Wednesday April 17-23, 2019 Edition by oracle

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Igbo markets under threat WEDNESDAY April 17 - 23, 2019

ISSN: 2545-5869

•Traders losing out on multi-billion Internet deals •Online wholesale, retailers taking away customers •Massive foreign investments going to online retailers •Excessive customs raids of markets •Ubiquitous police checkpoints murdered in 2018.

Today

VOL.4 No.15 N200

CBN working to drift Nigeria off oil overdependence – Emefiele •P2

POLITICS

Wike: Time for reconciliation in Rivers •P18 •Enugu State governor, Rt. Hon. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi (middle) with the President, Enugu Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (ECCIMA), Sir. Emeka Udeze (left) and the representative of the Director-General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Victor Onwuzuruike (right), during NIMASA’s Special Day at the ongoing 30th Enugu International Trade Fair.

Enugu Trade Fair: The Oracle Today girl wins big at NCC Day From CHUKS EZE, Enugu

racle girl, Ifeyinwa Okonkwo, was among eight lucky participants that smiled home with a sleek smartphone each at the Nigeria Telecommunications

•Commission splashes smartphones on participants •Warns consumers to beware of masked phone numbers, unfamiliar email addresses Commission (NCC’s) special day at the ongoing 30th Enugu International Trade Fair. The phones were given out by the regulatory agency via

free lottery in its usual way of giving back to its customers at public events. Luck had shined on Miss Okonkwo, one of the girls en-

gaged by the newspaper at the business expo, who had gone to distribute copies of The Oracle

Cont’d on page 2

ENTERTAINMENT Why I did not abort my baby - Actress Uche Ogbodo

•P34

The Oracle Today Wednesday April 17 - 23, 2019

NEWS By ODOGWU EMEKA ODOGWU

or too long, Igbo traders have held the sway in retail and wholesale business. Since the 16th century, when Europeans set up shop in Onitsha along the banks of River Niger, Onitsha Market has remained the biggest market in West Africa. Its rise marked the demise of Bonny, which served as the major gateway to Nigeria’s ancient economy with products such as slaves and palm oil. Most of the major import merchants from Eastern Nigeria are based in Onitsha market. The average trader in the market import at least six consignments of 40 tonnes (40-feet containers) of goods yearly. Major importers are known to import more than 200 consignments of 40 tonnes of goods per year. These include jewelry, clothing, household, industrial and office equipment. But just as Bonny slipped into obscurity because of nonchalance and refusal to adapt to modernity, Onitsha market and indeed other markets in Igboland are facing similar existential threats. There is a gradual shift in retail, away from open markets and stores, which the traders are oblivious of. Anambra State which holds most of the Igbo markets – Onitsha, Obosi, Nnewi, and Ogbunike – has only (2,835,843 active internet users) 2.73 percent of internet users in Nigeria. Abia, the Enyimba State, hosting Aba (Ariaria Market) has only 2.02 percent share of the internet market. Ebonyi State with 842,099 users controls only 0.81 percent. The average trader does not do business on the internet. This is no small threat if anyone considers the fact that internet payments in Nigeria for goods and services totalled N26billion in October, N168 billion in November and N27 billion in December 2018 respectively. The traders are missing out on the awesome power of the internet and as the e-commerce industry continues to grow, these businesses will start to feel the limited potential of having a location-based company. Point of Sale (POS) transactions which many of the traders reject recorded huge transactions of N212billion, N230 billion and N272 billion in October, November and December 2018 respectively. Unless something drastic happens, retail business will move online and away from their grips. The emerging kings are Igbo techies in Computer Villages dotted across the country, but tech-savvy non-Igbo digital traders are not only driving the retail business but have become investment destination. Research shows that younger consumers prefer modern retail outlets – Jumai, Konga, etc – which offer convenience and a one-stop shopping experience, where most of their shopping needs can be met under one roof. Konga is a Nigerian e-commerce company founded in July 2012 with headquarters in Gbagada, Lagos. It offers a third-party online retail services, as well as first-party direct retail spanning various categories including consumer electronics, fashion, home appliances, books, children’s items, health care and personal care products. Jumia is an online marketplace in Africa for electronics, and fashion among others. It has partnered with more than 50,000 local African companies and individuals and is a direct competitor to Kilimall in Kenya and Konga in Nigeria. Started in 2012 in Lagos, the company

Igbo markets under threat currently has a presence across 14 African countries. In 2012, Jeremy Hodara and Sacha Poignonnec, ex McKinsey consultants, founded Jumia along with Tunde Kehinde and Raphael Kofi Afaedor. Whereas retailing has been dominated by informal and traditional retailers, the ongoing development of modern grocery retailing arose due to an increasing urban population seeking greater convenience and comfort when shopping. Nigeria emerged as the premier investment destination on the continent in 2018, with 58 startups raising a total of US$94,912,000. South Africa was second with 40 businesses raising US$59,971,000 while Kenya ranked third in terms of the number of startups that raised. US$95 million represents a significant year-on-year boost from 2017 when 30 Nigerian companies

raised $63.3 million, $40 million of which was accounted for by Andela. The number of Nigerian startups securing investment increased by more than 90% in 2018, and total funding jumped 50%. Thirteen of those startups bagged US$1 million or more, up from just six in 2017. Andela is a Nigerian company that identifies and develops software developers. It launched operations in 2014, to help global companies overcome the severe shortage of skilled software developers and has offices in Nigeria, Kenya, Rwanda, Uganda and the United States. Andela was founded by four professionals who were working in the online education and recruitment business. It has been growing rapidly ever since. The founders, Ian Carnevale, Iyinoluwa Aboyeji, Jeremy Johnson and Christina Sass. In June 2016, the company received funding from the Chan Zukerberg Initia-

tive. In 2017, Andela raised $40 million in Series C funding. The investment came from CRE Venture Capital, DBL Partners, Amplo, Salesforce Ventures and TLcom Capital, becoming one of the most highly funded African companies not based in Africa. In January 2019 Andela raised $100 million in the next round of funding. Nigeria’s place at the top of the pile was driven by investments in fintech companies. Companies such as Mines have developed credit platform and payments startups Paga and Paystack. They were among the 22 Nigerian fintech companies that secured huge investment in 2017. Indeed, these fintech firms secured more than $60 million between them, making up two-thirds of the country’s overall total. In recent years, the Nigerian fintech space has introduced a number of innovative solutions that

•Winners of Savings Loyalty Scheme of Fidelity Bank with their cheques in Umuahia, last Friday

have drawn a lot of attention to it. Cowrywise and Piggybank have made digital savings mainstream. Aella Credit, Branch, Paylater and RenMoney are providing lending facilities to people who historically couldn’t get an institutional loan. An example is a Nigerian fintech startup Kudi which raised a US$5 million Series A funding round, which it will use to grow its team, increase the size of its agent network, and launch new products. Founded by Yinka Adewale and Pelumi Aboluwarin in 2016, Kudi enables underbanked and unbanked Nigerians to access basic financial services such as money transfers, bill payments and cash withdrawals through its agent network. The startup has now secured a US$5 million Series A funding round led by Partech Partners, joined by Y Combinator chief executive officer (CEO) Michael Seibel, and featuring existing investors Khosla Ventures and Y Combinator. This takes Kudi’s total raised funding to US$6.7 million. Kudi will leverage its Series A round to add to its team, grow its network of agents across Nigeria, and launch other financial services in partnership with banks and other fintechs. It already has an agent network comprising over 4,500 merchants, which processes over US$30 million in payments each month. “We’re excited about the growth we’ve experienced over the last 12 months. We literally grew from processing US$1.1 million to US$30 million monthly with the same team. Going forward, we’ll be hiring engineers, product managers and product designers to ensure our product is 10X better than what’s on the market today even as we grow our network of agents,” said Adewale, the startup’s CEO. Konga online company was founded in July 2012 by Sim Shagaya, with 20 staff. Shortly after launching in 2012, Konga raised a $3.5 million seed round from Investment AB Kinnevik. The site initially functioned as a Lagos-only online

Cont’d on page 33

CBN working to drift Nigeria off oil over-dependence – Emefiele • Says apex bank has disbursed over N174 billion, N183 billion under Anchor Borrowers, NEMSF schemes From CHUKS EZE, Enugu

he said have been yielding massive results, to include: Anchor Borrowers Programme (ABP), Commercial Agricultural Credit Scheme (CACS), Agricultural Credit Guarantee Scheme Fund (ACGSF), and The Nigeria Electricity Market Stabilization Facility (NEMSF). Others, according to Emefiele, include Non-oil Export Stimulation Facility (NESF), Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Development Facility (MSMEDF), and Agri-business/Small and Medium Enterprises Investment Scheme (AGSMEIS). He explained that the Anchor Borrowers Programme has recorded tremendous success since 2015 when it was launched, especially in terms of reduction of import bills, conservation of foreign exchange and boosting of income levels and financial capacity of local farmers, which has resulted in increased inputs for the industrial

sector. He further disclosed that about N174.48 billion had so far been disbursed through 19 Participating Financial Institutions (PFIs) to finance 902,518 farmers from 194 anchor companies, stressing that a total of 2,807,775 and 8,423,325 direct and indirect jobs have also been created by the ABP so far. In the case of NEMSF, the CBN governor explained that the N213 billion intervention facility was launched in December, 2014, aimed at settling legacy debts in the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry (NESI). He further pointed out that about N183,09 billion had been disbursed, as at December 2018, which, according to him, had led to the generation of over 1,200MW in both hydro and thermal plants; and the overhaul of Jebba Hydro, as well as Shiroro and Kainji Dams. Emefiele also noted that CBN has, in its conscious efforts to de-

liver credible, reliable and efficient payment system as a key driver to robust economic growth and development, created a payments system department in November, 2018, to drive four payment initiatives. The payment initiatives, which according to the CBN governor, have enhanced its operation include Mobile Money operators, Agent Banking, Establishment of Nigerian Electronic Fraud Forum (NeFF), and Watch-list for the Nigerian Banking Industry. Emefiele however, commended the Enugu Chamber of Commerce, Industry Mines and Agriculture (ECCIMA), for organizing a successful fair, describing the theme of the 2019 annual business expo as “very fitting,” pointing out that it elaborately captured the efforts of the CBN towards diversification of Nigeria’s economy against the current overdependence on oil sector.

The Oracle Today Wednesday April 17 - 23, 2019

NEWS

Enugu fair: Oracle Today girl wins big at NCC Day From CHUKS EZE, Enugu

racle Today Newspaper’s girl, Ifeyinwa Okonkwo, was among eight lucky participants who smiled home with a sleek smartphone each at the Nigeria Telecommunications Commission (NCC) special day at the 30th Enugu International Trade Fair. The phones were given out by the regulatory agency via free lottery in its usual way of giving back to its customers at public events. Luck had shined on Miss Okonkwo, one of the girls engaged by the newspaper at the business expo, who had gone to distribute copies of the Oracle Today at the event, when NCC distributed papers to all participants at the event and asked them to put down their names and phone numbers. She had promptly filled up hers as directed and her coupon turned out to be the first winner of a silky 2019 Nokia smart phone brand. The commission also distributed several high denomination phone recharge cards across various GSM networks at the event. Meanwhile, the telecom regulatory agency warned consumers against recognizing or answering phone calls from masked numbers or recognizing emails from unfamiliar addresses, pointing out that those were new methods through which criminals defrauded unsuspecting Nigerians. The Executive Vice Chairman of NCC, Professor Umar Garba Danbatta, who made the disclosure in his address, expressed worries over the development but assured that the commission was working out proactive means of tackling the ugly trend. He noted that the commission was worried over rising documented cases of cybercrime and electronic fraud via telecommunication platforms, just as it was as well disturbed about high rate of violations by service providers. As regards the issue of cybercrimes, Professor Dambatta stated that banks do not request for personal information of customers whether on the internet, text messages or otherwise, and urged citizens to always protect their vital personal information and codes to avoid falling victims of cybercrimes. “Call masking or SIM boxing are new trends where criminals initiate calls from their phones so that at the receiving end, it would appear as international calls. Please, be careful and on the alert when you notice such and contact your service providers for urgent necessary action. “When you contact your service provider for assistance and you are not satisfied with the way you were attended to, please, contact NCC through toll free line from 622 from 8am to 8pm Monday to Friday,” he said. And on the issue of violations by telecom service providers, he advised telecom consumers to alert their banks for immediate freezing of their accounts on suspicion of any criminality; and to also alert their service providers for urgent assistance whenever they needed help. He urged telecom service providers to always play by the rules, and warned that NCC would not hesitate to apply appropriate sanctions on defaulting service providers whenever they were found wanting. He added that NCC had evolved a 2442 do-not-disturb code to bar unsolicited messages from GSM service providers and advised consumers to text ‘STOP’ to the code to block unsolicited messages and report to NCC whenever service providers failed to activate their do-not-disturb request.

‘Be humbled by your victories,’ Wike tells lawmakers

ivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike has stated that all elected representatives of the state should be humbled by their victories and re-dedicate themselves to the service of Rivers people. Speaking during a congratulatory visit by members of the Rivers State House of Assembly on Monday at the Government House, Port Harcourt, Governor Wike said that the support of the people and God made the victorious possible. “This victory should humble everyone and ensure that we re-dedicate ourselves to serve the people. We should see this as an opportunity to ensure a new beginning”.

He said that with the victories recorded by the PDP across Rivers State, it wouldn’t have been possible for any other party to win in Rivers State. “We have three senators, 13 House of Representatives and 31 Seats of the House of Assembly. I don’t how it would have been possible for any other party to win the Governorship Election in the State. “If you know the kind of things we faced from everywhere, within and outside, then you will always thank God,” he said. Governor Wike said that members who lost the PDP party tickets will be accommodated in the Rivers

State Government. He particularly commended the Former Deputy Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Rt Hon Marshal Uwom and Former Speaker, Dabo Adams for remaining loyal despite losing the party’s nominations. He urged elected members of the Rivers State House of Assembly to remain loyal to the party and wait for the party to zone positions in the forthcoming Assembly. The governor charged the members of the Rivers State House of Assembly to always connect with their constituencies for the good of the state. “Why our opponents could not

win despite having had the Army, was because they had nobody to lead the Army . The Army had to be directly involved, which battered their image. Today, the Army is battling to redeem their image “, he said. Earlier, Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Rt Hon Ikuinyi Owaji Ibani said that the members were in the Government House to congratulate Governor Wike for his victory after the last election. He assured that the Rivers State House of Assembly will support the Rivers State Governor to deliver on his campaign promises to the people.

Nnewi traders elect new market executives From Theo Rays, Onitsha

• Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike with the Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Rt Hon Ikuinyi Owaji Ibani who led members of the state Assembly on a congratulatory visit at the Government House, Port Harcourt, Monday

Umahi relocates EBSU’s Faculty of Medicine to Uburu By CHINEDU NWAFOR Abakaliki

bonyi State Governor, David Umahi has approved the relocation of the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences of the State University (EBSU) to his home town, Uburu in Ohaozara Local Government Area (LGA) of the state from Abakaliki, the state capital. The state government also announced its plans to establish a teaching hospital in his home town to complement the existence of the faculty in the area. This was made known by the state Commissioner for Health, Dr. Daniel Umezurike, during a press briefing shortly after the end of the state Executive Council meeting on Monday at EXCO chambers government house Abakaliki. The Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences is presently at the former Presco Secondary School within the Abakaliki capital city. Also approved is the establishment of department of Pharmacy in the same location in Uburu. The health Commissioner noted that the decision to relocate the faculty was necessitated by the commencement of medical school by Alex Ekwueme federal university. According to him, the facilities in the only existing federal teaching Abakaliki cannot be adequate again for teaching of students of both

schools. His words: “Council had a very fruitful deliberation. It was a joint session between the council and EBSU management. And they deliberated extensively on the need to expand the courses offered in EBSU and it was agreed that there will be establishment of faculty of Engineering and Environmental Sciences. “A committee to hand the proposals and logistics of what it will take to establish the faculty will soon be announced. “Also, in the discussion today is the approval of Council to move the faculty of Medicine and Health sciences to another location in Uburu where a teaching hospital will also be sited. “Recall that there is also an existing college of Nursing and Midwifery Uburu and this will make a complete faculty in that location. “We also recalled that in 2012 that the federal government expanded the tertiary health institution in Ebonyi State and led to the merging of the federal medical center and the former Ebonyi State University teaching hospital to form what we have today as Federal Teaching Hospital Abakaliki and we still have medical students in EBSU. “And presently, Alex Ekwueme Federal University Abakaliki informed us that they have also started their medical school and they will be using FETHA and the facilities in

FETHA cannot accommodate the students of AE-FUNAI and that of EBSU medical students. “This means that we have to move our students to another location and that has necessitated the movement and establishment of a teaching hospital in another location and that’s what the council has approved today. “Another that will follow it is department of pharmacy. We discovered the importance of having that department to complement the faculty and this is a very welcome development in the health sector”. In a related development, the state Commissioner for Education, Hon. Sabinus Nwankwegu, also told Journalists during the Exco council briefing that government has approved the relocation of faculty of Education situated at Ishieke to the EBSU permanent site. Also, the state Commissioner for Information and State Orientation, Senator Emmanuel Onwe, announced government plans to clamp down on cultists in the state and warned those indulging in the act to desist or have themselves to blame. Onwe noted that the state government already had the list of cultists in the state and would make it public any time soon so as to shame and prosecute those culpable.

raders in Nnewi, Anambra state under the umbrella of Agboedo Motor Spare Parts Dealers Association have elected a new set of executive council that will pilot the affairs of the group for the next four years. The election which was supervised by the Anambra State Commissioner for Trade, Industry and Commerce, Dr Chris Madubuko and men and officers of Department of State Security (DSS) held at Anaedo hall in the industrial town. Mr Stephen Okonkwo, Mr Edmund Mbachukwu and Mr Denis Ikegwuonu are the three candidates who were supposed to contest for the chairmanship position but during the election proper in which Chinedu Ani was the returning officer, Mr Stephen Okonkwo and Mr Edmund Mbachukwu were absent leaving Ikegwuonu to be elected un-opposed. Other officers elected include; Mr Joseph Odenigbo vice chairman, Mr Patrick Nwoke secretary, Mr Ejike Ndubuizu assistant secretary, Mr Edmund Orjichukwu financial secretary, Mr Sunday Onyeka treasurer, and Mr Ejike Oramalu public relations officer. Mr Charles Mmadubuobi protocol officer, Mr Ebuka Eze welfare and Mr Nwabueze Obidike provost were all elected into the executive council during the traders’ poll. The newly elected chairman Ikegwuonu in his acceptance speech thanked the Agboedo Motor Spareparts Dealers for the confidence reposed in him and other elected officers noting that their confidence would not be betrayed. He assured the traders of open door policy, honesty and transparency in the conduct of their affairs even as he solicited support and cooperation of every member of the association to move the group to the next level. Ikegwuonu also extended the olive branch to the candidates who lost out during the election. The Anambra State Commissioner for Trade, Industry and Commerce Dr Chris Madubuko urged the newly elected executive council to be fair and just in the management of the association even as he cautioned the victorious candidates against witch hunting anybody in their section of the Nnewi main market. A principal stakeholder in Nnewi main market, Mr Austin Manuel who congratulated the new executive said the laid rules, regulations and constitution of the association was strictly adhered to in the conduct of the election. Austin Manuel commended the Anambra state government for ensuring a hitch free and credible elections.

The Oracle Today Wednesday April 17 - 23, 2019

NEWS CBN working to reduce over-dependence on oil – Emefiele From CHUKS EZE, Enugu

he governor of Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele, has avowed that the apex bank would continue to sustain its conscious interventions in critical sectors, including agriculture, power, health and aviation, amongothers, in order to drift Nigeria off its current overdependence on the oil sector main revenue base. The governor who stated this during the bank’s Special Day at the ongoing 30th Enugu International Trade Fair, maintained that CBN under his leadership, “will not rest on its oars until Nigeria gets to its destination of robust economic growth and development”. Represented by the Director of Corporate Communications Department of the Bank, Isaac Okorafor, the governor enumerated such interventions, which he said have been yielding massive results, to include: Anchor Borrowers Programme (ABP), Commercial Agricultural Credit Scheme (CACS), Agricultural Credit Guarantee Scheme Fund (ACGSF), and The Nigeria Electricity Market Stabilization Facility (NEMSF). Others, according to Emefiele, include Non-oil Export Stimulation Facility (NESF), Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Development Facility (MSMEDF), and Agri-business/Small and Medium Enterprises Investment Scheme (AGSMEIS). He explained that the Anchor Borrowers Programme has recorded tremendous success since 2015 when it was launched, especially in terms of reduction of import bills, conservation of foreign exchange and boosting of income levels and financial capacity of local farmers, which has resulted in increased inputs for the industrial sector.

He further disclosed that about N174.48 billion had so far been disbursed through 19 Participating Financial Institutions (PFIs) to finance 902,518 farmers from 194 anchor companies, stressing that a total of 2,807,775 and 8,423,325 direct and indirect jobs have also been created by the ABP so far. In the case of NEMSF, the CBN governor explained that the N213 billion intervention facility was launched in December, 2014, aimed at settling legacy debts in the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry (NESI). He further pointed out that about N183,09 billion had been disbursed, as at December 2018, which, according to him, had led to the generation of over 1,200MW in both hydro and thermal plants; and the overhaul of Jebba Hydro, as well as Shiroro and Kainji Dams. Emefiele also noted that CBN has, in its conscious efforts to deliver credible, reliable and efficient payment system as a key driver to robust economic growth and development, created a payments system department in November, 2018, to drive four payment initiatives. The payment initiatives, which according to the CBN governor, have enhanced its operation include Mobile Money operators, Agent Banking, Establishment of Nigerian Electronic Fraud Forum (NeFF), and Watch-list for the Nigerian Banking Industry. Emefiele however, commended the Enugu Chamber of Commerce, Industry Mines and Agriculture (ECCIMA), for organizing a successful fair, describing the theme of the 2019 annual business expo as “very fitting,” pointing out that it elaborately captured the efforts of the CBN towards diversification of Nigeria’s economy against the current overdependence on oil sector.

Umutu Skills Acquisition Centre to help youths in Delta -DESOPADEC From JONATHAN AWANYAI, Asaba

s part of its policy to continue its promotion of technical education, the Delta state government, through the Delta State Oil Producing Development Commission (DESOPADEC), has formerly handed over the Umutu Skills Acquisition Centre, which was completed by the commission, to the State Technical and Vocational Education Board. Speaking during the handover ceremony, held at the centre at Umutu, Ukwuani Local Government Area, recently, the commission represented by the Executive Director, Social Services Development, Dr. Samuel Ossai, said the reason to build the skill acquisition centre in Umutu is to help build the capacity of the youths which is in line with the SMART agenda of the Governor Sen. Dr. Arthur Ifeanyi Okowa. He said when it comes to education; infrastructure is not just the building, but the content that the building is equipped with. “This event which marks the formal handover of this training centre, is to further promote the SMART agenda of His Excellency, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, with the sole aim of building the capacity of the youths.” “Infrastructure is not just the school building but the content of the building, for infrastructure without equipment and human resources is just a building.” “We are handing over this building today to the State government, to enable our children learn/acquire skills which will make them useful to the society” Dr. Ossai said He further admonished users to

have maintenance mentality and to ensure they use all the facilities as if it is their own to avoid vandalization. He extolled the immediate past Executive Director, Social Services Development, DESOPADEC, Hon Christopher Ochor Ochor for his drive to see to the completion of the centre. “The Skill Acquisition Centre is a centralized project because it will connect 3 LGA’s Ndokwa West, Ndokwa East and Ukwuani and any other person who wishes to come acquire skills. It is sited in Umutu simply because a good son of Umutu Hon. Christopher Ochor Ochor has paid lots of sacrifices for it to be completed.” Responding, the Executive Secretary, of the State Techinical and Vocational Education Board, Mr. Mike Akpobire appreciated the commission, and board members especially the Managing Director, Olorogun Hon. Makinde Williams, Hon. Christopher Ochor Ochor and Dr. Samuel Ossai for the attention paid to the centre. “We want to run the Skill Acquisition Centre with expertise as we have gone round to check all the facilities/ equipment in each of the departments and we shall make sure that the Technical and Vocational Education Board work objectively to ensure that we bring out the best out of it and ensure that the graduates are well groomed.” He reiterated that the Governor, Sen. Dr. Arthur Ifeanyi Okowa is interested in quality assurance and certification of the graduates which will grant them access to the job creation office for empowerment and other benefits which is in line with the SMART agenda of the Governor.

• Launching of 2017 -2018 Delta State Maternal and Perinatal Death Surveillance and Response (MPDSR) Report, by the Secretary to the State Government, Hon. Festus Agas, with the Commissioner for Health, Dr. Mordi Ononye, Health Specialist, UNICEF, Port Harcourt field office, Dr. Eghe Abe and others in attendance.

Constitutional, legal reforms necessary for peaceful elections - Stakeholders From BONIFACE OKORO, Umuahia

former state President, Conference of Heads of Service, Abia State, Prince Okenwa Ichie, has advocated constitutional and legal reforms that would lessen political monopolization of resources as a means of entrenching peaceful elections in the country. Presenting a keynote address during a one day sensitization programme on curbing post-election violence by the National Orientation Agency (NOA), Abia State, Ichie said that a judicial system that was subservient to the political class was detrimental to socio-political harmony and justice anywhere in the world. The theme of the gathering was “Building a People of Peace by Curbing Post Election Violence, Promoting Peaceful Coexistence, National Unity And Patriotism.” “A judicial system that is subservient to the political class is detrimental to socio-political harmony and justice anywhere in the world. This assault on our collective value has permeated the legal structure of the nation, allowing series of corruption and abuse of power to blossom in governance,” he remarked. He was of the opinion that “a virile and independent judicial system that will enthrone enduring democratic

values would be a delight to behold and foster the development of nonviolent culture in our electoral affairs is cardinal.” One of the ways to build peace, according to Ichie, was to reduce the allure of political power and make political office less of an avenue for wealth accumulation, as well as criminalizing “inflammatory rhetoric, hate speech, intimidation, vote buying, rigging of election.” Earlier in a welcome address, the Abia State Director of NOA, Lady Ngozi Okechukwu, said the forum was aimed at dousing political tensions after the just concluded general elections. “The aim of this campaign is to curb post-election violence, promote discipline, unity and patriotism in our country. It is envisaged that the tensions generated by political players in the just concluded elections might lead to escalation of violence in many communities, following threats of violence arising from agitations over political and economic exclusions and heightening political tension,” the NOA Director said. She advised political leaders to embark on reconciliatory moves in communities where were violence occurred during the elections. She also called on those who won to be mag-

nanimous in victory while those who believed they were “rigged out”, should not resort to violence but to seek redress as provided by law. She pointed out that the programme was designed to also engender peace building platforms to mobilize the citizenry to embrace dialogue as a more effective way to resolve crisis and differences, as well as harness other peace-building mechanisms to promote dialogue. According to her, peace was a vital precondition for achieving national development, adding that NOA would work with all stakeholders in various communities and different strata of society to enhance the quest for peace. In his remarks, the Chairman of the occasion, Chief Ike Onyenweaku, harped on the need to support any candidate that emerged victorious at the polls, instead of distracting him with series of litigation. Meanwhile, participants that attended the sensitization including traditional institutions, business class, civil society organizations, amongst others, appealed to all those involved in the electoral processes to always abide by the rules of the game in order to curb both pre-election and post-election violence in future elections.

Easter: Nnewi Bishop cautions Christians against pagan acts By THEO RAYS

he seeming rising spate of idol worship especially in the contemporary Christendom has drawn the ire of the Catholic Bishop of Nnewi Diocese, Rev Hilary Odilichukwu Okeke. Bishop Okeke who addressed journalists in his office at the Assumpta Cathedral, Okwuani-Nnewi Tuesday, when he read his Easter message urged all committed Christians to return to God Almighty and to jettison idolatry in every ramifications. In his three-page Easter message titled “New Way of Life with Jesus Christ risen from the dead”, -the cleric pointed out that “all baptized persons in the Church of Christ should reflect on the new way of life expected of baptized person. Bishop Okeke bemoaned what

could be described today as neopaganism especially among the contemporary Igbo Christians in idol worshipping of gods and goddesses like Edo, Idemmili, Ogwugwu, Ulasi, Ala, Ofala and Udo among others. He acknowledged that the people had customs, traditions and cultural practices before the coming of Christianity, but that most had been refined and all the devilish aspects removed. That it’s reason the Church accepts only culture and traditions that have no form of idolatry, insisting that “idolatry is the greatest sin against Christianity”. On title chasing by Christians, the Catholic Bishop stressed that there was a standard law that any Catholic who wishes to take any title must sign an undertaking that no pagan rituals or idolatrous sacrifices would be involved, or such person would be excommunicated. To him, it

would be best for Christians to stay away from such. On the renewed killings by the Fulani herdsmen and rising insecurity nationwide, with little or nothing coming from the Federal Government to stem the tide, Bishop Okeke said it was really sad, even as he added there had been killing long before the emergence of President Muhammadu Buhari and would likely remain even after him; because they seem to believe more in their cows than human beings. When taken on the apparent fading fate of the abducted Chibok and Dapchi school girls, particularly Miss Leah Shuaibu, the bishop assured that the Bishops were not relenting in efforts to recover them. That they had involved the Pope who he believed has reached out to President Buhari. “So, we are not relenting...,” he emphasized.

The Oracle Today Wednesday April 17 - 23, 2019

NEWS

Easter: Nnewi Bishop cautions Christians against pagan acts By THEO RAYS

idolatry in every ramifications. In his three-page Easter message titled “New Way of Life with Jesus Christ risen from the dead”, -the cleric pointed out that “all baptized persons in the Church of Christ should reflect on the new way of life expected of baptized person. Bishop Okeke bemoaned what could be described today as neo-paganism especially among the contemporary Igbo Christians in idol worshipping of gods and goddesses like Edo, Idemmili, Ogwugwu, Ulasi, Ala, Ofala

and Udo among others. He acknowledged that the people had customs, traditions and cultural practices before the coming of Christianity, but that most had been refined and all the devilish aspects removed. That it’s reason the Church accepts only culture and traditions that have no form of idolatry, insisting that “idolatry is the greatest sin against Christianity”. On title chasing by Christians, the Catholic Bishop stressed that there was a standard law that any Catho-

lic who wishes to take any title must sign an undertaking that no pagan rituals or idolatrous sacrifices would be involved, or such person would be excommunicated. To him, it would be best for Christians to stay away from such. On the renewed killings by the Fulani herdsmen and rising insecurity nationwide, with little or nothing coming from the Federal Government to stem the tide, Bishop Okeke said it was really sad, even as he added there had been killing long before the emergence of

Jubilation as Ugwuanyi flags off Abakpa NikeEmene link road

Ozubulu massacre: Court frees 2 remaining suspects From Pamela Eboh, Awka

wo remaining suspects standing trial for alleged involvement in the massacre of 13 worshippers at St Philip Catholic Church, Ozubulu, Ejwusigo local Government Area of Anambra State on August 6, 2017 has been discharged by an Awka High court. Justice Fidelis Aniukwu in his three-hour long ruling said that the prosecution counsel was unable to prove beyond reasonable doubt the allegations leveled against the two defendants, Chinedu Akpunonu and Onyebuchi Mbanefo. Recall that the Judge had in December 2018 discharged two out of the four persons arraigned before a high court in November 2017. Justice Aniukwu argued that the prosecution witnesses failed to provide any evidence to prove that the defendants were the perpetrators of the crime. In his reaction, the defence counsel, Mr. Festus Kayemo SAN, described the judgment as a landmark in view of the accelerated hearing by the presiding Judge. Kayemo who was represented in court by another counsel, Mr Samuel Echeakputa said he is not ruling out appeal of the judgment. He said, “It’s the prosecution’s right to appeal the judgment. But from what I witnessed in the court today, it will be very difficult for the appeal court to upturn the judgment.” While expressing gratitude to God, one of the defendants, Mr Chinedu Akpunonu, said God has vindicated him from an attempt by some persons to smear his reputation. He said, “From the beginning, I told my people that I was not involved in the killing. But the Lord gave me victory as a proof that I’m very innocent. “I didn’t know I was very important to my people until I saw excitement in the faces of crowd that came to court. I’ve already forgiven all that put hands to put me in prison.I thank those that stood by me throughout my travail. I also thank my lawyer and the Judge for delivering a fair and sound judgment.” “I have forgiven my accusers and I urge them to join hands to ensure peace reined in the community. The prosecution counsel, Mr Jay Jay Ezeuko SAN, on his part said he would determine the next step after receiving a copy of the judgment.

