Wednesday December 27, 2017

The

VOX POPULI SACRUM

racle www.oraclenews.ng

WEDNESDAY December 27, 2017

ISSN: 2545-5869

Today

VOL.2 No. 53. N200

Anger over $1 billion for Boko Haram

From BONIFACE OKORO, Umuahia, CLEM ONYEMAECHI, Yenagoa

SCAM. Scandal. Scheme. Nigerians are almost in unanimity in their condemnation of the proposed expenditure of $1 billion on a new operation against “insurgents in the North East”.

They do not want the money to be spent in an operation that

• It’s illegal – Lawyers • Scandal • Scam • Shame • Unconstitutional seems non-existent.

This is because, according to analysts, two years ago, 29 December 2015, to be precise,

Minister of Information, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, told the world that Boko Haram had been “technically defeated”.

He said the group been so degraded that it was incapable of posing any further threat to Nigerians.

This led to more celebrations of the “defeat” of Boko Haram last year, with President MuhamCont’d on page 2

Fights after Abuja Crafts Village fire

• N400m artworks lost

From VICTOR NZE, Lagos

“W

E don’t do 24 hours.

By 8:30pm in the evening, the place should be closed for business. It’s a business environment,” Otunba Olusegun Runsewe declared on visiting the iconic Abuja Arts and Crafts Village after his appointment as Director General of the National Council for Arts and Culture, NCACl in April 2017.

To the newly-appointed NCAC boss, 24 open hours would require security round the clock, a luxury the NCAC, as operators of the Art and Crafts Village could not afford for now.

However, that decision is now at the centre of a raging controversy that has pitched resident craftsmen, shopkeepers located inside the village on one side against the NCAC on the other following the circumstances under which a fire, last Friday night, razed the entire Crafts Village costing the keepers over N400 million worth of precious artworks and textiles.

The Abuja Arts and Crafts Village is located at the Central Business District in Abuja, behind the Silverbird Cinema. The Village has three distinct craft sections: arts and crafts, painting, and textile.

“This place is a national monument. Our mandate is to protect, showcase, and enrich Nigeria’s cultural heritage,” Mr. Kennedy quickly adds with a winning smile,” captures Eguakun Kennedy, who serves as the Public Relations Offi-

cer of the African Arts and Cultural Heritage Association in the Arts and Crafts Village, Abuja.

According to eyewitnesses, the fire started late Friday night.

“The fire started late in the night at about after past 10pm.

But there was no NEPA, so I can definitely say it was not from an electrical fault or spark as is usually the case or as anybody else would claim. The place was pitch black that night,” said a craftsman, who simply identified himself as Musa.

Musa’s claim may suggest a clandestine motive considering that enraged shopkeepers and resident craftsmen the following morning rushed to burn down the NCAC stand at the Village that was initially not torched.

Many posit that Runsewe had not handled the resident craftsmen/NCAC relationship rather diplomatically in view of how previous DGs had found a way of navigating through the delicate waters of managing the craftsmen in the Village, even as others have accused him of highhandedness in finding a common ground of co-existence between both parties.

“If he (Runsewe) had allowed us to continue sleeping inside the Village with our artworks, perhaps that fire would not have gotten

Cont’d on page 2

Page 8

• Innoson unveils 4 new products, its chairman Innocent Chukwuma was arrested Tuesday. Story on P5 Photo: Oge Onyeanusi

Fuel scarcity punishes travellers From SOPURUCHI ONWUKA, Lagos, THEO RAYS, Onitsha, NATH OMAME, Port Harcourt, COLLIN UGHALAA, Owerri

T

HOUSANDS of Nigerians travelling for the Christmas holidays have been caught in the unresolved waves fuel scarcity that started in Abuja and Lagos, then spread nationwide. The motor parks are jammed; airport lounges are bursting with traffic.

There are more people than available services.

Fares have shot through the roof. They have doubled even in intra-city movements. “We are already paying N100 for journeys we made with N50,” one commuter said. “It is tougher for those travelling long distances.”

In most of the parks, the operators made a show of the difficulty of getting petrol, they then called their fares. “People are stranded in most of those places,” said a passenger who arrived Onitsha from Abuja. “We lost two hours at a point waiting for the driver’s

contact to get fuel. It is terrible.

Some other passengers are waiting in places where their vehicles ran out of fuel.”

At the airports the airlines are appear to be straining. They are overwhelmed with passengers, who seemed to have weathered the high fears; thinking flying would be a better alternative increased the number of passengers.

“The weather has not been very helpful. The harmattan haz-

Cont’d on page 2

Enugu hosts Chinze’s Art

2

The Oracle Today Wednesday December 27, 2017

NEWS

Fuel scarcity punishes travellers Continued from Pg 1

es have caused delays in flights, apart from the fact that there are limited number of aircrafts in operation,” an airport source said in Port Harcourt, where there had been long wailing for flights from Abuja and Lagos.

Social tension over the scarcity of petroleum products melted away Tuesday after Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria, PENGASSAN, called off their strike within eight hours, supply crisis still weighs on the market, as most filling stations remained shut.

Survey of the market by The Oracle Today showed that only few stations operated by both major and independent marketers opened to customers and hosted crowds of consumers who thronged the retail sites in cars, motorbikes and with all manner of containers.

The situation conferred the right to sharp practices on station managers and their workers who exploited the scarcity in the market to introduce different kinds of illegal tolls before customers get to the service pumps.

At NNPC mega station, Dopemu, Lagos, vehicle owners were locked outside the gate until they paid negotiated fees before each was allowed entry to the station forecourts to join short queues that were efficiently controlled within. Outside the dwarf gates that blocked entry and exit points, chaos reigned as desperate buyers scrambled to position for the next entry batch.

Within the intervals, gate men assisted by policemen deployed for crowd control bargained with motorists over entry fees before

they are positioned for the next batch of access.

Those with jerry cans had easy entry to queue at dedicated pumps but they are serviced only upon payment of service charges proportionate to the size of their containers. Payments for the containers are made to the pump attendant under the watch of roving supervisors.

At Total service station, on Mobolaji Bank-Antony Way, Ikeja, fuel queues tailed as back as Leventis Bus Stop. Actually, several cars passed the night at the filling station from scramble of the previous evening. There was no sign of sharp practices, sales were orderly but the process was very slow as pump attendants played the king.

Heyden at Ile Zik, Lagos-Abeokuta expressway hosted crowd of fuel buyers but the crowd control system, which involved locking out motorists and admitting them in batches, supports suspicion of sharp practices.

Oando at Dopemu, NNPC Retail at Egbeda, Northwest Petroleum at Isheri also hosted long queues if desperate motorists who besieged them as early as cockcrow.

A past Chairman of PENGASSAN who preferred to speak informally explained that the brief strike by the union was no longer responsible for any shortage in the market, saying that all members of the association had returned to their duty posts.

“As I speak with you, all our

members have gone back to work. In fact, some of them were already at work when the notice of strike was served them, and as you know they couldn’t have left work for the day. So I would say that the strike cannot be responsible for the shortage in the market,” he said.

A source at one of the depots in Apapa disclosed that supply situation in the market has been very precarious some past few months. He explained that storage facilities in Lagos, which catered for supplies to South West and part of the northern parts of the country, had been grappling with low stock.

High hopes that the end of the strike would restore sanity at the

filling stations could have been in vain. In Abuja, right under the nose of the authorities, fuel is not available. Threats by the Department of Petroleum Resources to shut down stations that did not sell products have not elicited the expected results.

“Those making those threats know there is no fuel. The supplies are trickling in, they are not enough to restore sanity so quickly,” a source in Abuja told The Oracle Today.

Where the fuel is available, prices remain high, in some places as high as N220 per litres. Fears are also increasing of the possibility of adulterated fuel since many people get their supplies from unverifiable sources.

rians were stunned to learn that $1 billion, about N306 billion, would again be required to fight Boko Haram--in 2017.

The anger over the expenditure centred on several issues, including “the concentration”

of national resources on the North East, at the expense of other parts of the country as well as the “the illegalities” the expenditure involved.

Accoding to Ikechi Mgbeoji, Professor of Law, Osgood Law

School, York University, Canada, there are no bases for spending money without appropriation as such expenditure would be “illegal and unconstitutional”.

“Our Constitution is clear about approvals for funds. It is the constitutional responsibility of the National Assembly, in the case of national funds, and the State Assemblies play the same role for state funds,” Professor Mgbeoji said. “It is clearly unconstitutional for funds to be expended or proposed for expenditure without going through these processes. The essences of these are captured in Sections 80, 81 and 162 of the Constitution. They deal with the processes for managing national funds.”

He noted that similar provisions exist for the States in Sections 120, 121 if they want to spend.

“What the President should have done is to propose a budget to the National Assembly.

Once the National Assembly passes it, he has the powers to spend the money,” he averred, stressing that the due process must be followed irrespective of whatever the issue may be.

“It is unimportant the number of Governors who gathered and reached the decisions with the President. Whatever they are trying to spend under that guise is illegal. Without the National Assembly’s approval, it is unconstitutional,” Mgboji further stated. “The President cannot arm-twist the governors – he knows he is all-powerful President – and we call it democracy.

It is part of the distortions of our federal system of government.”

Professor Mgbeoji described such “illegality” as common in nigeria’s democratic dispensation.

“State governors replicate the distortion too. They spend state funds in similar manners.

They arm-twist the local governments,” the professor of law lamented.

If the $1 billion were to be taken from the Sovereign Wealth Fund, there is a process for it too.

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo established these

Anger over $1 b for Boko Haram Continued from Pg 1 madu Buhari announcing that the few attacks from the group, “were the kicks of a dying horse, which would cease with time.”

Against this background, Nige-

•What is left of the iconic Abuja Art and Crafts Village after the Friday night fire incident

To be serialised in The Oracle Today soon

Read about the great Rangers story from next edition

... N400m Abuja Crafts Village fire Continued from Pg 1 out of hand, because I recall that there have been similar incidents inside this Village of electrical sparks resulting in fires which were effectively controlled due to the presence of craftsmen on site.

But now because we are no longer there, this has happened. This is our anger,” Ifeanyi Obi, a crafts dealer lamented.

“And you cannot say we burnt down our own works. This is our livelihood. We could not have destroyed it deliberately. I’m saying this because you may hear somebody in government saying that because we were not allowed to sleep inside the village with our works, so we burnt the place down. It’s not possible. We don’t know who did it. But we know for sure that if we were there protecting our works, this would not have

happened. And we blame NCAC for this. They want us out of this place by all means, it’s not a secret, but we have lost a lot. And there is no compensation,” cried out Yusuf Adamu, who owns textile shop in the Village.

Last Friday night, well over 20 shops filled with artworks were destroyed in the fire at the Abuja Arts and Craft Village, Mr. Kanayo Chukwumezie, President of the African Arts and Cultural Heritage Association, AACHA, said.

Chukwumezie speaking on Saturday in Abuja estimated that the disaster caused a loss of over N400 million.

“We have not ascertained the cause of the fire. When the fire started and the first two shops were burning, our members wanted to rush in to stop the fire, but the security at the gate by the

National Council for Art and Culture, NCAC, prevented them.

“Before the Fire Service arrived, almost all the shops were burnt: they were only able to extinguish the smoke. Artworks and other products for Christmas sales worth over N400 million were burnt to ashes,” Chukwumezie said.

He said that the NCAC had promised to put in place a fire service unit at the Village to ensure prompt response to fire incidence ‘but nothing was done.’

“We use to stay in the Village over night, but when they told us to stop staying there and promised to provide security and anti-fire measures, we stopped staying overnight. If we were allowed to be staying overnight, this fire accident would have been con-

Cont’d on page 47

Cont’d on page 47

3

The Oracle Today Wednesday December 27, 2017

NEWS ACROSS THE NATION Drug counterfeiting: Blow whistle – FG completes handing over of NAFDAC urges public Presidential Lodge to Lagos D irector-General of the National Agency for Food and Drugs Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Prof. Christiana Adeyeye, has called on Nigerians to report any form of illegal drug production in their environments.

Adeyeye made the call at the ongoing 8th Annual Symposium of the Health Writers’ Association of Nigeria (HEWAN) in Lagos, Monday The director-general was represented by Mrs Abayomi Bolaji, a Deputy Director in the agency.

The symposium had the theme “The Menace of Counterfeit Drugs, the Role of Regulatory Bodies’’.

“One of the greatest challenges of the agency is shortage of manpower because Nigeria is a large and complex country, and its little manpower cannot be everywhere.

We are calling on the public to blow the whistle whenever they discover any form of illegal manufacturing or production of drugs within their vicinity.

“Blow the whistle; most of these illegal productions of drugs are done in the night. We will ensure utmost confidentiality. NAFDAC will neither relent nor waver in the fight until the battle is won,” she promised.

The director-general said that counterfeit drugs had many health and economic consequences.

“Counterfeit drugs pose a public health hazard, waste consumers’ income and reduce incentives to engage in research, development and innovation. The result of the use of fake drugs can be poisoning, treatment failure, untreated disease and death,’’ she said.

Adeyeye said that the magnitude of drug counterfeiting was much and required strong and sustained actions from governments, the industry and consumers.

She highlighted strategies being used by NAFDAC to eradicate drug counterfeiting to include sustained public enlightenment and collaboration with national and international agencies.

According to her, the agency had also engaged in capacity building of its staff, reviewed NAFDAC laws and applied cutting edge technologies to tackle drug counterfeiting.

From VICTOR NZE

T

he Federal Government has now completed the final handing over of the Presidential Lodge, Marina to the Lagos State Government about twenty years after the process commenced.

Speaking at the brief but impressive handing over ceremony, held at the Conference Room of Federal Ministry of Works, Power and Housing in Abuja, Tuesday, Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode said the development was a testament of the commitment of President Muhammadu Buhari to bring positive change to Lagos.

Governor Ambode particularly commended the President, Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo; Minister of Works, Power and Housing, Mr Babatunde Fashola and staff of the Ministry; Permanent Secretary in the Office of Chief of Staff to the President, and other stakeholders who worked to ensure the final

transfer of the asset to Lagos.

“We are strongly delighted to be here on this historic day; on a day that actually finalises the intention of Mr President to bring positive change to Lagos. We want to sincerely appreciate President Muhammadu Buhari who has graciously approved that the Presidential Lodge be released to Lagos State and for the use of Lagos State which, just has said by the Minister, we have been trying to get for the last twenty years.

“We are pleased that on a day like this, it is my predecessor and present Minister of Works who is now doing the final handing over of which he had also been part of that process to get this asset back to Lagos but in God’s own doing, the Minister is in the position today to do the final documentation and we are very grateful for that.”

While alluding to the fact that the development was a sign of greater collaboration between Federal Government and Lagos State, Governor

Ambode expressed optimism that it would be the beginning of process to get such assets back to the State Government.

Besides, the Governor said his administration would put the edifice to good use and transform it into a national monument to boost tourism and grow the economy of Lagos and Nigeria.

“This is a sign of greater things and greater collaboration between the Federal Government and Lagos State. We believe strongly that this singular gesture is part of what will improve the economy of Lagos because our intention is to turn that particular asset into a national monument where we can christen it a National Heritage Centre for Leadership and we will use it also as a tourist centre to bring Nigerians and foreigners to come to Nigeria and as well use that as a means of improving on the economy of Lagos State and Nigeria.

Earlier, Fashola congratulated

B

Governors, traditional rulers should undergo drug tests – Emir Sanusi

E

• Enugu Branch Manager, John Holt Plc, Mr. Cyril Akak (Left); Matron Ezinne Chinyere Ogbonna of Red Cross Motherless Babies Home, Enugu; Mr. Grant Ekeh and Mr. Ifeanyi Agbo of John Holt Plc during a visit by John Holt Plc to present food items to the home as part of activities to celebrate 120 years in Nigeria.

Bayelsa revenue board seals firm, poly’s liaison office

ayelsa Board of Internal Revenue (BIR) has sealed the liaison office of Federal Polytechnic, Ekeowe and the premises of Azikel Group over alleged nonremittance of tax deducted from staff salaries.

Technical Adviser to Bayelsa BIR, Mr Ramsey Omukoro, told journal-

Governor Ambode and the people of Lagos State for the N1.04trillion budget estimate presented to the State House of Assembly on Monday by the Governor, and expressed hope that it would improve quality service delivery to the people of the State.

He said the signing of the document which formally vest ownership of the Presidential Lodge, Marina in the State Government was in fulfillment of the promise made by President Buhari, saying it was gratifying that the long journey spanning about two decades had finally come to an end.

“This is a long journey that has come to an end; a journey that has taken almost two decades when the Lagos State Government asked that the property be vested in Lagos but for reasons that remained difficult to understand it did not happen but the President of change who is a promise keeper has made it happen.”

ists in Yenagoa, Friday that the state government took the action following fruitless efforts to recover the outstanding tax deductions since 2009.

Omukoro said that the step was taken in the bid to boost the internally generated revenue (IGR)of the state, beside sending a warning to other defaulters that it was no longer business as usual.

“This operation seeks to recover tax revenue owed to the government by Fedrral Ploytechnic Ekeowe and Azikel group and it is pursuant to Section 104 of Personal Income Tax Law, 2011 and to reinforce the resolve of the govern-

ment to grow the IGR. “Within the past one week, we have grown the IGR by over 100 percent to the current figure of N1.8 billion and we are poised to work harder in view of the pressure of the recession following dwindling allocation from the federation account.

“The debt has been owed since 2009, for the Polytechnic, up till 2015, and we have yet to conclude computations for 2016 and 2017 is about ending. Executing these orders is our last resort; we have persuaded them, we have written series of letters to them to pay, but no response from them,’’ Omukoro

said.

He said at the expiration of 14 days from December 15, if the tax liability was not settled, the revenue board would take more drastic steps to recover the tax debt.

The affected establishments allegedly failed to remit to the revenue board tax deduction for many years from their staff.

According to the court orders pasted on the premises, the outstanding employee tax debt from the Federal Polytechnic, Ekeowe stood at N231, 313, 210 only, while that of Azikel Group was put at N30, 364, 645.58.

mir of Kano, Alhaji Muhammadu Sanusi II, has called for a law that would compel public officers and traditional rulers to undergo drug test in the country.

The emir, who made the call at the Senate Roundtable on drug abuse held in Kano, Monday, said it was necessary in order to ensure that anybody was not allowed to hold political office and traditional leadership positions.

The event is organised by the Senate in order to address drug abuse epidemic in the country.

“I am ready to submit myself for the drug test. I suggest that ministers, governors and traditional rulers should go for drug test because when youths understand that they cannot be governors, ministers or senators if they are drug addicts, they will be into their senses.

“The country is facing a great danger because the fight against drug abuse has to be taken seriously if we are to succeed,’’ he said.

While calling for effective implementation of the laws against drug abuse in the country, the first class traditional ruler also urged the Senate to ensure proper funding of all agencies charged with the responsibility to enforce the laws.

“We are deceiving ourselves if we don’t believe that we are part of the problem,’’ Sanusi said.

Besides, the emir called for the establishment of modern rehabilitation centres for victims of drug abuse in the six geo-political zones of the country.

He said when established, the centres should be equipped with necessary facilities and personnel to enable them take care of the teeming numbers of victims of the drug abuse.

He said the measure was necessary in order to ensure that those addicts were rehabilitated and trained in various skills to enable them be reintegrated into the society.

He, however, called for adequate funding of the centres to enable them operate effectively and serve the purpose for which they are established.

4

The Oracle Today Wednesday December 27, 2017

NEWS ACROSS THE NATION

Stop panic buying, stockpiling of petrol -- DPR

T

he Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR), in Anambra State has warned members of the public against storing petroleum product in their homes to avoid possible fire outbreak.

This is also as the agency said it has sealed 15 filling stations across Akwa Ibom State for petrol selling above the pump price.

Controller of DPR in charge of Anambra, Ebonyi and Enugu states, Mr Okechukwu Okoro, who gave the warning in in Awka, said motorists and other customers to desist from panic buying but instead they should buy the quantity that would be enough for their use only.

He assured the people that DPR will ensure that appropriate pricing was enforced and that no marketer hoarded the product.

“There is enough fuel in the country, there is no need for panic buying or storing of fuel in private houses, the consequences of such practice can be deadly.

“The DPR is going out every day to ensure that there is full compliance to price and supply,” he said.

Okoro warned that no marketer should hold Nigerians hostage by increasing pump price illegally because it was yuletide, noting that the federal government has not announced any change in price.

He said there would be continuous clamp down on marketers that violate the regulation in the sector, adding that customers in the zone would be protected from the antics of such marketers.

“We are not aware of some of the excuses they give for increas-

ing pump prices, because when we ask them to provide evidence, they are not able to do so. We will not relent in enforcing compliance, the challenge is that soon after we leave their filling stations, they return to their nefarious activities, the assurance we are giving is that customers in the zone shall be protected,” he said.

Meanwhile, the DPR has sealed 16 filling stations for selling petrol above N145 per litre pump price.

The Operations Controller of DPR in Akwa Ibom, Mr Tamunoiminabo Sundaye, who disclosed this in Eket Monday, however, said that some of the affected stations had paid the penalty and had signed undertaking with the department “to be of good behaviour’’.

He said that the department had

begun close monitoring of the filling stations to ensure that they reversed their pumps to dispense petrol at N145 per litre.

He also said the agency had engaged private depot owners to ensure that they sold the product at ex-depot price to marketers.

The controller deplored the conduct of independent marketers, who accused of taking advantage of recent “upset in the oil market’’ to exploit the public by selling petrol above regulated rate.

He alleged that the marketers were creating artificial scarcity of the product in the state.

“I will not really say that there is much scarcity in Akwa Ibom because there is no queue.What happened is that our brothers and sisters took opportunity of what happened in

Lagos sacks 20 LASTMA officials for misconduct

C/River Assembly passes 51 bills, initiates 31 motions

T

From VICTOR NZE

T

he Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) has arrested five of its traffic officials for extorting motorists last week at various parts of the State.

The agency has so far dismissed 20 of its officers for misconduct.

The traffic officials were Bamidele Sheu, 48, Officer and resident of 68, Oke Popo Street, Lagos Island; Ope Adisa, 32, of 8, Freeman Street, Lagos Island and Babatunde Aluko, 37 of 15, Oriwu street, Ikorodu.

The arrest was as a result of a tipoff from members of the public who informed the Agency that some traffic officials were conniving with men in mufti to arrest and collect money from commercial drivers in the area.

Speaking on the arrested officials, General Manager of LASTMA, Mr. Olawale Musa expressed dismay at the activities of unscrupulous elements within the Agency and assured that with the assistance of members of the public they will be eased off from the Agency to protect the good name of officers who work assiduously to ensure free flow of traffic in the State.

“LASTMA operates a cashless policy and motorists should not give money to any LASTMA official under any circumstance. Furthermore, LASTMA officials on duty are always in uniforms with names conspicuously displayed on the breast pockets and motorists should disregard anybody not in uniform claiming to be Agency officials”.

He said such person in mufti should be reported to LASTMA or nearest law enforcement Agency, adding that any motorist dealing with the State traffic officials should feel free to demand his identity and name.

The LASTMA boss urged motorists to exhaust all avenues available to seek redress before approaching the media, as any officer found wanting on duty would be dealt with according to the service rules and regulations.

“I want to assure motorists that we have put everything in place to ensure free flow of traffic during the yuletide period and I want to implore motorists to imbibe the culture of voluntary compliance with traffic officials’ directives, obey road signs and laws so that we can have seamless traffic during this yuletide period,” Musa said.

Lagos and Abuja, which of course is normal now.

“Our people and their normal way of doing things, started selling above government approved pump price and we have sealed a number of filling stations over it,’’ Sundaye said.

He appealed to marketers to do the business in accordance with rules and regulations of the petroleum sector, saying that the present administration would not tolerate sharp practises in the industry.

According to him, any marketer caught would face the wrath of the law.

Sundaye warned marketers not to indulge in under-dispensing of the products in the state, saying that they were would face penalty.

• Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Mr Babatunde Fashola (r) with Lagos State Governor, Mr Akinwunmi Ambode during the final handing over of the Presidential Lodge, Marina to the Lagos State Government.

John Holt celebrates 120 years with indigent patients, others From CHUKS EZE, Enugu

T

he donation of products and cash to orphans, patients, internally displaced persons and prison inmates in Lagos, Port Harcourt, Abuja, Maiduguri and Enugu was the hallmark of activities by John Holt Plc to mark her 120 years of existence.

The giant conglomerate described the gesture as part of its Corporate Social Responsibility initiatives, even as it restated its commitment to positively impacting on humanity by giving back to the society through effective CSR activities.

The Group Managing Director, Dr. Christopher Ezeh, who stated this during a visit to inmates of Ikoyi Prisons, noted that John Holt Plc will continue to support good causes in the society, especially those that have a direct impact on human development.

John Holt Plc, according to him, will continue to seize opportunities to

add value, listing such opportunities to include support provided through entrepreneurship programmes, protection of vulnerable groups, etc.

“It is our own way of adding value to the society, a society to which we owe the longevity of our operations,” he said.

Among beneficiaries of the latest gestures are Internally Displaced Persons at Muna IDP Camp, Maiduguri, Borno State; Our Savior Orphanage, Port Harcourt; Indigent Patients at Braitwaite Memorial Specialist Hospital, Port Harcourt; Red Cross Motherless Babies Home, Enugu; Indigent Patients at University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital, Ituku Ozara, Enugu State; Unity Orphanage Home, Gwako, Gwagwalada, Abuja; Indigent Patients at National Hospital Abuja; Indigent Patients at Lagos Island General Hospital; Inmates of Ikoyi Prisons; and orphans at Modupe Cole Memorial/Child Care & Treatment Home, Akoka, Yaba in Lagos.

Coordinating activities, Group Marketing Manager, Mr. Solomon Ezeanah, said: “In John Holt Plc, we believe in giving back to the society and to support the less privileged, which is in line with our CSR goals and objectives.”

He added: “Every good organisation should have CSR as one of its objectives because they cannot do anything without the people they are serving. It should not be all about their products and services, they should also be seen to be improving the welfare of the people and there are so many ways we have been doing that in John Holt.”

While showing their appreciation, the administrators of the Homes, hospitals and prison were full of praise for John Holt Plc, commending the company for its humanitarian gesture, while also asking for more support from the government, individuals and other corporate organisations.

he Cross River House of Assembly said it has passed 51 bills and initiated over 31 motions since its inauguration in 2015.

Speaker of the House, Mr John Gaul-Lebo, made the disclosure in an interview with the news Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday in Calabar.

He said that 35 out of the 86 bills proposed were at various stages on the floor of the House.

“During the period under review from June 2015 when we assumed office till date, the Cross River House of Assembly has proposed a total about 86 bills.

“Fifty-one of these bills have been passed into law while 35 are still being considered. The Cross River House of Assembly was rated the best in terms of legislative work by the Legislative Institute of Nigeria for the 2015/ 2016 legislative year.

“If you check the Institute of Legislative Studies of Nigeria, I think we are the only House of Assembly with the highest number of bills passed so far,’’ he said.

The speaker added that most of the bills were people-oriented meant to provide safe social services for the citizenry.

The speaker attributed the success recorded by the assembly to the sustained cordial working relationship between the legislature and the executive, adding that no meaningful achievement could be recorded in a raucous atmosphere.

The speaker said that the state’s 2018 budget proposal of N1.3 trillion was realisable.

“One of the key projects that this budget will execute is the state Deep Sea Port and the Super Highway which I believe will add more value and generate more revenue into the state coffers.

“We support the figure that the governor has presented at this point because we are going to witness massive development in the state when this budget is fully implemented,’’ he assured.

5

The Oracle Today Wednesday December 27, 2017

NEWS

Nigerians are suffering under EFCC arrests Chukwuma, Innoson Group’s boss • Allegedly tear gas children’s Christmas party Buhari – Bishop Udeh From CHUKS EZE, Enugu

By IBE NWACHUKWU

G

eneral Overseer of Mount Zion Faith Global Liberation Ministries Inc. (aka By-Fire-By-Fire), Nnewi Anambra State, Bishop Abraham Chris Udeh has said that the vast majority Nigerians are suffering in this present administration of Gen. Muhammadu Buhari.

He said apart from hunger and starvation, ethnic marginalization and religious bigotry, there are too much blood bath and rampant killing of innocent people in various parts of the country.

Udeh who spoke in an interview with newsmen at his cathedral, declared: “Whoever is calling for Buhari’s re-election is an evil, senseless and idiotic element because, according to him, calling for re-election of someone who has not fulfilled any of his election promises is an absurdity.

“It is quite unfortunate that what we are witnessing today in this country is a regime of blood letting, starting from the early stage of Buhari’s administration as Nigeria’s president where thousands were stampeded to death in Saudi Arabia.

“Thousands of Shiites were equally massacred. There was Southern Kaduna massacre of Christians. Herdsmen have been on rampage killing innocent people. Operation Python Dance II also massacred Igbo youths in their numbers because they were agitating for freedom.

“The Jos massacre of Christians inside their churches in the north is still fresh in our minds. There are agitations here and there. The Agatu and Numan massacre of Christians in their churches also took place.

“Our judges were humiliated to the extent that there is no respect for the rule of law. The $25 billion NNPC contract saga is yet to be satisfactorily resolved. 80 per cent of all political appointments are from the northern part of the country. World Bank projects are cited only in the north and greater percentage of crude oil proceeds are allocated to the north.

“Federal government proscribed the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and tagged it a terrorists organization but Fulani herdsmen were given the certificate and license to kill and there is nothing like probing of all the killings because their brother is in power.”

Bishop Udeh decried what he called “arrogant approach to Niger/Delta issues”, noting that such approach has only led to more restiveness in the Niger Delta, leading to further “destruction of pipelines”.

“Our leaders are claiming that the economic recession is over whereas people are still dying on daily basis by suicidal practice because of the inherent hardship. They claimed to be fighting corruption but in essence, they are doing that with partisanship to the extent that those who run into APC are no longer probed,” the man of God contended.

A

rmed men, suspected to be operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), have arrested the Chairman of local auto manufacturing company, Innocent Chukwuma, at his G.R.A, Enugu, residence.

He was picked up Tuesday, December 19 evening by the EFCC operatives who, eyewitnesses said, resorted to strong-arm tactics to accomplish their mission.

The actual cause of the arrest was not immediately clear, but just as the situation was about going out of hand, with an appreciable crowd of people gathering in and around the industrialist’s house, Chief Chukwuma emerged and demanded to know the security operatives’ mission.

One of the men who identified himself as leader of the team said they had come to arrest him because he had jumped bail.

But, when Chukwuma asked whether they had earlier invited him and he failed to honour the invitation, they refused to respond.

Thereafter, Chukwuma quietly allowed the men to take him away.

The Oracle Today was at the scene

when the 10B Savage Crescent residence of the industrialist was thrown into pandemonium, as the strange visitors suddenly started throwing tear gas canisters into the air to scare neighbours and passers-by who had gathered to find out what was happening.

But just as the suspected EFCC operatives were trying to scare people away, some INNOSON Company’s branded trucks suddenly emerged, fully loaded with some members of staff of the company who were chanting solidarity songs.

The trucks blocked the entire street as the Group’s employees said they would not allow anybody to unjustly humiliate their boss – a man who is providing jobs for thousands of jobless youths.

However, on sighting the men who began to troop into Chukwuma’s compound, the operatives charged at them with their guns and tear gas, ordering them to leave at once, but the boys, in turn, challenged them to either shoot or throw tear gas at them, vowing not to let them take Chief Chukwuma away.

They asked the armed men to explain why they came to humiliate their boss by attempting to arrest him with-

out any prior invitation, which he may have declined to honour.

The situation, however, worsened when one of the operatives slapped Chief Chukwuma’s cousin.

The middle-aged visiting woman, identified simply as Angela, had asked whether the suspected security operatives were embarrassing Chief Chukwuma and his family because he is Igbo.

Apparently angered by the remark, one of the armed men adjusted his gun and slapped the woman on her cheek, retorting, “Yes, it is because he is Igbo, and there is nothing you can do about it!”

On seeing that, the youths attempted to surge forward before Chief Chukwuma emerged.

