April 26th edition

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The Oracle SEPTEMBER 2, 2016

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Today Today

www.oraclenews.ng

WEDNESDAY APRIL 26, 2017

ISSN: 2545-5869

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VOL.2 No. 18. N200

Ezeibe petitions Senate to investigate his HIV/AIDS cure claim

• Says his invention is divine revelation • Ekweremadu refers petition to Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions

From BONIFACE OKORO, Umuahia

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OLLOWING the apparent refusal of Nigeria’s health authorities to interface with him, Prof. Maduike Ezibe, who early this year disclosed that he has invented a cure for HIV/AIDS, has asked the Senate to investigate his claim with a view to finally resolving the controversy surrounding the announcement of his invention.

Ezeibe, a professor of Veterinary Medicine and Clinical Virology at the Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike, Umudike, lamented that if nothing is done by the federal government to assist him in completing the clinical trial process of his invention, “the country stands to lose benefits that should come from such a great invention.”

In a seven-page petition, dated March 6, 2017and addressed to the President of the Senate Senator Olubukola Saraki and submitted to the Senate on March 21, Ezeibe described his invention as “divine revelation,”

Catholic Archbishop of Onitsha, His Grace Most Rev. Dr. Valerian Okeke, receiving a gift from Arewa Ambassadors Congress of Nigeria as •Continued on Page 2 “The Philanthropist of Our Time” when the Archbishop celebrated Mass at Onitsha Prison on Easter Sunday. Photo: MODESTUS IGUDOBI.

Biafra: Nnadi, Okorie disagree on how to achieve nascent republic • Igbo presidency won’t solve problem –Nnadi •Political participation is path to self-determination –Okorie From COLLINS UGHALAA, Owerri

Tony Nnadi, and Chairman of the United Progressives Party (UPP), Chief Chekwas Okories ECRETARY of the Lower have disagreed on the approNiger Congress (LNC), priate modus operandi to be ada pro-Biafra group, Barr opted towards achieving inde-

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pendence for the nascent state of Biafra.

While the two agree on the imperative of carving an independent state of Biafra out Nigeria, they disagree on whether that

should be done through participation in Nigeria’s political processes or not.

Left for Nnadi, all those with•Continued on Page 2

We’re setting new standards with model schools –Abia Commissioner

–Page 30

$43m: Money not for any covert operation –NIA top official –Page 3

Oseloka Obaze, literary critic and former SSG Anambra State, speaks to The Oracle Today in a no-holds-barred interview ... next week

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The Oracle Today Wednesday April 26, 2017

NEWS

Ezeibe writes Saraki, asks Senate to investigate his HIV/AIDS cure claim Continued from Pg 1 which must not be killed.

He, therefore, urged the apex chamber of the National Assembly to step in and investigate his claim so that the country could move into the second phase of the processes leading to the conclusion of clinical trials and final commercialisation of the medicine.

The professor had earlier on told The Oracle Today that he would need more than N3 billion to carry out the concluding part of his over 20-year research, which includes “studying interactions between the MSAMS and other medicines, effects of types of food and social habits of patients on outcome of treatment with the medicine,” as well as “if repeating the treatment in a day could reduce duration of the treatment, before cure.”

He said that a percentage of the over 3 million HIV/AIDS patients in the country should be treated with the MSAMS-immune stimulants regimen and the outcomes compared with those of patients on ordinary ARVs. The researcher took his case to the Senate apparently having been ignored by the Federal Min-

istry of Health, which was yet to contact him since he disclosed his invention in February, with a view to verifying his claim of inventing the Medicinal Synthetic Aluminum-Magnesium Silicate (MSAMS) medicine for curing of HIV/AIDS. Ezeibe, who is the Head of Department of the Department of Veterinary Medicine, Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike, in a chat with The Oracle Today, sounded optimistic that his trip to the Senate would yield positive dividends, adding that he was anxiously waiting for the outcome of its investigation.

Apart from demanding verification of his claim, the researcher also urged the Senate to persuade the Federal Government to partner him in completing the clinical trials of his drug, especially in securing international patency for the medicine and subsequently commercialising it, saying it would help to “improve Nigeria’s image and economy.”

The petition titled: “Save the Nigerian Antiretroviral Medicine,” reads in part: “For some time now, I have been hearing from the media that the Federal Ministry of Health is investigating my inven-

Dr. Maduike Ezeibe

tion (HIV/AIDS cure).

“The reports have it that a similar claim from University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan is also being investigated. Sir, the ministry has not contacted me to ask questions about the invention.

“On 9th February, 2017, I went to the National Agency for Control of AIDS (NACA) and Nigerian Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), to explain the invention and to seek their collaboration but both agencies did not receive me.

“I submitted a written explanation of processes of drug development already complet-

ed and what we can jointly do, to further confirm efficacy and safety of the medicine but so far they have not responded.

“If nothing is done, the country may lose benefits that should come from such a great divine revelation (the invention).

“I, therefore, appeal to the Senate of Federal Republic of Nigeria to investigate the claim.

The upper legislative chamber is also implored to recommend to the government to partner with the inventor to complete clinical trial of the Medicinal Synthetic Aluminum-magnesium Silicate (Antivirt®) so that we can se-

cure international patency for it and commercialize it.”

He stressed that “Confirming that MSAMS cures HIV/AIDS will make Nigeria a donor and exporter of Anti-Retroviral drugs rather than being a receiver and importer.”

The don included an outline on how he came about the HIV/ AIDS cure, saying it would help the Senate to arrive at its decisions.

It would be recalled that Senator Theodore Orji, representing Abia Central, on March 22, 2017, laid the petition before the Senate, saying that the professor’s attempts to get Ministry of Health’s cooperation on his discovery failed.

The Senator said that Ezeibe’s petition to the senate was to ask the Red Chamber to look into the case to find out whether he had done anything wrong by painstakingly working to help find solution to a dreaded ailment.

The Deputy President of the Senate, Ike Ekweremadu, who presided at plenary, asked Orji to lay the petition before the Senate and subsequently referred it to the Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions, giving it four weeks deadline to report back.

Biafra: Nnadi, Okorie disagree on how to achieve nascent republic Continued from Pg 1 in the territories of Biafra should henceforth boycott all political processes in the country, including the 2019 general elections on the grounds that “the 1999 constitution of Nigeria has become obsolete.”

He argued that even if the whole of Nigeria agrees to make an Igbo man the President of the country, such development would still not solve the problem.

But, Okorie, a veteran of party politics, contended that “a political solution” is a better option.

He pointed out that not following the political route would spell crisis and bloodshed in the country, especially in Igbo land, stressing that Ndigbo do not want a repeat of the 1967-1970 war where millions of people died in the struggle for Biafra.

He inveighed against LNC’s idea of dismantling the 1999 Constitution and the boycotting the 2019 general elections, warning that any attempt to truncate the 1999 constitution could attract violent reactions.

He, therefore, urged Ndigbo to work towards effective par-

ticipation in all political processes in the country so they could be in command positions from which to push for the independence of Biafra.

Both spoke at a recent interactive session among Igbo leaders in Owerri last week.

According to Mr. Nnadi, Secretary General of the Lower Niger Congress (LNC), the rejection of the 2019 general election should begin in 2017 with the memorandum he said the LNC is organizing, saying the rejection of the election would mean “a practical demonstration of the Igbo rejection of that evil Apartheid-like Constitution 1999.”

He added that the rejection of the election in 2017 “will be a far more potent contribution to the Igbo self-redemption action by any political party, especially the UPP that now hoists itself up as the Igbo self-determination party, than the will-o-the-wisp sugar-candy-mountain tale of the 2019 Igbo Presidency gambit.”

Nnadi observed that “for the Eastern Nigeria Self-determination Collective, there are only two camps to the whole Igbo redemption debate and therefore

divide.”

These are (I): “Those who consciously or unconsciously, knowingly or unknowingly prefer and promote on to the status quo by clinging tenaciously to the obnoxious 1999 Constitution, which condemns Ndigbo to an unmitigated slave status and Alaigbo to a conquered territory.

“In this status quo camp are all those who by virtue of the public office they currently hold, have sworn to defend and uphold the atrocious 1999 Constitution.

“In this status quo camp also are all political party promoters, proprietors and adherents no matter the party colours, name, ideological bent, manifesto content, etc, who as at now are willing to contest for power at any national elections (state or federal), under that obnoxious 1999 Constitution especially in 2019, at a time all Igbo patriots are working very hard to oust that instrument of Igbo enslavement, since any winners from such future elections (2019) would of necessity have to swear to defend and uphold that Constitution of 1999.”

He continued: “The second and only other camp on the Igbo self-redemption divide are those who having identified the prevailing obnoxious 1999 Constitution and all it wrought, as the source of the Igbo misery in Nigeria, are taking steps to seeks its ouster by any and every means including abstinence from participation in and halting any preparation towards, any further national elections under that Constitution.”

Accordingly, he called on the Igbo to stand up and declare unanimously in 2017 that they would participate in the 2019 general election as a way of rejecting the 1999 constitution.

But, in his own reaction, the UPP National Chairman, Chief Okorie declared: “We will continue to break the message down to easily appreciable narrative.

The dimension goes beyond an Igbo President of Nigeria. Winning is desirable but using the flag bearer to reach out to our people across the country to arouse their consciousness even for the purpose of restructuring and referendum is even more expedient. The level of apathy among Ndigbo is deeper than most people can imagine.”

He added: “I definitely do not feel differently about the 1999 Nigerian Constitution. The only point of departure I can discern is the method to address it. I remain of the opinion that a new set of legislators elected by deliberate effort, who are committed to the new collective agenda is the fastest and most pragmatic way to go about it.

“That is if non-violence is the only option. There are several ethnic nationalities and political blocs that feel the way we feel. The only place these forces will coalesce is the National Assembly. Similarly, compliant State Assemblies in the required number will be critical to the success of the restructuring and new constitution project.”

“This national project must be made a major campaign issue for the purpose of mass mobilization and sensitization of the citizens who will make it possible. If there are better and quicker ways to accomplish the task you are very passionate about, please I will request you to share them with some of us who are curious,” he surmised.

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The Oracle Today, Wednesday April 26, 2017

NEWS $43m find: NIA top official says no covert operation going on From TITUS AGBO, Abuja

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HE storm over the sum of N13 billion found in a luxury apartment in Ikoyi, Lagos, is yet to settle as a top official of the elite intelligence outfit, the National Intelligence Agency (NIA), has debunked the claim by the agency’s Director-General, Mr Ayodele Oke, that the money belongs to NIA. The top official, who spoke to The Oracle Today on condition of anonymity, alleged that the money was part of the controversial arms procurement funds which were said to have been “diverted” and for which Colonel Sambo Dasuki (Rtd), former National Security Adviser (NSA) and several others are standing trial.

The NIA top shot declared that contrary to the DG’s claim that the money was meant convert operations, the money involved was traditionally too much to be kept in the agency’s safe, let alone a private residence.

“When we have any covert operation that will require such

Ekiti man seeks divorce over wife’s refusal to cook

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farmer, Ebenezer Alegbeleye, has asked an Ikole Ekiti Magistrates’ Court to dissolve his 15-yearold marriage to his wife, Modupe, over her refusal to cook for him.

The plaintiff told the court that he had been cooking his food for some time now without any assistance from his wife.

“I will return from the farm, peel the yam, pound it and fetch drinking water myself, while my wife watches me do all that without assisting me,’’ he said.

He said he could not continue to stay under the same roof with the respondent, urging the court to separate the union.

Alegbeleye told the court that he attempted divorcing his wife three years ago only to halt the move due to the intervention of family members. The respondent, however, denied the allegation against her.

She told the court that her husband had prevented her from cooking for him after a misunderstanding some two months ago, adding that she was still interested in the union.

The president of the three-man panel, Mrs Yemisi Ojo, ruled that the plaintiff should allow for an amicable settlement on the grounds that the respondent was still committed to the union and had shown remorse. She told the estranged couple to go back home to seek for an amicable settlement, saying the plaintiff should monitor the wife to ascertain if she had changed.

The case was adjourned till May 15 for report of settlement or continuation of hearing.

huge amount of money, it will be kept in our Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) account to be drawn in tranches,” he said, adding that: “At my level, there is no covert operation the agency will be involved in that I will not know of. It’s all a cover-up and Nigerians should not be fooled about this.”

The embattled Director-Gen-

eral was said to have attained retirement age about two years ago, but was granted a waiver and given tenure elongation.

“Now his exit has become inevitable if President Buhari is serious about anti-corruption crusade. It’s also time for him to effect a shake up within his kitchen cabinet,” the NIA chieftain further opined.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commissions (EFCC) had last week stormed a luxury apartment on Oborne Road Ikoyi, Lagos State, where it uncovered $43.4million, £27,000 and N23million at House 6 apartment 7B after an alert by a whistleblower.

Since then, controversy has trailed the discovery of the

fund.

While some said it belonged to former People’s Democratic Party (PDP) Chairman, former Aviation Minister Femi Fani Kayode and the Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike accused Governor Rotimi Amaechi of being the owner, just as the NIA came forward to claim it was meant for its covert operation.

Kaduna Assembly endorses compulsory medical tests before marriage aduna State House of Assembly K on Thursday adopted the report of its Committee on Health in

GM ( North Central Region) Engr. Noah Sanya, GM ( Projects) Engr. Adejare Abiola, DGM( Corporate Affairs) Mrs. Faith Hope- Ivbaze, DGM( Project) Yemi Ayeleso, DGM ( Civil & Buildings) Engr. Mustafa Nuhu, on inspection of the brand new runway at Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja.

Mohammed, Okorodudu win big at New African Woman Awards 2017

By VICTOR NZE Nigeria’s Minister of EnFmed,ormer vironment, Amina J. Mohamand Joan Okorodudu as well

as Gambia’s Fatoumatta JallowTambajan, the Minister of Women Affairs and Overseer - Vice President’s Office, were among the major winners at the just-concluded African Woman Awards 2017.

Jallow-Tambajan bagged the New African Woman of Year, while Mohammed took home the New African Woman in Politics and Public Office.

Held at a glitzy Gala Dinner at the Terrou-Bi hotel in the Senegalese capital Dakar on 12 April and the Awards, now in their second edition, recognise, celebrate and honour African women who have made exceptional impact and change in their countries or communities in the past 12 months.

Nigeria’s Mohammed, now the new United Nations Deputy Secretary , took home the New African Woman in Politics and Public Office. Prior to her new post, she served as Minister of Environment. But she has played key roles in both the current Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), on how both agen-

das impact Africa – more so its women.

Winners have been selected by a special panel of judges from 68 shortlisted candidates across 12 categories. The Award for Women in Health, Science and Technology went to Namibia’s Dr Helena Ndume – a pioneering ophthalmologist and cataract surgeon, who has to date, performed over 35,000 sight-restoring surgeries on Namibians, completely free of charge.

Morocco saw serial entrepreneur Salwa Idrissi Akhannouch, take home the New African woman Award in Business. Zimbabwean philathropists and educationist Tsitsi Masiyiwa, received the New African Woman Award in Education for her work with Higherlife Foundation – a not for profit organisation she runs and offers scholarships to orphaned and vulnerable children to give them a better chance in education. Over 250,000 children have benefited from the work of Higherlife Foundation.

The much-talked about New African Woman on the Rise (The Next Generation) – a category which received the most nominations - went to the Kenyan girls rights activist and UN Women youth advisor Vivian Onano.

The New African Woman in Civil Society was given to Chief Theresa Kachindamoto, who annulled over 300 child marriages in her village in Malawi, a feat that played an important role in forcing the government to ban child marriages in the country all together.

Other winners were Nigeria’s Joan Okorodudu (New African Woman In The Arts & Culture) for her services to raising the profile of African models and fashion; Mali’s Binta Touré Ndoye (New African Woman – in Finance); Amira Yahyaoui of Tunisia (New African Woman in Media) and the former African Union Commissioner Agriculture and Rural Development Tumusiime Rhoda Peace from Uganda, is the New African Woman in Agriculture for pushing the importance of food security and adding value chain to African goods while she was at the AU. The New African Woman in Sport went to the Senegal’s Fatma Samoura - the world football body’s Secretary General – a position she was appointed to in 2016, becoming the first African woman to hold the post.

The New African Woman Awards is followed by a Forum on 13 April, under the theme Changing The Game.

respect of the bill seeking for compulsory free medical test before marriage.

The assembly, at its sitting presided over by the Speaker, Aminu Shagali, adopted all the recommendations of the committee and fixed May 11, 2017 for third reading of the Bill.

Earlier, Chairman of the committee, Dr Isaac Zainkhai, while presenting the report, said the main aim was to enable intending couples know their health status and compatability before marriage.

“It is to guide the people and provide legal framework to actualize their aspirations,” he said.

The committee recommended that medical results of the intending couples must be kept confidential and only handed over to the person conducting the marriage in the presence of witnesses.

It also provided that the medical test be conducted three months before wedding, and repeated two weeks before the solemnization of the marriage contract.

The report also provided N200, 000 fine on defaulters.

Schools to resume April 18 in Lagos State

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agos State Ministry of Education, has announced that public and private primary and secondary schools operating in the state would resume on April 18.

Deputy Governor of the state, who is also the Commissioner for Education, Dr Idiat Adebule, made this announcement in a statement in Lagos, signed by Assistant Director, Public Affairs Unit, Mr Adesegun Ogundeji, in the ministry.

In the statement, Adebule said that private and public schools must adhere strictly to the 2016/2017 academic calendar.

The deputy governor sent a goodwill message to all pupils and parents, wishing them Happy Easter, following the successful completion of the lent. She said that the 2016/2017 academic calendar was jointly agreed upon at the state education stakeholders’ meeting before the commencement of the academic year.

The Oracle Today Wednesday April 26, 2017

NATIONAL NEWS Lagos requires 720m gallons of water daily, says Ambode

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agos State requires about 720 million gallons of water daily but currently produces 210 million gallons, Gov. Akinwunmi Ambode said on Thursday Ambode gave the figure when he received a delegation from the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) led by its President, Dr Frank Jacobs, at the Lagos House in Ikeja.

The governor said that the state had a water deficit of about 500 million gallons.

“Water is one infrastructure

that we are trying to create in the city; it is clear that we have a deficit.

“The city actually needs a minimum of 720 million gallons of water per day; right now, there is a shortfall of about 500 million.

He said that his administration would continue to bridge the daily deficit of potable water in the state without inflicting tax burden on the people.

The governor said that his administration had intensified investments in the water sector,

especially by putting measures in place to revamp the 48 mini water works across the state to ensure optimum performance.

He also said that works on the Adiyan Major Water Works had reached advanced stage.

“Our investment in water is continuous and very deep,’’ Ambode said.

In his response to enquiries by the delegation on charges on water, Ambode said: “The intention of laws regulating the water sector is not to bring any inconven-

ience to the people.

“Government will be willing to put measures in place to resolve any issue amicably with the aim of making businesses to continue to operate.

Ambode also reiterated his administration’s commitment to engaging the private sector through various platforms including the Corporate Assembly.

According to him, the Corporate Assembly was put in place to enable the government to interface with the business com-

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munity.

Earlier, Jacobs said that the delegation was at the Lagos House to further build on the existing cordial relationship with the state government.

He commended Ambode for his efforts at making Lagos the centre of excellence, especially in areas of infrastructure development.

“These investments have greatly helped to create a conducive environment for the manufacturing sector to thrive.

We are delivering new passengerfriendly airport –FAAN … As Abuja gets brand new runway … Arrival, departure halls rehabilitated From TONY AILEMEN, Abuja

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Representatives of Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and major oil firms in Nigeria after a fierce debate on policies and programmes that govern petroleum industry operations in Nigeria.

Army to deploy soldiers to UMTE centres T

he Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has reached an agreement with Nigerian Army to secure the 2017 Computer Based Tests (CBT) centres with a view to having a hitch free university matriculation examinations across the country.

A statement issued on Thursday by the spokesperson of JAMB, Dr. Fabian Benjamin, said the Registrar/ Chief Executive of JAMB, Prof. Is-haq O. Oloyede, at a meeting with the military high command in Abuja solicited for the intervention and cooperation of the Nigerian Army in the forth coming examination.

While commending the Nigerian Army for uniting the country particularly the feat it recorded in the insurgency war and restoring peace in other turbulent areas, Oloyede outlined his mission to Defence Headquarters.

He said: “We are here to thank you for the wonderful job you have been doing, all Nigerians are happy with you for the wonderful feat you have recorded in the discharge of your duties, and your quest for an indivisible and united country.”

Oloyede pointed out that the mandate of JAMB was to conduct matriculation examination and place suitably qualified candidates desirous of qualitative education to all Nigerian tertiary institutions adding that the Board was at the verge of the first process hence the need to secure the venues, candidates and examination officials.

“This need became imperative to

seek for security intervention from the Army, particularly in turbulent areas,” he said.

The Registrar noted that over 678 centres across the country against the last year’s figure of 650 CBT centres would be put to use with estimated 1.5million candidates for the examination, adding that 1.237million candidates have already submitted their application already.

Oloyede also told the Chief of Army staff that though there was collaboration with Nigeria Liquified Natural Gas (NLNG) to airlift candidates in riverine areas to their CBT centres.

He pleaded that the COAS intervene as the NLNG intervention though noble was not enough.

The JAMB Registrar while listing some security prone areas like North East, South South among others, noted that the process of seeking admission through the conduct of examination should not be truncated, adding that the sight of security presence during the examination would give the candidate a high level of satisfaction and confidence.

The JAMB Chief Executive informed the Army management that this year the Board is capturing candidates ten fingers to forestall any incidence of multiple registration as noticed with previous years registration. He said the Board also insisted on profile creation and other processes to strengthen the education data and ensure that candidates do not go through hell years after graduating from tertiary institutions. Nige-

rian were urged to support the Board as the benefits of all these policies to the candidates and national statistics are far much more than the present difficulties being experience by candidates and parents.

In a remarks, the Chief of Army staff, Lieutenant-General Tukur Yusufu Buratai, described the visit as unique and symbolic stating that the military would ensure that there is peace and harmony in the country.

The COAS said as part of their constitutional responsibility the Nigerian Army would continue to uphold and make sure that the task given to them is accomplished.

He said some of the flash points pointed by the Registrar are not only safe but habitable and he disclosed that normalcy, particularly in the North east has return even as he promised to deploy troop for more surveillance and protection during the period stated for the examination.

The Chief of Training and operations was directed to liaise with officers and men on ground to strengthen the security of the centres and officials particularly those in turbulent states.

Lieutenant General Tukur Yusufu Buratai pointed out that JAMB examination is a national assignment and as such the military high command would not allow any candidate’s dream and desire for tertiary education to be truncated because of insecurity.

The Chief of Army Staff who, was

EDERAL Airports Authority of Nigeria, FAAN, has said it is delivering new passenger-friendly facilities at the newly refurbished Nnamdi Azikiwe International airport as flight operations kick off at the airport.

Apart from the runway, government took the opportunity of the closure to carry out comprehensive maintenance of facilities at both the departure and arrival halls with new facilities to make it passenger-friendly Ahead of the resumption of flights from the airport, frenzied last minutes preparations were on to put the airport arrival and departure terminals in proper shape.

The airport is now also equipped with two local departure halls, with the opening of one at Wing B to prevent passengers walking long distance to board flights.

When The Oracle Today visited the airport, many of the passengers heaved a sigh of relief at the announcement of the completion of the runway which renovation lasted for about six weeks.

From March 8, this year when the airport was closed to enable the repairs of the damaged runway, the airport looked like a ghost town, even as airport taxi operators became worst hit, as air transport operators shifted base to Kaduna.

One of the passengers, Mrs. Ifeoma Ibeneme, told The Oracle Today that it was a great relief for regular flight operations to return to Abuja.

“We had no choice. To say the least, this period has been very traumatic for regular passengers like me. But let me say that I am happy that the runway has been repaired. Well, it is better to pay the price we paid to guarantee safety at the airport, so for me, I only pray they keep to their promise.”

Mr. John Dreck, a Briton, while commending security agencies for providing escorts, lamented the many hours it took to travel from Abuja to Kaduna to board flights.

The Abuja-based businessman called on the Federal Government to immediately commence the construction of the Abuja Airport second runway as a means of avoiding similar challenges in fu-

ture.

“You need a second runway.

Most airports operate multiple terminals in other countries and several runways. So to avoid similar lapses, you need a second one to complement this new one. It indeed long overdue, but it is good it was done now to save lives as well,” he said.

Director-General of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, NCAA, Adamu Abdullahi, Abuja Airport Manager, Mahmoud Sani and other top officials of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, FAAN, were busy ensuring last minutes preparations ahead of commencement of full activities at the airport.

Speaking exclusively with our correspondent at the airport, the Airport Manager, Mahmoud Sani, assured travelers of “a new passenger-friendly airport in Abuja.”

“We have not only fixed the bad 3.5 kilometres runway, we have also introduced new facilities at both the departure and arrival halls.”

“As you saw during your tour of our newly rebranded airport, we have introduced lifts at the domestic departure terminal both as you ascend and descend to the boarding side as part of our efforts to make the airport more passenger-friendly.

“Many had this impression that we did only the runway repairs.

But we thank the Federal Government especially Minister of State for Aviation, Sen Hadi Sirika, for the support we got to ensure we completed this work on schedule,” he said.

It was gathered that Nigerian engineers working night and day with the contractors, Julius Berger Nigeria, were able to deliver the project within the stipulated time because materials needed for the runway rebuilding were made available before the commencement of work.

The runway was constructed in 1984 and had exceeded the period stipulated for complete resurfacing by about 15 years.

The government had opened the bid process for the construction of a second runway at the airport while work would commence on it anytime from now, according to Engr. Noah Sanya, FAAN Regional General Manager, in charge of the North Central Zone.

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The Oracle Today Wednesday April 26, 2017

NEWS

Okorocha is forcing us to sack LGA workers , Council officials allege From COLLINS UGHALAA, Owerri

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OME top officials of the 27 local councils Imo State have accused the state government of having a secret agenda whose main objective is to “destroy the state’s civil service and the local government system in the state.”

The top officials, who spoke in company of some pay-officers on the condition of anonymity, alleged that the state government “is gradually destroying the institutions of governance in the state,” adding that they feared the worse could happen before 2019.

They lamented that since the governor started the sacking of workers at the local council level, “the councils have known no peace,” noting that they had decided “to speak up and alert the public on what is going on in the state to relieve ourselves of the burden of guilty conscience.”

According to them, no fewer than 2, 000 workers of the 27 local councils have been sacked, with more to go, on what they described as “flimsy grounds”.

The officials alleged that at the time of this report, some names had been pencilled down for sack in the local councils, noting that in some areas, as many as 47 had been pencilled down for sack.

On how the sack process works, they said that since the list of workers to be sacked does not emanate from the local governments but from the Governor’s Office, the governor only sends it to them for confirmation of the allegations made against the affected persons.

They explained that they had returned the list to the governor with the recommendation that the af-

fected people were not ghost workers as that was the major issue in the impending sack but were convinced the governor would not accept their recommendation but would send back the list to them with the threat that if they fail to confirm that the affected personal are ghost workers, they would also be fired.

“And because we don’t want to lose our jobs, what we did was to comply,” they claimed. “But now, it is getting out of hand for us. Our conscience is pricking us, and it is as if we are sacking our colleagues.”

The top officials also said that the situation has generated tension in the councils and enmity for them, because those affected believe “we were working against them.”

One of the council officials described as “a very painful experience” a situation where some of the people who were sacked were on leave of absence, especially women who took leave of absence to go and see their husbands abroad.

She alleged that the government tagged such people ghost workers who were abroad but receiving sala-

ries at home for work they did not do.

She alleged that even when the letters and the approval documents were presented, the government did not believe but insisted that the documents be signed for the sack of the workers.

Effort to get the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Mr. Sam Onwuemeodo, to comment on the development did not succeed as he did not pick calls put to his phone and was yet to call back to give his reactions at the time of filing this report.

Veteran Actor, Pete Edochie (in white) and a cross-section of members of the public who came to witness the flag off of the Anambra International Airport City Project at Ivite Umuleri, Anambra East Local Government Area.

Photo by MODESTUS IGUDOBI.

Nkpor Main Market gets new Caretaker Committee

By THEO RAYS, Onitsha

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FTER failed attempts to conduct election into the leadership of Nkpor Main Market in Idemili North Local Government Area of Anambra State, following the expiration of Hon. Lawrence Okonwko-led administration in the market, Governor Willie Obaino has appointed a 7-man caretaker committee with Kingsley Obadigwu as chairman, for the market.

Other members of the committee include Paul Okafor, Nwachukwu Okosa, Olisa Chinenye, Elobisi Chukwudi, Nkiru Chigozie and Chinedu Odunukwe who will occupy various positions as Vice Chairman, Secretary, Assistant Secretary, Treasurer, Financial Secretary and Public Relations Officer, respectively.

In the letter of appointment signed by the State Commissioner for Trade, Commerce and Wealth Creation, Mrs Amaka Ilobi, the committee was mandated to ensure peace and then prepare grounds for election into various leadership positions in the market as soon as possible.

The committee was sworn in by the Secretary General of the Amalgamated Market Traders Association of Anambra State (AMATAS), Chief Chuma Eruchalu. He was assisted by AMATS Public Relations Officer Chief Vincent Ifeme during the traders’ weekly prayer section at the Market premises early this week.

Eruchalu enjoined them not to let the State down by leading according to the standard of AMATAS. In his acceptance speech amid thunderous ovation and jubilation

from the traders who are predominantly women, the chairman of the committee Kingsley Obadiegwu popularly called Okosisi Aguleri promised to do everything within his powers

to enthrone peace in the in-line with the mandate of the State government, assuring that he would carry everybody along in the discharge of his duties.

CLO flays Anambra’s debt profile From RAYMOND OZOJI, Awka

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IVIL Liberties Organisation, CLO, has lamented what it termed the huge debt profile of Anambra State, saying that its findings revealed that the State under Chief Willie Obiano is currently in debt to the tune of N60billion.

The group stated this during a press conference by its South East zone on the state of the nation/state in Onitsha where its zonal chairman, Comrade Aloysius Attah, addressed the press.

The report stated that through letters written to the Anambra State House of Assembly by the governor, Chief secured the approval of lawmakers to borrow huge sums of money, which ballooned that state’s debt profile.

“This is the reason why as it stands now, Anambra State’s debt profile with the Debt Management Office (DMO) stands at

over N60billion, while there are feelers that there exist other debt obligations that are yet to be made public by the government,” the CLO report read in part.

The CLO, however, noted part of the funds recently borrowed was distributed to the 179 communities in the state as part of the much-hyped N20million apiece community project.

The group frowned at the lowrevenue status of Anambra, the state has no reason not to be among the most financially solid states considering the vibrancy of its population and the enormity of economic activities going on in the state as well as the fact that the Obiano administration inherited a tidy sum from its predecessor.

“Despite the solid financial standing bequeathed to the Obiano administration, the government wrote and sought approval from House of Assembly for bor-

rowing N10billion. The loan with a 20 years tenor was described as soft loan to ease pressure in states, and not bailout funds.

“This was the first open borrowing embarked on by the governor, and through lobbying of the state assembly, a resolution was passed on 14th June 2016, giving the state government automatic approval to borrow as it so wishes,” CLO said.

The group flayed the government for what it described as “wasteful spending”, drawing an inference from the recent 25th anniversary celebration of the state, where it said the state government allegedly “blew N560million in a 6-month long celebration.’

The South-East Zone of the CLO had announced that it chose Anambra as a starting point in its mission of looking critically at states and governance in the zone, saying that those of other states will follow soon.

LG chairman pledges better welfare for workers

By DOM EKPUNOBI

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EW Chairman, Ogbaru Local Council Caretaker Committee, Barr Ignatius Ezedokpu has assured employees of the local council that his administration would do everything possible to improve on their welfare and that of the local communities.

Speaking shortly after receiving the handover note from the Head of Local Government Administration in the council, Chief Chika Obuekwe, the Caretaker Committee Chairman said he is committed to improving the welfare of workers in order to motivate them to contribute even more towards the development and progress of the area.

He described workers as the bedrock of the local council whose interest should always be protected.

“We shall not do anything to undermine the interest or welfare of workers. I shall ensure that stories relating to bad leadership in local governments should not be associated with my leadership of this local government,” he said.

Obuekwe commended Governor Willie Obiano for what he described as his great achievements so far in the State and pledged that the leadership of the Ogbaru Local Council Caretaker Committee would walk towards ensuring that the governor is re-elected for a second term in office.

The new Chairman commended the level of cooperation already received from Head of Ogbaru Local Government Administration, Mr. Chika Obuekwe, and pledged that both of them would work harmoniously for better results in the council.

Earlier, Mr. Obuekwe had congratulated the Chairman and his team on their appointment and presented him the handover note.

Mr. Obuekwe said he would co-operate with the chairman and his committee members in order to ensure a smooth running of the local council affairs.

CLO joins call for release of Kanu From RAYMOND OZOJI, Awka

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IVIL Liberties Organisation, CLO, has joined the call for the release of the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Mazi Nnamdi Kanu.

The rights group made the call during a press conference of its South-East zone on the quarterly review of the state of the nation.

Speaking through its South-East Zonal Chairman, Comrade Aloysius Attah, the group called on the Federal Government to release Kanu as his continued detention negated the spirit of democracy, which promotes free speech and association.

The group said it had been one year and six months since the arrest and detention of Kanu and three of his lieutenants, and that it was time for him to be released as his agitation was inspired by scars of the past that were yet to be addressed.

It said that use of coercion instead of negotiation had become a recurring practice of the Federal Government which he described as a wrong approach given that experience the world over had shown that use of force in quelling agitations emboldens the proponents.

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The Oracle Today Wednesday April 26, 2017

NEWS

You are saboteurs, APGA tells expelled members From COLLINS UGHALAA, Owerri

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HE ALL Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Imo State chapter, has labelled the people behind what it described as the recent phantom crisis in the party as enemies and saboteurs of political unity in Igbo land, warning that this is not about APGA but a grand design to destroy the only remaining Igbo identity.

The party revealed that the saboteurs behind the ruse are six former national officers of the party who were expelled on December 21st last year for anti-party activities and their expulsion ratified by the NEC. The party further revealed that their resort to fronting the name of Chief Martin Agbaso in the ‘cookedup saga’ is to drag him into collision with constituted authorities, which according to them is a failed mission since Agbaso, as a political technocrat, knew full well that such projects don’t work.

The party averred that assuming that Chief Agbaso is a member of APGA, he could not become the National Chairman after the National Convention of the party had ratified

the election of Ozo Dr Victor Oye for that position. The party stated that Oye as the National Chairman of APGA was neither on suspension nor was any court injunction made against him.

The party stated that Agbaso, an astute and experienced politician, could not in any way offer himself to be used by “political neophytes” bent on an image smearing mission, noting that at the time of APGA national convention which elected Dr. Oye, Agbaso was still a card-carrying member of PDP and had remained so till date.

The party explained that Chief Agbaso was once approached as a former state leader of APGA to return but declined and the records of APGA so far did not feature his name as a current member.

Rising from its weekly meeting in Owerri, the State Standing Committee on Media and Publicity, while calling on APGA members and supporters in the state and nationwide to ignore what it described as the false propaganda being published in some newspapers suggesting that the offices of the National Chairman, Ozo Dr Victor Oye and that of Imo state Chair-

Governorship aspirant berates conspiracy against Igbo nation From RAYMOND OZOJI, Awka

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NDUSTRIALIST and All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship aspirant in the November 18 Anambra gubernatorial election, Dr. Chike Obidigbo has lamented what he described as an implied conspiracy against the Igbo nation in Nigeria.

Obidigbo stated that since the civil war ended, there have been calculated attempts to suffocate the Igbo nation.

He said this when a group of social media practitioners paid him a courtesy visit in his country home, Umunya in Oyi Local Council of Anambra state.

Obidigbo assured his visitors that his mission in Government House “is not to go and drink champagne and make merry with tax payers’ money” but to foster economic cooperation and bilateral relations amongst the Igbo nation in Nigeria.

He recalled that World Bank described the Eastern Region as the fastest growing economy as far back 1964 but that the reverse seems to be the case now.

He lamented that Onitsha, which was once hailed as the largest market town in West Africa has fallen into bad times owing to lack of vision for the place.

The industrialist, therefore, maintained that the Igbo nation is seriously suffocating, emphasizing that it is time to revamp the Igbo economy to emancipate youths from hunger and privation.

Obidigbo disclosed that as a governor, one of the policies he would pursue vigorously would be to scrap the National Youth Service Corps or better still prevail on the government of the federation to pay salaries to corps members.

