25th October 2016

NIGERIA’S MOST INFORMATIVE NEWSPAPER NO 16,618 TUESDAY, 25 OCTOBER, 2016

TODAY'S SPECIAL

Why using earphones could be dangerous

By Vera Onana AS a work tool, for leisure, while exercising or simply to drown the realities of our everyday hustle…headphones are a common sight in today’s world. For the younger generation, it may Continues pg3

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Nigerian Tribune

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Corruption: NJC sets up 10-man ethics committee

•Launches new judicial policy —P9 •50 NGOs threaten to ground judiciary

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Nigerian Tribune

N150

EFCC arrests Reuben Abati, Bala Mohammed —P2

APC takes responsibility for economic hardship •Govs meet Buhari, pledge to fix Nigeria, back —P2 president on anti-corruption fight

Senate to probe $420m global polio fund in Nigeria —P31

Benin-Lagos highway blocked by Uselu market women, who were protesting high cost of lock-up stores in Uselu Market, Benin City, Edo State, on Monday. PHOTO: NAN.

FCT minister orders herdsmen to move cattle out of Abuja —P4

2 news

Tuesday, 25 October, 2016

APC takes responsibility for economic hardship

Govs meet Buhari, pledge to fix Nigeria, back president on anti-corruption fight Clement Idoko -Abuja

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OR the first time, the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has accepted responsibility for the current state of the nation’s economy, but vowed to fix the problems and restore the nation on the path of solid development.

Chairman of the APC Governors’ Forum and Imo State governor, Mr Rochas Okorocha, said this while briefing State House correspondents, after a meeting between governors elected on the ticket of the party and President Muhammadu Buhari, at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

The meeting was to discuss wide range of issues affecting the nation and its development.

He said this was not a problem brought by APC government, adding that it was a problem that had existed long before APC came to government and “we are only trying to clear the mess of the past.

“But we must take responsibility and we must never shift the responsibility to anybody. APC, you are responsible for everything happening in Nigeria; we are responsible. The good, the bad, the ugly, but we are promising Nigerians that we shall fix it.”

Okorocha, however, explained that the issues that brought the nation to its knees were inherited by the current government of President Buhari.

He said as a ruling party, APC would not shirk in its responsibility to the nation, saying “there is no surgery that is not painful.

“There is no surgery that is not painful. Nigeria is going through a very serious economic surgery and that is the pains we are experiencing. We share the pains of Nigerians, every human being must feel it.”

The APC governors said they all felt what other Nigerians were going through, but “we are asking for a little patience, let us do things the right way and do it once and for all.”

According to Okorocha, “I am sure that by next year, you will begin to see changes. The price of rice will drop, prices of dollars will begin to stabilise and we will see a lot of changes.

“But at this painful moment, nobody likes it. It is like a woman in the labour room. When she is in the labour room, there is no joy but she has to pass through that moment. She doesn’t wear her high heel shoes, no make-up, no champagne, no party, because she is going through a process, but shortly after that, joy comes as soon as she sees the child.

So, Nigerians should bear with us as a government.”

Okorocha said the governors were in the Villa to encourage President Buhari and congratulate

him on the release of the 21 Chibok girls.

He said the governors urged the president to ensure that whatever was the action that saw to the

return of the girls must be repeated so that the rest of the girls could be free.

He noted that this would help, because the return of the girls would

be a big achievement in the life history of the administration.

“Again, we came to report to Mr President that his agriculture policy is

From right, President Muhammadu Buhari; Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo; Governors Rochas Okorocha (Imo); Abdulaziz Yari (Zamfara); Ibrahim Shettima (Borno); Nasir el-Rufai (Kaduna) and Mohammed Abubakar (Bauchi), during the meeting at the State House, Abuja, on Monday. PHOTO: STATE HOUSE.

Obaseki owes loyalty, obligation to Edo people, not me —Oshiomhole Clement Idoko -Abuja EDO State governor, Adams Oshiomhole, has said he is not one “political godfather” that will stifle the administration of his successor or worry over being betrayed when he leaves office next month.

Oshiomhole, it will be recalled, worked towards ensuring that the candidate of All Progressives Congress (APC), Godwin Obaseki, won the September governorship election in Edo State.

The governor disclosed this while responding to questions from State House correspondents on Monday, saying “I am not the state, I am only one out of about four million Edo people. So his (Obaseki) obligation and his loyalty should be to the people of Edo State.

“The oath of office he is going to subscribe to says that he will defend the constitution of Nigeria, he will do everything to uplift the quality of life of Edo people. Nothing in his oath of office will include ‘I shall not betray my predecessor’ because I have no interest to be betrayed.”

Oshiomhole said he was in the Presidential Villa to invite President Muhammadu Buhari to Edo State, where he is expected to commission some projects his administration had put in place, including state-of-the-art hospital.

Maintaining that

Obaseki’s allegiance should be the people not him, Oshiomhole said “for me, I have presided over Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) for eight years and I had a successor, there was no story of me having conflict with my successor, because conflict only arises when you refuse to accept that when your tenure is over, it is over.”

Oshiomhole, who will be leaving office on November 12, said he had no regrets campaigning vigorously for Obaseki, saying he acquired

the skills right from his labour days, fighting the oppressors.

“Look at what is going on in the US, is Obama not vigorously campaigning for Clinton? Is Obama’s wife, the First Lady of US, not as vigorous, perhaps much more than Bill Clinton?

“These are skills I acquire from short floor which they will never acquire. I am a product of struggle as a result of my many years of being exploited fighting the oppressors. I deployed those skills and I defeated them.

At a point they said I should allow the man to talk, did the electorate complain?”.

On allegations that he rigged the elections, he said, “PDP lost because it could not convince the people of its legacy while in power.

We did not rig the poll, else we would not have allowed our party chairman to lose his unit.”

Oshiomhole said he had no regrets in his eight years on the saddle, adding that being in his 60s, it was time to take a break and be a caring husband and father.

EFCC arrests Abati, Bala Mohammed Saliu Gbadamosi -Abuja THE immediate past Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Senator Bala Mohammed and the Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to former President Goodluck Jonathan, Dr Reuben Abati, were, on Monday, arrested by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

The former minister, Nigerian Tribune gathered, was arrested over alleged land racketeering, abuse of office and huge sums of money said to have been traced to his account and that of his son.

A reliable source in the anti-corruption agency confirmed the arrest of Kauran Bauchi, as Mohammed is fondly

called by his admirers, saying, however, that he could not immediately confirm the offence over which he was arrested.

Another source in the commission confirmed the arrest of the former presidential spokesman, Dr Abati, informing that he was arrested over issues related to the 2015 presidential election funds.

Report had indicated that EFCC seized four houses worth N872 million from the former minister and his first son, Shamsudeen.

It was gathered that the commission had been investigation the former minister based on petitions before it since 2013.

He is being investigated for allegedly allocating choice plots of land worth billions of Naira and about

37 commercial plots of land said to worth about N8 billion to one Tariq Hammoud, who was alleged to be fronting for him.

Nigerian Tribune gathered that in a bid to get to the roots of the allegations levelled against the former minister, the anticorruption commission had interrogated some individuals, including top officials of the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA).

The former minister’s first son, Shamsudeen, was said to have been invited and quizzed by operatives of the anti-graft commission and granted administrative bail.

Also, his alleged front, Hammoud, had been grilled by EFCC operatives.

producing result, this time around, we have bumper harvest in most parts of the country in rice production and other things.

“So, that policy should be sustained. The anchor borrowers funding policy by CBN should be encouraged because it is yielding results.

In the next couple of years, Nigeria would be selfsufficient in agriculture and would not need to import food product into the country any more. That is a great achievement,” he said.

The APC governors, while backing President Buhari on the fight against corruption, said he should not waver in spite of criticism of lopsidedness.

“We also encouraged him on the fight against corruption, that he should continue. We know that in the pursuit of good programmes, certain lapses will be noticed and there is nothing wrong in pursuing a good course. We encouraged and thanked him for the efforts he is making to move this country forward.

“We also looked at the issue of Ondo election and said we are happy that we have delivered the first state under his administration which is Edo, but in Ondo, the governors have decided to show support for the election, so that APC will take over the state.

“I agree with you to some extent but I believe before the election, all things will be fixed right because Ondo is coming back to APC and we would do all we can. These were some of the things we discussed,” he said.

On judiciary, he said “no, we didn’t talk about the judiciary. I think this is a Federal Executive Council decision and ours is to advise where possible. But the issue was not raised at all.”

Okorocha said the president was happy and appreciated the support to him, adding that “President Buhari look forward to how we can work together to strengthen the economy and the party.”

On the issue of the calls for resignation of the national chairman of the party, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, Okorocha said “we are not talking about anybody resigning, we are talking about rebuilding the party to make it a stronger one, right from the booth level to the national level.

“Let me say to you, the chairman of the party and the party itself are having secured friction and could be said to have done well.

“We come from a party that nobody expected will ever win this election. We need to give them kudos and if there are areas of amendment, we must do that.”

3 news

Tuesday, 25 October, 2016

Why using earphones could be dangerous Continued from front page

be trendy to always have the electronic ear buds tucked deep into their ears while they take a walk on the street or simply lie idle at home. The rhythm of the music may be in fact enthralling but experts say the effect of the very close sound on the hearing system may be very deleterious.

Often people complain about noise pollution, they focus on the external sources of noise coming from the neighbour next door or the religious centre down the street. However, the most dangerous type is that which is inflicted on themselves by themselves through the use of headphones or earbuds.

Headphones, experts say, are even the lesser of the two evils because earbuds could rupture the ear drums when shoved in too tightly.

Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT) specialist, Dr Diran Olabisi of Highway Specialist Hospital, Ibadan, explained the many ways by which such close noise could affect a man’s health. “Apart from the fact that it could cause deafness or other hearing complications; excessive noise has a number of negative effects. When you use headphones or earphones, the direct audio goes into your ears. Volume exceeding 90 decibels can result in hearing complication and even hear loss. All those who wear earphones and headphones are at higher risk of hearing loss and even complications in hearing,” he said.

Aside, deafness or hearing complications, experts say that earphones are capable of

causing ear infections if they are not personal and are shared with other people because bacteria from ears of different people can easily travel through headphones.

“In most of cases, people who use regular earphones and headphones experience more ear wax which results in tinnitus, ear infection and even problems in hearing,” the ENT expert said.

Recent studies have shown that people who use earphones most of the time in the day to hear very loud music may develop numbness in their ears. Their hearing abilities may become numb for a while and then come back to normal. Numbness in hearing is very dangerous and can lead to deafness. There could also be cases of sharp pains in the ear. The electromagnetic waves produced by earphones may also pose serious danger to the brain. This is because the inner ear is directly linked to the brain, experts say.

Does it then mean we toss out all the earphones and tag them as life threatening?

No, safety can be achieved in the use of headphones and earphones, experts say.

Dr Olabisi, explained thus: “Like we measure height in centimetres and weight in kilometres, noise is measured in decibels and the average amount of noise that doesn’t pose any risk to man is 85 decibels but once it goes beyond that into 95 or 100 decibels, it becomes dangerous to the ear cells and thus causes deafness. At 100 dB, just listening for 15 minutes can result in ear damage.

“So the key to protecting our ears is to ensure that sound doesn’t go beyond the

recommended standard. Some smart phones will alert you when you are going beyond the safe volume while using your earphones.

That is a good form of check.”

From other ear health experts around the world, here are other tips that can help ensure safety while using earphones.

Follow the 60/60 rule Play your music at no more than 60 percent of maximum volume for no more than 60 minutes a day, says Tahl Colen, an otolaryngologist in New York City. “Loud sounds have potential to cause permanent damage to your inner ears, resulting in potentially permanent hearing loss,” he explains. “The important factors are the volume of the sound and the duration of exposure.”

If other people can hear your headphones, turn the music down Your personal audio device is just that: personal. If individuals standing around you can hear your music, it’s too loud. “If you experience tinnitus or a ringing or buzzing in your ears after removing your device, or you experienced dulled hearing after pulling out your headphones, your music is too loud,” says Colen.

Other signs you need to turn the tunes down? If you raise your voice to be heard, if you can’t hear someone standing three feet away, or if speech sounds muffled or dull after listening to music, says Michelle R. Yagoda, an otolaryngologist in New York City. “A decibel meter app may be helpful in determining the level of the music you’re listening to.”

Don’t shove your earbuds in too far

If your buds aren’t staying in, you’re not fixing the problem by pushing them hard into your ears. Earbuds are designed to go a safe distance into the ear canal. While it’s unlikely you’ll be able to push them in further—unless maybe they’re faulty—doing so can cause harm. “If you push the earbud too far, you can damage the skin of the ear canal and potentially be at risk to develop an outer ear infection,” says Golla. “If pushed much further, you could potentially rupture the eardrum.”

Earbuds can be more dangerous than headphones We’re not saying that earbuds are dangerous in general, but because they’re closer to your eardrum, you should be aware.

“Earbuds can increase the sound intensity reaching your inner ear by as much as nine decibels when compared to over-the-ear headphones,” says Colen. “Earbuds also filter out less outside noise than traditional overthe-ear headphones. Therefore, people have a tendency to increase volume more with earbuds to compete against external sounds, resulting in higher listening volumes and higher risk of long-term hearing damage.”

Clean your buds regularly For most healthy individuals, it’s rare to get an ear infection from earbuds. Still, it’s important to keep them from getting dirty.

“They should be wiped down and cleaned at least once a week,” says Yagoda. “And headphones should not be shared. If they must be—like on a plane or something—they should be sanitized, or a cover should be used.”

Census sacrosanct in 2018 —Senate •Exercise to gulp N222bn Adetola Bademosi -Abuja

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HE Senate Committee on Population and Identity has said the proposed plan for the next census to hold in 2018 is sacrosanct and should be prioritised by the government.

It said this was due to the fact that data generated from the exercise would be needed by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to prepare for the 2019 elections.

Chairman, Senate Committee on Population and Identity, Senator Suleiman Othman Hunkuyi, stated this on Monday, when he led members of the committee to the National Population Commission (NPC) headquarters in Abuja, on an oversight visit.

The census activity was due in 2016, but for reasons one of which majors on paucity of funds, the exercise was postponed to 2017 and again shifted to 2018 for same reasons.

The Senate committee chairman, said: “It is a shared opinion that 2018 is a critical year to hold that exercise because a year after that, 2019, is an election year. I think for so many reasons, the two should not be contemplated to happen the same year. In fact, the data, information that INEC would require to plot its graph accurately in the exercise will certainly arise out of the exercise of the

2018 census.”

To this end, he said a motion had already been moved by the committee, urging the President Muhammadu Buhari to make a proclamation.

His words:”This committee, the Senate and the National Assembly as a whole had already prepared its mind on holding a successful census in 2018.

That is why early last week, we moved a motion calling on Mr President to make a proclamation.

“Since the instrument has not been part of the legislation embedded in our constitution as to say after 10 years, there will be a census, we require a proclamation

by Mr President and the Senate. I can assure you that the Senate committee

on population is articulated, resolved, prepared to align itself with the possibility of this government to hold census by that 2018 as projected.

“We will do all we can to create creating an interface with the Office of the Secretary to the Federal Government, which is the supervising front of this commission in government, such that if census is to hold 2018, there are unavoidable prerequisite arrangements that must be followed.”

He further explained that, “once adequate provision is made by government, within the budget 2017, the window becomes validly opened to now approach other agencies within and outside the country to be part of the process, it is a

serial arrangement, if we miss part of it, it is likely to mar the possibility of that activity holding in 2018.”

Against the backdrop of inadequate funding, Senator Hunkuyi advised the NPC to commercialise some of its services to generate revenue.

Citing instances of issuance of birth certificates to citizens for free, he said this should be given out at a stipulated fee.

“Issuance of free birth certificate, which is part of what the commission has listed as part of what it does and what it wants to do through the years, with or without recession, these services should be contemplated and provided to citizens, in my opinion, at a fee.

“We cannot commercialise

the activities of the commission completely, but such that efforts of government as well, may not be taken for granted. From the review you have given, census should have been held in 2016, the main issue is funding.

Earlier, the NPC chairman, Chief Eze Duruiheoma, in his remarks, expressed the commission’s readiness to provide a credible, accurate census data which would be used for planning.

He, however, noted that paucity of funds was a major challenge the commission was being faced with, which he said, had led to the continued postponement of the census activity.

In his explanations, he said the total amount released from the 2016 appropriation

Poor funding, epileptic power supply hampering our activities —NMC Clement Idoko -Abuja THE Director and Chief Executive Officer of National Mathematical Centre (NMC), Professor Stephen Onah, has disclosed that the Centre is unable to carry out its critical mandate of demystifying the study of Mathematics at all levels of education because of poor funding.

He told a delegation of the Senate Committee on Education (Basic and Secondary) on Monday, during an oversight visit to the centre.

Professor Onah also told the committee, led by Professor Olusola Adeyeye,that he met the centre in a state of dilap-

idation, poor power supply, inadequate equipment, grounded vehicles, poor Internet service and poorly funded library.

He disclosed that full discharge of the centre’s services had been hindered by challenges like low patronage of the centre’s services by government at all levels, as well as private schools.

The director explained that this had consequently affected the ability of the NMC to embark on distribution of its instructional materials and mounting of its trainthe-trainers workshops.

He said since NMC was removed from the beneficiary

institutions of the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund), the centre had been unable to subscribe for internet bandwidth and had also hindered other infrastructural developments at the centre.

He, therefore, appealed to the Senate to consider improving budgetary allocation to the centre, so that the centre could carry out its mandate effectively.

Onah, however, commended the efforts of his predecessors to have, within the limited resources made available to them, developed various ingenious instructional materials, organised innovative training pro-

grammes and established International Model Science Academy (IMSA), among others, aimed at popularising Mathematical Sciences.

According to him, the centre was blessed with very patriotic workforce who had, in spite of the challenges of poor funding, continued to give their best in their efforts to simplify the study of Mathematics and remove the phobia of the subject from the learners.

Senator Adeyeye, in his remark, said the delegation was on the visit to ensure that funds released to the agency was properly utilised, especially during this time of economic challenges.

budget of N4.4 billion did not justify the proposal for the next census to hold in 2017, hence, the proposal for 2018.

While giving a breakdown of the total sum needed for the 2018 census, he said about N94 billion was required for pre-census stage, N120 billion for the census and over N8 billion for the post census stage.

His words: “It will not be probably news to inform the distinguished chairman and members of the Senate Committee that paucity of fund is a major challenge of the commission.

“This address will not be complete until I have drawn your attention to the intricate manner the chronic and persistent underfunding of the commission has hindered the attainment of its noble objectives.

“Funding of census activities has become a periodic affair, which virtually ceases after the conduct of the exercise.This has led to decay of structures and facilities for census taking and the commission has to start afresh whenever there is a census to be conducted.”

“Much more importantly, it has prevented the commission from deriving maximum benefits from census taking. The actual enumeration of the census is the planting season while the harvest is the post census period when the results are properly analysed and widely disseminated for planning purposes.”

4 news

Tuesday, 25 October, 2016

FCT Minister orders herdsmen to move cattle out of Abuja ...earmarks 33,000 hectares for cattle grazing Christian Okeke - Abuja

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INISTER of the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA), on Monday, met with members of the Miyatti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria, FCT

chapter and insisted that herdsmen must move their cattle out of the Federal Capital City as there was no way such animals could co-habit with residents.

Bello noted that even for safety reasons, cattles should not roam the streets and highways in the city.

This came as the FCT administration said it has earmarked a total of 33,485 hectares for grazing reserves to cater for about seven million herds of cattle in the territory.

The hectares comprised of Paikon Kore (8,500 hectares), Karshi (6,000 hect-

ares), Kawu in Bwari (9,000 hectares) and Rubochi in Kuje (9,985 hectares.)

FCT Minister, Musa Bello, disclosed this when he met with members of the Miyatti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria, FCT chapter.

According to him, “In a

modern city, it is not possible for animals and vehicles to move together on the roads because this could cause accidents which in some cases could be fatal.”

The minister commended Miyatti Allah for its support to the FCT administration and the Federal

FG promoting manufacturing, local productions in Nigeria —Osinbajo •Innoson, Chinese firms to partner in $1bn foreign investment plan Clement Idoko-Abuja

VICE President, Yemi Osinbajo, has assured the private sector in Nigeria that the Federal Government will continue to put in place, the right policies that will encourage massive manufacturing and production of goods in the country.

Osinbajo spoke on Monday, at a meeting in the Presidential Villa, with a delegation from the Innoson Group and some Chinese business interests, including Shangdong Broadcasting Group led by Chief Innocent Chukwuma, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Innoson Group.

He said in the next few years, President Muhammadu Buhari administration would continue to actively pursue a plan for the massive manufacturing and production of goods

in the country as much as possible.

He added that the Federal Government would rally with business interests who could facilitate the plan, adding “manufacturing in Nigeria is a primary objective of this government; it is a work we intend to do in the next few years to manufacture and produce in Nigeria as much as we can.”

He explained that it is because of the administration’s commitment to spur manufacturing and local production in the country that the initiative of Innoson Group to work with Chinese partners is being addressed as a “strategic collaboration.”

Innoson Group is collaborating with three Chinese firms: Shangdong Broadcasting Group, and Shangdong Cable Interactive Services, regarded as leading biggest TV opera-

tors, and Inspur Group, said to be China’s foremost leader in Cloud Computing solution suppliers and IT service provider.

Senior Special AssistantMedia and Publicity, in the Office of the Vice President, Mr Laolu Akande, in a statement in Abuja, quoted Chukwuma as saying earlier the Chinese firms have decided to invest about $1 billion in the Nigerian economy within the next 12-24 months.

The initiative, the VP said “is bound to yield very good fruits and do very well,” adding also that the timing is right “as we are at a point that we must engage technological solutions in our development plans.”

Professor Osinbajo then explained the importance of competition and competitive pricing in such an effort. “In all we try to do, we believe there must be competition, competitive

Why we banned IMN’s activities in Plateau— Lalong Governor Simon Lalong of Plateau has explained that security considerations were “purely responsible for the ban on the activities of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria (IMN) in the state.’’

“Plateau has laws regulating the practice of religions; we have a duty to ensure that the practice of religion does not constitute a security risk to anyone,” Lalong said in Jos, on Monday.

The governor, who spoke through Mr Dan Manjang, his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, was reacting to allegations

by IMN that he (Lalong) was merely copying what his Kaduna counterpart, Ahmed El-Rufai, did a week earlier.

Lalong had banned the group last week, following series of protests that turned violent and led to the deaths of some of the sect members after a clash with security personnel.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that some members of the group were also injured while many were arrested.

IMN leader in Plateau, Alhaji Ibrahim Musa, while reacting to the ban, told newsmen on Sunday that

Lalong merely replicated what El-Rufai did “without recourse to the dictates of the law.’’

“The governor stood logic on its head by outrightly banning our organisation.

There was no reason for his action.

“The arbitrary ban has stripped us of our fundamental rights to practise our faith,” he claimed.

But Lalong dismissed the allegations that Plateau merely emulated Kaduna, wondering why the state should be accused of seeking to domesticate a decision taken by the Kaduna government.

He said that the ban was to protect residents of Plateau “including members Continued on Pg 34

prices and plans,” the Vice President noted, believing that the Chinese firms must have taken that into consideration as well.

Meanwhile, Chukwuma detailed the investments intended by the Chinese firms to include: “a credit facility of $300 million for local production and supply of 5-8 million SetTop Boxes for the Digital Switch-Over in broadcasting in the country to meet a target date of June 2017.

“An investment of $100 million to establish technology-based Direct-ToHome Digital Bing Television Stations.

“A further investment of $600 million for Smart City CCTV camera and IT solutions for taxation, both using Cloud Computing, and E-Education IT solu-

tions with big data centres in all federal universities and polytechnics in the country.”

According to the Chairman of Innoson Group, “every plan to make a success of all these projects have been concluded between our two parties.”

Responding, the Vice President stated: “We are looking forward to working with you in the next few months to realise the plans that you have laid out.”

The Deputy Minister of the Communist Party in Shandong Province and Chairman of the Shandong Broadcasting Group, Mr Liu Baoju, and Mr Huang Gang, Senior Vice President of Inspur Group, were among dignitaries in the business delegation at the meeting.

Government and urged them to continue to robustly support the government of President Muhammadu Buhari.

He urged the association to nominate some of their members to serve in the ministerial task team on environment under the chairmanship of Squadron Leader, Abdullahi Adamu Monjel to ensure that there is smooth communication between FCTA and the association.

He said, “You have to understand that when Abuja Environmental Protection Board says cattle should not roam the city, it is not because they want to prevent cattle breeders from rearing cattle in the FCT. Basically, it is just for safety. It is for safety of your cattle and above all, safety of the citizens.”

Earlier, the chairman of the FCT Chapter of Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria, Malam Yahaya Isah, promised to continue to interface with the administration to promote peaceful co-existence in the country.

He assured that his association will enlighten the members not to breed their cattle on the streets and highways of Abuja again.

news N304m fraud: Former acting NIMASA DG opts for plea bargain 5

AyomideOwonibiOdekanyin-Lagos

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OLLOWING their arraignment over a N304 million fraud, a former acting Director-General of the Nigerian Maritime Admin-

Tuesday, 25 October, 2016

istration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Haruna Jauro and two others, have begun the process of plea bargain talks with the Federal Government.

Mr Rotimi Oyedepo, a Prosecutor with the Economic and

Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) confirmed the move before Justice Mojisola Olatoregun of a Federal High Court in Lagos, on Monday.

Jauro, Dr Dauda Bawa and Thlumbau Enterprises Limited, were arraigned on

19 counts on April 12, 2016 by the EFCC. Jauro assumed the leadership of NIMASA, following the sacking of the erstwhile Director-General of the agency, Patrick Apkobolokemi, who is now being prosecuted

FG blames low budget implementation on capacity gaps THE Federal Government has blamed the low level implementation of annual budgets and national development plans in the public service on capacity gaps in the country.

The Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Budget and National Planning, Mrs

Fatima Mede, said this in a statement on Monday, after a training for budget and planning officers of federal MDAs in Kano.

The training was organised and conducted by the Centre for Management Development (CMD).

CMD was established by the

EFCC’s inability to provide documents stalls Rickey Tarfa’s trial AyomideOwonibiOdekanyin-Lagos

THE proposed trial of Mr Rickey Tarfa, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), who was arraigned in court by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, for allegedly shielding two fraud suspects, was on Monday, stalled due to the inability of the EFCC to provide the defense team necessary documents required for the trial.

It will be recalled that the anti-graft agency had dragged Tarfa before the court for allegedly preventing its officers from arresting two fraud suspects, Nadir Odeste and Gnanhoue of Rane Prestige Nig.Ltd and Hair Prestige Nig. Ltd, on the premises of the state High Court, Igbosere.

At the hearing of the matter on Monday, before Justice Aishat Opesanwo, counsel to the prosecution, Abba Mohammed, tendered before the court a petition written by the prosecution witness, Awolusi Moses, intimating the Deputy Director of Operation, how the defendant allegedly prevented the arrest of the suspects.

However, in his reaction, the defence counsel, Abiodun Owonikoko (SAN) objected to the tendering of the document, on the grounds that it was not included in the proof of evidence filed before the court by the prosecution.

“The petition written by the PW1 was not front loaded in the proof of evidence of the prosecution. The EFCC adopted a tactics of trial by ambush as we are never aware of the petition as part of proof of evidence contrary to standard rule of criminal procedure,” he said.

“The whole world is watching the trial, more so the EFCC has finished the trial on the pages of newspaper and now cannot continue in court. We are shocked that since the last adjournment, prosecution has not done the

needful to commence trial,” he said.

Owonikoko further said his client has been out of practice as a result of the trial “That is why we are ready to speed up the trial without delay. The whole world is watching.”

Irked be the action of the EFCC, Justice Opesanwo said she was shocked by the action of the commission, adding that the matter is of public importance and interest.

She added that the court vacated other matters earlier scheduled to hear the matter but it was obvious the agency was not prepared for this trial.

She therefore adjourned the matter till October 31, 2016.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Miss Adedokun Oyindamola Elizabeth now MRS ADETUTU O Y I N D A M O L A ELIZABETH. All former document remain valid. NYSC and general public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Miss Tiamiyu Abolade Tawakalt now MRS OLUNLADE ABOLADE TAWAKALT. All former document remain valid. NYSC and general public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Mrs Hamzat Oyeladun now MRS HAMZAT OMOLOLA FAUSAT. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

Federal Government as the operational arm of the Nigerian Council for Management Development (NCMD).

The Centre commenced operations in 1973, although it only derived its legal backing by an Act of 1976.

It is also actively involved in the regulation of standards, development of managerial manpower for the country and a broad range of skills to enhance the quality of management and leadership for the attainment of national economic goals.

Mede, who was represented by Mr Aminu Yargaya, also blamed some government agencies for not being able to effectively formulate or implement sector plans or annual budgets.

She said countries like China, Malaysia and Indonesia were growing successfully and sustaining rapid developments because of their consistent implementation of National Development Plans.

To contend the gap, she said the ministry embarked on a capacity training for budget and planning officers in Ministries, Departments

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Oladele Olusola Moses now ABIODUN JULIUS OLADELE. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME I, formerly Miss Ike Ngozi Joy now MRS. OKOYE NGOZI JOY. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Kusanu Moyosore Olufolake now MRS KALEJAIYE MOYOSORE OLUFOLAKE. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

and Agencies (MDAs).

“The Federal Ministry of Budget and National Planning is conducting a rigorous capacity building programme on planning, plan formulation and effective linkage to the budgeting process for Budget and Planning Officers “This would be done for officers of Federal Ministries, Departments and Agencies as part of the process in the preparation of the 2017 Budget as well as the 2017/19 Strategic Plan,’’Mede stated.

She explained that expenditures were now tied to the country’s needs for maximum impact on the lives of the citizens.

“This is buttressed by the introduction of such economic and fiscal policies as Zero-based-Budgeting (ZBB), Treasury Single Account (TSA), Bank Verification Number (BVN) and the Restructuring of the Budget Framework.

alongside others for alleged multi-billion naira fraud in the agency.

The EFCC accused Jauro and others of conspiring among themselves to defraud NIMASA to the tune of N304.1 million between January 2014 and September 2015.

The anti-graft agency alleged that the defendants converted the sum to their own.

The defendants, however, pleaded not guilty to all the counts, following which they were admitted to a bail of N5 million each with two sureties in like sum.

At the resumed proceedings of the case on Monday, however, Jauro’s lawyer, Chief Babajide Koku, told

Justice Olatoregun that his client had decided to enter into plea bargain with the EFCC. Koku said his client took the decision on Monday, adding that he had already commenced talks with the EFCC. “The plea bargain decision came up this morning.

I discussed directly with my learned friend, prosecuting counsel,” Koku informed the court.

Consequently, Justice Olatoregun directed the parties to proceed with the plea bargain and to ensure a smooth process without delay.

She adjourned till November 21, 2016 for the parties to return to court to give a report on the process.

6

Tuesday, 25 October, 2016

Metro...

Nigerian Tribune

crime, security, court Police parade 9 suspects in Abia Celestine Ihejirika - Umuahia

ABIA State Police Command has paraded nine suspected criminals for various crimes, including kidnapping, rape, vandalism, car snatching and being in possesssion of arms and ammunition.

Commissioner of Police in the state, Mr Leye Oyebade, disclosed this on Thursday while parading the suspects at the police headquarters, Umuahia.

He said on October 18, the operatives of Arochukwu Division arrested three per-

Retired Assistant Inspector General of Police, Zone 5, Benin, Mr Isaac Eke, during his pull-in parade at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium, Benin-City, on Monday.

Tricycle operator arrested for abducting, raping 15-yr-old girl Olalekan Olabulo - Lagos

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commercial tricyclist has been arrested for forcefully abducting and turning a 15-year-old girl to a sex slave in the Agege area of Lagos State.

The suspect, 28-year-old Dada (other name withheld), was a few days ago arrested by operatives of the Rapid Response Squad (RRS), who tracked him to another part of Agege.

