28th September 2016

NIGERIA’S MOST INFORMATIVE NEWSPAPER NO 16,599 WEDNESDAY, 28 SEPTEMBER, 2016 www.tribuneonlineng.com

Nigerian Tribune

@nigeriantribune

TribuneOnline

Nigerian Tribune

N150

TODAY'S SPECIAL

Beware! Potholes can hurt your neck, back

By Sade Oguntola

MANY Nigerians believe that the deplorable condition of Nigerian roads, especially in the commercial cities, has contributed immensely to the stunted growth our economy has witnessed over the years.

In many parts of this country, normal interaction has been frustrated by potholes as well as haphazardly placed

speed breakers of all shapes and sizes. Vehicle owners are in distress as their vehicles are not used optimally.

Problem of bad roads Moreover, it is common for thieves, rapists and other miscreants to ensconce themselves in bad portions of the roads where all vehicles virtually come to a halt.

Continues pg5

8-page pull out inside

From left, Akeem Yusuff, Globacom’s Head of Operations, North Central; CEO, World Pension Summit, Chris Battaglia; Mrs Chinelo Anohu-Amazu, Director-General of National Pension Commission and the Founder and Advisory Board Member, World Pension Summit, Harry Smorenberg, when the Data grandmasters, Globacom, on Tuesday, partnered National Pension Commission (PenCom) to host the 2016 World Pension Summit ‘Africa Special’.

Patience Jonathan's $15m: Accused persons seek to change guilty plea

el-Rufai enrols son in public school

As Edo decides...

—P31

—P31

•Oshiomhole, Anenih, Ikimi, Ogbemudia, Igbinedion in decisive battle •Edo-South, key battleground •1,924,072 registered to vote •Voting to hold in 2,627 polling units •19 vie for governorship —P2,33 Recession: OBJ says country should earn more, spend less and borrow —P4

LAUTECH crisis: Miscreants attack Osun indigenes, ask them to vacate offices —P30

Senate —P10 rejects sale of national assets

•Probes money laundering allegation against minister, MTN

2 news As Edo decides today…

Wednesday, 28 September, 2016

Taiwo Adisa -Group Politics Editor

T

ODAY, a good number of the 1,924,072 voters who have secured their permanent voter cards (PVCs) will file out in the 2,627 polling units scattered across over 200 wards in the Edo State to cast their votes in the eagerly awaited governorship election.

The vote ritual would have been done with, as it was initially fixed for Saturday, September 10, but two days before the said date, an advisory from the police and the Department of State Services (DSS) forced a postponement which the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) put the cost as close to N200 million.

Today, the die is cast and the electoral body has got its job well cut out for it.

The police announced the deployment of 25,000 officers and men, while the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) announced it was deploying some 20,000 officers and men for election duty.

The DSS, Army, Air Force and the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) are also involved with varying number of officers and operatives.

The major question on the lips of all is this: who wins the poll? The answer to that question may not be available until some 24 hours after the votes are cast, but one certain thing though is the buzzling enthusiasm in the camps of the two main candidates in the election.

There are 19 candidates on the ballot as INEC has said, but the reality on ground, as far as major elections are concerned in Nigeria right now, is that the two dominant parties, the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) are the clear front runners.

Indeed, Edo was classified as a “PDP state” until the former Labour leader, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, stole in and swept the voters off their feet. Those who saw him haggle with former president, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, over incessant increase in pump price of petroleum products, as well as the many battles he led the NLC against the government, easily backed his election in 2007 and 2012.

In nearly eight years, Oshiomhole has turned over from the greenhorn politician to an aspiring political godfather and the jury remains the nearly two million voters who file out today for the all-important election.

Though INEC data shows

Obaseki that 19 parties are vying for votes in the election, the APC and the PDP have shot ahead as the main contenders and so are their candidates; Mr Godwin Obaseki of the governing party and Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu of the PDP. It is quite easy to conclude that either of the two main contenders will emerge winner of the election.

Since the beginning of the year up to the party primaries in June, the two candidates have bombarded the people with series of issues they feel should dominate the focus of the voters in the election. They have talked about their agenda, priorities and programmes. The pre-election permutations played a major role in the emergence of the candidates.

In Edo, just as is in all the 36 states, there are three senatorial districts. There is Edo North, South and Central.

At the beginning of the current democratic era in 1999, political bigwigs in the state, including Chief Tony Anenih, Chief Gabriel Igbinedion and Chief Sam Ogbemudia, had grouped themselves in PDP, in order to dictate the pace of political power in the state. They were said to have agreed on a power sharing formula that would see each of the bigwigs produce the governor one after the other.

Incidentally, Ogbemudia and Igbinedion are from Edo South, which is reputed to also control some 56 per cent voter population. Thus, in 1999, Chief Lucky Igbinedion, son of the business mogul, Gabriel Igbinedion, took the first shot at power.

He governed for eight years and handed over in 2007.

But the power sharing arrangement had snapped along the line, as Igbinedion decided to team up with the Oshiomhole challenge ahead of the 2007 race.

Though Professor Oserhiemen Osunbor, Anenih’s candidate who hails from

Ize-Iyamu Central senatorial district was declared winner of the election, in less than two years, he was sacked by the Court of Appeal and replaced with Oshiomhole.

With Oshiomhole’s emergence, power shifted to Edo North. Ordinarily, many had expected that Edo Central would make its strong bid for power in 2016 but the fear of the huge voter population in Edo South forced the leadership of Edo Central to drop the bid and opt for a candidate from Edo South, following the realisation that the APC was rooting for a candidate from South. Thus, the two major candidates have equal stake and access to the huge voter figures warehoused in Edo South.

Since the candidates hail from Edo South, you may want to think that there is not much separating them.

Quite a lot does, if their presentations, campaigns, ideas and agenda are anything to go by.

So who are these two main contenders?

Godwin Obaseki The candidate of APC was born in Benin City to the famous Obaseki family.

He had his early education in primary and secondary schools in the city and attended the Premier University of Ibadan, where he bagged a BA degree in Classics after which his resume shows that he attended the Columbia University and Pace University in New York, United States, where he earned MBA in Finance and International Business.

His work experience, which spans some 30 years so far, has seen him dabble into the business world with experience in Investment Banking, Asset Management and Securities Trading. He has, since March 2009, held the position of Chairman of the Edo State Government Economic and Strategy Team (EST) under Oshiomhole’s

administration, a position he said is held pro bono public.

Some of the key achievements he recorded in office as contained on his resume include; documentation of State Economic Development framework through Sectors’ Strategic Planning, which is reviewed and updated on an ongoing basis; introduction and enculturation of retreats as a platform to ensure all parties engagement, not only in planning and executing state development initiatives, but also in monitoring and evaluation of outcomes; N25 Billion Infrastructure Development Bond from the Nigerian Capital Market in 2010; $225 million Concessionary rates Development Loan from the World Bank with the first tranche of $75 million already accessed; successfully hosting of Sector based Economic Summits and Policy Dialogue Series, including the Power Roundtable in 2010, 2011 Education Round Table and 2012 Agribusiness Round Table, among others.

Those who canvass his candidature would say that his position as head of Economic Team should give him great insights into the workings and the state of Edo finances currently.

Osagie Ize-Iyamu The profile of the PDP’s candidate is equally as intimidating as that of his APC opponent. The Pastor was born on June 21, 1962 in Benin City to the family of a Benin chief just like his main challenger. He was educated at the Ebenezer Nursery and Primary School, Benin City; Edo College and the University of Benin, where he read Law. He graduated in 1985/1986 and was called to the Nigerian Bar in 1987, after completing Law School.

In 1995, Osagie Ize-Iyamu became a pastor and has since been known as the Pastor in political circle. As he grew in politics, he has

also been growing in the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), where he has been established as a Pastor.

In 1999, his activities as a Student Union leader in his undergraduate days and link-up with Chief Lucky Igbinedion when he served as council chairman in Oredo Local Government were said to have informed his appointment as Chief of Staff to the governor and later Secretary to the State Government (SSG).

He is reputed to own a Farms Training Institute - a model farm settlement which trains young agriculturist and has the objective of agricultural training, skills acquisitions and youth empowerment.

Before returning to the PDP, he had served as national vice chairman, SouthSouth zone of the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) and was the DirectorGeneral of Oshiomhole’s second term campaign in 2012. He was also the campaign coordinator of the Goodluck/Sambo presidential campaign organisation for the 2015 election.

So, how would a race that pitches a lawyer and pastor against a business and investment personality pan out? Perhaps, a glimpse of the way to go would be gleaned from the campaign statements and agenda released by the duo.

While Obaseki has premiered his campaign on the ICT revolution in the state, Ize-Iyamu premiered his campaign on what he called the SIMPLE Agenda, encompassing Security; Infrastructure; Manpower development; Public Private Partnership; Leadership by Example; Employment Creation and Social Empowerment. Obaseki described his new agenda thus: “The first innovation I want to introduce as the governor is the use of ICT, so that we can get more efficiency from the little money we have. The other thing I want to do is to focus government mostly

on what government should do, which is to provide the enabling environment for the private sector to thrive, because we will need a lot more private capital to thrive the economy.

“Look at two investments we have made in the state.

The two projects alone are worth two billion dollars. If we can bring in a lot more of such types of investments, then the whole issue of unemployment will reduce. I will dedicate a lot more of my time to bring private investments into the state.

We need to focus on the economy so that we can take advantage of the unique position of Edo State.”

And for Ize-Iyamu, the SIMPLE agenda is aimed at shifting the focus of government towards comprehensive and sustainable development that encompasses aspects including infrastructure, health, education, human resource development job creation, security and agriculture.

He said of his plan: “In line with established global best practices, we have decided to roll out a simplified model of long-term people-centric economic growth and empowerment plan. Henceforth, the emasculation of our people will no longer be condoned or tolerated.

Our SIMPLE agenda will halt and reverse the dwindling fortunes of our youths, women and pensioners.”

The forces at play The political union that gave birth to an all-conquering PDP in Edo in 1999 did not last for too long, as we saw the breakaway of the Igbinedion camp off the Anenih ensemble in 2005/2006, ahead the 2007 election.

Right now, there has been lots of fluidity to that arrangement. Chief Ogbemudia has since pulled off and teamed up with the Oshiomhole camp, while Chief Tom Ikimi, who was on the platform of the defunct All Peoples Party (APP) at the start of the current democratic rule, has teamed up with the PDP. Also, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, a former governor of the state, who was on the outside platform of Alliance for Democracy (AD) in 1999, has also joined the AC/ACN platform, which metamorphosed to today’s APC. As things stand, the two candidates are not lacking the number of godfathers of note as promoters. Behind Obaseki is Governor Oshiomhole, who has emerged the chief promoter; the national chairman of APC, Continues pg5

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Wednesday, 28 September, 2016

www.conoilplc.com

Conoil Plc

RC 7288

Nigerian Tribune

38/39 Marina PMB 12915 Lagos Nigeria

NOTICE OF ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING Notice is hereby given that the forty-sixth Annual General Meeting of the members of Conoil Plc will be held at Le Meridien Ibom Hotel and Golf Resort, Uyo, Akwa Ibom State on Friday, 28 October, 2016 at 11.00am for the transaction of the following business: ORDINARY BUSINESS 1. To receive the Report of the Directors and the Statement of Financial position as at 31 December, 2015 together with the Statement of Profit or Loss and Other Comprehensive Income for the year ended on that day and the Reports of the Auditors and the Audit Committee thereon.

2. To declare a dividend.

3. To elect and re-elect Directors.

4. To fix the remuneration of the Directors.

5. To authorize the Directors to fix the remuneration of the Auditors.

6. To elect members of the Audit Committee.

NOTES 1. Proxy A member of the Company entitled to attend and vote is entitled to appoint a proxy to attend and vote instead of him or her. A proxy need not also be a member of the Company. A Proxy Form is enclosed and if it is to be valid for the purposes of the meeting, it must be stamped by the Commissioner of Stamp Duties and deposited at the office of the Registrar, Meristem Registrars Limited, 213, Herbert Macaulay Way, Adekunle, Yaba, Lagos not less than 48 hours before the time fixed for the meeting.

2. Dividend Warrants If the dividend recommended by the Directors is approved at the Annual General Meeting, the dividend warrants will be posted on 7 November, 2016 to members whose names appear in the Register of Members at the close of business on 30 September, 2016.

4. Nominations for The Audit Committee In accordance with Section 359(5) of the Companies and Allied Matters Act CAP C 20 LFN 2004, any member may nominate a shareholder as a member of the Audit Committee by giving in writing, notice of such nomination at least 21 days before the date of the Annual General Meeting. Such nominations should be guided by the requirements of the Securities & Exchange Commission’s Code of Corporate Governance for Public Companies in Nigeria, 2011.

5. Right Of Shareholders To Ask Questions Shareholders have a right to ask questions not only at the meeting but also in writing prior to the meeting and such questions must be submitted to the Company Secretary on or before 14 October, 2016.

6. Unclaimed Dividend Warrants and Share Certificates Several Dividend Warrants and Share Certificates of some members remain unclaimed or, are yet to be presented for payment or returned to the Company for revalidation. A list of such members will be circulated with the Annual Report for the year ended 31 December, 2015. Those who are affected are advised to write to the Company’s Registrars.

7. e-Dividend Mandate Shareholders are hereby advised to open bank accounts, stockbroking and CSCS accounts for the purpose of timely receipt of dividend payments. A detachable e-dividend mandate activation form is attached to this Annual Report and also available at the office of the Registrars to enable all shareholders furnish particulars of their bank accounts / CSCS details to the Registrars as soon as possible.

BY ORDER OF THE BOARD

3. Closure of Register The Register of Members and the Transfer Books of the Company will be closed from 3 October, 2016 to 7 October, 2016 both days inclusive, to enable the preparation and payments of dividends.

Evi Obieroma Company Secretary / Legal Adviser FRC/2013/NBA/00000003438 22 June, 2016

STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL POSITION AS AT 31 DECEMBER, 2015

STATEMENT OF PROFIT OR LOSS AND OTHER COMPREHENSIVE INCOME FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER, 2015

Assets

Non-current assets Property, plant and equipment Intangible assets Investment property Other financial assets Prepayments Deferred tax assets Total non-current assets Current assets Inventories Trade and other receivables Prepayments Cash and bank balances Total current assets Total assets

2015 N’000

2014 N’000

3,169,460

3,927,386

74,294

84,908

397,200

446,850

10

10

97,104

100,359

1,994,988

1,599,035

5,733,056

6,158,548

5,550,287

5,516,195

28,024,349

44,447,855

189,116

246,004

29,890,557

31,158,085

63,654,309

81,368,139

69,387,365

87,526,687

346,976

346,976

Equity and liabilities

Equity Share capital Share premium Retained earnings Total equity

3,824,770

3,824,770

13,537,907

11,924,301

17,709,653

16,096,047

501,697

498,347

693,515

933,230

38,200

32,511

1,233,412

1,464,088

18,235,913

22,655,108

28,859,842

43,540,961

Non-current liabilities Distributors' deposits Deferred tax liabilities Decommissioning liability Total non-current liabilities Current liabilities Borrowings Trade and other payables Current tax payable Total current liabilities

3,348,545

3,770,483

50,444,300

69,966,552

Total liabilities

51,677,712

71,430,640

Total equity and liabilities

69,387,365

87,526,687

These financial statements were approved by the Board of Directors on 22 June, 2016 and signed on its behalf by:

Akin Fabunmi Finance Director FRC/2013/ICAN/00000003436

Ikechukwu Oraekwuotu Director FRC/2016/NIM/00000015427

Dr. M. Ebietsuwa Omatsola Director FRC/2013/COMEG/00000003735

Revenue Profit before tax Income tax expense Profit for the year

2015 N’000 82,919,220 3,448,398 (1,140,840) 2,307,558

2014 N’000 128,352,674 1,532,174 (697,753) 834,421

REPORT OF THE INDEPENDENT AUDITORS TO THE MEMBERS OF CONOIL PLC Report on the Summary Financial Statements The accompanying summary financial statements which comprise the summary Statement of Financial Position as at 31 December, 2015 and the summary Statement of Profit or Loss and Other Comprehensive Income for the year ended 31 December, 2015 are derived from the audited financial statements of Conoil Plc for the year ended 31 December, 2015. We expressed an unmodified audit opinion on those financial statements in our report dated 23 June, 2016. Those financial statements and the summary financial statements do not reflect the effect of events that occurred subsequent to the date of our report on those financial statements.

The summary financial statements do not contain all disclosures required by the International Financial Reporting Standards, Companies and Allied Matters Act CAP C20 LFN 2004 and Financial Reporting Council of Nigeria Act 2011 applied in the preparation of the audited financial statements of Conoil Plc. Reading the summary financial statements, therefore, is not a substitute for reading the audited financial statements of Conoil Plc. Directors’ Responsibility for the summarised Audited Financial Statements The Directors are responsible for preparing and presenting an appropriate summary of the audited financial statements in accordance with the International Financial Reporting Standards, Section 355 of the Companies and Allied Matters Act CAP C20 LFN 2004 and the Financial Reporting Council of Nigeria Act 2011.

Auditors’ Responsibility Our responsibility is to express an opinion on the summary financial statements based on our procedures, which were conducted in accordance with International Standards on Auditing (ISA 810). “Engagements to report on Summary Financial Statements” Opinion In our opinion, the accompanying summary financial statements derived from the audited financial statements of Conoil Plc as at 31 December, 2015 are consistent, in all material respects, with those financial statements, in accordance with the International Financial Reporting Standards, the Companies and Allied Matters Act CAP C20 LFN 2004 and the Financial Reporting Council of Nigeria Act 2011.

Other Matter The financial statements of Conoil Plc for the year ended 31 December, 2014 were audited by another auditor whose report issued on 28 August, 2015 expressed an unqualified opinion on those financial statements.

Report on other Legal and Regulatory Requirements The Company complied with the sixth schedule of the Companies and Allied Matters Act CAP C20 LFN 2004.

Tolulope Fasanya FRC/2012/ICAN/00000000109 For: Nexia Agbo Abel & Co Chartered Accountants Abuja, Nigeria 23 June, 2016

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Wednesday, 28 September, 2016

OBJ proffers three-way solutions to Nigeria’s economic recession Says country should earn more, spend less and borrow Olayinka Olukoya -Abeokuta

F

ORMER president, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, has proffered solution to the present economic problems of the country, advising the Federal Government to spend less, earn more and borrow money to salvage the country.

Obasanjo, in his remarks at a two-day conference of the National Council on Finance and Economic Development, in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Finance, hosted by the Ogun State goverrnment, at the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library (OOPL), Abeokuta, on Tuesday, noted that the country needed to lend money from its allies in reasonable terms.

The theme of the conference is “Enhancing Revenue Generation and Obtaining Best Value for Money in Expenditure.”

The conference was attended by the host governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun; his counterpart from Gombe, Alhaji Ibrahim Dankwabo; ministers of Finance and Mines and Steel Development, Mrs Kemi Adeosun and Dr Kayode Fayemi, respectively, Senate Committee chairman on Finance, Senator John Eno; Chairman, Federal Internal Revenue Service (FIRS), Mr Babatunde Folwer and the Controller General of the Nigeria Customs Service, Colonel Hameed Ali (retd).

Others in attendance were commissioners of finance from states of the federation, chairmen of states Internal Revenue Service and delegates drawn from the private and public sectors.

The two-term president maintained that for the country to overcome the recession period, government must focus on massive agricultural production and stop importation of goods that could be produced locally.

“If you are spending more than you are earning, there are only three solutions.

One, you spend less; two, you earn more; three, you borrow in the hope that you would pay back.

“For us, we have to do the three as quickly as possible.

We must borrow, otherwise, we will just be deceiving ourselves. As quickly as possible, we must go to people who will give us that money, on reasonable terms. And there are friends with whom we can do that. With all due respect, if we want to do that with the World Bank...; if we want to do it with IMF...; I don’t say don’t go to them.

We must go to them.

“When I was in government, I said to all my collaborators ‘never must you say no to World Bank and

IMF, but never must you do their bidding. If you say no to them, they will rub your face on the floor. They will make sure that that happens to you. And if you do their bidding, you will fail and when you have failed, they would say it’s because you didn’t do it the way they had wanted you to do it.

“Borrowing may be the quickest and the good thing also is that, out there, there is money. I know that. Now, people will not part with their money unless they are sure that you are doing what is right for you to get yourself out of the hole that you find yourself. If they find that you

are digging yourself more in the hole, they won’t allow you to have access to their money.

So, money is out there; it’s how to access it for us and to get ourselves quickly out of recession that is important.

“The issue of earning more; we are not in control of the price of oil. We can only pray that those who are in control will do what is right, so that the price will continue to go up. But what we are in control of is not what we can get overnight.

“We are in control of agicultural production, it takes time. Not only does it take time, it also takes the right policy. If we give out in one

hand and we take back in another, then we are not going to get there. If we continue to allow things to come in to be dumped here and you say go on producing, and what we are producing we cannot sell because of what is dumped here, then it is not right. Also, what should we be importing? More than 30 years ago, in 1977, we banned importation of toothpick. And I ‘ll tell you of how it came about.

“We had something like this at that time and they said we are importing food items in billions. I said let me have the list of the food items that we are import-

ing and they listed the food items. One of them is toothpick. Two and half million dollars of toothpick we were importing at that time. So, I then said, toothpick in my village, we use. This is what we are now importing with $2.5 million? I didn’t stop there. I just said look, for establishing a toothpick industry at that time, you needed a machine of $25,000. We banned importation of toothpick.

“Some four years ago, we lifted the ban on the importation of toothpick. And this is a true story and I was shocked. I went to my boss.

I said sir, toothpick that we

President Muhammadu Buhari with Indian Vice President, Honourable Mohammad Hamid Ansari (right), when the Indian vice president visited the State House, Abuja, on Tuesday. With them is Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo.

Nigeria to boost tie with India —Buhari Leon Usigbe -Abuja

PRESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari has assured that Nigeria will continue to expand its relationship with

India, in the areas of health, education, agriculture, technology and trade.

Receiving the Indian VicePresident, Mohammad Hamid Ansari, at the State

House, Abuja, on Tuesday, he said Nigeria had, over the years, benefitted from the cooperation of the Asian country in trade and investment, agriculture, technol-

2019 polls in danger without RECs —Senate

To conduct hearing over inconclusive, serial postponement of elections Taiwo Adisa -Abuja

SENATORS rose from a sitting on Tuesday and noted with deep concern, a situation where at least 20 states of the federation have no Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs), contrary to Section 14(2) of the Third Schedule of the 1999 Constitution.

The senators also resolved to conduct a public hearing to investigate the failure of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to conduct series of elections it declared inconclusive in recent months.

The lawmakers, who adopted a motion presented

by Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, also decried the serial postponement of elections and failure of INEC to conduct elections as scheduled.

While moving the motion, Ekweremadu stated that the

Senate was aware that the 2010 electoral reforms, which included the amendment of the 1999 Constitution and the Electoral Act, had placed the country’s electoral system on “globally acclaimed improvements in the 2011 and 2015 elections.”

He submitted that “the Senate notes with deep concern that at least 20 states of the federation have no Resident Electoral Commissioners contrary to Sections 14(2) of the Third Schedule of the 1999 Constitution. It further notes that INEC cannot function optimally without the full complement of members that will superintend the activities of other personnel.

“The Senate observes that the failure of INEC to conduct reruns within the timeframe ordered by the respective election petitions tribunals and courts is in breach of the Electoral Act and Section 76 of the 1999 Constitution, thus

endangering the nation’s democracy.”

He also decried what he called the trend of “inconclusive elections and whimsical postponement of elections” being witnessed under INEC, adding that such amounted to wrong signals and symptoms that should not be dismissed.

Chairman, Senate Committee on Power, Steel Development and Metallurgy, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, also decried the vacancies created

by INEC in Anambra Senate seat and the postponement of other pending elections in Rivers State.

The chamber thereafter resolved to urge President Muhammadu Buhari to immediately nominate suitably qualified persons to fill the vacant positions at INEC, while it equally asked the commission to immediately conclude all pending polls in the country.

ogy and the fight against terrorism.

The president welcomed the proposed investment of $5 billion in the Nigerian economy by the business delegation that accompanied the Vice-President, noting that India had already invested $10 billion in the economy.

President Buhari said Nigeria would emulate the Asian country’s agricultural model and capacity to feed its one billion population, and also export to other countries, describing the country as “sustainable and prosperous.”

He noted that Nigeria would continue to support the reform of the United Nations Security Council, pointing out that it was unfair on the rest of the world for five countries to exercise power of “yes or no” in the UN. In his remarks, the Indian Vice-President said his country, which is the leading buyer of Nigeria’s crude oil, would increase its purchase of the commodity in addition to natural gas.

According to him, the relationship between Nigeria and India was near perfect as both countries ‘‘have nothing to quarrel about.”

banned many years ago. In fact, when you go to my farm in Ota, by the gate, there was a man who was producing toothpick. He was also producing chop stick which he was exporting. I said how come we now have to unban toothpick? Well, the rest is history. The answer is I did not read before I approved.

The rest is history.”

He warned, however, that no such nation would part with its funds without observing that we are taking practical steps to come out of recession.

The former president threw his weight behind the call for the sale of national assets to raise money, while identifying that part of assets of the Nigeria Port Authority (NPA) and the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) could be partly sell to generate fund.

“I do not see why 49 per cent of NNPC cannot be privatised. I think the problem is in the coinage ‘selling of asset’ as if we want to throw out our inheritance. What we are actually doing by that is simply re-organising.

“It should, however, be done transparently and let it actually go public and not to cabals, relations and friends. This is always the fear of Nigerians when issues like this arise.

“Look, NNPC was run as personal thing. Even, the Central Bank was also run that way, they write notes to the Central Bank to release so much. We cannot have country run that way.

I said it this morning, two institutions that were not tampered badly or not tampered with at all in the last six years was NLNG, the second one was Pension Commission, which is going to about N6 trillion and had captured only seven million people out of over 20 million wage earners, if we can even double that, you imagine what that can be.

“I see no reason why NNPC cannot be privatised, don’t give it out to cabals, friends, relations, kiths and kins, let it go public, so that even my driver can buy 10 per cent of NNPC and there should be limit to the share any individual or any cooperate organisation can buy, there is nothing wrong in that. The NNPC will then be run as NLNG was run,” he said.

Adeosun, in her welcome address, insisted that under-performance of the economy would no longer be tolerated, saying that the Federal Government had, till date, invested over N700 billion to stimulate growth in the economy.

“We are working on an economic model that will change Nigeria from being consumption-focused to investmentfocused,” she said.

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Wednesday, 28 September, 2016

Beware! Potholes can hurt your neck, back Continued from front page

President and Chief Executive Officer of Dangote Industries Limited, Aliko Dangote at the inauguration of the 24km Itori-Ibese Concrete Road in Ewekoro Local Government Area of Ogun State, said that Nigeria loses $1bn (about N400bn) annually due to poor condition of roads in the country.

Unfortunately, potholes and haphazardly placed speed breakers have become a health hazard for many road users, including commercial motorcyclists and two-wheeler riders.

From cuts, bruises and wounds to serious and chronic back and neck-related pain, poor condition of roads has become an imminent threat to road users.

For instance, scientists from the National Aerospace Laboratories (NAL) in Bengaluru, India, took up a project to assess the damage to spine while travelling on road in a car and a two-wheeler rider. They found that a car driven continuously at just 25 kilometres per hour over 40 to 50 bumps or around 200 potholes would be enough to cause a spinal injury.

Back problems galore Occupational driving has been associated with high prevalence of musculoskeletal pain (MSP) and low back pain. In fact, studies from different parts of Nigeria indicated that low back pain is experienced more by commercial motor drivers than private automobile drivers.

Also, office-goers, particularly those travelling long distances daily and doing little exercise face increased risk.

“Back pain looks like a complaint, but its causes are myriad, including prolonged trauma to the back, say from bad roads and potholes,” said Professor Ade Malomo, a neurosurgeon at the University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan, Oyo State.

According to Professor Malomo, “Small repeated abuse of the back from travelling on a bad road can cause injury to the back and then the attendant back pain.”

The low back is susceptible to injury (pain) because it supports most of the body weight. Prolonged sitting, being

sedentary, long driving time, some infections and abnormal growth in the back are some of the risk factors to developing low back pain.

Although some low back pains are due to problems of abnormal development in the womb that show up later when a person is grown up, he declared that bad car seats can also give rise to an aching back strain, excess fatigue and extra stress on the neck and back.

He added, “That is why when travelling a long distance, especially if you are elderly, you have to keep exercising your legs. Otherwise, back pain will be the least of your problem.

“But if the seat is good and you maintain a good posture while sitting in the vehicle, the effect will be less than when the seat and posture are both bad.

“Ideally, there should “short breaks in between when travelling long distances both for the health of the passengers in the vehicle and its driver to relax and stretch out.”

How the backbone gets affected The backbone consists of multiple bones and joints and is designed to remain stable and, at the same time, also flexible. Over a period of time, these joints start to wear out and if subjected to multiple jerks, can cause problems.

That is exactly what happens when there is repeated travelling over potholes or bumps. The backbone is subjected to multiple stress in a short duration, leading to muscle spasm and sometimes slip disc (prolapse intervertebral disc). This may occur in the neck region (cervical spondylosis) or lower back region (lumbar spondylosis).

Dr Yetunde Abiola Kuyinu, a community health expert, at the Department of Community Health and Primary Health Care, Lagos State University College of Medicine Hospital, Ikeja also warns that regular commuting on potholes or bumps can also worsen back pains.

“A person with back pain is supposed to sit on the chair with his back straight. But then, when travelling on a bad road or bumps, the galloping can worsen it.”

Dr Kuyinu also added that bad road is a risk factor for back pain and that is why long distance drivers, including commercial drivers stand a higher risk of developing back

Firm set to introduce mini refineries that produce water, generate electricity EVOLVE Trading & Investment Ltd, with offices in the United Kingdom and Nigeria, has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Awaritse Nigeria Ltd; a local oil service company with global representation, to introduce mini refineries with the capacity to process crude oil, produce water and also generate electricity.

The partnership was signed after meetings in London between Awaritse

Nigeria Ltd team and Evolve Trading & Investments, represented by Mr George Karstein Irvine, Senior Vice President and Godwin Omar Atsimene Jnr.; Strategic Alliance Partner.

“Our innovative refining technology is far ahead of the standard refining process, which does not produce the additional outputs of electricity and drinking water.

“The unit has been named the ‘Genesis Life Cube

(GLC)’ and is based upon the context of creating life by producing the basic elements of water and light.

“Evolve feels that these are the first building blocks needed to expand the socioeconomic benefits to communities where the Genesis Life Cubes are sited,” Irvine said.

The GLC has the ability to produce a basic yield of refined products designed for the local market as well as electricity and drinking wa-

As Edo decides today…

Continued from pg2

Chief Oyegun and the revered former governor of Old Bendel State, Ogbemudia. There are also reported backings for Obaseki from the traditional rulers of Oshiomhole’s senatorial district, Edo North, as well as what is usually trumpeted by politicians as the “incumbency factor and federal might.”

Behind Ize-Iyamu is his political experience as well as the loyalty of Chief Tony Anenih, Chief Tom Ikimi and the Igbinedion’s political force.

For the PDP, the decision to pick Ize-Iyamu was as a result of its desire to make a huge haul of the votes located in Edo South.

Ize-Iyamu was seen as an emerging grassroot leader in the senatorial district, thus it was not a difficult decision for the leaders of Edo Central to yield the slot to

Edo South, so as to ensure victory. The party hopes to draw huge dividends from the strengths of its chieftains, including Anenih, a former Board of Trustees (BoT) chairman of the party; Ikimi, and the Igbinedions, as well as forces from Edo North, including the state PDP chairman, Chief Dan Orbih.

A combination of Anenih, Ikimi, Senator Clifford Ordia and the deputy governorship candidate, John Yakubu, is expected to yield the PDP a near total control of Edo Central votes, while the Igbinedion and Ize-Iyamu factors should fetch them votes from Edo South. The battle ground for the PDP remains Edo North, which has the two sides of Owan and Etsako axes. Incidentally, PDP state chairman, Orbih is also of Etsako stock.

The two candidates wish to draw from their strengths

and personality. The APC believes it could draw huge votes from Edo North, the district of the outgoing Governor Oshiomhole, while also making a calculated sweep of Edo South, where Obaseki hails from.