He explained that Igbo youths are developing the Northern region of the country and only to return home thereafter to languish in endless job search while their contemporaries in the North get paid employment immediately after youth service.

According to Obidigbo, the time has come for the Igbo nation to devise ways to meaningfully utilize the energy of its youths in the region and not waste on Biafra agitations, stressing that it is the energy of youths that builds and develops economies.

He urged youths to de-emphasize crave for money but join in the movement to correct anomalies in government in line with his project tagged “Correction 2017”, which is the agenda he is projecting in the forthcoming Anambra governorship election.

man, Barrister Peter Ezeobi, were vacant, restated that the names of both leaders remained with the records of INEC as occupiers of the respective offices in the party and described it as the handiwork of saboteurs intent on frustrating the ongoing discussions for political unity in Igbo land which

State Publicity Secretary, Dr George Nkwoji, the party further appealed to Ndigbo to make haste to join APGA and reminded those with aspirations for elective positions to remember that June was the dateline to qualify to stand for primary elections in the party.

Governor Willie Obiano flagging off the Anambra International Airport City Project at Ivite Umuleri, Anambra East Local Government Area. With him are his wife, Ebelechukwu (4th right), former Commonwealth Secretary General, Chief Emeka Anyaoku (1st right), National Chairman of APGA, Victor Ike Oye(3rd right) and Obi of Onitsha Igwe Alfred Achebe.

Photo by MODESTUS IGUDOBI.

Anambra 2017: Let Ojukwu’s soul rest in peace, group urges Obiano From CHUKS COLLINS, Awka

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OUTHS under the aegis of Anambra Youth for Change have called on the state governor, Willie Obiano, to stop dropping the name of the late Igbo leader, Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu, for the purpose of this November 18, governorship election in the state.

The group noted that the soul of the late sage should be allowed to rest in peace, rather than being turned to an object of electioneering each election period in the state, “by non-performing office seekers.”

At a press conference in Awka, the State Coordinator of the group, Mr. Curtis Okeke, urged people of the state to vote for the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the coming gubernatorial election, especially Chief George Moghalu.

Okeke said that Anambra youths are in full support of the governorship aspiration of Chief Moghalu of

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APGA represents.

APGA therefore called on Ndigbo to be mindful of the current false media onslaught against the party, describing it as “a part of the usual sellout to enemies of Ndigbo by political jobbers for financial consideration.”

In a press release signed by the

the APC. He enjoined the people of state not to vote for the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), saying APGA has disappointed the late Igbo leader.

According to Okeke, Ojukwu had a contract with APGA during the administration of former Governor Peter Obi to produce the next governor of the state from Nnewi, Ojukwu’s hometown, in Anambra South Senatorial District, “but upon his demise, APGA reneged on that agreement by foisting Obiano who is from Aguleri in Anambra North Senatorial Zone on the state. With this disappointment, we are hereby calling on the people of Anambra State not to be hoodwinked by the current APGA campaign in the state dropping Ojukwu’s name.

“We have seen posters and banners from APGA dropping Ojukwu’s name as part of their campaign for the November 18 poll. Obiano should allow Ikemba rest in peace. Obiano

should tell us his achievement not Ojukwu’s achievements.

“APGA has deceived the people of the state with Ojukwu’s name enough; Obiano cannot do that again because he did not know Ojukwu and did not do anything for him or his people.

“Go and visit Ojukwu’s hometown Nnewi; there is no single project from the state government in the area. Obiano told us that he would complete and commission all Peter Obi’s projects, but he did not do that; rather he abandoned such projects all over the state, particularly in Nnewi, Ojukwu’s home.

“They can’t deceive us again. We must ensure that Anambra is hooked to the centre in the election.”

Okeke, therefore, called on Moghalu to take up the challenge to be the governor of the state to salvage it from what they called “apparent ruins by the APGA government in the past 11 years.”

Stolen wedding ring exposes armed robbery suspect in Aba battle ensued, leading to the gunning down of From DANIEL MADUAGWU, Umuahia

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stolen wedding ring belonging to an armed robbery victim has exposed a member of a robbery group in Aba, Abia

State.

This was disclosed by the Abia State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Leye Oyebode during a media briefing at Aba. The Commissioner, who was represented at the briefing by the Police Area Commander in Aba, ACP peter Okpara, revealed that the police got a distress call from residents of Factory Road by Railway Crossing, that some hoodlums were robbing people along the Railway Crossing.

He added that his men mobilized to the area and on sighting the police team, the armed robbers opened fire on the police team and a gun

two armed robbers while three other robbers escaped.

The Commissioner further said that one of the suspects was later nabbed at an undisclosed hospital in Aba where he had gone to treat his bullet wound.

A Toyota Corolla Car with plate number: Lagos EPE 568 EM, a Toyota SUV with plate number ENUGU DR 413 ENU, three locally made pistols, nine mobile phones, three bags of Crayfish, a copy of Holy Bible and an undisclosed amount of money were recovered from the suspects.

But, a comical angle was introduced into the matter when a woman-victim who had come to the Area Command to report a robbery incident in her shop suddenly saw a paraded armed robbery suspect wearing a gold wedding ring in his index finger.

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The Oracle Today Wednesday April 26, 2017

NEWS

Fire sacks commercial sex workers in Bayelsa From CHRIS EZE, Yenagoa

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IRE disaster at AlitalinOvom, a suburb of Yenagoa, Bayelsa State capital, has thrown a horde of commercial sex workers into the streets.

It was gathered that the fire made much impact because the structures were made of woods.

A resident in the area, Miss Joy Onuh explained that the fire started from a locked room, saying that they did not know it would spread because they thought it was an ordinary smoke.

“We still appreciate the efforts of the state fire fighters in putting out the fire, though they arrived late,” she said.

Another resident, Jully Bobby, who sobbed as she recounted her losses, said all her belongings including money, clothing and a mobile phone were lost in the fire.

Earlier, at Imgbi Road, Amarata, another suburb of Yenagoa, fire

gutted shops and a car suspected to have been loaded with adulterated petrol and kerosene.

The fire was believed to have been sparked by the adulterated products loaded in the car.

“It would have been disasterous if not for the help of the fire service. The car was fully loaded with fuel; I commend the efforts of the state fire fighters,” said an eyewit-

ness, who resides in the area.

Meanwhile, Mr Prince Ogun, Station Driver, Bayelsa Fire Service, has urged the people to promptly call the fire service when they have an emergency.

He gave the advice while reacting to the fire incidents, which happened within the state recently.

He said: “The one at Imgbi Road

was in the night, about 8pm; we went there with our fire fighting personnel and we were able to put out the fire.

“In fact, the two incidents were shocking, many houses were burnt but no life was lost.

“I am advising members of the public against the use of candle and to desist from illegal bunkering to avoid fire incidents.”

Bomadi women protest continued closure of motor park market From JONATHAN AWANYAI, Asaba

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ARKET women in Bomadi Local Council of Delta State have protested the continued closure of Motor Park Market in the area, and appealed to the state governor, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa to come to their aid.

The protesting market women in peaceful demonstration recently called on the management of the Niger-Delta Development Commission (NDDC) to speed up commissioning of the Ultra-modern motor park markets stalls project in the community under lock and key since February 2016.

The protesters noted that the call had become necessary after a similar call on the previous management of the NDDC Commission became futile; a situation which forced them to continue their trading on the ever busy Bomadi Bridge top and roadsides on the cosmopolitan commercial hub of the council area.

Speaking to The Oracle Today in the area, the market chairlady, Mrs. Oyake-biseomoh Akebofa, said: “We are trading on a danger zone, as you can see, it is a big problem to us here, we are forced to continue our market on top of this bridge even after the project has been completed over a year now, we were ejected from the market since 2015.”

Also, calling on the NDDC, the Bomadi youth body speaking through their youth leader, Mr. Kelly Clark, said: “We love our mothers and we don’t want them to continue taking the risk of trading on the high way, it is hazardous seeing our mothers trading on the bridge we are asking the NDDC Management to come to their aid including governor Ifeanyi Okowa.”

Governor of Kaduna state, El Rufai (middle) inspecting DFID renovated solar powered PHC in Badarawa...recently.

A’Ibom to produce 400 million syringes yearly From ESSIEN ESEMA, Uyo

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YRINGE factory currently being built in Akwa Ibom State is targeted at manufacturing 400 million syringes yearly.

This is even as 10 graduates in different engineering programmes from the state have been sent on a technology transfer scheme in Europe in line with the policy of Governor Udom Emmanuel’s administration to enhance capacity and manpower development.

Governor Emmanuel, who announced these during this month’s Government House prayer meeting at the Latter House Chapel of Government House, said the upcoming engineers departed for training in Vienna to specialize in the production of several hospital tools, one of which is the syringe.

He said so far the biggest syringe factory in Africa, which manufactures 95 million syringes a year is in South Africa and revealed that eight production lines for the Akwa Ibom factory have already been shipped and are expected to arrive in the state by the second week of next month.

“We have seen something very special in Vienna, where you pick up some engineering youths of between 18 and 23 and make them come up with some engineering designs,” he said.

He lamented the slight setbacks recorded in his industrialization programme last year as a result of the foreign exchange crisis, saying, “we planned at 198 and 200 naira to a dollar, but the dollar went for above 500 naira and that

A’ibom Govt.

Inaugurates Revenue Board From Essien Esema, Uyo

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KWA Ibom State Governor, Mr Udom Emmanuel, has inaugurated the state Board of Internal Revenue with a call on the members to explore ways of increasing the revenue profile of the state to fast track development and boost the state’s economy.

The Revenue Board has Mr Okon Okon as Chairman, Mrs Ekemesit Ekpro Secretary, Elder Nse Atang, Hon. Ekere Afia and Mr Leo Umana, as members.

Also in the board are representatives of Ministry of Economic Development, Lands and Town Planning, Investment, Commerce and Industry, Justice and Ministry of Transport as well as two staff in the rank of a Director from the Board of Internal Revenue.

Speaking at the Executive Council Chamber, Government House, Uyo where the event took place, Governor Emmanuel told the board members that they have been selected on merit and advised them to deploy their wealth of experience in their assigned task, stressing that much is expected from them.

Governor Emmanuel charged the new board to beam it search light on Oil Companies operating in the state territorial waters without paying tax to the State government but remit same to states where they have their operational offices and stated that such exploitation is counterproductive to the execution of development programmes of his administration.

He frowned at the outcry over the proposed introduction of property tax in the state and wondered why those who complain would pay such levies to other States but refuse to comply with the home government.

He called for adequate enlightenment on the issue explaining that funds generated from taxes help in the provision of social amenities and other welfare programmes.

The Governor advised the people to see tax payment as a civic responsibility and not wait to be coerced explaining that in developed countries citizens pay their tax religiously to support government provide social amenities and other welfare rogrammes.

In his interaction with Government House Correspondents, the Chairman of the Board, Mr Okon Okon expressed appreciation to the Governor for the appointment and pledged, on behalf of the members, to justify the confidence repose in them.

Dignitaries including the state Deputy Governor Mr Moses Ekpo, Speaker of the State House of Assembly Hon Onofiok Luke, House of Representatives member for Ikot Abasi Federal Constituency Dr Francis Uduyok, State PDP Chairman Obong Paul Ekpo, Paramount Ruler of Eket Local Council, His Royal Majesty Edidem E. C. D. Abia, Members of the State Executive Council, Political Stalwart, witnessed the inauguration.

shortened our plans. Even investors were reluctant to bring money into the economy, but by the special Grace of God, the economy is picking up and most of those things will stabilize.”

The governor expressed the belief that with a lot of activities he had scheduled for between now and the third quarter of the year, more employment opportunities would be opened for the people of the state.

He urged stakeholders in the state to sensitize their people to support government investments and desist from acts capable of scaring away investors from respective communities.

He called on youths to desist from actions that would compel government to use force in executing projects in their areas, warning that he would not hesitate to relocate any project being antagonized to another area.

Governor Emmanuel announced that consultants for the Coconut plantation and refinery project were currently in the state to inspect the coconut plantation and

advise the government appropriately.

The Government House prayer meeting with the theme, “the path to greatness”, featured intercessory prayers for the Governor, the three arms of government, and the country. It was attended by the wife of the Governor, Martha, the Deputy Governor Mr Moses Ekpo, the Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Barr Onofiok Luke, the acting Chief Judge Justice Godwin Abraham, members of the State Executive Council and other top government functionaries and stakeholders.

Change of Name

Change of Name

Change of Name

I formerlly known and addressed as Miss Osagie Barbara Queen now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Ohiengbomwan Sunny Barbara Queen (Nee Osagie).

All former documents remain valid.

The general public should please take note.

I formerlly known and addressed as Miss Obia Glory Chi now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Okanni Glory Chi. All former documents remain valid.

The general public should please take note.

I formerlly known and addressed as Linda Hemeson Ugonma now wish to be known and addressed as Olivia Hemeson Ugonma.

All former documents remain valid.

The general public should please take note.

Gov. Udom

8

The Oracle Today Wednesday April 26, 2017

NEWS Delta to become major world rice exporter From JONATHAN AWANYAI, Asaba

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RANCH Comptroller, Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Asaba Branch, Dame Elizabeth Agu has said that Delta State would soon be a major rice exporter in the world going by the influx of farmers into rice production.

Dame Agu disclosed this when the project management team led by Mr. Matthew Badaiki visited Divine Blessing Multipurpose Cooperative, Tony Chuks Farmers Multipurpose Cooperative and Nmuobuh Multipurpose Cooperative farmers to supply agrochemicals and inputs to beneficiaries of the Anchor Borrowers Programme in Illah, Oshimili North LGA. She said: “In view of the due diligence of rice farmers observed under the Central Bank of Nigeria, Anchor Borrowers Programme in the state, other states would be consuming Delta State rice in no distant time.”

She expressed delight at the zeal demonstrated by farmers who have keyed into the CBN Anchor programme even as he commended their level of commitment to the programme.

She solicited cooperation from Delta State government so as to surpass other states involved in this programme.

Meanwhile, the president of Divine Blessing Cooperative Farmers, Bernadette Obiagwu, explained that her cooperative has been in existence for long but had hitherto not enjoyed assistance from the government, a situation that incapacitated many of them, resulting in low production in spite of their willingness.

She commended the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) for introducing the Anchor Programme in the state therby giving them the platform for producing large quantities of farm produce that would help eradicate poverty and hunger.

Rivers woos investors to acquire moribund ventures ...As civil servants become redundant over tax unification From NATH OMAME, P/Harcourt

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ETERMINED to improve its internal revenue drive to shore up its revenue base, the Rivers State Government is wooing investors to acquire some of its moribund ventures.

Commissioner for Commerce and Industries, Bright Jacob stated during an interface with the Chairman, Committee on Commerce and Industries, Rivers State House of Assembly, Enemi George, who had led other members of the committee to ascertain the challenges experienced

by the ministry.

The commissioner disclosed that the state government was willing to sell the Port Harcourt International Airport Hotel, Delta Hotel and an uncompleted shopping mall at GRA Bus/Stop, along Aba Road, that was still under construction when former Governor Celestine Omehia was removed from power by the Supreme Court on October 25, 2007.

George lamented: “The state government is looking for investors to buy these ventures and turn them around into profitable business outfits. Delta Hotel is dead. The hotel has eight out-

lets in the state: Port Harcourt, Eleme, Omoku, Ahoada, Etche, among others. Someone can buy the outlet at Eleme and activate it.”

The commissioner also stated that many civil servants in the ministry of commerce and industries have become redundant because some of the tasks hitherto performed by its personnel have been taken over by the Internal Revenue Board.

Mr. Jacob explained: “Many employees of our ministry are now redundant following the withdrawal of some of the functions which were usually handled

NDLEA parades 64 suspects, impound 38 kg of drugs From CHRIS EZE, Yenagoa

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Niger Delta freedom fighter, Tompolo dancing at his birthday party ....recently.

Ex-councillors’ Severance entitlements: Akwa Ibom assembly pledges to intervene tive so that issues raised by you are 2012 and 2015 were yet to get their Stories from ESSIEN ESEMA, Uyo

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KWA Ibom State House of Assembly has promised to intervene in the lingering face-off between the state government and former local councillors over unpaid severance entitlements.

Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Mr. Onofiok Luke, while addressing a group of protesters who stormed the assembly complex in Uyo, said government was aware of its financial indebtedness to former elected local government councillors who served between 2012 and 2015.

The Speaker urged the protesters to remain calm, assuring that the legislature would engage the executive with a view to ensuring that issues raised by them are addressed by the governor.

The protesters, who carried placards with various inscriptions, called on the government to pay their severance packages.

Represented by the Leader of the House, Sir Udo Kieriam Akpan, the Speaker, who thanked them for conducting themselves in a peaceful manner, explained that the House

by our staff. Such duties as the registration of business premises, renewal of business licences and development of a database for businesses operating in the state have now been transferred to the Board of Internal Revenue.

“When I step aside now, I see all the nine buses that our personnel normally used for our revenue drive parked outside.

All our revenue drive duties have been taken over by the internal revenue board in pursuance of the government’s resolve to streamline and unify the state’s tax revenue profile,” the commissioner added.

was aware of their complaints and would interface with the appropriate quarters in order to address their matter.

“Thank you for being good supporters of the PDP and the government of Udom Gabriel Emmanuel.

We are going to engage the execu-

addressed. I want to assure you that something will be done soon”, he said.

Speaking on behalf of the aggrieved former councillors, Hon. Peaceman Inyang, said about 329 former councillors who served in the 31 local government councils in the state between the period of

severance package after they left office. He said they decided to visit the House of Assembly to inform the lawmakers about their plight.

Accompanying the House Leader were the Deputy Leader, Rt. Hon. Barr. Ime Okon, Hon. Aniefiok Dennis, Hon. Usoro Akpanusoh and Hon. Otobong Ndem.

... international market opens September 30

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consortium of Chinese companies comprising China Railway And Airport Construction Company, Yiwu International Market Group, Ande Logistics, Forte Energy and Jaagris Nigeria Limited have concluded arrangements for the take-off of construction of an International Market at Ikot Ekpene and Eket Local Government Areas of Akwa Ibom state.

The leader of the Chinese Group, Mr Jang, who spoke through an interpreter, announced this while briefing Governor Udom Emmanuel on the state of the project at the Governor’s Office, Uyo. He stated the readiness of the Chinese firm to collaborate with Akwa

Ibom State Government in its development programmes and expressed delight at the opportunity given to them to contribute to the development of the state, assuring of quality service delivery.

Governor Emmanuel thanked the Chinese Companies for their decision to partner with the state in the various aspects of industrialization and other development programmes and assured them of safety, enabling legislation and conducive operational environment for the project execution, saying “I am glad to hear that you are commencing operations on the construction by first week of May and I will do everything possible to ensure a smooth take-off.

“Be assured that those things needed to allow you invest and make profit are in place. We’ve already promulgated laws to support and protect your businesses, provide adequate security for your safety. As much as we can, we’ll develop infrastructure to provide market for your investment.”

The Governor, who said that the state had put in place a technical committee on foreign direct investment to attract investors and provide enabling environment for them to operate, indicated that everything would be put in place to facilitate the commencement of the project by the first week of May as promised by the Chinese firm.

ATIONAL Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Bayelsa State Command, has paraded 64 suspects and recovered over 38 kilograms of illicit drugs from the suspects.

The State Commander of the agency, Mrs. Josephine Obi, who paraded the suspects at the command headquarters in Yenagoa, said the suspects, made up of 45 males and 19 females, were arrested from January to April, this year for offences ranging from peddling cocaine, heroine, cannabis to other psychotropic drugs.

Obi said items recovered from some of the suspects included one locally made pistol and a revolver pistol, one hand grenade, five rounds of ammunition and a pair of handcuffs from a suspect.

She added that the command impounded a Toyota SUV used in conveying drugs from one of the middle-aged drug barons, stressing that the command was still searching for the big barons The Commander added that the suspects were arrested at separate locations such as Ogbia, Yenagoa, East/West Road area and in Kaiama, all in Bayelsa State.

She lamented that the command has not been able to prosecute any case in court due to the absence of the judge of the Federal High Court in Yenagoa, a situation she noted affects Agency’s operations, especially and with the cell congested with inmates.

Obi said the command counselled over 239 persons on the dangers of using hard drugs, insisting that drugs do no good to the community, individuals and country.

She assured that the command is committed to extending its operations to all the nooks and crannies of the state, including the riverine communities, but appealed to the Bayelsa State government and other individuals to assist the command with logistics to perfect its operations in the state.

9

The Oracle Today Wednesday April 26, 2017

INTERNATIONAL

U.S. stands behind Japan in face of nuclear threat from N. Korea, Pence reassures Abe P

RESIDENT Mike Pence reassured Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Tuesday that the U.S. stands behind Japan in the face of a nuclear threat from North Korea.

“We are with you 100 per cent,” Pence told Abe after arriving in Tokyo for a two-day visit.

The premier stressed the need for a peaceful solution to escalating tensions in the region.

President Donald Trump has dispatched a group of U.S. warships to waters off the Korean Peninsula, while Pyongyang is reportedly planning to conduct another nuclear test.

Pence’s visit comes after U.S. strikes in Syria and Afghanistan this month.

“We seek peace always as a country, as does Japan,” Pence said. “But as you know peace comes through strength.”

“President Trump is determined to work closely with Japan, with South Korea with all our allies in the region, and with China, to achieve a peaceable solution and denuclearisation of the Korean Peninsula,” said the vice president, who is in on a four-nation tour which will also include stops in Indonesia and Australia.

Abe and Pence agreed to call for Beijing to do more in urging Pyongyang to exercise self-re-

the strength of the U.S. armed forces in the region.

In New York, North Korea’s deputy UN ambassador Kim In Ryong warned on Monday that a “nuclear war may break out at any moment” on the Korean peninsula, blaming the U.S. for its “dangerous sabre-rattling.”

North Korea made a failed ballistic missile launch attempt on Sunday, a day after Pyongyang marked the 105th anniversary of the birth of the late founding leader Kim Il Sung.

The reclusive state has ramped up its nuclear and missile programmes, carrying out two nuclear tests and launching some 20 ballistic missiles last year alone.

Pence also met Deputy Prime Minister Taro Aso and the two leaders launched a high-level bilateral economic dialogue, which will serve as a forum for the two countries to discuss a

• Pence, US Vice President straint.

Pence arrived in Tokyo after wrapping up his three-day tour to South Korea earlier in the day. During a visit to the Demilitarised Zone between North and South Korea on Monday, he

said that “the era of strategic patience is over,” while also saying the U.S. seeks security “through peaceable means.”

Pence also urged Pyongyang not to test Trump’s resolve nor

Afghan first lady urges protection of girls against child marriage

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FGHAN First Lady Rula Ghani on Tuesday called for the protection of Afghan girls against child marriages.

According to her, forced marriages affect physical health of young girls and robs them of their childhood and future.

“Child marriage is a depressing phenomenon for the young generation of Afghanistan and it is a national responsibility to stop the menace,’’ she told audience in an event held in Afghan Media and Information Centre.

The event marked the inauguration of “National Action Plan to Eliminate Early Child Marriage’’ by Afghan Ministries of Women Affairs and Information and Culture.

The inauguration was supported by the Embassy of Canada in Afghanistan and the UN Population Fund (UNFPA).

“I urge all Afghan families to avoid child and forced marriages. Your girls face a huge risk when they get married at young age.

“Early marriage robs them of their childhood and future opportunities,’’ she added.

The first Lady noted that getting married in an appropriate age reduces girls’ risk for physical, sexual, psychological as well as economic abuse.

UNFPA country representative at the event, Bannet Ndyanabangi said a girl, below 18, was capable of rapidly gaining wisdom and knowledge from the people around her.

“She can be one day an inspiring leader, a productive worker, an innovator, a caring parent or take any other role that empowers a society.

“She can shape the future of her society.

“But all of this depend on how we support her today,’’ Ndyanabangi said.

According to a statement issued by UNFPA, the plan of action adopts two approaches, it outlines initiatives designed to prevent and end early child marriage.

“It strives to improve the implementation of laws and

services which aim to support people at risk of early child marriage,’’ it added.

According to UNICEF, girls aged 15 to 19 who experience pregnancy and childbirth are twice as likely to die of related complications as women aged 20 to 24 years.

North Korea: UN concerned at rising tensions

T

HE UN Secretary-General António Guterres on Monday expressed concerns on the rising tensions over North Korea in recent weeks.

The Spokesperson to the Secretary-General, Mr Stephane Dujarric, at a briefing, called on all parties to employ diplomatic options to resolve the crisis.

“We’re obviously deeply concerned about the rising tensions that we’ve seen in the Korean Peninsula.

“We call on all to redouble their diplomatic efforts. I think the latest launch that we saw over the weekend from the DPRK was troubling.

“We call on the DPRK (North Korea)to take all the steps nec-

Hamas accuses Abbas of threatening to end its rule in Gaza

A

SENIOR Hamas leader on Tuesday slammed the threatening measures that Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas was intending to carry out to end 10 years of Hamas rule of the Gaza Strip.

Recently, Abbas announced that there would be soon “unprecedented measures” to be carried out in the Gaza Strip.

He also aimed to end Hamas rule of the Gaza Strip, which began when the Islamic movement violently seized control of Gaza in 2007.

Senior Hamas leader Khalil al-

range of topics from economic policy, trade and investment rules to cooperation on energy and infrastructure.

Pence said it is possible the economic dialogue will result in a free trade pact between the two countries, especially after Trump withdrew the U.S. from the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal, which was signed by 12 Pacific Rim countries, including Japan and Australia, a year ago.

Japan has been unnerved by the president’s harsh words about Tokyo’s trade policy and carmakers such as Toyota.

Japan posted a trade surplus of 6.8 trillion yen (62.6 billion dollars) with the U.S. in 2016, down 4.8 per cent from the previous year.

Vehicle shipments to the U.S. grew 7.7 per cent, Japanese government data showed

Hayyah told a news conference that neither his movement nor other Palestinian factions, even the populations of the coastal enclave would accept those threats.

He added that the factions had increased their daily life suffering and poverty.

“Abbas is punishing the poor Gaza Strip populations by cutting the employees’ salaries, imposing high taxations on the fuels that operate Gaza power station and cutting the aid to the families of the martyrs,’’ al-Hayyah said.

essary to de‑escalate the situation and return to a dialogue on denuclearization.

“All Security Council resolutions must be fully implemented, and we note that the Security Council has consistently stated its commitment to a peaceful, diplomatic, and political solution,” he said.

He noted that the UN used to have a Special Representative for North Korea, but that the position had not been filled.

“The post has been unfilled for quite some years. But I’m not aware of any plans to appoint someone, which should not mean that we’re not watching the situation very carefully.”

Kim In Ryong, North Korea’s Permanent Representative to the UN also warned against nuclear war at a news conference.

“The prevailing grave situation proves once again that the DPRK was entirely just when it increased in every way its military capabilities for self-defense and pre-emptive attack with a nuclear force as a pivot.

“It has created dangerous situation in which the thermonuclear war may break out at any moment on the peninsula and pose a serious threat to the world’s peace and security, to say nothing of those of northeast Asia,” he said.

Kim said the U.S. President Donald Trump’s deployment of the Carl Vinson nuclear carrier task group to waters off the Korean Peninsula again “proves the U.S. reckless moves for invading the DPRK have reached a serious phase of its scenario”.

10

The Oracle Today Wednesday April 26, 2017

Bold n’ Blunt How poor power supply, navigational aids hamper ADAMU ABDULLAHI is the Director, Directorate of Consumer Protection (DCP), Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA). In this interview with JACOB COLLINS, he fingers corruption, politics and lack of foresight as being among the issues that led to absence of 2nd runway at Abuja airport. Excerpts...

C

OULD YOU briefly comment on the activities of the Directorate of Consumer Protection (DCP) of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) in the first quarter of 2017?

WE HAVE to give glory to God for an accident free 2016, and the first quarter of 2017 that just ended was an eventless quarter because it was also accident free. It would be recalled that before Arik Air went into receivership through the Asset Management Company of Nigeria (AMCON), we had a lot of issues, especially during the last quarter of 2016 and the beginning of the New Year 2017 because people had to return to their respective bases after the holidays in commemoration of the Christmas and New year festivals.

We also had issues with the airlines because most of their flights were either concealed or delayed during the period in review. In fact, we had hectic time controlling the passenger upsurge at the operational airports across the nation.

The decision of new management of Airk Air to suspend all the airline’s international flights compounded the plight of its already confirmed intending passengers to South Africa, London and the U.S. All the airline’s flights to other destinations were also fully booked. Although the management initiated a repayment plan, ticket had already doubled; hence the returnees have to pay extra money for their journey. Most of the payment and or refund have been made. I will say that as at the beginning of April 2017, Arik Air management has done the needful by repaying most of the tickets as well as endorsing the passengers on Med- View based on the existing agreement between the two airlines.

It is not a palatable story that we do not have 24 hours flight operation in most of our airports due to the absence of power supply and air navigation systems. The government is looking into the perennial problem of lack of power supply in 16 airports in the country. This will sort the problem for the airlines because aircraft is not supposed to be on ground. The more you fly the aircraft, the more money you make. It also means that the more the aircraft fly, the more money the aviation agencies and related organizations generate.

The closure of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, runway for reconstruction also brought fiesta for the DCP Directorate because it is more or less a passenger issue.

Both the airlines and passengers complained seriously. The complaint started with the foreign airlines whose management seriously complained that they were not comfortable with the Federal Government’s arrangement mandating them to fly to Kaduna Airport as an alternative airport following the six-week closure of Abuja Airport runway for reconstruction. Unfortunately, lack of foresight, corruption and politics led to the absence of a second runway at the Abuja airport. This shouldn’t have been the norm, and even when the idea of a second runway at the airport was mooted between 2013 and 2014, the Senate felt that the contract was over bloated and refused to consent to it. Also, the supervisory Federal Ministry of the Aviation, rather than look at how to bring down

the cost of the project, threw away both the baby and birth water within the review period.

This was what brought us to the current situation. The contractor had earlier promised to deliver the job on schedule and we don’t have any reason to doubt him. In fact, the minister of Aviation’s job is on the line as he had openly declared that if that job is not delivered and the runway reopened on the 19th of this month, he will resign his appointment.

The job is on course; I was there recently to see how the reconstruction work is progressing.

How many of the affected international passengers of Arik Air have been fully settled following the sanction slammed on the airline by the NCAA for breaching its rights early this year?

We are talking of two different issues here.

The settlement involves the refund of ticket bought by the passengers because Arik Air suspended its international operations. The sanction slammed against the airline was because it brought passengers into the country without their luggage. The Montreal Convention is very clear on the issue; hence you must provide first needs to the affected passengers to enable them satisfy their immediate primary needs such as clothes, toiletries and tooth brush among other things before the arrival of their luggage. It would be recalled that the Turkish Airlines had issue in Abuja last year during which its management had to pay the affected passengers N10, 000 each per day.

Arik Management was supposed to pay them $50 each because it could not bring their luggage on board the same aircraft that flew them to Nigeria within the review period. Also, their inability to carry the passengers along led to confusion and crises at the airport. Consequently, both the staffers

,

It is not the responsibility of the government to force airlines to go to an airport they do not want to go to. The airlines including the foreign carriers did not cite lack of infrastructure as their reason for not going to Kaduna airport. The runway in Kaduna is adequate enough; it can accommodate any form of aircraft they may decide to bring in accordance with their respective Bilateral Air Services Agreement (BASA) with Nigeria

,

of NCAA’s Directorate of Consumer Protection (DCP) and their Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) counterpart were over-stretched in the efforts to ensure that the angry passengers did not assault the Arik workers physically at the airport. The airline was sanctioned in the long run because it failed to deliver the passengers’ baggage as it earlier promised; they also failed to take care of them amidst denying them information about their luggage. The NCAA counted three violations against the airline accordingly. They were supposed to pay a medium sanction of N2million per violation. In all, the airline was sanctioned to the tune of N6million in addition to the payment of $50 per passenger.

This is a different issue aside the refund the airline had made to its passengers.

Air travelers have continued to complain bitterly about the difficulties they are facing in transiting between the Kaduna airport and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Abuja, since the reconstruction of Nnamdi Azikwe International Airport runway commenced effective March 8, 2017. This is even as the foreign airlines have refused to fly to Kaduna airport.

What is your reaction to the development?

Let us begin by addressing the issue of foreign airlines. The Minister of Aviation and Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has always pointed out that whenever an airline files a flight plan indicating that it is going to ‘A or B’, it also files point ‘C’ as an alternate airport in case there are issues with the destination it’s going to.

What the airlines were asked to consider is that their flight is coming from point ‘A’ to point ‘B’, which is Abuja that is presently closed, to the alternate point ‘C’ which is Kaduna airport. Whether the airlines decide to go to point ‘C’, that is a commercial decision.

It is not the responsibility of the government to force airlines to go to an airport they do not want to go to. The airlines including the foreign carriers did not cite lack of infrastructure as their reason for not going to Kaduna airport. The runway in Kaduna is adequate enough; it can accommodate any form of aircraft they may decide to bring in accordance with their respective Bilateral Air Services Agreement (BASA) with Nigeria. Also, the apron space is there for them to park

11

The Oracle Today Wednesday April 26, 2017

Bold n’ Blunt

growth of aviation industry, by Abdullahi their airplanes. The terminal building is big enough to accommodate the passengers amidst the provision of facilities for them to take their passengers from Kaduna to Abuja. That is what the federal government has gladly accepted and paid the cost. Apart from Federal Road Safety Corp (FRSC) that is on standby to clear the road for the passengers to go to their destination, the security agencies are there to escort all the buses to Abuja. So if all these offerings and or services were provided by the government and the foreign airlines maintained that they are not interested following the security issue they cited, aside other issues that we don’t have control over, the final decision is theirs.

Are airlines still operating night flight services to Kaduna airport considering the prevailing atmosphere of insecurity raised by both the airlines and passengers on the Kaduna-Abuja highway?

I have not seen any night flight schedule by the airlines since the present arrangement was initiated by the government. All flight operations of the airlines into Kaduna airport end at 1600 hours daily. There is a train service that leaves at 6p.m prompt from Kaduna to Abuja. It usually arrives Abuja at about 8p.m, which is not bad according to the Federal Capital Territory timing. Abuja is a cosmopolitan town, hence adequate security is provided from the train station to the town. We have not had any security issue in the past five weeks running. The only social problem we experienced was the issue of N4million cash that was abandoned at the airport by an unknown person.

What happened to the money in question?

I wouldn’t know. That is a security issue.

Meanwhile, the passenger bus shuttle services from Kaduna to the arrival hall of Abuja airport was designed by the government to keep the airport busy rather than shut it down completely. The commercial vehicle operators at Abuja are still making money to feed their families because the passengers are normally subjected to security screening at the departure hall before they leave the airport.

What arrangement do you have for the comfort of the passengers at Kaduna airport under the current dispensation?

The NCAA is the regulator of the industry and all we need to do is ensure that that there are facilities provided for the comfort of the air travelers. The providers of the facilities are the Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) and Bicourtney- sole operator of the terminal 2, Murtala Muhammed Airport, Ikeja. At the Kaduna airport, there are two terminals comprising the passen-

,

Whatever you do in the industry now, it will manifest positively or negatively in the industry within the next 10 years. We did badly in 2005 by sacking the best personnel in the industry via executive fiat.

The ugly development led to unexpected air disasters witnessed in 2015. The two things have been tied together

,

• Adamu Abdullahi ger and cargo terminal buildings for Haji operation with brand new toilets and first class lounge. The passengers are also subjected to security screening before they proceed to board their aircraft. All the facilities installed at the airport including conveyor belts are functioning well; hence the passengers get their baggage on time. There is nothing to worry about because the facilities are being taken care of.

What is the capacity of the two terminal buildings at the Kaduna airport?

The two terminal buildings have capacity to handle 750 passengers at a sitting. That is more than enough. Ethiopian Airline is the only foreign airline that flies into Kaduna under the current dispensation.

How many domestic airlines are presently operating flight services to Kaduna airport?

There are six indigenous airlines operating flight services in and out of Kaduna airport at the moment. They include Med View Airline, Arik Air, DANA AIR, Peace Airline, Aero Contractor Services and First Nation. Aside First Nation Airline that operates two flights daily to Kaduna airport, others operate a minimum of four to six flights daily to the airport.

Did the DCP consider the plight of disabled passengers at Kaduna airport ahead of time?

This is beyond Kaduna airport. Generally, it is an issue I have noticed since I assumed office as the Director, DCP and we have held series of meetings with FAAN on the issue.

Our airports are not physically challengedfriendly. They are not friendly to the physically challenged persons because they don’t have slopes in the staircases. The elevators are generally missing in action; they hardly work. There are even platforms that are needed to lift the physically challenged passengers from the ground level into the aircraft. You will be surprised to see how the airlines fight over a lone platform in Lagos.