President Muhammadu Buhari and would likely remain even after him; because they seem to believe more in their cows than human beings. When taken on the apparent fading fate of the abducted Chibok and Dapchi school girls, particularly Miss Leah Shuaibu, the bishop assured that the Bishops were not relenting in efforts to recover them. That they had involved the Pope who he believed has reached out to President Buhari. “So, we are not relenting...,” he emphasized.

• Skyway Aviation Handling Company PLC (sahco), Managing Director/CEO, Basil Agboarumi (centre) flanked by SAHCO, Executive Director, Cargo Services and Operations, Mrs Boma Ukwunna (left), SAHCO, Executive Director, Sales and Marketing,Olaniyi Adigun (right) after receiving the Certificate of Appointment from Virgin Atlantic

Stakeholders thumb up INEC at 2019 election appraisal parley From CHUKS EZE, Enugu

hairman of Enugu State Traditional Rulers’ Council, Igwe Lawrence Agubuzu, has praised the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Enugu State and rated the commission‘s performance during the justconcluded 2019 general election as ‘exceptionally well’. Tagged; “Post-Election Appraisal Stakeholders Meeting’’, the event which held at Bon Sunshine Hotels, Enugu, attracted several other personalities including the Resident Electoral C commissioner in Enugu State, Dr Emeka Ononamadu and to personnel of the commission; religious leaders, representatives from various security institutions, the church and civil society organisations, among others, who took turns to rate the INEC’s outing at the polls. He noted that it was the first time that some communities within difficult terrain in the state, where elections hardly ever started on time, had materials before 7 a.m. and election kicked-off at 8 a.m. prompt. According to Agubuzu, INEC‘s procedures throughout the process were relatively perfect especially in terms of timing and arrival of materials, well-cultured personnel and general logistics. Earlier in an address, the Enugu REC had presented step by step activities of INEC in Enugu State throughout the pre, post and as well as election days proper. He pointed out that the commission had fulfilled its promise of conducting credible exercise in the state, adding that it was encouraged by the ratings and reports of election monitors on the performance

of Enugu INEC during the elect. According to him, the commission had engaged in various stakeholders meetings, sensitisation programmes, and media awareness campaigns among others, adding that the commission recorded a total of 16 press conferences throughout the process to ensure that all stakeholders and the entire citizenry were carried along at every stage. “This gathering is anchored on the 16 promises that we had made to the people of Enugu State at the beginning of the election process . “Various stakeholders had expressed their desire to credible exercise and we had assured of credible, transparent exercise. I am happy to state that this stakeholders’ appraisal event marks 100 per cent fulfilment of our promises. “May I also cease this platform to announce that the assessment of INEC National Office shows that the conduct of election in Enugu State was the best. We that all that helped us to achieve that feat because we did not do it alone,’’ Ononamadu said. On his part, the Chairman of Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Enugu State Chapter, Rex Arum, noted that he monitored more than eight local government areas during the election and that he was impressed that INEC made commendable arrangement for the polls. He however, described the postponement of the election as a “little dent on the election as it affected the livelihood of most Nigerians and led to cancellation of most events within the period, thereby subjecting virtually all citizens to immense discomfort and loss of resources”. For the Director of National Ori-

entation Agency (NOA), in Enugu State, Isaac Onukwuba, INEC deserved applause in all respects of the election, stressing that the commission put in place a lot of efforts, time and money to ensure that the elections were a success in Enugu State. Onukwuba, however, complained that the people of the state did not show expected interest and reciprocity in the election, adding that the voters’ turnout was very low given a population of 1.9 million registered voters. SP Kevin Nwagwu, who represented the state Commissioner of Police, Mr Suleiman Balarabe, noted that there was no record of serious security breach at any polling station during the election ascribing high level of policing during the process to the synergy that existed among all sister-security agencies in the state. The Chief Imam of Nsukka, Alhaji Adam Ugwuanyi, on his part, thanked the Federal and state governments for creating enabling environment for hitch-free and violencefree elections in the state. He urged INEC to embark on more enlightenment so that more residents would get more sensitisation for there to be massively participation in future elections in the state. Miss Oge Enwerem, from Divine Era and Social Right Development Initiative, represented the Civil Society Organisations (CSO). She also commended the commission, pointing out that INEC Enugu had deployed the social media platform during process and that it effectively carried everyone along explaining every move of the commission at every stage.

here was jubilation in Enugu on Monday as Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi flagged off the construction of the second phase of the all-important Nike Lake-Harmony Estate-Adoration Ministry- Emene road in Enugu East Local Government Area, linking the ever-busy Nike Road and Emene. The second phase of the road, which will serve as a bypass from Nike Lake junction to Emene, was approved by the State Executive Council (EXCO) a few weeks before the just concluded general election, after the first phase - construction of five River crossings including culverts and bridges of various sizes, to connect Harmony Estate with the Adoration Ministry Enugu Nigeria (AMEN) Ground, reached 85 percent completion. Flagging off the road amid jubilation and excitement from the residents, Gov. Ugwuanyi, who was accompanied by the Chief Judge of the State, Hon. Justice Priscilla Ngozi Emehelu, the Chairman of the Council, Hon. Alex Ugwu, the House of Representatives Member-elect, Hon. Prince Cornelius Nnaji, and the Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure, Engr. Greg Nnaji, among others, stated that the project, which was being constructed for the first time in the history of Enugu State, will help to ease traffic movement in Enugu metropolis and beyond. The governor added that the road construction was in line with his administration’s urban and rural development polices “to provide access to the communities in this area and ensure the full development of the Harmony Housing Estate as well as the surrounding environment”. He disclosed that 3 kilometers of the 10.5 kilometers road stretching from Emene to the Adoration Ground has already been completed and inaugurated by his administration, stressing that the state government decided to commence the construction of the second phase of 2 kilometers because of the socio-economic importance of the road to the people of the state. “There is no doubt that when completed, the road will not only bring much-desired relief to the residents and road users in this area but will also engender a significant boost in the socio-economic activities in the area and its environs”, the governor said. Gov. Ugwuanyi commended the host communities, residents, leaders and stakeholders in Enugu East LGA for their patience and support for the project as well as their overwhelming support during the general election. He reassured the people of the state of his administration’s “unwavering commitment to entrenching good governance in Enugu State and to the realization of

The Oracle Today Wednesday April 17 - 23, 2019

Ikpeazu assures on completing ongoing projects, reviving moribund industries From BONIFACE OKORO, Umuahia

bia State Government has assured of its readiness to complete all the on-going road projects and resuscitate moribund factories. State Governor, Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu, gave the assurance Monday while inaugurating a six-man Work and Project Evaluation Committee charged with the responsibility of monitoring and evaluating on - going road projects in the State. Inaugurating the Committee at Government House, Umuahia, the Governor, represented by his Deputy, Sir Ude Oko Chukwu, urged the Committee which has a threeweek deadline to inspect and monitor all on-going projects and moribund factories in the State and report its findings and recommendations to government . The governor emphasized the need for the Committee to pay special attention to nine ongoing road projects, namely Ururuka, Aba Road in Umuahia, Etitiama-Nkporo,

Porthacourt Road, Obikabia, Aba-Owerri Road, Osusu and Eziukwu Road as well as Shoe factory in Aba. Responding, the chairman of the committee who is also the Commissioner for Works, Chief Eziuche Ubani, assured that the Committee would do its best to efficiently carry out it’s assignment by identify what was left in completing the on-going roads in the State, maintaining that, that the committee’s work would assist government to hasten the completion of the projects and start new ones. Ubani said the Committee would equally advise government on how to establish a pillot shoe factory in Aba which private individuals would copy, to better the Abia economy. Other members of the committee include Mr. Obinna Oriaku, Dr. Aham Uko, Sir Emma Nwabuko and Mr. Chinenye Nwogu, while the Commissioner for Information, Chief John Okiyi Kalu, would serve as Secretary.

Umahi inaugurates state revenue board

By CHINEDU NWAFOR, Abakaliki

overnor David Umahi of Ebonyi State, Monday, inaugurated seven members of the state revenue Board with the former Managing Director of defunct Spring Bank, Mr. Mike Chukwu, as Chairman. Umahi while inuagurating the Board at Exco Chambers government house Abakaliki charged them to boast the internally generated revenue of the state. He said the state has been doing so badly in terms of IGR and there was need for them to change the narrative. The governor assured members of the board that government would give them free hands to discharge the assignment so there won’t be excuses. He urged them to work in synergy with both legal team and appeal committee for optimal performance. “The board is on part time basis. Only the chairman and tell Secretary is full time. But that will become clearer by the time we amend the law. “We are presently at the threshold of certian amount of money as I told the board and so, we are going to pamper you in the next three months. “But after three months, we will not use government money to pay your salaries, allowances, your running costs and of course, we don’t have money to buy vehicles. “So, what we expect you to do is to come in, clean the system and within the system, increase the revenue by xyz and take 5% of the revenue to run the revenue board, revenue management, the legal team and the appeal committee. “If 5% is not enough, you have to come to

EXCO and make your projections and tell us what will be enough. “The truth is that the resources of the state cannot pay salaries and allowances of these hefty men and women. And so, it is like a social contract. We are not doing you any favour. It is not a political appointment. “That’s why we have chosen the cream of our intellectuals to assist us in this nagging problem of our revenue collection. “We remain the least in the entire federation and we should not be. Even the quarry alone, the lead and the zinc should be able to give us what we are looking for. “So, if you are focused, you get the benefit of it. But if anybody thinks is a political patronage. It is not true, because before the money comes, the little that comes from Abuja is already spent. So, I’m appealing that this is an opportunity for us to work. We will support your trainings and going out to find out what is happening in other places. I will give you total and unsolicited free hand to run this board. “I am not going to listen to gossips and rumors so far the money is coming in. It is when the money is not coming in that I will take it that you are chopping without giving us. Let us know that we fail, because I always said that we failed in IGR. And I believe that with you, we will not fail. We will succeed. “Let me remind you Sir that over 100 trucks of lead is being carted away from Ebonyi State. So, you are free to set up committees and dissolve committees. “You are simply in charge of our revenue. And one slogan in this EXCO is that there is no excuses. We have examined all excuses and came to a conclusion that you excuseless and that is why we have brought you in.

Ikpeazu assures on completing ongoing projects, reviving moribund industries From BONIFACE OKORO, Umuahia

The Oracle Today Wednesday April 17 - 23, 2019

NEWS Jail INEC staff for 10yrs for electoral offences From BONIFACE OKORO, Umuahia

former Secretary to Abia State Government (SSG) Elder Ralph Egbu, has urged the National Assembly to amend the Electoral Act to include jailing any staff of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) involved in electoral malpractice for not less than 10 years. Egbu expressed this view in Umuahia during an Open Forum organized by the Media Chapter of the Full Gospel Business Men’s Fellowship International-Nigeria (FGBMFI). Apart from suggesting that INEC should be professionalized and strip the President of the powers to appoint the chairman of the commission, Egbu added that all staff of the commission should last there based on performance. “Let every staff stay on performance. Any staff involved in electoral malpractice should be tried by Election Petition Tribunal and, if found guilty, should be liable to a

fine of N500, 000 and 10 years imprisonment,” he said. Egbu, the lead discussant at the Forum with the team: “The Role of Media of Media Practitioners in Ensuring Political Stability in Post-2019 General Elections,” argued that more than five political parties was overwhelming in the current Nigeria polity. “Nigeria is only ripe for five political parties. Anything beyond that is an invitation to anarchy,” he asserted, advising INEC to deregister all parties that failed to make any meaningful impact in the 2019 general elections. He opined that INEC failed to get it right by postponing the 2019 general elections from March 3, 2019, the initial day polling would have commenced, describing the development as “an anathema, a huge aberration and an embarrassment.” “We should know that elections hold in four years and INEC should work towards it,” he contended.

Ichie Paul Ndubuisi Okolo dies, aged 78

he death has been announced of ICHIE PAUL NDUBUISI OKOLO. Husband, father, grand father, brother and uncle, Ichie Okolo died on February 26, 2019 aged 78. In a statement signed on behalf of the family, Ogbonnia Faustinus Okolo described the late Ichie okolo, a pioneer staff member of the

University of Nigeria Nsukka, as a devoted Catholic and a very peaceful and sociable gentleman. Survived by his wife, children, grand children, brothers and sisters, Okolo was laid to rest on Saturday April 13th, 2019, in his home town, Umueke, Inama Uvuru in Uzo-Uwani LGA of Enugu State.

CHANGE OF NAME

I formerly called CHIBUZO DIVINEGIFT CHINONSO now wish to be addressed as OPARAOCHA DIVINEGIFT CHINONSO. The Imo State University (IMSU), Owerri, WAEC, and the general public please take note.

I formerly known and addressed as MBAH CHIMA ALEX now answer UGWUANYI CHIMA OBINNA. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

I formerly known as OBI JOHN MICHAEL ODINAKACHI now wish to be known as OBI JOHN ODINAKACHUKWU. former documents remain valid. Banks and General public take note

I formerly known as EZEABIKWA NGOZIKA AGNES now wish to be known as ENYE, NGOZIKA AGNES. former documents remain valid. Banks and General public take note.

I, formally formally known and addressed as ONYEJIFE PRISCILLA MAKUOCHUKWU, now wish to be known and addressed as MBA GODSPROMISE MAKUOCHUKWU. All former documents remain valid. Banks and general public take note.

I formally known and addressed as MBA AUGUSTINE EJIKE, now wish to be known and addressed as MBA GODSPRINCE EJIKE. All former documents remain valid. Banks and general public take note.

I, formally known and addressed as EDEKOBI CHINYEAKA GRACE now wish to be known and addressed as MRS ANIEKWE CHINYEAKA GRACE. All former documents remain valid. Banks and general public take note.

I, formally known and addressed as EZE CHINWEOLU; EZE CHINWEOLU ADAEZE and EBOH CHINWEOLU PHILOMINA now wish to be officially known and addressed as EBOH DEBORAH CHINWEOLU ADAEZE. All former documents remain valid. Banks and general public take note.

I formerly known as NWANKWO AGATHA ONUABUCHI now wish to be known as MRS OBIAKO AGATHA ONUABUCHI. All former documents remained valid. Banks and General public take note.

I formerly known as IBEKWE KINGSLEY MMADUABUCHUKWU now wish to be known as UNAMBA KINGSLEY MMADUABUCHUKWU. former documents remain valid Banks and General public take note

• Minister of Power, Tunde Fashola (left) chairing the 12th Steering Committee & Experts Meeting for Abidjan Lagos Corridor Highway Development Programme at the Hotel Sancta Maria, Lome, Togo, Monday

Umahi inaugurates state revenue board By CHINEDU NWAFOR, Abakaliki

your salaries, allowances, your running costs and of course, we don’t have money to buy vehicles. “So, what we expect you to do is to come in, clean the system and within the system, increase the revenue by xyz and take 5% of the revenue to run the revenue board, revenue management, the legal team and the appeal committee. “If 5% is not enough, you have to come to EXCO and make your projections and tell us what will be enough. “The truth is that the resources of the state cannot pay salaries and allowances of these hefty men and women. And so, it is like a social contract. We are not doing you any favour. It is not a political appointment. “That’s why we have chosen the cream of our intellectuals to assist us in this nagging problem of our revenue collection. “We remain the least in the entire federation and we should not be. Even the quarry alone, the lead and the zinc should be able to give us what we are looking for. “So, if you are focused, you get the benefit of it. But if anybody thinks is a political patronage. It is not true, because before the money comes, the little that comes from Abuja is already spent. So, I’m appealing that this is an opportunity for us to work. We will support your trainings and going out to find out

what is happening in other places. I will give you total and unsolicited free hand to run this board. “I am not going to listen to gossips and rumors so far the money is coming in. It is when the money is not coming in that I will take it that you are chopping without giving us. Let us know that we fail, because I always said that we failed in IGR. And I believe that with you, we will not fail. We will succeed. “Let me remind you Sir that over 100 trucks of lead is being carted away from Ebonyi State. So, you are free to set up committees and dissolve committees. “You are simply in charge of our revenue. And one slogan in this EXCO is that there is no excuses. We have examined all excuses and came to a conclusion that you excuseless and that is why we have brought you in. Responding, the Chairman of the board, Mr. Mike Chukwu, thanked the governor for finding them worthy to serve, saying” they are seeing it as a privilege to serve their fatherland and to contribute to urgent need of nation building particularly as it pertains Ebonyi State”. While assuring the governor of their readiness to serve to the best of their abilities, he solicited for partnership and cooperation of relevant stakeholders to succeed in the assignment.

deadline to inspect and monitor all on-going projects and moribund factories in the State and report its findings and recommendations to government . The governor emphasized the need for the Committee to pay special attention to nine ongoing road projects, namely Ururuka, Aba Road in Umuahia, Etitiama-Nkporo, Porthacourt Road, Obikabia, AbaOwerri Road, Osusu and Eziukwu Road as well as Shoe factory in Aba. Responding, the chairman of the committee who is also the Commissioner for Works, Chief Eziuche Ubani, assured that the Committee would do its best to efficiently carry out it’s assignment by identify

what was left in completing the ongoing roads in the State, maintaining that, that the committee’s work would assist government to hasten the completion of the projects and start new ones. Ubani said the Committee would equally advise government on how to establish a pillot shoe factory in Aba which private individuals would copy, to better the Abia economy. Other members of the committee include Mr. Obinna Oriaku, Dr. Aham Uko, Sir Emma Nwabuko and Mr. Chinenye Nwogu, while the Commissioner for Information, Chief John Okiyi Kalu, would serve as Secretary.

Ikpeazu assures on completing ongoing projects, reviving moribund industries From BONIFACE OKORO, Umuahia

The Oracle Today Wednesday April 17 - 23, 2019

NEWS

Fidelity Bank splashes N2.3 million on winners of Savings Loyalty Scheme BONIFACE OKORO, Umuahia

idelity Bank has splashed N2.3 million on six winners of the Savings Loyalty Scheme of the Bank. Cheques for the money prizes were presented to the winners in Umuahia at the popular Isigate last Friday as a way of sensitizing the public on the existence of the Fidelity Bank Savings loyalty Scheme. Four winners who emerged in the Fidelity Personal Savings Account (FPSS) category,

including a footwear dealer, Emmanuel Chibuisi Kingsley, Innocent Chimezie Ugwueje, Echeta Emmanuel Chinonyerem and a corporate entity, Pentescostal Fellowship of Nigeria, Umuahia North Local Government Area Branch, were presented with cheques of N500, 000 each. In the Children’s Savings Account category, 10 yearold Gleaming Moon School, Umuahia, Kamsimma Kareen Uzoma and eight year-old Chiamaka Treasure Ndubuisi,

smiled home with N150, 000 each. They beamed with smiles as the received their cheques. The Children’s account is tailored towards helping parents to pay the school fees of their children. Manager of Umuahia Branch of Fidelity Bank, Perpetual Ezuma, told The Oracle Today, that the cheques presentation ceremony was the climax of rewarding loyal customers of the bank. “What we are doing here today is our loyalty scheme, we are rewarding our customers that won N500, 000 and N150,

000 in the FPSS and Children’s account categories. “This is to let the people know that what we are doing is a reality, it is not fake; that we are Fidelity Bank, we keep our word, that those who win, we reward them for their loyalty,” Ezuma said. According to her, customers who open FPSS account which is open to individuals and clusters of 50 persons and above, as well as children’s account with Fidelity Bank, were qualified to participate in Savings Loyalty

Scheme, adding “any person that wins after our draw, will be entitled to the prize of N500, 000 and N150, 000 respectively.” An official from Lagos office of the bank, Johnson Akolisa, added that all the promotional schemes of the bank were approved by Central Bank, stressing that the Savings Loyalty Scheme helps winners to earn extra income. Akolisa disclosed that Fidelity bank has rewarded over 6, 400 customers with N2.6 billion in the last four years.

Chinese Embassy to berth in Anambra PAMELA EBOH, Awka

he Anambra State Commissioner for Commerce, Trade and Investment, Dr. Christian Madubuko has announced that Chinese Embassy in Nigeria would soon open a consular office in Awka, the State capital. He said the effort was aimed at easing the stress and cost of obtaining Chinese visa by traders in the state and by extension, the South East at large. Madubuko disclosed this in Onitsha while addressing traders during his ongoing visit to the markets in the state, saying that a consular office in the state would reduce the stress of going to Lagos or Abuja to obtain Chinese visa. According to him, the state governor, Willie Obiano and the Chinese Ambassador to Nigeria struck the deal when he visited the governor, in Awka, recently. The commissioner added: “The consular office in Awka would equally reduce the cost of procuring Chinese visa for Anambra traders. This is one of the manifestations of Governor Obiano’s commitment to improving the welfare of traders in the State.” While restating the state government’s resolve to flush out touts who engage in illegal collection of revenues, Madubuko threatened to sack any market leader who allows extortion and illegal revenue collection to thrive in their markets. He said: “We can corrupt angels in Nigeria. Any trader or leaders that steal government money would not be allowed to go scot-free.” Recall that three illegal revenue collectors were last week arrested by the Commissiomer and some security officers in Onitsha area of the state after the arrest of another 70 not long ago.

President General of Urhobo Progress Union,UPU, Olorogun Moses Taiga at a function in Ughelli weekend. Photo:JONATHAN AWANYAI

Suspected car snatchers, dealers arrested in Delta State JONATHAN AWANYAI, Asaba

elta State Police Command in keeping faith with its pledge to rid the Command of all forms of crimes and criminalities, have arrested a syndicate of car snatchers/dealers in stolen vehicles. In a press release made available to The Oracle Today by the command, and signed by the Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Onome Onovwakpoyeya revealed that the car theft and sale syndicates were largely picked up from Rivers State where they carried out their shady deals. According to the release, on Thursday, August 9, 2018, a Toyota Camry car with reg No. AG805LEH was robbed from its owner one Bright Ngbeken “M” at Ozoro junction Oleh at gunpoint. On Friday, March 29, 2019, following a tip-off, the said vehicle was seen at a mechanic workshop in Abraka town causing a team of detectives led by Sgt. Ikechukwu Obuseh, under the Command of the Divisional Police Officer Oleh, Csp. Na’illah Mo’d, to swing into action, apprehend the first buyer one Abraham Dafe “M” residing in Port Harcourt. Dafe had led the detectives to the ring leader of the gang, one Victor Nele, aged 33, a native of Ogoni, residing at Elele Rivers State, who while denying that he

was the actual robber, admitted that he had purchased two cars from a man called “General” from Omoku in Rivers State, who is not a car dealer. He also admitted that the plate number found on the vehicle recovered from him, a light brown Toyota Camry with fake Reg.No UGH916NQ, was discovered to belong to a RAV4 vehicle robbed from its owner, one Engineer Emomoh Akpovona at gunpoint. The said Rav4 is yet to be recovered and the original plate number of the Toyota Camry yet to be recovered also. The said suspect Victor Nele, had already prepared a fake vehicle particulars with the robbed Rav4 plate number in his own name with which to sell the said suspected stolen Camry. The suspect Victor Nele led the detectives to Chima Emmanuel “M” aged 31years who hails from Ahiazu Mbise, Imo State but resides at Eguruta Port Harcourt in Rivers State. He is a motor mechanic but doubles as driver to the dealers on stolen vehicles and as well assists to confirm the state or condition of the stolen vehicles and how much to pay for the received stolen cars. Though he denied being involved in car snatching and transacting any vehicle business with the ring leader Victor Nele but admitted seeking customers for people who want to sell their vehicles. He is also into buying

and selling of illegally acquired vehicles. Adebayo Muideen “M” aged 32years, hails from Osun State but resides at Rumudimaya in Port Harcourt, Rivers State has a car stand at Eguruta, Rivers State which he shares with another of his partner one Melvin Otete “M” aged 41years, hails from Delta State but resides in Rumuhalu Port Harcourt, Rivers State, where they carry out their shady deals of buying and selling of stolen/illegally acquired vehicle, prepare fake vehicle document for vehicles. A black Toyota Corolla with Reg.No. UGE391BQ was recovered from Melvin Otete suspected to have been stolen. Investigation revealed that the said vehicle belong to Oceanic Insurance group of Companies but a fake vehicle particulars was produced on demand without recourse to the original owner. Delta State Commissioner of Police, CP Adeyinka Adeleke, said this is a demonstration of the Command’s determined efforts to rid the State of all forms of crimes and criminalities, noting that the suspects will be charged to court soonest as soon as investigation is completed. He further said that these are warning signals to criminals in the State that there is no safe haven for them, they should either quit crime or flee the Command, while assuring Deltans of his commitment to their safety and security at all times.

The Oracle Today Wednesday April 17 - 23, 2019

NEWS

Use ecological fund to assist our communities, Dickson urges FG

CLEM ONYEMAECHI, Yenagoa

ayelsa State governor, Hon. Henry Seriake Dickson has tasked the federal government to deploy the Ecological Fund to assist coastal communities being ravaged by environmental challenges. The governor made the call when he visited Odi community in Kolokuma/Opokuma Local Government Area of the state, to inspect the level of damage caused by a landslide that ravaged the area. The landslide, which occurred on Friday after heavy rains swept away houses and property worth millions of naira into the nearby river, destroyed electricity cables, and threw the town into darkness. Governor Dickson who commiserated with the victims, described the incident as an ecological disaster that was not peculiar to Odi. He stressed that other communities in the state like Akassa, Egweama, Koluama, Twon-Brass, Agbere and Toru-Orua were under threat from similar challenges. He said the Federal Government did not seem to understand the magnitude of ecological and

environmental challenges facing the people of the state and called on the Federal Government to intervene in the grave ecological threat facing the town through the Ecological Fund under its control. He stressed that, while it would be good and expected

for the Federal Government to wade into the issue, the state Government would commence immediate steps to respond to the development within the limits of available resources. He directed the Ministries of Environment, and Works and

Infrastructure to jointly undertake a technical assessment of the area, the impact of the landslide and recommend lasting solutions. He said, “We have seen the devastation caused by the landslide and this is not something new to most of our communities

Emmanuel Eweta Uduaghan displays a gift from a student during the Annual Public Lecture at University of Nigeria Nsukka (UNN), Enugu State.Photo:JONATHAN AWANYAI

“We have the Ecological Fund managed by the Federal Government and these are the purposes for which it was set up. It was for people who actually need that type of intervention”. “The situation in Odi is pathetic; our prayers are with the people of this community and its leadership. I have seen the houses destroyed and swept into the river but no life was lost” “We will not wait for the Federal Government or its intervention agencies. It would be nice if they come to our aid like they ought to and I will make that request but seeing our people in this state, despite the funding constraint, we will still start something immediately”. Governor Dickson, however, expressed joy that no one died due to the disaster and assured the people of government’s commitment to tackle the environmental challenges facing them, despite paucity of funds. The governor was accompanied on the inspection tour by his Deputy, Rear Admiral Gboribiigha John-Jonah (rtd), Commissioner for Environment, Mr. Ebipatei Apaingolo, the State Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Chief Moses Cleopas, among others.

Uduaghan advocates voter education to eradicate vote-buying •Urges Buhari to sign Electoral Bill JONATHAN AWANYAI, Asaba

mmediate past governor of Delta State, Dr Emmanuel Uduaghan, has called on President Muhammadu Buhari to ratify the Electoral Bill this year ahead of the 2023 general election. Uduaghan made the call recently while delivering a lecture at the 1st Governor Emmanuel Eweta Uduaghan Annual Public Lecture under the auspices of Prof BIC Ijeomah Centre for Public Policy & Research at the Department of

Sociology and Anthropology of University of Nigeria Nsukka (UNN), Enugu State. The thought-provoking maiden lecture was titled: “Making Nigeria Elections Cleaner, Transparent and Credible.” The APC Delta South Senatorial candidate, who lost to incumbent Senator James Manager in the just-concluded 2019 general elections, decried the various shortcomings that trailed the last general elections which he described as “still acceptable.”

He opined that to ensure a better electoral outing in 2023, “gradual release of funds for INEC should begin with 2020 appropriation bill and a manual should be developed and used by security agencies for election security management.” The two-time former governor of Delta State added that “all those arrested for violating the electoral law should be punished expeditiously as a lesson to others,” calling for the establishment of Electoral Offences Tribunal which he said was long overdue.

Post-election: Conflicting judgments bane of Nigeria’s democracy, says Onuesoke JONATHAN AWANYAI, Asaba

eoples Democratic Party (PDP) Chieftain, Chief Sunny Onuesoke has ascribed the problem bedeviling Nigeria’s nascent democracy to conflicting judgments by the courts. Onuesoke who spoke to journalists on Saturday on his way to a climate change conference in Lagos said conflicting judgments, especially by courts of coordinate jurisdiction at the High Court level are not only creating problems in the electioneering process, but also creating uncertainty in our growing democracy. He argued that conflicting

judgments do not only confuse counsel and leads to uncertainty with regards to slum decision, it equally impacts negatively on the public’s perception of ability to guarantee unequivocal justice. The PDP Chieftain reiterated that issue of conflicting judgments arising from pre-election and postelection cases has set Nigerian democracy backward. He added that a case where one court in one judicial division may give judgment on a particular course of action only to be contradicted by another court of coordinate jurisdiction from another division or even within the same division on the same subject matter did not

augur well for the development of Nigeria’s democracy. “Conflicting court orders are negatively affecting the consistency, neutrality, and public perception. There is therefore the urgent need to address the issue of conflicting judgments in order to engender certainty in the electoral process,” he advised. He pointed out that lack of consequential orders by the courts after making findings on an issue and stating the position has compelled the electoral umpire, Independent Electoral Commission (INEC) to take a position relying on previous decisions of the court on the subject.

He urged INEC to be more rigorous and timely in its selection of ad-hoc staff, conduct series of training for them long before the election, allow for the local people to identify partisan officials and checkmate the continuing failure and or sabotage of card reader as well

as taking “a second look at the electronic voting and electronic transmission of results.” On eradicating vote-buying, the former governor called for education and sensitization of the electorate on the longterm effects of the menace of the society.

Jail INEC staff for 10 yrs for electoral offences BONIFACE OKORO, Umuahia

Tribunal and, if found guilty, should be liable to a fine of N500, 000 and 10 years imprisonment,” he said. Egbu, the lead discussant at the Forum with the team: “The Role of Media of Media Practitioners in Ensuring Political Stability in Post-2019 General Elections,” argued that more than five political parties was overwhelming in the current Nigeria polity. “Nigeria is only ripe for five political parties. Anything beyond that is an invitation to anarchy,” he asserted, advising INEC to deregister all parties that failed to make any meaningful impact in the 2019 general elections. He opined that INEC failed to get it right by postponing the 2019 general elections from March 3, 2019, the initial day polling would have commenced, describing the development as “an anathema, a huge aberration and an embarrassment.”

The Oracle Today Wednesday April 17 - 23, 2019

NEWS

Dickson vows to raise a Movement to defend Niger Delta

You’ve been a dependable partner, Okowa tells Otuaro at 51 JONATHAN AWANYAI, Asaba

elta State governor, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa has commended the qualities and competence of his Deputy, Deacon Kingsley Burutu Otuaro as he turned 51 years on Tuesday, April 16. Okowa, who is currently on leave specifically praised the Acting Governor, Otuaro for the role he played in the ‘S.M.A.R.T AGENDA’ of his administration by ensuring, in his capacity as Chairman of Peace Advocacy Committee Against Oil Facility Vandalism in Delta State, relevant peace for oil production to thrive. In a congratulatory message signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Charles Aniagwu, Governor Okowa extolled the leadership qualities and astute contributions of the Deputy Governor towards the S.M.A.R.T. Agenda of his administration as well as Delta State and Nigeria in general. Okowa said: “On behalf of my family, the government and people of Delta State, I wish to felicitate with my amiable Deputy Governor, a party stalwart and leader of inestimable value on the occasion of his 51st birthday anniversary celebration.You’ve been a worthy and dependable partner in our quest to ensure peace and security in our dear state and I must place it on record that you and your team in the Peace Advocacy Committee Against Oil Facility Vandalism in Delta State contributed largely to the peace we enjoy today in the oil and gas industry in the state. “Your life symbolises diligence, humility, perseverance, focus and dedicated service and this explains why your people of Warri South West Local Government Area and Deltans overwhelmingly voted us back for a second term to continue in our quest to build a stronger Delta of our dreams. “Your Excellency, your indefatigable role as the Deputy Governor of our dear Delta State has contributed to the remarkable and modest achievements recorded by our administration and I thank God because with your continued partnership and that of the entirety of Deltans better days are indeed here for our people”. “I join your family, friends and wellwishers to thank Almighty God for His continued guidance, protection and provision for you in the past 51 years of a life of forthrightness, outstanding patriotism and service to humanity with which He has blessed you.” “Happy birthday my brother and friend,” Okowa wrote.