The party had nearly neglected Edo Central, which is seen as harbouring fewer votes than the other two districts, but it recently made up by pushing the position of Speaker of the House of Assembly to the area.

The battle appears a balanced one as the level playing field opens for the contenders. The two leading parties see themselves as having the edge and wherewithal to pull through with heavy hulls of votes from at least two of the three senatorial districts, while making the third senatorial district a battleground.

Who triumphs at the end of the day is a decision for the Edo people.

ter for local consumption.

Apart from boosting the local capacity to refine products, it will also help to mitigate against the challenges associated with the transfer the crude feedstock via third party pipelines or by road for further transportation by sea to a foreign destination only to be re-imported as refined products.

This innovative approach will reduce risks almost to zero, given that processing, power generation and reverse osmosis associated with crude oil refinery will now be done in one location with the range of outputs becoming immediately available.

Apart from creating employment opportunities, Evolve will train host communities as a deliberate policy of giving back to them to ensure a win-win for all.

It is envisaged that each unit will provide up to 20 megawatts of power and up to 800,000 litres of fresh drinking water per day, based on a maximum processing capacity of 30,000 barrels per day of crude oil.

“The Evolve GLCs are going to be a game changer for the Niger Delta region which has suffered from years of neglect and environmental degradation.

“The GLC could easily replace the illegal modular refineries in the region and produce refined products, water, electricity as well as create jobs in the communities in the region” said Mr Godwin Omar Atsimene Jnr.

pain compared to other people.

Stress Communing long distances on a bad road also comes with a lot of stress. World over, long trips comes with a lot of stress, but the method of doing it healthy, he said is what everyone should learn and adopt.

Long-distance travel is associated with a group of transient negative effects, jointly referred to as ‘travel fatigue’, which result from anxiety about the journey, the change to an individual’s daily routine, stress, loneliness and even dehydration.

For instance, travel fatigue from air flight over several time zones, can last for over a week and can reduce performance and the motivation to train effectively.

Treatment for back pain Experts say that back pain can be treated with medication to relieve the back muscle spasm followed by exercises to strengthen the muscles of the back that are prescribed by physiotherapists. In very severe cases, a surgery could be required, said Professor Malomo.

Travelling tips •Motorists should keep their vehicles in a good condition with good shock absorbers, keep the speed limit low; always wear a seatbelt and a helmet if riding a two-wheeler or motorcycle.

•Try to sit slightly away from the seat in the car or bus to avoid too much of a jerk.

•Regular exercise to strengthen the back muscles.

6

Nigerian Tribune

Wednesday, 28 September, 2016

Metro...

crime, security, court

2 bag 7 years imprisonment for dealing in cocaine, marijuana Ayomide Owonibi Odekanyin - Lagos A welder, Shola Adeitan (32), and a scavenger, Bello Adam (37), were on Tuesday sentenced to five and two years’ imprisonment, respectively, for dealing in cocaine and marijuana.

Justice Mohammed Idris convicted and sentenced the two men after they pleaded guilty to the charges of dealing in the banned substances, made against them by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).

The men who were arraigned before the court separately were arrested at different places, dates and time in Lagos with the banned substances.

The first convict, Shola was arrested on April 18, 2016, at Aguda area of Surulere, with eight grammes of cocaine while the second convict, Bello, was arrested on April 13, 2016, at Eleganza Plaza, Apapa, with 700 grammes of marijuana.

After pronouncing the accused guilty as charged, the convicts urged the court to temper justice with merry in sentencing them.

The first convict, Shola, a father of one, informed the court that he started in selling cocaine when his welding business was not doing well, adding that he was introduced to drug business by a friend.

He promised not to go

back to the illicit act if granted forgiveness and mercy.

The second convict, Bello, a scavenger, and an indigene of Kaduna State, said he started smoking hemp to quell the stench emitting from the waste. He however stated that he started selling it to add to what he was realising from the scavenging job.

He equally pleaded with the court to temper justice with mercy in sentencing him, promising not to go back to the crime if set free.

But the presiding judge, Justice Idris, sentenced the welder, to five years imprisonment while the scavenger, was given two imprisonment.

Shanties demolished at Ilubirin area of Lagos Island by Lagos State Task Force on Environmental Sanitation. PHOTO: SYLVESTER OKORUWA

Lagos Task Force arrests 547 hoodlums •Impounds 345 motorcycles Bola Badmus - Lagos

L

AGOS State Task Force on Environmental Sanitation said on Sunday that a total of 547 hoodlums were arrested and prosecuted in the last one month, while its operatives impounded 345 motorcycles for operating within restricted routes and plying one-way on highways within the same period.

Chairman of the Task Force, Olayinka Egbeyemi, disclosed this in a statement made available to the

Nigerian Tribune by the agency’s Public Affairs Officer, Mr Adebayo Taofiq.

Giving a breakdown of the arrest, Egbeyemi said that the agency on its own arrested 258 hoodlums, while 289 others were brought from various Nigeria Police Force Divisions, including the Rapid Response Squad (RRS) for prosecutions.

According to him, all the arrested culprits had been charged to courts on the directives of the Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Mr

Fatai Owoseni.

Speaking further, the Task Force boss said the demolition of illegal shanties and structures across Ikoyi, Lekki and

George Okafor, told NAN that the victim’s cousin, Uchenna Ochika, reported that the victim visited him on September 22.

Ochika alleged that the victim was shot by unidentified gunmen after he saw the victim off.

According to the PPRO, “the cousin said that when he arrived at the shooting scene, he saw six boys running and the victim, while still writhing in pains, mentioned the names of those who shot him.

“The victim was quickly rushed to the Sudan Mis-

sionary Hospital, Effium, where he later died.

“We have arrested seven suspects in connection with the murder.”

He added that the state Commissioner of Police visited the area, interacted with stakeholders and deployed several policemen to the area, but pointed out that fear of reprisals had forced people to abandon their homes.

The PPRO said that preliminary investigations showed that the problem was caused by a committee set up by the

exercise was long overdue after the expiration of a 14-day ultimatum given to residents and occupiers of those shanties and structures to vacate them.

Court sentences teenager to 10 strokes of cane for stealing generator A Gudu Upper Area Court, Abuja, on Tuesday, sentenced an 18-year-old artisan, Daniel Jatau, to 10 strokes of the cane and cleaning of the court premises for stealing a generator, the News Agency of

7 in police net over murder in Ebonyi community

THE Ebonyi State Police Command has arrested seven persons in connection with the murder of a 25-yearold man, Ndubuisi Nwali.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reported that the victim hailed from Effium, Ohaukwu Local Government Area of the state.

The development has heightened tension between the Effium and Ezz-Effium communities of the council, where the assailants allegedly came from.

The command’s Public Relations Officer (PPRO), DSP

Victoria Island, which commenced on Sunday, would continue until the entire environment was rid of all “illegalities,” even as he pointed out that the

council’s Caretaker Committee chairman, Clement Odaa, to safeguard forest reserves in the area.

“We learnt that the chairman gave arms to the committee members which is illegal, as he has no power to allocate arms to people.

“We have invited him for questioning and if he fails to honour the invitation within the period given to him, the law will take its full course,” he said.

The PPRO said the Commissioner of Police had ordered the chairman to fish

Nigeria (NAN) reports.

The Upper Area court judge, Alhaji Umar Kagarko, sentenced Jatau after he pleaded guilty to a three-count charge of criminal trespass, housebreaking and stealing.

out leaders and members of the committee, as efforts would be made to bring culprits to book.

“We can confirm that there is no reprisal attack or incident of missing persons in both communities, as the areas are calm with heavy security presence,” Okafor stated further.

One of the community leaders, however, claimed that four persons had been declared missing since the incident occured, as they were abducted on their way from morning church sevice.

Kagarko held that if the convict was put in prison at his age, he would mingle with hardened prisoners.

He, however, warned the convict to desist from committing further crimes.

Prosecutor Umoh Inah told the court that Linus Ireogbu, the vigilance group chairman of Kuruduma village, Asokoro, Abuja, reported the matter at the Asokoro Police Station on September 20.

He said Ireogbu caught Jattau with a Tiger generating set valued at N18, 000 while on a routine patrol within the village.

He said after interrogating Jauta, he confessed that he stole the generator from his neighbour’s room.

Inah said the offence contravened sections 287, 347 and 348 of the Penal Code.

7

Wednesday, 28 September, 2016

Nigerian Tribune

Edited By Oluwatoyin Malik

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

Police raise search team on 2 missing UNIOSUN students Oluwole Ige - Osogbo

T

HE Osun State Command of the Nigeria Police Force has constituted a search party to find two final year students of Osun State University (UNIOSUN) who were declared missing in Osogbo, capital of Osun State recently.

The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) in the state, Mrs Folasade Odoro, a Superintendent of Police, in a press statement, said that the state Commissioner of Police, Mr Femi Oyeleye had already detailed a special team to unravel the mystery sur-

rounding the whereabouts of the missing students and ensure that they were found.

It will be recalled that the two 400 level male students, Messrs Akinduro Robert and Samuel Ify Eke, who had written their final examination, could not go home because of inability to complete their final year projects.

Metro authoritatively gathered that the students left their hostel in the evening on September 5 to meet another student known as Pariise who would help them to typeset their long essay but had since not returned home, raising con-

cern about their safety.

Odoro hinted that Pariise, who was the last person that the missing persons had conversation with, had been arrested and was still in custody at the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID).

However, the state Commissioner of Police appealed to members of the public with useful information concerning the where-

abouts of the missing students to assist the security agency, with a view to rescuing them.

Also, the Vice Chancellor of UNIOSUN, Professor Jelili Oguntola Alamu, in a chat with journalists, hinted that the university’s management was collaborating with the Police and the parents of the missing students to ensure that they are found.

Sympathisers save toddler from suspected lunatic mother SYMPATHISERS, on Sunday, rescued a nine-monthold male child from being killed by his mother, suspected to be a lunatic.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) gathered from eyewitnesses that the mother pummelled the child because he tried to get some food and water from his mother while she was eating and drinking.

The incident occurred at a roadside in Ugwuachara, on the outskirts of Abakaliki, from where the child’s persistent cry attracted sympathisers.

NAN learnt that the woman ate the food and water given to her by someone and refused to give the child.

Witnesses said that when the child tried to grab some, the mother beat him instead and his cry attracted passers-by.

One of the sympathisers, Mr Sunday Ebe, told NAN that the situation forced some sympathisers to the scene to retrieve the child from the woman, in order to prevent the baby from being injured.

“We later took the child to Reverend Father Abraham Nwali, the Ebonyi State governor’s Senior Special Ad-

viser on Religion and Welfare Matters, at the Catholic Bishop’s Court, Abakaliki.

“The wailing of the child further attracted the sympathy of Reverend Sister Cecilia Chukwu, Executive Director of Succour and Development Initiative, Abakaliki.

“She directed her assistant to give the child a warm bath, food and provide him clothing and other immediate needs,” Ebe said.

NAN reported that Nwali, while receiving the baby, inquired about the mental state of the woman to avoid insinuations of kidnapping or child trafficking over the incident.

“The people who brought the child to this place should bring the woman to be examined medically and offered medical treatment,” he said.

Nwali later followed the sympathisers to the scene and met the woman sleeping.

He asked a nurse to wake the woman and give her food and water.

The woman was later taken to a hospital for medical treatment, while the child was returned to her to be breastfed under the watchful eyes of hospital staff.

Police arrest 3 housewives over alleged attempted murder in Kano THE Kano State Police Command has arrested three housewives in connection with an alleged attempted murder of a girl.

The command’s spokesman, DSP Magaji Majiya, confirmed the development to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Tuesday, in Kano.

He said the girl was thrown into an old well in Gayawa village, Ungoggo Local Government Area of the state.

It was learnt that the girl had spent two days inside the well she was allegedly thrown into by her stepmother a week ago.

The girl was subsequently rescued alive by men of the state fire service.

Majiya said the suspects were apprehended in the

village on Sunday, following complaint by the victim’s father.

“We have arrested three women in connection with the case and they are now in our custody assisting us in our investigation.

“The Commissioner of Police, Mr Rabiu Yusuf, has directed the transfer of the case to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), for proper investigation.”

Majiya added that the commissioner had ordered thorough investigation to ascertain the suspects’ individual involvement in the case.

The command’s spokesman said anyone found involved after full investigation would be charged to court.

Police rescue octogenarian, daughter from abductors THE Enugu State Police Command on Tuesday said that it has rescued an octogenarian, Mrs Roseline Odoh, and her daughter, Josephine, from their abductors.

The spokesman for the state police command, Mr Ebere Amaraizu, told newsmen in Enugu that the 84-year-old woman and her daughter were kidnapped from their house at Ogbelle Ohullor in Udenu LGA of the state on September 22.

He said that the victims were rescued on September 23 through useful information from some members of the public.

Amaraizu said that the police rescued the victims unhurt in a bush located at Orokam in Benue State.

The suspect, Michael

He said that the police worked in collaboration with the community’s vigilance group.

The spokesman said that one of the suspects died from bullet wounds during confrontation with the police.

He said that the command recovered from the suspects, a Renault car with registration number, UWN 992 LN, used by them for the operation.

Amaraizu said that the suspects were helping the police in investigations.

He said that the police were determined to ensure security, warning criminals to desist from their acts to avoid attracting the wrath of the law.

Police nab man in possession of military uniform Olayinka Olukoya - Abeokuta THE police in Ogun State have arrested one Michael (surname withheld) for being in possession of military uniform, a locally-made pistol and a parcel suspected to be Indian hemp.

In a statement by the acting

Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Abimbola Oyeyemi, on Sunday, the suspected robber was arrested in Sagamu area of the state.

The PPRO disclosed that the suspect was arrested during a police routine patrol led by the Divisional Police Officer of Sagamu, Moses Aduroja, while con-

ducting a ‘stop and search’ on motorists.

The suspects, with two others at large, were said to have jumped out of their car when they sighted the police.

Oyeyemi said that the Commissioner of Police, Ahmed Iliyasu, had ordered the transfer of the suspect

to the state Criminal Investigation and Intelligent Department for further investigation.

He, however, warned men of the underworld to relocate from the state, as the command would not leave any stone unturned in order to rid the state of crime and criminality.

8

news

Wednesday, 28 September, 2016

Remuneration for CJN, other judicial officers hit N33.47bn annually

THE Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), federal judicial officers and state judicial officers, have in the last one year, got a total sum of N33.47 billion as emoluments and other allowances, checks by the Economic Confidential has revealed.

The report obtained and computed by the Economic intelligence magazine showed the annual salaries, regular and non-regular allowances of 934 judicial officers in the country, including the Chief Justice of Nigeria.

These include: vehicle maintenance and fuel, personal assistants, domestic staff, entertainment and utilities allowances. Others are, hardship allowance, outfit and newspapers allowances, respectively.

A careful observation of the report showed that the Chief Justice of Nigeria has an annual salary of N3.36 million and like the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, to be provided with vehicle maintenance and fueling, domestic staff, entertainment, utilities and newspapers.

Furthermore, the CJN has 25 per cent of his annual basic salary reserved for personal assistant and outfit each or its equiva-

lent of N840,993.13 respectively and half of his annual salary as hardship allowance which amounts to N1,681,986.25.

However, accommodation and furniture will be provided for the CJN, while annual leave, severance gratuity and vehicle loan, which is optional, will be 10 per cent, 300 per cent and 400 per cent respectively. His duty tour allowance within Nigeria is settled at N50,000 per night, while that of overseas or Estacode amounts to $2000.00 per night.

Justices of the Supreme Court and the President of the Court of Appeal have the same annual salary of N2.47 million each, while Justice of the Court of Appeal, Chief Judge of Federal High Court, Chief Judge of the FCT, Judge of the Federal High Court, President of the National Industrial Court, Grand Khadi of the FCT Sharia Court of Appeal, President FCT Customary Court of Appeal, Chief Judge of States, Grand Khadi state Sharia Court of Appeal and President state Customary Court of Appeal all have N1.99 million each as annual salary.

Furthermore, Judges of the Federal High Court, National Industrial Court,

FCT High Court, state High Courts, FCT Sharia Court of Appeal, FCT Customary Court of Appeal, Khadi state Sharia Court of Appeal and State Customary Court of Appeal all have N1.80 million each as annual salary.

All the judges in the country, apart from the Chief Justice of Nigeria, have 75 per cent of their annual salaries as vehicle maintenance and fueling, 25 per cent for personal assistant, 50 per cent as hardship allowance, 75 per cent for domestic staff, 45 per cent for entertainment. Others are: 30 per cent of their annual salaries for utilities, 25 per cent for outfit and 15 per cent for newspapers.

As for non-regular allowances, except the CJN, all judges have 200 per cent for accommodation once a year, 300 per cent of annual salary for furniture, 10 per cent for annual leave, 300 per cent as severance gratuity and 400 per cent for vehicle loan, which is however optional.

All the justices of the Supreme Court and President of the Court of Appeal are entitled to N35,000.00 as duty tour allowance per night within the country, while their Estacode is $1300 per night when they travel out of the country.

9

Wednesday, 28 September, 2016

Nigerian Tribune

news Recession: Senate rejects sale of national assets

10

Wednesday, 28 September, 2016

•Urges FG to forward economic stimulus bill to NASS Taiwo Adisa-Abuja

T

HE Senate, on Tuesday, rejected the call for the sale of national assets to shore up the nation’s foreign reserves and as an exit strategy from the current economic recession.

The lawmakers, who devoted the whole of last week to a debate on the national economy, with no fewer than 60 lawmakers expressing different views, had, on Tuesday, adopted 22 resolutions emerging therefrom.

Senate President Bukola Saraki had, on Thursday, constituted a six-member committee to collate the views and present the same for adoption on Tuesday.

At the sitting on Tuesday, the adhoc committee submitted its report, which the lawmakers voted to adopt.

In adopting the recommendations, the Senate rejected the call for the sale of national assets to shore up foreign reserves.

The lawmakers called on President Muhammadu Buhari to, instead, submit an economic stimulus Bill to the National Assembly as a mater of urgency.

The senate said submitting such a package, which would contain fiscal stimulus packages, investments, and incentives, would enable the lawmakers to debate the quickest way out of the recession.

The ad hoc committee had recommended that the idea, “being a sensitive issue, should be approached from a commitment to protecting the common patrimony of Nigerians by preventing the assets from falling into the hands of sharks, assets strippers and cannibalisers while also guarding against the fueling of further inequities in the society and polity.”

The lawmakers also recommended that the executive arm of government must ensure constant meeting of fiscal and monetary authorities for harmonisation of policies, while working towards lowering of interest rates for genuine investors in the real sector, medium and small scale farmers, as well as processors.

Another recommendation adopted by the Senate was that the Federal Government should engage Niger Delta militants in “meaningful and inclusive dialogue” so as to avoid an escalation of the unrest in the area and ensure the protection of Nigeria’s oil and gas assets, while boosting production and

revenue.

The Senate asked the president to immediately appoint a Senior Special Assistant who would lead a team to include lawmakers from the zone in the peace effort.

Also, the Senate adopted the recommendation that

the president should reconstitute the Board of Central Bank (CBN) and all other critical agencies of government to enable the bodies to operate within the law.

The lawmakers are also seeking an amendment of Section 162 of the 1999 Constitution to enable the

Federal Government to save money for future use.

As a way of ensuring that the recommendations get to the table of the president, the Senate resolved that the 22-point recommendations should be personally delivered to the president by the Senate

President.

Following the adoption of the recommendations, Senate Chief Whip, Senator Olusola Adeyeye, raised Order 43 of the Senate Standing Orders 2015 as amended to emphasise that the resolutions had become a “Corporate De-

cision” of the Senate, having metamorphosed from the individual submissions made by senators last week, to resolutions of the Senate.

Senate to conduct hearing on INEC over inconclusive polls.

Alleged money laundering: Senate refers MTN, others to standing committee Taiwo Adisa-Abuja

SENATORS, on Tuesday, rose from a sitting and resolved to conduct a public hearing to investigate the failure of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to conduct the series of elections it declared inconclusive in recent months.

The lawmakers, who adopted a motion presented by the Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, also decried the serial postponement of elections and failure of INEC to conduct elections as scheduled.

While moving the motion, Ekweremadu stated that the Senate was aware that the 2010 electoral re-

forms, which included the amendment of the 1999 Constitution and the Electoral Act, had placed the country's electoral system on "globally acclaimed improvements in the 2011 and 2015 general elections."

He submitted that “The Senate notes with deep concern that at least 20 states of the federation have no Resident Electoral Commissioners contrary to Sections 14(2) of the Third Schedule of the 1999 It further noted that INEC could not function optimally without the full complement of members that would superintend the activities of other personnel.

"The Senate observes

that the failure of INEC to conduct reruns within the timeframe ordered by the respective Electoral Petitions Tribunals and courts is in breach of the Electoral Act and Section 76 of the 1999 Constitution, thus endangers the nation's democracy.

He also decried what he called the trend of "inconclusive elections and whimsical postponement of elections" being witnessed under INEC, adding that such amounted to wrong signals and symptoms that should not be dismissed.

The Senate’s number two man also noted that the Senate was worried about the fate of the 2019 general, following the growing

penchant for inconclusive polls and undue postponements by INEC. Chairman, Senate Committee on Power, Steel Development and Metallurgy, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, also decried the vacancies created by INEC in Anambra Senate seat and the postponement of other pending elections in Rivers State.

He said: "If INEC conducts an election with just about one-tenth of the membership of the commission, will that be regarded as a legal and legitimate election? There will be an election tomorrow (today in Edo State); someone could approach a court to say there will be no election because INEC

From left, Permanent Secretary, Lagos State Ministry of Agriculture, Dr Olayiwole Onasanya; Special Adviser on Food Security to the Lagos State governor, Honourable Ganiu Okanlawon Sanni and the Chief Executive Officer, CITC Global Consulting, Mr Tayo Oresanya, at a press briefing to herald the forthcoming Lagos Food Security Summit, in Lagos, on Tuesday. PHOTO: SYLVESTER OKORUWA.

is not properly constituted and the result should be declared null and void."

The chamber, thereafter, resolved to urge President Muhammadu Buhari to immediately nominate suitably qualified persons to fill the vacant positions at INEC, equally asked the commission to immediately conclude all pending polls in the country.

Samsung recalls Galaxy note 7 from Nigeria Tyavzua Saanyol-Abuja

SAMSUNG Electronics West Africa Limited has complied with the ultimatum given to it by the Consumer Protection Council (CPC), requiring it to give a status report on the global recall of Galaxy Note 7 in Nigeria, following reports of explosion of dozens of the devices while charging.

The company, which disclosed that the device was yet to be launched in Nigeria, also announced its readiness to provide voluntary exchange to consumers, who might have purchased it elsewhere in the world and brought it into Nigeria.

According to the status report made available to Nigerian Tribune, “customers who already have Galaxy Note 7 devices, Samsung will voluntarily exchange their current device with a new one over the coming weeks,” adding that “customers who have this device should submit it to Samsung authorised Service Centre in Nigeria and it would be replaced in the next coming weeks.”

Food security: Lagos to produce 54,000mt of rice by December Kehinde AkinseindeJayeoba-Lagos

IN its bid to promote food security in Lagos State and beyond, the government has said it is set to produce 18,000 metric tonnes of rice by December, 2016.

The Special Adviser to the Lagos State Governor on Food Security, Mr Sanni Ganiyu Okanlawon, made this known on Tuesday, while addressing the press on the forthcoming maiden Food Security Summit in the state.

Okanlawon explained that with the partnership

of the state government with the Kebbi State government on the development of agricultural commodities, rice farming, which had started yielding results by the end of 2017, would have produced 200,000 metric tonnes of rice.

He noted that this move by the government would go a long way to improve food security and enhance consumption of healthy rice as most imported rice had been declared unhealthy for human consumption, while adding that the Lagos rice would be made available at an affordable price.

Okanlawon explained that in furtherance of its commitment to optimally explore its agricultural value chain potential and ensure food security for its teeming populace, the government has made plans to organise a world class summit tagged ‘the Lagos Food Security Summit and Exhibition’.

He further explained that the summit was being organised to institutionalise a food security framework that would guarantee sustainable food security for its growing population.

"The summit, with the

theme: "Actualising Sustainable Food Security in Lagos: A New Comprehensive Agenda," is scheduled to hold at the Lagos Airport Hotel, Ikeja, from Thursday to Friday, November 10 and 11, 2016 and is designed to realign emerging realities with new global trends on food safety, processing, storage, handling, funding of agribusiness and agric insurance.”

Okanlawon added that the summit would attract major stakeholders from the Agricultural sector and academia, as well as prospective foreign and local

investors, media, civil society and policy makers in government.

He added that the Summit could not have come at a better time than now when there was an unwavering commitment by the present administration of Mr Akinwunmi Ambode to put in place enduring measures that would help improve the socio-economic wellbeing of residents of the State, stressing that the governor created the Office of the Special Adviser on Food Security in order to bring to the fore the importance of sustainable food security in Lagos.

11

businessnews

Wednesday, 28 September, 2016

Nigeria’s foreign reserves drop to $24.74bn in September —Udoma

T

he Minister of Budget and National Planning, Sen. Udoma Udo Udoma, says Nigeria’s foreign reserves have reduced from 26.51 billion dollars from the second quarter of 2016 to $24.74 billion in September.

Udoma said this at the 57th annual conference of Nigeria Economic Society (NES) with the theme“the developmental state and diversification of the Nigerian economy’’ on Tuesday in Abuja.

He said Nigeria had revenue and foreign currency concentration problems, adding that diversification was the only solution.

The minister said due to four strategic pipeline terminals that were blow up, Nigeria had been unable to achieve its 2016 Budget production target of 2.2 million barrels a day.

Udoma said in August, the country was barely able to produce 1.1 million barrels.

“Last week production level rose up to 1.7 million barrels, still a far cry from the country’s target of 2.2 million barrel.

“We are taking a number of immediate measures to raise revenues to strategically spend our way out of recession.

“We are taking measures to address the disruption in Niger Delta to restore production.

“We are fast tracking our efforts to raise foreign currency loans that we have projected in the 2016 budget, from AfDB, World Bank, Chinese Exim Bank as well as Euro Bond issue.

“We are happy to note that the president of AfDB has announced that we

should expect, among other facilities, a budget support of $1 billion dollars next month,’’ Udoma said.

He said the economic management team had been working to assemble a stimulus package to be raised from concessioning advance payment for

licence renewals, use of recovered funds and some asset sales.

Udoma said that the package was being worked upon and was yet to be finalised, adding that to achieve this speedily, “ we are working to fast track procedures through presi-

us as a country to make those major structural changes needed to change this economy for good. We should use this crisis to implement the reforms needed to unlock the economic potentials of the non-oil and high employment sectors.”

President/CEO, General Electric (GE) Africa, Jay Ireland, presenting the 2016 African Business Leader Award, to President/CE, Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote, at the Africa-America Institute’s Award, in New York.

NCAA to meet foreign airlines over alleged rejection of naira •Reps asks FAAN to reverse plan increased access gate fee Jacob SegunOlatunji and Kolawole Daniel-Abuja

The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) says it will soon convene a meeting with foreign airline operators over their alleged rejection of naira payment for flight tickets.

Sam Adurogboye, General Manager, Public Relations, NCAA, made the disclosure in Lagos on Tuesday while speaking with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).

Adurogboye confirmed that the NCAA had received complaints from some passengers, adding that they had the right to make payments in naira.

He, however, noted that the industry was facing some challenges, particularly the scarcity of foreign exchange and inability of foreign airlines to repatriate their funds.

“The truth is that the airlines are beginning to reject the naira because of

MAN urges FG to allocate 45% of 2017 budget to infrastructure development The Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) on Tuesday urged the Federal Government to allocate 45 per cent of 2017 budget to development of capital infrastructure to accelerate economic recovery.

MAN President Frank Jacob told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos that such allocation would create wealth and redistribute income.

According to him, allocating 45 per cent is possible, if government across board will cut down their budgetary votes on governance.

He said that the paltry 30 per cent previously allocated would not take the country’s economy from the current position.

dential directives and legislation.

“I want to emphasise that notwithstanding the current economic challenges we face, we are not discouraged at all and this is a crisis we must not waste.

We should see this crisis as an opportunity for

“Sustaining this proportion over the years on infrastructural development will reposition the economy and set it on the path of prosperity.

“Allocating it to key infrastructure such as renewable energy, modern railway network across the country and information technology incubators will facilitate the development of the society,” he said.

Jacob stated that there was the need for the National Assembly to give the 2017 budget an accelerated hearing for a quick assent by the President.

He added that the executive must streamline the bureaucracy for timely release of funds to appropriate Ministries, De-

partment, and Agencies (MDAs) of government.

“We must avoid the mistakes of the past where the year’s budget will not be passed and capital allocations not disbursed even at the end of second quarter of financial year.

“Prompt passage of a budget and release of funds is imperative to meet critical infrastructural demands,” he said.

NAN reports that the Federal Government has proposed a budget of N6.5 trillion for 2017.

The Minister of Budget and National Planning, Mr Udoma Udo-Udoma said that the budget and the 2017-2019 Medium Term Expenditure Framework would be ready by October.

the special circumstances that they have found themselves.

“In the BASA agreement, when you sell your tickets, you should be able to repatriate your money; but presently, the airlines are finding it hard to take their money home.

“So this problem has arisen now and we are looking at how to find a workable solution to it.

“We will be meeting with the airlines soon because this situation is exceptional and we cannot just wield the big stick against them,” Adurogboye said.

He said the Federal Government was also taking measures to ameliorate the subsisting foreign exchange issues, adding that the inability of the airlines to repatriate their money was not deliberate.

Some airlines are allegedly accepting payments made only with credit cards or dollars.

Meanwhile, the House of Representatives on Tuesday urged the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, (FAAN) to immediately reverse its decision to increase the access gate charge expected to commence on October 1st.

The House resolution was sequel to a motion moved

by Honourable Rotimi

Agunsoye entitled, “increase in the rates of the access gate charge by the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, FAAN- a need for reversal”.

According to him, the access gate charge on motorists by FAAN was N200 for cars, N300 for buses, SUVs and Jeeps, while other heavy duty vehicles including Trucks are charged N500 per entry, noting that, motorists are now forced to pay a one hundred percent increment with cars now to pay N400; buses, SUVs and jeeps N600 while Trucks are to pay N1000.

The lawmaker also raised concern that the purported increment is coming at a time when the vast majority of Nigerians are groaning under the painful bite of financial incapacities stemming from the recently proclaimed economic recession.

Honourable Agunsoye further stated that, the said decision by FAAN was not only insensitive to the prevalent plight of the average Nigerian but one that defiles propriety, lacking merit and able to push citizen beyond limits.

When the motion was put to vote by the Speaker, it was unanimously supported by members.

Nigerian Tribune

FG hails Dangote’s stride in agric sector, to recapitalise BOA The Federal Government has commended the chairman of the Nigeria AgricBusiness Group (NABG), Sani Dangote for his contribution towards the development of the agricultural sector in the country.

Dangote is the Vice President of the Dangote Group, Africa’s foremost conglomerate.

Speaking at the AGRIKEXPO/NABG Conference Monday in Abuja, Agriculture Minister Audu Ogbe said Dangote’s NABG and Dangote Group are making farming attractive and wooing investors at the same time; while the Dangote Group has invested enormously and created jobs across the value chain.

He regretted that despite the fact that the agricultural sector is the biggest employer of labour and largest contributor to the GDP, the country was yet to maximise its potentials as less than 40% of the arable lands are being cultivated.

The minister said the theme of the three-day conference: ‘From Food Oil to Crude Oil’, was apt in the light of the need to diversify the economy.

The Federal Government, he said, will soon recapitalise the Bank of Agriculture (BOA) and strengthen it so that it would be able to extend credit facilities to Small and Medium Scale farmers at around seven per cent interest rate.

The minister said in about 30 years time the Nigerian population would be in the region of 500million people, while the world’s population would hit 10 billion, adding that there was need to prepare ahead.

He said that the government was planning a farmers day where farmers would be appreciated and rewarded, just as he announced that the government was collaborating with relevant international agencies to bring back extension services.

Speaking, Dangote said the NABG is an association for all associations and stakeholders in the agricultural sector.

According to him the NABG is interacting with the public sector to revive the sector.

He urged Nigerians to look at the current economic problem as an opportunity to invest in the agricultural sector.