Meanwhile, a private radio station, Solid FM 100.9, situated adjacent to Chief Chukwuma’s residence, also bore the brunt of the invasion by the suspected operatives.

The management of the FM station, which had just kicked off a special Christmas party for children at the time of the invasion of the industrialist’s home, was ordered to shut the gate of their premises, but they declined to do so.

Consequently, the operatives al-

legedly fired some tear gas canisters into the premises, which sent the children and their parents scampering for safety.

Reacting to the incident, a top management staffer of the radio station, who preferred anonymity, condemned the action of the security men, noting that it was inhuman for the men to shoot tear gas canisters into their premises when they actually witnessed that little children were feasting within the premises.

When contacted, EFCC spokesman Wilson Uwujaren denied any knowledge of the incident, saying he was yet to be briefed about the incident “and so, I cannot speak on the matter now.”

Our correspondent also tried to reach the Enugu spokesperson of the commission, Chris Oluka, on phone but he did not pick calls put through to his cell-phone.

Petrol sells for N225/ litre as scarcity hits Umuahia From BONIFACE OKORO, Umuahia

A

From left Police PRO Enugu State Command Ebere Amaraizu (SP) Guest of Honor and Proprietor/CEO Owelle Ejikeme Odumegwu (OEO) Foundation Barr Owelle Ejikeme Odumegwu, OC State Intelligent Bureau Enugu State Police Command Mr Iwara Ibiang (SP) during a novelty football match between Police Crime Buster FC Enugu vs All Stars FC Enugu at UNEC stadium in Enugu yesterday in honor of Ibiang who is retiring from service.

Onitsha drug market inferno: Obiano promises to assist victims

• Sends 2 commissioners to fire scene

By IBE NWACHUKWU

R

espite may be on the way to victims of last weekend’s fire disaster at Onitsha Drug Market, Bridge Head, Onitsha, Anambra State where goods and cash valued at over N100 million were reduced to ashes.

This followed the sympathy visit to the fire scene by the State Commissioners for Health, Dr. Joe Akabuike and his Commerce, Industry, Trade and Wealth Creation counterpart, Mrs. Amaka Ilobi to assess the extent of damages.

The fire incident was suspected to have started from a faulty electrical installation in one of the shops and spread to six other shops before the timely intervention of fire fighters from Onitsha Main market and Building Materials International market at Ogidi intervened and brought the situation under control.

One of the victims whose names could not be ascertained as at press time, was said to have lost about N10

million worth of goods as he reportedly took delivery of some goods into his shop a day before the inferno.

Another victim of the incident was also said to have lost about N2million cash left in the safe of his shop and with which he intended to pay for some goods on arrival in few days time, before the incident.

During the visit, Commissioners Akabuike and Ilobi expressed their hearltfelt sympathy over the loss, saying they were sent by Governor Willie Obiano to come and ascertain the extent of damages and how to prevent future occurrence.

They, therefore, urged the victims to exercise patience as Obiano needed some time to study the outcome of the visit and find ways of meliorating the losses incurred by the affected traders.

Addressing the traders during the visit, President-General of Amalgamated Markets Traders Association of Anambra State (AMATAS), Chief Okwudili Ezenwankwo commended

the fire fighters for their prompt intervention, which prevented the inferno from causing more damages.

Ezenwankwo, however, urged the state government to assist the victims as quickly as possible to enable them bounce back to business.

In their separate speeches, the President of Bridge-head Market Traders Association, Chief Sunday Obinze and Chairman of drug market dealers, under the aegis of Association of Medical and Pharmaceutical Products Dealers (AMPPDO), Mr. Uche Eze who expressed sympathy with the traders, especially in this season of Christmas, noted that they would work out possible ways of compensating the affected traders in their own little way.

Obinze and Eze however, pleaded with Gov. Obiano to seek possible ways of compensating the affected traders as they are currently facing difficult moments due to the destruction of their only means of livelihood by the inferno.

cute scarcity of Petroleum Motor Spirit (PMS), popularly known as petrol, has forced up the price to N225/litre in Umuahia, the Abia State capital.

The sharp increase from N170/litre last week, despite the state government’s efforts to curtail it, has been blamed on difficulty in sourcing the product.

Petrol has been scarce in Umuahia since speculations became rife that the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSON) was to embark on nationwide strike last Monday.

The strike, which was called off the day it was proposed to start, had, however, inflicted Umuahia with acute scarcity of PMS, forcing the state Commissioner for Petroleum, Barr. Chizuru Kanu to pay an unofficial visit to NNPC, Aba depot at Osisioma.

Details of his engagement with the NNPC officials were yet to be made public at press time.

Many filling stations on Aba Road, Mission Hill and Bende Road were without PMS as customers were greeted with “no fuel,” signposts while those who had, dispensed it at cut-throat prices.

A station on Bende Road sold the product at N225. The attendant said the product was scarce, adding that they would close shop after dispensing their remaining stock as they were not sure of getting any supply during the yuletide.

However, there were no queues at filling stations selling the product.

In a bid to stem the spiralling price of the product, which was experienced in Umuahia when some filling stations hiked the price of PMS to N170 per liter last week, the Commissioner for Petroleum had to embark on monitoring the sales of the product at several filling stations in Umuahia.

The Commissioner met with the Executive Director, Commercial of NNPC, Sir Billy Okechukwu Okoye, at the NNPC towers Abuja who assured that the corporation would increase product deliveries to the state from last Monday to mop up excess demands and force prices down to the official rate of N145/ litres.

The NNPC Director informed the Commissioner that the corporation has commenced the processes of feeding the Osisioma Depot with petroleum products, particularly PMS, from last Monday to ensure a steady supply throughout the Yuletide.

6

The Oracle Today Wednesday December 27, 2017

NEWS

South East, South South want new, robust Constitution •

SESSNet Port Harcourt conference drops 10-point communiqué Charges all to join politics •

From CHUKS COLLINS, Awka

ed - federal and state with the federating states deciding their political and economic structure thereafter.”

“The states should have exclusive rights to build hospitals, universities, rails lines, power station, refineries,” SESSNet said, adding that “right to secession from federal, states and community-based government must be guaranteed by the new constitution.”

Noting that the call for restructuring of the polity has no political, class, sectional, ethnic or religious coloration, but that “it means doing things differently from the way we have been doing them,” the group said. It is not a PDP or APC agenda, but simply means a change of form...”

The body, which is open to all peoples of the South East and South South geopolitical zones also charged all adults of the areas to get involved politically to make the necessary changes by being card-carrying members of political parties of their choice and persuasion.

A

n international non-governmental pressure group under the aegis of the South East, South South Network (SESSNet) has called for a robust new Constitution for the country.

The proposed constitution, according to the group, should be devoid of all forms of impediments to its progress, development and restructuring, identifying the “Exclusive List” as one of such impediments.

Rising from its latest conference with the theme, “the Opportunities and Strength in the Restructuring of Nigeria” held on Monday, Dec 18, in Port Harcourt, SESSNet called for the elimination of what called “the over centralization of economic and political powers at the nation’s centre-the Federal Government”.

The conference, amongst other issues, noted that, “to fix Nigeria, two tiers of government are recommend-

Foundation donates cash, football kits to Enugu clubs

They also pledged to support genuine candidates standing for elections while demanding accountability from leaders, office holders and duty bearers.

The conference, which had the chairman of the South-East Senate Caucus, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe; a renowned Legal Practitioner, Chief Solomon Asemota (SAN), and former Chairman of the National Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) Dr. Sam Amadi, among other dignitaries, as key speakers, noted that the campaign for restructuring must start from the grassroots so as to get more input, understanding and support.

In what looked like a self assessment, SESSNet said it is committed to transforming Nigeria into a true federation that reflects fiscal federalism, disclosing that the two geopolitical zones need to look at areas where they failed as region and make necessary amendments immediately.

“The South-East and South-South

Region of Nigeria has the largest concentration of human, natural and economic resources and the greatest human potentials in Sub-Sahara Africa but has been stunted by the inherent contradictions of the Nigeria state,” SESSNet stated.

“The SE/SS states, based on their geographical, cultural and social proximity, should establish an economic union to reap the abundant benefits of inter-state collaboration and economies of scale. This will allow each state to focus its resources on developing areas of comparative advantage, and entrenching inter-regional trade and commerce.”

The group’s representatives, including Mr Dan Elombah, Kalada Apiafi, Mazi Tochukwu Ezeoke and Chief Aloysius Osuji expressed deep appreciation to participants and urged all Nigerians to join in the call for a restructured polity where all would develop and blossom at their own pace.

By THEO RAYS Onitsha

T

WO football clubs in Enugu Crime Busters FC, a National League Division One side and All Stars International FC have received cash donation, sets of jerseys and J footballs from Owelle Ejikeme Odumegwu, OEO, Foundation.

The Proprietor/CEO of the Foundation, Barr Owelle Ejikeme Odumegwu presented the items at UNEC Stadium during a novelty match that involved the Crime Busters, a club owned by Enugu State Police Command and All Stars played in honour of OC State Intelligent Bureau (SIB) Enugu State Police Command Mr. Iwara Ibiang a Superintendent of Police (SP) who was retiring from service.

Odumegwu also an SPA to Governor of Enugu State Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi said that the items were meant to improve on the condition of the clubs and inspire them to greater height assuring that the Foundation will continue to support the teams.

Receiving the items on behalf of the clubs, team manager Crime Busters FC, Ebere Amaraizu, a Superintendent of Police (SP), who is also the PPRO Enugu State Police Command said that Owelle had set the ball rolling for people of goodwill to queue in and lend their widow’s mite for the development of football in Enugu State adding that the Clubs are very appropriative of the donation from OEO Also speaking, the Vice Chairman of All Stars Fc Chief Bony Uzor said that the club made up of retired footballers and football enthusiasts of adult age is open for everybody to join noting that the gesture from OEO Foundation is a moral booster which all members of the club will always appreciate.

In his words, the retiring OC SIB Ibiang said that he felt highly honoured to see people gather for his sake adding that he is grateful to the organisers of the match, the players and all who came to the stadium to watch the match including OEO Foundation for their support for the development of football.

•

Anambra Commissioner for Health, Prof Josephat Akabuike and Commissioner for Commerce and Industry, Barr. Amaka Ilobi inspecting the Redemption Line of Patent Medicine market Onitsha which was gutted by fire.

Photo: Modestus Igudobi

More empowerment for Delta women in 2018 – Okowa From JONATHAN AWANYAI, Asaba

D

ELTA State Governor, Senator Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa has assured Delta women of more empowerment programmes in 2018 so as to create employment, wealth and a peaceful state. Speaking during the grand finale of a four-day training programme for Women Empowerment Skill Acquisition Programme, WESAP, in Asaba Gov. Okowa said government would embark on empowerment programmes for different groups of Deltans next year in order to create more jobs and wealth for the people.

According to him “ l am happy for the joy of this programme, the way it was well organised by the Executive Assistant Mrs. Flora Alatan to train about 252 women, who we will be giving starter packs today to start up their businesses.

“This programme will be done quarterly next year with 252 women in each quarter, that is about 1000 women to be trained, we need to gradually affect the lives of our people.” he said, adding that “Women are blessed by God with the wisdom to manage little finance well to become huge sum.”

Gov. Okowa also explained that his administration would begin empowerment programme for widows

by January next year of which 200 each would be selected from the 25 local government areas of the State, to be given stipends and be registered free for the state health insurance scheme.

He charged the coordinator of (WESAP) to liaise with the Commissioner for Commerce and industry, Mrs. May Iyasere and ensure that the graduating trainees are formed into cooperative groups to enable

them be effectively monitored and access loans when necessary.

In a welcome address, the Executive Assistant to the Governor on Women Mobilisation For Development, Mrs. Flora Alatan, commended Gov. Okowa for encouraging women in his administration through appointments and empowerment and promised him of women’s continuous support for his administration.

Commissioners for Women Affairs and Commerce and Industry respectfully, Rev. Omatsola Williams and May Iyasere in their separate goodwill messages, thanked God for the wisdom given to the governor to empower women and appealed to the graduands to make good use of the starter pact and improve their well-being with that of their families.

Lawyer to NASS: Amend constitution to include referendum From BONIFACE OKORO, Umuahia

A

gainst the backdrop of the on-going debate on restructuring, an Enugu-based lawyer and human rights activist has said it has become necessary to include a provision for referendum in Nigeria’s constitution.

Barrister Crownwell Chibuzo, Executive Director, Youth Education on Human Rights and Civic Responsibilities; Co-ordinator, Advocacy Partnership for Good Governance in Nigeria, told The Oracle Today, in a telephone interview that this would facilitate peaceful resolution of contentious issues in the country, noting that every modern constitution provides for referendum.

Chibuzo contended that until referendum is included in the constitution, Nigerians would continue to be denied the sovereignty they are supposed to enjoy.

“Until we have referendum in Section 9 of the constitution, we can never, as a people, even as a country, guarantee the independent rights of the ordinary people, citizens or constituents,” he said.

“The question of restructuring in Nigeria and its resistance is a function of the fact that it is a constitutional question. It tries to show us that our constitution is not complete in its ability to address the diversities that exist.

“And again, the constitution has not, in physical and realistic terms, protected the sovereignty which is claimed under Chapter 2 to reside with the citizens. But a practical look at our constitution shows a complete denial of the sovereignty to the people,” he posited.

Noting that constitutions of many countries in Africa and Europe have made provisions for citizens to contribute and that the wheel and the opinion of the legislature should be oiled by the direction that the constituents have given, Chibuzo declared: “What happens in Nigeria is that the legislators determine for the constituents, which is an error. Ordinarily, people should return to their constituencies and what they should carry to the National Assembly is a complete reflection of the views of their people, not their personal views. But that is not what we are having…Nigeria is yet to have a home-grown, people-oriented, people-made constitution.”

He said that referendum would allow the people to meet and decide on what they want, thus “giving the legislature the responsibility to turn the policy of government into legislative action.”

“It happens everywhere; in Australia and the latest Brexit in Britain. People don’t need to fight again, you don’t need to go and do Operation Python Dance and all that,” he said.

He said that if the Nigerian constitution provided for referendum, it would have been the best option to resolve the clamour for restructuring, adding that “the will of the people, especially in a democracy, must have a way.”

7

The Oracle Today Wednesday December 27, 2017

NEWS

By Clem Onyemaechi, Yenagoa

R

ESIDENTS of Bayelsa State now live in heightened fear following upsurge in criminal activities ahead of the Christmas and New Year celebrations.

Walking along the road with any android phone is now a big risk as hoodlums could accost one from any corner and snatch the phone away from the owner.

Attempt to resist such attack is usually with dire consequences as the hoodlums are always prepared for the worst. About a week ago, unknown gunmen attacked Miss Patience Owei, a female journalist with the African Independent Television, AIT, on her way from a church programme. The hoodlums collected her belongings and also shot her. Bayelsa State Government took over her medical expenses in the hospital.

About 72 hours after the incident, a former Commissioner in the state, Mr. Ayakeme Masa was shot dead by suspected gunmen. Masa, a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, from Bayelsa West senatorial district, was a Commissioner for Investment, Trade and Industry during the first tenure administration of Governor Henry Seriake Dickson.

The 64–year-old former Commissioner and father of three was said to have been shot at his residence, along Palm Avenue, behind a popular lounge, but died at the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Yenagoa.

Spokesman of the Bayelsa StatePolice Command, Asimin Butswat, confirmed the incident and said the team of policemen from the command had visited the scene and commenced investigation into the incident.

Shortly after the incident, a gang suspected to be sea robbers and cult

Criminals on the prowl in Bayelsa

members killed two persons and injured a police officer in the State. It was learnt that suspected armed cultists numbering about 10 stormed the Ekeki area of Yenagoa metropolis about 7.30pm on the fateful day, shooting residents and stealing their cash and other valuables.

The hoodlums reportedly caused confusion and panic in the area as persons on the streets fled in different directions for their safety. Business owners were said to have quickly shut down their outlets following the activities of the suspected cult members.

A victim, identified simply as Ifiemi, a 30-year-old son of an Ekeki village chief, was reportedly shot. Ifiemi was said to have been rushed to a hospital where he died a few hours after the shooting. Also, the hoodlums shot an unidentified policeman in mufti, who was said to be coming out from a barber’s shop in the area.

The unknown policeman, said to be from Ndoni in Rivers State, was reportedly shot while trying to stop the cult members from robbing him of his cell phone and cash. The cop was said to have been rushed to an undisclosed hospital, where sources said he was responding to treatment.

On the suspected pirates’ attacks, it was learnt that a victim, identified only as Asuku, a former Chairman of the Maritime Workers’ Union of Nigeria, Akassa unit, reportedly died in the attack. Asuku was said to be travelling on the waterways from Akassa to Yenagoa, the state capital, when their boat came under attack. Community sources said the sea robbers attacked the boat along Okobotuo at Lagos Camp at about 6.30am.

Spokesperson for the Bayelsa State Police Command, Mr. Asinim Butswat, confirmed the killing and activities of cultists. Yet in another attack, armed robbers with pump action riffle and revolver robbed the Head of Station of Silver bird fm radio station, Mr. Peter at an NNPC filling station and collected all his belongings in the presence of other road users.

Alarmed by these attacks, the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) Bayelsa State chapter urged the Bayelsa State government and security agents to check the proliferation of arms and consequent upsurge crime rate in the state.

A statement by Chairman of NUJ Bayelsa Council, Mr. John Angese lamented that the suspects in the murder of a Journalist in April 2017 were yet to be apprehended when another journalist fell victim in another incident.

Angese appealed to government and security agencies particularly the Police to mop up small arms in the hands of unauthorized persons in the society especially in this Yuletide season.

According to him, cases of robbery at homes and in commercial tricycles were on the rise, which according to him calls for concern. He observed that although efforts are being made to address the security challenge in the state, more effort is needed to eradicate the menace.

The chairman said anti cultism legislations should be backed by action saying that cultism is connected with robbery and other vices. He thanked God for saving the life of the AIT reporter, saying killers of Famous Giobaro, a journalist with the state owned radio are still at large.

Apparently in response to these concerns, Inspector General of Police (IGP), Ibrahim Idris sent a special squad to complement the efforts of Bayelsa Police Command in fighting crime.

Commissioner of Police in charge of Bayelsa Command, Asuquo Amba who confirmed the development to newsmen on Monday noted that the proliferation of arms was hindering the efforts of the Police.

According to the police boss, the arrival of the IGP squad has strengthened the manpower needs of the police as well as enhanced the command’s capacity to provide security for lives and property to ensure a crime free yuletide. He said that the command was receiving specialized technical support from the IGP team and has been linked to the IGP’s platform used for technology based scientific investigations in the area of analyzing telephone calls.

Amba said that the slight increase in crime rate would soon be a thing of the past following strategies put in place to intensify raids and increase vehicular patrols. He also said that the command was having challenges with the lack of detention facilities was resorting to using the facilities of sister security agencies with well fortified detention facilities.

He however noted that the command had received assurances from Bayelsa government that a modern detention facility for the Bayelsa Police Command was being put together and would be ready in January 2018.

The Commissioner noted that despite several challenges facing the Bayelsa Police Command under his watch, the command had made modest achievements in policing the state and identified the major crimes as armed robber, cultism, kidnapping, illegal possession and piracy.

He explained that between January

2017 till date, 62 murder cases were reported to the command with 68 arrested while 21 cases are being investigated while 27 have been charged to court.

On rape and indecent assault, he said that 73 cases have been reported within the period under review, 122 suspects were arrested, and 37 cases under investigation while 15 have been charged to court.

According to Amba 33 cases of kidnapping were reported to the command, 87 arrested, 17 under investigation while eight cases have been charged to court. He said that the command got 177 reports of armed robbery cases from January 2017 till date, and 241 suspects were apprehended, 70 under investigation.

He said that 56 of the reported cases have been transferred to the Directorate of Public Prosecution for legal advice and 27 cases have been charged to court.

On unlawful possession of firearms, he said that 66 arms were recovered under the period of review 107 suspects were arrested, 29 cases are currently being investigated while 30 while 13 has been charged to court.

Amba said that the command recovered a total of 40 locally made pistols, 5 locally made doubles barrel guns, 11 pump action guns, three revolver pistols, 8 K2 riffles and four AK-47 riffles.

On ammunition he said 105 8f 7.62 mm ammunition, one dynamite, one 90 cartridge, 12.99 ammunition and one grenade noting that the arms haul was a landmark effort for a state that is 80 per cent riverine.

He urged residents not to panic on seeing increased number of policemen, as it was an effort to forestall the activities of unrepentant criminals in the State.

From CHUKS COLLINS, Awka

EFCC filed a charge against him at Lagos State High Court.

“The charge was subsequently struck out. However, Dr Innocent Chukwuma and Innoson Nigeria Ltd appealed against the order striking out the case on the basis that it ought to be dismissed and not struck out.”

The Group noted with dismay that despite his arrest, Dr Chukwuma was not and has yet to be intimated of his offence, even after several requests to that effect.

The EFCC operation came in spite of the fact that the case involving Innoson and GTB is in court over some transaction that took place several years ago.

According to the Innoson Group, the case has even reached an appeal stage.

The appeal no. Ca/l/1330cm/2017 “is till date still pending at the Court of Appeal Lagos division,” the Group stressed, insisting that “till date, EFCC never invited Dr Innocent Chukwuma again.”

The company said the statement had become necessary in order “to let the public know that Dr Chukwuma, a distinguished citizen of Nigeria, an industrialist, employer of labour and philanthropist of no mean repute, who has over the years garnered so many corporate, community, philanthropic and international awards for distinguished services to humanity and society, including established Federal Government agencies, is being mistreated over a purely private matter.”

Innoson Group protests Chukwuma’s arrest, says EFCC lied

T

• From right; Delta Sate Governor, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa; Deputy Governor of Delta, Barr. Kingsley Otuaro and his wife, Engr. (Mrs.) Ebiere and Speaker, State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori, during the 2017 Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols, at Cenotaph off Okpanam Road Asaba. PHOTO:JONATHAN AWANYAI

Okowa urges Nigerians to celebrate Christ From JONATHAN AWANYAI, Asaba

D

ELTA State Governor, Senator DR. Ifeanyi Okowa has charged Nigerians to make Christ the reason for their yuletide celebration.

Speaking recently in Asaba at the 2017 Delta State Inter-Denominational Festival Of Nine Lessons And Carols, Governor Okowa said that Christians should use the opportunity of the yuletide season to rededicate themselves to Christ rather than for selfish material desires.

The ceremony which was attended by a cross section of Deltans including Dame Edith Okowa, First Lady of the state, the Deputy Governor, Barr Kingsley Otuaro and his wife, Engr.

(Mrs) Ebiere Otuaro the Speaker,

Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori, and the chairman of the state Traditional Council and Obi Of Owa, Obi Efeizomor II, saw some notable Deltans take various readings.

“I am glad that we are having this open air Festival Of Nine Lessons and Carols, many Nigerians at Christmas are often carried away by a lot of things and hardly have time for Christ, who is the reason of the season, we need to ask ourselves “have we prepared a room for Jesus in our heart this season” he said.

“We tend to spend our time to make our children believe that buying new clothes is more important than Jesus Christ who is the reason for the season, we need to lead our children alright on the road to Christ,

we need to rededicate ourselves to Christ and create a room for him in our heart”, the governor added.

Senator Okowa, who commended the organiser for the festival, promised that the 2018 edition would be bigger and would be held in Asaba Township stadium.

Chairman of the Steering Committee and Commissioner For Information, Mr Patrick Ukah, in a welcome address, said that the 2017 Delta State Inter-Denominational Festival Of Nine Lessons And Carols was meant to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ and remind Christians of the reason of the season, stressing that this year’s edition was the first to held in an open air arena.

he Innoson Group has reacted sharply to the invasion of its headquarters in Enugu in a gestapo-like fashion on Tuesday by heavily armed EFCC operatives, who had come to arrest its Chairman, Chief Innocent Chukwuma, shooting into the air and throwing tear gas canisters at passers-by in the process, “as if they had arrest a notorious criminal.”

In a press statement signed by its Head, Corporate Communications, Mr Cornel Osigwe, the Group said: “Our attention has been drawn to a tweet by EFCC on its official twitter handle claiming that the gestapo kind of arrest of Dr Innocent Chukwuma (OFR) today at his Enugu residence was because he didn’t honour an invitation from the Commission sent to him.

“This claim by the commission is not factual and it tends to mislead the public and bring the personality and character of Dr Innocent Chukwuma to disrepute. Hence we want to state the true position so as to inform the general public the truth about this matter.”

According to the statement, “EFCC never at any time invited Dr Innocent Chukwuma either in writing or through any other means.”

“We are aware that EFCC investigated GTB complaint against Innoson in 2012,” the statement further read. “During the investigation, he was invited and he honoured the invitation. After the investigation,

8

The Oracle Today Wednesday December 27, 2017

ARTS

Bel-Molokwu calls for new professional group

By CHIDO NWAKANMA

A

Enugu hosts Chinze’s Art

I

N a world that words have fallen into disuse, calling Chinze Ojobo a multi-talented artist does little to say what she does, and does really well. Let us add that she studied Fine Arts at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka.

Painting is her specialty, that still limits her, containerises her.

She is a lot more.

Two diplomas in Public Relations and Advertising; and Business Administration, give more glimpse of the artist who was gained admission to read the Sciences. A year after, she made the decision that has made her.

With regular solo exhibitions in various global centres, several things stand Chinze out. In Nigeria, she most recently exhibited

former Registrar of APCON, Dr Josef Bel-Molokwu, has decried the absence of a professional association for individual advertising professionals, calling for the inauguration of such a body.

Dr Bel-Molokwu made the call following the launch of his latest book, A Trilogy of Advertising: The Profession, The Practice, The Philosophy.

Presentation of the book held November 16 at the NAN Media Centre, Iganmu, Lagos.

Dr Bel-Molokwu said that he had always worried that advertising practitioners had no professional association of their own in Nigeria since the six sectorial advertising associations only had a corporate membership. He said he had initiated the move to encourage practitioners to form an association during his tenure as head of APCON, but regretted that the industry had been largely lukewarm to the idea, with only a trickle of activity by practitioners in Abuja and Port Harcourt.

He said another issue requiring deliberation in the industry is “the non-existence of a generic name for professionals of advertising”.

He mentioned the challenge facing advertising practitioners all over the world to develop a word to describe themselves, noting that advertising appeared to be the sole profession that had no English appellation, unlike other fields which had lawyers, medical doctors, engineers, pharmacists and the like as nomenclature.

Bel-Molokwu said there is a need to “embody the Regulator and the Consumer as additions to the pedestal of advertising, alongside the Advertiser, the Agency and the Media”. He postulated, “Advertising has advanced far beyond a tripod.

The overriding importance of the Consumer and the Regulator in contemporary marketing communication has made it crucial for them to be part of the feet on which advertising stands. Therefore, a valid case is made for the Quintupod of Advertising in place of the tripod.”

He said the Consumer and the Regulator had defined advertising by their overriding roles over the years and the industry should include them in the structure to form a Quintupod.

The author said the need to do more study and writing inspired the writing of A Trilogy of Advertising.

He quipped at the event that, age permitting, he could attempt to write one or two more books on advertising, adding that he was so spurred by what he called “unfinished business in this book”.

at the National museum, Lagos.

The theme of that outing, “The Unfinished Business”, which is about the plight of the girl child in Nigeria, reflects in most of her works. Lives, living, her works say, are unfinished business.

The mother of three deploys her creativity in most impressive ways in painting, furniture, and interior decorations. Most of her works amalgamate all these. The works are better seen, and individual impressions drawn.

Chinze would open her exhi-

bition in Enugu at the Polo Park Shopping Mall (Shoprite) from Wednesday 20 December. It runs until Wednesday 27 December.

She would be personally available to interact with visits to the exhibition, a sort of home coming to Enugu, where the campus of University of Nigeria, that teaches Fine and applied Arts, is located.

Young people, interested in the arts, and those not so sure, would have mentoring sessions with her.

9

The Oracle Today Wednesday December 27, 2017

POLITICS

Ndigbo‘II support only Ijaw leader to Buhari: candidate who will protect our Stop toying with interest, says Nwodo Niger Delta Pg 10 Pg 12

Onuorah: Second Niger Bridge is political gimmick

• Nze Onuorah

• Okowae

• Obiano

Nze Francis Onuorah is the Special Assistant to Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State on Non-Indigene Affairs. He tells EMMANUEL OGIGBE, in this report, that all the noise about Second Niger Bridge is mere political gimmick. He also speaks on the state of the nation, especially the marginalization of Ndigbo who, he said, have been reduced to second-class citizens. Contending that Ndigbo, being the most populous ethnic group in Nigeria, should have its fair share of the national cake, Onuorah urged the federal government to quit political gimmickry and come clean on its plans regarding the all-important Second Niger Bridge.

How do you describe the present economic situation in the country?

Well, the prevailing economic situation in the country is terrible; indeed, it is harsh and very bad because the economy is not stable; very sad and terrible because the essence of existence is living a life of hope. Unfortunately, we are living a life of hopelessness. Generally, things are very hard for the common man, so our joy and happiness have been shattered.

Should the present government be

blamed for the woes besetting the country?

One thing is to make promises and another thing is to fulfil them. Presently, the APC federal government is not meeting its electioneering promises to Nigerians.

You will agree with me that there was not much hardship before President Muhammadu Buhari and his people took over power. Regrettably, from the day they came on board, it has been very tough and the hardship has increased over a mil-

lion times: Prices of foodstuffs and other necessary needs have increased tremendously. Sadly, the government is not even caring for the poor masses but rather has failed in all respects. Right now, scarcity of fuel is biting harder and people are suffering greatly. As we all know, once there is scarcity of petroleum products, it affects the price of every other commodity or of our needs; in fact, life is difficult. Regrettably, APC government has not even met an inch of its electioneering promises.

So, what is the way out of the present quagmire?

The way out is for the people at the federal level to feel for the poor masses who are bearing the brunt of the prevailing hardship. It is a pity that they came to power; worse still, they still have about 30 months to go! My passionate appeal to them is that they should consider the poor masses and make them feel a sense of belonging and save Nigerians from dying of hardship. I want to believe that they know what to do, which is to, first and foremost, put food on the table of the suffering masses. For instance, the APC-led federal government promised to ensure steady power supply. Sadly, that promise has not been fulfilled. They also promised to tackle and eradicate corruption from the system, but we are yet to see one single conviction. Pray, whom have they prosecuted for corruption? We hear about huge sums of money being recovered from corrupt politicians and government officials, yet we still hear about government going a-borrowing. So, it is a confused state of affairs right now.

Imagine! Government has recovered a lot of money yet they go a-borrowing, is that not funny? So, they should tell us what they are using the money for? In fact, we want to see transparent leadership. If you have recovered money, let us know what you intend to use the money for and how you want to use it, not keeping Nigerians in the dark about it.

What is more worrisome about the whole thing is that the people chasing corrupt politicians are even more corrupt than those they have recovered the money from. Buhari is not leading us to anywhere because the country is at a standstill.

The much fate of the talked-about Second Niger Bridge is still hanging in the balance; what is your take on this?

Yes, we all believe that the Second Niger Bridge issue is a political issue because the federal government has made it so. We learnt that partial work has started on the bridge, but it is a deceptive issue. Imagine government deceiving the people of the South East.

I bet you, they will use it in the 2019 political campaigns. The bridge has become a campaign issue, so, we leave it at that.

These are some of the things that spark off agitation. It is necessary to know why they are agitating. If we have something in common and that thing is not equitably shared, I will protest; so, there is an adage that says you cannot beat a child and ask him not to cry because if I don’t fight for myself, nobody will fight for me.

Are Ndigbo really marginalized? If yes, how; in what areas?

Well, it depends on the way we place the language. Politics is a fine game but very dangerous also, because the person at the top can always have his way.

In fact, the Igbo are being messed up in the political system. Ndigbo are not having it easy at all in this country because we are denied our fair share of the national cake. You see politics is a game of number and if you would care o know, I will tell you that the most populated ethnic group in Nigeria is the Igbo because they are everywhere; we are a blessed ethic group from God Almighty. So, if we have that great number to make things happen, we ought to be respected in terms of the formula for sharing things in the political economy. Unfortunately, when it comes to sharing the national cake, the Igbo are not considered at all; they are treated as second-class citizens. We should enjoy the dividends of democracy the same way others do—without let or hindrance, without anyone seeing whatever is due, and should be given, to us as favour.