The suspect, Metro gathered, however, denied abducting the victim, insisting that they were lovers and that they had been together for over a year.

The victim also claimed to have been forcefully deflowered by the suspect and claimed that she continued to stay with him because she could not go back home.

A police source told Metro that the suspect abducted the victim on October 5, when she was sent on an errand by her aunt.

The alleged abduction of the girl was disclosed by her sister, Mrs Gbemisola who disclosed that the girl was abducted with a sum of N58, 000 meant for her thrift contribution.

Metro also learnt that the

suspect, after weeks of lodging in several locations to evade arrest, was eventually nabbed by the operatives at his residence, 7, Oseni Street, Danjuma Cinema area, Agege, with the girl in his one room apartment.

The suspect said “We started having secret affair about a year ago, but her sister frowned on our relationship when she got to know.

“Unknown to her, we were still seeing each other. In order to be having regular conversation with her, I bought a mobile phone for her and instructed her to hide it from her sister. So, whenever she intended coming to meet me, she would call and I would describe our meeting point.

“Then I thought if she could elope with me, that would be better for us. I started working on her psyche and deceiving her with some material things.

“I was able to perpetrate the crime when her sister sent her on errand one Sunday afternoon.

“However, I didn’t know she was with such amount of money. I just wanted to take her far away from her guardian who was not in support of our relationship,” he stated.

According to the victim,

“he forced himself on me the very first day I visited him at his residence. Ever since, he had been having sex with me without using condom.

“He slept with me anywhere and even at his friend’s place where he hid me for weeks. I succumbed to him because I couldn’t go back home,” she added.

She also said the suspect collected the N58, 000 her sister gave her.

“He fed me thrice a day probably from that thrift contribution money,” she added.

An alleged accomplice to the crime, Waisu (other name withheld), who was arrested for harbouring the suspect and the abducted girl in his room, was also arrested by the police.

Wasiu, however, denied being aware that the girl was abducted and also insisted that he only harboured them for just a night.

“If I had known the girl was abducted, I would have advised him to return her to her parents. I never believed he could commit such crime.

“He begged me to accommodate them for one night with her in my room, stressing that he left my place the following day to somewhere else. I regretted allowing them to pass the night in my place,” Wasiu said.

The image maker in charge of the state police command, Dolapo Badmos, confirmed the arrest of the suspect and the accomplice to Metro, adding that they had been transferred to the police division, where the crime was committed for further investigation and prosecution.

Scavengers set 17 vehicles ablaze in Anambra Suzy Oruya - Onitsha AT least 17 vehicles were at the weekend mistakenly set ablaze by scavengers at Mgbuka Obosi market, Idemili North Local Government Area of Anambra State.

Metro gathered that the scavengers were said to have set a refuse dump in a gully ablaze, ostensibly to easily detect metals, irons and other needed waste when the inferno suddenly extended and touched a nearby mechanic workshop where 17 vehicles were gut-

ted by the fire.

Speaking on the incident, chairman of the Mgbuka Market, Chief Emmanuel Obiagwu, accused scavengers of causing the disaster, adding that the dumping site was earmarked by the state government for refuse dumping.

Exonerating the traders and himself from causing the fire incident, he said the motor mechanic was not part of the market.

“The owner of the mechanic workshop is not our member; he does not pay

for security levy and other payments we make.

“He should not point accusing finger at me or my members and to show sympathy, I mobilised some traders and called on the fire service men, who stormed the scene and put out the fire. If not, it would have escalated farther to the market, wreaking more havoc.

“I also informed the Awada Divisional Police Officer, Mr Josiah Bakyu, who immediately sent his men to the scene,” he said.

sons, Chima (35); Immaculate (25) and Uche (20) (surnames withheld) for defiling a 12-year-old girl at Amuvi Arochukwu.

He regretted that the suspects who severally took turns in defiling the victim, were arrested, following the alarm raised by the guardian.

While answering questions from journalists, Chima, in tears, vowed he never raped her, but at a point attempted to, while Uche admitted to the crime, adding that the devil used him to commit the crime.

He disclosed that police from Ndiegoro Division Aba, acting on intelligence gathering on October 15 at Adeze by Market Roadjunction, Aba, recovered one double barrel short gun cut to seize, two locally-made pistols, three lives cartridges and one empty shell from them.

In a related development, the Police Commissioner further revealed that the police in Aba, in collaboration with vigilante group rescued a Ghana-based businessman, who was kidnapped around Enugu/ Port Harcourt expressway at Umuikaa junction same day.

On arrest of the suspected car thieves, he said Victor (surname withheld), a student of Caritas University in Enugu State was paraded for stealing a Mercedes Benz 230E car with registration number UMA 134HR, while for vandalism, his command, following the tip-off, apprehended two suspects, Dike and George (surnames withheld) in Isuochi, who specialise in vandalising streetlights installations within the local government.

He, however, warned group or persons who were in the habit of causing unrest in the state to desist forthwith, as police were prepared for any protest arising from any quarter, while assuring police’s adequate protection of lives and property during the ember period.

7

Tuesday, 25 October, 2016

Nigerian Tribune

Edited By Oluwatoyin Malik

08116954633, 08078891950 e-mail: tribunecrimedesk@gmail.com

NDLEA arrests 191 suspects in Kano Kola Oyelere - Kano

The arraigned suspected kidnappers of Oniba of Iba at the Lagos High Court, Igbosere, on Monday. PHOTO: SYLVESTER OKORUWA

Man lands in court for alleged N19.6m forex fraud Sam Nwaoko - Ado Ekiti

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man, Omolayo Kayode was on Monday arraigned before the Federal High Court sitting in Ado Ekiti, the Ekiti State capital, for allegedly obtaining the sum of N19,600,000 from one Eric Ben under false pretense.

The prosecutor, DSP Femi

Falade, told the court that the accused committed the offence between August and September, 2012 in AdoEkiti.

The charge sheet with number FHC/AD/27c/2016 read thus: “That you, Omolayo Kayode sometimes between August and September, 2012 in Ado-Ekiti, within Ado-Ekiti Judicial Division, under false pretence of be-

ing a Forex trader and with intent to defraud, did obtain the sum of N19,600,000 from one Eric Chechet.

According to the prosecutor, “the offence committed is punishable under Sections 1(3) and 11 of Advance Fee Fraud and Other Related Offences Act, 2006.”

Falade also told the court that he had three witnesses to prove his case and prayed

for an adjournment to enable him prepare for the case.

The accused pleaded not guilty to the one-count charge against him, when the charge was read to him by the court.

Following the charges and the plea, counsel for the accused, Mr Rotimi Adabembe, filed a 44-paragraph affidavit for bail in favour

Gang injures man for preventing daughter from being raped Olalekan Olabulo - Lagos AN unidentified man was at the weekend injured by a gang of two-man rapists, who invaded his home in Igando.

The injured man had prevented the gang members from raping his teenage daughter when they pounced on him and inflicted matchete cut on his head.

The image maker in charge of the state police command, Dolapo Badmos, confirmed the incident, adding that that one of the gang members was arrested.

Metro gathered that the timely arrival of a reinforced team of policemen prevented the arrested suspect from being lynched by a mob.

A police source at Igando divisional police station, who pleaded anonymity, while speaking with Metro said ‘we received a distress

call around 5.20 a.m.”

He said “we got a report that robbers were operating at Ismaila Abass Street and when we got there, we got the information that they had forced their way into a room.

“The two members were armed with cutlasses and a man confronted them when they attempted to rape his daughter.”

The gang members, Metro gathered, after injuring the man, made attempts to loot some of his belongings when policemen arrived at the scene.

One of the gang members escaped while another one, identified as Akeem (surname withheld), popularly known as ‘Scorpion’ in Igando was arrested.

Some residents of the area mobilised one another and made attempts to attack the arrested suspect but were prevented by the po-

lice .

Badmos, while speaking on the incident, said preliminary investigations revealed that arrested suspects had been on the wanted list of the police for robbery.

She also stated that the state police boss, Fatai Owoseni, had directed that the suspect should be transferred to the Special Anti Robbery Squad for further investigations.

of his client in pursuant to Sections 158 to 165 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, 2016.

However, the prosecution opposed the motion for application for bail.

The trial judge, Justice D.U. Okorowo granted bail to the accused in the sum of N5,000,000 and one surety in like sum.

Justice Okorowo added that the surety should have a landed property within the court’s jurisdiction worth N5,000,000 and that the Certificate of Occupancy of the property be submitted to the court’s Registrar.

He, thereafter, adjourned the case till November 23 and December 7 for definite hearing.

THE National Drug Law Enforcement and Agency (NDLEA) Kano commander, Hamza Umar, has said a total number of 191 suspects were arrested in connection with illicit drugs, while the command secured six convictions during the third quarter of this year.

According to him, the command also uncovered a total number of 25 tons and 195 kilogrammes of hard substance from the above suspects.

Speaking with Metro in an exclusive interview on Monday, Alhaji Umar added that the command had 154 pending cases of suspects in the law court.

When a question was asked about officers of the agency, who were alleged to be conniving with drug barons and sellers, the commander said “I will not tell you that it was not true, because on one or two occasions, I had issues related to that.”

He stated that this involved two officers of the command and after a thorough investigation, one Murtala Usman was dismissed, while another was restricted to be stationed at the gate of the command.

Alhaji Umar, however, observed that in order to nip in the bud the rampant cases of consumption of hard drugs in the state, the command observed that the issue of going out with guns to arrest suspects could not solve this, but added that resolve to engage all stakeholders would go a long way in achieving this.

23-yr-old arrested for attempting to dupe Tinubu, Otedola, lawyers Olalekan Olabulo - Lagos A 23-year-old resident of Festac town in Lagos State has been arrested for allegedly trying to dupe a former governor of Lagos State Asiwaju Bola Tinubu and business mogul, Femi Otedola.

The suspect, Babatunde (surname withheld) was arrested by the operatives of the Special Fraud Unit (SFU) of the Nigeria Police, Milberton Road, Ikoyi, Lagos State.

Apart from attempts to defraud Tinubu and Otedola, the suspect also reportedly blackmailed a female lawyer by posting her nude picture

on the internet.

Babatunde had reportedly insisted on collecting N3.5 million before he could remove the picture from the internet.

A police source at SFU, who pleaded anonymity, while speaking with the Metro, described the suspect as a serial fraud, who made a living by obtaining money from his victims under false personality.

It was further gathered that the suspect was using a website, to perpetrate the dastardly act.

The unidentified female lawyer and two other persons had reportedly petitioned the Commissioner of Police in

charge SFU, which led to the arrest of the suspect.

“The suspect had demanded for the sum of N3.5 million from the lawyer to enable him remove the provocative pictures from the site,” the police said.

The victim had reportedly pleaded with the suspect that she could not afford such money and that his actions had led her losing her job and marriage.

The Public Relations Officer in charge of SFU, Lawal Audi, while confirming the arrest of the suspect in a statement, said the suspect had three different cases at the SFU.

The SFU spokesperson said “on October 19, 2016, one Dapo Balogun reported a case of extortion, blackmail and threat to life against the suspect.

“The complainant claimed that the suspect had posted on his website a story alleging that he had worked with former Petroleum Minister, Deziani Allison-Maduekwe and that throughout the period he had fraudulently acquired huge sums of money,” the police stated.

The suspect, however, denied the allegations, insisting that he was framed by the owner of the website in question.

8 news LASU dismisses 13 staff for falsifying results, other offences Tuesday, 25 October, 2016

T

HE Lagos State University (LASU) has dismissed 13 members of staff in the junior cadre, following reports from the Junior Staff Disciplinary Committee.

The institution, in an official bulletin obtained by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), in Lagos, on Monday, said the decision was taken by the governing council at its 112th statutory meeting

held recently.

It said the council, after deliberation, approved the recommendation of the disciplinary committee to dismiss 13 out of the 14 staff members presented by the disciplinary committee for necessary action.

“Council at its 112th statutory meeting received and considered Paper No. 10/GC/16/068 on the Report of Junior Staff Disciplinary Committee on allegations levelled against some members of staff.

“It, after deliberations, approved the recommendation of the Junior Staff Disciplinary Committee on the affected members of staff,’’ it said.

The university authorities

said in the bulletin that one of the staff members was exonerated of the allegation of falsification of results levelled against him.

According to the

Clement Idoko, Abuja, with Agency Report FORMER deputy governor of Plateau State and ambassador-nominee, Mrs Pauline Tallen, on Monday,

explained her reasons for turning down her ambassadorial nomination.

Tallen, according to TheCable, said “proper consultation was not done” before her nomination was

Ondo guber: INEC dismisses Jimoh Ibrahim’s allegations against Babalola, Agbaje THE Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), on Monday, debunked the allegations of bribery and complicity levelled against its acting director, Legal Services, Mrs Toyin Babalola and the Ondo State Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Mr Olusegun Agbaje, by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) factional candidate in the state governorship election, Mr Jimoh Ibrahim.

The commission said the allegations were false.

In a statement made available to newsmen in Abuja, by its national commissioner, Adedeji Soyebi, on Monday, the commission declared that “from its preliminary investigation, nothing can be farther from the truth.”

It, however, re-assured “all Nigerians that it will never succumb to any form of blackmail or intimidation, but will remain focused on its determination to deliver free, transparent and credible elections, based on the rule of law.”

“On the first allegation, our investigation revealed that Mr Ibrahim turned up at the INEC headquarters, Abuja unannounced, made his way to Mrs Babalola’s office, brandished a copy of the court document and insisted that INEC should accept him as the official candidate of the PDP for the Ondo governorship poll.

“On sighting the unexpected guest, Mrs Babalola called

three other lawyers in her department to witness her encounter with Mr Ibrahim and politely told him that the commission was already in possession of the court document.

“At no time during the encounter that lasted less than 15 minutes did Mrs Babalola ask for $1 million.

Therefore, the allegation by Mr Ibrahim is false.

“It should, however, be

Fani-Kayode slumped in EFCC custody —Aide FORMER Aviation Minister, Chief Femi FaniKayode, was said to have slumped in the custody of the Economic Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in Abuja.

The former minster’s aide, Jude Ndukwe, in a press statement issued late Monday said Chief FaniKayode slumped while in detention on Saturday, October 22.

He said that but for the “quick and professional intervention of the medical team in the EFCC medical facilities, the story could have been different; it could

The bulletin indicated that one of the affected staff members was dismissed for involvement in fraudulent act, two for theft and one for abandonment of duty.

3 reasons I rejected Buhari’s ambassadorial nomination —Tallen

Winner of the “Glo Campus Data Diva”, Ikpe Ibe Joy (right), being presented with her cheque by Globacom’s Head of Operations, South South, Mr Nwachukwu Aja, during the Glo Campus Storm music concert held by Globacom, at the Enugu Campus of University of Nigeria (UNN), on Friday.

Jacob Segun Olatunji -Abuja

authorities, nine of the affected members of staff were dismissed on the grounds of falsification and irregularities in their West African Examination Council (WAEC) results.

have been fatal.”

Chief Fani-Kayode’s media aide, while recalling what the former minister went through in the hands of the commission’s operatives during his first 67 days incarceration, said the health condition worsened because he painfully but willingly cut short his therapy and medical check to attend to court proceedings.

“We reiterate our earlier stand that nothing untoward must happen to Chief Fani-Kayode, whether now or in the nearest future,” he said.

noted that court orders/ judgments are served by court bailiffs and not individual parties “Furthermore, INEC only receives nomination papers from the national chairmen of political parties or their designated officials and not aspirants.

“In the second instance, the commission discovered that it was Mr Ibrahim, who through an intermediary, tried to arrange a meeting with the Ondo State REC in London.

“This, Mr Agbaje promptly declined and insisted that if Mr Ibrahim wanted to see him (Agbaje), he was free to do so at the Ondo State INEC office during official hours.

“Therefore, Mr lbrahim’s allegation cannot be the correct account of what actually took place,” the statement read.

The commission assured that it would never succumb to any form of blackmail or intimidation, but would remain focused on its determination to deliver free, transparent and credible elections, based on the rule of law.

announced.

In a statement by her media aide, she also rejected the offer in order to be fair to other parts of the state in terms of federal appointments.

Tallen, a former minister of science and technology and Labour Party (LP) governorship candidate in Plateau in 2011, said this in Abuja.

“I hail from the same local government and tribe with Governor Simon Lalong. I turned down the nomination because of balancing of appointments; I don’t think it is right for me to accept the appointment,” she said.

“Secondly, proper consultation was not done.

My governor was not consulted because I called him when he was in United States of America to ask, but he said that he was not aware.

“For me, I was consulted and I turned down the appointment even before the announcement was made. My husband’s illhealth is another reason I will not accept the appointment,” she said.

Tallen said President Muhammadu Buhari gave her another option and also assured her that

Plateau would not miss its two slots.

The former deputy governor, who appreciated Buhari for the honour, said her name was not included in the list of nominees and was surprised when the announcement was made.

Meanwhile, Lalong has described Tallen’s decline as an exhibition of political maturity.

The governor, speaking with State House correspondents on Monday, explained that he had already approached President Buhari, saying Tallen turned down the appointment to allow fairness in the state in terms representation at the federal level.

Lalong admitted that he was not consulted before her name was announced in the ambassadorial list, saying her nomination generated uproar because the appointments were not equitably distributed.

He said it was also a demonstration that “Tallen is a matured politician to have stepped down and sacrifice that for the people of Plateau.”

The governor, therefore, said the state was still working on a replacement.

NAFDAC headquarters under lock As workers go on strike over poor welfare Adetola Bademosi -Abuja HEAD office of National Agency for Food and Drugs Administration Control (NAFDAC) was, on Monday, placed under lock and keys, with heavy presence of police operatives guarding entrance to the premises.

On a visit to the agency on Monday, the building was completely deserted with only security officials of the agency loitering around the premises.

A source, who spoke with the Nigerian Tribune on condition of anonymity, said the premises had been locked up since last week by the workers union in the agency.

He explained that the workers were currently on strike over poor welfare and some demands which were not met by the government.

He, however, did not go into details of these demands.

Efforts to reach the Director of Special Duties, Mr Ibrahim Abubakar, was futile.

Also the public relations officer of the agency, when contacted, declined to make comments on the development, adding that the headquarters had been under lock since last week.

On reasons for the strike, he simply said “no, I cannot make any comment on that.”

9 news

Tuesday, 25 October, 2016

Corruption: NJC sets up 10-man ethics committee

•Launches new judicial policy •Bars judicial officers from accepting gifts Sunday Ejike -Abuja WORRIED by public complaints and dwindling public confidence in the ability of the National Judicial Council (NJC) to deliver justice, the Council, on Monday, launched National Judicial Policy that would guide and provide principles that would ensure an efficient, effective and transparent judicial system in the country.

The policy that was launched by the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN) and chairman of the NJC, Justice Mahmud Mohammed, would guide and provide principles and guidelines for tackling and dealing with issues and providing actions for effective and durable solutions to the problems facing the nation’s judiciary.

The objective of the National Judicial Policy, according to the former chairman of the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC), Justice Emmanuel Olayinka Ayoola, who gave the synopsis, was to promote and ensure the highest possible standard of qualitative justice delivery.

The policy also emphasises the need to strengthen existing judicial discipline procedures to ensure accessibility by complainants; transparency and fairness in the process, both to the judges and to the complainants, in line with international best practices.

The new policy set to bar publications of allegations of misconduct levelled against judges and employees of the judiciary as it stated that, “It shall be the policy of the judiciary on complaints that allegations of misconduct against judicial officers or employees of the judiciary shall not be leaked or published in the media.”

Section 2.2.4 to Section 2.2.9 of the new National Judicial Policy reads, “Where complaints on allegations against judicial officers and court employees are submitted for investigation, the complainant or complainants shall be made to give an undertaking not to do anything to prejudice investigation or actions that may be taken.

“The institutions of the judiciary concerned with investigation and/or implementation of decisions taken on such complaints shall be obliged to cease further action where such complaints are leaked or discussed in the media.

“Where such a leakage is occasioned after the submission of a complaint, then all investigations on the complaints shall be suspended, the leakage investigated and if such

leakage is from the complainant on through other parties known to such a complainant, such a complaint should be discarded.

“Where such leakage is occasioned prior to the presentation of the complaint and the source of the leakage is found to be the complainant or through other parties known to and connected with the complainant, then

such complaint shall not be accepted, upon submission, by the appropriate disciplinary body.

“Upon the conclusion of any investigation, the judicial disciplinary bodies may allow public disclosure of their findings, subject to following the proper channels for such disclosure.”

The policy also barred judges and judicial officers from accepting gifts from

other arms of government in the conduct of their official functions.

Section 2(3)(2) of the new policy states that, “The code of conduct for judicial officers and code of conduct for court employees, with the amendment discouraging acceptance of gifts from other arms of government, should be such as would be adequate. Compliance with their provisions shall be mandatory.”

While launching the policy at the National Judicial Institute (NJI) in Abuja, the CJN said the policy, which, he said, was a meticulous, considered and well-drafted response to calls for the judiciary to reform and harmonise its standards, would herald a steady transformation of country’s judiciary.

He said, “The National Judicial Policy is borne out of the realisation that

From left, Managing Director, Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Ms Hadiza Bala Usman; Senior Special Assistant to the President on Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr Jumoke Aduwole; President, Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Chief (Dr) Mrs Nike Akande and the Director-General, NIMASA, Dr Peterside Dakuku, at a public private dialogue on port efficiency and maritime sector road map, held at Oriental Hotel, in Lagos, last week. PHOTO: SYLVESTER OKORUWA.

the Nigerian Judiciary had been adversely affected by the absence of a clear, coordinated policy framework that defines its core morals, values, objects and aspirations.

Such concerns have bordered upon the need to make qualitative and integritydriven dispensation of justice, which is transparent, honest and trustworthy, the hallmark of our transformed Judiciary.”

According to Justice Mohammed, the policy would provide clear guidelines that embrace the broad thematic areas of the appointment, discipline, code of conduct, education, training and performance of judges, access to justice, case flow management, judicial administration and court management, transparency and anti-corruption, judicial independence, collaboration and public enlightenment.

“Corruption has serious implications for both the rule of law and access to justice, and must be fought both institutionally and individually. This is why the National Judicial Policy contains clear provisions restating the judiciary’s commitment to transparency and accountability,” he added.

50 NGOs threaten to ground judiciary Kolawole Daniels - Abuja THE Forum of NonG o v e r n m e n t a l Organisations that comprises over 50 NGOs, on Monday, threatened to ground the judicial system if the indicted judges in the bribery scandals were not prosecuted.

The forum, at a press briefing in Abuja, also called for immediate resignations of indicted judges, saying they “have been tainted in the court of public opinion,” hence the need to clear themselves of the allegations against them.

The chairman of the forum, Mr Wole Badmus, who spoke on behalf of the forum, said: “We are, hereby, calling on the serving judges/justices among who were arrested by the DSS to immediately step down, since the conniving NJC is not willing to suspend them.

Even though the arrested judges/justices have not been declared guilty by any court of law, they have been tainted in the court of public opinion and their positions are no longer tenable until they have been able to clear themselves of the allegations against them.”

According to him, “If the affected judges/justices fail to step down, we will mobilise Nigerians to

besiege their courts until they have heeded the call to step down, which even their allies, the NBA, as well as the body of Senior Advocates of Nigeria, has endorsed.

“We will also embark on a peaceful demonstration in support of the battle to rid the judiciary of bad eggs,” he stated.

The chairman of the forum also maintained that “we

don’t believe the Nigerian Judiciary is corrupt, but that there is corruption in the Nigerian Judiciary. We are aware that there are many men and women of integrity in the judiciary, hence we will not want to tar this important arm of government with a common brush.

The forum questioned why the NJC is ‘shielding’ the indicted justices from

being prosecuted. They also argued, citing Section 2 (3) of the National Security Agencies Act 1986, the powers conferred on the Department of State Security Services to prosecute financial crimes.

“Our research shows that the NJC has been engaged only in a cosmetic fight against bad eggs in the judiciary, between 2000 and

2016, not one of the 73 judges sanctioned by the NJC for various acts of corruption was prosecuted! The NJC has also refused to release the records of the proceedings in recommending sanctions against those judges. Not even the freedom of information act has compelled the NJC to release the records. If this is not a cover up, what is it?” he stated.

Alleged massive insurance fraud: Reps vow to unmask perpetrators Jacob Segun Olatunji -Abuja THE House of Representatives ad hoc committee investigating the alleged multi-billion Naira cash paid fraudulently to government officials annually by insurance companies mandated to insure government’s fixed and non fixed assets by way of return on premium, on Monday, vowed to unmask the perpetrators.

The chairman of the committee, Honourable Adekunle Akinlade, who disclosed this at the opening ceremony of the investigation in Abuja, on Monday, said the committee was not to witchhunt any individual, group of persons or organisation, but to carry out its mandate within the ambit of the law, which was to establish whether or not the monies

were paid to civil servants.

While confirming that the committee had already identified very alarming infractions running into billions of Naira, which, he said, would not be made public for now, Akinlade hinted that the committee was “still consulting with the relevant law enforcement agencies and financial institutions to ascertain the level of complicity of those involved.”

Akinlade, however, raised eyebrow over the refusal of some government agencies to make submissions to the committee that would have gone a long way in carrying out its assignment as mandated by the House.

The government agencies that failed to make submission to the committee, according to the chairman, included: Central Bank of

Nigeria(CBN), the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Nigeria Security and Minting Corporation (NSMC), among others.

While frowning on the failure of the aforementioned agencies to make presentation to the committee, Akinlade said, “it is unfortunate that they are under the illusion that this is ‘business as usual.’

“The assumption that by submerging their heads under water and holding their breaths, this investigation will pass by is a grave error of judgment because this committee shall invoke its full powers to enforce compliance,” he declared.

The ad hoc committee is expected to compel the Head of Service of the Federation and other statutory government establishments that purchased direct insurance covers to provide

detailed data of all premiums paid on group life (general) and related government assets in the last three years.

The committee is also expected to investigate the complicity of brokerage firms and insurance companies in the alleged multi-billion Naira return on premium practice.

The committee was equally mandated to carry out indepth audit of the selection process and execution of such covers by government assets, underwriters, with a view of eradicating the fraudulent practice.

The committee, in the course of its investigation, grilled the representatives of Standard Insurance, Regency Insurance and NICON Insurance, among others, their companies’ roles in the handling of government insurance policy.

10

news

Tuesday, 25 October, 2016

Imported commercial vehicles must be fitted with speed limiters from January 1 – FRSC

T

HE Corps Marshal of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Mr Boboye Oyeyemi, on Monday, said all commercial vehicles coming into the country from January 1, 2017 must be fitted with speed limiter.

Oyeyemi stated this in Kaduna, when he visited the FRSC Sector Command for routine interaction with personnel to strengthen operational duties and general service delivery, the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports.

Oyeyemi, represented by the Head of Operations, FRSC Headquarters Abuja, Deputy Corps Marshal Ojeme Ewhrudjakpor, said that the measure was to ensure safety on Nigerian roads.

He disclosed that the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) had written to all importers of vehicles to comply with the order.

“This will reduce the pains of buying a vehicle and be forced to spend again to install the device.

“Currently, some vehicles coming into the country are already fitted with the device; all you need do is to calibrate it.

“But if motor owners insist on buying vehicle without speed limiter, then they will have to fix it or we will impound it,” Oyeyemi said.

He also said that the corps would meet with vehicle assembly plants within the country this week; to see how they could install the device as part of vehicles fitted specifications.

The FRSC boss explained that the current persuasive enforcement of the device was to give motorist time to comply, adding that, “from January 1, 2017, it is an offence not to have it on commercial vehicles.

“Some of the vendors have agreed to allow vehicle owners pay for the device over time, but from January 1, it is going to be full enforcement, as we will impound your vehicle if you don’t have it.

“There is nowhere in the world where public transport is not regulated.

“If you go the United Kingdom, or the United States, public transports do not go beyond 90 kilometers per hour,” he said.

Earlier, the Sector Commander, Mr Francis Udoma, thanked the corps marshal for the visit, adding that the interaction would boost the morale of marshals and their commitment to duty.

On the speed limit device enforcement, Udoma said that out of 3,033 vehicles inspected from October 1 to date, only 51 were found to have installed the de-

vice.

He said the command would continue to advise and persuade commercial

motorists during the ongoing ember month patrol, to comply and install the device, adding that from

January 1, there would be no mercy.

Udoma said that the command would continue

to work with security agencies and relevant stakeholders to restore sanity on the road.

From left, former President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo; Ogun State governor, Senator Ibukunle Amosun and Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo, at the opening ceremony of the eighth National Council on Industry, Trade and Investment (NCITI), held at June 12 Cultural Centre, Kuto, Abeokuta, on Monday.

FG targets 7,000MW power generation —Osinbajo •Enelamah embraces diversification, announces growth master plan From Olayinka Olukoya and Tyavzua Saanyol

THE Federal Government on Monday said it is targeting 7,000 megawatts power generation, to boost the nation’s economy.

This was stated by the Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, while declaring open the eighth edition of the National Council on Industry, Trade and Investment with the theme “Diversification of the Nigerian economy from over dependence on oil exports,” held at the Cultural Centre, Kuto, Abeokuta.

The four - day event had in attendance commissioners of trade, commerce and investment from the 36 states of the federation and other stakeholders.

He said this could be achievable if there was restoration of peace in the Niger-Delta area, describing power as a critical sector to national development.

The VP noted that the country lacked enough gas supply to achieve power generation, due to the challenge of vandalism in the area.

He said, “Our 7,000 MW target is achievable; of course a lot of this depends on peace in the Niger Delta.

“A lot depends on whether we are able to ensure that vandalisation stops in Niger Delta on both oil and gas facilities.

“The liquidity issue or value chain for those who are familiar with the power sector, of course you know that the problems generally are generation, trans-

mission and distribution.

“At the moment, a lot of debt is owed across the entire value chain and that is preventing further investments in that sector. But we are working very closely with the Central Bank of Nigeria to try and improve liquidity in the micro-value chain and ensure that more private investments come into the sector.

“We are doing a lot more in the area of power. I’m sure that many of us followed in February 2016, we were producing 5,000 megawatts of power which is the highest ever in the history of the country. But with the vandalisation of the Forcados terminal and four other export terminals, we found ourselves back to 2,500MW.” He added that about eight or nine transmission

projects are expected to be completed by 2017, reiterating that substantial investment of the power sector would certainly be a key in driving the economy.

In his welcome address, the Minister of Trade, Industry and Investment, Dr Okechukwu Enelamah, said Nigerians must be agent of change by promoting the country in good light as regards investment.

Enelamah pointed out that the country is not a tough environment to do business.

“The global perception is that this country is a tough environment in which to do business. We must change this negative perception. Positive perceptions will attract investors, capital, technology and

best practices,” he added.

He noted that this had to be achieved with the support of all state governments.

While the Senate Committee chairman on Industry, Dr Sam Egwu, explained that Nigeria found itself in the present economic crisis because of its largely dependence on mono -economy.

He also corroborated the position of Osinbajo on the need to stabilise power, improve agricultural sector and promotion of locally made goods.

The host governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, appealed to the Federal Government to jerk up the revenue allocation accrued to the state, based on its position as the industrial hub of the country.

Iwajowa LG boss lauds Ajimobi OYO State governor, Senator Abiola Ajimobi, has been commended for the introduction of various masses-oriented programmes in the state.

Speaking during an interactive section with newsmen at the headquarters of Iwajowa Local Government, Iwere-Ile, the chairman, Hon Egunjobi Modepoola, said these policies have contributed immensely to rapid growth and development in the state.

Hon Modepoola, said the policies have also manifested in the transformation of various local government councils in the state.

The chairman listed some of the policies to include; Public Private Partnership, Agriculture Development Initiative, cash transfer for the up keep of the poor, etc.

He hinted that agriculture development initiative had drastically reduced unemployment among job seekers in the state while public private partnership scheme was attracting investment into the state.

“The cash transfer to the down-trodden of which Iwajowa Local Government is a beneficiary will also go a long way to improve the living standard of the people,” he added.

The chairman also lauded the state government for the proactive steps it took to avert flooding despite the heavy rainfall been experienced in the state.