At a stage, Partner Nigeria Limited, one of FAAN’s concessionaires that handle passengers at the MMA, Ikeja, and the Nigerian Aviation Handling Company (NAHCo) were fighting over the platform belonging to FAAN. All the service providers believe that the platform is one of the equipment that

should be made available to them because of the service charge they pay to the key aviation agencies.

FAAN concessioned the platform to Partners Nigeria Limited and whenever any of the firms wants to use it, they have to pay the former before it could be released to them. This is one of the things we have to look into at a meeting with the agencies and agree that it is not a common user item. It is the responsibility of the airport operators comprising FAAN, Bicourtney and NCAA- the sole regulator of the industry to make our airport userfriendly.

Considering the fears expressed earlier by the passengers and airlines regarding security of lives and property, is the passenger and cargo traffic on the increase or decrease?

Kaduna airport is enjoying a multitude of human and cargo traffic. I don’t think it has been so good for Kaduna airport since Abuja was designated the Federal Capital of Nigeria. Abuja airport apparently killed Kaduna airport. So, Kaduna airport is experiencing a boom and we can see it on the face of the business groups operating at the gateway. When the Abuja airport is reopened to traffic, we have to find ways and means of sustaining the tempo of activities. It may not be as huge as it is now but at least, let there be something. All the airports have the same problem apart from the international airports. All of them are operating at a loss because the number of passengers patronizing the airports is dictated by the nation’s economy and people are not travelling in Nigeria as they should.

The Kaduna State Government has agreed to look into the issue; hence it has mapped out strategies to make the airport useful to both the federal and state governments.

How many complaints has the DCP so far received from the passengers since the reconstruction of Abuja airport runway kicked off?

The complaints have already been reduced to the barest minimum because the airlines are doing what they are supposed to do without the NCAA forcing them as it used to. The new comers into the industry such as Med- View, Air Peace and First Nation are doing well. Aero Contractors is over 10 years in operation. DANA AIR is also not new in operation. There is no way flight operation that can be 100 per cent smooth. The problem with bad news is that it travels faster, and if you have 100 flights and 99 flights went on hitch-free without complaint of lack of Jet A1 Aviation fuel and inclemency in weather, it is only the lone aircraft that had issue that people will talk about it. However, safety is assured, and it is when safety is assured that people look towards comfort and that is exactly what is happening. In fact, passengers’ complaints have drastically reduced by over 60 per cent effective January to date.

What are the innovations presently being introduced to assure passengers of their

safety and increase their confidence in aviation industry?

There is nothing that works for you better than your good works. What we have noticed is that we have a lot of issues to ratify. Once you come with a complaint, we make sure that it is pursued to a logical conclusion with good result to the passenger. That alone speaks in favour of NCAA, but the problem is that a lot of people don’t even know about the DCP; they don’t know where to register their complaint whenever they have issues with airlines. That is why people go to the Consumer Protection Council (CPC) and Public Complaints Commission (PCC) to complain about aviation matters. These agencies will in turn prefer the DCP of NCAA to resolve and send the result to them. In collaboration with the Ministry of Aviation, we are working towards the establishment of a call centre and installation of electric score board in all the airports to advise passengers on issues such as telephone numbers, e-mail addresses and twitter amongst others that will enable them lodge their complaints, without seeing any DCP staff physically.

How would you access air travel in Nigeria in recession?

Things are looking up slowly. One of the things that are really affecting us badly is the issue of devaluation of the naira. The depreciation in the exchange rate of the naira to the tune of over N500 to $1US up to the first quarter of this year in contrast to what obtained a few years ago impacted negatively on the aviation sector because the industry is dollar-based. The procurement of aircraft, rotaries and maintenance of airplane are done abroad in hard currency The situation was so bad that foreign airlines even found it difficult to remit fund to their respective home governments. The Minister of Aviation had to intervene by obtaining a lower exchange rate for the aviation sector with the assistance of the Finance Minister and the Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to cushion the effects of recession on this hi-tech industry.

What is the NCAA’s reaction to the passengers’ complaints against some foreign airlines that charge airfare in dollar?

The British Airways is not the only airline involved in the act. Most of the foreign airlines were culprit. When the passengers lodged the complaint earlier in 2016, we wrote a letter to the industry operators, reminding them of the provisions and regulations of NCAA that says; ‘you can’t operate in Nigeria, and there must be a widow where you sell your ticket in naira. The passengers are not expected to change the naira to dollar before they can pay for their ticket. The good news is that the foreign airlines have complied with the directive to date.

What is the way forward for the aviation industry?

I will say kudos to the aviation ministry. They have done well because all the plans currently on the ground are designed to impact generally on the industry positively in future. Whatever you do in the industry now, it will manifest positively or negatively in the industry within the next 10 years. We did badly in 2005 by sacking the best personnel in the industry via executive fiat. The ugly development led to unexpected air disasters witnessed in 2015.

The two things have been tied together. I’m sure we are doing the right thing now, but it might not be realized until much later. For example, the NCAA that has not been employing for a long time has started employing new workers. Within the last three years running, the agency has employed a huge number of workers and they are being trained at the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology (NCAT), Zaria, and other institutions.

12

The Oracle Today Wednesday April 26, 2017

FOCUS

Quest to make dream capital out of Awka SINCE the creation of Anambra State on August 27, 1991, successive administrations have made concerted efforts to develop the State in the area of infrastructure and other aspects. A major concern in this regard is how to give the state capital, Awka, its rightful place as the administrative centre of the State. From Awka, RAYMOND OZOJI reports.

A

WKA , where the seat of power resides in Anambra State, had, for so long a time, been described a glorified village even though it plays host to the three arms of government in Anambra State--the judiciary, the legislature and the executive.

As a result, many have argued as well as sued for the relocation of the state capital to Onitsha or Nnewi where there are large concentrations of commercial activities. However, the strategic location of Awka places it in a good stead to be the state capital--the town is a central point from where one would conveniently connect other parts of Anambra State and beyond.

As earlier stated, Awka has been described as a glorified village for obvious infrastructural deficiencies. The apparently unplanned nature of the city coupled with its poor architecture and absence of basic social amenities makes it less attractive for people who had lived in other cities in Nigeria. As a result, people flee the city, especially on weekends, to seek comfort and relaxation in neighbouring cities like Asaba , Enugu and Owerri, among others, which invariably translate to capital flight from the state.

Furthermore, social amenities like recreation parks, gardens, cinemas , museums, zoos and some others paraphernalia of city life are nonexistent, thereby making life dull and uninteresting in Awka.

However, having identified these gaps in the state capital, the government of Dr. Willie Obiano upon inception, established an agency known as Awka Capital Territory Development Authority (ACTDA) in order to restructure and develop a new capital city in the category of Tokyo, Dubai and other developed cities across the globe. To ensure structural planning of the city, the agency came up with a development manual for Awka capital territory, which contains the blueprint of the new capital. As a result, infrastructural development as well as physical planning in Awka is currently being streamlined in line with the development blueprint.

The new Awka capital territory currently wears semblance of developed cities at night as streetlights are situated at strategic locations illuminating the entire city to ward off criminal elements lurking to perpetrate evil.

As part of efforts to increase and sustain the tempo of infrastructural development in the new Awka capital territory, the Anambra State House of Assembly has also sued for the creation of recreational parks and garden agency to spearhead the establishment of government-owned relaxation parks and outdoor centres for sight-seeing and events. Other stakeholders like the Nigerian Society of Engineers, town planners and others domiciled in Anambra State have also been called upon to rally round the state government in order to contribute their own quota in the making of the new Awka capital territory. This, it has been observed, will in no small measure contribute to the development of a new Awka capital city.

Awka Topography

Although new housing estates and layouts are springing up in the state capital, it is also pertinent to have access roads into rural communities surrounding the state capital as such road network would facilitate rural-urban interconnectivity and industrialisation.

Even though hospitality business thrives more in Awka judging from the rate at which hotels are springing up, many stakeholders believe government has a responsibility to encourage the growth of cottage industries in the state capital to create wealth and employment opportunities for residents.

There have also been repeated calls for the new three arms zone in Awka under construction for too long to be completed and made functional. It is against this backdrop that Engr. Sam Oraegbunam resident in Awka posited that the present administration has not really performed well in the area of infrastructure. Oraegbunam, however, posits that development should not be restricted to within the state capital alone but should be spread across the entire Anambra.

In his own opinion, Anambra State Commissioner for Housing and Urban Renewal, Engr. Frank Emeka Ofor, noted that Awka is an old settlement and that most of the structures in the town are not based on any masterplan, and that, judging from the method of land ownership in Awka, buildings are clustered and scattered with no architectural design.

He added that if government had the

Governor Willie Obiano resources, he would have suggested a total shift from Awka to a new area well planned and structured.

The Commissioner maintained that the development of new layouts like the Eagle Hill Estate Awka and some other estates would form a mini-city of its own with access roads and other social amenities within the capital territory.

Although the Anambra State government has embarked on estate development and layouts to support the old Awka settlement, experts have observed that it is important that concerted effort

is made to accord the existing state capital its rightful place among other capital cities in the country and beyond. They argue that while the Obiano administration constructs flyover bridges in the state capital, public utilities like ring roads, good markets at strategic locations, shopping malls, street lights, pipeborne water and a host of other facilities should be put in place in the new Awka capital territory to make life worth living and also attract investors to build new housing estates to replace the old Awka settlement.

13

The Oracle Today Wednesday April 26, 2017

BU$IN£SS •Energy •Finance

•Stock

•Insurance

•Aviation

•e-Platform

CBN boosts SMEs development in S/East T

ple don’t have relevant skills. So the essence of this thing is for people to develop skills in various areas, so that they can be independent,” the CBN Governor said.

“This one is the project the bank has developed for the south East zone. My appeal is Abia and the entire South East should leverage and take advantage of this centre, come and develop their skills. We know that Aba is well known for a lot of SMEs, so I want to use this medium to appeal to the people in Aba, its environs and entire Abia to come and patronise this centre, so that we will build up their skills,” the Governor appealed.

bread, cake, chin-chin and Custard marking unit, clothing and textile unit, auto mechanic and generator repairs, insecticide, Air freshener and perfume unit among others.

Represented by a Deputy Director at the CBN, Mr. Oluwole Owoeye, during the handing over ceremony of the Centre, the CBN Governor, Godwin Emefiele, said the project was part of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) of CBN and appealed to people of the South East to leverage and take advantage of the centre in developing their skills.

“In Nigeria we realised that for now, there is dearth of skills. Peo-

“”We have shoes, slippers, bags and sandals making unit; bread, cake, chin-chin and custard marking unit, clothing and textile unit, auto mechanic and generator repairs, insecticide, Air freshener and perfume unit among others in this centre. So people from the south East zone should come in and build their skills so that Nigeria will be a better place for all of us,” he added.

Emefiele, who enjoined the Centre Director to always furnish the MOUAU Vice Chancellor, Prof.

Francis Otunta, with information

he Central Bank of Nigeria has completed and handed over the Center for Entrepreneurship Development (CED) building to Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike in Aba. The CBN intervention project which was conceived in 2011 was designed to boost skills acquisition and by extension, small and medium scale enterprises development in the South East geo-political zone.

The centre, which was built as part of the Corporate Social Responsibility of the apex bank, has many units for making shoes, slippers, bag and sandals making unit,

Intrigues of FG’s axe on MDAs

By KINGSLEY CHRISTPHER

T

Currency

US DOLLAR Pounds Sterling EURO SWISS FRANC YEN CFA WAUA Yuan/Renminbi RIYAL DANISH KRONA SDR

Buying (NGN) 305.05 382.3497 324.1766 303.3211 2.794 0.4729 412.0439 44.2696 81.338 43.5804 413.6173

Central Selling (NGN) (NGN) 305.55 306.05 382.9764 383.6031 324.708 325.2393 303.8182 304.3154 2.7986 2.8032 0.4829 0.4929 412.7192 413.3946 44.3426 44.4156 81.4713 81.6046 43.6519 43.7233 414.2952 414.9732

NNPC to create telecom business unit P16

e-Platform Mobile manufacturers cry for help over counterfeiting

Aviation •Aliyu-Abdurrahman-Dikko

•Sunday Thomas

Nigeria’s inflation dropped by 0.52% in March – NBS P20

Insurance

Continues P22

CBN EXCHANGE RATES APRIL 13, 2017

Energy

P17

Julie Okah-Donli, and Director-General, National Centre for Women Development, Mrs. Mary IkpereEta. Others are: Arc. Ahmed Dangiwa, Managing Director, Federal Mortgage Bank and Mr. Alex Okoh, Director-General, Bureau of Public Enterprise.

While the affected industry players were still battling in total astonishment of what has informed the exercise, the federal government stated in the release that replacements of the sacked chief executives have already been appointed.

They are: Mr. Abdulkadir Umar, Executive Secretary, Petroleum Product Pricing Regulatory Agency, Mr. Ibrahim Goni, ConservatorGeneral, National Park Service and Nnenna Akajemeli, National Coordinator, Service Compact (SERVICOM).

According to Adebiyi, Dr Nasir Ladan is the Director-General, National Directorate of Employment, Saliu Alabi, Director-General, Michael Imodu National Institute for Labour Studies and Prof. Jef Barminas, Director-General, National

he Federal Government’s axe last Thursday, on some agencies and departments may have shocked many except of course, those in the government circle.

Top ranking functionaries spanning across 23 government paraststals were axed in the exercise which hit the insurance sector the hardest with top functionaries being at the receiving end of the development.

It would be recalled that a statement, last Thursday, by Director of Press in the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Mr Bolaji Adebiyi, listed a total of 23 agencies and parastatals across various ministries in the Federal Civil Service as having a change of management.

A roll call of sacked directors has the director general, the National Pension Commission, PenCom, Mrs. Chinelo Anohu-Amazu, Managing Director, Nigerian Social Insurance Trust Fund, NSITF, Mr. Bayo Somefun, Director-General, National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons, Mrs.

Continues P14

•Tourism

Nigeria’s nflation dropped by 0.52% in March – NBS P22

•Bashir Binji

•Chinelo-Anohu-Amazu

Stock Market Highlights As At 13 April, 2017

Summary

ASI DEALS VOLUME VALUE CAP

25,510.01 2,826.00 349,278,637.00 2,279,967,040.28 8,826,766,803,739.42

Traded S/N Coy (By Volume) Volume 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

babaFIDELITYBK 112,261,576 FBNH 62,432,347 FCMB 32,032,769 ZENITHBANK 30,931,219 GLAXOSMITH 19,344,732

Value

5 Top Gainers Company Last Close Current Change WAPCO 45.13 46 0.87 STANBIC 18.32 18.76 0.44 NASCON 8.12 8.55 0.43 ZENITHBANK 14.3 14.42 0.12 OANDO 5.48 5.59 0.11

Top Losers Company Last Close Current Change 113,388,561.42 UNIONDICON 14.89 14.15 -0.74 -0.65 194,673,426.62 FO 44.65 44 NB 123.5 123 -0.5 32,411,780.80 24.87 24.7 -0.17 445,444,774.05 GUARANTY UACN 14.96 14.9 -0.06 274,695,220.50

14

The Oracle Today Wednesday April 26, 2017

FAAN raises taskforce on touting

By VICTOR NZE

T

he Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), has set up a taskforce to screen operations within the terminal.

According to the management of FAAN, Thursday, this has become necessary to curb illegal activities and eliminate touting at the Hajj and Cargo Terminal area of the Murtala Muhammed Airport (MMA), Lagos.

Against this development, the Authority has restricted activities at the terminal to 12 hours (7am-7pm) from the initial 24 hours period.

FAAN said the exit and entrance gates at the terminal would henceforth be opened for commercial activities as from 7am while the gates are locked at 7pm.

The Authority said that the new regime would not affect the operational activities, but commercial activities within the terminal.

Commenting on the new initiative, the Terminal Manager, Hajj and Cargo Terminal, Mr. Asizehi Musa explained that the essence of the taskforce was not to threaten any agency or operator, but to ensure sanity at the terminal, reduce touts and touting activities and make the nation’s airports in compliant with the recommendations of the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) standards.

He said that with the new approach, no truck would henceforth be allowed to spend the night at the terminal, stressing that the management had over the years frown at such practices.

To make the new initiative a success, Musa said FAAN would provide a patrol vehicle, which would monitor activities at the terminal and ensure that only those who have business to transact within the terminal are allowed in.

Musa assured that FAAN would cooperate with all stakeholders especially the cargo agents, Nigeria Customs Service, ground handling companies, Nigeria Police and other stakeholders within the terminal.

He said; “For many years, the issue of access control has been on the front burner and it seems the FAAN is incapacitated, which is not true. But, we can’t allow things to continue like this. Access control is very important and necessary to the safety of all users. The era of 34 hours operation would be a thing of the past.

“As from this moment, activities are now reduced to 12 hours and I seek the cooperation of all. However, there will be sensitisation exercise before the taskforce commence work in full. But, the restriction exercise does not affect operation areas. It’s only for commercial purpose.

Mr. Benjamin Adewunmi, the Chief Security Officer (CSO) of Hajj and Cargo Terminal, said that it was necessary to take full control of the territory by FAAN. He declared that if the taskforce was able to carry out its activities without dutifully, security and safety of persons, equipment and cargo would further be enhanced.

Like Musa, Adewunmi called for the cooperation of all, most especially the customs agents whom he described as partners in progress.

He vowed that the organisation would ensure the success and sustainability the new regime.

Anambra hits $7.2bn FDI in 3 years – ANSIPPA boss

F

oreign Direct Investment inflow to Anambra in the last three years stood at 7.2 billion dollars, the Anambra State Investment Promotion and Protection Agency (ANSIPPA), has said.

Its Chairman, Igwe Cyril Enweze, who disclosed this in Awka, the state capital, Thursday, added that this quantum of investment was attracted to the state due to the government’s clear economic policy Enweze, a renowned economist, said the agricultural sector was the biggest beneficiary followed by aviation sector.

According to him, the aviation sector got a large chunk of the investment with the inauguration of the 2.2 billion dollars Airport City

Project on April 11.

He said some of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoUs) had not been implemented because of the instability in the local economy which had led to depreciation of the naira from N196 when the MoUs were signed to over N450.

The former AfDB vice president described the notion that states could not compete with the Federal Government in terms of FDI attraction as outdated.

Enweze said the notion should be revised to reflect efforts of states’ chasing the investments.

He said that the truth about the investment volume were verifiable as the partners were on ground, adding that most states in the country

were now more aggressive with FDI drive than the Federal Government.

Enweze, who is the traditional ruler of Umuoji in Idemili South, said that the Anambra government was interested in Public-Private Partnership, but was not giving investors sovereign guarantee as some other states did.

He said giving sovereign guarantee often resulted in public sector corruption and inability of states to pay their bills including payment of salaries because such moneys were deducted at source from the federal allocation.

“So far, over the past three years, despite the difficult situation, despite the investment climate in Nigeria’s economic environment,

•(L-R): Adetunji Oyebanji, Managing Director/CEO, Mobil Plc; Oscar N. Onyema, OON, CEO, NSE; Venkataraman Venkatapathy, Group Managing Director, NIPCO at the Closing Gong Ceremony in commemoration of Mobil/NIPCO transactions at the Exchange on Thursday.

NSE to sanction 11 companies for account default

By SAMSON AKINTARO

he Nigerian Stock Exchange Tcompanies (NSE) has put eleven quoted on notice of imminent sanctions over their failure to file their Audited Financial Statements (AFS) for the year ended 31 December 2016.

According to the Exchange authority, the listed companies’ AFS became due on Friday, 31 March 2017 and as the companies failed to file their accounts by the due date, they have violated Rule 1.1.4, of the ‘Rules for Filing of Accounts and Treatment of Default Filing’, which requires listed companies to file their AFS “with The Exchange not later than ninety (90) calendar days after the relevant year end.”

The defaulting companies, as listed by the NSE, include: A.G Leventis Nigeria Plc; African Alliance Insurance Plc; Austin Laz & Company Plc; Capital Hotel Plc, Conoil Plc; Niger Insurance Plc; Premier Paints Plc; Resort Savings & Loans; Smart Products Nigeria Plc; Sovereign Trust Insurance Plc; and Union Diagnostic & Clinical Services Plc. The NSE noted that the companies have also breached ‘Rule 1.1.4’, which requires that the AFS must

be “published in at least two (2) national daily newspapers not later than twenty one (21) calendar days before the date of the Annual General Meeting, and posted on the company’s website, with the web address disclosed in the newspaper publications. It added that an electronic copy of the publication is also required to be filed with The Exchange on the same day as the publication.

According to the NSE, it has also notified the public of this rule violation by the aforelisted companies through its X-Compliance Report on its website.

The Exchange further disclosed that pursuant to the provisions of Rule 2.2.1 of the Rules, it had issued a First Deficiency Filing Notice (“FDFN”) to the companies.

“The purpose of the FDFN was to notify the companies of their infraction, and to grant them three (3) days to provide the following information to the public through the medium of a press release: That the relevant AFS had not been filed by the due date; A detailed explanation of the reason(s) for the delay; and The anticipated filing date, or state that the company is unable to indicate an an-

ticipated filing date, and reasons for such inability to indicate the anticipated filing date. The companies failed to comply with The Exchange’s directives set forth in the FDFN within the stipulated timeline” it said.

As a result, it said it may take steps should they fail to comply, and file their AFS “within the ninety-day cure period stipulated by Rule 2.1.1 of the Rules, i.e. 29 June 2017: Send to the afore-listed companies a “Second Filing Deficiency Notification” within two (2) business days after 29 June 2017; and b.

Suspend trading in the companies’ securities.”

“In light of the companies’ continued breach of Rule 2.2.1 of the Rules, and in line with the requirements of Rule 2.2.2, The Exchange hereby advises the investing public as follows: An FDFN has been issued against the afore listed defaulting companies; and Investors are advised to trade with caution on the securities of these companies in light of the absence of up to date financial information on them. The investing public is further advised that The Exchange will continue to engage with these companies” the Exchange said.

ANSIPPA has been able to attract a record volume of 7.2 billion dollars including the 2.2 billion dollars airport city project which was just flagged off on Tuesday.

“This feat has been possible because of the security, coherent vision and blueprint of the governor which gave rise to the Anambra economic equation of four pillars and 12 enablers.

“In terms of sectorial distribution, agriculture is the sector where we have made the greatest impact this is because it is a priority sector and pillar of the Gov. Willie Obiano’s economic blue print.

“At the moment we have signed about 30 MoUs which are not binding in themselves, but about 75 per cent of them are on ground in terms of varying degrees leading to agreements that would make them binding.

He said ANSIPPA was set up in 2014 in the context of Obiano’s blueprint for economic development of Anambra; it is staffed with technocrats and not politicians.

“The agency is a one-stop shop for investors because the people that are involved in approval, licensing and permits are part of the agency and in the process, all the bottlenecks associated with a typical Nigeria setting are removed.

“The idea of spending eternity to get approval for a viable proposal is removed because it is a one stop shop.

“The investors don’t have to bribe anybody and if that happens, the contractor and the person that take the bribe will be in trouble,” the chairman said.

CBN boosts SMEs development in South East

BUSINESS

Continued from P13

about the Centre to enable him to assist in critical areas, also called on Abia State Government to assist MOUAU in supplying facilities which may be lacking at the centree to sustain it.

The Vice Chancellor commended Prof. Ikenna Oyido for his vision in attracting the project, his successor, Prof. Hilary Odo Edeoga, for sustaining the building of the Centre and the CBN for conceiving and completing the project.

Represented by Prof. Maduebibisi Ofo Iwe, Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academics), Otunta said the CED was to make the university a foremost institution in Nigeria that provides comprehensive and highly accessible quality entrepreneurship education and training.

Welcoming guests, the Director, Centre for Entrepreneurship at the university, Prof. Oji Onu Ekumankama, commended the CBN boss for reaffirming his interest in CED and in promoting entrepreneurial education and training in the university.

Ekumankama described the project as a big morale booster for CED with the goal to provide facilities and expertise for students of MOUAU and catchment community people and bolster the growth and development of SMEs through sustainable quality, effective and dynamic entrepreneurial coaching and assistance.

15

The Oracle Today Wednesday April 26, 2017

BUSINESS

African Maritime Administrators Confab to boost Nigeria’s hub status –Peterside

D

irector General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dr. Dakuku Peterside, has said that the hosting of the Association of African Maritime Administrations (AAMA) will boost Nigeria’s quest of emerging a hub of maritime destination for the West and Central African region.

The Director General, who spoke in Lagos yesterday, noted that the hosting of AAMA, which is currently the biggest maritime event on the continent will assemble all the major operators in Abuja for the duration of the event.

According to Dr. Peterside, apart from showcasing Nigeria’s Maritime

potentials to the Maritime Community in Africa, it will also bring about interactions, business meetings, exchange of ideas and contacts among the maritime stakeholders across Africa including those from Nigeria.

He said in a statement issued in Lagos by NIMASA Spokesman Isichei Osamgbi: “In addition to the maritime administrations that would be attending the event other critical stakeholders such as shipping companies, terminal operators, shipping agents, freight forwarders and other sundry maritime and shipping services providers would also be in attendance and this will bring about exchange of ideas and contacts with

the Nigerian stakeholders.”

The NIMASA DG also said that 32 countries from all parts of Africa are expected to participate at the continental conference and a number of maritime stakeholder organisations around the world. The International Maritime Organisation (IMO) delegation will be led by Mr. Kitack Lim, the Secretary General of IMO, which is a United Nations specialised agency that regulates shipping globally.

Dr. Peterside also said that the convening of these Maritime Administrators in Nigeria would afford the country the opportunity of improving its economy via the maritime sector as issues such as ports

development and its modernisation, maritime tourism, shipbuilding and repairs will be at the front burner of the discussions.

He equally added that interactions among importers, exporters, shipping firms, freight forwarders and even chandelier’s, among several others will ultimately lead to increase in maritime activities in Nigeria thereby helping the country attain the desired hub port status within the sub-regions and ultimately advance the Nigerian economy.

AAMA was formed following the signing of the African Transport and Maritime Charter in 2012 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia to bring together all play-

ers in the African maritime sector. The Association is an umbrella body of five African Maritime Stakeholders’ groups namely: Association of Maritime Administrations of Africa, Africa’s Ship Registry Forum, African Ship Owners Association as well as Africa Shippers’ Council and Seafarers’ Forum with the aim of promoting the development of Africa’s maritime regulatory and maritime environment.

This would be the third conference of the Association. The event which is themed “Sustainable use of Africa’s Oceans and Seas” will hold from 19th t0 21st of April 2017 and also feature the unveiling of the new NIMASA brand by President Muhammadu Buhari.

By SOPURUCHI ONWUKA

cials were linked to the missing petrol stored at private depots under a throughput arrangement.

Missing fuel saga: NNPC sacks Ogbue, others N

•Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, with the Chinese Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr. Zhou Pinson, during the envoy’s courtesy visit to his office in Abuja, Thursday.

NIPCO to raise value for Mobil shareholders –MD

By SAMSON AKINTARO

M

anaging Director of NIPCO Plc, Mr Venkataraman Venkatapathy, has assured investors in the company of increased value and confidence over its acquisition of majority shares of Mobil Oil Nigeria Plc. Venkatapathy in his remarks, Thursday, at the closing gong ceremony on the floor of the Nigerian Stock Exchange, said the acquisition marked NIPCO’s commitment to the Nigerian economy as it would enhance the continuous growth and expansion of its retail footprint in the country while delivering more benefits and values for its investors.

“The Group is confident that investors will benefit greatly from the deal as improved performance of the company as an integrated oil firm remains our priority objective.

As an efficient oil marketing company, NIPCO acquisition of MOBIL majority shares would bring economy of scale to the firm, benefit Nigerians and grow the economy” he said.

The NIPCO MD disclosed that the company would be adding new businesses and works towards increasing the production of its lubes which has remained a cherished brand in the lubricant market.

“To all discerning investors the deal is a big welcome to a new dawn and new era that will usher in stability, prosperity, sustainability and

growth in the downstream sector in particular and the industry in general.

“The deal will definitely make the NIPCO Group bigger not only due to the acquisition but also the additional new business lines to be introduced to make the company one of the most proficient and best run outfit in the industry. The Group overall goal is to increase Mobil presence and efficiency across the nooks and crannies of the country and expand its retail footprint to a minimum of 300 at the earliest and make it a vibrant one. It is pertinent to mention that in the landmark agreement signed with ExxonMobil, NIPCO will

continue to use the Mobil brand and also continue to market Mobil lubricants,” he said.

He thanked the management of the NSE for their support and cooperation on the acquisition process and the eventual approval to proceed with the exercise and the eventual approval of the deal.

“I am also using this opportunity to further assure the NSE and indeed all other regulatory agencies that the expected due diligence will be implemented to the letter in all our transactions in the market and further spur investors’ confidence in the new management of the company,” he said.

igerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) has announced the retirement of three senior management personnel of its retail division following the sailing scandal over massive diversion of petroleum products held in the custody of private depot operators in Lagos.

The corporation’s spokesman, Mr. Ndu Ughamadu, declared in a public statement on Thursday that Managing Director of NNPC Retail Limited, Mrs. Esther Nnamdi-Ogbue; Executive Director in charge of operations at NNPC Retail Limited, Mr. Alpha P. Mamza; and the Distribution Manager in the same company, Mr. Oluwa Kayode Erinoso; have been mandatorily retired with immediate effect.

The officials were reported to have been earlier sacked, and later advised to resign, but are now officially retired from the services of the corporation.

Also with immediate effect, Mr. Adeyemi Adetunji has been appointed Managing Director of NNPC Retail Ltd; Engr. Lawal Bello, Executive Director in charge of operations; Mrs. Affiong Akpasubi, the Executive Director in charge of services; and Mr. Agwandas A. Andrawus, the Manager in charge of Distribution.

The statement explained that sack of the senior managers as a product of reforms in the corporation, but it is popularly believed that the sack of the trio might be directly connected with the controversy over missing petroleum products held in private depots in Lagos.

The announcement came after a committee had submitted its report on the missing fuel and NNPC board recommended disengagement of indicted staff.

The report had stated that the offi-

The scandal broke on March 17 when the Chief Operating Officer (Downstream) at NNPC, Mr Henry Ikem-Obih, declared in a media briefing in Abuja that about 130 million litres stored at the Capital Oil & Gas depot and over 30 million litres in MRS Limited depot, all in Apapa area of Lagos, were not found when needed.

He had said the infraction by the two downstream companies was a clear violation of existing contract which prohibited the firms from tampering with the volumes in their custody without express permission of the corporation.

He said the companies were called to explain and given two options to either return the full volume of what was stored in their depots litre-forlitre or pay the full value of the products taken without approval.

He had also mentioned that NNPC alerted the Directorate of State Service (DSS), the Economic Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) and relevant committees of National Assembly with oversight function on the corporation’s downstream operation to help recover the assets.

The two companies have also entered strong defense for their actions, pointing at NNPC’s reluctance to come to table for account reconciliation over unsettled debts owed them for services to the corporation.

There are also allegations of political persecution following the involvement of the principal of one of the companies in the presidential campaign of People’s Democratic Party (PDP) which was defeated by the ruling party in the 2015 elections.

Ambode unveils ‘Lagos Global’ platform to drive FDI

By VICTOR NZE

L

agos State Government has unveiled the one-stop shop platform called Lagos Global, in a bid to drive its efforts at increasing its Foreign Direct Investments (FDI) as well as boost its Gross Domestic Product (GDP) to the position of the second largest economy in Africa.

Speaking on the activities of Lagos Global, at an event lined up as part of the Lagos @ 50 celebrations, the Special Adviser, Office of Overseas Affairs and Investment, Professor Ademola Abass, expressed the State Government’s desire to make Lagos

the most desirable investment destination in the world through ever increasing ease of doing business which investors are forever seeking.

Going further on the state’s readiness to improve the ease of doing business, the Special Adviser listed World Bank’s index of measuring ease of doing business in the ranking of nations to include ease of starting a business, obtaining construction permits, property registration, tax payment, trading across borders, getting credits and enforcing contracts.

According to Abass, “Governor Akinwumi Ambode has again reaf-

firmed his commitment at ensuring that Lagos becomes the destination of choice as far as investment is concerned. A number of reforms have been instituted to create an enabling environment for businesses to thrive and for investors, both local and foreign, to realise that the business environment has been greatly enhanced and therefore conducive for businesses to prosper.”

“The various efforts being made by the government are all geared towards enhancing the ease of doing business in the state. Some of these reforms include but not limited to tax reforms, ease of permits applica-

tion processes, improved land registration system, quicker proposal processing and so many others.

These are areas where investors had setbacks in the past that brought about discouragement leading to a reduced presence of investments in the state.”

Abass further stated that when all of these policies were successfully implemented in Lagos, the State being the commercial hub of Nigeria by its very act will not only attain its mega city status with increased GDP, Nigeria as a whole, stands to benefit with an improved chance to attract more foreign direct investments.

16

The Oracle Today Wednesday April 26, 2017

ENERGY NNPC to create telecom business unit Stories by, SOPURUCHI ONWUKA

T

he Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) may establish a new strategic business unit that would thrive in the highly profitable telecommunication sector using some of its critical Information Communications & Technology (ICT) infrastructure to launch commercially viable entry into the business.

The Group Managing Director of the Corporation, Dr. Maikanti Baru, made this known while receiving the Minister of Communication, Abdur-Raheem Adebayo Shittu, who paid a courtesy call on him at

the NNPC Towers.

The infrastructure include the over 960km of Fiber Optic Cable laid between Lagos-Benin and Warri to Kaduna on the NNPC Pipeline Right of Way; 52 remote VSAT stations nationwide and 2 Network Centres connecting all NNPC Depots and Pump Stations across the country.

The GMD said, “Our look-ahead plan is to commercialize our FibreOptics Cable Network utilizing NNPC pipeline Right of Way that cuts across the entire country.

Some of the benefits of this initiative include the opportunity to provide backbone carriage to meet the National 2020 Plan for broadband penetration in the country”.

He also expressed the Corporation’s readiness to collaborate with the Ministry of Communications in its quest to develop new ICT initiatives towards making life easier for Nigerians.

“We are committed to supporting the Ministry of Communications to realize its ICT dreams which will not only ensure effective governance and service delivery in the country, but will also make life easier for Nigerians,” Dr. Baru stated.

The GMD also lauded the Minister for ensuring the pursuit of the National Strategy and Roadmap Agenda which intends to increase broadband penetration from 6% to 30% by 2020.

He told the Minister that to key into the Ministry’s laudable agenda, the NNPC had already re-strategized its ICT initiatives towards making it a hub for seamless, efficient and value-adding operations nationwide.

According to the GMD, the NNPC also boasts of a Data Centre Facility that houses all its Data, Information and business solutions such as the Systems Applications & Products (SAP), E-mail services, collaboration solutions and specialized applications for the oil and gas industry.

Earlier in his remarks, the Minister of Communications, Adebayo Shittu, lauded the GMD for “bringing a new lease of life to the NNPC”

through reforms that were in consonance with President Muhammadu Buhari’s change agenda for the country.

He called on the NNPC to support some of its initiatives such as the proposed ICT University, the reforms in Nigeria Communication Satellite (NIGCOMSAT), the Nigerian Postal Service (NIPOST) bank and transport company as well as the proposed ICT Park & Exhibition Centre.

“With these initiatives, our intention is to continue to make the business of governance much easier for our teeming population, especially those in the rural areas,” the Minister assured.

Asian refiners explore options for OPEC crude grades

S

ince the start of 2017, Asian refineries have been looking at a wider range of crudes to run as they seek to diversify their supplies and reduce the impact of OPEC related production cuts.

The difference in price between medium-heavy sour Dubai crude and light sweet Brent crude has hit its narrowest spread in nearly one and a half years due to bullish prices for Middle East sour crudes following OPEC’s decision to cut production made at the end of November.

The Brent/Dubai Exchange of Futures for swaps contract averaged $1.33 a barrel in March. Within the month, it touched a low of $1.10 a barrel, which is the lowest level since August 2015.

Prices for Middle East sour crudes have rallied since late 2016 after OPEC producers agreed to reduce production.

Since the agreement was reached, the Middle East crude complex has moved higher steadily as the market priced in the prospect of cuts in term supply from OPEC producers.

In the meantime, the narrow EFS spread and cheap freight has made long haul Brent related crude grades attractive to Asian refiners and this has led to a surge of Atlantic basin crudes making the voyage eastwards to refineries across Asia, ranging from China to Japan to Thailand and to India.