10

The Oracle Today Wednesday December 27, 2017

BOLD & BLUNT ONE of our boys there (in the Unites States), who is into digital technology, has a technology by which he can ensure that select towns in Igboland, are, through solar power, connected to the internet 24/7. He is putting his package together to come home and present it to the South East governors, so that we can choose those hubs that need them such as Aba, Onitsha, Enugu, among others, which have tremendous industries growing in them, which also generate employment for our people.

They have an Igbo Catholic Church there, essentially peopled by Ndigbo and they filled the church. The priest is also an Igbo man – Rev Fr. Joseph Orji-Kalu. The priest said the Mass in Igbo, the readings were done in Igbo, the choir sang in Igbo and I was asked to address the congregation in Igbo.

I spoke to President Muhammed Buhari at the stadium in Abakaliki about the state of Enugu Airport, and many of the media carried it. The runway is in a despicable condition. Ethiopian Airlines came to complain to me in my house, with pictorial proofs.

They showed me how their tyres were split by the cracks on the runway.

Some of the airlines that have gotten license to fly internationally (from Akanu Ibiam Airport}, such as Air Peace, have not been given the permission to start operation, simply because they are owned by Igbo. We can no longer tolerate the marginalisation – the discriminatory treatment meted out to our people – and I have said these things time without number that I am beginning to sound like a broken record.

The kind of punishment our people are subjected to at that (Akanu Ibiam International) airport is simply frustrating. Immigration personnel take bribes from our people just as customs personnel take bribes from them too—it is called extortion.

What is your impression about the state of Akanu Ibiam international airport where you landed via Ethiopian Airlines, upon your return?

I lost my temper at the airport upon my arrival, because our people have an airport that is in deplorable condition. I spoke to President Muhammed Buhari at the stadium in Abakaliki about the state of Enugu Airport and it was widely reported by the media. The runway is in a despicable condition. Ethiopian Airlines came to complain to me in my house, with pictorial proofs. They showed me how their tyres were split by the cracks on the runway. The new terminal building has been abandoned and the one President Goodluck Jonathan renovated is not like anything anybody did anything to. Part of the annex to the building was carried away by rainstorm and the one that is there, itself, is in a very bad condition. It took us two hours to get our luggage at the international arrival, which we used upon landing. The reason was because the trucks that were supposed to go and bring our luggage were in disuse and only one was working.

In short, the degree of punishment our people are subjected to at that airport is just so frustrating. Immigration personnel take bribe from our people just as customs personnel too take bribe from them--by way of extortion. There is nowhere else in the world you arrive in your place from air travel and the Customs begins to ask you, ‘what are you carrying?’ The reason is that there is an international agreement for carriage of goods. So, all dutiable goods are assessed at the point of shipment. They go through an x-ray and they see that these are goods that you cannot carry unless you are going to pay duties. And in any case, to export them, you have to have permission to export them. But, unfortunately, people carry personal effects and on reaching Enugu airport, they tell them to open their box to see what they are carrying. Nobody does it in Lagos, nobody does it in Abuja, and nobody does it in Kaduna or Kano. But it is done in Enugu.

Were you personally subjected to such ordeal or is it that you observed it physically?

I think I have to mention names to show the world that I was personally involved. A

Ndigbo‘II support will protect our

• Nwodo

• Asks Buhari: What have Ndigbo done?

• Says marginalisation is shattering, humiliating President-General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Chief John Nnia Nwodo recently returned from an official trip to the United States of America, where he had gone with his Deputy President-General, Hilary Opara, to inaugurate the North Carolina chapter of the apex Igbo Socio-cultural group. The former Information Minister, who was accorded a rousing welcome by many key national and state members of the organisation at the Enugu airport, related the special takeaways from the US trip to select journalists, and as well spoke on some national issues, including what he called the continued marginalisation of Ndigbo; deteriorating state of the Akanu Ibiam Airport, Enugu, and the agenda of Ohanaeze for 2019, among others. CHUKS EZE reports excerpts of that encounter. young man called [withheld] Jubril of the Nigeria Customs was the one that presided over this rape of our people at the airport, right before me, and I chastised him. The level of discriminatory treatment of Ndigbo is very infuriating; the total neglect of our international airport in Enugu is shattering.

I do not know how any government can wilfully neglect a complete geopolitical zone! This is the only international airport in the South East geopolitical zone, and the facilities there are moribund. Some of the airlines that have gotten license to fly internationally, such as Air Peace, have not been

given the permission to start operation, simply because they are owned by Igbo.

We can no longer tolerate the marginalisation – the discriminatory treatment meted out to our people – and I have said these things time so many times that I am beginning to sound like a broken record. And my question is: what have we done?

Talking about neglect of Ndigbo, the jostle for 2019 seems to have commenced and former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar has just returned to PDP. Would your administration at Ohanaeze Ndigbo pitch tent with any particular political party or candidate,

like your predecessors did, or do you intend to be absolutely neutral?

Ohanaeze is a non-political organisation and its membership cuts across political lines. All Igbo are members of Ohanaeze from their town unions, and they exist in all the political parties. So, I cannot be an agent of any political party; every Nigerian is free to belong to whichever political party he chooses, and so is (former) Vice President Atiku (Abubakar) free to join any political party he likes. That has nothing to do with Ohanaeze. What is important to Ohanaeze is that before the election, all

11

The Oracle Today Wednesday Decembe 27, 2017

BOLD & BLUNT

only candidate who interests, says Nwodo

• Buhari the political parties must sell their manifestoes to us so that we can advise Ndigbo appropriately as to who has protected our interest in their manifestoes. So, the parties have not yet nominated their candidates, and it is premature for me to begin to ask them what plan they have for Ndigbo.

When the candidates emerge, I would seek audience with them to demand that first: whoever becomes the next President of Nigeria would have to give Nigerians, especially Ndigbo, an undertaking, if he is not an Igbo, that he will not run for more than a term; and that his successor would come from Igboland, thereafter. That is the irreducible minimum for Ndigbo.

Secondly, we want this neglect that we are talking about to be reflected in the manifestoes of various political parties. Only then can we begin to determine who is protecting the interest of Ndigbo or not. But, beyond that, I have no need, at this point in time, to engage in any speculative campaign. And please, when you quote what my predecessors had done, note that I would lead only by their legacies that I find consistent with our constitution, enduring and of good value. I am prepared to depart from their tradition if I feel they had done something wrong. And I will not become a national organising secretary for any political party or any candidate.

That I will not do.

The federal government recently set up a special burial committee for the late former Vice President, Alex Ekwueme, with a directive to liaise with the Ekwueme family and Anambra State government, without any mention of Ohanaeze Ndigbo. Are you comfortable with such development?

I do not serve the federal government and I do not expect the government to appoint me to their committee. I rather expect them to seek my views on what they think the committee can do. I am aware of the committee, and after the first meeting that Ekwueme’s wife had with the Secre-

tary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), they spoke to me and I also spoke to the governor of Anambra State to form an Anambra committee. I am liaising with (The Minster of Labour), Dr. Chris Ngige, who is a member of the federal committee, with Governor Obiano as well as the Anambra chapter of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, which is also involved in the local programme – the Anambra committee. As you know, the one you made reference to is a government committee and Ohanaeze is a non-partisan organisation. So, I do not need to go and serve under the SGF, but I can interface with him and let him know what we expect him to do. We will make our input as and when necessary. However, Ohanaeze would certainly have a role to play in Alex Ekwueme’s funeral because he was an icon of the organisation.

How would you describe the outing in the United States of America, where you had gone to inaugurate the Ohanaeze Ndigbo Chapter?

I have to first, note that the organisation of Ohanaeze Ndigbo is worldwide. Ohanaeze comprises Ndigbo who are Nigerian citizens and are found in seven states of the federation, including the five South East States, as well as Anioma and Ika Igbo in Delta State; and Ikwere Igbo in Rivers State.

These Igbo live in every State of Nigeria and most parts of the world. In every part of Nigeria, they have an Ohanaeze structure, with state executives, local government executives and town union as the primary unit. In every other country of the world where Ndigbo live, Ohanaeze exists. In the US, Ohanaeze had never taken roots as an organ. We have a number of Igbo organisations in the US, such as WIC (World Igbo Congress), Igbo in the Diaspora, Council of Igbo States of America, ICAN and many more. But the national executive of Ohanaeze, in its wisdom, decided that US must conform with the organisation of Ohanaeze

as it exists in other countries of the world.

We threw it open to them and the first state to grab it was North Carolina. So, we had gone to inaugurate the North Carolina branch of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, and the outing was an extremely colourful ceremony.

What were the takeaways from the event and why is the US so important to Ohanaeze?

North Carolina is the developing electronic hub of the East Coast of the United States. It is also renowned its very reputable medical industry and a lot of our people who are medical doctors of repute, who are in the digital world, and who are professionals in all fields of life, are in North Carolina. But, principally, they are in the medical and medical-associated fields. And we had the opportunity of meeting them, their wives and family. So many women came there with their children and it was cheering to observe their children speak unadulterated Igbo. They showcased cultural displays of all kinds and dance steps of all sorts. The Arochukwu Cultural Dance, Akuneche Enyi Cultural Dance as well as cultural troupes from Igbo-Rivers, Ikwere and several others, all showcased wonderful cultural performances at the event. We brought a tape of the event, which we shall distribute to all the state Chairmen to keep in their offices. We also had meetings with all kinds of state branches, like the Anambra people, who are living in North Carolina, among others. We as well, met with the leadership of the WIC, in Atlanta, and the leadership of ICAN, in Dallas.

On the importance of US to Ohanaeze, you know that no single country in the world has as many Igbo living in it as the US. Therefore, the US is very important to us. We as well used the opportunity of the visit to discuss with them about the South East Economic Summit (SEES), which was held in Enugu recently, and also about programmes of the Soludo committee

in the Planning and Strategy Committee.

Interestingly, a lot of them are already planning to come home, with very meaningful proposals to sell to the South East Governors Forum. One of our boys there, who is into digital technology has a technology by which he can ensure that select towns in Igboland are, through solar power, connected to the internet 24/7. He is putting his package together to come home and present it to the South East governors, so that we can choose those hubs that need them such as Aba, Onitsha, Enugu, among others, which have tremendous industries growing in them and which also generate employment for our people. That will ensure that whether we have power or not, a trader who wants to connect his branches in Nigeria can do so; and educational institutions can as well use it to promote learning and expansion of knowledge.

They also showed us in North Carolina, the technology for Moturu Cow breeding (local cow). They breed Moturu – our own kind of cow, in Igboland – over there, and they are anxious to come and open agric extension institution in the South East, so that our people can learn how to breed cow and crossbreed them so that we can get cows with better meat, milk and better source of income as well.

There are so many other things that we discussed, but these are essentially the angles that we went through. They are already forming a committee with a view to articulating all the things they want to present to our governors. We shall book appointment for them to come down with their overseas partners, at a time the governors would have their meeting, to address the governors, so that through Ohanaeze, we shall help the governors to continue economic development of South East.

I am also happy to report that our people that we met in America are living happily and peacefully. They gave us a special Holy Mass on Sunday, in North Carolina. It was a Mass they hold every Sunday, in Igbo.

They have an Igbo Catholic Church there, essentially peopled by Ndigbo who filled the church. The priest is also an Igbo man – Rev Fr. Joseph Orji-Kalu. The priest said the Mass in Igbo, the readings were done in Igbo, the choir sang in Igbo and I was asked to address the congregation in Igbo. It was a very exciting experience.

Which country do you intend to visit next to inaugurate another new branch?

Our current move of opening up state branches (in the Diaspora) is a new policy of Ohanaeze and we are already working towards forming a committee that will henceforth, certify the state branches compliant with our constitution before we go to inaugurate them any further.

As we speak, we have outstanding invitations from China, Ivory Coast and others.

We had to reschedule our appointment for Ivory Coast because the market where our people do business was burnt down.

But, the minister of foreign affairs has sent a fact-finding team there; the President has visited them, and we have got reports both from our people there and from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. As soon as we find a resolution, we would make our findings public. Our aim is to ensure that the Ohanaeze flag is everywhere in the world and that our people are in tandem with our policies and our aspirations and those of our government.

How would you describe the working relationship that exists between you and your deputy?

We are enjoying a very wonderful working relationship and I am very privileged to have him as my deputy. Although Mr Hilary Opara is a retired Deputy Inspector-General of Police, his humility and commitment to duty have been awesome. Just like in marriage, it is very difficult to have a colleague at work that you can call your friend. It is like you have a husband or a wife, and you can proudly say that your spouse is your friend. We have harmony and very, very good working relationship, and like I said, I am very privileged to have a deputy whom I can call my friend.

12

The Oracle Today Wednesday December 27, 2017

INTERVIEW What is your opinion on the non-implementation of the recommendation of the 2014 confab and the controversial restructuring of the country?

Dr. Goodluck Jonathan was a refined gentleman but there were some things he ought to have done but couldn’t do them. He was too gentle for a nation like Nigeria. I doff my hat for him.

In fact, the Western world has recognized what Dr. Jonathan has done for the country and they are giving him honours everywhere.

But, it is unfortunate that as an Ijaw man, I feel pained that he couldn’t do for the NigerDelta people than what he did in the North.

Jonathan built a lot of schools in the North but he did not replicate that in the Region.

Sadly he couldn’t do much for his people before he left government. But, be that as it may, he is a nationalist, a man that feels for others before thinking of himself.

On the National Conference, Nigerians from all walks of life came together and agreed on some fundamental issues; no document in this world would be perfect; in fact, there would be some areas where people can still make inputs. People can still make inputs. At the point of relinquishing power to President Muhamadu Buhari, Jonathan handed over the reports of the confab to Buhari and asked him to deal with it because he knew what was in the document.

It is unfortunate that President Buhari is not doing anything about the report, which was done by the best brains in this country.

Every part of this country was considered in the report, but sadly, the present government is not thinking about it at all. That is why the Niger Delta people came together and came out with 16-point agenda, saying President Buhari should look at it and do something about it.

One of the recommendations is restructuring this country and other important issues.

Unfortunately, not one thing has been done till date. In fact, no kobo has been released by the Federal Government for either the Maritime University or the Export Processing Zone (EPZ) projects or any of such projects.

I tell you, after ex-president Jonathan had commissioned the site of the Maritime University, sadly, the site has been taken over by weeds, reptiles and creeping things.

Even the issue of restructuring, devolution of power, East West Road and a lot more have all been abandoned; nobody wants to listen. We are in a dilemma; it is only God that can help us out of this quagmire.

Chief, federal government has made several promises and huge amounts of money earmarked for the take- off of the Maritime University, do you think government will fulfil its promises?

Well, we have been hearing government make promises, but we are expecting that the billions of Naira needed to fulfil the promises will come.

However, I wish to state categorically that the so-called N5 billion earmarked for the take-off of the maritime university is not a new thing. Initially, the school authority demanded N10 billion, but the presidency said they can only approve N5 billion but as I speak now, nothing has been heard about it; in fact, the so-called N5 billion is somehow becoming a laughing stock. I remember when the Vice President, Yemi Osibanjo visited Ondo State, he came up with this N2 billion approval but the N2 billion had always been there. The N2 billion was approved for some logistics for the take-off of the university, but when the present government came on board, they withdrew the money and that was the beginning of the problem because they felt that there was nothing on ground as said by the transportation minister Hon. Rotimi Amaechi but when they later discovered that there was something on ground, they made unfulfilled promises to release the money until the Niger Delta Avengers went back to the creeks.

Avengers did not take that action all because of the maritime university but other things which they promised but have not been able to fulfil. Based on Federal Government’s promise to turn a new leaf, we decided to appeal to the Avengers to hold their peace and allow government fulfil their promises to the region.

Ijaw leader to Buhari: Stop toying with Niger Delta Chief Godspower Gbenekaeme is the spokesman of Gbaramatu kingdom in Burutu Local Government Area of Delta State. In this interview with our EMMA OGOIGBE in Warri, the soft-spoken Chief bemoans the sufferings and hardship the Ijaw nation is undergoing, urging President Muhamadu Buhari to regard all of Nigeria as his constituency and wipe away tears from the eyes of the Niger Delta people. cially the constant harassment and intimidation of the people of the riverine areas. This is because Ijaws are not violent people but we are not afraid of anything. For instance, Boko Haram is killing people in the North on a daily basis; how many deployments of military personnel have the government made?

In the first place, is the government deploying the military because there is peace everywhere? As a matter of fact, the oil companies and personnel are working without fear of intimidation; children are going to school unhindered and all socio-economic activities are going on in the riverine area. The people disturbing the area are the military not the inhabitants of the area. So, we are pleading with government to intervene and call the military to order; they should do it in the way they do in the upland. Security men should be confined to their area of operation; they should remain in their houseboats and stop going to our communities to harass and intimidate the people because we are not criminals. Besides, why can’t the federal government use the money they spend in buying weapons and ammunition to buy more houseboats and develop the area.

We have no light, no potable water, no good roads; we don’t have anything that will make us feel that we are Nigerians. I say that pipeline passed through my backyard to give light to Lagos people in Egbin and the rest, yet they expect us to continue to be quiet; however, I still want to advise the military to keep to the rule of engagement.

• Chief Godspower Gbenekaeme

The October deadline promised by the federal government for the take-off of the university has come and gone, do you think government is playing some game over this all-important issue?

Well, you can read between the lines because the initial period of September to October that the federal government promised for the take-off of the university has passed and we are now in December. We all believed the university issue was a done deal but the next thing we are hearing is the senate calling for hearing on the issue and after the senate, we also went to the House of Representatives for the same matter. The issue of sincerity is left for Nigerians to judge but we are already in December 2017.

By putting the N5 billion in the budget over the issue, the federal government is indicating that the university will take off in 2018 and no longer 2017 and, that is what government is thinking. However, the Delta State government is also talking about the matter but I won’t want to talk more than that.

No matter what, we will continue to talk to our boys to sheath their sword because we believe that government can still do something.

What is your take on the alleged security challenge in the riverine area?

Well, I can say without fear or favour that the Gbaramatu area is very safe. There are no issues of kidnapping and sea piracy any more; not even oil theft. As far as I am concerned, the area is very safe, no more fear.

It is only the government that is causing tension here by deploying gunboats and military personnel to the area. I can assure you that we will put every security arrangement on ground, so, there will be no room for any form of criminality when the university takes off. However, we will not like any person to look for our trouble because Ijaw man is not known to be afraid of trouble.

On deployment of gunboats and military personnel, the federal government explained it’s doing that for the safety of the people of the riverine areas and a lot of investment there too; what is your take on this?

Well, the deployment of massive war equipment is no more news to us. It is, however, unfortunate that the military have continued to invade our communities; it is rather sad and also causing apprehension. But, we have tried to talk to the authorities to follow the rule of engagement and not by harassing our riverine dwellers indiscriminately.

I expect the federal government to put a halt to military activities in the region, espe-

Chief, what is your take on the petroleum industry bill (PIB) still pending at the National Assembly?

I want to advise the Niger Delta people that we should not be fooled into asking for the passage of the PIB. How many people have really gone through that bill? What is the PIB bringing to us? They have been struggling with the area that will bring money to government but the area that will bring money to the people has been jettisoned or avoided.

So, the issue of PIB should properly be looked into with a view to ensuring that government makes us more comfortable and no longer feel marginalized.

Really, we want the PIB bill passed for the interest of oil-producing communities in the region.

Are Ijaws the most marginalized people in the country?

Well, Ijaws are the fourth largest ethnic nationality in the country but I really don’t believe that figure because, calling Ijaws the fourth largest ethnic tribe reduces our popularity because we are very many in this country. If we are the fourth largest tribe in this country, where are we? Go to the North, some streets in Ijaw land are made Local Government Area in the North.

So, what are we talking about? I don’t want to say much but we have been so marginalized, regarded as second-class citizens yet we bear the brunt of oil exploration and exploitation. I tell you, Ijaws have suffered most in this struggle. We feel the pain of the people, yet nothing to show for it. The money used in transforming major cities, provision of good roads etc is from the Niger Delta region. So, if there is other name to be used for the Ijaw nation, that should be “marginalization”.

The Oracle Today Wednesday December 27, 2017

13

REQUEST FOR QUOTATION (RFQ) A. INTRODUCTION Family Health International (FHI360) is nonprofit human development organization dedicated to improving lives in lasting ways by advancing integrated locally driven solutions.

FHI360 with funding from Unites States Agency for International Development (USAID) is supporting the Nigerian government through capacity building for delivery of sustainable, high quality and comprehensive HIV/AIDS prevention, treatment, care and support services.

FHI360 Anambra State Office, Awka is seeking qualified organizations to submit proposals at Udoka Housing Estate, Road 1, Plot 4, Prof. Pita Ejiofor Close, Awka for the under listed services: 1.

Supply of Medical Prevention, Lab and PMTCT Consumables for SIDHAS supported sites in Anambra state.

2.

Printing of M&E tools.

The Oracle Today Wednesday December 27, 2017

14

15

The Oracle Today Wednesday December 27, 2017

NEWS FEATURE

Essential family practices

• Say no to open defecation, use a latrine

• Mrs. George Ileka flanked (left) flanked by NOA Officer IDSLGA, Mrs. Azodo and Wash Director IDSLGA, Simon Ndibe during the establishement and Orientation of Volunteer Influencers

•Wash your hand with soap and running water

• UNICEF Volunteer Influencers Orientation at Awka Etiti II Community

Public health: UNICEF seeks eradication of open defecation in Anambra UZO UGWUNZE, in Ojoto, writes on efforts by the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) to improve environmental sanitation and, by extension, public through eradication of open defecation in Anambra State.

I

T was a beehive of activities all through last week as the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), in conjunction with Anambra State government, embarked on establishment and orientation of Volunteer Influencers (Vis) for fast tracking construction and use of household latrines and adoption of other essential family practices (EFPs) in 12 communities in Idemili South Local Government Area of the State, as a panacea to open defecation.

Open defecation refers to the practices whereby people go out in fields, bushes, forest, open bodies of water or other open spaces rather than using the toilet, to defecate. Some do it because they have no access to latrine while others do it as a bad habit or leisure.

The programme came as a sequel to the programme held earlier this year. UNICEF supported the state to carry out intensive

community engagement efforts in 36 communities using drama to educate people on EFPs. The communities, at the end of the exercise, resolved on a number of action plans to improve the rate and pace of adoption of practices essential for proper maternal and child care. Other action plans include all families having latrines; complete eradication of open defecation; effective hand-washing with running water and soap or ash as a habitual practice in homes, schools, public places, general community gathering or meetings with the washing equipment provided at such critical place; proper personal and environmental hygiene to curb the spread of germs, diseases and sicknesses.

Speaking during the communities’ tour cum establishment and orientation of volunteer influencers’ programmes, the UNICEF facilitator in the state, Mrs. George Ileka (JP) frowned at the rate

at which people still indulge in open defecation, agonizing that some landlords go as far as building shanties with many rooms without bothering to construct a latrine for their tenants.

She noted that some people who have latrines still prefer to go to the bush to defecate or allow their children stool inside polythene bags, which they throw across the wall with reckless abandon.

According to Mrs. Ileka, such practice has contributed to the spread of many tropical diseases.

“People must be discouraged from open defecation because when they defecate outside or in the bush, houseflies perch on them and still find their way into our houses to perch on our food. The deposits of these flies cause dysentery, typhoid fever, diarrhea etc. Some who engage in ‘shortput’, that is defecating inside polythene and throwing the feces across the wall, should

be warned to desist from such because it pollutes the environment and unsuspecting members of the society can match it and it would mess up their body,” Ileka said.

Moreover, Ileka told the Volunteer Influencers that they were selected with the help of their traditional rulers or PresidentGenerals so that members of the society would refer to them for opinion, information and counsel, noting that one of the criteria for their selection also was that they have latrines in their own houses and would be able to communicate with others on essential family practices.

“UNICEF’s proposition is to engage you people as models because of your influences in the community and make you active players who will facilitate promoted practices within your communities. You must have latrines yourselves. Discover families without latrine and mandate

them to construct one within one month or face State sanitation court and get sanctioned.

Tell people to stop open defecation. Teach them effective hand washing with running water and soap or ash,” Ileka said She charged them to visit at least 10 to 20 households every quarter, conduct interpersonal communication sessions with households on the construction and use of latrines and other essential child care and protection practices; conduct awareness creation sessions with community groups and meetings on the use and construction of household latrines, etc; conduct educational/dialogue sessions with community groups during their regular meetings on the use and construction of household latrines and adoption of other essential child care and protection practices; support families and influential village members to speak out against open defecation; work with the WDCs and health facilities and environmental health officers to enforce the use of latrines; work with traditional rulers and the clergy to intensify awareness creation on the use and construction of household latrines and adoption of other essential and child care and protection practices.

However, Mrs. Ileka said the UNICEF state team would meet with the L.G.A front line workers and VIs to review the progress made and improvements by the end of January 2018. Using her ipad, she showed them three different types of latrine. They include pit toilet, improved latrine with toilet seat/ pour flush and modern water cistern closet.

Mrs. Ileka advised them to do their voluntary duty well because UNICEF would come for verification and open defecation free certification, adding that the communities may attract more assistance from UNICEF, like sinking of boreholes if water is a problem to sanitation in their community, etc.

Speaking on effective hand washing, Mrs. Ileka demonstrated before the Volunteer Influencers the proper method of hand washing with running water and soap or ash at critical times.

She urged them to teach families, groups, elders, town unions the need to provide hand-washing gadgets at critical places like toilets or at gatherings.

“People should wash their two hands with running water and soap. It should be done before eating food or kola, after defecating etc,” she said.

In their separate speeches, President-General of Awka Etiti Town Union, Mr. Joachim Okeke and his counterpart at Akwa Ukwu, Chief Michael Anierobi, represented by Michael Chukwurah, thanked UNICEF and Anambra State government for their concerted efforts and investments towards improved health and sanitation standards in communities in Anambra State, pledging on behalf of the Volunteer Influencers that they would work tirelessly to see that the activities are carried out successfully in their communities.

The Community Orientation and Mobilization Officer (COMO), Mrs. Monica Azodo also pleaded with VIS to take their new responsibilities as a sacrifice to humanity, which would attract God’s rewards, assuring that posterity would speak well of their good works.

16

The Oracle Today Wednesday December 27, 2017

NOTICE OF PUBLICATION/STAKEHOLDERS CONSULTATION The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) hereby invites all affected and interested parties as well as the general public to a Stakeholders Consultation on the ESTABLISHMENT OF INTERNET INDUSTRY CODE OF PRACTICE. As part of its internet governance functions, the Nigerian Communications Commission seeks input from stakeholders in the development of a code of practice in support of an open internet.

The Commission favours a multi-stakeholders models of engagement in the process of policy development for Internet Governance. The proposed code of practice seeks, among other things to; 1. Protect the rights and interest of internet service providers and consumers; 2. Provide jointly agreed and effective solutions to the issues of discriminatory trafc management practices; 3. Ensure adequate safeguards are put in place by service providers against abuses such as unsolicited messages; 4. Outline the obligations of service providers in relation to offensive and potentially harmful content for minors and vulnerable audiences; 5. Promote the safe, secure and responsible use of internet services with due regards to provisions in existing legal instruments; 6. Establish best practices for internet governance in Nigeria, in line with emerging issues and global trends; 7. P r o v i d e t r a n s p a r e n t r u l e s f o r t h e assessment and classication of internet content; 8. Increase stakeholder satisfaction through

improved consumer experience online.

Extensive consultation of stakeholders is crucial to the success of this exercise. Key stakeholders identied include: · All internet service providers in Nigeria · Relevant associations (ISPAN, CPN, ATCON, ALTON, GSMA, Nigerian Computer Society, Nigerian Internet Governance Forum, etc) · Government Ministries, Agencies and Departments (NCC, NITDA, NBC, CBN, Ministry Of Communication, etc) · Security Agencies (Police, EFCC, ICPC, NSA, etc.) · Interested multinationals (Facebook, Microsoft, Oracle, etc.) · Academia · The General Public Stakeholders are expected to submit their input (comments, concerns, feedback, and suggestions for scope and content) via our Online Public Consultation portal. Input submitted via this facility will be taken into consideration in nalizing the internet industry code of conduct document.

The commission hereby publish the draft Internet Code of Practice for comments and inputs from key stakeholders.

Stakeholders should submit their comments and inputs via the online public consultation portal http://www.ncc.gov.ng/internet-code-ofpractice-consultation.

The portal will be opened to receive feedback up until December 31, 2017.

Signed Prof. Umar Garba Danbatta, FNSE Executive Vice Chairman (EVC)/CEO

17

The Oracle Today Wednesday December 27, 2017

BU$IN£SS •

•

Energy

Finance

•

Stock

•

Insurance

•

Aviation

Car tariff can’t meet target

• Nigeria losing revenue to import diversion •Local assembly plants suffer low capacity utilisation

By SOPURUCHI ONWUKA and VICTOR NZE

G

OVERNMENT’S hike in import tariff on imported vehicles from 20 percent to 70 percent has turned out to be another blunder as wide price gaps between new and foreign used vehicles, massive diversion of Nigerian cargoes to neighbouring countries and consequent revenue losses combine to defeat the policy objectives.

Government’s decision to raise vehicle import tariff in the first place was informed by the need to discourage mass importation of foreign used vehicles otherwise called tokumbo into the country, boost local production of automobiles and stimulate price competition in the domestic market for new vehicles.

Part of the policy targets was to raise in import disincentive on new and used vehicles, optimise installed capacity of the local assembly plants to meet the demands for new vehicles. The automobile policy also has the objective to position the huge Nigerian automobile market to host manufacturing plants for top auto brands.

Checks by The Oracle Today showed that the policy has not only failed to lift demand for locally produced vehicles, it has also failed to curb the frequency and number of imported vehicles that pour into the country through legal and illegal routes. Whereas the number of imported vehicles legally entering the country has drastically dropped with introduction of the new tariff regime, illegal routes have seen massive spike in activity.

The huge tariff has dropped the volume of car imports to 70,453 units in the first 10 months of 2017, a 26.8 percent reduction from the same period of 2016, according to figures from the NPA. Vehicle imports fell to 96,222 units last year from 131,994 in 2015.

Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Hajia Hadiza Usman, predicts a further drop in 2018 to 67,400 units.

In calling for urgent policy reversal in order to harness the full

benefits of Nigeria’s booming automobile market, Usman lamented that the high tariff regime was forcing importers to patronize neighbouring ports and unduly putting patrol agents of government like the Customs Service, under pressure. She also admitted that the local ports were not even in a position to handle the huge traffic of imported vehicles or the chronic congestion that has dogged the facilities.

“We appreciate the need for the government to have assembly and manufacturing in Nigeria but we are concerned that the capacity of the Nigerian market is beyond what is said to be assembled in Nigeria,” she said, adding, “We have seen a lot of cars being smuggled through neighbouring countries, mainly from Benin Republic.”

Usman’s position calls to question the original intention of the Federal Government in imposing a 70 per cent tariff on imported vehicles from the initial 20 per cent when local supply of finished products is still trailing demand, as it will take years to meeting that ever growing demand.

Experts have posited that considering the inability of local production to meet the growing demand for new automobiles, in addition to the huge revenue lost the neighbouring ports, a reduced tariff structure would be welcome to allow for the local plants to adjust to the economic realities of the country which is just exiting recession by a thin margin.

Furthermore, a reduced tariff would ease the pressure on the customs or any of the agencies to engage in corrupt practices by way of colluding with the importers.

“Let’s be frank, there will always be market for brand new cars in the country. A corporate organization will always patronize the newly assembled vehicles with their full warranty. Only individuals patronize used vehicles, and as such would flock to them.

