrs) Cecilia Adenike Osoteku

38 news

Wednesday, 25 May, 2016

Nigeria lost N447bn to waivers in 4 years —Senate Taiwo Adisa and Ayodele Adesanmi - Abuja

HE Senate’s ad hoc committee investigating the application of Import Waivers and Grants, on Tuesday, uncovered the loss of a whopping N447.451billion arising from the application of import duty waiver and concessions. The committee was set up as a result of a motion which mandated the Senate to probe alleged indiscriminate use of and abuse of waivers for rice, as well as concessions and grants. Chairman of the Senate ad hoc committee, Senator Mohammed Adamu Aliero (APC Kebbi Central), on Tuesday, while presenting a report of the findings, said those who benefitted from rice import waivers in 2014 included Dangote Limited (N1,031,038,848.00); Kersuk Farms (N1,927,800,000.00), Bua Group (N3,704,126,328.00); Elephant Group (N1,501,627,680.00), Golden Penny (N284, 602, 399.20); Milan Group (N1.855billion). The Senate committee, therefore, mandated relevant agencies of government to recover N10.3 billion from the six companies,

saying they did not meet the criteria for granting the waivers. The committee observed that the irregularities were perpetuated in the administration of import duty waivers, concessions and grants on rice and other imported foods by different Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) of the Federal Government from 2011 to 2015. The report also indicated

that the irregularities were perpetrated in different sectors, including agricultural imported items like rice and sugar, as well as automobiles. A breakdown of the waivers presented by the chairman indicated that in 2011, N78,489,941,114.74 was lost through waivers, concessions and grants to different companies. In 2012, the Federal Government lost

N128,538,453,758.99. Similarly, in 2013, the Senate report claimed that N46,056,265,355.78 was lost. In 2014, N87,654,744,360.22. According to Senator Aliero, the former President, Goodluck Jonathan-led Federal Government approved N106,711,892,098.14 as waivers, concessions and grants to private companies in 2015 alone. He bemoaned what he

described as large scale revenue leakages that robbed government of huge sums of money that would have been used for provision of infrastructural development and social services. The senator, however, blamed the flagrant abuse of the process on lack of synergy among MDAs charged with the responsibilities of administering import duty waivers, concessions and grants.

Battle for Kogi ministerial slot hots up Taiwo Adisa - Abuja

From left, Group Executive Director, Lafiagi Sugar Company, Alhaji Kabir Rabiu; Kwara State governor, Dr Abdulfatah Ahmed; Commissioner for Agriculture and Natural Resources, Adegoke Bamidele and the Secretary to the State Government, Alhaji Isiaka Gold, during the kick-off of 2016 sugarcane plantation at Lafiagi, Edu Local Government Area of the state, on Tuesday.

N700m fund: EFCC declares Omisore wanted

How can you declare someone you were with 9.00 a.m wanted same day? —Omisore Saliu Gbadamosi - Abuja THE Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), on Tuesday, declared a former deputy governor of Osun State, Senator Iyiola Omisore, wanted. Omisore, who was the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) standard-bearer in the August 2014 governorship election in Osun State, according to a statement by EFCC’s Head, Media and Publicity, Wilson Uwujaren, was wanted in connection with a case of receiving and misappropriating the sum of over N700 million from the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), between June and November, 2014. The statement added that the anti-corruption commission had, on April 7, 2016 extended an invitation to Omisore, asking him him “to come and make clarification on the ongoing investigation.” The commission’s spokesman further stated that the former deputy governor, who was Chief Bisi Akan-

He specifically named the Budget Office, the Federal Ministry of Finance, Nigeria Customs Service, Federal Ministry of Industries, Trade and Investment, Nigeria Promotion Council, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) as agencies responsible for the loopholes. He said: “Customs duty waivers and concessions have been used by the Budget Office of the federation to entrench a very destructive patronage system to our economy, whereby very few operators in the economy were singled out for favours, resulting in unfair competition in the system.”