Otuaro

LEM ONYEMAECHI, Yenagoa

ayelsa State governor, Seriake Dickson has vowed to raise what he referred to as ‘Niger Delta Movement’ to defend the region in the face of apparent failure by the federal government to protect people of the region. The governor stated this at the commendation service in honour of the two young men allegedly killed by soldiers during the Presidential and National Assembly elections in the state. It would be recalled that a photographer attached to Government House Yenagoa, Reginald Dei and a Chieftain of the Peoples Democratic party (PDP) Seidougha Taribi, were gruesomely murdered by yet-to-be-known soldiers at Oweikoroagha, Southern Ijaw Local Government Area during the polls. A statement by the Special Adviser on Media Relations to the governor, Mr. Fidelis Soriwei quoted Governor Dickson as saying that the ‘the Niger Delta Movement’ he would raise would mobilize people in their various communities on how to defend themselves as the Federal Government has failed in its primary responsibility of protecting lives and properties. Governor Dickson further condemned

V reliability, Consumer Reports has announced the removal of “recommended” designation from several Hisense and Vizio television sets in its TV ratings. This affects two Hisense TVs and seven Vizio sets, which had previously been “recommended” models. The survey covers 97,554 TVs owned by Consumer Reports members who purchased new sets between 2010 and 2018. Respondents were asked whether their televisions broke or stopped working as they should. Using this information, CR is providing predicted brand reliability ratings for televisions through the fifth year of ownership. The survey also provides ratings for owner satisfaction. Both ratings apply to entire brands, not individual models. Predicted reliability and owner satisfaction ratings are now included in our Overall Scores for TVs, along with ratings based on our extensive lab testing, which covers HD picture quality, UHD performance, HDR effectiveness, viewing angle, motion blur, sound quality, and more. The addition of the new ratings are pushing some televisions up while others drop. “Reliability data give consumers a more complete picture of product quality,” says Simon Slater, CR’s manager of product survey research. Reliability is especially important for televisions because consumers tend to keep them

the incessant deployment of state institutions to “undermine the peace and stability of Bayelsa since 2015 for political reasons”. The grieving governor said the two corpses were clear evidence of the politically motivated killings perpetrated by leaders of the All Progressives Congress, APC in the state who had the backing on the Federal Government. He said that it was absurd and indeed reprehensible for criminals to be given security cover in the residence of supposed APC leaders after committing brazen acts of criminality against the state as was the case in the murder of Dei and Seidougha. According to Governor Dickson, “security operatives were put at the disposal of APC leaders in the state to intimidate, kill and maim our people’ during the last election.” The governor described the day of the burial of the Oweikorogha two, as one of the saddest day of his administration as the duo were killed by soldiers who were taken to their residence by some Oweikorogha citizens to murder them. “Today is a sad day not because of the very young age at which their lives were cut short but because of the way and manner they were murdered in cold blood in Oweikoroagha in their own homes

by uniformed men at the command and behest of political operatives.” He lamented that the main culprits in the dastardly act boasted that he would go to the residence of an APC leader in Abuja to evade arrest by security men as if Abuja had become a sanctuary for killers. “The killers in Bayelsa that are known are protected by the agencies òf the Nigerian state. If anyone ever thought that all I have been saying about killers and their protection was politics here lies the evidence. “The FG is not interested in the peace security and stability of Bayelsa. They want Bayelsa to be turned into a state òf blood like other states. In Katsina, there were no killings, but here soldiers were deployed for all APC politicians.” Paying tributes, Governor Dickson described Dei as a very professional, dedicated member of the media team in Government House and Taribi as a decent and honourable young man. He said that the late photographer drew commendations from even visitors and foreigners to Government House because of his devotion to duty. The Governor offered automatic employment to the young widows of the deceased and scholarship to the children they left behind.

Consumer Report updates findings from survey on TVs Following new data from its recent survey on longer than most electronic devices. The survey found that 87 percent of all TVs bought by Consumer Reports members in 2010 are still in use. Both Hisense and Vizio have challenged CR’s results, saying that their own data on reliability contradict our findings. Consumer Reports estimates that 20 percent of Hisense and Vizio TVs will experience a problem within the first five years. Both brands get a rating of Fair for predicted reliability. By comparison, we estimate that 11 percent of TVs made by Sony, which has a Very Good rating for reliability, will develop a problem during that period. No brand that earns a Poor or Fair rating for predicted reliability is eligible for a CR recommendation. In addition to Vizio and Hisense, Element, RCA, and Westinghouse also have subpar reliability ratings. But no models from those brands had high enough Overall Scores to be recommended. “The survey results provide an opportunity for manufacturers to step up,” says Richard Fisco, who leads electronics testing at Consumer Reports.

“Some of the televisions that are losing recommendations score highly in several areas of our performance testing, including picture quality. So if manufacturers can improve the reliability, their models should do quite well in our ratings.” In an emailed statement, Hisense said: “As the fastest-growing TV brand among the top six brands, with defective rates of less than 4 percent, we stand by the quality and longevity of our TVs and are committed to developing products that speak to the premium technology advances consumers demand, regardless of the category of TV they purchase.” Vizio also commented by email, saying that it “strongly disagrees with Consumer Reports’ reliability rating” and that CR’s information “sharply diverges” from the company’s own data. The statement also said that as “a leading HDTV brand in the U.S., Vizio takes product reliability and customer satisfaction seriously. Vizio’s mission is to deliver the best, most reliable products with the most relevant features at the best price for consumers, and we have been largely successful in that.”

POLITICS

The Oracle Today Wednesday April 17 - 23, 2019

Wike: In Anambra market politics: forgiveness, peace, Traders in hot race we forge ahead to replace outgoing Pg 18

Pg 17

Enugu: 2019 polls over, all eyes on Ugwuanyi, others for new deal

•Appointments, rural projects top expectations of the people •2023 political cake already baking Ex-Rangers and Green Eagles captain and coach, Christian Chukwu has health challenges, which landed him in an Enugu hospital. Unfortunately, there was no money to foot the hospital bill. Chukwu’s family members and his kindred in Nkanu could not raise money for his treatment, a situation that attracted questions from Nigerians as to where and how Chukwu spent all the money he made as a top flight player and a first class coach in Nigeria for over three decades. Consequent upon the need to raise money for Chukwu’s treatment, Enugu State Governor, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi was called upon to rescue the situation and he did. THEO RAYS reports…

•Chritian Chukwu

•Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi

eacting to the controversy over the health challenges faced by Skipper Christian Chukwu, ex-Rangers and Green Eagles captain and coach, the Enugu State Commissioner for Information, Hon. Ogbuagu Anikwe explained:

“When Chukwu’s health situation was brought to the attention of his employer – Rangers Management Corporation – he was rushed to one of the best medical facilities in Enugu where a team of five specialists have been attending to him. The management of Rangers

Management Corporation immediately deposited N200,000 with this health facility to begin his treatment. On hearing about his health condition, Gov. Ugwuanyi gave an additional N1.5million to the Commissioner for Youth and Sports to give to the family — in order to ensure that the football legend did not lack anything that the team of specialists may require to manage his condition The governor has also given an additional N1million to the family when the doctors demanded for a further deposit, bringing the total amount disbursed by Gov. Ugwuanyi and the Rangers Management to the Chukwu family to N2.7million.” Observers say Ugwuanyi may have released the money based on Chukwu’s eternal status as a football legend in Enugu State, coupled with the fact that Chukwu is currently a serving employee of Enugu Rangers International Football Club. But, there is also the perception that people in Enugu tend always to take advantage of the governor’s generosity to constantly squeeze cash out of him. It’s as if Enugu loves nothing else except cash! From 1999 when democracy returned to Nigeria till date, successive governments in Enugu State have

practised a system that appears to guarantee cash flow. Under Chimaroke Nnamani as governor from 1999–2007, there was massive cash flow in Enugu. Chimaroke’s aides became millionaires, if not billionaires, overnight. Those who were connected with Chimaroke and his aides enjoyed great days, smiling home with good cash on a steady basis. Under Chimaroke, some government officials were more like gods and lords of the gentiles that exercised dominion over their subjects with cash and authority. Under the administration of Sullivan Chime as governor 2007 -2015, cash flow even increased. Governor Chime presided over an era of oil windfall with a lot of money accruing to Enugu State treasury on a monthly basis. Top government officials at the State and local government levels had reasons to be happy being in government. Only a few local government chairmen under Chime made effort to use their location to tar roads, build classroom blocs and or sink water boreholes. Others simply invested the money from the oil windfall in private property bazaar. Under Governor Ugwuanyi, from Cont’d on page 16

The Oracle Today Wednesday April 17 - 23, 2019

INTERVIEW ‘Udenwa claimed to be a chartered accountant yet no Imo account was audited

Amid the controversy that surrounded the collation of the final results of the governorship election in Imo state on March 9, 2019, Dr. IkediOhakim, who was a candidate in the election, shocked all when he sent a congratulatory message to Hon. Emeka Ihedioha, who, despite leading in the polls from earlier results, was yet to be declared winner. In this interview with COLLINS UGHALAA in Owerri, the former governor talks about why he did so and other sundry issues. Your Excellency, can we talk about the just concluded governorship election in your state in which you were a candidate. A lot of people actually expected you to perform much better than you did. Are you happy with the outcome of the election? I am happy. Like every other experience in my life, I have swallowed the result with total equanimity. Politics is an opportunity to serve the people, but it should not be all about you. It is all about the people. Even though I was not declared winner of the election, it makes one happy seeing that finally, Imo state has been liberated from the shackles that held her down for eight years. Nothing could be more painful seeing the people you had served meritoriously made to suffer unduly. That was why we decided that we would do all we could to liberate the state and correct the anomalies. Now that the elections are over, we are not going to fight or pull down the state because at every contest, one person would win. I am back to my business and I am back to the business of joining hands with my brothers and sisters in rebuilding the state. The most important thing is that a far great majority of the people are happy with the outcome of the election. At least one lingering issue in the state has been resolved. I mean the matter of equity. We will no longer be talking about one zone monopolizing power.Power has shifted to another zone and the people are quite happy. You were a very strong critic of the outgoing governor, Chief Rochas Okorocha. Do you have a sense of vindication that the people rose against his succession plan? Stopping Okorocha from foisting his sonin-law on the state became a movement at a point. It was not Ohakim’s making. Initially, I was abused and jeered at for criticizing Okorocha. They said it was because he defeated me in 2011. But I remained unrelenting. As time went on, the people began to see what I was seeing and they themselves took over the crusade to stop Okorocha. As a matter of fact, my congratulatory message to Ihedioha was actually to the good people of Imo state. But the current euphoria is about the same as when you lost in 2011. You think the people are very objective? No. The circumstances are definitely not the same. There was a conspiracy against me and which was built on lies. And it was not long before the people realized that they were deceived and misled. Everybody paid dearly for that subterfuge including the perpetrators. The very people whom my political opponents used to propagate the lies against me came back to me to say they are sorry. But not everybody could have the opportunity of coming to me personally to say so. In case of Okorocha, nobody needed to tell any lies against. I tell you one story; during the 2015 electioneering campaigns, there was an incident during a governorship debate at the Assumpta Cathedral in Owerri. Some overzealous supporters in the crowd rough handled one of the Reverend Fathers presiding over the event. And promptly, the story went that Governor Okorocha had beaten up a Reverend Father. But it turned out that the governor was nowhere near the venue of the incident. So that lie did not fly. The people refused to be sold on another lie as a basis on which a new governor will emerge. They did not want to be fooled again. So why did they believe yours and refused that of Okorocha? It is said that once beaten, twice shy. The people were taken unawares in my case. Moreover, there was no social media then. My opponents took advantage of the innocence

age our relationship. But now, I can no longer keep quiet. Governor Udenwa is taking too much advantage of that attitude. The interview was premeditated. It was either that he was genuinely uninformed, intellectually malnourished or deliberately being mischievous. After reading the interview, I started asking myself whether we as a people have entered in to a stage where there are no more ground rules or guideline. That interview to me was a story he designed to save his dwindling face. But untruth, however well garnished, will produce unintended consequences which he must be responsible for. You could read his motive for saying the things he said. He wanted to gain status and impress, using dirty language to bend and twist issues. I have just realized belatedly that Achilike Udenwa alias Achike Udenwa is fake, paranoid and dangerous. He knows that any decent person will react with horror to his insane fantasies. You could see the display of characteristic borderline personality disorder. His interview was just a spin to paint me black and probably bring me down but he failed to reckon that Ndi Imo cannot be fooled again. And that is the specialty of unscrupulous politicians and psychopaths. Udenwa has the proclivity of saying things that make him appear competent, garner credit, attract attention and to rationalize his antisocial outlook. He is well known for that but unfortunately for him, that is not a sustainable approach to life.

•Udenwa

of the average Imolite. Today, our people know better. You dare not come before them with lies and deceit moreover against me their darling son. So, the point I am making is that the celebration you are seeing in Imo is borne out of a genuine assessment of the Okorocha administration. What happened in 2011 was an aberration. You sound quite convincing but some people still feel that you were too hasty in congratulating Hon. Emeka Ihedioha even when he was yet to be declared winner. Can you throw more light on this? While we were touring the whole state campaigning, I had announced that I was not going to be involved in any form of brigandage, including vote buying. And I meant it. I said that no one should carry guns, snatch ballot boxes because of me, and that my election was not worth the blood of anyone. I meant it also. I also got intelligence that some politicians were importing thugs to cause mayhem in the state. Tension ran high and the fear was palpable. I raised the alarm but no one listened. On the day of the election, we discovered that those thugs who were imported were given military uniforms and they were also armed. You could not differentiate them from the normal military and police. They were the ones shooting people and carrying ballot boxes. Now, these thugs had the brief to also burn down the state if a certain candidate was not declared winner. You could feel the tension and fear in the state, especially with the reports of the burning of INEC offices in some local government areas including my local government of Isiala Mbano. There were even reports that some people planted explosives at the INEC office in Owerri where the votes were being collated. As the results started to come in, I knew that something needed to be done to salvage the situation, to prevent the state from going up in flames as some people had planned. Having governed the state for four years, I remain one of the foremost leaders in the state. And it would be wrong if I folded my hands and did nothing while the state was about to be

burnt down. I had to put my personal interest backwards. I congratulated Ihedioha even before INEC declared him the winner of the election. No sacrifice is too much for the state and we must have a state first before we will be able to run for any elective position. There comes a time when we have to put the interest of the state before ours, because I know what I passed through when I was governor of the state. I faced more than 20 legal battles and escaped four assignation attempts and they were too much distractions. I don’t want Ihediohato go through the same thing. I want him to concentrate on the core mandate of governing the state with all the support he can get. If we pull down our state, we have no other place to go. Your predecessor, Chief AchikeUdenwa, granted an interview to a national daily recently where he made scathing remarks on you. I quote: “To be honest with you, if you remember how Ohakim came into power when I was leaving, he was not actually the people’s choice. He was a child of circumstances at the time. There were other considerations before Ohakim came in. It was a question of let us try him and see what he can do and he failed completely. He was very arrogant and did not even understand what the people needed. That is why he has been contesting and failing. He cannot make it even if he contests for 10 times. And in the case of Rochas, he came as a redeemer because of the poor performance of Ohakim….” What do you have to say about that? Did you fail as governor? My attention was called to that interview and after reading it I shuddered. While I was in office, I restrained myself from talking about Udenwa’s administration despite the fact that he spear headed a campaign of calumny against me and my administration. The relationship between governors and successors which has worried me long time ago made me not to be talking about issues concerning Achike Udenwa. I looked at the relationships between governors and their successors for example in Akwa-Ibom, Sokoto, Rivers, and so on and I decided that I must methodically man-

(Cuts in) For how long do you think he has harbored this apparent animosity against you? As far as I am concern, the remote cause of Udenwa’s paranoid on me is his failure to put in place an orderly succession plan for his exit from office in 2007 and which is the root cause of the problem our state is facing today. It haunts him because he knows that Imolites hold him responsible for the pains they are going through today. He lacked focus and was only known for playing Draught and Ludo at the Governor’s Lodge. It was common knowledge that Governor Udenwa never stayed beyond 3pm in the office throughout the eight years he was in the Government House. It was he who introduced clannish and divisive politics in the state through his Onongaono politics. He divided the state into Home-based and Abuja-based. That was why the transition from his administration to mine was the most rancorous in the whole country. He supported three different governorship candidates at the same time. One in Orlu zone where he comes from, Hope Uzodinma; one in Owerri zone, Martins Agbaso and one in Okigwe zone, Ike Ibe, all in the same party, PDP. There was so much confusion that at the end, the PDP, which he led for eight years, could not produce a candidate for the 2007 governorship election. Although the Supreme Court pronounced Chief Araraume as candidate of the PDP, the party faithful were not with him. Udenwa did not even back him; neither did he support me when the other leaders of the party decided to adopt me. He was confused. He didn’t know what to do. His associates were like sheep without shepherd because it was clear that if Araraume emerged, they would not have any legacy to show for the Udenwa Administration. But fortunately, we had an agreement which made it possible for us to accommodate many of them in my administration. But that was more than 10 years ago. You have since finished and left office. (Cuts in). I am also shocked that Udenwa is bringing me up in his delusion. The immediate cause of his recent outburst against me was

Cont’d on page 17

The Oracle Today Wednesday April 17 - 23, 2019

POLITICS T Wike: In forgiveness, he March 9, 2019, governorship and state House of Assembly election in Rivers State was like no other election in Nigeria. It was like a theatre of war. Expectations that the election would be easily won by the ruling Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) was jettisoned when armed men wearing military camouflage emerged at 12. Noon, and erected roadblocks on major roads in the state, on Election Day. Shooting and ballot snatching began at about 2.pm, when collation was about to commence at some centres were voting started early. The PDP accused the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC) and the State Leader and Minister of Transportation, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, of working in concert with the military to deploy soldiers to Rivers State to rig the elections in favour of the governorship candidate of African Action Congress (AAC), Biokpomabo Awara, whom the APC had endorsed for the governorship election. The Supreme Court had affirmed an earlier judgment of the High Court of Rivers State which nullified the primary that produced the governorship candidate of the APC, Tonye Cole, on the ground that the May 19, 20 and 21, ward, local and state congresses that produced the delegates who participated in the primary that produced Cole were defective and as such is candidature was null and void. Although, there had been a running battle between Amaechi and the Senator representing Rivers South East, Magnus Abe, over who will be the APC standard-bearer in the March 9, governorship election, it was a judgment delivered in a matter filed by the Rivers State chapter of the PDP that filed the suit that foreclosed the participation of the APC in the governorship and state House of Assembly elections. Expectedly, members of the APC were vexed that the PDP could deliberately interfere in its internal affairs to the level of preventing the party from fielding candidates for elective political positions in Rivers State. This development further exacerbated the deep-seated feud between Amaechi and Governor Wike. The political brickbats that dogged the general elections further heated up the polity. Barely three days to the governorship election, Amaechi ordered members of the APC to vote for the Awara of the AAC; decision that threw up Awara, barely known before Amaechi’s endorsement, into a political highflyer in the state. By 4 pm, on Saturday, it was clear that armed men wearing military camouflage had carted away electoral materials in most polling units in the state. There were all sorts of conspiracy theories as to who was responsible for who was responsible for the deployment of the military, when the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) suspended the electoral process in the state. For two weeks, the state was in a stalemate. As the organ empowered to conduct national elections in Nigeria, INEC took control and managed a rather sensitive development and finally concluded the governorship and House of Assembly elections. Wike was declared the winner of the governorship contest and given his certificate of return, on Tuesday, April 16. There APC is reeling from disappointment and its members have not hidden their displeasure with electoral body and the PDP for interfering in its internal affairs. To set the tone for reconciliation, Governor Wike addressed Radio’s people in a state-wide broadcast, on

peace, we forge ahead

From Port Harcourt, NATH OMAME, Jr. writes that with the 2019 polls won and lost in Rivers State, political leaders in the Garden-City State have thankfully begun moves to mend fences across the political divides. Thursday, April 11. “Few hours ago, the Supreme Court of Nigeria struck out the consolidated appeals of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and Tonye Cole for lacking merits. With this decision, all legal issues regarding the fielding of candidates by the APC for the 2019 National Assembly, Governorship and State House of Assembly elections in Rivers State have finally and permanently been put to rest” “What this further means is that the victory of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) and all its candidates in the 2019 National Assembly, Governorship and State House of Assembly elections is legally safe, secured and protected. I wish to assure you that there is nothing else to fear or be worried about, as there is nothing more the APC or any other person can do to deny us the victory you freely gave to the PDP and its candidates. Let me express my deepest gratitude to the people of Rivers State for the opportunity to serve you as your governor for another four years. I am truly humbled by your continued trust and, I will not take this support for granted. For me, the collective interest of the people of Rivers State is the reason I am in politics. When you gave me the mandate about four years ago, I committed myself to be governor for all the people of Rivers State and stayed through to that commitment.” “Today, I recommit myself to be governor for all people of Rivers State for the next four years. Accordingly, we shall form an all-inclusive government to advance the collective interest of all people, irrespective of party, ethnic or religious affiliations. We salute the opposition for their courage to fight within the confines of the law to the end. Now that the legal battle is over, the task of building the state must take precedence over all other considerations. Although, the present politics of acrimony and bitterness may have strayed from the noble path of the past, I still believe that we shall be better of standing and working together for our state and our people. I therefore appeal to the APC and the minister of transportation to join hands with us to move our dear state forward. We cannot as leaders continue to remain divided and expect government to deliver on its responsibilities to our people. Let us from henceforth seek the common ground instead of allowing our difference to be exploited to regard our march to progress.” “I appeal to our people to eschew all acts of acrimony, criminality, unrest, and violence throughout the state. I wish to recommit myself to continue to do all that is humanly possible to ensure the unity and peaceful co-existence of all our people irrespective of political affiliation. Accordingly, I hereby direct the honourable Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice to review all pending criminal proceedings filed against any person by the state and directly related to political activities

•Nyesom Wike

•Rotimi Ameachi

prior to the 2019 general elections and make appropriate recommendations to me for necessary action to promote to reconciliation among us.” The earlier unedited speech of the governor referred to the minister of transportation as “the factional leader of the APC” which some people felt did not reflect the tone of true reconciliation. A few days later, on Sunday, April 14, at a family thanksgiving at headquarters of Salvation Ministry, Port Harcourt stated that “despite the

political turmoil, nobody lost during the elections in Rivers State. Nobody has won and nobody has lost the election. But Rivers State has won.” He breathed: “I forgive anyone that has wronged me and I ask for forgiveness from those that I have wronged. We have come here to give thanks because he is so faithful to us. We have come to thank God for the fight he fought on our behalf. It is only God who can fight for us. We have no power of our own to fight”

The Oracle Today Wednesday April 17 - 23, 2019

POLITICS Enugu: 2019 polls over, all eyes on Ugwuanyi, others for new deal Cont’d from page 13

2015 till date, the cash hasn’t exactly stopped flowing. But, the big difference between Ugwuanyi and his predecessors, is that the flow of cash under Gburugburu is not as widespread as it used to be. Ugwuanyi managed to keep his aides from dipping their hands into the till, even if that still didn’t stop the flow of cash as a means of doing much of government business in the Coal-City State. Indeed, it has been said that the apparent one-party system in operation in the State is oiled largely by the flow of cash from government quarters into the hands of political gladiators who appear more interested in the cash pushed into their pockets than in opportunities to serve their people through say vibrant opposition politics. Coming in for a second term, many may still expect Governor Ugwuanyi with cash gifts and as such would device all sorts of means to make it happen. It goes without saying that politicians, church leaders and others who never see anything bad in political leaders, no matter how poor they lead, and other relevant stakeholders who are supposed to be champions of development, will always device means to squeeze cash off government officials. But, there must be a paradigm shift this time around. It is expected, for instance, that the governor will use the opportunity of his second term to red-card some of the old politicians to pave the way for the younger ones to showcase their talents. Good enough, it is another year of local government election in the State, so let there be open door for younger ones in the political space in the Coal-City State. Another major expectation of the people from Ugwuanyi is execution of rule rural development projects. Rural dwellers in Enugu State are suffering from lack of access roads, adequate water supply, good classroom blocs for primary and secondary schools, health care services and lack of electricity supply. Some rural areas don’t even have electricity at all. Ill-equipped hospitals still prevail in the villages across the State. The worst is insecurity in the rural areas owing to poor equipment of the police and the vigilant groups otherwise known as Neighbourhood Watch. A police station that lacks money to fuel its patrol van cannot protect the people. Most towns and villages are suffering from security lapses leading to rape cases and killings. There are serous security challenges in Enugu-Ezike, a densely populated town in Igbo North Local Government with some 36 large villages. The reported case of 18-year old girl who allegedly was raped to death at Imufu and the recent killing of four people at Isiugwu villages are clear evidence of lack of adequate security in Enugu Ezike. The police divisional headquarters in Enugu has must give more attention with more equipment to enable the men and officers live up to their billing of securing the people. The governor has to ensure a functional local government system by setting targets to the presiding officers of the council failing which they have to be shown the exit door. What about the welfare of farmers? Agriculture is one area that needs massive improvement in Enugu State. There have to be means of encouraging people to go into agriculture such as availability of soft loan, fertiliser at affordable rate and patronage of local products by government itself. Take, for instance, Anambra where State Governor Willie Obiano mandated livestock farmers to rear Igbo cows, promising to

•Ugwuanyi

Another major expectation of the people from Ugwuanyi is execution of rule rural development projects. Rural dwellers in Enugu State are suffering from lack of access roads, adequate water supply, good classroom blocs for primary and secondary schools, health care services and lack of electricity supply. Some rural areas don’t even have electricity at all. Ill-equipped hospitals still prevail in the villages across the State.

”

buy them off them when they mature. Another challenge facing the Coal-City State number one citizen is job creation. Last year, he made good effort to train and empower the youth numbering 750 with skill acquisition programmes in the State under the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The 750 trainees, who are now chief executives of their various businesses, were assisted with N100,000 seed money each by the State government early this year after they undergone a one-year free vocational training in focal areas such as tailoring, hairdressing, haircut and Aluminium works apprenticeship. Another political leader in Enugu whom the people have set their eyes on is Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Ike Ekweremadu. For Ekweremadu to be re-elected for a 5th term

by the people of Enugu West is an indication that he is not doing badly. On account of his representation from 2003 till date, the Mbu in Aninri Local Government Area-born Senator has attracted dividends of democracy in many areas such as job opportunities for the people, massive road projects, provision of scholarships to students of poor families and philanthropic gestures to the needy. Going for another term, there is no gain saying the fact that all eyes are channeled at Ekweremadu for continued service delivery. The opposition leader in the State Senator Ayogu Eze is also in the eyes of the people. What kind of opposition is Eze going to mount in the State? Is it chop I chop opposition or opposition in the real sense of it? Going by the large support that Eze enjoyed as the gov-

ernorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) ahead of the 2019 polls, people expect him to mount a robust opposition good enough to bring the best out of the incumbent PDP government in Enugu State. All that Ayogu needs to ensure a vibrant opposition in Enugu is adequate support from the headquarters of APC in Abuja. The future of Enugu State politics is also at stake following the 2019 polls. Observers and pundits believe that the political wind of 2023 has started blowing already. This is where all political heavyweights in the State come into the scene. Heavyweights like the sitting governor, Ekweremadu, former Governors Jim Nwobodo, Chimaroke Nnamani and Sullivan Chime plus former Senate President Ken Nnamani, Senator Ayogu Eze and others are interested in fixing themselves in a stronger position to be relevant in determining who gets what in the politics of the State. The heavyweights are expected to battle to push their candidates in as Commissioners, SSAs and SAs. After that the issue of local government election takes centre stage. The most critical battle, however, is the issue of 2023. What will be the interest of Ike Ekweremadu in 2023? Is he going to remain in the Senate or will he try to take a shot at the Lion Building. Way back in 2015, there was a strong clamour from the people of Awgu axis where Ekweremadu comes from to produce the governor of Enugu State before the seat was conceded to Nsukka zone. The interest of Ekweremadu in 2023 will go along way to shaping and determining the future of Enugu State politics and that is the gospel truth.

The Oracle Today Wednesday April 17 - 23, 2019

INTERVIEW ‘Udenwa claimed to be a chartered accountant yet no Imo account was audited Cont’d from page 14 the fact that I congratulated Hon. Ihedioha. Udenwa is obviously worried that I may be plaining to warm up to Ihedioha. He wants to claim to have installed him. What a paradox. If he couldn’t install one when he was in office, is it now that he is almost completely irrelevant? Look at the performance of his party, the PDP, in Orlu zone where he claims to be a leader. The AA of yesterday defeated the PDP in his own local government area with over 5,000 votes. Apart from Oguta, the PDP lost to AA in all the LGAs in Orlu zone. And that’s not a surprise because Orlu people are not happy with him. They hold him responsible for the lack of development in their area. For eight years he was in office, he could not articulate a concreate program of action for the zone including a master plan which would have, in any case, benefited the entire state because if he had started something in Orlu by now we will have a second big city in the state apart from Owerri. But even apart from his quarrel with his people in Orlu zone, it is common knowledge in the state that he never supported Ihedioha. The person he was supporting was Jude Njoku. It was in his house in Amaifeke that Njoku meet with PDP leaders in Orlu zone early last year. He always said that Ihedioha is arrogant and will not make a good governor. The same rubbish he said about me. But I have explained to you why I congratulated Ihedioha. It is nothing personal. Unlike Udenwa, I have no intention of claiming to have installed Ihedioha . I was not in the PDP. I even ran against him. Apart from the need to preempt mischief makers, I was in a way congratulating the good people of Imo State for succeeding instopping Governor Okoracha from foisting his son-inlaw on all of us. Now, the next thing is for us to ensure that the incoming administration is not distracted. After Okorocha, we need not go through another period of uncertainty, for example, where the governor has to face several court cases. Investors don’t go where there are litigations. I am a victim. Our Oak Refinery project could not go ahead because of the court cases I was facing. The investors from Houston withdrew. The petition Udenwa and co wrote to EFCC over Wonder Lake destabilized that project. It could not proceed as scheduled because the petition was widely circulated among international investors and so they became scared. Ironically, the idea of the Oguta lake project started during his time. It was recommended by the transition committee he set up himself but rather than pursue it, he leased the Oguta Lake Motel out for pecuniary reasons on the eve of his departure. We had to retrieve the Motel and expanded the scope of the project to a multibillion dollar Wonder Lake complex. So, it is because I don’t want the state to experience that type of thing again that I decided that Ihedioha should not be made to go through my experience. Udenwa does not have the experience on what I am talking about because he never embarked on any mega project that required potential investors. He couldn’t even produce a master plan for Orlu town like I said before. And he ruled almost unchallenged. If Ihedioha is the only reason why he is attacking you,then maybe he will leave you alone now that you have explained your motives. Udenwa will not let me be because of the fear of what he did to the state. For eight years, I kept mute about him and his non achievement in government. He was an ordinary governor. He came and did nothing. His administration was a total failure. He left behind unpaid pension and gratuity of N4.5bn. The councilors and chairmen that worked with him, his fellow democrats, he owed them N6.8bn. Many of them died. Achike built a secretariat, – a poorly finished, low quality secretariat that cost us millions to remodel and put to use. He did not build anything that a successor could lap on and build on it. He never laid any foundation for any revenue-centered mega project. No proper attention on water and health. No law on the environment. Nothing whatsoever was done. If you look at the

jects that would have revolutionized this state if they had allowed us continue. In his hand over notes to me, Udenwa pleaded that we should make sure that the new government house was completed. But when I moved in, I discovered that there was not even an architectural design for the project. That was also a recommendation by his transition committee but it was not the only recommendation he abandoned, just like the Oguta Lake project. Infact, virtually all the recommendations by his transition committee were ignored by him. Look at AchikeUdenwa’s mates. Look at Tinubu, Obong Victor Attah – look at their achievements and howthey are rated in the country and then look at AchikeUdenwa as well. He just disappeared in political crowd.