But the volume of consumption is still meagre compared to the corporate organizations or even gov-

CBN EXCHANGE RATES DEC. 18, 2017 Currency

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

Buying(NGN)

Central (NGN) Selling(NGN)

305.2 408.266 359.9834 308.8756 2.7122 0.5303 430.9368 46.1088 81.378 23.7671 48.3485 431.5528

305.7 306.2 408.9349 409.6037 360.5732 361.1629 309.3816 309.8877 2.7166 2.7211 0.5403 0.5503 431.6428 432.3488 46.1848 46.2608 81.5113 81.6446 23.806 23.8449 48.4277 48.5069 432.2598 432.9668

Energy Ease of business: Senate resolves NLNG Act amendment crisis P20

e-Platform Nigeria to sustain net neutrality with new code P22

TRAVEL

• Hadiza Bala-Usman

ernment agencies with their bulk demand and orders.

“So the idea of a huge tariff on used cars is directly detrimental to the common man who wishes to own a car, and in no way undermining the economy as the government would have you believe.

That 70 per cent tariff should be reviewed. The vehicle assembly plants know that it is not we the importers that are causing their problems. We are not in competition with them,” said Emeka Okorie, a used car importer and clearing agent.

Okorie’s position is further buttressed by supply figures of capacity utilization at local assembly plants which are still struggling to meet demands in the domestic market.

Ford’s local plant in Lagos said it assembled 739 units of its Ranger pickup in 2016 and this year from its installed capacity of 5,000 cars annually.

Kia Motors, which also has a plant in Lagos with a 20,000 vehicle capacity, said it assembled 1,800 units this year but did not give figures for 2016.

Stallion Motors, Volkswagen’s local vehicle assembly partner, said work stopped around August due to issues related to the exchange rate and production costs, with an estimated 30 vehicles being rolled out monthly, although assembly did not happen on a regular basis.

While the country continues to lose millions of dollars in import tariffs to neighbouring countries on the West African sub-region, experts have urged a rethink on the charges, as well as the complete overhaul of the ports handling system to meet the new order of port services in the world.

The imposition of the 70 percent tariff on imported vehicles in December, 2015 by the government to stimulate local production, appears not to be working, as admitted by the NPA boss, who noted further that the policy which was supposed to drive demand for locally made cars has not registered any positive impact at all ends.

Therefore, the recent criticism by Hajia Hadiza Usman against the 70 per cent tariff on imported vehicles by the government needs to be considered for its objectivity.

New Lagos Park offers free wi-fi P26

Stock Market Highlights As At 18 December, 2017

Summary

ASI DEALS VOLUME VALUE EQUITY CAP

37,980.67 1,499.00 89,475,446.00 N1,827,951,692.54 13,516,049,650,505.80

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

2.

3.

4.

5.

GUARANTY UBA TRANSCORP FBNH ACCESS

32,160,282 15,712,002 5,880,069 3,536,759 3,264,448

5 Top Gainers Company PRESCO DANGSUGAR WAPCO UBN UAC-PROP

Last Close N66.17 N21.7 N43.01 N7.55 N2.65

Current N72 N22.78 N43.5 N7.92 N2.8

Last Close N240 N54.84 N4.2 N41 N1.37

Current N230.01 N52.1 N4.1 N40.92 N1.31

Change 5.83 1.08 0.49 0.37 0.15

Value(N)

Top Losers Company N1,286,297,714.99 DANGCEM N158,785,443.21 INTBREW ETERNA N8,319,100.57 N31,070,873.80 STANBIC N34,235,417.74 CAVERTON

Change -9.99 -2.74 -0.1 -0.08 -0.06

18

The Oracle Today Wednesday December 27, 2017

BUSINESS News FG to make Calabar carnival a foreign exchange earner

T

HE Federal Government has said it will make the annual Calabar Carnival a major foreign exchange earner for Nigeria.

Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, who disclosed this, in Calabar while flagging off the third dry run of the 2017 carnival which has the theme ‘Migration’, said that the carnival, which has united the people over the years and had attracted wider participation, was the longest street party in the world with 12 kilometre-lond route.

He said that it was time for people to start seeing the carnival beyond entertainment but see the seriousness and the message it conveys. ”We are pushing the Calabar carnival to be a major foreign exchange earner for the country. We have here today, 26 beauty queens from 26 African countries who are contesting for the 2017 Miss Africa pageant.

“That is a big statement because each of these young ladies are going to spend two weeks here and will go back to their countries as our own ambassadors. They will tell the story of what they have seen and the hospitality of Cross River and that is a big plus for the state and the country.

“What is happening here today is reverberating throughout the world because this dry run is unique in the sense that it gives the organisers and participants the opportunity to perfect their act. I also want to take this opportunity to appeal to the world to see this street party beyond dancing and beyond the costumes’’, he said.

The Minister said that festival had become a platform for youths to vent their creativity and a platform to turn Nigeria’s creative industry into a veritable creative economy.

“I am delighted to know that everything being used in the carnival is manufactured locally by Nigerians.

Calabar carnival does not only create an economy, but also unites the whole of Nigeria because it had enlightened the people of Nigeria and the world about Climate Change and Migration’’, he said.

Earlier, Prof. Ivara Esu, Deputy Governor of the state, said that the annual festival had become an international brand, adding that the state was happy to have the Minister in person to perform the flag off, adding all preparations had been made for the grand finale of the carnival billed for Dec. 28.

The Minister, who was earlier taken through the monorail ride from the Calabar International Convention Centre (CICC) to the Tinapa Business and Leisure Resort, described the project as a major booster to the tourism sector in the state. “”I am happy to know that the second phase will also link the airport. This shows that Cross River is taking a major step in building infrastructure that will help in pushing the state as a conference hub. We will not hesitate in helping the state government to sustain this kind of project. We are ready as a government to provide the enabling environment for states like Cross River to thrive. ”Even in the Federal Council of Tourism, Cross River is a member because we recognise the giant stride the state is making in tourism’’, he said.

9Mobile: Buyer must emerge by Dec 31 – NCC

By SAMSON AKINTARO

T

HE Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has said the December 31, 2017 deadline for the takeover of 9Mobile by a successful bidder remain sacrosanct, and only a financially and technically sound entity among the ones that have shown interest will have the day.

The Executive Vice Chairman of the Commission, Prof. Umar Danbatta, who stated this while responding to reporters’ enquiries on the state of the telecom sector, on the sideline of the just concluded 82nd Edition of the Telecom Consumer Parliament, said: “The Nigerian Government will ensure that only a technically and

financially sound entity takes over 9Mobile”.

Reports have it that India’s Bharti Airtel, the owner of Airtel Nigeria, Nigeria’s Globacom, Dangote (Alheri Engineering) and seven others are jostling for the acquisition of 9mobile, as bankers push to complete a sale by December 31.

It was gathered that Abraaj Capital, Africa Capital Alliance, Carlyle Group, Centricus Capital and Africell, Helios Towers, Smile Telecoms Holdings and Teleology Holdings are also among companies seriously bidding to takeover 9Mobile by year-end.

The bidding process is being handled

by Barclays Africa.

9mobile is being sold after regulators saved the company from col-

lapse when both an investment fund and Etisalat exited the country in June following the default of a $1.2 billion loan.

Market Analysts believed that the battle for the soul of 9Mobile rest strictly between Globacom and Airtel because of their financial war chest and experiences in the Nigerian market. Should either be successful in the bid, the additional connections may see them overtake MTN as market leader.

Airtel is currently the third largest operator in Nigeria with 35 million customers as at October representing 25 per cent market share. Globacom is second after MTN. Globacom controls 26.6 per cent market share and 37 million customers. Embattled

9Mobile has 17 million customers, which is 12.2 per cent of the market.

MTN, with 50.7 million customers, controls 36 per cent market share.

The statistics showed that Airtel is battling with Globacom for second position in the Nigerian market, but despite making inroads during 2017 both are still more than 10 million connections behind MTN. However, should either Airtel or Globacom succeed in buying 9mobile, the leadership equation in the Nigerian telecom market is bound to change as the successful buyer would be adding over 17 million subscribers of 9mobile to its kits thereby deposing MTN from the leadership position it has occupied for over a decade in Nigeria.

Banks record N19.33trn in transactions in Q3 – NBS

T

• From left : Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, Chairman Carnival Commission, Mr Gab Onna, President, Nigeria Association of Tour Operators (NATOP), Mr Nkereuwem Onung, at the Carnival 3rd Dry Run in Calabar.

Dangote Cement, others win NSE CEO Awards

By SAMSON AKINTARO

HE Nigerian Stock Exchange Tcipients (NSE) has announced the reof the 2017 edition of its

prestigious NSE CEO Awards. Dangote Cement Plc was named the Most Compliant Listed Company for 2017, having demonstrated the highest degree of compliance with the rules and regulations regarding disclosure obligations of listed companies on the Exchange in 2017.

The award for the Best Dealing Member firm went to Stanbic IBTC Stockbrokers Limited, for a high performance culture. It was the firm’s sixth consecutive win in the NSE CEO Awards. Stanbic IBTC Stockbrokers Limited accounted for the highest value of trades on the Exchange in 2017.

Pilot Securities Limited won the award for the Most Compliant Dealing Member firm of the year 2017, for demonstrating the best level of compliance with the NSE Rules and Regulations. The firm was honoured for its compli-

ance with the Minimum Operating Standards of the Exchange, adequate and timely rendition of statutory and regulatory returns.

Speaking at the awards ceremony, the Chief Executive Officer of The Nigerian Stock Exchange, Mr. Oscar N. Onyema, OON, commended the winners of the 2017 NSE CEO Awards. “I would like to congratulate all the 2017 award winners who are all deserving of recognition. The awards are given solely on merit and are awarded to commend listed companies and dealing members for their excellent and exceptional performance, compliance to NSE rules and regulation, high ethical standards and impressive customer service that leave no room for any penalties”.

“The awards offer winners a year-round marketing opportunity and a big morale-booster for companies who have made extraordinary contributions to the Nigerian capital market and exemplify the highest standards” he added. The NSE CEO awards was initiated in 2012 to motivate listed companies

• Aliko Dangote

and dealing members to a higher level of corporate governance and compliance to reinforce investors’ confidence in the Nigerian capital market. Since inception, the annual award has become one of the important events at the Nigerian Stock Exchange.

HE National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) has disclosed that a total of 213.69 million transactions valued at N19.33 trillion were recorded in the third quarter as data on Electronic Payment Channels in the banking sector.

The NBS stated this in a report on “Selected Banking Sector Data: Sectorial Breakdown of Credit, ePayment Channels, Deposits and Domestic Credit Breakdown and Staff Strength’’ posted on the bureau’s website.

The bureau stated that the Nigeria Inter-bank Settlement System (NIBSS) Instant Payment (NIP) transactions dominated the volume of transactions recorded in the quarter.

It stated that 97.53 volumes of NIP transactions valued at N13.96 billion were recorded in the quarter under review.

Bank Customers used automated teller machines (ATMs) 62,305,387 times for transactions worth N514 billion although only figures for July were available for the quarter.

For point of sales (POS) machines, 39,310,184 transactions were recorded at a total value of N365 billion.

The statistical office also reported that 2,058,835 web transactions were carried out valuing N514 billion in addition to 3,895,102 mobile money payments worth N86 billion.

While reporting on deposits, NBS noted that the private sector made total demand deposits of N5,467 trillion in July, N5.423 trillion in August and N5.374 trillion in September.

In terms of credit to private sector, the report stated that a total of N15.83 trillion worth of credit was allocated by the banks in the quarter.

It stated that Oil and Gas and Manufacturing sectors got credit allocation of N3.54 trillion and N2.27 trillion to record the highest credit allocation in the period under review.

The report also stated that the number of banks’ staff increased from 75, 607 in the second quarter to 82,531 in the third quarter.

19

The Oracle Today Wednesday December 27, 2017

BUSINESS

FAAC: FG, States, LGs share N609.95b November revenue

T

HE Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) distributed N609.95 billion to Federal, States and Local Governments as revenue generated in November.

This is N77.25 billion more than what it shared in October, Mr Ahmed Idris, the Accountant-General of the Federation said.

Idris said that after the cost of collection deductions by FIRS, Customs and DPR, the Federal Government received N248.2 billion, representing 52.68 per cent; the states got N125.9 billion, representing 26.72 per cent and the 774 local councils received N97.06 billion, amounting to 20.60 per cent.

According to Idris, oil producing states got N54.48 billion, which rep-

resents the derivation share of 13 per cent.

He said that the country generated N356.07 billion as mineral revenue and N193.46 billion as non-mineral revenue in November, both showing improvements over the earnings in October.

Mineral revenue increased by N38.78 billion, while non-oil mineral revenue also jumped by N68.65 billion.

Idris said that oil revenue continues to be negatively impacted by low production due to poor maintenance, sabotage and the Force Majeure declared at Bonny Terminal.

He said that the balance in the Excess Crude Account (ECA) as at December 15 remained $2.317 billion.

He also put the balance in the Excess Petroleum Profit Tax account, at $133 million.

Idris said the Federation Account has received instruction from the National Economic Council that $1billion be removed from ECA to fight Boko Haram.

“The instruction has been given.

But there is a process before money is taken out of an account. So unless that withdrawal is made, the balance remains the same. On what the money will be used for, the appropriate institution will have to give you that, namely the military, who are the ones that will utilise the money, and they know their needs.

On why the money is being taken

from the ECA, Idris said everyone should know that it is a savings account and ordinarily should have been distributed to the three tiers of government.

“So if the same owners decide that part of it should be utilised to secure the country, to secure the system, to make the system work and provide security for life and property, I don’t think it should be an issue.

“If the Governor of Ekiti has a problem with that, he should have made his position known to his forum, which is the Governor’s Forum.

“His dissension should not come to me on the pages of newspapers.

He is entitled to whatever, but it should be directed to the appropriate place,” he said

FAAC: FG, States, LGs share N609.95bn Nov. revenue

T

HE Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) distributed N609.95 billion to Federal, States and Local Governments as revenue generated in November.

This is N77.25 billion more than what it shared in October, Mr Ahmed Idris, the Accountant-General of the Federation said.

Idris said that after the cost of collection deductions by FIRS, Customs and DPR, the Federal Government received N248.2 billion, representing 52.68 per cent; the states got N125.9 billion, representing 26.72 per cent and the 774 local councils received N97.06 billion, amounting to 20.60 per cent.

According to Idris, oil producing states got N54.48 billion, which represents the derivation share of 13 per cent.

He said that the country generated N356.07 billion as mineral revenue and N193.46 billion as non-mineral revenue in November, both showing improvements over the earnings in October. Mineral revenue increased

by N38.78 billion, while non-oil mineral revenue also jumped by N68.65 billion.

Idris said that oil revenue continues to be negatively impacted by low production due to poor maintenance, sabotage and the Force Majeure declared at Bonny Terminal.

He said that the balance in the Excess Crude Account (ECA) as at December 15 remained $2.317 billion.

He also put the balance in the Excess Petroleum Profit Tax account, at $133 million.

Idris said the Federation Account has received instruction from the National Economic Council that $1billion be removed from ECA to fight Boko Haram.

“The instruction has been given.

But there is a process before money is taken out of an account. So unless that withdrawal is made, the balance remains the same. On what the money will be used for, the appropriate institution will have to give you that, namely the military, who are the ones that will utilise the money, and they know their needs.

On why the money is being taken from the ECA, Idris said everyone should know that it is a savings account and ordinarily should have been distributed to the three tiers of government.

•Communications Manager of Dana Air, Mr Kingsley Ezenwa, (r) receiving the award for the 2017 Most Efficient Airline from the Executive Director of the NEA, Uwabor Joshua, at the Nigeria Entrepreneurs Award 2017, which held at the Ladi Kwali Hall of Sheraton Hotels, Abuja.

Nigeria’s procurement practice backward – Institute

Chartered Institute of Pmentresident, Purchasing and Supply Manageof Nigeria (CIPSMN), Alhaji

Abdulhamid Oyewo, has called for proper procurement process in Nigeria in line with the Procurement Act of 2007.

Oyewo who made the call at the 8th Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the institute, Friday in Abuja, said that the process of procurement as being practiced in the country currently had failed to meet international standard and fell short of the country’s procurement law.

He explained that the act provided for the establishment of Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP) and the National Council on Procurement (NCP).

He said that while BPP had been established and inaugurated since 2007, the successive governments had failed to inaugurate the council that would supervise the activities of the bureau.

“The procurement process in Nigeria cannot be said to be perfect since the laws that established it had not been respected. It is a question of what the law says; there is the public procurement Act 2017 and there is a law backing the institute also. So who ever goes against the law will have to face wrath of

the law.

“We are witnesses to what is happening currently in the country where a lot of people who have violated the law are being prosecuted.

Our backwardness is a result of our not following the laid down procedures and the standard practice because if we are not greedy and we follow the procedures, the country will be better for it.

“We are not doing the right thing. For instance, the procurement act provides for the council and the bureau for public procurement. The bureau has been in place since 2007 but the council that is supposed to supervise them is yet to be inaugurated but we are not blaming anybody because we don’t know what is delaying them,” Oyewo said.

The Registrar of the institute, Alhaji Mohammed Aliyu said that the issue of procurement was a serious business that required professionals to drive since it consumed the bulk of national budget.

Aliyu said that the institute had not relented in its effort in ensuring that Nigerian government keyed into the reality of putting in place a good system that would encourage procurement due process.

He said that wrong procurement

system was responsible for high rate of abandoned projects around the country, adding that tax payers needed to derive values for their money.

“Professionals should be saddled with the responsibility of procurement processes because it has to be handled effectively and efficiently because it is tax payers’ money. If professionals are saddled with procurement responsibilities they will make sure that the right thing is done such as using the right materials for contract works.

“Public Procurement is the bridge between public access to effective service provision, if handled by qualified and certified procurement personnel, can result in good governance in terms of provision of good roads, schools, hospitals.

“With private sectors as the drivers of the economy, any improvement in the public sector procurement systems can have a direct and beneficial impact on the overall political, economic, social and technological agenda,” he said.

Aliyu said that corruption had retarded the pace of development in the country, and urged procurement professionals to always see corruption as an enemy.

ProvidusBank launches World Elite Mastercard

By VICTOR NZE

P

rovidusBank has launched the World Elite Mastercard offering in Nigeria, providing affluent consumers and frequent travelers with a range of priceless travel benefits and lifestyle privileges both at home and abroad. This is the first launch of World Elite Mastercard in Sub-Saharan Africa.

During an impressive launch ceremony held in Lagos, Managing Director/CEO, ProvidusBank, Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of ProvidusBank, Mr. Muhammad Jibrin Barde said: “We strive to provide cutting-edge technology that delivers best-in-class customer satisfaction, and our customers demand access to the most innovative solutions. The World Elite Mastercard platform provides access to an exclusive global network of benefits that satisfies their every lifestyle and travel need,” The World Elite Mastercard card provides the convenience, flexibility, reliability and safety that every premium cardholder expects in the search for the finest that life has to offer. This includes access to loyalty programme upgrades, privileges at luxury accommodation and unforgettable shopping experiences.

“Imaging having 24/7 access to a lifestyle and travel concierge service that will help you plan unforgettable experiences such as reserving a chef’s table at a sought after restaurant, lining up a celebrity for a special birthday or purchasing those impossible-to find concert tickets. With World Elite Mastercard, cardholders no longer have to imagine,” says Omokehinde Adebanjo, Vice President and Area Business Head, West Africa, Mastercard.

Other benefits include access at over 600 airport lounges for the cardholder as well as a guest, priority check-in, excess baggage allowance or hassle-free car rental and exclusive benefits at the world’s busiest airports. Cardholders will have access to personalised services through the Mastercard Airport Concierge.

“The affluent market is increasingly looking for experiences that drive personal growth and happiness, as opposed to the ownership of material possessions,” says Adebanjo. “Our World Elite Mastercard premium offering is specifically aimed at creating incomparable experiences for these discerning consumers and their loved ones by providing hassle-free advantages, savings and privileged access to a rich offering of luxurious travel and lifestyle benefits.” Adebanjo also added “We are delighted to have worked with ProvidusBank as the first bank in Sub Saharan Africa to issue the World Elite Mastercard.”

Offers also extend to special accommodation privileges and discounts with Global Hotel Alliance Discovery Black membership, at Starwood Hotels and Resorts, as well as at luxury serviced apartments; discounted travel-visa fast-track services with One VASCO; and first-class hand-picked experiences through Mastercard Priceless offers.

Cardholders additionally receive extensive lifestyle benefits such as shopping privileges through partnerships with Chic Outlet Shopping Villages, spa offers at Fairmont, Swissôtel, and Raffles Hotels and Resorts, shipping benefits with MyUS and Yudala, online grocery shopping at Nigeria’s largest online supermarket Supermart, and special dining deals.

20

The Oracle Today Wednesday December 27, 2017

ENERGY Sopuruchi Onwuka

T

he Senate has finally dismantled basis for disputes over moves to amend the Act establishing the Nigerian Liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG) Limited following with a lateral amendment Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) Act. With the legislative masterstroke, the Senate may have restored investor confidence in the operating environment and rekindled the interest of key multinational partners in further investment in expanding processing of the gas liquefaction company.

In the NDDC Act amendment, the upper legislative chamber of the National Assembly broadened panindustry participation in financial contribution for NDDC funding to include gas processing companies domiciled in the Niger Delta. And NLNG, domiciled in Bonny Island in the Niger Delta, is Africa’s biggest gas processing company with strong presence in the global energy market.

According to declarations by the Senate President at the National Assembly and on his twitter account, the successful amendment of the NDDC Act to include fund contribution from NLNG makes it unnecessary to press on with NLNG Act amendment.

With the single legislative move, the Senate rested the dispute over moves by House of Representatives to alter the fiscal and legal frameworks that underpin deep pocket investments and deployment of technology by multinational oil companies in developing and growing NLNG to become a commercially viable global gas supply factor.

The Oracle reports that 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 also include incentives, concessions, guarantees and assurances in letters of assurance to lenders for the NLNG Trains 4 and 5 expansion by Ministries 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-amendment 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 modelled after similar packages of incentives flaunted by other 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.

Since its incorporation in 1989 as Nigeria’s key gas valorisation project with initial investment of $6.0 billion, NLNG Limited has solidly positioned as energy source to homes and businesses across the world through its large volume liquefied gas exports and robust supplies to the Nigerian domestic market.

NLNG currently manages 16 long term LNG Sale and Purchase Agreements (SPAs) executed with 11 buyers on a Delivery Ex-Ship (DES) basis.

Ease of business: Senate resolves NLNG Act amendment crisis

The company’s export cargo destinations include Spain, France, Portugal, Italy, Turkey, Mexico and the United States of America.

Although the company’s business model is export oriented and dollar targeted, NLNG has commitment to supply up to 350,000 tonnes of LPG to the Nigerian market annually. The arrangement also entails 21 SPAs with local LPG offtakers.

Meanwhile NLNG complains that it is singled out for payment of Value Added Tax (VAT) whereas other private importers of cooking gas into the country are exempt from paying VAT in consideration of their role of supplying LPG in the domestic market where government is running campaigns to substitute kerosene import with local LPG supply.

With a nameplate capacity for 22 million tonnes of liquefied natural gas per annum (mtpa), the company has grown its asset base to over $11 billion, generated over $90 billion in revenues, contributed over $15 billion dividends and paid over $5.5 billion in sundry taxes and obligatory payments to government. Other payments declared by the company include employee income tax, state and local government taxes, as well as regulators’ levies and fees totalling over N51 billion.

NLNG also declared $200 million so far in supporting local communities in Bonny and over 100 pipeline communities in Rivers State with good roads, water, uninterrupted electricity supply, schools, scholarships and other social service interventions.

The company recently provided some N60 billion funding support for the Bonny-Bodo Road project to connect the creek communities and Port Harcourt city.

In a Memorandum of Understanding, NLNG has further committed N75 billion under a remittance arrangement of N3.0 billion annually for 25 years towards the development of the Bonny Kingdom into a global commercial hub comparable to Dubai City.

But while the company delivers huge financial and sundry benefits

to Nigeria, a silent battle raged backstage over the desirability of amending its establishment act, a move industry analysts criticized as inimical to the drive for foreign direct investments (FDIs).

Thus, strong propositions raised to amend the NLNG Act in 2008, and later in 2013 by past sessions of the National Assembly were shot down when the import, significance and attendant implications of such efforts became apparent.

Surprisingly, House of Representatives passed a bill for the amendment of the NLNG Act on May 9, generating significant global industry concerns over the long term fate of investments in the country.

At a conference hosted by energy reporters in August, indigenous and foreign petroleum industry players in the country roundly condemned move by the House of Representatives a serious dent on the integrity of Nigeria as sovereign investment host.

Nigeria’s frontline business leaders at the event demanded the National Assembly to instantly discontinue with legislative processes on the bill seeking amendment of the NLNG Act. The bill passed by the Representatives essentially seeks to strip all the incentives, guarantees and assurances earlier provided by government.

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 Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability project (SERAP), Mr. Tokunbo Mumni; Head of Energy Research at Ecobank, Mr Dolapo Oni; amongst others decried amendment of the 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 under the weight of re-

sponsibility.

The sponsored bill to amend the NLNG Act was the highest point of political intrigues in the demand by some agencies of government that crave financial receipts from the buoyant gas export company.

NLNG was in court with the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) to contest huge regulatory bills summed up from early age of the company.

Also, Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) was making strident demands from NLNG as statutory contribution towards development of industry host environment.

Hon. Simon Yakubu Arobo said the amendment has seen gas processing companies included in the group of oil companies that must contribute 3.0 percent of their operating budget into the pool of funds for NDDC. He did not specify whether all gas processing firms would be involved. He did not also draw any line between gas specific firms on one hand and integrated oil and gas firms on the other.

In response, waves of angry voices from industry and civil society groups roundly decried progress made on the bill as misuse of legislative powers, pointing out that altering an establishment act that forms the basis of foreign direct investment amounts to breach of business agreement.

In separate contributions to the argument, they expressed anger at the deaf ears paid by the House of Representatives to a spate of public outcry against the adverse impact reversal of business agreements would have on the domestic economy.

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 at-

tract 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 the NLNG Act amendment 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.

He lamented that breach of trust from disputes over amendment of the NLNG Act threatened further investment in the next generation seventh and eighth liquefaction trains expected to generate over 18,000 jobs in the domestic environment during the construction phase.

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 deliver on their mandates.

Chairman of Mentor Energy, Mr. Victor Eromosele, who spoke extensively on the subject, concluded that the bill to amend the NLNG Act was not well thought out, wrongly premised and in direct conflict with workings of the upstream and midstream industry operations.

In pointing at the signals the amendment bill is sending to the industry, Mr. Eromosele warned that other producers with arrangements for gas processing investments might drop their plans if the amendment of the NLNG Act succeeded.

Other key industry figures that decry the NLNG Amendment Act include former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt Hon. Ghali

21

The Oracle Today Wednesday December 27, 2017

ENERGY

New refineries raise concerns over Nigeria’s crude export Stories by Sopuruchi Onwuka

F

EARS that expected boost in domestic refining might impair Nigeria’s crude oil export capacity and consequent foreign revenue earnings might be baseless as government plans to use the surge in domestic crude demand to leverage suppressed production capacity.

According to an official of the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) who spoke with our correspondent on recent restrictions on the nation’s crude oil production by the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), streaming of new refineries and upgrading existing ones would afford producers alternative market.

A new report from BMI Research stated that Nigeria’s projected growth in refining capacity over the early 2020s will substantially erode the country’s crude oil exports due to a ‘weak’ new project pipeline.

In comparing Nigeria to Saudi Arabia on the capacity to meet export commitments and satisfy internal crude demand by domestic refineries, the report pointed out that “Saudi Arabia has successfully managed the challenge of adding new capacity in 2013 and 2015 while maintaining strong levels of exports.” The report also pointed out that Nigeria, however, has a bleak outlook with meeting additional supply commitments.

The report stated that low oil price and uncertainty around the security, fiscal and regulatory environment in Nigeria has resulted in insufficient investment decisions to deliver long-term growth, adding that demand from upcoming domestic refineries including the 650,000 barrels per day Dangote Refinery would generate crude supply crisis in the country.

“As a result of the limited project pipeline and the growth in domestic crude demand from refineries, either crude oil exports will fall, or refineries will run at lower utilization rates,” the report said.

Analysts at BMI warned that there could be double failure sce-

nario where Nigeria might suffer fall in crude exports while the new refineries might also suffer low capacity utilization rates given ‘crude oil export commitments and inconsistent supply’.

While the report hailed the projected start up of the 650,000 barrel per day (bpd) Dangote refinery by 2020 and the potential of a second 250,000 bpd facility start up by 2021, oil and gas analysts at BMI highlighted that Nigeria may struggle to increase its oil production to meet new demand from these facilities, as well as sustain exports, as other countries have done.

However, our source in DPR dismissed the conclusions by BMI analysts and pointed at high capacity deepwater development projects in the country’s major offshore blocks as new sources of supply that would also come online at the same time with the new refineries.

The Oracle Today reports that Total operated Egina deepwater field development project is scheduled to completed and commissioned by 2018 ahead of the streaming time for the Dangote Refinery.

Eni’s Nigerian Agip Exploration (NAE) is also driving development of the deepwater Zabazaba field in the controversial oil prospecting lease (OPL) 245. The field is prized to hold one of the biggest hydrocarbon liquids reserves in the Gulf of Guinea.

Other deepwater fields that await development include Bosi, Porowei, Bonga Southwest/Aparo, Erha phase 2, and others. Total recently discovered the Etisong field while ExxonMobil also discovered the billion barrel Owowo field offshore Nigeria.

The development projects on these fields are expected to spark after the resolution of issues over fiscal regimes that govern commercial investments in the Nigerian petroleum industry.

BMI analysts admit that agreement on the fiscal schedule of the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) “will also create opportunities. If the Nigerian government is finally

able to push through the various parts of the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB), supporting investor confidence in future regulatory and fiscal conditions, there will be an existing domestic demand market for the oil.”

The UAE and Iraq, the two countries that had complied least with the agreement, have more recently come into line.

But OPEC and its non-OPEC allies in production cuts have reiter-

ated that their job is not yet done, as they decided to extend the 1.8 million b/d cuts to the end of next year.

Falih acknowledged that the coalition had “only recently passed the halfway mark” in the goal of reducing OECD oil stock levels to their five-year average, and was mindful that “the low demand period through the second quarter of 2018” was imminent.

Charts: Price forecast for Brent crude oil grades

Indigenous firms take more production space

O

VER 100 oil fields and some 30 marginal fields under the control of indigenous exploration and production companies are beginning to account for increasing volume of hydrocarbon liquids and natural gas produced in the country.

Information gathered from various sources showed that indigenous independent companies operating various production agreements with government will soon be responsible for over 30 percent or 600, 000 barrels per day of the country’s current 2.3 million barrels per day.

Already, companies like Amni International Petroleum, Consolidated Oil, Oranto, Erin, Seplat, Elcrest, Energia, Oando, Niger Delta Petroleum Resources, Niger Delta Western, Britannia-U among others are collectively pushing up the share of indigenous companies in the collective national output.

Whereas the big multinational major oil companies including Shell, ExxonMobil, Total, Chevron and Addax control the big flow from greenfield offshore fields, indigenous independents that pump from brownfield onshore assets are also ramping up production.

Figures availed from secondary sources showed that total production from both operated and non operated assets attributable to indigenous companies could exceed 500,000 barrels per day by next year.

Seplat, which operates assets in oil mining leases (OMLs) 3, 38, 41, 53 and 55, pumps crude at the range between 65,000 b/d and 75,000 b/d.

Shoreline which holds sway in OML 30 pumps at 70,000b/d while Elcrest with joint operating interest in OML 40 is associated with 18,500 b/d. Also Niger Delta Western has pushed production to 20,000 b/d while Oando’s operated and non operated production is estimated at over 80,000 b/d.

Full production chart by company was not available at the time of the report but regulatory sources estimate that indigenous companies including the Nigerian Petroleum Development Company (NPDC) of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) will exceed 500,000 b/d by 2018.

“When you people throw these figures about indigenous companies, you quickly forget that NPDC is also an indigenous company; and if you put together all production volumes in the company’s portfolio you begin to see how significantly these Nigerian companies have contributed to nation output,” our source pointed out.

...Senate resolves NLNG Act amendment crisis Umar Na’Abba; GMD of NNPC, Dr. Maikanti Baru; and Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Dr. Ibe Kachikwu, amongst others.