He added that the ongoing restructuring of the state civil service will boost productivity and reduce indolence among civil servants.

Hon Modepoola observed that the free meal programme for primary school pupils in the state would add value to education while the approval of three month salary arrears and allowances of pensioners would also boost economic activities in the state.

OBJ calls for establishment of coastal shipping system to boost trade within Africa OlayinkaOlukoya—Abeokuta

FORMER President Olusegun Obasanjo has called for the establishment of coastal shipping system to enhance trading within Africa.

He submitted that the step would increase the share of inter -Africa trade in the region total trade by 10 per cent.

The former president said this while playing host to the National Council on Trade and Investment led by the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr Okechukwu Enalamah, the Minister of State for

Industry, Trade and Investment, Aisha Abubakar and members of relevant committees of the National Assembly.

The delegation was in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital, for the eighth edition of the Council meeting with the theme “Diversification of the Nigerian Economy From Over Dependence on Oil Exports.”

Obasanjo emphasised the need for African countries to explore trading opportunities in the state continent so as to boost their economies, while calling for the removal of

all barriers against intraAfrican trade.

The former president also called for the establishment of commodity exchange for agricultural goods produced in Africa.

He said, “I want to disabuse the minds of our people against the notion that the level of trading among ourselves will be low because we are producing the same goods.

“Let us note that Britain and France produce the same goods and yet there is strong trading between the two countries.

“The same thing happens between Germany and

France as well as among European countries and between Europe and America.

“In any case, let Nigeria, who is advanced in the production of noodles sell to Angola where the goods are in heavy demand.

“Let Kenya, who is very good at producing Kiwi polish and cashew nuts sell to Nigeria first and not to Europe and we in Nigeria would in turn sell our goods for which we have comparative advantage to Kenya.

“All I know as I was growing up is farming and trading and these are the professions that my parents used to send me to school.”

11

businessnews

Tuesday, 25 October, 2016

MTN suspends Nigeria dividend payout •As new CEO resumes 3 months ahead of plan Bode Adewumi with agency report

M

TN says it had suspended dividends payouts from Nigeria, where it runs the biggest wireless phone network and which generates a third of its annual sales.

The company reported a slight fall in third-quarter user numbers due to a weaker showing in South Africa, where it vies for market share with Vodacom and Cell Companies.

The telecoms company announced this in Johannesburg on Monday, as the firm faces allegations it illegally moved 14 billion dollars out of Nigeria.

MTN Group’s next chief executive will take over three months ahead of plan.

Rob Shuter, Vodafone European boss, was due to start in July 2017; however, MTN said in a statement that accompanying its quarterly updates that the new officer would now start on March 13, 2017.

South Africa-born Shuter, a banker with risk management background, will inherit a company that is the subject of a parliamentary investigation in Nigeria if it unlawfully repatriated 13.97 billion dollars between 2006 and 2016.

“MTN Nigeria continues to refute the allegations that it had improperly repatriated funds from Nigeria.

“Consequently, MTN Nigeria will strongly defend any action that would be prejudicial to its interest”, the company said in its

quarterly update.

The crux of the allegation is that MTN did not obtain certificates declaring it had invested foreign currency in Nigeria within a 24hour deadline stipulated in a 1995 law.

It, therefore, said that the repatriation of returns on those investments was illegal.

MTN this year agreed to pay a reduced fine of 1.08

billion dollars (N330 billion) to end a long running dispute over unregistered SIM cards in Nigeria.

Shares in the company have fallen by more than 14 per cent to their lowest level in more than six years since the latest issue surfaced on Sept. 27.

Meanwhile, MTN Nigeria has denied it illegally transferred $14bn from Nigeria.

YEARS after the eventual disposal of moribund first national carrier, Nitel/ Mtel, formal complaints continue to mount over the transaction.

Creditors of liquidated Nitel/Mtel have dragged Otunba Olutola Senbore, liquidator of the corporation before the Financial Reporting Council of Nigeria (FRCN) and Presidential Advisory Committee Against Corruption (PACAC) over what they described as lack of accountability in the payment of their claims.

Some time ago, National Association of Nigerian Auctioneers complained about the manner in which non core assets of the telecom company was diasposed.

In a petition, signed by a

Mr Ferdinand Moolman, the Chief Executive Officer of MTN Nigeria told the Senate hearing in Abuja last Thursday.

“MTN is a Nigerian company and is proud to be conducting business in Nigeria. It therefore categorically refutes any accusations of money laundering, economic sabotage or tax evasion levied against it,” he added.

From left: Executive Director, Heritage Bank, Mary Akpobome; Special Adviser to Lagos State Governor on Sports/Chairman, Lagos State Sports Commission, Ayodeji Tinubu; Heritage Bank-Lagos State Skoolympics Ambassador, Mary Onyali and Divisional Head, Retail/SME, Heritage Bank, Ori Ogba, during the Heritage Bank-Lagos State Skoolympics Stakeholders meeting in Lagos.

Agric technology will boost quality of non-oil exports —NEPC

By Seyi Gesinde

EXECUTIVE Director/ Chief Executive Officer of Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC), Mr Olusegun Awolowo, has said that deployment of cutting-edge Agricultural solar drying technology will boost the quality of Ni-

gerian produce and therefore ensure that the country meets the requisite standard for exports.

Mr Awolowo who disclosed this at the launch of a prototype dryer machine in Ilorin Kwara State, said that the Federal Government in the bid to find a lasting solution to the in-

Nitel/Mtel: Creditors drag liquidator before FRC, PACAC Sanya Adejokun-Abuja

The company is facing a probe from the Senate over accusations it connived with senior Nigerian officials to move the funds out of the country without complying with the law.

“We would like to reiterate that at no point did MTN Nigeria illegally repatriate funds out of Nigeria or collaborate with Nigerians to loot the external reserves of the country,”

representative of the creditors, Mr. Sebagen Henry Noboh and dated October 20, 2016, they accused the Liquidator of paying only 16.5 percent of the amount stated in his offer letters to individual creditors, leaving a balance of 83.5 percent unaccounted for.

The offer letters, dated May 12, 2015 were personally signed by the Liquidator.

They added that the 16.5 percent was paid to them in two installments of 15 percent in May 2015; and 1.5 percent in July 2016, an interval of 14 months.

At issue is the N51, 648, 643, 000 proceeds from the sale of the core assets of Nitel/Mtel to Natcom Consortium for $252.25 million by the last administration.

The Consortium had fully paid up since March

2015, but the creditors are still struggling to get their money from the Liquidator, more than 18 months after he received the money.

The Liquidator had fixed the amounts payable to each of the about 300 creditors based on available funds, in line with the provisions of the Companies and Allied Matters Act (CAMA) 1990.

One of the issues raised was the decision of the Liquidator to be paying them in piecemeal, stating that it was in clear violation of provisions of the CAMA Act. They expressed fears about the safety of the funds and the probability of the Liquidator releasing the 83.5 percent balance without intervention from the relevant monitoring agencies.

cidences of food rejects by the European Union (EU) recently instituted an Inter-Ministerial Agency Committee on Zero Reject Policy spearheaded

by NEPC in collaboration with some Ministries, Departments & Agencies (MDAs).

It is against this background, he noted that the Council in collaboration with a Private firm, Olu Olu Industries Limited launched the prototype agric processing machine to address the recent EU ban on some food items due to quality issues.

Mr Awolowo, who was represented by Mr Matthew Iranloye, Director National Export Office Department, reiterated Government’s desire to improve the quality of Nigerian produce for export, Joe Itah, Head, Corporate Communications, NEPC disclosed this in a release.

According to him, the demonstration workshop which has been done in three other locations (Abakaliki, Ibadan and Katsina) would “address problems associated with age-long ‘sun-drying’ method for produce reservation through introduction of ‘on-point’ drying practice which prevents aflotoxin infection, makes post-harvest handling less

cumbersome thereby reducing incidences of wastage”.

He encouraged stakeholders with interest in enhancing Nigeria’s Agro-products standards: NGOs, Development Partners, Politicians, Philanthropists, Agro-investors among others to invest in acquisition of the new produce dryers for distribution to farmers, as a means of economic empowerment.

Managing Director of Olu Olu Industries Limited, Engr. Olu Aiyegbusi noted that “bringing an innovation of this nature to the fore could not have come at a better time as there is enormous pressure on Government to reposition our ailing economy through activities of the non-oil sector.”

He noted that in most cases, it is observed that farmers have had to sundry produce meant for exports, a practice that comes with various quality challenges including aflatoxin infection, high cost of processing due to epileptic energy among others.

All these, he said led to rejection of export produce, while it created product competitiveness challenges and brought about inability to produce enough quality goods to meet international demands.

Nigerian Tribune

FAAC allocations may affect implementation of 2016 budget, increase deficit —Reports Ademola Adegite-Abuja

NIGERIA Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI), on Monday, stated that disbursements from the Federation Account to the three tiers of government plunged by 30 per cent in the first half of 2016 when compared to the corresponding half of 2015, might negatively affect implementation of 2016 budget.

A new report by NEITI showed that this sharp drop in the revenues might negatively impact budget implementation across the three tiers of government in 2016, increase the size of budget deficits and deepen the debt burden.

With the sharp drop in the allocations to the three tiers, governments might be unable to fund their budgets in 2016 unless they resort to borrowing, which the report revealed, was the norm even during times of greater revenues and higher allocations from FAAC. While borrowing might be necessary to increase government’s capacity to spend, especially when the country was in economic recession, the report stated that more borrowing would “deepen budget deficits and debt burden across the three tiers of government”.

In a new report issued

by NEITI and signed by Obiageli Onuorah, titled: “FAAC Disbursements in First Half of 2016 and Possible Implications”, a copy of which was made available to the Nigerian Tribune in Abuja, indicated that revenues shared to the Federal, States and Local Governments were less by over N800 billion from N2.89 billion in 2015 to N2.01 billion in 2016.

This 30 per cent, decline, according to the report, reflected in lower allocations across the board.

“Total disbursements to the Federal Government fell from N1.23 trillion in the first half of 2015 to N854 billion in the first half of 2016. This represents a 30.9 per cent decline. Total disbursements to states fell by 30.5 per cent from N1.009 trillion in the first half of 2015 to N701 billion in the first half of 2016. For Local Governments, allocations from FAAC dropped by 26% from N580.63 billion to N429.43 billion.

12

businessnews

Tuesday, 25 October, 2016

Crisis hits customs headquarters over leak of sacked officers’ names •I don’t know how names got online —Spokesman Tola Adenubi-Lagos

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RISIS is rocking the headquarters of the Nigerian Customs Service (NCS) over the leaked list containing the names and ranks of the sacked senior and junior officers.

This is even as findings have revealed that the Comptroller General of the NCS, Colonel Hameed Alli (Rtd) is very furious with the leak and has threatened to deal with whoever is behind the document leakage.

According to a source in the NCS who declined not to have his name in print as he is not authorised to speak on the issue, “the list of sacked customs officers, their names and rank was already online as early as in the morning of Monday. How it got there, nobody can actually explain. The CG is currently furious and has vowed to deal ruthlessly with whoever is behind the leak.

“It is not part of customs tradition to release names of sacked officers, particularly when they have been involved in gross misconduct that includes financial misappropriation. Investigations are still ongoing to fish out those releasing Customs information’s to the public.

When contacted on the issue, the NCS Spokesman, Wale Adeniyi, explained to the Nigerian Tribune that the NCS did not release the names of the sacked officers to the public.

“I don’t know who put the names of the sacked Customs officers online. I did not put it there. The NCS is not obliged to release the

names of sacked officers.

What we were asked to do was to put up a statement while all the affected officers were communicated individually,” he said.

It will be recalled that the names of the sacked senior customs officers put online on Monday morning included that of Assis-

tant Controllers category: Ohamobi C; Daze P.D; Mahdi A.Z , Mbanefo P.C and Halilu A. R who was exonerated.

Chief Superintendent of Customs sacked are: Sale A.S; Nura Muazu Usman; Bello. A; Abdulahi R.; Ekong N.A; Dan Ali.M; Sulaiman A.A and Andrew A.A.

THE Naira has stayed firm at N455 to the dollar in the black market, and N305 to the greenback at the interbank foreign exchange market on Monday, October 24.

The local unit on the average last week held ground against dollar in both markets, to appreciate by 1.31 per cent in parallel market and by 0.98 per cent in interbank FX market as against 2.96per cent appreciation recorded in parallel market and 0.33per cent depreciation recorded in interbank market.

However, the naira specifically appreciated on Friday against the dollar at the parallel FX market by 0.22 per cent to close at N453.00 and N455 in some parts of Lagos, but traded flat at interbank FX Market to close at N304.75.

Also, unofficial c curren-

Inspector of Customs Sani B; Balarabe ,S; Isah, A; Bello, A.M; Sale, H and Daguri, Z.I Principal Inspector of Customs Orukalama T; Haruna,K; Hamidu,H; Hamisu S.G; Alfa, Y.D; Garba H.and Theophilus, S.M (exonerated) among others.

From left: Chairman/Chief Executive Officer, Boff and Company Insurance Brokers Limited, Babajide Olatunde-Agbeja and his wife, Fefe; Special Guest and Chairman, Honeywell Flour Mills Plc, Dr. Oba Otudeko, and the Deputy Commissioner (Finance and Administration), National Insurance Commission (NAICOM), George Onekhena, during the 25th anniversary celebration and unveiling of Boff and Company Brokers Limited’s new Company identity held in Lagos, on Thursday.

PHOTO: SYLVESTER OKORUWA.

Terminal operators lobby lawmakers over threat to revoke ports concession Tola Adenubi-Lagos

FOLLOWING the National Assembly’s threat to revoke some concession agreement granted some terminal operators by the Nigeria Ports Authority (NPA), some of the affect-

ed terminal operators have began massive lobbying in Abuja to save their existing contract with the Federal Government.

It will be recalled that two committees of the Senate and House of Representatives, the Senate Commit-

Naira steadies at interbank, parallel markets Chima Nwokoji-Lagos

Officers in the rank of Deputy Superintendent of Customs (DSC) affected are Olajumoke .O, while Sambo A.U received warning.

Superintendent of Customs Dahiru .A; Imam S.U; Abdulahi M.S; Onwuka A.D (warning) and Kalama .B. Others are Chief

cy dealers said the naira exchanged for N495 to the Euro and N550 to the British Pounds Sterling. This is even as the local currency at the official window sold for N373.7 to the British Pounds and N332.7 to the Euro.

The Central Bank of Nigeria appointed Travelex and FirstBank Nigeria Limited as the only two institutions responsible for the sale of the greenback to Bureau De Change (BDC), operators in its bid to ensure improved dollar supply to the foreign currency traders. This followed the suspension of 19 other commercial banks from same role as a result of their failure to fully comply with a directive, which required commercial banks that act as agents of international money transfer operators to always sell foreign cur-

rency remittances to licensed BDC operators.

Market watchers believe the continued sale of dollar to BDCs had played significant role in new trading pattern observed last week.

However, speculative tendency and scarcity of FX remain the driving factors depressing the value of Naira.

tee on Marine Transport and the House of Representatives Committee on Ports, Harbours and Waterways; have threatened to cancel the concession extension granted nine terminal operators for violation of an already existing contract with the government.

According to a source, many of the affected terminal operators are already in Abuja seeking for ways to resolve the already protracted issue.

“The representatives of the terminal operators are here in Abuja. They have been having series of meetings with the lawmakers.

I cannot tell you the stage where they are now, but I can tell you meetings are

ongoing,” our Source revealed.

Speaking recently at a joint committee meeting with the NPA Managing Director, Hadiza Bala Usman, Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Ports, Harbours and Waterways, Dr. Patrick Asadu had said that the fact that former NPA MD, Habib Abdullahi lied to the committee when he was confronted with the alleged concession extension might provoke the National Assembly to seek his arrest.

Some members of the committees were of the opinion that the concession extension granted the maritime concessionaires did not follow due process.

NSE emerges ‘Most Innovative Stock Exchange in Africa’ Olatunde Dodondawa-

THE Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) has emerged the ‘Most Innovative Stock Exchange in Africa 2016’. The award was presented to NSE by The Business Year (TBY) Magazine on Monday at the Stock Exchange House, Lagos.

According to a statement

by NSE and made available to the Nigerian Tribune

on Monday, The Business Year Magazine Awards recognize different categories of players who have shown exemplary leadership, innovation, and entrepreneurship. These include stock exchanges, socially responsible companies, regulators, listed companies, investment banks, stockbroking companies, research teams and fund managers.

According to Andrea Ber-

naldo de Quiros, Country Manager Nigeria, TBY magazine “the Most Innovative African Stock Exchange in Africa award was given in recognition of NSE’s success in enhancing investor experience and transforming Nigerian market dynamics through the deployment of advanced technologies, innovative trading capabilities, and a new trading platform.”

Nigerian Tribune

Zenith Bank makes 20% increase in profit to N100.07bn Kehinde AkinseindeJayeoba-Lagos

ZENITH Bank financial result has revealed profit rising by 20 per cent from N83.1 billion in September 2015 to N100.07 billion.

The bank’s unaudited nine-month results for the period ending September 30, 2016, released on the floors of the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) on Monday, also showed the group’s profit before tax increasing by 17 per cent from N104.05 billion to N121 billion Two key factors that contributed to the group increase in profitability include gross earnings and net interest income.

Zenith Bank for the period gross earnings rose by 13 per cent from N336.85billion in September 2015 to N380.35 billion while Foreign currency revaluation significantly grew by 323 per cent from N7.3 billion September 2015 to N31 billion for the period ending September 2016.

With group in profit, Zenith Bank earnings per share gained 20.5 per cent from N2.64 to N3.18.

‘Disengagement of workers not due to recession’

THE Dangote Group of Companies has denied reports that the disengagement of 48 workers from the company was due to economic recession in the country, Mr Tony Chiejina, its Head of Corporate Affairs, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos on Monday that the 36 expatriates workers formed the bulk of those disengaged.

He said that the expatriates were disengaged because of job overlap, while the 12 Nigerians that were affected were in the procurement department whose services were now redundant due to growth in the company.

Chiejina said that Dangote group was rather expanding its operations in spite of the recession and this expansion would fire more employments in the company.

He said that the company was expanding into oil and gas, rice and diary projects, fertiliser and petrochemicals, among others.

He said that the current recession was a challenge to the company to impact more favourably on the Nigerian economy.

13

editorial Constitutional amendment for national savings Tuesday, 25 October, 2016

I

N the wake of the recent controversy over the reported bid to dispose of some national assets to raise funds to finance the 2016 budget, the Senate came up with a resolution meant to address some fundamental issues belying the current predicament of the Nigerian federation. It advised the Federal Government to initiate a process for the amendment of Section 162 of the Constitution so as to make it compulsory to save part of the money accruing to the federal pool. The Section expressly states: “The federation shall maintain a special account called ‘Federation Account’ into which shall be paid all revenues collected by the Government of the Federation, except the proceeds from the personal income tax of the personnel of the armed forces of the federation, the Nigeria police, the ministry or department of government charged with responsibility of foreign affairs and residents of the federal capital territory, Abuja.”

In advocating the amendment, the Upper Chamber of the National Assembly canvassed a paradigm shift from the current culture of spending all revenue to a culture of institutionalizing savings. Belated though it might seem, the advocacy is instructive given the drawbacks of the pernicious road that the nation travelled to reach the current economic quagmire and national embarrassment.

The opportunities that should have been deployed during the era of surplus to plan for tomorrow were frittered away on the altar of profligacy and mundane mentality.

Having failed to harness and plan meaningfully with the huge funds accruing to the Federation Account, the nation is paying dearly for that failure today on so many fronts and in so many dimensions.

Long before the Senate’s proposal, some senior citizens such as Professor Bolaji Akinyemi had, at different times, lent their voice to the clamour for a pragmatic shift by the country from the irrational and illogical, spendall mentality. Akinyemi advocated what he called the Norwegian model, asking President Muhammadu Buhari to personally drive the constitutional amendment to that effect. The Norwegian model is about instituting a government fund into which 100 percent of the revenue from royalties and dividends are paid. The system, Akinyemi said, allows for no more than four percent of earnings to be drawn from the account. According to the

Nigerian Tribune

erudite scholar, given the peculiarities of the Nigerian federalism, the model could include a provision that any withdrawal from the fund should be with a unanimous decision of the members of the National Economic Council (NEC). Of course, any model adopted would have to be domesticated. In our previous editorials, we also advocated a formula for national savings given the peculiarity of the times.

However, while it is necessary to diversify the economy from the prism of crude oil, it is imperative for the elite to relocate from the myopic mindset of momentary comfort and pleasure to that of informed and enlightened thinking, clear vision and flawless planning. And we believe that such a mental reconditioning requires honest and dogged political will. To mark the new thinking, there has to be serious lobbying of all key stakeholders by the authorities, since the proposed amendment requires the endorsement of two-thirds of the members of the National Assembly and state Houses of Assembly. The Federal Government should embrace the idea and ensure that the proposal becomes a reality and contains very stringent conditions for drawing down on the savings.

Of course, we appreciate the fact that the predicament of the country is not really about laws because, ordinarily, the nation should not need a law to tell it to save for a rainy day. But these are abnormal times when leaders do not value the economic wisdom that borrowing must always be a fraction of savings. In retrospect, the administration of President Olusegun Obasanjo and that of President Goodluck Jonathan took pragmatic steps towards institutionalizing a culture of savings.

This was through the introduction of the Excess Crude Account and the Sovereign Wealth Fund. But the efforts were mired in political gerrymandering and legal cum constitutional gymnastics, with state governors as the agent provocateurs. Ironically, the majority of those that threw spanners in the works via judicial instruments then are today in strategic positions either in the executive or the legislature at the federal level. They also constitute the most vocal critics of the current awful state of Nigeria’s finances.

It is high time the governing elite in the country abandoned the ignoble syndrome of being kobo wise and naira foolish. The proposal by the Senate is timely and should be actualised as soon as possible.

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14 LETTERS TO THE

Tuesday, 25 October, 2016

editor

Letters to the editor should be sent to letters@tribune.com.ng or by sms to 08053412982.

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

Save Nigerian child, save Nigeria’s future

T

HE present age is daily dared by innumerable overpowering criminal offences. Many youths are often arrested for sex- related offences while many are involved in bombing activities. These have almost ravaged the nation beyond repair. If we do not take serious steps, it is very sure the nation will witness untold catastrophe in the nearest future.

We should always re-

As OYSIEC conducts council election JUST recently, the Oyo State Independent Electoral Commission (OYSIEC), under the leadership of Mr John Olajide Ajeigbe, said it would conduct election into the local councils in the state on February 17, 2017.

I want to state that this is good news for the people of the state, particularly those who feel government is denying people at the grassroot level the opportunity to participate in active politics.

However, before the election, I want to urge the Commission to make adequate preparation so that the exercise will be a success.

I hope the Commission can make adequate preparation in terms of the personnel who will supervise the election, providing adequate voting materials like ballot papers, boxes, as well as the security of voters. The Commission should know that it is independent, and therefore, should steer clear of those things that will tarnish its image in the eyes of the voting public.

I, therefore, want to say that to conduct a credible local government election will be a plus to the Commission, while also serving as an example for other state commissions to copy.

•Ola-Olaniyi Bamgbola, 53, Agbeni Quarters, Ibadan .

member that idle hands are devil’s workshops.

Most of the youth who join insurgence groups are idle and that is the reason they are easily co-opted.

They are children with persistent disruptive and aggressive behaviour who often violate fundamental human rights and vandalise properties of other fellows. Yet, we can fix such by restructuring their character. We can teach them how to be tolerant, thereby, reducing the social disorder in the society.

All we need do is to build their character because the totality of a child hinges on his character make-up.

It is high time we invested heavily in changing the lives of our young ones. We need to develop their character in order to prevent avoidable tragedy in the future. Recent high-profile findings have shown the reasons why we need to pay more attention to the youngsters. According to The Denver Youth Survey on the study of

more than 1500 high-risk youths, children between the age of 11-12 had police contact because of delinquency.

The U.S. Department of Justice, in collaboration with the education system, cannot take the case of the youth with levity. That is the reason why the Office of Juvenile

Justice and Delinquency Prevention works daily, both in enlightening and sensitising the youth on the advantages of embracing good character. We need to wake up now and begin to train our children on wholesome character so that they may not rise up tomorrow and destroy all we today build.

We need to start from the family and then move on to the school system.

We must also reach the community and the religious societies. Youngsters have great innate potentials that can benefit the nation. Steadfastly doing this, they will surely turn a new leaf instead of joining hoodlums and insurgence

groups. It will make them have good choices in the world of confusion;it will make them patriotic to their nation and our land will be free of threat.

•Oyewole Jeremiah A., oyewolejeremiah@ yahoo.com

Kitchen statement: Buhari respects women THAT “My wife belongs in the kitchen” comment was a joke, and it does not in any way represent the way President Muhammadu Buhari views or treats women. Aisha Buhari narrated herself the story of how, after their wedding, her husband wrote a letter to her professor uncle at the Ahmadu Bello University (ABU) on how he wanted her to continue with her education without delay and be able to cope with her marital and academic responsibilities effectively. The First

lady herself comes from a learned family that boasts of five professors. This was how Aisha Buhari, with only a secondary school certificate at the time she married the President, was able to obtain a certificate in education, a degree in public administration, a masters in international relations and strategic studies, and professional certifications in beauty theraphy and health safety management from institutions within and outside the country.

These achievements could not have been pos-

sible without the active support and sponsorship of her husband. And she maintained a thriving fashion business prior to her becoming First lady.

These are feats beyond the dream of a woman restricted to the kitchen, the living room and the ‘other room.’ If we are looking at how the President views or treats women, we have to look at those sterling achievements of his wife and daughters and their lifestyles, and not about a joke made in Germany.

I consider the Aisha Bu-

hari interview as first, a family affair which I hope they will sort out themselves amicably, and secondly, as a national issue, considering their status as the First family.

While we enjoy the humour the President’s comments elicited, I find attempts to exploit it to cast the President in a disapprovingly misogynistic and patriarchal light uncharitable and mischievous.

•Balogun Emmanuel, Kabba, Kogi State.

Election: Appeal to Ondo people POLITICAL activities have started in Ondo State, as the people are set to elect another governor next month. As an oil producing state, the expectations of Ondo people have always remained high on rapid transformation of the state in terms of industrialisation, road development, revitalisation of cocoa farming as the main stay of the state’s economy, inflow of local and foreign investments, resuscitation of moribund manufacturing, among others.

It is on this note that the forthcoming governorship election in the state will avail the people the opportunity to elect another government that will continue from where Dr Olusegun Mimiko stopped. We should, therefore, vote for the best candidate to govern us.

•Ayo Joseph 12 Salawu Street, Iju, Lagos State.

15

opinion

Tuesday, 25 October, 2016

‘I may belong to the kitchen, if…’

L

AST week, I entitled my discourse in this column, where does your wife belong? and like ripples widen on the surface of still waters, innumerable lines of thoughts trailed my question. Last week, I desperately tried to do a clean-up of our national image in the international world. The international world mustn’t perceive us as a country where our men are too macho and too African to treat the female gender with the love and respect they deserve, but a number of women pointed my attention to certain things my feminism blinded me from seeing. Those are the issues I would like to discuss today. After reading my ‘where does your wife belong’, young ladies of the current generation applauded me. While some felt it was a terrifically vehement opinion, others castigated me for not sticking it up hot and fierce to the male folk. Some noted that I was too subtle but alas, still tried to allow the feminist in me stroll if not roam unhindered. I must say, I concur but two comments from my readership have got my always calm mind in a state of entropy since last week.

A young lady called me up and we had a long conversation, her opinion I would share first. My caller had just hit the age 30 a week before I published that article. Single, hardworking, she had bagged a master’s degree a year ago in science and is in the early stages of a PhD degree in one of the toughest universities in the South West. Some call it the greatest, but I wouldn’t foray into that.

She is tough, asides from radically pursuing a career in the academics; she has established a business franchise on campus, nourishing people with fruits with her mobile fruit salad business. She begged me not to reveal her identity and I made her a promise, woman to woman. Her opinion to me was intriguing and I bet you would find it fascinating as well.

“All my life, I have competed with the opposite sex on a level ground but all my life, I have heard the words – ‘women are the weaker vessels. ’ How weak are we when in nursery school, we have to learn the same number of rhymes as the little boys? How weak are the weaker vessels when in writing the school leaving examinations, the questions do not come with gender coding that distinguishes the male questions from the female questions. We went on to write WAEC, WAEC didn’t stratify either. In my class as a science student, we were only four ladies, all the others were boys,

but I got more frequently called out to solve further mathematics questions. Was there stratification? The male teacher came at us girls with a grown man’s gloves; there wasn’t any pampering in the learning process. He was tougher on us because he felt we didn’t have the capacity to learn further mathematics as girls but we struggled and we whooped those boys badly. Was that fair play for the weaker vessel?

JAMB wasn’t any different. Our combinations were not gender influenced neither were our paper types. I got into the university and the faculty of science couldn’t care less that I am female. How they drilled us. Practicals, assignments, we had overnight reading seasons like the boys. In fact, they slept in class while we kept vigil for them, notifying them of the time per hour. Getting my masters degree wasn’t a piece of cake either. I struggled for a PhD grade with those guys and after I made it, a male colleague, one day, called me out and told me not to think of a PhD without getting married first. After all, he said all these your degrees will end up in a man’s kitchen.

“If truly that is how they want it to be, I do not have a problem belonging to the kitchen. In fact, I would delight in belonging to the kitchen but only when I don’t have to compete on a level ground with the men. I would, sans any dissension, belong to the kitchen on the day that the edu-

veracity with Vera Onana

veraonana@gmail.com 08054680688 cation standard is lowered for the girl-child. You can keep me in the kitchen when WAEC and JAMB questions come stratified according to gender.

“I will gladly embrace the kitchen when the distinction for girls in the tertiary institution is reduced to 50 per cent. I won’t have a problem belonging to your kitchen if I get a masters degree earlier because I am female and PhD grade for females is lowered to 40 per cent of their weighted average. I would make the kitchen my dwelling place when I don’t have to worry about augmenting my husband’s finance. The kitchen would be my blissful abode and that of all my daughters the day the world allows us to compete as women. Make our world a tennis tournament where the championships are segregated according to gender and I will embrace my status in the kitchen.

She didn’t stop there, she went on to say this, “in a few years, I will obtain my PhD, become a doctor and I will begin to fiercely compete with the men for professorship, I daresay, I may be too tired to compete on that level ground on which I have fought all my life. We have to be twice as good to get half of what they have!”

Can we fight the same battles, with the same stern rules, bleed the same hue of blood and then confine another to the kitchen or tag the other as weak?

After reading my piece last week, a very senior colleague told me what I found instructive, women perhaps underestimate the power being in the kitchen wields but when if we can look beyond what we see, we shall have the world and rulers of the world in our palms.

“I am not of the opinion that describing a woman as belonging to the kitchen is humiliating or diminutive. As a matter of fact, I think it is the highest pedestal. Imagine the things a woman who handles the kitchen with dexterity could achieve not to even mention the other room… With the power of the kitchen, a woman would, with stealth, control the world while making the delusional man feel they own it.”

In ancient Greece, wars started by women were fiercely fought by men who thought they were behaving in kingly manner, but were simply manipulated by the women in their kitchen and other rooms. Deep within every woman is a knowing of the enormous power they possess, but how many wield it?

Crescent varsity: 11 years of remarkable progress

By Bola Ajibola

CRESCENT University is now like a tree with blooming flowers and very rich fruits becoming ripe for Nigeria, Africa and in fact the world to enjoy. The University, steadily and progressively, is becoming an educational institution to be reckoned with in all spheres, and everywhere.

First, it is our pride that the University is now what we want it to be. You are welcome here at any time regardless of your religion. Therefore, we have here Muslims as well as non-Muslims.

You are also warmly welcome here regardless of your ethnicity – either from the North or South; East or West. And the glorious benefit that we share here with all our people is the fact we embrace and train students from all the 36 states of Nigeria and others from different parts of Africa.