•Udenwa condition of things in Imo state today, what Imo state has gone through in the eight years of the Okorocha administration should be blamed on Udenwa. The younger generation may not know that Achike Udenwa was responsible for the coming of Okorocha. It was in his house in his village, that an agreement to bring in Rochas Okorocha was entered into. The agreement was signed by three persons. The agreement was on how to share the state, what they would do and how they would jointly remove Ohakim. Luckily, a copy of that agreement is available and it is going to form an appendix in my upcoming book. Rochas took the agreement and refused to implement it. That was why he and his co-conspirators started fighting me. Apart from that, with the support of certain federal forces, they began to work assiduously with propaganda and everything in order to remove me. They wrote all kinds of petition under the auspices of the Destiny Organization and Redemption organization. They wrote one on June 2, 2010 and another one in August 2010– to the presidency and the EFCC and claimed non-existent elephant projects and how I dredged Nworie River with N9.6bn, how I started a N150bn multi super highway, the refinery, the wonder lake project, Agronova, what they called the bottomless pit – the Clean and Green Initiative, and how I took loans running into N100bn from the capital market. Achike Udenwa did that because he was still under the illusion that I was the person that caused his removal as Minister, and that I was also responsible for his failure going to the senate, which allegations were false. But when we were fighting Okorocha, Achike’s ink dried up. He never wrote one petition against Okorocha. He could not even write a letter to Okorocha or organize a protest. He could not defend the local government chairmen and councilors when they were sacked. He could not defend Judges in the state when they were being owed. He could not defend the pensioners and civil servants, because he also owed pensioners when he left office. Now, is it not laughable that Achike has woken up from his casino slumber? Have you done anything to him in retaliation since you left office? Never. I saw it as the sacrifice for leadership. I moved on with my job without looking back. Most of his associates where in my cabinet and we bonded. You will recall that when I took over, Achike Udenwa appointed 70% of my cabinet. If you take for example what happened in Akwa-Ibom, Obong Attah started all the profit centered projects which he worked on for eight years and his successor continued to work on them – the modern airport, the Ibom Power Plant, the Meridian Hotel and Gulf Center, etc. Nobody can show one thing which

Achike started. I started everything myself. I went to the capital market and raised money. I had to start from the beginning. Achike was an Accountant but the state did not have audited accounts for the eight years he was governor and I had to do it when I arrived. It took us time, vision and discipline to go raise money for profit-centered projects which nobody can dispute. If our administration was allowed to do eight years and a new person takes over, Imo state would be wearing a different look today. I don’t want to talk about our achievements. They are like solid gold, no matter what you do, they will continue to shine. If you pour acid on it, gold would remain gold. But no matter what I have done, to Achike, I must be destroyed. When I came in as governor, I did not meet one kobo and when I asked Achike, he told me that government was not a savings account. But I left N26.6bn when I left office. Workers were on strike when I came in but even though he did not leave a kobo in government, he paid two contractors upfront for jobs they had not completed, for which they had no certificate. When I asked questions on that, I was advised to take it easy. I had to pursue those projects and I even went to court against one of the contractors. Now, I will no more stand akimbo and allow him rewrite history. Udenwa had no mega project ideas that could create jobs. When This Day newspaper conducted a survey of all the governors in Nigeria, Achike came last. Under Professor Jerry Gana’s assessment for governors, he was rated below average. Owerri was the filthiest state capital in the whole country when I came in. During the first environmental sanitation exercise which we introduced, we carted away over 100 Metric tons of refuse and over one million rodents. Within one year, Owerri was declared the cleanest state capital in the whole country by the federal government. This pleasantly continued for another three years. To a warped mind, this fit is not an achievement. The same This Day newspaper conducted a similar survey in 2010 and Imo state was rated excellent. I was awarded the newspaper’s prize for innovation and originality. The civil service Achike left was dead. He left civil servants with an average age of 54 years. He never lifted the ban on employment by the military administration. My administration did and promptly created the 10,000 graduates employment scheme. We gave people water and created a very healthy and conducive environment. We made education accessible to the children of the poor. We founded a polytechnic and got the federal government to take over Alvan Ikokwu College of Education. We attracted federal government projects in excess of N200bn. We followed due process in everything we did and we started mega pro-

In the same interview, Udenwa also justified the call on the Governor-Elect, Emeka Ihedioha, to probe Governor Okorocha by saying that you probed him. Did you probe Achike Udenwa? Achike must be hallucinating. I did not probe him. Never. How could you turn around to probe the person you allowed appoint 70% of your cabinet? Who were the members of the panel? I had very good reasons to probe his administration and key stakeholders in the state were putting pressure on me to do so. A case in point was the Romiz contract scandal which was as a result of undue interference by his family members in the running of the local government councils. One particular member of his family became the clearing house for all council activities to the extent that council chairmen discovered that visiting this family member with gifts in cash and in kind became the beginning of wisdom. Commissioners were known to have been relieved of critical assignments for refusing the requests by this family member. At the height of the Romiz scandal, which had to do with roads contracts, nearly all the council chairmen were bundled to Abuja by the EFCC and detained for days. Details of all that will be contend in my forth coming book. Udenwa talked about how I became governor in 2011. Did he talk about how he became governor in 1999? Did he tell Nigerians that he did not even win the governorship primary election of the PDP in 1998? Did he say that he was forced on the party and the people of the state by the elders who wanted the zoning arrangement to start from Orlu Zone? And what did he do with the mandate given to him? The payback Imo people got were unprecedented political animosity. Udenwa spent most of his time fighting political leaders and creating instability in the state. At a point, some aggrieved people carried coffins and demonstrated against him. It was during his time that coffin-protest was introduced in the state. Udenwa would want to blame me for his political failures. Was I the reason for his failed presidential and senatorial bids? Imo people know who is who. The question he was asked that made him unleash an attack on me was totally unrelated to the answer he gave. The issues he was referring to took place over ten years ago. For him to regurgitate them means he is harboring something against me. That’s left for his own conscience. Udenwa knows that Imo people cannot rate him higher than me. He said that I am arrogant. I am not arrogant but I have guts. When you have guts, some low-level thinkers like Udenwa will dislike you and more often than not, try to bring you down. They downplay your successes and celebrate your mistakes. Finally, what advice do you have for the Governor-Elect? As a matter of fact, I want Ihedioha to succeed as governor of Imo state. I want him to be a good governor. I don’t want him to pass through what I passed through during my time in office. He needs time to concentrate and run with the ball. Therefore, whatever advice I have for him is not for the public. It is for him alone and he would know what to do with it. •Dr OHAKIM is immediate past governor of ImoState.

The Oracle Today Wednesday April 17 - 23, 2019

POLITICS

Anambra market politics: Traders in hot race to replace outgoing Ezenwankwo Until recently, Okwudili Ezenwankwo was the influential, all-powerful President General of Amalgamated Market Traders Association of Anambra State (AMATAS). But then, the general election came and Ezenwankwo was elected Member, representing Orumba North and South Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives. Now a fierce race is on for his position. Who gets it and from which of the market associations? THEO RAYS writes.

ome weeks after the intense politicking of 2019 general election in Nigeria, the intrigues and horsetrading associated with politics have returned to Anambra State as traders who do their businesses in various markets in the State are in the race to replace their leader Chief Okwudili Ezenwankwo whose tenure is about to elapse as he transits to the Federal House of Representatives having been elected as a Member to represent Orumba North/ South Federal Constituency in National Assembly at Abuja. Anambra market traders who operate under the aegis of Amalgamated Market Traders Association of Anambra State (AMATAS), with over 60 affiliate markets, have had Ezenwankwo popularly known as Ewepudike as their President General since its inception about 10 years ago. Ewepudike’s tenure is due to expire in June this year, The Oracle Today learnt. Ezenwankwo along with other market leaders gave birth to AMATAS after sacking an apparently nonperforming market union known as Anambra State Market Amalgamated Traders Association (ASMATA) from the system. The traders handed Ezenwankwo the position of President General following his active role in the formation of AMATAS. Gozie Akudolu from Nnewi area is the current 1st Vice President General of AMATAS while Emma Ozoemena from Aguata area is the 2nd Vice President General. Chuma Eruchalu is the Secretary General among others occupying various positions in the setting of the union. There are zonal offices of AMATAS with leaders such as Onitsha zone, Nnewi zone, Awka zone, Aguata zone and Idemili zone respectively. On records Ezenwankwo and his team are being credited mostly for enthroning democratic leadership in the markets through Option A4 system. Before the birth of AMATAS, markets were led by governm e n t- a p pointed care-

taker committees. AMATAS leadership is also credited for uniting the traders as a peaceful body unlike those days when they were on the neck of each other in the State. It is also on record for good that AMATAS facilitated a good relationship between the traders and the State Government like never before in the State. Observers say the good relationship with traders boosted the chances of the State government’s party to win successive governorship elections in Anambra. According to observers, the success of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), which is government party in Anambra in winning governorship elections in 2003, 2010, 2013 and 2017 is not unconnected with the support of the traders. The traders they say support government in so many other ways. Take for instance, when the Federal Government President Buhari transferred Boko Haram prison inmates to Ekwulobia prison against the wish of the State Govern-

ment, it was the traders who threw their weight behind Governor Willie Obiano’s outcry by staging a protest that led to the shut down of their markets to take to the streets. The traders’ protest, which lasted for days prompted the federal government to withdraw Boko Haram inmates from Ekwulobia prison. Another area where Ezenwankwo-led AMATAS commands impressive performance is in execution of laudable infrastructural and economic projects. Some of the projects executed by Ezenwankwo who is also the President General of Southeast Amalgamated Market Traders Association (SEMATA) include an ultramodern Secretariat in Onitsha, which has given traders a great image, floating of a transport scheme known as traders’ shuttle and a community newspaper known as AMATAS Voice. Following the outgoing PG’s good performance, those eyeing the office of the President General of AMATAS have a huge task to fulfil if given the mandate to lead the traders. There are many traders from Onitsha and other zones eyeing the President General office and who started underground campaigns once it became obvious that Ezenwankwo was leaving for Abuja to represent Orumba North/South in the Federal House of Representatives. Among those said to be eyeing the AMATAS top job are Vincent Ifeme who is the President of Onitsha zone and core loyalist of Ewepudike; former Chairman Idemili North Local Government Area Hon. Emma Idemobi who has also served as Chairman of Old Motor Car Spare Parts Market Obosi popularly known as Mgbuka Obosi, and Humphrey Ezeanuna, among others. It is not clear whether the current Secretary General of AMATAS Chuma Eruchalu is in the race. A competent source told The Oracle Today that the leadership of AMATAS is about to be dissolved following the exit of Ezenwankwo whose tenure is about to elapse and who is going to the House of Representatives. According to the source, the President General will hand over the mantle of leadership based on the position of the

constitution of AMATAS on the issue of transition from one regime to another. “It is the leadership that will prepare grounds for election in line with the constitution,” the source said. The source said the new leadership is expected to emerge according to the constitution of AMATAS without intrusion from any party, adding that the constitution has addressed where the President General will come from and the credentials expected of a would-be President General among other things in line with the principle of zoning and rotation of power. The source further explained that, according to the constitution, the President General must be a serving or ex-market leader known to be doing business in the market in the zone to which the office is zoned. When asked to comment on the expected role of the State government in the process, the source said the State was expected to observe the process of the transition if they considered it necessary to do so when the time comes and nothing more, adding that the constitution of AMATAS being a Non Governmental Organisation (NGO) contains everything needed for a peaceful process of transition from the beginning to the end. On the chances of getting a performer like Ewepudike, the source said it is not impossible, considering that the pace for good leadership has been accelerated with what the successor will inherit. “It is not a big deal hence there are what to build on and consolidate on,” the source said adding that the incoming President General has to ensure a good relationship among the traders, good relationship with the State Government and ensure that democracy continues to thrive in market leadership in the State. It continued: “Ewepudike had the challenges of uniting the traders and giving them a face lift in the system of things in Anambra State, and he succeeded to do that. As a matter of fact, he is leaving a huge legacy of enthroning sound and workable market leadership in the State, so his successor has to take it from where he stopped and add value to what he inherited. We expect his successor to do even better because the structure, the support and everything are there for him to work with.”

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Ewepudike had the challenges of uniting the traders and giving them a face lift in the system of things in Anambra State, and he succeeded to do that.

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BU$IN£SS The Oracle Today Wednesday April 17 - 23, 2019

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Nigeria’s debt quandary triggers global alarm BY KAYODE OGUNWALE

oth the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) have been raising alarm on Nigeria’s mounting debt profile, but major concerns lie in government’s seeming denial of the worsening situation. In its report on ‘Nigerian Domestic and Foreign Debt Data’, the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) said Nigeria’s foreign debt stood at $25.27 billion as at December 31, 2018. At the ongoing World Bank/IMF 2019 Spring Meeting in Washington DC, USA, IMF continued to sound alarms over the country’s worsening debt profile, pointing at poor resource management strategies that underplay domestic productivity and overemphasize resource revenue. The IMF warned that Nigeria’s Debtto-GDP ratio has become weak, risky and incapable of supporting growth. It stressed the country’s economic growth, under the prevailing debt burden and low productivity, cannot be guaranteed going forward. Debt-GDP ratio compares the size of a country’s debt to its economy with a view to determining the sustainability of the debt profile as well as the vulnerability of the economy to creditors and repayment obligations. The ratio which stood at 21.1 per cent early last year was projected to reach 25 per cent at full year 2018. But the Fund indicated that the range is already risky and cannot be guaranteed. The Fund also harped on the use of the borrowed funds, saying that the channeling of the fund to productive sectors has become necessary to achieve significant impact on the economy. Financial Counsellor & Director of Monetary & Capital Markets Development at the IMF, Tobias Adrian, declared at a press briefing on “Global Financial Stability Report” that: “Nigeria’s borrowing to GDP is still low but we cannot guarantee the risk going forward given the global economic downturn. The prudent use of the money borrowed is significant to improving the economy.” In defiance of the grim economic indices that raise alarms over Nigeria’s fragile economy, government insists that the alarms by global institutions and economic analysts over the country’s debt profile are exaggerated, arguing that growth projections are sustainable. In its report on ‘Nigerian Domestic and Foreign Debt Data’, the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) said Nigeria’s foreign debt stood at $25.27billion as at December 31, 2018. Minister of Budget and National

Planning, Senator Udoma Udo Udoma, stated at the end of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting last week that Nigeria’s debt profile was within comfortable thresholds, adding that borrowed funds are deployed for infrastructural development. He said: “Our debts are sustainable. We do have a revenue challenge and we are focusing on that. Once the revenues come up, it will be obvious that we don’t have a debt problem at all.” He said the Nigerian government is working on a number of initiatives to increase the country’s revenues. “We are looking at initiatives to widen the tax base. We are looking at initiatives to increase efficiency in collections. We are looking at a single window, which will help to increase efficiency, customs collections. We are looking at many different ways to improve revenue,” the minister said. The Minister of Finance, Mrs. Zainab Ahmed, participated at the International Monetary Fund (IMF)/World Bank meetings in Washington DC said that the general advice for Nigeria is to prioritize cost-effective policies that would increase resilience to shocks, boost productivity and raise incomes of the bottom 40 per cent of the population. But she instead advanced proposals for normalization of trade relations among the contending parties and multi-laterism to avoid protectionist sentiments. She also blamed the new environmental and social safeguards framework imposed by the World Bank for slow pace of infrastructural development in Nigeria. “At the G-24 meeting, I drew the attention of the World Bank to some of the challenges we face in implementing our portfolio like the implementation of the new environmental and social safeguards framework which tends to slow down implementation of our infrastructure projects.

CBN Exchange Rates APRIL 16th, 2019 Currency Buying(NGN) Central (NGN) Selling(NGN) US DOLLAR 305.95 306.45 306.95 Pounds Sterling 401.3146 401.9705 402.6263 EURO 346.1518 346.7175 347.2832 SWISS FRANC 305.0653 305.5639 306.0624 YEN 2.731 2.7354 2.7399 CFA 0.509 0.519 0.529 WAUA 424.7326 425.4267 426.1208 YUAN/RENMINBI 45.6075 45.6824 45.7574 RIYAL 81.5801 81.7135 81.8468 S/AFRICAN RAND 21.8806 21.9164 21.9521 DANISH KRONA 46.3673 46.4431 46.5189 SDR 425.3317 426.0268 426.7219

Sen. Udo Udoma said government was working to attract foreign direct investments by promoting potentials for commercial investments in the country, adding that discussions are ongoing on improving the business climate, provision of incentives and enhancement of opportunities for investments in the country. He called on the International Finance Corporation (IFC) to support Nigeria’s efforts at leveraging private sector capital to fund critical infrastructure development in Nigeria. Also, the Governor, Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mr Godwin Emefiele, said he was in liaison with the United Nations to improve Nigeria’s status on financial inclusion as means of boosting domestic productivity. According to him, the rate of financial inclusion in the country has become rapid, making it possible for the 80 per cent inclusion target to be possible by 2020. He said the economic policies of the government have earned the confidence of international investors, pointing at rising inflows in the first quarter of the year. He admitted that the country’s GDP was low, but stressed that Nigeria was still being tipped among the emerging market economies expected to make significant contributions in global economic growth in the year. “A major take away from this meeting is that although the GDP numbers for Nigeria is low at 1.9 per cent in 2018, I’m encouraged by the IMF predictions that global growth will pick up by second half of 2019 and emerging market economies like India, Brazil, China and Nigeria will help to drive growth. “This means that a lot of eyes are on Nigeria and we must work hard to aggressively push up our growth numbers. But I’m hopeful that this can be achieved,” he said. The IMF had warned vulnerable

economies of rising financial risks associated with rising downside risks to global growth. “In countries with high or rising financial vulnerabilities, policymakers should proactively deploy prudential tools or expand their macro prudential toolkits where needed. These countries would benefit from activating or tightening broad-based macro prudential measures, such as countercyclical capital buffers, to increase the financial system’s resilience. Pointing at huge debts from issuance of sovereign bonds, the IMF warned that “efforts should also focus on developing prudential tools to address rising corporate debt from nonbank financial intermediaries and maturity and liquidity mismatches in the nonbank sector,” adding that egulators should also ensure that more comprehensive stress tests (that include macro-financial feedback effects) are conducted for banks and nonbank lenders. “Emerging market economies should ensure resilience against foreign portfolio outflows by reducing excessive external liabilities, cutting reliance on short-term debt, and maintaining adequate fiscal and foreign exchange reserve buffers.” The find projected economies like Nigerian with great financial vulnerabilities might have to confront short to medium term shocks due to predicted tightening of financial conditions associated with deterioration of positive investor sentiment. “Looking ahead, there is a risk that positive investor sentiment could deteriorate abruptly, leading to a sharp tightening of financial conditions. This will have a larger effect on economies with weaker fundamentals, greater financial vulnerabilities, and less policy space to respond to shocks.” In sum, the evaluation of the Nigerian economy at the just concluded World Bank meeting shows the urgent need for government’s economic planners to adopt more efficient financial management strategies that envisage shocks from global economic dynamics and fluctuations in the flow of global financial instruments. Senator Shehu Sani had last Thursday declared on his twitter handle: “When you borrow money from IMF, they will come and live in your house until you pay them; when you borrow money from China, they will turn you into a tenant in your house until you pay them.” Domestic economic management plans that center on empowering enterprises to grow local production and deemphasize large scale government borrowing appear to the only option for the country to slide back from the current precipice of economic doom.

•Tourism

Energy

Fuel scarcity set to worsen P24 e-Platform

Facebook soon to return messages to main app P26 AVIATION

Renovation of Imo airport to commence soon – FAAN P25

Insurance

PenCom enrolls 8.5m people into PCS in 15yrs

P24 Equity & Capital Market

Ecobank plans $500m Eurobond sale P28

Stock Market Highlights As At 16th april, 2019

Summary

ASI DEALS VOLUME VALUE EQUITY CAP BOND CAP ETF CAP

29,746.24 2,979.00 321,357,743.00 N4,657,186,639.16 N11,172,913,393,038.20 N10,744,459,607,350.90 N5,621,606,917.78

Top 5 Trade S/N Coy 1. UBN 2. GUARANTY 3. AFRINSURE 4. CHAMS 5. UBA

5 Top Gainers

Symbols Last Close NESTLE N1452.2 DANGFLOUR N9.2 GUARANTY N35.1 ZENITHBANK N20.5 AFRIPRUD N3.87

Current N1500.3 N10.1 N35.6 N20.9 N4.18

Change %Change 48.1 3.31% 0.9 9.78% 0.5 1.42% 0.4 1.95% 0.31 8.01%

N23 N2.7 N4.8 N0.47 N6.8

-0.5 -0.15 -0.05 -0.05 -0.05

5 Top Losers (By Volume) Value(N) 134,139,573 N912,177,948.80 61,050,779 N2,154,815,752.10 15,000,000 N3,000,000.00 14,020,683 N4,515,536.82 11,302,494 N72,054,057.00

INTBREW MAYBAKER OANDO JOHNHOLT UBN

N23.5 N2.85 N4.85 N0.52 N6.85

-2.13% -5.26% -1.03% -9.62% -0.73%

The Oracle Today Wednesday April 17 - 23, 2019

ISSN: 2545-5869

The

racle www.oraclenews.ng

Today

VOX POPULI SACRUM

EDITORIAL This unending fuel ‘subsidy’

ach time the federal government given resources more efficiently emerges, of naira have been shared among thieves. desires to increase taxes, it talks about the prices may reduce further. At least that was the view canvassed by removing subsidy on petroleum prodA clear proof of sabotage lies in the irony the present leaders of Nigeria until May ucts. Last week, the managing director that an oil-rich country imports almost all 2015. of the International Monetary Fund, Ms When the Goodluck Jonathan administraof its fuel needs. The four refineries have Christine Lagarde, was widely quoted been crippled and the Greenfield refinertion announced that the subsidy had as requesting the Nigerian government ies promised by the Jonathan administrabeen removed on January 1, 2012, the to do “the right thing” by removing tion have yet to see the light of day. All current APC leaders raised hell, sponsorfuel subsidy. It was time to obey the talk of privatising the existing refineries ing mass protests against the then ruling IMF, and finance minister Zainab Ahmed has been muted, apparently because the government. After the “Occupy Nigeria” briefly echoed Lagarde. Many fuel stamanagers of the petroleum sector have protests, several panels of inquiry found tions started hoarding the commodity. not been sincere all along. While crude that close to N2trillion had been stolen Queues returned. And Minister Zainab oil’s importance is declining worldwide as in the name of subsidy between 2010 and had cause to “clarify” that the federal other energy sources are being harvested, 2011. And, in 2012, about 123 private jets government had “no plan to remove the NNPC is wasting billions of dollars on bought and brought into Nigeria were all subsidy now”. In other words, it had a a wild goose chase in the Chad Basin. traceable to the same people purportedly plan to remove it later. importing subsidised fuel. In 2014, the na- In supporting the removal of “subsidy”, The government should quickly remove therefore, we are not asking that more tion was regaled with tales of kerosene what it calls “subsidy” on all petroleum pains be inflicted on already traumatised “subsidy” that gulped N700 million daily. products without delay, so Nigerians Nigerians. We have only taken notice of Yet, the kerosene supposedly sold N50 could stop dying in instalments. The the monumental corruption, lack of transper litre was found only in the land of downstream sector of the Nigerian peparency and inefficiency existing in both ghosts. troleum industry has since been deregu- Under Jonathan, the 36 states’ finance the nation’s oil industry and government lated. Yet we hear the lie that governapparatchiks. When the phantom subsidy commissioners had already reached an ment retains subsidies on petrol and is removed, one pipe through which lootagreement on the removal of all subsikerosene. As has become self-evident, ers siphon trillions of naira each year will dies on petroleum products. Then APC the “subsidy” has been a clever web of be blocked. Then, we shall see a reason presidential candidate Muhammadu graft through which billions and trillions to block other pipes -- such as security and Buhari was among those who said there defence expenditures –also deliberately was no subsidy in the first place. invented for stealing public funds. Bola Tinubu was in Lagos railing against “tormentors” of the common man. Our Vision After the announcement of TO BE among the top five newspapers in NiJanuary 2012, the price of a litre geria and, in due course, the Numero Uno; of petrol jumped from N65 to to be a newspaper of records that effectiveN140 in many places. But after ly caters to the information needs of all segthe protests and the Jonathan ments and sections of the Nigerian society government’s surrender, it was as well as all social classes and cultures. Esincreased by only N10 from N87. sentially, we want to be a responsible corpoWith the APC in government, rate citizen, a commercially viable, properly we were told the “subsidy” had organised media business, which meets its been removed when the price obligations to society, government and the jumped from N97 to N145 per workforce. litre. Which subsidy, then, are we Mission hearing again in 2019? WE INTEND to contribute to the developIt is time to let them have their ment of an inclusive Nigerian society, with a way and for ordinary Nigerians view to getting rid of the dark sides of our to gird their loins for harder national life (slothfulness, greed, corruption, times. Likely, a litre of petrol nepotism, totalitarianism, etc); to continually will cost as much as N400 when, engender and sustain national debates that eventually, the subsidy is rewould ultimately lead to the enthronement moved. But we expect that the of healthy national values--hard-work, justice, high price will be temporary. equity and fairplay, transparency, good govThe existing cartel may unite to ernance, resulting, in themselves, the egalikeep the products’ prices high, tarian Nigerian society of our dream. We will but new players/importers will give voice to the voiceless and at all times, inevitably force the prices down. strive to be balanced, objective, honest, truthWith competition from both ful and fair to all sides; so that through The importers and private refinerOracle Today, our people, the Nigerian peoies, the fuel prices are not likely ple can see a bright light at the end of what to remain higher than N300 per has been a very dark tunnel. And we shall do litre, after a year or two. And all this in absolute trust in God who blesses once a more purposeful governgood intentions. ment that can manage our God-

The Oracle Today Wednesday April 17 - 23, 2019

OPINION Appraising Chadwick’s ‘Day Break In Udi’(1) By DONS EZE,

t will be seventy years this June when Edward Chadwick, a British Colonial District Officer for former Udi Division, had made known to the public his innovative programme of Adult Mass literacy or Communal Voluntary Work, otherwise called “Day Break in Udi”. ln an article published by a United Nations Educational, Scientic and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Magazine, dated June 24, 1949, Chadwick made a detailed report of his programme. According to him, “an experiment in mass education or communal development was started on a small scale in June 1944 in the Udi Division of Onitsha Province. The initial trials were equivalent to laboratory tests to see whether Communal Development by voluntary labour was even feasible in Ibo country”. After five years of experiment, Chadwick decided to showcase his programme through the UNESCO publication. “I have decided to give an account of the Udi experiment showing why it was started, how it developed, the difficulties that had to be overcome, what has been achieved, the political effects of the experiment, and my personal conclusions”, he wrote. Chadwick started by highlighting the importace of adult mass literacy, which he said was key to reaching the grassroots, but regretted that this had not been given sufficient attention by the administration. He maintained that “mass eduction is eve-

rybody’s business”, and should not be allowed to become a mere sideline of a department of government. He thus recommended that mass education should be the key function of the District Officer if his efforts were to impact on the people. “It is of primary importance and should be one of the chief aspects of the District Officer’s work”, he stated. Chadwick listed some of the problems he encountered while starting the programme to include fear by the natives of dispossession of their land, that the scheme could be used to destroy their “juju”, lack of teaching staff, as well as insufficient funds for procurring essential teaching aids. These problems were surmounted, according to Chadwick, by letting the people know that the programme had nothing to do with their land or their traditional value system, as well as by enlisting the services of voluntary teachers, and making use of some improvised teaching tools. “Altogether four communities were selected for the first test of the experiment”, Chadwick informed, and named the four communities as Udi, Ogwofia, Akama Oghe and Nze. “As far as these communities, and others who took part in anti-illiteracy classes were later concerned, there seems to be no rule as to the relative proportions in which men and women attended. Each village was a law unto itself”, he explained. Evaluating the scheme after six months of experiment, Chadwick reported that “at

Udi, some twenty people were fully literate in Ibo, about forty made progress... at Akama Oghe, about a dozen young men were fully literate, about a hundred people had made some real progress... at Ogwofia where the teaching talent was poor, about twenty had made a good progress and were nearly full literate, and at Nze, some twenty people had progressed, about a third on the way to full literacy in Ibo”. Apart from adult literacy classes, the scheme also had entailed the use of voluntary communal labour in executing selected projects. For instance, at Ogwofia, a cooperative society shop, the first of its kind in the country, was established, in addition to a maternity home, while at Akama Oghe, a dispensary was built, etc. Chadwick’s scheme worked like this: “A village asks to be allowed to start literacy classes, and when the people see that it is easy to learn to read and write, they begin to realize that there is nothing to stop them developing in other directions if they like to make effort. Then they usually make a motor road into the village centre, but they choose for themselves what they will build”. He further stated that “community development in Udi Division does not follow a set plan imposed by authority from above. It springs from the wishes of the people. The people choose for themselves when to start, and what they will do. Naturally their choice is governed by the relative urgencies of their needs”. According to Chadwick, “the only rule

guiding the village or community in its choice of development plans is: what do the people want most? If they want a thing sufficiently to do the work voluntarily, and to fund the greater part of any of the cost, they are encouraged to go ahead”. Chadwick insisted that communal development should not be forced and that the people should come on their own to ask for permission to start work, and should be allowed to choose their own projects. Having tested the programme in the laboratory and found it successful, he decided to apply it to all parts of Udi Division. By November 1946, Chadwick estimated that the number of people nominally attending Mass Literacy classes were over 12,000, while ten communties had made motor roads from their villages to the nearest native administration centre, which varied from three to ten miles in lenghth, and which took between 5,000 to 23,000 man days of free labour. Perhaps, the most strikiing project which Chadwick was proud to showcase was the road “connecting Owa Clan Native Court and the Clan Native Administration Dispensary”, which took two months to complete, with “12,000 man-days of free labour”. On completion, the road was named “IKE DIMKPA (by the power of a strong man)”, he stated. •DON EZE, PH.D, wrote from Enugu To be continue next week

2023: It’s reality check for Ndigbo By EHICHIOYA EZOMON

he 2019 polls have almost receded. But before the ghost of the presidential election is rested, that of 2023 has been roused, thanks to the unpredictability of Nigeria’s political terrain, and the possible historic nature of the balloting in four years’ time. The only reason for a flashback to the polls is their scrutiny at the Election Petitions Tribunals. While the Tribunal (Appeal Court) for the presidential election holds in Abuja, similar proceedings for other elective offices have opened at the High Courts in the states, and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja. The candidate of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, wants the February 23 election processes examined for alleged wrongful declaration of the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, President Muhammadu Buhari, as the winner of the poll. And there’s the catch: Due to the fluidity of our judicial proceedings, no crystal-ball can predict the Tribunal’s outcome. If it found Buhari wanting, and returned Atiku as elected, or canceled the entire poll, it could alter the presidential trajectory for 2023. Permutations - yes, nothing is cast in stone - are that for equity, fairness, justice, inclusion, and harmony, the third largest ethnic group in the Nigerian Federation - the Igbo of the South-East - should have a shot at the Presidency in 2023. Going by the projections, this can be achieved on the platform of the ruling APC that featured Buhari for re-election, to complete the constitutionally-mandated eightyear tenure of two terms of four years each. He’s first elected in 2015. Flowing from this legal sanction is the unwritten “Charter of Equity” by members of the political class that envisioned a “rotation” of the Presidency between the North and South of Nigeria in every eight years. Having gone to the North between 2015 and 2023 (as per the 2019 poll), it’s a given that in 2023, the Presidency should go to the South, and to the Igbo, who have not had

“one of their own,” as their peers, through a direct franchise. What they had had in Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe, as Governor-General (1960 to 1963), and as the first President (1963 to 1966) was largely a “Ceremonial Head” worked out, respectively, in 1960, when Nigeria gained Independence from Britain, and in 1963, when the country turned a Republic. Thus, ‘The Zik of Africa’ was in government, but “never in power” for six years. And this is the narrative the Igbo want to change in 2023 by producing the candidate(s) for the Presidency. Represented by Ohanaeze Ndigbo, the Igbo, perhaps disappointed by their political station in the Nigerian project, seem to place “Restructuring of the Federation,” as an agenda post-2019 polls, over the Presidency. But attaining the latter maybe easier than a fundamental remodelling of the country. Yet, how feasible is the expectation of gaining the Presidency, owing to the unreliable nature of politicians, who, buoyed by powerful forces, had violated the “principle” of rotation of power between the North and South? For example, were “rotation” a legal fiat, other PDP aspirants from outside the SouthWest wouldn’t have attempted to be president in 2003 against the re-election of emeritus Gen. Olusegun Obasanjo. In 2011, former President Goodluck Jonathan would have allowed the North to complete the eight-year, two-term tenure of the late President Umaru Yar’Adua. And in 2015, Buhari would have given Jonathan the chance to complete his second term in office. Where rules are not codified, politicians always have wiggle room, which they cleverly exploited in those years, in the disguise of attempting to use another aberration to cure the defects in “rotation of the Presidency.” By the way, there’s nothing like “entitlement” in politics, especially in the Nigerian variant, which the Igbo literally cling to as a “right” or “turn” to claim the Presidency. Theirs should be an “effective demand,” as the Presidency, or any other office, is not

served on a platter of prerogative. To get the exalted office, the Igbo have to work real hard. Other groups that had assumed it have had to struggle, including settling their house first, before soliciting the backing of other sections, to succeed at their goal. Playing for 2023 is more tasking due partly to divergent views from the North (for power retention) and South-West (for no zoning in the South). To these proponents, the Presidency is open to all sections of the country. So, Ndigbo have their work cut out for them. Thus, it won’t hurt if they look at the following tips: (1) Ndigbo must identify, and present formidable, and unassailable “aspirants,” not limited to one political party. And their grooming should immediately commence, as 2023 is “just” tomorrow. (2) Once the party primaries are over, Ndigbo should fully back the candidate(s) that emerged, and prevent spoiler “candidate(s)” from springing up, to put spanners in the works, such as in the March 9, 2019 governorship contest in Abia, Ebonyi, Enugu and Imo states where more than one candidate “claimed” the APC tickets. (3) They should aim for the numbers (votes) to carry the candidate through. And getting the backing, and the numbers means earning the trust of all zones of the country. No area is “unimportant.” (4) Igbo should mind their alleged “Superior Race” mentality in a Federation of over 250 ethnic groups. If this “big ego” is not curbed, those of the “Inferior Races” will continually “conspire” to give them the short end of the stick in the national schemes. (5) Ditto for “hating” of other tribes because “they hate us, too.” If they hate you, why accommodate your presence, businesses, landed properties, and “Eze Ndigbo” chieftaincies all over the places? Court these people to make your dream Presidency a reality! (6) It’s time to abandon “victimhood” or “marginalisation” associated with the reported “sins” of the Nigerian Civil War from which

“we (Igbo) are a ‘conquered territory.’” Are other “marginalised” Nigerians also targeted victims of the war? (7) “Internet warriors,” parading as mouthpieces of Igbo to malign competing ethnic nationalities, chiefly the Yoruba and Fulani, must stop the “bigotry” or wreak more political harm, on the road to 2023, than they did in 2015 and 2019. Ndigbo need all hands on deck, particularly from outside their comfort zone, to accomplish the goal of installing a President of Igbo extraction. No encouragement, no matter how minute, is useless or unwelcome! • Mr. Ezomon, Journalist and Media Consultant, writes from Lagos, Nigeria.