General Manager in charge of External Relations at NLNG, Dr. Kudo Eresia-Eke, pointed out that bill’s target to dismantle cradle shields for NLNG was running late, explaining that all early incentives provided the company have elapsed. He told the crowd that the company was only asking for sanctity of guarantees and assurances that underpin its establishment.

Legislative process on the bill at the Senate commanded industry attention because of the grave implications the precedent would have on sanctity of contracts that govern huge capital investments in the petroleum industry chain. Apprehension was high over the fate of the guarantees and incentives granted in the NLNG Act which provided cradle shield for the company.

Also at stake in the NLNG Amendment Act was the growth plan of the company as the final investment decision (FID) for the two additional process trains stalled.

To the relief of oil and gas firms who saw development around the amendment of NLNG Act as stress pointer, the Senate on the 29th of November passed a separate bill for the amendment of the NDDC Act. Section 14 of the amended NDDC Act provides that three percent of the total annual budget of any gas processing company operating in the Niger Delta area, excluding the cost of feed gas, shall be paid to NDDC.” The provision applies to NLNG. Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki, had stated that the amendment to the NDDC Act as passed would put to rest the earlier proposed amendment to the NLNG Act, preserve the NLNG Act and form a strong message would be sent to Nigeria’s development partners that the country

respects the sanctity of agreements.

According to him, “we need to provide the source of funding for the Niger Delta Development Commission, in the past the gas companies have not contributed to the funding; the amendment of this bill will bring more funds into the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).”

He stated that the Senate might send the bill to the House of Representatives for concurrence in the coming weeks. If concurrence is achieved on the NDDC amendment, then the earlier NLNG amendment by the House of Representatives would be voided.

A spokesman of NLNG told The Oracle that the company’s opposition to the amendment if its establishment act cannot be interpreted as attempt to withhold spending on the development of the Niger Delta, but to ensure that Nigeria guarantees the sanctity of contracts it has entered into so as to retains the con-

fidence of investors.

“We asserted that changes to the NLNG Act, particularly the removal of the Guarantees and Assurances would adversely impact Nigeria’s reputation as an investment destination, besides frustrating the NLNG project itself, with negative impacts on the country as a whole,” he said.

He pointed out that the NDDC Act amendment and the resulting resolution of NLNG Act amendment dispute was unique and beneficial to all stakeholders, including NDDC, NLNG, the Niger Delta, investors, shareholders, as well as, Nigeria and Nigerians.

“No winners or losers, just a winwin, he said.

With resolution of issues over laws governing commercial operations, NLNG is working on achieving a seventh train to bring the production capacity to approximately 30 mtpa.

The company declared that it would conclude the FID for its proposed new trains by next year.

“We commend the National Assembly under the leadership of the Senate President for taking decisive action in the overall strategic interest of our dear nation Nigeria which will enable the retention of foreign investment of $25 billion in respect of the development of NLNG’s Trains 7/8 and the creation of approximately 18,000 jobs required for the construction activities,” an NLNG spokesman said.

NLNG states that it is providing a shining light and an inspirational business model and demonstration that given the right atmosphere and support, big businesses can and will survive in Nigeria.

The company added that the laudable and bold move by the National Assembly to rest issues of sanctity of contracts reinforces its determination to attain its vision of being “a global company helping to build a better Nigeria.”

22

The Oracle Today Wednesday December 27, 2017

e-Platform Stories by SAMSON AKINTARO

T

HE right to enjoy equal treatment on the internet, otherwise known as net neutrality has come under a heavy hit with the recent decision of the United State’s Federal Communications Commission (FCC) scrapping the rule in the US. However, Nigeria is sustaining this rule with a new industry code aimed at promoting open internet for all.

The new Internet Industry Code of Practice as drafted by the Nigerian telecom regulator, Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) seeks to protect the right of Internet users to an Open Internet; while providing clear guidelines to Internet Access Service Providers on the use of traffic management practices. The new code, which is still open to stakeholders’ input until the end of this year, upholds the internet users “right to access and distribute information and content, use and provide applications and services, and use appropriate terminal equipment of their choice.”

It also states that “No lawful content, applications or services shall be blocked or made unavailable to users of Internet services.”

“Where traffic management practices are required in order for the efficient operation of the network, an Internet Access Service Provider shall be completely transparent about what practices are in place and how the endusers’ services are affected” the code adds.

Explaining the need for the internet code in Nigeria, NCC, which has been at the forefront of deepening internet penetration in Nigeria said the Internet provides enormous benefits to the Nigerian public as a source of information, education, research, commerce, communication, and entertainment, and as a key driver for innovation and technological advancement.

“An Open Internet is key for successfully driving innovation, but there are several factors to consider in the promotion of a truly open internet, such as online child protection, privacy and data protection, objectionable content, unsolicited communications, and traffic management practices that are considered necessary in order to maintain network efficiency.

To this end, the Commission, in accordance with its authority to regulate the communications sectorin Nigeria as expressed in the Nigerian Communications Act

• Prof Umar Danbatta, EVC NCC

• FCC Chairman, Ajit Pai, the man at the centre of net neutrality scrapping in US

Nigeria to sustain net neutrality with new code 2003, set out to establish this Code of Practice in support of Net Neutrality, to clearly define the rights and obligations of Internet Access Service Providers with regard to the issues therein” NCC said.

Highlighting standards for open internet access, the code states that: “An Internet Access Service Provider shall publicly disclose full and accurate information regarding the performance, technical and commercial terms of its Internet; access Services in a manner that is sufficient for consumers and third-

party content providers to make informed choices regarding their use of such services. Any network management practices employed by an Internet Access Service Provider for the purposes of network optimization shall be fully disclosed, including: The specific reason(s) why the network management practices are required; The specific goal(s) of the practices implemented.”

It further states that “an Internet Access Service Provider shall treat all traffic equally, without discrimination, restriction or interference, and irrespective of the

sender and receiver, the content accessed or distributed, the applications or services used or provided, or the terminal equipment used. An Internet Access Service Provider shall not block any lawful content, applications, services, or non-harmful devices, with the exception of reasonable network management.”

Meanwhile, the United States communications regulator, FCC, has been facing criticisms over it’s scrapping of net neutrality, an action pundits have described as catastrophic for innovation, free speech and freedom of expres-

sion. The US regulator voted to end rules protecting an open internet on Thursday,December 14, a move critics warn will hand control of the future of the web to cable and telecoms companies. At the meeting of the FCC in Washington, the watchdog’s commissioners voted three to two to dismantle the “net neutrality” rules that prevent internet service providers (ISPs) from charging websites more for delivering certain services or blocking others should they, for example, compete with services the cable company also offers.

NIGCOMSAT launches Direct-to-Home services T

HE Nigerian Communication Satellite (NIGCOMSAT) Ltd in partnership with China Great Wall Industry Corporation (CGWIC) on Thursday in Abuja launched Directto-Home (DTH) services.

DTH refers to distribution of multi-channel television programmes in KU Band by using satellite system by providing TV signals direct to subscribers’ premises.

According to a statement by the Head, Public Affairs Department of NIGCOMSAT, Adamu Idris, with the launch of DTH, NIGCOMSAT aired programmes of its first commer-

cial customer, OVY Network, a Botswana-based startup DTH operator. Idris noted that NIGCOMSAT, in partnership with the satellite manufacturer, CGWIC, completed a world-class head-end system composed of main stream hardware and software obtained from the U.S., Singapore and China.

He added that “after over six months of intensive testing, optimising and trial services, the system integrator will provide 24-hour, 7 days a week technical support. “The NIGCOMSAT DTH system is capable of providing commercial broadcasting services to Nigeria and all countries

within its coverage, from Senegal in the West to Namibia in the South.” The public affairs head stated that the NIGCOMSAT DTH system may offer new solution for the Digital Switch Over Programme in Nigeria, using the DTT platform.

DTT refers to Digital Terrestrial Television (DTTV or DTT).

It is a technological evolution of broadcast television and advancement over analogue television which broadcasts landbased (terrestrial) signals. The deadline for digital switch over using terrestrial measure appeared difficult to meet, judging by the time and resources re-

quired to build ground facilities and the huge maintenance cost, Idris noted. He, however, added that “the challenge may be mitigated with NIGCOMSAT DTH services, using NigComSat-1R satellite, as programmes can be broadcast in urban and remote areas across the country.”

Idris quoted Mr George Kavameje, the Chief Executive Officer, OVY Network, as saying “I am excited to partner with Nigeria’s NIGCOMSAT and China’s CGWIC to reach people in Sub-Saharan Africa with premium content, using NigComSat-1R satellite.” He stated that a high level govern-

ment delegation had earlier visited NIGCOMSAT DTH Centre following the setup of system and expressed optimism on the role of NIGCOMSAT in supporting the Digital Switch Over.

The Minister of Communications, Mr Adebayo Shittu, had urged the Ministry of Information and Culture, and related Ministries, Departments and Agencies to, in line with the Executive Order for Local Content, consider the indigenous capacity that NIGCOMSAT offer.

According to him, NIGCOMSAT has been developed to serve the broadcast and communication needs of businesses.

23

The Oracle Today Wednesday December 27, 2017

e-Platform

Cybercrime: 360,000 new malware created daily, says Kaspersky Stories by SAMSON AKINTARO

I

NTERNET security company, Kaspersky Lab, has said that the number of new malicious files processed by its in-lab detection technologies reached 360,000 a day in 2017, which is 11.5% more than the previous year.

After a slight decrease in 2015, the number of malicious files detected every day is growing for the second year in the row.

According to Kaspersky Lab, the number of daily detected malicious files reflects the average activity of cybercriminals involved in the creation and distribution of malware.

This figure was calculated for the first time in 2011 and totaled 70,000 at that time. Since then it has grown five-fold, and as the 2017 data shows, it is still increasing.

“Most of the files identified as dangerous fall into the malware category (78%). However, viruses – whose prevalence significantly dropped 5-7 years ago, due to their complex development and low efficiency - still constitute 14% of daily detections.

The remaining files are advertising software, which is not considered malicious by default, but in many instances, can cause private information exposure and other risks. Protection against this kind of threat is essential for better user experience.Approximately 20,000 of all dangerous files detected daily, are identified by Astraea – Kaspersky Lab’s machine-learning malware analysis system, which identifies and blocks malware automatically” it said.

“In 2015, we witnessed a visible drop in daily detections and even started thinking

O

that new malware could be less important for criminals, who have instead shifted their attention towards reusing old malware.

However, over the last two years the number of new malware we discovered has been growing, which is a sign that interest in creating new malicious code has been revived. The explosive increase in ransomware attacks over the last couple of years is only set to continue, as there is a huge criminal ecosystem behind this type of threat, producing hundreds of new samples every day.

This year, we have also seen a spike in miners - a class of malware that cybercriminals have started to use actively, in light of the ongo-

ing rise in cryptocurrencies. The reason for the increase in detections could also be attributed to the constant improvements we are making in our protection technologies.

With every new upgrade, we can identify more malware than before and this could account for a rise in numbers,” says Vyacheslav Zakorzhevsky, Head of Anti-Malware Team at Kaspersky Lab. To stay protected, Kaspersky recommended that people should pay close attention to, and don’t open any suspicious files or attachments received from unknown sources, while it advised against downloading and installing applications from untrusted sources.

9mobile Prize for Literature judges announce Longlist

HE judging panel of the 2018 edition of the 9mobile Prize for Literature has unveiled a T longlist of nine books from a strong array of authors from across the continent who entered for the prize following the announcement for the call for entries made earlier in the year

by Nigeria’s most innovative telecommunications company, 9mobile.

The longlist is made up of entries received from &rst-time African writers whose books were published within the last 24 months before the call for entries. Now in its &fth year, the Prize is already acknowledged as the most prestigious literary prize for African &ction.

The nine books that made the longlist are: Aniete Isong - Radio Sunrise Ayobami Adebayo - Stay with Me Bronwyn Law – Viljoen- The Printmaker David Cornwell - Like It Matters Lesley Nneka Arimah - What It Means When a Man Falls Down from the Sky Marcus Low- Asylum Mukuka Chipanta - A Casualty of Power Odafe Atogun - Taduno’s Song Qarnita Loxtan - Being Kari In his comments, Chair of the Judging Panel, Harry Garuba noted that the books entered in the 2018 9mobile Prize for Literature testify to the abundance of talented new voices emerging from the African continent. “The entries range through a variety of themes and preoccupations that mirror the expanse and diversity of the continent. The care and craft that the authors bring to the exploration of their chosen themes show a level of skill and artistry not often found in &rst works of &ction. These works give us a glimpse of the exciting literary landscapes ahead for African &ction” he said.

Director, Brand and Experience, 9mobile, Elvis Ogiemwanye expressed his delight at reaching this stage of the Prize and commended the judges saying, “the Prize is what it is today because of the independence and competence of the judging panel, whose rich and varied experience boosts the entire process”.

He also revealed that this edition of the Prize marks the &fth year the telco has sustained this platform that celebrates the richness and strength of African literature, which the 9mobile Prize for Literature is designed to promote.

PayU Nigeria launches new online payment solution

•Mr Tony Ojogbo, Director, Public Affairs, at the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) and Dr Rotimi Oladele, President, Nigerian Institute of Public Relations at the NIPR Presidential Dinner and Awards held in Lagos.

iSON wins special jury award in Africa i SON Group, Africa’s leading IT and ITeS Company was recently conferred with the ‘Special Jury Award for Entrepreneurial Spirit in Africa’ Champion in Biz Awards organized by the Associated Chambers Of Commerce & Industry of India (ASSOCHAM) during 4th India – Africa Trade and Investment Forum 2017. The award which was held at Hotel Le Meridien, New Delhi, India is designed to celebrate Indian reputation in Africa.

Through these awards, every year, ASSOCHAM has been felicitating and recognizing the exemplary Indian businesses who have made a mark in Africa. The forum focuses on exploring and reviving the potential for India-Africa economic relationship and exploring new dimensions to it.

Receiving the award, Ramesh Awtaney, the Founder and Chairman, iSON Group said, ‘We are delighted at the recognition. Our Journey in Africa is rather challenging but satisfying. iSON is committed to the growth of the region as we are determined to continue contributing to the development and welfare of the people there. Giving direct and indirect employment to over 10,000 people in the region, with 99.5 percent of staff of African nationalities and presence in 25 countries needs tremendous amount of dedication, persistence and people skills to deliver that experience I consider this as a collective reward on behalf of my colleagues without whose cooperation it wouldn’t have been possible,” said Ramesh about the honour.

NLINE payment company, PayU has unveiled PayU Receive, a new solution that allows businesses in Nigeria securely request and receive payments directly from their customers without any hassles .

According the company, PayU Receive is a secure payment solution that facilitates business-to-business and business-to-consumer payments easily via email or SMS. It allows businesses to make use of PayU’s safe and secure payment services by allowing them to send payment requests via email or sms to their customers. Customers then have the flexibility of paying via their bank cards or their bank accounts.

“This is a convenient way for businesses to receive payment as they simply need their customers’ email address or mobile phone numbers to which a payment link can be sent. They can also send payment reminders to their customers thereby increasing the efficiency of collections on overdue accounts”.

“This payment solution aligns with PayU’s experience in over 16 markets globally, including Asia, Central and Eastern Europe, Latin America, Middle East and Africa, where our technological solutions are changing the payment landscape. We hope to empower more business owners in Nigeria with innovations like PayU Receive which helps improve collection of payments from customers both locally and internationally.” Juliet Nwanguma, Country Manager, PayU Nigeria said.

With PayU Receive, merchants can send local and international payment requests via email or SMS for goods and services to their customers anywhere in the world, even if they do not have a website. These payment requests can be branded with the merchant’s company logo, look and feel. In addition, the payment request can be adapted to a merchant’s type of communication like invoices, email quotes, statements etc.

“We believe PayU Receive is an innovative solution which further encourages cashless payments particularly to merchants that take frequent orders from customers. It allows them to accept prepayment of goods and services instead of accepting cash on delivery.” said Nwanguma. “PayU Receive is our response to numerous enquiries from merchants asking for a convenient, safe and secure way to receive electronic payments from customers without having a website or the need for integration.”

24

The Oracle Today Wednesday December 27, 2017

ISSN: 2545-5869

www.oraclenews.ng

VOX POPULI SACRUM

EDITORIAL

$1b, for whom, for what?

A

FURTHER proof of the challenges Nigeria that are unattended. Infrastructure is one of them. that has been sustained in the North East. faces, if any was required, is the acquiescence Could they not have had more preference to the IF the Federal Government took its giant share of to the proposed expenditure of $1 billion to waste in the North East?

N183.6b, the States would still be left with N122.4b, fight Boko Haram. State governors, attending an average of N3.3b each, including Abuja. How could the National Economic Council (NEC), invaded the PRESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari had also likened the money be so mindlessly handed over for the fight Excess Crude Account and awarded $1 billion “to suicide bombings by Boko Haram terrorists to the against insurgents in the North East, without provifight insurgents in the North East”. National and last kicks of a ‘dying horse’. “What we are witnesssions for States that are under siege from herdsmen? state legislators are silent. ing now are the last kicks of a dying horse. Yes, these The governors asked no questions about how the $1 ONLY Governor Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti State has kicks may be dangerous, but they don’t last long. billion would be spent, neither did the supervising opposed the scandal, saying he had no hand in the Progressively, they become weaker and weaker until authority. $1 billion proposal. The fund in question belongs the horse finally dies,” the President had said over a THE money should be returned to the Excess Crude to the federal, state and local governments. The year ago. After the recovery of the “last strongholds Account immediately. The execute recklessness governors have no legislative powers over funds of in Sambisa Forest” why would $1 billion be needed to involved in this expenditure should not be tolerated. the federation. fight a horse in its last kicks since 2016?

Legislators at the national and state assemblies should THERE are multiple grounds for objection to the scan- A LOT can be done with $1 billion that would benefit ensure that national resources are not dispersed with dal, maybe a scam. We would list only a few: the entire country. The All Progressives Congress such thoughtlessness.

• Boko Haram has been defeated since December in its manifesto had promised to set up a regional IF the Federal Government needs money for any cause, 2015, according to Lai Mohammed, the Minister of economic development commission for each of the it should go through the budgeting process. Our laws Information. He told journalists in Lagos on Tuessix geo-political zones to tackle the zone’s economic say so emphatically in Sections 80, 81 and 162 of the day 29 December 2015 that Boko Haram had been challenges. It had a budget of N50 billion for each of Constitution for the President, and Sections 120, 121 technically defeated, and degraded beyond any the zones to run its commission. for governors. What is going on reflects the dangers threat. What was left, he concluded, was the reTHE promise of APC in its manifesto is to “balance the the illegality of the Excess Crude Account embodies. It settlement of displaced persons. economy across regions by the creation of 6 new Reshould be stopped.

• A year later in December 2016, the government gional Economic Development Agencies (REDAs) to claimed Boko Haram had lost its last strongholds in act as champions of sub-regional competitiveness”.

Sambisa Forest. Which Boko Haram was it fighting In clearer words, there would be North West Rein 2017 and required $1 billion? gional Development Agency, North Central Regional • Who gave governors approval over the funds? AsDevelopment Agency, South West Regional DevelopNIGERIA defies logic in ways that are oversuming governors had such powers, what happens ment Agency, South South Regional Development due for studies on how Nigerians survive. to the scrutiny of a budget that legislators are Agency, and South East Regional Development meant to superintend?

Agency.

Christmas is around the corner. The cel• What would be the return on investment of $1b in APC promised more. It would, “put in place a N300bn ebration of the birth of Christ, Son of God, fighting Boko Haram? Are there no other options regional growth fund (average of N50bn in each is important to Christians – they celebrate that would provide funding for the State and local geo-political region) to be managed by the REDAs, Christmas with an abundance that puts governments, with funds still left to fight Boko encourage private sector enterprise and support to the hard times to shame and creates Haram? help places currently reliant on the public sector”. wrong impressions that hard times are • There are other areas of engaging national concerns OF the six commissions promised, only the North East Economic Commission has been created. non-existent.

As if leaning on the APC manifesto, it allocated N45 billion to the North East ON the contrary, the times are still hard. FamEconomic Commission, through its interilies are in deep distress. They cannot meet vention fund in the 2018 budget. Other basic needs. There are no food, resources zonal intervention projects, according to for medicals or simple plans for the future. the 2018 budget, would get N100 billion.

If that amount were split among the We can easily forget these families that other five zones, the average would be are readily reckoned with in cold statistics, N20 billion, less than half of what the stripping them of humanity.

North East got.

WHEN a bill for the creation of the South East Economic Commission was raised Our Vision on the floor of the House of Representatives, where members thought they did TO BE among the top five newspapers in Nigeria and, a patriotic act in providing succour for in due course, the Numero Uno; to be a newspaper of the North East, through the North East records that effectively caters to the information needs Economic Commission, Yakubu Dogara, of all segments and sections of the Nigerian society as Speaker of the House of Representatives, well as all social classes and cultures. Essentially, we shot it down with such vehemence that want to be a responsible corporate citizen, a commeryou would have thought that the sponcially viable, properly organised media business, which sors of the bill just sought permission to meets its obligations to society, government and the commit a heinous crime. workforce.

DID the governors know that they did by throwing away resources that belonged Mission to their States in favour of the North East? What is their interest in the North WE INTEND to contribute to the development of an East that beclouds them to the challenginclusive Nigerian society, with a view to getting rid of es their States face? Would their State the dark sides of our national life (slothfulness, greed, Houses of Assembly permit this travesty? corruption, nepotism, totalitarianism, etc); to continuWould the National Assembly recline to ally engender and sustain national debates that would somnolence while the national purse is ultimately lead to the enthronement of healthy national appropriated? values--hard-work, justice, equity and fairplay, transparMOST States owe civil servants salaries ency, good governance, resulting, in themselves, the for months, and some years, in some casegalitarian Nigerian society of our dream. We will give es. They do not meet their obligations to voice to the voiceless and at all times, strive to be balpensioners. They owe contractors. Their anced, objective, honest, truthful and fair to all sides; so infrastructure, if they have, is in decay. that through The Oracle Today, our people, the Nigerian They excuse their poor performances people can see a bright light at the end of what has been with poor funding, but they vagrantly ! a very dark tunnel. And we shall do all this in absolute was threw away N306 billion to support a lie trust in God who blesses good intentions.

More than just Christmas

25

The Oracle Today Wednesday December 27, 2017

OPINION

Ekweremadu: Reviving the single term debate

By EHICHIOYA EZOMON

F

ROM true to fiscal federalism; from devolution of power(s) to creation of state police and prisons; from local council autonomy to self-accounting State Assembly; from Nigeria’s “feeding bottle economy” to N50,000 workers’ take-home pay; and from decentralized anti-corruption agencies to abolition of security vote, Dr. Ike Ekweremadu is like a lone voice in the wilderness, propounding issues that have profound effects on today’s mutually-distrustful Nigerian society.

Whether debating at the plenary, hosting delegations in his legislative office, delivering lecture at an institution, or meeting with constituents at community town hall, the Deputy President of the Senate is perpetually on the political circuit, returning now and again, but from different perspectives, to the issues germane to the polity he’s been tracking and tackling for many years.

His latest advocacy, which he has visited twice in weeks, is a six-year single term for the President and Governors, and this time, including members of the Legislature, both National and State Houses of Assembly that have no term limit, as per the 1999 Constitution (as amended).

A fresh angle, though, to the propagation is the rotation of the presidency among the six geopolitical zones in the country, which he rationalized in a discourse on “Restructuring and the Nigerian

By Desmond Ekwueme

T

HE euphoria of the much-awaited, talked about and publicized visit of President Muhammadu Buhari to the South East has eventually died down as events have even overtaken it. The visit has come and gone but its memories will linger for ages especially looking back at those events that heralded it. It is, therefore, pertinent to ask: has anything changed in the zone since that visit to reflect the huge hope, aspirations, dreams and anticipation of sporadic developmental strides which the people had expected prior to the coming of the nation’s number one citizen?

Of course, the people had complained about being marginalized for decades and frowned at the new and scary dimension this has taken since Mr. President was sworn in on May 29, 2015. They point at the lopsided appointments of Buhari since his party--the All Progressives Congress (APC) swept away the People’s Democratic Party (PDP). They are bitter about the fact that there is no major federal project in the zone since this administration took over the reins of governance. The presidential order for the rail project that runs and cuts across five other geo-political zones but excluded the South East troubles the hearts of the people.

The Operation Python Dance 2, which was to quell the excesses of the IPOB hurts some minds in the zone. They ask why kill an ant with a sledgehammer? More so, they felt the high-handed approach of the military in that operation exposed the mind-set of the President towards the South East.

However, some members of the elite think otherwise, arguing that since the zone massively voted against Buhari in the election that brought him to power, the people should not expect much from Buhari as such expectation will not only end in futility but will also amount to reaping where they did not sow.

Both sides of the argument required the August visit of Buhari to understand his thinking and attitude towards the South East especially as preparations for the 2019 election gather momentum.

Buhari’s visit, to many, was timely. He needed the visit just as the zone needed

Youth” in Nsukka, Enugu State, last Friday.

At the 3rd Adada Lecture organized by the Association of Nsukka Professors, Ekweremadu said that besides stopping the problem caused by the quest for a second term in office, the “single presidency tenure of six years that rotates among the six geopolitical regions will promote unity and loyalty to the nation.”

He said single-tenure has stabilized democratic practice in countries in South America, particularly referencing Mexico, whose Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr. Garcia Moreno Elizondo, he hosted in Abuja in October.

On that occasion, Ekweremadu said: “I’m aware that Mexico runs a six-year single term presidency, known as the Sexino.

This is something Nigeria will be looking at because what we are doing now has a lot of difficulties.

“So, we are looking at the possibility of a constitutional reform that can guarantee a single term so that the money we spend in running elections and the problem of chief executives struggling and concentrating to come back, using resources and instruments of state, can be overcome.”

The single-term advocacy is part of a broader concept of the debate for the restructuring of Nigeria, which has hundreds of components as there are tribes and tongues in the society. Without specifically mentioning “restructuring” then, although he was later (in 2014) to convoke a National Conference in that realm, former President Goodluck Jona-

than was to give some fillip to the solicitation in 2011.

Hitherto, the hypothesis of single term of office only received staccato promotion over the years, but Dr. Jonathan made a big show of the proposal to send an amendment bill to the National Assembly, for its enactment into law, in order to “reduce the costs of elections, make politicians less focused on being re-elected and be more concerned with governance.”

A statement on his behalf said that, “President Jonathan is concerned about the acrimony, which the issue of re-election, every four years, generates both at the federal and state levels. The nation is still smarting from the unrest, the desperation for power and the overheating of the polity that has attended each general election.”

Although it said the change would not affect Jonathan’s tenure, and would come into effect from 2015, the motion, nonetheless, went up in smoke, as critics alleged it was a ploy to get his tenure elongated beyond 2015 when his election in 2011 would expire.

Awaking the ghost of the “Third Term Agenda” reportedly pursued by former President Olusegun Obasanjo to prolong his tenure to 12 years (some said for life), politicians bandied un-evidenced reports of a secret “pact” Jonathan entered into with the hierarchy of the prior ruling Peoples Democratic Party, “for him to rule for one term of four years, ending in 2015.” He

denied the said pact.

Yet, as that presentation for action fell through, sceptics were almost proved right when Jonathan, “in spite of pressures and protestations from the North, stood for reelection in 2015,” and thus “bringing into play another possibility: the North ruling for more than eight years in a row.”

All these assumptions, calculations, permutations, presumptions and probabilities are the militating problems in Nigeria’s political system that advocates say could be amicably resolved by restructuring, including a single-term tenure that Senator Ekweremadu has placed in the public domain once more.

It holds water to accuse the Deputy President of the Senate of aiming to elongate his tenure, as the Legislature has no term limit. But by including lawmakers in the list of single-tenured elected officials, he’s saying it was time to give every segment of the Nigerian community equal hearing and participation, which a holistic restructuring of the polity could resolve by devolving more powers to the federating units.

But will the Ekweremadu kite fly, especially among first term elected officials already eyeing second or more term(s) in power? Well, a better starting point would be to enlist the support and cooperation of members of the National Assembly for his profound proposition.

• Ezomon, journalist and media consultant, writes from Lagos.

South East after PMB’s visit him. Before that visit, there were fears in some quarters that Buhari may be booed, jeered and rejected by the people of South East since he had not paid such visit since coming to power. Buhari needed to prove to all that he is the Commander-in-Chief and must freely visit any part of the country without fear. Buhari needed to reach out to the zone, knowing that it would play a major role in the next election, considering the fact that a couple of aspirants could emerge from his party to contest his position. That obviously would need support from the South East to align to any side of the divide particularly from presidential aspirants of the APC. Buhari needed to prove to the South East that he never hated the zone but hated the fact the zone allowed one of its sons (Mazi Nnamdi Kanu) to spearhead a secessionist agenda, which is a big slap to his government. Buhari needed to prove that despite all that has happened, he still has friends in the South East and of course there will always be room for jaw-jaw or dialogue to resolve whatever differences that existed between him and the zone.

On its part, the zone needed Buhari’s visit to have some sense of belonging, responsibility and participation in the Nigerian project. The zone needed to belong.

To an extent, the zone seems tired of being marginalized and left to its fate. It needed the visit to at least hear for once from the horse’s mouth what the problem is between this administration and the South East. It needed to hear some words of courage and hope from Mr. President.

Buhari eventually came to the South East.

He met a happy and peaceful people. He was warmly received by Ebonyians on behalf of the people of the region. He got two titles in one swoop. He had a splendid reception. He moved from Abakaliki to Awka for the final campaign of his party’s candidate in the gubernatorial election,Tony Nwoye who lost. He then returned to Abuja.

To critics, nothing has changed or seen in

the South East to reflect or represent Buhari’s visit. But, to the open-minded citizens of the South East a lot has changed. First, they argue that the rate of work at the second Niger Bridge has increased tremendously.

Yes, critics countered this point by suggesting that the project started with the Goodluck Jonathan administration, which implies that it was an inherited project by Buhari. But, pro Buhari-group says truth is that it is under the present administration and particularly after Buhari’s visit to the zone that the speed of work increased.

The contract of the 11.9km length bridge, which stood at N14. 4bn is expected to be completed by the end of 2018. Contract for two access roads linking Asaba in Delta State and Onitsha in Anambra State worth N150. 84m has also been awarded and work is on-going.

It must be said that perhaps Buhari has heard the cries of marginalization from the people of the South East. Recently, he appointed 30 judges for the Federal High Courts and three of these judges are from the South East. They are Prof. Chuka Austine Obiozor (Anambra), Dr. Nnamdi. O. Dimgba (Abia) and Emeka Nwite (Ebonyi).

Political pundits say, this is unprecedented and a massive shift from the policy of Buhari since he assumed duties.

In addition, a Federal College of Dental Technology and Therapy was approved by Mr. President about two weeks ago. It is to be sited in Enugu. The institution will provide courses of instruction leading to the award of degrees, diplomas and certificates in dental technology, dental therapy and other related courses and disciplines.

However, like Oliver Twist, the people of the South East can only ask for more. That request, however, will be further determined by the level of support they give to the second term agenda of Mr. President.

Buhari has been touring the country of late and observers opine that this is not unconnected to his second term bid. Surely a lot of alignment and realignment are

already taking place as more and more aspirants declare their interest to run for the exalted seat.

It is believed that the South East holds the ace in the 2019 election particularly as it concerns the position of President. Will the people pitch their tent this time with Buhari? Are they satisfied that a new dawn has come with Buhari’s visit to the South East?

Are they convinced that change has really been effected in the zone after Buhari’s visit? Will this sway or endear the people to Buhari come 2019? Perhaps like they say, only time will tell.

• Ekwueme is a Lagos-based journalist

THE GROUP Managing Director/Editor-in-Chief Ikeddy Isiguzo Editor Felix Oguejiofor Abugu Deputy Editor/Head, Lagos Bureau Sopuruchi Onwuka Abuja Bureau Chief Tony Ailemen Head, Graphics & Designs Nnamdi Alex Chukwu Advert Manager Andrew Udeh Circulation Manager Felix Oti

The Oracle Today Wednesday December 27, 2017

Travel & Hospitality Africa driving global tourism growth by 8% -- UNWTO

D

ESTINATIONS around the world welcomed 1.1 billion international tourists between January and October 2017, according to the latest United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) World Tourism Barometer.