Our achievement will not end there at all. This is a university priding itself in academic and moral excellence. Our degree is not cheap and we make bold to say so. The results, left, right and centre is excessively becoming obvious. We now have a name that we have worked hard to achieve over eleven years now. Examples abound all over to demonstrate this.

I will reiterate the story of two graduate students who were given admission for postgraduate atRobert Gordon University in Scotland. One Rafiat Gawat was a graduate from Crescent University;the other a graduate from another University in Nigeria. They had both graduated with First Class Honours. At the end of the one-year MSc. course, while the one from our University passed with distinction, the other one failed and had to repeat. But that is not the end of the story. They noticed that our product is someone with exemplary good character. In addition, she was never late to the classroom neither was she at anytime absent from class. The Dean of Postgraduate Studies in the University who happened to be a Professor that had lectured over 30 years remarked at the end of the course that our own

graduate scored an unprecedented high mark in her studies.

This is only one point of many we have received concerning our products venturing into postgraduate courses in Nigeria and other parts of the world.

This University is working assiduously to sustain its record of producing first class graduates that are truly world class. Permit me to reveal that yet again last session, another of our graduates, Adijat Folasade Adefila from the College of Information and Communication Technology also completed her MBA at the University of Sunderland, United Kingdom with Distinction.

We have a long list of similar achievements of our products at home and abroad. These good stories abound and it has even begun to draw executives from private organisations and government parastatals who seek admission into our part time and postgraduate programmes.

Above all we are glad that our commitment to the twin-goals of academic and moral excellence continues to stand us out amongst institutions. We shall continue to strive and ensure that our effort in this direction never wanes. Our social contract in this endeavour is to make sure that our graduates will continue to be noted for exemplary character: excellent academics, sound morality and the fear of God. May I, at this juncture congratulate our new Chancellor and welcome him to our midst. His Majesty the Alaafin of Oyo brings to us his wealth of experience in University administration, having served as Chancellor of Usman dan Fodio University, Sokoto for 12 years. He is also serving at the moment with

the University of Maiduguri. We wish him a very successful period as Chancellor of Crescent University.

The Crescent University will be honouring the trio of the former Head of State, General AbdulsalamiAbubakar (rtd), one of Nigeria’s foremost politicians, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Chief Executive Officer, Channels Television, Mr John Momoh at its 8th convocation ceremony today. General Abubakar will be conferred with Doctor of Science (honoris causa) in Public Administration while Tinubu and Momoh will be decorated with Doctor of Science in Political Science and International Relations, and Doctor of Science in Mass Communication, respectively.

I also congratulate our graduands at today’s convocation. The governments of Kano, Zamfara andSokoto State deserve our appreciation and commendation for sponsoring their indigenes to this University on scholarship and supporting them to the point of graduation. Many of them have performed commendably well and two, one each from the two states, are graduating with First Class. We congratulate you.

We thank you parents for your abiding trust and partnership with us in nurturing your children to worthy adults and citizens.

We promise an unflinching commitment to our hallmark of education plus, and the resultant strong and genuine certificate.

That is a desired end which justifies the means. As it is fast becoming a slogan amongst our students, “if you think a degree is cheap, try Crescent University’s.” Permit me to blow our trumpet here again: Crescent University’s First Class is truly World Class.

•Being excerpts of a speech delivered by H.E. Judge Bola Ajibola, Founder/Proprietor of Crescent University, Abeokuta, during the 8th convocation of the Crescent University on October 15, 2016.

16

Tuesday, 25 October, 2016

Nigerian Tribune

agriculture Agriculture: UN calls for adoption of climate-smart practices for poverty reduction THE rapid transformation of farming and food systems to cope with a warmer world, such as adopting climate-smart practices, particularly to curb greenhouse gas emissions, is critical for hunger and poverty reduction, the United Nations agriculture agency said today in a new report.

“There is no doubt climate change affects food security,” said the Director-General of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), José Graziano da Silva, as he presented The State of Food and Agriculture 2016 report at the agency’s headquarters in Rome. “What climate change does is to bring back uncertainties from the time we were all hunter gatherers. We cannot assure any more that we will have the harvest we have planted”, he added.

That uncertainty also translates into volatile food prices, he noted. “Everybody is paying for that, not only those suffering from droughts,” raziano da Silva said.

FAO warns that a ‘business as usual’ approach could put millions more people at risk of hunger, than in a future without climate change. Most affected would be populations in poor areas in sub-Saharan Africa and South and Southeast Asia, especially those who rely on agriculture for their livelihoods. Future food security in many countries will worsen if no action is taken today.

“The benefits of adaptation outweigh the costs of inaction by very wide margins,” emphasized Mr. Graziano da Silva.

However, it is agriculture, including forestry, fisheries and livestock production, which is contributing to a warmer world by generating around a fifth of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions. Therefore, agriculture must both contribute more to combating climate change while bracing to overcome its impacts, the report says.

last year agreed to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the Paris Agreement on climate change, which is expect to come into force early next month. Agriculture will be high on the agenda at the 22nd Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), known by the shorthand COP 22, in Morocco starting on 7 November.

Ban Ki-moon, UN Secretary General Time for action Without action, agriculture will continue to be a major contributor to global greenhouse gas emissions. But by adopting climate-smart practices and increasing the capacity of soils and forests to sequester carbon, emissions can be reduced while stepping up food production to feed the world’s growing population, the report says.

The report provides evidence that adoption of climate-smart practices, such as the use of nitrogen-efficient and heat-tolerant crop varieties, zero-tillage and integrated soil fertility management would boost productivity and farmers’ incomes.

Widespread adoption of nitrogen-efficient practices alone would reduce the number of people at risk of undernourishment by more than 100 million, the report estimates.

It also identifies avenues to lower emission intensity from agriculture. Waterconserving alternatives to the flooding of rice paddies can slash methane emissions by 45 per cent,

while emissions from the livestock sector can be reduced by up to 41 per cent through the adoption of more efficient practices.

“2016 should be about putting commitments into action,” urged Mr. Graziano da Silva, noting the international community

Helping small farmers adapt to climate change risks is critical Developing countries are home to around half a billion small farm families who produce food and other agricultural products in greatly varying agro-ecological and socio-economic conditions. Solutions have to be tailored to those conditions; there is no onesize-fits-all fix.

Helping smallholders adapt to climate change risks is critical for global poverty reduction and food security.

Close attention should be paid to removing obstacles they may face and fostering

an enabling environment for individual, joint and collective action, according to the report.

FAO urges policy makers to identify and remove such barriers. These obstacles can include input subsidies that promote unsustainable farming practices, poorly aligned incentives and inadequate access to markets, credit, extension services and social protection programmes, and often disadvantage women, who make up to 43 per cent of the agricultural labour force.

The report stresses that more climate finance is needed to fund developing countries’ actions on climate change. International public finance for climate change adaptation and mitigation is growing and, while still relatively small, can act as a catalyst to leverage larger flows of public and private investments. More climate finance needs to flow to sustainable agriculture, fisheries and forestry to fund the large-scale transformation and the development of climate-smart food production systems.

‘Coconut tree may be extinct in Nigeria next 50 years’ COCONUT trees may go into extinction in Nigeria in the next 50 years, a coconut processor, Mr Muheammad Mustafa, has said, cautioning against its use as building materials substitute.

Mustafa, Executive Director, Doublem Enterprises Development Centre, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday in Lagos that using the tree’s trunk as planks and its fronds as roofing sheets was depleting the economic and ornamental tree.

He said if people continued to cut and use it to construct buildings as currently being witnessed in the tree’s zones, its usefulness as an economic resource will run out.

“It is wrong to use the tree

because that would grossly affect the raw materials sector of the economy.

“It is possible that in the next 50 years the coconut tree will go into extinction because of its depletion and that of our forests.

“The depletion of the forests, no doubt, has forced people to turn to using coconut tree as a substitute for building houses but we think this is a wrong idea.

“The coconut tree is meant to be used for food, medicine and industry and not for building houses,’’ Mustafa said, lamenting the growing rate of the use as raw material in the construction industry.

“If the coconut tree goes into extinction, then it will be difficult to get raw materials to service the man-

ufacturing sector.

“Therefore, there is need to sensitise the people to desist from cutting coconut trees for building materials.’’

Mustafa said that several bye-products like brake pads, paving bricks and clutch discs could be got from the pulverised coconut shell, adding that automotive fuel could be extracted from refined coconut oil.

He said that these were just some of the benefits of coconut palms value chain addition if proper attention was given to its development in the agriculture industry.

According to him, to boost coconut production, there is the need for high yielding seedlings that could produce more oil.

“The major challenge we have is that the coconut tree presently produced in Badagry area does not yield oil like the ones from Ghana.

“Nonetheless, we are trying to sensitise people on the benefits of coconut oil to encourage them to go into coconut extraction.

“Apart from cutting the trees, another major constraint is that there are no young people extracting coconut oil; many of the extractors are old women who do not have working capital,’’ he said.

Mustafa said that the coconut extractors were being organised into groups to form cooperative societies so that they could access loans from the Bank of Agriculture and Bank of Industry.

17

Tuesday, 25 October, 2016

Nigerian Tribune

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Chevron partners Ondo on Agric devt Hakeem Gbadamosi - Akure

A

S part of its effort to contribute to the development of agriculture, Chevron Nigeria Limited, through the Partnership Initiative in the Niger Delta (PIND) has launched Youths Cassava Enterprise Project with 40 graduates to pilot the scheme in Ondo state.

The project which is in partnership with the states Wealth Creation Agency (WECA) was inaugurated at the Ondo state Agric Village, Ore in Odigbo local government area of the state.

Speaking during the inauguration, the Director, Deepwater and Production Sharing Contracts of Star Deep Water Petroleum Limited, Jeffery Ewing said the project is one of the economic empowerment programmer of the Organisation designed to develop and encourage youths participation in agriculture.

Ewing who was represented by the Area Manager, Policy Government and Public Affairs ( PGPA), Esimaje Brikiun, said the programme was aimed to make Agriculture and farming attractive to Nigerian youths and make it a career and a business.

He said “We believe the cassava project will have a tremendous impact on the youths in Ondo state through employment creation, poverty reduction, skill acquisition and livelihood improvement.

He said the project will go a long way to support the development of local cottage industries and to ensure the growth of local industries.

“This will no doubt boost the governments efforts in making agriculture a significant revenue yielding sector in the country.

We believe the Cassava project will have a tremendous impact on the youths in Ondo state through employment creation, poverty reduction, skill acquisition and livelihood improvement as well as support the development of rural - based cottage industries to ensure the growth of the local economy.”

The Chevron boss disclosed that the oil company has also sponsored agro based economic empowerment development

projects in some states which include Imo, Katsina and Niger states.

The program Director of PIND, Dr Dara Akala said the 40 youths were se-

Dr Olusegun Mimiko, Governor, Ondo State

them with professionals.”

The state governor, Dr Olusegun Mimiko, while launching the project reiterated the commitment of his administration towards the development of agriculture and tackle youths unemployment through various agricultural initiatives have attracted the interest of a lot of private organisation to partner with the state.

Mimiko, who was represented by the state commissioner for Agriculture, Chief Segun Ayerin said that the economic recession has given more reason to engage more youths in agriculture.

Chairman of WECA, Bolanle Olafunmiloye said that the agency was established to develop a new crop of young farmers and entrepreneurs that will use agriculture as a tool for wealth creation and solve the problem of unemployment.

We facilitated access to N28bn loan for 360, 000 farmers in 7 years —RUFIN Collins Nnabuife - Abuja THE Rural Finance Institution Building Programme (RUFIN) has facilitated access to N28 billion for 360, 000 rural farmers within seven years with a repayment rate of 95 per cent.

The Deputy National Coordinator of the programme, Unekwu Ufaruna, disclosed this at a meeting with the Permanent Secretary, Zam-

fara Ministry of Agriculture and Water Resources, Mr Ibrahim Usman.

She said the programme had also mobilised savings among beneficiaries to a tune of N15 billion within the same period of time.

The coordinator said the fund was disbursed by 60 Micro Finance Banks operating in the 12 states where the programme is being implemented.

Christian Pilgrim Commission to give 50% attention to youth, agric THE Nigerian Christian Pilgrim Commission (NCPC), says it will give 50 per cent attention to the youth and 10 per cent to agriculture in its plan to refocus Christian pilgrimage.

Reverend Tor Uja, the Executive Secretary, Nigerian Christian Pilgrim Commission (NCPC), gave this indication at the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) forum in Abuja.

He said that the commission would expose the Nigerian youths during the pilgrimage to activities of the Israelis whose economy, agriculture, polity and security are driven by the

lected to pilot the project in the state saying the youths are meant to become a new class of farmers because “our farmers are aging, hence the need to replace

youths.

“We are looking for funds, we are looking for groups and establishments, and we are looking for people that will sponsor youths.

“We want to expose them to what goes on particularly in Israel because the Israeli economy and the Israeli polity and the Israeli society are driven by youths.

“You don’t find anybody above 30 in the Israeli army or police; it is (the) youths that they give attention to and it is these young people (that) are dedicated to their country”.

Uja said that the com-

mission would also include the women and political leaders in instilling a new culture of dedication and patriotism towards the country.

He stressed the need for Christians and the Church to derive the maximum benefits of the exercise, the commission was also planning to increase sites to be visited to other Biblical places.

The executive secretary noted that Christians’ awareness about pilgrimage as indicated in the Holy Bible is “fundamental”, saying it is imperative for churches to raise such awareness.

She said RUFIN had trained all Micro Finance Institutions (MFIs) in the country and they now report to the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and that their loan at risk is less than five per cent.

“The rural poor had remained so because of lack of access to finance; any little effort to make life better for them you will certainly excite them,” she said.

She urged the state to pay its counterpart funds to enable the programme reach more rural dwellers in the state.

In his remarks, the Permanent Secretary, Ibrahim Usman, said the government was delighted with the successes of RUFIN in the state.

Usman said he had witnessed funds being disbursed to farmers and other rural dwellers, saying that with the programme poverty was on the decrease in the areas.

He called for an extension and expansion of the programme to cover more Local Government Areas in the state in the interest of the people.

The permanent secretary said the programme had

positively engaged youths in both rural and urban areas.

Earlier in his remarks, the State Coordinator of the programme, Mainasara Bakura, said the advent of RUFIN had increased activities of MFIs and organised savings groups.

He said that the organised farmer groups which have access to timely funds were being used to support the efforts of the Federal Government to diversify the economy.

Bakura applauded the Federal Government for bringing the programme to the state, saying that it was gradually moving peasant farmers to commercial farmers.

RUFIN is a programme sponsored by the Federal Government and the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD).

The seven-year programme is being implemented in 12 states across the six geo-political zones in the country through group formation methodology.

The programme seeks to lift millions of rural dwellers out of poverty by providing access to finance and capacity building.

WAAPP-Nigeria empowers Katsina farmers Collins Nnabuife - Abuja THE West Africa Agricultural Productivity Programme (WAAPP-Nigeria) has distributed solar fish dryers and retail tables to fish farmers to curb post harvest losses and ensure hygienic products.

The facilities were distributed on the sideline of a training of 50 farmers across the North West geo political zone on value addition and entrepreneurship in Katsina.

The National Coordinator of WAAPP, Dr James Apochi said the aim of the programme was to develop technologies, disseminate them for adoption by farmers for increased agricultural productivity.

He said the technology of solar dryer and fish retail tables were two of many technologies developed in the area of aquaculture by WAAPP-Nigeria for adoption by farmer.

He said going round the country, it was discovered that the traditional method of drying and selling fish by retailers were not very hygienic.

According to Apochi, the new technologies will go a long way to curb post harvest losses, ensure hygienic output to promote export.

“This technology is also to encourage farmers to go into mass production of fish. We want you to do your fish drying and retailing in a better and more hygienic way.

“The solar dryers and retail tables are environmental friendly and would keep flies, dusts and other contaminants away from your fish during drying and at the point sale.

“The raw materials for making these facilities are sourced locally and you can replicate and multiply them for every member of the association,” he said.

Apochi said he was looking forward to hearing the testimonies of the farmers on how the technology would impact on their business and income.

He said WAAPP’s monitoring team in collaboration with extension agents in the state will keep tabs on the beneficiaries to ensure proper usage of the facilities.

18

Tuesday, 25 October, 2016 With Tommy Adegbite 0811 695 4631 tommyabijo@yahoo.com

From left, Governors Abdulfatah Ahmed (Kwara); Mohammed Abubakar (Bauchi); Abdul’aziz Yari (Zamfara); Abubakar Sani Bello (Niger) and Aminu Tambuwal (Sokoto), at the symposium for northern Nigerian governors, organised by the United States Institute of Peace, in Washington, D.C., United States, recently.

From left, Brand Protection Manager, Guinness Nigeria, Mr Emmanuel Umaru; Head of Regulatory Affairs, British American Tobacco Nigeria (BATN), Mr Sola Dosunmu; Partner/Head, Brand Protection Technology Media and Entertainment, Jackson, Etti and Edu, Mr Obafemi Agaba and the Head of Enforcement, NAFDAC, Kingsley Ejiofor, at the International Trademark Association (INTA)/Anti-Counterfeiting Collaboration (ACC) Nigeria Policy Roundtable, in Lagos.

From left, Chief Abiola Ogundokun, Chief Adegboye Otunla and Mrs Bols Ogandokun at a wedding in Lagos. PHOTO: TOMMY ADEGBITE

Representatives of Wesley College of Science, Old Students Association, Elekuro, Ibadan (1955 set), at the burial of their mates, Mrs Olayinka Olubunmi Remilekun Bello, nee Adeleke, in Ibadan, recently.

From left, chairman, Lagos State PDP, Chief Moshood Salvador; Senator Tony Adefuye and his wife; the Oluwo of Iwoland, Oba Abdulrasheed Adewale; Mrs Yewande Olusunmade and Chief Abiola Ogundokun, during the wedding of Mr and Mrs Olayinka Afeez, in FESTAC Area, Lagos. PHOTO: TOMMY ADEGBITE

The Ekerin of Iwoland, Chief Bayo Aremu, cutting the tape to commission the private ward donated to the state hospital, Iwo, Osun State by Iwo Muslim Association, Treichvills, Cote d’Ivoire. With him is the president of the association, Alhaji Akanmu Ewonda.

From right, Damilola Dina; the celebrant, Mrs Oluwatoyin Esther Dina, Funmilola, Elizabeth and Yemi Dina, during the 50th birthday anniversary in Manchester, United Kingdom (UK), recently.

From left, bride’s father, Elder (Professor) Bassey Okon; groom’s mother, Mrs Ronke Ademola; the couple, Mr and Mrs Adesina Ademola; groom’s father, Mr Felix Ademola (JP) and the bride’s mother, Mrs Anthonia Bassey Okon, at the wedding service held at Union Baptist Church, Salvation Army Road, Ekotedo, Ibadan, on Saturday. PHOTO: ALOLADE GANIYU

For bookings, contact ’Laolu Afolabi on 08054681741 or Tommy Adegbite on 08116954631

19

Nigerian Tribune

Tuesday, 25 October, 2016

Tunde Busari 08127593530 Yejide Gbenga - Ogundare 08116706853 Tunde Ogunesan 08116954634

The

South-West Editor Kehinde Oyetimi 08074626431

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

Inside

Why I fled when I was selected to be monarch —Elerin Ekiti grazing law: What implications for residents, herdsmen?

Blacksmiths using hammer to forge hot iron. PHOTOS: PETER OYEBANJI

Forged in fire

Inside blacksmiths’ world where creativity meets mystery

Blacksmithing is an ancient traditional craft that is known since time immemorial to be shrouded in secrecy, myths and various hearsays. YEJIDE GBENGA-OGUNDARE ventured into the sacred world of blacksmiths to unravel the perceived mysteries, myths and power behind the craft as well as find out why women do not do the job. Her report:

Continues on pg20

20 thesouth-west

Fire from the blacksmith furnace

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Continued from pg19

EERE is unarguably one of the busy and notorious spots in Ibadan, the Oyo state capital. Indeed, it is one of the oldest and popular places in the history of the ancient town, being the traditional home of many prominent families of the ancient town. And to those familiar with the area, on the right side of the major road, just after the roundabout is a home to sellers of farm implements and other objects made from metal. That stretch of road from morning till dusk is known for artful displays of farm tools; cutlass, hoes, diggers and such other implements in different sizes.

However, the sale of the displayed farm implements is just a fraction of the activities that go on in this area daily. Just by the walls of that main street and in the midst of the displays, are openings with concrete but precarious steps that lead into a ditch or valley like environment. Though made of concrete, the steps are not only steep but sloppy and requires great concentration to navigate else one is in danger of tumbling headlong into the underground world below.

And just down the step is a haphazard collection of ancient houses that are close knitted with no certified layout and no consideration for cross ventilation, pathways or drainage. The houses with their corrugated roofing sheets are jumbled together; sprawling across a wide expanse and are devoid of the basic amenities required of a residential home. The blanket of brown roofs gives a deceptive sleepy look to the area.

As one descends the step at the first entrance, he needs no one to tell him he has stepped into a different world, filled with men of all ages in different attires, metals of various shapes stripped all over, half made hoes and cutlasses as well as a fireplace that is filled with embers from a fire started with palm kernel nuts (Esan) in a very hot environment with a continuous spiral of white smoke.

Welcome to the Alagbede compound which is led by Olugbede Arasi Oyebamiji, a blacksmith that died last year but still leads the compound from the great beyond, as he is yet to be replaced as the head and when asked for the leader of the motley crowd, his name is the one mentioned by all.

Venturing into the midst of these men is however a feat for the bold at heart as the environment becomes charged once a stranger steps into the hollow concave and different men with unfriendly faces starts asking diverse questions simultaneously to find out the mission of the visitor. And in the unfortunate situation that the visitor displays a camera before being accepted into the fold; such a stranger would not find it a funny experience – as threats ranging from the camera getting spoilt supernaturally, pictures taken showing blank, the camera displaying pictures of the owners loved ones rather that the blacksmiths and bad things happening to the owners loved ones are issued from many at the same time.

Tuesday, 25 October, 2016

‘Ogun worship is important to us’

Musa using hammer to flatten a hot metal But if the visitor is bold enough to in spite of the aggressiveness and unfriendly faces expresses himself in a way that endears him to the crowd of blacksmiths and gain their confidence, their countenance changes and their disposition becomes friendly. But then, the demand for money commences, as in this underground world of blacksmiths, nothing comes free and information is money.

The price for getting information by an individual ranges between N2000 to N5000, depending on the bargaining power of the person involved and at every point, you drop money to buy information as if you say you do not have money, you have to go and raise fund to purchase the required information.

That one has been received and has paid the required fee doesn’t however give him the right to take pictures of the process or individuals at random as at every point, one must obtain permission. The Alagede family of Beere is however not the only traditional family in Ibadan, some minutes drive up the hill of Oke Are brings one to their cousin’s compound; the Agede Adodo compound of Ibadan which also is a compound of haphazard compilation of ancient homes with the same modus operandi; you must pay for information.

These two huge compounds produce the metal objects that are sold by women and some men around Ibadan. They also repair traps for hunters and get customers from neighboring states, Nigeria Tribune met a man that came from Ondo town with some complex traps for repair and when asked why he came that far, he said he was willing to spend money on quality as that was the best place to get things repaired well.

This is the world of blacksmiths; a world where rules are different and the god of iron reigns supreme. Blacksmithing known as Ise agbede in Yoruba language is one of the oldest craft; it is the art of forging and creating items like cutlass, hoes, rake armour, traps, shovels, diggers and weapons among other implements out of metals and some other materials.

According to history, the story of the genesis and existence of the black race and indeed the Yoruba people is incomplete without the mention of the age long craft of blacksmithing which remains relevant even at this period. The art of blacksmithing is not an easy

The reduction in our production affects food security as we are the mainstay of local farmers.

Nigerian Tribune

Yussuf Oyebamiji repairing a trap one nor is it a task for the lazy man. It is a continuous battle between the anvil, the metal, fire and the hammer. The battle is a continuous one that is not only fierce but seemingly endless and it is one coupled with shrieking sound of the heavy hammer pounding hot iron in a energy sapping procedure.

Nigerian Tribune explorations however revealed that the art of blacksmithing goes beyond creating objects in a hot and noisy environment as there are so many mysteries, myths and untold stories surrounding the ancient craft. Part of the mysteries is the healing aspect for which the craft is renowned. There is a belief that healing of some ailment like heart related diseases can be received at a blacksmith’s workshop. It is said that the water in the hollow stone used to cool the hot iron to be forged is a potent source of healing diverse ailments though no one could explain what the source of the curative power is.

Speaking with Nigerian Tribune, Biliaminu Oyebamiji, stated that it is true that the water can be used to heal ailments of various types, adding that only Ogun knows why it cures diseases.

“Though we do not use the stone again, the water is effective. We use plastic bowls and aluminium containers but the healing powers are still there. The water can be used to cure all forms of fear and phobia and can be used to deal with anyone that bites another person because once it is used to wash the bite wound, the person that bit the individual will have issues with his teeth, all his teeth will start falling off one after the other except drastic steps are taken,” Biliaminu stated.

Another blacksmith added that the water is also very effective for oath taking as anyone that defaults will have to contend with the god of iron.

Today however, the trade faces the risk of extinction as the old craft is fast fading into oblivion in many places and the trade which was solely hereditary in times past is now

Biliaminu Oyebamiji, a blacksmith being learnt by anyone that is interested now. The reason isn’t farfetched, unlike before, many do not see it as a viable employment opportunity and civilization has also sent many away from such a tasking job as a source of livelihood.

This doesn’t however pose a serious threat to the business and Biliaminu was fast to disagree with this. According to him, the business is still every lucrative and if it is stopped, the whole Yoruba community will be affected.

“It is wrong to say this craft is going into extinction, though there is an obvious reduction in the level of production, it is still a viable and profitable business. The reduction in our production affects food security as we are the mainstay of local farmers.

However, we get larger by the day as unlike before, it is not solely hereditary, we now take apprentices and our own mode of working is different.

“We do not take money from apprentices from the beginning, rather, once a parent brings his ward to learn the trade, such a person becomes the responsibility of the trainer till the time he is certified as a professional, that is when we collect anything and that is why we get many apprentices because it does not burden the parents. Our job is still very important and for food scarcity to be a thing of the past, we must continue working,” he stated The art of blacksmithing is a cumbersome procedure that calls for strength, perseverance and determination. It can be described as a clinical process using heat to form wrought into different shapes; a continuous cycle of heating iron in the forge and shaping with a hammer on the anvil as the metal cools and when the metal becomes too cool to forge, it is sent back into the fire and the process starts all over again.

The tools used according to Biliaminu include the forge (the hearth or furnace), anvil, Continues on pg21

21 thesouth-west

Tuesday, 25 October, 2016

Nigerian Tribune

‘It’s not a job for women’ Continues from pg20

hammer, thongs or pliers (Emu), mortar car and the iron bender (omo owo).

Also speaking, Yusuff Oyebamiji stated that the art of blacksmithing is one that seldom changes as it goes on the same way year in, year out. He added that the palm oil is also very essential to the craft as it is used in forging some difficult tools. He explained further that palm wine can never be far from a blacksmith’s workshop as it is used to appease the God of iron.

One of the tools, the anvil, called Ewiri in Yoruba is said to produce entertaining musical sounds which not only entertains but gingers the blacksmith to work harder and faster. History has it that the sound is used to compose songs that teach the benefit of hard work, morality and good living among other credible virtues.

But today, the use of the singing anvil is no more in practice as the one now in use does not produce sounds. “It is true that in years past, the anvil used produced sounds that type is the double anvil and we do not ise it again. That was used by our fathers but modernization has made it a thing of the past.

Now, we use the single anvil which is easier to manage but does not produce any sound,” Biliaminu stated.

Ogun is synonymous to blacksmithing; indeed, he is inseparable from the craft and is often described as the god of blacksmiths.

He is credited with introducing iron and the patron deity to blacksmiths and anyone that works with iron. A particular story has it that Ogun as a deity sent to the earth having taken oath to protect a village against its enemies but was tricked by Esu (deity of tricks) to drink palm wine just before the battle. He got drunk having imbibed excessively and he went into battle the next morning very drunk and could not differentiate the enemies from the people he had sworn to protect.

As a result, he began to slaughter everyone and when the effects of the wine wore off, he realized the damage he had done and his father, Obatala, sentenced him to a lifetime of hard labour; mining iron ore from the earth, refining it in a furnace and using hammer to fashion the ore into beautiful pieces and weapons to be used by man and deities, as a penance for the crime he had committed.

Another story said Ogunladindin Alagbede Akokois a renowned blacksmith sent to the earth every five days by God to cast iron implements and he charges the same price for every work irrespective of its complexity and falling in love with his work, they gave him a wife to tie him down on earth but his apprentice connived with his wife to betray him and he in annoyance, relocated back to heaven through a great chain.

“You cannot be a blacksmith without worshipping Ogun, it is very impossible though it doesn’t preclude embracing other religion. Our fathers were Muslims and they went on holy pilgrimage to Mecca but they still worship Ogun. You must worship Ogun to be a blacksmith and we usually hold Ogun festival annually; it holds eight days after Oke’badan festival though we make appeasement regularly,” Yusuff explained.

They stated that it is rare for a blacksmith to move around though they lead normal lives like any other person and when asked what they can’t do, Biliaminu stated that, “we really live normal lives like everyone and don’t have much taboos except that we can’t eat Oore, a kind of insect that looks like a cricket as when you eat it, tools and

Entrance of the blacksmith’s family house

The modern day art of blacksmithing still uses the same techniques and processes used in times past but with better tools whatever you are designing will continue to break,” And why can’t women do the job? They said nothing stops women except the stressful nature of the job. “There’s no taboo or spiritual limitation, the only thing that hinders them is the cumbersome nature of the job. Can a woman sit in this hot environment all day and wield this big hammer?

This is not a lazy man’s job,” Yusuff said.

However, in developed climes, the system and procedures of blacksmithing employed in the Southwest today are three generations old and is no more a feasible nor acceptable means of creating things from iron. Indeed, blacksmithing has moved beyond the artisan’s craft to a more evolved production industry that makes use of machines that not only makes work quite easy but much faster and enables mass production.

In all its forms, the modern day art of blacksmithing still uses the same techniques and processes used in times past but with better tools and to make more fanciful objects and the art has indeed changed a great deal to put the trade on a pedestal of a massive production industry to open it up to a brighter future.

Blacksmithing, contrary to popular belief is not a relic of the past that is replaced by modern machines and industrial factories, it is still the same process made easier as the use of heat and fire as well as thongs has not been eroded. In fact, in the developed world,

Nigerian Tribune reporter (right), Yejide Gbenga-Ogundare at the blacksmith’s workshop

blacksmithing is experiencing a renaissance with many people especially youths putting their artistic abilities to consistent and profitable use through blacksmithing.

That more people venture daily into this trade even outside the shores of Africa is seen in the huge number of blacksmiths in Europe and other western countries; the Artist-Blacksmiths’ Association of North America (ABANA) now claims about 5,000 members which is double the number it had 10 years back.

Today, blacksmithing is an emerging civilized and viable career path in developed countries with a future that is capable of creating wealth and huge employment due to the gradual introduction of modernized tools.

But in Southwest Nigeria, the trend is yet to change and is unlikely to change in the nearest future. This is because the forging, welding, riveting and repairing metal parts

for use in farm machinery, and industrial and domestic equipment is still done as it was done in ancient times. And the blacksmiths, most of whom inherited the trade are quite unwilling to change their ways.

For them, the craft is closely linked with their faith and belief which precludes the use of advanced tools that was not used

by Ogun, a deity they believe is the first blacksmith. Also, they think that embracing modern tools is tantamount to turning their backs on the god of iron and an invitation to his wrath.

Biliaminu sums this up when he said, “This craft was handed over to us by our fathers, just as we will hand it over to our children. We cannot effect a change because it goes beyond tradition; it has to do with source and life. As it was done then and our fathers made so much profit, so will we do it in order to remain relevant and blessed.”