Speaking in the same vein, the Coordinator of the NABG Emmanuel Ijewere said it is possible for Nigeria to retrace its steps back to agriculture while the NABG as a private sector group is trying to ensure that the entire value chain is carried along.

12

businessnews

Wednesday, 28 September, 2016

NNPC to settle cash call arrears with royalties, taxes Olatunde DodondawaLagos

T

he Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) said it planned to work out modalities that would enable it to settle all cash call arrears by ensuring that outstanding and future payments are liquated from oil and gas royalties and taxes under a first line charge model.

The Group Managing Director (GMD), NNPC, Dr Maikanti Kacalla Baru, stated this in Lagos on Tuesday during one day working visit to the National Petroleum Investment Management Services (NAPIMS), a Corporate Service Unit of the Corporation in charge of Federal Government portfolios in the upstream sector.

Baru noted that the current JV payment structure requires urgent review adding that the new model being proposed by the NNPC would enable the Corporation to plough back the profit and grow the oil and gas business in the upstream for the benefit of all stakeholders.

He urged management and staff of NAPIMS to carry out their assignments with professional integrity by bench-marking their operations with global best practices.

The GMD disclosed that the 12 key business focus areas of the NNPC under his watch are targeted at rejuvenating the entire business operations in order to enable the Corporation deliver on its core mandate to all its stakeholders.

He described NAPIMS

as a strategic CSU and sued for maximum support from members of staff to enable the Corporation meet its set goals in the short, medium and long term.

Earlier, the Group General Manager, NAPIMS, Mr. Dafe Sajebor, who was represented by the General Manager Production Sharing Contract, Mr. James Jock assured

the GMD that NAPIMS would ensure efficient management of all Joint Venture and Production Sharing Contract arrangements even in the face of dwindling crude oil prices and incessant pipeline vandalism.

In a related development, the GMD has also promised to reposition the National Engineering and Technical Company (NET-

that the outfit would continue to play the pivotal role of providing in-house professional engineering services to all the Autonomous Business Units of the Corporation and other clients.

On his part, the Managing Director of NETCO, Siky Aliyu noted that NETCO is challenged by low patronage by some ABUs of NNPC and Inter-

From left, Minister of Finance, Mrs. Kemi Adeosun; Gombe State governor, Ibrahim Dakwambo; Ogun State governor, Ibikunle Amosun, and former President Olusegun Obasanjo at the ongoing NACOFED, in Abeokuta

Major marketers insist petrol price not deregulated Olatunde DodondawaLagos

Major marketers have once again insisted that the pump price of premium motor spirit (PMS) otherwise called is not fully deregulated but partially deregulated.

The Executive Secretary, Major Oil Marketers Association of Nigeria (MOMAN), Mr. Femi Olawore, stated this during the commissioning of tanks at Mosinmi Depot in Sagamu, Ogun State.

“It (downstream sector) is not deregulated; they

Promasidor Nigeria to boost expansion with over N8bn Promasidor Nigeria Limited, makers of Cowbell, Onga, Toptea and Loya Milk, has concluded arrangements with IFC, a member of the World Bank Group, to inject a $25 million loan (over N8billion) into its production with a view to increasing efficiency and to produce more products for the benefit of Nigerian populace.

Olivier Thiry, Managing Director, Promasidor Nigeria Limited- “PNL”, explained that the capital injection would be used to support purchases of new machinery that will enable PNL to increase efficiency, expand production and develop new products, leading to greater availability of nutritious food products in Nigeria at competitive prices.

CO) into an African hub of excellent engineering, procurement and Construction Company of choice.

Baru made this commitment during the maiden Town Hall meeting with management and staff of NETCO at its headquarters in Lagos.

He said NETCO as a Strategic Business Unit has over the years delivered profit to NNPC assuring

His words: “This is a very competitive market for food products. We expect that this investment will help us optimize production costs, enabling us to reach and nourish more consumers with our affordable range of quality products. We will also target our portfolio extension by gradual integration of more locally sourced raw materials from producers in Nigeria and widening our network of distributors” According to him, the investment became necessary in view of the numerous business opportunities in the Nigerian market.

Meanwhile, Mary-Jean Moyo, IFC Head of Manufacturing, Agribusiness and Services for sub-Saharan Africa said, “Agribusiness is Nigeria’s larg-

est employer. Increasing investment in food-processing companies like PNL will help diversify Nigeria’s economy and improve nutrition by expanding the supply of affordable food.”

only increased the price but that is not deregulation. You do not deregulate with fixed prices. You allow the prices to float even though we are seeing some measure of floating of the prices with some people selling below N145.

“The truth is that NNPC is currently importing more than anybody because they have easier access to foreign exchange than anybody. So I cannot say for sure when marketers will begin full importation, but our intention is, once the sector is fully deregulated, we will begin,” he said.

The directive by the Federal Government that oil

marketers should source for forex needed for the importation of refined petroleum products from either the interbank or parallel markets of the foreign exchange market has resulted into non-importation of products by marketers.

When the federal government announced the new fuel price regime which stated that the product would sell for not more than N145 a litre, experts warned that allowing marketers to source for forex at parallel market will mount more pressure on the dollar rate.

Exchange rate for dollar was selling at N445/$ as at Tuesday.

Public offers for Stanbic IBTC ETF 40 and dollar funds open Kehinde AkinseindeJayeoba-Lagos

Two new products, the Stanbic IBTC Dollar Fund (SIDF) and SIAML Pension ETF 40 have been officially opened following the granting of relevant approvals by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) with Stanbic IBTC Asset Management Limited (SIAML) acting as the fund manager to both funds.

The Stanbic IBTC Dollar Fund provides retail and institutional investors the opportunity to seek exposure in attractive dollar-denominated securities to serve as a devaluation hedge as well as to optimise returns on investments.

On the other hand, the SIAML Pension ETF 40 is an Exchange Traded Fund (ETF) that will mirror the Pension 40 Index (Pension Index), replicating as closely as possible the total

return of The NSE Pension 40 Index. The Index, launched last year by the Nigerian Stock Exchange to drive market optimization, is a tracking mechanism for investors, particularly institutional investors like Pension Fund Administrators (PFAs), that invest in line with guidelines set out by the National Pension Commission. The NSE Pension Index monitors the top 40 most capitalized and liquid companies in the market.

Nigerian Tribune

national Oil Companies (IOCs).

According to him the company is determined to harness all opportunities in the oil and gas project portfolios in order to keep producing a positive bottom-line.

LASG signs agreement for women entrepreneurs to access $300m AfDB fund The Lagos State Government says it has signed a partnership agreement with an NGO –the African Women Innovation and Entrepreneurship Forum (AWIEF) — to access the 300 million dollar African Development Bank (AfDB) Affirmative Finance Action for Women in Africa.

According to the Commissioner for Economic Planning and Budget, Akinyemi Ashade, the government will nominate qualified candidates from among the over two million businesswomen in the state to access the fund.

Ashade, who spoke shortly after signing the agreement in Ikeja, on Tuesday expressed optimism that the partnership would relieve female entrepreneurs in the state of the stress associated with accessing finance for their businesses.

“The state government will nominate qualified candidates from among the over two million businesswomen, while the NGO will provide training in the areas of technology transfer and business coaching,” he said.

Interested women, he said, would be encouraged to form cooperative societies for easy disbursement and monitoring of the funds.

He noted that accessing the fund would attract foreign investment into the country and also boost the economy through increased Gross Domestic Product especially during the current recession.

The founder of the NGO, Mrs Irene Ochem, said women in all the business sectors, especially the medium and small businesses were eligible to apply.

Ochem identified lack of access to funds as a major hindrance to the growth of businesses run by women entrepreneurs, while thanking the state government for its commitment to the cause of women in the state.

“Zambia has already accessed the AfDB fund to empower women.”

13

editorial

W

Wednesday, 28 September, 2016

Nigerian Tribune

Foreign reserves: Going, going...

ITH a mere $25 billion in the coffers, Nigeria’s foreign exchange reserves have slipped to an 11-year low. Considering that the foreign reserves stood at $30 billion at the onset of the current administration, it means that the reserves have gone down by as much as $5 billion in just 15 months. This slide has been due largely to the plunge in the crude oil price by as much as 50 per cent in the last two years, as well as the reprehensible attacks by Niger Delta militants on the nation’s pipelines which have whittled down the capacity of the country to export crude oil.

From the 2.2 million barrels of crude oil the country was exporting last year, the figure has gone down to 1.1 million barrels. Unfortunately, the scenario is unlikely to change in the immediate future because it has been predicted that the price of crude oil will be low for long and the efforts to sway the militants from their nefarious activities have not yielded the desired results. Therefore, unless something happens, the downward spiralling of the country’s foreign reserves will not abate.

The foreign reserves are critical because they determine the level of imports a country can effect. Being an importdependent nation, Nigeria has to pay specific attention to the reserves to guard against being depleted to the point that it would be impossible to bring in goods from other countries. If the reserves are low, letters of credit will not be honoured. Apart from that, having a healthy foreign reserve is a boost to investors’ confidence. Foreign investors are easily convinced to put their money in an economy with robust foreign reserves.

While the aforementioned reasons are principally responsible for the plummeting reserves, one other factor that has contributed immensely to the depletion is the slowdown in the remittances of funds to Nigeria made

by Nigerians in the Diaspora. Over the years, Nigerians living abroad have constituted a veritable source of foreign exchange for the country through the remittances they send to support their family members resident in the country. Available records show that a minimum of $20 billion is remitted annually by Nigerians in the Diaspora and even in 2015, the figure went up to $21billion, making Nigeria the sixth largest receiver of remittances in the world. However, in the last one year, the remittances have

almost petered out with just a little above $10 billion, as a response to some policies of the government and the utterances of key officials.

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) had, last August, restricted banks in the country from accepting foreign currency cash deposits into customers’ domiciliary accounts. The apex bank, in a memo to money deposit banks, advised bank customers who had deposited foreign currencies into their accounts before the directive to withdraw same, as they would not be allowed to transfer the funds, adding that only wired transfers to and from domiciliary accounts would be permitted.

Although the move was targeted at stopping the flow of illicit funds through the banking system, it also resulted in the cessation of remittances from Nigerians abroad because they opted to keep their money in foreign lands rather than taking the risk of it getting stuck in banks, as they would be unable to withdraw the money when needed. This put untold pressure on the foreign reserves as those who hitherto had relied on the remittances from Nigerians abroad to source their forex had to turn to the official source.

Then recently, the CBN directed all Money Transfer Operators (MTOs) to remit foreign currency to agent banks for disbursement in naira to customers, after which the foreign currency proceeds will be sold to foreign exchange operators. One implication of this is that those MTOs that lack their own infrastructure to remit foreign currency to banks would be stifled out of business. Another is that many Nigerians abroad who hitherto had used the MTOs would not be encouraged to patronize them because of the differentials in the official and the autonomous exchange rates of the naira to foreign currencies.

The import of this is that the government and its agencies must be wary of churning out policies that may work against the interest of the nation. The greatest albatross of the foreign exchange reserves is not the sliding price of crude oil; it is the contradictory policies of government.

To take the country out of the rut, the government must come up with holistic, well thought out policies that will not take away from the country with the left hand what it gives with the right.

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14 LETTERS TO THE

Wednesday, 28 September, 2016

editor

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

Capitalising on the recession to develop

T

HAT the cost of food prices have been rising in the country is saying what is obvious, and two things are responsible for this.

First, we import the majority of the food we consume; this, therefore, is one of the reasons the naira is weakening against major world currencies.

The second reason is that the little food we produce have been reduced with the Boko Haram and Fulani herdsmen’s attacks on farming communities.

Our farmers have been displaced from their lands, and we now rely majorly on food importation to keep our people from starving.

Now, since the middle of last year, food prices have been going up astronomically, thereby, making more Nigerians fall deeper into poverty.

If the government must

curb the rise, then it must first ensure that every part of the Nigerian territory is safe for habitation. While this may be a Herculean task, it is something that can be achieved. When everywhere is safe in the country, then farmers who have been displaced by violence will return to their lands.

Government must now begin to encourage backyard farming; we need to utilise available spaces around us to grow food.

Nigerians should look at the spaces beside them to grow corn, tomatoes, vegetables, bananas, among others. This will go a long way in reducing the prices households pay for food.

A family that has vegetables at a backyard farm will not go to the market to buy vegetable again.

Also, a family that has corn planted at the space

beside the family house can make do with cooked corn for lunch.

The Federal Government should also encourage wealthy Nigerians to go into farming, as this set of people have the financial resources to establish large scale farms that will

provide food for millions of people at a time. We must begin to see ourselves as the solution to our problems.

If the truth must be told, foreign investors will not invest in any country that is facing security challenges. Our government

officials should, therefore, stop wasting taxpayers’ monies by travelling all over the world in the name of trying to bring in foreign investment.

We should be able to look at what we can do for ourselves in order to get out of this terrible economic

situation that we find ourselves in.

It is important we see this current economic crisis as an opportunity to become self-reliant.

•Uju Nicolas, Wuse 11, Abuja.

Saluting Osun’s education policy AS a part of the Silver Jubilee anniversary celebrations of the creation of Osun State on August 27, 1991, President Muhammadu Buhari, on September 1, 2016, commissioned the Osogbo Government High School.

The school has the capacity to accommodate 3,000 pupils, equipped with all modern academic and sporting facilities rated as one of the best schools in Nigeria.

The status of the school and its recognition as one of the best in the country, is just one of Governor Rauf Aregbesola’s resolves to stantardise education in the state through a workable education policy.

For the benefit of hindsight, the governor convoked a summit between February 7 and 8, 2011, barely three months into his administration, at the Osun State University, Osogbo, chaired by Prof.

Wole Soyinka.

The summit communiqué and observations eventually became the fulcrum of Aregbesola’s education policy direction.

Based on tours of schools, it was discovered that about 4,055 school structures were dilapidated and, therefore, constituted immediate danger to the pupils, teaching and nonteaching staff.

To address this, the government set a target to build 170 well-equipped model schools across the state at elementary, middle and high schools level with maximum capacity of between 1, 000 and 3,000 pupils respectively.

In addition, it set out to refurbish those that could still be salvaged and decentralised the Teaching Service Commission (TESCOM) into three districts.

Teachers Establishment and Pension Office (TEPO) was also established for training and retraining, promotion, prompt payment of salaries and allowances and taking care

of teacher pension.

The government approached the Department of Nutrition Sciences in the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, to formulate a feeding roster that gives the best possible balanced diet.

Again, at the tertiary level, the government has reduced tuition fees for the state polytechnics and colleges of education by 30 per cent.

In the same vein, it has increased bursary awards to Osun students in all tertiary institutions in Nigeria in agreement with the reports of the Task Force on Bursary for Osun Indigenes in Tertiary Institutions set up by the governor.

With these achievements, and more, Governor Aregbesola has demonstrated that with little resources but targeted intervention, innovation and political will, dramatic and unprecedented progress is achievable.

•Yaya Ademola, Osogbo, Osun State.

Oyo govt, Liberty Stadium road needs rehabilitation I want to use this opportunity to call on the Oyo State government to rehabilitate the Liberty Stadium Road in Ibadan, the state capital.

The condition of the road at the moment is just so terrible, with craters on several portions of the road.

Recently, a commercial motorcycle operator who was plying the road for the first time, and was obviously unaware of the craters, lost control when he entered into one.

He was immediately thrown off his motorcycle,

along with his passenger, an elderly woman.

It was only by divine providence that they didn’t lose their lives, but they suffered severe injuries.

Many other accidents have occurred on this road, particularly at night.

I hope the state government can quickly order the patching of the road so as to reduce accidents, while also making driving on it more pleasurable.

•Yemi Adeoti, Liberty Road, Ibadan.

opinion African leaders and lessons from the UN 15

Wednesday, 28 September, 2016

By Steve Orji

A

T the just concluded United Nations General Assembly, it was characteristic of Western leaders to have given a parting shot, a gleeful praise of Muhammadu Buhari’s personal and leadership virtues, including commendations for other African leaders.

In one of the statements, President Barack Obama described Buhari as a man of “integrity and honesty.” He continued; “We have confidence in your leadership.”

The United Nations Secretary General, Mr Ban Ki-Moon, equally had a say, when he noted: “You are highly respected by world leaders, including myself. Your person has given your country a positive image.”

To what may be viewed as a well-heeled tradition, a serial cliché, African leaders, past or present, aren’t short of these accolades, and a long list of numerous others from either Western media or coming from its political establishments.

The Times magazine of 2012 made this succinct declaration about former President Goodluck Jonathan; “Goodluck Ebele Azikiwe Jonathan exemplifies the African political renaissance at a time when the people of the continent are starting to reap the fruit of their resources and their hard work. President Jonathan, 54, possesses the qualities needed at this moment of great challenges, having come to power at a crucial moment in the history of Nigeria.”

Such positive comments coming from revered Western establishments or their leadership personalities should ordinarily spring hope, galvanise Africa’s teeming populace fraught with poverty and lack of means, bestow credibility in Africa’s fledgling political leadership, but seem to have fallen far short of achieving these, simply because of years of habitual cynical perceptions of the West’s intentions about Africa, and its cleverly choreographed antics.

Past African leaders and their political machineries have yearned for this sort of accolades coming from world leaders, perhaps as easy means to sublimate their inept and poor leadership credentials.

What should rather haunt us as a continent which sadly doesn’t is this: Should Western opinions of Africa shape its realties?

The problem of regaling in Western validations is its shacking power, the stifling noose it leaves on the creative horizon of African leaders, the loss of a sense of cultural confidence, and

the vulnerability it exposes Africans to, like a dog leashed to the whims and devices of the Western world.

Colonialisation, least be said, stripped off in many ways, Africa’s habit of self-validations, enthronement of the West’s dominant psychology, and this has remained the centre-piece of global diplomacy since the “Scramble for Africa” took place in the 17th and 18th centuries: “And America said, and the British said…” a recurring, intimidating monologue with a speechless African continent.

Coming to grips with Africa’s realties, which countries so far in Africa have got a success story to tell, after more than 100 years of colonial contact? The only shinning jewel so far among its 54 nation states may be Botswana, a country of two million people, and this cannot provide critical-mass assessment of the global African predicament.

The apt word for deconstructing the West’s forays into Africa is “control”. While it’s preposterous to suggest outright spurning of positive statements coming from the West on Africa, or its leaders, one should rather be wary, discerning of its patronage undertones, yet at the same time, hoping that African leaders will work out strong visionary persuasions of their own, regardless of what anyone says, in reversing Africa’s underde-

velopments.

Would the world leaders hand Buhari and other African leaders packs of nice chocolates had they posed threats to them?

The Western world does not like African leaders or elsewhere who have got the brains and gusto to stand up to them. Such leaders are either sieged or bunkered into political turbulence using their own kinsmen.

Africa remains the most fleeced continent in the world, the sheep that offer cheap wool to warm those in winter, the raw material basket of the world, yet scorned, and made the dumping ground of the world’s expended rubbish. This is the status quo and what world leaders want.

The question then is this, what does Africa, or its leaders want? Simply, they don’t know what to want, or what they want!

Whatever the West have said, or done in the past, present, that seems to suggest they care for, or love Africa is a thinlyveiled illusion. The master-slave narratives, spurred by European literary enterprise in the last century, were a well-crafted sequel, meant to seize and guide the African psychology into wholesale surrender of its cultural or nationalistic aspirations.

The only succour and consolations Africa receives are such cheap, gold-plated accolades the Western world offers to its leaders in the name of praise.

Africa should glean from China to find its own destiny. How much of such words from world leaders at the UN General Assembly went for China, Singapore, or let’s say, South Korea?

East Asian countries could come off the grips of Western subtleties, against their well-aimed machinations to scuttle their native technology and economic dreams. It took them years and years of self-discoveries, quality visions and unflinching cultural and national philosophy to be where they are today Buhari and his government should never dream to rest their oars on the validations that went forth from world leaders to him at the last UN General Assembly; neither should they coopt them as major strand of the ruling party’s manifestoes and campaign blurbs.

Buhari and other African leaders need something much more profound, fundamental and revolutionary to secure and claw back Africa’s future. And it would be beyond such words coming from the Western world or its leaders. For such words have a short shelf-life.

•Orji, a public policy specialist, is based in the United Kingdom.

Towards saving LAUTECH

By Sunday Ogunkuade

FOR some time now, the Oyo and Osun State governments have been having disagreements over the joint ownership of Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH) Ogbomoso and LAUTECH Teaching Hospital, located both in Osogbo and Ogbomoso.

Again, just recently, some indigenes of Oyo State, under the aegies of Ogbomoso Parapo Worldwide, the umbrella association of all Ogbomoso sons and daughters, staged a protest, asking the Osun State government to hands-off the running of LAUTECH, Ogbomoso. The association also gave seven days ultimatum to the Oyo State government to commence the process of total take-over of LAUTECH, in compliance with the gazette enacted by the Oyo State House of Assembly.

Equally, the Non-Academic Staff Union (NASU), Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH) branch, Ogbomoso, had also cried out to well-meaning Nigerians to save the institution from imminent collapse as a result of the stoppage of funding by the two owner states — Oyo and Osun.

The two states have been at each other’s throat over the payment of workers’ salaries, provisions of capital grants to the university and many more. Sadly, some lecturers were said to have slumped during lecture hours due to stress and nonpayment of salary.

The joint ownership should have been a harbinger of development and a rallying point for the socio-cultural and political affinity of the people. But today, the university, which is supposed to be a source of joy, has suddenly turned to a source of worry, apprehension and a war theatre that is about to tear the states and their people apart. The institution is now enmeshed in a survival battle; LAUTECH, at the moment, serves as a source of disappointment to its thousands of students.

The institution was established on April 23, 1990, just a

year before the carving of Osun State out of the old Oyo State.

The late Colonel Sasaeniyan Adedeji Oresanya, the then military administrator of the defunct Oyo State, was the one who signed the edict of the institution into law. The institution was the first state university of technology to be established in the country.

Aside that, the school was adjudged the best state university in Nigeria for two consecutive sessions, 2003 and 2004, by the National Universities Commission (NUC). The university, which was founded as Oyo State University of Technology (OSUTECH), was renamed Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH), following the creation of Osun State from Oyo State on August 27, 1991. Meanwhile, when Osun State was eventually carved out, the two states took up the responsibility of financing the university

However, for the 25 years of the creation of Osun State, LAUTECH is the only property still jointly owned by the two states. Consequently, for some years now, there have been signals that all is not well between Oyo and Osun state governments over the running of the institution.

It should, therefore, be emphasised that the rhetorical question confronting many people whenever Oyo and Osun governments are at each other’s throat over the running of LAUTECH, is that, why can’t these states part ways over the joint ownership of the institution? Good enough, Osun State now has its university, UNIOSUN. The establishment of UNIOSUN has reduced the Osun State government’s commitment to LAUTECH. Unfortunately, the Osun State government’s reduced role in the ivory tower is setting the institution back. As a matter of fact, Osun is no longer interested in funding the institution. It is natural that a person should not gobble a morsel that cannot enter his mouth. If he wants to enjoy his meal and elongate his life, he must reduce the seize of his morsel to the quantity his mouth can take, and that which his throat can swallow.

However, it is normal for Oyo and Osun States to desire their own universities, because if LAUTECH is one state’s property, it will be effectively managed. It is, therefore, important that the two warring states take a cue from Ondo and Ekiti states on how they shared the investments, assets and liabilities, including the former Ondo State University (OSUA), Ado-Ekiti, mutually, without creating misgivings among the people and the states.

The governments of Oyo and Osun should borrow a leaf from it in order to give room for the smooth running of LAUTECH, so that it will not jeopardise the future of the university, especially the prospects of its students. Because, when two big elephants fight, it is the grass on the spot of hostilities that suffers.

•Ogunkuade lives in Ogbomoso, Oyo State.

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Wednesday, 28 September, 2016

inside

Femi Olukunle Co-ordinating Editor 08065167178

nigerdelta

Entertainers at a previous Calabar festival

50,000 carnival tourists to visit Calasvegas city in Calabar Anthony Ubong - Calabar

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ROSS River State Commissioner for New Cities Development, Mr George Ekpungu, has disclosed that over 50,000 tourists from around the world are expected to visit the Calasvegas city during the 2016 Annual Calabar Carnival.

Ekpungu said this when he led his management team on a visit to the traditional rulers and elders of Nsutan community in Calabar South Local Government Area of the state.

He said that the objective of the visit was to inform the community chiefs and elders of the state government’s plan to transform the `twin island’ into Calasvegas city for tourism purpose.

The commissioner, who was also accompanied by his colleague from the Ministry of Social Welfare and Sustainable Development, Mr Oliver Orok, said that the city would be completed for use during the 2016 Calabar carnival.

He explained that the Calasvegas city, which would be accessed through a boat ride across the marina beach, would be equipped with modern day facilities with a view to meeting the expectations of tourists.

“My chiefs and traditional rulers, I am here today to solicit your support and cooperation in view of the state government plan to transform the twin island into Calasvegas city.

“Every community belongs to the owners; this city cannot come into limelight without your support. Tourism is one of the most essential commodities that Cross River has.

“Governor Ben Ayade is determined to develop the state with a view to attracting more investors for business and leisure. I

appeal to you to support the development of this city.

“When fully developed, over 50,000 tourists that would be in Calabar for the carnival would be taken on a boat ride to visit the city.

“This will generate revenue for the state and the host community will also get royalties. We are putting in place adequate security for tourists that will visit the city,” he

said.

Responding, HRH, Etubom Macah Archibong, Clan Head of Nsutan Community, expressed happiness over the proposed plan by government to turn the community to city.

According to Archibong, the marina beach was the home of tourism in Calabar, saying that the natural and friendly environment of the beach was worth exploiting

by tourists who may visit Calabar for business or leisure.

Another traditional ruler in the area, Mr Ekpeyong Effiong-Iyamba, said that the development of Calasvegas city would further develop the community and thereby boost economic activities within the area.

Other traditional rulers, who spoke during the visit, also pledged their support for the development of the city.

Delta State govt clarifies revenue issues in DELSUTH A lphonsus Agborh - Asaba THE Delta State government, at the weekend, clarified some issues of internally generated revenue pertaining to affairs at the Delta State University Teaching Hospital (DELSUTH) in Oghara, Ethiope West Local Government Area of the state.

According to a statement by the state commissioner for information, Mr Patrick Ukah, the monthly Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) of DELSUTH has increased tremendously to a level that government believes they can be self-sufficient, thereby, necessitating the stoppage of monthly subvention to the institution.

Mr Ukah revealed that the contracts of Diaspora doctors would expire in October this year and that the government planned to reduce the contract sum downwards remarkably, adding that contract renewal would be based on performance, skills and capacity in the areas where the hospital would need them, especially in areas where other doctors cannot perform, and those who agree on the new terms.

The statement further said that the state government had given the institution a 33 KVA transformer that could guarantee power supply for at least 23 hours daily.

According to the commissioner, a full scale stakeholders meeting is to be convened by the state government to sort out the problem of incessant strike actions in the hospital with a view to fashioning out a way to resolve outstanding issues.

Mr Ukah disclosed that the government had already approved some major areas of conflict in the past such as entry point that would now be 5.7 instead of 5.4, adding that doctors were already enjoying the new salary structure approved in January this year.

The statement said that the government, through the Ministry of Finance, was to pay roll the staff of DELSUTH to monthly payment to avoid arrears which was part of the problem in the past as they are now full time employees of the university since salaries of staff of the hospital had been harmonised with that of the university.

According to the statement, with the upcoming stakeholders meeting, work will resume soon as all major outstanding matters will be settled.

Mind how you grant amnesty to criminals, group cautions govs Ebenezer Adurokiya - Warri WORRIED by the manner amnesty is being granted in some states, the Centre for Peace and Environmental Justice (CEPEJ) has cautioned state governors to stop the abuse of granting amnesty to criminals.

National Coordinator of CEPEJ, Comrade Sheriff Mulade, in Warri, Delta State,

described as worrisome, the indiscriminate granting of amnesty to notorious criminals by governors in the guise of repentant militants.

“We want to strongly advise our state governors to be extremely careful so as not to abuse pardoning or granting amnesty to renowned cultists, political thugs and notorious criminals. continues pg17

17 insidenigerdelta Mind how you grant amnesty to criminals, group cautions govs continued from pg34

“These cultists, political thugs and notorious criminals were technically empowered by our corrupt political leaders for their selfish interests and now they are granting them amnesty indiscriminately.

This is dangerous,” he alleged.

Comrade Mulade said that genuine agitators must be separated from criminals, adding: “We cannot know peace in the country when state governors are now encouraging criminality by granting amnesty to their used cultists, political thugs and notorious criminals”.

“A situation where criminals used by state governors to achieve their political goals are now being pardoned and given amnesty is not good enough for our society because we are encouraging criminality.

“These state governors must find another way of empowering the criminals they have used to get into power rather than abusing the amnesty,” he said.

Comrade Mulade warned that kidnappings, armed robbery, vandalism of oil facilities and other crimes would increase if care was not taken as a result of the abuse of amnesty by the state governors, adding; “Our youths will be tempted to go into crime because they will have it at the back of their minds that at the end of the day, they will be asked to surrender their arms and granted amnesty by our state governors.”

According to him, “Criminals must be punished for their crimes against the society if we must have a crime free society, but a situation where criminals are celebrated in our government houses in the name of surrendering arms and granting amnesty is worrisome and must be checked.”

Wednesday, 28 September, 2016

Teaching hospitals need adequate funding to survive —UCTH CMD Anthony Ubong - Calabar

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T is not the best of times for the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital (UCTH). The health institution is currently going through perilous times due to incessant power outages by the Port Harcourt Electricity Distribution Company (PHEDC), which had led to loss of lives. In fact, activities at UCTH have been grounded in the past few weeks, a development which has caused some patients to move to private hospitals to seek medical attention.

Critical units like the maternity wards, accident and emergency ward, and the orthopedic ward are the most affected by the lack of power supply. Though the management of UCTH has taken it upon itself to provide alternative power supply in these units, the situation is still worrisome because the generators provided by the hospital can only run for few hours.

Some patients, who spoke to Nigerian Tribune in Calabar on Monday, bemoaned their fate, appealing to the authorities of PHEDC to ensure frequent power supply in order not to put their lives at risk.

Chief Medical Director of UCTH, Dr Thomas Agan, said several lives had been lost as a result of incessant power outages

by PHEDC. He said: “Let me tell you that so many people have died due to the incessant power failures in this hospital. Some time ago, we

Dr Thomas Agan, Chief Medical Director lost two patients because of irrational power cuts by PHEDC.” The CMD said he was shocked that even with the epileptic power supply to the hospital, the business management of PHEDC stormed the hospital and disconnected electricity at a time they had six patients on their operating table, claiming the hospital was owing them N36 million.

Again wondered how PHEDC arrived at that figure even when the hospital had no metre, describing the bill s outrageous.

“As I speak to you because of this incessant power cuts, most of our equipment had broken down.

Agan appealed to the Federal Government

Lafarge Africa offers free eye surgery to 229 people in Cross River Anthony Ubong - Calabar AS part of its corporate social responsibility to host communities, Lafarge Africa Plc has offered free cataract surgeries to 229 persons in Cross River from January 2016 till date.

Manager of Mfamosing plant, Mr Thierry

Tierrere, disclosed this to newsmen at the weekend during a media tour of facilities of the `Line 2’ production plant at Mfamosing in Akamkpa Local Government Area of the state.

Tierrere said that the beneficiaries were drawn from 10 communities in the three local government areas of Akamkpa, Akpabuyo and Calabar Municipality which

LG boss charges corps members to spend service year on worthwhile ventures Ebenezer Adurokiya - Warri THE executive chairman, Ukwuani Local Government Area, Mrs Benedicta Ndudi Osakunih-Izuegbu, has charged corps members serving in the council area to spend their service year on worthwhile ventures.

She made the call while playing host to the Delta State NYSC Co-ordinator, Mr. Omotade Ayodele Benjamin in her office, at the weekend.

The council boss said despite the economic recession crippling different sectors of the economy and the deplorable financial situation of the council, her administration would ensure that the issue of non-payment of monthly stipends to corps members serving in the council secretariat was addressed.

The situation, according to her, is because money coming to the council now is strictly meant for the payment of workers’ salaries based on the staff biometric.

Honourable Osakunih-Izuegbu, however, stated that the council, at the moment, had no money to pay for separate accommodations for corps members other than the ones provided by communities and schools.