This represents a 7 per cent increase on the same period of last year, or 70 million more international arrivals. Strong demand for international tourism across world regions reflects the global economic upswing.

“Europe and Africa (+8% each) are the fastest-growing regions in international tourism. Africa (+8 per cent) was the second fastestgrowing region over this period, thanks to a strong recovery in North Africa (+13 per cent) and the sound results of Sub-Saharan Africa (+5 per cent),” the UNWTO report said.

The strong tourism demand of the earlier months of 2017, including the Northern Hemisphere summer peak season, was maintained through October. Destinations worldwide received a total of 1,127 million (+7 per cent) international tourist arrivals (overnight visitors) in the first ten months of the year, 70 million more than in the same period of 2016. Results were driven by sustained growth in many destinations and a firm recovery in those that experienced declines last year.

In particular, destinations in Southern and Mediterranean Europe, North Africa and the Middle East showed extraordinary strength. Growth in international arrivals exceeded 7 per cent in all destinations of Southern and Mediterranean Europe, with a rapid recovery seen in Turkey and double-digit increases for most of the region’s other destinations.

In North Africa and the Middle East, Egypt, Tunisia and Palestine rebounded strongly from previous years’ declines, while Morocco, Bahrain, Jordan, Lebanon, Oman and the United Arab Emirate of Dubai all continued to report sustained growth. Strong demand for international tourism across world regions reflects the global economic upswing.

26

New Lagos Park offers free wi-fi Stories by VICTOR NZE

L

AGOS State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode, has officially unveiled an ultra-modern recreational park in Alausa, Ikeja, in honour of three former Governors of the State, Brigadier Mobolaji Johnson Rtd, Alhaji Lateef Jakande and Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

Ambode, who spoke at a ceremony to unveil the park known as Johnson, Jakande, Tinubu Park (JJT Park) and located in front of the State House of Assembly, said it was part of efforts by his administration to immortalise heroes who worked hard for the emergence of Lagos as not only the Centre of Excellence, but also one of the most

prominent City States in Africa.

The new JJT Park, which occupies a total land area of approximately 21,880sqm, among other things, has two waterfalls, a children’s playground and free Wi-Fi access.

“One of the hallmarks of any progressive society is to always recognise and reward the efforts of heroes who contribute to the growth of that society. In the case of Lagos State, we have so many heroes who toiled and laid a solid foundation for the Lagos we enjoy today.

“Today, we are here to celebrate and honour three past governors of our dear state who were outstanding in their contributions to the development of Lagos Sate.

These eminent Lagosians are some of the very few brave men that stood to be counted on the side of justice and even by their performances while in office have written their name in gold for future generations.”

Presenting plaques of honour to representatives of the three former Governors, the Governor said his administration decided to honour the trio while they are alive, just as he expressed optimism that the Park would serve as a constant reminder of their sacrifices and the need to protect and preserve their virtues and what they stood for.

“More importantly, it will serve as a reminder and a source of inspiration for leaders who would have

the honour and privilege to occupy the seat that was once occupied by these great men of history.

Earlier, in her welcome address, General Manager of the Lagos State Parks and Gardens Agency (LASPARK), Mrs. Bilikis AdebiyiAbiola said the park aside being strategically located showcases the State Government’s resolve to make parks available for recreation, for relaxation as well as social events.

She said it was also a testament that Governor Ambode has placed a high premium on the quality of life of Lagosians, adding that the Government was poised to capture more degraded areas for beautification and landscaping projects.

• FRom left : Representative of the Lagos State governor & Secretary to the State Government, Mr. Tunji Bello; Representative of President Muhammadu Buhari and Minister of Information & Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed; Acting Chairman, Nigeria Media Merit Award (NMMA) Panel of Assessors, Prof. Ralph Akinfeleye; Chairman, Nigeria Media Merit Award (NMMA), Board of Trustees, Engr. Vincent Maduka, Trustee & Chief Administrator of Nigeria Media Merit Award (NMMA), Mr. Yemi Akeju presenting an award of distinguished leadership to former Lagos State governor, Alhaji Lateef Jakande and wife during the 2017 Nigeria Media Merit Award (NMMA) held at the Muson Centre, Onikan, Lagos.

Christmas: Marriott serves free food to Under-5s

S

ELECTED Marriott hotels in Nigeria will offer free feeding to children under the age of five as part of a promotional package for the Christmas.

The hotels loyalty programme members will also enjoy 25 per cent discount of flight tickets from Dana Air which it has also partnered for an enhanced offer this Christmas.

Marriott International Hotels In Nigeria including the Sheraton Lagos Hotel, the Sheraton Abuja Hotel, Four Points by Sheraton in Lagos and Le Meridien Ogeyi Place, in Port Harcourt have in addition repositioned their services to ‘deliver elevated Christmas experiences this season of cheer,’ according to Area General Manager for all the Hotels in Nigeria, Mr Barry Curran, in a statement, Monday.

Specifically, the selected hotels will offer free feeding to children under the age of five and room rates below N40, 000.

“We have special offers for everyone, from food lovers to music enthusiasts.

For those visiting our hotels, get ready to illuminate your mind and sight as the ambience of the statement décor will highlight the Christmas spirit for those coming through the doors of our hotels.

“We have partnered with Dana Air to make this season much more memorable, the first 20 people who book a stay at any of our hotels will enjoy 25 per cent discount off your next Dana air flight.

“Our ginger bread houses at Sheraton Lagos Hotel and Sheraton Abuja Hotel will be set up at our lobbies for kids to go in, take pictures and pick up treats as a token of how much we love and cherish them”. Santa’s Grotto Corner with free cookies, games, and loads of favorites for all kids will be a “mind blowing experience” at Sheraton Abuja Hotel.

“Le Meridien Ogeyi Place, Port Harcourt will have the young ones from 0-5 yrs eating for free on all packages, while Santa Claus will thrill the kids at the hotel premises. A delightsome kid’s corner with gifts awaits each eager tender tot.

“From Friday the 8th of December till the 25th of December, various Caroling activities will take place at the lobbies and Gardens of our hotels with a range of interesting choir performances from various groups and churches. The children from Ijamido Orphanage will perform at Sheraton Lagos Hotel while the Zumuta Mata women, Abuja Choral Ensemble just to mention a few will serenade guests at Sheraton Abuja Hotel.

“At the Sheraton Lagos Hotel our teams have put together a list of Christmas cakes on sale from 15 December to January 1. Favorites such as Yule log cakes, mince pies, stollen cakes and

Christmas cupcakes will be available for your purchase and pleasure”.

“Room offers are also available throughout the festive season and rates start from N34, 999 inclusive of taxes, complimentary breakfast, and access to recreational facilities, internet, and late check outs. Free to half price meals for kid’s under13yrs of age and other Christmas specials and New Year’s Eve treats”.

“Four Points by Sheraton Lagos will deliver an unforgettable Brazzerie Restaurant extended Christmas and New Year day buffet lunch relishing tasty dishes, and a selection of beverage, while the Sheraton Lagos Hotel will feature alongside special meals for Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year’s Day; a New Year’s Eve a gala dinner and a free glass of champagne for all once the clock strikes midnight to ring in the New Year.

“At Sheraton Abuja Hotel, every

group or family of five diners gets a complimentary bottle of wine during the Christmas Day Lunch at the Ladi Kwali Conference Center and an enriching New Year’s Lunch offer, 20% discount off individual gym membership, complimentary spa vouchers for pedicure, manicure or any massage for any package purchase; a silent disco courtesy of Hennessy Nigeria- all at Four Points by Sheraton Lagos.” said Curran.

Speaking on the partnership, the Communications Manager of Dana Air, Mr Kingsley Ezenwa said: “It is Christmas, and families, friends will be planning special getaways, and to lessen the burden of having to pay far more. We have decided to partner the Marriott hotels to unveil these amazing Christmas and New year offers. With these special offers on hotel and flight ticket, our guests can plan conveniently, get best fares and enjoy the season.’’

27

The Oracle Today Wednesday December 27, 2017

AVIATION

FAAN launches reviewed service charter HE Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has formally a reT viewed version of its service charter.

•From left: Head of the Presidential Servicom Office, Mrs. Nnenna Akaji Emele; Director of Engineering Services, Engineer Nurudeen Daura and Director of Commercial & Business Development, Sadiku Rafindadi at the formal launch of the reviewed FAAN service charter in Lagos.

Air Peace commences Freetown – Banjul-Dakar operations Stories by VICTOR NZE

I

NDIGENOUS carrier, Air Peace has commenced Freetown-Banjul-Dakar operations. The service began December 15 following announcements to that effect by the airline penultimate week.

A statement by the carrier issued by its Corporate Communications Manager, Mr Chris Iwarah, in Lagos, said: “We are pleased to announce the second phase of the expansion of our route network on the West Coast of Africa with the

commencement of our flights from Lagos to Freetown, Banjul and Dakar on Dec. 15.

“This is an exciting step in fulfilling our promise to unlock the economies of the region, offer air travelers on business and leisure trips seamless connectivity as well as create jobs for the people.

“We will operate round-trip flights from our Lagos base to the new routes four times a week on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays. The service departs the Murtala Muhammed Interna-

tional Airport (MMIA) for Freetown at 7am (local time).

“The launch will bring destinations on our regional route map to four. Our West Coast expansion project is still unveiling. We hope to connect about five more routes in the region in the next few weeks.”

He said the new routes would bring its route network to a total of 14 destinations within and outside Nigeria.

Iwarah said the airline recently embarked on a project to increase its fleet size to 24 aircraft, adding that the Freetown, Banjul and Da-

kar routes would be serviced by its Boeing 737 aircraft to guarantee the comfort of its guests.

He noted that Air Peace made its first scheduled commercial flight out of Nigeria from the MMIA, Lagos into the Kotoka International Airport, Accra, Ghana on Feb. 16.

According to him, the airline plans to operate flights to five other regional routes as well as six international destinations comprising Dubai, London, Guangzhou-China, Houston, Mumbai and South Africa soon.

Repair work on Enugu airport runway begins

T

HE Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, FAAN has commenced the first phase of palliative repair work on the runway of the Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu.

This is just as indigenous carrier, Air Peace commenced the federal government for the development, describing it as ‘timely.’

FAAN which said in a statement signed by General Manager, Corporate Affairs, Mrs Henrietta Yakubu, that the repairs that began December 14, also apologized to the airport users and the public over the ‘inconveniences caused.’

She said the first phase of the repair work which commenced on the 14th will end 21st December 2017, while the second phase will be from the 27th December 2017, to 4th January, 2018.

The GM noted that there will be skeletal operations at the airport while the work is ongoing as the Runway will open for operations from 0700 hours local time till 1500 hours local time on the proposed dates.

“This is to enable the contractor have ample day-light working hours in order to obtain stable and even Runway surface, while also completing the work within the stipulated timeframe. In line

with Standards And Recommended Practices, the Authority has requested the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) to issue a Notice To Air Men (NOTAM) in this regard.

“We apologize for any inconvenience this action might cause our high esteemed customers”, she concluded in the statement.

Meanwhile, Air Peace has lauded the Federal Government over the ongoing palliative repair work on the runway of the Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu, which began last Thursday.

Communications Manager, Air Peace, Mr Chris Iwarah, made the

commendation in Lagos.

Iwarah said that the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) had issued a Notice to Air Men (NOTAM) to the airline in this regard in line with the Standards and Recommended Practices (SARPs).

“Air Peace is pro-safety and the safety of our passengers is paramount. We are commending the Federal Government because that runway in particular has been a problem, because it has been destroying our tyres and causing other problems. “So, if the government has come out to say they want to fix it, it is something we

must all commend.’’

According to him, the airline will still be flying to the Enugu Airport during the period as its morning flights will not be affected by the partial closure of the runway.

“Our morning flights will not be affected, but our 2.00 p.m flight may be affected, especially when there is some slight delays. We don’t want to take chances and apart from the morning flights; other flights will go to either Owerri or Port Harcourt.

“We have advised our passengers who have already booked flights to reschedule for free, no matter the fare differences,’’ Iwarah said.

‘CCTV cameras now operational at airports’

M

anaging Director, Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Mr Saleh Dunoma, has informed that the Closed-Circuit Television (CCTV) camera at the nation’s airports were now fully operational, as he also advised airport users to be mindful of the gadgets in their conducts at the facilities.

Dunoma who disclosed this at the Anti-Corruption Sensitisation Programme organised for the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) and Aviation Sector Workers at the

Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, Thursday, also said FAAN had started recording all activities of airport users from the tollgate till they boarded aircraft in its resolve to support the fight against corruption and other crimes.

Dunoma said that the authority was collaborating with all security agencies operating at the airport to aid timely and proper investigation into incidences of theft and money laundering through its CCTV footages.

According to him, anytime there is investigation, they always go back and play it so that they can also handover to any government agency that requires the footage.

“Let the public know that as soon as you reach the airport from the tollgate till when you board the aircraft everything is being recorded and we can play it back anytime there is need. We are trying to eliminate the incidences of officials collecting bribe especially at the international terminal and burgling of people’s

At an event held in Lagos, last Wednesday, to formally launch the document, Managing Director of the Authority, who was represented by the Director of Engineering Services, Engineer Nurudeen Daura stated that FAAN ‘is a customer-centric organization and is totally committed to delivering quality services to her esteemed customers.’

He described the service charter as a service level agreement that ensures that standards are upheld and sustained, whilst providing an opportunity to our customers to report any service failure within the value chain.

Appreciating the Servicom office both at the Presidential and organizational level for a job well done, he charged all stakeholders to make conscious effort at studying, imbibing and implementing the areas pertaining to their respective responsibilities.

The event climaxed with the presentation/launching of the charter by the Head of the Presidential Servicom Office, Mrs. Nnenna Akaji Emele, who commended FAAN Servicom team towards ensuring a successful completion of the task.

She enjoined other agencies to emulate FAAN and deliver their Charters too, as required by the provisions of the law setting up Servicom.

In attendance at the event were the Authority’s Directors of Commercial & Business Development, Sadiku Rafindadi, Airport Operations, Rabiu Yadudu, Human Resources & Administration, Honorious Anozie, Finance & Accounts, Nike Aboderin, Company Secretary/Legal Adviser, Clifford Omozhegian, General Managers from the Authority and Airport Manager, MMA. Also in attendance were Servicom Nodal Officers from NAMA, NCAA, AIB, NIMET, NIWA, NRC, NPA, Heads of Government Agencies, Representatives of Airlines and the banking community.

Arik Air boosts capacity on return to suspended routes

A

RIK Air has said it will increase its capacity ahead of Christmas and New Year celebrations to enable customers celebrate the festive season with family and friends.

According to the airline, the capacity increase is boost its key domestic routes, especially in the South East and South South zones, and takes effect from December 15, 2017 through to January 14, 2018.

The main highlight of the new schedule is the resumption of AbujaCalabar and Abuja-Uyo routes which were suspended earlier in the year.

Arik Air will be flying daily from Abuja to Uyo and five times a week from Abuja-Calabar.

Similarly, the airline has increased the frequency between Lagos-Calabar, Lagos-Uyo, Lagos-Enugu, LagosOwerri, Abuja-Enugu to daily while Lagos-Asaba will operate five times weekly during the period.

Commenting on the new schedule, Arik Air’s Chief Executive Officer, Captain Roy Ilegbodu said: “We are aware that many Nigerians are looking forward to the opportunity of celebrating the festive season with their loved ones across the country.

As a caring airline, we have put measures in place to fly customers to their respective destinations during this festive season”.

28

The Oracle Today Wednesday December 27, 2017

INSURANCE & PENSION PTAD verifies 6,000 civil T service pensioners in FCT Stories by VICTOR NZE

HE Pension Transitional Arrangement Directorate (PTAD) has disclosed that 6,000 pensioners would be verified at the FCT center of the ongoing final verification of civil service pensioners in the North Central Zone.

Executive Secretary of PTAD, Mrs Sharon Ikeazor, disclosed this after inspecting the verification process in the Abuja centres.

She described the exercise, which is the final for civil service pensioners, as seamless, adding that pensioners had turned up with high expectations.

She, however, said PTAD would meet their expectations by verifying them and ensuring they got their right payment when due.

“In the FCT, we are expecting 6,000 pensioners to be verified, but you see some may still come from other states who are not resident here, but we will still go ahead and verify them. This is the first time PTAD is carrying out verification for civil service pensioners in the FCT. “This will be last and final verification, bearing in mind that we inherited payroll and data from the office of the Head of Civil Service.

“We started verification of civil service pensioners in 2015, with the six geo-political zones, North Central is the last zone, so, FCT, Nasarawa and Niger states are the final we are doing. With this, we have concluded verification for civil service pensioners,“ said Ikeazor.

The PTAD boss who explained that the essence of the verification was for PTAD to develop credible data base and eradicate the matters on pensioners embarking on incessant verification,

Edo committee on Health Insurance Scheme submits report

T

HE committee set up by the Edo State Governor to evolve policy framework for the establishment of a Health Insurance Scheme in the state has submitted its report.

Receiving the document at Government House in Benin City, Obaseki expressed gratitude to members of the committee for drafting a bill for the establishment of the health insurance scheme and assured t that it would be sent to the Edo State House of Assembly for consideration.

“We want to ensure that people who require health care services can afford and access them.

The credibility of the system is also very important, to enable the health insurance scheme function well,” he said.

Chairman of the committee, Professor Mustapha Danasi, said the draft bill would provide insight into operations of the scheme for members of the state Assembly.

The committee was set up in July, to design the framework for a state-wide implementation of a comprehensive health insurance scheme.

said PTAD was verifying maximum of 500 pensioners daily in the FCT centers.

“Every day in each centre, we can handle 500 pensioners in one day; if you notice our processes, there is a lot of data entry. When the staff is overworked and overwhelmed, they tend to make mistakes.

“And we can’t afford to make mistake, that is why we have three centres; one in Maitama, one in Gwarimpa and here in area 11. We have made buses available for pensioners to choose any cen-

tre of their choice; we can’t take more than 500 for each day so that the data we are computing is accurate.“ On findings from the recent verification, she said “some of my findings is that there are few pensioners who were taken off the payroll.

“With the exercise, genuine pensioners are now being restored on the payroll; we also discovered pensioners who were taken off the payroll due to lack of BVN on their account

in 2016.They are now presenting their BVN and we are placing them back on the payroll.“ She also said that pensioners who had been verified and pay-rolled would receive their December payment before 25, adding that those who just got verified would have to wait in three months’ time to receive their payment.

“Those we have just verified, who have never been on payroll, will have to wait because after the field exercise, their papers

will go through computation, the auditors will have to pass them, so we are talking in another three to four months. `Our processes, checks and balances must be put in place, verification is not automatic payment, we have to manage the expectations.“ She advised pensioners to report any case of fraud alert to the directorate, adding that PTAD had also stationed security personnel to check incidence of fraud at the verification venues.

Premium Pension to pay enhanced monthly pensions

P

• From left : Mr. Baridoo Friday, Regional Manager South-South and Mr. Paddy Ezeala, Head, Corporate Communications of Premium Pension Limited during the closure of the #MakeitHappen Campaign at the National Youth Service Corps Camp, Nonwa, Rivers State.

Insurance firms, banks not complying with NHF Act - FMBN

T

HE Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria (FMBN) has blamed banks and insurance companies for non-compliance with provisions of the National Housing Fund (NHF) Act since its inception.

FMBN Managing Director, Mr Ahmed Dangiwa said this, last Tuesday, in Abuja at a public hearing on “A Motion on the Need to Ensure Full Compliance with the NHF Act for effective housing delivery in Nigeria’’.

The public hearing was organised by the House of Representatives Committee on Housing, held at the National Assembly.

The NHF is a pool which mobilises long-term funds from Nigerian workers, banks, insurance companies and Federal Government to advance loans at a single digit interest rate to its contributors.

The NHF was established by Decree No. 3 of 1992 (Now NHF Act Cap N45, LFN 2004).

Presenting a memorandum on the motion, Dangiwa stated that banks and insurance companies in

Nigeria were required to be investing in the NHF scheme, but unfortunately they defaulted.

Dangiwa said that unless these provisions of the act were complied with, the pool of funds available for mortgage financing at affordable interest rate would continue to be inadequate.

“This means that the FMBN will be unable to make low interest mortgages available to Nigerians as the 2.5 per cent workers monthly contribution is grossly inadequate, especially that of the medium income earners’’.

He said that the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), and the National Insurance Companies statistics indicated that between 2011 and 2016, total loans and advances by commercial banks and non-life and life funds from insurance companies amounted to N66.996 trillion.

“At 10 per cent investment of their loan advances and non-life and life insurance with the NHF, about N6.7 trillion should have been invested in the fund by the

banks and insurance companies over the period.

“In 2016 alone, the CBN pursuant to section 11 (1) of NHF Act ought to have credited the fund with the sum of N1.553 trillion by March 2017.’’

He explained that at an average of N6.5 million per housing unit, the amount could have provided 300 units in each of the 774 Local Government in the country.

According to him, the failure to make the remittances has deprived Nigerians the opportunity of owning houses.

He said the NHF Act CAP N45 was passed into law with laudable objectives but the implementation of the Act since inception had not made much impact, adding that the public hearing was long overdue.

Commending the 8thNational Assembly for organising the public hearing, and appealed for effort at ensuring that compliance with the provisions of the act would make impact to the government.

ENSION Fund Administrator (PFA) Premium Pension Limited is set to commence the payment of enhanced monthly pension to its retiree – customers with effect from December 2017.

According to the PFA, the move which is in line with the directive of the National Pension Commission (PenCom), is to ensure that it synchronizes with growth in pension funds and also respond to the yearnings of the retirees.

Speaking at the Corporate Headquarters of the Company in Abuja, the Acting Managing Director/ Chief Executive Officer of Premium Pension Limited, Mr. Kabir Ahmed Tijjani explained that the increase of the monthly pension of all retirees on Programmed Withdrawal is due to the income earned on investment of their pension asset being managed by the Company.

“The upward review for the payment of monthly pension to retirees is a clear indication that Premium Pension fund rate has appreciated and become robust and more competitive in the pension industry.”

The payment of enhanced pension will apply to retirees with reasonable balances in their Retirement Savings Accounts (RSAs), which has earned significant income overtime. This is an indication that RSA holders are made to benefit from increased Return on Investment of pension funds.

While expressing his delight on the positive development with regard to the upward review of the monthly pension, a retiree with the company, Alhaji Abubakar Sheriff said that, this will further encourage the retirees to have faith in the new Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS) and also improve their welfare. “I give Premium Pension far more than a pass mark on account of their efficient services being rendered to retirees and the prompt response to all our inquires.”

Premium Pension Limited currently manages 738,736 Retirement Savings Accounts (RSAs) and 46, 941 retirees and has paid since inception retirement benefits to the tune of over N132 billion while having pension Assets Under Management (AUM) in excess of N500 billion Naira as at November, 2017.

29

The Oracle Today Wednesday December 27, 2017

INSURANCE & PENSION

Mixed reactions trail verification exercise in Nasarawa Stories by VICTOR NZE

W

HILE some pensioners under the Defined Benefit Scheme in Nasarawa State have expressed satisfaction with the verification by the Pension Transition Arrangement Directorate (PTAD) in the state, others have claimed that the process of getting their gratuities is flawed.

A federal pensioner, Mr. Salihu Sule, said he was verified in about 30 minutes, adding that the arrangement put in place by PTAD made the process faster.

“I would have even finished earlier than the time, just that I delayed in getting my bank statement as requested,’’ Sule added.

Similarly, Alhaji Ibrahim Dahiru, a former Permanent Secretary in Nasarawa State, expressed joy that the exercise went smoothly, unlike previous verification where pen-

sioners would spend days without tangible results.

Dahiru, however, called for the upward review of pensions in line with current economic realities.

Another pensioner, Dr Ayuba Agwadu, a first class traditional rule, commended PTAD for the exercise, saying “this would ensure that dubious elements parading as pensioners would be checked’’.

On her part, Mrs. Rebecca Swende described the exercise as interesting and orderly, compared to previous exercise.

She said the arrangement by the directorate made it very convenient for the pensioners to get verified.

“They kept us in a comfortable environment and not under the sun as being witnessed in such exercises in the country.

“They feed us and even made provision for pensioners, who are

physically challenged,’’ Swende added.

The exercise is taking place simultaneously in Niger and Federal Capital Territory and is expected to capture about 9,100 pensioners.

Meanwhile, some other pensioners in the State have decried the selective and piecemeal payment of their gratuity by the State Government.

The pensioners, who preferred anonymity, made this allegation Thursday in Lafia, the state capital.

According to the pensioners, it is only when you are related to someone in the pension bureau or have the blessing of a top government official that you can get your gratuity.

They alleged that some of them, who retired in 1995 prior to the creation the state, were yet to get their gratuity more than 21 years after the emergence of the state.

“Some of us, who retired from active service more than ten years ago are yet to be given our gratuity but those with ‘godfathers’ who retired just in 2016 have received their gratuity.

“What is the justification for paying people, who retired in 2016 and living those who retired more than 10 to 21 years ago,” they queried.

They also claimed that pensioners, who were lucky to be shortlisted for payment get their gratuity piecemeal of N100,000.

The pensioners, therefore, implored the State Government to address the uneven development and ensure that they are not shortchanged.

However, when contacted, Mr Abdullahi Sani-Oseze, the DirectorGeneral, Nasarawa State Pension Bureau, debunked the allegation, insisting that the management of the bureau was working round the

clock to ensure that pensioners get their gratuity as soon as funds are released.

The director-general, however, admitted that gratuity was being paid piecemeal due to insufficient funds.

He explained that the part payment of N100, 000 to pensioners was to enable them meet up their responsibilities for Christmas.

Sani-Oseze stressed that the state governor felt that the retirees would need some money at this period of time to meet their family needs, hence they were being paid bit by bit.

“Each of the 2,151 pensioners on our list was currently collecting the N100, 000 part payment of their gratuity base on the directive from the governor. The governor has released N215, 100, 000.00 for this exercise,” he added.

NCRIB moves to embrace self-regulation

ANAGEMENT of the Nigeria M Council of Registered Insurance Brokers (NCRIB) has said

• From left : Dr Pius Apere, MD/CEO; Dr John Eseimokumoh, Chairman, Mr Moses Omorogbe, Company Secretary and Mr Inam Udo Udoma, all of Linkage Assurance PLC during the 23rd Annual General Meeting of the company in Lagos.

Linkage Assurance repositions for improved ROI U

NDERWRITING firm, Linkage Assurance Plc, says it has now embarked on a new phase of growth that guarantees greater returns on investment (ROI) for its teaming shareholders.

Speaking at the Company’s 23rdAnnual General Meeting in Lagos, Chairman Board of Directors, Dr. John A. Eseimokumoh (MON), JP said that Linkage is positioning to take competitive advantage of the transformation and regulatory efforts of the National Insurance Commission (NAICOM), which is intended to deepen insurance penetration in the economy, and provide huge growth prospect for underwriting firms.

In addition, the company’s Chairman posited that the company is gradually introducing affordable (or pocket friendly) retail products with superior value propositions to the insurance market via numerous business channels, especially online platforms, to increase insurance acceptability and improve perception by the teaming population.

Dr. Eseimokumoh stated that as part of the firms strategic initiatives, stating: “we have developed and launched a number of retail

products, including the Linkage Third Party Plus, which is a budget friendly motor insurance that provides not only the compulsory third party cover but an additional own damage protection to the tune of N250,000. This is only available from your Company Linkage Assurance Plc. “We also have the Linkage Purple Motor Plan, an exclusive comprehensive motor insurance for women; Linkage SME Comprehensive; Citadel Shield, which provides compensation as result of injuries from accident for pupils and students in recognized academic establishments; Linkage Events Xclusive Insurance; Linkage Shop Insurance and the Linkage Estate Insurance.”

He told shareholders that the company’s online portals would be deployed in due course. This initiative would make products and services more widespread, processed quicker, and readily available to all its customers.

Dr. Pius Apere, Managing Director/CEO of the Company while speaking at the Meeting told shareholders that this is a new era in the life of the company, assuring them that come next AGM sharehold-

ers would be glad they invested in Linkage.

“We have repositioned the company for growth and stronger returns on investment for shareholders, and this is evidenced in our half year 2017 performance, which is already in public domain”.

Apere further assured shareholders that the Company will continue to explore new growth opportunities in the economy to increase its market share; reengineered its operations for increased efficiency via state of the art business tech-

nology to drive productivity and empowerment of its workforce in its efforts to deepen insurance penetration in the economy.

At the end of 2016 financial year, Linkage recorded Gross Premium Income of N4.03 billion.

The underwriting results show a significant growth of 56,773 percent, which is an indication of improved technical efficiency and risk management practices. The profit before tax for the year closed at N942.6million, which represents a 2 percent increase from 2015.

he Edo State Government has paid the sum of N244 million to pensioners, representing the gratuities for October from the the Joint Account and Allocation Committee (JAAC).

Head, Local Government Administration, Uhunmwode Local Government Area, (LGA), Mr. Anthony Osa Kaduna Eboigbodin, disclosed this at the end of JAAC meeting which held at Government House, in Benin City and presided over by the State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki.

Eboigbodin said the N2.4 billion allocation accrued to the 18 local government councils in the state from the Federation Account for the month of October, 2017.

According to him, of N2,391,150,633 total allocation to the councils, N1,108,476,358 was set aside for the payment of teachers’ salaries while N244,087,081.04 was used for payment of pension, adding that the total allocation distributed to the 18 local government councils in the state is 732,850,981.56.

Edo pensioners get N244m T

it will initiate proactive steps in relating with, as well as advising government institutions on policy issues that comes within the ambit of its professional competence.

President of the Council Mr. Shola Tinubu who disclosed this at the December edition of Members’ Evening hosted by AIICO Insurance Plc, added that the council would no longer assume a laidback attitude on issues affecting the industry.

“Enough of the Council’s lay back when it comes to advocacy and making proactive input into policy issues that may affect the profession and national economy,” Tinubu assured.

The council also said it would move to ensure that commissions paid to brokers are higher than those paid to other intermediaries such as the agents, adding that the difference in commission rates and other benefits are aimed at justifying the remarkable differentiation in their competencies and experience.

“While sustaining the tempo of technical relations with the NIA, we shall through the Association encourage underwriters to always see the sense in patronizing only current members of the NCRIB for credibility. If at all, the underwriters would transact business with other “intermediaries”, there must be a difference in commission rates and other benefits to justify the remarkable differentiation in their competencies and experience.”

He said that NCRIB will continue to advance positive collaboration with such bodies as the NIA, the CIIN and ILAN, while noting that the Council will also identify and pursue areas of relationship to the mutual benefits of the NCRIB and ILAN. On relationship with the commission, he said: ”Our relationship with NAICOM will be a cooperative and progressive one, in order to create a more harmonious professional and business environment for our members.

As regards the meeting with the commission, the NCRIB President said the meeting was quite positive and remarkably encouraging.

The Oracle Today Wednesday December 27, 2017

Crime Indian hemp retailer arrested with 134 wraps A

30

‘I sold my daughter, landlord’s son in frustration’

38 year- Old father of five, Kingsley Oriakwue who was arrested by police detectives attached to Special Anti- robbery squad (SARS) Lagos Command said he has regretted his actions of selling his daughter and landlord’s son to raise money to give his father in law a befitting burial.

The suspected a bricklayer said after he had tried all available means to raise money for the burial and it failed he then decided to sell his daughter and his landlord son to raise money for the burial and his house rent.

He said his wife is the first child of her parents and the burden of the burial falls on him and the wife more so his rent had expired “ so I took the action to clear myself of shame” Oriakwue who works as a bricklayer said “when my father in-law died and even two of my children were sick. I told my wife in was taking them to hospital, it was on my to the hospital that I made a detour and went to one Patience Nnwankwo and explained my condition to her and she told me there was a way out. “ Nnwankwo then called one Adaora Obi on phone and told her what I wanted to do, it was Obi who is a pastor of a church that referred me to the orphanage home where I sold my daughter for N120,000.”