22 thesouth-west

Tuesday, 25 October, 2016

Nigerian Tribune

Why I fled when I was selected to be monarch —Elerin The Elerin of Erin-Osun, Oba Yusuf Omoloye Oyagbodun (II) was picked by his ruling house to mount the throne of his forefathers. Instead of celebrating, he sneaked out of town. After much struggle, he ascended the throne on June 16, 1979. He speaks with TUNDE BUSARI on his ascension, among other issues. Excerpts:

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ISTORY reveals Erin as a unique town spanning different locations in Yoruba land. How did it happen?

How it happened is all about the history of Yoruba towns and communities. Students of history will understand that Yoruba towns and communities owe their population to migration of families from different settlements. Let us use Ibadan as an example. How was Ibadan founded? Who are the people that founded Ibadan? You will understand that Ibadan is a gathering of people from different places. This is the reason Ibadan is the largest Yoruba town. I only used Ibadan as an example. This is the story of many other Yoruba towns and communities. Obalufon Alayemore and Mosapayan contested for the throne and it led to Mosapayan migrating to Ipole-Ijesa and late Erintadogun where he spent seventeen days before leaving for Erinmo. And from Erinmo, he left for Erin-Ile in the present day Kwara State from where he moved to Ikirun and finally ended here in Erin-Osun.

Are the best always selected?

That is the truth. It must be the best. In a town where the best is not selected, there is a problem. There must be problems. For example if one without royal blood is selected, the town will not know peace. He will be frustrated. He will be fed up. The stool is not an ordinary place where you think because you are rich or connected, you can manipulate.

It is more than that. That is why our people must always respect their traditional rulers because they are the representatives of their forefathers.

This means all the Erin towns are one family?

We are one family because we are of the same root.

Does that mean there was no contest?

I did not say that. I have said it earlier that the stool is meant to be contested for. But when your family is solidly behind you, you are sure of getting it. That was my experience.

What kind of relationship exists among you?

Till date, we maintain a good relationship among ourselves regardless of which state you are. I must say that there is also Erin-Oke. We are one town, only divided by geography and geographical separation is artificial. What is real is the blood that flow in our veins. I once published a calendar that showcased our relationship as one big family.

I must also say that Erinle and Erinmo enjoy a closer relationship. Yoruba is very rich in family organization. We don’t joke with our family system. We believe in extended family which helps our communal behavior and which stands us out among other ethnic groups. You hardly know the difference between children of two brothers or sisters. Unfortunately, western civilization is a bad influence on this practice and our people seem to get carried away at the expense of our own belief system.

Succession dispute is a feature in Yoruba royal families. Don’t you think something needs to be done to stop it?

I don’t agree that it is a dispute in that sense, it is a contest. Is a Football match a dispute?

It is only you journalists that call it battle or war to attract readers. But in the true sense of it, it is a contest, interesting contest that after the match you see players hugging one another and exchanging jerseys. In Obaship issues, every prince wants to become king.

That means every king must contest for the post if it is the turn of his royal family. The

truth is that the stool is made to be contested for so that the best will be selected at the end of the day. You should know that there is benefit in contest. It brings out the best in the contestants.

Can you share your experience on how you emerged as the Elerin?

I emerged simply because my people wanted me.

Were you surprised when they nominated you?

I was surprised. I did not prepare for it How did you then make up your mind?

I like this question.

What makes this question different from the others?

You reminded me of a certain incident that triggered my interest in the throne.

You have the floor sir?

When my predecessor passed away, I was in this palace like any other sons and daughters of the town. But some people just rose and blocked me from going upstairs. I wanted to

My point is that a traditional ruler should not restrict himself to one wife

record the event then.

They blocked me and in fact embarrassed me.

What did you find out was the reason they did this to you a prince?

I did not bother to find out but I was fired up enough to be interested in the palace.

But I learnt something funny happened when they picked you. Can you recall sir?

It is funny that I ran away from town. I ran to Ilorin. But God surprised me when I got to Ilorin.

The Elerin of Erin-Osun, Oba Yusuf Omoloye Oyagbodun (II)

How sir?

I went to a church in search of my sister who worshipped there. But while I was doing this, the pastor whom I never met and who never met me, just announced that ‘somebody is here who is running away from the throne. The person should go back home and do the wish of his family’. That was the turning point. I returned home and became the Elerin on June 15, 1979. The coronation and presentation of Staff of Office held on June 22. The presentation was done by the then Oyo State Commissioner of Local Government on behalf of the Governor, Colonel Paul Tarfa. The day was interesting because it brought together sons and daughters of Erin. Ten years later precisely 1989, I celebrated 10 years on the throne during which I honoured some important personalities with chieftaincy titles, one of them was the late Chief Sikiru Aynde Barrister. I conferred Tayese on him. Till death, he was my Tayese.

Marital status of traditional rule is gradually becoming a subject of debate with some kings having one wife.

What is your view in this?

Just as I have said, western influence is affecting our belief system in Yoruba land. Yet no parent would not want his children to go to school to acquire western education, the influence erodes our own civilization. But as a traditional ruler, it is our duty to preserve our custom and tradition including telling our people the advantages and disadvantages of their acts. We are having more western educated traditional rulers in our fold now.

So, the issue of marital status has become a subject of debate as you put it. Because they have so much contact with the white way of doing things, especially on marital issues, they are comfortable with their monogamy

thing. You cannot see me going against them but my point is that a traditional ruler should not restrict himself to one wife.

I think the justification for more wives is no more there today. Isn’t it?

Who tells you this? Each wife has a different role to play in the palace if so assigned.

You know the palace plays host to visitors on a daily basis. People come from far and near seeking the attention of the Kabiyesi till date.

There is no way wives would not be involved in those things. As far as I am concerned, polygamy is part of our culture and I won’t go against it. Every man is entitled to more than one wife going by the situation we are now when there are more females. Who will marry them? We should not let it appear as if God makes mistakes. God cannot make mistake. He does things for a purpose including polygamy.

How has life in the palace been in the last 37 years?

There is nothing to say than to thank God for all he has done so far. There is an adage that says unease lies on the head that wears the crown. This adage is very appropriate.

The palace is more than what the public see outside. There are a lot of responsibilities traditional rulers must attend to in the palace. At times, I look back and ask myself on how I have been able to do it till today. But I believe without God’s grace nothing can be achieved. I am therefore giving the credit to God. But the glamour, especially honour we are accorded by our people cannot be compared to any other. Wherever we go, we are given royal treatment even by those who are not Yoruba.

23 thesouth-west

Tuesday, 25 October, 2016

Nigerian Tribune

Ekiti grazing law: What implications for residents, herdsmen?

By Sam Nwaoko - Ado Ekiti

T

HE Ekiti State government recently did what many saw as “blazing the trail” in the fight against the menace of herdsmen. In creating a way out of the menace of cattle rearers, which have turned deadly, Governor Ayodele Fayose, on Monday, August 29, 2016, signed the bill that prohibits open and night grazing (among other related things) in the state, into law.

To further strengthen the law and add bite to its enforcement, Governor Fayose, on Thursday, October 20th 2016, inaugurated Ekiti Grazing Enforcement Marshals (EGEM) to see to the implementation of the law. The law entitled: “Prohibition of Cattle and other Ruminants Grazing in Ekiti State Bill, 2016” was received with mixed feelings among Nigerians.

The inauguration of EGEM raised some level of anxiety in Ekiti State, with some people wondering if the marshals would not abuse the privilege of their offices. But Governor Fayose had stated at the inauguration that the marshals that they would not be armed and that they must not step beyond their bounds.

But the umbrella body of the herdsmen, the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN) kicked on Saturday.

They alleged that the EGEM had attacked their members in the state and killed their cattle. MACBAN alleged in a statement by its spokesperson, Baba Othman Ngelzarma said in a statement that “Fayose unleashed the marshals against our members whose herds of cattle had gone to a stream at Agon Bridge on Federal Polytechnic road between the time of 2:00 – 2:30 PM to quench their thirst on Friday 21st October 2016.”

However, the state government, in reaction to the statement by Miyetti Allah, urged the cattle rearers and breeders not to test the will of government and people of Ekiti State, saying the law took into consideration the interest of all stakeholders before it was passed by the House of Assembly and signed by Governor Ayodele Fayose and if there are grey areas, they should seek clarification.

The Ekiti State Commissioner for Information, Youth and Sports Development, Mr. Lanre Ogunsuyi said: “All the genuine cattle dealers were at the meeting and there was a public hearing, and the law became necessary and it was duly passed by the Ekiti State

House of Assembly and signed by the state government.

“Anybody who is criminally minded can test the will of government and see what happens to a man that breaks the law. The penalties are there. The law exists in Ekiti State; we are in a federation. That law is part of the laws of Ekiti State and anybody who will do business in Ekiti State has to comply with it or face the penalties of the law.”

The law by the Ekiti State government had followed an attack by Fulani herdsmen in Oke Ako community in Ikole Local Government Area of the state, in which one person lost his life and many other people were injured. At a public ceremony attended by tens of traditional rulers, chefs and sundry community leaders from all the communities in the 16 local government areas of the state recently, Governor Fayose had publicly signed the bill into law, thereby bringing to effect a law on one of the most debated issues in recent times in the country.

Among other things, the law named: “Law To regulate and Control Cattle and Other Ruminants Grazing in Ekiti State and Other Matters Connected Therewith, 2016”, prescribes a six-month jail term for offenders.

It also prescribes that convicted offenders would be made to pay the value of the farm and products destroyed by their cattle.

The Speaker of the state’s House of Assembly, Pastor Kola Oluwawole, at the presentation of the bill for the governor’s assent, pointed out that those who violated the law would be charged for terrorism. Oluwawole said the law was meant to maintain sanity in that sector of the state’s economy as well as maintain peace.

The law was conceived following herdsmen attack in Oke Ako community in Ikole Local Government Area on May 21. The attack in which two persons were killed, had caused the governor to visit the community and had put some immediate security measures in place. But he had also stated on the occasion that the state would come up with a law to control the activities of herdsmen in the state, just as he also took steps to strengthen the locals in their own security and rebuild confidence.

There are also provisions in the law for places for grazing. For instance, a site was said to have been provided Erifun community in Ado Ekiti Local Government Area of the state.

The Ejemu of Oke Ako, High Chief Solomon Kayode Olajide, who is the second in rank to the traditional ruler, had spoken on behalf of the community. Chief Olajide thanked Governor Fayose, saying his actions had put the community in the worldview.

The herdsmen resident in Ekiti State had recently reacted to the new law through their lawyer, Mr. Umar Imam. He said the Ekiti law “contradicted the Anti-Terrorism Law,” of Nigeria, contending that “the law of the federation on terrorism is very clear and no one can be charged for terrorism for carrying lesser arms like cutlasses, catapults and knives during the grazing period as contained in Ekiti new law.”

The Seriki of the Fulani in Ekiti, Alhaji Ahmadu Mahmoud, who heads the Jamu Nate Fulbe Association of Nigeria, said: “We agree with the governor on the grazing period of between 7am and 6pm, but we should be allowed to carry lesser arms and relocate at night. How can somebody who wants to carry his cattle numbering hundreds from Ekiti to places like Lokoja, Ibadan or Ilorin move during the day? These places are densely populated and it will create traffic congestion and confusion everywhere. The government must look into all these.”

But the state’s Commissioner for Information, Youth and Sports Development, Mr. Lanre Ogunsuyi, while explaining the new law, pointed out that it was a child of circumstance like most other laws found everywhere in the world and that the law is the law and must be obeyed.

On the complaints of the Fulani herdsmen as regards their movement at night, Ogunsuyi said “the extant law should be obeyed because that is the law.” The people of the

If certain commodities, like alcohol, could be banned in some states of the federation, then it goes without saying that some activities could also be regulated in Ekiti State for the benefit of all.

state have, through their representatives in the state’s House of Assembly, decided on a law and that is the law for now.

While the law has already come into effect, the people of Erifun area of Ado Ekiti said they too have heard about the announcement of their area as one of those where an area would be made available for grazing, in the state.

A resident of Erifun, who said “as a civil servant I cannot talk to the press,” told Nigerian Tribune, however, volunteered that “we have also heard among the landlords in the area that the grazing law chose our area as part of the Ado Ekiti reserve.” According to him, “there has not been any formal notification or any visit by officials of the government on the matter. But ordinarily, it is no longer news to us in this area. We have also been seeing the cattle at one time or the other.”

Another resident of the community, Mrs. Idowu Orikogbe, said “there are Fulani people in many parts of Ado Ekiti but the ones that created the problem in Oke Ako are just bad. We are in support of the law and we want the movement of cattle to be in a controlled way, so that they wouldn’t continue to cause damage to other people’s property.”

Earlier in the year, precisely in January 2016, representatives of the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Saad, the Ewi of Ado Ekiti, Oba Rufus Adeyemo Adejugbe Aladesanmi III and sundry stakeholders had met in Ado Ekiti and proposed a ban on night grazing in Ekiti State.

According to media reports, the meeting was sequel to sustained clashes between herdsmen and their host communities, acts which had led to the loss of numerous lives and property in parts of the country. It was a proactive step to prevent such occurrence in Ekiti but it happened and the consequences are the controversy of the EGEM and the threats by herdsmen.

Speaking on the threats, which have led to a level of tension in the state, some residents of the state have contended that “if certain commodities, like alcohol, could be banned in some states of the federation, then it goes without saying that some activities could also be regulated in Ekiti State for the benefit of all.”

The stage is set for a prolonged controversy.

But would it descend to violence and loss of life and property in the youngest state in the South West?

Tuesday, 25 October, 2016 24 Sports radio, Brila FM, backs Airtel Touching Lives 3 NIGERIA’S foremost sports radio station, Brila FM, has expressed the station’s commitment to promote the Season Three of Airtel Touching Lives CSR programme.

The Brila FM boss, Dr Larry Izamoje, made this declaration at the launch of third edition of the philanthropic initiative in Lagos.

Speaking at the event, Dr Izamoje cited examples of top footballers who have invested passionately in the lives of others through

charity. He said popular sport icons like Argentina’s Lionel Messi, Nigeria’s Kanu Nwankwo and Austin Jay Jay Okocha have been playing their own part in giving back to society.

“The philosopher Socrates said an unexamined life is not worth living. Airtel is not just doing business but also examining the society and this is commendable because we need people to look at lives that must be helped. Airtel has gone over and beyond

BRANDS &

its core duty through this initiative Airtel Touching Lives.”

“To support this commendable feat, Brila FM will partner with Airtel to promote Airtel Touching Lives in the media space,” Dr Izamoje said.

Izamoje also congratulated Airtel’s Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Mr Segun Ogunsanya and staff of the telco for the laudable project.

He encouraged the telco to continue do

Nigerian Tribune

all it takes to make a positive impact in the society while he also charged Nigerians to support Airtel in touching more lives thus making Nigeria a better place.

Speaking at the event, Mr Segun Ogunsanya, said “At Airtel, we believe that to be a great company we must be good company, and we are very much committed to earning our social license, the love and acceptance of the various communities and people we serve.”

with Akin Adewakun

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

IIDA, part of our investments in the Nigerian child –Dufil Prima Foods

From left, Honourees, Professor Ndi Okereke-Onyiuke; Justice Folake Solanke; Chairman, Board of Trustees, Professional Excellence Foundation of Nigeria, Prince Julius Adelusi-Adeluyi; Founder, PEFON, Dr Dipo Bailey and Professor Grace Alele-Williams, during the induction and investiture of professional first lady-Presidents of institutes and chosen careers by PEFON in Lagos, recently.

DUFIL Prima Foods, makers of Indomie Noodles, has described the multi- million Naira reward scheme, Indomie Independence Day Award (IIDA) Heroes Award, as part of the company’s commitment to investing in the average Nigerian child.

Speaking at the just concluded edition of 2016 IIDA event, held in Lagos, the company’s Managing Director, Mr Deepak Singhai, explained that the objective of the Heroes Award was to identify, recognise and celebrate children, who had displayed some form of heroics and bravery at one point or the other.

He expressed delight that, since its introduction, eight years ago, the award had been able to make

Hollandia’s Colours of Goodness campaign and the digital space as brand positioning tool Stories By Akin Adewakun

D

ESPITE the curtains being drawn on Colours of Goodness, a social media campaign, organized by Chi Limited, to further push one of their milk brands, Hollandia Yoghurt, one of the highlights of the campaign, is the evidence of the soaring popularity of the digital space, among brands, for positioning.

For instance, not a few brand

analysts and consumers of the Hollandia Yoghurt Milk, have expressed some form of delight at the effectiveness of the recently-concluded campaign; which they believe effectively reached out to the teeming consumers on a virtual space, that quite a number of brands have not really bothered to exploit, in spite of its huge potential of enhancing the equity of such brands and deepen their market shares.

Analysts believe that besides

deepening the brand’s top of the mind awareness in the nation’s dairy market segment, one of the uniqueness of Hollandia Yoghurt’s Colours of Goodness Campaign remains the brand’s ability to effectively deploy a reward mechanism on the digital space, thereby giving consumers on that virtual space that sense of belonging.

Perhaps one of the evidence of such success was the prize presentation ceremony held

Bosch to set up training centres in Nigeria IN a bid to establish a strong local presence in the Nigerian market, Bosch Security has announced plans to set up a training and experience centre that would cater for the after-sales needs of its trade partners and clients in Lagos, the nation’s commercial nerve -centre.

Disclosing this at the company’s Innovation and Technology Day, held recently, in Lagos, the Managing Director of the Company, Mr Ghislain Noumbessy explained that locating the centre in Lagos, would effectively enable local engineers, trained by the company overseas, attend to cli-

ents’ complaints, without having to refer such complaints abroad for solutions.

According to him, as a way of demonstrating its confidence in the nation’s business environment, the company had also concluded plans to invest in the nation’s capital and human resource development, part of which were the proposed training centre and the empowerment of the company’s local engineers, through several training courses abroad.

“We see great opportunities not only in Nigeria but in the whole of Africa, that is why Bosch is investing in establishing local presence

in some African countries, including Nigeria.

‘For us at Bosch Security, local presence is absolutely key. That is why we just established a large training centre in Casablanca, Morocco. We are also about opening a training and experience centre for our partners and their clients also here in Lagos,” he stated.

The Sales District Manager, West Africa, Bosch, Paul Nwokolo, explained that the company’s innovation day would afford it the opportunity of showcasing its numerous offerings to its teeming Nigerian consumers, while further bonding them with the brands.

recently, where several prizes including Smart Phones, Tablets and Packs of refreshing and nourishing Hollandia Yoghurt were handed over to winners of the social media contest promo.

a huge positive impact on the society, having produced a total of 24 winners, who were rewarded with scholarship prizes worth several millions of naira, in the past eight editions.

Singhai, however explained that the uniqueness of this year’s edition, which is the ninth in the series, was the decision to raise the standards of the awards by giving out N1 million each to the winners in the three categories, namely intellectual, social and physical bravery categories.

While Timilehin Daomi, winner in the intellectual category, was rewarded with N1million for his innovation, Salisu Ibrahim, a visually impaired, was rewarded with the same sum of money, in the social bravery category, for not allowing his physical disability to be a cog in his wheel of progress.

Ibrahim was being celebrated for going into shoe-making and using the proceeds from the business to pay his school fees.

The third winner, from the Physical Bravery category, Miss Favour Uwene, was rewarded for rescuing a neighbour from a serial ritualist, who had earlier killed two members of that family.

We are in African market to deliver innovation, based on consumer insight —Philips

ELECTRONICS company, Philips Nigeria has reiterated its mission of delivering innovative products based on consumer insight, in African market, as it unveiled its new Clipper offerings, the Philips Clipper Pro and Philips Clipper Home, in Lagos, recently.

The company explained that its decision to introduce Philips Clipper Pro, designed for professional barber styling and Philips Clipper Home, meant for personal use, was informed by the insights garnered from an in-depth qualitative study it carried out in 2014.

The study, which consisted of 20 barber interviews, 20 consumerfocus groups with eight participants per group and 40 in-home interviews in South Africa, Nigeria and Ghana, confirmed the need to get clean shaven feeling, devoid of after-shave scratches, cuts and bumps that sometimes develop on the skin.

General Manager, Philips Per-

sonal Health West Africa, Chioma Iwuchukwu-Nweke, described the two offerings, representing the first set of clippers, the company would be introducing into the African market, as underscoring the company’s commitment to delivering innovation, based on the need of the consumers.

“These are the first clippers Philips is introducing in the African market, underscoring our commitment to delivering innovation based on the need of the consumers.

“Philips conducted extensive research across a cross-section of men in Nigeria and sub-Saharan Africa; the Philips clipper was developed and extensively field tested taking into account the core concerns that came out in the research mainly the need to get that clean shaven feeling but to avoid the scratches, cuts and bumps that sometimes develop on the skin,” she stated.

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Tuesday, 25 October, 2016

Nigerian Tribune

with Soji-Eze Fagbemi m:08179047919 e:sojiezek@yahoo.co.uk

FMC Owerri crisis: JOHESU kicks against “illegal” reinstatement of MD before court pronouncement

Says Labour won’t condone victimisation of members Stories by Soji-Eze Fagbemi

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HE Joint Health Sector Unions and Assembly of Health Care Professionals (JOHESU) has kicked against the reinstatement of the embattled Medical Director of the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Owerri, Dr Angela Uwakwem, at a time when her case is before the court.

Following the prolonged crisis that rocked the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Owerri to its foundation and crippled service delivery for about two years; the Federal Government reinstated her and her management team.

The Minister of State for Health, Dr Osagie Ehanire, while giving the directive last week, warned all staff members to abide by the decision and support the substantive medical director and her management or resign their appointment, if they cannot obey the directive.

In a swift response, JOHESU said her reinstatement was illegal, because the EFCC that investigated the matter has charged Dr Uwakwem to court, and the case would come up on November 15, for arraignment.

JOHESU National Chairman, Comrade Biobelemoye Josiah, who is also the National President of the Medical and Health

Workers Union of Nigeria (MHWUN), said in the interest of the nation, “Labour will not condone any form of cover up or victim-

Ayuba Wabba

Minister urges health professionals to close ranks, work in harmony THE Minister of State for Health, Dr Osagie Ehanire, has called on health professionals in the country to close ranks and work in harmony for the progress of the health sector.

The minister made this call in Jos Plateau State last week, at the commissioning of projects at the Federal School of Medical Laboratory Technology and Induction/ Orientation Ceremony of graduands and students of Medical Laboratory Technician Programme.

He noted that inter-professional rivalry and unhealthy competition in the health sector does not augur well for the sector.

The rivalry between other health professionals under the Joint Health Sector Unions and Assembly of Health Care Professionals (JOHESU) on one side and the Nigeria Medical Association (NMA), has affected smooth operations in the sector.

“I take this opportunity to call your attention to the unhealthy trend bedevilling Nigeria’s health sector, which is the intense in-

ter-professional rivalry in hospitals which is seriously affecting the health service delivery,” he said.

He stressed the importance of Medical Laboratory Science describing as an important arm of medical service delivery which goes beyond analysis of symptoms, physical examination and guess work, stressing that the 21st Century medicine is evidence-based and relies on laboratory and radiological evidence.

“As healthcare professionals, you have the responsibility to maintain the ethics laid down by your profession, bearing in mind that the accuracy and promptness of your work is what advises the physician’s decision and the wellbeing of the patient. This is the mantra for you and all care providers.”

Dr Ehanire said that the Federal Government has been funding the activities of the institution and will continue to do so, in spite of the challenges of limited resources noting that the development of the permanent site has started and will continue until it is

completed.

“It might be a phased project, but it will definitely be done, I enjoin the school to continue to prioritise activities and be prudent with funds. There is no room for wastage and leakage. Transparency and accountability are the watchwords, with determination and commitment, great heights shall be attained,” he concluded.

Earlier, the Executive Governor of Plateau State, Honourable Simon Bako Lalong who was represented by the State Commissioner of Health, Dr Kudeng Tangshang, while assuring that the legal framework for the operation of the school which is before the National Assembly will be seeing the light of the day given the commitment of the legislators who are working relentlessly for its passage, he pointed out that notwithstanding the economic recession in the country, the state government will look into the infrastructural deficit the school is seriously going through so that funds can be made available to fix them.

isation of our members who are law abiding.

“She was sent on compulsory leave based on allegations bordering on highhandedness, fraud and outright stealing. It is our view that the best thing to do in the circumstance and in line with the zero tolerance stance of the present government is to interdict or suspend Dr Uwakwem and allow her have her day in court to prove her innocence or otherwise. It is after this that the issue of her reinstatement or dismissal from service would flow naturally from the pronouncement of the court,” Josiah said.

JOHESU chairman alleged that the erstwhile suspended medical director was forcefully reinstated “ostensibly to enable her destroy factual evidence that could be used against her in the on-going criminal proceedings in court.”

He explained that she was charged to court by the EFCC on October 11, 2016, at the State High Court, Owerri on a 17 count charge, but could not be arraigned on that day because of the absence of the judge before the case was adjourned to November 15.

Comrade Josiah alleged that the Minister of State for Health was behind “this clandestine move of her reinstatement despite the prima facie case established against her by the EFCC.” The union called on President Muhammadu Buhari to call the Minister of State for Health to order, and demeaned that the medical director should be suspended and that the appropriate agency of government be directed to investigate the Ministry of Health in the cover up saga.

Comrade Josiah said the union wants to use the opportunity to notify President Buhari on why the Minister of State for Health is in haste to reinstate her rather than wait for the verdict of the court.

He regretted that before the forceful reinstatement, the commissioner of Police in Owerri came to FMC, Owerri and threatened their members that she wouldn’t be coming to reinstate her and whoever try to resist it will be ruthlessly dealt with.

He pointed out that the minister’s warning had also reinforced the commissioner of police statement, adding that the threat by the minister that whoever does not agree should resign or retire is another effort to use intimidation to cow their members.

RATTAWU holds maiden National Merit Award, honours Amosun, Wogu, Jega, Akunyili, others THE Radio, Television, Theatre and Arts Workers Union of Nigeria (RATTAWU), held its first National Merit Award recently in Abuja, with prominent Nigerians, who have made immense contribution to the media world honoured.

Most significant among those honoured was the former Minister of Information and Communication, Professor Dora Akunyili, who was conferred with posthumous ‘Meritorious Service to Humanity’ award.

According to the National President of RATTAWU, Comrade Yemisi Bamgbose, late Akunyili was honoured because of her immense contributions in the struggle for a better welfare package for media workers.

“We decided to honour her posthumously today because of her efforts at securing better welfare for our members. Whatever we are enjoying today as improved welfare package was made possible with her efforts. We believe award should be bestowed only to those who have genuinely contributed to society and most especially as it concerns us, the media sector.”

Also honoured for his immense contributions was the immediate past Minister of Labour and Productivity, Chief Emeka Wogu; while former Chairman of INEC, Professor Atahiru Jega, received the ‘Stabiliser of Nigeria Democracy Award.’

Some retired and practicing media professionals, former heads of media organizations, as well as political leaders who have contributed to the growth of the Nigerian media, were honoured.

Ogun State Governor, Senator Ibikinle Amosun, received the award for Transformatory Performance in Governance Award, while Dr Umar Ganduje, Kano State Governor received the award for Excellent Performance in Governance.

Bamgbose, in his speech noted that the awards were in recognition of hard work, professionalism and patriotic services to Nigeria.

“A portion of our National Anthem says, the labour of our heroes past shall never be in vain.

We believe an award should be bestowed only to those who have genuinely contributed to society and most especially as it concerns us, the Media Sector. The event is also considered necessary to recognise and appreciate some of our members who have excelled in their chosen careers.”

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Tuesday, 25 October, 2016

Nigerian Tribune

with Tunde Alao

m: 07039438430 e: tunalao@yahoo.com

Jagun emerges first IFMA African Fellow

From left, Ella Louis Kent, Secretary to MD; Ifeanyi Isaac, MD/CEO; Susan Isaac, Executive Director; Ngoha Johnson, General Manager and Uchechi Oyakhire, Human Resource/ Admin Manager, all of Infitech Homes Ltd, at the unveiling of Westpoint Gardens and Solid Base Estate held at Ibeju Lekki Lagos, recently.

IN recognition of his outstanding contribution and services to the development of the facility management globally, a former president of the International Facility Management of America (IFMA), Nigeria Chapter, Pastor Stephen Jagun, has been decorated as Fellow of the institution.

In a statement by the international body, Jagun is the first African to be so honoured with the prestigious IFMA fellowship.

Lagos repositions for effective land administration era Stories by Tunde Alao

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O enhance land administration in Lagos, the Lagos State Government says it has put in place certain measures that would ease land transactions in the metropolis.

Among the measures put in place are the introduction of integrated land administration and automation system, staff training, secondary market on mortgage facilities and full enforcement of law against land grabbers, among others.

Speaking with journalists in his office last week, Permanent Secretary, Land Bureau, Mr Bode Agoro, noted that the mandate of

the bureau, as directed by Governor Akinwunmi Ambode, is to ensure quick and stress-free land transaction process to the teeming Lagos residents who are in need of it.

Highlighting the fea-

tures of the integrated land administration and automation system, Agoro described it as a suite of technology modules that can conduct rapid inventory of land rights, automate/ manage land records, cre-

ate/maintain integrated geographic data accurately and ensure fairly value of property.

He listed the benefits in the new initiative to include reduction in the time required to obtain Certificate

of Occupancy (CofO), that is expected not to take more than 14 days; optimisation of revenue from land transaction; reduction in the cost of land transactions and increased incentives for private sector investment.

Oxfam wants FG’s financial commitment to combat climate change AS world leaders get set to attend the UN Climate Change Conference (COP 22) slated for between November 7 and 18, 2016, in Morocco, an international organisation, Oxfam Nigeria, has called on the Nigerian government and other governments to endeavour to meet up with their financial commitments and obligations towards fighting the scourge of climate change.

The financial commitments were made by the nations concerned during the last COP held in Paris, France.

The organisation also asked government at all levels in Nigeria to invest between 15 to 20 per cent of their budget into agriculture in 2017 to achieve “sustainable diversification” of the economy from oil.

At the 2016 Female Food Hero, ‘Ogbonge’ Award or-

ganised by Oxfam as part of the events to mark the World Food Day held in Markudi, Benue State, Oxfam Head of Programmes, Mr Constant Tchona, said that in Nigeria and many other developing countries, climate change is already hitting hard and is affecting the most vulnerable, such as women and children.

According to him, climate change is increasingly

making it more difficult for women to access their usual means of production such as land, and that they (women) are fast becoming more vulnerable to violent conflicts that often ensue as a result of stiff competition over scarce resources.

“In the north eastern, north western and the south western part of Nigeria, climate change has forced people to migrate from their communities. It

Ifitech envisions 2,000 housing units in 2017 AN indigenous but fast rising real estate development firm, Ifitech and Associates Limited, has unveiled its plan to deliver over 2,000 housing units in different parts of the country before the end of 2017.

This was disclosed in Lagos last week by the firm’s management in a media parley held in Lagos.

Unfolding the agenda of the firm, Mr Ifeanyi Isaac, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the firm, explained that the objective of Ifitech and Associates Limited from its inception when it was established eight years ago and incorporated to start the business of developing and managing estates in Nigeria, was to provide affordable and low-cost housing to ordinary Nigerians in the most convenient

Jagun, who is also the immediate past Chairman, Nigeria Institution of Estate Surveyors and Valuers (NIESV), Lagos Chapter, was decorated with the fellowship title during the “Award of Excellence” at the IFMA World Work Place Conference held last week.

IFMA Fellow is the highest honour the association bestows upon members.

It will be recalled that IFMA’s Fellowship programme was established in 1992 to recognise members’ lifetime contributions to the association and the facility management community.

Reacting to the gesture, Jagun said, “There are only about 90 to 95 of us out of 24,000 members. That is a really select group,” he noted.

way.

“To achieve this objective, over the last eight years, we have dedicated ourselves to acquiring land in three states in Nigeria, namely Lagos, Enugu and Imo State.

“In Lagos, at Ibeju-lekki precisely, we currently have six schemes, while in Imo State there are two schemes and in Enugu we only have one scheme. All these schemes come under the name; Westpoint Gardens and Solid Base Gardens Estate”, he said, adding that their targets are prospective landlords in the lowest end of the property ladder or those that are considered to be low-income earners.