THE GROUP Managing Editor/COO Felix Oguejiofor Abugu Deputy Managing Editor/COO Sopuruchi Onwuka Chairman Editorial Board Igwebike Mbanefo SE/SS Editor Odogwu Emeka Odogwu Acting BDM Kelechi Nze Head, Graphics & Designs Nnamdi Alex Chukwu Circulation Manager Felix Oti

The Oracle Today Wednesday April 17 - 23, 2019

ENERGY

NLNG vs NIMASA: Deconstructing the N126 b feud T By SOPURUCHI ONWUKA

he lingering feud between the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) and Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG) Limited amplify the dreaded question of sanctity of agreements in the Nigerian business environment. It is obvious that the festering legal contest activated by the gas processing company is solidly based on legal provisions allegedly violated by the maritime regulator in desperate pursuit of revenue for the government. And the subsequent legal fireworks arising from the contest host stories of impunity by a state agency expected to safeguard and honour agreements and treaties in which the integrity, credibility and reputation of the nation are staked. The case became the subject of public commentary and analyses following the recent judgment in which Justice Garuba Lawal of the Court of Appeal in Lagos ordered parties in the case earlier won by NLNG at the High Court to revert to fresh hearing under a different High Court judge. His decision was based on submissions by NIMASA that its counterclaim in the matter was not taken into consideration by the Federal High Court in arriving at its judgment. The protracted dispute between both parties arose as a result of perceived conflict in the enabling Acts of both organizations: the Nigeria LNG (Fiscal Incentives, Guarantees and Assurances) Act 1990 on one hand; and Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency Act 2007, Merchant Shipping Act and Coastal and Inland Shipping Act on the other hand. The NLNG is one of the prime beneficiaries of the pioneer status policy of the federal government on gas monetization and flare reduction. The NLNG Act is based on initial terms of contract between government and private shareholders of the company. NNPC holds overriding 49 percent financial interest in the company while Shell Gas BV owns 25.6 percent operating interest. Also, Total has 15 percent in the company while Eni International N.V.S.a.r.l holds the remaining 10.4 percent interest. The terms include incentives, concessions, guarantees and assurances in letters to lenders for the NLNG Trains 4 and 5 expansion by Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Justice and office of the Attorney-General of the Federation, and the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN). The main thrust of the guarantees and assurances are to assure protection of foreign investments by the non-breach of the NLNG Act which, in recognition of its sanctity, has been protected by all administrations of the federal government right from inception. The terms of the contract were modeled after similar packages of incentives flaunted by other competing countries such as Qatar, Oman, Malaysia, Angola, and others to attract investors in gas liquefaction and export. Expectedly, the legal frameworks, commercial incentives and sanctity of contracts built into the NLNG Act formed the spring board for the company’s rapid growth from a single train gas processing company to an efficiently run six train company with one of the healthiest balance sheets among biggest commercial enterprises in Africa. Section 2 of the NLNG Act provides the company tax waivers and other incentives for its investments in facilities to harness Nigeria’s gas

• Tony Attah

• Dakuku Peterside

The position of FIRS was however challenged by NLNG with facts; and the tax agency admitted in a letter dated April 24 2012 that “we hereby accept your position that the Company’s pioneer period ended on the 8th of October 2009 and not on 8th October 2008 as earlier communicated to you.” resources for exports. But NIMASA contends that its establishment laws exempt only military vessels from its various revenue payments. Thus, whereas NIMASA insists that its levies were applicable to NLNG, the latter argues that fiscal incentives embedded in the NLNG Act exempt it from such levies and charges. A cross section of legal experts whose opinions were sought on the matter declared that whereas they did not have all the facts of the matter but stressed that when two laws that confer rights contend, the first in time takes precedence and consequently overrides the later. NIMASA toed the path of illegality when withdrew its case from court and resorted to use of brute force and violence in exacting payments from the gas company under protest. The agency had filed a suit against NLNG in 2010 to claim the levies but, faced with weight if evidence, the maritime regulator filed an application to withdraw the suit after preliminary proceedings were taken and concluded, and the matter was ready for hearing. While other parties went home relieved, NIMASA resorted to self-help by sending its security contractors to block the Bonny Channel weeks, preventing passage of NLNG’s chartered vessels. The security contractors to NIMASA, Global West Vessel Specialists Limited, had May 3, 2013 blockaded LNG Adamawa, an NLNG chartered vessel as part of brute force deployed by the maritime regulator in effort to exact the disputed levies from the gas company. NIMASA had demanded payments in respect of shipping levies based on gross freight on exports and imports, but the NLNG Act exempts Nigeria LNG from payment of the Sea Protection Levy, the three percent freight levies on cargo exports shipped by NLNG, and the two percent Cabotage Levy. Based on strident protest by NLNG

and after a meeting where it was resolved for lasting solutions to be sought under the rule of law, NIMASA eventually lifted the blockade on May 5, 2013. Surprisingly on June 23, 2013, NIMASA mounted another illegal blockade of the Bonny Channel in flagrant disregard of a subsisting court order barring it from further preventing NLNG vessels and vessels belonging to its buyers from accessing or leaving the NLNG terminal. In view of its contract commitments to its commercial partners, financial losses, dents on its corporate reputation, political pressure from government and the risks of losing market positions, NLNG declared that it would start paying some of the imposed levies in installment under protest. After a three week illegal blockade, during which NLNG was compelled to start making the disputed payments under protest, NIMASA ended the illegal blockade. The NLNG declared that it lost over $355 million or N127.8 billion in revenue as a result of the illegal blockade mounted by NIMASA in defiance of court orders. In an inevitable but lawful response to the invasion by NIMASA, the NLNG filed a case at the Federal High Court, Lagos Division, in 2013, against the Attorney General of the Federation and Global West Vessel Specialists Nigeria Limited, seeking a judicial determination on, among other things, the legality or otherwise of certain levies sought to be imposed on NLNG by NIMASA, and the consequent blockade of NLNG vessels by NIMASA and Global West as a result of the dispute. In October 2017, Justice M.B. Idris of Federal High Court in Lagos ruled against NIMASA, saying NLNG was not liable to make any payments to NIMASA. The court directed the maritime agency to refund any payment already made in respect of levies for the use of the Bonny Channel.

The court further held that NIMASA was wrong in blockading the Bonny Channel for the purpose of enforcing the payments against NLNG and went further to restrain NIMASA from taking or continuing any steps to block, restrain, seize, detain or restrict NLNG’s or its shareholders or subsidiary’s vessels or chartered vessels. The judgment of the Federal High Court was however reversed on March 29, 2019 following an appeal filed by NIMASA. The Court of Appeal directed that the case between the two parties be remitted to the Federal High Court for a re-hearing. Legal experts say the appeal court’s decision leaves the parties with options to either go back to the Federal High Court for a re-hearing or appeal the decision to the Supreme Court. “Where the case is to be heard afresh as directed, the position of the parties would revert to what it was as at the time the case was filed, in which case no payments of the levies in dispute would be made by NLNG to NIMASA pending the re-hearing and determination of the suit. “Where on the other hand the right of appeal to the Supreme Court is exercised, the status quo as of the date of the Court of Appeal judgment will be maintained, which is to the same effect,” a lawyer who spoke on the matter said. Beyond the swinging position of the courts, the traditional and tragic marker of the Nigerian judicial system, investment analysts and country risk advisory consultants are in awe over the application of crude force in seeking interpretation of legal and fiscal incentives granted by a sovereign state to trap down huge investible funds and global expertise in domestic gas valorization. They interpret the role of NIMASA in the case as raw brigandage which, according to them, places the character and mental integrity of managers of the system on the scale of qual-

ity. They also added that defiance to standing judicial restraint against the blockade alone is punishable, while the consequent revenue losses suffered by managers and shareholders of NLNG form valid basis to make separate financial claims. In various publications, some analysts had confused the matters at issue, linking NIMASA’s demand for levies to expiration of the 10 year tax holiday granted the gas company by the NLNG Act. Some of the publications also made hazards at calculating taxes payable by NLNG under the fiscal incentives. Others called on President Muhammadu Buhari to invoke executive fiat in compelling NLNG to pay the NIMASA levies. In checking the facts, our enquiries showed that NLNG’s tax holiday ended on 8th October, 2009; and the company says it has no tax issues with the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS). It would be recalled that the FIRS had in 2012 investigated the tenure of NLNG’s tax holiday and resolved that the 10 year tax relief period ended one year earlier on October 8, 2008. They based their assumptions on conditions specified in the NLNG Act for early termination of the tax relief period. The position of FIRS was however challenged by NLNG with facts; and the tax agency admitted in a letter dated April 24 2012 that “we hereby accept your position that the Company’s pioneer period ended on the 8th of October 2009 and not on 8th October 2008 as earlier communicated to you.” This NLNG stated in a fact sheet that FIRS followed strictly the computation mechanism contained in the First Schedule to the NLNG Act. It also declared that the levies demanded by NIMASA are different and separate from issues of tax holiday. The company stated that “the NIMASA levies have nothing to do with the NLNG tax holiday. The 10 year tax holiday was a pioneer period incentive in the manner of similar relief to pioneer companies under the Industrial Development (Income Tax Relief) Act and pertains specifically to income-tax. That is why, since the end of the tax relief period, NLNG now pays Companies Income Tax (CIT) and Tertiary Education Tax (TET) which are the heads of corporate income taxes recognized under our laws.” The gas liquefaction company also explained that “NIMASA levies are not heads of income tax. They fall within the fiscal incentives and exemptions contained in other provisions of the NLNG Act which are not time bound.” It accused NIMASA of deliberately confusing the issues at contention by inserting levies within the remit of the tax relief period to deceive the public. An official of FIRS in Lagos stated that the tax agency does not collaborate with NIMASA in tax collection, adding that the tax office has no current issues with the NLNG. He confirmed that NLNG remains the biggest corporate tax payer in the country and an unblemished model in corporate tax responsibility. Our check on NLNG’s corporate tax performance plus cash and non cash contributions to the economy showed that the company stands tall as the biggest tax payer in Africa. It has remitted cumulative $40.47 billion or N14. 6 trillion revenue to the government in the past 19 years. NLNG has monetized over 6.37 trillion cubic feet of associated gas to Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) and Natural Gas Liquids (NGLs), thus

Cont’d on Page 21

The Oracle Today Wednesday April 17 - 23, 2019

ENERGY

NLNG vs NIMASA Cont’d from Page 21

helping to reduce gas flaring by upstream companies from over 60% to less than 20%. From the monetization of gas hitherto being flared, NLNG has generated over $100 billion revenue since inception; paid over $36 billion to shareholders as dividends, and 49% of the total dividends goes to the federal government through the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC). Also of the $28 billion paid to Joint Ventures (JVs) feedgas suppliers, some 58.8 percent of that amount goes to the federal government through NNPC. In 2018, NLNG paid government about $864 million in incremental CIT alone. Other payments declared by the company include employee income tax, state and local government taxes, as well as regulators’ levies and fees totaling over N60 billion. Out of corporate goodwill, NLNG has also voluntarily committed to about N222 billion social responsibility projects in Nigeria, assisting plug gaps and solving needs in areas where government is yet to reach with overstretched hands. The huge social assistance budget places NLNG as clear leader in Corporate Social Responsibility in Nigeria. The company has spent over N25 billion on community projects over the years; it injected over N2.0 billion in building world-class engineering laboratories in six Nigerian Universities through the University Support Programme; it is spending N120 billion on the construction of BonnyBodo Road in Rivers State. The NLNG signed an MOU with the Bonny Island community to provide N3.0 billion each year for 25 years for the overall development of the Kingdom. And why would a company that pays over N14.6 trillion in taxes, dividends and feedgas invoices; and volunteers up to N222 billion in corporate social responsibility budget avert any legitimate payment to the state? Therefore, what is at stake transcends worth of the levies to legality of demand, risk of altering fiscal frameworks for investments and the clear danger of muddling up guarantees and assurances that incubate investor confidence and sanctity of external transactions. It is understandable therefore that in a country where the government is neck deep in debt and agencies of the state are scrambling to meet revenue targets, a well managed enterprise with strong balance sheet like NLNG will form the target of milk poachers. And NIMASA is not alone in the attempt. Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) was more strategic in its moves to easily secure own establishment act amendment after panindustry uproar suppressed earlier attempt to alter the NLNG Act. The Senate had in 2017 dismantled basis for disputes over moves to amend the NLNG Establishment Act with a lateral amendment Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) Act, thus resting the dispute over moves by House of Representatives to alter the fiscal and legal frameworks that underpin deep pocket investments in NLNG. The Senate’s intervention came after House of Representatives passed a bill for the amendment of the NLNG Act on May 9, 2017, generating significant global industry concerns over the long term fate of investments in the country. At a conference hosted in Lagos, indigenous and foreign petroleum in-

dustry players in the country roundly condemned any breach of sanctity of contracts as a serious dent on the integrity of Nigeria as sovereign investment host. Renowned industry stalwarts including former Minister of Power and former Mister of Science and Technology at separate times, Professor Barth Nnaji; Chairman of Lagos Petroleum Club, Dr, Godswill Ihetu; Executive Director of SocioEconomic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP), Mr. Tokunbo Mumni; Head of Energy Research at Ecobank, Mr Dolapo Oni; amongst others decried any breach of NLNG Act as discouraging to investments. They deflated all arguments advanced by Hon. Simon Yakubu Arobo of the House of Representatives and warned that over-exposing Nigeria’s most efficiently run company to multiple financial demands would leave it crumbling from the sway of fiscal instability. They also blamed signals arising from government’s constant breach of business agreements with foreign investors for the worsening investment flight, associated scarcity of foreign exchange and general economic downturn. Prof. Barth Nnaji made it clear that agreements are legal instruments that form the basis for investment decisions. He pointed out that government must respect its contracts with business entities in order to attract the right set of foreign direct investments required to realize the country’s aspiration for rapid economic development. Chairman of the Lagos Petroleum Club, Dr. Godswill Ihetu, stated that breaching the NLNG Act would further worsen the current state of foreign investment apathy in the Nigerian petroleum industry, scare off intending entrants, send dangerous signals to the international investment community and stall growth in the midstream petroleum sector. Dr. Ihetu who is the pioneer Managing Director of NLNG pointed out that government had to provide assurances and guarantees needed for the investors to stake capital in generating value for the country. In his contribution, Mr. Mumuni made it clear that SERAP is more interested in the role of the National Assembly to protect the rights of individual and corporate citizens. He tasked the legislators to conduct performance audits on government agencies funded from industry budgets to ensure that they deliver on their mandates. Chairman of Mentor Energy, Mr. Victor Eromosele, who spoke extensively on the subject, concluded that any breach to NLNG Act was in direct conflict with workings of the upstream and midstream industry operations. Apprehension was high over the fate of the guarantees and incentives granted in the NLNG Act which provided cradle shield for the company. Just as the Senate resolved the NDDC issues over NLNG contributions, Justice M.B. Idris of Federal High Court in Lagos ruled against NIMASA over the suit on illegal levies on the gas company in the same year, saying the demand from the maritime regulator breached sanctity of the NLNG Act. However, the intransigence of NIMASA in pursuing overturn of the judgment at the appellate court continues to stoke industry concerns and sustain global focus on how Nigerian state agencies brazenly afflict commercial investments in the country in flagrant disregard to law and order.

• Nigerians queue-up at an NNPC petrol station

Fuel scarcity set to worsen By Sopuruchi Onwuka

ndications are strong that the petrol scarcity which started weekend will worsen in the week as marketers see no immediate supply replacement from the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC). Market survey by The Oracle Today Saturday showed that fuel stock at most storage facilities and retail outlet were fast running out, forcing marketing companies to scale down retail activities at major sites while they monitor supply outlook. Procurement officials of some of the marketing companies that responded to our enquiries disclosed that stock is very low at the depots holding fuel stock for the NNPC, a development that have made it difficult for the corporation to meet fully paid supply orders from the marketing companies. Officials of marketing companies that spoke to our correspondent stated that NNPC currently allocate only 10 percent of fully booked orders while voices at some of the depots holding the corporation’s fuel said stock levels were at 15 percent storage capacity. At storage facilities operated by private depot owners that do not hold stock for NNPC, fuel volumes have completely dried out as most the facilities are now shut down after years and months of loading inactivity. The Oracle Today reports that the NNPC has remained the sole importer and supplier of petrol to the domestic fuel market since the current administrations of President Muhammadu Buhari-led federal government took over in 2015. Both the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) and the Petroleum Products Pricing and Regulatory Agency (PPPRA) have since ceased to issue importation licenses to private marketers, a situation which leaves the market in the hands of single supplier. NNPC thus feeds the market with mainly imported petroleum products following inactivity at the nation’s moribund refineries which currently operate at less than 20 percent installed capacity mainly to keep equipment from wears and other issues associated with regular start ups.

The corporation drives two importation processes: direct import orders from refineries and trading companies; and its crude for product swap arrangement with foreign refineries. Under both arrangements, NNPC traps the annual trillion dollar government subsidy on retail prices of petrol goes in bulk, leaving other marketers in the country as mere sales agents with fixed commission. The situation which has been decried by all marketers groups in the country as a crippling state monopoly also leaves the market vulnerable to supply shocks, especially at times prior to high political campaign activities when the corporation is usually under intense cash demand pressure. The current scarcity is coming after highly contested general elections in which the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC) deployed all state resources including the military and other state agencies in securing victory in an election which over 3000 people were arrested for election violence and the security forces have faced allegations of brazen interference in the polling process. Analysts think that the inability of the NNPC to meet import orders within the period might not be totally unconnected with the previous allegations that the corporation was involved in massive cash movement ahead of the elections. The two chambers of the National Assembly had last year activated investigations into observed oil cash movements following coincidences of controversial cash withdrawals from Economic Stabilization Account (also called Excess Crude Account) by the Presidency and huge subsidy claims by NNPC. Whereas withdrawal of $1.0 billion or N360 billion from the nation’s Economic Stabilization Account (ESA) also called Excess Crude Account (ECA) sparked national outrage, the House of Representatives accused NNPC of withdrawing over N1.4 trillion from the nation’s revenue flow channels in an alleged self help effort to subsidize retail of petrol. The withdrawals came to question following the facts that President Muhammadu Buhari’s government has been driving phased deregulation of the domestic market under

a price modulation strategy that allows marketers to over-recover revenue from the retail market during low price cycle period. The profit surge, under the arrangement, is supposed to be deployed to subsidize under-recovery during high price cycle. The Oracle Today reports that the oil market has been in the low price since 2014 and only started heading up since 2017. Arguments are that players in the domestic retail market are still in comfort zone and may not require subsidy at the moment. Friends of the government still argue that huge oil cash withdrawals from NNPC and national escrow accounts are customary in months leading to major elections in Nigeria. The suspicion that NNPC might be too broke to invade the spot market with import orders and arrest the worsening scarcity dashes hopes of early resolution of the current supply crisis. Despite claims by the NNPC’s corporate spokesman, Mr. Ndu Ughamadu, that the corporation has 55 turgid petrol depots across the country, demand orders from marketing companies only get about 10 percent supply ratio at the NNPC depots, showing the apparent weakness of the corporation to meet paid up demand.

•NNPC GMD, Maikanti Baru

The Oracle Today Wednesday April 17 - 23, 2019

INSURANCE & PENSION

PTAD clears final tranche of 33% pension increment …Begins verification of eligible DBS pensioners Stories by VICTOR NZE

ension Transitional Arrangement Directorate (PTAD) has approved the immediate payment of the sum of N 2,608,455,504 to 103,710 civil service pensioners. The payment represents the final tranche being made to Civil Service pensioners on the 6 months arrears of 33% pension increment and is in fulfillment of President Muhammadu Buhari’s led administration’s commitment to pensioners’ welfare. It will be recalled that in July 2010, the Federal Government announced a 33% pension increase for pensioners. The Federal Government began the payment of this increment from January 2014 leaving arrears of 42 months outstanding. Out of the 42 months that was outstanding as at 2014, 24 months was paid in 2016, 6 months was paid in 2017, while 6 months was paid in November 2018.

The Directorate has now cleared the backlog of the 33% pension arrears of three main Departments of Civil Service Pension Department, Police Pension Department and Customs, Immigration and Prisons Pension Department. The Directorate has also further assured that backlog of 33% arrears owed Parastatal Pensioners will be cleared in due course. Meanwhile, PTAD has concluded plans for verification of pensioners of Federal Government-funded parastatals, agencies, and institutions under the Defined Benefit Scheme (DBS), a statement from PTAD says. The statement by the management of PTAD on Thursday in Abuja explained that the verification would comprise 104,133 pensioners and Next of Kin (NoK) from 270 Federal funded establishments. According to PTAD, the exercise will hold in all the six geo-political

zones of the country and Lagos. Pensioners of defunct and privatised agencies will also be verified during the exercise. PTAD listed Nigeria Aviation Handling Company ( NAHCO), Assurance Bank, Nigerian National Shipping Line (NNSL), and Aluminium Smelter Company Of Nigeria (ALSCON) as defunct agencies. The directorate said that the exercise was to validate inherited payrolls from the various defunct pension boards and offices which handled payment of pensioners under the DBS. Prior to the enactment of the Pension Reform Act 2004, pension schemes in the country had been bedeviled by many problems. The Public Service operated an unfunded Defined Benefits Scheme and the payment of retirement benefits were budgeted annually. The directorate also said the veri-

ceeding. It is based on cutting edge information, tools and concepts of entrepreneurship,” the company said. Commenting, Executive Director and Chief Operations Officer, Mr. Babatunde Fajemirokun said: “Nigerians with entrepreneurial potentials and dreams of self-reliance can now take advantage of the programme to gain momentum and become viable, irrespective of challenges. We want to help them to see opportunities around them and equip them with the knowledge and skill to make the most of it, profitably. We have the manpower and have made adequate provisions to ensure the continuity of this programme.” The statement urged interested individuals to visit www.aiicoplc. com/index.php/entrepreneurship to sign up. “Certificates shall be issued to participants upon successful completion,” AIICO said.

• Group Managing Director/CEO, NAHCO Plc, Mrs. Olatokunbo Fagbemi (m) MD, Ernst & Young, Mr. Henry Egbiki (l) and Mr. Ikeagwu Nwosu, at the conferment of Award on NAHCO for consistent and unbroken payment of dividend to shareholders for 11 years

AIICO Insurance unveils free entrepreneurial development programme

IICO Insurance Plc has launched a free Entrepreneurship Development Programme geared towards empowering Nigerians with the requisite knowledge and skills for entrepreneurship, as well as employment generation, poverty reduction and economic growth. A statement by the Head, Strategic Marketing & Communications Department of AIICO, Atinuke Jose, said the CSR scheme is open to individuals ‘who desire to have the freedom to pursue their own vision; become their own bosses; have flexible lifestyle and potentials for alternate sources of income beyond salary.’ “While entrepreneurial opportunities are hanging low, not everyone is able to spot them and only few succeed in leveraging them. The programme helps to spot new business opportunities in Nigeria today and guides on dos and don’ts of suc-

fication was also designed to create a comprehensive digital database of pensioners. “The exercise will also facilitate easy access and retrieval of records for computation and prompt complaints resolution. “It will also ensure that monthly pension is accurately calculated and reflects application of relevant pension statutes, policy and salary structures. This verification exercise is not for Customs, Immigration and Prisons Pensioners, Civil Service Pensioners or Police pensioners,’’ PTAD said. According to the directorate, the exercise is not for parastatals pensioners that have already been verified. The directorate identified some of the verified parastatals as Delta Steel Company (DSC), NITEL/Mtel, NICON Insurance, Nigeria Reinsurance, and New Nigeria Newspapers (NNN). Others are Savannah Sugar Com-

pany Ltd, Federal Housing Authority (FHA), and Nigerian Defense Academy (Civilians). PTAD said that the verification of pensioners and NoKs would be done in phases across the country. The directorate, therefore, urged pensioners to note that they would not have to travel to the state they retired from to be verified as they would be attended to in the state they were currently residing. “The first phase of the verification will commence in Lagos from April 23 to May 9 in centres located in Ikeja, Ketu, Akoka, Ebute Metta, and Lagos Island. “Others are South-South (May 20 to June 1), South-West (June 10 to June 26), North-Central (July 8 to July 24), and North-East (August 5 to 9). That of the North-West is to hold from Aug. 19 to Sept. 2, while that of the South-East will take place from September 16 to October 2.’’

PenCom enrolls 8.5m Lagos issues smart IDs to retirees people into PCS in 15yrs L

ational Pension Commission (PenCom) says it has enrolled no fewer than 8.5 million people into the Pension Contributory Scheme since its inception 15 years ago. Head of Communication Department of PenCom, Mr Peter Aghahowa, made the disclosure, weekend, at the 30th Enugu International Trade Fair. The scheme which was introduced in 2004 by the Federal Government involves a process where certain percentage of enrollees’ salaries was saved on monthly basis in a pool with the employers also contributing. The scheme had PenCom as the regulatory body with Pension Fund Administrators (PFA) working in their behest. Aghahowa said that the scheme had made the life of retirees much easier, unlike the defined benefits scheme which it replaced.

He however, said it was sad that in spite of the enormous advantages inherent in the scheme, some state governments had yet to embrace it to make life better for retirees in their respective states. “The federal government went into the contributory scheme as the old scheme became unsustainable due to huge debt deposits. This new scheme is funded ab initio and it reduces the financial load on government,” he said. Aghahowa said that it had become imperative for every state of the federation to queue into the scheme for easy pension administration. The PenCom spokesperson however, said that in spite of current challenges facing certain pensioners under the old scheme, more funds were being released for pensioners that started under the defined benefits scheme.

agos has become the first state government to issue electronic ID cards to retirees under the Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS). Commissioner for Establishments, Training and Pensions, Dr. Akintola Benson Oke assured the retirees of the government’s interest in their welfare which has now been demonstrated by the issuance of Unique Identification Cards which will give the retirees access to other social welfare benefits apart from being a means of identification. He made this known at the 61st edition of Retirement Benefit Bond Certificate Presentation Ceremony held at the NECA Premises of the Lagos State Pension Commission, where 146 Public Service retirees received accrued pension rights of N1. 1billion Naira which was paid into their Retirement Savings Account. Director General of the Lagos State Pension Commission, Mrs. Folashade Onanuga in her welcome address at the Occasion congratu-

lated the Retirees who made history by being the first set of retirees to receive the Electronic Identification Cards which will give them access to social amenities provided by the State Government. She mentioned that His Excellency, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode, had promised a better life for retirees and hence had ensured the automation of the Lagos State Pension Commission to enhance service delivery to the workers. The issuance of the Identification Cards is geared towards improving the longevity risk faced by the retirees as they advance in age. She stated that the Identification Cards which will be issued to all retirees in Lagos State Public Service including Parastatals of Government & Local Government Councils will reflect details of the pension plan by each retiree and who the provider of pension benefits was. The Smart Card is also designed to give the Commission an electronic monitoring of the activities of the pension providers. According to the Director General ‘If your

pension is paid either through the programmed Withdrawal option offered by Pension Fund Administrators or through Annuity for life offered by Life Assurance Companies, we will from the confines of our Office, using your Identification Number, be able to monitor whether the Pension Providers are living up to expectation. We remain committed to your welfare and will keep on developing a robust pension structure in Lagos State Public Service’. She thereafter advised the retirees who had just received their Retirement Bond Certificates to be careful and exercise wisdom in the investment choices they make considering the fact that many fraudsters abound who want to reap where they did not sow. She drew their attention to the fact that the ‘higher the returns offered, the higher the risks. ‘As a retiree, you do not need to expose yourself to risks that will predispose you to heart problems which could result in heart failure’, she concluded.

The Oracle Today Wednesday April 17 - 23, 2019

AVIATION Nigerian airports handled 17.23m passenger traffic in 2018 – NBS Stories by VICTOR NZE

ational Bureau of Statistics (NBS) has said that a total of 17.23 million passengers passed through Nigerian airports in 2018. The NBS said this in its Air Transportation Data for 2018 posted on its website. The report said international passengers who passed through the country’s airports reached 4.43 million in 2018 as against 4.05 million passengers in 2017. This, according to the report, represents 9.42 per cent growth rate. Similarly, the bureau said the number of domestic passengers who passed through airports reached 12.79 million in 2018 as against 10.38 million passengers in 2017. It further said that the 2018 figure represented a 23.19 per cent growth rate. Also, the bureau said aircraft traffic reached 290,328 in the year un-

der review. It said a total of 55,961 international airliners passed the airports in 2018 as against 40,328 of them recorded in 2017. According to the NBS, the figure represents a 38.92 per cent growth rate. The bureau further announced 11.24 per cent growth in the number of domestic flight operations in the airports in 2018. It said 234,367 domestic flights were recorded in 2018 as against 210,693 in 2017. It also disclosed a growth of 1.94 per cent in total cargo traffic in 2018 as against 2017. “There was a 19.96 per cent increase in total mail traffic recorded in 2018 when compared to the same period last year,” the NBS said. The data in the report was supplied administratively by the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, verified and validated by the NBS.

• Managing Director, Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Engr. Saleh Dunoma, Engr. Saleh Dunoma with the Airport Manager, SMICA, Owerri, Mrs Rejoice Ndudinachi during a tour of the affected parts of the airport damaged by a Monday afternoon fire.