de’s deputy in Osun State on the platform of the defunct Alliance for Democracy (AD), had remained elusive and refused to report to the commission. He further noted that rather than responding to EFCC’s invitation, Omisore approached the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court for the enforcement of his fundamental human rights. Presiding judge in the suit, Justice Husseini Baba Yusuf, according to Uwujaren, ordered that the former senator, who was in the National Assembly between 2003 and 2011, should only be arrested through a due and legal process. The EFCC’s spokesman stated that the anti-graft agency had obtained a warrant to effect the arrest of the politician. In another development, a former secretary to the Bauchi State Government, Alhaji Ahmed Ibrahim Dandija, has refunded the sum of N10 million out of the N20 million he allegedly collected from the

$115 million (about N23.29 billion) disbursed by former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs Diezani Allison-Madueke, for the last presidential election through Fidelity Bank. Dandija, who served as the SSG during former governor Isa Yuguda’s two-term tenure before his removal in 2014, was arrested last week by EFCC operatives, from his Gombe zonal office alongside a former Personal Assistant to ex-governor Yuguda, Alhaji Sanusi Mohammed Isa and the state PDP secretary, Alhaji Salisu Garba, in connection with N500 million allegedly sent to the state from the Allison-Madueke’s campaign fund. Nigerian Tribune gathered that Dandija had admitted in a written statement to the commission that N20 million passed through his hands to some other beneficiaries, but accepted liability for the refund of the whole sum. It was also gathered that a former PDP chairman in Gombe State, Nuhu Poloma

and the party’s zonal coordinator in Gombe, Taraba and Adamawa states, Bunu Mulima, also refunded N2 million and N5 million, respectively, to the commission. A sum of N450 million passed through Poloma from the N23.29 billion Allison-Madueke election’s fund, out of which a source said he told EFCC that he only got N2 million, while Mulima, on the other hand got N30 million from the campaign fund. An informed source within the commission said the suspects deposited the sum through bank drafts made out in EFCC’s name for their respective refund on Monday. While Dandija paid N10 million through a bank draft of FCMB, Poloma bank draft came from Zenith Bank and Mulima issued a Union Bank’s draft. In a statement he personally signed, Senator Omisore said: “EFCC is on character assassination, mischievous and political persecution mission. It was

in court today (Tuesday) to ask for extension of time in the preliminary objection suit filed against Senator Omisore. “The Managing Director of Fimex Gill indemnified Omisore from their contract deal with the ONSA. The company had even sued them for the payment of its balance. There was no issue of N700 million anywhere. “The relationship between the company and ONSA is civil and contractual. EFCC should not play the role of political victimisation and coercion. “I cannot be stampeded or oppressed by any government in Nigeria. Blackmail won’t help EFCC, it should rather come to court with facts. This act of EFCC is unpatriotic and won’t get it any result. How can EFCC declare me, who was in court with EFCC officials at 9.00 a.m. on Tuesday wanted the same day? The world and human rights community are, hereby, called upon to caution EFCC from tarnishing my image.”

THE battle for who replaces the late Minister of State for Labour, Mr James Ocholi, intensified on Tuesday, with the two senatorial districts, Kogi East and West senatorial districts, jostling for the slot. Sources close to the All Progressives Congress (APC) said on Tuesday, that Governor Yahaya Bello appeared undecided on who to back for the ministerial slot, as he was said to be torn between using the position to end the political feud in Kogi APC or choosing one of his own core loyalists for the job. Sources said Governor Bello was on one hand looking to pacify the camp of the National Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Bola Tinubu, by pushing for the deputy governorship candidate to the late Prince Abubakar Audu, Honourable James Faleke, who is in court over the Kogi election issue and on the other hand, selecting his Chief of Staff. The different postulations were said to be on the cards even as stakeholders from Kogi East, where Ocholi hails from, were insisting on one of their own retaining the slot. While the stakeholders in Kogi East are seeking the position of minister as compensation for the loss of the governorship slot, those from Kogi West are insisting that the area had been marginalised all along. For instance, the people of Kogi West have complained that apart from dominating the governorship slot in the state, Kogi East had also been producing ministers for some time now.