Since the beginning of the year Asian refineries have been looking at a wider range of crudes to run as they seek to diversify their supplies and reduce the impact of OPEC related production cuts.

China, as the largest single buyer in the region, has been leading the charge, expanding purchases of West African and North Sea crudes, and taking oil from Mexico, Brazil and the US. In particular, it has seen a dramatic increase in Brazilian crude imports since late 2016 and the trend remains firmly intact.

Two of India’s largest refiners, Reliance and state-owned Indian Oil Corporation (IOC), have also been looking at Russian Urals crude as the key export grade shows signs of competing with some Mid-

dle Eastern sour barrels.

Recently, IOC branched out and bought a 1 million-barrel cargo of the eastern Canadian Hibernia crude into its April-May tender.

The cargo is only the second shipment of eastern Canadian crude to make the trip to India, with the previous one in November 2013.

Japanese refineries have also been eyeing longer-haul crudes, with Idemitsu Kosan having bought its first cargo of Angola’s Girassol, Japan’s first purchase of West African crude since November 2015.

Looking ahead, the key question facing the market is whether OPEC will extend the agreement beyond June, which is supposed to be decided upon at the next full ministerial meeting in Vienna on May 25.

Group Chief Executive (GCE), Oando Plc, Mr. Wale Tinubu (center back), hosts exhibition staff to group photo during a major industry conference in Abuja.

Huge energy investments still frozen after US, Russia talks B illions of dollars worth of energy investments are still stuck in the tension between the United States and Russia over international political influence even after both countries ended talks during the visit if Secretary of States, Rex Tillerson, to the regime with which it had struck deals in the past.

Reports about the outcomes of the meeting showed that sanctions against Russia would continue until United States is convinced that the socialist state is ready to end escalation of violence in areas where it has interest.

Specifically, US sanctions against Russia’s energy sector is to remain

in place until Moscow takes steps to de-escalate violence in Ukraine, US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said Wednesday after meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov.

“Until full progress is made under the Minsk accords, the situation in Ukraine will remain an obstacle to improvement in relations between the US and Russia,” Tillerson said during a webcast press conference with Lavrov.

Tillerson said Russia must de-escalate violence and withdraw separatist armed forces and heavy weapons from Ukraine so international observers could patrol the conflict

area.

The sanctions imposed in 2014, after Russia annexed the Crimean Peninsula from Ukraine, froze several major upstream oil joint ventures between Russian and Western companies. ExxonMobil, where Tillerson was CEO before becoming secretary of state, took an estimated $1 billion hit.

Tillerson and Lavrov addressed reporters in Moscow after they met with Putin for more than two hours.

Tillerson and Lavrov met for several hours before that. The pair said the US and Russia must work closer together to resolve global concerns like terrorism, but the countries remain

Lekoil, GE sign MoU on $1 bn Ogo Field development

L

ekoil Limited has announced a Memorandum of Understanding with GE Oil & Gas for the development of a work program for the Ogo field, located in OPL310 offshore Nigeria.

Under the MoU, Lekoil will leverage GE Oil & Gas equipment and technical expertise. Lekoil is also currently in discussions with other potential partners for the financing of the OPL310 appraisal program, which is expected to spud by yearend 2017 or in early 2018.

Following the successful comple-

tion of the appraisal phase, and subject to the fulfilment of a number of conditions including a positive well result, GE Oil & Gas, through a consortium SPV, and Lekoil through its funding partners, intend to invest funds towards the full field development capital of the project.

LEKOIL estimates this cost to be $400 million for full field oil development and $600 million for subsequent upstream gas field development.

GE Oil & Gas is expected to receive a percentage of Lekoil’s future cash

flows from the Ogo field. Lekoil’s 40 percent participating interest in OPL310 will remain intact and unaffected by the terms of the MoU. “We are pleased to announce this MoU with GE Oil & Gas, which marks the first step in our aim to fully develop the Ogo field,” Lekan Akinyanmi, CEO of Lekoil, said in a company statement.

“The agreement brings a worldclass resource to OPL310 and significantly reduces Lekoil’s cost of capital to bring the field into production,” the CEO added.

far apart on Syria, Ukraine and other key issues.

Lavrov described the conversations as “substantial and very frank.”

He blamed the fractured relationship in part on “irritants, so to speak, that have piled up,” under the Obama administration.

“We are being realistic and we do understand that in order to overcome these obstacles we have to make efforts, and we seek to do that,” Lavrov said through a translator.

Tillerson said the pair committed to improving channels of communication.

“I expressed the view that the current state of US/Russia relations is at a low point,” he said. “There is a low level of trust between our two countries. The world’s two foremost nuclear powers cannot have this kind of relationship.”

The meeting included a lengthy discussion of the Syrian war and “possible ways forward,” Tillerson said. The pair also agreed that “North Korea has to be denuclearized.”

They promised to support initiatives by business circles from both countries to improve trade and investment. They also agreed to designate special envoys from the State Department and Russian Foreign Ministry to have “pragmatic conversations” about areas of tension between the two countries.

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The Oracle Today Wednesday April 26, 2017

e-Platform HP unveils new lineup of Pavilion laptops

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P Incorporated has announced a new lineup of Pavilion laptops with sophisticated designs, and features to inspire today’s students and tomorrow’s reinventors. The company in a statement, said the new Pavilion convertibles and laptops deliver a rich set of features and performance options previously reserved for higher-end products, including the addition of premium materials like 3D metal, USB-C for more connectivity options and active pen support to bring Windows Ink to life on Pavilion x360s.

“We are evolving our portfolio of products to meet the needs of everyone from today’s students to digital creatives, as their usage and interactions with computing devices continue to change,” said Anne-Sophie Hadberg, head of consumer personal systems EMEA, HP Inc. “Today’s Pavilion products take proven innovations from our premium lineup and provides end users with the ability to play, create, connect and entertain.”

According to the company, the new Pavilion x360 gives customers what they want – mobility and flexibility in a convertible PC. “Pavilion x360s not only morph into four modes, but also infuse premium materials and features like 3D metal, USB-C to enable more connectivity, and active pen support to bring Windows Ink to life. Windows Ink allows users to interact with content in new ways and quickly turn thoughts into action – create lists, sticky notes, and draw your ideas directly onto the screen. To highlight just how interactive, versatile and creative the Pavilion x360s with Windows Ink allow users to be, the 2017 Pavilion x360 will headline a Bandana Inking experience in the HP LOUNGE at Coachella” it said.

The 2017 Pavilion x360s are offered with an 11.6” HD IPS display, or 14” or 15.6” diagonal screen options with HD or Full HD IPS. “The latest Pavilion laptops bring amazing new designs inspired by HP’s premium Spectre and ENVY lineup. In bringing quality new designs to the Pavilion portfolio, HP is able to offer its Pavilion customers scalability and performance. The use of 3D metal on the 2017 Pavilion laptops adds durability and an elegant look while the combination of hues, finishes, and textures give the PCs a more sophisticated look. The incorporation of a lift hinge, previously reserved for ENVY products, provides a more comfortable typing experience, but also more efficient airflow to the bottom vents. With a design engineered for functionality, the combination of comfort for end-users and airflow for performance makes Pavilion perfect for users who are creating their own videos and editing photos, then sharing them on social media. The new portfolio of Pavilion notebooks are offered with a 14”, or 15.6” diagonal screen options with HD or for Full HD IPS displays.”

“HP’s Pavilion x360 and Pavilion laptop devices feature a wide-range of configuration options to meet the needs of the consumer needing the reliability to connect and get things done or be entertained. Pavilion gives consumers a PC that not only performs, but is also a true reflection of how people interact with their devices” the company said.

Mobile manufacturers cry for help over counterfeiting Stories by SAMSON AKINTARO

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akers of mobile phones in Nigeria has again called on government and its agencies to come to their rescue over the rising cases of counterfeiting in the Nigerian mobile market as the menace continues to eat deeper into their revenues. This came as the percentage of fake phones in the market is said to have gone up from 5 percent to about 10 percent or higher in the recent time, indicating and upsurge in the shady business of copying and branding fake mobile phones as original.

According to one of the popular mobile brands in the country, Tecno Mobile, the issue of counterfeiting is now the biggest challenges mobile manufacturers are facing in Nigeria.

General Manager, Tecno Nigeria, Mr. Chidi Okonkwo, in a chat with tech journalists in Lagos, said the problem is affecting all mobile brands in the country, especially, any brand that is fast selling. “This is not about Tecno alone; it affects our competition as well. The number of fake phones in the market used to be 5 percent, but now it has gone up to 10 percent and might be more than that if another survey is carried out” he said.

Okonkwo disclosed that the modus operandi of the counterfeiters in the market now is that they copy mobile phones completely as produced by the original equipment manufacturer (OEM), except that the specifications will be inferior, adding that such phones are also displayed in the shops as originals and are purchased by unsuspecting consumers. Accord-

BlackBerry wins $814.9M in Qualcomm royalty dispute P hone make, BlackBerry, has won a refund of $814.9 million from overpaid royalties to Qualcomm, dating from the period when the smartphone pioneer’s unit sales were in sharp decline. An out-of-court arbitration hearing in the US ruled Qualcomm would pay the refund in addition to legal fees and interest.

The overpaid royalties date from 2010 to 2015. According to a Qualcomm statement, the dispute surrounded whether its per-unit royalty cap applied to certain prepayments made through the handset company’s licensing agreement. In a written statement, BlackBerry CEO John Chen gave an impression that the dispute and its outcome would not affect the relationship between the two companies. “BlackBerry and Qualcomm have a longstanding re-

lationship and continue to be valued technology partners. We are pleased the arbitration panel ruled in our favour and look forward to collaborating with Qualcomm in security for ASICs and solutions for the automotive industry” he said.

A Qualcomm statement added: “While Qualcomm does not agree with the decision, it is binding and not appealable. The arbitration decision was limited to prepayment provisions unique to BlackBerry’s licence agreement with Qualcomm and has no impact on agreements with any other licensee.” Qualcomm’s licensing and royalty terms have been under increased scrutiny so far this year, with complaints filed by the US Federal Trade Commission and Apple currently going through the US legal system.

ing to him, the proliferation of fake phones in the market is also affecting the mobile number operators as such phones cause poor services for the users. The Tecno boss added that the government is also losing to fake phones in terms of revenue as duties are not paid on them in most cases.

Asked if the government is aware of the challenge and the efforts being made to tackle it, he said the Standard Organisation of Nigeria (SON) and the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) are well aware and have been conducting some raids in the markets, but they would need to do more in this regard to rid the market of counterfeits.

Before now, the President of Association of Telecommunications Companies of Nigeria, Olusola Teniola, had raised alarm over the challenge of fake and unapproved phones flooding the Nigerian market. According to him, there are about 20 mobile brands that are being sold in Nigeria without NCC’s approval. “The government should put anti-counterfeiting measures such as the facilitation of integrated web portal based IMEIIMSI collection to stem the menace of sub-standard or unrecognised mobile phones circulating in Nigeria with the obvious consequences of poor quality of service, loss of revenue to the government, loss of business

by OEMS and loss of jobs as well in Nigeria mobile market, for instance we have more than twenty mobile phone brands that do not have NCC type approval certificate to operate in Nigeria. These unregistered/unapproved brands have over one hundred and fifty mobile phone models circulating in Nigeria” he said.

But in an exclusive report earlier in January, The Oracle Today, had narrated why counterfeit mobile phones are booming in the market, according to the dealers. In the report, some mobile traders in the popular Computer Village in Lagos blamed top business men among them for

the proliferation of fake phones in the market and across the country but noted that the business thrived because many Nigerians want cheap phones. They noted that the demand for these phones encourage the business men, who are also owners of phone shops in the Computer Village and other parts of the country to go to China where they strike deal with some OEMs to manufacture substandard phones and import to Nigeria.

One of the phone traders at the market who identified himself simply as Uche said the business men have realized that to reach the mass market, the prices of the phones must be affordable as the cost of original smartphones are not friendly to large categories of phone users.

“This is why they go to China to order some of these smartphones with lower specifications compared to the original ones from the OEMs”, he explained. John who displays his wares by the roadside inside the market said most small traders by the road side got their wares from the big shop owners. “Most of us here cannot afford to go to China or import anything; we get the phones from the shop owners.”

Also speaking, a top member of Phone and Allied Products Dealers Association of Nigeria (PAPDAN), who would not want to be named because he was not authorized to speak, said the association is also aware of the problem and is working to find a lasting solution in collaboration with the Standard organization of Nigeria (SON) and Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC). “We also realize that this has continued because there are huge demands for cheap phones. Already, this is a big issue between the OEMs in Nigeria and some dealers who also stock and sell fake phones alongside the originals. That is why you see some OEMs now opening their own sales outlets in the market” he said.

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The Oracle Today Wednesday April 26, 2017

e-Platform

CTO seeks increased ICT partnership investments in Commonwealth states Stories by SAMSON AKINTARO

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he secretary-general of the Commonwealth Telecommunications Organisation (CTO), Shola Taylor, has called on Commonwealth member countries to seize all opportunities to invest in ICTs to achieve the aims of the Sustainable Development Goals and connect the next billion to the benefits of the Internet.

Taylor, who spoke at the inaugural Commonwealth ICT Investment Forum for Emerging Markets (Commonwealth ICT Invest’17), noted that insufficient investment in ICTs, and in particular in affordable technologies, has resulted in significant gaps in access to the Internet between Commonwealth countries.

“It is well acknowledged that ICTs play a crucial role in national socio-economic development and Commonwealth ICT Invest’17 was convened in order to discuss opportunities for investment in emerging markets and also to facilitate partnerships and collaboration. The exceptionally high-level calibre of participants

at this forum clearly indicates that the international community is well aware of the challenges and opportunities presented by the lack of investment in ICTs. They are clearly demonstrating their commitment to seizing these opportunities and moving forward to develop their ICT sectors for the benefit of their countries, companies, peoples, the Commonwealth and beyond, Taylor said.”

Held in Dubai, the heart of the modern investment world, Commonwealth ICT Invest’17 was hosted by the Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of the UAE. According to a statement from the CTO, the event featured discussions on issues such as regulating to attract investments, new investment mechanisms for ICTs, funding mechanisms for SMEs, start-ups and incubators and investments in ICT applications, among other topics. There were also a number of project showcases, designed to demonstrate national projects to potential investment partnerships.

Investing for the future was a recurrent theme of the first day.

During the opening ceremony, Osman Sultan, Chief Executive Officer of du, urged delegates to develop policies that will not delay the realisation of tomorrow’s reality. “Investment in the ICT sector is what is most lacking when it comes to ensuring that people around the world benefit from the Internet,” said Gilbert Patterson, Chairman, Telecommunications Authority of Trinidad & Tobago and Chairman of the CTO Council. “We must use this event to explore together ways to attract and encourage investment in ICTs and affordable access as we all stand to gain from a world of universal access.”

Participants at the event include ICT ministers, ministry representatives and telecoms regulators, development banks, regional ICT institutions, the private sector and development agencies from Bahamas, Bangladesh, Cameroon, Canada, Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Malaysia, Nigeria, Pakistan, Samoa, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Trinidad & Tobago, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United States of America.

• Secretary General Commonwealth Telecommunications Organisation,Shola Taylor

Samsung opens pre-order for Galaxy S8 in Nigeria

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amsung Electronics West Africa has announced that the 8th generation of its flagship Galaxy S Series, the Samsung Galaxy S8 and S8+, are now available for pre-registration in Nigeria from the 10th of April, 2017, while the devices would be available in the Nigerian market from the 5th of May, 2017.

Successors to the S7 and S7 Edge, Samsung S8 and S8+ come with the most advanced Samsung technology, pushing the boundaries of traditional smartphones with seamless hardware design and a variety of new service offerings. Paul Lee, Managing Director, Samsung Electronics West Africa, said that the new Galaxy S8 and S8+ are packed with the most refined experience to-date by combining the latest technology to deliver world-class quality and user experience.

“The new Samsung S8 and S8+are packed with a plethora of features that have set a new standard for the Samsung Galaxy series.The Infinity Display and bezel-less design form a smooth, continuous surface with no buttons or harsh angles. The result is a truly immersive viewing experience without distractions and makes multi-tasking more convenient”, he stated.

“Samsung”, he said, “places a high premium on security in order to protect content in the devices. The Galaxy S8 and S8+ provide heightened security and privacy, with biometric authentication, including fingerprint scanner, iris scanning technology,and facial recognition so users canquickly and effortlessly unlock their Galaxy S8 or S8+, offering users more authentication options that can be used interchangeably,” Leeexplained.

The Galaxy S8 has a 5.8-inch display screen, while the Galaxy S8+ has a 6.2-inch screen. They also both

feature Super AMOLED display, allowing for clearer videos and images with a resolution of 2960 x 1440 (Quad HD). Both devices are also water and dust (IP68)-resistant. Users do not have to worry about getting the device damaged when dropped in water, as deep as 1.5 metres, for up to 30 minutes.

The Samsung S8 and S8+ are equipped with an advanced8MP F1.7 Smart auto-focus front camera and 12MP F1.7 Dual Pixel rear camera for the best low-light, zoom and anti-blur photos with enhanced image processing. The camera sensor is refined for better image processing, which enablesusers to capture photographs and videosThe Galaxy S8 and S8+are built with more spacious internal storage that starts at 64GB with an expandable memory that can handle up to 256GB via microSD card. With the new Samsung

Galaxy S8 series, there is definitely more room for everything, from office documents, games, to videos and photos.

Both devices are perfect for multitasking. Users can multitask with ease on the long screen of their phones, chat with friends using the full keyboard, while watching a video. While the Multi Window resizes the whole app window, the Snap Window feature will display only the selected area so you can refer to it while you are doing any other task.

Customers who pre-register get a free starter kit consisting of accessories for the S8 and S8+ when they pre-register between the 10th of April and the 4th of May. The starter kit will also be available to customers who purchase the smartphones between 5th and 7th of May. The devices are available in Midnight Black, Orchid Gray, and Maple Gold colours.

NCC committed to smooth running of the telecom industry –Commissioner

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•NCC Executive Commissioner, Sunday Dare

he Management of the Nigerian Communications Commission, NCC, yesterday reiterated its determination to ensure smooth running of the telecommunications industry. Commission’s Executive Commissioner Stakeholder Management, Mr. Sunday Dare who represented the Executive Vice Chairman, Prof. Umar Danbatta stated this at a meeting held at the NCC Headquarters with the stakeholders in the international data access and interconnect exchange services.

Mr. Dare said the meeting was convened by the Commission to find best, concrete solutions to the issues affecting the business of international data access, and interconnect exchange services in Nigeria from the regulatory standpoint as

stipulated by Nigerian Communications Act (NCA) 2003. The forum was a clear response to the series of complaints the Commission has received from both sides of the divide.

Ms. Funlola Akiode, Director Licensing and Authorization, whose department is driving the initiative also recalled: “We understand that there are counter accusations on where the faults lie. As a regulator, it is our responsibility to hear all sides, and follow painstaking consultations, develop modalities, processes, policies and improved rules to govern all segments of the industry. We are therefore assured that the outcome of this meeting will not be business as usual, but will lead to clear improvements in the telecoms operating environment and business as a whole.”

“This meeting provides a platform

for you to freely air your views, concerns, complaints and issues. We implore you to provide detailed information on the problems being encountered, challenges faced, and we expect to jointly develop lasting solutions to move the industry forward”. Ms. Akiode stated. Conclusively, Mr. Dare said giving the important role the international data, and the interconnect exchange services licensees have played in the industry in the past 16 years, the Commission has received and noted the earlier recommendations made by the licensees on the implementation of a cost-based pricing for both local and international interconnections; efficient and effective interconnectivity settlement mechanisms; issues of capacity development; and specific challenges of the sub-market.

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The Oracle Today Wednesday April 26, 2017

Travel & Hospitality

Be proactive in repositioning tourism, culture –ANJET tasks new DGs Stories by VICTOR NZE

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call has gone out to the newly-appointed Directors-General in the Federal Ministry of Information and Culture to see their appointments as a veritable opportunity to reposition the ailing culture and tourism sector of the country’s economy.

Making the appeal in separate congratulatory messages to Mr. Folorunsho Folarin-Coker of the Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation (NTDC) as well as Otunba Olusegun Runsewe at the National Council for Arts and Culture (NCAC), Wednesday, the umbrella body of travel and tourism writers, the Association of Nigerian

Writers and Journalists of Tourism (ANJET) urged them to also consider their appointments as ‘a call to national service’ with a view to winning back stakeholders’ confidence in the industry.

According to ANJET, which commended the federal government for appointing professionals to man the affairs of the agencies, the need to restructure and reposition the culture and tourism industry as well as regain waning industry practitioners’ belief had become imperative on account of the agencies having been run by unprofessional personnel.

“For us at the Association of Nigerian Journalists and Writers of Tourism (ANJET), we reiterate that your appointment could not have

come at a better time than now, as we have consistently harped on the need for the Federal Government to appoint a professional to man the affairs of the corporation.

“This position informed our widely circulated press statement earlier last month, which called on Federal Government to put a stop to the rotational and ad-hoc headship of NTDC by unqualified personnel from the civil service, rent seekers, political jobbers’ pool and appoint a substantive professional to run the agency towards attaining its goals of driving the tourism industry in Nigeria.

“We, therefore, use this medium to express our confidence in your

ability to change the deplorable case of the NTDC and by extension, the Nigeria tourism against the backdrop of your enviable records achieved as former Commissioner for Tourism in Lagos State.

“With your appointment, we believe the confidence of the industry practitioners as well as the NTDC workforce has been restored as it is expected that they would now work at delivering economic gains to the people, who have been at the receiving end of the seeming shortcomings of a failing industry.

“We, however, charge you as a major stakeholder in the Nigerian tourism sector not to see this achievement merely as a political

VoA policy: NIS reprimands 11 officers for exploitation

Cross River/ South Africa partner on proposed hotel institute

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omptroller-General of Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), Mr Muhammad Babandede has directed that 11 officers and men of the Service be issued query for overcharging foreigners on the ‘Visa on Arrival’ facility.

Babandede disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday in Abuja.

He said that the 11 officers at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos, were found to have overcharged some visitors on the newly launched ‘Visa on Arrival’ (VoA) facility.

He said that other disciplinary actions would be taken on them after they had answered the query, to serve as deterrent to others.

It will be recalled that the NIS had issued official guidelines that was made public on the processing, official online payment and mode of issuance of the VoA document.

Babandede noted that officers and men at all entry points to the country where such facility were issued had been warned on the need for strict compliance with the guidelines.

“The management of the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) is by this action on the 11 officers and men, affirming that it will not spare any act tantamount to flouting laid down rules and procedure, “This is to ensure that we do not do anything that will discourage Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) and truncate effective service delivery to the public,” he said.

It would be recalled that the NIS recently launched the online VoA platform as part of Federal Government’s plan to eliminate all unnecessary bureaucratic visa processing procedures, and ensure that foreigners/investors get their visas upon arrival in the country, upon presenting the necessary documents.

appointment, but instead an opportunity and veritable platform to restructure Nigeria tourism with a view to recapturing investors’ confidence, as well as providing a viable playing field for indigenous players in the industry,” the writers charged Folarin-Coker.

ANJET, affiliated to the Federation of Tourism Associations of Nigeria (FTAN), similarly charged Runsewe ‘to be circumspect, focused and committed to delivering on the mandate of your parastatal with the unalloyed personal sacrifices, commitment and passion for which you are known and had handled every national assignment entrusted in you in time past.’

•Nollywood figures, Monalisa Chinda and Ibinabo Fiberesima at the Rivers @ 50 celebrations in Port Harcourt, Thursday

Igbo groups in US plan cultural festival I gbos in the United States of America say they will hold an all-Igbo cultural festival on September 1 and September 2, in Maryland suburb Washington DC, to promote their language and culture.

Chairman of the Organising Committee, Prof. Okechukwu Oranika, who disclosed from Atlanta, USA on Wednesday, said the theme is; “Igbo Diaspora Cultural Heritage Festival 2017”.

Oranika, a faculty member at Grand Canyon University, Phoenix, Arizona, said several young Igbo born in the diaspora are showing interest in the language and culture.

“The festival will cover anything about igbo language and culture and we have millions of young igbo children and adults born in the diaspora.

“Many of them are of age now, they are re-marrying now and

showing a lot of interest in igbo language and culture.

“We are bringing them on board to perpetuate the igbo language and culture to the next generation of igbos born inside and outside Nigeria,” he said.

According to Oranika, the festival is being held to boost the Igbo language usage among Igbo speaking people.

“You can agree with me that the Igbo Language is on the demise.

We are very sad about this and part of the reason we are doing this is drum up support for Igbos to begin to use their language.

“You are also aware that the United Nations predicted that the Igbo language is on the demise and in two or three decades, it could become extinct because Igbos do not speak the language anymore,” he said.

Oranika, the publisher of Africa Business World, said that many Igbo groups in America, South Africa and Nigeria would be part of the event.

“The World Igbo Congress, represented by Chairman Dr. Larry Udorji, Ada Nkiru Odibeze of Nwannedinamba USA, Ada Kanayo Ntukogu of PILA USA,and Africa Business World of Atlanta Georgia and other groups promoting the language and culture are the main organisers of the event.

“Royal families from Nigeria and members of the intelligentsia and the Nollywood movie industry will be there.

“Part of the idea is to get the people to also discuss important Igbo issues in the country,how the igbos should unite and form a common front to deal with issues affecting them in the country,” Oranika said.

ross River Government says it is working with the North West Province in South Africa to establish an International Hotel Institute in Calabar, the state capital.

State Governor, Ben Ayade said this, Tuesday while addressing a delegation from Mafikeng, North West Province of South Africa in Calabar, stressed that the establishment of the institute would facilitate the development of the state’s tourism potentials. Ayade added that an action committee would be set up immediately to ensure that the institute became operational in five months before the Calabar Carnival.

The governor commended the delegation, led by former Nigerian High Commissioner to South Africa, Amb. Uche Ajulu-Okeke, for the partnership.

“I am just taken aback by so much that the South African team could unfold in a short period of just about two days. But I think we will be doing a disservice to this state if we do not also compel them to go to Obudu Cattle Ranch. You need to be at the Ranch.

“I am quite excited at all your thoughts and concepts you shared; your fears and concerns about Nigeria have melted away just by your first visit to Nigeria and Calabar.

“I am sure also that the more you stay, the more you fall in love with Cross River State,’’ he said.

He thanked the team for carrying out an in-depth study and analysis of the areas visited and coming out with an elaborate and unambiguous technical report and recommendations.

The leader of South African Technical Team, Uche Ajulu-Okeke, explained that the twin-city agreement was signed during Ayade’s visit to South Africa in February.

During the tour, the team visited the Marina resort, agriculture sites and farms. The delegation was in the state for a three-day working visit as part of economic cooperation on areas of agriculture, tourism and establishment of an International Hotel Institute.

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The Oracle Today Wednesday April 26, 2017

AVIATION

Kaduna route: El-Rufai woos Ethiopian airlines Stories by VICTOR NZE

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anagement of Ethiopian Airlines has disclosed it will consider the possibility of continuing separate flight schedule to Kaduna International Airport after the re-opening of Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja on April 19.

Traffic and Sales Manager of the airline, Mrs Firiehiwot

Mekonnen, who made this known in Abuja last Thursday, also disclosed that the Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, had begun discussion with the airline to that effect.

According to her, El-Rufai has requested that Ethiopian Airlines should continue separate flight to Kaduna even after the reopening of Abuja airport.

“The management is still

considering the possibility and will come with its decision on that before the reopening of Abuja airport.

“If the option is good, we will go ahead with our operation there.

“We met with the governor today at the Kaduna State Governor’s Lodge in Abuja and we discussed extensively.

“The discussion was to see if it is possible to continue separate flight to Kaduna even af-

ter Abuja airport is opened,’’ she said.

Mekonnen also said that the airline had started operating full flight from Kaduna since the beginning of last week, recording 286 passengers daily.

She explained that the passengers had adjusted to the arrangement of flying out through Kaduna, adding that Ethiopian airlines had recorded great success in its Kaduna operation.

N15bn debt: Airline operators demand audit of NCAA claims

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new twist has been added to the rift brewing in the aviation industry over an imminent clamp down on airlines by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) on the grounds of an alleged N15 billion debt owed the agency by the carriers operating in the country.

This is as the umbrella body of the domestic operators, the Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON), while disputing the N15 billion debt the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) claims its members owed the agency, has demanded an independent audit of the figures.

It would be recalled that Federal Government through the NCAA in December, last year gave January 1, 2017 as the deadline for airlines operating in the country to automate their remittance / payment system.

According to NCAA, the automation system is being introduced to ensure transparency, accurate billing and prompt payments of charges due from the airlines to the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) in line with the Nigerian Civil Aviation Regulations (NCARs) 2015, Vol.2, Part 18.12.5.

However, while the deadline has since expired, it appears the NCAA is now breathing down the necks of operating airlines in the country, culminating in a statement by it, last week, to begin a clampdown on defaulting firms.

On its part, the operators had earlier, last week, called for the process of automation of the remittance of the controversial five per cent Ticket and Cargo Sales Charges (TSC/CSC) to the agency to be put on hold until the parameters which constitute the statutory fee are clearly and properly defined.

However, in a statement made available to the media, during the week, President of AON, Capt.

Noggie Meggisson, said assured that the association was ready to pay for an independent audit to ascertain the actual amount involved.

Meggisson, however, said that the AON was still at a loss on the NCAA’s “phantom’’ claim.

According to him, most of the

debts were owed by airlines that had been taken over by the Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON).

“AON therefore challenges the NCAA to come open with the breakdown of how it arrived at the phantom bill of N15 billion and publish the details of the airlines and what they owe.

“It will show a historic debt owed majorly by airlines that have gone out of business over the years due to the harsh environment, unfriendly polices and the continued burden of multiple charges.”

The AON president said that an independent audit would reveal that its existing members did not owe a fraction of the N15 billion claimed by NCAA, adding further that most of AON’s active 29 operating airlines were servicing their debts as agreed with relevant agencies after the usual reconciliations.

“AON hereby offers to pay an independent auditing firm, at our own expense, to audit the N15bn NCAA claimed the airlines owed it,’’ he said.

With regard to the issue of automation, he said the AON only asked for its suspension, pending the resolution of some issues yet to be clarified by both parties.

Reacting, the Association of Nigerian Aviation Professionals (ANAP) which described the development as ‘stealing by trick of public funds,’ called it an ‘economic offense that left unchecked has grown into an entitlement for the perpetrators which is killing the industry.’

CBN releases additional $250m for airlines, others

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•Minister of State for Aviation, Senator Hadi Sirika addressing the media during the last official inspection of the runway of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport (NAIA), Abuja to assess the state of work by Julius Berger construction firm “This money they are owing it is stealing by trick of public funds, air travelers pay that 5%, that money has never been a tax to any airline as some of them will erroneously lead people to believe. The money is a charge on passengers the airlines only collect it on behalf of government to allow facilitation, imagine the chaos at the airport where people are travelling if that money is collected as you intend to travel and the fraud that would happen,” said General Secretary of ANAP, Comrade Abdulrasaq Saidu.

On its part, the Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (ATSSSAN) said ‘airlines fraudulently calculate the charge with base fare alone exempting Fuel surcharge (YQ).’

“The International ticket coupons generated by IATA for tickets sold in Naira and in USD in Nigeria showed that the 5% TSC for both sales were based on the total cost of the ticket, that is inclusive of fuel surcharge (YQ) and base fare”.

“What we have witnessed over the years is that the domestic airlines i.e AON members and nonmembers alike collect the 5% TSC from passengers and refuse to remit to NCAA and or remit only a negligible percentage of the money and illegally utilize the larger unremitted percentage, thereby creating a huge deficit of unremitted portion of the money which now forms what is termed debt,” said the President of the trade union, Comrade Ahmadu Illitrus.

FIRS rakes in N2.5bn from VAT automation with airlines

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he Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) has entered into Value Added Tax (VAT) automation with Aero contractors, Dana and Medview airlines to boost revenue collection in Aviation.

The Director, ICT FIRS, Mr Kola Okunola, who disclosed this during a presentation at the just-concluded training conducted by a media consultancy and training firm in collaboration with FIRS, last Wednesday in Abuja, stressed that since the commencement of VAT automation with the three airlines, FIRS

“We have been having full flights from Kaduna since last week and even today, tomorrow and next, our flights are already fully booked,’’ she said.

The Federal Government had on March 8, shut the Abuja airport for six weeks for rehabilitation of its failed runway and diverted all Abuja-bound flight to Kaduna airport.

collected N2.5 billion from 2014 till date.

“We also plan to commence VAT automation in oil and gas, big businesses and other sister organisations to facilitate tax payment.

“Arik airline has about 70 per cent of the market in the Aviation, but yet to be in the VAT automation.

“If all these airlines come into place, we (FIRS) are looking at collecting almost N10 billion in a year, “ Okunola said.

According to him, the Inter-

grated Tax Administration System (ITAS) of the FIRS made Tax Identification Number (TIN) generation much easier to access.

Okunola said that the ITAS platform had a live chat that could respond to questions and complaint of tax payers.

He said that with the help of the platform, tax payers would not need the help of FIRS officials to generate their TIN. Okunola said that few weeks from now, the service would commence electronic tax clearance.

entral Bank of Nigeria (CBN) disclosed, last Wednesday that it has released another 250 million dollars on 7 to 30 day forwards for airlines, agriculture sector, petroleum products and raw materials.

Acting Director, Corporate Communications, CBN, Mr Isaac Okorafor, said in a statement that the bank also called for bid for 100 million dollars wholesale spot for traveling allowances, medical and tuition fees.

He said that the apex bank had also commenced heavy injections into the spot market in addition to the settlement of requests for wholesale spot bids for invisibles like school fees, medicals and personal travel allowance.

It will be recalled that earlier this week, the apex Bank had disbursed 20,000 dollars each to the Bureau De Change (BDC) operators in two tranches of 10,000 dollars, to ensure liquidity in the foreign exchange market.

On Monday, the bank auctioned 100 million dollars to be settled between one week and 30 days.

It also auctioned 418 million dollars at N310 to a dollar to airlines, agricultural firms, petroleum and raw material importers in addition to the 350 million dollars it sold last week.

Nigeria-China Partnership good for tourism

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he Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, has described the partnership between Nigeria and China in the area of infrastructural development as a catalyst for domestic tourism in the African nation.

The Minister made the remarks in Abuja on Thursday when he received the Chinese Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr. Zhou Pinson, on a courtesy visit.

“I think China is a good example of how domestic tourism can propel and trigger the economy. But for domestic tourism to prosper of course you also need improved infrastructure. This is why we are so glad that China is collaborating with Nigeria in the area of infrastructure such as roads, power and railways,” he said.

Alhaji Mohammed expressed delight at the bilateral relations between Nigeria and China, which he described as mutual and sincere, saying China remains one of the strategic partners of Nigeria because of its genuine commitment and passion towards the country.

21

The Oracle Today Wednesday April 26, 2017

INSURANCE & PENSION Nigeria’s inflation dropped by 0.52% in March – NBS Stories by KINGSLEY CHRISTOPHER

T

he National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) said in its first quarter report that the rate of inflation has dropped by 0.52 per cent. The agency said in its latest CPI and Inflation Report.

According to the report, Consumer Price Index, CPI, which measures the rate of inflation in the country for a given period, recorded a marginal decrease in the month of March, 2017.

The Bureau said the CPI for the month declined by 0.52 per cent points to 17.26 per cent from the 17.78 per cent recorded in February. On a month-on-month basis, the decline was by 1.42 per cent in February 2017 to about 1.72 per cent in March.

The CPI measures the average change in price of goods and services consumed by people for day-to-day living over time.

“The headline CPI is the second consecutive month of a decline on a year-on-year basis, representing the effects of stabilizing prices in already high food and non-food prices as well as favourable base effects over 2016 prices,” the Bureau said.

The Director General of the bureau, Yemi Kale, was quoted as saying that the lowering trend in the CPI was also indicative of

early effects of a strengthened Naira in the foreign exchange rate market.

Mr. Kale said price increases were recorded in all classification of individual consumption by purpose, COICOP, used to classify both individual consumption expenditure and actual individual

• Mohammed Kari

consumption.

He said the major divisions responsible for accelerating the pace of the increase in the headline index were housing, water, electricity, natural gas and other fuel, education, food and alcoholic beverages, clothing and footware, and transportation ser-

vices.

Details of the report showed that the food sub-index for the month rose by 2,21 per cent, from 1,99 per cent in February on a month-to-month basis.

On a year-on-year basis, the sector recorded a reduction from 18.53 per cent in the previous

• President Buhari

Buhari fires PenCom, NSITF DGs, others Out: Continued P13

Research Institute for Chemical Technology.