Renovation of Imo airport SAHCO reaches cargo handling to commence soon – FAAN deal with Virgin Atlantic

ederal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has assured that the Sam Mbakwe International Cargo Airport in Imo State, which was recently affected by a fire incident, would soon be renovated by the agency. The fire incident which caused extensive damage to the arrival terminal of the airport, last Monday afternoon, was, however, brought under control by authorities of the fire department stationed within the complex. No casualty was reported in the incident. FAAN has since said it will commence preliminary investigations into the incident. Giving the assurance of renovating the airport, the agency’s Managing Director, Engr. Saleh Dunoma, said, Thursday, during a tour of the affected parts of the complex, that renovation would commence as soon as possible, so as to ameliorate the inconveniences the incident may cause airport users. A statement by the General Manager, Corporate Affairs, FAAN, Mrs Henrietta Yakubu, also said Dunoma expressed relief that there was no casualty in the incident even as he also disclosed that Zenith Insurance has conducted the evaluation of the damage and has agreed to pay the claims in full. Dunoma who used the opportunity to appreciate the incumbent Governor of the State, Governor Owelle Rochas Okorocha and the Governor-elect, Hon. Emeka Ihedioha for their support and timely intervention during the incident, also thanked the Air Force commandant, the Divisional Police Officer, Owerri airport command and their team for the role they played during the incident. Stating that a committee has already been constituted to inquire into the remote cause of the inci-

dent, Dunoma advised the airport management to continue to engage the host communities and other stakeholders collaboratively in the interest of all. This visit was the second of such from the management of the Authority in two days, as the director of Engineering Services of the Authority, Engr Salisu Daura had earlier led a team of Management staff to the airport on April 10, 2019. On arrival, Dunoma who went straight to the scene of the incident to see the extent of damage caused by the fire, was joined by the authority’s Directors of Engineering Services, Human Resources & Administration, Commercial & Business Development, General Managers, Civil & Building, Safety as well as the Airport manager and her team.

kyway Aviation Handling Company PLC (SAHCO) has signed an agreement with Virgin Atlantic Airline to handle its cargo operations. A statement signed by the Manager Corporate Communications, SAHCO, Mrs. Uansohia Adetola, explained that SAHCO Plc was chosen by the airline based on the company’s track records in cargo, ramp, passenger handling, warehousing among other ground handling activities in the aviation sector in Nigeria and West Africa Sub-region. She added that the airline Cargo awarded the handling contract to SAHCO in Lagos to improve its service offering for customers in Nigeria and to provide growth capacity following a 19 per cent boost in the airline’s export volumes last year and higher inbound demand from the pharmaceutical and courier sectors.

He stated that from April 10, 2019, Virgin Atlantic’s import and export cargo would be handled in SAHCO’s 22,000 sqm warehouse operation at Murtala Muhammed International Airport. She added that this special facilities including cold rooms for perishables and temperature-sensitive shipments, and dedicated locations for courier and high value cargo, adding that the warehouse building’s 22 truck loading bays will expedite collections and deliveries of cargo, while 24/7 CCTV coverage, access control systems, screening technology and a control room will ensure the highest levels of security. Speaking, Director–Cargo Operations, Virgin Atlantic, Tonia Boye, the contract with SAHCO PLC will help boost the company’s cargo business. In her words “Lagos has been an

important cargo market for us for more than 17 years and we are forecasting further growth in our export and import volumes in 2019. By moving to a larger and modern facility, we can improve our product and service offerings for the growing number of companies moving goods to and from Nigeria”. Virgin Atlantic’s daily Nigeria flights which is operated by Airbus A340-600 aircraft with up to 20 tonnes of cargo capacity – saw positive revenue and volume growth in 2018. Revenues ex UK rose 9 per cent year-on-year, helped by a 135 per cent rise in pharmaceutical volumes and a 21 per cent growth in courier shipments, while the 11 per cent boost in annual revenues ex-Lagos was largely attributed to higher perishables traffic because of the Nigerian government’s initiative to encourage agricultural exports.

to enter their correct details when booking.’’ It would be recalled that a passenger on one of Dana Air’s flight from Abuja to Lagos forgot a bag containing $5,000 and some other valuables. “On getting to Victoria Island, he noticed he wasn’t with the bag and dashed back to the airport, met the security team who confirmed the item was found. He proved ownership of the item; completed necessarily documents and got his missing item back immediately. “He thanked the security team for displaying a high level of integrity and professionalism in handling an issue that involved hard currency. He also appreciated the staff for proving all the negative things they hear about Nigerians wrong. “Another passenger, Musa Anasemi, who forgot a Nigerian passport with a valid United States visa, said he didn’t have an idea where he left the passport, but af-

ter about nine days, he decided to check with us. He got his passport with gratitude and praises for the airline and the security staff that found the item and declared it. “We carry out our due diligence in recruitment across board and have invested heavily in training and retraining of staff. We also try our best to keep staff happy in our little way and these are the results. “We are also glad that our staffs have been able to prove to the world that some of the things they hear about us around the world are actually not true. The safety, comfort and well-being of our guests will remain a top priority and we will continue to kaeep the flag flying.’’ “In 2018, Dana Air had 34 of its air passengers’ luggage missing with 32 of them recovered between January and December of same year according to a report obtained from the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA),” the statement read.

Lost items: Passengers applaud Dana Air security team

• FAAN DG, Saleh Dunoma

assengers have applauded the integrity and professionalism demonstrated by Dana Air security team on discovery of valuable items forgotten on-board its aircraft The airline, in a statement issued by its media and communications manager, Kingsley Ezenwa said, ‘we are not surprised by the recent commendations that our security team has been getting on their constant display of integrity and professionalism on and off the job. ‘’There have been many cases of lost and recovered items like phones, iPads, huge sums of money, Nigerian passports with valid visas and lots of valuable items. We have also returned a lot of missing foreign and Nigerian passports to the immigration, embassies and even sometimes call the owners in the cases where we are able to track the passenger’s booking with authentic details. This is also one of the reasons we advise passengers

The Oracle Today Wednesday April 17 - 23, 2019

e-Platform

Google announces scholarships for 30,000 mobile developers

Stories by VICTOR NZE

oogle on Monday said it was offering scholarships to 30,000 mobile developers as part of its commitment to provide training and bridge the skills gap among 100,000 Africans in five years. Country Director, Google Nigeria, Mrs Juliet Ehimuan-Chiazo, said that the 30,000 developers would be trained through its Google Africa Certifications Scholarships. Ehimuan-Chiazo said that 1,000 grants would also be offered for the Google Associate Android, Mobile Web and Associate Cloud Engineer certifications. It would be recalled that in March 2018, Google announced its commitment to bridge the skills gap among developers in Africa with a plan to train 100,000 developers across the region in five years. Already, Google has trained 15,000 people in its Google Africa Scholarship challenge programme to provide Android and Web development trainings to developers across Africa. “Africa is on track to have the largest working-age population of 1.1 billion by 2034. “Today’s Google African Certifications Scholarships announcement marks a transition from inspiring new developers to preparing them

for the jobs of tomorrow. “Google’s certifications are developed around a job-task analysis and test learners for skills employers expect developers to have in these domains,” she said in a statement. Ehimuan-Chiazo said that the developer training was available to applicants from across Africa, and would be delivered by Google’s partners, Pluralsight and Andela. She added that both would deliver an intensive learning curriculum designed to prepare motivated learners for entry-level and intermediate roles as software developers in these fields. “The Google Africa Certifications Scholarships announcement on Monday follows the announcement of 15, 000 single course scholarships and 500 nano-degree scholarships in March last year. “Google’s continued initiatives focused on digital skills training, education and economic opportunity and support for African startups and developers, demonstrate our commitment to helping advance a healthy and vibrant developer ecosystem. “By providing support for training and certifications, we will help to bridge the unemployment gap on the continent through increasing the number of employable software developers,” she said.

•LG InnoFest 2019 MEA_on site

Sharp’s foldable smartphone showcased in 3D renders

oldable phones are clearly the next big thing with mobile tech. So far only Samsung and Huawei have showcased working devices, but we expect other manufacturers to join as well and Sharp appears to be one of them. Back in 2017, the company filed a patent and it popped-up on WIPO’s (World Intellectual Property Office) database. The sketches below depict the device’s design and functionality.

To get a better grasp of the handset, the guys over at LetsGoDigital made a few 3D renders. They show a smartphone with a tall bezel-less display that folds vertically like a standard clamshell phone. Interestingly, the device features a dual-hinge design so you can fold the phone in half or make the upper part of the display stick out a bit. This way you can quickly check for new messages and even read them. However, the front-facing camera

9mobile’s ‘Iska Weather’ service gets customers’ thumbs up Facebook soon to return messages to main app T elecommunications company, 9mobile has said that its Iska Weather (forecast) service launched recently in partnership with weather forecasting portal, Ignitia, has gained impressive traction among the target users over the short period since its introduction. The telecom firm said users have commended the innovative service because of the positive impact it has had on their businesses. A user, Jibrin Yakubu Gama – a Kano-based businessman, in his testimonial said: “I use the weather forecast for trading. It helps me know how to schedule my plans for the day.” Another subscriber, Nazif Umar, lauded the service in these words: “I use it for driving so I know how the weather will be to be careful when driving.” In the words of Abubakar Zaaki Baiti – a Birnin-Kebbi farmer and user of the service, “I use the weather forecast for farming. It helps me know when to fertilize and helps me to know what to even do at the farm.” Iska Weather Service enables farmers, event planners and others whose activities can be affected by meteorological conditions, to predict the weather with 84% forecast accuracy, thereby mitigating the impact of adverse weather and attendant losses. Since its launch in October 2018, the service has gained over 135,000 new subscribers. In addition, the weather forecasting portal has had an average of 450,000 daily views on its landing page.

Commenting on the milestone, 9mobile’s Head Digital Media, Bolanle Afuye, said: “We were fairly optimistic when we rolled out the service, however, the rate of subscription so far has surpassed our expectations. Even more amazing is the fact that to date we have recorded zero complaints from those who have used the service.” She added that Iska Weather Service signals good times for event planners, traders, and other individuals for whom unexpected poor weather can significantly reduce their output. “A critical mission for us is to explore ways through which we can deploy technology in solving today’s problems, and Iska Weather Service provides a good opportunity to do that”, she enthused. Iska Weather Service is a simple, easy-to-use platform that empowers 9mobile subscribers who live in rural and urban areas, to leverage technology in predicting the weather with near-perfect accuracy; thereby empowering them to plan against adverse weather conditions. The service offers subscribers access to Ignitia’s daily 2-day weather forecast service on rainfall risk, timing and intensity, along with the monthly and seasonal outlooks. Interested 9mobile customers can subscribe to the localised weather forecast by dialing *4555# via USSD or sending “help” to 4555 using SMS to view packages. The service is affordable and flexible, with customers able to choose their preferred subscription package. Available options include service packages of N10 per day, N35 per week or N100 per month.

n the beginning of this year reports claimed that Facebook is planning to merge its messaging services, essentially allowing users to communicate seamlessly between WhatsApp, Instagram, and Messenger. Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerburg confirmed the company has plans to do so but commented that it will not happen any time soon. Noted developer specializing in app reverse engineering Jane Wong, managed to obtain evidence that Facebook app will integrate chat functionality back into the main app. The feature was previously removed back in 2014. Apart from revealing the integrated messaging functionality, the

screenshots show a simplified white design of the Facebook app, dialing down on its signature blue accent color. According to Wong, the upcoming messages section will be limited to simple text conversations while more advanced features like calls and file sharing will still require the Messenger app. For now, there is no timeframe for the merger so we’ll have to wait for Facebook’s comments but either way, don’t expect the standalone WhatsApp and Messenger apps to go anywhere soon. Facebook’s integration direction seems to be aimed at Apple’s continuity features with iMessage but according to reports is not expected to appear until 2020.

Samsung officially ends Galaxy J phone series

amsung introduced a bunch of Galaxy A smartphones this year and only Monday, the company officially announced that the more affordable of those are the direct successors of the Galaxy J series, which will no longer exist. “Built for the era of Live”, the Galaxy A smartphones bring mid-range specs to affordable phone like a more powerful battery that should last a whole day. The new lineup of phones have dual and triple cameras (aside from the Galaxy A10 with its single 13 MP shooter), and four of them have wide-angle apertures in the setup.

Another tech the video mentions (with an obvious nod to the shooting stars meme) is the Super AMOLED displays, but once again the lowpriced A10 is the exception here. Although the Galaxy A10, Galaxy A20, Galaxy A30, Galaxy A40, Galaxy A50, and Galaxy A70 are introduced, people are waiting for the Galaxy A80 (previously rumored as Galaxy A90). It is expected to have a sliding camera mechanism where the main setup will serve as a selfie shooter thanks to a rotating design. Samsung is holding “A Galaxy event” for tomorrow, and we’ll be there live to see the unusual smartphone.

is nowhere to be found and the back features just one lens. Of course, this is a design from 2017, so it will surely change before release and by then, Sharp will likely find enough room for more than one camera on what will undoubtedly be an expensive handset. Keep in mind, though, that not everything that we see in patents makes it to the real world. And if it does, it could look a lot different than in those images.

Internet users in Nigeria reach 114.7m in February

nternet users in Nigeria increased marginally to more than 114,752,357 million in February 2019, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has said. The NCC made this known on Monday in its Monthly Internet Subscribers Data for February posted on its website. The data showed that overall internet users increased to 114,725,357 in February from 113,875,204 recorded in January showing an increase of 850,153 new subscribers. According to the data, Airtel and MTN gained more internet subscribers during the month under review, while 9mobile and Globacom were the big losers. The breakdown revealed that MTN gained more with 607,462 new internet users in February, increasing its subscription to 46,538,633 as against 45,931,171 in January. It further showed that Airtel was second, gaining 430,990 new users in the month under review, increasing its subscription to 30,891,518 in February as against 30,460,528 in January. It said that Globacom lost 114,268 internet users, decreasing its subscription in February to 27,486,271 from 27,600,539 recorded in January. The NCC data further showed that 9Mobile also lost 74,031 internet users in February with 9,808,935 as against 9,882,966 recorded in January.

The Oracle Today Wednesday April 17 - 23, 2019

e-Platform

How LG’S Premium living space solutions impressed at InnoFest MEA 2019 Stories by MADUABUCHI KALU

G Electronics (LG) unveiled its the latest lineup of premium living space solutions at InnoFest Middle East and Africa (MEA) 2019. Held in the metropolitan city of Seoul, South Korea (April 9-11), the event gave partners, retailers and media from countries across the Middle East and Africa the opportunity to experience LG’s revolutionary technologies and learn about the key business strategies and priorities for the year ahead. For 2019, LG has re-positioned its expansive product portfolio as an integrated service that offers premium solutions for enhanced living. Taking place at LG Science Park – the home of LG’s R&D initiatives – this year’s InnoFest MEA showcased the real-life benefits of the company’s latest innovations. The exhibition, which featured several ‘recreated’ living spaces, afforded visitors the chance to see flagship home appliance from the LG ThinQ, LG SIGNATURE and LG Objet lineups in action. With a strong emphasis on design and function, the company is bringing greater efficiency, convenience and enjoyment into consumers’ lives. In the LG ThinQ zone, LG’s representative AI brand allowed guests to experience a connected, futuristic lifestyle enabled by diverse products that seamlessly integrate with the home. Meanwhile, the company’s premium design-focused brands, LG Objet and LG SIGNATURE, illustrated the superior alignment of style and practicality in separate, interactive displays.

Emblematic of LG’s constant efforts to push the boundaries of technology and design, the game-changing LG SIGNATURE OLED TV R (model 65R9) proved a major attraction at InnoFest. The world’s first rollable TV, LG SIGNATURE OLED TV R received more than 70 awards and honors at this year’s CES alone, and serves as yet another reminder of the company’s strength in R&D and manufacturing techniques. InnoFest MEA also saw an appearance by ‘big data’ specialist, Song Gil-young, who delivered a talk about how big data can be a powerful tool for uncovering new trends and establishing effective strategies. Attendees were also given the opportunity to tour LG’s state-of-the-art Changwon production facility. “LG is deeply committed to giving consumers more choice and greater convenience, which is reflected in their wide range of innovative user-centric products,” said Mr. Mohamed Fouani of Fouani Nigeria Ltd, one of Nigeria’s largest distributors of consumer electronics goods. “Designed to satisfy consumers’ diverse needs, LG’s lifestyle solutions make it easy for us to communicate their appeal.” “As InnoFest has illustrated, we are constantly evolving our products and introducing new lineups that make consumers’ lives simpler,” said Mr. James Lee, president of LG Middle East and Africa region. “Through our ‘Open’ strategy and partnerships with likeminded organizations, we will continue to provide localized solutions and reaffirm our status as a technology trailblazer.”

•LG InnoFest 2019 MEA_on site

9Mobile, UK company partner to boost healthcare in Nigeria

UNITED Kingdom-based telemedicine company, Mobihealth International, says it has begun a partnership with telecoms operator, 9Mobile, to bring quality and affordable healthcare services to Nigerians. Mobihealth International, in a statement, disclosed that it had launched a revolutionary integrated digital healthcare telemedicine app in Nigeria to bridge the gap in Africa’s healthcare landscape. The Founder/Chief Executive Of-

NCC ready for 70% broadband penetration – Danbatta

HE Executive Vice Chairman of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Prof Umar Garba Danbatta, has declared that the Commission is ready to drive the process of attaining 70 per cent broadband penetration in the next couple of years, if that is set as the new target by the Federal Government. Speaking while delivering a goodwill message at an investment summit of Kaduna State Government, KADINVEST 4.0, Prof Danbatta, expressed optimism about the commitment of the agency toward taking the broadband penetration to the next level.  “When I was appointed by President Muhammadu Buhari in 2015; broadband penetration was only

•Vice Chairman, NCC, Professor Umar Danbata.

8.5 per cent. It has now risen to 33 per cent, an equivalent of 63 million Nigerians enjoying the services. I am particularly thrilled y to see that the rising trend has not only been sustained, but the NCC is now ready to take it to the next level,” he pointed out. It could be recalled that Nigeria attained its 30 per cent broadband target in 2018 through measures and strategies put in place by the NCC under the leadership of Prof Danbatta, a development that has attracted industry-wide commendations. Speaking further at the occasion,

however, Danbatta also urged Fleek Network Limited, the licensed Infraco for the North West to quickly mobilise to site with a view to deploying broadband infrastructure in the region. At least, 6 infrastructure companies (Infracos) have been licensed by the NCC under the leadership of Prof Danbatta, to drive the deployment of broadband infrastructure across the nation’s geopolitical zones and Lagos State, which is a zone on its own due to the sheer size of its market. The license for the north central region remaining is currently being processed.

ficer of the company, Dr. Funmi Adewara, disclosed this at an unveiling ceremony in London, which was also attended by Nigeria’s High Commissioner to the UK, Justice George Oguntade (retd), and the first Under-Secretary General and Special Adviser on Africa to the United Nations, Prof Ibrahim Gambari. Adewara explained that the explosive rate of adoption of mobile technology across Africa and global digital revolution globally was good for the future of telemedicine. The CEO, who is also a UK-based physician and bioscience entrepreneur, said, “Nigeria is one of the fastest growing countries in mobile technology adoption, with more than 160 million subscribers, 40 per cent smart phone penetration, 3G/4G network that rivals the United States and Europe, with more than $600m spent monthly on airtime and data. “It is no longer defensible that millions of people continue to die from preventable causes when the technology exists to change the dismal narrative. Our mission is to provide people in developing countries timely access to quality

healthcare services from around the world when they need it and in the most cost-effective manner through telemedicine,” she added. The Chairman of 9Mobile, Prince Nasir Ado Bayero, who was at the launch, was quoted as saying, “The partnership with Mobihealth is in line with promises made to our customers of improved service delivery in the New Year, with focus on exploring new grounds to satisfy our subscribers. This partnership could not have come at a better time where millions of Nigerians have suffered from the consequences of poor healthcare infrastructure, shortage of doctors, counterfeit medicines, quackery and high cost of treatment with millions of lives being lost annually to preventable causes. The Executive Director, 9Mobile, Mr. Abdul Ado, said that the partnership was in furtherance to 9mobile’s commitment to delivering superior customer experience. The statement from the company also quoted Gambari as saying that mobile connectivity remained a rallying platform for innovation and the driving force for greater inclusion.

telecoms and video operators to partner towards an effective delivery in a market where VOD and live streaming is on the rise.”

StarTimes ON has more than 70 channels with over 40 of them free to users. There are 40+ self-owned channels, with more than 100 hours of programming each day in sports, news, movies, music, Telenovela & Bollywood content, religion and general entertainment.

MTN Partners StarTimes

TARTIMES Nigeria has partnered MTN to offer mobile internet subscribers on the network a special data bundle known as ‘StarTimes ON mobile app.’ With the video streaming bundles on StarTimes, subscribers can enjoy unlimited entertainment and video on demand (VOD) service at a cheaper data price than any other network in Nigeria. Speaking on the development, the General Manager, Data & Devices, MTN, Abiodun Ajayi, noted that “With a data bundle of N150, subscribers can enjoy up to 60 minutes of streaming time on StarTimes ON by simply sending ST1 via SMS to 131

while for N400 customer gets up to 180 minutes of streaming time by sending ST3 via SMS to 131.” Also commenting, the OTT Director at StarTimes Nigeria, Tony Tuo, said all MTN subscribers would also enjoy five premium channels that offer news, music, religion, movies and other entertainment content for free on StarTimes ON, a service which users of other networks have to pay to gain access to. According to Tuo, “StarTimes ON currently boasts of 3.5 million users in Nigeria and over 12 million across Africa, making its partnership with MTN the latest in an industry where it has become a common trend for

The Oracle Today Wednesday April 17 - 23, 2019

EQUITY & Capital Market Greif Plc records N260m loss By JEROME USHAKANG

he Board Meeting of Greif Nigeria Plc. held on Wednesday, March 27, 2019 in Lagos passed certain resolutions and wishes to inform the Nigerian stock Exchange (NSE) and its shareholders and the investing publics that the Company recorded a loss of over N260 million in the 2018 financial year and the loss had continued in the first quarter of the 2019 financial year, and that efforts made to win back the key customer of the Company and also get price increase from the customers were yet to yield positive result. Consequent upon this, the company has resolved that it will stop receiving new orders from customers and also stop production for an indefinite period. It added that the eighty-first Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the Company is scheduled for Tuesday, June 18, 2019 at the Company’s Offices, 1 Alapata Road, Apapa, Lagos at 11.00 a.m. It also disclosed that the Register of Members and Transfer Books be closed from Monday May 20, 2019 to Wednesday, May22, 2019 (both dates inclusive); and laying the Audited Financial Statements for the year ended October 31, 2018 before the Company in general meeting. The following resolutions were also passed at the meeting: 1. a. That Mr. O. A. Obadina who has retired from the services of the Company with effect from October 31, 2018, would, however, remain on the Board of Directors of the Company as a non-Executive Director. b. That Mr. David Olufemi Onabajo be and is hereby appointed a Director on the Board and Managing Director of the Company with effect from November 1, 2018 subject to ratification at the next Annual General Meeting of the Company. 2. “ (that Mr. David Olufemi Onabajo be elected and Mr. Erik ’t Sas be reelected Directors of the Company respectively; (e) that Mr. G. A. Omotayo and Mr. Erik ’t Sas be appointed members of the Audit Committee, representing the Board; (f) that for the approval of the remuneration of the Directors; and (g) that the Directors be authorized to fix the remuneration of the Auditors.

Nigerian Breweries to raise N15bn via commercial papers

igerian Breweries Plc. is seeking to raise a total of N15billion in the first and second series of its N100billion commercial paper Programme to support its short-term funding requirements. The company is offering 11.59 per cent and 14.43 per cent yield on its 90- and 182-day commercial paper. The offer for the series one and two commercial papers, which opened on Thursday, will last for a week and close on Thursday, April 18, while the settlement date will be April 23. Impeccable sources close to the company said that the series one commercial paper has a tenor of 90 days, an effective yield of 11.59 per cent and a discount rate of 11.268 per cent. However, the series two commercial paper has a tenor of 182 days, with an effective yield of 14.43 per cent and a discount of 13.46 per cent. The commercial papers, which were awarded AA rating by Agusto & Co Limited and AA rating by Global Credit Ratings Co, have a minimum subscription amount of N5million and in multiples of N1000 thereafter.

SEC seeks for more collaboration among regulators for economic development T By JEROME USHAKANG

he Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has expressed its readiness to strengthen its collaboration with other regulators in the financial sys-

tem in order to enhance economic development in Nigeria. The Commission in a statement said this is the focus of its financial literacy campaign in a bid to ensure that Nigerians both in the urban and rural areas, are effectively sensitised

on the benefits of financial literacy which will in turn lead to rapid improvement in the economy as well as the standard of living. This was the submission of the Director, Market Development Department of the Commission, Mr.

•L – R shows Head, Human Resource, Fidson Healthcare Plc, Mrs. Joke Alli; Sales & Marketing Director, Fidson Healthcare Plc, Mr. Olugenga Olayeye; Chief Executive Officer, The Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE), Mr. Oscar N. Onyema OON; Managing Director/CEO, Fidson Healthcare Plc, Mr. Fidelis Ayebae; Chairman, Fidson Healthcare Plc, Mr. Segun Adebanji and Head Finance & Account, Fidson Healthcare Plc during the Closing Gong Ceremony at the presentation of Facts Behind the Offer of Fidson Healthcare Plc at the Exchange today in Lagos.

NSE to leverage alternative platforms for capital raise

By JEROME USHAKANG

he Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE), said it has planned to explore new technologies including block chain and Distributed Ledger Technology (DLT) for capital raise,as Fintech and investment into the space continues to gain traction around the globe, Chief Executive Officer(CEO), of the NSE, Mr. Osacr Onyema, disclosed this at the Fintech Social Meet 4.0 organised by the Exchange in Lagos. Onyema stated that the global picture of capital

flow into Fintech especially in emerging markets is a proof that Fintech are important economic catalysts in the fourth Industrial Revolution, but regretted that local investors are not taking advantage of it to advance their investments. Onyema stated that KPMG’s “2018 Global Analysis of equity investment into global Fintech companies almost tripled from $18.9 billion to $50.8 billion between 2013 and 2017; and has continued to gain traction. But noted that surprisingly, for-

eign investors seem to be seeing these gains better than local investors as statistics show that they have dominated capital raise for indigenous start-ups in the last couple of years. “At the NSE, one of our key strategies is the segmentation of our market with the introduction of a Growth Board to cater to companies with high growth prospects, including Fintech emerging from venture capital management to a more mature management that would require public investment and corporate consolidation

Ecobank plans $500m Eurobond sale

By JEROME USHAKANG

cobank Transnational Incorporated (ETI) has revealed plans to sell $500million Eurobonds at yields that may rank among the highest from emerging markets this year. The notes were priced as high as nine per cent as the bank said it planned to sell $500million of its fiveyear debt. It said the information of the bank offering five-year senior unsecured notes that might be

priced in the high nine per cent area was obtained from a person familiar with the matter, who asked not to be identified because they were not authorised to speak publicly about it. According to a report by Bloomberg recently, deliberations in the market hinted that the funding would enable ETI, to meet its general corporate obligations, including the refinancing of a portion of debt it owed banks. According to data compiled by Bloomberg, the yields will be about the juiciest since Ecuador sold

$1billion of 10-year sovereign debt at 10.75 per cent in January. It said the yields on the securities had dropped to nine per cent as sentiment towards emerging markets improved and the government secured a $4.2billion loan package from the International Monetary Fund(IMF). Ecobank, which reported a 44 per cent increase in net income to $328million in 2018 and a $1.8billion operating income, raised $200million in loans last year, which are due for repayment in November.

who spoke to journalists shortly after sensitising 200 farmers at Illushi, Esan South East local government area on how they would assess the loan, said N2.2 billion would be used for crop production, N2.3 billion for land development and N100 million for irrigation. He also explained that N1.2billionn would be used to cultivate rice in Iguoriakhi, Iguomon, Illushi, Warrake and Agenebode while maize would be cultivated at Usugbenu, Sobe and Ekpoma. “We hope to produce millionaire

farmers this year. We do not anticipate a drop in the price of rice. We are hoping that we are able to produce about 17,000 metric tonnes by cultivating about 4,400 hectares of rice farm. “We took about N5 billion under the Commercial Agric Credit Scheme. About N2.2 billion is for crop production, N2.3 billion is for land development and N100million for irrigation. “We are not doing cassava now but maize. We are planning to cultivate about 2,200 hectares and we are hoping that we will be able to harvest approximately 11,000 metric tonnes.

Edo secures N5bn loan to boost agriculture

do State Government announced has announced that it has secured N5 billion loan from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) under the Commercial Agric Credit Scheme for rice and maize production across the three senatorial districts of the state. The Special Adviser to Governor Obaseki on Agriculture, Food Security and Forestry, Prince Joe Okojie, who disclosed this, said the state is targeting to harvest 17,000 tonnes of rice and 11,000 tonnes of maize by cultivating 6,600 hectares of land at the end of this year’s planting season. Okojie

Edward Okolo during an advocacy visit by the Financial Literacy Technical Committee, a market wide committee of the capital market to the National Insurance Commission, NAICOM, in Abuja last weekend. Okolo said, the visit was an effort to further strengthen collaboration between the Committee and NAICOM and expressed appreciation to NAICOM for being a member of the committee, helping to pursue financial literacy awareness in the market. He described the insurance industry as one of the veritable tools of raising money in the market, adding that the need to explore avenues of enlightening the states on insurance during the SEC’s regular enlightenment campaigns is imperative. “As we in the capital market, NAICOM can also market insurance products during such campaigns. This collaboration will further strengthen our base and strengthen the financial side of the economy. Our sustenance is going to be based on how we can strengthen the market and introduce new products.” He stressed. Also speaking, a Member of the Committee, Mr. Omagbitse Barrow said the story in the financial sector needs to be told more holistically by all agencies involved. In his own words , “He said, “We need to be in agreement as well as understand what we do to be able to forge a united front. Already, we are making use of various channels like social media and training students on Over The Counter (OTC) and other financial products to enlighten Nigerians. Barrow said that the focal area is to get people to understand more about the things we are doing and explore areas where we can collaborate as fellow regulators. “We need to pay more attention to financial literacy and use it as a fulcrum to deepen the quality of participation and create more value for the industries. We want to continue to have more co-operations with a unified front to drive financial literacy. When that happens, the market will respond appropriately”. He added. In his remarks, the Director of Inspection, NAICOM, Mr. Barineka Thompson commended the committee on its work which he said would deepen the financial industry and empower the citizens. Thompson said the work of the committee will lead to improvements in products in the insurance sector and further deepen the market, which will in turn improve the financial sector and the economy.“We are glad that you are collaborating with NAICOM. We will mobilise our representation from the industry and this will further enhance the scope of interaction.” He said, “As we plan ahead, we will find areas to work with the committee. We are interested in the work of the committee and can assure you of our support, we support the ongoing implementation of the master plan and will continue to support it”. The Financial Literacy Technical Committee is a Market wide committee of the capital market set up by the Securities and Exchange Commission as part of the Implementation of the Ten year Capital Market Master Plan.

The Oracle Today Wednesday April 17 - 23, 2019

MONEY Market

NDIC budgets N258.77bn for failed bank depositors in 2019 STORIES BY KAYODE OGUNWALE

he Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC) says it has set aside a total of N258.767 billion in the 2019 fiscal year to reimburse depositors in the unlikely event of closure of licensed banks in the country. Presenting details of the corporation’s 2019 budget the House of Representatives Committee on Insurance and Actuarial Matters, its Managing Director and Chief Executive, Umaru Ibrahim, said while N109.686 billion was provided for depositors of Deposit Money Banks (DMBs), N149.081 billion is set aside for those of Primary Mort-

gage Banks (PMBs) and Micro Finance Banks (MFBs). As part of the NDIC’s mandate of offering financial assistance to eligible licensed and insured banks, Ibrahim said a total of N140 billion has been provided, and another N300m for Microfinance and Primary Mortgage Banks. He urged them to utilize the opportunity by accessing the funds whenever the need arises. According to a statement by Muhammed Kudu Ibrahim, Head, Communication and Public Affairs, the MD/CEO noted that the estimates were consistent with its mandate of providing a financial guarantee to depositors of failed banks as part of promoting public confidence in

the banking sector. This, he added, is critical to the sustenance of the stability of the entire financial system. Also, in fulfillment of its mandate to provide technical assistance to licensed banks, the NDIC Boss said the corporation it has collaborated with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), to acquire a new software for more robust surveillance and supervision of the nation’s insured financial institutions. The software called the Integrated Regulatory Solution (IRS), Ibrahim continued, would enable DMBs to generate real-time online data among themselves, and enable regulators to access data online from banks.

He also disclosed that the National Association of Microfinance Banks Unified Information Technology Platform (NAMBUIT) was jointly introduced by the CBN, NDIC, and Association of MFBs, to enhance the operational capacity of the MFBs. The project, he continued, is being financed CBN and NDIC in the ratio of 60/40 percent respectively, given the importance of the project to the growth of the MFB sub-sector. Responding, Olufemi Fakeye, the committee Chairman commended the Corporation for being proactive in preventing a systemic crisis in the nation’s banking system, stressing that various distress reso-

lution mechanisms adopted by the Corporation from inception have prevented the manifestation of the crisis in the system. Beyond that, he agreed that they also contributed immensely to the high level of public confidence experienced in the financial sector. He expressed satisfaction that the corporation has carved a niche for itself as a leading deposit insurer across Africa, recalling the resolution of the defunct Skye Bank and establishment of Polaris Bank Ltd as a bridge bank. Fakeye, however, charged NDIC to become even more pro-active in detecting and addressing distress in banks as a way of sustaining public confidence in the system.