Wednesday, 25 May, 2016

corporatesport

With Niyi Alebiosu adeniyi70@yahoo.com 08116954642

Milo Secondary School Basketball Championship:

Kogi emerges Confluence Conference zone champions

OGI State representatives, Crowther Memorial College and Harmony Secondary School have emerged as champions of the Confluence Conference zone in the 18th Milo Basketball Championship at the indoor sports hall of the Confluence Stadium, Lokoja. The cheering fans enjoyed the basketball skills that the budding talents displayed in the capital city of Kogi State. In the clash of titans, Crowther Memorial College displayed the spirit of of true champions when they produced a world class performance to overcome General Muritala College 39-37 in the boys’ final. The girls’ final was a dramatic affair. Gallant Harmony Secondary School fought the battle of their lives to emerge as champions. The Kogi girls had been written off after going down 5-0 to Government Secondary School Numan, Adamawa State at the end of the

From left, Head Strategic Brand Management, Access Bank Plc, Amaechi Okobi; Director, Business Development, Fifth Chukker, Terri Brennan; Executive Director, Personal Banking, Access Bank Plc, Victor Etuokwu and Communications Officer, UNICEF, Blessing Ejiofor at the Press Conference on the 2016 Access Bank-UNICEF Charity Shield Polo tournament in collaboration with Fifth Chukker which held at the Bank’s Head Office in Lagos last Thursday.

first quarter. However, Obatoyinbo Bidemi and MVP of the Girls’ event, Amodu Ketimu ran the show and dunked nine points between them in the last two quarters of the entertaining to miraculously hand victory to the Kogi team. Speaking after the match,

coach of the Adamawa team, Tinism Dickson said that his wards failed to play to instruction when it mattered most. “It is a sad loss, we thought we could defend the title for the third time. I hold no player responsible, but it is the collective fault of the team,

we did not get our shots right and our defence failed woefully in the last quarter of the game,” he said. SSG to the Governor of Kogi State, Mrs Ayoade Ariike, who represented Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello, commended Nestle Plc for sustaining the spon-

sorship of the only major Secondary School Championships in the country for the past 18 years. She also commended the efforts of the sponsors, Nestle Milo Plc at developing sporting talents in Nigeria, stressing that the state will look forward to hosting Nestle Milo championships in the coming years. On his part, North Central Regional Manager, Nestle Milo Plc, Mr Adeyeye Afolabi explained that, “Sport is a great teacher and children’s participation in sports helps set the foundation for a solid future.” “They learn determination to succeed, discipline to persevere and many more life values by participating in sports. We will continue to provide them this platform”. The grand finale of this year’s championship is expected to hold outside Lagos for the first time with Asaba, the Delta State capital as host.

Olumide Oyedeji lauds MultiChoice on Basketball development By Olawale Olaniyan CAPTAIN of Nigeria’s senior men’s basketball team, D’Tigers, Olumide Oyedeji has commended MultiChoice for sponsoring the 2016 DStv Basketball All Star Championship. He also charged the Nigeria Basketball Federation (NBBF) to put in more efforts in developing the game. Oyedeji who spoke with Tribunesport in Abuja, expressed optimism that D’Tigers will excel at the forthcoming Rio Olympics. He said some of the players who featured in the All Stars Championship can still make it to the prestgious games only if they improve on their game. “Kudos to the players and to DStv as well as the Basketball Federation that put this together. I will say this is one of the most successful championships the Nigeria Basketball Federation has ever had. “You could see that the

event is colourful from the organisation to the kits donated by PEAK, we have to move the game forward. The players are happy, the accomodation is fantastic and they feel they are really All Stars. “The game is really competitive, you could see how close the game was and it showed that the players are all warriors. They all want to win, despite the fact that there is no trophy for winner but everyody wanted to win. “We just have to build on this championship, everybody must come together, we need all the fans to put our heads together and basketball forward and keep building on the game. “Some people say the sky is the limit but I believe sky has no limit. Good one from DStv, they believe so much in the basketball federation and we must give kudos to them for what they have done in the past for Nigerian basketball. We are expecting

more as a federation and we owe it a duty too to uplift the standard of the game in this country. “Everybody has an equal chance in making it to the

team. When I made the team in 1997, I was very young, I came with the determination and any player can do that too, if you look at what we have done in the past,

the game is moving foward,” Oyedeji, who captained D’Tigers to win the 2015 AfroBasket Championship for Nigeria for the first time said.