She added that the Ezionum community was building a big lodge for corps members that would be posted to the town.

The chairman promised to provide a befit-

to find a lasting solution to power problems in teaching hospitals across the country, stressing that the overhead of about N6m which came to the hospitals monthly could not buy a truck load of diesel to run the power generators of servicing the electricity bill.

He said PHEDC asked the hospital to pay the sum of N10 million before electricity would be restored.

However, leader of the communications team of PHEDC, Mr John Onyi, said they were not at war with UCTH, adding that the hospital remained their premium customer.

Onyi said: “One of our cardinal points is to distribute electricity to our customer including UCTH. We have the mandate to also collect revenue from our customers to be able to maintain the network. We understand they applied for a metre too which was given in August, and from that metre, they have consumed 2.9 million between August till date before they were disconnected.

“We are in the business of selling energy.

Since May 2016, their bill has been piling until it rose to about 36 million. Our people wrote a letter to them to that effect, intimating them of their bill that had accumulated, which was acknowledged that same day. That letter was dated 19th August 2016 with the title:” Need to settle outstanding PHED energy Bill. ”We have a methodology that is approved

by NERC; we do load assessment, which is properly taken into cognizance.

Barrister Mrs Benedicta Ndudi Osakunih-Izuegbu, Chairperson, Ukwuani Local Government Coucil, playing host to Delta State NYSC coordinator, Mr Omototade Ayodele Benjamin in her office. ting, comfortable and permanent office for NYSC within the council secretariat complex.

While responding to the plea of the NYSC Co-ordinator, she said that the council would provide land for as many corps members serving in the area who would want to go into agriculture to cultivate while their service year lasted.

Earlier in his address, the NYSC State Co-ordinator, Mr Imitate Ayodele Folorunso Benjamin appealed to the chairman to help tackle the challenges being faced by corps members serving in Ukwuani Local Government Area.

Mr Ayodele also informed the council of a day set aside for cultural exhibition within the 21 days orientation of corps members in camp, inviting the Ukwuani Local Government to come and showcase their rich cultures so as to get the corps members acquainted with the culture and lifestyle of the Ukwuani people before their posting.

The state co-ordinator further appealed to the council to provide lands for corps members to cultivate instead of wasting their community development service (CDS) on irrelevances.

play host to the cement company.

He further stated that the company screened a total of 1,765 persons with eye problems, out of which 728 were given eye glasses, 808 were given medication, while 229 underwent cataract surgeries.

“Between January 2016 and now, Lafarge Africa has rendered free medical care to no fewer than 1,765 people in our host communities.

“728 were given eye glasses to correct their sights, 808 were given medication, while 229 underwent cataract surgeries in our facility in Calabar.

“Aside from healthcare, we have launched one project or the other in all the communities surrounding us. We also have 3,000 direct staff in our employ’’, he said.

Tierrere, who said that the CSR was still ongoing, added that the company would continue to identify with its host communities in the area of healthcare, education, potable water, building of modern markets, among others.

Explaining the economic value of the line 2 plant, the manager said that when completed, it would add more volume of cement production, thereby improving the revenue profile of the company.

Mr Eden Wagne, the site manager of line 2, said that the line, when completed, would produce 2.5million metric tons of cement annually.

According to him, the 2.5million metric tons will be added to the original 2.5million metric tons currently being produced by the line 1 plant.

“When line 2 is finally completed, Lafarge Africa will be producing 5 million metric tons of cement yearly from two lines.

“This will improve the revenue profile of the company and it will also be beneficial to the state.

“We are estimating October 1 as the day we would produce the first cement from the line 2 plant’’, he said.

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Wednesday, 28 September, 2016

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

His Imperial Majesty, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Babatunde Ogunwusi with some Yoruba icons.

Khalid Ayansina chanting.

Tayo Conga displaying.

Ooni rallies Yoruba icons for Olojo Festival T

This is one of my finest moments since God enthroned me as the Ooni of Ife —Ooni

By Wale-ojo Lanre

HE Ooni of Ife, His Imperial Majesty , Oba Adeyeye Enitan Babatunde Ogunwusi, Ojaja II, on Thursday, 23 September, 2016, registered another historical feat on the cultural tourism platform when he gathered prominent Yoruba leaders in business, law, commerce, merchandising and culture to discuss the sociocultural tourism development of the race.

In what was described as “The beginning of a new dawn in the house of Oduduwa “by Prince Julius Adelusi Adeluyi and which was termed ‘Olojo Festival Corporate Forum held at the Eko Hotel $ Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos, Ooni Ogunwusi had the singular honour of hosting Chief Ayo Adebanjo, Chief and Chief (Mrs )Kunle Ojora, Prince Julius Adelusi Adeluyi , Chairman , Julie Pharmacy; Sir Olanihun Ajayi, Gen Alani Akinrinade, Otunba Subomi Balogun, Chief Idowu Sofola, Prince Bola Ajibola, Chief Adebisi Adebutu Kensington, Chief Alex Duduyemi , Alhaji Femi Okunnu, Ambassador Adekanye Adeigba, Chief GOK Ajayi, Prof Adebanji Akintoye, Prof Adeyemi Aderibigbe, Ambassador Omotayo Ogunsulire, Otunba Kenny Martins, Chief Amos Akingba, Mr Dipo Famakinwa, Gbenga Adefaye and others. For hours, they discussed the socio – cultural tourism development of Yoruba race The event was packaged by Infogem Limited in conjunction with Ile – Ife Cultural Heritage Council as directed by the Ooni Ogunwusi who expressed the belief that the Olojo Festival must be disentangled from the labyrinth of misconception and mystery and exposed on a cosmopolitan platform for global understanding, proper perspective and generational acceptance.

And the spirit of Oduduwa was not only alive but the Yoruba values of punctuality whenever one is on the king’s mission was evidently displayed by all the distinguished Yoruba icons. Yemi Sodimu, the Yoruba scholar, actor and cultural enthusiast beautifully anchored the programme with all sense of modesty, respect to tradition and elders.

After the traditional prayers offered by High Chief Adekola Adeyeye , Jaran of Ife .

The sensibilities of the guests were stoked by a documentary on Ile-Ife which ethereally explained how the ancient town was spiritually conceived, planted and spread into the global sphere. The documentary was reinforced by the oral evidence passed by generation to generation in the palace, as revealed by Hon Biyi Odunlade, Secretary, Olojo Festival Advisory Committe.

Hon Odunlade said: “It is the vision of Kabiyesi, Ooni

Adeyeye Enitan Babatunde Ogunwusi, that Olojo Festival is a global concern whose celebration must not only be globalised , but must be celebrated with the consciousness of being a festival for all humanity. It is not just a festival for all purposes but a festival to appreciate and acknowledge God for His creative efforts without which we may not be on this sphere of the realm.”

He described the strides of Ooni Ogunwusi in rejuvenating the socio-cultural tourism sector as “phenomenal, transcending entertainment, fulfilling the tradition of and being economically beneficial to the society.“ The guest speaker, Mr Oluremi Funsho Adedayo, a lecturer at Kwara State University, Ilorin, delivered a paper titled: ‘Community festivals: A veritable avenue for boosting domestic tourism.’ He pointed out that for community to benefit from the potentialities of a festival “There must be partnership between the operators of tourism, different stakeholders, shareholders and financial partners who must be in the vanguard of promoting domestic tourism.“ Adedayo, who lamented the dwindling fortunes of Yoruba culture, tradition and mores, urged the prominent Yoruba icons at the occasion to think of a joint action for salvaging the Yoruba pristine cultural heritage from being buried in the soil of time and civilization. He pointed out the importance of community festival like Olojo, saying “a community festival has the capacity of encouraging Nigerians to celebrate their own values, cultural attractions and heritage that can attract investments. It is also passionately promoted and patronised by members of the community because it is seen as a clarion call by sons and daughters of the community to offer economic and social benefits which will promote domestic tourism.”

Adedayo added: “Olojo Festival belongs to Ile Ife community and the entire Yoruba race all over the world as a mark of celebration of the creation of the World and the ancestral throne of authority and empowerment. It is the celebration of the period when Oduduwa and other deities descended on the earth. It is the commemoration of the descent of Oduduwa to Ile Ife which is historically tied to OGUN; the quintessential deity of Iron and Truth. The Yoruba cosmology informs that Ogun charted the way to the earth for Oduduwa thereby acting as the pathfinder for Oduduwa and other deities.”

He said that the steps being taken so far by Ooni Ogunwusi to rejuvenate community festivals and heritages calls for the involvement of the private sector practitioners who need to support the move for symbiotic benefits. He said:

“The Olojo festival will be a turning point in the promotion of the cultural values of the Nigerian nation as well as the entire African culture. I will therefore, on behalf of His Imperial Majesty, call on all our intending partners, stakeholders and shareholders, cultural ambassadors, business magnates, corporate entities, government agencies, media gurus, financial and, telecommunication giants, oil and gas magnates and several other important personalities to rally support for this very unique initiative coming from the land of peace, Ile- Ife, Ife Ooye.”

Spicing up the event was a cultural display by three Yoruba young men, including Tayo Conga, who is regarded as the best percussionist in Nigeria and Khalid Ayansina of Beriola fame, who is also regarded as the best chanter and bata dancer in Yoruba land. Khalid opened the show with his sonorous voice, extolled the virtues of the Yoruba people and recited the cognomen of Ooni Ogunwusi, climaxing it with a song which called the attention of all Yoruba to the fact that their virtues, heritage and culture are being eroded and rapidly obliterated from the face of the earth by western civilization, while Tayo Conga displayed his dexterity on the Conga so skillfully that the Ooni Oguwusi could not restrain himself from applauding the two Yoruba culture promoters.

After the brilliant and scintillating show put up by Tayo Conga and Khalid which commanded applause and commendation, Prince Julius Adeluyi rose and gave a goodwill message. He remarked that Ooni Ogunwusi had not stopped convincing and affirming to the world that he was not only God sent, enthroned and planted, but that he had a lot to offer humanity. Prince Adeluyi described the Ooni as a special breed of a royal father who is “tall, young , brilliant, handsome and a visionary who has a clear understanding of his mission and who has been going about this sequentially without missing a point “ He pointed out “This gathering put together by Ooni Ogunwusi is the beginning of a new dawn in the House of Oduduwa. This kind of gathering for communal festival in this form and being attended by eminent and distinguished Yoruba of different professions and callings taking place today under the watchful eye of Ooni Ogunwusi, is a good sign for the Yoruba.”

He commended Ooni Ogunwusi for his vision, foresight and drive to establish a cordial relationship with traditional rulers in Yoruba land. Prince Adeluyi remarked that if this kind of forum had been put in place in times past, maybe Nigeria or the Yoruba would have been saved from many of

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tourism

Wednesday, 28 September, 2016

Atunda Entertainment signs pact with Cocody on talents building, promotion of tourism

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TUNDA Entertainment, an activation of Motherland Beckons dedicated to the nurturing of talents in the different fields of creative arts, has signed a historical pact with Cocody, a suburb and one of the 10 urban communes of Abidjan in Cote D’ Ivoire.

According to Atunda Entertainment, the newly signed pact between the management of the talent nurturing group and the Mayor of Cocody offers the group the opportunity to hunt for and develop talents from Cocody in different creative endeavours ranging from music, acting, fine and applied acts, fashion and modeling.

Atunda Entertainment has, over the years, been noted for its expertise in hunting for raw talents, nurturing and promoting them to international stardom. Some of the notable stars currently on its stable include Olo Omidan Bata (bata drummer) and Anu, Lady Ekwe (percussionist) with Adigun Olohun Iyo (soloist) and Ara (Thunder, the latest female potter rave).

The new partnership deal, which is said to be the first time that the people of Cocody would be dealing with an internationally recognised external body, was signed by the Mayor, N’ Goan Aka Kacou and the founder of Atunda Entertainment, Otunba Wanle Akinboboye, with the director of cabinet of the Mayor, Ambassador Koffi Y. Charles and both the Ambassadors of Nigeria to Cote D’ Ivoire, Mrs. Ifeoma Akabogu - Chinwuba and that of Cote D’ Ivoire to Nigeria, Kone Maman Toure, in attendance, to allow Atunda Entertainment deploy its expertise in building a colony of talented stars for Cocody.

Part of the Memoranda of Understanding (MoU) signed is for Atunda Entertainment to use its expertise to develop music, movies, comedy, fashion and model stars, infusing them with both Nigerian and Ivorien cultures. This has been aptly described as Cote D’ Ivoire/Nigeria amalgamation through creative arts and tourism. It will be recalled that Atunda Entertainment had signed a pact of similar nature with the government of Tanzanian.

The deal allows for the joint production and promotion of films and other creative works using Nigeria and Cote D’ Ivoire cultural elements and flavours both in Nigeria and Cote D’ Ivoire. Besides infusing local contents in the artistes, they are also expected to be imbued with international standard and over the years build the discovered talents into international stardom. The Mayor of Cocody, who was elated by the new move, expressed delight with the prospect of the joint venture and confidence in the creative ability of Atunda Entertainment to undertake the joint venture and deliver on the aspiration of his com-

From left; Cote D’ Ivoire Ambassador to Nigeria, Kone Maman Toure, Mayor of Cocody, N’ Goan Aka Kacou, founder of Atunda Entertainment, Otunba Wanle Akinboboye and Nigeria Ambassador to Cote D’ Ivoire, Akabogu – Chinwuba, during the signing of MoU munity, as he so much desired his people, particularly the youth, to be productively engaged and exposed to the international community.

Also expected to benefit from this deal is the tourism industry of the community and that of Nigeria as tour packages promoting both countries are to be designed, marketed

NCPC boss inaugurates Nigerian kitchen

in Bethlehem

THE Executive Secretary of the Nigeria Christian Pilgrim Commission (NCPC), Rev. Tor Uja, has formally declared open a Nigerian Kitchen in Bethlehem, during the 2016 state of readiness visit to Israel with state chairmen and secretaries of state Christian Pilgrim Welfare Boards.

The Nigerian Kitchen is located in the heart of Bethlehem and domiciled at the Shepherd Hotel, Bethlehem. It is the first of its kind where a hotel now has a special programme for special Nigerian cuisines for pilgrims and Nigerians.

The Executive Secretary of NCPC, while formally de-

Ooni rallies Yoruba ICONS for Olojo festival its present ailments. He pointed out: “It is regrettable that, in the last few years, we have wasted the three Cs. We have made wrong choices and thereby lost the chance of making the nation strong and we are now reaping the consequences.”

Prince Adeluyi pointed out that the Ooni has “raised the cultural tourism profile of the Yoruba race in the comity of nations and we shall not relent in our efforts at supporting him achieving the best in this mission.”

The Ooni, who was impressed by the conglomeration of what could be called Yoruba juggernauts, declared: “This is one of my finest moments since God enthroned me as the Ooni of Ife. And I will forever give glory to Almighty God, the creator and the owner of this day for creating such a day like this to be recorded in the annals of history of the Yoruba. To show how important the day is, I will take a picture with all the elders present here which I will glaze, place in the palace and in all the historical corners in the House of Oduduwa.”

Ooni Ogunwusi urged everyone in the hall to stand up, point to the elders and pray for them. He added that it pleased God almighty to place the destiny of the world in the hands of the elders , thus “we should not only pray for them but celebrate them as well.”He revealed “This is one of the greatest achievements I ever recorded since I mounted the throne. I must confess that I have been having uncomfortable and sleepless nights that there has been no forum by which Yoruba elders meet to discuss matters arising and pending, and to chart clearly identifiable ways for the development of the race.”

Ooni Ogunwusi declared “ I am glad that the creator of Yoruba race, God Almighty, employed the Olojo Festi-

and executed by both countries with various players, suppliers and buyers of travels engaged towards the realisation of this project, as tourism business between both Nigeria and Cote D’ Ivoire has been on the low ebb. The gateway to both countries is expected to be opened with the opportunity now provided through this platform.

val’s aura and its spirit to bring together Yoruba elders.”

He informed that ‘The Olojo festival Corporate Forum is by the way. The main purpose of today is to gather the elders and celebrate them. We should not leave the celebration only to their children. We must create that forum where they will come together in unity of purpose and set agenda for the race “ Ooni Ogunwusi said that such forum will create opportunity also for the youths to learn from them by understudying how they rise to the top of their chosen endeavours. “There is a disconnect between the elders and the youths. The youths want to make it to the top like the elders without bothering to know the strategy, logic and tactic of getting there. This must stop,” he added. Ooni Ogunwusi prayed for all, thanked the elders for attending the occasion, and commended the youths for being at the Olojo festival corporate Forum. He urged all to join him in Ile Ife and celebrate his first Olojo Festival on the throne. And before the elders receded into the inner room for a meeting, the Obalufe of Iremo quarters, Ile – Ife , Chief Idowu Adediwura, who is the chairman , Festival Advisory Committee, gave the vote of thanks and commended Mr Ayo Olumoko , President, Infogem Limited, for the professional packaging of the event .

He informed all that “We are making all preparations to welcome you all into Ile-Ife, your home for the celebration of the rebranded Olojo Festival which will start on Saturday 8 October 2016 with its grand finale on Sunday 16th October 2016, and close finally for the year on Monday 17 October 2016 when the Oonirisa will do the traditional propitiation.”

claring it open recently, described the hotel as a beautiful place. He said, “This is not just a place for physical thing but for spiritual thing”. He added: “The food is very good, with very creative soup. I think we can make this a Nigerian home in Israel.”

He thanked God for the cooks who are all Nigerian women for making the country proud. His words: “I want to thank God for these wonderful women”. He admonished: “Please keep on making the creative things that Nigerians are known for.”

The idea of having a dedicated Nigerian Kitchen for Nigerian cuisines was borne out of the need to provide a platform for Nigerian pilgrims and Nigerians in Bethlehem and Israel to always feel at home with real Nigerian cuisines. The Nigerian Kitchen is being powered by one of the NCPC approved Ground Handlers, Scopus World Travels.

At the commissioning of the Nigerian Kitchen were the Charge d’Affairs of the Embassy of Nigeria in Tel-Aviv, Mrs. Frankie Obianagha and her spouse, Chairman of Conference of States, Mr. Magaji Isaiah Jirape, and all the chairmen and secretaries of State Christian Pilgrim Welfare Boards.

All the Nigerian delegations were treated to an inaugural banquet lunch where they savoured the delicious Nigerian cuisine.

The NCPC boss commended the owners of the Shepherd Hotel whom he described as good humble family and friends of Nigeria.

Executive Secretary, NCPC, Rev. Tor Uja cutting the tape to officially inaugurate the Nigerian Kitchen at Shepered Hotel in Bethlehem on his right is Mrs Berry Uja and the Charge d’Affairs, of the Embassy of Nigeria in Israel, Mrs Frankie Obianagha.

20 with Doyin Adeoye

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

The battle we have fought, and are still fighting, for the forests is a part of the eternal conflict between right and wrong —John Muir

ecoscope

Flood: NEMA urges farmers to embrace irrigation to reduce destruction of farmlands The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has advised farmers to embrace irrigation instead of the raining season farming to reduce destruction of farmlands by flood in Niger.

The NEMA Coordinator in Niger, Mr Lugard Slaku, gave the advice in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Minna on Tuesday.

It would be recalled that farmlands in 24 communities were destroyed by flood in Mokwa Local Government Areas of the state on Sept. 19.

Slaku said that the federal and state Ministries of Agriculture should collaborate to encourage irrigation farming and liaise with experts to educate farmers on crops that could be cultivated before the raining season.

He said that it was time for Federal and state governments to also think of ways on how to create smaller dams that would be used as alternative means to absorb water released from hydro dams to tackle flood disaster.

He said that the construction of Zungeru dam in Niger would serve as alternative reservoir to channel water release from Shiroro dam so as to reduce the pressure on land.

“Already Kanji, Shiroro and Jebba Hydro dams have given warnings that they will soon release water from the dams and there is prediction that the rainfall this year will last till October in Niger.

“And already in the state, we have experienced a number of flood cases in four local government areas due to rainfalls.

“If state and Federal Government can find alternative means by creating smaller dams so that water that is released from these dams can be channel to the smaller dams.

“The water absorbed by these smaller dams can be used for irrigation farming. This system will help the generation stations control the water they release and saves states and communities from flood,” he said.

Slaku said that communities in Niger with no record of flood in the past are now experiencing flood due to climate change, and urged the state Ministry of Agriculture to come up with modalities to further sensitise communities on prevailing disasters.

He decried the flood disaster on attitudinal change of community leaders by refusing to cooperate with disaster agents to replicate information to in their various communities on flood.

He added that the agency would further collaborate the state Emergency Management Agency and Ministry of Information using the media to create awareness on flood.

21

Wednesday, 28 September, 2016

World Rivers Day: Rivers essential to man’s survival

By Doyin Adeoye

Earth tremor

Rivers, Bayelsa communities call for investigations

The communities affected by the July and August earth tremors in Rivers and Bayelsa States, have appealed to the Federal Government to investigate the incidents.

The people made the appeal in separate interviews with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Yenagoa on Sunday.

King Abel Shadow, the traditional ruler of Mbiama, Ahoada West Local Government Area of Rivers State, said the two vibrations beneath the ground caused panic among his subjects.

Shadow said that the occurrence of the two incidents in quick succession was worrisome, adding that the intervention of government was required, with a view to tackling the problem.

He said that the community was so much in panic, especially when the incident recurred in August as the people gathered outside their houses in despair.

“The incident sent shockwaves down the spine of everyone in Mbiama.

“I was having a meeting in my palace when the earth started vibrating. We initially thought the vibration was caused by a machine at a nearby construction site.

“To our greatest surprise, we discovered that no machine was working anywhere around,’’ the monarch said.

The traditional ruler said that he suspected the incidents might not be unconnected with seismic activities in the oilfields.

Shadow who expressed doubt on the safety procedures at the oilfields in the Niger Delta, called on government to audit the safety records of the companies in to preserve human lives and the environment.

Ms Iboh Umor, a resident of Mbiama, recalled that she was in a hair-salon when the tremor occurred; adding that she initially thought the vibration was as result of seismic activities by oil firms in the area.

She said also that the incident caused panic among in the town as people rushed out of their houses to in confusion.

Mr Victor Idiedo, a resident of the affected Igbogene community in Bayelsa, also called on government to investigate the incidents.

Idiedo noted that the occurrence of the earth tremor within the space of one month was disturbing and federal and state governments should make efforts to know why it has happened.

Observed every last Sunday in September, the World Rivers Day (WRD) is a global celebration of the world’s waterways, as it highlights the many values of rivers and strives to increase public awareness, while encouraging the improved stewardship of rivers around the world.

Established in 2005, the WRD promotes the active involvement of citizens to ensure the health of rivers in the years ahead. This year’s edition was held on Sunday, September 25, where environmentalists raised concerns on the various threats faced by rivers across the world.

With many of the world’s rivers facing severe and increasing threats associated with climate change, pollution and industrial development, many countries participated in this year’s activities, with campaigns focusing on educational and public awareness activities, while others included river cleanups, habitat restoration projects and community riverside celebrations.

Besides the case of Lake Chad which has shrunk considerably over the years, it was reported recently that Niger River in some parts of the country is also showing signs of drying up.

“Rivers are integral to all life. Yet, many waterways continue to face an array of threats and are often impacted by inappropriate practices and inadequate protection,” World Rivers Day Chair and Founder and Chair Emeritus of the Rivers Institute at the British Columbia Institute of Technology, Mark Angelo said in an interview.

According to him, there have been prior predictions of possible earthquake in Bayelsa and other states in the Niger Delta, expressing worries that the August incident occurred around 4 p.m., exactly one month after the first one.

Mrs Asueize Arugu, an indigene of Okarki, said the people heard a loud sound which they thought was caused by dynamites used by oil firms operating in the area.

When contacted, Mr Precious Okolobo, the Media Relations Manager of SPDC, declined comments on the development.

Zuriel speaks at the UN, supports climate change initiative

By Doyin Adeoye Fourteen-year-old child prodigy, Zuriel Oduwole, who was at the recently concluded UNGA71, has said that even as a child, the event was very educative.

Zuriel, who had interviewed national presidents and various personalities in the past, at her various side events at the UNGA71, met more world leaders, who welcomed her to the debate and listened to her ideas on perhaps how to simplify the climate change challenge.

While being received by the leader of one of the countries most affected by the rising sea level, the Prime Minister of Tuvalu, Enele Sapoaga, Zuriel continued to be a careful listener to the various challenges, before proffering simplifying the approach to dealing with the already established effects.

Tuvalu is just 12 feet above sea level and Zuriel was concerned that children and schools would have to relocate from where they had been for generations, because of rising waters.

She also spoke at a session on Climate change at the UN. Writing on her social media page, Zuriel said, “I speak at the United Nations. So as a child, I saw many things on TV that I did not understand. I still see many things that I don’t understand, but I am learning a little how some things in the world works.

“Not all of it is nice. Not all of it is good to learn about.

Sometimes, I ask why can’t someone just do something.

I am in New York for the UN events, and I have seen a lot already. I visited the UN and spoke. I met some more world leaders, and saw a lot just walking past me. I was invited by some leaders to hear my ideas too. I still don’t understand a lot of things, but I am enjoying myself, and also learning a lot. I definitely need wisdom. Thank you Lord Jesus, for this gift and the favours. I am loving it,” she said.

WaterAid reiterates commitment to partner govt at all levels

W

aterAid, an International Organisation, has reiterated its commitment to partner government at all levels, especially the Local Government Areas to provide Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) facilities for Nigerians.

WaterAid made the commitment in its five years strategic plan (2016-2021) report, obtained in Abuja on Tuesday by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).

The report stated that the organisation planned to achieve access to WASH for everyone everywhere by 2030.

According to the report, WaterAid works in six focal states of Bauchi, Benue, Enugu, Ekiti, Jigawa and Plateau.

It quoted the organisation’s Country Director, Dr Michael Ojo, as describing the strategy as “ambitious and challenging”, but optimistic about the future.

“We look forward to an exciting journey that will impact positively on child health, education, livelihoods, the environment and addressing poverty and inequalities.

“Our strategic objectives target strengthening systems to reduce WASH sector blockages; empowering citizens to demand their rights and participate in WASH decision-making.

“It is also aimed at strengthening partnerships to influence the sector and increase access to sustainable WASH services.’’

Ojo said that WaterAid would continue to work with the governments and other relevant

partners to ensure universal access to WAHS services for all in Nigeria by 2030.

He said the organisation would collaborate, especially with local governments, to ensure appropriate and affordable solutions for the needed services for those at the grassroots in the country.

“Access to safe water in Nigeria is increasing, the 2015 WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme (JMP) shows that water coverage has increased from 40 per cent in 1990 to 69 percent in 2015.

Buhari signs Paris Agreement Says Nigeria is committed to reducing greenhouse emission

By Doyin Adeoye Ahead of November’s summit in Marrakesh, Morocco, the Paris Agreement on climate change has inched closer to coming into force, as many countries, including Nigeria has joined the deal at the recently concluded 71st ses-

President Muhammadu Buhari signing the Paris Agreement on Climate Change, on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York.

Group urges attitudinal change towards environment to avert disease outbreak Chukwuma Okparaocha - Lagos

Zuriel Oduwole with Tuvalu Prime Minister, Enele Sapoega.

A group, the Buhari Youth Organisation (BYO), Lagos State Chapter, has urged residents to have a positive attitude to the environment in order to prevent health and environmental hazards.

The state coordinator of the group, Mr Waheed Odunuga, gave the advice during the second edition of the group’s Monthly Community Service Initiative (MCSI) in Surulere area of the state.

Odunuga said, “We are the by-product of our environment, we need the environment to live and live healthy. Negative attitude to the environment has caused us so many havocs.

“Many families and communities have paid severely for the negative disposition to the environment and our state is not

“However, the percentage of the population with access to sanitation is falling from 38 per cent in 1990 to just 29 per cent in 2015.

Ojo, however, said nearly 45,000 children under the age of five still died every year from diarrhoeal diseases in Nigeria, caused by the nation’s poor levels of access to WASH services.

The official said in the report that WaterAid Nigeria had a crucial role to play in achieving universal access to safe water, sanitation and hygiene for all Nigerians by 2030.

exempted.

“In the light of the recent flood hazards and outbreak of diseases, our group consider it advisable to all residents to be more cautious of the environment for the benefit of all,” he said.

The ideological group set primarily to continue to canvass support for and promote the values of the President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration, said further that its commitment to a cleaner environment made the group to recently mobilise its members and equipment to Surulere area to clean and clear blocked drainages.

sion of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA71).

President Muhammadu Buhari said his signing of the agreement demonstrated Nigeria’s commitment to global effort to reverse effects of the negative trend.

The president said this while addressing the opening of the meeting on ‘Taking Climate Action for Sustainable Development’ in New York, co-hosted by Nigeria and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), as one of the side events of the UNGA71.

In a statement issued by the Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to the president, Mr Femi Adesina, he said that President Buhari had shortly before this event, signed the Paris Agreement, where he expressed Nigeria’s commitment to reducing “Green House Gas Emissions unconditionally by 20 per cent and conditionally by 45 per cent,” which is in line with Nigeria’s Nationally Determined Contributions.”

Describing the signing as historic, President Buhari also expressed confidence that with support from development partners, Nigeria will meet the above targets. The president also pledged to ensure the ratification of the Paris Agreement before the 22nd Conference of Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change in Marrakesh, Morocco in November 2016, stressing that it was to demonstrate his personal dedication to the process of implementing the agreement that he was hosting the side event on ‘Taking Climate Action Towards Sustainable Development.’

22

Wednesday, 28 September, 2016

Nigerian Tribune

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

Climate Energy: Shell’s quest for global cleaner energy moves to Brazil Olatunde Dodondawa - Lagos

S

HELL has taken its advocacy for global cleaner energy to Rio De Janiero, Brazil, from Nigeria. In December, 2015, Shell launched the first Africa’s human and solar powered football pitch at the Federal College of Education, Akoka, Lagos. The pitch was one of the latest initiatives from Shell’s #makethefuture programme which puts bright energy ideas into action to bring benefits to local communities around the world.

As a follow-up to the Kinetic Pitch success, Shell said it identified the need for greater global collaboration to create more and cleaner energy, by bringing to life innovations from six smart energy start-ups.

Shell identified six young artistes across the continents including Nigeria’s Yemi Alade to take the campaign to Rio De Janiero, Brazil.

Shell posited that “working together, we are turning gravity into light, coffee into energy, cooking oil into fuel, footsteps and roofs into power sources and roadside turbulence into electricity. Communities in Brazil, Kenya, China, the USA and the UK will experience, first hand, the benefits of these new sources of energy. And we will all see how a different future is possible, a future that is in our hands to create.”

The company also posited that the enormity of the problems, coupled with the scale of worldwide ambition in terms of the desire to progress faster and further, requires the involvement of many in order to find solutions.

“Because we believe that by working together we will transform lives and bring more and cleaner energy to communities, everywhere. For #makethefuture we collaborate with investors, local communities, engaged citizens and global celebrities to transform lives by putting bright energy ideas into action.

“Not just talking about it, but doing it on the ground, day by day, creating a new reality. Each of us has a role to play as investors, volunteers, donators and vocal supporters,” it stated.

Shell partnered with six entrepreneurs who developed Pavegen, Bio-bean, MotionECO, Insolar, GravityLight and CaptureMobility.

All these are alternative sources of energy.

Pavegen was develop by Lawrence Kemball-Cook, British entrepreneur who stated that the issue Pavegen’s innovative solution provides power applications such as LED

lighting in a sustainable and affordable manner.

“One of the most successful project we have done was with Shell where we created a kinetic football pitch using people as the source of power. The power produced from one footstep can generate up to five watts of energy and our technology can store the power generated during the day to power the lights when and where it is needed.

“Shell really understood our vision. We collaborated with them in 2014 to make changes in communities both in Nigeria and Brazil. I believe it is really a positive thing we are collaborating with global music artists in Santa Marta.

“Our work with Shell has been pivotal to Pavegen’s growth. We got involved with Shell LiveWIRE and Shell Springboard, and both programmes have really helped us transited from a start-up to a small company with a 25-strong staff and global IP. I’m grateful for all the support Shell has given us, and hope we can continue to grow in the smart city future,” he said.

The Biobean can be applied to any organic waste stream. According to the promoter of Biobean model, Arthur Kay, “we recycle one in 10 coffee drunk in the UK. Our factory has capacity of 50000 tones a year. For every tonne of waste recycled, we can produce numerous high-value products, each of which has environmental benefits compared to fossil fuels.”