Indebtedness: Heritage Bank takes over Hip TV

ndications have emerged that Heritage Bank Plc on an order of Federal High Court Ikoyi Division seized the property of Smooth Promotions Limited, owner of Hip TV, owned by Ayo Animashaun, situated at No. 4 Ogundana Street, Off Allen Avenue, Ikeja; Lagos following inability to pay back the bank loan worth Hundreds of Millions. The asset was seized in execution of an order of the court authorising Mr. Gani-Gidado Abubakar, who is a Solicitor and Insolvency Practitioner, as the Receiver/Manager of Smooth Promotions Limited pending the determination of the orders of Court in Suit No: FHC/L/CS/362/19. Meanwhile, Animashaun on his social media platform hinted that he is suing Heritage bank through his attorney, Kemi Pinheiro LP, but refused to go into details. However, a visit to the premises of the aforementioned property showed that the bank has taken possession of the property under the court order. Also, a source who is familiar with the case disclosed that as the obligor, Animashaun who is indebted to Heritage bank, to the tune of N185 million, and all effort to have him pay up his

debt has proved abortive over a long period of time, which prompted the bank to secure a court injunction from a Federal High Court in Ikoyi. The court injunction published on Thisday Newspapers, empowers Heritage bank to take over all properties, assets including production materials belonging to Ayo Animashaun’s Smooth Promotions. “NOTICE is hereby given that all the properties comprising of but not limited to plants and machineries belonging to SMOOTH PROMOTIONS LIMITED and falling within the ambit of the receivership have been taken over and are now in firm possession of the Receiver/Manager,” the publication stated. Whilst, the Publication further noted that banks, financial institutions, companies, general interested members of the public, debtors and creditors have been directed that all deposits, cash and other Assets currently held should be held until the issuance of further instructions and pay directly to the Receiver/Manager respectively. Meanwhile, Ayo Animashaun had earlier declined further reactions on the above report; he claims the case is ongoing in court, but promised to do so when he is permitted to do so.

Elumelu tasks IMF to provide alternatives to China loan

hairman of Heir Holdings, Tony Elumelu on Friday asked the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to provide other alternatives followings its warning to Nigeria to avoid China loans. Financial Counsellor and Director of the IMF’s Monetary and Capital Markets Department, Mr. Tobias Adrian, during the launch of the Global Financial Stability Report for April on Wednesday at the IMF/World Bank meetings in Washington D.C, United of America warned countries to make sure that when they borrow from abroad the terms are favorable. “In particular, we recommend that loans to countries should conform with Paris Club arrangements and that is not always the case of loans from China,” the IMF chief said. Elumelu, however, disagres with IMF advice, saying nature abhors vacuum and so the IMF, World Bank and other development partners to provide alternatives that will create jobs. Elumelu, who was on a private visit to the State House, said: “My position is that nature abhors vacuum. “If you do not want Nigeria to take China loan, provide the alternative. Like I keep saying they should also support the development of entrepreneurs, they should look at ways to help us eradicate poverty in a manner that is sustainable. “For me, one of the surest ways to

eradicate poverty is to ensure that our youths are gainfully employed through entrepreneurship. “Also to make sure that development agencies – IMF, World Bank and co help and support Nigeria to improve on her infrastructure, road transportation, access to electricity. “These are things that will help us improve on security in Nigeria. These are things that will help us increase prosperity through employment which is the most important thing. So, the advice is good but nature abhors vacuum.” Advising on the Next Level, Elumelu said it was time to work. “On the economy and the next level, let us just continue in what we are doing, improve on them, increase capacity. “I operate in the power sector, we are the biggest generator of electricity in Nigeria through Transcorp power and I know firsthand what efforts government is doing. “But we need to do more, we need to convert gas to power, we need to compliment what is going on already in agric space and as you know there is peace and prosperity in that sector but we need to add a little zeal to it to be able to attract investors. “I think the elections are over and we need to move forward as a team, as a country so that our people will be better for it.”

•Mr Sunil Sawhney, Managing Director TGI Distri Limited, Dr. Onyekachi Onubogu, Executive Director – Commercial, TGI Distri Limited and Tanvi Savara, Business Development & Strategy Manager, TGI Distri Limited in Lagos.

AMCON seeks stakeholders support on N5 trillion bad debts recovery

anaging Director and Chief Executive Officer, Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON), Ahmed Kuru has said the recovery of over N5 trillion bad debts in its books should be seen as a collective responsibility of all Nigerians. Speaking when he received cadets from the Accounting Department of the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA), officers and men, as well as lecturers from the academy led by Brigadier-General Ibrahim Mohammed Jallo, the Academy Registrar, Kuru said this is contrary to expectations that AMCON alone would fully recover the debts before its oncoming sunset. In its zeal to recover the debt, he said AMCON changed its recovery strategy from negotiation to enforcement with the creation of the Asset Management Partners (AMPs) scheme. This, besides recovering over N1 trillion, this intervention in the banking sector protected thousands of jobs, said, besides creating thousands of other, in addition to creating 9,000 direct and indirect employment as well. According to a statement by the corporation, the cadets visited AMCON on an excursion as part of visits to selected financial institutions where they are given the opportunity to match theory with practical realities of accounting principles in the outside world.

Kuru, who was represented by the Executive Director, Assets, Dr. Eberechukwu Uneze, lamented the attitude of typical AMCON recalcitrant debtors, urging stakeholders, including the military and other security agencies to support ongoing efforts. The current behavior of the debtors, he said reflects the nonchalant attitude of the Nigerian populace, warning that failure to recover the debt means that the government would somehow, someday, repay with taxpayers’ money. Such negative disposition by debtors, he continued, is responsible for the rascality experienced in the banking sector, which led to the creation of AMCON in 2010. For him, those who think the challenge of recovering the huge debt is the sole headache of AMCON should rather rethink, because the monies actually belong to Nigerian taxpayers. Recall that the bonds which AMCON issued to buy the toxic debts off banks enjoy the Federal Government’s (sovereign) guaranty. The money, with which the government would repay the debts, the AMCON boss continued, could have been used to provide or improve infrastructure across the country. He insisted that AMCON has remarkably done well against all odds since it was established and is not resting on its oars to ensure that

these debtors pay what they owe the nation. Continuing, he stressed that “with the AMP scheme, AMCON is laying a solid foundation for the stability of the financial sector because we are gradually and systemically grooming professionals that will take over the job of AMCON at sunset. Our thinking is that at the end of this assignment as mandated by the law, we would have trained highly experienced and professional agents with the requisite capacity and know-how to continue to function as asset managers in the country. This is because AMCON was not established to stay forever because that will encourage bad behaviour in banks. It also has a moral hazard, which is not good for our economy and the country,” he concluded. While appreciating the efforts of AMCON’s management, Brigadier-General Jallo spoke of the need for collaboration between the corporation and the NDA in terms of staff training, among other areas of partnership for a mutually beneficial relationship. He said the cadets were part of the 68 Regular Course in the Accounting Department of the NDA who were on the verge of graduating from the academy and have also visited other government Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) across four states, in line with the desire to ensure well-rounded graduates.

The Oracle Today Wednesday April 17- 23, 2019

Money t0 States

Federation-Account-Allocation-Committee (FAAC) Feb. 2019

The Oracle Today Wednesday April 17 - 23, 2019

Money to LGAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s

Federation-Account-Allocation-Committee (FAAC) Feb. 2019

The Oracle Today Wednesday April 17 - 23, 2019

True Confession

My husband taught me to trust him by transferring all his properties to me I am a 55-year-old woman and mother of five girls. I got married at the age of 30 to a building engineer from the Eastern part of the country. Before we wedded, I remember how my parents and his parents too had prayed for us as a couple to have many children, both male and female, and also to have a happy marriage. My mother said it was her duty to ensure that I had a happy home, so she promised to assist me in every way possible to be a good wife to my husband and mother to my children. When I had my first pregnancy, my parents and in-laws rejoiced. And when I eventual gave birth to a bouncing baby girl nine months later, it was celebration all the way. However, my happiness started going downhill after I gave birth to a second and third child - girls as well. After my fourth child - a girl, my husband started acting strangely and disinterested in our family affairs. He even no longer appeared keen on having sex with me. Because I had given birth to four girls, our sex life nosedived as well as our level of intimacy. My husband now found it no longer necessary to hug, kiss or cuddle me. He used to give me a peck initially, but when I started giving birth to more and more female children, the era of pecks gradually came to an end. My husband wasn’t happy. And I wasn’t happy too, because he wasn’t happy. He told me that all he wanted was a male child that would bear his name and maintain his lineage. And all I wanted too was to give him that male child he so wished for. But I wasn’t God, so there was nothing I could do. When our fourth child was five years old, we decided to try again, the last time, to have a male child. I prayed and fasted even while I was pregnant in order for the child to turn out as a son. I even went to several spiritual quacks, so-called men of God who prophesied that I would give birth to a male child. Many of these so-called pastors and prophets told me to sow seeds of millions of naira or hundreds of thousands of naira in order for God to answer my prayers. It got to a point that I even stole my husband’s money in order to have money to sow seeds, just to please the fake pastors. In the end, their prophecies turned out to be false prophecies. I had another girl, my fifth. At the hospital, my husband tried to hide his disappointment but it was hard for him to hide it. My in-laws were also disappointed and some of them started to put pressure on my husband to marry a second wife. But because my husband loved me, he couldn’t give them an answer. Shortly after having my fifth child, I broke down. I became an emotional wreck even while breastfeeding and my husband was so scared that I was going to die. He woke me up in the middle of the night for a discussion and told me that I shouldn’t see my giving birth to only female children as a curse. My husband said that

he had accepted his five lovely daughters as gifts from God. But no matter how hard my husband tried to comfort me, my situation continued to deteriorate because I suspected that he had secretly married a second wife outside and started a second family without my knowledge. At my age I knew that some men secretly run two or more families in their quest for a male child, without the knowledge of their legally married wives. I was afraid that if anything happened to my husband (God forbid), a desperate lady would appear with a male child and claim all the properties and wealth that I and my husband had worked to acquire all these years. Worry nearly killed me. It made me develop high blood pressure and I had to be admitted in the hospital on some occasions as a result of my high blood pressure. My husband kept asking me what was wrong and at a point in time I had to tell him that I was afraid and that my fear and worries were killing me. He asked me why I was so afraid and worried and I told him that the future of all our five daughters would be ruined if a strange woman with a son came and claimed all his wealth and properties after his death. I asked my husband: “How can I train all these girls on my own and pay their school fees to university level if another woman comes from nowhere and claims all your properties just because she has a son for you?” My husband promised that he would never abandon me and our five daughters because they are his children too. He begged me to trust him because he was never going to have a mistress or marry a second wife. He said that male children were the problem of black people. “President Barack Obama of the USA has two daughters and he is not bothered. Even President Clinton only has one girl,” he said. “So what’s the big deal in having a male child?” he asked rhetorically. But I just couldn’t trust him and my health continued to get worse. Later, a family friend invited us to see a Catholic priest for counseling. The Catholic priest advised us not to follow the ways of the world that do not conform to the way of God. He told us to rather focus our hearts and minds on things of heaven and work together in love to bring up our five girls. To my surprise, the Catholic priest didn’t ask us to sow any seed with millions of naira or hundreds of thousands of naira. He simply counseled us and prayed for us. After the Catholic priest had counseled us and prayed for us, my husband decided to transfer ownership of all his properties to me in order to finally put my mind at rest. He also made me a signatory to all his bank accounts. I never knew that my husband could ever do so a thing! That singular action of my husband in transferring all his properties to me taught me that my husband was a man willing to

He told me that all he wanted was a male child that would bear his name and maintain his lineage... But I wasn’t God, so there was nothing I could do. sacrifice everything for the love of God and his family. He is indeed the ideal Christian man. I no longer live in fear and suspect my husband’s movements. My mind is now at rest, because I know that nobody can take away my husband’s

properties or wealth from me just because I didn’t give birth to a male child for him. The future of my five daughters is now assured. Have your say about this love confession. Call 08077821830 or 07031028714.

The Oracle Today Wednesday April 17 - 23, 2019

NEWS

Igbo markets under threat Cont’d from page 2

retailer focused on merchandise in the Baby, Beauty, and Personal Care categories, but broadened its scope to all of Nigeria in December 2012 and gradually expanded merchandise categories through 2012 and

2013. This expansion may have been a response to Konga’s major competitor, Rocket Internet backed Jumai, which launched around the same time and was functional across all categories. In 2019, Jumia filed paperwork for an initial public offering on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE).

Despite these obvious threats, the coming of eBay, Amazon, craigslist etc may eventually put a final nail to the coffin of Igbo traders, unless they begin to rethink their business model which has not only become obsolete, but hampered by government policy via ubiquitous customs and police checkpoints.

• (From left): Managing Director of Spring Fountain Limited, Mr. Tunde Fagbemi; Director General, Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Captain Muhtar Shaibu Usman and Group Managing Director/CEO, Nigerian Aviation Handling Company Plc, Mrs. Olatokunbo A. Fagbemi, during the 2019 Accident Investigation Bureau (AIB) Stakeholders forum in Lagos

30th Enugu Trade Fair: Oracle girl wins big at NCC Day Cont’d from page 2 Today at the event, when NCC distributed papers to all participants at the event and asked them to put down their names and phone numbers. She had promptly filled up hers as directed and her coupon turned out to be the first winner of a silky 2019 Nokia smart phone brand. The commission also distributed several high denomination phone recharge cards across various GSM networks at the event. Meanwhile, the telecom regulatory agency warned consumers against recognizing or answering phone calls from masked numbers or recognizing emails from unfamiliar addresses, pointing out that those were new methods through which criminals defrauded unsuspecting Nigerians. The Executive Vice Chairman of NCC, Professor Umar Garba Danbatta, who made the disclosure in his address, expressed worries over the development but assured that the commission was working out proactive means of tackling the ugly trend. He noted that the commission was worried over rising documented cases of cybercrime and electronic fraud via telecommunication platforms, just as it was as well disturbed about high rate of violations by service providers. As regards the issue of cybercrimes, Professor Dambatta stated that banks do not request for personal information of customers whether on the internet, text messages or otherwise, and urged citizens to always protect their vital personal information and codes to avoid falling victims of cybercrimes. “Call masking or sim boxing are new

trends where criminals initiate calls from their phones so that at the receiving end, it would appear as international calls. Please, be careful and on the alert when you notice such and contact your service providers for urgent necessary action. “When you contact your service provider for assistance and you are not satisfied with the way you were attended to, please, contact NCC through toll free line from 622 from 8am to 8pm Monday to Friday,” he said. And on the issue of violations by telecom service providers, he advised telecom consumers to alert their banks for immediate freezing of their accounts on suspicion of

any criminality; and to also alert their service providers for urgent assistance whenever they needed help. He urged telecom service providers to always play by the rules, and warned that NCC would not hesitate to apply appropriate sanctions on defaulting service providers whenever they were found wanting. He added that NCC had evolved a 2442 do-not-disturb code to bar unsolicited messages from GSM service providers and advised consumers to text ‘STOP’ to the code to block unsolicited messages and report to NCC whenever service providers failed to activate their do-not-disturb request.

NNPC cuts contracting process to 9 months T he Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) says it has cut contracting cycle for upstream operations from 24 months to 9 months in a move that would ultimately reduce the process to less than six months. In a presentation at the 12th Annual International Conference of the Nigerian Association for Energy Economics/International Association for Energy Economics (NAEE/ IAEE), the Group Managing of the NNPC, Dr. Maikanti Baru, said the process would allow for free flow of investments into the industry with far reaching effect across all tiers of its operation. Speaking on the theme entitled: Energy Efficiency and Access Imperatives for Sustainable Development in Emerging Economies, Dr. Baru who was represented by the NNPC Chief Operating Officer (COO), Ventures, Dr. Victor Babatunde Adeniran, stated that NNPC had been able to automate crude oil marketing process in the country.

He said: “This process has helped to evaporate the mystery around the management and sale of Nigeria’s crude oil grades with introduction of innovative solutions triggering an ambiance of transparency and stakeholders’ confidence in the operations of the COMD. I can state without equivocation that, today at a click of a button, we can tell you how much crude is sold, at what price, who bought it and where it has gone to.” Dr. Baru listed other achievements of the corporation to include: transparency and accountability, increased crude oil production, improved nationwide fuel supply, joint venture cash call exit, renewed frontiers exploration and revamp of critical downstream infrastructure. Others, he said, included sustained gas supply to power which led to stable domestic gas supply capacity of 17000 million standard cubic feet of gas per day (mmscf/d) with an average of 1.3 billion standard cubic feet per day (bscf/d) supply to the domestic market.

NASS leadership tussle: Ohanaeze youths attack Buhari, APC From CLEM ONYEMAECHI, Yenagoa he South- South leadership of Tdemned Ohanaeze Youth Council has conthe leadership tussle rocking the

nation’s National Assembly ahead of the inauguration of the new leadership of the legislative arm in June. South- South Coordinator of the Ohanaeze youths Council, Chief Chinedu Arthur-Ugwa who spoke to our correspondent in an exclusive interview in Yenagoa blamed the development on the meddlesomeness of the presidency and the leadership of the All Progressive Congress, APC in the affairs of the National Assembly. “My take is that if we are still talking about one Nigeria in this regard the National Assembly should be left alone to decide who will lead them because in the judiciary, nobody goes there to tell them who will lead them. “This is not about party affair, it’s about equity, fairness and justice; it’s talking about the National Assembly of Nigeria, and not the National Assembly of APC. “As the Ohanaeze youths in the SouthSouth, we are saying that the National Assembly should be allowed to choose their leaders and they should be fair to all sections of the country, particularly the South East. “We in the South East should not be marginalized based on our political leaning in the last election. We chose who to vote for because we found his manifesto very attractive to us because of his promise of restructuring Nigeria. “So the South East too has the right to go for it, whether they are in the PDP, whether they are in the APGA and whether they are in the APC. Anywhere they may be, if they have the capacity, they should be given the leave to lead the National Assembly”, the youth leader argued. He tasked President Buhari and the governing APC to be more concerned on improving the welfare of Nigerians by providing good infrastructure, security and jobs for the teeming unemployed Nigerians instead of diverting attention by meddling into the leadership the legislative arm of government. The Ohanaeze youth leader also took a look at the permutation already going on concerning the zoning of 2023 presidency and said that it is yet premature to worry about 2023. He said, “My take is that 2023 is pregnant. We just came out of an election and we have an elected president who is yet to launch his second term without prejudice to the outcome of the matter in the tribunal. It is not yet ripe to start talking about 2023, he insisted. According to him, the apex socio cultural organization of the Igbo nation, the Ohanaeze Ndigbo will speak for the Igbos concerning 2023 when the time comes just as it spoke during 2019 election. On the renewed attacks by the herdsmen and the banditry in Zamfara State, Arthur-Ugwa called on President Buhari to change the service chiefs. “I said it before that the service chiefs should be changed. New ideas and strategies are needed in confronting the security challenges facing the nation. “We are not happy with what is happening in this country. Now the Zamfara issue is the one on front burner. People are dying here and there. In Anambra State I heard that fresh attack from herdsmen left many dead. This is uncalled for. We deserve peace in this country. “The federal government needs to sit up because the key responsibility of any government is security of lives and property. So as the youths in the South-South, we are condemning what is going by the bandits, Boko Haram, herdsmen and we encourage the number one citizen, who is the president to do something in that regard.

The Oracle Today Wednesday April 17 - 23, 2019

ENTERTAINMENT

With Douglas Omoyooma

Real reason I did not abort my baby –Uche Ogbodo, actress T

hat actress, Uche Ogbodo, has had a stormy relationship with her ex, Arthur Akpo is not in doubt. However, despite the crisis, she went on to have his baby. The popular Nollywood actress, script writer, producer, television personality and a model of Igbo extraction who has starred in movies like Be My Val, Family Romance, Forces of Nature, Gamblers and His Holiness among others in this chat with Oracle Today reveals the reasons she did not abort her baby among other interesting issues. “It has been tough,” recalled the actress. “I never believed I would be a single mother because I’m Catholic girl. We preach against abortion and all. I have a covenant with God that I am going to be a mother and a good wife and I never ever wanted to break up with my husband when I get married. I thought about marrying the father of my child but the relationship didn’t work. It’s unfortunate. “This child came as a blessing, maybe, God wants me to have this child in order to teach me a lesson. My parents told me that I am not married that I should move on with my life. But I was like ‘I think there’s a reason for this child growing in me. I didn’t get pregnant while in other relationships so, why this one? Why now?’ There’s a reason for this child and I’m keeping her. That’s why I kept her. It hasn’t been easy.” In retrospect she says: “I’m happy the relationship between my ex and I didn’t work. I’m not an advocate for people staying in a relationship that they are not happy in. If you are not happy, go

away. It is not a do or die affair. You don’t have to die in marriage. If it is no longer convenient for you, walk away. Don’t care what people are going to say; just move on. It’s your life. There are other means of happiness lined up somewhere. So, come on, move on girl! Denying reports that she actually married him she continued: “I’ve never been married but the media portrayed me as a married woman. I was in a relationship with someone and it lasted about a year and then we broke up. We were engaged to be married actually but the minute we said that, everything just fell apart. “So, about a month after we parted ways, I found out that I was pregnant. I didn’t want to tell anybody about it. I just wanted to reflect on my life. I was like ‘should I go back to him because of this pregnancy? Or should I just move on?’ It took me about nine months to realise that I didn’t want that kind of a man in my life because he would only drag me backwards and then I forged ahead.” New body, new career And indeed, the actress has put the past behind her and forged on. Speaking on her breath taking new figure she continued: “I recently had a baby and my baby is four years-old. Before the baby, I had issues with my ex so I told myself that if I want to do what I want to do, I have to lose some weight; baby weight and all. I had to reorient myself. Bottom line, I am happy. “The minute I hit the gym, I knew the results I was looking out for and I never looked back. Each time I look

Each time I look in the mirror, I see a more beautiful version of myself. I’m happy I never gave up... I want to believe that we are a blessed people. Nollywood exposes you to better opportunities and takes you to greater heights. in the mirror, I see a more beautiful version of myself. I’m happy I never gave up. Now I have started a movement, Body Positive With Uche Ogbodo, which is designed to inspire women to work on themselves. I have noticed that some women go through a lot and seeing the changes in their bodies, some get them depressed and even contemplate suicide. “So, I knew such women needed a push to look better and become happier and I decided to became that push for women. Nobody gave me that push before I hit the gym but I want to inspire other women to find themselves. That’s how I want to give back to the society. I want to help women see how beautiful they are. Nobody is ugly.”

What would you say is the major reason Nollywood actresses barely last long in marriages and relationships? “I don’t think relationship is hard for any Nollywood person to handle. I want to believe that we are a blessed people. Nollywood exposes you to better opportunities and takes you to greater heights. It gives you exposure that a businessman or banker will never have. So, whatever you do, all eyes are on you. “And sometimes, you are entangled with people that don’t understand you or your job and they expect you to be a super woman. You meet people who don’t compliment you. It happens everywhere though even to those outside entertainment.”

The Oracle Today Wednesday April 17 - 23, 2019

SPORTS

Don’t withdraw your help to Chukwu, Obuh begs Otedola By MADUABUCHI KALU

ormer Flying Eagles gaffer, Coach Sam John Obuh, has charged billionaire businessman, Femi Otedola not to withdraw his offer of assistance to the ailing former national team captain and coach, Christian Chukwu despite the fact that Enugu State Government is doing something about his situation. Speaking exclusively to the Oracle Today Sports in a telephone interview, the former Sharks, Enugu Rangers and Kwara United sweat merchant expressed happiness to billionaire oil and gas magnet, for stepping out in style to offer to take responsibility for the $50,000 that was disclosed Chukwu’s medical expenses abroad gulp. The Abia State born-football tactician explained that even if the former Harambee Stars of Kenya coach has fully recovered, Otedola, should go ahead to fly him abroad for proper medical checks and holiday in order for him to return to what he used to be and the part of the money given to him to make him comfortable even as he challenged other wellmeaning Nigerians to emulate the patriotic behaviour of the billionaire business mogul. “I want to use this medium to express my profound gratitude to one of our illustrious sons, Femi Otedola for this singular patriotic move in respect of Christian Chukwu’s illhealth. I was so pleased when I read in the papers that he has offered to foot Christian Chukwu’s medical bills abroad. With his offer of footing Chukwu’s medical bill he has shown that all hopes have not lost for our dear country, Nigeria. “What Otedola done with the offered of help in respect of Christian Chukw’s case is heartwarming and it will go a long way in motivating young

Nigerians to dedicate themselves in the service of their fatherland knowing that one day their Labour will not be in vain when they are in need of help. “Having said that I would want to once again still plead with him not with draw the offer of help he has already announced for Chukwu despite Enugu State Government position that they are taking responsibility for the former national team captain and coach’s medical bills. “I want to urge Otedola to go ahead with his planned help to Chukwu even after he has fully recovered, he could take him abroad for thorough medical examination to ensure he returns to what he used to be. He could also be flown abroad for holidays and the money given to him to take care of himself when he returns from the holidays abroad. “I believe by so doing, many of our young players who are watching will realize that their patriotic, selfless service to our fatherland will not be in vain. I thank him so much for his offer of assistance to Chukwu. “On the final note, I would like to call on all wellmeaning Nigerians to emulate what Femi Otedola has offered to do for Chukwu. It is Chukwu today, who knows who it will be tomorrow. If we step out like Otedola has done, we will be helping to build our dear country, Nigeria,” Obuh explained. Meanwhile, Obuh has condemned what he described as the mismanagement of information on Chukwu’s ill-health that made some people to go to town with the insinuation that he was abandoned by the Enugu State Government when in the actual sense, the Ugwuanyi-led Enugu State Government has been doing all they could to assist the man who is the face of Enugu Rangers.

Africa Track Cup: 5 Kaduna cyclists invited to national camp

ive cyclists from Kaduna State Cycling team have been invited to the national camp ahead of Africa Track Cup Cycling Championships in Abuja, the state’s Head Coach, Samaila Usman, said on Monday in Kaduna. The Oracle Today Sports reports that the competition is scheduled for July 26 to July 29, in Abuja. “The cyclists are expected to resume camping on April 28 in Abuja. “The camp is expected to last for three weeks before the commencement of the championship in Abuja. “The cyclists are Abdullahi Usman, Isa Momoh, Jacob Ishaku, Comfort Ayuba, and Grace Ayuba,” Usman told the News Agency of Nigeria on Monday in Kaduna. He described the competition as a good thing for the country being the first time Nigeria was going to host it. “I am happy that Nigeria is going to host the competition and that my cyclists will be participating. “’This is because it is the first time the country will host a track competition since the construction of the velodrome in 2003 during the All Africa Games staged by Nigeria in Abuja. According to him, three cyclists from the state were also ranked as best cyclists by the Cycling Federation of Nigeria (CFN). He expressed delight at the cyclists’ performance that led to their invitation, adding

•Femi Otedola, (Inset) John Obuh

Akwa coach reveals NPFL title ambition impossible. “At FC Ifeanyi Ubah, we did it in the (FA) Cup. We can do it here and that is my personal ambition”, Everton said to Oracle Sports at Godswill Akpabio Stadium, Uyo, moments after The Promise Keepers squeezed two past a resilient Gombe United in a match day 14 fixture. The win saw Akwa United leapfrog El-Kanemi Warriors to the summit of the group B standings on superior goals with 25 points after 14 rounds of matches.

By SAB OSUJI

razilian gaffer, Rafael Everton says he will be delighted to steer Akwa United to a first ever NPFL title haul this term. Everton under laid his coaching credentials in the difficult Nigerian domestic football terrain with a Federation Cup (now AITEO Cup) success with FC Ifeanyi Ubah in 2016. Now, the 29-year-old tactician is looking to complete his domestic club football trophy haul with the NPFL. “At the moment, we are doing good. The players are good and are playing well (in) every game. “Today (against Gombe United) we controlled the game and scored two goals. Yes, I’m delighted, with good play and the win. “It is still a long way to go. After the regular season then the Super Six playoff. Let’s see how it goes. “Our ambition is to take it game after game and finish among the top three in our group. “Then we go into the playoff. My ambition is to win every single •Rafael Everton game and then the trophy. It is not

that it would go a long way to increase their skills in the sport. “I am happy with their invitation for the competition because it will help to develop their skills. “With this development, we are going to work hard to make sure we introduce cycling in primary and secondary schools in the state to improve the sport. (Use El-Rufai) Ebonyi ’re South-East Secondary Schools Cricket Champions Ebonyi on Monday won the 2nd South-East Secondary Schools Cricket Championship held at the Union Secondary School, Enugu. The Oracle Today Sports reports that Ebonyi State, represented by Government Secondary School, Afikpo, defeated Anambra in the final with 55 runs in 14.4 overs to 54 runs in 15 ovals. Imo finished third in the championship which featured five schools from the four states of the zone, including Enugu, Ebonyi, Imo and Anambra. Abia State was conspicuously absent during the championship. The Minister of Youth and Sports, Solomon Dalung, commended the organisers for a successful championship and noted that the ministry would assist in subsequent editions. Dalung, represented by Mrs. Jane Owoh, the South-East Zonal Coordinator of the ministry, said that the championship had provided an avenue for the young cricketers to showcase their talents.

•El-Rufai

The Oracle Today Wednesday April 17 - 23, 2019

SPORTS

AFCON 2019: Adepoju tips Eagles for better outing in Egypt

By MADUABUCHI KALU

ormer Super Eagles’ midfielder, Mutiu Adepoju, has tipped the national team the Super Eagles for a better outing in Egypt in this year’s Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) which will be taking place in Egypt in the next couple of months precisely June/July. Adepoju said that the team are in such good form that it could take on any team in Africa. The 2019 Africa Cup of Nations, known as the Total 2019 Africa Cup of Nations, is scheduled to be the 32nd edition of the competition. The tournament will be hosted by Egypt from 21 June to 19 July 2019, He said that Nigeria’s super Eagles was outstanding during the qualifying stage having won some of their matches home and away. “The team displayed

•Mutiu Adepoju

class and superiority in their match against Seychelles and others. “I hope like every other Nigerian is expecting good results from the team,” Adepoju said. The Oracle Today Sports reports that the tournament was initially scheduled to be hosted by Cameroon. They are also the title holders after winning the previous edition. On Nov. 30, 2018, Cameroon was stripped of hosting the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations [5] due to delays in the delivery of infrastructure, the Boko Haram insurgency and the Anglophone Crisis. On Jan. 8, Egypt was chosen by the CAF Executive Committee as the host nation of the competition. The tournament has also been moved from the original dates of June 15 –July 13 to June 21– July 19.

AFCON 2019: Lawal,

Ijeh warn Eagles over tricky group G

arba Lawal and Peter Ijeh, former internationals have warned the Super Eagles against complacency, saying they could be stunned by their African Cup of Nations Group B opponents if they fail to hit right form. The former internationals gave the warning following last week’s Africa Cup of Nations’ (AFCON) draws which saw Nigeria is in the same group alongside Guinea, Burundi and Madagascar. This group has been seen by many as easy one for the three time African champions but Ijeh and Lawal are cautioning the Eagles not to take thing for granted rather they should see the group as a tricky one that should be mindful of. For Lawal it would be foolhardy to believe the Eagles would run over the Group B opponents, insisting it would have been better for the side to face big African sides in the preliminary stage of the competition. “As a coach, I would have preferred big countries like Ghana, Cameroon and the likes because it is better to face those ones and even lose than getting beaten by Madagascar or Burundi. This thing happens in football that bigger countries lose to so-called minnows in a competition like this. “The

•Garba Lawal

Super Eagles coach Gernot Rohr is wise enough to have admitted that they are in a tough group; I hope all the players will share his view and approach the games with all seriousness,” he said. He said instead of approaching each group game full of confidence, Eagles must tread cautiously because they could be stunned by determined opponents. “The competition is going to be interesting; I know that there are going to be some upsets but I don’t pray it happens to Nigeria. So, I want us to approach each game with caution, they have to be mentally and psychologically ready,” he said. Ijeh says although the grouping looks so easy, overconfidence could affect the Eagles. “We know that in today’s soccer, no team is a push over. You have to work hard to beat any side; skills are not enough, hard work must complement ability for success to happen. “Other countries in the group won’t be under pressure, Eagle will be under intense pressure to deliver,” he said. He stressed further that the coaches must work on the players’ psychology, saying the dynamism of the technical input will ease the tension.