Yobo testimonial match to be televised live on Supersport SUPERSPORT, Africa’s leading pay TV channel, will broadcast the Joseph Yobo Testimonial and Centenary match live on two of its premium channels, SuperSport 9 and SuperSport 3. The game, to mark Yobo’s retirement from international football and recordsetting 100 appearances for Nigeria, will be broadcast across the continent in full HD. “At SuperSport, we take pride in our unwavering support of African talents and there are few talents more deserving of recognition than Joseph Yobo,” Felix Awogu, SuperSport Nigeria General Manager said. “We are proud to be part of this celebration of one of the greatest players this country has ever produced and that is why we have this game on two of our premium channels, and also in full HD.” Among the players expected to participate are Chelsea captain, John Terry, African football legend, Samuel Etoo and former Nigerian legends, Austin Okocha and Nwankwo Kanu. Former Nigeria captain, Vincent Enyeama will also be in Port Harcourt, alongside with Julius Aghahowa, Yakubu Ayegbeni, Chidi Odiah and Danny Shittu. The match is scheduled to kick off at 4PM Nigeria time at the Adokiye Amiesimaka Stadium in Port Harcourt.

President, Nigeria Basketball Federation, Tijani Umar (left) and General Manager, Marketing, MultiChoice Nigeria, Martin Mabutho during the DStv Basketball All Star Game 2016, held at the Indoor Sport Hall, National Stadium, Abuja recently.

SIDELINES

NO 16,507

WEDNESDAY, 25 MAY, 2016

N150

Report to camp today or forget Rio Olympics

Oyo SWAN election holds today By Nurudeen Alimi THE stage is set for the much anticipated elections into various executive positions of the Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN), Oyo State Chapter, after the electoral committee had doled out the list of eligible candidates and voters for the polls slated for today. SWAN members, according to a statement issued and signed by the Committee’s Secretary, Olanrewaju Agiri, are enjoined to come out early enough to exercise their franchise in the polls scheduled to commence by 10: am at the Dapo Aderogba Hall of Oyo NUJ Press Centre, Iyaganku, Ibadan. The SWANECO also informed it has also wielded its big stick by suspending a member, Mr. Godwin Ngwu of Oodua News Newspaper from all SWAN activities, pending when the case of gross misconduct and anti- association activities leveled against him would be reviewed by the larger congress of the association. Speaking in the same vein, the chairman of Oyo SWANECO, Mr Sola Oladapo, expressed appreciation to every stakeholder that had contributed to the success recorded so far by the election committee, while appealing to sports journalists in the State to eschew bickering that seems to be dragging the association back and embrace peace.

A marriage in Saudi Arabia recently came to an end just a few hours after its solemnisation following the young husband’s decision to opt out because the wife turned down his overtures for its consummation. The wife would rather prefer responding to congratulatory messages on her marriage from her friends. Hmmm if the wife preferred replying those messages, we ask, would there have been a basis for the messages if she had not got married in the first place?

•Siasia tells U-23 players

IGERIA’S U-23 head coach, Samson Siasia has handed a Wednesday (Today) deadline to the invited foreign-based players for the Suwon Invitational tournament or forget the Rio Olympic Games. The pre-Olympics four-nation Suwon Invitational tournament will hold between June 02-04 among the hosts, South Korea, Nigeria, Honduras and

Siasia

Injury forces Moses out of Eagles friendlies

Dalung, Naval chief storm Lagos for Navy Diamond Jubilee

VICTOR Moses has been ruled out of Nigeria’s friendlies with Mali and Luxembourg due to fitness concerns. The forward requested to be excused following injuries suffered from the just concluded English Premier League season and as a consequence, would play no part in the matches which serve as warm-up for the FIFA World Cup qualifiers which begins later this year. Media officer Toyin Ibitoye confirmed this to Goal claiming there would be no late replacement for the Chelsea player as the team is expected to depart for France on Tuesday night. He also disclosed that visa hitches have been resolved. “He [Moses] wrote to complain about fitness, some few knocks he picked towards the end of the season and he wants to be excused,” Super Eagles media officer Toyin Ibitoye told Goal. “As a professional, fitness issues should be taken very seriously. His wish has been granted and since it is a

THE Minister of Youth and Sports, Barrister Solomon Dalung and Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Ibok Ette Ibas are expected to storm Lagos on Sunday as the foremost and biggest indigenous Yatching club in Nigeria; Navy Sailing Club will be rolling out her boats and sailors in a grand style to celebrate the 60th birthday of the Nigerian Navy and the Democracy Day. Speaking with Journalists in Lagos on Tuesday, spokesperson of the club, Commodore Tunde Giwa-Daramola revealed that preparation for the Diamond Jubilee boat race and regatta to celebrate the Nigerian Navy which will turn 60 on June 1st and the Democracy day of the biggest black Nation in the world is already in top gear.