According to Isaac, prices of plots in the estates start from as low as N250,000, while the most expensive ones are those located in

Ibeju-Lekki axis. This is within the periphery of the Dangote Refinery, Free Trade Zone and other upcoming landmark projects in Lagos State, and the price of plots in these estates range from between N1million and N2.5million, he stated.

Besides, he added that by ensuring the objectives of the firm is achieved, payment for plots in all the company’s estates have been structured to run over a period of six to twelve months. “Buyers who pay out-rightly will be able to buy at cheaper prices, while those that want to spread payment over twelve months will only have to pay a little higher that those than can make full payment.

“Currently have a sizeable number of subscribers who

have started to build their own houses and this is not added to the ones the firm is building.

“In addition, we are selling to those who may not want to go through the rigours of starting from land ownership but want already built ones and we hope that by the end of 2017, we would have been able to deliver a minimum of 2000 housing units and that by 2020 we would have been able to deliver over 10,000 housing units.

“We are determined and we already have more than 200 personnel in various fields that are engaged in pushing this ambition. We understand the challenges in the economy but with the determination we will surely get there”.

Despite building these es-

tates to target low-income earners, Isaac explained that Ifitech and Associates Limited will also ensure that residents of the estates and property owners have access to functional infrastructure, citing example of how all their estates is being provided with perimeter fencing, road networks, drainage systems, water, security, play areas for family and shopping centres.

“We are hoping to create estates that will function with a communal lifestyle, where people will live in peace and harmony irrespective of religion or ethnicity.”

On the challenge of reducing Nigeria’s housing deficit, Isaac said the government should start to partner with competent real estate developers.

has destroyed crops and infrastructure such as schools and roads.

“The many incidents of farmers and herdsmen conflict is a clear manifestation of the consequences of climate change on environmental resources, which is occurring almost on a daily basis in many parts of the country.

“In February 2016 alone, over 300 people lost their lives over herdsmen and farmers’ conflict right here in Benue State. This is a conflict over scarce over green pasture. Unfortunately, the reality is that these pockets of conflict will continue to rise if adequate attention is not given to climate change,” Tchona said.

Wife of the Benue State Governor, Mrs Eunice Ortom, in her remark, said that food security is a top priority to every nation.

“We believe that agriculture is one of the key activities that Nigerians, particularly, women should adopt for their social and economic good.

“A society which cannot feed itself cannot boast of any economic growth, peace and happiness or meaningful progress.

“Our collaboration with Oxfam is already yielding better results just like state government is showing faith in helping Benue women to embrace farming.”

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Tuesday, 25 October, 2016

Nigerian Tribune

We are investigating reported cases with Bode Adewumi involving Galaxy m:08055001765 Note7 —Samsung e:bodekafi@yahoo.com

GITEX 2016: Nigeria is ICT investors’ haven —Pantami, NITDA’s boss

From left, Mr Adebayo Shittu, Minister of Communications; Professor Sonni Gwanle Tyoden, Deputy Governor of Plateau State; Mrs Winifred Ekanem Oyo-Ita, Head of the Civil Service; Dr Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami, Director-General of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) and Mr Sunday Echono, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Communications, during the just concluded GITEX ICT Exhibition in Dubai, UAE. Stories By Bode Adewumi

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ECHNOLOGY entrepreneurs seeking for high Returns on Investments (RoIs) have Nigeria as a strong ally. This declaration was made by the Director General of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Dr Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami in his opening speech to kickoff discussions at the Africa Investment Forum (AIF) in the recently held Gulf Information Technology Exhibition (GITEX 2016) in Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE).

Nigeria’s fourth participation at the GITEX 2016 which had participants from 140 countries was hinged on promoting investments in the technology sector through the AIF, Nigeria Pavilion which featured eight exhibitors and the Startup Hub where the NITDA sponsored 16 startups.

“The business environment in Nigeria is favourable. Our current administration recently formed a presidential commission to significantly improve our Ease of Doing Business rank. Efforts are also underway in the Nigerian Senate to review the tax laws to aid the presidential effort to make Nigeria more investor-friendly,” said Pantami at the forum that had representatives from Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC), organisers of GITEX, Morocco, Tanzania, Egypt, and other African countries.

The Nigerian side was led by the Honourable Minister of Communications, Barrister Adebayo Shittu,Professor Sonni Gwanle Tyoden, the deputy governor of Plateau State, Mrs. Winifred Ekanem Oyo-Ita, Head of the Civil Service, Hon Mohammed Onawo, the Chairman, Committee on Information Communication Technology (ICT), House of Representatives, and Arch. Sunday Echono, Permanent Secretary Ministry of Communications. The AIF attracted ICT stakeholders and in-

vestors from across the world including those of African countries.

While inviting investors to see the expansive opportunities in Nigeria’s ICT sector, Adebayo Shittu, said Nigeria remains the major investment destination in Africa for investors because of the country’s huge market and abundant resources.

His words: “Nigeria has a population of about 180 million people, which is more than the total popu-

lation of the remaining 15 nations in the West African sub –region.

Our nation is a huge market and the centre of economic activities in the sub-region as well as ICT development in Africa. Major investors in the ICT sector should not miss these opportunities of mutual benefits which Nigeria presents.”

Reiterating Shittu’s point, Mrs Winifred Ekanem Oyo-Ita, Head of the Civil Service, said Nigeria has continued to enhance its po-

tential for investment flow with increasing efforts by government to build ready human capacity through agencies such as the NITDA to ensure the readiness of the indigenous labour force to provide required skills needed by foreign investors.

Also at the Forum, the deputy governor of Plateau State, Professor Sonni Gwanle Tyoden, called on investors to visit Plateau State to explore the abundant opportunities for tourism, mining and startup hubs underscored by abundant presence of young talented and educated young people.

“Our state has passed through periods of tragic conflicts but that is in the past as we invite you to join other investors in exploring the great potential in mining, the hospitality industry and huge market for innovation underscored by large numbers of educated and talented youth population” said Professor Tyoden.

Pantami also urged the investors to take advantage of the nation’s huge talents in ICT. He said Nigeria is opened to collaborate with local and foreign investors for mutual benefits and the NITDA would seek to promote startups as a basis to build a new technology-depended economy.

NCS partners UNN to organise research, development workshop THE President of the Nigeria Computer Society (NCS), Professor Adesola Aderounmu, has reiterated the resolve of the NCS to providing the wherewithal for capacity building and manpower development in the country.

Aderounmu stated this during the NCS fourth Research and Manpower Development Workshop, which took place at the ICT/ Innovation Centre of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Enugu State, recently.

He said this was in pursuance of the association’s vision and mission to encourage research and manpower development in Nigeria, while adding that it was part of the Corporate Social Responsibilities (CSR) of the NCS. Aderounmu advised the participants to be serious and hardworking. He also enjoined those who were not members of the NCS to apply for membership so as to enjoy the benefits of being a member.

The NCS president, who led other facilitators from different disciplines to the workshop, impacted their skills and knowledge into the participants who expressed their appreciation of the workshop and the lessons they benefitted from thereof.

The two-day workshop was attended by participants from all

sectors of the economy, including developers, designers, ICT Managers & Senior Managers/Administrators, ICT Professionals, ICT Consultants/Researchers, ICT Industry players, Education Faculty

and Staff, Departmental & Units Heads, Government/Public and Private Sectors, Postgraduate students in Computer Science/ICT and Business Development Executives/Managers.

SAMSUNG Electronics has said the company in conjuction with relevant regulatory bodies is investigating the recent reported cases involving the Galaxy Note7.

The company, in a statement signed by Mr Emmanouil Revmatas, Director and Business Leader, Information Mobile and Technology, Samsung Electronics West Africa stated that, “We are working with relevant regulatory bodies to investigate the recently reported cases involving the Galaxy Note7.

“For the benefit of consumers’ safety, we stopped sales and exchanges of the Galaxy Note7 and have consequently decided to stop production.”

The statement stated further that the company remains committed to working diligently with appropriate regulatory authorities to take all necessary steps to resolve the situation, adding that “Consumers with either an original Galaxy Note7 or replacement Galaxy Note7 device are advised to power down and stop using the device and take advantage of the remedies available at our Samsung Authorised Service Centres.”

According to the statement, it said although the Galaxy Note7 has not been released in Nigeria, but that current Galaxy Note7 users, despite the original place of purchase, are kindly advised to visit the nearest Samsung Authorised Service Centre for immediate assistance.

“Customers are advised to return their Galaxy Note7 to Samsung Authorised Service Centres and be guided with available options. Those who have already returned their Galaxy Note7 will also be contacted from Samsung for their options.

“We sincerely apologise for the inconvenience this may cause to customers and partners, who have trusted and waited for the Galaxy Note7,” the statement noted.

NCC restates readiness for transparent licensing of 2.6 GHz Spectrum THE Nigerian communications Commission (NCC) has declared its readiness towards the attainment of transparent process in the licensing of the 2.6 GHz Spectrum.

He said that the Commission was concerned with ensuring that it has transparent process in the licensing of the 2.6 GHz Spectrum.

The Director of Public Affairs, NCC, Mr Tony Ojobo said this during a recent stakeholder’s forum organised by the NCC in Lagos with the theme: ‘2.6 Ghz Spectrum Auction Forum: A Post Mortem’ which was organised to find out from telecoms companies why they exhibited apathy during the auction which took place in June this year.

Only MTN bidded for six slots of the available 14 lots on the spectrum band and emerged as sole approved bidder and subsequent paid N18.96 billion for the spectrum license.

Speaking further at the forum,

Ojobo emphasised the commision’s efforts towards listening to the voices of the stakeholders in order to meet the national broadband plan.

“Based on the performance that was recorded in the last auction, the commission deemed it fit to hear from the stakeholders who are the primary users of this spectrum to determine what could be improved on and what other measures to be taken so that the objective of the commission is in line with expanding the broadband service across the country in which the objective of the national broadband plan is met,” he stated.

He assured the stakeholders and the operators that the price of the spectrum would be reached through a consultative forum and ensure that all hands are on deck so that transparency and utmost integrity can be obvious.

Also, speaking at the forum, the Direcor of spectrum, who is

also the Chairman of the Auction Committee, Mr Austin Nwaulune pledged that the sharing of the spectrum would be in tandem with the harmonisation plan and consequently sustain the trust of the the commission on the part of the stakeholders.

“Stakeholders and operators need to know without mincing words that the sharing of the Spectrum would go in line with the agreed harmonisation plan and strictly adhere to the principles and guidelines and rules and regulations of the ICT,” he noted One of the stakeholders at the forum and the Director, External affairs, Ntel, Mr Osondu Nwokoro, lamented that access to local funding is a very big challenge to them as stakeholders and operators and advised that the Commission seriously take the opportunity cost and the scale of preference of the 2.6 GHz into consideration before embarking on it.

28

communitynews

Tuesday, 25 October, 2016

Lagos residents urge Ambode to rename community RESIDENTS of Gloryland Community in Federal Site and Services Scheme in Isheri-olofin, Egbe-Idimu Local Council Development Area (LCDA) of Lagos have called on the state governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode, to urgently rename the community State Site and Services Scheme.

Chairman of Gloryland Community Development Association (CDA), Mr.

Olumide Adewale, made thecall while speaking at the CDA Secretariat, 5, Goshen Street, Isheri-Olofin.

He said the call to rename the community became necessary in order to get the state government’s attention for the development of the area which had suffered neglect for over 16 years.

He said it was the community’s resolve that the name be changed to State Site and

Services Scheme, adding that, “for over 16 years now, no single project can be attributed to the local council administration let alone the state government.”

“This community with a population of over 10,000 residents and more than 200 streets, started writing letters since the era of Senator Bola Tinubu as governor of Lagos State.

“This question we have been asking is: Are we not residents of Lagos State? We provide drainages, transformers, concrete poles and aluminium conductors for electricity as a community and do the culverts and grading of our own roads,” he stated.

He lamented that the community had been abandoned because of its name Federal Site and Services

Scheme as it was erroneously regarded as belonging to the Federal Government.

“We are calling on Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode, the governor of Lagos State, to change the name to State Site and Services Scheme so that our community can get attention in the 2017 budget

NAFDAC seeks traditional rulers’ support to combat fake drugs in communities oluwole ige-osogbo

The Regent of Orin-Ekiti, Princess Bola Dada, flanked by the Ekiti State Commissioner for Works, Mrs. Funmi Oguns and High Chief Eletin of Orin, Francis Falola, during the 2016 Orin Day celebration, recently. PHOTO: SAM NWAOKO.

Take advantage of Orin Farm Settlement, Ekiti govt told sam nwaoko-ado-ekiti

T

HE people of Orin community in Ido/ Osi Local Government Area of Ekiti State, have asked the state government and other stakeholders to take advantage of the farm settlement in the community as the country battles recession.

Orin community, at the celebration of the 2016 Orin Day, also appealed to the state government and members of the National Assembly from Ekiti North district, to fund the proposed irrigation project in the community for improved agriculture.

The Regent of Orin-Ekiti, Princess Bola Dada, who made the call on behalf of the community, said the Owena River Basin Development Authority had, based on the request of the community, did the feasibility studies on the possibility of constructing a dam there to boost irrigation farming.

Princess Dada regretted that what had been hindering the commencement of the project is lack of adequate funding.

She said: “We in the northern part of Ekiti State have realised that

the global phenomenon of climate change has rendered rain-fed agriculture unprofitable. Owena River Basin Authority has done its feasibility studies on the possibility of constructing a dam and what needs tobe done now is for it to be funded.

“Now that Nigerians are to focus on agriculture and dams are being proposed for states, we appeal to our government and representatives to come to our aid, because gains from farming will become a collective gain for our dear state.”

She begged the state government, the senator representing Ekiti North, Mr. Duro Faseyi and the House of Representatives member from the constituency, Chief Thaddeus Aina, to jointly take steps to secure funding for the dam project to boost agriculture in the state.

She also charged the people of the community to remain united, saying without unity, “we can hardly achieve anything meaningful, but together we can do more.

On the occasion, the community also launched a N50million community self-help development

project.

The President of Orin National Council, Mr Yomi Bobadoye, in his speech, also called on the government to tar Ido-Orin-Ifaki road to ease transportation and for farm produce to be easily transported to the cities.

Bobadoye appealed to indigenes of the town to continue to support developmental projects initiated by the community, saying this remains the

only veritable avenue to fast-track development in the area.

Two prominent indigenes of the town, Messrs Oluwatuyi Aroge and Gbenga Dada, said money realised from this year’s Orin Day would be expended on road construction, building of ultra modern market and grading of the road that links the farm settlement in the town to Oye Local Government Area.

The acting Director-General of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Mrs. Yetunde Oni, has implored traditional rulers in the country to collaborate with the agency in its war against the menace of fake drugs in communities.

Speaking at the palace of the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi when the monarch was made NAFDAC’s ambassador, she called on traditional rulers to help the agency by prohibiting fake and counterfeit drugs, unwholesome processed foods and other substandard regulated products in their respective domains.

Oni was in Ooni’s palace with the management team of the agency and coordinators of NAFDAC in Oyo, Ogun, Ondo, Osun and Ekiti States where she interfaced with over 50 traditional rulers during their monthly meeting.

According to her, “we are here to solicit your support in our fight against fake and counterfeit drugs and other regulated products. NAFDAC is aware that the fight against counterfeit medicines is by no means an easy task and based on mounting evidence,

Illegal arcades causing accident in Ago—Safety group A coalition of youths and students under the umbrella of Coalition for Students and Youths Safety has qcondemned the construction of two arcades on Ibipe Road in Ago-Iwoye, Ogun State.

The coalition said the structures had been attributed to accidents on the road.

The group, in a statement signed by its Coordinator, Kola Olusoga, said safety guidelines were not adhered to in the construction of the arcades on Ibipe Road, which leads to the palace of the Ebumawe

of Ago-Iwoye, Oba Rasak Adenugba.

The group urged government to immediately pull down the arcades to stop road crashes, saying investigation showed that they were constructed with the approval of the state government.

“We want government and all safety agencies in the country to ensure that the lives of students are not lost in road crashes in AgoIwoye due to the illegal construction of the arcades,” the group said.

The group queried the ra-

of the state.

“We know that the adminstration of Mr Ambode is not giving priority to any community over the other.

The governor is developing anywhere that needs attention in Lagos State and we believe in him,” Adewale affirmed.

tionale for constructing arcades in the middle of the road with sloping topography.

“The road is narrow, bent and sloppy, without any form of lighting at night.

It is the duty of government to protect life and property and it is our responsibility to alert the government to live up to its responsibilities,” the safety group added.

Olusoga said the group is concerned because Ago Iwoye community houses thousands of students and motorcycle is a major means of transportation.

we alone cannot address the growing nature and scope of the problem and the growing expertise and sophistication of those that produce and market them.

“Effective collaboration and cooperation is essential to build effective strategies. In view of this, we have come to you as a royal father for partnership to put in place proper coordination mechanism to involve all parties that have a role to play.”

Oni contended that her advocacy visit to Osun became imperative as part of strategies to fine-tune a robust synergy between the agency and Osun State government.

Royal father seeks relief for windstorm ravaged school anthony ubong-calabar THE Cross River State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) has been called upon to come to the aid of Ayiga Community Secondary School, Okodong in Yakurr Local Government Area, which was recently hit by windstorm.

The clan head of Assiga Afrekpe, Ova Usang Inyang Usang, who made the call while speaking with the Nigerian Tribune in his palace on the impact of the windstorm, stated that properties estimated at millions of naira were destroyed during the incident.

He explained that six classroom blocks, staff quarters and the principal’s office had their roofs removed by the windstorm.

The clan head noted that the windstorm had exposed the students and teachers to untold hardship due to the magnitude of its devastation and appealed to the state government to assist the school to recover from the losses.

29

Tuesday, 25 October, 2016 PHOTOS: TOMMY ADEGBITE

ONE YEAR ANNIVERSARY AND PUBLIC LECTURE OF PETALS 102.3 F.M.

From left, Bale Ekotedo, Chief Taye Ayorinde, MD/EIC, ANN Plc, Mr Edward Dickson and co-chairman, ANN Plc, Ambassador Dr Olatokunbo Awolowo Dosumu, at the one year anniversary and public lecture of Petals F.M. held at Mauve 21, Ring Road, Ibadan, on Sunday.

From left, Comrade Odumakin, Dr Joe Odumakin and representative of guest speaker, Dr Remi Aiyede.

From left, Dr Joe Odumakin, PDP governorship candidate, Lagos State, Mr Jimi Agbaje and chairman, Petals F.M., Comrade Yinka Odumakin on the occasion.

MD Lancelot Ventures Ltd., Mr Adebayo Adeleke (left) and Engr Fawole Taiwo Ganiyu, former special adviser, youth and sports, Oyo State.

Ambassador Dr Awolowo Dosumu (left) and Dr Joe Odumakin.

Comrade Odumakin (left) with Mr Otoks Princewill.

From left, former SSA (Media), Oyo State, Dr Festus Adedayo, former Chief of Staff to the Oyo State governor, Dr Adeolu Akande and Mr Edward Dicskon.

From left, Otun Olubadan, Senator Lekan Balogun, Chief Taye Ayorinde, Mr Jimi Agbaje, Dr Awolowo Dosumu and Oyo State governor, Senator Abiola Ajimobi.

30

news

Tuesday, 25 October, 2016

Family values should be cherished, nurtured —Aisha Buhari Bola Badmus - Lagos

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IFE of the Nigerian president, Aisha Buhari; Lagos State governor, Mr Akinwunmi Ambode; his counterparts in Oyo and Osun states, Senator Abiola Ajimobi and Mr Rauf Aregbesola, respectively, have stressed the importance of women in nation building, saying they are the bedrock of any family which in turn makes a nation.

They said this on Monday in their separate speeches delivered at the 16th edition of the National

Women Conference, organised by Committee of Wives of Lagos State Officials (COWLSO), with the theme: “Strong family, strong nation,” held in Lagos.

This was just as they all emphasised the need to accord women more recognition in the country to fasttrack development and transformation.

Speaking at the event, Aisha Buhari, who was represented by the wife of Imo State governor, Nneoma Okorocha, while stressing the importance of women in nation building, said family values were impor-

tant and should be cherished and nurtured.

“Family values are important and should be cherished and nurtured.

Love, support, friendship and guidance are key qualities necessary to form the family bond.

“We must continue to emphasise the importance of strong family values.

Poverty, crime, declining school performance, are some of the challenges a country could face when families are not cohesive,” she said.

Lagos State governor, Mr Ambode; his counterparts in Oyo and Osun states,

Senator Ajimobi and Mr Aregbesola, in their various addresses, noted that if the nation must make meaningful progress, the family, which is the mirror by which any society is measured, must be strengthened.

“With strong families, we can build a strong nation.

But strong families will only exist in a society where nobody is left behind, where everybody has a voice and a stake. This is one of the toughest challenges facing governments – ‘to build an all-inclusive society,’” the governor said.

Governor Ambode said

his administration recognised the critical need for societal inclusion and thus had initiated policies aimed at guaranteeing equal opportunities and participation for all Lagosians.

He said that his administration remained totally committed to empowering women as well as protecting the girl-child against all forms of negative vices, while creating viable platforms for families to bond and recreate.

Also speaking, Governor Ajimobi said the family, as the building block of the nation, must be given top priority.

According to him, women who hold the chord that binds the family together must be empowered to thrive both in their careers and the home front.

According to Aregbesola, if the family must be strengthened, the women who are saddled with the responsibility of building the home front must be encouraged and celebrated.

Afenifere Renewal Group warns Miyetti Allah over terror threat From left, Lagos State governor, Mr Akinwumi Ambode; his wife and chairman, Committee of Wives of Lagos State Officials (COWLSO), Mrs Bolanle Ambode; Oyo State governor, Senator Abiola Ajimobi; grand matron, COWLSO, Senator Oluremi Tinubu and the Osun State governor, Mr Rauf Aregbesola, at the opening ceremony of the 16th National Women’s Conference, organised by COWLSO, at Eko Hotel, Lagos, on Monday. PHOTO: SYLVESTER OKORUWA.

Workers’ strike not politically motivated —Ogun NLC boss Olayinka Olukoya - Abeokuta

THE Ogun State Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Comrade Akeem Ambali, on Monday, said that the indefinite strike embarked on by organised labour in the state had no political undertone.

Ambali, who spoke in a telephone interview with the Nigerian Tribune, argued that the workers were demanding for their legitimate rights.

It will be recalled that the organised labour, which included the Nigeria Labour Congress and Trade Union Congress, had embarked on industrial action over non-remittance of cooperative deductions, contributory pension scheme, bank loans, IIeya savings, among others by the state government.

The Senior Special Assistant on Media to the Governor, Juwon Soyinka, had described the strike as politically motivated.

But Ambali explained that the agitation had been on since January 2016, noting that the workers suspended the strike at the instance of

peace move by traditional rulers and other stakeholders in the state.

The NLC boss urged government not to employ diversionary tactics, but rather address all issues raised by the organised labour in

the interest of the state.

He said, “That the current struggle to free the deprived workers in Ogun State who voluntarily contributed part of their salary to cooperative society, bank loan refund, Ileya savings

and other deductions which were diverted by Ogun State government fraudulently planned to embark on strike since January 2016 as a result of breach of agreement.”

Lowo Oyediran’s murder: Court fixes trial for Nov 9 Yejide Gbenga-Ogundare and Mariam Olateju

HEARING in the 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 Lowo Oyediran, her 38 years old husband, has been slated to commence on November 9, before High Court 1, sitting on the premises of the High Court of Justice, Ring Road, Ibadan.

The trial was earlier fixed for Monday, October 24, but couldn’t go on as scheduled because the Chief Judge of Oyo State, Justice Munta Abimbola, who presides over the matter, was out of the country for a training programme.

At the last hearing of the

matter, just before the court went on vacation, the matter stalled because the defendant was not present in court. The private Prosecutor, S. S. Akinyele, had informed the court that he was ready to move his motion and commence trial, but the lead defense counsel, Bioye Oloyede Asanike, had objected to the case going on, citing the defendant’s ill health as reason for his objection.

Justice Abimbola had, however, opposed the manner in which the information was given and had asked the defense to speak like a lawyer and place strong facts before the court.

The defense had then informed the court that, “The Deputy Comptroller of Prisons in charge of the Agodi prisons called me as

her lawyer to inform that she is sick and cannot be brought to court. I was informed that she had been unwell since last week and only managed to come on Thursday. I will be seeking an adjournment for her to get well and be able to be in court for trial.”

In his reply, however, Akinyele though admitted that as human beings, anyone can get sick, opposed the manner in which the matter was handled.

“We are all human beings and only the living can stand trial. But I will be objecting to the patently wrong procedure embarked upon by the defense. They cannot have monopoly of information concerning the health of the defendant. The court and I should be informed of her health status.”

THE Afenifere Renewal Group has demanded an apology from the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN) over the association’s threat against the people of Ekiti State.

In a statement signed by its publicity secretary, Kunle Famoriyo, ARG said MACBAN’s recent outburst against the anti grazing law recently passed in Ekiti State “is considered as an assault on Yoruba people and will be treated as a terror threat until an apology is tendered.”

MACBAN’s spokesman, Baba Othman Ngelzarma, reportedly said the enforcement of Ekiti State Anti Grazing Law can “develop into unquenchable inferno…capable of creating uncontrollable scenarios which ramification may go well beyond Ekiti State.”

“Such open threat against the people and government that accommodate your business interest is terrorism,” ARG said, while adding that MACBAN’s opposition to the law is deceitful.

“MACBAN had always exonerated its members from herdsmen’s vicious crimes, blaming it on ‘foreigners from other countries.’ Sanity, therefore, prescribes that MACBAN should be happy for the enactment of such law that will ensure genuine cattle breeders are not stigmatised.”

Nigerian Tribune

The Yoruba Initiative holds inaugural meeting in Ibadan Thursday THE inaugural conference of The Yoruba Initiative (TYI), a nascent pan-Yoruba pressure group, will hold in Ibadan, on Thursday, October 27 from 11:00a.m.

After weeks of brainstorming at repositioning the Yoruba race, the TYI will hold its inaugural meeting at the Syndicate Room of Premier Hotel, Ibadan, Oyo State.

It will attract Yoruba descendants from Nigeria and those in the Diaspora.

The non-partisan and non-religious group is to lend a hand in preserving the Yoruba heritage, promote Yoruba civilisation, encourage unity of purpose among other Yoruba groups, ensures social security and good governance in Yoruba land.

The group noted that the Yorubas are socially advanced, unified and recognised in their contributions to world civilisation, and hence would strive from time to time, to sustain the good legacies of the people in economy and social settings.

Vision of the group is to have “A unified people of Yoruba descent corporately contributing to the advancement of global civilisation.”

SDA set to celebrate 2016 Sagamu Day

By Tunde Adegbola

THE President of Sagamu Development Association (SDA), an umbrella body of all social clubs in Sagamu community, Sagamu Local Government Area of Ogun State, Professor Tunde Ogunsanwo, has said that this year’s Sagamu Day will hold between October 27 and 29.

Addressing a press conference at the Sagamu Development Association Civic Centre, Professor Ogunsanwo said this year’s anniversary would be dedicated to sons and daughters of Sagamu in the Diaspora and to honour the late Akarigbo and Paramount Ruler of Remoland, Oba Michael Adeniyi Sonariwo, who joined his ancestors recently.

He added that Sagamites, both at home and abroad, would attend the ceremony.

While highlighting the programme of event, Professor Ogunsanwo said: “This year’s anniversary will kick-start with an interdenominational service at the Akarigbo’s palace.

“The second day will feature cultural display by various cultural groups in the town, at the Akarigbo’s palace.

31

worldpolioday

Tuesday, 25 October, 2016

Nigerian Tribune

Senate to probe $420m polio global fund in Nigeria Taiwo Adisa - Abuja

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HAIRMAN, Senate Committee on Primary Health Care and Communicable Diseases, Senator Mao Ohuabunwa, said on Monday that the upper legislative chamber is set to

probe the use of about $420 million global polio fund allocated to Nigeria in recent years.

Ohunanbuwa, who stated this while addressing newsmen in respect of the World Polio Day, said that the Senate was worried at the usage of the funds meant for the

fight against polio in Nigeria.

The Senate Committee, however, called President Muhammadu Buhari, members of the Presidential Task Force on Polio Eradication and governors of the 36 states to urgently convene a meeting that would brain-

Commissioner for Health, Oyo State, Dr Azeez Adeduntan, administering oral polio vaccines on a baby, during this year’s World Polio Day, organised by the Rotary Clubs in Oyo State, in collaboration with the state government, at the Ibadan North West Local Government Clinic, Onireke, on Monday.

storm on ways to stop the spread of polio virus in Nigeria.

The Senate committee chairman said that it was imperative to probe how the over $420 billion polio grant was spent, adding that the Senate would engage the international donor agencies and ensure that mistakes of the past were avoided.

He also said that his committee would carry out a holistic probe of issues around communicable diseases in the country, adding that funds for developmental projects from donors must be properly managed.

Besides the polio fund, the senator also said that the committee would also probe the disbursement of $1.5 million to 36 states of the federation as first tranche of funds for the programme ‘Saving One Million lives.’

He said that the Senate would also review the process of decision-making in the sector with a view to strengthening the grant system.

Senator Ohuabunwa said, “We want to reassure all donors and partners of our resolve to ensure donor funds are also well spent and that they reach the masses that need them. Key funding agencies like Global Fund, GAVI and several others will be engaged by my committee to ensure mistakes of the past are avoided and that funds from these donors are used judiciously.

Rotary clubs, Oyo govt collaborate to vaccinate children

By Vera Onana

ROTARIANS in Oyo State and health care providers converged on the Ibadan North West Local Government Clinic, Onireke, to inaugurate this year’s World Polio Day with the vaccination of children.

They were joined by the Commissioner for Health, Oyo State, Dr Azeez Adeduntan representing the state governor, Senator Abiola Ajimobi.

Governor Ajimobi, who was represented at the event by Dr Adeduntan, announced a repositioning in the Oyo State Ministry of Health which has placed cardinal focus on maternal and child health.

“Nigeria as at 2014 was declared a polio non endemic nation but sadly in August this year, two or three cases were said to be found in Borno State drawing us backwards.”

The governor explained that his reason for partnering with the Rotary Clubs of Oyo State was to ensure that the state does not become a part of that statistic.

“This administration is ready to achieve that. Our

immunisation programme has been very efficient and in the last two years, we have come very close to 96.6 per cent in terms of coverage. Our vaccine stores are also being maintained to ensure that we have potent vaccines.”

Speaking shortly before the vaccination of children, past District Governor, Ro-

tary Club Oyo State, Obafunso Ogunkeye, reminded the public that until the last child is vaccinated and protected from the polio virus, the world runs the risk of polio infection.

He added that “it is our responsibility to ensure that every child is immunised so we can reduce the incidence and possibility of infection

in the environment. We must be vigilant so as not to allow the disease to creep back into the South-West.”

Dr Jane Adebusuyi, All Stars President of Rotary CClub of Ibadan, Oritamefa District 9125, further stressed the need for Nigerians to be conscious of the fact that the polio virus is back in Nigeria.

Kaduna to immunise 3 million children

By Muhammad Sabiu and Adamu Amadu

DETERMINED to rid Kaduna State of wild polio virus, the Executive Secretary of the Kaduna State Primary Health Care Development Agency (SPHCDA), Dr Hadiza S. Balarabe, said the state government has concluded arrangement to immunise three million children.

Dr Balarabe urged parents and caregivers in the state to allow their children to be vaccinated against the virus.

In a message to commemorate the 2016 World Polio Day celebration in Kaduna, on Monday, Balarabe said the state government was committed to the total erad-

ication of the polio virus.

She also reiterated that all parents must be responsible and ensure their children were not left out in the exercise.

She said 2016 World Polio Day was an opportunity for the global polio eradication community and the government to renew it’s promised of polio – free world to future generation.