Oriakwue further said, he lied to her wife and the owner of the orphanage home one Queen Esther that there was nobody to take care of his daughter Chimamanda that was why he decided to exchange her for money.

“I was arrested and granted bail when my wife went to report me at Meiran police station about the missing of my daughter, because I lied to my wife that I took her to my village to stay live with my sister.

According to Obi, it was one Patience Nnwokwo who introduced Oriekwue to me that he needed an orphanage home where they can take care of her daughter, because there was nobody that would look after her. “it was in the process I directed her to my friend who later took her to Queen Esther orphanage home, why I directed them to the orphanage was because the owner is a member of my church.

“I was given N20,000 after the orphanage had accepted the baby, the money was given to me as transport fare I was later arrested in Port Harcourt where I went to minister and brought to Lagos.”

The suspect was also accused of abducting his landlord’s seven-year-old son, Gabriel Yanga and sold him to a woman residing in Aba, Abia State The suspect, who were said to be living at Waheed Ogunseye Street, Kabowe, Meiran area of the State, was said to have lured the boy away from home by giving him N100 to buy recharge card and abducted him on October 20.

Mother of the boy, Mrs. Bisi Yanga said he took the boy away to Abia State after luring to buy

Stories by XAVIER NDAH

T

HE directives of the Police Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Imohimi Edgal that operatives of Rapid Response Squad (RRS) should intensify efforts at further reducing crime in the state, an Indian Hemp seller, has been arrested with 134 wraps of Indian hemp neatly arranged in polythene bag.

The suspect, Tayo Ayoade, 27 year old, a road union member in Oshodi, was arrested by the RRS operatives on patrol of Oshodi enclaves with N7, 000:00 worth of the hard drugs.

Ayoade who collects money from bus drivers on behalf of the Road Union stated that he sells the drug to his colleagues in Oshodi and Mushin and further revealed that he has been in the business for more than three years.

The hemp was neatly packaged in drug sachet in different quantities with its wrapping papers.

According to him, apart from miscreants who patronize him, corporate individuals and well to do people come around to pick hemp from him.

The suspect explained that the

drug business thrives more in the morning and afternoon. “I wake up as early as 5am for the business; most people wake me up as early as 4 am to demand for “Igbo” to make them high for the day’s work. One thing I want to say is that , I don’t

force people to come to buy from me , they came at their own volition and even at that I am looking for what to eat and feed my family.

Government can’t provide me work if they give me job I will abandon the business.

Commenting on the arrest The Police Lagos Command image maker Chike Oti said the suspect will soon be charged to court for prosecution and warned other dealers on hard drugs to avoid same as the police will never tolerate same.

Shilo 2017: Oyedepo declares spiritual war on ritualists

B

ISHOP David Oyedepo, President of The Living Faith Church Worldwide, a.k.a Winners Chapel International, has rained curses on ritualists and human parts dealers, across the federation.

Oyedepo, spoke during one of his preaching session at the just concluded annual Shiloh Winners’ family programme christened “A New Dawn”, which was held from Tuesday, December 5-10, 2017, with 54 nations in attendance and 151 other nations watching online.

Oyedepo who was visibly angry at the rate human lives were being toyed with said “Anyone across the nations of the world, trading in human parts” buying same is “cursed”, as he insisted that “if

there were no buyers there would be no sellers” and decreed “instant judgmental of death” on the perpetrators.

He said “I have been sent by God to take over this territory and anyone sacrificing human beings for political power has come to his last days. “You turn innocent children to orphans; you turn innocent women to widows, he said.

“I’m sent to take over this territory, I’m in my God-ordained domain and I open fire on you now.

God sent me to stop the innocent from being molested.

“Anyone that buys human parts to become anything, I decree the arrow of God to strike you right now,” Oyedepo declared that Shiloh 2017,

•B Ishop Oyedepo among other things, is also known to be the beginning of a new year for the Winners’ family worldwide and so the Bishop declared that “throughout the year 2018, mourning and weeping are not permitted” among his followers.

“Nobody will be buried in your

family, every siege of untimely death is crushed finally today, in the mighty name of Jesus, your path shall be shinning more and more, things that eyes have not seen shall become the order of the day in your life throughout the year 2018”.

Contempt: Orjiakor urges judge to excuse self A

Nigerian businessman, Dr. Ambrose Bryant Chukwueloka Orjiako, has asked Justice Hadiza Rabiu-Shagari, to withdraw from the hearing of the suit between AOS Orwell Limited and his company, Sheba Exploration and Product Limited.

Orjiako, also informed the court of his appeal against the bench warrant issued against him by the court, saying that until the appeal is heard and determined, the court ought to stay action in hearing of the present action.

He also told the court that the record of appeal is on its way to

the Appeal Court, adding that the police have been informed of the development.

Making submission before Justice Rabiu-Shagari on Monday, Orjiakor’s lawyer, O. Opasanmi (SAN), said that proceeding with the matter while the appeal is pending would amount to destroying the Res of his appeal.

Orjiako’s lawyer states: “I wish to inform the court the step taken between last hearing dates till today. The step is for the court to stand down the proceedings, and focus on the winding up petition.

“The record of appeal is on its

way to Court of Appeal, and there is a pending application from the respondent to the court’s Chief Judge that the case be transferred to another court.

“I the light of the development, I urged the court to freeze proceedings in relations to alleged contempt, and give the alleged contemnor to ventilate his right at Appeal Court. The court should deal with the winding up proceedings, while Appeal Court deals with the issue of contempt”.

Apart from the appeal, Orjiako has also filed application challenging the jurisdiction of the court to

entertain the winding up petition.

Lawyer to the petitioner, Mr. Kunle Ogunba (SAN), however admitted that he is yet to serve the alleged contemnor the court order as he is yet to obtain the Certified True Copy (CTC) of the order due to administrative bottleneck.

He therefore urged the court for a short adjournment to enable him get the CTC of the order and serve the respondent.

Meanwhile, the matter has been adjourned till January 22, 2018, for further hearing

31

The Oracle Today Wednesday December 27, 2017

Crime

Two notorious car snatchers in police net T

• The suspects

IRT arrests five kidnappers in Aba Stories by XAVIER NDAH

S

EQUEL to the kidnap of 80years -old Chief Felix Ogbonna on November 2, and his subsequent release after ransom was paid to his abductors, the technical support from TIU, Operatives of IGP Intelligence Response Team (IRT) deployed by IGP Ibrahim Idris swung into action and eventually arrested five gang members of a new kidnap syndicate in Abia State.

The suspects were arrested with an AK-47 rifle, ammunitions while their operational vehicles were also recovered.

According to the police, the kidnappers have confessed that they started their Kidnapping operations in November 2017 and have been successfully in three kidnappings operations in Aba, Abia state.

The suspects confessed to successfully collecting from their victims ransoms of 250,000, 1million and 5.5million naira equivalent in dollars respectively.

The suspects revealed to the police that they haven’t had any target in mind rather they were involved in random abduction based on the type of cars the targets used.

Police gave their names as Samuel Chikaodi James AKA Chiboy 29, who is the second in command, he is also the driver of the operational vehicle used in their operations and also doubles as the negotiator of ransoms and also the one who picked up the cash at an agreed point where they received the sum of N3 million.

Justice Iriah 23, aka ‘Mopol’ from Edo state said he was fully armed when he took hostage of a victim in

Aba and they succeeded in collecting N300,000 from their victim. kechukwu Igwebuike aka Anambra was able to get a victim where their relatives were able to pay N300,000 to secure his release.

For Chikachi Ubani 30, he was in charge of the stronghold and detention camp where their hostages were kept while Chineye Mark 45, a panel beater, was in charge of their operational vehicle which he hides in his workshop. He told the police that he receives N150,000 per month for the services.

Exhibits recovered include AK47 rifle, magazine and ammunitions, the operational vehicle one Lexus 300 jeep, and a Toyota Sienna Bus. Police said effort is ongoing to arrest the two gang members who are now at large and the recovery of more arms in their possession.

It was gathered that the herdsmen had released their cows which virtually ate everything and destroyed the crops of the victim leading to a confrontation from Orisade who challenged them why they allowed their cattle to graze on his farm.

It was gathered that in the ensuing exchange of words the herdsmen who were more overpowered and macheted him severally before they escaped into the nearby bush.

Police Public Relations officer Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Abimbola Oyeyemi who confirmed the story told The Oracle newspaper that on the strength of the information, the Area Commander Ilaro Assistant commissioner of Police (ACP) Titus Musa had dispatched a team of Policemen to the scene where the bush was thoroughly combed in conjunction with local vigilante group at the end of which the three suspects were arrested while others escaped.

Oyeyemi said one AK 49 riffle, with serial number 513, forty nine 0.8mm life ammunition, 26 live cartridges and two sharp cutlasses were recovered from them while efforts are on to apprehend other suspects and to recover other arms from them.

It was gathered that the victim has been admitted in a private hospital where doctors are battling to save his life following the injuries he sustained during the attack by the herdsmen.

Meanwhile, the Commissioner of Police Cp Ahmed Iliyasu has ordered immediate transfer of the suspects to Federal Special Anti-Robbery Squad (FSARS) for discreet investigation.

He equally ordered that the fleeing members of the gang must be hunted for and brought to book; while assuring residents of the State of adequate security at all time.

he police Ogun state command have arrested two men alleged to be specialists in car snatching across Ogun state and its environs.

It was gathered that the suspects were in the habit of deceiving drivers to hire them with a mouthwatering sum to a far distance.

It was gathered that the men will pounce on such drivers’ midway into the journey and dispossessed such drivers of their vehicles.The two suspects,Damilola Omolegbe and Saidi Asirikoko were arrested at oko ape area of Igbogila on December 8,when one of the suspects, Damilola Omolegbe contacted one Abimbola Olaore, a driver of a Toyota Camry car with registration number KJA 164 EX in order to hire his vehicle from Alimoso in Lagos to Igbogila on an agreed fare.

It was gathered that on getting to Oko ape area, he asked the driver to stop for him to ease himself only for two other men to emerge from the bush with dangerous weapons and pounced on him and thereafter overpowered and tied him with rope and dispossessed him of his vehicle.

Police source said that the suspects were not lucky as they had

presumed while escaping with the car as they ran into a ditch and the vehicle ceased to move further and for fear of being arrested they abandoned the car and took to safety in a nearby bush.

Police said they received a distress call and the Area Commander Ilaro, Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Titus Musa detailed police patrol team to the scene.

It was gathered that members of the community who witnessed some strange faces in their town had alerted the police who joined them in combing the bush thoroughly and the two suspects were eventually arrested while the remaining one escaped and the car was recovered to the station.

Dependable police source said the suspects have confessed to having employed the same pattern of deception to steal several vehicles from their owners and the police we gathered are already taking details which they intend to trace the whereabouts of the already stolen vehicles.

Meanwhile, the commissioner of police Commissioner of Police (CP) Ahmed Iliyasu has ordered the immediate transfer of the suspects to FSARS for discreet investigation.

Three herdsmen arrested for attempted murder

T

HE police Ogun state command have arrested three herdsmen for attempted murder and unlawful possession of fire arms.

Dependable police source said the trio of Mohammed Bello 40, Muhammed Momoh 30, and Yisau Umoru 18,were arrested following an information received by the police in that one Ige Orisade was attacked and severely wounded by the herdsmen in his Imedu farm Oke-Odo via Oja-Odan.

• The suspects Omolegbe and Asirikoko

Cripple beggar arrested with gun

T

he Police Lagos command have arrested a cripple with a locally made pistol concealed in his pocket.

The cripple was arrested by detectives attached to the Area ‘m’ command Idimu while he was on his daily routine of begging for alms along the popular Idimu/Egbeda area with his clutches and gun.

Police sources said the beggar whose identity was not yet disclosed was placed under surveillance before he was intercepted and searched where a gun was found on him.

The suspect we gathered has since been placed under interrogation at the Area ‘M’ Command but has refused to state his mission with the gun as a known street beggar since he was arrested.

However, another source said he has opened up at the weekend stating that he got the gun for his protection.

The beggar we gathered has

told the police that all the money he has been making through begging most often were stolen by some robbers and he needed a gun to protect him.

This however has not gone down well with the police as some of the officers were of the opinion that it was either the suspect was a confirmed armed robber or kept weapons for robbers while pretending to be a beggar.

Sources at the Command said the suspect will likely be transferred to Special Anti-Robbery Squad, SARS for further interrogation.

When contacted the Police Public Relation Officer, SP Chike Oti, could not be reached but the area Commander, Akika who confirmed the incident said he had directed his officers to transfer the matter to SARS. Sources at the SARS office confirmed the transfer and said that the suspect was already undergoing interrogation and would be charge to court soon.

32

racleToday

The

www.oraclenews.ng

Head Office: 116 Awka Road, Onitsha, Anambra State, Nigeria. Lagos Bureau Office: 25 Remi Fani-Kayode Street, GRA, Ikeja, Lagos, Nigeria. Hotlines: 08091999222 , 08033580234 08171824606

Advertisement Rate Black & White Sizes

N

Full Page

305,000.00

Half Page Up

185,000.00

14” x 5

344,500.00

14” x 4

321,000.00

14” x 2

153,000.00

10 x 6

266,000.00

10 x 5

220,000.00

10 x 4

206,000.00

10 x 3

175,000.00s

9x6

228,800.00

9x5

240,500.00

9x4

210,000.00

8x5

200,000.00

8x3

186,500.00

7x5

105,000.00

7x4

90,000.00

Quarter Page

102,000.00

7x3

82,000.00

6x3

72,000.00

6x2

45,000.00

5x5

40,000.00

4x3

35,000.00

4x2

30,000.00

3x2

24,000.00

2x2

16,000.00

1x2

5000.00

1x1

3,500.00

Colour Sizes

Pull Out Section

N

Full Page

410,000.00

Half Page

235,000.00

14” x 5

387,500.00

14” x 4

350,000.00

14” x 2

185,000.00

10 x 6

345,000.00

10 x 5

290,000.00

10 x 4

250,400.00

9x6

240,000.00

9x3

398,000.00

9x4

Full Page 10 x 5 Half page Quarter Page FPS / Strip BPS/Strip IFC IBC OBC Earpiece

N 1,000,000 750,000 600,000 350,000 650,000 2,200.000 1,160,000 1,150,000 1,200,000 400,000

Special Position

N

Front Page strip 2 x 6

465,000

Backpage strip

2x6

450.000

313,000.00

Back Page strip

6x2

530,000

8x5

305,000.00

8x3

180,000.00

Front Page solus 6 x 2

500,000

7x5

238,750.00

7x4

195,000.00

Earpiece Window (2 x 2) Front

205,000

Quarter Page

125,000.00

7x3

151,250.00

Earpiece Window (2 x 2) back

179,000

6x3

125,000.00

Centre Spread

1,000,000

6x2

50,000.00

Double Spread

850,000

2 x 6 (Strip ROP)

40,000.00

4x3

75,000.00

4x2

42,000.00

3x3

56,250.00

2x2

18,000.00

1x3

13,000.00

1x2

10,000.00

1x1

4,000.00

Wrap Around

16,500,000

Half Wrap Around

10,000,000

Classified

3,000

Loose Inserts Rate Per 1000 Copies 43,000.00 Handling Charge 45.000.00

33

The Oracle Today Wednesday December 27, 2017

Love and Living

...With Ireto Temofeh

MODEL OF THE WEEK

LOVE NEWS

despite doctors saying he would ‘never see’ Katie Price shares heartwarming video of son reading

A

nd now Katie Price has shared the heartwarming moment her son has been able to read a book to his sister Bunny, despite doctors saying he would ‘never see.’

Katie, 39, posted the heartwarming video to fans on Instagram, adding a caption saying how proud she was of her son.

In the video, Harvey can be seen reading out a book about bunny rabbits and frogs to little Bunny, while Katie says: ‘You make Mummy so proud reading nicely!’

The star captioned the post: ‘So proud of Harvey reading a book to Bunny. Harvey is amazing and considering I got told he would never see he can read a book but obviously can’t see well but he tries so hard x’ As Katie praises Harvey for reading so well, he appears to get excited at being praised by his mum, and fans also took to the comments section to congratulate him on his reading skills.

One wrote: ‘Heart of gold. What a wonderful young man,’ while another

added: ‘Aww amazing! Well done Harvey - a fab big brother x’ Harvey is partially blind, autistic and suffers from septo-optic dysplasia and Prader-Willi syndrome, which causes him to gain weight easily, but Katie has been keen to show his developments like any other teenager.

Katie recently revealed that due to her son’s learning difficulties she had considered hiring a prostitute for her son to allow him to experience sexual encounters once he turns 18.

Speaking on Loose Women, she said: ‘Harvey is 15 now. Naturally at 15 you go through puberty and it’s natural to experiment with yourself... Is it fair for him to experience it?’

‘Kieran joked ‘shall we get him a prostitute for his 18th birthday’ and I was like ‘well that’s my little Harvey!’

‘He hasn’t got a clue about that side, but then do you bring it on? What do you do, do I leave it? Do I let him experience it?’

DAILY MAIL

Name: Christy •

If you want to be our next ORACLE GIRL, e-mail or forward your photos/data to ireto007@yahoo.com. Call 07031028714.

ODD NEWS

Council hopes to become the first in Britain to liquify dead bodies and flushing them down the DRAIN

U

nless you plan to blast the ashes off into space, most of us opt for a simple burial or cremation when it comes to saying goodbye to a loved one.

But soon there could be another option in the pipeline.

A crematorium is hoping to be the first in the UK to dispose of the dead by liquefying them – and flushing the dissolved matter down the drain.

In the eco-friendly ‘water cremation’, the body is placed into a steel torpedo-like chamber where it is dissolved in an alkaline solution heated to 152C. Rowley Regis crematorium in the West Midlands is hoping to adopt the £300,000 technique – already used in parts of the US – after being

given planning permission by councillors.

However, the scheme is being blocked by water company Severn Trent which is refusing to grant a ‘trade effluent’ permit. Bosses at the utility say the document only covers waste disposal - not dissolved bodies.

Water UK, which represents suppliers, said the public may also find the idea of human remains going into the water system ‘distasteful’.

The process takes place in a machine known as the Resomator, which turns corpses into softened bone and a Cont’d on page 36

Romantic Joke THE CONFESSION A young couple is on their honeymoon. The husband is sitting in the bathroom on the edge of the bathtub saying to himself, “Now how can I tell my wife that I’ve got really smelly feet and that my socks absolutely stink? I’ve managed to keep it from her while we were dating, but she’s bound to find out sooner or later that my feet stink. Now how do I tell her?” Meanwhile, the wife is sitting in the bed saying to herself, “Now how do I tell my husband that I’ve got really bad breath? I’ve been very lucky to keep it from him while we were courting, but as soon as he’s lived with me for a week, he’s bound to find out. Now how do I tell him gently?” The husband finally plucks up enough courage to tell his wife and walks into the bedroom. He walks over to the bed, climbs over to his wife, puts his arm around her neck, moves his face very close to hers and says, “Darling, I’ve got a confession to make.” She says, “So have I, love.” To which he replies, “Don’t tell me, you’ve eaten my socks.”

34

The Oracle Today Wednesday December 27, 2017

True Confession

‘I almost divorced my wife over sex’

M

y name is Rotimi. I have been stuck in a loveless and sexless marriage with my wife of over 20 years. We have previously tried counseling with very little impact on our marriage.

We then did a marriage retreat through our church with about eight follow up meetings. We did find from the meetings that our communication has greatly improved and we actually took small steps towards having some intimacy for the first time in a very long time.

The topic at one of the retreat follow up meetings was sex and the topic was an explosion for us. On the way home we had one of the worst arguments of our married life and the marriage seemed all but over.

The argument started because I told my wife the plain truth, which is that ever since I married her many years ago, she has never satisfied me in bed. In fact, I told her that I have patronized brothels and kept girlfriends all through the the period of our marriage till date because of her sexless attitude towards me.

My wife felt very disappointed hearing me say these things and she replied by saying that she had always known that I never loved her and had never being faithful to her in marriage. She called me a dog and other names in her fury.

She even went as far as saying that she knows that I must have several illegitimate children outside wedlock.

I tried to defend myself by saying that I didn’t have any other children apart from the ones she bore with me. I blamed my wife for my so-called irresponsible behavior. I blamed her for making me have to sleep with other women because she couldn’t give me sexual satisfaction.

Later, after we had both calmed down and appeared reasonable enough, we had a meeting with each other and decided that it was best for us just to get a divorce and move forward with that. I

“The argument started because I told my wife the plain truth, which is that ever since I married her many years ago, she has never satisfied me in bed. In fact, I told her that I have patronized brothels and kept girlfriends all through the the period of our marriage till date because of her sexless attitude towards me.” was busy with looking for a place to live and someone else to love.

During the entire divorce process my wife and I were very nice to each other and through the many skills we learned at the retreat actually told each other about our real feelings and what we actually wanted.

The bottom line is that we have four beautiful children and we both want a loving family for them. We both really did not want a divorce but it was the way life was pushing us. After giving it a second thought, I had decided not to divorce my wife because of sex.

I thought of all our children and for that reason, I finally decided to remain married to my wife for the sake of our beautiful and innocent children.

I have decided to sacrifice everything for the sake of my children and I think that is the honorable way to act. Divorcing my wife because of sex would make me look very selfish, like a man who only thinks about himself. But I feel it is bet-

ter to sacrifice my sexual satisfaction for the sake of my children and marriage. After all, there is more to life and marriage than sex.

Last night I had a nightmare of what life could be like living apart from my kids and wife and then actually dreamed of a sexual encounter with my wife. I and my wife had actually stopped having sex for some time.

I woke up early this morning and was thinking about the retreat we attended together. In the retreat they said that love is not just a feeling. It is something you have to decide to do or not do. If you decide to do it then it is a lot of work and communication is the key.

I made the decision this morning that I would once again decide to love my wife not only for the sake of our children, but more importantly for my own sake. That’s because living without love in marriage is the greatest tragedy and it would kill me. So I woke up my wife with a gentle and kind hug this morning.

Holding her nicely, I told her that I have made the decision to love her again like I did when I first met her. I also told her that I plan to really work on our marriage.

For the first time in many years we had some very nice sex together and wrapped it up just holding each other for a few nice minutes. I know that we have a long way to go and the road will not be easy for either of us, but we have taken the first steps in loving each other again.

She now knows how important sex is to me as I have expressed my true feelings to her about the topic.

I will not let the fear of rejection or the fear of my wife’s thoughts get in the way. I will be sure to communicate my feelings to her in a loving way so that she can understand where I stand on things.

For me and my wife we are headed back on the right track after such a rocky and bumpy road. I know the road will be bumpy and have plenty of pot holes but I will do my best to keep the car of my marriage on the right track.

I want to tell all married men in my shoes that if you decide to really love your wife again and make it happen in your marriage, then you have a chance to get your marriage back for good.

I would also tell you that it is not easy to love and forgive someone who has refused to have sex with you for such a long time.

Sometimes I feel like I can never forgive my wife for refusing to have sex with me all that time. But if your real goal is happiness then sometimes you need to take a chance on yourself and the person you asked to be your spouse for life.

I am not a very religious person. But I really think that God is watching over my family and wants us all to find a way to make it work. I thank God that at last I’m no longer in a sexless marriage.

35

The Oracle Today Wednesday December 27, 2017

Relationships and Love Advice

‘I find it hard to trust my boyfriend’

Love Search Women seeking relationship/ marriage Joyce, 26, in Lagos, romantic, wants a caring sugar daddy who can also help her get a job.

08050572880.

Sarah from Jos needs a HIV positive man of 35-40 years for marriage. 08090925014.

Victoria, 30, from Akwa-Ibom, in Lagos, tall, big, single mother, wants a tall, responsible, working or business man for marriage.08153598363.

Busola, 43, tall, chocolate, with big breasts, living in Lagos, wants a mature-minded man for a relationship with benefits. 09090517882.

Comfort, tall, dark, big, with a heavy backside and good in bed, living in Lagos, wants a man that can take good care of her. 08062720819.

Faith, 35, works and lives in Port Harcourt, needs a decent guy of 36-40 years.. 09037846643.

Monica Ono, 35, beautiful, single mother of one, needs a handsome man of 38-41 years for marriage. 08036844539.

• Mature Singles Party is a romantic event for mature single men and women which will take place in December to help you find your Mr. Right or Miss Right. To register for the Mature Singles Party, call Diana on 08034033167.

Dear Love Doctor, Since my last boyfriend cheated on me and walked away two years ago, I find it extremely difficult to trust any guy. My present boyfriend seems like a nice guy, but we always have issues based on my lack of trust in him.

How can I learn to trust my boyfriend?

Men seeking relationship/ marriage

Thanks.

Ada.

Love Doctor’s Advice: Dear Ada,

S

tart by telling him the truth. Tell him that someone cheated on you before and walked away.

Tell him that you know that he is not perfect but that you’re willing to forgive him if he makes mistakes if only he will try to stay faithful and committed to you.

Define your relationship with him.

Ask him to tell you how far he would like your relationship to go. If his vision of your relationship is different from your own vision, then the relationship might not be worth it.

Ask yourself if he is your ideal kind of man. If he is actually the one you

went, tell yourself it’s okay and learn to gradually let go of your fears.

When you gradually let go of your fears, you will learn to trust him.

Confide in him. If you learn to confide in your boyfriend, it would help you to see and understand the kind of person he really is. Then you will know if you can comfortably trust him or not.

Carry each other along. Again, try to carry your boyfriend along in whatever you do. You don’t need to tell him 100 per cent of your plans and movements but learn to share a reasonable amount of information

Call Love Doctor: 07031028714, 08131161840, 08077821830 for Counseling, infertility & Direct Hookup.

with him. Don’t keep secrets. If you keep secrets, he will never trust you.

Be patient and be yourself. Trust will naturally grow up between you and your boyfriend if you remain true to yourselves. Don’t pretend to be what you’re not. Be true to yourself and be patient enough to know or understand the true nature or personality of your boyfriend; and gradually, you will learn to trust or not to trust him.

As long as you love each other, everything will naturally fall into place with time.

An educated, God fearing young man wants an educated, God fearing, tall, very fair, working class lady with a B.Sc. or M.Sc. for marriage.

09021839161.

Víctor, 37, engineer, from Delta, businessman, wants a responsible lady from 25-35 years for marriage. 07060456276, 08122424703.

Ephraim, a pastor, not buoyant, needs a buoyant girl of 20-30 years with big hips and big bust for marriage. Email: ugochukwuodor@yahoo.com Uche, in Lagos, needs a matured sexy woman from 40 years and above for friendship, not marriage. 08077821830.

Do you have advice on this problem? Please share your thoughts. Call 07031028714 or 08131161840. Email: ireto007@ yahoo.com

David wants a beautiful, mature, working class lady for friendship. 07038485483, 08094063208.

Do you have a marriage/wedding, birthday, anniversary or club or town meeting announcement to make? Call 07031028714 now!

Kenneth, 40, wants a responsible woman for marriage. 08143002139.

Note: If you have fertility problems like childlessness, inability to conceive or get pregnant, miscarriages, fibroid, low sperm count, STDs, or need a male child or female? Call 07031028714, 08131161840.. Love Doctor can help you succeed in your marriage/relationship.

36

The Oracle Today Wednesday December 27, 2017

It happened to me:

‘I demolished my sister’s wedding cake’

I

’ve struggled with bulimia for at least seven years now. Before it evolved into acute anorexia and severe weight loss, however, no-one knew of my eating disorder — not my boyfriend, not my parents, not even my older sister who I lived with while we were at uni.

sensibility and morality.

My older sister became engaged during her graduating year. She and her then-fiancé made me bridesmaid and set the wedding date to just after her final exam!

The cake was actually forgotten about for a while. After her honeymoon, my sister gradually moved her belongings out of our house and into her new marital home.

Needless to say, stress levels were sky-high and tears always at the ready. There was the usual wedding planning rollercoaster ride, but the end result was wonderful — a bright, bubbly, beautiful day.

My sister and I lived together up until her wedding day, so all her belongings were kept in the house while she was on her honeymoon.

Miscellaneous goods from the wedding were tossed into the storage room, flowers were strewn through the house, and the bottom tier of the wedding cake — the one that was being saved for anniversaries to come — was put away in a cupboard.

I have a thing for almond icing. I think probably many people do, it is so tasty! But my bulimia means I can’t control my cravings. When it comes to binging, I abandon all

I ate the whole bottom cake (and promptly regurgitated it — sin above sin). I didn’t eat it in one sitting, though, because I thought it would be a lesser crime if I ate the cake over a series of days rather than in one hit.

And, in the meantime, a boarder moved in to take my sister’s room. The boarder was a nice girl, a little older than I, but very loud and robust.

So when the whereabouts of the cake was finally questioned, I told my family that the boarder had been entertaining one night and, spurred by wine and companionship, found the cake and shared it with her friends. My family believed me and took a dim view of the boarder.

To this day, the secret is mine, and it makes me as guilty now as it did then. *Do you have a story or comment about this confession?

Call 07031028714.

Council hopes to become the first...

Cont’d from page: 33

tea-coloured liquid in just over three hours. The bones are ground to powder and given to the family in an urn while the rest of the liquid – about 330 gallons – is flushed down the drain.

UK company Resomation, which builds the machines in West Yorkshire, said ‘dozens’ of crematoria across the UK had shown an interest in installing the technology.

Founder Sandy Sullivan said he hoped the first water cremations would begin around late spring.

The 61-year-old biochemist told The Sunday Times: ‘There is no technical reason why the liquid can’t go down the drain. It is a very treatable organic liquid. It is sterile and there is no DNA in it. We are copying nature. The

body dissolves by soil bacteria and it is a very long process. All we are doing is taking the exact same chemistry and applying heat, which speeds it up.

‘This is a third option, other than cremation and burial.’ However, a source at Water UK said: ‘We are not convinced and believe the technology needs to be explored in much greater depth.

‘This is an absolute first in the UK. We have serious concerns about the public acceptability of this. It is the liquefied remains of the dead going into the water system. We don’t think the public will like the idea.’

Sandwell council in Oldbury, West Midlands said: ‘The funeral industry is evolving and modernising and we want to offer people more choice.

Water cremation is the next phase in

this evolution and would give people a more environmentally-friendly option.’

Resomation has sold four of the machines to the US – in Florida, Minnesota, California and Chicago. In one funeral home in Florida it is advertised online as the ‘new flameless cremation option’ which gives the relative a way to ‘honour your loved one in a way that’s right for you’.

Another innovation in eco-burial involves a process called Promession, or freeze-drying. Invented by a Swede, the corpse is immersed in liquid nitrogen to make it brittle. Vibrations shake the body apart and the powdered remains are then laid to rest in a shallow grave.

Important things to know about water cremation Water cremation involves putting

a body is put into a steel vat with an alkaline solution that accelerates the natural breakdown of the body, turning all but bones into liquid that can be poured down a drain. Pictured above, a Resomator used during for the water cremation •

Water cremation speeds up body’s breakdown, turning all but bones into liquid • A crematorium near Birmingham wants to bring the cremation process to the UK • Sandwell metropolitan borough council approved plans to use water cremation • But the water company Severn Trent has refused to give the council a permit Dailymail

37

The Oracle Today Wednesday December 27, 2017

Love & Living

I

N the eyes of a woman lies the truth about her man, strangely too, the man knows it deep within and even observers can tell when a man is only a SPERM DONOR. When marriage is simply considered as two people deciding to live together and having children as they go along, there are higher chances that the man would be merely a sperm donor and no husband. Husbandhood, if there’s anything like the word, is purely about taking charge and shouldering responsibilities but it is very common to see men who already passed the bulk to the women letting her make all the provisions even when they themselves have the means. Yes, she can assist the home but not take over completely. There are exceptions though when the man has got financial challenges but he should be seen to be actively working on getting back to providing ways and not just relaxing because she’s got it covered.

Some men, for reasons best known to them, just refuse to care for theirs wives. Mike’s case wasn’t about the lack of means, he had a flourishing business and could afford to drive different cars and live comfortably but he never extended it to his wife, she was at best a pauper right in their big house. I met her at a friend’s place and hearing her experience was just discouraging.