Dr Haruna Yerima is the DirectorGeneral, Nigeria Institute for Social and Economic Research, Sunday Thomas, Deputy Commissioner, Nigeria Insurance Commission, Mr Tunde Erukera, Executive Secretary, Consumer Protection Council and Mr Bello Tukur, Secretary, Federal Character Commission.

He said Dikko Abdulrahman is appointed the Director-General, National Pension Commission, Mr Umar Jibrin, Executive Secretary, Federal Capital Development Authority, Mrs Folashade Joseph, Managing Director, Nigeria Agriculture Insurance Corporation, and Mrs Cecilia Gaya, Director-General, Administrative Staff College of Nigeria.

Others are: Mrs Luci Ajayi, Executive Secretary, Lagos International Trade Fair Management Board, Mr Emmanuel Jimme, Managing Director, Nigeria Export Processing Zones Authority, Mr Lanre Gbajabiamila, Director-General, Nigeria Lottery Regulation Commission, and Jalani Aliyu, Director-General, Nigeria Automotive Design and development Council.

Adebiyi said the appointments were with immediate effects.

However, the action by Federal Government may have also thrown up its own round of controversies, aside the fact that the insurance industry had more than a fair share of the mass sack of management.

This is also many have expressed concern over a possible policy shift in the insurance sector considering that the changes affected the gov-

Mr Bayo Somefun, Managing Director, Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF)

Mr Bashiru Bunji, Acting Managing Director, Managing Director, Nigeria Agricultural Insurance Corporation (NAIC).

In: Sunday Thomas, Deputy Commissioner, National Insurance Commission (NAICOM); Dikko Abdulrahman is appointed the Director-General, National Pension Commission (PenCom); Mrs Folashade Joseph, Managing Director, Nigeria Agricultural Insurance Corporation (NAIC) ernment industry regulating agencies.

Reliable sources confirm that the exercise has been long predicated on the ground that the sacked directors were appointed by previous government of the People Democratic Party headed by Dr. Goodluck Jonathan.

However, the appointment of Mr. Sunday Thomas as Deputy Commissioner for Insurance technically implies that he may sooner or later take over from the incum-

bent Commissioner for Insurance, Alhaji Mohammed Kari whose first tenure in office has been enmeshed with controversies.

Analysts have since argued that if Kari should make his first tenure it is not likely that he will be reappointed for second term.

For Mr. Sunday Thomas, a diligent, focused and committed insurance professional, the insurance industry under his watch, it is believed, will be better for it given his rich pedigree and the knowledge

of the industry.

He had earlier served in the Commission for 17 years and retired to join the Nigerian Insurers Association where he functioned as the Director General until his recent appointment.

The newly appointed DirectorGeneral, National Pension Commission Dikko Abdurrahman is said to be a man of integrity haven been on the board of Premium Pensions Limited as the chairman for several years.

Although pension industry watchers are of the view that as an operator who sat on the board of a pension fund administrator, he may compromise issues as a regulator when his erstwhile company errs.

Reactions from the pension industry goes thus; The Executive Secretary, Pension Fund Operators of Nigeria, Mrs. Susan Oranye, in a sms reaction said that the news came as a surprise to her. She, however, express optimism that when he is finally confirmed for the job by the Senate he will continue with the growth project which the industry is poised for.

“It came to me as a surprise, however, the new DG, when confirmed by Senate, has a very good pedigree. So we are hopeful of the continued growth and progress of the industry. Oranye said.

Mr. Andrew Orisafele, chief compliance officer in a telephone conversion with the Oracle Today said; “This man I know nothing about.

Well until next week when we are having a Compliance meeting in Abuja. I cannot comment on him for now”.

months to 18.44 per cent.

The highest increases in the food sector were in bread, cereals, milk, meat, potatoes, yams and other tubers as well as cheese and eggs, while the slowest increases were in soft drinks, coffee and tea and cocoa.

The report said the core-sub-index also rose by 1.32 per cent on month-on-month basis, from 1.10 per cent in February. The figure on a year-on-year basis was a reduction from 16 per cent in February to about 15.4 per cent.

The highest increases in the core-sub-index was dwelling, electricity, clothing materials and other articles of clothing, book and stationaries, liquid fuel, lubricants for personal transport equipment and solid fuels.

Similarly, the urban index for the month also rose by 1.76 per cent from 1.52 per cent in February, as against a reduction from 18.57 per cent to 18.27 per cent on a year-on-year basis.

The rural index showed an increase of 1.69 per cent, from 1.47 per cent in the previous month, against a reduction from 16.98 per cent to 16.47 per cent on yearon-year basis.

Global reinsurance capital declined by $3bn in Q4 2016 -Report

T

he volume of traditional reinsurance capital declined in the final quarter of 2016 by $3 billion to a reported $514 billion as at December 31st, 2016, while alternative capital growth in the quarter ensured dedicated reinsurance capacity remained at $595 billion, according to report by Aon Benfield.

The survey showed that the volume of traditional reinsurance capital declined by $3 billion, or 0.5per cent within the period under review.

The report in the January 2017 Reinsurance Market Outlook, while $517billion was traditional capital, with the remaining $78 billion being alternative reinsurance capital.

The agency, however, stated that as at December 31st, 2016 global reinsurance capital remained at $595 billion, but the volume of traditional capital had declined by $3 billion while the level of alternative reinsurance capital increased by $3 billion, or 3.9per cent, to $81 billion.

Overall, global reinsurance capital increased in 2016 by 5per cent to $595 billion, despite declining in the final quarter of 2016, traditional reinsurance capital did increase year-on-year by four per cent to $514 billion, and alternative reinsurance capital grew by 13per cent to $81 billion, for the full-year 2016.

22

The Oracle Today Wednesday April 26, 2017

INSURANCE & PENSION Law Union pays N1.8bn claims

T

he management of Law Union & Rock Insurance Plc, a second oldest insurance firm in Nigeria has paid claims totaling over N1.8billion as at end of first quarter of 2017.

The breakdown as disclosed by the company indicated that a total of N1. 5billion was paid out in 2016, while about N380million claims were paid in the first quarter of 2017.

The company added that it posted a 100per cent Profit after Tax of N561.851million in 2016 from N280.919million recorded in 2015, even as the claim ratio declined from 67per cent to 49per cent within the period of review.

“Our underwriting result equally grew by 10per cent to N1.254billion in 2015. This novel deliverable highlights our dominant corporate culture for professionalism and commitment to delivering world class risk management solutions.

Our giant stride in profit after tax in 2016 galvanized us positively by reducing the previously accumulated loss by 95per cent from N468milliom in 2015 to N24million in 2016”. The Managing Director/Chief Executive, Mr. Jide Orimolade told journalists at the CEO Forum organized by the National Association of Insurance and Pension Correspondents in Lagos today.

He said the Law Union & Rock is now committed and strategically positioned to consolidate on her profit earned this year to delight its shareholders and other stakeholders.

The chief executive added that the company submitted itself to rating processes by the Global Credit Rating, a South Africa based rating agency and that the report confirmed the company’s financial capability and claim paying ability. The agency, he said, accorded the company with A- claim paying ability from BBB+ in 2015 as well as adjudged the firm with Stable outlook.

Buhari nominates Ummu Jalingo, 4 others for CBN job

P

resident Muhammadu Buhari has forwarded five names to the Senate for confirmation as Non-Executive Directors of the Board of the Central Bank of Nigeria.

This was confirmed by presidential spokesperson, Femi Adesina, who said the list was contained in a letter sent to Senate President Bukola Saraki on Wednesday.

The nominees include three professors, Ummu Jalingo (North East), Justitia Nnabuko (South East) and Mike Obadan (South South). Others are Abdu Abubakar (North West) and Adeola Adetunji (South West).

Mortgage operators mull job loss insurance policy

By KINGSLEY CHRISTPHER

M

ortgage operators in the country are currently considering insurance job loss policy under the compulsory insurance category aimed at putting in check, mortgage loan default by a borrower and the challenges in the sub-sector.

The scheme, already in place, has upto six months coverage.

Mortgage Insurance, which is widely used in other countries, allows mortgage providers to protect themselves for potential

losses suffered as a result of a borrower defaulting by insuring part of the loan.

President of the Mortgage Banking Association of Nigeria (MBAN), Dr. Femi Johnson, who spoke at the biennial general meeting/elections of the body, said the housing finance sector represents a growth reserve for the Nigerian economy as it has immense potentials to boost economic growth.

He said; “the opportunity for growth lies in the challenges inherent in the sector, burgeoning

housing deficit could translate to productivity and profitability, rapid urbanization creates a continuous demand for housing to ensure the sustainability of the sub-sector” Johnson said that the housing tenancy sub-sector is capable of growing the Nigeria Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by 70-80 per cent of its present size, saying, “Investment in housing construction would accelerate growth in other sectors of the value chain, thus, increasing the stock of affordable housing would accelerate growth of the middle class,

deepen the Nigerian market and increase aggregate demand”.

He charged the association to engage with the regulatory agencies and other concerned parastatals on the provision of intervention funding for the subsector as has been done for other sectors.

The group’s election saw the Managing Director, TrustBond Mortgage Plc, Mr Adeniyi Akinlusi, emerged the National President, Mr Akintayo Oloko, vice president were elected for a two-year period to run the affairs of the body.

CIIN wants fraud curbing insurance technology

T

•L- R: Rantimi Ogunleye, Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Wapic Life Assurance Ltd; Olufemi Obaleke, Executive Director, Wapic Insurance Plc; Yinka Adekoya, Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Wapic Insurance Plc and Bode Ojeniyi, Executive Director, Wapic Insurance Plc at the introduction of Wapic Insurance Smart Life Products in Lagos

Dogara tasks FG on pension liabilities

By KINGSLEY CHRISTOPHER with agency report

S

peaker of House of Representatives, Mr. Yakubu Dogara, on Thursday urged the executive arm of the government to ensure that backlog of pensions were paid promptly, warning that excuses would not be accepted.

Dogara made this known while reacting to briefing by Minister of Finance, Mrs. Kemi Adeosun and her Budget and National Planning counterpart, Sen. Udoma Udo Udoma, on efforts to offset arrears owed Nigerian pensioners.

He expressed confidence that the promise of President Muhammadu Buhari on the pensions would be kept saying, “When the president promised that he was going to release money for bailout to States so that they can pay backlog of salaries and pensions, he did. “We will not accept any excuse that leaves part of this pension funds hanging,” Dogara added.

He continued; “I don’t know where you got the money to bail out the states from, but wherever you got the money from that is

•Speaker of House of Representatives, Mr. Yakubu Dogara where we are going to get the money to solve this problem. I want to believe this will be the last intervention we will be having with regards to the issue of pensions in this country. That is my charge.

“The message the House will be sending to the President through the ministers is `when you meet him to brief him about this engagement, tell him that we have taken his words to the bank and we believe that we would cash it’.”

he President, Chartered Insurance Institute of Nigeria (CIIN), Lady Isioma Chukwuma has urged insurance operators to deploy technology in the premium payment system to curb fraudulent activities of agents.

Lady Isioma made the charge when the institute paid a courtesy visit to a national newspaper on Wednesday in Lagos.

Reacting to allegations of fraud against insurance agents, the president said the financial service industry which the insurance sector is part of, has discouraged cash through online payment to eradicate fraud.

She said part of the steps taken in the sector to reduce fraud in the agency system is to ensure that all agents are registered with the National Insurance Commission (NAICOM) and pass through the training process of both the Commission and the institute.

She restated the commitment of the institute to place the insurance industry in a prime position in the financial services sector and the national economy as a whole.

She acknowledged the significant role of the media as a veritable purveyor of public education on insurance and financial issues.

According to her, it is important because of its position as the insurance industry’s partner in progress as well as helping to gauge public opinion about our industry and practice.

She stressed that the institute has substantially achieved its 11 point agenda during the course of her presidency.

Part of her achievement, she said include follow-up on the recognition of the CIIN Certificate by the Head of Service of the Federation by ensuring that all necessary approvals are obtained so that the certificate holders are appropriately placed in the Civil Service structure.

23

The Oracle Today, Wednesday April 26, 2017

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The Oracle Today Wednesday April 26, 2017

ISSN: 2545-5869

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EDITORIAL Buhari no longer knows our expectations I

N THE almost two years of this administration, we have worked hard to meet the expectations of Nigerians by improving security, especially in the North-East, sustaining the campaign against corruption and have taken steps to revitalise the economy–President Muhammadu Buhari’s Easter message IT is becoming easier to believe that President Muhammadu Buhari is no longer in touch with Nigerians. It is more doubtful if he understands the expectations of Nigerians, some of who have taken their lives in protest against the economic challenges they are facing. They would be devastated to read the President’s position that he has met their expectations.

But, has he? For a man whose integrity, people are prepared to swear by, many would stake what is left of their honour again to enact futile debates about the imaginary progress that Buhari has made in almost two years of running Nigeria (some would say aground).

Now, what are the expectations of Nigerians? Where did Buhari meet them? What projects resulted in the fulfilled expectations? What does he intend to do with the remaining two years of his tenure, since he had broken the records in fulfilling his campaign promises?

Buhari’s administration was built on lies from inception. The notoriety of his lying team has spawn several theories about his aides and their absence from the Nigeria in which we live. They have phantom projects, which they execute, or manufacture blames for the failure of the administration on the actions of the previous administration.

The times that should have been invested in seeking solutions to the challenges that Nigeria faces, the basis for electing Buhari, have been wasted in travelling the world and telling global audiences that Nigerians are corrupt. Critical appointments for government agencies at home and our foreign missions have been left empty in almost two years.

How does the government expect to function without these? What has he done for the millions of unemployed people who have been expecting his monthly stipend of N5, ooo since May 2015? Where are the jobs he promised? What has he done about the economy that is grinding to a halt under his watch?

Has he spoken boldly in defence of Nigerians being killed at home and abroad?

If one of the expectations of Nigerians is that Fulani herdsmen should be punished for killing, looting, raping and appropriating other people’s farmlands, has Buhari reacted to that? Has he even agreed that the Fulani herdsmen are criminals ad deserve punishment? Has he admitted that the nationwide attacks on farming families across the land by Fulani herdsmen pose greater security threat to the nation than Boko Haram attacks which are concentrated in the North East?

And what is there to boast about in the North East? More than a year after the administration said that Boko Haram had ‘technically’ been defeated--degraded to a point that it posed no danger to Nigerians—this has become another false claim of the administration.

Boko Haram is still alive and kicking.

Corruption, one of the cardinal agenda of the administration, is mired in controversy. From the methods of execution to the frequent collapse of the cases in court, it would appear that the anti-corruption agencies do not have sound evidence before heading to court.

Possibly more controversial is that allegations of corruption among the members of the administration are dismissed without investigation. The impression is created that some are above the law, while others are under the law. These have damaged the credibility of the administration immensely.

Everyone knows that the President has not been healthy for a while. It is also possible that most of the things attributed to him could be without his knowledge.

What confounds us is that the President’s aides have the temerity to lie in his name.

What do they think Nigerians are? Have they forgotten the many promises that Buhari made, most of which sounded impossible then, but Nigerians were reminded that it was Buhari, a self-acclaimed miracle worker, who made them?

In place of the apologies that Nigerians are expecting over the lethargic performance of the Buhari administration, it chooses to mock Nigerians with unfounded claims of performance. Have they forgotten their own promises?

Electricity was one of them. Electricity supplies have so deteriorated that the administration has used two years to explain it. The administration’s response to the electricity challenges has been one excuse after the other, none of which admits its failure. The importance of electricity is what the administration delights

in lecturing us about; it makes no effort to supply it.

Agriculture was promoted as the fulcrum of a government programme for rural development, youth empowerment, and the development of many industrial chains that would help in processing farm products. Whatever progress made in agriculture has since dimmed in the face of serious security threats from Fulani herdsmen. They destroy farms and wipe out whole villagers.

Farmers have fled from the onslaught that seems to have gained momentum with a Buhari government that never condemns the attacks or mandates the police to find the Fulani herdsmen who perpetrate the crimes.

The Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development has spent two years in search of grass that would suit the delicate palate of the Fulani cattle, establish ranches for them, all at public expense. The programme, according to the Ministry, would appease the Fulani herdsmen and take them off people’s farms.

It is insulting to Nigerians that a government that promised them change, a government that condemned everything the previous administration did and promised to make life better, claims it has executed its projects, when Nigerians are in a deeper crisis than the one they wanted to escape.

Unemployment is at an all-time high even as employers in the public and private sector owe salaries; the economy is on a spin, inflation is rising and the growing uncertainties about the President’s health and his policies make every decision tentative. How far can a country run in these circumstances?

As if these were not enough, the fight between the executive and the legislature, both controlled by the same party, has degenerated to a point of no return. They have decided that they would fight each other at every turn. As it is now, there is neither an executive nor a legislative direction for the country.

To say that Buhari has a lot of work to do is to belabor the obvious. But, the point must be made that he does have a lot of work to do. Unfortunately, from his latest utterances, it is crystal clear that the administration has disconnected from Nigerians and appears unconcerned about what happens to them—in the short or long run.

Our Vision To be among the top five newspapers in Nigeria and, in due course, the Numero Uno; to be a newspaper of records that effectively caters to the information needs of all segments and sections of the Nigerian society as well as all social classes and cultures. Essentially, we want to be a responsible corporate citizen, a commercially viable, properly organised media business, which meets its obligations to society, government and the workforce.

Mission We intend to contribute to the development of an inclusive Nigerian society, with a view to getting rid of the dark sides of our national life (slothfulness, greed, corruption, nepotism, totalitarianism, etc); to continually engender and sustain national debates that would ultimately lead to the enthronement of healthy national values--hard-work, justice, equity and fairplay, transparency, good governance, resulting, in themselves, the egalitarian Nigerian society of our dream. We will give voice to the voiceless and at all times, strive to be balanced, objective, honest, truthful and fair to all sides; so that through The Oracle Today, our people, the Nigerian people can see a bright light at the end of what has been a very dark tunnel.

And we shall do all this in absolute trust in God who

25

The Oracle Today Wednesday April 26, 2017

OPINION

Buhari’s health and absence at FEC meeting

By EHICHIOYA EZOMON

N

EARLY a month of lull after his return from medical vacation in London on March 10 this year, questions about President Muhammadu Buhari’s ill health resurfaced on Wednesday, April 12, in Abuja, and across the country, reviving imageries of him reportedly being vegetative, totally incapacitated, and even dead.

That day, the president was absent from the weekly meeting of the Executive Council of the Federation, commonly referred to as the Federal Executive Council (FEC), which he presides over as the head of the government of the federation.

Accounts in the media say the council members, mainly ministers of the government, while expecting the president to come into the council chambers, were taken by surprise when the National Anthem, at the prompting of Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, began to play.

As is normal in human endeavours, subordinates usually engage in banters and exchange of pleasantries before resumption of meetings, especially when the head of the gathering has yet to come in. And that was their past time that Wednesday.

Thus, the Anthem played and immediate order and decorum restored, Prof. Osinbajo took over and presided at the meeting.

As the council members dispersed at the end of their deliberations, State House correspondents confronted the Minister of Information and Culture, Mr. Lai Mohammed, with two questions rolled into a single sentence: Where was President Buhari, and why did he not attend the FEC meeting? The follow-up question was equally probing: Had the president taken ill again?

You could imagine Mr. Mohammed, who may or may not have seen the president that day, figuring out what to tell the highly inquisitive

reporters, who seemed only interested in Buhari’s health condition, and not what the FEC discussed and decided for the overall good of the polity.

It wasn’t surprising that the minister almost sounded apologetic, and repetitive in trying to explain why the president was not at the meeting.

Muhammed said: “Clearly, when we came in this morning, Mr. President was not in the chambers but the Vice President did preside over the council meeting. Understandably, that has sparked a lot of controversies and imputations in the mind of people.

“I just want to make this clear; Mr. President is in town. Mr. President is attending to other issues. Mr. President looked at the agenda (of the meeting); it was a very light agenda and decided that the Vice President should preside.

“It’s not unusual for the kind of interest that is shown, especially given the fact that Mr. President was away for a while on medical treatment. We are not surprised that people will be wondering, is he ill again?

“He is not ill, he is not sick. I am sure that later in the day or tomorrow morning, he will be back in the office. I just want to clear that misconception.”

It’s not compulsory for the president to attend all meetings of the FEC, and he doesn’t need to explain to the entire country, but perhaps, only to the FEC members, the reason for his absence.

Indeed, the 1999 Constitution (as amended) does not mandate the president to be present at every meeting of the FEC, nor does it place a burden on him to explain his absence at such meetings.

Section 148(2)(a-c) spells out the gathering, and the functions of the Executive Council of the Federation, as follows: “(2) The President shall hold regular meet-

ings with the Vice-President and all the Ministers of the Government of the Federation for the purposes of(a) Determining the general direction of domestic and foreign policies of the Government of the Federation; (b) co-ordinating the activities of the President, the Vice-President and the Ministers of the Federation in the discharge of their executive responsibilities; and (c) advising the President generally in the discharge of his executive functions other than those functions with respect to which he is required by this Constitution to seek the advice or act on the recommendation of any other person or body.”

Where in the above quoted Section 148 of the Constitution is it stated that the president must attend all meetings of the FEC, and when he’s unable to attend, he must give reasons for his absence?

It’s even a stretch to assume that all Ministers of the Government must attend the FEC meetings, as indicated in the Constitution in Section 148(2): “The President shall hold regular meetings with the Vice-President and all the Ministers of the Government of the Federation...”

This is not possible in any human affair, and certainly not in the FEC meetings, which we expect the president to always attend, and when he’s unable, he should offer reason(s) to us for his action.

Supposing the president was attending to other state matters of equal importance, at the same time that the FEC meeting is scheduled to hold, will he di-

vide himself, or abandon the other engagement to be at the meeting?

That’s why the Constitution creates the office of the vice-president, who acts as head of government in the absence of the president. This situation played out very well during President Buhari’s medical trip to the United Kingdom in February/March - Prof.

Osinbajo became the Acting President of the Federation.

Actually, the Information Minister made allusion to this scenario when fielding questions from the State House correspondents.

According to him: “It is not unusual, even if Mr. President is hale and hearty and everything is going on well, for the VP to come and preside over meetings of the Federal Executive Council.

“The fact that Mr. President is not in the office does not mean that he is not working.

I have just been told that the Secretary to the Government is already with him in the residence working. So, the fact that you did not see him in the office does not mean that he is not working at all.”

We shouldn’t expect President Buhari to be 100 percent fit from his undisclosed ailment. After all, he has signaled seeking further medical attention in the nearest future.

Similarly, we shouldn’t revive past indiscretion of continuing to play up his indisposition whenever he’s absent from office or at public engagements.

Nonetheless, speculations about his health condition, and the interest or anxiety it creates in the minds of Nigerians will only abate when he discloses the nature and extent of its seriousness to the public. And it’s about time he did that!

•Mr. Ezomon, Journalist and Media Consultant, writes from Lagos, Nigeria.

Easter in Anambra: Chuzzy Boko here, 70’s stars too…

By CHUKA NNABUIFE

O

NCE he spoke in our simple exchange: “Good evening!” and “How are you?”

Something within me stirred in nostalgia.

I felt that I have heard this voice before!

Then I said: “My name is Chuka, Sir.” He replied: “I am Chuzzy Boko.”

I enthused: “Wow, Chuzzy Boko! The Chuzzy Boko of the 1980’s ABS FM Radio?”

He affirmed. Then a long stroll into history, radio broadcasting in the 1970s and the 1980s in my childhood city, Enugu (Coal City) ensued.

We ambled back and forth through the Ugwu Onyeama hills of Ngwo to Miliking Hill to the famous and notorious Coal Camp, to Ogbete, the Onitsha Road studios of Radio Nigeria, Enugu, the Independence Layout studios of the old Anambra State Broadcasting Service (ABS), to berth of Frequency Modulated (FM) radio broadcasting there in the middle of the 1980s. All the highs and lows of prime time radio broadcasting of the period featured in our 30-minute or so discussion, which was heavily dotted by hearty laughter and down-memory-lane re-tunes of pop music hits of the era. We sang some discos–the best we could.

We crooned some rock numbers–some lyrics we could not remember. We threw us as much beepop numbers, reggae and all the jazz–just recalling the memorable tunes or refrains was enough fun for us.

It was so much so that we cared less for our dinner when it was served. Not minding the delicious meals, we just chewed and swallowed, only enjoying the real sweet taste of the night, which was our gist. Willie Nwokoye, the Principal Secretary to Gov. Willie Obiano, a passionate old school music connoisseur and fan was as much the head of the table as he was (and has always remained) the cheerleader and man Friday of oldies revival in the state. There was the Awka-based radio presenter and popular disc jockey, Prince Emeka Kalu (a.k.a. Magic Finger), a protégé of Chuzzy among others.

That evening made us all come alive, younger and really youthful. We relived ourselves with stories of our cherished broadcast anchors of the immediate post-civil-war period when ‘boys were boys.’ It was swell and the peculiar baritone of the legend of the FM disc jockeying, rang raucously with gusto – charging up the dinning hall of Havila Hotel, Awka as it did the radio airwaves of the 1980s and 1990s.

Chuzzy Boko was indeed the poster boy of FM broadcasting. He was as much a pop music buff as he was a voice thriller. Although a DJ, he spoke impeccable English with a richly textured voice and cadence that made us curdle our transistors whenever he came on air. Every summer (or so it seemed) he broadcast from London in a British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) popular program titled, ‘Stories From Nigeria.’

Whenever he opened the window for his music shows he quipped, he cracked jokes, he played the latest club hit yet he offered resourceful information on the most current acts and trends. And this was an era when the Internet was not available or common in town.

I asked him how he did it and who trained him. He replied: “Nobody. Sincerely, I cannot say anybody trained me because I was not even meant to be on air. I was working in the library then at Radio Nigeria, Enugu. But, I used that opportunity very well. Being with the records always, I collected and read all the information I found on all the records.

“Sure, I had the intention to be behind the microphone someday but I did not know when. So, one day I went to Ms Inyang … (he mentioned the surname) who was a head announcer at the time. I remember that the main thing she told me was that if I wanted to be a broadcaster, I should train to be conscious of the sound of my voice by going to an enclosed end of a wall and keep talking and listening to myself. That I did repeatedly, almost like a religion,” he said.

Obviously, that voice-training regime was very old school. It belonged to an era when head-

phones were not as common as they are now.

But, that was how icons like Chuzzy trained. And they got the best of themselves to the benefit of radio and broadcasting history.

Dark, stout, ball-eyed and thick-lipped, Chuzzy is always full of life. I met him last in the late 1980s (then he was always in jean trousers and long-sleeve shirts with folded arms) before our meeting last Tuesday night. Though now in more conventional garb, the usually ebullient verve was still there.

Chuzzy who was on the staff of the current Anambra Broadcasting Service (ABS), Awka, is based in Umuahia, Abia State currently. He is in Anambra for a landmark gig being packaged for Easter Sunday at Alex Ekwueme Square, Awka.

The show being promoted by Nwokoye with Anambra State’s Commissioner for Diaspora Affairs, Culture and Tourism, Stella Onuorah as the anchor will parade pop music stars of Igbo root, who held sway in the 1970s. Chuzzy worked with and propped most of the pop icons in his early days of fame.

According to Nwokoye, those makers of evergreen hits that jerked Igbo out of the trauma of the loss of the 1967 – 1970 civil war will, for the first time, come together and rock on stage at the behest of Anambra State governor, Dr. Obiano.

Dubbed ‘Pop Stars of the 70s’, the jam will feature such star acts and groups as Semi-Colon, Wrinkar Experience, Soky Ohale, Funkees, Sweet Breeze, One World, Wings, Apostle, Aktion, Foundars15 and others.

Mrs. Onuorah who said that casting back the peoples’ mind to the good old days of good fun was the purpose of the package recalled that the legacies the acts left in the society’s mind is the essence of the dusk to dawn gig.

“All these groups”, she noted during a media briefing she held ahead of the event, “metamorphosed into popular individual musical groups immediately after the civil war and mesmerised Nigerians with their hit songs. The choice of

Easter day for the show is deliberate.’

She appraised the evergreen status of the pop icons despite the wrinkles and age now visible in their visage thusly.

“The groups virtually faded off from the public consciousness but their music still holds strong appeal across the nation,” she enthused.

“O ga adi egwu (it will be a landmark event),” echoed Nwokoye.

Chuzzy and others of his oldies fold will regale the jam with old school anchorage favour.

• Nnabuife, a painter and communicator, is Managing Director/Editor-in-Chief, National Light Newspapers, Awka, Anambra State.

THE GROUP Managing Director/Editor-in-Chief Ikeddy Isiguzo Editor Felix Oguejiofor Abugu Deputy Editor/Head, Lagos Bureau Sopuruchi Onwuka Production Editor Henry Duru Business Dev. Manager Amaka Onumajulu Head, Graphics & Designs Nnamdi Alex Chukwu Circulation Manager Ben Obika Head, Advertising Femi Anamelechi

26

The Oracle Today Wednesday April 26, 2017

Export Platform

By CHINYEMIKE TORTI HAVE you ever wondered how to earn money from exports? Do you have goods to export and you are lost about how to do it? Whatever your product, whatever your enquiries, Export Platform which debuts today would answer them. It is also available on oraclenews.ng, meaning that exporters and importers can meet easier.

Opportunities for Nigerian Exporters –Vietnam needs 870,000 tons of cashew nuts

Nigerian cashew nuts in high demand

I

N Nigeria,we are right now,bang in the cashew harvest season,whose crop production belt stretches from Ogbomosho, Iseyin in Oyo state through Kogi, Nassarawa, Benue, Enugu, Abia, Ogun and southern reaches of the country. The cashew fruit (anacardium occidentale) is a succulent, and juicy fruit crowned with a kidney shaped nut,that could be consumed when roasted or steamed.

According to a study by the International Trade Centre, Geneva, Switzerland, cashew nuts are rich in heart friendlymono-unsaturated, fatty acids and an ingredient in savoury dishes,drinks and industrial chemical derivatives worldwide. The study, affirmed that current global production of raw cashew nuts, RCN, exceeds 2.1 million tons valued at nearly US $2 million, which corresponds to a quarter of the world’s edible nuts production. Cashew nut kernels are mainly used on the European market as roasted and salted snack. In recent time cashew nut has also become interesting to industrial users and is as such used for cookies, cereals and is also promoted as

a topping on ice cream.

Some 60 per cent of the global RCN output is harvested in Asian developing countries and 35 per cent in Africa. Processing takes place mainly in India, Vietnam and Brazil. Only 10 per cent of the African RCN is locally processed, from a considerable loss in the value chain.

The bulk of the buyers are from USA, Europe, as well as processors from India, Vietnam and Brazil who procure from Africa. The interest in this origin has intensified in the past 5 years, with major Indian, Vietnamese, Chinese, Brazilian and European companies investigating and investing in medium and large scale processing units in the major African production areas. The prevailing competitive disadvantage of Africa as far as processing is concerned will change with the implementation of mechanized processing Nguyen Duc Thanh, chairman of the Vietnam Cashew Association, said, “Vietnam is the leading cashew exporter as well as importer in the world. However, our cashew industry is not strong. “The chairman added that domestic cashew

suppliers are only able to provide 50 ton, causing many Vietnamese traders percent of the raw materials processing who had previously fixed prices in their factories need while the rest has to be export contracts to suffer losses. supplemented with imported nuts from For the enterprising Nigerian exporter, Cambodia and African countries. cashew nuts, present a high valued opThis year, the price of cashew imports portunity to rake in greenbacks, moreso from Africa has gone up by 16 percent this venture is in sync with President Muagainst last year. One trader said that hammad Buhari, economic diversificasome Vietnamese enterprises have of- tion agenda. Unassailable trade sources, fered higher prices to buy up more ma- proffer that we are the largest producer terial, causing price hikes in the African of cashew nuts in Africa and seventh in market. the world. In 2011, Vietnam imported In addition, cut-throat competition over $140million worth of raw cashew from enterprises in China, India and the nuts and $46million worth of cashew Ivory Coast has made it difficult for Viet- kernel from Nigeria and recent years, denamese firms to buy cashew from Africa. mand had been on the increase against Vu Thai Son, chairman of Long Son the increasing output of production of Joint Stock Company, Vietnam’s largest 150,000 and 130,000 metric tons in 2014 cashew processor, said: “Countries that and 2013 respectively. export cashew have offered a minimum However, a note of caution: Out there, selling price, so Vietnam, the largest im- the market is ruthless. Before shipments porter in the world, should discuss and of your consignments, ensure you do a offer maximum purchasing prices. Only due diligence appraisal of every buyer. when our enterprises unite will Vietnam’ And please have under your belt a good cashew industry achieve sustainable de- and quibble free sales contract, with letvelopment.” ter of credit payment terms. Ensure also Since 2015, the import price of raw cashew has surged from $100 to $150 per Cont’d on Page 27

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The Oracle Today Wednesday April 26, 2017

Export Platform Opportunities for Nigerian Exporters

Cont’d from Page 26 that, your products and packaging conform to international standards and buyers specifications.

CASHEW NUT BUYERS IN VIETNAM

1. Hong Ha One Member Company LtdNo 97, Village 8, Long Ha Commune, Phu Rieng Dist., Binh Phuoc, Vietnam+84 651 3730213 vandung6879@gmail.com Website: nongsanhongha.com 2.Phuoc Thanh One Member Co., Ltd No 322, Group 3, Long Phuoc Ward, Phuoc Long Town, Binh Phuoc, Vietnam+84 965128340. phuocthanhhatdieu@gmail.com 3.Long Son Joint Stock Company Long III 23A Street 19/5A, Tan Binh Industrial Zone, Tay Thanh Ward, Tan Phu District, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam +84 8 38150000 sales@longson.vn. http://www.longson.vn 4. Vietland Agrimex Co., Ltd No 8, Lane 405/80/11, Ngoc Thuy Str, Long Bien Dist, Ha Noi, Vietnam +84 4 35668611 .vietland.agrimex@ gmail.com,http://vietland-agrimex.com 5. Viet Nong Trading Export - Import Co., Ltd57 - 59 Ho Tung Mau, Ben Nghe Ward, 1 Dist., Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam +84 8 66821123xnkvietnong@gmail. com http://vietnong.vn 6. Thanh Phat Agricultural Products Processing Trading Service Co., Ltd 27D Duong Cong Khi St., Xuan Thoi Son Ward, Hoc Mon Dist., Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam+84 914626638 nongsanthanhphat@gmail.com http://thaphimex.com 7.Otran Dong Nai., Jsc.Industrial Park, 47 Hill, Tam Phuoc Commune, Bien Hoa

City, Dong Nai, Viet Nam +84 61 38261919 thuy.tran@otrangroup.com http://www.otrangroup.com 8.Vi Na Dai Viet Import and Export Co., Ltd No.292 Vo Thi Sau Street, Hamlet 7, Thong Nhat Ward, Bien Hoa City, Dong Nai, Vietnam.+84 61 3918534 vinadaiviet@vinadaiviet.com http://vinadaiviet.com 9. MACY VIETNAM CO., LTD 145/46 Le Duc Tho St, Ward 17, Go Vap Dist, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam +84 8 38940650 info@macyviet.vn http://macyviet.vn 10.Hat Viet Agricultural Products Food Production Trading Service Co., Ltd 111 Duong So 9, Ward 4, District 8, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam +84 8 38520708 info@vietnuts.net http://hatviet.vn 11. SEQUOIA Services Trading Co., Ltd 89/54, No. 37 St., Group 17, Quarter 3, Tan Kieng Ward, Dist. 7, Ho Chi Minh City, Viet Nam + 84 0902236562.bichlieusd116@ gmail.com 12. Thuan Duy Phat Service Trading Co., Ltd.No. 726, National Road 1, Tan Bien Ward, Bien Hoa Town, Dong Nai, Vietnam +84 01268951676 thuanduyphat@gmail.com 13. PhuThuy Company Limited Lot N1, Thap Cham Industrial Zone, Bac Ai Street, Do Vinh Ward, Phan Rang City, Ninh Thuan, Vietnam +84 68 3786015 phuthuycompany@gmail . com, phuthuycompany@yahoo.com http://phuthuy.com.vn 14. MITAFOOD 149/99/9 Trinh Dinh Trong Street, Phu Trung Ward, Tan Phu District, Ho Chi

Minh City, Vietnam +84 0968244138 mitafoodco@gmail.com http://mitafood.vn 15. Vinanuts Company Limited Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam +84 8 0968244139 hatdieuvinanuts@gmail.com http://vinanuts.com.vn 16. Son Thanh Production Trading Import And Export JSC., Phuoc Tan Quarter, Tan Thien Ward, Dong Xoai Town, Binh Phuoc, Vietnam +84 651 3879517 info@sonthanh.co http://sonthanh.co 17. Bimico Company Limited Binh Minh Economic Area, Binh Minh Ward, Tay Ninh Township, Tay Ninh, Vietnam +84 66 3816007 sales@bimico.com http://www.bimico.com.