“Tremendous achievements were recorded from December 2012 to date. Nigeria recorded only four reported cases of wild polio virus in Borno State this year as against zero case over the same period last year. Kaduna State in particular did not record any case of wild polio virus since November

2012.

“In view of the intensified efforts to ensure total eradication of polio in Kaduna State, the state Primary Health Care Development Agency, in collaboration with all the development partners working in the state, plan to celebrate world polio day in the state.

“The celebration will give opportunity to all stakeholders to rob minds on the success recorded and the challenges and look at the way forward in making Kaduna State polio free.

“The highlights of the activities will include lectures, rallies and distribution of IEC materials to the public for awareness among others,” she said.

“We cannot afford mistakes of the past where funds for developmental projects from donors are improperly managed leading to sanctions on Nigeria from these donors. We cannot continue to be disgraced as a nation through mismanagement of donor funds and must work hard to gain or regain the trust of all donors, bilateral and multi- lateral partners.

“The committee is also preparing to beam its searchlight on the recent disbursement of $1.5 million to the 36 states as the first tranche of money under the Saving One Million Lives Programme for Results (SOMLPFor R).

The committee will like to review the process of how certain decisions were made with a view to strengthening the whole grant system in a manner that makes the states more accountable on how the funds are used.

“The committee is also currently studying the Midwifes Service Scheme (MSS)

to determine whether it should be scaled up or not.

This will be based on the reality of Nigeria’s economic situation as well as the need to align with the Federal Government’s plan of making 10,000 primary health care centres functional.

“Indeed, our nation has achieved significant milestone in the elimination of polio and we will continue to push ahead.

“As of now, the Federal Government has released N9.8 billion to implement the Out Break Response (OBR) that will ensure a stop in the transmission of WPV in the Northeast and beyond. This is coupled with the efforts of donors and partners to support the OBR. While this is good news, my committee was also informed that vaccine availability is still a challenge and that the implementation of the OBR in November and December, 2016 is not certain due to this vaccine shortage.”

Mrs Ugwuanyi urges mothers to sustain fight THE wife of the Enugu State governor, Mrs Monica Ugwuanyi, has called on mothers to ensure that efforts to prevent polio in the state are sustained.

Mrs Ugwuanyi made the call during the inauguration of activities to commemorate this year’s World Polio Day. She explained that the Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi-led administration had, since its inauguration, been working to provide quality health care, noting that polio eradication is one of such noble objectives.

Urging mothers to always keep a close watch on their babies’ health, Mrs Ugwuanyi advised them to practise exclusive breastfeeding until six months.

“You have to ensure that you immunise them against polio and other

diseases. Don’t forget that polio is dangerous,” she added.

The event marking World Polio Day commenced at Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium and later moved to Poly Clinic where Mrs Ugwuanyi administered Oral Polio vaccines on some children before proceeding to Okpara Square where she unveiled the polio plaque.

The District Governornominee of Rotary District 9142 Enugu, Dr Dan Ajawara, said Rotarians across the world remain committed to the goal of “kicking out polio”. “That global commitment has yielded positive results,” he said, adding “it’s regrettable the virus had resurfaced in Nigeria despite the success of massive immunisation campaigns.”

Jigawa embarks on public enlightenment Adamu Amadu - Dutse

THE Primary Health Care Development Agency in Jigawa State has embarked on mass public campaign against polio in the state.

The campaign, in collaboration with the Community Base Organisations (CBOs), aimed at sensitising the general public on the importance of polio vaccine.

Speaking during a public campaign rally, the Dutse Municipal Community Health Officer, Malam Sani Yusif Kachi, said the municipal had been chosen for the

enlightenment campaign.

According to the health officer, Dutse has the highest population of children to be immunised with 110,000 targeted children.

He added that “this campaign is also in reaction to the reports of resurfacing of the polio in some parts of the country.”

Malam Kachi explained further that “Jigawa State celebrated some years without reported cases of polio. This was as a result of joint efforts between government and non governmental organisations in fighting polio.”

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politicsnews

Tuesday, 25 October, 2016

Ganduje, Kwankwaso feud gets messier •Supporters bicker over gov’s wearing of red cap Kola Oyelere - Kano

T

HE cold war between the Kano State governor, Dr Abdullahi Umar Ganduje and his predecessor, Dr Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, seems to be getting messier as the state government has threatened to drag the serving senator to court over issues pertaining to his tenure from 2011 to 2015.

Indications of the worsening relationship between them emerged on Monday through a statement made available to Nigerian Tribune by the state Commissioner for Information, Comrade Muhammad Garba.

The statement followed a similar threat issued last Friday at a press conference in Kano by loyalists of Dr Kwankwaso to sue the incumbent governor if he (Ganduje) should continue to wear a red cap, which they said was the political

symbol of the senator.

The frosty relationship between Kwankwaso and the governor, who was his deputy in previous administrations in the state, necessitated the setting up of a committee by the governing All Progressives Congress (APC) with a view to resolving their differences.

But, the outcome of the exercise appears to have had no salutary effect, as the two camps had been locked in a hide and seek in the last few weeks.

The statement made by the commissioner on Monday in Kano accused loyalists of Kwankwaso under the aegis of Kwankwasiyya Movement of making “spurious, silly and bogus statements” against the person of the incumbent and his administration.

It also accused the supporters of the former governor of deliberate distortion of facts and spreading of falsehood capable of

provoking the government to drop its non-confrontational stance and institute a commission of inquiry to probe the previous administration.

“This unfortunate behaviour lacking in any tint of civility, decency and responsible politicking that has become the hallmark of top echelons of the Kwankwasiyya Movement is, to

say the least, laughable, pathetic, pitiful and a desperate attempt to misguide the public and bring the administration of Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje and his personality to disrepute.

“The statements and allegations, as well as threat of legal action against Governor Ganduje if he fails to stop wearing red cap within 48 hours could easily be

disregarded as just another futile ranting of misguided political stooges but for the need to keep the record straight and remind them of simple facts and truths,” the statement stated.

While claiming that the government had continued with most of the projects inherited from the last administration, the statement said the governor was among the

disciples of the late political titan, Mallam Aminu Kano who popularised the red cap doctrine.

“The threat of legal action against Governor Ganduje by the movement if he fails to stop wearing red cap within 48 hours is the most laughable, pathetic, clear indication of their ignorance of the law and history of political struggle in Kano.

Okun people demand ministerial slot THE Okun Peoples Front (OPF) has appealed to President Muhammadu Buhari, to appoint somebody from the Kogi West Senatorial district as a minister representing the state in the Federal Executive Council (FEC).

The president of OPF, Ben Abereoran, and the secretary, Ola Odana, while speaking with newsmen in Lokoja, the state capital, on Monday, said the call was necessary in the spirit of fairness.

According to the group, based on the principle of federal character, fairness, equity and social justice, the western senatorial district deserves the ministerial slot.

It noted that every section and ethnic group in the state should be treated equally and be given a share in the polity.

“In the present circumstances, the central senatorial district has produced the governor and the eastern senatorial district produced the deputy and the Chief of Staff to the governor.

“In the spirit of fairness, it is commendable that the central senatorial district is not pushing for the ministerial slot,” the group noted.

The body stated that after the 2015 presidential election, Captain Idris Wada from the eastern senatorial district was still the governor of the state and the ministerial slot went to same senatorial district.

“To be fair, the eastern

senatorial district should not be in contest at all. This is owing to the fact that right from 2007, while Alhaji Ibrahim Idris was the governor of the state, Arch. Gabriel Aduku from the senatorial district was made a minister representing Kogi State.

“After he was removed from office, he was replaced with Barrister Humphrey Aba also from the same senatorial district. We all fought at that time that the central senatorial district ought to have been given and not the east since they have produced the governor,” the group noted.

From left: Deputy Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Enugu State chapter, Comrade Alphonsus Ude; Women Leader, Mrs Ngozi Nwafor; and Director-General, Voice of Nigeria, Mr Osita Okechukwu, at the APC caucus meeting in Enugu on Monday. PHOTO: NAN

Kogi: Shake up imminent in Bello’s cabinet Yinka Oladoyinbo - Lokoja

A major shake-up appears imminent in the cabinet of Kogi State governor, Alhaji Yahaya Bello, Nigerian Tribune reliably learnt on Monday.

The ground for the changes was prepared last week, when the political appoin-

tees, including the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), commissioners, special advisers, senior special assistants were made to write a competence test.

Apart from these, it was gathered that administrators of the 21 local government areas, among others, were also made to write the test which was called “inter-

INEC to deploy 16,723 personnel for Ondo poll •Jegede, Jimoh Ibrahim to know fate on Oct 27 Jacob Segun OlatunjiAbuja

THE Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Monday said that it would deploy 16,723 personnel for the conduct of the November 26 Ondo State governorship poll in the state.

This was contained in a statement by the commission in Abuja just as it stated that it would publish the list of nominated candidates to represent a the political parties that had indicated their intention to participate I the poll on October 27.

While the All Progressives Congress (APC) has Rotimi Akeredolu(SAN) as

its candidate, Mr Jimoh Ibrahim and a former Attorney General and commissioner for Justice in the state, Eyitayo Jegede, are still laying claim to the candidacy of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

The INEC statement stated:”Ondo state is made up of eighteen Local Government Areas; 203 registration areas, and 3,010 polling units. It has a total of 1,660,055 registered voters.

“A breakdown of the 16,723 personnel to be deployed indicates that INEC would deploy one (1) Returning Officer, eighteen (18) Local Government

Collation Officers, 203 Registration Area Collation Officers, 301 Supervisory Presiding Officer (SPOs), 3,010 Presiding Officers (POs), and 11, 103 Assistant Presiding Officers (I,II and III) “Others are 1,321 Assistant Presiding Officers (VP), 621Reserve Assistant Presiding Officers, 19 Local Government Area Supervisors, and 126Registration Area Cluster Supervisors.

“Similarly, the commission will publish the list of nominated candidates to represent political parties as well as official voters register for the guber polls, on October 27.

active quiz,” and supervised by a private consultant.

Already, the appointees were said to be running around and contacting those they felt could influence the governor in case they are affected by the impending action.

The plan to relieve some of the appointees of their appointments may not be unconnected with perceived poor performance, while the war on corruption embarked upon by the governor might allegedly consume some of them.

It was gathered that since the appointments were made by the governor, some appointees were said to have failed to prove their mettle.

Some of them, particularly commissioners, were said to lack the human capacity and the wherewithal to oversee their ministries, with the effect evident in their performances.

Besides their inability to adequately manage the offices they were entrusted with, some of the political office holders were said to have soiled their hands during the few months they have stayed in the offices.

Competent sources also informed Nigerian Tribune

that the governor was not happy with the situation as some of the affected officers had not been able to key into his “New Direction” mantra.

It was however learnt that two top political office holders, including a commissioner and a special adviser, are already under investigation over allegations of corrupt practices and may be affected by the coming purge.

Many party leaders were also said to have, at various times, complained about the activities of some of the political office holders to the governor, necessitating the need for reappraisal and possible necessary action.

Already, the consultant was said to have finished working on the test and submitted his reports to the governor through the office of the SSG. The source added that the governor wanted to study the reports following which he would make his decision public.

It would be recalled that the governor recently ordered the arrest of the state chairman of the Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board, Alhaji Sadiq Rabiu, over sundry issues.

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Tuesday, 25 October, 2016

Ahead LG poll: Protest rocks Abia PDP Celestine Ihejirika Umuahia

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HE crisis rocking the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) triggered by the cancellation of last Friday’s councillorship/delegates’ elections of the party in Osisioma Ngwa Local Government Area of Abia State is far from abating.

Hordes of protesters including aspirants from 18 wards on Monday stormed the state office of the party in Umuahia, chanting angry slogans and carrying placards, demanding the immediate de-annulment of the election.

Among the protesters were two councillorship aspirants: Messrs Evuru Udo and Egbu Mbakwe, who claimed they were declared winner of the primary only for the authorities to place an announcement on a local radio station that the election had been cancelled.

Meanwhile, five aggrieved chairmanship aspirants have threatened to boycott all subsequent elections in the area if the leadership of the party in the state refused to reverse the annulment “with immediate effect.”

Addressing journalists in Umuahia on Monday, Dr Ikechukwu Nwabeke, in company of other aggrieved chairmanship aspirants, observed that the cancellation was totally unacceptable because the primary was conducted in a free and fair atmosphere and devoid of violence.

The spokesman of the chairmanship aspirants said there was no evidence that the issue of Osisioma Ngwa had been brought before the committee, wondering how the cancellation came about.

“No petition was served on the elected candidates to appear before the appeal committee before the unilateral cancellation was taken by those behind the cancellation. It as total unacceptable,” he said.

Osisioma and his colleagues however accused the chairman, secretary and administrative secretary of trying to pave the way for another chairmanship con-

testant.

But inaugurating a sevenmember appeal committee for the primary election, the state PDP chairman, Chief Johnson Onuigbo said all complaints and grievances arising from the primary election should be channel to body in line with PDP guidelines.

Onuigbo, who commended PDP members for their maturity during the pri-

mary election warned the party members against tak-

Hakeem Gbadamosi - Akure.

TWO major political parties in next month’s governorship poll in Ondo state election, the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Alliance for Democracy (AD), on Monday, flagged off their campaigns, with

RIVERS State chapters of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the All Progressives Congress (APC) are, once again, at each other’s throat over allegation about the involvement of the Minister of Transportation, Mr Rotimi Amaechi, in the attempts to pervert justice in the disputed 2015 governorship election.

Two Justices of the Supreme Court had, last week, separately accused the former governor of Rivers State of an attempt to bribe them in order to alter the course

an assurance to reposition the state if elected.

While the APC candidate, Rotimi Akeredolu, enjoined the people of the state to vote for the party in order to join the progressives of the South-West states. Oke promised to tackle decay in

A cross section of All Progressives Congress (APC) Governors during a meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari, at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, on Monday. PHOTO: NAN

Guber election, not a do-or-die affair —Jegede Hakeem Gbadamosi - Akure.

The candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the Ondo governorship election, Mr Eyitayo Jegede, on Monday, said that the coming election should not be seen as a do-or-die affair, Jegede, who stated this, in Akure, the Ondo state capital during an interactive session with leaders of the Christian Association of Nigeria, (CAN), Ondo

State chapter, led by their chairman, Rev. John Oladapo, tasked politicians on the common need to ensure that there is no bloodshed during this election.

He said his aspiration was borne out of his desire to take the state to greater heights stating, that only the people could give the nod through their votes.

“As far as I am concerned, this election is not a do-ordie affair. While I believe that by the grace of God I

of justice in the elections in Akwa Ibom, Rivers, Ebonyi, Abia and Ekiti states.

Reacting to the allegations, Rivers PDP chairman, Mr Felix Obuah, claimed that the minister had no moral justification to remain in office.

His APC counterpart, Dr Davies Ikanya, on Monday, however dismissed the call for Amaechi’s resignation, describing it as vindictive, laughable, mischievous and shameless, adding that the former governor would be vindicated.

Obuah insisted that the allegations were shocking, adding that Amaechi

should first step aside from carrying out national assignments in the capacity as a member of the Federal Executive Council (PEC) to allow for an uninterrupted and objective investigation by the relevant government agencies.

The Rivers PDP chairman called on President Muhammadu Buhari to also relieve the former governor of his position, pending the determination of the matter by the law enforcement and anti-graft agencies.

“To further prove his innocence of the various allegations, Mr Amaechi should resign, cooperate and allow the process of his

conduct a hitch-free LGA poll on December 17, 2016.

Ondo 2016: APC, AD flag off campaign

will win, I am not also desperate to win.

"I do not want bloodshed for whatever reason.

That’s why I will appeal to you our fathers, the men of God, to pray for a peaceful election in the state.

"The truth is that, all of us cannot become governor. Only one person will win and we should not because of that resort to violence and other criminal acts. This very much we know in the PDP and

Graft allegations: Rivers PDP, APC differ over calls for Amaechi's resignation

By Dapo Falade

ing laws into their hands as the state government had made all arrangements to

investigation by not sabotaging any of such efforts in getting to the truth,” he said.

Defending the former governor, however, Rivers APC chairman insisted that Amaechi was not guilty as charged, adding, “We are convinced that God, who has always fought for Amaechi, will continue to save and strengthen him and will once again vindicate him”.

He lambasted PDP, both at the state and the national levels, as well as individuals, who joined in calling for the resignation of Amaechi and his probe over the allegations by the judges.

we appeal to our rivals to let, as brothers and sisters, play the game according to the rules,” Jegede stated.

The PDP candidate, who unfolded his agenda cutting across education, industrialisation, employment and agriculture, said he would partner with religious bodies towards restoring moral values and developing the education sector generally.

He added that if elected, he would introduce moral education and civil ethics into the schools’ curricula and that, respective religious bodies would have great input in formulating the policy.

“I’m a product of a missionary school, Aquinas College, Akure, and I enjoy till date, the positive impact of the moral upbringing and discipline we had in our secondary school days,” he said.

Jegede also appealed to the people for patience in the face of ongoing economic hardship, stressing that if elected, he would swiftly embark on taxfriendly industrial projects that would provide massive jobs to cushion the effect of the present economic recession, assuring that workers’ welfare would be given great priority, if elected.

the infrastructural facilities in the state.

Speaking during his campaign in Ore, Odigbo local government area, Aleredolu, lamented the decay in the infrastructural facilities in the area despite being the goose that laid the golden eggs.

He said his government would implement peopleoriented programmes that would have impact positively on the life of the people of the area, noting that N500bn accrued to the Ondo State Oil-Producing Area Development Area Commission (OSOPADEC) with nothing to show for it.

He stressed the need to vote for APC, saying the state had been marginalised in the scheme of things in the nation because it lacked leaders at the top.

On his part, AD candidate, Oke also lamented the poor state of roads in the state, while he pledged to give priority to agriculture as an alternative to oil in the state.

Speaking in Épé, In Ondo East local government area, Oke assured that his government would embark on massive construction of roads in all parts of the state, in view of the importance o socio-economic development.

Group demands action on Ondo PDP's petition against Abuja court A group, Ondo Democratic Movement, has called on President Mohammadu Buhari and "managers" of the nation's judiciary to ensure that the ruling of Justice E. O Abang instructing the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to substitute the name of Jimoh Ibrahim with that of Eyitayo Jegede (SAN) as the Peoples Democratic Party's flagbearer in the November 26 gubernatorial does not stand.

In a statement by its publicity secretary, Comrade Ademola Blessing, in Akure on Monday, it said it is the height of judicial recklessness to give a ruling against a defendant who was not represented in court to plead his case as presented in the petition.

Submitting that its wrong to obtain judgement against a defendant who was not aware of a case against him or her, the group said allowing the ruling to stay would be a serious indictment on the sincerity of the government and the judiciary to allow democracy and the rule of law to flourish in the country.

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Tuesday, 25 October, 2016

I worked to raise next generation of Nigerians –Jonathan

By Tunde Ogunesan

F

ORMER president, Dr Goodluck Jonathan, on Monday, at the Oxford Union of the University of Oxford, United Kingdom (UK), said he worked to create a next generation of Nigerians, instead of working to win the 2015 election by all means.

The former president made the statement while featuring on a question and answer forum, organised by the students of the collegiate research of the university.

The former president had, on Sunday evening, said “God willing, I would be speaking at the Oxford Union of the University of Oxford tomorrow at 5.00 p.m. on the subject of promoting youth entrepreneurship. My speech would be streamed live on this page.

I invite all my followers to join me through this platform.”

Jonathan was received on arrival by the Union president, Noah Lachs and several students, and, while featuring on the questions and answers forum, said “I am excited to be in the midst of some of the world’s future leaders to discuss issues relating to youth empowerment and entrepreneurship.”

Speaking further, he said “while serving as president of Nigeria, I worked for the next generation and not for the next election. I have no regrets for what I did. The issue of youth entrepreneurship in Africa is very critical, as Africa is the only continent in which we will witness a population boom.

“Most violent crises in Africa can be traced to a lack of education and opportunities among its teeming youth population. Studies reveal the symbiotic relationship between youth unemployment and youth restiveness.

“As governor of Bayelsa State and later the president of Nigeria, I asked myself some critical questions.”

Raising some posers on the success and failure of people, despite living in the same condition, Dr Jonathan said “wealth is a creation of the human mind, properly prepared by education.Any nation that does not spend its wealth and resources to develop the capacity of its youths will be forced to use them to fight insecurity.”

He said “despite incredible challenges, Nigerian youths are achieving great things and placing Nigeria positively in the world map. They inspire us. We may not have been perfect, but we did our best, and our best yielded an era of unprecedented economic growth for Nigeria, a growth that proved the truism that a nation’s wealth is not underneath the ground but between the ears of her

people.

“Under my watch, Nigeria was projected by CNN Money to be the third fast-

est growing economy in the world for the year 2015. Nigeria was rated as the largest economy in Africa and

the 23rd in the world by the World Bank and the IMF, with a GDP above $570 billion.

“The bill banning same sex marriage in Nigeria was a passed by our country’s parliament and the presi-

dent that I was could not veto it. Since passing the ban on same sex marriage, I can attest that not a single Nigerian has been discriminated against as a result of that law.

“While serving as president of Nigeria, I worked for the next generation and not for the next elections. I have no regrets for what I did. Somebody must sacrifice and work for the next generation, otherwise your children’s children will suffer the same predicaments as you have.”

Why we banned IMN’s activities in Plateau— Lalong Continued from Pg 4

From left, chairman, Association of Vice Chancellors of Nigerian Universities (AVCNU), Professor Adebiyi Daramola; Executive Secretary, National Universities Commission (NUC),Professor Abubakar Rasheed; Registrar/Chief Executive Officer, Joint Admission Matriculation Board(JAMB), Professor Ishaq Oloyede and the Executive Secretary, AVCNU, Professor Micheal Faborode, during a dinner in honour of its former members, in Abuja, at the weekend. PHOTO: SUNDAY OSUNRAYI.

Nigeria may emulate US on direct party primaries —Ekweremadu Taiwo Adisa -Abuja

NIGERIA’S political parties may henceforth be compelled by law to emulate the parties in the United States of America (USA) on the use of direct primaries to choose candidates for elective positions.

Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, who stated this when he received a delegation of the United States House of Representatives on behalf of the Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki, said the use of direct primaries for the emergence of candidates would strengthen the nation’s electoral system.

Ekweremadu told the delegation, led by the chairman of the House Democracy Partnership, Representative Peter Roskam, which was on a working visit to the Senate, on

Monday, that direct primaries by political parties had conferred enormous transparency and credibility on the American electoral system.

He also assured that since the people remained the pillar of democracy, it was important they were allowed to own the process at all times.

He noted that it was imperative that Nigeria and the United States maintained cordial and deep inter-parliamentary ties for enhancement of her democracy.

“I commend the House Democracy Partnership as a bipartisan effort at deepening responsive, effective government and also strengthening democratic institutions through assistance to legislatures in emerging democracies around the world.

“We are willing to part-

ner with you because it will not only enrich our democracy, but also that of the entire West Africa sub-region and Africa as a whole,” he said.

Representative Roskam, who was also accompa-

nied by the officials of National Democratic Institute (NDI), extolled Nigeria’s efforts at sustaining democracy, adding that the US agencies would continue to collaborate with Nigeria.

Be patient as we fix Lokoja roads, Kogi gov tells residents GOVERNOR of Kogi State, Alhaji Yahaya Bello, has asked all road users in Lokoja, the state capital, to exercise deep patience and understanding with the slow-moving vehicular traffic occasioned by the various ongoing road repairs within the city.

The governor, who spoke through a press release signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Petra Akinti Onyegbule, said the pains being experienced would soon be over, and the rewards would be smoother roads.

This, the release said,

was in fulfillment of the governor’s promise to make Lokoja a beautiful and modern city it was destined to be.

“We are very much aware of the slight discomfort Lokoja residents and travelers are going through because of the simultaneous road repair operations being handled by the Ministry of Works, Power and Housing.

We are doing all these rehabilitation work at the same time because we are impatient to fulfill our dream to make our state capital as hospitable, beautiful and motorable as possible,” the

Crisis hits customs hqtrs over leak of sacked officers’ names Tola Adenubi-Lagos

THERE is palpable crisis rocking the headquarters of the Nigerian Customs Service (NCS) over the leakage of the list containing the names and ranks of the sacked senior and junior officers. This is even as findings have revealed that the Comptroller General of the NCS, Colonel Hameed Alli (retd) is very furious with the leak and has threatened to deal with

whoever is behind the document leakage.

According to an impeccable source in the NCS, who declined to have his name in print as he is not authorised to speak on the issue, “The list of sacked Customs officers, their names and rank was already online as early as in the morning of Monday.

How it got there, nobody can actually explain.

The CG is currently furious and has vowed to deal

from themselves,” he said.

On the allegations that IMN members had been denied their rights, the governor said that every right offered to the citizens must be used responsibly.

“The law is clear about that.

Once your right jeopardises other people’s rights, it can be tampered with. That is what we did,’’ he said.

He said that government was always ready to ban the activities of any organisation if they were found to constitute a security risk.

The governor appealed to residents of the state to be law abiding and respect each other.

“We must endeavour to respect and protect each other. Respect must be mutual. No religion encourages violence; certainly not in Plateau,” he said.

ruthlessly with whoever is behind the leak.

“It is not part of Customs tradition to release names of sacked officers, particularly when they have been involved in gross misconduct that includes financial misappropriation. Investigations are still ongoing to fish out those releasing Customs information to the public.

When contacted on the issue, the NCS spokesman, Wale Adeniyi, ex-

plained to Nigerian Tribune that the NCS did not release the names of the sacked officers to the public.

In his words, “I don’t know who put the names of the sacked Customs officers online. I did not put it there.

The NCS is not obliged to release the names of sacked officers. What we were asked to do was to put up a statement while all the affected officers were communicated individually.”

statement read.

According to the statement, the roads under construction included: Ganaja Junction to Ganaja Village Road, Zenith Bank to NTA Roundabout, NTA Roundabout to Mount Patty and roads within the state secretariat.

“We, therefore, seek the cooperation of our people and those travelling through the city in this regard.

Please, obey all road signs and drive as carefully as you can. We have put enough men to work to ensure the work is done in the short time possible. At the end, we are certain that every road user will be satisfied with the quality and speed of the job.”

The statement further reiterated that Kogi people would have numerous reasons to be optimistic about the future, as all is being done by the administration to improve the quality of life of the citizenry.

It said that “the government is working very hard to attract foreign direct investment, which will translate to jobs and funds into the state’s coffers.”

Tuesday, 25 October, 2016 35 news Nigeria’s economic problems traceable to corruption —Justice Minister Saraki launches MohammedSabiu-Kadunawith agency report

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HE Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, has attributed current political, social and economic problems in Nigeria to corruption.

Malami, who delivered the keynote address at the National Open Government Partnership retreat on Monday, in Kaduna, said corruption remained Nigeria’s biggest impediment to attaining sustainable development.

According to him, the Federal Government is committed to driving out the culture of corruption in the country, by making governance more open, accountable and responsive to citizens.

He said the government would strengthen anti-corruption institutions, and the capacity of Nigerians to expose corrupt practices in all spheres of life.

Malami added that the government would implement programmes aimed at exposing and punishing corrupt public officials and providing support to victims of corruption.

The minister said Nigeria joined the open governance partnership in July 2016 as part of its commitment to deepening institutional and policy reforms for good governance.

He said the partnership was a multi-stakeholder initiative focused on improving transparency, accountability, citizens participation, and responsiveness to citizens through technology and innovation.

The minister said his ministry would drive the initiative through reforms of programmes on transparency and accountability.

Malami said the target was “to promote fiscal transpar-

ency, open procurement, open contracting, access to information, asset disclosure, citizen engagement and empowerment.”

“It is a journey that will take us from transparency and openness to national prosperity,” he added.

In his message for the event, Vice President Yemi Osibanjo also said the Fed-

eral Government remained on track in the ongoing fight against corruption.

Osibajno said one of the administration’s cardinal objectives was the eradication of corruption and restoration of the nation’s economy.

“That is why the administration is partnering OGP for open governance, to enable the government to receive

first-hand information from citizens,” he said.

The vice president was represented by Dr Bilkisu Saidu, special assistant to the President on Research, Legal and Compliance Matters.

In his remark, the Kaduna State governor, Nasir elRufa’i, who was represented by his Deputy, Mr Bala Bantex, said the state was fully

From left, Chairman, Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC), Mr Ibrahim Magu; Chief Executive, Open Government Partnership, Mr Sanjay Pradhan; deputy governor of Kaduna State, Mr Barnabas Bantex; Minister of Justice, Mr Abubakar Malami and the representative of the vice president, Hajiya Bilikisu Saidu, at the National Retreat on Open Government Partnership, in Kaduna, on Monday. PHOTO: NAN.

Protesting women shut down Benin-Ore highway Banji Aluko - Benin City TRADERS at the Uselu Market in Benin City, protesting against plans by the authorities of Egor Local Government Area to relocate them from the market, have blocked a section of the Benin-Ore expressway The traders, who protested under the aegis of Uselu Market Women Association, displayed placards that conveyed their displeasure at the authorities’ directive to move to newly built lock-up stores inside the market.

The obstruction of the road at the early hours of the day, created gridlock on the ever-

busy road, and also prevented many travellers from exiting Benin.

It also disallowed many members of staff of the University of Benin and the University Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH) from getting to their workplaces.

Some of the protesters told the Nigerian Tribune that they were not against the planned relocation of the market, but noted that they could not afford the over N1 million they were being asked to pay to secure shops inside the market.

They were particularly irked by the decision of the

local government authorities to have demolished the makeshift shops they were using for their businesses.

A female trader, Mrs Celena Okon, described the council’s action as “an act of wickedness”, in view of the current economic situation in the country.

“What am I selling that you will force me to pay over a million naira for a single store? I believe they should consider the worth of our businesses individually.

“Where do you expect a woman who sells only crayfish or tomatoes to get such a ridiculous amount of money

Ex-IGP, Arase, denies 19 vehicles recovered from him Chris Agbambu - Abuja

IMMEDIATE past Inspector General of Police, Solomon Arase, has debunked speculations that 19 assorted vehicles belonging to the Nigeria Police were recovered from him, raising the alarm that some forces were bent on tarnishing his image.

In a statement he personally signed on Monday, Arase warned that he would not hesitate to seek legal redress if those desperate to tarnish his image failed to desist from their mudslinging act.

The ex-IGP said he did not take extra vehicles beyond what he was entitled to.

“It is embarrassing for me to wake up on Monday morning to be inundated

involved in the open governance initiative, adding that the initiative would help in getting result-oriented government.

The Chief Executive Officer, Open Government Partnership, Mr Sanjay Prodhan, commended the Nigerian government for its determination to end corruption in all aspects of life.

with calls and messages on purported 19 vehicles recovered from me.

“I wish to reassure the general public that there was nothing like that. Like I said in July, I did not take any police vehicle with me outside what I am entitled to, and so, there couldn’t have been any vehicle recovered from me.

“If there was any such, those behind this campaign of calumny should please make the number plates of the vehicles public and where they were recovered from.

“Rather than dissipating so much energy on ‘project drag Arase down’, I urge those behind this evil campaign to face their official responsibility for which much

is expected from them by the nation.

“I have done my bit and my own records bear me witness. Let those daily

frightened by the shadow of Arase, learn to face reality and stop chasing shadows so that they are not hunted by same,” he said.

to pay, when in actual fact most are in dire need of additional funds to grow their businesses?” she wondered.

Another trader, Mrs Imade Osifo, who described the situation as pathetic, said their decision to barricade the highway was to draw the attention of the world to what they were going through.

“They want to force us to go into the stores and we have told them that we cannot afford the stores; that is why they are destroying our businesses.”

“Even if the country’s economy was okay, how do you expect a woman who sells only salt and Maggi to generate such?” Osifo asked.

Efforts by the Nigerian Tribune to contact the authorities of Egor Local Council to comment on the situation, proved abortive, as the council’s Head of Service was said to be unavailable.