The MotionECO aimed at creating solution to turn waste coking oil into energy to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and reduce health risks and food safety issues caused by the by-product. “Waste cooking oil was being illegally recycled for people to cook with, which causes huge food health and social issues,” said Shutong Liu, founder of MotionECO. He stated that in one year, MotionECO can

transform 100,000 liters of cooking oil into 100 tonnes of biofuel, saving up to 90 per cent of greenhouse emissions.

The promoter of Insolar, 33-year old Henrique Drumond, stated that “Shell helped him to achieve his dream, which is to provide affordable renewable energy to the poor in some communities by easing access to solar energy through the installation of photovoltaic systems in low-income communities to reduce spend on energy consumption.

“Insolar has been funded by various sources. Shell has been central to our success. I entered the Shell LiveWire programme and they gave us £1,818 to invest into the business.”

GravityLight promoters, Jim Reeves and Martin Riddiford, stated that the technology uses combined simple engineering principles with increasingly efficient LEDs to turn the energy produced by a falling 12kg bag into electricity for a light. It also provides cheaper and safer alternative to kerosene lamps for estimated 1.2billion people worldwide living without access to grid electricity.

Shell is helping GravityLight to upscale their operation and is supporting entry into Kenya which will be the first developing world market to commercialize the GravityLight.

The sixth is Capture Mobility which is an energy solution that harnesses the power of traffic. The promoter is 22-year old Sanwal Muneer. The technology generates clean energy by placing specially designed windmills by the side of runways, highways, metro tracks and motorways to harvest the air movement of the passing traffic as well as the solar energy.

The issue Capture Mobility is addressing is air pollution caused by traffic.

“I have used this air as an energy source.

After a summit in Malaysia, I worked on

the prototype in my backyard and when I found the right design, I received funding from Shell and awards from United Nations Clean Energy Programme. I wanted to create a solution that was scalable,” he said.

On her part, Yemi Alade said she was delighted to be part of the programme and to be representing African Continent at the event.

According to her, “#makethefuture initiative is a way of giving back to the society by identifying and encouraging young entrepreneurs to think out of box to make the continent a better place.

“It’s a good thing to ensure that these ideas do not go to waste. It warmed my heart to know that right now we can use some things to provide light that would not cost anything. It is a matter of using what you have in the environment to generate energy which doesn’t corrupt the climate.”

She states that she was happy to be representing Africa at such an event. However, she said she would be bringing to Nigerians the fact that there is a technology called ‘GravityLight’ because “I remembered my days in school when I have to burn candles to read for examinations. Now we can just use anything that has weight and it will just generate light. Though it sounds ‘crazy’ but it actually works. I will like to take this back home.”

Osagie Okunbor, Country Chair, Shell Companies in Nigeria & Managing Director of The Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria Ltd (SPDC) said, “Shell makes a significant contribution to energy solutions for Nigeria, and we are committed to supporting the Nigerian economy and its people. We need bright energy ideas. Some of these will come from Shell but naturally, others will come from outside our business.

So it’s crucial that Shell supports energy entrepreneurs.”

23

Wednesday, 28 September, 2016

NLNG: To sell or not to sell?

Stories by Olatunde Dodondawa

T

HE declaration by the Federal Government that the economy is in a recession has sent panic and fears among the Nigerian elite who are advising the government to begin to sell its national assets to shore up the revenue base of the government.

However, the National Executive Council, led by Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, has approved the sale of some assets, but yet to make public which of these assets to sell.

Moreover, the question on the lips of Nigerians now is that “why would you sell Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG) which is like a cash-cow to the government?.”

The Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG) Limited model is a very attractive one that bailed the Federal Government out of its financial troubles in the past.

The Nigeria LNG Limited was incorporated as a limited liability company on 17 May 1989, to produce LNG and Natural Gas Liquids (NGL) for export. NLNG

is jointly owned by the Federal Government, represented by the NNPC (49 per cent), Shell Gas B.V owns 25.6 per cent, Total LNG Nigeria Ltd owns 15 per cent and Eni International owns 10.4 per cent.

Nigeria LNG Limited operates six liquefaction units (LNG Trains) producing 22 million metric tonnes of LNG per year (mmtpa).

This amounts to roughly 10 per cent of the world’s LNG consumption. Trains 1, 2 and 3 have production capacities of 3.2 mmtpa, whilst trains 4, 5 and 6 have capacities of 4.1 mmtpa each. The final investment decision on the train 7 has not yet been made.

The NLNG becomes the toast of the elite when it was revealed recently that the company paid $1.6 billion as dividend to the Federal Government. Furthermore, the company said it has paid $32billion to the Federal Government, Joint Venture and other stakeholders since 2007 till date as dividend. The company paid $2.2billion as corporate income tax to the Federal Government in 2015.

The call was first made by Aliko Dangote who said in an inter-

view with CNBC Africa, that “If I had challenges in my company, I would not hesitate to sell assets, to remain afloat, to get to the better times, because it doesn’t make any sense for me to keep any assets and then suffocate the whole organisation.

“What we need to do now in my own thinking, we have a lot of assets to sell. We can sell part of the joint venture; part of the shares.

You know government normally owns 60 percent. We can sell in an open tender to the Chinese. We can change the term and make it an operating one, just like what we have in NLNG. We also have another asset I think we don’t really need.”

Senate President, Bukola Sar-

aki, supported the call for the sale of national assets. “The measures should include part sale of NLNG Holdings; reduction of government share in upstream oil joint venture operation; government stake in financial institutions, and the privatization and concessions of major/regional airports and refineries,” he said.

Leading the argument against the proposed sale of the NLNG is the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff workers of Nigeria (PENGASSAN). The labour union warned that it will shut down the country if the Federal Government should carry out its plan to sell national assets to augment revenue shortfall as a way out of the current economic recession.

Nigerian Tribune

PENGASSAN, described the plan to sell the national assets as a self-destructive move to Nigeria, said that the plan meant to solve short term financial obligations is targeted at handing over our collective common wealth to a few individuals and further impoverish the rest of our country men and women.

PENGASSAN cautioned the Federal Government to be wary of such plan as the association will not sit back and watch national assets, especially those in the oil and gas industry such as NLNG that has become a huge revenue earner for Nigeria, refineries and shares in the upstream oil and gas JV operations being shared among those in power and their cronies.

Schneider Electric unveils plans to boost power consumption SCHNEIDER Electric, the global leader in energy management, has unveiled the latest APC BX 700 Back-UPS in its effort to efficiently improve power supply and safety in Nigeria, while increasing users’ productivity.

The launch of the product coincides with the opening of APC

by Schneider Electric’s new retail outlet in Alaba IT retail market aimed at bringing quality and reliable IT power products closer to the end users.

The opening of the new retail outlet also serves as a means of fighting the spread of sub-standard products in the country, while further demonstrating the growing footprints of the energy management giant in the IT sector.

The APC BX 700 Back-UPS, which comes with 4 IEC sockets, instantly adjusts high and low voltage fluctuations to safe levels for connected electronics, saving battery power for users, especially during storms and outages. The 700 keeps your desktop computer monitor or other critical devices (router, modem, television etc) when the power goes out.

Speaking at the launch of the new product and opening of the new retail outlet in Alaba, APC by Schneider Electric’s Retail Manager, Oluwaseun Oloyede, reiterated the company’s commitment to developing innovative products geared towards improving productivity and connectivity for users.

“With the current economic situation, we must say that we understand the pains Nigerians go through when electrical and business equipment get damaged as a result of power surge. With the new APC BX 700 Back-UPS, this will be a thing of the past for business owners,” Oloyede stated.

Speaking further on the strategic locations of APC by Schneider Electric retail outlets, Oloyede

said “Nigerians need genuine, cost-effective, reliable, safe and easy-to-use power backup devices to generate, distribute and use electric power in today’s economic climate. They also need to be able to easily access these products.

The opening of the new APC by Schneider Electric retail outlet ensures that our customers can get genuine IT products anytime.”

Director, Educational Advancement Centre, Ibadan, Pastor Muyiwa Bamgbose and Dean of Schools of the institution, Mr Gbenga Adebambo, at the exhibition of the centre’s diesel and kerosine extracted from waste plastic materials.

Offshore West Africa to focus on HSSE at next conference THE offshore West Africa (OWA) has stated that the issue of Health, Safety, Security and Environment (HSSE) will be a focal point for discussion, considering the issues of risks involved in oil exploration business in the midst of low crude price regime.

The Director of Operations, PennWell Corporation, Mr Dele Olaoye, stated that The conference is the most global in west Africa with exhibitors coming from six countries. He said the exhibitors have confirmed participation at the next conference in June 2017.

Speaking further, he said “HSSE is still relevant today despite the low crude oil regime all over the world. According to DuPont studies, during low oil price regime, there is attendant increase in incidence rate which will manifest from three years after. You may think you are cutting cost now, but don’t cut cost on HSSE because it’s like you are delaying the evil day.

In the long run, you will lose more than you have actually saved while cutting cost.

“The issue of HSSE cannot be over emphasized. When people cut cost, in every organisation, the first thing they intend to do is to get rid of marketing budget. After that, the second thing they think of is get rid of training. The next thing is get rid of some staff members. After which some experienced staff may have been laid off.

The next thing they would do is to get rid of HSSE. They may ask why do we need to budget this much for HSSE.” Besides, he stated that “One of the issue I also want to mention is that when you are squeezed, your contractors will be squeezed because you will begin to negotiate downward. What they will also do is to look at the projects and think of how to cut down their cost. The intangibles are first affected. HSSE

is one of the intangibles. And based on this, the project becomes more risky.”

On where we are in Nigeria, he said Nigeria is currently operating at the level between reactive and proactive stages, out of the five levels that exist. “We are yet to begin to take decision even before anything happens. That’s why you have incidences here and there,” he said.

On the needed collaboration

with government agencies, he said OWA is in talks with governments of oil producing states to come and engage the people, investors and other participants. “Come and tell them your challenges. We are forcing on the states because they are closer to the scene where it affects the people more,” he concluded.

The next OWA conference and exhibition will hold in Lagos in June 2017.

EAC extracts diesel, kerosene, alum from waste plastics Invites government, industry for partnership

By Kehinde Adio EDUCATIONAL Advancement Centre (EAC) Bodija, Ibadan, has succeeded in extracting diesel and kerosine from waste plastic materials. It has also succeeded in producing high quality alum from waste can. Tribune Energy leant further that efforts to source for laboratory chemicals from waste materials by the centre is ongoing.

Recently, the institute organised an exhibition to showcase its research finding to form part of the activities scheduled to mark the 20th anniversary of its existence as a training and examination centre for Cambridge Advanced Level Certificate Examination in Nigeria.

At the official exhibition ceremony of the new products, the Director of the centre, Pastor Muyiwa Bamgbose, said the centre felt the need for Nigeria to look inward to generate new products and services, especially in the areas of oil and gas and chemicals from waste to wealth research ventures.

According to him, the development would go a long way to rid the society of environmental pollution event constituted by waste materials.

“We have all it will take to sustain the production of waste plastic kerosine and diesel, in terms of raw materials technology and human resources. All our machines are locally made. This is high time Nigerian education is tailored towards problem solving.

“In the light of this, Nigerian education curriculum from primary to tertiary level should be upgraded to produce problem-solving graduates that turn around the economy at favorable level to all and sundry in the country. This is the essence of Advanced level education.

“In view of this, our institution is looking for collaboration and partnership with government, industry and private investors for the production of new kerosine and diesel in commercial quantity for the general masses. The cost of production is cheaper and it is of high quality compared to the conventional kerosene and diesel products. We are ready to partner with gas and oil industry for the mass production of our products.”

Wednesday, 28 September, 2016 24 politicsnews APC northern leaders back Oyegun over face-off with Tinubu

By Kunle Oderemi

S

ome leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) from the North, on Tuesday, backed the national chairman of the party, Chief John OdigieOyegun in the cold war between him and Senator Bola Tinubu’ The latter had in a statement issued by the Tinubu Media Centre in Lagos on Sunday, called to question Oyegun’s credentials on progressive political inclination because of the way he handled the controversy over the governorship primary in Ondo State.

But joining the fray, the northern APC leaders lauded the leadership qualities of Oyegun, describing him as “a man of honour, integrity and dignity.”

In a statement by the chairman of APC United Front, Alhaji Ibrahim Musa and made available to Nigerian Tribune, the leaders described as laughable the calls on Oyegun to resign as chairman of the APC by Tinubu and a couple of others, saying the world had seen a more progressive party under his dynamic leadership.

“Chief Odigie Oyegun is not under the influence of a powerful and sinister arm of government. He will never thwart the will of the people” the leaders said.

They praised him for his strategic roles in internal party governance and in the development and promulgation of party policy.

Listing intellectual depth, credible track record, futuristic vision and personal integrity as key requirements for a progressive leader, the leaders eulogised Oyegun for giving equal rights and opportunities to members of the

APC regardless of status, class and affiliation.

“Leadership goes with creativity, sensitivity, compassion, innovation, courage, vision, character, competence, focus, passion, responsibility, selfdiscipline, service delivery and a very high dosage of

patriotism. Oyegun is an embodiment of transparency and accountability” the statement said.

The leaders commended Oyegun for bringing about a more dynamic way of administering the affairs of the party, sacrificing his comfort to work tirelessly for the party and for allow-

ing the wheel of democracy to run constitutionally.

“As a man with impeccable record in governance and party politics, Chief Odigie Oyegun will never derail from the path of honour.”

The leaders, who also thanked Nigerians at home and abroad for the confi-

Rivers State governor, Nyesom Wike (third right); former governor of Jigawa State, Alhaji Sule Lamido (third left); the state deputy governor, Dr Ipalibo Banigo (left); the state PDP chairman, Bro Felix Obuah (second left); former Deputy National Chairman of PDP, Prince Uche Secondus (second right) and the state Commissioner for Works, Iheanyichukwu Harrison, during Lamido's commissioning of Ozuoba-Rumosi road in Obio/ AkporLocal Government Area, on Tuesday.

Sam Nwaoko-Ado Ekiti

A Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chieftain in Ekiti State, Yinka Akerele, has defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC), claiming that his former party was inflicting hardship on the masses.

Akerele, who formally joined the APC at a rally held in Ayede Ward 09 in Ayede-Ekiti community in Oye Local Government of the state,

said he took the decision "because the PDP has derailed from the vision and ideals of its founding fathers to use power to make life easier for the people."

Along with him in the movement was a former Oye Local Government chairman, Mr. Gbenga Akerele, with their supporters, who were received by the the APC chairman in the state, Chief Jide Awe. At the ceremony in

which Awe was represented by his deputy, Mrs. Kemisola Olaleye, Akerele accused Governor Ayo Fayose of turning deaf ears to the cries of the suffering masses and claimed that the ongoing construction of a flyover in Ado Ekiti was a misplaced project "and it is not what Ekiti people need at this time."

Akerele, who served as a chairman of Ekiti State Road Maintenance Agency (EKROMA), claimed

•Criticises parties for lack of internal democracy The Ogun State Independent Electoral Commission (OGSIEC), on Tuesday, said that all was for the election into the 20 Local Government and the 37 Local Council Development Areas slated for October 8.

The Commissioner 111 of the electoral body, Mr Mutiu Agboke, in an interview with Nigerian Tribune in Abeokuta, said that the materials and other logistics for the election had been adequately provided for.

He noted that the commission was collaborating with security agencies and other stakeholders to ensure that the poll was

of quality advice, inspiration, encouragement and hope. He deserves the biggest thanks for being a team player and using his undivided and thorough leadership style in growing the party” the leaders said.

Identifying his commitment to principle in the practice of politics, the rule of law and the best democratic tradition of fairness as some of the attributes that brought him into collusion with Tinubu and others, the leaders commended him for enriching the development journey of the party and the country.

The leaders described the decision of the Appeal Panel as selfish.

“Oyegun is honest, dedicated, committed, and God fearing. He is a consummate politician, proven administrator and a bridge builder. He is a man of honour, integrity and dignity” the statement said.

The leaders while describing Oyegun as a true democrat, a hard-working, progressive person and leader with credibility, character and calm advised him to continue with his good work.

Ex-Ekiti PDP gov aspirant, others defect to APC

We are ready for LG polls but ... —OGSIEC Olayinka OlukoyaAbeokuta

dence reposed on Oyegun, applauded him for the pragmatic steps taken to address the problems emanating from the party’s primaries in Ondo State.

“Oyegun is an honest and highly effective leader.

He has built a reputation anchored on integrity over the years. He is a fountain

hitch-free.

Agboke explained that the major challenge that confronted the body was lack of internal democracy among political parties in the state, noting that it had made it impossible for the political parties to understand what party system is down about.

He said: "Let me say that the major challenge that the Commission is facing, is the various problems of the political parties. When you look at the political parties, some of the issues they are throwing at the door step of the commission are the issues that could have been addressed and resolved by the parties.

"Some of the issues emanated as a result of lack of internal democracy among the parties thereby making them not to understand what is the purpose of the party system. They believe that party system is all about election and electioneering campaign, whereas party system is meant to understand the government policies. The commission needs to resolve their crisis for them, one way or the other.

"For example, the Peoples Democratic Party factionsalisation had to be resolved first before the commission could have a direction on which of the faction to recognise.

"The issue of funding could not be followed to the letter because there are so many realities that the government of the day is facing. I know that we could have done more, maybe, if the economy has been better than what we have today.

"Notwithstanding the election is going to come up. The date is sacrosanct.

The materials are ready.

Our ad-hoc staff members are being trained and they are also ready. We have a kind of enabling environment that will allow us to conduct the local government election and the newly created local council development areas. We are set for the election. "

that he took the decision to leave the PDP because the party had "lost focus and had become a oneman show in Ekiti."

He promised to cooperate with other APC leaders in the state and members "to chase PDP from power in Ekiti to bring relief to the people of the state who are now poorer than when Fayose came to power."

According to him, APC is "a more democratic party that runs a massesoriented manifesto promising to work harder to mobilise more members into his new party."

Receiving Akerele and the others, Awe said they would "henceforth enjoy the same benefits like old members," and described Akerele as "a strong grassroots politician."

Awe said the APC "is getting stronger everyday with the magnitude of people joining from other parties," saying "the door is still open to accommodate new members."

Reacting to the development, the state PDP chairman, Mr Gboyega Oguntuase, said "he merely formalised his longknown position" against the PDP in the state.

Oguntuase, who reacted through the telephone, said: "He was a PDP person until recently and added that "his leaving the

party is not news to us."

The PDP boss noted that "the question we should ask ourselves is when did he stop being an active participant in the political activities in favour of PDP? We should also note that he had since ceased to be an active contributor to the success of the PDP in Ekiti State."

He said: "The last election, which brought the governor to power, he did not participate in any of the campaigns in any part of the 16 local government areas of the state, in favour of the PDP. During the campaigns for the 26 members of the Ekiti State House of Assembly, Chief Yinka Akerele did not campaign for even one of them. And we scored 26 - 0.

"In the election to the Senate, none of the three senators would say that he received any physical or financial help from Chief Yinka Akerele. In all the 16 local government areas of Ekiti, during the local government election which brought the 16 local government chairmen into office, Akerele was neither physically present nor financially felt.

"Thus, if such a person is now saying that he is leaving the party, we should ask ourselves what is the relevance of his departure?"

politicsnews NDDC posts: Pressure mounts on senators over Abia, Ondo nominees

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Wednesday, 28 September, 2016

•We 'll follow the law —Committee chairman Taiwo Adisa-Abuja

I

ntense pressure is being mounted on members of the Senate Committee on Niger Delta over the impending of screening of nominees into the board of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).

Sources close to the committee told the Nigerian Tribune in Abuja that the pressure is coming mainly from chieftains of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Abia and Ondo states who are worried that the Committee might reject the nominees from the states on account of the volume of petitions already received.

It was gathered that no fewer than ten petitions have been received against each of the nominees, who are accused of not hailing from oil-producing areas of the respective states.

The Committee and some focal Senators were said to have been reached by a delegation of the APC

who were said to have gone round to lobby for the nominees, a source said on Monday.

It was also gathered that a serving Minister has taken up the lobbying assignment by sending em-

issaries to the identified senators and asking them to support the presidential nominees.

The nomination of Mr Tokunbo Ajasin from Ondo State and Donatus Enyinnah (Abia) had

come under intense criticisms and attracted series of petitions as delegations from the two states claimed that the nominees are not indigenes of oil producing areas of the states as contained in the

NDDC Act 2000.

The Chairman of the Senate Committee, Senator Sam Nwaboshi, who spoke in the National Assembly on Monday however insisted that the Committee would do its work

From left, Chairman, Senate Committee on Public Account, Senator Andy Uba; Speaker, Nigerian Youth Parliament, Honourable Obe Ayodele John; Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki; chairman, Senate Committee on Youth and Sport, Senator Obinna Joseph Ogba; Honourable Safanatu Umar and other members of the group when they visited the Senate President, in Abuja, yesterday.

Why Nigerians are worried about sale of national assets —Ubani

By Kunle Oderemi

Lack of transparency in the sale of some major national assets in the past is responsible for the mixed public feelings trailing a similar move by the Federal authorities, a former NBA chairman of Ikeja branch of the Nigerian Bar Association, Mr Monday Ubani, has said.

He told Nigerian Tribune on Tuesday that majority of Nigerians were against the sale of those assets because “one, previous sales were not transparent and helpful; the properties were sold to themselves (those in authority and their cronies), and three, the sale proceeds were not properly accounted for.”

He said though it was imperative to source for fund to finance the federal budget for this year, there was a need for diligence and caution to avoid certain pitfalls capable of further compounding the nation’s challenges.

“The real issue that there is no money to finance this year’s budget and borrowings has burdens. Already, we are over-borrowed, the option left now is to look towards our assets for disposal.

Noting that most suggestions coming from certain quarters over the issue were based on sentiments

and not on facts, Ubani warned against selling what he described viable

assets of the country.

“Assets can be sold but not our viable assets, we

can concession some of our assets. Others, we can commercialise or privatise,

while others can be sold out rightly to put our economy back to life.”

Appointment: Don't blame Buhari, Tsav tells Tiv nation Johnson BabajideMakurdi

FORMER Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Alhaji Abubakar Tsav, has said that members of the Tiv nation should blame their political leaders for their inability to get appointments in the present administration.

Several people of Tiv extraction had taken to the cyber space, criticsing government over the Monday appointment stating that the tribe marginalised in the past and latest appointment despite their support for the ruling party in the last general election.

Tsav who was reacting to the development said, 'my people have been reacting openly over this but the problem is that there is no unity among the Tiv political leaders. There is no doubt that we have intelligent people in Tiv land and Benue by extension but the problem is because of the leaders' primordial interest'.

"If all the senators in the state can come together and form a formidable team, there will be progress in the state, aside Senator David Mark, who has tried for his people in Idoma land, the other two senators Akume and Gemade have done nothing.

The former police boss further said that as long as the Tiv nation contin-

ued to parade categories of people in the political affairs of the state nay Tiv nation, 'Tiv people may not get their desired position in the affairs of the country because every nominee for appointment has to pass through screening.

Tsav further called on the state governor, Chief Samuel Ortom to inject

new blood into administration, no one will respect us'.

"Our people should not blame the president because we are not united, despite that President Buhari administration is investigating the immediate past administration, the president still work and have audience with Jonathan," he stated.

according to the law.

Nwaboshi, who spoke to newsmen, said that his committee would undertake a thoroughjob in line with NDDC Act. According to him, the NDDC Act indicates that nominees from non oilproducing communities should not represent the affected states, adding that the Committee would stick to that rule.

He said that the Committee has written to the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN) and the Surveyor General of the Federation to give report on number of oil-producing local government areas in the federation to enable the committee determine the indigenes of oil producing areas.

He said: "The Senate has referred the list to us, we are gathering information, for the fact that we have not started open screening doesn’t mean that we are not gathering information.

We are looking at the law establishing NDDC. What does the law say, for the Chairman it rotates, for Managing Director it also rotates while for the members, they must come from oil-producing communities within the states .

"We have written to the Surveyor General of the Federation to give us report on number of local government that produce oil in every state of the federation, when he gives us that information, we can now be able to look at the candidates from the various state whether they are from the oil producing communities, this is a matter of the law and not a discretional issue."

Civil group writes Buhari, NASS, others over Osun judge's sack by NJC

By Abiodun Awolaja

A civil society group has written to President Muhammadu Buhari, calling for an independent investigation by the Presidency into the recommendation for the compulsory retirement of a judge of the Osun State High Court.

The call is coming barely two months after the National Judicial Council (NJC) handed down its recommendation of compulsory retirement of Justice Olamide Folahanmi Oloyede, for writing a peti-

tion to the State House of Assembly calling for the impeachment of the state governor, Mr. Rauf Aregbesola.

The group, the Civil Societies Coalition for the Emancipation of Osun State (CSCEOS), copied the leadership of the National Assembly, the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice; and the Executive Secretary of National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), among others.

It asked them to conduct a thorough and unbiased

inquiry into the matter given its national importance.

In a statement signed by its chairman, Comrade Adeniyi Alimi Sulaiman, the group urged President Buhari to set up an independent panel of inquiry of international standard to investigate the rationale behind what it alleged was the sudden “change of Code of Conduct for Judicial officers,” after the proceedings of the Justice Auta’s panel in 2016, when the 2014 Code of Conduct for judicial officers was still subsisting.

It stated that this was

where it suspected foul play in the Justice Oloyede matter.

The statement read in part, “We will like to also inform your humble self that there are a few elements who are working round the clock to ensure that your administration will be seen as a government which does not respect the rules of the land and the opinion of whistle blowers.

They want to give the impression that yours is a lawless government before the local and international community,” it said.

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Wednesday, 28 September, 2016

tribune cartoons

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

GIANT IN THE TROPIC OF AFRICA

Leo Stan Ekeh

(Manufacturer of Zinox Computers)

FUNOLOGY

• Born February 22, 1956 in Ubomiri Mbaitoli, Imo State.

• He attended Holy Ghost College, Owerri for his secondary education. Then to India where he received a Bachelor of Science degree in economics from Punjab University. From here to the Cork City University, Ireland, and later transferred to Nottingham University, UK, earning a degree in Risk Management.

CHURCH BOY

• Chief Leonard Stanley Nnamdi Ekeh is the founder of Zinox Group, a leading ICT Company in West Africa.

SEGELUULU

• Leo began his journey in the technology business when he set up Task Systems Limited, which was a pioneer in desktop publishing and computer graphics in Nigeria. The astute businessman also founded other companies including ITEC Solutions Limited and Technology Distribution Limited.

He then set up Zinox Technologies Limited in October 2001 to produce locally made computers. Always pioneering, his computers were the first Nigerian made computers, certified internationally.

• The company is one of the leading computer manufacturing companies in Africa and is patronised heavily by the Nigerian government especially during elections.

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

SPOT THE DIFFERENCE

A

B

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Wednesday, 28 September, 2016

Femi Olukunle Coordinating Editor 08158610216

Investigation: How fresh land ’ll be allocated in FCT Christian Okeke -Abuja

A

LL land allocations in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) will henceforth be done only in areas where infrastructures have already been provided by government, investigation by Abuja Xtra has revealed.

The policy was worked out after the current administration in the territory placed an indefinite ban on fresh allocations of land.

Following the new initiative, no new allocations would be made except in areas which have already been provided with such infrastructure like power, access roads, telecommunication ducts, as well as sewer lines.

The new policy was to ensure that the

long time being taken before development of the allocated plots by beneficiaries was reduced considerably.

In Abuja, most allottees were unable to develop their plots as the government was yet to provide the needed infrastructure where the allocations were made.

Checks by Abuja Xtra revealed that the current administration was not comfortable with the practice which it described as frustrating speedy development of the territory.

To drive the new initiative, Abuja Xtra confirmed that the administration has set up a 12-member Land Use and Allocation Committee to identify areas which had been provided with infrastructure and determine if there were still available lands for allocation.

The committee, it was gathered, is being

chaired by the FCT Permanent Secretary, Dr. Babatope Ajakaiye.

It is expected to identify plots of land available for possible allocation within the territory, process available land requests and advise the minister on action to take.

The committee would also advise the minister on matters connected with management of land and resettlement of persons affected by revocation of rights of occupancy.

Setting up of the committee was said to be in line with the provisions of the Land Use Act 1978.

Members of the committee include the General Counsel/Secretary, Legal Services Secretariat; Secretary, Area Council Services Secretariat; Directors of Engineering Services, Resettlement & Compensation, Urban & Regional Plan-

Co-convener, ‘Say no budget padding Campaign’, Mr Jaiye Gaskia, addressing members during a peace protest against budget padding, at the National Assembly gate in Abuja, recently. PHOTO: SUNDAY OSUNRAYI

Why current economy may not create expected jobs —Minister Ademola Adegbite-Lafia MINISTER of Science and Technology, Dr Ogbonnaya Onu, has raised the alarm that many jobs might not be created for teeming Nigerians, especially graduates and youths, unless the nation`s economy changed from resource-based to knowledge and innovation-based.

He insisted that it was only when the economy was innovation driven that the government would be in a position to ensure that the achievements would be sustainable and competitive.

“It is only then that we can also guarantee that our economy will be in a position to create a number of jobs for teeming Nigerians,” said the minister while exchanging views with representatives of International Energy Charter, led by Dr Monica

Emmanuel, who paid him a visit in Abuja.

Onu said that his ministry was, however, working hard in line with the current administration’s change agenda to diversify the country`s economy.

The minister noted that the economy grew just by six to seven per cent before the advent of the All Progressives Congress (APC) led government.

He said that explained why the economy was unable to create enough jobs for many jobless Nigerians.

According to him, the government was considering signing a treaty to become a member of the International Energy Charter, saying such a step would give the country the opportunity to share information and build capacity in research and skills development.

Earlier, the leader of the team, Dr Em-

manuel, said that the membership would attract many international players in the energy industry to Nigeria.

She noted that the country was not yet tapping into half of its potentials.

She said: “For Nigeria to attract investors, you must ensure that your policies and programmes are conducive and also aligned with the international standard.

“Nigeria is a very big country with enormous resources and one of the big players in international energy sector.

“We want to attract much more that can move Nigeria to the level it is supposed to be. We need to align our policies to make our countries become more attractive and beneficial to investors because it has to be a win-win situation and not win-lose situation.”

ning, Survey & Mapping as well as Abuja Geographic Information Systems (AGIS).

Others are aides to both the minister and the permanent secretary while the Director of Land Administration is a member/ secretary of the committee.

The committee, according to information made available to Abuja Xtra, is to ensure equity, transparency and due process in all land allocations in the territory.

Millions lost in demolition of market on rail transit corridor Christian Okeke -Abuja AGAINST all odds, the Canopy Market located at Wuse Zone 3 and said to be sitting on a rail transit corridor, has eventually been demolished by the Development Control Department of Abuja Metropolitan Management Council (AMMC), with traders saying they lost millions of Naira to the exercise.

The market was occupied by furniture, office equipment, electrical and electronics dealers and had several food kiosks.

Among structures that went down with the market was the African Town Garden which opened February this year along Bermenda Street and whose owner, Clement Aguiyi, said he got official approval to operate the N100 million investment for five years in the first instance.

Another trader, Ifeanyi Asiegbu, also confirmed that they were served a quit notice in 2012 with an explanation that the FCT Transport Secretariat wanted to make use of the transit corridor.

According to him, the government allocated the place to them temporarily with promise of an alternative anytime government wanted to reclaim the place.

On her part, the acting Coordinator of AMMC, Safiya Umar, admitted that the agency gave temporary approval to the traders, but said that the market was on transit corridor and that the FCT Transport Secretariat needed the place now.

“They (transport secretariat) asked us to help clear the place since it was we that gave the traders the place temporarily,” she said.

Umar disclosed that most of the structures were marked for demolition since 2011 and that the affected structures were served final demolition notices.

She said: “We didn’t hide from them that the allocation is temporary, and therefore they know the government will come after them very soon.

“We told them that it is a transit way for the rail and now we have the trains coming, we need to open up all the places we have allocated people on temporary basis “The government was magnanimous enough to settle them temporarily for up to seven years in the place and we expected that by now, they should have organised themselves and found places to rent and move “They took us to court but the court threw their matter out, so they don’t have any locus standi to create an informal market, whereas there are two formal markets there.”