A man who can hardly stand the sight of his wife’s younger sister because she would always eat food in

Husband or sperm donor Ify ARONU ifyaronu@gmail.com

his house whenever she came visiting. A man who dares his wife to return to her poor family if she’s tired of staying. A man that she stuck with through his trying years and later married now letting her into his bedroom only when horny. Her three children give her every reason to stay and she has grown to accommodate her pains and live with them. Sperm donor!

Aside attending to a woman’s financial needs and seeing to her emotional needs, ensuring her happiness is important. But rather than doing this, a sperm donor would make out with other women and even try to shatter

Christmas is upon us T

HE Christmas season is upon us and the trend that has been rampant over time is to be repeated by unwise persons, those who are still held up by the expectations of people who do not care about their lavish lifestyle and those who will not be impressed by what new clothe you wear, what new car you drive into the village with, what new phone you buy.

Over the years, it has become a tradition for many to resort to expensive lifestyle during the Christmas season, so many of them have been working their asses off from January not because they have important life achievements or dreams they are pursuing or hoping to meet, but just so they can prove to their neighbor, their friends, their enemies, their village people and anyone who cares to be watching that they have arrived and that they have not been suffering. This is usually a lie because in truth they have not been enjoying either; they have been living in conditional poverty. Poverty that is self-imposed.

This is an unhealthy trend and a way of life I have no idea when it started becoming a norm, but in my years on earth, I have grown to see this happen yearly.

This is sadly pathetic because this lavish lifestyle usually and always sends them back to square one by the beginning of the year, while they are screaming happy new year, they are wondering where their meal for the new year is going to come from.

The sadder part of this anomaly is the other group of persons who END up borrowing money from merciless MONEY LENDERS, from those who are ready to lend money to whomever wishes to borrow from them while including alarming interest rates just because they have to impress someone who does not wish to be impressed. Borrowing money is not an entirely good thing; now imagine borrowing just to IMPRESS people.

A man who dares his wife to return to her poor family if she’s tired of staying. A man that she stuck with through his trying years and later married now letting her into his bedroom only when horny.

People who always run from pillar to post looking for means to impress people are suffering from gross low self-esteem and only need to boost their esteem by showing off what they have just acquired.

In this season: 1. Buy just what you NEED, not what you WANT others to see you have 2. Don’t try to OVERCOMPENSATE, no one deserves it 3. PLAN ahead, the New Year will wait for no one 4. WORK on your SELF ESTEEM 5. SEEK new BUSINESS opportunities

• December Carnival in Calabar

his own wife’s emotions by rubbing his extra marital affairs in her face.

We seem to have more sperm donors than husbands all over the place these days. Although marriage may not guarantee happiness but it is possible to make it a life time to remember. All that it takes is an extra conscious effort to enliven your home and make everyone feel at home.

Time passes on us all and by and by we will find that family is all we really have. Sadly, many will not even have that because they never cared to build one earlier. A woman’s role in home making is of key importance

”

but let’s not forget that it is the man’s place to create the right atmosphere for her to do that, first she needs to feel naturally accepted. There is nothing more beautiful than a woman who is so sure she is in her own destined home, give it to her and watch her transform your space into a palace. All you need to be is her husband.

• Please send comments to ifyaronu@gmail.com

M

e& ore

Maureen Alikor maureenalikor@gmail.com Enjoy the Christmas, but remember there is life after Christmas – it would be great, if you would enjoy that life too.

• Please send comments, suggestions and questions to maureenalikor@gmail.com

39

The Oracle Today Wednesday December 27, 2017

ENTERTAINMENT

With Douglas Omoyooma

My husband my pillar – Judith Audu-Foght

A

ctress, movie maker and model, Judith Audu has come a long way, especially since shooting her debut feature length movie entitled Not Right.

And during the 2017 edition of the AMVCAs, her movie swept awards thus sealing her position as one of Nigeria’s accomplished movie makers. Today, she has gone on to raise the bar with the production of two new movies entitled Stormy Hearts and Obsession.

T

he Oracle Today caught up with the ac actress who found love on facebook after she met her Caucasian husband whom she dated for a couple of years before they tied the knot in a colourful ceremony in La Lagos in 2011. In this chat, happily married Audu declares that her hubby is the secret behind her astronomical rise in Nollywood.

“The greatest decision I ever took was choosing my life partner,” Judith began beaming with smiles. “He helped me frame my career and leads me in the right direc direction. I wouldn’t have been here if I were with someone else and this is a fact.

“He is not the jealous type. Instead, he sup supports, motivates, encourages and pushes me to be the best at what I do so he never gets caught up in something as petty as that. He understands how the industry works way better than I do. He is the secret to my success--my pillar, my strength.”

Making movies Ever since she hit Nollywood, it has been her dream to go beyond just acting. Thus, in 2014, Judith produced her de debut short film on domestic violence which won her rave reviews.

•

But, what inspired Not Right? Has she ever been a victim of domestic violence?

“No, I have never been,” she said, radiating with the confidence of a woman who knows her onions.

“Not Right was inspired by the things happening around me. I had a lot of people close to be at the time that were battling domestic violence and that provoked me to pour it down on paper and I wrote the script; that was how the movie over was birthed. The response was overwhelming. Earlier in the year, some peopeo ple in Poland saw the flick and invited me for a fellowship. It was awesome!”

Judith Audu-Foght

prepared to give their all to the project.”

Speaking on the challenges of working in an industry dominated by men, the movie maker noted that gender is not a factor as far as film-making is concerned: “I see myself as a filmmaker. Gender doesn’t matter even though sometimes I have to work a lot harder to get to do what I have to do. It is never a problem as I do love to be here. I love what I do. The only challenge I have is fund-raising and how to properly marry arts and business to be more commercial.”

2018 and beyond Despite the success, Judith is not resting on her oars. Opening up on her new projects, she said: “Judith Audu Productions has a couple of feature films on the drawing board. We also have a TV series and a documentary that have been in the works for the past three years. They revolve around fertility and will be shot with an all-female crew in five States.

We are still in the fund-raising stage but intend to shoot it first quarter of next year.

“We hope to be able to attract a lot of investors so we can achieve our goals. We appreciate our fans and we are grateful for their love, support and love. We owe them amazing content and we will keep doing just that. This year, I personally took on a lot of roles adding to my acting and producing credits. I did a lot of production management and casting. I learnt a lot and next year, I am adding some new roles to that. Watch out for more awesomeness from Judith Audu Productions in 2018 and beyond, we just got started.

Advice Having seen it all and done it all, Judith has a word for wannabes. “They should realise they can be anything they want to be and have no limitations except that which they create themselves. Life isn’t as easy as a lot of people make it look,” she philosophised.

“It takes a lot of hard work, sleepless nights, dedication, determination, discipline, consistency, persistence and focus to get there so they should be ready to work extremely hard and know that it will never come easy. But the trick is to never give up, to trust the process, believe in themselves and their dreams no matter how impossible it looks; keep pushing and to not put their trust in people and putting all their hopes in believing someone will help them fast track their dreams.”

“No one owes you anything, so don’t hand your life to anyone. Take control, trust and believe in yourself, thank God for the internet and even if you don’t have money to go train yourself, you can read and watch videos on line. Read, read and never stop reading and remain focused,” she stressed.

Her next production, a feature length movie which was released in 2016 broke the ceiling winning awards and was described as the most successful film by an indie producer for that year. What is the secret of her suc success?

A smile creased her features as she re responded: “Just Not Married is a product of God’s grace and I dare say it was the grace of God on the project that made it stand out. It was a passion project done with love.

Everyone that came on board believed in the project, not for any financial reason but gen genuinely believed in the project.”

“The script is one of the best scripts I have seen and it was written by Lani Aisida,” she What are Mrs. Audu-Foght’s dreams? disclosed. “All the actors felt it was also “To find fulfillment in all I do and be extremethe best script they had seen and were ly happy in life,” she surmised. glad to be a part of it, so they all came

40

The Oracle Today Wednesday December 27, 2017

Entertainment

Eddy Ugboma to Gov. Ambode: Please redeem your pledge

M

ovie legend, Eddy Ugboma who turned 77 on Tuesday, December 19, has called on Lagos State governor, Akimwunmi Ambode to redeem the pledge the governor made to Ugboma in August this year. Ugboma, who is the only African to have shot 13 films on celluloid, expressed optimism that Governor Ambode will honour his words.

He said: “I am using this opportunity to reach out to the Lagos State governor, Akinwunmi Ambode who is redefining governance in the Centre of Excellence to make sure Lagos State acquires Nigeria’s Film & Music Hall of Fame which I have been working on forever. This is a project that will benefit Nigeria and Lagos in a big way.

“In August (this year), he made a promise to support the project but to date I have not heard from him. This is a project the entire country stands to benefit from as it has very strong economic potentials.”

Commenting on his birthday he continued: “I feel very good as a human and as a family man. It is going to be a very quiet ceremony. I will be with my children.

I have no plans to do something elaborate; it is going to be a quiet ceremony because I have used my money to pay my

• kids’ school fees. I have nine graduates so far and still counting.”

However, the thespian is not happy and he shared his thoughts: “I feel very sad as a Nigerian. Imagine I am a Lagosian but they call me an ‘omo’ kobokobo. I have worked and supported Lagos economy

Eddy Ugboma

to grow all my life. I am more Lagosian than many Lagosians and my children are suffering it. They applied for scholarship in Lagos but they were rejected because they are kobokobos but they were all born in Lagos. I am happy and a proud father but I am not happy with Nigeria.”

Lovebirds, Juliet Ibrahim, Iceberg Slim clinch Ambassadorship

A

ctress, Juliet Ibrahim is on song again and this time it is with her lover, rapper, Iceberg Slim, with an international perfume brand, OROS which was officially launched recently in Nigeria.

On being appointed as an ambassador, Juliet said: “This is a season of love and being in love with Iceberg Slim is a perfect thing for me, hence, the perfume is also a perfect gift for lovers.”

According to a statement from OROS: “The pair are perfect pair to exude the

Foundation unveils ICT TV show

A

non-governmental organisation, SEITAC Initiative, has launched an Information Communication Technology (ICT) television show, titled the Geek or Guru.

The launch which took place in Lagos State was part of the foundation’s 10th anniversary of strategically empowering Nigerians on aggressive information technology utilization.

According to the founder of the NGO and initiator of the TV show, Uzo Okoye, the programme was carefully designed to accommodate skills acquisition in a fun-filled environment.

The participants in the TV show, he explained, would at the end of the competition come up with projects and inventions that are marketable and could be used by both the public and private sectors. He informed the reporter that the projects would cut across networking, soft/hardwares development and other areas of technology.

He said the programme would be aired on local television channels and online platforms, showcasing participants sixweek stay in a house, where professionals would take them through rigorous series of auditioning and tasks.

The founder said: “Votes will come from viewers and at the end of the day, the first, second and third winners will emerge. They will go home with different prizes. One of the prizes is a sponsorship training abroad.

“The whole idea is all about providing indigenous solution to the decline in technology adoption in the country.

Instead of going through the Medeteranean sea to seek greener pasture abroad, our youths can now look inwards to realise their dreams. We have lost so many talented people to other countries to the detriment of our economy.”

Omoni Oboli boasts: ‘Wives on Strike will dominate 2018’

vision of the perfume brand in Africa.

OROS perfumes comes in seven different scents; four for women, one unisex, and two for men. The fragrance is described as elegant, provocative and free spirited, a scent full of passion and emotion.

Earlier in August, Juliet had confirmed her relationship with the Nigerian artiste in a lovely message on his birthday and the duo also went as far as getting matching tattoos while on holiday in the US.

Keke Napep was inspired by naughty thoughts — Lorraine Lionheart

W •

Juliet & Iceberg

Armed robbery attack: Burna Boy in soup!

D

ancehall star, Damini Ogulu aka ‘Burna Boy’ is in soup and may end up in jail if found guilty of complicity in the armed robbery attack on Mr. 2Kay, which took place at Eko Hotel & Suites a couple of months back.

Friday last week, after he submitted himself to the Lagos State Police Command to state his side of the story, he was arrested, interrogated and detained.

Commissioner of Police, Imohimi Edgal, after the interrogation, said the State Police Command has zero tolerance for all forms of crime and would not hesitate to prosecute anyone found culpable in any criminal offence perpetrated in the State.

Tunmise Omotore, gang leader of the suspected robbers, had confessed how they disguised as room service attendants to rob Mr. 2kay at Eko Hotel and Suites on the instruction of Burna Boy’s Ro.

hen sexy UK- based Botswana singer, Lorraine Lionheart visited Nigeria, one of the very first things that caught her fancy was the popular tricycle in Lagos called ‘Keke Napep’.

According to her, she was so fascinated by the machine that it immediately gave her inspiration for a song, which she said she wrote in 15 minutes. To her, the Keke Napep embodies sexuality which could only be expressed in a song. “The song was written in less than 15 minutes .When sexuality is part of the inspiration, the creative juices flow smoothly. The song was inspired by naughty thoughts. ‘Keke Napep’ is sex on three wheels; I was surprised no one had written a song about it,” she said.

“When you see couples on bicycles to-

gether and motorbikes, it can trigger a sexual thought in one. You wonder what sex will be like in a ‘Keke Napep’. I think it would make a very sexy romantic get -away ride. Sex in public is becoming a common fantasy and the thought alone can arouse more than sexual excitement . In my case, I have to be honest, the first time I saw the Keke Napep I had peculiar thoughts and I knew the best release was to write a song about that unique experience and feeling.” On the decision to shoot the video of the song in Nigeria, she said: “It would have been wrong to shoot the video in any other country.

It had to be shot where the inspiration came from.” The video is rapidly gaining popularity on social media and it is set to hit music TV screens in the near future.

Adasounds returns with My Baby

A

fter she took a one-year break to mourn her late music producer and manager, OJB Jezreel, singer, Adasounds is back with a bang! She has just released a brand new single entitled My Baby.

“I am back with a bang and my fans should watch out for my new single, My Baby, which just dropped. It is hot and sizzling!”

A statement from her management read thus: “Budding Afro pop singer, Adasounds makes a great return to the Nigerian music scene with her latest single, My Baby. Have you ever listened to a song and remembered what exactly

life was like when you first heard it? You don’t have to go too far to fetch such songs, as a lady who is endowed to create such songs has just put her overflow of emotions into action.

“After over one year of silence, Stephanie Adaeze Ofor aka Adasounds, has just perfected her act in a new single titled My Baby which was produced by award-wining Puffy Tee. Adasounds, for those who may not know, kept away from the entertainment scene because of the demise of her erstwhile manager. Now that her mourning days are over, she is back with a bang!”

•

Omoni Oboli

A

ctress and moviemaker, Omoni Oboli, has boasted that Wives on Strike will dominate cinemas in 2018.

The producer of the block busters like Okafor’s Law and Being Mrs. Elliot among others in a chat with Oracle Today said: “Of all the movies that I have produced so far, this is a movie that I am not afraid to go all the way with. Thankyou lovers of Omoni Oboli, Omoni loves you too. Wives on Strike: The revelation is set to dominate 2018.”

The movie features Omoni Oboli, Ufuoma McDermott, Uche Jombo, Kenneth Okonkwo, Julius Agwu, Chioma Akpotha, Toyin Abraham, Chigul, Simply Saka, Odunlade Adekola, Sola Sobowale, Elvina Ibru, and many others.

The multiple award winning producer, is the only Nollywood producer who has had back-to-back box office hit with four movies consecutively with movies such as Being Mrs. Elliot, First Lady, Okafor’s Law and Wives on Strike.

“Wives on Strike: The Revolution”, whose official trailer has been released earlier in the week will premiere December 29.

Described as an intellectual display of exquisite comedy, Wives on Strike: The Revolution follows up on the chronicles of the women’s fight against domestic violence after one of them was beaten to death by her husband. This leads to yet another strike by the women against their husbands, forcing their hands to stand up for what is right.

41

The Oracle Today Wednesday December, 27 2017

I formerly known as UMEONAEKWE ONYEKA NICHOLAS now wish to be known as EZE NICHOLAS ONYEKA. All former documents remain valid. Banks and general public take note I formerly known as OZONMA INNOCENT now wish to be known as OZONMA INNOCENT NONSO. All former documents remain valid. General public take note I formerly known as OKECHUKWU CHIOMA FAITH now wish to be known as UROKO CHIOMA FAITH. All former documents remain valid. Banks and general public take note

PUBLIC NOTICE OGANIRU FAMILY ASSOCIATION AFOUDO IGBOEZE COMMUNITY ONICHA LGA This is to inform the general public that the above named Association has Applied to the Corporate Affairs Commission Abuja for registration Under part “C” of the Companies and Allied Matters Act of 1990.

THE TRUSTEES ARE: 1. OKORO RAPHAEL CHUKWU 2. CHIEF CHUKWU JOHN 3. MRS OKORO UGO JECINTA 4. MRS EMMANUEL EUNICE 5. MRS UTARA JOSEPHINE 6. MRS CHUKWU EBERE AIMS & OBJECTIVE 1) To promote the welfare of members 2) To co-operate and act in union for the protection of the interest of the association 3) To develop the spirit of understanding good will, brotherly relationship among members of the community.

Any objection to the registration should be forwarded to the Registrar General, Corporate Affairs Commission, Plot 420 Tigris Crescent, Off Aguiyi Ironsi Street Maitama, Abuja within 28 days of this publication.

Signed OKORO RAPHAEL CHUKWU

I formerly known as DOMINIC JOSEPHINE UCHENNA now wish to be known as IKEOZARA JOSEPHINE UCHENNA. All former documents remain valid. Banks and General public take note.

This is to certify that OBIDIMMA ONYEKAOZULU and OBIDIMMA ONYEKAOZULU EMPEROR is one and the same person now wish to be known as OBIDIMMA ONYEKAOZULU EMPEROR All former documents remain valid. Banks and General public take note

I formerly known as CHIOMA FELICIA OSAKWE. now wish to be known as CHIOMA FELICIA ONWUKWE. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note

I formerly known as NNADOZIE NONYE JEROME now wish to be known and addressed as NNADOZIE CHINEDU JEROME. All former documents remain valid. Banks and general public take note.

I formerly known as UZO MIRIAN now wish to be known as UZOR CHINWE MIRIAN. All former documents remain valid. Banks and general public take note

This is to confirm that my name was wrongly written as OGBUE UCHECHUKWU ELIZABETH Instead of EGBUE UCHECHUKWU ELIZABETH. All former documents remain valid.Banks and General public take note.

This is to certify that ALISAH EDITH MONICA and ALISAH IFEYINWA OGBONNAYA refers to one and same person now wish to be known as ALISAH EDITH IFEYINWA. All former documents remain valid. Banks and general public take note

I formerly known as MISS AMAJOUYI CELESTINA CHIKODILI now wish to be known as MRS CHINEDU CELESTINA CHIKODILI. All former documents remain valid.

Banks and General public take note.

I formerly known as MISS OKEKE AUGUSTINA OGOMEGBUNAM now wish to be known as MRS EDUPUTE AUGUSTINA OGOMEGBUNAM. All former documents remain valid, Banks and General public take note.

I formerly known as ESTHER EDET EKANEM now wish to be known as EDET JOY INYANG. All former documents remain valid. Banks and general public take note

This is to certify that OKEKE HELEN is the same person as HELEN MBADIKE CHINHE now wish to be known as OKEKE HELEN UCHENNA. All former documents remain valid. Banks and general public take note

This is to certify that MBELEDEOGU S.N NWAFOR and MBELEDEOGU SYLVANUS EZEUGO refers to one and same person now wish to be known as MBELEDEOGU SYLVANUS NWAFOR. All former documents remain valid. Banks and general public take note

This is to confirm that OZUMBA UJU HELEN and ANENE OBIANUJU HELEN is one and the same person.

Now wish to be known as ANENE OBIANUJU HELEN. All former documents remain valid. Banks and General public take note.

This is to confirm that IKEZU DENNIS OKONKWO and IKEZUH CHINEDU DENNIS is the same person. Now wish to be known as IKEZU CHINEDU DENNIS. All former documents remain valid. Banks and general public take note

I formerly known as IBETO CHIDINMA CHINEZE now wish to be known as MRS ONWENDU CHIDINMA CHINEZE. All former documents remain valid. Banks and general public take note

This is to confirm that MISS MARYCYNTHIA AMAIFE is the same person as MISS AMAIFE CHIOMA JULIET now wish to be known as MRS OKECHUKWU CHIOMA JULIET. All former documents remain valid.

Banks and general public please take note.

I formerly known as EMEKA SUNDAY GODSTIME now wish to be known as EMEKA SUNDAY. All former documents remain valid. Banks and general public take note

This is to certify that my name was wrongly written as EBERE JUSTIN instead of EZENWAMADU EBERE AUGUSTINE. I now wish to be known as EZENWAMADU EBERE AUGUSTINE. All former documents remain valid. Banks and general public take note

I formerly known as OKEKE CHIADIKOBI JOSEPH now wish to be known as OKEKE NWANDUTA JOSEPH. All Former documents remain valid. Banks and General public take note.

I formerly known as EZELIORA CHINYERE GLORIA now wish to be known as OBIJI CHINYERE GLORIA. All former documents remain valid,Banks and General public take note.

I formerly known as Miss AGBATA SHARON CHIDIMMA now wish to be known as Miss AGBATA ABIGIAL CHIDIMMA. All former documents remain valid,banks and General public take note

I formerly known as OGBU CHUKWUMA NYIA now wish to be known as OGBU CHUKWUMA MONDAY. All Former documents remain valid. Banks and General public take note.

I formerly known as CHIDUM CHIGOZIE DAVID now wish to be known as OFFORDUM CHIGOZIE DAVID. All former documents remain valid. Banks and general public take note.

I formerly known as OJEKWE OGECHUKWU NGOZI now wish to be known as ABUMCHUKWU OGECHUKWU NGOZI. All former documents remain valid. Banks and general public please take note.

FOR SALE

I formerly known as CORDELIA OKUANATA EZUE now wish to be known as CORDELIA OKUANATA EBEDE. All Former documents remain valid. Banks and General public take note.

I formerly known as MISS OZUAH PHILOMINA now wish to be known as MRS UFUANYA PHILOMINA. All former documents remain valid. Banks and General public take note.

For your change of Names, Public Notice & Announcements Please call: 08037029702, 08036682255, 09078310060 Or Visit our office at: 116 Awka Road, Onitsha. Lagos Office: 25 Remi Fani-Kayode Street, GRA Ikeja. Abuja Office: 1st Floor, Plateau House, Central Business District, Abuja, FCT. Email: oracletoday2016@yahoo.com

46

The Oracle Today Wednesday December 27, 2017

NEWS Zik will turn in his grave if Nigeria distingrates – Widow From CHINEDU NWAFOR, Abakaliki

T

he widow of the first President of Nigeria, Prof. Uche Azikiwe, Monday has said the spirits of her late husband, Rt. Hon. Nnamdi Azikiwe; Chief Obafemi Awolowo, Ahmadu Bello and other founding fathers of Nigeria would be unhappy in their graves should Nigeria break up, insisting that she believes in the unity of Nigeria.

Her statement as the President-General of the apex socio-cultural organization, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Chief Nnia Nwodo regretted that he had come under uncharitable media attack over his stance on the Biafra agitation.

He said that contrary to reports, he was not against Biafra agitation but the approach employed by the agitators for its actualization.

He said that the options for Biafra actualization were war and diplomacy, saying he picked the latter, which is also the same as restructuring.

The Ohanaeze leader made the clarification at Federal University Ndufu-Alike Ikwo (FUNAI) where he was a guest lecturer at the institution’s second Convocation Lecture themed National Reconciliation and the Role of Universities.

He said: “I have in the last few days been a recipient of terrible media bashes; some from my seniors: Ikedife and others but my training does not allow me to return bashes to my elders in public.

“I was being bashed for what I did not do. If anybody brings any situation that will bring another civil war to the South East again, I will be a saboteur. I was a lieutenant in the Biafran Army.

I worked at Uli Airport. Every three days, it was bombed.”

He, however, lamented that the horrible marginalization of Ndigbo by the federal government was responsible for the various agitations throughout the country.

Mrs. Azikiwe, however, appealed to pro-Biafra agitators and the Ndigbo to embrace the unity of the country.

“Nigeria will not disintegrate. My husband, Nnamdi Azikiwe, Obafemi Awolowo, Ahmadu Bello and others will turn in their graves if Nigeria disintegrates. This is because they sacrificed a lot for Nigeria to be one,” she said.

The Vice-Chancellor of the institution, Prof. Chinedum Nwajiuba, in his remarks, lauded the federal government for assisting the university in its quest for academic excellence.

Umahi orders retraining of civil servants

By CHINEDU NWAFOR, Abakaliki

C

hief David Umahi, Governor of Ebonyi has ordered immediate training and retraining of civil servants in the state for efficiency and greater productivity.

Umahi who made the decision during a rally held in his honour by the Organised Labour in the state on Monday at Pa Ngele Oruta township stadium noted that the exercise would boost the performance of government.

The governor also announced the commencement of payment of severance allowances of public officers

who served under his predecessor, Chief Martin Elechi whom he served as Deputy Governor, which also served as a Christmas party he held for them.

He noted that payment of officers’ severance allowances was delayed because they did not pay the officers who preceded them and workers’ salaries, pensions and gratuities when they were in government.

“God, however, spoke to me yesterday and directed that we should review the decision not to pay them as I direct relevant state and Local Government Area (LGA) agencies to compile list of those affected at both levels, for us to look-into the matter,”

S

ome fun seekers and residents of Calabar and its environs have deserted the Christmas Village in Calabar Municipality as fuel scarcity escalates in Cross River State.

The Christmas Village, located within the Calabar Municipality Headquarters is usually set up annually at the end of the year to add spice to the 32day Christmas festivity in Calabar.

The village which provides all forms of services to visitors and residents ranging from local and foreign goods, allied services, assorted local and continental dishes as well as live entertainment has been gradually building up following its official opening on the 1st of December this year.

The sheer fun and entertainment which the village provides residents usually makes it the most preferred destination for visitors who throng

Chairman of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) in the state, thanked the governor for his favourable disposition to workers and pledged their continued support for his administration.

“We therefore gathered to re-affirm this support as you pulled the state from the brink of collapse occasioned by backwardness, poverty, corruption, poor state of infrastructure, among others,” he said.

Highlight of the event was the award of ‘Enyi Ndi Oru’ (Friend of Workers) to Umahi in appreciation of his numerous welfare packages for them.

Payment of salaries shouldn’t be a project, says Bishop Isong From ANIEKAN ANIEKAN, Calabar

T

•

Nwafor Orizu College of Education Acting Registrar, Mr. Godwin Okeke, Provost Dr Cordelia Uzozie, Rep of Gov Obiano, Barr Harry Udu and Anambra Comissioner of Education, Prof Mrs. Kate Omenugha during the 18th convocation ceremony the school. Photo Modestus Igudobi

Cross River’s N1.3t budget realistic – Speaker From ANIEKAN ANIEKAN, Calabar

S

PEAKER of the Cross River State House of Assembly, Mr. John Gaul Lebo has described the N1.3 trillion budget estimates for 2018 presented to the state legislature by the State Governor, Professor Ben Ayade as realistic.

The Speaker made this known at plenary while considering estimates of the budget christened “Budget of Kinetic Crystallisation” in the state house of Assembly.

Lebo emphasised that the House will work in concert with the government in actualising the industrialisation drive of

the governor, which has informed the size of the budget. “We support the figures that the Governor has presented at this point, pending when we will take the cross examination of the activities that have influenced the increment ’’.

The Speaker noted that the size of the budget cannot be limited to the Federal Allocation and Internally Generated Revenue, IGR, alone, disclosing that government has put in place plans to generate funds for its signature projects like the Bakassi Deep Seaport and the 275 km super highway which are valued at about N500 billion among

Fuel Scarcity: Fun seekers desert Christmas Village in Calabar From ANIEKAN ANIEKAN, Calabar

Umahi said To further show his appreciation for the conduct of the labour leadership, Umahi said workers would receive 50 per cent of their salaries beginning from January 2018.

“This would serve as a palliative before the payment of your January 2018 salaries and your leave allowances would from the same period, be paid as part of your salaries,” he told the enthusiastic labour leaders.

The governor announced the donation of 66, 000 bags of 25kg rice to workers as part of their Christmas celebration, directing that each worker would collect at least two bags each.

the state for the Carnival and well as residents who usually congregate there in large numbers to unwind at the village from dusk to dawn.

However, following the sudden scarcity of fuel within the city, the village is gradually becoming a shadow of itself as the fallout of the scarcity has forced residents to unwind indoors.

The fuel scarcity which is taking its toll on residents of the city has led to an escalation of transport fares within the city and also for commuters travelling in and out of the state.

Most filling stations within the state particularly independent marketers have been under lock and key for over ten days now and very few major marketers who sell petrol have to attend to an avalanche of customers who troop in to get the scarce commodity.

This has resulted in an upsurge of black marketers within every nook

and cranny of the city who sell the product at about N400 per litre.

Some fun seekers complained of the impact of the crisis on the people and wondered why there should be a sudden shortage of fuel within the city, particularly at a festive period like this.

A respondent, Effiwat Archibong told the Oracle Today that the high cost of fuel constitutes a major impediment to the people as they have had to pay over 200 percent increase in transport fares.

“I usually pay N600 for my spouse and I from my place at New Airport down here to come and unwind after a hard day’s job. But recently, due to the fuel scarcity, the price has increased to between N1500 to N2000 to come down here and we are not finding it funny,” he said.

Another reveler, Ekanem Etuk told our correspondent that it is risky

others.

He assured the citizenry who have had reservations about the sheer size of the budget that the figure of N1.3 trillion did not drop from hallucination but came out of the State’s economic growth and strategic plan.

In his remarks, the Chairman of the Finance and Appropriation Committee of the House and Member representing Yakurr ll, Rt. Hon. Eteng Williams, promised that his Committee would do a thorough work on the budget before presenting it to the House for passage.

Governor Ayade presented the budget on November 30. to stay long into the night because these days at night, you hardly find taxis who will take you home and this endangers the lives of the people because they could be vulnerable to robbery attacks.

A taxi driver who preferred annoynymity said that it is unrealistic to drive with the fuel sold at the black markets because they do not know the quality of fuel sold there and do not want to expose their vehicles to mechanical faults.

As a result of this he said, they spend most of the night battling to buy fuel at the few filling stations and so there is no possibility of serving people who commute at night.

As at Tuesday morning, the fuel situation in the state had not abated and most of the filling stations within the metropolis remain under lock and key.

The few stations that have fuel like the NNPC Mega Station and Mobil at Murtala Mohammed Highway could not contain the number of cars queuing to buy the scarce commodity.

he National Publicity Secretary of the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria and presiding Bishop of the Christian Central Chapel International, Bishop Emmah Isong has expressed displeasure at the level of degeneration the country has sunk into, lamenting that payment of workers’ wages, for instance, has now become a major project by state governors.

He called for a reversal of the status quo, stressing that payment of salaries remains the “inalienable and intrinsic rights” of workers, which should not be unnecessarily publicized and celebrated.

Bishop Isong expressed his displeasure in Calabar while speaking on the state of the nation and some challenges facing the country.

“It is so sad that paying salaries is now a project because governors take photographs when they are paying salaries and a number of them have been given awards for paying salaries.

Yet some others are being called labour friendly governors.

“To me, these are people’s entitlements. It’s like each time you want to feed your children, you bring journalists to write about it,” he agonized.

“So, I think that there is something wrong at the state level. Many states are not able to turn around the resources of their states to use them to create a portfolio for the development of their people. I’m thinking that there is for more politics in states than there are development policies,” he further lamented.

“Government should let the system be productive. Our systems are not productive. There are no solid mechanisms to monitor like the budget coming; nobody is interested in the budget. There are projects in this country that exists in the air in some villages.

We are in trouble and we should probe Obasanjo’s assertion that members of the national assembly are thieves. The National Assembly should sue him to disprove that allegation. I don’t understand how one person can call everyone thieves and no one is reacting.”