18. Dan On Foods Company Limited Hamlet 2, Hiep An Ward, Le Chi Dan St., Thu Dau Mot City, Binh Duong, Vietnam +84 650 3830388 info@danonfoods.com http://www.danonfoods.com 19. Foodstuff & Technology Investment Company 21 Bui Thi Xuan st., Ben Thanh Ward, Dist. 1, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam +84 8 39254632 fococevhcm@vnn.vn http://www.fococev.com.vn 20. Viet An Agricultural Unit 62/20 Ly Chinh Thang, Ward 8, District 3, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam +84 8 0938068656 chauthituyetnhung@gmail.com 21. Thong Nhat Rubber Joint Stock Company 256 St. 27/4, Phuoc Hung Ward, Ba Ria Township, Ba Ria-Vung Tau, Vietnam +84 64 3823119 info@trcbrvt.com

http://www.trcbrvt.com 22. Lien Minh Company Limited 17/54 Hamlet 6, Dinh Hoa Ward, Thu Dau Mot City, Binh Duong, Vietnam +84 650 3513456 23. No. 1 Synthetic Import Export Joint Stock Company 26B Le Quoc Hung St., Ward 12, Dist.

4, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam +84 8 39400211 generaleximhcmc@vnn.vn http://generalexim.com.vn 24. Long An General Import Export Duck Feather Joint Stock Company 53 Phan Van Lai St., Ward 6, Tan An Township, Long An, Vietnam +84 72 3821608 ladfeco@hcm.vnn.vn 25. Thao Nguyen Company Limited Thi Vai Hamlet, My Xuan Ward, Tan Thanh Dist., Ba Ria-Vung Tau, Vietnam +84 64 3894809 thaonguyen.co.ltd@hcm.fpt.vn http://thaonguyen.com.vn • For more details contact: CHINYEMIKE TORTI, is the Chief Executive Officer of the Federation of Nigerian Exporters, an alumnus, of World Bank Institute, a resource person with the International Trade Centre/World Trade Organisation, Geneva.

Founder, EXPORT ADVOCACY GROUPE mail: exportgazette@gmail.com

COMING SOON…

Weekly Conversations On Exports There would be weekly interactive sessions where Chinyemike Torti would answer your questions real time. We would work out the details, and time. If you send your questions in advance, it would be helpful. Torti can then do all the research he requires to get you the best answers.

Welcome to Export Platform on oraclenews.ng

28

The Oracle Today Wednesday April 26, 2017

POLITICS

I want to end government funding The Oracle Today correspondent in Abuja, TITUS AGBO, recently interviewed the new Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Christian Pilgrims Commission (NCPC), Reverend Tor Uja, during which he bared his mind on his vision and dream for the Christian body. Below are the excerpts from the 30-minute encounter in his sparsely furnished Abuja office.

What is your vision for NCPC?

M

Y VISION for NCPC is to create an environment in which pilgrimage will run itself without the financial support of government. I would like the Christian community to own pilgrimage and own NCPC. Pilgrimage should be a natural course that Christian should prepare for it and be able to afford it. So apart from trying to make it cheap enough, I would like us to be part of the economic revolution of Nigeria that will position the church in a manner that they can undertake pilgrimage without sponsorship from government.

Don’t you think this is a tall order?

We are working towards it; I am trying to set up structures that would make NCPC financially independent, structurally effective and with church and community integrated. I want a situation where people who don’t have a means as a community, no matter the number of people, can come together and travel to Israel or to Jerusalem and be free to discuss their issues and pray together and come back healthier and in a better position. Why do I believe it is possible? In Genesis chapter 9 when the people set out to build the tower of Babel, God said that if they were together it is possible. I believe it is possible once you can create income-generating and peoplemobilizing instruments. If people are mobilized, they have the funds to put into the pilgrimage. If the finance-generating structure works, the basic things we do can be taken care of without resorting to government.

How do you intend to achieve this?

We have set up a programme of setting up what we call Pilgrim Heritage Farm and Conference Centre; it is going to have three arms. It will have a major farm in the middle and in the farm we will have both livestock and fruits like tomatoes, onions and all that, and they will be programmed for export, they are a deliberate programme not just for feeding Nigerians but also for earning foreign exchange for the commission. And on one side of it, there will also the Heritage Conference Centre and by the grace of God with hotels built around it that will be used not only by us but others, especially churches and social groups. The farm will be in the middle and on the other side will be a secondary school, Pilgrim’s Secondary School.

Is the school you are building supposed to be income-generating or for charity?

You cannot publicly say a school should be income-generating because by law a school is supposed to be a social service.

But we know we have to pay teachers, develop infrastructure and we have to do some other things. We will make it a missionary-oriented school and one of the targets of the school would be that every stu-

dent and teacher that comes to that school must go to Jerusalem on pilgrimage as a principle jointly funded by both the pilgrim and the establishment so that they are not just in a pilgrimage school, but that they also have the experience of doing that; focus would be the youths and the teacher.

Both the school and the parents?

Yes, both the students and their parents.

Our intention is that children going on pilgrimage should be at least accompanied by one parent in order to ensure that the parents experience it and that they exercise oversight over their children.

How are you going to raise the initial funding for this?

The first thing we are doing now is the land acquisition and the FCT Minister has promised to help us with land and the FCT Minister has been of great help to this commission. When this commission started, the Honourable Minister was then the Deputy Chairman of the Hajj Commission.

Even while in office, he gave us free accommodation in the Hajj Commission’s office to start our own commission and we were there for over two years without paying a dime and by that it gave us a lot of stability.

‘

I think when somebody is elected into office he should be relieved of the pressure of the next election and be given the chance to fulfil his ideas and his promises to the people. I think our President is a disciplined man, he is a focused man and he is a determined man.

Nigerians should kindly remove distractions from him and allow him to do the things he has set out to do

‘

And we have another property that we have not yet developed; he helped us to get it because the government at the time gave them a land, and we complained that we didn’t seem to have a land within the FCT, so that land was given to us, it is very close to Akwa Ibom House, and that is where I am coming from now because we are working to get it functional in the next couple of months. We intend to also set up a Christian Pilgrim Bookshop where we will bring books and souvenirs from Israel and make them available here for those who couldn’t buy them in Israel because of excess luggage or shortage of fund and who can buy it here in naira. And also for those who may not have been to Israel but can have some of these materials from Israel. It would be a profit-oriented business.

What size and type of land are you looking for?

We have set up a seven-man working committee with the mandate of getting that land for us by July and we asked them to look for not less than 1,000 hectares and not more than 3,000hectares. And in their engagement, FCT told them it is difficult to get such size of land in one place and they have asked us whether we can take it in bits, maybe 200 hectares there and 300hectares here until we get there, but our target is not more than 3,000hectares and not less than 1,000hectares.

Recently, some groups came up and said the President should start preparing

for campaign for 2019 election. Do you subscribe to this view?

I would like Nigerian politics to move away from the “only-elections” mentality.

Elections are only one aspect of democracy but sometimes Nigerian politicians make it look like it is the only thing about democracy. I think when somebody is elected into office he should be relieved of the pressure of the next election and be given the chance to fulfil his ideas and his promises to the people. I think our President is a disciplined man, he is a focused man and he is a determined man. Nigerians should kindly remove distractions from him and allow him to do the things he has set out to do. I am glad that Mr President said he is not under any pressure on how he is going out to put infrastructure for the next election; all the structures he is putting together are for the recovery of the Nigerian economy and the building of the nation as a holistic entity that would be important to the affairs of our global economy and I support that philosophy. Elections will come when they will come.

You know human capital is very important for realising the plans you have in place; what is your plan to bring your staff to key into these ambitions of yours?

Two things I need; first I would like the Federal Government to give me financial and structural support for five years and in five years, NCPC will pay its dividend over. And five years of support, five years of funding, five years in supporting us to

29

The Oracle Today Wednesday April 26, 2017

POLITICS

of pilgrimages –NCPC boss build our infrastructure and strengthen our institution and demography in the commission. Five years would be enough and we will make Nigeria proud of having a body like NCPC. We intend that apart from making pilgrimage cost effective, in the next two years, we will make Nigeria a global pilgrimage destination. We want Christians all over the world to come and experience some of the movements of God in this country and we have a lot of great things going on in this country. We don’t have to wait for people to die and we go to visit their graves as pilgrim sites.

We need to make pilgrimage location especially when some of the key people are still around; Pastor Kumuyi of Deeper Life Bible Church, E.A. Adeboye of Redeemed Christian Church of God and Olukoya of Mountain of Fire, Paul Eneche of Dunamis and different churches in this country, the Catholic Churches, the Anglican Churches; they are centres of virtues, many of them have been there for decades but one needs to participate in what they are doing. I went to Europe about two months ago, I went to visit what they call orthodox patriarchates and globally the patriarchates of the orthodox church has spanned global locations; one in Europe, one in America, the one in the Middle East I think covers Africa. And I went to their headquarters where their global head who is like a Pope of the Orthodox Church and I met with him and I had meeting with him. The entire Patriarchates headquarters is a small location; their church seats probably 200 people or less. And the management is proud of being around and of being a Patriarch and having a global patriarchates. But in Nigeria any church no

extra hours to get from here to Lagos. And therefore I believe the time has come for us Nigerians to be proud about the move of God that is going on in our generation, we need to celebrate it. No nation on earth has what we have.

• Rev. Tor Uja matter its building that has 200 people, is a small church. But many of these churches like Living Faith, Redeemed, Deeper Life, Mountain of Fire, where they hold their

You said you need government support for five years, how much are you looking at to actualise this dream?

I don’t want to give a figure on it. We are going to take pilgrimage to the people where they are, to the churches and therefore we have segmented the country into what we call metropolitan zones; eight metropolitan zones within the big, populous and economically viable cities of Nigeria. These metropolitan zones which include Lagos, Port Harcourt, Kano, Awka, Gombe, Sokoto, Abuja and Asaba.

One of the things we are doing is that we are setting up a policy that would make it difficult or impossible for somebody to travel from a state that is not his own state because we have discovered that people travel to other states to go on pilgrimage and then they abscond in the name of that state. And so we want people to travel from their state, let there be a guarantee from their people that they will go and come back. It is like a canon, if people are to go, to a large extent, they must be people from an area.

We are going to have different kinds of pilgrimages from this year. We are going to have pilgrimage for women, we are going to have pilgrimage for pastors only, we are meetings, some of them in millions, there is going to have pilgrimage for farmers and a time you can close Lagos because of some we are going to have pilgrimage for famiof their meetings. Sometimes in December lies which would be during Christmas. you cannot have a place to park and it takes

Troubles as documents allegedly reveal how APC whistleblower’s secret companies laundered billions for Abacha Author: Wale Akinola Compile d by Nnamdi Alex Chukwu With Agency Reports

A

PC whistleblower, Senator Umaru has been indicted in Abacha’s loot - How his secret companies laundered billions for Abacha was also uncovered - Senator Umar was an arrow head in exposing alleged corrupt practices by the former governor of Niger state, Babangida Aliyu Documents have revealed how All Progressives Congress senator representing Niger East senatorial district, David Umaru’s secret companies laundered billions for former dictator General Sani Abacha.

Mr. Umar was an unwavering critic of former governor of Niger state, Babangida Aliyu and he later gained the reputation of a whistleblower after be published series of advertorials in national newspapers exposing alleged corrupt practices by the Mu’azu Babangida administration.

Premium Times reports that the leaked database of now infamous Panamanian law firm, Mossack Fonseca, revealed that Mr Umaru incorporated two shell companies in the British Virgin Islands (BVI), a notorious offshore tax haven, and in tiny South Pacific Ocean country, Niue Island.

NAIJ.com gathered that the first company, Yorkshire Investment Limited was incorporated on April 27, 1998 with a registered address at No2 Commercial Centre Square, Alofi, the capital of the Niue Island.

The company was incorporated by International Trust Company (ITC), a Niue-based registering agent. In other to conceal the true ownership of the shell company, ITC provided two nominee directors for the company – Melvin

Scales (Chairman) and Ramses Owens.

But Mr Umaru was clearly named the true and lawful attorney of the company. The appointment of nominee directors for shell companies is a common practice in tax havens. The practice involved the appointment of directors only by title.

They have no real authority over the company which they supposedly represent and can only act according to the directives of the owners of the firm or that of the person with a power of attorney.

“Know all men by these presents that on this 27th day of April, 1998, we, YORKSHIRE INVESTMENT LTD, whose registered office is situated at 2 Commercial Centre Square, Alofi, Niue (hereinafter referred to as “the Company “) have made, constituted and appointed, and by these presents do hereby make, constitute and appoint Mr. David UMARU (hereinafter referred to as “the Attorney”) as our true and lawful Attorney—in—fact for us and in our name, place and stead, to do, execute and perform all and every act or acts in law needful and necessary to be done in and about and in relation, but not limited to, the following matters: “To negotiate, conclude, sign, execute and deliver on behalf of the Company such conveyances, transfers, assignments, deeds, documents, licenses, authorities or agreements as said Attorney shall consider necessary or proper to enable it to dispose of or acquire any assets in any part of the world (hereinafter referred to as “the assets”) on such terms as the Attorney shall consider proper or desirable in his absolute discretion,” the company’s article of incorporation read.

Not satisfied by the incorporation of his first shell company, five months later, exactly on

September 15, 1998, Mr. Umaru again went shopping for his second shell company – Darweng Holding.

This time he decided to incorporate it in the British Virgin Islands. Just like he did with Yorkshire Investment Ltd, Mr. Umaru appointed Benerly Hunt and Darlene Bayne as the company’s nominee directors while he retained a full power of attorney, which gave him absolute power to “negotiate, conclude, sign, execute and deliver on behalf of the company such conveyances, transfers, assignments, deeds, documents, licenses, authorities or agreements as said Attorney shall consider necessary or proper to enable it to dispose of or acquire any assets in any part of the world (hereinafter referred to as ‘the assets’).”

There is no evidence that Mr. Umaru was no longer involved with the Shell companies before he was elected a senator. While not all owners or operators of such offshore entities are criminals, owning or maintaining interest in private companies while serving as public officials is against Nigerian laws.

Section 6(b) of the Code of Conduct Act says a public office holder shall not, “except where he is not employed on full‐time basis, engage or participate in the management or running of any private business, profession or trade.”

This revelation makes Mr. Umaru the fourth serving Nigerian senator, after Senate President Bukola Saraki, his predecessor, David Mark, and Senator Andy Uba, who have been shown to own Shell companies in offshore tax havens in clear violation of the country’s law.

It is unclear what businesses Mr. Umaru transacted with his offshore companies. But shortly before he ran the companies, Mr. Umaru, who is currently the Chairman of the Senate Commit-

tee on Human Rights and Legal Matters, helped the Abacha family to move huge funds around.

An affidavit filed in November 18, 2013 by the US Department of Justice in a suit seeking the forfeiture of assets worth over $500 million stolen by Mr. Abacha and hidden in various bank accounts in various offshore jurisdiction, revealed how Mr. Umaru acted as the official extortionist and money launderer of the Abachas.

As part of a ploy to extort money from foreign companies, the Abacha regime stopped paying foreign companies for contracts executed. One of the companies was a French Civil Engineering firm, Dumez Group.

The Abacha regime owed the company $469 million it refused to pay. In fact, even after the company nationalized and became Dumez Nigeria Limited, the junta still would not release the funds. The senator, who was then a personal lawyer for the Abachas, approached the owners of Dumez and told them payment, could be restarted if they agreed to a 25 per cent kickback of whatever they were paid to the Abacha family.

The company agreed. Mr Umaru then incorporated Allied Network Ltd for the sole purpose of collecting the kickbacks on behalf of the Abacha family.

Listed as directors of the company were “Mohammed Sani” and “Abba Sani”, which were aliases of Sani Abacha and his brother, Abba Abacha.

In December 1996, Mr. Umaru opened an account on behalf of Allied Network Ltd at the Union Bancaire Privee (UBP) in Geneva, Switzerland, which was used to receive the payment of the kickbacks from Dumez and another account at the same bank which was used to receive the payment from the Nigerian government.

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The Oracle Today Wednesday April 26, 2017

INTERVIEW

‘We’re setting new standards with model schools’ LAW professor, Ikechi Mgbeoji, is the Abia State Commissioner for Education. In this interview with SOPURUCHI ONWUKA and BONIFACE OKORO, he outlines the challenges the government confronts in arresting deterioration in education standard and physical infrastructure in the state. He advances winning strategies in restoring systems that guarantee output of skilled and knowledgeable workforce from the State’s school.

Y

ou are one of the technocrats the government has recalled from the diaspora Who is Prof. Mgbeoji?

My name is Ikechi Mgbeoji. I am from Abia State. I hail from Obuda in Aba South Local Government Area of Abia State. Until I came back to Nigeria to help in this area, I was a Professor of Law at Osgoode Hall Law School, Toronto, Canada. I am a full professor there. Prior to that, I was a Professor of Law at the Faculty of Law, University of British Columbia in Vancouver; the first and only black person to teach at that Faculty. I assumed office here in November, 2015.

I had my primary school education here in Abia State, in the school called Township Primary School, in Aba. I attended Eziama High School in Aba; from there, I went to the University of Nigeria, Nsukka.

The reason why I say this is that I do have some personal experience of what the primary and secondary schools were in old Imo State before the creation of Abia State and when I go round the state and seeing what we have now, it gives me some kind of mixed feelings.

There is a clear sense, in a part, that in some major areas things have really gone bad, if one looks at the infrastructure.

The primary school which I attended in the 1970s up until when I went to secondary school in the early 1980s, there is a clear deterioration in infrastructure.

There is also a clear deterioration in the quality of those who teach.

I wouldn’t be where I am today, if I didn’t have excellent teachers in primary school and in secondary school.

So, when I look at the written English by many of the graduates today, and I listen to the spoken English, I just cringe, I know that things haven’t been really going upwards, but that in many respects, have been going downwards.

When I also l look at the social cohesion, by that I mean how society responds to issues pertaining to education,

I also have a distinct feeling that society is beginning to unravel.

Take for instance, the phenomenon of adults playing football in schools.

We have grown-ups who would go to a school, may be in the village or somewhere else whilst students are trying to get ready for classes, they are still playing football. The balls would be landing on the roofs of the school building. So, you see adults do things that 30-40 years ago, would have been considered very silly, if not socially termed stupid. What kind of football are you playing by 8 o’clock in the morning when students are trying to have their devotion, getting ready for studies? Go to many schools in Aba and you see people playing ball. I have seen cases where people in the village will say, ‘oh, we have seen the home of a grass-cutter and it ends right there in the classroom’ and they use digger to break the floor of a classroom!

I mean 30-40 years ago, the community would say ‘are you mad?, this is your school, why would you tear up the floor of the school building? The same school that your children, or your nephews or your nieces attend, you are tearing up the floor because you say you want to catch a grass-cutter which lives underneath the floor.’

Then, you see sometimes, students walking on the roads or along the streets by 11 o’clock in the morning and people don’t stop by to say, my daughter or my son, this is not the time for you to be walking the streets, you should be in your classroom, what are you doing?

In my own days, your parents are not the only persons who parent you, society helped to parent you. I am just citing instances where I believe things have been going quite wrong.

There are also some bright spots. Abia State has been coming first in WAEC exams. This is not unusual and we have been doing very well. The old Imo State was a very stronghold for academics.

Abia state hasn’t slacked in from that. For three consecutive years now, we’ve come tops when it comes to WAEC and NECO exams.

There is also greater private sector participation in education. Many persons have been setting up schools, although some of those schools leave a lot to be desired in terms of infrastructure, in terms of their location and also in terms of the quality of those who work or teach there. So, it has been a mixed bag.

But in terms of what it is that this ministry under my leadership has done since we assumed office, one of the most notable interventions is the renovation of schools.

Prior to me assuming office, the only interventions done were those undertaken

by Abia State Universal Basic Education Board (ASUBEB). They would collect the money from UBEC and then, they would give contractors some money. But then, you’d find that in many cases, despite the ASUBEB intervention, many of our schools were still dilapidated. So, we commenced the programme from here.

We have done 28 schools, spread round the three senatorial zones of the state.

Apart from doing 28 schools, we have also done, I think, 12 boreholes, which have been reticulated to supply water to toilets.

There are quite a large number of cases where students, in search of toilet facilities, would either get knocked down by motorcycles or cars, some even get killed.

We believe that it was unacceptable in this day and age that our schools should not have basic toilets and facilities.

In one particular school, Boys Technical College (BTC) at Osusu, we did 40 toilets, fully functional. We also helped to supply school materials and equipment to various schools.

But beyond that, we have looked at the policy issues affecting education in the State, realized that not much has been done since the British left Nigeria as a colony because our educational model has been geared or focused on or towards

raising people who can only read and write.

We have a system in which artisanal work and vocational trade tend to be relegated to the background. And we believe it is wrong that at this level of our development, we do in fact need skilled workforce. We need people who can construct roads, people who can build good houses, people who can make furniture, people who can cook and serve food well; masons, painters, etc. So, this system which we have now has, since the British came in here, been geared towards the training of clerks. That is why you see undue emphasis on paper qualification, undue emphasis on white collar jobs. That was why we started the Education for Employment (E4E) Programme. It is an idea that is geared towards re-jigging what it is we mean by education.

I am privileged to have studied in Germany, I did my Post-doctoral work in Germany. Only about 30 per cent or less of Germans pass through the university.

The rest go through trade schools. So, all the cars you see built by the Germans, whether is Mercedes BMW or Audi or others, I can tell you that you have very few university graduates involved in them.

What you have are people who went through polytechnics, trade schools, those are the ones that you can use leather and design the finest car seats for you, they will take wood and design the best dashboards for you. So, virtually everything you see in a car, even in the aircraft, the people who do them are not necessarily university graduates, some of them attended polytechnics, some of the attended trade schools for one year, or just for 18 months or two years.

But in Nigeria, we’ve tended to look down on trade schools or technical training. So, when I came on board here, with the help of the Governor, we said no, that it is high time we changed the mindset of our people. We decided to refurbish the

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INTERVIEW

... New standards with model schools’ Continued from Page 30 technical schools in the State. We have been hiring people who studied architecture, building technology, for them to teach in the schools and try to give some pride of place to technical education.

In fact, one of the schools that we renovated, much of the work was actually done by the students of BTC, Osusu. They know how to mould block. So, I think it is time we began to rethink all these things.

There is nothing wrong in somebody going to school to learn how to construct a road.

The irony of it is that Germans who work with Julius Berger come here, we say ‘aah, give this contract to Julius Berger!’ But go and look at the CV of that white men working with Julius Berger, he didn’t go to university, he attended a trade school.

But then, we look down on our own trade school people. So, unless and until we began to address that within our educational system, we’ll end up producing thousands and thousands of people who, when they graduate, would be looking for paid employment in government offices and there is only a few people that government can employ as civil servants. So, that is one thing which we have done.

We have also started addressing issues such as the unfair treatment of Abia State when it comes to the siting or establishing federal institutions. It is a paradox, a shameful one for that matter, that Abia State would produce one of the highest number of graduates of GCE, WAEC and NECO, with our students coming out tops, but we have just one federal tertiary institution, the Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike, and that one is also a specialised university, not even a full-fledged university. It is like just one department, at most a faculty in a full-fledged university. So, what it means is that our children cannot be trained in anything there, apart from things that are directly related to agriculture.

Compare that with, let’s say Imo State.

Imo has the Federal University of Technology in Owerii, The Federal Polytechnic, Nakede; it has Alvan, three. You go to Ebonyi State, they have three; you go to Enugu, they have five or six. Abia is the only state in the whole country with just one limited federal tertiary institution. There is no federal polytechnic; no federal college of education; just one federal university and that one is not even a full-fledged university. So, when it comes to that, I think we are short-changed. And meanwhile, Abians attend the University of Maiduguri, they are in Lagos, they are in Calabar, they are in Enugu. They go to all parts of the country and even outside the country, looking for tertiary education.

One reason for that is that we do not even have enough. So, even, there are some States that graduate less than 10 per cent of what we graduate and yet they have three, four, five tertiary institutions in their States, owned by the federal government. If you compare that with us, you find out that we are in a very terrible situation.

We have also started the programme of retraining our primary and secondary school teachers. It is a shame that state which renowned for education is in dire need of teachers. We have produced quite a big number of well educated people, but it is a shame that the quality of teaching has been allowed to deteriorate over the years.

Teaching now became a kind of dumping ground for people who couldn’t get employment in other places. Part of the problem, some will argue, is with the late payment of teachers’ salaries. That,

we believe, is a very big problem; it is a problem that emanates from the very high number of people on the payroll of the Ministry of Education. When we came into government, our monthly wage was about N2.7 billion.

The entire wage bill of Ebonyi State is about N1.2. Abia is N2.7 billion. We introduced the Bank Verification Number (BVN) and in two months, the wage bill came down from N2.7 to about N2.1 billion, meaning that some people have been pocketing about N600 million every month. The records are there, the figures are there, this is not a fiction, is fact. Of course, N2.1 was still on the high side. We started this biometric verification, it came down again, I think to about N1. 9 billion, again, meaning that some people, despite the BVN, were still pocketing some money.

So, you had ghost workers, and so on and so forth.

Just yesterday, the Izima Panel came out with the report that close to about 2, 000 people shouldn’t be there in the State service. So, you have cases of people who ought to have retired but because they have a way of circumventing the system, they continue to be in the service.

So, that is why some times, even though we have a very high number of people on our pay roll, when you enter some of our schools, you find out that they are not enough teachers. So, the question is: how come we are paying so much every month and yet we do not have enough teachers?

We also have challenges with the lopsided nature of what people teach because the hiring system wasn’t smart enough to hire people that are, in fact, needed in the school system.

So, you can go to some schools, particularly in the urban areas, you find about 20 teachers teaching one course, may be Social Studies. But you don’t have enough teachers for Mathematics or Igbo or Physics, Chemistry and Biology.

So, I believe that if we have a more responsive system, that such a lopsided situation couldn’t have arisen. We are addressing that.

We have also looked into the issue of sensitising workers. Not everybody can get as much encouragement as they deserve in the government, but this government has donated cars to some teachers who performed exceptionally well. In fact, one of the teachers won the third spot in the Maltina Teacher of the Year. The Governor gave him a car. So the idea is that we need to encourage those who work so hard silently. It is not only the senators and the big politicians that deserve praise. When you have very hard working teachers who help to shape and mould the character of future generation, as far as the Governor is concerned, and I agree with him, such people need to be encouraged as often as we can.

So it has been a very kind of mixed bag.

We have been grappling with issues in the Abia Poly as you may have probably read in the dailies or heard across the air waves.

So, when we came on board, there were bright spots, there were also some difficult areas where we believe that with very strong but fair minded positions, that we can address some of the challenges here.

For me, it is not yet mission accomplished. There is still a lot of work to be done. We are not afraid of work; we only solicit for the support of the people of Abia State.

The support can come by way of providing us with relevant information because when things go wrong, the government alone cannot see those things, there people who will be on ground to notice

•Mgbeoji

why and how things went wrong. So, they can support the government by giving us relevant information that will now enable us identify what the problems are and fix those problems.

Much of the successes we have recorded in Abia Poly is by men and women of goodwill coming to us and say ‘Commissioner, go and check there, check this, check that,’ you know. And we act on that information and you can see things being turned around for the better.

In the last exercise we did, out of 500 staff screened, 28 came out with fake WAEC results. There is no how the governor will know about these things without somebody saying them.

So, we encourage whistle blowing against cases of corruption, cases of people stealing funds, cases of people who will collect money and inflate the grade of students. We encourage people to come forth to give us advice, whether it is in terms of how to reduce violence on our school buildings by people who play football or people who just don’t have respect for public property; whether it is by way of people telling us that ‘look, so so and so so person ought to have retired, I know how he or she tampered with certain records, you go and check.’ So, we need support of the population. People can’t just walk away, saying, let government do it. Who is government? Government is you and me.

So, unless and until our people begin to re-engage with government, we won’t be able to achieve much of what the public expects us to.

On assumption of office, you mentioned that there was corruption in the system,

that in most cases, people reject postings or try to influence their posting. So, within the period you have been here, how far have you been able to tackle that particular issue?

There are challenges with posting and reposting of teachers and school principals. People reject postings, not just by outright rejection of postings, but also by just not honouring the posting and yet they get paid. So, we’ve had a breakdown of discipline.

My father was a civil servant when there was Eastern Region. We served in Oron even though he is from Aba, he served in Uyo, he served in Enugu and he served in Ogoja. The point I am making is that these are all far-flung places. And then, when Imo state was created from East Central state, he served in Umuahia, he served in Owerri, he served in Aba. But today, when you try to post a civil servant from one school to the other, may be five or eight miles apart, the person can run to a very big politician in government to protest that posting. So, we have a situation now in which everybody wants to stay in Aba or in Umuahia, and that is wrong, because not everyone of us can work in Aba or work in Umuahia. There are people living in these rural places.

Two things are our biggest problems here which I will certainly tell how we have been trying to address the problems.

One is that you cannot transfer people in the middle of the school year. So, you have to wait until the school year is over. So, you have only a small window of opportunity to transfer.

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INTERVIEW

‘We need solid roads to connect Abia’ So, when school ends by around the end of July, you have one month to fix every thing because you cannot transfer somebody in the middle of the term, it is going to disrupt the entire school programme.

So, we have only just like one month or five weeks in any year within which to transfer.

Two, I am against the blind transfer. I have to be quite realistic. I can’t return to those days when my father was a civil servant, the discipline is gone.

So, we now have to take into account, those factors that make people reject transfers, either by outright rejection of transfers or just shunning the transfer, saying, ‘I’m not going.’

So, what we want to do here now is that we have sent out a questionnaire to every teacher, tell us where you want to be posted on a scale of one to three. Just like when you are applying for university admission, what is your priority; where do you live? Because it doesn’t make sense when you have somebody who lives in Ogbor Hill, you say the person should go and teach in one school in Ugwunagbo.

It doesn’t make sense. So, let’s be realistic. Since people want to work closest to where they live, the idea now is to say, Okay, tell us where it is you want to go but we are not making promises that we will send you to that place. Okay, let us have an idea: supposing you don’t get A, what of B or C? So we believe that if we took these factors into consideration, it will enhance attendance, so that people can actually go to schools or go to work where it is a lot more convenient for them to go to.

You can’t transfer, let’s say a married man away from Nsulu and say go and teach in Ntigha. So, you have to balance all these factors.

If I sit down here and say that I am going to impose discipline, that everybody must accept their transfer; I can say it but can I actually implement it and If I implement it, will the people actually comply or obey?

So, if you make laws that people don’t obey, to my mind, you are actually not helping the system because if they disobey you in this, they are also going to disobey you in the other one.

We sent out these questionnaires, this is an answer to your question, to every teacher in the state, and said, ‘okay, let us have your preferred school posting. Even you desire to be posted from one zone to the other, let’s say you want to return to your village and stay closer to your parents or whatever. Okay, let us know.’

So, we want to use this period to collate this data, and then when school closes, we’d use that period to begin to make transfers. But the policy is that every teacher who has spent four years or more in one particular school must go. Because this is civil service and you signed up that you are ready and willing to accept posting wherever the government may deem fit but we also want to put a human face so that we don’t dislocate families, we don’t encourage people not to show up or not to work in places where they are posted to.

Of course, one major hindrance here which is outside our own control is the poor road network. Abia state is not really a very big state in terms of land mass. It is not like states in the North where you can drive for six hours and not even see a house. In Abia State, if we had a very solid road network, you can actually live in Umuahia and work in Aba because the distance, if you had a very good road, is less than 30 minutes. Somebody on a motorcy-

“

We need to move away to have a regime or a system in place which does not depend on individual capacity. You have some people say only Buhari can save Nigeria. I said no, no, no; that is wrong thinking.

We need to talk about a system, a template, so that whether it is Obama or Trump, the country will be running

“

Continued from Page 31

cle can do that. But when you have a poor road network, it makes it so difficult.

You said plugging leakages has led to reduction wage bills. What arm of the law has been deployed against the agents who perpetrate these leakages?

You see, we have had a serious problem here. Like I was telling you about the cases of those who were employed with fake WAEC certificates at Abia Poly.

What you find out is that, yes, you have dismissed those people, but what about those who failed in their duty to do basic due diligence? You are giving somebody a letter of employment and you didn’t even bother to check whether that person has met even the minimum requirement for that job. So, people have been asking me, ‘Prof, what do you want to do about those who recruited the workers because we are talking about human beings who have failed and they are still failing in their duties; and they are collecting salaries every month?’ On that one, we have asked for a review of the processes by which people are employed.

What we are seeing really is a policisation of the hiring process. I would argue, I am not a politician but my short stay in this office has convinced me that from the very moment when this State was created, the foundation was faulty in terms of governance. We are reaping the result of years of people doing things the wrong way.

So, some times, when people compare us with Anambra State, I say ‘look, that state was somehow lucky that it had very clear-minded governors who laid a very solid foundation because what you do well today, you don’t have to repeat it a in that same place tomorrow. Somebody now can continue, you know that governance is a continuum.

But if you have a situation in which, again, back to Abia Poly, you have Chairmen of Council who were illiterates. To me there is nothing wrong in giving them something like contracts, money and all that, but you don’t have to give them positions in the governing board of tertiary institutions!

You don’t appoint that person to be the Chairman of Governing Council of a tertiary institution, the person has never attended a higher institution in his or her life, has never taught in a university or polytechnic,

•Mgbeoji he doesn’t know how things are run and then you appoint that person there. So, we have been busy in the past putting square pegs in round holes. So, the result is all there for us to see.

All these hiring of staff, no interview, nothing at all, just whatever it is you have, go, get a job, without reference to what your exact needs are. Do you need Mathematics teachers, how many? Do you need Physics teachers, how many? So they have to be a system in place in which people who are at the bottom, who know what they need and report to those who make decisions. So, this is what we need, we need five chairs in this school, we need 10 lockers. We have been trying to stop this top-down approach. That is why some times, you go to some schools, you find that they have six chairs, two tables because somebody in Umuahia said send those chairs and tables to that school. You didn’t ask the headmaster or the principal what you need. You just say, ah, there are 30 chairs here from Abuja; that is not the way to run anything at all. And this has been going on and on and on and it gives rise to sycophancy, with people saying yes sir, yes sir, yes sir; without saying, ‘Sir, I am sorry, oooh, this thing is not going to work.’

So when you have that kind of approach to government for five, ten years and so on and so forth. I know that what I am saying now is politically incorrect, it is risky because people will say go and get his head, but I must speak the truth, that is the truth, that we have not really ap-

proached governance like people who are exposed, people who are educated. We have been playing politics with every thing and it affected the civil service, it has affected virtually everything. This reduction in the wage bill, I can tell you, I have had a situation in which somebody, on his own, employed 70 people without waiver, without interview at the Secondary Education Management Board. The person just woke up one day and employed 70 people.

Can you believe that the wage bill at the primary school system has remained flat for about three years, even though we have not hired one new teacher? So, does that mean that nobody has retired in all these years, nobody died, nobody left service, we have been paying almost the same amount , apart from those …, so what has been going on, and this is just one of it, is that some people have been hiring other people without due process.

So, suppose a headmaster is going to retire in April and may be his salary is about N200, 000 per annum, somebody will just say we want to replace this headmaster, they will go ahead and employ four or five people, divide the money and employ those five persons.

We have problems here. Just before you came in here, I was having a discussion with an IT specialist who we are trying to retain to digitise the records at the Secondary Education Management Board (SEMB). He is also working on the Abia Poly. So, this is a system that is not good at

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The Oracle Today Wednesday April 26, 2017

INTERVIEW

“

It was only when we did an analysis of the entire 36 States and the number of institutions owned by the Federal Government in each and every one of them; compared that with that of Abia State that people were shocked.

“

•Mgbeoji

‘We need cooperation of labour unions for reforms to succeed’ Continued from Page 32 keeping records. That is why you see some people have two or four different birth certificates.

So, if you have a system in which even the identity of a person is not certain, you are not sure what the person’s name is, you are not sure of when that person was born, it becomes quite difficult for you to run an efficient and transparent system.

These are some of the areas where we are working on; to try to digitise our records, to make sure that what a person’s document says today is what it will say in the next 10 years; that a person born in 1960 will always remain born in 1960, that somehow, that person doesn’t just say ah, no, I am now born in 1970.