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abujaxtra

Wednesday, 28 September, 2016

FCTA insists on sacking principals whose schools produce poor results Christian Okeke-Abuja

T

HE Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has insisted that any principal of government schools in Abuja, whose students fail to record 50 per cent success in 2017 WASSC and NECO exams, would be sacked.

It said such principal, however, had an option to honourably resign from his orher post.

Speaking at a meeting with school principals in the territory, Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Musa Bello, insisted that the 30 per cent suc-

cess recorded in 2016 WAEC and NECO in FCT schools was no longer acceptable.

Bello, who was represented at the meeting by the FCT Permanent Secretary, Dr Babatope Ajakaiye, went further to insist that students must achieve at least 50 per cent in the next exams or principals of affected schools be penalised.

The minister warned that the FCT administration would no longer accept excuses of poor infrastructure or inadequate teachers being given as reasons for the poor performance, insisting that school principals must do everything possible to ensure that the situation changed.

He said that it was unthinkable that the FCT, with the largest concentration of elite and which should be setting the pace for other states in terms of academic performance, was churning out mere 30 per cent success in very critical examinations as WAEC and NECO. “The mandate I will give you that goes with sanction is this: for this new session, every principal must be determined to achieve 50 per cent success in WAEC and NECO in 2017. Any principal that does not achieve 50 per cent success should just quietly leave that school because the principal is going to be removed. If you don’t achieve 50 per cent

success in WAEC and NECO in 2017, you are no longer fit to be a principal in FCT and I mean it. That is the minimum that we want for every school and you must work towards it,” he told the principals.

He went further to say: ”We cannot be gathering students and at the end of their final year, all they will have is three credits. I don’t know whether you are proud as a principal that in your school, the success rate is five per cent.

“I want principals that will be determined to say ‘in my school, things must change, infrastructure or no infrastructure, resources or no resources, I want to put myself as a sacrifice and change things.’

“That is what I want to do before I leave the service. I want to be known to have done something good for Nigeria “My mission is not to come and make you sad, but the situation is bad and you know it and we are ready to tackle it. But you must be up and doing too and that is why I said I must call all the principals and talk to you to do the right things. That is what this administration is about.”

Security: Armed forces get commendation from UK Chris Agbambu-Abuja

Permanent Secretary, FCTS, Dr Babatope Ajakaiye (right) with other officials of the FCT Education Secretariat, during a meeting with FCT school principals in Abuja.

Monarch donates office to merchant navy Christian Okeke-Abuja THE traditional ruler of Galadimawa, Garki in Abuja, Alhaji Musa Barde, has donated an office space to the Nigerian Merchant Navy to facilitate smooth operations of the organisation.

This was even as he urged the Federal Government to offer recognition to the association to complement security at the country’s seaports.

The donation came after the Chief of Nigerian Merchant Navy, Commodore Ichukwu Agaba, while exchanging views with the monarch, assured that the corps would complement the current effort of security agencies for a secured territorial integrity.

He said the Nigerian Coastal Defence Force had been existing and carried out operations during the colonial era and independence and was also accorded

Why Ecuador is participating in Abuja trade fair —Envoy Christian Okeke-Abuja AMBASSADOR of Ecuador to Nigeria, Leopoldo Rovayo, said the country was participating in the 2016 Abuja Chambers of Commerce and Industry (ACC) Trade Fair to provide Nigerian businessmen with accurate information concerning exports, commerce, investment and tourism in the country.

The ongoing fair holds at ACC Secretariat located at Kilometer 8 Airport Road Abuja.

Speaking on the fair, the envoy stated that his country also wished to show support for the activities of the Chamber of Commerce.

According to him, participating in the trade fair provided the Embassy of Ecuador a platform to promote the country’s products and services to a broader group.

He said that the embassy was aware that many businessmen from Nigeria may have little or no knowledge about Ecuador, its products and investment opportunities.

status of a security agency by Federal High Court on February 11, 2016 in a judgment delivered in its favour.

Agaba said: “We will complement other security agencies’ operations because we are constitutionally saddled with the responsibility of monitoring and stopping pollution of Nigerian territorial waters, combating crimes in the seaports, providing rescue operations, checking importation of illegal sophisticated weapons and putting a total stop to illegal oil bunkering activities,” Responding, the monarch said he agreed that the recognition by government would assist to tighten up security at the seaports and also create employment for the youths.

He said, “Personally, I read the background and operations of this organisation and have seen that as a nation, we need them in this challenge of insecurity in our country.

“It is imperative that government considers them and officially makes them part of the security system because they will really help in safeguarding our territorial waters from the grip of criminals and external aggressors,” he said.

THE United Kingdom (UK) has expressed satisfaction with the successes recorded so far by the Armed Forces of Nigeria in tackling Boko Haram insurgency in the North East.

To that extent, it promised to collaborate with Nigeria for further success.

The UK Assistant Chief of Defence Staff, Rear Admiral Simon James Ancona stated this when he led a delegation of the UK Ministry of Defence and Engagement on a courtesy visit to the Nigeria Chief of Defence Staff, General Gabriel Olonisakin in Abuja.

Ancona stated that the way the Nigerian military subdued the Boko Haram terrorists further put the Nigerian Armed Forces in particular and the country in general on a positive radar of global assessment index.

He commended the military and other allied security agencies for their doggedness and sacrifice that led to the decimation of the terrorists group and called for sustenance of the onslaught to wipe insurgency out of the country.

The UK military officer pledged that his country’s Armed Forces would continue to work closely with their counterparts in Nigeria towards strengthening the capacity of the Nigerian military to be more responsive in the discharge of their constitutional mandate.

He explained that the delegation was in Nigeria to follow-up on the various regional and global security matters discussed earlier in the year at a peace keeping conference held in the UK. According to him, the visit would further strengthen the historic and harmonious bilateral relationships between the two countries, assuring the CDS that British contingent in Nigeria would always abide by extant rules of operations.

In his response, General Olonisakin solicited stronger ties in intelligence sharing as well as manpower training.

29 news

Wednesday, 28 September, 2016

Sokoto: S/Court to decide Tambuwal’s fate Dec 9 Sunday Ejike -Abuja

T

HE Supreme Court, on Tuesday, fixed December 9, 2016 to deliver judgment in a suit challenging the propriety of the nomination of Governor Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto State, by the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the 2015 gubernatorial election held in the state.

The apex court will on that day declare whether Tambuwal was nominated in compliance with provisions of the Electoral Act 2010 and the APC 2014 guidelines for the nomination of candidates for elective offices.

The apex court will also determine the issue of swapping of delegates list at the primary election of the APC said to have been conducted on December 4, 2014 at Giginya Stadium in Sokoto.

Justice Bode Rhodes Vivour, who presided over a session of the court in the matter, fixed December 9

date after submissions by various parties in the appeal.

Two appellants, Alhaji Umaru Dahiru and Barrister Aliyu Abubakar Sany-

inna, who were governorship aspirants on the APC platform in the 2015 general election filed the appeal.

In their brief of arguments filed by Professor Awa Kalu,

the two appellants pleaded with the apex court to reverse the decision of the Court of Appeal which held that their suit had become academic exercise by virtue

of the election of Tambuwal in the April 11, 2015 governorship poll.

In the brief of argument adopted by Mr Ikoro M. Ikoro, the two appellants

Former governor of Cross River State, Mr Donald Duke; Kaduna State governor, Mallam Nasir el-Rufai and the former president, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, at the 2016 World Pension Summit in Abuja, on Tuesday. PHOTO: SUNDAY OSUNRAYI.

PENCOM asset growth hits N5.83 trn in 2016 —FG Scheme stabilises Nigeria’s pension administration — Buhari Saanyol Tyavzua -Abuja with Agency Report THE Federal Government, in Abuja, on Tuesday, commended the fast growth of National Pension Commission (PENCOM) asset which it pegged at N5.83 trillion in 2016, describing it as a vehicle that could close the country’s huge gap in infrastructure.

Speaking at the Pension World Summit, the Head of Federal Service, Winifred Oyo-Ita, who represented President Muhammadu Buhari, noted that pension was a gigantic vehicle for sustainable development for the country.

According to her, “Pension matters have been turned from static scheme into creative or contributory scheme such that monies from pension can successfully fund infrastructure that will boost the economic fortunes of Nigeria.”

In his keynote address, the former President, Olusegun Obasanjo cautioned PENCOM about the use of technology, while praising the idea that if the innovation was harnessed transparently, many of the challenges currently faced by the pension body, such as poor coverage and capturing of people from the informal sector, will be effectively tackled.

Obasanjo noted that many African countries were making efforts to address the many pension crises facing them.

He stated, however, that

until there was transparency in handling pension funds, not much progress would be made.

“Pension money must never be tampered with, even though we find a way to use these funds for infrastructural development, we must be able to hand pensioners their money at any given time they demand for their money.”

He further said trust was a vehicle that drove pension scheme in any given country, “when people put their monies in a pension scheme, if they have confidence that any time they need their money, it will be there, then, much infrastructural development will be achieved through pension scheme.”

In her welcome address, the Director-General of National Pension Commission (NPC), Mrs Chinelo Awohu Amazu, said Africa needed to tackle lapses hindering effective pension administration, in order to give life to the aging population.

Also at the Summit, the founders of World Pension Summit, Erik Eggink and Chris Battapha advocated the use of technology for easy accessibility of pension funds.

World Pension Summit was established seven years ago to encourage saving of money at all levels, to help the aging population to retire into confort and teach the retired population how to live independently in old age.

However, President Mu-

hammadu Buhari said Nigeria’s Contributory Pension Scheme had, to a large extent, stabilised the nation’s pension administration.

According to Buhari, it was globally acknowledged that pension matters occupied a strategic place, not only as a vital component of social security, but also as a vehicle

for nation building.

According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN)The theme of this year’s summit is “Pension Innovations: The African Perspective.”

The president, represented by the Head of Service of the Federation, Mrs Winifred Ayo-Ita, said the summit

would enable countries and stakeholders to brainstorm on how to tackle their economic challenges.

“Nigeria in 2004 established contributory pension scheme due to its advantages such as sustainability as a system with framework that would eliminate incentives for corruption.

insisted that the lower court (Appeal Court) erred in law by holding that their joint suit had no life to sustain it simply because of the conducted general election.

They argued that the April 11, 2015 general election could not take life out of their case or render it academic exercise because the suit was filed on January 27, 2015 long before the general election was conducted.

The appellants chronicled the genesis of their suit, claiming that several frivolous motions and applications filed by the respondents at the Federal High Court in Abuja delayed judgment delivery until after the general election.

Their counsel argued that since all the delay tactics were at the instance of the respondents, they should not be allowed to be beneficiaries of the unjust delays which made expeditious hearing practically impossible.

Respondents in the appeal are the APC, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and Honourable Tambuwal.

But counsel for Tambuwal, Mr Sunday Ibrahim Ameh, stood his ground that the reliefs sought by the appellants at the Federal High Court had been overtaken by the general election and the declaration of Tambuwal as winner of the April 11, 2015 election.

The counsel urged the court to dismiss the appeal on the ground that it had become pure academic issue.

FG set to revive weigh bridges —Fashola THE Minster of Power, Works and Housing, Mr Babatunde Fashola, said, on Tuesday, that the Federal Government would reintroduce the use of weigh bridges on the nation’s highways.

Fashola made the disclosure while answering ques-

tions from newsmen at the ongoing Made in Nigeria (MAIN) Summit 2016, at the Eko Atlantic City in Lagos.

The minister said presently, the weigh bridges were not working optimally.

He, however, said government was repairing some

of them and targeting making the roads motorable as the use of the weigh bridges would be subsequently enforced.

“The bridges are not in optimum use, but we are rehabilitating and re-installing some.

“You will see increased

Lagos demolishes illegal structures on setback at CMD Road OFFICIALS of the Lagos State Ministry of Environment were, on Tuesday, at Magodo area of the state where they demolished illegal structures erected by traders selling building materials on the Centre for Management Development (CMD) Road.

The team, led by the Director of Enforcement and Advocacy, Mr Afolabi Tajudeen, stormed the areas at about 11.00 in the morning, when some of the traders were about displaying their wares to commence the day’s business.

However, some of them

took to their heels on sighting the government officials, while some others frantically managed to savage the remains of their wares to avoid the bulldozer from trampling on them.

The director, while speaking with newsmen, said the government had served noticed to the affected traders on several occasions to relocate from the area because the area was not approved for any kind of business.

“We have been here severally to serve them notice to leave this place, but you know how stubborn our people can be. Once we leave, they come back here believing that nothing will

happen.

“Some of our officials were also here yesterday to inform them about this enforcement, but you can see that in spite of the warning, they are still here carrying out their trading activities,” he said.

He said the government would not tolerate any form environmental nuisance in any area of the state, warning residents to comply with the law.

“This is an exercise that will go on simultaneously in all the five divisions of the state. We will be out twice in a week, and we are reaching out to all the five divisions of the state, and we want to see how far we can go,” he added.

regulatory compliance on the roads as they return to motorable quality,’’ Fashola said.

Responding to the issue of re-introduction of toll gates, and financing of road projects, he said it was an issue that had to be decided by Nigerians.

He said tolling alone would not be able to finance road maintenance because of traffic variation on different routes.

“If you toll, it is usually best practice to provide an alternative route and, therefore, depending on how heavy the traffic is, people may choose to use the longer route in order to save money,’’ he said.

He explained that federal legislators were working on a bill that would “give some legislative framework for tolling.’’

Fashola added that government had begun creation of a road maintenance plan that targeted creation of jobs and business opportunities for small businesses, artisans and other professionals in the construction industry.

30

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Wednesday, 28 September, 2016

LAUTECH crisis: Miscreants attack Osun indigenes, ask them to vacate school

BY Tunde Ogunesan and Wale Akinselure

T

HERE was pandemonium on Tuesday when alleged miscreants stormed Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH) Ogbomoso, threatening some members of staff who are of Osun State origin to vacate the school premises if they love their lives.

Nigerian Tribune gathered that the miscreants, numbering over 15, stormed the university community, attacking non-indigenes of Oyo State who are staff.

The thugs, according to sources, while launching the attack on members of staff told them to go back to their state, Osun, that the state should severe its joint ownership of the institution to Oyo. Nigerian Tribune sources revealed that the miscreants invaded the institution after the delegation of Osun State Education Committee, which came to appeal to Osun State-born indigenes over the ownership imbroglio.

The source further informed that the committee, which met some staff members who are of Osun origin, advised them not to exercise any fear over the ownership matter.

It was further gathered that the committee, however, advised them to stay away if it seems their lives are in danger.

No sooner than the committee left that the miscreants, allegedly led by one Bello, stormed the premises of the institution.

The hoodlums, the Nigerian Tribune gathered then headed straight to the office of the bursar of the institution, who was reported to be from Osun State. But as they were forcing their way into the bursar’s office, the security officer at his office, who was trying to prevent them from entering, was beaten mercilessly.

Earlier, the hoodlums were also said to have attacked one of the staff, on their way to the bursar’s office, who hails from Oyo State but whose name “Osunbade” was misinterpreted as being from Osun.

The source further informed that the bursar who was inside the office was alleged to have locked himself inside the office.

Though, the sources were not sure who made contact with the police while the bursar was being held hostage right in his office, but noted that police officers and men of the state security services eventually came to his rescue.

The source declared that when the miscreants got

wind of the coming of the state security services, then took to their heels.

The bursar, it was gathered, then headed straight to the police station to formally complain to the security operatives.

Some key members, who Nigerian Tribune learnt were handling the matter, as at the press time, could not comment.

The registrar of the institution, in a response to a short media message (SMS) sent to his mobile line, replied “I will get in touch with you later, please.”

When contacted for the first time, Bello told Nigerian Tribune to call back in five minutes time. After the expiration of the first

break, he said he was currently engaged and told Nigerian Tribune to call again in 15 minutes times.

Thereafter, he did not pick his calls again. An SMS informing him of his alleged role in the crisis was later sent to his line, but did not reply as at the time of writing this report.

Subsequent calls put through to his number became engaged.

The Chairman, Academic Staff Union of University (ASUU) LAUTECH, Dr Biodun Olaniran, confirmed the attack, but did not attribute it to any group.

According to Olaniran, “a group of people who are not known to us came and attacked my members. I think

they’re thugs because they are not known to the university community. We made adequate report to the Registrar who took up appropriate action on the matter.”

Meanwhile, the Oyo State House of Assembly has mandated the Commissioner for Justice, Mr Oluseun Abimbola and his education counterpart, Professor Adeniyi Olowofela, to intimate on situation and status of the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Ogbomoso, in two weeks time.

Abimbola and Olowofela had been summoned to Tuesday’s plenary to provide information on the status of the subsisting Memorandum of Understanding between the Oyo and Osun govern-

ments on the establishment of LAUTECH, with a view to pushing for the sole ownership of the institution by the Oyo State government.

Also, the Assembly sought information on the 2010 Supreme Court declaration on the joint ownership of the university by the Osun and Oyo governments.

The Assembly had then also decried the crisis facing LAUTECH ranging from strike spanning over three months to outstanding salaries, poor infrastructure and poor funding.

Speaking, the commissioners applied for more time to examine existing provisions and contact concerned stakeholders in the raging issues affecting LAUTECH.

From left, Alhaji Shuaibu Gambo, DIG, Department of Finance and Administration; Mr Folusho Adebanjo, DIG, Department of ICT; convener, Nigerians Unite Against Terror (NUAT), Dr Joe Okei-Odumakin; Inspector-General of Police, Ibrahim Idris; DIG, Department of Training and Development, Mr Emmanuel Inyang and the DIG, Department of Logistics and Supply, Alhaji Maigari Dikko, displaying some signages during the visit of the convener of NUAT to the Police Headquarters, Abuja, on Tuesday. PHOTO: NAN.

Reps revisit state police

Kolawole Daniel-Abuja

THE House of Representatives, on Tuesday, passed for second reading, a Bill for an Act to Alter the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 to provide for the Establishment of state Police and to Ensure Effective Community Policing in Nigeria and for Other Related Matters.

The same state police bill was passed by the seventh Assembly of the House but was not signed into law by former President Goodluck Jonathan.

Consequently, the Bill was referred to the Special Ad-hoc Committee on the Review of the 1999 Constitution for more legislative inputs.

Leading debate on the general principles of the proposed Bill, Honourable Abiodun Awoleye, said that there was urgent need for an amendment to the 1999 Constitution to allow the government establish a state police in all the states.

He stated that the Nigeria Police (NP) as presently

constituted is highly centralised and it is very far away from the people.

The lawmaker further argued that the establishment of a state police will change the orientation of the Nigeria Police and added that a state police is more service oriented.

He expressed the views

that the high level of crime and criminality in the country is as a result of the centralised nature of the Nigeria Police.

He also called for the establishment of Police Councils and Police Service Commission in all the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

Speaking in support, Hon-

ourable Kayode Oladele, stated that the problem of the Nigeria Police is that officers do not have good knowledge of the terrain.

He noted that in the current policing structure, once an officer is transferred, tracking and investigation of crime becomes difficult.

Resolving PDP crisis will not affect Jimoh Ibrahim’s candidature —Factional chairman Hakeem Gbadamosi - Akure

THE factional chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ondo State, Biyi Poroye, on Tuesday, stated that the resolve of the two factional leaders of the party to sheathe sword does not affect the candidature of Mr Jimoh Ibrahim in the forthcoming governorship election in the state.

Poroye who stated this while speaking with newsmen in Akure, the state capital, after the meeting of the

faction, also said that Mr Ibrahim remained the authentic candidate of the party for the election.

He explained that the factional chairman had submitted Ibrahim’s name at the headquarters of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), saying “Jimoh Ibrahim has been duly nominated as the candidate of the party as directed by the constitution.”

He said there was no conflict about the authenticity of Ibrahim’s candidature, add-

ing that INEC would unveil Ibrahim’s name before the end of the week.

He urged party leaders across the 18 local government areas in the state to embark on mobilisation.

Poroye said “the settlement of the PDP crisis at the national level does not affect the status of the party in Ondo State. The national crisis is not an Ondo State crisis or issue. They can settle at the national level, but that has nothing to do with the legal action in Ondo State.”

Fresh FM anniversary lecture holds today THE first anniversary lecture of Fresh 105.9 FM, Ibadan, holds today at the Yinka Ayefele Music House Complex at 10:00a.m prompt.

The lecture, entitled: “The role of the media in a receding economy” will be delivered by a foremost broadcaster and former Managing Director, Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN), Ibadan zonal office, Chief Sanya Oyinsan.

The lecture, according to a release signed by the chairman of the station, Dr Yinka Ayefele, is the station’s own contribution to finding a media solution to the current economic situation in the country.

“The first anniversary lecture is aimed at finding solution to the current economic situation. The media has a lot of roles to play in bringing the country out of the economic crisis.

“Chief Sanya Oyinsan is an accomplished broadcaster cum media practitioner of repute and has agreed to deliver the lecture,” Ayefele said.

Alleged N3.2bn fraud: FG re-arraigns former Abia gov, Kalu, 2 others Sunday Ejike - Abuja ABOUT eight years after the case was stalled, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), on Tuesday, successfully recommenced the trial of former Abia State governor, Orji Uzor Kalu and two others before a Federal High Court in Abuja.

Kalu, his ex-aide, Jones Udeogo, and the former governor’s company, Slok Nigeria Limited, were rearraigned yesterday on a 34-count charge.

Before the arraignment, Kalu and others kicked against their re-arraignment and urged the court to await the pending appeal by Slok before the Supreme Court.

The trial judge, Justice Anwuri Chikere, rejected the defendants’ objection to their arraignment and ordered that the charge be read to them.

Kalu and his co-accused were, in the amended charge, accused of diverting about N3.2 billion from the Abia State government’s treasury when he (Kalu) held sway as the state governor.

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Wednesday, 28 September, 2016

Nigerian Tribune

Patience Jonathan’s $15.5m: Accused persons seek to change guilty plea Ayomide OwonibiOdekanyin - Lagos

A

former aide to President Goodluck Jonathan, Waripamo-Owei Dudafa, companies and two other accused persons have asked the court to change the guilty plea of the four companies linked to Mrs Patience Jonathan on $15.591 money laun-

dering charges.

They are seeking to change the guilty plea on the ground that the court has no jurisdiction to take the pleas from the purported directors of the companies.

The four companies: Pluto Property and Investment Development Company Limited, Seagate Property and Investment

Development Company Limited, Transoceanic Property and Investment Development Company Limited, and Avalon Property and Investment Development Company Limited, through their purported directors, had pleaded guilty when they were arraigned.

The directors who pleaded guilty on behalf of the

four companies are Taiwo Ebenezer (Avalon Property and Investment Development Company Limited), Kola Fredrick (Transoceanic Property and Investment Development Company Limited), Friday Davis (Pluto) and Agbo Baro for Seagate Property and Investment Development Company Limited.

Also charged alongside

the companies are a lawyer, Amajuoyi Briggs and a banker, Adedamola Bolodeoku.

At Tuesday’s proceedings, counsel to Dudafa, Mr Gboyega Oyewole, informed the court of pending applications seeking to change the companies’ guilt pleas.

Oyewole informed the court that his client’s application is seeking to set aside the directors’ guilty plea, on the grounds that they had denied having any link with the said companies.

Oyewole informed the court that his client’s application, which was attached with four exhibits, an affidavit, and a written address, was pursuant to section 274, 396, 477 and 478 of Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) 2011, and of inherent jurisdiction of the court.

He said taking the guilty plea of the companies would misguide and mislead the court.

However, in pleading the court to discountenance the accused persons appli-

cations, the prosecutor, Mr Rotimi Oyedepo, described the applications as ‘strange and a serious violent abuse of court process.”

He added that the applications were aimed to stall the review of the fact of the matter against the four companies, which was the business of the court.

Oyedepo also said the applications are only seeking the court to do the impossible, and therefore urged the court to discountenance the applications alongside the exhibits tendered for not being certified.

The prosecutor said though the companies have right to change their pleas before ruling or judgment is delivered, he added that going by the documents from the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) and the companies mandate forms from Skye Bank, the purported directors were the ones who were signatories to the companies.

Consequently, the presiding judge, Justice Babs Kuewumi, adjourned till October 7, to rule either to uphold the accused applications or to dismiss it.

From left, Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Chief Audu Ogbeh; representative of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), Mr Michael Harvey; representative of International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI), Mr Paul Dorosh and another official of IFPRI, Mr George Mavrotas, at the 2016 Feed the Future Nigeria Agricultural Policy Project conference, in Abuja, on Tuesday. PHOTO: NAN.

Buhari, Dogara, Tambuwal meet in Aso Rock

el-Rufai enrols son in public school

Leon Usigbe - Abuja

Muhammad Sabiu - Kaduna IN fulfilment of his promise to enrol his children in public schools if emerged Kaduna State governor, Governor Nasir El-Rufai has enrolled his three-year-old son, Abubakar Al-Siddique el-Rufai, in one of the public schools in the state.

The governor had also said during campaigns that other office holders and political appointees would enrol their children in public schools.

This, he maintained, was part of his commitment to revamp public schools.

In his Twitter handle, which he released on Tuesday, el-Rufai said: “Abubakar Al-Siddique el-Rufai, three-year-old, going to Islamiyya Play/Early School in Kaduna.”

Though the name of the school was not mentioned, sources close to the governor informed the Nigerian Tribune that “the decision to send his son to public school is exemplary and assurance that el-Rufai has matched his words with action.”

It will be recalled that the governor promised to ensure that political appoin-

tees and top civil servants enrol their children in public schools if elected governor.

“The most critical step is for leaders like us to enrol

our children into public schools.’’

He recalled that he attended Local Education Authority Primary School Kawo, Kaduna, in the 60s along

with children of elites.

“So, if children of elites are in public schools, they will be forced to do all that is necessary to improve the schools,’’ he argued.

Protesting workers ground Federal Poly, Ado Ekiti Sam Nwaoko - Ado Ekiti

ALL activities were grounded at the Federal Polytechnic, Ado Ekiti, on Tuesday, as workers barricaded the institution’s main gate in protest against the management.

The angry workers, under the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP), Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Polytechnics (SSANIP) and the NonAcademic Staff Union (NASU), claimed that the management of the polytechnic was shortchanging them.

During the protest, they shut the main gates and called for the removal of the Rector, Dr Taiwo Theresa Akande.

On the protest, chairman of the polytechnic’s chapter of ASUP, Mr Tunji Owoeye, said: “We are protesting the injustice we

have stomached for several months. We want to show the world that the academic staff members are being marginalised.

“What we are agitating for is for the management to level us up with our colleagues in other federal polytechnics like Yaba, Ilaro, Ile-oluji, Auchi, Unwanna and Ida. All of them have their starting point at Consolidated Tertiary Institutions Salary Scale (CONTISS) VIII.” According to him, “we have taken steps and we have met the management several times. We have written letters of warning to the management to implement this as it is done in other federal polytechnics.

We have given 21-day, 14day notices without any move by the management.

“Our national body has given approval that by the end of 14-day ultima-

tum from now, we should have the institution closed down.”

When contacted on the telephone, the spokesperson of the institution, Mr Adeyemi Adejolu, said through a text message: “Very sorry that I’m not in a position to talk to you or any of our other colleagues on the protest. Government had forbidden us from externalising the issue. Thanks.”

PRESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara and Governor Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto State, met behind closed doors at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, on Tuesday.

Dogara and Tambuwal arrived together in the same vehicle before joining the president in his office for the meeting that lasted for about 45 minutes.

Both declined to speak on the purpose of the meeting when they were approached by State House Correspondents.

When pressed to react to suggestions that the meeting could be over the skirmish in the House of Representatives over “budget

padding,” Tambuwal retorted: “Not at all.”

He also refused to be drawn into the issue of the sale of national assets as being presently contemplated by the Federal Government, saying “I have already aired my views on the sales of assets.”

Similarly, he declined to answer questions relating to the accusation made by the All Progressives Congress (APC) National Leader, Senator Bola Tinubu, against the National Chairman of the party, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun.

“I don’t know about that,” the former Speaker, House of Representatives, told reporters, adding: “We are here to meet Mr President, greet him and to show our support.”

Fayose signs N70.5bn revised Ekiti 2016 appropriation bill into law Sam Nwaoko - Ado Ekiti

GOVERNOR Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti State has signed the revised 2016 appropriation bill of the state into law.

At a brief ceremony at the Government House, Ado Ekiti, on Tuesday, the governor signed the bill in the presence of the Speaker of

the House of Assembly, Mr Kola Oluwawole and other members of the assembly.

Fayose said: “The Appropriation Law contemplated the need for an airport. But circumstances beyond us made it impossible, so the law is to veer the funds allocated to it to other things.

We needed to notify the as-

sembly and the law needed to be revised to N70.5 billion from the initial N67 billion.”

According to Fayose, the funds were diverted to the construction of the IkereAdo Ekiti dual carriage way currently ongoing, and added that “the remaining fund would be veered to other projects.”

32 news Nigeria’s electricity challenge man-made —Fashola

Wednesday, 28 September, 2016

Says uninterrupted power supply to be achieved soon

M

INISTER of Power, Works and Housing, Mr Babatunde Fashola, has said the problem the power sector is facing is man-made and he is determined to ensure the power sector works to the point where Nigeria has uninterrupted power supply.

Fashola, one of the speakers at the maiden edition of Made-in-Nigeria Festival taking place at Eko Atlantic, Lagos, disclosed that his blueprint is in three phases of power-generation, steady supply of power and uninterrupted power supply.

Speaking on the manmade challenges, Fashola said “we had an issue some time ago during an electrification project, we got to this expanse of land and we were told that the land where we need to lay electricity cable belongs to the spirit, the indigenes of that area scared the contractors away by invoking curse on the project.

“I was briefed about this and we entered negotiation with them, you won’t believe this, by the time we finished the negotiation, the ‘spirits’ collected money and we were able to continue with our project’.

“Another instance was where we had a telecommunication mast obstructing electrification of a village, the former regime and the telecommunication company were exchanging letters, all I did was to call the chairman of the company and the mast was removed in a week.

“The power challenges are not impossible, most of them are man-made, I am determined to ensure we get to the point where Nigeria has uninterrupted power supply.”

Speaking further, Fashola said since 1960, Nigeria generated 5,074 megawatts of power for the first time in February 2016.

“We have never generated up to 5,000 megawatts of power since 1960 but we generated 5,074 megawatts of power in February 2016 and this was made possible because we have commenced systematic repair of our power-generating equipment, which is in the phase one of our developmental plans,” he said.

Fashola disclosed that he and his team had a developmental plan consisting of power generation, which is focused on maximising all available power-generating components by repairing them.

The second phase, he said, was steady supply of power while the third phase was un-

interrupted power supply.

The minister was speaking as a member of panel con-

sisting of Mrs Adeola Sumola of Bello Osagie & Associates; Ms Chantel Abdul,

Managing Director/CEO, Mojek International and Mr Mofid Karameh, chairman,

Mikano Group, Dr Ogho Okiti, publisher of Economics Times, Abuja, was the

From left, Chairman, Made-In-Nigeria (MaIN) Festival, Prince Segun Oniru; a representative of chairman of Mikano Group, Mr Mofid Karameh; Mrs Adeola Sumola of Bello Osagie & Associates; Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Mr Babatunde Fashola; MD/CEO, Mojek International, Ms Chantel Abdul and the Publisher, Economic Times, Abuja, Dr Ogho Okiti, at the MaIN Festival held at Eko Atlantic, on Tuesday.

moderator.

Fashola reiterated government’s resolve to get electricity to the rural areas by engaging universities located in the areas.

Chairman, FirstBank Plc, Mrs Ibukun Awosika, who spoke at the second session on the topic: “Empowering the Made-in-Nigeria Economy: Private Sector’s role in Infrastructural Revival in Nigeria,” said “building infrastructure is how well you can achieve the goals you set for yourself.”

“I noticed that most of the bags our children use in this country come from abroad.

I just said to myself, a textile company can just develop these bags and our economy will be better for it. This will count as infrastructural development. We need to create infrastructure support for industries in our economy,” Mrs Awosika opined.

The Made-In-Nigeria festival is being organised by the MaIN Group, a collaboration of private sector organisations.

Ondo 2016: IPAC promises to collaborate with INEC Hakeem Gbadamosi - Akure

THE Inter Party Advisory Council (IPAC) in Ondo State, on Tuesday, expressed its readiness to support the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to ensure the success of the forthcoming governorship election in the state.