Moses

According to him, the 1-day event is also an opportunity to expose Nigerian based athletes to water sports to help the Nigeria Rowing, Canoe and Sailing Federation kick start its early preparation for the 2020 Olympics holding in Tokyo. “The people representing Nigeria at the next Olympics games in Rio are basically foreign based athletes despite having the local talents here.” “Navy sailing club is the hub of water sport in Nigeria, 70 percent of athletes representing Nigeria are from this club and we want to use the event as a take-off preparation for the 2020 Olympics and create more awareness concerning water sports in the country.”

Denmark. Siasia expressed displeasure that most of the players invited for the Suwon tournament are in the country but unwilling to report to camp. The coach said the only way he can select players for the Olympics is when they train together as a team adding that no player will walk into his team without earning it. “It is annoying that these boys have not placed the same importance I and other members of the technical crew have placed on the Olympics. “I have information that aside one or two players who are involved in their team’s playoff games the others have arrived in the country but just refused to report to camp. “If they don’t report to camp on time how can I work on them to know their level of adaptability to my game plan. “It’s frustrating sometimes except for Saturday Keigo who reported to camp on Sunday others have not bothered to report,” lamented the former Nigerian manager to thenff.com. The affected foreign-based players are Amuzie Stanley, Azubuike Okechukwu, Usman Mohammed, Sodiq Popoola, Saviour Godwin, Taiwo Awoniyi and Nathan Oduwa. The Dream Team V1 will on tomorrow play a friendly game with a local club side as part of its build-up for the Suwon Invitational tournament.

Onigbinde pays tribute to ‘Thunder’ Balogun’s wife

friendly match, we have other players available. There is nothing to worry about because this will be a chance for them to prove their worth. “Aaron [Samuel] too will be out because he picked up an injury while playing for his club in a cup final. It is a big miss because he is a very good player.”

FORMER chief coach of the Super Eagles, Chief Adegboye Onigbinde, was yesterday full of commendations for the late wife of Nigeria’s legendary football player, Teslim ‘Thunder’ Balogun, as the family celebrates her 18th year remembrance today.Onigbinde noted that, the late Mulikat Teslim ‘Thunder’ Balogun was a motivator to the Nigerian legendary player during his active days and lifetime as an international player. “Thunder Balogun wouldn’t have become so legendary if he never got the support of his wife who consistently at-

tended matches played by her husband both for the national team and club sides. She made ‘Thunder’ a great asset to the nation.” The late ‘Thunder’ Balogun himself was full of humour, humility, discipline and he was a good mixer who also showed his dexterity in coaching.” The former Technical Director of the Nigeria Football Federation, added that, the late Mulikat left behind a memorable high profile of her immense contributions to the development of football in Nigeria. “In 1958, when she received a passionate appeal from the then Pre-

mier of the Western Nigeria, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, who asked her to persuade her husband to dump his British cludside, Queens Park Rangers to return to Nigeria so as to assist the West Rovers Football Club of Nigeria in the quest to win the NigeriaChallenge Cup. She convinced her husband and he returned to help the West Rovers win the title.”Onigbinde also stated that, Teslim Thunder Balogunleft a star mark as she produced sporting children who took over from their father. These include ex-international strikers Tunde Balogun and Kayode Balogun.

Printed and Published by the African Newspapers of Nigeria PLC, Imalefalafia Street, Oke-Ado, Ibadan. E mail: editornigeriantribune@yahoo.com Website: www.tribuneonlineng.com MANAGING DIRECTOR / EDITOR-IN-CHIEF: EDWARD DICKSON. EDITOR: DEBO ABDULAI. All Correspondence to P.O. Box 78, Ibadan. ISSN 2712. ABC Member of the Audit Bureau of Circulation. 25/5/2016.