Some of these issues border on crime. Has there been any kind of penal measures taken against the perpetrators of these crimes?

I am not aware so far, to the best of my knowledge, which is the disappointing part of the whole thing because somebody has to be held responsible. We have managed to hold some people here for stealing money, particularly at the Education Development Centre (EDC) but the thing is that, you see, sometimes, these things could be political.

You realise that the people who are responsible are people who will want to hide under certain rules or under some political figures and so and so forth. Since the decision is not yours to take, and if it were, and not yours to implement, I can only from here recommend that this person should be prosecuted. I am not the AttorneyGeneral and the Attorney-General may say that he is not the court, and that he has charged to court, that it is not for him to convict the person. So, you see that there are these whole layers where, unless and until you have people on the same page who are equally committed and who want to get things done, if you push it to a certain point, you leave it.

It is a kind of relay race which even if you run so fast when it is your turn and hand over to next person, that person

may decide to drop the baton and lose the race, and all of you will lose. And because a lot of people are not really concerned whether the race is lost or won, for them, it is business as usual. I am not saying this to condemn or indict anybody but this is my own personal experience here, that there is only so much that one person can do. For me, what drives me is just the desire to make a difference. The one I can do, I will do very very well and leave the rest to God and to posterity.

But I want to use this opportunity to plead with everyone of us to just contribute our own little quota. Nobody can salvage this State alone. If people do their own bit, if you walk round now, you may find that some offices are empty, some people haven’t shown up for work, even by 11 a.m. when I came in here, I installed a biometric log in and log out. The leadership of the Labour Congress came and said, ‘Prof., what is this? Why do you want to force people to come to work?’ I was shocked. I thought that they would have come here to clap for me, but they said why am I doing this? I was stunned that they were against me trying to monitor workers. I even got a text message from even a journalist who said that I was using it to try to monitor the ladies where they are, maybe I have an interest in one or two of them. So, this is the kind of society in which we live, that the abnormal has become the normal and there is no more outrage.

In fact, I just have to sign a memo and said look, that biometric log in, we must use it to pay salaries. That is actually why you see some people showing up by 10 a.m, otherwise if you come here on normal days, people start coming here around 11.30 a.m, 12 p.m; by 1.30 to 2 p.m, they are gone. Fridays is just no work at all, it is for burials. So, they said, ah, Prof. it is because you came from abroad, that is why. You have to adjust.

So, they expect you to adjust to their own ways, don’t even perform and yet everybody complains that nothing is working. So, to answer that your question, I think, if we must deal with the impunity, we need to have a system in which people get punished.

The punishment need not be very severe, but at least, let them receive punishment to serve as deterrence. The thing is that sometimes we confuse the severity of the punishment with the certainty of punishment. What makes the difference between the western world and us here is not as if they hang people there, no. In fact, in many cases, they have even stopped giving people harsh punishment, but there must be punishment, there is certainty of punishment. It can be a fine.

If you know that you could get a query, that you could get rebuked, that you could get humiliated for doing the wrong thing, it is enough deterrence on its own. So, if you drink and drive, they withdraw your license, that is punishment or they say go and do community service for three months or so, that is punishment.

But in Nigeria, we believe that unless we give somebody 100 years, that is when you have been punished. So that mentality affects a lot of us. That is why when I see the EFCC and they say they want to charge somebody with 80 counts, I laugh.

It is not the number of counts that is the issue. You can still get a conviction on one count. Focus on one count that you can get conviction on; you don’t need to send that person to jail for 100 years. Let that person be convicted first, even one year is enough. If a person goes to jail for six months, it is in his record. That can even be more effective that oh, we have 98 charges against you. There hasn’t been much encouragement, let me put it that way, in terms of punishment for those who have been stealing government funds, either through manipulation of service records, or manipulation of salaries and wage bills or illegal recruitment, etc. So the people who often get punished are those who are the direct beneficiaries, so when they are caught, they are dismissed but somebody signed the letter of appointment, somebody did the file. So, who prepared that file, who said that this person should be hired without doing the basic diligence?

So, in many cases, those people who are the persons, that in my opinion who ought to be punished, aren’t punished and they remain where they are and chances are that without punishment, they will do it

all over and over again. They call them a cabal. So, unless and until somebody begins to dismantle them changes ,may not come.

You told us the much you are doing to rehabilitate and properly recover physical quality and software quality of our education system, in terms of infrastructural development and quality of teachers.

How do you integrate all these reforms into a single policy structure?

Yes, we have the Education Bill. Abia State does not have a comprehensive law that deals with education. So, we are working on it. I expect the House of Assembly to pass the bill into law before this year runs out.

The idea is to internalise all these reforms to become part and parcel of our legal framework so that when I leave this office, somebody can continue from there. Somebody can rely on a legal basis to continue with what it is that I am doing, because when I came here, I realised that much of the success or failure of my predecessors depended on their own way of doing things. That is wrong. It has to depend on something independent of them. There has to be a system in place.

You see that the process has been like the ebb and flow, so if you have a very good commissioner, the thing will rise, if you have one that is not so good, the thing will come down.

The difference between us and the Western world is that they have created templates so that even a fool can do just minimal damage, the process will still go on.

If you have a system in which a success or failure is entirely dependent on an individual, you won’t have much progress. In fact, if you look at it, that is the problem we have at the national level, that people believe that there is this person in whose body there is wisdom, there is competence, that only him can save the country.

That is wrong!

We need to move away to have a regime or a system in place which does not depend on individual capacity. You have some people say only Buhari can save Nigeria. I said no, no, no; that is wrong thinking. We need to talk about a system, a template, so that whether it is Obama or Trump, the country will be running. If you have a very good one, there will be a slight increase, if you have a very bad one, he wont do damage enough to destroy the system. It should have a base.

So, that base is what I am talking about, the Education Law. So, we are having Education Summit by June, where things that are talked about , the experts will come, stakeholders will come, they synthesise it

Continued on Page 34

34

The Oracle Today Wednesday April 26, 2017

INTERVIEW Continued from Page 33 and then make the input to become part and parcel of the bill which we shall table before the House and the House will pass it into law.

What would you put on the table and say this is my quick win measure?

The quick win measure is a kind of a

‘We must explore international funding windows’

“

Rather than build all the bungalows scattered everywhere, it is better to have one two-storey building within a five-mile radius.

If it is one school that you have built, it would be one is one. People are willing to go there, after all people send their children to school in Port Harcourt, Abuja.

“

On the budget for Education which is still quite huge as it were, what other funding windows do you think you can explore?

We have been looking at donor agencies: World Bank, UNESCO, and various other NGOs. But one problem which I noticed here was that we don’t have what is called Education Strategic Plan (ESP). And without a plan, none of these donor agencies will talk to you, let alone give you money.

People here believed that, oh, if only they went to Abuja and talked to the man at the World Bank, they will give them money.

That is not how this thing works.

People here didn’t know that for you to go to any of these agencies to ask for money, you have to articulate your plans, identify where those donor agencies can come in, create a niche for them, then you take the plan to them and say ‘this is my proposal.’ So, we were working on it, the governor just approved money for us to develop the capacity. Many people in this ministry, I am sad to say it, do not have the capacity. So, I have to get people who know how to draft this plan, but there are few people inside, who, if properly brushed up, can learn it. There are two of them working with my team.

Our plan is to go to the World Bank for some grants.

Some states have been doing well.

Governor El-Rufai of Kaduna is one of the frequent visitors to that place. He received billions of Naira in grants from the World Bank. It could be because he had been FCT Minister, so he knows that this is how these things work.

Unlike us here, for a long time we have had people who weren’t that disposed.

So, they didn’t know that these things were there and they didn’t know what the criteria and the requirements are for you to go there and talk to them and get them to listen to you.

In fact when we raised this issue of Abia having only one federal institution, many people was shocked. They said how come that we had President Jonathan and all those people who could have helped.

The problem was that we had no one here to articulate a plan for them. It was only when we did an analysis of the entire 36 States and say, look at the number of institutions owned by the federal government in each and every one of them; compare that with that of Abia State.

That was when people were shocked.

When the Governor received my report, he couldn’t believe it and I said that is the fact. These things are there, some time we have not developed the capacities, people who can go out there, gather the data, make out a case for them and then you will be able to get support.

We have been getting support from certain agencies of the German Government because I did my post-doctoral work there, so I know some of them there.

Also, I went to Toronto last December to talk to the African Institute of Mathematical Sciences for them to come to Abia State. So, the point is that there are lots of things that could be gained by putting people in positions where they can leverage what they know, they can leverage the contacts and connections out there. But if you do not have some of these people in positions of authority, positions of interest, people who know how the world works, the consequences can be as devastating as what we have today. So, I believe that there is a lot of untapped potentials out there; it is just that we have not organized ourselves to be able to make the most of what we have or what is out there.

low-hanging fruit. I will say it is rebuilding the public schools and get society re-engaged. If we rebuild our schools, it will go a long way. The sight of our public schools is a very depressing sight.

To me, rather than build all the bungalows scattered everywhere, it is better to have one two-storey building within a five-mile radius. If it is one school that you have built, it would be one is one. People are willing to go there, after all people send their children to school in Port Harcourt, Abuja. You know, the British did all these one Road, one School. Like if you go to Aba, there is School Road Primary School, there Tenant Road, I understand it, 30, 40 years ago.

But today, if you can collapse four, five schools, build one new school, make it a real school, boarding facilities, everything, people will come.

Are you going to do model schools?

That is it, the drawings are here.

What is the budget outlook for that?

We are looking at if we can spend about N200 million or thereabout on each school. I told the Governor that rather than continue with this idea of having a school in every street, let us build one school and know that we have one school. If we can do up to 20 solid models schools in this State, we are looking at spending about N4 billion from UBEC. If we spend N200 million on each school, we can get about 20 schools.

To me if the previous governments had done this, it would have been better. It is like having malaria. If the four of us here have malaria but we have only one dose of medicine now, it doesn’t make sense to give each of us one tablet. It is better to say, lets cure one person. So it is better to cure the person and know that you have cured him and he will help to get cure for others.

If you look at how much they spend

on such schools, it is not cheap. They said they spend N20 million, N40 million, to do one bungalow. And as they are declaring the building open, the thing is falling. Some of them, as you are walking into the classroom, the floor is cracking. I have seen some newly constructed two, three, four five-classroom blocks collapsing without anybody using them.

So, for me, rather than dissipate resources, just concentrate it, build one major school. The ones you have done today, you won’t do them again tomorrow. If you do one bungalow today, people will play football there and it will land on the roof. There are some that I have seen that within three months, the building is back to square one.

How many model schools do you have in plan There are 17 Local Government Areas in the state, if we can do one per local government area, may be for those ones that are very populous, let’s say Aba North, Aba South or Umuahia, you can do two. If you do it like that every two years, you would have solved the problem of school dilapidation once and for all. But if you continue to do this our yellow and green-roofed bungalows, there are some that don’t last six months. So, you build the four-classroom block at N20 million and people are playing football in it. In three months they use football to destroy the roof. For me, I will say do a two-storey building. If you do it in 10, 15 years, that building is still standing rock solid. You solve that problem; you solve it once and for all.

35

The Oracle Today Wednesday April 26, 2017

L-I-F-E Sad experiences of unemployed graduates in Delta JOB creation is a key element of economic building. It ensures people are economically empowered and also increases the wealth of a society.

However, despite a lot of pre-election promises, the past administrations in Delta State, not enough has been done in job creation for teeming unemployed graduates, argues JONATHAN AWANYAI, in Asaba.

T

HE Oracle Today sampled opinions of some unemployed graduates in Delta discovered that several years after graduation with no prospect of employment, most graduates in the state have now taken to menial jobs to survive.

In 2007, when Richard Atuche graduated from Delta State University, Abraka, with a second class upper degree in Industrial Chemistry, he was quite sure of landing a dream job. Having acquired the requisite experience as an intern in a multinational firm, he was convinced that he would not stay in the labour market for too long.

But 10 years down the line, Atuche is still searching for his dream job. He has traversed major cities of Nigeria to write interviews and meet with potential employers.

Frustrated by his inability to secure a good job, Atuche now makes a living as a teacher in a private school in Okpanam, Delta State, where he resides.

“I had to take this teaching job to make ends meet. I have been searching for a job since I completed my NYSC in 2009. I have attended many interviews but they all ended in disappointment.

They promised to get back to me but they never did so,” he told The Oracle Today.

Like Atuche, Cynthia Onwuka has been hunting for a job for almost half a decade. She graduated with a second-class upper degree in Geography and Regional Planning from Olabisi Onabanjo University in Ogun State, and has not been able to secure a job in any organization.

Now married with three children, Cynthia runs a beauty salon and sells snacks at Ogbeogonogo market in Asaba. Recounting her experience, Cynthia said it was one of the most traumatic periods in her life.

“It was a frustrating experience and I don’t like to remember it. I attended more than 50 interviews in Lagos and other parts of this country and none came through. When I eventually got some offers, it was below what I expected to be paid as a graduate. I got married without a job and it remained so until I had my first child. Since I knew how to make hair, my husband suggested that I open a salon in order to support the family.”

Pathetic as their tales appear, Atuche and Cynthia represent just a fraction of Nigeria’s army of unemployed graduates roaming the streets in Delta looking for unavailable jobs. Like the duo, many of them have taken up menial jobs working as hotel attendants, sales representatives and driving just to make ends meet. Those who feel too big to do such jobs have either taken to crime or are busy searching for an escape route abroad.

Henry Ogaga, a 2009 graduate of the University of Jos, said he has travelled to the major cities in Nigeria in search of a job that seems to elude him always.

After three fruitless years of searching, he pitched his tent with a secondary school in Warri, where he has risen to the rank of a vice principal.

“I studied Computer Science but to-

Unemployed graduates. day I’m a teacher. Since I graduated, I have travelled to Abuja, Port Harcourt and other cities in Nigeria in search of a job. I pass the aptitude test most times and the employers will promise to ‘get back to you’, but will never do.

Although I am optimistic of getting a good job some day, I had to take this job out of frustration because I was tired of staying at home without working,” he agonized.

Nneka Goziem is another graduate who has switched trade because of the challenges of getting a job. After graduating with a second class lower degree in Linguistics from the University of Benin, she had to take a job as a clerical staff in a local church to survive. “My pastor offered me this job after many months of searching for a job in Lagos.

Although I just completed my youth service, getting a job has really been frustrating. I took this with both hands because I know people who graduated long before me who are still hunting for jobs,” Nneka said.

Okoronkwo Ejike, popularly known as “Senator Zobo”, hawks zobo at the popular Ogbeogonogo market in Asaba to survive. Ejike, who is from Afikpo in Ebonyi State, studied political science at Ebonyi State University where he graduated in 2009 and subsequently did his mandatory youth service in Kano State.

However, Ejike’s view is quite different from the other unemployed gradu-

ates as he feels that the zobo business is far better when compared to other jobs in regard to job security among other factors.

“I am self-employed and secondly, I can set a goal for myself. For instance, if I am making N10,000 daily, I can save between four and five thousand naira daily,” he enthused.

The unemployment tale takes an interesting twist when one considers the activities of some agents who take advantage of desperate graduates seeking employment. These agents who are scattered in various parts of the country pose as representatives of some elitist firms and lure job seekers into parting with large sums with a promise of helping them to get a job.

Discouraged by the testimonies of their senior colleagues, some undergraduates have become apprehensive about what the future holds for them.

A few of them have embraced entrepreneurship as a way of escaping the unemployment menace, which is continually on the increase.

Sylvester Onyemaechi, a final year student of Political Science at the Delta State University, Abraka, said his parents encouraged him to learn a trade during holidays in order to become self-employed after graduation.

Sylvester, who now runs a barbing salon on campus, said he took his parents’ advice after his brother who graduated

in 2009 waited more than a year to get a job in Lagos.

“My father ensures that all his children learn a trade even as undergraduates. I decided to learn this trade so that when I graduate and there is no job, I can take care of myself. I am not a pessimist but the situation in this country requires that one prepares for uncertainties,” he said.

However, the Chief Job Creation Officer in Delta State, Prof. Eric Eboh, explained that securing jobs in the public service has become very difficult because of the high number of graduates chasing the few opportunities available.

Eboh said the state has provided an enabling environment for a sustainable job creation. He said the Office of the Chief Job Creation Officer was created as a special purpose vehicle for the actualization of job and wealth creation under the S.M.A.R.T. agenda of the present administration in the state.

He added that as a proof of growing stakeholders’ confidence in the job creation scheme, international development partners and non-governmental organizations have intensified technical support and collaboration for training, monitoring, service delivery feedback and mentoring.

Eboh also disclosed that there is an online portal for the registration of unemployed graduates in the State.

36

The Oracle Today, Wednesday April 26, 2017

Love and Living

... With Ireto Temofeh

Oracle Girl of the Week

LOVE NEWS ‘Mum’s death led to total chaos, Prince Harry reveals

P

Name: Melissa Tel: 0706 934 5979

*Do you want to be our next Oracle Girl? Send your photos to ireto007@yahoo.com and call 07031028714.

RINCE Harry has revealed he “shut down all his emotions” for two decades after losing his mother Princess Diana.

Harry, 32, admitted he had been close to a breakdown, sought therapy and took up boxing to combat frustration.

In a frank interview, Harry, 32, said he finally faced his pain at 28 when he was “on the verge of punching someone”.

The royal talked of “shutting down all of my emotions” for two decades after Diana died in a Paris car crash in 1997 when he was only 12.

It got so bad that brother Prince William, 34, was left begging him to face his heartache and seek help.

Harry revealed he turned to therapy after coming “close to a complete breakdown” over the loss.

And he told how he turned to boxing as a means of safely taking out his aggression and frustration.

The Prince — who insists he is now in a “good place” — spoke out in an interview with The Daily Telegraph.

Giving an account of conquering his demons, Harry told mental health journalist Bryony Gordon: “I can safely say that losing my mum at the age of 12, and therefore shutting down all of my emotions for the last 20 years, has had a quite serious effect on not only my personal life but my work as well.

“I have probably been very close to a complete breakdown on numerous occasions when all sorts of grief and all sorts of lies and misconceptions and everything are coming to you from every angle.”

Prince Harry said: “I can safely say that losing my mum at the age of 12, and therefore shutting down all of my emotions for the last 20 years, has had a quite serious effect on not only my personal life but my work as well.

Harry added: “My way of dealing with it was sticking my head in the sand, refusing to ever think about my mum, because why

would that help? “(I thought) it’s only going to make you sad, it’s not going to bring her back.

“So from an emotional side, I was like ‘right, don’t ever let your emotions be part of anything’.

“So I was a typical 20, 25, 28-year-old running around going ‘life is great’, or ‘life is fine’ and that was exactly it.”

But Harry explained that he started to have a few conversations and the grief he had never processed suddenly came to the fore.

He spoke out after he, William and sisterin-law Kate backed the Heads Together charity campaign to end stigma around m e n t a l health.

It is the centrepiece of this year’s London Marathon and is aimed at telling the world it is “OK to say”.

Prince Harry told how suppressing his feelings got so intense it hit his personal life and even haunted him at royal engagements.

Under the pressure of representing the Royal Family publicly — he was plunged into fight or flight mode at official events.

At 28, Harry’s life was thrown into “total chaos” but he said he realised he could not go on without coming to terms with Diana’s loss.

Prince Harry

37

The Oracle Today, Wednesday April 26, 2017

True Confession

‘Her makeup made me propose to her’ “How do I look,” she asked me, as she applied lipstick on her sweet, soft, and sexy lips. “Do I look beautiful, ugly or crazy?”

“You’re beautiful,” I replied.

“Do you really think so? Or are you just saying that to flatter me?”

‘I really think you’re beautiful, from the bottom of my heart. And sexy too.”

I tried to look as sincere as I could so that she would believe me. And I thank God that she did believe me.

I kept staring at her as she applied her makeup and wishing I could make her mine, even though we were obviously total strangers to each other. The truth was that her beauty took my breath away.

My name is Frank. I’m an Igbo guy and I work with an ICT company with branches in the South-East. I met Kelechi my wife in a lift while she was working as a contract staff of a major telecommunications company.

I got into the lift from the second floor of the high rise building, and she was already in the lift when I entered. Apparently, she had entered the lift from the ground floor. I was going up to the twelfth floor and I promptly told the lift attendant.

As the lift resumed its journey upward, I watched with curiosity as the woman standing beside me brought out a small mirror from her handbag and started applying makeup on her face.

I was actually supposed to be minding my own business instead of staring at her the way I was doing and seconds later, she noticed that I was watching her.

“Is this the first time you’re seeing a woman applying makeup,” she said, as our eyes met.

“Of course not,” I managed to answer, “but that mascara makes your eyebrows and eyelashes look so alluring, and I couldn’t just take my eyes away.”

“But I haven’t yet finished applying my makeup,” she reminded me. “Why not wait till I’m done, then you can pass your final judgement?”

After about a minute later, she told me she was done with her makeup. The she asked me if I thought she was beautiful, ugly or crazy.

I told her she was beautiful and those words seemed to open the door of her heart. She looked into my eyes and I didn’t need to say more than, “I would really like to see you again. How can I see you again?”

As we reached the top floor of the building, we walked out of the lift and exchanged phone numbers and complementary cards before parting from each other with a smile.

“I will definitely call you tonight, my queen,” I said to her.

“I’ll be expecting your call, my king.”

Kelechi wasn’t rich, and I too wasn’t rich. But we cared for each other. Love was more important to us than money.

The fact that we cared about each other was the secret to our endless love. Valentine’s Day of 2008 is a day I’ll never forget.

That night at my place, we made love on the living room floor with the television on. We slept all night long on the living room floor. It was really exciting and I enjoyed every minute of it.

Kelechi had everything I wanted in a woman. She was fair, attractive, sexy, and good in bed, or should I say, good on the floor? I loved every moment I spent with her and I was determined not to let her go, no matter what.

I told her to move in with me for three months, so that I could make up my mind to marry her. I convinced her to go to work every morning from my apartment.

And every single day that she left me to go to her job, she would tell me that she would miss me. Normally, she would say, ‘I’ll miss you. When she returned home, she would show me how much she missed me that day at work through her passionate gestures.

Her passionate gestures swept me off my feet. She simply blew my mind with the way she kissed me and hugged me, and that made me always look forward to seeing her again in the evening after work.

I missed her like crazy when she wasn’t

around. But when I held her in my arms, my pains seemed to melt away and I would be filled with the joy of love.

After supper, we would take a shower together and make love in the bathroom.

I never knew that love could be so sweet.

Everyday, we kept on saying I love you to each other and acting as though both of us alone existed in the world.

Sometimes as we lay in each other’s arms on the bed, we would switch off our GSM phones so that no one would disturb our romance. It was worth it.

Every single step we took was worth it because it helped to bring us closer and make us become more intimate.

Before the three months were over, Kel-

echi’s mum came to see us and told me to do the right thing by marrying her if I actually liked her that much.

I didn’t need to think so much about it because no other girl had made me so happy. We wedded in Enugu state in October 2008 and when we moved into our new home, we decided to put carpet and rug on our floor instead of tiles, so that it would be convenient for us to make love on the living room floor whenever we feel like. We both cherish the moment.

Your say: Have your say about this love confession. Call 08131161840 or 07031028714.

ODD NEWS Student blows his own hand off to impress a girl

A

CLUMSY chemistry student made a homemade bomb to impress a girl but ended up blowing his own hand off, it is claimed.

The 17-year-old teen is said to have bragged to his friends about the improvised explosive device he made in his bedroom.

Pictures even appear to show that he posed for a photo with his bomb-making kit at his flat on Vasilievskiy island in Russia’s second city of St Petersburg.

But the bungling teen, identified only as Andrey, is thought to have accidentally detonated the explosives.

He is currently being treated in St Mary Magdalena after losing one hand in the blast and injuring the other.

38

The Oracle Today, Wednesday April 26, 2017

Relationship and Love Advice

‘My man says he can’t forgive me’ Dear Love Doctor,

LOVE SEARCH Women seeking relationship/marriage Rosemary, 31, from Anambra based in Abuja, self employed, good looking & homely, needs an educated, godly, comfortable man from the East between 32-45 years strictly for marriage.

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Annie, 32, a graduate, christian, single mum in Lagos, wants a man between the ages of 37-55 years; literate and working, a Christian, either single, widowed or divorced for a relationship. 09026823456 or 08168485612.

A single mother needs a responsible man for a relationship. 08140599563.

Uchechi, 36, a graduate, tall, fair, needs a tall, fair, graduate, Igbo evangelist, pastor or God fearing Igbo man for marriage.

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Wunmi, works in Lagos, needs a working Yoruba man from 32-45 years who attends Cherubim & Seraphim for marriage.

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E-Mail: ireto007@yahoo.com Go to foodstuffs.com.ng.

Call Love Doctor: 07031028714, 08131161840 for Counseling, fertility problems & Direct Hookup.

Men seeking relationship/marriage Goodheart wants a tall, fair, beautiful, working class Yoruba, Akwa-Ibom, Kogi or Port-Harcourt lady for marriage. 08030725296

M

Y name is Ada and I live in Lagos. Please I want you to tell me what to do. I have a problem with my boyfriend and I am the cause of everything that happened because I cheated on him. However, since then, I have been begging him to forgive me but he has refused. He says he will never forgive me. Please tell me what to do because I don’t want to lose him. I love him so much.

From Ada.

John, 52, a widower with two kids, from Edo, in Lagos, needs a fair, plump, Christian woman.

08025313929.

Steven, from Anambra, in Lagos, wants a lady from 22 to 30 years for a serious relationship.

08081972446.

Gavin, 35, from Enugu, in Lagos, needs a female from 3045 years for a relationship that will take them to the future.

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Love Doctor’s advice:

Eric, 30, from Anambra, in Lekki, Lagos, needs a lady who needs a man to get her pregnant. 08064558484.

Frank, 27, in Enugu, needs a loving and caring sugar mummy.

08096522435.

Larry, 33, in Lagos, needs a beautiful and sweet mummy or widow for dating. 08101103008.

Ogbonna, 40, from Ebonyi, in Abuja, business man, needs a working class lady between 30-40 years for marriage.

09069054706.

Emmy needs a mature lady in Lagos for companionship.

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Dear Ada, What you did must have hurt him very deeply and also destroyed the trust he had in you. If you truly loved him, you wouldn’t have cheated on him. There are boundaries in every relationship and when you cross those boundaries, your partner might be so deeply hurt or emotionally/

psychologically scarred that resentment towards you becomes permanent and reconciliation becomes impossible.

For now, maybe he needs time to heal. So give him time to get over it since he is still angry. When his anger cools, you can seek reconciliation with him again. Perhaps by

that time he might be willing to take you back.

However, if after all said and done, he still refuses to reconcile with you, learn the lesson that infidelity doesn’t pay, and move on with your life as a changed or more responsible person.

Call Love Dr. 07031028714, 08131161840. E-mail: ireto007@yahoo.com Note: If you have fertility problems like childlessness, inability to conceive or get pregnant, miscarriages, fibroid, low sperm count, STDs, or need a male child or female? Call 08153536405, 08122352054. Love Doctor can help you succeed in your marriage/relationship.

Love Question of the Week: A girl with phone number 08109233270 is asking: “Why do some men love breaking women’s hearts?”

CARTOON

39

The Oracle Today, Wednesday April 26, 2017

It happened to me:

‘My boyfriend had an affair with my father’ M

Y parents separated when I was very young, and as I grew up I realised it was because my Dad was gay. I stayed at my Dad’s place every weekend until I was about 17, so I had met and bonded with a few of his male partners over the years.

When I moved into an apartment with Uni friends, I began to see less and less of my dad.

In my first year of University I met Rob at a friend’s party. We bonded straight away over our taste in music and soon became really good friends. Rob was gorgeous- cropped dark hair, broad shoulders and bright green eyes - he looked like a male model!

While I was usually extremely shy around good looking guys, I found Rob so easy to talk to and laugh with - hanging out with him was like hanging out with one of my girlfriends.

While I always thought Rob was very good-looking, I had never really felt a spark between us, and was content with our close friendship.

One day we were both hanging out in my apartment, drinking cheap wine, and I began to feel a bit tipsy.

I had just found out that a guy I really liked at my work had just gotten a girlfriend, so I was upset and pouring my heart out to Rob. He listened to me babble on all night, offering me hugs and telling me that I was beautiful and would find the perfect guy one day. Without thinking I leaned forward and kissed him.

At first he didn’t respond, like he was in shock. He looked really confused, but then kissed me back. We made out for a while, and although he was a bit awkward at first, he soon loosened up and we both seemed to feel very comfortable.

After that night our friendly ‘dates’ turned into proper romantic dates.

Rob was such a gentleman, always holding the door open for me, paying for my meals at restaurants and never acting sleazy.

After a few weeks we started referring to each other as boyfriend and girlfriend. At the age of 20 Rob was my first boyfriend, as I had always been way too shy to date boys in high school.

As he was my first boyfriend, I didn’t really know what to expect from the relationship. I knew that all my friends who were my age started sleeping with their boyfriends after a few weeks, but Rob and I had been going out for a couple of months by this stage and he still hadn’t made that move. He never kissed me in public, and our make out sessions never lasted very long, but I assumed he just wanted to take things slow.

“I assumed he just wanted to take things slow...”

Our relationship continued this way for many more months, and I began to feel rejected by Rob’s lack of physical affection. I never mentioned this to him because by this stage I was very much in love with him and didn’t want to start an argument.

Christmas time came around, and Rob invited me to lunch at his par-

ents’ house, while I invited him to dinner at my Dad’s house. I was really nervous about meeting his parents for the first time, as he gave me the impression that they were quite strict.

I tried my best to act confident during lunch, but Rob’s parents soon proved to be very judgmental, making me even more shy than usual.

They made petty comments about their son’s appearance, and subtly criticised his choice of study (he was studying Teaching at the time). While they weren’t out-right rude, I could tell from their sly comments that they were very hard to impress, and poor Rob copped most of their criticism.

With lunch out of the way, we finally escaped, then headed to my Dad’s house later on for dinner. After having just broken up with his latest partner before Christmas, Dad was currently living by himself, and it was obvious that he was pretty lonely.

When we arrived, Dad was really happy to see me, and very excited to finally meet my boyfriend.

Dad and Rob seemed to click straight away - they both loved to travel, and spent the entire dinner discussing the places they had been and the places they wanted to go. Dad was a high school Art teacher, and Rob was studying to become a teacher, so they had that in common too.

After dinner we moved into the living room to continue chatting. It was late and I soon fell asleep on the couch, but every now and then I would drift in and out of sleeping and Dad and Rob would still be immersed in conversation.

Rob and I didn’t end up leaving until well past midnight, and the whole way home he couldn’t stop commenting on how cool my Dad was and how

young he seemed.

The next week, Dad invited us over again for lunch on New Year’s Day. Again, he and Rob chatted for hours, before Rob had to leave for work. I stayed to help Dad clean up and we started chatting about Uni and work, and of course Rob. Dad asked if it was serious between us two, and my mind flashed back to my embarrassing attempt to seduce him into my bed the previous night... which of course he rejected. I was feeling very unsure that day so I told Dad it wasn’t really that serious yet.

Over the next few weeks we all spent more time together than usual, and eventually it got to the point where it was just Dad and Rob spending time together without me.

“At first I was thrilled that my boyfriend and my Dad were getting along so well, but then it started to get a bit weird.”

Rob was coming over to my place less and less, and we starting only seeing each other about once a week. At first Rob would enthusiastically tell me every detail of the time he had spent with my dad- but after a while whenever I asked what they’d gotten up to the day before, he would go quiet and try and change the subject.

It was weird and eventually I checked his phone and found a whole bunch of messages from my Dad saying things like ‘I know I only saw you this morning, but I already miss you’.

My heart sunk. Never in a million years did I think that my Dad would steal my boyfriend.

I had no proof that they had actually had a physical relationship, but as soon as I saw those messages, I felt so stupid for not realising that Rob was gay. The signs were all there, it was

so obvious. He was only with me to please his parents and to stop them from becoming suspicious about his sexuality.

Two years later and I don’t speak to Rob anymore, and my relationship with my Dad is still very strained and awkward as we have never spoken about what happened.

I never told anyone the real reason why Rob and I broke up, not even my close friends or my mum. On the plus side I’ve recently met an awesome guy who is loving, kind and can’t keep his hands off me!

Romantic Joke Marriage

A

fter Brian proposed to Jill, his father took him to one side. “Son, when I first got married to your mother, the first thing I did when we got home was take off my pants. I gave them to your mother and told her to try them on, which she did. They were huge on her and she said that she couldn’t wear them because they were too large. I said to her, ‘Of course they are too big for you, I wear the pants in this family and I always will.’

Ever since that day, son, we have never had a single problem.” Brian took his dad’s advice and did the same thing to his wife on his wedding night. Then, Jill took off her panties and gave them to Brian. “Try these on,” she said.

Brian went along with it and tried them on, but they were far too small. “What’s the point of this? I can’t get into your panties,” said Brian.

“Exactly,” Jill replied, “and if you don’t change your attitude, you never will!”

40

The Oracle Today, Wednesday April 26, 2017

My L ve & Life

How not to fail in Love II

… What to do if your love is unsafe PRETTY IFY ARONU exudes the charms of love, a subject she discusses with consuming aplomb. She continues her exploration of love with more about why things could go awry and what to do at those moments, when there are hardly any spaces to accommodate reasoning “I love you but I can’t go on with you.”

Rather mean words from a young lady to her man. Oh, it was only a movie, I saw it during the holiday and did I learn a bunch? My immediate thought was that she was horrible, I was beginning to deride her for being so inhumane as to say such after a year-long relationship but in the end, she got me! She was just one woman who dared to save herself when it mattered the most.

The last time you read this page, I hinted on the need to let love advances sit in your love kit over time before letting your hair down and allowing the wind blow all over it. Know this, you fail fast when you fall hard in love too fast. What has been your experience?

Some years back, a good friend and confidant said, “When you love someone, stick with them even when they hurt you, if you stay long enough, they will change for good.” Some of you would retort, “you may get used to the hurt, or forgive so much you no longer notice”.

Much as I tried to, I couldn’t subscribe to that line of thought for some good reasons. First, love is in the heart which is the seat of life and so it would only predispose to heart disease even attack, heart break) to let such pain stemming from hurtful love sit in the heart until someone perhaps decides to change (which may never happen). The key is to protect the heart and gain strength even when it all seems to be going the wrong way. If my way is to fight and run away, taking me to the washers for not electing to die in it is highly inhumane.

Don’t get it the wrong way, there’s nothing wrong with being slightly on edge even when there’s no cause for that just because you want to remain the only one in your partner’s life, love can be like that. But if on the contrary, I find that deep within I’m largely unsure about everything given certain actions that call his love to question; my love is unsafe. Being unsafe in love is most destablising really. You know it’s a huge waste of your time but you tag along anyway desperately hoping to be wrong at last against all logic and sound reasoning.

That confession, “I love you but I can’t go on with you” is right in the hearts of many who are at the receiving end of hurtful relationships and marriages.

They repeatedly plan to say those words and even rehearse them in their hearts a million times over but only a few ever get to say them; yet fewer mean them.

That lady in the movie spoke the hearts of many that have since lost the will to go on but who can’t bear to say the words just yet. Most times we don’t bother to check how our manners and actions affect the ones we claim to love.

You take for granted the river of tears, the complaints and lamentation about how badly what you did, and keep doing, hurts.

You think that the tears shed evidence love and so you smile inwardly at each tear that falls. You think it is unnecessary to change or at least make adjustments since you call the shots. You claim to love but in reality you hurt simply because you think you can. One thing is clear though, while some may prefer to die in it, others may choose to live without hurtful love. The latter are those who wisely stand in love long enough to

find cause to fall in love hard enough.

If your love is unsafe and you have genuine cause to say the words, “I love you but I can’t go on with you”, would you?

Please send your comments, commendations, and condemnations to ifyaronu@gmail.com

41

The Oracle Today, Wednesday April 26, 2017

The Law and You

Death of spouse II Need to make a will

M

OST Nigerians especially the rich ones forget very easily that life has an end. They forget that what has a beginning must have an end hence; they do not make adequate preparations for this ultimate end which is known as death. Some think that there is no need consulting somebody who is an expert in this field – Lawyers – to assist them make adequate and very tight and solid documentations that will make them live a life that has no end in their various families. The lawyers – experts in this field – know ‘where to wear the dagger’ that is

what is best for their clients well-being and not against the law of the land that people living after the death of a person can’t challenge and change the will contrary to the deceased’s wishes.