The newly elected chairman of IPAC, Fatai Adams, who stated this in Akure, the state capital, after the group’s election, said that the body would work in harmony with the electoral umpire to prosecute an acceptable election.

Fatai, who is the Deputy Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state, identified peace and tranquillity as necessary for the conduct of a credible election.

He called on political parties making up IPAC in the state to caution their supporters against violence.

Adams described IPAC as one united and indivisible family and assured INEC officials that political parties would play the game according to its rules, saying “as the newly elected chairman of IPAC, I will operate a transparent government. I want to also say that IPAC in Ondo State is one.

“There is no division or segregation of any form.

With our house in order, we could help in ensuring that peace and tranquillity permeate every corner of Ondo State as we prepare for the governorship election.

“On behalf of all the political parties making up IPAC, we assure that there would be no problem before, during and after the election.

“We will cooperate with INEC, play the game according to the rules and ensure that the issue of inconclusiveness does not rear its head in the governorship election.”

He called on the electoral umpire to provide a level playing field for all the political parties.

Also speaking, the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) of INEC in Ondo State, Mr Segun Agbaje, identified violence, non use of Smart Card Readers and over voting as main reasons why an election could be declared inconclusive.

Agbaje, who was represented at the event by the Administrative Secretary of the Commission, Alhaji Kabir Omosanya, called for proper conduct among po-

litical stakeholders as the state prepares for its gubernatorial election.

Some of the new executive members of IPAC in the state are Fatai Adams (PDP), chairman; Atanlogun Olanrewaju (Kowa), Vice Chairman and Festus Kehinde (DPP), General Secretary.

Others are Femi Famakinwa (NNPP), Assistant General Secretary; Dupe Awosika (ADC), Treasurer;

Benson Osoro (UPP), Financial Secretary and Oluwole Fagboro (PDM), Publicity Secretary.

The All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Social Democratic Party (SDP) were, however, not represented at the meeting.

The IPAC election also provides an opportunity for INEC to distribute Finance Tracking and Campaigns Itinerary forms to all the political parties.

SERAP: UN intervenes to end harassment of #BringBackOurGirls members THE Office of the UN Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and association has intervened to “end the harassment of #BringBackOurGirls protesters and has asked for additional information on the matter,” Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) said on Tuesday.

This followed SERAP’s urgent appeal to Mr Maina Kiai, the Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and association, on September 9, 2016, drawing his “attention to continuing harassment and intimidation of the #BringBackOurGirls (BBOG) group by the Nigerian authorities, and the impermissible restrictions on the rights of members to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly.”

SERAP executive director, Adetokunbo Mumuni, who disclosed the development said: “SERAP has been in

communication with Marion Mondain, Consultant Equality, Non-Discrimination and Participation Unit, UN Special Procedures Branch (SPB), who confirmed the Special Rapporteur’s interest in the matter and asked for additional information.”

According to Mumuni,

“SERAP has worked closely with the BBOG leaders to provide the Office of the Special Rapporteur with the information requested.

We are very grateful for the interest shown by the Special Rapporteur in taking action in this matter, as we believe the right to freedom of peaceful assembly and

protest is so fundamental that it cannot and should never be denied under any pretext whatsoever.”

“The consideration of the matter by the Special Rapporteur is indeed timely, as the BBOG marks later this week, the 900th day of the Chibok girls in Boko Haram’s captivity.”

Poorly managed soil resources, bane of food security —Don

By Rukayat Odewale A fellow of the Soil Science Society of Nigeria, Professor Ayoade Ogunkunle, has identified poor quality, highly degraded and poorly managed soil resources as major problems affecting food security in Nigeria.

He made this statement while speaking on “Management of Nigeria’s soil resources: an imperative for sustainable development,” at the University of Ibadan, on Tuesday.

Ogunkunle emphasised the need for more informa-

tion on the characteristics of the soils, avoidance of activities that lead to soil degradation and encouragement of practices that enhance organic matter conservation in the top soil.

The don said soil must not be taken for granted in any meaningful agricultural policy, adding that “Adoption of improved crop verities is important, agronomic production can neither be improved nor sustained unless soil quality is restored and maintained,” he said.

He called for the adoption of appropriate sustainable

management and conservation of the nation’s agricultural soil resources to achieve food security for sustainable development in the country.

Ogunkunle, who is also a former consultant to Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), said “the importance of soil resources in agricultural (food) production had been trivialised in Nigeria over the years. There has not been serious attention given to soil problems. Yields of most of Nigerian arable crops are very low compared with their potentials.”

33

edopolls

Wednesday, 28 September, 2016

Journalists face accreditation challenge

L

ESS than 24 hours to Wednesday’s gubernatorial election in Edo, many journalists who had arrived the state for coverage of the exercise were yet to be accredited by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that many of the journalists besieged the commission’s headquarters in the state, at Ikpoba Hill, as early as 7 a.m., on Tuesday and had remained unattended to by the officials.

After several hours of waiting and struggling to see the possibility of going through with the accreditation, most of them were referred to the state’s council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) for identification before they would be accredited.

Mrs Prisillia Sule, the

commission’s Assistant Director of Voter Education and Publicity in the state, explained that it was necessary for the NUJ to identify the journalists to ensure that the right per-

sons were accredited.

According to Sule, “only the state council of the NUJ can identify the authentic journalists before we can accredit them.

She, however, expressed

AHEAD of today’s gubernatorial election in Edo, sensitive and non-sensitive materials for the poll arrived in INEC office in Auchi, Etsako West Local Government Area of the state, on Tuesday.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Electoral Officer (EO) in the area was seen sorting the voting materials, while political parties’ representatives in the area were on ground to monitor the process.

The ad hoc staff, including members of the National Youth Service Corp (NYSC), was present to

nel had arrived in the state, adding that they comprised 15,000 armed and unarmed officers and additional 250 “special squad drawn from the specialised units of the corps.

Madu said the specialised units included Special Weapon and Tactics (SWAT), Kernel, Counter Terrorism and Undercover.

He said the officers would work in synergy

NAWOJ boss urges women, youths to exercise franchise Abiodun Jimoh-Benin City

AS the governorship election holds today across the 18 local government councils in the state, women and youths of voting age have been urged to turn out en-mass to exercise their franchise at the election.

This plea was made in a statement made available to newsmen on Tuesday, by the Chairman, Nigeria Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ), Edo State chapter, Comrade Flora Bossey where she remarked that voter’s apathy would not allow democracy to thrive and as such, all citizens must join hands to make the election a successful one.

Furthermore, Comrade Bossey appealed to security agents to carry out their duties professionally in order to ensure a peaceful, credible, free and fair election, while urging them to protect all those on essential duties during the process, most especially women, who were not equipped

The Chairman of NUJ in the state, Mr Roland Osakue, confirmed the development and assured that all eligible journalists would be accredited.

He said that already, no

fewer than 400 newsmen in the state for the election had been accredited to cover the exercise, explaining that the journalists went through the union for the process.

Sensitive, non-sensitive materials arrive Auchi INEC office check for their postings for the exercise.

Also, hundreds of the law enforcement agents were present at the Edo North Police Area Com-

to protect themselves.

She, however, commended the authorities of Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for considering the welfare of the physically challenged person in the election process.

mand, waiting for their deployment.

NAN reports that members of Nigerian Security and Defence Corps (NSDC) were also waiting

RESIDENTS of Benin have embarked on last-minute shopping ahead of today’s governorship election in the state.

A correspondent of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), who visited Ediekel Market, New Benin Market and IkpobaHill Market, said there was

with other security agencies to ensure a free, fair and credible election.

Madu said that five commandants of the corps from commands in neighbouring states had been deployed to coordinate the operations of the personnel during the polls.

He warned those planning to disrupt the electoral process to stay away from the state.

According to him, “Edo is a peaceful state and I appeal to the people to ensure that they sustain the peaceful atmosphere before, during and after the election.

“Edo is well known for peace; every state of the federation always look unto the state because of its peaceful nature, and that is what we are here to maintain.”

large turnout of customers who thronged the markets to make purchases because of the restriction of movement on the election day.

One of the residents, Mrs Omosefe Odigie, said: “I am shopping because of the election period, as markets would not open today.”

“That is exactly why we are here; we are preaching peace and appealing to everybody, especially the politicians and their loyalists, to help us sustain this peace.

“This election is not about anybody and it is not worth the soul of anybody.

We must all work for the success of the poll.

“For us as a security agency, we are not politicians; we are here to ensure free, fair and credible governorship election,” he said.

Madu said the corps had identified likely flash points across the state and had taken proactive measures to nip any planned disruption in the bud.

He said that the officers would be visible in all the 2,627 polling units and 192 wards across the state during the poll.

Catholic body tasks stakeholders on peaceful election Banji Aluko-Benin City

A Catholic organisation, Justice Development and Peace Caritas Initiatives (JDPCI), has solicited the cooperation and collaboration of all stakeholders towards a proactive peace accord initiative for the Edo State governorship election.

Executive director of the body, Reverend Father Fidelis Arhedo, in a statement, said the peace accord would help a great deal to reshape people’s thinking and values for the state.

The clergyman urged every citizen of the state,

for their deployment.

The NSDC Commander in the area, Mr Peter Onah, said 700 officers and men of the corps had been deployed to the six council

areas of the zone to ensure peaceful election.

He assured the people of the senatorial district of adequate security during and after the election.

Benin residents embark on last-minute shopping

NSCDC deploys 15,250 personnel THE Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) said it had deployed 15, 250 personnel to Edo for the governorship election in the state on Wednesday.

The acting Deputy Commandant-General (Operations of the corps), Mr Hillary Madu, made this known at a news conference on Tuesday, in Benin.

He said that the person-

the commission’s readiness to conduct the election, adding that all the sensitive materials for the poll had arrived at the 18 local government areas of the state.

irrespective of political affiliations, to uphold the dignity of human sanctity and rights that promote peace.

He called on all to work towards a peaceful, free, fair and conclusive Edo State governorship election.

“We are afraid today because of the aftermath of the recent elections held in Rivers, Beyelsa and Imo states that were declared inconclusive amidst violence that characterised these elections not to be peaceful, free and fair.

“We must desist from using thugs during election

to steal ballot papers and boxes as well as the disappearance of vital documents from polling centres,” he said.

He advocated for community surveillance throughout the state that will guarantee peaceful environment for the election.

He similarly called for building of the capacity of stakeholders in the state for critical consciousness, collective assertiveness for their mandate, and also to build their synergy in more proactive measures that will help to eliminate manipulation in the electoral process.

Mr Charles Ogbeide, said he was shopping “because I do not want to take chances as the markets would remain shut during the election period.”

On his part, Mr Sylvester Odia, said he came out to recharge his cell phone to enable him to make calls to be informed about happenings during the polls.

NAN reports that the state government had declared Tuesday and Wednesday public holidays to enable civil servants to travel to where they registered and partici-

pate in the election.

The state Secretariat located on Sapele Road and the Federal Secretariat on Ikpoba-Hill were all empty as the civil servants observed the holiday.

However, banks, filing stations, motor parks and other corporate offices opened for business as their workers were exempted from the public holiday.

Private concerns, including the banks, which were exempted from the holidays, carried on with their normal businesses.

... Engage in beer parlour debate MANY holidaying residents of Edo have turned beer palours and restaurants into political debate centres ahead of Wednesday’s governorship election in the state, the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports.

The state government had declared Tuesday and Wednesday public holiday to enable civil servants to travel to the centres where they registered to participate in the poll.

NAN Correspondent reports that many of the residents are holding the discussion at beer palours and eateries around the National Independent Electoral Commission (INEC) of-

fice, on Ikpoba hill and the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) Press Centre, GRA, Benin.

They are debating the credibility or otherwise of the governorship candidates and the achievements and failures of their respective political parties.

Some of them, Mr Peter Isi and Obakpolor Jude, said the holiday had given the opportunity to discuss ideas that might help them to make informed choices during the election.

The owners of these centres told NAN that they had been recording huge sales since the holiday started.

Workers observe public holiday PUBLIC offices in Edo were shut on Tuesday, as workers observed the twoday public holiday declared by the state government ahead of Wednesday’s governorship election in the state.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that the government, on Saturday, declared Tuesday and Wednesday as holidays to enable workers in the state to travel to areas where they registered as voters during election.

The Federal Secretariat on Ikpoba Hill and the state Secretariat on Sapele Road and other public offices, including schools and the courts, in Benin were locked.

NAN, however, observed that health services were being rendered at the state Central Hospital, Benin, but some departments such as administrative and dentistry were closed.

Public and private schools across the state also observed the public holiday.

34

news

Wednesday, 28 September, 2016

Nasarawa Assembly threatens LG chairmen over constitutional breach Godwin Agwam-Lafia

N

a s a r a w a House House of Assembly has issued a 24- hour ultimatum to the chairmen of 11 Local Government Interim Management Committee (IMC), to assign portfolios to its members as stipulated in the constitution or risk sack.

The Assembly, had, on July 22, screened and confirmed 146 out of 147 IMC members of local government IMC, including their various chairmen, but the various IMC chairmen have refused to delegate responsibilities to their members.

CHANGE OF NAME

The deputy speaker of the House, Godiya Akwashiki, who was the presiding officer, announced the resolution of the house after the chairman, House committee on Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Saidu Galadima, submitted a report of non-assignment of portfolios to members of the IMC from 11 local government areas of the state.

“No government agency or parastatal has the right to disregard our laws, failure to comply, would be interpreted as insolence and insubordination and shall attract the necessary reprimand.”

CONFIRMATION OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Odetayo Modupeoluwa Oluwaseyi now OLUWOLE M O D U P E O L U WA OLUWASEYI. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Saidu Basira Ahmadu and Saidu Bola Zakari now ZAKARI BASIRA SAIDU. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Miss Abiodun Oyindamola Tosin now MRS OYEBADE OYINDAMOLA TOSIN. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME I, formerly Miss Eweje Mary Oluwatoyin now MRS BABALOLA MARY OLUWATOYIN. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME I, formerly Miss Baruwa Sekinat Adebisi now MRS AFOLABI SEKINAT ADEBISI. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME I, formerly Ogunyemi Abigail Bosede now ADEBUSUYI ABIGAIL BOSEDE. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Festus Ifeoluwa Jessica now NDUBUOKWU GLORIA IFEOLUWA. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

I, Elejofi Titus Olanrewaju am the same person bearing Elejofi Titus Omokehinde. Now, I wish to be known and addressed as ELEJOFI TITUS OLANREWAJU. All documents bearing these names remain valid.

GTBank Plc, First Bank of Nigeria Plc and general public take note.

I, Oladimeji Bimpe Olubosede am the same person bearing Oladimeji Bimpe Adeosun O. Now, I wish to be known and addressed as OLADIMEJI BIMPE OLUBOSEDE. All documents bearing these names remain valid. Skye Bank Plc and general public take note.

I, formerly Akinwale Folake Omolayo and Folakemi Mary Akinwale now MRS AKINWALE MARY AFOLAKE. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

I, formerly Miss Adebambo Oluwabunmi Idowu now MRS DOMINIC OLUWABUNMI IDOWU. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

I, formerly Ayodeji Comfort Woleola now F OLORU N S AG BA COMFORT WOLEOLA. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

I, formerly Miss Osonuga Sunday Moradeun Oluwaseun now MRS ONAFUWA MORADEUN OLUWASEUN. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

I, formerly Miss Sakirat Omolara Muibudeen now MRS SAKIRAT OMOLARA MUSTAPHA. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

I, formerly Miss Taiwo Olabimpe Modinat now MRS HAMMED OLABIMPE MODINAT. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

I, formerly Miss Ganiyu Rashidat Bukola now MRS ODETOLA RASHIDAT BUKOLA. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

I, formerly Adedeji Tolulope Dolapo now ABIODUN TOLULOPE DOLAPO. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CONFIRMATION OF NAME

CONFIRMATION OF NAME

I, Adekunle Lukman Adetunji am the same person bearing Adekunle Sunday. Henceforth, I wish to be known and addressed as ADEKUNLE LUKMAN ADETUNJI. All documents bearing these names remain valid. General public take note.

I, Haastrup Akinlolu Temitope Tumininu am the same person bearing Temitope Akinlolu Haastrup.

Henceforth, I wish to be known and addressed as HAASTRUP AKINLOLU TEMITOPE TUMININU. All documents bearing these names remain valid. Skye Bank Plc and General public take note.

CONFIRMATION OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME I, formerly Idowu Suliat Adebisi now ADELEYE SULIAT ADEBISI. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Miss Erinle Bukola Oluwayemisi now MRS BALOGUN BUKOLA OLUWAYEMISI. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Miss Oputa Chinyenum Elizabeth now MRS ABURU CHINYENUM ELIZABETH. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME I, formerly Mrs Aninoya Romoke Adeola now MRS AMUSA ROMOKE ADEOLA. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Adeneye Roseline Adeyeye and Adeyeye Adeneye Roseline Ademoju now ADEYEYE ROSELINE ADEMOJU. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

CONFIRMATION OF NAME

I, Adamu Sani am the same person bearing Mohammed Sanni. Now, I wish to be known and addressed as ADAMU SANI. All documents bearing these names remain valid.

General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME I, formerly Okegbenro Abigail Bosede now OLANREWAJU ABIGAIL BOSEDE. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Miss Stephy Avwoghoke Ighodjhowota now MRS STEPHANIE AV W O G H O K E O G H E N E ISIAKPERE. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Olanrewaju Adeolu now OLANREWAJU ADEOLU BENJAMIN. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Miss Akinbohun Olubunmi Olajumoke now MRS LAWRENCEAKINTOYE OLUBUNMI OLAJUMOKE. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Miss Tiamiyu Elizabeth Folasade now MRS NKWOR ELIZABETH FOLASADE. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME I, formerly Ossai Benedicta now OSSAI CHARITY IFEOMA. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

CONFIRMATION OF NAME I, Shittu Olamide Joseph am the same person bearing Shittu Yusuf Joseph. Henceforth, I wish to be known and addressed as SHITTU OLAMIDE JOSEPH. All documents bearing these names remain valid.

Banks and general public take note.

CORRECTION OF NAME

I am the bearer of Akinruli Idowu Adekolurejo and also Akinruli Idowu Adeoye. Any documents that bear either of the names belong to me.

CHANGE OF NAME I, formerly Adawa Fatai now OLALERE FATAI AJADI. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME I, formerly Ale Busola Sarah now KALEV BUSOLA SARAH. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CONFIRMATION OF NAME

I, Prince Oyedun Yinka am the same person bearing Oyedun Olayinka O. Henceforth, I wish to be known and addressed as OYEDUN OLAYINKA OLUWATOBI. All documents bearing these names remain valid.

GTBank Plc, First Bank of Nigeria Plc and General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Miss Aniboro Oghenefejiro Augustina now MRS OZERO O G H E N E F E J I R O AUGUSTINA. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

I, Miss Idowu-Akinleye Victoria Taiwo am the same person as Miss Idowu Victoria Taiwo.

Henceforth, I wish to known and addressed as MRS OLAOPA VICTORIA TAIWO. All documents bearing these names remain valid.

General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Miss Johnson Omowumi Abidemi now MRS AKINRINOLA OMOWUMI ABIDEMI. All former documents remain valid. Oyo State Ministry of Education, Ibadan and general public take note.

I, formerly Olorunfemi Ayodele Emmanuel now OLORUNFEMI MAMELLO EMMANUEL. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

I, formerly Victory Ajeriogene Enedubiojo Oviemuno now GLADYS AJIRIOGENE ENEDUBIOJO OVIEMUNO. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

I, formerly Miss Moradeke Adenike Fadekemi Olateju now MRS FADEKEMI MARY JONES ADELEYE. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

I, Adewale Toheeb Oluwatimilehin am the same person bearing Adewale Toheeb Timilehin.

Henceforth, I wish to be known and addressed as ADEWALE TOHEEB OLUWATIMILEHIN. All documents bearing these names remain valid. Skye Bank Plc and general public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Miss Ayinla Oluwayemisi Olasumbo now MRS ALAMU OLUWAYEMISI OLASUMBO. All former documents remain valid. UBA Plc and general public take note.

I, formerly Mr Ojeyinka Micheal Olajire now MR OJEYINKA MICHEAL BISI. All former documents remain valid. First Bank of Nigeria Plc, Okeho and general public take note.

I, formerly Miss Ajayi Oluwatoyin Seun now MRS ADEYEMI OLUWATOYIN SEUN. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME I, formerly Miss Omobola Ajike Idowu now MRS OMOBOLA AJIKE SOLANKE. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

CONFIRMATION OF NAME

CONFIRMATION OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME I, formerly Miss Adeniran Oluyomi Adesola now MRS OYENIRAN OLUYOMI ADESOLA. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME I, formerly Miss Chikaodihi Amaka Ekme and Mrs Chika Amsy Charles now PASTOR (MRS) CHIKAMSO AMSY WILLIAMS OBIHAKABA for the reasons of marriage and who is now the Founder & Presiding Pastor of Dynamic Family in Christ Ministry a.k.a Champions City. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Bell Temilola Sabastian Falola now AKINBOLA FALOLA SABASTIAN. All former documents remain valid. First Bank of Nigeria Plc, UBA Plc and general public take note.

35 CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Miss Olukokun Idayat Motunrayo now MRS BILIAMINU IDAYAT MOTUNRAYO. All former documents remain valid.

TESCOM and general public take note.

DECLARATION OF MARRIAGE/ CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Adeleye Folake Adeola now MRS MODUPEOLA FOLAKE ADEOLA. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Alhaja Ayisat Olamilekan now ALHAJA AISHAT OLAMILEKAN. All former documents remain valid. Banks and general public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME I, formerly Ogedegbe Airia Jacob now AKHIDENOR AIRIA JACOB JARO. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

Wednesday, 28 September, 2016 CHANGE OF NAME I, formerly Asiata Tajudeen (Mrs) now MRS OLANIYI ASIATA. All former documents remain valid.

Wema Bank Plc and general public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME I, formerly Adarale James Abiwonu now ADARALE JAMES JIMOH. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Miss Adeyinka Oluwabunmi Moyinoluwa now MRS AYENI OLUWABUNMI MOYINOLUWA. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

CORRECTION OF NAME I hereby declared that my correct names are Anuniru Chukwuebuka Vincent and not Anuniru Vincent C. Now wish to be known as ANUNIRU CHUKWUEBUKA VINCENT. All documents bearing these names remain valid.

General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Miss Olushola Peju Ayodele now MRS FAGBEMIGUN OLUSHOLA PEJU. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

I, formerly Miss Alli Odunayo Folashade now MRS SHOYEBO ODUNAYO FOLASHADE. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

I, formerly Gbenga Adeosun now OGUNGBADE MUSILIU ADEREMI. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

I hereby declared that my correct names are Audu Olaoluwayemi Lydia and not Oyebamiji Opeyemi. Now, I wish to be known as AUDU OLAOLUWAYEMI LYDIA and my corect date of birth is 02-10-1994. All documents bearing these names remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME I, formerly Miss Tijani Afusat now MRS AHMED HAFSAT. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME I, formerly Mrs Bayode Jumoke Bekky now MRS FADARE REBECA JUMOKE. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Babarinde Adebola Oyetoke now IGE TESTIMONY ADEBOLA. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Usman Tolulope Azeezat now RALPH TOLULOPE OLUWASEKEMI. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

DECLARATION OF NAME

I, Mr Alli Sikiru Babatunde was born in Ilesa, Osun State of Nigeria on the 3rd of December, 1964. Yale Food Ltd, Crusader Pension, Zenith Bank Plc and General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Oluwafemi Yemi Bose now ELUGBADE OLUWAYEMI BOSE. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Okunola Suraju Ojo now OKUNOLA SURAJU YUSUFF. All former documents remain valid.

GTBank Plc and general public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Tayelolu Tunde Akorede now OTARAKI OLUWASEUN MORENIKEJI. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

CORRECTION OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Isiaka Kamaldeen now OGUNTADE KAMALDEEN ISIAKA. All former documents remain valid. Oyo State and general public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME I, formerly Abraham Augustina Banke now AMUNE AUGUSTINA BANKE. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME I, formerly Miss Ogundola Busola Grace now MRS KOMOLAFE BUSOLA GRACE. All former documents remain valid.

LAUTECH Teaching Hospital, Ogbomoso and general public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Miss Margaret Olatokunbo Alexandra Nylander now MRS MARGARET OLATOKUNBO ALEXANDRA ASHIRU. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME I, formerly Miss Igboama Ogechi Judith now MRS SOYEMI OGECHI JUDITH. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Miss Thomas Grace Udoro now MISS THOMAS UDORO ENOBONG. All former documents remain valid.

Guaranty Trust Bank Plc, Fidelity Bank Plc and general public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME I, formerly Mrs Agbalaje Eunice Ifejola now ADEYEMI EUNICE IFEJOLA. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

CONFIRMATION OF NAME I, Kehinde Taiwo Mujidat am the same person bearing Adeniran Taiwo Mujidat. Now, I want to be known and addressed as ADENIRAN TAIWO MUJIDAT. All documents bearing these names remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME I, formerly Quadri Bolanle Sadat now KADIRI YAYA BOLA SADIAT. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Miss Osuolale Idiat Oluwakemi now MRS DA R A MOL A- O SU OL A L E IDIAT OLUWAKEMI. All former documents remain valid. NYSC and general public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Miss Braimoh Omobolanle Risikat now MRS BRAIMOH OMOBOLANLE AGBEKE. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

I, formerly Miss Awoyemi Tolani Oluwakemi now MRS OGUNLEYE TOLANI OLUWAKEMI ESTHER . All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

I, Onaolapo Folorunsho was formerly Folorunsho Abiodun Ibrahim now ONAOLAPO FOLORUNSHO. All former documents bearing my former names remain valid. United Bank of Africa and general public take note.

I, formerly Babalola Elizabeth Oluwatoyin now OLANREWAJU ELIZABETH OLUWATOYIN. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Mrs Abodunrin Rebecca Abiodun now MS AWOTUNDE REBECCA ABIODUN. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

I, formerly Miss Ogunderu Oluwasolamipe Fehintola now MRS ARIBIKE O L U WA S O L A M I P E FEHINTOLA. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

CONFIRMATION OF NAME I, Karimot Ajayi am the same person bearing Yemi Olawuyi.

Now, I wish to be known and addressed as OLAWUYI YEMI. All documents bearing these names remain valid. General public take note.

I, formerly Adedayo Aminat Adekemi now MRS OLALEKAN AMINAT ADEKEMI. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME I, formerly Oladipupo Adeola now AZEEZ ADEOLA. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly M r s Fausat Adebola Badmus now MRS FAUSAT ADEBOLA BAKARE. All former documents remain valid.

Ministry of Health and general public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Aluko, Temitayo Oluwayemi Ebunoluwa now MRS KOLAWOLE, TEMITAYO OLUWAYEMI EBUNOLUWA. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Miss Afolarin Olayinka Yetunde now MRS AREMU ROSEMARY OLAYINKA YETUNDE. All former documents remain valid.

Oyo State TESCOM and general public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Oladunjoye Debo Joshua now OLADUNJOYE ADEBOWALE JOSHUA. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Dina Oluwatomisin Samuel now DINA OLUWATOBI SAMUEL. All former documents remain valid. First Bank of Nigeria Plc, and general public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME I, formerly Wasiu Olabisi Daniel now AKPONOME DANIEL. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Baruwa Olabisi Amidat now OLADIPUPO OLABISI AMIDAT. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME I, formerly Miss Akinlade Kudirat Opeyemi now MRS ADEBAYO KUDIRAT OPEYEMI. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME I, formerly Are Omowunmi Aminat now ASUNI OMOWUNMI AMINAT. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME I, formerly Kehinde Kolawole now ADISA SHERIFAT. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME I, formerly Miss Dada Fadekemi Susan now MRS AWOYERIJU FADEKEMI SUSAN. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Miss Akintunde ‘Bukola Adetooke now MRS OYEKOLA ‘BUKOLA ADETOOKE. All former documents remain valid. Embassy, Immigration and general public take note.

I, formerly Ogunkoya Folorunso Dayo now OGUNKOYA FOLORUNSO DAVID. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Miss Lasisi Abibatu Ayoola now MRS SANDA ABIBATU AYOOLA. All former documents remain valid. Oyo State TESCOM and general public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Adegbite Dunni Elizabeth now OLAYIWOLA ELIZABETH ADEDUNNI. All former documents remain valid. First Bank of Nigeria Plc, GTBank Plc and general public take note.

CONFIRMATION OF NAME

I, Ogunsola Olayinka Oluyinka Julius am the same person bearing Ogunsola Olayinka. Now, I wish to be known and addressed as OGUNSOLA OLAYINKA. All documents bearing these names remain valid. General public take note.

I, formerly Miss Aworinde Bosede now MRS ADEKUNLE ELIZABETH BOSEDE. All former documents remain valid.

Oyo State Local Government Civil Service Commission and general public take note.

CONFIRMATION OF NAME I, Aliakwe Kadiri Emmanuel am the same person bearing Kadiri Idris Emmanuel.

Now, I wish to be known and addressed as ALIAKWE KADIRI EMMANUEL All documents bearing these names remain valid.

General public take note.

THIS BOX IS FOR SALE

I, formerly Miss Ishola Omobola Olubusola now MRS ADEPEGBA OMOBOLA OLUBUSOLA. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

I, formerly Miss Yekeen Hazzan Titi Morufat now MRS AKINKUNMI AKINWUMI TITI MORUFAT OYINDAMOLA. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME I, formerly Miss Adedapo Victoria Adeola now MRS ODEKUNLE ADEOLA VICTORIA. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME I, formerly Salau Mariam Bolanle now AZEEZ MARIAM ADEYINKA. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME I, formerly Aderonmu Sanya Adebayo now ADERONMU ORITSEJOLOMISAN ADEBAYO. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME I, formerly Miss Raimot Aroyewun now MRS RACHEAL OLUBUNMI. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME I, formerly Chukwuebuka Emmanuel now CHIJIOKE CHUKWUEBUKA EMMANUEL. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Miss Alao Ganiyat Olabisi now MRS OLASUPO GANIYAT OLABISI. All former documents remain valid. NYSC and general public take note.

This is to inform the general public that my name is Oniwaye Alex Adeyemi and not Eniwaye Alex Adeyemi as being referred to.

I therefore wish to be addressed as ONIWAYE ALEX ADEYEMI. All former documents remain valid.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Miss Adeniyi Esther Motunrayo now MRS IBRAHIM ZEENAT MOTUNRAYO. All former documents remain valid.

Authority concerned and general public take note.

CONFIRMATION OF NAME I, Rabiu Ayodele am the same person bearing Rabiu Kafayat Agbeke. Now, I wish to be known and addressed as RABIU KAFAYAT AGBEKE. All documents bearing these names remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME I, formerly M i s s Ijaghare Yetunde Ayomipo now MRS ADEKOLA YETUNDE AYOMIPO. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Mr Adegbola Yakub Akanni now MR ADEGBOLA YAKUB AKINOSUN. All former documents remain valid.

First Bank of Nigeria Plc, Okeho and general public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Miss Oguntomi Yemisi Hannah now MRS AYENI YEMISI HANNAH. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME I, formerly Abidemi Tiamiyu now ABIDEMI ABIODUN BELLO. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Mr Babatunde Akinlolu now OLATUNDE MATHEW AKINLOLU. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

I, formerly Miss Titilayo Roseline Sanni now MRS OMOTOLA ABOLARINWA. All former documents remain valid. Diamond Bank Plc, First Bank Plc and general public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME/ CONFIRMATION OF NAME

I, formerly Boyejo Oluwatoyin Margaret, am the same person as Bolarinwa Oluwatoyin Margaret. Also, I was wrongly referred to as Bolarin Oluwatoyin Marga on my Voter Card. Henceforth, I wish to be known and addressed as BOLARINWA OLUWATOYIN MARGARET. All documents bearing these names remain valid. Guaranty Trust Bank Plc and general public take note.

CONFIRMATION OF NAME

I, Edwin Ruth Ifeadiogor am the same person bearing EDWIN RUTH. All documents bearing these names remain valid. General public take note.

I, formerly Miss Susan Obehinor Osomobegbe now MRS SUSAN OBEHINOR IKECHUKWU OBIEFUNA. All former documents remain valid. First Bank Plc and general public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Miss Borisada Monisola Janet now MRS BAMIKIYA MONISOLA JANET. All former documents remain valid. Rufus Giwa Polytechnic, Owo and general public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Iyiola Florence now IYIOLA FLORENCE OLUWAFUNKE. All former documents remain valid.