Innosson, others to face trial over N2.4bn fraud AyomideOwonibiOdekanyin-Lagos

FOR allegedly falsifying shipping documents in order to secure a bank loan, a Federal High Court in Lagos, on Monday, fixed November 25, for Innosson Nigeria Limited, and others to face trial over a N2.4 billion fraud.

The accused persons in the suit are Innosson Nigeria Limited, Innocent Chukwuma, Charles Chukwu, Maximian Chukwura, Mitsui Osk Lines ‘C’ and Anajekwu Sunny.

When the suit was called

on Monday, Mr J.I Ajakaiye announced appearance for the prosecution.

Chief George Uwechue, Professor C. Mbadugha, and Mr Olusola Abioye announced appearance for the accused persons.

The prosecutor then informed the court that he had served the court processes on all defence counsels.

He added that he had served the first and second defence counsel on October 21 at about 4:18 p.m, while the third to sixth defence counsels were just served.

In response, Uwechue, informed the court that he had received the processes, but required adequate time to peruse and file a response.

Other counsels also aligned themselves with the submissions of Uwechue.

Based on the agreement of counsels, the trial judge, Justice Saliu Saidu, adjourned the suit to November 25 for hearing.

In the charge, the accused were alleged to have conspired to commit the offence on October 10, 2013 at Apapa Wharf.

N300m water, road projects in Ilorin

THE President of the Senate, Dr Bukola Saraki, on Monday, launched a N300 million water project in Ilorin, the Kwara capital.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reported that the project was under both the low-lift and highlift pumps scheme at Agba dam water works, GRA, Ilorin.

NAN also reported that some of the old components of the dam that were inaugurated in 1959, would be replaced under the scheme.

Saraki said the project, which was captured in the Federal Government’s 2016 budget, is being done to boost water supply to Ilorin township.

Agba Dam with a capacity of three million gallons per day is complementing the Asa Dam with 25 million gallons capacity per day.

The Senate President equally inaugurated the PakataUbandawakiAlaaya road project.

Convention CHRIST Salvation Church International, Ile-Titun Area, Olodi Iyana Church, Ibadan, Oyo State, is set to hold its 2016 convention themed: ‘Time to Favour’.

The five-day life-changing programme will start from Wednesday, November 2 through Sunday, November 6, between 9:00a.m and 5:00p.m daily, at the church auditorium.

It will feature salvation, healing, deliverance, miracles, blessings and lots more.

There will be vigil and night of praises on Friday, at 10:00p.m; ministers/ workers’ seminar comes up on Saturday, at 10:00a.m, while the 10th anniversary and thanksgiving service will hold on Sunday, at 11:00a.m.

The Great Prayer Mountain programme tagged: “OWURO OJURERE” will also hold every Wednesday, at 9:00a.m to 1:00p.m.

Host is the General Overseer, Prophet and Evangelist Abraham Olasunkanmi, while ministers at the event are Prophet (Dr) Ben Olabayo Akande; Apostle Okunola Tolulope and Prophet Bukola Opadotun, among others.

Guest artistes are Evangelist Timolola Bola Eshaddai and the LAREM Choir.

Evangelist Abraham Olasunkanmi

Tuesday, 25 October, 2016 36 news ‘3 Nasarawa Nigeria loses N127bn to cyber crime annually —DFID Chris Agbambu-Abuja

P

ROFESSOR Olu Ogunsakin from the Department for International Development (DFID), on Monday, said the impact of cyber crime on the country is so vast that annually, it loses about N127 billion to criminals that used the internet to sabotage the economy.

He warned that the situation would continue until government and security agencies found a way to curb the menace.

“We should make sure that the public is quite aware of the impact of cybercrime because it is something that is borderless and it affects everybody and somebody irrespective of location,” he said, during a workshop on Cybercrime and Forensic Investigation.

Professor Ogunsakin, stated that Nigeria could curb the menace if it developed cyber technique on how to

eradicate the growing menace, adding that there was the need to collaborate with countries that have strategies.

“All over the world, you will also realise that a lot of countries are suffering from it, so we need to collaborate with people because as of now, we do not have a national strategy on how to deal with this crime and we need to start from somewhere,” he said.

Also speaking, the Inspector General of Police

(IGP), Ibrahim Idris, noted that the Force was worried with the spate of the crime.

The IGP who was represented by Assisant Inspector-General of Police, Umaru Shehu, said the criminals were constantly looking for ways to take advantage of the loopholes in the new cyber technology.

“They devote more energy and resources into committing national and international crime that are difficult to prevent and

detect,” he said.

In his speech, he said, “it should be noted that these criminals are well organised and are willing to invest in modern technology so that they can commit identity theft and privacy invasion, fraudulent electronic transaction, cause havoc through insertion of computer virus and malware infections in personal and corporate computers to get upper hand or blackmail and distributed denial

of service attack.

“More worrisome is the radicalisation, violent extremism and terrorism perpetrated through cyberspace and website hacking and defacement.

“Compared to traditional crime where criminals can rob one or two banks in a day, ICT has made it possible to rob hundreds of banks in less than an hour, while the perpetrators sits comfortably in their homes or offices.”

Solid minerals: Kwara seeks 13% derivation benefits THE Kwara State government has called for the immediate inclusion of the state on the list of beneficiaries of the 13 per cent derivation fund from the solid minerals as a solid minerals producing state.

The state Commissioner for Industry and Solid Minerals Development, Hajia Funmilayo Oniwa, made the government’s position known in Ilorin, at the stakeholders forum organised by the Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAC).

Hajia Oniwa, who said the state had about 17 mineral resources, queried the exclusion of the state, among investment destination for solid minerals development by the Nigeria Mining and Metal Sector Investment Promotion in its Brochure released in August.

She explained that the state had contributed immensely to the development of the solid minerals sector as a veritable source of revenue generation into the federation account.

Hajia Oniwa, noted that, such a document ought to be sensitive to the mineral and investment potentials of each state in view of the Federal Government’s economic diversification campaign.

The Commissioner explained that the government was making effort to restructure the mineral architecture with a view to enacting relevant laws to enhance its capacity for improved internally generated revenue that would lead to its steady growth.

From left, Mr Asukuo Bassey, Project Coordinator, Cross River State, SLOGOR; Mr Yemi Ijidele, Project Coordinator, Osun State, SLOGOR and Mr Ayodele Fatoberu, Director/Procurement Facilitator, Osun Public Procurement Agency, at the state and Local Governance Reform (SLOGOR) retreat, organised by the Ministry of Budget and National Planning in collaboration with the World Bank and the European Union in Calabar, recently.

US, UK, Nigerians’ most travelled destinations —VFS MR Jiten Vyas, the Chief Operating Officer of VFS Global in Africa, a visa processing company, has said the United States (US) and United Kingdom (UK) are Nigerians most travelled destinations.

Vyas told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), in Lagos, on Monday, that his organisation’s statistics had

also revealed a rise in the number of Nigerians travelling to Europe, South Africa, Dubai and India.

“There has been a significant rise in Nigerians’ travel, be it student travel, leisure or business, largely due to the improvement in income levels in the last few years.

“Several multinational

companies have also set up base here and more Nigerian residents are becoming increasingly keen to travel or study abroad.

“The US and UK remain popular travel destinations amongst Nigerians today; they also travel to Europe, Dubai, India and South Africa,” he said.

Vyas said more countries

Extremism: FG urged to stop Nigerians travelling to study in Iran Collins Nnabuife-Abuja

AFRICANS studying in various higher institutions in Cyprus under the banner of African Students in Cyprus have called on the Nigerian government to stop Nigerian youths traveling to the Republic of Iran to study, warning that some of them end up being radicalised.

The students, during a march against terrorism and extremism at the university of Nicosia, Cyprus, revealed that Nigeria faced future security risk if it continued to allow youths travel to countries where they ended up being radicalised.

President of the student group, Jeremiah Omadachi, while addressing the protesters, said “some youths who

travel to Iran under the guise of studying are also shipped off to other countries such as Yemen and Somalia where the same fate await them.”

They warned the Nigerian authorities and foreign affairs ministry that the threat of radicalisation by the IMN is real and should not be taken for granted.

According to him “as Africans living here in Cyprus, we have followed events in Nigeria, and must confess that we have great concerns about the growing sectarian division there. The names of several sects are coming up in the daily accounts being rendered online but the name of Shiite sect; the Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN) has remained a constant.

“We are aware through contacts with other communities and nationals here that the cover that IMN and Iran use was to make youths pretend they were travelling to get education.

“The frightening reality however was that young Nigerians that travel to Iran end up being radicalised and indoctrinated into extremism. There has been indications that they were also getting military training provided by the Iranian Revolutionary Guards.”He said the Nigeria Government and other African leaders must do everything possible to prevent Iran from expanding the Middle East crisis to Africa by using IMN as a front.

had in the last decade taken advantage of outsourcing their visas application services to his organisation.

The company boss said Nigeria had always been one of the top priorities of his organisation in the subSaharan region.

Vyas said his organisation was currently providing visa application services to 13 client governments in Nigeria.

The chief operating officer said the company was currently on a project for the Nigeria Interbank Settlement Services (NISS) to provide Bank Verification Number (BVN) for Nigerian account holders abroad.

“This initiative by the Central Bank of Nigeria was aimed at providing a more secure banking platform for boosting Nigerians conventional security.

“Over the last decade more governments are seeing the advantages of having an outsourced visa services model,” he said.

Vyas also disclosed that VFS Global was currently in touch with Nigerian government departments to introduce technology, citizen services, immigration, foreigners and national identity registrations to them.

pilgrims absconded during 2015 pilgrimage’ Godwin Agwam-Lafia

THE Executive Secretary of Nasarawa Christian Pilgrim Welfare Board Mr Clement Odeh Magaji, has disclosed that three pilgrims absconded from the contingent of pilgrims that participated in the 2015 pilgrimage.

Magaji, disclosed this on Monday, while speaking with Nigerian Tribune in Lafia, on the level of preparation for the 2016 pilgrimage to Jerusalem.

The executive secretary explained that the absconded pilgrims were independent candidates who refused to return back to the country with their contingents.

He further disclosed that, the board disqualified 23 intending pilgrims during the 2015 exercise, due to unverifiable information supplied by the candidates.

He stated, that the board would physically screen guarantors of intending pilgrims for 2016 pilgrimage, to curb abscondment of pilgrims at the Holy Land.

How to address Nigeria’s problems —Prof Olagoke AN Islamic Movement, Shafaudeen Brothers Daawah held its annual week in Ibadan with a call on the Federal and State governments and the youth to adopt a realistic approach to address the nation’s problems, rather than mere rhetoric at all times.

Speaking at the international headquarters of Shafaudeen In Islam Worldwide, at Wakajaye, Ibadan, Oyo State on “empowerment strategy amidst unemployment. The challenges of the youth,” Professor Sabit Ariyo Olagoke decried the unemployment rate in the country and its adverse effects on all sectors.

Olagoke, who is the founder of Shafaudeen Mission, said “nations that fail to address issues of youth development in their policy plans and programmes will ever create state of restiveness,violence and insecurity.”

He observed that the mono economy of oil with attendant corrupt enrichment of cabal, cartel and kleptocrats, coupled with global fall of oil price at the international market, had aggravated the state of unemployment and underfunding of projects, to the detriment of human development Index.

37

Tuesday, 25 October, 2016

foreig naffairs

08116954632 with seyi gesinde foreignn ewseditor@gmail.com

Cameroon appeals for blood after deadly train crash

Senegalese soldiers from MINUSCA (United Nations Mission in Central African Republic) patrol in the area where sporadic gunfire and improvised barricades closed the access to some districts of Bangui. PHOTO: AFP

OFFICIALS in Cameroon have called on the public to donate blood to assist with the treatment of 600 people wounded in Friday’s train crash.

Eleven more bodies were recovered on Sunday, taking the death toll to 80.

France’s ambassador in the country was one highprofile donor who donated blood and urged others to follow suit.

The passenger train was travelling from Yaounde, the capital, to the port city of Douala when carriages flipped over at high speed.

President Paul Biya told

Gunfire, protests erupt in Central African Republic

U

NITED Nations (UN) peacekeepers and armed men exchanged fire on Monday in Central African Republic’s capital Bangui, the United Nations said, while hundreds of protesters gathered to call for the mission’s departure.

Crowds gathered near a major roundabout, carrying anti-U.N. posters, throwing stones and shouting at their troops who responded with warning shots, a Reuters witness said.

One injured man was carried onto a police truck but it was unclear how he was wounded.

Central African Republic

has been in chaos since early 2013 when fighting between mostly Muslim Seleka rebels and anti-Balaka Christian militias prompted the establishment of the MINUSCA mission a year later.

Criticism of the 13,000-strong mission has mounted in recent weeks with local people accusing the peacekeepers of not doing enough to protect them.

Civil society groups called for a general strike on Monday to pressure the mission to leave.

“We have seen that their mission has no use and it’s just better that they leave,” said IT engineer Didier Fabrice Balandegue as gunfire

rang out in the background.

Spokesman for MINUSCA Herve Verhoosel said a brief firefight broke out in the morning when a U.N. patrol was fired at by unidentified armed men.

“There were other cases where we fired warning shots and removed barricades,” he said by telephone, adding that he was not aware of any casualties.

The streets are now calm, he said.

The civil society groups launched a petition last week calling for MINUSCA’s departure and the rearming of the national armed forces, currently subject to an arms embargo.

Most residents in the city of 1 million people heeded the call not to go work on Monday and many shops were shut and taxis were in short supply.

MINUSCA has been dogged by dozens of allegations of sexual abuse, prompting a broad U.N. inquiry. Chadian troops within the mission were also accused in 2014 of killing 30 civilians in a crowded market, prompting the withdrawal of its troops.

This month 30 people were killed and dozens wounded during an attack on refugees

by Seleka forces, although violence in the capital in recent months has been rare.

Belgians block key EU pact with Canada BELGIUM cannot sign a key EU trade deal with Canada, Prime Minister Charles Michel says, because of regional objections led by staunchly socialist Wallonia.

His statement appeared to dash hopes the Ceta deal could be signed by EU leaders and Canada on Thursday.

Mr Michel said that talks with French-speaking regions had broken down.

This is the EU’s most ambitious free trade deal to date but Belgium needs the regions’ approval to sign it.

Mr Michel said he had told European Council President Donald Tusk that Belgium could not sign the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (Ceta).

The other 27 EU govern-

ments want to sign Ceta, which has been in the pipeline for seven years.

The European Commission had set Belgium a Monday deadline to make its decision on the deal.

Wallonia, a region of 3.6 million people, wants stronger safeguards on labour, environmental and consumer

standards.

On Monday, it emerged that two other Socialist-led, French-speaking parliaments also opposed Ceta.

“The federal government, the German community and Flanders said ‘yes.’ Wallonia, the Brussels city government and the French community said ‘no’,” Mr Michel said.

Charles Michel

state TV that victims’ [medical] costs would be paid for by the state.

He said an “in-depth inquiry” into the causes of the accident had been ordered.

A day of mourning is being observed in the country with flags flying at half-mast, the BBC Richard Onanena in Yaounde says.

Efforts are still underway at the central hospital of Yaounde to identify some of the dead, our correspondent adds.

The wounded are being treated in hospitals in Yaounde and Douala, the two main cities in the coun-

the first full year to exceed the mark.

The high levels can be partly attributed to a strong El Niño event.

While human emissions of CO2 remained fairly static between 2014 and 2015, the onset of a strong El Niño weather phenomenon caused a spike in levels of the gas in the atmosphere.

That’s because the drought conditions in tropical regions produced by El Niño meant that vegetation was less able to absorb CO2. There were also extra emissions from fires, sparked by the drier conditions.

In its annual Greenhouse Gas Bulletin, the World Meteorological Organisation says the conditions helped

Paul Biya

Sheikh Khalifa

Qatar: Sheikh Khalifa bin Hamad Al Thani passes away

FORMER Qatari Emir Sheikh Khalifa bin Hamad Al Thani passed away on Sunday aged 84, the Emiri Diwan announced.

He ruled Qatar from 1972 until 1995.

Qatar will observe three

days of mourning, the Emiri Diwan said.

Sheikh Khalifa bin Hamad Al Thani was the grandfather of the current leader of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani.

Battle for Mosul: Iraq forces close in on more villages A Kurdish Peshmerga fighter aims to fire during a battle with ISIL near Bashiqa.

PHOTO: REUTERS IRAQI forces have fought their way into two villages near Mosul as the offensive to retake city enters its second week.

Aljazeera reports that Iraqi special forces began shelling ISIL positions before dawn on Monday near Bartella, a historically Christian town to the east of Mosul that they had retaken last week.

With patriotic music blaring from loudspeakers on

CO2 levels mark new era in the world’s changing climate LEVELS of CO2 in the atmosphere have surged past an important threshold and may not dip below it for “many generations”.

The 400 parts per million benchmark was broken globally for the first time in recorded history in 2015.

But according to the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO), 2016 will likely be

try.

To cope with the emergency, at least 20,000 sachets of blood are needed, which officials hope to secure through the appeal.

push the growth in the levels of CO2 in the atmosphere above the average for the last ten years.

At the atmospheric monitoring station in Mauna Loa, Hawaii, levels of CO2 broke through 400 parts per million (ppm), meaning 400 molecules of CO2 for every one million molecules in the atmosphere.

their Humvees, they then pushed into the village of Tob Zawa, about 9 kilometres (5.5 miles) from Mosul, amid heavy clashes.

After entering the village, they allowed more than 30 people who had been sheltering in a school to escape the fighting.

Mosul, Iraq’s second largest city, fell under the control of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL, also known as ISIS) in 2014.

Several countries are involved in the battle to reclaim the city, including Turkey which on Sunday confirmed its first attempted shelling of ISIL positions near Bashiqa, a key town near Mosul, at the request of Peshmerga forces.

“The Peshmerga forces have now reached the town of Bashiqa but are not inside it yet,” said Al Jazeera’s Hoda Abdel-Hamid, reporting from Erbil.

38 photonews

Tuesday, 25 October, 2016

From left, Speaker, Edo State House of Assembly, Honourable Justin Okonoboh; Vice Chancellor Ambrose Alli University, Professor Ignatius Onimawo; the Etsu Nupe and Chancellor, Alhaji Yahaya Abubakar; Governor Adams Oshiomhole, and the state Commissioner for Education, Mr Gideon Obhakhan, at the 20th convocation of the university, on Monday.

President and Founder, Sola Olagunju Foundation (SOF), Chief Mrs Sola Olagunju (left), de-worming a child while others look on, during the kick-off of distribution of drugs to children in the 33 local government areas in Oyo State, at the Apostolic Church, Elewura Street, Challenge, Ibadan, on Sunday: PHOTO: YEMI FUNSO-OKE.

GCI Old Boys mark 87th anniversary, commission projects

By Tunde Ogunesan

From left, Corps Marshal, Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Mr Boboye Oyeyemi; Minister of Transport, Mr Rotimi Amaechi and a former Minister of Aviation, Chief Osita Chidoka, at the first International Transportation Conference, in Abuja, on Monday. PHOTO: NAN

THE Government College Ibadan Old Boys’ Association has promised to come to the aid of the school in terms of infrastructural development.

This was disclosed by its national president, Biodun Jolaoso, during the association’s 2016 annual reunion and 87th anniversary, held last week on the school premises.

The two-day events started with the tour of the school on Friday, before the public lecture, entitled: “The challenges of the Nigeria helathcare system,” which was delivered by Professor Ayo Arowojolu

of the University College Hospital (UCH).

The event, held at Lalekan Are Hall, GCIOBA House, had Emeritus Professor Oladipo Akinkungbe of the 1946 set as the special guest of the day.

In his lecture, Professor Arowojolu said in order to find lasting solutions to the incessant industrial action that characterised health institutions in the country, government at all levels had to motivate the workers by protecting, promoting and building upon their professionalism ethos.

He disclosed that the health status of every country was determined by the number of women and chil-

dren dying within a specific year, adding that average life expectancy of Nigerians were dropping yearly as a result of deterioration in both structure and organisation of health care system.

In his remark, Emeritus Professor Akinkungbe maintained that challenges facing health sector in Nigeria could not be solved in isolation while the political setting in the county was faulty.

He advised that money being used to obtain medical treatment in another country could be spent to upgrade health institutions in the country with necessary facilities and equipment.

FG to vaccinate 41 million children against polio before January –Adewole

Senior Special Assistant to the President on Foreign Affairs and Diaspora, Mrs Abike Dabiri-Erewa (right,) presenting a publication to the visiting Council President, Global Women Leadership Collaborative in Newark, United States, Ms Mildred Crump, in Abuja, on Monday. PHOTO: NAN

Enugu State governor, Mr Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi (right), receiving the Irish Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr Sean Hoy, when the latter paid a courtesy visit to the Government House, Enugu, on Monday.

THE Federal Government planned to immunise 41 million children against polio before the end of the year, as part of efforts to ensure complete eradication of the virus in Nigeria by 2017, Health Minister, Professor Isaac Adewole, has said.

The minister told newsmen in Maiduguri, on Monday, that the goal was to ensure that polio was eradicated in Africa by next year.

He said similar immunisation would take place in neighbouring countries of Niger, Chad, Cameroon and Central African Republic, as part of joint effort to ensure the eradication of the virus from Africa.

He added that “our target is for Africa to be free of polio by 2017. We have an elaborate ring fence immunisation that is going to take place not only in Nigeria, but also in Niger, Chad, Cameroon and the Central African Republic.”

He explained that the Federal Government planned to conduct five rounds of immunisation against polio before the end of December.

According to Professor Adewole, “in Nigeria, we are planning five rounds of immunisation; we have done one in the immediate area

where we immunised about 800,000 children.

“We will do another round of four states to 18 states and go back to do another round of 18 states.

“By December, we will have immunised nothing less than 41 million children under five years of age in Nigeria.”

Niger gov seeks assembly’s approval to borrow N2.5bn to pay salary Adeowo Oladipo -Minna NIGER State governor, Alhaji Abubakar Sani Bello, has requested the approval of the state House of Assembly to obtain N2.5 billion loan from commercial bank, to enable the government to meet up with the payment of October salaries of the state civil servants.

Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Honourable Ahmed Marafa Guni, disclosed this at the plenary of

the Assembly last Thursday, when he read the letters from the governor to that effect.

According to the Speaker, “the House has received the request for a standby overdraft loan of N2.5 billion from Zenith Bank Plc, to ensure timely payment of salaries of state government employees, as well as subvention to parastatals agencies and institutions that operate outside the payroll not later than 25th day of each month.”

39 sport Sundowns used juju to win CAF Champions League —Zamalek chief FOLLOWING Zamalek’s aggregate loss to Mamelodi Sundowns in the CAF Champions League final, club chairman Mortada Mansour has put the blame on “magic and sorcery”.

The White Knights defeated Mamelodi Sundowns 1-0 in the second leg of the final in Alexandria on Sunday

night, but lost the tie 3-1 on aggregate.

According to mtnfootball.com Mortada believes Sundowns employed some kind of mystical powers as his team missed several major scoring chances throughout the game.

“Is it natural to waste 18 chances in front of goal? Things

Tuesday, 25 October, 2016

were obviously not normal and there was magic and sorcery involved,” Mortada said after the match.

The Zamalek boss also praised the team for their efforts: “All of the players and their coaches were men today and we missed God’s reconcile. I thanked them after the game for their manly performance.”

Uchenna Kanu (right)

Kanu, Awelewa dropped from Falconets W-Cup camp

N

IGERIA U20 women coach, Peter Dedevbo has excused Uchenna Kanu and Valeria Awelewa from the 2016

Sundowns players celebrate their victory last Sunday in Egypt.

Bet9ja NLO Super 8: Enyimba Feeders not under pressure —Ukaegbu As hostilities begin today at the Bet9ja NLO Super 8 at the Agege Township Stadium, former Nigerian international Lawrence Ukaegbu has assured that his Enyimba Feeders FC are not under pressure ahead of their confrontation with FRSC FC. In an exclusive chat with thenff.com in Lagos, the Enyimba Feeders technical director said he expects a good game when his players file out against the Road Marshals.

“We are not under any pressure at all. My players are in good condition for the game and despite not knowing much about FRSC, we will play our normal football and expect to win the game,” Ukaegbu said.

The former wing wizard, who was very prominent in the Flying Eagles team to Chile ’87 FIFA U20 World Cup further affirmed that the standard of the game in the Nationwide League One (NLO) is very high and it was very difficult to gain promotion to the Nigeria National League (NNL).

“We will use the Super 8 to prepare our players very well for the challenges of the NNL. Six of my players in the Feeders team have been promoted to the main team of Enyimba FC ahead of the 2016/17 season of the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL).”

Tribune Editor wins Lagos Gov’s Cup Media Tennis THE second in the series of the, Media Tennis of the Governor’s Cup Lagos Tennis Championship was last weekend won by Mr Ganiyu Salman, Deputy Editor (Sports), Tribune titles.

Salman defeated Fred Edoreh, chairman of the Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN) Lagos chapter.

Salman, a seasoned amateur tennis player came from behind to avenge the defeat he suffered at the hands of Edoreh last year.

He won the game 2-6, 6-2, 6-4. The Lagos SWAN boss had in the first edition defeated Salman in two straight set of 6-1, 6-3.

Meanwhile, the tournament Director of the Governor’s Cup Lagos Tennis, Prince Wale Oladunjoye has appreciated the support from all the stakeholders who made the tournament possible this year.

He said: "It has become imperative to remember history, using this potent medium to openly acknowledge contributions that heralded this year’s tournament witnessed across the world. Deserving God Almighty for His direct instructions in far away place and quality thought and uncommon skills to see ahead by Senator Bola Tinubu, former governor of Lagos State

whose 1999 positive considerations and go-ahead started this wonderful intervention using Lagos as the anchor to return Nigeria to the comity of tennis nations."

FIFA U20 Women’s World Cup. With both yet to report to camp due to club engagements, the tactician said he expects no one in camp following the arrival of Christy Ohiaeriaku, Chiwendu Ihezuo, and Aminat Yakubu, bringing numbers of players in camp to 28.

He expressed satisfaction with those in camp and assured his side will make good success in Papua New Guinea when the tournament kicks off on November 13.

“I’m no longer expecting any player to report to camp,”

Dedevbo told Goal.

“We have waited for too long and time is no longer on our side. I already have Chinwendu [Ihezuo], Christy [Ohiaeriaku] and Aminat [Yakubu] in camp.

“I’m happy they are not here yet, though I would have loved to have everyone but at this point, we cannot keep wait when the tournament is starting in few weeks.

“The rest players [Kanu and Awelewa] are being held up by their various clubs and I’m okay with the players I currently have and will make do with them.”

Giggs is not happy that David de Gea (right) shared a laugh with Pedro Rodriguez, the man who fired the first goal past him in Sunday’s 4-0 rout.

After losing 4-0, Man U players shouldn’t be laughing with Chelsea stars — Giggs

Fred Edoreh (left) and Ganiyu Salman at the event.

RYAN Giggs has hit out at the Manchester United players he claims were “laughing” following their 4-0 thrashing at Chelsea on Sunday.

Jose Mourinho’s side were comprehensively beaten on the Portuguese’s return to Stamford Bridge and Giggs, who spent 29 years at United as a player and a coach, was hoping the players would be

hurting following an abject display.

But Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Juan Mata were both pictured smiling, while Anthony Martial warmly embraced France team-mate N’Golo Kante, leaving Giggs unimpressed.

He told the Premier League TV channel: “You can get beaten in a football match, but then when you’re getting beaten

and you’re swapping shirts, that is something I don’t like.

“If you get beaten 4-0, you congratulate the opposition, you thank the supporters and then you get off the pitch.

“You don’t stand around on the pitch swapping shirts and laughing with the team that’s just beaten you.”

SIDELINES

US Republican candidate, Donald Trump, declared on the final day of presidential debate that he would accept the result of the November 8 election, only if he won. Mr Trump’s electioneering catches the eye, doesn’t it? Like it, hate it, even in a crucial countdown such as this, there is the need for talking points as entertainment.

NO 16,618

TUESDAY, 25 OCTOBER, 2016

N150

Nigeria’s day of shame in Morocco

•Tennis team walked over in Agadir •Players absent due to lack of funds, Oshonaike laments

Iheanacho (left) keeps City mate, Leroy Sane lively.

By Wale Emosu And Saliu Gbadamosi

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I’m paid to bring life unto City —Iheanacho KELECHI Iheanacho has revealed what his presence brings life into Manchester City following his impressive display on Sunday.

The 20-year-old entered the fray at half-time while Pep Guardiola men were 1-0 behind Southampton at the Etihad and his impact was felt 10 minutes later, as he equalised for the Citizens that ensured that they maintain their top position on the English Premier League table.

And he has explained what

he offers the team regardless of what role is being assigned to him.

“It’s just what I need to do as a football player, to come in and bring life whenever I’m starting, whenever I’m coming in,” he told MCFC TV. “[I’m] Ready to play, ready to go in there and run in the box, to run everywhere and get the ball and everything and so to bring life to the team.”

Iheanacho also urged Manchester City fans to be patient with the club following their

five-game winless run.

“There is no problem – we need to get our heads straight and focus on the next games. Iheanacho told Manchester Evening News.

“The fans need to know that we are football players, but we are human beings as well. We didn’t come from a different planet – we are of this world.

“I know the fans expect a lot from us, as players, but we are capable of losing and drawing as well as winning. There are a lot of games to go, so they need to have patience and get behind us.

“We’ll get there soon and make them proud.”

IGERIA have been walked over from the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) African Senior Championships.

Nigeria, defending champions in the female category, were walked out on Monday following the inability of members of the team to make it to the venue of the championships in Agadir, Morocco.

Yesterday was the opening day of the championships that will run till next Sunday. Top teams from the championships will represent Africa at the World Team Cup and the ITTF World Table Tennis Championship, both in 2017 and the 2018 ITTF World Table Tennis Championship. The implication is that Nigerian tennis players will not be able to take part in the championships having failed to participate in the qualifiers.

Only one Nigerian female table tennis player – Funke Oshonaike – could make it to Morocco before the team’s walkover on Monday. Six-time Olympics player Oshonaike is based in Germany and flew from her base directly to Agadir, where she was expecting to team up with her Nigeria-based colleagues.

A disappointed Oshonaike could not hide her feelings as she took to the social media to lament the situation. “I’m so very sad and disappointed this morning...I’m in Agadir, Morocco to represent Nigeria in African table tennis championship and the female team has just been walked over because I’m the only one here and the others are not here!”

Oshonaike wrote on her Facebook page on Mon-

day.

“They couldn’t make it because of the Ministry of Sports. No money! We are the champion in Africa and the people in sports couldn’t care less,” Oshonaike, bearer of Nigeria’s flag at the recent Rio Olympics added.

When Tribunesport spoke to a top official of the Ministry of Sports (name withheld) in Abuja on Monday, he asked our reporters to talk to the president of the Nigeria Table Tennis Federation (NTTF), Mr Wahid Enitan Oshodi, on the development.

However, in her Facebook post, Oshonaike had defended the former Commissioner for Sports in Lagos State, saying he has been of tremendous assistance to Nigerian tennis players. “My dear president Barr Enitan Oshodi has been doing a lot for the development of this sport and even has to pay for some of the guys to be here, but he’s not encouraged at all,” Oshonaike wrote on her wall.

Aubameyang, Mahrez make Ballon d’Or shortlist

By Ganiyu Salman

REIGNING African Player of the Year, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has been named among the 30 nominees for the 2016 Ballon d’Or award.

According to the list released by France Football, the Borussia Dortmund striker and Gabon international

and Algerian-born Riyad Mahrez of Leicester City are the two Africans on the list for the coveted award once won by an African, Liberia’s George Weah in 1995.

Aubameyang is also among the 30 nominees for the African Player of the Year award which he won last year at the expense of four-time winner, Ivorian Yaya Toure.

The Ballon d’Or list is dominated by the reigning king and five-time winner, Lionel Messi, who has Barcelona team-mates in Neymar, Andres Iniesta and Luis Suarez to contend with.

Interestingly, world record signing, Paul Pogba, who has been under intense criticisms because of his belowaverage performance at Manchester United makes the Ballon d’Or shortlist.

Oshonaike

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. 25/10/2016.