Morning Star Fc declare 2 players missing By SAB OSUJI

wo Morning Star Football Club players have left the clu camp without perm b’s iss ion sin the club to declare them ab ce December last year, forcing sen t wi tho ut official leave, AWOL, Oracle Today Sports exclusiv ely gathered. According to Raphael Nweke , Team Manager of the Neros Anambra Aiteo Cup campa / igners, the players, (21) and Uche Moses Chisom Okereke (18 ) lef t wi tho ut inf orm and as well leaving no trace ing any club official of their whereabouts. And a visibly frightened clu b bo ss is left to and equally alert y club or their safety players intermedrue football business an iar y not to do any wi th the knowledge and permissiondue without Morning Stars express sin ce the y still have existing contract with the Onitsha club. “We transferred Chisom Ok ereke to Yobo FC But by September of same 8, he rejoined us. Lagos last year. “We have an existing con201 copy is in possession of Or tract with him dated June 3, 2018 (a e Sports). “But since Decem r lasacl t year, he has refused to rej camp or show any sigbe oin our n of returning despite all ou efforts. Same applies to r concerted Uc he Mo ses , wh o equally absconded since September. “We have existing valid con responsible club interested tracts with them. We are a in the career progress of yo players. ung “We cannot stop them from pu rsuing But the right thing ir careers elsewhere. done, due sportingthe process as enshrine FIFA Statutes must be d in be followed. “So any club or agent havin g an y tra nsacti with them must first secure our knowledge and express permon warned. ission,” Nweke

The Oracle Today Wednesday April 17 - 23, 2019

SPORTS

Tiger

•As Trump, Obama,

Serena, others hail his Masters victory By MADUABUCHI KALU With Agency Reports

t is no longer news that legendary golfer, Tiger Woods who last won a major title 11years ago Sunday return to winning ways by winning the Augusta Master coming from behind but the news is that he persevered over the years when he was going through a lot in his career. That is why every lover of the game is happy for him and goodwill messages have been pouring in in torrents for the former world number sports personality. There is no doubt that some people wrote him off when he was passing through the tough times. He suffered emotional trauma having been separated with his wife of many years and most advertisers

returns to golf summit after almost 11yrs

pulled out of their contract endorsement with him but he never gave up because he knew that this day will come one day. It is based on this that one is not surprised that world leaders including the president of the most powerful country in the world, Donald Trump, the immediate past President of the United States of America, Barak Obama and Serena Williams among other notable world figures have extended their goodwill messages to him for the historic victory on Sunday as they took to their social media to congratulate him. Here are some of the tweets: “Congratulations to @TigerWoods,” tweeted the US president Trump, who played a round of golf with Woods earlier this year. “A truly Great Champion!” “Congratulations, Tiger!” former president Obama tweeted. “To come back and win the Masters after all the highs and lows is a testament to excellence, grit, and determination.” As Woods went on a charge on the back nine at Augusta National with birdies at 13, 15 and 16 to win by a stroke and claim his 15th major and fifth Masters, social media lit up in a frenzy of congratulations.

“I am literally in tears watching @ TigerWoods, this is Greatness like no other,” tweeted 23-time Grand Slam tennis champion Serena Williams. “Knowing all you have been through physically to come back and do what you just did today? Wow Congrats a million times! I am so inspired thank you buddy.” Fellow golfers and former greats of the game were also quick to hail Woods’ achievement in returning to the summit of the sport after multiple surgeries and a string of off-course problems since his 14th major win at the 2008 US Open. Just two years ago his back pain was so bad Woods thought he might never play again, let alone win another major. “Very few people really know what @TigerWoods has been thru to get back to this point,” tweeted four-time major champion Rory McIlroy, who finished in a tie for 21st on Sunday. “So cool seeing him with Tida, Sam, Charlie, Erica and the rest of the team behind 18 green. Couldn’t be happier for him! What a great day for golf!” added McIlroy after an emotional Woods hugged his mother, children and partner Erica Herman after his winning putt.

We deserve our victory in Akure the show again, this time with two splendid –Rangers coach goals scored in the 28th and 40th minutes which

By MADUABUCHI KALU

nugu Rangers’ gaffer, Gbenga Ogunbote has declared that his side’s latest away victory in Akure, over their hosts, Sunshine Stars was not a fluke instead it was achieved because of their tactical approach in Sunday’s Nigeria Professional Football League Matchday 15 tie against the Akure Gunners. Enugu Rangers continued their fine form in the league with a 2-1 victory against their hosts to maintain their stay at the top of the log in group A of the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL). Rangers’ Ivorian import, Seka Pascal stole

rendered the goal scored by Anthony Omaka for the Owena Whales on the half-hour mark largely inconsequential. Speaking on the outcome against his former club, the Nigerian Coach of the Year hailed his players for a job well done and also spared some thought for Sunshine Stars who he admitted also tried their best to at least get something from the home game. “It was a good game and we showed that we deserved the win by our approach to the game. Our opponent also did their best to make an impact but to God be the glory that when they had opportunities, we were able to clear our lines. The work is still in progress and I am sure it will end in praise.” Ogunbote told the club media.

‘Simly unbelievable’ Aged 43, Woods became the second-oldest Masters winner, trailing only Jack Nicklaus who won at 46 in 1986. “A big ‘well done’ from me to @ TigerWoods!” said Nicklaus on social media. “I am so happy for him and for the game of golf. This is just fantastic!” Woods also set a record for the longest gap between Masters triumphs, the 14 years since his last win in 2005 eclipsing the old mark set by South African Gary Player who won his second Augusta crown in 1961 and his third in 1974. “For most, an impossible task. But not for you,” said South African legend Player on Twitter. “Congratulations Tiger. So special for you and your family. So great for the game of golf. Simply unbelievable.” Other US Sports stars were quick to join in on Twitter. “A big BIG congratulations to @TigerWoods for winning the Masters!!” NBA icon Magic Johnson tweeted. “The roar of the Tiger is back!” “Congrats Tiger! What a performance,” the New England Patriots’ six-time Super Bowl-winning quarterback Tom Brady said.

Nigeria topples Egypt in ITTF Africa Junior, Cadet Championship

he dominance of Egypt in the boys singles of the ITTF African Junior and Cadet Championship was thwarted by Nigeria, as Azeez Solanke won both the junior boys’ singles title and partnering Jamiu Ayanwale to claim the doubles gold. In both disciplines, on the concluding day of play, Solanke ended Egyptian hopes. In the junior boys’ singles event, after having accounted for Abdelraham Dendan at the quarterfinal stage, a contest in which the Egyptian had to eventually withdraw owing to injury (11-5, 1012, 11-7, 11-6, ret), he beat Ahmed El- Borhamy (11-5, 11-8, 11-9, 11-8) and Marwan Abdelwahab (13-11, 4-11, 1012, 11-5, 13-11, 11-6) to secure the title. Defeat for Marwan

Abdelwahab who, in the later rounds, had ousted Nigeria’s Abayomi Animasahun (11-9, 9-11, 11-5, 11-5, 11-8) and Tunisia’s Aboubaker Bourass (118, 11-8, 11-3, 11-7), in the junior boys’ doubles final partnering colleague Gawad El-Herazy, it was also defeat. They suffered at the hands of Ayanwale and Solanke (11-8, 11-7, 116). The top step of the podium for Ayanwale, in the cadet boys’ singles event, after accounting for Tunisia’s Habib Ameur (11-6, 11-6, 8-11, 11-5, 11-7), it was the second step. He was beaten in the final by Taiwo Mati (11-8, 11-4, 11-9, 11- 8). Impressively, at the semi-final stage, Mati had ousted Egypt’s Mohamed Sameh (11-6, 11-3, 11-5, 11-4).

The Oracle Today Wednesday April 17 - 23, 2019

Crime

Police nab suspected kidnappers of Channels TV staff Stories by VICTOR NZE

olice operatives attached to the Operation Puff Adder, acting on intelligence report, have arrested three notorious persons suspected to be involved in the kidnap of Channels Television’s staff, Mr. Friday Okeregbe. The arrest, according to a statement by the Force Public Relations Officer, Force Headquarters, Abuja, Mr Frank Mba (DCP), Monday, occurred at about 6:30am, last Tuesday, April 9in Abuja. Mba who said the arrest was in line with the Inspector General of Police (IGP), M. A. Adamu’s stated commitment to curb all forms of

…Recover arms, ammunition

crimes and criminality, especially incidences of kidnapping and other violent crimes in the country, named the suspects as; Hanniel Patrick ‘m’ 29years from Akwa Ibom State, Abdulwahab Isah ‘m’ 28years and Salisu Mohammed ‘m’ 32years both from Kogi State. The spokesman also disclosed that the suspects have made useful statement to the Police. According to Mba, investigation reveals that Mr. Friday Okeregbe was not originally the intended target of the vicious criminals.

“However, on that fateful day, 22nd March, 2019, at 07:45PM, he was kidnapped when the kidnappers saw him parking his vehicle at a location in Lugbe, Abuja. Investigation further reveals that the victim was taken to the kidnappers’ den somewhere in Karimo, Abuja and kept incommunicado afterwards,” he said. The Police have also recovered from the kidnappers a locally-made revolver gun, three live AK-47 ammunition, a battle axe, phones and masks with which they blindfold

their victims. “Effort is being intensified to arrest other members of the gang still at large. “The IGP has reassured the general public that the Police and other security agencies are doing everything humanly possible to tame the challenges of kidnapping and other heinous crimes across the country. “He however enjoins them to always avail the Police with useful information that will help in realizing these objectives,” the statement read.

10 suspected kidnappers killed, 46 arrested in 1wk -- Police cting Inspector General of PoA lice (Ag. IGP), Mr. Mohammed A. Adamu has disclosed that in one

week operatives of the ‘Operation Puff Adder’ have killed 10 suspected kidnappers and criminals in some troubled states like Kogi, Niger, Zamfara, Kaduna, and Katsina States as well as the FCT, which have been under the siege by kidnappers, armed robbers and armed bandits. Remarking during a ‘Meeting with Strategic Police Managers’, last Thursday, in Abuja, Adamu said between 5th April, 2019, when the operation was launched, and presently, the initiative has recorded the following achievements: 46 kidnapping suspects/armed bandits arrested; 10 Suspects killed in operations; 2 victims safely rescued; 18 firearms recovered including, nine AK-47 rifles and 9 other locally-fabricated/ automatic weapons; 1300 live AK47 ammunition recovered; 28 live cartridges recovered; 10 extra rifle magazines recovered. Adamu said the meeting was called ‘called principally to discuss the current internal security situation across the country and evaluate our strategies with a view to evolving new approaches that will be potent enough to effectively mitigate these threats.’ The meeting, he added, will review the progress so far made by the recently launched Operation Puff Adder which was emplaced as a short-term operational response to the resurgence of kidnapping, armed robbery, armed banditry and sundry heinous crimes in some parts of the country. “Criminal records point to a significant rise in crime following the conclusion of the general elections. “While some security experts have attributed the trend to the disengagement of the criminal elements from politically-related activities for which they might have been engaged during the elections, others have attributed the trend to socio-economic factors. “While the debate on the cause of the upsurge in crime could be a subject of debate or academic conjecture, what remains undebatable is the fact that the primary and statutory duty of the Nigeria Police as

Sultan backs ‘Operation Puff Adder’ Sultan of Sokoto, His EmiTkarhenence Muhammad Sa’ad AbubaIII has pledged his unalloyed

support to the police and other security agencies in their efforts towards the fight against armed banditry and other crimes in the country received a comprehensive boost with the. The Sultan made this pledge, Tuesday, at his Palace in Gida Sarkin Musulmi, Sokoto when the Acting Inspector General Police, Acting IGP, Mohammed A. Adamu, in the company of the Executive Governor of Sokoto State, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, Deputy Governor of Sokoto State, Alh. Mannir Dan’iya and other top Police Officers and Government functionaries paid him a courtesy visit. While promising to use the platform of the Forum of Northern Traditional Rulers to rally support of all the traditional rulers from Northern Nigeria to fight armed banditry and other crimes in the region, the Sultan equally aligned himself with the IGP’s policy direction of using the tool of Community Policing and Partnership to combat crime. The Sultan also urged Nigerians from all walks of life to support the Police in the fight against all manner of crime in the Country. Thereafter, the IGP visited the Police Headquarters in the State where he charged the Officers and Men of the Command to up the ante in the fight against armed banditry and other crimes in the State, promising to do everything within his power to provide them with adequate working tools and healthy working environment.

Abuja-Kaduna expressway: Police kill 9 suspected criminals

•Hanniel Patrick from Akwa Ibom State, Abdulwahab Isah and Salisu Mohammed both from Kogi State, the 3 suspects involved in the kidnap of Mr. Friday Okeregbe, the Channels Television staff, paraded in Abuja

the lead agency in internal security framework, is the prevention and detection of crime and the maintenance of our internal security order. “This places on us the responsibility of assuring the citizens of their safety and security without any form of excuses. It also challenges us to rededicate ourselves to our statutory duties, constantly review our law enforcement strategies and re-order our policing priorities towards stemming the tide of crime. “It is within this context that this meeting was summoned. In this regard, let me emphasize that as strategic police managers, your professional competence is measured by your capacity to dissect the trends and patterns of crimes within your Area of Jurisdiction, develop and modify crime management strategies and deploy your human and material assets towards achieving a stable security order. While some of you have demonstrated a very

high and commendable level of professional competence which has manifested in the moderation of crimes in your commands, unfortunately, the professional proficiency and sense of commitment to duty of some others are being called to question in the face of inappropriate response to threats of crimes in their jurisdictions. The current security realities in the country have made this trend intolerable. “Consequently, I charge you all, as you return to your various commands, to renew your sense of commitment to duty and demonstrate requisite professional leadership needed to roll-back the current unacceptable trend of crimes in your commands. In so doing, you must have the knowledge to see things differently, wisdom to think differently and courage to act creatively. Because as noted by Albert Einstein, you cannot be ‘doing the same thing over and over and ex-

pect different results’. “The dynamics of crime should task you to evolve new thoughts and new approaches to crime management. Your ability to this is what defines you as a professional and an experienced police manager. “You must therefore, return to your commands to evaluate and coordinate actions directed at overhauling your current crime control structure and strategies being conscious that the current security challenges represent a test on your leadership ability. The police chief, therefore, assured Nigerians of the police’s ‘renewed commitment to emplacing effective strategies towards addressing the current security challenges. The threats might appear challenging, but I can assure that they are surmountable and we shall provide the requisite leadership needed to address them. We, however, cannot do it alone.’

he unrelenting efforts to root-out criminal elements terrorizing commuters along the Abuja – Kaduna expressway recorded additional successes, last Wednesday, April 10, with the recovery of six AK-47 rifles, one Pump Action run, 1,206 rounds of Ak47 Ammunition, Seven magazines, 28 Cartridges as well as 158 expended shells by Police operatives attached to ‘Operation Puff Adder’ deployed to the area. A statement by the Force Public Relations Officer, Force Headquarters, Abuja, Mr Frank Mba (DCP), explained that the recovery ‘followed a serious exchange of gun fire encounter, between the police operatives and a heavily armed notorious criminal gang at the Akilbu Forest, off Abuja-Kaduna Expressway, which resulted in the death of nine members of the gang while two escaped with gunshot wounds. One of the police operatives however sustained gunshot wound and he is presently receiving treatment in a hospital. Effort is being intensified to arrest the fleeing members of the gang.’ Commenting on the incident, the Acting Inspector General Police, Acting IGP, Mohammed A. Adamu reiterated his call for support by the public to the Police and other sister agencies, even as he assured that ‘the war against armed bandits will soon be won.’ The police chief also expressed satisfaction with the successes recorded so far in the fight against kidnapping and other heinous crimes across the country.

39 The Oracle Today Wednesday April 17 - 23, 2019

Much ado about NEEM fertilizer plant, Amawbia

mawbia literally means a place for visitors or people who treat others equally, depending on who is doing the explanation. The community was founded by Awofia in 1905 with six villages, including Umueze, Ngene, Adabebe, Umukabia, Ezimezi and Enu-oji. It became popular as old Awka District Council quarters, the former Njikoka Local Government, later Awka and presently Awka South Local Government Area. Amawbia Market, Eke Oyibo, has not developed competitively but is positioned in a very conspicuous place with the Nigerian police Headquarters, the state Fire Service, the DSS, Governor’s lodge, the State Prisons, and several other government offices around it. But, there is no bank in Amawbia aside Isi Aku Microfinance Bank and LAPO Microfinance Bank. There is plan to site a Union Bank branch near TICON Technologies Amawbia probably to be attracted by Mr Emeka Emuwa, a son of Amawbia and the Group Chief Executive Officer of Union Bank Plc. There is a completed bank office at the expressway beside Enugu Agidi road, near the flyover that leads to NTA, Awka, purportedly by Union Bank too, though no name has been associated with the structure. There was an era when Amawbia was seen as a community of farmers and hunters though a highly educated community and now, they are in the corridors of power and in multi-nationals doing well. An Amawbia son, Dr. Joseph Odumodu was a two-time Chief Executive of the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON). There are top civil servants, clergies in all denominations and a lot of Millionaires in business world. Let me spare them of mention. Amawbia Town Union (ATU) has been in the forefront of championing development in the community and built some projects through communal efforts like two secondary schools, a hospital and recently the modern market park supported by Governor Willie Obiano’s community-choose-yourproject funds as well as renovation of old Civic centre and now an ultramodern Events centre which is ongoing now, among others. Until his passing, Igwe Michael Ositadimma Okoye (Okpaligwe I Amawbia) was worried about one thing: how to facilitate the completion of the NEEM Fertilizer Plant with hopes that so many Amawbia people would be employed. That was not to be before his death. Amawbia has streams like Okika in Ngene Village, Mbagu in Enuoji, Anana in Adabebe, Abba in Ezimezi and Ofiamazu in Umukabia Village, as well as other rivers like Ovunu, Obiba, Nwezi among others. There are prominent Amawbia indigenes now in the Governor Willie Obiano Administration, including the State Chairman of All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Chief Victor Ike Oye; the Principal Secretary to the Governor, Sir. Willie Nwokoye; Anambra State Head of Service, HoS, Barr Harry Udu among others. The APGA national chairman and Principal Secretary’s words today are taken seriously on the corridors of power in Anambra. They have attracted some roads hitherto nonexistent. The Community chose to build an ultramodern event centre at Agu Amawbia amidst pomp and ceremony against facilitating the take-off of an already completed Neem Fertilizer plant with capacity of employing over 1000 workers with Amawbia people bringing most of the entire junior staff. The NEEM Fertilizer plant has been neglected and abandoned.

CORNUCOPIA By Odogwu Emeka Odogwu Telephone number: 08060750240

E-mail : odogwuchampionawka@yahoo.co.uk

•The site of the NEEM fertilizer plant Amawbia But who am I to ask why? The President-General of the town, Chief Chris Nwoye said the centre will serve as a monument for the Obiano administration after its tenure. The Principal Secretary to the Governor, Sir. Willie Nwokoye said the project will strengthen the bond of peace that exists among the people of the community. Governor Obiano was represented by his Deputy, Dr. Nkem Okeke. The event was used to flag off Eziokpalaigwe festival. I contacted the team leader of Unihead Nigeria Limited, Dr Okechukwu Areh, the contractor handling the NEEM Fertilizer plant on November 14, 2018 on why it was abandoned when it was already over 90 per cent completed? He was direct that it was lack of payment from the state government for years and I wept. I asked so many other questions but he didn’t want to volunteer information. The President-General of the town, twice, Chief Chris Nwoye, when contacted could also not say why. And I allowed him be. By January 2014, the Anambra State Government had put in motion a machinery to ensure early completion of Neem- based Fertilizer Pilot Plant at Amawbia during the administration of former Governor Peter Obi, OON. Obi then regretted that the project was delayed because the contract was not properly articulated before it was awarded as some critical components were not included like the external work. Obi said the federal government had fulfilled its promise of supporting the project by providing some of the key machinery and directed the Ministry of Housing where the project was domiciled to within one week articulate what it would take to complete the project as quickly as possible.

The contractor handling the project, Dr. Okechukwu Areh assured that they would work hard to meet the expectations of the government and people of the State but he failed, even though he blamed it on the state government’s refusal to release fund. It is unfortunate that the multimillion naira Neem-based Organic Fertilizer Plant project that was initiated in 2010 with foundation stone laid on 21st January, 2010 with a promise that it would be ready in four months’ time as at 18th of May, 2011 has been abandoned by the Obiano administration. Though domiciled in Housing, Agriculture Ministry in Anambra would have taken it up as did Ministry of Commerce and Industry during Obi’s administration, when then Permanent Secretary of Ministry , Dr Austin Nnalue gave the four-month period for the plant to start work when Obi visited the factory for inspection of the ongoing installation of machinery at the Amawbia site. The promise that it would be commissioned by September 2011 failed. What went wrong? Unfortunately, the project that would at completion employ about 1,000 workers for a start and has capacity to produce 10,000 metric tons of fertilizer per day is today in its worst state with millions worth of machinery rusting away. Weeds have overgrown the compound. Fire spread into the compound last dry season but luckily the structure did not get burnt. What an irony that Anambra that prides itself as an agricultural State has abandoned the Neem-based fertilizer plant, which is designed to produce soil-friendly organic fertilizer for which raw materials are readily available in the state. Where is the over 500,000 seeds of Neem already planted during

former Governor Obi as a measure of ensuring that the raw materials are available? Plant house was ready since 2011 remaining walling while the administrative block was ready but nothing happened there till date. The entire job tarried to 2014 and Obi failed to flag it off, waiting for Obiano to shine with it but alas it became an abandoned property. Get there and shed tears for Amawbia people in particular and the entire state in general yet lamentations of unemployment abound. Do you know what it means to take away 1000 youths off the street? Obi had a vision of Anambra people using Neem tree plantation for checking erosion and making boundaries of institutions as a measure to ensure its availability in large quantity at all times. Has this yielded any results? Anambra people resident in the North then assured they had in access the raw materials for the plant house. But what changed? Policy reversal by the Obiano administration or lack of vision on the part of Obi to complete what he started or what? Neem fertilizer plant was first established at Katsina State where it is assisting them much in boosting agriculture especially now that fertilizer is a problem and in short supply. Why is the Anambra situation different? Our farmers still lament short supply of fertilizers hence the need to use organic to augment. The project which is in partnership with the National Research Institute for Chemical Technology based in Zaria , Kaduna State is to provide technical assistance. Where is the continuity promised by APGA? Where is the Inter-Ministerial Committee headed by Ministry of Agriculture, with representatives from Ministries of Commerce and Industry, Environment, Local Government and Chieftaincy

Matters, Post-Primary Schools Service Commission (PPSSC)and Anambra State Universal Basic Education Board (ASUBEB)? The Committee handles the campaign for planting Neem seedlings in all parts of the state, but they did nothing or so I assume. Why did the then Director General of National Research Institute for Chemical Technology (NARICT), Dr. A Ebenezer Okonkwo abandon a project that would have etched his name in gold even after service? He began the journey and abandoned it halfway because Obi left or what? Where was his promise that NARICT would manage the Industry for six months, with Anambra officials understudying them, to continue after they had left? Dr Okonkwo handed over to Professor Idris M Bugaje around October 2011 and he handed over to Prof. Jeffrey Barminas about 2017. But they all abandoned what Okonkwo started. What a shame? Note that NARICT is a specialised research institute established in April 1988 under the Federal Ministry of Science and Technology, with a mandate to research and ensure development in chemical, leather, biochemical, solid minerals, engineering plastics and allied fields. Amawbia community donated the piece of land but their people abandoned it forgetting that constant push could have done something differently. The Federal Co-operative centre besides the NEEM Fertilizer plant too appears a waste as the Neem Fertilizer plant. I blame the farmers under the auspices of the All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN) led then by Chief Nnamdi Mekoh who was later made Commissioner for Agriculture for not following up. The laudable speech he made that day was a waste. Another of Obi’s Agriculture commissioner, Mr. Ndubisi Menakaya didn’t mention it. I thought Obiano’s Commissioner for Agriculture, Mechanization, Processing and Export, Mr Afam Mbanefo, with all the commendations and propaganda would have spared a thought for the NEEM Fertilizer plant but never. Was it that the former Commissioner for Commerce, Industry and Tourism, Barr. Chima Okafor did not do the needful on that project or was the major contractor for the Neem fertilizer project Unihead Nigeria Limited, the problem? The skewed NPK fertilizer national distribution system would have been a thing of the past in the state. Okafor had said that the multiplier effect of the industry regarding employment is tremendous as conservatively, it is expected that more than 2000 employment opportunities will be created when the industry becomes functional either directly in the industry or in other areas such as in the marketing, distribution, supply of raw materials, dealing with the bye products. Where is Dr A.A Ihuoma who represented the Director-General/ Chief Executive Officer of the National Research Institute for Chemical Technology (NAARICT), Zaria , Dr. E.M. Okonkwo and all the laudable statements they made? Is NEEM fertilizer plant a curse for Amawbia people, Anambra State or what?Cornucopia is a weekly column of •Odogwu Emeka Odogwu is a known Journalist, Editor and famous Blogger, as well as Social Media Entrepreneur, publisher and Conversationalist @ www. odogwublog.com among others. Phone Number: 08060750240 E-mail : odogwuchampionawka@ yahoo.co.ukOdogwu

WEDNESDAY April 17 - 23, 2019

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ISSN: 2545-5869

Towards the Igbo Renaissance

he first newspaper I read as a boy was called The Renaissance published in Enugu. I later learned it was once known as the Biafran Sun. And while I continued to read my favourite title every day a copy was delivered to our home, it was renamed Daily Star. A vernacular title called Ogene soon followed. Today, however, you can hardly find any paper that resembles Ogene. As I now wonder what has happened to the “Jews” of Africa, I remember that the tonic Ndigbo needed is in the title of the first newspaper I read in the early 1970s. Together with their kith and kin of the south-south, Ndigbo have taken a stand this year through their votes. But there’s still a problem. Where would an outsider find the Igbo leader today? Not any of the five state governors. Not a senator. Not a first-class chief. Not even an elder statesman of Igbo extraction. But it’s not totally true that Ndigbo know no king. Although there were fewer human kings in the days of yore, there were masquerades, speaking in their guttural voices, in Igbo-land to provide leadership. Generations of Igbo people will forever remain grateful to Chinua Achebe for telling the story of pre-colonial Igbo-land through Things Fall Apart. As he shows in the evergreen novel, the masquerades in Igbo-land – egwugwu or mmanwu – are regarded as the ancestors from beyond whose advice cannot be ignored. Their voices are unlike human voices, but they speak the truth at all times. Perhaps it’s because masquerades have been abandoned that Ndigbo now act and talk individually. Were it in the good old days, egwugwu would, for instance, have been able to state the position of Ndigbo in the current affairs of the country. However, how the dead ancestors transform to egwugwu is what I don’t know and cannot describe today! I’ve heard leaders of other parts of the country say they have been seeking “a handshake across the Niger” but don’t know Igbo leaders with whom they can strike a deal. Of course, they can’t converse with weird masquerades! With traditional religionists vanishing in Igbo-land, the custodians of eternal wisdom (mmanwu) are hardly heard these days. Even the Igbo language is facing extinction due to the foolishness of the “modern” Ndigbo. Ohanaeze Ndigbo comes closest to what could be regarded as the Igbo leadership today. The socio-cultural group now led by Chief Nnia Nwodo has left no one in doubt about Ndigbo’s determination to take their rightful place in Nigeria and in the world. Nnamdi Kanu is perhaps the next most influential after Ohanaeze. Touch Kanu and you face opprobrium from millions of youngsters! What do the Igbo want in 2023? It’s restructuring or nothing, because Nigeria’s unbalanced “federalism” is hurting them the most. For there is no pretending that Ndigbo are still bearing a cross in Nigeria. Appointments made at the federal level in the past four years have cleared all doubts! Now it’s no longer the Igbo alone that complain about the imbalance in the leadership of the nation’s security, judiciary, legislature

GUEST COLUMNIST Aniebo

Nwamu

•Chief Nnia John Nwodo and executive. Away from government, an Igbo employee has to be 200% better than a non-Igbo to be considered half as good. Luckily for the Igbo, many are self-employed as traders and technocrats. That’s why they hardly get to the top except they’re indispensable. The unwritten rule seems to be: “Let them be hewers of timber and drawers of water while we help ourselves to the treasury.” Whenever there is a crisis in any part of the country, Igbo people and their shops are the first to be attacked. For no just cause. Just envy. The Igbo masquerade would tell you that rotation of political offices is older than Nigeria, at least in the Igbo area – it was not started by the NPN of the Second Republic as many have erroneously stated. Right from the earliest times, monarchies were not permitted in Igbo communities (except in Onitsha, though the people of “Onitsha Ado” trace their ancestry to the old Bini empire). There can be no better explanation for Ndigbo’s republicanism than their love for rotation of leadership positions. Even if all other parts of Nigeria are against rotation, Ndigbo should not be. Rotation (or what “special” linguists now call “zoning”) is not democrat-

ic, but Nigeria has not grown above it. The current hullabaloo would have been avoided if visionary people had led Nigeria. It was Alex Ekwueme that actually divided Nigeria into six geopolitical zones. The 1995 constitutional conference supported him and agreed that the presidency should be rotated among the zones for 30 years (that is, one term of five years each) in order to achieve national unity and stability. One “Nigerian factor” has been that nobody has cared to prosecute Abdulsalami Abubakar and his military goons that, after Abacha’s death, threw away the recommendations of the 1995 conference and, instead, gave us a fraudulent constitution. Imagine the billions that were wasted on that conference and the billions that have been wasted on the review of the 1999 Constitution since 2001. By the way, where is the sixth Igbo state recommended by the conferees of 2005 and 2014? Maybe that has entered voicemail too. Ndigbo know it should be their turn to produce the president in 2023 but they’re not enthusiastic about it. Political offices are relatively inconsequential. Even then, their undoing has been that any position reserved for them gets contested by scores or even hundreds. Everyone feels he’s the most qual-

ified. Egoism – it’s wrong. When the Igbo rally round a leader, once again, it will be the beginning of their renaissance. I’m no chauvinist. Far from it. But, like most Igbo, I’m a realist -- realists say things the way they see them. Come to think of it, is tribalism not a huge problem in Nigeria? Why do some people bury their head in the sand like an ostrich whenever ethnicity is mentioned, yet they drink, eat and bathe with ethnicity every day? If preaching oneness is the solution to the problem, why have we not been united all these decades? Even the Nigerian constitution devotes several clauses and sub-sections to the “Federal Character Principle” and the like, yet all the people who have ruled and ruined Nigeria did so by practising tribalism of the crudest kind. All the talk about “zoning” or rotation of offices is nothing more than tribalism. Everyone has the right to express their feelings on any subject. So I don’t criticise those who frown at my “daring” to mention “Igbo” when everyone ought to be preaching national unity. But they should not attempt to deny me my own right to freedom of expression. Is it fair if I don’t show interest in the affairs of the zone I come from? Meanwhile, I’ve not spared Igbo people that have contributed to the nation’s problems. I’m only asking that the Igbo who are honest and competent should be recognised for what they are. They should be treated like other Nigerians. Ndigbo’s ingenuity and hard work should be a source of strength for the nation; it should not attract envy or jealousy. The generation that fought a civil war (to defend themselves) 52 years ago is dying off. Most promoters of MASSOB and IPOB today had not been born then. As I once wrote, it is most regrettable that the “Asian Tigers” like Malaysia, Singapore and the Koreas have overtaken a people that, almost 50 years ago, made ogbunigwe bombs and rocket launchers, made trucks and tanks from scrap, refined fuel at their kitchens, built airstrips overnight and achieved other incredible feats. One Abdullah, in a rejoinder to my column, taunted me by asking why, if the Igbo were so enterprising, they hadn’t turned their native homeland to a mini Taiwan or at least a “Nigerian tiger”. In response, I told him he was ignorant, and that I didn’t think he had ever travelled more than 20km from the place he was born. Had he ever visited Nnewi, Aba or Onitsha or seen the technological wonders the Igbo “boys” are performing in Lagos and several major cities around the world, his opinion would have changed. As far back as the 1980s, Nnewi was viewed as Nigeria’s Silicon Valley because of the numerous industries that were in operation there. And Abdullah’s shoes supposedly “made in Italy” were actually made in Aba. The bad policies of incompetent governments have frustrated many industrialists, the Igbo not excluded. Nigeria has been the loser. Nwamu, a book editor and entrepreneur, is the CEO of Eyeway.ng writes from Abuja. +2348054100220 (SMS/WhatsApp only)

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