Diamond Bank Plc and general public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME I, formerly Miss Albert Margret Bosede now MRS OTITOLAIYE MARGRET BOSEDE. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Miss Oladejo Khadijat Abidemi now MRS OLADEJO KHADIJAT POPOOLA. All former documents remain valid.

LAUTECH, NYSC, Oyo State Government and general public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly Omemaibekwe Cecilia Macdina now OMEMAIBEKWE CECILIA CHIKA. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CONFIRMATION OF NAME I, Wahab Abiola am the same person bearing Olabiyi Wahabi and Olabiyi Wahabu. Now, I want to be known and addressed as OLABIYI WAHABI ABIOLA. All documents bearing these names remain valid. General public take note.

news FG expresses commitment to SDGs

36

Yinka Oladoyinbo - Lokoja

T

he Federal Government, on Tuesday, expressed its commitment to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), noting that such required a lot of new investment.

The Senior Special Assistant to the President on SDGs, Mrs Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire, said this in Lokoja, the Kogi State capital, at the 2016 international conference of the School of Management Studies of the Kogi State Polytechnic, tagged “Sustainable Development Goals: A new direction for global development.”

She said achieving the 17 goals of the SDGs by 2030, would involve huge investments in new infrastructure, water, energy, transport, education, health and other critical areas. who Orelope-Adefulire, spoke through a director in the organisation, Yahaya Hamza, said the office of the senior special assistant to the President on SDGs, had since commenced a number of activities to kick -start the implementation of SDGs in Nigeria.

Special Adviser to the Kogi State governor on SDGs, Ahmed Okara, however, said the state government might declare emergency in the education sector to be able to achieve the education aspect of the goal.

He lamented the appalling state of schools in some parts of the state, adding that there was a lot of infrastructural decay in the system.

Okara said that some

schools in the state had no classrooms as their pupils were being tutored under the tree or on bare floor.

He, however, said the state was ready to work with other levels of government and agencies to fa-

cilitate the achievement of the SDGs. Delivering the lead paper for the conference, a professor of sociology from the University of Jos, Etannibi Alemika, said the achievement of the goals might be

Wednesday, 28 September, 2016

constrained by many challenges in the country.

He listed the challenges to include bad governance, weak institutions, wide spread and entrenched corruption and impunity, crime, conflicts and vio-

From left, Reverend Benard Ekeke; Oyo State District Superintendent of Assemblies of God Nigeria, Reverend (Dr) James Edivri; Executive Director, African Christian Medical Mission International, USA, in Nigeria, Deacon Afini and the District Superintendent of Police, Yemetu, Ibadan, Mr Ajao Adewale, during a free medical service organised by the Assemblies of God Church, Oyo District, in partnership with the African Christian Medical Mission International, USA, in Ibadan, recently.

Court begins trial in forgery suit against Saraki, Ekweremadu, others today Sunday Ejike-Abuja A High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (fct), sitting in Jabi, Abuja, will today commence trial in the two-count charge of forgery against Senate President, Bukola Saraki; his deputy, Ike Ekweremadu immediate past clerk of the National Assembly, Alhaji Salisu Abubakar Maikasuwa and the acting clerk, Benedict Efeturi.

The trial judge, Justice Yusuf Halilu had, at a sitting on the matter before the court’s annual vacation, slated today to commence the trial of the leadership of the Senate over alleged forgery.

The Senate President and his deputy were on June 27, 2016 arraigned with the other defendants by the Federal Government for allegedly forging the Sen-

ate Standing Rules used on June 9, 2015 to conduct the election that brought Saraki and Ekweremadu as Senate President and Deputy Senate President respectively.

The defendants had pleaded not guilty to the two counts charges and the court fixed a date to commence trial.

Defendants’ counsel, Ikechukwu Ezechukwu for Maikasuwa, Mahmud

Military/communities’ clash: Audio tape contradicts military account of operation Adelowo Oladipo - Minna An audio tape that recorded the conversation between an injured soldier and the police on the reason behind the operation in some communities in Bosso Local Government Area, Niger State, recently, has contradicted the military account at the ongoing siting of the Judicial Commission of Inquiry, inaugurated by the Niger State government to look into the immediate and remote causes of the crisis.

The General Officer Commanding (GOC) of the 31 Field Artillery, Brigade, Nigerian Army, Minna, Major-General Tajudeen Olanrewaju Jimoh, had, in his testimony last week, said that the information that the villagers stockpiled arm and ammunition was received at one of the security meetings held at the Government House, Minna.

lence.

Alemika noted that effective implementation of the agenda and realisation of the goals and targets within the specified period, would depend on how the critical challenges are addressed.

But the audio tape tendered by the member representing Bosso constituency in the state House of Assembly, Honourable Abdulmalik Madaki Bosso, played at the sitting, on Monday, claimed that the information on arm which led to the military operation, was provided by a Fulani man.

The recording was an interview of one of the soldiers identified as PTE Samuel Viwaponu of the 31 Artillery Brigade, Minna, who was injured during the operation and rescued by the police at Maikukele divisional headquarters, under the Niger State Police Command.

The non-commissioned officer, Private Samuel, also claimed in the audio statement that 35 soldiers were sent on the operation, adding that they were led by a captain while debunking the evidence of the Nigerian Army that 59 soldiers were sent for the operation.

Also testifying before the commission on Monday, the Divisional Crime Officer(DCO) of the police station, ASP Emmanual

Otompa, confirmed that the police picked Private Samuel from the scene of the incident to the police station

Magaji for Efeturi, Paul Erokoro for Saraki and Joseph Daudu for Ekweremadu, had moved application for the bail of their clients after pleading not guilty to the charges.

Justice Halilu had, after taking arguments from counsel in the matter on the bail application, granted bail to all the defendants with two sureties each.

He said that the essence of bail was for the defendants, who are presumed innocent by law, to ensure their attendance in court throughout the trial and that the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) 2015, also lends support for bail for any Nigerian accused of bailable offences as in the case of Saraki, Ekweremadu and others arraigned before him.

Recession offers opportunity to develop tourism, other sectors —Ambode Bola Badmus - Lagos

Lagos State governor, Mr Akinwunmi Ambode, on Tuesday, said the stark realities of the current economic recession could be a blessing if concerted efforts are geared toward harnessing other critical sectors such as tourism, apart from the major focus on oil.

Governor Ambode said this at the National Tourism Conference held at Eko Atlantic City (EAC) in commemoration of the World Tourism Day. According to Governor Ambode, the current economic situation offers an

opportunity for the country to re-order economic priorities and develop other revenue generating channels.

He said the conference, which was organised by the Federal Ministry of Information, Culture and Tourism, was a necessary and strategic decision that would enhance the prospects of diversifying the revenue generation channels of the country for the development and growth of national economy.

Governor Ambode, who was represented by his deputy, Dr Idiat Oluranti Adebule, said there were components states blessed

with natural tourism sites ,which could be developed to harness opportunities that would generate wealth and create jobs for the people.

The Minister of Information, Culture and Tourism, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, on the occasion, commended former governors of Lagos State, including Senator Bola Tinubu, Mr Babatunde Fashola, and the incumbent, Governor Ambode, for the vision to commence and continue the EAC project, which had the capacity to accommodate 450,000 residents and 300,000 commuters upon completion.

Assemblies of God, African Medical Mission give free health treatment As part of efforts to ensure qualitative and affordable healthcare delivery service in respect of its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) to the people, Assemblies of God Nigeria, Oyo District, in partnership with African Christian Medical Mission International, United States of America, held a two-day free medial service at Yemetu Police Station, Ibadan, Oyo State, recently.

At the event, people enjoyed free examination and treatment of all categories of ailment, including body and eye surgery. Some beneficiaries were given glasses for sight and reading, prescriptions, as well as drugs.

The Oyo District Superintendent of Assemblies of God Nigeria, Reverend James Edivri, said it was part of social service to humanity. “Doctors and nurses attended to about 600 patients, while eye glasses, mosquito nets, drugs among others, were given out to people,” he said.

He added that Assemblies of God Church, Oyo District had been involved in humanitarian service over the years and many have been blessed through it. “It is one of the ways to minister to people about the love of Jesus,” he pointed out.

Kwara gov kicks off N3.7bn underpass project Biola Azeez - Ilorin Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed of Kwara State has kicked off construction of a N3.7 billion Geri-Alimi Split Diamond Underpass in Ilorin, as part of efforts to decongest traffic in the state capital.

Governor Ahmed, at the inauguration in Ilorin, on Tuesday, said the project, to be funded through the newly launched Kwara State Infrastructure Development Fund (IFK), was expected to be completed within an 18month timeline.

According to the governor, the underpass, when completed, would not only ease flow of traffic but add aesthetic value to the GeriAlimi axis of the metropolis.

Governor Ahmed assured the people of the metropolis that alternative roads would be provided to ease “the momentary inconvenience that the project may cause to road users, adding that property owners that may be affected by the project, would be compensated in line with relevant laws.

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Wednesday, 28 September, 2016

foreig naffairs with seyi gesinde

08116954632 foreignnewseditor@gmail.com

Trump blasts debate moderator, Lester Holt

Donald Trump

Hilary Clinton

DONALD Trump has accused the moderator in the first United States presidential debate, Lester Holt, of being tougher on him than on Hillary Clinton.

According to BBC, the Republican also complained about his microphone crackling and being at a lower level than his opponent’s.

After an often bitter exchange, Mr Trump said he “might hit her harder” in the next televised debate.

US presidential debate: Clinton, Trump clash

over race, economy, foreign policy

U

NITED States presidential candidates, Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump, have gone head-to-head over the issue of race, the economy and foreign policy in their first televised debate in the run-up to November 8 election.

Clinton accused her Republican rival of racism, sexism and tax avoidance, while Trump, a businessman making his first run for public office, repeatedly cast his opponent as a career politician and demanded that she should account for her time in government.

Monday’s televised face-off was the most anticipated moment in the election campaign, with both sides expecting a record-setting audience for

the showdown at Hofstra University in New York.

In one of the more heated exchanges, the two candidates attacked each other for the controversy Trump stoked for years over whether President Barack Obama was born in the US. Obama, who was born in Hawaii, released a long form birth certificate in 2011 to put the issue to rest. Only earlier this month did Trump say publicly that he believed Obama was born in the US. “He (Trump) has really started his political activity based on this racist lie that our first black president was not an American citizen. There was absolutely no evidence for it. But he persisted. He persisted year after year,” Clinton said.

Trump repeated his false

accusation that Clinton’s failed 2008 presidential campaign against Obama had initiated the so-called “birther” issue.

“Nobody was pressing it, nobody was caring much about it ... I was the one that got him to produce the birth certificate and I think I did a good job,” Trump said.

The Republican also backed the controversial “stop-and-frisk policing” tactic as a way to bring down crime, while the Democrat said the policy was unconstitutional and ineffective.

The stakes were high as the candidates headed into the debate tied in most national polls before the November 8 election.

The centrepiece of Trump’s case against Clinton, a former senator and secretary of state, was

that she was a “typical” politician who has squandered opportunities to address the domestic and international issues she is now pledging to tackle as president.

“She’s got experience,” he said, “but it’s bad experience.”

When the debate moved to international

affairs, Trump, who has faced accusations that he has a weak grasp of policy, accused his rival of sowing chaos in the Middle East during her tenure as secretary of state.

“It’s a total mess, under your direction, to a large extent,” the Republican said.

•Trump takes the bait TRUMP is the self-proclaimed counterpuncher, but it was Clinton whose restraint was on display: She waited for Trump to create an opening before she pounced.

She let moderator Lester Holt grill Trump about his refusal to release tax returns before delivering her own withering assessment of his insistence that a “routine

audit” be completed first.

created babies that have DNA from three people - that breakthrough began in the late 1990s - but it is an entirely new and significant method.

Three person babies Mitochondria are tiny compartments inside nearly every cell of the body that convert food into usable energy.

Some women carry genetic defects in mitochondria and they can pass these on to their children. In the case of the Jordanian family, it was a disorder called Leigh Syndrome that would have proved fatal to any baby conceived.

Scientists have devised a number of ways to circumvent this problem.

The US team, who travelled to Mexico to carry out the procedure because there are no laws there that prohibit it, used a method that repairs the mitochondria in the mother’s egg

Lester Holt

Takeaways from first 2016 presidential debate •Trump’s pitch to bluecollar voters The CNN said Trump’s brightest spots came early in the debate, when he invoked Clinton’s 2012 praise of the Trans-Pacific Partnership as the “gold standard” of trade deals. (Clinton now opposes the deal.)

“You were totally in favour of it,” Trump said. “Then

World’s first ‘three-parent’ baby born THE world’s first baby has been born using a new “three person” fertility technique.

New Scientist, on Tuesday revealed that the five-month-old boy has the usual DNA from his mum and dad, plus a tiny bit of genetic code from a donor.

United States doctors took the unprecedented step to ensure the baby boy would be free of a genetic condition that his Jordanian mother carries in her genes.

According to BBC, experts said the move heralds a new era in medicine and could help other families with rare genetic conditions.

But they warn that rigorous checks of this new and controversial technology, called mitochondrial donation, are needed.

It’s not the first time scientists have

Overnight polls with small samples were split on who won, but more rigorous surveys are due in the coming days.

Although Mr Trump told reporters immediately after the debate that Lester Holt had done a good job, he accused him of a leftleaning performance the next morning.

“He didn’t ask her about the emails, he didn’t ask her about the scandals, he didn’t ask her about the Benghazi deal. He didn’t ask her about a lot of things he should have asked her about. Why? I don’t know,” he told the US news programme Fox and Friends.

before fertilising it in the lab with the father’s sperm.

Their technique uses a healthy donor egg to provide healthy mitochondria.

The result is a baby with 0.1%

of their DNA from the donor (mitochondrial DNA) and all the genetic code for things like hair and eye colour from the mother and father.

you heard what I was saying, how bad it is, and you said, ‘I can’t win that debate.’”

It was part of a theme he worked hard to drive in the debate’s early stages: Clinton, he said, has been in Washington for nearly 30 years, and has done little to improve economic conditions for Americans.

•They really don’t like each other... ...And it shows. With two debates to go, this is going to get nastier.

A preview of what’s in store came at the end, when Clinton attacking Trump’s treatment of women called him “a man who has called women pigs, slobs and dogs.”

She said he’d referred to a Latina beauty contestant as “Miss Piggy. Then he called her Miss Housekeeping.”

An agitated Trump twice asked, “Where did you find this?”

The woman, 1996 Miss Universe Alicia Machado of Venezuela, told The New York Times and “Inside Edition” this year that Trump repeatedly mocked her weight.

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communitynews

Wednesday, 28 September, 2016

Flood looms in Kogi communities, as water level rises to 9.2 centimetre

P

EOPLE residing along the banks of Rivers Niger and Benue in Lokoja are now gripped with fear of the

possibility of flood as the water level in both rivers rose to 9.2 centimetre.

A statement issued on Monday in Lokoja by the

Kogi State Ministry of Environment, confirmed that the water level in both rivers was close to 9.9 centimetres, the level they were in 2012 when

flooding occurred which led to the 2012 flood disaster.

“With this development, flooding is very likely in some communities along

A flooded road at Kuchiyakwo community in Kuje Area council of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, on Monday. PHOTO: NAN

Rivers Niger and Benue and their tributaries,” the statement, signed by Ms Dorathy Onoja, Public Relations Officer of the ministry, said.

It advised residents living along river plains to immediately relocate to higher grounds for safety of their lives and property.

A correspondent of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), who visited some communities on the bank of River Niger, reported that the river might overflow its bank anytime from now.

NAN observed that some of the apprehensive residents were already packing their personal effects in case of any eventuality.

NAN recalled that the 2012 flood ravaged 43 communities in nine local government areas of the state.

No less than 33 persons lost their lives while properties, including houses, livestock and farms worth billions of naira were destroyed in the disaster.

Ekiti tailors to receive N10m revolving loan sam nwaoko-ado-ekiti TAILORS across the various communities in Ekiti State will soon benefit from a N10 million facility the Ekiti State government has made available to them to support their businesses.

The state governor, Mr. Ayodele Fayose, made this known on Monday while addressing them and other artisans at an interactive session in Ikere-Ekiti.

According to the governor, the revolving loan is to aid the growth of their businesses and, thereby, boost the private sector economy of the state.

He said: “It is a way of sensitising the tailors and other artisans to do the needful at this period. It is also a way of encouraging them to keep

their businesses. These are tailors, key stakeholders among artisans in the state and if they are unemployed, it will be a burden on the government.

“So, government has to fashion a way to encourage them and enhance their businesses. This is why we have given them N10million revolving loan. This will enable them to improve on whatever little thing they are doing. Unemployment as it is in Nigeria is becoming a threat to our collective existence as a people.”

He said he was in the community to meet with the tailors to sensitise, mobilise and keep them on track to make their businesses sustainable.

Fayose said the present

economic recession called for concerted efforts of all citizens to bail the country out of the quagmire, adding that the best way to address the situation is to tackle job insecurity among Nigerians.

“This government will work harder to protect your jobs. We have to keep you going and that is why we are partnering with you with

this revolving loan and I appeal to you to make good use of it,” Fayose pleaded.

He also announced that he would be meeting Ekiti indigenes within ages 17 and 20 to discuss what the future holds for the state.

“Youths are the future leaders of this country and there is need for them to interact with leaders of today on what the future holds

ernment Area, through Aleshinloye to the Recreation Club in Adamasingba area of the state.

The governor’s wife urged people not to live in denial or feign ignorance of cancer’s existence as it was a reality. ” The best way to avert the consistent and continued pattern of cancer claiming lives is early detection through check-up such as mammogram, sonogram and pap smear,’’ she said.

Ajimobi said although everyone would die, some deaths could be averted by paying closer attention to

A non-government organisation, Total Family Health Initiative (TOFHI), has called on government at all levels and Nigerians to support health organisations to ensure the physical and mental well-being of citizens.

The Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Adebukola Olujide, made the appeal while speaking with the Nigerian Tribune on the organisation’s effort at ensuring good health for all citizens, despite the present economic recession in the country.

She said government’s support for health organisations was critical at this point in time.

The Chief Executive Officer said the organisation had embarked on series of health awareness campaigns, on how to prevent diseases and maintain good health, maintaining that citizens can only be productive and be useful to themselves and their societies when they are healthy.

She disclosed that TOFHI is focusing on rural areas having realised that most rural swellers lack access to qualify healthcare.

She added that her establishment had impacted on many lives as people with chronic conditions like hypertension, diabetes, heart disease, got better under TOFHI management. She stated that TOFHI does not take the place of government and private hospitals but complements their efforts to achieve qualitative healthcare delivery at low cost.

Ambode should remember us, grandmother of hole in the heart girl Bola Badmus - Lagos ALHAJA Afolake Ogunnoiki, grandmother of the child with hole in the heart, Oluwajomiloju, on Tuesday pleaded with Lagos State governor,

Mr Akinwunmi Ambode, to further assist in funding the final surgical operation of the little girl taking place in India next August.

The 50-year-old woman, a petty trader, made the appeal

Pay attention to your health, Oyo gov’s wife urges residents THE wife of Oyo State governor, Mrs Florence Ajimobi, on Tuesday, urged residents of the state to pay attention to their health to ensure their well-being.

She spoke in Ibadan during a walk organised by the Access to Basic (medical) Care Foundation to create awareness on cancer.

The walk was part of activities to commemorate the third year anniversary of the foundation, which was founded by the governor’s wife.

Participants walked from the ABC Clinic in Ibadan South-East Local Gov-

for them. We must work on their moral values to prepare their minds and emotion for the future.”

The tailors, who in their hundreds had attended the meeting held at the Community Viewing Centre in Afao-Ikere, thanked the governor for his support and charged him to further assist them as they try to build their secretariat.

Health organisations want govt’s support

one’s health.

“Early detection increases the chances of survival and preserves many more lives,’’ she said.

A medical doctor with the foundation, Tobi Lawrence, also reiterated that early detection was vital in tackling cancer.

He explained that cancer is a canker that affects both men and women and could be manifest in the brain, breast, prostate, cervix or skin, among others.

Lawrence urged the people not to take any unhealthy feeling as insignificant, but to make sure they

get adequate diagnosis and care.

According to him, many people trivialise the condition and generalise all medical conditions to be malaria and apply self medication.

“To attain optimum health, check-up must be done at regular intervals based on an individual’s age,” he said.

The Chief Operating Officer of the foundation, Mrs Dolapo Oyedipe, called on the public to exploit the opportunity of the free medical check-up provided by the group.

while speaking with newsmen at Alausa, even as she recalled the traumatic experience she had gone through since the mother of the two-year-old child passed on during childbirth and the child developed hole in the heart thereafter.

Oluwajomiloju was delivered on January 1, 2015 at Island Maternity Hospital, Lagos at 12:01 am as the First Baby of the Year and moments after, her mother passed on, due to complications and the fact that doctors were on strike then.

Her mother, Sherifat Ogundimu, a chartered accountant and First Class graduate from the University of Lagos (UNILAG), had spent five months in hospital, three of which was sent in Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH).

According to Ogunnoiki, all efforts to save the little Oluwajomiloju were to no avail until Governor Ambode came to office on May 29, 2015, recalling that 48hours after Governor Ambode assumed office, he ordered that

the child be sent to India for surgery.

“I thank God and I thank Governor Ambode who helped me. We were in India, where we were referred to for an operation. Before we could go for the second operation, the child (Oluwajomiloju) was not doing like in the past. If she ate, she would vomit. I spent all I had on various medical tests.

“I discovered that she was not growing and developing normally. After one year, I was praying fervently to God not to allow our father, Governor Ambode to forget us.

Then I received a call that we were going to India for an operation, it was like I won a bet because I had nobody except God,” she said.

Alhaja Ogunnoiki, who said the final round of the operation was due for next year, has, however, appealed to Governor Ambode not to abandon her and the child, urging the governor to see Oluwajomiloju as his own child, who God in His wisdom had only given to her to nurse.

39 tribunesport

Wednesday, 28 September, 2016 Editor: Wale Emosu tribunesporteditor@yahoo.com 08111813054

Dikko: Why LMC bailed out Women’s League SECOND vice-president of the Nigeria Foootball Federation (NFF) and Chairman, League Management Company (LMC), Mallam Shehu Dikko has explained to thenff. com that the N10 million bailout handed to the Nigeria Women Football League was part of a solidarity payment that other Leagues have benefitted from in the recent past.

Last week, the LMC came to the rescue of the Nigeria Women Football League with the sum of N10 million, for the NWFL to successfully prosecute the second round of the season.

A number of Clubs had ran foul of the provisions of the NWFL regulations, failing to honour three matches, and were subsequently thrown out of the League. However, with the lifeline from the LMC, the NWFL has been able to restore all the expelled Clubs back to the League and reschedule their matches. The NWFL is now in a position to pay indemnities of match officials, taking the responsibility off host teams. The matches resumed at the weekend.

“The N10 million is part of solidarity payment from LMC to other Leagues in line with international best practices, to ensure the stability and development of lower Leagues.

Toure (left)

Rangers’ keeper, Bonsu ready to dump Ghana for cash RANGERS goalkeeper, Nana Bonsu has said he is ready to dump Ghana and play for another country who will pay him.

Bonsu, 27, represented his native country at U-17 level in 2006, but he has yet to be capped at full international level by the Black Stars.

“I have previously represented Ghana. If they called me up again, I will go, but if they don’t, I stay at my club,” Bonsu told AfricanFootball.com “And if I got an offer to play for another country, I will go.

“If your country didn’t call you and another country called you, I will go.

“It’s to do with money and I will give the money to my mother and father.”

Last year, Bonsu won the league with Ashanti Gold and he is now just 90 minutes away from doing same in Nigeria with Rangers.

“We thank almighty God, it has not been easy,” he said.

The Ghanaian has lately established himself as Rangers first choice, but he has insisted it has been team work with his rivals who include Nigeria Olympic goalkeeper, Emmanuel Daniel and Akor Itodo.

“All the goalkeepers are one. I am playing for my other brothers, we are one. When we will be crowned champions, it will not be because of Bonsu or Daniel. It is the whole team,” he maintained.

Ghana FA boss mandates Grant to win 2017 AFCON VICE president of Ghana Football Association, George Afriyie says coach Avram Grant has been mandated to win the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) with the Black Stars.

The Israeli manager took Ghana to the runners-up spot at the 2015 Nations Cup in Equatorial Guinea and Afriyie, who is also the chairman of the Black Stars’ management team, wants them to go one step further in Gabon next year.

“He should go and bring the cup, do well was two years ago but for 2017 is go and bring the cup or go and win the cup, we have passed the times of do well,” Afriyie told Kumasibased Angel FM, as quoted by GHANASoccernet.

Ghana has not won the Nations Cup since 1982. The Black Stars confidence. It will be the fans and in recent years lost to Egypt in the players that suffer if FIFA do not 2010 final and Ivory Coast in the last edition in 2015. get this right.”

Toure slams FIFA

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ANCHESTER City midfielder, Yaya Toure on Tuesday expressed deep disappointment over FIFA’s decision to disband its anti-racism task force, saying it “makes no sense”.

The FIFA Task Force Against Racism and Discrimination, founded in 2013, was discontinued on Sunday, with the world governing body explaining it had achieved its stated objectives.

Toure was a consultant to the task force and he cited fears about the risk of racism at the 2018 World Cup in Russia as a reason for FIFA to remain vigilant.

“When I received the letter telling me the FIFA task force was to be discontinued I was very disappointed,” the Ivorian midfielder

said in a statement on his personal website.

“The letter listed the good work that had been carried out as a result of the task force’s advice and recommendations.

“So my question is, after failing to deal with racism sufficiently for decades – why stop when something is beginning to work?

Are FIFA being complacent ahead of a World Cup in Russia?

This makes no sense.”

He added: “The task force brought together the expertise of campaigners, football administrators and players. It was a resource that gave FIFA the expertise they clearly did not have before.

“My only hope is that FIFA have thought this through. The letter I received does not fill me with

Fresh FM, Oyo SWAN clash in friendly

By Nurudeen Alimi THE Oyo State chapter of the Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN) and Fresh FM, Ibadan will today clash in a friendly match billed for 4pm.

The match, which is part of the activities to celebrate the first anniversary of the Fresh FM radio station is scheduled to hold at the Lead City University Sports Complex, Ibadan.

According to the vice chairman of Oyo SWAN, Akeem Abas, the ‘pen pushers’are in high spirits and would showcase the best of football before spectators today.

“We are poised to score as many goals as possible and win the match

convincingly. It is a friendly but we have to prove superiority that we are not just reporting the game, we are involved in it as well practically,” he said.

Also speaking to Tribunesport, Head, Corporate Affairs and Promotions, Fresh FM, David Ajiboye, said that though the match is a not a competitive one, Fresh FM team will leave no stone unturned to emerge victorious.

“We are playing at home and we are sure of 100 per cent home support to win, coupled with our preparation for the match. Everybody is set for the match and we believe we are well prepared to win,” Ajiboye said.

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ERRATIC owner of Leyton Orient FC of England, Francesco Becchetti, sacked his team’s coach, Andy Hessenthaler after 16 games in charge.

Having hired and fired seven coaches within two years, is it not expedient for Becchetti, instead of coaching from the VIP box on every match day, to coach his team as well, after all, no coach has met his set standard so far?

Flamingoes land in Jordan for World Cup THE delegation of Nigeria’s U-17 women national team, Flamingoes, flew into Jordan on Tuesday morning aboard an Emirates Airline flight from Dubai. The contingent had flown out of Abuja aboard another Emirates Airline flight on Monday night.

The 32–member delegation comprising 21 players, nine officials, NFF Assistant Technical Director, Abdulrafiu Yusuf and the Head of Women Football, Ruth David, were on board the same Emirates Airline flight from Dubai with Group C opponents, Korea Democratic People’s Republic. The airplane landed at the Queen Alia International Airport, Amman, at 9.25am Jordan time, on Tuesday.

The Nigeria delegation was received by Head of Chancery, Nigerian Embassy, Abdulhamid Aminu and Ernest Orogun, the Communications Officer, as well as members of the Local Organizing Committee of the 5th FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup. The players and officials later left for Le Royal Hotels and Resorts, Amman, where they are lodged.

The Flamingoes will resume training today. The three–time quarter finalists will play their opener against Brazil on Nigeria’s Independence Day (1st October) by 4pm Jordan time (2pm Nigeria), before games against England and Korea DPR at the Amman International Stadium. It is worthy of note that only 22 seconds were on the clock at New Zealand 2008 when Nigeria’s Soo Adekwagh scored not only the fastest goal in the history of the FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup, but in any FIFA women’s competition.

Uche Agbo (left) in La Liga action.

Agbo replaces Balogun for Zambia battle

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UPER Eagles’ Technical Adviser, Gernot Rohr has replaced injured defender Leon Balogun with Uche Henry Agbo for next month’s 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifier away to Zambia’s Chipolopolo in Ndola.

FSV Mainz 05 of Germany centre back Balogun, who shone in the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Tanzania in Uyo earlier this month was named in Nigeria’s 23–man roster for the big match before copping an injury.

Granada FC of Spain’s Agbo has already been contacted by Rohr and his invitation letter sent by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF). He will join the other players who are expected to start arriving at the Bolton White Hotel and Apartments, Abuja, on

Sunday.

Balogun had on Monday expressed sadness at his latest injury which will sideline him for a couple of matches.

He got injured in his side’s match against Bayer Leverkusen on Saturday and had to be replaced.

In a Twitter post on Mon-

day, the Super Eagles player wrote: “Not delighted about my injury at all!”

But he was quick to add that it “It’s part of the game though,” adding, on his Twitter handle, @LeonBalogun, that he will be back shortly. “Good thing about it, I’ll be back real soon.”

AFCON 2017: Gabon, Cote d’Ivoire, Ghana, Algeria named top seeds HOST Gabon, holders Cote d’Ivoire, Ghana and Algeria have emerged top seeds for the draw of the final tournament of the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) Gabon

Federation Cup: Crown, FC IfeanyiUbah jostle for final ticket Niyi Alebiosu, in Kaduna PROMOTION-CHASING Crown FC of Ogbomoso have two big games within a few days as they confront NPFL side FC IfeanyiUbah in the first semi final of the 2016 men’s Federation Cup competition today.

Giant–killers Crown turned back NPFL title– chasing Enugu Rangers among other big conquests on their way to the last four and would fear no foe when

the whistle sounds for hostilities to commence at the Ahmadu Bello Stadium, Kaduna.

On its part, the Anambra Warriors are also chasing a continental ticket, hoping to fly Nigeria’s flag in either the CAF Champions League or CAF Confederation Cup next year. They are currently third on the NPFL table and have a final game away to MFM FC in Lagos on Sunday.

Crown are also away in their final match of the season, to Bendel Insurance of Benin, and will be hoping to gain confidence from their semi final battle ahead of the match in Benin City on Saturday.

The second semi final of the men’s Federation Cup will be held at the Lekan Salami Stadium, Ibadan, on Sunday, October 9 between Enyimba FC and Nasarawa United.

2017.

The quartet will make up Pot 1 for the draw to be held on Wednesday, October 19 in Libreville.

The seedings were approved by the Organising Committee of the AFCON at its meeting on Monday at the CAF headquarters in Cairo, Egypt, after taking into account the performances of the qualified teams during the AFCON final tournaments (2012, 2013, 2015); AFCON qualifiers (2013, 2015, 2017); FIFA World Cup (2014) and FIFA World Cup qualifiers (2014) competitions.

The formula adopted for each of the AFCON final tournament was eight points for the winner, six for the runner-up, four for semi-

finalists, three for quarter-finalists, two for the third team in the group and one for the fourth team in the group.

Based on the above, the following four pots were established: Pot 1: Gabon, Cote d’Ivoire, Ghana, Algeria.

Pot 2: Tunisia, Mali, Burkina Faso, DR Congo.

Pot 3: Cameroon, Senegal, Morocco, Egypt.

Pot 4: Togo, Uganda, Zimbabwe, Guinea Bissau.

For the draw, host Gabon automatically goes to A1 and holders Cote d’Ivoire in C1. A draw will be done for Ghana and Algeria for the positions of either B1 or D1.

The final tournament will hold from January 14 to February 5, 2017.

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. 28/09/2016.