This leads us to this series on the topic – WILL AND ITS NEEDS – by the way, what is this will I am taking about? Will and its making can simply be said to be an arrangement which a living person puts in place while he is alive to ensure that his properties or estates devolve on his heirs according to his express desires, whishes and directives even at his death. You will

Case 1: Can I change the beneficiaries in my will?

With Barr. Ken Akpom (08162016410) agree with me the importance of ensuring that you consult the experts – Lawyers – to prepare a will for you while you are still alive. This is also very important because this document known as WILL speaks the exact minds of the testator (dead man) after his death. Who does not want to live for ever even as Christ lives in his home?

It is the impact of peace and love a living person sows in his family that makes him to be remembered always and forever by his family and loved ones he left behind at death.

Some will say that there is no need for a will after all I have shared my property to my children and loved ones while I am alive. But is this your sharing legally perfected by the experts – Lawyers – who are very well trained for this act? Do you forget

that even after sharing as you thought to be okay by you that at your death the living may decide to re-share it to suit them contrary to your intentions? To be on the safe side, make and prepare a WILL. Don’t also forget that it is not just the document that is a WILL but the totality of the wishes of the person making it and his declaration in a pre scribed manner of the intention of the person making it with regard to matters which he wishes to take effect upon or after his death that is the WILL. To be continued next week. *Do you have questions or seek legal clarification on issues concerning your marriage, probate, property, etc? Call Barr.

Ken: 08162016410, 08075763840. Email: kenakpom@yahoo.com

Case 2: Can I as a woman make a Will?

Dear Lawyer,

I

wish to make a will now but my fear is that I may appoint some of my children or relatives as beneficiaries to my will now and they may later turnout to be ‘bad’ persons to the extent that I would like to change them as beneficiaries. If such a situation happens, can I effect the change when I have fully documented my will everywhere necessary? Thanks.

Lawyer’s Answer:

Lawyer’s Answer:

Dear Janet,

Dear Chief Balogun,

T

I

often read of words like testate, intestate and beneficiaries in your write-ups but I find it difficult distinguishing both. Also is it only a man who can make a will? Can I, a woman, make a will?

From, Janet Port-Harcourt, Rivers State.

From, Chief Balogun Osogbo, Osun State

HANKS for letting me know your fears but I am assuring you that the Law allows you to make changes and even to destroy your will as many times as you so desire. This is known as Codicils which is a mini and supplementary will by

Dear Lawyer,

which a testator adds to, alters, or even revokes what is contained in a will. If you are still not clear, please call me on my phone lines or consult any lawyer around you for detailed explanation.

I

am very pleased with your question.

This is law and in most cases we use our legal language to drive home our points. Anyway, we use the word testate where a person makes a will, he is said to have died testate. Where no will is made,

he is said to have died intestate. Beneficiaries are the persons entitled to the properties or benefit under the will.

Finally, it is not only a man that can make a will. Women do make wills and they are called ‘TESTATRIX’.

Lawyer Jokes The Trip to Mars

The Judge’s Bribe

T

AKING his seat in his chambers, the judge faced the opposing lawyers.

“So,” he said, “I have been presented, by both of you, with a bribe.”

Both lawyers squirmed uncomfortably. “You, attorney Leon, gave me

$15,000. And you, attorney Campos, gave me $10,000.”

The judge reached into his pocket and pulled out a check. He handed it to Leon. “Now then, I’m returning $5,000, and we’re going to decide this case solely on its merits!”

N

ASA was interviewing professionals to be sent to Mars. Only one could go and couldn’t return to Earth.

The first applicant, an engineer, was asked how much he wanted to be paid for going. “A million dollars,” he answered, “because I want to donate it to M.I.T.” The next applicant, a doctor, was asked the same question. He asked for $2 million. “I want to give a million to my family,” he explained,

“and leave the other million for the advancement of medical research.”

The last applicant was a lawyer. When asked how much money he wanted, he whispered in the interviewer’s ear, “Three million dollars.”

“Why so much more than the others?” asked the interviewer.

The lawyer replied, “If you give me $3 million, I’ll give you $1 million, I’ll keep $1 million, and we’ll send the engineer to Mars.”

42

The Oracle Today Wednesday April 26, 2017

ENTERTAINMENT

Bisola Aiyejola, BBNaija 2017: Me, sleep with a married man? Never!

‘Never give up on your dreams,’ so goes the popular saying. It has been revealed that Bisola Aiyeola, One World Ambassador and the first runners-up at the just concluded Big Brother Naija attempted for nine years before she finally got the nod to be on BBNaija 2017. DOUGLAS OMOYOOMA reports

A

SINGLE MOTHER OF ONE, 31year-old Bisola Aiyejola, an indigene of Ogun State was quite flirtatious in the Big Brother Naija 2017 House, earning for herself the reputation of a lose woman who could hop into bed with a married man, an impression she created with her amorous affair with Thin Tall Tony in the BBN House.

And to prove her waywardness, Big Brother had read a letter, which stated that what people should watch out for was not what Bisola could do but what she could not.

However, the ex-BBN housemate has come out to state that she might be wayward but sleeping with a married man is one thing she could never do! Reason, she respects the institution of marriage. In fact, she says that if she had known that Thin Tall Tony was married, she wouldn’t have touched him with a 10-foot pole.

Reacting in a chat with The Oracle Today, Bisola declared that she never suspected at anytime that Tony might be married man with kids: “Me, sleep with a married man?

Never! I must confess that Thin Tall Tony is a good actor. He acted his script to the best of his ability but I feel he should have told me that he was married because it is such a big deal.

“Hello! I don’t play with married man like that. I respect the institution of matrimony. If I was married, I would respect my husband. Even though I play too much, I wouldn’t have gone that far if I knew he was married.”

Explaining her flirtatious disposition in the house, Bisola continued: “I was free, I am not married and I know that I do not have anybody I will report to hence I played in the House to the fullest.”

To drive home her point she continued: “There are things you should not mix up. I won’t want to disrespect his wife. That would be too bad of me. Imagine someone like me being married and a lady comes to my house that she is my husband’s friend? No, I won’t take that.”

Despite being misled, does she still consider Thin Tall Tony a friend?

“Yeah…talking about a working relationship, yes—if time permits and that is because I have seen him work. He is very creative and a professional person but forget about the friendship aspect of being close to his wife, no!”

Explaining what attracted her to

Judith Audu set to shoot Stormy Hearts

C

OMING ON the heels of the success of Just Not Married, actress and film producer, Judith Audu is poised to bring a new flick to TV screens entitled Stormy hearts, a Judith Audu Productions and Iroko TV partnership.

Directed by Tope Alake and written by Brenda Ogbuka and Chijioke Ononiwu, Stormy Hearts is the tale of Basi, a music producer who quarrels with his protégé Kachi, a talented singer, over her partying ways. She abandons him for Johnson, a bigger music producer in town and the breakup hits Basi hard.

Meanwhile, Ella, a prostitute escapes from her abusive pimp to another city to start a new life. She finds an apartment right next to Basi’s flat, where she would hear Basi playing mournfully on the piano each night. Ella and Basi’s paths cross and after much pleading from Ella they develop a relationship that change both their lives forever.

Speaking, Judith Audu said: “Stormy Hearts is the story a lot of people will relate too and it has everything a good movie needs Comedy, Romance, Drama and Music. We are excited about it as we have our all while making it and we want to believe everyone will love it.”

Stormy Hearts sstars Christiana Martin, Theresa Edem, Eddie Watson, Kenneth Okoli, Fred Amata, Rotimi Salami, Kelechi Udegbe, Gregory Ojefua, Omowunmi Dada, Tomiwa Kukoyi, Etinosa Idemudia and Debbie Ohiri among others.

Thin Tall Tony she continued: “Tony was the oldest in the house so I saw him as a mature person and very creative. I learnt a lot from him. At the same time like I said, I went to the House to have fun. I love to tickle, love and to tease. I love to jump on people, bite and all that. It was only Tony that welcomed that because he is energetic. I didn’t know he was married. If I had known, I wouldn’t have touched him with a 10-foot pole.

For heaven’s sake.”

Isn’t she bothered about what her daughter might think if she watched her compromising videos?

“She is going to see her mom because that is what she is used to. She might not understand some things

but if she asks I will tell her that na the work wey we dey do-o,” she says laughing.

So, what’s the major lesson she learnt in the house?

“I would say tolerance. I thought I used to have it but when I got to the House, I got to know it was low but now, my tolerance is on another level.”

Commenting on her nine-year wait before getting the nod to be a part of BBN 2017, she concluded: “Oh my goodness! My Big Brother journey started nine years ago. I had been applying and going for the auditions.

Whenever I watched it on TV, I would be like, when will it be my turn? And it happened this year—thank God!

Judith and her husband

43

The Oracle Today Wednesda April 26 2017

ENTERTAINENT Gist

Annie Idibia desperate for baby-boy

By DOUGLAS OMOYOOMA

I

T IS no longer news that Annie Idibia is pregnant.

What is news is that she is desperate for a baby boyreason, her rivals all have sons for Tuface and she is determined to give Tuface a son who will be his heir.

Said a source: “Annie Idibia is a happy woman no doubt. That Tuface chose her among all the women around him means that she is really special. And today she already has two girls for Tuface but deep in her heart, she is not fulfilled and the reason is not farfetched.

In Africa, male children are the ones that inherit their father’s property so you can understand Annie’s plight.

“Right now, she and her pastor are engaged in serious prayers that the baby should be a boy. However, Tuface does not really mind and he keeps assuring her that her kids are number one in his life but you know the way women are! Let us pray that when she gives birth, it is a baby boy.”

Olori Wuraola to spend birthday with widows and less privileged

O

LORI WURAOLA, wife of the Ooni of Ife, His Imperial Majesty, Oba Enitan Adeyeye Ogunwusi Ojaja, is wrapping up plans to celebrate the birthday with orphans, widows and the less privileged when she celebrates on April 19.

However, contrary to expectations, the Queen does not intend to throw an elaborate party. Rather, she will be using the occasion to celebrate with widows and the less privileged.

“You should not expect the Olori to throw a big party when Ife was just recently en-

Ex-lover denies abandoning Bisola • Says whatever she did at BBN is her business

C

ONTRARY to news making the rounds, Bisola Aiyeola’s baby’s daddy has denied ever abandoning her.

In a chat, Olanrewaju Malcolm, who works as an artistes’ manager and show promoter revealed that the

reason they broke up was because they are incompatible.

“We parted because the relationship didn’t work out due to personal differences.

It is a big fat lie that I dumped Bisola at the altar; there was nothing like that. In fact, I am still looking for the person who wrote that story online because it is malicious. We split because we had some personality traits that could not complement each other and there was never any marriage.”

Expressing his opinion of her conduct while in the house, Malcolm said: “I think she was able to go there, represent herself well and also showcase her talent. She was lively and full of fun while in the house and I guess, that is

what viewers want.

“I have always known her as a very talented person and she always goes for what she wants. In fact, she has been in reality shows before Big Brother.”

Speaking about Bisola’s closeness to Tony while in the house, he continued: “She is a grown woman and whatever she did on the show is her business.”

Responding to a question on whether they would still get back together, Malcolm said: “Everything still remains the same. It doesn’t mean that because she was successful at Big Brother Naija, we are coming back together.

There was a reason for our break up, which are personality differences and those differences are still there.”

gulfed in a crisis that claimed many lives. So, if it will take her to sacrifice her birthday this year to honor the people who lost their lives, then, she will. That is why she has opted to spend the day with widows and the less privileged, “a source in the know told TS Weekend.

Popularly known as Mother Theresa of our time, a while ago, she hosted a-give-backconcert at Eko Hotel & suites, Victoria Island, Lagos. Recall that Olori Wuraola recently visited an IDP camp and donated relief materials and cash.

44

The Oracle Today Wednesday April 26, 2017

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45

The Oracle Today Wednesday April 26, 2017

SPORTS Fina Water Polo Officiating Clinic’s huge success –Rev. Jesimiel

R

EV. SAMUEL Jesimiel, the chairman of Facilities Committee of the Nigeria Aquatics Federation (NAqF), has described last week’s three day Fina Water Polo Officiating Clinic as a huge success.

According to Jesimiel who also serves as the Chairman of Open Water of the Nigeria Aquatics Federation, the three day seminar organized for Nigerian officials to educate them on the technicalities of Water Polo meant the expectations of the organisers as the over 50 participants gave good account of themselves as was testified by the lecturer to the Seminar, Mr. Guy Pinker of South Africa.

Jesimiel state this in exclusive telephone interview with the Oracle Today Sports at the weekend. He expressed satisfaction with the turnout of participants from across the country who participated in the three day seminar where they were drilled on the technicalities of the water sport and officiating during championships.

“Of course the seminar was a huge success and we are happy for the turnout of participants from across the country,” Jesimiel began.

“I can assure you that the seminar meant the expectation of the organisers of the three day event which is to educate the Nigerian officials on the technicalities of Water Polo during championships.

“I must also confess to you that the seminar lecturer, Mr. Guy Pinkers was highly delighted with the performance of the participants and he expressed it. He was happy with the rate of assimilation of the participants during the seminar.

“A part from the brilliant performance of the participants, Mr. Pinker was very appreciative of the Nigerian hospitality as he was highly entertained by one of our board members, Mr. Joseph Odobeatu, the Managing Director of the popular O’Jez entertainment hangout at the national stadium Surulere, Lagos,” Jesimiel said.

“The South African will be returning home after conducting exams for the participants today (Friday) as he wanted to be with his family this Easter period. I believe that if not the Easter period he would have spent some time in the country as he was delighted being in the country.

•Rev SamJesimiel

Confusion in Enugu over Imama’s sack •Chukwu denies receipt of query Stories by MADUABUCHI KALU

I

T IS CONFUSION galore in the Coal City of Enugu following the sacking of the Rangers league winning coach, Imama Amapakabo by the Management of Enugu Rangers led by former Rangers and National team skipper and coach, Christian Chukwu.

Barely 48 hours after the Super Eagles assistant coach was shown the exit door by the management of Enugu Rangers, the Commissioner for Sports, Charles Ndukwe, came out on Wednesday to deny any knowledge of the sack of Imama Amapakabo. He disclosed that the state government has queried the General Manager of the club, Christian Chukwu over his complicity in the alleged sack of Imama Amapakabo.

According to Ndukwe, the Technical Adviser of Rangers Int’l FC of Enugu, Imama Amapakabo is not sacked and has not been replaced.

He said that the management of Rangers Int’l FC had not engaged any coach contrary to news making the round that former player of the team, Sylvanus Okpala had replaced Amapakabo.

“The truth is that after the match we played against ZESCO United of Zambia on Sunday, we noticed that a lot of fans were going after Coach Imama Amapakabo.

“I do not know how that happened, but I know that security men were there and they took care of the situation.

“On our own, the best thing we could do was to ask him to step aside on suspension.

“But I was surprised in the morning to hear over the radio and television that the coach was sacked.

“So, I immediately issued a query to the GM, Christian Chukwu to ascertain the true position of what made him to do that,” he said.

Continuing, Ndukwe explained that the coach was employed by the board of Rangers, adding that even if there were issues, the board that employed him ought to have been notified.

“This is a team that just won the league and if they are having any issues, we should be able to come to a round table to discover

what the problems are and then sort them out.

“Even if the coach is going to be fired or anything, let the people that put him there know what he was doing. You cannot just get up any morning and do things the way you like,” he said.

The commissioner said that at no time did the management of the team employ Okpala to replace the embattled Amapakabo.

He said that the chief coach of the team, Emeka Agbo was currently incharge of the team.

“This issue making the round of employing Sylvanus Okpala is nowhere to be found.

“It is unheard of. It is not discussed anywhere.

The governor is not just somebody that takes things anyhow.

“If there is any Sylvanus Okpala in the Rangers camp, let him leave us alone, let us sort out our matter quietly,” Ndukwe said.

However, the General Manager of the Flying Antelope, Christian Chukwu has denied receipt of any query over the sack of the Imama Amapakabo. Chukwu made the denial in exclusive telephone chat with The Oracle Today Sports, immediately the news his query went viral on the social media.

In his words: “I have not seen any query. Nobody has given me any query and I have not received any.

“Why will the Hon Commissioner for Sports issue me with query even if it is true that I have been queried for the sack of Amapakabo? Am I under the commissioner?

“I am answerable to the Governor. In any case, I have not seen or received any query from anybody over the sack of Imama.

“Of course, who would have sacked Imama? I am in a position to do so,” Chukwu explained.

Speaking further, the former Kenyan national team coach explained that what is paramount in the mind of the team and their numerous supporter across the globe is to work towards bring the Flying Antelope to the winning ways even as he declared that they are hopeful of redirecting the Coal City side to the right direction.

When contacted by The Oracle Sports Today on the happenings in Rangers, the Media Manager of the Club, Foster Chime, said what was important to them is how the club would bounce back to winning ways.

He explained that he does not want to join issues with anybody on whether Coach Imama Amapakabo has been sacked or not rather he would like to direct all his energy and that of the players and the technical crew to ensuring that their trip to Zambia to honour their return leg tie against Zesco United is fruitful.

Chime explained that there is an edict on Rangers and that it is on that edict that the powers and responsibilities of every member of the board of Rangers are spelt out. According to him, as far as the issues of Rangers are concerned, the General Manager is in-charge and only the Governor can upturn his decision.

He disclosed that plans are under way to bringing the three egg heads as far as Rangers are concerned to a round table to discuss the issues when they return from the Zesco game in Zambia.

Chime, however explained that it is only the Governor who has the authority to override the GM of Rangers and whatever position he takes will be binding to all the parties. He explained that it is not enough to come out and make statement but that whoever wants to exercise whatever authority that he or she has should first go and read the edict on Rangers.

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The Oracle Today Wednesday April 26, 2017

SPORTS Nationwide League gets May 4 kick-off date

T

he congress of the Nationwide League led by Mohammed Alkali, the Independent Chairman of the League body has approved that hostilities in the league for the 2016/17 season will commence on May 4. This approval was given at the Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the League body held on Thursday at the Top Rank Hotel Galaxy in Utako, Abuja.

The congress also applauded the progress made by the NLO board on the partnership with the League Management Company (LMC), also for securing partnership/sponsorship deal with the Pipul TV, an indigeneous Pay Tv Company in Nigeria and charged the board to finalise all the details regarding the broadcast rights of the NLO league games for the 2016/17 season.

In order to strengthen the youth policy of the Nationwide League, the congress also approved the recommendation of the NLO board to have a minimum of 10 under-19 players in each of the club in the NLO from the 2017 season.

The congress also approved the proposal by the NLO Board to have all the 20 Premier League Feeder Teams participate in the Nationwide League One this season, in furtherance with the developmental partnership between the Nationwide League One and the League Management Company.

Furthermore, the congress approved that Division Two should be re-arranged into Six Geo- Political zones, whereby the top team in each of the six groups gain promotion automatically to Division One, while the runners – up in the six groups goes into Play-off to determine the additional two that will be promoted to Division One at the end of the season.

The congress also endorsed 28 April as the closing date for registration by all the clubs regarding 2016/17 season.

Gombe backs Rohr on NPFL players Stories by MADUABUCHI KALU

R

espite seems to have come the way of Super Eagles’ Technical Adviser, Franco-German Gernot Rohr, after he was lambasted

by Nigerian Football stakeholders following his declaration that the Nigerian Professional Football League (NPFL) players are not good enough to deserve national team call-up.

However, one man whose voice is always very loud in Nigerian Football and a former Chairman of Gombe Football Association, Alhaji Shuaib Ahmed alias “Gara Gombe” has come in defence of the German saying the Eagles’ gaffer is right.

According to the former board member of the Nigeria Football Association (NFA), the German football tactician was just re-echoing what some of them have been saying over time that Nigeria is not playing any league as it were.

He said that the Nigerian Professional Football League (NPFL) as it were was being played in the media and not in the pitch as supposed to be played. He is of the view that since the League Management Company (LMC) came into management of the league; the game is only played in the media.

Gombe opined that for you to determine the league that is doing well, you have to consider the number of football scout that come to scout for players and the performance of the various clubs on continental assignments.

He explained when you put all these into considerations one will only agree with Gernot Rohr. He explained that poor officiating is not helping the league as win at home syndrome has become the order of the day.

“I think that Gernot Rohr is right.

He is on point for the reasons he ad-

•Alhaji Shuaib Ahmed

vanced for not wanting to include the Nigerian Professional Football Leagues (NPFL) players into the Super Eagles,” Gombe began.

“What Rohr said concerning our local league is nothing but the truth concerning the NPFL. He is only re-echoing what some of us have been saying over the years that we are not playing any league.

“Our league is being played in the media and not in the pitch.

I have said time without number that we stopped playing the league when this LMC came on board to manage the league.

“How do you measure the standard of any league? You measure the standard of the league by

•Gernot Rohr

the performance of the number of scouts that come to watch and demand for the services of players plying their trade in the league.

“Since the LMC came on board, how many scouts do come to the country to scouts for players in the league? That is No 1.

“Again, you measure the standard of the league with the performance of the various clubs on continental assignments. What do we have now? The reality is that our clubs fumble when they go on continental assignments. They don’t go far in their continental assignments and examples are bound.

“More importantly, the officiating is very poor. We are yet of our-

selves the win at home by all cost syndrome.

“Even when late Stephen Keshi took over the reins of leadership of the national team as coach, the home based players that he tried to infuse into the national team were the remnants of old generation of the league players and not the players that this LMC produces.

“They said they were taking some of our coaches to England, to Barcelona for capacity building, today what do we see? Nothing! Absolutely nothing.

“So, Rohr is right because there is no indices of measuring a good league that we can boast of,” Gombe declared.

Nigerian stars missing in PFA Players-of-Year nomination

By MADUABUCHI KALU with agency report

S

uper Eagles’ stars in the English Premier League (EPL) are conspicuously missing in the short list of this year’s Professional Footballer Association (PFA’s) Player of the year.

According to the shortlist of the prestigious prize made announced for this year’s award, Chelsea and Belgium talisman, Eden Hazard and Manchester United and Sweden old war horse, Zlatan Ibrahimovic are the top contenders for the converted prize.

The list has six names on it, but there was no sight of any Nigerian player on the list for the 2016-17 PFA Players of the Year award. Many had thought that Arsenal and Eagles’ striker, Alex iwobi and his compatriots, Kelechi Iheanacho and Victor Moses of Manchester City and Chelsea ought to have made the list but the authorities thought otherwise.

But a critical analysis of the performance of the first two Nigerians mentioned above showed that they have not performed like they did last season. There is no gain saying the form of Alex Iwobi that saw him being promoted to the first team by Arsene Wenger has greatly dimmed.

Of course, Kelechi Iheanacho’s form has equally dimmed to the extent he

hardly features in Man City games.

And for Victor Moses, there is no gain saying that he has been fantastic for his Stanford Bridge side since the beginning of the season to the extent that his Italian manager, Antonio Conte showered praises on him for the great job he was doing for the Blues.

He has been in fantastic form until injury sidelined him but thank God that he has started training with the team once again. If he continues in the form he was before being sidelined by injury, he is likely to be among those who will be listed in next season’s PFA’s Player of the year award as the current list is for 2016-17.

Meanwhile, after a disappointing campaign last time out, the resurgent Hazard – the winner of the accolade in 2014-15 – has been integral to Chelsea’s return to the top of the Premier League table, contributing 14 goals and five assists in 29 appearances. On the other hand, since joining on a free transfer in July 2016, Ibrahimovic has established himself as the spearhead of United’s attack under Jose Mourinho – the 35-year-old Swede scoring 28 goals in 43 outings in all competitions.

The Premier League’s leading goalscorer, Romelu Lukaku of Everton, Tottenham striker, Harry Kane, Arsenal forward Alexis Sanchez and Chel-

•Alex Iwobi

sea midfielder N’Golo Kante have also been nominated.

There is the prospect of a double for Lukaku and Kane, the prolific duo also finding themselves up for the PFA

Young Player of the Year award.

Tottenham midfielder winner, Dele Alli and Manchester City forward, Leroy Sane are also in the running for that accolade, along with Burnley defender, Michael Keane and Sunderland goalkeeper,r Jordan Pickford.

Alli claimed the gong last season, while team-mate, Kane took it in 201415 after an impressive breakout season for Tottenham.

Leicester City winger, Riyad Mahrez is the current holder of the main PFA prize, having been recognised for his efforts in helping the Foxes to a remarkable Premier League title win last season.

Past winners include Luis Suarez, Gareth Bale, Wayne Rooney, Cristiano Ronaldo, Thierry Henry, Alan Shearer and Eric Cantona.

The award has formed part of the annual football calendar since 1973-74, when Leeds United’s Norman Hunter was the first man to take the trophy.

PFA Chief Executive, Gordon Taylor OBE: “The PFA Awards is always a special occasion and one of the biggest nights in football’s social calendar.

“For the winners who are honoured at the awards, there can be no greater personal accolade than that of being recognised by your peers; an honour to be cherished.”

47

The Oracle Today Wednesday April 26, 2017

SPORTS

Joshua’s fight most important –Klitschko

W

ladimir Klitschko is champing at the bit to face one of boxing’s “rising stars” in Anthony Joshua and believes the fight at Wembley Stadium on 29 April is going to be the most important of his long and illustrious career.

The 41-year-old Ukrainian has not fought since being beaten on points by Tyson Fury in November 2015 and sees the bout with Joshua as a chance to regain some titles.

Klitschko’s defeat to Fury was his first for over a decade but his con-

fidence has seemingly not been diminished by the shock loss to the controversial 28-year-old.

“I believe this fight is going to be the most important of my career,” Klitschko told BBC Sport. “You can climb Mount Everest in a certain period of time in the window of the year. You might make it or you might not. But Mount Everest is still there. So am I. “Opportunities are not coming every day. I have one of the rising stars, it’s perfect,” added Klitschko.

Who else would I have fought? I

have the greatest chance to get the majority of the titles back and fight a guy at the same eye level. I think our chances are really looking 50-50.”

Klitschko has been largely respectful towards former sparring partner, Joshua in the build-up to the fight.

The veteran has made no secret of his admiration for the 27-year-old and like the rest of the boxing world is intrigued to find out if he can roll back the years or if Joshua can go some way to establishing himself as one of the best fighters in the world.

“This fight is 50-50,” Klitschko told

The Guardian. “Can the younger guy make it? Has the older guy still got it? Question marks are making this event really interesting. I’ve never had a pause for a year and a half. Is it bad? Is it good? Will I have rust? I want the answers myself.

“One thing I believe is I don’t feel my age. It’s not empty words. I am getting in the best shape of my life, physically and mentally. I don’t see I’m stuck and not improving, even in a sport I’ve been involved with for so long. That’s what interests and excites me.”

Bolt inspired me to break world record –Van Niekerk V

Venus Williams swaps tennis for basketball D

espite her impressive seven-time Grand Slam titles, Venus Williams traded her racket for a basketball as she took to the courts to film a commercial for the California State Lottery in Compton on Wednesday.

The 36-year-old tennis pro was hard to miss as she dressed to accentuate her statuesque frame in a plunging vest top and skinny black jeans and she shooted some hoops - while a cameraman caught her ev-

ery move.

The American sports star looked absolutely sensational as she teased at her assets with the low-cut top which she teamed with a cool khaki bomber jacket.

Venus, the sister of 23 time Grand Slam champion Serena Williams, complemented her ankle-grazing jeans with a pair of flats - which allowed her to manoeuvre with ease around the court.

an Niekerk conceded with Bolt due to bow out after the World Athletics Championships in London in August, he is not the man to replace him as the poster boy or showman of the sport.

“A lot of people say, ‘Wayde, you need to be more of an entertainer’,” said the athlete coached by 74-yearold grandmother, Anna Botha.

“I am not that type but I see qualities I share with Usain Bolt, and that brings a form of comfort even if it won’t sell T-shirts.”

However, he acknowledges the role the 30-year-old sprinter played in instilling the belief in him he could threaten Johnson’s world record and once he had done that to take it under the 43sec mark.

“I got to realise we are all human beings and that what’s possible for him (Bolt) is possible for me,” said Van Niekerk referring to the three weeks he spent training with Bolt last year.

“His environment is no different to ours. That was a massive confidence-booster.

“A window opened. Why not achieve what they can? When the clock stopped at 43.03 I had no choice but to think of going under 43.

“To dream of 43.02 would make no sense.”

Van Niekerk, though, is hoping he can emulate Johnson’s feat at the 1995 World Championships in Gothenburg and achieve the 200m/400m double in London.

However, he has to hope the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) agree to his request at their Council meeting in London to amend the schedule.

“I am a 100, 200 and 400 athlete so will dream for every record there

Berlusconi sells AC Milan to Chinese investors

C

hinese investors, Rossoneri Sport Investment Lux have completed the £628m (740m euro) takeover of AC Milan, promising “significant capital increases”.

The Serie A club have been owned by former Italy prime minister, Silvio Berlusconi since 1986.

In that time they won eight league titles and five European Cups.

However, Milan have not won Serie A since 2011 and finished seventh, 10th and eighth in the last three seasons.

They are currently sixth in the league, 20 points behind leaders, Juventus.

Chelsea close in on Lukalu

E

verton’s Romelu Lukaku is closing in on a transfer to former club Chelsea, according to a report from Sky Italia, via Calciomercato.

The Belgian is establishing himself as one of the top centre-forwards in European football, hitting over 15 Premier League goals for the fourth time in his five full seasons.

Chelsea boss Antonio Conte is preparing for life after Diego Costa as the Brazilian-born Spain international looks set to leave the club in the summer, with Lukaku leading the Stamford Bridge attack once more now a real possibility.

•Van Niekerk

is,” said Van Niekerk, who revealed he took his mind off a painful hamstring prior to the 400m final by watching his beloved Liverpool beat Arsenal in the Premier League.

“What sort of athlete would I be if I didn’t?” added Van Niekerk, who furthering his relationship with Liverpool got engaged to his longtime South African girlfriend Chesney Campbell in the city last Christmas.

•Lukalu

The www.oraclenews.ng

racle

48

The propagandist’s purpose is to make one set of people forget that certain other sets of people are human Today Today – Aldous Huxley

VOX POPULI SACRUM

ISSN: 2545-5869

Wednesday April 26, 2017

JustConfusing,Confounding,Confuting E

ACH time I woke up the story had changed. I have difficulty assuring myself it is the same story. Thanks to the kindnesses of the story tellers, the location remains a certain Osborne Towers in Ikoyi, Lagos of vacillating ownership. It is becoming a feature of Nigerian life that ownership of many things remains in abeyance, until the authorities lose interest in it or bolder contenders like Dame Patience Jonathan would claim what is theirs through legal recourse.

The alleged money (for that is what they would soon call it) has changed figures a couple of times, and possibly colour. I read $50m, I read $43.4m, $38m and consistently the pound sterling and Naira components were missing. The money as first announced was $43.4 million, N23 million and £27,000 cash from House 16, Osborne Road in Ikoyi, Lagos.

Someone who prefers dollars to pounds sterling, and definitely hates Naira, took liberty to convert everything to dollars. I wonder at what rate the exchange was made, and whether the money that was finally deposited with the Central Bank of Nigeria would be only in dollars.

My little knowledge of the law is that anyone, who is officially involved in this circus, and has started reporting the liberated money in currencies, other than the ones in which it was, at the time of the said recovery (I think I am sounding like a lawyer) could be guilt of tampering with evidence, obstruction of justice and conduct likely to distort the evidence, all punishable under the Evidence Act. We can live with that; it is for the law to decide otherwise.

Do we think the owner of the money (whenever he, she or it) is found would not be able to explain the preference for different currencies? Do we think mistakes are ever made in these choices? Was the conversion made to confuse the owner, who knowing the money in particular currencies, could say the all-dollar money was unknown to her, him or it? We are living in engaging times.

Purported ownership of the money has changed several times. A lady, who residents of the Towers had claimed arrived unfailingly every Sunday to offload the bags of dollars (how they knew what she offloaded remains another mystery) instantly denied ownership. My mind strayed with the mention of Sunday; I thought it was some church’s tithes and offerings that she was warehousing. You would think the neighbours, with their evidence in chief of a seemingly mad woman, their detailed description of the lady, including the texture of her skin, knew what they were saying. Could it still be that there was a mad-looking lady, not the one wrongly accused, who had a link to the money? As we say, investigations continue.

In rapid succession, the ownership was pinned on a former governor, a former PDP chairman, a former PDP board of trustee’s daughter, later the former BOT chairman himself, until an “it” joined the case with the first real claim of the money. They all denied owning the money. There is no evidence that the neighbours knew “it” as the owner of the money. Little else has been heard about the

• Who owns the flat where the money was found?

• Were any NIA operatives guiding the premises when EFCC arrived?

• Who owns the building?

• Why would NIA money be in such an unsafe place?

• For how long has the apartment been used as a vault?

• Was the whistleblower able to claim his fees?

• Where did EFCC get keys it used in opening the drawers? They were not forced open and keys were dangling from the drawers.

EFCC has reclined to a deafening silence that never attended earlier discoveries. You would almost think it did something terribly wrong, or did it? Has it embarrassed the government as NIA boss reportedly said?

Other seized sums, in April, with their owners unknown are: • N4 billion in two bank accounts, in Niger State, unnamed owner and accounts officer, reportedly on the run • N448.85 million at a shop in Victoria Island • €547,730, £21,090 as well as N5, 648,500, at a Bureau de Change in Balogun Market, Lagos Who really owns the money from Osborne Towers? There may not be answers soon, as interests to be protected have made the answer to an otherwise simple question very complicated.

Mark My Words…

mad-looking woman and her Sunday rounds of the Towers to unload bags of money.

Two claimants to the money were the National Intelligence Agency, NIA; an organisation that many Nigerians did not know existed. Its Director General said the money was for covet operations in the Lagos area.

As security protocols demand, he did not tell us the details of the covet operations, only in Lagos. In bursting into the flat, where the money was recovered, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, the NIA Director General said, compromised NIA operations in Lagos.

NIA reportedly took its protests to EFCC, the National Security Adviser and the President. It could not get the money back. The NIA boss said the money was approved two years ago for the operations. When the money got to the Towers, how it got there, are unanswered questions.

Salacious tales of the former governor owning two flats, one of which was for his consort, a famous television presenter and station owner, made a quick round of the social media. We waited; we knew there would be more. Large sums of money are rarely abandoned for too long. Both denied any part in the evolving drama. Threats of law suits are being made.

Next was Governor Nyesom Wike, who wanted the money on behalf of the good peoples of Rivers State. He said the money was remnant of what his predecessor made from selling a turbine in the State. A symbolic red whistle on his lips, Governor Wike is threatening legal action in seven days if the federal Government does not return the money to Rivers State. He is a lawyer, remember. If we start counting from Wednesday, when the money was found, make provisions for the public holiday and the weekend, seven days would be due by 19 April.

While we were processing the money, admiring a red whistle, Governor Peter Fayose and Femi Fani-Kayode in an orchestra of common notes about ownership of the money (Governor Wike is the conductor) and the circumstances of its migration to Osborne Towers, a story broke of a N42 million-tithe someone paid to a church in Makurdi in March. The church’s accounts are published. People gleaned the extraordinary giving from the published accounts. No nexus was established between the Makurdi money and the startling revelation in Lagos. Did someone want us to take our eyes off the massive Lagos recovery?

Outstanding questions are:

The war against corruption is now being exposed for what it truly is, a lopsided fight against perceived enemies of the present administration, while all members of the ruling party are shielded from prosecution. – Conference of Nigeria Political Parties, CNPP, in a statement on 15 April 2017, accusing the Federal Government of shielding the owner of the money found in Osborne Towers, Ikoyi, Lagos.

Why are we watching our citizens shedding tears and innocent blood while the herdsmen enjoy it, it is better they are disarmed. If there is any problem at all in this country now, it is this problem. – Rev Nicholas Okoh, Primate, Church of All Nigeria (Anglican Communion), 16 April 2017.

We have been told how looters have resorted to burying stolen funds in their backyards, in deep forests and even in burial grounds.

– Alhaji Lai Mohammed, Minister of Information and Culture, 16 April 2017 on the anti-corruption war.

It is our client’s belief that the source and ownership of the said uncovered sums of money is known or eventually will be known in due course. There is therefore no need for conjecture or speculation. – Emeka Etiaba, SAN, lawyer to ex-NNPC director Esther Nnamdi Ogbue, initially listed as owner of the Osborne Towers money.

The Oracle Today is published by The Oracle Newspapers Limited, 116 Awka Road, Onitsha, Anambra State. ISSN: 2545-5869 Email: oracletoday2016@yahoo.com, Twitter: @oraclenews. ng. Facebook: oraclenewsngr@facebook.com Website: www.oraclenews.ng Advert hot lines: 09078310060, 09061836916. Editor: FELIX OGUEJIOFOR ABUGU.